《Isekai Sagishi no Consulting》 1-< 16 years old (reincarnated from 36 years old) Male A con artist from Japan. Works as a live-in employee at the Sunlit Pavilion. He''s also the head of the Garbage Collection Guild. Heroine. [Ginette Tinard] 16 years old, Female I Manager of the Sunlit Pavilion She was originally an orphan living in a church, She was originally an orphan living in a church, but her step-grandfather took her in and she came to live at the Sunshine Pavilion. Estella Creamona, 17, Female A Daughter of Ortwine Creamona, Lord of the Forty-second District. She usually wears men''s clothes and is skilled with knives. Magda Lavers] 12 years old, female, A Belongs to a hunting guild She is also a live-in waitress at the Sunlit Pavilion. Tigers. Loretta Hewitt, 15, female, C The eldest daughter of a large family living in a former slum district. Waitress at the Sunshine Pavilion Hamster people She is a waitress in a sunny restaurant. Female E Sister who is in charge of the church in the 42nd district Elf. Delia? Age: Female Guild leader of the River Fishing Guild in District 42. She is also a temporary waitress at the Sunshine Pavilion. Bear People 17 years old, Female D A pharmacist from the spice producing region of Bao Kri Air. Head of the Pharmacists Guild (Regina is the only member) [Masha Ashley] ? Age: Female F Guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild Mermaid Natalia Owen? Age: Female E Head maid of the Clairmona family, Lord of the Forty-second Ward She is an expert with a knife. Imelda Javier, 18, female, F a?? G Young lady of the Woodcutter''s Guild Becomes the head of the 42nd district branch Norma Gregson. Female, G Heavyweight of the Mold Guild She has mastered almost all the techniques. Kitsune people ????????a??¡ê???????????¡ä?????????????-3?£¤3??¡é ???¨¨?¡À????????????????¡À? ???????????¡¤?????3?????|?oo??? ????????|?????????????-3?£¤3??¡è ?¡è¡ì¨¦????????¨¦??? ¡ä????????3?????????????????????????¡§? ??¡è????oo????????¡ä???????????3????????a???????oo?????¡ì??¡¥??a?????¡è????oo?????¡ì?????? ???????????¡ì??a?????????????-3?£¤3??¡è ¨¦¡è?¨¦??? ¡ä????¡§? ?????¡¥?????a?oo??? ?????????????????-???????????????????-3?£¤3??¡ì ???????????????????????????¨¦?¡¤ ?????¡ì??????????oo??? ??¡ê??1??¡ä???¨¨?a??¡§?????o?????£¤?????o??£¤??? ??????????????? ?????|????????-?????????????????¡¥??????????-3??¡¤ ??????????????¡¥?¡¤£¤????o??¡ê??¡é? ??-???????oo??? ?????¡é?????1??3?????????????-3??¡¤ ¨¨??????????????????????o??????????o???o?¦Ì¡À?????¡¥¨¦?¡§??¡¥¨¦?¡§¨¦?¡¤ ???????oo??? ???????????3????????¡ä?????????????-3??¡¤ Son of an Apiary Sculptor A bee man. "Theron Euler"? Male. Son of a brickworks. Wendy Avery? Female, age C Researcher Yamamayuga people. Percy Laird, 20, male. Factory manager of a sugar factory in District 40 Raccoon people [Molly Layard] 13 years old, female, B Percy''s younger sister Raccoon dog people. "Mormat"? Age: Male Guild leader of the Agricultural Guild of District 42 Crocodiles. Use Damare? age male Representative of the forty-second district branch of the hunting guild. Pompeo? Age: Male Owner and chef of the coffee shop "Luxury" in District 40 Ortwine Creamona? Age: Male Lord of District 42 Estella''s Father He''s currently out of commission on medical leave. [Ambrose Demilly] ? Age: Male Lord of the Fortieth Ward. Orlovine Creamona, Stuart Javier''s friend. Stuart Javier? Age: Male Guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild Imelda''s father. Ricardo Siegenthaler, 18 years old, male. Lord of the 41st district. Estella and I have known each other since childhood. "Yap Lock"? Male Corn farmer. Wife, Wuerer Children: Tot, Cheryl. Uclines? Age: Female, C Female owner of a clothing store on the main street Sheepfolk. Yamboldo? Age: Male Carpenter at Torbek''s construction store Horse people. Goozja? Age: Male Carpenter at Torbek''s store Omero]? year old male Deputy Guild Leader of the River Fishing Guild, District 42 Raccoon Man Tribe [Homer] ? Age: Male Rice farmer Duck People Calvin? year old male Deputy head of the Sea Fishing Guild. Bojek Euler? Age: Male Father of the brickworks. Zoltar? Male Slum liberation activist A boar man. Goffredo? year old male Collection agency. Daiglea Wishart? years old male Lord of the Thirtieth District. Norbert Age: Male Peddler for the Wishart family. Arrested for theft. Ottmar? Male, age 40 A ragdoll who caused a food poisoning riot in the 42nd district. Iguana people. 2-Prologue April 7th When was the last time you stopped celebrating your birthday? That thought came to my mind when I saw today''s date on the display of a cell phone that had fallen at my feet. Today, April 7th, is the thirty-sixth birthday of me, Yashiro Ohba, and it will be the anniversary of my death. ''You!It''s all your fault! There''s a man screaming as if he''s out of his mind. ...... is now an animal. It was a lousy life, but the way it ended was lousy too. ...... It seems that God really hates me. I''m not sure what to say. ............ Ah, my stomach hurts. The head of the organization that used to run this country, even if it has fallen, doesn''t have a knife, does he?I''m not sure if you have a gun or not,......, but it hurts, and it''s hard to die,............. The last thing you want to hear in your life is some a**h*le laughing at you. Yeah, ......, but I guess that suits me just fine. ............ There''s no sign of any running lanterns, so I have no choice but to look back at the past myself. Worst of all, it looks like there''s still time. But I''m also convinced that I''ll never make it. The blood flowing from my belly forms a large pool of blood, staining the floor of the abandoned building red. The blood on your cheeks and in your hair is uncomfortable as hell. ...... It''s cold. I''ve been wondering if it would get warmer soon. For twenty years now, my heart has been cold,......, and it never warmed up. Both of my parents died in an accident when I was five years old. My uncle and his wife, who were the epitome of good people, took me in. My uncle ran a small factory in a small town, and although he was not very wealthy, he had many regular customers because of the quality of his products, his flexible order system, and above all, his personality. He had no time for poverty and was always making something from early in the morning every day. He was very good with his hands and had a wealth of knowledge, and I thought that there was nothing that he could not make. Before I knew it, I was completely in love with him. My uncle was kind to me as a child and generously shared his skills and knowledge with me. He smiled innocently with a wrinkled face and said, ''I''m glad you solved the heir problem. I was happy to hear him say that. ...... But I was somewhat embarrassed and ...... called my uncle ''master''. ...... I couldn''t call him "father". My aunt is a soft and gentle person and I have never seen her angry face. Even when I did something wrong, she would just tell me off gently. She was an excellent cook, and even the cheapest fish or trashy vegetables that I didn''t even know the name of were a treat in her hands. The apple pie she made at home for my birthday was the most delicious. She said, ''I''m sorry I couldn''t buy you a cake from the store,'' and I couldn''t help saying, ''There''s no better cake in the world! ............ Then my aunt started crying, and ............ I couldn''t help but cry, too. ............. In the end, I was too shy to call my aunt "landlady". I could not call her "mother". In those days ...... I had no money, but I had a family. The warmth I had once lost was given to me again. I thanked God. When I entered junior high school, a professional soccer league started. Even though I had no interest in soccer, the boom was so strong that I was caught up in it. Promise rings," bangles made by weaving colorful threads, were all the rage. The price ranged from 300 to 500 yen. The thin, short, flat strings were selling like hotcakes. All the students in my class wore them on their arms. There was a rumor going around that if you wore it on your arm and it broke, your wish would come true. That''s why it''s called a promise ring. I never said I wanted one, but the proprietress gave it to me. She taught me how to knit it and worked hard on it. ...... What are you doing, you''re exhausted from housework and factory work. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you.Think about it. ............ Thank you. I''m glad. I wore the promise ring on my left wrist from that day on. Time went on and on, and six months before I graduated from junior high school, I asked my master to hire me at the factory. I told him that I wanted to help out at the factory instead of going to high school. However, both the master and the proprietress insisted that I should go to college. So I saved and saved and saved. ...... I remember that the master wore the same clothes every day. I absorbed most of his skills, and honestly, I was confident that I could be an immediate asset. And yet, my employment was denied. Even the tuition is not free, you know. But my offer was not accepted. I belatedly started studying for the exam ............ and yes, that was a mistake. I couldn''t let the money for the exam go to waste, so I threw myself into my studies. I stopped helping out at the factory and stayed in my room studying from morning till night. That''s why I didn''t notice. I didn''t realize that the master and landlady had fallen for a scam. In order to pay for my higher education, the master used the factory as collateral and got involved in stock trading. He was taken in by a shady company that claimed to be absolutely safe. ...... without telling me. The overseas company, which was said to be sure to rise rapidly in the future, quickly dropped its stock price and went bankrupt. I found out later that it was a planned bankruptcy. They dishonored a huge amount of money, took large sums of money from ignorant people to make up for it, and then destroyed the company when they had avoided a fatal wound. The owner of the company disappeared with the large sum of money in his hands. ...... All that was left were the ignorant people who had lost their debts and hope for the future. As I was about to enter high school, I spent my days without knowing anything. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... Even though it was already too late. The factory I had pledged as collateral was seized, and even my modest house and land were taken away. ...... That''s when I was admitted. You should have told me ...... that you didn''t want to go to high school after all, and that you wanted me to work for you ...... so that we could work together ...... since we don''t have any money. ...... The master and proprietress, who had tried to be good parents to the end, saw me off at the door on my way to the entrance ceremony and said. ''You don''t need to worry about anything. We''ll always be with you. We''ll take care of the money, too. Have a good day. After the ceremony and a brief homeroom, I headed home. And I found my parents hanging from the ceiling. I couldn''t make sense of it. ...... I didn''t understand what the heck was going on ...... in front of me. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ...... Are you stupid? You can''t take something like that with you to the ...... afterlife. You can find letters in your parents'' room, and that''s when I first learned about all of this. That I had fallen for a scam. My savings, my house, my factory, everything had been taken. The facts I didn''t know were written in the familiar letters of my master. And he said, "I''m sorry. ...... From that point on, the proprietress''s gentle words described what had happened after she took me in. When she was about to give up because she was told she couldn''t have children, she decided to take me in. Then, the words of the master and the proprietress were alternately written, as if they were talking to each other, as they always do, and there were many rambling things written. They said that the heart is necessary for making things, that the cherry blossoms along the riverbank are beautiful again this year, that the ayu is delicious this time of year, and other unimportant ...... but usual words. The second half was just a continuation of boasting about his son. I''m sure you''ll agree with me. "I loved you," he said. "A priceless treasure. "No matter what anyone says, you are our pride and joy." ...... The last one was about my future. The last one was about my future. "Don''t worry about tuition," he said. ...... "We''re both insured," he said. ...... "We''ve been insured for ten years, so I''m sure we''ll get it. ............ I want you to be happy," he said. ............ You idiot. ...... What do you mean, "I''ll always be with you." ...... The only thing you had going for you was your earnestness and honesty. You said it was better to be deceived than to be deceived. ...... You lied to me at the last minute! I couldn''t take it anymore and threw my arms up and hit the table. That''s when the ...... promise ring I''d been wearing snapped. The Promise Ring fell from his arm and rolled on the table. If you think cutting it will make your wish come true, give it back now. Give me back everything I hold dear! Give me back the ...... everyday life that was broken while I was studying, that went away without me noticing, that ended without me. ...... Let me start all over again. ...... This time, I won''t make mistakes. ............ ''Let me make my mistakes ............ and start over ......'' In the silent house, there was no one to answer my voice. That''s when I realized. "It''s the fools who are fooled. ''Don''t worry. Don''t worry. I''m a fool for being fooled by such words. ...... I quit high school that day. Did you really think I was going to take you seriously?Huh, you fooled me, idiot. The truth is, I didn''t even want to go to high school. I''m gonna get a job. I got dreams. You wanna hear about it?Hey, "mom" and "dad" ...... I''m gonna be a con artist. And I''m gonna put the people who did this shit in hell. From that point on, my memory is not so clear. Before I knew it, I was thirty-five years old. And I was destroying a large organization. I had scammed back that fraudulent organization that had taken my parents'' factory, my life, my ...... everything. They were only sensitive about taking and being taken from, they didn''t care about taking. They loved their minions who pandered to them, flattered them, and offered them all sorts of things. So I played them. I slipped into their pockets and inadvertently dropped everything on ...... them. Put their money in a collection box for underprivileged countries. Information into the oceans of the Internet. And I knocked their credibility to the bottom of the earth. I don''t get a dime. That must''ve caught them off guard. I don''t want the money you''ve made. As long as you don''t have it, I''m happy. That year, two major pieces of news swept across Japan. A major fraud ring was exposed and dismantled. And the head of that organization escaped during a convoy and disappeared. The head of the scam organization escaped with the help of a collaborator who was still lurking. He came to the fourth floor of an abandoned building. This place I use as a hideout. His hair disheveled, his beard dirty, his clothes and face in tatters, he had lost all semblance of the man who used to run the organization, and with bloodshot eyes he spewed his bitterness at me. It was so funny that I just laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed ...... and got stabbed. With a small, small, small, stupid blade. My stomach was gouged out with a cheap knife that would take forever to cut even a pumpkin. ''You!It''s all your fault! I thought it was a pig squealing. An ugly voice. The display of the fallen phone showed ''April 7th''. Happy worst birthday, ...... me. And so my consciousness was finally interrupted. It was my sense of smell that felt strange. I smelled earth. And my abdomen. No ...... pain. And my back is warm. ......The sun? ''............ hmm''. My head hurts weirdly. It''s like when you''ve been forcing yourself to cram formulas in all night. ''Hmm, what''s ............ wrong with you? When I lifted myself up, I found myself in a plain. ''............?'' An empty, wide plain. There was nothing but ankle-length weeds spreading all over, a wide, wide plain. .................. Shizuoka? No, because it was only a night''s drive from Tokyo and seemed to have a lot of flat land. But there''s nothing there. ............ Gunma? Oh, sorry, Gunma Prefecture. It''s not as if there''s nothing here. ...... I don''t get it. Where is this ......? I''ll just look at my phone ............ and reach into my pocket and notice. ............Why am I wearing a blazer? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. And ...... ''...... ah'' There was a promise ring around my left wrist. What the hell? What''s going on? A dream? I pinched my cheek. But, perhaps he didn''t want it to hurt, so he went easy on it, and I couldn''t tell if it hurt or not. ''...... cosplay?I''m sorry.It''s not like it''s a cheap porno, but a high school cosplay ......'' I''m going to stroke my chin. There''s no ...... beard. It''s smooth. I''ll have to check my pants. .................. Oh, here, well, that''s true. I grew it before the beard. This is not the time for that! This is no time for that! What the hell is this? What''s going on?And where am I? I scratched my head. And then, a five hundred yen coin rolled down from somewhere. ''Hey!Wait! I jumped in panic. I almost dropped it. ...... I seem to have a strong attachment to small change. Well, I suppose it was my parents'' bad habits that got me into trouble. ...... My parents, who were thrifty, valued coins very much. The master was sure to pick up any coins on the ground, and the landlady said she could walk up to seventy minutes to buy a radish for ten yen less. I seem to have inherited those qualities, and I used to wait for a half-price rice ball at the supermarket while doing a billion-dollar business negotiation. I can''t buy anything at regular price, what a waste! So it was outrageous for me to drop my own coins. And five hundred yen? With 500 yen, you can take the train and eat. I can even start my own business now. ''N......? The phrase that popped into my head was familiar to me, and I ran my fingers along the collar of my blazer. There was a piece of double-sided tape stuck to it. ''This is .......'' Then I finally remembered. On the morning of the entrance ceremony of my high school, I put a 500 yen coin in the collar of my blazer with double-sided tape. It was for emergencies. With 500 yen, I could take the train and have a meal. You can handle anything. ............ means that ...... ''Am I sixteen again? April 7th is the day of my high school entrance ceremony,...... my birthday and the anniversary of my parents'' death,...... Did you go back to that day? Then a thought occurred to me. A wish on a broken promise ring. "Let me redo my mistake ............ ....... Was that wish heeded ......? It''s taking a long time to process this, God. Did you have to wait your turn? If so, then you''re saying. ''You need to redo the wrong 20 years of your life as a con artist. That''s why you gave me the chance, is that it? I hold the promise ring on my left wrist. Can we start over ...... again ............ Is that what you''re saying to me, that I should live an honest life as a real human being this time, after I chose a rotten path in anger? ''I thought ...... there was no God. At the worst of times, the worst of times, he never gave me a check. ............'' But now, here I am, and what can only be called a miracle has happened. I was supposed to be dead, but I''m alive, and I''m twenty years younger. God is telling me to redo the twenty years I threw away. ...... Then I''ll say to such a God... ''Heck!That''s not good!Pfft!Kah, pfft! Who wants to start over? You thought I''d change my mind?I''m so sorry! My heart''s been stained for 20 years. It''s not going to be cleansed by a little miracle like this! It''s too late for that, most of the time! If you''re going to start over, you should have done so before your parents died, common sense dictates!Read the situation, a**h*le! Did you think a miracle like this would make people change their minds?Did you believe that? You''ve been tricked!Pfft! ''God, I''ll give you the words of a great man. You''re a fool if you''re fooled. Extend your index and middle fingers together and flick them quickly from your forehead to the sky. When it''s done, I start walking. I don''t know what it is, but I''ve just saved my life. And I''ve been rejuvenated. Then let''s enjoy life once again, this time! Using my dexterity, my brains, and my lies as weapons. Having taken my revenge, the negative emotions that had been swirling around in me were cleared away, and I felt like I could live a positive life. Yes, this step is the first step to a new life! Stepping firmly on the ground, I''m headed for my glorious future!Just keep moving forward! And as I begin to walk, I realize. ''............, where am I? As far as I can see, there''s nothing but a plain. I don''t know where I''m supposed to walk to, or even if I can get anywhere on foot. ...... I don''t have any water or food. Oh, ......, could it be that we are in desperate straits? ''Um, ......''. I looked up at the heavens again, the heavens that I had so coolly provoked earlier. I was unconsciously rubbing my hands together. ''Can''t something miraculous ...... happen once again, God~? But there was no reply. It was a fine afternoon when I realized that there was no God in this world. 3-Episode 1... Where is this? The moment you think you''re dead, you''re somehow rejuvenated by 20 years, and your body is 16 years old. You look like a child, but your brain is an adult!And tomorrow you''ll probably be dead!What? That''s not funny! That''s really not good! You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ...... Did I go in the wrong direction?I''m not sure if there was a village if I had gone the other way. The speed of human walking is about 6 km/h, and when walking more than 10 km, it is about 4 km/h. ...... Take a break and say 5 km/h, right? The sun was right above us when we started walking, so it was noon, and now the sun has completely set. In early April in Kanto, the sun usually sets around 18:00. In other words, I walked at a speed of 5 km/h for six hours, so the total distance I traveled was 30 km. You can go from Tokyo to Yokohama. ...... What do you mean there''s not even a sign of human habitation in that time?Not even an animal in sight. What prefecture is this? ......? You''re not in America, are you? Stop saying Easter Island and Savannah. ...... I guess God is a bit of an idiot. What''s the point of saving a life and then trying to kill it again? For example, when you are very hungry and 10,000 yen falls on you, you say, "I can eat with this! But there are no shops around.But there are no restaurants around, right? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.That''s what this is about, right? I''m not going to lift you up and drop you down. I''m not sure what to do. You can''t eat the grass here because it''s too hard. ......?Of course I tried it once. Of course you did. ...... If you can make it into tempura at least, or ............ no, it''s impossible. ''.................. cold''. It was warm and sunny when the sun was out, but when the ...... sun went down, it suddenly became cold. The hunger is very strong in my body. It is said that humans can survive for three days without eating or drinking. ............ But modern people are not that tough. I feel like I can''t survive without a cheap supermarket nearby. Oh ...... I had some bread ears left in my hiding place. ...... What a waste. ............ ''......I wonder why I was eating bread crusts. ............I should have eaten meat or something... ...'' No matter how much money I got, the food I ate with it was never good. Somehow, I felt like I was eating gravel. That''s why I bought bread crusts and scrap vegetables with coins I found on the street. I know what a man over thirty is doing, but ...... that was all I could eat. Haha ...... may be the most useful of all the things I''ve learned. Oh, ............ I want to eat the landlady''s boiled fish. ...... Oh, boiled fish too, but that, fried gori.... I''m sure you''ll enjoy it. Gori is a general term for goby-like freshwater fish, and it can refer to other fish depending on the region. We used to call them "gori" when we saw them. Although they have an ugly face, they are elegant, refreshing and delicious. I used to eat fried gori with a squeeze of lemon. ...... It was my master''s favorite food and we used to fight over it. ...... Oh man, ...... I''m getting hungrier and hungrier ...... ''d*mn it!I can''t die in this place! I stood up, using all the strength I had left in my body. And then I started running as fast as I could, looking only forward! I might be going in the wrong direction. Maybe I should go back, maybe I should change direction. ...... All that is just a cop-out! The first thing I did was decide, "This is it! That''s what I decided! I''m the one who made the decision! You can''t change it.You''ll never win if you run! I believe in me, and I live for me!That''s why I''m running! Under the darkening sky, I kept moving my feet, believing that there was a bright place ahead that would welcome me. I shouted from the bottom of my stomach, shaking off fatigue, hunger, and fear. And ......! And eh! ............ ran out of steam. Even if you believe in yourself, you can''t do it. When you lose, you lose. All is lost. I can''t move an inch. My heart, which is contracting violently because I''m running as fast as I can, will probably stop soon. Good-bye. Good-bye, world. And with that, I closed my eyelids. ......The next time I open my eyes, I''ll be about six years old. ............ Faintly, I feel something. ...... The enveloping warmth, the hard floor, the irregular vibrations: ...... ''...... Hmm! I open my eyelids and sit up. And there was a strange foreigner in front of me. ...... Oh no. I''m a junior high school graduate and English is too hard for me. ''a??a?2a??a????@&%$#--? A mysterious foreigner is talking to me, but I have no idea what he''s saying. I can barely tell that it''s a question, but ...... ''Pa,pardon? ''? d*mn, you can''t even understand ''pardon''? ''Eh, what? If you don''t understand ''e, what? You can''t ask back! It''s like ''you need a can opener to take out this can opener''! I mean, ......, what the hell is this guy? I''m going to try to keep my head on straight and keep my cool. Calm down, me. You can''t understand what he''s saying anyway. Let''s ignore that and gather what information we can. First, this foreigner. A man. And he''s big. I can''t tell for sure because he''s sitting, but he''s probably a little under six feet tall. He''s got long hair tied back in a bun. Is he a band member?However, his hair is damaged and does not seem to be well cared for. And he''s wearing armor. Is he a ...... cosplayer? I don''t watch anime, so I don''t know what the character is, but it''s very elaborate. It''s as if he''s really going on an adventure, and he''s well made. If it''s a cosplay, it would be better to just make it look good and keep the rest light. And the weapon. A spear. What about long weapons in cosplay?Isn''t it inconvenient to travel by train? Lastly, where we are now. It''s rattling and vibrating. Looks like it''s moving. There''s a lot of stuff on the wooden floor, and the walls and ceiling are covered with cloth. ...... Is this cloth a hood? If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of light hoofbeats. Well, it''s a carriage. I''m riding in the back of a wagon. It is a large cart, about three tatami mats in size, with a large hood covering all directions. The cloth on the front and back is partially rolled up, so you can probably see out from there. There are small openings in the front and large openings in the rear. And a lot of luggage. Apparently, they are transporting this large amount of cargo. It''s a horse-drawn carriage, which means there must be a guard outside. The only people in the back of the carriage are this cosplay guy and me. ...... There''s something in the air that I don''t like. The costumed man looks to be in his late twenties,....... Yes, people who are trying to take advantage of others often have this kind of smile. This guy is a tricky one, isn''t he? ''****** ****** [email protected]&%$#? The costumed man continues to talk to me in a language I don''t understand. If you listen carefully, it doesn''t sound like English. It''s as if the language is unfamiliar to my ears. ...... Is this part of the cosplay? ...... No, because I haven''t eaten anything for almost a day now. The costumed man smiled, made a ''wait a minute'' gesture with his hand, and began to go through his luggage. Then he presented me with a blackish lump. Is this ............ bread? I''m not sure what to do. As he spoke, he poured a golden liquid from a water bottle into a cup and handed it to me. I was given a cup of soup in each hand and something that looked like bread. Can you give me some ......? I''m not sure if he got the message or not, but the costumed man made a ''please'' gesture with his hand. Thank you!I''ll take it! Without hesitation, I bit into the bread and gulped down the soup. Hmm!This is ......? Mads! It''s not a good idea to eat it. I''m not sure what to make of it.And what is this?Stone?You''re not going to call it bread, are you?I don''t know. It''s just food. I stuffed my stomach with something I couldn''t even call food. You swear as much as you can. Because if I don''t, I''ll slam the stone-like bread on the floor in hatred. No matter how much I swear, the costumed man smiles at me. It''s like he really doesn''t understand a word I''m saying. I''ve had a bad feeling about this since a while ago. The look of this man. The ride of this carriage. The taste of this shitty bread. And the scent of earth and air that''s been lingering in the air. ...... I don''t think so. I think it''s impossible. But as someone who''s already experienced the impossible, I can''t get rid of that bad imagination. ''a??a?2a??a????@&%$#'' The costumed man tapped me on the shoulder, said something, and boldly rolled up part of the top. The top, which had been fixed to the back of the truck with ropes, was partially removed and the cloth on the sides was rolled up. It was bright outside and I could smell the scent of morning. Apparently, I had been asleep for half a day. And the view reflected in the morning sunlight was ...... ''......This is another picture-perfect ............'' The wide, brick-paved streets were filled with countless horse-drawn carriages, and a huge wall loomed in our path. Twenty meters ...... is not enough. A massive wall over 30 meters high. There is another massive gate, about 10 meters high, with a procession of wagons in front of it. Around the gate are countless armed men with spears at the ready, watching the area. Beyond the towering walls, even taller spires peeked out, their presence strong under the clear blue sky. Yes, it was a fantasy world, just as I had pictured it. If you have not slipped back in time to medieval Europe,............, you are in another world. ''......Seriously? As the carriage approached the huge gate, the people gathered there became clearly visible. ''Oh, ...... definitely, this is ............''. The face of the soldier with the spear was that of a lizard. In the line of wagons, there''s also a guy who looks like a cat. But they''re not cats. He wears clothes and walks on two legs and talks. The one he''s talking to has a sheep''s face. If I remember correctly, there were no sheep-faced humans in medieval Europe. So this is a completely different world. ''a?2a?2a??a????@&%$#'' In the event that you are distracted by the unbelievable scenery, the cosplay man - or perhaps this armor isn''t cosplay in this situation - will slap me on the back with a proud expression. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure.I''m sure you''ll agree. He seems to be saying. If you can understand me, I''d love to tell you. You didn''t build it, did you? Eventually, the carriage carrying me slowed down and stopped. As I was leaning over the back of the cart, the gentleman who was driving the carriage got down from his perch and walked towards me. ...... His face was that of a bird. ''It''s a bird. ...... Is it a literary bird?'' ''It''s not a bird, my guest. I am a parrot man.'' ''Oh, that''s rude.'' ''No, no, no.'' With that, the parrot man bowed reverently. What? ''Why are you speaking?I can''t talk to people in armor over here!Why are you talking to a bird? ''I''m not a bird, my guest. I''m a parrot.'' ''No, I heard you just now! ''Ha-ha-ha!You look surprised.'' As I was talking to the parrot, I heard another voice behind me. I turned around to see a man who wasn''t in costume laughing at me. ''So this is your first time in Allbloom, is it? No, it seems you''ve never even been on a journey before. How could you have survived all this time with such equipment? The man who suddenly started speaking Japanese looked at my clothes and nodded in admiration. ''Why did you suddenly become fluent in the language? ''That''s because. It''s because we''ve come under the influence of the Spirit Church. I turn to look at the parrot, and it clears its throat and begins to explain. ''Here in Allbloom is the largest city in Galea-Bloom, which has made remarkable progress under the blessings of the Spirit Church. Because of the many different races and species that gather in this city, it is very difficult to communicate with them. Therefore, our precious Spirit God Alvi has applied the [Forced Translation Magic] to the entire city through the power of a miracle. ''[Forced Translation Magic] ......? Just from the letters, I think I can understand the meaning. ...... ''Under the influence of this spell, no matter what kind of person you are talking to, no matter how many words you use, they will be translated into the words that are most familiar to you and transmitted. What is converted are words and letters, and if you apply, you can also know the value of currency and the market price. ''Apply to what?To whom? ''Of course, to the spirit god Alvi! The parrot flexed its wings dexterously and struck a prayerful pose in front of its chest. Apply to the Spirit God ......? I''m going to imitate the parrot and fold my hands in front of my chest and pray in my heart. Let''s see, ...... I want to know how the currency here compares to the Japanese yen-- Suddenly, a translucent board appeared in front of me. The image appeared as if a television set were turned on in an empty space. When I put my finger close to it, I could touch it. It felt like a touch panel. Oh, I can scroll. I don''t know how the translucent panel appeared, but it floated and stood still in front of me. ...... Is this also due to the power of the spirit god Alvi? I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. "Rb (Reuben), the currency of Allbloom. 100 Yen = 10 Rb The average price of a loaf of wheat bread for the average citizen is 20Rb. -- is displayed. It''s an easy system to understand. How about it?Isn''t it convenient? The non-costumed man says proudly, again with an air of superiority. So it''s not your achievement. ...... Well, I wouldn''t say that even if I could understand the language. ''This place attracts a lot of people. So naturally, merchants gather here. If you don''t speak the language, you''ll have problems, right?'' I understand what you''re saying. If you don''t speak the language, you can''t hold a business meeting, and if you hold a business meeting with an interpreter, you don''t know what kind of disadvantages you will suffer. There is no end to the possibility that the interpreter will cheat, that the other party will say, "I didn''t hear that," or that there will be a mere miscommunication or an unintended message. ...... However, if all the words and letters are converted into a language that you are familiar with, such problems will be eliminated. However, the ...... scam will be harder to work. The ''it''s your fault for not listening'' scam will be harder to use. ''Oh, that''s right. I''m sorry I''m late. I''m Oha ...... or better yet ...... Yashiro. Thank you for saving me. ''I''m Norbert. I''m a merchant for the Wishart family, who rule the 30th district. I''m a merchant for the Wishart family of the thirtieth district. And he''s so proud of himself that he''s working for them. ...... ''Oh, of the Wishart family!This is a great person who helped me. ''Hey!When in trouble, it''s mutual! Ga-ha-ha, Norbert laughs. Hey. I knew you were vain. He''s got that look. If you''re an aristocrat, you must be rich. ...... If you work for them, you must be treated very well. ............ Then, well... ...... a little bit of ............ hmm. I''m not sure what to say. ''I''d like to give something back,...... but unfortunately I don''t have any,...... and if I can get back home, I might be able to give something back, but it''s a small thing. ......'' ''No, no, no!Please don''t worry about it!I was just doing what I had to do! Norbert''s nostrils flared as he said this. He has the face of a hyena who smells money. He''s convinced that he''s going to get his money. ...... Why?I don''t have any money on me and I look like just a high school student, but where can I smell money? ............ Oh, right. I put my hand in my pocket. A blazer. It''s what gives Norbert his confidence. Norbert''s armor is very carefully crafted. If Norbert is a merchant with a noble family, this armor must be quite expensive. And the clothes of this parrot who looks like Norbert''s valet. But if you ask me, it''s poorly made. To put it bluntly, it''s cheap. The technique is immature. If this were a luxury item, the average person would be wearing something much more shabby. And then there''s my blazer. The sewing is solid and the colors are bright. The jacket is bright navy blue and the tie is dark red. The pants are light gray and the shirt is a dazzling white. Not many noblemen would wear such clothes. In other words, Norbert sees my clothes and thinks I''m a nobleman or someone related to one. He kindly took care of me, a stranger who had fallen ill, shared my meal without hesitation, and even carried me into the city. In Norbert''s mind, I must have done him a great favor. In terms of money, it was no less than 100,000 Rb. That''s a million Japanese yen. That''s still cheap. It may have been a good thing that I was dressed lightly. If a young man like me had fallen down in the middle of the plain without any equipment, it would be normal to think that he had met with an accident. It would make the rescuer more enthusiastic. With a big reward in mind, of course. Mm-hmm. I see. The other world isn''t so different from the original one. There are no real good people. Everyone loves money. What? Sounds like a lot of fun, another world. I ...... might be able to make it in this world. As an impostor, of course. Mr. Norbert. I''ll be paying my initiation tax.'' ''Hmm. And his portion as well.'' After saying that, Norbert winked at me and said, ''You don''t have any, do you? I''ll take it. I''ll ''take'' it gratefully. A parrot walks to the gate and comes back with two soldiers. They seem to be checking the luggage in the back of the truck. He said it was an entrance tax, so perhaps there was a tax based on what you brought into the city. In such a case, high value items such as gold and silver would be taxed heavily. ...... ''Mr. Norbert, can I ask you a question? ''What is it?'' ''What are the contents of this package? ''Furs, armor, salt, fruit, ...... and most importantly, spices.'' ''Spices, sir? ''Oh, yes. Baokri Air''s finest. Oh, you know Baokri Air?'' ''Yes. It''s where the spices come from.'' ''Oh, you''re familiar with that side of the world? ............, it''s possible that he''s a southern nobleman. ......... ...'' Norbert is mumbling, but I pretend not to hear him. I''ll pretend I don''t hear you. I mean, anyone can understand you when you brag about it like that. You''re a simple man, aren''t you? I watched the soldier leave the carriage after he had finished checking the luggage in a familiar manner, and then I spoke to Norbert again. ''Spices are expensive, aren''t they? Baocliere''s finest spices are exceptionally expensive. ''Hmm. That''s exactly what I''m talking about. Norbert puffed out his nostrils and laughed. He looks like he wants to show off. He takes out a palm-sized cloth bag from a wooden box hidden carefully behind his back. It seems to contain spices. It looks like it weighs about 200 grams. ''Bao Kri Air''s spices are renowned for their high quality and first-rate quality, but this year''s spices are outstanding among them. Usually, it is said that it is as valuable as gold of the same weight, but ...... this one is not like that. It''s worth at least twice as much as the same weight of gold! That''s also a top quality product. Let me do some quick math. When I saw it in Japan, the market price of gold was 5,000 or so grams ......, rounded down to the nearest 5,000 yen, and 200 grams ...... would be 1 million yen!In addition, at least twice that means ...... two million yen for that small bag! ''So that would be ......200,000 Rb for that bag full?'' ''No, no . That''s even cheaper at 500,000 Rb. Five million. ............ I want some. ........................Good. ''Oh, excuse me. Can I go to the bathroom for a minute? ''Toilet?We don''t have one here, do we? ''I''ll just go in the shadows. ''Oh, be careful. ............ Want me to follow you? ''Don''t worry, I''m not a child. Oh, by the way, would you mind keeping an eye on this container?It''s very important, and you don''t want to drop it. And with that, I put the cheap wallet I had in my pocket in front of Norbert. I know what Norbert is thinking. He was worried that I might disappear after I had done him a favor. So I''m going to leave the things I said were important to me. This way, he''ll be relieved when I come back. And it will mean a lot to have this wallet "watched". ''Oh, okay. Well, sometimes it''s hard to leave when you''re with someone. But you''d better hurry. I''m almost done paying.'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll be right back.'' Answer clearly and briskly. That''s the cardinal rule of fraud. I get out of the carriage and weave my way between the other carriages, approaching the gate. I see the back of Norbert''s parrot. He seems to be paying taxes to the soldiers. I run up to it. ''Oh, what''s wrong? The parrot notices me and turns to me. I approached with a smile and peered at the form the parrot was filling out. ''No, I was just wondering what immigration procedures are like. He looks over the form rather deliberately, flustered. It''s really converted into Japanese. The taxes are written for each product and calculated in detail. ''Hey, you. You''re in my way! Perhaps annoyed by my deliberate peeking at the documents, the soldier pushed me hard. As if he was waiting for me, I fell down and stood up while rubbing my neck. ''Oh, come on,......, that''s terrible, pushing me,......'' he said. As I say this, I deliberately drop the five hundred yen coin that I had hidden in my collar. The coin bounces on the cobblestones with a chirping metallic sound. ''Oh, no! As I let out these words, I feign panic and pick up the dropped coin and put it in my pocket. Seeing my series of actions, a soldier raises an eyebrow quizzically. ''Hey. What was that? ''What?That?'' ''The one you just hid!Get it out. ''Oh, that''s not good. If we don''t get back soon, Mr. Norbert will be worried. Well then, that''s it! With that, I left the place in a mad dash. ''Wait a minute! I shook off the soldier''s voice and headed back to the carriage. I glanced behind me to see that the soldiers had seized the parrot instead of me. As anywhere in the world, counterfeiting coins is a serious offense. I took a look at the coins circulating in this city that the parrot was paying for. ...... Well, they were poor quality silver coins. It may be pure silver, but the color is dull and the pattern is simple. The manufacturing technology must be immature. It looked nothing like the Japanese 500 yen. Dropping a coin of such blatantly different quality, and then behaving so suspiciously. It was natural for him to be suspicious. And so, the poor parrot was taken prisoner. ...... because of me. I returned to the carriage and told Norbert that the parrot had been captured. I returned to the carriage and told Norbert that the parrot had been captured, along with the fact that he might suspect me of carrying counterfeit coins. Norbert snorted in indignation. ''How dare you accuse me of such a thing!Disrespect to me is disrespect to the Wishart family!I''ll never overlook it! --He''s got it in him. ''Well, Mr. Norbert. You should go and protest now!'' ''Mm!......But we can''t leave the carriage like this: ......'' ''Don''t worry!I''ll take good care of it! ''I see. Then do so. I''ll go talk to the soldiers! Norbert jumped out of the carriage and ran towards the gate. All that was left in the carriage was me and my numerous belongings. And five million yen worth of spices. Hmm... I''d like to take off like this, but it seems that this is the only town where I can speak the language, and I definitely don''t want to go back to that plain. Let''s take one more step: ...... I couldn''t help the smirk on my face as I grabbed the bag of spices. Five million, five million, la la la la. A few minutes later, Norbert and the parrot return to the carriage, accompanied by the soldiers. ''Good. There you are. Now if you hadn''t disappeared, I would have turned you into a frog! A frog? What''s he talking about? Norbert seems to be very excited. Rather, he''s throwing his anger at me without hiding it. ''You''ll have to explain it to me! ''Explain?Explain what?'' ''Don''t play dumb!If you listen to me, you''re the cause! ''The cause of ............ what? ''You! Norbert tightens my collar. It''s ...... painful. But here, I dare to give him a generous smile. ''I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''You''re the one hiding the counterfeit coins, aren''t you!That''s why I was suspected! ''I don''t have any counterfeit coins...'' ''Don''t lie to me!I''ll turn you into a frog! Another frog? What''s that, some kind of proverb? But for now, ...... ''Do you have any proof? ''What?'' At this point, Norbert''s power finally weakened. I straighten my collar and smile at Norbert as if to provoke him. ''It''s proof that I have counterfeit coins. ''Hmm. I do.'' Norbert smiles triumphantly, as if he''s been waiting for me to say it. And what he took out was the wallet I had entrusted him with. ''This must belong to you, right? He then unceremoniously threw the contents of the wallet into the air. A thousand-yen bill and a ten thousand-yen bill, plus a few coins here and there,......, for a total of ten thousand two hundred and eighty-six yen. ...... Shabby. I''ve been working until recently, so I don''t know if my ...... high school student''s wallet is like this. What do you think?I''ve never seen these coins before!I''m a merchant, I can assure you!I''m a merchant and I can assure you that there are no coins like this in circulation anywhere! ''Absolutely, sir? ''Hmph!Don''t underestimate me!I''m a merchant!I know and have handled coins from all over the world! ''Then let''s make a bet. ''A bet? ''If this coin is in circulation somewhere, please pay my entry tax. ''And if it''s not in circulation, then what? ''Toads or whatever you want. ''Don''t forget that word, will you? ''You too, Mr. Norbert. Norbert smiles with absolute confidence. But the winner was soon decided. Just as I had done earlier when I checked the rates here, I asked Alvi, the Spirit God, to give me the ratio of the currencies. "100 Yen = 10 Rb It''s clearly displayed on the screen. ''Stupid ......''. Norbert opens his mouth wide. Well, it doesn''t matter if you don''t know. It''s money from another world. At any rate, I can enter the city now. Norbert''s buying. That''s nice. A treat. Great. ''You, if this isn''t counterfeit, why did you do that confusing thing? ''I don''t know if it''s confusing. I just picked up the coins I dropped in a hurry, okay?I value my money. Is there something wrong with that? ''U.......'' ''You''re the one who misunderstood me. It''s not my fault. Am I wrong?'' ''G............! Since it seems that you can''t hear a word I''m going to leave quickly. ''Well, I''ll leave you here. Thanks for giving me a lift. And the introductory tax, too. With a wave of his hand, he leaves the carriage. Then a furious voice came from behind him. ''Wait a minute, you! Norbert came at me with a thud, almost breaking the cobblestones. It would be unbearable if he tightened his collar again, so this time I confronted him from a moderate distance. As I fluttered away from the approaching arm, Norbert gave up trying to catch me and spoke. ''Where did you put my spices? ''Spices?Oh, that''s been stolen by the wrong people.'' ''What about ........................?'' Norbert made a foolish face, as if he couldn''t understand a word I was saying. But then, as if remembering his anger, Norbert''s face turned bright red. ''You, you promised to protect the spices! ''No, I didn''t, that''s a promise. ''You''re lying to me! ''I''m not lying. I didn''t make any such promise. Norbert''s body began to shake as he firmly stated. ''f*ck you ......, I''ll turn you into a .................. frog! I''ll turn you into a frog!'' Norbert shouted, pointing at me. ''''Judgment of the Spirits! The voice echoed across the sky, and a pale light enveloped my body. What the hell is this?''Judgment of the Spirits''? This man lied to me!Turn me into a frog! ''Wait, I didn''t tell a lie! ''Then I request to see the Conversation Record of that conversation! As Norbert said this, a semi-transparent panel appeared in front of him. ''How dare you accuse me of such a thing!Disrespect to me is disrespect to the Wishart family!I won''t let you get away with it! So, Mr. Norbert. You should go and protest now! Mr. Norbert....... But we can''t leave the carriage here like this. ...... Don''t worry!I''ll take good care of it! I''ll take care of it! Then do so. I''ll go talk to the soldiers! What the hell is this? This is a detailed and accurate record of the conversation that took place. I didn''t know that such a record could be kept ...... and that it could be referred to so easily ............ So much for ...... You can''t tell a lie in this town, can you? ''Hahahaha!How about that!Take a good look!'' Norbert pointed at the translucent panel as if he were triumphant. ''I''ll take a good look! That''s the part. ''You''ve made a clear promise!You promised to protect the spices! ''............ Huh?...... ''protect'' the spices? My heart is still racing, but I''ve figured out what Norbert is doing and what he''s trying to say. You can''t retreat here. We can''t let him get to us. We can''t let him get to us. Push back, talk back, beat back. Just stay calm. Stay calm. Look comfortable. I''m a first-rate con artist. ''Is there something wrong with my eyes?I don''t see ''protect'' anywhere in there. ......'' ''What?You''re an idiot!In this flow, ''looking at the luggage'' means ''protecting the luggage from being stolen'', right? ''''No~?I don''t think so. ''...... What? ''Keep an eye on'' is just ''keep an eye on''. It''s nothing more, nothing less. ...... Did you just make up your mind again? ''No. ......'' At my words, Norbert wobbled on his feet as if he were dizzy. ''Nah, then ...... what were you ............ doing?'' ''Exactly what it says here. I''ve been watching you. ''Well, if you were watching, why was it stolen? ''I''ve only been watching you. ''What about ............? ''I also saw the spices being put away in the pockets of the wicked. The expression disappeared from Norbert''s face. And the pale light that had enveloped my body also disappeared. It seems that the "Judgment of the Spirits" has ended. I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not. I''m going to go now. If you still have a problem with it, you can tell it to the spirit god who allowed me to do it. This time, with one hand raised, I sashayed away. ...... though my heart was racing. What the hell is that? What is the "Judgment of the Spirits"? You want a frog?I''m not sure what to make of that. You''ve got to be kidding me. And Conversation Records! You can''t do that!You should''ve told me that first! You could have turned me into a frog! A con man who lies so carelessly is a third-rate one. Real people don''t tell lies out of thin air. They choose words that are not lies, but are also not true. The word "watch" is a good example. It is up to the other party to mistake "watch" for "protect. We are not responsible for that. And one more thing. "The bad guy stole it. This phrase. Bad people who steal quickly leave the scene when the job is done well. --It''s the assumption that gets them off the hook. I''ll take out the finest spices from my pocket. The bad guys who steal have been right in front of you all along. That''s not a lie. Well, if I had to argue who''s to blame, I wouldn''t hesitate to say. It''s the fools who are fooled. Thus, I entered a town where strange and troublesome magic was applied by the power of an incomprehensible person called the Spirit God. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. 4-Episode 2 Delicious Smells Floating at Night The city of Allbloom, which we entered through a huge gate, was so big that it was staggering. In front of the gate was a square, and from there, a wide road that seemed to have about twelve lanes in each direction extended straight into the back of the city. In the square, there was a kind of information board with an overall map of the city. ...... I couldn''t believe my eyes for a moment. If the board was accurate, the city would be about the size of Tokyo''s 23 wards. It is as if the twenty-three wards of Tokyo were surrounded by a thick wall of thirty meters in height. It''s impossible, isn''t it? How much effort, money, and time did you put into this?Or is it just something that can be done quickly and easily by magic? I thought a city of 10,000 people was the limit for a city with an outer wall. ...... The city of Allbloom is divided into forty-two wards, with a "central ward" in the center of the city. The city is divided into forty-two wards, with a central ward in the center. Incidentally, it seems that I am in Ward 30. From Ward 30 to Ward 42 exist along the outer wall, and there are several gates leading to the outside in each ward. Speaking of the 30th district, it is said to be ruled by a nobleman called Wishart. And if you follow this wide road, you can reach the central district. The roads here are so big to carry goods to each district. The streets are neat and tidy, with brick and stone houses. Although there are some wooden buildings, they are not shabby at all, but rather are designed in such a way that the beauty of the wood grain is reflected in the city. It is a beautiful city where the word "modern" fits perfectly, where liveliness, relaxation, and playfulness are well harmonized. I don''t know if the 30th district is special or if other districts are at this level, but the cultural level seems to be rather high. I had been underestimating the city because of the bad food and poor clothing, but if I can get used to it, I will be able to live comfortably. If that''s the case, I''ll have to exchange the spices for money and secure a place to sleep as soon as possible. It would be risky to sell off the spices in the 30th district, which are supposed to be sold to the lord of the 30th district. Let''s go to the next ward, the 29th. It''s going to be a long walk, but if we think of it as a way to get the five million yen, we''ll be able to walk more easily. I headed for the 29th precinct with a skip in my step. Strange. This town is clearly strange. There''s something wrong with this city, to the point where it doesn''t matter if there''s a beast-faced guy walking around on two legs, or if there''s fried weeds for the herbivores, or if you look at the back of a beautiful woman and see a snail. ...... No, the snail woman just said, "Gah! I''m not sure what to say. But that''s not the point! You can''t tell a lie in this town! Seriously, you can''t. At first I tried to buy some spices at a grocery store in the 29th district. Then I was told that I needed a guild membership card or a ward resident card to buy and sell in the city. Otherwise, he told me to take it to the guild and ask them to buy it. It is said that all those who want to buy and sell unexpectedly except adventurers and merchants bring them to the guild. But it''s a spice with a history that caused so much trouble at the gate. As soon as you bring it to the guild, you''re bound to be arrested. So I tried to negotiate with them to buy it,......, but there was something wrong with it, anyway. The owner of the grocery store first asked, ''Where did you get the spices? The grocery store owner first asked, ''Where did you get the spices? There''s also what Norbert said about the Judgment of the Spirits. Deciding that it would be best not to lie, I chose a vague expression to answer. ''I got it from a good merchant,'' he said. The word ''received'' includes the sense of stealing. It''s not a lie. I thought this was going to work, but as soon as ...... the shopkeeper turned into a demon and reprimanded me. ''I''m not going to make a deal with a thief!If you don''t leave now, I''ll turn you in to the vigilante! He said. I ran out of the store in a fit of rage. As I ran away, the shopkeeper kept shouting at me from behind, ''f*ck you, you thieving bastard! It seems that I had become a topic of conversation in the 29th district. I gave up on the deal in the 29th district and headed for another district. I thought I''d go to the 28th and 27th wards in order, but it seems that this city is organized in a circle with the central ward at the center. To the right of the 29th ward is the 28th ward, and to the right of that is the 27th ward, but there is quite a distance between the 29th and the 27th wards. Because they are neatly organized, it is necessary to cross the wards to get to the next one. If that is the case, you can move to a different ward more quickly by going inside the circle. The outermost is from 30 to 42 wards. The second is from 23 to 29, the next is from 11 to 22, from 6 to 10, from 2 to 5, and the central ward is located in the center. From the perspective of the 29th ward, the 22nd ward is closer to the inner ward than the 28th ward next to it. That''s why I stepped into the 22nd district. I''m going to change my mind and get a lot of money as soon as possible. Phew phew phew ...... But the same thing happened there. Despite my best efforts to slur my words, ''You sneaky bastard!I''ll cut off your bad arm! I''ll chop off your bad arm!'' The shopkeeper, wielding a machete, chased me around. Deception was not an option. But if you tell a lie, you''ll be in trouble. ...... ''Oh my god ......'' You really can''t tell a lie in this town. ...... Perhaps it''s because of the ''forced translation magic''. Even if you slur your words, they will be translated into words that are familiar to the other person. The Japanese words "I", "Ore", "Boku" and "I" are all like "I" in English. I guess "I got it" will be translated as "I cheated" or "I stole it". ...... is a nasty town. In the end, I''m left penniless, despite having spices worth five million. I even tried to convince them that the Japanese yen was the proper currency, but ...... they said that only Reuben coins could be used in this city. I was told to go to the Money Exchange Guild. ......The guild doesn''t want to go there right now,...... In addition, rumors have begun to spread that thieves are roaming the streets. We can''t stay in the 22nd district much longer. We decided to leave quickly. ......, but the rumor spread faster than we thought, and by the time we entered the neighboring District 21, which was relatively close, the rumor had already spread. In the event you''re not sure what to do, there are a few things you can do. Too fast. Too fast! Perhaps there''s an established way to transmit such information. Maybe the guild is in on it. A guild is a kind of union. People in the same industry form a guild, and they exchange information and help each other so that they can benefit each other. In return, there are some obligations imposed on them. For example, dues, rules and regulations. Anyway, it''s getting hard to stay in this neighborhood. Let''s go far away at once. ...... Chuo Ward or ............ No, wait. I''ll take another look around the city. I''m in the 10th ward. From the 30th district, I''ve been moving towards the center of the city. ...... The streets are beautiful. It''s even more sophisticated than the 30 wards, which I thought were very neat. If you think that Chuo Ward is the center of this city,............, does the one with fewer numbers have a higher rank? It may be that the 20th ward has more money than the 30th ward, and the 10th ward has more money than the 20th ward. There are gas lamps on the streets of Ward 10. This was not seen in the 22nd district. There is even a large theater-like building in District 10. The people on the street are dressed in expensive clothes. My guess is probably correct. If that''s the case, then ...... If you want to escape, the best place to go is ......42, which has a lot of numbers. If the lower the number, the more noble the people, then the bottom of the world lives in the ward with the highest number. The district with the highest number in this city is 42. It''s right next to the 30th ward on the map. I turned on my heel and headed back the way I came. Until things cool down, I''ll hide in the bottom of the city. ''There are cliffs ...... and ............, huh! I returned to the 30th district and walked toward the 42nd district. The border of the district I reached was a cliff. I could see a shabby cityscape far below. It was about 20 meters high. About the height of a small building. I see. The fact that the bottom ward is adjacent to the top 30 wards was bothering me. ...... This means that the people of the 30 wards are safe. Not many people would be stupid enough to climb this high. It''s almost impossible. But I guess I could climb down. So now I''m desperately trying to get down the cliff. The sky was getting dark as I went back and forth between several districts. I still haven''t decided on a place to stay, and I haven''t even eaten yet. No, I haven''t got the money to begin with. I must enter the 42nd district at all costs. I don''t have time to go around the perimeter of the city now. Word of me will have spread, and I don''t want my face pointed out. ...... You''re in a different world, and suddenly you''re Die Hard. ............ You''re in a different world, and you''re awakening to strange powers or something. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it. It seems that there is no such thing as a cheat ability or God-given power. Well, it does work better than the body of a thirty-six year old. ...... ''This is going to be ...... muscle pain the day after tomorrow. ............ Oh, if you''re young, it''ll come tomorrow. ...... I don''t care which. The fear of descending a cliff the size of a building without a lifeline. On top of that, I was hungry and tired from all the walking. I was at the end of my rope. And then ...... And then, just for a moment, my body slipped off the cliff and I was thrown into the air. ...... Oh, I''m going to die. It''s the first time I''ve had a premonition of death since I''ve been here and I''m really sick of it. God, do you hate me that much? I was only in the air for a short time. I was halfway down. And then my body slammed into the ground in a heap. ...... Bash! ...... bash? What I heard was the sound of water. The place where I fell was a swampy area where the air was stagnant and humid. Did you ...... survive? When I woke up, I found a lot of water plants stuck in my ears. Remove the water plants and look around. Yeah. It''s alive. It smells like a swamp. It seems my senses are functioning normally. I mean, ...... ah, my clothes are a mess. ...... I''ll have to wash them somewhere. I''ve only got this one dress. ...... d*mn. The swamp I fell into was about knee-deep and the bottom was filled with soft mud. That saved my life. It stunk. Well, it''s better than dying. It stinks. When I stood up to get out of the swamp, I saw something move in the ...... swamp. What is it? There''s something in there. ............ As I stared breathlessly at the swamp ......, a frog poked its head out. What''s that, a frog? ........................... Isn''t ......... huge? The frog was about 80 centimeters long and was wearing clothes for some reason. Does this mean it''s a frogman?There were parrot people. So it''s someone who lives here. I should say hello to ......, shouldn''t I? I''d be totally suspicious if I just showed up out of nowhere. No, objectively speaking, the frog is obviously more suspicious, but we should respect our predecessors, right?So, I greet him with a smile and a smile. ''Hey, hey!Nice to meet you.'' I can''t help but twitch, but I manage to smile and say hello. Then the frog croaks at me, ''Kero Kero! The frog croaks at me. You can''t talk? What is this town?Parrots can talk, but frogs can''t?I don''t know where to draw the line. Never mind. I''m not interested in frog biology. I ignore the frog and climb out of the swamp. All the while, the frog stares at me. ...... What the hell is wrong with you? I climbed out of the swamp, looked around, and ............ went rigid. There are a lot of frogs ...... in the area. There are hundreds of frogs standing around the swamp, staring at you. ''Gee,............Geeaaaahhh! You screamed. That scene was mildly traumatic. Hundreds of slimy, 80-centimeter-long giant frogs were standing on two legs and staring at me. It was horrifying, seriously! I left the swamp as if I were running away and kept running. If I stopped, the frog would catch up with me. I had a feeling. If I get caught, ...... I''m sure I''ll sink to the bottom of the swamp. I''m not kidding! On the way, I came upon a wide river. The current seemed calm, but it was dark. I don''t know how deep it is. But I don''t have time to go around, or rather, I don''t have room in my heart. The frog was about to chase us. ''Yes, I don''t care!Jump in!You can kill two birds with one stone and clean your dirty clothes! Fearing the darkness and the frogs, I jumped into the river without hesitation and swam as hard as I could. ...... It was rather deep. I crawled out of the river and started running again without any time to rest. After that, I just ran and ran, and suddenly I remembered that I was hungry. That''s when I ran out of energy. I fall down on the unpaved, bare earth road. I can''t do it. I can''t move another step. I look up at the moon, nearly 90% of which is missing. I felt like even the moon had abandoned me. ...... Oh, that sucks. What is this world? There is no beauty, no cheat ability, and if you trick the good-natured person who saved you from a dead end into taking your spices, you will be treated like a criminal everywhere. ............ Oh, that''s natural. That''s natural. After all, I''m a man who can only get by by deceiving others. I''m a man who can only get by by deceiving people. I''ve been forced to stop lying. ...... This is the end of my life, isn''t it? And then ...... there is a faint smell of goodness in the air. This is a ............ somewhat nostalgic scent. It''s a gentle, warm smell that reminds me of that. I pulled myself up with the last of my strength and moved my legs in the direction of the smell. What I arrived at was a shabby building. The door was closed, but there was a gaping hole, perhaps poorly constructed, and light was leaking from inside. Next to the wooden door, a tin sign hung a little higher than my head. In the center of the steel plate, there was a hollowed-out shape of a knife and fork. Is this the ...... diner? My stomach growled. The aroma wafting from inside stimulated my stomach. I can''t stand this smell. Let''s go in. ...... But I have no money. But that doesn''t mean I can give up. Then what do you do? ...... Gaia''s telling me to eat my way out. Yeah, that must be it. With Gaia''s encouragement, I pushed open the wooden door of the diner. The restaurant was dimly lit and empty. There seemed to be a counter on the right side of the door and a room at the back. It was probably the kitchen. On the left, there are four round tables for four people. The store is rather spacious, perhaps due to the low price of the land. I could have doubled the number of tables. But there was no one there. Not only the customers, but also the shopkeepers. ...... Is it closed already? The store is deserted and quiet, giving off a somber feeling like a department store after work. I stepped into the store with trepidation. The floor screeched to a halt. What the hell is this place?It''s so shabby. Is this some kind of restaurant where you can eat in a haunted house? The desk is riddled with holes, the chair is rickety. The floor creaks as it should, and it''s sticky as hell. The only lights were a few candles, as if they were cutting back on the cost of oil. Normally, I would never stop by there, or if I did, I would leave immediately. But I can''t afford it now. I can''t turn my back on it. I''ll take it here! ...... Well, I don''t have the money to pay for it. ''Is there anyone here? I call out toward the back of the store. After a while, a girl emerged from the back. ''Ah!I''m sorry, I didn''t see you there! It was a breathtakingly beautiful girl. Her large, round eyes and cherry-red lips were as fresh as fruit. Her gently arched cheeks were as white and soft as cotton, and her hair, gathered at the shoulders, was fluffy and gave the impression of being comfortable to the touch. She is a little too thin, but her arms and legs are long and well-proportioned for her petite body. However, she had the most powerful weapon on her chest that made all of these favorable factors seem trivial. Paiots, Kayday! What are these big tits?I''m not sure what to do. She was wearing a cheap tunic and a jacket, and was not dressed in a way that emphasized her breasts. In spite of this, as if in rebellion against the natural order, two bulges disproportionate to her petite frame pushed up her modest clothing and made a tremendous statement, "Here I am! I am here! ''Paiots, kaidee! Who could blame me for saying it out loud? I''ve been living for revenge for twenty years now. I''ve never seen such big tits and I''ve never talked to such big tits. The other world is amazing. This is the other world. The other world! ''Oh, you know what? ''No, it''s nothing!I was just reminiscing a bit about the old days. ......'' ''I see. So, what''s that ...... ''pai otsukai de''? ''Ugh!'' The big-boobed shopkeeper took a bite out of the voice in my mind that I let out. It was a careless thing to do. There was no way I could say to her, ''I mean, your tits are so big''!No matter how briskly you say it, you''re a pervert. No, it''s even more perverted if you say it briskly. I managed to fool him into thinking that ............? ''Why can''t you understand a word I''m saying? In this city, no matter how muddled the language is, it will be translated into a language the other person can understand. Why aren''t they getting the message?No, I don''t want them to understand me. ...... ''Oh, it''s probably because it''s a made-up word that only a few people understand. The clerk replies with a smile. It''s a made-up word that only a few people understand. ...... Do you mean industry jargon or jargon? I see. ...... I can use this. ............ ''So, what does that ...... ''paiotsukai de'' mean?'' ''Eh...... ah, ............ it means that...... ''you have a nice smile. '' ''Wow, is that so?'' The clerk clasped his hands together and put them to his mouth, smiling happily. Oh, no! You''ll be able to''t tell a lie! I''m not sure if I''m going to be judged for not telling a big titted woman that she has big tits! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... What?I''m not sure why. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask for help. And when he looked up, he smiled broadly and said happily. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ............ Oh, oh. You''re welcome. Apparently, he interpreted ''paiots'' as ''smile'' and ''kaidee'' as ''nice''. ''I''ll continue to do my best with ''paiatsu kaidey''! ''Uh, yeah. I think it''s better not to say too much about that kind of thing~ ...... ''Oh, that''s right. It''s not something you can say for yourself, is it? Then, I''ll do my best so that the customers will say, ''You have a big day! ''Yeah, it''s probably best not to deal with customers like that too much. ''But the customer did say that, didn''t she?'' ''Yeah, I''m sorry. I''m really sorry. I''ll never be able to tell her the truth. I feel like I''ve scarred this girl''s life. Well, that''s okay. It''s just for now. We''ll never see each other again. ''Anyway, is the store still open? ''Oh, yes!Please wait a moment! The girl came out from the counter in a hurry, stood in front of me and bowed adorably. ''Welcome!Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion! And then she smiled a big smile on her face. The ...... Sunlit Pavilion is ............ a good name to lose. ''Sorry to bother you at this hour. ''No!We have a huge surplus of ingredients, and we''re totally fine! ''No, you shouldn''t tell your customers that you have extra .......'' ''............What? ''Oh, I''m sorry. It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it.'' The look on her face was one of not really understanding. He must be a weak-minded kid. I won''t go into it. ''Then, I''ll get ready right away!Please wait at the seat of your choice! With that, the waitress went behind the counter again. Is he running the place all by himself? That means he may look like a loose cannon, but he''s actually a solid guy. I chose the chair that seemed to have the strongest legs in the store and sat down. I''m not sure what to do. ............ I''m wobbly. ...... This is the most decent one. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a chair. That must be the kitchen. I could hear the sound of metal clanging against metal. Do they have a frying pan and a ladle? If so, our cooking skills are rather advanced. The evolution of cooking utensils follows the evolution of food culture. I sit down and look around the restaurant again. Although it is old, it has been cleaned well. The stickiness on the floor must have already stuck to the floor. The stains on the walls and the damage on the ceiling tell the history of this restaurant. The stains on the walls and the damage on the ceiling show the history of this dining room, which has been carefully used for a long time. ...... Somehow, it reminded me of my master''s factory. ............... ......... No. I''m feeling a little sentimental. Maybe it''s the smell of the food. Maybe it''s the smell of this food, similar to the dinner the landlady made, that''s tickling my old memories. There''s nothing good about remembering the past. Instead, now I have to think about how I''m going to ...... sleep tonight and how I''m going to pay for this place. .................. That''s the only way to pay for this place. Dash as fast as you can. Well, that clerk looked like a douche, so he''ll get away with it. ''Sir? ''Whoa! My heart jumped a little when he called out to me while I was making plans to eat and run. I looked up and saw the waiter standing in front of me. How long have you been there? ''What, what? I quelled my racing heart with my energy and replied in a calm manner. Then the waiter asked me with a big smile on his face. ''Have you decided on your order? How about ......? ''No, you''ve already started making something at ......, haven''t you? ''Yes, inadvertently. Then, when it was almost finished, I realized, ''Oh, I didn''t get your order! And then I realized, ''Oh, I didn''t get your order! Oh, ......, she''s a stupid girl. ''............ Then take the one that''s almost finished. Make it that one.'' ''Are you sure?Thank goodness ...... you''re a kind person, aren''t you? Kind ......? Me? A man who''s about to eat his way out of a job is kind? Haha, that''s funny. He''s so naive. The waitress returns to the kitchen and I look at the menu on the wall. "Stir-fried scraggly vegetables ............20Rb Baked river fish ............25Rb Stewed beast meat ............30Rb Stewed river fish ............30Rb Black bread ............25Rb "White bread ............80Rb What do you mean ...... bread is the most expensive? Also, the naming is too harsh. I have a hard time understanding why they honestly write "garbage vegetables" every time. And the word "white bread" has been erased with two thick lines. It must have been removed from the menu. Perhaps no one ordered it, and they stopped stocking it. Well, if I''m going to buy it here, I''ll buy it at the bakery. The bread in the bakery I saw in District 22 was about 70Rb. I guess the bread here is more expensive because of the store''s profit. In any case, I wonder if this store has no intention to do business. It''s terrible. The clerk who doesn''t notice that a customer has come in is one thing, but the fact that the menu is displayed with two lines crossed out is another. It makes you feel disappointed, even if you didn''t intend to eat it, and makes you feel a little disappointed, ''Oh, I can''t eat this. The waitress is cute, though. ...... is a bit of an idiot, though. As I was thinking about this, the idiot waiter came over to me with a plate. ''Here you go, sir. Here are some stir-fried scraps of vegetables. ''Why do you always say "scrap vegetables"?Why don''t you just call it stir-fried vegetables? ''But there are some customers who don''t like scrap vegetables, so we have to tell them in advance. That''s not even close to being honest. ''Well, please eat. I hope it''s to your taste. The shopkeeper folded his hands behind his back and looked at me embarrassed. ...... Am I going to be seen eating it? I''m not particularly concerned about it, and I''ll take the stir-fried scraggly vegetables to my mouth. I''m not sure what to say.It''s good! ''Is it true!I''m glad. Because they were scrap vegetables, they were of different sizes, but that gave them a nice accent. Despite the mixture of carrot stems and scraps of greens, none of them were raw or overcooked. This is evidence that the ingredients are individually stir-fried, taking into consideration their ease of cooking. As the ingredients are not good, they are cooked with time and effort to make them tasty. This is a heartfelt cooking method that the proprietress used to use. ''Then, please make yourself at home. Satisfied with my response, the waiter bowed and went back behind the counter. I was so hungry that I couldn''t stop myself from taking a bite of the food. The nostalgic taste brought back memories of the past. The happy face of the proprietress, watching me eat my meal with relish, flashed through my mind. She is a sincere and good-natured person. And an uncompromising attitude. That waitress looks just like my parents. That''s why ............ pissed me off. A good-natured person like that would probably be fooled by someone. He will not even be angry at being cheated, but instead will go about his business on his own, trying not to bother the people around him. He must be that type. First of all, in this situation where I was the only one in the restaurant, why did he retreat to the back? You can clean up after yourself. What makes you think I won''t run away? ...... I think you need to be reminded of the reality of this situation. What happens to sycophants: ...... You should know firsthand that the people who are fooled are the fools. ...... Well, either way, you have no choice but to run away because you have no money. The plate in front of me was empty. There is not a single piece of greens left. I''m full, and that should be enough for a run. But that''s not good enough. If I just run away, the clerk won''t notice. The folly of being deceived. So I''ll deceive him more clearly and thoroughly. He''ll believe you and then betray you. Feel the frustration. I walked up to the counter, propped myself up on my elbow and called out to the kitchen in the back. ''Shopkeeper! ''Yes, sir! At my call, the waiter came out of the kitchen with his footsteps pattering. With a carefree look on his face. ''I''m sorry, where''s the washroom? ''The restroom is outside the store, around the back. ''Is it outside the ...... restaurant? ''There are restrooms inside the diner at .......'' I see. I''d forgotten that. There''s no sewage system in this world. So it''s a pumping system. It must be pretty primitive, too. Surely you can''t put something like that in the dining room. ''Well, let me borrow it. ''Yeah, even if it''s .......'' ''Don''t worry, I''ll leave my wallet. With that, I put the empty wallet on the counter. The clerk shows a relieved expression. He must have thought that by leaving my wallet, I would not run away without paying. He didn''t know it was an empty wallet. No one opens a man''s wallet without permission. ...... This will give you plenty of time to escape. You can trust me like that and let me betray you ...... completely. I''m off then. --Somewhere else, to another district. With that, I left the store. I went around the back to check out the restroom just in case. ...... It was a very primitive toilet, just a hole in the dirty floor. No, I wouldn''t even call this a toilet. It was more like a latrine or a toilet. Leaving the stench of the toilet, I left the cafeteria. I left the cafeteria as quickly as I could, trying not to make any noise with my footsteps. ...... When the cafeteria was completely out of sight, I turned around and said just one thing to that good-natured waitress. ''There are far more bad people in the world than there are good people. You''ve learned your lesson. The night is deepening, and I decide to stay outdoors. It''s so cold from swimming in the river. ...... I wandered around the 42nd district, looking for a place where I could get out of the rain and wind. 5-Episode III, Ward 42. I''ve never felt so terrible about the night. What is this world? It''s really dark at night! The moon was almost hidden, there were no stars to be seen, it was cloudy all night long, there were no streetlights, and all the houses had turned off their lights so quickly that there was no light to be seen. The only thing that was shining was the cat''s eye. That''s even scarier! ''Hee! I said! I thought I was going to cry! I cried a little! After showing the stupid and good-natured waitress how hard the world was, I left the cafeteria and walked around looking for a place to sleep. Of course, there were no convenience stores or comic cafes, and it was pitch black everywhere. It seemed that the standard of living was really low in the districts with large numbers, and there was not even a single place to stay. No one would stay in the 42nd district, I guess. But even if there were lodgings, I don''t have any money. That''s why I stayed out in the open. ...... The darkness was so scary that even I, who don''t believe in ............ ghosts, shrunk my balls in fear. . No, ghosts are cute. This is a different world, after all. What kind of beasts could be lurking here? There are even giant frogs. ...... Just the thought of them coming out of the darkness ...... and staring at us from behind the darkness... I thought I''d shrivel up and turn into a girl. That''s why I trembled with joy when the sun peeked out. I worshipped the rising sun for a long time. ...... I felt deeply that this is how old people in the countryside feel when they worship the sunrise. In the end, I couldn''t sleep at all, my head was pounding, my eyes were fluttering, and my legs were dizzy. But there are two things I''ve learned from this night. There are beastmen and beasts in this town. That cat I mentioned earlier, the one with the glowing eyes in the dark, was definitely a cat. But the bipedal cat I saw at the gate was probably a cat-people. There are two kinds of animals in the same lineage, the beastmen and the beasts. It seems to me that they are different from humans and apes. Do they have a sense of camaraderie? Do they understand language? It''s a ...... mystery. This is the first thing I found out. Like cats, birds are also different from the tribe of birds (which may be subdivided into the tribe of birds because there were parrots ......). Early in the morning, when I heard the cries of chickens, I rushed to the place. I wanted to be reassured by the sight of a living creature, whatever it was. Then I saw a tribe of Tori people picking up bird eggs. ''Are you going to eat it? I asked, ''Of course,'' to which he replied, ''Do you lay eggs too? When I asked, ''Do you lay eggs too? Apparently, this is s*xual harassment against the ...... Trihuman race. Be careful. What I''m trying to say is that the Tribe eats birds. It''s not cannibalism, and they don''t even seem to be disgusted by it. Probably, they are also raising birds for meat. If so, it is safe to assume that they do not feel a sense of camaraderie. ...... is the second thing I found out. Oh, and by the way, one more thing. You can''t tell the s*x of a beastman just by looking at it. It would be easier to tell if they had a distinctive feature such as torsos or tatemae. ...... So, with the sun finally rising, I set out to do what I had to do. I don''t want to be engulfed in that kind of darkness again. How long I spent shivering and waiting for dawn to break. ...... My heart was breaking. First, we need a place to stay!I have to get a safe place to sleep! And for that, I need money!I need to get some money that I can use in this world. You can sell the spices later. We''ll get the gold by any means necessary! By the end of the day!More than one night''s lodging!By any means necessary! So I walked around the 42nd district. I was hoping to find some coins! There was no ............. That''s right. The poorest quarter in the city. People who gather here wouldn''t leave change lying around, would they? It''s a rule of thumb for penny hunters to pick up pennies in the big city. Ideally, you should go to a place where there are people who think that pennies are not worth squatting to pick up. You can pick up a lot of coins. Incidentally, if there is a big festival like the Gion Festival, the best time to go is the next morning. You will find a lot of coins in the streets lined with night stalls. Shopping at a festival involves a lot of small change. It is easy for them to fall and the crowd makes you hesitate to squat down and pick them up. And some people don''t even notice. I once picked up a small coin worth less than 20,000 yen there. I felt like a winner in life. The only thing you have to watch out for is "peers". So-called people who have no home and are in a bit of a tight spot for money are looking around for coins in a rather frantic manner, so you have to be careful not to be spotted. To be discovered means instant death. It is a dangerous job that should not be done for fun ....... Fortunately, I didn''t meet any such "colleagues" in the 42nd district. That''s right. There''s not a penny to be found. So much walking and no results. ...... d*mn. However, thanks to this, I was able to grasp the geography of District 42. The area around the swampy area adjacent to the 30th district was the most desolate, but it became more lively as we approached the 41st district. There were more houses and stores, and we found an inn. And there was a huge building on a hill near the border of the 41st district. It was probably the mansion of the lord who ruled the 42nd district. As evidence of this, the area where the lord''s mansion was located had well maintained roads and was reasonably neat. There must be some disparity among the districts. Lords decorate their surroundings to show their power. The streets around there must be the highest level in the 42nd district. ...... low. It''s not that hard to see. The restaurant called "Sunshine Pavilion" where that good-natured shopkeeper was located was built in a particularly low level area of the 42nd district. No wonder there were no customers. The west side of the forty-second district is a swampy area. On the south side, there is an outer wall, and beyond it, there seems to be a forest. To the east is a more or less prosperous area, and to the north are steep cliffs, as beyond the swamp. In other words, the 42nd district is built in a kind of cul-de-sac, surrounded by cliffs to the west and north, and by the outer walls of the city to the south. ...... Wow, what a gloomy location. Anyway, in the spirit of ''if you want money, go where the people are,'' I went to the prosperous eastern part of the city. The time is just before noon. Thanks to the fact that I''ve been wandering around the 42nd district since just after dawn, I''ve been able to kill a good amount of time. In the early morning, stores are not open and there are no people. I''m going to wander around the city, which has finally begun to show signs of life. First, let''s observe. There are about half humans and half beastmen in the 42nd district. Looking at the people on the street, I''d say so. Incidentally, "Beastmen" is a name I''ve taken the liberty of calling all the dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other creatures that walk on two legs like humans. I don''t know the official name. I think there are a few dogs and cats, and many sheep and lizards. ...... Sheep are a bit more beautiful when you look at them like this. ............ No, they''re way out of my strike zone. I''m not sure what to make of that. The city seems to have a diverse mix of people living in it. But ...... there are no frogs. There were so many of them in the swamp. I don''t see any in the city. ''Wait a minute! That''s what I heard when I stepped into the wide, big street. It was the main street of the Forty-second District. The street was wide enough for two horse-drawn carriages to pass each other, and both sides of the street were lined with bars and restaurants. In the middle of such a big street, a person was on his knees. In front of the man, a muscular, villainous-looking man stands slumped over. He has a clean-shaven skinhead and a beard, the kind of face that makes you think at first glance, ''I don''t want to get involved with you. ''Wait, you guys. I''ve waited long enough.'' The strong macho man said in a thick, dusky voice, looking down at the man on his knees. ''If you can''t keep your promise, you''ll have to turn into a frog. ''Ta, please!No, please!Please don''t do that! ''I''m sorry, but that''s the rule decided by the Spirit God. ''Wait, ......!Please! The man on his knees looked up, his face smeared with tears and snot, and clung to the strong macho man. As if to ridicule the man on his knees, the strong macho man said in a thick voice. ''''The Judgment of the Spirits! Immediately after the strong-armed macho announced this, the kneeling man''s entire body was enveloped in a pale light. ''Whoa!No! As the man cries out on his knees, the strong-armed Macho makes a translucent panel appear. It''s the Conversation Record. ''Here, take a good look at this. See how it''s clearly written here?I''m gonna pay you back exactly what I owe you by the due date. You said so yourself, didn''t you? ''No, no ......, I''ll pay you back!I will definitely pay you back, just a little more ............? The man on his knees began to make excuses, but suddenly began to suffer. The pale blue light that enveloped his entire body gradually became redder and redder, and the light intensity became blinding. ''Yes, it''s ............... ............ Kae... ...I don''t want to go to ............! The man on his knees disappeared, leaving such a scream behind. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ............ Is that frog the one who got down on his knees earlier? Seriously, are you going to be turned into a frog? ............ ''Then I''ll take this equipment, your house, your family, and all your other possessions. ''Kero!Kero Kero! A giant toad clung to the strong macho man as he bent down to pick up the equipment, croaking ''kero kero'' in a desperate voice. ''Don''t you ...... touch me! Enraged, the strong macho man punched the frog and kicked it in the face as soon as it stood up. The frog flew through the air like cotton dust, rolling two or three times on the ground. ''The frog has been abandoned by the Spirit God!Right now, you''ve been stripped of all your rights as a human being!No one can complain even if I kill you right here!If you understand that, then get the hell out of my sight! The frog managed to stand up on wobbly legs under the terrifying shout. He looked around and pretended to ask for help, but no one was there to help him. On the contrary, the gazes of those around the ...... frog were filled with contempt. What is it? If you become a frog, do you lose your human rights? I was human until just now. ...... Is that what a frog is in this town? ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. The frog headed for the west ...... side of the city in the direction of the wetlands. This is the rule of this city. Is this the rule set by the spirit god who rules this city? That''s why there are no frogs in the city, why men on their knees are afraid of becoming frogs, and why the angry ones scream that they will turn their opponents into frogs? What a horrible city. A liar can''t even have human rights. I saw something disgusting. I have no sympathy for the man on his knees, but ...... the sight of the strong macho man gleefully picking up the man''s belongings is disgusting. I felt contempt for him, as if I were watching a moron taking pleasure in tricking a ...... moron. Let''s get the hell out of here. At any rate, I don''t want to have anything to do with that strong macho man. I was going to walk down the main street, but in order to continue down the main street, I had to pass by the strong-armed man. ...... I don''t like that. I had no choice but to walk into the nearest store. It seemed to be a bar, with square tables and a few chairs placed in a chaotic fashion. The place was rather crowded even in the daytime. Many of them seemed to be here for lunch, but there were also some who were drinking in the daytime. As soon as I walked in, there was a counter, and a well-built man with crooked ears like a bulldog called out to me, "Welcome. I walked past the counter and chose an empty table to sit down. Immediately, a young woman comes over to me to ask my order. ''Do you know what you want to drink? Sighs ......? The girl with the wheat-colored skin has ears that hang down like a golden retriever. A tail sprouted from her buttocks. Is this a store run by the Innu people? As I stared at the tail, the dog-eared shopkeeper covered her buttocks with a tray and glared at me adorably, saying, ''Ecchi! The dog-eared shopkeeper covered his buttocks with a tray and glared at me cutely. What''s with this guy? He''s kind of cute. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it!...... Oh, I don''t have any money. ............ Well, we can run away again. ''What kind of alcohol do you have? ''We have wine, ale, and beer. The girl smiles indulgently and says in a friendly tone that feels almost familiar. I''d give her fifty points for customer service. Well, it''s probably more popular with the drunkards. ...... Drinks, huh? ''Do you have any soft drinks? ''Grapefruit juice or grape juice.'' ''Grapefruit juice, then.'' I might have to run as fast as I can after this. I''d rather not drink. The waiter smiled and held out his right hand as I placed my order. ''20Rb! ''............What?'' ''Grapefruit juice is 20Rb! ''Eh ............''. You want to pay first? No, you don''t. If we pay in advance, we can avoid being eaten alive. It''s so simple, isn''t it? Is that a normal system in this town? But I''m screwed. ...... I don''t have any money on me. I glanced at the dog-eared shopkeeper. He''s got a puzzled look on his face and keeps holding out his right hand. It is possible to say ''I don''t have any money'' and leave now. ...... It''s not very cool, but... ''Sir. If you''ve come to my house with the intention of running away from me, my father won''t shut up about it, okay? The dog-eared shopkeeper says with a smile. Even though he''s smiling,......, he''s very powerful. I thought I saw his canine teeth gleam. I mean, Dad?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...Is that fat guy his father? ...... I''m glad you don''t look like your father. It''s a good thing you don''t look like your father. 2-0-RB! More pressure from the clerk. Not good. If you say ''I don''t have any money'' here, I don''t think you''ll get out safely. ...... What to do: ...... How to get through: ............ As I was thinking about that-- ''Hey!That''s my seat!Get out of the way! Suddenly, I heard a loud shout from the entrance of the bar. When I turned around, I saw that the strong macho man who was sitting at the counter was giving him a hard time. ......Wow, you didn''t have to come to this restaurant of all places. ............I think I''ve walked into the worst restaurant of all. ''...... that gofreed guy again.'' The clerk clicks his tongue and glares at the strong macho man who pushes the customers away from the counter and sits in the back seat. ''That guy''s name is Goffredo? ''Do you know him? ''There''s no one in the 42nd district who doesn''t know that guy. The dog-eared shopkeeper put his face close to my ear, covered his mouth with a tray, and told me in a whispered voice. ''He''s a collector who has the 42nd district as his territory. As soon as he stares at you, he''ll take all your money and leave you with nothing. ''I think you should pay your debts. ''That''s it! The dog-eared shopkeeper''s eyes became lively, and he held up his index finger, wagging it in front of me. ''He''s got a twisted personality, demanding more money than he owes and even asking for money he doesn''t remember. ''It''s a scam, isn''t it? ''But his words can''t be judged by the ''judgment of the spirits''. Even if you think it''s absolutely crazy, the Conversation Record shows that he''s right all the way through. ...... That''s a typical scam. When you are listening to the conversation, everything sounds fine, but when you open the door, you find out that you are wrong. But when you open the door, it turns out to be a different story! But the contract says exactly what it says, and in the end, the conclusion is that it is the one who did not listen to the contract properly that is at fault. I wonder if that kind of business is possible in this city. ............ I wonder how they do it?I''m curious. ''Also, he loves to make people into frogs more than anything. It''s so badass. ''What happens to people who are turned into frogs? ''What? It doesn''t matter. That''s the end of your life. ''Your life is over? ''Yes. You can''t live as a human anymore. No one''s going to help a guy who turned into a frog.'' ''Not even your own family? ''Of course you don''t want ............ anyone to know that your family member turned into a frog. If it comes to that, it''s better to lie and say ''I died of a sudden illness''. What''s better ...... It''s funny that you would risk becoming a frog to hide the fact that your relatives became frogs. ''A person who becomes a frog can never return to his original form? ''To go back, you need to fulfill the promise you made. ''So I can go back, can''t I?What happens to my human rights after I return?Will they be restored?Will they still be revoked?How will your family react? ''What, what, sir?Did someone you know turn into a frog or something? ''Oh, no, ............ I''m new to this city and I''m a little surprised. I just saw a guy who was turned into a frog. Oh no, no, no. You can''t tell me that there''s a good chance you''ll be turned into a frog. I got carried away and asked too much. I should be a little more careful. ''It''s fine if it''s a promise that can be fulfilled later, but if you miss a deadline or break a promise that can''t be reversed later, you''re out. ''I see. ''Then, when you return to human form, I''ll treat you the same as before. Humans live with the blessings of the spirit gods. Your dignity as a human being will be restored. The same as before? How is that even possible? It''s okay for the abandoned, but what about the abandoned?Is it possible to treat the person who abandoned you the same way as before? It''s also possible that you''ll be able to get a lot more than just a few of these. In any case, becoming a frog seems to be the end of life in this town. But I don''t like the idea of maliciously turning someone into a frog. That''s why I hate him so much! The dog-eared shopkeeper sticks out his tongue at Goffredo. What''s with this girl, she''s kind of cute. While we were having this conversation, the man who had just had his seat at the counter taken by Goffredo came to the table in front of me. Or perhaps it''s more accurate to say that he evacuated. At the table in front of me, three men who seemed to be acquainted with each other were poking fun at the evacuated man, pointing and laughing at him. ''What are you running away from? Give him a good beating.'' ''Don''t be reckless!It''s ...... Goffredo, remember?If you go against him, he''ll turn you into a frog. ''Even so, I don''t like him, do you? ''Good. I''ll go tell him what you just said. ''You idiot!Stop it, seriously! From their conversation, I''d say that Goffredo is a notorious hater. I hope he''ll have a hard time while he''s alive, even if it''s certain that he won''t die well. Like hitting your little finger on the corner of the dresser every morning. ...... That''s not so easy. ''But that guy. I''d like to punch him at least once.'' ''Haha, you can''t do that. You''ll get half killed.'' ''Yes, yes. Goffredo''s swordsmanship and martial arts are at a level where ordinary adventurers are no match for him.'' ''In my imagination, he''s already beaten me to a pulp. The men laughed and laughed as they talked about this. The dog-eared shopkeeper is looking at the men with a dumbfounded expression. ............ Oh, this smells like money! I''m sorry. When I let out a deliberate sigh, the men at the table in front of me stood up at once. They''re staring at me with scary faces. No, that ............ scares me, can you please stop making that face? ''You can punch that guy in the face, can''t you? ''Oi, oi, you''ll turn him into a frog if you''re too careless, kid. A man who had been kicked out of his seat at the counter took up my challenge. The word ''fool'' means ''to talk big''. ...... Isn''t there a bias in the way the word is translated? I might have to look into that sometime. ''Well, I guess you can''t do that if you''re too scared to run away. ''What? ''Well, if I wanted to, I could come back here unharmed. ''Oh, ......, then let''s do it, shall we?I''m going to punch Goffredo in the face, okay?Not the old man next door, but Goffredo''s face. I wonder if the reason he keeps repeating himself like this is to leave a promise in the Conversation Record. I see. It''s interesting that there are people who feel uneasy if they don''t carefully repeat words like this, which means that verbal fraud is so rampant. ............ It''s interesting. But I can''t deal with amateurs who pile up words unnecessarily. The moment you think ''I don''t want to be cheated'', you''re a sucker. ''I could punch Goffredo in the face. I said each word with emphasis. The men let out an exclamation of ''Oh ......''. Are you numbed by grace? I looked over at the dog-eared clerk, who was also rolling his eyes at me. ''Well, why don''t you go and punch him? Right now, right now!'' The man who had lost his seat to Goffredo came at me half-heartedly. He doesn''t like the fact that I told him I could hit Goffredo when he ran away with his tail between his legs. Short-tempered people are suckers for a scam, old man. ''But first, how about a bet?I''ll quadruple your bet if you pay me up front.'' I''m in! ''I''m in! ''Sure, me too! ''Well, me too! The four old men in front of me all got in. ''The stakes are 1,000Rb each. How much do you want to bet? When I said that, they all answered in unison, ''1000Rb for the one I can''t hit! All of you take a bite. ...... Be adventurous, old men! That''s it. I''ll give you a little incentive. I''ll give you a little incentive. ...... They''re a bunch of pussies. That''s why you''re being lambasted. You''ll live in the shadows forever. Yeah, why don''t you move to the swamp?It would suit you. ''What? ''I can''t keep quiet when you say so much! ''Okay, then I''ll take three mouthfuls! ''I''ll take four! ''I''ll take three! ''Me too! 13,000Rb for four people. ...... Well, that''s about right. That''s 130,000 Japanese yen. That''s 130,000 Japanese yen. 30,000 will get you a place to stay. Dazzled by the quadruple payout, all the old men handed me their winnings in advance. Yeah, it''s easy. ''Hey, clerk. What about you?'' ''Oh, me?I''ll pass!I''m not interested in gambling. ''Well, don''t be like that. If I beat him up, will you buy me a glass of grapefruit juice? ''Oh, that''s it?If that''s all there is to it, then ............ hmmm ...... Goffredo is always a bad guy to have on the sidelines at our house. ............ Yeah!If you punch me in the face, I''ll buy you a drink! It''s settled. So I got 13,000Rb and a free drink ticket and walked to the counter where Goffredo was sitting. There was no one at the counter, perhaps because they were afraid of Goffredo. Only the unfortunate Master, unable to escape, was hunched over the counter. I sat down on the counter seat, which was empty. ''What''s the matter with you?Do you have a problem with me? I''m sure you''re aware of the fact that you''re living your life in such a way that others can complain about you. But I didn''t come here to pick a fight with you. I''m here to discuss business. ''Wanna make a bet? ''A bet? ''Yeah. Whether or not I can KO you with one ...... ''just one shot''. ''Hahahahaha!You''re going to KO me with your sprout-like arms?You''ve got to be kidding me!It''s not even a bet! Goffredo opened his mouth and laughed loudly. Hmm. Sounds like you''re getting a good start. ''It''s not a bet, is it ............? ''Hmm? ''You never know until you try, do you? He then places 10,000Rb on the counter as if to slam it down. ''If you''re not sure, you can get out. ''The ...... kid is ............''. On top of my 10,000Rb, Goffredo slammed 10,000Rb down on the counter with such force that it looked as if he had a grudge against it. ''Fine. Come at me with all your might. His face is scary! He''s not going to fight back with a conditioned reflex, is he? Let''s go! If you look at it for too long, you might get scared, so I''ll make it quick. I swung my right arm wide and hit Goffredo in the cheek with a straight right hand. --Petit. You can''t even call it a sound. It''s a light ?????????????????? crash. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ............ ouch! My arm!The base of my finger''s broken!I must have! It really hurts!I want to cry! On the other hand, Goffredo''s eyes widened in astonishment, probably because my punches were too ............ meager. ''............ Huh, as they say, you''re pretty good. You win the game.'' With that, I sashayed away from the counter. There''s nothing more to say. Then I want to get the hell out of here. Because that guy''s face scares me. I''m sure Goffredo doesn''t know what I mean. He won''t know the true meaning of me showing up out of nowhere, betting 10,000 rb on him, punching him in the face, and leaving. He looks weak, but he''s actually very strong. Or maybe you imagined that. ''This guy must have a chance to win,'' he thought, ''otherwise he wouldn''t have challenged me to such a reckless fight. Above all, he must have thought, ''There is no fool who would lose 10,000Rb in such a trivial matter. But that''s okay. From my point of view, I got 3,000Rb, or 30,000 Japanese yen, for free. I made a killing. I''ll give you any amount of money you want. It won''t hurt my pocket. When I returned to my seat, I was greeted by a group of men with subtle expressions on their faces. ''Hey, what''s going on?Goffredo''s still alive and kicking! ''What?Did I say anything about ''stunting Goffredo''? All I said was ''punch Goffredo in the face''. And I did just that. What''s wrong with that? Kotori ...... and a glass is placed in front of you. It was the dog-eared shopkeeper who brought me a glass of grapefruit juice, filled to the brim. ...It''s really bothering me, isn''t it? I say to the dog-eared clerk, who makes a subtle face as if he''s rolling a bitter bug around on his tongue. Refreshingly. ''That''s what''s going to make you an adult. There are plenty of times when you''ve been looking forward to something so much, but when you actually experience it, it''s not so great. People grow up with such bewilderment in their hearts. Thus, I left the bar, enjoying the fresh grapefruit juice. I would have liked to have eaten, but ...... it was not a relaxing atmosphere. Anyway, I think I''ve managed to get enough money for accommodation. 3000Rb, the first currency I''ve gotten in this world. I think I can get by with this. Today, right now, my otherworldly life begins. Yeah. I feel like I''m on the right track. It''s going to be fun. I was filled with hope for the future when I was approached by an unexpected person on the ...... main street. ''Oh!Thank God, I found you! I looked back at the familiar voice and saw ............ ''......You''re ............! ''I''ve been looking for you, sir. There he was, the clerk of the rundown diner, ''Hidamari-tei'', where I had dared to eat my way out of last night. My heart is beating fast. My breathing is going crazy. Oh no. ...... I''m telling this guy a very clear lie: ...... And I clearly dared him to eat and run: ...... If he wanted to, I could ............ A chill ...... ran down my spine. ............ Oh no, I ...... I might be turned into a frog. ......? 6-Episode 4 Wait a minute! ...... That smile amplifies the fear in me. If he says one word, "Judgment of the Spirits," I''ll be turned into a frog. And then I''ll be stripped of my human rights and forced to join the creepy people in that dimly lit swamp. ............ I don''t want that. Let''s get out of here! ''Sir. ''Yes, sir? I couldn''t help but raise my voice. I don''t know how uncomfortable it is to have someone else hold your life in their hands. ...... It''s coming! He''s going to point his finger and say, "Judgment of the Spirits. He''s going to declare an end to my life! As I closed my eyelids tightly and tensed my body, I suddenly felt something soft touch my hand. I opened my eyes narrowly and looked at ...... to see that the shopkeeper of the sunny pavilion was taking my hand. It''s a flag!It''s like a reverse pickup! I''ve been looking for this all morning to give back to you. Smiling, the shopkeeper at the sunlit pavilion put the wallet in my hand. It was the wallet I had left as bait in the sunlit pavilion. ...... Did you want to return this? I''ve been worried about you, sir, because you forgot this and went away. I waited until dawn, but there was no sign of him coming back, so I came looking for him at sunrise. I can''t find the words. What the hell is he talking about? ''I''m sorry I''m late. Did you have any trouble finding it? No trouble at all. I left it there on purpose. There''s nothing to apologize for, nothing to worry about, nothing. ''But I''m glad you found it. Don''t forget about it. You''re a bit of a dilettante, aren''t you? He chuckles happily and then bows his head. Then the shopkeeper turned his back on me and started walking away. ...... Hey, hey, hey. You forgot to charge me. You''re just as ditzy as you look, aren''t you? What the hell was that? Doesn''t he know he''s been eaten alive? He''s been waiting all night for me to come back? Has he been looking for me since dawn? To deliver a forgotten item? You''re worried that I''ll be in trouble, and as soon as you find it, you show such a relieved look on your face. ...... and then you forget to pick up the important payment. ......... ...Are you an idiot? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. He''s an idiot. ...... There''s a real idiot in there. It''s not just that he''s unfit for business. He''s not even good at living a peaceful life. He''ll cry for sure. He''ll get screwed over, he''ll get pushed to the point of no return, he''ll have his life ruined by some a**h*le doing some a**h*le thing, and then he''ll ...... give up and die. You can''t help it,'' you say, ''I''m sorry. ...... As I watched the small back walking down the main street, I suddenly remembered the image of the master and the proprietress. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life better. ...... ......... The two of them looked like a pair of small backs moving away from each other. And as soon as the clerk of the sunlit pavilion was out of sight, a fierce anger welled up from the bottom of my stomach. You''ve got to be kidding me. You think you''re doing me a favor? You''ve got to be kidding! I can live a lot smarter than you! I don''t get screwed over by anyone and I don''t get stuck whining about my life! If you''re the one being exploited, I''m the one doing the exploiting! Our positions are absolutely different! I''m the smart one and you''re the stupid one! That''s right!You''re a fool if you fall for it!Being taken advantage of and exploited and still smiling, that''s not kindness!It''s stupidity! You''re too naive to even realize that, and you think you''re giving me charity? There''s no way you didn''t notice I ate the food. There''s no way you forgot to pay me! You were in such a superior position that you could have ended my life with a single word: "Judgment of the Spirits." And yet you neglected to do so. Don''t underestimate me! I''m not a weak person to be pitied by you! I''m not an immature person who needs a guy like you to help me survive! Don''t do anything that would make you sacrifice yourself for me! ''............ Wait, you bastard! Driven by a rage of unknown origin, I started running. What am I angry about? Is it because she took pity on me?Was it because I felt disrespected by that woman? Or is it because he''s just like the masters? Or is it because he''s just like them? Are you angry at yourself for not being able to do anything about it? What are you mad at me for, man? Who am I mad at, me? I don''t know. I don''t know, but I can''t pretend this anger isn''t there! The shopkeeper of the Sunlit Pavilion turned into a narrow side street in the middle of the main street. That''s the direction of the restaurant. He must be going back to the store. If he is, I''ll catch him on the way and slap him in the face with his meal money! ''I don''t want your pity. ''Don''t give to others when you yourself are so poor. ''You''re not so great or strong that you can be kind to others at the cost of your own life''! A stupid and foolish sycophant like you ...... is ten years too young to help anyone! Don''t be arrogant! He twisted his wallet into his blazer pocket and grabbed 3000Rb from the bar. The silver coins clink together. There are thirty of them, which means that each of these silver coins is 100Rb. The price for stir-fried scraps of vegetables is 20Rb....... Oh well. You can keep the change! I grabbed a 100Rb silver coin and was about to turn down the side street where the clerk of the sunny pavilion had turned. ...... At that moment. ''What? I stopped in my tracks. There was a large bulletin board at the corner, with an overall map of the forty-two districts and some sort of guild recruitment memo posted on it. I saw a very familiar face among them. It was ...... me. A flyer with my likeness on it was posted in the middle of the board. "A villain peddling stolen goods. Anyone who finds me should inform the guild. There''s a bounty of 100,000 Rb for anyone who catches him. Dead or alive. Characteristics: Light-hearted tone Eyes like a dead fish. Around 5''9" tall Medium build Black hair, black eyes He wears expensive clothes. I''m in trouble! I''m in big trouble! You''re a wanted man! I thought about tearing up the handbill, but ...... d*mn it, what the hell is this? How long has this been up? "Dead or alive"?This is bullshit!What kind of Western is this? I''ve never heard of anything like this in the bar. Should we assume that it has only been posted for a short time? ...... Are there any other places where this sign has been posted? Whatever the case may be, we need to do something about it as soon as possible. ...... What''s the most obvious thing ......? There''s no way they sell hair dye or ............ clothing. That''s right!Let''s change our clothes! Then I need to go to one of those stores and get a complete set of clothes. I went back to the main street and ran into a nearby clothing store. I took off my blazer, held it under my arm, and sloppily opened the buttons of my shirt to make it look as shabby as possible. ...... ''Welcome''. The man in the store was a sheep with a big belly. He seemed to be the owner of this store. His calm demeanor told me that he was in charge. A wool store?No, it doesn''t look like it. ''I need a set of clothes! ''But we don''t have anything better than your clothes at .......'' ''It doesn''t have to be nice!It''s more convenient to have something shabby!But something that doesn''t smell! The owner of the sheep store frowned as I rambled on. It''s not good. ...... If I say anything too crazy, it might raise suspicion. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. The Guild, super scary. Okay, I''m not lying. ''So, I''m going to dress shabbily in order to hide my identity. ''Oh, I see...'' Perhaps convinced by this explanation, the sheep store owner nodded humbly. ''This area is not very safe, you know. Certainly, if you''re walking around in such nice clothes, you''ll be targeted by all sorts of people, won''t you? Yeah, yeah. I understand, yes. He managed to convince me. I mean, are my clothes so high class that you can tell by looking at them? I''m glad I wasn''t attacked. I''ve been doing some pretty dangerous things, like wandering around at night and going in and out of bars. ''If that''s the case, the clothes around here are good. Most of the residents of District 42 wear clothes of this level. In the corner recommended by the sheep store owner, there was a pile of cheap-looking clothes that were obviously second-hand. As I recall, in this kind of world, ...... nobles make custom-made clothes, the upper class wears their hand-me-downs, and ordinary people wear the second-hand clothes that are sold off. It''s hard to say how many people wore those clothes. I''m not really a fan of vintage clothing. ...... I can''t be selfish. I went through the piles of clothes and bought the ones that were less dirty and seemed to be sturdier. I also bought a shoulder bag to put my blazer in, a wallet for the other side of the world, and a hat to wear over my head. ''Also, do you have any ink? ''Sumi: ......?I can at least share some of what we use here at .......'' ''Then give me that too. Preferably with a used brush.'' And so, when all the goods were settled, ...... they came to exactly 3000Rb. ...... What a coincidence. It was so well done that it was like a tutorial for an RPG. I can''t help but think that God is playing a joke on us. ...... You''ve got to be kidding me. Seriously? I rented a fitting room at the store and changed my clothes. The blazer is packed in my bag, my empty wallet is in my pocket, and my hat is on. From what I''ve heard, they haven''t gotten the word out about the arrangement yet. ...... Good. As soon as I left the store, I went to the bulletin board and added a beard to my portrait with a brush full of ink that I had been given. I should also add some wrinkles and lines on his forehead. That''s it. That''s it. It says don''t tear it up, but it doesn''t say don''t scribble on it. So I won''t see it. I heard while I was shopping that this kind of notice is only posted on this board. They should be distributed to guilds, but there are so many guilds that it is impossible to distribute them to all. There are guilds for each profession, such as the Clothmakers'' Guild, Blacksmiths'' Guild, Food and Drink Guild, Apothecaries'' Guild, and so on. Each profession has its own guild, and there are forty-two categories. In a world without copy machines, it would be impossible to distribute handbills to all of them. This handbill is also handwritten. And if you give it to only some of them, they will ask you, "Why don''t we have it? '' or ''Are you favoring that guild only? It seems to be a source of disputes. This is why these messages are posted on the main street or main square of the city. ...... Lucky. It''ll keep us under wraps for a while. It''s good to have a low level of civilization for a change. This would not have happened in Japan. It would have gone viral on the Internet and ended instantly. Long live the savage land! If we were more civilized, there wouldn''t be any "life or death" schemes. That''s why I took a detour and ended up late. When we left the clothing shop, the sheep store owner told us to stay away from the slums near the cliffs in the north. ...... There are slums in addition to swamps? It''s too unsafe,...... I left the main street and walked down a narrow alley. The road gradually becomes bumpy and the houses become more and more shabby. The hustle and bustle fades away and the streets become sparsely populated. I felt that I was getting further and further away from human habitation. The sun began to set, and the potholed streets grew darker and more eerie. ...... Haha, I haven''t had a decent meal today either. I just drank some grapefruit juice. Every time I walk, a bug in my stomach cums. And when the sky turned red, I arrived in front of this restaurant again. The Sunlit Pavilion. It''s a rundown diner with a signboard hollowed out in the shape of a knife and fork. Once again, I could smell the good smell from inside the restaurant. ''......I''ve come to ............''. What should I do? All anger had vanished after the incident with the handbill. I would have hit him for the food, but I bought some clothes and have no money left. ...... What am I doing here? ''I guess I''ll ...... go home.'' If you think about it, it''s not my place to be angry. In the first place, I had eaten my way out of the restaurant, and whether they knew it or not, the staff here didn''t say anything about it. If I leave the 42nd district at this point, this incident will be ...... forgotten in the dark forever. You don''t have to go through the trouble of rehashing it. ...... Yeah. You''re right. I''ve been a little crazy. Maybe I was getting sentimental remembering the masters. It''s okay, the food''s free now. There''s nothing more precious than free food, as the old saying goes. All right!Let''s turn back! I''ll take your kind offer. I said a small thank you at the door and turned to the right. I will never see that shopkeeper again. With this thought in mind, I turned around and saw ...... The sky was dark and dusky. ''............'' The sky in the distance was tinged with a deep blue. The narrow road leading to the main street was dark and blurred, creating an atmosphere as if it were the entrance to the underworld. If you are not careful, you will be swallowed up by the darkness. ...... The darkness was approaching very close. ''............ phew''. Well, I''ve been in this town for more than a day now, and I''m not a naive little kitten forever. I''ve already experienced the darkness of night once yesterday. So, ...... ''Welcome, welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion!......, huh?You have a visitor? ''...... I''m here.'' I think I''m going to throw away my bravado and take advantage of all the hospitality I can get. Please!Let me stay here! You''re the only person in this world who can give me an edge. No matter how careless I am, I''m sure you won''t let me down! ''I''m glad. You''ve come again, haven''t you? The shopkeeper says this with an innocent face and jumps up and down. Every time she jumps, she shakes her head. I don''t dare to say what it is. Well, if I had to say, I''d say that ...... is shaking with dreams and romance. Oh, no, no, no. I was about to leave for the dream world, staring at a dreamlike scene. If you don''t get your story straight,......, don''t get thrown out in the middle of the night. I can''t ...... stay up all night in the dark. Anyway, let''s negotiate. ''First things first. I''ll pay for last night''s dinner!But I don''t have any money right now.'' I confess my current situation. The waiter listens to me intently, his eyes wide with surprise. ''So, did you sell those expensive clothes? Hmm? Oh, I see. I''m wearing shabby clothes now. I see. So it looks like he sold off his clothes for lack of money. Well, don''t dare correct me. ''So I was trying to figure out how I could pay for the food. ......'' ''Anytime you want. I trust my customers.'' No, no, you shouldn''t trust a guy like me. I don''t know what you''re saying with so much confidence. ''Because the customer told me about himself. I think he is a sincere person. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... This girl is a bit of a ...... duck, not just a leek, but a duck hot pot ingredient and other vegetables on her back. I don''t know how she''s been able to survive all this time. ''It''s nice of you to believe me. But I don''t have the money yet. ''I''ll wait patiently.'' ''No, I appreciate that you do, but I don''t think you should make me wait forever.'' ''I don''t mind, do you? ''I''m the one who cares. What''s the matter with you? You don''t like money? Why aren''t you more obsessed with money? If you had enough money, you could do business in a better place instead of this rundown store. You can get better ingredients, and you can decorate it any way you like. Ask for more money! Human kindness is not worth even a penny! So, how can the customer be satisfied? The clerk tilts his head and asks me. I don''t have money, but I don''t want to keep them waiting. It''s a natural question, I suppose. And beyond that, the answer is also a natural one. ''Will you let me work here? ''What ......? ''Of course, the salary will be very small. It''s not ...... good without it, but it''s ...... well, good!In return ......'' I bow my head deeply and say loudly. ''I want you to provide me with room and board!That''s it! I have nowhere to go. I have no money to stay at a hostel. I haven''t had any food at all. It''s probably possible to make money my way. But in order to do so, I need to know this city well. It''s too risky to do business here without any information. The fact that I stole Norbert''s spices has ended up dragging me down and restricting my actions. The Judgment of the Spirits was just a stroke of luck, one wrong move and I might have been turned into a frog. And if I had been caught by the guild in another district, ...... You''ll be able to get through it just in time, but the end of your ...... life is always just around the corner. I need to know a little more about this city. The best way to do this is to have a gullible, good-natured, and easy to deal with person by your side. In other words, working here as a live-in is the best thing for me right now. But there are some concerns. First of all, it seems that this clerk is the only one here. Would I put a complete stranger in a house like that? And I''ve already eaten once. I wonder if he''ll shake his head. ...... Even if he doesn''t, I''d like him to offer me a place to sleep, even if it''s just under the eaves of a house, for one night. That''s why I''m appealing to him to let me pay for the food. My goal is to compensate you for the overdue food bill, not to get close to a beautiful girl with big tits and have a good time with her. I hope you are well fooled. ...... ''I''m so happy! ''What about ......? When I looked up, the clerk had two fists clasped together on his chin and was shaking his body as if writhing. His eyes were glittering and his cheeks were flushed. ............ What? I''ve been working on this store by myself for a long time, but the number of customers is really bad. ...... I was wondering if there was anyone who could help me. ''Ha, ha......'' The shopkeeper grabbed my hand with both of his and approached me rapidly, sniffling. ''Maybe this is fate! ''No, that''s a bit of an exaggeration, isn''t it ......'' ''''No!It must be the guidance of the spirit god Alvi-sama!Oh, it''s a good thing I''ve been serving ...... every day, after all, Alvi has been watching us! No~...... maybe, but I don''t think God has that much time on his hands. ''I''d love to, too!There are several rooms available, so you can use the one you like. We clean the rooms frequently, so you should be able to use them right away. With that explanation, he picked up my bag and walked to the back. ''If there''s anything you need, just let me know. Most of the things I can''t get because I don''t have the money, but if I can make it myself, I''ll get it for you. As he spoke, he walked further and further into the room. Leave me. ''Huh?How can I help you? Noticing that I hadn''t moved from the counter, the clerk came running back. ''No, are you sure? ''What''s that? ''The guy who wants to hire me. ''Yes!I just hope you don''t really expect to be paid ......, but we will provide you with three proper meals! ''...... You live here by yourself, right?'' ''Yes. ......Until a few years ago, I lived here alone with my grandfather. ............'' Oops. I don''t want to hear such dark stories. In short, you''re sure you live alone? ''...... Are you sure?I don''t want to hear such a gloomy story. ''Huh?.............................. Can''t you ......? This guy is serious! I''m not sure if you''re serious or not. Is he a b*tc*!I''m not sure if it''s because I''m not a fan of his or not. Or is he some kind of fairy or genie?Are you too untainted? ''You know, ...... I love big boobs! ''Huh? With a serious face, ........................ what am I saying? No, I''m not. This guy is too defenseless,......, and if you don''t keep some tension,......, my rationality will,......, and I think that keeping a good distance is the most important thing for a smooth communal life. It''s a good idea to keep a good distance. It''s a good idea to keep a good distance between the two of you. ...... If you are too defenseless, you may end up doing something wrong. ...... If you do that, you will be in trouble later on. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...Therefore, ......''. ''Oh, wait! I was a little relieved when I saw the shopkeeper start to panic. It seems that this guy has a sense of crisis. It''s just that it''s very weak. ''I''m not trying to do anything to you. Trust me on that.'' ''Yes, sir. I do. That''s why I''m so quick to trust you. ...... ''But with that in mind, I''m going to ask you again. I asked the clerk with a serious expression. ''Are you going to hire me?'' ''Yes, sir. You''re welcome.'' This guy is ............ A real idiot. Well, thank goodness for idiots. This will make it easier for me to get my feet wet in this world. ............ In the meantime, I''ll have to give him a little lesson in the harshness of the world. ''All right. I''ll try not to betray your trust.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll be counting on you.'' I held out my hand, and the clerk shook it without hesitation. ...... Stop it, you''re making me nervous. Anyway, we shook hands. A handshake is a sign of a contract. ''I''m Oba Yashiro. It may be difficult to understand due to cultural differences, but Oba is my last name and Yashiro is my first name. I''d like to introduce myself to my employer, the shopkeeper. I''ve never been abroad, so I''m not sure I like the idea of having my first and last names upside down. My name is Oba Yashiro, not Yashiro Oba. If it''s a one-time relationship, I wanted to use my official name for the person who will be taking care of me for a while. ''I understand. I''ll call you ''Yashiro-san'' then. Calling me by my name out of the blue! I told her that Oba was my last name so that she could call me Oba-san. ...... Isn''t this the kind of girl who would be popular at a party?......I wish I could have gone on a blind date with a girl like her. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you can call us at the web site. Oh!Nibbling!What''s he nibbling on? ''Oh, I''m sorry. Perhaps because I was staring at my hand, the shopkeeper stopped nibbling and let go of my hand. ''I don''t know, Yashiro-san''s hand is so big, it''s ...... too much. This is the combo of ''wow, Yashiro''s hands are big'' and ''nigiri nigiri'' that I heard about! I''m sure he''s a natural, but is he? ''Oh, um, I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... ''Whose hands are wrinkled! ''Yes, no!That''s not what I meant. ...... Anyway. I''m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I''m not uncomfortable at all! It''s just that I got a little excited when I saw how soft her palms were. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. ...... I really wish I could have had a party with a girl like her. ...... Specifically, I wish I could have played the game of kings. ......... ... ''Have you ever heard of the King''s Game? ''What?The King''s Game?'' ''Oh, no. It''s nothing.'' That reaction: ...... I knew you didn''t have it in your world. ...... ''Oh, nice to meet you. Clearing his throat, the shopkeeper straightened his posture and bowed deeply. ''My name is Ginette. Please call me Ginette.'' ''............ Yeah. I''ll call you Ginette. And no other information has been disclosed.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m Ginette Tinard. It might be hard to tell because we''re from different cultures, but Ginette is my name. ......'' ''Oh, no, that''s okay!I understand.'' I''m not the one who said that. ...... I think he''s an idiot after all, don''t you? This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. I could tell she was welcoming me. But she was so defenseless that I began to worry a little. Is that what this is?Is this what you call protective desire? No way. ...... Anyway, we now have a base for the time being. I''m going to look into the city, find a way to make money ...... and maybe even take over the store. This guy ......, Jeannette, won''t realize his own stupidity unless he''s given such a severe punishment. It might not be a bad idea to get this store as a lesson. When I looked at him, my eyes met Ginette''s. At that moment, Ginette made a small gut pose and said happily. ''Let''s keep up the good work on Piotka Day! ''Buh-uh! ''Nya!Oh, customer!What''s wrong with you!Sir! Ginette gently pats me on the back as I crouch. ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. What is he saying with a smile on his face? ...... Well, it''s 100% my fault. ............ This is why I became a live-in employee at a rundown eatery in the 42nd district, the "Sunshine Pavilion". My job is mainly ...... to give advice to the idiot owner. 7-Episode 5 How to Hear The morning of the fourth day after arriving in another world. I woke up in a room on the second floor of a rundown diner in the 42nd district, the "Sunshine Pavilion". ...... I could smell straw. When I woke up, the straw on my cheek fell off. This small room, about four and a half tatami mats, was furnished with a bed and a desk, and a large rectangular wooden box with a lid in front of the desk served as a luggage compartment and chair. In a sense, it is a room like a business hotel. However, unlike a business hotel, there is no electricity, and the walls and floor are decrepit to the point of being unsettling. And the worst of all is the bed. The bed was a large wooden box stuffed with straw. The bed is just a big wooden box stuffed with straw. ...... I thought it was a straw bin at first. Not even a sheet on the bed. ...... I''ve got straw all over my face because of it. It is said that the straw is smoked and dried in the sun to prevent insects from spreading. ...... I feel like a girl in the Alps. My head is still fuzzy. Maybe I didn''t get much sleep. I''ve been in a lot of trouble since I arrived in the other world,......, so I was grateful to be able to sleep in my bed and offer up some sort of prayer to God, which is why I slept late. I was grateful for being able to sleep in my bed and prayed to God. Well, I guess I should be grateful for the luck of the draw. Yo, God. Thank you. Well, I guess that''s enough. I''ll take any change you want. I''d like to stay in bed a while longer, but that''s not gonna happen. ''...... Oh, that smells so good.'' There''s a smell coming from downstairs that''s hard to resist on an empty stomach. What time is it now? The window is covered with a wooden board, so there is no light coming in. This wooden board is fixed with a primitive hinge on the upper side, and can be opened by pushing it upward. During the daytime, the wooden board is opened and fixed with a pincers. There is no window glass. No, not at all. I remember seeing it in another ward. I guess this house is just too poor to get one. Well, that''s not a luxury. I''m just happy to have a roof and walls. I''m afraid of the ...... darkness, I''m afraid of frogs, I''m afraid of strippers, I''m afraid of guilds. ............ I''m sorry I said bad things about your bed. It''s the best girl in the Alps. If there was a goat, I''d want to spin around with it. Anyway, I''ve got a bed to sleep in. I can''t let it go so easily. I''ll let you use it to your heart''s content until you''re ready to settle down here. That''s why I have to get up and help the landlord when he starts his activities. This is how trust is earned. ...... And beyond trust, there is enormous profit. It is probably the same in every world. I push up the wooden panel of the window to clear my still heavy eyelids. The sunshine will wake me up. ............!It''s dark outside!It''s still night. ...... And it''s cold! Even though it''s spring, it''s still cold in the morning and evening. I''m going to miss my futon. ...... I''m not sure if she''s working this early, but she''s got big tits. I closed the wooden board and left the room in the dark. When you go out into the corridor, you will see a series of similar doors. There are four bedrooms and one storage room, for a total of five rooms. Ginette''s room is on the north side of the stairs on the right, and there are three rooms in a row facing the corridor on the left. At the end of the corridor, there is a storage room that is hardly used now, and directly below it is the dining room. Land must be cheap in the countryside. There is a lot of room for such a poor house. I heard that in the Middle Ages, the concept of a room was rare and families slept and slept together in large rooms. ...... So, the Middle Ages as I know it is a different world. If you make assumptions about the level of civilization, you might get hurt. I''ll be careful. This building has a narrow frontage and is long at the back. The structure is what is called an eel bed. As far as other districts are concerned, it is a common building in this city. However, ...... there are no buildings around this sunlit pavilion, let alone houses, and the space is quite empty. In spite of such a place, it is a mystery why they made it such a long and narrow structure. Perhaps they are taxed according to the size of the frontage, as in old Japan. ...... No, but the entrance is on the side, so which is the frontage in this case? I don''t know. ...... The front half of the first floor is the seating area of the sunlit pavilion. At the back is the kitchen, and beyond that is the courtyard and the pantry. In the courtyard, chickens are allowed to roam free, and there is a small field. All living spaces are on the second floor, and there seems to be no living room. There seems to be no living room, though the seating area may be. The stairs lead down to the courtyard. The stairs are built on the outside of the building. Well, not outside, but in the atrium. Enter from the cafeteria, go over the counter, go through the hallway next to the kitchen, go out to the courtyard, and then go up the stairs to the second floor to find your room. ...... It''s a very cumbersome flow line. I''d like to see a master remodel it. The most annoying part is the toilet. The only restroom is the one I went to last time, so to get to the restroom from the second floor, I have to go the opposite way of the route I just mentioned, and then go out the front and around the back of the store. The toilet that I arrived at after all that trouble was not even a toilet, just a hole in the floor, with no light, and the smell was ...... horrible. I try not to go to the bathroom at night. It''s not that I''m afraid of ...... the dark. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I noticed something strange in the courtyard. The courtyard was too small. The reason for this was a large white cloth that seemed to divide the courtyard. The cloth was stretched over a corner of the courtyard. There hadn''t been anything like that before he went to bed. That means it was put up after Jeannette had woken up. It is very difficult to move because it is placed so as to avoid the chicken coop and the field. ...... What the hell is the point of this cloth? I touched it, but it wasn''t wet. It''s not like it''s drying out. ...... Then why? ''...... Excuse me...'' I''m curious, so I''m going to roll up the cloth and go inside. Go through the curtain and go to the other side, which is separated by a large cloth. ...... ''............Oh! There was a fluttery, fluffy space. Slightly curled triangles of cloth were hanging from the laundry rope and fluttering in the wind. There were more than one or two of them. They were all over the place, as far as the eye could see. Yes, this is a common treasure for all men--pants. There, as far as the eye can see, are pants. When there''s a treasure in front of you, it''s a man''s prerogative to appreciate it. I looked at the pants playing in the wind with a keen gaze, as if I were a connoisseur observing a masterpiece. The first thing that jumped out at me was a pair of dazzling pure white pants. They were adorned with frills, giving them a cute and innocent look. And if you shift your gaze next to ......, you will see that they are laced!The side part that touches the waist is laced with lace and is a little bit see-through. In addition, the white and blue stripes that grab the hearts of men! ''...... Is this heaven? How did such a treasure come to be in such a place? ...... Is it a blessing from God? ...... Ha!I''m not sure if this is how pants are harvested in other worlds. I''m not sure. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. ...... But Adam, who got his hands on the forbidden fruit, has had a painful experience since then. ...... It''s dangerous to mess with it... ... ''......Hmm?'' Suddenly, he looked at his feet and found a small white shining cloth falling in the darkness. ...... Oh, God! Is this what you call mercy? ...... You forbid me to touch the forbidden fruit, but you let the fruit on the ground slide. Then we''ll pick it up, God willing! ''............ Hmm. Ruffles.'' Ruffles are attached to cover the whole thing, covering up the fabric that directly touches the skin. But it is precisely because there are so many hidden parts that the small triangle at the tip peeking out looks even more attractive. The fluttering form creates a cute overall effect, but the eroticism hidden within it is also very effective. It''s wonderful. ''You''re doing a good job. I muttered to myself. It is worthy of praise. The sewing technique is incomparable to that of cheap clothes bought on the main street. If you wanted to buy clothes of this quality, you would have to pay a lot of money. ...... Are they handmade? I''m sure I can do better than that. ............ I unfolded the pants, pulled them, turned them inside out, and stretched them out for a closer look. The quality is as good as anything sold in a store. If this is Ginette''s handiwork, it could be a new business. At the very least, it would eliminate the need to buy clothes. Well, I''m good at sewing too, and I can make a lot of things. That''s why ...... ''For reference: ......'' I put the lace pants I got in my pocket. It''s not a sin to pick up things that have fallen. And just like peaches, apples and oranges, ...... something that has fallen has no more commercial value. When I was in Japan, a farmer who was a good friend of mine said to me, "If it''s fallen, bring it as much as you want. They are going to be thrown away anyway'' and gave me a lot of them. This is exactly the situation. The only difference is that it''s peaches or pants. So to speak, this is peach paradise. The utopia of everyone''s dreams. It''s a land of everlasting spring where peaches grow all around with a fragrant scent. See? Isn''t that just like here? The only difference is whether they''re peaches or pants. I''m sure it was God''s guidance that brought me to this utopia. God. Thank you for this chance encounter. Actually, I''ve always thought you were a can-do kind of guy. Like this. This is what I''ve been waiting for. ''Well, now that we''ve prayed to God, let''s get going. It is said that those who leave the Peachland can never visit it again. But I''m sure I''ll come back. Someday, I''ll return to this utopia! And I passed through the great white cloth that separated the dream world from the real world. A chilly breeze caresses my skin. Let''s get inside. I walked through the door that led from the courtyard to the kitchen and entered the room on the first floor. ''Good morning, Mr. Yashiro. You''re very early. As I walked into the kitchen, Jeannette gave me a cheerful smile. It''s full power in the morning. ''You''re earlier than me. Are you sleeping well?'' ''Yes. I''m an early sleeper. Indeed. He seems to have fallen asleep rather early. Thanks to that, I couldn''t ask him to escort me to the bathroom in the middle of the night. ...... Oh, I''ve been holding it in. I think I''ll go. ............ Well, I''ll wait until the sun comes up. ''I''m doing some food prep now. I''ll have breakfast ready in a hurry. I''ll have breakfast ready as soon as I can,'' he said, taking the pot off the fire. ''Oh, that''s okay. After you''re done. ''But you promised to provide three meals. ''That doesn''t mean you have to adjust to me. I''ll do it. Is there anything I can help you with?'' ''Yes............, I guess so............... ...........................well... ..................'' You don''t have any? Well, it''s a busy diner all year round. But you must prepare a lot of food. I''ve been here both times at night, so maybe it''s busy during the day? ''Yashiro-san.'' Ginette, who had been pondering for a long time, finally looked up and called me. ''Hmm? When I replied, Ginette said with a very serious expression. ''Do you know what a kitchen knife is? ''Do you think I''m an idiot? ''No!Never! Ginette waved her hands in the air, a troubled expression on her face. ''Knives are famous among chefs, but they''re not familiar to the general public. ......'' I wonder when kitchen knives came into existence, if you put it that way. It''s so familiar that we take it for granted, but it''s an invention created after many years of research, isn''t it? ''At home, what do you use to cut food? ''A knife. Saying this, he takes out a knife with a blade of about 10 cm from his pocket. That''s dangerous! This guy has a knife hidden in his pocket? If I had accidentally stuck my hand in the big tit whip, I would have been stabbed. ...... It''s a dangerous trap. ''By the way, Jeannette. ''Yes''. ''Which is it, a big-breasted whip that catches big-breasted women, or one that catches big-breasted women with big-breasted women?'' ''I don''t know, but...? ''Oh, so it''s not in this world? ......'' ''Do you have something like that in your hometown, Yashiro-san? No, I''ve never seen it, but I can''t say for sure that it wasn''t there. Then there might have been. I''m sure there was. ''In the world I was in, ......, knives were quite common. They were in common use.'' ''Is that so? There''s a great city. They''re pretty expensive. Well, it doesn''t look like there''s a hundred-yen store. Blades must be expensive. ''May I see it? ''Yes. Go ahead.'' Jeannette moves her body away from the kitchen table. On the kitchen table, there is a gyuto knife, a de-bade knife, a vegetable knife and a willow-blade knife. There was also a petite knife a little further away. Oh, there''s a de-bade knife, which means that in this town, people also grate fish into three pieces. Seeing that there is also a willow-blade knife, raw fish eating ......, or sashimi, may have taken root in the culture. Tools reflect the culture of the time. When you see a willow-blade knife, you think of a knife with a tail head, and the tool has its own use. ''It''s a steel knife. It''s a difficult tool to manage, but you''ve taken good care of it.'' ''Do you understand? ''Hmm?Yeah, I''m a bit of a metal guy.'' I''ve had a lot of lessons from my master. He did not allow stainless steel knives. He was very strict about using only forged steel kitchen knives. Steel knives rust easily and are much more difficult to maintain than stainless steel knives. However, the sharpness of the knife is perfect, and the food cut with the knife has a powerful flavor as if it has been given new life. The fact that he keeps his steel knife so clean is proof that he takes very good care of it. Well done. Perhaps it is because of the influence of the master that I have a good impression of people who take good care of their tools. ''Since you have a willow-blade knife, do you eat sashimi as well? ''Yes, I do. I don''t eat it very often, but I make sashimi with a tail head for celebrations. ''I see, you also make sashimi with a tail head. ''What?''Okashiratsuki''? ............ hmm? ''Well, what''s ''Okashiratsuki''? ''What do you mean, ............, you just said it yourself, ''with a tail head''.'' ''No, I didn''t. I didn''t say that. Is this guy really okay? ''Then what did you just say? ''I don''t eat sashimi very often, but I do make it with a tail head for celebrations. ......'' ''See, now!You just said ''with a tail head''! ''I didn''t say that! ...... Funny. What do you mean? What''s going on? Is it an error in the forced translation magic? If it''s not with a tail head, then it''s ............ perhaps... I''m not sure. I''m not sure.That''s what I''ve been talking about. ''Repeat after me. ''Live''. ''''With tail head.'''' You''re getting a lot of errors! ''...... It seems that there''s something wrong with the way it''s being translated. ''Oh, I see. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m not the only one who''s not familiar with the term. ''...... is kind of tricky.'' ''Forced translation magic isn''t perfect either. It''s not perfect. ....... If so, there may be an opportunity to take advantage of it. ...... For example, if you call the price of a meal "oisashi", it will be understood by sushi restaurants, but not by Western restaurants. ............ Hmmm, it won''t help you make money... ... ''So, what kind of ''okashirazuki'' is it? ''A fish with a tail and head is, as the name implies, a fish with a tail and head. ............ Oh, I guess it''s faster to show you. I''ll take a fish. ''Huh?Oh, yes. This is the one you can eat raw. I won''t let it go to waste if I process it. Good. Good idea. The fish we processed were later enjoyed by the staff. ''............ horse mackerel''. ''Yes, it''s a horse mackerel. It''s amazing. You can tell just by looking at it. Are you a chef, Mr. Yashiro?'' ''No, the country I was in was an island nation. I''m better at making tools than cooking. ''So you''re a craftsman!That''s great! ''No, I''m not much of a craftsman. ......'' And if you ask me what my official occupation is, I''m an impostor. But I guess I don''t have to tell you that. Let''s cut up the horse mackerel before you get into trouble. If we were to eat it normally, we would cut it into three pieces, but in this case, we need to cut it with the tail. Let''s cut only half of it and process the rest later. ''Is the sea close by here? ''Yes. I heard that if you go outside the outer wall, you can get to the sea rather quickly.'' ''Have you ever been to ......? ''It costs a lot of money to go outside the outer walls.'' Ginette smiled tightly. ''Do you have to pay a toll?Or will we be charged an entrance tax when we return? ...... Anyway, it seems that poor people can''t even leave the city. Is this city''s system okay? ...... Well, in every country, there''s always someone who controls the flow of money, taking money from those who have it and those who don''t. Yeah, dammit! Dan!and slash the horse mackerel''s body. I''m taking it out on you. Sorry, horse mackerel. ''So, it''s dynamic. ......'' ''I''m sorry. I''m just a little upset.'' ''Am I offending you in any way ......?'' ''Oh, no. Don''t worry about it. It''s not like that.'' I''d better get him to change his mind a little. If I''m frustrated, I''ll ask myself, ''What have I done? I should be angry with him, saying, ''Hey, don''t be rude in my kitchen! You should be angry. Otherwise, you will be licked by your opponent. Being licked means that you will always be at a disadvantage in negotiations with that person. You must not be licked. I quietly filleted a half of a horse mackerel and placed it on the body, leaving the head and tail. It''s a rough job, but it completes the horse mackerel with head and tail. ''Wow, ...... is amazing. So this is the ''Okashirazuki''. ''Oh. It has a tail and a head, so it''s called ''taigashira-tsuki''. ''I see. It''s an interesting dish. ''Doesn''t it look like a good omen? ''Yes. I''ll be sure to copy it for celebrations. ''Shall we eat then? ''Yes, let''s!Since it''s a good opportunity! Ginette smiled brightly and walked out of the kitchen with a horse mackerel tail. Oh, I guess we''ll have to eat at the table. I crossed the counter and headed for the table where Ginette was waiting. The chairs are still shaky. I need to do something about that, too. I shake the chair twice before I sit down and take a seat. Then I noticed Ginette across from me with a serious expression on her face. ''......What''s wrong?'' ''Mr. Yashiro ............, I just noticed .......'' ''What is it?'' You suddenly look serious. ...... Is there something wrong with the tailpiece? ''...... I haven''t done anything to prepare the rice. There is only horse mackerel! ''...... Yeah, well, I guess so.'' I know, I''ve seen it. ''I''d offer you some bread if I had any, but I''m not stocking up on ...... bread for various reasons. ......'' ''It''s too expensive to buy and it doesn''t sell at all, does it? ''Why are you doing that? No, I understand. If you put bread that costs 10Rb more than what you can buy in town, and you cross out the menu with two lines...'' ''Mr. Yashiro is kind of a mysterious person. ''I don''t want to be told by a mysterious person. ''I''m not mysterious. I''ve never seen a creature as mysterious as you. What''s with the ''I don''t think there''s a single bad person in this world'' look? It''s rare enough to be a special natural monument. ''Oh, I''m sure! Jeannette stood up, rattling her rickety chair. ''There must have been some nuts!Let''s get some of those!'' Nuts and sashimi? ...... dinner? Ginette runs to the kitchen and comes back with a flurry of activity. There were four raspberries in his hand. ...... Four grains? ''I''m sorry, I wanted to prepare something proper. ......'' ''Why don''t you eat this and then recreate it? ''............I see, that''s a good idea.'' ...... Is this girl okay?Is this a creature that can be left alone? ''More importantly, there is one thing I would like to confirm. ''What is it? ''''The ''forced translation magic'' isn''t a panacea, right?'''' ''Yes, it is. .................. Juru'' Just as I thought he was thinking about it, he started to drool. ''......Enjoy.'' ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I didn''t mean to be rude! ''Don''t worry, you can talk while you eat. ''Yes, sir.'' Jin-nette looked embarrassed and held the chopsticks in her hand. You can use chopsticks? I wonder what culture this city resembles. ...... I guess I need to change that way of thinking. Ginette dexterously picks up a piece of horse mackerel sashimi with her chopsticks. ''Oh, ...... it''s been a while since I''ve had sea fish.'' ''You don''t eat much fish, do you?'' ''No. We have river fish on the menu. I eat a lot of it. ''Is sea fish expensive? ''You have to go outside the walls to catch it, so it''s more expensive. I see. So if you are taxed for passing through the gate, that amount is added to the price of the fish. ''This horse mackerel was kindly given to me by a friend of mine. ''You should ask him to share it every day. ''No way!That''s outrageous. Ginette waved her hands in the air in fear. ''I''m grateful just to have received it like this. ''A favor is also a kindness when you accept it. ''Yes, is that so? ''For example, you were kind enough to bring me those nuts, weren''t you? He pointed to the nuts that Jeannette had just brought. Jeannette stares at the nuts in her hand. ''That nut,'' I said, ''I can''t eat that! Why don''t I just tell him to go away?'' ''I''m sorry, .............'' That''s where the word ''sorry'' comes in. ...... Well, okay. ''Then, "Yes!I love nuts, don''t you? I love nuts. Thank you. ''I''m so happy! That''s what I''m talking about.'' He picks up a nut and rolls it between his fingers. She rolls it around in her fingers and looks at Jeannette. ''It''s better to accept a favor from someone. It benefits you, too. Isn''t that a good thing?On the other hand, if you hold back, you''ll make them uncomfortable and you''ll have nothing left over. No one benefits from it. ''............ I see, sir.'' I''ve certainly witnessed the scales fall from Jeannette''s eyes. It was so easy to understand that I wanted to say so, and Ginette was impressed. ''So, tell that acquaintance of yours, "Offer him a lot of sea fish every day. I''m sure he''ll be so happy he''ll start dancing. ''Yes!I understand. .................. Will he be happy? I believed you for a second. Well, I''m sure the dominatrix freaks will be happy to hear that. No, that''s not the point. ''I''d like to ask you a few questions about forced translation magic. ''Yes. I can tell you as much as I know.'' ''What happens if I tell a lie? ''The curse will turn you into a frog. ''Are you sure? ''Uh, .............'' Jeannette put down her chopsticks, straightened her back and looked at me. ''If you are cursed by the Judgment of the Spirits, you will certainly be turned into a frog. ''What happens to the lies that are not subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits? ''No matter how much time has passed, if the person concerned calls the Judgment of the Spirits, the curse will take effect from that point. However, if the person who told the lie does not invoke the judgment of the spirits, the lie will not be punished as it was not heard. I think, or ...... ''In other words, you can tell a lie if you don''t get caught, is that correct? ''There''s no such thing as a lie that can''t be exposed. That''s not what I meant. ...... Let me put it this way. ''What about lies that can''t be accused?For example, ...... a ''gentle lie''.'' ''A gentle lie ......? ''Let''s say I have a disease that doesn''t have a chance of survival.'' ''Huh?'' '' Jeannette stood up, rattling her rickety chair with a clatter. ''It''s a metaphor: ...... Sit down. I''ll be fine.'' ''Is it?Oh, ...... good.'' How believable can you be? Holding his chest with both hands, Jeannette breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. But the chair had been knocked over by Jeannette herself earlier, so Jeannette landed on her bottom on the floor. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Too much stink. ............ Are you from a comic book? ''Oh, um,......, can you please not look so surprised?It''s rather embarrassing, so it would be better if you laughed. ......'' ''I''m worried about your future. ''Please don''t!Please, don''t pity me for this! After brushing the dust off her ass and pulling up a chair, Ginette sat down in it. ''So, what were we talking about? You''re seriously forgetting. I''m going to ask you a quick question and get right to the point. ''For example, if I was very ill and didn''t know what tomorrow would bring, and I told a lie that I was fine and would get better out of concern for my health, would the Judgment of the Spirits punish me for that lie? Ginette folded her arms and cocked her head, ''Hmmm ......''. Eventually, she uncrossed her arms and gave me a clear, though unsure, answer. ''Perhaps the curse will be activated. It''s not the reason or the process, but ''whether or not there was a lie in the statement'' that should be the condition for triggering the genie''s curse. Lying in the statement is ....... Now that''s an important point. I would like a little more proof, but since there is a record of the conversation, the words must be true. So what about the unspoken lies? How would such a lie, such as raising both hands to show no intention of defiance when a gun is pointed at you and then defying the gun, be taken? ...... It is too risky to verify. I''d like more information. ''What if Jeannette lied to me, and I didn''t call her on it?There''s no reason to turn you into a frog when you''ve kept quiet about your illness out of concern for me.'' ''At that time, ..................''. Thinking slowly, Ginette replied with some certainty. ''The curse will not be triggered. As long as no appeal is made, the lie will be deemed to have never happened.'' Good. In other words, a lie is no longer a lie if it is not discovered. ......, though it''s too risky to do so. ''Can I have one more? ''Yes.'' There''s something that''s been bugging me. When I described the spices I stole from Norbert, the merchant of House Wishart, as ''received'', all the people in the city interpreted it as ''stolen''. I guess the Forced Translation spell made them do it. But Ginette didn''t say anything when I pretended to go to the bathroom and said, "I''m going somewhere far away" when I ate away here. It was not translated as "run away". Even disregarding Jeannette''s extreme good-naturedness, if someone who had said he was going to the bathroom said he was going to run away, he would have said something. Even if he didn''t say anything, his expression would show it. At that time, Jeannette trusted me 100%. Why was "I got it" translated into "I stole it" and "I''m going" not translated into "I''m running away"? ...... We can hypothesize that "alternative words" are translated and "abbreviated words" are not. The reason why "ikizukuri" was translated into "tokashira-tsuki" is because I usually call "ikizukuri" "tokashira-tsuki". It seems to me that when we refer to the same thing, no matter how we change the way we say it, it will be translated into the word that indicates the thing itself. In other words, whether you call "pants" "panties," "scanty," "slouch," or "treasure," the "forced translation magic" will translate it as "pants" equally. So if you say, "Let me see your treasure," you''ll get beaten up. No, but wait, ......, why didn''t they get "Piotkaiday"? ...... Let''s do a little research. ''Ginette''. ''Yes.'' ''Now listen to what I''m about to say and tell me if it makes sense.'' ''Okay, sir. Just tell me if it makes sense.'' ''That''s what I mean. Now, what kind of example sentence would you like to see ............ that would make your response easier to understand ......... ... ''Jeannette. Would you like to have a morning coffee with me?'' ''Coffee, sir?Would you like me to make you some?'' Ginette is about to stand up, but he controls her with his hand. You''ve definitely taken it to mean ''morning coffee''. You don''t even pretend to notice the meaning behind it. Now, on to the next. ''Jeannette, would you like to have a cuddle with me? ''Cat, is it? Oh, what''s with the feline language?It''s kind of cute! It''s not ....... You''re not getting the message. It''s the same with chomechome. Okay, now let''s get serious: ...... ''Jeannette. I want to hold you.'' ''Ohhhhhh! Response. The word ''hug'' was taken to mean something other than ''to hold''. The translation result of the "forced translation magic" may depend more on whether the other person understands the "correct meaning" of the word, rather than on whether what we are thinking is conveyed as it is. ''Ginette. Why don''t you give me a shot? ''Aha!What are you talking about?You can''t do anything naughty!Please repent! Jeannette''s ears are red and she''s angry. Does ''one shot'' go through properly? ''Jeannette. Zukkongbakkong......'' ''Please repent! He seemed to have interpreted the meaning of the words in the flow. Onomatopoeia can go either way depending on how it is used. Maybe if I say ''nyan-nyan'' in this way, the meaning will be understood. ''What''s wrong with you?You suddenly started talking about s*x. ''No, I''m sorry. I dared to say something erotic to see your real reaction. I apologize if I offended you.'' ''No,...... I''m not that angry,...... but when you suddenly say something like that,...... ...... That ............ is embarrassing.'''' You''ll be able to get a lot more information on the web. I don''t know. I don''t know. He may be a high school student, but he is an old man in his thirties at heart. It''s a little too much of an old man. I think I''ve been a little too s*xually harassing. ...... I''ll try to control myself. If the result of the "forced translation magic" depends largely on the understanding of the other side, it means that you can''t tell a lie to someone who has knowledge. ...... That''s tricky. Replacement words are a double-edged sword. So, is there any chance that a translation will be made that we did not intend? This is a case where a word that we uttered without the slightest intention is conveyed to the other person with a strange meaning. For example, if a compliment, such as ''Miyoko-chan, the newcomer, has big boobs'', is taken as ''s*xual harassment'', ......, this is not the case. Here''s another analogy: ...... ''Ginette''. ''Yes''. ''What''s the opposite of ''mushy''?'' ''Huh?Would it be ...... ''musuko''?'' ''And if it''s my child?'' ''Let''s see, ...... ''Yashiro-san''s Musuko'' ......?'' ...... grin. ''Then what if it''s a stupid one? ''Let''s see, ............ ''Mr. Yashiro''s Stupid'' ......?'' ...... grin. ''So, what if that stupid son of yours is very respectable! ''Er, let''s see!It''s ...... ya, ''Mr. Yashiro''s fine foolish son''!...... is that respectable for a fool? ...... grin, grin, grin. No, it''s ...... that makes me grin!No, no, no! It''s not the time to be grinning and letting girls say naughty words to you. When I was in junior high school, I wrote ''Takemura Takeko Love Punch'' on the blackboard and challenged the girls in my class saying, ''You can''t say this sentence from upside down within ten seconds! I remembered that I challenged the girls in my class and made them read aloud. I remember the look on the girls'' faces after they understood what I had said: ............ grin grin grin grin ...... So!I told you!This is no time for s*xual harassment! I''m sorry. Child in appearance, adult in mind, junior high school boy in s*xual curiosity!His name is Obayashi! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... I''m going to be a very sorry creature. ...... I''m going to be a very sorry creature. ...... I''m going to be a very sorry creature. ...... I''m going to be a very sorry creature. ... I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. They were not transformed into obscene meanings on purpose, but were transmitted to us as they were said. It seems that even if you are made to say an erotic secret word, it is not translated straightforwardly. The word "va*in*" will be translated as "va*in*", and it does not mean that you have uttered a banned word. This means that "hoshi", "shiro-bukuro", and "akuma" used by the police can be used as they are. Incidentally, "akuma" means "arson". Then, ...... Putting found objects in one''s own pocket is called "nekobaba", and is regarded as stealing by the public. But I don''t think so. The heroes of RPGs and heroes of side-scrolling action games are not afraid to take what they find as their own property. Heroes and heroes are symbols of justice. I think you''re right. What I found is mine. So I don''t think of it as ''stealing''. So here''s an experiment. ''Jeannette. Yes. She''s a real straight arrow, isn''t she, ...... after what she just said to me. Well, that''s more than I can say for now. I hold out the nuts I''ve been rolling around in my fingertips in the palm of my hand and say. ''These are the ones you ''gave'' me earlier. ''Yes, sir. Please, eat it. Ginette smiles. Now, on to the next. I take out the pure white treasure I keep in my pocket and place it on the desk. Pants. ''These were given to me earlier in the courtyard. ''Phew!What are you doing? Jeannette''s face turned bright red and she snatched the pants from the desk in a panic. ''Give them back. They''re mine. ''It''s mine, you know! ''It fell in the courtyard. ''It was drying! ''No, it fell! ''It flew away in the wind, d*mn it! With her cheeks puffed out, Jeannette grabs my treasure and hides it under the desk so I can''t see it. ...... You''re a slacker. ............ I''ll get the treasures later. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. What is it? Ginette answered politely, though a bit angrily. She''s a very helpful and good-natured person. ''Did the two words I just said, "I got it", sound like the same word? ''Huh?............ Yes. They were the same word.'' Ginette, who had closed her mouth for a moment, probably to remember my words, nodded clearly. ''By the way, my treasure from earlier...'' ''It''s my pants!......?What do you want me to say? He got angry at me for being unreasonable. That''s okay. ''Do you believe that I got that thing from you earlier? ''No, I don''t believe it!I didn''t give it to you! So you''re saying. If I say with firm confidence that ''this is not stolen'', it is not a lie? ...... Well, that''s a fine line. At the very least, words uttered by someone who has been taken advantage of and not informed of the truth should not be considered a lie. For example, if Jeannette says, ''''Mr. Yashiro''s fine folly'''' is not a naughty word. The truth is, ''What?What the hell is he talking about? But if Jeannette is not lying, and she is not aware that she is lying, then it will not be considered a lie. He may not be trapped and turned into a frog. In the case of the spices, both I and the other party were aware that we had stolen them. That is why "I received" was translated into "I stole", I guess. If I had picked up the spices and said "I got it", ...... might not have been "stolen", right? This is also subtle. I''d like more information. But apparently the "forced translation magic" does not "completely block" the lie. It''s a good thing I found that out. The factors that determine whether a lie is a lie are [your perception], [the other party''s knowledge], and [the facts]. Good. In that case, ...... I might be able to fool the spirit god. I can scam the gods. That''s good. It''s a big scale, just right for me. I''m gonna make it as a con man in this city. Then I''ll need more information. I''ll have to expand my network to do that. ''By the way, Yashiro-san. As I was pondering, Ginette said this to me, as if she thought we were done talking. ''There''s a place I''d like you to go with me after this. ''Is it the bathroom? ''No, sir! What, no? ...... I''m almost at my wits'' end. ''I go to church every morning.'' Oh, I thought he was a churchgoer. ''Are you an albinist? ''If you''re talking about a member of the Spirit Church, it''s called an Alvistan. It''s like Christian. It''s easy to remember. ''So, do devout Alvistans go to the church every morning to pray? I''m not religious. ''Yes. I pray every morning, but that''s not all.'' Ginette folded her hands in front of her chest, ...... with her underpants in her hands, ...... smiled a clear, untainted smile, and said something outrageous. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. It''s the best service I can do. What does ............ mean? The food that was being prepared in the kitchen was not to be served in the restaurant but to be delivered to the church. And ............ I don''t even want to think about it. ............ ''...... for free?'' ''Yes. It''s a donation.'' You''re an idiot, aren''t you? You''re a poor man in a store that can''t even straighten a chair. And what about the amount of rice you were preparing just now?How many servings was that?It can''t have been more than ten or twenty. It was about thirty servings! It''s free, people! ''...... I''m getting dizzy.'' ''Are you okay! Jeannette ran up to me and tried to put her hands on my shoulders, but I realized that she was holding her pants in her hands and hurriedly hid her hands behind her back. Next to me, Ginette looks down at me anxiously. ''I''m going to the church alone, so please go to your room to rest. ''No, ...... I''ll go with you. You can''t let him go alone. If you do that, he''ll be very happy to give away everything around him to others. I''ve decided to make this my base for now. I don''t want this store to disappear. Above all, ............ I hate waste and squandering to death. Have you become happier after donating to God?No, it hasn''t. The proof is this rickety chair!You''re so poor you can''t even afford to replace this thing! You said every morning?The gods of this world are so thick-skinned that they provide free food for 30 people every morning and get nothing in return. ...... Do you take it for granted? Does he pretend not to know when a pious lamb starves for his sake? If that''s the case, then any service you perform for such a god is nothing more than a waste! Donations?No need to donate! The world is built on give-and-take! If you provide a service, you get paid for it!And vice versa!This is the world''s truth, the world''s common sense!It''s an ironclad rule! I''ll go to that church and refuse all donations from now on. ''Jeannette, just remember this. ''Yes, ......? ''I''m not going to let you waste money in front of me. I glared up at Jeannette. And Jeannette''s shoulders shook. I thought she was a great girl with a frugal spirit because of her careful preparation of scrap vegetables and proper care of her utensils, but ............ she''s a waste of money! What you''re doing is as stupid as taking out a loan to buy an expensive pot you don''t need! In my opinion, religion and fraud are no different. As long as there is no tangible benefit, I don''t see any value in it. Therefore, I will not accept any money or goods! I will stop you from donating. I will stop you from donating. ...... Never. I gobbled up the remaining horse mackerel sashimi, quietly burning with the will to fight the coming battle. 8-Episode 6 Farmers Crocodiles and Sister Bertina Donation. Ginette is hard at work prepping food for such an incomprehensible activity as ....... The first thing she does when she wakes up early in the morning is to prepare breakfast for the free food waiting for her at the church. I''m speechless. The early bird gets the worm?You''re losing a lot of money! I was leaning against the kitchen wall, watching Ginette working hard. Helping?Are you kidding me? I don''t understand why you''d put so much effort into something that doesn''t pay off. Anyway, ...... Even though it''s just a bunch of junk vegetables, the amount of food is amazing. Are they collecting them from neighboring farmers? ''Ginette''. ''Yes''. Ginette responds dutifully to my call. She doesn''t say ''help'' or ''hinder'', and she doesn''t look at me with malice. Isn''t it possible that this guy has broken some of his emotional needs? ''Where do you get these scrap vegetables from? ''I''m buying them from a vendor.'' ''Huh! Purchased! These scrap vegetables? You''re paying for carrot stems, worm-eaten spinach, and the stiff, tough outermost leaves of cabbage?That''s the part that should be discarded, no matter how you look at it! ''There are many conscientious vendors who give them away at a discount. ''............ Many?Are you sure you''re buying from more than one supplier? ''Yes. In the beginning, there was only one supplier, but he seemed to have talked about it, and later four other suppliers began to sell us the same scrap vegetables at a discount. You ............ are a sucker, you know. You''re a sucker. ''There are places that will take your waste for a fee. Moreover, they buy vegetables from several suppliers. ...... It''s easy to get a discount if you put them together. ''Hey, let me see your books. ''What?A ledger?It''s on the shelf behind you.'' I took out a notebook ...... booklet, or should I say ......, from the shelf by the wall in the kitchen and opened it. It''s a cheap-looking notebook made up of several sheets of shoddy paper. It''s a cheap notebook made up of several sheets of poor quality paper. ............ is too small, the letters are too small. I''m sure there are better ways to cut back than to save money on something like this. I struggled to see what it said: ............ That''s impossible. As Ginette said, the diner buys scrap vegetables from five different sources. And one of them seems to be a vendor in the 27th district. As for the fish, we can see that it is also purchased from three sources. And even the bread, which is hardly sold, comes from three sources. ...... It''s useless. ''Manager, I have a question. ''What?What''s with the sudden change? ''Please let me handle the money account. ''What?But don''t worry, I can do it. ''You''re not. You''re out of your mind. It''s just like a game. ''...... Oh, um... Are you angry with ......? Yeah, I''m angry. I don''t know why, but I''m so angry from the bottom of my stomach that I want to chop an onion for no reason. ''Do the vendors only sell vegetables for vegetables and fish for fish?Can''t you buy meat, vegetables, and fruits in bulk? ''If you go to a market, you can find such stores, but vendors specialize in selling vegetables for vegetables and meat for meat. ''Is the market far from here? ''No, sir. It''s within walking distance. It''s just beyond the main road. ''Is it more expensive? ''It''s probably cheaper because you don''t have to pay the fare. ''...... If you know so much, why are you buying from a vendor?'' ''Yes,............ that''s because you said you would sell it to us,............ Your kindness is ...... so!I thought I should be grateful for your kindness! ''You idiot! You''re an idiot! I yelled at him. But it can''t be helped! Look at that! It''s just like I said! I''m being played for a sucker! We''re being lied to, and they''re calling it a favor! ''Look. In my world, it costs money to throw away garbage. If I can sell that garbage for a couple of bucks, I''ll make a fortune! Even in this town, if the waste was worth money, they''d spare no effort to move it here. We''re being fleeced by eleven different vendors. They''re hungry. They must''ve been forced to sell bread that failed. They must have been forced to sell bread that had failed and was no longer saleable. And then they said, ''at a discount'' or ''with your kindness'' and smiled and smiled. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ...... interesting. I''ll buy that fight. These 11 companies ............ don''t think you can get away with it for free, do you? But that''s for later. Anyway, I won''t be doing any more business with this company. ''What?But if you do, the foodstuffs in your store will be sold at .......'' ''I''ll buy it from somewhere else. ''............'' ''What''s wrong?'' ''Oh, no, ............ I have very few ...... acquaintances, and ...... I don''t have anyone in the guild who can help me.'' ''The guild? ''Yes. The food and drink guild and the peddlers guild. If you don''t introduce us to a merchant there, we won''t be able to bring the vegetables here. ...... We also have to decide on the fare. ...... So, asking someone else to do it now is not an option. ............'' I don''t know what Ginette is talking about. In other words, Ginette, who is not a good negotiator, does not want to say, ''I don''t like the current merchant, send me another more decent one. Then, it''s simple. ''Why don''t we just go through the guild? ''But if we do that, the merchants won''t be able to bring the food here. ...... The market is also frequented by the general public, and many of them don''t want to buy in bulk from people in the food and beverage industry like us. In order to avoid running out of stock,......,......''. ''Then buy directly from the farmer. ''......What?'' Jeannette stopped moving. ''What''s so surprising about that? ''If the peddler''s guild is selling all the goods in one place, then there must be a commission there. So the consumer pays more and the farmer gets less. The reason why farm stores in the Japanese countryside are surprisingly inexpensive is that they are not run through vendors. If you want to buy unsalable garbage vegetables, you should get them from such places. ''Besides, I don''t trust the peddlers'' guild, which has sent as many as eleven merchants to a single store and has done nothing to correct the situation. Since they call themselves a peddlers'' guild, they must be an organization that organizes all the peddlers across the district. If that''s the case, it''s strange that they haven''t noticed the unusual situation that merchants from eleven different places have come to this restaurant. Therefore, the peddlers'' guild is condoning this fraud and letting it go. You can now add this to your ''list of people you wouldn''t mind smashing''. ''Are there any farmers and fishermen in District 42? ''Yes. There is an agricultural area around the church. There''s a big river running behind it, and fishermen live by the river.'' ''Then take me there. ''Are you going now? ''No, later is fine. The sun is just beginning to rise now. There''s no way we can talk at this hour. You can only talk to him when it''s convenient for him. If you''re busy, you''ll be turned away or you won''t make a good impression even if you can talk. Don''t be hasty. But I''ll secure a supplier as soon as possible and stop wasting money like this. But first, we have to go to the church, which is now eating our food for free, and tell them to end their donations. It''s the least I can do. If he''s okay with it, then maybe it''s a matter of letting it go. But! We can''t let people who take advantage of the bottom-feeder to line their own pockets go unchecked. All the scammers except me should disappear from the world. ''Let''s go to church first. I''m sure it will be a meaningful time.'' ''Yes, sir. The church in District Forty-two is a nice place. I''m sure Mr. Yashiro will like it.'' I''ll like it? Not at all. It''s enemy territory. ''Then, I''ll finish my preparations as soon as possible. Ginette clenches her fists and makes a cute little bump. With Ginette at my side, I read the account book, which was written in fine print, from cover to cover. As I left the cafeteria and walked along the south side of the road, I saw a field. A few people seemed to be hard at work in the fields early in the morning. ...... Oh, I was surprised. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ...... You''re not vandalizing the field, are you? ''Mr. Mo-Mat. Good morning!'' ''Ah, Ginette, good morning.'' The man with the crocodile face, Mormat, gives a momentary look of suspicion when he sees me. ...... You think I''m suspicious?I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. You may need to negotiate with him sooner or later. ...... Make a good first impression. ''That''s a lot of energy. ''Nn...... ah. Oh, well.'' The reply is stiff. I''ll try to smile and take a step further. ''Can I have a look? ''Here?That''s fine, but there''s nothing here, is there? ''No, sir. I just got to this town two days ago. Everything I see is unusual.'' ''Oh, I see.'' After getting his approval, I parked the cart with enough food for thirty people on the shoulder of the road, told Ginette no, and walked into the field. The field was surrounded by waterways and seemed to be a decent place for farming. However, the land seems to be a little thin. The leaves of the crops in the field are a little thin. ...... I think this is a carrot. ''How are they doing this year? ''Not so good. Well, it''s like that every year. Even so, carrots seem early in April. ...... When I looked at the next field, lettuce was growing. Beyond that, there are pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, and ............ a haphazard sense of season. Is it possible to harvest vegetables all year round in this world?If so, it''s a paradise. I pick up the soil and crush it with my fingers. It''s ...... moist enough, and it smells ...... of compost. It doesn''t look too bad. I guess they don''t use any pesticides, because the lettuce is pretty much wormed out. It''s a nice vegetable. I want some of this. ''Are you interested in farming, looking at the state of the soil? ''Yes, well...'' I''m not interested in farming, I''m interested in the commercial value of the vegetables here. ''Would you like to take a bite? ''Are you sure?'' ''Oh, yeah. We won''t make much money selling them anyway.'' ''Is that so? I guess complaints about vendors are similar in every world. ''We throw away what we can''t sell. Feel free to eat it.'' ''Well, I''ll take your word for it. ''Here, dust off the dirt, wash it in the river there, and you can eat it.'' ''Ah!What are you doing, Yashiro-san? Seeing me take the carrots, Ginette also came into the field. ''I got it from you. I didn''t steal it.'' ''Hahahaha!There''s no one who can steal vegetables in front of the owner! Mormat laughs out loud. Ginette walks up to me, stares at the dirt-covered carrot, and drools ....... ''...... squirt''. ''Are you hungry all year long?'' ''Ha!No, no, no, no!I missed breakfast today, so that''s why I''m ......! ''''Well then, here''s a present for you too, Ginette.'''' ''What?No, no, no!No, thank you, thank you! Morgatt pulled out the carrot without hesitation. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. He took it with both hands and bowed deeply. ''Thank you very much. I''ll thank you again at .......'' ''No, no, no!One of them won''t even be worth 1Rb if you sell it.'' ''What? ''How many bottles does it take to get 1Rb?'' ''We''re trading by weight, ......, but it''s about seven or eight. If one of these weighs about 150 grams,......1, that''s 1Rb per kilo,....... At the sunny pavilion, I bought 10 kilograms of scrap vegetables for 80Rb. After all, it''s much cheaper to buy directly from the farmer. ''I''ve washed them. While Mormat and I were talking, Ginette seemed to have washed the carrots. Let''s have a taste. I took the carrot from Ginette and bit into the tip. .................. Yes, it''s sweet. But, well, subtle? It''s okay. But it''s good enough to serve in a diner. ''Oh, it''s so sweet~......'' Next to me, Ginette is impressed. She puts her hand on her cheek and stares at the carrot with an enraptured expression. ...... Is that so? You''ll find a lot of people who are looking for a way to make their lives easier. In a way, he''s happy, but objectively, he''s unhappy. ''Yashiro-san! Jeannette''s eyes sparkle as she leans in close to me. ''If you cut off the part I bit off, you can serve this carrot in the cafeteria, right? ''...... I think there''s a difference between saving money and being stingy. I''m a proponent of saving money in the right way. More than anything, when I see Jeannette''s stomach churning, I want to say, ''Just eat one. ''Oh, that''s right!If we don''t go soon, everyone will be waiting for us hungry! The sun is shining brightly in the sky, and the crisp morning air is gradually getting warmer. A little too much of a detour. ''Well then, Mr. Mo-Mat. I''m sorry to bother you while you were working. The carrots were delicious.'' I straighten up, say thank you, and hold out my right hand. Seizing my hand, Mo-Mat smiled happily. ''No. I know you''re still getting used to the city, so let me know if you need any help. I''m always here to help.'' ''Thank you very much. That''s nice of you to say. Now I''ll definitely have to help Mo-Matt when I''m in trouble. By the Judgment of the Spirits. ...... Well, even with such a threat, there''s not much this old man can do about it. But for now, I''ve got a farmer''s connection. All right. I left the field and headed for the church, pulling a cart. The church was a stone''s throw from Mormat''s field. ......, but... ''............ Church? I thought it was a haunted house. There was a rickety wooden building that looked like it was about to fall down. The roof was pointed, and there was a cross with a circle attached to the end of it, perhaps to mark the church. Are all the buildings in the 42nd district like this: ...... I don''t know what they''re looking out for, but they''ve got wooden walls surrounding their premises and even a gate. ...... Who would steal anything from a ramshackle church like this? The labor costs will add up. Or are you under attack from other religions?If that''s the case, I''d like to tell them not to waste their efforts. Even if left alone, this church will collapse in a few years. The reason why this church has a fence and a gate is because the woman sitting across from me on the train said, "I wouldn''t look at yours even if you asked me to! I feel as uncomfortable as a woman of the class of ''I won''t look at yours even if you ask me! This leaning wall could collapse with a single kick. ''I''m sorry! Ginette called out loudly as she arrived at the gate. Then ............ wow ...... Little kids came pouring out of the church. All of them were smiling happily and making a mad dash for the gate. ''Ginnette-nechan! ''Sister! The kids flock to the ginette. ...... I watch the scene from a little distance, a little detached. ...... No, I''m not good with kids. It''s because they don''t understand logic. ''Ah! said one of the boys, pointing his finger at me and shouting when he saw me. Hey. Didn''t they teach you not to point at people?That finger is going to bend in the wrong direction. ''It''s a man! ''It''s really a man!Ginette''s brought a man! ''Sister!GinetteNechan is here! ''Oh, um!Everyone!Calm down!Yashiro-san is a person who has agreed to help us, and we are not related to her in any way. ......'' ''You''re getting married? ''Huh?No, I''m not!...... probably.'' ''Eh~! ''It''s so boring! ''No, even if you say it''s boring, ......'' It''s getting kind of exciting. But I don''t want to get involved, so I ignore them. I turned my back to the kids so that they wouldn''t see me. If you make eye contact with them, they''ll come to you. I thought ......... ''Whoa! ''Ow! You don''t have to make eye contact with the kid to get him to come over. He kicked me in the ass. '' ''Ouch! That''s it!Squeak, squeak, squeak! ''Squeak, squeak, squeak! Two squeamish kids. One has a human face, the other a fox-like face. ...... They''re both men, right? Okay, go easy on them. ''You little shit! ''Whoa! ''Man''s mad! ''Wait! He takes the fleeing kid by both sides and starts spinning as hard as he can on the spot. ''Gah! ''I''m scared! The kid screams. How about that!Do you realize how scary adults can be? is ...... ''Kyahahahaha!I''m scared! ''Squeak, squeak, squeak! That voice quickly turned to laughter. ...... d*mn, I''m pretty tired and I haven''t done any damage. ...... ''Ah, I''m tired. The end.'' ''Yeah! ''More! Shut up! It''s only been four days since my body was rejuvenated! I feel like an old man! I put the kids down and looked up to see a ............ line forming. ''What ...... is this? ''They''re waiting for their turn, Yashiro-san. ''What?'' The children in the line were all looking up at me with sparkling eyes. ............ Are you serious? I count the kids in line. ............ eight people. Four more? What, am I gonna die? ''Come on, Jeannette. Let''s get ready to eat. We''re all hungry, right? Let''s get the hell out of here. I''ll serve you what I made today. So disperse, children. Dismissed. And yet. The kids won''t break ranks. Not only that, but the little girl at the front (presumably 4 years old, beautiful with cat ears) started to get all pouty-eyed. ''Um, Yashiro-san. ''It''s .......'' Jeannette approached me and gave me an earful. ''Just one ...... at a time.'' ''...... Are you a demon? ''............ I got it!Don''t piss on me if you''re scared, kids! I''m desperate. Oh, crap!Holding a little girl is no fun at all!There''s nothing soft about them! The two girls in my arms laugh and squeal. ...... I wonder if they''ll all do this for real. A calm, cool voice said. I looked and saw a surprisingly beautiful woman standing there. I stopped spinning and looked at her. She had beautiful silver hair and eyes as clear as jade. Her nose is well defined, and she looks like a genie or an elf from a storybook, an unrealistic beauty. ............ Ah, an elf. I''m not sure if he''s an elf or not. The ears are pointed. ''Sister, good morning. ''Good morning, Jeannette. By the way, what kind of event is this? ''Yes. Mr. Yashiro is teaching us an interesting game. ''Yashiro?Do you mean him? ''Yes, sir. Mr. Obayashi. He''s been helping out at our store since yesterday. ''Well, ...... at the Ginette''s Diner. ......'' The beautiful sister is staring at me with her finger on her thin chin. I feel nervous when a ...... beautiful woman stares at me. ...... I''m not sure what you mean by cool beauty. Her face is too neat and tidy, giving her a cold impression. I think I''d cry if she got mad at me. ''So, should I just line up here? ''Yes, that''s right. Let''s line up together.'' ''Hey, two adults! Are you on the level of ...... Jeannette, you beautiful sister? If I hold you guys, you''ll have a lot of trouble with all the things hitting all the places. ''Oh, is it for children only? ''Adults have to pay extra. I''ll do it if you pay for it. ...... I''ll touch you in various places, of course. ''Then let''s give up. I''m afraid I don''t have a lot of money to spare. Without any pretense of regret, the sister easily withdraws ......, which is a little disappointing for us ....... I''m Bertina. I''m a sister in this church. The sister who introduced herself as Bertina held out her right hand and asked for a handshake. My name is Ginette, so I''ll just omit ....... I shook Bertina''s hand and greeted her. ''Nice to meet you, Bertina. And ...... my right arm is squeezed with a tremendous grip. ''Idah-dah-dah-dah! ''...... What kind of upbringing do you have to have to call someone you''ve never met before?Besides, I haven''t heard your name directly from you yet. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry!My name is Obayashi!My name is Yashiro!Nice to meet you, Miss Bertina! ''Yes, sir. It''s nice to meet you too. If I were a fish, I''d have a small bone. ...... If I were a fish, I''d have five or six small bones broken off. ...... Scary, this guy. Super scary. ...... ''The sisters are usually very kind, but they are very polite and when they get angry they are very scary. Ginette sneaks an earful at me. ...... Tell me first, that kind of thing. ''Well, Jeannette. I''m sorry, but I''m looking forward to working with you again today. ''Yes, sir!Everyone, please help me! ''''Yes!'''' Ginette said, and the children replied cheerfully, pulling the carts into the grounds. They were probably getting ready for breakfast. That''s convenient. ''Miss Bertina. Do you have a moment? ''Yes, what is it? I make sure that Ginette and the children are inside the church, and I open my mouth. ''Do you know Jeannette well? ''Yes, I do. I''ve known her since she was a little girl.'' ''And you know his house? ''She''s the one who took over the diner left by her grandfather, but ...... the business doesn''t seem to be doing well.'' ''Then let''s talk about it. Facing Bertina, whose expression has not changed, I say straight to the point. ''I''d like to discontinue my donation of food. ''...... Is that the will of Ginette?'' ''No, sir. It''s my idea.'' ''...... May I ask why? ''Ginette is not in a financial position to be donating to others. The chairs in the store are all falling apart, and the only food we can buy is garbage vegetables. This is not going to improve our lives any time soon. ''You''re absolutely right, .......'' ''Eventually, he''ll collapse. Overworked.'' ''I''ve been concerned about that for some time. ''Then you''ll agree to cut off the donation, won''t you? ''No, thank you. ''What about ............? ''I said I couldn''t accept that.'' ''No, because ......''. I was surprised. I was expecting him to say, ''I can''t help it,'' given the flow of the conversation. Is this man self-centered? ''There are a lot of children in the church. If Jeannette''s donations are cut off, they will starve.'' ''I understand the importance of the children, but why would Jeannette continue to donate at the cost of her own life?It''s too much to ask. ''I agree. ''Then I agree to terminate .......'' ''I decline.'' ............ This guy. Don''t think you can get away with anything just because you''re beautiful, okay? ''I''ve been saying since ...... much earlier ...... when that girl''s grandfather passed away that donations are not necessary.'' ''What?'' Bertina is staring at me with a blank expression. The quiet look in her eyes sent a shiver down my spine. ''If that''s what Ginette wants, I''ll agree to cut off the donation at any time. It''s not something I can force her to do in the first place. ''But he wouldn''t say that, would he, ......? I''m sure he won''t say that. Even if he could talk. ''You know that. ......'' ''You think he''s ...... taking advantage of the girl''s good will?'' ''Is there a difference?'' ''Half the time, yes. ...... There''s definitely a part of me that''s taking advantage of that girl''s kindness.'' ''And the other half? ''It''s my responsibility as a ...... parent.'' Parents......? ''She used to live here too, you know. She lost her parents, she had nowhere to go.'' ''No......, because she had an old man, right? ''My adoptive grandfather.'' Adopted grandfather. ...... No, grandson. ...... So Jeannette was adopted. ''She left here when she was twelve. Then she moved to the diner. ''Her grandfather was a long-time donor to this church. Just like Ginette now.'' ''You mean she''s carrying on her grandfather''s legacy? ''That''s one thing, but ...... you want to protect your brothers and sisters.'' Bertina turns her gaze towards the church. ''Yashiro-san!Sister!We''re going to eat! Did he know what Jeannette was going to do? Or is it a special ability of the elves or something?...... or just by accident? ''I''m glad you said that because you care about her. ''No, I''m not. ......'' I wasn''t thinking of Jeannette when I said that. I''m trying to protect my base. And to stop wasting money. ''But I can''t grant your wish if Jeannette hasn''t agreed to it. As a substitute parent, I don''t want to see my daughter''s face grieving. Will she be sad ............? Don''t be sad. Never. That would make it hard for me to stay in that place. Ginette is not making this donation out of the kindness of her heart. She''s doing it for herself, too. Knowing this, Bertina is accepting the donation from Ginette. ............ d*mn. I''m not sure I can cut down on my donations here: ............ If anything, antagonizing the landlord would be fatal. We have to avoid that. "Mr. Yashiro. When he called my name, I looked up and saw ...... fluffy, white, thin fingers stroking my hair. It smelled good, clear and clean. I''m sure she''ll be relieved to have someone like you by her side. She may not have said it, but she must have been feeling lonely and alone. It reminds me of that empty house, rickety and spacious. Alone there,...... Suddenly, that day comes back to my mind. The silence, as if a fire had gone out, and the loneliness that made my familiar home feel like a different place. ...... ''Please, please help her. ''No, I''m not ......''. What a straight-eyed man. There is no hesitation in his thoughts, such eyes. However, those straight eyes are a little cloudy. How can you trust an impostor? ''She''s a bit of a loose cannon, you know. It would be helpful to have a solid person like you with her. Bertina''s expression softened a little. ''A little ......, are your eyes holes? ''Hmm, my child is unconditionally cute and also looks like a genius.'' ''Are you a parenting idiot? ''I''m an idiot instead of a parent. The too-perfect beauty that had been giving the impression of being cold as ice was distorted into a crumpled mess. It was foully beautiful, and had the power to make the viewer surrender unconditionally. It''s not fair,......, to have such a cheat weapon as your initial equipment. It''s a good idea to get inside now. People will be worried.'' ''Oh. I didn''t eat breakfast either, did I? Following Bertina, I walked into the church grounds. A good smell is wafting outside. They must be reheating it inside the church. ''It smells good, doesn''t it? Bertina''s mouth drops in happiness. ''Ginette''s food is delicious, isn''t it? ''Yes. I can''t give you anything in return. That''s why I''m going to enjoy it with gratitude. Coincidentally, it seems that this person is also practicing what I taught Jeannette, ''accept a favor. ''Normally, I should be more reserved, but...'' ''No, .......'' Ginette must be feeling fulfilled seeing everyone else happily eating. As long as you can''t stop donating, it''s better to have people eat well. Well, we''ll have to deal with the cost of ingredients separately. ...... ''Oh, by the way, how many more people are there besides the kids from earlier? ''Huh?No, that''s all the kids I just saw. ''What?'' I stopped dead in my tracks. No, there were only ten kids I saw earlier. ''I''ve prepared about thirty servings, sir. ''Oh, in that case.'' Bertina patted herself on the stomach and said with a big smile. ''I''m a picky eater. ''No thanks! I may not be able to cut you off, but I''ll eat less! I promise! With renewed determination, I walked into the church. 9-Episode 7 Beauty with Red Hair Ginette''s special breakfast was laid out in the common room of the church. It reminded me of a kindergarten rather than a school, though it was built like a smaller version of a school classroom. I thought there was only a chapel in the church, but there seemed to be various rooms. Well, I''ve never been in a church before. The chapel was smaller than I had expected, and it was so small that it could be filled with thirty people. There was a common room across the corridor from the chapel, and on the second floor, there was a living space for children. At the back of the common room, there is a duty room. It is a kind of staff room. At the back of the room is the private room of the sisters, which is of course off-limits to outsiders. ...... d*mn. There is also a workroom in the church, where they make daily necessities. There is a field in the garden and they are said to be self-sufficient except for Ginette''s breakfast. Since they are surrounded by farmers, they probably learn skills from them. Basically, outsiders can only enter this common room, the office and the chapel. And the kitchen. ''Is there anything I can help you with? That''s what I said as I stepped into the kitchen with Jeannette. ...... There''s a handsome man there. What? What is this guy? Why is he talking to Jeannette like he''s having fun? ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Ginette noticed me and waved her hand. And the handsome guy across from him slowly turns around. ''Hey, you''re the one they''re talking about. He has bright red hair and good eyes and nose. I guess I should describe him as neutral, with a face like a visual-kei singer. Her hair is also a bit long, the length of which I would have been told to cut if I were a student. If I were a student, I would have said ''Cut it! She has a thin chest plate and long, thin arms and legs. The eyes are a little tight, but the face is rather soft, probably because she usually smiles a lot. ...... Well, it''s just. I''m not sure what kind of ulterior motives you''re hiding behind that smile, though. I heard about you from Jeannette. Nice to meet you, Mr. Obayashi. You''re called ''chan''. I''m sure you''re about the same age as I am now. ...... A man who calls a girl "chan" when he''s over 16 is 80% a playboy and 20% an onee. Either way, they are incompatible with each other. ''Hmm?What''s the matter?What''s wrong? Do I have something on my face? ''You have a s*xy face.'' ''I''m sorry we''ve never met, but you''re...'' The handsome man''s cheeks twitch. d*mn it. Are you still good-looking when you twitch? I make a face in the mirror and it''s like, ''What''s wrong with me? I''m Obayashi. Feel free to call me Oba-sama.'' ''I don''t feel casual at all. ......'' I''m jealous. You should be grateful you get to call me by my first name. ''I''m Estella. I''m not going to tell you my last name for some reason.'' ''What kind of obscene last name is that? ''...... Why do you have an obscene image of me from the start, do you? I''m a little annoyed. I''ve been called a gunslinger for being a bit annoying. ...... Who''s a gunslinger? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... Mostly girls, right? ''I, too, have always been treated well. ''No, you''re not. It''s normal. ''So you''re just a nice person. ''Haha. I''m no match for Jeannette. Kahhhhh, pfft! What''s with that refreshing conversation? It came out of the back of my throat more sticky than when I drank undiluted Calpis! ''Hey, sponge cake.'' ''It''s Estella.'' Your face is so scary! You''ll make the girls cry! ''So, that es............ something.'' ''It''s Estella! ''Estella.'' ''Why did you say it like it''s pronounced right!Estella!'' ''Ella for short.'' ''Don''t abbreviate! You''re a good-looking guy with a good heart. Oh, you mean, ''Estella''s so interesting'', in order to be accepted at a party? How disgusting! You handsome guys should just shut up and drink!I''m not sure if you''re a good looking guy or a bad looking guy. ''Estella. Have you ever heard of the King''s Game?'' ''No, I''ve never even heard of it. Hahahaha! You''re so handsome you''ve never heard of the King''s game! Yes!You''re losing it!You''ve lost half your life! ''Is it a game that simulates territory governance and finances? ''You idiot, it''s a game where you do naughty things to girls.'' ''...... What part of that makes you a king?'' ''The king''s orders are zettaaaay! ''............ Are you insulting the king, or just ignorant?'' Estella presses her temples and her cheeks twitch. ''d*mn, you''re still good-looking after all this, aren''t you, handsome! I was suffering from a sudden stomachache and was contorting my face when a girl in my class said to me, ''What''s wrong with your face? You know?It was my appendix!I was at the height of puberty when a beautiful nurse saw me!Are you jealous? What''s wrong, Yashiro?What''s wrong with you?You seem to be somewhat excited. ''No, I''m fine. ...... By the way, I just want to make it clear that I didn''t get excited when I remembered that the nurse saw me, for my honor''s sake. ''A nurse?'' Jeannette tilted her head in an unsure manner. Estella, on the other hand, is looking at me with a slightly reluctant expression. ...... I don''t deserve to be looked at like that by you. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. ''...... are you trying to hide your hostility?'' When I pointed at Estella and asked, Jeannette looked at me strangely. ''It''s Estella, isn''t it? I heard that earlier. Jeannette also looks at me like, ''Didn''t I just say that? Ginette looks at me like, ''Didn''t I just say that? I''m not talking about that, I''m talking about ............ what kind of relationship we have, that kind of thing. ......... ... ''Hey you, what are you doing here? ''This is a fair and equal church that accepts all people, you know?There''s nothing strange about me being here, is there? ''No wonder you''re so uncomfortable. ''......, you don''t have many friends, do you?'' Shut up!You know what I care about the most? That''s why you''re so good-looking! ''How do you make friends?I don''t know, I''ve never really thought about it. I''ve never thought about it. I just find myself getting to know them. That''s because you''re good-looking!It''s a status thing to know a good looking guy. ''We''re poor, but we''re giving you free food. I''d appreciate it if you refrain from wasting food on us. ''Hmm~...... can''t do that.'' Ah, that irritating, refreshing ''I''m in trouble'' look! ''Ginette''s food is delicious, you know. Once you''ve had it, you won''t be able to get enough of any other food. ''Is that so?I''m glad. Don''t be happy, Jeannette. You''re being played for a fool. ''It''s on sale at the Sunlit Pavilion. Come and eat it with your money.'' ''I will, if I can find the time. ''If you don''t have time to eat, just leave the money and go home without eating. ''...... doesn''t benefit me, does it? Do I need an advantage?You''re born good-looking, you''ve won your whole life, and now you want more advantages?Go to hell and let Yama pull out your tongue, you greedy bastard!''Oh, I pulled out my tongue even though I''m not a liar,'' say the demons of hell! ''Anyway, I want Jeannette''s cooking for breakfast. I don''t suppose any stores are open at this hour, are they? ''Then leave your money at the storefront and go home. ''...... So there''s no reason for me to do it. ......'' Do you need a reason? Does a handsome man need a reason to contribute to the world? A beautiful woman''s selfishness and a handsome man''s service don''t need a reason! ''The store isn''t open, but you can come here and have a bite to eat. ''Yeah. That''s why I get up early every morning. I want to eat Ginette''s breakfast every day.'' ''I see, thank you very much. You can have my breakfast every day if you want. ......'' ''Stop, Jeannette! I hurriedly stopped Ginette, who had almost made a terrible decision without thinking. It was a close call: ...... If I had been one step too late, it would have been irreversible. ''Look, in my country, that word is the word for a marriage proposal. ''Propo......! Jeannette shouted, her face turning bright red. ''Huh. ''Make me breakfast every morning'' turned into ''I want you to stay by my side all the time''. ...... That''s quite stylish. Did you come up with that?'' ''It''s an old classic. If that''s the case, your hometown must be a very romantic place. You idiot. It''s a country where you have to take three steps back and follow me.It''s far from romantic, it''s a smoky silver country. ''But it''s okay to tell me, isn''t it, Ginette? ''Well, yes. What ......? So that''s it? Then, eventually, it will turn out that this guy will be sitting in that diner. ............ I''m not going to give you my daughter. ''...... When did you become Jeannette''s father? Because I''m not! I don''t like the idea of a hot guy and a big girl making out under the same roof! I refuse, I refuse!I refuse! ''Oh, that Yashiro-san ......? I''m not sure if you''re trying to persuade me or not, but Ginette calls out to me fearfully. I take Ginette''s hand and speak to her sincerely. ''Listen, Ginette, listen to me: ............ handsome men are the enemy! ''What ...... and ............? Ew, d*mn it! They don''t translate good looking men! ''This is the type of man you should never trust! Especially a girl like you with big breasts and a natural beauty that''s not just a little but a lot! ''Man ......?Oh, Yashiro-san, no! ''What''s that? ''Estella-san is a woman! ''Only joke about your overgrown tits! ''My breasts are no joke! ''My gender is no joke either...'' You think Estella is a woman? That''s ridiculous. I lick Estella''s entire body, looking her up and down. ''Where can I find a woman with such shabby tits! ''...... I''m sorry, I''m right here.'' The corner of Estella''s mouth twitches. ''Mr. Yashiro!It''s rude to talk like that to a woman! ''Is it to confront them with the painful reality?'' ''That''s right!Even if you think it in your heart, it''s good manners not to say it! ''I think you''re saying some pretty terrible things, too. ''What?I''m sorry, Estella-san!I''m not very good at lying! ''Yes, ...... Jeannette, that''s enough, can you please not gouge me any more? Estella presses her chest against Ginette''s unintentional ''verbal attack''. ''Did you get your heart cut out? ''My heart was gouged out! ''Is that why you''re so deflated? ''It''s always been squeezed!I''m sorry ...... I''m so squeezed!'' Estella raises her willow eyebrows and bared her fangs. There is a faint glint in the corner of her eye. ''Yashiro-san!It''s not a good idea to talk about your ...... breasts or your ...... body to a woman! Ginette scolded me adorably, ''Meh, sir! She then went to Estella''s side and gently rubbed her back. ''Are you okay, Estella? ''No. ...... When I''m comforted, that makes me feel sad. ......'' ''Oh, I''m so sorry!'' Jeannette bowed her head. Estella smiles weakly and raises one hand to stop Ginette from bowing. I mean, ...... ''If you hadn''t pretended to be a woman, we wouldn''t have gotten into this mess. ''I''m not pretending, I''m a woman! ''Judgment of the Spirits! When I pointed at Estella and chanted that, her body was enveloped in a pale light. Oh, ......, I could use it too. You really only need to chant it. ''...... Can we take this as a declaration of war?'' In the pale light, Estella was smiling fearlessly. After a while, the light faded and eventually disappeared. Estella is still in human form. This means that ...... ''Are there any misjudgments in "Judgment of the Spirits"? ......'' ''That proves I''m a woman and I''m not lying! ''Mr. Yashiro. There''s no room for feelings or emotions in the Judgment of Spirits, so there can''t be a mistrial. Is that so? So you''re really a woman. ...... That''s what I thought, and I looked at Estella again. The neutral face looks beautiful depending on how you look at it, and the long, thin arms and legs look feminine, if you ask me. The ............ pity is her flat chest. This is what made me think you were a man. ''With your breasts and my misunderstanding, the blame is 50-50. ''I''m confident that if we file a complaint in the General Court, we''ll win 10:0, right?'' A blue streak appeared on Estella''s forehead. But this guy has a lot of grace. A normal girl would have snapped and given him a slap. The way he talks, the way he talks, the way he talks,......, is he rich? ''...... Eh?'' ''I was wondering if the reason you''re dressed and gesturing like a man is because you don''t want people to know you''re a woman. Well, it doesn''t seem like she''s keeping her gender a secret. ''...... Why did you think that?'' ''Why because ...... a rich man''s house is full of troublesome things, no matter where you are in the world.'' ''Heh, .............'' Suddenly, Estella said less and less, and looked at me sullenly with her chin clenched. I''m not sure if it''s because I don''t recognize her as a girl yet, but I don''t get nervous when she stares at me. ...... I''d rather say, ''Oh?I''m not sure I''m ready for that. I don''t know. ''You ...... are smart, aren''t you? ''Who''s the smart and dangerous one? ''I didn''t say that. ............ Don''t make me regret my compliment right after I give it, okay?'' Estella let out a sigh . Then, ............, she glared at me with a sharp look that was different from before. What is it?Are you going to do this? ''Ginette-chan. Sorry, can I borrow Yashiro for a moment? ''Huh?Oh, yes. I''m just going to serve it. ''Then, take care of the rest. Saying this, Estella grabbed my arm firmly and tried to leave the kitchen. ''Hey, what''s up? ''Just go out with me. ''You''re calling me to the rooftop?''I haven''t lost my temper in a while. ......''? I''ll tell you in advance, I''m not confident in fisticuffs. I''m the only one with a weapon that can draw a fight, okay? ''I need to talk to you. ''Do it here. ''Not in front of her, not really. ......'' ''............ Are you talking about porn?'' ''Why would it be? ''No, speaking of things you can''t talk about in front of a girl, ......'' ''I''m a girl too.'' ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''...... Really, I''ll hit you?'' The pale Estella shakes her fist. With a gulp, she puts her arms around my neck and locks me in a headlock. And then she is forcibly dragged out of the kitchen. Strong, strong, strong!You''re stronger than me! It hurts!There''s nothing soft about it!Why can''t you touch the back of my head when you''re holding it in your arms?Spirit God, are you doing your job? ''''Ah!I''m playing fighting! Estella smiled and said, ''Haha, you guys have to eat first! Estella says in a smiling voice. I want you to eat first, too. We left the common room and I was taken outside the church. Outside again. There I''m released. ''Hard! ''......, I''m sure you''ll pay for all the rudeness you''ve accumulated so far one day! The neck, which had been fixed in a strange way, creaked and snapped. If there is any ...... difference in the muscles, I will charge you a fee. ''You''re going after ...... little Jeannette, aren''t you?'' Suddenly, Estella said something like that. I''m targeting Jeannette? Nonsense. Of course not! What I''m after is the ownership of that diner! ......, but there was no way she could say that, so ............ ''I''m new in town, and I don''t know this place very well. So I''m going to be staying with Ginette for a while. ''I''m sure the good-natured Ginette would have accepted without a second thought. Estella''s gaze sharpened. ''There have been a number of unscrupulous people who have tried to take advantage of Jeannette-chan''s kindness. When she said that, I finally realized what was obvious to me. There was no way that Jeannette, who was at the bottom of the food chain, hadn''t been targeted before. Not to mention the money and land, there must have been people who wanted to ...... her as a woman with big tits. There is no way that Jeannette could refuse the advances of ...... such people,............, which means that Jeannette is not! ''I got rid of all of them, though. ''You did? ''Oh. It''s only natural to get rid of bugs that try to harm your best friend, right? ''I see. So the reason why Jeannette has been able to live in peace so far is because this guy has been keeping a close eye on her. ''That''s good to know. It''s strange for me to say this, but I feel relieved. For some reason, I was very relieved to know that Jeannette hadn''t had a hard time so far. However, Estella''s gaze remained sharp. ''You''re going to be one of those guys who gets pushed away, from now on. ''Huh? Wait a minute! I''m not after Jeannette! His money and his store are only for ............ a few things. That''s not the real goal! ''I just want to know what''s going on in this town. I swear to you, I would never do anything to harm Jeannette! ''''Judgment of the Spirits.'''' ''''What? Suddenly, Estella pointed at me and activated the ''Judgment of the Spirits''. I''m not sure what to do. ...... This guy, without warning, ............ is a scary guy. After a while, the light that had enveloped my entire body disappeared. ''Heh, ...... apparently it''s true what they say about ''not doing anything to harm you''. ...... for now.'' ''That''s why I''m telling you so! ...... dangerous. If I''d had any ill feelings towards those big tits, I might have turned into a frog. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It is acceptable to be blinded by big tits,......, thank goodness I did not lose my libido. It''s a good thing you didn''t let your libido get the better of you, because that doesn''t mean you deserve to be trusted. ''I don''t need you to trust me. ''To be frank, I don''t trust you. He declared with a straight face, categorically. ''...... But Ginette seems to trust you. ...... Well, as long as you don''t behave in any strange way, I won''t make any trouble for you. ''You ......, why do you care so much about Jeannette?Is it just because she''s your best friend? This Estella woman doesn''t seem to be motivated by such a simple sense of justice. Her eyes are looking beyond good intentions to her own interests. ...... Yes, she has the eyes of a con artist just like me. ''I told you.I''m in love with the food Ginette makes. I don''t want to lose that taste. I think that''s a pretty good reason. ''Then you''d better not kick me out of that diner. ''What do you mean? ''If I''m gone, that diner will go under in no time. Ginette can''t run it.'''' ''Hmm ......, that''s true.'' Estella folded her arms and nodded her head. ''So you''re saying you''re going to fix up that diner? ''To the point where I don''t feel inconvenienced living there, yes. Estella chuckles at my answer. It seemed to be an honest smile, as if she had removed the iron mask she had been wearing. ''You''re funny, aren''t you? You are honest to yourself, honest to your desires, extremely stupid and ...... smart.'' He rolled his slit eyes and stared at me. It''s a perfect gaze. This guy is ...... a tricky one. My gut is telling me that. ''I''ll give you probation. ''I''m a criminal? ''You''re a very important suspect. ''You''re rude. ''That''s mutual. Estella puffed out her cheeks and pressed her chest like a child. Her honest expression of anger was surprisingly cute. ''I''m going to observe you for a while.'' ''Are you going to keep a picture diary?'' ''I''m not interested in keeping track of your progress. But if you show any sign of ...... suspicion, I will always kick you out. Estella said and walked off alone towards the church. That''s quite a thing to say. I don''t need your permission to stay where I am. ''Do you have it?You have the authority to kick me out of that diner.'' Throwing words at her distant back, Estella stopped and only turned her head towards me. ''I''m not kicking you out of the dining hall, I''m kicking you out of the 42nd district. Then, turning forward again, she added: ...... ''...... "Spice" you.'' ''--? ...... Does this guy know about that sign? Did he see that sign ...... and that portrait before I made it? I have to check. I need to know for sure. With that in mind, I ran and caught Estella''s arm at the entrance to the church. I pulled her hand roughly and forced her to face me. ''You ......! ''What,......? If this continues, we will both fall. ...... sneezing. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m pretty sure I''m not the only one. ............ Yeah. It was just a little bit ............ there. ''Can I punch ............ you?'' ''No, this is, helping people. Accidents, force majeure and lucky stakes should not be condemned, I think. ''...... Can you please let me go? ''Estella, there''s a saying in my country: ............ ''Five more minutes''.'' He slapped me on the left cheek. ''Do you think I should stop trusting you ......?'' ''...... No, I''ve decided to trust you on the contrary. ...... You''re a girl.'' He gave me a thumbs up and a thumbs down and said, ''I told you so from the start. Hmmm. It was a decapitating pin that made me feel a little kind. It was a forgiving sanction, like ''I''ll forgive you this time, but be careful next time. Estella left me to go into the church, and I followed a little while later. Ginette was standing in the doorway and greeted me ......, but... Her face was red. And your cheeks are puffy. Your eyebrows are raised, and you look angry. ''I thought I told you not to be naughty!Please repent! Thus, before breakfast, I was taken to the confessional at the back of the chapel and forced to do penance for an hour. I complained that it was force majeure, but Sister Bertina did not approve of it, and only told me to repent for the evil in me. So I said, ''I''m sorry I thought it would feel good to be flat-chested. This was the moment when I, a firm believer in big tits, was momentarily taken by the slippery tits. ...... When I repented, Bertina let out a very heavy sigh and said, ''...... You can go now. You can go now. And so my sins were cleansed. ............ Are you ready? 10-Episode 8 First Collision ''Why are you following me? ''I have the whole day free, so I thought I''d help Ginette. We left the church and Estella followed us. I''m the only one who had to eat a cold breakfast because of her. She''s a pestilence. ''''Besides, I want to keep an eye on your behavior. Estella whispers in my ear. ''Hey, your face is close!Don''t talk in my ear, you surprised me with your nice smell! ''You really are a straightforward person, aren''t you? Estella looks at me with a dumbfounded expression. If I look honest, you''re the honest one. I''m just trying to look honest, that''s all. He knows about the ...... spices, he''s a tricky one. I don''t know what he''s trying to do, but he hasn''t mentioned it at all since then, and he''s talking to me like a normal person. I think we should wait and see what he does. But he''s not someone I want to be around much. ''Oh, that''s right. Mr. Yashiro. Ginette, who was walking briskly in front of me pulling the cart, turns around and looks back at me. ''It was Estella-san who gave me the sea fish this morning. ''Oh, is that so? Hey, another one. ''Don''t you have any feelings of gratitude? You idiot. The fish in the sea taste good because of the sea. You have no reason to be grateful. ''Come to think of it, where do they get the money when you catch fish in the sea? If Estella caught those fish, she would know why sea fish is so expensive. I was curious as to where the tax was being placed. ''Where,'' he said, ''is the usual introductory tax. ''So there''s a tax when you bring the fish in.'' ''Yes, that''s right. On the fish and the people.'' Estella understood what I wanted to ask, and even added something. Apparently even residents have to pay to pass through the gate. It''s a nasty system. It''s like charging an admission fee not only to the customers but also to the staff working in the amusement park. It''s even worse, because you can''t make money without paying the admission fee. ''The one closest to the sea is the 35th district, and you have to pay a lot of tax to pass through the gate there. ''Then why don''t you enter through a different gate? I''m pretty sure this city has gates in different districts. Like the gate of District 30, which I entered. The fact that the 35th district is close to the sea means that even if the 35th district imposed a higher tax on fish, many people would use it. If that is the case, there is no way not to tax it. On the other hand, if we use the gates farther from the sea, we can save the tax on fish. ''I''ve never ...... thought of that.'' Estella nodded in admiration. ''Considering the distance to be traveled, if we go through the most cost effective gate, the sea fish might be cheaper to market.'' Estella said with a twinkle in her eye, so I denied her outright. ''No, it won''t.'' When there is a tax break, people want to keep the money in their pockets. The market price won''t go down unless a competitor appears. ''But I think people will be happy if they can get sea fish at a lower price. ''Fishermen and merchants are not in business to please others. They''re in it to line their own pockets. ''...... I''m only in it to make my customers happy. ......'' That''s a rare thing. If it were me, I''d keep the price the same even if the purchase price went down. ''What I meant was that if you buy fish before you go over the gate, you might be able to make a profit. If you buy fish inside the gate, the price will be after taxation. Then, he thought, it would be cheaper to buy fish outside the gate and enter the city through the gate where the tax was lower. However, if people are also subject to an entry tax, this may not be a good idea. ''You ...... are awesome.'' Estella stares at me with a straight face. ''Don''t ...... touch my tits, I''m starting to get a little conscious of the girl in you, you''re embarrassing me. ''You''re so impatient. ''Please tell me you''re smart! Who''s smart? I just don''t like to waste money. Wasting money is for fools. But I''d like to get some seafood eventually. I''d like to be able to do so without wasting money. I''d even like to go and do some diving myself. ''And one more thing. There''s another factor that makes sea fish expensive. Just as I was starting to think about self-fishing, Estella brought me more information. ''This thing costs a lot of money. She pulls out a roll of paper. An emblem with a double-headed eagle and a snake on it. It is a parchment with such an emblem on it. ''It''s a permit from the lord. ''Do I need a permit to catch sea fish?'' ''Yes, you do. Either from the guild you belong to or from the lord of the district you live in. No matter how large the ocean is, if you allow anyone to fish, it will have a negative impact on the ecosystem. ...... No, in this case, they are securing their own interests under the pretense of protecting the rights of fishermen. As I recall, in order to sell spices, you need to be a member of a guild or a resident of some district. So the guilds and lords are the only ones who can guarantee your identity in this town. If you take into account compulsions like "compulsory translation magic" ...... The church is the state, the lord is the local government, and the guild is the corporation. The state has absolute laws (church precepts), the local government has ordinances (lord''s authority), and the corporation has corporate rules (guild rules). Regardless of which local government you belong to, if you belong to a guild, you are also bound by the guild''s rules. For example, if you live in Tokyo, Chiba or Saitama and work for the same company, ...... you will be bound by the same rules and enjoy the same benefits if you are an employee of the same company, even though you pay local taxes in different places. There seems to be no difference in the system. ''So, is that the emblem of the Lord of the Forty-two districts? ''Ah. If you live in District Forty-two, I''m sure you''ll see it often from now on. It''s the emblem that''s always included in contracts and permits. ''Are there other types of permits? ''There are many. Trading permits, store opening permits. There are as many permits as there are rocks on the side of the road. ''It''s easy to forge a permit by imitating the branding on the emblem. ''Don''t say too much, traveler. Sticking her fingertips to the bridge of my nose, Estella''s tone intensified. ''It is a capital offense to misuse the emblem of a lord. You don''t want to have to choose between ending your life with the curse of a spirit god or ending your life with punishment by a human ......, do you?'' ''...... I''ve learned my lesson, I''ll be careful. I''ll tolerate the naive comments of an ignorant traveler for once. I''m sure that''s why Estella called me ''traveler boy''. Misuse of emblems is a felony, huh? Well, forging official documents is a felony in Japan too. It must be punished severely or the order will collapse. Forgery of official documents and currency is a felony in any world. Nevertheless, ...... ''Can I see that permit, please? ''You can have it if you want it. It''s an expired permit.'' The permit had a large stamp that said ''expired'' on it. Apparently, it was a one-time use permit. ...... Disposable parchment?What a waste. Conveniently, however, the emblem was not covered with ink. Now you can see the fine patterns. If you can see it, it''s easy to reproduce ............. All you have to do is not abuse it. There is no harm in having it in case of emergency. I put the permit away in my pocket. ''Oh? About five minutes after leaving the church, Ginette suddenly called out. Two men were talking near a large field. ''That''s Mormat and ...... over there.'' ''You must be Assunto, of the Peddlers'' Guild. The crocodile-faced man desperately pleading for something is Mormat, with whom I had a brief conversation on the way. The man who is talking to Mormat is a pig-faced, well-built man. ''What''s going on?There seems to be some sort of dispute. ......'' Jeannette looks on with a worried expression. Rather than a dispute, it seems that Momat is angry one way or the other. The merchant, Assunto, has an arrogant attitude that even seems rather relaxed. ''Shall we go and have a look? ''I suppose so.'' Estella said and Ginette nodded. I followed suit, and the three of us approached the two arguing together. ''That''s not true, Assunto! I''m not sure what to say, but it''s already been decided. ''Oh, sir! When Jeannette called out, the two old men stopped arguing and looked back at her. Assunto bows his head in a relaxed manner, while Momat looks away with an embarrassed frown on his face. ''Well, well, well, of the Sunken Pavilion. Thank you for all your help. Assunto greets Ginette. So this guy is one of the vendors who supply the cafeteria with trash vegetables. ''What''s wrong, sir?You looked like you were in some kind of trouble.'' ''No, no. I was just informing you of the guild''s decision. ''That''s too one-sided, I''m telling you! Mormat snapped at Assunto, who was speaking aloofly. But Assunto is a willow in the wind. ''Mr. Mormat. What happened to you?'' I talk to Mo''amat, who is breathing on my shoulder, in a calm voice. In such a case, it is best to ask the angry person. In any case, if you ask Assunto, he will conveniently ignore you. If you listen to the one who is more inclined to Mormat, Assunto will argue with you on his own. That way, both sides can be heard smoothly. ''What''s more, he wants me to sell it at 5 kilos 1Rb, when it used to be 1 kilo 1Rb! ''Oh no ...... then, let''s see ............''. Ginette begins to fold her fingers and do the math. ...... Can''t you do the math, diner owner? ............ I can''t help you. I''ll help you. ''That''s a fifth of the price. ''That''s right!If you buy it at such a low price, we''ll be out of business! ''Even if you say so, this has already been decided by the guild. No matter how agitated Mormat was, Assunto was adamant that it was already decided. He didn''t even seem to want to negotiate. He bows his head humbly and tries to end the conversation. ''From now on, we''ll buy it at this price, please. ''Wait a minute!At this price, we farmers will be dead in less than a week! ''...... Are you sure?'' Assunto snapped at Momat''s careless comment. Mormat must have been aware that he had misspoken, for he choked on his words and fell silent. ''So you''re saying that if the price changes, you and the other farmers will all be dead in less than a week? ''No, no, that''s a figure of speech. ......'' Mormat was at a loss for words. But Assunto was eloquent, and insisted that he would not let the opportunity to win slip away. ''Our precious Lord Spirit hates falsehoods more than anything else. If changing the price will kill you, then the guild must change its mind. However, if it is a falsehood, then ...... must be subjected to the "judgment of the spirits". Assunto smiles wickedly. Checkmate. He looks at me as if to say. ''What do you think?Why don''t you let us buy it at our price just this once?Then we can see if all the farmers will die. If they face death, we will pay you the difference immediately and double the current price next time. But ......'' Assunto takes a step closer to Mormat. The mormat takes a step back in response. ''If there is not even a sign of death after a week, then I would like to invoke the "Judgment of the Spirits". ''Wait, wait, wait, wait!That''s not ......!'' This time, Mormat moves forward to follow Assunto, who has stepped aside. He stretches out his arms and pleads with Assunto. As if he had been waiting for this plea, Assunto smiles broadly. I don''t know if he thinks he''s smiling like a saint, but he''s smiling like he''s trying to show off. To me, it looks like a hyena licking its tongue. ''So, in exchange for doing your favor, you''ll also do mine, right? With that, Mo-Mat''s shoulders slumped. He must have realized that the game was over. ''...... Okay. Five kilometers, one rb. ''No, no, no. No, sir.'' ''......?'' Assunto smiles wickedly at Mormat''s pathetic expression. ''That''s ten kilos and one Rb. ''Huh!'' Mormat closes in on Assunto and grabs him roughly by both shoulders. Assunto does as he''s told, but with a cool expression on his face. ''Because you just said 5km 1Rb! ''That''s what you just said. Since you''ve added new conditions, we''ll have to add more conditions too, otherwise we won''t be able to get a balance. In the event that you''re in a position to do so, you''ll be able to get a lot more information on the web. Again, he was about to make a careless remark, when Mormat stopped talking. He seems to have stopped himself just in time, but it''s too late. You can''t take back what you started. ''Well, this is just a negotiation, so if you don''t like it, you can kick me out. ''............'' Removing his hand from Assunto''s shoulder, Mo''amat staggered backwards. He moves slowly, as if he were a puppet without a will, and you can tell that he''s completely lost his mind. ''...... Mr. Mo-Mat''. Next to me, Jeannette lets out a scratchy voice. I looked at her and saw that she was crying ............ profusely. ...... Why are you crying? It''s none of your business. ...... Mo''amat''s self-destruction was caused precisely by his lack of thinking. He got what he deserved. It''s the deceiver''s fault. Now my theory has been proven right again. What I''m more worried about is whether it will turn its fangs on the sunken pavilion. Keep the purchase price low and raise the selling price. If you do that, you''ll double your profits. As I was thinking about this, my eyes suddenly met Estella''s. What''s up with ......?What do you have to say to me? ''Um, sir! Suddenly, Ginette shouted. ...... You idiot. Now is not the time to interfere! My head started to hurt as I imagined what would happen next. And perhaps that''s exactly what I thought would happen. That is, Ginette will offer Morgatt a helping hand, and the diner will be taken advantage of to its detriment. And Jeannette will accept it without hesitation. ''If it will save Mr. Morgatt,'' she says. But there''s more. Assunto would be a burden to the diner and to the farmer. Once the contract is signed, there is no way to change it, and the burden will continue to grow and the poor will be exploited. ''If farmers'' livelihoods decline, the quality of vegetables will also decline! He seems to be trying to persuade Assunto with a good argument. ...... Well, I guess it''s no use. ''Oh. ...... So? Assunto crosses his arms lightly as he turns his body from the mormat to the ginette. It''s not so much a listening stance...... as a speech armament. ''I''ll take it,'' he seems to have written on his face. ''So, could you please make the purchase price a little higher? ''But that would be to the detriment of our guild. We''re not volunteers either, so that would be difficult. ''But you''ve been doing it at 1Rb per kilo so far! ''Our guild is also in a difficult situation right now. The guild is in a tough situation,....... ''Hey, Estella. I approached Estella, who turned away, and spoke to her in a whisper. ''Isn''t what you just said going to be judged by the spirits? It''s a statement that the guild is also having a tough time right now. I wondered if this could be used in the same way that Assunto had threatened Mormat earlier. ''I don''t think so. He denied me with a few simple words. The word ''severe'' is largely a subjective judgment of each individual. No matter how wealthy you are, if you insist that ''this level is too severe,'' it is no longer a lie. ''How can you be so cryptic?'' ''What cannot be judged will not be judged.'' That''s sloppy, ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''Which means... It''s absolutely impossible and a lie, but it means that even if I say I love you, the Judgment of the Spirits can''t judge me, right? ''...... I can''t help but feel bad about the analogy. ...... Well, I guess you''re right. If you continue to insist that you love me, even if the circumstantial evidence denies it, the Judgment of the Spirits will judge that you love me. ............ What a conversation, I''m so embarrassed about this conversation. ......'' Estella''s cheeks flush. Oh, it''s strange that she looks like a girl when I look at her like this. ...... Well, she is a girl, but... ''Anyway, are you sure?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Oh, that''s right. If I let him out of my sight, I''m sure I''ll end up agreeing to some unbelievable contract. He''s such a tiresome shopkeeper. ''But, but, Mr. Mo-Mat is a very kind man, he''s always been good to me ......! You are starting to make misguided claims. Kindness and goodness don''t pay the bills. The only way to persuade a merchant is to either move the money or make it impossible to move it. ''So, please do something to reduce the burden on Mr. Mormat! ''Well, that''s wonderful. That''s what I''d expect from you, Sunlit Pavilion.'''' Assunto applauded dryly. ''I understand. If you insist so much, I''ll consider changing the price from 10km 1Rb to 5km 1Rb. ''Are you sure!That''s great, Mo-Mat! Ginette''s face lit up and she smiled at Mo''amat. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information here. ...... These guys are no good. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure they''re going to say, ''We''ve considered it, and it''s going to be 10 kilos, 1Rb. ''In exchange, we will ask you to compensate for the disadvantage we will suffer by ......, is that okay? ''If that''s the case, yoroko............ too! He hurriedly covered Jeannette''s mouth. ...... What was he just going to say?It''s really scary, you natural. ''Mmm~!Mogomogomomo!Mogogo mogogo! Jeannette''s babbling something. Hey, stop talking. It''s nice to feel the soft touch moving back and forth in your palm!What if I accidentally fall in love with you?...... Let''s not wash our hands for a while. I put my face close to Jeannette''s and say in her ear. ''Just shut up. From now on, don''t say a word until I say it''s okay. ''Hmmm? ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but do as I say. Are you sure you want to lose the cafeteria?'' ''No more cafeteria.'' These words seemed to have pierced Jeannette, and she suddenly became quiet. When I looked at her, she looked like she was about to cry. ''Hey, hey, idiot, don''t cry, okay? I said, and tears began to appear in Jeannette''s eyes, threatening to fall out at any moment. ''No, I''ll do something to make sure that doesn''t happen!So listen to me and shut up!Okay? I said firmly, and Jeannette stared at my face, then nodded her head. The tears barely spilled. I took my hand away from Jeannette''s mouth. Then, with a ''sigh,'' Jeannette took a deep breath. ''Don''t talk,'' I said. I said, and she nodded again. Now, ......, and. .................. Why did I say I''d do something about it? ...... I''m not sure.I''m not sure if it''s because I can see myself being disadvantaged? No, it''s not. Maybe it''s because it''s worth money. Yeah. If I get my way, I can give the peddler''s guild a run for their money. That''s why I did it. I don''t fully understand the rules of Judgment of the Spirits yet. ...... Well, a little guy like this would make a good practice partner. However, I''m still a little nervous. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I guess he can at least support me. ...... ''Estella, I need your help. When I beckoned her, Estella obediently complied and walked up to me. ...... Close, close, close!You''re getting too close! Estella moved close enough to bump me and whispered in my ear. ''You made Jeannette cry, didn''t you? ''No, no tears spilled, so it''s safe, right? ''You can do something about that, can''t you, ............? ''Only if you help me.'' ''............ If it works, I''ll let this one slide.'' ''Thanks a lot. Who do you think you are? ''My girlfriends.'' Yeah, well, I had a lot of girlfriends in junior high school, too. ''Hey!Can you not talk to Miyo so much? Miyo-chan, I think you''re bothering her! If you want to talk to Miyo, you''ll have to go through me first! Who the hell are you, ......?I want to talk to Miyo-chan, not you guardians! ............ Hahaha, no. I''m not sure what to make of it. Girlfriends are a nuisance in any world, aren''t they? ''If you mess up, I''ll ...... stab you, okay? Estella flashed a knife with a blade about 20 centimeters long that could only be called a murder weapon. ...... As expected, my Japanese girlfriends didn''t go this far, though. I don''t want to get stabbed, so I''ll do my best. ''Mr. Assunto. Let''s switch players.'' ''Oh, you''re new here, aren''t you?What kind of relationship do you have?'' ''I''m Yashiro. I''ve been working at the Sunken Pavilion since yesterday. For some reason, I don''t want to reveal my last name.'' ''(Why are you copying me?)'' ''I just got tired of using my real name honestly. ''(If you admire me, you should just say so honestly.)'' '' (Hahahaha. Tell me when you''re a B cup. ''(...... I''ll stab you?)'' Stepping away from the serious tone of Estella, I confronted Assunto. By taking a step back, I was now in a position to protect Mormat with my back to him. ''Yashiro ......, are you okay?'' Mormat asks me in a whisper. I don''t need you to worry about me. ...... You self-destructive crocodile. ''Before we talk about the farmer''s purchase price, can we ask you to do one thing for us? ''Oh, what is it? Assunto''s expression softened as I asked him for a favor. He may have thought he could take advantage of the negotiations. No, I''ve added more wishes in this vein, so maybe he thinks it''s easier to give. ''Currently, the Sunshine Pavilion is purchasing from eleven different suppliers. We want to consolidate them. Assunto''s nose twitched. ''That''s .......'' He slurred his words for a moment. For the guild, consolidating suppliers would mean a loss of income. The cost of transporting ten people would be reduced. So, what are you going to do? ''I can''t do this on my own. You''ll have to talk to each merchant individually.'' There you are. And if you talk to them individually, they''re going to threaten you by saying, ''If you cut me, you won''t be able to get this product, and you''ll lose money. And in fact, they will prevent you from selling the products that the merchant you cut off was selling, and when you ask them to, they will sell them to you at a rip-off price. ...... That''s a good threat for a small business owner with no connections. But. ''Well, for starters, I''m going to have to cut you out of my business. ''Are you sure?If you don''t make a deal with me, Sunlit Pavilion won''t be able to get any more vegetables. See? ''Yashiro-san may not know this because he''s young, but there are many complicated arrangements between merchants. I''m in charge of vegetables and don''t deal with fruits and fish. I think it''s best for both of us to have a well-balanced relationship with all the other merchants as well. ...... If you are counting on the market, you should change your mind. They do not like to buy in bulk. You can''t buy every day. ''For vegetables, you can buy directly from the farmers. ''Directly?Ha-ha-ha-ha! Suddenly, Assunto burst into a belly laugh. ''You can''t do that. It''s impossible. Assunto chuckled, wondering what was so funny. ''I see. Now I understand why you''re so confident. Direct trading. Sure, it''s possible to buy cheaply by doing that ......, but it''s against the rules. ''Are the rules for the guild? If so, it''s none of my business as I''m not a member of a guild. ''No, sir. It''s the Church''s rules. ''The church?'' I turn my gaze to Estella, who is standing next to me. Estella understands the meaning of my gaze and explains to me. ''In order to protect the income of each profession, the Church has created a system where professions do not compete with each other. To be more specific, those who are not members of the fishing industry are not allowed to catch and sell fish without permission. This is a measure to prevent price collapses, and no one but those who have been designated are allowed to make a profit from the work. ''And if they violate it? ''They will be judged by the High Court, and may be expelled from the city, or even executed in the worst cases. Well, that''s horrible. So you''re saying we shouldn''t poach them and sell them at inflated prices. Well, if such a thing were to become rampant, the market would be destroyed and it would be impossible to recover. ''There are exceptions to this rule, and if you have a permit from the lord of each district, you can engage in this business on a one-time basis. I see. So a person who is not a member of a guild would need a permit from the lord to sell goods. ''And the Peddler''s Guild has a contract with each producer, and the mormats there are forbidden to sell their goods to anyone outside of our guild. If you violate it, you are a frog by the judgment of the spirits. Violations of contracts between guilds and producers will be judged by the Judgment of the Spirits, not the General Court. ...... I''m sure you''re right. The contract between the guild and the producer is a "lie" because it violates the "I will keep my contract," but poaching is not a "lie" because there is no contract that says "I will not poach. In other words, the supervising court judges violations that are not ''lies. ''Do you understand now?Unfortunately, Mr. Yashiro''s secret plan cannot be implemented. I''m sorry to hear that. That look of triumph is annoying. If you ask me, you''re the one I feel sorry for. After all, you''re on the ...... list of people I wouldn''t mind smashing. ''By the way, is there any place that will buy your garbage? ''Garbage ......, is it?'' ''Ah. I think it''s time to replace the desks and chairs in the sunny pavilion. ...... Can you introduce me to any merchants who can buy the things I want to dispose of?'''' ''Hahahaha!No, Yashiro-san is a truly unique person. No merchant would pay money for something to be disposed of.'''' ''What?Why? What a waste. ''If you think so, why don''t you start your own business?You can buy trash that you can''t even use ...... and do business with it. Assunto is smirking at me as if to make fun of me. I wonder how long he can keep that annoying smile on his face? ''So, what can I do for you?Do you want to cancel the deal with me as you said earlier? He emphasized "what you just said". In other words, it is a prelude to saying that if you want to continue the transaction, you must accept the conditions we raise. ''If you want to continue the transaction, we can offer you a new price at .......'' ''No, we''ll call it off. ''What about ............?'' Assunto stiffens. He looks at me as if he''s looking at something he doesn''t understand. ''So I''m not doing any more business with you. ''But ............ you won''t regret it, will you?'' ''Well, maybe.'' ''Well, ............ that''s fine. As you wish.'' Assunto''s voice suddenly turns cold. He seems to be quite annoyed. I suppose this is just another negotiation tactic. If you are blatantly angry, you will have the upper hand in the next round of negotiations. The only way to negotiate with a person who has made you angry is to take the initiative. You will have to listen to some unreasonable demands. Assunto is consistently trying to get the upper hand in negotiations. But that doesn''t work for me. Because there is no next negotiation. Perhaps it''s because of my relaxed attitude, but Assunto gives me an uncomfortable glimpse. Then, in what was clearly an attempt to check me, he said this to Mo-Mat. ''With the loss of one contracted location, the Guild''s operations will become more difficult. Now we won''t be able to lose a dime from 10km1Rb! ''''Oh, no! It''s an appeal to Mo-Mat that I''m the one who caused the problem. Mormat glares at me, taken in by this. No, no, no. You were going to agree to 1Rb for 10 kilos either way, weren''t you? ''Why don''t you sell it to him for that? ''You idiot!Are you telling us to die? ''No, I''m not. It''s that kind of extreme thinking that will get us caught. I said calmly to the snorting and angry Mo-Matt. Mo-Matt, too, seemed to understand his own fault and did not say anything more strongly. He has a desperate look on his face, as if he is about to cry. ''But if that happens, ...... how am I going to live from now on ......''. ''We''ll have to rely on self-sufficiency, won''t we?'' ''That''s not true, we still do that. Everything we eat comes from our own fields! ''You can keep more for your own house. And only sell the surplus to the guild.'' ''Even if you get a lot of vegetables, if you can''t eat them, they''ll just become garbage! ''If it''s garbage, just throw it away. ''You want me to throw away my vegetables for nothing? Mormat''s strong hands grabbed me by the chest and squeezed me tightly. His crocodile eyes glare at me. It looks as if it''s about to swallow me whole. ''By the way, it seems that there are no guilds that buy and sell trash, so it''s not against the rules to do so freely. ''So what about it?Who''s going to buy the trash? ''Me.'' ''What about ............?'' Mormat revealed his dumb face and relaxed his hand. While he''s doing that, I get away from his heavy hands and fix my collar. Then I straighten up and say to Mormat. ''If there''s going to be a lot of garbage, let me know. I''ll come and pick it up for 10 kilos and 20 Rb. ''What? So far, Momat and the others were getting 1Rb per kilo and 10Rb per kilo. And the scrap vegetables that Ginette was buying were 80Rb for 10 kilos. If I buy them at 20Rb per kilo, Momat can expect to earn twice as much as before, and the Sunshine Pavilion can spend only a quarter of what it used to. All good things come to an end. ''But we have a limit to the amount we can take in, so we''ll have to consult with the neighboring farmers to limit the total amount. ''Wait a minute, please! It was Assunto who interfered with my words. ''That''s a violation!It''s sabotage against our peddler''s guild!We can''t allow you to do that!'''' ''Is that so?I''m only buying ''waste that can''t be turned into merchandise''. ''It''s not waste, is it? ''Waste. A family doesn''t eat 10 or 20 kilos of vegetables, right?There''s nothing wrong with throwing them away before they spoil. Or what?Does the guild have a rule on the total amount of vegetables a farmer can consume at home? ''...... No, that''s not what ............'' ''Regardless of how many vegetables Momat sets aside for her family, or how many vegetables she throws away, it should be none of the Guild''s business. And ......'' I pointed my finger at Assunto''s upturned nose and said clearly. ''You''re the one who said, "No merchant will pay for what he has to dispose of," aren''t you?And did you also say this?''If that''s what you think, why don''t you start your own business? ......'' ''......''! Blood vessels appeared clearly on Assunto''s forehead. His forehead is covered with veins, his face is covered with sweat, and his face is shiny and pig-like. ''That''s why I''m starting. That''s why I''m going to start a new business. I''m going to have to work with the cafeteria. Assunto fell completely silent when I assured him of this. ''Oh, ............, oh, ............, that means we can earn twice as much as before? You mean we''re going to get twice as much money as we''ve ever gotten before? Mormat was shaking uncontrollably. ''Simple, stupid crocodile. ''What? I warned the buoyant crocodile. ''Sunshine Pavilion is not wealthy enough to help poor farmers. We''ll only buy what we need for our own use at double the conventional price. But I can''t handle more than that. From there on, you''ll have to talk to the guild and come to a good agreement. ''Oh, yeah, I understand ....... No, but I''m happy about it. It''s like the value of my vegetables just went up! Mormat frolics. This crocodile guy doesn''t seem to understand what''s going on. ...... Well, you can do the rest yourself. I''m happy because I can now buy what I think are good vegetables at a reasonable price. Farmers will be a little more comfortable if they can secure a certain amount of income every month. At least, it''s better than being forced to buy all their vegetables at a tenth of the price. ''...... Well done.'' Estella puts her hand on my shoulder and whispers these words. ''It''s just that my opponent was a practice-level idiot. ''No, it''s a big deal.'' Estella has a satisfied smile on her face. I feel uncomfortable, like I''m being praised. ''So, was there anything I just said that could be traced to the Judgment of the Spirits? I''m sure you''ll be fine.'' ............ I don''t feel safe, but I''ll trust you for now. ''More importantly, you should submit an application to the lord to open a guild. ''Open a guild? ''Those who start a new profession can open a guild to which it belongs.'' ''A garbage collection guild?We don''t need one of those. ''No, you''ll need it. If someone else opens it later, you''ll have to follow their rules. I see, I have to prevent people from taking advantage of my business and sip the profits. ...... ''I don''t know how to open one. ''I''ll take care of it with a week''s worth of lunches, though?'' Estella tells me with a smug look on her face. ............ Well, thank goodness I don''t have anything to show for it, but ...... I''m going to owe this guy... ......... Ahh... ''...... Got it. I''ll take care of it. ''Leave it to me. I''ll have it done by the end of the day.'' Estella patted me on the back and ran off. ...... I wonder if I can trust that guy? He was still in a state of excitement, pacing around the field and shouting as if he had an idea. It''s ...... scary. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. It''s not like he accepted defeat and quietly stepped aside,............, is it? He might try to do something to you. You have to be very careful. And then there''s ...... this guy. ''............''. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. It seems that she is going to be honest and not speak until I say it''s okay. It seems that ...... is nearing its limit. I want to talk!Can I go now? He has been signaling me with his eyes. ''...... You can talk now. ''Yashiro-san! As soon as I gave my permission, Jeannette jumped on me. I felt an unbearable softness pressing against my chest. ''You''re amazing, Yashiro!Mr. Mormat, our cafeteria, and everyone else is feeling much better! ''No, it hasn''t yet, has it? ''We will be! He seemed to be quite happy, but he must have been disappointed. The guild will suffer a loss as much as we will be relieved. Well, I guess it''s better if this sycophant doesn''t notice. ''And they''re not just garbage vegetables, they''re real vegetables!It''s amazing!I''m sure the customers who come to my house will be satisfied! ''Is that diner ...... going to have customers? ''They''re coming, that''s for sure!About five people a day are coming! There are a few ...... that are not zero, which is a relief at least, but ............ five people.... It''s not even a restaurant. If we don''t do something about this, we''ll soon find ourselves without a place to stay again. ''Hey, you guys. Mormat, who was walking around the field, called out to us. In his hands, he''s holding a pile of colorful vegetables. ''This is our thanks. Please take it.'' ''Oh no!No, that''s not nice!That many! ''It''s okay, Ginette!If it weren''t for Yashiro, this vegetable would have been worth nothing. I''m happy about the sales, but most of all, I''m happy that you preserved the value of my vegetables. Please take them. ''No, but ......'' ''Then, Yashiro!You''ll take it, won''t you? Mormat asks me, passing over the reserved Jeannette. If you''re willing to give it to me for free, I''d be very grateful. Now I can get rid of the vendor as soon as possible. ''I''ll take it gratefully. ''That''s the way it should be! ''Um, but, Yashiro-san, ......'' ''Ginette. The old man is happy that the value of the vegetables has been preserved. If that''s the case, don''t you think he''d be even happier if you made a delicious dish out of these vegetables and served it to him?'''' ''My cooking will make Mr. ...... Mo''amat happy?'' Ginette looked at Morgatt with a slightly incredulous expression. Mormat nodded clearly and smiled broadly. ''That''s good!Please tell Ginette and these customers that our vegetables are delicious. I''ll be happy to hear it. Ginette''s expression brightened as she heard Mormat''s words. ''Yes! So, Jeannette runs up to Mormat and starts helping him carry the mountain of vegetables. Oh, man. You think it''s too hard to just take what''s given to you. Your profits are my bread and butter. I''m not going to hold back. Otherwise, you can''t expect me to get paid. In any case, I''m glad we got the vegetables for free. Let''s donate to the church and thank Estella for the scrap vegetables, and put these vegetables on the menu. We''ll increase the price per customer and make a profit. Then, quickly renovate the store so that it can attract more customers. If the store is prosperous, many people will visit. If you do that, you can get information about this town and make connections. In addition, you may be able to get information about the peddlers'' guild and other shady businesses. I''m a sucker for shady businesses. If the scoundrels in this city are using Jeannette as a patsy, I''ll make them my patsy. I am the top of the con man pyramid. I think I know what I''m supposed to do. I''ll save Jeannette and rebuild the Sunshine Pavilion. Coincidentally,......, that''s also what Bertina and Estella wanted. And if that''s the case, I think it''s best to play the good guy here. If I can convince them that I''m a good person, they may be able to help me in many ways. ''Jeannette. ''Yes, sir. ''I''m going to fix up the diner.'' ''...... What? ''We''re going to make it a popular diner that can attract more customers. ''The Sunken Pavilion, you mean? ''Yes, that''s right. We''re going to make it a place where many people gather every day.'' ''Just like when your grandfather was at ......? ''No, I don''t know what it was like when your grandfather was here. Jeannette choked on her words, and for a moment she looked as if she might cry. But it was quickly replaced by a smile-- ''...... Yes. Let''s do our best. --The tears fall down as tears of joy. Well, I''ll take advantage of you as much as I can. You simple, naive, sycophant. 11-Episode 9 emblem When I returned to the dining room with a cart full of vegetables from the mormat, I carried them to the pantry and witnessed something ...... impossible. ''You''re lying,.......'' The food pantry was packed so tightly with garbage vegetables that there were no gaps. ...... How much have you bought? ''Can you use it all up?'' ''Um, ...... no, ...... we''ve got some donations, and ............ that ......'' ''Are you using it up?'' ''............Sorry, last time there was a lot left over and I had to compost it.'' Huh. .................. ''Let me squeeze your tits as punishment. I can''t say ......, but that''s about as good as I feel. ''But it''s been put to good use,......, and its ............ never wasted... ...'' ''Excessive composting can ruin crops, and scattering rotten vegetables around the field doesn''t make them fertilizer. ''......, right? I''m sure this guy has always been like this. You''ll be able to use as much as you can of the foodstuff you''ve purchased in large quantities without being able to say no, but you''ll still have a lot left over, and you''ll feel guilty and try to put it to good use, but you won''t be able to think of a way to do it. Still, he cannot say no and buys a lot of food again. ''I''ll adjust my purchases next time, but ...... I''d like to use up this amount somehow. ''How about cooking more food? ''If you do that, it will be difficult to reduce the quantity next time. It''s a negative image to be perceived as ''less'' for the same price. It is fatal if customers come expecting an increased quantity. Service is not something that can be offered indiscriminately. Otherwise, you will not be able to do business. The only way to deal with the large amount of inventory is to increase the number of ...... customers. ''At any rate, I''ll let you observe our business as usual for the day. If there''s anything wrong, we''ll correct it as needed. ''Yes, sir!I look forward to working with you! Well, if I can''t handle it, I''ll dry it to a crisp and make sprinkles out of it. I don''t know if I can do that at ....... But there''s something I want to make before furikake. This is urgent. ''Do you have any carpentry tools? ''Yes. There should be some in the shed that belonged to your grandfather.'' ''Also, do you have any spare wood? ''Firewood, if you have any.'' Firewood. ...... Well, we can make do. ''Then let''s repair the chair and desk. ''That would be a great help! Ginette''s expression brightened. ''I''m not very good at carpentry. ...... I used to repair broken chairs, but somehow they always ended up rattling. ......'' It was your fault, that rickety chair! Why can''t you just cut them to the right length and nail them together? ...... ''You go get ready to open the store. I''ll take care of the chairs.'' ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll get the tools.'' The tools Ginette had brought were surprisingly well-stocked. There was even a gold file. Well, they don''t seem to have paper files, as expected. There is a soft file with a rough texture, perhaps from the skin of a beast. This seems to be useful. At the back of the store, further behind the toilets, there was a firewood storage area. ''...... is huge! When I heard the word ''firewood'', I imagined a piece of wood cut into 30cm pieces. ...... But what I found was a log that was about three meters long. Apparently, it was necessary to cut it to the appropriate length, split it with an axe, and then dry it. However, Ginnette, who is not very strong, has not been able to do this work and has not been able to make a stock. ...... I guess chopping firewood is my job, too. But with these long logs, I can repair chairs and desks. It seems to have been abandoned for a long time, and it has been dried to a certain degree. The wood is not likely to warp after repairing. ''Then, I''m counting on you. Ginette bowed and walked back to the store. It would have been easier to start the work here, where the wood is placed, but ...... we will work in front of the store so that we can see when customers come. I want to know how many customers are coming in and who they are. I also want to prevent people from eating away. So, I started to repair the rickety chair in front of the store. I adjusted the length of the legs, leveled the seat, and used rough leather to file the backrest, legs, and other parts that might touch the skin. This should improve the feel of the seat and make it a bit more comfortable. While I was immersed in this work, the sun had passed its peak and was beginning to dip. ...... There are no visitors. It was around nine o''clock when I got back from church, and the store opened at ten. This is the time I checked with my watch. ...... This world also seems to rotate 24 hours a day. It is now 16:00 at ....... During that time, not a single customer has arrived. This is a serious matter. I wonder what kind of people come to this store? I suppose it''s probably only the occasional acquaintance of Jeannette''s who shows up. I don''t think they advertise, and they are not well known enough. If you come to the front of the restaurant, there is a possibility that people will come in because of the good smell, but ...... who would come to such a remote place? No one has even passed by this diner. There are hopelessly few people passing by. ...... The location is the worst. There were so few people coming that I had to make one more thing besides a chair and a desk. The emblem of the lord that was stamped on the permit that Estella gave me. I copied the pattern of the two-headed eagle and the snake, inverted it, and carved it into a piece of wood I had left over. I even had a minnow and a carving knife in my toolbox, so I made use of them. That''s why ...... ''Ginette, do you have any paper I can use?'' ''Yes, I do. I stamped on the poor quality paper Ginette had given me, using ink I had bought at a clothing store. ''Yes. It looks exactly the same in size and appearance. I mean, the clothing store sold me the ink, so it should be okay for the guild to sell me the ink. I don''t think a merchant who has a store on the main street would violate the guild''s rules. Used items can be sold as used items at ....... If you take advantage of that, you might be able to sell something in the dining hall. Without going through the peddlers guild, of course. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Is this ......?'' Ginette asks me, looking at the stamp on the paper. ''It''s well done, isn''t it? I''m confident in my dexterity. I''m confident in my dexterity, based on the skills I learned from my master and my practical experience. ...... No, you see, "grasshopper" or "pirated" is a pretty rags-to-riches business, right?By the way, I am also very good at sewing. I''m confident that I can make a bag or fur ...... that looks exactly like it. ''It''s a felony to misuse the ...... emblem of the lord. ......'' ''I don''t misuse my lord''s emblem. ''Then that''s fine. ......'' They''re looking at you with a lot of suspicion. I think they''re starting to figure out who I really am. There is no ............. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I suspect that she doesn''t even know the word "intuit". And so the emblazoned paper is put in the breast pocket,............, and the breast pocket is not. ''Ginette, do you have any cloth, needle and thread? ''Yes, I do. I mean, there is stuff here, isn''t there? In my spare time, I put a breast pocket on my clothes. A breast pocket is a very important and useful thing. It can hold a pen and a piece of paper. You can put a handkerchief in it and look elegant. So I keep the paper with the emblem in the breast pocket so that the emblem is well visible. I have no time for ....... As the sky turns red, the first customer finally arrives. She was a friendly old lady who smiled when she saw Jeannette. When Jeannette saw the old lady, she jumped out of the counter to hug her, so she must have known her. The old lady did not seem to have any money to spare, and left after drinking a cup of 1Rb tea. She seemed to have come to support Jeannette and to make small talk. ...... It''s not profitable. The next visitor was a long, thin man with a scraggly beard. He looked to be about two meters tall. I''m not sure if it''s the same weight as me or if it''s even lighter than me, but it''s so skinny. This guy at ...... is suspicious. Very suspicious. He came into the store with a smirk on his face, and when he saw me sitting behind the counter, his expression tensed up for a moment. He may have been surprised that there was a customer in the usually empty dining room. ...... No, that was a ''not good'' look. As I turned away disinterestedly, the tall man regained his composure and sat down on a seat near the entrance. Seeing this, Jeannette hurriedly approached him. ''Welcome, sir. Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Did you fix the chair? ''Yes. Palm............, no. I fixed it.'' I''ve told Jeannette not to tell anyone that I fixed the chair. For the rest of the day, I''ll be in the cafeteria under the assumption that I''m not a part of the restaurant. The reason for this is ...... well, you can tell by this tall guy. ''Are you ready to order? ''Well, I''ll have the stir-fried scraggly vegetables. ''Yes, sir. One moment, please.'' Ginette bows and disappears into the kitchen. The tall man, who had been following her with his eyes, looked at me again. I pretend not to notice and ignore him. As soon as the food arrived, the tall man began to eat his meal while paying attention to me. The tall man glanced at me. In Japan, his behavior was so suspicious that he could have been reported at this point. Well then, I guess it''s time. I leave my seat just as the tall man''s plate is almost empty. I just say ''See you later'' to Jeannette and walk out of the restaurant. The look of joy on the tall man''s face at that moment was ...... definitely enough. The tall man is planning to eat his way out. He waits outside for more than ten minutes. The diner is quiet. ...... Ginette''s retreated back into the kitchen. There''s no sign of anyone. Well, I guess the tall guy is waiting for him. Sure enough, after a moment of silence, the door to the cafeteria opened quietly. It was the tall man who came out. ''Oh, how can I help you? ''Huh? He must have been startled by my presence, because as soon as he stepped outside, the tall man screamed. ''Have you paid your bill yet? I asked with a smile. The tall man''s forehead was sweating and his gaze wandered. ''I see that the owner has gone into the back and hasn''t come out yet. I questioned him further. The stocky man raises his eyebrows and threatens me with a stern expression. ''Oh, it''s none of your business. He''s tall, but he''s not scary because he''s so frail. Well, it can be troublesome if it gets out of control. ''Does it matter? ......'' I say, gently pressing my breast pocket. The stocky man''s gaze goes to it, and then he opens his eyes. In my breast pocket, a piece of paper with the emblem stamped on it was peeking out. ''Actually, I''m related, aren''t I? I change my tone, implying that I''m in a superior position. The sweat on the tall man''s forehead was beginning to trickle down like a waterfall. ''No, no. Yes, yes!Toilet!I was just going to the bathroom. ''Well, I''ll show you. ''No, I don''t mind, I''m just going to the bathroom!I''m not a kid! ''You know I''m not doing this for you, right? I say with a smile on my face. And then, as expected of a tall man, his shoulders slumped in resignation. He must have realized that he couldn''t get away with it. Good for you for being so honest. Well, most likely. The more he tried to talk his way out of it, the more he''d be choking himself. Since you''ve admitted it at this stage, I''ll let you off with the payment. He returned to the cafeteria with the hunchback who had given up. He sits at the far end of the cafeteria, facing the wall, and I sit next to him. When your view is blocked and your personal space is invaded, you become vulnerable. It would be even more difficult for a man like the current hunchback, who has just been exposed. This is a trick often used by crooks. Be careful if you are made to sit facing the wall at the far end of the room. In addition, it has become a theory that an "authority figure" other than the introducer will appear. When the introducer or acquaintance begins to listen to the self-proclaimed bigwig with a sympathetic ''yes, yes, yes'', the sucker will be under the illusion that ''this bigwig must be right'', and will easily fall into the trap, along with the blocking of vision and the invasion of personal space. In this way, using "pressure" or "authority" to make a sucker "shrink" is a common method of deception, and has a certain success rate no matter how much the times change. I guess you could call it an application of that. The reason why I did not sit directly in front of you was to prevent your eyes from drifting to the side. The tall man must have felt under siege. ''You''ll pay for what you eat, won''t you? ''Yes, sir. That''s ...... of course, but right now, its ......''. ''You don''t have any money, do you? ''Well, well, ...... in layman''s terms, ...... hehe.'' He confessed that he had planned to eat and run from the start. I pulled out a piece of paper with the emblem in my breast pocket and placed it in front of the hunchback. Now there''s one more place for the hunchback''s gaze to escape. If he turned his head, he would see the emblem. That must be quite a fright. ''Well, I''ll pay you later, but please write me a note. ''Yes, a note to ......? ''Your name and address, and ''I''ll pay for the food and drink at the Sunlit Pavilion''. ''No, you don''t have to write that. ......'' ''I want a guarantee so that when I go to your house or office to pick it up, I can claim it even if you''re not home. ''Yes, I''ll ............ come to your house or office, or is it ......?'' ''If you pay me properly, I''ll save you the trouble. ''Yes, I''ll go home and bring it now!So only ...... work at .......'' ''To make sure I believe you, write me a note. Otherwise, I can''t let you leave. ''.............................. Yes, sir.'' The stocky man seemed to have given it a lot of thought, but in the end he agreed and wrote exactly what I said on the paper. ''You know what will happen if the name or address is false ......, right?'' ''Wow, I know!...... Don''t worry, I didn''t write anything false.'' Apparently, the hunchback''s name is Goozuya. Strange name. ''Well, then, I''ll go get it!Then you can get rid of that paper! ''As long as you pay me. ''I promise! With that, Goozuya ran out of the cafeteria. As if to replace her, Ginette emerged from the kitchen. ''Mr. Yashiro. Who''s the customer now? ''He forgot his money, so he''s going home to get it. ''I see. ...... You''re a bit of a dilettante, aren''t you? You''re the ditzy one. You''re the one who almost got eaten alive. ''Jeannette. What are you always doing in the kitchen? ''Preparing scraggly vegetables.'' ''All the time?'' ''Ehehe...... a lot of them are very hard to get into an edible state. ......'' It''s useless. It''s really a waste of effort. ''From now on, you should use regular vegetables and try not to go back to the kitchen. ''That''s right. It''s easy to prepare ordinary vegetables. You can talk to your customers happily.'' You''re missing the point. ...... Well, that''s okay. You won''t get away with it if you talk. ''So, Jeannette. I''ve only had two customers today. ''Mum, the old lady comes to drink tea every day. I''m very grateful. ''Didn''t you say that five people come every day? ''Yes, that depends on the ...... day.'' This guy ...... There are days when we get no visitors, huh? ''I''m sure there will be at least one more visitor today. I''ll deny it. Just as I was about to deny it, the door of the cafeteria opened and a visitor showed his face. ''Hello, gentlemen!I''ve come to treat you to a meal! It was Estella. ''It''s you, .......'' ''You don''t have to be so blatantly disgusting, you''re so rude! Estella shuffled her feet and sat down across from me. Why across from me?There are plenty of other seats available. ''You promised to treat me to lunch, right?That''s why I came to eat.'' ''That''s too bad. It''s night now. ''I was working on an application you asked me to do, and I missed lunch. ''That''s unfortunate. But it doesn''t change the fact that the meal we''re about to have is dinner. ''Hey you!Are you trying to take money from me after all that hard work? ''I haven''t seen how hard you''ve worked. Estella wrinkles her brow. But you know, Estella. Don''t look for praise for your efforts. Effort is something you should do for yourself, not something you should seek compensation for. The only time you can ask for compensation is when you get results. Effort is something that should be taken for granted. Otherwise, the countless people who have failed in their dreams to become singers, idols, baseball players, etc. would not be rewarded. ''Estella. If you become proud of your efforts, you''re finished. ''I''ve been getting results. My application was approved. The Garbage Collection Guild can be active from today.'' ''Great!I''ll give you a pat on the back. ''Well, have a nice meal at .......'' ''That''s not the same thing as this. ''Why the hell not! The contract is ''I''ll treat you to lunch''. If I treat you to dinner, that would be a breach of contract. ''Um, Yashiro-san. It''s fine, you can have dinner with me at least. ......'' ''Besides, if you don''t pay, Jeannette will become a liar.'' ''What?'' Ginette shouted in surprise, and Estella stared at Ginette''s face. Ginette had just told her. ''I''m sure there will be at least one more person here today,'' he said. But it''s almost closing time. It is highly unlikely that another customer will come. ''I think I''ll invoke the Judgment of the Spirits~'' ''Hey, you!It''s not fair to threaten me like that! ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san, I''m that .......'' Well, I don''t mean that seriously. ...... I glanced at Estella and she glared at me with a huge frown. ''All right, all right. I''ll pay for dinner. But in the future, don''t be reluctant to do so because of a slight time difference!''It''s mid-morning, so it''s still breakfast'' or ''It''s three o''clock, so it''s a snack''! Oh, that''s Estella. You anticipated what I was going to do. Well, it''s not that I don''t appreciate his work. All right. I''ll let you off this time. ''Jeannette. What''s the one thing you got left over from today?Something that won''t hold up tomorrow.'' ''That would be ...... river fish.'' ''Estella. The stewed river fish here is very good, I recommend it. ''......, you have a really good personality.'' Estella looks at me with disgusted eyes and lets out a sigh. ''Well, I''ll have some stewed river fish and black bread. ''Very well, sir!Please wait a moment! Ginette runs to the kitchen with a bouncy step. As she entered the kitchen, Ginette turned and bowed to Estella. ''It''s my fault, I''m sorry. ''What? For a moment, Estella rolls her eyes, apparently unsure of what she is talking about. However, she immediately understood what Jeannette was trying to say and responded with a wave of her hand. ''What happened earlier was not your fault, Ginette. It''s the fault of this man''s corrupt nature. ''What, Estella. Don''t you know?Everything tastes best when it''s rotten.'' ''What are you talking about?It''s too late for you because you''re completely rotten. This woman ...... says this and that. Ginette giggles as she watches us interact. ''I''ll be ready in a minute. With that, she went into the kitchen. ''I''m disappointed in you. I''m disappointed in you. Once we were alone, Estella leaned her elbows on the desk and looked up at me with a fierce glare. ''I was expecting a big compliment,'' she said. ''Do you want me to pat you on the head? ''What? Estella held her head and raised her body from its prostrate position. She turns her body to get away from me and bared her fangs with a faintly tinted face. ''Don''t treat me like a child! ''Then why don''t I pat your ass? ''...... What do you think you''re treating me like? ''I''m treating you like a woman. ''You''ll be judged one day, I promise. You idiot. It''s not a lie to touch my ass. Then the Spirit God can''t judge you! You can get away with all sorts of things against humans. You can''t judge me. No one can. ''You''re pretty black-hearted, aren''t you? ''I''m the picture of an indoor person. ''I''m not talking about your skin color, I''m talking about your black stomach! ''My nipples are a beautiful pink. ''I didn''t hear that, and I don''t want to hear that! Estella''s ears flush red and she turns away. I don''t like it. Unlike Jeannette, I feel like I can s*xually harass this guy as much as I want. Or rather, his reaction is so interesting that it seems like he''s asking me to do more. But seriously, ......, this guy''s sharpness is dangerous. The only reason he can see that I''m black-hearted is because he''s just like me. Besides. Estella''s always hiding something. That''s the look in her eyes. I''m the same way, I know it. If you think I''m black-hearted, ...... "What about you? I say provocatively. Estella glared at me and drove her fist into my face. ''...... Ngo! ''Why do I have to tell you what color my nipples are? No, it''s not. ...... It''s not that, it''s Estella. ...... I''d like to clear up a misunderstanding. ...... I''m too sore to talk. ............ I''m sure you''ll agree that s*xual harassment should be moderated,......, so be careful. I''ve been waiting for you ...... for a while now.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Don''t worry about it, Ginette. You deserve it.'''' ''Is that so, ......? It''s not that she deserved it, it''s just that Estella was mistaken. ...... Well, she deserved it, didn''t she? ''Ginette-chan. If this guy does anything weird to you, tell me right away. ''Yes, yes, yes. ''And you might want to keep this with you for protection. ''Um, what about this? ''Don''t worry about it. It''s easy to use. Unfortunately, it''s not lethal, but it can at least repel perverts. ''Oh, gee, repel ......?'' Estella seems to be handing something to Jeannette, but she can''t see through her tears. d*mn. Pain in the nose doesn''t go away. While I was holding back the pain in my face, Ginette was sitting next to Estella eating and chatting happily. These guys really get along well, don''t they? While I was thinking about this, when the pain in my nose began to subside,......, that guy came back. It was Goozuya. He came running into the cafeteria, out of breath. He might be living quite far away. ''You didn''t have to be so hasty. ''Ki, if I don''t pay today, I''ll be too anxious to work tomorrow. ......'' Once he returned to his home, his mood had calmed down somewhat, and the respectful tone had disappeared from Gooziya''s face. His facial expression was also more firm than before. ''By the way, what do you do for a living? ''Or is it none of your business? ''I''m just making small talk. I''m just making small talk with the regulars.'' ''...... I''m a carpenter!Sorry? You''re not very nice, are you? Ginette looked at me with a worried expression at Gooziya''s swiftness. I think she''s confused by the situation. Estella''s eyes narrowed as if she sensed something. But she doesn''t seem to want to interfere, so she silently brings the stewed river fish and hard black bread to her mouth. ''Here you go, 20Rb! You''re not going to complain now!Tear up that paper! I take the proffered 20Rb and look at the indignant Gusuya. Then, in a calm voice, I say. ''Not enough, though? ''Huh? Goozuya shouts loudly. The blood vessels on his neck and forehead are so clear that they look as if they are about to burst. ''I ate stir-fried scraggly vegetables!It says 20Rb on it!Are you trying to rip me off? Gusuya punches the table next to him with all his might. If you break it, I''ll make you pay for it. ''You''re right, that stir-fried scrap vegetable you just ate was 20Rb. It''s not wrong.'' ''Then why ......? Guzuya choked up as I pulled a piece of paper out of my breast pocket. Goozha''s eyes followed the text he had just written. ''What does it say here? The paper that had been thrust in Gooziya''s face was placed on a nearby table. Ginette and Estella peered at the paper. ''...... This is''. Estella looks at the paper and lets out a few words. Then she glared at me with very cold eyes. I was about to open my mouth, but I didn''t say anything for now and quickly went back to my seat. The look on his face as he left seemed to say, ''We''ll talk later. While Estella and I were exchanging glances, Goozja seemed to be rereading her writing, and when she finished, she snorted and shouted. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this.That''s why the 20Rb for stir-fried scraggly vegetables is correct! Convinced of his own righteousness, Goozuya gained momentum. So I''m going to say it loud and clear in a slow tone of voice. ''Who''s going to believe that you''re a first-time offender? He knew that Jeannette was hiding in the kitchen, and he was used to eating and running away, so there was no way that this was his first time eating and running away today. ''Don''t you dare say such a thing,......, you have no proof,.......'' You''re a terrible liar. Well, you seem to be avoiding outright lies because you don''t want to be judged by the spirits. ...... ''You asked Jeannette after you sat down, "Did you fix the chair? Did you fix the chair?'' ''...... So, what?'' ''So, you''ve been here when the chair was rattling, right? ''Umm............, that''s .......'' ''Did you pay properly at that time? ''............'' ''You knew where the bathroom was, didn''t you?I asked Jeannette where it was at first, but you knew, didn''t you?Did you pay for it the last time you were here?'' ''At ............, but with this case, it''s .......'' ''Read the text on there again.'' He pointed to a piece of paper spread out on the desk. It says, ''You will be paid for your food and drink at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''It says here that you will pay for all the food and drinks you have eaten at the restaurant and have not yet paid for. ''Wait, I didn''t mean to write that ......! ''Then let''s let the spirit gods decide, shall we? ''Ugh! I slowly pointed at Goozuya. ''Do you have the courage to be judged? He looked straight at Goozuya and said, Goozuya slumped to the floor, his shoulders slumped and he admitted his defeat. ''...... All right. I''ll pay the full amount. I''m sorry,......, I won''t do it again,......, but please don''t let me be the judge of the spirits,.......'' I don''t know how many times he''s gotten away with it. We''ll just have to get him to confess. It seems highly unlikely that he would lie there. If you are suspicious, you can ask him how many times he has eaten and run away, and submit him to the judgment of the spirits. The total number of times he ate and ran away was 18, and the total damage amounted to 640Rb. Was he eating bread or something? Once again, he did not have any money with him, so we had him write a new letter of reminder and asked Gusuya to leave. It''s hard to believe that he''s the only one, but ...... if this rumor gets out, there won''t be any more runaways. You will not be able to collect on the past, but it is more important to prevent future losses. I''m still planning on ripping them off as soon as I find them, though. Even after Gooziya left, Ginette had a deep sinking look on her face. ''...... Will that customer come back again? ''It would be better if you didn''t come, you know, to eat away.'' ''But ...... that customer said, "It''s delicious." ......'' ''Ginette. I guess I need to make it clear to this sycophant. ''What you''re feeling right now is not kindness. It''s stupidity.'' ''Stupid ......?'' ''Yes, it is. And it''s a very atrocious thing. ''I am the outrageous ......''. I sat Jeannette down in a chair, not across the desk from me. She sits across from him, their knees touching, and looks him in the eye. ''Let''s say you were self-sacrificing and overlooked Gusuya''s escape. If you did, what would be the position of old lady Mum, who pays you well and comes to drink tea every day?'' ''Ah ......''. This thought occurred to me for the first time. With that look on her face, Jeannette stared at me. Like she''s begging, pleading, exposing her insecurities. ...... ''Grandma Mum is not particularly wealthy, is she?I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ''...... Yes. Grandma Mum is a laundry woman who ...... always does a lot of work for a reasonable price. ......'' ''You''re disrespecting the good will of Grandma Mum, who is spending her hard-earned money on you. ''Me, sir? ''Yes, you are. Old Mum is cutting back on her living to pay for her tea. Gooziya is eating more expensive food for free. To say that both of them are important guests is disrespectful to old lady Mum who is following the rules. Even more so, to overlook it when you know that she has eaten and run away: ...... ''I don''t care if other customers are free, but only old lady Mum has to pay to drink tea? ''That''s not true! ''Then, do you want Old Mum to be free too?'' ''............'' ''If you want to do that, this isn''t a diner anymore. Your grandfather''s diner is closed.'''' ''...... such............'' Jeannette turns over and squeezes the hand in her lap. The hem of her skirt wrinkled and quivered. ''Think again about what''s important and what should be important to you.'' ''............ Yes.'' ''Also, eating away is a crime. Don''t allow it.'' ''......But'' ''It was just an accident, he might not really be a bad person. You''re trying to say, ''......'', aren''t you?'' ''...... Yes.'' ''Then tell him he''s wrong, even more so. When I softened my tone a little, Jeannette slowly looked up. ''Tell me about ....... ......?'' ''Oh. ''Don''t lower your value by doing such a bad thing, tell him that. You know what you used to say?''Repentance''. It''s the same thing. ''...... penance''. Ginette''s hands moved from her lap to the front of her chest, folded as if in prayer. ''If I do that, will the man be saved?'' ''At least he''ll be free of sin, won''t he? As long as he gets his money, I''m not going to pursue it any further. ''...... Yes, that''s right.'' In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. I''ll try my best, then. Ginette, who has never denounced anyone, is now trying to change. This will improve the management of this diner a little. ...... and, well, it''s still Ginette who doesn''t realize that I, the one who gave such a lecture, am the one who ran away from the restaurant and still hasn''t paid for it. It would be a great achievement if I could reply, ''Don''t tell me that. ''That was a great lecture. At the same time as Jeannette''s smile returned, Estella clapped her hands and walked in front of me. Her eyes are not smiling. ''Well, I''ll denounce one of your sins for you ......! As she said this, Estella tapped the paper spread out on the desk. It''s a reminder of what Gooziya had me write. ''I told you, didn''t I?It''s a felony to misuse the emblem of a lord! ''Oh, you did say that, I believe. ''Then what is the meaning of this? ''You didn''t misuse the Lord''s emblem, did you? ''You''re not going to say, "I used it for a good deed, so I''m not abusing it"?That''s naive!Using it privately without permission itself is considered ''misuse''! ''Well, you know. If you use it without permission, it''s no good for any reason. ''If you know that, why are you using ......? Estella grabbed me. She tightens my collar and I choke up a little. ''Well, well, just calm down. ''Do you think this will help me stay calm? ''Just take a good look at this.'' With that, I hold out a piece of paper from my breast pocket in front of Estella. It is stamped with an emblem of a double-headed eagle and a snake. Estella releases my collar and takes the paper. She stares at it intently and lets out a deep sigh. ''You should be beheaded for making this ...... emblem, you know? ''So, take a good look! I point to the paper emblem that Estella took from me. Especially near the eagle''s face. The two eagle heads there are both winking. ''............ What''s this? ''Isn''t it cute? ''It''s not cute!What''s with the joke of an emblem? ''It''s my emblem. ''Huh? I don''t have an emblem. And since I don''t have one, I thought I''d make one. At that time, I was looking for something that could serve as a model, and I happened to find a permit from a lord. So, I used that emblem as a ''reference'' and created my own original emblem. ''That''s a clone! ''Well, I admit that it is a clone, but I did not forge or misuse the emblem of the lord. ''Do you think that excuse will work ......? ''Don''t you? ''............'' Estella crossed her arms and pondered . ''It''s a very gray area. But it''s not out of the question. ''Besides, it''s clearly written. Right here. I point to the two snakes entwined in the body of the double-headed eagle, and Estella and Ginette stare intently at it. On the body of the snake, the words ''OBA'' and ''YASHIRO'' are written in what appears to be a speckled pattern. ''See?That''s my emblem, right? ''...... Honestly, I''m stunned.'' ''Mr. Yashiro, you are amazing. How did you manage to carve such detailed letters? It''s a letter as fine as the tip of a toothpick. It takes a great deal of skill to carve such fine letters and to reverse them. I''m proud of myself for pulling it off! I guess my master''s teachings are still alive in this place. He said, "Be particular about the details. That''s aesthetics,'' my master used to say. I get it. I''ll pretend I didn''t see this. Estella waved her hands in the air with an expression of exhaustion. ''But if you keep doing this, one day you''ll catch the attention of the lords and the guards will move in. The lords of the districts have their own vigilante groups to protect the safety of the districts they govern. It is said that there are guards in the forty-two districts who protect the lords, the residents and the security. It would be like the police in Japan. ''In that case, the excuse that they''re not alike won''t work. The aristocrats'' statements can be twisted into trivial truths. ''They''re the ones who should be judged by the Spirit God. ''I''m trying to warn you that you won''t be able to stay here if you keep talking like that. ''...... Okay. I''ll keep that in mind. I''ll be careful from now on.'' Apparently, it''s better to shut down ''Operation My Emblem''. I worked so hard to carve it. ''Anyway, your behavior is too outlandish. You''d better pull yourself together. Inserting the stamped paper into my breast pocket, Estella continued. ''If you disappear, Jeannette will be very sad. I looked at Jeannette and ...... She smiled softly. --I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... It''s only been three days since we met. I''m sure he would say that to anyone. Anyone who has had even the slightest conversation with him will feel lonely when he is gone. So there''s no need for me to feel anything about it. I''ll just stay here for a while longer at ....... I have nowhere else to go. I don''t even know the city yet. ''......All right. So that''s what I said for now. 12-Episode 10 Testing to Genet The day began with a donation to the church, followed by a meeting with Bertina and Estella, a clash between Mormat and the guild, a confrontation with Assunto, and then a mending of chairs and desks in a deserted diner, and a promise to pay Gusuya for his overdue bill. After such an eventful day, a new morning is upon us. ...... Just like yesterday, Ginette began her activities before the sun had even risen, and I was awakened by her delicious smell. Then, like yesterday, I go down to the courtyard, which is still dark. ...... As yesterday, I saw a large white cloth stretched out in the courtyard - the entrance to Peachland. I heard a long time ago that fishermen who left the Peachland could never reach it again, but ...... I did. Now I''m in Peachland again! The treasure I got yesterday was confiscated by Ginette. Today I''m going to get it, the treasure. No, ...... Happiness! Hmm? As I was about to pass through the gate to Peachland, I noticed a warning sign that wasn''t there yesterday. There was a rather large piece of paper taped to a cloth. On it was written. You are not allowed to enter. If you enter, a high voltage current will flow. ...... Huh. Jeannette. If you''re going to tell a lie, tell a better one. High-voltage current? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Ha-ha-ha! That''s a funny joke. I''ll give you the Best Unique Award. Now, Jeannette, remember this. We treasure hunters, we thrive on traps. Because we know the treasure we seek is out there! You can''t threaten me like this! I find it rather amusing! Let''s go!To the Paradise of Hope! Without hesitation, I rolled up the white cloth. At that moment, a violent electric current flowed through my body. ''Ababa-baba-baba! A tremendous shock ran through my fingertips and down my whiskers and toes. A coldness ran through my veins as if ice had been thrown into them, followed by a burning heat that spread. My nerves became stupid, and my limbs started to move strangely regardless of my will. Finally, I couldn''t stand, and I fell to the ground, my whole body twitching and twitching. ''Yashiro-san! Hearing the roar, Jeannette came out of the kitchen and into the courtyard. ''I wrote that it''s dangerous, but why are you touching it? ''...... So,............ there ...... is a dream... ...there is,..................ra''? ''No, there isn''t!The only thing on the other side of this is the laundry. In addition, all I washed today were rags and towels. ''Pa,pants ...... is ......? ''How can there be that many things to wash every day? If you ask me, yesterday''s pants were washed in bulk. In other words, that dream scene only happens once a month. ...... Ginette, who had spent most of the day preparing the food, probably hadn''t gotten around to doing the laundry and had let the dishes pile up. So this is a ...... trap?Is it a trap? ''...... tricked ............ into ......... ''.........deceived.........deceived......'' ''Oh, you know, Estella-san told me to write this down and put it up on the ...... website, and then she told me to set up this machine ......... ...'' Ginette shows him a black box the size of the palm of her hand. It has a memory and a dial switch, and two obviously suspicious cords running through it. Was this what Estella had given Jeannette yesterday? ...... That woman ...... made an unnecessary ............ and why is technology only being used for this... ... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. I trusted Yashiro and installed it thinking that it would never get caught. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... A man has his own world. ............ If I were to use an analogy, it would be ...... a shooting star running across the sky. It''s a single shooting star that runs ...... through the sky.'' ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but it says it''s dangerous. Then you shouldn''t open it.'' ''......I thought it was a lie. ............'' ''I don''t tell lies. ''I wanted to think you were lying. ......'' I can''t. The pain is weakening my heart. ...... I''m crying. It''s a boy. Jeannette steadied me and carried me to the dining room. She places me in a stable chair and cares for me with great care. ...... I knew the lore was right. ............ I never made it, Peachland. ''''......Shit, shit, shit.'''' ''Mr. Yashiro, does it still hurt?If there is anything I can do, please let me know. ''Then give me your pants. ''That''s impossible! With a red face, Jeannette retreated to the kitchen. I lay down on the desk and wept bitterly. Today I abandoned all my duties and swore to be faithful to sleep. ''See?I told you so, didn''t I? Estella arrived just before noon and said to Ginette with a proud look on her face. ''But I still feel a little sorry for you ......''. ''It''s okay, it''s okay. This is a good medicine. See, that''s the thing. "You have to tell them they''re doing something wrong. That''s what he said himself, right?'' ''That''s true, but ......''. Ginette looks at me with apologetic eyes as I plop down at my desk. ...... Hmm. I''m too tired to even look at her. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''What the hell?Then how am I supposed to sneak in? ''Um, ......, please don''t sneak in .......'' d*mn it! We''re under the same roof! I was thinking of casually sneaking in at night when we get to know each other a little better! But only casually! I put a curse in my gaze and sent it to Estella. I send a curse to Estella with my gaze, but Estella simply ignores it and talks to Jeannette. ''By the way, didn''t you like Imakawayaki, Ginette? ''Yes, I do. It''s my favorite. ''Imagawa-yaki! ''You have Imagawa-yaki?'' ''Yes. It''s sweet and very tasty. ...... I love it.'' Well, since there seems to be wheat and red beans, it''s not surprising that such a dish has been developed. ...... But the name Imagawa-yaki is also ............ Oh, I see. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Actually, I brought it for Jeannette-chan. ''What?Is ...... okay?'' ''Yeah. I''ll be treating you to lunch for the next week. It''s the least I can do. ''But that''s the reward for opening the Garbage Collection Guild .......'' ''It''s Yashiro who benefits from the guild''s establishment, right?But it''s Ginette who cooks for us. When I think about it, I feel like Yashiro is the sole winner. So, here''s a present for you, Ginette. ''...... means you don''t have one for me?'' ''Cause I don''t see any reason for me to give you a gift.'' ...... this guy. That''s not a good idea. It''s bullying. She''s such a b*tc*. ''But ......''. ''I''d be happy to take it.'' ''Oh, ......, "accept my kindness" ............, right? Yes, sir. I''d be happy to take it.'' ''That''s what I''m talking about! Ginette took the paper bag from Estella and bowed deeply. Assuming that the contents are the same as the Imagawa-yaki I know, there''s only one ............ in there. That bulge. I wonder why the people of the 42nd district are so sullen. ...... If you''re looking for souvenirs, bring enough so that you can say ''please bring some with you''. ''Then we''ll have them after the meal. Then Ginette put the paper bag of Imagawa-yaki next to me. ''Don''t steal it, okay? ''Don''t talk to me like I''m a bad person. Like you''re a bad person.'' ''A crook, but . ''So, Miss Estella. What can I get for you?'' ''Let''s see, ......, anything you''d like, Ginette, I''ll take your recommendation.'' ''Yes, ma''am. We have a new menu that started today, so I''ll bring it to you! With that, Jeannette walked into the kitchen. So. Estella came to ask for lunch. She came to ask for a free lunch, patronizing me for a small thing. Hyena. The devil. Flabby! ''What''s with the defiant look in your eyes?You got what you deserved, didn''t you?'' ''It''s hardest to get injured for something that isn''t even treasure. ...... Why would I get into this mess for a rag? It''s a good idea to get rid of your evil thoughts. ''If you take away my evil heart, what''s left? ''......, don''t you feel sad for yourself when you say that? Hmm. You have no idea. You don''t know how many dreams and hopes a pure-hearted boy can find in that little piece of cloth. How enthralled they are. ''Well, if you''ve learned your lesson, you won''t have to think about anything nasty anymore, will you? Estella looks into my face. Oh, God, that''s disgusting. I turn away and push Estella out of my line of sight. ''Get out of my sight. You''re an eyesore. ''That''s a terrible thing to say. ''Don''t talk. It''s deafening. ''Cut it out! As I said this coldly, Estella must have been annoyed by it, because she started ruffling my hair. ''Yeah, don''t touch me!It''s the texture! ''No, that''s not right, is it? Oh, man. You''re playing with a broken man. Why don''t you just go home? ''Thank you for waiting~'' Ginette brings in the food on a tray. ''Huh?There''s so much here. Estella rolls her eyes at the contents. On the tray were stir-fried scraggly vegetables, boiled potatoes, rice balls and bowls of millet rice. ''Are you sure you want this much? ''Yes. It''s the ''daily set meal'' designed by Mr. Yashiro! ''Oh, ...... daily special.'' ''With all this, the price is very reasonable. ''By the way, how much is it? ''It''s 25Rb! Stir-fried scraggly vegetables for 20Rb. You can see how good a deal this is. Not to mention the taste, the quantity and the price are perfect. When Estella heard the price, she looked at me. ''So?What''s the reason for the low price? ''That''s a trade secret. ''Stingy. ''That''s a compliment to me, that''s''. ''Totally. ............'' Estella stared at the food on the tray and pondered. ''Set meal of the day...... ''Day by day'' ......, in other words, by not stating what will be served, we can use the excess ingredients at the time.'' ''Great!That''s a good answer!'''' Jeannette admitted easily. I told you it was a trade secret. Nevertheless, Estella''s reading was mostly correct. Well, it was a simple matter of combining the leftover food to donate to the church with the food they had purchased in bulk and offering it at a discount. We don''t even have enough customers. It is better to use the food as a dish than to leave it as a surplus. It is better to use them for cooking than to use them as surplus food. It is better if the customers go to the menu which is a little more expensive than usual because of the bargain. If you can increase the price per customer by using ingredients that would otherwise have to be disposed of, that is a great profit. Since we are planning to buy vegetables in bulk from nearby farmers, including Mo-Mat, we will be able to continue serving the same amount of set meals. The difference from Ginette''s idea of "Let''s increase the quantity! What''s different from Ginette''s idea of ''let''s increase the quantity'' is the idea of ''disposing of the store''s inventory'' instead of ''increasing the quantity served to customers. ''So, what''s the black one over here? ''The black one,'' Estella pointed to a rice ball made of millet. ''I don''t like the idea of a black one. Call it azuki-bean. ''This is "rice". Ginette, it''s ''rice''. We don''t serve it in rice form. I rummaged through the pantry and found a large supply of rice. It seems that bread is the main food in this city and rice is rarely eaten. ...... What a waste. There are some wards where rice is a staple food, but it seems to be almost unknown in the forty-two wards. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website to see if you can find any useful information. ...... Oh, what a waste. ......, but the aroma was not good. It seemed a little hard to eat as white rice. This is where minor grains come in. Among the grains in the pantry, such as beans and wheat, I selected those with a good aroma and sweetness and cooked them together with rice. The taste of this rice is a few steps lower than that of Japanese ten-grain rice, but it is still edible. The red beans added to the rice gave it a faint color and made it look vivid. Above all, compared to that blunt black bread, this is definitely better! What is that hard bread? I wouldn''t be surprised if it appeared as a murder weapon in a two-hour suspense. I''m not surprised if it appears as the murder weapon in a two-hour suspense film. 25Rb for something like that is a scam on ....... ''It''s a strange scent. ''One of these days, I''ll sign a contract with a rice farmer to provide you with white rice.'' ''White rice?Is it good? ''Freshly cooked rice is the truth of the world. From the moment I learned that white rice existed and was available for consumption, my heart was captivated by it. I will definitely get it. I''m going to get it, and I''m going to devour that freshly cooked rice! Ginette''s food is delicious, but I can''t give up the taste of home. ''Hmm!It''s delicious! Estella''s eyes rolled back in her head as she took a bite of the original rice cereal. Her cheeks are glistening, and she is chewing hard. ''The more you chew, the sweeter it gets. ...... Yeah, the aroma isn''t bad either. ''Don''t talk while eating. That''s why poor people are ......'' ''Ugh. ...... I''m sorry I''m poor.'' For some reason, the sarcasm she had uttered to Estella seemed to have stuck in Jeannette''s mind, and she shrugged her shoulders and hung her head. ''Don''t tease me. ''It''s not my fault. That''s what I call Jeannette''s paranoia. But he''s ...... making me the bad guy for everything. ''Go home after you''ve eaten. ''Don''t treat me so badly, will you?I''m sure the restaurant is happy to have customers every day.'' ''Those who don''t pay are not customers. ''Then how about you, instead of a diner?Wouldn''t it be nice to see my face every day?'' Estella makes a gesture of ruffling her hair and makes a ''shina''. ...... What a gag, that is. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Estella slammed the arm that had been brushing her hair up against the desk. The tableware clanks . ''E, Estella, please calm down. ''''Poke my tits''''? ''Calm down''!Yashiro-san, please shut up for a minute! I got angry. I didn''t do anything wrong. ''Um, Estella-san. There''s no point in worrying too much about your physical condition. It doesn''t matter which one you are, everyone is unique in their own way, for better or worse. ''But ...... I''d go a little bigger ...... if I could.'' ''You don''t have to think about that. Besides, there''s nothing good about having big breasts, right? ''''There''s nothing good about it! ''''Why, even Yashiro-san! My voice and Estella''s were in sync. I never thought I''d see the day when I''d be able to agree with this guy. ...... I don''t like to admit it, but maybe we''re just like each other. I put out my right hand. A comrade''s handshake. ''I refuse! But Estella seems to have bent her navel. She roughly throws some stir-fried scraps of vegetables into her mouth and wriggles her puffy cheeks. If I say a really funny gag now, it will be great. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... However, Estella, who sensed what was going on, glared at me with a terrible expression. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''So, how are the negotiations with the other farmers and fishermen going? ''I don''t see how they could have progressed yesterday. ''You''re late. Speed is everything in business negotiations. Well, you have a point. But in my case, speed is of the essence when it comes to making money. ''Jeannette doesn''t have much time to move. ''Why don''t you go alone? ''There''s no way anyone would listen to a complete stranger come in out of the blue and tell them to sell their products without going through the guild. ''Well, that''s true. In that aspect, Jeannette is very useful. In addition to being harmless to humans, Jeannette has the ability to unconditionally arouse the protective desires of others, and she is extremely popular among her neighbors. There is no way not to take advantage of this. So I''m thinking of taking a break from the cafeteria as soon as possible and going around to the producers. However, it''s not something that can be visited in a day or two. ...... It''s a difficult task. ''If you want to go somewhere, I can help you. ''Are you trying to get a free meal again? ''Fine. As long as it gets you some reassuring help.'' That''s reassuring, isn''t it, ......? Well, if it''s hard to ask Jeannette, you can ask Estella. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. In a way, she has the same ''cold-bloodedness'' as me. ''Well, let''s all go ask for help. Ginette clapped her hands and smiled happily. Apparently, she thought it was some kind of fun event. ...... I think Estella might be there after all. ''After all, I think I''ll leave Jeannette behind. ......'' ''Why not?I''ll do my best, please! That''s what I''m worried about. ''Because you''re easily fooled and embrace disadvantage. ''That''s not true, sir. I''m still a cautious person. ...... Are you serious? ''Then I''ll give you a test now.'' ''Test, sir? I picked up one of the rice balls of millet from the tray of the daily set meal. ''Hey!That''s for me! ''Don''t be stingy!I''m just going to eat it! ''It''s not stingy to stop it! ''It''s not like it''s going to decrease ......'' ''It will!It''ll disappear for sure! ''I can''t help it: ......'' I give up on the rice cereal and reach for the paper bag of Imagawa-yaki. ''Here''s your favorite Imagawa-yaki. ''Yes.'' I pull it out of the bag and see that it is indeed ...... Imagawa-yaki. It''s the circular Imagawa-yaki that I know so well. ''Let''s share half of this with me now. ''Half and half? ''Yes. But you love Imagawa-yaki, don''t you? ''Yes. ''You want to eat a lot if you can, right? ''Yes. ...... I know it''s mean, but I want to eat a lot.'' ''But I''m going to stop you from doing that! ''What?Why not? ''Here''s a test.'' I looked at Jeannette and slowly explained the rules. ''Your objective is to eat more than I do. Is that clear?'' ''More than Mr. Yashiro. ............ Yes. I understand.'' Jeannette nodded and braced herself. No, no, no. We''re not fighting over it. ''I''ll split it in half and you can choose which one I''ll eat. Is that okay?'' ''Yes.'' ''............ are you sure?'' ''Huh?...... Oh, so you can only eat the same amount! Does he think he can eat the same amount? ''Do you have any advice? Estella, unable to see how bad Jeannette was, interrupted him. Well, at least some advice would be nice. When I prompted her, Estella took a rice ball of millet from the tray and broke it in half. The rice ball split into a large lump and a small lump. ''You can still say half of this, right? ''Ah! Jeannette stared at the rice ball of millet as if scales had fallen from her eyes. ''So that''s what you''re saying. ...... I almost took a loss, didn''t I? ''If it continues like this...'' I''m not sure what to make of that, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The difference between the two of them is endlessly large. ''And that''s why, Yashiro-san. I can''t accept that idea. Thinking it was a test, Ginette told me in a firm tone. If he is sure that the other person will not be hurt, he can speak his mind clearly. Why can''t he just keep doing that? ''Well, I''ll split it in half and hand you the one you choose. How about this?'' Hearing the next idea, Jeannette immediately looked at Estella. ...... Think for yourself. Estella drops her gaze to the rice cereal and wrinkles deeply between her eyes. If you divide it into two parts and there is a difference in size, ...... the ginette can choose which one to take, ............ the ginette can eat more. That''s the answer he must have come up with. In fact, it seems to be the only way to get there. But apparently that doesn''t feel right. ...... The wrinkles between Estella''s eyebrows are getting deeper and deeper. ''Now, what do we do? ''Eh, uh, ......! Ginette begins to panic, staring at me and Estella alternately. ''Remaining,ten seconds: ......'' ''What!What? ''Nine...... eight...... seven......'' ''Oh, uh, um, ......'' ''Six......Five......Four......Three......'' ''Ahh!No, it''s fine!That''s fine! ''Two............ I see. Well, let''s see the results.'' Ginette holds her chest, as if the countdown hurt her heart. ...... Wow, that''s a lot of sinking. ...... ''Could it be you ......?'' When I was paying attention to Ginette''s right hand as it sank into her boob ......, or rather her boob as it engulfed her right hand, Estella was staring at me and talking to me. I''ll show you a trick. With a look like that. ''Aren''t you trying to neatly divide the food in half so that we can''t tell who ate more? ''It''s weird how things aren''t black and white, isn''t it? ''Well then, ............ ah!Oh, right! Estella''s face twisted in frustration as she seemed to come up with something. ''The victory condition given to Ginette-chan is to eat more than Yashiro. ...... If it''s the exact same amount, it doesn''t mean you''ve eaten more! ''Oh!That''s true! At Estella''s words, Jeannette''s expression twisted. I see. That''s an interesting idea. That''s one way to look at it. But it''s not. I''m going to make it even easier for you to see how gullible Jeannette is. ''Then we''ll cut it in half.'' I said lightly, and split the Imagawa-yaki in two. ...... The result. ''Huh? ''Huh?'' Estella and Jeannette both shouted. There was clearly a difference in the size of the two pieces of Imagawa-yaki that I divided. The one on the right was about half a bite bigger than the one on the left. ''Ha-ha-ha!You messed up, Yashiro. I''m sure I can beat you at this. Estella and Ginette are laughing hysterically. Confident of victory, Ginette points to the larger one on the right. ''Then, please take this one. Immediately after hearing those words, I bite into the larger one, the Imagawa-yaki, with all my might. ''What? And after taking a bite, I handed the smaller one on the right side to Jeannette. ''You''ve ...... eaten ............ it, haven''t you? And then he took a bite of the one that was left in his hand. Yeah. Sweet! It''s delicious, isn''t it, Imagawa-yaki. ''Ah~......I loved Imagawa-yaki... ......'' Nothing left. All that was left in Jeannette''s hand was a small piece of Imagawa-yaki to bite into. I just let Jeannette choose which one to give to me. I never said I would not tamper with it. ''See?You''re gullible.'' ''............Uh............Yes.'' Jeannette stared with tears in her eyes at the small fragment that remained in her hand. She must really like it. She looks very sad. But he''ll have to take this kind of damage to feel it deeply. Good medicine. ''Ginette. I''ll give it to you again. Okay?Don''t cry.'' ''............ No. I brought this on myself. ......'' Ginette seemed to reflect on her own stupidity. Good. Good. That''s fine. ''I mean, Yashiro!There''s no way you could''ve won, no matter how you tried! Estella seemed annoyed that Jeannette was half-crying. She directs her misplaced anger at me. ''There was a way to win. The simplest, most straightforward way.'' ''What was I supposed to do? To Estella and Jeannette, who don''t understand, I''ll tell them a very simple solution. ''''You could have eaten a whole one if you said, ''I refuse this test.'''''' ''''Ah ......'''' Yes. Originally, this Imakawayaki belonged to Jeannette. As long as I didn''t let her use it for testing, she could naturally eat more than me. ''If you think that the world is only within the field that your opponent has set, your whole world will be turned upside down. Estella and Jeannette fell silent as they listened to my grateful lecture. All that was left was an unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth. Let''s go eat it fresh next time. The only thing that remained was the luscious sweetness that made me think that. 13-Episode 11 Dining Character ''What this store lacks. That''s character.'' One morning. After returning to the store after making a donation to the church, I sat in the store and talked about my theory. The people here are Jeannette, who was preparing to open the store, and Estella, who has recently started to follow me to the store after having breakfast at the church. The payment of the price to Estella - a week''s lunch for the labor involved in opening the Garbage Collection Guild - has been completed. So why do you keep coming here every day? ...... Well, as long as you don''t bother me. I''m not sure if you''re referring to ''dignity'' or ''class''. It was Estella who reacted to my words. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... You can''t rely on me, shopkeeper. It''s not just about dignity. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a few. In short, we need to raise the grade of the restaurant. This is the answer I came up with after watching the business of the restaurant for a few days. ''If it''s okay to have it, does that mean it''s okay not to have it? ''You can do business without it. Even the lowest common den like this one has the right to operate. Ginette asked, ''Didn''t he just say something terrible? I can''t be sure. But she''s not sure and doesn''t say anything. Today, too, he stinks. ''So, when you raise your ''rank'', what does it change? Estella''s tone sounded somewhat amused. She''s trying to test me, isn''t she? ''The higher the rank, the better the quality of the customers. ''You think the rich will come in droves? ''No. Only the poor will come to this rundown diner in a corner of the 42nd district, where it''s a wonder it''s still standing.'''' Jeannette said, ''Huh, huh!I''m sure that''s a terrible thing to say, isn''t it? But she didn''t seem to be able to confirm it and didn''t say anything. This guy''s stench is divine. ''Well, then, what''s the point of raising the ''rating''?In terms of clientele and income, it''s all about maintaining the status quo, right? ''Well, it may not have an immediate impact, but it will definitely be beneficial in the medium to long term. ''Heh, ......, what exactly?'' ''The quality of the customers will improve.'' ''So ...... you''re talking in a loop?'' Estella looks at me quizzically. ''It''s not a loop. You just don''t get it.'' ''The clientele is going to stay the same and only poor people will come, right?'' ''Oh, only poor people come here. Because the store smells poor. Where it smells like poverty, only people who smell like poverty will come. It''s a poor man''s festival. Jeannette said, ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!That was definitely a terrible thing to say, wasn''t it? But she wasn''t sure and didn''t say anything. Shall I worship him as a stinky god?Shall I make a hollow? ''If that''s the case, the quality of the customers hasn''t improved. As if slightly annoyed, Estella intensified her tone. That''s why this guy doesn''t understand. ''The quality of the poor is getting better. ''What about ......?'' Poor people do poor things with poor faces because the atmosphere there is conducive to it. For example, let''s say you gather a hundred poor people and throw them a buffet party. What would happen?Probably, a scramble would begin. They would crowd around the food, pushing away anyone who got in their way, and some might even try to take the food home in Tupperware, or pick it up and eat it without caring if it had fallen. This is because everyone around them is poor and the environment allows it. Then, what if all the people at the party are aristocrats and rich?What happens if you throw one poor person into the mix? ...... The poor person will shrink from the atmosphere around him and become like a borrowed cat. And they would feel embarrassed when they look back on themselves as being out of place. ''Was it right to wear such clothes? In the first place, why am I here on ......? It is hard to describe how uncomfortable and unsettling it is to be in a place where you are clearly the lower class and you are the minority. High-end hotels and first-class inns cut off their clientele not only by price, but also by their ''status''. ''Are you a suitable person for our restaurant? And so on. Even so, those who desperately want to go there polish themselves, make up their minds, and try to be worthy of the place even if only on the surface. That''s right, the customers make an effort to change themselves and voluntarily raise their ''quality'' and ''rank''. ''So, the quality of the customers will improve. ''Is it going to work that well? Estella, who had been silently listening to me, spat out such negative words at the beginning of her speech. Isn''t there some kind of poisonous bag around her throat? ''If it becomes uncomfortable, the customers will just stop coming, don''t you think?There are plenty of other cafeterias.'' ''That''s what a restaurant with a certain level of customer traffic would think. It''s not something that a place like this, where only tea-drinking hags and eat-outs come, can say. You have no right to say that. ''Oh, that ......! Jeannette called out to me with a face like, ''I can''t help it this time! Ginette calls out to me with a face like, ''I can''t help it this time! But when our eyes met, she said, ''...... No, it''s nothing,'' and backed off. Does the god of stink have a benefit of becoming stinky?Then let''s not visit him. ''So we''re not at the stage where we have to go on the defensive for fear of losing customers, are we? ''Well, yes.'' Estella seemed to finally understand. She looks as if a blockage in the back of her throat has been removed. No, I think she looks like she''s still got a little bone stuck in her body. ''What would you do if a new customer came in and all you saw in the store was a bunch of riffraff without a shred of respectability? ''If it were me, I''d never go back to that store again. That''s what I''m talking about. There is no point in trying to attract more customers if you don''t strengthen the ground before you start. It''s like building a skyscraper without laying the foundation. It is ''stupidity,'' the most abominable sin of mankind. One should not be ''stupid''. One must be clever. ''I think I understand what you''re saying. ''That''s good. I don''t think the owner understands any of this. ''No, that''s not true! Ginette enters the conversation in a panic. ''So, you''re saying that I should raise my rank, right? ''Is that your limit? ''Ginette, there''s no need to push yourself. ''Ahhh ......, your kindness hurts me ......''. Estella pats the depressed Jeannette''s head as if to comfort her. It is impossible to ask Ginette for ''dignity'' or ''style''. The ''dignity'' that she tries to put on will soon come out and collapse. It is acceptable for customers to be pretentious, but it is no good for those who accept them. Especially when a superior guest arrives, there should be no such thing as a rag. That is why it is important to "raise your rank as much as possible while not overdoing it. I''m not trying to turn the Sunken Pavilion into a first-class restaurant. I''m not that reckless. ''Well, that''s the point. I''m just saying that I''m going to raise the status of this restaurant, which is equally buried and below the bottom of the pile, just a little bit, and make it presentable to the point where it doesn''t look like a full-fledged restaurant. ''It''s terrible, Yashiro-san! Jeannette has a look of accomplishment on her face as if to say, ''Oh, I finally said it. It''s nice that his goal is so low. He seems to be enjoying life. ''So, do you have any concrete ideas? ''I wouldn''t be talking about this if I didn''t. I have a secret plan. I mean, it''s very royal, and it''s commonplace in Japan. ''''I made a uniform. ''''Uniform?'''' Ginette and Estella both nodded their heads. ''''In order to raise the rank and improve the quality of customers, we need to draw the visitors to our intentions. In other words, you need to be able to control people''s minds. You need to instill in them a sense of ''I must do this'' and ''I must not do that'' while they are in the store. In order to do this, you need to have a grip on the other person''s mind. If you can make them think in their subconscious mind, "Oh, I can''t go against this guy," then your intentions will go through easily. The quickest way to win people''s hearts is to ''wear authority''. People are vulnerable to uniforms. The uniform of a security guard gives a sense of intimidation, even if the guard is a student worker. Even if a passer-by says, ''Don''t park your bicycle there,'' you may think, ''What?Shut up! But if it''s a security guard, you can say ''Yes, sir. But if you were dealing with a security guard, you would say, ''Yes. The only difference between them is whether they are wearing uniforms or not, and their authority is greatly influenced by what they wear. ''So, here it is! I take out an apron dress from the large bag I made for myself. ''Wow! Ginette''s eyes sparkled as soon as she saw it. She stares intently at the apron dress, letting out a ''wow'' or a ''hoo'' or some such airless sound. ''Did you make this, Yashiro-san? ''Oh, yes. Didn''t I get some cloth from the storage room before?With that.'' ''Great!It''s amazing!I can''t believe that old cloth turned into something so pretty! It seemed that it was common for people in this world to make their own clothes, and sewing tools and cloths were in good supply. The clothes that Ginette always wears are also of a quality that can be seen as homemade. Well, maybe buying clothes is a luxury for people in this world. There doesn''t seem to be any outlets. There were used clothes, but they were expensive. So I got some leftover cloth and worked hard at night to make an apron dress. ''Beautiful sewing, just like a professional. ............ Did you really make that? ''I''ll take that look of admiration as admiration for a liar. Estella picked up the apron dress and let out a sigh of admiration for her sewing skills. I can''t believe it was made by an amateur. I''d say it''s just as good as the blazer I was wearing. In other words, as long as you wear this, you can make people think, ''This store is high grade! That is to say, as long as he wears it, he can make people think, ''This shop is high grade! After all, there were people who thought I was an aristocrat just because I wore a blazer. ''This flutter is so cute! Jeannette seemed to really like the ruffles on her shoulders. Come to think of it, many of her pants have frills. I guess he likes this kind of thing. Speaking of pants, there were some lace ones, too. If I had the time, I would have knitted him some lace, but that will have to wait. We can''t just keep doing what we''re doing. Customers are always looking for evolution. Racing is the next step. ''Mr. Yashiro is very handy, isn''t he? ''Hmm. Praise him more. After all, we used to make all kinds of brand-name ''grasshopper things'' by hand. We can make clothes, bags, and even shoes. It was really hard to master ...... shoes. Watches were hard, too. By the way, I made my own bag. It''s a very "useful" bag with various pockets here and there. Specifically, I can hide shoplifted goods in pockets that are hard to be found and say, ''Where did you hide them?Look in my bag! You can use it for things like that. However, in Judgment of the Spirits, if someone asks, ''Did you steal it? You''re out of luck. ''Hey!Can I try this on right away? ''Yes. It''ll attract more customers, so wear it. ''Yes! ''Oh, wait a minute. I stopped Jeannette from putting on the apron over her regular clothes, and took out another piece of clothing. ''Put this one on under the apron. ''You have another dress?Wow, ...... beautiful color.'' As a renowned perfectionist, there was no way I would end up with just an apron dress. Of course, I''ve already made a dress to wear underneath it. In order to make the most of Ginette''s bright and bubbly image, I''ll have her wear a light pink dress that isn''t too flashy and a pure white apron dress. ''Separate the public from the private, and try to behave professionally when you are wearing it. By doing so, the customer and the store will naturally rise in rank. ''Professional ............ Yes!Yes, I understand! Ginette''s expression turns serious. The expression that had been cackling with delight at her cuteness changed to that of a professional. ''I''ll go put it on then! Hugging her dress and apron dress tightly, Jeannette disappeared over the counter into the back of the store. ''Can I help you? I wanted to offer to help, but ...... Estella was staring at me with a scary look, so I decided not to. ...... Can you please stop anticipating my actions and restraining me? ''You''ve been unusually serious in your planning. What do you mean ''unusually''? I''m always serious. ''I''m saying that the direction of that ''seriousness'' is the problem, isn''t it? You''re hitting me where it hurts. I can''t argue with that. ''But if you can make clothes like that, I''d like to ask you too. ''How much do you want to pay? ''Are you talking about money right away? ''Did you think you''d get a free gift? ''I''m pretty sure you''re not the only one. You know exactly what I mean. ''But I''ll make it for you if you pay me enough for the materials and labor. ''You''ll get ripped off. ''No. We''re in a time of needing money. I''m not going to rip you off until we''ve got a little more ground to cover. We need to win their trust first.'' ''...... I''ll have to keep a close eye on them to make sure they don''t do that. Let it shine on its own. I''ll do well to avoid the light. Either way, scamming is a business of sneaking around in the shadows. ''But if you want a fair price, I might consider it. Can I have a say in the design? ''I''ll listen to your requests to a certain extent. However, the more requests you make, the higher the price will be. ''That''s natural, isn''t it? But what I''m trying to say is ''easy to move'' or ''durable'' or something like that. Oh, and the color, I guess. ''If you tell me first, I can handle it. ''I see. ...... Hmmm, what should I do. ......'' Estella began to seriously worry about placing an order. I''m not sure what his financial situation is, but I have a feeling he has some money. Her clothes should be neat. Her hair is well groomed. He takes a bath every day and does not smell. In addition, she seems to be able to afford to bring back Imagawa-yaki as a souvenir, and may actually be the daughter of a great nobleman. ............. There is no way that the daughter of a great nobleman would come to a church where orphans gather to collect breakfast. It''s not a matter of economics, it''s a matter of face to face. In short, the family would say, ''Don''t do anything disgraceful. But, as I said before, since he dares to call himself ''I'', he must be a rich man with a certain amount of money. That is to say, he has enough money to be willing to order custom-made clothes. If so, it would be more profitable for him to make clothes seriously. I don''t intend to become a clothes shop, but I welcome repeat customers who drop money regularly. Oh, you mean... ''Let me take your measurements. ''Huh? A face like Hannya''s stares at me. No,......, not in an erotic way,....... I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. If it''s good, you might get orders for two or three more. ''...... Maybe, Ginette-chan''s size is also ......?'' ''Oh. I measured you.'' ''What the hell are you doing? ''It''s for the store,'' I said, and he let me measure him, though he was very shy. ...... Well, it was amazing. ''It was an I cup. ''Oh, ............? Estella was counting the minutes. Then she slumped her shoulders with a look of despair. It seemed too shocking. ...... I wonder how the alphabet is translated? I''m not sure if I''m getting my meaning across properly. ''You can''t make your clothes the same size as Jeannette''s, can you? ''...... I can only interpret that as a new kind of bullying.'' It''s too tight around the chest. It''s not something you can wear. ''You can put a little something in there. ''I don''t want to! It might be handy for carrying a watermelon or something. ...... ''You can use free size clothes.'' ''If that''s the case, what''s the point of having custom-made clothes? ''...... size, I don''t want to say.'' ''What''s the point now. I''m sure you''re an A-cup anyway, right?You know what you''re doing. ...... Your eyes are so scary! I thought I was going to be shot just by looking at me. ''You can either take back what you said or start your life over. I''m already in the middle of starting my life over, and you''re not asking me to do it all over again. Next time, I''m sure I''ll start over at age six. ...... That''s too much trouble. ''Okay, I stand corrected.'' I say, and Estella gives me a disapproving but satisfied look. ''It''s only an A cup, isn''t it? ''What are you correcting me about? ''No matter how it turns out, it''s still an A cup, right? ''You''re a malicious man, aren''t you? I crossed my arms and turned away. You may think that you''re hiding your breasts from me, but if you turn your head to the side, the unevenness of your breasts will be emphasized. Without realizing it, Estella puffed out her cheeks as if she was offended. ''Oh, B cups. ''There''s no such thing as a cup number on your cheeks!And I don''t want to lose to your cheeks! That''s like confessing that you''re an A-cup, right? He seems to be vulnerable to a leading question. All right, let''s try a guide-interrogation. ''Oh, by the way, what cup are you? ''Is this some kind of leading question, then? ''I''m suddenly curious. Tell me! ''Even if you wanted to ask, you could''ve said something more! You''re a stubborn one! But I have a secret trick up my sleeve! ''''The Judgment of the Spirits! ''''Huh? Estella''s body was enveloped in a faint glow. ''Come on, you can''t lie to me now!Now tell me, what cup are you in? ''..................'' Looking at me with a scornful gaze, Estella kept her mouth shut. Eventually, the pale glow faded away like melting. ''Is it possible to keep silent? ''There''s no problem as long as you don''t tell lies. ''Why don''t you just tell me that first! ''I don''t have anything to teach you if all you think about is misuse! You, Estella, ......! How narrow-minded you are! You''re a very unhappy fellow, indeed! ''Oh, uh, .......'' While we were making such a fuss, Ginette returned to the dining room. But she crouched down behind the counter as if to hide, and peeked at us with only her face showing. ''At least I wore it,.............'' ''What the hell are you doing?Come here.'' ''No, no...... that''s the thing............ Mr. Yashiro, are these clothes the right size?'' ''Oh!It''s an I cup! ''Please don''t say that out loud! ''...... (I-cup)'' ''Please don''t whisper! You''re so selfish. ''What''s the matter, little Jeannette? You looked so happy. Isn''t it possible that Yashiro''s been playing a trick on you again?I''ve heard that it dissolves when it gets wet and that it''s very scary! ''I wouldn''t choose something like that for a store uniform! I''ve already told you it''s a uniform for a prosperous business. I don''t intend to make the store obscene, and if I did, Jeannette wouldn''t be able to do it. To work in such a store, you need to be a girl who is immune to such things. Specifically, the mind can''t take it. There are different types of girls for different jobs. They''re professionals, you know. ''It''s the right size, there''s nothing wrong with it, is there? ''Oh, I see. ...... So, this is the right answer then?'' Jeannette double-checked her outfit behind the counter. Then, with a ''...... good'', she stood up briskly. ''Oh, .......'' An exclamation of admiration escaped me. You look even better than I imagined. The modest peach-colored one-piece dress is cute and bright at the same time, and the pure white apron dress on top of it gives a neat impression. The hem of the skirt spreads fluffily, and the frills on the shoulders and the hem of the apron sway every time you move, attracting your gaze. Well, in short, it is a uniform like a maid cafe. The bust of the dress has been sewn in a three-dimensional way with darts so that Jeannette''s big breasts can be seen beautifully. The apron dress is designed to gently support her breasts and emphasize them. At first glance, you may want to shout, ''Big tits day! I''m proud of this perfect design. And the length of the skirt is 15cm above the knee! I guess that''s what they meant when they talked about the size. But this is normal for high school girls in Japan. Don''t worry about it, don''t worry about it. I''m having a lot of fun! ''Oh, um, what do you think of ......? ''I like it!It''s cute!It''s great! ''Is it true!...... I''m so glad. Ginette breathed a sigh of relief as she received the acceptance sign from me, though she was still embarrassed. Well, you''ll get used to it. ''Hmm ......, you sure are cute.'' Estella is staring at Jeannette. The sharpness of her gaze makes Jeannette sag a little. ''It''s cute ......, but ............''. That sharp gaze turns on you. ''Yashiro...... that was a speech to justify this outfit, wasn''t it?'' Ugh,............, he sees right through me. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Take advantage of everything you can!It''s a very natural thing for a businessman to do, isn''t it! So, make use of your boobs! That''s what I call "active boobs"! It will definitely be a hot topic! And the number of male customers will increase! More importantly, I''ll have fun every day! It''s all good! ''...... I understand well. In the end, Yashiro is Yashiro. You''ve got some serious shit to do! That''s a good point. ''But it''s also true that those "bad things" have consequences. You saw this uniform and thought it was cute, didn''t you?Making customers want to come back is the most important thing for a customer business like a restaurant. ''...... I can''t argue with you on that, but ............ are you okay with this, Ginette-chan?'' ''Huh?'' Ginette wavered at the sudden turn of events. But she clenched her fists and said with strong will in her eyes. ''Yes!It''s the result of Mr. Yashiro''s serious consideration for the store. I''ll do whatever I can to help! Another risky statement: ...... What would you do if I tried to use the Judgment of the Spirits as a shield to get you to do ''anything''? I''m not sure if you''re aware of that at all ...... I''m not sure if you''re aware of this, but I''m sure you''re aware of it. ''You know what I mean, don''t you? You know that, right? Yes, I know. Trapping Jeannette isn''t going to do me any good at the moment. It''s best to just let me use her. ''Looks like I''m going to have to come here every day for a while. I don''t want any bad bugs to get into little Jeannette.'' ''I''d appreciate it if you''d do that. If you can create an atmosphere that says, ''Don''t mess with the staff here,'' it will raise this store''s ''rank'' one more notch. ''You represent the bad bugs, though. ''I''m not going to touch the product. ''Well, ...... I''m not a product, right?You''re ............, right?'' The gynoid looks at us with no confidence. ...... You''re not confident? ''Oh, yes! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ''Estella-san, why don''t you wear a matching uniform? ''......Ginette-chan............, that''s an act that falls under the category of bullying......'' ''Eh!Eh!Why is that! Ginette...... natural girl''s merciless attack is sometimes so cruel. In the same outfit, and wearing a dress designed to emphasize her breasts, she lined up a chopping board of the level of "it''s better if it''s not gouged" next to her non-standard breasts,......, and the psychological damage would be overwhelming. I think it would be better to leave her alone for a day or so. ''Jeannette. You go get ready to open the store. Leave Goure-chan alone.'''' ''Who''s the ''gouge-chan''?I''m not gutted! ''''Judgment of the Spirits! ''You really have some nerve, don''t you? I''m not going to show you. ''I''m not going to show it to you!Only you, never! ''Why not? ''Do I need to explain? You, Estella, ......! How narrow-minded you are! You are an unhappy man, indeed! Yeah, that''s enough! I''m going to open the store now! I''ve got to make some money and get my mind off this! ''Come on, Jeannette!Let''s get ready to open the store!Let''s open the Bulge Pavilion! ''It''s the sunny pavilion! And so, with a lively atmosphere, the Bulging Pavilion ......, or the Sunlit Pavilion, opened its doors again today. 14-Episode 12 Sincerity and sincerity In this world, there is a thing called the "Judgment of the Spirits". Thanks to this, it is possible to create a binding force even if the matter is not written in the contract. In other words, even if there is no deadline written in the IOU, if you say ''return by when'' and the other party says ''okay'', that becomes the deadline. If you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help from a friend. ''...... didn''t you come? One evening when Jeannette was finally getting used to wearing her apron dress and mini-skirt. I was sitting on a chair in the audience, staring at the entrance. ''Mr. Yashiro. What''s wrong? Ginette noticed me staring at the entrance and called out to me. I''m not going to say ...... that you''re talking to me while I''m working. After all, there are no customers. The apron dress that I wore was only met with praise from old lady Mum, who came to drink tea every day. It really is a store with no customers. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I think I''ll advertise ............. ''Yashiro-san?'' I was thinking and forgot to reply. The next thing I knew, Jeannette was looking right into my face. Oh, ......!Cleavage!There''s cleavage peeking out!No, it''s me who''s looking into her cleavage. ''Ginette, nice! ''What?............ Phew! Ginette noticed my gaze and jumped back. When she does, she sways with a ''pop''. Nice pointy thing, Jeannette!It''s not a trick I can calculate. I''m really glad Ginette is a natural. ''Moo, moo, moo!Mr. Yashiro!Please repent! I think there are a lot of people who need to do more penance than me. And so, my gaze once again turns to the entrance. ''He''s not coming. ''Who is it?Oh, is it Estella? There''s no need for Estella to come. What I''m waiting for is ...... ''It''s Gooziya.'' ''Oh. The carpenter. ''Yes, the eater. Ginette has a habit of trying to wrap everything up in an offhand way. But the escape would have had more impact than the carpenter. And that Goozja... He said he''d pay the 640Rb he''d eaten away. He didn''t write it in the contract, but the due date is today. The time is now evening. It''s 18:34 to be exact. That means the time limit is in a few hours. Then he''ll have broken his promise to me. I was hoping to keep it quiet. ...... Well, if he''s going to do that, then we''ll do what we have to do. I''ll do whatever it takes to find him and bring him to the judgment of the spirits. Sin must be punished. If you show any mercy here, this store will continue to be underestimated. It''s the end of the world if word gets out that you can overcharge and not get blamed. The quality of customers will never improve. If you don''t show up today, I''ll come to your workplace tomorrow and give you a ''judgment of the spirits'' in public. This is a kind of performance. It''s a very clear advertisement of what will happen to anyone who defies me. You know, there was a guy who did this. I think it was Goffredo, the strong macho guy I saw in the bar. He''s a collector, I hear, but I guess it''s the same in our world. If he licks you, it''s over. It sounds like an old delinquent cartoon, but it''s not a violent expression, it''s an essential concept in business. There is a case in which a good landlord suffered a loss of nearly four million yen when a malicious tenant overcharged him for five years. This is a case in which a business owner was "licked" by his customers. In the first place, it is not right to let the rent be overdue for five years. The owner of the business is taken advantage of by saying, "I''ll wait a little longer because I feel sorry for them. The less troubled you are, the better you pretend to be troubled, and the stronger you are, the better you cry. The ones who are never sorry are good at pretending to be sorry. They have room to act. They have room to act, which people who are truly remorseful don''t have. Furthermore, those who are drunk on their own performance and find themselves becoming the tragic hero are not remorseful at all. ''I''m the worst, aren''t I? or ''It''s all my fault! Most of them are self-absorbed, remorseless bastards. If someone says, ''Yes, it was your fault,'' you feel like a tragic hero, and if someone says, ''No, it wasn''t,'' you feel light-hearted because your sins have been forgiven. In the end, when you say ''I''m sorry'' or ''I''m sorry'' when apologizing to someone, you are only thinking about yourself. Why does he do that? That''s because he''s licking his chops. People who can''t afford to be silent. Those who have their escape routes completely blocked and have been pushed to the limit will keep their mouth shut. There is no excuse that can be made against an opponent who holds your fate in his hands. Those who are remorseful just keep quiet and leave all the rights to the other party. Well, those who misunderstand a sincere apology as a "declaration of defeat" and grow up are third-rate. As I said before, those who make a real apology are in a state of exhaustion, both physically and mentally. It''s quite damaging for a person to leave all power to the other party. If you ask a person in such a state more unreasonable problems, what will happen? ...... The person will explode. The explosion will cause tremendous damage to the person as well as to those around him. I''ve known many collectors who have destroyed themselves in this way. Well, there are many ways to explode, but ...... none of them have ended well. Reflection and apology. This is not something to be used for conflict, it is something to be done to avoid or end conflict. If you forget or misunderstand this, you will be scheming to ''gain an advantage''. Neither the one who apologizes nor the one who receives an apology should harbor such shallow feelings. There is no such thing as ''reconciliation'' when there is such a thing. Once a relationship has broken down, it can never be repaired. Even if the relationship seems to be repaired, it is definitely not the same as before. So, what I''m trying to say is this: ...... What I''m trying to say is that I''m fed up with the fact that there are scumbags in this world who don''t do anything about it. Goozuya. If you don''t show up at the store by closing time, .................. I''m going to end your life, okay? ''That ...... Yashiro-san?'' Jeannette looked into my face with an anxious expression . ''Your face is ...... scary, isn''t it?Is there a problem?'' ''No. I think I''m rather good-natured. I trusted Gooziya, who had done things that would never be trusted again. That''s crazy. You should have just gone in and collected it. ...... If you didn''t have the money, there were other ways. Why didn''t they do that? ...... You may have been unknowingly influenced by this sycophant. ''Ginette. Maybe ...... I''ll be away from home for a while tomorrow.'' ''What?Are you going somewhere? ''Ikeru'' ...... ''Angry'' ...... No, maybe ''crazy''. It may be necessary to punish him with something a little out of the ordinary and crazy. ''Oh, ......, I might go crazy. ''Huh?'' ''It''s nothing.'' ''It''s the fools who are fooled. And I''m not stupid. ...... You don''t think you can fool me, do you, Goozja? The hours ticked by, the sun set, and night fell. ...... Huh. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... The combination of emptiness and frustration has left me strangely calm. But I''m not in a normal state of mind. My heart is chilled. ''Yashiro-san!I''m about to close the store! Behind the counter, Jeannette says to me. ''...... out of time? Ginette heads for the entrance. I follow her, and head for the entrance. I''m going to be there when the time runs out. The moment Ginette closes that door, Goozja''s life is over. ...... I''m going to end it. ''Huh?Mr. Yashiro, are you using the restroom?'' ''No. Just close the door, don''t worry about it.'' ''Yes, ......? Jeannette looks at me strangely, knowing that I''m not usually present at the closing. I turned my eyes away from her. I feel like I''m being infected with sweetness when I look at her. I looked away and waited for the moment of closing. If you hear the door close, you''re out. And then... ''Wait up! You hear a lively sound coming from outside the cafeteria. There was the sound of several people running ............ and then the door was opened with great force, as if someone was rushing in. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea.I''m not sure if it''s a good time or not. The person who came running in was a small fox. No, since it was wearing clothes, walking on two legs, and speaking a human language, it must be a fox. ''Are you eating?If so, you''re still all right. Ginette says with a smile. ...... Oh, I see. He has no concept of last orders. If I don''t teach him, he''ll suffer a loss someday. ''Whoa! The fox man shouted when he saw the smiling Jeannette. ''Hey, hey, hey, Beppu! Something''s broken! What the hell is this guy! ''Hey, just calm down. What the hell is wrong with you? ''Oh, a guy with a stupid face. You can talk to me without being nervous.'' ''...... What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to pick a fight? ''Actually, my apprentice has done something terrible.'' ...... Hmm? The fox people, who had been smiling in a friendly manner, suddenly became frightened and turned their gaze towards the entrance. Then, he stood up and looked out the door and shouted. ''Hey!How long are you going to stay there?I''m coming in now!Yangboldo, I''m forcing you to come in! His voice was frightening and reminded me of a scary gymnast. No, it''s more like a threat from someone in that line of work. I was a little taken aback by the way it changed so much. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''ll be right here. The face facing us was the original soft fox face. ...... What the hell is this guy? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, please contact us. I''m sure you''ll agree.You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. What''s going on here, right now? What the hell is this? What''s going on? In the midst of my confused thoughts, the horse turned toward me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try to find out. What''s ...... that? ''........................nya''. ''Why? I couldn''t help but poke my head in. Why the horse meows! ''Yamboldo . I''ll joke about it next time.'' ''.................. yes''. ''You can''t talk! That means they must be Umajin. But then I saw that he was wearing a dress with his left shoulder hanging wide open. When I peeked through the entrance, I could only see the part of her skin that was exposed, so I thought she was a horse. ''.................. rampage''. ''d*mn ......''. At the words of Yamboldo and the others, the man from the Fox tribe let out a sigh and walked out of the dining room. ''Oh, I''m leaving once, but please don''t close the restaurant!I''ll be right back! And with that, the fox people left. As soon as they were out of sight, I heard another threat like a young leader of a gang. ''Don''t make me trouble you!I''ll just go and make a sincere apology! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... I wonder if it was a kick, that sound. And then, with a cheerful smile on his face, he came back with the fox people and showed up with Goozuya. As soon as he entered the store, Goozuya put his limbs on the floor and bowed deeply. ''I''m sorry, sir! On your knees. ...... If he was so sorry that he got down on his knees, he should have come to say a word or two sooner. If you can''t pay, you should have said, ''Can''t you wait a little longer? If you don''t do that and suddenly get down on your knees,...... I''m not sure what to say.Please raise your head!You can pay me anytime you want. ......'' ''No!That''s not how it works! Ginette was about to say another joke, but the fox man interrupted her before I could stop her. ......''s, but... ''Why are you looking at me?'' ''I get nervous when I see you, Beppu. You''re too shy. The fox man continues to stare at me and speak. ''May I, miss! ''I don''t look like a lady to you, do I? ''No, your face is towards your brother, but your heart is towards your daughter. You''re making things complicated. ''Promises shouldn''t be broken so easily. Trust is difficult to gain, but it can be lost in an instant. ''But, ......'' ''For this man''s sake, please don''t show him any mercy! With that, Jeannette closes her mouth. Your kindness can ruin someone. That''s what she said to me once. Even Jeannette can''t be so naive if she''s told that. ''I just couldn''t get the money. Saying that, the fox man kneels down in front of me. Yamboldo follows suit, kneeling down as well. ''Goozuya is still an apprentice. He''s only half a man, and because of that, he doesn''t get paid much at all. Behind the Foxmen and Yamboldo, Goozuya curls himself up and nods. I don''t know if you''re a senior or a boss, but you''ve made your superior get down on his knees,......, and you must be in a state of mind right now. I''m not sure what to do. I''m sorry.I''m sure you''ll agree with me.That''s right! ''Replacement? ''Yes, sir!As a carpenter, it''s a disgrace to delay the delivery date!It''s something you mustn''t do!You''ll never get any more work! Is it really that important to be late? But the eyes of the fox people were serious, and they seemed to be talking with their lives on the line. It is true that Goozuya has written in the contract that he will pay for the food and drink he eats at the sunny pavilion. In the Judgment of the Spirits, if a person who says he will pay does not pay, it may be considered a lie. In other words, this may be a negotiation of ''I''ll pay you, but not the Judgment of the Spirits''. The fox man explained the difficulty of gaining trust. If any of his associates were turned into frogs, it would surely interfere with his business. ...... No, it would be a matter of life and death. ''Hey, you. What''s your name?'' ''Oh, you''re me? The fox man rolled his eyes, then straightened his posture and said politely. ''I am Umaro Torbek. I''m a master carpenter at Torbek''s construction company based in the Forty District. ''You''re a carpenter in the forty-second district? ''Yes, sir. But I can come to any ward if requested. From new construction to remodeling, I can do it at a reasonable price. What''s the point of advertising it here: .................. No, wait. ''By the looks of it, Gooziya is feeling pretty sorry for himself. ''That''s it!We''ve been tightening up on him. Goozuya shrank even more, as if he had recoiled from being called by name. ''Actually, I thought something was wrong with Goozuya recently. ...... So I questioned him and found out that he had done something terrible. So, I went to apologize to him and that''s how it happened. A strict but caring master. A true craftsman. ''But he doesn''t have any money at all and says he can''t pay. So I''m going to pay for it, and I hope you''ll do something about it! Umaro bows his head deeply. It''s a beautiful prostration with the dignity of a master. Following suit, the giant Umajin Yamboldo and the spindly Goozuya bowed together. ''...... Yashiro-san.'' Ginette turns to look at me. ''Will you forgive him? '' is clearly written on her face. ...... This guy is totally ............ ''All right. You can agree to pay for the replacement.'' ''Are you sure? Umaro and Ginette''s faces lit up at my words. Ginette was as happy as I was. ...... at all. ''But on one condition. ''Jeez, conditions ............? ''Actually, I''d like you to renovate this diner. This cafeteria is so old and worn out that it''s on the verge of collapse. I''d like to rebuild the whole building, but that would take too much time. So, I want you to clean up the store part at least. ''No, no, no, no, but ............ it''s true, you can''t ......'' renovate a store in exchange for 640Rb. That''s 6400 Japanese yen. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll help you out. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll help you out. It is possible to use the judgement of the spirits as a shield to offer a complete renovation of the store part for 6400 yen. But... People who mistake a sincere apology for a declaration of defeat and grow up are third-rate. That''s not me. Even if you force Umaro to do something he can''t do here, the benefits will be temporary. Besides, there''s the danger that word will get out that it''s a bad diner. The bad guy is Gooziya, who has eaten away, and we have to be in a position to forgive him. The moment you get greedy, you become the bad guy. Don''t push people around. People who are cornered will turn violent, like the boss of the scam ring ............ that I destroyed. Unbeknownst to me, I was rubbing my belly. ''You''re right, I''m not going to ask you to do it at 640Rb. If there was an apology, then we should negotiate on equal terms from there on. Those who can make a sincere apology will naturally make concessions even if we are not overbearing. They will give us the best they can do without us having to demand it. It is best if we do not reach out to them, but simply accept what they offer. In this way, trust is created between us. Strange as it may seem, the most important thing a con man needs is trust. ''I will pay you exactly what you deserve for your labor. However, I would appreciate it if you would study a little.'' ''Yes, of course!I''ll give you a discount! ''Then you don''t have to accept the 640Rb, right?Ginette. ''Yes! Ginette, who had been watching me with a worried expression, regained her smile when she heard my words. I''m sure she was worried that I might make things difficult for Umaro and the others. He was reassured that ''asking for a discount'' was within the acceptable range. ''But, Yashiro-san, ......'' Jeannette soothed, coming up next to me and giving me a covert earful. ''We don''t have the money to renovate it, do we? ''Oh, don''t worry about that. I have an idea.'' ''Oh, really? ''You''ll have to get Jeannette''s help, but ......'' ''If there''s anything I can do, I''ll do it! ...... Don''t say ''I''ll do anything'' so lightly to a girl. You''ll be sold off to a bad old man. ''Well, I''m not rich either, so I''ll give you the best deal I can ...... so that you all don''t have to worry about food for a month. ''A month is ...... that''s ............ for three people.'' And Umaro folds his fingers and starts calculating. ''............Yes. If you can get that much, it''s enough!It will be more expensive than the original renovation, but I''ll accept it on those terms, minus the inconvenience this idiot has caused! ''Well then, I guess we''ve made our bargain. ''I''m counting on you! I shook hands with Umaro firmly. Then I turn my gaze to Goozuya, who has barely opened her mouth since we got here. ''Goooooooodya. ''Yes, yes!'' Raising her voice but not her gaze, Goozuya remained prone and tense. ''You''ve got a good boss. Don''t cause too much trouble.'' ''............ Yes.'' I''d like to commend Umaro for going this far, via a third party. Umaro will be convinced that his actions were not in vain, his self-esteem will be preserved, and he will have a good impression of us as ''approving'' him. Above all, the psychological effect of ''not being able to betray'' a person who has ''acknowledged'' you will be activated. I am sure that they will put a lot of effort into the renovation of the store. And then there''s Goozuya ......, who''s on the verge of breaking down if we don''t bail him out soon. ''Gain back the lost trust by working. ''............ Yes.'' ''Make sure you get results with our renovations. If you work hard, I''m sure Ginette will reward you.'' ''...... What?'' I look up at Goozuya and tell her, ''Look at Ginette. Goozhya''s gaze slid to Ginette, and she nodded with a bursting smile. ''Yes!I''ll do my best to prepare your meals during your work period! After saying that, she looked at me with an awkward look. ''Are you sure you want to go to ......? ''Yeah, I guess so. You can at least treat him to lunch and dinner. ''Really? Umaro shouts in delight. In front of him, I sneak an earful to Jeannette. ''(......, we''re running low on ingredients anyway)'' '' (Yes. It''s more profitable to treat them to a meal and have them work hard for it. After saying this, Ginette chuckles. ''I guess I''m becoming like you, Yashiro. No, not at all. You''re not naive at all. Well, let''s just say that. If you can only treat people with good intentions, I''ll turn those good intentions into weapons. When you come to apologize, you''ll be met with complete and utter goodwill. This will make Goozja, as well as Umaro, who is responsible for supervision, feel indebted to us and do a good job. That would be the benefit. And after that, there''s another tasty benefit waiting for you. ...... Well, that''s for later. ''So, when can we start construction? ''We''ll be ready tomorrow. ......, we can start the day after tomorrow. ''Then let''s get ready to close too. We''ll have you work in the kitchen, and you can donate to the church at .......'' ''Yes!Let''s have the church make it from scratch! ......No, I meant to say canceled. ............Well, okay. ''Well, I''ll leave you to it for now! ''Oh, wait.'' I stopped Umaro and the others from standing up and ripped up Goozuya''s IOU that I had in my breast pocket. By tearing it up in front of them, I''m showing them that I trust them. ''The streets are dark at night. Be careful.'' ''Thank you. You''re a good man, brother.'' And with that, Umaro walks out. Yamboldo and Goozuya followed, and Goozuya bowed deeply to us just before leaving the store. The door closes, and today''s business is over. ''Mm-hmm. Ginette laughs happily as she locks the door behind her. ''What''s up?'' ''You said that Mr. Yashiro is a good man, Mr. Oumarro. ''You''re so wrong. ''I''m kind of glad that you understand. I thought that Ginette, smiling like that, was probably the most good-natured person I knew. I''m the result of a lot of calculation on top of calculation. There''s no way I''m a good guy. ''I''m going to take a break for a while, so I''ll go around and say hello to my regular customers. ''That''s right. It would be a shame if you were closed when they came to visit. No, I''m just going to smilingly pressure them to come back on the day of the reopening. ...... Maybe I''ll make some flyers. ''And while I''m at it, I''ll do some work for the Garbage Collection Guild. ''By the way, the river fisherman who came to the store the other day said he had some questions about the guild. ''Also, I''d like to go negotiate for fruit, wheat, rice and sugar. ''What about the dairy farmers? ''Milk, ......, let''s go there too. I''ve got some time on my hands. I''ve got to put it to good use. I scrambled around the forty-two wards to prepare for the upcoming reopening. 15-Episode 13 Guild Leader of the River Fishing Guild Currently, the restaurant is temporarily closed for renovation. But just because the restaurant is closed doesn''t mean we have time to rest. We need to make a profit to survive. Even if we don''t get the money right now, we need to make preparations and preparations to take advantage of the business in the future. Now is the time to make those preparations without fail. ''That''s why I''m going to the river fishermen''s place. ''If that''s the case, there''s a big river on the west side of the Forty-second District, I''m sure they''ll listen to us if we go there. ''''The west side is towards the ...... wetlands? Yeah, I swam across it once when I was escaping from the swamp. From the amount of water, it was a big river where you could do a lot of fishing. ''Speaking of which, Estella. What is it? This guy''s working with us again today, looking like he deserves it. Are you sure you don''t want to work or something?I''m sure you''re not thinking naively, like ''I''m going to get married and have you take care of me anyway'', are you?It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with the money you have. I don''t care what the future holds for this guy. ''Don''t farmers and fishermen have guilds? ''Yes, there are.'' ''There are? If that''s the case, why don''t the guild take care of the negotiations with the peddlers'' guild? It''s people like Mormat who''ve only ever tinkered in the dirt that get us into situations like the last one. It is the guild''s duty to undertake negotiations on behalf of such weak-minded people. ''The authority of the farming guild and river fishing guild is very weak. ''Why is that? ''Because they exist in every district.'' ''............ I don''t understand? ''That''s what I mean. ......'' Here''s what Estella told me. The Peddler''s Guild has authority over all the districts and has tremendous power when it comes to peddling. This is to prevent multiple guilds of the same lineage from running amok and destroying prices, and its authority is guaranteed by the city as a whole. In short, all the lords of each district have delegated the task of peddling to your guild. The fact that all the lords delegate under the same conditions at the same time is meant to check the concentration of profits in a particular district, and therefore it is difficult for even the lords to exercise their power over the guild. This is why it is difficult for a lord to exercise strong power over a guild, because doing so might make enemies of all the other lords. Thus, a guild that spans all the districts and has only one location in Allbloom has considerable power against the backdrop of a standoff between lords. Some guilds, such as the peddler''s guild, are directly connected to the lives of the people in the district, and can even negotiate with the lord in a strong manner. They can use the threat of ''we won''t distribute goods to your district''. However, this is a last resort, and you may not actually use it, but just flick it around as a bargaining chip. As with an apology, the damage to the other party''s goodwill can be multiplied if you go too far in negotiations. Well, since they are such a shitty organization, they are probably licking their chops at the lord of the 42nd district, the lowest district in the country. The peddler''s guild''s behavior in the Forty-two districts seems to be more conspicuous than before. I''m not so sure about the lords who can''t stand up to that. On the other hand, there is one farming guild and one river fishing guild in each district. This is because it is the lord who controls the territory. There are guilds for agriculture and river fishing, dairy farming and cotton weaving, etc., in each district, because the lords of the other districts cannot interfere with the production activities in their territories. Such guilds are, of course, heavily influenced by their lords. At any rate, since the lord is the head of the guild, there is no way to control the lord. If the lord says, ''I''m going to put a tax on each field, so be it! If you disobey, you will lose your job. If you disobey, you will lose your job. And if you ask me if such a guild that does the bidding of the lord can have an opinion on a powerful guild that can even have an opinion on the lord,............, the answer is clear as day. The answer is clear as day. ''So, your garbage collection guild might be blown away once the peddlers'' guild makes a complaint. ''You''re the lord who has to hold on to that. ''Well, I don''t know. We can''t risk the lives of all the people in the district just to make money for you, can we?'''' ''...... It''s a pain in the ass system, really. It''s a system that will allow the crooks to get as far as they want. ...... I wonder whose pockets the bribes are flowing into. ''Hey, that means the Garbage Collection Guild is ......''. ''Of course, it''s a guild limited to the forty-two districts.'' ''So it''s at the mercy of the ...... lord.'' ''Well, the lord of this place doesn''t interfere with the activities of the guild, so I don''t think you need to worry too much about it. ''No, isn''t it because he doesn''t interfere that the peddler''s guild is taking advantage of us? ''Do you want the lord to interfere or not? ''I want him to take full responsibility without interfering in our activities. ''............ That''s a very you answer.'' Estella let out a sigh. ''Don''t you know?Don''t you know that every time you sigh, your chest loses its fullness? Look at Jeannette. She has such big tits because she''s an easy-going girl with no worries. ''Oh, ......''. While Estella and I were talking about the guild, Ginette, who probably couldn''t keep up with the conversation, walked silently next to us, but when we approached the riverbank, she suddenly raised her voice. ''That''s ......''. I followed Ginette''s gaze and looked over to ...... ''Geez! There was a huge bear, maybe two meters long, sitting with its back to us. It''s huge! You can tell just by looking at it that it is a beast because it is not wearing any clothes. ......A bear can appear in a city like this? ............! Oh no, I have to run. I know how scary bears can be from TV. They''re dangerous creatures. It''s all a myth that you can just pretend they''re dead or make a loud noise and they''ll run away. They''re just creatures that do things when they have to. If they notice ......, they''re sure to get you. ............ ''(Hey, guys, ...... let''s get out of here quietly without making a sound. ......)'' He whispered so that only the two of them could hear. But perhaps Jeannette didn''t hear me, because she did something outrageous. ''Konnichiwa~! He greeted the bear loudly with a wave of his hand. What is he doing? Does he think he knows me?It''s a bear!You''re all covered in hair! If he attacks me, I''ll use you as bait and run away first! If he attacks you, I''ll use you as bait and run away first! Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bear move ....... ...... Ah, I''m being eaten. I''m going to end up here. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I should have eaten the manga meat I saw in the 29th district. There was such a thing, a mammoth-like meat with bones sticking out of it. But they cost 600Rb a piece, and I thought ......''f*ck you! I thought. Oh, I should have eaten them anyway with ...... Estella or Ginette''s money. As I began to think about my unhappiness with the world, I heard a thick voice in my ear. ''Oh!Ginette! ''Omero-san!Thank you for your hard work! ............ Did you just speak? I turned around slowly, giggling ...... like a lonely tin toy, and saw a huge bear a few meters in front of me, looking at me and waving. It was a hairy bear, but it was wearing ...... very small bikini pants. They look like a pair of men''s swimming boomerang pants with a thong. ...... What, what, what? I''m not sure what''s wrong.I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... Is this guy a bear? What''s with the face? ...... ''......I just want to make sure, ......'' ''Hmm?What is it brother? ''Are you a bear-man? ''No, I''m a raccoon man. ''That''s confusing!And you''re big! When I shouted at him, Omero the raccoon shrugged his shoulders. He holds his head in his hands and stares at you with his dull eyes. ''I''ve had this body since ...... I was born,'' he said. ''No, I''m sorry I yelled at you. It''s just that I was really scared. ......'' Well, let''s just say I''m glad it wasn''t a wild bear. ''So ...... why are you looking sideways, Estella? ''Ugh, shut up,......, it can''t be helped, if you''re dressed like that,.......'' When you say dressed like that, you mean ...... ''Is there something wrong? You should not stand in front of the girls in such a revealing swimsuit! No, ...... this is a wild animal no matter how you look at it. I''m not sure if you''re embarrassed by this,......, but are you in puberty? You''re the kind of guy who blushes when he milks a cow? ''Oh no, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It''s not polite to dress like this in front of a lady. I''ll go put my top on in a minute.'' Omero trotted back to where he had been earlier to get his jacket. ...... I mean, your footsteps are cute, dude. ''Ginette''s fine, I see. Old man''s boomerang pants.'' ''Huh?I''m not okay with it!But those are Omero-san''s work clothes, so I thought it would be rude to look at him like that. ......'' ''So you can look directly at a dancer who is working in the nude? ''There''s no such person, is there? ''No, only if there is. ''No, there isn''t! ''Then I''ll be the first! ''Then I''ll report you to the vigilante immediately. Oh, ......, you''ve been sidetracked. Well, I don''t have any desire to show it off, so that''s okay. I''d rather watch. ''By the way, Jeannette, can you think of any women who work in the nude? ''No, I don''t know any! ''No, I thought I''d follow Ginette''s example and watch her work in full glory. ''I''m not doing that! Ginette barked with a bright red face. So you don''t know, ...... but I''m sure you''re out there somewhere. ...... I''ll look for him next time. ''Oh, is that okay? Omero''s back with his jacket on. Hey! You''ve got no underwear on!You''re still in your sea pants! ''I really hope you''ll be careful after .......'' ''That''s right. It''s a little embarrassing. ''No, is this okay? The two girls seemed to be convinced, like ''Oh dear''! The lower half of your body hasn''t changed at all! I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Is it possible that the lower half of your body is OK in this city? ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes. What is it?'' ''Can I see your ass for a second?'' ''Please repent! You can''t do that! I don''t know what the ...... standard is. ...... It''s too hard, All Bloom ............ I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ''Omero-san is the deputy guild leader of the river fishing guild. ''Come on, Ginette. Even if you''re the deputy guild leader, it''s just a position with no authority. You seem to be quite proud of yourself. I''m sure she''s proud of that title, despite what she says. If that''s the case, things might go smoothly if you talk to him. ''I''d like to ask you a few questions about fish caught in the river. ''About fish? Omero looked at him curiously. But he soon seems to have come up with something, and claps his hands. ''Well, that guy Mo-Mat said something about a new guild being formed and the value of vegetables going up ......? ''Yes. I''d like to talk to the guild leader about that. ......, Yashiro-san.'' ''Ah. So, can you, the deputy guild leader, talk to the guild leader? ''No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! That''s a hell of a rejection. The big raccoon is trembling. ''I''ll never be able to talk to the master at ....... I''m too scared. What kind of master would scare a big raccoon like this? What''s so scary about him? ''...... The master is one of the strongest ...... men in the bear tribe, and there''s no one around here who can compete with him. In addition to that, he''s quick to take action,...... he doesn''t know how to take it easy, so how many times have you almost died,......? ''You''re a dangerous man! ''He''s dangerous! ''Don''t let him loose, that guy! ''There''s no one in this world who can keep such a thing! Omero looked desperate. Are you really that scared? ...... ''Omero. I want you to negotiate on behalf of the river fishing guild. ''That''s absurd!If you ignore your masters and do whatever you want, ............ tomorrow, I might be the one washing up on the riverbank. ......'' ''No, you''re not the only one washing something on the riverbank. Don''t think the whole human race washes things, you raccoon. ''And anyway, go see your master and talk to him directly. I''ll be watching from a distance.'' ''No, stay close. ''I don''t want to get caught in the middle! ''I''ll tell them that you called the master ''that thing'' earlier. ''Please don''t!I''m seriously going to get killed!That''s right! The big raccoon got down on his knees. There was no hesitation at all. The grace of a man whose life is at stake. ...... Is this guy for real? ''How can your guild run with that? ......'' I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find a way to get your hands on one. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... You''re not the master, you''re the boss. I''m not sure what to make of it. Omero''s shoulders are slumped and he''s limping. Maybe we shouldn''t take him with us. We''ll negotiate on our own. ...... I have a bad feeling about this. After all, even raccoons are this size. The Bear People............ ''Okay, let''s go home. ''No, Mr. Yashiro!Petr, who came to the store the other day, has asked me to talk to the master. ''Then go get that Petr!I''m pretty sure he''s human, isn''t he?He''s an old man with a good-natured face. Put him between us. ''Oh, no, brother. Petr is a low-level member of the guild. He''s probably just an errand boy for his master, but putting him between us and ...... Petr will kill him.'' Why are so many people dying in your guild? Do you want me to negotiate directly with such a dangerous person? What should you do if you are asked to do something unreasonable? ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Too scary. I really don''t want to go to ...... In the event that the master made Petr go to the store, ...... if you don''t go quickly, the rest might be scary. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m sure. Ginette. You''ve never met the master of this place, have you? ''No. No, I haven''t.'' You haven''t? I was counting on you! If it was an acquaintance, I thought I could use this harmless Jeannette as a buffer to make the conversation go smoothly. ...... ''Why don''t you go and see him anyway?I''m sure he''s a nice guy. ''Where does your unfounded confidence come from? Did you hear the conversation so far? That''s a scary bear you''re talking about going to see. ''But you can''t just not see him, can you? Estella says coolly. That''s good, you know. You''re an outsider. Oh, I see. ''Estella. From today on, I''m appointing you as the ''temporary negotiator of the Sunken Pavilion''.'' ''Can you please stop trying to sacrifice me? ''This kind of thing works better with women.'' ''What''s your reasoning? ''Because there isn''t a man in the world who doesn''t like boobs! That''s right! No matter what kind of man you are, you can''t be too hard on a beautiful girl and her tits! ....... ''Oh, no!He doesn''t have any tits! ''Really, I''ll hit you with the goo! I''m not sure if I can enter this as a beautiful girl or not. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... The clothes, the first person, and the lack of breasts make it neutral. ...... I thought it was a guy at first, too. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. I''m sure he''ll just say ''yes, I''d be happy to'' to whatever you say. ''Estella, eat soybeans and drink milk. ''Is that all you have to say? Estella puts her hand on the knife in her pocket. No. Just because there is a little extra space in your pocket doesn''t mean you can''t carry something dangerous like that ....... I mean, his eyes are so serious. Those are the eyes of someone who would seriously stab someone. ''Oh well. Let''s just meet for now. If you don''t think you can talk to him, you can dash away. In that case, the stinky ginette might get caught by the master, but I can use that time to make sure I''m the only one who can escape. Yeah, it''s a perfect plan. As long as I''m safe, it''s a great plan. ''So long, Omero. Take me to the master.'' ''No, it''s the master. ......'' I guess it''s the same either way. He''s a finicky one. ''It can''t be helped. Let''s just be careful not to get eaten and negotiate.'' ''What kind of creature are you expecting, son? A bear. Gao, zashu, carotid-supper, fresh-blooded dobber bear! ''Um, Yashiro-san. If you''re worried about Mr. Yashiro, would you like me to talk to him? ''Ginette, are you trying to destroy the Sunlit Pavilion? ''''What?Why would you do that? Enough. I have to make up my mind. It''s okay. There''s no such thing as a sudden gale. ''The master must be fishing upstream. You''ll see.'' That''s all Omero said, and then he left quickly. ...... I really didn''t think you''d follow me. You''re about to negotiate with your future on the line.Are you aware of that? ''Then let''s go, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette''s bright as day. I wish you''d share that optimism. My steps are heavy as I begin to walk. Each step I take is like that of a defeated soldier on his way to his death. ''But aren''t you too scared? ''You know, Estella. I''m confident that I can defeat any human opponent. If it''s with words, that is. ''But it''s a different story if you can''t even reason with them. I''m not confident in my strength. In fact, I''ve been stabbed once by an old man in his fifties and passed away. If I was strong enough, I wouldn''t have been defeated by such a worn-out old man. That''s about the extent of my fighting ability. ''But you''re a normal person living in the city, so I don''t think you''re a real bear. ''Because a real bear doesn''t use weapons. ...... should be considered a more troublesome opponent. ''You''re so negative, you''re ......''. You idiot. I''m just being cautious. People who don''t care about life will fall into even the most obvious pitfalls. ''Ah!What''s that? Ginette pointed to a round barrel-like object. A large barrel placed so that it was slightly submerged in the river. It''s so huge that a human being could fit in it. ...... You''re not going to be in there, are you? ''Let''s go there. ''Oh, hey! Ginette is approaching the barrel. We''ll hurry after her. We can''t let him act on his own. He''ll probably do something like push the barrel and drop it into the river. ''Wow, ...... is full of fish.'' Before we could catch up with him, Ginette was peering into the barrel. If it had been a beast, you might have been eaten. Doesn''t this guy have any sense of danger? Standing next to Jeannette, he peered inside. The barrel was about the height of my chest, so it was easy to peek inside. There were countless fish swimming inside. This is ............ ''Salmon, huh? Take a closer look. No matter how you look at it, it''s a salmon. The crispness of the jaw, the color of the scales, the damaged fins. It was a salmon in every way. I wanted to pick it up and look at it more closely. And when I reached into the barrel... ''You''re trying to steal my fish, aren''t you? ''What? Suddenly, a shout came from behind me. I thought my heart was going to explode. I hurriedly turned around and saw a woman standing there. She was a beautiful woman with long purple hair tied in a knot around her waist and a sharp face. However, her body is stocky, and she is taller than me,......, but she looks to be just under 180. You''ll be able to see that she has well-developed thighs and eight-pack abs. In addition, the exposed biceps are so beautifully toned that even a man like me might sigh. Perhaps it was the result of her physical beauty, but even though she was wearing only hot pants and a tube top that only covered her breasts, she looked very fashionable. And those round ears on the top of her head. The bear people were ............ bear-eared beauties. But that''s not the point. ...... What caught my eye the most were the two bulges protruding unnaturally from her toned body. THE DEKAPAI! It''s a huge tit. ''...... huge.'' ''Yes, they are. The big ones.'' ''Ginette. You shouldn''t agree with Yashiro. He sees things differently than you do.'' What taut-looking tits. They''re like ''Muscats with skin you can eat''. ''And?Which one of you is the ringleader? Ringleader? What is this woman talking about? Just as I thought that, the bear-eared beauty''s arm tightened around my collar. ''You''ve got a lot of nerve, trying to steal my prey!I hope you''re ready to die! I''m not! I mean, what kind of power is that? Is this guy really human? My body was lifted up easily, and I tried to pry open the collar with both hands to unfasten the fingers, but it didn''t budge. I rubbed the inside of my wrists, but there was no response. d*mn, I thought this was a very sensitive spot! ''Oh, sir!You''ve got it all wrong!We''re not fish thieves! ''Are you sure? ''Yes, sir!If you have any doubts, please take me to the Judgment of the Spirits. ''............'' ......I''m in pain. ...... ''............ Okay. I believe you.'' ''Thank you very much.'' When Jeannette bowed deeply, the bear-eared beauty finally let me go. ...... Haaaaahhhh! I''m so thankful for the air! ''I''m sorry, I doubted you.'' ''No, no. It was my fault for approaching the barrel without permission. I''m sorry about that. ''Please don''t do that. We''re going in circles here.'' ''Yes, then let''s end this here. Ginette and the bear-eared beauty exchange a cheerful smile. ...... No, you should apologize to me first, guys. I was trying to stop Jeannette. ''Yashiro''. As I crouched on the riverbank, Estella came up to me and crouched down. Are you going to comfort me?You''re a nice guy, you. ''When you were being lifted, your shin hit my big tits twice, what did you think? ''Do you think I had time to feel ...... something like that, ......? This guy ...... has a rotten sense of humor. ............ ''So what the hell is it with you people?What do you want from me?'' ''We came here to talk to the head of the river fishing guild at Petr''s request. ''Oh!Does that mean you guys are the Sunshine Pavilion?'' ''Yes. I''m Ginette, the owner. I''m Ginette, the owner, and this is my employee, Yashiro, and my helper, Estella. I don''t really remember when Estella helped me. ''I see. You guys.'' The bear-eared beauty cleared her throat and came forward with a confident expression, her large breasts stretched out for emphasis. ''I''m Delia, the head of the river fishing guild. It''s nice to meet you. ''Nice to meet you too. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m having trouble breathing at the feet of ....... I don''t think it would hurt if someone cared about me, right? You know? Well. The only thing I''ve learned is that ...... There may not be anyone who works naked, but there are fishermen here who work in near-naked attire. Just finding out about it is a big deal! ''So, I heard from Mormat, the farmer, that you guys buy food for more than the guild? ''That''s not true. That''s a misinterpretation. What we, the Garbage Collectors Guild, can do is buy up waste that can''t be turned into products. The only difference is that our prices are a little higher than the peddlers guild. It''s up to each of you to decide how much of the surplus you want to keep, but if you continue to be too visible, the peddlers'' guild won''t stand for it. It would be cute if the Garbage Collectors Guild was forced out of business, but there is no way that the Peddlers Guild will stop there, and they will surely bring down the hammer on anyone who has anything to do with us. That''s exactly what they''ll do. They''ll punish us to the point of death. But before that, we don''t have any money to spare. In other words, no matter how much surplus you prepare for us, we can only buy what we need. ''Because we can''t meet your strange expectations. ''Then what exactly are you buying for us? Specifically? ...... ''For example, things that are caught in too large quantities. Or something that can''t be sold even if it is caught. ''If it''s not for sale, then it''s all there.'' Delia points to the barrel with her chin. ''What about ............? ''Now, what? ''That fish has red flesh. River fish are supposed to be white meat, right?That''s why the peddler''s guild refuses to buy red-fleshed river fish, saying it''s too weird to eat. ''............''. I''m not sure what to do. ''It''s delicious when it''s grilled,......, but it''s a lowly fish that only fishermen like to eat.'' ''Don''t be silly! Salmon is the heart of the Japanese people! Salmon is the heart of the Japanese people! It can be boiled, baked, processed, and it''s the best fish! This is a buy! ''At any rate, I want this fish on a regular basis. When is the best time to catch it? ''This fish can be caught here all year round.'' Seriously? The other world is amazing! ''What''s up, Yashiro-san is hot! ''His switches are sometimes hard to understand. ...... Or is it always incomprehensible? Hmm! You can say whatever you want! If you don''t have the habit of eating salmon, you''re missing out on half of your life! ''Okay. Then give this one priority.'' ''Are you sure?The customers won''t eat it if you serve it like this.'' ''Then I''ll eat it. I''ll eat it and show them how delicious it is. If they still don''t understand, they don''t have to eat it! In this conversation, I''m hearing an important word. "River fish are supposed to be white, red meat is weird. Then we should serve him as a sea fish. It''s not a lie. Just tell the customers this. "It''s a red meat fish that migrated in the ocean. They were caught in the river, but they went out to sea and came back. There is proof that they are the same as Japanese salmon. If they were not in the same environment, they would not look so similar. Even though they are members of the same family, landlocked salmon, which spend their entire lives in rivers, look different from salmon. If you don''t want to eat them, you can have "salmon meuniere" or "grilled salmon" on the menu. If they still won''t eat it, flake it and serve it as a rice ball. Or, what about salmon soup? It''s a useful ingredient that can be prepared in any way. There''s no harm in it. If they don''t know its value, I''ll buy it off them at ......! Ginette has been spending 1600Rb per 10kg for river fish. How can three salmon cost 16,000 yen?What kind of luxury brand is this? ''How about 100Rb for 10kg of this fish? In Japan, a large salmon costs about 3,000 yen. This salmon weighs about three to four kilos, so I''m willing to pay about 300 yen per fish. ...... Is it really too much of a bargain? ''Is it that good! ''...... What? ''You''re a good guy! Delia takes both my hands and shakes them up and down. ''Stop it!My shoulder!My shoulder''s coming off! ''This is my favorite fish, but it''s not ...... very popular, so I''m a little sad about that, actually. It may be hard for fishermen to avoid the fish they have worked so hard to catch. Delia looked a little fragile, with a sad expression on her face. ''But you got a good price on this one. Mormat was right, you''re a good guy! No. I''m just taking advantage of your ignorance to beat you down. ''To tell you the truth, the guys from the peddlers'' guild threatened to lower the purchase price if we did business with the Sunshine Pavilion. ''Why are you trying to make a deal with them if they said that? ''Because it''s annoying, isn''t it!It''s like you''re giving me orders! Well, I''m sure he''s giving you orders. ''That''s why I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of people the Peddler''s Guild hates, the ''Sunshine Pavilion''. ''How do you feel about it? ''It''s kind of cute! ''No, ...... who''s talking about Jeannette''s appearance, ......'' ''You idiot!I''m talking about you!'' Delia said and put her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Yes, Estella!Why are you interrupting me? ''I thought it was unfair for a negotiator to take a bribe from a business partner. ''It''s not a bribe!It''s sincerity! ''...... you look like a corrupt senator.'' d*mn it! There''s a pointy thing waiting for me on the other side of this hand! A taut, dynamite pointy thing! ''Hmm?Oh, sorry, sorry!You''re not supposed to do this to men, are you? Because of Estella''s interference, my defenseless tits have raised the alert level. Delia lets go of the arm that was restraining me and lets me go. d*mn it! I was so close! ''............ How resilient you are ......'' Estella, who interfered with me, is even more devastated than I am. What did you want to do, you... ''Anyway!I like you guys!I don''t care if the guild makes a problem out of it!If you dare to fight with me, I''ll buy you! The peddler''s guild would have a hard time negotiating with this type. ''Oh, but... Please don''t overdo it. Ginette says with a worried look. ''If you don''t think properly and judge the situation before you negotiate, you''ll be caught flat-footed. ''What the hell are you talking about? I couldn''t help but make a comment. How can he say that? ''But you know, I''d rather be friends with you guys than the ...... peddlers guild. ''But I don''t want to threaten the livelihood of the entire river fishing guild based on your decision alone, do I? ''The entire river fishing guild? Oh, he doesn''t get it, does he? Estella begins to explain the situation in a clear manner. ''The Sunken Pavilion has no money to spare. Therefore, we can only buy what we use ourselves. That amount of money will never be enough to guarantee the livelihood of the entire river fishing guild. Delia nodded her head and listened. ''Inevitably, the river fishermen''s guild will need to continue its relationship with the peddlers'' guild. In that case, there''s a risk that they''ll be put at a disadvantage because of their complicity with the Sunlight Pavilion. ...... Do you understand?'' ''In other words,............, I should just hit him and shut him up?'' ''No, no. ...... Yasilo. I''m not good with this kind of people,.......'' Estella''s asked me to make a change. It''s no use. ''Delia, tell the peddler''s guild that...'' To this type of person, it''s best to tell them simply, plainly, and simply that there''s nothing else to think about. ''I''ve decided to sell red-fleshed river fish to the Sunken Pavilion. Fish that the peddlers'' guild considers unsaleable. The fact that he sold it to them means that the river fishermen''s guild refused to negotiate with the sunny pavilion. In other words, the river fishing guild has rejected the deal with the sunny pavilion. This is a very effective statement because the guild is dealing with a person who has knowledge of the value of things in All Bloom. If we say so, the peddlers'' guild will not be so hard on the river fishermen''s guild for the time being. Moreover, it would be even better if the peddlers'' guild would be less wary of us in the future. Incidentally, it is also important to note that we have not said that we will not sell anything but red-fleshed fish. ''Is that what you want me to say? ''Oh, yes. If we say so, the peddler''s guild won''t be picky, and we and you will all be happy. ''Yeah!All right!Well, I''ll say so! Maybe he doesn''t understand anything. But that''s why he won''t be ripped apart by the peddlers'' guild when they probe him. If you don''t understand something, you don''t know anything before you hide it. All he has to do is tell the truth. How he interprets those facts is up to him. ''That was a decent negotiation for you. ''I''m a good guy, you know? ''I''m not going to let you ...... go to the judgment of the spirits for once. It''s like they don''t believe me. That''s okay. We got salmon from the river and the sea for cheap. I''d say we made a killing. ''Yashiro-san! And the owner of the sunny pavilion smiles happily. ''Everyone is happy, I''m so happy! I wonder if it''s ....... I''m not sure if this guy''s sycophancy is a disease or not. Well, the most ...... ...... You might have to rethink your attitude a bit. This is not the time to get carried away. I live in a different world than these guys. Never forget that. ...... 16-Episode 14 The Girl with Empty Eyes Once you have the fish, you need the meat. So, the day after I went to the river fishing guild, I went to the hunting guild. ...... You are the ones who are causing conflicts between the guilds and ruining their business? In a small room in the building that serves as the hunting guild''s office, a man who claimed to be a representative of the hunting guild shouted at me in a fierce manner as soon as he showed up. If you''re a child, you''ll cry. If you''re an old person, you''ll probably pass away. ...... Ginette was so scared that she was shaking and trembling. She''s so cute. ''Say something, Kola! ''...... Can we talk a little more calmly?'' Hey ???????????????, you''re freaking me out! What''s with these guys, they''re scary as hell! They''re big, their faces are scary, their voices are low, and they''ve got scars on their faces for show! He''s got muscles that are more than just muscular! You make Delia of the River Fishing Guild look so cute. As expected of these strong men who go outside the walls to hunt beasts. The power is unbelievable. It''s natural to be intimidated by them. But when you''re at my level, you can deal with such weaknesses without showing it. ''...... Yashiro?You don''t seem to be shaking. ''Don''t worry about it. It''s just that I''m suddenly cold now. ''That''s why I''m really curious about this matter. ......? Casually, Estella rubs my back. What is it? You''re more gentle than ever. Is that what it is? Do I look cute when I''m shaking like that? ''Heh!What, are you scared of me?You should learn what happens when a gutless person goes up against a big organization! Gutless ......? ''Hey, ......, what did you say? ''What?Are you going to do it, bro?'' ''You''re good. ............ Get out in the open! When I hit the desk in the reception room, there was a dull sound, and at the same time the representative of the hunting guild stood up. ''...... Come on.'' The representative of the hunting guild said shortly and walked out. As if following him, the guild members in the reception room left the room. All that was left in the room was me and Estella. The only ones left in the room were me and Estella, and Ginette, who was staring at me with an anxious look on her face. At any rate, sip the tea that was served. Zuzu........................ ah, the tea is delicious. ''''''No, come on out! The representatives and members of the hunting guild all came back to the reception room at the same time, and they all made a comment at the same time. Who said anything about leaving? You just said, ''Go out in the open. Are you kidding me? He''s a perfect example. This type of person is difficult to negotiate with because of their mysterious ''me theory''. It''s one of the types I don''t like. ''Rather than that, I want to ask you something. ''What? I hold out my right arm to the representative of the hunting guild, who is glaring at me with an extremely scary face. The hand that I just hit the table with is swollen to a rather unfashionable degree. ''............ It hurts, do you have a first aid kit? ''......Oh,............ hey. Bring it to him.'' This type of person may show unexpected kindness when they see someone in trouble. They must have a strong sense of duty and humanity. I borrowed the first aid kit he had brought and Ginette treated me. Oh, the way she wrapped the bandage was so gentle. ...... I don''t have to return this bandage, do I?Okay, I''ll wash it and use it again. That aside, it''s good that I''ve dampened their spirits, but I wonder how I should proceed with the negotiations. When I was thinking about it... "You!Didn''t you come back with your prey again? Immediately after the shouting came from outside the reception room, the sound of blows that reminded the listener of pain echoed. Then came the sound of something falling over, followed by the sound of several men moving away, whispering. ''Ya, Yashiro-san......, what the hell happened?'' ''Don''t ask me. ...... I don''t even want to imagine.'' I''m sure you''ve heard of them. I don''t know. ''. They are a bit rough and crude. After a while, the door to the reception room slowly opened. ''Hey, Magda. We''re serving customers.'' The representative of the hunting guild gives a blatantly disapproving look. Turning his gaze to the open door, he saw a sleigh ...... and a small girl emerge from it. ''I ...... returned,'' she said. Her shaggy orange hair was as long as the petite girl was tall. She was only about 140 centimeters tall, and her body was still young. A long, thin tail extends from the buttocks. It has orange and black stripes. ...... Is it a member of the Tigers......?If you look closely, you can see a pair of cat ears attached to her shaggy hair. The eyes are large, but somewhat vacant, and the pupils are a deep, dark color. I have no objection to calling her a beautiful girl, as her parts and modeling are very cute. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I doubt if she has any emotions at all, and I can''t feel any joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure. It''s as if he''s there but nowhere to be found. The girl who has such a thin presence makes me feel very uneasy when I look at her. ''So, what have you achieved? The representative of the hunting guild says in a manner that seems to throw me off. I listen to his words as if I don''t feel anything, and then I answer him plainly. ''No ......''. ''Tsk! The representative of the hunting guild clicks his tongue loudly and kicks away the teacup on the table. ''Get out of here, you incompetent!You''re an eyesore! ''...... Understood.'' After saying that, the girl named Magda tried to leave the room with a blank expression on her face, showing no change from the time she came in. ''Oh, sir!Please wait! It was Ginette who stopped her. ...... also get involved in this kind of troublesome ............ ''Magda-san, you were at ......, weren''t you?'' When he was stopped, Magda looked at Ginette with vacant eyes, and then nodded curtly. ''Please allow me to treat your wounds. Especially the wounds on your face, if you don''t take care of them quickly, you''re a ...... girl.'' ''............'' Magda didn''t answer, just stared at Jeannette. Then, gently, she touched the scar on her cheek. ''...... Are you sure?'' ''Yes, of course.'' As Jeannette held up the first aid kit, Magda walked slowly towards Jeannette. ''Hey, hey!That''s our medicine!Don''t waste it! However, the representative of the hunting guild interrupted him just in time. Ginette shrugged her shoulders, and Magda listened to her voice with empty eyes. ''So, will you let me buy this medicine chest? Estella intervened with perfect timing. She put out three gold coins on the table. ''Do you think this will be enough?'' Estella said with a cool face. This is the first time I''ve seen a gold coin, but judging by its quality, I''d say it''s worth at least ten times as much as a silver coin. If so, a silver coin is 100Rb, or 1,000 yen. ...... At the very least, three gold coins would be ...... 30,000. I don''t know what the value of a first aid kit is in this world, but I think you''re paying too much for it. ''...... Well, that''s fine.'' The representative of the hunting guild smiled ...... and said that it was more than worth it. It''s written on his face: ''A lot of money, a lot of money. But still, ...... How did Estella have that kind of money? ...... And she paid for it. I''m not sure if Estella noticed my gaze, but she pointed a little bit. Ginette had a compassionate look on her face. And Magda was ............ staring at Ginette. The expression on his face was vacant, but somehow happy. ...... ''Something about it makes me want to hug it ......''. ''No, Yashiro-san! Jeannette hugs Magda, as if to hide her from me. No, that''s not it, Ginette. I don''t have any ill feelings towards a little girl like that, not even me. This is a kind of protective desire or something like that, but ...... I don''t think you''d believe me if I explained it. ''...... Are you awake? ''You''re the one who showed it to me! ''I was just trying to keep you two smiling.'' Smiles: ...... Estella described Magda''s vacant expression as a ''smile''. I see, it did not look that way to me. I''m sure he''s watching you very closely. ...... You can never be too careful. Don''t look too closely at me. ''What is it?Do you like it, brother? Says the head of the hunting guild in a low voice. ''If you want to sign an exclusive contract with him, I''ll let you have it. He smirks at you, a chilly smile on his face. ''If I sign a contract with this guy, how much do I have to pay the guild? ''I don''t want it.'' No? ''He''s a useless piece of baggage. If you take him, you can use him as you like. But you''ll have to pay for his food. ''So, permission to hunt?'' ''You can keep it. As long as you don''t bother us, you can continue to hunt with your hunting guild membership card.'' That''s crazy. The terms are too good. Even if this Magda guy''s not very good and can''t catch a single animal, these conditions are unbeatable. After all, the agreement is that the guild''s authority can be freely exercised through this Magda. In other words, his intention is to let go of the ............ troublemakers. That''s it. This Magda has some kind of problem, and is causing a permanent loss to the guild. It''s not "no profit", it''s "loss". That''s why he wants to sell them off at a discount or whatever. He said something about the cost of food, so he must be ............ And then I felt a fierce stare from next to me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Ah. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I can tell without being told. This is what he wants from me. ''Can''t you help Magda?Please, Yashiro-san, please! And. But, Ginette. Do you understand that it''s too risky to take this offer? But if we refuse Magda here, we won''t get any benefit for not suffering any damage. Negotiations with the hunting guild have broken down. We can''t get the meat. And besides. I don''t know if it''s because of the guild rules, but the hunting guild can''t fire Magda. The fact that they''re letting him stay, despite the fact that he''s useless and causing losses, is proof enough. Even in Japan, once a company has made you a full-time employee, they can''t fire you so easily. There must be efforts to protect workers in this world as well. But that is why they are treated more poorly. It''s okay to call it that for now, but it''s easy to imagine that it will escalate over time. And what will be the result of that? ...... I turn my gaze to Magda. And I saw empty eyes looking at me. What an emotionless girl. I can''t tell if she''s angry or sad. You''re about to be sold to the guild.Do you understand? I stared into his vacant eyes, and he stared back at me, and I ...... lost my patience. It would be impossible to win a standoff with this guy. Well, it''s not impossible to lose. ''Yashiro-san! He shouted in my ear, and my body jolted involuntarily. When I turned my head to look again, I saw Jeannette''s face a few centimeters from my nose. ''Whoa ......! I moaned from the back of my throat, and my body naturally turned over. But the big, moist eyes appealed to me, as if they would never let me go. The clenched teeth gradually began to make a clicking sound, and the vibration caused Jeannette''s face to tremble in small increments. It was only a matter of time before tears began to fall from her eyes. I''m scared, I''m scared, I''m scared!What the hell is this mental attack? No. ...... I don''t know why, but this is no good. ...... ''Okay,......, let''s sign an exclusive contract,......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Stupid ...... person that I am ............ In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the following. Then, as if to make up for the breaths she had stopped taking, she inhaled the oxygen with all her might and put her hands over her mouth and shouted with joy. ''Yashiro-san, ......!Thank you very much ......! ...... It''s nothing to be thankful for. In the first place, this is not for Jeannette, or even for Magda. My instincts as a con man told me that I could make money by reversing this disadvantageous situation. That''s why the frustration that had been occupying my heart earlier was completely gone, and it was not because I saw Ginette''s relieved face. Suddenly, a ''hmph'' laugh reaches my ears. ''Huh? I turned around and saw Estella''s frowning face. ''No, I was wondering if there would be hail tomorrow. ''Hmm. If it''s going to hail, make it gold. I''ll do all the goody-goody stuff for it. Well, I''ll only ''act'' good. ''But just because she''s a pretty girl doesn''t mean you should be upset. ''Idiot, I''m not a pedophile. I''m sure Estella knows what she''s talking about, but ...... she''s not. She''s twelve or three years old. She''s too young. She looks like a schoolgirl. No tits. She''s a match for Estella. And she doesn''t have the vivacity of a child. She''s like a ...... moving doll. ''Well, take care of the food and lodging for me. ''Wait a minute.'' The representative of the hunting guild said casually, waiting for me to say something. ''An inn has been added. ''We don''t have the space to keep a useless person. ''Even so, I can''t overlook the fact that you''re forcing us to bear the burden unconditionally. ''Then what do you want me to do? ''Well, ......''. I think. I think the hunting guild can''t afford to back down half-heartedly now that they''ve forced Magda on us in the form of an ''exclusive contract''. If we were relieved of the responsibility of taking care of the meals but not the lodgings, we might feel a loss emotionally. It is human nature to be more conscious of the fact that you have remained than that your burden has been reduced by half. If that''s the case, there shouldn''t be any problem if you show a little strength here. ''Whenever there is a surplus of meat from the beasts Magda hunted, this guild will buy it. At a fair price, of course.'' Magda has the rights of the hunting guild, so she can sell the meat to the peddling guild. However, it is unlikely that the Peddler''s Guild, which is beginning to exert pressure on other guilds, will make a legitimate deal with Magda, who is renting a room at the Sunken Pavilion. If that happens, Magda will only be able to catch enough meat to use at the Sunken Pavilion, and the rest of the days she''ll be eating for free. Nonsense. I can''t overlook that. Work! Every day while the sun is in the sky. So it''s best to sell the rest of the meat after we get what we need. And we''ll secure the purchase price and the sales route here. This will reduce our losses somewhat. We may even be able to make a profit. When I presented such conditions, ...... ''Hahahahahaha! The representative of the hunting guild opened his mouth and started laughing. ''Fuhi~hihihihi!If there''s ...... too much meat ...... ku ku ku ...... hahahaha!'''' What the hell? What''s so funny? ''Oh, that''s good. Bring it to me. I''ll buy it at the same rate as the peddlers guild.'''' ''Is that okay?I don''t think the guild will benefit from that, do you? Estella advises. It may seem like an unnecessary ...... thing to say, but by saying this in advance, you won''t have to deal with the annoyance of ''that''s not what I said'' or ''I never said that'' later. I made sure of it. That fact is more convincing than anything else. Especially since there is a Conversation Record in this world. ''Sure. It''s a good idea. ...... This guy is kind of annoying. ...... It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find anything you like. ...... Don''t you have any thoughts? I''m not sure.Negotiations are concluded!Our guild will not do any business with the Garbage Collection Guild!Instead, we''ll send Magda to ............ ...... hunt down the meat for the same price as the peddlers'' guild. I''ll buy the meat you hunt for the same price as the peddler''s guild. In return, Magda''s lodging and food are yours. Is that clear? ''............ Okay. We have a deal. There''s probably more to the story at ....... The problem is this girl Magda. It is not hard to imagine that she is not very good at hunting since she is such a young girl. But she has the right to hunt. That''s huge. If her hunting skills are so poor that she''s useless, she can help out in the mess hall. Lodging and food. Fortunately, there is a surplus of both in the sunny pavilion. ...... Yeah. No harm done. It shouldn''t. I shook hands with the head of the hunting guild. Negotiations are done. ''All right, guys. Let''s go home. Estella was the first one to stand up. ''Yes. Then let''s go, Magda. ''............'' Magda silently nodded at Ginette''s words. Then she stared at me. ''...... What is it? You''ll get burned if you fall for me. ...... ''............'' In the end, Magda didn''t say a word. He dropped his gaze and followed Jeannette out of the room. ''At all costs, don''t get eaten up. As I was leaving the room, the representative of the hunting guild came to me with these words. ...... be eaten up............ food costs......, right. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure he has an appetite that is beyond the level of ....... I don''t know what it will be like until I see it,...... but it''s horrible. I can''t shake the bad feeling, but I don''t think I''ll get any information by sticking around here. I bailed lightly and left the reception room. After leaving the hunting guild, we came to the dormitory of the hunting guild where Magda was currently staying. We had come to pick up Magda''s belongings, as she had decided to move to the Sunken Pavilion. His luggage consisted of only a small bag and a large Masakari. Masakari is so big!Kintaro? Or should I be more surprised at the smallness of the luggage? ''Is this all you''ve got? ''......, yeah.'' ''You don''t have a lot of stuff, do you? ''......I just need some spare underwear. ............?'' Whoa! That was a bullet I wasn''t expecting. ''Yashiro ......, you are a man .......'' ''Wait!I didn''t say anything to you! ''But, but, Yashiro, you''re a ''thank you for the kindness you receive'' person, aren''t you ......?'' ''Hey, Jeannette. Don''t look at me like I''m a pervert.'' ''Can''t you deny that you''re a pervert? ''Yes, I can, but what? Oh, God. Magda suddenly said something crazy and gave me a weird look. What the hell is this guy thinking? Is he really in love with me and trying to approach me? ''Magda-san. A girl shouldn''t talk about such things.'' ''...... Why?'' ''Because it''s a measly thing to say.'' ''...... Okay.'' Jeannette is telling Magda. She seems to be more like a sister than a mother, but she seems to be good at this sort of thing. Okay, I''ll leave Magda''s education to Ginette. That''s why we''re heading to the Sunken Pavilion. In fact, we wanted to visit the other guilds afterwards, but we didn''t ...... want to take Magda with us carrying the Masakari. The hunting guild was based in the east of the 42nd district. It''s a rather prosperous place. That must mean it''s quite profitable. From there, I went out to the main street and walked through the downtown area. Everyone I pass rolls their eyes when they see Magda''s Masakari. However, Magda, the one who was attracting all the attention, remained unconcerned and staggered along with a dazed look on his face. I wondered if he was even looking ahead. He didn''t even avoid people coming from across the street, but walked in a zigzag pattern along the wide road. It was extremely dangerous. ''Ginette. ''Yes, sir. ''Why don''t you hold her hand or something?'' ''Yes, sir. Magda-san! Ginette called Magda''s name and ran to her. ''That''s very kind of you. Are you feeling protective or something?'' ''No, it''s just dangerous, isn''t it? ''I see. So even you are unconditionally kind to little girls. A new discovery.'''' Estella smiles happily. But ...... ''What are you talking about? It''s the passersby who are in danger. Look. One wrong move and you''ll get your head blown off by the Masakari. Even though Jeannette stopped him, Magda was still swaying unsteadily. The giant Masakari is also swaying this way and that. It was a miracle that no bloodshed had occurred so far. It''s a miracle that there hasn''t been more bloodshed. ''...... can''t you ............ think of anything that doesn''t involve money? There''s no benefit to doing that. There''s plenty of money lying around. While Estella was staring at me, Jeannette was about to hold hands with Magda. But when she saw Magda, her expression clouded. ''Your hands are full. Magda was holding Masakari in her right hand and her bag in her left. You can''t hold hands with that. If you can''t hold hands, the Masakari will wobble and passersby will be puzzled. ...... I''ll be d*mned. ''Magda''. ''............'' I call out his name, and instead of answering, his quiet eyes look up at me. ''Give me your stuff. I''ll take it. ''............'' I held out my hand, and Magda thought for a moment before handing me a small ...... bag. ''Not this way! ''Yashiro ...... pretending to be nice for wanting it. ......'' ''No!'' ''No, Yashiro-san, you can''t! ''That''s not why! I pushed the bag with the pants back to Magda and took the giant Masakari from her. ''......? The moment I took it, the sheer weight of it sent me face-first into the ground. I hit my nose and it hurt like hell. ...... What''s this? ''...... impossible''. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it," said Magda, sitting on the ground, looking down at me as if she were peering into my nose. Then, after a long pause, he added the following words. ''...... for normal people''. What are you, this little one? ...... You''ve been carrying such a heavy Masakari in one hand? ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. Is it possible to live under the same roof with her? A chill ran down my spine. And then a small hand is held out in front of me. Magda is reaching out her hand to me. ''......What?'' I look up at Magda, not understanding her meaning. Then Magda looked at me with empty eyes and muttered. ''......Thank you.'' Her actions, words, and expression are all over the place. I have no idea what he means. At any rate, she seems to be trying to wake me up, so I take her offered hand and stand up. When I tried to take Magda''s hand away to get rid of the sand on my ass, she squeezed it tightly. ''...... was the first time''. ............ What the hell? That strangely exciting word is ......? Am I going to be held accountable for anything? I didn''t do anything, did I? ''...... You''re the first person who''s ever tried to carry Magda''s luggage.'' My hands tighten in my grip. The eyes that stare at me are full of power. ''......, so thank you.'' I''m not sure how uncomfortable it is to be looked at straight in the eye and given such straightforward ...... words. ''No,......, you can''t have it after all. ''...... They tried to hold it for me. There''s no charge for ''I''m going to do it''. ''............?'' ''If you don''t know ......, that''s fine, I don''t.'' What I''m trying to say is that ......, in short, I didn''t do anything to be thanked. I picked up Magda''s bag that she dropped when she fell. ''...... Masakari is Magda''s.'' He said, and lifted up the Masakari that had fallen into the ground. ...... Isn''t this guy being bullied in the hunting guild partly because of this power? I''m not sure what to make of it. A simple power comparison ...... is a fight, but in ......, you will never lose. But the individual is no match for the pack. Especially against a cunning swarm. I guess there was no place for him in the hunting guild. ''You call yourself "Magda", don''t you? ''............ because that''s what other people call me. I guess I''m not much of an individual. I think I understand a little. His eyes are always looking for someone to lean on. He wants me to tell him. ''Do this'' or ''Don''t do that''. Maybe he''s a little sad. ...... The small hands still clasped together seemed fragile. ''Magda-san seems to like Yashiro-san,'' he said. ''Then let''s let Yashiro hold your hand like this, shall we? Ginette and Estella say with smiles of very different nature. Ginette smiles and Estella looks at her as if she''s watching something interesting. You know what? Don''t make me babysit for you. Children are my natural enemies. They''re hard to reason with. I tried to push Ginette a few times, but ...... Magda wouldn''t let go of my hand, so I ended up holding her hand. ...... What is this awkward feeling? Magda''s large Masakari naturally attracts my attention. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I''m not sure if they''re looking at me like I''m a suspicious person walking hand in hand with a ...... girl. It was the smell of freshly baked bread. Speaking of which, I''m hungry. ''Estella. Magda really wants some fresh bread.'' ''You don''t hesitate to use even children as bait if you can use ....... If you want to eat it, why don''t you just say you want to eat it? ''I want to eat the freshly baked bread that Estella bought for me! ''...... You''ve got some nerve, don''t you? He popped more money into the medicine chest than it was worth. I''m sure he''ll pay as much as he can if we use his kids as leverage. ''Magda, I''m sure this pretty lady will buy you some bread if you ask her. ''Thanks for the flattery, Yashiro. Oh, does the flattery attack work? Then let''s say it again. ''Yes!Estella''s big tits! Is that a sarcasm? Hmm. Maybe I was a little out of line. ''...... Oh, God of Spirits. I''ve just made a sinful falsehood. ...... Please heed my repentance. ......'' ''Alright, I bought that fight!You can call me from anywhere! Estella prepares herself with a snort. Don''t worry about it, just buy me some bread. I''m starving. ''Come on, Magda. Do me a favor. You want some bread, don''t you? I activate the child''s cannon, which seems to be very effective against Estella. A child''s begging has a powerful effect on those who can''t resist it. It''s a feeling I''ll never understand. If I had a child begging me, I would say, ''Work and buy it! I''d say. But not Estella. She''s sweet on kids! That''s one of the few useful things I get from the church I go to every morning. ''Come on, tell him, Magda!He wants some good bread! ''You''re a coward, Yashiro! ''............ good.'' ''You hear that, Estella?A little girl is hungry and wants some bread. ............ What? Did I hear wrong? I look into Magda''s face and nod my head. Then Magda looked me in the eye and said in a clear tone. ''...... No thanks. I''m not hungry.'' ...... No, in this case, I don''t care about your stomach, you should know that I''m hungry. I mean, ...... ''You''re not a gluttonous character, are you? ''............ Kyara?'' He asked me back curiously. No, that''s right. The head of the hunting guild, ...... Oh, I forgot to ask his name after all, that guy. It''s okay, but ...... said it. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m not sure if that means you''ll be eating like an idiot and putting pressure on the family budget. ''...... Magda usually eats one meal a day.'' ''You can''t do that, Magda! Zuda and Ginette rushed in front of Magda, and then lectured her forcefully. ''They''re growing up, they need to eat three meals a day! ''...... I don''t have any money.'' ''Don''t worry!We don''t have a lot of money either, but we have plenty of food left over! Jeannette, that''s not something to brag about. Don''t talk about it outside. It degrades the diner. Well, it''s already at the bottom. ''...... Okay. I''ll do my best to eat.'' ''Yes, sir. Let''s work hard.'' ''You don''t need to work hard to eat. ''But what a surprise. ......'' Estella comes up next to me and stares at Magda. ''I thought she was a glutton outside the norm. Anyone who''s seen their interactions in the hunting guild would agree. But it wasn''t. What was it then,......? You can''t possibly think that those strong men were actually very kind people, shouting at us with stern faces and offering us favorable conditions. ...... No. Not likely. I''m getting more confused. Why did he get rid of him? ............ And just when I was starting to get seriously worried. ''It''s a raging bull! I heard someone shouting, and screams came from everywhere. ''What is it? ''Yashiro-san, that thing! Ginette looked in the direction she was pointing, and saw a large cow rampaging down the main street. The nearby stores were being ransacked to the ground. In the distance, we see a large cart overturned with its wheels detached. Probably, a wheel broke off while transporting it and escaped. The main street has now turned into an acrimonious street, with angry bulls running amok. They smashed buildings, flung people away, and gobbled up the food in the stores without permission. Wild. A true animal. Seeing a cow in the flesh like this is powerful and terrifying. If they were sliced and packaged, I would like them better, but ...... they are not. They are fierce, violent, brutal, and unpredictable. I don''t think we''ll get along. ''Yashiro-san, let''s run. It''s not safe for you to be here.'' Ginette says so, but we have our own circumstances. That is, ............ I''m too scared to move or anything. ''If we run, what will happen to the people of the city? ''Yashiro. Your skinny face is showing.'' Shut up, Estella. My knees are shaking from earlier. I can''t escape unless I''m carried on my back! At least let me dress up! And in the midst of all this, it was Magda who made her move. ''...... hunt''. With a short whisper, Magda carried a huge Masakari and approached the rampaging bull. Fast ......! Magda''s calm demeanor had been a lie, and she was running faster than humanly possible. In the blink of an eye, Magda has covered a distance of about 300 meters, and has slipped into the bosom of the raging bull. Magda''s entire body was enveloped in a red-hot light. Magda''s whole body was enveloped in a glowing red light, which could be described by words such as aura, fighting spirit, and high spirits. You can feel the oppressive force of it all the way out here in the distance. It''s like something out of a ...... comic book. Then, with a huge Masakari poised on his haunches, he swung it out at once. A roar that seemed to cut through the air rang out, and the rampaging bull, three times the size of Magda, was cut in half. With a single blow, the rampaging bull, which had just been running amok, became docile and fell to the ground. The success of the hunt was apparent at a glance. The bull had been hunted by Magda. ...... Amazing. That''s not even close to being strong. This guy''s bullshit strong. Why was this guy being treated like an incompetent? ...... And while I was thinking that... I''m not sure what to say. --A rumbling "stomach bug" sounded as if it was the lament of a hell-raiser. ''...... Hey, that was...'' ''Magda-san, is it ......? I asked Jeannette, who was standing next to me watching what was going on, and she seemed to agree with me. Magda''s stomach was making a horrible noise. ''Are you hungry because you worked so hard?Then go home and prepare your meal. ......'' Before Ginette could finish, Magda made her move. He crouched down in front of the rampaging cow and bit into the meat. ...... ''Magda! I couldn''t believe my eyes for a second. Magda was biting into the cow he had just killed. It reminded me of the predation scenes I''ve seen on animal shows in Japan, ...... reminding me of lions and tigers. ''Da, no, Mr. Magda! Jeannette runs out. She seems to be going to stop Magda. ''If you eat it raw, you''ll get sick to your stomach! ''No, that''s not the point, is it? Ginette''s point of view is off, and I''m here to advise her. ''If you mess with someone''s property, you''ll be liable for damages! ''...... I don''t think that''s the point, either,'' I said. Estella makes a misguided comment. You''re most afraid of the damages. Well, I guess we can''t avoid that now. ...... Anyway, in order to reduce the amount of compensation by leaving some meat, I ran to Magda and put my hand on her as she mindlessly bit into her prey. The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air. The moment I touched Magda, I was thrown away with surprising force. He threw me backwards, without even glancing at me. He crashed to the ground and hit his nose hard again. ...... My nose is about to get lower. ''...... Naro. I told you not to eat my food without my permission! I jumped at Magda again. But again, I was easily flung away. Moreover, the distance has increased. I was flung about fifty meters, hit the ground ...... hard on my back, stopped breathing and fainted seriously for a second. ''Looks like you''re starting to see her flaws,'' he said. Estella peered at me from above as I fainted in agony. ''I suppose she is consumed by an uncontrollable appetite that comes at the cost of her tremendous power. And she probably eats up ...... all the prey she hunts on the spot. That''s why you can''t always bring it back home. ...... No harvest. Oh, my God. I just told you I''m not hungry. ...... You really do get hungry the moment you use your powers, don''t you? ...... ''It looks like there won''t be any ...... surplus meat left over from the hunt.'' d*mn ...... what a fuel efficient constitution you have ............ You should take some action ......, but ............ my back hurts too much for that. I''ll think about it later. ...... I''m in the mood to go home and sleep in peace today. Aaaaah ...... I guess I got a hell of a deal ............ 17-Episode 15 Salmon Pink ''...... hunting beasts makes me very hungry'' We returned to the sunny pavilion and gathered in an empty room on the second floor. Until the renovation of the cafeteria is finished, this room is a simple living room. There is a small table and four chairs in the room. I''m sitting diagonally across from Magda, who is seated by the entrance to the room, and Estella is standing behind me. Ginette is out of the room for a moment and is not here. Magda turns her head slightly to stare at the table and speaks quietly. He speaks of a power beyond human understanding. The reason he was ostracized by the hunting guild. Magda quickly killed and flattened a bull that had suddenly appeared on the main street. According to the story, these Tigers have a greater talent for hunting prey than any other race, and they also have a special ability for hunting. However, when they use this ability, they become unusually hungry. ''When that flame-like aura comes out, you Tigers are invincible, right? ''...... Yes. When it''s activated, the Tigers'' strength and speed will increase by tens of times. That''s a hell of a cheat ability. ''...... Magda and the others call that light ''the red, fuzzy, glowing thing''.'' ''Couldn''t you have thought of a better name for it? ......'' ''...... We''ve been calling it that for generations. ''What a disappointing family, the Tigers......'' It''s not just that they have no sense of naming. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Well, I guess that''s actually true. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''......''s weird abbreviation is unacceptable. ''The official name is already weird. It is said that the Tigers who activate the Red Moya are struck by an intense hunger and devour whatever food is in front of them. Taste is irrelevant. It doesn''t matter what it tastes like, as long as they can eat it. Whether it is raw meat or a creature protected by a tough shell, ...... they sometimes chew up the shell of a turtle and eat it. And the Tigers are the most terrifying when they are eating. They will mercilessly and unintentionally eliminate anyone who gets in their way. Magda didn''t remember throwing me off. Anyone who comes near me while I''m eating is eliminated. It''s ingrained in their instincts. Dogs and cats get very angry if you touch them while they''re eating. It must be like that. ''...... With training, it is possible to successfully control the ''red shiny thing''. ''But you still can''t control it, despite your training.'' I continued, and Magda nodded her head. In other words, every time he went hunting, he ate his prey on the spot. You can hunt, but you cannot harvest. Magda says that no matter how strong the beast, you will never be defeated. However, the stronger the beast, the more power you use, and the hungrier you get. If you hunt a small beast, you can eat it. The bigger the beast, the more you gobble up. In the end, it is said that they finish their meal without leaving a single piece of meat. ...... He''s the kind of guy who says, ''The staff ate it up later. ''But you''re a small eater if you don''t hunt, aren''t you? Estella asks Magda. Right now, Magda has a loaf of black bread and some milk in front of her, but she hasn''t touched it at all. ''...... now, I''m full. That''s because he ate that big cow all by himself. But the incident in the city was really dangerous. If we hadn''t been careful, we could have suffered a great loss. Just as the riot was beginning to die down, a merchant in an overturned wagon approached Magda. He said that he was on his way to take the rampaging cattle to a vendor and was upset to see them completely devoured. Magda, who had eaten all the meat, shouted at him, ''Pay for it! Magda, who had eaten all the meat, shouted at him. So I acted quickly. I complained that if Magda had not been there, the damage would have been much worse. Of course, I was not talking to the cattle merchants. I was talking to the people who were there, especially those who had set up store on the main street. Then, as if following my lead, those who had been affected by this series of events, to a greater or lesser extent, began to speak out. They ranged from complaints of actual damage, such as ''the rampaging cattle destroyed our goods,'' ''they ate all our meat and vegetables,'' ''they ransacked our store and damaged our pillars,'' to accusations of ''the rampaging cattle surprised us and made us fall and scraped our knees,'' ''our old man was knocked down and could not stand up,'' and ''our children were traumatized. and other accusations. Arrows of accusations were fired at us from all directions, as if we were in a battle of damage boasting. After all the noise, those present came to a conclusion about the cattle merchant. ''Isn''t it your fault for letting the cattle go in the first place? At times, the unity of the victims can be very powerful. This is especially true in situations like this. However, such strong unity cannot be born without a trigger. Even if you know that everyone in the room feels the same way, everyone is hesitant to take the initiative. They are afraid that they might not get the support of the people around them. That''s why I''ve decided to take on the role. Not out of a sense of justice, of course. If you''re just a bystander who has nothing to do with it, you''re an idiot for talking about it. But at that moment, I was a party to Magda. The cattle merchant would have been helpless to do anything more if he had tried to corner Magda, who was completely unresponsive to his attacks. So what would the cattle dealer do next? That goes without saying. Find out who was involved. I can''t stand it when he does that. That''s why I volunteered to be the one to light the fire. My prediction was correct, and once the fire was lit, it burned like an inferno. Not only did people complain about the damage caused by the rampaging cattle, but some even came to Magda''s defense. ''''If it weren''t for this girl, our store would have collapsed! You''ve done well for such a small body! That''s great! And so on. Some of them even praised Magda''s achievement and said that they would not allow her to walk on this street in the future if she was in trouble. As a result, the cattle trader withdrew his claim against Magda, saying that he would assume that the cow had escaped. I was deeply relieved to hear those words. I don''t know how much I would have had to pay for a whole cow if I had been claimed for compensation. ...... A full meal of grilled meat is only a small part of a cow. ...... horrible, horrible, horrible. The reason why so many people defended Magda after she did such a crazy thing has something to do with her appearance and her subsequent actions. Magda is small and has little expression, but her face is not badly made. You could call her cute. Such a small child ate a lot of food and said ''thank you'' in a satisfied manner after finishing the meal. The adults in the room, both male and female, were sunk. I was in a bit of trouble, too. If it hadn''t been for the beef I was eating, I might have been fooled. ...... You see, when he was satisfied with his meal, I thought, ''How much did you eat? If you take a child to a family restaurant and he or she doesn''t refrain from eating, you''ll yell at him or her, ''No, refrain! You''d yell at him.That''s how I feel. I was always on the edge of my seat because every time the beef went down, I thought, ''Now that''s 10,000 ......20,000 ............ Oh, 50,000 is going to fly! . Fortunately, I was not charged. Instead, the cattle merchant was blacklisted from the main street. A flyer saying "Sloppy management caused damage to the city" was made and posted on the bulletin board in the main street. Apparently, the cattle merchant was not allowed to pass through the main street during the period when the flier was posted. He will have to bypass the main street to go to the business meeting or to deliver the goods. That would be a huge loss. The wagons were so rickety. The main street of the 42nd district, though shabby, was neatly leveled. They are strong enough to withstand the passage of horse-drawn carriages. But if you go down one alley, it''s the worst road after the worst road. ...... I hope they don''t let the cows escape again. By the way, don''t tell anyone that I was secretly overjoyed when the flyer on the bulletin board was placed on top of my handbill. ''Thank you for waiting~! Jeannette comes to our room on the second floor with a plate of grilled salmon. While we were talking, Ginette had been cooking lunch for everyone. This salmon was given to me by Delia of the river fishing guild. She gave me about ten of them for free as a sign of friendship, so I thought I''d give them a taste of how they should be eaten. ''Wow, ...... the flesh is really red. Estella''s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the grilled salmon. Apologize to the salmon, you rude bastard! ''Don''t look at me like that. He''s been out to sea once. He''s like a sea fish. ''Huh?How can a river fish go out to sea? If you tell a stupid lie, I''ll turn you into a frog.'' ''I''m not lying. This red flesh is the proof.'' ''Are you saying the flesh turned red because it went out to sea?'' ''Yes.'' Estella gives me a blatantly scandalous look. Ginette, on the other hand, sits across from me and leans forward, curious. Next to her, Magda is also staring at me. His vacant eyes seemed to tell me ''...... more''. ''Are you saying that if you soak it in salt water, the white meat will turn red? ''No, of course not. The reason it''s red is because it''s eating krill. It''s the same principle as the red shells of shrimps and crabs. ''What''s more, ............ this salmon fish is actually a ............ whitefish! ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''What the heck? I was hoping for a ...... reaction, but everyone fell silent. Then they looked at the salmon on the table, then at me, and all of them had a pitying look on their faces. ''......Yashiro, finally, even your eyes are bad. ......'' ''Anyway, why don''t you tell me what else is wrong with you? Estella said rudely. Salmon is really a white fish. In the first place, red and white fish are classified according to the type of muscle. Red meat is suitable for long distance swimming. It is the white fish that has high instantaneous force. If we classify them as such, salmon is a white fish. It''s just that its flesh is red. ''Is that true? ''I told you that my country is an island nation, didn''t I?I''m a bit advanced when it comes to fish. That''s why I know how to eat a good salmon. In fact, I''ve already made salmon flakes! Ginette''s soup stock was good, so I used it and seasoned it with sake to make a very tasty salmon flake. Now we can enjoy the old rice stored in the sunny pavilion. Rice mixed with salmon flakes. Sounds delicious, doesn''t it? I don''t have time to cook rice today, so I guess I''ll have to try it another time. ...... No, that''s too bad. ''Oh, by the way, I made the salmon flake rice that Yashiro-san mentioned. ''Great job, Jeannette!Bring it to me now!'' ''Yes, sir!'' With a cheerful reply, Ginette left the room. The kitchen is being renovated, so there is now a simple fire pit in the courtyard. I built it myself. He was cooking rice there. He''s good. All you have to do is mix the cooked rice with salmon flakes and you''re done. It''s also good sprinkled with white sesame seeds or mixed with chopped green onions and butter. Oh, I see. I may have found a way to use this. ''Really?'' It was almost the same time Estella looked at me and Jeannette came into the room again. ''Hooaaaah! ''What?What, what, Jeannette? ''Yashiro-san and Estella-san are kissing! ''No, no, no, I didn''t!I didn''t! The timing and the angle I saw it from must have been terrible. I was accused of something I didn''t mean. ''You know, Jeannette. If you''re going to do it, do it more secretly. ''I don''t even do it sneakily! ''Then I''ll do it in a sticky way. ''Not even sticky!What do you mean, ''sticky''? Estella''s face turns bright red. ''It''s red meat. ''Oh, shut up! Estella turns her back to me and sits down next to me. She seems to be planning to eat. ''20Rb''. ''Hey, that''s weird!I''m pretty sure I was invited to participate in the tasting of the new product. ''I didn''t say I wouldn''t take money. ''You''re really going to let money ruin your life one day, aren''t you? You idiot. I''ve already experienced such things. ''Estella-san. You don''t have to pay. It''s on the owner''s authority. ''I''m really glad you''re a decent person, Ginette. Just be careful not to let Yashiro infect you. What kind of new virus am I? Except for Magda, who had already declared that she couldn''t eat anymore, three servings of the grilled salmon set meal were laid out on the table. Grilled salmon and salmonara soup. Rice balls mixed with salmon flakes. All kinds of salmon. It smells good. Ginette cringed at the aroma of the grilled salmon. Estella, on the other hand, is not so keen. ''...... is red. ''Shrimp and tomatoes are also red. ''I''m saying it''s red because it''s a river fish. For example, what if beef was green?Like cabbage.'' ''Would you say, "Hey, is this ...... alien? You might say. ''......, that''s ............, what does that mean?'' Okay. So aliens are not recognized in this world. Maybe there is no concept of the universe. Exactly, ''I observe, therefore there is a universe''. If you don''t pay attention to the universe, it''s as if it doesn''t exist. Thanks to this, a very funny gag has slipped. This is a serious matter. This is a liability issue. ''Well, if you really don''t want to eat it, then it can''t be helped. Stuff it in your mouth, even if you have to cry about it.'' ''...... I can only hope that you have some kindness in you, even if it''s just a grain of sand. Ignoring Estella''s grumbling, I put my chopsticks into the salmon. The flesh of the salmon, which has been roasted to perfection, easily unravels with a simple push of the chopsticks and becomes just the right size. I take a bite of it and throw it into my mouth. ...... chew ............ Delicious. It''s totally salmon. It has a nostalgic taste. ''It''s delicious! Ginette squealed with delight. She holds her mouth with her left hand and stares at the salmon, her big eyes narrowed with happiness. The look in her eyes was what you might call envy. Then Jeannette took a bite of the rice ball mixed with salmon flakes. ''Hmm! Instantly, her eyes widened like a gourmet manga and she looked as if to say, ''What is this? He looked as if he wanted to say, ''What is this? ''The salmon meat and rice grains are screaming in your mouth! ...... Hmm, that''s too bad! I don''t know what that means. I also took a bite of a rice ball mixed with salmon flakes. Hmm ......, this would be even better if the rice was good. ''Is it that good? ''Yes. It''s so good I''m sorry I didn''t know about it before! ''......If Ginette-chan says so much, ............'' Estella, still doubtful, slowly brings the salmon to her mouth. ''............Yes. It''s a fish.'' ''Not much of a reaction, huh? ''I''ve never eaten anything this good before! I''ve never eaten anything so delicious! ''If they say it''s a fish from the sea, I can eat it without any problem. ''But wouldn''t that be cheating the customer? ''Is that so?If what Yashiro said is true, he''s been out to sea once, right?It''s not a lie, is it?'' ''Isn''t that so: ......'' It''s just a normal conversation. Let''s be more impressed. The taste of grilled salmon. Well, I''m not so particular about food that I''ll start talking about it when I have a good meal. Unless it''s a gourmet manga, the reaction to a good meal is like this. ''Yashiro-san. What should I say when I put this fish, which can be called river fish or sea fish, on the menu? ''Well, you can just call it ''grilled fish set meal''. ''Oh, ............ that''s right. There is no need to label it as ''river'' or ''sea''. Since grilled fish is served, there is no problem with the grilled fish set meal. ''This rice mixture is also very good. ''If you change the rice, it will taste several times better. It should have a higher potential. This is not an ingredient to make stinky rice edible. It''s for making good rice even better. ''Would you like one, Magda-san? Magda had been watching us in silence for a while. His eyes were glued to the rice ball with salmon flakes. ''If you can eat it, please do. ''...... Thank you for the food. Magda received a rice ball of mixed rice with salmon flakes and ate it with a small mouthful. ''............ delicious.'' ''It is, isn''t it! For some reason, Jeannette smiled happily and patted Magda''s head. ''Oh, yes. I had an idea to cover Magda''s flaws. ''Hey, Magda. ''I''m not giving you .............'' ''Who said anything about giving it to me?'' Magda twisted around to hide the rice ball. I''m sure you''re full of ...... food. I''ve got my own. ''Tomorrow, we''ll go hunting together.'' ''...... together?'' ''Yeah. I''ll help you overcome your shortcomings. We''ll bring back some big game and sell it to the hunting guild.'' ''...... Magda, can you do that?'' ''Yes. No, I''ll make him do it. And we''ll make a fortune. ...... Hmmm, just you wait, you miserable old men of the hunting guild. You can suffer as much as you want from the deal you made. I''ll make you regret your grand gesture. ''I''ll make you a bento. ''...... "Bento"?'' Magda''s pronunciation was unsteady as she parroted back. Could it be that there was no word for bento? ''You know how adventurers and hawkers bring food with them when they go on long journeys?It''s a one-time use version of that.'' ''In other words, you''re talking about bringing enough food for one meal? ''Well, I guess so. As expected, Estella is a quick learner. There''s no restriction to one meal, though. ''If you get very hungry after hunting your prey, you can eat the lunch box you brought. That way, you won''t have to touch your prey. ''......, but I can''t afford to cook. ''You''ll have to cook first, and then you''ll just eat. ''...... bread, maybe?'' I see. It''s not customary to carry cooked food around in this world. Come to think of it, I don''t see many people walking around eating outside. ''For example, I take this rice ball with me. When it comes to lunch boxes, it''s onigiri. And grilled salmon. ''But if you take the food outside the city with you, ...... won''t it get cold? ''What''s wrong with getting cold? Bento is still delicious even when it''s cold. I used to eat freshly cooked rice after I let it cool down. ''''Good. Let''s all go hunting tomorrow. I''ll show you the beauty of bento.'' ''That sounds great!I want to go out with you guys! ''How about Magda?'' ''...... good.'' ''You can hunt, can''t you? ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''Then let''s do it. If it works, we''ll have a source of income. We''ll have a large surplus of scrap vegetables for lunch, and Magda will hunt the beasts. The hunting guild will buy the beasts we hunt, so it''s perfect. ''Estella-san, would you like to join us? ''Ummm ......'' Ginette''s invitation was met with reluctance by Estella. ''Surprising. ''It''s not that I''m doubting Yashiro, but I really think that hot food tastes better. It''s not that I doubt Yashiro, but...'' ''Don''t say that again. It''s even more vain. ''Does cold rice taste good? In my country, there is even a food called ''chilled Chinese food''. It''s a food that''s declared to be ''ready'' everywhere in the summer. You could say it is a summer tradition. But Estella doesn''t seem to be keen on it. Isn''t this guy obsessed with stereotypes? Go ahead, I don''t want red meat, go ahead, I don''t want cold rice. You should be reincarnated in Japan and eat ekiben. Your world will be turned upside down. ''Hmmm, ...... cold meals. ......'' ''If you hate it so much, you don''t have to come. It''ll save you a lot of money.'' There''s no food for those who don''t like it! You''ll be left alone to fend for yourself! ''Ginette. Pack lunches for the three of us. I''ll choose the menu.'' ''Yes, but... Estella is at .......'' ''Leave her alone. She''s not really an employee, she''s just a free lunch eater who''s been doing nothing but collecting food for us lately. There''s no need to share your lunch with him. "Mmm? Estella glared at me with a clearly unhappy look on her face when I assured her. Huh, you can stare all you want. No matter what you do, there''s no way I''m going to break. ''Introductory tax ......'' ''Hmm?'' ''It''s 400Rb for residents of this city, but 5,000Rb for non-residents who haven''t declared to the lord.'' ''............What?'' Residents? Declare? What, do I need to do that? And 5,000 Rb? That means 50,000 yen?Fifty thousand yen just to enter the city? I mean, 4,000 yen for a resident, that''s too much of a rip-off! ''Well, that''s none of my business. After all, I''m an outsider who eats for free. ''Estella. ''What is it?'' I gently call out to Estella, who has bent her head. I turn my body and look Estella straight in the eye. ''I need you. ''......, I think that''s a very lousy thing to say at this time, don''t you? ''Without you, I''m sure I''d be screwed. ......'' ''...... What''s in your heart? ''I don''t have 5,000Rb.'' ''..................I''ll get you a one-time permit. You have to live in the 42nd district for at least three months before you can become a resident.'' Estella is a very nice girl. I''ll give her a compliment. ''You look beautiful today too, Estella. ''Hey, can you stop saying things like that with a straight face? ''Yes!You''re so handsome! ''Is that supposed to be a compliment? You''re a hard woman to compliment. ''I''ll have the permit for you by the end of the day. In return, you''ll get a reasonable reward. ''''The right to go on a date with Yashiro-kun for a day (you pay for it).'''' ''I don''t want it! ''The right to eat Yashiro''s homemade food (the cost is yours)'' ''It''s not your home-cooked food that I want to eat! ''The right to eat Yashiro''s foot dishes (at your expense). ''What''s foot cooking?If you can do it, let''s have it done! In the end, Estella demanded two weeks'' worth of lunch in exchange for the permit. She''s such a cheapskate. ''I''d like to see my parents'' faces, you know. ''What? ''Hmm?What the hell? ''...... I don''t think we''ve progressed to that stage yet, have we? ''What are you talking about? ''Huh? ''Hmm?'' I don''t think we''re on the same page,......, but that''s okay. And so it was decided that we would go on a hunt that might decide the fate of the Sunlit Pavilion. At the same time as making a donation to the church, we also had to prepare the lunch box. And then I looked at Jeannette. ''............'' She was staring at me, looking like she wanted to say something. A little displeased. ''What''s wrong?'' ''......No, it''s nothing, but ............'' Jeannette held her chest and exhaled once. ''............ No, it''s nothing, after all.'' What the hell? If you have something to say, say it clearly. After that, we discussed what to put in our lunchboxes, which gate to leave from and where to go hunting, and which gate to pass through on the way back to get a discount on the entry tax. It was mainly me and Estella who spoke, with Magda only interjecting a word or two about hunting. Ginette was quiet throughout, and I kept feeling uncomfortable, as if something was stuck in my back teeth. ''Well, I''m going to go apply for a permit. Estella stands up after the conversation. ''Oh, I''ll see you off. Ginette stood up and followed her. However, just as she left the room, she stopped and turned to look at me. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. And then she softly picked up the hem of her apron dress and bowed cutely. ''How is ...... it, sir? ''How about ...... no, it''s cute though?'' ''I see!Thank you very much! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to make of ....... I don''t know what I''m competing with. Well, if it makes Jeannette feel better, so much the better. I''ll do what I do best. ''......Yashiro''. Magda calls me. ''...... You call me that? ''............ Magda, are you cute?'' ''Huh?'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............That''s enough.'' That was all she said, and Magda left the room too. The room next to mine had been rented out to Magda, so she went back there. I was left alone in the room. It''s hard to understand a woman''s mind. I don''t think she''s in love with me. I took a bite of the rice ball with salmon flakes mixed in it, which I had dared to leave behind, and was convinced that the food was still good even when it was cold. 18-Go to Episode 16 and pay for your return. ''Handsome con man, Obayashi knows ......'' Dabada~ da~ba~ dabada~ dabada~ dabada~a?a In other worlds, modern technology comes in handy, and ...... Japanese food sells! Or, more accurately, the food that Japanese people are familiar with. And it doesn''t have to be something ostentatious. As long as it''s what''s called ''unusual'', customers will bite like crazy. Curry, hamburger steak, spaghetti napolitana, and so on. However, there is no need to be so particular. The important thing is how to catch their attention. So, here''s what I''d like to recommend! Tete, tete, tete!"Rabbit apples"! Easy to make and cute too! It''s easy to make, and it''s cute too! Just put it next to your lunch plate, and women and children will be crying out for it. No matter where you are in the world, cute things sell! And so, after I finished my donation to the church and returned to the sunny pavilion, I was hard at work making rabbit apples in my room. I left the preparation of the lunch to Ginette. I''m sure Estella and Magda are helping too. I brought two large apples and made them into rabbit shapes. One apple makes eight rabbits, for a total of sixteen rabbits on the plate. I think it''s perfect. Super cute. In the style of a high school girl, ''Isn''t this really dangerous? Even I, a person of 16 years of age physically and 36 years of age spiritually, can''t help but fall in love with this cutie. This will sell well at ......! If you make a ladies'' plate and add a little rabbit apple, you can easily catch fashionable girls. It''ll be a big hit. And it''s so easy to make that anyone can do it once they learn how. In no time at all, it would create a huge movement in the 42nd district, and the fame of the head temple of the movement, YODAMARI-TEI, would soar. The number of customers increased and profits skyrocketed. The rabbit will save the diner! Just as I was about to stand up to unveil the new restaurant, there was a well-timed knock at the door. ''Mr. Yashiro, your lunch is ready. ''Come on, why don''t you help a little?It was your idea, wasn''t it?'' ''...... Magda, I helped.'' The three girls came pouring into my room. Hey, hey, hey, you can''t just walk in here. This is a private area. ''So, what were you doing? ''You weren''t playing, were you? Estella''s eyes stare at me. Of course not. I was creating a savior to save this diner. If I get a patent on this, I''ll be a rich man, right? Look at this!Look at my masterpiece! ''Wow! ''...... Oh.'' ''This is .......'' Ginette smiles, Magda exclaims in admiration, and Estella observes with the keen gaze of a connoisseur as she sees the rabbit apples lined up in a row. ''I cut the apple into the shape of a rabbit.'' ''That''s great!It''s very cute, Yashiro! ''...... cute.'' Hmm, the response was positive. I was right on target. ''So, what are you going to do with these apples? ''Don''t you think it would be a hit with the ladies if you served it with your lunch plate?'' ''I think so!I''m sure they''ll be delighted with how pretty they are! ''...... I want to take it home with me.'' Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. Don''t you think so? ''At ....... So, what are you going to do?'' Only one person, Estella, looked unconvinced. It''s not that she''s unhappy, it''s just that she doesn''t seem to like it. ...... What, you don''t like apples? I''m not sure what to do, but I usually eat them. ''E......? ''............What?'' As soon as he said he was going to eat it, the air in the place that had been so lively froze. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. It''s an apple. You''re going to eat it. ''Eat ............?This? ''Oh, oh. Huh?You eat apples, right? You don''t eat apples in this town?They don''t say ''because it''s red'' like salmon, do they? The rabbit picks up an apple to try one for now. ''''Ah! Ginette and Magda let out their voices in unison. ''''...... What''s the matter, I was just trying to eat an apple. ''''Ah, um, Yashiro-san ......, that rabbit ......, are you really, really going to eat it?'''' ''What?It''s an apple.Don''t they eat them in this town?'' ''No, we eat apples. They are very tasty. But ......'' Ginette said with a serious face and a funny word. ''That rabbit is very cute, isn''t he? I want to say ...... so what. I don''t know. You''re getting too emotionally involved. An apple shaped like a rabbit. ...... I ignored Ginette and Magda and bit into the rabbit apple. ............ No, I tried to bite into it, but I couldn''t. ''............ What are you doing?'' Estella''s knife was at my throat. ''That''s my line,'' she said. ''No, that''s our line.'' ''No, that''s our line.'' ''No, it''s our line. ''It''s this one! ''This way! ''Oh, hey, you two!Why don''t you try saying ''se-nando''?'' ''Ready? ''I''ll go! Se-no! ''''What are you doing? ''''Yes. Well done.'''' ''''No, what is this?What''s the point? It was a complete waste of time. ''I mean, what''s the matter, Estella?Do you want to eat too?'' ''There''s no way I can do that, is there? She closed her eyelids tightly, turned her face away and said as if to spit out. ''I love pretty things! ...... What are you talking about? ''No, it''s a ...... apple.Look at it. ''No, don''t let it near me!You''ll be moved! ''I understand, Estella! No, you''re overreacting. And don''t you get it, Jeannette. ''If you say you''re going to eat that rabbit, ...... Yashiro, I''ll kill you and die too! It''s heavy! What, is this apple your child? ''Look closely!It''s just an apple!Here, take it!Look at it!And eat it! ''Stop it!If you pet it, you''ll never let it go!But I know what I''m talking about!An apple can be ...... good the next day, or discolored and ............ rotten a few hours later... ...! ''What? No, ''What? It''s an apple! ''If I wanted to be that sad, I wouldn''t have ...... gotten used to each other in the first place! ''So, you''re overreacting! Oh, man. It looks like the rabbit apple was a mistake. It''s not good for business to be overreacted to like this. I put my fingers on the rabbit apple to tear off the ears that make it a rabbit. Magda gently squeezes my hand. ''...... Don''t be cruel to the creature. ''You''re the one who danced and ate a raging bull! You''re the only one who can say that! ''...... Rabbits are cuter than cows. ''You''re being very harsh with that statement. It''s the cow I feel sorry for. ''What''s with the ...... I thought I could use it to attract customers to the sunlit pavilion. ......'' This is a disaster. A huge failure. ''Oh, that ......! Ginette calls out to me as I''m feeling rather seriously depressed. ''I''m really glad that you worked so hard on this, Yashiro-san. And it''s not that this is a bad idea in itself. ...... In fact, I think it''s a very nice idea. If we do this, I''m sure the customers will love it. ''But you''re not going to eat it, are you? ''That''s .......'' ''Apples are food. You can''t make food inedible. Isn''t it common knowledge in this city that it''s not good to play with food?'' ''Sure, ...... but ............''. You''re trying to cheer me up somehow, but without results, it''s meaningless. And if it doesn''t make sense, I''m not satisfied with it myself. So that''s enough. I''ll enjoy this apple later. Where they''re not. ''Don''t worry, I''ll take responsibility for disposing of this. I''ll never make ...... again.'' ''Oh, sir! I was about to take down the plate with the apples when Jeannette stopped me. She looked determined, but with a look of anxiety on her face. ''I''ll eat my ...... me ............! Then he clenched both fists and said in a strained voice. ''I don''t want to quit ...... without even considering the idea that Yashiro-san has thought of for so long!So I''m going to eat! So I''m going to eat it!'' He said, taking an apple from his plate. ''............'' The rabbit stares at the apple and chokes on it. It''s probably not because he''s feeling ''delicious'', but because he''s extremely nervous. ''At ............, then, ............... ...Gosh,...... ouch,...... ouch,............ I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry if this hurts,......, but I''ll take it! I''m sorry.Don''t push it! Finally, Jeannette began to shed tears. It''s not worth the effort to eat it. I took away the rabbit''s apple and patted Ginette on the head for trying so hard. ''You did a great job, ......''. I''m not sure if this is the scene where you say. ''......I''m sorry............ I just couldn''t eat it......'' ''Well, I can''t help it. I mean, rabbits are usually eaten, right? It''s the rudimentary prey of hunting. So, why are Estella and Magda applauding Jeannette? Nice fight?I''m jealous. I''ve spent a lot of time and energy on unnecessary things. I thought rabbit apples were a staple for lunches, but they''re dead. I think I need to gather information on the hobbies and beliefs of the people of this town, what they are attracted to and what they avoid. I''m faced with a new challenge, but I''ll get to it later. For now, we hunt. And so we came to the gate of District 41 with a large amount of lunch boxes in our hands. There are no gates in District 42, and the nearest one is the gate in District 41. Installing a gate would have the advantage of collecting the entrance tax, but it would cost more money, time, and effort to guard and maintain the gate. In addition, gates in unattractive places such as the Forty-Two districts do not attract much traffic, and thus cannot be expected to generate income. Outside of the 42nd district is a forest, which is another factor that reduces the amount of traffic. Few people travel on foot, and most of them use carriages to go in and out of the city. If this is the case, well-developed roads are necessary. It is nonsense to drive a cart through the forest. After struggling through the forest, you finally enter the 42nd district. I''d probably lose my temper and tear the gatekeeper to pieces. That''s why District 42 is one of the few districts without gates, even though it is located in the periphery of All Bloom. It is said that there are other wards without gates, but they must have their own problems or reasons. The gates of the 41st arrondissement can be found at ....... Well, the 41st arrondissement is not a very big city either. It''s a little better than the 42nd district. A large wooden gate over 20 meters high is surrounded by a sturdy stone gate. It''s okay to go to ......, but it''s a bit too old. A few dozen people could tear it down if they wanted to. Will this gate be able to protect us from animals?Wouldn''t it be open to burglars? The gatekeepers are probably the vigilantes of the 41st district. The dozens of soldiers are all wearing the same type of armor. A flag with a lion''s emblem is fluttering beside the gate. ''I don''t understand why the permit of District 42 is effective when passing through the gate of District 41? ''Well, that''s just the nature of our relationship. If something happens, we''ll be flexible, so you''ll have to tolerate it. ''Hmm...'' Estella took this for me, my initiation permit. Rather than a permission to enter, it''s more like a temporary resident card for the 42nd district. It serves as my identity card. Incidentally, it is said that it does not cost any money to go out of the city. Bringing things out of the city is also tax-free. It is only when you enter the city that you are charged money, and you are also taxed for bringing things in. If you take a lunch box out of the city and bring it back without finishing it, you will be taxed, as in this case. ...... What the heck. It''s safe to say that the container is not subject to taxation. Most of the food they take out is bread and dried meat, which they sell. If we don''t tax them, people can claim that they are leftovers and bring bread and dried meat into the city without taxation. If this happens, bakers and butchers in the city will suffer losses. This is a measure to prevent that from happening. ...... I mean, you can''t sell lunchboxes for food, can you? Well, if you start saying that, the line between the two will become blurred, and things will get messy. The entrance procedure was surprisingly simple, and we were able to leave immediately. It may seem like a lot of trouble to get in, but getting out is easy. ''It costs 1,200Rb for the three of us to get in. That''s what the vigilante said to me as we left the gate. Magda is not counted as a member of the hunting guild because she has a membership card. The peddlers'' guild, the hunters'' guild, and the sea fishermen''s guild all pay a yearly introductory tax to the guild because their work requires them to go outside the walls frequently. Therefore, as long as you don''t have anything that would be subject to the tax, you won''t be charged on a per visit basis. However, if you are not a member of one of those guilds, you will be charged every time you enter. ''If you don''t have 1200Rb, you shouldn''t leave. You won''t be able to leave.'' ''Don''t worry. I''ve got everything ready for you. Estella replies a little unhappily. I thought this old soldier was a nice guy, but he was just being ...... sarcastic, ''How many people in District 42 have 1200Rb? He was just being sarcastic. ''Well. Well, I''d better get going. It''s a waste of time to be selling oil in a place like this. Estella led the way with a tone of voice that could not hide her annoyance. Hmm ...... After about two steps, I stopped and looked back at the gate. I saw the old soldier yawning like he was bored. ''Yashiro-san, what''s wrong? As if he noticed that I had stopped, Jeannette rushed over to me and asked me a question. As if to follow Ginette, Magda, who still has a blank expression, and Estella, who still has an angry expression, also turned back to me. ''I thought I could get through for 500Rb. When I told her that in an aloof tone, Estella''s eyes instantly fixed on me. ''Don''t tell me you''re going to make counterfeit coins to make up for the shortage. Hey, don''t overpay for me. You can''t make counterfeit coins here without any preparation. ''No.'' ''Then what do you think you''ll do?'' ''What do you think I''ll do? Ginette''s eyes were too innocent and vulnerable, and I dared to ask her a question in return. I had a pretty good idea of what she would say, but I wondered how she would answer. ''Hmmm ......, I guess so ......''. After a moment''s pondering, Ginette''s expression suddenly brightened. After a moment of consideration, her face suddenly lit up. ''All right!I''m going to help the vigilantes and earn what I need! Boom!...... is the face. I''m sorry you''re so confident, but you don''t understand a thing. It''s not like you''re going to get through with 500Rb, and it would be cheaper to pay the regular price than to put in the effort to do so. ''So you''re selling me something of value? When Ginette''s comment was dismissed lightly with just a look, Estella now came up with her own answer. ''''So, that would be a violation of the condition ''500Rb is enough'', right? If you make up the shortfall with something else, it''s the same as cutting yourself in the end, and that makes no sense. ...... No, wait. If you can make up for it with something else, it''s no good. ''Estella, that''s a good point. Okay, Jeannette. Give me the see-through pants you''re wearing right now. ''Hmph! Ginette''s face instantly turned bright red as she let out a strange voice. ''How can you tell?Yashiro-san, did you see it? ''No, I''m just guessing, but are you wearing those right now? It''s the one that left the biggest impression on me when I saw it hanging out in the courtyard. I couldn''t help but glance at Jeannette''s waist. And then, Jeannette put her hands to cover her waist and stepped back to distance herself from me. It''s not every day that you get to go outside the walls,......, so you''re suddenly fired up.Please repent, please repent! I see. So Ginette is the kind of person who wears pants to win. ''But you see, Jeannette. You''re dealing with that old man. If it''s those see-through pants you''ve taken off, not to mention the introductory tax for three people, you could double that amount .............'' I suddenly felt a cold sensation on my neck as I tried to persuade him. I unconsciously sensed my own danger, I stopped speaking and turned my gaze towards it. A knife with a blade of 20 centimeters was thrust at my neck. And Estella, holding the handle of the knife, asks me slowly with a look of madness in her eyes. ''Would you rather do penance right now or be beheaded right now?I''ll give you three seconds.'' ''I''m sorry, sir! As quick as a reflex, I said my apologies. I''m scared, scared, scared!You''re too scary to be serious! ''You''re right. Don''t joke around too much or you''ll get hurt. That''s what I want to say to you as you put the knife away in your pocket. Even if you''re joking, don''t pull a knife on someone. Especially if you''re serious. No matter how many lives you have, you''ll never have enough like this. ...... Suddenly, my cuff was tugged a little. I looked and saw Magda, who had grabbed the sleeve of my clothes in a reserved manner, staring at my face as if peeping at me from right below. ''Hmm?What is it? ''...... Magda''s pants...... you there?'' ''Yashiro! ''Yashiro-san!'' Both Estella and Jeannette shouted accusingly. I haven''t said anything yet! ''Sorry, Magda. In my country, you can be arrested for possessing anything belonging to a girl. ''......?'' The way she tilted her head was adorable, despite her expressionless face. But it''s clear that there''s no point in explaining further, so we''ll leave Magda alone for now. ...... Oh, wait, wait. I''ll ask Magda about it too. I''m curious to see what kind of wisdom this guy can squeeze out of him. Sometimes, the ideas of a dullard like him can break through a difficult situation with a sharp edge. If his ideas are useful, I''ll make good use of them in the future. ''Magda. What would you do?How do you get through the gate for 500Rb? ''............'' Magda folded her arms and pondered. Then he looked up and gave me his answer in a voice with no inflection. ''............ I''ll do my best.'' ''Yeah, okay. I''m sorry. I was a fool to expect anything from him. I''m going through a period of intense reflection that I haven''t had in years. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of me. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of me. ...... I''m going to demonstrate it to you right now, so just sit there and watch. I left the three of them there and walked over to the soldier''s man. The old man was still looking bored as ever. The other soldiers were not so different, but the old man seemed to be particularly absent-minded. He seems to be the oldest among them, and perhaps that is why no one is blaming him for it. That''s why he can behave in such a rude manner. If I were to target him, that old man would definitely be the most appropriate. ''What, did you forget something?I''m sorry, but once you''re outside, for whatever reason, you''ll have to pay an entry tax when you enter. I let the old man''s comment pass for the moment, smiling wickedly while feigning kindness, and then I broach the subject. ''Actually, I have a question for you. With that, I move my index finger a little, signaling him to lend me his ear. The old man did not show any sign of wondering, and put his ear close to mine. I''m going to plant the seeds of depravity in him. ''I''m talking about ----.'' When I briefly told him the gist of the story, he didn''t change his expression, but I could see that the color of his eyes had clearly changed. ''How about it?500Rb for the three of us. Can you let me through?'' ''Well, well, in that case, ......'' ''Wait a minute! Just as the old man was about to nod, Estella shouted to interrupt him. I looked and saw that the three of them, including Jeannette and Magda, were standing behind me. ''What were you talking about just now? ''Hmm?So, I was asking if you could let me through here for 500Rb. ......'' ''That''s why I''m asking about it.'' Estella puts her hands on her pockets. All right, all right. I''ll tell you everything. Don''t stare at me like that. And don''t take that knife out. ''Not at all. I''m just asking if I can wrap up 500Rb and sneak you through. It''s only three of us, we''ll just pretend we didn''t get in, right? All we have to do is blink a little slower as we pass through the gate. And pretend that you''ve written it in the ledger, and no one will notice. That''s all it takes for this guy to get 500Rb in addition to his salary. We get off cheap and he gets extra income. This is what a win-win relationship is all about. ''You shouldn''t take this so seriously, soldier. Introductions to the wrongdoers are punishable by execution with no reduction. The person who helped you is just as guilty. ''I know, I know! Estella pointed out, and the old soldier was visibly upset. Oh, this is no good. He doesn''t know how to lie. If he takes a bribe, he''ll either brag about it and dig a grave, or he''ll end up being questioned by a suspicious superior. ''Oh, really. You really do come up with a lot of nonsense, don''t you? ''It''s just that there is such a way. ''I guess I''ll have to keep an eye on you. Estella glares at me sharply. I was just using a metaphor. ...... Well, it''s a method I wouldn''t hesitate to choose if I had to. But this has planted the seeds of depravity in the soldier''s mind. When a person learns that such a method exists, even if he knows that it is wrong, he will suddenly become obsessed with the sweet fantasy of ''...... if I do it. The rest is up to the mind of the man. If his mind is weak, he will be involved in the evil. If he is strong, he won''t. That''s all. It''s none of my business if this old man gets involved in evil and becomes corrupt. Well, it''s just a little revenge. If you look down on others too much, you''ll miss the fact that you''re the one who''s starting to fall. We passed through the gate, dropping such sparks. There was a whole plain. I guess there are few horse-drawn carriages here. The road is not as well maintained as a street, and there are few ruts. ''...... This gate is mainly used by the members of the hunting guild.'' Magda explained to me simply. There are men here and there dressed like that, if you ask me. ''...... Most of them work in parties of about five.'' So said Magda, carrying the Masakari, and began to walk. He walks in front of us and we follow him. After walking for a while, Magda said to ...... ''...... It''s been a long time since I''ve walked with someone like this. He muttered these words. This guy has been out hunting alone so far? But if it''s been a while, it''s probably not the first time. Considering his age, he was probably referring to the time when he accompanied his parents. Magda''s ears twitched as she walked in front of us. It''s as if he''s listening to the sound of our footsteps behind him. ''...... I''ll do my best today. The intonationless words, muttered to no one in particular, sounded somehow joyful. However, ............ you''ll get eaten for your hard work. Moderation is best. After a short walk, simple tents began to appear here and there. I wondered if they were securing a place to base themselves as the forest grew closer. ''I see. They can''t go any further because they have to cook their meals. Estella reasoned. Considering the travel time, the cooking time, and the time to turn back, it would be most efficient to set up the tent around here. Unless we stay overnight, we can''t travel that far. ''So, shall we pitch our tents around here, too? That''s what Ginette said. But ...... ''No, we''ll go further. ''Yes, we are. We don''t need to cook thanks to our lunches. Besides, if we go where no one goes, there will be plenty of prey. Estella is right. You can''t succeed if you do the same things as others. We must take the initiative to do what others will not. When the hunters noticed that we were heading ahead without setting up our tent, they pointed at us and laughed. They say things like ''greedy people miss their prey in the end'' and ''reckless idiots'' and whatever else they want. Ginette takes these words seriously and shows a worried expression. But ignore those words, ignore them. Only those who say such things dig their own graves by easily imitating others after they have succeeded. If you believe that you are doing the right thing, you should ignore the voices of the outside world. But only if you can accept the premise that you can''t blame anyone for your failure. ''...... In the forest, there are beasts that sell for a high price. ''So let''s target that one today. We''re not looking for a steady income, we''re looking for a big one. After all, there''s the invincible Tigers over here. They are a little difficult to deal with, but if you can master them, they will become your strongest earner. It would be foolish to shun them for being difficult to use. In the case of fighting games, the strongest players are those who are difficult to control. It is difficult to master, but once you have it under your control, you will become a force to be reckoned with. However, those who don''t put enough effort into it become half-hearted. Half-heartedness is the worst. If you are going to do something, do it all the way. That is the basis for making money. That''s why we''re going into the forest without hesitation. We proceeded through a deep forest. It is said that this forest extends to the forty-second district. Can''t we just climb through the ...... trees and get past the outer wall of the city? ''Illegal entry is punishable by death. ''...... I know,'' he said. How did you know what I was thinking, Estella? You''re kind of scary, you know that? ''What you''re thinking is showing on your face. You''re easy to understand, aren''t you? That''s not true. I''m a genius con artist. I''m a genius swindler. ''...... Shh! Suddenly, Magda''s feet stopped. He lowers his posture and puts his index finger up to his mouth. ''.................. I''m close.'' Magda''s cat ears twitch. Well, tiger ears, to be exact. We all stifle a gasp, and the forest falls silent. We all stare in the same direction, following Magda''s gaze. Protected by Magda''s back, we focus our attention on the depths of the forest where Magda is staring. The silence is deafening. It''s hard to breathe. The air feels thin. And sweat is pouring out of my body. ...... hot. It''s as if I''m being burned by a flame. This is the tension of the hunting ground. ............ Hot. ............ Really hot. What''s hot?Hot ............ hot hot hot hot ......! It was so hot that I turned around. Then, ...... right behind me, there was a big cow with her whole body covered in flames. ''............ Oh, that''s you. You''re not very good at sensing things, are you? It''s taking my back as hard as it can, and it''s getting really close! Boom-boom-boom-boom! For some reason, the cow that was engulfed in the blazing flames was not burned by the flames, but stared at us with lively eyes. They are the eyes of a beast aiming at its prey. ''Is that a Bonacon? Estella says a name I''ve never heard before. Bonacon? Is there such a thing as a cow? ''It''s a magical beast that lives in this forest: ...... In layman''s terms, it''s a monster.'' Monster! Is there such a thing? No, it''s a different world where there are beastmen, so it wouldn''t be surprising if there were! ''...... Be careful of the Bonacons, when they get excited, they send out flaming poo. ''Too disgusting, that attack! While I was saying that, Bonacon started pointing his butt at us. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I''m gonna get poo-pooed! ''Magda!Do something!'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' As soon as he says that, Magda''s whole body is enveloped by a "red, fuzzy, shiny thing" - my abbreviation for "Red Moya". And with a flash... In the blink of an eye, the fight was over. Magda approached Bonacon at a speed that was difficult to follow with her eyes, and easily swung her giant Masakari to cut Bonacon''s body in half. With the absolute difference in power, Magda finishes Bonacon with a single blow. And here''s the main point. ''Magda!Have some patience!I''ve already started eating my lunch at ......! Without waiting for the lunch to be served, Magda bit into the flesh of Bonacon, whose flames were still flickering. ''Ginette, hurry up!The Bonacon will be devoured! ''Ha, yes!Wah, wah!Wait, wait, wait!'' Ginette almost dropped her bag in her haste. He busily takes out his lunch box and starts preparing his meal. ''No, Yashiro!You''ve already eaten sixty percent of it! ''d*mn it!Stop, Magda! Even though I know it''s useless, I jump at Magda and get thrown away as usual. I can''t even hold it for a tenth of a second. ''I''m ready!Magda-san, dinner is ready! ''......? Magda, who had been gnawing on the Bonacon, reacted to the lunch box that Ginette had taken out. I see. Bonacon is raw meat, so it''s not that tasty. Magda knows that Ginette''s lunch is better. That''s why he reacted to the lunchbox even though he was losing his ego due to hunger. ''Magda-san!It''s fried chicken! ''...... Eat! Magda threw away the Bonacon meat and pounced on the fried chicken. ...... No, don''t throw it away. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It''s still a little hot. It''s still a little hot, but not so hot that you can''t hold it. ''I''d say the loss is more than 80%. Estella hands me a rather large cloth bag. ''It''s a cloth that can hold the flesh of monsters with magical power. It''s strong enough to withstand the flames of Bonacon. So it''s an item born in a world where magical beasts exist. I don''t know how it works, but it''s better than putting it in an ordinary bag. ''How much do you think Bonacon''s meat sells for? ''I don''t know. I don''t know what a fair price would be, but I''m sure it would be a good deal. ''What''s your reasoning? ''Because Bonakon is a high-class food that you can only find in the very best restaurants in the Central District. ''Is that so? ''Yeah. I think only aristocrats and a few wealthy merchants have tasted it. Magda gobbled up such precious meat without even tasting it. ............ You need discipline. You''ll have to be rather strict. But it''s a very expensive food. ...... There''s about 10 kilos of meat left on hand. I can''t wait to see how much it''s worth. ...... I''m going home now. I can''t wait to get home. I think the idea of having Magda carry my lunch might work. I like the fact that she was unknowingly attracted to the lunch box. Even if she comes hunting alone, she can avoid eating her prey if she has her lunch box out from the start. Considering the entrance fee, we can''t just come along with you. You may need to accompany us until you get used to the lunches. ''I know you''re in a hurry, but why don''t we have dinner first? ''Sure. I''m hungry, if you say so.'' We''re celebrating a victory. Let''s have a toast to the victory with the lunch box I made for you. And then I looked back at ...... ''............ I''m full. ''Oh,......, Magda''s appetite was unstoppable,......, and I couldn''t stop her. ............ Really? We''ve walked a long way to get here ............, and we''ll have to walk the same distance to get back to the city ....... In the deep, deep forest. We ran out of food ............ and cried as we roasted some Bonacon meat to share. 19-Episode 17 Close Words ''Bo...... Bonacon, what? The representative of the hunting guild''s face twitched as he placed the meat in the guild''s reception room. We had returned to the city after the hunt and came to the hunting guild on the same day. I guess they didn''t expect us to come back with more prey just yesterday. The representative of the hunting guild was amusingly flustered. ''We have the proof. To prove that this was indeed Bonacon meat, he had brought back a Bonacon horn. He placed the heavy horn on the table. ''......This is ............ indeed, a Bonacon horn. ...... ......But, no. ......'' I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ''...... I mean, come on, this is too much trouble. ''Hey. I haven''t heard your name yet. You can''t keep calling me the head of the hunting guild. After all, we''ll have to buy meat from you frequently from now on. ''Can you tell me your name? ''Usse, Damare......'' ''Hey!I''m here to discuss business!How dare you tell me to shut up!It''s polite to at least say your name! ''So, it''s Use Damare! ''Huh? ''That''s my name! ''Use Damare? ''Oh.'' ''Use Damare, so you''re Use from the Damare family. ............ ''Pppp~!That''s a weird name! ''Shut up!Shut up! ''Self-introduction, B! ''That was a serious request, shut up! He''s a complicated guy. I''m not sure if it''s the name that''s embarrassing, or the fact that his cheeks are dyed slightly red, but it''s not ...... cute at all. It''s a good idea. There''s a 6 kilogram chunk of meat on the table. After Magda took all the lunches we brought with us, we made a bonfire and ate the Bonacon meat. ...... It was really good. The meat had a firm texture and the more you chewed, the more juicy it became. Each of us gobbled up about a kilo. It''s a waste of expensive meat. ...... But it could not be helped. It''s impossible for an empty stomach to tolerate such fine meat ....... I''m sure even Hachiko, the loyal dog, would have ignored the "wait" command. I''d rather be praised for leaving so much behind. ''Well, Mr. Damare. I sit deep in my chair and cross my legs. I put on an air of arrogance and start talking to Use, the representative of the hunting guild. ''How much do you want for it? Use promised to buy it at the same price as the peddlers'' guild. This is the meat of choice for the finest restaurants in the central district. I''m sure they''ll pay a good price for it. Well, I can''t deny that the quantity is a bit insufficient. ...... ''............You''re not going to get Bonacon from ......'' Instead of answering my question, Use is mumbling something. What a lousy man. No matter how reluctant he is, I''m not leaving here until he buys this. No matter how it turns out, there''s only one future we can reach. If you''re a man, you should pay quickly and save yourself the time wasted. You can''t do that because you''re a petty ...... pauper. The feeling of ''I don''t want to lose money'' swirls in your heart and you can''t get rid of it. And there are many who do not know that this feeling is a dangerous feeling that will push them into the abyss. ''Did Magda really get him? Here it comes. ''Didn''t one of you catch it?If so, it''s poaching. We can''t buy something that dangerous! I see. People without a permit can''t hunt without permission. ...... Estella took the trouble to get a permit when she was fishing for sea fish. It must be the same for hunting. But ...... ''Who among us can kill a Bonacon? Look at them. They''re all a bit on the short side. Ginette and Estella are women, both of them slim. Estella is so flat it makes me sad. Estella is so flat it makes me sad. ...... That''s not enough! ''You think you can beat Bonacon with such a slender body? ''......Yashiro. Can you please stop pointing at my breasts and calling me delicate? Estella quietly releases an aura of anger. He''s a guy who cares about the little things. ...... In two ways. ''It''s not the woman, it''s your hand ......''. Use stopped talking when he saw my hand. My right hand has a bandage wrapped around it. ''Unfortunately, my hand is in this state because of the injuries I sustained in the hunting guild. ''Don''t make it sound like it''s our fault!You got injured on your own! ''I don''t care if it was self-inflicted or an honorable injury. With my dominant hand like this, I can''t hunt.'''' ''''.......'''' It doesn''t matter how much you claim ''we didn''t do anything'', if you can''t prove it, you''ll end up arguing about ''we did'' or ''we didn''t do''. But it should be obvious that hunting is impossible with this group. There''s a wounded city girl, a diner owner with magnificent breasts, and Miss Poor Tits. Except for Magda, none of them could kill Bonacon. There''s nothing more convincing than that. ''I can''t buy this piece of shit! ''That''s not right. Estella, a.k.a. Miss Poor Tits, countered in a calm voice. ''I''m sure there''s no clause that says fish or vegetables can''t be cut up.And of course, the meat of animals. I''m the kind of guy who catches sea fish. He''s probably done business with the peddlers'' guild. Use held his tongue at Estella''s confident attitude. ''That''s true. We used to buy cut vegetables too. Carrot stems, worm-eaten greens...'' ''Jeannette. You should keep your mouth shut. ...... makes me sad.'''' Why are you buying all that stuff? ...... Before I created the guild, Ginette was already paying to collect the garbage. ''Mr. Damare''. I''ll call your name again. This time, in a lowered, piercing voice. ''How much do you want for it? ''Ku............''. Use glared at Magda. It was a resentful stare, as if to say, ''Why can''t you get what you want when you''re at home, but you''re making a difference elsewhere? The least that can be said is that Magda herself doesn''t seem to care much about that look. ''Ma, Magda. Use''s face changes. He seems to be trying desperately to smile while twitching, and a distorted smile appears on his face. ''You did it!I always believed you''d make it one day.'' Well, there you have it: ...... ''I said those harsh things to inspire you. ...... Well, I''m glad!I''m so glad!You''re now a member of the guild. You''re a member of the guild now. I''ll give Use a word of advice as if to dampen his enthusiasm. He stammers for a moment, but Use quickly retorts. ''If you don''t catch anything, you can''t be considered a member. I''m just a member. ''And? ''So now that he''s able to catch prey, he''s a member of the hunting guild, both in name and reality. No, it''s worth the effort I put into it.'''' ''So what is it?'' I look into Use''s eyes as he speaks aloofly, and with a straight face, I ask plainly. ''Are you saying that you dared to make Magda catch her prey by saying something that would make her shun you? ''Yes, that''s right!You know exactly what I mean!That''s why he''s one of us. Thank you for your cooperation. If you need anything else, I''ll be happy to help you out. ......'' I stretched out my arm and pointed at Use. ''You want to be a frog? ''What? Here''s what Use has to say. I wanted Magda to be inspired. That''s why I took the attitude of pushing him away. That''s why I kicked her out, and that''s why all the talk about signing an exclusive contract with the Sunshine Pavilion was a lie. ''We''ve already provided Magda with food and lodging. We can''t afford to let it go away as ''it was actually an act''. ''No, no!That''s why!I''ll pay for your food and lodging!I''ve been planning to do that from the beginning! ''If you think that excuse will work, let''s let the spirit gods decide right here. If you don''t lie about your words and actions, you''ll still be human. Aren''t the people of this city being too careless? Like Mormat and this wuss, they''re digging their own graves. I don''t understand how they can be aware of the existence of the Judgment of the Spirits and make such a simple statement that would be a lie. If they want to, it will be the end of your life. Or they can use it as a bargaining chip to push you into impossible situations. It''s nonsense to create such weaknesses for yourself. They are so stupid. ............? And that''s when I saw it. I saw Use pull out the knife on his hip and step over the table towards me. Use raised his arm ...... and the arm holding the knife swung down and stabbed me ...... ''That''s enough! Just before ......, Estella put a knife to Use''s neck. Use stops moving. The knife in Use''s grip stopped about five centimeters away from my eyebrows. ''Even if you kill Yashiro, I''ll make you a frog. I''m also a member of the Sunlit Pavilion, you know. I''m part of the contract. The Judgment of the Spirits is an accusation made by a party ...... who has been lied to. So even if you''re a good-natured Ginette and you''re standing by to watch her get cheated, you don''t have the right to use the Judgment of the Spirits. But this time, Estella is claiming that she is in that range. ...... That was a close one. Thank goodness Estella can read her opponent''s thoughts. Ginette is just dazed and confused about what happened, and Magda is too dazed to deal with such a sudden event. I was completely caught off guard, too. I didn''t think she''d come up with such a plan. ...... If it wasn''t for Estella, I''d have been killed. I see. ...... So if you kill your opponent, you can avoid being judged by the spirits. ...... That''s a crazy theory. But it was a conceivable situation. I guess I should say I was careless. ''............If you turn me into a frog, his life will be ......''. ''Don''t do that.'' Estella said in a cold voice to Use, who was trying to speak out of turn. ''Look at him, look at him. She points at me with her chin. ''You''re still calm when you''re that close, aren''t you? ''............'' Use looks down at me. ...... It''s really scary from this angle. I''m almost scared. ''I wonder if he''s got some tricks up his sleeve. He''s got a secret plan that I can''t even think of.'' No way. No way, no way. Otherwise, I don''t think you''d be able to stay so calm.'' I just couldn''t do anything about it, could I? ''Don''t underestimate him too much, ...... because he''s a dangerous man.'' ''Me, the most adorable creature next to a hamster? ''Come on. Let''s put the knife down, shall we? ''............ Okay.'' Hearing Estella''s voice, Use lowered the knife and walked away from me. I''m not sure what to do................... I was scared. But well, I should be able to afford to be out of shape. ''That''s a wise decision. I don''t think my voice was shaking. I was fine. I kept my dignity. You''ve got to keep your dignity in these situations. But I''m sure we''ll be able to negotiate some pretty good terms now. You could even buy it for twice the price of the peddler''s guild. ...... ''Well, ......, you''ve done quite a bit for me. ............'' When I looked at him, the stout, strong-looking Usset shrank back. I''m not sure what to do. It''s too late for that now. ...... ''...... Well, I want to do good business with you in the future. Please make sure this doesn''t happen again. ''............What?'' It was Use who let his voice leak out. Use must have been prepared for this. He was prepared for any kind of unreasonable request that might be thrown at him. But since it was only a warning, he must have felt relaxed. Ginette looked relieved and Magda was still looking at me with blank eyes. Estella''s eyes widened in surprise. ''At any rate, I want you to buy this Bonacon. And from now on, I expect you to come here several times a month to sell the meat. If Magda comes alone, be sure to treat her with respect.'' Implicitly, I''m threatening Magda that if she treats me unfairly, I''ll show no mercy. This way, Magda will not be treated unfairly when she comes to sell meat. ''Yashiro-san: ...... for Magda-san: ......'' Jeannette mutters misguidedly. ''For Magda, not for me. It''s because it''s too much trouble for me to go with him every time he wants to make a deal. It''s inefficient, and a business that relies on manpower will fail one day. It is essential to build a system that can circulate smoothly without my involvement. These people seem to think that they can do whatever they want to Magda, and there''s no guarantee that she won''t be beaten up, or even robbed of her goods and the deal will never happen. This is a threat to prevent that. Instead of overlooking it this time, he blocked Magda from shielding him at all times in the future. If Magda comes back injured, ...... I will frog you all for violating the contract between the Hunting Guild and the Sunlit Pavilion. I''m not sure if my thoughts were conveyed properly. I''m not sure. Then, good. ''I hope we can continue our good relationship in the future. I hope the guild''s representative doesn''t suddenly disappear ....... ''...... Oh, yeah. Same here. Use and I shook hands with a variety of thoughts. In the end, we sold the Bonacon meat for 4000Rb and the horns for 8000Rb. Hunting guilds do not specialize in meat, but also deal in fur, horns, bones, and tusks. If I had realized that, I might have been able to make a little more money. ...... It was a waste of time. ''To be honest, I was surprised. As I left the hunting guild, Estella spoke to me. ''Oh. I didn''t know you could even sell the horns. ...... I should have brought the pelts back with me.'' It had been torn to shreds by the runaway Magda, but it might have been worth 10Rb. ''It''s not. I''m talking about you.'' ''Me?'' Estella says in a slow tone, keeping pace with me. ''I thought you were going to make some crazy demands. You''re asking for a whole head in that little lump.'' ''I''m sure that''s the only time you''ll get any benefit from it. If you put them on their guard, they''ll start throwing things at you that will put you at a disadvantage. In the worst case, they may take measures such as closing the restaurant temporarily when Magda goes hunting. Meat doesn''t last that long. I''d rather die than lose a lot of money. ...... is not a joke. Besides, you can''t be sure that you won''t end up assassinating Magda in a fit of pique. Stimulation is best in moderation. Don''t let it explode. ''Thanks to you, Jeannette, she''s very happy. Estella looks at Jeannette, who is walking ahead. Ginette is holding hands with Magda and is talking to her happily. She strokes her shaggy hair and smiles at him. Magda''s ears are twitching and her tail is standing up straight, despite her expressionless face. As I recall, cats'' tails stand up when they are in a good mood, right? Magda seems to be in a good mood. ...... So, if you make a beautiful feline girl wear a skirt, ............ ''I can almost imagine what you''re thinking, but the beastmen with tails wear shorts and undercoats that can be seen under their skirts. ''Is that an evil way? ''If you''re an outsider, you''re right in front of me.'' What''s with the ''I said it well'' look on your face? You''re annoying me. ''Even so, aren''t there too many people who make off-the-cuff remarks? ''What do you mean? ''I don''t need to mention Ginette, but the farmer Mo''mat also says things like ''tell me anything'', and Delia of the river fishing guild has short-sightedly decided that we''re fish thieves. And Use of the hunting guild made a series of unflattering excuses that were clearly lies. I think I could turn any of them into frogs if I wanted to, don''t you? ''Oh, I see.'' Estella nodded hawkishly as if she understood what I was trying to say. ''It''s a case that shows the generous heart of the residents of District 42. ''It sounds like you''re making fun of me for not following through. ''That''s not true. Isn''t Jeannette a lovable person? ''Lovable. ......'' If you love Jeannette, you''ll have a hard life from here on out. I recommend it to dominant people. Not just a pretend M, but a true Dom. Or, for that matter, for those who have a reckless desire to throw their lives away. ''There are many other reasons why people love Jeannette, though. ''Ah, tits. You love them too.'' ''That''s you!You''re the one who''s always talking about boobs and ...... boobs and ...... boobs.'' Estella crosses her arms in annoyance. But I know. I know it''s to hide her thin breasts. ''Anyone who says "I''ll do anything" knows it''s a joke, don''t they? It''s the "Judgment of the Spirits" that can be abused, right? ''Abuse is ......'' ''That''s what it is, isn''t it? This magic is being used too much. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to use it for anything other than threats and revenge. ''That being said, ......, I''ll have to check it out. ......'' Well, if there are, they''re probably few and far between. Rules are made so that those who abide by them are cramped and those who abuse them make a lot of money. The more time that goes by, the more. ''It''s still dangerous. Especially guys like Jeannette. ''She seems to be thinking in her own way, you know. ''Are you blind too? ''...... I''d like to hear what else you think is wrong, just for reference?'' The fact that Jeannette looks like she''s thinking makes me wonder if she has any eyesight at all. He''s the kind of guy who only judges what flies in front of him as ''good'' or ''bad''. And he seldom chooses ''bad''. ''You''re a bit of a worrier, aren''t you? ''I''m cautious. I don''t want to make a fool of myself. ''Ginette-chan is definitely dangerous in many ways, but even so, I wouldn''t say ''I''ll do anything'' unless it''s in front of someone I know well. Not even in a hunting guild, right? I certainly didn''t say, ''I''ll do anything you want, just let me take care of Magda. ''But you''ve said something like that a few times in front of me.'' ''So, it is.'' Estella walks around in front of me and stops. She sticks her forefinger in front of my nose. ''It means you''re a kindred spirit. What''s with the smug ...... face? ''Doesn''t the fact that you''re letting me in show that you''re seriously lacking in security awareness?After all, I''m a ''dangerous man'', aren''t I? ''Hmm?Maybe you''ve been paying attention? I said dismissively, and he looked pleased. ''That was just a way to make the business meeting go smoothly. No offense intended. Besides, ......'' At this point, Estella came closer to me. She looks up at me from a very close position and says with a smile. ''I''m only saying this because I like you too. Hmm. I can''t be bothered to think it''s overly theatrical and smelly. ''Then say something like, "I''ll do anything you want."'' ''Haha. If I say that to you, you never know what you might do to me. He said that with a refreshing smile. Hmm. ''Let me lick your armpits'' is all I''ll say. ''What benefit does that action bring to you? Estella squeezed her sides tightly and glared at me with a red face. Just seeing her face is enough to make me happy. ''Yes, and besides! As if she thought she had dug a grave, Estella quickly changed the subject. ''Even if you think in terms of profit and loss, which you seem to like, there are more disadvantages to turning someone into a frog. ''Is that so?'' ''Let''s say a conflict arises in a business meeting and you turn Mo-Matt into a frog. Simply, is there any advantage?'' ''If it''s a business meeting with an individual Mormat, it''s a bust, and if it''s a business meeting with the entire guild, you''ll have to start over with the next representative, or you can use ...... a mild threat. ''In exchange for that mild threat, no one will want to do business with you in the future. He''s the kind of guy who turns people into frogs, so don''t talk to him. Oh, I''m not kidding. Maybe the limit is to use it as a threat, like Assunto of the peddlers'' guild. If it is a threat, the farmer''s first priority is to think that he will not be able to make a living if he disobeys, but if he is turned into a frog, his first priority is to think that it is dangerous to do business with him. You never know when you might be turned into a frog. It''s beyond the point where you can say, ''My life. ''I''ll kill you! It''s like a threat to kill. The moment you actually commit murder, the threat ceases to be a threat. And no one will go near the murderer. Indeed, the disadvantage of crossing the line is great. But wait, ...... ''What about Goffredo?'' ''Goffredo?That collection agency?How do you know him?'' Estella looks at me in surprise. ''I don''t think he''s the type of person you''d meet if you were in Ginette''s place. ''No, it''s the types like Ginette that fall for that sort of thing, isn''t it? ''Goffredo is a collector who specializes in ''nasty customers. ''Troublesome''? ''People who are habitual defaulters, people who are hostile to the ...... financial guild...'' It''s like a crusher. These are the people who get involved in slightly illegal ways to destroy rival companies. The kind of people who come to a restaurant that refuses to accept a land price increase and start a big fight in the restaurant. Whatever it is, they are the worst kind. That''s the kind of person Goffredo is. ''I met Goffredo on the main street. Then he frogged a man. In full view of the public.'' ''It''s a rare profession where that''s a threat, isn''t it, collectors? Your dignity becomes a sign. Those who are stared at by Goffredo will pay up honestly. Even if they feel unreasonable, even if they have to. I don''t want to be turned into a frog. Moreover, unlike negotiations with the guild, he is a troublesome opponent who will persist in getting involved even if we refuse. ''You shouldn''t get involved with that guy either. No. ...... I''ve already contacted him to make money. ............ Well, I''ll be careful not to get involved in the future. ''So it''s okay for me to denounce you for playing "Judgment of the Spirits" in the church. ''I''ve had more than that cast on me by you. ......'' He glared at me with a resentful look. He''s a small man with a small heart and a small capacity for complaining about the past. ''Yashiro-san''. I noticed that Jeannette and Magda had stopped and were looking at us. They''re waiting for us to walk behind them. Their expressions couldn''t be happier. ''Magda, you''re going to work in the store when you''re not hunting. ''What about ......?'' ''He''s going to be serving us.'' Wow, ......, what a reckless appointment. That''s awesome, Jeannette. I wouldn''t be able to make such a drastic decision. ''Magda ......, do you have any experience in customer service? ''...... No.'' ''Do you know what you need most in customer service?'' ''........................ arm strength?'' ''Yeah, you don''t need that. It''s the least necessary.'' ''You''re about to punch a customer in the face. ''The most important thing you need in customer service is a smile.'' ''Do you collect ..................? ''That''s not it. You have to make them smile. ''............ good at it.'' ''Bullshit!'' I couldn''t help but go at him in a funny way. I''ve been with him for more than a whole day, and I''ve never seen him smile. ''You, try laughing a little. ''.................. is really funny~'' ''What are you, a high school girl? ''......''Female high school student''?'' ''No, I''m talking about ...... this one.'' That ''seriously funny'' must have been a misconversion of ''forced translation magic''. I''d like to think so. I mean, even a high school girl would say that line with a little more emotion. It''s almost flat. There were no ups and downs. It''s flat. Just like Estella''s breasts. ''You have to let your emotions run their course. Not like Estella, but like Jeannette! ''...... Hey, Yashiro. We''re talking about emotions, right? ''I''m talking about the ups and downs! ''So, we''re talking about the ups and downs of emotions, right?'' Estella holds her chest and picks at an unimportant part. ''I don''t care what kind of ups and downs you''re talking about! Anyway, we can learn from Jeannette! ''Emotional ups and downs! '' She says, while her hand gestures to her boobs! Oh shit. I couldn''t help but make a gesture of flopping my hands on my chest. ''............ ups and downs''. Magda mimicked my words and gesture. ''No, Magda!Mr. Yashiro is contagious!'' Ginette hurriedly stopped him. ...... That''s just plain awful, Jeannette. I''m not sure what to do. Laugh it up.'' I said, Magda pondered for a moment, then lifted the right corner of her mouth slightly. It''s a small change, about as small as a doll with growing hair. ...... ''............ Huh.'' ''Don''t sneer at the customers. No, no, no. Smiling was too hard for this guy. He''ll never be able to serve customers cheerfully. Then he should try to provide attentive service even if he''s mute. ''Don''t worry!I''ll teach you the basics of customer service! ''No, Jeannette. This guy is going in the wrong direction. None of your weapons of ''smile'', ''energy'', and ''swaying tits'' can be used against her. ''I''m not using the last one as a weapon! Ginette presses down on her large breasts. The soft swellings and changes its shape. Ah, it''s shaking!Thank you, every single day! ''.................. Looking forward to two years from now. I didn''t miss Magda''s very small murmur. I hope it reaches ...... your ideals. Estella is looking at Magda as if she were looking at one of her own. But Magda is only undeveloped, but yours is complete, you know? You can''t go over the wall between ''un'' and ''nothing'', can you? ''...... Like the manager, you''ll be able to please your customers with your tits.'' ''Magda, that''s a bad thing to say!I''m not trying to please my customers with that! Ginette hurried to correct him. But some of the customers have definitely come to look at your breasts. ''I''m making my customers happy by having a Piotis Day. ''Gofu! ''Yashiro-san!What''s wrong with you? What''s wrong with you is my line. ...... Are you still alive? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''What is "Piotka Day"? Hey, Estella. Don''t bite on that word. I just want it to fade quickly. ''In the language of Yashiro-san''s country, it means ''nice smile''.'' ''Wow. It''s a nice word, ''Piotkaiday''. ...... Stop it. Don''t blame me any more. ...... ''Hmm. Hey, Yashiro.'' Estella turns to me with a big smile on her face. ''What do you think?I''m pretty good at being a ''tits day'' myself, aren''t I?'' ''No, of course not! What? Oh, shit. It was a strong joke that filled up my tsukomi gauge with a single word, so I went in on it. ...... ''......Seriously, is it that bad ......? Estella holds her chest as if shocked. ...... Ah, it''s a bit amusing that the gesture is so precise when it should be taken in a different way. ''No, that''s not what I meant. ...... But let''s not talk about this anymore.'' I couldn''t look Estella straight in the eye anymore. ''...... Magda is also going for ''Piotka Day''.'' ''Right. Let''s do our best.'' If you can manage it. I mean, really, let''s not talk about this anymore. ...... ''......Yashiro''. Magda tugged at my clothes as I crouched down in a bit of mental exhaustion. When I turned around, I saw Estella crouching behind Magda ......, but I ignored her and ...... Magda was staring at me. ''............ Tell me.'' How to make your paiod a kaidee? I''ve heard it''s good to rub them every day. ............ Oh, you''re the customer service guy. ''...... Magda, what should I do?'' This guy seems to have some serious work ethic. ''......I want to be like the manager.'' This guy calls Jeannette the manager. ...... while I call him that. ''It''s impossible for you to be like Jeannette.'' ''............'' When I say it out loud, a little shadow falls into his empty eyes. He gets depressed too, doesn''t he? ''Oh, um, ......Yashiro-san......'' Ginette starts to say something......well, I know what you mean......, but before she can finish, I crumple Magda''s hair. ''You and Jeannette are different. You''re different, but you don''t have to be forced to be the same.'' ''Even at .............'' ''You can entertain your guests your way. Catch up with Jeannette in your own way.'' ''............ Magda''s, way .............'' If you have a good person, you can''t just mass produce them and everything will be fine. It''s not often that imitating a good performer will do the trick. That''s because the method is suited to that excellent person. If others imitate them, they cannot expect to achieve success. Besides, the latter will be more successful if the company is full of the same people as in the past and the company is full of various sensibilities. I don''t think it is necessary to explain why a company with a multifaceted perspective succeeds. If that is the case, then we should bring in a new breeze to the Sun Goddess Pavilion. Rather than creating more gynets, it is better to create more people who have something that gynets do not have. If that becomes their "charm," they will attract a different kind of customer. To put it simply, "Big tits are good, but so are flat tits! That''s what I''m saying. Magda also has a good face. If you can master this kind of character, you may find yourself a fanatic. If we get regulars, the restaurant will be stable. My income will increase. All good things come to an end. ''You should make use of your good points. ''............ arm strength?'' ''I told you that wasn''t it, didn''t I?You remember that, right? Are you sure you''re okay with this?...... I''ll have to teach you from the start to get it right. ''I''ll teach you everything you need to know, little by little.'' ''......Yes.'' ''............! I thought I saw ...... Magda smile a little just now. I blinked, and the expression on her face returned to its original expression. ...... ''Can I ask you a favor, Yashiro-san? Ginette asks me with an apologetic ...... but extremely happy face. Well, it''s better than having an unsympathetic doll in the store and having customers run away. ...... Labor is free. When I affirmed, Jeannette smiled with genuine happiness and bowed deeply. ''Thank you very much. You''re a really nice person, Mr. Yashiro. That''s not what ...... I''m talking about. Profit comes first! It''s for my own good! ...... You need to understand that. ''......And that ............ is one more thing I''d like to ask you ...... ......'' ''''Hmm?'''' He twisted the fingers of his hands together, and then shook his head vigorously. ''Please make another uniform for me, Magda-san! Ginette says this with a deep bow that exceeds ninety degrees. Well, yes. Uniforms need to be uniform. You''ll need one for Magda too. ''I know you''re busy and I''m asking a lot of you, but ...... I want Magda to wear those cute clothes too.'' Ginette seems to think that uniforms are fashionable clothing. Well, even if you don''t tell me, I''ll find the time to make it. ............ ''Please!If there''s anything I can do, I''ll do it! ......? This guy, ...... again. ''Then let me lick your armpits. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah! You need to learn to be a little sore, and learn to control yourself. If you don''t, you really won''t be able to get it back. ............ ''............ later, if you would.'' ......! .................. .................. ............ Huh! ''Yes, no ...... good?'' ''Yeah, well, not ...... much, but ............ I''d like to have Magda''s uniform, and I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ...... Stop, Jeannette! ...... How far will this guy go .................. ''I''m kidding ......'' ''What?'' ''I''ll make the uniform. It''s for the good of the sunny pavilion, and it''s for my benefit, too. ......'' ''Oh, really? ...... I''m glad.'' ''In return ......'' ''Yes.'' ''...... Don''t say "I''ll do anything for you" again.'' ''Yes............ that............ yes. I''ll be careful. Oh, shit. ............ My face is hot. Why do I have to be embarrassed? I shouldn''t have said anything ...... weird. It''s not that. I didn''t really want to lick your armpits. ...... I just wanted to let you know that you''re in danger of that kind of embarrassment. ......... ...Oh, my God!What the hell, Jeannette!Hate me, more! ''............ Yashiro''. I can''t look at Jeannette properly and turn my face away. Magda calls out to me as she peers at me. ''............ Come in.'' Magda raises her arms. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ''............Please, can you not do that now?'' ''Won''t you ...... lick me?'' ''Don''t ...... me, I''m going to die. ......'' ''......Yeah.'' It''s ............ humiliating to be embarrassed by Magda. ............ In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what I''m doing. ...... What''s he doing? Well, what are you doing? I''m doing the same thing. ............ From now on, I will refrain from saying anything strange to Jeannette. ...... It will all boomerang back to me. In a way, I thought that Jeannette is the most natural enemy. 20-Episode 18 For a Smile The Sunken Pavilion is currently undergoing a complete renovation. Estella is standing at the entrance. She is holding a package in her hand and takes a deep breath in front of the door. ''...... Don''t worry. You''ll do fine.'' She murmurs, then smiles. But if he didn''t like it, he tilted his head and made a difficult face. ''......This is the same as usual. ......Good! And then he smiles even more than before, his dazzling white teeth peeking out. ''......Something''s different............, let''s add some lines.'' The time is early morning. The people from Torbeck Construction Company, the contractor for the renovation work, have not yet arrived at the site. Estella is the only one at the door. ''Hello, Yashiro! Estella smiles at the door in the middle of nowhere. Of course, the door of this store does not have the name ''Yashiro'' on it. ''Yashiro, I''ve brought what you asked for! Estella smiles at him, but he doesn''t answer. The door does not speak. ''Well, I went to a lot of trouble. I hope you appreciate it! Estella, smiling. Door, mute. ''......Something is different ............'' I think everything is different. ''......There''s something wrong.'' You''re the one who''s crazy. ''Yes, I am!Let''s try to imitate Jeannette.'' Then I''ll have to grow some boobs first! ''Yashiro-san!Good morning!Nikko! Aww~............ I''m not sure what to say, but I''m fainting from the discomfort I''m feeling. He''s crouched down, face down, shoulders shaking. Even his ears are red. I wonder, what does he want? He''s standing in front of this old door that''s welcomed so many visitors over the years. I''m sure this damaged wooden door, destined to be taken down soon, never thought its last job would be as a practice for Estella''s smile. Good job, you too. And that''s me, Obayashi, peeking out from behind the store while Estella is in agony in front of the sunlit pavilion. ''What are you doing? ''Huh? When I called out to her, Estella turned to me with an astonished expression, and when she saw me, she jumped backwards with more speed than a shrimp at full force. ''Hey, hey, why are you here, Yashiro? ''Why are you here ...... on your way back from the toilet? ''No, no, no, no, no, how long have you been watching me? ''...... Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll do fine.'' ''You''re the first!If you''re there, call out to me! I stepped out from behind the building and walked up to Estella. ''No, what. I''ve been a little worried about you because you haven''t been well since the day before yesterday, but I''m relieved to see that you''re ............ enjoying yourself so much.'' ''No, no, I''m not happy!If there was a hole, I''d get in it! Once the hole is filled, I feel like I''m going to jump out and say, ''What are you doing? Estella vents her anger as if she''s about to jump out of her skin. You''re taking it out on me. ''So, what did you want to do, you hundred-faced bastard? You''re a man with no sense of decency.You''re a man with no sense of decency! ''I don''t want to be told by a man with no breasts. ''You don''t have delicacy, do you? ''I can live without delicacy. ''I can live without breasts!...... Who''s got no breasts? He looks like he''s having fun this morning. ''You''re ............''. Estella, who had been full of anger, looked a little like she was about to cry. ...... I''ve never seen a face like this before. ''......My boobs tell me it''s not Kayday, so ......''. Yeah. Your pits aren''t kaidee at all. It''s more like ''no day''. ''I was rather confident about my smile ......, but you denied it with all your might ............'' ''Oh ......''. I see. So this guy thinks that his ''smile'' was called ''not nice''. ''Ahhh, no, you know what, Estella? ''What is it?Are you still trying to humiliate me? It''s a bit of a navel gazer. ''There''s a misunderstanding about that ......, or rather, that interpretation is just Ginette''s own assumption, and that''s not what it really means.'' ''...... What do you mean?'' ''I can''t tell you the details! ''Huh!...... Is that right? I''m going to use force here. I can never tell you what it really means. But anyway, I didn''t mean to disparage your smile or deny it. Please trust me on that.'' I appeal to you with all the sincerity I can muster. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''ve hurt you in some way,......, and I''m sure he''ll still be useful in many ways. It is not advisable to make the relationship worse. It''s a good idea to clear up any misunderstandings. Trust is important to a con artist. ''......Trusting you is like telling a fish to fly, isn''t it? ''...... you''. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''So, let me ask you this: ......''. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following. ''What do you think of my smile,............? Ugh ...... Oh no ...... For a moment, I thought it was cute. But there''s no way I can say that to this guy. If you show such weakness, you never know what he will say. ''............ no comment''. ''I''m leaving. ''Wait!Just leave that luggage! ''70,000 Rb! ''You look great, Estella!You''ve got a great smile! ''I''ve never heard you say anything so phony in my life! No, I''m serious, I think it''s lovely. ''Okay. Then play ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''What ............? ''You can see for yourself if I''m lying about what I just said. It''s true that I think it''s nice. It''s just that ...... I said it at the wrong time. So I''m 100% sure I''m not going to turn into a frog. ''Come on, do it.'' I''ll hold out my arms. You can come over anytime. ''No, ...... is fine.'' But Estella did not activate the Judgment of the Spirits. ''Well, that''s not the realm of the Judgment of Spirits in the first place. Oh, I see. You can''t judge what you think or don''t think with the Judgment of Spirits. Hmm, that was a mistake. ''But ......''. As I was regretting my poor choice, Estella let out a mutter. I looked at her, and our eyes met as she looked at me with a softer expression than ever before. ''If you say so much, I''ll believe ...... you,'' she said. ''Are you sure?Fish can''t fly.'' ''You really are a mean one, aren''t you? Estella laughed happily. At any rate, I''m glad you''re in a better mood. ''Let''s go in anyway. It''s cold in the morning.'' ''Yes, it is. Oh, but could you go ahead and do that? ''Hmm?What?'' ''Just go. Here, take this. This is what I asked you to take, so go ahead and take it.'' ''It''s ....... Oh, the bathroom.'' ''You really have no sense of decency, do you? He opened the door and pushed me in the back. I was thrown into the room as if I were trapped in front of it, and as soon as I turned around, the door was shut. ...... I feel like I''ve been locked up. I''m not sure if I''m really that violent ............ over a toilet. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I peeked out through the crack. ...... ''............hmm'' Estella was grinning as she stared at the translucent board floating in the air. ...... Wow, that''s scary. So I closed the door quietly so as not to be discovered. The translucent board is a Conversation Record? I don''t know what I was looking at. ...... Well, I''m sure he''ll come in on his own when he''s done. With that thought in mind, I picked up the luggage I had received and headed for the room on the second floor that would be my temporary living room until the renovation was finished. I walked through the courtyard to the second floor and opened the door to the temporary living room. ...... Ginette was looking at the Conversation Record and smiling. Ginette, you too. ...... ''Huh!Yashiro Sasa Sasa! ''You bit the funny part. It''s rare for someone to bite in the second half. ''What are you doing? ''Oh, no, ...... its ............ just trying to remember something I don''t want to forget... ...'' Oh, ...... I see. So the Conversation Record can be used as a memo, too. Certainly, it''s a reasonable way to use it, since once you say something, it''s recorded. ''That''s great, Ginette. That was a blind spot. No, you taught me a good lesson. Thanks.'' ''Huh!......Yashiro-san praised me. .................. I''m so happy! No, no, no. If you''re really happy like that, it makes me seem like I''m usually a cold person. I''ll give you a compliment where I can. It''s just that there are very few things that can be praised. ''...... Magda knows.'' ''Ooooh!...... You''re here, Magda.'' Before I knew it, Magda was standing right behind me, snuggling up to me. There was no sign of ...... the cat family ....... ''......The manager has been reading Yashiro''s words here over and over again.'' ''Magda-san! ''My words?Did I say something? ''...... "What do you mean, ...... no, you''re cute, but?"'' ''Magda-san!How do you know everything? ''I saw .......'' ''When did you see it?God!'' Jeannette covered Magda''s mouth in panic. ............ Oh, I might have told you, when you asked me if I looked good in an apron dress. It''s not that I don''t like it, Yashiro!It''s not that I was happy to receive a rare compliment, or that I''m rarely told I''m cute by men, or anything like that, it''s just that ......, I mean .......'' ''It cheers me up to read ...... again.'' ''Yes, but!''Yes, but please be quiet for a moment, Magda! Jeannette is half-crying. I don''t know what''s ...... making this noise. I''m embarrassed that ............ my words can cheer you up. I''m not sure what to do. In the meantime, Estella comes to the temporary living room. ''Yashiroo......'' ''Wait, wait. You need to get out of the habit of suspecting me first. The underling is Magda.'' ''Magda is ......? ''...... about the fact that the manager was grinning as he read over the Conversation Record. ''Magda-san!Please don''t spread it any further! ''--! Magda''s words damaged Jeannette even more. ...... At the same time, Estella also turned her face away. Her ears were red. ''Well, rather than that, why don''t we discuss our plans for today? ''Yes, of course!Let''s do that!Let''s be constructive! ...... This response. ''Hey, Estella. You were out front just now .......'' ''By the way, how did it go, what did I bring you?Is it going to be useful? Forcible change of subject......I knew this guy...... ''You''ve been reading up on the pornographic conversations you''ve been eavesdropping on, haven''t you? ''...... Can you please stop looking at me like that? In a moment, Estella''s cheeks, which had been peachy and pale, instantly returned to their natural color. Ah, so this is what it means to be rejected. She''s looking at me coldly. ''Let''s go with a solid strategy today. We had a disappointing result yesterday. Ginette reassembled us and we sat down at the table in the temporary living room. The day after we sold the Bonacon meat to the hunting guild, we visited a rice farmer. After vegetables, fish, and meat, naturally the next step would be rice, so I headed there with great joy. ...... ''We don''t have any rice to sell to you. We''re going to throw it away and buy it back"?Don''t be ridiculous!You can''t throw away the rice you''ve worked so hard to grow!We''re on the edge of production!If you''ve come here to talk about such nonsense, then go home!Don''t come back! --And Homer, the rice farmer from the Camomos tribe, turned him away. This made it difficult for us to get rice. ...... In the event that you''ve got a lot of money to spend, you''re going to want to make sure that you''ve got it in your pocket. ... You''re a rice farmer, you''re a rice farmer, you''re a rice farmer, you''re a rice farmer, you''re a rice farmer. ... Let''s put him on the list of people we wouldn''t mind smashing. ...... d*mn. Anyway, I''ll tie that sucker to my back next time I see him. A real duck onion. You''ll be exploited, just like a duck! I was surprised to learn that the duck people are rice farmers. In Japan, there is a method of duck farming where ducks are released into the rice fields to eat insects. ...... It''s a different world. ...... I didn''t know that ducks were doing all the work from start to finish, not just removing weeds and insects. ...... By the way, the duckling called Homer was not a green-faced mallard, but a brown-faced duck with a white pattern. Now, what kind of duck was it that carried a leek ...... ''That Yashiro-san...... face is scary, isn''t it? ''No, it''s just a little reminiscent irritation. If you go over the limit, you may take it out on them unfairly, but don''t worry about it. ''Okay, then, please don''t take ............ it out on me, okay? Jeannette shrugged her shoulders as if frightened and distanced herself from me. It''s a shame, but it doesn''t matter how hard you try, if it doesn''t work, it doesn''t work. You need to take a different approach ......, but we can''t spend all our time on rice. But we can''t just spend all our time on rice. After all, we need all kinds of different ingredients in the cafeteria. So, when the rice came up empty, the next stop was the chicken farm. ...... Yes. It was the home of Nepheli, the chicken-faced woman I had met on the morning of the first night I spent in the 42nd district. As soon as I saw her again, I thought, ''Oh!The harasser from that time! When she pointed her finger at me, everyone looked at me coldly. ...... Ginette was the only one who said, ''It must be a misunderstanding, right? I''m sure it''s just a misunderstanding. ...... Well, it''s not a misunderstanding, though. If a chicken-faced guy has eggs, you''d think he laid them, right? That''s s*xual harassment,............, and it''s hard to do in this world. And so, putting aside the past troubles, we began to negotiate for a regular supply of eggs. Eggs are a versatile food that can be used in many dishes. We''d love to have some. And a certain number every month. A steady supply. But despite our best efforts to negotiate, we were unable to make a difference. We struck out. Yesterday was a bad day. ''I didn''t know chickens stopped laying eggs. ......'' Estella sighs. There are nearly two hundred chickens in Nepheli''s house at any given time, but about three quarters of them stop laying eggs after about ten months of age. Therefore, there are not enough eggs to supply the peddler''s guild, and we were refused. ''That''s a problem. You''ll need a lot of eggs. ......'' ''...... Tamagoyaki, delicious.'' Ginette let out a troubled sigh, and Magda drooled with a blank expression on her face. ''Hey, Magda. ''I heard that chickens that don''t lay eggs are immediately slaughtered and turned into meat. ''However, thanks to the hunting guild, delicious meat is now available, and you said that sales are not so good. In fact, the meat of Hexenbiests is delicious. In fact, the meat of Hexenbiests is delicious. It is incomparable to the meat sold in Japanese supermarkets, and it tastes like something from another dimension. I have to admit that the other world wins in that respect. Therefore, the meat of abandoned chickens that can no longer lay eggs cannot compete in the market. In this city''s poultry farms, eggs are what make the money. ''I guess the only way to get more eggs is to increase the number of chickens. ......'' ''But that makes the chickens look disposable and ............ a bit pitiful.'' I don''t think there''s anything pitiful about livestock. ...... Well, maybe if it''s a ginette. ''That''s why I said I''d help you out. After the negotiations, I heard about the situation, and in the heavy atmosphere of the poultry farm, I asked the troubled Nepheli ......, well, his face was completely chicken, so I didn''t get much of a sense of the trouble. ...I made a suggestion. We''ll give you a hundred chickens that no longer lay eggs, and when they start laying eggs, you can sell them to us. --That''s the idea. Rather than buying eggs to be thrown away, the idea is to temporarily borrow chickens to be disposed of and have them lay eggs. This must be another example of the "buy something to throw away" garbage collection guild. However, there was no place for us to keep a hundred chickens, so we asked them to leave them at the poultry farm. In other words, we paid the money and Nepheli took care of the hundred chickens for us. We would not be able to add new chickens because the coop would remain empty, but Nepheli, who was originally against slaughtering chickens, agreed with us. But he didn''t believe that chickens that stopped laying eggs would start laying eggs again. ''But I never thought Yashiro would take the initiative to help others. ''Because half of me is made up of kindness. Isn''t that amazing? It''s like a headache pill.In fact, I''ve got a little more than that. ''You think it''s in your best interest to come forward there, don''t you?You''re being kind to yourself, aren''t you? ....... Well, that''s true, but... Estella deciphered my mind with a confident look on her face. ''Yashiro had an idea why the chickens stopped laying eggs and was confident he could remedy the situation. He traded that knowledge for exclusive rights to the eggs. ''I''d like to see it called preferential trading rights. ''It''s the same, isn''t it? ''It sounds different. The word ''monopoly'' sounds too s*xual. Of course, I don''t mean it sounds naughty. I signed that contract with a purer heart. ''But if the chickens start laying eggs, Mr. Nephrite will be happy, and we will be saved, so it''s a good thing. Oh, yes, Jeannette. That''s what I meant. I knew that Ginette knew exactly what she was talking about. ''...... Yashiro loves Nephrite so much that he s*xually harasses him. No, I have no such ulterior motives, Magda. ''............Yashiro, don''t tell me you''re ...... aiming for Nepheli''s ...... ......'' So, why should I believe you, Jeannette? You''re a girl who knows what she''s doing, right?Right? ''So, what do eggs have to do with this garbage? Estella says, tapping the package she just brought herself. Knowing what''s inside, Estella seems to be curious about what this has to do with it. ''What is this? Ginette and Magda stare at the package with great interest. Well, it''s not something I want to waste my time on, so I open the package and check the contents. What came out of the package were countless shells. There were oysters, scallops and clams mixed in with the shells. ...... exists in this world, too. ''Yashiro-san, what is this? ''Estella went out to catch fish in the sea, right?I asked her if I could get some through her connections. ...... This is a harvest beyond my imagination.'' ''I have no idea why you''re so happy about it.'' ''Yes, I do. ...... What do shells and eggs have to do with ......?'' ''The ...... shells are inedible.'' Magda says, picking up an oyster shell with her finger. Well, you certainly can''t eat the shells. ''People, you know. ''Oh, you mean this one at ......?'' ''Yes. We feed it to the chickens. ''Don''t abuse them. ''You''ll get it stuck in your throat.'' ''...... bird,teeth,no.'' ''Who said I''d let you eat it whole!We''re going to smash it to pieces.'' ''We''ll smash them to pieces with a hammer. ''But are you really going to eat the shells? ''Yes. Of course, we''ll give them to Nephrite, along with whatever he has ready for us.'' ''Do you have something prepared, too, Mr. Nephrite? ''Oh, yes. It''s a special feed made of rice bran, fish scraps, and chopped up scraps of vegetables. Until now, Nepheli''s poultry farm had mainly fed rice. Cooked and mashed rice was the chickens'' favorite food, and they ate it well. But there was a pitfall. When I was in Japan, I overheard something about this: ...... When I was in Japan, I heard that chickens do not lay eggs if they are raised only on rice. Also, warmed starch can cause inflammation in the chickens'' digestive tract. Therefore, it is better to avoid cooked rice. With that in mind, I gave Nepheli some advice. Use rice bran and fish scraps or scrap vegetables to make food. ''Shells are a good source of calcium. And calcium is essential for the production of eggshells. If you mix crushed shells with their food, they''ll start laying eggs again someday. I''m sure Estella has a good source of scrap vegetables that she can borrow from Mormat and his friends. ...... or Estella. If you have a partner like that you should introduce me. I want a sea fish. ''Hey, Estella. Can you introduce me to someone from the sea fishing guild? ''Hmm~ ...... I don''t want you to meet him.'' ''Why not? ''I hope you can guess.'' ''............ your boyfriend?'' ''What?You''re an idiot!I don''t have a boyfriend. ''So, ...... girlfriend? ''What?Isn''t my suspicion of men completely confirmed? ''Then why don''t you let me see her? ''I won''t be so rude as to ruin your face, will I? ''...... I''ll think about it if you let me trust that word.'' ''Does this look to your eyes like I''m telling a lie?'' ''I can see . Redo.'' ''Have I ever lied to you?'' ''Redo! It''s as if you don''t trust me. Disappointing ...... ''Well, we can talk about the Sea Fishing Guild later. For now, it''s eggs. If we feed them as I say, they''ll start laying eggs again in a few days. ''I hope they''ll start laying eggs soon. ''Mr. Yashiro, you look very happy.'' Jeannette looks at me and smiles. I wonder if I look happy enough to be contagious to Jeannette. Well, it can''t be helped. ''We''re raising creatures, even if it''s for a living. I''m sure Nepheli and the others would like to take care of them to the end if they could, instead of slaughtering them.'' ''That''s true. I know exactly how you feel. ''If they keep laying eggs, we won''t have to turn them into meat we can''t sell. ''Yes!Mr. Nefari, I''m sure you''ll be pleased! Ginette, smiling heartily. ''I have a feeling there''s more to this than meets the eye. ......'' Estella, on the other hand, is looking at me with suspicion. I guess this is where the beauty of the heart comes out. ''......Yashiro is a good person''. Magda is a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart. But it''s dangerous to assume so, so be careful. ''...... He defied the hunting guild for Magda, despite the risk of assassination. ............ Hmm? Assassination? ''......The Hunting Guild sometimes ............ cracks up at negotiators who don''t work out.'' ''That''s scary, dude! Are they really doing that on a daily basis? It''s not like they''re real people after all! It''s a miracle that the Usses didn''t think of it at that moment. ...... I don''t want to be a good person, I want to value my life. ...... ''Well, I''m okay with that.'' Estella is being irresponsible. If you''re just making random statements with no hard evidence, I''ll keep rubbing your A cup until it turns into a G cup, okay? ''A beast with its tail between its legs can''t bite its opponent. The snake will snap at you. ''Well, if it''s a creature of nature, it will. ...... If anything happens to you, the hunting guild will all turn into frogs. I''m sure they''re well aware of that.'''' ''I hope it''s .......'' ''If you''re so worried, you should get more allies.'' ''Allies? ''Yes. You need to increase the number of people who will help someone with ''sincere good intentions'' like this egg and become your ally. If you do that, you''ll find it much easier to live in the 42nd district. ...... Are you saying I should get to know my neighbors better? It''s not like we''re in the countryside somewhere. ...... ''You''ll be fine''. Ginette, on Miss No grounds, says confidently. ''Yashiro-san is already well-liked by everyone. Oh, I''d like to know the details of this ''everyone''. I''ll vouch for you in case something happens to you. ''In the meantime, the good guy, Yashiro, should be mindful of activities like this one. Don''t try to deceive anyone, but help them and ask them to return the favor. ''...... What a malicious line, man. Estella giggles hilariously. Go ahead and say it. ''Anyway, tomorrow is Magda''s hunting day. I think we should take a break from negotiating and all go with him one more time. Because there might be some disturbing movements in the hunting guild after the last results.'' For example, raiding in the woods and stealing their prey. Magda is defenseless when she''s hungry. ''So, let''s spend the afternoon preparing for tomorrow and take these shells to Mr. Nephrite. That was the end of our discussion, and we took the shells to the poultry farm. When we arrived at the poultry farm, Nepheli was preparing the bait that I had taught him. ''Oh, Yashiro. Nepheli, the girl with the perfect chicken face. She didn''t seem to have a good impression of me at first, but as we talked, we gradually got to know each other. ''I''m making the bait you asked me to make, but I''m not sure if it''s okay.Can you take a look? ''Oh, it''s no problem. I stirred the rice bran, which was packed tightly in a large barrel. It''s freshly filled, and I can see fish scraps and scraggly vegetables. ''It''s all right. When I said yes, Nepheli patted his chest in relief. I wonder if it''s because she has pigeon breasts that her breasts look a little bigger.Oh, chickens. It''s a lot of work, isn''t it? ''Isn''t raising a living thing an accumulation of such difficulties? ''That''s true, but I''ve been doing it for ...... so long that my back is sore.'' ''Do you want me to rub it for you? ''No, no, no, no!Yashiro''s s*x! With that, he taps me on the shoulder with his right hand. Her left hand is holding her pale cheek. It''s a very girlish gesture. ......, but her face is completely chicken-like, so all I can think is, ''What is this bird doing? It''s a pity that the only thing I can think of is ''what is this bird doing? Yeah, that''s a shame. ''Why don''t you mix some of this into the bait and feed it to him? ''Oh, is that a clam? ''Don''t feed it whole, okay?Break it into pieces with a hammer.'' ''No, no, no!I know what I''m doing. ...... Yashiro is a funny guy. It''s like a coming-of-age movie with a Showa-era flavor, but with a ...... chicken face. It''s very surreal. I''m still a little skeptical, to tell you the truth. Nefari is holding a package of shells and muttering something like that. ''I don''t know if it''s really going to lay eggs ......, but it''s not that I doubt Yashiro ............. I believe in ...... miracles, and my expectations have been betrayed at every turn. I wonder if he was praying for the abandoned bird to lay eggs again. But that will not make the chicken lay eggs. They must have been sad in this way many times before. Nepheli had a very sad look in his eyes. ............ Just a chicken. ............ ''You don''t have to believe me, you know. ''Huh?'' ''You just have to trust them. He points with his chin to the chickens in the coop. ''I''m sure they''ll lay another egg. You just have to trust in that. ''Yashiro ............ yes. I believe.'' Nefari strokes the corner of his eye with his finger. ''Heh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry to show you this face. Does this face mean I''m a chicken? You''ve been exposed for a long time, haven''t you? ''I have to be strong, don''t I?Otherwise, everyone won''t be able to lay good eggs. She then mimics making bumps with both arms. If you want, why don''t you give birth? ''Well, we''re leaving. ''Yeah. Be careful. Oh, and thanks for the shells. ''Yeah. We finish our business and leave the poultry farm. Well, just watch. You''re about to be surprised. ''Yashiro-san.'' At the poultry farm, Jeannette, who has been watching the chickens all day, walks up next to me. She had been saying to the chickens, ''Let''s do our best. ''Good luck, egg. ''It will. I assure her, and Jeannette smiles. But then her expression clouded just a little. ''Neffery-san is a ...... cute guy, isn''t he? ''Hmm? ''After all, do you like ...... that type of person, Yashiro-san?'' ''I guess so. ......'' I crossed my arms and thought. Now that''s a nostalgic memory from Japan: ............ ''When it comes to curry, I think chicken was my favorite. ''Eh......, what are you talking about?'' ''Hmm? ''Huh? Isn''t it about whether you like chicken or not? The conversation didn''t seem to be going anywhere, but Jeannette didn''t ask any more questions, so I didn''t say anything either. So maybe there''s no curry here. ...... Did I make a confusing analogy? No, it''s difficult, another world. The day ended with such trivial discoveries. The next day, I spent the whole day hunting, and earned quite a bit of money. The next day, he spent the day hunting and earned quite a bit of money. ...... But, well, most of this money went to pay for Magda''s food. ...... I''ve made some projections and calculations, and it looks like Magda earns about 100,000Rb a month, and food costs about 99,000Rb. ...... Well, it''s better to be positive. If you catch a high value fish like Bonacon, you can increase your profit a lot, but it''s not often that you get lucky like that. It looks like our income is going to be completely in the hands of the sunshine pavilion. I''ll have to go to Momat and Delia''s next time to ask them to increase our stock. ...... Another day ends with me thinking about this. A few mornings later, the good news came much earlier than I had expected. 21-19. Goodwill of Cassilo Early morning. We were awakened by a violent banging on the door of the sunny pavilion. It was Neffery from the poultry farm. He looked very excited and took my sleepy-eyed hand. ''I''ve given birth!I''ve laid it!I''ve laid an egg! ''...... Congratulations?Congratulations.'' ''It''s not me!If you s*xually harass me, I''ll poke you!'' The chicken-faced nefari turns her cheeks and points her beak at me . ''You mean you''ll give me a passionate kiss?'' ''Huh!No, I''m not!No, no, no!Stupid, stupid, stupid! I''m not sure what to do. ...... Ah, I can''t moan at all. I can''t get over the chicken face. ............ I''m not sure what to say.I want to show this to Jashiro! He pulled my arm forcefully and took me out in my nightgown. Ginette and Magda followed me, dressed only in their nightgowns and jackets. When we arrived at the poultry farm, Nepheli''s family was dancing around, mocking each other. ''...... What kind of ritual is this?If a child saw this, they''d be too traumatized to go to the bathroom at night.'' ''Excuse me!To my family! If I see chicken-faced parents dancing around, I''ll more or less sense an abnormal atmosphere. It''s as if they''re sacrificing themselves to black magic. Nephrite walked past the ritual and went into the chicken coop. Nephrite soon came out and carefully came back in front of me as if he was carrying something important. ''Look at this!I''ve laid such a magnificent egg! In both of Nephrite''s hands was a freshly laid egg. It was a magnificent egg, perfectly sized and shaped. The surface was rough and looked fresh. ''All thanks to Yashiro!Now those kids ...... can live longer ............'' Tears formed in the corners of Nephrite''s eyes. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. It''s not like you''re going to accidentally crush her,............. Thank you!You''re a good man, Yashiro! I wish a girl in my class had said that to me when I was in middle school. ...... ''Hey. I''d like to share this technology with other poultry farms. ...... No? Innovative technology is valuable on its own. I don''t know if there''s a patent on it, but you could claim the rights and ...... well, for example, you could create a ''chicken reclamation guild'' and charge a fee for the use of the technology. But ...... ''Do what you want. If you can get a lot of eggs from it, we''d appreciate it. ''Thank you, Yasiro!I love you! Nefari is hugging me with great emotion. Wow, this is the kind of thing I wish a girl in my class had done to me when I was in middle school. ...... ''Ah!I mean as a person, not as the opposite s*x! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. ...... I''m not going to misunderstand you. Don''t look so red. You''re making me nervous, like I''m being boiled. ''Anyway, I''ll let everyone know right away. Anyway, I''ll let everyone know right away, and the eggs laid by the abandoned chickens will be sold to the Sunshine Pavilion on a priority basis. Is that okay? ''Oh, that''s good. ''I''m sure everyone will be happy. With that, Nephrite spun around with a smile on his face. Then he began to join in the strange dance his parents were doing. ...... So, what''s the ritual, this chicken dance? ''Oh, yeah. I''m going to warn you about one very important thing. ''As I told you before, don''t give them raw rice. In my country, we were told that it would stop them from laying eggs. ''That surprises me, but if Yashiro says so, I believe him!I''ll tell everyone about it. That''s a lot of trust. ............. ''Yashiro-san, you seem to be very happy. Jeannette puffs out her cheeks when she sees me. Huh?Isn''t Jeannette''s happiness contagious? The last time we were talking about eggs, she was smiling along with me. Is it hard to get excited in the morning? ''...... yashiro''. ''What is it, Magda? ''...... Magda, pretty?'' ''...... Why this timing?'' ''............ Enough, enough.'' I don''t know. What does he want me to say? ............ I''m scared. It''s like he''s trying to get me to say something. I''ll try not to say anything. So we left the creepy chicken farm with its mysterious chicken dance and returned to the sunny pavilion. Gradually the sky begins to turn white. ...... We have to prepare for the church''s donation. It''s a busy morning for us. ''Aaah!It''s your sister Magda! ''Hey, sis! When we arrived at the church, all the kids flocked to Magda. In the past few days, Magda had become very popular among the kids. ''Do that thing again! ''...... got it.'' Magda grabbed a handful of kids and threw them up into the sky with a pop. He then threw the kids near him high into the air one after another. He throws them in a circular motion, catches the falling kids, and then throws them again ......, just like playing charades. It''s chilling to watch, but it''s a big hit with the kids. Magda seems to be able to do this kind of trick literally for breakfast, and she also seems to be happy to be called ''big sister'' and takes the initiative to play with the kids. I''m just relieved I don''t have to deal with them. ...... It''s a real pain in the ass to have to deal with those kids every morning before dinner. ''Oh dear. I''ve been completely robbed of my children. Estella comes to stand next to me, shrugging her shoulders. This is where I meet her every morning. ''Not so long ago, she was very popular with ''Estella big sister, Estella big sister''. ''Because kids that age like to play powerful games. No one can compete with Magda''s power. ''That''s true. So, have you made any progress? ''Eggs? ''Yes . Because little Ginette looked so happy.'' ''You always base your decisions on Jeannette, don''t you? ''Of course. I''m Jeannette''s best friend and fan.'' ''Then I''ll make some ginette goods for you to buy. ''I don''t want any unofficial merchandise without your permission. ''Even scantily clad pants? ''...... You''re the only one who''ll be happy with that. I''ve been getting a lot of reluctant looks in the morning. ''Yashiro-san, Estella-san. Good morning. The sisters of the church, the extremely beautiful elves, Bertina. She''s as beautiful as a goddess today. ...... But she''s scary when she''s angry. ''Mr. Yashiro. Did something happen to you this morning? ''I''m sorry, sir? ''No. ...... Ginette is ......'' Bertina raised her eyebrows, letting out a breath with an anxious expression. ''She was dancing a strange dance in the kitchen just now, saying "mock mock mock". ......'' ''...... What''s that guy doing? ''That''s what I wanted to ask you, but you don''t seem to have any idea .......'' ''No, I have an idea. ......'' It''s probably the chicken dance of the Nefari parents. What the hell is he doing?Was he that impressed with them? ''Whatever, Yashiro-san likes that kind of thing. ......? ''It''s a terrible misunderstanding, no, it''s an insult. I''d like to sue you for defamation. What is it with Jeannette forcing this bird-loving character on me? ''Maybe she was influenced by the chickens she saw earlier. I sincerely hope that the ritual didn''t infect you with something bad. Then we ate Ginette''s homemade breakfast in the common room of the church. As we ate, I told Estella about what had happened at the chicken farm this morning. ''But you did well, didn''t you? I''m sure they''ll be able to sell the eggs at a lower price than the peddlers'' guild. ''Ha-ha-ha!You should repay the favor you received. ''Moreover, if the amount of eggs we sell to the peddler''s guild doesn''t decrease, the peddler''s guild won''t be able to argue strongly with us. I''m sure you can think of a lot of ways to screw them over. ''Call it a "strange idea that will make people smile."'' ''I guess you could say that.'' Estella looked a little pleased, despite her hateful tone. ''Anyway, I''m glad for you. I''m glad to know that you do some good once in a while. Are you my homeroom teacher or something? You sound like an untrustworthy teacher who only says ''sir, I believed in you'' after the results are in. Don''t smile so briskly next to me. By contrast, it makes me look like I''m not smiling. Okay, I''ve decided. Today I''m going to ruffle my hair more than necessary for no reason and show off my freshness to the fullest. ''Mr. Yashiro. You can''t mess with your hair while you''re eating. ...... You can''t mess with your hair while you''re eating. ''...... Yes. Sorry.'' Sister Bertina rebukes me with a smile. ...... with an icy cold smile. She''s a real pain in the ass when it comes to discipline. ...... I was in the mood to do so. ''It''s fun to take a walk in the morning. It''s hard to do that when the cafeteria is open. Ginette smiled broadly. She was in a bit of a bad mood at the chicken farm, but she seems to be in a better mood now. Magda seemed to be enjoying her morning walk, as she was walking in a daze and wobbly as usual, but she was leading the way. And... We were walking aimlessly when we overheard an argument in front of a farmhouse. ''Huh?What''s all the noise?Is there something wrong? ''...... What''s with that deliberate line? Estella raises her eyebrows at my natural acting. That''s why poor breasts are so ...... If something is about to happen, the hero should lead the people involved to it. ''I can''t be with a murderer! It''s just as obvious as the next victim being the one who leaves. Anyway, with my clever guidance, we all headed that way. And witness. ''Wait, wait!No way, sir!Hey!Then how are we supposed to live in ...... from now on?I''m not going to be able to do it. In the crisp morning hours, the sorrowful voice of Homer, a duckling of a rice farmer, is heard. Homer sits on the ground, nodding his head. As if ignoring him, he moves away from the scene, presumably a member of the peddlers'' guild. Perhaps they came to inform him of ''a decision related to the sudden abnormal situation''. ''What''s going on?Let''s hear what you have to say. Ginette rushes over to Homer, looking worried. She lends a hand to the crouching Homer and helps him to his feet. Homer barely stands up, wobbling on his feet like a newborn fawn. His face is that of a duck, though. ''What''s wrong with you, sir?Your face is very pale. I think it looks brown to me. ''Oh, ...... you are, I think, .......'' ''I''m Ginette from the Sunlit Pavilion. I paid you a visit the other day. ''Oh, ...... I see. ...... No, I''m sorry ...... for showing you such a disgraceful place... .........'' ''That''s not true,......, but what''s the problem? ''Ugh ............! ''Mr. Homer! At Ginette''s words, Homer covered his face and began to cry. Ginette was frightened. Magda is also staring at Homer. ''...... Actually, ............ just now a merchant from the peddlers guild came to ...... us and said that he could no longer buy our rice. rice can no longer be bought. ......'' ''What? What? ! --Ginette looked at him. ''Why is that?Because, until the other day, they were in short supply. ......'' ''That''s because ...... our rice was bought mainly to feed the birds, but ...... all the poultry farmers have said they won''t buy rice anymore... .........'' ''Yeah, ..................'' Jeannette''s face was rapidly turning pale. Then, with the awkward movements of a rusty puppet, she slowly turned her gaze toward me. Magda and Estella are also staring at me. Don''t stare too much. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ But there are few people who eat rice. ...... ...... This will cause the rice guild to collapse ...... or be destroyed ...... no, no, no, no, no... It''s ......... my downfall. ...... I''m ...... done for... .........'' Perhaps his knees had reached their limit of strength, and Homer fell to the ground again. This time, Ginette did not help him up. I guess Ginette doesn''t have the strength to do that either. It''s no use, really. ''Mr. Homer''. I place my hand on Homer''s shoulder as he crouches on the ground. Then, with a heart of mercy, I extend a helping hand. ''There''s a lot of that extra rice ...... that we, the Garbage Collection Guild, can take care of, okay? ''......E............ you......'' ''Although we use the name "trash", the products we purchase from other guilds are all first-class products that are no less than a commodity. Your rice''s name will not be tarnished. In fact, the rice from here could be our best brand. The world will know that Homer''s rice is great after all.'' ''...... will you accept my rice from ............?'' With his muddy hand on the ground, he grasped my left hand as if to hang on. He wrapped both hands around it, firmly. I put my right hand on top of his hands and wrapped them around him. ''I told you from the beginning that I wanted your rice, didn''t I? ''Ah ............ ah ............... ...I''m sorry. ...... I''m sorry for the way I treated you the other day. ...... And you, ......... .........I''m embarrassed ......''. ''Don''t worry about it. Anyone would be hesitant to entrust their most precious possessions to someone they don''t know. Besides, we understand that trust is not something that can be gained overnight. I don''t blame you. ''...... You .................. are a good man.'' Mmm. You think so? Do you really think so? Mmm-hmm ...... ''So, would you be willing to sell us some of your rice here?'' ''Ahh!Of course!The peddler''s guild once told me they didn''t want this rice. I''ll give it to you for a reasonable price! ''That would be great. I look forward to working with you for many years to come. ''My pleasure! Homer and I squeezed each other''s hands once more, and that was the handshake of our contract. In this way, there was a steady supply of rice to the Sunlit Pavilion. New rice, all you can eat! Woohoo! The story has a happy ending, and we are on our way back home in high spirits. As we left Homer''s farm and neared the Sunken Pavilion, Estella approached me. ''You''ve been after this, haven''t you? When I turned around, I saw that she was looking at me with a very grim look in her eyes. ''What are you talking about? ''So the kind advice to the poultry farm and the free offer of technology were all foreshadowing for this! ''What are you angry about?The Neferis didn''t have to dispose of their beloved chickens, and their egg production went up. Homer was only sold to the Garbage Collection Guild instead of the Peddlers Guild. It was a peaceful ending that did not tarnish the name of his rice production and did not hurt his self-esteem. Is anyone being disadvantaged? ''...... Certainly, no one is being disadvantaged, but ............ you are benefiting.'' ''That''s because you''re a good ...... day-to-day person? ''...... What will the spirit gods think of what you just said? I''m sure he''ll agree with you with all hands. Good fortune will naturally come to those who are virtuous. ''Well, I''d like to confirm ....... ......'' Ginette raises her hand modestly and asks with a worried expression. ''This one is not ............ making anyone unhappy,......, is it? ''Of course. I just took away the chicken''s food. Well, if anything, Homer''s income has been reduced just a little bit. But, well, he was saved from going to zero. It''s a win-win. Besides. At present, rice is mainly used as bird food, but I can remind you of how foolish that perception is. I will show the potential and usefulness of rice and make it an indispensable commodity in this all-bloom. It will become a threat to the bread that currently dominates the market. If the demand increases, the value will increase. If this happens, the once-depressed income can be regained in no time at all. It is important to have a long-term perspective on everything. Therefore, you should regard the present as an incubation period to gain huge profits. And what awaits you after enduring is a glorious future. With that in mind, there is no room for Homer to complain. ''So, ...... is ...... a happy ......? ''No problem.'' I said firmly, and walked into the sunlit pavilion I had arrived at at that moment. Hmm. It was a good business meeting. Rice and eggs. We''ve got what we came for. ''...... I wonder why. I don''t feel like praising Yashiro honestly. ......'' ''I''m curious, ............ but you did your best for everyone, didn''t you, Yashiro?'' ''...... for myself.'' I could hear the three girls talking behind the door, but I decided to ignore them. 22-Episode 20 Opening of a New Clothes --Allbloom, a huge city on another world. --In a corner of that city, there was a diner with a certain problem. -YODAMARI-TEI. --The problem this diner faces. It''s ............ It''s a diner where you can''t eat in peace. --The floor creaks, the chairs rattle. The floor is creaking, the chairs are shaky, and it''s pitch black even during the day. --The owner of this restaurant said. ''That''s right. It''s getting old. ...... I''d be happy if it could become a comfortable place for customers. --In response to the owner''s earnest wish, a man rose to the occasion. --The master of renovation, Umaro. ''What''s the matter, Mr. Yashiro?What are you talking about all by yourself? ''In my country, when it comes to remodeling, this is the one''. ''I''m not sure, but ......''. Umaro, the carpenter, looks puzzled. Well, I don''t know, do I? We don''t even have a TV in this world. And so, the renovation of the Sunlit Pavilion is finally complete! Let''s take a look at the whole picture! First of all, the exterior has changed completely. A large window was installed in the first floor of the store so that we can see the restaurant from outside. This allows sunlight to enter the store, making it much brighter. Above all, a sense of openness has been created. Being able to see the inside of a restaurant from the outside is often a positive thing for a restaurant. Picture it. Think of all the restaurants in town. You can usually see the inside of the restaurant through a large window. On the other hand, don''t you find it difficult to enter a restaurant where you cannot see the inside, such as a traditional coffee shop?Well, there are some stores that dare to raise the hurdle like that and value the atmosphere of the store. You can choose which one you prefer depending on the store. ''It''s not every day you find a restaurant with such a sense of openness. Ginette really liked the big windows. Glass is expensive, after all. It''s a luxury we don''t even have in our room. Even the bars on the main street are not this open. But the openness of this place goes up another notch! ''Oumalo! ''Yes!Come on, everyone, let''s see what you can do! At my signal, Umaro began to ''store'' the wall with great enthusiasm. ''What the hell? Ginette shouted in astonishment. He had made a doorway, which was familiar in Japan, but rare in other worlds, perhaps the first in the world of the Sunlit Pavilion. This is the kind of thing that keeps shutters next to the windows. However, the door bag of the Sunlit Pavilion can hold an entire wall. The upper half of the wall is made of glass and the lower half of the wall is made of wood, and it is a kind of window. The structure is similar to that of a full-length window on the porch of a house. Incidentally, there is also a storm door stored in the door bag, which is used after the store is closed. Glass is a precious commodity in the other world. If it were to be broken, it would be unbearable. If the shutters are closed, the security is perfect. And if you open up the window, it becomes an open terrace. ''It''s like the store has become bigger. The openness of the shop made it look visually like that. Ginette walked around the restaurant, touching the neatly arranged tables one by one. I wonder if she is imagining that she is carrying food in a crowded restaurant. His steps are so light that he looks as if he is dancing. Magda, on the other hand, can be seen at ...... ''...... can be reached in three seconds''. ...... You''re working in the wrong direction. ''The counter is now easier to use''. The old counter was a little too high for Jeannette to use. So we raised the floor inside the counter by five centimeters. Now, the height from the customer''s side remains the same, and the ginette can use it more easily. ''The kitchen is beautiful, isn''t it? Ginette was most pleased with the kitchen. Previously, the sink and stove had been placed along the wall, but this time, the kitchen was changed to an island type. With this change, the work space became much larger, allowing two or more people to work together. I can at least cook, but I could not help in the previous kitchen. Not only was the work space too small, but when we were lined up side by side, we had to walk behind each other when we moved, which was very distracting. In the future, as the store becomes more prosperous, the number of staff may be increased. We made the island type in anticipation of that. ''I''m still amazed by your ideas, Mr. Yashiro. Umaro seemed to be satisfied with the renovation and was in a good mood the whole time. He said that it was interesting to see designs and innovations that he had never seen before. ''Well, it''s not my idea, it''s what''s used in my country. I have no talent for design. I just interjected, referring to a remodeling program, ''I want to use this dead space for storage. I think it''s the Umaros who have successfully recreated an amateur''s idea. Thanks to this, both in terms of appearance and function, the restaurant has been upgraded several notches. ''Now you''ll be able to please your guests. ''When the guests come, huh? ''I''m sure they will. With that, Ginette jumped out of the open window. Then she turns around and looks at the roof of the store. ''It''s so beautiful. Yes, yes. There''s another very important change. I''ve installed something that didn''t exist anywhere else in the world. ''The main restaurant of the Sunlight Pavilion! Yes. A sign. Every store had a metal plaque at the entrance, but no signboard - especially not a clear signboard with the store''s name on it. Ginette seemed to like this sign very much and looked up at it many times. ''But why the ''main store''? Ginette asks, tilting her head as if to ask again. ''The main store is the main store, right? ''That may be true, but when I see ''main store'', I feel like there''s another ''Sunlit Pavilion'' somewhere else. ''That''s what they''re aiming for. When the famous drugstore opened its first store, it did what it did to gain the trust of its customers: it named the store ''Store No. 21''. By doing so, they made it seem as if there were many stores, and made customers believe that if they had opened that many stores, they would be safe here, thus compensating for the shortcomings of the first store. Based on such a story, I deliberately named the restaurant "Honten" this time. It''s not a copy of ......, but a reversal of thinking. By adding "Honten" to the name of the restaurant, I not only gave the illusion that there are "branches" such as "No. 2" and "No. 3", but I also placed importance on giving the restaurant a "dignity". It would be great if people would think that the main store, which unites all the branches, is more secure and superior to the other stores. Incidentally, "head office" is a word that assumes that there are multiple stores, but it also refers to the meaning of "main office," so it is not a lie. In the unlikely event that this is the case, you can just say, ''The name of the store is the main store! Then, you can use it for effect. Then, it''s better to use it for effect. ''...... Yashiro, what do you think? As I was looking around the remodeled store, Magda appeared in front of me wearing an apron dress, the uniform of the Sunlit Pavilion. It was the same design as Ginette''s, but in a different color. ''......They''re identical, though the structure around the chest is very different. ''...... Magda also reformed. ''No, it''s not a remodeling. It''s true that the form has changed, but... Speaking of changes. Magda''s hair has calmed down a lot. It used to be wild and unruly, but Ginette had been running a brush through it every night since we came to live at the Sunlit Pavilion. Thanks to her efforts, Magda''s hair had become somewhat more manageable. I also cut off some of her long hair, which was almost as tall as she was. It was too long. I''m planning to tie my hair into a ponytail when I work at the restaurant. Cleanliness is important in a restaurant, you know. ''Oh, Mr. Magda. I see you''ve put on your uniform!You look very pretty! Magda''s ears twitched as Jeannette complimented her. And then she turned to me with a smug look on her face. ...... What is it?What are you trying to say? ''...... immediate ability''. ''No, you need to learn the basics. It''s too risky to use Magda right away. I''ll teach her the ropes of customer service first. ''Look, Magda. When you''re wearing that dress, the greeting is ''Welcome home, master. It''s the basics of being a maid. ''...... Welcome home, master.'' ''You''re abbreviating too many things. Say them all properly. ''......Welcome home,......NasaiMase,......NasaiMase,...... ''............Go home.'' ''Don''t send me home!Let me in! He''s gone off the deep end. If you''re in the hospitality industry and you refuse to serve customers, you''re denying the entire hospitality industry. ''If it''s too difficult, just say it slowly. ''...... okaeri, nasai, mase, goshujin, sama? ''It''s so katakana!And don''t use the question form! ''...... Welcome home, master.'' ''Oh!You''ve done it!Great job, Magda! When I praised him, Magda poked her head out quickly. Cats sometimes make this gesture. It''s an invitation to be petted. Well, I''ll at least pet him. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......? As I''m petting Magda, Ginette calls out to me with an apologetic look on her face. ''We''ve never had that kind of greeting at the Sunlit Pavilion. ......?'' ''That''s a vexing problem.'' ''What?Is that so! ''Try me out and tell me.'' ''Huh?Eh?Well, .................. is .......'' Ginette gave a small cough and straightened her posture. Then, with a perfect smile on her face, she said the words of welcome with perfect manners. ''Welcome home, master. ''I like that! I couldn''t help but give him a thumbs-up and a good job. But it''s not a greeting you can use in the sunlit pavilion. But it''s worth remembering. That''s what it says. Now, it will be a while before I can get Magda to work as a shopkeeper, but I can start the business tomorrow. We''ve been going around to the guilds and securing ingredients, so it''s a good time to start. ''I know I''ve made you wait a long time, but I''m satisfied with what I''ve made. ''Oh. I have no complaints about it. Umaro holds out his right hand to me. I shake it back, and we shake hands. Now the renovation is complete. ''Goozuya was really into it this time. At the entrance to the cafeteria, Goozuya scratches his head in embarrassment. Next to him is a huge horse-faced Jan Bold. Only three people could complete this much renovation on time. ...... These guys are real pros. I''m impressed. I''m impressed. Gold or silver coins, either is fine. Umaro smiles at me. So I respond with a big smile on my face. ''It''s not worth the money. The atmosphere hardens. The restaurant, which had been so lively and festive earlier, became silent. ''What about ........................? Umaro''s smile gradually falters. By the counter, Ginette is looking at me with a troubled expression. Magda, too, is watching the proceedings with her usual vacant eyes. ''Is that ...... some kind of a joke? ''I''m not kidding. I don''t have any money. ''Um, ............''. Crunchily, Umaro scratches his head. ''Yashiro-san, you promised ......, didn''t you?'' ''Promised me what?'' ''..................'' Finally, the smile disappears from Umaro''s face. ''You''ve got to be kidding me, right? One of his narrow fox eyes opens and stares at me. ''You let the carpenter do all this work and now you''re going to overcharge him?It''s true that we caused you trouble at first.But you''ve already settled the matter, right?And yet, ......, is this an allegation?I''m sure you''ll agree. Umaro snapped his teeth together. ''Oh, come on, don''t be annoyed. ''Then I want you to pay for the remodeling as soon as possible! ''That''s why I don''t have any money. ''Yashiro-san! ''I''m requesting to see the Conversation Record. Umaro tries to grab me, but before he can, I call up the Conversation Record. A translucent board appears in front of me, and the contract I made with Umaro is clearly shown in writing. I understand. You can agree to pay for it. Are you sure? But there''s a condition. Really, there''s a condition. ............? Actually, I''d like you to renovate this cafeteria. "No, no, no, but ............ you can''t offer 640Rb in exchange for remodeling the restaurant. ...... "I''m not asking you to do it for 640Rb. I''ll pay you exactly what you deserve for your labor. But I''d appreciate it if you''d study a little. Yes, of course!I''ll give you a discount! So you don''t have to accept the 640Rb, do you?Ginette. Yes! This is a conversation with Ginette, so I''ll skip to the next part. Scroll down the screen and stop at the conversation with Umaro. I''m not rich either, so I''ll give you the best deal I can. ...... I''ll make sure you all don''t have to worry about food for a month. "A month is ...... that''s three people, .................. ......Yes. I''m not sure what to do.It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. "Then let''s call it a done deal. "Thank you very much! He and Umaro look over the contents of the Conversation Record. Umaro has a suspicious look on his face. Huh? Didn''t you notice? ''I didn''t say anything about paying for it, did I? ''That''s a crappy theory! ''It''s not a quibble, it''s not a complication, it''s not a lie. There should be no flaws in the contract, right?'' ''''If it''s ...... like that, then how are you going to pay us?If the three of us don''t have to worry about food for a month, we can go to ......, ............ and ....... ............'' Umaro''s ending is disappearing. He seems to have noticed. ''I''ll give you guys a ''free meal pass for one month at the main restaurant of the Sunlit Pavilion! ''Huh, free pass ......? ''So, come and eat here for a month.'' ''No, that''s not true. ...... I''ve already had lunch and dinner prepared for me. ...... Does that mean you''re going to maintain the status quo? ''No, not at all.'' I''ll show the disgruntled Umaro the beauty of this reward. ''You can eat three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. ''Isn''t that just more breakfast ......'' ''Up until now, it''s been ''meals on the table'' for the waitresses, but from now on, I''ll offer ''products''. I''ll treat you as a special customer. I''ll treat you as a special customer, and if you want, I''ll let you try new products as soon as they''re released. ''Hmmm ......'' Even so, Oumarro didn''t seem convinced. Jan Bold and Goozja''s expressions were also cloudy. ''Furthermore, since you are a customer, naturally, our signature girl will bring you your meal. ''What ......? At this point, Umaro finally showed his reaction. Well, it''s not hard to understand. To tell the truth, Ginette hadn''t served any of the meals so far, because she had to go out or something. Ginette only cooked the food, while Umaro and the others served the rice in the pot by themselves, and the three men ate it. It must have been a very tasteless meal. ''From now on, Ginette and Magda will make your meals more colorful. ''...... glamorously ......?'' Umaro''s mind is beginning to waver. This is a good place to start. ''......And look at ...... that uniform.'' Whispering in his ear, Umaro''s gaze falls on Jeannette and Magda. I''m sure you''ll agree.In the midst of the angelic innocence and cuteness, there is a casual inclusion of "eros. ...... Honestly, I could eat three bowls of rice with that uniform alone. I''m not sure what to do. This guy is so immune to women that he can''t even talk to Jeannette face to face. I''m sure it''s exciting enough just to watch. I''m sure he''s starting to realize how attractive that environment is. Okay, one more push. ''After a hard day''s work, you come to this store at night, filled with a sense of fulfillment and a comfortable tiredness from a good day''s work. I speak in a slow, calm voice so that he can easily imagine this scene. Umaro closes his eyelids and lifts his chin slightly. Looking upward at an angle, Umaro is probably picturing the scene in his mind as I lead him. I looked up and saw that Yamboldo and Gusuya had closed their eyes as well. I beckoned quietly for Ginette and Magda to come over. I put my index finger to my lips, signaled ''shhh'', and quietly put them in position. They are about one and a half meters in front of Umaro. ''''Well. You''ve done a good job today,'' ''I''m starving from all the hard work,'' you say as you slowly open the door of the restaurant. As if to illuminate the darkness, a soft light shines from inside the store, and a good smell and gentle air welcome you tired people. And ......''. I signaled to Ginette and Magda with a glance. Magda seemed to understand my intentions, and nodded her head. But Ginette looked puzzled and tilted her head. Oh, he''s such a bastard, isn''t he? Just as I was about to go explain, Magda moved. Magda stretches and asks Jeannette a question. Ginette looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded her head in understanding. Come on, let''s finish this. ''And this is the first thing you''ll see when you open the door. As he said this, he gave Umaro a light push on the back. Umaro opens his eyelids in response. Yamboldo and Gusuya open their eyes at the same time. Ginette and Magda are standing side by side in front of them, looking slightly embarrassed and shy. Then, they both bowed together and said these lines. ''''Welcome home, master. ''''''Tadaimaa! Okay. Fall in. ''''What is it?Is this heaven? ''''The fatigue of the day ...... will blow away.'''' ''It''s not good!Ginette, your destructive power is unbelievable! It''s very popular. This could be good! "Sunlit Pavilion Maid Cafe Project! You can get about 5,000 yen just by drawing a face on an omu-rice and saying, ''Be delicious! Just when we were almost there, Umaro began to sulk. Yeah, you''re a pussy. That''s when you should make a quick decision! ''Besides, I ...... can''t even look at it properly anyway. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of that.You''re not a man if you shirk that! ''Why is it ...... shaking?You''re not shaking enough?Should the floor be made more pliable and shake more every time Jeannette walks? ......'' ''Yashiro-san, you can hear it in my voice!You can''t risk the floor like that! Ginette hid her strongest weapon (her boobs) with both hands and hid behind the counter. d*mn it ......, just one more push. ...... ''..................'' Suddenly, his gaze fell on Magda. Magda was staring at me with eyes that seemed to be trying to tell me something. I tried my best to decipher Magda''s true intentions from her empty eyes, which were hard to read her emotions. ...... ''...... (leave it to me)'' --He seemed to be saying. ''Leave it to me'' ...... ''(I can''t do it with your chest!)'' --and a look. ''...... (I''ll raise them in forty seconds)'' --The reply came back. No, don''t be absurd! So, that anime about getting ready in forty seconds isn''t on here, is it?Coincidence?Or did the ''forced translation magic'' play a trick on you again? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to get the best results, you can contact us at ....... When Umaro was about to wrap up the conversation, Magda stood in front of Umaro. ''What,......? ''...... Come and have dinner.'' ''Yes, but ...... I have a life ...... too.'' ''......Have dinner with Magda and the others. ............You don''t like it? ''Ugh! An invisible blade pierced through Umaro''s heart. Magda quickly followed suit. ''............ Magda, I''ll do my best, okay? A straightforward eye, filled with anxiety, catches Umaro. A small head tilted back. A strand of hair falls down and sways in front of Magda''s face. Her cat ears sway sadly. ''...... Ugh.'' Umaro clutched his heart and took a step back. ''This is a ............ good idea? ''But ............ we''re professionals too ......''. d*mn, you''re stubborn! Then there''s the secret to corrupting the wavering consumer (or sucker, as the scammers call them): ...... "Expired"! ''You got it now, Magda? Everyone in the room gives me a strange look. No one understands what I''m talking about. Of course not. It was an ad-lib. But if you start from here, ...... ''You can''t do customer service, after all. Didn''t you see how they reacted?'' Magda didn''t answer when I spoke to her. He just stares at me with his usual vacant eyes. But to someone who doesn''t know Magda well, her expression looks as if she''s depressed because I''m blaming her. ''Okay, now take off your uniform. Go change into your regular clothes. ''Oh, sir!Yashiro-san ......! At my strong tone, Umaro interrupted me as if he didn''t expect it. Welcome to the field ....... Do you want to take off your uniform or is it impossible......? ''Hmm?Oh, no. Magda says she wants to be like Jeannette,.......'' ''I''m not lying. ''She said herself that she wanted to work in customer service. ......'' This is also not a lie. ''As you can see, this guy has trouble expressing his emotions. That''s why I think it would be difficult for him to work in customer service. Well, ...... it''s not a lie. ''No matter how much he wants to work hard, we are in the customer business,.......'' ''Oh, so ...... she''s ...... not going to be able to serve customers, Magda? Magda-chan. ...... Yeah, yeah. Good, good, good. ''You don''t want to eat while looking at this expressionless guy, do you? ''No, not at all! I got a bite! ''Ma, Magda-chan is, let''s see ......, very cute!I get so nervous when I see women that I can''t even eat. ...... But if it''s Magda, I think I''ll feel more relaxed or ...... be able to eat better! But it''s not worth as much as a silver coin. Then, as a customer business, ......'' ''Yes, there is!Magda-chan''s uniform is worth a hundred silver ...... coins, or even a hundred gold coins!You can even go to the store just to see her! I can''t believe it. ''So, how do you pay for the renovation? ''Yeah, ............, no, that''s not the same thing as .............'' Oh, that''s frustrating! Be a man and say, ''It''s for Magda!I don''t need the money! That''s why you''re not popular!That''s why you''re unattractive! While I was trying to figure out how to woo this backward carpenter, Magda stepped in between me and Umaro. As if to protect Umaro, he faced me and looked up at me with vacant eyes. ''...... Yashiro. Enough.'' ''Hmm?'' ''...... Carpenter, you poor thing.'' ''Ma...... Magda-chan......'' Magda''s unexpected comment caused Umaro to let out a few words. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m about to burst into tears. ''......Please don''t bully her. ''Magda is a real angel! Umaro fell. ''Yashiro-san!I''ll ask you to do the same!I want you to let Magda be a customer service representative!I''m sure Magda will become the number one waiter in the 42nd district!I''ll support you! ''Then, the price for the renovation is .......'' ''Yashiro''s idea is fine!You''re going to come here every day anyway, so we''re in this together! Good job! That''s the carpenter!A man among men! ''Then, please let me extend the ...... to ''two months'' at least. I''m really sorry about that. ......'' It seems that Jeannette, who had been retreating behind the counter, sensed the mood for a discussion and came out. ......This guy is willing to ............ do himself a disservice again, but this time it''s for the best. ''That''s very kind of you, Jeannette! ''I''d rather have big tits too,......! Goozja and Yang Bold''s eyes began to sparkle. ''Oh, I''m all about Magda, you know! ''Thank you .......'' ''He thanked me!Mwah! Umaro seems to have developed some kind of ...... disease. I''m sorry to hear that. But that''s okay. In the world of salesmen, there is a saying. "Don''t sell the product, sell the emotion. People don''t want things, they want the stories that come with them. A band that was previously unknown achieved a million sales by simply saying, "Sell XX copies or break up immediately! There is an example of a band that was previously unknown and achieved a million sales by simply saying, "If you don''t sell XX copies, we''ll break up immediately! People like to buy such a "story behind the product". It can be called added value. The disappearance of mozuku vinegar from supermarkets as soon as a TV special was aired about the product''s ability to help people lose weight, which was not a big seller before, is another example of the "value behind the product" being bought. It is the same as a used straw of a beautiful woman is erotic. But I''m not the kind of pervert who finds value in that kind of thing, so I don''t understand that part. ...... But if it''s a straw with a beautiful woman with big tits holding it between her cleavage, I''ll pay up to 50,000! That''s the way it is with products. And this time, it was Magda''s genuine desire to do her best as a waiter that raised the value of the sunlit pavilion. It was this desire that raised the value of the restaurant in Umaro''s mind. It made him think that it was worth supporting. Likewise, Ginette''s kindness has somewhat resolved the unacceptable contract imposed on me by the "bad guy". This, too, was an added value that was etched in the minds of Goozja and Yamboldo. There is not a single person in this room who feels that they have lost anything. Everyone is happy. Well, peace is wonderful. It''s worth it that I dared to be a villain, hahaha! ''Well, Umaro. So be it.'' I held out my hand, and Umaro grasped it back strongly. ''Yes, sir! Thank goodness he''s a simple man. ''I''m sorry, ......, for being so reckless.'' ''What are you talking about? It''s too late for that now. And after making them accept a contract that they can''t fully accept, we should behave in a stern manner. If you do this, the other party will think, ''Well, it can''t be helped,'' and you will be intoxicated with the satisfaction of having forgiven him. If you add one more step here, ...... ''Magda, I''m sure you''re happy. I don''t know if you can tell from my lack of facial expression, but I think ...... I''m grateful.'' ''...... Is that right? Hahaha ......'' Umaro sank. Umaro has been upgraded to a "customer". In Japan, there are idols called underground idols who work on a small scale. It is these people who support these idols. In other words, they are motivated by the psychology of ''I have to support them! In other words, they are dedicated fans who are motivated by the psychology of ''I have to support them! The closer they are, the stronger their feelings become, and their support turns into adoration. A person with such a fixed audience is ...... strong. Magda ......, you''re pretty good. ............ I can smell the money. I''m not sure what to say.Come eat with us every day starting tomorrow! ''Please come. I''ll do my best to make you a delicious meal! ''...... Magda will do her best, too. At the call of all the members of the Sunlit Pavilion, the members of the Torbeck Engineering Shop ...... ''''''Yes! They nodded vigorously. The renovation of the Sunlit Pavilion -- ''''Two months'' worth of free meals for three people'''' -- has been paid for! The budget is practically zero Rb, since we''ll use the money from our regular business. And there''s one more trick to this contract: ...... Well, that will come into effect soon. For now, let''s celebrate the fulfillment of the contract. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''Hmm?'' ''...... Magda, good luck.'' ''Oh, good luck.'' ''...... Many things, teach me. How to serve customers.'' Magda is a very ambitious girl. But then again, ...... ''Magda.'' ''...... What?'' ''I have nothing more to teach you! ''............ hasn''t taught me anything yet?'' It''s okay. Magda is Magda. You''ve got a fan now, after all. Just keep acting like you are and you''ll be fine. ''Treat your customers the way only you can, the way only you can. ''.................. Yeah. Okay. Thus, Magda became a licensed customer service agent. And now, finally. The main restaurant of the Sunlit Pavilion will reopen! 23-Episode 21 I dont hate the struggle to do it. Today''s weather in District 42 was unfortunate. It had been raining heavily since last night, and all the roads in this world without asphalt were soaked in muddy water. Perhaps it was because District 42 was a city of the poor, but the drainage was also poor. It was hard to go to the bathroom. After all, it''s outside. ...... won''t overflow, will it? I''m really tired of it. ''...... Don''t catch a cold. ''Mwah!Of course I will!You can''t catch a cold and give Magda the willies, you know! No, don''t come to the store if you catch a cold. You''ll be a nuisance to everyone around you. Early in the morning, the sound of rain is getting heavier. The three idiots from Torbek''s construction company were at the sunny pavilion for breakfast. It''s been a week since I''ve been feeding them. They have been coming here every day without missing a single person. It''s not normally business hours, but in order to serve breakfast to these guys who are based in the 40th district, I have to open the store at this hour. It''s four o''clock, four o''clock. After we turn them away, we start prepping the donations for the church. And normal business starts at ten. ''I''m sorry, Miss Jeannette. You didn''t have to come this early for us.'' ''No, sir. It''s our way of repaying you for making the store so nice. Ginette, a morning person, brings us breakfast with a smile. It''s a warm bowl of miso soup that will soothe your rain-chilled body. I''m so glad there is miso in this world. If it weren''t for that, I would have developed it at will. ''.................. Hmm~, it smells good. It looks delicious.'' ''It''s true~ ...... Ah, it smells like Jeannette.'' Does that mean that Jeannette smells like miso? Yamboldo and Gusuya seem to be crazy about Ginette. It''s probably more of a fan psychology than a romantic feeling, though. ''Breakfast while watching Goddesses and Angels...... is the best! Goozuya''s whimsical tone of voice from when we first met her has completely disappeared, and she now speaks in the "masumasu" style. It seems that Oumarro has been giving him a thorough makeover, starting with his attitude towards life. Well, he was a habitual eater. I can''t complain about being reprimanded. I just think Umaro is really good at taking care of people. I wouldn''t want to be bothered with that. ''...... a little sleepy in the morning.'' ''Ahh! ...... Well, it seems that he is currently suffering from a serious illness. ''Hey, you guys. Eat a little more quietly. You can''t sleep.'' I complained, raising my head from where I was lying on the desk. I''m sleepy too. ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. If you want to sleep, you can stay in your room and sleep.You too, Magda. I can do it by myself. You''re a fool, Ginette. There''s no way I''m letting a slow witted big tit like you loose in the midst of these hungry hyenas alone. You''ve been eaten alive too many times in the past. You don''t know what could happen if I don''t stay with you. I''d be too worried to sleep. ''...... Goozuya said. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. If the ...... angels disappear, they''ll be sad. ''Angels don''t mean Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what to say.And Ginette-san is a goddess! ''Oh, no. I''m afraid that I''m a goddess, .......'' No, Jeannette. So you''re surprised, you thought I was a goddess? It''s probably because of the praise, Ginette hides her face with a tray, looking embarrassed. ............ You don''t need to show that kind of gesture to someone like Goozuya. ''Goozuya. Go run three laps around the front.'' ''Why would you do that?It''s raining hard, out there? So what? I''m the one who''s annoyed, so you can''t blame me for giving you a hard time. ''There are goddesses, angels and demons in this diner ......''. Goozha is being very rude. I''m the generous one who let the frog go. I''m sure that shows how small you are as a human being. Everyone. Here is your lunch for today. I''ll wash the containers here, so please take them with you. Ginette brings out three lunch boxes. The Trubec construction company works in various districts. That''s why they don''t have time to come here for lunch. It takes several hours just to travel. So we decided to have lunch only. ''Ginette''s bento is really delicious, isn''t it? ''.................. I''m looking forward to lunch. ''At first I thought it was a cold meal, but as expected from Ginette. This idea is a great one. Apparently, the lunchbox was well received by the people at Torbeck Engineering. ''Oh, um... Yashiro is the one who invented the lunch box, and I''m just making what he told me to make. ......'' Ginette, who is not used to being praised, is immediately humble. ''......Yashiro thought of this for Magda.'' Magda says, proudly and for some reason. Yeah. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. Umaro is delirious when Magda hands him his lunch. He doesn''t seem to have any particular feelings about Magda''s comment. Oh, by the way. If you so much as lay a finger on her while she''s handing it over, you''re banned. My girls aren''t that cheap. Well, they seem to be happy just watching. ''Are you going to do any carpentry work on a day like this? I ask Umaro as he receives his lunch. I thought he might be absent during heavy rain. If there was no work to be done, we could just let him eat here, and there was no need to make lunch. But. ''I''ll do it, of course. Are you going to work? ''Trubec Engineering is open 24/7, no matter what the weather is like, typhoon or blizzard! No, take a day off during typhoons and blizzards. ...... There will be deaths. ''...... hard work'' ''Mom, Mom, Magda is worried about me?I''m glad I''m a carpenter. Cheap, your fulfillment. ''Hey, guys. If you don''t mind, I''d like to talk to you about .......'' Jeannette speaks up quietly. ...... That''s the face you make when you''re trying to get yourself into trouble. What are you going to say?If he''s about to say something strange, I''ll have to stop him. ''Why don''t you have bento for breakfast as well?That way, everyone will be able to sleep more soundly and won''t have to struggle to get here on such a rainy day. What a surprise. ...... He''s not going to say, ''I''ll deliver it every morning'', is he? I''m not kidding, it''s such a pain in the ass! Who''s going to deliver it? Ginette?The Forty-second Ward is a dangerous place before the sun comes up. Even I''m on the verge of tears. I can''t let Jeannette go in there alone. Magda, then?No, I''m not sure I''m ready for my first errand. In the end, either I''ll go ...... or if Jeannette and the others go, I''ll have to accompany them because I''m worried. No matter what happens, I''ll have to deliver every morning. No kidding. If you want to eat, all you have to do is get up early and come here. If you don''t like it, don''t eat it! You''re not allowed to deliver it to me. We have to stop Jeannette at all costs. ''If you''d like, I can deliver it to you every morning at .......'' ''Ginette, pants! ''Aah! Ginette let out a strange scream and squatted down, holding her skirt. What Jeannette immediately held was not the back side where I was, but the front side where Umaro and the others were. In other words, it could be taken as an indication that if she wanted to show her pants, she would choose me. That''s a good idea. I''ll show you next time. ''Did you see that? Jeannette squats down and turns her reddened face toward me. ''No, I didn''t see you.'' ''What?Then what was that all about? ''I just wanted to say something. ''Don''t be tempted to say it, it''s so confusing! Pfft!--Ginette puffed out her cheeks. But if she hadn''t done this, she would have made a terrible promise. Just in time. ''Jeannette. Come here.'' I helped the crouching Jeannette to her feet and led her behind the counter. I go into the kitchen and nail Ginette, careful not to be heard by Umaro and the others. Even if ...... opposes it as it is, it is obvious that this guy will say something like, ''But I''m sure you''re all in trouble,......,'' and burst with the power of a good person. So, I''m going to attack with a different pitch. ''No breakfast delivery. ''Why not?I''m sure you all have a lot of work to do. Look at that. ''I''m just trying to do you guys a favor. ......'' ''If you want to help them, don''t deliver anything at all. "What do you mean? Jeannette''s eyes widen. She doesn''t seem to understand that it''s in their best interest not to deliver, and she''s asking me to explain. ''Look at their faces, ......''. I sneak a peek at their faces from the kitchen as if I were looking into the seats. Umaro is talking to Magda about something. His expression is still relaxed. He looks like an old man with a cute niece. ...... He is so delirious that if he were in Japan, he might be reported. ...... If the disease gets any worse, we''ll have to consider a restraining order against Magda. Nevertheless, it looks like a lot of fun. The other two are also smiling as they enjoy their hot breakfast. ''...... Looks like you''re having fun. Seeing this, Ginette smiles happily. She gazes at the scene as if biting into her happiness. ''It''s fun, actually. I stand behind Ginette and look over her head at the audience. Despite the fact that it was still early in the day, the dining room was bustling with activity and happiness, creating a warm atmosphere. ''Don''t do anything to take it away from them. ''Take away ...... it! Ginette, startled by my words, turned around quickly. But she was more surprised to see me standing right behind her, and let out a cute little scream. I was also bending forward a little, so our faces came close to each other. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I didn''t think you''d be that close to me. ......'' ''No, no, no, I''m sorry, too, ......''. I was just about to kiss you. I should have ...... bent down a little more. ......! ''Well, ...... what was it ...... that I was trying to do,...... that''s right!Is what I''m trying to do a negative thing for Umaro-san and the others?'' ''Yes, it is. Certainly, it would be easier if they could have their lunch delivered. We can sleep better in the morning. But ......'' I poke my finger at the tip of Jeannette''s nose. Ginette leans a little closer and stares at my fingertip. ...... What''s with the face? That''s kind of funny and cute. Yeah. I''d say it''s a disadvantage not to be able to see this face. ''I won''t be able to see you guys. ''............What?'' ''I might be able to see you for a moment when I hand you your lunch, but I won''t be able to ...... eat while looking at you, will I?'' ''Is that such a big deal ......?'' ''It''s a big deal.'' He really doesn''t know what he''s talking about, does he? ''If you want to sleep, just go to bed. It''s not a big loss if you don''t eat. If it''s just lunch, one of us can come and get it on behalf of the others. But they go here every day, all three of them, without missing a single person. ...... Why do you think that is? ''......You''re saying it''s because we''re ............ here?'' ''That''s right.'' Ginette tilted her head in disbelief, or rather, unconvinced. This is a woman who underestimates herself to no end. Let me give you a simple example. ''If I say, "Jeannette must be tired from getting up early every morning. If I said, ''I''ll take care of the donations to the church, so you can sleep in,'' do you think you''d be happy to sleep in? ''No, I don''t!I''m happy to eat with the sisters and everyone at .............'' That''s what I''m talking about. It''s not uncommon to learn more about someone by thinking about them in terms of yourself. Even if the situation is not exactly the same, there are things that can be seen if the emotions are even slightly linked. ''Umaro will definitely come to see Magda even if you tell him not to. The same goes for Goozja and Yamboldo. They will come to see you. Sleeping only gives you a very small personal satisfaction. If you keep getting it, you won''t get even that little satisfaction, that''s all. After all, "sleep" is the first thing to be cut off when we are absorbed in something. That''s all it is. There are many more important things in the world. Even if it is something like "going to see a beautiful girl with big tits every morning". Well, since that''s the case, don''t even think about the hassle of delivery for them. In a way, this is helping people, right? ''But, but ......''. I thought this was the solution ...... to this story, but Jeannette still seemed unconvinced. ''I understand why you want to see Magda-san. I also feel energized when I see Magda, and her outfit looks really good and cute,......, but I don''t care if I see her,.......'' This guy is serious? How low do you think you can go? You might think that everyone on the street is looking at you with avoidance. Look, people don''t hate you that much just because you live a normal life. It''s usually just paranoia or overly negative thinking. If you are one of those people who think that people will feel bad if they talk to you, I would like you to make sure that you greet people every morning. Even if they ignore you or give you a bad look, don''t be discouraged, just keep saying ''good morning'' every morning. You will notice that the way they look at you will change. Before you know it, they have lost their bad feelings toward you. The reason why there are no more people who fall for psychic sales or dubious religious solicitations is that people have a habit of looking favorably on those who try to get involved with them. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for in a person. ...... Well, that''s when they take advantage of you. This is true even for people who have a negative start and are shady. If you are a beautiful, harmless girl like Jeannette with big breasts, it is no exaggeration to say that there is no reason for people to dislike you. However, no matter how much you tell such "I''m not like that" thinking people, they won''t believe you. What is effective against this type of person is the ''I am'' argument. If you talk to them in a tone that they can''t deny, such as ''no matter what you think, I think this way'' or ''I would do this way'', you can make them understand that ''that''s the way it is'' for the time being. Therefore, in such a case, it is effective to say. ''If I were you, I''d come to see you even if I had to lose sleep. ''E.......'' ''I''m sure you''ll want to have dinner with me. In response to this, I can''t say, ''Yashiro-san would never think that! I can''t say that. If you force him to affirm it, the stubborn ''I don''t care'' will fall down surprisingly easily. ''Do you feel ...... happy when you see ...... me, Yashiro-san? ''Of course.'' A quick answer to an anxious question will do. This is because it has the effect of letting them know that what you''re worried about is not a big deal. If you want to add more, go to ...... ''I''m not good at mornings, but I wake up early every morning because I want to see you. ''......! ''--and that''s not an exaggeration. It''s good to say something as over the top as this. If you take it seriously, you will be able to have confidence in yourself, and even if people take it as a joke, you can just laugh and say, ''You''re overreacting. ''So, then, ...... that ............! So ...... ''Yashiro-san. From now on, no matter how sleepy you are, please try your best to wake up!And please come out to the store with me! Jeannette is so desperate to ...... ''I also ...... feel very happy when I am with Yashiro-san! I never thought I''d say that. ''A ...... ahh ............ that ......, then! In addition, I never imagined that he would turn red and run out of the kitchen as soon as he finished. And... I never imagined that I myself would feel so embarrassed at being told such a thing. ''Well, well, well, ...... now the lunchbox delivery has been cancelled, so ............ it''s all good, isn''t it? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... d*mn. You''re too pure. It''s a bit sobering to my worn out, dirty mind. I''ll be careful. A helpless scammer who has cheated people and hurt and tormented many people for money is ...... There''s no way that you can be calm and happy ...... after all this time. The world is too different for me and Jeannette to see. It''s just that ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. ...d*mn. ......'' It''s okay to enjoy this kind of bewilderment. Well. One day, when Umaro came to the sunny pavilion, he told me this story. The following is the story. It seems that the three idiots from Torbeck Construction Company, who had started bringing their own lunch boxes, were eating together at the site. ...... Are they good friends? Then, gradually, more and more people began to show interest in their lunch boxes. ''What are you eating? ''That looks good. ''Give me a bite. Such comments from carpenters at other work sites and fellow workers at Torbek''s construction store began to attract the attention of the Umaros. Originally, there was no such thing as a bento culture in this town. It was common to go to a local restaurant or go home for lunch, and the Oumaros who stayed at the site and ate their lunches outside must have stood out. In addition, when the work was over, the people at the site seemed to be particularly interested in the wu-maro who started preparing to go home quickly and excitedly. ''You guys rush home every day, where are you going? ''You guys seem to be having fun every day. ''You''re hiding something from us, aren''t you? I''m often pressed. But in their greed to monopolize the goddesses and angels, Umaro and the others stubbornly continued to hide the truth. That was a bad idea. --And, Umaro said. If you ask me, it was just as I had planned--just as I had hoped. After work, Umaro and the others were secretly followed by those on the scene, and finally their tails were grabbed. In other words-- ''Whoa!What a beautiful girl with big tits! The food is good too! ''Magda, you''re a real angel! ''You didn''t know there was a restaurant like this in the 42nd district, did you? ''I''ll go there every day!I''ve already decided! Newcomers were pouring into the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Ugh ......, it was just a place for us to relax... ......'' Umaro said with tears in his eyes. No, no, sooner or later this would have happened. After all, this was the purpose of getting you to come here every day. When people see a happy-looking person rushing out, they become curious about where he or she is going. Especially if it''s every day. Moreover, if they keep it a secret, it''s as if they''re asking you to reveal it. I promised them a month''s worth of food in exchange for the renovation, and used them as ''free advertising'' for that period. Thanks to Jeannette''s kindness, the free meal period was extended to two months, and as a result, the free advertising continued for two months. Moreover, if Umaro brought his friends to this place, a huge procession of carpenters would cross the forty, forty-one, and forty-two wards. The residents would be intrigued by what they saw. And some of them will follow it and end up here. This is the real reason why I paid for the free meal pass. It was a strategy to attract people to the hopelessly poor location of the Sunken Pavilion! The most effective way to advertise a restaurant is by word of mouth. If someone frequents a restaurant, they will want to go there too. Then they get to know the restaurant and become regulars. Once that happens, the customers rarely leave. ''Mr. Yashiro!That''s great!It''s been years since we''ve had more than half of the ...... seats filled! Ginette, for example, was in tears of joy. I guess you could say that the publicity was effective. But we still have a long way to go. We can''t get carried away by a transient prosperity. From now on, we must focus on retaining customers and continuing to attract new customers. But, well, ...... ''Yashiro-san. I''m very happy right now! I think it''s okay to be happy for now. Ginette is also looking so happy. Seeing her face, I''m ...... having fun, too. Ten days after the reopening. 24-I wonder if you wont watch Episode 22. ''Oh no, I''m in trouble. It''s raining so hard. Taking off her cloak, Estella wiped her wet hair with the towel Ginette had given her. But ...... this guy doesn''t know what he''s talking about. ...... ''Estella. ''What is it, Yashiro? ''You''re not wet enough! ''............ You don''t know what you''re talking about. Estella wasn''t wet at all. It was pouring outside. And it was raining fast. If that''s the case, she should be surprised by the sudden rain, soaked to the skin and rush here in a panic. And don''t you think that the clothes should be soaked by the rain and stick to the body, highlighting the lines of the feminine body that are not usually visible?What do you think, guys?Isn''t that right? And then, when she stares at me, she says, "Oh, please don''t look at me too much. ...... It''s no fun for you to look at my poor body, is it? I''m not sure if you can say that. ''...... Aside from your crazy fantasies, can you please not make my body look poor? I''m not sure what to do. But the fact is, you''re poor! Or what?''I''m great when I take my clothes off, aren''t I? You mean? How can I be great?I can tell even with my clothes on! ''It looked like it was going to rain today, so I put on a cloak. It''s good to be prepared.'' ''I''m worried, I''m worried! ''Did you ............ want to see me so badly ...... that you ...... ...... that way.'' You''re an unemotional guy. ''...... dry goods''. ''That''s the first time in my life I''ve ever heard someone swear at me like that. If it wasn''t raining, I''d be out front challenging you to a duel. Estella''s mouth quirked up. ''Oh my God, Yashiro. You can''t talk to a girl like that. Hanging Estella''s cloak on the wall, Ginette gives me a warning. I told Umaro to install a hook on the wall inside the counter of the sunlit pavilion. Now you can hang your coats, hats, walking sticks, and so on. Like in a hotel, you can keep your coat temporarily and return it when you pay the bill. The coats serve as hostages and may have some effect in deterring people from eating away. The customer is given a numbered tag and returns the coat in exchange. This way, there is no chance of mistakenly returning a package to the wrong person. ''Now, Miss Estella. Please give this number tag to the counter on your way out. ''''Number 9''''?Is that my number?'' Estella looks around the store. ''There''s no one here, so why ''9''? ''That''s because ...... Yashiro-san is .......'' Both of their eyes turn to me. Before Estella''s arrival, I had told Jeannette to keep Estella''s belongings in ''Number 9''. In my mind, ''number 9'' is the perfect place for Estella. I lower my gaze just a little and say to Estella. ''It''s easy to understand, isn''t it, ''Nine''? ''...... I see, so you want to duel in the rain, huh? Estella holds her ''Nine'' breasts and stares at me. It''s so obvious. ''Yashiro-san!Why do you keep saying things like that to Estella? Please repent! I''ve been scolded. ''All right. I''ll target Jeannette from now on.'''' ''What?No, no, no, please don''t!You really can''t do that! Jeannette hurriedly evacuated behind the counter. Hmm. Nice reaction. It''s quite adorable. --And as for why I''m doing this: ...... ''You''re bored: ......'' ''There are no customers, you know. There were currently no customers at the Sunlit Pavilion. It''s been two weeks since the reopening. In the evening, Umaro and his carpenter friends come here in droves, but during the daytime, the place is completely deserted. ''I guess there''s not enough publicity. ......'' The carpenters'' march does not have an immediate effect. Moreover, they move to the 42nd district after work and do not come across customers who want to eat out at this time. Therefore, the restaurant does not advertise at all to the people who should be drawn in at this time. We should do something about it. ''By the way, you''ve cleaned up quite a bit. ''Yes, sir. Thanks to Yashiro''s design and Torbek''s construction. To tell the truth, today was the first time Estella had been to the newly renovated Sunlit Pavilion. She hadn''t shown her face much recently. ''Estella. Are you done stalking the man you''re after?'' ''Do you think I''ve been doing that for two weeks? ''Don''t you? ''I''ve been busy with work. I''ve been overwhelmed with work. ...... Well, it wouldn''t hurt if you could have given me a ............ ''good job'' when I finally got some work done and showed up. I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ll agree that this is a great idea. But more than that, ............ work? What kind of work does this guy do? You can find a lot of people who are looking for a job that will allow them to be free for two weeks if something goes wrong. ............ detective? ''Hey, you. What kind of work do you do?'' ''I''m not going to tell you.'' ''A job that you can''t tell people about ............'' ''Can you please stop tarnishing people''s images like that?'' ''Is it an erotic job?'' ''Of course it''s not! There was a rather serious denial. If not that, what kind of job do you want to hide? In the first place, the reason for hiding your job is ............ Oh, I''m a con artist. Now I work in a restaurant. Either way, I can''t think of anything other than something related to a bad job. ''Estella-san, aren''t you from the Sea Fishing Guild? Ginette didn''t know Estella''s occupation either. Incidentally, there is no possibility that she is a member of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''This guy used to fish with a permit, didn''t he? That''s the one I got and used for the emblem. ''If he''s a member of the Sea Fishing Guild, he should be able to go fishing like Magda without a permit. ''Oh, that''s certainly true. ............'' Ginette put her finger on her chin as she thought about it. Estella pats him lightly on the shoulder and smiles at him. ''Well, it doesn''t matter what it is. I''m just me.'' ''Well, yes. No matter what kind of work you do, Estella is still Estella, isn''t she? I guess only Jeannette would be fooled by such words. But it''s not like I really want to know either. It seems that Estella has a lot of things that she keeps secret. ...... It would be a lie to say that I am not curious, but it would be a shame to destroy our relationship because of my curiosity. No, it''s not that I have feelings for Estella or anything like that. ...... Estella is ...... a very convenient guy for me, although it''s a bit ...... strange to put it this way. Her knowledge of the world, her ability to read the thoughts of others, her ability to understand and explain what I''m looking for, and her skill in various procedures. These are things that Jeannette, Magda, and everyone else I''ve met in this city can''t do. It''s in my best interest to continue my relationship with this guy. Above all, it''s best not to make enemies with this guy. A smart guy will turn on you the moment you make an enemy, no matter whether you keep him around or away from him. In particular, this guy knows my Achilles heel: ...... Fortunately, Estella also seems to want to continue the relationship with me,......, and if that is the case, it''s best not to step in without warning. If you poke around in the bushes, all that comes out are snakes. You may find 100 million yen in very rare cases, though. I''m not willing to take chances of less than a few tenths of a percent. Nothing good will come from upsetting Estella. Let''s be friends. ''Estella. ''What is it? ''You don''t have to get wet. I''m not expecting it at all. ''You''re making it your life''s work to piss me off, aren''t you? Funny ......, I was trying to be friendly. ''Totally ...... excuse me for a moment.'' With that, Estella made her way to the counter. ''Ginette. I''m sorry, but can I have my cloak back, please? ''Then I''ll take your number tag to .......'' ''...... for a number tag for ''Nine''.'' ''I can hear you even when you whisper, Yashiro! He''s got a good ear. ''Are you leaving already? ''No, I''m not leaving yet. I haven''t even eaten Ginnette''s food yet. ''So you''re satisfied now that you''ve seen my face? ''I said I''m not leaving! ''Then why are you wearing a cape? ...... Oh, that''s right, it''s okay, sorry, sorry! ''You really have no sense of decency, do you, Yashiro? Estella''s face is red and her shoulders are upset. So she''s right. Toilet. You have to go out of the store and go around the back to use the restroom, so you need a raincoat when it rains. There''s a lot of room for improvement in the restroom. ''In that case, I''ve got something for you. Please wait a moment.'' With a clap of her hands, Jeannette walked behind the counter. ''Yes, Jeannette?What''s the good stuff? ''Diapers.'' ''Shut up, Yashiro!There''s no way Jeannette would recommend something like that to me! I don''t know. There are no absolutes in this world, you know. But I guess not. Maybe it''s that thing I made the other day. ''Try this. As I had expected, Ginette held out a ...... umbrella. ''What''s this? ''It''s a tool that Yashiro-san made for you to keep the rain off. If you press this button, the umbrella will open and ......''. Ginette is happily teaching Estella how to use the tool she just learned the other day. She must be feeling a little superior. ''It''s like a roof over your head, so you can move around in it and not get wet! That''s a great discovery. He finished his explanation in an excited tone, as if to say, ''......''. Ginette seems to love the Japanese culture I bring to her. ...... Well, umbrellas are relatively easy to make and can be found in any country. ...... Anyway, the culture that Japanese people know in general seems to be interesting in this world. Whenever I started to make something, Jeannette began to look forward to its completion. ''It doesn''t get wet at all!It''s amazing! ''Oh, Estella. It''s not that versatile, is it?'' ''No, well, I can usually tell. ......'' Estella seems to be a little overwhelmed by Jeannette''s enthusiasm. By the way, I made a simple umbrella similar to a guard umbrella. If I could make a jump-up umbrella or a folding umbrella, I could make a fortune. ''Well then, I''ll borrow it. ''Oh. Don''t get distracted by the umbrella and get your feet stuck in the muck. ...... I said it well.'' ''Baka~ka''. He gave her a light smile and stopped moving with the door open before Estella .................. left the dining room. ''...... What is it? ''...... I''m just asking to make sure.'' He moves his head slightly and stops at an angle where his gaze may or may not be directed at you. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes on the road. ''...... Did something happen while I didn''t show my face? ''No, nothing!Nothing at all! ''Yes, nothing!No, nothing! I''m not worried about the fact that I almost kissed Jeannette the other day, or the little things that happened after that. Those things are nothing, they are just a form of communication. When you''re a man of my age, you''ve experienced a lot of things like that. It''s just that I''m a little bit surprised right now because Estella is asking me some sharp questions. So it''s nothing. He''s not lying. That''s not something that counts as ''something'', ever. ''.................. huh. Yeah.'' Estella said quietly, and left the dining room. As the door slowly closed, the sound of the rain became louder and louder. ...... d*mn. I''m not a real high school student, and I''m not going to be sweet and sour about something like that. It''s just that Jeannette is more nervous than she needs to be, and it''s making me nervous. And when I looked at Jeannette, I saw ...... ''????????????????????????............! She was holding her face with both hands and squirming. You can clearly see that his ears were bright red. ...... Don''t do that. ............ The embarrassment is contagious. ''Haha .................. hot''. Use a hand fan to cool the rough heat on your face. That''s the way it is. It''s not like me. Yeah. I''ll be careful. If we get caught up in Jeannette''s pace, even the good-natured ones can get bitten. Pull yourself together, me. Don''t ever lose sight of your purpose. ............ All right. I''m calm. It''s business as usual from here on out. Business as usual. Let''s just be mature and let the young girls have their fun. ''Ginette! ''Hiya! ...... Don''t make any funny noises. ''...... Ahh ...... sorry.'' Ginette nods her head, her shoulders slumping, her head down. Her shoulders slumped, she turned her head and ...... stubbornly kept her gaze off the road so as not to look at you. ...... Please make it normal, it''s hard to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Yes, that''s right!It''s a little late, but let''s have lunch! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... Are you okay with that guy? I''m sure you''ll get used to it. When a new change occurs in the world in which you have existed, you focus your consciousness on that change in order to respond to it. A transfer student is a good example of this, and the inclusion of an alien in a previously peaceful class creates in everyone the fear that the balance that has been maintained will be upset. So, whether it is pandering, rebelling, recruiting, or seducing, ...... people take some action. A state in which interest is focused on a single point. This state is often mistaken for love. This is called the "suspension bridge theory of love. ...... The point is that people mistake the burden, stress, and tension of an unprecedented situation for the thrill of love. This is exactly what Jeannette is going through right now. In the face of the sudden appearance of Obayashiro, she is tense and surprised, and her consciousness is simply turned toward him. Besides, I''ve taken a few actions that have brought about the result that Ginette wants. I''ve acted in ways that have been ''kind'' in the eyes of Jeannette. I''m aware that she likes me. But it''s not love. To put it simply, it''s a misunderstanding. One day, the fever will cool ...... and you will realize your mistake. Until then, just leave it alone. Someday the dream will wake up and the ...... dreaming girl will grow up. By that time, her current feelings will have been sorted out and may even be forgotten. Well, that''s fine then. In the empty cafeteria, only the sound of rain echoes. ''..................'' I wonder how long I''ll be here. That thought suddenly crossed my mind. Until I can establish a foundation for my life in this city. ...... Until I gain knowledge of the Judgment of Spirits and Forced Translation Magic: ...... When is that: ......? How long will I be here ............? I''m not sure what to say. It was while I was pondering these endless thoughts that I heard a scream from outside. At the same time as the scream, I heard a loud sound of water. What is it?--As I was wondering, the door opened and ............ ''............Ugh ...... I''m in a bad way ......'' Estella came into the cafeteria soaking wet, her whole body covered in a brown, dirty liquid. I quickly picked my nose and said to Estella. ''Don''t you know how to use the toilet, do you? ''This didn''t happen in the toilet! What? Didn''t you get stuck in the toilet, or did you do that when you fought in the toilet? ''I fell in that puddle!What the hell!You should be worried about me! I''m not sure if it''s because I''m soaking wet, but Estella''s eyes are a little teary as she stares at me. I''m not sure what to do. I''m worried. ''Did the umbrella break? ''Yashiro, ......'' ''Just kidding!I''m just kidding!I was just trying to make you laugh. No, your eyes are serious. Well, when someone makes a joke in a situation like this, ''Oh, ......, that sucks! It''s a joke in a situation like this that makes me want to kill you. Yeah, I get it. I know what you''re feeling right now. I''m sorry. So don''t stare at me like that. ''What''s wrong with you? ...... What?Estella, are you okay? Ginette came out of the kitchen and ran up to Estella, who was soaking wet. ''Uu......Ginette-chan~chan......'' She may want to hug her, but Estella is trying to hold back from staining Ginette''s uniform with muddy water. ''Ginette, go and get her a towel. And boil some water for her. ''Yes, sir!Yes, sir. Right away! Ginette hurriedly retreated to the back. If we leave Estella like this, she''ll catch a cold. It would be better to give her a bath or something. We don''t have a bath, but there''s a big camado in the courtyard for boiling water. You can boil the water there at once, put it in a bucket, and wipe yourselves in your rooms. There is also a large tub, so you can take a quick soak in the water. ...... but it will take a long time. ''Estella, are you cold? ''......It''s very cold. It must have been more than a month since we came to this city, but the climate shows no signs of changing. It''s warm and sunny during the day, but cold in the morning and evening. Perhaps there are no four seasons in this city. And on rainy days like this, it is chilly all day long. Estella, with her whole body soaked, must be feeling the unbearable cold. ''You''ll catch a cold if you wear wet clothes. Take them off.'' ''Aaahhhh!There''s no way I can do that, no way! ''I''ll be fine!I''ll only look at you s*xually! ''That''s why I said you can''t! You can''t have your ...... pride hurt when you''re saying you''re going to give a flat-chested guy like you a good huffing and puffing. ''It''s usually because ...... Yashiro said something strange that this happened, I''m sure .......'' ''Strange things?What did I say? ''So you''re saying I should get wet. ......'' Oh, by the way, ...... And when you look at him wet, you''ll see that he''s ............ The clothes stick to him and he looks pretty s*xy. ''Oh, please don''t stare at me too ...... much! ''It''s no fun for you to look at my poor body, is it? ''I won''t say that line even if I die! I''ll give you a 30. The second half is the main part. I''m tempted to give you a make-up lesson. ''Well, I''ve put some water on the fire for now. But it''s going to take some time for it to ...... boil.'' Ginette comes back with an apologetic look on her face. She takes a towel and starts wiping Estella''s hair. Estella bends down to hug herself, shivering from the cold. ...... This is a serious problem. If you leave it like this, you could seriously catch a cold. ''Jeannette. Lend him some of your clothes.'' ''Um, ...... that''s ............ the laundry that''s been piling up in this long rain. ...... ......The only thing I can lend you right now is my uniform. ......'' ''That''s fine.'' ''No, wait a minute! It was Estella who stopped him. ''No, you can''t wear that ............ little ......''. She looked down at her chest and her expression clouded over. ''You know what, Estella? I''m going to say this out of the kindness of my heart to Estella. ''I understand how you feel, but this is not the time for that, is it?You''re not the only one who cares about your body. Jeannette and I don''t want you to catch a cold, either. ''Yashiro......'' ''Your body is also mine now, you know. ''That''s not true, is it?I''m going to play with you. It''s my daily routine to play with you. I don''t think I''m wrong. ''Estella-san. Yashiro-san is right. For the sake of your body, you may not be happy in my clothes, but please use them as a temporary measure.'''' ''Ginette-chan, ............Yes, that''s right, .............'' That''s right. I''m only wearing it for a short time while my clothes dry. ''Don''t worry if your breasts are too big and skimpy. We''re the only ones who can see such a miserable situation anyway. We all know you don''t have breasts, so there''s no need to be embarrassed now. ............ You''re staring at me like I''m scary! A true swordsman''s killer spirit is probably something like this. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... stay wet''. ''Estella-san!......Oh, Yashiro! I''m not sure if this is a good idea. ...... I think I misspoke. I was trying to cheer her up, but... They''re a little big.'' ''No!I''d rather be naked than wear your ...... clothes.'' ''Okay!Then I''ll be naked!'' ''I refuse! ''You''re being unreasonable! ''Yashiro-san! Ginette''s pissed at me again . ''Estella ......''. ''I''m sorry, but I can''t let you catch a cold doing a joke. I spoke to Estella in a serious voice. ''...... Why do you hate being naked? ''Do I need to explain? ''All right!If you don''t want to be alone, then Ginette and I will both go naked! ''No, you won''t! ''For Estella''s sake! ''It''s only in your best interest, that situation! I thought it was the best idea. ...... ''So, then. How about Magda''s uniform?Magda is away at the hunting guild today, and I''m going to borrow it for a little while. ......'' Magda has been away at the hunting guild since this morning. Due to the heavy rains, the hunting grounds have become a no-go zone. He said there would be a meeting to discuss this and to share information. I''m not sure if I''m considered a full-fledged member of the group, but ...... Magda was very confident before she went out, and ...... she seems to have gained confidence in herself since she came here. I''m sure she''ll be fine. ...... Let''s trust and wait. That''s why Magda is out of town for the day. ...... dinner, maybe Umaro won''t come. It''s raining hard, and Magda''s not here. ''The size may be a little small, but ...... Estella is slim and I''m sure it will fit. ......'' The uniforms in the store are made to fit the body. It''s not a tight fit, but it''s designed to allow you to work while wearing it for long periods of time. It would be possible for Estella to wear Magda''s clothes if she pushed herself a bit. ''............ Well, then, ............ that''s it.'' After pondering for a while, ...... Estella nodded her head, shrinking even more, ...... as if she was still cold. However, wearing a uniform with a dirty body seems to be uncomfortable. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''But it''s going to take quite a while ......''. ''Heh, I''m fine. ...... I''ll just stay like this for a bit ............ and sneeze! Wow, that''s a cute sneeze. d*mn. I don''t know what''s okay with you. ...... ''Come here a minute, Estella.'' I grab Estella''s trembling hand and pull her forcefully. ''Hey!Where are you going? ''My room.'' ''Aaahhhh! I pulled her arm and tried to make her walk, but Estella stomped her foot and refused to move forward. ''What are you doing, d*mn it! ''I said I''ll warm you up in my bed! ''Nah!What are you trying to do?Let go of me! Oh, God, this guy! ''I don''t care if you don''t like me or not, but if you catch a cold, Jeannette will be worried!Even if you say it''s okay, me and Jeannette won''t allow it!You can go warm yourself in my room until the water boils! I''m forcing Estella to come with me. You might get beaten up later, but right now it''s an emergency. I have no choice. I pick up Estella''s body. It''s called a princess hug. ''Ginette, get the store and hot water. ''............ Ah, yes! With that, I left the restaurant. ''Wait, wait, Yashiro!All right!I''ll walk by myself! Estella is screaming in my arms, but it''s too late now. ...... Estella''s body has become quite cold. Her body is trembling in small increments. There''s not a moment to lose. Completely ignoring Estella''s pleas, I ran through the kitchen, through the rainy yard, and up the stairs. Perhaps she was afraid of the stairs, but when Estella squeezed my neck, I was ...... unintentionally thrilled. ...... What are you doing that''s so girly? As soon as you enter my room, I lowered Estella to the floor and immediately gave her instructions. ''Take off all your clothes and get into bed. ''What, what, what, what are you doing? ''I''m going to warm you up.'' ''Hey, ......!You can''t do that,......, you can''t do that,......, you can''t do that! His tone is strong, but weak. Her face is very red. I hope she''s just embarrassed, but it''s possible that her fever has risen. We can''t be too careful. ''Take off all your wet clothes and put them out in the hallway. I''ll be on the other side of the door, so if anything happens, call me right away.'' ''............ huh?'' ''Also, you can make a mess on my bed, so don''t worry about it, just crawl in there. Make sure you have a quilt on to keep your shoulders cool. ''............ Yashiro, are you in the hallway?'' ''Yeah. I''ll take your wet clothes to Jeannette and stay in the hallway just in case. You don''t feel safe, do you?'' ''.................. Yeah.'' Estella, who had been in a panic, muttered helplessly. The expression is a mixture of relief and weakness. ''...... What the hell. Did you want me to get into bed with you and warm you up with human skin?'' ''Hmm!No, of course not!Come on!I''m going to change my clothes, so get the hell out of here! Estella threw the towel that Jeannette had given her and yelled at her. I wonder if she realizes that she was using a girlish tone. As if pushed, I was sent out into the hallway and the door was slammed shut. You can''t ...... be embarrassed. I sat leaning against the wall and let out a sigh. If this were Japan and you were a woman I didn''t care about,...... I wouldn''t hesitate to get into bed with you and warm you up. But ............ not so. Estella is not a woman to be treated lightly like that. To me, ...... well, she is a rare ............ and dear friend. Besides, there''s Jeannette. ...... ''I don''t know. ......'' Ever since I came to ...... this world, or maybe since I came to this sunny pavilion, ............ my senses have been thrown off. Hey, God, ...... are you seriously going to make me start over? You''ve brought back these adolescent feelings. ............ You can''t call it love now. ......... ... "............ Yashiro I''m not sure what to do. ''Move to a position where you can''t see into the room, and don''t ever look inside. ...... ''Hey, hey.'' ''.................. absolutely. If you see it, you''re out of luck! The door was gently opened after the reminder. Then the wet clothes were pushed out into the hallway. ''...... Give my regards to little Jeannette.'' ''Oh. I''ll give it to her.'' I reach out my arm and take the wet garment, trying not to look into the room. I call out to Estella on the other side of the door and stand up. ''............ Thank you. And I''m sorry. Estella muttered in a low voice and ...... slowly closed the door. ............ I don''t know. I try to keep a level head to shake off the bewildering and inexpressible emotions swirling in my chest. I''ll go give the wet clothes to Jeannette. If you wash and dry them immediately,......, they will be dry by the end of the day, right? I look at Estella''s clothes. It''s a well made dress. The top is a comfortable shirt like a blouse and the bottom is pants like chinos. And between the shirt and the pants, there is ............ ''What''s this? A pair of shiny, pure white pants! Silk? It''s silk? There are silk pants in this world too? ''''Oh no!Puberty!The puberty in me! Oh, God. ............ How far will you test me? ............ If I was in junior high school, I''d be ripping my pockets off right now! But I''m an adult. ............ I''m not going to do anything unethical like that. ............ ...... No, my body is a high school student. ............ If you are a high school student, you are protected by the Juvenile Law... I''m an adult. ............... Oh, my God. ...... So this is how you test one more naive person. ............ If you''re going to steal in this situation, you''re going to be found out immediately. ............ I''ll just burn it on my eyelids. What do you think, God, of the judgment of a rational adult? I will not bow to you! Jesus Christ! Overcome by God''s test, I went downstairs with a lingering sense of victory. I''ll let my eyelids burn a little longer before I hand this dress over to Jeannette at ............. Oh, yeah, there''s silk: ............ Ginette''s been very good to me. I''ll give it to her when I save up. Yeah, I''ll do that. And so I have one more goal. It''s good to have a goal. It''s a good thing to have a goal. As I walked into the kitchen humming a tune, I didn''t think the continuous rain was too depressing. I was only conscious of the fact that it would not stop. At that time, I had no idea that this long rain would cause such a trouble later on. 25-Episode 23 The Story of Estella Drenched ''Estella-san, the hot water is ready! Ginette, who had brought a large tub into her room and finished filling it with freshly boiled water, called out through the door to Estella, who was probably shivering in my room. ''Did you prepare it for your room?'' ''Yes. There''s a lot of hot water spilling and moisture in the air. Apparently, he was being considerate of me. ''Well, ......, this will be the first time I''ve been in your room. ''Why are you trying to stay with me? ''No, I thought it would be good to have some help. ''No, you can''t!You''re not allowed upstairs for a while, you know! ''What kind of fun event is this? ''...... Yashiro. It''s so cold, can you please just go away?'''' You can hear Estella''s shaky voice coming from inside the room. ...... Oh, it looks like there''s no time for jokes. ''Then take care of the rest.'' ''Yes, sir. Please take care of the store.'' ''Oh. I''ll turn away anyone who comes.'' ''Please be hospitable, won''t you? With Jeannette''s flustered voice at my back, I headed for the dining hall. It seems that there is no way to accidentally peek at the bathing scene ............. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. I''m glad you''re here. There''s no one here, I thought you were closed. There were eight Oumaros in total. They all wore heavy wet cloaks and stood behind the door. ''What''s the matter?You''re awfully early today. It was too late in the afternoon, but still quite early for supper. These guys are supposed to be the kind of workaholics who work even in the rain. ...... ''That''s the thing,......, but first, can I get in? ''Hmm?Yeah, sure. I stand at the counter and hang Umaro''s cloak on a hook on the wall. I told them that Ginette was currently unavailable for some reason and would not be coming out to the store for a while. Yamboldo and the others let out a squeal of discontent, but Umaro held them back. ''It can''t be helped. Don''t complain, just order! That''s the master. With a single word, he silenced those who had been complaining. Some of them still complained, but they did not protest further. ''So, where''s Magda? ''Oh, Magda was called to the hunting guild. He''s been gone all day. ''Come on, guys!Let''s pack up and go home! ''Hey, Cora! ''I explained it to you this morning, didn''t I?Magda''s a member of the hunting guild before she''s our waitress. There are some things that need to be prioritized. I explained this to these guys when they came to get their lunch in the morning, but ...... you didn''t listen. Magda was still there that morning. I''m sure he was too busy staring at Magda to hear much of what I had to say. ''A sunlit pavilion with only Yashiro-san in it is like a grilled fish set meal with no fish on it. ......'' ''Oh, so I''m the staple food, huh?You''re giving me too much credit, huh? ''......Oh, he''s so positive. ......! Hmm. It''s a decade too early for a guy like Umaro to be giving me grief. ''So, what''s so fast?Are you boycotting?'' ''No way!There''s no way Torbeck Engineering would do such a thing. ''Then what''s going on? ''That''s the thing. ......'' As they took their seats, I kindly offered them cups and jugs of water, ''''Wow ......, it''s self-serve ...... ''''............Ginette would have poured it for me, ......'''' Goozja and Yambold''s a**h*les complained. You guys would probably complain even if I poured it for you. If the result is the same, I won''t waste my effort. I hate waste and extravagance. Taking a sip of water, Umaro continues what he said earlier. ''Right now, we''re repairing the house of the lord of the 30th district. ......'' ''The lord of the thirtieth district, I think it''s called Wishart? ''Oh, yes. You know him well, don''t you?Have you ever been to the Thirtieth District? ''No, well, the first place I went to ...... was the gate of the 30th district. You can''t say that you caused a bit of trouble there. ''Oh, that gate is magnificent, isn''t it?I heard that my Grandpa Hii was involved in that. Umaro says proudly. I wonder if his family has been carpenters for generations. ''That''s a bit off topic. So, we were supposed to be repairing Wishart-sama''s mansion, but ...... there was a serious incident, so the work was suddenly stopped.'''' ''Serious incident?What happened? ''That''s the thing. ......'' Umaro''s voice suddenly dropped, and he made a show of leaning toward me. I followed suit and leaned in closer. Covering his mouth with his hand, Umaro asks me a question. ''I heard that the Wishart family''s treasure has been stolen. ''Oh, ......''. Stealing is another easy crime to understand. Whoever did it must be a fool. Stealing someone else''s treasure is a cowardly, foolish and disgusting act. The right way to take someone''s treasure is to twist it so that it won''t squirm. ''You''ve got a very bad ...... face, don''t you, Yashiro? It''s not like that, is it?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Who are you talking to, that kind of nonsense? Umaro''s face twitches. You might be called that sooner or later. In fact, shouldn''t you guys be the first to call it that, so that you can make a name for yourselves? ''So, now that the theft has been discovered, do you want outsiders to leave? ''Looks like it.'' ''Well, since we don''t know who the thief is, we probably don''t want outsiders in the house for the time being. ''That''s the thing, though: ......'' Umaro shows his best face yet. Apparently, what he is about to say is what he wants to say the most. So let''s hear it. ''...... They say they already know who did it. Or rather, they''ve already caught him. ''Then it''s already solved, isn''t it? There''s no reason to kick you out, right?'' ''That''s because there was a situation that shouldn''t be leaked to the ...... table.'' I welcome such information. I have no plans to do so, but if I ever have to deal with the lords of the thirty districts, I''ll definitely use you as a weapon. ''So, what happened? ''No, no, no. I really can''t tell you that much. ...... Our trust and all that. ......'' ''Magda said that Umaro''s story was interesting. ''Actually, yes!The thief was a peddler who frequented the Wishart household. Well, as expected from the reliable and proven Torbeck Engineering. You''ve got good information. ...... Am I allowed to talk? No, but wait, ............ is that your peddler? ''Is that a man called Norbert? ''Do you know that, Yashiro-san? Really? I thought he was a rather nice guy who saved me from a dead end and paid my entry tax to Allbloom. ''It seems that Norbert was doing business not only in Allbloom, but also in Baocliere and other cities, and had exclusive contracts with nobles in various places. ''So he was a merchant for many places. ''Yes. He borrowed expensive goods from noblemen''s houses wherever he went and sold them in different cities. ......'' ''...... Why did he think he wouldn''t get caught? ''They won''t find out. I don''t go to other cities unless there''s something wrong with me. Even if it''s for sale in another city, there''s no way they''ll notice. I see. In this world where everything is done in one city, there is no such thing as interaction with other places. If you ask me, I haven''t even been to other districts since I settled down here. In this world where jobs are limited, there may not be many people who want to go to the city to get a shot. If they do, it''s only for a little sightseeing. ...... You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the city. ...... Well, outside the city is a real death threat. If you get lost, it''s over. In the nearby forest, there are even magical beasts like Bonacon, and if they attack you, it''s over. It''s full of death flags. ''So how did you find out? ''Caught red-handed, sir. ''Duh! ''It seems he was fooling around with the nobles while he was working for them. It''s easy to fool the nobles.'''' Yeah. ...... I think I understand. That''s what he seemed like. So that''s how he thought I was a noble and saved me. ...... He''s a tough guy. ''It seems that almost all of the goods that were sold in this town were stolen. ''What?Then, spices too? ''I think so~. It seems that the nobles of Bao Kri Air were also in on it. ...... If the other side knew that stolen spices were being sold, it might spark a war. ''Is it that much?'' ''Spices are a luxury item. Even if I had bought it, I''d have to keep my mouth shut.'' ''''This is not Bao Kri Air''s spice?'''' ''Yes. If it''s just ''give it back'', but if it''s ''compensate for it'', I can''t stand it. Oh, but by the way, about a month ago, there was a story circulating about someone trying to sell stolen spices. ...... Those spices were originally brought in by Norbert... ...'' ............ Can we stop talking about it? If that''s the case, you''re rather lucky, aren''t you, Mr. Wishart? If it was stolen before he got it in his eyes, he can claim that he had nothing to do with the spices. ''I don''t think so!Isn''t that lucky? ''What''s with the ......?You''re awfully desperate .......'' ''No, I''m not. Calm down, me. Here is a chance for me to finally let go of the spices that have been nothing but a burden and a hindrance to me. If you lose your cool here, you''ll never get rid of it. ''But I don''t think it''ll be that important. I''m sure Master Wishart will take care of Norbert in private, and if the thief doesn''t file a complaint, the stolen goods are no different from found items. As long as they don''t grab the tail, the nobles of Baocliere won''t come to another city. You''re right. But what if I sue ...... Norbert for theft?'''' ''That won''t be accepted. They won''t even take a case of stolen goods. So we can steal all we want from the bandits? Is that okay, then? In any case,............, it''s possible that my spices are no longer stolen. Norbert was the only one in town who had the right to sue. He''s been caught as a thief and can''t report the theft. So what happens to the spices now that the owner is gone? ...... You may be in luck. Let''s find a fold and sell it quickly. ...... ''Yashiro-san, you look happy, don''t you? ''No, I''m not.'' ''No, I''m not.'' ''No, I''m not. ''Ares anyway, right?''It''s like a nobleman getting hurt and feeling good about it, isn''t it? ''...... What kind of person do you think I am? I don''t think my personality is that twisted. ...... ''Well, that''s why I lost my job today. ...... So you came to see Magda because you lost your job, huh?I told you he wasn''t here. ''I bought some good stuff in the 30th district, but ......''. ''Well, I''m sorry about that. He went to a lot of trouble for me. ''Of course, it''s for Magda''s sake! Umaro cradles the brown sack in his arms as if to protect it from me. Speaking of things Magda might enjoy, ............ ''Breast pads? You can''t give that to a woman! What a thoughtless bastard. If it was breast pads, I thought I could lend them to Estella since she''s here right now. ...... Umaro said, spreading the contents of the small bag on the table. What came tumbling out was a stick of food about 20 centimeters long, covered with yellow grains. ''Oh. It''s corn. ''Yashiro-san, you know everything, don''t you? Is it a rare food in this town? ''But this is a little different from ordinary corn. Again, Umaro shows a proud expression. Isn''t it normal?Do you eat it in an unusual way? ''Don''t you boil it and bite into it? ''............ That''s right. Isn''t that normal? ''Isn''t Yashiro-san a nobleman or something?'' ''What?You usually eat corn, right? ''No, I don''t. I don''t eat corn. It''s dried and used as bird feed.'' ''Bird food? ''That''s right. The skin of ordinary corn is so hard that it''s inedible. ............ Is that so? Is it possible that the corn sold in Japan was the result of a series of breeding improvements? ''The corn in District 42 is a smaller, harder, poorer vegetable. ''Are you saying that the corn in the other district is better? ''San Ju District''s corn is just delicious. Corn. ...... ''By the way, Yashiro-san.'' ''What is it?'' As I picked up the corn and looked at it, Umaro stared at me. It''s ...... so weird. I''m not going to steal it, don''t worry. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. ...... What''s wrong with you guys? ''...... Yashiro-san.'' ''............What the hell?'' ''It''s time for you to take the ...... order, isn''t it? ''.................. ah?'' ''We''re hungry, .......'' Order ............ ''Why me? ''Yashiro-san, you work here, don''t you? Well, yes, I am. ...... ''What, are you ...... expecting to see me in an apron dress? ''I''m looking for a meal! ''Tell that to Jeannette! ''Then please bring me! Oh, really? If that''s what Umaro wants, then so be it. I don''t have any intention to do so, but if the customer says so, I can''t help but obey as an employee, can I? I''ve been told I''m off-limits, but it''s at the behest of a customer, and a good customer at that. I''ve got to go get Jeannette right away. Go to Ginette''s room, where Ginette is. In that case, even if I accidentally and inadvertently peeked into the bathing of a beautiful girl as a lucky break, this is a complete force majeure and I am not at fault at all, right? ''All right, all right!I''ll go get him right now! ''Wait, Yashiro-san!Why are you getting so excited? With Umaro''s words at my back, I stepped out joyfully. Towards the newly born, limited-time Peachland! ''Wait a minute, please! However, as I started to move, Umaro and the rest of the Trubec Engineering staff seized me. What the hell are you doing?Let go of me!Don''t let go! ''Hold back!Your head is too high! ''What''s with that tone of voice?Who do you think you are? ''I don''t know, Goozja and Yangbold!Why are you guys even interfering with me? ''Somehow, when I look at Yashiro-san now, I only feel uneasy! ''...... Ginette-san''s pinch, I''ll stop it! What kind of people are they? They''re all my enemies? ''Estella, what''s wrong? At that moment, I heard Jeannette''s voice from the back of the kitchen. ............ Oh my god ............... ...has the peach garden ...... already disappeared ......? The dreamtime ............ seems to have already ended ............ My whole body is losing strength: ............ I felt an unbearable weakness and could only look in the direction of the voice. As I stopped moving, the power of Umaro and the others holding me down weakened. They all stared at the kitchen doorway, not speaking. The voice of the goddess was heard in the deserted space, and I could understand why they would be interested. ''Hurry up and go to the dining room, let''s eat. ''Ya ...... but ............ this outfit ......''. ''It suits you very well. Estella, you look lovely.'' ''So...... is it ............?It''s a little small. ......'' ''I''m sure Yashiro will say it''s cute too.'' ''Yah, I don''t really care about Yashiro, though! Don''t say anything bad about me when I''m not around. ...... You''ll cry. ''......But it''s still not an outfit you can show off to people,......'' ''It''s okay. It''s just me and Yashiro. ''............The last thing I want is for Yashiro to see me. ......'' ''What?Do you hate me? I''ll cry? ''Here. Let''s go. ''Nn????????????............All right, ......'' Just as Estella''s voice sounded weepy and pathetic, Ginette emerged from the kitchen. ''Oh, Yashiro. ...... What? And when Ginette sees the nine men, including me, frozen in front of the counter, she lets out a short scream. Well, you''d be surprised. ''What''s wrong with you, Jeannette? ............'' Estella, who appeared after Jeannette, froze when she saw the scene in the cafeteria. Estella was wearing Magda''s uniform. A one-piece dress that hugged her body tightly, highlighting her modest but slightly uneven body lines. The fluttering apron dress transformed Estella''s usual cool image into a feminine impression that made our spines tingle. Magda''s uniform was still a little small for Estella, and the skirt length was like a super mini skirt. Because of this, most of her thin, white thighs were exposed and seemed to shine brightly. The wet hair is shiny and gives a nice touch to the "cool girl who is embarrassed to be dressed in cute clothes" and gives it a nice flavor that is hard to describe. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''ve heard of it. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. ''Estella, good job! After barking at me with a bright red face, Estella retreated to the back of the kitchen. As soon as Estella was out of sight, Umaro collapsed. His crush on the girl must have exceeded his tolerance level. Besides Umaro, there were many others who were admiring Estella''s figure. ''......Beautiful'' ''...... Estella Tan...... real goddess'' ''............I want to be stepped on'' ''......I have no regrets if I die today''. There are a few people who seem to be strange ...... but they are all strange. ...... Estella''s school uniform seemed to be very destructive. ...... Do you think I should hire him? ''Oh, um... Everyone!Welcome to ...... the sunny pavilion! Ginette also freaked out and greeted him at an odd time. ''Jeannette. ''Yes, yes. ''Is Estella going to have dinner now? ''Eh, uh, yes. It''s very late, but...'' ''Well then, I''ll go to ...... for these guys as well.'' ''Myself!I want the same one as Estella''s! ''Me too! ''Me too! ''So do I! ''Then I''ll take Estella''s leftovers! ''Then I''ll take Estella''s! ''Okay, you two in the back, get out. I won''t allow you to mess with my people. You can''t touch the dancer!This is a universal, ironclad rule! I forgave them for the time being, and made them agree not to get up from their seats. In exchange, I made them all agree not to get up from their seats. I gave Estella a seat at the back of the room, away from the jerks, and gave her the right to watch from a distance. ...... Still, the yarows were overjoyed, though. ''......Yashiro......Boku, are you going to eat here? ''You can''t let them eat in the kitchen, can you? --It''s not in the best interest of the restaurant. ''I''ll eat in the kitchen, just for today. I can''t eat ...... calmly with all these eyes on me.'' ''So you want to eat with your back to them? ''Yes!No, you can''t do that! Estella is a bit pissed off and refuses. Then she quickly puts her hands on her hips. ''............ This is Magda''s uniform, so ............ that ............There''s a hole ...... in the tail.'' ''You''ve got a bare butt? ''Shut up!It''s not exposed!It''s just a little peek! ''''Oh! ''''Can you please not make a scene, outfielders? Estella barked once and fell down on the desk, covering her face with her arms. Even her ears are red. ''You saw Magda''s undercoat, right? ''...... You have a hole in the same place.'' Well, yeah. It''s a hole for the tail. ''............ I want to go home.'' ''In that outfit? ''........................ sucks.'' The rain is still coming down. Estella''s clothes will never dry in this weather. ''...... Are you staying over today?'' ''--Huh? She raised her face and stared at me with wide eyes. ...... I''m scared. ''I''m not going to be able to sleep with you ............, am I? The embarrassment is too much,......, and with such a face, Estella says appealingly. But ...... ''No, there''s one room available, we can go to Ginette''s or Magda''s room ...... Why are you planning to sleep in my room?'' ''--Huh?'' Estella''s face instantly turned red, as if her face had ignited. ''No,......, I was sleeping in your bed until a while ago, so I just assumed that you were going to sleep ............ there, I didn''t mean any harm. Yeah, ...... yeah. I know what you mean, but please don''t say ...... ''I was sleeping in your bed a while ago'' out loud. Look at the fear in the eyes of those guys at Torbeck Engineering. My stock is going down the drain. I''ll just put on my cape and go home. No one will notice me. ......'' ''I hope your family won''t be shocked. ''........................'' Estella''s face suddenly turned pale. I wonder if her family is pretty strict. ''Do you want me to lend you some of my clothes? ''Ki...... your clothes are men''s, aren''t they......?'' Of course it is. ''You''re wearing men''s clothes back home. ...... That''s more of a problem. ............'' Well, if his daughter went out and came back wearing men''s clothes, ............ her father might be pissed. ''.................. coming home in wet clothes''. ''No, Estella! Before I knew it, Jeannette, who was standing behind me, snapped at Estella''s comment. ''You''ll catch a cold. ''Even if it''s ...................'' To my surprise, Estella looks like she''s about to cry a little. ''......I''ve never seen Estella this weak before. ''......Yashiro-san.'' Jeannette is looking at me with eyes that seem to squirm. ...... I don''t care if she looks at me like that. ............ ''Put on my clothes and go home, enter the house undetected, and change into your own clothes. Can''t you do that ...... or something?'' ''You can''t ............ do that without ...... anyone finding you.'' What, your house is a mansion with a lot of servants? ''Can you go by the house and change your clothes in the grass? ''There''s no way I can do that!If ...... anyone sees me, ...... I''m finished.'' ''Then I''ll go with you and keep an eye on ...... you.'' ''I don''t like it any more! You don''t have to reject me with all your might. ...... I''m crying, already, in my heart. ''Yashiro-san. Making a dress now means ......'' ''You know, even if I did ......, it would be dawn by the time I finished.'' ''It''s ......, isn''t it? Ginette let out a troubled sigh, and Estella held her head. ''......I can''t go home in this uniform,......and men''s clothes are out of the question,......but staying out is... I can''t ......... go home in this uniform. ...... I''m going to be so angry. ......'' I''m so trapped. ...... ''Hey. You can explain it properly. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what to do. ''............It''s not a person who will honestly believe that. ......'' ''You ............ don''t trust me, do you? ''Shut up! Well, she''s the kind of woman who comes to the church every morning to pick up a donation. I guess you can guess how my family looks at me. ...... ''But you know what? It''s the truth, and I''m sure you''ll understand if I tell you. ''It would be nice if you could hear the truth. ......'' ''So, be honest about that: ......'' ''I don''t tell lies or falsehoods......, but he doesn''t listen to me.......'' Honestly. No lies, no falsehoods. I tell the truth. .................. Hmm. ''What are you guys talking about?'' They both look at me. ''What you should be thinking about right now is how to fool them, right? ''Deceive?Why would I deceive someone? ''That''s right, Yashiro-san, Estella-san has nothing to be ashamed of. ......'' ''Oh, no, no, no. You''ve got it all wrong.'''' I''ll give them a clear explanation. ''A person who doesn''t listen to others has an unshakable theory within himself. Their entrenched self-theory leaves no room for others to take advantage of them. As a result, they fall into the trap of thinking that they don''t need to listen to the other side and that discussion is useless. ''Yeah, ............, that''s what it looks like. ......'' Right now, Estella''s brain is probably filled with the face of someone who doesn''t know. She is showing a fed up expression. ''But is it really necessary to tell a lie when you haven''t done anything wrong? I can''t agree with you because you equate ''deceiving'' with ''lying''. Deception does not only mean telling a lie. ''It looks like that'' or ''it sounds like that'' is also a kind of ''deception''. Trick art is a good example. But it is not a lie, it just looks like one. The point is that you have to make them stop thinking, even for a moment. The technique of deception is to make the other person stop thinking. For example, ...... ''Hey, guys. Do I look like a woman? ''Huh?No, no. No, I don''t. ......'' ''Are you getting into cross-dressing?I suggest you don''t. You''ll look like a freak if you dress up as a woman. Who would ever dress up as a woman? ...... No, wait. If you dress up as a woman, you can break into women''s bathrooms. ............ No, we''ll think about that later, but for now, let''s just ''trick'' these guys. ''Well, I guess you''re right. I''m a man, for all intents and purposes. Strong and wild.'' ''Nobody''s saying that, though. ''Yashiro-san seems more gentle than wild. Whatever. Anyway, for all intents and purposes, I probably look like a man. ''''But ............ I have half a woman''s blood flowing in my body.'''' ''''What? Ginette and Estella gasped at the same time, and the people in the Torbeck engineering store sitting behind them also groaned. For a brief moment, the time in the sunlit pavilion stops. ...... ''........................ No, of course not! Estella was the first one to notice. ''Ah!That''s right, isn''t it!Half of it is your mother''s blood, isn''t it? Ginette also finally understood and clapped her hands. Yes. The blood that flows in my body is the blood of my father (male) and mother (female). In other words, half of it is female blood. ''What are you saying with a smug look on your face about such an obvious thing? It''s confusing. ''That confusion is what''s important now. ''What ......? Perhaps my earlier comment was too shocking, but Jeannette was still breathing heavily in her chest. She is probably breathing to suppress the beating of her heart. Such a simple matter can have such an impact. You can stop someone''s thinking for a moment with a trivial thing. This is the power of deception. ''You don''t have to lie to deceive someone. But this momentary suspension of thought will save you. ...... Hold on a second. I''ve got a secret plan. I''ll be ready in a minute.'' I said and went back to my room. The point is, if that certain someone that Estella is worried about listens to Estella properly, the problem will be solved. A moment''s pause in thought is enough to install ears that can hear well to those who don''t listen. Before that certain someone develops an ironclad theory that ''he must have done something wrong'', let him hear what we have to say. There is a very easy way to do this. It''s quick and easy to prepare. I take out a shirt from my bag. It will be a little big in size, but Estella will be able to wear it. I take out the scraps and work on it a bit. Suddenly, my eyes fell on the bed. The bedding was neatly arranged. ...... Did he take such care in the nude? ............ naked ............ Estella was here naked? ............ Oh no, I''m starting to get antsy. ''...... Here''s Estella, naked ............''. I look down at the bed. ............ Shall I lie down? ''.............................. What?You''re a pervert! Thank God. The brakes in me haven''t broken yet! No matter how much I huffed and puffed over such a thing, something inside me would be completely finished. Something important to me as an adult, as a person. I proceeded with my work at a rapid pace and quickly left the room. As I was leaving the room, I smelled the ??????????????? bedding just a little, just a little,......, and it smelled like mud. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for,....... I''m sure you didn''t smell the bed or anything! As soon as I get back, Estella bites me. I''m just wishing I hadn''t ...... smelled it. I ignored her question and handed her the clothes I had made. ''Go put it on. You can do it in the kitchen, or you can use my room.'' ''What, are you going to change into this ......? ''Hurry up, you''ll get cold with your ass hanging out. ''It''s not bare! Estella snatched the clothes from me and disappeared into the kitchen, covering her ass with the clothes. Her footsteps recede into the distance and she walks out into the courtyard. ...... You can change in my room. ''Yashiro-san, what the hell are you doing?'' ''Well, you''ll see.'' Maybe this will work. It''s a message ...... that even the dumbest of people can understand. A few minutes later, Estella returned with a twitching face, having changed her clothes. ''......Yashiro, this is ......''. ''Wow!It''s amazing ...... nice.'' ''Yeah ............ nice ............, I guess?'' ''It''s wonderful!I want one too! Estella and Ginette''s opinions were split in half. Well, I guess that''s true. On the front of the dress Estella is wearing, there are these words stitched on it. "Sunlit Pavilion. Cheap!Delicious!So cute! Stir-fried vegetables from 20Rb! Now open for business in District 42! Open all year round! You have to come here!Bring your friends and family!Ginette I''m sure that only Ginette in the world would say that the design is "wonderful". You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. It''s like a matching T-shirt for a school festival. ''...... Yashiro, this is ......''. ''If you put it on so loudly, men will see it before you do. ''Well, ...... they will, but ............'' ''And I bet the first thing they''ll say is.''What''s ...... that? What kind of parent would think of their daughter coming home in these ridiculous clothes and saying, "Did you have a secret meeting with a man? I''m sure there are parents out there who have no idea what they''re doing. If there were, those parents should have their heads examined. ''It would be troublesome if you are preempted in the time it takes to take off your cloak. I''ll lend you an umbrella and you can leave without the cloak.'' ''I''m not going to walk the streets dressed like this! ''It''s for your own good. ''You''re just trying to use it to advertise your store! ''Geez, ......!How did you know about that? ''It''s like they''re doing it on purpose!I wish they''d at least try to hide it! This store doesn''t advertise enough. Why don''t you help us out a little? ''So, how does it feel?I chose a thicker fabric, so I think it''s a little less cold. ......'' ''The ...... fit is ............ not bad.'' Estella turned her head away, somewhat pouting. Don''t be so angry. It''s a joke solution, but it''s not a joke idea. This is the best we can do. ''.................. kun kun ......... ...the smell of yashiro ............! Estella pulls at her collar and puts her nose close to her clothing. ...... That''s kind of rude behavior. ''It doesn''t smell, does it? ''It doesn''t smell, but it''s ............ something that makes me nervous. ............'' ''Huh?'' ''No, it''s nothing!Forget it! What, am I emitting dandy pheromones or something? Don''t fall in love with me. If I joke about it, I''ll get hit for sure. Yeah, I''ll shut up. ''Well, I''ll go to ...... or go back to .............'' Estella wobbled her way to the exit. You okay, ......? ''Don''t fall down again. ''I''m not going to fall, it''s a waste! What a waste? ''Hey, it''s nothing!I''ll wash the ...... and return it to you.'' ''No, you can keep it.'' ''I''ll wash it!I''ll wash it without a trace! ''No, ...... leave a trace.'' You look like you''re in a fever. ...... Are you sure you''re okay? ''Estella, here, take this.'' She took the umbrella that Jeannette held out to her and went outside. The rain was still falling heavily. ''Do you need a lift? ''Don''t worry!I won''t have to take care of you.'' ''I''m not stalking you or anything, okay? ''I know, but I''m really fine with .............'' ''I see. ''Well, if you''re going to say so much, I guess I shouldn''t pester you. ''Well, be careful. ''Thank you. That ...... stuff.'' ''No.'' Well, you''ll get it back in some form in the future. ''Well, I''ll see you tomorrow. Miss Estella.'' ''Yes. Thank you too, Ginette. Don''t get wet, you should go in now.'' ''Yes, bye.'' Ginette bowed and we went back inside. I close the door. Jeannette ran quickly to the counter and I was the only one left at the door. ''............'' I gently opened the door and peeked out to see Estella sniffing my clothes, ............ pulling at my collar and burying her face in it. There are girls who like to ............ smell. ............ ...... In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a lot more. ...... Estella is quite the pervert. After that, the Trubecks, who had been waiting for Magda''s return, left before Magda''s return, as the rains intensified. As he was leaving, Umaro said, ''This is for Magda!It''s for me! and gave the corn to Jeannette. ...... You''re desperate, man. Magda came home late at night and went to her bedroom early, looking somewhat tired. You don''t seem to be very good at meetings, do you? That''s why I came back to my room too. ...... ''Funny ......'' Tomorrow morning, I have to start preparing lunches and making donations early. I have to go to bed early. ...... The bed I crawled into smelled so good that I couldn''t sleep ...... in agony. ''...... I''m sure it was just muddy earlier, but ............ why does it smell so good? My bed smelled somewhat sweet and exciting. The only possibility was that Estella had come here to change her clothes and had slipped into my bed once more. ............ ............... What for? ''............ d*mn, that smell fetishist.'' You''ll be conscious of it. ............ I''m going to have to pretend not to notice you. ............ Oh, shit. ............ I''ll at least sniff it back! So I spent a very agonizing ...... long night that day. 26-Episode 24 Wheat Bread Baked He places his teeth right in the middle of the boiled corn, and while rotating it, he scrapes off the kernels with his front teeth and chews them silently. When his mouth is full, he moves his cheeks with a mocky mocky motion, and Magda lets out a satisfied gasp. ''............ delicious''. ''Haaaaahhh ............ Magda-tan, you''re so cute ......! What is this scene? Hey, Magda. Are you really a tiger?You must have some rodent blood in you. The rain shows no sign of letting up and the whole city is gloomy today. Umaro, whose work has been cancelled since yesterday due to the lingering theft in the thirty-second ward, has been lingering in the sunny pavilion since this morning. Maybe I should charge him for a seat. About 10Rb an hour. After eating lunch, Yamboldo and Gusuya picked up their lunch boxes for the night and left. They said they were going to take care of their work tools since it was their day off. It would be a disaster if his tools rusted under the influence of the long rain. ''...... You should learn a little from me, you dullard. ''What?I''m sorry!I''ve been taking good care of my tools, so I''m fine even in this long rain!In fact, I''d rather they learn to take better care of it every day. ''Hmm. You sound like a big man. ''I''m pretty good at it, you know? If that''s the case, then don''t be gazing at little girls in the daytime and getting all giddy. I''m going to issue a restraining order for you to get closer than a few meters radius, you bastard. ''...... Yashiro, this is very tasty.'' ''I see. Good for you. Thank Umaro from a great distance.'' ''Why from so far away? ''Because it''s kind of a waste, you idiot. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''Hmm? ''.................. Do you want some? Then he offers me a piece of corn that he has just bit into. If this were Tokyo, I would be surrounded by policemen,............. If this were Tokyo, I''d be surrounded by policemen. You can''t do that!Magda, if you do that, all your fans will cry! Mostly you. But yeah, you''re right. ''Magda. You''re a girl, so you should refrain from getting too attached to guys and sharing food like that. ''...... Why?'' Because if you don''t have a sense of urgency, you''ll be taken advantage of by perverts like Umaro. ''You can''t say, ''......'', can you? ''It''s because you''re important.'' ''............ Magda is?'' ''Ah. So, this is what I''m asking you to do. Will you listen to me?'' ''.................. Yes.'' More importantly, I don''t want to cause any undue offense if you''re groping me in public. I don''t want to be bothered. It''s nearly impossible to tell from his expression whether my words were received or not. ...... ''............ So''. The second murmur sounded happy, if not heartfelt. I looked at his face, and he had his usual blank expression, so I may have been mistaken. ''...... I''ll do my best''. I think that''s a statement you make when you''re not planning to work relatively hard. ...... Well, I guess you can take that as an affirmation. It''s a relief for now. ...... In front of Umaro and the others, ''Do you need pants? I''m not sure what to do. I''m afraid I won''t be able to walk down the street at night. I don''t pick a fight with men. This is an ironclad rule common to the world. ''Oh, I think it''s about time. There''s no clock in the sunken pavilion. No, there is a clock in the sunny pavilion,......, though it is possible to say that ...... In this town, time is measured by the bells of the church. The first one is at four in the morning. After that, it is eight o''clock, twelve o''clock, and finally sixteen o''clock. So, how do they measure the time at the Sunlit Pavilion? ...... is an hourglass. A huge hourglass, which drops off in four hours, is placed in a corner of the counter. The outer frame of the hourglass is firmly fixed, and only the main part filled with sand can be operated. An iron rod is attached to the outer frame at the position that bisects it vertically, and is connected to the middle frame that holds the hourglass. This causes the gourd-shaped glass hourglass to rotate as if it were going upside down. Three lines are drawn on the surface of the hourglass, each representing an hour. It seems that the hourglass is fine as long as it can be checked in one-hour increments, and that the minutes and seconds are not further detailed. Every time the church bell rings, Ginette rotates this large hourglass. I''ve always thought that the scene is very otherworldly, like a scene from a ...... fantasy movie. My own wristwatch, which can be charged by vibration, is much more powerful and functional, but ...... lately I''ve been in the habit of looking at the time on this giant hourglass. I even became able to read the approximate number of minutes by the way the sand was diminishing. ''Um, Yashiro-san. I''ve been wondering about this for a while now. ......'' Ginette, who was diligently cleaning the cafeteria, stopped her work and came over to me. The shirt that Jeannette is wearing right now... "Sunlit Pavilion Cheap!Delicious!So cute! Stir-fried vegetables 20Rb~! Now open for business in District 42! Open all year round! You have to come here!Bring your friends and family!You have to come! is sewn on the wall. It''s made by cutting scraps into the shape of letters and sewing them together one by one. Or rather, it''s a different version of the one I lent to Estella. Yesterday, after Estella left, Jeannette looked so jealous ...... that I was so jealous that I couldn''t ...... handle cooking or cleaning up. It''s not that I don''t like it, it''s just that I don''t know what to do with it. ...... I made it for her. In the morning, I got one of Jeannette''s clothes and sewed the letters on it. At that time, Ginette showed a sad expression, saying, ''What ...... are you going to make with my clothes? It''s not like I have a lot of clothes either. Also,......, I don''t want you to smell me or anything. That''s why Jeannette has been wearing a shirt with an advertisement for the sunlit pavilion for a while now. ...... I''m the one who wants to ask you something. What are you so happy about? You''re much cuter in uniform. Today, Jeannette will be wearing a promotional shirt, as promised. Starting tomorrow, she''ll wear the uniform at work and the advertising shirt in her private life. ...... No, I don''t think it''s a good idea even in private. ''So, what is it? ''Well, what have you been doing since a while ago, Yashiro-san?It seems like you''ve been going outside a lot. ''Did you eat something? Who''s having a stomach ache from picking up food? That''s why people with little imagination run to ...... such vines. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it shows a lack of information processing ability that they run to poor breasts with only ''vines'' and ''flats'' instead of big breasts with infinite possibilities of size, shape, elasticity, and shape change by pressure. ''I''ve built something nice in the backyard. I''m doing a trial run of it today. It had been raining so much that I was running out of time to visit the farmers who were out of work because of the rain. So, with Jeannette''s permission, I was looking around the shed for something to build, when I found ...... a very nice thing. It''s called ...... firebrick. It can withstand temperatures as high as 1,200 degrees Celsius. Using those bricks, I built a kiln. I thought I''d bake some bread. Rice became available and I could eat good rice every day. Now that I have ......, I want to eat bread. The bread in this city is not so good, but it is expensive. The black bread is so hard that it could be classified as a blunt instrument, and the white bread is so crusty that it costs 70Rb. Honestly, I can''t do it. So, there is no choice but to make them. If you can''t stand it with what''s there, you''ll have to make it yourself. Since I couldn''t get any yeast, I decided to make spontaneously fermented bread for now. I had learned how to make it when I was in Japan. The method is to put flour, water and salt in a bowl sterilized with boiling water and let it ferment slowly at around 26 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. In Japan, it was difficult and I had many failures. But here, I succeeded in one shot. Fermentation is now complete, and it is being baked in a stone kiln. After all, human beings show their true value when they are cornered. I don''t want to eat that stone-like black bread!I''m looking forward to tasting it. I am looking forward to tasting it now. If all goes well, I may be able to offer bread at a lower price than the bakery. And if we can build a proper stone oven, we can make something like pizza. This may cause a big movement. The bricks were stored in a storage room, but there were not so many of them, so I made a small-scale trial version of a stone kiln. It may be possible to use this kiln to make a larger quantity of firebricks. Perhaps there will come a day when we will renew our business as "Delivery Pizza Sunken Pavilion". Anyway, the first thing to do now is to make sure the bread is baked. I''ve been preparing the bread and firing up the stone oven since this morning, and I''ve spent a lot of time preparing. It''s definitely working. Today, a new history will be made in the Forty-second Ward, or rather, in this city, Allbloom. ''I''m going to make you a witness to history. ''...... I have a bad feeling about this. ...... What are you going to do?'' ''Magda, are you tired?You can go to your room and rest for the rest of the day.'' ''Wow!I''m so excited!The things you do, Yashiro-san, are all things that ordinary people can''t even think of!I''m so excited! Oh, man. He can''t read the room. Well, okay. You''ll be in for a surprise when you see my special bread. ''Well, I''ll be back in a bit. I grab my umbrella and open the door to the cafeteria. And ...... there was Estella at the door. She is spreading out the clothes I lent her yesterday in front of her and putting her face close to mine. ''............ Are you going to sniff it?'' ''Oh no!Yay, Yashiro! The encounter was so unexpected that I couldn''t help but ask. No, anyone would ask this. ''I don''t mean to interfere with your peculiar proclivities, but please don''t do it in front of him. ''Ba, idiot, are you!Who''s going to smell you? You, you. You sniffing monster. ''I was just checking to make sure my clothes were clean. I swear! Well, let''s just say that. ''It''s true! ''I know, I know. ''I don''t know, .......'' Why am I being blamed for this? ...... ''So, where are you going? ''The backyard.'' ''............ Did you pick up a bite to eat?'' ...... These people, they''re just... All of them. ''Just go inside and wait. I''ll show you something good.'' ''...... "Something good"?I''ve got a really bad feeling about this. ''What kind of person do you guys think I am? Disrespectful. They''re really rude. ''I''m coming with you. ''No, it''s raining, go inside. ''Don''t worry, I have an umbrella. ''I''ll be right back, just stay inside.'' I ignore Estella and head for the backyard. ''Hey, wait for me! I heard the sound of water splashing right behind me. I turned around and ...... ''...... cold.'' Estella had gotten her foot caught in the slush and was slumped over in a puddle. ''............ Go inside and change your clothes. See?'' ''...... Yeah. I will.'' Dropping her shoulders and saying weakly, Estella walked into the cafeteria. ''Ah, Estella-san. Welcome ......, what''s wrong with your outfit? I heard Jeannette''s crazy voice and the door closed. Is it the smell of Estella or the muddy ground? ...... Muddy feet are dangerous. Can''t we at least use asphalt in front of the store? I came to the backyard with my feet stuck in the slippery clay-like mud with poor drainage. A simple wall and roof have been built around the firewood that was used to repair the chair, to keep out the wind and rain. It feels like cooking rice in a bowl. As I approached, I could smell the delicious aroma of baking wheat. The warm air gently touches my skin. I opened the iron door that covered the kiln, being careful not to burn myself. Inside the kiln, neatly arranged round loaves of bread were baking nicely. I picked up one of them and took a bite of the hot bread and threw it into my mouth. .................. Yes!It''s delicious! There''s no baking powder, so it''s not as fluffy as the bread sold in Japan, but it''s fermented properly and you can taste the sweetness of the wheat. It tastes good. It''s the kind of bread that gives you that impression. ''Okay, I''ll take this back. I put the baked bread in the basket I had brought with me and covered it with a cloth to keep it dry from the rain. I feel like Red Riding Hood going to visit my grandmother''s house. Careful not to get into any trouble on the way, I headed back to the cafeteria. When I entered the cafeteria, I saw two people standing side by side wearing clothes with the advertising slogan of the sunny pavilion on them. ...... What is this surreal scene? ''Did you end up wearing those clothes again? ''No, it can''t be helped!I fell earlier and my clothes got wet! I came to return the clothes I borrowed, and now I''m wearing them again. What''s this guy doing here? ''Well, since you''re here, I''ll let you have a taste. It''s a new product that might change the history of the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''Really? You''re very confident. ''Well, it''s not anything out of the ordinary. You won''t miss a thing.'' With the bread, you can make sandwiches and hot dogs. It''s a great way to expand your menu. ''Yashiro-san. What have you made?I can''t wait to see it! ''......Expectations'' Jeannette and Magda are fidgeting, trying to peer into my basket. Mm-hmm. Good reaction. Umaro seems intrigued and is leaning forward as well. So let''s show it off. Look at this!This is Obayashi''s special naturally fermented bread! As he says this, he pulls out a cloth from the basket. The contrast between the bright color of the wheat and the soft white of the bread is beautiful, and the basket is filled with small cobbled loaves. All eyes were focused on the freshly baked bread, and a shout of ''Wow! There was no .................. cheer. What is it? There''s something ............ wrong with the air. The air in the cafeteria is heavy. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. ...... Magda as usual? ''Ya...... Shiro,san............ ah,that......'' In the heavy air, it was Jeannette who opened her mouth fearfully. ''What the ............ hell is this? ''No, it''s ...... pan ............? ''Where did you get that,......? ''Hmm?Yeah, I made it.'' ''......?Um, ............ how did you get ......?'' ''How did you ............ build a stone kiln in the backyard and ......'' ''Please repent! Ginette shouted, not in her usual stern but gentle tone, but in a serious tone of voice. ''Yasirot!Do you even know what you''ve done! ''Huh?No,......, you don''t seem to have a clue,.......'' ''............Yashiro, criminal.'' ''Dude!What the hell, Magda?Don''t say anything that you don''t want to hear! ''No, I''m not talking about eavesdropping. ...... This is ............ really, really bad.'' What is it? What''s that? I don''t get it. I don''t know what you mean. ''E, E, Estella-san, d, d, d, d, what should I do?What should I do! ''Just calm down for once, little Ginette! ''...... Yashiro............ why are you doing this? ''Hey!Somebody explain it to me!What the hell did I do? I was a little annoyed by the unsettling atmosphere, and yelled at her in a strong tone. Ginette looked at me with frightened eyes, Umaro looked pale as if he was about to faint, and Magda still had the same dazed look in her eyes. ............ At times like this, it''s best to ask Estella. It''s the best way to go! I''m not sure what to do.What was wrong with me? ''I''m sure Yashiro didn''t know this, but ............ making bread in this town is a serious offense.'' It''s a felony to make bread in this city. ''Making bread is a ............ felony? I don''t understand what that means at all? ''In addition to that, smuggling bread oven is also a crime.'' Huh? What''s that? What crime am I guilty of? If I bake bread, does it bother anyone else? ''And anyway!Let''s talk to the sisters! Ginette rushes over the counter and disappears into the kitchen. ''Oumalo. I''m sorry, but please don''t tell anyone about this.'' ''No, of course not. The sunlit pavilion is now a place of relaxation for us, and more than anything, it''s a place that I''m very attached to, having renovated it with great care. Besides, Yashiro-san didn''t do it with malicious intent, and I''m sure he''ll be forgiven!I believe so! To be honest, my mind still hasn''t been able to comprehend the situation. But ...... The only thing I could feel was the sense of danger that something terrible was about to happen. ''Could it be that we''re violating a contract with the Pan Guild or something? ''It''s not a guild. I''m not talking about a small group like that.'' ''What ............ then ......?'' Before I could even choose the words to spit out, Estella cornered me and stopped me from speaking. She grabbed me by the chest and pulled me close. A fierce gaze glared at me. ''The Church holds the rights to the bread. ''The Church of ......? ''In this city, the church has more power than the lords of the districts, the royalty of the central district, and anyone else. The rules of this city are all set by the Church, which is headed by the Spirit God. If you disobey the church, you can''t live in this city. ''So, what does that have to do with bread ......? ''To bake bread, you need permission from the Church. Even if you get permission, you can only bake bread twice a month in the church''s stone oven under the church''s direction. Of course, there is a substantial tax to bake bread. I need a permit to bake bread? ''What if we don''t have enough? ''We''ll ask the church. ......, though that would require a substantial ''donation''.'' ''...... Usury, at its finest.'' ''Don''t say that too often. Estella''s fingers close around my neck. ''If I were a zealot, ...... you''d be dead right now, wouldn''t you? ...... If this finger was a knife, ............ I''d be horrified. But ...... I see. The staple food, bread, is essential for survival. If you take the right to it with your power, people will not be able to defy the church. For when there is no bread, people starve. And with this increased power, he will wield new authority. ...... It''s a nasty system that you can never get out of once you''re in it. It would be impossible to overturn it without a mass uprising of the residents. And the people here don''t mean that. ''The bread and the oven are precious commodities under the watchful eye of the Church. Smuggling, smuggling in and out, and trafficking deserve severe punishment. ''...... You want me to pay for this with death?'' ''Most of the time, you can get away with it by making a large donation. That''s a fine. He said, ''You''ve ruined my island, so you''d better pay for it. ...... Who are you from? If you refuse, are you going to be locked up in an office by a bunch of tough-looking young guys?That''s not funny. Corrupt politics. Politics in this country is corrupt. ''That''s the rule in this town. It''s fine to be unique and act as you please, but ...... you need to expand your knowledge of who not to go against. ...... There are countless things in this city that we can''t protect ourselves from. ...... What a city. Roman Empire. The aristocrats are respected above all else and the commoners are just left to their whims. I don''t think I''m going to like the god of this town. If an omniscient and omnipotent God is truly just and compassionate, he should be purged in order from the top of the church, which is immersed in money and power. If you don''t notice the stench of corruption wafting from your feet, then either your nose is crooked, or you yourself are so corrupt that you emit the same smell. Now, I wonder which one is the god of this town. ''Yashiro-san!Put this on right now and let''s go to the church! Ginette returned in a hurry, wearing a poncho-like garment with some kind of extravagant decoration. I wondered if it was a kind of vestments. The combination of Ginette''s overly innocent face and the weather makes her look a bit like a fashionable tell-tale monk. ...... Do you want me to wear that too? This is a holy vestment that cleanses from sin. If you wear it and do your penance sincerely, Alvi will have mercy on you. Come on, Yashiro. I''ll accompany you to the church! Ginette really is a devout Alvistan, I thought. I looked over and saw Umaro kneeling on the floor with his hands folded in prayer. Is he also an Alvistan? And Magda was chomping on a piece of ...... corn. Oh, it''s so relaxing, that feeling. ''Even if you''re not a member of the church, I think you should go apologize. ''If you want to live in this city.'' ''What if I say I don''t want to? ''You''ll get in trouble, Ginette.'' ''I don''t like the ...... back. ''All right. Penance, fine, ...... oops, was it ''donation''?Anyway, I''ll do whatever you say. Only those who are qualified to stand up to power should do so. No matter how righteous you are, a citizen as helpless as a stone on the street cannot do anything about it. Shielding them will only make them unhappy. ...... But we can store that anger in silence. When that quiet anger has built up to full capacity and the needle has swung ...... over, those in power can reflect on their past and deliberate on their actions. If there are extenuating circumstances, fine. ...... If not, ............ ''But before I do that, I want to make sure of something. It''s something I really need to do so that I don''t make the same mistake in the future. ''What are you going to do?'' ''I want to check the definition of bread. To what extent is it included in bread? ...... What''s good and what''s not? ''If you can''t have bread, why don''t you have naan? I''d like to know if ''it''s not bread, so it''s not bad'' works, although no one has said that ....... ''Well, let''s just take what we can carry and we''ll explain it over there. ''Okay, ......''. Ah, it''s been a while since I''ve felt this heavy ...... I feel the same as when I was called to the staff room. Ahhhh. I had no choice but to take the bread I''d baked and the seeds I''d prepared and head for the church. ''Umaro. I''m sorry, but can you stay here with Magda?'' ''Yeah, no, that''s fine, but ...... what should I do if a visitor comes?'' ''Just smile at them.'' ''No, no, no, no, you can''t! ''......Yashiro.'' ''Hmm?What is it, Magda? ''...... Magda''s coming with me. ''Yashiro, I can''t leave him alone.'' ''Really?'' ''......Yes.'' ''Hmm~...... then, can''t be helped. Umaro. Leave me alone.'' ''I don''t get it!Why don''t you just close the store then? ''You idiot! I reprimanded Umaro, and pointed at Estella''s chest. On it, in large letters, is written. ''Open 24/7. ''It would be a lie if we closed the store. ''It''s fine, we''ve already opened once today!It''s not closed! ''If a customer came and found the store closed, he would be sad! ''Even if the store is open, it''s the same if there''s no one in the store! You don''t know what you''re talking about! I gently push Magda back in anger. With a snap, Magda stepped forward and turned her innocent eyes toward Umaro. Then she tilted her head and said in a prying voice. ''............ No? ''It''s not fair, Yashiro-san!It''s not fair! He patted Magda on the back. ''............No?'' ''Aaah!It''s the lack of variation that makes me squeamish!I get it!But I can only do what I can do!Also, please come back soon! Mm-hmm. Umaro is a good guy after all. I''ll make him a handkerchief with Magda''s portrait on it and give it to him. ''Well, let''s go. ''...... You don''t look like someone who is going to repent, do you? Estella looks very tired for some reason. You don''t do penance with your face. Ginette led the way with a strange and mysterious look on her face and we walked side by side to the church. There was no one to be seen in the rainy city, only noisy raindrops pouring down from the heavy sky. The sky made me feel uneasy, as if this city was going to sink into the bottom of the water. By the time we reached the church, our feet were soggy from the rain and mud. When I entered the common room, I was greeted by Bertina. It seemed that the children were now taking a nap. Ginette tells Bertina what''s going on with a mysterious look on her face. ...... I''m nervous. I wonder if they''re going to be very angry ............ or if they''re going to take a "donation" or something .......... ... If that''s the case, you''re going to have to find a way to make it work. ...... If that''s the case, you should have said so from the start. You can''t do that after the fact. You can''t say, ''Yes, fine,'' after the fact. Just as this frustration was beginning to rise in my heart, Bertina looked at me. Her eyes were like jewels, too beautiful to look at me. My heart almost creaked as it tightened. What''s this tension ............ is the spirit of the sisters so great ...... ''......Yashiro-san. I''ve heard of you. ''Is ............ yes''. No saliva in the mouth, dry. The words are stuck in my throat and I can''t get them out. This intimidation ............ is a good match for the gym teacher of life guidance. ''Oh, no, no, no, no. Meh! ''What about ..................? ''But if you didn''t know about it, then it can''t be helped. This time, I forgive your sins with remorse and repentance. What, ............ that''s it? ''Oh, um, ...... are you sure, Sister? ''Yes, it''s fine. Ginette also seems to be heartbroken for Yashiro''s sake, and ...... it''s clear to everyone that she didn''t mean any harm.'''' ''............! Hearing Bertina''s words, tears well up in Ginette''s eyes. ''Sister ............, thank you very much! She bowed her head vigorously, and the teardrops flew into the air as she did so. The glittering grains of light flew around Ginette and then fell silently to the floor. ''Yashiro. Estella softly whispered to her. ''You should be thanking Ginette for her tears. I think that glow helped me a lot this time.'' ''If you''ll forgive me for crying, I''ll cry all I want, too. I''m very good at lying and pretending to be sorry. ''The purity of tears is different between you and Jeannette. ''Oh, come on. Don''t speak ill of Jeannette''s tears.'' ''Why do you think you''re winning?How can you be so brazen? Estella let out an exasperated sigh. However, I should at least say thank you. For those pure tears. ''Ginette. I''m sorry. ...... Thank you.'' ''No, no. I''m sorry I didn''t tell you about it first. ''No, I don''t think so.'' ''No. Mr. Yashiro said he didn''t know anything about this city, and I forgot to tell him ...... such a basic thing. ............ I''m sorry about that. I don''t know why he apologized. ''That''s exactly the wrong thing to do. If it''s your fault, it''s also my fault for acting rashly, even if I didn''t know it. Just raise your head.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll do penance with you later. d*mn ......, I was made to admit my guilt. I was going to get away with ''this confusing system is bad'' but ...... Is this a thing?Is this a new kind of guidance? I''m sure you''re not being taken for a ride,....... It''s best to be cautious. ''So, Yashiro-san.'' Bertina walks up to me with a broad smile on her face. ''You brought the bread you made, didn''t you? ''Oh, this is the one: ...... Oh, no. It''s .......'' The moment I spoke to her, her eyes, which had been like those of a Bodhisattva, lit up with a sharp glint. You have to be polite in front of this person. ...... if you don''t want to shorten your life. ''May I see it? ''Oh, please.'' I handed the basket of bread to Bertina. Bertina took off the rag that was hanging on the basket, looked inside and let out a sigh of admiration. ''It''s a magnificent work of art. Even the baker''s guild has lost its shape. That''s high praise. But the reason I can''t be too happy about it is because it almost made me a criminal. ''It smells great, and it looks very tasty. A glistening drop slid gracefully down from Bertina''s chaste mouth. Don''t drool on it! In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to get a lot more. ''...... Uh, what do you mean? ''Why don''t you eat it since it''s a waste? This guy is really picky about his food! Is it okay for the sisters to do this? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. There''s no sin in food. It is also very sinful to mistreat food, as it is an act of mischief and harm to living things. I also think it''s equally sinful to give up on something that looks delicious. ''The last one is what you really want, isn''t it ......?'' Well, I don''t want to throw it away. ...... ''So, eat up. ''Are you sure? No, I don''t care if it''s okay. ...... How can I say no in this situation? ''I''m sorry, sir. I was kind of urging you to ......'' I''m not sure what you mean.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I have. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s completely out. It''s sinful. It''s delicious. Finally, his true feelings came out. No, well, it would be better if you ate it with pleasure anyway. ...... ''Then where does it stop being out? ''You can''t have bread. ''What about naan?'' ''...... ''What''?'' ''And pizza.'' ''...... ''Piza''?'' ''Baking wheat in a stone oven is the same thing, but I don''t think it''s the same as bread.'' ''That''s a difficult point. I don''t know what it is or what piza is, so it''s hard to say. ''However, it''s difficult to explain with words, isn''t it ......? The only thing I can say to explain naan is that it is a kind of flat bread that is eaten with curry. Now, what should I do? ...... ''Well, let''s try making some. ''Hey!What happened to the bootlegging problem? You can''t make it! ''It is also the precious role of the Church to rescue the hearts of troubled lambs. You''re the one who''s troubled. ''I wonder what it tastes like...'' ''I want to eat it,'' it says on his face. ''Well, if you come to the Sunken Pavilion, we can use the stone kiln to make all sorts of things. ''Outside the church, it will be difficult to cover up ...... and God''s mercy will be hard to reach. ''Then, I''m sorry to say that there was no .......'' ''However, if the sky is covered with thick clouds like this, the spirit gods might be able to block their eyes and give us a break. You can do whatever you want! ''So, you''re saying that you''ll allow me to use the stone kiln this time only, specially to solve my troubled doubts? ''I can''t give you permission. It would be a terrible thing for a mere Sister to exercise such authority. But I can at least tolerate the excesses of youthful energy as a forerunner.'' ''...... In other words? ''Do as much as you can and repent later. I don''t know what to do. I''m sure you don''t think that because she''s beautiful she''s allowed to do whatever she wants. ...... ''......Sister............'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I see. She''s always been that way, hasn''t she? I could tell by the look on Ginette''s face. ''Oh, Jeannette. Don''t look at me like that. Besides, it''s written in the book, isn''t it? Ginette''s reaction must have been something she was used to, because Bertina dodged it with an indifferent smile and pointed her finger at the shirt Estella was wearing. ''Please come and invite your friends and family,'' she said. I''m supposed to be Ginette''s family, but isn''t Ginette? ''No, no ............ that ......''. When someone says something like that, Jeannette can no longer say anything back. She looked at me with a troubled face, unable to say anything back. ''This is a relief for me. Ms. Bertina is trying to do humanitarian relief work. It''s called ......, is that correct?'' ''Yes. That''s Mr. Yashiro. He is very understanding.'' Bertina smiled contentedly and walked into the office. She seemed to have gone to get her cloak. ''I hope Bertina''s absence doesn''t startle the children when they wake up from their naps. ''Oh, I''m sure that will be fine ......'' I casually let out my concern, to which Ginette replied with a troubled expression. ''It happens all the time. Sister Bertina. She seems to be more uninhibited than I thought. I have a feeling I''ll be able to get away with a lot more punishment from the Church. If you keep Bertina as bait, she''ll do you a favor. ...... In the event that you''ve got a little bit of faith, you''re going to be able to get away with it. There was a larger puddle of water near the entrance than in other places, due to the large number of people coming and going. The soil must have caved in a little. I''ll have to do something about that too, I thought as I opened the door... ''Yashiro-san!Everyone!We''ve been waiting for you! --Umaro greeted me with great enthusiasm. ''We''ve had a visitor, and we''re in trouble! ''A visitor? There are some strange people in this heavy rain. I looked behind Umaro at ...... and saw a family there. A father, a mother, a son and a daughter. They all have round faces with round ears, and are generally long and thin, like weasels. The weasel-like faces of the family were all hunched over the table with their backs turned down. The unnatural gloominess of the scene made me step back. No matter how long the rains lasted, the whole family didn''t have to give off such a gloomy aura. ...... You know what? While I was frozen in place by the gloomy aura, Jeannette called out to the family from behind me in a cheerful voice. ''Welcome! Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion! At the familiar phrase, the family looked up and slowly turned to me. Then, with eyes as fragile as a candle''s flame before it goes out, they said something like this. ''Excuse me,......, I only have one serving of stir-fried scrap vegetables,......, would you mind? Seeing this scene, I couldn''t help but shout in my mind. A bowl of kake-soba? --and. 27-Episode 25 Youre so kind that you cant help it. The other world''s version of a cup of buckwheat noodles. A gloomy family with a picture of misfortune that fits that phrase perfectly. Such a guest came to the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Oh, well, I''ll have it ready in a moment, so please hold on a moment. Ginette takes off her holy vestments and heads behind the counter. ''Ah, .......'' Seeing Jeannette, a man who looked like her father let out a voice. ''''Eh?'''' The father smiles weakly at Jeannette, who stops in her tracks. ''No, I just thought that what my son said was true. ''Your son?'' Jeannette turns to look at her son. The son looked a little clouded. ''No, no. The letters I saw were more legible. It''s similar, but not the same.'' ''Yeah, but doesn''t it say, "Invite your friends and family"? ''But that''s not it. Apparently, my son had seen a shirt advertising the restaurant somewhere. It''s at ......, and it''s easy to read. ''Estella. ''I remembered something urgent, so I''ll leave you to it. She hid her bosom with her umbrella and grabbed Estella''s shoulder as she was leaving. Don''t ruin a child''s dream. ''Kid. What you saw was this way, right?'' With that, he pushes Estella in front of the monk. The monk nodded loudly, his eyes sparkling with happiness. ''Yes!This is it!The one I saw on the street!It stood out very much and was very easy to read. ''Boy, ......, you should learn that you can hurt people without malice. Estella, a young boy of no more than a few years old, has the temerity to kill him. What a man, what a man. ''I think you''ve earned it. Show some pride!If you can. ''I can stretch my chest as much as I want, just not here, that''s for sure! Estella glares at me with slightly moist eyes. I''ve proven that flab can be useful, and ...... I don''t know what you''re complaining about. ''I couldn''t believe it when I first heard about it, either. I also couldn''t believe it when I first heard about it, that there were people wearing clothes with those words on them. ''Dad, you thought I was a liar, didn''t you? ''No, I didn''t think that much. ...... It''s just that telling a lie in this town is very dangerous. I''m sure there are times when a child of this age is like that, and I thought I should educate him well while I still can. ...... That''s why I came here to visit you. The gloomy atmosphere of the past has been dispelled a little, and a faint glimpse of brightness can be seen. It was probably because my son was confidently beaming with pride that he had proved his claim to be correct. ''That''s an unusual way of advertising. I wonder who came up with it? ''That''s Mr. Yashiro over here. I didn''t come up with it for the sake of advertising, but he did a good job of attracting customers. I guess Estella''s guy left with his publicity. If I were you, I''d put on my cloak after a while. ''I think it''s a great idea. It''s unique, innovative, and effective. ''Thank you very much. ''If only we had that kind of idea, ...... we wouldn''t be ...... like that.'' ''Dad, please don''t do that. In front of other people. ......'' Quietly, a woman who looks like a mother rebukes a man who looks like a father. The father noticed this, smiled fondly, and scratched his little head. ''Ah ...... ah, no ...... this is ............ thank you''. Hahaha ...... and let out a dry laugh. ''Um, can I help you with something?If you''d like, you can reach me at .......'' ''Jeannette.'' I stopped Ginette from saying anything else. Would you like to leave now? ''Stir-fried scraggly vegetables, one serving. Don''t keep the customers waiting. ''Oh, of course not!I''m sorry. I''ll go make it right away! ''Oh, don''t mind me. The man who looked like his father said, but he couldn''t leave him alone. He''s a guest. ''Dad, I''ve only been to this restaurant once before, but the food here is delicious. You can count on it.'' ''Really? ''I''m looking forward to it. The boy who said he had seen Estella''s clothes and the girl who looked even younger than Estella''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. But only the woman who looks like her mother remains downcast. ''Yashiro, a little ......''. Estella calls me and takes me to a corner of the dining room. ''...... Why did you send little Jeannette away?'' You''d think she''d notice. ''You can''t keep dragging other people into your troubles. We don''t have time to devote to charity, you know. ''Why don''t you just listen to me? ''Ask and you shall receive. You know as well as I do that Jeannette is that kind of person. ''And I think I also know that there are good-natured people who can''t leave Jeannette alone. ''Oh, there is such a strange person? I''d love to be introduced to them. I''ll use you to the fullest.'' ''...... at all. I''m sure you''re wondering about that family''s unusual negative aura. You should at least listen to them. Maybe there''s something I can help you with.'' ''Yeah, there''s probably a lot I can do to help. If you force yourself to look for it, you''ll find more than a few clams during the tidal bore season. But what''s the point of looking for them? ''Even if there is something we can do to help, there is no reason to help. We''ve got our hands full with ourselves. Don''t make me keep saying it. We need to stabilize our food supply. We need to improve our ability to attract customers. We need to consider alternatives to expensive bread. There are so many things that I need to do. More to the point, what I should be doing is not running a cafeteria. I''m just trying to get this place back on its feet so I can get on with my life. Laying the groundwork. Not a destination. This is not the time for useless detours and wandering. ''You can be saved by meeting people. ''If that''s the case, they''re out of luck. If they had met a kinder, more generous person instead of me, they might have been able to get a helping hand or two. You can''t have bad luck, can you? ''...... Are you serious?'' Estella''s gaze grows cold. What the hell is wrong with her? ...... ''Do you think I''m a sycophant who can''t leave people in trouble alone?Then you need to see a doctor. There must be something wrong with your eyes or brain. ''Okay, ............, I get it. He gave me a look of contempt I hadn''t seen in a long time. I remember when I first met him, he used to look at me like this. Back to basics, huh?It''s important sometimes in life, isn''t it? ''Hello, everyone. A voice that sounded like a bell rang, and sweat began to run down my back. ...... Oh yeah, there was this guy. ''I''m a sister in the church in the 42nd ward, my name is Bertina. A synonym for charity. A true saint who peddles her compassion. Sister Bertina stood in front of the lost lambs and smiled a beautiful, goddess-like smile at them. ''First of all, may I ask your names? ''How did Sister-sama end up here at ......, no. It''s your name. I''m Yap Lock. This is my wife, Wuerer, my son, Tot, and my daughter, Cheryl. Come on, boys, say hello to Sister. ''Hello, Sister. ''Good afternoon.'' The daughter can''t speak properly. I don''t know, but the son is ten years old and the daughter is about five. Incidentally, the father, Yap Lock, is probably not more than 140 centimeters tall when standing. He is a little smaller than Magda. ''So, it seems that you have a problem. ...... If you''d like, I can take over for the Spirit God at ......'' ''Yes, yes!Let''s bake some naan! ''...... You may enjoy that ''naan'', may I? ''Sister!Your will is being pulled too easily! Estella is shoving Bertina. A rare sight. ''Yashiro! Estella''s consciousness is shifting to me from the Sister whose will is as squishy as a cactus. ''What''s wrong with you? ''Yes, Nan, that''s what I''m trying to burn. ''No, I''m not!You don''t have the right to interfere with other people''s attempts to help people! Estella takes me to a corner of the dining room and shouts at me, trying to keep her voice level so the family can''t hear. You''re out of line. ''Then let me tell you something, if it''s your duty as a sister, do it in the church!If that family wants to go to the church to ask for help from the spirit gods, please help them as much as you can!Or you can go to Estella''s house and ask her to help you with your problems. But you know what? ......'' I stare back at the angry eyes that are fixed on me with even more anger. ''This is a place to eat. You have every right to protect the peace and quiet of this space from people who want to get you into trouble. Don''t you get it? Don''t you see the trouble in this family where the kids are relatively optimistic and the parents are deathly depressed? You don''t know why a child of this age, who makes a lot of noise no matter how much you tell him to be quiet, keeps his mouth shut and says nothing. When a child is quiet, it means he''s reading the situation. No, it''s when they have to. That means these parents are so depressed that they can''t care about their children and they can''t even hide it. There are not many kinds of things that both parents have to worry about. If it''s not a child''s injury or illness ......, it''s ............ money. ''If you have enough money to support that family for half a lifetime, and you are willing to share it generously, then do what you want. In that case, other poor families may come to you in droves, but you should take pity on them and provide for them as well. ''Nothing, I''m not going that far ......''. That''s what you''re trying to do. You just want to be moved by what''s right in front of you, feel sorry for them, reach out to them, and feel satisfied with yourself that you''ve done a good thing. ''I''ll tell you one thing. When people are abandoned because they''ve been disrespected, ...... they despair.'' ''............ me.'' ''If you''re going to do it, go all the way with it. I''m not sure I can take that much responsibility. So I''m not going to get involved. That''s all I have to say. I said coldly and lifted the basket of breadstuffs. I''m going to bake naan. I''ll do what I have to do. I''m willing to help people if it''s worth the money. ...... I don''t smell any money from this family. There''s no benefit to helping them. I''m sorry. I''m not a god. As long as there''s no benefit to me, I''ll just abandon them without a care in the world. ''Here you go...'' Ginette came out of the kitchen as I was about to go out to cook naan. The amount of stir-fried scraggly vegetables on the tray was ............ too much, no matter how you looked at it. ''......Ginette. ''Heh ......!I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. That bite is as good as a confession already. You''re just showing me a little mercy. I thought I taught you that such behavior is unfairly discriminating against other customers. ''I''m sorry ...... but I ............''. She nodded and looked as if she was about to cry. Why are you apologizing to me? ...... d*mn it. ''It''s not the first time you''ve been ditzy,......, so next time be careful not to ''mistake'' the amount.'' ''What?......Hey! ....... I''m out of tune. It''s hard to be strong with Jeannette. It must be that. It''s those eyes. They are so defenseless that they unconditionally reduce our hostility. ''Yashiro-san has a soft spot for Jeannette-san, don''t you think? ''...... is also kind to Magda.'' Umaro, who had completely lost his presence, muttered something superfluous. Also, Magda. You don''t have to compete with me. ''Come on, eat up. As Jeannette places the plates on the table, the children lean forward to look at them. ''Wow, it''s beautiful! ''Beautiful! The colorful vegetables glistened in the oil. Ginette''s cooking is also wonderful to look at. ''Let''s eat, let''s eat! ''Let''s eat! The children are excited. Four pairs of chopsticks had been prepared for the children. If it was for one person, one set would be fine. ...... Well, it''s obvious that we''re going to share the food. That''s all right. I don''t want to hear about the hassle of washing them. ''Dad. Let''s eat quickly! Yap Lock smiles and gently pats Tot on the head. ''You guys go ahead and eat. ''Why? ''Mothers. We''re not that hungry. So, come on, we''ll eat a lot together. ''...... Yeah. Okay. The child reads the air. The air in the cafeteria became heavy at once. Ginette bit her lip and hugged the tray with both arms. Magda stared at the family, while Estella turned away. Umaro sat far away, trying not to look at the family, and Bertina closed her eyelids and folded her hands as if in prayer. Everyone''s brows were furrowed and they seemed to be struggling to keep their words in. ''Cheryl. Here, let me feed you.'' ''Yes!I love you, little man! Tot dexterously grabbed a red bell pepper with his chopsticks and brought it to Cheryl''s mouth. Cheryl puts the green bell pepper in her small mouth and chews it. ''Yummy~! Cheryl is the only one who can keep her innocence in this place. That''s probably why Totto let Cheryl eat it. He wanted to dispel this heavy atmosphere. ''You should eat it too. It''s delicious.'' ''Oh ...... no ...... it''s okay, we''ll both eat.'' ''Mothers, we''re full.'' ''............Yeah.'' Such conversations were ............ no good. ''Hey.'' I found myself shouting at the family. I thought it was a piercing, rough voice, ...... but it had a hint of melancholy in it, ...... as if it were someone else''s voice. All eyes turned to me. ''If you''re full now, does that mean you''ve eaten a lot before coming here? Ginette and the others looked as if they were wondering what was going on all of a sudden. Among them, Yaplock and Wuerer are showing more of a sense of desperation that is still dragging them down than the surprise of just now. I asked them a straightforward question. Instantly, their gazes swept through the air. ''Yes, that''s ......''. ''You mean you''ve eaten, right?If you''re full.'' ''E...... ah, yes, well, ............'' ''Heh, I see. ......'' I straighten my arm and point my index finger at Yap Lock and Wueller. ''''The Genie''s ......''''. ''Yashiro-san! Ginette hurriedly interrupted her body in front of me, and at the same time Estella roughly grabbed my outstretched arm and twisted it up. ''You!What did you just try to do? ''Yashiro-san, that''s too much! Too much? Who is it? Me? ............ You''re not. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website of the company you''re working with. But ...... the man has the will to lose when he can''t lose. He shook off the arm that was twisted up. Then, with his free arm, he tightens the collar of the yap lock that exposes his pale face. ''Screw you, you big idiot! I didn''t know why I said those words. I just couldn''t resist saying it. What was driving me now was not my brain. It''s a rage rising from the pit of my stomach. ''There''s nothing to worry about. The old voice that suddenly came back to me broke my bonds. ''What do you mean, "don''t worry"?Tell me how it''s okay! ''Yashiro-san!Don''t be violent! ''Back off, Jeannette!These idiots won''t understand unless you tell them right!They don''t even realize that they don''t understand! As I glared at her, Jeannette''s shoulders shook and she moved away from me. My instincts must have scared her. A warning must have been triggered in her brain, telling her that she was in danger. I turn my gaze to Yap Lock again. His frightened eyes stared at me, but he didn''t say anything back. ''I''ve seen you for the first time today, and after only a dozen minutes of looking at you, it''s clear to me: ...... you''re an idiot, aren''t you? After praising my promotional shirt with open arms, he muttered, ''If only we had that many ideas. He also said, ''It didn''t happen that way. Ideas are not given by others. This guy is selfish to the core. ''Such-and-such''?I don''t know what that ''such-and-such'' is. He must have hit some crazy wall. At such a time, the fact that you''re talking about ''if only I had that many ideas'' is proof that you''re relying on others. What you should do when you hit a wall is neither delusion nor escape from reality. You can either go over the wall, destroy it, or give up and find another route. And yet, this guy stayed. He looked up at the high wall and fled into an impossible imagination of ''if only I had wings''. And this is the result. ''Hey, old man. You''re completely wrong from start to finish. Why would a family of four choose such an option when they can only order one serving of the cheapest stir-fried vegetables? ''We''re broke and can''t afford to eat, right? ''No, no, .............'' ''They know. Make sure your son knows that.'' ''..................'' He must have known that he was being exposed, and he laughed and pretended not to notice. Who''s he doing this for? For his son?Because you don''t want him to worry?What?What are you talking about when you''ve been found out? No, you''re not. You''re doing it for you. You''re blaming yourself so that you don''t have to be miserable anymore, and you''re putting up a defense line so that others won''t blame you, right? ''You''re the father, you know!If you don''t have money, you''ll have to work!If you can''t afford to buy food for one person, take your wife and children''s portions and fill your own stomach first!Then work like hell to earn enough money to feed the four of you!And then work yourself to death to earn enough money to feed the four of you! The thing a father should do is to make sure that the money he puts up with now is spent on luxuries!Am I right? What if you starve and you become a victim. Do you think that will shorten your life span and make your remaining children happy? Do you think that if you die, God will pity you and have mercy on your children? That''s a shame. God doesn''t help people voluntarily. The weak who don''t know how to get up will just die in the street without being taught how to get up. ''What you''re trying to do is put the blame on your children and run away from the weight of the pressure. It''s not just the person who dies that is saved, but the burden that the deceased was supposed to bear falls directly on those left behind, don''t you understand? ''............ I''m ............... ...'' Yap Lock''s mouth quivered. The breath that escaped from his small mouth was so feeble that it seemed as if it would disappear at any moment. ''If you think you have no choice but to die, kill the children first. ''You can''t do that ......! ''You can''t do that. You can''t take away the future of your beloved children, can you? ...... But I assure you, if you die ...... like this, the future of these children will remain dark for the rest of their lives.'''' ''............ Oh no.'' Yap Lock''s gaze turned to the children. Across the table, Wuerer was crying aloud. I thought the children would cry at the sight of their parents being blamed, but ...... surprisingly, they both sat quietly. ...... I guess that''s how broken their routine was. Children see a lot of things. They must have sensed that it was no longer possible. ............ What a pity. When the collar was released, Yaplock stumbled back into his chair. He is nodding helplessly and letting his mind wander. Not many people can stand on their own feet when they are in the depths of despair. However, it is also true that at such times, if there is someone who can give you a little impetus, you may be surprised to find that you can hold on. It is painful to be forced to run a marathon endlessly without being told the destination. However, it is not impossible to finish a marathon, whether it is 42.195 kilometers or 100 kilometers, if a clear goal is given. Even if it is an impossibly long distance. Just having a destination in sight, a direction to go, can make a person incredibly strong. So, if there is a good-natured person in this place right now who can''t help themselves and gives them a chance to do so,......, it means that this family is very lucky. You can''t have bad luck, can you? ''Ginette. Get me some tomatoes and cheese.'' ''...... What? ''And some onions and garlic ...... and basil would be great.'' ''Um, ...... yes, I think I have that.'' ''What about pepper? ''...... Spices are ............ pricey.'' ''I see. Well, let''s just use what we have.'' ''Yes. But, Yashiro-san, what exactly are you doing? ''''Hmm?I''m making naan and pizza. Isn''t that what I''ve been saying? ''Eh .................., um, what about Yaprock and the others ......?'' ''What?I don''t care. It''s none of my business. ''But ......''. ''I''m going to do what I have to do. But I''m going to be making a lot of ...... stuff that shouldn''t be out in the open. ............ It would be nice if there was someone who could dispose of the excess, I''d be grateful if someone would dispose of the surplus. ......'' ''......Yashiro-san......! What the hell. Don''t look so happy. I was originally going to make naan and pizza. I didn''t even think about what to do with the food I made. ''Well, if you''re hungry, why don''t you eat? ''............ Um, are you sure? ''I''m not saying I have to. Umaro, what about you?'' ''I''ll take it! Quick decision. Perhaps this brazenness is the secret to success in life. ''Where''s the magda? ''...... eat.'' ''Estella? ''...... You''re a real wonder, aren''t you?'' ''Huh?''I don''t want to eat something that won''t make my breasts bigger''? ''No one is saying that, that''s not true!I''ll eat it!Of course you''re going to eat it! That''s what you get for saying unnecessary things. You should learn by now. ''Miss Bertina. ''I regret that my share has been reduced. ''...... You''re the only one who''s not happy about it.'' Sister, are you sure you want to go on like this? ............ ''Then wait a while longer. It''s going to take a while.'' I said and went into the kitchen. First, I cook the naan and make the tomato sauce. I haven''t seen curry in this world yet. So I decide to eat naan with tomato sauce. Saut?? garlic and onions in olive oil, add diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. I would like to season it with salt and pepper,......, pepper. It''s a very special thing. I''m going to use a pinch of the spice that I''m associated with. This pinch is worth tens of thousands of yen,......, and it makes me cry at my own stupidity. I don''t know why I got so pissed off. ............ That''s what I was thinking as I was enveloped in the delicious aroma of tomato sauce. I couldn''t get an answer, though. Then, an hour passed: ...... ''This is naan and pizza. The naan and pizza were laid out on the table at the sunny pavilion. Both are made with tomato sauce, but the pizza has cheese and basil on top, so the flavors will be quite different. ''This looks delicious, Yashiro-san! ''Grab a handful and bite into it. ''Bon app??tit, sir! ''Then, I''ll be your guest. Umaro and Bertina quickly reach for it. ...... Anyone who doesn''t know how to be reserved should get burned. I''m not sure what to do. ''Hmm! ''This pizzas taste like a habit. I''m glad to hear that the naan and pizza were to your liking. ''...... delicious.'' I take a bite, and Ginette looks at me with wide, sparkling eyes. ''It''s very delicious, Yashiro-san!I''d like to add this to the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion! ''No,......, I''ll have to ask Bertina for her decision on that,.......'' When I glanced at her, my eyes met with Bertina''s as she chewed. ''Dough made from wheat and baked in a stone oven is defined as "bread" regardless of other ingredients, production methods, or shapes. So that means. ''These are both "breads", aren''t they? Unfortunately, we can''t allow it. I''m so sorry! He grabbed two more slices of pizza with both hands and chewed them with great gusto. Ah, ......, I guess that means we should eat it while we can. ''Yes, yes''. ''Ugh ...... that''s a shame. But I got a hint. ''Bread'' is defined as ''wheat dough baked in a stone oven''. Then how about this! I put another dish on the table that I had made. It is round and flat, made of wheat flour, eggs and broth. The ingredients are flour, eggs and broth. The ingredients are cabbage and thinly sliced meat. It took me a long time to reproduce the sweet and spicy sauce, but I think I managed to make it taste close to the original. Yes, the name of this dish is "okonomiyaki"! If it''s not baked in a stone oven, it can''t be defined as ''bread''. ''This is it!The rich sauce intertwines with the ingredients to create an indescribable harmony, and the soup stock flavor that comes from deep within the sauce creates a taste that you will never get tired of! Bertina, who had immediately eaten a slice, showed an exaggerated reaction. What kind of gourmand are you? ''Yes, it''s true!The moment I put it in my mouth, the sweet and spicy sauce and the crunchy texture of the cabbage are going to ...... go crazy in my mouth! That''s what you always say, Jeannette. What kind of situation is it that makes your mouth water? ''What do you think, Magda? ''...... Yashiro will make a good wife.'' ''No, he won''t.'' Magda, who had been eating silently with no expression, stuck her thumb out at me. ''Yeah, ...... this certainly doesn''t qualify as bread, does it? Estella seems more interested in the way it''s made than the taste. ''You really are good at finding loopholes, aren''t you? ''Give me a compliment once in a while. I''m still using my head.'' ''I''m complimenting you. I think it''s a big deal.'' ''Well, thank you.'' ''Oh, my God, you''re beautiful!I''m in love with you!I''m in love with you! You could''ve said something like that. But you''ll never say that. So, what do you think? Then I turn my gaze to the Yaplok family, who are chewing on a pizza in the corner of the cafeteria. ''It''s delicious, big brother! It''s good! The kids seem to like it. ''Thank you so much for ....... Thank you so much ...... for giving us such a delicious food.'' ''It''s bootleg bread. I''m even grateful that you helped me destroy the evidence.'' ''Hahaha...... never thought I''d be a part of something that big...... you never know what life is like.'' You idiot. ''...... Thank you.'' ''Hmm? ''What you just said ...... was very painful. But ............ they touched my heart.'' ''Stop it. I didn''t mean it like that.'' I just yelled at you because I was pissed off. ''Still, those words changed me ...... and our family. Although the situation is still hopeless,......, we will try to work together as a family and do our best. Yap Lock then turned his attention to Wuerer. ''I have such a wonderful wife and children,'' he said. ''You .......'' ''You''ll help me, won''t you? ''Yes, sir. Of course.'' Don''t make out in front of me. I''ll blow you up. ''So, um, ......'' Jeannette peeks out from behind me. ''What''s troubling you, sir?If you don''t mind, I''d like to hear about it.'' Oh, I heard ............. It''s a good thing that people have taken the trouble to keep you away from ...... ''Actually, ......''. See, now you''re talking. Now you''re no longer irrelevant. It''s someone else''s problem at best. I can barely ignore it. You don''t want to go any further. ''We''re corn farmers. ......'' ''Corn, sir? ''...... Magda, I like corn.'' ''It''s rare in the 42nd district, isn''t it?I don''t hear much about it. The next thing he knew, Magda and Estella were by his side. ...... or even Bertina. You''re not coming, are you? I''m sure you''ve heard of it.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''In the 42nd district, we might be the only ...... buyer, because there was only one.'' ''The buyer, the peddler''s guild? ''Oh, yes. Of course, but the only place the peddlers'' guild was selling our corn was a poultry farm in the 42nd district. ............ Hmm? ''Our corn has hard grains and is not well liked by humans or animals. The only place that bought it regularly was a poultry farm. ............'' Yap locks are heavy,......, letting out a very heavy sigh. ''A few weeks ago, I was suddenly notified that we ''no longer need corn. ......'' ''......Yashiro-san. Um, ...... this?'' No, Jeannette. Don''t talk to me now. For some reason, my heart hurts like hell right now. ''Our farm, which had nothing but corn, has completely lost its source of income. Originally, our life was so modest that we could barely afford to buy food for the day, so there was no way we had any savings. ...... I don''t know how I''m going to live from now on. ...... ......I felt like I was going to be in the dark. I''m sure you''ve seen it before. For example, right now. But I''m going to try again. Maybe there is a place somewhere that needs our corn. We''ll keep looking for it. Yap Lock bent at the right angle and bowed deeply. ''I will never forget the taste of the food you gave me today. Thanks to you, I have found hope for life. Thank you very much. ...... I''m sorry. I''m the one who took away your hope for life, aren''t I? ''......Yashiro-san'' ''......Yashiro''. Ginette and Magda stare at you with eyes that seem to be pleading for something. When I averted my gaze, my eyes met with Estella''s, who was staring at me with glazed eyes. ''Is there anything you want to say to them? ...... Ah. Checkmate. You know, luck just doesn''t work that way. I wonder if the bad luck that''s been following me will one day return in the form of greater luck. ...... ''No, no, that''s strange. In fact, I was just looking for a stable supplier of corn right now~, no, seriously, strange coincidence strange coincidence. ''Oh, really? Yap Lock jumped at me with great vigor. ''Yes, by all means!Please use our corn!No, you have to come and see first!See if our corn is usable!That''s right!Why don''t you come to my house now? It''s a horror story that''s moving forward at a rapid pace. ...... I''ve always hated roller coasters because you can''t do the ''little thumps'' thing. Seriously, can you give me a tumma? ...... ''I don''t care how much it costs!It''s food that no one told me I needed once anyway. It''s just going to end up in the garbage. I''ll give it to you at a reasonable price or even at a discount! Haha, ......, that''s exactly the kind of deal the Garbage Collection Guild deserves. ''Then let''s all go see it! Ginette and Magda were very enthusiastic. Estella is also smiling with satisfaction. I guess I''m the only one who''s feeling down. Corn......Corn...... ''Ginette''. Suddenly, we hear Bertina''s voice, and we all turn around. There was Bertina, her cheeks puffed out. ''I''ll take care of the store. I''ll take care of the shop, and you can all go. ''Oh, I''m also staying at home again! ...... You guys just want to eat, don''t you? And so we were off again, in the heavy rain. This time to a corn farm. This is the first time that the Garbage Collection Guild has been sent out to buy ...... unwanted food. I plunged my feet into the puddle and splashed, but I didn''t care about that anymore. My feet were muddy, and they clung to me like a tangled web around my feet as I stepped out. Watching the scene, I walked on. I hope I don''t get stuck in the mud,......, I thought. 28-Episode 26 Treasure Discovery We left the Sunken Pavilion and headed west. There is a river ahead where Delia and the rest of the river fishing guild are always fishing, and beyond that is a swampy area. I wonder if there are any corn farmers. ...... As I was thinking this, Yap Rock, who was leading the way, stopped in front of a patch of grass. ''Watch your step, please. He said this and walked into the thick grass. Wuerer, Tot and Cheryl, Yaplock''s wife, followed unhesitatingly. ''E......'' It seems that I''m not the only one who can''t hide my confusion, and Estella is clearly frowning. ''I didn''t know there was a path here. Ginette peeked into the bushes. There was a narrow path that could barely be passed by a single person. There were no signs, and you had to look very carefully to find any signs of human passage, a veritable animal path. Thanks to the fact that people had passed through there several times, there were no weeds growing. This is the only place where no weeds are growing. ...... To be honest, it''s not a location I''d want to be near on a rainy day. ''Estella. Ladies first.'' ''Yashiro, can you please get going?I''ve got the rest of the world behind me. ...... He''s going to make sure I''m safe before he follows!What a jerk! ''Then I''ll go to ...... first.'' ''No, Jeannette, you come after me. I don''t know what will happen if we put such a ponderous person at the head of the line. Even if he is bitten by a snake, he might say ''You must be hungry ......'' and let the snake bite him as it likes. Even if you found a pit viper, you would never crush its head. ''Excuse me?Can I help you?'' Yap Rock came back, worried about us not following him. ''No, it''s nothing. I''ll be right there. ''I''m sorry. Not many people pass through here. ......'' Yaplock bows his head. It''s not like he has anything to apologize for. ...... ''What''s the lord doing? The residents are being forced to suffer such inconveniences, and you don''t even know about it? ''You know what, Yashiro? ......'' As I vomit out the natural indignation that anyone would have, Estella counters with a dumbfounded look. ''The forty-two districts alone are quite large. There are also diplomatic relations with other districts, and it''s practically impossible to keep an eye on everything. ''Oh, what is it?Are you taking the side of the rich?'' ''I''m talking in general. Hmm. There''s no need to stick up for the rich. They are fortunate enough to have money. They deserve to be forced to work six times harder than ordinary people. ''You should try applying for it once. If you are mainly using this road to get to the city, there is a possibility that the lord will act to protect the living environment of the residents.'''' ''Oh no!I''m afraid so. At Estella''s suggestion, Yap Lock shrunk her small body and shook her head. ''It''s not like we have to bother the lord for a path that only we can take. ...... We just have to be patient. We should have made the road ourselves, but we failed to do so, and I am ashamed of that. ...... Is this guy paranoid? It''s obviously the job of the government to build the roads. And since the residents pay taxes to the lord, they should not hesitate to take advantage of the services available. I used to go to the city hall to cool off in the summer even though I had no business there.They have water coolers there, too. Only a small, light-weight yap-rock family can walk along the road, so they are probably not strong enough to trample the weeds. Probably, the path is made up of the parts trampled by the merchants of the peddlers'' guild who pass by occasionally. ...... If we''re going to carry corn, we''ll have to do a better job of maintaining the roads. ............ ''You''re a small man, you know that? ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry! ''Yashiro. Don''t pick on Mr. Yap Lock.'' ''I''m just saying that if these guys were bigger, like the bears, the road would have been more level. The Weasel tribe has its limitations. ''Um, we''re not the Weasel People. ''What, you''re not ......?'' Look at Yap Lock''s face. I look like a .................. weasel, don''t I? Well, even if you put weasels and ferrets together, I can only vaguely recognize them. ''Then what race are you? ''We''re the Okojos. ''Ocojo? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''............ subtle clan''. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''Yashiro. Don''t bully me.'' I''m not picking on you. I''m just expressing my honest opinion. ''Well, I''d better get going. ......'' It was still raining, and it was getting a little chilly. Suddenly, I look behind me. Ginette, Estella and Magda are looking at me. Estella and Magda seem to be well-trained, so they should be able to handle these weeds. But ............ ''Um, Yashiro?Do I have something on my face?'' This guy might cut his foot on a weed, or catch his foot on a grass root and fall, or sprain his foot. ............ ''Yap rock. I''d like to proceed with a little weed trampling. It''ll slow us down, if you don''t mind.'' ''Yes, of course. Then I''ll help you.'' No, you can''t. ...... is better than nothing. ''Well, let''s go. Yashiro-san. Just as I''m about to step into the beast path, Jeannette calls out to me. ''I think it''s great that you''re trying to maintain the path for Yap Rock and the others, but with the current weather conditions, wouldn''t it be better to go again on a sunny day?After the rain, the weeds will grow again. ......'' ............ What the hell is this guy talking about? ''......?I''m sorry, did I say something funny? ''No. ...... I just felt that the weeds were in the way of me coming through here. Just stay back.'' ...... d*mn, who do you think I''m going to go to all this trouble for? ............ I don''t like the fact that Estella is giggling behind me as I stomp on the grass. I don''t like it at all. I put my frustration into my feet and headed down the path. Through the woods lay a corn farm. It was large enough. Surrounded by the forest, I thought there would be little sunlight, but there was plenty of sky. When the rain clouds disappear, the farm will be filled with brilliant sunshine. ''It''s so big! Plants as tall as Jeannette are lined up in a row. It''s a cornfield. Quite large. If we let Magda loose in here, she won''t be easy to find. ''Anyway, please come to my house. We don''t have anything, but we can offer you a hot drink.'' ''That would be great. I''m getting cold.'' The sweat I had worked up while stomping on the weeds had cooled me down completely. The corn farmer must have prepared corn potage soup for us. I went to Yap Lock''s house with a little hope in my heart, and was astonished by its appearance. ...... This is a barn. It''s a small house, but here you go. A house? No, it''s a barn, this is a barn. I''m not sure what to make of it. Once inside, ...... something made me want to cry. It''s leaking,...... there''s no furniture,...... there''s only enough chairs for the family,...... oh, okay, okay, you don''t have to give them up. I''m not gonna sit on it. I''m not going to sit on it. I mean, the rickety look of this place reminds me of the old sunlit pavilion. ...... What is that, did you make it yourself? ''...... A modest life, isn''t it? ''Estella, can''t you honestly say it''s shabby? ''That''s rude, Yashiro.'' ''I think we''re thinking the same thing.'' ''Whether you say it or not is the measure of a man. ''So I''m an honest man. ''I''m sometimes impressed by your positivity. Estella pulls up a rickety chair and sits down. Gee ...... The chair creaks with a sound like a gremlin''s squeal. ''Isn''t there a weight limit?'' ''What do you mean, what is it?'' Estella looks at me with eyes that aren''t smiling. I avert my gaze because I feel like I''m going to be turned to stone if I look at her, and sit Magda down next to Estella. Ginette wouldn''t sit down even if I suggested it. Tot and Cheryl sit in the two empty chairs. Ginette had told them to do so. ''We really don''t have any ......''. Yap Lock bowed his head again at the lack of chairs. ''No, that''s enough. I''m not expecting it, and it''s not making me angry or anything. ''Thank you for waiting.'' Wuerer comes in with a cup on a tray. ''Here''s some white water. ''Hot water, huh? A hot drink!...... No, it''s definitely warm, but come on! ''I''m sorry, ...... we don''t have anything to serve you. ......'' ''Oh, no, ...... sorry.'' You can''t complain about the poor people who are trying to entertain you as best they can,......, but do you want hot water? ''...... Mr. Yashiro, I''m sorry.'' I was warned by Ginette in a whisper. ''......I''m sorry.'' I awkwardly looked away. It''s like a studio, with a small kitchen in the back. Even in Japan, this size of room is for a single person. ...... ............ and. ''Hey. Is that a lemon? I ask Yap Lock, spotting the yellow fruit piled up in the kitchen. ''Huh?Yes, it is. The kids wanted to eat the fruit. ...... I didn''t realize how sour it was. ...... I was stupid to choose it because it was cheap. ...... '' I''m starting to feel sorry for you. ''Hmm?Are lemons cheap?'' ''Well, you know ...... if you''ve ever had one, it''s not something you can eat unless you like it a lot.'' It was Estella who answered my question. I wondered if she had ever taken a bite out of a lemon, and she gave me a sour look. Don''t these guys know how to use ...... lemons? If they''re cheap, you might be able to buy them in bulk. ...... Contract with a lemon farmer to handle them for your garbage collection guild. ...... ''......Yashiro, your face............ no way, you can do something with lemons?'' ''Oh, yeah. It''s a very good ingredient. For example, .............'' And then I discover another excellent ingredient. ''There''s ginger, isn''t there? ''Eh...... ah, yes. I mistook it for a potato and bought it. ...... I couldn''t eat it either. ...... I hate myself for being so ignorant and shallow. Don''t even hold a grudge. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... There are farmers who grow ginger even though the correct way to eat it is not widely known. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ''By the way, do you have any sugar or honey? ''Sugar is too expensive. ...... If you''re looking for honey, I have a rather large supply that I got from a friend.'' ''Great! If you have plenty of honey, you can make something wonderful. Hot water, lemon, ginger, honey. ...... Yes, hot lemonade. Some people don''t like to add ginger, but ginger raises your body temperature. If you drink it when it''s cold, I recommend adding a little bit of ginger. It will make you feel warm from inside even after you finish drinking. So, squeeze some lemon and make a hot lemonade. That''s what a hot drink is all about, isn''t it? ''...... Mmm!It''s delicious! Ginette says to me with a twinkle in her big eyes. I''m sure she''s shuffling it around in her mouth anyway. All right, just shut up and drink it. ''It''s making my heart thump in my chest. A new version is coming! You must be getting all warm and fuzzy. Then I''m glad. ''I never knew that lemon and ginger could make something so delicious. ......'' ''If you know how to use them properly, things you thought were worthless will turn into something wonderful. It''s something you can''t discover if you don''t try it and just assume it''s inedible from the start. Well, I just knew about it. ''...... I see. I was really wrong about everything, wasn''t I ......? What? Do you really care about what I said? ''But you deserve credit for not throwing it away even though you thought it was worthless. That means you didn''t throw away your potential.'' I''ll follow up for now. This is the type of person who will be driven into a corner regardless of my intentions. If you are not careful, you might be driven into a corner and explode on your own. ''Don''t throw away the possibility of ...... ............''. Yap Lock recited the words I had randomly uttered. No, I didn''t say anything that big, did I? ''I''ll make it my ...... motto.'' ''No, don''t do that. It''s not that heavy a word.'' ''Our family motto: ......'' ''Don''t do that, you''ll be too embarrassed to face me.'' Don''t inherit such random words. ''Hahaha...... this is really delicious. Couldn''t you make it a menu item at the Sunlit Pavilion? ''It''s easy to make with honey and lemon, and the cost is negligible, so it could be on the menu. ''I''m glad to hear that! Ginette seemed to like the hot lemonade very much. I wonder if it''s okay like this: ....... Perhaps simple things like this are more acceptable. Perhaps there is a reason why things that have been handed down from generation to generation have survived without being eliminated. If that''s the case, I wonder if people would like carme-yaki ...... or beckoning candy? ''So, we''re going to buy honey from Yap Rock''s place. ......'' ''Oh, no!It''s corn!The honey is a gift! Tsk. Yap Lock is leaving the house in a hurry. Wuerer explained that there was some corn in the warehouse that had been harvested. I''d rather have honey than ...... corn that doesn''t taste good. ...... According to Wuerer, there is no corn in the 42nd district that can be boiled and eaten. ...... Well, it may be skinny corn with small grains. Magda is the only one who is waiting for corn to appear. His tail has been fully extended since a while ago. ...... It probably won''t taste good. Don''t get your hopes up. ''Thank you for waiting. This is our corn! Yap Lock returns, breathless. He''s soaking wet. I''ve only been out for a little while. ...... I''m dreading the trip home. There were about twenty stalks of corn on the table. They all looked small and hard. Well, they don''t seem to have the money to do anything like breeding or soil improvement, so they can only produce ...... corn of this quality. ''.............................. Hmm? No, ...... wait. This is ............ I pick up a piece of corn on the table and take a closer look. This grain ............ ''Hard, isn''t it?Even if you boil it or bake it, it''s not very edible. ...... No, I''m embarrassed.'' ''...... Looks hard.'' Magda picked up the corn and looked a little disappointed. Don''t try to eat it raw. ''If you want to eat it like that, you''ll have to harvest it while it''s still unripe.'' ''Is that so? Yap Lock rolls his eyes at my words. When this corn is fully ripe, the skin becomes hard and inedible. ''Then all the ones we have now are no good. ...... They''re ripe and then dried in the sun to prevent them from rotting. ......'' ''You''re drying them? I exclaimed. Yap Lock shrunk and looked as if he was about to cry. ''Yes,......, it was more convenient to grind it into powder to feed the birds,......, so I dried it to make it easier to grind into powder,......, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I grabbed Yap Lock''s shoulders with all my might as he continued to apologize half-crying. ''Heee!I''m so sorry! ''Nice work! ''..................?'' Yap Lock stares at me with absent-minded eyes. What kind of face is that? You should be proud. You did a good job. ''Can I see that powder? ''Yeah. ...... Oh, yes!I''m home! Yap Lock is leaving the house at full speed. For some reason, even Wuerer left the house with him. Are you trying to protect your wife from her husband''s scandal?It''s not a scandal or anything. ...... ''Yashiro . Can you explain that to me? Estella, who had been silently watching what was going on, quietly spoke up. ''How can you be so happy with bird food? ''It''s not bird food. It''s the staple food of humans. ''Staple food, huh? Jeannette also looked at me curiously. ''To begin with, corn is a member of the grass family, ...... akin to wheat and rice. ''...... but it''s hard.'' Magda rolls the corn on the table between her fingers in disgust. ''That''s why we grind it into flour. ''But I don''t think that''s normal, is it? Of course you did. I''ve solved two problems at once. ''d*mn you, Umaro. You''re confusing me.'' Who could blame me for swearing? When Umaro brought out the sweet corn and said ''there is corn in the 42nd district'', I thought he was talking about sweet corn. That''s not true. ''This corn is flint corn. ''Flint ......, what''s different about it?'' ''Everything''s different. There''s a difference between a rain umbrella and a parasol. They are used for different purposes. Sweet corn is thin-skinned and contains a lot of sugar, so it is suitable for boiling or baking. However, the skin of sweet corn is too thin to be used for milling because it becomes dry and crumbly when dried. Flint corn, on the other hand, has a thick and hard skin. Therefore, it is not suitable for biting and eating, but it can be dried well and is suitable for milling. And the fact that it can be made into flour means that ...... ''You can make tortillas! ''Tortillas''? Ginette tilted her head again with a curious look on her face. Keep wondering. When you make that face, it sets off a flag that things will work out. ''It''s a kind of bread that''s eaten as a staple food in certain parts of my world. ''Is it corn bread ......? ''Well, something like that. If you can make tortillas, you can make ...... If you can make tortillas, you are outside the Church''s definition of a ''wheat-based dough baked in a stone oven. It''s not wheat, it''s corn. ''Here you go, sir! Yap Lock came back carrying a large bag. Wuerer was using a large animal skin to protect the bag from the rain. I see, it''s powder, so he followed her to keep it dry. She is a very thoughtful wife. ...... reminds me a little of the landlady. I''m sure you''ve both been through a lot. But be happy. Your troubles end today. I picked up a bag of corn flour. ...... Okay, that''ll do. ''Yap-lock. ''Ha, yes! ''I want to start stocking this flour regularly tomorrow. I want you to handle the milling too. How''s that sound?'' ''Yes, .................. too, of course!I''ll be happy to do it! The smile finally returns to Yap Lock''s face. Yes, laugh, laugh. This powder is in very good condition. There are no impurities in it and the grains are even. It''s silky, fine corn flour. The color and smell are good. It is a proof of the care with which Yaprock works. It could have been ground by Wuerter, but it doesn''t matter. If you leave it to these guys, you''ll get consistent, high quality tortillas at sunny side up. If you make tacos, they might become popular. You can even bake them as bread. This is currently treated as worthless in this city. ...... There may be more treasures sleeping in this city. ''...... yashiro''. ''Hmm?What''s up, Magda? Magda walked briskly up to me, opened her mouth with a ''mmm'', and powder came out of her mouth with a ''zarah ......''. ''...... not very tasty''. ''Don''t eat it as is!Knead it and bake it! ''......I want to eat it.'' ''Have you been hunting somewhere?What''s with your appetite?'' ''Um, I''m also interested in ...... that ''tortilla''.'' ''I''d like to try it, too. These people''s appetites are unfathomable. However, ...... ''Let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion, or we won''t be able to cook. ''Let''s go back!I''ll take the flour with me! For some reason, Yap Lock is very enthusiastic. ''I want to see it too. I''d like to see my corn ...... no longer needed, but once again needed by someone. ......'' Well, as a farmer, I guess it''s natural for me to feel that way. ...... ''Well, I guess I''ll go back and roast it. ''Yes!I''ll help you too. Ginette is in an extremely good mood. I wonder if she''s happy about the new menu that''s about to be added to the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Yashiro-san is amazing after all. He gently clasps his hands together and puts them to his mouth so that they slightly touch his lips. He exhales into his hands like a man who exhales when he is cold, and murmurs into his joined hands. ''Yashiro-san is like a magician who can revive ...... the dreams and hopes that everyone has almost lost in an unexpected way. That''s a hell of a buy. There''s nothing magical about what I''m using. It''s just a verbal technique that plays on the mind of the opponent. So-called ''deception techniques''. You take an infinitely wide view of things and make your opponent''s view infinitely narrow. That''s how it works. If you call such a trick full of seeds and tricks as magic, you are cheating. ''It brings dreams back to life. ...... That''s right. Mr. Yashiro is just such a person. ''Hey, stop it!The way you''re being respected is really creepy! ''The Garbage Collection Guild is the Dream Rebirth Guild! ''Stop it! I''d hate for people to think I created such a cold organization! What''s the ''Dream Rebirth Guild''? Is it a fraudulent organization created by a third-rate fraudster?It''s too cold! ''Yachiro''. As I began to feel the chill in Ginette and Yap Rock''s eyes, my youngest daughter, Cheryl, came running up to me clutching a piece of corn. But her progress was blocked by Yap Lock. ''Hey, Cheryl. Don''t you dare call Mr. Yashiro that. He''s a man of great ideals, and he''s like a savior to us hopeless people. No, no, no! No! No! I''m not like that at all! ''Look, Cheryl. ''Yashiro-san'' ......, no, ''Yashiro-sama''. ''San''!Just "sir"!No, I prefer ''sir''!If you want, you can just call me that!It''s kind of cute when little kids call you by your name!I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Yashiro......, that sounds like something a dangerous person would say. ......'' Shut up, Estella. You don''t understand. You don''t know what it''s like to be about to be elevated to the top of a shady organization that obviously smells like a mine. He''s not just a guru.He''s a god. I''ll do everything I can to stop it! I''d be happy to take on the stigma of being a pervert who enjoys being called out by a little girl! I''m not sure what else you think is broad. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you.I''m sorry! ''So, Cheryl. What can I do for you, Mr. Yashiro? While I''m talking to Yap Rock, Jeannette is listening, eye to eye with Cheryl. ''Here! Cheryl hands Jeannette the corn she was clutching. Then, with a big smile on her face, she said. ''I''m giving it to Yachiro! ''Oh, that''s it! Seeing the corn that Jeannette received, Yap Lock starts to panic. What is it?Did you have a stash of high-grade corn? ''Miss Jeannette. It''s a mess that can''t even be ground into flour. ...... I use it as a toy for my children. ''A toy ......?It doesn''t look much different from the corn I saw earlier, does it?'' From a distance, there doesn''t seem to be much difference. Is it ...... a little smaller? ''The grains are uneven, and the skin is harder than the previous one. ......'' ''Is that so?'' ''Yes. So, I can''t give Mr. Yashiro something so worthless. ......'' ''No. Sheryl-san gave it to Yashiro with all her heart. I''m sure Yashiro will be very pleased.'''' Hey, Jeannette. Don''t decide on your own. I don''t have any strange proclivities to find any special added value in the corn that the little girl was holding. If it''s worthless corn, it''ll just be trash. ''Yes, sir. Mr. Yashiro. It''s a gift from Cheryl. It''s very nice. --Ginette hands me the corn with a big smile on her face. ...... d*mn, even if I get something I can''t even eat, .................. ...... ''............ yap-lock.'' ''Yes, sir. What can I do for you?'' ''Let me hit you.'' ''Hii!Aren''t you furious, Yashiro-san?I''m sorry, I''m sorry!On behalf of my clan, I''d like to express our deepest apologies for giving you such useless corn! Yap Rock got down on his knees and sent me an ostentatious apology. But I don''t want that! ''You didn''t throw this corn away, did you? ''............ huh? ''How much of this kind of corn do you have in stock that''s been dried and not ground into flour? ''Well, let''s see. ...... There''s quite a lot. ......'' ''That, I bought them all!I''ll bring it back to the sunny pavilion with the powder, so get it ready! ''...... Yes, yes!I''d be happy to! Yap Lock ran out of the house three times. Wuerer, Tot, and even Cheryl followed him. ''...... What''s going on? Estella asked, a little confused, after the Yaplocks had left in a hurry. ''...... Yashiro. Is that corn good?'' Magda looked a little curious. ''Um, ...... Yashiro?'' And Ginette looks a little worried. ''Can''t ...... go wrong, can you? ''Eh?'' I didn''t think I''d actually feel what I''d just said. And I never thought that the ''old unselected food'' that I was thinking about just now would be so easily available to me. ''This is a different kind of flint corn. ''Is that so?To the untrained eye, I can''t tell the difference. ......? Ginette tilted her head. No, it''s not. Not at all. ''This is a kind of corn called ''explosion seed''. ''So, ...... "Exploding Seeds" ......?That''s kind of a scary name. ......'' Well, it might be called ''exploding seeds'' ...... But if you know a different, more common name, I think you''ll like it. If you don''t know about this, then you don''t have a product in town. If we do well, we might be able to create a huge movement. ...... Hahahahahaha!Hahahaha!Hahahaha!Hahahahaha! ''Hey, hey ...... Yashiro''. I want to go home as soon as possible, Estella said to me. I''m not sure why my mouth is twitching. ''............ Why do you look so vicious?'' Hmmm ...... gold!I can smell gold! ''Is that ''explosive seed'' thing so good?'' ''Oh ......, it''s very popular in the country I was in. It''s sold everywhere in the country, and it''s such a major food that first-time couples have a high probability of eating it on their first date. ''A couple on a first date? A first date is a movie! And speaking of movies, ............ ''This ''explosive seed'' ............ is also known as ''popcorn''. Maybe I''ve got a real treasure on my hands. The sound of the constant rainfall sounded like a popping pop sound just now. 29-Episode 27 How to Use Corn ''Ho-oh-ah! Jeannette is screaming strangely in the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Something''s popping! Shaking the frying pan with the lid on, Jeannette was so frightened that her back was completely turned. But if she didn''t shake the pan firmly and spread the heat evenly, it would burn. ''Don''t worry, you won''t die. Don''t worry about it, just keep going. ''Ho, ho, ho! He was so scared that his reply sounded like an idiot. The frying pan, which had been emitting a dry, crunchy sound, suddenly started to make a popping sound, and it began to resound intermittently, one after another, like a wildfire. No wonder Jeannette was on the verge of tears. When I first made it, I remember being quite scared that it would explode. The popping sound that hit the lid of the frying pan echoed incessantly, and then gradually decreased in frequency. The area was filled with the indescribable aroma of burnt butter. Magda and Estella, who had initially entered the kitchen to see what would happen, were now evacuating the kitchen. Bertina, who had eaten all the naan, pizza, and okonomiyaki while we were gone, was waiting in the dining room, asking us to bring her the food when it was ready. Umaro left just as we came back. He said he had to get ready for work. ...... said that he would probably be off tomorrow, too. So, it''s just me and Jeannette in the kitchen. And then there''s Yap Lock, looking pale and ready to faint, and Wuerer, who is devotedly supporting her husband. There are six of us, including Cheryl, who is excited by the sound of the rupture, and Tot, who is desperately trying to hold back her raging sister. The wife and son here are a good wife and a good brother. ''Ya, Yashiro-san...... sound stopped ............. ...... ......'' With tears in her eyes, Jeannette reports back. ''Now, transfer it to a bowl.'' I handed her a wooden bowl, but Ginette couldn''t ............ take it. Her hands were shaking so badly. I think she was really scared. It ...... couldn''t be helped. ''Cheryl, Tot. Come here for a minute.'' ''Yes! ''Uh-huh! Cheryl approached me cheerfully, while Tot approached me cautiously. I take the frying pan and hold it in front of the two children''s faces. Then, I slowly opened the lid. ''''Whaaaat? The kids gave me the best reaction, their eyes sparkling. The delicious scent of butter spread all at once, and the pan was filled with fluffy, white food that had not been there before. The children were so excited by the sight. ''Wow!What''s this? ''It smells so good: ......'' Hmmm. This reaction ............ will sell! I transfer the popcorn to a bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Now the salted butter popcorn is ready. ''That looks delicious. ''I bet it does. Why don''t you try some ......?'' ''Yes, I''d love to! I thought it was Jeannette and spoke to her, but ...... it was Bertina standing there with a big smile on her face. ''Wasn''t she in that ...... diner ......?'' ''I smelled something nice. When I came to, I found myself here. You''re moving instantly! ''I want to eat! ''Me, too! The kids crowd me. ''...... interesting''. ''Heh, ...... is a strange thing to change.'' Magda and Estella, who had taken refuge earlier, seemed to have returned at the scent of ...... these guys. ''Our corn has taken on this shape......'' ''It''s strange. Looking into the bowl, Yaplock and Wuerer have complicated expressions on their faces. They may be uncomfortable with the fact that the corn is not just corn, but has been altered in a strange way. But I''m sure they''ll understand when they eat it. So, the biggest contributor is Jeannette. ...... ''...... Can you stand up? ''I''m sorry, I''m ...... out of it. ......'' He slumped to the kitchen floor, his knees shaking. Was he that scared? ''Since you worked the hardest, ...... I''ll give you the right to eat first.'' ''Really, thank you very much.'' A smile returned to Ginette''s face, which had been exhausted. The bowl was offered to him, but ...... his hands were shaking and he couldn''t grasp it well. ''Oh, ............ that, I don''t mind if I eat later ......''. ''So, I''ll be the oldest, ......''. ''Bertina-san, take two steps back! Bertina showed some resistance to my words, but she took two steps back when I muttered, ''I won''t give it to you. I''m not going to give it to you,'' she muttered, and took two steps back. ...... This person''s appetite ...... is outrageous. But it''s freshly made. It would be a shame to let it get cold. It can''t be helped. ...... ''Here, Jeannette. Open your mouth. ''Huh?............ Ah, ah. ............ So, then... ...excuse me ............ ahhhh.'' Ginette closes her eyes tightly and opens her mouth wide. Then I pick up a piece of popcorn and throw it in. Startled by the foreign object in her mouth, Jeannette quickly closes her mouth and chews. There is a small crunching sound, and ...... Jeannette''s eyes begin to sparkle. ''Mooi-hee-lef! ''...... Don''t talk with things in your mouth.'' Ginette chews on a piece of popcorn over and over again, savoring it. ...... You don''t understand. You don''t understand. He grabs a handful of popcorn from the bowl and throws it into his mouth. His cheeks puffed up, he chewed dynamically. Yes, it''s delicious! ''Z, that''s not fair, Yashiro-san!I''ll have one! ''...... Magda, I''m ready. ''Wow, that''s some very interesting food. Apparently the crowd''s patience was running out. ''Well, here you go. Bon app??tit, ...... nuh-uh-uh-uh! Before I could finish my sentence, arms reached out from all directions and snatched the popcorn in the bowl. Here and there, you can hear the light sounds of crunching, crunching, and crunching. ''I''ll have another bite, too. Ginette''s trembling arms and legs seem to have stopped, and she grabs a handful of popcorn with her slender fingers and pours it into her mouth with gusto. ''Mooooooohhhhhh! So don''t talk while you have stuff in your mouth. ...... ''Yashiro...... polypoly...... what the hell is going on with this...... polypoly......? What''s going on? ...those little grains ...... polypoly ...... turned into this big white thing ...... polypoly ...... polypoly? ............ polypoly?'' ''Aah!That''s so depressing!Either eat it or talk about it!Also, the last question was polygonal too!'' They couldn''t stop, they couldn''t stop, and in no time at all they had eaten a whole bowl of popcorn. ''...... Manager, another one. ''What?You''re going to do that scary thing again? The merciless Magda is about to abuse Jeannette. ...... Do it yourself. ''It makes a lot of noise, but it''s not very dangerous. ''...... There''s some, isn''t there? Of course there''s some. As long as the fire is lit. ''It fits with Estella''s question, so I''ll explain. With that, I put a dozen or so kernels of exploding corn into the re-buttered pan. Turn on the fire and heat it up. No lid. ''The hard-skinned exploding seeds can be made ...... by heating them like this.'' Poof!and a grain in the frying pan bursts open. Everyone in the room shook their shoulders. ''This is how the water vapor inside the fruit expands and bursts, causing it to pop. While I was explaining, the cones in the frying pan burst one after another, and some even popped out of the pan. ''...... Amu!Nice catch. Magda catches the popcorn that has popped out of the frying pan with her mouth. As expected of the cat family, he is very dexterous. In a matter of minutes, all the corn in the frying pan was transformed into white, fluffy popcorn. ''It''s like watching magic: ......'' Yap Lock, who was staring at the scene, seemed to be unable to believe what had just happened in front of his eyes, and his expression hardened. ''As expected of the Dream Rebirth Guild .......'' ''I told you to stop that! It''s a garbage collection guild! You can reclaim your dreams yourself! ''Well, I''ll make you another one.'' ''......Yashiro'' ''Hmm?What''s up, Magda? ''...... Magda, I''ll do it.'' In spite of his usual vacant eyes, Magda''s eyebrows were raised and he extended his arms. As if to say, ''Give me the frying pan. ''Can you do it? ''...... remembered''. Well, it''s not that hard, just put the lid on and shake the pan. ...... ''......If it becomes a menu item in the future, we need people who can make it. Heh. ...... I''m sure you''re thinking about the future with Magda. That''s true. The more people who can help when the menu expands, the higher the turnover rate will be. You''re small, but you care about such things. ...... ''Okay, go ahead. But be very careful.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' I put the butter in, throw in the corn, and hand the pan to Magda. ''...... Whoever makes it gets to eat first.'' As soon as I put the frying pan on the fire, Magda muttered these words. ......I guess he was just jealous that Jeannette got to eat first. ............ ''...... Magda''s bite is huge.'' You''re not going to keep it all to yourself, are you ......? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you''re not looking for. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I''m going to make tortillas using the other ingredient I got, corn flour. There are many ways to make tortillas. However, it is not good to be too particular. So, I''ll make a simple tortilla without letting the dough rise. Mix lukewarm water and salt with corn flour and knead until the dough is about the consistency of earlobe. If you don''t alkalize the dough with lime, it''s hard to get niacin or other vitamins, but you can make up for it elsewhere at ....... There is no lime. Roll out the dough thinly and cook it on both sides in a frying pan until it is crispy. Since it will be devoured like an idiot anyway, I''ll make a large quantity. ''Mr. Yashiro. Is there anything I can help you with?'' Shrugging my shoulders at the sound of the popcorn popping, Ginette came up next to me and offered to help. But she''s teary-eyed, perhaps afraid of the sound. ''Well, I think I''ll have you make me some salsa sauce. ''Salsa sauce, sir? ''It''s too bad for the monkeys. Don''t do that.'' ''......, eh?'' ''Cut the tomatoes into cubes, mince the onion and garlic. ...... And squeeze half a lemon over it.'' ''Yes! While I''m cooking the tortillas, the ingredients are being assembled with amazing finesse. This is not good. I''m being chased. ...... I don''t like this feeling of being rushed. ''Yashiro-san. It''s done. What should we do next?'' ''I want you to sing and dance a mysterious dance. ''Yes, sir. I understand, ......?What''s the point? I don''t like to be chased. Do something appropriate to pass the time. ''Shall we change the task then? ''Yes, you may. Cook it until it''s crispy on both sides.'' ''Yes, sir. We switch places, and I move on to making salsa. However, all I have to do is simmer what Ginette has prepared in a pot. Saut?? the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes and olive oil, cook for a while, remove from the heat, and add a lot of lemon juice and salt to taste. That''s all. The salsa sauce with a refreshing acidity is ready. The next step is to make tacos using minced chicken from the poultry farms. The minced meat is simmered with seasonings, and when it is light, it is taken off the heat. The tacos are then placed in tortillas with vegetables and served with salsa sauce. ''Hey, is it ready ............? I turned around and was mortified. There was a stupidly large pile of popcorn on the floor. There are six bowls, each filled to overflowing with popcorn. ...... Don''t you know the limits? ''It''s strange to the touch, easy to eat, and the taste is addictive. ............ I wouldn''t call it a meal, but I think it''s good food.'' It''s not a meal, but it''s a good food.'' Bertina puffed up her cheeks and lectured. ...... I mean, how can you speak so smoothly in that state?You''re too handy. ''Yashiro-san. The tortillas are ready. ...... That''s a lot of food! Jeannette was also surprised. ''Jeannette. You''d better eat it soon or it''ll be gone. Are we going to run out of these? ...... The Yap Lock family is also mindlessly devouring the popcorn. ''I can''t believe that our corn can be turned into something so delicious. ...... It''s like magic. ...... Yashiro is a miracle worker. ...... '' I wish you would stop your disgusting worship. I''m not the one who invented popcorn. Maybe it was someone else. But these people ...... can throw a popcorn party all they want ...... even though I''m making the food ....... ...... Okay, fine, fine, fine. You can eat your fill. I''ll show you what I''m made of. ...... I''ll show you what I''m made of. ............ Mmm-hmm. I changed my expression and began to speak with a fresh voice that showed no trace of the black emotions swirling in the pit of my stomach. ''Okay, now for the tacos. Tortillas are not classified as ''bread'' by the Church. That''s right, Miss Bertina.'' ...... How much are you into popcorn? You''re the American generation of the 80''s. You were into Frisbees and American crackers. Oh well. He doesn''t care about anything but eating. Then let''s keep him quiet until the food is ready. ''Ginette, bring me some leafy greens. ''Yes, sir. I put the lettuce and diced tomatoes that I bought from Mormat on a tortilla, topped it with a generous portion of minced meat, and wrapped the tortilla around the filling. Then dip it in salsa sauce and bite into it. ...... Yes!That''s pretty good for an impromptu meal. Let''s eat. Bertina was the first one to reach for it. What is really going on with her stomach? Also, I really wish someone would teach her the word ''modest''. I mean, he''s been away from the church for a long time, but I wonder if the kids are okay. Following Bertina''s lead, Yap Lock reaches out his hand. I guess he''s curious to see what kind of food his corn has turned into. ''This is ............ that corn turned into such a rich taste ......''. ''It''s delicious, my dear. ''Yummy! It seems to be a hit with this family. ''......Hmm?'' I felt a gaze on me and turned my head to see ...... Tot staring at me with envy. A glint of light shone from his eyes. ...... Stop it. Don''t look at me like that. If you admire me, you''ll end up a fraud. ''Yashiro-san. Are you going to add this to the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion?'' ''Yes, but ...... you don''t like it?'' ''No way, sir! Jeannette''s tension was getting very high. She put her face close to mine, grabbed both my hands, and took a step, two steps, three steps towards me. So close, so close! ''I''m so thrilled to have such a delicious dish on the menu! ''Oh, I see. ...... That''s good. All right, just calm down. ......'' I was being pushed towards the wall. If Jeannette puts her hand on the wall, it will be a great wall-don. The ...... positions are reversed, though. ''What ..................?I''m so sorry! Ginette''s face turns bright red as she considers her situation. She hurriedly jumped back and got farther away from me than necessary. It''s the speed of a small animal running away. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I''m feeling rather lucky. However, it is not comfortable for Jeannette to be so embarrassed. Let''s digress and buy Ginette some time to cool down. ''How''s Estella? ''Yeah. Not bad.'' You''re talking up a storm, this one. ''It looks good with grilled salmon.'' ''No, it doesn''t.'' It''s a Japan-Mexico joint production. ...... By the way, ''ink'' is ''inkan'', which means ''Mexico''. ''Magda. What about you? ''...... I haven''t eaten.'' ''Hmm?Didn''t your taste buds like it?'' ''...... I''m full.'' Well, that''s what you get for eating so much popcorn. Judging by the looks on their faces as they ate their tacos, it seemed to be well received. Ideally, it should be in a position where people want to eat it often and for a long time, rather than raving about it. You don''t have to eat tacos, you can eat tortillas alone as a staple food. Mainly rice, sometimes tortillas. Sometimes okonomiyaki, that''s about right. ''Well, .........'' When Estella, the Yaploks, and even the big boss Bertina started to show signs of satiety on their faces, I dropped the butter into the pan again. ''Yashiro-san, are you still cooking something? Jeannette shouted in surprise when she saw what I was doing. ''We can''t eat anything else. Estella says in a dull voice, leaning against the sink. She rubs her belly, trying to calm her stomach a little. Behind Estella, Bertina shakes her head in agreement. ''Besides, we have to leave soon. ...... I''m worried about the children of the church. ......'' What are you talking about? You''ve been eating as much as you want. It was already past dusk. The last bell has rung, and the sun will soon go down completely. ''No, what. I couldn''t eat much, so, popcorn. Make some for yourself. You don''t have to eat it.'' When I said this, a sigh of relief escaped from everyone. They all seemed to be at their limits. ''Bertina and the Yaplocks can go home now. Oh, Estella too. Or rather, you''d better go home soon. You might end up regretting it.'' I say with a cool face. As if to show my kindness. ''...... That''s kind of a tricky thing to say. As I said, Estella was caught off guard and reacted to my tone. ''No, you really should go home early. ''You''re not trying to turn me away, are you? ''You''re thinking too much. I''m just worried about you guys. The streets are dangerous at night.'' ''No. I don''t think Jashiro cares about that.'' That''s what he said. ...... He''s so rude. ''Isn''t there something you want to keep a secret from us? ''I want to keep it a secret. ............ Hmmm ......'' The corn in the pan popped just as I slurred my words. The high-pitched sound of the hard corn kernels hitting the metal lid echoed. Estella''s mouth dropped shut at the sound of the popping. She must have lost her chance to speak. Well, that was part of the calculation. You blew up at the right time. Estella and everyone else in the room is watching my actions. While many of them were wondering, only Jeannette had a worried expression on her face. ''Oh, is he going to do something again? ......'', she seemed to be thinking something like that. I ignored all of those stares and moved on to the next step. Making the sauce. I melted the honey I had gotten from Yap Lock, and brought it to a boil with butter and a little milk. When the honey has become smooth and silky, remove it from the heat. Then, when the popcorn is no longer popping, I remove it from the pan, transfer it to a bowl, and pour the ...... sauce over it. This is a great way to make sure that the popcorn is not crushed. The sweet aroma of the popcorn spread throughout the area. ''......This is ............'' ''......Gulp''. Ginette and Magda choked on their sweet tooth. Estella and Bertina are also watching my work without blinking. And the children of the Yaplok family come right up next to me, stretching and peering at my work. In fact, it tastes even better when it cools down a bit and becomes crispy. ............ ''It''s done!The honey popcorn is ready! ''Let''s eat it! ''Yashiro, some for me! ''Yashiro-san, may I have one too? ''...... Magda held off on the tacos for this! ''I want to eat it! ''Big brother, I want one too! ''...... Oh, God, ............'' ''Look at you. My corn is shining like gold. ......'' That was a huge bite. No, wait, wait! You guys are too full to eat anymore, right? That''s why I was going to show off my top-grade popcorn in front of you guys. ...... Is their stomach inexhaustible? The first to reach for the honey was Bertina, who was still hot from the honey.It''s hot! She struggled with the still hot honey, but brought it to her mouth. ''...... What a surprise. This is the blessing of the earth bestowed by the spirit gods, isn''t it? --I don''t know what it is, but he started praying. No, this is a common snack in Japan. ''Oh ............ it''s so good ............''. ''...... Magda, I was born to meet this.'' ''This is ............ me, I think I like this.'' The three girls are engrossed in their popcorn. Come to think of it, I don''t think there are many sweets in this city. I''ve only seen Imagawa-yaki. Well, if there is bean jam, there must be sugar, and if you look for it, you can probably find it somewhere. However, it may be difficult to find them in the 42nd district. If that''s the case, this honey popcorn would be a very powerful weapon, wouldn''t it? ''............, you guys!I thought you were full! There''s hardly any left for me. ''...... sweets are another thing.'' Hey, Magda. Are you sure you''ve never been in Japan?I mean, the idea sounds very Japanese to me. I guess there''s such a thing as a separate stomach in other worlds. Yachiro!This is a treasure! Cheryl picks up a piece of honey popcorn and makes it sparkle in the lantern light. ''No, you can eat this anytime you want, so just eat it. ''It''s so pretty. ''Even if you keep it, it won''t be pretty tomorrow. Eat it while it''s clean.'' ''Yes! Convinced, Cheryl popped the popcorn into her mouth and smiled meltingly. ''Oh my goodness! This is the same reaction as Ginette''s. In other words, Jeannette has the same thought process as a five-year-old as Cheryl. Yes, that makes sense. ''I see. ...... So Yashiro was going to keep this all to himself. You''re a tricky man, aren''t you? Estella complained as she mumbled, but ...... it''s not looking good. The mission is a failure. I underestimated how nasty these guys are. ''Yashiro-san!Here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, ......! ''Calm down . You''re eating too much popcorn and you look like a chicken!'' ''Here, do you think they''ll put this on the menu too? ''Well, we can make a good amount of it at a low cost. It''s okay to include it. ''I did it!Hooray!'' Ginette is very excited. Magda is also quietly hailing. Well, I''m glad you liked it. ''............Yashiro,san............'' But there was one person who looked unhappy. Bertina. ''......This popcorn is ............ dangerous......'' Bertina''s face is pale. Did something bad happen to her? ''What''s the matter, Sister? Ginette rushed over to Bertina. ...... Her whole body is trembling slightly. I''m not sure what that means. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you out. ''.................. oh''. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. And ............ ''......My stomach hurts.'' ''You''ve eaten too much! It was completely my own fault. It proved that Bertina''s stomach was not inexhaustible. ''...... It''s not. No matter how much delicious food you eat, you won''t get a stomachache. ......'' ''No, you will. ......'' He kind of crouched down and started to torment me. ''...... It''s so good, I can''t eat any more. ............ It''s right in front of me, but I can''t eat it. It is an unforgivable sin, an atrocity... ...... that only the nose is happy and the mouth is unhappy. ............ .........Yashiro, repent! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. You can find a lot more information on this at ...... How many times have you gone out today? 30-Episode 28 The Mysterious Pharmacist The rain that had been falling for a long time has finally stopped. The sky is still covered with thick clouds, but it''s been a long time since I''ve been able to walk without an umbrella. Ginette is cheerful, saying, ''I should do my laundry while I can. Yes, she is cheerful. ''Well, if it''s a stomachache, it''ll go away after a day''s sleep. ''......, isn''t it? Ginette let out a sigh for the second time as I pulled a cart full of leftover food. Yesterday, Bertina had gone on a binge at our house and overeaten, and this morning she hadn''t shown up to eat, saying she was sick to her stomach. The children''s faces are gloomy, Ginette is depressed, the foodstuff I brought with me was left over in large quantities,......, and I wish people would realize how much trouble they are causing. I''m still a little upset about my stomach, too. I''m sure the sisters are quite upset. Estella, walking a little ahead of me, rubs her stomach. Of course she is. She''s eaten my bread, naan, pizza, okonomiyaki, tortillas, and a lot of popcorn since this morning. ...... You''re eating too many carbs. ''You all need to fatten up. ''No disrespect to the lady, Yashiro. ''You should be boned. ''I don''t want a unique figure like that! Estella bared her fangs, while Jeannette let out a sigh. ''If I could, I''d stay by your side and take care of you. ......'' Jeannette''s concern was reaching a serious level. However, there is nothing that Jeannette can do even if she is by her side. All she can do is to wait quietly for the mucous membrane of her stomach to return to normal after digesting too much food. In fact, if Jeannette were here, she might make some delicious porridge and give it to him in large quantities, which might have the opposite effect. ''Excuse me, Mr. Magda. Today, I''d like to leave the store in your hands. ......'' Oh, come on! Don''t make unreasonable demands on Magda!It''s impossible, of course! This guy is like a dandelion in sashimi. It''s a thing for a few fans to love and enjoy. You can''t have sashimi with only dandelions, right? ''...... Manager, that''s impossible. Magda knows this, and refuses to accept it. ''...... I''ve been told by the hunting guild to accompany you to check the hunting grounds when the rain stops.'' ''Is that so?'' ''......Yes.'' That''s new to me. I wish you would have told me that beforehand. ''Well then, why don''t we just take the day off? Estella! What are you talking about? You''re telling me to close the Sunken Pavilion, which doesn''t even have many customers, for no reason! What''s a poor person with nothing but time on her hands to do? ''...... I don''t want to ............ take a day off. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. ''Well said, Jeannette!I admire your spirit of not letting the vine escape!I admire it! ''No, I didn''t mean it like that! ''Jeannette. Don''t take anything Yashiro says seriously. ''Oh, ...... you''re kidding. Thank goodness.'' ''No, ...... probably isn''t a joke. ......'' Estella gives me a suspicious look. Yes. I mean it, but what? But with Jeannette in such a state, it could be a problem for business. ...... I can''t help it. When I looked ahead while pulling the heavy cart, I found the person I was looking for at the right time. I''ll take care of Bertina. I''ll take care of Bertina for you. ''Are you sure? Ginette looked at me as if she was convinced that if I wanted to, Bertina''s stomach ache would instantly go away. ...... Don''t get your hopes up too high. But well, the point is, it''s a stomachache. If you treat it right, and you treat it right, you''ll be fine tomorrow. And I''ve just figured out how to do that. I approached the person I had found earlier, Mo''amat, who was crouched in the field working. ''Hey, Mo-Mat~! ''Hmm?Oh, Yashiro. Donating to the church again today?You''ve been working hard. ''It''s Jeannette who''s doing all the hard work, and I''m just getting involved. ''Oh, dear!Oh, that''s terrible, Yashiro-san! What is it, Jeannette? Did you think I liked helping out with the donations to the church? You''re not a good judge of character, are you? I''m just a concierge keeping an eye on things so we can cut down on waste, okay? So, what''s up today?I''m sorry, but I have to tend to the fields, so I don''t have that much time. Mormat''s face was troubled, but it was understandable. Due to the continuous heavy rains, the field is soaked and some parts are submerged in water. This will probably cause root rot and wipe out the plants. They must want to take care of it immediately and prepare for the next rain. In that case, let''s make this quick. ''Do you have any radishes? ''Radish? Yes, radishes. Radishes are rich in a digestive enzyme called diastase. Since it is destroyed by heat, you can take it properly by eating it raw or grated radish. Grate daikon when you are hungry. The next day after a heavy meal, the proprietress would serve me grated daikon. It is also rich in dietary fiber and good for relieving constipation. If I gave Bertina some grated radish, her stomach would gradually settle down. --I thought... ''I''m sorry. All the crops in the field have been ruined. ''What about ............? ''The rain lasted longer than we expected. ...... We harvested most of the vegetables early, but the radishes and cabbages were still too early to harvest. So I thought I''d stick it out until the last minute, but ...... I misjudged it. ...... It all went bad. What the hell? That''s a big blow! So, what, we can''t get radishes? I''ve been hoping to get some. ...... I don''t know of any other good way to do this. ...... But wait,............ ''No, you can''t!You can''t have a rotten food when you''re sick in bed with a stomach ache. I know. I''m kidding, I''m kidding. ............. ''Then it''s no use. Ginette, just give up. You''ll get better in your sleep.'' ''......Uh............ is that all you got?'' ''No. Then let''s go home. If we stay here too long, Ginette might offer to help Mormat. ''Well, wait and see, Yashiro. Estella stopped me as I started to walk away. It''s ...... ''You said this earlier, didn''t you?I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ............ Gee. No way, this guy ...... ''I''m not a doctor. There''s nothing you can do when you don''t have radishes. ''But you said it yourself. ''I''ll take care of Bertina.'' d*mn, I spoke out of turn. ...... Maybe it''s because I''ve been so lax lately. I''m not sure what to say.You''ve done all you can, and there''s nothing more you can do .......'' ''No, there''s still a lot we can do.'' Estella grinned wickedly. ''What are you going to make me do?'' ''I''m going to ask you to fetch some herbs. What''s with all the RPG quests? Are you going to give me a key to some ruins in return? ''Where''s that herb, ......'' You''re not going to tell me to leave the city and search around in the forest for magical beasts, or to climb up a rocky mountain where dragons nest, are you? ''Where is it, the apothecary? ''............? ''There''s an apothecary across the street, can you get me some medicine for my stomach? ''............ A treat? ''Oh, you mean that. Well, that''s about it. ......'' Gunga-runga-run! Suddenly I heard a huge metallic sound, and my heart skipped a beat. I looked over to see Mo-Mat tripping over the farm tools spread out at his feet and falling on his butt. ...... What the hell is he doing? But there''s something wrong with him. ''K, the apothecary is ............ not ...... Regina Englind?'' Regina Englind? ''Yes, but...'' ''No, don''t do that!I''m not going to say anything bad, Jashiro!Stay away from him! ''Oh, hey, what''s ......? Is he that bad?'' ''There''s nothing dangerous about ......, he''s a demon messenger.'' A demon messenger,......? ''Regina is a woman who came from the outside like Yashiro,......, but she''s a weird one anyway, and she tries to make people drink strange powdered things that don''t seem to work on the body. You can get a lot more information on this at ....... What''s that,...... You can''t just kick him out if he''s that dangerous. ''You can''t!He''s a demon messenger! ''Does a demon messenger use ...... magic or something? ''I don''t know ......, but probably something like that.'' Mormat''s forehead was covered in beads of sweat. It''s not that I don''t like it, but it''s just that I don''t like it. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. What the hell? The Judgment of the Spirits doesn''t work on ......? ''Is that true? ''No, that''s just what I heard! ''What did you hear about it?I want to know more about it! This is great information. If there is a way to nullify the Judgment of the Spirits, then you can scam ...... all you want! That Regina girl, I think I need to check her out. I''ve heard that story.I''ve heard that .......'' Mormat prefaced his remarks with a reminder and then began to tell me what he knew about Regina. ''A guy had a fever that wouldn''t go away, and he had no choice but to go to Regina, and they tried to give him something that was obviously dangerous. And he said, "That stuff can''t be good for fever!If you lie to me, I''ll have you judged by the Spirit God! And--'' Mormat''s throat gurgled. Then, a chill ran down his spine, and he ...... shivered. ''Then Regina said, ...... ''Try it, ...... I''ll never turn into a frog. .......'' She clearly declared that the Judgment of the Spirits would not work. ...... ''Is that for real?I''m not bluffing. ''He said that it didn''t look like he was lying at all. Look at the atmosphere and the way he talks.'' It''s interesting to see what he says and does backed up by his absolute confidence,............. ''Estella. Where is this apothecary? ''Are you going? ''Yeah. I''m sure you can. ''Because I''m interested in how to neutralize the Judgment of Spirits, and since I can''t say ......--'' ''--''Cause I''m worried about Bertina.'' ''That''s very kind of you, Yashiro.'' Estella narrows her eyes. She definitely doesn''t believe what I''m saying. But she doesn''t seem to blame me for that. ...... What the hell is this guy up to? What''s he trying to do, get me to meet this pharmacist? Oh well. ...... What I need right now is information. I want whatever information I can get my hands on, whether it''s spurious or urban legend. I''ll take you up on your offer. ''Oh, hey, ...... Yashiro. Are you sure you want to go?'' Mormat asks me with a worried look on his face. It''s a strange feeling to be worried by a crocodile face. In Japan, having a crocodile by your side is a more dangerous situation. ''For medicine, why don''t you ask the Medicine Man''s Guild?It''s a bit pricey, but it''s safer, right? ''The Apothecary''s Guild? ''It''s a guild of apothecaries all over Allbloom. A lot of people buy their medicines from there.'' Estella explains it to me carefully. When she talks like this, she doesn''t really like the person she''s talking to. ''It''s just that the price of the medicine is too high for ordinary people to afford. See? Come to think of it, when he bought the medicine chest from the hunting guild, he paid in gold. I guess medicine is expensive after all. ''So, this Regina is different? ''She said she didn''t like the way the medicine guild was doing things, so she created another guild.'' ''Is that possible?I thought the church controlled it so that there wouldn''t be any competing guilds?'''' ''Not as long as they don''t compete.'' ''But you''re selling medicine, right? ''They didn''t see it as a problem because the way the medicine is made is so different.'' The way the medicine is made. To summarize Estella''s story, the Apothecary Guild uses safe herbs grown in the herb farm jointly managed by the Church and the Apothecary Guild to make medicines using traditional recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Regina, on the other hand, is said to be making medicines from questionable herbs that have not been tested for safety. They also seem to have their own unique manufacturing method. The Pharmacists Guild, with its absolute security, fame, and achievements due to its joint operation with the Church, and Regina, who appears on a whim and makes suspicious medicines from unidentified herbs and magical beasts. Taking all of this into consideration, the Church has decided that the two guilds will not compete with each other, and has allowed the establishment of the new guild. In fact, it might be said that the Church quarantined Regina to prevent her from joining the Pharmacists'' Guild. ''Now, she is the only one in her guild. Naturally, it doesn''t exist outside of the Forty-Two Wards. It''s a community-based apothecary. In other words, it''s small-scale, right? ''And it''s the only apothecary in District 42. ''Isn''t there a branch of the Apothecary Guild in District Forty-two?'' ''Because many of the residents of District Forty-two are poor. ......'' ''You mean the medicines are so expensive that not many people are willing to buy them?'' ''Yes. And if it''s not good for business, the merchants won''t stay there. Estella''s brow wrinkles. Maybe that''s the reason why Estella hates the Apothecary Guild. She likes the 42nd district for some reason, right? In other words, Estella''s goal is this. She wants to use me to prove that Regina''s medicine is safe and effective. However, it is Bertina who will be the test subject. ...... From what I''ve heard about Mormat, even meeting her in person seems dangerous. I''d use her if I could. But I''m afraid to try it myself. ...... So it''s me. Son of a b*tc*. ...... You''ve done it. But that''s okay. I''ve got an interest in that Regina myself. ''Good. I''ll play right into your hands, Estella.'' ''I don''t like the idea of a ruse. I''m just giving you information.'' ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ......! Ginette, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, spoke up as if she couldn''t stand it. With an anxious expression, she slowly opened her mouth, as if squeezing out words that were difficult to say. ''Is that ...... okay, is that ...... okay? ''Leave it to me. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. ''No, no!It''s not that. ............ Yashiro-san is ......'' ''''Huh?'''' You can''t see the face of Ginette, who has turned her head down. But with her hands clasped tightly together, it''s not hard to imagine what kind of face she''s making. ''......If anything should happen to Yashiro-san, ............ I will ......''. I''m sure Ginette has heard at least one rumor about Regina. She may have had the impression that she was a bad wizard. However, in my opinion, the "Judgment of the Spirits," which turns into a frog as soon as a lie is pointed out, is a bad magic. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Well, I''ll be very careful, so don''t worry about it. ''............ yes''. I don''t even know what I should be careful about, but I''ll just smile and say so. It''ll only make you feel better. ''Well, Mo-Mat, I''m sorry to interrupt. ''Oh, yeah, ......, no problem.'' I thanked Mormat for the information and put my hand on the cart. ''Yashiro! ''Hmm? ''...... Be careful, man.'' ''Oh.'' I give the worried crocodile a quick wave. If you look like that, Jeannette''s anxiety will be contagious. Don''t worry. I say goodbye to Mormat, and we start walking towards the Sunken Pavilion. ''Is this what you wanted? I ask Estella, who is approaching next to me as we walk. But Estella doesn''t answer the question, and after a moment of silence, she says something like this. ''I''ve met Regina before. Oh, ......, is that so? ''What was your impression of her? ''I don''t know. Everything about her is out of the ordinary for me.'' ''...... That sounds like a troublesome person.'' ''But I''d like to think that ...... he''s not a bad person, .............'' You''re wishing. You should have at least said ''I think'', you know. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ''Are you going to listen to me honestly? ''There will be a charge, though.'' ''I thought so. Then I guess I''ve earned my fee this time.'' Estella smiles weakly. ''Is the shortage of medicine really that serious? ''............ Are you able to read people''s minds? Estella looks surprised for a moment, but then she puts on her usual calm face and stares off into the distance. She walks forward, keeping pace with me. ''The Apothecary''s Guild provides medicines to the nobility and the large guilds at a reasonable price, benefiting from their power. On the other hand, they sell medicines to ordinary citizens at exorbitant rates. ''It''s up to the guilds to decide the price of their goods. If it''s a necessity, there will be demand even if you raise the price a little. ''I don''t mind if it''s a little ......, as long as it''s not too much for the average citizen to afford. ''Is it that expensive? If the price is beyond the reach of the buying public, the product will naturally fail to sell. There must be a limit to how much you can raise the price. But Estella, with a sullen face, denied what I thought was common sense. ''I bet not even 10% of the people in the 42nd district can afford the medicine. ''That''s no way to run a business. ''You don''t have to make it work. The aristocrats are with us. So you don''t need to sell medicines at low prices, as long as the nobles buy them as needed. ...... If it''s connected to the church as well, then I guess the apothecary guild won''t go bankrupt. ''The apothecary guild will still be fine ......, but what about those who can''t get medicine because of that? They fall ill because they can''t buy medicine. ...... It''s a common sight in historical dramas. ...... ''If you can see with your own eyes that Regina''s medicine is usable, I want to spread her medicine throughout the Forty-Two Wards. ''What if it''s useless? ''Then it''s status quo. I see. So it''s worth a try, and even if it doesn''t work, there''s no downside. ''...... Except that I''d be in trouble. ''...... I''m sorry. I''ve got a reason why I can''t move freely. Rarely does Estella show a sad expression. This guy has a face like this too. I''m not going to pry into the ...... reasons why you can''t move freely. It doesn''t really matter. If you can''t move, don''t move. ''Can I ask you a favor? ''I''ll get something in return. ''...... What do you want? ''You.'' ''Huh? Estella stops and stiffens as if petrified. ''You''re asking about the information that ...... has--'' ''Well, don''t break up the words in confusing places, please! Estella is approaching, crunching down the muddy road. Whoa, stop!Mud is flying! ''So, what information do you want? ''Various things. About the guild, about the various permissions...'' ''I''ve already given you all that, haven''t I? ''I want to go one step further and ask about the weaknesses of the ...... lords.'' Estella''s expression disappears. This guy with a straight face looks terrifying, but also a bit beautiful. ''...... are you trying to do something to the lord? ''No way. I''m a pacifist, I wouldn''t willingly cause a scene, would I? ''Then why do you want to use my lord''s weakness? ''It''s just a bargaining chip. It''s an insurance policy in case you suffer a disadvantage in the future. ''Are you planning to do something against the lord? ''Not at the moment, but I''m not sure what would be against the law in this city. ''I never thought I''d become a criminal for making bread. ''If I ever find myself in a position where I''m being hunted like that, ......''. I''m going to say this in a serious voice and without any jokes. It''s my life that''s at stake. With a serious face, I tell Estella straight out. ''I want you to stay by my side. ''............'' ''With you, I feel like I can manage most things. ''............Yashiro''. ''What is it? ''.............................. Sounds like a proposal.'' Instantly, Estella''s face turns bright red. Her back slowly bends, her face turns downward, and she cradles her head in her arms as if to cover it. Then she stretches out her right arm to show me that she doesn''t want me to get any closer. ''I understand what you''re trying to say. I''m sure I can give you a good reply. However, I would like you to wait to reply to me now. That ............ even if you know it''s not, ............ I know it''s not. ............Sorry, I can''t ......''. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure what to make of it,......, but I didn''t intend for it to be that way either,............, and my heart is beating fast! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m not sure what to say. I want to run away right now, but the dolly is too heavy for me. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on this subject in the future. I don''t know what I was thinking, but he''s been pacing next to me all day. ...... This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. Would you please come back to ...... me? In the end, none of us said a word as we walked in silence from there until we returned to the sunlit pavilion. This is the first time I''ve ever thought this journey was so long. ...... I was more tired than I needed to be. I really hope we don''t have to go see an unidentified pharmacist after this. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. I took the leftover ingredients to the kitchen and put the cart away in the courtyard. In the meantime, Ginette was diligently preparing for the opening of the store,......, but her expression was still somewhat gloomy. ''Ginette. ''Yes,.......'' You really are a worrier, aren''t you? It''s just the two of us. I guess I''ll just have to cheer him up. Well, you know. I can''t do customer service like this. It''s for sales, in other words. ''Don''t worry too much. Bad things don''t come true that often. ''...... Isn''t that right? ''When we''re worried, we build up images of bad things. But the worst situation that you imagine doesn''t come true. It''s a waste of time to think about it. ''............ yes'' Jeannette''s expression did not change. She must have been thinking very negatively. ''See you later, Jeannette. Try to put into words the anxiety you''re feeling right now. I''ll deny it all.'' ''...... deny?'' ''Ah. I''ll take care of all your worries. I''ll take care of all your worries so you can go about your business as usual.'' Bertina''s stomachache should be gone by tomorrow. Mostly, she''s worried about ''what if it doesn''t go away'' or ''maybe it''s my fault'' or something like that. If you deny it clearly, it will lighten his heart a little. There are times when you need someone to assure you. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine. Especially when you''re feeling weak. A quick answer would be even better. Then I''ll play that role for you. ...... for the sake of sales. ''So, can I go to ...... now? ''Yeah. Go ahead and spill your guts.'' ''Yes ............ soo .......'' Taking a deep breath, Jeannette spat out the words in a daring manner. ''I''m very worried that Yashiro-san will leave this place! ''That''s not possible. ........................ hmm?'' ''Are you sure! ''What?Ah,......'' ''Huh? What about Bertina''s story? ''............ thank goodness ......'' Ginette patted her chest, relieved. Her shoulders are lowered and she seems to be relaxed. I mean, ...... what?What? You''re going to lose me? Why did you think that? Did you get the feeling that I was going to run away in the night? ''Yashiro-san. ''Hmm?Ah, what is it? ''Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I feel much lighter. You''re really great, Yashiro-san! Ginette bowed her head and smiled a big smile. ''Oh, yeah, ............ well...'' I don''t know what ...... it is, but it seems to have cheered her up. So, it''s all good,............? I''m going to get ready to open the store. Yashiro-san is .............'' As he was about to say this, his expression faded for a moment. But he smiles hard and turns to me. ''Take care and have a good day. ''Yeah, ...... I''ll be there.'' Ginette saw me off, and I left the sunlit pavilion. The whole time I was walking towards the main street, I was thinking about Ginette. I wondered what had troubled her, and what she had done to solve it. ............ I''m very worried that Mr. Yashiro is going to leave this place! I''m going to leave the Sunshine Pavilion............? Where did he get that idea? ...... ''I don''t know ............'' As I walked along without an answer, I found myself in front of the apothecary that Estella had told me about. I couldn''t prepare myself for anything. What will be, will be. The apothecary was located in a small alleyway beyond the main street, a one-story house with a rather ramshackle exterior but nothing unusual. There is a tin plate hanging above the door. Marked on it was a symbol that looked like a triangular flask. I can''t help but think of how frightened Mormat was. I wonder what kind of freaks will come out of him. ...... If you keep your mind calm and cool,......, you should be able to negotiate successfully if you are careful not to be overwhelmed at the first meeting. ''Okay,......, let''s go. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following address. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for before you buy. Inside, a peculiar smell that seemed to be from medicine drifted out. It was dimly lit, and the shelves lining the walls were lined with a variety of unfamiliar products, giving the shop a sense of oppression. Something moved in the back of the store, which was rather bizarre. It was a beautiful ...... woman wearing a pitch black robe and a pointy hat like a wizard. Her long green hair hung down over her face as she stared at me. There is nothing strange about the way she looks,...... but the atmosphere she wears is not normal,...... and that''s the way I feel. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. Without blinking, she stares at me, sometimes scrutinizing my eyes, and slowly, slowly approaches me. Then, when he came right in front of me, he stopped, and this time he brought his face closer to mine. Regina''s face came so close that our noses almost touched, and a faint flowery scent tickled my nostrils. Perhaps it was because she had been indoors for so long, but her skin was clear and white, with a fine texture. Her skin is beautiful. Her eyes have a mysterious impression as if she is not looking anywhere, and her small nose creates a charming impression. In a different way from Magda, a face with an unrealistic beauty, like a fake, is observing my face from a distance, as if it is about to touch me. ''Oh, that ...... guy, he''s close to me. ......'' ''What ......? Hearing my voice, Regina took a couple of steps back. Then she clapped her hands in agreement, pointed at me and said in a loud voice. ''Hey, you''re a customer, aren''t you? Ka ............ Kansai dialect! The first contact with the mysterious pharmacist with a mysterious aura gave me a tremendous shock in a sense. 31-Ill trust you in episode 29. ''There are rarely people here, so I didn''t notice. Regina smiles, waving her hands in the air like an old lady. What''s with this guy? What''s with the Kansai dialect? I''m not sure if it''s the spoonful of "forced translation magic"? Or is it ............ I''m sure Mormat said that Regina came from outside ...... Maybe he''s a ...... ''Hey, hey!You.'' What do you mean ''you''?I have a proper name, Regina, so do you call me that?It''s not nice to be called you. ''Oh, sorry, sorry. ......'' ''Yeah. It''s okay if you understand. You''re a good, honest girl, aren''t you, self? ''I think ...... ''myself'' is rather unpleasant, too.'' ''Is that so? What''s with this fast-paced woman? Well, okay. More importantly, ...... ''Regina came to Allbloom from the outside, didn''t she? ''Yes, she did. How do you know her? ...... Have we met before? ''No, I heard it from a friend. ''There aren''t many good rumors about ...... us, are there?There''s nothing but bad rumors at .......'' ''Oh, no, that''s why!What town were you in before?'' I asked Regina, who was on the verge of a coma. If the name ''Osaka'' comes up, that''s it. If you know someone from the same town, you might be able to get a lot of information. ''The town you were in before?Baokri Air.'' ''...... famous for spices? ''Yes. That''s where I''m from. How do you know that? ...... Oops, did I mention that I''m not very nice?So, what should I call you? ''I''m Yashiro.'' ''Yashiro. ...... Yeah, I got it.'' Regina smiled at him. Her face was innocent and vaguely cute. What the hell. You''re not suspicious at all. Rather, she seems like a cool guy with a good personality. ''Oh, so, I have a question for you: ......'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m looking for my glasses right now. Without them, you can''t see anything.'' So that''s why you came so close. ...... Well, I thought it was too close, but... ''Do you want me to help you find it? ''Oh, really?No~, that would be great. I''m glad you said that, even if it''s just a feeling. ''It''s just a feeling, but you said you''d look for .......'' ''Yeah, yeah. Thanks a lot. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. You mean ...... not being relied ...... on? I''m not sure what to do. It''s not like I really want to help. As I watched Regina crawl around on the floor looking for her glasses, I spotted them on a table in the middle of the store. She really can''t see, can she? ''Regina. They''re on the table.'' ''Table?I don''t see it. We''re not using the table today.'' ''Yes, you do.'' ''No, it''s not. You''re looking at it wrong. How can you go wrong with glasses? ...... Fed up with Regina''s refusal to believe me, I pick up the glasses on the table. Then I put them on Regina''s face as she crouched down. ''Oh no!What? Perhaps surprised by the sudden clarity of her vision, Regina made a strange noise and looked up. Then, our gazes collided perfectly. ''Hey, you see that?'' I say, but Regina doesn''t respond. She stares up at me with a blank expression on her face. Then, her eyes widened. And then she opened her eyes and let out a huge scream. ''Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I thought he''d pulled out a mandragora. Immediately after the strange scream, Regina took refuge behind the counter and hid behind it, staring at me as if she were watching me. ''Hi, hi, hi, hi, there''s a person...... person............ i, good, when did you......'' ''When did you ...... just have a conversation with me? ''I didn''t think you were a real person! ''Huh? No, because you said you were a customer. ''Umm, we ...... have been very distant from the people of this town. ...... No one has come to visit us, and we''ve been all alone for a long, long time...'' .........At some point, I started to see people who weren''t there. ......'' ''You''re scaring me! ''Well, this time too, I thought there was an invisible ''visitor''. ......'' ''You''re too much of a loner, aren''t you! This guy was always talking to imaginary customers! ...... So he didn''t even take her up on her offer to help. ............ Imaginary customers can''t find what they''re looking for. ...... ''Oh,oh,......, that''s not good,......'' ''Oh, hey. What''s wrong with you?'' Regina begins to shake, and leans against the couch. She looks pale, as if she''s about to collapse. ''We haven''t ...... talked to anyone in weeks, maybe even months, so we don''t talk ...... much.'' ''No, I''m more of a crazy talker.'' Regina clings to the counter and manages to get up on wobbly legs. She stares at me through her glasses and gives me a quizzical look. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... Did you come to kick us out? ''Why would you do that? ''After all, there''s no other reason to come to this store. ......'' ''I''m a customer!Customer! ''Keep your jokes to your face! ''Whose face is the joke? ''The landlady said you were charming and pretty! ''A customer?In my store?Han!That''s not funny, even if it was a joke. ......'' Regina''s attitude suddenly changes. Her expression is distorted, and a feeling similar to hatred can be clearly seen. It''s as if there''s a black aura behind her. ...... ''I''ve ...... never seen that face before. ...... Are you a newcomer? ''Yeah. I''m a recent arrival to the city. ''I bet you are.'' ''Are you even able to recognize the faces of the people in this ward? ''............ I don''t recognize any of them. ............ Because no one talks to me. I don''t even have a chance to see their faces. ...... How did you get hooked up with them? ...... ''But the only people I can think of who come to my store are newcomers.'' ''Why is that? ''Everyone in this town seems to be ...... like .................. me.'' ''Hate''? ''Don''t you want to be clear?I''ve barely even acknowledged it yet! No, you should admit it. Don''t get all teary-eyed over this. ...... You said it yourself. ''............Yeah. We are hated anyway,...... just because we are a little bit different from others,...... after you hate us for that,......'' It''s not the same as the Medicine Man''s Guild. This is why he has been harassed rather than persecuted ....... Probably, it is the pressure to ''follow the rules of the Medicine Guild and do not disobey''. Because they rebelled against it, they were deprived of their freedom and dignity in exchange for a few rights. It would have been better if they had become uncomfortable and left. ''Well, it is true that being different from others is often avoided,......, but you,'' he said. ''We are very beautiful! ''........................? What''s he talking about? ''I know what you mean. ...... You don''t want to admit to the feelings of the people on the street. ...... Don''t you?You don''t want to admit that there is a woman who is more beautiful than you. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ............ I really don''t know if this guy is negative or positive. ''...... I''m sure the guys avoid you too. ''I''m sure he''s a Takamine no Hana ...... kind of guy.'' ''............ "Gah!"'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''...... I have.'' So you have. I had a feeling you might have, seeing how frightened you were of Mormat. ''...... How do you know?'' ''I know it when I see it.'' ''What the hell is wrong with me? ......'' What''s wrong with you? ''Why do they hate me so much ......? ............'' The aura of darkness that surrounds Regina is becoming thicker and thicker. It was darker and darker than the rain clouds that covered the sky. You can almost see the negative aura like a haze in your vision. ''I ...... haven''t done anything wrong, but ............'' I''ve heard that there''s a mysterious aura around you. ''We ...... don''t give off that kind of aura. ......'' No, no, no. If you come here to buy medicine and you''re bombarded with this downer atmosphere, you''ll want to avoid it in the future, normally. ''We ...... sometimes think about ............ what we would do if someone from the city got jealous of us and came to our house. ......And then, in an attempt to catch me, about five burly men would tear this house to pieces. ......'' You''re starting to sound paranoid. ...... What am I supposed to do?Should I just listen for now? ''Hey, did you see that? No, it''s empty! "Search properly, you idiot! "Only in the dark! You''re so annoying! You''ll be hunting me down at .......'' Sounds like fun, those intruders. ''So, I''m hiding in a hidden room under the floor, and they finally find me. The men catch us with their beastly eyes glittering. "Whoa!You''re even more boppin'' than they say! "I''ve never seen such a beauty! If I wasn''t on a mission, I''d go out and beat her up for tea.'' ...... as I''m being taken away. So it looks like you''re having fun, those intruders. Also, the positivity interjected here and there is as disturbing as sand in a clam. ''And then, we''ll be taken away and thrown out of the city where hexenbiests roam and buried in the dark. .................. What if that happens? What if that happens? It''s not! I was slightly annoyed by the long but contentless delusions that accompanied me. ''...... We talked a lot, but ...... you can''t just cut us off with one word like that. ......... ...too much.'' It''s true that it was a long story, but in terms of content, I think ''no'' is enough of a reply. ''In the first place, the reason why the townspeople are avoiding you is because they are not familiar with the medicine you make. It''s hard to use an unfamiliar medicine when you''re weak, isn''t it? ''I''ve explained to them many times that it''s absolutely safe. ......'' ''That''s why you don''t understand. ''If you think I''m lying, try this stuff called "Genie-han"! I don''t know why no one calls me back. ......'' Oh, ...... I see. That attitude makes me think that there''s something more to this guy. So that''s why he was giving you a weird idea. You can''t turn a frog into a frog by applying the Judgment of the Spirits. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. With ....... ''Why don''t you believe me? I''m not sure what to do. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. More to the point, ...... I look around the store. There were many ingredients that I was familiar with. Blackened geckos, bottled newts, seahorses, shark fins. I guess these ingredients are ''impossible'' to the residents of this city. Even if they were told that geckos are good for you, they would probably think, ''Bullshit! I''m sure they''d think, ''Bullshit! ''If my medicine is horseshit, I''ll take it myself!Are you trying to test me with ''Genie-han no nana''?If I don''t turn into a frog, it means I''m not lying, right?Isn''t that right?Then call me as soon as possible!''What''s with the genie? ''It''s close, close!It''s so close!I''m a little scared! That''s why you''re coming at me so confidently, you''re scaring everyone. Regina approached me, talking and talking, until we were almost forehead to forehead. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you get through the day. ...... It''s a good idea to tell the truth as it is, but it can also make people suspicious of you. In such a case, if you add a little lie, the other person will believe you easily. For example, if you say, ''Gecko can be taken safely by mixing with this herb'', they may think, ''Don''t worry!It''s not a problem at all!Seriously, there''s nothing to worry about! Seriously, there is nothing to worry about! Even if the gecko itself is harmless. It is more important to make people believe that there is no harm than the fact that there is no harm. As far as I can see, there is nothing suspicious in the store. Most of them are plants that are used as ingredients in Chinese medicine and herbal medicines that can be found in Japan. It is probably true that Regina''s medicine is harmless. But this guy''s desperation was backfiring on him. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ''...... You don''t believe me anyway, do you?......My medicine is ......fun............'' Frankly, it''s a pain in the ass. The invalidation of the Judgment of the Spirits was, after all, the assumption of the Mormats,....... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. I really want to go home right now. ...... I don''t like the fact that Ginette is so worried about Bertina that she has a downcast look on her face, and Estella looks so lonely and out of character. It''s depressing to watch. So I have to get some medicine from the negative pharmacist crouching in the corner of the store. ''Regina''. He calls out her name and walks up to Regina. Then he crouches down and makes eye contact with Regina. If you''ve gotten this far because you don''t believe me, then believe her. Just tell her you believe her. After all, I know the potion Regina makes is effective. That''s knowledge. So I''m going to make it very clear. ''I believe in your medicine. ''You''re lying! ''No, you believe it! I don''t understand why I''m being questioned when I said I believe you. ''Anyway, as soon as you see the medicine I prepared, you''ll say, "I can''t do it! right?I get it!You''re going to approach me like that and then betray me as soon as I let you in, aren''t you! .................. Wow, ...... is annoying... ... This guy is a little too sultry for his own good. Well, maybe that''s just what he''s been through. You don''t want to be fooled, so you keep people away. At first glance, this seems to be the most effective way to prevent fraud. However, people who think they don''t want to be deceived are more likely to be deceived. In particular, this guy is even talking to an imaginary "customer" created by his delusion. This is proof that he is hungry for people. I want to be close to someone. But I''m afraid of being rejected or betrayed. Then it''s better to be alone from the start. That''s the typical thought that Regina is having right now. Well, I guess that''s why she can go with the typical solution. ''Well, Regina. Let''s do this.'' I held up my index finger and made this suggestion. ''Now, I want you to mix up some kind of potion right in front of me. ''...... Now?Right here?'' ''Yes. Can you do that?'' ''No, I don''t mind, but ...... why? ''To prove that the potion you''re concocting isn''t something fishy.'' Then I look Regina straight in the eye and assure her once and for all. ''I promise. I''ll make sure to try the potion you''ve concocted right here and now. ''You just said that. ......'' ''If you''re lying, call me the Judgment of the Spirits. At my words, Regina finally shuts up. It''s the same line I''ve been throwing at my opponents for years. If you say that, there is no way you can argue with her. If you do, you will be denying yourself that you have been asking them to believe you. ''.................. All right. I''ll be ready in a minute.'' With that, Regina got up and walked back to the counter. I stared at her as she went to work and thought silently. Everyone is afraid of something they don''t know what it is. When you''re all black, speak unfamiliar words, have an extremely wide range of ideas, and use unknown materials, it''s no wonder people shy away from you. But I am not fooled by such things. The black clothes and unfamiliar words add to the suspiciousness, but that''s all I''m saying. It''s just ''unfamiliar'', but it''s not evil in itself. It''s just black clothes and a dialect. As for the range of ideas, ......, well, it''s only slightly tiring and has nothing to do with medicine. And the materials used. I know that geckos and unseen herbs ...... can be used for medicine. As long as you know, there''s nothing to worry about. So there''s no reason to doubt. I know that the medicine Regina makes is legitimate. If we can prove it and make it known, others will come to rely on this place. ''.................., what''s that? ''What''s that, it''s an ingredient for medicine. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... ...... Mandragora?No, but it is a citrus fruit, no matter how you look at it. ''............ What''s this? ''What''s that? It''s a medicine ingredient. Oh, shit. Is this guy testing me every step of the way? I''m sure he purposely chose the most suspicious ingredients that you wouldn''t normally see! In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you''ll be able to contact us at the web site. ...... Keep it to geckos, please. ...... ''......By the way, let me ask you, what is this ......?'' ''What, it''s an ingredient for medicine. This guy''s darkness is pretty deep too. ...... The last thing you see is a sludgy liquid ...... or gel. A translucent, pale lime green gel. It was none other than the slime, a creature known to all RPG lovers. ...... Is it good for you,it? ''...... Hey.'' ''What do you mean, it''s for medicine? ...... It''s that kind of personality that makes people avoid him. In order to regain his trust, he may need to correct his character first. With that in mind, I watched Regina work. Her handiwork is good, and her technique is very skillful. Without hesitation, and yet delicately, the suspicious objects are being reduced to powder. ...... I didn''t know that slime turns into a solid when you burn it with fire. I''ve never heard of it. I''ve never heard of this before. It was made of stone and had a shape I''d seen before. A long, thin container and a disc-shaped stone with a handle in the center. You roll it around to grind the material into powder. The only sound in the room was the ...... sound of the grinding wheel pulling the powder. Regina''s face was serious as she pulled the powder. She seemed to be taking the medicine seriously. In contrast to the clutter in the room, the tools, such as the pestle and mortar, seemed to be carefully cared for. ''......Yes! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I wonder if it''s finished. As she gazed at the finished powder, her face showed a gentle expression full of affection, like a mother cat gazing at her newborn kittens. After transferring the finished powder to a petri dish, Regina took out a triangular flask from under the desk. ''Put this on to finish it and you''re done. She tilts the flask. What poured out of the flask was a dark green liquid that looked like the living blood of an alien. What had been a mere powder earlier became firmer and firmer with an eerie sound of ''swoosh swoosh swoosh'' the moment it mixed with the alien''s living blood (in my opinion). In a corner of my mind, I thought it was like a candy that changes its color the more you knead it. I remembered that Regina''s outfit was very similar to that of the "typical" wizard in the candy commercials. The resemblance is so striking that I wonder if one of them is copying the other. ''It''s done! Seriously? ...... I wonder why it swelled up? In the first place, each and every one of those ingredients is too mysterious. In the first place, what is this medicine for? I have so many things to say and so many questions to ask. ''Come on, drink it!Don''t worry!There''s no problem at all!If you don''t think I''m lying, you can just call me ''genie''s whatnot''!I''ll never turn into a frog! Wow, ...... is really coming on strong. ............ This is scary ...... and people will avoid it ...... I''m sure this guy only speaks the truth. ...... The truth is even more stinky than a lie in some cases. ............ I''m sure he''s only speaking the truth.You can''t drink it yourself anyway!You can''t trust me, even if I say so!If that''s the case, why don''t you go home right now and never come back here again! Well, normally, I would have kicked this kind of nonsense out with a single word, "Can''t drink! Normally, I would have kicked this kind of nonsense out with a single word, "Can''t drink!" and left this stinky place immediately. ...... But that''s not the case right now. I have to convince this guy. Trust over facts: ...... I''m going to make him believe that I trust Regina, with or without his permission. How about that?You can say whatever you want with your mouth, but when it comes down to it,............, what? I stretched out my arm and dug my fingers into the frothy potion that seemed to change color the more I kneaded it. You''ll find a lot of people who''ve been in the business for a long time, and you''ll find a lot of people who''ve been in the business for a long time. ''............ Ah'' ''......Hmm'' He takes the finger out of his mouth and flicks it around a bit with his tongue. ''...... Well, it''s kind of a drug. Usually. ''............ yourself............, you''ve put it in your mouth... ...without any hesitation. ''I told you I believe you, didn''t I? ''Well, ............ this ............... ...something so disgusting that even I don''t want to talk about it. ......'' Hey! Did you just offer me something you don''t like? What a guy. Unbelievable. ...... ''You didn''t think it was poisoned, did you? ''You''d never poison me. Regina asks with serious eyes. The expression on her face looked fragile, as if she might start crying at any moment if she was not careful. So I answered her in a light tone. ''There''s no way I can do that to my own medicine. Right?'' The way he was mixing the medicine, I could see his sincerity to the point of stupidity. It''s hard to believe that someone like that would poison the medicine. More importantly, there''s no advantage to him poisoning me. In fact, there are only disadvantages. If word gets out that he''s a dangerous pharmacist, he won''t be able to survive in this town anymore. The fact that he''s staying in this town despite his loneliness means that he has no intention of leaving. If that''s the case, there''s no way he''s going to do something that will make people around him uncomfortable. So he won''t poison me. That''s what I thought. ''...... You''re so strange. ''I don''t want to be told by you. At my rebuttal, Regina, who had been looking a little tearful and surprised, broke her expression and smiled a soft ...... smile. I''m not sure what to say. Trust me. The smile is the same as the first smile I saw when I first came here,...... which is to say, it''s a vulnerable smile that Regina only shows to invisible customers that she has forgiven,...... and I''ve been able to step into that territory. I was able to enter that realm. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. I, too, will allow myself to be called ''I''. ''Hey, I''m sorry for doubting you. If you want to talk to me, just tell me anything. If there''s anything I can do to help, I''ll do it. Now that the sting is gone, she seems really cool and easy to get along with. I don''t dislike the apology that she bends at the right angle and the vulnerable smile that follows. It''s just that it''s ...... heartbreaking. ''I''m sorry, do you have any paper?I need to wipe my fingers.'' ''Yeah, sure. You licked it, so it''s bubba bubba.'' What do you mean, ''bubba bubba''? It sounds dirtier than "batchy. My saliva''s not that dirty. What I want to wipe is ...... ''Yes. Here, use this.'' ''Sorry.'' He takes the offered paper with his left hand so as not to be recognized. Then, wrapping all the fingers of my right hand around it, I quickly destroy the evidence so that Regina can''t see it. The more you knead it, the more the color will change, which is still firmly attached to my middle finger. Regina seemed to be fooled by it. ...... I took the potion with my middle finger and put my index finger in my mouth. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for before you buy. I really didn''t think ...... Regina was going to poison me. I didn''t expect it, but ...... I definitely didn''t want to put that overtly suspicious potion in my mouth!I didn''t want to die! I''m sure Regina was impressed with my "undeterred appearance" as I quickly sucked it into my mouth for the finger swapping trick. ...... She didn''t even know she was being tricked. But, you know, there are times when it''s better to be tricked, right? Maybe this will be a chance for Regina to be accepted by the residents of District 42. If that happens, the deception I just committed will be called a heroic and wise decision. So, the truth is still in the dark. Even con artists are useful sometimes. Hmm. ''Oh, well. I forgot to mention ......''. When I was safely done destroying the evidence of the scam, Regina laid her hands on me and said this to me. ''This drug is a very powerful energy enhancer. ''What about ......? ''So, I suggest you stay away from the girl tonight. Unless she''s your girlfriend.'''' Oh, ............ that''s dangerous! It''s a good thing you only pretend to lick it. Thank God, he only pretended to lick it! I thought I''d go with the strongest looking one I could find. I never thought I''d say it. ''...... you...'' ''It''s so powerful that you can make a lot of branch families with just one bite.'' ''That''s no longer a poisonous drug. ......'' It''s really ...... a danger to Jeannette if she had said it honestly. ...... And if that had happened, Estella would have wiped me out the next day. Hmm?Magda?............ No Magda. She''s a child. It''s a child. As I chilled my spine imagining the world of if, Regina began to squirm with her back to me. ''If ...... you don''t have a partner like that,............, you can''t help it... ...I don''t care ............ if you take responsibility ......, right? ..................responsibility? ''No, no, look!We''re responsible too, right?That''s why, you know, ............'' ''Oh, no. I''m fine. I''ll pass.'' It''s just that it smells like a mine. ''.................., why?I''m so cute.'' ''Even though it''s pretty?'' but ...... If I went around doing that to every cute guy, I''d probably get stabbed so hard I''d have to go through the Blackbeard Crisis. ............ This is no joke. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. What are you talking about? ''Do you have a girlfriend? ''No, I don''t! ''What about the genie? ''No! ''Oh no!Why isn''t it working?What about ......?You don''t have the ability to disable it, do you? ''No! I''m the one who thought there might be an ability to disable it! ''.................. Oh, okay. I know what you mean. ''......I don''t know what you''ve guessed, but I assure you, it''s not true. ''The menswear is .......'' ''No! This guy is a rascal of a woman! ''..................Hey, good luck playing solo, huh? I''ll tell you the truth that I don''t actually lick drugs. ...... I''ll destroy all of his excitement and trust. ''Can I tell you what we''re here for? ''Yeah. Yeah, sure. What kind of medicine do you want?'' ''I need something for a stomachache. ......'' ''Laxatives?I have to get cleaned up, don''t I? ''I''m going to hit you! It was more than two hours after ...... that I was able to tell Regina exactly what was going on and request medicine from her, as she had been a loner for a long time and had a nasty disease that made her ten times more paranoid when she spoke. 32-Episode 30 Peace of Mind ''I''ve had a terrible time.'' The day after my visit to Regina''s store. I found Estella at the church I was donating to and immediately made a complaint. I could have used a little more advance information. At the very least, I would have liked to have been told that Regina was a rare freak. ''But it looks like you got the medicine. You''re doing well.'' Well, not well. My mind has been worn down to the bone to get this drug. ''On the receiving end?Or offensive?Which? It took a lot of effort to convince Regina, who was heated up with incomprehensible words such as ''passive or aggressive?'', that I was an exemplary person who had common sense and did not deviate from the standard. I wish I could get a special allowance. I mean, ''Which one? I''m not. I let out a sigh as I leaned against the fence along the church grounds. Estella and I are both out in the churchyard. We can''t talk calmly in the common room because of the kids. Currently, Ginette and Bertina are preparing a meal in the church kitchen. It seems that Regina''s medicine had worked on Bertina, and she had fully recovered yesterday evening. ''Is there any food left that I couldn''t eat this morning? --I thought about hitting him with a gouge when he showed up at the sunlit pavilion with a big smile on his face. I was wondering if he was still eating. ...... Why don''t you give him a day off to rest his stomach? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that Ginette was very relieved to see Bertina eating so well. ''Didn''t the sisters say something?I''m sure you''ve heard the rumors about Regina Englind and her ...... rejection.'' ''I don''t think so. ''Is that so? ''Oh.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... Most importantly, right after that, he complained to me, ''It doesn''t taste good! He complained to me, ...... ''As more and more people use the drug, I''m sure the bad publicity will start to disappear. ''I hope it does. There''s no shortage of people who get hurt or sick. Magda is the most likely to get injured. Oh, yeah. Magda came back in the evening yesterday, but there was some ground subsidence in the forest, so she went out again after eating. It seems that while the vigilantes were repairing the landslide, he was sent out to guard the area to prevent hexenbiests from attacking. The hunting guild is more experienced in dealing with hexenbiests in the forest than the vigilantes. Upon hearing Magda''s story, Ginette hurriedly prepared a large amount of lunch and brought it to Magda. Magda would go hungry if she used the power of the Tigers. Well, it''s not like we''re hunting, so I don''t think there would be any problem if we devoured the beasts we killed. ...... Ginette must have wanted to help Magda. That is why Magda is not here now. According to the schedule, he should be back around the time the morning bell rings. Incidentally, the first bell is called the "waking bell," the next the "morning bell," and then the "noon bell" and the "end bell" in that order. The last bell is said to mean the end of the day. ...... It rings at sixteen o''clock, though. ''But it was an amazing feat to convince Regina Englind to make the potion. She''s been a bit of a misanthrope lately.'' Not a little. She was very wary of me. ''But I was also worried that she might become mentally unstable if she''s alone all the time. That''s too bad. It''s already too late. After all, the disease had progressed to the point where he was having friendly conversations with invisible customers. ''He''s a little eccentric, but he''s not a bad guy, is he? ''He was very odd and demented. ''That''s a terrible thing to say to a woman.'' Oh, come on. I was about to be drugged with a powerful energy booster. This was Jeannette''s crisis, too. If you''re being a little harsh, it can''t be helped. ''Oh, by the way...'' I remembered a very important story here, so I''ll tell it to you. ''I''ve told him to charge you for the medicine. ''...... You''re being very careful, aren''t you? ''Of course you are. Why should I pay for it? You made me go, so you''ll have to pay.'' It''s obvious that the Church doesn''t have any money, and it would be wise to force Estella to pay for it. ''So, I told her to come here today. ''This early in the morning? ''This is the only time you''ll be here for sure, right?You''ve been kind of busy lately.'' ''Well, ...... certainly takes up a bit of my time in the afternoon.'' Estella''s expression clouded. She has a somber expression that makes me imagine that she is dealing with some troublesome people. You will find a lot of things that you can do. ...... This is not good. I''ve heard that sighing is a way to get rid of happiness. What is happiness for Estella? I don''t really know what makes him happy, what makes him happy. I don''t know, but I can tell you that he would be happy if his breasts got bigger. That''s the extent of his complex, isn''t it? That means that when he sighs, the possibility of getting bigger breasts escapes him. ...... So, that''s ............ ''Estella. If you sigh, your boobs will get smaller.'' ''I''m not inflating them with air! She grabbed me by the chest as hard as she could. Whoa, your face is scary! Close, close, close! That''s way beyond the distance a maiden should be allowed to approach. Have some shyness, okay? I was just wondering if you''d smile. I was just wondering if you''d laugh. ''Hey! And then I heard a strange voice from behind me. Leaning against the fence, I turned my head to look behind me, and Estella peered over my shoulder. Standing there was Regina, her eyes wide with astonishment. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s your brain that''s in disarray! What the hell is he doing emitting poisonous radio waves in front of a holy church on such a clear morning? ''Hello, Regina. Good morning. Estella calls out to Regina with a smile that doesn''t show a hint of hostility. Probably, she is still at the stage where she doesn''t know how to treat her, and is still exploring. ''--You are unnecessarily refreshing. ''Shut up. Can you please keep your confidences to yourself? No. I couldn''t help but hear the sub-voice in my voice. Hey, can you let go of my collar? I feel like you''ve been pressing me for a long time. ''Myself............, I see............, I''m an uke, aren''t I? ''uke''?What''s that?Do you know what that is? Hey, stop it, Estella. Excessive information is poison for your brain cells. ''Don''t tell me, after yesterday, you two were alone in this place until dawn? What''s the word that follows that ''in''?What the hell?No, you don''t have to say!I mean, don''t tell me!I don''t even want to hear it! ''Yashiro ......, what the hell is she talking about? ''Don''t ask me. I don''t want to explain. The only thing is, she thinks you''re a man.'' ''Me?Ha, no way.'' ''Don''t smile so briskly, it''s even more misleading. ''Because I''ve met her before, remember? ''So she must have met you before and judged you as a man. ''Oh no, you''re not Yashiro. Otherwise, why is the terminally ill patient there squirming?Can you explain? Just get away from me. You''re too close to my face. You''re making me nervous. ''You have a great expression. ...... Beautiful woman and wild man ............ There you go. ......'' Don''t use funny symbols to describe me. And who''s a wannabe? I''m not sure what to do. Just as I was starting to get a mysterious migraine, Jeannette came out of the church. She''s running toward me, flipping her fluttering apron. ''Your meal is ready~! ''I didn''t expect you to attack me sideways! ''Heee! Ginette cowers at Regina''s strange voice. ''......No, but if that''s the case, the attacker and the receiver will be reversed ......?It''s not as if this beautiful woman is his girlfriend,......, because he said he didn''t have a girlfriend,.............'' ''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san. Who is this person? ''I''m a pharmacist who can''t cure the disease I''m suffering from.'' ''Ha, ha...... disease?'' ''The bottom of the middle who interrupts a beautiful couple ............, but Reito is curious about the bottom of the middle .......'' I''m not sure what to say. I don''t know what to say. ...... ''The way the conversation is going, it seems that people think I''m a man after all. ......'' ''Unfortunately, yes. And they think you''re having an affair with me. ''What?I''m not sure what to do.I can''t have that kind of misunderstanding!It''s disgraceful! If you''re disgraceful, tell it to my alleged boyfriend before you tell it to my alleged man who''s dating a man. ''Hey there, pretty lady! ''What?Is it me? Ginette shrugs as Regina locks on to her. It''s a high level of alert. ''The love between these two is real. ...... I''m sorry, but I''m giving up on that beautiful woman. ......'' ''What, what?Oh, love is ...... eh? ''Calm down, Jeannette. If you take it seriously, you''ll get infected, so cover your ears for a bit. I explained the facts to the flailing Regina. I explained the facts to the out of control Regina. ............ But Regina''s ears, immersed in her delusional world, seemed to be completely corrupted, and ...... my words didn''t seem to reach her eardrums. My words didn''t seem to reach her eardrums. I explained to Ginette that she thought Estella was a man, and that Estella and Ginette were in love, and that she and I were in a love triangle. ''I''m ...... afraid that ...... Mr. Yashiro and Estella are competing for me. --I''m sorry,......, but you''re not the one who''s competing with me, in Regina''s setting. I''m not going to get into that, though. So I''ve decided to keep my mouth shut about Regina''s illness. ...... There is nothing worth mentioning. As long as it doesn''t harm us in any way, we''ll let you do whatever you want. ...... ''By the way, Regina. Have you made your preparations?'' ''Huh?'' ''No, "Huh? No, not the ...... I explained to you yesterday. The new way of doing business.'' ''Ah, ah, ah!Oh, yeah!It''s okay. I''ve prepared everything! I didn''t call you here today just to pay you. I''ve been thinking about how to get Regina''s medicine into the 42nd district, and yesterday I told Regina how to do it. ...... This guy must have really prepared well. ............ I''m not sure what you''re referring to when you say ''new way of doing business''. As I expected, Estella immediately took a bite. She''s one of the ones who wanted to spread Regina''s medicine somehow. Well, it''s only natural. ''Regina smells fishy. ''That''s terrible, me! It''s true. ''But his medicine is useful. Bertina''s recovery proves it.'' ''What, you''re embarrassing me. Praise doesn''t get you anywhere, does it? Shut up. You don''t have to react every time. ''People get anxious when they encounter the unknown. The unfamiliar is perceived as an object of awe. The symbol of that awe is this all-black, witch-like Regina. She looks fishy, speaks in a strange way, uses ingredients I''ve never seen before, and the store has an eerie atmosphere. --No one would go to such a place to buy medicine. No one would go to such a place to buy medicine, especially medicine that could be deadly, from such a fishy place. No one. But if you know who you''re dealing with and can determine what it is, all your worries will disappear. Then, it will only be a matter of time before Regina''s medicine takes root in the 42nd district. After all, the medicines of the Pharmacists Guild created by Regina are reasonably priced and easy on the pockets of the common people. It was generally recognized that the medicines of the Apothecary''s Guild were valuable items that belonged to large merchants and nobles. There were no medicines available at the Sunken Pavilion either. ''If Regina''s medicine becomes more familiar, people will feel a sense of security even if the raw materials themselves are not well known. After all, a sense of security is essential for medicine. In Japan, there were many medicines that contained ingredients such as "daidaiou extract" or "ibuprofen" that people had heard of but had never seen before or did not know what they were. If you are told that a product contains coenzyme Q10, you will think that it is good for your skin because you have ''learned'' it. I have not actually witnessed the effects of coenzyme Q10 on my skin. It''s just what I''ve heard. But it is what we know that gives us peace of mind. People are reassured when an ingredient they are familiar with is in the product, and they put their full trust in a drug from a company they have seen before. ''Therefore, even if the medicine is made by such a foul-smelling pharmacist, as long as it is familiar, it will be trusted. ''Don''t you think you''re being too harsh? Ignoring Regina''s protests, I continued. ''You feel anxious because you encounter the unknown. Then you should shut out the unknown. ''I understand the logic, but what do you actually want me to do? ''I''ll give you the specifics. Regina. ''Here you go.'' I held out my hand and Regina held out a medicine chest. I opened the lid and saw that it was filled with various kinds of medicines. ''It''s a huge variety,'' she said. ''Intestines, antipyretics, antiseptics, antiseptics, tranquilizers, ...... and many more.'' ''It''s amazing ......, I''ve never seen so many medicines before.'' Ginette looks into the medicine chest and rolls her eyes. The medicine chest in the hunting guild was empty except for a few wound medicines. It probably didn''t contain anything like fever reducers or cold remedies. ''Just keep one of these in the house and you''ll be able to handle most problems.'' That''s right. It should be enough to deal with illnesses and injuries that occur in normal life, not to mention serious injuries that could kill you or incurable diseases. ''But it would be impossible to have this in every home. ''Isn''t that right ......? Estella and Ginette''s expressions clouded when they saw how well stocked the medicine chest was. That''s why ...... ''I''m sure no family can afford to buy so many medicines. ''I have no idea how many gold coins it would take to buy all these medicines. Medicine in this world is expensive. That''s common sense. ''By the way, do you have any idea how much it would cost to order this much medicine from the Apothecary Guild? ''I don''t know. ...... I''ve never bought this much before, so ...... I''m just guessing, but I think it would be enough to keep me busy for a few years.'' I see. That''s a lot of money that the average person can''t afford. ''Are you trying to sell this gorgeous set at a discount to compete with the Medicine Men''s Guild? Estella asks, looking at the medicines one by one. Regina, being the diligent person that she is, hand-wrote the name of the medicine, its effects and dosage on each of the medicine bags. ''Well, I guess you could say it''s cheap. ''I''ll learn from you. ''If you can afford it, I''d like to have one for my house. I''m afraid of ...... disease.'' Ginette''s eyes suddenly took on a lonely hue. By the way, this guy lost his grandfather. ...... Was he sick? If so, I''m sure he couldn''t afford medicine. ...... ''So, how much is it? Ginette''s big eyes look at me, their sadness gone. I was a little nervous, perhaps because I had become sentimental in my own imagination. And then, uncharacteristically, I thought about how I wanted to ...... make her happy. I''ll answer the question, imagining the joy in Ginette''s eyes as she stares at me. ''It''s free. ''........................What? ''He says the money needed to get this medicine chest is zero.'' ''Ke, but, no such ...... thing, indeed, that''s ......''. Ginette''s gaze shifts from me to Regina. As if she sensed this, Regina smiled and proudly declared. ''You can have it for free, I don''t mind at all! I was trying to get her to look pleased, but perhaps the shock was too much for her. ...... Ginette''s face froze in a blank stare. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up being a victim of any kind of fraud. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... You know... It''s the end of the world. ''But if that''s the case, how come such a gorgeous set is free .................. and fake?'' ''You''re a handsome man with a bad ear.'' This time, Regina raises her eyebrows. ...... I wonder if they even understand the word ''handsome''. ''The medicines in here are all genuine, first class! ''Then why are you giving them away for free? ''No one said anything about giving them away. ''......What?'' Estella''s expression hardens and her gaze turns to me. Her eyes look as if she''s reached the limit of her thoughts and wants an answer. I have no choice. I''ll explain it to her. ''This is, this is a "leftover medicine". It''s one of the ways they sell medicine in Japan. ''As I said before, it''s free to ''get'' this set. However, if you use any of the medicines in this set, you will be charged for that medicine. If you use 10Rb of cold medicine from the medicine box, you will be asked to pay 10Rb at the time of settlement. ''Every month, or every week if the medicine is used frequently, Regina will visit you periodically to check the usage of the medicine. At that time, she receives payment for the missing medicines and replenishes them with new ones. ''So if I don''t use it, I won''t have to pay for it forever? ''Oh. If you don''t use the medicine and it has passed its expiration date, Regina will dispose of it and replace it with a new one. ''Wouldn''t that be too much of a burden on the Pharmacists Guild? ''No, it wouldn''t.'' Regina answered Estella''s question in a light tone. ''In any case, we have a lot of stock lying around in our store, so the difference is whether we keep it here or leave it at someone else''s place. Still, you don''t seem to be convinced, so I''ll give you some additional information. ''You never know when you''ll need medicine. It''s easier to use medicine if it''s always ready than to rush out to buy it when you need it, right?That ''ease of use'' is the aim of this medicine. It is easy to use and can be relied on in an emergency. If such an image is created, the stench and uneasiness that people have about the Pharmacists Guild will be dispelled. They will come to think of it as a medicine they can trust and use. After all, the stench of the Pharmacists Guild is largely due to Regina''s outfit, her way of speaking, the unfamiliarity of the raw materials and the unique atmosphere of the store. So, if that''s the case, just cover them all up. You don''t see Regina, you don''t see the ingredients, you don''t go to the store, and you get to use the potion that works. ''At first, I''ll put medicine chests in the church and the Sunken Pavilion. ''Even in my house? ''Oh . The more monitors, the better.'' For the time being, we''ll be providing medicine from these two locations. Anyone who wants medicine should come to the church or the Sunken Pavilion. We''ll sell them there for them. It''s called outsourcing. We''ll ask Regina to come and check the stock frequently and replenish the medicine as needed. If Regina gets used to the medicines from the Pharmacists Guild, she will eventually be able to go around to each household and sell them. As a starting point, we can place medicine chests in the church and the Sunken Pavilion. ''...... is amazing.'' Ginette let out a few words. At the same time that everyone''s eyes were focused on Ginette, Ginette lifted her face from its prone position. ''It''s amazing, Yashiro-san! It was a radiant smile that seemed to blow away the thick rain clouds that covered the sky. ''If you come to my home, you can help people in need, right?This is a very great thing! Ginette''s eyes sparkled as if the needle of her emotions had swung over. ''There are many people who are suffering from lack of medicine. There are many people whose lives could be saved if they had ...... medicines. ............ We can give a small hand to such people before it is too late. It is a great relief to know that there are ...... medicines that can help such people before it is too late. I am sure that Regina''s medicine will save many people. I''m sure everyone will be grateful to you, Regina! Ginette approached Regina. Regina is being pushed slightly. ''Oh, thanks a lot. I hope you''ve been promoting this medicine so that you can do so. ''Yes!Leave it to me! Ginette took Regina''s hand and shook it. Ginnette can''t stop a little when she''s on fire. ''You really amaze me every time, Yashiro. Crossing her arms, Estella comes to stand next to me with a complicated expression, half-amused, but also impressed. ''I''d like to see the inside of your head once. ''The entrance fee is expensive. ''I wonder where you get that idea, ......''. The admiration on Estella''s face faded, and her dismay deepened. However, she immediately returns to her serious expression and gives him a searching look. ''But you''re too quiet for Yashiro, or rather, I can''t see any benefit for ...... you.'' ''Seeing people''s happy faces is what makes me happiest. ''How dare you lie to me in a churchyard with an unconcerned face? Hmm. The Judgment of the Spirits can''t judge how I feel about it. Then it doesn''t matter if I tell a lie. ''Maybe it''s .......'' Estella suddenly starts to squirm. ''The ...... toilet? ''Because I asked you to?She wants to spread the Pharmacists Guild''s medicine throughout the Forty-Two Wards. ...... So, I guess you did your best ............?'' ''''No?'''' ''........................ Asou.'' The squirming stops. Is it too late for ......?Didn''t you get there in time? ''So you got excited because Regina was cute? I''m not sure what to make of it. Only the most perverted would be able to work hard for her. ''For example, Yashiro? ''Who''s a pervert? I don''t feel like giving up my efforts just because Regina asked me to. ''Then,............, because Ginette-chan will be happy?'' ''She''s usually happy no matter what you do.'' In that sense, it may be difficult to please Jeannette. If you think of ...... as the thing that would make him most happy at the right moment, he would be happy with anything, and it would be hard to decide on the best thing. I don''t know what Jeannette likes best. You can''t be sure that he''s really turned to charity,............. ''Why do you have to be so self-contained?You might be right, right? ''That''s not the only thing. I can assure you. Well, no. ''I can''t see any merit in you. ''I''m sure there are advantages, but the most obvious one is...'' ''Easy to see? ''Medicine chests only in churches and sunlit pavilions.'' ''You''ll charge a margin? ''Increasing the price will worsen the customers'' impression of the product. ''Then what?'' I give Estella, who is starting to get frustrated, a straightforward solution. ''People gather in the cafeteria for the medicine. ''What the hell is that ..................? ''When people gather, some of them will order something. If they come to buy medicine frequently, they may become acquainted. Before that, the name recognition of the sunny pavilion will go up. ''............ advertising?'' Yes. We have medicine, something that everyone needs. People who have never even come to the cafeteria before will come here for the medicine. Also, if the word spreads that ''medicine can be found at the Sunlit Pavilion'', the name ''Sunlit Pavilion'' will become a household name. The person who buys the medicine pays for it, and the Sunshine Pavilion just keeps Regina''s medicine. It won''t hurt your pocket. If you can advertise effectively for free, this is a benefit no matter how you look at it. ''In exchange for providing a place, we''ve become a sponsor of the Pharmacists Guild,'' said Yodari-tei. ''............ Yashiro, are you...'' Is that great? It''s okay to praise. ''You''re really good at seeing the far corners of things, aren''t you? ''Just give me a compliment. ''You''re wonderfully impatient, Yashiro. ''I''m not complimenting you, am I? Well, that''s why I''m going to leave the medicine for a while and see how it goes. It won''t take effect that quickly. ''''Jeannette, everyone!Let''s eat quickly! Bertina came out of the church and called us. She''s completely revived, and her complexion is even more radiant than before. If the effects of the medicine spread little by little like this, people will naturally accept it. If something happens that uses the drug on a larger scale, the awareness of the drug will explode. While I was thinking about this, I came across ............ ''Oh, my God! ''Oh, that''s the hunting guild''s ......'' Estella leans over the fence and looks down the street. Running towards her was the representative of the hunting guild, Use Damare. ''Magda is badly injured! ''''What? I knew the gods of this world were shit. ...... Who the hell would want a big deal like that? If anything happens to Magda, ...... I''m gonna kick your ass! I grabbed Regina''s medicine chest and ran out of the church. 33-Episode 31 Absolute Rest ''Don''t worry about it anymore. On the second floor of the sunlit pavilion. Regina came out of Magda''s room and wiped the sweat from her forehead. ''You had a deep wound on your stomach, but I''ve given you some hemostatic and painkillers, so you''ll be fine soon. Regina seemed to have been involved in medicine as well as pharmacology, so she helped me with the wound. All the while, I was being driven out of the room. ''I can''t let you see Magda''s naked body, no matter how unconscious she is. Estella, who had come into the room with Regina''s help, said this as she wiped her hands. The three of us talking face to face in the narrow hallway is cramped. ...... I''d like to go into my room now? ''But that was a surprise. Estella pats me on the shoulder with a slightly happy, slightly mean smile. ''I didn''t expect you to be so upset when you heard Magda was hurt. When I received the news from Use, I was running with nothing but a medicine chest in my hand. I didn''t know where to go, but I had a feeling that if I went to the city gate, I would see Magda, so I ran. If I had Regina''s medicine, I could heal my wounds. That''s what I thought. If you think about it calmly, there is nothing an amateur can do when he rushes to a badly injured person with a medicine chest. ...... I guess I was really upset at that time. It was probably my fault that Use''s face was so pale. When I saw Use''s desperate expression, my impatience got transmitted to him. Maybe. ''I''m very glad to know that you also care for your roommate. I don''t like the way you''re smirking at me. Don''t look at me like that. It''s hard to say ...... right now. In the end, Estella, who was chasing me, seized me and told me over and over again to calm down, and my head finally began to think. ...... ''I should be more calm and take appropriate measures'', I thought. Regina, who had rushed to the scene, offered to leave the matter to me, and I accompanied Use to the city gates. Magda was lying in a pool of blood in the vigilante''s quarters inside the gate. On a cot in a wooden box covered with a blanket. ''I had a lot of trouble with the big-boobed lady after she saw the blood. When Jeannette saw Magda covered in blood, she went into a half-crazed frenzy and rushed to Magda, pushing aside the vigilantes who were trying to stop her. He grabbed Magda and called her name over and over again, even though his clothes were dirty. ''That''ll be the end of you if you''re not careful, so you''d better be careful in the future. Shaking the injured man violently is counterproductive. It''s better not to move him until the bleeding stops. I pulled him away somewhat forcefully, and with my persuasion, Ginette managed to regain her composure. Seeing the distraught Jeannette, I was able to keep my cool. That''s why I was able to talk to her calmly. ''...... I heard that Jeannette''s grandfather had collapsed, coughing up a lot of blood. Suddenly Estella started talking about it. ''It seems that Jeannette coughed up blood while she was out running errands, and then lost consciousness. That''s why she might have been upset when she saw the ...... amount of blood. That''s why I thought ....... At that time, Jeannette was muttering, ''You didn''t vomit blood,......, thank God. I didn''t know what was good about it at the time, but ...... I guess he thinks that coughing up a lot of blood leads to death. If he didn''t vomit blood, he might be able to survive. These words came out of that thought. ''But you should keep an eye on her for a while. Ginette is a little unstable right now.'' Estella''s gaze turned to the door. On the other side of the door, there was Magda, who was hurt, and Ginette, who was watching over her. Did they come out together to say that? ''Well, I guess so. The sorrow of losing a loved one, even if you think you''ve forgotten it,......, will suddenly come back to you. I''m not sure what to do. ...... I see. I''m the same way. ...... When I heard that Magda had been injured, my mind went blank. I knew I had to get there as soon as I could. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m going to be able to do it. I didn''t want to lose my people. I didn''t want to lose them in time like I did that time. ...... ''Come on, let''s see your face. I''m asleep now, so be quiet.'' Regina slowly opens the door and asks me to enter. On the other side of the door, I see Ginette sitting beside the bed. She is looking into Magda''s sleeping face, her hands folded in a desperate prayer. ''What can I do?What should I do for Magda when she wakes up? ''We''ve done everything we can. All you can do is wait for your strength to recover over time. ''...... I see.'' At times like this, I feel ashamed that I can''t do anything. ''Don''t look at me like that. You''ll never heal if you keep that sullen look on your face in front of the injured. All you have to do is stay by the cat''s side, comfort her when she''s in pain, and put her to bed when she''s in pain. There''s not much you can do, even if you say you''ll take care of her. There''s no need to blame yourself for that. He patted me on the head. ''Really, you''re like a big kid, aren''t you? I felt a strange sense of security as he stroked my hair with his crumpled hands. ''You ...... are a good guy.'' ''Nyonyou!You mean, you want me to marry you? ''Why would you do that? Before I could get into it, Estella raised her voice. I mean, be quiet, you guys. Leaving the two noisy people behind, I walked into Magda''s room. When I got to the bed, Ginette looked up and looked at me. Her expression is fragile, as if she''s about to disappear. ''Don''t worry. You''ll feel better soon.'' ''............ Yes.'' I thought about stroking Jeannette''s head, but ...... if I touched her now, she''d crumble like sand. ............ I turned my gaze to Magda. I turned my gaze to Magda. No. I''ll have to figure out a way to get Jeannette''s energy back. ...... ''...... Yashiro-san''. A faint, mosquito-like voice called out to me. ''............ Magda, I''m going to be fine ......, aren''t I? ''............'' I have no medical knowledge. But I''m sure Magda will recover. She has to. So, hopefully, I assure you. ''Of course.'' ''............ so ......, right?'' It seemed as if the anxiety weighing on Jeannette''s mind had lightened just a little. It was as if the air had changed a little. Let''s change the air here, even if it''s forceful. ''Jeannette. Suppose the God who controls the soul appears here and says something like this. Jeannette looked up at me, unsure of how to react to my sudden start of a parable. Unperturbed, I continued. I spread my arms, imitated a pompous god, and lowered my voice a little. ''''I am the one who leads the souls of humans to the heavens. If you can tell me what I''m thinking right now, I''ll help you Magda. ''Are you sure? Ginette stood up abruptly and closed in on me. I pulled my body back, but Ginette''s momentum didn''t stop, and I fell on my butt after bending my spine too far. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... No, it''s just a little game, okay? What would you say to make sure Magda is saved?'' ''......Is that what God thinks ............?'' He puts a finger to his chin and begins to think hard. ''...... So, it''s a game, right? ''I''m sure that''s what God is thinking. ''Bless the people who suffer'' .......'' The God in his brain must be a noble one. But God is not that good-natured, nor is he full of compassion. And they don''t work for the convenience of humans. God is not a servant of man. Besides, the god who leads human souls to the heavens is the Grim Reaper. The Reaper has set his sights on Magda. In order to avoid it, we have to think about ...... it. Ginette''s answer was not enough. ''Hmm, I don''t think so.'' Regina and Estella were standing behind me on the floor. Regina is looking at Jeannette with a slightly mocking, mean smile on her face. ''But God is merciful, and ......''. ''Suppose, if you really think so, you wouldn''t be so mean as to show up and say, "I''ll help you if you solve the riddle.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on, but I''m not sure you can. ''............Yes, that''s true, but ......'' That''s what I''m talking about. Nice KY. The only person who can deny the weak Jeannette in this situation is you who has never had a friend. Even I''m a little hesitant to admit that she''s dented. But it''s good to let her know that. ''Regina. I''m glad you''re such a dork.'' ''Are you trying to pick a fight with me, or what? ''I''m complimenting you. Hey!Nice insensitivity. ''I''m not complimenting you at all! My feelings don''t reach you. The mental wall that Bocce has built is very thick and high. ''How about this? After thinking for a while, Estella raises her hand. ''''It is impossible for a mortal to decipher the will of God. ''So you''re abandoning the idea? ''Because it''s impossible to give a definite solution to this problem. Only you know what you were thinking! Estella says in frustration. It''s not a game of guessing God''s thoughts. ...... ''I don''t care if you know what I''m thinking or not. ''But, but if you don''t know what God is thinking, ...... Magda will ............''. Ginette mutters, looking as if she''s about to cry, her voice scratchy with tears. No, no, no, no!It''s not true, you know! Metaphor!A game! I''m not going to be able to find out the answer, but it''s not going to help Magda! ''......Yashiro. Do you enjoy making little Ginette cry! ''Is it my fault? ''If it''s not, then tell me the answer right now and put Jeannette at ease! ''............ Estella, you can honestly say ''I give up'', right? ''Hmm,......, it''s kind of frustrating to lose to you. You''ve lost so many battles in a row. ''Well, okay. The answer ...... is that I don''t know what God thinks either.'' ''What?'' ''What''s ...... the answer, ''I don''t know''? ''......So, Magda, you''re ......'' ''Oh, God!Calm down!Listen to me when I say this. I don''t know why they''re getting so worked up over a game like this. It''s a rather major game that we hear a lot about in Japan. ''This problem is not about ''guessing God''s thoughts'', but about ''how to help Magda without fail''. ''Definitely, help. ...... Sure, you said that.'' ''It''s all right if you answer the quiz correctly, but it''s also all right if you answer incorrectly and Magda is saved. In other words--'' I hold up my forefinger and pause long enough to say the answer. ''''You''re going to take Magda''s soul with you, aren''t you? Ginette gasps and turns her gaze to Magda. ''Well, hear me out. ''If the god of ...... souls thinks that you''re going to take Magda''s soul, then you''ve answered the quiz correctly, and Magda will be spared... ...'' ''On the other hand, if the god wasn''t thinking ''I''m going to take the cat''s daughter''s soul'', then he would have answered the ...... quiz incorrectly, but he wouldn''t have taken the cat''s daughter''s soul, which means he would be saved. ''Well, that''s the way it is. In Japan, this game is played in The Lion and the Traveller. There is no way to know what other people are thinking. Then, it is useless to think about it. The key is how to push through your requirements. That''s the important thing. ''...... So, ...... Magda can ............ help you? Ginette looks around at us, a little confused. It''s confusing because you''re confusing the game with reality. I started the game to change my sinking mood, but ...... it seems to have had a little too much of an effect on Ginette. I tried to soothe her by telling her that Magda would be saved either way. ...... Well, my plans were a bit thrown off, but I''ll say what I wanted to say. ''Magda will be fine. So don''t worry about it.'' ''............ Yes, sir.'' I nodded, and the tears began to fall. But Ginette''s face was filled with a gentle smile. At that moment. Gavap! Magda raised her body. With a startled expression, she looked around the room with wide, round eyes. And when he finds us frozen in one place, he stares at us ????????????. ''Ma ............ Magda-san is ......! ''You seem to have noticed. I''m not sure if it''s a good time for God to be here. The relief on everyone''s face was palpable. Their voices were also filled with joy. In an instant, the air in the room became light and a peaceful atmosphere enveloped us. The feeling of joy that spread in the blink of an eye left me ...... speechless. I was just ............ relieved. Thank goodness. I''m so glad it''s not too late. ...... ''Mr. Magda. How are you feeling?Does the wound hurt?'' Immediately, Jeannette ran over to Magda and tried to touch her body ...... but... ''Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Suddenly Magda let out a strange cry, slipped through Jeannette''s arms, and jumped off the bed. She lowered her upper body, put her arms on the floor, and stared at us with alert eyes. It''s a threatening pose for a cat. ''Hey, what''s going on here, ......? ''I don''t know,......, but there''s something wrong with you. You''re Estella in trouble, but you don''t know what''s going on. Now open a dictionary and explain this situation to me in plain English! ''Ah, let''s run! By the time Regina raised her voice, Magda was already on the move. She slipped past us and headed straight for the exit of the room. ''Hold on, Magda! Estella quickly reached out her arm and grabbed Magda''s shirt. ''Great!Just hold her down and lay her down ......? Before I could finish, Magda took off the shirt she was wearing. I guess it was because he had just treated his wound. Magda wasn''t wearing anything under her shirt. He was completely naked. ''Yashiro!Don''t look! ''Hey!This is not the time for that! ''Oh no!He''s running away! ''Magda-san!Don''t run yet!You''ll hurt yourself! ''Ginette, don''t be so carefree! I don''t know what it was, but Magda got away. He was on the lookout for us. ...... He looked at us as if we were enemies. According to Regina''s analysis, a beastman is a being that combines the power of a beast with the intelligence of a human, and is usually in a balanced state. But when they suffer a life-threatening injury like this one, the beast part of them may come out more to sustain life,......, she said. So what does that mean? Magda is a wild tiger cub now? Did he forget about us and run off to find someplace safe? ...... ''It can''t be like this. We can''t stay like this. Everyone, we need to split up and search! Estella instructed. If she said that before I did, then I might be in a panic right now. I need to calm down. ''Regina stay here. When we get Magda, be ready to take care of the wound if it''s open! ''Yes, sir! ''Ginette, you go check on the church! ''Yes, sir! That was a good move. If we send a panicked Jeannette towards the main street, she might cause some trouble. Even if she doesn''t, she might get into trouble. It would be better to let Jeannette head toward the church, where she knows many people. ''We''ll go look at the main street. ''Okay. ''But Yashiro, make sure you wear a blindfold so you don''t see Magda''s naked body! ''I can''t! He''s pretty upset too, isn''t he? ''Anyone who finds Magda, go home immediately!The rest of you, return to the Sunken Pavilion periodically to check on the situation! ''Understood! ''Yes, I understand! I gave the final orders, and we left the Sunken Pavilion. Considering Magda''s quickness, it''s going to be hard to catch up with her. ...... But how can you run around the 42nd district looking for a little guy like that? ...... You can''t do that with no hints. I ran to a nearby store to gather information on whether or not Magda had been seen. Magda had killed a bull in this street before, so he was probably known to some extent. ''Have you seen Magda? ''Oh, is that the girl from the bull fight? As I exchanged such conversations with some of them, I got some useful information. ''That girl was heading towards the back streets at a very fast pace. She was heading towards the workshop street, where the weapon shops are. The main street is lined with stores. Most of them are restaurants, clothing shops, and food stores. In other words, there are stores that are closely related to the lives of ordinary citizens and stores that target people who come from other places. The further you go from the main street, the more specialized the stores become. There are shops that sell hardware, armor, armor protection, cloth, thread, bones of monsters, and other materials. These stores are clustered together in the same line. It is said that Magda ran into a street lined with armor shops. Maybe he''s worried about being unarmed. ...... I hurried into the street. I could hear the sound of metal hitting metal here and there. The smell of oil and metal filled the air. On both sides of this rather dimly lit street, workshops and stores lined the street. Surprisingly, there were many women in the street. I was expecting a more masculine image. There were girls carrying large hammers, and men clutching small pliers that looked out of proportion to their huge bodies. I thought it would be easier to find them if they were full of macho males. ...... We don''t have much time. Of course Magda is in a dangerous situation, but she''s in a very vulnerable state. If some lowlife finds him, he''s in trouble. We don''t have time to search for him blindly. ''Excuse me! ''Yes? I called out to a beautiful fox-like woman who was puffing on a cigarette in front of a workshop where shields were apparently being made. ''Have you seen Magda? But people in this area do not understand. Even if you explain that she is a small tiger, about twelve years old ......, it is doubtful that they will understand. The only thing we can do is to tell them about its characteristics, which are more impressive and which they will definitely recognize if they see it, and collect information about its sighting. ''Hey, didn''t you see a little girl in a skirt running towards us? ''''Huh! The fox sister let out a strange voice and opened her mouth wide. ''d*mn, don''t you know! ''''I''m sorry to have disturbed you!If you see her, let me know right away! That''s all I said, and I ran through the streets. I was annoyed at the thought that some old man might have seen Magda''s naked body, so I only approached the women I saw. ''I''m looking for a little girl in a skirt! ''Heee! ''Where''s the little girl in a skirt? ''Huh! ''Has anyone seen a little girl in a skirt! ''Hee-hee! No matter how much I asked, I couldn''t get any sightings. Every time, they just let out a strange voice. ''d*mn ......, where are you Magda ............'' I''m starting to get out of breath from running around. In times like this, you need to replenish your energy with sugar. ............ Before we left the sunny pavilion, we brought a bag of honey popcorn to help us recover. This will help you regain some of your strength. ........................ ...... That''s it! I shouted loud enough for the whole street to hear. ''Magda!I''ll give you some honey popcorn when I get out!This time it''s sweet, with more honey! Open the bag of honey popcorn and wave it around so that the sweet aroma spreads throughout the area. ...... If you fall for this, ............ Suddenly, something fell from the roof of the hardware store onto my back. ''Meow!Meow! It was Magda. Magda is on my back, arms outstretched, trying to rob me of my honey popcorn. ''Wait!I''ll do it!I''ll do it!Put your clothes on first!'' ''Nyaa!'' It seems Magda can''t understand you now. It''s no use. I stretch my arm as far as it will go and pull the honey popcorn away from Magda. When Magda leans down to take it, I grab her by the neck and capture her. ''Nyaaaaah! ''Don''t be rash!I''ll give you popcorn! When I gave Magda a bag of honey popcorn, she instantly became quiet. He stuck his hand in the bag and chewed the popcorn to the limit of his mouth. ...... How much do you love it? ''Take this opportunity ......''. I take off my jacket and slip it over Magda. Then I carried Magda, who was wearing a shirt that was too big for her, and headed for the sunlit pavilion. On the way back, Magda was so absorbed in her honey popcorn that she had become completely quiet. ''Magda!Thank God, ......, you''re safe.'' Seeing Magda''s face, Jeannette let out a sigh of relief. Estella hadn''t come back yet, but if they waited, she would eventually. ''I fed her with popcorn. ''Feeding her is ...... terrible, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette was blaming him, but her face looked very happy. After eating the popcorn, Magda suddenly became quiet. Rather, she seemed to have grown quite attached to me. He clung to my waist for a long time, refusing to leave. ''She''s kind of cute, like a kitten. When Jeannette reached out her hand, Magda''s shoulders shook and she hid behind my back. However, she still smiled at Jeannette the whole time, and eventually seemed to let her guard down. She accepts him and lets him pat her on the head. Then, Regina took a look at the wound and gave it a quick examination. ''When your injuries are completely healed, the balance between beast and human will return to normal, and your temporarily confused memory will return. As a result of the diagnosis, Regina made such a guess. In other words, the kitten state will continue until the wounds heal. ''Well, it''s not like it''s going to get out of control, so ...... shouldn''t be a problem for a while. Hunting will be suspended for the time being, and you won''t be able to help out in the store, but ...... well, that can''t be helped. ''Um, Yashiro. There''s one thing that''s troubling me. ''What is it?'' With a troubled look on her face, Jeannette quickly presents a piece of clothing. It was Magda''s, and it was ripped to shreds. ''It hurts when it touches the wound, or it tears when I dress it. It seems that she tore it when she was trying to dress herself after Regina''s examination. ''I tried with a larger one, but ......''. The next thing he presented was a familiar piece of Ginette''s personal clothing. It too was in disrepair. ''She doesn''t seem to like my clothes either. ......'' ''Wow,......, that''s terrible. ''I don''t care if it''s torn, it''s just a matter of repairing it. ......'' Then he glanced at Magda. Magda is currently wearing one of my clothes. ''It looks like it needs to be as big as Yashiro''s.'' Because it will touch the wound,......, Jeannette explained, but ...... probably not. Magda would occasionally pull on the collar and bury her face in it, sniffing it ''softly''. ...... Apparently, my scent is soothing. But who can say that to Jeannette? ''Well, if you''re going to wear my clothes, we''ll have to live with that for a while. ''I''m sorry, sir. I''m sorry, but I have valuable clothes at .......'' ''No problem. Oh, then, if you have some free time, could you make me some new clothes?'' ''Yes!I''d be happy to.'' Ginette crumpled up the torn garment and smiled happily. Ginette was more than happy to be of use to someone else. It would be nice if she could forget about the helplessness of not being able to do anything for Magda by making my clothes. ''Nya~! Magda, wearing a bulky shirt, stumbled toward me with her hands raised. Then, when he was just a few steps away from me, he stumbled. ''........................ nyaaahhh... ...'' ''Oh, my God! You''re like a child. No, he''s a kid. ...... Magda was more of a quiet, unruly child. Now she''s a complete spoiled brat. ''Good, good. ''...... meow.'' I take her in my arms, and Magda closes her eyes and leans back against me as if she''s relieved. ''I think we should ask Yashiro-san to take care of Magda-san. ''...... Seriously? ''You''re just like a cute little sister, aren''t you? Ginette stroked Magda''s hair as she said this. My sister ............ is my sister ...... I''m not sure if I''ll be able to take care of her for a while. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Yasirot! Estella came rushing into the room. ''Hey, hey, Estella. Be a little quieter. ......'' ''What the hell did you do? Estella closes in on me and gives me a sharp look. I don''t know what she means, and I get flustered. ''There''s been a rumor on Hardware Street!There was a rumor on Hardware Street that a strange man was running around saying, ''Where''s the little girl with the baggy pants? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. What about ........................? ''And he gave her sweets and took her away! .................. Ah. ???I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ............ ''Parents with young daughters were shaking with fear!What are you going to do about it? ''What are we going to do? ............'' For now, I think I''ll just stay away from Hardware Street for a while. ............ When we are working hard at something, we don''t see what is going on around us. When we are desperate, we will do things that may seem strange to others. But can we blame them for that? That''s how hard you''ve been working! I''m even proud of myself for being able to work so hard for someone else! But then, on a billboard on the main street. "If a stranger offers you candy, don''t go with him!Don''t follow him! When I saw a poster with a sentence that I''m used to seeing in Japan -- ......, I felt a bit sorry for myself. 34-Episode 32 Bear Ears and Sweetness The day after Magda''s escape (a.k.a. the appearance of an old man in a bag). I had come to the river in District 42, where the river fishing guild was working. There''s something I need to tell Delia. Magda is asleep now. He has been in a very deep sleep since last night and has not shown any signs of waking up. I guess his body needs sleep in order to recover its strength. That''s why I left the store and Magda to Jeannette and came to the river alone. Well, it''s not so much a negotiation as just a report. I think I''ll be enough. With Regina and Estella at the store, I should be able to handle things. The heavy rains that had continued until the other day had increased the amount of water in the river. The water was brown and muddy, and the current was fast. However, it seemed that they had taken measures yesterday, and sandbags were piled up in a heap at the river''s edge. It was probably to prevent the river from overflowing. ''But there''s no one here. ......'' There was not a single person to be seen along the river. As I thought, no one would go near the river when the water level is high. It''s dangerous. Just as I was thinking this, I spotted the familiar figure of a beautiful woman of the Bear tribe about 30 meters away. It''s Delia. She was just in the shade of a sandbag, so I couldn''t see her whole body, but because of her height, only her head was peeking out from the sandbag. The familiar round bear ears were twitching. ''Hey, Delia! I raise my hand and call out to her. Delia looks up at my voice and looks back at me. When she noticed me, her eyes widened and a big smile appeared on her face. ''Oh~, Yashiro~! Delia slowly emerged from behind the sandbags. The first thing she saw was a pair of thrusting breasts. The first thing you see is a pair of breasts sticking out, followed by a tight stomach. It''s a very powerful ...... dynamite body that makes you think that this is exactly what it means to have a beautiful body. I''m not sure what to make of it. I like Delia a lot. I was scared of her at first, but now I look forward to meeting her. I even hope that we can build a good relationship in the future. So I smile friendly and approach Delia with a steady step. While talking to her in a friendly manner. ''There''s something I wanted to talk to you about today...''? Delia emerged from behind a sandbag. ............ Delia''s right arm was grabbed by a huge raccoon, two meters long, soaking wet and exhausted. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. A............ A............... ... ''The raccoon is being washed...? Delia, you''ve finally done it! It''s definitely Omero, the deputy head of the river fishing guild,......, and he doesn''t look healthy, no matter how you look at it. It''s at best a worm''s breath,...... and at worst,................... ''How dare you come here! Without noticing that my face was twitching, Delia raised her right hand and waved it wildly with an expression of joy. In her hand, she grabbed a giant raccoon ......, and the limp raccoon was swung around in the air, splashing water. Raccoons! The raccoons are being dehydrated very roughly! ''Hey, master!You''ll die!Seriously, you''re going to die! ''Hmm?Oh, sorry, sorry. Without any sign of remorse, Delia scratched her head and released the giant raccoon ......, Omero the aroware-bear. What, you''re still alive? ...... I was scared. I was seriously thinking about quitting my relationship with Delia. ''What were you doing? ''Hmm?Oh. He still can''t swim, so I''ve been teaching him how to swim.'' In this swollen river? If he can swim in this river, he''ll be able to swim in a normal river, right? No, I think I''ll be too afraid of the water to even approach it. ......? ''But he''s still a gutless guy, isn''t he? This kind of current is enough to make him raise his voice. No, ...... it''s impossible to swim in this swollen river, right? You can''t swim? I ask Omero, who is slumped on the ground after being freed from Delia. Omero looks up at me with an exhausted and lifeless face, as if he is about to collapse, and smiles helplessly. ''I''m good at ...... washing,'' he says. It''s not related to swimming at all. I wish he''d quit being deputy guild leader. He can''t swim, he''s too scared of the guild leader to talk to him, and he''s still wearing the same obscene bikini pants on his bottom half. ...... ''Yes, do you want to swim with us, Yashiro? ''Do you know what manslaughter is? If I''m thrown in this river, I''ll die for sure. I''m sure of it. ''The river is my friend. ''No matter how much of a friend you are, if you''re in a rage, you''d better keep your distance. Delia looks disappointed, but even with that look on her face, she can''t bring herself to say, ''I can''t help it, it''s only once! I''m not going to tell her that. The current of this river is beyond the level where you can approach. Even a kappa would climb out of the water and evacuate the riverbed. ''Then, I''ll stop. Delia folded her hands behind her head in a bored manner. I''m glad you decided not to go through with it. ''......, I''m happy for you, brother. ......'' Omero crawls over to me, looking like he''s about to die. I don''t want to get wet, so I don''t lend a hand, and I stare down at him. ''............ Can you lend me your hand? ''Yeah~......'' ''......I''m gonna die, aren''t I? I can''t help it. I''ll bill you for the dry cleaning of my wet clothes later. I''ll just squat down and lend Omero a shoulder. ''So, what''s good about it? ''Hmm?...... Oh, that swimming with the master was deadly.'' ''That''s because you''re a cane.'' ''That''s not true. ...... Give me your ears for a second. ......'' Omero''s face comes close to mine. Obviously aware of Delia standing behind him, he whispers in a very low voice. ''The master is naked when he swims. ''You!Why don''t you tell me that first? I said no! Can''t we cancel now? Don''t say no, let''s go swimming. ''Bollocks, you!The master says he doesn''t care because he has such an uninhibited personality,......, but if you should harbor any inferior feelings,............, you will be washed away. ''So you''re the only one who''s afraid of that. ''Do you want to be washed, dehydrated and dried in the sun? ''Do you have a rule that you can''t leave the laundry? I''m taking off my clothes. You know you''re going to be looked at that way, don''t you? ''The master has no intention to do so. That''s why he thoroughly dislikes people who look at him that way. ''Even though he''s walking around in such revealing clothes? ''I''m wearing that because it''s easy for me to move around, not to entertain anyone. That''s a very selfish thing to say. ''I''m just wearing a fashionable and revealing dress, so don''t look at me like I''m a high school girl with a very short skirt. I''ll look at you. ''When the master takes off his clothes in front of us, we tell ourselves that what''s there is a big tree. If you can''t do that, we''ll smash both your eyes out.'' ''You''re scaring me! ''I''d rather do that! ''What more do you want me to do? Oh, come on, Delia, scary. I''m super scared. ''So, it was a wise decision to turn down the swim. I''m glad it wasn''t a calm, sunny day. If the river had been slow, I would have taken the offer. And ............ ''What are you sneaking around talking about, two guys? Omero and I were talking close to each other in whispers. Between our faces, Delia''s face intervenes. Our cheeks touch. I''m thrilled. ...... in two ways. I''m not sure if I''m supposed to be lusting after her even though we''re in such close contact. I glanced at Omero-- ''If you don''t want to throw away the rest of your life, you''ll have to endure it. He gave me a look that said "--". ...... What kind of torture is waiting for me? ''Yes, yes, Delia. I wanted to talk to you.'' I distance myself from Delia, changing the subject. Unlike innocent creatures from the world of picture books like Jeannette, children like Magda, or pudgy tits like Estella, Delia is a fully mature woman. It''s not easy to suppress your ...... libido. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. ''Magda, the daughter of the Tigers? ''Yeah, that''s her. That''s why I want you to reduce the amount of fish you buy from the river fishing guild for a while. ''Why is that? ''Because the ones who eat well have stopped eating. Magda consumes a lot of food when she hunts. That''s why the Garbage Collection Guild has been buying almost three times as much food as before from the Farming Guild and the River Fishing Guild. The guilds were asked to return the food to Magda until her wounds were healed. We don''t need that much food since Magda can''t go hunting. ''...... Oh no. The river is in such a bad state that we can''t even fish. ............ The income is ......'' Delia''s face was turning pale. She couldn''t fish anymore because of the rising river. You can''t trade with the peddler''s guild, and you can''t trade with the garbage collector''s guild, so you''ve lost all your income. ''...... In this situation, I don''t want to ............ do it, but I have to ...... ''......I''ll have to earn it with my body. ......'' ''Huh! A strange voice came out at Delia''s unexpected comment. De,Delia...... you, no way............ ''I''m going to attack a traveler who seems to have money from behind and ...... the money and goods! ''It''s very different from the way I thought I''d make money! ''You see, master, ...... I''m quite a maiden in this.'' No, Omero. The maidens I know don''t have that kind of thievery in their minds. ''Yes, Omero!I''ll supervise your swimming and you''ll pay the annual fee! ''What? ''What the hell?You want to learn to swim too, right?'' ''No, no. ............ (I think I''m going to cross the Sanzu River before I can swim. ......)'' The latter part was spoken in a very low voice and at triple speed, but I could hear it clearly. ''I have to earn money somehow, I''m in trouble. I need your help! Delia crowded Omero. Omero throws me a teary-eyed look for help. ...... This guy really needs to stop being the deputy guild leader, doesn''t he? ''Delia. You have a debt? The first thing that came to mind was Goffredo, who I saw on the main street. If I don''t pay back the money I owe him, he''ll turn me into a frog. He''s a scary man. ''No, I don''t owe ...... any money, but ............ just ......''. Delia mumbles to herself. She turns her head as if embarrassed and stares up at me. ''Because I want to ...... eat something sweet.'' Huh? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it.At the end of the day, if I can''t have something sweet, I have nightmares!It''s a very scary nightmare!It makes me cry, you know? What, that cute reason...... ''That''s why Omero!While we can''t fish, we''ll sink you to the bottom of the river and take your money! ''Master, you''re not a director anymore! That''s blackmail, extortion and robbery. I heard that waterboarding is painful. ...... Omero is crying and throwing us a lot of looks for help. I''m sure you''ll agree. Why don''t you give him all the money you have? ''No, you can''t!No matter how many guild mates we have, if we don''t keep our finances in order, the organization will collapse, right?It''s forbidden to lend, borrow, or even give as gifts. That''s why I have to make sure this guy goes down to the bottom of the river! The first part of the sentence was reasonable, but I don''t understand anything after ''so''. ''Brother ............, will you listen to my will? ''Wait, wait, wait. You can''t give up on life just yet, Omero. Omero''s tears have dried up, and he looks as enlightened as a samurai about to commit seppuku. It''s not good to leave him to die. At this point, I make eye contact with Omero. ''If I save you, what will you do for me in return? And. Immediately, Omero says... ''I''ll do anything you want!Killers and thieves, anything that doesn''t offend the master! --He replied. Is displeasing Delia as serious a crime as that? Then I think ....... What I want to ask Omero to do......What I want Omero to do that might be useful............The river fish trade is done directly with Delia. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I immediately made eye contact with Omero. ''There is a path covered with weeds, can you use your huge body to step on the weeds and make a path for me? ''I''ll do it!It''s a small price to pay!I''ll get rid of the weeds while the path is still muddy, and when the soil dries out, I''ll step on it, and I''ll be responsible for stepping on it until the path is stable! We instantly communicated with each other, and made a contract with our eyes. Now, the beast path to Yap Lock''s house will be easier to follow. I guess even a big guy can be useful sometimes. Let''s help him out then. ''Delia. Is anything sweet enough for you?'' ''Hmm?Yeah, anything''s fine. Pumpkins, boiled beans, anything. ......'' That''s a wide range! Can you even put that in the ''sweet'' category? In Japan, if you ask a fashionable girl to go out for something sweet and offer her boiled beans, you''ll get beaten up. But well, if you want anything, go to ...... ''How about this? He pulls honey popcorn out of a bag hanging on his hip. I''ve made it compulsory for everyone associated with the Sunlit Pavilion to carry a bowl of honey popcorn with them every morning, in case Magda escapes again. We can make it again when we get back, and it won''t be a problem to give it to Delia here. ''What is this, it smells so sweet! When I opened the bag of honey popcorn, Delia jumped at me with tremendous force. ''Kun Kun Kun!Ha-ha-ha-ha! ''I''m scared, scared, scared!I''m so scared it''s going to eat me! Delia, who was half a head taller than me, covered me as if she were trying to pin me down. If a wild bear did the same to me, I''m sure I''d give up on life. ''Hey, hey, hey, what the hell is this?What is this?Is this a dream?Is this a dream candy? ''Oh, calm down!Just try one for now. What?And calm down! Delia was coming at me hard. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Oh, shit. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''Can I have some? ''Yes, popcorn! ''I''ll eat it! ''Eat the popcorn! Delia looks like she''s about to swallow me whole. I can no longer stop her. I had no choice but to pick up a piece of honey popcorn and throw it into Delia''s mouth. ''What? As soon as the popcorn touched her tongue, Delia''s mouth closed. Then she rolled it on her tongue at first ...... and chewed it slowly. --Sneeze..................... ...Shuck, shuck, shuck, shuck! You chewed too hard! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. I''m not sure what to say. ''............ ohhhhhhhhhhh! She started crying! ''It''s sweet. ............ It''s delicious. ............'' I was so impressed! It seems that Delia''s sweet tooth is quite severe, and she seemed to be moved to tears by her first taste of honey popcorn. It''s not a ...... character. ............ I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to make of it. Omero crawled up to me. But when Delia raised her head and glared at him, he retreated nearly 100 meters, 38 times faster than when he had approached. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... You can''t see Delia''s face from here, but ............ you can tell from the aura that rises up that she has a very frightening expression on her face. ...... Omero. You stepped right into Delia''s mine,............. ''Don''t worry, Delia. There''s plenty more where that came from. This is all for you, so please don''t eat Omero.'' ''Oh, you''re really going to give it all to me? Delia turns to me, ''Grin! Delia turns to face me. The aura of rage that had been rising up around her dissipated, and a peach-colored aura of flying hearts spread out in its place. She has a happy look on her face. You might have bought it if you sold it, but if you lose Omero now, there will be no one to maintain the road to Yap Rock''s house. ...... No, he will die. It would be a small price to pay for Omero''s life in popcorn. ...... He''s so light, his life. When I handed her a bag of popcorn, Delia held it in her hands like it was important and popped one in her mouth. ''............''???????????????! She squirms a little and smiles like she''s melting. She looks like a little girl in this way. And she''s sitting. The bear''s ears are twitching, indicating that it is in a good mood. Now Omero''s life will no longer be in danger. Right in front of me is a girl who''s crazy about sweets. Isn''t she cute? When I see those round bear ears twitching in front of my eyes, I want to fondle them. .............................. I''d like to mooch off of him. ...... He looks like he''s in a good mood, and I''d feel free to pet his head. ............ I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''m going to try to pinch the bear ears that were shaking a bit. It''s a great way to get a feel for what it''s like to be a bear. It''s like plucking a meatball. It''s becoming a habit. ''Hey, what are you doing, bro? A hundred meters away, Omero came running at a high speed on the level of the 100-meter men''s final at the World Championships in Athletics, and with his momentum, he picked me up and ran another 100 meters. I almost threw up my ............ breakfast as my arms dug into my stomach. ''What the ...... hell are you doing ......? ''That''s my line! What?What did I do? ''Didn''t I just say so!The master is a pure and innocent angelic maiden! ''There''s a huge increase in modifiers, but well, you did say that. ''So, you said I shouldn''t do ''that''! ''You were just muffling my ears. ''The ears of the Bear People are ...... a very delicate part of the body, and ............ as much a place not to be touched as the boobs! ''What? A tremendous shock ran through me. ''Then I should''ve touched her boobs! ''That''s not what I meant! ''No, if I''m going to get angry anyway! ''There''s no way I''m going to get pissed off!Brother, get out of town right now!Don''t look back and run straight to the city gate!If you see the master''s aura, you''ll be too afraid to move your legs! Omero''s expression was serious. ...... Is this really a bad situation? ''No, I''ve ...... left my luggage and other things at the sunny pavilion. ......'' I''m not sure what''s more important, my luggage or my life! You won''t even give me forty seconds to prepare? ''Brother, I''ll never forget you. Even if you go to a different city, keep up the good work. ''Wait a minute. I don''t know where else to go. ......'' ''The master''s aura of seriousness is so bad that just touching him will make you lose consciousness. ..................... ......'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. Omero''s body tilted to the right at a speed similar to a frame feed. As the giant body toppled over, another figure could be seen behind it, another person. It''s ............ Delia. Delia was standing behind Omero. Omero seems to have been hit by Delia''s aura and fainted. ............Am I going to die? ''............Yashiro......'' I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a small voice, but it reached my eardrums quite clearly. ...... Ah, I''m dead. ''............No, don''t suddenly ............ do anything weird. Don''t ...... do anything weird.'' ''............What?'' There''s something wrong with you. ...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following URL: ...... ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on this subject in the future. I''m sorry. He is lying face down, hands folded behind his back, shoulders swaying as if twisting at the waist. And his face was so red that you could clearly see it. E.................. eh eh eh eh eh eh eh! ''Po, popcorn, it was delicious! What''s with all the tsundere excuses? When did I get flagged? ''Oh, master, ......''. Omero, the lump of hair lying at Delia''s feet, regained consciousness and looked up at Delia. ''Maybe the master likes this brother...'' Delia''s right foot plunged into Omero''s abdomen. A sound like the rumbling of the earth echoed, and the earth shook slightly. Omero seemed to have lost consciousness again. ...... You''re really stepping on too many land mines, aren''t you? I''m not sure what to say. As if to change the subject, Delia shouts loudly. I''ve got a very good idea - Delia''s face seemed to be filled with such words. ''The daughter of a tiger tribe got injured and we don''t have enough manpower, right? No,......, although Magda''s injury has forced us to take a break from hunting, we are not short on manpower. Ginette can run the store by herself, and me and Estella can help out. ...... ........................ Yeah... ......... ''What the hell?You don''t like it? ''No. ...... I mean, I don''t want to. ......'' I assure you, Delia can''t do customer service. She''d hit a customer without a second thought. No, before that, customers might be scared of Delia and stop coming. ...... That''s not good. ''Oh, I don''t want your money! ''No, you don''t want money, do you? ''I''ll just have this! Then thrust out a bag of honey popcorn with both hands. ...... Paying with popcorn? ''After a hard day''s work, just give me a serving of this at the end of the day!As long as I get to eat something sweet before I go to bed, that''s all that matters! That''s an unbeatable deal. Even if you can''t do customer service, you can ask them to do some heavy lifting like chopping wood or carrying stuff. ............ Hmm. Although... ''My manager probably won''t approve of no pay. ''I said I don''t want it, remember? ''But my manager won''t listen to you. Even though he is poor, he tries to be reasonable to others. That''s the way he is. ''So, how about a low salary, lunch and dinner, and popcorn after work? ''You''re that good!I''ll do it!Let me do it!'' She grabbed my hands and shook them up and down, unable to contain her excitement. ...... My shoulders are coming off! I''m not sure what to do.I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to do with it. She turns around and turns her back to me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ''............ Now you can be with Yashiro.'' I don''t know what he liked so much about me, but well, it''s not a bad thing that he likes me. You''ll have a lot of flexibility. Well, you''re right. But it''s not good to use it as a bargaining chip. So, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear what you just said. ''Well then, come to the Sunken Pavilion once. Ginette--I''ll talk to the manager.'''' ''Yes!All right!Let''s go now! ''Now?Are you sure you don''t want to train Omero to swim?'' I glanced at him, and Omero said, ''What are you talking about?Just take me out right now! I''m not sure what to do. ............ I think I''ll turn down the job. ''Omero can''t swim no matter what you do, so it doesn''t matter. ''What? It was Omero who let his voice leak out at the startling remark. ...... You''ve been completely abandoned. ...... I mean, why train on a day when the river conditions are so bad? ...... ......I guess he was just bored. ''So, let''s go. ''Ah! I start walking, and Delia follows me. I''m sure Omero has a look of delight on his face right now. ''Ah ......''. After a few steps, Delia called out. When I turned around, Delia had a red face and was holding her ear. ''There''s one thing I want you to ...... promise me. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if it''s ...... necessary to be in public. Bear ears are equivalent to boobs, right? ''Okay. I''m not going to touch it again. Boobs are more fun anyway. But I can''t ask you to let me touch your boobs. ...... Ah, impermanence. The world is a hard place to live in. ''Absolutely! ''Okay, okay. ''Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely! ''Yes, yes. ''I swear I will! ''If you''re too persistent, I''ll smother you both at once! ''--!Oh, no!You''re so naughty, Yashiro! After a conversation like this, a girl will tap you on the shoulder and say, ''Pssst! I''m sure all the boys would love to see ...... a girl slap their shoulder after a conversation like this. But what happens if the other party is Delia? ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It hurts. It hurts like hell. If my bone density had been even a little lower, I would have been shattered. Lesson learned. s*xual harassment in moderation. And you''d better take calcium for your own good. 35-Episode 33 Working ''What the hell are you doing here? Delia, her first words to her guest. ''Delia, come here.'' I''ll beckon him over as soon as I can. It''s an emergency meeting. ''How did it go, Yashiro? ''Nothing much. I would have been very rude if it wasn''t for Umaro, you know?'' ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. It''s not that I''m rude enough, it''s that you''re the rudest person I''ve ever met. As usual, Umaro came in with a stupid look on his face and said something I don''t understand, but I can ignore him. It''s been three days since Delia started her temporary job at the Sunlit Pavilion. When she told Jeannette about it, she immediately agreed, saying, ''I can''t pay you much, but if you''re still interested, I''d love to. The majority of Delia''s salary was to be paid in meals. Delia is not the type of person who spends a lot of money and does not seem to want much, so she does not seem to care about cash income. The only time she spends money is when she eats sweets. That seems to be his life. ''Manager, how would you rate my customer service on a scale of one to one? ''Yes, sir. One hundred.'' That''s not fair! Ginette seemed to like Delia very much and kept smiling at her. She didn''t have any bad feelings towards her to begin with, and now that she''s offered to help, her favorability level seems to have skyrocketed. ''But, Miss Delia. I think you''ll do much better if you can treat your customers in such a way that they''ll be glad they came. ''''Glad I came''''. I get it!I''ll try it! If you have something to improve on, you''re not getting a perfect score, Jeannette. I''d give Delia a two on my scale. Thirty for good looks and style. Twenty points for energy. Minus ten for too much energy, minus twenty for bad language, minus ten for clumsy manners, minus eight for being intimidating to customers. ''Hey, fox! ''Oh, you''re me? ''Aren''t you glad I came? ''Oh, ...... no, ...... that .......'' ''Aren''t you glad you came?Hey! ''Yes, I am!I''m glad. ''What do you think, manager? ''It''s not quite the same as ......, but it''s okay. ''Not good, Jeannette! ''Yashiro-san...... Magda-tan''s replacement is that person...... how did this happen?'' The teary-eyed Umaro let out a lament that only I could hear. Ever since Magda got injured, this guy has been coming by every day with gifts for her. He''s desperate to feed us. Well, I''ve already told him that I don''t want anyone else to see Magda, who is wearing a very tight shirt. When he sees something that looks good, his tail stands up and his ass is exposed. It''s too dangerous to be seen in public. Lately, Estella seems to be busy and leaves immediately after having breakfast at the church. As for Regina, ...... ''I can''t ...... stand a place with so many people coming and going. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... He is a man who has become a loner to no end. That''s why we''re surprisingly short on staff. I thought it was just a lack of Magda. ...... Ginette has to do all the housework by herself, including serving customers, cooking, taking care of Magda, cleaning and laundry. She couldn''t even handle making popcorn, which Magda was in charge of. The only thing I could help with was serving customers and taking care of Magda, and even that was not as efficient as Ginette''s. In other words, Ginette''s workload was becoming very heavy. Delia''s offer may have been a blessing in disguise. Although this is a wild statement, having a beautiful woman in the restaurant makes it more glamorous. This is how a sunlit pavilion should be. ''Excuse me!Are you ready to order? ''Not now! ''No, go ask her right now! ''I do? ''That''s your job, isn''t it? ''I''m a fisherman, remember? ''I''m a waitress now! ''Oh, you''re a waitress. ............ Hehe, that''s embarrassing. I don''t know what to be embarrassed about, but ...... I''ll have to educate you on the basics, regardless of how good you look. ''All right, tell me what you want!I''ll listen. I''ll take your order.''''...... Oh, well, I''ll have the ...... stir-fried vegetable set meal. ''I''ll have the sauteed chicken. ''Daily special.'' ''I''ll have the daily special.'' ''Yeah yeah ............ you guys,eat fish'' ''''''''...... what? '''''''' ''Manager, four grilled salmon set meals! '''''''' No, no, no, no! '''''''' ''What''s that?Salmon is good, right?Hey, Yashiro?'' ''I''ll admit it''s good, but make sure you listen to your customers'' orders.'' ''I can''t help it. ...... This is the only time, okay? No, ask him every time. It''s Umaro''s carpenters who are confused by Delia''s outrageous customer service. So, yeah, Delia''s style of customer service is barely safe, but it''s not good enough for regular customers. ...... ''We should hurry up and educate ourselves in case we get customers other than Torbek''s people. ......'' ''Hey, we''re really good customers, aren''t we?I''d like you to take good care of us. ''I''m taking good care of you. Don''t you want to hear today''s Magda information? ''I want to hear it! ''I recommend the grilled salmon set meal. ''Well, I''m fine with that!I want to know! ''Today Magda is wearing a pale blue shirt. It buttons up in the front and is about this length. ''Muhaa ............ pretty ......! Umaro, who was in the terminal stage of his illness, was now able to moan even at Magda in his imagination. I''m not sure what to say. Suddenly, Delia''s scream was heard. ............ Scream, was it? ''............ cold''. I don''t know how she did it, but Delia was soaking wet all over. I''m not sure what I did, but I''m pretty sure I tipped the jug over my head. ''...... You''ve been juggling. ''You guys got me all wet! '''''''' No, no, no, no!I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. '''''''' ...... Did you do that? ''Oh shit, ...... my clothes are soaking wet. ...... I have to take them off and dry them.'' ''Stop it! If we take them off here,............ there will be deaths. ''Yes, that''s true,......, and Yashiro is there,.......'' ''Even if he''s not here, don''t take it off in public. ''Haha ......Yashiro is surprisingly possessive ......''. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... I don''t know what you''re talking about, and I''m not going to make any effort to understand you. ''Oh my God!Ms. Delia, you need to change your clothes right now: ......! ''But, I don''t have any other clothes on me, do I? ''I''ll lend you my uniform! ''Do you want to come in?'' Delia stood next to Jeannette and moved her palm up and down from the top of her head to the top of Jeannette''s head. Delia is taller than me, and Jeannette is shorter than me. I''m not sure if I can fit in ............. I look at them and compare. "Pop! I''m not sure. I''m sure it''ll fit. ''...... Yashiro-san. ''Delia can even take on Jeannette! ''Then I''ll borrow it.'' ''Yes. This way, please.'' Ginette disappears behind the counter with Delia. ''Oh, ...... all the beautiful women are gone ......''. The only ones left in the store are me and a bunch of guys looking for beautiful women. Very disgusting. I mean, there are no female customers in this diner, except for old Mum, Ginette''s tea drinking friend. Every time Bertina comes to the restaurant, she shows her "parental authority of Ginette''s upbringing" and never leaves money behind. ...... Or she only comes to the restaurant when she can eat for free. Estella sometimes even pays for it. ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that there are no female customers at all, even though you''ve prepared honey popcorn, a sweet treat that is sure to be popular with women!...... This is a serious situation. Improvement is urgent. After that, a time like a wake came. No one said a word, and the only sound in the quiet dining room was the clattering of dishes. ...... Do they like beautiful girls that much? ...... No, well, it''s not like they''re going to look at me and say, ''Oooohhh! I don''t like it. However, even these people are customers. If there''s no one else, I''ll have to serve them. I''ll get the water refill Delia was going to get for her. I walked over to the carpenters seated at a table for four, carrying a pitcher of water. ''Hey. You want some water?'' ''......us''. --chin......copocopo............ ton. ''............ Us''. What the heck is this space! It''s a gymnastics club room! The first year and alumni who don''t interact! ''Ah, um~......Yashiro-san. What''s wrong with this water? Umaro asks me in a way that makes it clear he''s concerned. He''s trying to manage the heavy atmosphere. Nice try. Okay, I''ll join you. ''Himichua??''. ''Wow~ I shouldn''t have ...... talked to you...'' ''Just kidding. Wasn''t that a little cute?'' ''...... Unfortunately, not even a little ............'' I guess we have different sensibilities. Oh, I see. Umaro is a believer in vines. ''I''m vine too! ''What are you angry about?I don''t understand! Well, okay. I don''t want to be liked by Umaro, not even a little. ''This water is from the well. ''But isn''t it muddy from the last rain? There is a well in the courtyard of the sunny pavilion that boasts a plentiful supply of water. As Umaro said, due to the long rain until the other day, the rain got into the well and made it a little muddy. ............ No, to be honest, it''s muddy enough that I hesitate to drink it straight. I''m sure the situation is the same in every ward. Umaro and his friends are looking at the clean water with curious faces. ''It takes a lot of water to store in a cafeteria, doesn''t it? With more than a dozen customers arriving every day, we started offering free water at the Sunda-mari-tei. Until now, ......, or rather, no water was served in the restaurants of this world. If you are thirsty, buy a drink,'' is the system. When we first started this system, most of the customers refused to drink, saying that they had not asked for it, but when they learned that it was free, they began to drink it without hesitation. I guess it was generally well received. ''Is there any secret trick to get clean water? Umaro looked at me curiously, but ...... I have no obligation to give a detailed explanation of what others want to know. In fact, it''s very simple, we''re just filtering the muddy water from the well. The impurities contained in the well water are removed through a simple filtration system using stones and gravel. Even so, there is still some concern, so the water is boiled and disinfected. Finally, a squeeze of lemon gives the water a refreshing taste. Hygiene is the most important thing for restaurants to take care of. However, I am not going to tell you that honestly. So, I answer again as follows. ''Hi-mi-chua??''. '''''''' ohhhhh! What the hell? I was just trying to get a glimpse of Umaro''s twitching face, but it turned out to be a huge breakthrough! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. If that''s the case, you''re all banned! But that was not the case. The carpenters'' eyes were fixed on the other side of the counter. If you look over there,...... ''Ya, Yashiro ......? There was Delia. She was wearing a Ginette uniform. Brilliant, Delia. And even more impressive is the fact that the ...... skirt is super mini ...... skirt hem, which was probably too small for the ginette clothes. Her thighs are exposed. The apron dress is a dress underneath, so if there is a difference in body size, the length will be shorter. It''s a natural result. ''You''re amazing, Delia. Even though you have great muscles all over your body, you are very slim and tight everywhere. She can easily wear my clothes.'' ''Oh, manager!Don''t say too much about that, okay? ''But you look great, with your eight-pack abs! ''Manager! You''ve got ripped abs? That''s awesome!I think I''ll work on my abs too! And ......?Isn''t that weird?Isn''t that weird, right? ''No, no, no. You look even better than I imagined you would. I''d like to hire you as a full-time employee. ''Oh, really? Delia''s expression softened a little when I praised her. Apparently, she was nervous. ''Okay!Let''s get back to work! Delia, now relaxed, tightened her expression and rolled up her arms. ...... You''re a good maid, Delia, to be able to wear a neat maid''s uniform so powerfully. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your money. But ....... When Delia left the counter and went to a table for four, she was discovered. Delia''s skirt was up, revealing her curling tail and the black spats she wore underneath. ''Dobu-fu! I blew out loud. No, you''re not the sister of the ...... national Sunday evening anime, so you can''t ...... see your underwear through your skirt! What''s that, Yashiro ............?It''s not the same!I''m not sure what to do. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... May there be no deaths, may there be no deaths, may there be no deaths. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......'' ''Oh. I''ll make a uniform for Delia as soon as possible.'''' Ginette spoke to me in a reserved manner. ''I know. I''m with you. That''s not good. Just make it a little bigger than Jeannette''s and we''ll be fine. ''Oh, yeah, Yashiro.'' Delia, her fangs in place, calls me with a smile. ''When I told you I started working here, a friend of mine said he''d love to see it. I wonder if he''ll be here today? ''You mean Delia''s friends are from the river fishing guild? I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... It''s blatant, you guys. I''m the guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''Seafaring guild? I didn''t think Delia had any connection to the Seafaring Guild. Good. Hopefully we can get some contacts in the Seafaring Guild. After all, we need some sea fish too. I''ll see what I can do to negotiate with them. ''Delia. Please introduce me. I''d like to get to know you.'' ''Yeah, sure. But don''t grin too much at me no matter how pretty she is. She''s my friend!'' I see. So the guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild is a woman? I''m looking forward to ............ the beautiful woman I''m about to grin at. ''Men like mermaids a lot. ...... I''m a little worried. Mermaids? ''What, you''re a mermaid? ''See, I''ve been bitten. ...... Men are such a ...... bunch.'' The disgruntled Delia grumbles, but it can''t be helped. It''s a mermaid! A mermaid is a scallop with a naked upper body and breasts! How could any man dislike that? ''You''re a mermaid? I''ve never met her, but from what I''ve heard she''s a very good singer. I''d like to meet her. Ginette also looked happy. Oh, so she sings. If she sings in the cafeteria, it''ll be a topic of conversation. Yeah. Good. ''Masha''s a good singer too. She''s probably the best of the mermaids. It''s soothing to listen to.'' ''Is that so?That''s amazing. You''re beautiful, you''ve got big boobs, and you can sing. ...... You''re perfect! I''m not sure if this is the type of thing that the heavens give two things to in this world? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. Delia, it''s too late to tell. --And just then... The door to the sunlit pavilion slowly opened. You''re here! It''s not only me and Jeannette, but also Umaro and all the other guests, all eyes were on the entrance at once. The mermaids are coming. ......! ''Hello, Yashiro. Ginette. How''s Magda doing? ...... Ooh!What is it?I''m not sure what to do. It was Estella who walked in. ''...... Estella''. ''Ya, Yashiro. What the hell happened to you?'' ''I''m disappointed in you! ''What the hell!Just when people were finally getting their work done! ''As punishment, put a scallop shell on your chest. ''''I don''t get it! It''s the least I can do to make amends! That won''t go unpunished. I''ll punish you if you don''t do that! ''Today, we''re going to have a special visitor here!It''s a very important customer that the carpenters sitting around here can''t even compete with. ''We''re your customers!We want you to take good care of us! Oh, sorry. I can''t hear you. ''Important customers?Ginette, what are you talking about? ''Actually, there''s a very nice mermaid at .......'' Just as Jeannette began to explain, a strange sound came from outside the dining room. --chirin...... gee...... chirin...... gee... ...chirin......gee...... The sound of a bell and the sound of wheels creaking and turning. ...... ''Oh, I think they''re here.'' Delia''s ears twitched as she looked towards the entrance. Is this distinctive sound a signal that a mermaid has arrived? Oh, I see. They can''t walk here because they''re mermaids. That means she came on a cart or something with a tank of seawater or something like that. That must be the reason for the squeaking of the wheels. This means that ............ The sound of the wheels stopped in front of the store. At last, you will meet the most beautiful woman in the world, the famous mermaid. The expression is a bit exaggerated, but I''m sure it''s not too far off. She sings well, she is beautiful, and she is a mermaid and a scallop. How could she not be an exquisite beauty? ''...... gulp'' My throat throbs with anticipation. The expectations of us, the men of the Sunlit Pavilion, are poured into the doorway. Our gazes are so focused on that one point that we feel as if a hole will open. Then, the door is quietly opened. ''.................. I''m sorry to disturb you. ...... What?'' All the people in the cafeteria were looking at him, and the person who appeared in the cafeteria had a surprised expression on his face. His round eyes were dull, large, and round. His scaly skin glistened smoothly, and his long, slender limbs were covered with wading pools. The face of the fish, with its mouth gaping open, resembles a carp begging for food, and its gills are twitching in surprise. The person, who gives the overall impression of being somewhat slimy, is, for all intents and purposes, ............ It''s not a half mermaid! She didn''t look like a mermaid at all. 36-Episode 34 Transactions with the Sea Fishing Guild ''Oh ...... those ............ that ...... vice guild leader of the sea fishing guild. I''m ...... Calvin,......'' Through the door of the sunny pavilion, the green slimy fellow who appeared, betraying the expectations of all of us, introduced himself as Calvin. ''You''re a half-fish, aren''t you? ''No, I''m a ...... mermaid,...... but I''m still ............ something, sorry.'' ''Hey!Calvin!You''re still as slippery as ever.'' You''re carrying Masha again today?That''s a lot of work.'' ''Oh, ...... well, well, well. ............ Delia-sama, ...... Estella-sama. ............It''s been a while since I''ve seen you. ......I''m sorry about something. ......'' ''Don''t apologize. ''No need to apologize.'' Delia and Estella are having a conversation with Calvin. ''Are you guys acquainted with this half-fish who looks like a ''moving wakame''?'' ''Calvin is a mermaid, Yashiro.'' ''Calvin is a mermaid, Yashiro.'' It was pointed out in unison. But she doesn''t look anything like the mermaid I know. ...... Her skin feels completely wakame. ...... Is this something I have to agree with? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. The half-fish apologized to me. He doesn''t seem to be a bad half-fish. ''Actually, I''m waiting for Masha-sama at the ...... front tank. ...... If someone could lend me a hand, I''d appreciate it. ...... something, I''m sorry. ......'' ''Well, I''ll go with you. Delia said, and she and Calvin walked out. And then. ''Oh my God!What, Delia?You''re so cute!What?You''re working here dressed like this?Oh my god, she''s so cute! I could hear a lot of squealing coming from outside. ...... He seems like a noisy guy. The mermaids in this world are the half-fish in Japan,......, so there is no hope for them at all. I''ll punch you if you come out wearing a scallop shell or something. It''s not you! I''ll hit you. ''Yashiro......'' As I look at the entrance with an apprehensive look, wondering what kind of monster will enter the store, Estella gives me a cold stare. ''...... Don''t let them ruffle your feathers.'' ...... You. I''m not going to ruffle any feathers by looking at a green, slimy woman, am I? ''And you seem to like Neffery a lot. Who the hell gave her that chicken face? He reminds me of Kinjiro, the chicken we used to keep in the schoolyard when I was in elementary school. I was a member of the breeding committee. ''Hey, don''t be rude!I''m borrowing this dress!Don''t get it too wet.'' ''Yay!I''ll carry you like a princess! I''m not sure what to do. ...... Ginette''s uniform is going to get soggy if it''s not washed soon. ''Yashiro~!Please open that chair! Delia says from behind the door, only her neck peeking out. You don''t have to make me sit at the back of the room, why don''t you sit at the front? It will save you the trouble of cleaning the ...... slime. But he''s the guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild. We should treat him politely. For the sake of the deal. I''d like to get a small supply of sea fish. We may not be able to make a meal out of it, but we''d like to deal in high quality ingredients. In case of emergencies. If there''s any left over, I''ll eat it, no problem. I slowly pull out a chair and with an elegant hand lead the way, ''This way, please. ''Let''s go, then. ''Wa-ho-ho! A mermaid who sounds like she has a screw loose in her head appears. I couldn''t help but gasp at the sight of her as she entered the store, carried in a princess''s arms by Delia, as gracefully as if she were swimming through the air. There she was, the very mermaid from the storybook. The lower half of her body was fish, but from the waist up was human. What''s more, she was an incredibly beautiful woman. Her eyes were droopy and calm, and there was a weeping mole on the side of her face. Her gently curved mouth is squeezed like a spoiled child, giving a glimpse of the cuteness of a young girl in the midst of her adult s*x appeal. In the event that you have a lot of time, you may want to take a look at a few of these. She has big tits. It''s a great way to make sure that you''re getting the most out of your vacation. She has an innocent elegance, but her power is king size. These rambunctious breasts are covered with only two scallops. One on each side, of course, it''s impossible to cover them all with scallops! From side to side, from underneath, and from the cleavage, her ample breasts are peeking out. ''Ahhh, it''s Estella! ''Masha......'' The mermaid Masha in Delia''s arms fluttered and waved cutely when she spotted Estella. ''You come to play inland like this again,......, have a little awareness as a mermaid,......'' ''But, Delia-chan said you were doing something interesting, so I wanted to see it...'' It''s a sweet voice with a lisp and a nasal edge that melts the brain of anyone who hears it. By the way, did Estella get permission to catch fish in the sea? To catch fish in the sea, you need to know a fisherman. To get on a boat, to borrow tools. You mentioned something about having such an acquaintance before. ''Hey, Estella. So this is the guy you were talking about?'' Estella nodded slowly in response to my question, though she made a blatantly disgusted face. ''Yes, that''s right. This is my friend Masha, the head of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''Why didn''t you introduce me to these tits earlier? ''Because I could see that kind of reaction coming! d*mn you, Estella! It is an unforgivable sin to monopolize boobs! In Japan, it''s a crime that can result in jail time. ''Sorry, Jeannette!Do you have a minute? ''Yes, yes, yes!What can I do for you? ''Put on some light clothes and line up next to me! ''No, thank you! ''In my country, there is a tradition called ''breastfeeding''. ......! ''Please repent! d*mn it, why? I just want them to stand side by side for a minute! I just want to look at it from the side! ''Just calm down a little, Yashiro. ''Just a glance is all I need!It''s not every day that you get such a big one! ''...... I''ll stab you? ''Oh ......, I feel like I''m suddenly awake, Estella. Now, put away your dagger.'' You can''t fight back any longer with a knife in your neck. ...... This guy''s quickness is on the level of an assassin, isn''t it?Do you come from a family like that?Estella ...... terrible child! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. Masha looks up at me as if she is peering into my face. Her melting eyes are strangely s*xy. ''Let''s shake hands as a sign of our closeness~'' In a relaxed tone, she offers her hand to me. Her white fish-like fingers are arranged and presented to me. ''Ah... That''s right. It''s nice to meet you, too. As I was about to grab her hand, Masha suddenly spread her hand wide. ''Ta-da! Between Masha''s fingers, there was a clear, thin watermark. In fact, they were translucent, and I could see faintly beyond them. ''giggle...... are you surprised? The prank worked! --Marcia giggles, as if to say, ''I''m not surprised. But, ...... To be honest, the sound effect of ''Ta-da! I''m not really surprised about the water scraping because I was so focused on the old-fashioned sound effect of the ''ta-da! Before that, I saw Calvin''s waterspout: ...... But it''s a good idea to establish a friendly relationship with the head of the Sea Fishing Guild. You need to talk to him. Talk, generation. Yes, this is entertainment. Shame on you, Obayashi. I''m here to get you some fish! Whoa!I''m stunned! Raise your hands in the air and look surprised. The ............ silence hurt my ears. I''m not sure what to say. The ...... stomach hurts. ''......pp! And in the silence, Masha let out a cute little popping sound. ''Pfffff............ what''s that? It''s a result of being in tune with you! ''You''re funny, you~. Your name is ............ Yashiro-kun, right?Yes. I remembered it. I wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes with my finger. Then he smiles softly and holds out his hand again. ''Once again, I''m Masha Ashley, head of the Sea Fishing Guild. Nice to meet you. ''I''m Obayashi. I take Masha''s hand and we shake hands. It''s not slippery. Rather slippery. I shake her slippery hand and make an offer to Masha. ''Actually, I run something called the Garbage Collection Guild ......''. ''Oh, yeah, I know. I hear you''re getting into the groove.'' ''So, I also have a deal with the Sea Fishing Guild: ......'' ''Sorry, I can''t do that...'' He''s so impatient! ''The peddler''s guild put a lot of pressure on me. ...... Well, there''s the whole district guild''s relationship with each other, and we all have lower bodies like this. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... We don''t want our dealings with the peddlers guild to be strained. ''Well,......, so be it. In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you''ll want to take a look at the following. In this city, making a clear statement is more than just being given the benefit of the doubt. It will be recorded in the Conversation Record, and you can even use it to trigger the Judgment of the Spirits. If you have clearly pressured them not to sell. You can see the seriousness of the peddlers'' guild. As long as they have a relationship, the Seafaring Guild can''t ignore them. d*mn it. Now I can''t get them to sell me any more sea fish. ...... Maybe you can get them as a favor,......, but if you do it too often, you''ll get noticed again. You''re ahead of the game. ...... ''But it''s true that I like you, Yashiro-kun, so let''s be friends~'' ''Ah. I hope so. However, it doesn''t mean that my hope is completely cut off. You have to keep making contacts. ''Okay, next. You too, manager~'' Masha let go of my hand, and this time she held out her hand toward Jeannette. Ginette wiped her hands on her apron in a panic and reached out her arm to take Masha''s hand. ''There''s an opening! At that moment, Masha''s hand passed through Ginette''s arm and reached for Ginette''s chest, ...... grabbing it without hesitation! I''m not sure what to say. Jeannette screamed and crouched down, holding her chest. I''m not sure what to do.You''re so hot! ''Stop it, you idiot! Delia pokes the back of Masha''s head. ''Ouch! Masha puts her hands on her head and gives Delia a look of frustration. ...... I can go easy on you, Delia. I''m so glad my head didn''t blow off the moment I poked it. There''s not a girl in the world with a long face who wouldn''t throw a new face at you with exquisite control. You''ve got to take care of your neck. ''You know, if you have a big one like that hanging around, it''s like it''s asking to be touched, isn''t it? Is that so? ''Ginette, would you like to shake hands with me? ''Please repent! I guess not. If you use that theory, you can touch Masha, too. Delia too,......, but let''s not touch Delia. The second shot is ...... too much for my shoulders to handle. I feel like I''m still reeling from the shock of the last one,....... ''I''m sorry~. Please don''t hate me and be nice to me, okay?'' ''Ah, yes. That is, of course.'' Ginette smiles at Masha, though her cheeks are stained. If you look so sweet, you''ll get rubbed again. ''Masha. If you play a trick on me, I''ll take you back to the sea. ''Haha. Sorry, sorry. It''s been a while since I''ve been inland, so I''m excited.'' Masha scratches her head. She doesn''t seem to get out of the water very often. Well, my lower body is a fish. .................. Hmm? ''Oh ............ legs ............ legs... ......... legs............ hahaha......'' ''There was a green slimy pervert lying on the floor of the store. It was ...... Calvin. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Calvin, isn''t that creepy?'' ''Yeah, in two ways.'' The inherent weirdness of the slime and the acquired weirdness of the huffing and puffing. ''Don''t curse too much~'' Masha gives me such advice, an honest man. Are you trying to defend your guild mates? ''Cursing makes him happy. ''I swear I''ll never curse again. I can''t stand to be pleased by this creep. ''Oh,......, that''s horrible,......, no, it''s okay, it''s creepy,......, I''m sorry... ...'' It''s kind of hard to get involved with the negativity. ...... ''Calvin has an extreme leg fetish. ''A leg fetish? ''I guess he just wants what he can''t have. Most of the girls in our family don''t have legs.'' ''Ah, ......, so...'' ''On rare occasions, there are girls who are human on the bottom half and fish from the waist up. ''What''s that, gross! ''But it''s so s*xy!You''re hiding it with ....... ''No, I don''t think it''s s*xy when you whisper it to me, you weird creature! I imagined a human lower body growing out of the body of a sardine, and I almost reverse-engineered my morning meal. And a single scallop ............ on the bare bottom half, yeah, not s*xy at all! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ......... I''m sorry! Yeah. Apologize for that, for all I''m worth. It''s creepy. ''Oh, the ...... manager! ''Yes? Suddenly, a crawling half-fish approached Jeannette in a weird way. ''I''m going to eat the set meal here, so could you please ...... step on it, ...... preferably with your feet raw...'' ...! ''But, I''m sorry, we don''t offer that kind of service! ''Then, ...... I''ll order two set meals! ''I''m sorry, sir! ''Well, ...... then, five ......! ''Are you sorry, you pervert! I kick the half-fishman in the side of the head with my foot. I kicked the half-fish in the side of the head with such force that it left a clear footprint on his profile. Don''t you dare mess with Jeannette! I''ll kick your ass. ...... I already kicked your ass. ''Oh, ............ something, I''m sorry ............''. You''ve finally come to your senses. ''Even a man''s foot feels a little ...... nice,'' I thought. ...... I''m sorry about that. ......'' ''You''re out! That''s a red card. A customer who disturbs the morals of the store will be forcibly ejected! You''ll find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time. In front of the store, there was a cart with a huge water tank, so I threw him into the tank. Perhaps Masha had come here by entering the tank. Now, the half-fish is floating in and out of the tank like a limpet with a slightly ecstatic expression on its face. It''s rare for a marine creature to be so unhealthy. ''............?What''s this? I looked into the cart and discovered something strange. No, the thing itself is not strange or anything, but ...... why did you bring this thing? And in such a state ......? ''Hey, Marsha. ''Yes? ''What''s with the netting? The cart was loaded with a large net. It was a net with seaweed entwined in it. ''Oh, yes. I almost forgot... Can you bring it here for me, please? Oh, ......, you''re going to use me as a joke? You''ve got some nerve. I don''t care what happens to you, Marsha. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. There''s no absolute difference in status in the world. If you take away the framework set by human beings, everyone is in the same situation and standing on the same ground. That''s why people who try to use others as their chins will end up getting hurt themselves. Are you ready for that?Hmm, then fine! ''Umaro, grab your net and follow me! ''...... Mr. Yashiro. People who try to use others as their jaws will be hurt someday, you know? How dare you! People in this world are divided into two groups, those who use and those who are used! You should know your place! ''So, what is this? The net that had soaked Umaro''s entire body with the smell of rocky seaweed was placed haphazardly on the floor. The more I look at it, the more I realize it''s just a net. I can''t think of any reason why it would be brought all the way from the ocean to a place like this. ''Oh, no, not again. ......'' But Delia frowned when she saw the net. Did Delia have something to do with this? ''O~ne~gai~i~!We''re not that good with our hands because we all have waders! Masha complains with tears in her eyes as she spreads her hands out in front of her, showing off her waders. It''s more like she''s begging for ....... I''d buy a bag if someone asked me to buy a bag with a face like that. ...... ''Yashiro. I think it''s better for you to get a grip on your face before your muscles can''t grow back. Estella gives me a cold stare. Hmm... If you want to be a badass, you should at least show off your pheromones and beg for it. A stiff armed with logic won''t be popular. Even though you have the disadvantage of being scantily clad, ...... It''s not like I have time to waste either!You can see that!I''m working, I''m working! ''Oh, no~. With all the rain we''ve been having lately, I thought for sure Delia would be free, so I came all the way here to see her! ''It''s too much trouble to get seaweed! ''Hey, Delia. I need a minute.'''' Delia is trying to shake off Masha. It looks like she''s just playing with him, but Delia seems to be really bothered by it. Is that what this is? ''Are you asking me to remove the seaweed caught in this net? ''Yes, that''s right. There are a lot of seaweeds living in the sea around here, and they get caught in the nets all the time. They regularly bring them to me and ask me to remove them. ''What are you going to do with the seaweed after you remove it? ''Hmm?Of course you''re going to throw it away. Throw them away?Are you saying you''re going to throw these seaweeds away as garbage?Are you serious? ''You''re not going to eat them? What a waste! ''No matter how hungry I am, I won''t eat these weed-like things!Yashiro, you''d better moderate your eating habits or you''ll go hungry. Oh my god, ...... don''t these people know how delicious seaweed is? It''s true that there are only a few countries other than Japan that eat seaweed. The other world was also in the one that doesn''t eat seaweed. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. It''s hard to get rid of seaweed that gets caught in small places when it''s attached to a water scoop. I always give you fish as a thank you, so why not? ''I like salmon, you know!I don''t eat horse mackerels or sardines! ''You shouldn''t be picky! ''Hey, you two!Can you give us a minute? This is ...... good! ''Marsha, Delia!Can you give this job to the Garbage Collection Guild? ''Job ......? ''But I can''t pay for it, can I? ''No!I don''t need the money. Instead, can you give me the same reward that you gave Delia? ''The same reward ............ is for fish?'' ''Yes.'' You can''t ''buy'' fish from the Sea Fishing Guild. Then why don''t we just get it as a ''reward''! ''I have a roommate who eats a lot of fish, so if you give me a little more, I''ll be so excited that I''ll even repair the nets. ''Are you good with your hands, Yashiro? ''Very handy. The lace on Jeannette''s pants was unraveling, so I secretly mended it the other day, and I''m still so handy that Jeannette hasn''t even noticed! ''You''ve been doing that?No, no, when did you do that?Already!It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one who has done this. ............ Oh, no! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''Well, I guess I''ll ask you then! Okay! ''Then can you bring it to me every two to three weeks?In the meantime, I''ll clean the nets you left with me before.'' ''So you''ll bring me the nets you''ve used and bring back the cleaned nets~'' ''That''s how it works. ''It''s very helpful to always have a clean net ready~'' Masha smiled with a satisfied smile on her face. We ask them to bring the nets they have used for two weeks and clean them in the next two weeks. Then, they exchange the used nets with the clean ones and repeat the process endlessly. It''s like a cleaning equipment leasing company. With this contract, the Sea Fishing Guild will always have clean nets. ''How about it?'' ''Very well. We have a deal! I firmly grasped Masha''s hand, and the contract was completed. And before I could let go of her hand, Masha leaned in close and whispered in my ear. ''I''m willing to give you a certain amount of fish. That''s a nice offer. He was willing to supply us with fish under the eyes of the peddlers'' guild. ''As long as we don''t get noticed by the peddler''s guild, please. ''I''ll take care of it! ''And then...'' I''ve got something important to tell you. ''I''ll take care of the trash caught in the net. ''Yeah. Please.'' ''So, don''t forget to pick up the fish, okay?I''m not a confident connoisseur, so there''s a very good chance I''ll end up destroying even the best fish. ''Connoisseur ......?'' Thinking for a moment, Masha opened her mouth and said, ''Ahh! Masha thought for a moment, then opened her mouth and shouted. ''If we need a quantity that might attract the attention of the peddler''s guild, we might accidentally forget to take a large catch of fish out of the net~'' ''Well, even if that happens, I''ll just solemnly ''dispose'' of them. ''Yeah, yeah. Then, the rights of the objects caught in the net will be transferred to Yashiro-kun while the net is being repaired. ''That''s very kind of you. Then, I''ll take care of this net right away. ''Yes!Nice to meet you! After exchanging such a conversation with Masha, I headed for the courtyard, carrying the net that was thrown on the floor. In the courtyard, there is a large space, water, and a tub. ...... Hmmm. ''Yes! I shouted. Of course you did. After all, I''d gotten what I''d always wanted. And I''ve got the right to it. If I don''t scream for joy here, when will I scream for joy? ''...... I''ve finally got it. ............ Kelp!And Wakame! Yes! This net is covered with seaweed. There''s wakame, seaweed, and even ogonori. If you do it right, you might even be able to make your own original nori. The most important thing is the kombu! Now we can make soup stock! That''s what I was really after. Fish from the sea are not bad. But their rarity makes them pricey. Then it would be difficult to sell them at the Sunshine Pavilion. The sea fish should only serve to attract customers. But kelp, this one is different. Dashi goes well with all kinds of things, including soups, simmered dishes, and rolled eggs. And it is also the soup stock that determines the taste of the dish. In this city, dashi is usually made from meat. It is rich in flavor and has the power to captivate the palate. However, if you continue to eat it, it will inevitably become heavy. However, the light yet flavorful broth of kombu dashi is perfect for regular consumption. It is a dish that is inconspicuous but should be kept close by. It is perfect for such a dish. It is the kind of dish that you want to eat every day, and it is the kind of taste that we should aim for at Hidamari-tei. The moment I saw this net, I thought. ''I really want this kelp and wakame! I thought. Seaweed could have been purchased by the Garbage Collection Guild. After all, the peddler''s guild was telling us not to sell fish. Seaweed is out of scope. However, seaweed in this world is worthless "garbage". The idea behind the establishment of the Garbage Collection Guild was to pay for garbage that no one would buy, but there is no need to pay for things that ...... people throw away because they don''t want them. It is not necessary to pay for things that people throw away. Then it''s free. Plus, there''s the "reward" of sea fish. I could get both a lot of seaweed and sea fish for nothing. I can''t help but scream! Now I can drink wakame miso soup! After freshly cooked white rice, I''ve regained another Japanese heart! Miso soup with wakame is the soul of the Japanese people!Wakame is the best! Is this by any chance that? Was it because Delia''s school uniform looked just like the pants-less sister in the Japanese national cartoon? Is that why Wakame came to me? If so, we should give her credit for that. ''Delia''s panting is the best! ''Huh?'' The moment I shouted, I heard a strange voice behind me. ...... No, that''s not good timing. ...... I''d say it''s perfect timing. ......... ... I looked back fearfully and saw ............ Delia. On the other side were Ginette and Estella. ...... ''Ya, Yashiro......'' Delia''s face is turning redder than I''ve ever seen it before. ''Ya, ...... different ............ this is that ...... thing... It''s ......... good, in a way.'' ''Yashiro''s,s*xiest! I''m not sure what to say. I''m not going to be able to do that. Wouldn''t that be a shove, or even a slap? There will be no goo, goo is ...... Delia ran away with a bright red face. But I was like, ''Wait! I''m not sure what to say. But I don''t have time for such leisurely lines. If you open your mouth, you will cry. ...... It hurts. Anyway, it hurts. ............ Oh no, I''m going to cry. It was at this time that a hand reached out to me as I crouched. When I looked up, I saw that it was also Jeannette''s. ............ Ah, you''re really kind. Ginette is the only one who is kind to me at times like this. ...... ''Mr. Yashiro. Please ...... repent.'' He grabbed me by the wrist and took me straight to the church. As it was the time when the store was closing down,......, I was kept in the confessional of the church for an hour. I''m not sure, but I think ...... Mr. Yashiro is in the final stages of something,'' Bertina said, looking at me as if she were looking at a disappointed child. . ...... disapproving. That''s a real complaint. 37-Episode 35 Unexpected Pitfall? I love turtles... It was only at the beginning that I was able to get carried away. Removing the seaweed entangled in the net was a time-consuming task. In addition, we had to take on the task of repairing the meshes, which were fraying in places, and the burden was quite heavy. I could have finished it in a day, but I couldn''t spend a whole day on this work now. ''Meow!Meow! ''What''s the matter, Magda? You just ate a meal.'' ''Nya~nya~'' ''You want me to play with you?Sorry, I''m busy right now. I''ll see you later at .......'' ''Nya! ''Ouch!Hey, don''t jump on me!Don''t bite, don''t bite! My current task - repairing the nets and nursing Magda, a playmate named ....... ''Excuse me, Yashiro-san!I need you to serve me for a moment!I can''t stay away from the fried food!'' ''...... yeah ......''. Additional duties--customer service. ''Okay, Magda. I''m going out to the store, so go back to your room.'' ''Nya! ''It''s not a ''nyah''. Come on, get away from me. ''Nya! Magda clung to my back, refusing to leave. ...... I wonder what I should do. ''Yashiro-san!A customer is waiting for you! ''Oh, yes, yes! I don''t have a choice. I''ll take him. ''Here, Magda. Put the collar on. And don''t lift your tail. They''ll see your butt.'' ''Meow. Magda''s activity has been increasing lately. Regina told me that her injuries are almost healed. That''s a good thing, but ...... he''s been moving around so much that we can''t do anything about it. Even if you lock him in his room, he will come out on his own. He doesn''t go out alone anymore, but when he goes out in front of others, he gets a little excited and it can be dangerous. So I had no choice but to put a leash on his collar. Literally, I have to hold the reins tightly. ...... collar on a little girl, ............ I think I''m doing something wrong. This is not the time to be saying that. I rushed out to the store. ''Ah!Isn''t that Magda? Waiting for me were Umaro and the other members of Torbeck''s construction company. ''Why don''t you guys go to ...... and order yourselves? ''We''re customers, remember? ''All right, all right. Just take down those plates and clean up the table.'' ''You don''t understand, do you? Thunder rumbled in the distance. Magda shudders and clings to my leg. ''Mwah~!Scared Magda, you''re so cute~! ''Gross. As a punishment, clean up the dishes. ''So, why? ''Nya~'' ''Look, Magda says ''clean up'' too. ''I''ll clean it up! Umaro piled up the plates left on the empty table and carried them to the kitchen. ''Whaaaaat?Why are you doing this, Umaro? ''Oh, don''t worry about it. I''ll leave it here. Such a conversation could be heard from the kitchen. The rain clouds were closing in on the 42nd district again. Delia had gone to work for the river fishing guild today. They are not fishing, but strengthening the banks along the river in preparation for the heavy rains that are likely to come again. The river fishing guild is also responsible for the maintenance and management of the river area. Estella seemed to be busy, and finally she didn''t even show up for breakfast. I remember Bertina asked me to reinforce the church. ...... She wants me to put boards on the windows before the rain comes. I don''t have time for that,............ but as long as Ginette is around, I''m sure I''ll have to do it eventually. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help.In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. That''s why I''m so busy that I need Umaro''s help. Whoever is standing, use Umaro. No time for Umaro. No time for Oumalo to warm his seat. That''s the situation. So hang in there, Oumalo. Tie the leash to a post and let Magda play in the corner of the dining room. He takes orders, brings in the food, takes down the empty plates, and cleans the tables while the crowd is enjoying Magda''s playful rolling of the small empty barrels. ''Yashiro-san, you''re very efficient. ''We don''t have much time. You''ll just have to make do with what you have. You should learn from me and become a full-fledged waiter soon.'' ''No, I won''t become one!I''m a customer! I don''t care if you''re a customer or not. I''m busy, so help me. I''ll give you some honey popcorn later. A couple of kernels. Oh, by the way. I remember Delia saying, ''I can''t help you today, I''ll pay for it when I''m done, popcorn! I can''t help you today, so I''ll pay for some popcorn when I''m done. ...... d*mn, I have to make honey popcorn too. ...... Magda was in charge of the popcorn. ...... ''Nya~!Nya nya nya!Nya~!'''' ''''''Haaaa ............ kawaii~n~ ......'''''' And, because of this, I only make it once in the morning now. It''s popcorn for when Magda runs away. There''s also enough to give to Delia and ...... thinking about it, I think the only people eating honey popcorn these days are the people who work at the store. It''s a hot-selling product that we came up with, but it''s not very well known. It will not sell well unless it is advertised more extensively. In the first place, since people are not familiar with popcorn, it is inevitable that there are no customers who want to buy it. But we don''t have the time to advertise or make popcorn now. d*mn, what a waste ......! In addition, it seems that the rainy season will end after the next heavy rain, and then Delia will go back to work for the river fishing guild. There are only a few days left to help out at the sunny pavilion. We can''t rely on Estella and Regina either. ...... Even if Magda is back to normal, it''s still a little tough. ...... Ideally, I would like to have an environment where I can focus on my work at the garbage collection guild and Ginette can focus on cooking and housework. Magda is limited in what she can do even if she returns to normal. What Magda can''t do is what makes her attractive. As long as there are customers who like it, we can''t let her work too hard. A little customer service and popcorn are the most he can do. In other words, Magda''s main job is hunting, so we can''t ask her to stay at the store all the time. I think we need at least one more waitress. Then there''s the promotion of honey popcorn and the development of new customers. ............ But that also requires manpower. ...... But the store can''t afford that many employees. ............ Oh, I need two bodies. ''I wish I had another one. ......'' ''Wait!I''m not sure what you''re talking about.Please give me a break! Who''s the bad omen, you bastard. ''Umaro. I recommend the vegetable stew set meal today. ''I wish you''d let me choose for myself once in a while! And so the lunchtime, which had been so hectic even though there were not so many customers, was over. I had some time to spare, and I would have liked to repair the nets, but I had to go and get Magda''s medicine. I''d rather go out before it starts to rain. Worst case scenario, the netting can be mended in my room, and it won''t matter if it''s in the middle of the night. It''s just that ...... I won''t be able to sleep. So I left Magda with Jeannette and headed to Regina''s store. ''Oh, you''re here, yourself!You''ve come to the right place. I''ve been thinking of using my spare time to work on some creative work... How about you, would you like to be the main character''s model?There''s nothing wrong with that. A prince from a neighboring country, a strong mercenary, or a suspiciously handsome sorcerer will be interested in you. ......'' --And Regina was blabbering on about things she hadn''t even heard of, but I''ll skip that because it was a stupid story. At any rate, the source of the putrid odor has been destroyed. You can find a lot more information on this website at ...... I hope he won''t be the first BL writer in this town. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. .................. Do you think this town already has something like that? ........................ It''s good to think about it. It''s useless. The time was evening. The end of the day bell was a long time ago, so it must be around six o''clock in the evening now. People who seemed to have finished their work were coming and going with satisfied expressions, as if they had accomplished something. There are several bars lining the main street. They must be going there. ''Get out!Don''t come back! It was in front of a certain bar in the middle of the main street that I heard such an angry voice. It was the same bar I had stopped at before, the one with the cute dog-eared waitress. ''Wait a minute, sir!If I get kicked out of here, I''ll be in real trouble! ''Shut up, shut up!I can''t keep a guy like you in my store!Just go home! ''Then, at least give me a paycheck for my work. ......'' ''Go home! The two girls arguing were both wearing aprons, and one of them was a dog-eared waitress I''d seen before. The other was a girl I had never seen before. The other is a girl I''ve never seen before, but since they''re wearing the same clothes, they must be employees of the store. ...... will be forced to quit soon, though. ''Hmm?Oh, you''re that guy from back then! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... Why don''t you just leave me alone? ''How did you remember me? You''ve only been here once. ''Well, you''re the only one who''s ever done anything like that. I''ll remember.'' By ''that,'' I assume you mean hitting Goffredo. Oh, so it was memorable. ...... I hope Goffredo forgot about it. ...... ''You''re looking rather shabby today. What happened to your old one? ''The last one,'' he said, ''was probably a high school blazer. In this town, it looks like the clothes of an aristocrat. ''I just changed into clothes that fit my height. ''Ha-ha-ha!I know what you mean. When you go out on the town for the first time, you tend to dress up more than necessary. I see, that''s the result of your hard work, isn''t it? You''ve been misunderstood somehow, but there''s no problem if you leave it as it is. It''s more convenient for people to think that a poor man was forcing himself to wear expensive clothes than for rich people to think that a poor man was wearing ...... them. ''Oh, brother, are you some kind of famous person?I''m sure he''s a little flamboyant, if you ask me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Hmm. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. ............ I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it.I don''t know. Irritating ...... While pointing at my nose, the female clerk (who is scheduled to be fired soon) is bursting with a big smug face. ''You''re still here, aren''t you? ''Oohhh! The dog-eared clerk bared his fangs, and the female clerk (who seemed to have already been fired) hid herself behind my back. ''She''s been talking like this for a long time, hasn''t she!You''re getting in the way of my work, really! ''No, no, no!I was just trying to build a friendly relationship with the customer and make them a customer. ...... I was doing it for a good cause. ''Then what was that?You took away the customer''s sausage!That was also a good idea! ''No~, the customer said, "I want to feed it to Loretta-chan~", so I just gave it to her as part of my service. ......'' ''That''s what you get for looking at me like you want something! ''Because the food here is delicious!Yo!All Bloom''s number one famous cook! A girl apparently named Loretta (who speaks fluently) spotted the dog-eared owner watching from the entrance of the store and shouted towards him. ''Even if you use sycophancy against my father, I won''t keep you here anymore!Go home!Don''t even come as a guest! ''Oh no~...... I loved your sausages~...... what am I going to look forward to tomorrow......'' ''I don''t know! ''The sausages here are the best in the world!When you take a bite, the texture of the crispy, flaky skin, followed by the fragrant, rich flavor of the meat juices, spreads throughout your mouth, and the aroma that passes through your nose is as fragrant and appetizing as a paradise on earth. But before I could take my second bite, I gulped down a beer!--As I gulped down the beer, all the tiredness of the day vanished at once, and I was enveloped in a feeling of happiness that made me grateful to the God of Spirits for having been born in this world.After the sizzling carbonation runs through the back of my throat, I bite into the sausage again, but what I want you to pay attention to is the cross-sectional view of the sausage I just bit off!The juices that had slowly overflowed from the depths of the sausage during the past few tens of seconds were glistening there like jewels. ...... I wanted to look at it more, but my stomach was growling, so I couldn''t bear it and bit into it!--I''d like to look at it even more, but my stomach is growling. ...... ''Shut up! The dog-eared shopkeeper shouted, and Loretta (how can you keep talking without biting, that''s a kind of talent. ...... I might want some of that) shrugged her shoulders. ''All that chattering is why I can''t get any work done!I''ve gotten a lot more work done since you''ve been here! ''Is it my fault? ''It''s because all you do is talk and don''t work! ''But the customers all seemed to be enjoying themselves...'' ''Even if the customers are happy, we can''t stand it!Anyway, you can''t hire us anymore!You''ll have to look elsewhere!Hmph! The dog-eared shopkeeper flapped his dog-ears softly and turned around. ''Oh, my God!There''s a customer in trouble! The dog-eared shopkeeper must have noticed it for the first time when he turned around and screamed at the sight of the overflowing customers. ''Dad, I''m sorry!I''ll be right back! ''Hey, dog-eared shopkeeper. He stopped the dog-eared clerk who was about to run away. The dog-eared clerk turns around and, with an impatient look on his face, says back in a snarky tone. ''I have a name, Paula, don''t I? ''Then Paula. Are you sure you''re firing this guy?'' ''Huh!Why are you asking me that?I was going to leave it in the dark and come back to work tomorrow! No, that''s impossible. ''You''re really fired!Don''t ever come back! ''It''s ...... your brother''s fault. ...... I hate you. ......'' No, no, no. It''s not my fault. ''Is it Paula''s decision?What about the owner''s decision?'' ''No!My dad''s too soft on the girls, so I have to be strict with him. By the owner''s daughter''s authority, he''s fired! ''Well, ...... I''m sorry to hear that. ''Are you such a ...... person ............ that you''re a douchebag?'' You idiot. There aren''t many gentlemen as gentle as me. ''Oh, that''s right!Give me back my uniform! ''Oh no!If I take off my clothes here, I won''t be able to get married!Ah, if I do, will you feed me here for the rest of my life? ''Ila......! Oh no, I stepped on a mine. ''I''ll give you those clothes as payment, don''t ever show your face again! Paula, the dog-eared shopkeeper, bared her fangs. Loretta shrank back and held on as the angry voice passed her by. She walked back to the store with a clatter of her feet. The store really was overflowing with customers. ''Huh ......, I could help you ......''. Loretta slumps to the ground, her shoulders slumping. She looks utterly devastated. There''s a big difference from the time when she was chattering away merrily. ''Really, I''m sorry to hear that. ......'' ''Mmmm ......, if you feel sorry for me, please introduce me to some work!I have a lot of hungry brothers and sisters who need a lot of money. ''Who''s taking pity on you? ''What?Because your brother said, ''I''m sorry for your loss. ......'' I did say that. ''I''m sorry for your loss.'' But you know what? ''It''s that dog-eared shopkeeper I pity. ''Mr. Paula, sir? He doesn''t realize it. He doesn''t realize that the store is currently overflowing with customers who have come here because of what they''ve heard. Well, it''s a good location. I guess they''ve been getting customers without doing anything special. I just dropped in because the store happened to be in a good location. I didn''t choose this store because of its location. But the people who are crowded in the store now are all people who wanted to go there. They were lured by the publicity. Yeah. They heard the big commercial that Loretta here put up right in front of the store. ''You''re looking for a job, aren''t you? ''Whoa!Whoa, whoa, whoa!Can you find me a job at ......? Hmm. You have good instincts. Just by listening to her conversation with Paula, I discovered several advantages of this Loretta. First of all, she is a good talker. It is a kind of talent to be able to talk about mere beer and sausage in such an expressive way. And he did it with no words. And he did it without a script. Another advantage is that he has a good voice. His voice is very audible. Many passersby turned to look at her, and Paula said she was ''always talking'' because Loretta''s voice was so audible. A voice that reaches your eardrums and stays in your memory. This is something you can''t get by trying. And then there''s this friendliness and intuition. He knows with his senses what you want and what you''re trying to do. It''s not normal for a customer to want to ''feed'' you his sausage. But if it were Loretta, he would want to try it. That''s what Loretta makes you do. Regardless of whether she knows it or not. I''d say she''s a good spoilsport. And that pampering is very important in advertising. Just saying, "The food here is delicious! The effect of advertising is negligible. However, if you can make people think, "If this guy says so, I might as well try it," the effect will be multiplied many times over. This is the reason why TV commercials use celebrities with high sensitivity. Those of you who were here or happened to pass by and heard the commotion must have thought. ''This sausage is so good that this stupid kid is crazy about it. It must be irresistibly delicious. It''s not about logic or theory, it''s simply because it''s so good that this stupid kid is raving about it. In a gourmet report, it is more likely to look tasty if a celebrity with a nice smile and a bit of an out-of-the-way image exaggerates a little, than if an intelligent intellectual explains logically why the food is tasty. It''s really a pity ...... to let go of such a useful talent. ''Loretta''. ''Yes, sir! ''I''ll explain the salary and working conditions later. ......'' I''ll explain the pay and working conditions later, but for now, I''ll just give Loretta my hand and say. ''Would you like to work for us? Loretta''s eyes, looking up at me, are getting bigger and bigger. They sparkle and shine like scattering stars, and then waver for a moment. She gulped heavily, then grabbed my hand with both hands as if to hang on, as if to make sure I wouldn''t miss it, and said in a clear voice. ''Yes!I''m looking forward to working with you! After Delia, I recruited her again at my own discretion. ...... I''m sure Jeannette won''t say no. But I think I should apologize for my selfishness. There''s a big difference between a word and no word. Well, I''ll talk about it when I get home. ...... ''Loretta, I''m expecting a lot from you. ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you! Loretta holds her chest tightly. You don''t even know what you''re going to do yet, but you seem to be very confident. But I''m sure she''ll do fine. After all, the way she describes her customer service is very similar to my ideal customer service. Increase customer satisfaction to get more repeat customers. The ideal is to make the customer feel that they are special. This guy''s sense of smell to find out what they want and his friendly and sweet personality are the strongest weapons. And above all, ...... The staff at the Sundaari-tei are just right to be as stupid as this. 38-Episode 36 The Slums of District 42 ''Yashiro-san!The newcomer is very cute! '' said Goozuya. ''All right, I''ll tell the last newcomer, Delia, that you weren''t very good. ''Wait!You''re wrong!I didn''t say anything like that! It was the second day since Loretta started working at the Sunshine Pavilion. Loretta had already won the hearts of the customers. ''Whoa~!A carpenter''s arms are so thick!They''re about three times as big as my arms! ''Oh, really?This much is normal. You know? ''Oh, yeah. By the way, I''m like this.'' ''No, no, I''m like this. ''Haha~!You''re all so tough!You''re all so tough! It''s so cool to feel like a man! ''''''No, no, no!It''s not that bad, hahahaha! ...... Men are simple. ''''That''s great, Loretta. Ginette came out of the kitchen with the food and looked at Loretta with an impressed expression. ''I can hear her voice even when I''m in the kitchen, and it makes me feel happy. You really have a good eye for people, don''t you, Mr. Yashiro? This is the difference between Paula and Ginette. Do you take a happy voice as ''slacking off'', or do you take it as ''improving the atmosphere of the store''? There is a big difference. I''m sure Paula wanted to have a chat too. But she was too busy with work to do so. And yet Loretta kept talking and talking and talking, and she lost her patience. I don''t think it''s Paula''s fault. I don''t think she''s short-tempered or narrow-minded. A person with normal sensibilities would be annoyed if someone talked all the time at work. But there are those who see it as a positive thing. It''s Jeannette, who is one of humanity''s greatest sycophants, and me, who has realized that talking is good for money. ''I''m all about Magda-tan, you know! ''Nya~? Umaro seems to be very single-minded. With the novelty of being a newcomer and his natural friendliness, he is stubbornly sticking to the Magda camp while the carpenters of Torbek''s construction store are all turning to the Loretta camp. ...... Too much favoritism is dangerous, though, because it smells like a crime. Magda''s condition has stabilized and she is no longer rampant, so I dress her properly and take her out to the cafeteria. She''s not wearing a collar. He has started to understand and listen to us relatively well. I am sure he will be cured soon. He still only wants to wear my clothes, though. ''Manager~!I''d like four more daily specials! ''What?You''ve already eaten, haven''t you? ''When we were talking about how cool it is to be a man who eats a lot, everyone seemed to be getting hungry! ...... They''re so easy, the carpenters at Torbeck Engineering. ''Oh, sure, ......''. In response to Loretta''s words, Ginette also nodded her head in agreement, gently laced the fingers of her hand together, and smiled happily. ''A man who eats a lot makes me happy when I see him,'' she said. ''More daily specials! ''This one too! ''I can eat as many bowls of Ginette-san''s food as I want! ''What?Oh, sir!I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it like that. ......! ''That''s fine, manager!You''re all men among men, you don''t have to say two words!Right, guys? ''''''''''''''Oh! '''''''''''''' ...... Men are, indeed, simple. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Ginette ran quickly to the kitchen. The food on the counter is for Umaro. Umaro had been happily watching Magda eat the corn and had delayed his meal until now. Of course, the corn that Magda ate was brought by Umaro. ''Umaro, it''s ready!Come and get it! ''I want you to bring it to me!I''ll say it again, I''m a customer! I''m an extravagant customer. ''Yes, yes!I''ll carry it for you! I reach out to lift the tray, and Loretta quickly lifts it. ''I want to talk to Umaro-san too, you know! ''Guha......! Umaro''s heart was damaged by 25 kyuun. Uumalo is on the verge of being cunned. ''......Oh, I have Magda-tan at ............'' ''It''s okay. I''m totally fine with being second.Please be friendly with me. ''Kenki ......? This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. He''s pretty wobbly. However, this woman is pretty good at instantly seeing through Umaro''s preferences. Although Loretta''s expression is a bit exaggerated, it is not a lie that would be caught by the "Judgment of the Spirits". In fact, Loretta seems to be honestly thinking so. She seems to enjoy socializing in a way that is separate from love, friendship, fondness and dislike. If that''s the case, that''s quite an advantage. It''s not something you can just copy. ''Nya~'' Unable to bear the sight of Umaro suffering from chest pains, Magda approached Umaro in a hurried manner. Then, she took out a piece of honey popcorn from the bag hanging on her waist and offered it to Umaro. ''Nyah. ''What ............ can you give me,............?'' It was the first time Magda had ever given someone else her candy: ...... ''Perhaps, since you''re suffering, you''d like to eat this to cheer yourself up? ''Nya.'' ''Nuh-uhhhh!Magda-tan, you''re a real angel!I''m all about you, Magda! A heartfelt blow!65535 damage to Umaro''s heart. Umaro has ascended to heaven. --Cause of death: death by crying. ''Hey. Somebody go dump this half-smiling corpse in the swamp. ''It''s alive! ''Someone, please dump this living corpse into the swamp at .......'' ''Do you really want to dump it?Then at least make a concession in the slums!I don''t want to live in a swamp! What''s with the obsession? ''Slums and swamps are the same thing, aren''t they? It''s a dump of recluse. ''No, Mr. Yashiro. A swamp and a slum are totally .......'' ''They are totally different! As if to interrupt Umaro''s words, Loretta raised her voice. It was the first time she had heard such a strong tone. ''............ Ah. No, no. I''m sorry. After a while, Loretta bowed her head apologetically. The words she had just said must have come out of her mouth. ''Oh, no. I''m sorry too. Actually, I''ve never been to a slum before. Maybe I was just prejudiced by the sound of the word. I apologize immediately for the bad atmosphere. I don''t make foolish decisions that destroy relationships by being stubborn in such situations. A single casual comment can decisively destroy a relationship. You never know where other people''s landmines are. Until we get to know each other, we have to come to terms like this. Even I have the sense to do that. ''Oh, no. It''s my pleasure. I''m not a ...... slammer. ...... No, it''s nothing. I''m sorry! I wondered if Loretta was from a slum. ...... I''m sure you have a big family,...... and your sister has a big brother,...... or five? I''m sure they have a big family, and Loretta, the older sister, is helping out with the family finances. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. Immediately, Loretta changed the subject. With a cheerful voice, she dispelled the heavy atmosphere. Her quickness in switching topics is also impressive. Loretta looked at the honey popcorn that Umaro had just been given by Magda. Oh, I didn''t show it to Loretta. ''I''ll show you how to make it later. ''Are you sure? ''Yeah. Magda is in charge of it, but it would be better if Loretta learned how to make it too.'' ''I''ll learn!I''ll learn quickly!I want to learn a lot of work and become an indispensable part of the Sun Goddess Pavilion! He must have been devastated to get fired. He''s so desperate. ''Well, with Magda in this situation, I might as well change the popcorn duty to Loretta. I interviewed her yesterday afternoon, helped her a little in the evening, and she''s been working full-time since this morning. Loretta''s adaptability is astounding. I''m sure she''ll be able to handle a new job. Besides, I can''t make it when Magda is healthy and on the hunt. Magda could do with a little less work. ''Okay, Loretta. From today on you''re in charge of the popcorn and ......'' ''...... No.'' He grabbed me by the arm. I looked up to see Magda staring up at me with vacant eyes. Magda''s small hand gripped my arm tightly. It was so strong that my fingers were digging in. ...... I could feel the desperation. ............ Tsuka. ''Magda?'' ''...... No.'' ''No, no, no.'' ''......Popcorn is Magda''s job.'' ''............'' ''.............................. ''No.'' ...... Yeah. I know ''...... no''. And it also confirms that you''re as one-sided as ever. It''s at ....... ''You, how long have you been cured?'' ''........................? The timing is too good. There''s no way you''ve just been cured. ...... He''s been pretending for a while that he''s not cured, even though he is. ''............ just now cured''. I''ll say it again. I don''t suppose you''re saying you''ve just been cured. ''...... miraculous timing'' ...... How dare this guy lie to me out of thin air. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. I see. ...... Does his agitation show in his ears? I''ll punish the bad girl. I slowly extended my arm and pointed at Magda. "Judgment of the Spirits" stance. I''ll tolerate you if you say you''re sorry. So what do we do now? Magda, pointed at me, was staring at me with half-lidded eyes. There was no change in his expression. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. ...... Oh my god. I''m not sure what to say. You''ve just been cured at a miraculous time.'' ''..................Yes.'' That''s all right. Just make sure you don''t take it out on me. ''Since your memory was clouded when you were turned into a cat, and now that your memory has returned, you shouldn''t have any memories of when you were turned into a cat, so you don''t recognize this fox-faced man, do you? ''Eh, wait! ''............'' Magda stares at Umaro, who makes an impatient sound. Then, after a long pause, he said firmly. ''............ no.'' ''That''s not true, Magda-tan!We''ve known each other since before you turned into a cat, haven''t we? ''...... What?You tricked me.'' Magda glares at me. ''Hmph~! I guess we''re even now. Magda, always expressionless, puffed up a little. Maybe she''s getting a little emotional from her cat-ification. d*mn. I don''t know how long you''ve been pretending to be unhealed, but you''re going to have to work for what you''ve skipped. ''So, how are you feeling? ''............ Not bad. But I can''t hunt yet. ............ I still can''t get that red, fuzzy, shiny thing out.'' He''s regained consciousness, but he doesn''t seem to be in top form yet. ...... You''re not completely cured. ''............ work, do''. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards me with light force, and she came back to me without hesitation. Perhaps she was anxious about her injury and wanted to be pampered. But Magda is not the type to talk about such things, so she may have taken this roundabout way. Is it a little too indulgent of Magda to think of ......? Well, whatever. I''m glad you''re feeling better. We were all worried about you. Let''s go say thank you sometime. A farmer named Moormat, a chicken farmer named Nepheli, and a corn farmer named Yaprock and his family had come to visit Magda. I couldn''t see them at that time, so I should go and greet them again. I''ll get him something to celebrate his recovery. ''Did you ............ worry about ............? ''Oh. You might not remember me, though.'' ''And ............ Yashiro?'' ''Of course.'' He presses his palm down on the top of the cat''s ears, which droop anxiously. Then he stroked Magda''s fluffy, bushy hair. ''I''m glad you''re okay. ''............'' Kaku ............ and Magda''s face looks down. Then, in a voice like a mosquito''s-- ''............ I''m sorry.'' -- and muttered. I don''t know if that''s an apology for worrying you or for lying to you. I don''t know, but ...... well, I got what he was trying to say. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand what I mean. ............ I want to ............ play with you ......''. ''If you touch me, you''re banned, okay? I''m going to nail Umaro, who is quivering and shaking with an unpleasant flush on his face. If this were Tokyo, I''d have him arrested immediately, but it''s not. ''......Your brother looks like your brother............'' I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you have. I thought I heard wrong,......, but above all, I don''t know what the words mean. ''What? ''Huh?Oh, no, it''s nothing!I mean, did I say something? Loretta forced a smile and acted cheerful. This guy seems to have a lot of things to hide. Well, if you don''t want to tell me, I won''t listen. ''Thank you for waiting~. It''s for four people first! It was Ginette''s relaxed voice that shook off the slightly heavy atmosphere. ''Ah, yes!I''m coming! Loretta ran to the counter. I feel like I''ve been run off, like she doesn''t want to be in my presence. ''...... Manager.'' ''Oh, Magda!Are you okay now? ''...... I''m fine. I can work now.'' ''There''s no need to rush. Just take it easy for a while longer.'' ''...... but .................. okay.'' In a way, Jeannette is very stubborn. At times like this, no amount of reasoning will make Jeannette change her mind. I think Magda knows that. In the end, she gave in. ''By the way, gentlemen. What were you talking about just now?It sounded like you were talking about something different or the same thing. Loretta''s shoulder reacted slightly to Ginette''s casual words. ...... Are you rehashing that story? ...... Well, you didn''t seem to hear what was said, and I''m sure you didn''t mean any offense. ...... ...... I''m sure you''ll understand.There''s a big difference between a slum and a swamp! It was Umaro who took care of her. He must have been protecting Loretta. He didn''t want to tell her what he had just said. ''The people in the slum are going to be very angry if we''re lumped in with the swamp, aren''t they? Umaro makes a deliberate attempt at humor. I guess he wants to turn this whole thing into a gag. This is a funny story. He wants to say that everyone understands. Well, my guess is that the people in the slums are different from the frogs. Frogs don''t even have human rights, they''re not recognized. Whether they are recluse or abandoned, as long as they are human beings, they must have at least something to be protected. That''s not the case with the frogs. That recognition must be pretty big for people in this town. No wonder the [frog] is feared. ''kus......'' But there was one person here who wasn''t caught up in that perception. ''What are you talking about? Slums and swamps are the same. It''s no different. It''s Jeannette. ''...... eh''. Umaro froze at the sudden denial. The air froze as well. But Ginette was still smiling, and was the only one in the hardened world who remained in a relaxed routine. It was as if it was natural. There was nothing to wonder about, she said. ''Both of them are in this city, and they are places for someone to return to, where the residents are, and where they can accept all the happy and sad things. People live, make a living, and eventually die. It''s a place where people live, live and eventually die. If you ask Jeannette, it may indeed be the same. ''Isn''t it the same for this store, the main street, the downtown area, and the ...... central district? ''The slum is the same ............ as ...... Chuo Ward? ''Yes. I think so. I thought slums and swamps were the same. They''re both equally vulgar, unsafe pits. So Ginette agreed with me, in exactly the opposite sense. ''...... You''re the first ............ manager to ever say that to me.'' ''Heh?That''s what everyone thinks, right?You know? I was told by Jeannette, ''That''s impossible! I don''t think there''s anyone in this room who can say, ''No way! ''Yes, that''s right!That''s exactly what I wanted to say! I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''............I can''t believe there is such a person ............''. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. The expression of the eyebrows raised is that of a person who is about to make a decision, but is too anxious to say so. However, it seems that the decision did not require much time. ...... Loretta raised her head and looked at Ginette with a serious expression. ''Mr. Manager!And your brother ...... Yashiro! She clenched her fists and looked at us with eyes that looked like they were about to cry. The usual ...... smile was nowhere to be seen. And then, with a mysterious look on her face, Loretta said these words. ''Can you please ............ help my brothers? Help ......? ''Let''s talk about it! Quick, quick!You''re early, Jeannette! ''You know what, Jeannette? We''re in a bit of a shortage right now. ......'' I''m trying to convince myself to stop Ginette''s rampage, but ............ ''.................. Ji~'' ''..................'' ...... Don''t stare at me like that. What''s with the ''I''m counting on you'' look? I''ve got two things to say to you. One. I''m not a good guy. I think charity''s a b*tc*. And another thing, ............, just this once. ''............ Huh. Do what you want, man. ''Yes!Thank you very much. ''Thank you'' for helping people? Jeannette. What kind of a messed-up circuitry do you have in your head? ''Loretta. ''Yes, sir! ''...... I''m just asking, aren''t I? ''Yes, sir!Thank you very much. You thank me too? You''re not going to get a penny out of me. ''So, ...... I''d like you to meet my brothers once if you can, ......? ''Hmm ......, unfortunately we have a lot of work to do. It''s impossible. All right, that''s all I have to say about that. Now, let''s get back to work! ''......Yashiro'' I thought I could end the conversation successfully, but Magda stood in front of me. ''...... Magda''s here. I''ll be fine. What''s with the sudden awakening of the work ethic? Is that him? Now that you know you''ve been slacking off, do you feel like you have to work harder? ''Um, you can cancel our daily set meal, too. ''Yes, yes!Please listen to what Loretta has to say. ''Daily special, we''ll come back tomorrow! The carpenters, who had ordered more food on the spur of the moment, helped him out. I mean, you guys can''t eat anymore, can you? The four who had already received their food were shoveling in the daily special meal with deathly expressions on their faces. You saw them and got scared, didn''t you?You couldn''t eat for two from the start, could you? You gave me an extra push. Mr. Yashiro. Why don''t you take advantage of your kindness and let me make some time for you? ''But you know what, ......''. I don''t want to be a pain in the ass!Also, I have a bad feeling about this. --I wish I could be honest with you. But this is the time to use subterfuge. ''I''m not comfortable leaving Magda alone after she''s sick. I''m sorry, but we''ll have to meet another time. ......'' ''...... fine'' ''...... Magda. Do you want to get in my way? ''...... Umaro is here.'' ''Mach, Magda-tan!Can you rely on me? ''...... Yes.'' ''I''m impressed! ''...... He won''t hurt your feelings if you use him as a joke.'' ''That''s harsh!''............ But I''m happy with anything Magda-tan! You''re very sick, Umaro. Get Regina to mix you a potion. It may be too late for that. ''Mr. Yashiro.'' Ginette calls you by name. When she only speaks your name, it''s the same thing. A so-called ............ ''checkmate''. ''Whaaaat. Can we just go for a minute now?'' ''Yes, sir!Just take a look at the situation in my house and that''s it.'' I didn''t expect to be asked for advice about my family on the second day after we met. ...... This is definitely Ginette''s fault. I''m sure it''s Ginette''s fault. Ginette''s sycophantic aura attracts all the lost lambs in the world. ''Don''t you have to go right now?It can be done after the store is closed.'' ''Ah~...... after dark, that ............ might be dangerous indeed......''. It''s a slum! I knew they''d take us to the slums! ''So, let''s leave the store to Magda and Umaro for a while and go to Loretta''s house.'' ''''Oh, Jeannette, you use me like that .......'''' I don''t know what you''re planning to do by taking us to see your family, but ...... If something goes wrong, it''s better to have these guys around. If we come home too late, they''ll at least come looking for us. ...... It might be a good idea to head there now. ''All right. Then let''s head out now.'' ''Yes, sir!Thank you very much!'' Loretta thanked him happily. She bows her head vigorously and bends at the waist more than a right angle. ...... Standing body forward bend, huh? ''Well then, Umaro. Sorry, take care of Magda for me.'' ''Yes, sir!I want you to leave this to me! ''And Magda. Make sure Umaro doesn''t do anything weird to you.'' ''He doesn''t trust you, does he? ''...... I know.'' ''He understands you? ''No, it''s okay. You can trust Mr. Umaro. ''As expected of Ms. Jeannette!You''re the conscience of the Sundaemari Pavilion! ''Um, ......, why are you turning your face away? ''Because I can''t look directly at you yet! ''If you had that kind of distance from Magda, I''d be able to trust you, too. ......'' ''...... fine. Magda trusts him.'' ''Magda!I''m so happy for you! ''...... And I''ve got some masakari for you.'' ''Where did you get that huge mascari?And the word ''trust'' is so hollow! Magda carrying the familiar giant Masakari. His footing is a bit wobbly, but he will not fall behind Umaro. But just in case: ...... I say a few words to the carpenters. ''You guys, take care of Umaro! ''That "please" means "keep an eye on him", right?I''ll be fine!I''m a carpenter who puts trust first! We made a promise to the carpenters, except for Umaro, and we left the Sunken Pavilion. After leaving the sunlit pavilion, we headed a little toward the main street, then turned down a narrow street that we had never turned down before, and walked deeper into it. We''re going north. ...... It looks like we''re headed for a slum. As we cut through the forest, the air changed. The atmosphere is tense and piercing, and the tension rises. The dense forest seemed to cut off this place from the outside world. I felt unsettled, as if I had entered a different world. I stand at the entrance of the slum and look beyond it. Decaying wooden houses are scattered about, and rarely do I see a collapsed brick wall. The village is deserted, with not a single person in sight. ............ Even so, I feel uncomfortable, as if someone is watching me all the time. ''......There''s no one here, is there? In the eerie atmosphere, Jeannette let out an uneasy voice. She gently picks at the elbows of my clothes. ''My family is the only one living in this area right now. Without hesitation, Loretta tells me that her house is in a slum. But there''s only one family? No wonder it''s so quiet. ''There were people who said, "Crush the slum," and ...... everyone left. Crush the slums: ....... I don''t know how you feel, but I don''t agree with you. Blowholes and cesspools make you want to pick your nose, but eliminating them will lead to even worse misery. It''s clear as day. ''I''ll take you to my place then. Loretta takes the lead and starts walking. We stepped out to follow her, but ...... ''Oh, brother,......, Yashiro!Please watch your step! ''What?'' With one foot raised, Daruma-san fell down and stopped him. What the hell? Also, you can call me ''big brother'' if you want. ''There are pits dug in this neighborhood to prevent strangers from entering.'' That''s not very childish. ............ Oh, so Loretta''s brothers are children. That''s shallow wisdom. ...... It''s dangerous. Please follow my path.'' You want me to take the safe route and follow you, RPG style? I looked at my feet and saw that the ground I was about to step on was swelling up. This is the only place where the soil is a different color, clearly indicating that it was covered with soil later. ...... quality is low! ...... The piled up soil is about 30 cm in diameter. It''s so small that it looks as if the kids dug it hard. The depth is probably only a few centimeters at most. Is this a thing?Is this the kind of thing you see in the movies where outsiders trip and fall in this hole and the kids all attack them with water and paint? You know, ......, there aren''t really any adults who get covered in paint and go, ''Wow!You''re just adding fuel to the fire. Well, first of all, you won''t get caught with this quality. I''m sorry to interrupt your efforts, but adults don''t have time to care about children. I lifted my foot and put it down, dodging the swollen earth. At that moment-- ''Noaaaah! ''Yashiro-san! ''Big brother! The world flipped. And then it went dark. The earth I had put my feet down on was swallowed up into the depths of the earth. There was nothing underneath the earth where I had placed my feet, but a huge void. Therefore, there was nothing to support my weight, and as a matter of course, my body fell down by gravity. A large amount of earth and dry tree branches were pouring down on me. ''Yashiro-san!Are you alright? ''Big brother, why aren''t you following me?I told you there''s a pit! A pitfall ......? When I looked up, I saw a large hole surrounded by earthen walls opening up to the sky. At the edge of the hole are Ginette and Loretta, looking into the bottom of the hole. This is the pithole: ...... The diameter is about two meters. It is probably ......5 meters deep. ............ Perhaps out of respect for human life or something, the bottom of the hole was covered with a large amount of soft straw, and I did not suffer any injuries, broken bones or sprains from the fall. However, my heart is still racing. ''I''m lowering the rope now~!Please wait for a moment! Loretta''s head snapped back as she called out to me. d*mn you ......, you got me right there. That blatantly cheap fill was just a trick. It''s a fake to make you think there''s a pit in there. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you might want to check out this website. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time and money. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s been a long time since I''ve had such a black feeling in the pit of my stomach. What does a child do? I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s totally a professional job. Then there''s nothing to be afraid of. As a professional swindler, I''ll do my best to retaliate. ''Oh, um, Yashiro......-san?I''m sure you''ll be fine. It''s all right~. I''m fine! I''m totally normal! Mmmmmmmm ............ ''Ah, um!I''m sure Loretta will bring the ropes right away, so wait until then............ ''Ginette! Ginette''s scream suddenly sounded, and my heart creaked. My heart is beating faster and my eyes are spinning. ...... What is it?What''s going on! ''Ginette!What''s wrong!Answer me!'' But there was no reply from Jeannette: ...... d*mn it! I put my feet on the nearest wall. If it''s all dirt, then digging with my fingers should be enough to get me out! I kick at the wall several times, but each time my body slips and I''m dragged back to the bottom of the hole. d*mn it! What the hell is going on up there? In my impatience, I look up again. A shadow was peering at ............. It''s as if it''s peeking at you. ...... The shadow was, for all intents and purposes, a rat. But a big one. Compared to the time when Jeannette and the others were peeking at him, ............ his approximate height was around 80 centimeters. ...... Is he the one who dug this pit? But wait. The only people in this slum are Loretta''s family, right? Loretta is a human being. ...... Isn''t it strange that her family are rats? What the hell is going on here? ...... I''m not sure what to say.You guys! A familiar voice shouted in an unfamiliar tone. At that moment, the rat that had been looking into the hole shivered. ...... What is it this time? I''m not sure what to do. That idiot ......?That''s a very friendly way of putting it. ''I''m fine!What''s wrong with Jeannette? ''The manager is fine!You look like you''re in a lot of trouble, but you''re not hurt! It''s as if I don''t understand the situation! What''s that? What is that? Ginette, what are you doing to me? ''I''m sorry, sir. My brothers are at ...... Anyway, I''m lowering the rope now, so please come up. I''ll introduce you to my brothers upstairs.'' After saying this, Loretta lowered the rope into the hole, with knots evenly spaced. I gave it a couple of strong tugs, but it remained firmly in place. It must have been tied somewhere. I grabbed the rope and started to climb up the wall, hanging my feet on the wall. I can climb this. ...... But my fingertips hurt like hell from my recklessness earlier. Anyway,......, my brothers, huh? So the rat was Loretta''s brother after all. So does that mean Loretta is a rat race? I wonder if it has a long thin tail on its butt. ...... I''ll show you later. Using my aching fingers, I managed to climb up the vertical wall. As we neared the ground, Loretta reached out her hand to me. I grabbed her hand and asked her to pull me up. Finally, I was able to get out of the hole. ..................''s, but... ''Let me introduce you. These are my brothers and sisters! There was a crowd of nearly a hundred rat people there. ''Too big a family, huh? By the way, Ginette... Ginette, by the way, was being jostled by small children with big smiles on their faces, and she was kind of squealing. Sometimes it''s unfortunate to be overly attached to children, isn''t it? 39-Episode 37 My younger brother and sister ''My, my brothers. ......'' Loretta bowed her head with an apologetic expression. Loretta was surrounded by huge rats ...... about a meter tall, and smaller beastmen. ''Look, you guys should apologize too! ''............,'' he said. ''............ because the strangers invaded.'' ''These are the people that my sister is taking care of! ''Because ........................'' ''It''s not because! The rats are getting flustered. Their voices sound like boys. The younger brothers are probably the ones who are upset with Loretta. Meanwhile, the younger sisters are saying ...... ''Sis, you smell so good! ''Your tits are so big! ''It''s so soft! ''Ah, ah, um, don''t touch me in a weird way ......?Please don''t do that. ......! They crowded around Jeannette and engaged in skinship like a harassing father. And Jeannette is squealing and giggling. ''Hey!Get away from the manager, you guys! At Loretta''s shout, the sisters scattered like spiders. ''...... At all. I''m sorry. Manager, are you hurt? ''Yes,......, I was surprised, but I''m not hurt.'' Jeannette managed to get up, though she was dizzy. Her hair and clothes had been messed up. ''My brother, ...... Yashiro-san.'' What''s with all the rephrasing? Is it some kind of obsession? ''There''s no more ...... way to apologize. You''re the one who picked me up after I was fired. ......'' Loretta let out a voice that sounded like she was about to cry. She chokes up and squints her eyes. It seems that if you give her just a little more stimulation, her tear glands will break down. ''You guys, apologize properly! Loretta converted her tearful emotions into anger and shouted at her brothers and sisters. ''...... I''m sorry. A small girl stands in front of Ginette and bows her head. On the girl''s head, a pair of round ears poked out from between her hair. ''I''m sorry. ''I''m sorry.'' ''I''m sorry.'' ''I''m sorry. ''I''m sorry. One after another, the girl and the little girl bowed to Jeannette. My sisters are rather obedient, aren''t they? ''Look, you too. Saying this, Loretta pushes the mouse-faced boy back. I push three of them in front of me and urge them to apologize. ''...... But this brother got himself into a pit, didn''t he? ''I guess so. ''We didn''t do anything, did we? Hahahahaha ...... I''m too right to say anything back. ''Still, I apologize! ''Oh, that''s okay, Loretta.'' ''But .........'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. There is something that will change your sense of value, like acknowledging the other person or realizing your own stupidity. So, no need to apologize. ''............, is that so? ''But I''m sure the day will come ...... not too long from now when you''ll regret that you didn''t apologize ...... honestly.'' ''Everyone!Please apologize!I''m not sure what to do. For some reason, Jeannette impatiently urges the ratlings to apologize. Oh, come on, Jeannette. I''m saying that you don''t have to force yourself to apologize. I''m saying that you don''t have to apologize, not that you don''t have to apologize. There are many things in the world that you don''t have to do, but you should do. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ''Please forgive me, please forgive me! ''Hey, girl!This guy''s face is so scary! Some of the kids started to cry. I didn''t think I looked that scary, but ...... I was just a little irritated. ''Yashiro-san. The kids are sorry for what they''ve done,......, so please be gentle. ''Jeannette. What kind of person do you think I am?'' ''I think you are a very kind, responsible, and reliable person. Oh, ......, that''s too much of a compliment. I''m embarrassed, as expected. ''But I''m also sorry ............ and sympathetic ...... to those who are hostile to Yashiro.'' Did I do something so terrible to anyone? ''Sometimes ......''. Gently, Jeannette''s hand touches my cheek. ''You have a very scary face, don''t you? You never look at us like we''re someone else. ......'' Ginette''s face, as she peered at me, looked ...... somewhat forlorn. ''And ...... more rarely ...... a very sad face ............''. ''......! I was at a loss for words. I couldn''t say anything back. I couldn''t say anything back. ...... Did I look like that? ''............ Don''t look at me like that.'' I could only turn my head away. I turned my body around to get away from the hand that was touching my cheek. This guy is always looking at things even though he''s always one step away. Or perhaps it''s because he''s in a retreating place that he can see so well. ''............jee~'' ''............jee~'' ''............jee~'' ''............jee~'' ''............jee~'' ''............jii~'' ''Oooohhh! ''Aaah! The next thing we knew, the ratty kids surrounding us were staring at us. Loretta was one of them. ''What the hell? I muttered to myself in a rough tone of voice because of the intense gaze. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''...... Are you going to kiss me? ''Buf! I''m not going to do it. The young girl''s direct question made my windpipe reflux. In the event that you have any kind of questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... I''m really going to kick their asses. I''m not sure what to say. Don''t you dare look at me like that. You''re in a position to admonish your idiot brothers. ....... As I was thinking this, Loretta came running up to me. So, yes, you have to follow through like that. ...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. You''re all red in the face. ''I''m going to throw you into a pit, you bastard.'' I''m going to give Loretta the Iron Claw that I used to give her back in elementary school when she would stare right into people''s faces. My iron claw was once feared to be the best in the school. Ouch!Ouch!It hurts! Loretta grabs my arm and writhes in agony. You can''t get this iron claw off with such soft strength. My brothers are yelling and screaming at us. After all, no matter where you are in the world, martial arts are always a passion for boys. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... shouldn''t you let Loretta-san go ...... soon? ''Hmm?Yeah, that''s right. It''s about ............ time, ouch! The moment I released Loretta''s head, I felt a dull ache in my ass. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. ...... Is this the guy who kicked my ass? ''All right, kids! ''All right, kids, charge! '''''''' ohhhhh! '''''''' As soon as I jumped on the kickboxing rat, my other brothers joined in. The battle situation turned into an out-of-nowhere brawl. ''Oh, no!Everyone!Calm down!Please calm down! Ginette shouted, but her boyish heart would not be extinguished once it was ignited. He swarmed his younger brothers, knocking them down like they were in a side-scrolling action game. I''m not going to fall behind these kids,............, even though I''m worried about my stamina. I''ve been playing around with them for more than ten minutes. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Although there was a numerical threat, there was no one who could be my enemy after the older group was eliminated. My victory was confirmed when I plucked up the head of the last remaining child, which was about 30 centimeters long and looked like a stuffed animal, and dropped it from the top of the hole. There was no need to show mercy to the child, even if it was very young, the moment it joined the battle. I walked slowly to Jeannette and the others, basking in the afterglow of my victory. It''s a victory walk. When I returned, Jeannette greeted me with a short run. ''Hey, Yashiro-san. That ...... girl from earlier looks like she''s crying. ......? ...... There are times when a man must do what he must. So don''t fidget with that anxious look on your face. It will wake up the guilt in me,......, but for now, I''ll just slink away and get further away from the pit. ''I''m going to go check it out!Is everyone okay?Are you okay? Ginette, who is running away, is looking into the pit and calling out to her brothers who have been thrown in. ............ Should I apologize later? In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to make the most of your time. ''Brother ...... Yashiro-san.'' My sisters are helping Ginette pull my brothers up. So it''s just me and Loretta here at a distance. Loretta asks me in a whispery voice, as if she doesn''t want anyone to hear. You''ll be able to get a lot more information on the web. ...... What is this girl talking about? ''.................. There is no such fact, though?'' ''Are you sure?'' ''.................. If you need to testify, I can get three people to appear in court.'' Magda, Estella, and Bertina would be able to testify that the allegations were unfounded. ''...... so,.................. so...'' ...... What kind of emotional expression is that? ''Um, brother ...... Yashiro-san! ''Hey, that''. ''............ Yes?'' ''Are you saying ''brother'' and then calling him back on purpose? ''No, no, no, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! The way he denies it is strange. This guy''s honorific is just a normal conversation with an ''is'' attached. He must not have much education. ''I had a strong impression of her when I first met her. ......'' When I first met Loretta, I was just a guy passing by. ''......And I wished I had a brother like Yashiro,......'' I thought. The words came unexpectedly, without being said, as if they had fallen out. I wonder if he meant it. ...... big brother, you know. I''m not sure.I''m not sure.I am the eldest daughter and there is no one above me.So, I''ve always thought it would have been nice to have an older brother that I could rely on. ...... And, you know, Yashiro is pretty close to ...... my ideal brother. It''s a good idea to have a good friend or family member who can help you out when you''re in trouble,....... I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I have. She is clutching her head, desperately trying to choose her words. And the final word that came out was ...... this. ''Ano!Can I call you ''big brother''? ............ Let''s see. .................. Am I still a stupid kid? ''No, you can do whatever you want. ......'' What kind of anime is it where a girl who is not your brother calls you ''big brother''? ...... I don''t know why we''re talking about this. ''Well, then, I''ll call you .................. o,oni...... ......'' I don''t know what she''s nervous about, but Loretta has gone rigid with her mouth open. ''Ah ...... haha, it''s kind of embarrassing~ ............ So now it''s time to ...... ............ Onii............ Onii... ............... Onii ............ In this kind of situation, you need to gain momentum. I''m not sure what to do. I feel like I''m being called a demon. ............ I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I couldn''t call the master and the landlady "father" and "mother" either. ...... In particular, Loretta, who has always been the oldest, may not feel comfortable being called ''big brother''. ''Oh,ooh,ooh,............ ooh,ooh,ooh! Scary scary scary,something scary! ''Ooh,...... ooh,......! ''Oni~chan~! As I watched Loretta make a hundred faces, countless ratty children jumped on my waist. ''That was so fun! Let''s do it again! ''Play, play, play! ''Hey, come on!Don''t stick to me! ''Hey, big brother! ''Big brother, play with me! ''Hey, big brother! So many big brother calls. None of them are related to me by blood, but... ''You guys!I''m having such a hard time!We''re all going to sit on the floor! ''''''''Eh! '''''''' ''Shut up! ''Sis, you''re angry again.'' ''Who''s making you angry? ''You''re just taking it out on me, aren''t you? ''Of course...'' ''Why do I have to take it out on you?I''m just angry that you guys are behaving rudely and disrespectfully to our customers! ''Eh~, I don''t think so...... sister, I''m really talking about my brother......'' ''If you talk any more, I''ll pull your tongue out, okay?Also, you and you, you''re saying things that are showing on your faces. I''m going to stop sitting on my hands and start standing on my head now.'''' ''''Whoa ......, that''s terrible ......, I didn''t say anything ............! ''''I don''t need to listen to you guys to know what you''re talking about! It''s a tremendous sibling rivalry. The eldest daughter''s energy is amazing. Now I think I understand why Loretta''s voice is so clear and smooth, why she is able to construct words instantly, and why she is so good at reading the other person''s facial expression. There is no better practice than practice, I guess. ''I''m really sorry, sir. My noisy brothers. ......'' ''No, no, no. I think it''s very good that you''re so energetic.'' With a small wave of her hand, Ginette smiles at Loretta. ''No, I''m the one who got in trouble. ''And I''m sorry about ............ your ...... brother ...... too.'' ''Well, don''t worry, I''ll bill you in some way later. ''Oh, what? ''I''m just kidding. Mr. Yashiro often makes mean jokes.'''' Hey, wait, Jeannette. I''m serious, okay? I''m going to make you pay in some way, shape or form, okay? I''m sure you were trying to be casual about it, but ...... your voice was raised when you said "big brother". If you''re so embarrassed, why don''t you just stop? Only a limited number of people are happy to be called "big brother" by younger girls. Of course, I''m not one of those people. ''By the way, you have a very big family. ''Ehehe ............ I''m sorry.'' She smiled fondly, then shrugged. Loretta seemed to be quite bothered. She''s working part-time to support such a large group of younger brothers and sisters. She must be desperate. I thought she was an energetic and stupid girl, but I was surprised to find out that she is a rather serious sister. I wonder if race is a characteristic of a person in this way. You know, rats multiply. It''s a rat race. ''Are Loretta and the others a race of mice? ''No. They''re hamster people. The ...... parrot people and the ...... chopper. Why don''t you just use ''birds'' or ''rats'' as a big group? ''There''s nothing hamster-like about Loretta, is there? Loretta is, for all intents and purposes, a human being. Her ears are the same shape as mine and Jeannette''s. She''s not hairy. ''I''m not much of a beast. ......'' ''Beast rate? ''I mean the ratio of man to beast in the beastman tribe.'' ''Ah, ......, so Umaro has a high beast rate.'' ''It''s said that men have a higher percentage of beasts than women. Is it normal for women to have between fifty percent and ten percent?Magda-san is about 10%. Magda is a tiger with only cat ears and a tail, not a cat ....... I see, about 10%. It''s true that you don''t see many men with cat ears. Mormat, Umaro, and Yamboldo all have the face of a beast. ''Huh?Didn''t the master of the tavern on the main street have an old man''s head with dog ears? ''Oh, the master there was a bit feminine. Feminine? That bearded man? ''I''ve never seen him before, but he''s a medieval man, isn''t he? No, no, Jeannette. He''s the complete opposite of neutral. He''s so full of testosterone he''s almost liquefying. Isn''t neutral supposed to be like the singer of a visual band?It''s not the same in this world? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... What does that mean? ''Is Neffery masculine? Nepheli at the poultry farm had the face of a full-grown chicken. ''No, you can''t say that to him. ...... I''m sure he''s worried about it.'' I was gently admonished by Jeannette. I care about ............ well, do you care about that? My face is a chicken. Of course you care. I''d stay in my room. Neffery must be a strong woman. ''I''ll treat you to dinner sometime. ......'' ''So, does that mean you''re going to ...... ask Neffery-san out on a date? No. I''m in the mood for a breeding? ''Well, was it Yap Lock''s wife, ...... Wuerer?He was also a full-body otter. ''Depending on the species, there are people who have a 100% beast rate. Well, even if they are 100%, they are bipedal, omnivorous, and talk a lot, so I guess they are different from ''beasts''. ''I only have a tail as my only animal feature. ''Animal traits? ''Ears, tail, and other characteristic parts of the race. ''Is that why the parents here are having so many children? ''Yes,......, that''s right. ............ Um, Mr. Yashiro. It''s a bit embarrassing to use the term ''pokopoko'' in ...... this way, so could you please refrain from using it? Ginette''s cheeks flushed and she turned her head. I don''t know if that''s such a bad expression, Pokopoko? ''But Loretta''s tail isn''t noticeable at all, is it? ''Yes, it is. Our tails are too short. Oh, I see. Unlike rats, hamsters have short tails. I was imagining a tail like a house mouse''s, but it''s totally different, isn''t it? I wonder how hamsters'' tails look like.I don''t remember seeing many of them. ...... I''m not sure if I''ve ever seen one before. ''Huh?No, no, no, no, I can''t!It''s absolutely impossible! ''Ya, Yashiro-san!You can''t ask a girl to show her tail. ...... Please repent! I''m really pissed off about this. It''s not like I''m asking her to show her ass. .................. Oh, it''s the same thing. It''s the same thing.Tails, tails, tails! And then my younger brother, who looked rather young, stuck his ass out in front of me and pulled down his pants. His ass is exposed, and his short, round tail is revealed. ''What the f*ck!What the hell are you doing?Hurry up and put it away! In a panic, Loretta pulls up her brother''s pants. The crotch is biting into his crotch and it looks painful. Kids have no qualms about showing their asses. I''m sure it''s unbearable for the sister. ............ If Loretta did that now, ............... ......... Hmm... ''Mr. Yashiro. Are you thinking of something bad?'' I avert my gaze from the sharp ginette. I feel like she''s looking at my profile, but I ignore her. After fixing my brother''s pants and dropping a punishing fist into his brain, Loretta turned to us and coughed. ''So,......, as you can see,............, my family is a bit large,....... My family is a little ...... large.'' ''A little? ''I''m sorry. It''s quite a lot. ......'' Loretta is half crying. She''s in a lot of trouble. ...... It must be hard to feed, clothe, and shelter all these people. You said that Loretta''s family was the only one in the slum. ............ This family is more than enough. ''So, there are a few things I''d like to discuss with you. ......'' ''First, separate your parents. Don''t add any more. ''Niho!I''m not adding any more!My parents are almost too old for this! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m sure you understand the process of having more children. ''I think the twins born last month will be the last. ''You''re still having more! You''re not planning anything! ''By the way, what are the names of your brothers and sisters? Ginette said these words as she looked at the crowd of younger brothers. ...... What? You are going to learn? You can''t. If the names of these guys were Ichiro to Hyakuro, it would be impossible to identify which one is which. Despite this, Loretta looks at her brother, who is closest to her, and mutters, ''Well, you know, ......''. Stop it, stop it. I don''t remember. ''Let''s see, .................., I think ......... ...that .................. is almost here... ...'' Don''t you remember? You should remember, eldest daughter! ''Well, well, it''s a trivial matter!It''s fine as long as you understand your name! No, the family has to understand. ...... Well, okay. I''ll call you ''brother'' and ''sister''. ''Come on, you guys. I''ll call you ''brother'' and ''sister''. ''Now you guys, say hello to your brother and the manager again! '''''''' Big brother, big sister, nice to meet you~!'''''''' ''......I feel like I''ve been forced into a big family. ............'' ''It was like this when we lived in the church. Ginette used to live with Bertina before she came to live at the Sunlit Pavilion. She must not feel uncomfortable being surrounded by siblings who are not related to her. ''I think it''s more important for a family to care for each other ...... than to be related by blood. Ginette''s words were strangely persuasive, with a kind of unique atmosphere that comes from those who have experienced it. ''Hmm. ......'' And the laugh that escaped unexpectedly was somehow very gentle. ''If that''s the case, maybe we''re a family now. "Big brother~chan. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I was a little nervous about the slightly sweet voice and the mischievous tone. ...... But, well, you''re my big brother. ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll agree. When I fired back, Jeannette''s face turned red and her big eyes widened. Then, she twisted her eyebrows in a slightly angry ...... way, but still said the usual line in a somewhat happy tone. ''d*mn it!Please repent! Well, I suppose there is such a thing as revenge. ''I''m taking a bath with my brother! ''Me too! ''Me too! My younger brothers and sisters flocked to me. If this many people take a bath together, we''ll run out of hot water. Incidentally, in this world, bathing is limited to wiping your body lightly with boiled water stored in a huge trays. I don''t know if they call it a "bath" here. It''s probably just a forced-translation spell that makes it go by ''bath''. ''There''s a river! ''I bathe in the river all the time! ''A river?'' I looked at Loretta and she nodded back. ''In this district, there''s a big cliff on the north side, and the river runs from the 29th district on top of it. The cliff I came down from the 30th district had a considerable difference in height. If the cliff bordering the 29th district was of the same level, it would be a magnificent waterfall. ''The river Delia is working on, is it connected to here?'' ''Yes. There is only one river in the forty-two districts. The question was answered by Ginette. ''But it''s too swollen to go near right now. It''s dangerous. That''s why we haven''t been able to bathe for the past few days. ............ Oh, no!I''m sure you''ll understand. Loretta is blowing herself up in a big way. ...... Can I lend you a bath? No, but this number of people is over capacity. ''So, the consultation is about their food, clothing and shelter?'' ''Yes, sir! ...... Well, it''s obvious that you were sniffing. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''If you have such strong legs and feet, you can still do manual labor or something, can''t you? He looked around at his many younger brothers and said. ''Oh, um, please don''t mention that again! ''Yashiro-san!You have no sense of decency! The two girls'' faces turn red. I think it''s not my comments that should be ashamed, but the unplanned actions of Loretta''s parents. ...... I can''t work and I''m at home, so I''m not going to ...... keep adding more and more, am I? ''Back to the topic at hand,......, I can''t even feed these kids well on my own earnings. ''If there''s a river, why don''t you catch some fish? ''No, Yashiro-san. That would interfere with Delia''s work. As I recall, Estella said that a permit is required for anyone other than the Sea Fishing Guild to fish in the sea. Is it the same for river fishing? I guess you can''t fish in the river without permission. ''Then, what about home vegetable gardens? ''A certain amount of crops are tolerated. Selling is prohibited, though. The Sunken Pavilion has a vegetable garden and chickens. It''s safe, apparently. ''There are restrictions on fishing and hunting because of the danger of affecting the ecosystem. I see. No matter how many vegetables I grow at home, it doesn''t mean that Momat''s field will die. But if we overfished the rivers and seas, there would be fewer fish for Delia and the others to catch. Is the permit system in place to avoid such direct damage? ''So, big brother!Manager! Loretta shouts loudly and bows her head. ''Can''t you please hire these girls at the Sunlit Pavilion? ''No, you can''t.'' I refuse immediately. I''ll tell him to stop messing around. We can''t afford to support such a large number of people. We''re strapped even now. ''If you want a job, join a guild or something. Otherwise, ask your lord for help. I don''t know what kind of recruiting is going on in this world, but I''m sure they''re at least hiring. ''I''d like to, but ............ many of the people in this district don''t want me to work for them. ...... Well, the people in the slums can''t be trusted. ............ and'' I don''t see anything violent or destructive in the slums, just large poor families. What is it that makes them so racist? ''Slums used to be a place where sinners hid. However, the lords of the districts have taken measures and now everyone has been judged, and there are no sinners in the slums. However, the name "slum" still gives a bad impression, and the residents of ...... seem to have a hard time accepting it. Once an image takes root, it''s hard to get rid of, you know. ''So I left here and looked for a job. ''So you''re living alone now? ''Yes, sir. ''What a waste. Why don''t you move out of your room and come back here? We don''t care about that kind of thing. Right? ''Yes, sir. Loretta-san is a very talented person, so you''re more than welcome.'''' ''Thank you very much, big brother ...... and manager ............! Loretta bows her head deeply and maintains that posture for a while. Her shoulders are shaking, as if she is crying. ...... You''ve been through a lot, haven''t you? If you don''t get rid of the image, your brothers will suffer the same. Wiping out the image ............In Japan, too, there were many companies that once had a bad image, their management was hindered. Many of them went bankrupt. Image is very important and also very scary. You could do some charity work with all your brothers and sisters to show your goodness. ............ No, if these people suddenly flood the city, the people of the city will be even more wary. The image strategy must be carefully pursued and boldly reformed. If we make a mistake, we will not be able to recover. However, there seems to be no time to spare. ...... ''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san.'' ''Don''t say any more. There are things I can do and things I can''t.'' I blocked out Ginette''s attempt to say something. There''s no way I''m going to be able to find work for all these people. I can''t even feed them. You''re going to feed them with leftovers from the store?There''s not enough leftovers. It won''t be enough even if you cut out donations to the church. Above all, there''s a critical shortage of time and manpower to do it. It''s beyond our control. ''......,'' he said,............, ''after all. Loretta''s shoulders slumped, but she still smiled weakly. ''I knew that. I''m grateful to you for hiring me,......, and I''m sorry for being unreasonable. Ginette looks at Loretta wistfully. I can''t help you. I guess she can''t stand it. ''Oh, no!Can you at least let me cook for you for once?Even if it''s just for this evening''s dinner. It might just be a light modification of what you normally eat! Now that we can''t provide food, all Ginette can do is provide technology. She must have thought that she could at least be of some use. The reason why he limited himself to only once was because he thought it would be impossible to prepare food for a hundred people every time, considering the time it would take. Nevertheless, Jeannette must be thinking that she wants to do the best she can. But you know, Jeannette. Cooking is quite a gamble, you know. You''ll be happy when you do. But once you get used to the taste, you''ll be dreading it when you go back to your old diet. The Yaploks came to the restaurant because they thought it would be the last time, and it would be very hard to go back to a poor life after having eaten good food. Besides, food shrinks when it''s cooked. They might as well eat raw vegetables to keep their stomachs full. Unless you have a dish that increases in volume as it cooks. ...... has ............... ...Yap Lock ............ increases ............ That''s right! There''s someone who needs a hand! It''s me! ''''Not all of them, but I might be able to hire some of them.'''' ''''Are you sure? The two who had been feeling discouraged raised their voices together. ''''No, I can''t say for sure yet, but there''s something I need your help with .......'''' ''We''ll do anything!No, I''ll let you!What do you want me to do?I want you to tell me! ''I''m close!I''ll talk, I''ll talk, just get away from me! After calming Loretta down, I cleared my throat and started talking. ''I''m thinking of doing a mobile popcorn sale. ''Is that the popcorn ...... that Magdacho was giving to his customers?'' ''Oh, yes. What''s this ''Magdacho'' at ......?'' ''Because she''s cute. I wanted to call her something like that. He''s the kind of guy who likes weird names like ''big brother'' and ''Magda-chou''. Then you can call Jeannette ''Boin-chan'' too. But, Mr. Yashiro. When it comes to mobile sales, ......'' ''Ah. You''ll probably need permission from your lord. I''ll have to ask Estella for the details, but if it''s possible, I''d love to do it. No, we have to do it even if we have to use some force. Popcorn vending is popular among children. Children always crowded in front of popcorn wagons in the U.S. and popcorn machines in game centers. And I''m confident that it will be a hit once it gains recognition. The biggest obstacle is whether we can do it or not. ...... ''I''d like to get permission from Estella and sell it around the main street, even if it''s just for a day. If we do that, repeat customers will come to the Sunken Pavilion. The more people come, the more people will talk about it, and the more popcorn will be sold, and then we will need to increase production, and if we get to that point, we might be able to hire some people. I can''t believe I''m saying this, but ...... is an awfully long way off. ''That''s fine!If it''s possible. We''ll do whatever it takes, my sisters and I! Loretta is serious. Of course I''m serious. I''m going to make the most of the cards I don''t have at the moment and make the Sun Goddess Pavilion a top-class institution. If it comes to that, Jeannette will be serious too. There is almost nothing that can''t be done if a group of serious people join forces. With a glimmer of hope, Loretta''s face brightened. Her younger brothers are so innocent that they are playing around without knowing about their sister''s worries. Oh, I guess that''s it. They must have been stored in Ginette''s ''folder to protect''. That''s what I thought when I saw Ginette''s profile looking at her younger brothers playing around. And since Jeannette thought so, ...... I''ll probably have to help in some way. ............ ......Yes. For example, in a situation like this-- ''What a noisy place as always ......''. The man who appeared suddenly exhaled unrestrainedly through a large nose facing straight ahead, glaring at us with a frown. Short limbs and a fat belly. Short tusks jutted forward from its distinctive snout, and its scrutinizing eyes shone with an unpleasant light on a face covered with dark brown body hair. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''...... zoltar............'' The name of this boar man must have leaked out of Loretta''s mouth. ''What, you have an eldest daughter too? I heard that you abandoned the little ones and ran away. ''Who would run away? ''Well, it doesn''t matter. The slum''s going to be demolished anyway. ...... Tsk. But there are still a lot of them. ............'' Zoltar, the boar-faced man, spits on the ground, his face contorted in ugliness. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. That alone gives you an idea of what kind of person this guy is. I''ve been telling you to get the hell out of here instead of crowding around here!How many times do I have to tell you, you rats? I think ....... It was inevitable after all. Bad premonitions are bound to come true. Perhaps I''ll have to help in some way after this. Just as I predicted. Like, say, ...... getting rid of this ugly-looking boar. 40-Episode 38 Cabbage, Moving ''Listen up, you guys! Zoltar, a man with a wild boar face who suddenly arrived, was full of intentions to stay even though we had not even welcomed him, and he was making a speech that no one wanted. I''m working under the direct order of the lord of the forty-two districts!You bottom-feeder trash have no right to an opinion or room to think!There is only one action you should take!The only thing you need to do is to do as I tell you and get out of here right now!If you know what you''re doing, get the hell out of here, you''re a pain in the ass! Boo-hoo! --I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this," he said, letting out a huge snort, his face full of smugness as if he had just said it. ............ Wow, that''s embarrassing. What is "me" in the first place? I''ve never seen anyone think so highly of themselves before. If you want to think highly of yourself, at least make yourself look a little better. You have an ugly body that looks like it''s the result of eating what you want, drinking what you want, and avoiding exercise you don''t want to do. The appearance of a businessman, including a swindler or a negotiator, is 80% of his business. A type like you will never make it in Japan. A big body, a big voice, and a high-handed attitude ...... will only work with women and children like you at best. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. However, ...... You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. Even Loretta, who is the only one who is behaving well, her lips are trembling slightly. I''m not sure what to say. What was it? ...... "I''m sorry to hear about your hostile relationship with Mr. Yashiro," ......? I''m not sure what to do. What the hell. You''re totally relying on me. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... Don''t look at me like that. It''s just that our interests happen to be aligned right now. Don''t make the mistake of thinking I''m a good guy. ......No, well, it''s up to you to misunderstand, is what I often say. ......Ah, well, anyway, what is it ...... ...... What is it?I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say.In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ............. Well, I mean, don''t look at me like that. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.Can''t you hear me? ''Oh, we''re ......! ''What the hell is this? ''...... hug! In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. ''Don''t make me say it again. See?This is what the lord has allowed. Now get out of my sight. All of you!Now get lost!Do you understand?Do you understand? She yells in my ear, and Loretta holds her nose. ...... It''s not my ear. Hold it. The smell is more than the noise. ...... Wow, I don''t want to talk to this guy. ............ I don''t want to have a conversation with him. ...... But I guess I can''t stand by and watch. ...... Yeah, it can''t be helped. So I straighten my elbows and raise my hands. ''Yes, sir. I have a question...'' Thanks to my carefree voice, the heavy atmosphere that had covered the area was eased. Loretta rolled her eyes and looked at me, while her brothers and sisters huddled together, stretching their shrunken necks to look at me. My siblings are huddled close to me, their shrunken necks stretched out as they look at me. Jeannette next to me has a blank expression on her face, her mouth hanging open. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... It''s pretty hard to keep your arms up ............ In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''What the hell are you doing? I''m not sure what to say. If you''re all about threats, I''ll go with this. It''s a willow and wind strategy. ''What the hell are you doing?You''re interrupting me! Zoltar is approaching me with his short legs moving hard. He moved his head up, down, and up. This is what is called ''giving me cancer''. I almost had a vision of Zoltar''s regent with a deep shave on his head. It''s like he''s got an "eye" and a "bite". You can take your "mabui" and "tare" and make them "buoyant". But I calmly, calmly, in an absent-minded voice, looking into the eyes that were giving me cancer, I said again. ''Can I ask you a question? ''.................. Tsk! I''ve never heard such a foul tongue before in my life. It has a frequency like a grinding tongue. And now I know exactly how Loretta feels. ...... mouth stinks. The breath that''s coming out of her mouth, it''s almost enough to convince me to submit it as a murder weapon. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.Get on with it, questions! I''m warning you. I win this game. You can''t win a war of words if you abolish all your demands and accept mine. If your reason for doing away with all of your demands is ''it''s too much trouble,'' then the odds are 100%. ''Are we among the "you people" in your earlier statement that "if you understand, you should all disappear"? He points at himself and Jeannette alternately. ''Of course you''re in there! ''Of course we are!Since when? ''I don''t care how long it''s been in! ''Until when?'' ''Huh! ''Decided matters will be constantly compared and examined with new values in the future, so even if a matter is decided now, its effectiveness will fade at some point, what do you think about that? ''Don''t say something you don''t understand! ''It''s not ''incomprehensible'', it''s ''incomprehensible'', isn''t it? ''Are you fighting with me? ''I don''t know if there''s a menu like that on .......'' ''Aaaaaaah, you''re pissing me off!If I tell you to go away, you can go away!If you know what you''re doing, go away right now! ''So if you don''t understand, you can stay? ''Oh, my God! Zoltar, who has a blue streak on his forehead, grabs me roughly by the chest. Oh no, I messed with him. ''Yes, that''s enough! I raise my hands and raise my voice. Suddenly, Zoltar stops moving. He clenched his fists, as if he were about to hit you. ''Until a moment ago, we were outsiders. We weren''t residents of this area, nor were we their relatives. We were just acquaintances. ......'' If, indeed, the lord of the 42nd district was willing to evict this slum and demanded that Loretta and the others leave, it would be a bad idea for an outsider to interfere. It would probably fall under the category of "obstruction of business by force" or "obstruction of execution of official duties" in Japan. After all, you are an outsider. A stranger, who does not live in the area, should go to the disputed land and say, "Don''t allow brutality! Protect the land! No matter how many times you shout, such words will not be heard. No, it''s none of your business. Up until now, I had no right to speak, or even to participate in this series of conflicts. ''......, but now I''m a party to it. Zoltar has harmed me. Then it''s self-defense. And if the reason he harmed me was because he was ''upset because I asked him a question about the slum eviction'', then I can openly demand an explanation of ''what''s wrong with the slum eviction plan''. After all, I was harmed because of that ''slum eviction plan''. I deny all your stupid plans. The lord is the mastermind? If they are, I''ll crush them all together. This is another thing you should keep in mind. ...... The more you say, "Are you fighting with me? The more you say, "Are you picking a fight?", the less ...... you understand who you''re picking a fight with. Just like this stupid boar. ''Well, let go of my hand for now. ''Ahn! Zoltar repeats his cheap threat. I solemnly take out the knife I have tucked into my cuff. This is a small knife that Estella gave me, and is easy for a beginner to use. When I had mentioned before that I might be assassinated by the hunting guild, Estella had said, ''Don''t worry about it,'' but later she had given it to me, saying, ''Just in case. She told me to keep it in my pocket, but if I could hold it up as quickly as Estella could, I would have been able to do it, but as an amateur who was not used to handling knives, there was no way I could do it. My opponent would pull out his weapon first and we''d have to checkmate. Besides, sticking my hand in my enemy''s pocket would not only alarm him, but the action itself might be a declaration of war. So, after thinking about this and that, I decided to use a dark weapon. I put a tube in my sleeve and put a small knife in it. All you have to do is to swing your arm strongly downward, and the knife will naturally fall into your palm. Naturally, I have taken measures to prevent the knife from falling in daily life. I was able to do this because Estella''s knife is small. If I can fight back with a knife, a knife like this will be enough. She thrusts a small but sharp and luxurious knife in front of Zoltar''s eyes. ''Well, for now, let go of this hand ............, okay?'' ''............ Ugh.'' Scared, Zoltar lets go of his arm. The collar that had been tightened is released. And the stale breath fades away. The air is delicious. ''Good. Then I''ll represent this slum from here on out. Are you guys okay with that?'' Loretta, then, turns to her siblings and asks. The younger siblings were dumbfounded, but nodded their heads silently, while Loretta looked at me anxiously. ''Well, leave it to me. I won''t let anything bad happen to you.'' ''............ Yes. I''m looking forward to working with you. There was a slight smile on his face as he looked worried. Well, if I can smile, I''m good. ''So, let''s hear your argument again, shall we? ''Hey, why do I have to talk to you? ''If you have no argument, that''s fine. Now walk away from here and don''t ever set foot in here again. You don''t have a point?Then this is where they belong. Don''t trample it, you boar. That''s why!I told you the lord said it was okay! ''So what! If someone uses ''so'', just reply with ''so''. You''ll be at a loss for words. Incidentally, for those who use ''in short'', ask them back ''in short? is effective. Most of the time, you don''t get the point. ''No matter how much you yell at them, the conversation will go nowhere.Also, you forgot to add ''sir'' to your lord just now. ''............ Tsk.'' ''And stop that tongue lashing. It''s annoying. ''If you make any more noise, I''ll use all my strength to shut you up, oh? You backed off because you were scared of the knife, so why are you being so smart now? ''So what you''re saying is this?I''m sure you''re right that the lord of the forty-two districts told you to crush the slums with all your might. He stretches his arm straight out and points at Zoltar as he asks. It was a sign that if he lied, he would trigger the Judgment of the Spirits at that moment. It seems that the message was properly conveyed, and Zoltar took a half-step back to escape. ''Hey, I wasn''t told ............ to ''use all my strength''. ''Then let''s talk about it peacefully.'' ''............ Okay.'' ''I''ve got your word now, okay?From here on out, if you lay a finger on me, you''re a frog. Okay?'' ''All right, all right! Hmm. You can put the knife away now. ...... Actually, I''m still a little uncomfortable with knives. After all, I''ve been killed once with one. ''I ask you again. What are you doing here?'' He asks in a very calm voice. Zoltar seems to have cooled down a bit, and answers our question in a lowered tone of voice. As he does so, he pulls out a piece of parchment from his pocket. ''Do you recognize this emblem?You do, don''t you?'' The parchment that Zoltar pulls out with a smile on his face has a familiar emblem on it. It was a design of a double-headed eagle with a snake entwined in it--it belonged to the Lord of the Forty-Two Wards. ''This was given to me personally by the lord! When he adds ''sama'' to his lord, it''s when he wants to intimidate us. He probably wants to make a special appeal to you that the authority is with him. They use "sama" every time they say it. But that''s a threat that can only be used by those who can''t defy their lord. ''The lord is here! In my case, I can only say, ''Oh, I see. ''I''ve complained to the lord about the slums. The residents are in trouble because of this filthy place!And I demanded the complete elimination of the slums as well as the other districts! Doesn''t he realize that at this point, there''s already a contradiction in the fact that it''s ''by order of the lord''? This parchment with the emblem was given to me at that time!It''s from the lord himself! He''s so annoying. ''Then, may I see the contents of that parchment? ''Oops!I can''t do that. ''Why not? ''Because it contains information about business. It''s not something you can show to other people. Then why are you carrying it around, this thing? The reason is simple. Because he wants to use the emblem. ...... Isn''t it a felony to use it for other purposes? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. It''s not about work! You got that right? ''All the people in the city are in trouble!I''m here to crush the slums on behalf of the people. Do you understand?It''s called the will of the people. ''Earlier it was an imperial order, now it''s the will of the people: ......'' You''re desperate to gain power and an audience. That''s what makes it all the more scandalous. ''Let''s see the Conversation Record of that conversation. It''s the conversation between you and your lord when you received the imperial order. ''Why the hell do I have to show you that? ''In order to bring the discussion to a quick, complete and perfect end. It should be obvious from the Conversation Record. Zoltar was never ordained by his lord. At first, I suspected that the lord of this place was the kind of man who would kick out the inhabitants of the slums, but listening to Zoltar, I knew that this was not the case. Zoltar''s story was to the point and ill-formed. In other words, he hides the inconvenient parts of his story. So what does he have to hide? The last thing he wants people to know is that he has no legitimacy in his arguments. He''s trying to take over the slum for his own gain. He probably planned to slip in as head of redevelopment after he kicked Loretta and her siblings out. What is it that they want so badly? ............ Well, it''s probably the river. Water is flowing down a cliff with a tremendous difference in height from the 29th district. You could make a fortune by building one of those water wheels. It would also be possible to take a strong stance against the river fishing guilds that fish downstream. If we say, "We''re going to dam the river," the river fishing guilds will not be able to do anything. Of course, they would not be so frank. They could make up any number of reasons, such as the project or the water quality test. If we say, "Stop fishing for a month to investigate water quality," the river fishing guild will take a big hit. They might even be able to make a strong case against the agricultural guilds, such as Mormat''s, that are draining the river. Whoever controls this river can control the forty-two districts. ...... is an exaggeration, but we can bring the situation to something close to that. The Lord''s decree. ............ I''m not sure what to make of it.You''ll be able to see this!The Lord''s emblem! ''What''s that emblem? ''This is the evidence that determines the legitimacy of my claim! ''I have the emblem, too. As I say this, I take out a folded piece of paper that I keep in my breast pocket. On it, a design of a double-headed eagle with a snake entwined around it is clearly written. ''I''ve been entrusted to take care of Slam. When I showed him the emblem and said it in an imposing voice, Zoltar fell silent, as if at a loss for words. It''s not like you''re confessing that everything you''ve said up until now has been a fabrication, is it? If you were telling the truth, you could at least say ''that can''t be true'' to the opinions that conflict with yours. ''......That''s ridiculous. ......'' ''What kind of idiot?We haven''t seen each other that many times, but we get along pretty well. He introduced me to his family. He asked me to slum it. ...... Oh, no. He bowed to me, didn''t he? ''No, that''s a lie!That lord would never bow to anyone! ''I don''t care if you believe it or not. I haven''t said a single false thing. He sticks out his chest and takes a step forward. Zoltar retreats by the same width. ''Show me the Conversation Record. That''ll clear it up. Who''s a liar, you or me? ''............ attach............... ...............? Zoltar, who had been following my gaze as I spoke, moving slowly, frowned at one point. It was just as I was passing in front of Ginette. ''............Hey, ......, that''s what you mean.'' Zoltar grinned, as if he was on to something. ''Hey, you!What''s your name?'' ''Didn''t you say your name?I''m sorry about that. It''s Obeyashiro.'' ''Obayashi White, ....... I''m nice like that. I''ll let you choose.'' Zoltar looks at me mockingly, with that regal smile that only a man convinced of victory can have. ''Would you rather end your life ...... as a frog or be executed by your lord? Zoltar smiles so hard you can see his gums. His fangs are bared, adding to his ugly expression. ''I don''t understand what you''re saying. ''You''re awesome. I''ll give you a compliment. You should be proud of yourself for making me say this much.'' ''Well, thanks. What are you talking about at ......?'' ''You lying bastard.'' Zoltar''s eyes glinted. ''Is that emblem real? Zoltar asks, pointing at me with his arm outstretched, just as I had done earlier. ''If you lie to me, I''ll invoke the Judgment of the Spirits,'' he threatened. A smile of certainty of victory. The expression on Zoltar''s face was full of such composure. So I reply. I say, in my usual tone of voice, without any pretense of thinking. ''Of course it''s real. --And. At that moment, Zoltar let out a silly laugh. ''Ha-ha-ha!You screwed up, Obeyashiro! With a look of delight on his face, Zoltar tells me what he can afford. ''You''re amazing. How can you lie to me with such an impassive face? I don''t know if you''re not afraid of the Judgment of Spirits or if you''re just an idiot, but it''s a feat that no one with normal nerves can pull off. ''You don''t have to be afraid to tell the truth, do you? ''Oh, forget it. That''s enough, Obayashi. The game is already decided. Don''t lie to me anymore. I''m not lying. This emblem is the real deal. ''Let''s not do this again, Obeyashiro!Let''s not piss off the Spirit God any more than we already have. ''I don''t see what you''re getting at. Why do you think I''m lying?'' Zoltar raises his chin as if he''s been waiting for me. He points behind me. ''You were perfect. You didn''t look as if you were lying. You looked like you weren''t lying. In fact, you looked absolutely confident. ............ But you know what?It''s not the sister behind you! I turned around to look behind me at those words. I was completely facing the back of my head to Zoltar. I turned around to see Ginette, who looked like she was about to cry. ''She''s not like you, she''s very honest, you know? ''............ Yashiro-san,...... sorry''. In a low voice that only I can hear, Ginette says she''s sorry. ''He knew, didn''t he?The emblem you have does not belong to the lord!Most likely, you made it yourself. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject at ......, but the truth will always come out one day, right?I''m sure you''ll agree. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. It''s a sign of ''don''t say anything''. I''m sure Zoltar won''t be able to see my face because of my position,...... or at least that''s how I positioned myself,...... and I''ll give Jeannette a big smile. I''ll give you a wink as well. I''ll even give her a wink to show her that she''s done well. ''If you had come alone, it would have been a very unfavorable discussion, but to be dragged down by your friends, ...... you''re a bit on the weak side.'' ''Hmm ......''. I look back with a slow, relaxed air. ''Isn''t it better than having a stinky armpit like you? ''......!f*ck you! I''m not sure what to make of that. ''I''m going to turn you into a frog, and then I''m going to torture you to death. An evil grin is on his face. Then he moves his mouth slowly. ''''The Spirit of .............'''' ''Wait.'' ''What''s ......?You''re begging for your life now?It''s too late, you idiot! ''No, I''m not. If you want to do it, do it.'' ''Yeah, I''ll do it! ''But first...'' He points back at Zoltar, who points at me. ''Judgment of the Spirits is an act of trampling on the dignity of the opponent. If I don''t turn into a frog, you won''t get away with more than a ...... apology, will you? ''............ Huh. Is that supposed to be a threat? ''I''m not threatening you. ............ I''m threatening to send you to the bottom.'' ''How do you mean? ''I''ll throw you in front of the lord. Accusing you of misusing the emblem.'''' ''......! Zoltar''s face twitched. He was probably choosing words that wouldn''t get him in trouble with the Judgment of the Spirits. He must have had a lot of practice defending himself despite his emotional state. That''s why you probably can''t judge him by the "judgment of the spirits". Then let the lord judge him in person. That''s what Estella said. Misuse of the emblem is a capital offense. It doesn''t have to be a "fair trial" like the Tribunal of Spirits or the General Court. The ''private judgment'' of a lord who is angry that his face has been smeared is enough. ''Koo............ all you want. You''re going to be a frog anyway! ''Then go ahead and do it.'' ''............'' ''You''re not going to do it?'' ''Shut the f*ck up!You''ll regret it when you turn into a ...... frog!''Judgment of the Spirits! ''Yashiro-san! ''Hey, big brother!'' Ginette''s mournful cry overlaps with Loretta''s shocked voice. At that time, my body was enveloped by a sudden pale light. It''s been a long time since the Judgment of the Spirits. ''This is the end for you, Obayashi! But then again... Even after ten seconds or a minute, there was no change in my appearance. ...... The pale mist finally dissipated. The results of the "judgment of the spirits" concluded that I was not telling a lie. ''......No, that''s ............ ridiculous ......''. ''So it was you who was the idiot.'' ''Because the woman there is ......! ''I don''t care about the woman! I held out my hand to Zoltar, who was about to start making excuses. ''Come on, let''s go to the lord, shall we? ''...... stick.'' Zoltar''s face contorts. The emotions I could read on his face were all negative: impatience, regret, despair, nervousness, confusion, fear ............. ''I don''t need to explain the conversation here if you look at the Conversation Record. I''ll leave the rest to the lord. ''Wait, wait!Please don''t ............ do that, okay? Is that the way you ask people to do things? You f*cking boar. ''Are you begging for your life now?It''s too late for that. I''ll give you back exactly what you just said. But I''ve taken the emotion out of it. ''The truth will always be revealed one day, won''t it ......? This is also what he said to me earlier. I''ll give this one back to you with a gift. And one more gift. I stretched out my arm and pointed at Zoltar. I''ll give you another gift. Zoltar''s face is pale. His face is covered in sweat. But I don''t care, I apply to see the Conversation Record. A translucent panel appears in front of me, clearly showing the conversation I just had. "............ Huh. Is that supposed to be a threat? It''s not a threat, it''s a ............ threat to push you to the bottom. "How? I''m going to put you in front of the lord. I''ll take you before the lord, accusing you of misusing the emblem. "......?............ Do what you want. You''re going to be a frog anyway! ''............ "Do what you want."'' He extracts the important words from the Conversation Record and says them. Zoltar''s face is pale and he looks like he''s about to collapse. ''Zoltar....... I''m a kind man, despite my appearance. I''ll let you choose whether you want to end your life as a frog or executed by your lord .......'' That''s what Zoltar said to me. And here is my original. ''3......2......'' ''No, wait!No, wait!It''s right here!'' Zoltar gets down on his knees. In the end, it was Zoltar who begged for his life. ''Can you show me the Conversation Record? ''.................. Yes.'' It was Zoltar who turned his head and muttered in a soul-deprived voice. Then he made the Conversation Record available for reference. What was written on it was the following conversation. "There is a strong demand from the citizens to eliminate the slums, my lord! Still, we''re not going to get rid of the slums. "All the other districts have already destroyed their slums!Why do you let the land sit idle in District 42? "Different wards have different policies. Of course. We should just get rid of those rats! If we do that, the city will be overrun with them. What are you going to do about them? There''s no need for that!Just kick out everyone who doesn''t want it! "I don''t think the residents will agree to such an arrogant plan. They will. Because they all want the slums to disappear. Then do it your way. ...... and prove it to me. --What kind of a decree is this from the lord himself? He must have taken the dismissive remark, "You can do it if you want to," as an affirmative, and said, "I was asked to do it," at the "show me" part of "prove it to me. How shallow. What a guy. ''Zoltar''. ''Yes, .............'' I look down at the crouching Zoltar and give him an ultimatum. ''Leave now and never set foot in this place again. This is where they belong. Don''t trample on it, you boar.'' The same words I said at first. But the words that came back to me were different. ''.................. I understand, sir. ''If I see you again, ......''. ''It''s ............ okay, it''s ....... I''ll ...... never come near you again. ............'' I''ll give you a warning. Well, it seems to have worked pretty well, so it''s probably okay. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. That parchment with the emblem on it was, after all, a parchment with another business written on it, given to him personally by his lord. Well, it''s a mystery why you didn''t notice my ''lie'' after going that far. ''Yashiro-san! ''Big brother! After Zoltar walked away, Jeannette and Loretta jumped at him with a burst of energy. ''Great ............ great, big brother............!It''s great ...... to turn Zoltar away ............! She was laughing happily, tears welling up in her eyes, her hands trembling as she struggled to keep them in place, her feet thumping as the urge to do so surged through her body. Loretta''s emotions are exploding and she can''t make sense of it. ''You ...... me ............ I don''t know what to say ...... ''Thank you so much for ...... and ............! As usual, Loretta bows her head as if she were about to smash every single tile in a pile of about ten. And then, a choking ''...... puff'' sound leaked out from the deeply lowered head. ''............fff............fff... .........ffffffff!'' Loretta, sobbing. ''Now, ............ we can all live here, together, from now on, together, ......... .........I''m glad to hear that. ............I''m so happy! It''s a great way to get to know your family and friends. This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. Hundreds of sisters and brothers of the hamster race were all huddled together, crying for each other. I quietly moved away from them so as not to disturb them. As I moved, Ginette followed silently, keeping the same distance. And she keeps staring at my face. ...... You''re looking too much, too much. What if you get a hole. ''What''s ...... that? ''Yashiro, you''re amazing! ''Yes, yes. Thanks, thanks, thanks.'' Ginette always says ''great'' to me. It''s frustrating that I''m happy every time, despite the fact that I''ve been told ...... over and over again. You can''t blame her for disrespecting you. You can''t honestly say thank you, it''s too embarrassing. ''But it''s strange ......''. Ginette''s voice sounded very somber as she said this. That was probably the reason why her smile didn''t look all that great. ''I really thought Yashiro was going to turn into a frog. Because ...... that emblem is ............, I was so worried ...... that I was going to cry. ............'' Well, thanks to that, Zoltar fell for my trap, but ............ I may have made this guy do something a little burdensome. ''Um, Yashiro-san!Can you please tell me? Serious eyes are staring at me. This is a pair of eyes that I don''t think I can fool around with. Well, it''s okay that I was originally going to tell you. ''There''s only one reason why the Judgment of the Spirits can''t be triggered to turn into a frog, right? ''What''s that? ''It''s because I''m not lying to you. ''But ......! With my left hand, I restrained Jeannette from saying anything, and once again applied for the Conversation Record. I''m going to look back at the lines I said here today. "Is that emblem real? "Of course it''s real. "Ha-ha-ha!You screwed up, Obayashi!You''re amazing. How dare you lie to me with such an impassive face. I don''t know if you''re afraid of the Judgment of the Spirits or if you''re just an idiot, but no one with normal nerves can do that. "You don''t have to be afraid to tell the truth, do you? Oh, forget it. That''s enough, Obayashi. The game is already decided. No more lies. I''m not lying. This emblem is the real deal, the real thing. ''Here it is! Ginette, who was looking into the Conversation Record with me, pointed to the sentence. ''Here, Mr. Yashiro says that it is ''genuine and authentic''. But the emblem is ...... that .............'' It''s a great way to get a better idea of what you''re looking for. ''Isn''t it a ...... fake emblem made by Yashiro-san,......? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. ...... d*mn, that smelled good. And there''s something about having someone whisper in your ear that''s just not right. It''s not. This is the emblem of a genuine, real lord. ''What ......? ''Did you forget it?It''s a permit with an expiry mark that Estella gave me a while back.'' I said, unfolding the folded paper. The two words "expired", which had been well hidden by the folded paper, appeared. ''A ......! In the past, I created what Ginette calls a ''fake emblem'' based on the emblem stamped on this permit. I kept it in my breast pocket and used it when Goozuya made a run for it. That must have left a deep impression in Ginette''s mind. Because of that, Ginette mistakenly thought that the emblem from my breast pocket was not my lord''s emblem, but my own emblem that I had made. And making Ginette think that was my real goal in that scene. In other words, what I really wanted to deceive was not Zoltar, who was my enemy, but Ginette, who was my ally - by deceiving Ginette, I was able to roll Zoltar over in the palm of my hand. In terms of deceitfulness, the person with whom you have a relationship is better than the person you just met. A ginette who knows how to react when you move like this is the best kind of sucker to have in your family. But Zoltar is not so clever. How can he be so sure that the other guy isn''t doing the same thing he''s doing? Well, that''s before we know for sure. There - the fact that the parchment with the emblem on it was "on a different matter" was the part that Zoltar wanted to hide the most here. So that was the first thing that Zoltar eliminated from his thoughts. As I said, there was no way he could have demanded to see what was inside, and he might not have suspected or even considered it. It''s a form of being tripped up by your own ''guilt. ''And one more thing. As for the part about Yashiro-san having a conversation with the lord, ......'' ''I didn''t say I had a conversation with the lord. ''Yes, but ............'' With that, Ginette scrolled down the Conversation Record. ''There it is, here it is! I read the location. "I''ve been entrusted to ''take care of Slam''. ''...... That''s ridiculous. ...... "What kind of stupid?We haven''t seen each other that many times, but we get along pretty well. He introduced me to his family. I asked him if I could slum it. ...... Oh, no. He bowed to me, didn''t he? ''See. This is how Yashiro-san introduced his family to the lord and told him to take care of this district. ......'' ''So, where does the word ''lord'' appear in this? ''......What?Then this is ........................... ............... ah'' Thinking long and hard, Ginette seemed to have arrived at an answer. ''...... Is this about Loretta-san?'' ''Yes, it is. Loretta introduced you to her family and asked you to slum it, right in front of you.'' ''............ Indeed.'' ''Zoltar''s a fool, he was fooled by what he just witnessed. Ginette looked at me with the same expression as a small animal when it first sees a sperm whale. ''Do you think I''m a sperm whale? ''Eh, what are you talking about!What is ''Makko......''? The mysterious words brought Jeannette back from her stupor. Then, she held her chest and let out a shallow breath. ''Well, I mean this in a good way, but ......''. After saying that, this guy said something like this. ''After all, I feel very sorry for those who oppose Yashiro-san. ............ Konnichiro. ''I''ll take that as a compliment. ''Yes, sir. It''s a great compliment. He smiled a smile that contained no trace of evil, and I couldn''t even get a clue how to fight back. Ah, yes, yes. I know, I know. That smile signals the end, right? I mean, if I''m ever involved in anything, it has to end with Jeannette smiling like this. It doesn''t matter how messy it is. ...... Isn''t he the worst enemy of all? While I was thinking this, I felt like letting out a little laugh at myself for not feeling ...... ............ bad about it, It was a cloudy afternoon. 41-Episode 39 Lord of the 42nd Ward I turned away the uninvited visitor, and when the hard-working eldest daughter, who had been crying, stopped crying, calm finally returned to the place. ''......I''ve shown you an embarrassing part of my life. ......'' Embarrassing part? ''You haven''t shown me your tail yet, have you?'' ''No, sir!It''s not that kind of embarrassment! ''Oh, Yashiro-san. It''s just... What, Jeannette, is that cute way of scolding me? Is that how it''s going to be from now on? ''Oh, no, even if you look at me like that ......, ............, Yashiro-san worked very hard just now, so I''m afraid to force you to repent. I''m afraid I''m not going to be able to force you to do penance. ...... So, ............, please don''t look at me... ...ugh... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. If it had a handle, I would have taken it home with me. When I looked up, I saw a group of young siblings at a considerable distance from us, all staring at us. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Maybe they saw my interaction with ...... Zoltar and got scared of me. That''s okay. I''ve never been good with kids. If he won''t come near me, there''s no need for me to get involved. But I''m sure you had a lot of fun playing ...... with him earlier. It''s a bit sad, isn''t it? That''s a little sad. ...... Well, that''s okay!I''ve got a bunch of kids at church. ......I don''t like kids, I don''t like kids!They are familiar, they don''t read the air, they cry easily,......, and they can''t live by themselves. ''Um, big brother, ...... what''s wrong? With red swollen eyes, Loretta is looking into my face. I didn''t think I had the kind of expression that would worry her, but ...... I don''t like being bothered. Let''s change the subject. ''I don''t think Zoltar will come here anymore, but there is still a chance that ...... ''someone else'' will make the same kind of mess with you. ''So ...... is it?'' I said ''don''t come here again'', but I didn''t say ''don''t outsource it to someone else''. Was I not clear enough ......? ''Well, if some crazy people try to mess with you again, tell me right away. ''--Huh? ''...... Hmm?What''s up? ''Yes, yes!That ...... thing you just said was very ............ big brother-like.'''' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you have. The tip of the ear is blushing. Until now, the eldest daughter had taken full responsibility for her siblings and the house. This burden was probably too much for this petite girl to bear. She is a little elated because she has found someone she can rely on. It''s not love at all. It''s not love at all. ...... So, can you calm down a little, my heart? I''ll do what I can as your boss at work. I''m not sure what to say.Thank you very much! He''s still using strange honorifics. It''s very ''typical'' to say that... I''m not sure what to do.I can''t do it anymore! ''No way! ''Oni~chan~n! ''Oh, dear, dear, dear! ''Oh, grandpa! ''Onii-chan~n! ''What, what, what, what? Suddenly, my siblings, who had been standing still and watching me until a moment ago, all charged at me at once. Countless little rats, or hamsters, jumped at me. ''Ah!Hey, you guys!I told you to wait! ''No way! ''You can''t bother my brother any more than you already have! ''It''s not a wake-up call! ...... No, it''s annoying as hell. Apparently, my siblings were forced by Loretta to hold back from jumping on me. And now, their patience has reached its limit, and their suppressed impulses have exploded. ''My brother is awesome!That''s awesome! ''I killed the boar guy! ''You''re so cool! ''Big brother! ''Hey, big brother! ''Oh, my little girl! ''Grandpa! ''Big brother!'' ''Hey!Who''s got a stuffy nose?The one with the "D" in "ni"!Also, there''s one guy here who calls me old man every now and then! I''m aware of that. The last time you stared at me like that, you were the only one who said ''jeez''!I let it go that time, but still! ''Let''s do it again! ''Let''s do it! ''You can''t play that dangerous game anymore!Just get away from your brother! Loretta tries to pull the kids off, but there are too many of them. No matter how hard she tried, they kept jumping on her like moths to a fluorescent light in summer. It''s not the mascot of Edo Village. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''ve been squealing too. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. Ginette started to persuade the hamsters, but it didn''t work at all. ...... I mean, I really can''t take it anymore. You may be a teenager, but you''re still in your thirties mentally. If you keep getting hit by the power of young people, you''ll get exhausted. Maybe you have to get angry to get through to kids of this age. ''5 seconds ago............4............3... .........'' ''Everyone run! ''Evacuate!All of you evacuate! ''Big brother''s face is scary! ''Big brother''s face is scary! ''...... grandpa'' ''Two, one, zero! At the same time as zero, he raises his arms and pulls himself up. By that time, all the hamsters had fled into the distance. ''That one with the stuffed nose, bite it properly!And whoever you called ''old man'', I''ll find you!Young people who look like young people but have adult brains are really good at that kind of thing! ''Well, well, Yashiro-san, calm down. It''s what children do. ......'' ''If you don''t listen to me, it''s ''meh''! ''Yashiro-san, is that an attack on me? ''Mek''! ''Please stop it!Forget it! Just when all the hamsters have left, Jeannette jumps on me and smacks me on the chest. It doesn''t hurt at all. Does he have no arm strength at all? And I don''t know why it does that, but my hands and feet are working together. When he strikes his right hand, his left leg jumps up, and when he strikes his left hand, his right leg jumps up. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with your family and friends. ......Oh ............ ...... ''Oh, they''re flirting! ''Huh?It''s not the same!You''re not, are you, Yashiro? No~ ...... You were flirting, that was... Because it was kind of fun. ''Ah, ......, I, I, I''m going to get ready for dinner! ''Oh, I''ll have my brothers show you around then. You guys!Show the manager to my house! ''''''Yes! And so, Jeannette ran away. If I had to cook for all those people now, I wouldn''t be able to go back to the restaurant. I left the sunlit pavilion when lunchtime was over. I had walked all the way here, fallen into a pit, wrestled with my brothers, and had a fight with Zoltar. ............ The sky had turned red. ''I''m going back to the sunlit pavilion. I can''t let Umaro stay with me all night. ''Oh, then I''ll go with you. ''Is that so?............ Hmm. Considering the time ............ and the things we have to do after this ............ I''d better ask Loretta to come with me. ''Okay, please.'' ''Yes, sir! ''Also, can I take some of my sisters with me?'' ''That''s fine, but ......, but why?'' ''I thought I''d bring Magda and we could have dinner here today. I don''t think we''ll be able to make it back in time. We''ll close early today. ''After dinner, I''ll show you some popcorn. ''Whoa!I''m sure my brothers will love it!I''m looking forward to it too! That''s why I decided to go back to the sunny pavilion with Loretta and her two sisters. Leaving the rest of my siblings to take the message to Ginette, we left the slum. The two sisters, who rarely go outside the slum, huddled together anxiously. I am walking closely with Loretta on my left side. From right to left, me, Loretta, and my two younger sisters are walking down the street at dusk. On the way home, we were having this conversation. ''Have you ever met the lord? ''Yes. I''ve gone to him a few times to ask him to keep the district alive. ''Have you talked directly to the lord himself? ''No, sir. Most of the time, the head maid, a woman named Natalia Owen, took care of it. ...... She''s very scary, and I''m actually not very good at her. Well, if she''s the head maid of the lord''s house, she must have a tight personality. ''It seems that the lord is currently ill and doesn''t come out to the public very often. ''Is he sick? ''Yes. He''s been lying low for a long time. ...... I''m worried about him. So when was the conversation recorded in Zoltar''s Conversation Record?Is it that long ago? There was no sign of weakness in the tone of the lord''s voice. ...... Well, it might just be that you can''t read it from the text. ...... ''I haven''t been seen in public for almost a year now. ''Is that so?Isn''t it going to interfere with the autonomy of the forty-two districts?'' ''No, sir. The Lord has a daughter, you know. It is said that since the lord went into hiding, the young lady has been appearing in place of the lord.'''' ''Heh, ...... you''re a young lady, ......''. Loretta put her palms together and muttered while looking up diagonally. ''She''s a very beautiful person. ......'' It''s a melting gaze, as if to say I admire her. ''She''s graceful, intelligent, and has a beautiful smile. ...... She''s the kind of person that every woman dreams of. ''You''ve seen her? ''Yes, sir!I''m actually a big fan of ....... ...... I sometimes go there to take a peek. ......'' I''m not sure what to say. ''No, no, no, no, no, no, no!I''d like to be able to stake out a spot on the walkway and see what''s going on behind me. ...... That''s really all. That''s it. You''re a stalker, aren''t you? ...... I''ll be careful too. ''Then it was a good decision to have my sisters come. ''Huh?What''s that? ''We''re going to see the lord now.'' ''.................. eeeeee! Just as Loretta''s scream rang out, we arrived at the Sunken Pavilion. ''What''s wrong?What''s going on? Hearing Loretta''s scream, Umaro came running out from inside the store. ''Oh, isn''t that Mr. Yashiro? Did something happen to ...... you? ''No, I''m just going to see my lord. ''You''re going to see him now? Umaro looks up at the sky. ''As expected, he won''t see me again, will he?Besides, the Lord of the 42nd district is currently on his sickbed, isn''t he? ''So I''ll just put up with my daughter. ''''Oh, oh, big brother!Don''t be afraid to say something like that! ''...... "Big brother"?What''s that? ''Oh, something like that. Don''t worry about it.'' ''Haha ...... Well, I don''t know, but if it''s the lord''s daughter, I don''t think I''ll be able to see her. If a man goes to visit her at this time of night, he will just be turned away. ''What are you talking about, Umaro......'' I put my arm around Umaro''s neck and whispered some common sense into his big fox ears. ''...... Women of your age like to have fun at night, don''t they? ''Dangerous!There''s a dangerous man here! ''I''ve heard the ...... stories.'' I turned around and saw Magda there. In his hand was a huge Masakari. ''...... Brace yourself.'' ''I''m joking, Magda. Don''t point the Masakari at anyone.'' ''............ Okay. I''ll do as you say. ''...... big brother.'' ''How long have you been listening to me? You totally get what I''m saying! Oh well. I told Magda what I was going to do. Loretta and I are going to the lord''s mansion to get his opinion on Zoltar''s case. Magda will follow her sisters to the slum and meet up with Ginette to prepare dinner. And after dinner, she will give us a lecture on popcorn. If we can get a good deal with the lord when we meet him today, we will be able to start the mobile sales. In order to do that, we need to make sure that the ham kids know about popcorn. ''I see. Since there''s the matter of Zoltar, I''ll go along as a representative. ''Well, that''s how it is.'' ''Um, Yashiro-san. What do you want me to do? ''Don''t you have work tomorrow? ''I''m off! ...... He''s been taking a lot of time off lately, hasn''t he?I hope he didn''t lose his job. ''Well, go home and get some rest. ''I want to go with you!I want to eat dinner! The period of remuneration and three meals for Torbek''s workers is still ongoing, but due to the daily heavy rains and the interruption of Torbek''s work, it is currently on hiatus. This was offered by Umaro. It would be a pity to send him to the sunny pavilion in the heavy rain. Well, Umaro has been coming for a long time. So if we close the restaurant, Umaro won''t be able to eat our food. If I let him eat it now, he''ll get special treatment. ''Then, then!I''ll help you with something!I can fix the roof, reinforce the walls!I can even make you a tub! He''s desperate. Do you want to be with Magda that badly? And Umaro doesn''t seem to think he owes me the store duty he was forced to do just now. If he thinks it''s not a hardship, he won''t voluntarily return the favor. If that''s the case, then I owe him for this dinner. ...... I need to make sure he pays me back. ''Can you get me an unusual cart? ''A cart ......? ''Oh, yeah. I''ll give you the blueprints later. ''I''ll give you the blueprints later.'' ''Another hard one at ............ would be fine. That''s a small price to pay! ''All right, two for now, please. ''Two? ''It may change depending on the situation, but I''d like to have at least five in the end. ''Five! ''Nice to meet you, Umaro. I''m looking forward to it. ''Wait!Wait a minute, please!You can''t just go to ...... for five cars! ''Magda. ''........................ shun'' ''Mmm~!''Magda''s little devil! Magda nodded her head, and the spark of excitement in Umaro''s heart seemed to be lit, and he began to writhe with a creepy smile on his face. ''All right!I''ll do it!I''ll do it, but I''ll need a bit of time! ''Oh. Three days, please. ''Demon!Mr. Kashiro is a demon! This is a matter of life and death for us. Please hurry. With the thought of ...... on his mind, he pushed Magda''s back. ''...... Umaro. Ganba''. ''I''ll do my best! Good one, Magda. You''ll be a great actress. ''Well, I''ll be off in a jiffy. I wanted to get to the lord''s house before the sun went down. He wouldn''t see me after I''d taken a bath. The time limit is before the bath. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''What''s up?'' Magda stared up at me, her eyes wide but vacant. I wonder if it''s because of the sunset that they look slightly moist. ''............Chan, are you coming? Is it the anxious expression ......? After being left behind by us and staying at home for a long time, they will go their separate ways again. Maybe that''s what he misses. ''Oh. I''ll join you soon, make a nice meal and wait for me. It''s okay to indulge her a little. I stroked her hair fluffily, holding her cat ears. Then Magda''s eyes narrowed, as if she were feeling good. Loretta, who had been watching, walked around in front of Magda and looked into her face so that their gazes were level. ''Could it be ...... Magda Cho......'' ''...... ''Magudacho''?'' ''Do you like my brother?'' ''..................'' Magda stopped moving at the sudden direct question thrown at her. It might be more accurate to say that there was no change in her expression, since she had her usual expressionless face. ...... I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll agree. When Magda didn''t show any reaction, Loretta looked panicked. It was Umaro who was upset in a different way. ''That''s right, that''s right!Magda is an angel, so she won''t fall in love with anyone! ''Yeah, but ...... is that okay, for the customers? ''Oh, my job is to watch over ...... Magda-tan! No, your job is to be a carpenter. You''re a carpenter. Leave the expressionless Magda alone, and everyone around you will be screaming. But, Loretta. Take a good look. See how Magda''s ears are twitching all over the place?She''s pointing her ears at you and me and then away, and then back again. She''s probably embarrassed. If you want to read Magda''s emotions, go to ...... If I were to read Magda''s feelings, I would say, "Don''t ask me that to my face. I don''t know the details, though. ''Well, Umaro. Take care of Magda and her sisters. ''I''ll leave it to you! As the time was almost up, we left the sunlit pavilion without saying goodbye. The setting sun had already almost set. When we arrived at the lord''s mansion, the sky had turned a heavy gray. The setting sun, which had shone through the clouds in the evening, now showed no sign of its brilliance. The gate of the mansion was as big as ever, and it was beautiful, which was a good effort for the forty-two districts. There was a large bamboo board hanging beside the door, and a wooden mallet beside it. You call people by hitting this. It''s a very primitive doorbell. Knock, knock, knock!--and the dry sound of bamboo echoed briskly. ''Who is it, sir? Immediately, a maid appeared. She was tall and very slim. Her glossy black hair was cut short, and her neck was clean. On the other hand, her bangs are long and reach her chin, but they are neatly parted so that they do not interfere with her appearance. Her skin is as white as ceramic. Most of it is covered by a chic and simple maid''s uniform, and the thin-framed glasses on her nose give her an air of intelligence and a bit of sternness. But the most distinctive feature is her eyes, which are as sharp as birds of prey. It is a gaze that makes you feel as if a sharp knife is being pointed at you. From the other side of the fence gate, they are licking us from above and below, as if they are trying to evaluate us. To be honest, I don''t like it. ''Who are you? ''I want to see my lord. ''Do you have an appointment? ''No.'' I assure her, and in an instant the maid turns on her heel and turns to leave. ''Wait!If I don''t talk to you by the end of the day, I''m going to be in trouble! ''I''m sorry, sir . My Lord is currently on bed rest due to illness. ......'' ''My daughter is fine!'' ............ fast. It''s like something out of a shonen manga. ''Isn''t it rude to your daughter? ''At ............, is it? The gaze hurts. Is this maid''s gaze equipped with a special ability to directly stimulate our sense of pain? I''m not sure what to say. ''Er, um, ............ Miss ''is'' good.'' ''............ Well, that''s fine.'' Is that okay? ...... The knife leaves my throat, and I let out a sigh of relief. I''m scared. This guy is super scary. Even killers have a little more charm in their eyes, maybe. I bet a wild bear would obey in an instant. Those are the eyes, those are the eyes. ''However, there is a rule that you may not see your daughter until the final bell, so please leave her alone. ''That''s not how it works either. ''......Do you speak with your fists? ''Let''s talk with words. ............ Well, I''d like you to take a look at my Conversation Record. ......'' The sun was setting, but I couldn''t help but speak to the maid, whose sharp knife glinted with an accumulation of faint light, in Loretta-style honorifics. ''...... You seem to have a reason. Let''s take a look. The maid then straightened her posture and stood there quietly. It''s as if she is looking at a tree in the forest, as if she is there but we don''t feel her presence at all. This is the way a maid should behave, keeping out of the way of her master, but always standing behind him. I call up the Conversation Record and search for the relevant part. He told me that Zoltar was plotting to take over the slum in the name of his lord. ''...... I see. Fooling around with the Lord''s name: ............'' ''I''m afraid that if we don''t take action soon, this kind of thing could happen again, which is why I''m bothering you at this hour.'' ''Very well, sir. I''ll keep you in the loop. But it''s time to go to .......'' ''I have a secret plan to make sure this never happens again. ''............'' The maid stopped speaking and turned her gaze to me instead. ''...... may I ask you something?'' ''I don''t have the right to tell you if you''re going to turn me away. ''........................ Please wait a moment.'' After a few moments of silent consideration, the maid bowed deeply. It was a graceful gesture that did not cause even a gentle breeze. ''Oh, wait a minute. I stopped the maid who was about to return to the mansion and told her another important thing that I had forgotten. ''It''s Obayashi. Tell the lady I''m here. The maid looks at me, says in a quiet voice, ''Yes, sir,'' and then disappears into the hall. ''That''s Natalia Owen. ............ I was so scared. ......'' So that''s the head maid here. She has dignity. Or is it dignity? The mere fact that Natalia was staring at her seemed to take most of her energy out of her. She crouched on the ground, holding her knees. I''m not sure if Natalia even has an energy drain. After several minutes of waiting, when the sky was completely dark, Natalia came back to the gate with a lantern hanging from her arm. ''Your daughter is here to see you. Come to .......'' As Natalia said this, a soldier standing by the gate quietly opened it. ''It''s amazing. I can''t believe you''re listening to me. ...... You can do anything, can''t you, big brother? ''You can''t do everything. But I was confident that I could meet the lord or his daughter this time. Since their name was being used for evil, they would want to take immediate action, and if they treated the victim roughly here, the bad reputation would spread. Worst of all, if a rumor gets out that ''the lord of this place is hiring landlords to drive out the residents'', the lord would be damaged as expected. And if you don''t want to meet me, I was going to use this kind of threat,......, but I''m glad we were able to meet peacefully. ''Please wait here for a moment. I was ushered into a room that looked like a parlor. The ceiling was high and the white walls had been cleaned to the nth degree. In the center of the room, there was an antique table with a detailed design and an expensive sofa to match it. The sofa is upholstered in a fabric with a pattern similar to that of a Persian rug, and only the legs and armrests are made of wood grain. ''It''s always great to see ......''. Loretta looks up at the ceiling and lets out a breath. ...... Your mouth is open. But if you ask me, it''s about the quality of an old hotel lobby. So, you sit down on the top seat and wait for the lady to appear. Loretta sits next to me without saying a word. ...... This guy doesn''t seem to know anything about the top seat, does he? ''That ...... big brother''. When I sat down on the couch, Loretta said to me. ''Please don''t ever say anything rude to me, okay? ''Do I look like I''d say something like that?'' ''............ I believe in you, brother. But to be honest,............, it looks like you''re saying that. Hahaha, I was too right to say anything back. Just then, there was a quiet knock on the parlor door. The sound of heavy wood echoed through the room. Soon, the door was opened without a sound. The first one to enter was Natalia, who held the door open and opened it wider. Behind her appeared... ''Wow. ............'' Loretta couldn''t help but exclaim. She wore an elegant and gorgeous dress reminiscent of the Bourbon dynasty of France in the past, and with a smile on her face that could never be surpassed by such a dress, she approached us with a graceful gait like a clear stream. The dress, which boldly exposes the shoulders and chest, does not give the slightest hint of obscenity, but simply accentuates the beauty of the wearer and makes her feel like a graceful woman. The transparent white skin wrapped in the pale pink dress is dazzling. The large eyes that stare at you are clear and unsullied, and their beauty is accentuated by the way they narrow with a smile. Her red eyes are so beautiful and precious that they make any jewel seem like a mere stone. If a jeweler were here, he would be singing her praises. Her elegantly trimmed red hair was a little shorter than the word "young lady" implied, but it matched her cheerful image perfectly and was very pleasing. When her eyes met mine, she looked a little embarrassed. Her cheeks were slightly reddened, she let her gaze slip away several times, and her lips were pursed as if in shame. Nevertheless, the smile on her face, which she wished to show no disrespect to the guests she was to welcome, combined with her shame, is as artistically beautiful as any masterpiece. If there was an art dealer here, he would have praised it as such. Loretta hasn''t blinked once since a moment ago, and she is admiring the young lady who has just appeared. I looked at the young lady again, and out of politeness at least, I said the honest feeling that came to my mind. ''Are you getting into women''s clothing, Estella? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you can think of something else to say. It was really Estella herself who was there. Only, she''s wearing a very beautiful dress and even a little makeup today. When I look at her like this, I realize that she really is a girl. ''Young lady. ''What, what, Natalia? ''I''m going to kill that man. ''Hey!Come on!That''s the way he is!''Don''t worry, it happens all the time! ''Then I''ll keep giving him pain so he doesn''t die! ''Yashiro!Hurry up and apologize!No, give me a big compliment! Estella ordered while trying her best to hold back Natalia''s demonic aura. Compliment me... ...... ''How did you manage to wear a dress with such a wide chest with your breasts? You''re very brave. You deserve praise.'' ''...... Natalia. GO! ''Yes sir! ''Just kidding!I''m kidding!Because it looks good on you!'' ''...... 30 points'' ''When you walked in, I thought you were a big flower blooming, you look so good! ''.................. sixty-seven points. Well, I guess that''s fair enough. Natalia puts the knife away and walks back to the door. ...... This is scary. ............ He''s got more knife skills than Estella. ...... ''Not at all. Yashiro is always and everywhere Yashiro. ......'' Estella sits down on a chair, not caring that she is sitting down. Across from me. ''It''s normal, when someone you''re always in casual contact with is dressed in such a glamorous way and appears in a situation where she''s actually the daughter of a lord! You can''t be surprised.I''m sure you''ll be surprised and speechless, but don''t you think you''ll be flattered by the completely different atmosphere? The angry Estella was the very Estella that I always saw. ''What are you talking about? I''m not surprised.'' ''Could it be that ...... you knew? ''What, you''ve been hiding ......? If so, he''s too careless. I mean, he''s smart, but he''s a bit out of his depth. ...... Well, I only just became convinced myself. Until then, it was just a matter of ''Isn''t it? I''m sure you''re right. He couldn''t tell me his last name, he said he''d get into trouble if he wore men''s clothes home, and he couldn''t sneak home. He''s been dropping all kinds of hints here and there. And he uses gold coins without a care in the world. He''s also very thorough with his permits and applications, including his sea fishing permit. In addition to this, the moment the 42nd district began to suffer damage from the rains, he was too busy to show his face. ...... Anyway, this guy was walking around advertising himself as a special person. I also thought that she might be the daughter of a lord or a ...... nobleman, but when I saw Zoltar''s Conversation Record in the slum, it hit me. But when I saw Zoltar''s Conversation Record in the slums, it hit me. His tone and phrasing were exactly like Estella. However, I was a little confused because I didn''t think that the "lord = Estella" as expected. Even more so because Zoltar repeatedly used the phrase "directly from the lord". Then I got this information from Loretta. "The lord is currently in seclusion, and his daughter is out in the open on his behalf. Zoltar made an appointment for an audience with the lord. But what actually showed up was Estella, who was acting on his behalf. As long as she appeared as a substitute, Zoltar must have accepted that the statement of the substitute was equal to the statement of the lord. I''m not sure what to make of that. Well, I suppose it''s a case of ''let no man punish the unsuspecting. But, you know, I''ve put on my makeup more carefully than usual to surprise you, but you''ll see through it ...... in an instant. ...... It''s not worth it, really. I''m not sure what to say. Maybe when you meet someone other than me, you''ll be more proper, but I''d like to think you''ll be ............. ''No matter what you''re wearing, I can always tell from a glance that you''re Estella. ''--!........................... ......... heh ...... so,............'' There is no other human being, male or female, who has such flat breasts! --I''m sure the knives will be flying when you joke about it, from two directions. ...... I''ll stop. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... There''s something wrong with Estella. She seems to be trying to smile, but she is not succeeding. If you took a picture of her current face and showed it to a hundred people, ninety out of a hundred would define it as a ''funny face''. The other ten would probably silently and quietly return the photo. Estella lets out a dry laugh, and a cup of tea is gently offered to her. It seems that Natalia has made it for her. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea.It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, but it''s not always possible. ''............ Please, enjoy. ''Natalia, ...... is too blatant. ''I don''t understand what you''re saying. If that''s the case, take some time off from work and have a nice long rest. It''s a sign of mental illness. ''Estella. Would you like to trade me your drink for mine? ''Oh no!Well, that''s not ...... that''s a bit ............ but Yashiro can ...... well.'' ''No, miss!I''m not a fan. As Natalia was admonishing Estella for causing a thermal outburst, she gently replaced the muddy water and tea ............ and grabbed her arm. Natalia is looking at you ...... and you''re looking at her! ''Are you ...... going to kill your ............ daughter? ''So, you were going to kill me? ''Yes, I was. Is there a problem? ''You''re in big trouble! Oh, God!This is getting out of hand. ''Estella. I have two serious things to say. ''Two things?'' When I spoke, Estella''s expression returned to her usual tightened one. Since she was ready to listen, I told her about the events of the day, step by step. ''I see. ...... Zoltar told me such a thing. ......'' ''You should be a little more careful with your words when you''re speaking as a lord. Especially when you''re talking to people who are ready to abuse you. ''Is the person in front of me right now the first one? ''Idiot. I''m not going to abuse you.'' ''......, you used our emblem today, right? ''.................. There''s a saying that the small things before the big things: ......'' Oh, no, no, no. I should have kept the fact that I used the emblem without Estella''s permission a secret. I''m the one who was careless, aren''t I? ''Well, I''ll cut you some slack for once. You''ve made me clean up your mess.'' ''What, when did I do something so indecent? ''I didn''t mean it in an obscene way! Pressing her temples, Estella urges me to continue. ''So, what do you want me to do? ''There''s a river in the slum. If the river is seized, most of the river fishing guilds and farming guilds ...... will find themselves in a difficult situation. So I want you to put that area under the power of the lord. ''It''s possible to do that for the time being, but it might be difficult to do it permanently. ''That''s all right. From there on, we''ll reform the people who live there so that they can''t do anything about it. ''Reform?'' Estella leaned forward. It''s a fluffy skirt, but you can clearly see that her knees are pointing towards you in it. When your knees are facing you, it means that the person sitting in front of you is interested in what you have to say. This is where I bring up the main topic of the conversation. ''I''d like your permission to sell popcorn on the road. ''Mobile sales? ''We''ll put the finished product on a cart and sell it around the main street. ''Oh, a mobile street vendor, ...... sounds interesting.'' ''Right?And we want to leave it to the children who live in the slums. ''What''s the point? ''The kids in the slums don''t have jobs. So they are not trusted. If they can get jobs and gain the trust of the residents, they won''t be able to forcibly take over. When that happens, the upper reaches of the river will be protected by that district. ''I see. ............'' Sinking deeply into the backrest, Estella was quietly pondering. In the meantime, she turned her gaze to Loretta, who hadn''t said a word to her since ...... ''Haha ............ beautiful ............''. ...... Hey. We''re talking about you and your family. ''Natalia, a parchment and a pen.'' ''Yes, sir.'' At the sound of Estella''s voice, Natalia quickly exits the room. ''Okay, Yashiro. I''ll grant you permission to sell within the forty-two wards only. However, if you go out of the district or cause any trouble, I will withdraw the permit. ''Oh, thank you. ''Also ......'' I sit up and Estella comes close to my face. So I gently close my eyelids and lightly lift my chin, preparing myself to accept Estella. ''What?No, no, you idiot!Your ears! ''Oh, that''s it. ''That''s the only way, isn''t it!It''s the only way! ...... You know, there are people''s eyes, too. ............'' Estella''s gaze went to Loretta. And when their gazes collided, Loretta fainted, saying, ''Kyu~....... I shouldn''t have brought her to ....... Seriously. ''You''re a funny girl. ''I''m the new guy at the Sunshine Pavilion. ''Well, I guess we''ll be seeing each other again. I''m not sure if Loretta''s heart can take the load. ...... ............ I don''t really care. ''So, what did you say? ''Oh, yes, yes.'' Once again, Estella comes close to my face. ''We''ll allow you to sell, but be careful, because they''re sure to interfere. ''Are they the ...... peddlers guild?'' Estella nodded silently. If we start a business in a new place, it won''t be fun for the peddlers'' guild. It would be dangerous to leave it to the Hammies alone. I''ll go with them at first. ''I''ll come help you when I get some more work done. ''Yeah, I''ll count on it. They exchange whispered words while keeping their faces close to each other. ...... Have you taken a bath yet?I''m not sure. It might be the smell of makeup. ''But was it good? ''What? What''s good?'' At my sudden question, Estella rolled her eyes in disbelief. ''Revealing your true identity to me. ''What do I have to do, you already knew, didn''t you? ''There''s a difference between revealing yourself and being found out by prying eyes. I''ll use you more than ever now that you''ve revealed to me that you have the authority of a lord. When I said this in all seriousness, Estella let out a chuckle and gave me a soft look. ''I expected you to come here sooner or later. Besides, it''s not like I''m hiding anything from you. ''You hid your last name from me. ''That''s because, when we first met, you were a tricky man. ''And now? ''What?...... Well, well, I still think that ...... you''re a tricky guy, but ...... ..................in a different way than he was at first. ......'' Estella blushes and stammers. Don''t make that kind of expression in that outfit. You''ll make me feel uncomfortable. ''Whatever you do, don''t be too reckless. ''Yeah, thanks for the .......'' ''If you need anything, just let me know. I''ll help you out on the cheap.'' ''What the hell, that''s ............''. Estella''s voice, chuckling, seemed really nostalgic. Well, I haven''t seen her for a long time, haven''t I? ''''Miss.'''' ''''--! The cold voice that suddenly came down made Estella and I both jump away from each other. Even though I haven''t done anything wrong, my heart is beating at a very high rate. ''I have brought you a parchment and a pen. ''Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh, thank you!Leave it there. ''Yes, sir. ...... ''What? At the same time as she placed the parchment and pen on the table, Natalia threw a crisp piece of black bread at my midsection. ...... If you had been born a Japanese boy, you would have been a hero at Koshien. ............ My breathing stopped for a second and I seriously felt like crying. ...... For the time being, we have obtained first aid for the slum and permission for the mobile sales. I''d say it was a great success. So why is ...... this happening? I left the mansion as if I were running away. 42-the rush of air before the opening of Episode 40. ''............ dero dero dero dero dero dero dero ............ Magda''s Cooking Cooking ~'' ''What''s that A minor theme song? Today, after a long night of slumming, a select group of Loretta''s brother and sister came to the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion. They were there to give a lecture on how to make popcorn. ...... but... ''Magda, what the heck was that? ''...... earlier, a bard who came to town was doing this.'' You''re saying a bard was doing something like 3 minute cooking? ''...... He was cooking while humming a dark song that could curse someone to death.'' ''That''s scary!Both the bard and you who saw it and decided to imitate it! ''...... didn''t have money for food, so he took a short-term contract job in a tavern kitchen.'' ''I guess they have that over here too, the work and pay system. ''...... Only, there was a song coming from the kitchen that sounded like a curse to listen to, and ............ all the customers except Magda had run away.'' ''Why didn''t you run away? ''............ tugged at your heartstrings?'' I wonder if this girl''s sensibilities are safe. ...... ''...... I think I want to make popcorn today, cursing someone.'' ''Make it like normal! We''ve gotten a permit for mobile sales and will start selling tomorrow. Magda is supposed to prepare the food for tomorrow, but I''m teaching her now for the future. If things go well, the number of sales will increase rapidly. The more people in charge of cooking, the better. ''''...... Everyone, imitate Magda. ''''''Yes! Since we''ll be using fire, I''ve gathered the older students to be in charge of cooking. It''s too dangerous for the younger group. Incidentally, the older group is the outside ...... sales staff. They handle money and serve customers. We decided to ask the responsible members of the older group to do that. That''s why eight of the younger students came to represent us in the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion. They will master the popcorn and pass it on to the next generation. ''''......-san, yes. ''''''Dero dero dero dero dero dero'''''' ''''''You don''t have to copy that! And it''s my job to oversee the transfer of technology to make sure it doesn''t go awry. I can''t afford to compromise the quality, including the taste. ''Magda. Teach him exactly what I taught you. Don''t make any strange arrangements in the future either. In business, it''s surprisingly important to keep things the same. How many times have you heard a chain restaurant complain, "________ has been changed for the worse! I can''t tell you how many times I''ve heard chain stores complain, ''They''ve changed ____! ''We have renewed the popular products that have been well received so that we can offer them to more customers at a more affordable price! Cost cutting in the name of ....... Companies that do this will lose business. ''What?That much? That''s how bad it gets. Furthermore, no matter how much they do afterwards, the customers who have left will not come back. ...... I''ve always wondered why companies don''t learn from this. I''ve always wondered why no company learns. I''m sure Jeannette won''t cut any corners, so if we just defend this place, we can prevent the quality from falling. ''''...... Everyone, don''t cut corners. ''''''Yes! The middle-aged ham kids have taken to Magda very well. The kids from the church also took to him easily. ...... Magda must be popular with the kids. ''''......, but you need to be playful. ''''''Yes!'''''' ''''Make it mindlessly~!'''' I''m going to pinch both of Magda''s ears with my fingers and munch on them. ...... No, as expected, fist-bumping Magda is pitiful, isn''t it? ''............Yeah,palm,............that... .........'' I was going to punish him a little, but there was something wrong with Magda. The hair on his tail is standing up and getting really thick. The arms that are trying to touch her head are bent halfway and she keeps making subtle movements like ''should I ...... touch her or not ......''. It''s a bit ...... ''............The beastmen''s ...... ears are ......... ...rubbing them is ...... no......'' ''Huh! Come to think of it, there was a bit of an agony when I rubbed Delia''s ears before......I forgot all about it. ''Oh, sorry ......, I''ll be careful after that.'' ''............'' Magda nodded her head in silence. Wow, ...... you''re embarrassed. ...... I did something wrong. ''Big brother~'' Hammy cornered me in a hurry. ''Do you want to touch my sister''s ear too? ''No, I''m not touching your ears! ''Why not?You don''t like my sister? ''I don''t hate you ......, but I''m not close enough to touch your ears. Do you understand?'' It''s hard to say the wrong thing to a child. You can''t say anything you don''t want to say to a child. ...... Often, the information a child gets is leaked. So I chose my words carefully and told him ...... I thought. ''............Intimate............'' Magda''s tail wagged next to her. You''re ...... embarrassed,......, aren''t you?It''s not like you''re getting scared, is it? It is difficult for Magda to ...... express her face at all. ...... ''............ poo............ poo.... ''Magda!I''m really sorry!Are you okay? ''...... fine. It happens every day. Magda is a grown woman.'' ''Okay. Anyway, now that you know you''ve upset me, don''t tell me a lie that I''ll know is a lie the moment I tell it. The spirit gods are watching you, aren''t they, in this town? ''The ...... spirit gods are ...... my friends.'' ''I''m going to take a break!I''ll wait for Dr. Magda! I said no to the Hammies and decided to take a break. I''ll send Magda back to her room and ask her to come back when she''s settled. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. The same goes for bear ears. It''s impossible not to pick up those soft and pliable things. ...... Oh, Nepheli is fine. I don''t want to pluck the chicken crown (the red one on top of the head) or the meat drop (the red one under the beak). Magda came back in a few minutes. ...... ''...... I''m fine now. I''m going to teach you how to use ......, so Yashiro can go off ...... for a bit. And then he was kicked out. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. But compared to the days of "Do you need pants? I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. I think we should be happy that Magda has become a little more mature. I decided to distract myself from the sadness of being kicked out by thinking that. When I went out to the cafeteria, I found Delia and Masha sitting in a corner. Delia was here as a guest today. ''Oh~!Yashiro~! ''Oh my, it''s been a while~'' A bear girl from the River Fishing Guild and a mermaid from the Sea Fishing Guild are sitting across from each other, eating honey popcorn. ''Sorry, Yashiro. I''ve been so busy with my day job that I haven''t been able to come help out. ''Don''t worry about it. There''s a new recruit, and Delia should prioritize her own work.'' ''That''s very kind of you to say. ''But you can come help me again when you''re free. ''Oh dear?I wonder if Delia-chan is your favorite, Yashiro-kun? ''Is that so? ''Oh, no, I mean, I''m a fan of ...... Delia''s super mini-maid. She keeps asking me to tell her when my shift is.'' ''Oh, you''re a fan? Delia seems to be very surprised, but she has a lot of fans. It''s because she''s unusually cool in a world of cute girls. ''Masha......, I''m sorry. I had to go to .......'' ''No, no, no! We''re in trouble here.'' That''s my long-time friend. I''m sure Delia knows everything you''re going to say. ...... No, even I could understand what you just said. ''Is there a problem? ''Hmm, there''s a bit of sewage. ......'' ''Sewage?'' A troubled Masha began to speak, picking at her popcorn. ''Because of this long rain, the muddy water is flowing into the sea. ''The river fishermen''s guild is also taking measures to prevent the muddy water from flowing into the sea. ......'' ''It''s not working? ''We''ve had a lot of rain.'' ''Also, you know, muddy water is one thing, but ...... the product of human physiology is washing up in the sea. ''The product of physiological phenomena'' is, in short, feces and urine. In this world, it is common to store it in manure pits and use it as fertilizer. However, due to the long rains that have been falling on and off for the past month, it seems that sewage has been flowing into the river from several of them. ''It''s okay if there''s a little, because the fish will eat it. But if there''s too much, it''s ......''. ''We''re also having trouble with dirty water in the river. ''So, we were discussing countermeasures. But from the outside, it looks like they''re just eating popcorn together. ''If there''s anything I can do, let me know. I''ll help you as much as I can.'' But I''ll ask for something in return. --I''ll keep my mouth shut. ''You''re very kind, aren''t you? I think I''ll ask you to clean the net again. I''ll bring it next time. ''Well, I want to eat popcorn! Neither of these things has anything to do with sewage. Oh, but... If the popcorn sales go well, we can expand the range to the river. My hopes are high. Oh, yeah. I''ll use this. ''Delia, we''re working on the river tomorrow, right? ''Yeah. The whole river fishing guild is going to pile the sandbags a little higher. We''re expecting heavy rains again soon, in less than a week. Well, I''ll see you there. ...... but heavy rain. ...... Fortunately, the weather has been holding out for us lately. It will probably hold out for a few more days, and I hope to have some success during that time. If the customers are looking forward to the resumption of the sales while the rain prevents us from selling, the sales will explode when the sales resume. So the first three days are the key. ''Well, go ahead and take your time. ''Oh. Have some popcorn and relax.'' ''Thank you for your concern, Yashiro-kun. But Delia. Let''s have a discussion instead of relaxing. At any rate, since there seems to be nothing I can do to help at the moment, I''m leaving. I leave the cafeteria and go around to the back of the store. Past the restrooms and in front of the firewood storage area. There, I see Umaro and four of the older Ham kids. The Ham kids, all male, are helping Umaro. ''Ah, there!The nail must be driven straight! ''Yes, sir! No, you don''t have to imitate my tone. For better or worse, you Ham kids are straightforward. ''How are you doing? ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Not bad at all. The two cars that are urgent will be finished by this evening. I asked Umaro to make the carts for the mobile sales that I promised him yesterday. It''s a cart, but it''s not shaped like a rear car, but more like a food cart. Or rather, it is a cart. The right side is the customer''s side and the left side is the shopkeeper''s side, facing the handle that pulls the cart. Two large wheels are attached to the sides of the cart, and a stopper holds the cart in place during sales. From the bottom of the stall to the height of the chest is a box, which can be opened and closed from the shopkeeper''s side, and inside the box are goods and money. A roof is attached to the top of the stall. Eventually, I would like to build in a small cooking stove so that I can cook outside. ...... Well, this will be the first time. ''How are the ham kids? ''They''re not ready yet. But they have a lot of motivation and guts, so it''s worth training them. ''I''ll work hard! ''I''ll surpass the master! ''''Don''t talk, move your hands! ''''Yes, sir!'''' ''''...... Too much innocence is both good and bad. Even as he exhaled, Umaro seemed to be enjoying himself a little. I wonder if the inheritance of technology is still interesting. ...... By the way, the master had a very happy face when he taught me something. ...... I''ll give you a hard time, so be prepared! ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' He is a dependable man. His capacity as a human being may be as good as my master''s. While I was thinking about ......, Magda appeared in the backyard. ''...... Yashiro. May I?'' '''''''''' Ahhhhhh!Magda is a real angel. '''''''''' ''Don''t spread that crazy disease! The Umaro bacteria is raging like crazy. Four people have already been infected. ...... This is a serious situation. It''s a biohazard. ''So, what''s the deal, Magda? ''I''ve brought popcorn for all the ...... hardworking people.'' '''''''''''' Haaaaan!Magda-tan''s homemade popcorn! '''''''''' ''......It was my sisters who made it.'' ''''''''''..................'''''''''' Don''t get too excited. ''...... But all my sisters are ............ vines.'' ''''''''''..................!!!'''''''''' ''What?No, but don''t look at me like I''m ......''. What is it with you people and your sense of unity? ''...... Yashiro, have a sample.'' ''Yeah, right. I''ll take one then. The popcorn that Magda handed me was warm and smelled of honey. ...... but... ''There are too many unpopped kernels. And some of it''s burnt. I''m not shaking the pan enough. And the honey should be melted with butter and milk. It''s too gooey and doesn''t look good. ''...... Oh, ...... that''s harsh. ''You want to serve good food at its best, don''t you?'' ''......I agree.'' ''Did you guys hear that? '''''''' Yes!''......agree''. '''''''' ''That''s not you!No, that''s what''s important with the clear voice of an angel, but it''s Yashiro''s words! ''''''''............?'''''''' ''We also hand over top-notch carts in the best condition!That''s what professionalism is all about! '''''''' Yes!Yashiro is a real angel. '''''''' I''m not an angel.It''s disrespectful to Magda to put her in the same category as you! ''Okay, you five, come here for a minute. Let''s talk with our fists.'' You''re all rude. Umaro is a rude man. His human capacity must still be immature. Otherwise he''d be twisted and distorted. It''s a pity. ''Magda, Umaro. I want each of you to be ready by tomorrow.'' ''Huh?I thought we were supposed to start the mobile sales the day after tomorrow. ''Tomorrow we''ll be doing a test sale for final confirmation. I''m not going to be afraid to do it on the spot. ''Oh, I see. Then we can actually run it and check if there are any problems. ''......We''ll try it and see if there are any problems. These two are our instructors in popcorn vending. I''m counting on them. ''Tomorrow we''ll go to the river fishing guild to sell as a trial run. ''Delia-san''s place? ''Oh, yes. It''s a great place to practice because you can actually get paid, they''ll let you off the hook if you''re rude, and even if you mess up, you can cover it up somehow. ''...... Yashiro, you''re pretty rough with your friends, aren''t you? You''ll lose your friends. Hmm. If you lose a friend like this, he was never your friend. A friend is someone who will lend you money unconditionally at any time and under any circumstances. If there is such a person, I''ll call him or her my best friend. And so, the work proceeded at a rapid pace. There were some troubles in the small money-making operation, which also served as a rehearsal for the next day, but they are not worth mentioning, so I will skip them. If I may briefly mention, Omero mistakenly got his hands on the honey popcorn that was supposed to be given to Delia, and it was washed up ...... in a muddy, raging river. ...... was nothing more than a common everyday trouble. It is quite ordinary. Business as usual. However, the rehearsal seemed to have paid off, and the quality of the popcorn has become more consistent. It still takes a little time to cook, but I''m sure my sisters can handle it. I''m sure Magda will take care of the rest. Then came the opening day. It was the debut of the two mobile popcorn stands, the "Sunshine Pavilion No. 2" and the "Sunshine Pavilion No. 7". The reason for the second and seventh stores is ....... If the quality of the second store is high, it will give customers a sense of security, along with the image that the taste is protected. If the quality is this good at the second store, how great is it at the main store? A second restaurant is destined to be compared to the first, for better or worse. By taking advantage of this, and raising the quality of the second store as much as possible, you can relatively raise the stock of the main store. Because people don''t think that the second store will surpass the main store. And the seventh store. This has the effect of making people think, ''If there is a seventh store, then there must be six more stores. Of course, you can name your store whatever you want, so even if this is actually the third store, you can call it the seventh store. If you have a complaint, go to Jiro''s ramen shop and say, ''Give me Taro! If you have a problem, go to Jiro''s ramen shop and say, ''Give me Taro! The name of a restaurant is often a mysterious thing. It is not a lie. Still, if there are people who say, ''I can''t agree with that'' or ''That''s a lie! I''ll tell you this. ''This restaurant is the seventh and main branch of the Sunda-mari-tei''. That''s what it''s called. If anyone misunderstands, it''s none of my business. So, stores 2 and 7 will make their first appearance today. Ginette and Loretta will take care of the store first, and Magda will be in charge of the popcorn. Magda will be in charge of popcorn, with two of her sisters helping out. There are three of us on the road, me, my brother and my sister. My sisters look a little nervous, but my brothers don''t show any signs of nervousness. That''s because Delia took the initiative to buy a lot of stuff at the pre-opening yesterday, and that gave my brothers confidence. ''Hey, you guys should buy some too!I''ll take the ones you can''t eat! I''ll take the ones I can''t eat!'' They encouraged the members of the river fishing guild to buy them. It was a strange sight to see so many big men crowding around and chomping on honey popcorn, but the sales were unquestionably good. The siblings were anxious at first, but when they found out that Delia was an acquaintance of mine, they gradually relaxed, and by the end of the day, they were talking normally. When the popcorn was sold out, Delia and I had a great time together. ......I''m not sure why Delia was there, but I''m glad she was able to get her siblings on board. My sisters were very excited, saying, ''I''ve never had a high five before! They were very excited. The younger siblings were so excited that they were wondering if we had any talent for business. They were so excited. After experiencing such great success, they gained confidence, and today is the day. ''Let''s sell a million of them! ''Sell a trillion! ''Then a billion trillion trillion! As you can see, they are a bunch of idiots. We may be getting a little carried away. However, it is very good that you are not nervous about your first job. It''s not good for business if you shy away from your customers. ''...... Will it sell? ''What if it doesn''t sell at all ......? ''And then we''ll be fired? ''Oh no, we can''t do that~......'' ''No way~......'' It''s negative. Originally, they had always been confined to the slums and had never been in contact with anyone other than their families. The only people who occasionally came around were evil people like Zoltar, so you can understand why ...... they are uncomfortable with people. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you. I''m a little worried about him. In fact, I wanted to follow the idiots and keep a close eye on them,......, but I couldn''t leave my sisters alone. I think I''ll follow them today. ''Hey, you idiots. You''ll do fine without me. ''I''ll take care of it! ''I''ll sell everything! ''It''ll sell for sure! ''What if it sells out fast? ''Let''s go play! ''Oh!Let''s go!'' ''If they sell out, go back to the store and restock, okay?Yeah!Yo! ''Agh! ''Ew! ''Ooh! I drop chops on the brains of the three idiots, making them brace themselves. Well, it''s a good thing you''re not afraid of anything. ...... There are limits, though. ''Oh, so this is a mobile food stall? As I was making final checks on the stall, Estella came over. I wondered if she wanted to pay me a visit. No, she was just peeking in out of curiosity, I''m sure. ''Ever since I heard about it, I''ve been wondering what it would be like. You see. Today Estella is not in a dress like the other day, but in her usual man''s attire, which is neither floral nor s*xy. You should wear a frilly miniskirt once in a while. ...... I''m sure Natalia will stop you, though. I''m sure Natalia will stop you. Estella, like a junior high school student on a school trip, is unreservedly touching the stalls. It seems that she is endlessly curious, opening drawers and banging on the roof. ...... Hey, stop it. You''re breaking it. I''m sure it''s made so that it won''t break like that. ''As expected of a Torbeck contractor. ''Well, I''m glad to hear your praise, but this time my apprentice''s hard work is more important than mine. They are the ones who should be praised. '''''''' You''re the boss!Thank you very much. '''''''' Praise where praise is due. You are a good boss who nurtures and develops the talents of his subordinates. It''s a good boss. ...... ''''''''I''m not sure what to say. You''re not saying this out of conditioned reflex, are you? ''Ma, Magda-tan!What about me?I worked very hard too!I''ve been trying to fix a lot of things that were wrong or lax without telling these guys!I just didn''t tell them so that they would have confidence in me!In fact, I did most of the work myself! Hey! Even if that''s the case, no, that''s exactly why you shouldn''t reveal it! He''s no good. No, no, no! ''Everyone!Please wait a minute! This time, Ginette and Loretta came running, footsteps pattering, side by side. What, they''ve all come out after all? Well, I guess it''s okay now that there are no customers. ''Please take this. What Ginette held out to me was a square box wrapped in a furoshiki. ''Is it a lunch box? ''Yes. Please eat it together. There were two lunch boxes made by Ginette, each as big as a stacked box. They seemed to be for her brother''s team and her sister''s team. ''I can only do this much, sir. No, no, no. It''s enough. Well, bringing a lunch box was a blind spot. Or rather, I completely forgot about lunch. That''s Ginette, she''s very thoughtful. ''Can we look inside? My sisters look up at me with sparkling eyes. ''You''ll have to wait until noon. ''Just look! Oh, God. I''m about to go out. ...... ''Well, well, Yashiro-san. It''s fine. I''m just looking.'' Sweet!That''s sweet, Jeannette!Your indulgence will make the children selfish! ''You guys, don''t annoy big brother! ''...... "Big brother"?'' Estella reacted to Loretta''s words. ...... Speaking of which, when I met Estella at the mansion, Loretta barely said a word, didn''t she? It''s a pain in the ass to explain, so just take it with a grain of salt. As Loretta scolded her siblings, Estella approached her. She patted her on the shoulder and said, ''Well, well, well. Oh, you''ll faint again if you do that. ...... ''It''s the first day of the mobile sales, so why don''t we go out with a bang? ''Uh, ...... who are you?'' ...... Huh? ''I''m a regular at this diner.'' ''Oh, I see. Nice to meet you. I''m Loretta, and I''ve been working as a waitress at the Sunlit Pavilion since the other day. It''s nice to meet you. ''I''m Estella. It''s nice to meet you too. Hmmm! Loretta is normal. When we met at the mansion, she fainted at eye contact, but now she''s acting normal. I mean, it''s nice to meet you? ''Yashiro......'' Estella beckons me over. As I approached, she tugged on my sleeve and brought me behind a stall. ''It happens all the time,'' she said. ''...... what?'' With a slightly annoyed expression, Estella told me in a whisper. ''People who don''t recognize me in a dress and me in my current outfit as the same person. ''No, they would, wouldn''t they? ''That''s because ............ that,yashiro is ...... special ......... It''s because ...... Yashiro is a special ...... ...... kind of guy, isn''t it? I''m a special thing? You''ve got a keen eye for detail. And you even gave your name. You can''t be so blinded by her big tits that you didn''t see her face. ...... It''s absolutely impossible. ''Why did you say it twice?Why did you emphasize it? Because it''s important. But no matter how fashionable she was,...... ''Estella in her dress was too beautiful for me to notice? ''--! ...... is bad for the heart. What is it then?''I''m going to compliment you now. You''re beautiful! You''re going to do that?What kind of dumb kid are you? ''I''ve met Delia, Umaro, and Mo-Mat in dresses, and they don''t seem to notice me at all. ''...... All of them have their heads screwed on straight.'' I don''t know, I feel like I can''t help it with these guys. ''But I''m more than happy to do so. If people knew I was the daughter of a lord, they''d shy away.I like our relationship the way it is now. ''Well, if you''re okay with that, then fine. There''s no need for me to go around telling people who Estella is. ''After all, Yashiro is nice.'' Huh? ''You''re so witty and easy to be with. I''m glad that Jashiro could see the real me. Not surprisingly, Estella smiled with the grace of a lady and whispered. ''Thank you. ...... I don''t know. I''d like you to stop doing that because it''s driving me crazy. I would like to have a relationship with Estella where we can play the fool. This ...... little girlish gesture or ............ would be embarrassing to me. ''No delicacy is too much. ''That''s the most important part. ''Oh, I see.'' Yeah. These sarcastic remarks are comforting. ''Oh! Suddenly, there was a shout of joy beyond the stall. Most of them must have opened their lunch boxes to see what was inside. ...... d*mn you. You spoiled me. I made a quick glance at Estella and we walked into the crowd. ''You''re amazing, sister! ''That''s not my sister, that''s amazing! ''Why do you have to say that?I helped a little too! The siblings are peeking at the lunch box, talking loudly. ''Did you open it? ''Oh, Yashiro-san. When Jeannette saw my face, she smiled with a slight hint of remorse. ''I''m sorry.'' ''What do you mean, ''sorry''? You have no intention of apologizing. Well, I can''t help what I''ve opened. I''ll check the contents too. ''Let''s see. ......'' Brown food in a lunch box is delicious. I think this is something that many people know from experience. The lunch box that Jeannette made this time was also brown all over. It is a food that I am very familiar with, and if I had to choose between liking it and disliking it, it would definitely be one of my favorites. It is also the main item sold at YODAMARI-TEI. The lunch box was filled with a lot of honey popcorn. ''I made it with a wish that it would sell as fast as popcorn! Ginette smiled triumphantly. Oh, I see. I guess I didn''t teach him the basics. ...... Don''t put candy in the lunchbox. ''Jeannette. ''Yes.'' ''...... remake''. ''Honyou! I''ll specify the side dishes and have them delivered to Magda around noon. ...... Ginette, you''re kind of .................. of a disappointment. With all this flurry of activity, we left late. ...... I''m ready and raring to go. Now all we have to do is sell, sell, sell popcorn with this thing! ''''Alright, then, let''s go! ''''''Ooooh! With such a shout, we set off from the sunny pavilion with the two stalls in tow. 43-Episode 41 Mobile Sales Launch ''Thank you very much! ''Thank you very much! The cheerful voices echoed through the main street of the 42nd district. My sisters bowed deeply to the backs of the departing customers. In the meantime, the next customer comes in to place an order. ''Hey, next time buy two servings with souvenir cups! ''Oh, yes!Sorry. I''ll be right back! I thought I''d just keep an eye on them, but ...... they were much more popular than I expected. My sisters, who are not accustomed to working in the hospitality industry, could not possibly handle the number of customers. Even now, there is a long line of people waiting in front of the stall. By the looks of it, my brothers are going to have their hands full. I guess I''ll have to follow them tomorrow and make up for today. If there were any customers who felt uncomfortable today, we will make up for it tomorrow. For the time being, I''ll make that decision and focus on this for today. It''s better than doing both half-heartedly. ''We''re running low on popcorn, big brother! ''Run to the Sunshine Pavilion and get some more! ''Yeah! One of my sisters is running full speed ............ fast!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. I found another unexpected aspect of him. ''It''s too hot~...... big brother, can I take this? ''No, you can''t. It''s unsanitary to get hair in it. Be patient.'' ''Mmm~......'' When selling popcorn, vendors are required to wear a triangular hood. Hygiene is a basic requirement for restaurants. There is nothing more disgusting than having a hair in your food. Besides, these guys are surprisingly cute with their hoods wrapped around their heads. There are men who gaze at them and stain their cheeks. That''s how it works. ''Big brother, we''re running out of souvenir cups. ''When we run out of Souvenir Cups, we will stop selling them. Please explain to the customers when they are gone. ''Yes, sir! Souvenir cups are original goods that we have prepared. They are wooden cups, about the size of an L-size movie theater drink. I hollowed out a piece of wood and patiently made it, and I''m quite proud of it. It''s so good that Ginette ran around the store in tears when she saw the finished product, branded with the name "YODAMARI-TEI". In this world where paper cannot be wasted, we could not sell the product in a paper carton as we do in Japan. Therefore, the company has adopted a sales system in which customers bring their own containers and fill them with popcorn. It is like the old tofu shop. However, there are some customers who don''t have a container and don''t want to go back to get it. This souvenir cup was made for such customers. The set is a bit expensive, but you can get the cup as well. By the way, "Souvenir" is a French word meaning "souvenir" or "souvenirs". It is a Japanese foreign word with the English word "cup" added to it. However, I''m sure that the "forced translation magic" has translated it well. The origin of the name is ............. Well, don''t ask. The name was inspired by the name used in a certain dream and magic kingdom. I wanted to show the people of this town some dreams and magic. Hahaha! That''s amazing!I''m giddy! My sisters move around the stall in a circle. The gap between how hard they work and how cute their movements are is a nice one, and they are well received by the customers queuing up. It won''t take long for the hamster people to blend into the city. ''Good luck! ''There''s no need to panic. ''Yes~!Thank you very much! My sisters let out a big smile as they were cheered on by some wives who were waiting for their turn. They must be enjoying this kind of interaction. The response from the customers was good, and sales were good. It seems that the mobile vending was the right choice. The only problem was that the ...... sisters were slow at calculating. It took them an inordinate amount of time to count the change. Come to think of it, Ginette wasn''t very good at math either. There is no such thing as school, so unless you were born into a merchant family, you probably didn''t learn to do math. I''ll teach him next time. ...... Or perhaps it would be faster to make a change calculator that can tell you at a glance. It can be a table like ''how many servings, how much change if silver coins come''. There are many things you can''t understand until you actually try. But Ham kids are very good at remembering things. They will soon get used to the calculations. ''That was delicious! ''I want to eat it again! ''Yes, yes. See you next time. I overheard a conversation between a father and son. A young sibling hugged a souvenir cup and took it home. Seeing this, another child begged, "I want one too," and the parent said, "I don''t blame you," and bought one. The line draws more lines, and the smiles of the children draws more children. It''s a good trend. It will only be a matter of time before honey popcorn takes root in the 42nd district. After that, the popcorn continued to sell, and the line finally died down as the sun was setting. It seems that Magda was also working at full speed to make popcorn. ''It''s ........................ amazing!They''re all sold out! ''It''s sold out! ''I''m so tired! The souvenir cups were sold out. We also sold out of the popcorn that Magda gave us when she said, ''......, that''s it. It was a true sellout. We''ll have to tell Yap Lock to add a lot more corn and honey. ''''Alright, let''s go home then! ''''''Yes!'''''' The faces of my sisters, who were almost crushed by anxiety before we left, were filled with radiant smiles. Confidence, a sense of fulfillment, and the elation of having accomplished something great. Their faces overflowed with such things. I think I can trust him tomorrow. I''ll have to make a change chart for him when I get home. ''I''m sure today''s meal will be delicious. ''Really?'' ''Yeah. You''ll know it when you eat it. ''I''m looking forward to it! The stall was lighter now that we had sold out, and our steps were lighter. At this rate, my brothers will get even more carried away. Even if it took a little longer, we must have sold a lot. Oh dear. It''s going to be a noisy supper. That''s what I thought as I headed home. But my prediction was far wrong. When I arrived at the sunlit pavilion, the dining room was filled with a heavy atmosphere. What''s ...... that? ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Jeannette, who was standing near the counter, noticed me and rushed over to me. ''What''s wrong with the air? ''It''s .......'' Ginette turns her gaze to where her three brothers are sitting around a table, nodding deeply. They were the three who had been selling their wares elsewhere. What''s the matter? Why are you so depressed? ''Yashiro. ...... a bit.'' Estella comes up to me and quietly leads me outside. Ginette follows behind her. When I close the door, I feel as if the heavy air has been cut off. ''Would you look at this? Estella pointed to the stall at the Sunlit Pavilion No. 7. It was the stall her brothers had been using. She looked around the stall to see if there was anything wrong with ...... it and noticed something. ''............ not selling?'' When I looked at her, Estella quietly nodded her head. Inside the box of the stall, there was a large amount of popcorn. And next to it, a huge pile of souvenir cups. They hadn''t gone down at all. Had he skipped work and gone out to play, and was he angry about it?That''s why he''s so disconsolate? For a moment, I thought of ...... such an impossible thing. But for my brothers, there is no game more interesting than mobile vending. They have been practicing and studying a lot in the past few days, and have been looking forward to this day. There''s no way they''re going to abandon their work. But then, why ......? ''They said that not a single customer came. ''Not one?'' ''Yes. ...... They said they tried their best to get people to come, but ......'' Jeannette looked like she was about to cry. She must be heartbroken at the thought of the shock her brothers had suffered. ''Was it the wrong place?'' ''No, not at all. It''s the second most crowded street after the main road. ''......What the hell was wrong with ............?'' Ginette felt as if it was her own fault. The problem of not being able to sell the product is no stranger to Jeannette, as it is the mobile sales of the sunny pavilion,......, but this guy''s depression is not like that. He is depressed about the fact that his brothers are depressed. ''...... I''m sorry, big brother. As he pondered the cause, he suddenly heard a voice behind him. When I turned around, I saw my brothers standing in a line, nodding their heads. Her eyes were full of tears. ''...... didn''t ............ sell at all ......... ...ugh. ''............Sorry.........'' ...... these guys. I''m glad you took it so seriously. It''s quite a sight to behold, isn''t it? ''What''s wrong, what''s wrong!It''s only the first day!What you didn''t sell today, you can make up for tomorrow. ''But ......''. ''Don''t worry about it!My sisters sold like fools. We''re in the black if you look at the total. It''s just that I didn''t get the right customers the first time. There are days like that. He pats his brothers roughly on the head. It''s your first time in customer service. I''m sure you''ve had some unexpected problems. There must have been a lot of things that didn''t go as planned. Maybe I should''ve started out with one stall and taken care of all these guys. I''m sorry. ''I''ll go with you tomorrow. Let''s sell twice as much as your sisters and surprise them. See? ''............ Yeah.'' ''Your voice is so quiet! ''Yes! ''Yes! ''Yes! Well, it looks like you''ve managed to cheer yourself up, albeit forcefully. I''m not going to put that much responsibility on these guys. I''ll take responsibility for the outcome. All they have to do is work hard and stay healthy. Let''s give them a little more energy to play with. ''All right, you bastards!That''s the code word I taught you last time!Are you ready? ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' ''''''Where''s Jeannette? ''''''Pop pop pop!'''''' ''''''Estella is! ''''''..................'''''' ''''''What, oi! ''''What, what, what''s that password? ''''What do you mean, mute?There must have been something you could have said! ''Oh my god!Everyone, please repent together! ''''''...... giggle............ hahahaha!'''''' My brothers start laughing. At last, the gloomy faces have been dispelled. Yeah. Tomorrow, we''ll do our best. ''''......Yashiro............, why don''t we talk about it? ''...... I wish I had a tomorrow. ''Estella, I''ll tell you something good. Holding a knife to a man is not a discussion. It''s intimidation.'' It took more than ten minutes to quiet Estella''s black aura, and my dinner was served very late. The next day, I came to a wide street that intersected the main road with the seventh store of the Sunlight Pavilion. If you follow this road all the way, you will come to a lord''s mansion. I see. There''s certainly a lot of traffic. ''Where were you selling yesterday? ''Over there. That open space.'' My brother pointed to an open space with an unobstructed view. It was probably the site of a building that had been torn down. There was a gaping hole in the ground. Surely, if we set up our stall here, it wouldn''t interfere with traffic. But no. ''If you''re going to set up your stall, it should be under that tree over there. I pointed to a large tree standing by the side of the road. It''s a big tree with a sturdy trunk and big branches. The theory behind food stalls is that they should be set up near places where it is easy to take a break. Shade trees, seashores, and benches are ideal. The key is to make people think that they can buy food from the stalls and take a break while they are there. So, we parked our stall beside a large tree and began to prepare for the opening. I can see people looking at me from time to time. They seem to be interested. Then, strategy is the key to success. You might want to give them a taste or something. ...... I put a single serving of popcorn in a souvenir cup and leap to the front of the stall. ...... I''m not really dancing, am I? ''............ Well,'' he said. In fact, I''m not really the type to do this kind of thing. ...... Well, I''ll do it all if you tell me to do it. ...... But who in the world can tell me to do it?If there is such a person, I''ll turn on him and tell him to do it. ...... I''m off topic. I took a deep breath and shouted loudly, letting the sound resonate through my body. I didn''t shout, but my voice sounded good and clear. ''Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!I don''t know why you''re in a hurry, but stop for a moment and listen to me for a moment. Then you''ll be greeted with joyous news that will make your heart dance! People on the street and my brothers, who were preparing to open the store, stared at me with puzzled faces at my sudden words. Not caring, I continued. ''Now then, I bring out here a honey popcorn that is rare to the eyes and ears! ............ Hmmm, no response. ''......''. Well, look at it anyway! He reverted to his normal tone of voice and continued his sales talk. ...... My mental strength is not strong enough to run alone in the cold air. But I got attention, so I''m not wrong. ......, I keep telling myself. ''The daughter of a five-year-old friend of mine looked at it and said, "I''m going to treasure it. I laughed, but no, it''s quite ...... beautiful, if you ask me. What do you think? He picks a piece of popcorn and shows it to the crowd. At the feet of the ...... adults, the children are slowly beginning to lean forward. ''Now for the smell. Can you smell it?That sweet, intoxicating scent.'' I slowly slide the souvenir cup in a wide arc. The honey scent of the popcorn draws the children forward. ''And then there''s the sound. ............ Shh!'' After a long pause, he says ''shh'' loudly, silencing everyone in the area. Everyone is trying to keep their breath down to avoid making a sound. In the midst of this, I pick up a piece of popcorn and suck on it with my front teeth. As soon as I''ve attracted attention, I bite into it, and... Crunch. --The sound echoed through the silent street. Before I knew it, the children were at my feet and their eyes began to sparkle. There are two, four, six, ...... and twelve children in all. Twenty four big eyes are looking up at me as if expecting something. I can''t help it. You know what''s special this time? Do you guys want to try it? '''''''' Yeah! '''''''' Yeah, I''m in! I''m in. I lowered the Souvenir Cup to a height where the kids could easily take it. The kids reach for it like they''re the first to go. Now, devour them to your heart''s content!And beg for more!''I want some more! I want more! ''Stop it! I was convinced of victory, but what I heard was a voice that sounded a little hysterical. I looked over to see the parents of the children holding their children down and pulling them away from the popcorn. ''You can''t eat that stuff! ''What? ''Just come over here! The spirit is unyielding. The child was not even allowed to cry out and was forcibly taken away. There were no more people around me. There''s not a grain of popcorn left. ...... What''s going on? ............ What''s going on? .................. "Don''t eat that stuff." ...... ...... "That stuff" ...... Have these guys ever eaten popcorn anywhere? If not, have you ever seen or heard of it?And did it give you a bad impression? ........................ No, it didn''t. . Not at all. What I did was ............ After yesterday''s great success, I can''t believe I overlooked such a simple thing. ............ No, you knew that. I just underestimated it. I''ve seen those eyes ...... surrounding us in the distance. Those are the eyes that scorn and exclude others. By "that stuff" I don''t mean the popcorn. It''s the popcorn my brothers are selling. That is, ...... You can''t eat what the slumlords are selling. ''......We''re going home.'' ''Yeah, ............ yeah.'' There''s no point in sticking around any longer. We need to come up with a more fundamental solution to this problem. The sense of repugnance toward slum dwellers was much greater than I had thought. Even the good Umaro did not have a good image of the word slum. I should have realized this sooner. ...... I''ve hurt these guys unnecessarily, haven''t I? ''Hey, don''t worry. I''ll take care of it.'' ''Can you ............ do that?'' ...... I don''t know. I don''t know. But you know what? ''I''m not gonna stop, I''m not gonna stop. I''m not gonna give up on this. I''m not gonna turn tail and run. This is a business opportunity. If you sell it right, you can make a lot of money. It just takes a little time to do so. ...... My brothers, unlike their sisters, are hamsters by all accounts. It is obvious that they are slum dwellers. There is no way to sell them by deceiving them. In order for them to do business properly, they have to improve the status of the hamster race. We have to regain their trust. That''s a lot of work, though. Well, I guess we''ll just have to work steadily. ''Brother ............, don''t you want us, ......? How hard would it be for such a young child to deny ...... his own existence? ''Idiot.'' A hard chop to the forehead. ''Aww ............ that hurts ......'' ''There are plenty of other jobs out there, you know. I told you yesterday. We''re just getting started. You can''t start out with a great success and not have any problems. If there are problems, we''ll deal with them as they arise. ''There''s no time to be discouraged. We''re going to get busier and busier.'' ''............ Yeah.'' With my brothers and sisters at my side, who were not even able to cheer themselves up, I was thinking that for a while, my sisters and I would have to do the mobile sales ...... alone. I''m really sick of this ...... Yesterday I was upbeat, today I''m down ...... I''ve forgotten another important thing. Estella had warned me in advance. ...... Yeah. "They''re sure to interfere... After returning to the Sunken Pavilion with my brothers, I went to my sisters. As for my brothers, Loretta said, ''Leave it to me!I''m still your sister! I''ll leave them to you. I''ll leave them to you. Anyway, now that we have only one stall, we have to make money on the side we can sell. ............ ''..................What? When I came to the main street, I couldn''t believe my eyes. There were no people around the stalls. The air was heavy and uncomfortable, a far cry from yesterday''s scene. ...... This is the same air as at the seventh stall. I couldn''t resist running over and calling out to my sisters. ''Hey, are you okay? ''Oh ........................ Onii... ...tea......'' Seeing my face, one of my sisters started to cry. I hugged him and patted him on the back. As I do this, I talk to my sister, who is relatively calm. ''What happened? ''...... I don''t know ............ why, no one bought me any more ...... ......'' ''Since when?'' ''Today ............ from the beginning ......'' What''s going on? ...... There was such a big line yesterday. There were a number of people around the stall, watching us from a distance. Some parents were even holding their children''s hands tightly to keep them away from the stalls. What''s going on? There must have been something. ...... ''Hey! As I pondered the cause, I suddenly heard a deafening noise. As I looked, I saw a skinny man, who looked like a mantis turned into a mammal, approaching me with a chuckle. ''Who did you get permission from to open a store here? His appearance was that of a thug from the Showa era. His chest was wide open, and he walked with a gangly stance. His neck is craning as he fires his gun. ''Can''t you see that?It''s my lord''s permission. A frame was attached to the roof of the stall, on which a permit for the stall was presented in Estella''s handwriting. ''Huh!You''re lying!'' ''Does this look like a fake to you?'' ''I don''t care if it''s fake or real.'' What do you mean you don''t care? What the hell is he talking about? When I braced myself for a possible knife fight, ...... The mantis man shouted in a loud voice. At that moment, the uncomfortable atmosphere that had covered the area changed completely. The uncomfortable air that had covered the area changed. ''Oh, so that''s what ...... I thought. ''............ is that you? ''Hmm? ''...... No, there''s no way a lowlife like you would devise such a ploy.'' ''Huh?Are you fighting with me, Kola? I don''t have time to waste on noisy idiots. The enemy is moving too fast. We opened the store yesterday morning. And we''ve been here all day. We closed in the evening, when no one was around. Yesterday morning, they found our store, looked in on it, gathered information, discussed it, formulated countermeasures, and put them into action. ...... That alone could have taken a week. In addition, the time it takes to take measures and have them take effect is too short. Until yesterday evening, the general public here was eating popcorn as usual. You''re saying word spread during the night? That''s absurd. Who would be gossiping in the middle of the night in a town like this, where there are no convenience stores, no 24-hour pubs, and not even streetlights? ...... No. It doesn''t matter now what method they used. In fact, the bad publicity is spreading, and this is how business is being affected. We need to figure out how to turn this ...... thing around. ............ ''Oh ...... big brother ......''. My sisters are clinging to me with pale faces. ...... Why should they have to go through all this? ............ I''m not sure if you can hear me or not.Can you hear me? ''Shut up! I was about to lose my temper when the mantis man growled in my ear. I couldn''t help but give him a threatening look. The mantis man stared at me, gasped, and took a half step back. That''s about the extent of it, if you''re just talking. It''s a waste of time to deal with him. I''d like to punch him in the face, but ...... that would give me even more bad publicity. I''m sure that''s exactly what they''re trying to do. .................. Peddler''s Guild. ''We''re closing up store for the day. Clean up.'' ''Yeah............, yeah.'' He pats his sisters on the head and speaks softly to them. Let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion and discuss it again. I was too naive. I didn''t think they would be so blatantly malicious. ............ Hang in there, me. Okay. There''s no point in being depressed. Let''s just go home. ...... And just when I was about to change my mind, the idiot did something unnecessary again. ''Hey, you guys!Don''t you dare run away! ''What? The mantis man grabbed my sister who was nearby by the head. Terrified, my sister desperately shook off his hand and jumped over the stall in a panic. ''Ah! I don''t know who it was that shouted. It was someone in the crowd. The only thing I know is that the voice drew the attention of everyone there to my sister. The triangular hood came off, exposing the ears of the ...... hamster. ''Look at that!You''re a slum dweller after all!It''s no use trying to hide it with this stuff, it''s no use! ''.............................. Yeah. At that time, I wasn''t thinking about anything. My body was just moved by a more primitive thought that was engraved in my cells, before instinct. Namely... --Kill the enemy. With a smooth motion that surprised even me, I took out my knife and without hesitation ran the blade into the mantis man''s neck. A flash to the carotid artery. This was supposed to be the ............ end of the noisy noise. ''Killing without reason in the ...... territory is a capital offense, Obayashi.'' Suddenly - such a word fits perfectly - it happened so suddenly. Natalia appeared in front of me. She was staring at me through her glasses. The knife I had raised had been caught in Natalia''s knife and had disappeared from my hand. In Natalia''s right hand she holds two knives. And in her left hand: ...... ''............ g............... ...Ji............i.........'' In his left hand, he was holding the head of a mantis man who was foaming at the mouth and opening his mouth like an idiot. It''s crushing his trachea precisely. That''s painful. ''Raiding a store licensed by the lord is the same as defying the lord. In other words, ...... it''s the same as smearing my lady''s face with mud, ichool, death! No, no, no, no! It''s a big leap! ''...... jokes aside''. That''s not a very funny joke. ...... Natalia looked at the Mantis Man as if he were looking at garbage and said in a flat voice. ''I have something to ask you. You will come to the lord''s house. You have no right to refuse.'' ''............ wagari............ bai... .........Wagari......Maj............'' Finally, the mantis man is released and falls to the ground with a dull thud. He is twitching and twitching, but he seems to be alive. He seems to be alive, though twitching and twitching. ''Listen up, everyone. Natalia wiped her left hand, which had been holding the mantis man, with a pure white handkerchief and turned to the crowd, who were watching her from a distance. ''This store has been officially authorized by the acting lord, Estella-sama. I, Natalia Owen, will not tolerate anyone who treats you unfairly, whether you like it or not! As soon as Natalia''s voice ceased, the area was enveloped in silence as if it had been hit by water. The main street of the Forty-second District, a street that was crowded with people every day. ''...... I don''t think this will bring back the customers, but ...... at least it will stop the blatant vandalism.'' ''I''m sorry. Thanks for the help. ''You should refrain from taking any shortcuts yourself, ...... you don''t want a bloody sight in your innocent eyes.'' My sisters huddled behind me. That''s right. I almost did something I couldn''t take back. ''I''ll be careful after that. ''I hope so.'' Natalia carries the Mantis Man up. ...... Carry him yourself. Don''t you have any subordinates? ''...... You''ll have to take care of the rest yourself. That''s all she said, and walked off without even hearing our reply. I know. I know. I''ll make it work. I''m not giving up just because of something like this. The only thing I regret is that I couldn''t get a message to the mantis man. Well, I''ll tell him next time I see him. Peddler''s guild. You''re on the list of people I wouldn''t mind smashing. You''ve been reassigned to the "I''ll smash you at all costs" list. 44-Episode 42 Rain Sound When dawn breaks, the city remains shrouded in darkness due to the thick clouds that cover the sky. It was as if time had stopped. The low roar of distant thunder was the only sound that reached my ears. ''......sshott. I re-carried the basket that was digging into my shoulders and plowed through the forest that I had recently become accustomed to. ''Oh, big brother! Two brothers are standing at the entrance to the slum, and when they see me, they run up to me. They''re the guards. ''Hey. How are you doing? ''Well, there''s nothing to do. ''That''s a good thing. Peace is best.'' ''Well...'' They are the oldest of the siblings, and unlike the other siblings, they seem to have a more relaxed atmosphere. They are said to be fourteen years old. They are one year younger than Loretta. It''s their duty to protect the slum while Loretta goes out to earn money. ''Ahh... I wish I could go to work too. ......'' That''s what my brother muttered to me as he led me back into the slum. These guys look like hamsters for all intents and purposes. ...... First of all, we need to improve the position of the slum dwellers so that they can get jobs. Even if they do get a job, it won''t last long. There''s bound to be friction somewhere. ''Oh, yeah. I''ve got that job for you. Get me some men with good hands.'' He hands his brother the basket on his shoulder. ''What''s this? ''A net. ''A net? ''Oops, correction. It''s a net and a treasure. In the basket, there is a net of the Sea Fishing Guild with a large amount of seaweed entangled in it. This time, too, there is a great deal of wakame and kelp entangled in it. ...... What kind of fishing methods do they use to get so much seaweed entangled? ............ It''s not like they''re all over the place in Japan. It''s not like they live everywhere in Japan. You''ll find a lot of seaweed entangled in the water, so much so that you''d think they were purposely gathering it up. Perhaps the growth of plants is remarkable in this world. Vegetables can be gathered all year round. We avoided the pitfalls and walked into the slum. When we pass through the pitfall zone, we see a row of ramshackle houses, with young siblings appearing one by one. There are so many of them. It''s impossible for anyone to feed them. They''ll have to do the work themselves. ...... For now, I lecture them on how to remove the seaweed entangled in the net, how to repair the net, and how to dry the collected seaweed. As usual, the hamsters absorbed these techniques quickly. I see. No wonder Umaro is so passionate about education. These guys are greedy. They want to work more than anyone else. ...... I feel so bad that I can only give them jobs like this. Just as we were about to leave the slum and reach the sunlit pavilion, the sky finally lost its temper. A heavy rain began to fall. The sound of pounding rain engulfed the city. I was forced to run as fast as I could as the rain relentlessly drenched me. I stop worrying about this and that, and just run forward. When I kicked over the puddle and ran into the grounds of the sunny pavilion, I saw two food carts standing quietly in front of the store. For a moment, I felt my ...... heart fluff up with excitement. ''...... d*mn.'' Turning away, I opened the door to the sunlit pavilion. ''Sorry Jeannette, can I get a towel ......''. ''Welcome home, master.'' The person who greeted me with these words was ............ Natalia. In addition,......, what the hell is this guy thinking? ............ On the chest of the dress Natalia was wearing, there were these words. I''m not sure what to say. It''s cheap!Delicious!Cute! Stir-fried vegetables 20Rb~! Now open for business in District 42! Open all year round! You have to come here!Bring your friends and family!What are you wearing? ...... What are you wearing? ''...... Oh?I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ll find it interesting. ...... Excuse me, you have a strange face. ''The more you rephrase, the more rude you''re getting! ''Was I wrong in my greeting? ''Before greeting, there''s something wrong with you, you know. In the first place, why are you here? ''I just remembered that your daughter had some clothes lent to her here before. I asked the manager to lend me some.'' ''Did you want to try it on too?'' ''No, ......, that''s not what I meant. ............'' Natalia''s hand gripped my shoulder tightly. Her thin, white fingers dug into my shoulder. ''...... Ow, ow, ow! ''It''s a man''s item, isn''t it?And there''s only one man in this store, right?Yes, that''s you. ''............ What?Am I getting mad at you? ''At the time, I was stopped in my tracks by the strange wording. .................. Anata no clothes wo ojousama ni sasame desu ne? ''Scary, scary, scary!I had no choice but to do it back then!It''s better than Estella catching a cold! ''After that, these clothes were returned to you. .................. Did you smell it? ''I don''t sniff!What kind of pervert are you? ''I sniffed it just now! ''Don''t sniff it! ''Unfortunately, there was no scent of the lady, only your scent. ............ I felt a slight desire to kill you.'' ''Don''t remember it on your own. What the hell. What the hell is this guy doing here? I thought I''d turn him away quickly. ...... ''...... Koho,Koho. ............ Excuse me.'' If you look closely, you can see that Natalia is somewhat languid and her face is a bit red. ''Are you catching a cold, by any chance? ''It''s just my imagination. ''Then you''re excited to wear my clothes. ''It''s a cold. I''ve been feeling a little sick since this morning. Please don''t make accusations that trample on people''s dignity. It''s a cold after all. And you''re out of line. Even I get hurt sometimes, okay?Don''t forget that. ''Ah, Yashiro-san. I was just in time.'' Jeannette comes out of the kitchen with a medicine chest. ''I''m a little nervous about which medicine to give you ......, Yashiro-san, can you take a look at it for me? ''Oh, medicine.'' ''The lady asked me to get it for her. ...... No matter how many times I told her not to worry, she wouldn''t listen to me. The Sunken Pavilion has all of Regina''s medicines. Estella knows that, which is probably why she sent Natalia there. ''Didn''t you get caught in the rain? ''Only a little. But I''ll be fine, I''m wearing this home today.'' ''......, are those my clothes? ''It''s okay. I can put up with it.'' ''No, it''s not ...... your emotional problem, it''s ...... well, it''s fine.'' It seems that I''ve been strangely favored. If you make T-shirts with the characters, they might sell well. ''Maybe you weren''t feeling well when you helped me yesterday? The mantis man got tangled up with me and I almost swung my blade. If Natalia hadn''t shown up then, I wouldn''t be here now. Would she have been in bad shape then too? ''Yes, ............ a little, I suppose.'' ''I had no idea. ''I was only able to exert about six minutes of my normal strength. ''...... Are you a monster? Six minutes with that thing, ...... I don''t even want to imagine what this guy would be like if he showed 100% of his strength. ''Then sit down for a minute. I''ll take a look at you.'' He sat Natalia down in a chair and put his hand on her forehead. The soft, thin hair touches the back of her hand and tickles. ''............ What are you doing?'' ''I''m looking at your fever.'' ''I don''t have a fever.'' ''No, you do, I''m sure of it.'' ''I don''t have a thermometer, so I can''t be sure, but it looks like a slight fever. ''You might need some antipyretics. ''I don''t need antipyretics, please give me antiseptic. ''I''m throwing you out in the rain, you son of a b*tc*. Natalia, with a cool face and a hateful tone, still looks somewhat dull. Her gaze is not as sharp as usual. She puts her hand on her cheek and presses down her lower eyelid. If this area, which is densely populated with capillaries, is whitish, there is a risk of anemia. ...... You''re okay for now. I hope you''re eating good food. ''............ What are you doing? ''Don''t bother asking me that. I''m sure it means something, so just stay calm and let me examine you.'' ''I thought you were going to kiss me because you touched my cheek and stuff. ''You do? That''s a ridiculous accusation. But my reaction to such an accusation came from next to me. ''You won''t?I''m glad to hear that. ...... It''s Jeannette. What is this guy thinking? ...... I stared at Jeannette''s face in disgust. ''......What''s ............ that?I''m not saying that I''m glad, I''m just worried that I shouldn''t be doing that to my customers,.......'' ''All right, all right!Don''t make a fuss, just sit down for a minute.'' ''Yes,......, sorry.'' Apparently, Ginette was thinking the same thing as Natalia. I don''t want to be treated by kissing a sick person and saying, ''I''ve got your cold. And I don''t want to catch a cold. ''Then open your mouth a little. ''............ deepki......'' ''No, I won''t!I just want to see if your throat is swollen!Stick your tongue out for a second and say ''Ah''.'''' ''.................. Ah''. Good, honest. I saw that his tonsils were swollen and red. It must be hard to swallow spit with these. ''You had tea at your place, right?Dilute boiling black tea with water, make it lukewarm, and then gargle. ''Black tea, sir? ''It has a sterilizing effect. Green tea is famous for its catechins, but black theaflavin has an even stronger bactericidal effect. There''s no such thing as an ''iodine solution to rattle after I''m back'' in this town, so gargling black tea is perfect. ''Regina''s medicines didn''t have any general medicines, so ...... do you want to bring back some antipyretics for now?'' ''No, sir. It''s enough that you told me about the treatment.'' ''No, just take your medicine.'' ''I''m a servant of your daughter. A servant can''t use something as expensive as medicine for personal reasons.'' ''No, medicines are basically for personal use only. It''s for personal use when an individual gets sick. ''I was just asking to make sure, since your daughter was exaggerating. I appreciate your concern. ''Regina''s medicine isn''t that expensive, just take it.'' ''No problem.'' This ...... guy is stubborn. ''In the first place, Estella is the one who wants to spread Regina''s medicine, you know?She even went to the trouble of baiting me to dispel my distrust of Regina. If you use it and spread the word about the effectiveness and convenience of this medicine, it will be in line with Estella''s intentions. All you have to do is cooperate with your master. '' When she said this, Natalia looked surprised. ''''I''m surprised. I didn''t know you could think so much for your daughter. ......'' ''No, I mean for Estella''s ...... sake, just take your medicine.'' ''Well, ............ let''s have some medicine for your throat. ''What about antipyretics? ''The fever really isn''t that bad. I don''t think you should rely too much on medicines. Well, that''s true. Too much medicine might make you sleepy. Although I have no way of knowing if Regina''s pills contain antihistamines. ''Jeannette. Give me something for my throat. And get her some warm water. Oh, and something light to put in his stomach. ''Yes, sir!I''m home.'' Ginette scurries off to the kitchen. ''That''s very thoughtful of you. ''No, it''s just part of the business. Don''t worry about it.'' ''Business, sir?I heard there''s no margin included in the price of the medicine. ''If the reputation of the medicine increases, people will come here for the medicine, right?We don''t take any margin because we prefer to keep the price of medicine as low as possible, but there is a profit to be made when customers come here. ''Some people don''t buy anything, do they?'' ''I''d say more than 80% of them do.'' ''At ......, why?'' ''The resistance to entering a place you''ve never been before is much greater than the resistance to entering a place you''ve been before. Some private restaurants make an effort to invite customers to come to their restaurant once by offering bleeding services with no regard for profit. They collaborate with other restaurants in the same area and hold events where customers can taste wine and sample food. If you can get them to come to your store, great. If not, it would be better if they know the products and the name of the store at the product exhibition. Anyway, it is very important to have people remember your name. ''It certainly took a lot of courage to enter ...... Regina''s store. ''Because there is not a single thing that is not suspicious.'' ''That''s a good expression. But we really wanted to secure a medicine that the residents of the territory could use without worry. ''So that''s why you went to see Regina.'' ''Yes. Just .............'' Natalia''s expression clouded, as if she remembered something from that time. ''As soon as the owner came out, she shouted, "Whoa~, a beautiful boy and a cool maid, here we go! The owner of the shop, as soon as he came out, shouted: ''Wow, a beautiful boy and a cool maid, this is it!'' He continued: ''Of course, the beautiful boy is being developed by the older maid .......'' He left the store at that point, closed the door, and never came near it again. ''That was a wise decision on your part, squire. You''re a good man, you know that? ...... What the hell is that idiot doing? ''After what happened, I don''t trust any of her medicines, but ...... if your daughter trusts her, I''ll have to change my mind.'' ''You may be resistant at first, but ......'' ''No.'' The short denial cut off my words, and the look straight at me blocked out the next words. As time passed slowly, I waited for Natalia''s next words. I waited for Natalia''s next words, as if it were natural for me to do so. ''...... You trust me too, don''t you? The look in her eyes as she asked me this question was the most gentle I had ever seen, and it showed a glimpse of the feminine in Natalia, I don''t know if this was her true expression or if she was just weak from a cold, but the gentle smile on Natalia''s face was very feminine and beautiful. ''Ah. Regina''s medicine works well. Your cold will be gone in no time.'' ''Well, ............, I''ll trust you.'' Natalia''s gaze drifted away from me and toward the kitchen. I followed her gaze and saw that Ginette was just about to emerge. ''Sorry to keep you waiting~'' Nice timing. Or rather, it was too perfect. If I turned around just in time, does that mean that ...... Natalia had noticed Ginette before she showed up?Can you read my mind?Scary. There''s lukewarm water and cut fruit on the tray. I picked out the medicine from the medicine chest that Jeannette had brought earlier. ''............ I feel strange.'' ''What''s that?'' ''I''m the one who takes care of your daughter. I can''t believe I''m being taken care of like this. ......'' ''In order not to interfere with the care of that young lady, you''re supposed to quickly get over your cold.'' ''I see. ...... Makes sense, doesn''t it? Now, if you''ll excuse me. Natalia took a mouthful or two of cut fruit, then picked up the medicine. ''If I use the potion, it will help you, won''t it? ''Ah. Maybe that''s why Estella sent you to me. It''s not a far-fetched idea. But Estella was probably genuinely concerned about Natalia. The fact that Estella was busy meant that Natalia, who was supporting her, was even more busy. She wouldn''t leave someone like that alone. ...... That''s the kind of person I think Estella is. Natalia holds the medicine in her hand and stares at it. A little bit of anxiety on her face. ''Will it please you,......?'' ''Probably.'' I reply in a light tone of voice. That''s about right for Natalia right now. After a few moments of silence, Natalia turns to me, leans forward a little, and asks me with serious eyes. ''...... Do you get compliments?'' ''Hopefully, yes.'' She leans in further and finally stands up, jerking me closer and closer, asking at very close range. ''Will you sleep with me and give me a hug? ''I don''t know about that! How much do you want? You deserve a compliment. He sat Natalia down and suggested that she take her medicine. ''Yes, it is. Let''s have it.'' She sits down, straightens her back, puts the powder in her mouth in a very polite manner and pours it down with warm water. But then he stood up quickly and looked at me with sparkling eyes. ''I''m cured! ''It works that fast! ''What a wonderful medicine!As a matter of fact, I didn''t tell you, but I was in so much pain just now that I thought I was going to die, but the moment I took this medicine, the pain I was in just now dissipated like a lie! ''That''s just hype!It''s not allowed in my country!I mean, it''s a complete lie! ''No, sir. It''s true that I felt that way. That''s how I felt! ''I don''t trust your subjectivity! ''Besides, I''ve been so fortunate that I''m about to have a boyfriend! ''You''re making me stink even more! ''I''ve never had a boyfriend, and I''m of age! I''m not sure what to do. In addition, Regina''s medicine doesn''t contain any side effects like getting a girlfriend,......, of course. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''Stop it!It''s obvious that it will only bring bad publicity! Could this guy possibly be a ...... moron? ''I just want to share this excitement with everyone. ......'' ''Forget it, just go home and sleep quietly for today. See? ''How do you know that I''m a bad sleeper!You peeked at ......, didn''t you! ''I didn''t peek, and I don''t know!Go home and sleep! ''If you sleep too long, you might get muscle pain. ''How much are you moving while you sleep? ''Ah, I slept well... .................. Where am I?'' I hope you''re not going to be like. ''Well then, I''ll do as you say and go home and get some rest.'' ''Oh, give my regards to Estella.'' ''..................'' ''Answer me!I''m just saying hello! I can''t decide if this guy is brilliant or an idiot. ''So, Natalia. I''ll lend you some clothes and an umbrella. Ginette offers her umbrella. ...... Oh, you''re lending her clothes too? So, the noisy and unusual guests left the sunshine pavilion and returned in the pouring rain. Totally ....... He was so eccentric that my depressed mood was completely lightened. It would have been too much to pretend to be an eccentric ...... for this purpose. ''What are you guys doing at ......? There were two shadows in the kitchen, peeking into the dining room. Magda and Loretta. ''...... strong enemy. We should avoid confronting them if we''re not in good shape. ''Natalia, I''m a little scared, so let''s see what happens .......'' That''s why she''s been laying low. No, do your job. Well, there''s no one else here, so it''s okay. The rain was getting heavier by the hour, and by the afternoon it was pouring down like a bucket. Oh, no. Maybe we won''t get any more customers today. ...... I''ve heard it said that the weaker you are, the worse it is. Even though the mobile vending business has hit a big wall and profits are declining, ...... In the end, not a single customer visited the sunny pavilion that day. The gloom and doom of the clouds that hid the sky seemed to infect my spirit. It was a day with too many ...... negative elements to be dismissed as ''just another day like this''. I sent Loretta home early today. The rain was getting heavier. The rain is getting heavier and heavier. Loretta was showing concern, but I forced her to accept it. Tomorrow, the tide will turn again. I felt like I had to force myself to think that way. But instead of the tide changing, ...... The biggest disaster of the day came when I was cleaning up the store after closing. It was the worst news I''d heard in days. The sound of violent door slamming echoed through the store. Perhaps he was trying not to be overshadowed by the increasing intensity of the rain, or perhaps he was in a great hurry, but whatever the case, it was not a simple knock. When I opened the door, I saw Bertina standing there, wearing a cloak. She was soaking wet and shivering slightly. But the shivering did not seem to come from the cold. Her face was pale. Bertina, always calm, clung to me as if distraught. A wet hand grips my shoulder. Bertina''s hands are so cold I wonder if they''re made of ice. ''......The children are ...............'' With that one word, the atmosphere in the dining room changed drastically. The blood drained from Jeannette''s face, and Magda''s expression was expressionless but tense. As for me, my heart was beating pathetically fast. No one could say anything, just stared at Bertina. All we could do was wait and wait for the next words that would come. It may have been only a moment in time, but it felt like a very long time to me. I don''t want to hear anything. But I want you to tell me quickly. I stared at the trembling Bertina with such mixed feelings. ''''Give the medicine to ............ the children ...... and ......... ...'' ''Sister.'' Ginette gently laid her own hand over Bertina''s on my shoulder. That alone seemed to bring a little blood back to Bertina''s face. Her distraught mind must have regained some of its composure. ''I''m sorry, .......'' ''No, no. So, ...... what''s going on?'' I felt Jeannette''s hand tighten. Jeannette must have been scared to hear those words. But she couldn''t help but ask. Bertie, who had calmed down somewhat, slowly began to explain the situation. ''The children have collapsed. Ten people in the church, all of them. ...... They had high fevers, diarrhea, vomiting. ...... They were all getting weaker and weaker. ......... ...If it continues like this,...... ''Oh no......'' ''What about Regina''s medicine?Didn''t the church have some leftover medicine?'' The urgency of the situation made me forget to speak respectfully. But Bertina didn''t seem to blame her for that, and shook her pale face. ''...... It didn''t work. The medicine didn''t stop the vomiting, the diarrhea, or the ...... fever. ............'' The medicine didn''t work? ''Is it an epidemic...... or ............ is there anything you can think of that might be causing this?'' ''Yes, there is ...... actually ............''. This was the culmination of the worst thing that had happened in the last few days, as Bertina recounted. ''The heavy rains have caused the river to overflow and the canal to collapse. It seems that this has caused muddy water and sewage to flow into the well. ''Has the drinking water been ...... contaminated ............?'' Outside the store, the sound of heavy rain continued to rumble incessantly. 45-Episode 43 I believed it ''Regina!Open up!'' I slam the store door. The inlaid polished glass rattles noisily. ''Regina! ''Yes, yes, yes!I''m opening the door, don''t break it! A voice comes from behind the door. A few moments later, a light comes on in the store. A faint light leaks out from behind the polished glass. ''Hey, what''s with you, at this time of night?Even if you''re a night crawler, be a little quieter. ......'' ''Come here for a minute! We don''t have time for this nonsense. I grabbed Regina''s arm and pulled her into the umbrella. I''m sorry, but I''ll explain everything on the way to the church. You can''t veto that! ''Wait a minute! But Regina stomps her foot and resists. There''s no time for that!I''ll pull her forcefully. ''Wait a minute! I''ve got it! Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my right hand. When I looked, I saw that Regina was holding something in her hand and pressing it against mine. ''An insectivorous plant to repel molesters,'' she said. When I looked at it, I saw that it was a tufted plant about the size of a grape, and when I pressed on the bottom of the tuft, the mouth on the top opened and countless thorns popped out from inside. When you press the bottom of the bunch, the top opens and countless thorns shoot out. It''s excruciatingly painful, isn''t it? ''...... ouch ......, who''s a pervert!I''m not sure what to do.Also, your name is not funny!I demand a name change! It''s a fine pervert to come in here in the middle of the night and forcefully take me away without even listening to me!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... I want to punch this guy. I''m in dire straits. ''If you need me urgently, you need medicine, right?I''ll wait here. If we don''t have the tools, we can''t make the medicine. If we don''t act rationally, we won''t be able to save ourselves, will we? ''...... Sorry. I''ll tell you what''s going on along the way, so hurry up if you can.'' ''Leave it to me. ...... Oh, that''s right. It''s not that I wanted to mention whether or not my p*n*s was magnificent or not.I''ve never seen one myself, so there''s no way to compare them. ......'' ''I told you to hurry up! He pushed Regina through the door and hurried her to get ready. The store was still filled with the smell of medicine. The dark interior of the store was illuminated by the feeble light of a lantern. ''Here you go, guys. Let''s go. ''...... you''re early.'' ''I''m still a smart woman. ............ Ah, even if you say you''re good, ......'' ''Come on, let''s hurry up! I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. I mean, come on, this guy is ...... But he was also impressed. I''m not sure if Regina has always been prepared for this kind of situation, but she had already packed the necessary items. I guess she always keeps it in a state so that she can jump out at any time. ''You''re a pharmacist, aren''t you? ''Yes, I am. I''m sure that the people in the city won''t be able to rely on me, so it''s probably a waste of effort. ...... You can laugh if you want. The negativity is out of control. ''I''m not laughing. I''m not going to laugh. ''I''m not going to laugh.Huh?You''re not going to humiliate me? His outburst is going in a strange direction. Somebody please introduce him to a friend. A friend who can help him shake the darkness out of his mind! ''I think you''re doing great. I admire you.'' ''...... Oh, ............ is that too much? I thought that praise would get him going, but his words came back slurred. ''What''s more, when you''re praised for what you do on a regular basis,......, it''s a bit creepy. I''ve got a backache. He laughed deliberately and rubbed his back deliberately again. Are you embarrassed?Not even close. ''But thanks for the ....... I''m glad you''re counting on me, honestly. ''Then I''ll rely on you like a horse and cart. ''Isn''t that a funny thing to say?You can count on me in moderation.'' Regina''s elbow pokes me in the side. Her embarrassment is gone, and she''s regaining her normal mood. ''I''ve borrowed this ...... umbrella before, but it''s really handy. It''s easy and doesn''t get my face wet. ...... I''m soaking my shoulders! Because I was in a hurry, I only brought one umbrella. We were going to the church under a shared umbrella, but this handmade umbrella was too small for two people. Then, it was inevitable that one of us would get wet. ''Don''t worry about it. In my country, it''s good manners for the man to get wet.'' ''Wow, ......, you must be a nation of gentlemen.'' Not really. ''You''re a tool of love.'' ''Is it?'' ''I think so. It makes me feel like I''m being taken care of.'' ...... Well, I do feel cherished. ''Besides, if it''s a sunny day, we can cover the front with an umbrella and be alone together, right? ''I don''t need an umbrella on a sunny day.'' ''Yes, you do. With this, you can do all kinds of erotic things on the main street without fear of being seen. ...... Oh, don''t move the umbrella!It''s cold!I''m soaking wet right now!It''s not good!I''m not sure what to do.It''ll ruin the store! As a punishment for saying such a stupid thing, I tilted the umbrella toward me as hard as I could. Regina is wandering around in the pouring rain. ...... d*mn. ''...... Oh, you scared me. I don''t think I''m joking. ............'' I put the umbrella back and Regina brushes away the rain on her shoulders and head with her hands. ''But it looks like you''ve finally calmed down. ''What? ''Until just now, you looked like you were about to die. You''re in too much of a fix. It''s in emergencies that people around you have to make decisions and take actions calmly. Right? ...... this guy. That''s why he purposely made this joke. ............ ''Oh, that''s right. It''s not that we''re all wet. ............ It''s cold! I almost lost it. This is the kind of guy he really is. He''ll never make a bad decision again. But... ''Thanks. I''m a little calmer now. I''m sure the people in the church are more distraught than we are, so we need to be strong.'' ''That''s the idea. So, we''re going to the church?'' ''Yeah. The kids are in a bit of trouble.'' ''If the medicine didn''t work, it might be a little difficult to treat. You should see a doctor, he won''t tell you anything. He guessed the children''s situation just from the keyword ''church''. He''s a smart guy, isn''t he? ''Diarrhea, vomiting, and fever, apparently. ''Any idea why? ''It seems to be water. It looks like the irrigation canal collapsed after this rain, and sewage and muddy water poured into the well.'' ''............ I see. That''s dangerous. If I recapitulate what Bertina told me, it''s a terrible thing. The symptoms are similar to cholera and typhoid. ...... There are no antibiotics. How are we supposed to treat it? ''This is not good. ......'' The disgusting words escaped from Regina''s mouth. ''...... bad? ''Well, take a look at it anyway, they won''t say anything. Let''s hurry up. ''Oh.'' I kept pace with Regina and hurried as fast as I could towards the church. ''Yashiro! When I came to the front of the sunlit pavilion, I was suddenly approached. There were Magda and Estella. ''Estella?What''s wrong with you, at this hour? Estella, holding an umbrella, came running up to them. ''Natalia has a high fever. I heard she refused to take the antipyretic because she was worried about the price, so I scolded her. Did she end up with a higher fever? ''He seemed to have a good throat. I gargled with tea.'' ''That''s good, but did you come alone?It''s ...... dangerous at this time of night.'' ''Of course I brought the Kingsguard with me. Of course, I brought my bodyguard with me, though she had to leave first with some fever reducers. Natalia''s condition must be serious. Otherwise, the Kingsguard wouldn''t have left if she said she was going to stay here alone. ...... Are the guards also women? I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m going to the church. I''m going to the church too. ''It''s no use for you to come, is it? ''Regina. I''ll pay for it, and I want you to take care of him as best you can.'' ''You''re very handsome, aren''t you? ''Oh, manly is .......'' Estella smiled at Regina''s reply. It''s a good idea to take a look at a few of the things that are available in the market. It''s midnight. Anything could happen. We have no choice. I guess we''ll have to work together. ''All right, let''s hurry up a bit. Magda, come with me. It''s better to take her with us than leave her alone. ''Yeah, but that means we''ll have to lock up .......'' ''I''ve ...... done that.'' Magda interrupts me and shows me the key. I guess he was going to follow me too. ''Okay, let''s go then. Now that there were four of us, we started walking towards the church. Watching our step, we walked as fast as we could. As soon as we arrived at the church, Ginette greeted us and led us through the corridor by the common room, up the stairs, and into the children''s bedroom. It was the first time we had been upstairs, but the smell of life was everywhere. This must be a completely private space. ''This way, please. Ginette walked through the place where she used to live, as if she knew it well. There were two children''s rooms, one for boys and one for girls. But now there were ten men and ten women sleeping in the same room to take care of them. It seemed that it was true that all the children had collapsed. No, it''s not that I doubted it, but I couldn''t believe it until I saw ...... it. It may be that I didn''t want to believe it. ''Miss Regina''. As we enter the room, Bertina comes over to us. She''s exhausted and looks even more emaciated than when I saw her just a moment ago. ''Take the children to .......'' ''Oh, leave it to me.'' After exchanging whispered words, Regina approached the children lying on the ground. ''Oh, can you keep yourselves occupied for a bit?It might be an airborne disease.'' She says, covering her mouth and nose with a pure white cloth. There were aunts and grandmothers looking at the child with anxious expressions as he groaned in pain. I wondered if they were sisters of the church. The fact that they did not ask the girls to leave the room suggests that if it was an airborne virus, there is a high possibility that they are already infected. Then it''s not safe to let a potentially infected person leave the room with us. Regina is trying to prevent the spread of the disease in the first place. It may seem ruthless, but I think it''s a wise decision. We follow Regina''s instructions to get out of the room. We closed the door and waited by it as if praying. ...... was in a bad way. Until this morning, the kids were so energetic. ............ ''......Why can''t you take over for them ......?'' Ginette leaked such words. If I could take their place, I would bear their suffering for them. I guess that''s what she''s thinking. ''Of course you would. No one else shows any sign of answering Jeannette''s question, so I have no choice but to answer. Listen, you better get that through your head. ''I''m here to take care of the suffering kids. Who''s going to take care of them if you collapse?Are you going to switch places and make the kids stay up all night nursing you?'' ''No, no...... that''s ............'' ''When you''re weak, you get anxious. At times like that, it would be reassuring for those who are asleep if there were plenty of people around to rely on. You are not able to take over for them in order to make them feel at ease. ''.................., is that so? It was a forced complication, but Jeannette looked somewhat convinced. ''............You''re right. I have to be strong. He then slapped himself on both cheeks. Then, although still a little tense, he ...... forced a smile to his face and turned to me. ''Thank you, Yashiro-san. ''...... I''m not the one who needs to be thanked.'' I could not keep my eyes on that healthy smile. I felt guilty for being able to do nothing more than this verbal deception. I felt an irresistible urge to talk about something else. Something unimportant, if possible. ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes.'' ''Where did the old hag and the old b*tc* in there come from, the demons? ''Don''t be rude, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette was at a loss for words for a moment as she heard the words she wasn''t expecting. However, she immediately raised her eyebrows and scolded me. She did not include any accusatory nuance, but instead gently rebuked me as she always does. ''They''re the matrons. They are like mothers to the children here at .......'' ''Matron?Is this a dormitory? ''It''s a communal dormitory for children who have nowhere else to go. That means those old ladies are like orphanage workers. I wonder if those matrons were taking care of the kids when Bertina had a stomach ache at the sunny pavilion. If you''re going to ............, why don''t you make your own breakfast! ''Most of the matrons commute from home, so basically only the sisters are available in the early morning. I didn''t even ask the question, but Jeannette looked at me and explained. I wonder if my face is that obvious. ''Yes, it is. I think your face is rather obvious, Mr. Yashiro. Aren''t we having a conversation? Is it really that obvious? Try ...... The matron is not a sister, is she? ''......? Raise your right hand. ''......?'' 1+1=? ''......?'' ''You''ve got a hell of a lot of tits today . ''Please repent! ...... Why does this get through to me ............? ''Totally. What are you thinking about at a time like this, Yashiro?'' ''...... Yashiro likes boobs too much.'' ''............ I''ll do my best to take care of you. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ...... So please ............ save the children .......'' Ginette folded her hands and prayed to the spirit god. If there is a God, I''d like to punch him in the face and tell him not to make the children who believe in you and pray to you every day sick. ...... Don''t forget how you gave Jeannette such a painful look. ''Guys, can I have a word? At that moment, the door opened and Regina came out. The cloth that had covered her nose and mouth had been lowered and was now wrapped around her neck. I wonder if this means that she was not infected. Regina left the room and closed the door behind her. ''Is there something you want to tell us alone? ''The cause is still the drinking water. Some nasty germs have gotten into her stomach and are causing problems. ''Are you worried about airborne infection? ''No. I''ve seen that disease a few times when I was still in my hometown, and I know how to make a special medicine for it. ''Really? Ginette''s face lit up at the mention of a special remedy. However, in inverse proportion to that, Regina''s expression becomes cloudy. This expression on Ginette''s face. I guess she decided to tell us so that Bertina and the matron wouldn''t get this look. I mean, ...... ''......, but unfortunately, they don''t make a cure for that. ''..................What?'' The blood drained from Jeannette''s face. Along with the blood, even her expression was gone. ''There''s a material that''s essential for the cure, but I can''t get it. ''What do you need?Just tell me and I''ll get it for you. Even if you have to talk to Chuo City. ......'' ''No, no. It''s not in the Forty-second Ward, it''s in this city, All Bloom.'' ''...... So...'' Finally, Ginette fell into a daze and slumped into the hallway. Magda walked over to her and patted her on the back. ''How can you be so sure? Estella, not wanting to give up, pounced on Regina. She''s determined to find it at all costs. ''It''s a local specialty of ours, you know. We used to buy it regularly, even if it was a bit expensive, but it suddenly disappeared from the market a month ago. At present, it is no longer available. It seems that there are a lot of fake ones out there, though. The local specialty of Regina, which has disappeared from the market in the past month and is now being faked,......, is something so valuable that you want to fake it,......, and that''s the only thing you can do with it. ''How can you make medicine with it? ''Without it, you can''t make medicine. Even if we head to Baokri Air now, by the time we get back, those kids will already be ...... there.'' ''............ I see.'' I don''t know,......, I think. ''Then it can''t be helped. That''s all I could say. I stepped out to leave, but my legs were very heavy. My vision is dizzy. I guess I''m the one who''s dizzy. ''Yashiro, where are you going? Estella''s voice stops me, but I don''t feel like paying attention to that. Oh, no. That ............ guy is really, really, really mean, God d*mn it. What is it? What? I''m not sure what to do. Were you mocking me when you saw me running around frantically, you son of a b*tc*? I''m not sure what to say. Ginette, who had followed me to the entrance of the church, called out to me. But I don''t stop. Puddles of water splash. The rain that''s pounding down on my body seems to be getting stronger. ...... Hey, when did I get out? And where are you running to? What the heck, you know I''m just playing dumb, right, God? You''re laughing right now at that, aren''t you? After a few minutes of running, I came to a sunlit pavilion. That''s my destination. I use the key Magda gave me to open the door. I run through the cafeteria, out into the courtyard, and up the stairs to my room without a second thought. He roughly kicks the door that blocks his way every time. The room is empty and simple. All you have is a bed and a bag for your daily necessities. If a thief comes in, he won''t hesitate to take the anchor. But I''m sorry. That one''s a fake. The really expensive stuff is kept in a secret drawer under the bed. A humble bed in a wooden box covered with straw and a sheet. At the bottom of the bed, there is a drawer that I made afterwards, and inside it, there is a cloth bag full of ''expensive things''. The price at the end of the day is over 500,000 Rb, which is more than 5 million yen in Japanese yen. The jewels of the field were once said to be traded for the same price as gold. The source of all the ties and fetters I''ve had to bear in this city. A spice from Bao Kri Air. I stole it from Norbert the peddler when I first arrived in town. In the end, it seems that even Norbert had stolen this spice, and it is now blocked from the market. I was thinking of exchanging it for money one day when things cooled down. ............ This is why I hate people who look down on me, like God and Buddha! Swearing in defeat, I ran out of the store in the pouring rain. I''m too wet to care. I''m too wet to care about anything else. I just want to wash away all this frustration, confusion, dismay, and the strange sense of elation and mission that is rising up in me. I''m going to run back down the road I''ve been running down at full speed. It''s a road I''ve traveled back and forth, morning after morning, to the point of disgust. Even if I can''t keep my eyelids open because of the rain, even if I can''t see ahead because of the rain, I can still make it to the church. The church was strangely quiet even though it was lit. We run through the corridor next to the common room and up the stairs. The room where the kids are sleeping. Estella was the only one at the door. ''You guys, go inside and take care of the kids. ''...... ha...... ha............ you, what are you doing?'' ''What am I doing, that''s the line I want to hear from you. ...... Okay, I''ll answer.'' Estella walks up to me with a look on her face that says she knows everything. ''I''ve been waiting for you. I''ve been waiting for you, for you to make something happen. Wouldn''t it give you a boost to have an audience?'' Hmm. I don''t want that. I don''t need an audience or an audience. ''It''s Regina who does the hard work.'' I popped the cloth bag I was clutching into Estella''s hand. ''A really nice guy told me to use this. ''Heh. A very nice guy ....... He must be a very nice person to give me such an expensive thing.'' ''Oh, he''s so good-natured it makes me want to puke. Oh, and did he also say ...... ''don''t ask where it came from''? ''I see,......, but the lives of the children cannot be replaced. Even if this is ''proof of wrongdoing'', I will be grateful to use it. A fearless smile stares at me. That''s why it''s ....... I''m not going to look away. ''Also, ...... the biggest softie of the century says, "If you have any left over, please return it to me."'' ''That''s too bad. As much as I''d like to, I don''t know the guy''s name or face. What did he look like?'' ''............ He was a very beautiful boy who made me faint at first sight.'' ''Haha, I''ve never seen ...... anyone like that.'' You''ve got him right in front of you. ''Well then, I''m going to go give this to Regina. You should go downstairs and head for the kitchen right now. ''You want me to make you a dinner? ''Ginette''s boiling water. ''I''m sure Mr. Yashiro will take care of the kids,'' he said. She said she didn''t want you shivering in the cold when you came back. How many times do I have to tell you not to trust me? Well, I''m glad the water''s boiling. I''m dying of cold. ...... I really don''t know what I''m doing. You should have brought an umbrella. ''Oh, yeah. When I was heading to the kitchen, Estella''s voice came from behind me. ''The lord of a certain town said ...... that if the stolen goods had been exchanged for personal gain, I would have done everything in my power to crush him. I''m not looking back. So I don''t know what Estella looks like now. There''s no way of knowing. ''...... Oh well. I hope the person in question gets the message. ''I don''t think they need to know. I''m sure they don''t need to know that anymore. ''Bad people will always be bad people. If you expect too much, you''ll end up crying someday. ''That''s the thing. A good person will always be a good person in the end, no matter how far he goes. ...... Regardless of what happened in the past, no matter how evil they were, ...... they are still good people. That''s just an ideal. ...... ''Just take it away. The kid''s strength is not worth it.'' ''I will. You, too, should warm up quickly.'' Without turning around, he raises his hand in reply. I walked down the stairs and through the door at the bottom. Ginette was standing there as if she were in a fixed position, where she prepared breakfast for thirty people every morning. She is boiling a large amount of water in a large pot. A pot that looked like a skillet and a huge kettle that reminded me of Goemon''s boiling pot. Two of these pots were being put on the stove, and the water was steaming. ''There are many small children here, so we always have water ready to boil. There are many children who masturbate. He talked about this to me as I entered the kitchen. They don''t ask anything, they don''t say anything, they treat me as usual. ''...... Am I in the same league as the oneshot boy? ''I''m soaking wet all over, so it''s going to be even harder.'' He chuckled, but there was still a hint of uneasiness in his face. ''Have you ever been taken care of before? ''It''s a secret.'' ''Don''t tell me you haven''t.'' ''It''s a secret.'' While playing along, Ginette transferred the hot water in the skillet to a large tray on the floor. ''For now, please warm your feet with this. Please take off your wet clothes and cover your body with this. Ginette quickly prepares a footbath and offers me a chair. A towel, a large cloth, and a basket for wet clothes are placed beside her. ''I''m facing away, so please let me know when you''re done changing. ''I''m going to be naked in front of you?'' ''......, uh, behind your back, sir.'' She seemed a little embarrassed and hastily turned her back on me. It''s the same in the back as in the front. ...... to take it off. ............ But if you go any further, you''ll really catch a cold. I can''t help it. I took off my clothes behind Jeannette, who turned to look at me, wrapped myself in the cloth provided, and dipped my feet into the steamy tub. ............ Ah! ???.................. It stings. ...... This feels so good. ''Are you okay now? ''Oh. ......'' When I turned around, Jeannette didn''t take a moment to collect my undressed clothes and put them in a basket. Then she walks behind me with a towel and starts wiping my hair. ''Am I a kid, or what? ''You''re a big kid. Leave it to me. I''m used to dealing with naughty boys.'' ''...... Who''s a naughty boy? The hair is wiped as if it were being rubbed. They are silent and the only sound is the rubbing of the cloth. It''s very quiet, ...... but you can certainly feel the presence of others in the silence. It''s a comfortable space. ''I believed it. Suddenly, Ginette says something like that. She continues to wipe my hair. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''............ "An expression"?'' ''Are you not aware of it yourself? I''m not aware of it. I''m basically trying to keep a poker face. ''When we are in trouble, when we don''t know what to do, Yashiro-san always has the same expression on his face. I know this because I''ve been watching him closely. He said proudly and let out a chuckle. ''Is your face that unique? ''No, sir. It''s a very reliable face. Jeannette''s wiping technique changes. Her wiping technique changes from firmly pressing the roots to softly wiping the ends of the hair. It''s the kind of expression that makes you feel like she''s saying, ''I''ll leave this to you. That''s a terrible misunderstanding. I''ve never thought of that. Not once. ''So, I... I believed you.'' ''You know, Jeannette. The fact that you use the past tense ''I did'' even though you haven''t solved anything yet is worrisome, but more than that, ...... ''Don''t trust me. I''m not the superman you think I am. I lie, I cheat, and I love big tits.'' ''You''ve said that before. And you wanted me to be careful.'' ''If you remember that, why aren''t you on guard?If you take my word for it, then you never know when you''ll be tricked and hurt badly. Don''t trust anyone else. ''Hmmm ............'' Shortly after that, Jeannette snorted, ''Yes. ''Yes, I understand,'' Ginnette says, untrustworthy. ''So you''re saying that we shouldn''t trust Yashiro-san''s word 100%. ''Well, that''s what I''m saying. I''m sure he doesn''t understand. ''Then I don''t trust Mr. Yashiro''s words, "Mr. Yashiro is a liar and shouldn''t be trusted."'' ''Huh! ''Hmph. I won''t be fooled again. Is this guy ............ a real idiot? ''It''s a lie that Yashiro-san is a liar, isn''t it? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m sure you''re both liars, aren''t you? I''m not sure. You are a liar, aren''t you, Yashiro-san? ''Oh, yes, ...... but ..................? Is that okay? But I''m pretty sure Ginette has the exact opposite interpretation of what I''m thinking ............ Ah, it''s complicated. ''Forget it,......, do what you want.'' ''Yes, sir. I will.'' Then again, they were both silent, and a quiet moment passed. As I savored the feel of Jeannette''s hand stroking my head through the towel, I thought once again that this silence was comforting. It was not long after that that I received the news that the cure had been completed. 46-Episode 44 Meeting on a Rainy Day The children were all sleeping peacefully, as if the special medicine had taken effect. They hadn''t slept at all last night because of the pain, so let them sleep for now. The matrons have gone to the kitchen to prepare a meal that will be easy on the stomachs of the children, in case they wake up at any time. The breakfast donation is off today. Outside the window, it is still raining so hard that you cannot see more than a meter ahead. ''What should we do about the store today? ......'' Ginette said, looking out the window. Emotionally, she probably wants to stay with the children and take care of them. On the other hand, if you leave the store empty and a customer should come in, you''re probably thinking ....... I''ll tell you one thing. There won''t be any customers. Even with the rain yesterday, there were no customers. There''s no way they''ll show up today when the rain gets even heavier. Even Umaro wouldn''t come in this rain. No, in fact, if he came to the 42nd district in the rain with the sole intention of seeing Magda, I would be a little disappointed. That would indeed be too desperate and creepy. ''...... Don''t worry. I''ve got it all under control. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''...... I put a sign up when I came back a while ago. Magda had just returned to the sunlit pavilion to get a change of clothes for me. It was dawn, and she went alone in the heavy rain. ...... This was partly because Estella, Regina, and Bertina had strongly told me that it was not good for a naked man to be in the church. So, Magda returned to the sunlit pavilion and took various actions, apparently thinking that it was a good opportunity. First of all, he put up a sign at the entrance saying, "If you need anything, please come to the church (meals are available). ...... I hope the sign hasn''t been torn by the rain or blown away by the wind. And Magda was coming with her stall. Most of the stalls consisted of a box with a lid, and he brought a variety of foodstuffs in it. Popcorn sets and various food items. And a medium-sized water bottle filled with filtered water. This would have been about 10 liters. It must have weighed a lot, but that''s Magda. With his uncanny human strength, he easily pulled the cart back. Moreover, he was holding an umbrella in one hand. ''You''re a good girl, you know what you''re doing. ''...... You should praise her. Magda did such a good job that I''ve been holding her on my lap and patting her on the head ever since. Just to be clear, this is Magda''s request, not my hobby. ''I really appreciate that you brought me some drinking water. Bertina bowed deeply to Magda. It must be hard for the children if they can''t drink water after their symptoms have settled down. There is a large water bottle in the church, in which water for daily use is stored. However, these are used for bathing and washing, not for drinking. The water in the bottles cannot be replaced because the top priority is to stockpile water. When the water is low, it is poured back in. Drinking water was not stockpiled because there is a well in the garden. This rain has damaged the well. It must have never occurred to them that the water from the well would be more contaminated than the water they had stored in a bottle for domestic use. Or perhaps we need to rethink this system of storing water for domestic use in water bottles. Even though we don''t drink it, it is still a bit unsanitary to use it for washing dishes and bathing. Overall, water reform will be necessary. Right now, we''re having a discussion in the common room. Regina is taking care of the kids. However, there is nothing much to do since everyone is asleep. She seems to be making medicines in the children''s room, just to keep an eye on them. Regina seemed to be really happy to have the spices. However, she did not ask where it came from. She just said, ''Maybe it''s because you''ve been doing it all day. So, what we are discussing is: ...... ''It''s a blow that the well was damaged. From now on, it will be difficult to get drinking water as well as water for cooking. ''In addition to eating and drinking, it is also difficult to wash your face, brush your teeth, wash dishes and laundry. ''...... No bathing either.'' Following Estella''s lead, Ginette and Magda also pointed out problems. ''As long as sewage has been mixed in, water from the well cannot be used for anything that comes in contact with the human body, directly or indirectly. ''In other words, you can''t use the water itself,......,'' he said, ''I''m in trouble. ...... Hey. It doesn''t look serious at all. But Bertina has been nursing the children since they collapsed, without sleep or rest, and without food. It would be good for them to take sugar to recover their strength and energy. ''I guess I''ll just have to bring water from the Sunken Pavilion in this rain. ......'' Estella gives a difficult look at the most recent problem. Well, that''s true, too. ...... ''The situation may not stop here. ''...... What do you mean, what do you mean?Are you saying there''s more to it? The tension in Estella''s face was palpable. You don''t seem to be aware of it, so I''ll tell you. ''If heavy rains and overflowing rivers are the cause, similar phenomena could occur here and there. That''s right, ...... all over the city, all at the same time.'' ''--! Like Estella, Jeannette also has a startled expression on her face. Magda must have been surprised too, because she looked into my face. ''We need to secure safe drinking water, but before that, we need to educate the people about water. Those who believe that ''water from a well is safe'' will definitely make the same mistake. ''It''s true that I''ve never thought about the safety of water before. ...... If it''s cloudy, I can''t drink it. ''Disease-causing bacteria are invisible to the eye. It is possible for water to be clear and colorless and still be covered in pathogens. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san,......, what will happen if you drink it,......?'' Ginette asked with an anxious look on her face. I''m not trying to make you anxious, but you need to have a sense of urgency. I''m not going to hide the fact, I''m going to tell you clearly. ''In the worst case, you could lose your life. ''............ Oh no.'' Ginette''s eyes welled up in exasperation. Someone''s life could be in danger. The mere thought of it must make Jeannette ache in her heart. ''Yashiro ......, is there anything we can do?'' Estella''s voice did not sound relaxed. Her eyes stared at me with urgency. It''s a pestering look. I don''t like that kind of look. No matter how much they expect me to do, I can only do what I can do. I''m not a hero or a savior or anything. I''m just a con artist. I''m just an ordinary human being who''s good at talking and deceiving people. If you make me your last hope, I''m no match for you. It is possible that your last hope will be extinguished without you being able to do anything about it. ......, but in other words, this is what it means, isn''t it? I can do it if I can. ''I''ll mass produce the filtration system in the sunny pavilion as soon as possible. If they owe me money, I''m sure they''ll benefit me eventually. If you need my knowledge, fine, I''ll show you all I can. ''The structure is quite simple. The materials used are inexpensive and can be found anywhere. You just need a few tricks and knowledge to make it. ...... I know what I''m talking about.'' ''Yes, ...... the water was very clean after passing through that filtration system.'' ''With the ...... thing, the water is safe?'' ''No, it''s not enough. Filtration doesn''t kill bacteria. There is a possibility that sewage is flowing into the water, so you need to sterilize it thoroughly.'' ''Boiling, right? ''Yes. Most bacteria are killed by boiling water. If Regina has carbonic acid, that''ll work too. Bacteria are weak against acid. ''Ya, Yashiro, wait a minute! While all the members of the Sunlit Pavilion who knew the contents of the filtration device were talking, Estella put a stop to it. ''Are you saying that the filtration device ...... will teach us its technology ......?'' ''That''s what I''m saying.'' ''No. ...... but .............'' Maybe Estella is trying to say. ''Are you sure you want to release such a great technology for free? And. Well, if it''s worth money, then so be it. ...... ''This is an emergency. I know that there are some things that are more important than money. ''...... Mr. Yashiro.'' Ginette gently touches my sleeve. Having lost her grandfather-in-law, Jeannette must have experienced the grief, fear and subsequent loneliness of having someone she cared about go out of her reach again. That''s not something you want to ...... experience over and over again, is it? ''Estella, this technology is in your hands. I''ll give you the rights and you can help me exercise my lordly power to the fullest.'' ''That was, indeed, a ............ no, it was an emergency. All right. I''ll make it my responsibility to push through your demands. In the meantime, Ginette, Magda, Bertina and the others may not know ...... about Estella''s condition. I''m not going to say anything, I''m just going to talk to you as a conduit. I don''t have any obligation to keep it a secret, but I don''t think it''s right for other people to blab about things that she hasn''t told them. If the need arises, I will tell you myself. ''First of all, I want all available personnel to go around the houses of the residents and warn them about the water. At that time, check to see if anyone is sick, and tell them that we will hold a training session to ensure water safety. It would be nice if we could build a few filtration systems before the workshop, but time is of the essence, so ...... arrange for one to be placed in each street as soon as possible. Also, I don''t want inferior products to be sold by amateurs, so I''d like you to manufacture them in bulk. I''ll cooperate with you in that case. ''...... Yashiro. You are .............'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''...... You''ve changed a bit, haven''t you? What are you talking about, this guy? It''s not possible. I''ll always be me. ''Well . We''re going to provide you with historic technology that will save precious lives. I can''t wait to see what I''ll get in return...'' ''Hmmm... ......'' Estella giggled. If you''re laughing in a situation like this, your heart must be dry as a bone. If you were a politician, you''d be slammed by the opposition for that alone. Be careful when you run for office. ''If you want something in return, ask your lord for it. I''m sure he''ll give you something great.'' ''Yes, I will.'' You''re trying to tell me that it suits you better to talk like this? I know. Besides, you know. If there''s a rash of incidents like the one that happened last night in this church. The economy goes into a tailspin. It''ll be a wake everywhere. After all, that Bertina was so exhausted she forgot to eat. Imagine that kind of gloomy atmosphere spreading throughout the city. We won''t have time to eat popcorn. Then we won''t be able to talk about revenge on the mobile vendors. If we don''t do something, we''re gonna ruin this whole thing! So we do it. I''m doing it for me. But, by the way, ''Oh, Yashiro, you''re so nice!I want to pinch you with my big tits! If there are any perks lying around that will make you think, ''Oh, I want to pinch her with my big tits! I''m good at pretending to be a good person. ''Come on, everyone, act now!For the sake of the people of the city!For the smiles of tomorrow! ''No, you''re lying if you go that far. ''...... new religion'' Hey, Magda. Don''t say a word. Who''d want to ............ such a thing? No, it could be worth a fortune. ''Yashiro. Your eyes look like gold coins.'' ''Are you serious?You''d have a fortune if you took it out.'' ''...... You''re being sarcastic.'' ''I know. ''I know,'' he said, ''but over here, we call moneychangers with gold coins in their eyes. Sounds like a compliment to me. ''I''m sorry, sir! I heard a familiar voice coming from the entrance of the church, mixed with the sound of the pouring rain. This voice is ...... ''Yes, I''m back. .................. Por Por Por Por. ''No, don''t eat, come out! ''I''ll go. Sister must be tired.'' ''I''m sorry, Jeannette. I''ll take care of it. ............ Pop, Pop, Pop.'' No, no, no. Apparently, if you feed this sister, she''ll stop moving. We''ll have to be careful from now on. ''Sorry to disturb you. ''Natalia! Estella sits up when she sees the visitor''s face. That must have been a surprise. After all, the one who had collapsed with a high fever last night had come to a church far away from the house in this heavy rain. ''Shouldn''t he be sleeping? ''But when I heard that the ...... young lady had spent the night with a man, I couldn''t stand still and ......''. ''Can you please stop misleading me!We were just in the same building! ''No, miss. This is a man who says to me, who is weak from a cold, ''Open your mouth and stick out your tongue'', while touching my cheek, at such close range!'' ''Can you please stop using misleading expressions!I''m just examining your cold! What, I want to go illegally dump this walking human bomber ...... in the heavy rain. ''Really, you are so reckless .......'' Estella walks over to Natalia and asks her to take care of herself. In the meantime, Ginette takes Natalia''s wet cloak and goes to hang it up. Then Magda hid under the table. I wonder if it''s ....... I wonder if some wild intuition is setting off alarm bells for Natalia. Natalia''s posture was crisp, but her cheeks still felt a little red. ''You still have a fever, don''t you?Take it easy and sit down.'' ''Don''t worry about it. ''It bothers me when you''re standing. Just sit down.'' ''...... When you''re nice to me, I suddenly feel like spoiling you. Please refrain from doing so. Oh ...... oh? Is that a complaint? I feel like I''m just being deluded. ...... ''All right. Let''s sit down. But please don''t treat me like a sick person.'' ''All right. ''But make sure you touch your forehead to see if you have a fever. It''s a rather good thing.'' ''Your desire to be pampered is coming on strong, boy. Natalia, the super maid who takes perfect care of her master, learned to be pampered during yesterday''s examination. And you''re getting a taste of it. I''m not sure if I''ve opened a box that I shouldn''t have opened,....... ''Could you please either eat or talk to me! ''..................poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli-poli'' ''I chose ''eat'', you sister! Perhaps Bertina knew Natalia. She wanted to make sure of that, but ...... regrettably. I guess her appetite got the better of her. Now go eat your popcorn. ''......, and that''s why we''re talking about installing a filtration system in the territory. While I was watching Bertina chomping on popcorn like a squirrel, Estella and Natalia had already shared the information. I''m sure you''re as thorough as you''re supposed to be. ''I understand the general situation. ''I understand the situation in general. ''...... What are you trying to say, Yashiro?'' No, because you have small breasts, but you have large breasts. ............There were two knives aimed at us. ''Let''s talk about the filtration system! I managed to get through this phase by changing the subject. That''s me. I''m the poster child for brain play. ''Then, as soon as we finish talking about the filtration system, I''ll ask you to explain what you just said. You''re not fooling me! By the way, I don''t remember anyone ever calling me the ''poster child for brain play'', just because I called myself that. ''Anyway, ...... will explain the simple mechanism and how to make a filtration system. I''ll start by describing a filtration system made of pebbles, sand, charcoal, and fine cloth. In short, the system removes impurities from the water by letting the water pass through them one by one, starting with the larger particles. ''Gathering materials is going to be difficult ...... in this rain, sand and other materials will be difficult. Natalia had a good point. It would take a very large filtration system to supply all the inhabitants. Gathering the materials is the bottleneck. ''We should go around to each household and ask them to provide us with charcoal. If you collect the wood before it turns to ashes, you can collect a certain amount. ''The Church will also prepare some. In response to Natalia''s suggestion, Bertina offered to do so. The kitchen of the church has a high ceiling and a large furnace. It would be a good place to make charcoal. The wood used to boil the water for the baths and the wood that the matron is currently using for cooking can be used immediately. The rest is sand. ...... ''I''m sorry, please! ''Please! While I was puzzling over the materials, I heard a familiar voice coming from the doorway. This voice was Loretta. She had come to work in the heavy rain and found the store closed, and must have come here after seeing Magda''s sign. ''I forgot all about ...... Loretta.'' ''I''m sorry about that. The customers may not come, but the employees do. I forgot about that. Somehow, I thought everyone was already there. ''Well, it''s raining hard. Oh, good morning, everyone! Loretta was brought into the common room by the matron. Her upper half of her body does not seem to be soaked, perhaps because she had brought an umbrella. With a cheerful greeting and a dazzling smile,......, she turned away. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure why you''re all looking away!What, did I do something wrong? No, it''s not your fault. There''s nothing wrong with you. It''s just that you didn''t have much presence at ....... ''Sis, you wiped me! ''I got it! Two hamsters walked into the common room, their whole bodies fluffed up. They seemed to be her brothers who had volunteered to accompany Loretta. They''ve come to ask if there''s any work for them to do. ''Ms. Loretta. We''re sorry to see you here, but we''re not going to open the store today. ''Is that so? Well, with this rain, we probably won''t get any customers, right? The brothers nodded. Next to them, Loretta looks out the window. ''............ Huh?That person is .......'' At Loretta''s words, we all turned our gaze out the window. Due to the heavy rain, visibility was poor and we could not see anyone clearly. We couldn''t, but ...... that must be him. ''Magda. ''...... What?'' ''............The duck is here.'' Almost at the same time Magda tilted her head, the voice that had become so familiar to her came out. ''I''m sorry, Susu! It''s Umaro. ...... Did he walk all the way to the forty-second district in this torrential rain just to see Magda? ............ I''m going to pull it ............ ''Magda. Go get a towel and give it to Umaro right now. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... got it''. Magda, a great actress with a good head on her shoulders. Let''s go. As soon as Magda left the common room, ''Muhaaa!Magda! as soon as she leaves the common room. ...... Why doesn''t he just move to the 42nd district already? ''...... Oh, no, what should I do? ''Leave it to me!I''ll do whatever you want! And so the duck was caught, just as I had hoped. Ginette looked a little annoyed, but the others looked like they were in agreement. As you can see, there is no one who doesn''t understand the position of Umaro. Wiping his body with the towel Magda handed him, Umaro entered the common room with a satisfied expression. ''''Welcome, Umaro. I''ve been waiting for you to come.'''' Perhaps reading my thoughts, Estella said the exact same thing at the exact same time as I did. ...... You''re good, you. ''...... Ah~............ what will they make me make anyway? I''m glad to see that Umaro himself understands his place in the world. Don''t worry, I won''t do anything wrong. It''s charity. I''m sure the lord will pay handsomely. It''ll be a good story to tell before the heavy rains put you out of work. So, well, ............, work like a horse and rider. See? And so, with all the actors in place, we set about the big project of saving the 42nd district. 47-Give and Take Episode 45 ''Then I will arrange for personnel, warn the inhabitants of the territory, check the situation, and arrange for the materials needed for the filtration system. Natalia tells Estella and bows her head. It''s hard to believe she''s so sick. ''Natalia, you can use the umbrella I brought with me. ''But, then, ......''. ''We''re all here, and besides, we don''t want Natalia''s cold to come back. ''...... Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you for your concern. Natalia bows her head deeply. Her face seemed to be filled with contentment. ''The rain has weakened a little. Ginette, who was looking out the window, said this. Indeed, the sound of the rain against the window had become a little quieter. After Umaro''s arrival, we had a full-scale meeting. It was a good time, so we had a breakfast prepared by Ginette. I invited Regina to join us, but she insisted on eating in the children''s room, saying ''I can''t eat in front of so many strangers. I think he needs to work on his communication skills a little more. So, after the discussion about the structure of the filtration system and its future movements, Natalia returned to the lord''s mansion to make preparations. For now, the first priority was to prevent any more casualties. The next priority is to secure drinking water for the people. ''Yashiro-san. This filtration system is pretty big, isn''t it? Umaro raises his eyebrows, holding the design of the filtration system I drew. ''It''s so big, you need a big space to make it. Of course, it has to be indoors where the rain can''t get in. ''Don''t you have a workshop at your place? ''Yes, but it''s quite difficult to transport something of this size to the 42nd district. If possible, I''d like a place in the 42nd district where I can work on it. The filtration equipment we requested from Umaro is quite large. It consists of a tank 2 meters high and 80 centimeters in diameter, and four filtration units 80 centimeters high. They are connected by a gently sloping channel. First, the tank is filled with water. After a certain amount of dirt and debris is deposited in the tank, the water passes through a sealed channel with a gentle slope at a slow speed. During this process, the fine impurities that cannot be removed are allowed to settle, and only the supernatant, which is less contaminated, is sent to the filtration system. This filtration system consists of a barrel filled with fiber, charcoal, sand, gravel, and pebbles, and a cock attached to the bottom of the outside. The reason for the cock is to shut off the water in the event of a problem with the filtration system. The reason for the cock is to be able to shut off the water in case of a problem with the filtration system, since it would be unbearable to have the filtered water ruined by the "problematic water" poured in later. So, I asked for a rather large-scale device called a "water filter". This device would be installed in places such as the lord''s mansion and churches, and water would be provided. Of course, it will take some time to complete, so I will only build the filtering system for the barrels first, and provide the water this afternoon. This system will then continue to filter water automatically until the post-disaster treatment and reconstruction is complete. We''ll have to fill the tanks manually, though. ''Can we rent the lord''s mansion? ''I don''t think so. There''s not enough space in the room to build something this big. If we were to build a device, we would need a lot of space to work with, bringing in the wood and assembling it. When I was in Japan, I once made an assembled bookshelf, but I remember that it was too small to be made in a six-mat room. The space for spreading out the materials is quite wide. ''How about here then? If we use the common room and kitchen of the church, we might be able to make it. But ...... ''The children are still asleep, so please refrain from making too much noise. Bertina politely but firmly refused. Well, I don''t know how many days it''s going to take, but it''s going to be tough not being able to use the kitchen and common room in the meantime. It''s not fair to force children who are sick to endure more. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Would you like to use the sunlit pavilion at ......?In this situation, the store will be closed for a while. ......'' I think what Ginette is suggesting makes the most sense. ...... It''s no use, let''s use the sunlit pavilion. ''If you damage it, fix it for free? ''It''s almost as if we renovated that place for free. What do you mean?We''re paying you properly! He''s got a bad sense of humor. ''Even if we use the filtration system in the sunny pavilion, that one is not enough. I''ll need at least two more for now. ''That''s right. If it''s only drinking water, I think we can cover it to a certain extent, but if it''s water for daily life in general, it''s as good as .......'' Drinking water will be provided for drinking, but water for cooking will be necessary. Laundry and bathing will require a little more patience. Food and drink come first. ''Then there''s the ingredients. Estella mutters with a difficult expression. ''I''m sure we can get rocks and gravel by going to the river. ......'' ''But I heard that the river has been swollen by this rain and is now off-limits. Delia told me this before. Estella, who was struggling to procure the materials, her expression clouded even more when Ginette pointed it out. ''Don''t worry, Ginette. There''s Omero in the river fishing guild. ''Mr. Omero, are you a good swimmer?'' ''Well, Ginette doesn''t know. ''Omero, he''s the one who can handle anything that might happen! ''No, sir! Because the other day he was washed in the river because he couldn''t swim. What?Wasn''t he being taught how to swim? ''Hey, can I have a word? I was about to explain to her that Omero''s position was the same as that of a chess pawn or a chess player, when Loretta raised her hands in unison. ''You can get it in my neighborhood, stone, gravel, and dry sand. ''Really? ''Yes, yes! Loretta''s body trembles as Estella approaches her rapidly. ''Loretta. I''m fine. She''s incredibly flat, but she''s a woman.'' ''Oh, no. I know. It''s just that I was startled by the loud voice. ''Anyway, Yashiro ......, it''s raining, shall we go out? ''Sorry, Estella. My natural hair shrinks when it gets wet.'' ''What are you talking about, straight hair? Estella groaned. He''s ...... so annoyed by the little things that I''ll ...... tell him once and for all. ''Estella. Don''t get upset over something small.'' I''m not sure what to do. Oh, I''m sorry. I misspoke just a little. "Don''t get upset over a small thing. "Don''t be annoyed by small things. It''s almost the same. ...... That''s weird. It''s funny. There''s a cave in our neighborhood that my brothers dug. ......'' ''A cave?'' I couldn''t help but ask. I mean, what kind of cave did my brothers dig? What are they digging? ''There''s a cliff between us and the 29th district. My brothers are using it as a playground. Digging holes? Well, I guess it''s fun, like a secret base. ''In there, the rain won''t come in and we can get sand. ''Well, let''s go take a look. ''Then let''s take a look at it.'' Whether it''s usable or not, we can decide after we see it. When we left the church, the rain had weakened a little. At this rate, it might stop raining by this afternoon. It would make it easier for us to take various actions. Thinking that we should have made a teru teru bozu, we made our way to the slum. ''''Here we are. ''''Wow, yeah! Umaro and I shouted when we saw the cave that Loretta had led us to. We couldn''t help but raise our voices. It was a huge cave, just like the Underground Kingdom. I''d believe you if you told me it was the home of dragons. ''This was made by your brothers? ''Yes, sir. We have time for it every day.'' Estella lets out an exasperated but impressed breath. The space was so huge that a concert hall could fit in it, and it made me wonder if the buildings of the 29th district on top of it would sink into the ground. The ceiling was so high that I wanted to ask, ''How did they dig it? ''The drainage in this area is not that good, and the houses are shabby, so if it rains hard, we''ll evacuate here. When I looked around, I saw that there were indeed household items lying here and there. ''So, where''s your family now? ''...... When my brothers come, they''ll run wild, so I''ve ordered them to stay home.'' I see. That might be a wise decision. ''What do you think?Can you use the rocks and sand around here?'' ''Oh, no problem. This should be enough.'' ''...... Magda will carry it. Magda, who can be relied on more than anyone for heavy lifting, thumps his chest. ''I''m sure he''ll be able to do the work of a ten-ton truck. ''Also, if we have firewood, how about we burn it here in bulk and produce a lot of charcoal?That way, my brothers will be warm, and we can kill two birds with one stone. If it''s as big as this, there might not be a problem. ............ ''Let''s not do that. If you happen to get carbon monoxide poisoning, you''re in trouble. ''"Carbon monoxide poisoning" ......? I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of carbon monoxide poisoning. It''s dangerous. ''When you burn a lot of fire in an enclosed place like a cave, the oxygen decreases and carbon monoxide is produced. If you inhale too much of that carbon monoxide, you''ll die. ''What?We have fires here all the time! ''A little goes a long way. This cave has a wide entrance and exit. However, because it was dug out of a huge cliff, there is no other place for air to pass through. That''s what makes it a little scary. ''It''s no problem to do a little bit near the entrance. But it''s dangerous to start too many fires. ''Oh, ......, that''s my brother. You know everything, don''t you? It''s not everything. Don''t give me that ''dependable character''. ''Let''s leave the charcoal to the church. I''m sure the sisters are making it with the matrons by now. The Church''s kitchen has a proper chimney and vents. It''s much safer there. But I''m sure it''s hot as hell. ''But we have all the ingredients now, don''t we? ''Yeah. We can wash used clothes and underwear for the fibers.'' ''Um, Yashiro-san ......, used underwear is a bit .......'' It''s not surprising that Ginette''s and Estella''s have special fees,......, but if it''s Umaro''s, it''s going to be poisoned water. ''I''ll have them prepare the cleanest, pre-clothes fabric possible. I''ll make sure the fabric is as clean as possible before it''s made into clothes,'' says the fat, thin-breasted Estella. That''s what the rich say. ''Yo, thin breasts!Oh, I made a mistake. Yo, fatty! ''That was definitely a deliberate mistake, wasn''t it? He cares about every little thing. In two ways. ''If the filtration system is completed, will the people of the city be happy? ''Of course, Ginette. I''m sure it will save a lot of people a lot of grief and suffering.'' ''Yes, sir. That''s right. A lord who is responsible for the lives of his people and a philanthropic member of the Spirit Church are working hand in hand to save people. Is this what they call salvation for those who believe? If so, I don''t know why I''m being kept on the down low. I have no duty or responsibility to protect the lives of the residents, nor do I have the spirit of benevolence. If this doesn''t turn out to be profitable in the future, I can''t do it. If things go according to my plan, I''ll be able to make some profit. ...... Please, God. When the time is right, save me and give me your generous blessings. I believe in you, too. I just hate you. But ......, I think. Can we really say that people have been saved just by securing drinking water? ...... In the first place, the structure itself is wrong to contaminate the well. ...... ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. I''m not sure what to do. ''Here, here, here, here, here, here, ......''. ''You want a girlfriend? ''No, I want one, but not like that! ''I can''t get over my habit of exposing my lower abdomen in public''? ''I don''t have that habit! Fuming, Umaro seemed to have regained his composure for the moment. Taking a deep breath, he said in a clear tone. ''I''d like to rent this place to Torbeck Engineering!We can do some pretty big things here! Well, sure. There''s plenty of space here, rain won''t come in, and we won''t have any problems making noise. ''Oh, um, this cave is currently a refuge for my family. ......'' ''Do something about it, please! ''No, but my house is leaking badly. ...... It''s fine if you want to go home temporarily, but ...... it takes a lot of time to build that device, right?So, as expected, it''s a bit ......''. ''I''ll fix the leak! ''Oh, no......, the leaks are one thing, but the floors and pillars are also damaged because of it. ...... I was thinking of repairing them when the rainy season is over. ......'' I''ll do it!I''ll make the house comfortable to live in! ''Yes, ...... and .................., big brother... ...'' With Oumalo''s momentum, Loretta looks to me for help. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can do it. It''s certainly a place where you can do some shipbuilding. ''Umaro. Trubec Engineering is out of work right now, right? ''It''s partly because of the rainy season, but we can''t do any work until Lord Wishart''s mess in the 30th district is settled. ......Wishart-sama doesn''t seem to care about the time because he''s someone else''s problem. ......'' You can''t let other work interfere with the work you''ve already done. I think Umaro once said something like that. If the other party was not a nobleman, he would have turned it down quickly. ...... If you offend a nobleman, you might get into trouble later on. No, you will certainly be harassed in some way. ''Are there only self-centered people in the nobility?What do you think, Estella? ''Why are you talking to me? ''I just wanted to get your opinion for reference. ''It''s not all about ....... Some lords put their people first. Is that okay? Good. If I ask Umaro and the others to do a new job now and Wishart''s work resumes in the middle of it, Estella won''t condemn me for interrupting my work. She is capable of responding flexibly. That''s why we can squeeze the work into this gap now. ............ Hmm. I think I may have come up with a pretty good idea. ''Attention prizes! Raise your right hand straight up and say it loudly. They all shake their shoulders and stare at me with a half-amused expression. ''......, what''s going on? What''s with the sudden loud voice? You scared the hell out of me.'' It''s true. You''re so surprised your heart is shrinking, Estella. ''I have a very wonderful story to tell you. ''............ When Yashiro has that look on his face...'' ''............ Well, it''s usually when the profits are coming to you. ''......And the wrinkles are on Umaro. ''Magda called my name!I''m thrilled! ''...... No, Umaro. Are you sure that''s the right reaction?The wrinkles are coming to you. ...... Well, okay, as long as he''s happy. Loretta looks a little uneasy. The only one with a brighter expression was Ginette. ''What is it, a very wonderful story? I want to hear it. Yes, yes. You''re so honest. ''First, Loretta. ''Yes, sir! Loretta can''t hide her nervousness, wondering what he''s going to say. Her back is straight. Well, don''t be so nervous. It''s good news for you. Because it''s a great plan that will solve all your problems. Everything, everything. Well, you''re gonna have to pay a little price for that. ''I want you to give this cave to the Torbek Corporation. ''Huh?But, but ......'' ''Loretta. In my country, there is a very wonderful story called ''Kasa Jizo''. I''ll spare you the details because it''s too much trouble to explain, but as the story teaches, I want you to give up this place. ''If you leave out the details, I can''t accept it at all! ''Ah, ......, the point is, if you do something good at the beginning, it will come back to you many times over. ''Is there such a thing as a convenient story that Yashiro often tells? Hey, Estella. When did I say anything about convenience? My proposals are always good for everyone except me. I''m just the one making the most profit. Yashiro-san. I''d like to hear that story! ''No, I don''t have time. ......'' ''...... Magda, I want to hear it too.'' ''Me too. It might make sense to me if I hear your story! ''Yeah, .......'' I had no choice but to tell the story of "Kasa Jizo" to all the people I knew, just like a kindergarten teacher. What is this shameful play? ...... Well, I took the opportunity to emphasize how the protagonist, an old man and an old woman, are good people who live modestly despite their poverty, so that they can feel catharsis at the end. As a result, ...... ''Uncle ............ Grandpa and Grandma ............ were good! ......That was good. ......'' ''......I never thought I''d see the day when Yashiro would make me cry. ............'' ''......Seriously,ehn,ehn,ehn'' ''Ah, Magda-tan!I''m not sure what to say. I''m crying. I didn''t think that even Estella would shed tears, leaving the back two aside. And the important thing about Loretta is ...... ''What we lacked was the compassion to give charity to others. ...... We were small people who thought only of ourselves. ......... ...I am ashamed of myself!I''m not sure what to say. He was kind of furious about it. Well, the most embarrassing thing is your parents, who are poor but keep having more and more children and abandoning them. ''I understand, sir!This cave!I''ll hand it over to Torbeck Construction Company on the authority of the main pillar! ''Really?Yes! Umaro was overjoyed with all his might. It''s good to be in a good mood. It''s good to be in a good mood. ''So, Umaro. I want you to rebuild Loretta''s house. ''Yes, sir!I''ll give her a brand new house! ''Well... I think we can get by with about five houses for now. ''Is .................. building ......? ''It''s a housing complex. I''d like something that can house about eight families in one building. Two stories or so.'' ''And five ...... buildings? ''No problem. I''ll pay you well. ''Another free ticket to the Sunken Pavilion?A large building of that scale would take a lifetime! ''Don''t worry!I''ll pay in cash this time. It won''t be a lump sum, but I''ll pay the proper fee. ............ Estella will'''' ''Huh?Why me? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''Even if I were you, I can''t freely spend that much! ''No, you can. This is a charity. ''There''s no way the current lord will agree! ''You just need something to convince him, right? ''Do you have ..................?'' In an instant, Estella''s eyes switched to seriousness. I rather like your perceptive nature, you know. ''I''ll explain it to you step by step. I stood up and made all the people who had been crowding me sit down on the ground. Listen calmly. ''First of all, this cave is essential for building the filtration system. So we''ll take it. But then Loretta''s family won''t have a decent life. So I''m asking Umaro to build us a house. That will cost a lot of money, so Estella will be in charge of that. ''Right now, it all comes down to me, doesn''t it? ''Well, don''t be so uptight. The plan won''t start without something to start with. You''re the only one with a head start.'' ''What a theory. ...... I suppose you have veto power.'' ''Of course I do. But you''ll definitely benefit from the investment. And it''s a pretty big gain.'' ''...... like the Kasajizo? ''Oh, yes. Just like that.'' I puff out my cheeks in disagreement, but as if to encourage me to continue, Estella points a lined finger at me with a ''please''. ''This is a little off topic, but securing drinking water alone will not save the 42nd district. Securing drinking water is only a stopgap measure. It is only a measure to prevent further victims. ''......It is true that if there is another heavy rain, something like this could happen. ''......An annual event.'' Ginette makes a pertinent point, and Magda sets up a nasty vision of the future. ''So, I''d like to propose a drastic solution.'' All eyes are on me. It''s like a corporate presentation. If I had a PowerPoint presentation, I might have been more convincing, but that''s okay. ''Let''s make a sewer. ''...... ''sewage''? Ginette tilted her head at the unfamiliar word. I''ll explain it to you from the beginning, just listen. To begin with. This happened because there was no sewage. If there had been a sewer to let the rainwater escape when it rained heavily, the water would not have flowed into the well. The damage was worsened by the accumulation of excrement. This could not have happened if the sewage had been properly disposed of! That''s where the sewage comes in! ''Sewage is collected in one place through a channel buried in the ground, a huge filtration system is used to remove the dirt, and the cleaned water is discharged into the ocean beyond the wall. It may not be as perfect as modern Japan, but the fish in the sea will take care of some of the bacteria. Masha, a member of the sea fishermen''s guild, said, ''It''s okay if it''s a little bit, the fish will eat it. If we don''t accumulate sewage, we won''t have such a disaster. At the same time, we should build manholes and discharge rainwater into the sewage system as well. ''If that were to happen, ...... certainly, the lives of the residents would change dramatically. ......'' ''Wouldn''t it?The whole city will be cleaned up and we''ll be rid of floods. It''s just that the 42nd district is the lowest point in the city and is prone to flooding, but the fact that no measures have been taken so far is just negligence on the part of the lord. ''...... That''s harsh.'' ''There''s a good thing, too. ''What is it?'' I''ll give you the perfect pick-up line to woo Estella, who is starting to show an interest in sewage. ''I''ll give you all the rights to this sewage to my lord. I''ll give you all the profits and authority I can get from the sewage. ''The rights to ......?'' ''Ah. If the 42nd district becomes a model case, and people in other districts start asking for sewage, the lord can use his authority to negotiate with them. If we do it right, we might be able to gain an advantage over the other districts. ''............ I see. That''s tempting, isn''t it? That''s a pretty big deal. It will yield huge profits in the long run. I''m saying we can have it all. ''So you''re saying that the lord should take care of all the expenses related to the construction. ''Including the construction of this district. ''This city is constantly hit by disasters caused by heavy rains. It''s a great product to sell to the rest of the city. ''The filtration system is almost the same as drinking water. We just need to add one more step in the final process. ......'' ''So it''s possible to run a simulated test with drinking water filtration. ''That''s what I mean. If you build a drinking water filtration system as a charity project first, and then make a presentation on sewage after seeing the results, even the dumbest of lords will shake their heads. If not, it would be better to leave a deer in place of the lord. A deer will shake its head if you show it a deer cracker. ''You''ve put a lot of weight on my shoulders. ''You''ve never had stiff shoulders, have you?It''s a good opportunity.'' ''...... You don''t have to have breasts to have stiff shoulders, right?'' Estella stared at me with a grim stare. She won''t be able to answer right away, but she''ll probably be able to pull out the funds. Now, next... ''So, Umaro. ''All right!I''ll take the job if I can get paid for it!I''ll do my best to cover up Wishart-sama''s work while giving priority to this one! If you can do that, why don''t you just do it from the beginning? Well, it''s the duty of those in charge to avoid dangerous bridges. This time it''s Estella who''s in charge. Umaro should feel free to do the same. ''Since Yashiro is in charge this time. I''ll take it easy.'' ...... What? It''s not what I was expecting. First, we''re going to repair the current house and then build a new one. But the main members of the team will be here to work on the filtration system at a rapid pace. ''Yeah, that''s the thing, Umaro.'' ''Yes? Currently, Umaro is only enjoying the good times. Naturally, with the good news comes a little pain. ''You, set up a branch in District 42. ''A branch? ''Yes. We''re about to start sewage construction. It''ll be a big project for several months. It would be a waste of time to go back and forth every time, wouldn''t it? ''But then we''ll have to go to ...... for a place to live. ''That''s why you guys are going to build it now. ''The house we''re going to build now, it''s ours, isn''t it? If we establish a branch of Torbek''s construction company, it''ll be easier to ask them to do various jobs. We can save on transportation costs and have many advantages. ''So, we''re going to do the sewage work too? ''Yes. I''ll leave all my skills to you.'' I put my arm around Umaro''s neck and whispered in his ear as if we were having a secret conversation. ''When Estella negotiates with the districts, and the demand for sewage grows louder, you are the only ones who have the technology for sewage. Naturally, the requests will be focused on Torbeck Engineering.'' ''That ...... sounds appealing. ''Eventually, you might get a request from the royal family of the Central District, you know? ''Oh, the royals are coming to us?............It''s like a dream. ......'' Umaro smiled half-heartedly, envisioning a bright future that he had yet to see. ''However, there is one condition for providing the technology.'' ''............ compensation cut?'' He thinks I''m only thinking about money. ...... Well, he''s mostly right. ''Estella will pay for it, there''s no need for me to be stingy. ''I hear you, Yashiro.'' I ignore the annoying voice coming from behind me. I don''t need to worry about that. I have an important contract to sign right now. ''I want you to hire a large number of Loretta''s brothers. ''What? Loretta was the first one to react to my words. But I didn''t care, I continued my negotiations with Umaro. ''From now on, the construction in the 42nd district will require manpower. You may not be a full-fledged man, but you can be useful in numbers. No, you would rather have any kind of manpower you can get. ''Certainly, with five housing complexes and sewage ...... systems all over the city, there''s never enough manpower. ''Moreover, Loretta''s brothers are quite handy. They have a good memory, and above all, they''re motivated. You''ve dealt with a few of them, so you know them well, don''t you?'''' ''Yeah, sure, they''ve worked hard. ''In addition, the mining ability that created this cave. We''re going to need this for the sewage works.'' ''......, yes.'' Umaro was prejudiced against slums at first. But he''s the kind of guy who sees people he''s actually met and talked to as people. Under him, my brothers can work honestly. ''All right. If we can get a motivated person and a technology that no one else has, there''s no reason for us to refuse! ''Yes! Loretta shouted with joy, her voice as loud as fireworks. No matter where she goes, she can''t get a job, and the ones she finally gets don''t last long. Having experienced such hardships, she must be happy that her younger brothers have found work. ''My younger brothers are not very good, but I will make them work with all my might!Please train them hard! ''Ah, um, yes! When Umaro''s hands were held and he was smiled at at close range, he became very nervous and froze. The only reason he was fine earlier was that he had forgotten about it because of the tension of seeing the cave. ''Good ......, now your brothers and sisters and everyone in the city can be happy. Ginette smiled compassionately. Yes, we can all be happy together. Seeing her hard work in disaster relief and sewage construction, the prejudice of the city people against slums may disappear. In addition, being a part of the trusted Torbek Construction Company will change their views. Then these siblings will be accepted and ...... and ............ The mobile popcorn sales will increase again. It''s a great way to boost the profits of the Sundaari Pavilion. And with Estella''s money and Umaro''s skill and trust, I don''t have to spend any money at all, the system will generate sales without me even having to do anything! Come on, you guys! Work hard, for my profit! Well, I''m just saying. I''d be happy to lend you a bit of wisdom to make this town a little more livable. 48-Episode 46 Hammers Work As I predicted, the rain stopped in the afternoon. ''Onii-chan!A rainbow! Loretta''s younger brother shouted with joy at the rainbow in the sky. I''m walking through the 42nd district with my hamsters in tow. Next to me is Oumalo. ''Huh, ......, I can''t get motivated. ''Why not?I feel lightly hurt! There are no girls here now. Ginette is helping out at the church, while Loretta is gathering materials for the filtration system with her siblings in the caves of the slum. And it is Magda''s job to carry those materials. Estella returned to the house and said that she would have another meeting with Natalia. She said she would try to convince the lord and get the money out of him. After the meeting in the cave, Oumarro went back to Torbek''s store to get more men. Gusuya and a few carpenters rushed to the site and are now building a filtration system in the cave of the slum. Yamboldo is calling around to the other carpenters and will join them later. In the evening, all the Torbek construction workers will meet. In the meantime, we were to go around to the most damaged areas and give first aid to the flood victims. Umaro, who had traveled back and forth to the 42nd district, had seen several places that were severely damaged. So, Estella formally requested us to start our charity work ahead of time. And the first place we visited was this farm in Mo-Mat. I just found out that Mormat is the head of the agricultural guild in District 42. ...... can''t be trusted. It seems that most of the land around here belongs to Momat, and he rents it out to others to work on his farm. Is he a wealthy farmer? I don''t think he''s making any money, though. ''Hey!Mormat! ''Oh, Yashiro! Standing in the middle of the rice paddies, Mo-Matt greets me back. ...... No, it''s not. This must have been Mo-Matt''s ''field''. ''...... That''s terrible.'' I say frankly, looking at the field that is completely submerged. The water level was below Mo''amat''s knees, and peas, eggplants and tomatoes were completely submerged in the water. ''When the rain came back, this is what I saw. ...... Well, I had expected this to some extent, but ............ I was really disappointed. The field is soaked with water, but the smile on Momat''s face is dry and crispy. I guess there''s nothing to do but laugh. ...... Well, I''m not laughing. I''m not sure what to do with this vegetable.You can''t sell them, can you? I crouched down along the road and looked into the field. The canal has overflowed and is covered with water. It no longer made any sense. The vegetables floating in the muddy water before the harvest are very sad. ''I guess they won''t buy them then. Well, we''ll eat what we can, but most of it will go to waste. Hey, can''t the Garbage Collection Guild take some of it?I''ll give you as much as I can since we''re in this situation. ''What''s there to bargain with, it''s not like the vegetables are priceless to begin with. ''The Garbage Collection Guild is the one that collects the garbage, right? ''On the contrary! This guy must''ve seen the whole setup of the Garbage Collection Guild. He must have seen the whole process of setting up the Garbage Collection Guild. He must have known that the ''business of buying useless garbage'' was a front to hunt down the Peddlers Guild. Basically, I have no intention of doing charity work. ...... Well, I''m doing something similar now, but it''s not charity. It''s an investment of labor that will eventually lead to my profit. ''Are you sure about your life? ''Well, there are some vegetables that I picked early before the ...... rains, so they''re poor, but they''re not ...... unsaleable.'' ''I see. ...... So, if you sell them, will you be able to make a living?'' ''......It''s not okay. It''s completely out of our hands. Mo Matt was devastated. The damage must have been considerable. Oh, no. I''m starting to see the face of Jeannette, who''s not even here. And I''m sure she''ll say something like this. ''Mr. Yashiro. Can''t you do something about it? And. And when I come up with a solution, he will say with a big smile on his face. ''Yes!Thank you very much.'' ............ Ah, that''s it. It''s a bit of a disease. You can just pretend you don''t know. ...... ''...... Okay. If you have any vegetables that are not for sale but are still edible, gather them up and bring them to the Sunken Pavilion in the morning. ''Really? ''What do you think my manager would say if he heard about this? ''Well, you''d have a pretty face, and your eyes would be all puffy, and you''d say, ''I feel sorry for you. ''No. These days I don''t say what I think, I just say ...... ''Yashiro-san ......'', you know? ''Ha-ha-ha!He trusts you, Yashiro!'' ''Thanks for the .......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ...... Yeah, d*mn it, you godd*mn crocodile. ...... A crocodile in a flooded field is a matter of great panic in Japan. I''m sure the situation is the same everywhere anyway.And while you''re at it, put together a list of your guild members and theirs. ''That''s great, but ......, after saying it yourself, are you okay?I''m not sure if it''s that useful.Damaged vegetables won''t last that long. ''Nah. There''s a reason for that. A lot of our people are going to be doing manual labor. I''ll give it to them for their brunch. Ginette''s going to make it anyway, so if we can get it at an unbelievable price, we''ll take it. ''Is that so?No, if you''re actually going to buy it, I''m starting to feel bad. ''Then give me a discount. Give me a big discount.'' ''That''s what I''m going to do. ......'' The farmer''s alligator began to squirm uncharacteristically as he felt a strange sense of guilt. It''s not ...... pretty. You can''t sell them if they don''t look good, but you can eat them if they taste good. Your vegetables will be fine.'' ''No, no, no. ............! A teary-eyed crocodile with its hands outstretched rushes toward me, kicking up a torrent of water. Scary, scary, scary!I''m afraid of crocodiles near water! I evade the crocodile''s attack by kicking the base of the neck of a mormat standing in a field about 40 centimeters lower than the ground. ''...... That''s awful.'' ''I don''t have the taste to enjoy being hugged by an old man. While rubbing his neck, Mo-Mat seemed to be somewhat happy. ...... You''re not the kind of guy who gets off on that, are you? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''As you can see, it''s a mess. There''s nothing we can do about it until the water drains out. Looking around at the field that had turned into a pond, Mo-Mat let out a breath of resignation. I wonder how many days it will be before the water recedes. ...... ''Actually, we''re in the middle of a charity campaign by order of our lord. ''The lord''s orders? ''Have you seen him?The Lord of the Forty-Two districts.'' ''Of course you have. I''m the head of the farming guild. I know who you are. You''re that unreliable guild leader who''s always whining. ''The lord has a beautiful daughter. I''ve only glimpsed her before, but ......~ I''d like to talk to her at least once. Well, I guess it''s impossible because she''s too expensive. I''m sure you''ll think the same thing when you see it. No, not really. Not particularly. I''ve talked to you before. Mormat doesn''t seem to realize that the lord''s daughter is Estella. It''s important to dream. So, you just keep dreaming of a higher power. ''So, what''s this charity business? ''These guys will drain your fields for you. ''Hi!Woomaross, the head of Torbek''s construction company!And this is my apprentice. I''ll have you help me today. ''Heh, heh ......, is that right ......? After a twitchy smile, Mo-Mat said this secretly in a voice that only I could hear. ''Hey, Yashiro. You know those guys,......, don''t you? It is obvious that this is not a question of acquaintance. You''ve been ignoring them even though they''ve been in your sights for a while now. It seems that Mormat does not have a good impression of the slums. ...... Well, I guess that''s the standard in this town. ''These are the brothers of my employees. They''re rather useful, you know?'' ''Oh, oh. ...... I see. Well, if you know Yashiro,...... yeah,...... it''s okay,............, vegetables, nothing that you can''t afford to have taken. It''s not like there''s anything you can''t afford to lose,......, but it''s okay. Does he think his brothers are stealing vegetables? I don''t. They''re well-behaved. Well, watch it carefully. ''So, how are you going to drain the water?'' ''We''ll dig a hole. You guys can do that, right?'' ''Yes, we can! ''We''ll make a big puddle next to the canal. ''A water refuge! Hey, that last one. Don''t say that like it''s a jewel box of food. ...... Isn''t there someone like a gourmet reporter here? I don''t know.This vacant lot is good! ''Oh! ''Hey, it''s good, what are you doing at ......? ''That''s your land, right? ''Yeah. This whole area is my land. ......'' ''Then lend it to me. I''m sure you''ll receive a formal contract from the lord later.'''' ''What?Well, ...... is fine.'''' With the owner''s permission, we rented the place. It was a vacant lot in a good location upstream of a waterway that drew water into the field, and it seemed to be a place that he was planning to turn into a field. A large hole was dug here to allow the water from the canal to escape. Until the sewage system is completed, we will use this place to control the water in the farmland. ''All right, then, all hands!Let''s dig! ''Digging! ''Super digging! ''Great soil revolution! No, that''s why the last one! What the hell are you, Maro? ''Oh, ............ this guy ......'' Mormat was speechless at how hard his brothers were working. That''s just as well. They were digging through the soil like they were digging through butter. ............ They''re really fast. These guys can dig holes like this?Isn''t it really a mole people? ''What''s going to happen to this? Mormat, standing next to me, watching his brothers working under Umaro''s command. He keeps his eyes on them and asks me. He can''t take his eyes off them. It''s true, I never get tired of watching them. It''s an impressive work ethic. My brothers seem quite happy, though. ''First, we dig a huge hole in the side of the canal. Then, after securing the depth, we break part of the canal wall. Then the water will flow into the hole you''re digging, and the water in your field will recede all the way to the height of the channel. After that, you can dump the water into the canal by yourself. ''But this is the uppermost part of the canal. What should I do after the water recedes?'' ''If you put a wooden board up where you destroyed it, it won''t flow into the hole. ''Won''t the board fall over? ''If you make it so that it fits to some extent, the water pressure will keep the board in place. ''Oh, ......, is that so? Mo Mat groaned. His gaze lingered on his brothers. ''......I''m not ready yet either. ............'' I don''t ask what he means by those words. But I am convinced that I made the right decision in choosing this place for my first job. There was no longer a hint of avoidance of the slum dwellers on Mo''amat''s face. There was only admiration and a little guilt. Then we watched in silence as my brothers dug the hole. The hole got deeper and deeper. In no time at all, a huge hole 3 meters long, 5 meters wide and 5 meters deep was born. ............ is fast. When a part of the channel was destroyed, water flowed in and the water level in the field went down as expected. The water level in the field was dropping as expected. ''Well done, boys. ''I''ve been praised! ''My big brother praised me! ''Big brother''s praise! I wonder why they like me so much. ....... And the last one. I think you''re Hammaro. ''Well, you work harder than I thought you would, my brothers.'' That''s right. More than I expected.'' ''At this rate, we might be able to get around the serious parts by the end of the day.'' Umaro seemed to be impressed with the way his brothers were working. He''s looking kind of lively. ''Well, then, Mo-Mat. Do the rest.'' ''Oh, oh! Without so much as a greeting, we pulled the cart with the digging tools and started walking. ''Oh, hey! Mormat called out to us as if in a panic. When I turned around, he was looking at me with an indescribable expression. No, he seemed to be looking at his brothers. ''That ............ something ............ no, I''m sorry. It''s nothing. Well, it''s not easy to get rid of avoidance feelings that have been ingrained in you for years. I''m glad that you tried to take action like that. I don''t think it''s going to happen overnight either. ''But, good luck! ''You too! Bye.'' We greeted each other lightly and walked out. I wonder what my brothers thought of my reaction. They didn''t seem to be particularly bothered. They are happily talking about how much fun they had digging the hole, who was digging the hardest, and the next race. However, this is something that is completed only within themselves, and they only see the external world through the filter of me. To them, I''m just ''helping my brother''. It doesn''t matter who sent them. Maybe they realized this when they were doing the ...... mobile sales. If you don''t expect anything, you''re less likely to get hurt. That''s a sad thing, though. I''m not in a position to say, ''............''. ''Next stop, Hardware Street. There''s still a lot of digging to do. Don''t get tired in the first half. ''''''Yes! These guys'' energy sometimes makes me sad. I''ve got to do something about ....... So that I don''t have to be sad. The next stop was a very intricate street that Magda had taken refuge in when she turned into a cat. This street also had poor drainage, and the road was submerged. ''Who are you? In front of a workshop where shields were being made, a foxy-looking woman with a smoking pipe approached us. I''m pretty sure I''ve met her before when I came looking for Magda. ''It''s been a while!I''m the guy who talked to you before, the one with the ''little girl in a bag''! Would he remember me if I said that? ...... I can''t stand to be reminded like that. ''I came here by order of my lord to get rid of the water in this street. ''That''s nice of you to say, but ............ are you the one who''s going to do it? The fox sister glared at her brothers with a quizzical expression. She looks like a tired salaryman who feels uncomfortable with students making a fuss on the train. This must be the real reaction of the inhabitants. ...... The roots are deep. ''These people are going to dig a ditch in the street. We can''t cover it up this time, so you''ll have to deal with it yourselves. ''No, I don''t mind that much, but ............, are you going to do it? ''Then, can you send us someone to do it? ''No,...... we''ve got our hands full with our own store,......'' ''So we just leave it? ''No. ......'' ''What do you mean, ''no''? ''Yashiro-san! Umaro puts his body between me and the fox lady. Unknowingly, I was getting annoyed. ''I know how you feel, but ...... it''s for the betterment of my brothers'' image. ......'' ''Ugh,............, I know.'' I can''t afford to lose my temper and get into trouble with the residents. Calm down. ...... Calm down, me. I''d like you to leave this to me. ''Oh, ...... please.'' I stepped aside and decided to wait by the cart. ''Well, that''s it then, I hope you''ll leave it to us. ''............ Well, we can''t turn our backs on them, can we? I don''t have a choice. The fox lady shrugged her shoulders with such an expression on her face. When I looked around, I saw that those who were looking at me had the same expression on their faces. When their eyes met mine, they awkwardly averted their gaze. I guess they all felt the same way. ''We can''t trust the slum dwellers, but we can''t leave the flooding unattended, so it can''t be helped. ''Mr. Yashiro. Actually, there''s another dangerous place ahead of us, and that''s the last site with high priority.'' ''So, why don''t we split up and get on with it? ''I think that''s a good idea. There''s sewage flowing into the reservoir over there and it''s about to collapse. If we don''t hurry, a tragedy like the one at the church will happen. Is it dangerous for sewage to overflow? ...... ''Hey, who''s the fastest guy in this group? ''Yes! ''Well, why don''t you go back to the house and gather some men. That''s right, about ten people.'' ''Yes, sir!I''m off! As soon as he said that, my brother ran away at an impossible speed like a 70''s gag comic. If Einstein had been born in this world, the theory of relativity would have been much different. ''Okay!Then you guys dig a trench all the way along this street!Eventually, you''ll make a hole outside the street to let the water escape.Sounds good to me! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' ''Okay, we''ll divide into two groups, Group A and Group B!Team A will dig trenches and team B will dig holes! ''I''m in group A! ''Me, A! ''Me, B! ''Hole! ''Ditch! ''Ditch''s ............ uh ............ street... ......... er ......'' Hammaro. If you can''t come up with an analogy, you don''t have to try. ''Okay, let''s get started! Following Umaro''s signal, the work began. My brothers are digging a hole as hard as they can. They didn''t look aside, didn''t complain, didn''t slack off, didn''t slack off, didn''t cut corners. They don''t say anything to the residents who just look at them in a bad way and don''t want to lend them a check. ...... d*mn. Who uses this street a lot? You should feel a little remorse. ''''''Big brother~chan~! Pretty soon, reinforcements were pouring in. Including my sisters. Well then, I''d better get going too. ''Hey, Hammaro. ''Hammaro? Oh, that''s right, it''s just a nickname I''ve given myself. Umaro is following Team A, digging trenches in order from the top of the street. Team B, in charge of the water hole, was currently being watched by me, but now it was time to pass the baton. ''All right. You''re the leader here now. Check the status of the other guys'' work and give them orders. You know the final product, right?You''re in charge. ''I''m the leader of my ............ brothers! Oh, yeah. That''s exactly what I said. Where''s the metaphor? ''If you don''t understand something or have a problem, come and get me. ''Yeah! Trusting my brothers to follow through with their instructions once given, I took the second unit and headed for the next site. We headed in the direction of the poultry farm across the main street. It seems that a manure dump and a reservoir have overflowed and become one, and the reservoir needs to be expanded. The water in the pond is contaminated and cannot be used anymore. But if left unchecked, the sewage will overflow and damage houses and roads. We have to prevent that. The site was located near a house. The reservoir seemed to have been built lower than the road, and the road was still intact. The road was still intact. The sewage was close to the road, but it had not overflowed yet. In the middle of the road, a pair of parents and children were standing there. They seemed to be a girl of about five years old and her mother. The girl was crying profusely, and her mother had a distressed expression on her face. ''Boshi! ''Give up now. You can''t get it if it''s that far away. ''Yeeeeeeaaahhhhh! She''s crying. My eardrums are about to give out. I don''t want to get close to her. ...... While I was thinking that, one of my sisters quickly ran up to the crying girl. When the mother saw her sister, she backed away. and backed away. ...... You''re so rude. ''What''s wrong with you?Why are you crying? At first, the crying girl looked puzzled by the sudden appearance of the ham, but gradually tears began to flow and she began to cry again. ''What the hell are you doing?Get away from my daughter! ''Oh, I''m sorry. Hasn''t the lord spoken to you? She intervened in front of her mother who was verbally abusing her sister and protected her with her back. She''s an immature old woman. If she wasn''t pretty I''d throw her in the sewage pond. ''My lord, ......?...... Oh, by the way, in the morning, the Lord''s messenger came to see if there was any trouble. ......'' And we were sent here. Can you please stop attacking the workers? Oh, no. I''m irritated. Why are you threatening your mother? We''re trying to improve the image of the ham kids. ...... ''...... those kids?...... But those kids are ......''. ''So, you want to do something about it? ''..................'' Pointing to the sewage pond with a smile, the mother averted her gaze and closed her mouth. If she''d said the rest of ''But those kids'', I''d have left this place and gone home. ''hat......'' The girl who had been crying behind me muttered in a slightly lowered tone of voice, as if she was tired of crying, and pointed towards the sewage pond. A pure white hat was floating near the center of the pond. It must have been blown away by the wind. If we don''t pull it up soon, the dirt will soak into it and it won''t come off. ''Give up now. ''Hey!Boshi! The girl began to cry furiously again, as if it was something very important. I mean, isn''t this woman too unskilled as a mother? It looks like she is forcing her daughter to put up with her because she doesn''t want to be in this place. ...... Do you hate slum people that much? I''ll get it for you!Wait for me! As soon as she said that, she jumped into the sewage pond. It was a no-brainer action. ...... This is what I should have done, right? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at the web site. When she came out of the water, her clothes were black with dirty water. ''Yes. If you wash them properly, you can use them again. She handed the hat on her head to the girl who stopped crying. When the girl took the hat, her tense face gradually softened. ''Oh, ............ thank you. ''Come on, that''s enough. Let''s go home. Before the girl can even smile, her mother roughly takes her by the arm. Not only did she not say thank you, she didn''t even let her say thank you. ''Wash it well before you use it. It''s dirty.'' That''s because you fell into the ...... sewage pond, right?That''s because it fell into the sewage pond, right? I was about to lose my temper, so I chased after him, said a few words, gave him a slap on the face, and told him the truth: ''You''re an a**h*le! I was about to tell her the truth, throw her into the sewage pond, and tell her to wash up, because she''s dirty, when she took a step forward and grabbed my sleeve. Her little hand cupped my sleeve. ''The hat ...... was cute,'' she said. And then she smiled weakly at me. It''s not like he ...... doesn''t care. But he doesn''t say anything. He is willing to get himself dirty, he is willing to do something for someone else and not be rewarded, but still he doesn''t say anything. ...... Don''t get used to it, you idiot. But I''m not going to trample on their patience. d*mn it. It''s bothering me. ''All right, you bastards!Let''s start the expansion of the reservoir! ''''''''Oh! '''''''' My siblings all jumped down onto the ground at once. They dug a large hole next to the rising sewage pond. They left a 50 cm wide strip of soil between the pond and the sewage pond, and finally broke the soil to connect the ponds together. The work proceeded at a rapid pace, and the earth was being gouged out as we watched. Now that I think about it, there was a huge pit at the entrance of the slum. It was probably just a simple pit dug in a short time like this. ...... Let''s not make enemies of these people. We may not lose, but we''ll definitely be in trouble. Well, as a token of friendship... Maybe I''ll make you a hat. ''All right, boys!I''ll give you a reward for your hard work! '''''''' ohhhhhhh! '''''''' The Hammies'' motivation has been ignited. ......They''re on fire. ............No,hey,......that''s too much fire!I''m not planning on going that deep!If you dig that deep, you''ll go right through it! The hamsters are digging with such vigor that you might think they are really planning to reach the mantle. I''m both amazed and relieved. ...... ...... and then... As I was watching over the work of the Hammies, I felt their eyes on me. When I turned around, I saw a dozen or so residents who had gathered there before I knew it, looking at me from a distance. All of them had a somber expression on their faces, and they didn''t open their mouths or make eye contact with me, just staring into the distance. Are you trying to keep an eye on them so that they don''t do anything unnecessary? Then you''d better watch. See who''s working hard, for whom, how hard they''re working. And take a look at what you''re doing and what you''re able to do right now. ''Alright!That''s enough, boys! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' With a cheerful reply, everyone finishes their work at once. There are those who say ''a little more'' or ''just this one last thing! There is no one like that. These people are always equal, they can help each other, and they can put all their effort into what needs to be done now. From a manager''s perspective, they are the best. But I have my doubts about their leadership. He also likes to play. ''Who worked the hardest? ''What''s your reward? ''Me? ''Me? The mud-caked hamsters swarmed me. Hey, stop it. I''ll get dirty too. All right!All right, all right! ''They''re all tied for first place. You''re all going to get a prize, so just wait and see.'' ''All of you~? ''Zugee! ''We''re all together! ''It''s a miracle! ''I can''t say anything! ''I''m happier than I''ve ever been in my life! The Hammies are overjoyed. ...... There are a few swimmers in the mix, though. ''All my siblings! ...... Hmm? ''My brother is awesome! No, wait, wait, wait. Who said anything about all siblings? There''s over a hundred of you. I meant everyone here right now. ...... ''Hooray for siblings! ''Hooray! .................. All right. I''ll make you something. Just make it, man. ''Well, let''s break down the wall! '''''''' Whaaaaat! '''''''' ''Stay back, it''s dangerous!I''ll take care of this!'' The little ham could be swept away by the current. Checking for safety, I thrust the pickaxe into a 50cm section of the mud wall. The cracked wall could not withstand the surging water pressure and collapsed in a flash. Thus, the swollen reservoir discharged excess water into the newly dug hole, lowering the water level. It should be all right now. ''Oof!This is the last stop for today!We''ll meet up with the guys on Hardware Street and head home! He threw the pickaxe into the cart and pulled it. The wooden wheels creak and slowly begin to move. It is rather heavy until it starts moving. And then, my younger sister got on the back of the cart with a lot of people. ''Hey, hey, hey!What are you doing? ''Aaah! ''I like it! ''Me too! ''Don''t be silly, you guys!We can''t take them all!You guys walk, come on! ''No fair! ''Zulu! ''Zula! ''Who''s got a wig?It''s my natural hair! I leave the scene with the noisy hamsters. As usual, the inhabitants were only looking at us from afar. ...... Helping people doesn''t pay off, does it? ............ ''...... ah'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you have. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I saw that the crying girl was running toward me. Her mother was also running behind her. ''Oh, thank you! The crying girl hugged her brown, dirty white hat and said loudly. ''This is a very important hat! She speaks frankly and without embellishment. The child''s own simple method of communication, devoid of all the cumbersome expressions that adults unconsciously attach to them, such as "so what? ''Yes!That''s a very cute hat! ''Yes! There''s no need for unnecessary words. ''Hey, ......, don''t you dare interrupt me. The mother grabbed the crying girl by the arm and said. The mother grabbed the crying girl by the arm and said, ''I want you to go home quickly. ''Hey. Let''s go. ''Yes! I was proud of my sister, who was covered in mud and still smiling with satisfaction. ...... That smile made me proud. You''re much prettier than me. I''ll make you an even prettier hat. You can look forward to it. ''Oh, that ............''. Just as the wheels were creaking and about to start moving, her mother called out to her fearfully. She stopped me at the point where I needed the most strength, and I failed to start the cart. The next time, she had to put all her strength into it. The cart is most tiring when it starts moving. You made me waste all that effort. ...... I looked back at him with such vindictiveness: ...... ''...... popcorn............'' ''What about ......?'' ''Is that ...... no longer available?'' The expression on his face was twisted in embarrassment, but there was a hint of regret on his face. ...... I''m not sure what to do....... I like this girl, popcorn. ............ If you''re going to resume, let me know. ...... So long.'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of these. ............ What the heck. They are surprisingly ............ "Big brother! My sister looks up at me with sparkling eyes. ''Are you going to do the stall again? ''...... do you want to do it?'' ''I do! These guys probably don''t remember every single failure or bad memory they had before. They will be overwritten by the happy and joyful things that happened now. So, well, if ...... they say so, then ............ it''s in your best interest. ''Well, let''s resume soon! ''''''''Oh! '''''''' When I heard that voice, I felt a sense of relief ...... from the crowd that had only been watching from afar, but was that really too optimistic? I''ll be back this time! ''''''''Yes! '''''''' Pulling the heavy cart, wheels creaking, we began to walk. That''s enough for a first day. If we could see such a change in the inhabitants, ...... if we keep on doing this, one day they will be accepted properly. With a feeling of near certainty, I headed home under a sky that was beginning to darken. I''m sure this evening''s dinner will be delicious, I thought to myself. 49-Episode 47 After the Damage ''You''ve brought a lot of stuff again, you bastard. ......'' ''No, everyone in the guild is in trouble.'' Mormat is scratching his head apologetically. ...... Don''t think you can fake it with that? The next day, the day after we talked about the Garbage Collection Guild taking in the vegetables damaged by the heavy rains, Mo Mat knocked on the door of the Sunlit Pavilion early in the morning and presented me with a stupid pile of vegetables. ''That''s a lot of food. Ginette looked at the pile of vegetables and looked pleased. You''re going to be forced to buy ...... this. This is not the time to be happy. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. Seeing the large amount of vegetables, he immediately thought of bribery. He really is a model of sycophancy. If you look up his name in a Japanese dictionary, you''ll find it there, won''t you?Like ''sycophant: a ginette. ''The shape is broken, but the taste is guaranteed. Of course, there''s nothing rotten in it.'' ''Well, I trust you there, ......''. The Mormats take pride in their vegetables. They won''t give you a half-baked product. They probably don''t want to sell the badly shaped ones, but they can''t afford to. ''Mr. Yashiro. Why don''t you chop it up and make tacos out of it? ''Tacos. ......'' Popcorn isn''t the only corn we buy from Yap Rock. They mill the flint corn into corn flour and then distribute it to us. Tortillas made from corn flour are not classified as ''bread'' by the Church, but are a staple food that can be prepared at the Sun Pavilion. You can''t tell if the vegetables are damaged if you chop them. It is possible to put chopped vegetables in the sauce of tacos. ''Well, I''ll make tacos and ...... and minestrone style vegetable soup. ''That sounds delicious. I''ll do my best! Our manager was so enthusiastic that we decided to buy these vegetables. I''m sure he''ll be able to make a hundred or two hundred servings without hesitation. ''Your sisters are helping me, so I can cook smoothly now. ''Did you teach them? ''She learned it while she was observing, didn''t she? What''s with your sponge-like absorbing power? I wonder if future geniuses will be born from the hamster race. ''Eh, let''s see, ...... that means, these vegetables are ......? ''I''ll take them all. How much? ''Oh ............ ohhhhh!Are you sure? ''Does this look like my eyes telling me a lie?'' ''...... I can see it a little ......'' ''Then it''s a lie . Go home.'' ''Aaah!I can''t see you, I can''t see you!I can''t see anything at all!'' ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''Waaaahhh, I lied!I can see a little bit, but I was so careful that I said ''invisible''!I''m sorry, please give me a break! ''Yashiro-san. Don''t bully me. Ginette gently admonishes me with a chuckle. Hmm. It''s because this crocodile is rude to begin with. ''So, how much in total? We''ve got quite a bit of income from the first day of mobile sales, so we''ll never be short. As I recall, even after deducting all the expenses, we should have about 1500Rb left over. ''How about 1500Rb? Wow. This is like a tutorial for an RPG. I wonder why the gods of this world try to get it just right. ''It''s a ton!Right now the Garbage Collectors Guild is paying 20Rb for 10 kilos.A ton is 2000Rb. I said I''ll give you 1500Rb for it, so it''s a bargain! ''That''s true!It''s a bargain, Mr. Yashiro! ''Ginette, shut up for a minute. ''2000Rb for 1500Rb''?What about ............? ''I wonder how much it would be worth if I sold it to the peddlers guild? ''Umm ......, that''s .......'' ''In the first place, do you think it will fetch a price? ''..................No,that......... ...'' ''800Rb. I can''t get more than that. You''re not the only one who''s been disadvantaged by the disaster, you know?'' ''.............................. Yashiro!'' Mormat, at a loss for words, suddenly shouted loudly and shook his large body. I braced myself for a beating, but Mo''amat got down on all fours on the ground. He got down on his knees on the muddy ground after the rain. ''Please!I have a responsibility to protect the people of the guild! ''Hey, hey, hey, ...... Momat.'' ''I know I''m talking too good to be true!I''m also well aware that you won''t be swayed by this sob story!And then, just this once! ''Even if you say so, ......''. ''If you buy this for 1500Rb, I''ll do anything you want after this!If you want me to be your slave, I''ll be your slave!Just this once, I really need the money!Please! This is ...... honestly unexpected. ............ In the past, I would have been able to stomp on the back of his head when he was exposed in front of me. ............ As of now, all the vegetables that come into the sunny pavilion come from the farming guild led by Mormat through the garbage collection guild. We''ve cut off the supply route from the peddlers'' guild. He is trying to make us think that he has the upper hand by ingratiating himself with us, but the truth is that we are the ones who are in trouble if the supply of vegetables is cut off. Well, Mo Mat is too stupid to realize it, but if we make the relationship sour here, it will be detrimental to me later on. ...... ''What''s with the difficult look on your face? Before I knew it, Estella was standing over Morgatt, who was on his knees. ...... It''s the kind of smile that can afford to be annoying. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''I don''t know what you mean. There aren''t many people who are as good as me. Hahaha. Maybe you''ll turn into a frog when you offend me. ''I''ll have to be careful with that. ...... You don''t have any elasticity in your chest, so your heart will get hurt easily.'' ''What the hell?Is that supposed to be a testament? A black aura emanates from Estella''s smile. Look at her. You''re not flexible enough, you''ll get angry soon. You''re not flexible enough! ''Momma, can I have a word? ''Hmm?What is it?'' Estella pulls Mormat''s arm from the ground and makes him stand up. Then she moves away from me and starts to whisper in my ear. Estella''s eyes are glancing at me. It''s like she''s probing me and it makes me very uncomfortable. I mean, Mom. You may not realize it, but that''s the guy you said you wanted to talk to at least once. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find any useful information. ...... What the hell did you think you were doing ............? ''Come on, Mo-Mat. Let''s resume negotiations. ''Hey, Estella. What are you ...... doing? ''Come on! You''re talking too loud, Mo-Matt. While I was covering my ears to Mo-Mat''s stupid voice, Estella took shelter behind Mo-Mat. d*mn. ...... It would be better to kill the enemy general quickly instead of dealing with this guessing game. ...... ''We''re in trouble!Buy these vegetables for 1500Rb! That''s what you get for trying to get me to do it? It''s just the voice of the crybaby getting louder. ...... How poorly ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... responsible person............'' I''m not sure what to do. ...... I see, Estella. That''s what I''m talking about. ............ ''Now, Ginette-chan in the back ...... no, discuss it with the chief executive officer of the "Sunshine Pavilion, Main Branch"! ............ d*mn it. Did you notice that I never shifted my gaze from this position? ............ Ginette is standing diagonally behind me on my left. I was determined not to look at her until this negotiation was over, ...... because ............ ''Come on, look at little Jeannette, Yashiro! ''......! As if under a curse, my head slowly turned towards Ginette. What is this ...... Ginette''s reminder?What is it? I don''t want to ...... see ............ Ginette''s face in this state right now... ......... ''............Yashiro-san......'' If Jeannette is the morning sun tearing apart the darkness of the night, then I am a vampire illuminated by it or something. The aura on Jeannette''s face said, "Can''t you do something about it? My body cells are turning to dust under the aura. I can see the evil dark part of me, which looks at the feet of others, deceives them, and tries to gain a little profit for itself, is being purified by the holy light shining from above. So, Jeannette. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. ...... It''s a cheat. It''s a cheat. It''s not cool. ............ ''Ohhhhh ........................... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ..................... I''m not sure what to do. ''Oooohhh! ''Huh. ......'' Ginette claps her hands, her expression glowing, Mormat raises his two clenched fists and yells, and Estella lets out a spare smile as she crosses her arms in the distance. ...... Oh, oh, oh, it''s so ...... annoying. ''In return, don''t forget what you said earlier, okay? ''Huh?What? I''m going to nail that dumbass Mo Matt. He could seriously forget. ''Whenever I ask you to help me in any way, no matter what, you must help me!It''s a top priority!'' ''Oh!I''m on it! I can''t leave it to you. ...... ''...... Yashiro. The popcorn is ready. Magda opened the door of the store and came out, holding a handful of popcorn. Like a vendor at a baseball stadium, he holds a box-shaped tray with a shoulder strap slung diagonally across his shoulders, and places freshly popped popcorn in the tray. I invented this "vendor style" so that I can sell popcorn in places where food stalls cannot go. Magda seems to be in high spirits. That''s because ...... Yesterday, after I finished the expansion of the reservoir, I told everyone at dinner what happened there. My sister picked up a girl''s hat and gave it to her. And how the girl thanked me. Finally, that there was a desire to reopen the stall. Loretta and Ginette were obviously happy to hear that, but Magda was actually quite happy too. This morning, before I even woke up, he was in the kitchen picking out the corn for the popcorn. ''......On the first day of reopening, we will provide high quality,'' he said, quietly burning with fighting spirit. ''......Yashiro, taste it. ''Oh.'' The popcorn was offered to him and he put it in his mouth. I''m not sure what to say.I feel like it tastes better than usual. ''...... I changed the ratio of honey to butter. It''s easier to eat this way. What a surprise, Magda has improved the recipe on her own. And it''s a higher grade. He''s going to make ...... the undisputed popcorn maker. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that your sisters have been making popcorn for a while now, and they''re ready to show you the difference. But... It''s delicious! My hat''s off to you. As for popcorn, you''ve been completely overtaken. ''...... hmm'' Magda''s expression was expressionless, but she looked happy. Her cat ears were twitching, so there was no mistaking it. ''...... Manager. Tasting.'' ''Yes, sir. Then, let''s eat.'' The moment she elegantly picked a piece and put it in her mouth, ...... Ginette''s eyes widened. ''............ honey and butter, lil'' lil'' lil'' lil'' ......'' Ah, another unfamiliar expression is born. Next time, ask Hammaro what metaphorical expressions are. He''s a pro. ''...... Estella. Tasting. ''Hmm?Can I have one?Then let''s have one ......'' ''Wow, I can''t wait to see how you describe the taste, Yashiro! ''...... What''s that? ''Yashiro, what''s that? ''............I''m not going to make any comments or anything. I''m not sure what to expect. ''..................jee~'' ''I''m not going to!I''m not going to comment on anything.It''s hard to eat! I''m sorry. It''s payback for earlier. ''Not at all. ............ Hm!The moment you put it in your mouth, you can smell the honey ......, but you can also taste the butter ............. ........................ is gone. ''You have no vocabulary. ''Ya, it''s because Yashiro''s putting weird pressure on you!I''m sorry!I didn''t even get a good taste! Ah, I think it''s wrong to blame others for everything like that. ''...... momat. Do you want some? ''Oh, you don''t mind?Then be my guest!'' Mormat grabs a handful of popcorn with his big hands and throws it in his mouth. ...... He really didn''t hold back, did he? ''Oh!It''s so good!It has a nostalgic sweetness to it, but combined with the clean, sophisticated flavor, it''s like it''s been upgraded to a stylish snack. .................. sent me some nice comments. ''You''re a mormat. ''You''re a mormat.'' ''Yashiro-san, Estella-san. Both of you, I feel sorry for Mr. Mo-Mat.'' ''Did I do something wrong ......? If you''re asking what''s wrong, ...... well, in a word, ............ ''I don''t like something''. ''What do you want me to do about it? Mormat barks in annoyance. Magda gently holds out her hand to Mormat. The palm of his hand is facing upwards. ''...... Maido ari'' ''............ Heh?'' Mormat is confused by Magda''s sudden words. Magda gently removes her hands from the tray. Then, the paper that was being held by her hands drops down, and a sign like this appears on the front of the tray. ''New Honey Popcorn 1,500Rb per person. ''Pfft! Mo-Matt blew up when he saw the sign. What''s with the ridiculous price? ...... Even if you''re not Mo Mat, your eyes will pop out of your head. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something you like. ...... No,...... Magda,............, this is a tasting. It''s ......, right?'' ''...... tasting?Who told you that? That''s the expression on Magda''s face as she slips away. Mo''amat''s impatience peaked. ''No, no, no, no!Magda-chan asked me if I wanted some! You asked me if I wanted some! ''...... Conversation Record''. As Magda mutters, a translucent panel appears in front of her. Magda scrolls it with her finger and displays the relevant part of the conversation. ''...... Yashiro, taste the food. "Yes. First, here''s the conversation when he offered me a sample. "...... Manager. Tasting. "Yes. I''ll have a taste. And Ginette. "...... Estella. Tasting. "Hmm?Can I have one too?Okay, I''ll take one from ....... Come with Estella. "...... momat. Want one? "Oh, you don''t mind?Well, be my guest! ''Yes. I didn''t say ''sample''.'' ''What?What?No, but you did ask me if I wanted some! ''...... "Would you like some?"'' It''s a common phrase in the customer service industry. ''Ugh, ...... that''s right, ............ that''s right, I guess, but ...... ......'' Magda''s words left Mormat dumbfounded. Magda ...... you, when did you become so tough ...... ''E, Estella!What should I do?''Magda-san is like Yashiro-san! ''Let''s go to Regina right now and have her remove the toxin!Before the Yashiro virus spreads! ''You guys, remember that later.'' ''Oh, no, no, no!It''s not that Yashiro is not good, it''s just that it''s a bit of a problem for Magda to be like Yashiro. ...... Oh, no, not that!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do to get the most out of your time here. ...... No, this is not true either! ''Ginette-chan. You should tell them that you don''t need two Yashiros. ''No, I didn''t mean that,......!That ........................... ...Magda-san, please do your best to become the second Yashiro-san. ......'' ''Don''t give up, Ginette-chan!If there are more like this, the forty-two districts will be eaten up! ''I''ll say it one more time. You guys, remember that later.'' They''re so rude. So, what happened to Momat? ...... Like a frog stared at by a snake, he was just dripping fat sweat. ''......See, see, see, 1500Rb, no ......''. ''......Punishment for annoying Yashiro.'' I was honestly surprised at what the expressionless Magda said in an inchoate voice. I can''t believe he thought that. ...... ''Well, I didn''t ............ mean to, but ......''. Mormat nodded off. He is in complete resignation mode. He''s not going to pay, is he? ''All right,......, it was my fault for not checking first,...... 1500 rue ......''. ''Don''t take it too seriously, stupid crocodile.'' Before he could say it all, he dropped a chop on Mo-Mat''s forehead. ''And Magda . A joke should be told in a way that people know it''s a joke. You can''t laugh at it later if it makes you feel sad.'' ''...... Magda, a joke is a ............ joke.'' ''You''re joking, right?'' I rub my ears a little roughly, looking slightly unhappy. ''............funnya......'' Magda''s strength instantly slackens. I pat Magda''s head as she sinks into a crouch, then I crouch down and whisper in her ear. ''Thank you. You''re mad at me. But can you please forgive him? ''............ If it''s okay with Yashiro, it''s fine.'' ''I see. Good girl.'' In his eyes, it might have looked like I was being pushed around. I guess he''s not used to understanding the feelings behind the words of others like Estella and Jeannette. I don''t want her to be as cunning as Estella, but I hope she will be as good as Jeannette. I agree. Enough to be a little more honest with her. ''Miss Magda. About Mr. Mormat''s vegetables...'' As Magda and I crouched down facing each other, Ginette came over and crouched down as well. Then she whispers to us in a warm voice that is gentle but easy to hear, as if she were talking to a young child. ''I think Mr. Yashiro intended to help Mr. Mormat from the beginning. Mr. Yashiro is a very good person, despite his bad mouth. I''m sorry, I''m not very nice. ''...... You looked like you were in trouble. ''I was hiding my embarrassment. No, I''m not embarrassed. ''But, Magda, your kindness. I love it.'' It must have been devilish of Morgatt to do that. Well, I''ll leave the rest to Jeannette. I''m sure she''ll handle it. ''Ya, Yashiro ............, do you think he hates me? Mo''amat approaches me, a worried expression on his face. You''re a worrier. ''I''m fine.'' ''Oh, I see. ......'' ''It''s not like he liked me to begin with.'' ''That''s why I''m sad! It''s fine. Zero became minus. ''Ma, Magda-chan!I''m friends with Yashiro!We joke around a lot, but we''re really good friends. Mo-Matt squared his shoulders and said whatever he wanted to say. When did we become friends? My buddy charges a monthly fee.And a membership fee. It''s not like you usually do. It''s not like you normally do.'' Since you''re the one who pushed me over the edge, you should be condemned too. You''re an unfair woman. ''Actually, some of my guild mates are saying they''re going to quit ...... farming. ......'' ''What are you going to do when you quit? Change jobs? Is there freedom of choice in this world? ''I''m going to become an adventurer and hit the jackpot: ......'' Oh, reckless! I don''t know how adventurers get money, but I''ve never seen anyone say they''re going to "hit it out of the park". He must be in dire straits. ''His family just had a baby the other day. ...... If he doesn''t do something, his family is going to fall apart. ......'' ''That''s ...... sad, isn''t it?'' Ginette looked like she was about to cry. ''So, with 1500Rb, we can manage to stay a farmer!It may not be enough to last for a while, but even so, we won''t have to quit right now! ''So you''re saying that you''ll give all your profits to the family? ''We''re still getting by on ....... We have a few reserves. We can''t replace the hard work of our ............ friends.'' ''...... Mr. Mormat ............'' I didn''t know there was such a thing. So you''re on your knees. What does that mean? Did he ask me to buy it for 1,500Rb, without regard for their own profit? It would have been in their interest if they had just pushed for 2000Rb. Huh, ...... stupid, honest, stupidly honest, ............ yeah, stupid. ''......Yashiro''. Magda looks a little sad when she hears Mo Matt''s story. His ears are flattened and he is asleep. He, too, had been living in a hunting guild away from his parents. He must know the pain of being alone very well. ''............ per person, 1500Rb''. ''Don''t try to sell it to me. Magda says, holding out a tray of popcorn. I''m scared for her future. ...... But still, ...... The Forty-second Ward is the poorest ward in Allblume. Compared to Chuo Ward, the difference between the two is as great as the difference between heaven and earth. However, even in the 42nd ward, which is the bottom of the city, there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. To put it another way, it is only 1500Rb. Not a few people in the 42nd district can afford to pay that amount without hesitation. The guys at the bar on the main street are the best examples. They were willing to take a bet of 1,000Rb per unit. Of course, losing the bet didn''t hurt their pockets at all, but for them, it was just a ''loss''. However, if the same thing happened to the members of the farming guild, the ...... signal for the end of their lives would have sounded loudly. They know it, but they don''t realize it. It is not that they are pretending not to notice, but they really do not notice. It''s not that they''re pretending not to notice, but they really don''t realize that the current situation is based on the sacrifices of the agricultural guilds and other producers. The fact that even before I came, the Sunlit Pavilion was barely managing to keep afloat is proof enough. The number of customers was one or two a day, and if five people came, all hands would be raised, but the number was so poor that almost half of them ran away from the restaurant. In spite of this, the restaurant did not go under. We don''t need to think about where the wrinkles went. The price of vegetables bought by the Garbage Collection Guild was so high that it was considered too conscientious compared to the Peddlers'' Guild. Therefore, Ginette and Mormat were ridiculously happy. However, in my opinion, trading at such a price is nothing more than ''buying down''. Perhaps it''s even too much to be described in such terms. Thanks to the frequent visits of the Trubek contractors, the situation at the Sunken Pavilion has become so secure that it can be said to be safe. Of course, we can''t afford to be extravagant yet, and I don''t have any money at my disposal, but it''s enough for me to live here. If the mobile vending business is successful,............, you can dream of a life where you can drink as much as you want with a beautiful woman with big tits in your hands. Therefore, there is no need for me to worry about the producers. As a seller, the lower the purchase price is, the higher the profit will be. That''s what I''ve been saying all along. It''s the fools who are fooled. It''s the people who don''t notice or question the strange situation that are at fault in the first place. They are the ones who agreed to do as they were told by the peddlers'' guild despite the bad conditions and abandoned thinking. Fortunately, Ginette didn''t notice anything. Even Estella, the smart one, hasn''t thought about it. They''ve all just accepted that it''s normal for there to be a gap between rich and poor, that it''s just the way it is. Then, there is no need for me to remind them of it. But ...... you can also think of it this way. Money is what goes around. If the economy doesn''t turn around, the amount of money I''ll receive in the future will be greatly reduced. Mormat and the other producers will probably not even enter the stores on the main street. Even if the Sunlit Pavilion reopened its mobile sales, it would not be able to attract customers under such circumstances. In the first place, even popcorn is considered a luxury item, and may not be something that can be easily obtained. Such people make up half of the 42 wards. No matter how successful the mobile vending business is, it will eventually stop somewhere. In other words, the future when I can eat and drink to my heart''s content with beautiful women with big tits on my hands will be far away. So, well, what can I say? ............ That''s what I''m talking about. ''Manager. I have a question for you. ''Yes, sir. I''ll come to you. She straightened her back and faced Jeannette, who also straightened her back. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Let me at least say this. I''m going to have to say something that''s going to make me puke. ...... ''I''d like to buy these vegetables at a fixed price, do you have 500Rb somewhere in the store?'' ''Yes. Thanks to the success of the daily specials and the Torbek Corporation, we have that kind of money in reserve. ''''That''s good to know. Now we can negotiate with the farming guild. ''Oh, come on, Yashiro! Mo-Mat interrupts the meeting between me and Jeannette. ''I can''t bother you guys that much, no matter how much I want to!This is our problem! This is our problem!'' ''Your place has a lot of land, right? Ignoring Mo-Matt, I ask a different question. Answer honestly. If you do, something good might come of it. ''Oh, yeah, there''s still a fair amount of land that hasn''t been tilled. The place where they dug the hole to evacuate the water from the canal was also quite large, but it had become a wasteland. ''Why haven''t you cultivated it? ''No, we don''t have the manpower. ...... Besides, the farming guild is currently on a tightrope financially. ...... We don''t have time to try new things. ......'' ''So you have some land that you''re letting sit idle? ''Oh, yeah. ......'' ''Then let''s talk. Lend me that land.'''' ''The land?What are you doing? ''I''m going to let the hamster people do the farming. ''............''. Mo-Matt''s eyes widened. As expected, he couldn''t hide his surprise. ''I want you to let me apprentice as a farmer using the land you''re letting me play with. If possible, I would appreciate it if you could treat me as a peasant in your field and pay me according to the amount of vegetables I produce. They can''t do the math, so they''ll never be able to negotiate selling vegetables as a sole proprietorship. ''I''m going to hire ...... them? ''Of course, they''re apprentices, so they''re cheap. You can pay as you go. If you want, we can cash in on all the hamster people''s vegetables. Mormat folded his arms and twisted his head with a low growl. He plunges deeper and deeper into the sea of thought, pondering in circles. ''......... Why are you taking such good care of them? It was a question that had nothing to do with farming. He was looking at me with a seriousness I''d never seen before. I exhaled deeply once and said firmly. ''Because I like it, right? Plain and simple. There''s no other way to say it. Such a straightforward solution. ''...... I see.'' Mormat scratched his head and muttered again, ''......Ah, I''m not ready yet,......''. ''So, hey, maybe you''re the one who''s looking out for us,...................'' Mormat closes his mouth, almost saying that much. Then he snickered and muttered to himself. ''No,......, it''s a foolish thing to ask. He had a tone of voice that sounded as if it had been blown off somehow. ''All right!I''ve got a lot of land left on the outer wall. I''ll rent it to you! ''Really? It was Ginette who shouted with joy. Now we have a place for the ham kids to work. The Trubec Engineering Shop, the Farmers'' Guild. And our mobile vendors and cooks. With all that, we should be able to survive. And the hams can work in rotation. The same person can work as a farmer all the time, or several people can work in shifts. I''m sure that they will absorb more and more skills. When it rains, we help. If someone gets hurt, someone else will fill in. They can work like that. ''But tell them that I''ll be strict when I teach them, so they''d better be prepared!If he whines, I''ll beat him back! He may be trying to act like a strict instructor, but ...... ''You''re the one who''s whining the most. ''You''re right, Mo-Mat does cry a lot. ''...... crying crocodile'' ''Gentlemen, sometimes the truth hurts people. ''No, Jeannette, ...... that''s the harshest thing I''ve ever heard. ......'' Ginette''s cheeks flushed as she pointed this out. Mormat''s expression softened as well. Magda seems to be in a good mood, though she looks cool. I guess this is how everyone wanted it to end. I''m glad you''re having fun. Ginette and Magda seem to be on their way to the kitchen to cook the vegetables they got. It seems that Mormat is bringing in a large amount of vegetables as a token of appreciation. The three of them walked into the dining room one by one. And so, instead of the Sunken Pavilion''s reserves being drained, Hamko has found a new place to work. And ............ And now I have a field where I can interfere. Phew, phew, phew. ...... Once again, I''ve set up a system that allows me to profit from other people''s possessions. How about that!Isn''t that awesome! I''ve always wanted to try my hand at breeding. If I can reduce the cost by experimenting, it will directly lead to profit. If we can reduce the cost, we can directly make a profit. If we can create a brand new breed, we can become a millionaire. ...... My future is bright! ''Yashiro''. Estella patted me on the shoulder as I chuckled quietly in my mind. ''It''s hard to give reasons for good deeds, isn''t it? That''s all she said, and she walked into the dining room. It''s ............. d*mn. ''I''m not a good person. I muttered to myself, but there was no one to hear me. 50-Episode 48 Cooking ''Hey!Here comes the bait! Pulling a cart full of food, I came to the sewage construction area. The purpose of this was to serve bribes to these people who were hard at work. I used a lot of vegetables that I bought from Momat to fill the bellies of these workers. ''Couldn''t you have said it a little better? ''Esaa! I''ve been waiting for something like this! ''I''ve been waiting for something like this! ''Don''t you guys get too happy!We''ll protest properly! The time was noon. It''s noon, the time of the day when the belly bug plays as loud as a philharmonic orchestra. The mouth-watering aroma of salsa sauce must be irresistible. ''Haha, that looks good ......''. Umaro, who had completely abandoned his protest, hurriedly got in line. Several days have passed since the heavy rains ended, and the reconstruction of the forty-two districts is almost complete. All that remained was to deal with the situation on a personal level. Therefore, we and the Torbek Engineering Firm had started the next stage ......, namely the sewage construction. We wanted to make sure that the next heavy rain would not cause any damage. The hams have been working hard from early in the morning until late in the day. Umaro praised them, saying that they have become accustomed to their work and their efficiency has improved considerably. And, after all, it seems that the hamsters'' ability to dig holes is so great that it is said that sewage construction would be impossible without the hamsters. Now, if the demand for hamsters is born, there will be no need for them to be avoided again. ''Come on, come on, you guys!Wash your hands before you get in line! The one clapping her hands and guiding her brothers in a familiar manner was Loretta, who had come along to help with the stall. Normally, my sisters and I go around the stalls together, but today I''m accompanying her because I want to see my younger siblings working. She''s worried about them for some reason. ''Mr. Umaro. How are my brothers and sisters doing?Are they doing well? ''Yes, yes, yes!Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. It seems that Umaro is still not used to Loretta, and is very embarrassed when she stares straight at him. ''Your face is so red! ''You''re so red! ''You''re so annoying! ''It''s so annoying! Umaro and Loretta''s voices matched perfectly. As they got used to dealing with their younger brothers, would they all start saying the same thing at the same time? ''Big brother, Taco Sue! ''Oh!Distribute them in the order they were made. Ask him if he''d like soup or water first.'''' ''''''Yes! My sisters are the ones who make the bribe dishes. However, all they did was to put chopped vegetables and smoked beasts that Magda had caught on the tortillas they had made at the sunny pavilion, and pour a lot of salsa sauce on top. However, this simple dish is quite delicious. Once you try it, you will become addicted to it. Goozuya was so addicted to tacos that she started ordering them for dinner as well. ''Oh, what a spicy aroma! ''Oh my god! ''What? Goozuya happily munching on a taco. The ham kids are swarming around her. They seem to adore her. I guess Goozuya''s reformed. ''You can eat meat and vegetables with just one of these, right? ''How did you think of that? ''It also goes well with the soup. ''The sunlit pavilion is amazing. The tacos seem to be generally well received by the carpenters as well. ...... Well, it wasn''t my idea. ''But thank goodness for this bribe food.'' ''Oh. There are no other places that serve food. ''Also, the waiter''s daughter is cute and ......'' ''Yes, yes!I''m for braids.'' ''I''m a freckle girl. ''Idiot, you guys. You don''t understand!The one with the lisp is the number one! It seems that the sisters have a fan base, and even a faction. ...... If you do anything weird, I''ll change all the salsa sauce to Tabasco. Anyway, ...... The image of the "slum dweller" has been completely rewritten. Well, it''s only a matter of time before ...... this circle expands, although it''s limited to the people of Torbek. My sisters are making tacos quickly, and Loretta and her sisters are handing them out. Loretta is also popular among the carpenters for her friendly manner. It''d be a great help to the diner if the carpenters at Trubek Construction become regulars. Good luck, guys. Try to get some customers before the construction is over. ''Yashiro~! While I was watching my sisters working, a chicken came running across the street. ...... What is it?I''m scared, scared, scared!The birds are coming!A bird! ''Good work. You''ve got a lot of energy today. This bird, which gives off a slightly nostalgic atmosphere for Japanese people, is Nepheli, the only daughter of a poultry farmer. Her thought processes are like those of an 80s anime heroine, and her gestures are cute, but ...... her face is completely that of a chicken, so she is a maiden who gives you a delicate feeling when you look at her. ''Nepheli doesn''t move his head back and forth when he walks, does he? ''No!Of course not, I''m not a bird! No, I''m a bird, but you are. ''So, what do you want? ''What do you want, I mean, we''re .........'' This girl, Nepheli, is a little nostalgic, but she does this cute gesture without any sarcasm. Her face, however, is that of a chicken. ''Yashiro is making something new for everyone in town, isn''t he? ''It''s the carpenters at Torbek''s construction store, though. ''Hmmm. Yashiro is so humble. He understands us and recognizes our good and bad points. He has the kind of personality that makes you wish you had a childhood friend like him next to you. Even though she has a chicken face. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... If it suits your palate, it''s fine. He hands me a small package. As he does so, he discovers a cut on Nepheli''s fingertip. Is it a ''I''m not very good at this, but I worked really hard on it'' kind of thing?What''s more, shouldn''t his hands be wings?From the neck down, it''s completely human. ...... The face is chicken. I thought the lunchbox culture was not in this city. ...... What did Neffery bring? I opened the package he gave me. What came out of the package were two eggs. ........................ What''s this? ''I boiled some fresh eggs for you. Do you like boiled eggs, .................. that ......?'' ''I don''t know why you''ve been saving them, but I like them just fine.'' ''Really!I''m glad you like ...... it.'' I''m so relieved, Neffery. ...... Where did you cut your finger in the process of making boiled eggs? It''s a good smell. What''s this? Nepheli shoves the boiled egg at me, intrigued by the taco. What''s that?You''re going to eat a taco while I''m eating a boiled egg?Is that bullying? ''It''s called a taco?Huh.'' Nepheli gazed at the tacos with great interest as his sister explained. ''Hey, Yashiro. Don''t they sell these? ''I''m thinking of reopening the stall when the construction is over. I''m planning to sell them at that time. ...... Do you want some?'' ''Yeah............, yeah. Because it smells so good.'' ''Well, wait a minute. Hey, sister. Get her ready.'' ''Yes! ''Aaah!But!............ I don''t have any money.'' Nephrite hurriedly stopped his sister from making tacos. ''That''s okay. I''ll trade you this boiled egg.'' ''Really?...... Our eggs aren''t that expensive.'' ''Is that so? I don''t know what a fair price is because I''m always getting them at a discount. The taste is good and the yolk is firm. Since I changed their feed, they seem to have started to lay eggs every morning. He once boasted to me that the taste of the eggs had also improved dramatically. But still, they can''t sell them at a high price. ...... Well, I''m the one who''s getting them at a low price. This is the first time I''m going to treat you to a little something. ''That''s fine, as long as you spread the word about how good tacos are to everyone you know. ''Great!I''ve heard about Yashiro''s food stall before, and I''ve been wanting to go there so badly. I''ve always wanted to go. ...... But I don''t have a lot of money. ......'' Every family seems to have a tight budget. It''s more ...... I walked up to Neffery and whispered in his ear. I don''t want the Hammies to hear. ''You don''t mind, do you?I mean, you know, ......'' ''You mean these kids? ''Yeah, well, yeah.'' ''Not at all.'' Heh. Some people aren''t prejudiced. ''Because Yashiro believes in these kids, right?'' ''Eh?Yeah. Yeah. ''Then I believe in them too. I feel like I can believe in people that Yashiro believes in.'''' What a nice thing for a girl to say. ...... I really regret that my face is a chicken. ''Taco Sue! ''Wow, thanks, shorty.'' ''Little guy?'' ''Mmm-hmm. Nepheli is really ''girlish'', isn''t she? It seems to fit the ideal image of a girl in good old Japanese fiction. Except for the ...... face. No, wait. Maybe in the not-too-distant future, chicken-style girls will become very popular. .................. No. No. ''Wow ...... delicious ............! That was genuine emotion. And the voice was clear. I could tell that Nephrite genuinely liked the tacos. Including Nepheli, voices of satisfaction could be heard from everywhere. It was like the site of a festival. A taco festival? Loud laughter and the smiles that only come from eating good food. In the midst of this joyful circle, ham kids are mingling and smiling here and there. These people are no longer prejudiced against the slums. This may be the result of Umaro''s great prestige. ...... No, if you work together, sweat together, and work toward the same goal, a sense of camaraderie and bond will naturally arise. At any rate, it is safe to say that the hamster people have found a place to belong. Now all that remains is for the general public to react. ...... ''Oh, that ......! That''s when it happened. There was someone who called out to me. It was a bold and courageous call. When I turned around, I saw a thin woman standing there, looking somewhat gaunt. She seemed to be somewhat frightened as she called out to me in a reserved manner. ''Um, ......, this isn''t the store ......, is it? It sounds as if it contains something. This stall is only for carrying bribes to the sewage workers, but there is no reason why you should stubbornly answer ''no'' when asked if it is a ...... ''store''. I understand what this woman is trying to say. Then ...... ''No, this is a mobile food stall. I have permission from my lord. The woman''s face blushed slightly as she pointed with her chin to the exhibition permit that was still attached to the roof of the stall. She must have been attracted by the smell of the tacos and the joyful voice. It''s been a few days since I started carrying the bribe food, but I''ve felt her eyes on me from afar since the first day. They must have noticed that we were the ones who used to pull the stalls. But, or maybe that''s why no one approached ...... us. They must have been under the impression that the people working in this stall were slum dwellers. But this woman approached me. Maybe it was the smell of the tacos, or maybe it was her happy voice. ...... Maybe it was the smell of the tacos, maybe it was the happy voice, or maybe it was the way she looked at the hard-working hamster people. ...... It didn''t matter. This step that this woman has taken is a very meaningful and big step. ''Oh, by the way,......, how much is that? The woman asks in a frightened tone again. Seeing the expression on her face, I showed some thought, and then answered. ''Well, I''ll take ......1 and 10Rb. ''I''ll buy it! That was my immediate response. His eyes were a little bloodshot and a little scary. Did he want to eat so badly? But I can''t help but understand his feeling. It is a world where bread is said to be 20Rb. Not only is it half the price, but it also includes meat and vegetables. This is more than enough to make you think, ''This is a good buy! This is more than enough to make you think, ''This is a good buy! By the way, ...... these tortillas are of course on sale at the main store of the Sun Moon Pavilion for 10Rb. ''Okay, you guys!It''s now open for sale to the public! ''''''Wow! Hearing his enthusiasm, the people who had been watching from afar all rushed over. ''''Sell it to me, too! ''''One for me too! ''I''ve got two! The momentum was tremendous. It was even more powerful than the popcorn. Did you want to try it that badly? ............ No, something''s different. ''Big brother. It''s kind of awesome!Tacos are very popular! Loretta says happily, not hiding her surprise. It''s very popular ......, or rather ............ ''Loretta. I''m sorry, but I need you to go back to the sunny pavilion right now and bring me another cart.'' ''Do you want two stalls? ''There''s construction going on in the street ahead. I''ll have to deliver food there as well.'' ''I see. Then should I call Magda-chou for backup?'' ''''I guess so.'''' Loretta and her sisters can''t do the math. Ginette can''t leave the store, so let''s have her call Magda. The store will be a little thin, but it probably won''t be too crowded, so it should be fine. I''m going to send Loretta and her two sisters back to the restaurant to get more supplies for the stall that''s here now, Sunshine Pavilion No. 2. If my prediction is correct, we''ll need quite a lot of them. ''Hey, are you still selling here tomorrow? ''Do you have any other dishes? ''Does ''second store'' mean we can eat at the main store? The questions came in rapid succession. I couldn''t answer any of them because the next question came before I could answer it. Then came the decisive question, and I became convinced. ''You''re not going to raise the price here, are you? I knew it. Because of the floods, prices are going up. The vegetables at Mormat''s farm had also been devastated. The river fishermen''s guild has been unable to fish due to the heavy rains, and the hunting guild has been busy repairing the forest outside the outer wall. Magda has been exempted because of her injuries, but no one has been hunting. Other producers must be in a similar situation. The heavy rains have severely depressed the distribution of food. Without goods, prices will rise. If prices go up, some people will not be able to buy. This is especially true in the 42nd district where the gap between the rich and the poor is extremely large. Many people are probably trying to overcome this food shortage by ''endurance''. As I looked around again, I noticed that all the people crowded around the stalls looked somewhat worn out. ''Hey! I called out to an old man nearby. The man, who was about to bite into a taco, looked at me with eyes like a dog that had been put down. ''How much have the prices of food gone up? ''Oh, ...... so much that I don''t even want to talk about it.'' ''............ doubled?'' ''More like four times. ...... Bread has jumped nearly tenfold in price. ......'' Ten times? That crusty black bread is 200Rb? That''s 2,000 Japanese yen!That''s impossible. ...... In addition to the stagnation of logistics, there are people who want to make a killing at times like this. I remember there were people who came out when the earthquake happened in Japan. There was a guy who was selling rice balls from a convenience store for 1,000 yen. I wonder if there are such people in this city. ............ ''I thought prices would settle down in a week or so, but ...... it seems like the peddlers'' guild doesn''t have any goods, either. ............ It''s going to drag on for a while. There are no goods. It can''t be helped. Mormat would sell vegetables if he had them. But we don''t have them. So many things have gone wrong. ''The stores on the main street have all gone up in price, and we can''t afford it. ......'' The main street is where all the taverns and markets are. Paula the dog-eared shopkeeper''s tavern is also on the main street. Now that I think about it, that tavern must have been a high-class place where rich people gathered. ...... I''m kind of a brave guy for going into such a place with nothing, aren''t I? I know it sounds like a bad idea, but ......''. Holding a taco in one hand, the old man squeezed my hand. Wrinkles etched deeply into his forehead. A pleading look. ''Please, please don''t raise the prices at this restaurant. That''s it! The old man bowed his head. I looked over and saw that all the spectators watching our exchange were nodding in agreement. There were many eyes looking at me like abandoned puppies, as if they were clinging to me. The current high prices seem to have taken a heavy toll on the poor. The piles of unsaleable vegetables piled up at the sunny pavilion looked as if they were being forced upon me. ...... It''s strange how this makes you feel as if you were very lucky. It would be interesting to use the disaster as a seed to blow the whistle on the wealthy who are trying to fill their own pockets. If I go around selling food at unbelievable prices, all the customers will come to me. And the memory of doing shoddy business in a time of disaster will be burned in the minds of consumers, and will haunt them long after normal times return. You should see the pain once. Think carefully about who is supporting the economy of this city. ''Hey!Yashiro~! Such a loud voice calls my name. It''s too cheerful for Magda ....... This voice is ...... ''Delia! ''Yo!I''m here to help you!'' ''Delia-saaaaaan! ''Whoa!What the hell is this guy? Goozuya was the one who screamed at Delia''s appearance. Goozuya seemed to have become a fan of Delia after seeing her in a mini-skirt maid outfit. ''Goozuya, House! ''Hideous!That''s too bad, Yashiro-san! ''Goozuya, House! ''Yes, Delia-san! Ah, ...... another man who has developed a stupid disease. ............ The future of the Torbeck construction company is bleak. ''The little tiger girl said, "...... Magda has to make popcorn," so she asked me to go instead. ''Was that an imitation of Magda? Not enough to give me goosebumps. ''But, are you sure?What about the work of the River Fishing Guild? ''We''ve already finished repairing the river, thanks to the little hams Yashiro sent us. Now we''re free until the flow of the water calms down and we can start fishing! ''I see. Did the little hams help? ''Oh!I would have traded them for Omero. You can''t just throw them away that easily, Omero?You''re the vice guild leader, right? ''Hey, hey, Yashiro ......''. I''d forgotten that Nephrite was still around when the guests came in droves. ''Who is this overexposed, trenchant ...... and lovely woman?What does she have to do with Yashiro?'' Nepheli gave Delia a wary look. ''What''s with the bird? ''It''s not a bird! Well, it is a bird. ''Delia is the guild leader of the river fishing guild with whom we do business, and she''s a part-time waitress at the Sunshine Pavilion. ''She''s Yashiro''s mabudachi! ''Mab ............, I''m a friend of Yashiro''s too!You can''t lose! ''What?You want to play ...... with me?'' ''Stop it, Delia. Nefari is a weak girl. If you try to compete with Delia, ...... they''ll add tandoori chicken to the stall menu. ''What ...... are you doing? ............ I''m ...... pretty weak too, you know? If you were weak, the whole world would be sickly and dying! ''Well, you know. Get along with me.'' ''If Yashiro says so, ....... I''m an open-minded person.'' ''I don''t mind at all, though.'' Then don''t stare at each other. And, Nephrite, don''t work too hard. No one can stop Delia when she''s out of control. ''Big brother, add more! The two sisters came back with a box tray full of tortillas and salsa sauce. They added these to the second store, and the seventh store, which was full, went straight to the next site. ''By the way, where''s Loretta? ''Magda-chou caught her! ''He''s making tortillas! ''Magdacho, the devil instructor! I see. So the stall unit of the sunny pavilion is under Magda''s command. ''How was the store doing? ''Not bad at all! If it''s not so bad, it''s okay. Maybe this stall will bring in more customers. I''ll have to let Jeannette know about that. ''Well, Delia. Can you take care of this stall?'' ''I''ll take care of it! ''Oh, um, Yashiro! Next to Delia''s thumping chest, Nephrite raised his voice with a hint of impatience. ''Let me help you. I''m sure I can be of help! ''Hey, bird.'' ''I''m not a bird! ''Can you do the math? ''..................'' ''Then it''s useless. Delia shrugs, ''Oh dear''. Delia, the leader of the guild, can read, write, and calculate. ''But, but!There''s something I can do, too: ......'' Nefari is about to squeal. ''Cokey! It''s not ....... She''s about to cry. I don''t know what we''re arguing about ............, but wait. ''All right, all right. I''ll leave you two in charge here! ''''What? Delia and Nephrite''s voices came together. Then, they looked at each other and made a horrified expression. ''''Hey, Yashiro......'''' Delia approached me and pulled my arm away from Nephrite. The arm that was pulled forcibly was pulled in and ...... the elbow went to her boob. ............ Mmm. ''I''m fine on my own, okay?Won''t that bird get in the way?'' ''Well, don''t say that, Delia.'' If you''re willing to help me for free, I''m all for it. ''My sisters aren''t used to dealing with customers yet. There may be times when they are unsure of what to do. Children feel more comfortable when there are more adults around. ''But you know, .......'' Delia still looked unconvinced. ''I''ll let her have it. ''Isn''t it also the skill of the ''manager'' to handle the human resources well? ''Oh?I''m the one in charge here? ''Of course I am. Delia is our official waitress. Above all, she has the brains to do the calculations.'''' ''Brains?............ I''ve never received much praise for my brain .......'' ''After all, you need to be smart to be able to handle people well. In that regard, Delia is ......''. I''m sure you''ll be fine.It''s rather easy! It''s so easy. ''Leave it to me, Yashiro!I''m the smart one, and I''ll be able to use the hamster and the bird to my advantage! ''Oh, please. You can count on Delia after all.'' ''Dependable ............?I''m sure she''ll be able to do it.''''''............ Hahahahaha!Alright, hamster!I''m going to sell off everything I''ve got here! ''''''Oh!'''''' That''s it for this one. ''''Hey, Yashiro ......, is that guy really okay? ''''He''s a dependable guy.'''' ''But ...... he seems kind of crass. ......'' Come on, Neffery. Are your eyes holes in the ground? He''s perfectly crass, no matter how you look at him. ''That''s why I need your help. ''What?'' ''Delia is reliable, but she''s a little difficult to deal with when it comes to delicate care and concern for her guests. ''...... ''A little''? ''So, can you please follow up on that?I can only ask Nephrite to do this.'''' ''...... Because, apart from Delia and Hammy, you''re the only one here now. --Don''t say that. ''Wha............ am I the only one you can count on............?'' Estella and the others, they''ve been busy lately, haven''t they? ''All right, Yashiro!I''ll work hard for you, Yashiro!I''ll get along with that big guy! ''I see. That''d be great.'' I''m cool too. I think I could make a lot of money doing marriage scams in this town. ...... Most of all, if you cheat on Delia or Nephrite, ............ you won''t just be afraid of the aftermath, but the aftermath itself will disappear. I''m sure you''re right. ''Well, both of you. Please take care of the rest. ''I''m the one in charge, leave it to me! ''Don''t worry, I''m here to help you! Well, I''m sure they''ll get through this. It''s called friendly competition. ''Hey, little sister. ''What''s up, big brother? But I''ll give you an insurance policy. ''If those two start acting strangely, come call me right away. ''Yes, sir!All right! My sisters are the most trustworthy when it comes to listening to me honestly. ''Okay, then, sisters!Follow me half the time! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' Thus, with multiple layers of insurance, I pulled out of the seventh store of the sunlit pavilion and started walking towards the main street. 51-Episode 49 Old Birds There''s not a soul on the main street. No, not no, but it''s very sparse. ''Hey, bro. There''s no one here. ''That''s right. It seems that this is not just because there are few people wandering around here at noon ......, as most of the residents are engaged in the restoration work of their own homes or workplaces. I walked along the sparsely populated main street with a cart in tow. The construction work is done just beyond the main street. The main street is lined with restaurants and various other stores. In order to treat the wastewater produced by these stores, the sewage system on this street will be built more solidly than others. It would be a big problem if the sewage were to clog or back up here. But ...... Normally, when there is a big construction project nearby, restaurants would benefit from it and become very busy, but ...... they are deserted. It''s strange that none of us go out to the neighboring restaurants, no matter how many bribes we bring. I''m sure they''d like to eat something different once in a while, or drink something different. People in this world don''t have the idea that ''it''s wrong to drink in the middle of the day while working! In this world, people don''t have the idea that ''it''s wrong to drink alcohol in the middle of the day while working''. ...... After all, alcohol is like a substitute for water. When it comes to drinking, drink. It''s the safest thing to drink. Even young children drink diluted wine. But they don''t gulp it down because they get drunk easily. And yet, there is no one. It''s deserted, after deserted ...... And then I saw "Cantalucica" ahead. It''s a bar with dog-eared waiters. I didn''t know the name of the bar until now, because there was no sign of it anywhere on the bar, but one of the carpenters at Torbek''s construction company was a regular customer of the bar. He told me that the name of the store was "Cantalucica". Signs are necessary, aren''t they? For example, if someone says, ''Cantalucica''s sake is delicious! It would be a waste of time to say, ''Where is it? It would be a waste of time if it became ''Where is that? We advertise the name of ''Sunlit Pavilion'' very persistently. Oh, yes. I forgot to mention. My sisters are currently wearing the uniforms I made for the stalls. They have matching dresses, matching aprons, and matching hats. On the apron''s chest is written in large letters, "Sunlit Pavilion. The hat looks like a baggy, loose-fitting triangular hood, a cute modification of the school lunch apron hat. Because cuteness and cleanliness of appearance are important. And the hat has a hole to show the ham ears. They''re not hidden. They''ll never sneak up on me again. Once, when I heard a little girl mutter ''cute'' when she saw her sisters'' uniforms, I wanted to do a gut-punch. That''s why it''s worth staying up all night to make them. I''ve been working hard all night to ...... make cute uniforms for my sisters. More than anything, I was happy to see that my sisters were overjoyed. We all took it in turns to wear the sleeves. Now it''s a kind of status to be able to wear this uniform. The vendors are rotated, though. When we have time to make the clothes, we''ll be able to provide one uniform for each person. ...... But that''s a long way off. ''Hey, big brother!Someone''s down! My sister, who was walking next to me, said while pointing ahead. A girl is crouched in front of a bar called "Cantalcica". Her back is rounded and she is crouched down, her ears like those of a golden retriever hanging from her head. ''Paula? I called out, and the crouched girl slowly raised her head. It was Paula, after all. A hard worker with a lot of energy. She''s the girl behind Cantartica, a high-class bar on the main street (in the 42nd district, that is). Her brown skin and her canine teeth that peek out when she smiles are her main charms. However, the current Paula does not give off such a lively impression. Her cheeks are puffy and dark circles have formed under her eyes. She has her eyes open, but it is doubtful whether she is conscious or not. What the hell happened to her? She looked so lively when she knocked Loretta out. ''................... That''s my brother. Paula muttered in a thin voice that seemed to be drowned out even by the gentle breeze. Oh no, no, no!I feel as if I''m about to disappear at any moment. ''Hey, hey, what''s going on? The last time I saw this guy, he was yelling at Loretta with full of energy. What''s going on with her after only half a month? ''...... Oh, yeah. ...... okay.'' ''You''re not fine at all, by the looks of it.'' ''..................'' Paula''s face twisted into a crumpled mess. Her voice, shaken by tears, was filled with frustration. ''The customers aren''t coming to ........................'' Are you mentally challenged...... is that really all? ''Are you eating? ''..................'' ''You haven''t eaten, have you . ''What do you do when the barman is hungry? If the clerk at the clothing store was naked, you wouldn''t shop there, would you?'' ''............I wouldn''t shop at any store where the clerk was naked.'' ...... Well, I guess that''s true. That was a bad analogy. ''What if the barber is bald? ''...... You can''t help it there.'' What''s wrong?What''s wrong with that? I don''t know why I can''t come up with a good analogy. I''m not sure. If the lady at the restaurant at night had poor breasts,............, it would be different too. Anyway, people in restaurants have to eat their fill to look good, right? ''It''s ............... ......! Paula grabbed her ears with both hands and pulled them down with a jerk. ''............I can''t buy any food,............! Food is in short supply because of the heavy rains. Is there such a shortage of food in the forty-two districts that the stores on the main streets can''t get it? ............ .................. .................. .................. No, that''s crazy. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Then what the hell is the Peddler''s Guild for? ''Are they saying that there''s no food, the peddlers guild? ''............ says it''s due to a disaster. Didn''t you say ............ ''something'' about the effects of the disaster? So, for example, it could be ''I''m sick of working because of the disaster, so I''m going to take a cut of the profits. ''Hey. Your store ...... is called "Cantalcica", right?...... Who do you buy your food from?'' ''Various, but ......''. Are you being forced to negotiate with multiple merchants here as well as at the Sunlit Pavilion? ''Do you know who the representative is?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''If it''s ...... a representative, then it''s ............ Assunto, isn''t it? Assunto. He''s the pig-faced, disgusting merchant I beat back when he tried to buy vegetables from Moormat. He''s the epitome of a money-grubbing, smooth-talking, self-serving man. ''Assunto is the representative of the peddler''s guild branch in this area. So he''s the chapter leader. ............ That''s a nasty chapter. ''By this area, you mean the forty-second and forty-first districts, right? ''Yes. I think it''s up to the 40th district, isn''t it? So, I guess I''m a low man in the peddler''s guild. After all, he''s the branch in charge of the lowest three districts. ''He''s an ambitious man. He''s trying to make a profit and appeal to the headquarters to become the head of the higher district. So he doesn''t hesitate to put profits first. ''But we don''t want to follow all the arguments of the peddlers'' guild. ''Why not?Just tell them off. Don''t be silly.'' ''That''s not true!...... Then the food won''t come in, and the store will go out of business. What kind of ...... is it called the "company animal spirit" or the "slave spirit"? ............ If you have been oppressed for a long time, it will become normal and you won''t complain about the blatant brutality. They must think that ''they are just being conscientious in passing food around''. Does a wolf with its fangs removed become more obedient than a dog? ''I don''t have any food,...... and I don''t have any alcohol,...... and I don''t really want to,......... I don''t really want to ...... ...... ... I was forced to raise the price ...... .............'' It took him a long time to say the word "price hike", as if he had a great deal of resistance to it. The frustration was exuding from his distorted mouth. ''But I don''t want to burden the customers as much as possible! As if desperately pleading with me, Paula sat down and shouted at me. But she quickly toned it down again and looked down. ''Reduce the amount of food we eat, ...... reduce it, ...... send it all to the store, ......... ...We''re just barely making ends meet. ............ We''re not getting any customers. ......... ...The only customer who came yesterday said, "It''s too expensive," as soon as he saw the menu. ............ He clicked his tongue and left ...... He left ..................''. Hugging her knees and burying her face between them, Paula let out a long, shaky breath. ''..................What do you want me to do? ......'' Curled up in a little ball, Paula stopped moving. Maybe she''s crying. I looked over Paula''s head and saw the manager standing silently at the counter. He must have heard our conversation. But he said nothing. ...... No, he said nothing. ...... He just stared at the empty store. A wooden plaque propped up on the counter read "800Rb Wine". Next to 800Rb, the number 300Rb was crossed out with an X. ...... A little less than three times the price increase, huh? Is there nothing we can do about it? ...... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ We have to do something. .................. .................. .................. Oh, no. No, no. It''s not that I''m feeling righteous or sympathetic to Paula, it''s just for me. A con artist is someone who cheats people out of their money. In other words, if the people around you dry up, there is no money left to be made, and the swindler is out of business. You can only get money from those who have it. ...... There are some scammers who target the poorest of the poor. I don''t approve of that. They''re third-rate. No more than an apprentice. Those who can only scam the weak should be ashamed of their low ability and dive from a skyscraper right now. Quit your job, you have no talent. It''s that simple. Which is easier, more reliable, and yields more water (profit): making a hole in the bottom of a bath tub filled with water, or turning over an empty paper cup? The former, without even thinking about it. Scammers who lose sight of such a simple thing and crowd around a paper cup with no water in it are as unnecessary as the loyalty card of a private store you happen to enter on a trip. ...... No, I''m never going back. Anyway, I have a loyalty card that can be used at all stores in the national chain. ...... I don''t know why I compared it to a loyalty card. ...... It''s confusing. I mean! If the people in this town don''t make a reasonable amount of money, I''m in trouble! Specifically, ...... It''s not as if the girl in the high-class bar on the main street is crying in front of the bar. ''Hey, big brother! Suddenly, Paula looked up and leaned in close to me. ''Will you buy me? ''Huh? What''s she talking about? ''I''m a raw girl!I think her face is pretty cute too, what do you think?Don''t you like her? ''No, what are you talking about all of a sudden? ''She has reasonably large breasts! I already checked that a long time ago. ''How about it?Don''t you think it''s worth it? ''Wait, wait, wait!I understand that you''re too hungry and confused, so calm down for a moment. ''I''m serious!I''ll ...... do anything for the store!I don''t care what they do to me! ''Even if you''re okay with it, I''m not okay with it!Look, there''s a bulldog behind the counter with glistening eyes and fangs! Paula''s father is threatening me from behind the counter, emitting a monstrous aura. ...... Don''t talk to me, talk to your daughter! ''Dad, shut up! ''...... Kuh~n.'' ''No, it''s not ''kuhn''!You''re too weak, father! By the way, when you fired Loretta, you did it on Paula''s authority. Isn''t that why the business is getting tough? ''Please!I''ll be fine if you''re my brother! ''I''m not all right!In my hometown, it''s against the law to buy and sell s*x! ''If you have a large amount of money, you can buy food from the peddler''s guild!So, please, .............'' I press my forefinger down on Paula''s mouth as she sobs. When the finger touched her lips, Paula''s face turned bright red. ...... You''re embarrassed by this, but don''t be cocky about buying it. It''s more than that. ''Can you tell me more about it? ''...... What?What do you mean? You can get the ingredients if you pay for them. ...... means that they are still stocked. They''re probably reluctant to pay for it and are driving up the price. Dirty people. I hate people who spare the "8" in a 7-way tie. It''s a good strategy to pass around in a millionaire''s game. I do it all the time. Is that bad? What I''m trying to say is that ...... I don''t think I''m going to like the peddlers guild after all. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how much your store normally charges for food and how much it has increased in price. And let me know if you''ve added anything to your terms in the future. ...... Tell me more about that. ''No, I can''t tell you that!I can''t tell you what I''ve been told ...... that would expose my hand! ''You give us the information, we''ll give you all the tacos you can eat. ''...... Gurgle.'' The sound of spitting rang out loudly, and Paula''s stomach began to chorus in time with it. ''There''s also warm tomato-based vegetable soup.'' ''.................. sizzling.'' ''And while you''re at it, some sweet honey-flavored popcorn. ......'' ''All right!I give up!I give up! Paula, down. ''Hey, big brother. ''We have to go. ''All those construction workers. ''I''m going to be so skinny! My sisters pointed out that I had been waiting for them for a long time, and I remembered that I was on my way to deliver the bribery food. d*mn ......, just when I might be able to get some information ......, I can''t help it! ''Sister!Get me three tacos and a bowl of soup ASAP! ''Yes, yes! I''ll be ready in 40 seconds! Oh, I''m sure Magda taught you that, didn''t she? ''It''s ready! ''Okay! Carrying a tray of tacos and soup, I entered the empty bar. I put the tray on the counter and negotiate with the bulldog-eared manager. ''Here, you can borrow Paula for the day. Of course I''m not going to do anything crazy. Just help me serve some food to the construction workers.'' ''..................'' The owner looked stern and slowly raised his arm. He held up his forefinger and stuck it out at me. ''...... Taco, you want another one?'' ''............Kick''. ...... You''re a nasty old man. So the deal was done, and I took Paula to the construction site. On the way and at the site, I got some information from Paula. I''m not going to go into the details, but roughly speaking, they told me that they had been buying at 1000Rb and now they wanted me to pay 7000Rb. When he refused, he was threatened with the phrase "food production is declining due to the disaster," which is not a judgment of the spirits. ...... It is true that food production is falling due to the disaster. There may or may not be enough stock to meet demand. ...... So, Assunto has set another trap. If you buy food at 20,000Rb this time, you can buy at 3,000Rb instead of 7,000Rb in the future. ...... At first glance, it sounds like a good deal to pay a large sum of money at the beginning, but in the end, the purchase price was still raised. When I pointed this out, Paula said, ''Oh, really?It''s true! Paula''s eyes widened in surprise. ...... Are there only pure-hearted people living in this town? In any case, that''s why I told Paula not to do anything that would earn her a large sum of money. Don''t lower your value by doing so. After I said such a preachy thing, I reflected that I was a bit old-fashioned. ...... ''......Yes, I don''t do that anymore. It''s a good thing that Paula said that honestly. ''Your brother is a good man, isn''t he? Since I came to this town, I''ve often been misunderstood. If I were a good person, the Secret Society of Evil would be treated as a charitable non-profit organization. ''Hey, can I ask your name? ''Yashiro. Obayashiro.'' ''...... Yashiro....... Yeah, I got it.'' The smile on his face was quite cute, and he looked his age. I''m sure he''s in a good mood now that his stomach is full. ............ Well... You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. After distributing the bribes, I needed to walk around the city a bit. In the meantime, I''m going to go to Mormat''s place and any other place where I can ask Delia to ...... help me. Thanks to the work of Paula and her sisters, the distribution of bribes and the sale of food to the general public has been completed. Today''s work is done. The second store that we met on the way back also seemed to have sold out successfully. Delia and Nepheli seemed to have worked together, though they were still a little awkward. My sisters testified to this. ''Yashiro. If you have any problems, you can always tell me!I''m a responsible person and I''ll take care of it. ''Yashiro. If you have any problems, please consult me immediately. I''m reliable and I''ll help you with anything.'''' ''Big brother. I''ll always be there to help you too.'''' ''''Who are you? Delia and Nephrite rolled their eyes at Paula, took a stance, and were a little intimidated. The next thing I knew, we were in front of the sunlit pavilion. Paula was on the main street and Nepheli was on the street beyond. I don''t remember ....... ''Well, I''m going home too. Delia raised her hand and walked away at a leisurely pace. If you only look at her back, she looks like someone who is ''going to meet a strong guy''. ''...... Well,'' she said. If you''re asking if it''s something I should do or not, it''s probably not something I''d do. But I''m trying to act in my own interest. I am convinced that it is in my best interest to do so, and that it will eventually bring me great benefits. Still, I''m a little confused because of the ...... dangers involved, I guess. And it''s not just for me, but the people closest to me that are in the most danger. ...... In the worst case, you might be expelled from the ward. If that happens, I''ll be in trouble with the store, won''t I? I guess I should talk to the manager. ...... ''Jeannette. Do you have a minute?'' ''Yes.'' She takes me in with her usual smile and her usual soft voice. I don''t want you to be in any danger, though. ...... I left the store to Magda and Loretta and came to my room with Ginette. Ginette sat on the couch and I on the bed. We sit face to face and I start talking. I start talking about what I''ve learned today and what I think about it. The actions I''m going to take to back it up, and the risks involved. Then he tells me all about his ultimate goal. Sitting opposite me, Ginette listened to me in silence the whole time. ''............,'' she said. After the long conversation, I quenched my thirst with the lemon water from the sunny pavilion. As I gulped down the glass of water, Jeannette slowly looked up and smiled gently at me. ''I want to support you in what you think is right, Yashiro-san,'' she said. ''You might get yourself into trouble.'' ''I''m fine. Even if I end up getting in a lot of trouble, I''ll be ......''. The soft smile on his face turns into a gorgeous color here. ''Yashiro is here, so I''m sure he''ll take care of the trouble. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... Oh dear. I don''t know how much this guy understands. Well, I''ve got your permission. Then I''ll let you do whatever you want. I''ll shut up anyone who gets in my way. And while we''re at it. It might make life a little easier for the residents of District 42, but that''s none of my business. 52-Episode 50 Main Street Theater One fine morning. I met an old face on a deserted street. ''Hey, it''s been a while. He was walking alone on the main street, and when he saw my face, his expression clouded for a moment. However, he immediately smiled a sales smile and gave me a light bow. A pig-faced man in neat clothes. His name is... ''Assunto. It''s been a while. Assunto smiles, but I can tell he''s wary of me. He doesn''t open his heart to me. Psychologically, it is not comfortable to show your chest or stomach to someone you recognize as an enemy. Therefore, when you go in front of someone you don''t like, you cross your arms or fold your hands in front of your stomach. The same psychology is at work when you pull your upper body back a little. Although he has a smile on his face, Assunto keeps his hands folded in front of his chest. You can say that this is a merchant-like gesture,......, but I guess he''s being cautious because I approached him. I''m not sure what you want from me.I''m sure you don''t have anything special to say to the sunny pavilion that you don''t do business with. ......'' The best way to deal with people who are full of sarcasm is to ignore them at all costs. It''s best not to pay attention to them. ''No, I''ve just overheard something. I heard that you''re in charge of organizing this neighborhood for the peddlers'' guild. ''Yes. Although it''s presumptuous of me, I''m the head of this branch. ......, what about it? I guess it translates to ''Hey, that''s none of your business! Or something like that. ''No, what. If you''re a big man with the title of branch manager, I thought I''d make friends with you. I''m just here to make small talk.'' ''No, no. I''m not much of a branch manager. It''s a useless role that requires me to do chores and be hated.'' ''It''s not like you to be modest, is it? ''Oh, no. Did I seem like an arrogant person to you?If so, I''m a little disappointed. It''s hurtful.'''' Assunto shrugged his shoulders and looked at me with streaming eyes. He seems to be regaining his composure little by little. He looks at me as if he''s trying to figure out what I''m thinking. ''Speaking of small talk, did something interesting happen to you? ''As a matter of fact, I''ve started a food stall. With my lord''s permission, of course.'''' Assunto''s eyes changed color. Had he decided how to deal with me?He seemed to have ''turned on'' somehow. ''Yes. I''ve heard about you. ''You''ve got a quick ear. Or did you know someone who came to see you?A man who looks like a praying mantis? ......'' ''If that''s the case, there''s nothing I can tell you. Excuse me.'' Neither confirm nor deny, huh? A wise decision. But the look in your eyes when you said mantis was a definite affirmation. That there''s a connection between you two. But that''s not the point. It''s over now and the lord has personally warned me. It won''t happen again. More importantly, it was probably just payback for the blow I dealt to Assunto. It was a way for him to vent his anger over the loss he had suffered from the Garbage Collection Guild. It was a threat to him that if he got carried away, he would be afraid of what would happen next. ''Rather than that, I''d like to ask you to do something for me. ''Me, sir? If you want to ask Assunto for a favor, it means that you will be asked for some kind of exchange condition ...... that will be quite disadvantageous to you. You are well aware of that, aren''t you? The question seemed to say. Assunto rolled his eyes and gave a surprised look. ''Do you know a tavern called Cantalcica? It''s a tavern near here run by the father of Paula, the dog-eared shopkeeper. ''Yes. That''s the store I''m doing business with. ''Oh, I see. Then we can talk quickly. Actually, I knew about it because Paula had told me about it beforehand. But the direction is also important in this kind of thing. ''Cantalcica is currently unable to even open its doors due to the high cost of purchasing. ''Disasters are always cruel, aren''t they? ''Can''t we somehow provide them with food? ''I can''t give you a special ...... for Cantartica. The situation is very urgent everywhere. ''Hey, hey. What''s the matter? That''s really not like you. Gently scrutinize his eyes, stare at Assunto, and say. Lower your voice, slowly, and with a lot of sarcasm. ''''Equal for all,'''' he said. ...... You''re not such a pacifist, are you? ''......You seem to be mistaken.'' ''Are you a pacifist? ''I do believe in harmony. It''s a business that depends on its customers. ''Do you want to get along? ''To the extent possible, yes. As expected of Assunto. He avoided making any dangerous comments that could be traced back to the Judgment of the Spirits. ''If it''s not like you, isn''t it like you? ''Me?'' This time Assunto set me on it. ''It seems to me that bowing down for the sake of others is something that you would most likely avoid. ''What are you talking about? I''m a man who always does his best for the people he cares about. Of course, that ''special someone'' is me. Obayashi. The only one. Do you avoid bowing down for the sake of others?Of course not!Why do I have to carry someone else''s burden? But I''ll keep my words to myself here. ''Hmm ......, it seems I''m not very good at you after all. I have no idea what to say to you. ''Heh, that''s ''kindred spirits'', isn''t it? ''............ Hmmm, you''re a funny guy. ''Don''t you think we''d get along? ''No, not at all. It''s rare to be rejected so decisively. Maybe the only one in this town. The only one in this town who would say something like this to my face. ''But you get along with your clients, don''t you? ''That''s a given. Mutual trust is the key to a better business relationship. I believe that trust is the most important thing. ''Oh, ............ trusting relationship or ......'' ''Yes, it is. But unfortunately, I don''t think I can build one with you. ......'' ''Conversation records.'' ''What? When I called up the Conversation Record, Assunto''s eyes widened and the smile on his face disappeared. ''...... What do you intend to do? ''Hmm?No, not really. ......'' Listening to Assunto''s question lightly, I scrolled through the translucent panel that appeared in front of me. Oh, this is being written in real time? That''s new to me. Now, at ......... ''(self-imposed restriction)! Huh? I shouted obscene words that I couldn''t say to anyone, and Assunto blew up in front of me. He''s so dirty. ''What are you doing ...... so suddenly? Assunto raises his crazy voice. On the other side of the room, you can see a few residents peeking over to see what''s going on. If there''s someone shouting banned words in the morning, they''ll come and take a look. They might be dangerous. ''No, I was wondering what would be written in the Conversation Record when someone said a banned word. ............ Oh, look, there are obscene words in there. It''s not like it''s a "self-imposed restriction" or anything. ''That''s true,......, but this is just a record. If there were such a thing as obscenities, the use of obscene words would become very popular, and the Conversation Record would lose its meaning. I see. Using cloak-and-dagger to make a deal. That''s no good. That would negate the whole system of the Conversation Record. Okay, so. I scroll down the semi-transparent panel and stop my finger at a certain point. On it are the following words. "If I scream an obscenity, the mission begins. ''Hey, you, wait up! ''What?What the hell are you doing, man? In the middle of the main street, a girl with droopy canine ears like a golden retriever and a well-built man with a face like a crocodile suddenly started arguing. ............ in a very unnatural baritone voice. ''Oh, you''re sparing us the vegetables, so our tavern is in a bit of a mess! ''Our livelihood depends on it, too. Our livelihood depends on it, and we can''t stand it if you buy them at too low a price! ''But don''t sell it to me at an exorbitant price! ''If you undercut us any further, our guild will be destroyed!So, uh, you guys can, uh, .............'' The crocodile man, who was at a loss for words, secretly glanced at the translucent panel that he kept in his pocket. Then he muttered, ''Oh, it''s rather ......'' and turned his gaze to the dog-eared girl again. ''Rather, you people who are ripping off the profits should buy vegetables at a higher price! ''What?Just let her say it! The girl with the dog ears and the man with the crocodile begin to fight with each other on the signal of the girl with the dog ears. ...... although for some reason the crocodile seems to be very reserved and is only being beaten up by the crocodile. ...... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. Then, a beautiful girl with ridiculously large breasts appears. This is what was written on the clothes of the beautiful girl with big breasts. "Hidamari-tei Honten Cheap!Delicious!So cute! Stir-fried vegetables 20Rb~! Now open for business in District 42! Open all year round! You have to come here!Bring your friends and family!You have to come here! Well, to put it simply, Paula and Mormat were struggling with each other, and Ginette, wearing an advertising shirt, intervened. However, she held a translucent panel in both hands and read aloud falteringly while looking into it. ''Mr. Mo-Mat, that''s a bit unpleasant to hear...'' A ponderous voice with no inflection or pause drifted down the line. And he never looked up, never even looked at the other person. It seems that this guy doesn''t even want to memorize his lines. Yes, the lines. ''...... What kind of event is this? Assunto asks me with a twitchy expression. But I can''t answer that. I can''t. I just keep my mouth shut and look at Ginette as she reads aloud. ''We restaurants are cutting costs to the limit and trying to keep prices from rising. We can''t go any further. The producers are exploiting us. ''Wait a minute! Then the chicken-faced Nepheli, the only daughter of a poultry farmer, gallantly appeared on the scene. ''What you just said is unacceptable!We, the producers, are the ones who are working tirelessly to keep prices from rising!Hey, isn''t that right, Delia? ''Oh, you''re absolutely right...'' Delia responds to Nepheli''s enthusiastic question with an ultra-verbose reading. It seems that Nepheli was interested in this kind of thing, and his acting was very good. The only problem is that the people around her are not at the level of terrible, so she stands out from the crowd and stands out in a bad way. ''We producers make efforts every day, talk with the earth, communicate with plants and animals, and produce delicious food!The deliciousness of our food is the pride of our producers and the cry of our souls! What?What?............ huh?'' Nephrite improvised. Thanks to him, Ginette started to cringe. This script was actually written by me, and I read it out loud in front of the people here. So these guys can check the script by referring to their Conversation Records. They can check the script by referring to their Conversation Record, which contains every line of the script that I read out loud. ''Try the eggs!Isn''t it good?That''s what I''m screaming! No, no, that would be scary. If I hear you screaming from the egg, I won''t hesitate to smash the egg on the floor. ''Oh, what ...... scene are you talking about right now, ......? After this, the confrontation between the producer and the store owner is depicted, and they talk about each other''s hardships. ...... Well, that''s enough. The audience is growing at a good pace. When I looked around, I saw that a lot of people had heard the commotion and formed a crowd. I''m going to have to cut out the middle part of the scene I''ve just created. ...... It''s not right! I uttered the line that signaled the climax. It''s a great performance by a Japanese-trained actor. I''m so proud of myself. ''What the hell is this imitation? You can hear a hint of annoyance in Assunto''s voice. I''m being shown a play that I don''t understand, and it''s difficult to leave the scene because of the crowd. It was quite frustrating to be put in a situation like this without understanding the meaning. But I don''t care!Here''s the important part. Now, if you''re not in a hurry, take a look! Obayashi, the performance of a lifetime! ''It''s funny how prices are going up while the money paid to producers is going down. He looks like a child, but he''s an adult, and he''s a great detective. As a con artist, acting is an essential skill. ''...... Your acting is even worse again.'' What the hell, Assunto?I''m not sure what''s worse about my acting. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Letting out a big sigh, Assunto tried to leave the place. But the crowd successfully blocked his way. ............, or rather, the crowd is lined with familiar faces. In addition to the Hammies, the Yaploks, Omero and the rest of the river fishing guild, there are rice farmers, Homeros, other producers working in the 42nd district, and shopkeepers running their stores. ''...... you guys''. Assunto''s expression tightened slightly, as if he had noticed the faces. Their business partner had just appeared in this fishy trifecta. That must have made him nervous. I''m sure Assunto is thinking this right now. "I''ve been set up. Beyond the collaborators I''d gathered, there were outsiders who''d heard the commotion. No, they''re not outsiders in a sense. So take a good look and listen carefully. ''I talked to a certain crocodile-faced farmer I know. ......'' ''You''re Mr. Mo-Mat, aren''t you? ''No, well, he wants to remain anonymous.'' ''You''re Mo-Matt, aren''t you? ''Don''t pry.'' ''............'' Assunto gives up on saying anything to me and turns his gaze to Mo''Mat. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... He''ll never be an actor, that''s for sure. ''I heard you told them to drop the price of vegetables. ''Yes. ...... Well, yes, I did.'' Assunto slowly turns to me, as if he has made up his mind. The eyes that stared at me were in full battle mode. ''The quality will probably drop for a while due to the effects of the disaster. We can''t expect to get the same price as before. I''ve heard about this in detail from Mormat beforehand. He had been offered a deal with the same conditions as Paula had mentioned. That is, ''The vegetables that we have been taking at 100Rb will be 20Rb from now on. However, if you give us your current stock at 5Rb, we will be willing to trade at 40Rb in the future''. Although the prices are moving in opposite directions, the method is the same. If you lose now, you will lose less in the future (but you will lose either way, right?). Well, perhaps Assunto has made a manual and is making his branch staff do the same thing. There were too many people who were offered the same deal. More than a majority. ''Also, I asked a certain dog-eared clerk who works at a tavern down the street here: ......'' ''You must be Paula.'' ''I wish to remain anonymous.'' ''...... So, what is it?'' Assunto finally understood. It is good manners not to disclose the identity of the informant in such cases. When interviewing criminals on TV, the viewer''s will of ''No, arrest him! is ignored and the identity of the informant is thoroughly concealed. That''s the way it is. ''Didn''t you say that wholesale prices for restaurants will be higher because food supplies have decreased due to the disaster? ''In a broader sense, there is a shortage. ''If you look at the city as a whole, there would certainly be less food. ''Farmers are having a hard time trading vegetables. ...... No, not just the farmers, but the producers as well. When the blame was pointed at Assunto, all the producers looked away and fell silent. But there''s no need to look away. You can''t sell your products at a price where you can clearly see that they are being sold at a discount. It''s the same in every world. There is no need to be ashamed. ''Prices will go up if there are no goods coming in. There is nothing we can do about it. ......'' ...... didn''t say ''we can''t''. He faded out. Then he made a gesture of shaking his head. It is a method that successfully exploits the flaw in the "Judgment of the Spirits," ...... which cannot judge a lie unless it is told. ''It is true that prices will rise if goods do not come in. But, you know, ......''. Because the Judgment of the Spirits is flawed, I have to struggle in these areas. If I could see the spirit gods, I''d have plenty to complain about. But right now, I think we should focus on the enemy in front of us. ''Prices will go up even if we don''t dare to let things come in, right? ''............'' Is that mute affirmation? In short, the value of a thing goes up when it is taken off the market. That''s a given. ''I''ve always wondered about the ...... Peddler''s Guild, which is a guild that can do business ''across the wards'', right?There are many chapters. Assunto stares at me, never averts his gaze. He knows what he''s doing. If you look away from me now, it''s like confessing that you have a guilty conscience. Even if it''s hard, you can''t take your eyes off me. ''Why aren''t the other branches sending us food? The Peddler''s Guild has a network in every district. If there''s a shortage in one of the districts, it''s normal for them to share the surplus. But these guys don''t do that. Why not? ''''Because I''m just a lowly ...... person in charge of the lowest section of the peddlers'' guild. I don''t have a clue what to say to the top management. I can''t stand that kind of organization. A system in which all opinions from the frontline are silenced would be bankrupt. There''s only one reason why there''s no food in the 42nd district. So these guys can make money. But you''ve given us your opinion. I might as well take advantage of it. ''I see. In the 42nd district, prices have risen to the point where restaurants can''t open, and food is so scarce that the residents are starving, but the peddlers'' guild doesn''t have the ears to listen to such trivial matters,......, is that it? ''No, sir.'' ''Well, then, let''s hear your side of the story. ''Once you distribute food products from other districts, they will continue to come in as well. They all want to increase their sales. I''m sure they''ll take advantage of what I''ve done and try to negotiate against me. I''m too lowly to compete with them. As if to elicit sympathy, Assunto shrugged his shoulders and looked like he was about to cry. Of course, there was no way he was going to cry. ''If that happens, the price in the 42nd district will collapse. The producers will be forced to face even greater hardship. After all, better goods are coming in cheaper from higher guilds than here. ......'' Then he pauses a moment and looks at them all with a licking gaze. ''......If you''re okay with that, I''m not ............''. ''I guess it''s the same now. The residents of the forty-second district had shrunk under Assunto''s disapproving gaze. It must have worked so far. He made them understand that they would be disadvantaged even more than they already were, and asked them with a fearless smile, ''What do you want to do? What do you want to do? Those who are in a weaker position are forced to accept the conditions, and the fact that they have made the decision of their own volition makes it impossible for them to argue or protest. But ...... ''Hey, Mo-Mat. How much money do you have in your bank account right now? ''Reserves?There''s no way I have that!Even if I did, it would only be a few sparrow tears. Mormat''s answer was met with approval from those around him. I guess it''s the same everywhere. ''Then I''ll ask all the residents of the forty-two districts here! I open my hands and raise my voice. I ask all those present. ''Is there anyone who is not currently in a tight spot?Are there any of you who are comfortable and satisfied with your present lives? No reply at ................... ''Do you understand, Assunto? In the watery silence, I speak out only for one person - Assunto. There''s only one target. Yes, you, Assunto. I''m gonna ask you a question. Listen to me. And think. ''Isn''t the 42nd district in a state of price collapse right now? ''............ No, it''s ......''. Assunto was at a loss for words. Assunto, who had made his decision without hesitation even when choosing to be mute, was at a loss for words. ''The producers of the Forty-second District are no longer viable. No matter what happens, they won''t last long. Just a few days ago, a man quit the family business, abandoned his family, and tried to become an adventurer. ...... Well, I did my best to stop him, but that doesn''t mean he was extreme in any way. Becoming an adventurer is like becoming a treasure hunter looking for the Tokugawa gold reserves, so to speak. The producers here are in such dire straits that they have to bet on such a small possibility. There is no way their business can last in such a situation. If they lose heart, they will be out of business in no time. ''The producers of the 42nd district can''t do it anymore. Let''s abandon them. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro ......! Mo-Mat tried to bite back at my harsh words. But it was silently stopped by Estella, who was in the right place at the right time. Estella is not going to make much of an appearance this time. She will be supporting me in the background. Mo''amat understood the situation and stepped back silently. Yeah, that''s good. Keep quiet and watch. ''That''s a tough call. Assunto is also a little upset. He probably didn''t expect to be told to abandon them. ''Then why don''t you at least buy food from other districts and save the restaurants and markets? ''Is that because you''re related to the cafeteria?You''re asking me to cut off others to save yourself. ......'' ''Oh, right!I''m sorry, I forgot! Assunto''s words were interrupted by a sudden shout as he was about to express his own opinion. Your turn is still ahead of you. I''ll let you talk more later, so listen to me a little more. ''It costs a lot to transport things from other districts, right?Moreover, based on what Assunto just said, I''m sure they''ll take advantage of us and charge us an exorbitant price!......, no?'' ''............'' ''Hey, Assunto. What do you think?'' ''......Well, I suppose they will.'' Assunto gropes for a future outcome that is probably going to happen. I get it. You''re confused right now, aren''t you?Your eyes are swimming. ''That''s what I mean. You should be prepared to pay three to four times the traditional purchase price,...... but then you won''t be able to make a profit,...... and eventually you''ll go out of business. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry.Well,......, yes. ............ Yeah. Even if you manage to make ends meet, it is inevitable that you will have to raise your prices, and if you raise your prices, your customers will go away. ............ I think it won''t take long for you to go out of business. ''In addition, the producers are unemployed and have no money. There will inevitably be fewer customers.'' ''That would be ...... fatal.'' Paula''s shoulders slumped in a vision of a gray future. ''Huh-uh?But wait! I raise my voice, and Assunto looks at me with a disgusted expression. I continue without regard. ''Hey, Paula. Isn''t it the same situation as now, when you triple the traditional purchase price? ''Yeah, ............, that''s true. It''s the same situation with the heavy rains and the overall poverty of the population. ''If this current situation continues for another month,......, what will happen to your store?'' ''It will go under. Definitely. It won''t last a month.'' ''Ohhhh ...... Oh my god ............'' I exaggeratedly clutched my head and let out a huge sigh. ''Does that mean that no matter which way it goes, the producers and stores will all be out of business in a month? ''No, that''s a bit of a leap, isn''t it? Assunto couldn''t resist interrupting. I guess he wants to put a stop to this. But that doesn''t move the hearts of the crowd who are listening to me. There are no words that resonate more than my words in this situation. ''If we run out of food, all the residents here will have to go to District 41 to buy it. But if we do that, there will be a shortage of food in the 41st district, and prices will rise as well, and the economy will die. Then you''ll have to go to the forty districts to buy food this time. ......'' ''Enough of this!I''m sure you''re trying to incite hostility against me by pranking me with your insecurities,......'' ''What are you talking about?'' I''m going to look you straight in the eye and make it clear to Assunto. ''You''re the enemy, aren''t you? The air freezes. ''............ I see. I see what you mean. A disturbing air drifts from Assunto. The pig''s expressionless face looked eerily like that of a demon messenger. ''Are you trying to push us into a corner by pitting us, the peddlers'' guild, against the producers and business owners? And you want to extract concessions from me?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. Assunto''s body swayed. Assunto glares at Mormat and the others with movements that lack the warmth of life, as if he were a mechanical creation. Ginette and the others surrendered to his gaze and froze in one place with Delia at the center. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to help you out.I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. Assunto muttered to himself, convincing himself. His voice has quieted down, but he seems to be quite pissed off. A vein as thick as a hexagonal pencil appears on his forehead. ''I don''t care. You can stop doing business with us, the people you hate. If you think you''re being disadvantaged, that''s fine!So be it. We don''t mind. If our contract with you is broken, we''ll make a new one with someone else!There are plenty of alternatives!More!I don''t know if there is any organization that can replace the Peddlers Guild for you. This is probably Assunto''s winning pattern. He preaches his superiority and drags the opponent into his field. That''s enough to make any of us cry. It''s the same strategy as when scary older men bring their disputants into their offices. They put pressure on them to make them think that they want to be released as soon as possible, so that they cannot think properly. The only way to break it is to cut off the ''flow'' that he has in mind. ''Trust is the most important thing,'' ......, right? Assunto turns to me with an unconcealed grimace at being interrupted from the side. ''Trust is something you can''t build with a liar, right? ''...... Are you calling me a liar?'' ''There are two main types of lies. Do you know them?The first is ''saying something that is not true'', and the second is ............ ''hiding the truth''.'' ''What do you think I''m hiding? ''What did you think of the play? ''What?'' ''Well, I practiced. Didn''t it move you in some way?'' ''It doesn''t matter now, he''s such a lousy .......'' ''It doesn''t matter if you''re bad at it or not!Didn''t ...... anything come to your mind?'' ''............'' They stared at each other for a moment. Assunto was the first to break. ''...... Nothing, sir. Nothing.'' He averted his gaze and let out a sniffle. ...... So, you didn''t get the message. ''There are two things that the play was about. I''m not sure if anyone else who was watching noticed. I turn to the crowd around us. The next thing I knew, the main street was overflowing with people. It was so packed that I couldn''t see the end of the street. It seemed as if the residents of all forty-two districts were gathered here. ''What a bunch of ...... people who don''t have the heart to enjoy a play. Well, I can''t help it. Then I''ll tell you! I puffed out my chest and began to explain, adding gestures. ''In the play, the producer claims that the food is being bought at the lowest possible price, and the restaurant claims that it is being sold at an exorbitant price. This is a theatrical performance based on facts that I have heard directly from those who are engaged in the work. The MoMats nodded their heads in agreement, as if to say that I was right. The audience seems to have understood this, and whispered voices begin to be heard here and there. This lends credibility to the play. ''The foodstuff bought cheaply is being sold at an exorbitant price. ............ So where did the huge profits go?'' There was a murmur from the crowd. There is someone who buys foodstuffs at a lower price than before and sells them at a higher price. Someone has bought food cheaper than ever and sold it at a higher price. Who is it? ''Hey, Peddler''s Guild. Where do you think ...... disappeared to?'' ''It''s hard for me to say, sir. That was a poor response. Assunto''s words were met with open displeasure by the crowd. Of course they were. The people here are also the exploited. Anyone would be angry if they knew that the current food shortage was caused by the peddlers'' guild cutting out the middleman. And then, when they come to the point where they don''t even have an excuse, it''s like pouring gasoline on a bonfire. ''You''re just making things up! ''Are you sure about that? ''If you don''t trust me that much, fine!I don''t care if you don''t want to do any business with any of those people!A few people can gather together and take out their frustrations on the other party ...... and isolate themselves like that! Quietly, Delia took a step forward. But when I raised my right hand, she stopped me in my tracks. You can''t solve this by force, you know. Well, I''ll leave it to you. ''There''s another thing the play was trying to tell you. This is the one I wanted you to notice. ...... Too bad.'' ''That''s enough. I have nothing more to say, so I''ll leave. There''s a lot of formalities that need to be done. We have to sign contracts with other producers and find stores to distribute our products! There are some people in the 42nd district who live self-sufficient lives. There are also those who are about to open a new store. It may be a threat to attract such people to open new shops, but ...... ''That''s not going to work anymore. ''............ what? He stared at me with a very scary face. So, I dare to give him a generous smile. ''The main theme of this play is ''Good friends are beautiful''. ''I don''t care about the play anymore!That''s enough! ''Beauty is also strength. People feel a kind of awe towards beautiful things. ''I can''t deal with this. Excuse me! As Assunto turned and was about to leave, several men stepped forward to block his path. ''............! Assunto changes direction and tries to walk away again, but this time his path is blocked by another group of men. ''......What the hell is that? These are the producers and sole proprietors who live in the 42nd district. In addition to foodstuffs, there are those who produce cotton, linen, dyes and perfumes. In addition to food, there are those who do business with the materials produced in the 42nd district. This is an important matter for them as well. As we went door to door and talked earnestly with them, they lifted their spirits. I had asked them to gather here today, on this day, at this place, and it seems they have come. People who want to shape the future with their own hands. ''Assunto. You really didn''t see it coming. You really didn''t realize the true meaning of this play. No, the ...... warning! ''A ...... warning? Yes, a warning. This was a warning from the residents of District 42 to you peddlers'' guild. ''If you look closely, it looks like there are a few merchants from the Peddler''s Guild in the crowd. There was a familiar face in the crowd. That''s the merchant I saw at Nepheli''s chicken farm, and that''s the rice farmer who cut off Homer''s rice without hesitation. ''Just in time, all of you listen carefully with your ears closed! I don''t know if the word ''kappoji'' is properly translated, but ...... ''We''re hand in hand. ...... The ''prey'' you''ve been preying on are no longer alone. They''re not individuals. They''re not just weak, exploited beings with no fangs to fight back! The air trembled at the sound of his voice. Like ripples in water, the vibrations in the air conveyed a strong feeling. Silence. Not silence, but stillness. This silence is waiting. My words. The gospel of guidance. Then I''ll tell it!The words you''ve been asking for! ''Hear me!All of you who live in the 42nd district!Do not continue to be weak!Do not continue to be exploited!Raise your fists! The crowd around us became tense and deadly. The frustration and suffering that have been suppressed up until now are transformed into energy and directed outward. ''We must change! I don''t know how to lift it up. ''If you don''t know how to raise your head, I''ll teach you!Let out the frustration that''s clearly in your head right now, as loud as you can!What''s wrong?Do it! '''''''''' oooooohhhh! '''''''' An earth-shaking roar shook the main street. A dizzyingly dense swirl of emotions arises in that place. I''ve got the crowd''s heart, Assunto! ''We are one!We won''t succumb to individual pressure like we have in the past!There are no more weak people here who are afraid of isolation! Assunto, who had been listening to me with a frown on his face, suddenly burst into laughter. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha!So what are you going to do?Flocking together won''t change anything!This time, the crowd will only be isolated! Looking into the faces of each of the surrounding crowd, Assunto began to speak. ''It''s not as if we don''t know what will happen if this district is isolated, is it?We can''t be completely self-sufficient, can we?What about firewood?Is there a lumberjack in District 42?What about meat?From the looks of it, there''s no one from the hunting guild here, is there?What about fish?There''s no one from the Sea Fishing Guild either!That''s not all. There''s a lot of things that make your life possible!It''s outrageous that you can exaggerate a few grievances, make a fool of yourself without reason, and destroy the trust that has been built up over the years!Let me be clear!You don''t have a choice!You people!For the rest of your lives!No matter what!You must continue to cooperate with us and live your lives in this city!If you can''t do that,............, then you''re abandoning your life as a human being. Silence. The momentum that had been building up was quickly subsiding. Assunto looked at me triumphantly and smiled disgustedly. ''I pity all of you who have been inspired by that newcomer. They go around talking about things they can''t do, as if they can, and mislead people''s minds with words that are pleasant to the ear. As a result, what awaits you is a painful, poor, beastly life of ''it wasn''t supposed to be like this''. ...... Come on, wake up. Now, let''s take today with a grain of salt. We''ve all made mistakes. The crowd doesn''t respond. They just remain silent and downcast. ...... at all. ''You really are an idiot, aren''t you? I was too dumbfounded to say anything, but I managed to formulate a few words. ''...... What? ''You can''t even see where you''re at. ''Oh, ......, that''s an interesting point.'' Assunto smiled that repugnant smile of someone who is sure of victory. I''ll get rid of that smirk in a minute. ''It''s you who''s misleading the minds with your palatable words, Assunto. ''It''s an accusation.'' ''Then I''ll give you a special, easy-to-understand translation of what you just said. ''Oh, let''s hear it. ''The point is this, right?''Don''t get any wiser, and keep on being exploited. ''No, sir.'' ''No, it''s not. You''ve just been changing the subject and covering up your own guilt. ''You''re a bad listener, .......'' ''If you destroy what you''ve built up, you won''t be able to make a living, will you?'' ''...... You''re probably right.'' ''If that''s the case, then why is the Sunlit Pavilion still in business?'' ''That''s because you created a strange guild ......'' ''That''s right!I created it, a new possibility!In my country, we have a word for that. ''Innovation''. Without innovation, defensive companies will decline and disappear in the not-too-distant future. It''s the same for cities and countries. ''Innovation opens up the future. Magda!Loretta!'' ''...... We''ve been waiting for you.'' ''Come on, everyone!You have to try this!Once you try it, you''ll be addicted to it, it''s a candy from dreamland! With my call, Magda and Loretta handed out honey popcorn to the crowd, vendor style. The expression "sweets from dreamland" seems to fit them perfectly. ''It''s made from what the peddlers'' guild once branded as ''worthless trash''. While I''m explaining, people are shouting ''delicious'' all over the place. ''And look at this! Nepheli shouted at the perfect time. What Nepheli was showing us was a large pile of eggs. There are nearly fifty of them. ''These are all the eggs that were picked this morning!The chickens that laid them are birds that used to be ''trash'' because they couldn''t lay eggs anymore. The crowd rolls its eyes and stares at the mass of eggs. ''He saved us!He saved lives that should have been disposed of as garbage! Nephrite has guts, and he''s good with words. Maybe she''s good at this kind of thing. Maybe one day she''ll be a great actress. ''To borrow Assunto''s words, these are the forms of "the future that wasn''t meant to be" brought about as a result of being seduced by the palatable words of a newcomer. Should they have been disposed of as ''garbage''? ''............'' Silence. Assunto won''t say anything. Then I''ll fold. ''We have ''potential''. We''re not guaranteed success. Nothing is. There are no absolutes in this world. There are no absolutes in this world. ...... But we all have the equal right and freedom to walk towards the future we want. Everyone closes their mouths and opens their eyelids to see what happens. This is the turning point of the 42nd district. ''You''ve created a system that makes it impossible for the hard-working residents of this city to live properly. ............ Hey, Assunto. I''m going to throw out the words that will ''work'' best for the people of this city. ''Do you think the spirit gods will forgive you for what you''ve done? A murmur goes up. The Goddess of Spirits is worshipped by most of the humans here. No one believes that she would leave her suffering people to die. That''s why everyone here must be thinking, ''The Spirit God would never allow such an atrocity. ''Those of us here have a choice. This was the exact opposite of what Assunto had said earlier. ''You can continue to do business with the peddlers guild and become nothing more than livestock, or you can sign up with the ............ garbage collection guild and feel the innovation firsthand. ......'' This is it!I spread my arms wide and look up to the heavens, asking in a high voice. ''What do you guys want to do? '''''''' ohhhhhhhhhhh! A beastly yell rises. It''s not an answer, but it''s enough. The expression was completely gone from Assunto''s face. Assunto must have known which way the crowd''s mind was turning. ''So. What do you say, Assunto?Do you want to accept our terms and continue trading or do you want to ...... reduce your sales in the 42nd district to zero? A bead of sweat trickled down Assunto''s cheek. No matter how strong he tried to be, he would never be able to reduce the sales to zero. There was no way Assunto, who was in charge of the lowest branch, could report to the top that there was no profit. That''s him. He must be thinking of making a profit to get ahead and get into the center. He can''t afford to have his career damaged by this. ''............ I understand. Finally, Assunto broke down. ''Let''s keep the deal at the same price as before. ''You still don''t get it, do you? ''............What?'' What?'' He made a blank face. The existing amount is already an unequal contract for exploitation. ''You are not in a position to ''continue the deal''. You are in a position to accept all of our conditions and ''manage to keep the deal''. Assunto has been evading the core of the matter, but I''m not so naive as to let him get away with it. Here and now, in front of the crowd, I''ll make it clear. From now on, you must trade at a ''fair price''. And change the current system of having a different merchant for each item and reduce the fees. Lastly, and this is the main one, ...... will continue to disclose the percentage of margins earned by the merchant guilds for years to come. ''What? ''If you swear to accept the above conditions, I''ll let you continue your business. ''All of this is absurd!In particular, it is outrageous to expose ...... trade secrets to the public, such as disclosing the margin ratio! ''Otherwise, you''ll be exploiting us again.'' ''............! What does it mean to disclose the margin ratio? To put it simply, ''I bought the food for XXRb and sold it for a??a??Rb. It means to disclose the details of the profit. This will prevent unjustified buying and reluctance to sell, and will guarantee the original value of the foodstuff. If any injustice is discovered, we can use the suspension of trade with the peddlers'' guild as a weapon to negotiate. ''............ Don''t get carried away.'' Assunto''s voice has changed. The catcalls of the past have faded into the shadows, and a muffled voice leaks out, like lees stirring in the darkness. ''I''ll show you what happens when newcomers anger ...... me! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the web site and find out more about it. It''s a ''Judgment of the Spirits'' stance. ''I''m sorry. I''m not lying to you.'' ''......, so what?There are many ways to do this. For example, .......'' With that, Assunto pointed the finger he''d been pointing at me at Jeannette. ''How about that careless young lady? It''s possible that she''s made some gaffe that I''m not aware of. I can''t be too tough here. ............ ............ and you think I''m going to think that, don''t you? ''Go ahead and do it. ''............ Are you sure?'' ''Yeah. But .......'' Now I extend my arm and point my index finger at Assunto. ''...... if you can, that is.'' ''Hmmm ......, that''s not a threat.'' Assunto says with a triumphant look on his face. ''Unlike you, I''m careful about every word I say. I will never turn into a frog. I''m absolutely sure. If you think I''m lying, try me.'' He is fully armed and ready to catch his opponent off guard. I suppose that''s Assunto''s way of fighting. It is a simple, cowardly, but effective and formidable strategy. But, ...... after all I''ve just taught you, ...... There are no absolutes in this world. In the event you''re not sure of what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. ''............? I''m sure you''re confused, but Assunto took a step back. However, the finger pointing at Assunto is also aiming at me from behind. I removed my finger from Assunto and spoke to him head-on. ''You''re certainly smart. I know you''ve been choosing your words carefully so as not to fall foul of the Judgment of Spirits. And perhaps your plan is working. But ......''. Assunto is good at playing to his opponent''s strengths. He''s good at bringing out the worst in people. That said, he has one serious flaw. ''Is it consistent? ''Se, igyo, seisei ......?'' The conversation I had in front of Mormat to avoid telling a lie, and the conversation I had in front of Paula to avoid telling a lie. Is there any contradiction between the two? One on one, you may not be able to turn Assunto into a frog. But if there is a clear contradiction in Assunto''s statement, ............ how will the spirit gods judge it? ''You''ve cast a stupid spell that can only be used for evil. You should give the spirit gods a death-defying hardship once in a while, right? ''Well, no way. ......'' ''''From now on, all of us here will cast the ''Spirit Judgment'' on you at once. After the pale light that envelops that whole body disappears,......, will you really be able to look the same as you do now? Assunto''s whole body began to tremble visibly, and a large amount of sweat began to wipe from his forehead. ''What''s the matter with you?You''re absolutely sure of yourself, right?If so, why don''t you take the ''Judgment of the Spirits'' with an open mind and a straight face? As if to push Assunto further into a corner, he unleashes his words. The more good you are, the more hesitant or guilty you are, the less likely you are to use it even if you are in a position to. Just as you can''t pull the trigger on a gun unless you have a lot of determination. Then it''s up to me to make you pull the trigger. ''Come on, guys!Let''s go!Let''s go to ......! ''Wait, wait!No, wait, please!I''m right here! Assunto got down on his knees. His limbs are shaking so badly that I think he''s gone mad. He probably won''t even be able to stand up for a while. ''All right!I''ll do everything you say!I''ll accept all your conditions!So please don''t do that! Assunto conceded defeat. We''ve won. I raised my right arm high in the air and the crowd cheered. from the crowd. A sing-songy hubbub swept through the streets. The world, which had been at a standstill, began to move all at once, becoming dizzyingly vivid with color. ''Yashiro-san! Ginette jumps at me. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... paiots, kaidee. And. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. With my voice, the boisterous voices ceased. ''Assunto. ''Yes, .......'' ''Also, I have something to say to all the residents of District 42. Everyone in the room looks at me. This is what we have to do here and now. If you neglect this, you risk starting a chain of resentment in the future. There will always be repercussions for breaking the thread of tension that has held us together for so long. I have to take responsibility for preventing the worst of them. ''One last thing, I want us all to sign a contract. To prevent a chain of resentment from starting. To make the future life positive and bright.'' With that, I announced the contents of the contract. ''Assunto. You and your peddler''s guild are not to use the Judgment of the Spirits on any of us who are based in District 42. ''...... huh? ''In exchange, the residents of District Forty-two who are here now will not use the Judgment of Spirits on Assunto.'' There was a murmur. They must be anxious, as if their only and most powerful weapon had been taken away. Even if it takes a great deal of determination to use it, there is no substitute for the peace of mind that comes with it. However, if they don''t do this, there will be a battle of "Judgment of the Spirits" in the 42nd district. Once you become a frog, your life is over at that moment. I don''t want such a tragic situation to happen because of this quarrel. ''Of course, if you lie to me because you can''t use the Judgment of the Spirits, I''ll have you thrown out of court. Suppressing the Judgment of Spirits on both sides isn''t for new sparks. It''s for the sake of peace. ''Swear to me, will you? ''.................. I''ve thought it over, and it doesn''t seem to be a contract where either side is at a disadvantage.'' ''Of course . Trust is the most important aspect of doing business, right?'' ''Hmmm ...... I may have misunderstood you ...... although I would hate you if I saw you as someone who interferes with my interests. If you look at it this way, with an impartial eye, ............ you may be a very good person.'' ''Stop it. It''s not my style.'' ''...... Sure. Hmmm. ............'' Assunto tried to stand up, but his knees didn''t seem to be strong enough and he only turned his face towards us. ''I''m sorry to be dressed like this, but ............ I''ll accept that contract.'' ''Thank you.'' He shook hands with Assunto. Then he turned his head and asked the crowd around us. ''Are you guys okay with that? '''''''' ohhhhhhh! Now the deal is made. There will be no frog fights of hatred. Thus, the battle between the peddler''s guild and the residents of the 42nd district, which had been waged on the main street, came to an end in peace. The peddlers'' guild will start trading at a fair price, and the residents'' lives will be improved. Perhaps the Garbage Collection Guild will not be needed anymore. Maybe the surplus of vegetables will no longer be a problem for Momat and his family. ''Yashiro''. The sun is going down and it''s getting dark. We returned to the sunlit pavilion and had a big party. Each of us brought our own ingredients, and Ginette cooked them. They also brought in alcohol, and the party developed into a riot. Estella came to me while I was sitting outside in the breeze. Her cheeks were a little red. Her cheeks were a little red, perhaps she had had a few drinks. ''Well done. Nothing to say about that.'' ''Are you drunk?It''s unusual for you to praise me so honestly. ''You''ve worked so hard. You should praise her once in a while.'' Estella pats me on the head. She seems to be a little drunk after all. ''Now the gap between the rich and the poor in the Forty-two districts will be considerably reduced. You''ve done a great job of cutting into something that no one has been able to touch for decades. ''It''s in my best interest to do so. ''Hmm ......, I''ll take that as a yes.'' Flapping her hands over her flushed face, Estella turned her chin upward. She squinted her eyes, seemingly comfortable in the blowing wind. ''Oh, by the way...'' ''Hmm?'' There was something I had been meaning to ask you. So, I''ll ask it now. ''It''s been almost three months since I came here. ''It''s already been that long. Every day has been so lively that it has flown by. ''If you live in the 42nd district for three months, they''ll register you as a resident, right? ''Yes, that''s right. Leave the formalities to me. I''ll prepare the documents myself. Oh, but the signature at the end must be in your own handwriting, so please take care of that. ''I see. Okay. ''Well, in a few days, you''ll finally be a resident of the forty-two wards of ..................... ...Aah! As if she noticed something, Estella jumped up and looked into my face. ''Conversation Record! And then she hurriedly began to look something up. ............ Hmm... ''Aaah!I knew it!'' Raising her eyebrows, Estella showed me a translucent panel and thrust it at me. The following words were written on it. In exchange, the residents of District 42 who are present now will not subject Assunto to the Judgment of the Spirits. That''s what I said. Taking advantage of these words, the people present made a contract. ''You''re not in this category because you''re not a resident of District 42 yet! You guessed it! That''s right, Estella! The residents of the 42nd district who are in this place right now can''t apply the Spiritual Judgment to Assunto. But that doesn''t apply to those who weren''t there at the time, or to those who weren''t there at the time. And since the contract clearly states that "the residents of the 42nd district who are present in this place now", even if those who were not present in that place become residents later on, they will not be bound by this contract! What''s more! The contract that Assunto made him swear to is that ''your peddler''s guild will not use the ''Judgment of Spirits'' on anyone based in the 42nd district in the future'', so Assunto can''t use the ''Judgment of Spirits'' on me. I can cast the Judgment of Spirits on Assunto, though! ''............ you are.'' Estella looks at me with a grim expression. Well, don''t worry about it. It''s insurance, insurance. If Assunto goes crazy and decides to bring in someone else to destroy the 42nd District, we''d better have someone on our side who can use weapons, right? That''s why I dared, I dared. The breeze was nice, the voices in the cafeteria were happy, and I felt good. It had been a really good day, I thought as I closed the day. 53-Anecdote 1 What I Can I Do It was a pleasant and peaceful morning, just like any other. ''Ginette. I heard that the fabric has arrived at Ukrines'' place, so I''m going to pick it up. Mr. Yashiro says to me, carrying a large bag on his shoulder as he works in the kitchen. Ukrines is the proprietress of a sheepfolk clothing store on the main street. She is very excited about making pretty hats for Yashiro and Loretta''s sisters. You really are a very kind person, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''I''ll be back soon, but if I''m running late, you''ll have to pay for it. ''What?What is it, Yashiro?I don''t understand the second half of the sentence. ......'' ''Pikkorororun~n! ''Yashiro-san! ''............ Kyu''. Yashiro-san let out such a small sound and fell to the floor in an upright position. There was a violent crashing sound as if his skull had been cracked, and he stopped moving. ''Yashiro-san! ''............ too.'' ''What should I do? ............ Yashiro is a bit cute! ''Manager, please calm down! ''...... Yashiro, not feeling well. You need to rest.'' ''Yes, that''s right!I''m going to put Yashiro to bed in his room. With Magda''s help, I took Yashiro to his room and laid him on the bed. His forehead is sweating and he seems to be in pain. He seems to have a slight fever. Mr. Yashiro has been working very hard these days. In order to improve the lives of the residents of the forty-two wards, he has been visiting people and talking about many difficult topics. ............ ''Yashiro-san .................. is a kind of wisdom fever.'' ''...... Do you think I''m an idiot? ''Ya, Yashiro-san!Did you notice me?'' ''Oh. I''m just a little dizzy, don''t worry.'' ''No, no. You''ll have to sleep the rest of the day. ''I don''t think so. I''ve got Ukrines waiting.'' ''I''ll ask Magda to go and get it for you. ''Besides, I''m just a wanderer who wants to become a pirate king and collect seven dragon balls, that I do. ''Yashiro-san!Are you okay? ''I haven''t seen the afterlife yet! ''Let''s go to sleep!My consciousness seems to be cloudy!Please rest well for the rest of the day! Yashiro-san is in trouble! I have to take responsibility for taking care of him! First of all, ...... ''That''s right!Medicine! There are medicines in the sunny pavilion, so you can choose the one that will work for Yashiro. .................. I can''t choose the medicine. ...... It''s always Mr. Yashiro who examines you and selects the appropriate medicine for you. Can I choose the right medicine?If I give you a strange medicine and something happens to Mr. Yashiro, .................. ''I''m going to die! ''...... Live, you''re beautiful............'' ''Huh!Ya ............ Yashiro, sir?You''re sleeping .............'' Now is your chance! There is no time for hesitation anymore! It''s a good idea to go to Regina-san and ask her to sell you some medicine! Regina-san should be able to prescribe the right medicine for you! ''Wow, he''s collapsed... ...... I''m surprised. Regina rolled her eyes behind her glasses in surprise. It''s true that Yashiro is always energetic and dependable, so I didn''t think that he would collapse. ''Even the virus can be fooled and make the virus sick. ''...... indeed, not to that extent.'' What kind of image do you have, Yashiro-san? ''So, I was hoping you could sell me some medicine. ''Alright, leave it to me!I''ve got some really interesting ...... medicines that work really well, and I''ve got a few of them. ''Are you so sure about ......? ''I don''t care, I don''t care!Instead, let me hear your reaction to it later. ''Reaction ......?Yes, yes. I understand! ''Well, which medicine do you think would be best for me ......, like this ''not-so-good-but-very-bitter medicine'' or this ''medicine that works really well but has a side effect of making you talk like a b*tc* for a certain amount of time'' ......!I''m too excited to choose! Regina is seriously choosing some medicine for me. You can feel Yashiro''s popularity even in this way. You are amazing, Mr. Yashiro. So I came back to the sunny pavilion with some medicines. ''Hey, Yashiro?You''re awake?'' ''Ah. I went down to the cafeteria and Loretta told me to go back to sleep. I just came back. ''I''ve given you some medicine, so please take it. ''It''s just overwork. Don''t worry. ''Then please take your medicine to give us some peace of mind. ''............ All right. d*mn, they''re all .......'' That''s right, Mr. Yashiro. It''s because you are an essential part of everyone''s life. ...... Of course, for me too. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''You can''t take it! The medicine was thrown away. ''...... Regina, do you have ...... any other medicines?'' ''Yes. This is the ''medicine that makes you move in interesting ways when you drink it''.'' ''What''s that for? ''And this is ''a medicine that makes you smile half the time due to side effects, but in return, your whole body starts smelling like a crab''. ''There''s nothing but side effects, that medicine! ''A drug that makes you think that whatever you eat is not real''. ''It''s annoying and troublesome!I want to tell you to shut up and eat! ''A drug that makes you feel a microcosm in your mind'' ''You''re getting carried away, Regina! Mr. Yashiro is not convinced. ...... But there is one last medicine that Regina-san entrusted to me. ''Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Then give it to me from the start! But he said, "When I get angry," so I went to ...... ''Well, here it is. ''I hope you got this right.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Yes. It''s a mild, easy-to-take medicine that works well for physical ailments. ''...... I wish they''d do that for all medicines. Mr. Yashiro picked up the medicine and opened the package. There were words written on the wrapper. It seems to be a continuation of the description. The medicine that Yashiro holds in his palm is a little large, black and thick, about three centimeters in diameter. Yashiro picked up the cold water to drink it. As soon as he did... "Please don''t do that, Payapaya~, don''t touch me so carelessly~, Payapaya~. The medicine popped! And then he stood up and wiggled his hips. The medicine stood up and began to sing in a strange voice while wiggling her hips. With a start, I picked up the wrapper and read aloud the sentence written on it. ''But beware, if you try to take it, it will start singing in an irritating voice and dancing in an irritating way. ''Isn''t there any decent medicine? Oh, no. The wriggling black potion was knocked to the floor by Yashiro and transformed into a gel-like object that I don''t know what it is. ...... It''s a shame, because it was a little cute. ''I''m going to bed. I''m going to bed. I''ll be fine after I sleep. ''Yes, sir. I''ll go now. Good night.'' ''............ Hey, Jeannette.'' I was about to get up and leave the room when Yashiro called out to me. ''Yes, sir. What is it?'' ''Thanks for the ...................'' I squirmed under the covers, my back still turned to him, but ............ it made me feel very content. ''Yes. I decided to take care of Yashiro in any way I could, without resorting to medication. First, let''s make something warm and invigorating for him when he wakes up. 54-Anecdote 2: Save money, We''re in a bit of a pickle here. ''Miss Estella. Where are you going? ''I''m here, Natalia. ''Ah, there you are, .......'' Clang!--There''s a heavy thud. ''...... Natalia, are you okay? ''........................ I''m fine. I don''t have a shin. ............ You''re being very patient. She probably hit the table with her shin. That''s understandable in the dark. This is my private room in the lord''s mansion. It''s a decent size, but there''s a lot of stuff. Natalia has been nagging me to organize my things, but I should have followed ...... her advice. I don''t even let Natalia touch the inside of my office because I work better when it''s a little messy. This is the only area that is completely private to me. It all backfired on me at ....... ''I''m perfectly fine with it, but ...... I''m sure a lot of stuff will be missing from your daughter''s private room in the near future. ''I''m sorry!I''ll clean up properly next time, just please don''t throw it away.'''' Natalia was serious. ...... You must have been in a lot of pain, Sune. Now, the reason why this is happening is because ...... it is night time. And if you want to add a little more ............, it is because there is no light in our house right now, no, we cannot light it. There is no money in the house now. ''Let''s sell it. Let''s sell everything in this room.'' ''Wait, Natalia!There''s a lot of important stuff in here! ''I''ve been a little troubled by the young lady''s collecting habits. Let''s sell everything that''s worth something! ''No, you can''t!There are rare knives that are priced at a premium! I often like to buy knives that I have managed to negotiate with vendors in other countries, and folk artifacts from other countries. I often like to buy such things. I can''t believe he would sell them. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for him. ''............''. Yes. It''s because of Yashiro that we have so little money. No, it''s not because of Yashiro. In fact, I''m even grateful to Yashiro. ...... The cost of the revitalization project that Yashiro pushed for in the 42nd district was to be borne solely by the lord in charge of the district. To be honest, it''s a bit too much for our family, which doesn''t have that much money to spare. But ...... The cheers, the smiles, the energy ...... of the people who were inspired by it made it impossible to say anything. That''s the look I''ve been looking for for years. Thanks to Yashiro, the 42nd district will be reborn. It''s going to cost a lot of money. That''s why we''re doing this, saving as much as we can. ...... ''Oh, this knife is going to fetch a good price. ''No, you can''t!Not that one!I don''t care what else you can get for it! ...... Poverty is hard. When the sun rises at dawn, we wake up and start working. Since there is no light during the night, we have to get our work done while there is still daylight. We go to bed early and keep working as long as the sun is up. That''s what I''ve been doing these days. ...... So I haven''t even eaten Jeannette''s breakfast at church. ............ I wish I could eat Jeannette''s breakfast. ''Miss. Breakfast is served. Natalia comes over to me with a plate. Since my priority is work, I eat in my room instead of the dining room. This is quite shabby. The large plate is covered with a silver cloche. Under the dome-shaped lid is the usual menu. Crusty bread and salty cheese. The ham was gone from ...... the day before yesterday, so it must be just bread and cheese. I sighed at the disappointing breakfast. This is the level of a lord. ''I don''t feel like eating. ......'' ''You shouldn''t. Your health is your capital. Please eat even if you don''t want to.'' ''...... I understand.'' Overcome with persuasion, I decide to have breakfast. I''m tired of seeing the same old bread. ........................ What? On the plate was an unfamiliar grass with dirt on it. There was nothing else on the plate. ''...... What is this?'' ''It''s some kind of grass.'' ''...... What''s for dinner?'' ''Here.'' ..................Oh, god ...... ''This is edible, right?'' ''............'' No! ''How do I eat it? ''Try your best to eat it.'' I asked her how to eat and she gave me a mental reply! ''Miss ......, there''s nothing in this world that you can''t eat, right?'' ''Yes, there is!There''s a lot of it! This mysterious grass belongs to a particularly suspicious category. ...... Ah, it smells like grass! I''m not going to do it anymore.I''m not going to be a nobleman anymore!I''m not going to be a lord anymore, I''m going to be an employee of the sunshine pavilion and live a modest life! ''Don''t be such a spoiled brat, child.'' ''That''s right! I was about to argue, when a package was presented to me. The cubic shape of it was the lunch box used at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''...... What is this? ''I thought it was time for your daughter to reach her limit, so I took the ...... liberty of asking ''him'' for advice.'' ''...... to Yashiro?'' ''Yes, sir. I did, and he said he would provide breakfast if I came early in the morning to pick it up.'''' ''You''re lying!There''s no way Yashiro would say such a thing!There must be something behind .......'' ''Then I''ll return it to you. If you don''t eat it, the contract is null and void. As soon as she said that, Natalia turned to leave the room. She left a mysterious weed on my desk. ''Wait!All right!I''m sorry, let me eat my lunch! I was at my wits end. If I failed to eat that lunch now, I would lose something important as a human being. I felt that way. ''Is that so? ''At ......, does that mean I have to sign a contract, or am I going to be forced to do something after this? ''No, sir. There was a personal item of mine that he was interested in, so I decided to trade him for it. ''With Natalia''s personal belongings!Are you sure about ......?'' ''Yes, it was very important to me, but ...... I would not trade it for your daughter''s health.'' ''Natalia ..................'' I was on the verge of tears, but I had one concern. ''............Not pants, are they?'' ''The idea is obscene, young lady.'' No, it''s Yashiro. ...... ''So please don''t mind me, miss, and have your breakfast.'' ''...... Thank you, Natalia. I''m going to take your word for it. When I opened the lid of my lunch box, I could smell the aroma of Ginette''s homemade cooking. Ah, ...... is still good. As soon as I took a bite, all the tiredness and hardships I had experienced so far were swept away. Now I can work hard again. ''By the way, what was that thing you gave to Yashiro? If I could have gotten a replacement, I would have given it to him. ''A notebook. ''A notebook? ''Yes. My treasure, where I secretly wrote down Miss Estella''s lovely bedtime stories. It''s a collection of Estella-sama''s naked sleep-talking - spoiled brat remarks. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it.You wrote that? ''Yes.'' ''It''s not ''yeah''! ''I was reluctant to let it go, but he told me, "Well, if you read it out here, you can always check it in the Conversation Record," so I decided to accept the deal. ......'' ''You read it out loud? ''Yes. For example, ......, ''I love it when someone squeezes me,'' or ''If you''re mean to me, I''ll cry. ''You''re lying!I didn''t say anything like that! ''You talk a lot in your sleep, don''t you, young lady? That''s the first time I''ve ever been told that,............?That''s right! I''m not going to be able to do this!I have to go get it back now! ''But your daughter has already eaten her lunch. ''I''ll pay for it!I''ll buy it as usual! ''We don''t have that kind of money in the museum! ''I''ll pay for it myself! ''And since I read it out loud, I''m sure it will be recorded perfectly in his Conversation Record. ''Noooooooooooo! ''Now that you''ve finished your meal, you can get on with your work. ''Moooo ?????????????????????!I''m poor! For a while after that, I locked myself in my room and immersed myself in my work. ...... I couldn''t very well show up at the sunlit pavilion. 55-Anecdote 3 Late Night Noise That morning, the floor of our ...... house fell out with a loud bang. ''Oh, it''s ............ unbelievable .......'' ''Loretta sister, there''s a hole! ''The floor is gone, Loretta sister! My little brothers and sisters gathered around me as I told them the obvious truth. The house is decrepit and damaged by the heavy rains. In addition to that, my parents'' violent ...... repeated day after day, no, this is fine. Forget about it. Anyway, all these accumulated damages came to bare their fangs all at once here ...... and the floor of our house fell out in pieces. The walls, roof and pillars were quickly reinforced by Umaro and his team. ...... They were planning to rebuild the house as soon as the new housing complexes were completed, so the repairs were not that sturdy. Many of my younger siblings have moved out of the family home, as they have been offered housing at workplaces such as construction companies and farms. But my younger siblings, my parents, and I were still living at home. ............ What should I do ............. ''Then you should stay at my house for a while. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. Moreover, he arranged for my younger siblings to be taken care of at the church. I feel relieved now. ...... What, my parents? They''ll be fine. I''m sure they''ll be able to sleep anywhere. ...... Or rather, they won''t be able to sleep tonight anyway. ...... No, please forget this too. That''s why I''m staying at the Sunlit Pavilion from today. There is only one vacant room on the second floor of the hotel, and I''m going to use it. Of the three rooms in a row, the one on the northernmost side is my brother''s room and the one next to it is Magda''s room. I''m renting the room next to it, on the south side. It''s an empty room, but please bear with me. ''Not at all, Mr. Manager!I''m just happy to have a bed! In my house, it''s normal for someone to be there even though there''s nothing, so this room with a bed and no one around is like paradise. In addition, there are no drafts or huge wild animals like in the room where I used to live alone. This room is amazing! ''...... Ah, .................., the smell of straw... ...'' I could die tomorrow ...... for this luxury, but I have no regrets. The bed is so soft. ............ I''m going to be a child of this house! ''Mmmm ............ I''m so excited I can''t sleep ............''. That''s how I felt for a few hours, enjoying the soft bed. When it was late at night and the world was silent,......, I heard a faint noise. It must have been about three hours since I left you all and went into my room. ...... You should all be asleep by now, but ............ I hear something in the hallway. I can hear something in the hallway. ...... Is it a thief? If it''s a thief, we''re in trouble. I, as a housemate, have to protect the valuables of the Sunlit Pavilion! ............But I''m still a little scared, so ............I''m going to open the door. I''ll be there. In order to avoid being noticed,............ softly,............ softly. ........................ ''What? I almost screamed. I''m really impressed with myself for holding back! ''......What are you doing ............ ''together'' ......''? In the hallway, there were my brother and Magdacho. The two of them are talking in front of Magdacho''s room. Magda-chou is facing away from me, so I can''t see his face, but I can see my brother vaguely by the moonlight. I have good night vision, so that''s all I need. ''...... You have a very kind face, big brother. ............'' I''m not sure if anyone can hear me or not, but he''s whispering to Magda. Aaah!I stroked your head!He started to fuzz my ears! You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. After a few minutes of conversation, the Magdacho nodded his head and ...... his brother laughed with a very happy look on his face. ...... What is it?I''m not sure what you''re talking about. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m going to take you into my brother''s room! Are you going to do something violent like my parents? No, no, wait a minute!He''s passing through the room! Outside?Outside? I''m not sure if that''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life. ............Don''t, don''t, don''t, what should I do? You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. But if you step in at the wrong time,........................, you can''t! I can''t help you! I crawled into bed, pretended I hadn''t seen anything, and forced myself to go to sleep. ''......'', that''s what happened. ''Okay, Yashiro. Sit on the floor.'' ''Wait a minute, come on! The next morning. The next morning, when I had finished my donation to the church and returned to the sunlit pavilion, I told him everything. My brother''s mysterious behavior, in its entirety. ''You, of all people, ......, are ............'' to Magda. ''That''s right!I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had a bad experience. ''...... Loretta, you''re casually stabbing me.'' I''m not sure what to say. ...... Huh? ''You misunderstand me, you idiot! ''Big brother, you''ve lost your nerve! ''...... Yes, misunderstanding.'' ''Is that so, Magda? ''Hey, Loretta, ...... remember that later.'' It''s worth listening to the victim''s opinion, not the suspect''s.'' ''......I''m ............ afraid to go to the bathroom at night.'' ''Oh ............, so that''s what happened.'' That one word made it all make sense. My brother was woken up by Magda-chan who couldn''t go to the bathroom at night. ...... He made such a kind face to comfort Magda-chan who was scared. ............ I''m convinced. ''I wish you''d ...... stop making criminal faces at me, big brother, it''s too complicated. ''I don''t remember doing that! ''But that''s surprising. You''re afraid to use the bathroom at night. ......'' ''It''s not surprising or anything. ''Because you don''t look like it. ''You idiot!I''ve always had a fear of ghosts! ''You''re afraid of my brother, aren''t you? ''...... Magda, chaperone. I''m used to it.'' ''Why is your brother being followed by Magda-chan? ''Baka, you!Magda is the most reliable person in this store!He''s unfazed by ghosts, and even if a beast comes, he''ll fight it back, how reassuring is that? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... I''m afraid of ghosts. ............ Even my youngest siblings don''t say that. ''It''s a little uncool. ......'' ''Katchin!All right, I''m good. You guys sit there!...... I''ll tell you a scary story from my country: ............ I don''t care if you can''t go to the bathroom tonight, okay? ''Oh, no, there''s no such thing as a ghost ......, sir. ''Totally, Yashiro is ...... why do you do such childish things? ''Oh,......, I''m not very good at scary things,......, so I''m going to go prepare for it!Please, everyone alone! The manager fled to the kitchen, and the rest of us listened to the brother''s story. You''ll be able to find out more about this on ....... .................. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what you mean by "accidental property". I''m scared! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I''m so scared I can''t sleep!I''m so scared I can''t sleep~............! Late that night, I was wrapped up in bed under the covers, waiting for the sleep that never seemed to come. One sheep, two sheep...... Ah, I can''t sleep............ And then ............ Gee...... I heard a sound. ''What? There''s someone on the other side of the hallway. ............ I''m scared. I''m going to bed!I can''t sleep! I''m scared because I don''t know who it is! I made up my mind and opened the door as fast as I could. ''Who''s there? ''...... Magda. ''Huh? I ran out and saw Magda standing in the hallway with her usual expressionless face. ............ ''...... Oh no, no, no. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. ''......He remembered his own story and got scared. ''I''m sorry about your brother ...................'' It was one of those nights when I thought it might be a little ...... uncool after all. 56-Episode 51 Great Things ¨¨????¡¥?????a??1???¨¨????a?¡¤¡§?????????Allbloom?????2???????????? ???????¡¤2?1???????¨¦??¨¨|????...... ?????????¨¨¡À?????????¡é??£¤¨¨¡¥?¨¨¡¥¡ä????¡ã¡À??¡¥ "?oo?¡À??????o??¡ì"??? ¨¨??? ¡¤??????????|?????o?????¡¤2???????????? ...... ????????¡ä???????o??????¡ã?o????¨¨?3??? ''......?????????............???¨¨????¡¥?????????¨¦??¨¨??¨¨?¡ã¨¦?????¨¦??¨¨¡¤¡¥???¨¨¦Ì¡ã??¡ã¨¨??¨¦????? ??????¨¨??¨¦¡é???????¨¨??????????¡¥????3a??? ¨¨????¡¥???????oa??¦Ì??????¨¨?¡§????????£¤????¡è????¨¦?-?????????¨¨?|??????????¡¤2???¨¨¡é????¨¦?¡è?o????......??? ''¨¦?¡ê?1????????????£¤¨¨¡¥?¨¨¡¥?¨¨????a???............'' ??¡ã??¡§............????????¡§?????¡§???............ ??????? ????''?¡ã?''?????1????????¡§¨¨????£¤??¡§???¨¨?2¨¨?|¨¨o??????¡ì????? ?????? Jozabah ............ Kopo Kopo ............ 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A simple filtration system is installed at the bottom of the tank to prevent the possibility of impurities such as fallen leaves and dust from mixing with the water. The water is taken from there and flushed down the toilet. The rest of the toilet is almost the same as that in Japan. The water is stored in a tank behind the toilet bowl and flushed the next time. When water is used, the "float" in the tank sinks and the lever lifts up by the principle of leverage. This opens the gate of the waterway that leads to the outer water tank, and water flows into the inner tank. When the tank is filled with water, the "float" lifts up again to cover the waterway. If you don''t know how it works, take a look at the tank in your toilet. You will be impressed with such a mechanism with a little regret. ...... Hmm?Regret?Yeah, I think you will. ...... The tank is pretty dirty, too. To fill the water tank outside, you use a fishing bottle attached to a channel drawn from a well. It''s not difficult. A pulley is attached at the height of the tank, and when a string is pulled, a tub of water goes up to it. When it reaches the top, it tilts on its own and fills the water tank. However, it is quite a hard work to fill up the water tank. ...... Incidentally, when the remaining water in the tank gets low, a mechanism installed inside the tank causes it to ''pop! When the water tank is running low, a mechanism installed inside the tank makes a sound like a lion calling out to the water. Similar to the principle of the "floating" tank, when the water level drops, a piece of wood strikes the wooden board. When the water level drops, a piece of wood strikes a wooden board. ...... It''s far from fully automatic. But it''s a flush toilet!It''s hygienic and odorless because the waste goes down the drain! It''s indoors, so no need to be afraid in the middle of the night! ...... I''ve probably been working hard for this day,............, and I''m sure I have. ''But it''s still ...... weird that there''s a bathroom indoors,'' he said. After looking at the flush toilet for a while, Estella let out such an impression. And then, a little embarrassed, she asked the following question. ''Are you sure you''re okay?That ...... sound, smell, etc. ......'' ''Then you should try it. Come on, don''t be shy! ''I can''t do this in front of all these people! What the hell. I''m offering to lend it to you. Yashiro-san. The pasta is ready.'' ''Oh, thank you. I''m coming. ''Pasta again?You must really like it.'' ''No, I''m not!I just made a new menu. It''d be a shame if we didn''t spread it around! With Estella shrugging her shoulders, I left the bathroom, which was packed with four people. ''Yes, sir. Thank you for waiting. ''Oh, this looks delicious! When we got to the table, Jeannette put the pasta with meat sauce in front of me. I decided to add pasta to the menu, thinking that if I had flour, I should be able to make it, but ...... it didn''t sell well at all. First of all, none of them knew what pasta was. If I had a picture of it, I could put it on the menu and advertise it as ''this kind of food! But there is no such thing as a photograph in this world. Then, I drew a picture of it. ...... ''...... brains? Magda cut me off. As an aside, I thought that Magda knew the shape of a brain in this world where medicine was not developed. The results were not bad. I''m so good at drawing that I can copy Fukuzawa Yukichi without any trouble. ............ Oops, that''s enough of that, don''t ask me for details. Anyway, I''m good at drawing. When I asked them to compare their drawings with the real thing, they all said that they looked alike and that they were good. But when I show it to ...... ''people who don''t know pasta'', they don''t understand what it is at all. He said, ''It''s a kind of squishy and unpleasant picture. The meat sauce on the pasta was also very unpopular because it was red and sloppy, and the chopped vegetables were mixed in perfectly. ...... So I had no choice but to show them the real thing. In other words, I''d actually eat it when the customers came in like this. As if it were delicious! ''Yes!It''s delicious!That''s Ginette! ''Thank you very much. In fact, it''s hard to believe she just learned how to make it. The taste is perfect. In fact, it''s better than anything I''ve eaten in Japan. It''s ......, but... ''Wow, there are some unusual ones. ...... Oh, I have the salmon set meal. ''This one changes daily. ''Yes!Please wait a moment! ......The people of the 42nd district are too conservative ............ to try anything other than the flavors they''ve already learned. ...... This will kill the pasta. Pasta is a dish that is easy to enjoy, comes in a wide variety of flavors, and can be easily prepared in a single store. It is very painful that the basic meat sauce is stumbling. We have to do something to make it a regular menu item. ...... ''Don''t you ever get tired of the same thing every day? Estella sits down across from me, having just returned from using the restroom. ''I''m bored!I''m already bored!Pasta is just fine once a week or so!'' ''It''s been two weeks since we''ve had pasta. I''m getting tired of looking at .......'' ''If that''s what you think, why don''t you help with the publicity? If you can get people to eat it, it''s sure to be a hit like tacos! ''Hmm~...... I''m not so sure about that.'' Estella''s expression was sullen. ''I had it once too, but ...... it was pretty normal, right? ''What do you mean by normal? ''What do you mean by normal?It''s not like there''s a new emotion, it''s just a light discovery like, ''Oh, there''s this kind of food. ''It''s delicious, isn''t it, pasta! ''I''m not saying it''s not good!I''m not saying it''s not good, but it''s not something I''d go out of my way to order. I''m not saying it''s not good, but it''s not something I''d go out of my way to order. ...... I think the rule for these guys is that ............ Japanese food is unconditionally very popular if you bring it into another world! What''s with the subtlety of the assessment? ''Because this sauce. It tastes the same as tacos, it''s not fresh. ''Taco''s is tomato sauce, this is meat sauce! ''What''s the difference?The salsa sauce is better, so I''ll stick with that. ...... Why? If the pasta is a hit, the ............ profits will go up! ''......Yashiro is in a hurry.'' Magda pats me on the back as I hold my head in anguish. ............ No, wait. You didn''t just wipe your hands on me, did you? ''...... Sales at the Sunlit Pavilion are down.'' ''Oh, is that so? Actually, Magda is right. For the past few days, sales at the Sunlit Pavilion have been declining. That''s because ...... ''Because ...... prices have returned to a reasonable level.'' ''What?If prices are reasonable, why are sales down? ''.................. Now what? So much for Magda''s limitations. I have no choice but to take over the explanation from here. ''Up until now, the Sunlit Pavilion has been purchasing a large amount of foodstuffs at ''much lower than fair prices'' via the Garbage Collection Guild. However, due to a change in the peddler''s guild, Mormat and other producers'' ingredients are now traded at fair prices, and as a result, they are no longer sent to the Garbage Collection Guild. To be more precise, the Mo-Mats are taking care of it and turning some of it over to us. ''The food purchased from the peddlers'' guild is at a fair price, so we are spending more than before. This will automatically reduce the profit since the menu is still the same price. ''I see. But didn''t Mo-Mat''s farm expand a lot?Thanks to the work of the hams.'' The hamsters he had left with Mo''amat were working very hard, digging up the land that had been lying dormant until now, and turning it into a magnificent field. They planted vegetables one after another, and Mo-Mat assured us that the next harvest would be a great success. ''The vegetables grown by Hamko and his friends can be traded preferentially by the Sunshine Pavilion, can''t they?Then, if we wait a little longer, won''t the profits return? ''Those vegetables are for donation to the church. We''re forced to buy from the peddlers'' guild for the cafeteria. ''I see. ......'' ''And there''s another problem. ''''What?'''' The benefits of the Peddler''s Guild starting to trade at a fair price are not limited to the producers. It was also a great benefit to those who did business, the sole proprietors. That is to say, in direct contrast to the case of the sunny pavilion, the purchase price was dramatically reduced. Because of this, all the restaurants have drastically lowered the prices of their dishes, and even upgraded the contents of their dishes, which had been cut down in the past. With cheaper prices, tastier food, and more food than ever before, the restaurants near the main street are thriving. The only people who showed up at the restaurant were the regulars who used to frequent it and a group of Magda Gurus. ''You''re lagging far behind in terms of value for money, aren''t you? Before I knew it, Loretta had joined our circle. Oh, come on. You can''t leave customers alone and chat. ............ There are no customers. ...... ''Lately, everyone leaves right after eating. ''They''re probably going out for a drink. We don''t have any alcohol.'' ''Why don''t you have it? ''Ginette''s policy. Ginette''s policy. Which means it''s Ginette''s old man''s policy. Well, alcohol is a recipe for trouble, and we''re a diner, not a bar. You may decide not to serve alcohol. ''But I can''t find any customers. ......'' The restaurant is deserted. It''s a beautiful day and the windows are open, but ...... it''s very quiet around here. There''s not much traffic, just the occasional breeze rustling the grass and trees. ...... I didn''t expect to be troubled by the location again when I came here. The sunny pavilion is only visited by customers who say, "Let''s go to the sunny pavilion! This is the kind of store that only customers who want to go to the Sunlit Pavilion will visit. There is no such thing as a casual visitor. ''...... Magdaa, meat spa, want some? ''...... eat''. I entrusted Magda with the pasta with meat sauce, which I was sick and tired of eating day after day. Indirect kiss?Oh, I don''t know. Anything''s possible with Magda. He''s like my servant now. ''............ indirect,............'' ...... Um, Magda. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s really embarrassing,....... The feeling of weakness that came over me made me fall down on my desk. Oh,......, I want to take a nap. ''Anyway, when did you resume trading with the peddlers guild?We just had such a violent clash two months ago.'' Lately, Estella has been busy with this and that related to the sewage system, and she seems to be lacking in various information. Two months ago, me and Assunto had a direct confrontation. Since then, through various procedures and dozens of guild leader meetings, the Peddlers'' Guild and the residents of the Forty-Two districts have resumed production activities within a new framework. Why don''t you do that? In just one week, the profits that Assunto had earned through exploitation after exploitation were overtaken. The economy was revitalized as a result of fair and equitable trade with fair prices. Having sold the vegetables at a high price, Momat used the profits to cultivate new fields, which increased production and will increase profits in the future. As mentioned earlier, the restaurant has succeeded in attracting a large number of customers. And those customers are beginning to loosen their purse strings as their work becomes more successful, their wages increase, and their pockets become warmer. Everything is going in the right direction. Last week, Assunto came to see me with the biggest smile I''ve ever seen on his face: ...... ''No!Mr. Yashiro!No, Master Yashiro!I''ve decided to stay by your side from now on and do business with you!I never thought that the world would change so much. ...... When I''m transferred to Chuo Ward, I''ll definitely come with you!You''ll do well in Chuo City!I guarantee it, my friend! I assure you, my friend!'' I was given a greasy handshake and a hug. At any rate, I dropped him in the sewer of our flush toilet, which was under construction, and bullied him by pouring sand on top of him,............, but he seemed to have grown quite attached to me. ''Heh, ...... everything is going well, isn''t it? Except for the ...... sunlit pavilion.'' ''............'' There was nothing Estella could say in reply. I didn''t even have the energy to raise my head. ''But the stalls are very busy, aren''t they? She must have finished washing the dishes. Ginette joins us and brings up a relatively cheerful topic. ''The collaboration project with Cantartica seems to be going well, and although sales are down, we still have a chance to make up for it, I''m sure. The optimistic manager gave me mixed feelings, a little relief and a lot of disappointment. ...... The collaboration project that Jeannette is referring to is the one that I proposed to Paula, selling our tacos in Paula''s storefront. But we''re not just renting a storefront. I made the tacos a little spicy, to go well with a cold beer. The idea is that you can double the taste by drinking a cold beer from Cantalucia while eating our tacos. This was the plan. The plan worked, and sales were good. Now, the second branch of the restaurant has become our mainstay. The seventh store, which sells popcorn, is a little farther away, and is a big success, especially with children. But tacos and popcorn. But tacos and popcorn, it''s impossible to support the store with these sales, and it''s very dangerous. If the tacos go down, everyone goes down. If the tacos are out, everyone is out. I look around the restaurant, which is deserted. The first time I came here, it was such a lonely scene. ...... ''............ I''m sure many people will come again. I''m sure. These words, muttered to no one in particular, sounded as if Jeannette was saying to herself, ............ which convinced me that she was thinking to herself, ''This situation is lonely. ''I''m going to check the stalls. ''I''ll check the stalls. ''What?Oh, yes. Have a safe trip.'' With Jeannette''s voice at my back, I left the store. It''s ...... pathetic that I talked so much. It''s hard to fall once you''ve risen,......, and I don''t have time to be upset about such a small thing. You promised me. With Jeannette. I promised Jeannette I''d fix the sunny side up. "I''m going to make it a popular diner that attracts more customers. "We''re going to make it a place where many people gather every day. ...... Remembering this, and feeling a strange sense of frustration, I quickly made my way to the main street. The main street was crowded with people today, a depressing sight. There are so many people that you wonder where they usually hide. ...... Oh, it''s so annoying. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... So you''re saying this annoyance is self-inflicted?Give me a break, please. Hmm? ...... What is it? A few of the people passing by are looking at me and talking quietly. Are they talking about ''oh look, he''s super hot''......? ...... No, that''s not it. There''s a guy over there with a big beard who''s doing the same thing. ...... Well, I did stand out so much on the main street. It''s no wonder some people remember my face. It''ll fade away. You know what they say, a rumor lasts 75 days. ........................49 days, right?...... one hundred and eighty ............? I''m not sure.Oniichan! ''Oniichan! As I was walking down the street, thinking, I came across my sisters who had opened a store in the middle of the main street. This is store number seven, the popcorn one. A bunch of little kids are flocking to the sweet smell. ''Hey!How''s it going? ''Great! These energetic smiles of my sisters seem to be gaining popularity these days. No one calls the hamster people ''slum dwellers'' anymore. I can leave the store to them with no worries. ......, or rather, I know. I know that the place where my sisters set up their stall has bodyguards sent by Assunto to keep an eye on them behind the scenes. I don''t know if he''s apologizing for sending the mantis man, or if he simply thinks it''s in his best interest to have me on his side, but he''s been providing me with bodyguards without my asking. And he''s doing it without telling me. I''m not sure if it''s intentional or not, but I think it''s a good idea. ............ It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the way you live it. ''Hey, bro. Can I come visit you when it''s sold out? ''Yes~? ''I don''t mind if you go when it''s sold out. ......'' It''s rare for these guys to say they want to go out and play. Their work is an extension of their play. But they dare to say they want to go. ''Is there somewhere you want to go? ''Yes! ''Hmm! They nodded with too much energy. I wish I could share this energy, just a little bit at a time. ''You know what?In the square! ''Yeah, yeah!In the square! ''There''s a statue of a hero! ''Yeah, yeah! ''A statue of a hero? By the square, I suppose you mean the central square at the end of the main street, where the street vendors set up their stores. According to my knowledge of the Middle Ages, the church is at the center of the district, and the area in front of it is called the central square. ...... The church here is somehow located in an extremely remote place. Therefore, the central square of the 42nd district is really just a square. It''s not even a tourist attraction, it''s just a big empty space. If there were street vendors, it could be a date spot. ...... I wondered if there was a statue in such a place.I can''t stop thinking about it. And a hero? I''ve never heard of any heroes since I''ve been in town. In other worlds, there are mysterious folklores that tell of the exploits of heroes, heroes, and warriors of light, but there are no such things in ...... this city. At least, I''ve never heard of it. I mean, that''s just the way it is, isn''t it? I''ve never heard of it, at least not in my life. .............................. I''m sorry. Suddenly, something cold runs down my back. No, no, no. It''s not ......, but it''s ............ I''m sorry!I just remembered something urgent!I''ll see you later! I said a short goodbye to my sisters and ran through the crowded main street. I headed for the central square. And then-- ''Na......! --I saw it. ''What the hell is this? I saw a statue of a hero standing proudly in the middle of the central square where street vendors were setting up their stores in a circle. No, it''s not a hero! This statue is ............ This is, no matter how you look at it, ............ ''That''s me, isn''t it? I don''t know who did it, or why, but it''s ...... There was a statue of me standing in the middle of the central square. It was a statue that looked exactly like me, with my left hand on my hip and my right arm stretched out straight up, dressed in an embarrassing manner as if I were a ''hero leading the crowd''. What kind of joke is this,............? 57-Episode 52 Trouble and New Possibilities It''s amazing!It''s as if you''re the spitting image of Yashiro-san! The reason why Jeannette is so excited is because of that thing I brought back. ''This is wax, isn''t it? It''s a candle shaped like Yashiro-san. ''I''m sure it''ll be pretty grotesque when it melts off your head, Ginette-chan ......''. In contrast to the delighted Ginette, Estella was a little taken aback. ''...... interior''. ''That''s good!I''m sure that if you display it in your store, customers will come in droves! Hey, come on, Magda and Loretta. You''ll lose customers if you hang this in your store. It''s not a wax museum. It''s not a wax museum. ...... These wax statues look really similar. This is a life-size wax statue of me that had been illegally erected in the central square. At first I thought it was carved out of wood, but upon closer inspection, I realized that it was made of wax. It had a slightly yellowish tint and was smooth to the touch. ''d*mn it!Who the hell made this thing and left it there? This wax statue. It weighed a fair amount, but it wasn''t fixed in any particular way, so it was obvious that someone had left it there without permission. I asked Estella about it and she said that she had never given permission for such a statue to be placed, so it was obvious that someone had made it and placed it without permission. If I find the culprit, I''ll shake and shake and shake until my brain melts so that I''ll never be able to commit such a crazy act again! ''The liberation hero'' ...... is going to leave a mark in history, Yashiro. I''m not sure what to say. The most ugly thing about this wax statue is that it has the shameful phrase "liberation hero" carved in large letters on its base. ...... Who''s the hero? ''Just now, my sister came back to refill the popcorn and said it was a "hero statue. ''Stop it. It''s not a statue of a hero. It''s a wax statue. But it''s well made. The face is just like him. Even the wrinkles in his clothes and the vibrancy of his hair look like they were scanned and printed on a 3D printer. ...... You don''t have a 3D printer, do you? ''It seems that the artists of this city are focusing all their energy on trivial things. "Artists? Estella nodded her head at my sarcastic comment. ''No, it must be a sculptor or something, to be able to make something like this. Aside from the motifs, ...... In terms of technique alone, the quality is such that I honestly want to show it to a crappy wax museum in a desolate spa town and say, ''You guys should at least try this hard. If the motifs were decent, I would be convinced that they could be displayed in the British Museum. ''Why don''t you carve something more decent? ''It may be a sculptor who made this, but it''s not an artist by any means. ''Hmm?Why not? ''Yashiro ......, don''t you know anything about art? Ilaa...... What''s with this condescending look on his face? I know what art is!I''ve been exposed to masterpieces, sculptures and ceramics!It''s just that they look so much alike that you can''t tell them apart. ............ Oh, no. It''s nothing. Forget this. Anyway, I have a good eye for art. I know Van Gogh''s brush strokes and Michelangelo''s chisel work perfectly. I''m confident that I can spot an elaborate fake. That''s what I''m saying. The man who carved this wax statue is an artist of great skill. I''m willing to admit that he''s good enough to compete with me. ''That''s right, Mr. Yashiro. It''s weird that you look so much alike. ''Don''t be creepy! ''No, it''s not the model!This statue looks too much like .......'' ''That''s why it''s so great. It''s realistic and delicate. It''s quite something. ''Hmm~...... what should I say? A strange atmosphere spreads through the cafeteria. What is it?Am I saying something weird? When I looked at Jeannette, she waved her hands in a panicked manner. ''Oh, well, I don''t know much about art, so I don''t want to be asked to explain. Well, there''s not a single painting in this cafeteria. ''...... Art is something more incomprehensible. Magda looks up at me with a crisp expression. His ears perked up and he burst into a Magda-style smug expression. ...... Well, it''s half-lidded and expressionless, but... ''Well, there are some art forms that are incomprehensible. ......'' Cubism, for example. I don''t disagree with the idea that ''not knowing is art''. But there is also ''art that is easy to understand''. ''I can''t help it. Yashiro, why don''t you come to my house now?I''ll show you what real art is.'' Such words of invitation from Estella. What do you mean, ''real art''? ''No, I''m not .......'' ''No, I''m not. ...... (I need to talk to you about the sewage.)'' When I was about to decline the invitation, Estella came up to me and whispered something like that in my ear. ...... If that''s your intention, say so from the start. ''All right. It would be good for your future education to be exposed to art. Shall we go see it? ''You should come.'' Estella smiled contentedly and began to prepare to leave. She takes the cloak she left with Ginette and puts it on her shoulders. I came here in April, and there was a lot of rainy season related confusion in May and June. That period coincided with the rainy season in Japan, and I thought that summer would come after the rainy season, but summer never came to this city. But summer has not come to this city. We are now in September. But the weather is like spring. A little cloudy weather makes me feel chilly. It''s the kind of weather that makes you want another jacket, like when you wear light clothes during the cherry blossom viewing season. This city seems to be an everlasting spring. It is easy to be comfortable, but ...... still, I wanted to feel a little too hot summer sun. I think it''s important to have a good balance. Apparently, the climate does not change like the four seasons in Japan. There are sometimes rainy and dry seasons, and sometimes hot and cold. Perhaps because of this, ...... there are few events in this city. Summer!The sea!--Or... Autumn!Baked potatoes!--Or... Christmas!Explode!--Or... There''s no such thing as seasonal fun. And I, of course, feel inadequate. Maybe I should organize some kind of event. During the time of the event, food related to the event sells like hotcakes. Christmas cakes, Valentine''s Day chocolates, Halloween pumpkins, and so on. ''Here you go. Let''s go.'' Estella returns, wearing a short, brightly colored cloak. It''s cloudy and a little chilly today. ...... On a day like this, corn soup or something like that might sell well. ...... ''You''re thinking about money again, aren''t you?'' ''Because that''s what I live for.'' ''Then I''d like to ask you to lend me some of your wisdom. ...... We''re in a lot of financial trouble, trying to raise money for the sewage works.'' ''Cut back on eating out. ''I refuse to do that. I think I''ve told you this before, but the food we get at home isn''t very good. ''Then why don''t you hire Jeannette?'' ''That''s a tempting proposition.'' Estella looked at me with a twinkle in her eye, as if it was a good idea, but she immediately shook her head with a sad smile. ''But it''s probably impossible. Jeannette-chan won''t leave the Sunlit Pavilion.'''' ''Well, I suppose you''re right. Ginette is sticking to the Sunlit pavilion. She''ll probably continue to run the diner here from now on. That''s the meaning of life for him. ''Well, I''ll be back in a bit. ''Okay. Have a safe trip. Ginette, who was organizing the checkroom, came running towards me and saw me off. Magda, Loretta, and Umaro are still looking at my wax statue and talking about this and that. ...... Hey, Umaro. Don''t hit me on the head. The resemblance is so striking that it''s a little annoying. Let''s melt that wax statue down and turn it into a candle. We won''t have to worry about light for a while. Deciding to make the best of a bad situation, I headed for Estella''s house, the lord''s mansion. A huge painting hanging on the wall depicted a struggling beech mushroom that had eaten a fallen bean sprout and suffered a stomach ache. ''...... What the hell is this?'' ''It''s a painting titled "Statue of a Standing Goddess". ''Is the goddess of this world a shimeji mushroom that picks up and eats bean sprouts? ''Don''t be too rude, you''ll really be punished someday, won''t you? If that''s the case, the artist should have been punished long ago for representing the goddess in such a strange way. It''s still worse than the malicious deformations of a street corner sketch artist. I want my money back. This is neither abstract painting nor cubism. If I had to name him, I would call him "Kansei-ha". This is a work that seems to have been drawn up on the spur of the moment according to one''s sensibilities. You can feel the momentum of the work, but ...... it''s kind of rough. It has the freedom of a child''s doodle. ''I don''t understand it at all. ''Well, it may be difficult for Yashiro, but this is art. He took the thing not realistically, but impressionistically, and spat it out, leaving it to his senses. That''s what it looks like. If this kind of thing has become popular as art, then it is no wonder that I received a huge backlash when I made a rabbit apple and tried to eat it. It''s an abstract shape that was created in the image of a rabbit. For them, such a deformed figure is more appealing than a rabbit-like figure. ...... What would they do if you made a very realistic rabbit apple? ............? ''Oh, it''s a rabbit. It''s amazing, it looks just like it. Then, let''s eat it.Shhhhhhhhhh! ......... I''m picturing Jeannette biting into a lifelike rabbit apple from the top of her head. I don''t think so. Such a scene would be too surreal. Well, if this is considered supreme, then that realistic wax statue will not be taken seriously. The direction is the exact opposite. ''Well, so much for art appreciation, let''s get down to business. I''m currently in the drawing room of the lord''s mansion. This is the slightly smaller room I was sent to before. I''ve heard that there are larger reception rooms than this one, but ''I don''t want to take you anywhere too conspicuous. ...... and ......... ...because of all the problems,'' Estella said. ...... Am I the kind of guy who would get in trouble for hanging around a lord''s mansion? Well, I''m more comfortable in a small room. Natalia makes us some tea and Estella and I begin our discussion. Just the two of us, across from each other. What are we discussing? ''Actually, we''re about to run out of sawdust. ''Sawdust?Are you talking about sewage filtration? ''Yes, that''s right. We''re getting it from Torbeck Engineering, but that can''t last forever. Since the rainy season, there has been a rush of construction in District Forty-two, including a branch of Torbek''s construction company and new houses for Ham''s children. As a result, a large amount of sawdust has been generated. We''ve been asking for some of it, but it''s not infinite. The construction rush is about to end. We''ll need to get sawdust through other channels. ''There are forests, you know, behind the sunny pavilion, in the neighborhood of Yap Rock, in the slum ......, or is it called New Town now?And around there. The area where Loretta and her friends live, which used to be called "Slum", has developed greatly after welcoming the branch of Torbeck Engineering, and has been reborn as the new "New Town", a futuristic (although the word "futuristic" is prefixed with the word "in this city") town with housing complexes. No one calls it a ''slum'' anymore. The New Town is surrounded by a forest. There are many trees growing there. ''It''s not right for amateurs to cut down old-growth forests without permission. It leads to environmental destruction. Well, if amateurs start cutting down trees randomly, the forest will disappear in no time. There are people who collect nuts in the forest. ...... Destruction of nature is not good. ''Then let''s go out and get them. There must be a deep forest on the other side of the outer wall of District 42. If we cut down a few trees there, it wouldn''t bother us. ''There''s an exorbitant tax to bring trees into the city. If we bring in enough to cover the sewage treatment, we''ll go bankrupt. ''That much? ''There''s a very heavy tax at the gates outside the forty wards. ''''Other than the forty districts? Because of the proximity to the sea, the city gates of the 35th district have a heavy tax on fish. I can understand if you say that. Because it benefits the lord. Even with the tax, it is more profitable to use the gates if you consider the transportation and labor costs, so you don''t have to worry about losing users to other gates. But if it''s expensive outside the forty districts, won''t everyone just bring it in from the forty districts? The lords of the forty wards will be very happy, but I don''t understand why the lords of the other wards would do so. If they can''t collect taxes, their income will decrease. I think it would be more profitable to collect the tax even if the price is reduced a little. ...... ''The forty districts are the home of the Lumberjack Guild. ''The Lumberjack Guild? I''ve never heard that name before. Well, in a city where firewood is essential to life, lumberjacks must be an indispensable occupation. There are many wooden houses. ''The Lumberjacks Guild has great authority over the trees outside the city. They don''t say, ''Don''t cut down trees without permission! But they don''t tell you not to. There are unforeseen circumstances. In the course of forest activities, there will be times when trees are cut down out of necessity. If you have to ask for permission every time, you cannot work in the forest. In the worst case, it could be life-threatening. We should not make a rule that makes it impossible to respond flexibly. ''However, in the case of mass felling of trees, the Lumberjack Guild has been given the right to denounce it. This is a very strong and enforceable right from the perspective of protecting the natural environment. If a lord cuts down a large number of trees outside the outer wall and brings them into his territory to save money on firewood, the lumberjack guild can denounce him and impose very severe sanctions on him. ...... That''s quite a privilege, isn''t it? ''It''s a tree monopoly, isn''t it? ''Well, yes. But they are proud craftsmen, so there is not much worry about them abusing their authority. Just ......'' ''Just?'' ''''As I said before, the entry tax outside of the forty districts where the Lumberjack Guild is based is too high. There''s also a reason for that, environmental protection, but ...... to be honest, there are some complaints.'''' ''Well, it''s no wonder they think they''re using their power to monopolize the profits. Estella added that it was a measure to restrict non-lumberjacks from cutting down trees unnecessarily. The balance of the forest needs to be viewed from a macroscopic perspective, and if any part of the forest is ruined, the ecosystem will be ruined. This is probably because of the negative effects of the destruction of the forest, such as ......, where the beasts that have lost their homes move to other places and drive away the ones that were there before. ''However, if a person from the Lumberjack Guild is present, taxes are infinitely lower no matter which gate is passed through. The lord of the district would also like to be on good terms with the Lumberjack Guild. ''It''s cold at night. ''You can''t cook or build a house without wood. The strongest theory of lumberjacks has emerged. ''So we''ll just have to call a lumberjack to cut down the trees for us. ''I''d like to do that. ......'' Estella''s expression was sullen. She looked resigned, as if she had already considered such a thing. ''Is it expensive? ''It''s a technical job. Besides, most of them are beholden to the Woodcutter''s Guild and only use the city gates of District 40. That would cost a lot of money to transport.'''' ''''What do you mean, ''justified''? ......'' ''If the lords of the forty districts are enriched thanks to the Lumberjack Guild, the lords will favor the Lumberjack Guild, right? Is that why the guild members only use the city gates of District 40? In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more. What''s with the good mood ...... In addition, it seems that they want to show off their skills and achievements. ''You mean to the big man of the guild? ''The big guy......, you could say that.'' ''It''s not?'' ''The guild leader has a very beautiful only daughter. She''s eighteen this year, I think.'''' So you''re making a strong appeal to those self-proclaimed groom candidates? ...... It''s just like the princess of Otaser. ''She seems to like beautiful things. ...... Perhaps that''s why the wood on the market these days is all beautiful, with few blemishes and almost no warping. ''You''re asking her to marry you because of the beauty of a log?You''re out of your mind. ''Of course, that''s not the only reason. ''Well, it''s a beautiful log!Marry me! And... ...... If there was such a woman, I''d wish her away. But you know, not all of them are like that, right? ''Of course, there are lumberjacks who prioritize efficiency and enter through other gates. Mainly those with wives and children and old-fashioned craftsmen.'' So the young ones are crazy about the princesses of lumberjack country. ''Well, let''s try to get old men to work for us. ''But the higher taxes and transportation costs compared to the forty wards will hurt us a lot. Hiring an old veteran lumberjack is also going to be expensive. ......'' ''How about processing them outside?We could cut down the trees in the forest and turn them into sawdust on the spot. Wouldn''t that be less taxing than bringing in logs?'' ''Sawdust outside: ............ No, we can''t.'' ''Why not? ''Who''s going to make sawdust in a forest full of monsters like that? It would take a long time to cut up a log. ''You should get the guys from the hunting guild to escort you. ......'' ''It''ll be more expensive. ''It''s .............'' It''s getting really tedious. As long as you live in this city, introductory taxes and transportation costs will be involved in everything you buy. It''s no exaggeration to say that they account for about half of the price of things. Isn''t it possible to somehow save the entry tax and transportation costs? .................. Oh, right. There''s an easy solution. There''s a simple solution. ''What?What''s that? Estella leans forward with a giggle. Her eyes are glittering. She must have been puzzling over it a lot. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have consulted me. Then let me give you a revelation. ''You should build a city gate in the 42nd district. ''............? How can we save on the entrance tax and transportation costs? If we build a city gate here, it''s a one-stop solution. The entry tax can be decided by the authority of the lord, and if we use the gates of the forty-two districts, we don''t need to pay for transportation. This will solve the problem at once. It''s impossible. The reply was rather quick, yet firm. ''How much do you think it costs to build a city gate?Besides, building a gate is not the end of the story, you know.There''s also the cost of maintenance and the manpower needed to guard it. If a hexenbiest were to invade the city, how much compensation would we have to pay? ...... The Forty-two Wards would cease to exist! ''You see, you ...... have to work hard to earn money. ......'' ''How will I earn money? Bang!I slammed the table hard and Estella leaned forward. She brings her upper body close to mine, and approaches me rapidly with an angry face. I try to move my body backward, but the back of the sofa prevents me from moving back any further. I turned my upper body as far as I could, but that was as far as I could go. ............ Soon, we were so close that our lips almost touched. I''m not sure what to say. She regains her composure for a moment, reflects on the current situation, and her face instantly boils. ''Oh, dear!Sorry, sorry, sorry! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ''............I''m a little distracted. ............Forget that. ...... please ............'' Forget it, I''m told. ............ When I looked at the entrance, I saw Natalia standing there with a cool look on her face, having helped me out of a critical situation. Whatever the case, good job, Natalia! With that in mind, she gave Natalia a thumbs up and pointed a knife from her ............ pocket at her. The sharp blade glinted eerily. ...... Hey, it''s not my fault, right? ''Anyway, I can''t afford the city gate because I don''t have the money.'' Estella curled up on the couch, her face buried in her hands, her voice muffled. Look at me properly. This isn''t a discussion situation, you know. ''Think of something else to do. Wow, that''s a lot to throw around. ''Build a city gate and set the tax on lumber as low as possible. We''ll use it as bait to get the lumberjacks from the lumberjack guild.'' ''So, that''s ......''. I look up at Estella and tell her in no uncertain terms. ''Other than that, there''s no other way to maintain the sewage system in the 42nd district. ''..................'' Although dressed like a cat who has just woken up from sleep, Estella has a serious expression on her face. ''.................. You''re the Sphinx, aren''t you? ''............Then I can''t do this anymore. ......'' Estella melted. She slumped down on the sofa. ''Are you not forgetting that you are the Lord''s representative and a young maiden? ''In short, all you need is money, right?'' ''I wish I had some, but there''s no ...... more ...... anywhere.'' ''If you don''t have it, you can make it. ''Don''t tell me you want to ...... tax the people heavily and take it from them? ''If I could do that, it would be quicker.'' ''Rejected''. I thought so. I thought it would be ''rejected'', but I didn''t expect it to be a quick decision. ...... You''re a good lord. ''Fortunately, I''ve just gotten some wonderfully useful information. It''s worth a fortune. My sense of smell tells me so.'' ''...... information?'' I sit up and Estella gives me a serious look. ''Oh come on, that''s what you said, right? ''''I heard that there is a woodcutter guild in the 40th district, and that they have a lot of power over the lord. ''It''s not like we have a relationship that puts pressure on them. The lord of District 40 is a man of understanding, but he''s not a weakling. He''s very understanding. He''s not afraid to take on a challenge if he thinks it''s beneficial to do so. ''Do you know him? ''He''s a friend of my father''s.'' ''You''re a tit friend, .......'' ''It''s not ''tits'', it''s ''father''! Hmm, that''s convenient. It''ll be easier to get through to them if they know each other. ''So the lord is a man of understanding and foresight? ''I''m sure he is. The Woodcutter''s Guild was able to grow to that level because of the collaboration with the lord of District 40. Trubec Engineering is also doing what they want, isn''t it? I see. I remember Umaro saying that Trubec Engineering is based in the Forty District. Indeed, I have the impression that they work quite freely. That''s why the name of Torbek''s construction company is known all over the place. ''Then you''ve already won. ''What do you think you''re doing? ''What do you think the Lumberjack Guild values the most? ''The .................. natural environment, right? ''No, my daughter, probably.'' She must be a really beautiful girl, since many of the members are passionate about her. A father would not fail to cherish such a daughter. ''I''m going to take her in. ''How ............ are you going to be a candidate for groom? ''Who''s going to run for office, that''s who! ''...... Good.'' You don''t have to do that. Look, remember, Estella. Remember what you said to yourself about that only daughter, that young lady. ''That young lady likes beautiful things, doesn''t she? ''So I''ve heard. ''Then let''s make the Forty-second Ward ''beautiful''. ''''Make the forty wards ''beautiful'' .................. Oh, you mean that! Estella seemed to have noticed, and her expression brightened. ''Don''t you think this is a great way to market the sewers? ''...... Indeed. Sewage will clean up the city and, more importantly, eliminate the stench. ''Plus, if you''re in a house as rich as the Lumberjack Guild or the Lords, you can build one, right? ''........................ Oh, a flush toilet! The most beautiful thing in this city right now. It''s none other than the flush toilet installed in the sunny pavilion. No matter where you live, no matter how rich you are, you must feel shabby when you use the toilet. If you''re using one of those ...... holes with a board over it. ''I''d certainly like to have a ...... flush toilet in my house. It''s a dream come true to be able to install it indoors. ......'' ''In addition, they are much cleaner than traditional toilets. ''...... This could be ..................... ...'' ''It could be hugely profitable, you know?'' The vitality returns to Estella''s face. The corners of her mouth are twitching. I suppose so. The rights to the sewage works are all with the lord. If we get the contract, we''ll make a fortune. And as the sewage system spreads to other districts, the demand will increase. ''...... If the Lumberjack Guild likes it, it''ll be a powerful boost. ''Well, let''s keep that as a bargaining chip, and start by getting the lord to listen to us. If you have any foresight, you''ll realize the usefulness of the sewage. ''Natalia!Get your father to write a letter of introduction right away!He wants to discuss an important matter with the lord of the forty districts! ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Natalia leaves the room and Estella stands up on the sofa. ...... You''re not behaving well. ''Okay!Let''s hit the forty districts! We''re not going to war. ''Yashiro''s coming too, isn''t he? He looked at me expectantly. Well, it''s probably best if I''m here to explain the details. ''Of course. I''ll make sure I get the order. And build a city gate in the 42nd district. Absolutely, we can''t fail. Because ...... This city gate will be very important to me. 58-Episode 53 Knock and Knock ...... I''ve got another problem. ''...... What are you going to do about this? There are now two wax statues of me in front of me. ''Did you pick them up again, big brother? ''Can you stop talking like I''m collecting them? It''s been a week since Estella asked me for advice about sewage and I decided to sell sewage to the 40th district. Today is the day I''m heading to the fortieth ward. ...... ''...... was also placed in the square.'' Magda, who went to the main street with her sister while pulling the Sunlit Pavilion No. 7, apparently found this thing in the central square. And he took it down for me. Another finely crafted wax statue just like me. What''s different is the pose and the writing on the base. This time the wax statue has its arms outstretched and is looking up at the sky. ...... I''ve never dressed like this before. I thought, but Magda denies it. ''...... Yashiro was dressed like this when he asked the crowd.'' ''Are you serious ......?'' I was a little excited at the time, so I can''t remember exactly what I did. ............ but if you ask me, I might have done it. When I asked him if he wanted to be a livestock or feel the innovation, he said: ...... But to come up with a new statue in a week is ...... not carving a new statue now, is it? ''But your words are extreme this time. Loretta says as she looks at the words engraved on the pedestal. It has a strong message of ''Overturn common sense! I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ......It''s true that we talked about something like that, but ......it''s really embarrassing to see it in writing again. ''I hope the number of people will continue to increase. As you wipe the last wax statue with a cloth, Jeannette says something terrible. ...... You''ve got to be kidding me. ''Magda. If you see it again, bring it back immediately. I have permission from my lord. Justice is served here.'' ''...... All right. I wondered how it was possible to take something that belonged to someone else without permission, but since it was illegally placed in the first place, and since it was a threat to the lives of certain individuals, the lord gave me permission through Estella. In the future, if you find this wax statue, you must remove it immediately and leave it to me to decide what to do with it. I can''t stand it if rumors spread that I''m a hero. I''ll have to tell my sisters who run the stalls on the main street to check the square regularly. ''Mr. Yashiro. You''re going to District 40 today, aren''t you?'' Ginette asks me after I finish cleaning the wax statue. ''Yes, that''s right. I think I''ll be back in the evening. ''I thought that might be the case, so I''ve prepared a lunch for you. ''Oh, you''re so thoughtful! That''s Ginette! She''s the kind of girl who has the power to do anything she wants. ''Are you going to go around the forty-first district? Ginette looked vaguely happy. ''Is there something you want me to buy for you? ''Oh, no. It''s not that. ......'' Ginette says, a little embarrassed. ''We had so much fun going outside the gates before that I was wondering if we''d ...... be going the same way again. That''s all I''m saying. Ginette smiles shyly. Well, this guy doesn''t go out very often, does he? I''d like to take him somewhere again, but the ............ store is too far away. ''Do you want to take a break from the store sometime and go out together? ''No, no!If you do that, your customers will be in trouble! ...... How can you say such a big thing when the store is currently deserted? I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that," said Ginette, still looking a little sad. But ...... ''I am more than happy to be here ...... in this store with you all. The words that came out with a gentle smile seemed to come from the heart. Well, I guess we''ll just have to go to ...... soon. ''Unfortunately, I''m only going to be in the 41st district for a little while. ''Just a short visit? Because District Forty-one is sandwiched between District Forty-two and District Forty, you would normally think that you would have to cross District Forty-one, but the topography of District Forty-one is a bit peculiar, so you can take a shortcut. Here in All Bloom, District 42 is located on the south side of the east, and District 40 is located on the east side of the south. The forty-first district, which is sandwiched between the two, has a fan shape with a bowed outer wall in the southeast. Therefore, if you go from District 42 to District 40, you will have to walk a long distance if you follow the outer wall, but if you take the inner route, you will reach the district in no time. ''So, it''s not that hard to get to the forty districts, is it? ''Yes, it is. I guess it''s a distance that Umaro and the others can walk to. ''Oh, so that''s what you meant. Ginette, who rarely goes out from within a 100-meter radius around the sunlit pavilion, not to mention the 42nd district, nodded her head with a satisfied expression. I also entered the 42nd district from the cliff on the 30th district side, so I wasn''t really aware of that area. So I thought that we were coming across the 41st district, but that was actually the case. However, it seems that Umaro has been sleeping in a housing complex in New Town lately. ''Well, have a safe trip.'' ''Oh. Thanks for the lunch. ''It includes Estella-san''s portion, so don''t eat it alone, okay? ''Can I put the proceeds in my pocket? ''Please don''t sell it to her. Tsk. I thought it would be a good way to earn some money. ...... Then let''s at least let Estella take this lunch. She should at least carry the luggage. It''s ten years too early to be trying to get free food. After being seen off by Jeannette, I headed for the lord''s mansion where Estella was waiting. The houses that lined the 40th district - perhaps due to the fact that it was the home of both the Woodcutter''s Guild and the Torbeck Engineering Company - were simply spectacular. Not only were they well designed, but they were also solidly built and designed to be comfortable to live in. All in all, it is a first-class building. Umaro, you put a lot of effort into this. Most of the buildings are made of wood, and few of them are made of stone or brick. Even the bridges spanning the city are made of wood. These forty wards are like a "city of wood". Looking at the buildings alone, it is second to none, even to the 30 wards I saw before. Perhaps the buildings here are built with a kind of cheat-grade skill not befitting a low-class district. The disparity between this district and the others is amazing. It''s a truly wonderful cityscape. It deserves praise. ............''s,but. ''What''s with this road ......''. The footing was terrible. Even though the rainy season had long passed, the road was still pitted from the heavy rains, and the deep ruts left by the horse-drawn carriages on the muddy road were still there. Due to the passage of time, the soil has lost its moisture, and the grooves have hardened. The road is bumpy. Since it''s dirt anyway, why don''t you just sprinkle some water on it and level it out? ............ Beautiful buildings and the main road like a baby path. Forty wards was a very unbalanced city. ''Don''t get frustrated, this road......'' ''Many people in the forty wards find pleasure in gazing up at beautiful buildings and magnificent trees. ...... It''s easy to neglect your feet. Estella, walking next to me, lets out a chuckle. On the other side, Natalia follows with a cool expression. But she still seems to have difficulty walking. ''Well, you''ll get used to it, and it won''t bother you. ''I don''t want to get used to this. I want to sign a sewage contract and have the hamsters dig up this whole area. ...... So now we are heading to the lord''s mansion to negotiate with the lord of the forty districts. It seems that Estella has made an appointment for us by letter. According to Estella, the other side seems to be willing and the negotiations will go smoothly. Estella was also in a good mood because if she could get the contract, a lot of money would come to the 42nd district. ''Oh, I can see it now. That''s the mansion of Mr. Ambrose Demilly, the lord of the forty-second district. ''............ It''s huge. The lord''s mansion was as big as a small gymnasium. Such a large building would be uncomfortable to live in. ...... Surrounding the huge building is another huge wall that goes on forever. Along the wall, at equal intervals, stand stern-looking men who look like Kingsguard. ...... This is an unbelievable security posture for District 42. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out why. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to do it. ...... Well, I think Natalia can take care of most things. When you reach the wooden gate, which is also much bigger than necessary, Natalia will talk to the gatekeeper. We handed her the invitation from Mr. Demilly and waited for a while before a messenger came and led us into the mansion. The inside of the mansion was spacious and all made of wood. The open architecture and the smell of the wood gave it a vaguely Asian feel. It was a nice building with good ventilation. ''Welcome. Welcome to my building. We were ushered through a long corridor to a reception room, where we were greeted by an old man with a bald head. This man must be Ambrose Demilly, the lord of District 40. ''Thank you for inviting me, Oji Ambrose. ''Estella. Hasn''t she become even more beautiful?'' ''No, Mister...'' ''Is there a man in your life you''re interested in? ''........................'' ''...... Miss. Even if it''s a lie, give me something.'' ''Huh!Eh, uh, .................. nothing.'' What kind of unfaithful conference is this? After watching Estella''s troubled expression with satisfaction, Mr. Demilly looked over at me. ''So you must be Obayashi. ''Nice to meet you. Mr. Demilly. Rumor has it you have no hair. ''It''s ''money'', Master Yashiro. Natalia is quick to point out my slight misspokenness. It doesn''t matter if you say it wrong. We get almost 80% of our information from our eyes. If someone shows you a bald head like that, you will at least say the wrong thing. ''I''ve heard rumors from Estella, too. ''Hi, I''ve heard rumors of a very handsome man.'' ''Hmm?It''s a little different from the rumors I''ve heard. I was immediately rebuffed. His smiling face seemed to indicate the depth of this man''s heart. This man is good at his job. However, he is the type of person who will never make it big because he is still naive. Moreover, he is the type of person who is satisfied with a modest level of success. That''s what I thought in the exchange. Perhaps I am not far off. ''Well, have a seat. He offered me a couch, and we sat down on it. Estella sits next to me, and Natalia stands behind Estella. Across from her sits Mr. Demilly, looking dignified. ''So, did you say sewage ......?Can you tell me more about it?'' He must not have a lot of time, because he got right to the point. Demilly''s expression tightened and he quickly moved on to the business meeting. No goofing off from here on out. ''Oh, yes. Yashiro, please explain the details of the system. ''Me? ''That''s why I brought you here. ''Oh, well. Let''s start with .............'' I''ll summarize the main points and include a lot of ''this is it! I''ll summarize the main points and explain with a great deal of excitement about the technology that I''m most excited about. The beauty of a clean city. The advantages of sanitation. Reduction of damage from disasters and prevention of diseases. Furthermore, the importance of securing drinking water and how to do so. He gave a digest of the series of messes that the 42nd district had experienced and how they had overcome them. Demilly listened to me intently, occasionally nodding his head in admiration. ...... Okay, one more push. ''And now!I''ll pay the installment fee for you! ''Oh!That''s a great deal. ''Yashiro, why are you talking in such a high-pitched voice ......?Or rather, what''s ............? Don''t worry about the details, Estella. It''s a good thing Demilly took the bait. That''s fine. ''Hmm. I was originally going to ask you to do the work, but now that I''ve listened to your ...... story, I''m even more determined. I want you to deploy sewage in my forty districts. ''Are you sure, Oji-sama? ''Yes. I''d like you to start the work right away. ''Yes! Estella threw up her hands in joy. ''We did it, Yashiro!We sold the sewage! ''Whoa!Hey!Don''t hug me! Perhaps she was too excited, but Estella jumped on my neck. ''Aaah!I''m sorry! When I pointed it out to her, she immediately moved away. ............ She is a very careless person. ''Hahaha. I''m relieved that Estella has found a good man. ''Oh, Oji-sama!That''s not how it is with Yashiro! ''Is that so?You look like you''re very close. ''They are ............ well, maybe ...... good, but ......''. Don''t glimpse at me. I don''t know if you want my opinion. Demilly and Estella''s father must really be close. He''s an old man Estella''s known since she was little. Something like that. ''I''ll have the papers ready in a minute. Can you wait a moment?'' ''Yes, sir. Mister. Estella nodded in a good mood, her expression somewhat girlish. I think this is a person to whom you can expose your honest self. It''s either ............ or he''s a bald man. ''Yashiro''. Sitting back down next to me, Estella smiles at me as if to say thank you. ''Good work. Yashiro is really good at this kind of negotiation, isn''t he? That was a brilliant sales talk. I''m glad I brought Yashiro along. Estella looks relieved. She had said from the beginning that it was a negotiation with a high probability of success, but perhaps she was nervous because it was a negotiation that would decide the fate of District 42. He seemed to have loosened up and could now afford to make jokes. ''I was worried that Yashiro would say something rude,'' he said. ''Whose hair is missing? ''You''re being rude right now! ''You know what? You''re the one who said, ''His hair follicles are dying out'', aren''t you? ''No, I didn''t say that!I said, ''I''m not in the mood! ''''Not even a strand of hair? ''I''ve at least got downy hair! ''No, you don''t! ''Oji-sama!Please excuse me for a moment so I can have a look! ''Hey. You guys. That''s enough or I''ll kick your asses out! Beneath the shining scalp, Demily''s smile radiates a dark aura. ''Huh?I''m sorry, I can''t help it!...... Come on, Yashiro, apologize too! I''m not sure what to do with it. ''Don''t be greedy!Are you the right of greed? ''Yashiro! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Oh, Estella. What were you telling this old man? I''ll have to hear the details later. ''My Lady, Master Yashiro. May I have a word?'' Natalia stepped between Estella and me and spoke in a hushed voice. I may have gotten a little too excited. ...... I wonder if Natalia will be angry with me? ''I''ve checked and there is no ............ hair on your face. ''What the hell is Natalia doing here? ''Maybe I should quit sewing! ''Mister!I''m just kidding!These two are a bit of a joke.I''ll make them apologize!We''ll make them apologize, at least for the sewage!Come on, both of you, apologize!'' Estella looks so scared. ...... It can''t be helped. Natalia and I both bowed our heads and apologized honestly. ''''I''m sorry. I took a closer look and saw that it was fluffy.'''' ''''Are you sarcastic, both of you? Estella and Demilly looked at each other like young men, even though I had done them the favor. This is why noblemen are ...... so selfish. ''Oh, that''s right. Mr. Demilly the fluffy. I have a favor to ask you. ''Then you should first learn how to ask people for things, Oba-kun. ......'' ''Don''t get too frustrated, Mr. Demilly, or you''ll go bald. ''I''m already bald, Oba!It''s so shiny! ''Mister Oji!Calm down!You mustn''t admit it to yourself! As Estella began to flick the knife in her pocket, I decided to negotiate seriously. ''As I said when I told you how the sewage system works, you need a lot of sawdust to purify the water.'' ''Hmm. You were talking about that. ...... So?'' ''I want you to send a few people from the Woodcutter''s Guild to District Forty-two. ''But even if we send them to the 42nd district, they''ll end up going outside the outer wall, right?I don''t think we need to send them all the way there. ......'' ''Oji-sama. Actually, I''m thinking of building a city gate in District Forty-two.'''' ''You want the city gate in District 42?'' ''Yes.'' Estella, who had taken over the conversation from me, explained that the city gates of District 42 would have quite favorable conditions for the Lumberjack Guild, and made a passionate speech about how serious she was about attracting them. ''District Forty-two needs a lumberjack guild. ''I see. ...... So you''re saying that you''re not only going to dispatch personnel, but you''re also going to establish a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild in District 42? ''Yes. By doing so, the forests in the 42nd district will also be under the control of the Lumberjack Guild, and the environment will be protected. ''So you want to set up a branch in the 42nd district ....... It seems that the Trubec Construction Company is also steadily increasing its sales. ......'' There is a precedent for this, and that precedent is doing well. This should be a significant positive factor. ''Hmm. All right. The head of the Lumberjack Guild is an old friend of mine. I''ll tell him to make the arrangements for you. ''Thank you, Oji-sama! Okay, good. Things are moving along nicely. Now all that''s left is ...... ''But there''s one thing I''m not sure about: where to put the gate. Demily wrinkles his brow with a sullen expression. ''I don''t get it,'' he said, his expression telling. The eyes that were looking at me were unexpectedly sharp, and they were filled with such power that I could clearly see that this man was the lord of a district. I can''t cooperate unless my doubts are resolved. He exuded the caution that is characteristic of a lord, who cannot put himself in danger with one careless word. ''Why would you set it up so far west, away from the main road? The explanation Estella had just given included the location of the gate. We are going to build the city gate not on the east side where the main streets are, but on the west side where the churches and farmlands are spread out and deserted. Normally, there should be a wide open road in front of the city gate to bring in goods from the outside. It is also desirable to have a main street in front of the city, where adventurers from the outside first run into restaurants, taverns, and inns. It''s more profitable that way. However, we dare to build the gate on the west side of the street where it is not popular. Why is that? ...... ''There is a water purification facility on the west side of the territory. Therefore, we will build a processing plant right next to the city gate, and the wood brought in from the city gate will be processed there and used in the water purification facility located a short distance away. This will greatly reduce the transportation cost. ''Are you saying that you''re only using the city gate for lumber? ''''No. There''s also a hunting guild in District 42, they''ll use it as well. ''...... Hmm.'' If I may add one more thing to Estella''s explanation, the river that flows out of District 42 is connected to the ocean. This is proven by the salmon. When we were building the sewage treatment plant, we found out that the water from the river flowing out of the outer wall of District Forty-two seems to pass under the cliff that rises between District Thirty and the sea. There seems to be a large cavity under the cliff, and the river flows out to the sea through the underground ....... Then, if we dig a little entrance to the underground and reinforce it to prevent the cliff from collapsing, we can complete a new delivery route for the Sea Fishing Guild. Masha and the other members of the Sea Fishing Guild can use it to bring their nets to us, and it would be even better if they could share some of the sea fish with us. ''In other words, you don''t expect adventurers or ordinary people to use the city gates from the start, and you''re only building them to improve the lives of the Forty-two Wards, right? ''Originally, the outside of District 42 is a deep forest. Adventurers won''t wander into it. If someone falls off the cliff, that is not the case.'''' If you were to fall from the road in the 30th district to the bottom of this cliff, you would die, most likely. However, unless it was really such an extreme case, no ordinary person would use the gate of District Forty-two. ''Yeah. Then there won''t be any trouble with the other wards.'''' Demiry nodded broadly as if he was satisfied. It is not uncommon to have disputes over the amount of tax to be charged or the number of users, and keeping the number of users limited is the quickest way to avoid trouble. As for the entrance tax, the lumberjack guild is pushing for a heavier tax outside of the forty districts in the name of ...... preventing people from overcutting trees outside of their own supervision. I guess it''s really for profit. So, if that''s the case. If the lumberjack guild is invited, the 42nd district will be under their supervision, which means that the entry tax can be reduced. Furthermore, by placing the city gates close to the water purification facility, the transportation cost will be greatly reduced. A processing plant in the immediate vicinity would be a perfect solution. The sewage from the 42nd district will now be available for use without any problems. And more. ............ Mmm. The west side of District 42 has been nothing but vacant lots and forests until now. If that area is developed, people will naturally gather there. I''ve been talking with Estella, and we''re planning to pave the main road extending to the east and the road to the church to create a main road. If it''s sturdy enough for wagons, it will make it easier to transport the processed wood and the crops for the MoMats. And this is where I made my most forceful and passionate statement: ...... If the roads are built, it will be easier for Alvistan''s people who believe in the spirit gods to go to church! Believers should go to church on holidays and offer a prayer or two! If you only rely on them when it suits you, won''t the spirit gods distrust you? Trust is the key to faith, I said. Ginette wept and said, ''You''re right,'' and Estella said, ''It''s true, I''m only praying at certain times now,'' reflecting on herself and showing signs of remorse. So, the construction of a highway connecting the east and west of the 42nd district is being planned very positively. Oh, by the way, I''ve just realized that if that happens, the Sunlit Pavilion, located right in the middle of the highway, might start to receive customers. Well, what a coincidence. It''s the perfect place to take a break from work. Coincidence, coincidence. ...... Hmmm. With this, we can turn around the ''bad location'' that we''ve had for so long and couldn''t get over! It''s a huge victory in reverse! Now all we have to do is talk to the boss of the lumberjack guild, attract lumberjacks, build the city gate, and redevelop the west side of the territory! The future is bright for ............ and me! The guild leader of the lumberjack guild is an old friend of mine. Wait for me. I''ll write him a letter of introduction. I''m sure he''ll readily agree. The forest on the 42nd district side is a difficult place to reach. If you can make it easier for him to get there and back, he''ll lend you a hand without a second thought. What a great seal of approval I got! It''s true that outside the 42nd district, there are a lot of hexenbiests that will send you to the other side if you encounter them. It would be too much for mere lumberjacks to handle, unless they had Magda. Much less felling a tree there. ...... I see, so this is an advantage for the lumberjack guild. If it''s a win-win situation, negotiations should be easy. In addition, we have a letter of introduction from the lord. ............ Hahaha, I won! I won again this time. ...... I''d like to know how you lost. I felt very good in the face of a negotiation that was sure to be an easy win. I''m not sure what I''m going to do,......, but I think I''m going to expand the Sunshine Pavilion store. I don''t want it to be overrun with customers. Hmmm... While Demilly was filling out the letter of introduction, I couldn''t help but be in a buoyant mood. That is, until I met that woman. 59-Episode 54 The Woodcutters Guild Lady A few hours after our meeting with Ambrose Demilly, the lord of the 40th district, we came to the mansion of Stuart Javier, the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild, who resides with Deden in the middle of the 40th district. In terms of opulence, the lord''s mansion would probably have the upper hand, but in terms of pure space, this one might have a slight lead. In addition to the guild leader''s mansion, there was a warehouse for storing wood, a factory for processing wood, and even a simple dormitory for guild members to sleep in. The fact that it occupies such a large site in the center of the city shows the influence of the Lumberjack Guild''s power. Normally, there shouldn''t be a building that''s bigger and more spacious than the lord''s mansion, but this woodcutter''s guild seems to be an exception. ''But we were lucky, weren''t we? I''m lucky to get an answer right away. Estella says in a good mood. Even though she got a letter of introduction from Demilly, the other party is the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild, which has influence over the entire district. We thought we''d have to come back another day, but we were allowed to see him that day. Demilly laughed and said, ''He''s impatient,'' which was convenient for us. The sooner the contract is signed, the better. ''I''ve heard a lot about you, sir. This way, please. A group of burly servants led me to a room in a grand building. ...... Is it because they''re a lumberjack guild that they''re so handsome?I''m not sure if he''s a lumberjack too. In the room you''re taken to, a big man, one ...... or two times bigger than the servants, is waiting for you. ''Hey, you''ve come a long way. I''m Stuart Javier, head of the Woodcutter''s Guild. ''It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Javier.'' Estella smiles at the bearded man. This man with a friendly smile seems to be the head of the Lumberjack Guild. He is indeed the head of the lumberjack guild. ...... His upper body muscles look amazing. If he gets angry, his clothes will tear to pieces. ''Thank you so much for making time for me so quickly, even though it was a sudden request. ''Don''t worry about it. The other guys will take care of the work. Guild leaders have a lot of free time on their hands. The big man laughs gaily. Javier seems to be a very sturdy man. ''I''ve read the letter from Ambrose. He wants you to send a lumberjack.'' Javier calls Demilly by his first name. I don''t know if it''s okay for a lord to do that, but they really seem to be close, just like Demilly said they were ''old friends''. Well, they seem to be close in age. ''Yes, that''s right. I''d like to set up a city gate in the 42nd district so that we can go directly to the deepest part of the outer forest from there. Estella explained, emphasizing the benefits to the Lumberjack Guild. Currently, the Woodcutter''s Guild is operating out of the 40th District and moving through the forest, The forest is rife with magical beasts and is dangerous. Therefore, they cannot stay too long. For this reason, lumberjacks have only ventured into the front ...... of the forest, i.e. the area close to the gate of District 40. If a gate is built in the 42nd district, the lumberjack guild will have a much wider field of activity. In addition, they are willing to purchase a large amount of sawdust on an almost permanent basis. This must be a very good deal for the lumberjacks'' guild. There may be a few more things to be worked out, such as the entrance tax and the terms of attraction, but the contract itself should go well. From here on out, this is Estella''s domain. It''s not my place to interfere. So I''m standing next to Natalia and keeping her company. ...... She just got mad at me for the way I treated Demilly. Don''t do anything you don''t have to. ''Mmm. The conditions and treatment are fine. Sounds like a good deal for me and the Lumberjack Guild. ''Yes, sir. I''m sure it will be.'' ''I can''t ignore a beautiful woman when she says so. Javier laughs again. Estella also smiles along with him. This has been decided. Good. Now there will be a city gate in the 42nd district, a main road leading to it will be built, and the sunny pavilion will be in full swing. Welcome to a bright future! And goodbye, deserted house! --And then... ''Father, you wanted to see me? As Estella was chatting with Javier, who she should call Muscle Dharma, wearing a perfect diplomatic smile, a voice suddenly called out from outside the room. She looked and saw a glamorous young lady standing behind a large wooden door held by a servant. Her shining blonde hair danced softly and lightly, as if it had been permed loosely at the ends. Her slender, slender arms and legs are perfectly styled, but her figure is not. The white skin that shines like a fine pearl gives a feeling of unspoiled purity and noble beauty, and the lips that look like small red fruits will not let go of the viewer''s gaze. And the most distinctive feature is her long, cool eyes. She has attractive eyes that have both the calmness of the bottom of the deep sea and the strength of burning magma. Those who are stared at by these eyes will think without hesitation. ''I want to be stared at by those eyes and scolded!I want to be cursed! There was a strong-minded young lady there, with a hint of S in her. ''...... huh''. Well, that''s beautiful. No wonder the lumberjacks are so excited. ''Oh!Imelda, you''re here.'' Javier''s old man melts the muscles in his face. His face is so squishy you''d think his musculature had collapsed. You like your daughter so much, don''t you? ''I''ll introduce you. This is my daughter Imelda.'' ''...... Hi.'' Imelda took one look at us and greeted us curtly. ...... Hmm? What''s wrong with this guy? ''Imelda. They are the representatives of the lord of the forty-two districts. ''The forty-second ............ district, yes.'' Imelda''s price-gouging gaze was directed at Estella. Estella''s face twitched at the blatant gaze, but she managed to keep a smile on her face. ''So, what can I do for you? He doesn''t seem to have any particular thoughts about Estella. I mean, who is this .................. guy? Estella is the only daughter of the lord, you know? ''Actually, they''re building a city gate in the 42nd district and they want to invite a branch from the Woodcutter Guild. ''Attracting? ''Ah. Not a bad idea, right?If a city gate is built in the 42nd district, it will be easier to go deep into the forest, which has been difficult to reach so far, and there will be a permanent demand for wood in the 42nd district in the future. ......'' ''I''m not convinced. Imelda''s icy voice interrupted Javier''s good-humored words. ............ What''s this guy saying? ''Oh, um... Imelda, sir? Imelda looks at Estella, adding a sarcastic emphasis to each phrase. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ...... A palpable murderous energy is beginning to rise from next to me. Calm down, Natalia. If you move, people will die. ''What do you mean when you say ...... unconvincing? ''It means exactly what it says. ''Could you please elaborate? Estella is a noblewoman. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... That seems to have made the guts of the woman next to me boil over... ''Do I need to explain? She opens her arms and squeezes her shoulders. It''s a gesture Americans make when they say, ''I''m appalled. I wonder how annoying that pose is when you actually do it. ''Because you''re in the 42nd district.The bottom of Allbloom. The city is dirty, the people are shabby, and the only food you can eat is skinny vegetables and hard black bread. There''s no sights to see, no traditions or history to speak of. There is no beauty to be found anywhere. Why should our glorious Lumberjack Guild have a branch in such a worthless district? .................. Just two more times, I''ll bear with you. ''I went there once when I was a child, but I regretted it. The whole city was filled with strange smells and I thought I was going to get sick. I don''t want to go there again. Besides, aren''t there still slums in the 42nd district?It''s dangerous. ...... one more time. ''You''re mistaken, Imelda. ''Oh?What do you mean? ''It''s true that the Forty-second District may not have been a city to be proud of in the past. But in the past few months, our city has changed a lot. The city is more beautiful and the people are more vibrant. And as for the slums, they have now been reborn as a new town under the leadership of the Torbek Corporation, which is based here, and it is a peaceful and open area. ''But it''s only the 42nd district, isn''t it? .................. zero. ''I love to admire beautiful things more than anything. Is there even one thing in this reborn 42nd district that is worthy of my love?Is there anything in the forty-second ward that is worthy of my beauty? ......'' ''Estella''. I ignore the pompous blonde lady and call out to Estella. There''s no need to give a d*mn about this guy. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. The head of the Woodcutter''s Guild is the guild leader, Mr. Javier. Let''s get his approval and signature on the papers. You can try to convince him later, in hours, years, centuries. Then I look the young lady in the eye with contempt, her brow furrowed in disgust, and say firmly. ''The only time you should be bothered by a mascot whose only asset is its beauty is when you''re greeting and seeing it off. ''What the hell? Yeah, that''s it. You keep your eyes on me. It''s not you that''s important, it''s your father. More importantly, all you need is your father''s autograph. Conditionally, there is no reason for Javier to refuse this contract. It is hard to imagine that he would despise a guest who was introduced to him by the lord himself. No matter what the young lady who was pampered and misunderstood says, this negotiation has already been concluded on a practical level. Then there''s no point in dealing with such a nasty guy. If there''s one thing I''ve learned, it''s that these lumberjacks have muscles in their brains. It''s ...... impossible that they''re all crazy about this woman. She just has a nice face. No, Estella''s face is a few steps ahead of yours. ............ Only her boobs are a disaster, though. ''We don''t have time for this either. Mr. Javier. We''ll talk about your beautiful daughter another day, but for now, let''s talk about work. I''ll shut out the outsiders and get on with it. The lady should just stare at me in the corner of the room. It''s thrilling to see your beautiful face twisted in humiliation. I''m sorry, I''m quite a douche myself. I have no intention of giving in to you. ''So long, Mr. Javier. Please continue your story at .......'' ''Father!'' Estella held out her papers and was about to resume her story when a shrill voice interrupted her. ''If you set up a branch in the 42nd district, the name of our noble woodcutter guild will be tainted!It''s humiliating to have lumberjacks in a city that''s not even beautiful!I''m absolutely, positively against it! What beautiful city? Why don''t you do something about your roads before you say that. I ignored the selfish young lady and quickly signed the contract ....... I looked at Javier and I was mortified. ''I can''t sign this contract! Javier flipped his hand. Huh? You just said with a smile, ''It''s not a bad deal'' and ''It''s a good deal for the Lumberjack Guild''! ''Hey, Mr. Javier! I couldn''t help but close in on Javier. I tried to be quiet, but with this ridiculous atmosphere, my temper tantrum would go into overdrive and I''d get a huge fever. ''You''re not saying that just because you don''t want your daughter to hate you, are you? ''Hey, young ............ man.'' The eyes of a rugged man who has been living in the dangerous forest for decades glare at me. The power is so great that it gives me goosebumps all over my body. ...... My cells start screaming that it''s dangerous to go against this guy. ''............You''re right, but what? ''What? No, no, no! I''m not going to listen to my cells'' warnings! This guy''s an idiot! He''s an idiot! ''Imelda is my reason for living!I''ll overrule any opinion I have to keep Imelda from hating me!That''s my Justice! ''Don''t be so pathetic! No! This guild leader didn''t just mix public and private, he put his personal feelings first! That''s why you''ve turned into such a selfish young lady. ''''Well, the beautiful me will see you off, so please leave me alone! d*mn, you''re a nasty woman for quoting my words just now ....... ''Yashiro-sama......'' As I am still reeling from Javier''s unexpected flip of the hand, Natalia whispers quietly in my ear. ''...... I can finish him off without anyone noticing, can''t I? ''............ Let''s not do that.'' ''......I see.'' Scary. ...... Natalia, Estella''s insults have been quietly accumulating. ...... I hope they don''t explode somewhere. ...... ...... ''Come on, come on, this way. I''ll show you the way out!'' Imelda turns away and quickly leaves the room. ...... Can''t we just close the door and start the negotiations all over again? ''...... Sorry, you two.'' After Imelda left the room, Javier whispered an apology. ''As you can see, once she starts talking, she doesn''t listen. ''...... It''s because you raised her wrong, isn''t it? ''Because she''s cute! ...... It''s not ''because'', you bearded muscle! I''m sure you''re aware of your own insanity when you make an honest apology like this. If so, why don''t you just sign the contract like an adult? ...... ''I''m sorry about the negotiations, but I promise to accommodate you on the sawdust. Ambrose introduced us. Can''t you just end this somehow? I can''t set up a branch of the Lumberjack Guild, but I''ll give you the sawdust. ...... That might be a good place to start, but ............ That''s not good for me! If the Lumberjack Guild doesn''t come, the city gates will never be built. If that happens, the main road will disappear. Then, what will happen to the sunny pavilion? ''...... It can''t be helped. If you push it too far, it will only worsen the relationship. And Estella, too, began to say things as if she had given up. For this guy, just being able to conclude a sewage contract with Ambrose Demilly, the lord of the 40th district, is enough to make him happy. He must think that he doesn''t need to stick to the gate. That''s not good enough!I do! ''Imelda!Listen to me for a second! In this situation, I can''t pretend to be something I''m not! The point is, all you have to do is convince that selfish young lady, right? If we do that, I''m sure this idiot parent will send us a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild just for the love of their daughter! ''Imelda!Come back here for a minute! But no matter how many times I called and shouted, Imelda never showed up. I don''t think she''s gone that far,.................., but I don''t think so. I''m not sure what to say. ''It''s no use. Just for a little while, okay?'' Imelda returned with a graceful gait. ............ She''s an idiot, too. ''So what is it, you stupid fools? Imelda is smiling, as if her good mood has returned somewhat. This guy is probably vulnerable to cajoling. But I don''t think just flattery is going to help. If he doesn''t change the negative image he has had of District 42 since his childhood, he won''t shake his head. ''Would you please take a look at the 42nd Ward?I want you to see the reborn Ward 42 with your own eyes. ''No, thank you. It stinks.'' ''As for the source of that smell, ...... I can assure you that District Forty-two is now cleaner than District Forty in that regard. ''Forty-two wards are cleaner than forty wards?You''ve got to be kidding me. If you talk too big, I''ll turn you into a frog. ''Oh, good. If you think I''m lying, you can call the spirits'' judgment. I assure you. The forty-second district, with its sewage system, is cleaner than this forty-second district, with its poorly maintained roads! ''............ You''re very confident, aren''t you? ''I''ve just signed a contract with the lord to sell the technology. I think it''s proof that the technology is more advanced than here. ''............Yes, sir. ............... ...'' Okay, one more push. ''Ma''am. There''s something very attractive and beautiful for you in the 42nd district. It''s my masterpiece. I can proudly say that this one is the number one in all of Broome. ''Is there really such a thing as ............?'' He looked at me quizzically, but with interest. You''ve got a bite. ...... I''m going to fold it up and make him say ''yes'' for sure! ''Miss, how do you ...... go to the bathroom every day? Spang! There was a high-pitched sound, and I felt a sharp pain in my cheek. ''Hmph, there''s no need to be insolent! ''...... No, no, no. ............ I didn''t mean to s*xually harass you. ...... ......'' You''re an impatient young lady. ''The filthiest and most unsanitary thing in this city is, without a doubt, the toilet. But there are clean and beautiful toilets in the 42nd district.'' ''You want me to come and see the ............ toilets?It''s so rude! Why? It''s a flush toilet. If you see it, you''ll definitely want it! If you''re a beauty lover, you might even rub your cheeks at the sheer beauty of it! ''You''re talking nonsense. The only thing you can be proud of is your ...... bathroom. ...... This is why the forty-two districts are ......'' ''Wait!Who said it''s only toilets!There''s a lot more to it than that! Popcorn, tacos, etc. ............ Well, it''s a little plain to present, but... At least if you have the actual thing, you can negotiate with them. .................. Oh, you do. It''s not even worth visiting if you can''t convince this beautiful woman of its beauty right here, right now. ''Then let me show you. The pride of the 42nd district. Natalia, prepare my lunch! ''Very well, sir. This is the lunch Ginette gave me this morning. I thought about eating somewhere, but I hadn''t gotten around to it yet to avoid getting full before the negotiations with the Lumberjack Guild. People slow down their thinking when they are full. It is better to be moderately hungry before a battle. And Ginette''s lunchbox is designed so that you can''t stop eating halfway. They are so delicious that you can''t help but eat them. Especially when you''re with Estella. ...... You can be sure that they will fight for it. ''Ready when you are. The Lumberjack Guild''s reception room. On a table in the middle of the room, a familiar lunch box from the Sunlit Pavilion is placed. Curious, Imelda and Javier approach you. ''Now, take a look at this: ......'' This is the best home-cooked meal in District 42! It''s Ginette''s lunchbox! ''This, this is ............'' ''Huh. ......'' Imelda and Javier looked into the lunch box and couldn''t help but squeal. Ginette''s lunchboxes are truly a work of art, not only in terms of overall balance and color, but also in terms of the detailed decorations and thoughtful touches added to each of the side dishes. With the dexterity that I have acquired from my master and the skills that I have developed through my career as a con man, I am confident that I can create the highest quality products in most cases. But even I, of course, can''t bring myself to compete with this. There is no dish in this world, or in Japan, that can compare to Ginette''s cooking. The proprietress is only a competitor because of her memories. ''My God, ......, this is beautiful. Javier let out a sigh of admiration. Imelda doesn''t say a word, just stares at the glorious array of dishes. But it is this silence that affirms the beauty. It is truly a case of ''no words''. ''What do you think?This is the finest cuisine the 42nd district has to offer. ''Hmm. The Forty-Two Wards have truly been reborn. Javier nodded in admiration. That''s right!More bites! And sign the papers at ...... ''It sure is beautiful!But ......'' ............ ''But''? ''But''? ''This is only a temporary beauty that will quickly decay over time. .................. .................. .................. Haaaaaaah! ''I find value in beauty that is eternal and unchanging. ''Wait a minute!I''m sure there are plenty of beautiful things out there that aren''t immutable, like flowers in full bloom or the ever-changing scenery of a city! ''Flowers bloom beautifully again when the time comes. A changing landscape is beautiful even if it changes its form. But what about this? Pointing to the lunchbox, Imelda raises her eyebrows. ''If you eat it, it will disappear. If you don''t eat it, it will decay and look like nothing. I don''t approve of these things that are only pretending to be beautiful for a moment! ............ No. I''m sure nothing I say will make sense to this guy. ''But ............''. As I slumped my shoulders, Imelda said to me. ''I admit that it is a beautiful dish. In recognition of this temporary beauty, I will send you to inspect the 42nd district once, and only once. If you can convince me with that one visit, good. Otherwise, ............ the Woodcutter''s Guild will not go to District 42 forever. Is that okay with you? Is this an opportunity ............ or an opening in a game of chance? I felt like I was staring at a mirage shimmering beyond the haze. After leaving Javier''s house, we returned to the 42nd district. On the way, we took a break and ate our lunch, but I didn''t take a bite. I had no appetite. Once ...... just once ............ is enough to convince that selfish young lady that the location of the sunny pavilion will not be improved. It''s a good idea. As prices normalize, competition among restaurants will intensify. Ginette must not be satisfied with the relocation of the restaurant. In that place, in that restaurant, we have to compete with other restaurants. ...... d*mn ............, it''s all dark before my eyes. ''It''s all dark now, isn''t it? I looked up at Estella''s voice as she walked next to me and saw that it really was pitch black. It seemed that the sun had gone down before I knew it. Because of my stop at the Lumberjack Guild, I was late getting home. I had originally planned to return in the evening. ''Hmm?That''s ......''. We had just entered the 42nd district and were about to step out into the central square when Natalia seemed to have found something. She pointed ahead and stared at it. When she turned her gaze in that direction, she saw ............ ''Ah!Mr. Yashiro! There was Ginette. With a small lantern hanging in her hand, she was waving at us in front of the central square. ''Ginette. What''s wrong with you, here? I walk over to her and she runs up to me. And then she looks up at me with a somewhat happy expression on her face. ''Well, ...... you said you''d be back in the evening, but I thought you were a little late. ......'' ''So, you came to check on me?'' ''Oh, well, ...... I haven''t been out much, so I could only come this far. ......'' It''s much better than being alone in an unknown place. ''Did I keep you waiting long enough?'' ''No, sir. I just got here. This lantern is proof. He claimed that the fact that he had the lantern meant that he had left the store after dark. ...... I don''t want him to do anything rash like this, but ............ I think I should thank him now. ''Thank you, for picking me up. ''Yes!Thank you all for your hard work. How did it go?Did we get our story straight? ''You know, Ginette...'' Estella went on to explain what happened today. As we talked, we entered the central square and continued walking. ''I see. The Woodcutter''s Guild said that ............, but it''s good that the sewage was decided, isn''t it? ''Yes. That alone is a relief.'''' I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that,'' said Ginette and Estella, smiling warmly. ...... Sewage alone is not enough. If you can''t attract the lumberjack guild, ............ the sunny pavilion ...... is ...... .................. ''Aaah! I''m not sure what''s wrong with you, Yashiro! I rushed as fast as I could towards the eerie shadow standing in the middle of the central square. ''Oh, it''s ...... again. Ginette seems to have just noticed it, so maybe it was placed there just now. It was just taken down this morning,......, but I wonder if they made it in a hurry. ............ There was a life-size wax statue of me standing there. I''m not sure what to do. ''This is the third one, isn''t it? ''It can''t be helped. Natalia, help her carry it. ''Yes, sir. Let''s cut them up and split them up.'' ''...... No, that''s not ............ good-looking ......... ...'' Natalia is saying horrible things, but it doesn''t matter. Yes, it doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter, because when I saw this wax statue, .................. it hit me. You can do it. ............ This is ............ good! ''Hmm ............ hmm hmm ............... ...hahahahahahaha!Good!This is good!This is good!This is great!I can do it!I can do it if I have this. ''Ya, Yashiro-san! ''Hey, what''s going on, Yashiro? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea....... Oh, no, let''s not mention Natalia. Anyway, I see a chance to win! God hadn''t given up on me yet! You''ve got a good point there, God! ''Jeannette! ''Yes! ''Estella! ''What the hell? ''And Natalia, too! ''What is it? I looked around at everyone present and gave them instructions on how to seize the opportunity that was beginning to present itself. ''We''ll get the culprit!I''m going to catch whoever made this wax statue and set it up here, no matter what it takes! Thus, I began my mission to capture the mysterious sculptor. 60-Episode 55 keeps increasing. Iraira ...... ''Konnichiwa soooo! ''Go home! ''Oh, no!What''s with you, out of the blue? Who could blame me for shouting at Umaro, who had walked into the store with a stupid face, without knowing the right time and place? ''Yashiro. Don''t take it out on me. ''...... Yashiro, meh.'' ''Big brother, you shouldn''t be so irritated. ''That''s what I''m doing. ''Oh, he blamed me a lot. ''If you''re going to do it anyway, you should go for it like, "Shall I cover your annoying lips? If you''re going to do it, you''d better go for it! Okay, you can go home, Regina. ''Welcome, Mr. Umaro. I''m sorry. I''m a little busy right now.'' ''Oh, no, no, no, no, I''m fine! As Jeannette spoke to him, Oumarro moved awkwardly and strangely, as usual. It''s the usual scene. Yes, it''s a scene we''ve been seeing for a while now. Umaro like this, the exhausted faces of these people, and ...... And the pile of wax statues that grows day by day. ''Wow~...... they''re growing again! Umaro says without hiding his disgusted face. That''s a disgusting look. ...... Ten days have already passed since the day I went to the 40th district. During that time, wax statues were placed in that square every day. You would think that the three wax statues plus ten would make thirteen ............ statues, right? In fact, there were 24. Recently, two or three wax statues have been placed in a day. In the worst cases, as soon as I returned to the sunny pavilion after collecting the wax statues, my sisters reported to me that new statues had been installed. There were times when I received reports from my sisters that a new statue had been installed. ...... You''re working too hard, sculptor! And ...... the pose is different every time! First of all, the wax statue in the pose of holding the chin between the fingers. The first is a wax statue of a man holding his chin between his fingers. The pose looks like Ryunosuke Akutagawa. He is not posed like this, is he? And a wax statue with her hair brushed back and smiling with streaming eyes. The title is "Are You Trying to Make Me Serious? ...... What''s with the incendiary phrase that sounds like some painful fashion magazine? The next one is a wax statue of a man wiping the blood from his cut lip with his thumb and smiling happily despite the injury. "...... You''re good, that worked. ...... When did I get hit? In addition, a s*xy wax statue that pulls down the collar, licks its lips with its tongue and gives a provocative look. I''m not sure I''ve ever worn anything like this. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not saying that!I''m sure you will. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the site, you can call us at the web site. It looks like the last pose of a dancing consumer finance commercial. ...... The word written on the pedestal is "burning. Have you danced through it? And then there is the wax statue lying face down, knees flapping, cheek resting with a bored expression. The theme was "Rainy Day Holiday". It''s not about heroes anymore! And a wax statue on all fours with a fierce expression on its face. On the pedestal: "Woof, woof, woof! What the hell do you want? The wax statue that was installed today has a tight expression and seems to be pointing to some distant future. The theme is "Return to the Origin". I guess he made it a few times without paying attention to the theme. It must have taken a lot of imagination to make it in such a short time. You can''t come up with so many different compositions. If it was ............, you should have taken a break. ......! ''But the more I look at it, the more it looks just like ......''. I''m sure you''ll agree. Umaro and Regina are observing the wax statue closely. They are ...... too nervous to talk in front of women and too negative to be seen by others, but they go for the wax statue. ''If you do this here and ...... rub it, ............ it''s done! Regina moved the wax statue and put the two together with a satisfied expression on her face. In front of him is a "woof, woof, woof!" that covers the "burning". ...... ''Don''t play with me! ''The title is ''Fusion''! ''It sounds obscene to me! The way the wax statue with my face is trying to attack the wax statue with my face is ...... something that gives me ...... chills. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following URL.It''s great!I can do it!I can do it if I have this! You were saying that. ''Were you watching me, man? ''You''re a very advanced person, ............, with a statue that looks just like you. It''s not what I meant, a**h*le! This guy has been coming to the sunshine pavilion a lot lately and smiling eerily at us, and I thought ............ ''Mmm!I''ve got an idea!I''ve got to hurry home and write something!Now if you''ll excuse me! ''Wait!What are you writing? ''This world needs love! ''Let''s cremate that twisted love! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... I don''t know what you''re writing on, but we can''t let such an abomination come into the world! ...... There''s something about his expression that makes me want to ask him, ''Did something good happen to you? I''m not sure. So I ignore it! ''Come on, Magda, Loretta!I''m going to take another look around! ''Wait a minute!Please! Clinging to my waist, Umaro begged desperately. ''There''s something I want you to hear!I really want to announce it right here, right now! He was filled with a sense of helplessness and said, ''Oh, you want to hear it?Why does he have to be such a jerk? Why is this guy so caring? ...... Is there something so serious? ''Finally, all the housing complexes in New Town have been completed! ''That''s great. Congratulations! ''Ah ......, thank you ............ .......'' That''s good! Nice timing to break the story! I don''t have time to listen to Umaro. ''So, here''s the next plan: ......'' ''I want you to wait a minute!I have a big announcement to make! ...... d*mn. You''re really coming on strong today, aren''t you? What is it that you want? ''Then tell me quickly. I''m busy.'' ''Kohon ...... presumptuous ............ actually, I ......! ''Oh, by the way, Umaro. You''ve moved here, haven''t you? ''I was just about to tell you about it! Estella gives a wonderfully unpredictable spoiler. I see. I''m a lord, so I''ll be notified when people move in and out. ''?Why are you moving in? ''Because we have a new branch! ''You''re the head of Torbeck Engineering! ''There''s no rule that says the head can''t be in the branch! ''What about the headquarters? ''''Yang Bold will take care of it! Umaro with a satisfied smile on his fox face. This ...... is a stupid fox. He even moved here to miss Magda. ...... ''Magda. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''What kind of harassment is that?You wouldn''t say something like that, would you Magda? ''...... So. Magda would never say such a thing. It''s kind of creepy.'' ''Muhaha!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Are you okay with anything Magda, are you? Estella''s shocked. ''No, no, no, no, no, no!Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ''Oh, God!I''m not sure what to say. I''m so nervous I have no idea what you''re talking about. ''Hoho...... ''Don''t look at anyone but me'' ............''. I''m not sure what you''re writing down, Regina!You should go home now! ''No, I''m going to observe some more! d*mn it. You''ve got sparkling eyes. Enough. Ignore him, ignore him. ''So, did you move in here to stalk Magda? ''No, I didn''t!Of course, wanting to be in the same city and breathe the same air as Magda is nine-tenths of the reason, but there are other reasons as well! ''Ninety-nine percent of ............ it doesn''t matter what other reasons you have .......'' Estella became even more distracted. ''Because District 42 has Yashiro-san. ''''I can''t live without Yashiro-san. ......'''' ''Regina. Are you deaf? Even though the distance was only a few meters without any obstacles or shields, somehow the words that entered Regina''s ears seemed to have been converted in a strange way. ''It''s fun to work with you, Yashiro. I feel like I can sweat better than usual. ''It''s fun to work with you, Yashiro. I feel like I can sweat better than usual when I work with you.'' ...... ''You left out a very important word, Regina. ''Working with Yashiro is the most fun. ''Working with Yashiro is the most fun'': ...... ''What, are you a genius in that field?It''s just a natural disaster for me. ''That''s why I''ve decided that the best way for Torbeck Engineering to become even bigger than it is now is for me to stay in District 42. This is not a compliment, but my intuition as a carpenter! ''Hah!No, Yashiro-san, you can''t be here at ......!Everyone''s watching! .......'' I''m not sure what to do.It''s your ears, your brain, or your spirit that''s rotten! ''Are you listening to me, Yashiro-san? ''Oh, I''m sorry. I was preoccupied with Regina. ''........................ "I was crazy about Regina"... ...and...'' Why did you write that down? ''Anyway, the reason I live in the Forty-second Ward is for the benefit of Torbeck Engineering. Besides, I''ve been doing most of my work in the 42nd district lately. It''s nice to live near the site. It''s tiring to go back and forth between the 42nd and 40th wards every day. Umaro smiles brightly. I''m sure he''s feeling refreshed now that he''s moved in. He must be excited to be living near his favorite girl. On top of that, his work is going well, and he has nothing to worry about. Things are rosy. I''m having a great time. If you''re ......, let''s get down to the gray reality here. ''Umaro, when did you move in? ''Just finished this morning! ''I see. I''ll start the sewage work in the 40th district tomorrow. ''Forty wards? ''I''ll have to go back and forth again tomorrow. ''......, what exquisite timing ............! Just exquisite. Umaro must have some kind of God who can''t stand it if he doesn''t interject a little joke every now and then. What an interesting life. I don''t envy you at all, but it''s great fun to watch from the side. ''I''m sorry, Umaro. I really should have given you more time. ......'' Estella called out apologetically, perhaps worried about the crumpled Umaro. ''I spoke with the lord ten days ago and was informed today that they are ready to go. I wanted to discuss the date with you guys. ......'' ''I thought Umaro might like a surprise like this, so I took the liberty of deciding! ''That''s why ......''. ''No,......, it''s fine,............, I was prepared for this kind of treatment when I decided to go out with Yashiro-san. ......'' ''''I''m prepared to go out with Yashiro-san ...... because I''m prepared to go out with Yashiro-san .......'''' ''Hey, didn''t you come home yet, Regina? Don''t let it rot in the cafeteria. If there''s a hygiene problem, it''s your fault. ''...... uumalo''. ''Ma, Magda Tan ......'' Magda walks up to the nodding Umaro. He places a hand on Umaro''s shoulder, looks him straight in the face, and mutters in a flat voice. ''...... From today onwards, "I''m going home" has been changed to "I''m coming home."'' ''Ma, Magda Tan ............! ''......Umaro is going to work hard and come back ...... here.'' ''That''s right,............, isn''t it! ''Because ...... it''s kind of gross.'' ''..................Are you still going on with that ...... ending?'' Lifting and dropping ............ your arms, Magda. ''Now that the atmosphere has warmed up, let''s get down to business. ''...... I''m feeling like a stepping stone.'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your investment. For what? You know what I''m talking about! ''I''m serious about catching the sculptor who carved this wax statue! ''You''ve never been serious before, have you? Estella makes an airheaded comment. Well, we''ve always been pretty serious. ...... ''There''s one thing I''ve learned in the last ten days. ''Wow. I''d like to hear about it. ''I''ve analyzed the circumstances under which the wax statue of the mysterious sculptor was set up, and I''ve figured out his pattern of behavior. ''Oh!Big brother, you seem like a smart guy! ''Yashiro-san is a smart guy. ''''The obscenity changes depending on what you put in front of the word ''smart'', though.'''' ''''......?'''' Hey Regina . Don''t talk down to the two purists like they''re old men. You can either shut your mouth or leave right now. No, you go home now. ''What is this pattern of behavior?'' Estella closes in on me with interest. Hmm, all right. Then I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you what my clear mind has figured out about the target''s behavior pattern! ''There are a total of twenty-four wax statues installed in the central square so far! ''Yes, sir. They''re all here.'' ''...... I''m starting to feel a little sick ...... with all the Yashiro''s.'' The statues of me are all lined up in the cafeteria. ...... It''s definitely creepy. What kind of horror house is this? ''Twelve of these statues were found in the morning. The first wax statue had been abandoned for some time after it was installed, but half of the second and subsequent statues were found early in the morning before they were donated. As can be seen from this, there is no doubt that these twelve statues were set up at night. ''In other words, this target has a one in two chance of being nocturnal! ''...... What if it''s not nocturnal?'' ''It''s someone who''s active during the day! ''Well, they''ll all fall into one of those categories! Estella complains about my perfect profiling. People who only criticize without thinking... ''And twelve out of twenty-four ...... half of them are set up during the day, right? ''Yes, that''s right!That''s why I''ve been staking it out during the day for the past ten days! On the afternoon of the day I went to the 40th district to negotiate, a wax statue of me was set up in the central square. Knowing that there was a possibility that the statue would be installed during the day, I began to stake out the central square during the day. I tried to catch them in the act. But the result was ............ Even though there was no movement at all when I was watching, the wax statue was set up in the central square when my sisters called me or I went back to the sunny pavilion because I was hungry. I couldn''t catch the tail at all. ...... I rather suspect that I was being watched. Anyway, the daytime stakeout was already known to the enemy. ''So, I think I''ll do my stakeout at night this time! ''...... That''s a very basic ...... suggestion.'' He''s so annoying. It''s a good thing that people are willing to do this. ''But, Yashiro-san, ...... are you okay? ''Well, the days and nights might be reversed a bit,......, but I still have to catch this sculptor,............, no matter what! No matter what! This sculptor may hold the future of the sunlit pavilion! ''...... Yashiro is burning ............ because he''s kind of creepy.'' ''Hey, Magda!Don''t use that on me! ''It''s Yashiro''s way of falling for the traps he sets for himself. ......'' No, Estella. Magda knows what she''s doing. This half-lidded, expressionless little girl is surprisingly calculating and strong. It''s probably time for her to start wanting attention. If you rub her ears, she''ll calm down soon enough. ''Hey, big brother. Are you sure you want to stake it out at night?'' ''Yeah. We''re not going to get anywhere with this. ...... Oh, don''t worry, I won''t take your brothers and sisters with me. As expected, I don''t feel comfortable dragging them out in the middle of the night. ''But then, big brother, are you going to stake it out by yourself? ''Well, I suppose I will. If you''re going to stake it out at night, it''s preferable to go alone if you can ...... a small number of people to hide your presence. If you go with a lot of people, there''s a good chance you''ll be noticed. After all, the enemy is so sensitive that he will find me hiding and set up a wax statue to avoid me. I''ll have to pay close attention. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san: ............'' Jeannette stares at me with a worried look on her face. She looks like she''s about to burst into tears. ''It''s okay, Jeannette. I''m not going to do anything dangerous.'' It''s too early to say there''s no danger since we don''t know what kind of target we''re dealing with, but ...... is a way to reassure Jeannette. Let''s just say it''s a convenience. ''...... yes''. Although her anxious face still did not disappear, Ginette nodded a little, seemingly satisfied. ''Then, at least take ...... this.'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ''It''s dark at night, sir. ''How can I use this thing? I''m not going to let you show off your stupidity at this crucial moment! It''s no good staking out a place if you''re lighting up the place like this. I don''t want to see my body slowly dissolve! ''Anyway, we''ll start the stakeout tonight. I may not be able to join you for the early morning donation tomorrow. ''I''m afraid that''s unavoidable. But please be careful, okay?'' Ginette says anxiously, patting the head of the wax statue she pushed in front of me. ............ Those words are for me, aren''t they? Are you okay?Do you know which one is the real one? ''Jeannette ............, just in case you''re wondering, this one is the real one, okay?'' ''Huh?I know, I know. Ufufu...... can''t be wrong. You know? Ginette smiles at the wax statue patting her head. ...... You''re talking to me! ''But you look so much like him that you might actually start talking. ''If it started talking, I''d melt it immediately. ''Stop it~. Please don''t melt it! Hiding himself behind the wax statue, Jeannette said these lines in a slightly different voice. ''Hi, I''m Yashiro.'' ...... No, I know it''s supposed to be ventriloquism, but ............ ''Why do you keep adding ''san'' to yourself? ''Yeah, ............, but it''s ...... embarrassing to call me that.'' I''m not sure I''m ready for this. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say. I wonder if she''s interested in wax figures? ''It seems like there are a lot of Yashiro-san here, which is very reassuring. ''No, I''m not at all .......'' ''I, on the other hand, am struck by an inexplicable anxiety. ......'' ''If all the faces are the same like this, it''s really ......'' ''Even my brothers have a few more differences in their faces. ......'' ''......'' ''Hey, I''m Yashiro. I''m kind of grossed out.'' ''Alright you guys, get out in the open except for Jeannette!And Magda, you''re taking in too much.'' Magda''s ventriloquism resembled that of a mouse in dreamland. Well, I don''t think that rat would say, "That''s just too creepy. At all. They don''t know what you''re thinking, and they do whatever they want. You''ll understand how I feel when you see a wax statue of yourself in the square. You can laugh because it''s someone else''s problem. You''re a godd*mn ...... Well, the ...... anxiety is gone from Ginette''s face, so that''s good. ''Okay!I''m going to be the one to protect the sunlit pavilion at night while my brother is away! Suddenly, Loretta said such a thing. She slaps her chest, shakes it slightly, and declares with a proud face. ''No, Loretta is a little unreliable. I''ll stay at the Sunken Pavilion and guard the place! Perhaps inspired by Loretta, even Estella started to say something like that. She slaps her chest, doesn''t move a muscle, and is full of pride. ...... ''Where did you just look? ''What are we talking about ......?'' He thrusts his ...... sharp gaze at me. He''s really sharp. ''If that''s the case, I''ll take Yashiro''s place. ''That ...... man is a bit ...... troubling.'' ''It''s ......, isn''t it? I''m sorry. ............ Ginette softly rejected Umaro''s attempt to come forward. So ...... Ginette''s been able to reject the kindness of strangers, huh? It looks like you''ve grown up a bit since I arrived. ''Well then, let''s at least get some people ...... Regina.'' ''Too bad. I can''t sleep unless I''m in my own house. ''...... That airheadedness, it''s really Regina, isn''t it? I can''t speak for others either,........................, but who''s a loner, here. All right. If that''s the case, I''m going to take a nap to prepare for the night. I told him that and went back to my room. It''s still early afternoon, but the room is dark if you close the wooden window tightly, and you''re tired from all the running around you''ve been doing lately, so you''ll be able to sleep rather quickly. ...... If I fall asleep until morning, I won''t be able to sleep at all. It''s night. ............ Ho! I didn''t oversleep. Mr. Yashiro, take this. When I left my room and entered the kitchen, Ginette handed me my lunch. ''It''s a long night. Please eat when you are hungry. It was a heavy, three-tiered lunch. ...... I''m not going to eat this much, as expected. ''I''m sorry. There were a lot of yashiros in the cafeteria. ...... I made too many.'' I''m sure he can''t tell the difference between the real thing and a wax statue. ''Yashiro. I brought a lantern from home. Use it to kill the murderer.'' ''What are you, an idiot? ''Ba...... you know, Yashiro. People are trying to help you, and you''re trying to ......! If there were lights on in that dark square, it would be like saying, ''I''m here. ''I reject the lights. I''m going to assimilate completely into the darkness and capture my enemies alive.'' ''I see. Then I''ll withdraw this.'' Seemingly convinced, Estella puts the lantern away. I mean, are you sure you want to be here? The only daughter of a lord, in a house with a man at this time of night. ''With Natalia''s permission, yes. Your trustworthiness is quite impressive.'' ''I don''t think Natalia trusts me, though. ......'' With that guy, I don''t think it''s ''don''t worry about him'', I think it''s more like ''he''s ...... sure to get you if something goes wrong''. ''I''ll protect everyone while my brother is away! Loretta is very motivated. She is wearing a headband and a small piece of leather armor over her usual apron dress. It may have been loaned to her by Estella, but ............ it''s very unreliable. Well, it''s Loretta. I''ll do my best! She must be the type of person who falls asleep first thing in the morning. I feel a little uneasy about opening the Sunken Pavilion at night, but ...... ''Don''t worry. You''re all here with me. When I look at her, she gives me a soft smile. But the smile was still laced with a hint of anxiety. ...... No, is this a sign of concern for me? I''m not sure how many times I''ll be able to make this face. I''ll finish it today. Sculptor. I''ll get you today! I''m off then. All of you come to the door to see me off and send me on my way. After looking at each of their faces, I walked ...... step by step into the deep darkness of the night that seemed to be engulfing me in darkness. A dozen minutes passed, and I .................. ''I can''t!I''m so scared!The darkness of the night is outrageous! I was running back to the ...... sunlit pavilion. I mean, come on! It''s so dark! It''s so dark it''s unbelievable! I can''t do anything like that! And I''m all alone! I can''t do it! I can''t do it! ''That was faster than I thought, ......'' ''...... Yashiro is afraid of the dark.'' ''Big brother looks like he''s solid, but he''s actually ......'' ''Yes. He also has a cute side. ''''''No, that''s not it. ......'''' ''''Heh......?'''' What are you guys doing over there when I''m shaking so badly? Why don''t you go talk to him? I don''t care if you pat my head or something! Do something about the scary thing inside me! I want to crawl under the covers and fall asleep, but I don''t want to sleep at all because I was asleep just a few minutes ago... ...The gynets are looking super sleepy!I''m the only one who''s not sleepy at all! At this rate, I won''t be able to ...... sleep all night long. .................. Ahh! ...... ''......Xu, I won''t forgive you, you sculptor!I''m going to get you, I''m going to get you! ............ See you later. 61-Episode 56 Clumsy Dexter ''I''m going to get you today! I declared, pumping my fist in the air with renewed enthusiasm as soon as I woke up. I''ll do it! When I say I''ll do it, I do it! ''I''m going to use this whole day to get the sculptor no matter what! All the people in the room looked at me. I''m sure they were greatly moved by your declaration of determination to fight back. I understand, I understand, yeah. ''Yashiro......'' Estella, who was seated at the table in the sunlit pavilion, stood up and slowly approached me. Then she puts her hand on my shoulder and turns her quiet gaze to me. ''...... It''s already evening. The light outside the window was a bright red. ''How can you say that you have a full day ahead of you while sleeping until this time? They''re looking at me like I''m a complete idiot. What is that, contempt?Pity?Like you''re looking at a poor child? I can''t help it! I went to bed at a weird time last night and couldn''t sleep at night! The dark and silent darkness of the night after everyone has gone to bed is also viciously frightening, and I couldn''t sleep at all. ...... But when the sun was about to rise, I finally felt sleepy. ...... ...... and it was evening when I realized it. ''It''s not my fault, is it? ''I''m just beginning to suspect that your head is sadly bad. I''m sorry. ''Mr. Yashiro. Would you like to eat for now?You must be hungry.'' ''......, if you say so. ''Then, I''ll go prepare it. Ginette quickly disappeared into the kitchen. Loretta is clearing the table where someone was eating a while ago. Magda is dusting the wax statues that line the store. ...... You don''t have to clean that, do you? And there''s Estella in front of me. ''...... I don''t know, this store is always full of the same people. ''There was a customer here a while ago, but you were just asleep. ''Even if there were customers, there were probably fewer than this wax statue anyway, right? ''U............, well, yes...'' There are a total of twenty-five wax statues lined up in the sunlit pavilion,............ and they''re growing again. ''By simple calculation, that''s five per person. ''I don''t need five of them. It''s a metaphor for what you might take home. I don''t want these sculptures either. But I can''t throw them away. It''s starting to take up too much space in the store. ...... We need to get the sculptor. ''Sorry, Jeannette!We''ll eat another time! ''What? I called out, and Ginette hurriedly came out of the kitchen. ''Aren''t you going to eat? ''Because we have to catch him quickly. Somehow, it''s already evening ...... and there''s no time to relax.'' ''Not somehow, though. ''Then, at least, let''s get some lunch ......!I''ll remake it right now! ''No, I''m fine. ''No! Jeannette saunters over the counter. Unusually, her eyebrows arched in a slightly angry expression. ''You have to eat well. If anything should happen to Mr. Yashiro, ...... I will ............''. ''Oh, no, it''s ............ .......'' What a spirit. ...... I can''t believe I can''t get away with this: ............ ''Or is ...... the food I make not enough to help ............ Yashiro-san?'' This is not fair! This is not fair, Jeannette! What''s with that face that looks like it''s about to cry? You look like a little kid when your parents are getting divorced and your father is leaving you. ...... If you have a face like this and say something like this, ............ no matter how much I ...... ''Oniichan! ''Nii-chan! At that moment, my sisters rushed into the cafeteria through the door. That''s great! Go ahead and make some noise! When Jeannette was distracted by you and the air was silent, I seized the sculptor who was sneaking away and ......! ''I caught the person who put the sculpture there. ''You caught him? ''You got him? ''Got it! ''Gotcha! What do you want me to do with all the effort I''ve put in and the enthusiasm I have now? You can''t ............ get him while I''m sleeping. I''m not sure what to make of it. Estella asks, calming her fussing sisters. The sisters all point to the entrance, ''''Almost there! I''ll get him! But he''ll get violent! they say. Soon, the sculptor who made my wax statue will be here. ............ What kind of person will he be? ...... ''Be quiet! ''Don''t go crazy! Gradually, the front becomes noisy. It looks like the underling has arrived. ''Onii-chan! ''The culprit, I''ve got him! Four sisters are pulling on the rope. Then, a man, his body wrapped in ropes, was dragged to the sunny pavilion. ''Hey, you little bastards!Let me go, that I do!I can''t let you fail here, that I can''t! ...... Samurai! The man who brought me in was a young man with shaggy hair and potato-like round glasses. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m curious about the tone of voice. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ............ I never thought I''d meet a guy with a samurai tone in another world. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ............ Is that you? I''m not sure what to make of that. No, wait, calm down, I am!It is strange that Mr. Yashiro is here, that it is!I''m sure he''s a celestial being and would never be in this lower realm. ...... No, but the person in front of me right now is undoubtedly the hero, Mr. Yashiro. ...... I''m not sure what is a dream and what is reality. ''Sister, kick her out. I''m not sure what to do. Estella put a stop to my honest request. ''No, I thought you would probably react that way, but I can''t start unless you listen to me! ''Then you''ll have to listen to me.'' ''Well, .................. I''m a little ......... ...'' You look very uncomfortable. ''Well ...... it seems that I am being shunned by women, that I am. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not worried about it in the slightest, so please don''t worry about it either. ''...... Yashiro''. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. Now, as he pondered what to do about this man with too much lye, Ginette stepped forward and stood in front of the man who had spoken to him, that is, she stood in front of him. She bowed her head. ''Welcome to the Sunshine Pavilion. I''m Ginette, the manager of this store. ''Well, well, well, thank you very much. Thank you very much, that you are. ''If you don''t mind, may I ask your name? ''I am not worthy of a name, .......'' Ila: ...... ''Identify yourself, Kola.'' I was so irritated that I kicked him in the face, and who can blame me? ''Mr. Yashiro, you can''t.'' Oh, ......, I was blamed. ''Hee hee!Oh, my hero!The hero kicked me in the face!I was so excited that every muscle in my body started to move strangely, that I was so excited that every muscle in my body started to move strangely. ''Yeah!Don''t move so strangely, say your name quickly! The sisters who were grabbing the ropes wriggled in such an unpleasant way that they couldn''t help but run away, ''Muha!Mu-hah! I''m not sure what to say. ...... What is this? I want to illegally dump it in the mountains right now. ''...... Yashiro. Is this all the people you know? ''I don''t know any of them! We''ve never met! ''Sorry, sorry, ....... I''m a little distracted, that I am. The man stops flailing around, sits upright on the floor, and straightens his back. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you need to do to get it. ...... The quickness with which you can switch from writhing to calm and the flexibility of your body to quickly get back into position with your hands tied makes it even more unpleasant. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. ''It''s rude not to answer when asked your name, that it is. Then, I would like you to remember this trivial name, that it is, in a corner of your memory. ............ In the first place, I was born into this world one rainy day eighteen years ago... ...'' ''Come on, say your name! My face was in a very good position, so I kicked him in the face once more. What''s with this fit? I feel a sense of unity that makes me think that this guy''s face is there for me to kick him in the face. ''Yashiro-san . Don''t be violent, okay?'' ''No, no, Mr. Ginette. I''m a little comfortable with this, that I am.'' ''......Wow............'' ''......terminal'' ''...... big brother......'' Hey, hey, hey, Estella, Magda, Loretta. Why are you looking at me there?He''s the bad one and he''s the creepy one, right? ''Gosh,'' said ....... So, again. My name is Bekko Neveu, that I am. I''m a simple expressionist. There''s nothing more I can introduce. A boring man, that I am. Becco Neveu. ''Hey, Becco. ''Hee-hee!A hero spoke my name.''Oh, my name! ''Shut up!Don''t agonize over it! He''s got his arms bound, but he''s still moving around freely. I''m sure he can live happily in any situation. The way he moves, he must have a lot of flexibility and muscle strength. ...... Perverts with high specs are out of control. ''Becco. Are you sure that the wax statue here is the one you made? ''Mu............ these are my works that I thought were missing......... ...How did you end up here? ''It''s a nuisance to leave something like this in the square. I made you bring it here.'' ''What?The hero himself is collecting my works? ''It''s not a collection! ''I''ll sign as many as you want, that I will! ''No thanks! Talking with this guy consumes three times as much energy as usual. Why is he so direct?Isn''t there a little too much blood? ''Why have you made so many statues of Yashiro and placed them in the square? Estella asked in a quiet voice, and Bekko calmed down a little, closing his eyelids softly. ''I ...... have always loved to make things. I have made many things since I was a child, starting with mud dumplings, drawing, and clay work, that I have made many things since I was a child. With his eyelids open, Bekko''s eyes look over the wax statues with compassionate tenderness. ''One day, I want to be recognized by people as a sculptor, ...... and it didn''t take me long to come to that conclusion, that I did. In every world, there are always young people who have dreams. ...... ''But as you can see, the things I create are ...... not at all acceptable as an artist, that they are. ...... And without exception, the reality is harsh. ''I don''t know if it''s my lack of sensitivity or my lack of imagination, but I can only give form to what I see ............, and as an artist I''m no better than a third-rate failure, that I am. Many of those who dream are faced with a reality that is too harsh and are crushed. ''I, too, thought that the age of dreaming was over at eighteen......, that it was. In this world, you are considered an adult at 15. You need to get a job by that time and build a foundation for your future life. If you can''t do that, you will be branded a failure as an adult. Eighteen is the age at which one begins to think about having a family in this world. It is the age when one is ready to take on the life of someone other than oneself. This is not the age to be talking about dreams. ''But ......'' But ...... ''At that time, I met a hero, that I did!A hero! There is no rule that says you have to give up on your dreams. It''s a great life to live your dreams until you become an old man, or even after you become an old man. I like people with sparkling eyes like this. regardless of gender. I saw the big fight on the main street two and a half months ago and heard Mr. Yashiro''s words, "Let''s try again! I thought, ''Let''s not give up, let''s keep trying until the end,'' that I did! ''So, you made a wax statue of my likeness and placed it in the square. ''How dare you!I can only give shape to what I see as I see it. ...... But even so, I can give shape to the scene that I see so clearly, that I can give shape to it without any deviation.I have put everything I have into that statue, that I have! ''Form what you see, just as you see it......? ''As you see ......, I am clumsy, that I am. I smile at Becco, who smiles cynically at me. I smiled cynically at Bekko, who smiled cynically at me. ...... I smiled cynically at Bekko, who smiled cynically at me. ''Did I pose like that? When I pointed to the statues of "Combustion" and "Rainy Day Holiday" and questioned him, he smiled a carefree smile and said. ''That''s it. I''m very good at combining scenes I''ve seen in my brain, that I am, so I combined Mr. Yashiro''s face with the pose another person took, that I did. ''Is there anyone you know who dresses like "I''m going to dye you my color"?I suggest you take him to the hospital. ''Aside from posing, you can also grow Mr. Yashiro''s face on radishes and onions, that you can! ''You don''t need to do anything else! Well, I''d say that most of what he does is superfluous. ''Even though it''s superfluous ......''. Lips pursed, Bekko gazed into the distance. His eyes were filled with a strong ...... will, and there was no longer any sign of hesitation. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to do it.I want to keep moving forward on the path I believe in, that I did when I heard Mr. Yashiro''s words, that I did! Bekko raised his voice as if he were half barking. It was as if he was delivering it to himself in the distant future. It is as if he is scolding his past self who once stood still. ''I want to express in a form the scene of that day which was strongly burned in my heart!And I want many people to share that impression!That is my honest feeling right now, that it is!I really do not want to lose this feeling, that I do! And then he looks straight at me with a clear face. ''It is because of such feelings that I made a statue of Mr. Yashiro and placed it in the central square where many people come and go, that I did. He''s an extremist. It''s a very annoying way of going over the edge. But once a person goes over the top, he or she becomes a big deal. Especially if it''s in the field of art. I have a question for you. ''Anything you want! Becko shows a serious expression. I also ask with a serious face. ''...... Can I ask you two questions, please? ''You''re really uncomfortable, aren''t you? ''Shut up, Estella. You asked ''one question'' first, ''can I ask you two questions''. ...... That''s it, then there''s only one more question you can ask?............ Hmm? You can ask as many questions as you like. I swear to you that I will answer all of them without any falsehood, that I will answer all of them without any falsehood. ''So, which do you like better, big tits or little tits?'' ''What?I''m not sure what to say... ......'' You''re covering up. I''ll turn you into a frog. ''Yeah!I''m a man too!I''m a man, that I am.In fact, I like my breasts terribly flat, that I do! ''You did it Estella!You''re in demand! ''Whose breasts are horrible? Estella quickly pulls out a knife and places it on my neck. ...... Are you getting any higher? I''m not sure what to do.I''m more of a demure woman. ......'' ''Too bad, Estella. There''s an oversupply once again. ''I don''t have an oversupply! The knife presses against the skin of my neck. ...... If it slides even a little, my carotid artery will be sliced clean through. ''Um, Estella. I''m sure Mr. Yashiro will be sorry for what he''s done. ...... Let''s leave it at that.'' ''That''s sweet, Jeannette. Have you ever felt remorse for anything in your life? Yes, I have, I''m sorry! ...... Well, you see, ............ that''s it, that''s it, ......... ...that .................. Well, it''s not the first thing that comes to mind, but I''m sure I''ll reflect on it. It''s just not coming up right now. ''By the way, which would you rather have, a mild-mannered pointy one or a slightly strong-willed scamp? ''Mmmmmmm ...... I''ve never encountered two choices as troubling as this one ............... ...But if I must give an answer,.................. no, but... ...'' ''...... It''s time for you to get serious, you two.'' ''It''s strange that you''re so in tune with each other, brother, that you are.'' ''...... same kind. They smell the same to me.'' Wait, Magda. Who''s a kindred spirit? That''s the only opinion I''ll ever deny. ''What I wanted to ask was how you managed to get under my skin and set up a wax statue in the square. I couldn''t even get a tail on you after all that staking out. It can''t just be a coincidence. This guy might be very good at detecting people''s presence. ''......?I''m not doing anything special.I just left it there when I felt like it, that I did. What a coincidence! You''ve been on a stakeout for so long, and this guy just happened to come by when I was leaving? ''Last night, I even carved one up in the square, that I did. If I had tried my best to get to the square yesterday, I would have met him for sure? What a coincidence! There''s even a level of divine malevolence! ''............ Yasilo. Don''t.'' ''Hey, Magda. Is that encouragement?Or are you mocking me?'' Whatever it was, the timing was so perfect that it broke my heart a little. ''Well, that''s okay. If it''s a coincidence, it can''t be helped. It happens sometimes. It''s not like all of my actions were in vain. ............ Let''s not worry about it. ......... ...'' ''You''re very depressed ......'' Because ...... we worked so hard on the stakeout, but ...... ''we just didn''t meet by chance'' ......... ... ''But, but everyone here saw how hard you worked, Yashiro-san. Ginette encourages me. ...... She''s a good girl, isn''t she? Can I cry? ''Hey, bro. ''Big brother.'' ''Ni ni''. My sisters gather around me. I see, so you''re encouraging me too. After all, if your heart is pure, this kindness will come naturally to you. ''It''s okay if it''s all for nothing! ''It''s okay if it''s all useless because everyone saw it! ''It''s a waste of time! ''............ Loretta? ''Hee-hee!I''m so, so, so sorry!I''ll talk to her about it later. Sometimes a pure heart can be more cruel than anything else. ''Um, Yashiro-san,............, would you like me to make you some tea? ''No, ...... I''m fine.'' I''m fine. I''m a con artist. I''m not a great detective or a detective. There''s nothing wrong with making a mistake on a stakeout. Because I''m an amateur. And who can blame an amateur for being wrong? Just do better at your day job! ''So, Becco. ''What is it? Here''s the thing. ''Can you make something of this quality outside of sculpture? ''Do you mean this quality ............ of workmanship like that hero statue, that it is?'' ''Yes.'' ''Of course, that I do. To tell you the truth, I have just started sculpting, that I am the least skilled. I''m sorry to say this, but I''m not as good as I am at painting or clay work, that I am. ''Then why did you insist on sculpting this time? ''That''s because ............ I don''t earn enough money to buy tools for ...... clay and painting... ...'' ''What''s wrong with this wax? ''It''s something we had a lot of left over, that it is, and it didn''t cost us anything. A house with a large surplus of wax? What is his house doing? ''My father is a beekeeper in this district, that he is. ''Beekeeping: ...... honey.'' That means it''s beeswax. ''That''s why it''s a little yellow. Beeswax is a substance that bees secrete from their bodies when they build their hives. It is made by melting the hive of bees that have finished extracting honey by boiling water and removing impurities. The overall yellowish color is due to the presence of pollen carried by bees. ''It is possible to make it white by refining it more, that it is. ''You have a ''large'' surplus of beeswax, don''t you? ''Very much so!So much that I sell it. ...... There is no one to buy it when you sell it, that I know. In this world, lights are basically lanterns, and their fuel is oil or alcohol. You don''t see many candles in this world. So beeswax is probably not in demand. If you''re interested in ............, I''ll put it to good use for you. ''Becco!Do you want to be an artist? I''m going to ask him a question that may affect his life in the future, and that will be very important for 42nd Ward and the Sunlit Pavilion. Depending on the answer to this question, the future of everyone here will change drastically. ''Is it your dream to become an artist, to be recognized for your work, to be admired by the world? ''Become a ...... artist and get ...... praise from ............... ...'' Becko closes his eyelids and lifts his chin. Behind his eyelids, he is probably imagining himself creating an artistic work of art and being admired by the world. However, his expression is not good. Then ...... ''Or is it your dream to continue to make what you really want to make, with all your might, with all your emotions, with all your might, without bending yourself, without being swayed by immediate desires! ''--!Don''t bend yourself ...... to what you really want to make ............'' Bekko''s whole body begins to tremble in small increments. I wonder what kind of scene he is seeing behind his closed eyelids. ...... ''I''m ............'' A single tear falls from the corner of Bekko''s eye. ''I can never abandon myself by pandering to what is called art for money or fame, that I can never do!I don''t care what anyone says, I want to keep making things with my own hands that I''m satisfied with!I want to continue to create with my own hands, that I do!That is my one and only dream, that it is! I think this has cleared up his doubts. Chasing a dream is hard. It is because we are aware that we are walking on a different path from others that we become anxious and tend to lose sight of where we are going. We turn away from the first place we set out for, we take the easy way out, and we try to believe that the destination is just a fake. That is the true nature of frustration. If you want to catch your dream, you have to let go of your doubts. Even Becko knew that at first. He knew what his dream was. But as time passes, the environment changes, and the eyes of those around you grow cold,......, you will lose sight of your destination. And you begin to think that you can no longer walk this path. If you get fame, if you make money, if you feel like you can stay here a little longer, you will ...... go astray. You go astray. And you start making excuses for yourself for running away. Becko was right in the middle of that. But now he''s waking up. I didn''t start this for the money. It''s one thing to be accepted, but it''s another to bend and pretend to be something you''re not. Absolutely not. This guy has just realized that. Maybe I should say he''s realized it. He can''t go back now. Now that he''s realized it, he has no choice but to move forward. There''s no way he wants to go back to the time when he was troubled, fallen, and lost. ''Becco. I''m going to give you something to live for.'' ''...... huh?'' That''s right. It''s my fault for making him realize where his dreams were going. Then I have to do what I can. Don''t you think?Don''t you? ''I''ll show you a ray of light as you go down the frustrating and difficult path of being unrecognized by the world because you have no artistic sensibility and can only form what you see as you see it, but you can''t even throw away the skills you''ve honed. ''Oh ............ oh ............ a hero... ......... will you be my beacon once again, that you will? I''m not exaggerating. I''m just asking you to do a little work. ''Yashiro ......, what are you going to do now? I responded to Estella''s questioning eyes with a smile of satisfaction. It''s a smile of victory that exudes the marginality of a winner. ''As soon as we''re ready, tell the woodcutter lady that we''ll invite her to the 42nd district. ''Preparations, what are you going to do? ''You''re to clean and decorate the main street, and arrange for the people of District 42 to do this and that. I''ll prepare the trump card myself. ''Are you sure about this?Imelda''s inspection will only happen once, remember?If this fails, ......'' ''Hey, don''t worry about it! Slapping Estella''s wrinkled brow on the back, I said firmly. ''Leave it to me. I''ll get it all sorted out. Ginette''s home-cooked meals, flushing toilets, and-- And this underprivileged genius artist, Becco Neveu. 62-Episode 57 Inspection and First Part of the Woodcu... Three luxury carriages are entering the 42nd district in a row. Not on the shortcut course that Estella and I took the other day, but on a wide street that passes through District 41. The carriage takes us directly to the lord''s mansion. The large yard would be cramped with three large carriages. From here on, the servants would bring the carriages to the carriage house, a warehouse-like parking lot for carriages, and let the horses rest in the lord''s stable. I was standing next to Estella, who was dressed in a little better than usual, and Natalia, who was in her usual serving clothes, welcoming the carriage. First, the door of the majestic carriage in the lead opens. ''Welcome to the 42nd district. Estella bows reverently and says a few words of welcome. I bow my head to her. ''Thank you for welcoming me. By the way, is there any reason why the shaking became less as soon as we entered District 42? The one who asked me such a question without even saying hello was Stuart Javier. He''s the guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild based in District 40. His huge body, as big as a grizzly bear, got down from the carriage. His attendants must have felt very cramped as they rode with him. ''I thought that the establishment of a branch of the Lumberjack Guild would increase the flow of heavy timber, so I had the road built. ''I see. It''s certainly sturdy and flat. Javier stomps his foot on the ground. From a distance, it looks like a giant monster on the loose. Garth, Garth!...... See, it doesn''t look out of place. I''d say don''t compare it to the bumpy roads of the 40th district. I''m sure you''ll be able to do something about your own road first. ''It''s really ...... far away.'' A particularly ornate carriage, different from Javier''s, emerged from the carriage. She does not care about the road that her father is praising, and looks at the people around her as if she is judging them. ''There''s nothing here, is there? Imelda opened her fan, spitting out a line that would be one of the top three first words when leaving a deserted station in the country. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. I''m sure it''s because you''re in the country. That''s impossible. It''s no different than the 40th ward. However, it''s been sunny and clear since this morning, and the sun is shining down on us with all its energy. ''You''re going to get a sunburn. These words must have been the signal. The third car, a rather low grade car that seemed to say, ''Size comes first! Five stout men jumped down from the third carriage, a rather low-grade carriage that seemed to say ''size first'', and simultaneously held their hands above Imelda''s head to block the sunlight. ''Thank you, gentlemen. '''''''''' Yes!That''s about it. '''''''''' ...... Oh, they''re a bunch of idiots, aren''t they? It would be hotter to be surrounded by five big men with muscles. Are they going to go around the forty-two districts with that posture? I hope they don''t ...... because it would bring down the dignity of the 42nd district. It''s like ...... "Kagome Kagome - Muscle Version", it''s uncomfortable to watch. ''Hey, Imelda. When I called out her name to give her a small gift for coming all the way to District 42, I was surrounded by ...... ''Kagome Kagome - Muscle Version''. It''s hot!And something stinks! ''You''ve got a lot of nerve calling out a young lady, don''t you, bean sprout? ''Do you want to be turned into hatchet rust, bean sprouts? I''m being stared at with a very scary face. ......! ''Gentlemen, please stop.'' '''''''''' But, young lady! ''Please stop! '''''''''' Yes!Miss! '''''''''' With Imelda''s voice, the "Kagome Kagome - Muscle Version" left me and gathered around Imelda again. What are those things? I''m not sure if it''s a funnel or a bit or something like that.I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ...... She''s saying that on purpose, isn''t she? ''It''s Tashiro.'' I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions.Don''t underestimate the power of my memory! See? You remember. ''So, what can I do for you, sir? ''Oh. I thought I''d give you something nice to thank you for making time for me. ''Oh, that''s quite an auspicious gesture. But that won''t make the inspection grade any easier, will it?'' ''I don''t mean that. At any rate, there is no need for you to be lenient at all.'''' ''...... You''re very confident, aren''t you? ''If I wasn''t confident, I wouldn''t have bothered to call you. ''Yes,............, I''m looking forward to it.'' If this young lady''s character is as I read it, ...... this inspection will certainly be a success. As a test for that, let me see how she reacts when she receives this gift. ''Then, please accept this. ''What''s this black thing?Let me tell you, when you''re in my class, you''ve received many famous and exquisite items from many lords. If it''s something boring, I''ll refuse to accept it. ''Do as you please. If you don''t want it, you can throw it away.'' ''...... You''re very confident, aren''t you? ''That''s why I said I wouldn''t have bothered to call you if I wasn''t confident. I''m saying I''ll give you this gift by name. I wouldn''t do it if I wasn''t sure it would please you. ''Let''s have a look. ''You see that string in the middle?Remove it.'' As I said, Imelda untied the string that held the body together. However, one of the strings is sewn to the body, and the other is simply fastened with a button, so it can be easily unfolded. ''It''s kind of fluttery, isn''t it? ''Then push the tubular part on top of the handle up towards the tip.'' ''Is it like this ......?'' Imelda put a lot of pressure on it, and the gift I gave her opened up into a hemisphere with a ''bang! The present I had given her opened into a hemisphere with a ''bang'' sound. ''This is .............'' ''It''s a tool called a parasol. It gracefully blocks the sun''s rays.'' Yes, what I gave her was a parasol made of black cloth. It is made thin and light so that it can fit in a woman''s hand. The cloth, which is the main body of the umbrella, is laced and casts a beautiful shadow on the person who holds it. In addition, the lace is decorated with frills that do not interfere with the lace, making it a delight to the eyes. ''............ beautiful''. Imelda seems to like the parasol, spinning it around and peeking at it, holding it up, and playing with it as if to check how it feels. ''........................What? It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual products and services that are available on the market. ''Well, that''s quite something, isn''t it? Very well. I''ll take it. ...... You''re so naive. But if you look at the way his mouth is hanging loose, he seems to like it a lot. Well, I was confident too, so I guess it was to be expected. At any rate, Ginette, Estella, Magda and Loretta also liked the parasol very much. Bertina and Regina were also pleased, and I was sure that the parasol would be popular among women in our world. Aside from the shopkeeper, I had a small ulterior motive in giving them to Bertina and Regina. Bertina wanted to ask for their help in building the road in the future. By urging the followers of the Spirit Church to ''go to church! You can appeal for the necessity of the road by urging the believers of the Spirit Church to ''Go to the Church! At that time, I will ask them to hold a mass, bazaar, or any other event at the church. I''ve also asked Regina to make something for me. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. ...... Well, both are like bribes. I guess it''s a necessary expense. ''By the way, is this ''parasol'' sold in the 42nd district? ''No. It''s the only one of its kind in the world, made just for today, just for this day. ''It''s the only one in the world,............, yes,............, yes.'' Imelda spun the parasol around, and then flipped herself around to face her back. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did,....... ''...... Hey, Yashiro! Estella, standing next to me, pokes me in the side and whispers to me. ''What''s the one thing in the world? We all have one. You''re making one for Natalia, aren''t you? ''Yeah. In return for a contract to protect me in case of emergency.'' ''That''s not one thing at all!If they find out, they might turn you into a frog! ''I''m not lying. That parasol was made for the success of this inspection, and so far it hasn''t been sold, and everyone has different patterns and colors, so no two are alike. It''s the only parasol in the world. ''...... However, I didn''t say that there is only one parasol, did I? ''That''s what I''m saying. ''......I''ll be sure to pay close attention to the meaning of words when I talk to Yashiro in the future. ''That''s a good idea. That''s a good idea. If you do that, the risk of being deceived by someone will be greatly reduced. ...... hmm?'' ''Eh, what?'' I stared at Estella''s face and gently stroked her chin. ''You''ve got something on your forehead. ''What, really? Estella followed my movement and held her chin with both hands. ''It''s your chin. You idiot. ''What''s ......? Right after I said I wouldn''t be fooled, there it is. You''re still a little naive. ''Yashiroo, ......? ''I''ve shown you how gullible you are. You should be grateful.'' ''Remember me when your .................. visit is over.'' I assure you. You''ll have forgotten all about it by the time I''m done. But... The parasol''s response is positive. That''s a good sign. "Natalia. ''What is it? ''Go to the Sunken Pavilion and tell them we''re going ahead as planned. ''Yes, sir. I''ll send word to my men. Natalia bowed and signaled to the servants who were standing by the pavilion. Natalia gives the order from a short distance away. Our plan is going well. ''It''s working. ''That was my biggest concern. The only uncertainty was how twisted Imelda''s character would be. ...... If she is not willing to admit it from the beginning, and just picks at the corner of the box, the conversation ends there. I thought I would have to use a more violent strategy to get them to agree to my terms instead of negotiating. ...... For example, take over the lumberjack guild. ...... The actual character of Imelda seems to be a bit twitchy, but not necessarily evil. She is a stubborn person who can''t be honest. He may be what is called a tsundere. ...... There''s no way to know if she''s a tsundere or not, though. The fact that he likes the parasol suggests that he is willing to judge a good thing as good. If that''s the case, then the plan I''ve laid out should work. ''......, but I wouldn''t be too careful. ''Of course. ...... Yashiro, let''s do our best.'' Estella gently held out her hand. Let''s save the handshake until we''re successful. So I give Estella two pats on the head. ''......, are you treating me like a child? ''Should I have treated her like an adult and rubbed her breasts and ass? ''If I had done that, I would have stuck a knife in you. It would be a shame to get stabbed to death before the inspection. We''d better behave ourselves. ''So, where are we headed first? Imelda, in a good mood and with a parasol, asks me. ...... Don''t ask me, ask Estella. I''m just a support. Also, the members of the "Kagome Kagome Muscles" are staring at me like I''m crazy. ...... Did you guys want to play "Kagome Kagome - Muscles Version"? ...... It''s so hot. ''Imelda, are you hot? ''I''m fine. I have a parasol.'' ''I''m hot.'' ''You have to be patient. You''re a man, aren''t you? ''It''s hot even for a man. ...... d*mn, I thought it was a little chilly when I went to visit. ''The weather changes every day. ''It changes too much. In the country I was in, the climate and temperature changed more slowly. You can''t compete with spring and summer coming day by day. Just a few days ago, I was happy to think it was always spring. ...... It''s going to be as cold as the middle of winter. ............ I''m getting depressed now. ''So, let''s take a look at the main street first. With Estella leading the way, the group of inspectors departed the lord''s mansion in droves. Estella, who is leading the group, is dressed in smart pants today. At first glance, she looks like a handsome man who might be hated. With a beautiful maid next to her, she looks rich and handsome. You''re lucky Estella, I know you. If you were a complete stranger, there would have been an assault on ............ Main Street. Now, this handsome man is escorting Imelda, who looks like a very beautiful young lady with a deep window. If you don''t know anything about it, you might think that some nobleman is marrying the daughter of a beautiful nobleman. ...... What an unpleasant sight. ''Mr. Yashiro. What tricks do you have in store for us on the boulevard?'' Suddenly, Imelda turned to me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She looks like a child who has been taken to an amusement park. ''A trick? ''Oh?You''re confident you can entertain me, aren''t you?It''s boring to just look at ...... the city and be done with it.'' ''Haha......, well, I guess you''ll have to wait and see. ''Expectations?This wag in the forty-second district?That''s a funny joke. ............ This woman ............ was obsessed with parasols just a moment ago. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. All right. Then let''s treat them thoroughly. Let''s show them what entertainment is all about! ''This is the main street. It''s the main street of the 42nd district, lined with Paula''s cantaloupe and Ukrines'' clothing store. Today, as always, it is crowded with people. The time is past noon. After lunch and a break, it was time to start the afternoon''s work. This street is different from the one before the break. Let''s work hard for the rest of the day so that we can have a good drink after work!...... is filled with such invisible energy. I rather like this atmosphere. ''Hmm, I don''t mind the smell even though it''s so densely packed with stores. ......'' Javier''s nose twitches. A store is a place where a large number of people come and go. Restaurants are especially busy. In a place with such a large number of people, there is a problem that is inseparable. It is the toilet. The more people there are, the more excrement there is. If there are a lot of restaurants, there will be more "squirting". This naturally leads to a foul odor in the vicinity. Various measures are taken to prevent this from happening, but the smell inevitably leaks out. There is no such stench in the current 42 wards. ''This is the power of sewage. Estella begins to explain to an impressed Javier. All the toilets in District 42 are treated with sewage. All of the foul-smelling sewage flows to the water purification facility, where it is purified and discharged into the sea. Thanks to this, we can enjoy the delicious smells wafting through the city. ''It smells so good, doesn''t it ......''. Unfortunately, Imelda was the first to notice the smell. ''It''s true,......, what''s that smell? ''Father, it''s coming from over there! Imelda pointed to ...... ''Welcome! ''Delicious food from the 42nd district! ''It''s delicious! ''Sunshine Pavilion No. 2. A taco stall. ''This is unbearable. ......'' ''Gee, ...... pedophile?'' ''It''s the smell! Javier snaps and glares at me. No, you don''t have to be that mad. I''m just trying to make a light joke. ...... Hey, you''re close, close, close! Javier grabs me by the collar, pulls my face close to his and whispers in an angry voice. In a whisper that only I can hear. ''...... Don''t talk about that in front of my daughter! Oh, you mean that. Your dignity as a father is ........................... ...What?''Don''t talk about it in front of her,'' you said. ''Shhh!I''m not. ...... You''re a mischievous one. You''re a big guy. What do you mean, "Shhh! ''Shhh! ''You''re dressed so pretty.'' Imelda is calling out to her sisters. The young lady, as expected, is not hostile to the young and innocent sisters, and is looking at the child. ''My brother made this for me! ''My new uniform! ''The hat is so stylish! Since Imelda, a lover of beautiful things, was coming to visit, this boulevard was made thoroughly ''beautiful''. In addition to cleaning the streets, we have provided all the people here with good-looking costumes, which they are required to wear throughout the day. Naturally, the cost and the order came from the lord. After many meetings with Ukrines, the dressmaker, we have created a large number of uniform outfits. The concept is a dreamland. The concept is a dreamland. ...... Oh, I don''t mean the one in Chiba, I mean the wonder dream one. As part of this, my sisters are dressed like toy soldiers. They wear cylindrical hats with high crowns, and are dressed in tight uniforms reminiscent of English soldiers, but with a cute twist. I think I did a good job. ''But why is the uniform like a man''s?Couldn''t you have made the skirt prettier? Huh~...... this is why ............ Imelda, you don''t know anything! ''A girl wearing men''s clothes would be cute.'' ''What about ............?'' Ugh, this guy!I''m sure you''ll understand. A man''s Y shirt, a man''s school run.And men''s swim trunks! Isn''t it cute when a girl dresses like that? Especially sea pants!Of course, ''only''! I didn''t know that''s what you were thinking. ............ And for some reason, Estella is embarrassed in a completely unrelated way. No, no, no. You''re wearing men''s clothes. That''s not the point, is it?''I''ll borrow it for a little while'' kind of thing, and then, ''it''s too big'' kind of thing?That''s what I need! ''But the smell is irresistible!Let''s take one. Javier approached his sisters. ''Run, sisters!The bears are coming to eat you! ''Oh no! ''We''re going to be eaten! ''Is this life? ''Should I just give up? ''No, we should run! ''I''m running away! ''Wait!No, no, no, no!No, girls!I''m not going to eat you ......! I''m not going to eat you!'' Javier spoke frantically to his sisters as they fled like spiderlings. Too bad, Javier. You can''t make me do what you want. ''What do you think you''re doing? ''No, no, no!I''m afraid of your face!Just listen to me! Javier is furious at his sisters for running away from him. But calm down. There''s a reason I''m not letting you eat tacos here. ''After the inspection, we''re going to have a nice cold beer and a great meal!If you eat here, you''ll lose the taste of beer after work! ''Ugh ............ that''s also ...... well ......''. It''s a good thing that the father and son here are surprisingly straightforward. If the guild leader is convinced, the woodcutter members will have no choice but to follow suit. He glanced sideways at Cantartica and the others, but said nothing, and continued his inspection. We just smelled the good stuff. Then, they wandered around the main street to see how prosperous the 42nd district was. As they did so, the good smells coming from the stores here and there seemed to stimulate the lumberjacks'' stomachs. The lumberjacks even seemed to be a little eager to kill. Humans are so dangerous when they are hungry. But as long as the trump card is in the sunlit pavilion, I can''t let these guys eat here and now. ''Now, let''s take a look at the west side of the city. As I said this, I stepped into my usual way home. Yes, the alleyway from the main street to the sunlit pavilion. I''m sure everyone will be thrilled with Ginette''s home-cooked meals when they''re this hungry. Estella, who knows what''s going to happen, chuckles to me. It is said that a good meal on an empty stomach is powerful enough to stop a war. But it''s not enough. Especially Imelda. This young lady won''t be won over by a good meal. If that was enough to make her fall, she would have fallen at the last lunch. It''s not that simple. That''s the kind of girl she is. That''s why I''ve prepared a secret plan. A secret I haven''t even told Estella. After a short walk, the familiar dining hall comes into view. Now, it''s time for the big moment. A surprise to satisfy the hungry beasts and tug at the heartstrings of the sensitive young lady. Savor it! Ginette''s standing in front of the sunlit pavilion. When she saw us, she smiled her usual kind smile. Good. We''ll go into the sunlit pavilion, have her check out the flush toilet while we wait for the food, and then we''ll go to .................. ''Yasirot, that! Estella called out to me in an urgent voice. When I looked in the direction the finger was pointing, I was speechless. I was speechless. There were more than two dozen wax statues of heroes ...... that looked just like me standing in a row. ''Come on!Let''s have a look at the sewage treatment plant next! ''Yes, that''s right!It''s the key to supporting the sewage system of the forty-two districts! He shouted loudly, distracting the Woodcutter Guild''s group. ...... If you show them a creepy scene like that, everything is par for the course. I''m not sure what to say. That''s all it takes! ''Natalia! ''Yes, what is it? ''I need you to go to the Sunshine Pavilion right now and tell Magda that we''re changing to Operation B! ''''Operation B'''' ......? In order to entertain the Lumberjack Guild, I had entrusted Ginette with the decoration of the interior. For better or worse, Ginette''s style is the selling point of the Sunlit Pavilion. I entrusted her with the decorations, hoping that she would bring out the Ginette style, but ...... it seems that it turned out badly. No, since it was Ginette, I had a hint of the possibility of that happening. That''s why it''s "Operation B"! "Operation B" is... ''''Normalize me. ...... I''m sure Magda will understand my intentions.'''' ''I agree. Then I''ll go tell him. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. It''s a great way to make sure you don''t end up in a situation where you''re going to have to go through a lot of trouble to get to your destination. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, there are a number of things you can do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... I''m so sorry. I think I should have at least let him eat a taco. And we came back to the sunlit pavilion when the sun was setting and it was getting dark. 63-Episode 58 Inspection and second part of the Woodc... The red of the sky, which had been fiery, gradually changed to a quiet indigo, and our shadows grew longer. The darkness was so dim that we could barely make out the faces of the people walking next to us, and we felt a good sense of fatigue. Even though the inspection had started after lunch, we were getting hungry after walking until this hour. The stomachs of the inspection team were about to let out a cry of despair. ''How was it?I''m proud to say that with the sewage system in place, District Forty-two is now one step ahead of the other districts in terms of sanitation. I can confidently say that having a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild will not be a stigma.'''' ''Indeed. I''m impressed with how you''ve changed so much. That''s what Javier said to me. In fact, Javier was interested in everything, including the streets and buildings, looking, touching, asking questions, and letting out a sigh of admiration at the transformation of the 42nd district. ''Will this guy be able to do this in the forty-second ward in the future? ...... Ambrose, you''ve made a good purchase.'' Ambrose Demilly is the lord of the fortieth district, and has recently signed a contract for sewage construction. It is for this work that Umaro, who has just moved from the forty-second ward to the forty-second ward, ''goes out'' to the forty-second ward almost every day. It''s bad timing for him, isn''t it? In any case, the guild leader Javier seems to be satisfied with the current state of the 42nd district. Originally, Javier was in favor of establishing a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild in District 42. He must have participated in this inspection with a positive attitude. ''But there''s nothing here, it''s too inconvenient. On the other hand, the young lady, ............, is always complaining about something, and attributing it to high-handedness, saying, ''It''s only the 42nd district, after all. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Even Imelda was honestly impressed with the sewage treatment process, and asked many questions about the environment and equipment. He was interested. And since all of these questions were based on the premise of ''if the Lumberjack Guild were to establish a branch'', it seems that they are not trying to prevent the establishment of a branch. Only one point - ''I don''t want to recognize the 42nd district at the bottom so easily'' - seems to have prevented Imelda from making a colorful reply. Or rather, I can''t think of anything else. It''s not like she''s the type to try to get a better deal by cajoling, and the young lady must be really stubborn and proud. ...... She has a troublesome personality. But on the contrary, that is the only bottleneck. If you can break down that bottleneck, you''re sure to succeed. ''Well then, I guess we''d better eat. ''I''ve been waiting for you! ''Oooohhh!Food! The lumberjacks, probably very hungry, shouted like animals. When you''re this hungry, anything you eat will taste good. ............ Come on, Magda. Just keep the store decorations normal. ............ ''All right, gentlemen. This way, please.'' Estella leads the way, back the way they came. We might as well hurry. There are no stores or houses around here, just fields. When the sun goes down, it''s completely dark. It''s a disadvantage to make us walk in such darkness. ''It''s so dark, isn''t it? It''s dangerous to walk at night. See? I got poked right away. ''If you''re scared, why don''t I hold your hand? ''Huh? Imelda screams like a pheasant. The sun has already set, but she''s still holding a parasol and spinning it around. The speed at which she is spinning is becoming very fast. ......What, you want to spin a ball or something on it? I''m not a fan. ...... No thanks!You can''t ...... do that. ...... Come on, you''re not a kid! He turned his head away and walked away quickly. I''m not sure what to say. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it for a lot of things.Wow,......, what a pain in the ass,............. I''m going to go a little faster through the countryside. "What? There''s a vague light ahead. What is it? As we walked toward the light, we realized that it was the light of a lantern. ''Thank you for your visit. Sister Bertina greeted us with a saintly smile, illuminated by the flickering light of the lantern. It was too dark to see, but we were in front of a church. ...... Is it really this dark in the church at night? When the kids collapsed, you had to turn on the lights to take care of them. Well, it''s a poor church, so it makes sense that they''re saving money. ''It''s getting dark, so we''ll be taking you to the sunny pavilion. ''We? ''That''s us! Children came out from under Bertina''s feet. They were the children of the church and Loretta''s younger siblings, who had recently come under the care of the church. In no time, the group was surrounded by as many as twenty children. ''It''s dangerous! ''Watch your step. ''There is a light...'' Some of the kids are carrying lanterns. So they''re surrounding us and they''re lighting up our feet. What the hell. That''s very thoughtful. Look, Imelda''s looking at the kids happily. This is very effective. And Javier, the guild leader, is also looking at the little girls with lanterns with a loving gaze. ...... ''I think I''m going to live here when we get a ...... branch. Don''t live here!You can go home as soon as you can! So don''t try to get the head of the branch to come here! I''m not sure what to do. ........................ Ah... ......... Umaro is also a vine flatterer. ............ I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ''Yashiro''. As I neared the Sunken Pavilion, Estella called out to me in a whisper. ''Magda''s done it. ''Hmm?............ Oh.'' I gulped. I couldn''t have predicted this either. ...... Magda, you''re good. A few large candles were placed on the street in front of the sunlit pavilion, illuminating the dark street. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t get caught up in the nightmare that is the internet. ''It''s beautiful .......'' Imelda''s words, which must have escaped her, seemed to speak for the hearts of all present. ''Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion. Ginette''s voice greeted us as we gazed at the shimmering, fantastic scenery. All the employees were lined up in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. The uniforms were newly made for today''s event. The colors are a little more mature, and the usual cute furi-furi maids have been replaced with chic, calm, and elegant serving clothes. ''This is ...... beautiful''. That''s what Javier thinks of our employees. Well, of course he does. Ginette smiles gently, Loretta gives a strong smile that says ''I''ll do my best'', and Magda gives a V-sign with a quiet expression on her face. Well done, Magda. If my wax statue had been lined up here with lights, I would have walked right past it and eaten on the main street. That''s Magda. I''ll have to praise him later. And ............ Ginette is going to give me a little lecture later, isn''t she? ''Squishy! As if sensing something, Jeannette''s shoulders shook and she shrank back. ...... It''s okay. Depending on how hard you work after this, I''ll go easy on you. ............ I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I watched the woodcutter''s back as they walked into the store, and then I headed for my sisters who were waiting in the garden. That''s where the stall is usually placed, but it''s empty now. The stall is being rented out for the night. ''Go tell them to get ready. I''ll be here in about twenty minutes.'' ''All right! ''I''ll tell him! ''I''m excited for the night out! ''I''m not afraid of the streets at night! ''I''m not like my big brother! I''m jealous. I''m not afraid either, as long as I''m not alone. ''I''ll go with you just in case. Natalia, who had been quietly supporting me, offered. That''d be great. Even though the security in District 42 has improved, my sisters are still children. ''Please.'' ''It''s my pleasure, please take care of the young lady. ''The work is done, just let me see how it''s done. ''If all goes well, the 42nd district will change dramatically, right? ''Oh, yes. That''s a good direction, too. ''''I see. ............, I''ll be off.'''' Natalia says, somewhat happily. Although she doesn''t say it clearly because of her position, she is probably happy too. She is happy to see that the 42nd district under her lord''s control is going in the right direction. That''s what I thought when I saw Natalia walking away with her sisters. ''Hooray! ''--! Natalia flew to ......! ''What''s that? ''What?'' ''It''s nothing, sir. ''Tell me about it. ''I''m curious. ''It can''t be helped. Now, let''s try it together. Let''s do it. '''''''' Hi-ho-ho! '''''''' You''re so excited! It didn''t matter what position I was in! ''Well, I''m glad you''re happy. After seeing Natalia and her sisters off, I walked into the cafeteria. It was bright inside the cafeteria. Torches provided by Estella were set up along the walls. Well, torches. With just a few sets of two crossed torches, the inside of the restaurant was brighter than ever. It would make the food look better. Ginette was nowhere to be seen, probably in the kitchen. The restaurant was filled with an irresistible aroma. The aroma alone makes me want to eat more rice. Inside the restaurant, Magda and Loretta were busily distributing water to the lumberjacks at the tables. They are talking about water purifiers, and the lumberjacks are curious: ''This is ano......''. ''It''s delicious ............ water, but it''s so refreshing. Imelda seems to like the lemon water from the sunny pavilion. She gulps it down. Estella is standing by the wall, looking at the seated woodcutters. She is waiting by the wall, watching the lumberjacks seated there, so that she can support them in case something happens. And then, at a different table from the lumberjacks, Bertina and the rest of the church sat down. ............ Hey. ''...... What are you sitting there for? I''ve heard that there''s something special on the menu. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about the whole thing. ...I can''t help it. Forcing them away at this point would be bad for our image. After all, he''s a member of the church. Of course the Spirit Church has support in District 40. I''m sure the woodcutter is a believer too. ............ Anyway, whatever. I''ll have Estella pay for it. ''Thank you for waiting! With a cheerful voice, Ginette emerged from the kitchen. Behind her, her sisters in their cute uniforms came out in droves. These are the members who always follow Magda to make popcorn. This time, they plan to serve it all at once, using as many people as possible. At the table where each of us was seated, more food than could be placed was brought in one after another. ''Oh, this is ............ how beautiful ......''. Javier let out a roar. As Imelda''s parent, Javier seems to be a man with a very high sense of beauty. He has a good eye for things, he says. Even the stocky lumberjacks, who would have gobbled up the food as soon as they saw it, were simply transfixed by the beauty of the food. The dishes on the table were the ones that were usually served at the Sunlit Pavilion. The fact that it received such high praise showed how hard Ginette was always working. ''Thank you very much for your hard work today. When the dishes were served, Estella opened her mouth. All the people who had been distracted by the food turned their attention to Estella. Imelda is delayed for a moment, but then makes a face as if nothing had happened. It seems that she was admiring the food. A set meal that is carefully chosen for its color and where it is served is actually a very beautiful thing. It is the ultimate form in which the techniques and wabi and sabi that our country has cultivated over its long history are incorporated, and the superfluous things are omitted and polished. For those who think of food only as something to eat, the beauty of this dish will be shocking. A meal is to be enjoyed with all five senses. Not only the taste, but also the smell and the appearance. Even the sound of ''crispy'' or ''juwaaah'' conveys the taste of the food. The feeling of crumbling when touched with chopsticks and the elasticity of thick meat also stimulate the appetite. It is a comprehensive art related to human life. That is what a meal is. ''What do you think of our 42nd district? We are proud of our cityscape, infrastructure, and people, all of which are wonderful, and we are not ashamed of them. In addition, we will continue to develop based on our innovative and original technology that no other district has. I am convinced that the cooperation of the Woodcutter''s Guild will be indispensable for that, and that the existence of the Forty-two Wards will be indispensable for the Woodcutter''s Guild as well. Estella''s speech continued. It''s like she''s trying to get into the other person''s pocket. It''s the complete opposite of my way of constructing an honest conversation. I''m more of a pull back and trap the one who''s chasing me. Especially when there''s a navel-gazer like him. ''You make it sound as if the Forty-Two Wards and the Woodcutter''s Guild are on equal footing. ''Yeah, .............'' Imelda stands up, interrupting Estella''s speech. ...... Your face scares me, Imelda. Does it bother you that much? ''Indeed, the sewage technology is quite impressive. The city has become much more beautiful. She takes out a fan from her pocket and thrusts it at Estella. ''But it''s only the 42nd district!No matter how much effort the bottom of the heap puts in, it''s impossible for them to catch up with those on a much higher level!The current Forty-two districts are nothing more than imitations of ...... the surface of ...... the world! ''............ ape,imitation......? Estella''s cheeks twitched. ''In the first place, you say it''s an innovative technology, but isn''t it something that wouldn''t be possible without the Lumberjack Guild? Do you not have the concept of ...... shame to boast to the lumberjack guild about a technology that only works with the help of the lumberjack guild? ''Shame ............, ......! ''Estella-san, you can''t.'' Estella took a step forward, and Jeannette quickly stopped her. It''s just a matter of time before the situation ...... becomes unsettled. I''m not sure what to say. If you''re the type of person who doesn''t like it when you''re the best and can''t tolerate it when you''re not, telling people about your accomplishments will only have the opposite effect. Instead of ''If you''re so good, let''s do business together,'' they''ll say ''Our company is much better than yours, though. Instead of ''If you''re so good, let''s go into business together. ''That was very arrogant coming from a person who is indebted to the Lumberjack Guild and wants to take advantage of it. ''The Lumberjack Guild makes something like the Forty-Two Wards indispensable to the Lumberjack Guild: ......?Are you laughing at me? ''Imelda. You can stop right there. ''Your father says she''s more right than I am! ''No, no, ...... that''s not what I mean. ............ that ...... ..................'' Imelda''s stern, grizzly, musclebound Javier faltered. You''re weak, old man. ...... He wandered his gaze, and when his eyes met mine, he had a happy expression on his face. ''He''ll tell you the rest! Ugh, he threw the whole thing away. ''The rest is on the web''? Who''s the web? ''Is there something you want to tell me, sir?'' Imelda glares at me. I look around, Estella with a sour look, Ginette with an anxious look, and Javier with a ''I''ll help you with whatever you can convince me of, please! I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... d*mn it. I can''t help it. I was going to finish it myself from the beginning. ''Imelda. You''re saying that the Forty-two districts don''t have any innovative technology, right? ''We have sewage technology, yes. But that''s only because of the Woodcutter''s Guild. ...... How dare you try to ingratiate yourself with them. ......'' ''I''m indebted to ...... or .......'' ''What is it?You don''t mean that, do you?'' ''No, no. I''m just trying to ingratiate myself. I''m just glad that the forty-two districts asked me to join them.'' ''We are?You''re kidding, right? ''But that''s not really the case, is it? I moved slowly and walked right in front of Imelda. Imelda stared at my movements and followed me with her gaze. She didn''t even blink. ''Even without the Woodcutter''s Guild, District Forty-two will continue to grow. This is a definite decision.'' ''You have no proof. ''The technology is there. ''So, it''s only with the Lumberjack Guild that ......! ''And that''s not all.'' ''............What?'' ''It''s not the only thing, our innovative and unique technology.'' ''............What else do you have in mind? The question is answered with a smile, not a word. There are many technologies. Popcorn, food carts, filtration systems, that sort of thing. But for now, I''m going to show you the most effective technology that will shut these guys up. I hold up my index finger and stick it out in front of Imelda. ''............ up, is it? I slowly lower my upturned index finger and point to the food on the table. ''This is the dish you were praising as beautiful before. ''What?I''m not raving about it!It''s just that ...... it was something that could be seen in its own right! Hmmm ...... Yes, I got it. Now he''s going to be repulsed by every little thing. ''Look at that. Isn''t it spectacular? ''Hmm!So what? ''It''s beautiful. ''So, I''m asking you, what''s the point? ...... Let me swim a little more: ............ ''You like beautiful things, don''t you?Enjoy it to the fullest.'' ''I think I''ve told you before, no matter how beautiful the food is, if you eat it, it''s gone, and if you don''t eat it, you''ll just be left to rot and look like nothing! Imelda brushed back her bangs, which were hanging down from her exuberance, and smiled a high-flown smile. ''I''m sure you were trying to outnumber me, but I''m sorry ...... you had to go through that. The more there are, the more cruel they become. It doesn''t resonate with me. ''Don''t tell me if a dish is good or bad without eating it. ''I don''t want to! A hysterical cry. It is a warning sound made by those who are touched by something they do not want to be touched. It is an instinctive warning that surprises the person who utters it the most immediately after it is uttered. ''............'' After an awkward silence, Imelda''s voice rang out as if she had no choice. ''I can''t stand the thought of ...... losing what''s there, of seeing it ugly and decaying. ............'' I don''t know what makes this guy so obsessed with beauty. I don''t want to know about his past or his trauma. I don''t want to know. But if that''s your reason for refusing, then you can''t resist any longer, can you? ''What you have here is fine. ''............What? ''What''s here now won''t diminish or decay. ''What do you mean, what do you mean?''...... It can''t be! ''Ginette. ''Yes, yes! She turned away from the hostile Imelda and signaled to Ginette. ''Give me that.'' Ginette''s face lit up as if to say, ''I''ve been waiting for you! Ginette''s face lit up, and she nodded loudly. ''Yes! Ginette ran to the kitchen. ''What are you going to do? ''Well, that''s for you to see. When you see it, you''ll agree with me that what I said is true. ''There''s no such thing as a dish in this world that doesn''t decay ......! Here it comes. Imelda glared at me, making no effort to hide her displeasure at being interrupted. But as soon as she saw what Ginette brought, her eyes and mouth opened to the limit at the same time. ''............? The faces of everyone in the room were tinged with astonishment. ''There''s a .................. fork floating in the water! Ginette brought something. It was pasta with meat sauce. However, the fork that lifted the pasta entangled in the sauce was floating in the air as if defying gravity. ''What''s going on, what''s going on?An invisible person is supporting the fork! What''s an invisible man? I''m not leaving that creepy thing here. I''ll kick it out and put salt on the door. ''Yah, Yashiro, what''s this? Estella is startled and comes running to me. The only people who know who this guy is are us, the employees of the sunny pavilion, the sculptor Bekko Neveu, and Regina from Special Thanks. Though Bekko is no longer a sculptor but a "wax artist". Well. The pasta with the fork floating in it, and the food on display here... ''It''s a food sample. ''Food ...... samples? These are all elaborate fakes made of wax. They are the same food samples that you see in the restaurants in department stores. ''Are these all ............ fake? Imelda was surprised and touched the chicken cutlet near her with her finger. ''............ It''s true, then, this one too!This one too? And so she touched the dishes in front of her one by one. All of them are fake, all of them made of wax. They were made from the wax that Bekko had said he had in abundance, and refined as much as possible. Along with the lifelike shape, it was important to have a lifelike color, but I asked Regina to make it with food coloring. Sometimes Regina would color the pills to prevent people from taking the wrong ones. Then it hit me. It must be the food coloring that gives the pills their color. Then she wondered if she could make other colors. The result was wonderful. Thanks to this, I was able to create a food sample that looked like the real thing from every angle. ''This thing will not decay even if you leave it for ten or a hundred years. It will need to be stored well, though. It''s made of wax, so of course you can''t eat it. Instead, it will never rot. ...... Well, there are some unfortunate food samples in a soba noodle shop in a deserted shopping street, which are sadly dirty and look like ''Hey, this is not going to attract customers. ''Wow, ......, this really is fake. ''It looks like the real thing from this distance......'' While the lumberjacks looked at the food samples with great interest, Imelda''s movements stopped. She was still and prone, not moving. ''............ Are the things you see here real? ''Oh, yes. All of them are on this restaurant''s menu. All of them were actually made by Ginette when she was making the food samples. At any rate, Becko can reproduce exactly what he sees with his own eyes, but he cannot create something he has not seen in his imagination. What you see here is an elaborate copy of what Ginette actually made. ''You''ve been through a lot, Jeannette.'' ''No, sir. Cooking is my purpose in life. Ginette smiled at him. Naturally, the food I cooked for the sample was later enjoyed by the employees. ''......Yes,............ it''s real,...... it''s real! ......'' Imelda''s shoulders began to shake slightly. ''...... I love beautiful things. I especially love beautiful food,......, but the moment you take a bite of a dish, it loses its perfect beauty. The ugliness of leftover food ...... and the emptiness of empty dishes after a full meal ...... are things I''ve never liked. I just couldn''t like them. Imelda began to talk, little by little. ''I''ve encountered many beautiful dishes in my life. ...... Each time, I felt like my heart was going to burst with anger. I want to keep the beautiful dishes as beautiful as they are!The more beautiful it was, the more I wanted to keep it that way!The more beautiful it was, the more I wanted to keep it. ...... But that''s not possible. ...... If you don''t eat it, the dish will decay and ......... If you don''t eat it, the dish will decay and turn into a ...... ... cruel mess. ''Hmm, well, ............ there''s no such thing as something that''s permanent. Even this one will be ...... over time.'' ''I understand, that much!It will get dirty, it will break,......, but I''m still ............... .....................I''m impressed. ......'' Imelda looked up and was crying raggedly. ''I wish I could have this same dish!I want to taste this dish, smell it, enjoy the texture!And I want to look at ...... this and feel happy over and over again each time. You''ll lose your own food, but you''ll be able to remember it again if you have a ...... sample. If he were in Japan, he would probably take a picture of all the food served and post his impressions of it on his blog or something. In this world, you can''t see what the food looks like unless you see it. I can understand your feeling of sadness. ''Mr. Manager! ''Yes, sir. ''Can I have everything you have here? ''Of course! The lumberjacks raised their hands in unison as Ginette took their orders. ''I''ll have the pasta with meat sauce! ''Oh, me too, me too! ''Me too!Two! The pasta with meat sauce, which had been so unpopular, is now getting a flood of orders. ............ Just as planned! When I made the food samples, I was determined to make only pasta. I knew that pasta samples would be of great interest to any child. I was sure it would attract attention here too. Now we can sell pasta! The best pasta at a reasonable price that can be prepared in a wide variety of ways with a little arrangement! ''Good evening! And then, someone came to the store at the perfect time. The golden retriever-like canine ears of Paula, Cantalcica''s signature waitress. ''We sell cold beer on the road! '''''''' oooooohhhh! Screaming. The screams of men''s souls that would make Munch cover his ears and turn pale if he were around. ''It looks like your timing was perfect. Natalia, the woman who had been sent to escort you, returns. This was the reason why I had asked her to come earlier. No alcoholic beverages are sold at the Sunlit Pavilion. That''s fine if you''re a regular customer, but after walking around all day in the heat, there''s no better way to soothe the men than with a nice, cold beer. That''s why we rented out both stalls and asked Paula to sell them to us. The second stall specializes in cantaloupe and is packed with beer. The seventh store has some recommended drinks from other stores. By using a glass with the name of the store, you can find out which store sells which kind of sake. The idea is that if you like the sake, you will be able to go there personally at a later date. ''Here''s your food, sir! Just as the lumberjacks began to gulp down their beers, a faint aroma wafted out from the restaurant, giving a critical stimulus to their hunger. ''Oh my god!I can''t stand it! I''m going to live here! ''I love the 42nd district! ''Sunlit pavilion is the best! ''I love my sisters! Hey, you guild leader. I''m going to tell my daughter all about it. The store''s large windows are fully open, connecting the garden to the interior. It looks like a huge beer garden, but it''s the perfect place to be on a day like this. ''Delicious...... is delicious!But even after you eat it, it''s still here. ............ It''s wonderful! Imelda sipped her pasta like crazy. Oh, I skipped the meat sauce on her expensive clothes. ............ I''ll introduce you to Grandma Mum later. She''s a friend of Jeannette''s and a regular at the Laundromat. Her skill at removing stains was even better than mine, and I took my hat off to her, ''Huh?What''s all the commotion? Just then, the members of the Trubec Construction Company, led by Umaro, show up. ''Umaro . What happened to the accommodation arrangements?'' ''Perfectly!I''ve prepared a safe and comfortable accommodation for the group! For this occasion, I had a lodging facility built for bipeds. Since I couldn''t prepare the landlady, I asked her to make use of her own valet, but the building and the interior decoration of the rooms were entrusted to Torbeck Engineering, so I''m sure there will be no mistakes. ''Thank you for your hard work. You guys go ahead and eat whatever you want.'' ''Yes, sir!Well then, I have .................. pasta that''s selling like hotcakes!I''m sure you''ll like it.The forks are flying! Oh, so that''s why I heard ...... clinking noises everywhere. ...... All the lumberjacks are trying to make their forks float like food samples. I did it too ...... when I was about three years old. ''Mr. Yashiro''. Jeannette comes running up to me, a big smile on her face. ''It''s a great success! ''Yeah. A great success. I guess you could say that. As far as Imelda is concerned, ............ she''s not going to object to this. Javier seems to be convinced of this, too, and is in a good mood, gulping down a beer. ''Well, then, it''s time for the final touches. ''Hmm?Finishing touches? Did you have a dessert in mind? If it was a popcorn demonstration, it would certainly be of interest. ...... ''We''re going to have a wax statue of Yashiro-san for you to admire while you enjoy your meal! ''Huh! ''Then, I''ll go prepare for it! Ginette disappeared into the back of the kitchen with light steps that I couldn''t imagine from her usual calm atmosphere. She really seems to think that the wax statue is something that people will appreciate. ............ Not good! ''Somebody!Stop Ginette!The manager is in trouble! After that, Estella and I took down Ginette, who was trying to take the wax statue from the courtyard. I''m not kidding. If there are more than twenty of them lined up, there''s a possibility that the plan to invite the branch office that was almost decided will be ruined. ''But, but they''re so cute! ''It''s not cute!Ginette, look closely!Yashiro is not cute at all! ''...... No, I don''t know about that, Estella?Even so, there''s something cute about ...... it.'' ''Don''t you want to stop it! ''I want to stop it, but not pretty is too much to ask! ''It''s too much work! And so, despite the flurry of activity behind the scenes, there was constant laughter at the Sunlit Pavilion until late that night. 64-Episode 59 is here. ''I''m Imelda Javier, your new hostess for today. It''s a pleasure to meet you. It''s early in the morning and the idiot is talking nonsense. ''...... Ginette~, salt~'' ''Please don''t turn me away, sir! It was the day before yesterday that the lumberjack guild was inspected. They made a lot of noise until midnight, and stayed at the accommodation prepared by Torbeck Engineering, and it was around noon yesterday that the members of the Woodcutter''s Guild left. And this morning. Imelda, the young lady of the Woodcutter''s Guild, is standing right in front of me. And she''s saying something I don''t understand. ''...... Ginette~, Pepper~'' I''m not sure what to do.You''re going to make me medium rare on a hot griddle! ...... I''m still tired from the day before yesterday, and I still feel a little sleepy. I can''t get my head around it. ''Well, ...... it''s been decided that there will be a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild in District 42, right? ''Yes, that''s right. It''s no exaggeration to say that it was made possible by my voice, you know? No, it was your voice that almost got it rejected in the first place. ''I''ll take care of the branch myself, so please think of yourself as being on a big ship. ''Even if it''s big, I''m not sure if it''s made of mud. ......'' ''It''s steel! ''Then it''s going to sink.'' ''It''s .................. light, it''s steel.'' ''I''m rather worried about the opposite. If you board a ship piloted by a young lady who speaks with such vigor, you can be sure that it will capsize before it leaves the harbor. If it''s a big ship, we''ll have a hard time escaping. ''Or rather, ......, you should go talk to the lord about such things. ''What are you talking about?Your actions and words have moved my heart, you know?Of course you''re the one in charge, aren''t you? No, no, no. The person in charge and the person who acted are two different things. Even in a factory, it''s the workers who make things but it''s the boss who takes responsibility. It''s my rule to throw all the responsibility here to Estella. I can''t stand it when you bring it to me. Do you want me to use the ...... answering machine? ''Oh, I''m sorry. I just realized that Obayashi is in the process of being taken in. You''ll have to come back later.'' ''Then who are you? Crap, ...... is too much trouble. ''Good morning!Huh?Isn''t that Javier-san and his daughter? And then Umaro came in for breakfast. You''ve come to the right place!You''re a former resident of the 40th district, don''t you know each other?Say something nice and turn him away. ''Oh, you''ve come to the right place. Mr. Torbek, that inn you stayed at the other day, it''s going to be a branch of the Lumberjack Guild, so vacate it. ''Oh, dear. ''It was quite comfortable. It needs a few improvements, but I think it''s ...... up to snuff.'' ''Mr. Yashiro, what''s this guy saying? ''Don''t ask me. You''ve known her longer than I have. ''I''ve never been with a woman in my life! Oh, come to think of it, he hasn''t seen Imelda''s face once. He''s talking to her through me. ''Anyway, as for the place and stuff, your father and my lord should discuss and decide. There''s nothing we can do about it.'' The location of the Lumberjack Guild branch is almost fixed, though. We''ve set aside a large plot of land near the sewage treatment plant. We''re planning to build a branch building there, a dormitory for the guild members, and a wood processing and storage facility. Incidentally, Imelda is talking about an inn in New Town, so her request will not be met. ''Then, where am I supposed to sleep from today! ''Go home!You''re within walking distance! ''I don''t have a home to go back to! ''No, there is, isn''t there?There''s a big house in the 40th district! What is this girl talking about? ''Anyway, I have nothing to do with it, so I''ll have some food. ''Oh, come on, Oumalo! ...... Hey, you got away, didn''t you? ''What''s all the fuss in the morning? ''Oh!Estella!You''ve come to the right place! ''Oh, my, you''re ......''. ''What?What, why Imelda?'' ''Estella, come here for a minute.'' I take Estella and get away from Imelda. ''She''s saying she''s going to live here from today. ''What?What are you going to do with the house? ''He wants me to give him a place to stay in New Town. ''Who''s going to allow you to do that? ''...... that young lady, isn''t it? Apparently, Estella hasn''t been consulted either. I''m sure the lady hasn''t told her father either at this rate. ''Do something about it with the lord''s authority. ''You see, I''m the lord''s ''representative'', I don''t have the right to make decisions. It''s my father who makes the decisions. ''Then go get my father. ''My father is too sick to go out. ''Then take me to my father. ''Then let''s see you move that young lady out of that place first. Are you the rest of the world? ''Anyway, the situation can''t be moved by her alone. If the guild leader, Mr. Javier, was here, it would be a different story. ......'' ''I''m here, I''m here! ''Mr. Javier? Suddenly a huge voice came down on me and I turned around to see Javier standing behind Imelda. ''Oh, Father!What are you doing here? Seeing that Imelda was also surprised, she must have sneaked out. ''I received this letter in my room. ''I''m going to the Sunken Pavilion. Please don''t look for me.'''' ''You already told me where you''re going! Don''t look for me, that''s the problem! What do you mean, ''Why are you here? What?They''ll come! ''From what I can read in this text: ...... Imelda, you want to live here? ''That''s right, father! I don''t know how you can read that from a sentence like that: ...... ''Reform requires quick action!Fast and fast!Fast and strong!Forcefully! ''But, Imelda. We have a lot of preparations to make. From the selection of a squire, to the handover, to the .......'' I''ll be fine!I''ll be living on my own! Shall I conclude? Absolutely not. I''ll bet on it. ''Absolutely impossible, isn''t it? Perhaps because of the noise caused by Javier''s appearance, Umaro has come to the entrance again and is watching the situation. If you think it''s impossible too, then it''s not a good bet. ''Imelda. I can''t let you live alone, can I?How are you going to eat?'' ....... Imelda points at me. ''...... Don''t point at me, will you? ''So, where do you sleep? ...... swoosh. And she points to Umaro. ''......Please don''t plug me in.'' ''What if you''re in danger!What if a bad guy comes on to me? ''..................'' ......ss. ''That''s why you shouldn''t have pointed at me. After all, he can''t do anything on his own, can he? ''You''re determined, aren''t you ......'' Hey, Javier? How do you come to that conclusion with the way things are going? It''s a completely spur-of-the-moment action. Give him a few slaps and take him home. ''I understand!I''ll live here too! I''ll live here too!'' ''Just go home, you guys! ''I''ll live here and go to the stall! ''You''re here for your sister, aren''t you? d*mn. ...... If only they weren''t from the Woodcutter''s Guild, I''d ban them from the 42nd District. ...... ''Hey, guys. Why don''t we have dinner first? Ginette comes over to us as we''re making noise in the store. ''Okay, Jeannette. Javier will buy us all a daily set meal.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir. ''Oh, hey, wait a minute! ''Thanks for the food, Javier! ''I''d like to join you, Mr. Javier. ''It''s part of being a patriarch, father.'' ''...... generous. Generosity is important. ''Thank you, Mr. Javier! I''ll eat! ''Thank you! ''Fatty! ''Javier is a good man! ''Oh, my sisters are so cute!Okay, that''s enough!He''s buying for everyone here! That''s rich. He''s got a lot of money. ...... The same type of person as Umaro. ............ Memo. That''s how we ended up eating breakfast in a rather large group. My brothers and sisters were in the kitchen. They were preparing a food stall. By the way, we employees of the Sunlit Pavilion have been eating at the church, but if it''s ...... on us, we can''t help but eat!Eating with other people''s money is something else. I''m not sure what to say.It doesn''t matter, it doesn''t matter!It doesn''t matter if it''s ten or twenty! I don''t think there is any problem, since he is showing his own manliness. ''Anyway, I''ve decided to live in that inn and take charge of the Lumberjack Guild branch here in the 42nd district. ''You''re saying ......? ''I''m sorry. My daughter has the cutest face in the world, but she doesn''t always listen when I tell her to. ''Why are you so quick to brag about your family, you idiot? ''When she was a little girl, she was so cute that no matter where you put her, not to mention in her eyes, it didn''t hurt, it even felt good. ''Don''t look at my daughter like that, you f*cking pedophile! What can I say, he''s the head of a great guild that has influence over the entire district, and yet he''s able to abuse her with impunity. Javier doesn''t look too uncomfortable either, so maybe he''s just an old man who likes to be frank. ''Well, it would be best if I could come here and lead the charge, but I can''t leave my home base unattended, as you know. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''......, that''s right, the head of the organization. ''I don''t hear anything. ...... Other is other, we are our own. Both based in the same forty districts, both heads of large, well known organizations. I wonder why they think so differently. ''...... daily set meal, waiting'' ''Waiting! ''Aaahhh!Magda-tan, you''re a real angel! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!You''re so cute today, little sister! ...... They look so much alike, these guys. What?I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Are you listening to me, gentlemen? Suddenly, Imelda stands up screaming. She''s really angry. ''Yes, I''m listening. ''Then tell me what you were talking about! ''You were talking about the head temple of the Vine Sect, right? ''No, I wasn''t talking about that! ''Hey, can you tell me more about that head temple later? ''Father, please shut up! The father is angry with his daughter, and he is drooling in resignation. ...... weak. I''ve heard that the Woodcutter''s Guild branch is going to be built near that sewage treatment plant. If you''ve heard that, then your source is ............ He looked at Estella and bowed towards her with his hands clasped together. It seems that I offended her by saying something unnecessary. ...... I wonder if it will get complicated, again. ''Newtown was a lovely place, full of lights!In comparison, the area around the sewage treatment plant is ............''. They don''t seem to think that the New Town they praise as a nice place is the place they hated as a ''slum'' a few days ago. ''It''s a place that will be developed in the future. It should be dark now, right?'' ''That''s nonsense! I''d like to send you a check, cash on delivery. ''It''s not too late to ............ work on the place where I''m going to live, Mr. Torbek! ''I''m sorry, sir!Right now, we''re mainly working on the sewage system for the forty districts, so we''ll take care of that later. ......'' ''I don''t want to hear your excuses! ''.................. Um, why are you angry with me? Nodding, Umaro, who had finally begun to question the unreasonableness of the situation, looked at me as if to ask. I don''t know either. I don''t know, either. The reason he''s angry is because he''s not doing what I want. ''I don''t like the dark, sir. I don''t either. ''If you live alone and it''s dark at night, you''ll ............ be in trouble. ''A lot of things. ''You can''t go to the bathroom at night, can you? ''Please don''t say it so clearly! ''...... like Yashiro.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m with my brother. Hey, hey, hey. You don''t have to tell me that now, do you? I mean, I''m not afraid of flush toilets anymore!If you don''t use the toilet outside, it''s still half as scary indoors. ............ Oh, I see. ''Oh, by the way, I thought I was going to show you the toilet. I''m sure you''ve heard that story before. Yes, yes. I was being serious, but he misunderstood me and punched me on the cheek. ...... at all. ''Let''s have a look. ''Your meal is on its way, sir! ''It won''t take long. It''s right there.'' ''What ............ are you doing indoors? ''Yeah. Come here for a minute.'' I get up and walk over to the toilet. Imelda, with a surprised look on her face, follows me to the bathroom. Javier and Loretta''s brothers and sisters are also coming. And for some reason, Estella and Umaro also arrived. ...... You''ve seen this many times. ''Is there a bathroom over there?I don''t smell it at all. You don''t have to. It''s just the way it''s built. I opened the door, and Imelda and Javier peered inside as if they were competing with each other. ''Well, ......''. ''Wow, ...... that''s beautiful.'' Imelda and Javier seemed to be surprised by the appearance. Her body was pure white and shining. The refreshing scent of pomanders with a hint of fragrance. It was a space that truly embodied the word clean. Pomander is a kind of insect repellent air freshener made by sprinkling spices on citrus fruits. Smell and bugs. It is an excellent product that prevents the two major natural enemies of the cafeteria at once. ''How do you use it? ''Do you want to try it? ''I''m not going to show you! ''No, I won''t! What kind of pervert am I? After explaining that the door closes and that it is designed to prevent sound from leaking out, I give him a quick lecture on how to use it. After that, I''ll give you a quick lecture on how to use it. After all, the Japanese style is the standard in this world. This must be the first time for you to sit on the toilet seat and do your business. ''Are you sure you''re okay? ''Yeah. You''ll understand how great it is once you use it.'' ''So, would you please leave ........................? So, we left the bathroom and waited in front of the exit. There was a ............ strange silence around us. Mostly, the boys are getting restless and looking in the opposite direction to avoid eye contact with anyone. ''...... Why are you waiting in front of the bathroom?Why don''t you go back to your seat? ''No, it''s just ...... something ............, you know? ''Yeah, it''s just something! ''Yes, sort of!Somehow! ''...... you guys.'' Estella''s gaze hits the freezing point. It''s cold, it''s cold, Estella. No, I''m not. If I retreat at ............ this point, it''ll be like, ''Hey, did you think of something weird? I''m not sure what you mean by that. That''s why we need to get out of this situation. That''s what all of us boys have in common. ''I''m sorry! At that moment, a strong voice echoed in the sunlit pavilion. It''s Becko. I called him over today to give him a proper report on the success of his food samples. Just in time, let''s get him involved. ''Becko!Hey!Come here for a minute! ''A little. What''s going on, all gathered here like that? ''We''re preparing to receive an important person. ''Mm-hmm, an important person, that it is. ''So you, when someone comes out of this door, welcome them with a big round of applause. ''Yes, I understand!I will give you a sincere and heartfelt applause, that I will! And just as we were getting ready, the door opened quietly. Now! Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle! ''What''s that?Why the applause?I''m so embarrassed!I''m so embarrassed! ''............ They''re all idiots! But now we boys have saved face. Let''s call it good. ''So, how did it go? ''It''s wonderful!I didn''t know you could install a bathroom indoors. Apparently, he liked it very much. If I had shown him this at the beginning, would he have been able to proceed with the chapter a little more comfortably? ............ No, it''s probably because he''s no longer prejudiced against the 42nd district that he''s come to admire it so openly. Once you admit it, you can be honest about it. The stubborn young lady is really a tsundere, isn''t she? ''With this, you won''t be afraid of going to the bathroom at night, will you? ''I''m not afraid of those things! ............ You''re so naive, you know that? ''Anyway, I''ve already decided where to build the Lumberjack Guild. Wouldn''t it be most efficient to build it near the city gate? ''There are higher priorities than efficiency. ''What''s that? ''Whether or not it''s suitable for me! Wow, ......, this face without a shred of hesitation. He''s really saying this. ...... She''s a pain. When I look at her, I try to put the blame on her father for making a lot of mistakes in her education policy. ...... ''Hmm. You''re right. ...... and shook her head in a stupid manner. I''ve never heard of the head of an organization being a yes man. I''ve never heard of the head of an organization being a yes man. ''The farther away from the city gates, the more wood you have to carry before processing, right? And after processing, we''ll have to carry the sawdust to the sewage treatment plant. ''In all likelihood, it''s best to build it near the city gate. ''Then we can just change the location of the city gate. ''''What? He''s ...... such a jerk. ...... ''That''s right. You haven''t built the city gate yet, have you?If that''s the case, why don''t you just move the gate a bit? It''s a simple solution. ''No, you can''t! ''Oh, why not? ''Well, there''s an agricultural guild field in ...... Momat. So we can''t build a road.'' ''Then I''ll buy that field from the Woodcutter''s Guild. You rich bastard! ''Then we''ll get less and prices will go up .......'' ''Then we can turn the land where the Lumberjack Guild will be built into a field. ''...... distance. ''We can just send someone to work as a peasant. ''............'' Why does this guy have a mind that goes in all sorts of nasty directions? ...... ''Anyway, what''s wrong is wrong!The location of the city gates and the Lumberjack Guild can''t be changed now!Hey, Estella! ''Hmm, I don''t know.I think we can do it if we talk to Mormat and get his approval. Traitor! You can''t do this! We can''t change the location of the city gate or the lumberjack guild! Otherwise, the route of the ............ highway will change! Suppose you go straight south from Newtown and build a city gate on the nearest outer wall. Then, the route from New Town to the gate and the main street will be developed as a street. Then, the ............ road would not pass in front of the Sunken Pavilion! That''s not good enough! There is a big difference in the number of customers between the stores along the street and the ones on the other side of the street. I''m now working on widening the road between the main street and the church, so that the believers can go to the church more easily. And since that road leads to the new city gate that is to be built, let''s make it a big road too. That''s what he''s saying. But if they change the location of the gate, ...... But if they change the location of the city gates, it will be obvious that they will say, "The city road is the first priority, the pilgrimage road to the church will come next time! And in the 42nd district, road maintenance is not a major project that is done often. And in this 42nd district, road maintenance is not a big deal. For me, the pillow word "incidentally" is more important than anything else. The road must be built to cross the forty-two districts. A road that runs through the forty-two wards, connecting the city gate to the new town, will not make any profit. A single project will benefit everyone around it. That is the ideal of public works. Projects that are built for one purpose only often fall into disuse without achieving the desired results! A recreational facility for employees is a perfect example. They are usually unused and deserted. Public works can be successful only if many people use them! I can''t let you put it off! Do you know how hard I''ve been working? I''ve been working so hard just to build the city gates and get the road in front of the Sunken Pavilion! I''ve been trying to get the trade value back down to a reasonable level with the peddler''s guild, but we ended up being the only ones taking a hit, so I''ve been trying to come up with a way to get back up and running, and that''s how I came up with this road plan! We''ll never let you get in our way. ...... ''............ All right, all right. Let''s go all the way. ...... ''I''ll give you a special gift: ......'' You selfish little girl. ............ ''I''ll give you a special gift for the lumberjack guild site. I''ll give you the best presentation so that you''ll think, ''I really want to live here! I''ve already decided. I''m not giving up one step. I''m going to build the city gate near the sewage treatment plant, and I''m going to set up the city gate there. And I''m going to pave the road from the gate to the main street to perfection and make the best city street ever! ''That sounds interesting. ''Yeah, it''ll definitely be interesting. Be prepared.'' ''Yes, I''ll ''look forward to it''. The sparks flew, and I ended up entertaining this selfish young lady the best I could. .................. Are there sparks flying?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. You can move in after you''ve completed all the formalities.'' ''That''s true. I''ll give you a little more time. In the meantime, do your best to come up with something that will amuse me.'' Imelda says with a mixture of provocative eyes and a smile like a child before a field trip. You''re in trouble with a troublesome guy. ...... I''m going to go home, then. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. ...... Imelda ate the daily set meal with graceful gestures. As I watched her face, I was thinking about my next move. I couldn''t bring myself to eat with her. A few hours had passed since Imelda and Javier had left. The sky had turned red, and there were only a few hours left of business today. After the lively morning meal, the number of customers was sparse. ...... Although the number of customers had increased compared to the beginning, ...... I really felt that we had to improve. ''Mr. Yashiro, would you like some tea? ''Hmm?Oh, thank you. Ginette offered me a cup of tea as I pondered. Magda and Loretta are not at the stall at the moment, as they are on their way to help. It''s no use staying in the store if there are no customers coming. As usual, the majority of the income of the restaurant comes from the food stalls, so we have no choice but to let them do their best there for now. The main restaurant of the Sunlit Pavilion is so bored that the two of us can run it alone. ''No customers are coming to .......'' ''But there are a lot more than before. ''...... "than before", hey ......''. If by ''before'' you mean when I first came here, then yes, I suppose that''s true. In those days, it was better to have two customers a day. ''Why don''t you start sculpting, Yashiro-san? ''Sculpting? ''Yes. I''d be very happy if you could learn from Mr. Bekko and make something to liven up the store.'' ''............ You''re being absurd.'' ''Is that so?I have a feeling that Mr. Yashiro will do whatever he wants. Well, I''m sure you could if you wanted to. ...... I''m confident in my dexterity. But now is not the time to do that. Oh, by the way, Becko came here and immediately said, "I have a feeling I can make something new, that I can! He went back to his house. ...... You''re not going to carve Imelda in the toilet, are you? Well, that''s why we''re alone. Ginette hasn''t gone back to the kitchen, she''s been sitting across from me. Probably because she''s worried about me. I notice that Jeannette is always, very casually, the closest to me. Even if you notice such a thing, it''s not ...... right to say ''thank you''. So I don''t really say anything. I am sure that Ginette does not expect anything from me. This interval is the distance between me and Jeannette. It''s a little ...... comfortable, I think. I felt as if the poison that had been bothering me had been drained from my mind, and I suddenly wanted to talk about nothing. Anything. I just wanted to talk about something trivial. Since it was a good opportunity, I decided to ask him what I had always wanted to ask. ''Ginette, you know what? ''Yes, what is it? ''Don''t you want to go out somewhere or something? ''Out, sir? Ginette tilted her head and turned her big eyes to me. ''You''ve been here all day, working all day, right?Do you ever take a break? This guy once looked at me enviously as I went out of the 42nd district. I suppose that''s true. I go into the kitchen early in the morning to make donations, stay in the cafeteria all day long during the day, clean up when I''m done, and go to bed early. In the meantime, he does all the housework, so he doesn''t have time to go out and play. Is he satisfied with that? ''I''m happy to meet all kinds of people in this store, and it''s fun. I''m happy and having fun. ............ Are you satisfied with that? I stare at Jeannette''s face. I don''t think he''s lying. But he seems to be straining himself. Maybe one day you can take a day off from the store and go have some fun. ......, I think, but Ginette probably doesn''t want to take the day off. Then, you can''t just ask someone to guard the store and go to ............. Ginette is the only one who can make the food at the Sunlit Pavilion taste good. Even if you ask someone to guard the restaurant, the only way is to provide leftovers. That can''t be called keeping the restaurant open. It''s like a stall. Someday, I''d like to give him a chance to relax. ''Speaking of relaxation. Ginette claps her hands together and smiles cheerfully. I wonder how many people know this face of hers. If this smile is sent out to the public, the number of his fans will increase dramatically. Magda and Loretta might not be able to compete with him. By nature, he is not good at public appearances. ...... He is not shy, but he is not bossy either. It is a stance of three steps back. Sometimes Jeannette looks as if she wants to be listened to. It''s just like the face she''s making at me right now. I''ve always liked that look. So, let''s listen to it. ''Candles are wonderful, aren''t they? ''............ Are you talking about my wax statue? ''No. They''re lovely and lovely too, but we''re talking about something else now. Let''s be clear, that wax statue is not pretty at all. There''s something wrong with her sensibility. ''It''s a candle on the front. ''The candles out front? ''They were set up in the garden to brighten up the sunlit pavilion when I was with the inspection team. ''Oh, that. It was a great help at that time. People feel safer when they can clearly see their destination in the dark. ''It was Magda''s idea, though. He smiled and poked the tip of his tongue out. At times like this, this guy really seems to enjoy laughing. ''When I stare at the flame of a candle, it seems to calm me down. ''Seeing something that moves erratically, like a flame, makes us feel calm. ''So, why don''t we light it up a little here and now? ''Hmm?'' ''Mr. Yashiro, you seem to be a little tired. With that, Ginette stood up and went to the counter. He brings a small candle from there. Is it the one that Bekko left for him?It is small enough to fit in the palm of his hand and is the color of honey. ''It smells so good when you light it. She said happily and lit the candle. The candlelight flickers on the table. A soft, pale light spreads in the dimly lit restaurant. Ginette and I sit across from the candles, facing each other. Our shadows sway on the walls and floor, illuminated by the candlelight. ''It''s beautiful. The smile she gave me was full of encouragement. She told me to cheer up. Don''t let little things bother you. It''s not a word, but a stronger emotion that appeals to me. ...... This guy. They''re so careless that they don''t even give me time to care. ...... I kind of want to take him out of his mind. It could be a trip, it could be anything. Take a break from work and go to a place where you can play without thinking. ............ ''Yashiro-san is ......'' Ginette whispered as she watched the candles flicker quietly. ''You''ve been working hard to make the Sunlit Pavilion thrive, haven''t you? ''Well, I promised you ............, didn''t I? ''You remembered me, didn''t you? ''Of course. ...... I''m the one who said it.'' ''...... Well, yes. But I''m glad.'' Jeannette giggled, and I don''t know if it was because of that, but the flames flickered a little. ''Thanks to you, Yashiro-san, the Sunken Pavilion has been receiving more and more customers than ever before. ''Compared to when the old man was here, how is it?'' ''...... it''s ............'' ''Then it''s not quite there yet. The Sunken Pavilion can still thrive.'' I don''t think I''ve yet seen this guy''s true, overflowing smile from the bottom of his stomach. Maybe I''ll be able to see it when this restaurant returns to and surpasses the Sunshine Pavilion of my grandfather''s time. --and I''m thinking to myself. ''It''s strange, isn''t it ......? ''Hmm?'' ''When Yashiro-san says so, ......'' ............ Ah. ''I have a feeling that''s really going to happen.'' ............The flickering flame is red. So it''s probably okay. As frustrating as it was, Ginette''s smile looked so cute. ...... I''m sure she hasn''t noticed that I''ve uncharacteristically dyed my cheeks. d*mn. ...... You''re not in middle school. What a joke. ............ What a joke. It must be that. It''s the candle. The flame of the candle, the scent of the honey, the clear flickering shadows, ...... that kind of unusual atmosphere makes my heart beat strangely. It''s like that. It''s like when you go to a festival in junior high school and see the girls in your class in yukata. And if it''s at night, and you''re illuminated by the red glow of a bare bulb, it''s even more exciting. .................. .................. festival?It''s a different atmosphere than usual,................... ''...... hmm''. ''......?What''s wrong, Mr. Yashiro? ''It might be worth a try. ......'' Now we just need to see how many people we can recruit to help .......'' ''Ginette, I need your help with something.'' ''Yes, sir. Anything you need. So, how many ............ times have you told me not to make such careless remarks in this city where the Judgment of the Spirits is held? I''m sure you''ve only said it in front of me. ''We''re going to have a festival. ''...... Festival? It doesn''t matter what the reason is. For now, we can use ...... to give thanks to the spirit gods. The festival will be held at the site of the current road. We will set up stalls, light up the darkness of the night with candles and torches, and offer prayers to the spirit gods in an oriental atmosphere. The devotees of the church of the spirits are moved by the sight, couples are in a romantic mood at the beautiful sight of the darkness of the night mixed with the red of the flames, kids are foolishly having fun, and we merchants make a lot of money from the night stalls. And the streets where the festival is held are given meaning and become ''special streets'' for the residents. I also liked the streets where the festival was held a little more than other places. ''Oh, they''re having a festival here,'' I thought. I''ll get the people on my side if I have to. If we can make people think that this is the only place to go on the road, we''ve done it. And if we can create that impression by lighting up the city with flames, Imelda won''t be able to argue with us about the darkness. If that is the case, we should involve all the residents in the city. The whole forty-two wards will be up in arms! ''......'' Suddenly, Jeannette let out a laugh. ''What''s wrong?'' ''No, ......, Yashiro-san was making that face again.'' The face that Jeannette refers to is probably the one that she heard when she had the water boiled in the church before. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not aware of that, though. ''Don''t make assumptions and judgments like that. Things can go wrong. No, it''s more likely than not. ...... has just happened to work out so far.'' ''Is that so?'' He looks at me with his beady eyes and narrows them again. ''Well, I''ll be looking forward to seeing if it works. ...... Huh. Jesus. ............ That''s the face you make when you''re sure it''s going to work. And when you make that face, ...... For what it''s worth, I''ll be the one running around. Ahh, it''s too much, it''s too depressing. But at the same time, when I see that face, I feel like I can do my best, which is strange. 65-Episode 60 New Initiative ''I think that would be so great''. The next day. After breakfast at the church, Ginette and I told Bertina about a plan we''d come up with yesterday. We''re going to hold an event in honor of the spirit gods on the street that stretches from the main street to the church. Of course, Estella is here now, listening to the conversation with me. ''There is such a thing in the lore of the spirit gods - the spirit gods who once descended to the human world are ......''. It''s a long story, so I''ll summarize it by saying that a spirit god once came down to the human world and gave lights to people who were scared at night. ''As a result, there are days a few times a year when the daytime hours are longer. Well, that would be the summer solstice. In this world where the seasons are so random, the solstice doesn''t come at a fixed time. But I guess the principle is the same as the solstice. ...... Isn''t this planet in this world wobbling on its axis and not settled? ............ I''m not even sure if this is a planet in the first place. I''m not sure if this is a planet or not in the first place,'' he said, ''so how about we all give thanks for the sun''s blessings and return the lights to the spirit gods? ''Lights are coming to the church from the east and west of the city?That sounds like a wonderful event. Perhaps imagining the scene, Bertina smiled, as if she were in a painting, At night, a procession with lit candles would march from east to west simultaneously toward the church. Yes. East and west. With the church at the center, the procession would come from the east, where the main street was, and from the west, where the city gate was to be built - southwest, to be exact - and meet in front of the church. Otherwise, the festival will be held only in the area between the main street and the church. ...... This festival is held halfly to persuade Imelda. It would be meaningless if the planned construction site of the Lumberjack Guild branch was not greatly enlivened. So we decided that the procession would go to the church from the east and west. ''Will there be candles lit all along the road along this section? Estella said, looking at the map I had drawn of the planned route. ''It''s a long way, but can you prepare that many candles? ''I''ll ask Becko for help. He said he had a large surplus, so we should be able to manage.'' ''Hmmm ......, but if we hold such a festival, the budget will be ............'' Estella, who has been talking about money a lot lately, wrinkled her brow again. ''You only talk about money or breasts. ''Shut up!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it................... You''re not talking about your breasts, are you? You don''t have to say it. I know what you''re talking about. Don''t worry about it alone. I''m always here for you. ...... with a half smile. ''Money''s no problem. I''ll get some sponsorship.'' ''Kyo-san?'' ''In layman''s terms, it''s like sponsorship. ''We''ll ask stores and guilds in the forty-two districts to invest in us. Of course, we''ll give you something in return. First, carve the names of the companies on the candlesticks that line the streets. The more money you pay, the more companies will be lined up. The publicity effect is outstanding. The more money you pay, the more your company name will be lined up.Trubec Construction Company" - something like that. At festivals in Japan, names are put on lanterns and displayed at shrines. Well, those lanterns have a strong meaning of contribution and offering to the community. ''But, do you think that much money can be raised just by advertising? ''The Spiritual Church should also collect donations. Religion has the power to loosen the purse strings of its followers.'' ''Yashiro-san ......, that doesn''t sound good .......'' Ginette, a devout Alvistan, lets out a chuckle. But it''s true. If you don''t have faith, you wouldn''t pay 500,000 for a suspicious vase. Oh, the goods for live concerts might be the same kind. It''s like an offering to your favorite artist when you pay a good price for something that is ''cheaper than this if you think about it. ''Also, this guy is my biggest source of income, and I''m thinking of opening a ...... store.'' ''A stall ......?Is that like a food stall? Estella, who had a good head on her shoulders, got the answer almost right. What''s different about a food stall is that it doesn''t move. ''We ask the restaurant owners to come and sell their food. Eat good food, have a drink, and watch the beautiful procession of lights. ............ This is going to be a lot of fun. Even if the price is a little expensive, you can''t help but buy something in the atmosphere of the festival. Even those who don''t usually eat a lot of powdered food end up going to several restaurants for takoyaki, okonomiyaki, Hiroshima-yaki, etc. That''s the magic of festivals. I think it''s very wonderful! Bertina was biting at a very fast pace. It''s almost ......!It''s annoying!I''m drooling! ''If it''s a festival for the spirit gods, it means that the church people will be given those foods for free, is that correct? ''You''re dead wrong!How convenient an interpretation are you making? ''Doesn''t that count as a donation! ''If you want to eat, you''ll have to pay! I don''t think he can eat that much, though, since he''s responsible for receiving the lights that are gathered during the festival. ''It''s very sad that he can''t eat even though he has ................... ......'' ''Oh, God!Don''t be sulky!'' If Bertina bends her head here, the festival itself might be canceled. I can''t help it!She''s a real pain in the ass! It''s just this once! ''I''ll give you free food only during the festival if it''s from the Sunlit Pavilion! ''Ah, may the Spirit God bless you, ......'' The spirit gods would be very angry if they were used to pay for food, wouldn''t they? ''giggle......'' Next to me, Jeannette lets out a laugh. ''What is it? ''No, ...... anything.'' ''You''re curious.'' ''Don''t you get it, Yashiro? Estella winks at me while Jeannette looks uncomfortable. ''That''s the thing. Despite what you say, Yashiro is pretty sweet. Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes.'' Estella says with a knowing look, and Jeannette agrees. ...... Keh, I''m not spoiling you. It''s not that I''m spoiling you, it''s just that you look like a father who cares for his children. Ginette says happily. I had goosebumps all over my body. Who''s the father? ...... ''So, let''s beg your father for a day of festivities, shall we? ''Don''t do that, ageless elf. You''re older than me for sure. Anyway, we''ve gotten the approval of the church, the main organizer of the festival. Now we just need to get sponsors and gather people. We need to ...... "prepare". We need to practice the people who will be marching with candles, inform the people in this town who will be setting up a stall for the first time about how to prevent problems and accidents from happening, and lecture them about manners and etiquette so that the festival will run smoothly. The festival will go more smoothly if there are rules and regulations in place. It is also a good idea to organize a committee and let them get used to the festival. If we do this, we may be able to have festivals several times a year. Hopefully, we will be able to attract visitors from outside the district. It''s not ......, but it would be nice to have an influx of people and money in the district. ''Estella. Can you give me a list of the major players?I want to negotiate directly with them and get them on the executive committee.'' ''The wording is as crude as ever, but ...... well, I think you''re on the right track. I''m sure you''re right about that. If you can get someone who can speak up in advance, you can prevent a lot of trouble later on. ''We''ll send Jeannette. ''What? The ginette stood up with a strange voice. ''Ya, aren''t you Yashiro-san? ''I''m going to take over as the executive committee chairman. I''m going to take on the role of organizing committee chairman, but it might be a bit awkward if I''m both the organizing committee chairman and the representative of the sunny pavilion, right? The location of the festival is near the Sun Goddess Pavilion. It''s not hard to imagine people complaining that it''s unfair. That''s why I''m Jeannette. I''m only giving my opinion as the ''executive committee chairman''. There will be times when I will have to force a decision. In such cases, if you are dissatisfied with Sunlit Pavilion, this gynette will respond to ............. Well, most people will be distracted by it. Because it''s a ginette. Even if someone complains, he will just ''pout'' and say ''wow'' and ''I''m in trouble''. Who can maintain anger in front of him? ''Wow, I don''t know if I can handle such a big role ......''. ''I don''t represent the city. You''re a representative of the Sunlit Pavilion. It''s fine to act as usual. ''Really, is that so? ''Oh. Just smile like you always do and make your boobs ''puff'' once every ten minutes or so.'' ''If that''s the case, ............ I don''t always do that! This is a small wish of mine that it would be nice if you always did that. ''I would like to ask you, Mormat, to represent the west side of the 42nd district, and Estella, to represent the east side. I''d like you to represent the west side of the 42nd district. If both sides can agree on a certain level of opinions first, we can reduce unnecessary friction. I understand. I''ll take care of it. She understands what I''m trying to do without any explanation. Estella is really quick-witted. ...... I think you''re burning calories there, so you''re not getting enough nutrition for your breasts. ''And I''d like Loretta to join me as a Newtown representative.'' ''Doesn''t New Town count as the west side?'' ''That''s because it''s newly built. I''m hoping to use this opportunity to wipe out the past and make it a new landmark. There''s also an inn that Imelda likes, and if we can turn it into a tourist attraction, we can increase the tax revenue. ''I see. So you''re respecting the honor of those who have had a say in the past, but also letting the new wind blow. ''This festival itself has just been born. Neither the old nor the new will work alone. It''s important to blend them well. A city with only old-fashioned craftsmen will fall into disuse. However, it does not mean that everything should be changed to be new and convenient. We must respect the past and sublimate it into new technology. That is what culture is all about. ''Becko and Umaro will be working at full capacity, so I''m going to ask Magda and her sisters, the Vine Peta Sisters, to support their activities as a cheering squad. ''...... What''s with that disgusting name? ''What''s that, Estella? Do you want to join? ''I don''t want to join! ''There are certain strict regulations to join, and if you don''t pass them, you''ll pass .................., Estella! ''Don''t say that while looking at my chest! Well, Estella has a lot of work to do, so she doesn''t have time to support others. Estella will join us as a second term student when we need to leverage her. Should we write a theme song for the ............ festival? No, but I don''t have a guitar. I guess I''ll give up this time. ''It''s getting really important, isn''t it? Ginette, who had witnessed the moment when the project sprouted, looked puzzled at the accelerating expansion of the project. The period between the planning and preparation stages is usually like this. It is difficult to determine how much of what you want to do you can do and how much you can discard, though this depends on experience. However, once you get into the swing of things, the project accelerates at a rapid pace and you can run through it without stopping. The real work begins when you can cover the limits of your physical strength with your energy. This is not yet the end. It will accelerate more and more. I will make this festival a success. It''s not going to take more than a little bit of excitement to convince Imelda. There must be an unshakable ''fun'' that appeals to her intuition, or she will not be convinced. The forty-two wards I had looked down upon. But it has transformed far beyond my imagination, and I feel elated to have had my sense of values shaken. It was with such tension that I stayed at Umaro''s top-quality inn. The synergistic effect of all these factors must have given it an unbelievably high rating. We need to surpass that rating. We have to surpass it. We can''t do this half-heartedly. We have to go all the way. And convince Imelda to build a branch of the Lumberjack Guild and a city gate to the southwest of the city. Only then can the road be built. All for my own good! I''m a firm believer. When I say I''ll do it, I do it. I''m gonna make this festival a success and make a lot of money! You''ll see!I''ll be gobbling it up!I won''t be able to stop laughing! ''Hey, Yashiro-san is really burning up!I''m not sure what to do. ''...... I don''t know, when Yashiro makes this kind of face, it seems like there''s something behind it. ............'' ''That''s not true. I''m sure that Yashiro is acting out of a single minded desire to make this 42nd district a better place. ''Yashiro is ......? ''Perhaps!He realized how wonderful and precious the spirit gods are and opened his eyes as an Alvistan ......! ''That''s not possible. No. That''s not going to happen, Ginette. Estella has a lot to say, but she''s mostly right, so I won''t argue with her. Hmm. I''ve only been thinking about getting the road in front of the sunken pavilion from the beginning. Pasta''s starting to sell too. My plan usually works. Haha, talent scares me. Hmm... Mr. Yashiro. If there''s anything I can do to help, please let me know. Ginette pushes me closer, looking as if she believes in some strange misconception. She folded her hands in front of her chest as if she were worshipping me. I''ll help you in any way I can! This defenceless face ...... Estella had said that she only showed this smile in front of those close to her. ...... You''re close. Then maybe I''ll ask her sometime. In fact, I''ve always dreamed of going to a festival with a girl. I wonder if he''ll go out with me if I say so. Yeah, that''s right. I''d like to make some corrections to my earlier thoughts. I said that I was only thinking about building a road in front of the sunlit pavilion. ...... Ginette, whose business does not allow her to travel far, even within the 42nd district. So, if you want to bring something fun closer to him, he can have fun too. ...... Such a scheme was certainly smoldering in the corner of my mind. I can''t deny that. So, please don''t ''only'' pass the street in front of the sunny pavilion. ''Well then, let''s go around to the people who might be willing to join the committee. ''Ah. Ginette. Me and Loretta are leaving, will the store be okay?'' ''Yes. Your sisters will be helping us, so we should be able to manage. Magda doesn''t have any hunting today. That''s good. The whole town will be busy between now and the festival. It''s going to be a problem for Jeannette and the others, but I''m sure ...... will be fine. I''m sure that Ginette will call the busyness ''fun'' as well. Isn''t it fun to be busy before a school festival? It''s the same. This is one of the few opportunities to experience the fun of staying at school at night, and staying up all night to prepare for the festival. Since it''s a good opportunity, I''m going to enjoy it too. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to take on the troublesome task of being the head of the organizing committee. ''Alright!I''ll run around as fast as I can from now until the festival! ''Yes! ''I hope in moderation. ''I''m looking forward to the ............ festival to show our gratitude to the spirit gods. ''Hey, there''s an honest to goodness elf. ''The festival to show gratitude to the spirit gods...'' ''You can''t fool me by saying it twice, can you? ''I''m really looking forward to the festival to show my gratitude to the spirit gods. ''...... What if I tell you that the stalls are still closed? ''It''s canceled. ''The spirit gods are losing out to food! ''You can''t ...... have sisters anymore, can you? In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I laughed along with her, and our project got underway. I was so excited about the big project that was about to begin that I ............ forgot to mention it. I explained the current situation by comparing it to a school festival. ............ It''s not just fun in the school at night. ...... When there is no school festival, you will only hear rumors about it. ...... You don''t have to trace it all the way back to ............ I was caught in the middle of the preparations for the festival: ...... Ghostly disturbances are a joke. ...... 66-Episode 61 Store Opens ''That''s nice, that!Sounds fun! After Estella and I went around to the houses of the old-timers, landowners, and the living gods in the 42nd district to get their support for the festival of the spirit gods, we split up and went around to the restaurants. We explained the purpose of the project and asked them to set up stalls. ............ Is ''demise'' a redundant word for ''store''?Anyway, I''m going around asking people to participate in the stalls. Since restaurants are very busy during the day, we usually negotiate early in the morning before opening or at night after closing. Now it is early in the morning before the restaurant opens. Ginette is probably preparing for the morning meal at the sunny pavilion right now. And this is Cantalucia. There are no customers in the usually crowded restaurant, and it looks unusually spacious. While the master of the store is quietly preparing to open the store behind the counter, Paula, the dog-eared sales clerk who has full control of the negotiations, is getting excited as she listens to me. ''You can make money!That''s a lot of money for sure! Lately, Cantaluc?-a has been making a lot of profit due to the stable purchase price of ingredients, and Paula seems to be in a slightly aggressive mode. In other words, ''I''m going to make as much money as I can, and I''m going to be the king of restaurants! That''s the situation. It''s hard to believe that this is the guy who was crying in front of the store. ''It''s all thanks to you, you know. When I mentioned how well the store was doing, Paula gave me a cheerful smile. Then she turned her face down a little embarrassed and said to me. ''Thank you, ............ ya, Yashiro. Are you that embarrassed to call me by my name? After saying this, he grabs the large ears hanging from his head and hides his face, barking sarcastically, ''Kyaa! I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Oh, you''re a girl. ''Paula, you look like a girl. ''I''m a girl!I mean, it''s annoying!Why are you even here? ''Nya!Why are you so hard on me?I don''t work here, and you''re getting angry at me in a natural way! Loretta is being yelled at by Paula for saying something unnecessary. They must not have been a good match to begin with. Paula is a hard worker whose effort shows on her face, and Loretta is a hard worker who doesn''t feel any hardship. Even though they are aiming for the same destination under the same circumstances, they cannot understand each other because the way to get there is too different. I think they are similar in their roots, but it is because they are so similar that there are parts that are incompatible. Especially, Paula doesn''t like Loretta because she seems to have achieved success without even trying. Well, I don''t mean to say that Paula is narrow-minded or that Loretta is secretive. When each of us goes our own way, there will inevitably be things that are incompatible with each other, and there''s no need to put effort into them. You know what I mean. If you don''t like it, don''t get involved. Keep it to the bare minimum. ''I was elected to the committee as a representative of New Town. I was recommended by my big brother!So I''m a little higher in rank than Paula. That''s great! ''''Let''s see, ......, how many times can one person hit the executive committee? ''Neehee! ''Sorry, we don''t have such a system in place.'' ...... Maybe they just don''t like Loretta because she''s annoyingly involved with Paula. ...... I''m sure she doesn''t mean any harm... ... ''Hmm~, but what should I sell at the stall?'' ''What is the specialty of this store? ''Well, it''s got to be the Hexenbiest Big Sausage! Ah, come to think of it, there was always a big red-bronze sausage by the side of the guys drinking in this store. That was a hexenbiest sausage, wasn''t it? ''It''s hearty and tastes great!Once you try it, you''ll be addicted to it! ''That''s right, big brother!The sausages here have such a delicious fatty flavor that once you take a bite, you can''t help but take a second bite!Even when I was working here, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the hexenbiest sausages that the master would secretly give me were the most enjoyable. That''s right!The sausages I eat while working are very special. ......'' ''Shut up! Paula bared her fangs at Loretta, who snatched the conversation away from her. Have these guys been working like this all day?That must be exhausting for Paula. But the way ...... Loretta interacts with her is like a little sister spoiling her big sister. ''You sit there and zipper your mouth!Okay? ''Pfft, zipper your mouth,'' ...... Paula, you use a cute expression. ''Shut up!I''ll sew your mouth shut! ''Huh?I''ll shut up! If it''s sewn shut, it''ll never open. Does ...... have zippers in this city? I''m not sure what you mean by ''something you can walk around eating''. Paula asks, pointing to the proposal I''ve presented. It''s a proposal that describes what to look out for when setting up a stall to avoid trouble, tips on how to increase sales, and a few gentlemen''s agreements. It says not to operate out of the space and to set the price between 20Rb and 80Rb (preferably 50Rb is the best). The price of food at a festival should be around 500 yen. One of the items. I have a question about the fact that the food served at the stalls should be something that you can walk around eating. I thought I didn''t need to tell you why he did that. ...... Well, if it''s your first time at a festival, you might be curious. ''There''s only so much space in the stalls. If people eat in front of the stalls, the turnover rate will decrease and sales will drop. It''s important for the festival that people start walking as soon as they buy something and don''t stop the flow. For this reason, people prefer to eat food that they can walk around. A bowl of ramen is delicious, but it is not suitable for a festival. ''Eating around... ...... I wanted to serve sausages...'' Paula puckered her lips in disappointment. ''Why don''t you just serve it? ''What?You can''t just walk around eating.I''d have to ask for my plate back, and I can''t carry a plate with a knife and fork. The hexenbiest sausage here is served on a long, thin plate with sausage and mustard, along with a knife and fork. Well, you certainly can''t walk around eating it in that state. ...... ''You can just stick it on a stick. ''Stick it on a stick? ''Oh!That might be easier to eat! Paula glared at Loretta, who suddenly opened her mouth. But Loretta is not intimidated and calls out to the master at the counter. ''Master!I''d like to try the sausage, please! ''You just want to eat it, don''t you!Pay for it! ''No, no. This is a survey by the executive committee, so please cooperate. ''............ Can I use the first one for now? ''No, we don''t have a system like that.'' He calmed Paula, who clenched her fists tightly. In the meantime, the master, who is sweet to Loretta, arrives with three sausages. Oh, you have one for me too? You know what you''re talking about, you dog-eared old man. ''All I need is a clean stick. ...... I''ll just use chopsticks for now. Master, can you fetch me some chopsticks? ''Come and get them yourself.'' ...... I''m slightly annoyed at the difference in treatment between you and Loretta. ''...... Loretta.'' ''Master, I''d like you to bring it to me.'' ''............ Wait a minute.'' Are you going? You spoil Loretta too much, don''t you? ''Don''t you dare mess with my father! ''Master is a gentleman who is kind to ladies. ''Stop, ...... embarrassing me.'' He mumbled in a thick voice. ...... Don''t be embarrassed, it''s disgusting. When the master, who was boned by Loretta, brought me a pair of chopsticks, I stuck one into the sausage. You''ll be able to eat it all by itself. That was all it took to make a frankfurter that could be eaten on the go. ''Oh, this looks easy to eat! ''Really. I didn''t know there was such a simple solution.'' ''Also, it''s a good idea to have ketchup ready, not just mustard. ''Our sausages are best with mustard. ''There will be children at the festival. You''ll get more sales if you can appeal to everyone.'' ''Oh, I see. We usually only have people who drink alcohol here. Paula snaps her hand. I think we need to teach them about the difference in customer base. You could say that children are the main players in the festival. The things that children ask for are the ones that sell. It is the things that children ask for that sell. ''...... ketchup''. ''Wow!Master, you''re so clever!Let''s go to .......'' Loretta dipped her frankfurter in a generous amount of ketchup and bit into it. ''Oh ............, it''s so good!It tastes like happiness. It''s a rush hour of gravy. I felt like I had seen the origin of Hammaro. Is there such a thing as ......, Rush Hour?I''m sure you''re right.I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m sure you''ll like it. Paula, who had apparently never tasted a sausage with ketchup before, rolled her eyes at the taste. ''It''s also very easy to eat. I think we should serve it like this at the restaurant. ''The sticks get in the customers'' mouths, so they''re disposable. ''Oh, that''s not very economical. Well, it may be possible to reuse them by collecting them and washing them, but ...... makes me feel bad about using them. It''s better to use disposable ones. Wooden sticks that can be thrown away after eating are best for festivals. ''I''m starting to look forward to it now. How many kinds of food can you serve on the menu? ''One dish per restaurant, basically.'' ''Just one item? ''That''s also a way to prevent lines. The ideal is to have a signboard that shows what you are selling even from a distance, and make people think, ''Oh, let''s eat that. It is not good for the flow of customers if they have to choose from many menus. ''That''s why you have to compete with something you are absolutely sure of. ''Then we''ll choose the Hexenbiest''s Big Sausage! He must be very confident. Paula looked as if she had already won the number one seller. ''Master!I''ll have another one! ''How many of these are you going to eat? ''If I had to guess, I''d say four bottles of ............! ''Yashiro, can I use the third one at a time? ''So, no, there''s no system where you can hit the executive committee.'' Paula said, shaking her clenched fists. ''...... Look, four of them.'' ''Wow! The Master places a plate with four sausages in front of Loretta. ...... This guy knew we''d be getting more and he was ready. He must have pampered Loretta a lot when she was here. His slavery is so ingrained. And the look on his face when he saw Loretta''s joy. Are you a foolish parent?She''s someone else''s daughter. ''d*mn it!That''s why I love you, Master! I love you so much ............! The simple-minded Master stumbled over his words and turned his head away. Oh, oh, he''s embarrassed. ''............ Paula. Dad, I have something important to tell you. ''What are you trying to do, throw away your family and start a new life? He''s not a stupid parent. ...... He''s just stupid! ''Loretta''s ''like'' is not the kind of ''like'' you''re talking about!It''s the kind of love that animals have for people who feed them. That''s a good point. This is just feeding. ''Paula-san, you like my brother because he treated you well, right? ''Huh!Ha, ha!I''m not the only one who likes you.No, I don''t, I don''t, I don''t, I don''t, I don''t, I don''t hate you.But that''s not the same thing as this. ......! Paula. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''He didn''t feed me! I didn''t feed him. ............ Oh, you did feed him tacos. If you ask me, I think she''s become strangely fond of me since then. Are girls vulnerable to being fed? ''Anyway, the stall will be open from morning till night, so we''ll need a lot of sausages. Make sure you have enough to feed all the residents of the forty-two districts.'' ''Night. ......'' For the first time, Paula, who had been so enthusiastic up to this point, her expression clouded. ''Is there something wrong with the night? Rather, the night is the main time for the stall. ''It''s not that it''s bad, but ......''. With a cloudy expression, he hesitated to say his next line. What the hell, that''s weird. If you have something to say, say it clearly. ''This town is haunted, isn''t it?It''s kind of scary.'' Why are you talking like that? You can''t just say whatever you want! ''Well, now that we''ve done our business, let''s go home, Loretta! ''Paula, please tell me more about that! ...... d*mn!Loretta, who can''t help but get involved in these kinds of conversations, took the bait as expected. I wanted to end this quickly so it wouldn''t happen again! ''Haven''t you ever heard of it?About a female ghost? ''No, sir. When I was a child, I used to hear a woman''s voice sounding distressed in the middle of the night, and I thought it was a ghost or something. ...... Soon after that, my family grew, so I thought, ''Oh, it''s not like that. What are you talking about?It''s so early in the morning. And your parents, pull a little weight. What about Yashiro?Have you heard of him?'' ''There are no ghosts. That''s just a misunderstanding by a sleepyhead! There''s a wise saying, ''A ghost''s true identity is a withered tail. There is no such thing as a ghost in this world. ''But there are still many witnesses. The other day, ......''. What''s up, girl?Are you going to tell a ghost story now?I''m leaving.I''m leaving right now. ''Do you have any witnesses?What was it like? Loretta took the bait beautifully. Can''t I just go home before ............ you? ''My friend went to the bathroom in the middle of the night ...... and saw something glowing .......'' ...... ''Oh, yeah!It was glowing? ''Maybe the moonlight was reflecting off his bald head. ''So, ......, I wondered, "What is that?"'' I''ve heard that he was curious and followed her. ......'' d*mn ......, my teasers were completely ignored. If Paula is in talk mode and Loretta is in listen mode, there is no stopping this conversation. So, ............''Aaaaah, I can''t hear you! That''s the plan! I put my fingers in my ears, arched my back, and crouched down out of sight. ...... I want to be a clam. ''So, follow me to ...... what happened?'' ''The bathroom of the girl''s house faces an alleyway, and the light that wandered through the alleyway seemed to be avoiding the public eye. ''So it''s a wandering ghost!So, so?What happened to it? ''After turning the corner several times, the girl lost sight of the mysterious light. ...... It was a narrow alley four streets over from here, an empty section lined with dilapidated houses. ''A ghost that disappeared in the middle of nowhere?Maybe it''s the grudge of someone who died a regrettable death there!If it''s not popular, it''s easy for incidents to happen! ''The girl who lost sight of the light said, "Huh, that''s strange, where did she go?" ............ and walked around looking for her. ''......Oh, ............, I''m starting to get nervous.'' ''At ............. I couldn''t find him, so I turned around to go home, and ...... he was standing right in front of me! ''Geez!Sudden appearance is bad for the heart! ''The girl clearly saw ...... a black, shadowy woman staring at ............ me with a faint glow in her eyes. It was a very sad looking woman with sad eyes. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but it''s a good idea. ''There are many such sightings. You know, we''re in a bar, right?Even if you don''t want to hear it, you''ll get information like that. ''I see. That''s the kind of trouble that can only happen in a bar. The atmosphere around the two of them changes. Apparently, the ghost story is over. ''So, about the ketchup and mustard to put on the sausages, I recommend you to put them in a thin container with a thin tip and put them in a line to make them easier to eat and to balance the taste. ''Why are we talking about sausages now? ''Haha, what are you talking about? We''re only talking about sausages. Haha, you''re a weird guy, haha.'' ''The shadow of a black woman floating in the suspicious light ......'' ''Stop it!If Magda has trouble sleeping, it''s your fault! ''...... big brother, you''re taking Magda to the bathroom in the middle of the night. ......'' I don''t know about you, but I''m afraid of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, even when I''m indoors! I''m not sure if it''s haunted or not. I''m not sure if I saw anything. Even if I did see something, it''s just a withered flower! A withered tail is a withered silver grass. ............ Why is there a silver grass in the bathroom of the Sunlit Pavilion?That''s what I''m afraid of! Oh, dear!What are you doing? ''Yashiro''s a scaredy-cat, isn''t he? ''Idiot!You''re wrong, you idiot!I''m not scared at all! I''m not scared at all!'' ''You''re scared no matter how you look at it. ''There are even couples who are apparently in a relationship, but they say, "We''re not like that.If that''s the case, don''t make out in public!I''m sure you''re aware of that. ''...... What are you angry about? What are you angry about? The absurdity of the world! ''Big brother, this is a serious matter! Loretta''s eyes glittered with a kind of disgust. I''ve got a bad feeling about ............ your face. ''Unless we find out who the ghosts are, there might be a lot of people who don''t want to go to the night market!So we''re going to find out who the ghost is! With 100% unadulterated curiosity on her face, Loretta lets out a snort, ''Hmph! she exhales. Don''t be silly. Who wants to get involved in a ghost frenzy? ...... ''Right. If you guys can figure out who the ghosts are, we''ll be able to run the night stall without worry. .................. ''Hey, brother! ''Yashiro! ............ No, you can''t, okay? ''Well, take care of him for me, will you? ''He asked me to take care of you! What are you doing? I don''t like it!I''m not getting involved in any ghostly disturbances! I''ll never get involved! That''s for sure! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bit of trouble with the whole thing. 67-Episode 62 Wax Activities to solicit support for the festival are conducted in the morning and evening, avoiding daytime business hours. Since we have to go around efficiently within a limited time, we have to be smart about how to go around. ''Where should I go in the afternoon? ......'' ''Big brother. This is the area that Paula was talking about, the area where there have been sightings! As I sit down and look at the map, Loretta peeks out from behind me and points to a certain area. Oh, come on. There are no stores or even craftsmen''s houses in that area, are there?I mean, there aren''t even any houses. There''s nothing to be gained by going there... Loretta is such a mischievous girl. Ha-ha-ha-ha. ''Are you going to visit more than just restaurants? Estella, who had been going separately in the morning, joined us and we discussed the current situation and our future plans. Estella seems to be gaining supporters as well. We fill in the parts that have been approved with blue ink. There are more blue areas in both the east and west. ''Festivals attract a lot of people. It seems that word of the festival has spread to the forty districts through Imelda and Umaro, and we can expect people to come. If that''s the case, it would be a shame if we didn''t sell folk art and craftsmanship that don''t usually get the spotlight, wouldn''t it? ''Ah, ah!Big brother, look here, here!There''s a witchcraft shop here!Do you want to buy a talisman to ward off evil? ''I see. It''s true that you don''t usually see the products of a spell shop. Are you trying to sell such things? ''Oh. It''s one of the pleasures of the festival to see that they sell such strange things. When I was a kid, I had a doll that made a strange sound when I shook it. When I was a kid, I once bought a doll that made a strange sound when I shook it. ''What''s the use of that thing? ''You can''t use it for anything. It just makes a ''ping! That''s all it does. ''I don''t need it, much. ''But it''s fun to buy weird stuff like that at festivals. It''s like a memory. ''I wonder if that''s how it is...'' Estella raises her eyebrows and lets out a chuckle, arching her upper body to straighten her spine. ''Tea, please. ''Ah. Thank you, Ginette. Estella turned and thanked Ginette for bringing her tea at the right time. I was just thirsty myself. ''Are you going to sell that ''peck'' doll? ''I''m not selling it. I mean, you can''t sell it. ''I''d like to have a ''peck'' doll. In the first place, there is no such thing as a doll with that name. ...... This guy is going to buy a lot of them. ............ The thing in the courtyard, I can''t wait to do something about it. I want to do something about it. ...... Well, I''ve already prepared a secret plan for that. Now we just need to figure out how to get him to talk to ...... and convince him to do it. ............ ''Big brother!It''s sure to be a big hit! ''That''?Loretta-san, what the heck is a ''thing''? ...... ''Yes, Ginette!Is there anything you want? ''What do you want? I force Ginette, who was about to step on a mine, to come to my side. Look at the situation, Jeannette. I''m sure you''ve seen the look on the face of the woman you just tried to talk to ...... and you''re itching to talk to her.It''s a good idea to keep your eyes peeled for the latest news on the web. You see, your cheeks are puffed up when you get off topic. That''s the hamster people. You have big cheek pouches. ''Well, I''ve been thinking lately that it would be nice to have ...... flowers .......'' ''Flowers?'' ''Yes. I was wondering if it would be possible to plant beautiful flowers in the garden of the store to welcome customers comfortably. ''So it''s a flower bed. Then this is where the bricklayer lives.'' Estella says, pointing to a corner of the map. ............ Hey, that''s ...... ''Somewhat!Hey, hey, hey!Big brother, you''re in trouble!The bricklayer lives in the vicinity of the sighting of the "thing"!I feel that this is some kind of fate! Estella. ...... You''re walking through a minefield blindfolded, you''re so dangerous. ''Miss Loretta. Something''s happened around here. ......'' ''But, Jeannette. Why did you suddenly come up with the idea of flowers?Isn''t there a reason?'' ''Huh?Oh, yes. Actually, Imelda-san came to the store the other day. Watch out, watch out. Ginette is so kind that even a guy with dynamite strapped all over his body and dancing around a minefield playing Oklahoma Mixa by himself would approach her. I''ve got to stop him. ''She was a little depressed about Yashiro-san''s absence. ''Wow, you seem to be quite fond of her. To that young lady. ''Don''t tell me. Estella gave me a cold stare, but I had no business telling her. It''s her choice to like me, and I don''t know if she likes me or not. So, I spoke to him instead. What? In the end, he just wants someone to care about him, that''s all. Someone who isn''t a complete yes-man like the lumberjacks of the lumberjack guild. ''Imelda has been given gifts by many men because of her beauty, and she has received enough flowers to turn a room into a forest. That''s amazing. Why don''t you just go back to nature? I mean, isn''t a man who sends flowers to a woman crazy? They don''t add much to your stomach, and they''ll be useless in a few days. And they''re expensive. ''This is for you'' ''Well, it''s nice''?d*mn!Kah......! ''So, it''s a bit of a problem that it''s going to be a forest, but I thought that if there were beautiful flowers in front of the store, it would please the customers'' eyes. ''When you see flowers blooming in front of a store and you look at them and think, "That''s beautiful," you''ll see a creepy figure standing in the corner of your ...... eye and you''ll hear a rumor like ............. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. How did Imelda come up with such a pure idea from her bragging? Imelda must have felt unworthy of her boast. Ginette has envy, but no envy at all. She must be a very uninteresting person to talk to if you want to brag. Oh, we can ignore the hamster girl who keeps barging into our line of sight. ''It sure is nice, isn''t it, a store surrounded by flowers? ''Do you still think so? ''I think so, I think so!...... But if you want to spice things up a bit, ............ there''s a black shadow in the corner of your eye... ...'' ''Isn''t it hard to take care of them? ''I like to take care of plants. Well, maybe Ginette does. And Estella is looking at me with a meaningful smile on her face. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... What''s with your eyes? And then he turned to Jeannette and said something like this. If the store is prosperous, there may be men who will bring bouquets of flowers to Jeannette. Ginette''s cute. She glanced at me as she said this. What is ...... it?What are you trying to say? If you have something to say, just say it. ''Oh, no. I''m not even close,.......'' ''No, no, no. It''s soothing to look at, the food is delicious, and you''re thoughtful. ...... A man with eyes to see would be able to spot you immediately. ''Eyes that see............ eyes that see...... yes, that person saw...... ......The black shadow that stirs in the darkness......'' ''If that happens, I''ll have money to buy flowers. You are a business-friendly man. You can keep paying for it.'' Did you really think that would help me? What do you want, Estella? If you were a teenager, you might be upset by such a statement. ...... Unfortunately, I''m not ............ Oh, you''re a teenager now. Anyway, I don''t have anything to do with it if Jeannette is being courted by someone. It''s just a matter of Ginette deciding what she wants to do about it. .................. It''s not about that, it''s about the festival, the festival. I''m talking about what to sell at festivals. You can''t sell flowers at a festival! ''I''m sorry. It''s because I said something unnecessary that we got sidetracked. ''No, no, Mr. Manager. Going off on a tangent is not a bad thing. What you need to be aware of is that the shadowy ............ beings who wander around aimlessly ...... '' ''No, no, Jeannette. I''m the one who asked you to talk, so that''s fine. It''s nothing to apologize for.'''' I tell Ginette to keep her head down and not to worry about it. The only ones to blame are the flat-haired aristocrat with the red hair who led the conversation in a strange direction with his silly prankster mind and the hamster girl who ...... never gives up. ''I''m sorry, Jeannette. I meant it as a joke.'' ''No, no. I hope you don''t mind.'' ''Speaking of worrying, there''s something that''s bothering me a lot right now. What''s that? A black shadow. ......'' ''So, Estella . This bricklayer you''re talking about, does he make flower beds?'' ''Yes, he does. He''s the only brick maker in the forty-second district, and he makes good products. Our flowerbeds are made from their bricks, but the real ones are different. ''Authentic ...... Yes, I did see that woman. There was a black shadow in front of her eyes! ''If you''re so good, you should at least have heard rumors. ......'' ''Oh!Is it a rumor?Big brother, you mentioned a good keyword!That''s right!It''s a rumor, a rumor!To investigate the rumor: ......'' ''In the forty-second district, there aren''t many people who can afford to spend money on flower beds. The demand is too low.'' ''Isn''t that a roundabout way of bragging, you little rich man? ''I don''t mean that. I''m ...... very poor right now.'' Estella sobbed. Behind her, Loretta gestures to her ears. ''Oh no!I can hear a sobbing woman''s voice coming from somewhere .......'' Because that''s Estella . She''s right in front of you. ''Then maybe we can get that bricklayer to open a stall. ''Do you sell bricks at festivals?'' ''Even if we don''t sell them, it''ll be good publicity just to have people see the actual products. You have to spread the word about good things. This will eventually support the tax revenue of the forty-two wards. It might be ....... ''Speaking of spreading the word, there''s a rumor that''s spreading around .......'' ''Well then, we''d better go see the bricklayer too. What do you say?Do you want me to go there? ''Yes, sir!Yes, yes!I''ll go!Me and my brother will go!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''...... Loretta, you ............ won''t falter, will you? I''m sorry, I got involved. Oh, coincidentally, the time is evening!It''s just perfect timing! ''...... Um, Yashiro-san?I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''It''s just silly gossip. Don''t worry about it.'''' ''Is that so? ''Somewhat!Manager, are you worried about it?Have I made you curious?Then I hope you will listen to the story of the mysterious light ...... floating in the dark night, and the black shadowy woman standing in it .......'''' ''Huh!Oh,............, I ............ just remembered something. ............'' It seems that Jeannette is not good at scary stories either. Okay!This could work! ''Hey, Loretta. Don''t try to scare the manager!Don''t do anything to scare the manager, who should be the most respected person in this store! ''...... Yashiro. Just because you''re scared, don''t you blame it on Ginette-chan? Hahaha, what are you saying, Estella? Do you think I''m scared of you? Ghosts are nothing more than dead flowers, the misconceptions of the sleepyheaded, and the make-believe stories of a few stinky self-proclaimed psychics to make money. ''Oh my God!Why isn''t anyone listening to me?I want to talk! I don''t care if you want to talk or not, I don''t want to hear anything! Read the atmosphere!You know what I mean! ''Well, well, there''s something lively going on, that there is. ''Oh, Mr. Bekko. Hello.'' When Beckko arrived at the store, Jeannette immediately went to serve him. After greeting Ginette lightly, Becko came to me immediately. ''I heard that, Mr. Yashiro. I hear you''re planning to do something interesting. ''Oh, I didn''t tell you about it. I thought it wouldn''t be a problem to report it after the fact.'' ''It''s okay to think that, that it is, but it''s a bit of a shock when you say it to my face, that it is! ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m just wondering if it''s okay to treat you roughly. ''No, that''s why!I''ve just told you, that it''s fine if you think that, that it''s ......! ''Oh, yes, yes. Give me a lot of candles. ''Even the way you ask has become careless, that it has!No, if Mr. Yashiro asks, I''m more than willing to provide it, though! Okay, okay. We''ve got the candles now. ''Imelda was complaining about the dark. If possible, I''d like to keep candles on that street. Like lanterns instead of outside lights. That way, the street would be a little brighter. ''No, you can''t do that all the time, that you can''t. We''ll run out of candles, that we will. ''......What? No, because you ...... ''You said there''s a glut! ''There are plenty, that there are, but if you use them every night, they will run out soon, that they will!''That street'' is the planned street that Mr. Yashiro is talking about, isn''t it?If you set them up all over that distance, they will be out of stock in a few months, that they are! ...... Ma, are you serious? I''m sure you''ll be able to get a lot of beeswax every day from the vegetable crops at Mo-Mat''s place. .................. ...... That''s not good. I was going to convince Imelda that it''s not dark because of the candles. I was going to convince Imelda that it wasn''t dark because of the candles. ............ ''But I can prepare enough to make the festival day grand, that I can. I''ll let everyone enjoy the beautiful candlelight as much as possible, that I will. ............Only on festival days. ............... ...So, do you want to make it more flashy than it needs to be, get them excited, and get them to agree to the location of the branch on the spur of the moment?''See how bright it is? That''s all I''m going to focus on. ............ They''re probably only focused on the immediate glamour anyway, so I''ll see if I can push through with that. ...... Yes, it''s possible. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... Oh, speaking of stupid girls... ''Hey, a**h*le girl. ''It''s terrible, Yashiro-san! ''Who''s the idiot girl? ''Big brother, you''re out of line! Oh, ......, there are three people who are aware of ....... ''Let''s see, ...... Ginette.'' ''So it''s me after all?I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, ...... it wasn''t me, was it? ''I was mistaken. I was wrong. I made a mistake. The two idiot girls were relieved. ''As Bekko just said, on the day of the festival, we''re going to light up the place with a lot of candles. ''Yes. I''m looking forward to it. ''But, as Bekko said earlier, we don''t have an endless supply of candles.'' ''That''s true. You have to use them carefully.'' ''That''s what Bekko said. ......'' ''Isn''t Mr. Yashiro ...... trying to force something on me, that he is? I''m not sure what you mean. You should just shut up and say ''yes, that Mr. Yashiro is right, that he is right''. ............ You can''t say that if you keep quiet!He is a contradictory man, that he is. ''Becko, you''re mistaken. It''s in your mind.'' ''Is it, that it is?I have a bad feeling about this, that I do. ......'' ''"I have a bad feeling"? ''Yes, ...... Ah, um, um. Yes, that it is.'' ''I have a bad feeling even though I''ve been told I''m mistaken''? ''Yes, how .......'' ''I don''t know what it is, but I have a bad feeling about it, don''t I? ''............, what is this feeling, that it is? ''Kyupin!Mr. Goshimaru!Do you have a bad feeling about this? Yes!You''ve been caught by the Loretta sensor, Bekko! So, you''re a sacrifice. Go talk to Loretta for a while. ''Sasasasas!Gosuzaru-san! ''Noooo!Mr. Loretta?What is it, that you do, all of a sudden? ''Speaking of bad vibes, ...... there''s this story: ............ Actually, there was a woman who, in the middle of the night... ...'' Okay, while we''re at it. ''Ginette, there''s a ghost story going on over there, let''s move over. ''Yes, yes. I see. I''m not very good at scary stories.'' And so, leaving Loretta and Becko behind, we moved from our seats. ''So, to continue where we left off...'' ''Yes. I sit back down in the seat away from him and talk to Ginette, who sits across from me. Estella, who sits next to Jeannette, gives me a suspicious look, but I leave her alone for now. ''The candle is precious. We can''t let them go to waste.'' ''Yes, sir. I think so.'' ''And if there are things that have been wasted, reusing them is an excellent strategy that is both environmentally friendly and kind to the pockets of the impoverished lords of the forty-two districts, in my opinion. ''......, yes?What does ............ mean? ''Melt down my wax statue and recycle it into a candle for the festival. ''Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! He stood up and exclaimed, ''Ginette! ...... No, not so much? ''......bi,I was surprised, that I was surprised. ......'' ''The manager ...... screamed at the perfect time ............ and I was surprised too... ...'' There seems to be some secondary damage going on over there, but it doesn''t matter now. ''Calm down, Jeannette. That statue originally belonged to Bekko. It''s in storage here for now, but if he needs it, he''ll have to return it.'' ''So ............ that''s it, isn''t it,............ I can''t ...... believe I''m melting it down. ......'' Ginette slumps back in her chair as if she has lost her mind. It''s all burned up white. ''You''re so ...... cute. ............'' That''s the part I still don''t understand. ...... ''This is also to make the festival more exciting and enjoyable for everyone in the forty-two districts. If we monopolize the precious wax for our own personal reasons,......, that''s not quite right, I think. ''............Yes, that''s right.'' ''Hey, Jeannette. It''s true that things hold memories. I know you cherish that wax statue. ............ But you know, there are days when everyone in the 42nd district can laugh from the bottom of their hearts, even if it''s only for a day. Isn''t that a wonderful thing?'' ''............ I think it''s ............ very, very wonderful.'' ''Well, for the sake of everyone''s smiles, ............ let''s do our part. See? ''.................. Yes. I understand.'' ''I knew that Jeannette would understand me. ''...... Hey, Yashiro. How long are you going to keep talking in that weird way? Estella is staring at me. Don''t look at me like that. Now that Jeannette has convinced me. Just as I''m about to whistle cheerfully to cover it up, Estella stands up and walks around next to me. In her ear, she utters a slightly prickly voice. ''In short, you just wanted to dispose of your wax statue with a good reason, didn''t you? Ha-ha-ha. What are you talking about, Estella? It''s obvious! There are twenty-seven wax statues in the courtyard that look uncomfortably like me. I used to get depressed every time I walked through the courtyard. Recently, the chickens I keep in the courtyard have stopped crowing in the morning. Must be the stress from the wax statues. It must be. The only way to get rid of such an abomination is to get rid of it quickly! ''Well, I''ll have Magda bring it in today. ''Speaking of which, where''s Magda?I haven''t seen him today.'' ''He''s been selling popcorn at .......'' ''Oh no! Startled by Magda''s well-timed appearance behind her, Estella let out a strange cry. ''......E,Estella''s ............ scream, also with perfect timing,......, made me think my heart would stop. I thought my heart was going to stop, that I did. ......'' ''Wow, are you doing this on purpose? ......We''re all doing it ......'' Once again, there seemed to be secondary damage on the other side of the table. ...... Of course, I ignored it. ''......We''ve heard the stories. Carry the wax statue out.'' ''How long have you been here, man? ''...... When Yashiro was saying, "I can''t compete without Magda."'' It''s not right. The phrase doesn''t seem to exist in my brain''s memory. This guy is difficult to deal with because he makes gags with a straight face. ''...... I like that the courtyard is getting bigger. It''s ............ a bit of a shame, though. ............ It''s a gag, too, isn''t it? ''So, Becko!You can take that wax statue home and remake it into a candle. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''...... Magda will help you.'' ''Oh, that''s a shame. Then, let''s get started. ''Oh ............, there''s a black shadow ......'' ''Aaaaah! ''Pukusukusu!Your face is too funny, Mr. Gozaru! What are they playing at, those guys? Well, whatever it is, they''ve successfully solved one of my problems. Good. ''Yashiro......'' Satisfied, Estella pokes me in the side of the head and jerks her chin. The next thing I know, I''m standing in front of a dented Jeannette. ''............ There''s no way around it,............ I know it in my head. ............But ............''. Oh, ...... you are more depressed than you imagine. ''What,......, Ginette? ''......I was selfish, wasn''t I? It''s not like I was given it in the first place. ...... I just got attached to it on my own. ............'' I can''t find any words to say. ...... ''...... What are you going to do? ''......What are you going to do?'' ''......You''re not just going to leave it like this, are you? ''......You want me to do something about it?'' ''......The festival will make everyone in the forty-two districts smile from the bottom of their hearts, right?You said so yourself. ''............All right.'' Well, I don''t like it when Jeannette''s not feeling well, either. .................. Oh, no, you''re not. It''s just a matter of operating profit, right?If the air in the cafeteria becomes heavy, it will be felt by the customers, so there is a risk of losing customers,......, that is,............. I''m not sure what to say. Who am I making excuses to? You don''t have a problem with that, do you? ............ I really didn''t want to use this one. ...... If I could, I would have kept it out of sight and away from people. ............ can''t help it. ''Ginette. ''............ Yes?'' ''I made this ............ thing to replace that wax statue, whether it will work or not. I take out the ''secret weapon to fix Jeannette''s mood in one shot'' from my bag hanging on my waist. I carried it around with me, ready for a day like this to come. ''Wow, ......! The moment she saw it. Ginette''s big eyes began to sparkle. ''It''s .................. so cute! She then gazed intently at the object on the table, which was about ten centimeters high. He crouched down, put his hands on the table and stared at it as if he were looking into it. ''It''s little Yashiro! ''...... Isn''t your head a little too big?'' ''It''s a deformed size of 2.5 heads.'' ''It''s cute!The big head, the small body, ...... they''re all cute! Finally, he picked up the figure and looked at it from various angles. They are imitations of the 2.5 head figures that were produced in Japan in various forms. I never thought I''d see the day when I''d be making my own ............ figures, though. ......... ...and the shame of me having to carry it around with me day in and day out. ...... ''I want a ...... Magda too.'' ''Hmm?There''s also Magda''s.'' ''......? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that Magda''s ears perked up. Magda''s ears perked up and her tail extended. ''? ''...... Are you that happy? ''Here''s a two-and-a-half-head version of Magda. I take Magda''s figure out of my bag. I''m pretty sure it''s cute. ''............ That''s not what I meant.'' What?Magda''s ears and tail are now hanging down like ''Tere Tere Dawn ......''. Didn''t you like it? ''...... but cute''. I don''t think so. I don''t understand him. ''Maybe you guys have some for me? Ginette asks, looking like she''s about to start dancing. ''Ah. I''ve made the ones for the people closest to me.'' As I said this, I took out the figures of Estella and Loretta from Jeannette and placed them on the table. ''They''re so cute! Jeannette began to dance. ...... She really started dancing. ''Now, you won''t be lonely anymore, will you? ''Yes!Thank you, Yashiro-san! ''You can hang it in your room. ''I''ll hang it in the dining room. ''Put it up in your room, okay? ''Yes, I''ll put it up in the ...... room.'' I can''t let the public see this f*cking embarrassment. ''I''ll get a set for ...... Magda.'' ''I think I''d like one too.'' ''Hey, bro!I want one too! ''No, it''s too much work!How long do you think it took me to make this? ''...... won''t carry the wax statue then.'' ''That''s right. We can just put them in a row on the street where the festival is held. ''And while we''re at it, I''m going to tell them a very scary story by their bedside. ''Are you guys demons? I''ve got a lot of work to do! I don''t have time to make this stuff. ............ ''That''s right!Becko, can you copy this?'' ''It''s a small price to pay, that it is! ''...... Good job.'' ''I''ll give you a compliment. ''Great job, that you did! ''Oh, ......, we''ve all been praised from above, that .......'' Well, whatever the case, I''m glad Ginette''s mood has improved. While the three girls were giving Becko detailed orders for this and that, Jeannette was holding her own figure and mine in her hands, looking at them lovingly. ''Do you like it? ''Yes. Very much.'' She smiles happily. This makes all the hard work that took days to complete worthwhile. Since it''s a good opportunity, I''ll give you the best information. ''That figure of Jeannette. ''Yes''. ''Even the inside of her skirt has been reproduced properly, so you can enjoy peeking at her pants. ''What are you doing? ''I''ve made sure that the pants are scantily-clad competition pants! ''d*mn it!Please repent! Ginette''s voice echoed, and the city fell silent. 68-Im curious about episode 63 Loretta! The end bell rings. Sixteen o''clock. Four o''clock in the evening. This is the time when producers and artisans finish their work and start talking about where to go for a drink today. ''Well, you two. Have a safe trip. Loretta and I departed from the sunny pavilion again to collect sponsorship for the festival. Ginette and Magda can''t come with us because the restaurant is still open for business. I''m not sure if it''s ...... just me and Loretta. ............ In the twilight of the evening. Loretta and I. Heading for .................. ''Brother!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. I don''t want to ....... We''re going to the bricklayer''s. Estella was supposed to take over for me,......, but this ............, this Loretta who wants to get involved in everything,....... ...... It''s not a problem. -- ...... I want to tell her to leave me out of this. No, I said it. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... But it didn''t work. ''Don''t worry!I''m here for you, big brother! I''m going to get into a lot of trouble because of ...... you''re attached to me. ............ I hope you don''t write "attached" as "possessed". ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Please don''t work too hard. If anything happens to Mr. Yashiro, ...... I''ll be in trouble. These kind words are sinking in. So, why don''t you put a collar on Loretta and tie her to a post somewhere to keep her from running off? Who the hell are you? The person who recommended Loretta for the committee is ............ me, me ...... He gently handed me a two-and-a-half-headed figure of me that he had made. ''I don''t want it! ''It''s cute! ''You''re not cute! ''No, it''s cute! ''I''m talking about an objective point of view, not a subjective one! Why should I be healed by thinking my own self-made figure is cute. ''''You can lend me Jeannette''s one anyway. ''Yashiro-san is quick to peek inside your skirt, so no.'' Ginette''s mouth twitched and she vetoed the idea. Stupid thing!These figures are all about peeking up skirts! It starts and ends with pants!That''s what figures are for! Yeah. I have to tell you this! ''Listen, Jeannette. A figure begins and ends with pants. ......'' ''Big brother, let''s go quickly! ............ broke my story. Loretta, I''m going to pull your cheek pouches out later. ''Okay, I''ll go. ''Okay. Have a good day. I''ll explain to Jeannette what a figure is later, but for now, our first priority is to raise sponsorship. We need to fill the long stretch of the planned street with stalls, candles, and revelers. We still need a few more vendors to make this happen. Maybe we can have an exhibit. A trade show for our products. A sort of company expo held around the Messe could be a lot of fun. ''I didn''t know there was such an industry in the 42nd district. Bricks would be perfect for this. ''I''m looking forward to it, big brother! ''Well, if we have brick planters and potted plants, they''ll make good souvenirs and we can expect some sales. ''No!It''s the ghost! ''............ Get to work, will you?'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll do my best to investigate the ghost! ...... Doesn''t this girl remember her purpose? ''I''m asking you to do the work of the executive committee. ''It''s the job of the committee, to investigate the ghosts.'' ''Which part? ''Because Mr. Paula was scared of it!I want to figure it out and get rid of the fear! Hey ...... this guy. ''Hey, you''re really into this ...... thing, are you working hard for Paula?'' ''Yes, sir! After letting out a snort, Loretta showed a slightly embarrassed expression. ''Paula-san is the one who gave me the job. In a whispered voice, but with a clear tone, Loretta cracked her face. ''I couldn''t even find a job as a slum dweller anywhere, but Paula was the only one who gave me a hand. He said, "We''ll hire you. I see. Now it makes sense. The reason why Loretta is so involved with Paula is ...... I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ...... I guess it''s because she feels like a younger sister who adores her older sister. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it to buy a lot of things. That was Paula. That''s why, no matter how much she is mistreated or shouted at, when Loretta sees Paula, she gets involved with her happily. It''s not like Paula hates her with all her heart, either. You can tell that by looking at her. That''s why he''s so desperate. He wants to live up to his sister''s expectations. Maybe he wants to be accepted. You might be able to help him out a little with his efforts,....... It''s a good idea to catch the ghost and find out why it''s wandering!And if you can, you can help make the festival more fun! ...... I don''t know if that''s possible! I''m not sure what to do.You''ll get possessed! ''Hey, guys, are you jealous? "Oh! You''re so excited, ghost! I''m sure they don''t resent you, do they? ''This is going to be fun! ''Don''t desecrate the ghost! If you''re going to haunt them, only Loretta can haunt them. ...... I have nothing to do with this! ''''Then, big brother!I''m going to start investigating the rumored district right away! ''We''re going to see the bricklayer!Don''t lose sight of our objective!'' ''Yeah!Just for a minute!Just a little bit, please! ''No!'' ''It''s just a little bit of searching for the ghost, encountering it, listening to its story, and promising to help with the festival in exchange for making it go away! ''You''re involved in all this!What are you doing making arbitrary plans? ''I''m an executive committee member! ...... I''ll expel him from the executive committee. ...... I put him there. ...... Oh, Paula, I know exactly how you feel. Wow. This is ...... annoying. ''Just get to the bricklayer!If we don''t get a move on, we''re going to lose a lot of daylight.'' ''Oh!I see what you mean!If you''re looking for ghosts, you''re looking for them after dark, right? ''No, you''re not! Why are you assuming I''m going to look for it? I''m not going to get involved! I''m not going to go looking for ghosts!I''m not going! --That was the last thing I ever said to .................., and I''m not kidding. I''m not kidding! I''m not going to go looking for ghosts! ............ I''m an exception. I''m an exception. While we''re talking like that, it''s already the main street. The bricklayers'' district is a little further. I think Loretta''s face is getting excited. ...... Should I really have put a collar on her? It''s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open. And as soon as she enters the area in question, she opens her arms and says in a high-pitched voice: ''Come out, ghost! ''Come out, ghost!Show yourself before us and tell us all about your grudges and unrequited love! ''What are you doing? ''Don''t be so irresponsible! ''''Big brother! ''''And you''re throwing everything at me! It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... I''m seriously dismissing this guy. ''Don''t be an idiot, let''s get going! ''No!I want to see a ghost!It''ll be fun! ''It''s not interesting!I''m so scared!You''re going to pee your pants! ''There''s a demand for that, Regina-san said! ''What are you blowing into me, that stupid pharmacist! We might have to seriously consider banning him from the Sunlit Pavilion. ''I want to see it, I want to see it, I want to see it, I want to see it! ''Are you a child? ''I am a child!I''m my brother''s child! ''You''re not my child! ''I''m my brother''s child!I don''t care what anyone says, I''m my brother''s child! ''!This conversation will be misunderstood if anyone else hears it, so let''s not do it! ''Then, are you looking for a ghost? ''That''s not the same as this! ''I want to see it, I want to see it, I want to see it, I want to see it! Oh, you''re annoying! ''I thought you wanted to investigate ghosts for Paula! ''I don''t care about Paula!I want to see it because it looks interesting! Give me back my little bit of excitement, you bastard! It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information. ...... There''s really no one here. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. ...... It is said that people often see ghosts in deserted places like this. ............ Of course, it is a prerequisite that there is no such thing as a real ghost, because the preconceived notion of scary is just making something irrelevant, trivial, and meaningless look like that. There is no such thing as a ghost. ''Ah!Big brother!Something shadowy just crossed the corner over there! It''s just my imagination!You''re looking at it wrong!It''s a cat or something! ''I''ll go check it out! ''No! ''Why didn''t you go see if a shadow crossed your path?Big brother, if big tits were shaking, he''d go check it out! ''What kind of selfish image are you giving me? ''Regina-san said so. ''Really, I''ll blow you away, that stupid pharmacist! I decided that if I ever met him again, I''d give him an endless decapitation, and I walked down a narrow, empty alley. There''s a bricklayer living just ahead. Almost there. ''Oh, turn there!That''s the most common place for sightings! ''When did you start collecting information? ''I''ve been asking around to customers at work! ''Do your job! That''s why you were fired from Cantar Chica, you bastard! ''But everyone seemed to like this kind of talk, and gave me lots of information. ''I hope they''re all haunted. I want everyone who''s ever been involved with you to get hurt!Except me! ''Big brother, you''re really scared. Regina said you might be aiming for the ''moe'' line. ''That guy only talks about unnecessary things. ''You''re so cute, big brother. I want to sleep with you in my arms!I thought you''d be happy if I said ......, Regina said .......'' ''You, really, shut up or I''ll stuff your cheek pouches with raw vegetables until you can''t talk anymore. ''What?How do you know about my cheek pouches?I''ve never told anyone about them! I just thought that hamster people might have them. ''My brother''s s*x! I''ve never had anyone call me a b*tc* with cheek pouches before, me. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it.You have such a hobby, as Regina-san said, don''t you? ''You, no contact with Regina for a while! I didn''t realize it was so contaminated. ...... Regina...... be careful, that guy. ''I''ll have to report it to the manager. ''Hey idiot, stop it!You''ll get a weird misunderstanding! ''Then I''ll keep the manager in the dark and go look for the ghost! ...... irritated ............ ''I want to see it, I want to see it, I want to see it!I want to see the ghost! Oh, God, I can''t. ............ I''m going to yell. ''''Enough! ......, the voice that yelled with all its might was interrupted by someone else''s yelling. What is it? When I turned around, I found myself at the entrance of a brick workshop. The shouting seemed to come from inside this . ''...... Are you a ghost?'' ''Of course not. Let''s go in.'' ''Yes, sir!...... I''m interested in this one too. It''s a holy place. ...... Maybe this guy needs to be disciplined once and for all. Anyway, Loretta and I walked into the brickworks. You can hear the voices of men arguing about something. One is an old man, the other a young man. As she walks through the yard piled high with clay and red clay, she sees a building with a large entrance that is completely open. The voice came from inside the building. It seemed to be a large kiln, probably for firing bricks. ''Hey, brother. There''s a person there. Loretta points to two men, just as she imagined from the voice, facing each other and arguing. A silver-haired man with a sturdy body and a stubborn-looking craftsman''s temperament, and a young man with a sleek impression. The young man has silky silver hair,......, and is, unfortunately, quite handsome. ''It''s the only way to save the workshop! ''I don''t want to make bricks for the sake of it!Why don''t you understand? ''Why don''t you understand that you won''t be able to make those bricks! ''It''s you who doesn''t understand! ''No, it''s you! ''Oh, um, ......'' I called out to the two men who were arguing furiously. I was very reluctant to do so, but it was my job. ''Who are you? The craftsman-like old man glared at me with a very scary face. ...... I shouldn''t have called out to him! ''It''s nothing. I''m sorry to bother you. Yeah. Let''s go back. It''s a bad day. Negotiations are bound to break down under these circumstances. Yes, come back, come back. ''Do you have a minute? Almost as soon as I turned on my heel, Loretta stepped in front of them. Can''t you read the air? You''re giving off such a bad vibe that the air looks like the words ''Don''t touch, it''s dangerous! ''What are you arguing about?If you want, you can talk to us. ''...... Who are you people? ''We''re me and my brother! That doesn''t explain a thing, Loretta. ''...... I see. No, you''ve been caught in an embarrassing situation. The craftsman was convinced? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. I don''t know the details, but it''s all your fault. I support the old man. ''I don''t know about you, but kids should listen to their parents. Until they''re on their own.'' ''Oh!You know what you''re talking about, kid! My anti-handsome guy DNA was starting to kick in, and the old man seemed to have made a good impression on me. He walked up to me, shook my hand, and slapped me on the shoulder. I guess he was extremely happy that I agreed with him. ''Why don''t you tell him too, you stupid son of a b*tc*? ''I''ll take care of it. I took a brave step forward and said to the silver-haired young man. ''A handsome man is destined to accept a few difficulties! ''''Oh, you''re just being backward, so you can just pass it off left and right. d*mn you, Loretta!You''re on the shoulders of a handsome man? Is it the face?Is face the deciding factor? ''''Loretta ......, were you also a handsome man supreme ......? ''Nah!It''s not like that!It''s not that I don''t like it, it''s just that my brother''s prejudice was clearly on display when he said that. ............ I don''t care about faces, I just want someone I can rely on like him. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''re not the only one who feels this way. Well, no offense to ............ you, Loretta. What you just said completely negates my looks, okay?I''m a little torn up, you know. What is it with you people?It''s not like you can just show up out of nowhere and interfere in other people''s family affairs,......, it''s insane! ''You don''t need common sense to deal with a handsome guy! ''I''m sorry. Big brother, he''s just a little sad.'' Hey, Cora, Loretta. ...... I''ll talk to you later, okay? ''Anyway, it''s none of your business. Please don''t interrupt me! A handsome man says the right thing. I wonder why. It''s a good argument, but you think, ''Don''t let a good-looking guy give you a good argument! You might be thinking: ...... ''Anyway, I don''t want to make any bricks other than the ones I''m satisfied with!Even if it means that this brick workshop will go under! What ......?What did you just say? The brickworks is going under? Well, ............, I can''t have that, can I? I have a bad feeling about this. I''ve got a bad ...... feeling that I''m being pulled in by some ...... unseen force. ......... ... I know! Suddenly, Loretta raises her voice loudly. I''m not sure what any of this means, but I think I get it! You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at ...... why you can say such contradictory things? In short, the two of you have clashed head-on, and now the brickworks is on the verge of survival! ''...... Well, to put it plainly, yes.'' ''My late son is in trouble because he''s clueless. ''You''re the one who doesn''t know! ''That''s enough! The father and son were about to argue again, but Loretta interceded like an inquisitor at the South Town Magistrate''s Office. ''Both sides have made their points! Even though neither side has said a single word yet? ''Let''s hear what each side has to say. You don''t understand what I''m saying. ''And I''m going to get rid of the rift between you two! That''s a big step. ...... You''re supposed to be stirring things up. ''There you are, big brother! I was convinced at this point. It was at this moment that the premonition I had felt earlier became a reality. 69-Episode 64 The Brickmakers Parent and Child ''...... I''m sorry. I got a little carried away. I''m sorry, can I stop sitting on the bricks?'' I''m lecturing Loretta, who says she got a little carried away. Sitting on a brick. What''s a little? You unrestricted runaway. ''But it''s a pity to see the brickworks go under. And we won''t be able to have a stall at the festival. My brother will be in trouble. ''But that doesn''t mean you can get involved in family disputes! ''I hope you can do something about it. ''Don''t be absurd. It''s not a matter for others to say. ''If we lose the bricks, we won''t be able to make the manager''s flower bed! ''............'' ''............Mr. Manager, I was looking forward to it so much.'' ''..................'' ''You said with a sparkling face that you wanted the customers to be happy with all the flowers! ''Aaah!I get it, you''re annoying! ''Well then! ''I''m only going to listen to you! ''That''s my big brother!I know what you''re talking about! ...... This guy didn''t do it on purpose, did he? It''s not fair of him to use Jeannette. It''s not fair that he says he''s fine when he''s really sad. If not, there are a few more ...... ways to comfort her, but she acts like she doesn''t need to be comforted at all, which makes it hard for us to deal with her. ......... ... Anyway, it''s not fair to use Jeannette. ...... This is the only time it will work for me. ''Well, let''s hear what each of you has to say first. ''So, brother, you listen to the master first. I''ll listen to the younger one first.'' ''Are you going to talk to him one-on-one? ''Yes, we do. After that, we take turns to examine each other''s stories.'' ''..................'' ''What''s up?'' ''...... Alone with a handsome man. .................. That''s dangerous.'' ''Ho?'' When alone with a handsome man, a girl can be strangely poisoned and develop the handsome man supremacy disease. No matter how biased their thoughts are, they can be made to think, ''If the handsome guy says so, it must be so! No matter how biased the thought is, it is a horrible disease that can make us think short-sightedly. ''Are you worried about me? ''No, I''m not worried about you. ......'' ''Onii-chan! ''Ouch! I don''t know what I was thinking, but Loretta suddenly hugged me. It''s the first time she''s ever been this blatantly sweet to me. I thought he was a guy with a lot of body touches, but ...... ''What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? I''m not sure what to say.You''re so cute, big brother! ''Huh! ''Don''t worry, I like you the best out of all the guys. ''Huh?What are you talking about, ......? ''I''m not going to be taken! ''Who cares about that? I just think it would be annoying if Loretta got a serious disease or something like that. ...... Even though Loretta has a nasty disease that makes her want to poke her head in when she feels like it... ...I''m worried about that because it''s getting out of my control! .................. YEAH! ''Oh, ...... I know how you feel, Magdacho. ......'' How do you feel? ''Mwah!I''m feeling motivated! ''...... I''m a little tired, though.'' ''Then, I''ll interview him cheerfully!Take care of the old man, big brother! Loretta says with a glowing face, feeling strangely motivated. Well then, let''s hear what the old man has to say. ''Hey, big brother. ''What is it?'' ''............ I don''t want to be taken by an old man, do you?'' ''Who''s going to be taken!Just go ahead and do it! ''Yes, sir!I''ll see you later! With a neat salute, Loretta ran to the workshop. ''Then I''ll go to the kitchen. The old man and the handsome man are waiting at the workshop and the hearth respectively. The workshop with the handsome man is a place where clay is kneaded and bricks are formed, and the hearth with the old man is a place where the formed bricks are fired. I stepped into the hearth. The size of the hearth is about the size of a meeting room at a community center. ...... It seemed smaller than I had expected. Around the hearth are bricks that have been burned and tools that I don''t understand that are used to burn the bricks. ''Oh, you''ve come a long way. Please, have a seat. He points to a low brick wall in front of the kiln. It was as low as my shin, and if I sat down on it, I could easily look into the kiln. On such a low brick wall, the old man and I sat opposite each other. ...... What a scene. Surreal. ''I''m Bojek Euler. I''m a bricklayer, as you can see.'' Bojek''s name is Bojek, and he smiles, the wrinkles deepening in his face. He''s a simple but good-natured man. He must have been in some kind of trouble to yell at me like that. I told him my name and briefly told him why I was here today. ''Oh, a festival to thank the spirit gods. ''So I was wondering if you could display and sell some of the bricks from your workshop. ''That''s great!Sounds like fun!But I wonder if our bricks will sell well. ......'' ''No, we''re not expecting any sales this time. We''re just hoping that people will try to raise our profile. You will be asked to pay a certain percentage of your sales to the lord, but we will not be charging you for the space this time. If you charge a fee for a stall, stores that don''t expect to make any sales will be reluctant to participate. We don''t want that. The first event should be lively. Therefore, we will not charge a fee. Instead, they will be asked to pay a set percentage of their sales as tax. In this way, there will be no more ...... stores that only take money but make no profit. If a store can''t make a profit because it can''t sell at all, it means the store didn''t make enough effort. ''No, no, no. ...... I know it sounds mean to talk like this, but if you''re going to open a store, you want to sell. We don''t have a lot of room in our workshop either. The brick studio is said to be a craftsman who is a member of the Ceramic Guild. From the looks of it, it doesn''t seem to be doing very well. Well, it''s the 42nd district. The streets are bare of earth, and the buildings are mostly wooden. Even the occasional stone buildings are not made of bricks. The demand for bricks in the 42nd district is extremely low. ''How are you doing? ''Haha ......, you''re very clear.'' ''Well, it would be strange to mend and flatter you. ''Honestly, it''s tough. I mean, I''ve reached my limit. At this rate, we''ll have no choice but to close this brickworks. ''I heard there''s a demand for flower beds? Estella was raving about the bricks here. ''Well, only a few times a year. My lord''s flowerbeds are huge, so when I get a request from there, I feel relieved that I can hold out for another year.'' I don''t know if you''re in a business situation where you can rely on a single customer like that. ...... ''But I don''t have more than a handful of houses with brick flower beds. That''s true. I''ve never seen one. Even the most lucrative taverns like Cantalcica don''t have a single flower in their storefront. What about the clothing store in Uclines, ......?That sheep lady likes pretty things. ...... Maybe she does. Mumm seems to like flowers, but she probably doesn''t have the money to buy a flower bed. I don''t know many people who would have a flower bed, not even the fingers of one hand. I don''t think I could make it in such a situation. The brickworks is walking a tightrope, isn''t it? ''But!A miracle happened when I came here! ''A miracle: ......? Suddenly, Bojek stands up and begins to flex his fists on his hips. ......What, am I going to get hit? ''It''s a reverse jade palace! Bojek raises his fist and howls high in the sky. ...... Reverse osmosis? ''Some rich guy has taken a fancy to your son? ''That''s right!No, it was my son''s skills that were discovered.Well, he''s a very discerning man!When he saw the bricks we delivered, he asked, ''Who made these bricks? I said. And I said, honestly?"Oh, that''s a brick made by my late son. Aren''t they pretty good? I said!And then! Poof!--He claps his hands and makes a loud noise. My eardrums were so startled that I thought they were going to convulse for a moment. That''s how loud it was. ''Would you please make this bricklayer our exclusive bricklayer? That''s right!In fact, the bricks made by my late son are different from those of other bricks!I''ve been making bricks for 30 years, so I''m sure of it!There''s no parental favoritism here, okay?It''s not parental favoritism. ''Wouldn''t the sales of bricks have been a little different if you''d sent out that evaluation to the customers? ''You''re an idiot, you know that? How can my father praise his late son in front of other people?I told him because it''s you. Thank you for the special treatment. Why don''t I just say thank you? ''So, this lady is a noblewoman who lives in the 29th district. She''s a beautiful lady at heart who''s been living surrounded by flowers since she was born. There has never been a single rumor about her, and she has never met any of the many men who have courted her. She herself had planned to remain a bachelor for the rest of her life, but when she saw her late son''s bricks, she even said, "I''d give all my wealth to someone who can make such wonderful bricks!To my late son?My mother died early, and I raised him by myself with my own hands, and now a nobleman is picking up a kid with no education and a status like a stone. Isn''t this the luckiest thing?Don''t you think so? ''Well, well, ...... is not a rare thing, isn''t it? You''re right.You think so, don''t you? Frankly, it''s too hot. You''re the only one who doesn''t have any education, while your son seems to have some sense. And can you stop using your back voice when you say the lady''s lines?It''s creepy. And don''t make her wriggle. ''But that stupid son of a b*tc*!''I don''t want to make any bricks except the ones I want to make. If you want to be associated with the nobility, you should remarry,'' he said!I punched him in the face! I can feel the malice in her son''s imitation. Maybe it''s because my subjectivity is closer to the son''s generation than the father''s. ...... The father''s argument sounds like a mess. I think the son has the better argument. I think it''s hard to ...... accept that you''re suddenly asked to marry someone you don''t even know and it''s for money. ''Hey, Bojek. Do you have any other sons?'' ''He''s an only child. My mom ...... passed away early, so... ......'' ''Then, if you give away your only son to a nobleman''s son-in-law, won''t this brickworks cease to exist in your generation?'' ''Hahahaha!Don''t worry!I won''t retire until my late son has a baby! ''My late son will be the child of a nobleman, so there''s no way he''ll be allowed to take over the brickworks, right? ''Then just have more babies!If you have five or six, at least one of them will be sent to us! ...... No, this guy. It''s amazingly short sighted. ''Really ...... can''t you remarry?'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''ve made up my mind that I''m only going to marry my mother. ...... You''re the most selfish person I know. You can''t help it if you don''t want to make one, right? ''''Don''t worry!She''s a daughter of a noble family.I''m sure she''ll fall in love with you! Who decided that? ''Besides, my late son''s objection isn''t about the bricks or the job or anything like that. ''...... What do you mean?You don''t like it because you don''t want to make any other bricks than the ones you''ve agreed to make?'' ''No!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You''re not calling me that all of a sudden. This is the reason why the craftsmen of the ''once accepted'' type ...... have not yet accepted me even if you have accepted me! ''My late son!He''s being played by that shady woman! ''Shady woman? ''I''ve seen it!She sneaks out of the workshop in the daytime and walks around without being seen, so I was curious and followed her. What kind of stalker is this father? You''re disgusting. ''Then, you know that abandoned building down the road?That''s where he was having a secret meeting with a gloomy woman dressed all in black! Bojek shakes his fist. The fire of resentment was burning in his eyes. If they were meeting in seclusion, it would not be so strange if the woman wore black clothes to keep a low profile, and if they were meeting in a deserted place lined with ruins. But to Bojek, who believed his son was being played by the woman, she must have seemed suspicious. ...... Honestly, I don''t want to get involved in this kind of story. ......!Ignore it, ignore it!It''s none of my business. ''That''s why!As long as that suspicious woman is gone, my late son will gladly become a nobleman''s son-in-law!Right?Don''t you think so? ''Ah~...... well, what can I say. Love is largely a matter of what the two parties think. I can''t interfere with that. Well, I''ll leave you to it. ......'' ''Hey, master!Tell me more about it! ''Noooo! As I stood up, Loretta suddenly appeared from behind me and confronted Bojek. ...... When did she appear behind me? ''The love of a handsome craftsman and a nobleman: ...... A mysterious and suspicious woman appeared there: ............ It''s very interesting! ''You''re talking out of both sides of your ass!I''m sorry, Bojek. You can just ignore this idiot. ......'' ''Then let me ask you something, little girl!I followed my late son and made a 267-page top-secret investigation report! ''Yes!Slowly, painstakingly, painstakingly! ............ Oh, no. This thing won''t stop. I''m going to leave and go to my son. I''ve got a rough idea of why he''s doing it, and if I hear what he has to say, I''ll be able to figure it out. ''Well, you guys go and have a love story or something. Loretta and Bojek didn''t pay any attention to my words. The two were already in love-birds mode, and Bojek began to explain in detail when he noticed something wrong with his son. ...... Yeah, that''s enough. Let''s leave it at that. I left the kitchen stove and headed for the workshop. ''Welcome. Please take the appropriate chair. I''m afraid I can''t help you. As soon as I entered the workshop, my son gave me a refreshing smile. The workshop is much larger than the kitchen, about the size of a dance hall. A large work table is placed in the center of the room, and shelves for drying the molded bricks are placed all over the walls. And there were piles of red clay and clay piled up like a mountain. I could smell the earth. It was a relaxing space. In the workshop, a handsome man kneaded the clay and offered me a chair. ''I''m sorry I''m working,'' he said. Yeah. At this stage, I knew this son was more educated than Bojek. ''I''d like to introduce myself. I''m Theron Euler. I''m a bricklayer. My father only gave me my license at the end of last year, so I''m still a novice. ''I hear the bricks you make are very popular. I''ve been doing research all my life. I''ve been working with clay since I was a child, playing with it and experimenting with it. It''s part of my life, you know. ''It''s good to do research. It''s good to do research. It''s important to keep the tradition and explore new things. That''s what''s important. I''m going to sit down on a chair and give a lecture to the young people. ...... Well, I guess I look younger than I am. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I thought I had said something a little on the nose, but ...... Theron stared at me, and his eyes began to sparkle. I''m not sure what to say.That''s what I''m talking about!That''s innovation!That''s what''s important, innovation! ''I...... innovation......?'' It''s a word that makes me sweat all over my back. ............ Was this guy on the main street at that time? ''My childhood friend told me that a hero appeared on the main street the other day. Did you know about it?'' ''No, I don''t know anything about a ...... ''hero''. ......'' I know the story of a smooth-talking con man who made a big play for it. ''When I heard the words of the hero, I was shocked as if my whole body had been struck by lightning! You''re looking pretty good for a guy like that. People who are struck by lightning don''t get off scot-free, you know.That means it wasn''t such an exaggerated shock. At best, you were lying in a strange position and thought, "I''m going to fall! I was lying in a strange position, and I thought I was going to fall, and my body went ''jerk! It is common. It happens all the time, you know. ''Well, I''ve heard it all before, so it may not be very convincing. ......'' Theron''s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he plucked at his bangs and toyed with them. What, you want me to think, ''Hey, is this guy cute? You want to make me think, ''Hey, this guy''s cute? I''m not going to let you think that so easily, okay? However, I felt that the vague feelings I had been holding in the back of my mind were cleared up. Of course, making traditional bricks is important, but more than that, I want to make bricks that are new, new ......, and that will surprise the world! I don''t think the world is looking for that kind of surprise in a brick. ...... ''That''s why I can''t be a nobleman''s son-in-law. I can''t stand the idea of spending the rest of my life in a mansion baking bricks for a flower bed. ...... ''Isn''t that nobleman''s daughter not your type, so you''re running away for some random reason?'' ''No, sir!Whether she''s my type or not ...... doesn''t matter to me from the start! ''Because there''s a woman I like.'' ''What? You got the point. Well, I guess so. ''Did you hear anything from my father at ......? ''No, it''s nothing important. More importantly, that ''childhood friend'' ...... you mentioned earlier is your first love and your current love interest. ............ isn''t it?'' When I pointed this out, Theron''s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. ...... Watch out, watch out. What was I thinking just now? What was I thinking just now? Hang on, I''m ............ d*mn, the power of the handsome man is amazing ......! It''s amazing. You''re right. Are you a spellcaster?'' ''No. I''m just a diner worker.'' ''The cafeteria ......? You seem truly surprised to have your secret revealed to you. I mean, it was written plainly on his face. It''s not because the person who said the words was a ''hero'' that this guy was impressed, although he was talking about the words of a hero while saying ''I heard it from my childhood friend. He was impressed not because the person who said the words was a hero, but because it was someone that his childhood friend recognized as a hero. In the end, Theron only recognized the person that his childhood friend recognized. So why can you accept a stranger so honestly? ...... It''s simple. It''s because the woman you love is the one you''re infatuated with. Let''s say that your crazy girlfriend''s favorite food is "doner kebab". In such a case, most people have a good impression of the doner kebab, which they have never eaten before. And a doner kebab eaten for the first time with a good impression is certainly more delicious than one eaten with a bad impression. Humans are creatures of preconceptions, you know. Well, that''s why. I''m guessing that the girl he likes is his childhood friend who taught him the words of the hero he was so happy to hear. ''She is much more amazing than me,...... and has been pursuing innovation ever since she was a child,...... and when I was wavering between tradition and innovation, she never wavered. I admire her. ............ It''s not only as a woman, but as a human being. If that''s the case, just tell your father that. I''m not going to marry you because there''s a woman I love. ''If I say such a thing, he''s the one who might ...... harm her. He doesn''t trust me, that old man. ''...... Just between you and me, ............ my father is a bit of a stalker... ...'' ''Yes, I know. If there''s any discrepancy between my perception and yours, it''s that it''s not ''a little''. ''You ...... know everything, Yashiro. ............ are a great person.'' No, it''s just that you and your son are too easy to understand, okay? ''So, what kind of innovation is she pursuing? ''A flower. She''s been researching for more than ten years to create a flower that doesn''t exist in this world yet. The eyes of Theron were like those of an innocent girl looking up at a rainbow in the sky. ...... They were convincing enough to make me think that anything I said would be useless. He doesn''t look at any other women except his childhood friend. What''s innovation? What''s a convincing brick? After all, he''s just a do-gooder who wants to spend his whole life for the woman he loves. And I don''t mind such stupid men ............ much. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. ''I understand your feelings, Theron. I''ll help you in any way I can. ''Are you sure? ''Yeah. ...... for now.'' I picked up a nearby mallet to break the bricks. ''...... Your dad, where do we bury him?'' ''No, no, no, no!Can you give me a break on that! Why not? Why, when it''s the quickest way? ''We know that our workshop is in dire straits financially. If we don''t do something about it, we may lose our workshop. ......'' ''So, your childhood friend is the kind of woman who thinks it''s her fault, right? ''...... You really do know everything, don''t you? It''s called theory. If not, I''ll quit this workshop!Theron is the type of person who would not mind doing such a thing. But he hasn''t. Why not? Because she doesn''t think that''s a good idea. ''In other words, it would be better if you could keep the workshop alive without the support of the nobles, wouldn''t it? ''Yes, sir. I will go to the aristocrat to decline if I can find a way to make it work. I''ll get down on my knees or whatever and sincerely tell them how I feel so that they can understand me.'' I''m sure they''ll understand if you have that much of a heart. If the ............ aristocrat is not rotten at heart. ''Well, I''ll see what I can do. ''Are you sure!It''s reassuring to have someone like you on our side! ''No, no, no. Don''t get your hopes up too high. ''Yes, sir!I won''t! You''re a straightforward guy. ...... ''If you help me, I''ll do whatever you want!Please tell me anything!So, please, I''m counting on you! Bending at the waist 90 degrees, Theron bows his head. I''m not sure if this ...... gymnastic flirtation comes from his father or not.It''s a little hard to get involved. ''Well, I''m going to ask you to make a product that will sell by the time of the festival, and I may also ask you to do some crazy things in the future, so if that happens, please do me a favor. ''Yes!I''d be happy to! I can''t believe it. ...... A handsome man is coming close to my face. ...... It''s annoying that he smells so good. ...... ''Oh, and I''d like to set up a flower bed in our cafeteria. ......'' ''I''ll take care of it!Any amount!No matter how many square meters! It''s hot. ...... It''s hot, the enthusiasm. It''s so hot, it''s making me lose my mind. ...... ''Hmm?'' And as I was fending off Theron''s pestering, I spotted something unusual on a shelf on the wall. No, I don''t mean strange, I mean ...... can you make something like this out of bricks?That''s what it is. ''Hey, that''s a ...... vase, right? ''Huh?Oh, yes. I''ve had planters and pots for a long time, but I finally finished one the other day after a lot of trial and error to make it easier to enjoy flowers. ''Does it leak water? ''Yes!It was hard work! ''How much does it weigh? ''We made it as light as possible! ''Wow. ......'' ...... Vases, huh. ''Hey, can you sell me that? ''I''ll give it to you! ''No, ...... sell it to me.'' ''............ Why, sir? ''I''ve got a lot of stuff. ''So ....... Yes, I understand!Then I''ll give it to you at a reasonable price! Hmm. You''ve made a good purchase. ''It''s late, so I''ll come back another time. ''Yes!I''ll be waiting for you! ''...... Next time, please lower your voice a bit.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir. He is a very straightforward man. The handsome man gave me a refreshing smile, and I didn''t feel bad at all. ''Theron!Is Theron there? ''Dad!...... What?What do you want from me?'' Suddenly, Bojek bursts into the workshop. Theron''s expression instantly turns cold. ...... This is getting pretty complicated. ...... ''I have something I really need to tell you. ''Can we talk about this later? I have a very important customer right now.'' ''No!It''s got to be now!It''ll only take a second, just listen!'' Under Bojek''s pressure, Theron glanced at me. He nodded at me, though I thought, ''Don''t ask me ......,'' and Theron said, ''Go ahead. ''''Actually, ............ dad, ............ I''m thinking of getting married again to Loretta! ''''Huh? What are you talking about, this guy? ''Well, Loretta, you''re so cute!It''s been sixteen years since Mom died, but Dad, I think I may have finally found a new spring. ......'' ''Loretta! ''Yes, sir!Big brother! He jumped out from behind Bojek and grabbed Loretta by the neck, forcing her into a corner of the room. ''You, what did you do to that old man? ''Well, I was lifting him up to get him to talk, and he kind of misunderstood me. ...... I''m in trouble.'' ''I''ll make your cheek pouches swell up with water! ''Da, no!No water!It''s a little uncomfortable to have a fat stomach! ''Celoone!She''s the new mom!Go ahead, call her mom! ''What are you thinking about, Dad? Oh, God!They''re all idiots! I sat Loretta upright on a brick, threatened a runaway Bojek with a mallet, quieted an apologetic Theron, bought a vase, and left the brickworks. ...... I''m exhausted at the end of the day. ............ I can''t wait to go home and sleep. ''Big brother. Mr. Bojek has told me a lot about the shady woman who''s been messing with Mr. Theron!Do you want to hear about it? ''If anything, I don''t want to hear it. You can tell me tomorrow.'' ''As a matter of fact, the suspicious woman was first spotted more than ten years ago .......'' ''You want me to do it tomorrow? I had to stop Loretta''s mouth from talking. I''m going to strangle her and shut her up completely. ''I''m crying!Your brother''s so naughty! ''Shut up!I''m tired!Just go home and go to bed!'' The sky was dark from eating too much time in the workshop. It''s completely night. I''ve reached my physical and mental limits. I don''t have any more energy left in me. All that was left was to go home and sleep. That''s what I was thinking. ............ ''That ......'' In a deserted, narrow alleyway lined with abandoned buildings, ...... I was suddenly approached. A faint ............ woman''s voice came from behind me. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. My heart beat fast as if it were about to burst, and disgusting sweat broke out all over my body. Then, looking back fearfully, I saw ............ There stood a woman who looked like a pale, dimly glowing ...... pitch-black shadow. ............... ... ''.............................. I''m not sure what to do. Me, I met ............ 70-Episode 65 Luminescence The sun has completely set and it''s pitch black. However, the body of this person is shining vaguely brightly. And in that light, there is something like a black shadow standing there, staring at you. ............ ''Lo, Loretta, let''s run! ''Da, no!I''m too weak to ............ stand up! ''I thought you were okay with being scared! ''Actually, I was just pretending that I could afford not to come out!I''m scared!Oh, no, Onii-chan! ''Oh, God! I ran over to Loretta, who slumped to the ground, and picked her up. ......, but Loretta is so weak that she can''t even stand up. ...... You have to give her a piggyback ride to get her to move. There''s a ghost right there,............, and I want to get out of there as fast as I can! ''All right, Loretta!I''ll come get you tomorrow! ''No!I don''t want you to leave me here!I''ll curse you!I''m going to haunt you for the rest of your life! That''s what I''m afraid of! ''Then jump on my back! ''I can''t! ''Oh, shit! Turning her back to Loretta, she roughly pulled her arm and tried to carry her on her back, but ...... ''Ow, ow, ow!It hurts!My arm is coming off! ''Why don''t you lift your hips a little and put yourself on your back! ''I can''t get any strength in my legs! ''...... Can I lend you a hand? ''I''m sorry!Please! ''......Hold on, then.'' ''Huh. ...... Thank you, stranger.'' ''...... No, that''s about it.'' With the help of a kind person, I managed to carry Loretta on my back. All right, now all you have to do is dash away ............ and you''ll be ...... free ...... ............ ''......Hmm? ''...... Huh?'' ''......Yes?'' I felt uncomfortable and turned around. Loretta also felt uncomfortable, and looked back at the exact same time. ''...... How can I help you? There was a black shadow staring at us from within the pale light ............ ''''Gyaaaaaaaaah! ''''Kyaaaah!What,......? ''''Yureeeeeeee! ''''What?Where is it?Where is it? ''''It''s you! ''''I''m a ghost, aren''t I? You don''t know what you''re doing? ''''Namu Amitabha! ''Huh?What''s that?What kind of spell is that? ''I''m returning you to the heavens! ''Are you a wizard, Hero-sama? Hmm? Hero-sama ......? ''Oh, um, ......, you''re Hero-sama, aren''t you? ''No, I''m just a cafeteria worker. ''No!You are a hero. You are a precious gift from God to this world. I understand. I sense a noble soul. Yes, your soul shines very differently! ...... What the hell is this ghost? Are you recruiting for some kind of weird religion? ''Big brother ............, this person is not a ghost ............, right?'' ''Oh ............ hmm, if you say so ............''. I stare at the vaguely glowing woman in black. She is dressed in black with a black cape and a black hat with a large brim on her head. Then, to see if she is a ghost, he lowers his gaze quickly. ''You have .............'' ''You''re still talking about boobs at a time like this? ''Kyaa!'' The ghost screams, hiding her chest . ''Loretta, you''ve made me look like a pervert, even to a ghost. ''Not the chest, the legs!I said you have legs.'' ''...... feet?If it''s feet, then it''s .............'' The ghost, a little teary-eyed, fearfully puts his foot out in front of him. As if to show us. Thin legs with tight ankles. The bulge in her calf tickles the fancy of men. ''Big brother, is your foot also a hot mouth? ''You''re really not allowed to have any contact with Regina. Don''t lump me in with the leg fetishists of the Seafaring Guild. It''s disgusting. ''In my country, ghosts are said to have no legs. This guy has legs, so that proves he''s not a ghost. ''That ...... ghost, could it be that I''m ...... a ghost?'' The ghost ......, or ghost, asks with a surprised expression. Since it is surprised, it is probably not a ghost. ''At night like this, with your whole body glowing dimly, it''s no wonder people think you''re a ghost. ''Oh, you mean this light ......, that makes sense.'' He nodded his head in agreement and gave an embarrassed smile, as if he were a ghost. I''m not sure what to make of it. She is probably older than Ginette and Estella. She has a calm atmosphere. Probably in her mid-twenties. No normal person would come to a place like this at this hour. Then it''s natural to assume that he lives nearby. If he lives around here, calls me ''hero'', and is around that age, then ...... You''re Theron''s childhood friend, the one who studies flowers? ''Yes, I am. Yes, I am. ...... But you understand well, don''t you?'' ''Well, I had some information.'' ''Did she say something like, "She looks like a firefly squid"? ''No, I didn''t say that. I feel like a rapidly depressed ghost. Maybe I''m a little negative. But you''re a firefly squid. ............ You know yourself very well, don''t you? I''m starting to look like a firefly squid now. ''Firefly squid, are you a human? ''No, sir. He denied me with a straight face. You seem to be a bit annoyed. ...... You''re the one who called me a firefly squid. ''I''m Wendy Avery. I''m a scientist who studies flowers.'' The woman who introduced herself as Wendy lightly pinched the hem of her black skirt and gave a graceful bow. The fact that she can greet me like this shows that she has aged appropriately. ''I''m Loretta!It''s nice to meet you! She throws herself on my back and stretches her arms out. ...... I''m going to have to give this guy a lesson in etiquette. ''Thank you for your time. Ms. Loretta, and Mr. Hero. ''Can you stop that?Just use Yashiro.'' ''Oh no!I can''t believe you''re calling me Hero-sama! ''That''s why you shouldn''t call me Hero! ''But he''s so great that he has a ...... hero statue. ......'' ''Oh, that matter has already been settled. The idiot who erected the statue without permission has been dealt with. I''m going to use him as a joke for a while. ''So, what do you want from us? Wendy called out to us as we came out of the brickworks. ''Yes, actually,'' she said, wondering what we wanted. ''Actually,......, that ............ is not a stalker or anything like that, so please don''t misunderstand me. But ...... I saw Hero-sama passing by here in the evening, and I''ve been following him for a while. ......'' ''You''re a stalker. ''I''m a stalker.'' ''No, no, no, no!I just wanted to talk to you! ''So, you''ve been sitting here waiting for us to come out?'' ''...... Yes.'' ''You''re a stalker.'' ''It''s a stalker.'' ''That''s why!............Uh, I can''t argue with that. ......'' Wendy curls her back and cries bitterly. I''m sure this was the shadow that Loretta saw in this area before she went to the brickworks. But why is this thing emitting light all over its body like this? Are you some kind of super what person? ''Actually, I ...... feel I''m at my limit. ......'' Depressed, Wendy begins to pontificate. ''In the end, what I''m chasing after is a dream that can''t be realized. ............ If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be easier if I just threw everything away and gave up? ......'' But you have your reasons for not wanting to do that. I say, and Wendy turns to me, looking like a pigeon that''s been hit by a peashooter. No, it''s more like she''s popping popcorn at Neffery. I''ll try it next time. ''...... How do you know? ''Because you''re giggling.'' ''I''ve come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to give up,'' he says to the ''others'' with only one goal in mind. They want you to say, ''That''s not true. They want you to tell them to ''try a little harder''. They can''t find a reason to work hard on their own, so they want someone else to push them. ''In my country, there is a very troublesome race of ''carebears''. You''re a lot like them.'' ''...... troublesome ............? I guess I''m not used to being explicitly denied. Wendy became visibly depressed. Well, not when your childhood friend is that Theron. I''m sure he took everything Wendy said in a positive light and pushed her every step of the way. But when that became the norm, he instantly became anxious. She thought that this person who always supported her was the only one who was special, and that the rest of the human race was negative. ...... And even to this special person, she wondered if she was really straining herself. I''m too afraid to ask that. But I''m curious. And when that happens, what he turns to is ''approval from a third party''. If I say, ''It''s okay, hang in there,'' I''m sure Wendy will be saved. Just for a moment, just for a little while. But it won''t last. Then you have to push her away. And correct her so she can stand on her own two feet. The trouble is, I have my reasons for keeping him positive. ''You''re having trouble because you don''t want to admit the answers you already have. To avoid admitting the answers you don''t want to admit, you just keep making excuses for this and that. ''..................'' Wendy turned her head completely down. I guess she''s been spoiled so much that she doesn''t know how to respond to harsh words. ''Hey, big brother. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... Hey, can you please get off?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... Hmm? That''s what he got. But no. It''s the exact opposite. ''Quite the opposite, huh? Wendy said, ''I have to give up. But if she meant it, she wouldn''t have gone to the trouble of waiting for me to come and talk to her. ''Wendy doesn''t want to give up Theron at any cost. I don''t want him to be a nobleman''s son-in-law. But she''s getting impatient because her research is not producing the results she wants. Time is running out, and you want to scream, ''I''m dead! You want to shout ''no more! ''You''re going to shout ''Damepo''?That''s a pretty cry, isn''t it? ''No,......, I''ve never used that word,.......'' I''m sorry, but I got caught up in a weird part of the story and lost my way. Wendy, you don''t have to go to the trouble of denying such things. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ...... Anyway, Wendy wants to keep Theron around even if it means exposing herself to the world, she wants him to stay by her side, she doesn''t want to give him to anyone, she wants to make love to him from morning till night on weekdays. I want to kiss her goodbye on weekdays, I want her to come to me at work and say, "Are you kissing me? I''m sure you''d like to do that too.I''m sure you''d like to do that, anyway!I''m not going to be able to do it. ''Oh, brother!I''ll calm down!I''ll get my wits about me!No one said anything about that. ''Hero-sama! ''Look, Wendy''s really upset! ''How can you know everything? ''''Did you really think I wanted to do that?It''s painful!We''re kind of a painful couple! Loretta is puzzled at my back, but if you ask me, I don''t understand why she can''t see that. All the couples in the world think the same. Equal blast! In short, I don''t want to let go, but I don''t want to make a fool of myself. That''s what this is all about. ''Then we''ll just have to make our research a success. It''s the most honest and simplest solution. ''Once your research is complete, Theron''s flowerbeds will sell like hotcakes. Isn''t that right? ''Ha, yes!I''m confident about that! Wendy nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with absolute confidence. The bricks are only in demand as flower beds. But even those flower beds are not in demand here in District 42. That''s probably why Wendy is putting everything she has into her research on flowers. She firmly believes that if her research is successful and the demand for flowers increases, the demand for Theron''s flower beds will also increase. However, this confidence will disappear in an instant. ''If the ...... research is successful, it will be .............'' Well, that''s the hardest part, isn''t it? If it were easy, everyone would be a millionaire by now. ''So, what kind of flowers are you studying? Theron said, ''A flower that doesn''t exist in this world yet. ...... ''I''m researching ...... a glowing flower.'' ''A glowing flower ......?'' ''Yes. I''d like to create a flower that accumulates sunlight in its petals during the day and makes its own petals glow brightly at night. I''ve never seen a glowing flower ...... before. ''That''s what I''ve been researching for a long time. ''So ...... have you made yourself glow?'' ''No, sir!I mean, yes, but no! Wendy waved her arms in the air, glowing dimly. ''This is due to the fact that I was exposed to sunlight while waiting for the ...... heroes to arrive, and the ...... light powder adhered to my body and clothes. ......! ''Is this light powder something you invented? ''Huh?Oh, yes. Yes, I did. If the thing that makes this guy''s body glow exists, ............ we can use it. ''Can you show me some of your research? ''Huh?............Yes. I''ll take you to my lab.'' We followed Wendy as she led us to an old house not far from the brickworks. Wendy, who was walking in front of us, was cheerful and made it very easy to walk. How convenient. The laboratory had a strange atmosphere with its windows made of wooden boards. Despite this, the inside of the laboratory was filled with dim light. ''Is this the result of your research? ''Yes.'' Inside the lab, there is a large desk and shelves. But I was more interested in the large number of burlap bags piled up on the floor. Light was leaking out of them. They must be filled with light dust. There seemed to be quite a lot of it. ''I''m eternally fifteen years old, but after seventeen years of research, I''ve managed to create a substance that accumulates sunlight and emits light at night. My age is eternally fifteen, though. You''re already two years overdue. There is no way you can start research at the age of zero, so you must be of a certain age. ''And when I stay in the lab, the powder inevitably sticks to me. ...... Even if I wash it, it stains me to the point that I can''t get it off. ...... Also, this powder is not easily soluble in water. This may have something to do with the fact that the powder is not easily soluble in water. ......'' ''Is it hard to dissolve in water? ''Yes. It doesn''t dissolve easily and doesn''t flow easily. ''Is this all you have in stock? ''For the time being, yes. We can make it in the future, though. ''How much do the materials cost? ''It doesn''t cost that much. The ingredients are a secret, but they''re extracted from some plants you can find in the woods around here. It''s almost like it''s free. I see. An ideal situation. ''So, how were you going to make the flowers glow with that powder? ''At first, I dissolved the powder in water and fed it to the flower to make it glow from within. When red water is given to a white flower, the ''conduit'' through which the water passes can be seen through the red. This can cause the white petals to turn red. This may be an application of that. ...... ''It''s impossible if it''s insoluble in water. ''Yes. It was a failure. So I tried applying it directly to the petals. ''And the result? ''It withered. ......'' ''Well, that''s what happens when you''re smeared with a foreign substance. ''I tried this and that, but ...... none of it worked. ...... I tried every method for a year. ...... ...... but ......''. It took me seventeen years to perfect the light powder, and now it''s been a year since I started my research on making flowers glow. The research period is overtaking my age more and more. ''......I''m beginning to think it''s impossible .............'' Plants are alive. There is no way that you can add a foreign substance to a living thing and alter it into something else so easily. ''Why did you decide to make a glowing flower in the first place? ''It''s ............ a longing, I guess.'' Wendy smiled weakly and looked up at the ceiling as if gazing into the distant past. In the faint glow, Wendy speaks quietly. She tells of a distant day. ''There is a clan close to us that lives on a hilltop full of flowers. They are truly beautiful, graceful, and most of all, they look good with flowers. ......'' Wendy squeezes the hat she''s wearing. The large brim was pulled down, obscuring Wendy''s face. ''I wanted to play with flowers like that, too. I wanted to play with flowers like that. ...... But they told me, ''Flowers don''t suit you. ...... Our family doesn''t have the habit of flocking to flowers. ...... '' So he''s been studying all these years in order to make up for the emotional scars he suffered as a child. But what the hell is this guy''s family,......? I''m not sure what to make of that....... That''s how I started my research.'' With that, Wendy took off her hat. On Wendy''s head grew a bushy antennae shaped like leaves. ''A glowing flower for us, the Mayuga people, who have a habit of flocking to light! The ones that swarm the vending machines in the summer.Moths, right? Moths! They''re attracted to light, aren''t they? But ...... these days, I don''t really care about those goals. ............ I just want to be useful to my boyfriend, who supports my unsuccessful research with "great, great, great. I want to be useful to him. ...... That''s all I can think about now. ............'' Wendy muttered with a complicated smile of embarrassment and self-mockery. ''Maybe that''s why it''s not going to ...... work out, because I can''t ............ help him or make his dreams come true with such frivolous feelings. You can''t ............ ...... help him or make his dreams come true with such frivolous feelings. ......'' It''s a dream to create a flower that moths will flock to, and a reversal of fortune to turn around a brickworks in distress. ............ If that''s what you''re looking for now: ...... ''Don''t you need to make the flower shine? ''Huh?'' Hmm . This is good. This smells like ............ money. ''Why don''t you just leave everything to me? ''Eh ............ hero-sama ...... no way .......'' ''I''ll take care of it.'' ''Oh ............ yes ......'' Tears welled up in Wendy''s eyes. She couldn''t help herself, but she couldn''t give up on Theron either, and she couldn''t go back. She wanted to turn to someone, but she had no one to turn to. There was no sign of anyone else in the lab. She''d been working alone. And then he got stuck and lost. ...... And then he met a hero. I''m not a hero, but ...... my presence moved Wendy. She couldn''t move forward or backward, but I made her take a step forward. And then she followed me, dazed and confused. ............ And then I enlisted her help. Wendy. Good fortune doesn''t just come to you when you''re quiet. You have to go out there and get it. I''m telling you, those 17 years and a year you spent scrambling were not in vain. You moved me. Then I''ll give you what you want. ''You''ll leave it to me, won''t you? ''...... Yes. I look forward to working with you. ......! After that, we talked for a while and I left the institute. If you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your wedding ceremony, you''ll want to take a look at this website. ...... She''s a carefree one. That''s okay. I played a little prank on her at ............ Wendy''s. And so, after a long day of work as a member of the committee, I returned to the sunlit pavilion. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. You''re very late, aren''t you? The restaurant was closed, but when I knocked, Ginette came out immediately. She must have been waiting for me in the dining room. ''Mr. Manager, I''m home! Loretta woke up just before arriving at the restaurant and cheerfully greeted her return. Ginette''s eyes widened. ''Ro, Loretta-san...... your forehead......? "Forehead? She must have sensed something. She then jumped off my back and ran into the bathroom. She must have gone to look in the mirror. ''Whoa!What the hell is this? I heard an exclamation from the bathroom, and I couldn''t help but blurt it out. ''...... Yashiro-san. What did you do? ''The fare on my back.'' ''...... already. Don''t bully me.'' He chided me gently. But at least this much. ''Oooohhhh, big brother!What did you do to me? Loretta comes running out of the bathroom, standing on her head and glaring at me. Make the word ''flesh'' glow on your forehead. ''I put Wendy''s glow-in-the-dark powder on your forehead. It''ll keep you safe on the streets at night, won''t it? ''I wish you''d made a prettier pattern anyway!What do you mean, ''meat''? What''s wrong with a cute pattern? ''It will come off if you wash it. ''I''d heard that it was insoluble in water!I was dreaming! Oh, he slept there, didn''t he? ''''Oh, my God!You''re just doing unnecessary things, big brother!Magda!Please lend me some hot water! While scrubbing her forehead, Loretta ran to the back of the kitchen. She must have gone to Magda''s room. Recently, Loretta has been staying in Magda''s room. It''s good to see that they seem to be getting along well. A few minutes after Loretta disappeared,......, I heard tremendous footsteps coming from beyond the kitchen, and Magda came running into the dining room. He seemed to have run as fast as he could. As soon as he saw me, he raised his arm and stuck his thumb in the air. He thrust his thumb in the air. ''...... really funny''. She liked that. Maybe Loretta should take on a ''meat'' character in the future. That''s all Magda said, and went back into the kitchen. He must be going back to his room. Then, Ginette and I were left in the dining room. ''What''s that all about?And who is this Wendy? It''s not like she''s forcing me, she''s just genuinely interested in me. It''s more like she wants me to tell her what happened today. ''Do you want to sit down and talk? ''Yes. Would you like to eat? ''Later. Let''s talk a bit.'' ''Yes, sir. Jeannette was facing the kitchen, but when I sat down on a chair, she sat down across from me without hesitation. I''m sure he hasn''t eaten either, but he doesn''t show any sign of it. And it''s almost time for him to go to sleep. I''m sorry ......, but.... ...... I need to get this to you first, because I''m getting restless. ''Oh, by the way, we were talking about flowers during the day, weren''t we?'' Oh, ...... did I miss the start of the conversation? Was it too abrupt? d*mn, why am I so weirdly nervous, I''m ...... ''Yes. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s great to have a flower bed in front of your store. ''Oh~...... that''s not what I meant. ............'' ''That''s not it?...... let''s see, ............ other than that, the story of the flowers is ......'' You see, Estella, as if to put it to me: ...... ''Oh, a bouquet of flowers? Yes!That! ''You said that Imelda-san has received many bouquets of flowers. ''How is Ginette, ......, doing?'' ''I''m not, not at all.'' ''I see. ............ Hmmm. ......'' Ginette, who rarely went outside the cafeteria, had no chance to meet a man who would give her flowers. Then, there is no way for Ginette to receive flowers except from a man she has already met. Umaro, Bekko, Momat, ...... ............ me, or? ''So, you know. I was in the brickworks today and I found something interesting. ''What is it?'' A subdued chorus was interjected to make my conversation go more smoothly. He''s looking at me with a smile on his face. He''s really easy to talk to. He cares about me, doesn''t he? I don''t know how you don''t get tired every day. So you know. So why don''t you take care of yourself a little? As a roommate,......, as a workmate,............, and also as a man. ''I made an impulse purchase ...... and after thinking about it, I realized that it would be more meaningful for you to have it than for me to have it ............. So, well, ...... if you want, you can have it. ''What ......? ''No, I don''t mind if it bothers you.'' ''I''d be happy to. I can''t believe that Mr. Yashiro would buy me something. ''Oh, ............ well, ...... yeah.'' He can see right through me, that I originally bought it with the intention of giving it as a gift. Well, okay. ''This is it...'' ''Wow!............ pretty.'' Theron wrapped it up for me and placed it on the table, removing the wrapping. ''Is that a vase made of bricks? ''Oh, yes. There''s a very skilled bricklayer. The result of his research. It''s light, and the water doesn''t spill.'' ''It''s lovely. ......'' Ginette lifts the vase and looks at it with languid eyes. Well, you know. A man who gives a woman a bouquet of flowers is generally an a**h*le, but ...... a vase of flowers is probably safe. You''re not a prick. In the future, even if someone sends a bouquet of flowers to Jeannette, the bouquet will be displayed in the vase that I gave to her. Whenever Jeannette sees the flowers, she will see the vase as well. ...... Well, so what? ''It must be very beautiful to put flowers in it. ''Hmm~...... I don''t know much about flowers, though.'' ''I''m sure it''s beautiful. He said with conviction. She smiled without hesitation. Ginette looked so happy as she hugged the vase and said such a thing that ...... I lost my mind. I''ll buy you some flowers. ...... You''re welcome. ''Yes! ............ I''ll buy the girl flowers. ............ No, no, no, no!This is not the same thing!It''s not the same thing.You can''t get around that, can you? So this is a no go. Yashiro-san. A viciously gentle smile is directed at me, as if to further devastate me for losing my mind. I release a healing aura with lethal destructive power and spit out the critical words. ''Thank you, sir. At that moment, I thought my blood was boiling. I knew I shouldn''t do anything I wasn''t used to. ...... ''Oh, well,......, thank you for your time. I''m not sure what to say. I can''t say anything else. After that, I ate the food that Jeannette had prepared for me and went to bed early. I couldn''t sleep at all, though. ...... 71-66. Three things ordered by Yashiro. ''...... d*mn it, I can''t be making bricks!This place is abandoned, right?Okay, let''s hide in here! ''...... Who''s there?Who''s there? ''Oh shit!There''s someone at ............, what are you, a kid?'' ''You''re not a kid either.'' ''You, what''s your name? ''...... Wendy. What''s yours? ''Theron. ''Theron ......, what are you doing here?'' ''My dad and his apprentice are nagging me to make bricks. They say they''re the third generation. ...... It''s like they''re always watching me. I just want to be alone sometimes. That''s why I ran away. ''Does Theron want to be ...... alone?'' ''Of course he does. So, what''s Wendy doing?'' ''Studying flowers. I don''t want to be ...... alone, so I''m making ............ nice flowers that will bring everyone together.'' ''--Huh! ''......What''s wrong with you?'' ''Nothing, it''s nothing! ''......Ah, Theron, if you want to be alone, I''m out of your way.'' ''What? ''I''ll go. ''Wait a minute!...... Wendy doesn''t like to be alone, does she?'' ''Yeah. ...... I''m lonely when I''m alone.'' ''Well, then, ............ I''ll be here for you from now on.'' ''Yeah......, but Theron said he prefers to be alone......'' ''Huh, up to two people is ............ safe, so...'' ''...... I see. So two people are safe.'' ''Yeah.'' ''Well, it''s nice to meet you, Theron.'' ''Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you, Wendy.'' ''And!This is how they met, and eventually became aware of each other, and their love for each other began to burn! In the sunlit pavilion after lunchtime, Loretta talks passionately while banging on the table. ...... When did you ask me how Theron and Wendy got to know each other? ''It''s a very nice story. ''It''s pure love, isn''t it? ''...... These two should be together. It seems that everyone involved in the Sunlit Pavilion is on Theron Wendy''s side. Bojek, you poor thing. Well, I''m on Theron''s side, too. It''s more profitable. ''So, my brother is going to take a stab or two at getting these two together, that''s the plan this time! ''I didn''t make such a plan. I''m just thinking that it would be more convenient for my plan if they were to get together. ''...... When Yashiro takes off two layers of clothing, ............ he is almost completely naked.'' ''No, you can''t do that, Yashiro-san! ''Don''t take Magda''s word for it, Ginette. Why do I have to strip naked to get Theron and Wendy together? I mean, what kind of couple would get together like that? Well, that''s how they met, and that''s why Bojek doesn''t know his son''s childhood friend. For Bojek, it was a situation where his heir was snatched away from him. However, after meeting Wendy, Theron began to work hard at making bricks, and now he can make the finest bricks that no one can imitate. ...... It''s kind of ironic, isn''t it? ''So now the two of them are going through trial and error with Yashiro''s input. ''Insight is a bad word. Call it advice.'' Estella looks at me, worrying about the chest area of her dress. Perhaps it''s because she''s not used to wearing such clothes, but she seems uncomfortable. ''Oniichan! ''Kitsune no onee-san ga ikita! ''Someone with big boobs! ''Wait a minute!That''s no way to explain it!...... This is why kids are such a pain in the ass. Following the sisters who ran into the dining room, a beautiful foxy woman appeared, puffing on a cigarette. When I met her in the past when I was working to restore a road that had been flooded by heavy rains, she didn''t seem to have a very good impression of the hamster people,......, but that seems to have improved somewhat. He''s not looking too uncomfortable, even though his sisters are getting involved. I''ve got the things you asked for. It''s perfect for the deadline. This foxy beauty is Norma Gregson. She''s a mold maker who belongs to the Hardware Guild. ...... I thought the sign of the store was a shield, but apparently it represented an iron plate. Hard to tell. So, today he delivered a mold for something I ordered. On the table is a massive piece of iron about 50 centimeters long. I don''t know how he can carry this steel plate with such thin arms. The physical ability of the beastman race surpassed my common sense by a long shot. The mold I ordered has a slightly unique, but from my point of view, very familiar processing. ''I''ve never seen a mold of this shape before. What are you going to make? ''I''ll show you, if you like.After this, someone who uses this mold will come and do an experiment here. ''Experiment?...... Hmm, well, I''ve got time. Yeah, I''ll let you watch. She moves slowly and seductively, sucking on a pipe and smoking purple smoke. It''s also a great way to get a feel for what''s going on in the world. ''...... Yashiro. You''ve seen too much.'' ''Five more minutes .......'' ''I''m going to blind you, aren''t I? I can feel Estella''s true intent to kill. What the hell. It''s okay, it''s nothing to lose. ...... ''By the way, you guys are wearing some strange clothes. Is that the new stuff from Uclines'' place?'' ''Yes! ''Yukata! ''Cute! At Norma''s question, her sisters pulled on their sleeves and twirled around in their yukata like Zashiki children. Yes. The women of the Sunlit Pavilion all wore yukata. The sisters, of course, Ginette, Magda, and Loretta. Also, as a member of the festival committee, Estella is playing a role in promoting the yukata. ''What do you think?Isn''t it cute? ''It really is. The colors are bizarre, yet somehow calm. ...... Is this a red fish? Pointing to the goldfish print yukata Ginette was wearing, Norma said admiringly. The fabric for the yukata was gathered by the dressmaker Ukrines, and the pattern was dyed by me. The result is a little different from the Japanese ones, but I guess it''s okay for this time. If the demand for yukata increases in the future, we can start full-scale production. It should be made according to the traditional method. A festival is a yukata. You can''t talk about a festival without yukata! More importantly, I''m not happy! That''s why I asked Ukrines to make it for me. However, instead of being displeased, the caring aunt sheep was overjoyed, saying that it was a new type of clothing and a revolution in the clothing world. She agreed to provide us with the yukata we needed for the festival on the condition that we teach her how to make the yukata and how to wear it. We needed quite a few yukata, but the more we made, the more skillful Ukrines became, and he seemed to want to make more and more. Now, as a period of promoting the yukata, we have asked our members to wear yukata as much as possible. If they are seen here and there in the city, they will naturally become the talk of the town. Above all, yukata is very feminine and pretty. The sound of the geta (Japanese geta clogs) is also generally well-received. Some of them even close their eyelids and enjoy the high-pitched sound of the geta when they hear it on the street. ''Well, well, well!You all look good together. As I was thinking this, Ukrines came to the sunlit pavilion. She gazed at the women dressed in yukata and narrowed her eyes. She must be happy to see her own yukata being worn so beautifully. ''How does it feel?Is it tight in the chest or obi? ''Oh, yes. It''s fine. ............ and ......'' Ginette''s cheeks flushed as Ukrines spoke to her. ''......Isn''t it wrong after all,......I mean, it''s just that,......I don''t feel comfortable without it... .........'' ''Oh, I''ve actually been wondering about ...... that for a while too.'' ''............ Magda, too, at least a little.'' ''As you can imagine, I''d be worried if I didn''t have it.'' ''It''s good, isn''t it? ''I''m fine. ''It''s okay, you''re kids. Now we''re talking about adults.'' The girls crowded around Uclines, trying to make some kind of statement. At first, Ukrines didn''t seem to see what they were talking about, but finally he seemed to get the point and patted them on the back. ''Oh, you''re worried that I''m not wearing any clothes, aren''t you? ''Hey!Mr. Ukrines!In front of Yashiro-san, you can''t ...... do that! ''You''re talking too loud!Quiet!Quiet! ''......When Yashiro bites, ............ it''s over.'' ''Big brother ...... only has a keen sense of smell for this kind of thing,......'' ''Haha, sorry sorry sorry. But you know, it''s necessary to make you look beautiful. Please be patient.'' ''............Uh......I understand that, but ......'' ''On the other hand, if you wear them, the lines will show up and it will be embarrassing.'' ''I''m not wearing anything that embarrassing, though. ......'' ''...... Estella sometimes wears things that look like strings.'' ''How the hell do you know that? ''What?What kind are they?I want to see it next time!Please go put them on! ''You don''t have to if you''re just going to look at them! ''Mi, everyone!You''re talking too loud!Quiet!Quiet! The girls are talking quietly, glancing at me. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open. ...... Well, let''s just save face for the girls here. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''Either way. This is a women-only secret, so as long as you don''t tell ...... the men, there''s no need to be embarrassed, right?'' ''Yes, that''s right ......, isn''t it?'' ''Well, you can keep it a secret. ''...... unrecognized events are as good as non-existent.'' ''Then, gentlemen, keep your mouths shut! ''...... You seem to be the most talkative one.'' ''That''s not true, Estella!That''s a terrible accusation! Well, the bottom line is that the rule of not wearing pants when wearing a yukata is embarrassing. It''s a girls-only rule, a secret from the boys. ...... Of course I know about it. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. But let''s just pretend we don''t know. It''ll be better for their feelings. I don''t want them to reject the yukata. So I''ll pretend that I don''t know. So I''ll pretend I don''t know. And I''ll enjoy ...... grinning by myself. ............ Mmm. ''Yashiro-chan. Do you have a minute?'' Ukrines calls me ''chan''. But, as is his habit in business, he speaks in a slightly broken down ''??¡ì?????????'' tone. It''s a bit weird, but he doesn''t seem to mind at all, and doesn''t seem to have any intention of improving it, so I give up. ''I''ve made a drawstring, can you take a look? ''Oh, you''ve made a prototype? ''Actually, it''s already at the product level. The purse he handed me had a cute round shape and was a color that would look great with a yukata. I would have liked to make it out of crape if I could, but ............ it is very difficult to reproduce traditional crafts in this world. It would be a good idea to try to find someone who has crape techniques, but ...... I don''t think we can count on that. ''What?What''s with the cute bag? ''There''s cardboard in the bottom, isn''t there? That''s how it keeps its shape.'' ''...... woman''s heart, gotcha. ''Can I have this at the festival? ''Bonbori! ''It''s so cute! The girls'' eyes lit up when they saw the purse. Ginette, in particular, is staring at the purse as if she''s about to step into it. He''s watching the ...... seams. He''s going to make it himself, isn''t he? If you ask me, I''ll get you a pattern and everything. Lately, Ukrines has been absorbing and sublimating my techniques and creating items one after another, so the perception that the yukata was invented by me is fading. That''s why I can stare at the crowd of girls enjoying themselves and think to myself, ''Oh, they''re not wearing any yukata. Okay, I''ll just keep my mouth shut. I''ve already transferred all the rights to the yukata to Ukrines, so that''s fine. ''Ya~shiloh!Wait for me! A chicken in a yukata came to the dining room, clacking its clogs. --Summer in Kinyo. Summer in Japan. ''Oh, yes. I''ll have to make some pomanders to keep the bugs away. ''Hey!What do you mean, my face reminds you of insect repellant? Nephrite came to the sunny pavilion, his cheeks puffed out in frustration. You''re pretty handy for a beak. ''Well. Now that the main character is here, let''s get ready.'' ''Hmm?That means you can use my mold at .......'' ''Yes. That''s Neffery from the chicken farm.'' When I introduced him, Norma stared at Nepheleigh sullenly. It seemed that he was concerned about how the mold he had made would be used. Nepheli seemed a little nervous as he was being licked and stared at by a fox beauty with a raging cleavage and a wide open chest, whom he had never met before. --A summer of tension. Japanese summer. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... No matter how I look at Nepheli''s face, this phrase keeps going around in my brain. ...... I wonder if the combination of the yukata makes it so. ...... Incidentally, I have Nepheli wearing a yukata as well. Nepheli seems to be particularly fond of clogs, and has been walking around here and there recently. Thanks for the publicity. And of course, wearing a yukata means that Nepheli is also wearing a yukata. .................. Well, it doesn''t really matter. ''Becko''s late. ''...... Hey. Didn''t you just throw me around like I was rude?Look at me, Yashiro! The sound effect of ''pppppp! The sound effect of ''pfft! She really smells like a girl from the Showa era. ''I''m sorry I''m late, that I am! I''m sorry I''m late, that I''m sorry I''m late! You''re late, you bastard. We need what you''re bringing as much as we need the molds. ''Look at this!It''s my new work, that it is, ''The Statue of the Enshrined Hero''! ''Idiot! I kicked down the huge wax statue that Bekko had made, destroying it as I unveiled it. ''Aah!A work of art that took forty-six minutes! ''Are you late making such a trivial thing, you bastard!Also, the production time is too short for such a powerful work! ''No, I just had an idea, that I did!When I think of something, I can''t stop making it, that I can''t stop making it! ''I told you we''d use enough candles for next week''s festival!Don''t waste them! ''I''m sorry, that I am!Oh, that''s right!I''ve brought what you asked for, that I have. Saying that, Bekko takes out a large bottle from his hand luggage. There was a lot of honey in the jar. Here, here!This is what I needed. ''Okay, Magda and Loretta, go set Norma''s mold in the stall outside. ''...... Roger.'' ''I''ll take care of it! ''Estella and her sisters, get the coals ready for the fire.'' ''Alright. Let''s go, sisters.'' ''Here we go, sister! ''Sister Cord! ''Don''t say ''sister-in-arms''! Sisters. She''s not ''string sister''. Estella is ''sister with strings'' now. ''Mr. Yashiro, what shall I do? ''Jeannette and Nepheli are in the kitchen. I''ll prep the ingredients.'' ''Alright!I''ll show you my cooking skills! Nephrite is all fired up with his arms wrapped around himself. But don''t get too excited in front of Jeannette. ...... Ginette is on another level. She can cook better than a good old-fashioned Japanese mother. It''s not enough for his new wife to say, "I took a cooking class for a year. Well, this time I''m only going to mix the ingredients, so I don''t think there will be that much of a difference in ability. ''Can I see it too? Norma approaches me with her fox ears twitching, as if she''s interested. It seems that ears and tails can move even in old age. ''That''s fine, but there''s no smoking in the kitchen. You can leave your cigarettes here.'' ''Is that so? The kitchen is a cook''s battlefield. We can''t compromise even on the slightest thing. The smell of smoke on the fish will ruin its taste. ''Well, it''s only for a little while. I''ll be patient. Norma spins her cigarette around and pulls out a portable ashtray from her pocket. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ...... I want to be a smoking pipe in my next life. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do.I''ll do my best! ''That sounds kind of interesting. Ginette, Nephrite, and Norma followed her into the kitchen. Now I''m going to go to the kitchen too. ...... Just as I''m about to do that, Bekko comes into view. ............ Ah. ''Becco. ''What is it?'' ''I need you to help Estella with something.'' ''Mm. Handling fire is dangerous, that it is, I know! ''Leave it to me, that I will! And with that, he claps his chest and Becko goes out. I wipe the sweat from my forehead as I watch him go. ...... I forgot about Becko''s existence in a second, and I couldn''t say that I forgot to ask him to work. I put aside my petty guilt and went into the kitchen. It''s Becco''s fault for forgetting. That''s what I told myself. I laid out the ingredients in the kitchen and checked them. ''Flour, honey, baking soda...'' To my surprise, Regina was making baking soda. It''s part of her research into medicine, and she also has baking soda and baking powder. ...... Although the name was a tricky one like "Nantoka Nantoka". If you ask the ingredients, you will find that it is definitely baking powder. If you have baking powder, you can make a cake. If you can make a cake, fashionable girls in the 42nd district will gather around like, "Hey, do you want to have tea? If you can make a cake, fashionable girls in the 42nd district will surely gather around like ''hey, let''s have tea. Needless to say, I ordered a lot of it. Baking powder is an essential ingredient for fashionable girls! ...... Though it''s highly doubtful that there are any fashionable girls in the 42nd district. ''Neffery, eggs. ''Yes, please. I brought a lot of them, so feel free to use them. ''Speaking of which, how are the birds? ''They''re doing great!They''re laying so much I don''t know why. It''s hard to pick them up every morning. We are happy to have a stable supply of eggs. By the way, Masha from the Sea Fishing Guild thanked me once. She said that her income has gone up a lot now that she can sell shells. I''m all for good synergy. The eggs from Nepheli''s house are excellent in shape and size, and the yolks are firm, rich, and quite tasty. I think I can make the best of these eggs. No, I''m sure you can. Mix the flour with the eggs and baking powder, add water, and stir until the mixture becomes tacky. Finally, add a lot of honey. ......'' ''Oh, ......, it smells so good.'' As you stir, the sweet aroma of honey and wheat softly tickles your nostrils. It''s an aroma I''ve missed for a long time. It''s done! ''What, that''s it? ''It doesn''t look very tasty, does it? Nepheli, who had been so excited, was shocked at how simple the process was, and Norma frowned at the whitish ochre liquid. I''m not going to eat it like this. ''I''m going to bake it in the mold Norma made for me. ''Then let''s head outside. Ginette takes the lead again, carrying the seeds I''ve made. We walked out into the garden, with Nephrite and Norma looking unconvinced. ''We didn''t have to, did we? ''I just wanted you to see the process of making it. I''m not going to be able to help with the real thing.'' I showed it to Jeannette because there''s a chance we might make something like it someday. ''...... griddle, ready.'' ''The fire''s on. ''Teppan, it''s hot!Gosaru-san, I''m going to try touching it! ''Mmm!I don''t have ......, that I do! The stall was ready. Everyone seems to be waiting for it. Their faces were glowing with anticipation. ''I''m looking forward to seeing what we can make. Bertina, who was standing right next to the stall, also looked like she couldn''t take it any longer. ............ ''Why are you here, Bertina?......-san.'' ''I felt like you called me.'' I didn''t call you! I didn''t call any of them! It is possible that the information was leaked by the sisters to their brothers and sisters in the church. ...... ''When I was cleaning the chapel, I smelled a sweet smell in the air. ''What''s wrong with your sense of smell? It''s a long walk from here to the church. It''s unlikely that the smell of our food will reach you. ......''s, but. I''m not going to pursue this any further because I''m sure Bertina can handle it. I''ll let you participate in the tasting. ''Well, I''ll make it first, so you''d better learn how to make it well. ''Yes!I''ll take care of it! He walked around to the back of the stall with Neffery. The charcoal was glowing red, and the griddle was heating up nicely. Two types of iron plates were connected by hinges and could be placed on top of each other. One of them is a flat steel plate, but the other has a number of round dimples the size of golf balls, which are arranged in an orderly fashion. Pour the seeds you have just made into the hollows, and when they are heated to a certain degree, put the flat iron plate on top of the other, and heat it for a while from the flat iron plate side. A sweet aroma rises up, making the gallery belly growl as they watch my movements. ''Now, it''s done. Opening the closed griddle, a lovely dome-shaped baked cake is completed. The name of this is baby sponge cake. It''s a staple of festivals and my favorite. Well, it seems strange that the baby sponge cake is made first when there is no sponge cake. ''I''m excited. I''m getting nervous.'' Bertina is looking at the baby sponge cake and shaking her body from side to side. ''Excited, fidgety, excited, fidgety.'' ''Oh, God!Shut the f*ck up!Just wait a minute!'' ''......................... ''Excited, fidgety. ''You really didn''t wait long, did you? I wish Bertina would take a lesson from her sisters. I''d like you to take a look at my sisters. They''re still more well-behaved than you. ...... d*mn, you''ve lived dozens of times longer than me, but you haven''t grown up at all. ...... ''All right. Well then, eat up .......'' ''It''s delicious! ''That was fast! Now, Bertina''s hands have surpassed the speed of sound. ''Now, I''m going to cook it, so you can eat it too. ''Yay! ''Yuck! ''Hey!It''s ''eat''! ''I''m going to eat! ''I''m going to eat! ''I don''t need ''is''! The younger sisters are getting excited and Loretta is chiding them. In this way, she is a proper sister. Even though she is ...... Loretta. I''m not sure what to say. Is there anything I can help you with? ''It would be nice if you could keep Bertina in check. ''That''s ...... a bit much for me .......'' Ginette, who knew how great Bertina was, couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. Well, as for Bertina, there was nothing to do but give up with a generous heart. ''Then, I''ll need your help to bake it. ''Yes! ''Wait a minute!I''ll do that! When I asked Jeannette to help, Nephrite immediately offered to help. ''I have to master it before the show. ''I see. ...... So, Nephrite will bake, and Ginette will make more of the seeds you just made? ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir. ''Then, Yashiro, teach me how to bake.'' Nephrite, perhaps eager to try his hand at baking, poked and prodded. When he looked at Jeannette, she nodded back at him as if she knew everything. Then I''ll leave the kitchen to you. Ginette smiled and walked back into the dining room. In this kind of situation, Jeannette is very perceptive. Very good. ''The ...... bird has gone on the offensive. ''Big brother, you''re probably the one who doesn''t notice that kind of thing. He''s insensitive.'' ''Ginette is a good person. ...... On the other hand, Yashiro is ......''. I feel like I''m being told all I can say over there. Idiot. I''m just thinking about the success of the festival as my top priority. Whether or not this festival would be a success, my future and the future of the Sun Goddess Pavilion would be greatly affected. So, ignoring all the nonsense from the idiots, I taught Nepheli how to bake. ......, but. This was much harder than I expected. It''s difficult to control the heat. There were many things that Nepheli didn''t understand, such as adjusting the heat, cooking time, and timing. If there were a gas burner with easy heat adjustment and a cooking timer, even a beginner could easily cook a tasty dish, but ...... is not such a thing. So, the only way to learn is to learn with your body. It seems that Nepheli will have to keep practicing until the actual event. In order to build a foundation for this, we are going to train hard today. Nepheli''s intense training lasted for several hours, and the baby sponge cakes were baked one after another and swallowed into Bertina''s stomach one after another. I was worried for a moment that she might have another stomach ache, but ...... Bertina kept a cool face and ate all the baby sponge cakes as they baked. She said, ''After the last time I had a stomach ache, my tolerance level seems to have gone up a lot. It''s called ''leveling up'', isn''t it? ...... You monster. In the meantime, the bright sky changed its tone to a subdued indigo, and eventually night came. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''I''m sorry, please go to ......'' ''Hey!It''s bright again today. ''I''m sorry, Hero-sama......, I''ve had a little too much sun today. ......'' ''That''s okay, Wendy. Thanks to you, I was able to walk safely through the night.'' There was Theron, who wore a fresh smile like Santa Claus encouraging the red-nosed reindeer, and Wendy, who seemed to have been exposed to a great deal of light dust during her research and was radiant enough to make you think that Amaterasu had appeared in this world. ''How unusual. Are you the daughter of the Firefly Squid People? ''No, no!No, I''m not! Norma, who was full from eating the baby sponge cake, sat down on a chair in the garden and puffed on her cigarette again. He saw the glowing Wendy and thought she was a firefly squid. ...... Are there really firefly squid people?Maybe I''ll ask Masha next time. ''So, did you get what you asked for? ''Yes!After much trial and error, I managed to complete it! A handsome man with silver hair rushes towards me with an incredibly refreshing smile. ...... face is so close! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. It''s not easy to get rid of that glowing powder once it''s attached to you, and if you''re exposed to even a little sunlight, it glows brightly at night. The doodle on Loretta''s forehead took three days to completely disappear. When the word ''meat'' was removed from Loretta''s forehead, I felt a sense of relief and sadness. ...... ''Wendy would never let me touch the powder,'' she said. She said she''d mix it herself. ''Because I don''t want ...... Theron to have such a strange body,............, and I want to be the only one to make him shine. ......'' "Because it hurts only me"? Yeah, that totally hurts! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s a downgrade. Degradation. ''Hey, you can either move on or explode. ''Oh, I''m sorry, hero.'' ''Don''t be a hero! Wendy''s tone of voice was so contagious that even Theron began to call me hero. ...... I hope that Bekko will be given additional punishment. He''s the one who started it all. ''Yashiro-san! I''ve got some more seeds for you. ............ What''s wrong with you? Ginette, meeting Wendy for the first time, rolls her eyes when she sees the shining Wendy. ''Oh, I''m sorry. It''s just my constitution, don''t worry about it. I''m sure it''s not a constitutional condition, but ...... I guess she''s getting tired of explaining it. ''Wendy. You should stay out of the lab from now on and clean off any light dust that may have seeped into your body. And if you can, stay out of the sun that day. If such a conspicuous person joins the festival, he''ll be the center of attention. That would make Wendy the star of the festival. That''s no good. I feel sorry for her, but she''ll have to stay indoors during the day. ''Well, Wendy. Come to my room.'' ''Yes, ......, but .............'' ''Am I ...... scary?'' ''No, you''re not!...... Well, then, I''ll visit you at ...................'' ''Yeah. I''ll stay with you until the night of the festival.'' ''Theron ......'' ''...... Wendy''. ''Take it somewhere else, you rear-enders! What the hell is this? What''s with this unpleasant atmosphere? I''m going to stomp on it! ''Then let''s see the finished product, shall we?'' ''Yes, sir. This is the ...... finished product! What Theron proudly took out of the bag he was carrying was exactly what I had envisioned, and ............ I was convinced. I knew that this festival would be a success. ''Alright!The last week!Let''s run as fast as we can! ''''''Ooooh! Some raise their fists and howl. Some smiling. Others silently stare at the raised fists. Each of us reacts in our own way. But the hearts of those present are headed in one direction. That much is certain. After all, this hubbub before the festival is irresistibly fun. And so, as we rushed around, ............ the day of the festival finally arrived. 72-Episode 67 Festival Morning ''Hey there, brother on the street!How about a frankfurter!They''re perfect with beer!'' ''Squid roast!Squid squid squid!Fresh squid delivered this morning from the Sea Fishing Guild! ''Cold beer!We also have wine! ''This is for the kids!How about a sweet baby sponge cake? ''...... popcorn. It''s delicious! The touts'' voices rang out. With the exception of ...... Magda. Today, at ten in the morning. The festival has finally begun. The streets stretching east and west from the front of the church are overflowing with people. Normally, this road is only used by the members of the agricultural guild, such as Moormat, or the children of the church, but this was probably the most crowded road ever since its creation. It''s a relatively wide road with enough space for two carts to pass each other, but it''s already crowded with stalls and spectators. I am now at the east end of the festival site, in an open area near the main street. From here, I''m going to walk along the usual path toward the sunny pavilion, but it will take me several times longer than usual. While I''m thinking about this, people are pouring into the street leading from the main street to the festival site. The lively sound and good smell of the festival reached us from afar. It''s no wonder I''m so drawn in. And what I''m doing here is ...... ''Mmm-hmm!Look at this!It''s a yukata that I designed and custom-made for Ukrines-san! Imelda twirls around in front of me, wearing a lustrous yukata with white flowers blooming brightly on a dark blue and black base. Yes. Imelda is just telling me how proud she is of her yukata. ...... I don''t know what I''m doing. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. When Imelda, a beautiful young lady who was the pride of the Forty-second Ward, wore a yukata, it naturally became a topic of conversation among the fashionable girls of the Forty-second Ward. And the yukata became a huge movement in the forty wards. Ukrines told me happily that there was a long line of customers at his store every day, most of whom came from the forty wards. It seems that he was quite happy to be recognized by the residents of the so-called ''superior'' district. ''For some reason, yukata has become popular in the forty wards, and more and more people are wearing something similar to my yukata. So Imelda, with her money and power, made a custom-made yukata. ...... That''s why I haven''t seen Ukrines lately. He had so much work to do: the yukata for the store, Imelda''s custom-made yukata, and the new yukata for the show, which he had announced himself. No wonder. It''s about time you partnered up with some clothing store and shared your skills with them. Well, it won''t be long before there are copies out there. ''Look at this drawstring. She showed off a peach-colored drawstring that seemed to be a special order. The pale peach color looks very pretty against the deep hue of the yukata. ''I was particular about my geta, too. The noseband is a vivid shade of blue with bright red camellias blooming all over it. The black, shiny geta must be made of lacquer. There was a store that sold lacquer ware, so I ordered some as a test, and it turned out to be a big hit. Nowadays, I hear that lacquerware workshops are busy making clogs instead of bowls. ''...... Hey, Yashiro-san.'' ''What?'' ''I''ve been explaining all this to you, but why haven''t you ever complimented me on my yukata? ''Oh, I didn''t compliment you? ''No, I haven''t heard of it! I was praising it in my heart. I guess you have to say it out loud to get it across. ''You''re the cutest thing in the universe. ''What''s with that heartless bar reading? I''m a little curious as to how the word ''universe'' was translated, but that''s okay for now. The reason why I can''t praise it honestly is because Imelda''s design has deviated a little from the original yukata. For example, the hem of the yukata is mini-skirt length, and the geta has a cord other than the hosao (a cord for the nose), which is wrapped around the knee in a fashionable way. Also, her hairstyle is too flamboyant. Are you a gal? The proper way to wear a yukata is to wear your long hair up in a ladylike manner and expose the nape of your neck in a s*xy way! And since Imelda, the fashion leader of the 40th district, is wearing this kind of yukata, girls on the street are saying ''cute~''. ...... I hope the weird yukata doesn''t catch on. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you get through the day. ...... Imelda, don''t tell me you''re not wearing that ............ mini-skirt length! I''m not sure what to say.You''re the star of the show today! ''What''s with you, all of a sudden?...... Well, I don''t feel bad about it, but...'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''The bottom of your nose is getting longer, Yashiro. And Estella, whose collarbone has shrunk, appears with a grumpy look on her face. ''Little ............, you''re late. What have you been up to?'' ''Before that, what did you just say to me? ''It''s just a misspelling, don''t worry about it.'' ''Totally ......'' This is a very elegant yukata with a bright and gorgeous design based on orange, but with a sense of ladylike calmness. And as I thought, Estella looks good in a yukata. ''Did you tie your hair up? ''Yes. Natalia insisted, so ............ it''s strange, isn''t it?'' ''No, it''s good. Very good. It reminds me of being a girl, which I usually tend to forget.'' ''I hope you don''t forget that .......'' It''s funny. Even though I''m praising her so much, Estella''s expression is still dull. Is she at a difficult age? ''Well then, let''s go around the stalls.'' ''I suppose so.'' ''I''ll show you around. The three of us are going to look around the festival today. We''re here to entertain the lumberjack guild. However, we won''t be there all the time. Once we''ve visited a certain number of stores, we''ll let them browse freely. I''m sure Imelda will want to go where she wants. After the sun goes down, the main event of the festival, the procession of lights to the church, will begin. They return the lights to the spirit gods as a sign of gratitude. The members of the Sunlit Pavilion will also participate in the procession. If I can find some time before that, I''d like to take Jeannette to see the festival. No, you see. He''s got a store to run so he can''t go out anywhere. So I''ve always hoped that something fun would come "from over there". This festival is the perfect opportunity to do just that. You can forget about the time for a while and go shopping. Even Ginette deserves a reward like that. ''Onii-chan! Not far from the main street, there is a stall of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. One stall of the same size is rented to each group of stores and craftsmen who have declared their participation in the festival. One stall per group, no matter how powerful they are or how much money they have. Otherwise, the group will take over the place and the fun will be lost. We decided on the location of the event by drawing lots. The organizing committee had the discretion to make some adjustments, such as separating the staple food items, arranging the drinks at regular intervals, and consolidating the souvenirs. Well, it''s just like Japan''s biggest market in summer and winter or some such events. How to make a difference in this limited space ...... is also something to be seen. So, the atmosphere is a little different from that of Japanese stalls, but that''s the point. I think it''s okay that the festival is unique to this city. You don''t have to be faithful to the original. ''Okonomiyaki! We just sold it! My sisters are waving cheerfully at me. Okonomiyaki is served at the stall of the sunny pavilion. Since Bertina had praised the okonomiyaki in the past, we figured it would be good. After all, okonomiyaki is always a part of festivals. ''It looks delicious. It smells so good. ''Do you want some? ''Can''t you make it half size? ''Don''t customize it by opening a ...... store. ............'' ''You won''t be able to eat anything else if you eat a whole piece of this. When you are a person of my level, you are rich in planning. I don''t know if planning is rich or poor, but please refrain from making detailed orders. I don''t know if planning is rich or poor, but please refrain from making detailed orders. ''If you want to split it in half, you can do it yourself. ''So, ............, I''ll give you half! ''No, ...... I honestly ...... don''t even want to look at okonomiyaki for a while. ......'' I ate it to death as I accompanied my sisters in their training. No, they ate themselves to death. I think I''ve had a couple of astral withdrawals. I don''t know what to say, but the smell of this sweet and spicy sauce alone is enough to make me go ............ ''So you want to share half with me? ''Are you and ......? ''Then you''ll have to eat it all by yourself. ''I can''t help it. I''ll treat you to a meal. ''...... I''m paying for this?The Lumberjack Guild is richer than me. ......'' ''I''ve been told that you''re entertaining us today.'' ''............ Oh my god.'' Reluctantly, Estella opens her purse. It was a ............ gusset. ''Hey,......, what''s wrong with that? ''Oh, is this it?Isn''t it cute? She''s very happy to show off her purse. He looks as if he wants you to listen. ''It''s a wallet developed by Ukrines. You can open and close it with a single touch, and the mouth closes tighter than with a string, so the coins don''t fall out!And the cute shape of this ............ wallet makes Uclines a genius, don''t you think? I was the one who taught him the original idea. When I was making the purse, I drew a picture of a purse like this and just explained it to him. I put it on hold this time because I didn''t think I''d have the time or the materials to make it. ............ That sheep lady must have been so busy that a strange switch went off.I''m sure she''ll collapse as soon as the festival is over. ...... ''Estella-san! ''What''s ...... that? Imelda suddenly shouted loudly, and Estella shrugged her shoulders. ''If you give me that wallet, I''ll pay for everything today! It seems she fell in love at first sight. He''s ...... simple. I guess he''s the type of guy who, if he gets even one of a series, has to complete the whole thing. ''But,......, I like it a lot,......''. Estella shows some difficulty. What can ...... you be confused about? You can always buy a new purse later. ''Right now, the production of gumboots has stopped. It probably won''t be back until next month. Estella explained to me secretly so that Imelda would not hear. What the hell, I don''t care! ''Give it to her. I''ll make it for you next time. ''Are you sure? ''Oh. ...... Your allowance is directly connected to the finances of the 42nd district. Stop wasting it.'''' ''...... That''s too much.'' You idiot! It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. How many times have you seen an admonisher sprout wings and fly away! It''ll happen this time too. Before you know it, you''ll be thinking, ''What, the silver coins haven''t evaporated? I''m sure it will happen this time. ''......Yashiro''s handmade or ............hmm''. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we''ll be happy to assist you. ''I''ll give it to you then. It''s called ''entertainment''. ''Mm-hmm. That''s a good idea. I''m in a bit of a good mood, aren''t I? Oh, this young lady is so sweet... ...... I''m sure she''s the type of person who''d be fooled into buying something from a sales demonstration. That''s why Imelda bought okonomiyaki on her own, and Estella and Imelda are sharing it. They look like friendly young ladies, and it''s relaxing to watch. And then you hear a voice that sounds familiar. ''...... Yashiro, do you want some popcorn? It''s Magda. Magda is setting up her usual stall on the main street. ''No, not at the moment. How''s the sales going?'' ''...... New customers are eating in.'' ''The guys from the forty wards?'' ''...... Yeah. ''.................. Forty wards are pretty easy.'' ''Hey ......, where do you learn to say things like that? Magda raises the corners of her mouth like an evil priest. But his eyes are always vacant and expressionless. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you may want to take a look at the following. So, while Cantaluchica has a frankfurter stall, the main street is open for business as usual. Of course. It would be absurd to close the store for the stall. So, the second store, run by Magda, and the seventh store, run by Loretta, are open for business as usual today. Ah, yes! Of course, YODAMARITEI is also open for business. Coincidentally, the store is located in the middle of the festival site, so it looks like we''re going to have a bit of a fever today. Because the store happens to be located on the street where the festival is held, the store and the garden in front of the store are open to the public as a resting place for people who are tired of walking during the festival. Chairs and large tables are set up for people to sit down and relax their tired legs and feet after walking around. A little space like that is very helpful, isn''t it? It''s a festival day to show gratitude to the spirit gods. We should show that kind of service. You don''t have to pay to sit down. However, ...... you can buy something to eat while you''re there, or rather, you should eat something. So, today, the Sunlit Pavilion is open in four locations: the main store, the second store, the seventh store, and the storefront! Hahahaha!We can win!We can win! Look!The customers are swarming like ants! It is largely due to the hard work of my sisters that we have been able to expand so widely. They worked hard every day at the Sunlit Pavilion, and now they have grown to the point where they can be entrusted to guard the store. And Magda and Loretta, having gained subordinates, have grown many times more than their sisters. I no longer have any worries about letting them run the stall. I''d be happy to share the goodwill with them. Well, I''m not letting them go yet. That''s why I''m thinking that I can make some time for you. It''s ......, you see. Ginette''s prize. ''Sister. Two more okonomiyaki for you! ''Hey!What''s with the planning? ''Because they''re delicious! ''You''re going to eat a lot more than that!And wipe your mouth!You like beautiful things, young lady! But Imelda''s hands were occupied with her empty paper plate and chopsticks. She cringed and wondered for a moment if she should wipe with her yukata. Stop it, you! ''Oh, God!I can''t help it! I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped Imelda''s mouth. ''Hey, hey!Yashiro-san! Imelda shakes off my hand as if she can''t take it anymore. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ...... Hmm, did that hurt? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ...... Hmm? What are you talking about, this guy? ''......My lips have been taken from me. ......'' ''I didn''t take your lips! It''s an expression that can only be used in a mouse-to-mouth situation! ''............ You''re bold.'' ''Hey, don''t ever say that in front of the lumberjack guild. It will shorten my lifespan by several decades, okay? ''Yashiro ............ in public like this.'' ''You were watching me, right?I was just wiping my mouth!It''d be weird to take it the wrong way, right?'' ''Well, I don''t know. ...... I''ve never had anyone do that to me.'' What''s ...... this little bit of shuriken-like atmosphere ......? ''...... festival is the scent of love''. I''m not sure what to make of that. Magda gives me a blank stare. I''m not going to praise you! ''Well, we''ll have okonomiyaki later and walk a bit. ''That''s right. I''d like to see some things too. ''But the ...... crowd is like a demon. ............ Don''t get lost.'' ''Of course. ''I know, I know.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about the whole thing. ...... Yeah, ............ it''s hard to walk ...... ''Come on, let''s go, Yashiro.'' ''Let''s go, Yashiro.'' ''...... festival is the scent of love.'' No,......, I like that scent. The east side of the street from the main road to the church is where the visitors come in, so there are many food-related stores. The stores are arranged in such a way that people can have a light meal there, walk around when they are full, enjoy shopping and exhibits on the west side, and go back the way they came when they are hungry and pick up something else. ''Yashiro!Do you want some baby sponge cake? Nepheli, wearing a cute yukata, waved at me from one of the stalls. ''Maybe the month after next! ...... I don''t want to see baby sponge cakes for a while. It was the first night I was glad Bertina was there, that day of training. ''They''re very good, these frankfurters. Please give me sixty more.'' ''Lo, sixty! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. I can''t keep my mind off of ....... As long as you get the show right, that''s all that matters. I''m sure you''ll understand.This is the masterpiece of masterpieces that I have completed in 72 minutes!This is the masterpiece of all masterpieces that I have completed in seventy-two minutes, that it is "The Hero with his nose up in the air", that it is!I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this.I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.I''m not sure what to make of it. I think I just saw a strange store open in my mind''s eye for a moment, but it must have been my imagination, and my shoulders haven''t dulled, as I threw a handball over 30 meters in my third grade physical fitness test. You can eat all the fish you catch. Masha, who had heard about it from Delia, said, ''I want to join the Sea Fishing Guild! But I thought of a fishing pond. It was a modified version of the water tank Masha always used when she came to land, and it was filled with sea fish. She would drop a line from the edge of the tank and fish. Why is Masha in there too?And the old men are all looking at each other and dropping their lines for Masha. ...... Men are really ............ stupid, aren''t they? ''It''s a huge crowd,...... and it''s hard to just walk around a bit. ''It''s ...... disrespectful of you not to give way to me! ''Be patient. That''s what festivals are all about. ''There are so many people ............ that I can''t go on without sticking to Yashiro .......'' ''Yashiro-san. I can''t help but stick to you. I''m not sure what to make of that. We finally arrived in front of the sunlit pavilion, buffeted by the waves of people. How many times did it take us to get there? ...... I''m exhausted. I''m glad there''s a rest stop right here. ............ Wow, ...... ''It''s packed, isn''t it? ''There''s nowhere to sit. The scene made me doubt my own eyes. The sunlit pavilion was overflowing with people. ''We''re coming to take your order now!Please wait a moment~! Ginette was busily running around, weaving in and out of the crowd of people. Her sisters are also running around. It''s a busy place. I thought there would be a lot of people taking a break, but I expected many of them to bring in food from the stalls,......, so I thought there would be few people ordering from the sunny pavilion,......, but contrary to my expectation, there were a lot of customers. However, contrary to his expectations, customers began to order from Jeannette and her sisters. One after the other. ''It''s because of that thing, isn''t it? Imelda pointed with her chin to the glass showcase that Umaro had made for her. There, food samples made by Bekko are lined up. ...... One of them. One of the samples is placed in the center of the showcase, and children are crowding around it. ''Wow!The fork is floating! ''What''s going on here? ''Hey, honey, would you like to try some of this? ''Yeah, sure. Let''s eat it together. Excuse me! ''Yes!Please sit down and wait for your turn to be served! The influence of pasta with meat sauce (the fork-floating version) is unbelievable! It''s something that I approve of. It''s only natural that the common people would be interested in it. No, well, I''m glad that the response has been better than I expected. ............ I''m glad to see that the response has been better than I expected, but I''m afraid you won''t have time to gynet at this rate, will you? ''Oh, Yashiro-san!Look at this!It''s amazing!When I did what Mr. Yashiro said, there were so many customers!I''m so happy right now! ''I''m sorry! ''Yes, thank you!Excuse me, I have to go! Ginette bowed and went back to serving customers. ...... She seemed to be happy. If so,............, that''s fine. ''Do you think we should help too? ''No, we might be slowing you down too much. I''ve been away from running the diner too much lately. If I make a mistake, I''ll never be able to get it back. ''I''ll ask my brothers or Delia for support. ''Right.'' ''So, Yashiro-san, you will continue to entertain me, right?'' ''''Hmm?Ah, well, I can at least take a look at .......'''' ''''What are you talking about!The first round is a preliminary inspection!The second round is the first round!The third lap is the main battle, and the fourth lap is the encore! ''If we go around here four times, we''ll lose the day. ......'' ''That''s the main event of this festival, isn''t it?You''re just in time. This guy ...... is going to drag me around all day: ............ ''Come on, Yashiro-san, Estella-san. We''re going to go eat okonomiyaki again! ''......Yashiro......'' ''......Don''t ............ say it, you''ll feel it and it''ll be hard.'' ''..................Entertainment is hard work, isn''t it? ''............Well, it''s my job.'' As long as Jeannette was working hard at the diner, I was going to work hard at mine. As I walked back and forth through the crowd, my energy was being drained, and I thought to myself, "He''s been taking care of himself, and now he''s standing there with his life force burning! When I had reached the state of a hero in a shonen manga, the sun hid its figure beyond the horizon. Night is coming to the forty-two districts. And the festival transforms into a nighttime feast of darkness and fire... The real show begins here. 73-Episode 68 Festival Night As the sun went down and we could only dimly see the faces of the people walking next to us, the festival site was lit up. The candles lined up on both sides of the road were lit. Huge lanterns made of wax. They were so huge that they would burn all night. The warm orange flames swayed with the flow of people, brightly illuminating the festival site. ''It''s beautiful .......'' Imelda let out a sigh as the flames lined the street at night. It is indeed a spectacular sight. The revelers, who had been engrossed in their food earlier, were now admiring the beauty of the flames, losing track of time for a moment. ''How is it? How bright is this street? ''It''s quite good, isn''t it? ''Then, the branch of the Lumberjack Guild is also located on this street: ......'' ''But the lights won''t come on after the festival, will they? U...... hitting a sore spot. I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not.I''m going to live here, you know. He seems to like the scene that is now unfolding in front of him, but he doesn''t intend to approve the location of the branch just because of this. It''s going to be difficult to get Imelda to change her mind about wanting to live in Newtown because she loves its beautiful cityscape. ...... Well, we have a trump card, though. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m feeling comfortable. This is a person who doesn''t care where the branch office is located as long as the Woodcutter''s Guild comes to District 42. He''s not an enemy, but he can''t be relied on either. By the way, this candle has been specially processed so that it won''t go out in a moment. Surrounding the wick of the candle is a flat cloth made of woven fiber, which looks like a circle when viewed from above. In this way, the wax-soaked wick and the surrounding cloth burn at the same time, preventing the wick from being extinguished by a small amount of light, and the flame becomes larger. When you want to put it out, just pop the iron lid on it and it will go out immediately. It really takes a moment. Each of the wax lanterns is equipped with a lid, so take it off and pop it on -- that''s all it takes to extinguish the flame. It is a bright, durable and safe candle. ''I''d like to have one of these lanterns in my house. ''Becko would be happy if you bought a subscription. ''In return, I think Father will be sad, though. Of course, since the lanterns are so well made, the price is reasonable. Moreover, they are very powerful and can last only one night. If you want to use them at home, you''ll have to buy new ones every day, which will put financial pressure on the lumberjack guild. ''So, when does the main event start? ''Soon. For now, let''s just enjoy the night stalls. The lights make you feel as if you are in another world. Even if you''ve eaten a lot of food in the daytime, you can''t help but think it looks delicious again when you see it this way. It''s no wonder my purse strings are loosened. ''I''d like to eat two more okonomiyaki! ''Hey, Miss Planning! There''s no one as unplanned as this guy. ''At night, you can see things differently, and the food you ate during the day will taste different. Please give me forty frankfurters. ''Yo!Forty? In Paula''s store, the sisters, who should have the main event coming up soon after this, are showing their appetite. ...... There was one, even more unplanned than Imelda. ...... ''Estella, take that thing to the church and get yourself ready for it. ''Okay.'' Estella walks towards Bertina, who squeals with delight at the pile of frankfurters. ...... stopped immediately and looked back at her. I''m going to do my best, so watch me, okay? I''m going to do my best. ''Oh, oh, ......, I''m watching you. What a sweet and sour feeling. Of course I''m watching. It is no exaggeration to say that the success of the main event will determine the success or failure of this festival. This is why we''ve been running around all this time. So I''ll watch. I''ll watch it, but ......, if you say so, I''ll look at it from a slightly different perspective. ...... At all. After Estella dragged the fiercely resisting Bertina to the church, I headed to the sunlit pavilion with Imelda. I wondered if Jeannette and the others had finished their work and were preparing for the event. In the worst case scenario, I''ll take over the store and go to ...... I was thinking of ......, but... ''Sisters, they''re already gone! ''Shop, food, sold out! ''Now it''s just a resting place! It was a shocking statement. They had run out of the materials they had prepared. We''re sold out, sold out, closed. Oh my god. ...... I can''t believe I read that wrong. ...... I can''t believe we''re running out of stock at such a profitable time. ...... I''m so sorry!I''ve been having nightmares for three days and three nights about my regret. I wonder how much profit I could have made in the last ten or twelve hours. ...... ''The manager was happy...'' ''I''m so happy! ''We all banzai''d. ''The guests also banzaied. ''My sister said it was a big help to have more time. ''Master Magda also said that...'' We heard that the food stalls had sold out early, and Magda and Loretta had returned to the sunny pavilion. Three of the four stalls were sold out: ......Oh ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ...... And ...... I see. Ginette, you''re happy. ''Manager, it''s the first time we''ve ever sold out. ''He said I look like a grandpa! ''Grandpa''s sold out! ''Out of stock, old man! ''No, that''s not it. The old man didn''t sell out, did he? ''Geez! ''''Sold out! ''''''Sold out Jijii!'''''' ''''No, that''s why ......, well, no more.'''' Ever since Jeannette took over the store, the sunny pavilion has been carrying a large amount of inventory. He said that until I came along, they were throwing away a lot of excess foodstuffs. Ginette must have felt lonely every time. No matter how hard I try, I can''t sell. Even if you work hard, there is no one to see your efforts. That must have been very hard. I don''t know how you didn''t lose heart. It''s because you didn''t break down, because you didn''t rot, that the Sunlit Pavilion has come this far. I wonder how Ginette saw today''s sold-out performance. I wonder how it shook Jeannette''s heart. I''m sure she didn''t have a hard time. Rather than that, ...... ''Then, well, I guess I''ll just sell out .......'' Let''s just think of this as a learning experience. We can use this lesson for next time. Yes, it''s an investment of sorts. A valuable experience. Mr. Yashiro. Would you like to watch the main event here? The sunlit pavilion was crowded with children and elderly people. ...... They must be very tired. All the resting guests didn''t get up from their chairs. I''m not sure if I''m in the way here. ''No, let''s go to the church. That''s the best place to see it. The procession of lights comes from the east and west around the church. It will be most spectacular in the church. Boom! The sound of a drum rang out in the distance. ''Oh no, it''s already started! ''Oh, is that the signal? ''Yeah. Let''s hurry up! ''Oh, no, no, no! Imelda seemed to be trying to argue with me, but she quieted down as I forcefully pulled her hand and walked away. She followed me in silence. The sound of the drums continues to play, getting smaller and smaller. In the meantime, the river fishing guild, the hunting guild and the vigilantes of the 42nd district are supposed to lead the spectators to clear the way for the festival. A procession of lights walked along the road between the spectators. The sound of the drums is also the signal for the younger Ham kids to stand by. The younger siblings, who were not allowed to stand in the store, complained that they wanted to help in some way. The older ones were busy serving customers or helping Umaro and Moormat, while the younger ones were basically apprentices. I guess they didn''t like that. The younger siblings were pissed off that they couldn''t do anything to help on this big day. So I gave them a very important task. It is a very important role that holds the key to the procession of lights. On the way to the church, I looked to the side of the road and saw that my younger siblings had finished their standby. Full of motivation. It''s a good idea. ...... That''s all well and good, but don''t get too excited and start flying, okay? The timing has to be perfect for the main event to shine. The interval between the drums is getting narrower. Boom, boom, boom, boom............ The closer we get to the church, the more the powerful sound of the drums echoes in my heart. Even the hand that holds Imelda''s hand is involuntarily filled with strength. ''............ Huh.'' When I squeeze her hand, Imelda lets out a strange voice. What is it?When I turn around, I see ...... ''No, please don''t look at me now! She turned her face away from me. She was embarrassed that we were holding hands. You''re a ...... maiden!I''ve held hands with ...... more women than I can count. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''ve been to a lot of folk dances. ...... Some of them didn''t even hold hands with me. ............ Some of them just let their hands float a bit. ......... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.You''re a demon, Imelda!I''m not sure what to say.Apologize to me! ''Why are you crying? ''I''m not crying. ......'' The candlelight is sinking into my eyes. In the meantime, the intervals between the drums are getting shorter and shorter, and now the speed of the drums is becoming what I would call random. It would be more exciting if we could hear the musical accompaniment. I wish I could recreate it someday. Well, this is the first time. A drum with a sound similar to a Japanese drum should be enough. The drums used by the hunting guild to warn of monsters were structurally very similar to Japanese drums, so I used them. There are such things in some places. ''My heart is pounding. What is this elation? ......'' Imelda is looking at the road at night with bated breath. The festival-goers lining the street are probably experiencing the same feeling. The sound of drums echoing in her heart. The slight sense of immorality of being outside at night, when you don''t usually go out. And the extraordinary scenery of the flickering flames in the dark night. Expectations grew even higher. Let yourself be intoxicated by the tension-like elation! And then, just as the sound of the drums was reaching its peak and the audience''s hearts were racing... Suddenly, the light disappeared. In an instant, the world is enveloped in darkness. The rampaging drumming stops for a moment. The darkness ...... The silence ...... Everything in the world is engulfed by ...... A kind of strange atmosphere filled with anticipation and anxiety prevails. And then-- Shan ...... A small ............, very small bell sounded in the dark night. The eyes of the audience turned towards it at once. And ...... ''Oh ......''. ......, and admiring voices leaked from everywhere. Beyond the darkness. I see lights in the distance. In a long line, a dazzling yet warm glow of pure white slowly marches toward us. ''It''s beautiful ....... ......'' Imelda muttered to herself. No wonder she said that. All those present were transfixed by the pure white light that illuminated the dark night. They lined up in a row and were fascinated by the fantastic light that bobbed up and down in time with their steps. No one spoke a word as they gazed at the mysterious scene that had suddenly appeared. Shan...... Shan...... Shan............ As the sound of the bell drew nearer, the shadows of the light-bearers came into view. They were several women holding shining lights. In their hands, they hold beautiful potted bricks that glow. A single flower is planted in it. The white petals of the flower sway proudly in the light. Wendy is leading the procession on the east side. After a week of waiting indoors, Wendy is not glowing today. She is only illuminated by the brick of light in her hand. The light shines on her well-toned face, creating distinct shadows. It was more beautiful than any make-up, and made the girls stand out. And at the head of the west side, ............ ''............'' At the head of the west side was Ginette, wrapped in an untainted light. Her usual bright and cheerful smile was overshadowed by a calm and quiet expression. It was mysterious to the point of ...... If there is such a thing as a goddess in this world, she must have a face like this,......, with a beautiful expression that makes you think that. I was in no mood to talk to her. The light gathered in front of the church. The gathered light illuminated the darkness. It was a beautiful sight, a miracle if ever there was one. The light powder that Wendy had researched and created, combined with the bricks that Theron had made, resulted in glowing bricks. If left out in the sun during the day, they would glow brightly at night. It is a precious light that has been born in the 42nd district, where there are no streetlights. With it, you won''t be afraid of the streets at night. No matter how deep the darkness, it will shine brightly. ''Oh, ......''. As the procession of lights reaches the end of the church, a shout goes up from the revelers. I looked and saw that the path that the procession of lights had just walked was lit up with pure white lights. Nice timing, siblings. All of this was staged by my younger siblings. They were the ones who turned off the lanterns at the signal of the drums. And it was their younger siblings who turned on the lights now. The glowing bricks, which had soaked up the sunlight next to the lanterns during the day, were covered with black cloth and put on standby in the evening. In the evening, they were covered with black cloth and put on standby. They were removed at once when the procession of lights gathered at the church. Those little bastards. They pulled it off. Nice job. You timed it too perfectly. The glowing bricks now dazzled the darkness of the night that the candles had just illuminated. From a pale and warm light, to a fantastic and mysterious glow. ...... The festival site is enveloped in a pale, pure white light that captures the hearts of all those present. ''How bright it is......'' Yes, the light emitted by the light bricks is very strong. Although it is affected by the strength of the sunlight during the day, it is more than enough considering the fact that it was pitch black and we had to rely on the light of the stars. Moreover, unlike candles and torches, once the light is set up, it can light up the night without fuel. Incidentally, the glowing bricks are made to lose their light after about a year at ....... In fact, the adjustment was the hardest part. If the bricks were made in the usual way, they would continue to glow semi-permanently. However, this is not the case. If the bricks shine forever, sales of the bricks will drop after they are installed once. They need major maintenance once a year. That''s about right. Now Wendy, the creator of the brickworks and the light powder, will have a regular income. Besides, this event will be a good advertisement and the demand for light bricks will increase rapidly. The brickworks would probably be flooded with orders, and the current impoverished life would change. Then Theron could be with the man of his dreams. Yes, these bricks of light are also the light of love that brings two people together. ............. Wendy has been working day and night to create a glowing flower. Theron was trying to increase the demand for his flower bed by relying on the flowers that Wendy produced. However, he could not complete the glowing flower and was on the verge of failure. All he had to do was change his mind. It was simple enough. If you can''t create a glowing flower, make your flower bed glow. Wendy''s desire to create a glowing flower had started out as a longing, but after meeting Theron, it became a belief she wanted to achieve. They both had the same goal: to increase the value of bricks and increase demand. So, instead of making bricks to support rare flowers, they should have made bricks of rare and beautiful value. The day after I told him that, the shiny bricks were completed. All it took was for Theron to mix Wendy''s powder into the clay and bake it, and it was born. A product that could break through the difficulties that had plagued him and easily turn the tide of adversity that he thought he could never overcome was created with such ease. Well, I could only laugh. What I had been trying so hard to find, but still couldn''t, and had almost given up on, was solved in an instant by simply changing my perspective. They must have felt as if they had found a loophole leading to the goal they had been desperately searching for. But they were happy with the result. Regardless of the process, they were on the path to the future they had hoped for. I guess their honesty paid off. They didn''t embellish, they didn''t slouch, they didn''t dress up, they just pursued straight, and as a result, they got it. They got what they really wanted. Theron and Wendy have decided to get married soon. It is said that Bojek, who was trying to make Theron a son-in-law of a nobleman, surrendered unconditionally to this brick of light. ''I''ve never seen such an amazing brick. I can sell ...... this! Bojek, who strongly wanted the brickworks to survive, acknowledged their relationship with the birth of the glowing brick and went to the nobleman in person to bow to him. The nobleman was expecting some kind of harsh punishment, but when he heard what had happened, he readily backed down and congratulated Theron. But when the nobleman heard about the situation, he immediately stepped aside and congratulated Theron, saying, ''If you continue to make wonderful bricks, that''s enough for me. --And so, the mess at the brickworks was cleaned up. As if to say, this path of light has become a guide for lovers. Eventually, I plan to use this street to hold a big event to celebrate the wedding of two couples, and to attract tourists as a ''road of love'' for lovers. Girls love that kind of thing, don''t they? When the light was spreading through the streets of the festival site, the procession of light that had gathered in front of the church entered the church. Inside the church, the light is handed over to Bertina, who returns it to the spirit gods. She then gives generous blessings to those who have shown their gratitude. The event proceeds as follows: ....... ''Blessings of the God of Spirits: ...... This light is the light that the God of Spirits has given to us humans. It''s a light of hope that cuts through the darkness of the terrible night, isn''t it? Well, in light of the purpose of this event, that''s what it is. The light that illuminates this street is the light blessed by the spirit gods, and it is also the light of love that brings lovers together. ...... Is that a little too greedy? But there are plenty of tourist attractions that have all sorts of reasons to be there. So, this is fine. ''If a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild is established in the place I claim, not in New Town, ......'' Then I''ll put the finishing touches on fulfilling my purpose. ''You can pass this path of light, full of blessings and love, every day. ''Every day at ............ here: ......'' ''That''s right. Moreover, the city gates are not yet built at the moment, so it will be a while ......'' ''I''ll use my most difficult kill words to woo Imelda here! ''This road is for you only. ''This beautiful path of light is ...... watashi,dedicated ............! I close my eyelids and shudder. I guess I''m imagining striding down this road, which is now crowded with people, occupied all by myself. The edge of her mouth twitches, and she struggles to hold back a grimace. ''I understand! Imelda then said the words I had been waiting to hear. ''Let''s build the Lumberjack Guild near the city gate that Yashiro-san insists on!That''s where I''ll be living! Yes! Now, the construction of the street is as good as decided! At last, the Sunken Pavilion would become a restaurant facing the road. We''ve turned the unavoidable bad location on its head! Inside the church, a solemn blessing ceremony was held, and next to me, Imelda, immersed in her future fantasies, revealed her smiling face, and I was biting back the joy of having managed to achieve my original goal, despite several setbacks. So, I''m sorry Estella. I overlooked your efforts. But that''s a small thing! There''s a new road! As I gazed at the brightly lit brick roadway, I was sure that my future was bright. 74-Episode 69 After the Festival ''...... It''s quiet.'' My own words leaked out involuntarily, and I felt it again. ''......It''s over. The festival is over, and the forty-two wards are as quiet as if they had fallen asleep. There are no more people on the street in front of the sunlit pavilion, and not a single sound can be heard. The only thing you can feel is the faintest hint of a breeze passing through. On the road leading to the church, glowing bricks have been placed to brighten the dark night. The evenly spaced lights transformed a nighttime street that had previously been nothing but an object of fear and darkness into a fantastic path. It is hard to believe that this is the same road. ''Yashiro-san''. Midnight. Even though it was already very late, Ginette was awake. She comes out of the dining room and walks next to me in the garden, looking at the road. ''Can''t you sleep? Normally, I would have been asleep by now. Especially Jeannette, like Magda, is fast asleep. The others are probably already asleep. After the festival, everyone had gone home without cleaning up. They must have been tired. Estella and Loretta both said they would go home early and rest today. Magda, too, seemed to have jumped into bed and gone to sleep as soon as she got back to her room. All the stores had sold out faster than they had expected, and they had sold out faster than they had planned. All the stores were out of stock, and the festival was brought to an end earlier than planned. Even after the stores were closed, some customers seemed to be walking along the brightly lit, fantastic street, but these customers had already disappeared. I thought that the city had fallen asleep in the silence. ...... My heart jumped a little at such a gesture. ''No, well, ......, I just thought it was over.'' ''Yashiro-san, you''ve been working hard for a long time.'' ''You''re the one who was working hard. ''I''ve been working as usual. That''s not true. Recently, you''ve been following up on the holes left by me and Loretta. He moved more than others, worked more than others, and smiled more than others. Today, he must have been running around all the time, dealing with a never-ending stream of customers, and didn''t even have time to take a break. Even though there was a lively festival going on right in front of him, he couldn''t even look around to see it. ...... On the other hand, he might have done something wrong. I was hoping to give Jeannette, who can''t go out, something unusual, but ...... it''s right next to her but she can''t go see it, and because of that unusualness, I''ve tied Jeannette to the store. Ginette has always been on the side of entertaining, not enjoying. ''It was fun, wasn''t it, the festival? I''m sure I didn''t say it out loud, but Ginette said it firmly, as if to deny my thoughts. ''Did you have fun? ''Yes. Very much.'' ''No, but ...... you were in the store the whole time, weren''t you?You didn''t get to go around the festival.'' ''That''s true, but ......'' He lifted the corners of his mouth and smiled as if he couldn''t contain his overflowing emotions. ''It was so lively, everyone was smiling so much and it was ...... so much fun! When he sees people enjoying themselves, he calls it fun. Isn''t this guy really some kind of fairy or angel? ''Didn''t you want to look around too?Especially if you heard the customers talking about it.'' ''Mm-hmm ......'' I didn''t understand why he was smiling here. And when I asked him what he meant, he still didn''t understand. ''That''s because of you, Yashiro-san. What did I do to deserve this? Jeannette smiled happily and told me with a twinkle in her eye, as if she were a naughty child revealing her best kept secret. She told me the true nature of the enjoyment she had been feeling all day. ''A customer was talking to me while taking a break. ''The baby sponge cake was delicious,'' ''I want to eat another frankfurter,'' ''The grilled squid is addictive,'' and ''I''m addicted to potato butter. After saying all that, the eyes that seemed to ask, ''Don''t you understand yet? He turned to me with a questioning look in his eyes. When I was puzzled, Ginette smiled even more happily and said the rest as if to say, ''It''s special. ''I know all about it,'' she said. He opens his hands and turns his gaze to the sunlit pavilion. ''Because all of them were made by Yashiro-san here. It''s true that most of the food that I''ve just named ......, or more specifically, most of the food that I''ve exhibited at this festival, have been things that I''ve mentioned or taught to someone else. I went around giving advice to all the restaurants because they were all struggling with the "eat around" requirement. Then, I decided that words alone were not enough, so I made a prototype at the Sunlit Pavilion. Of course, Jeannette was there, and she had tasted every dish at least once. ''Just thinking in my mind, "Oh, I''ve eaten that before," or "That''s delicious, isn''t it?" made me feel as if I had been around the festival with her. ''It''s not just a feeling. I think there''s a difference between knowing something as knowledge and actually seeing it. ''And besides...'' In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. It''s a rare look for Jeannette, a patronizing look, like ''I can''t help it, I''ll teach you''. This guy makes this kind of face, too. It''s refreshing. ''I walked down that road. In the middle of the road.'' ''Ah, ......''. Indeed, Ginette is walking through the festival grounds. In the middle of the street, unobstructed, slow, slow, slow. ''The procession of lights, it was beautiful. ''Huh!...... Oh, thank you so much. I praised the march of the lights as beautiful, but somehow Ginette''s face turned bright red. ...... Well, Jeannette was also ............ beautiful, but... A strange atmosphere is flowing. We looked away from each other and fell into silence for a while. It was not a reassuring silence,......, but something that tickled me strangely. ''Oh, um. I''m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! Ginette, as if she couldn''t take it anymore, brought up the subject. ''Oh, the launch, huh? Tomorrow, we''re going to take a day off from the Sunlit Pavilion and have a launch party with all the people involved in this festival. You''re not invited, so you''ll have to pay the full price. Furthermore, since the scope of "those who were involved in this festival" extends to "those who participated as guests", the launch is basically open to everyone. ...... In other words, it was not a vacation at all. A lot of acquaintances get together and have dinner at the Sunlit Pavilion. It''s a usual thing. ''You, too, should take a break once in a while and stretch your wings. ''You''re off tomorrow, aren''t you? No, that''s why ...... you''re supposed to be moving around. I''m going to have to force you to take a break somewhere. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in your company. ...... If you say something like that, there''s nothing I can do. I can''t take away your fun. ...... Then there is another way: ............ ''Are you sure you don''t need to sleep? ''Actually, I fell asleep a little while ago. When I got back to my room, I was conscious. ......'' He scratches his head and smiles at me with an unclouded smile. ''So I''m feeling a little better now. ''I see. Then a little more ...... is good for you, right? ''Would you like to walk around?'' ''Huh?'' ''Just a little ...... now, you''ve got the whole place to yourself.'' With that, he pointed with his chin to the light-filled path. Ginette''s face instantly lit up, and she smiled with such joy that I could almost see the happiness welling up and spewing out of her. ''Yes!I want to walk! I don''t think it''s something to be so happy about, but ...... this road is going to be like this from now on. ''Then let''s go. ''Yes.'' Ginette and I left the sunlit pavilion side by side. Glowing bricks were placed at even intervals at both ends of the path, reducing the light that had accumulated during the day to the darkness of the night. As expected, the amount of light is a little low. The light will weaken around dawn. It seems that Wendy and Theron have adjusted the light to last just one night. I trudge along the path I take every morning to deliver the donations to the church. There''s nothing there. Just a lot of light. I felt strangely uplifted, as if I were in a special place. ''It''s beautiful. Ginette muttered as we neared the church. I thought about it for a while and ............ finally replied with a safe word. ''............ Oh, yeah. I can''t believe there are people in this world who can spout such a rude ...... line about you being better than me. ...... If you say something like that, my heart will shoot out of my nose with the destructive force of a wave motion cannon. For the sake of world peace, I can''t talk about such nonsense. ''It''s a little ...... chilly. I''ve already taken off my yukata and am wearing normal clothes, but it''s still cold at night. During the day, there was a lot of enthusiasm with the help of the crowd, but ...... the weather in this city is really hard to read. I should have put on a jacket or something. It''s a good idea to keep your fingers warm by rubbing your hands together. ............ It''s cold, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Nah, man. ......'' ''Yes?'' Yeah. I''m cold. I''m cold too. The fingertips in particular have small blood vessels, so it''s easy for body heat to escape and hard to get warm. However, if you cool your fingertips, the coldness of the outside air will penetrate into your body from there. ............ Well, in other words, it''s kind of bad. So it''s better to have warm fingertips. That''s why. ...... ''Would you like to hold my hand ............?'' ''What ......? ''Oh, no!Look, ...... it''s cold, so ......?'' ''............ Yes.'' With a slightly embarrassed grin, Ginette quietly holds out her right hand. ''It''s nice to meet you. With such a word, my heart started to race as if it was going to sink into my diaphragm. ''It''s nice to meet you too, ......! I don''t know what you''re talking about, but I''m not going to ............ ......... take Jeannette''s hand. I can''t ......... take it off. ............ Why not, d*mn it!Folk dance!Folk dancing! Remember folk dancing!I''ll hold your hand!Everybody hold hands!...... Oh, I got a little carried away with the folk dancing. ............ No, but!It''s a ginette!Ginettes don''t do that!I''ve never tried ......, so I don''t know. ''Yashiro-san?'' ''Oh, no. There''s something about ............ this kind of thing that makes me ...... nervous.'' ''What? As soon as, Jeannette turned her face away and began to busily play with her bangs with her free left hand while keeping her right hand out. ''If you say so,......, it''s even ............ more ...... embarrassing. ''Yeah, I see. ............ Sorry.'' That''s right. Ginette is also embarrassed. In this kind of situation, the man should take the lead and make the connection smoothly, casually, and naturally. ............ Ahh!There is no such thing as a man in this world who can casually hold hands with a girl! I''ll hold your hand! ''What?''Oh, yes!Please go to .......'' I can''t do it anymore, so I''ll just let my momentum carry me. This is no time to worry about your health. You''re in mortal danger due to hypothermia. This is a lifesaving measure. Just as artificial respiration is not erotic, there should be no ill feelings in holding hands here and now. It would not be a crime to stick your tongue in artificial respiration. Then why don''t we just hold hands! Yeah!Let''s hold hands! It''s not a good look to close your eyelids, so I bit my teeth and took Jeannette''s hand. ............ soft. ''............ Oh, ............ it''s warm... ...'' ''Yeah, is it?If it''s ......, well, that''s good. ......'' He covered Jeannette''s fingers with his hand as if to envelop them, and they started walking side by side again. That''s strange. I can''t recognize the light path that was so visible just now,......, where am I walking now?I''m feeling strangely light-headed. ...... Then we walked in silence for a while, and before we knew it, we had reached the end of the road. The west end. This is where the Lumberjacks'' Guild branch and the city gates will be. Then this road will become a road where more and more people come and go. ''So this is where the city gate will be. ''Yes. Magda''s work will become easier and there will be more people. The Sunken Pavilion will get busier and busier.'''' ''What?'' Ginette raised her voice in surprise. Oh, I see. Didn''t I tell you? ''This road that connects the city gate and the main street will become an important street. People will come and go many times ...... or even dozens of times more than now. Then, many customers will come to the sunny pavilion facing the street. ''Yashiro-san. Don''t tell me ......, that''s why you''re trying to attract the city gate and the woodcutter guild? ''Yeah,......, well,............, it''s better to have a prosperous business. Even for me. ''............'' I was too embarrassed to turn to Ginette. So I didn''t know what Ginette was thinking or how she looked at that moment. The only thing I know for sure is that Ginette''s hand was squeezed tightly as she held my hand. ''Thank you for .......'' It might be a miracle that I didn''t miss the small murmur that was almost lost in the wind. I''m glad. I''m glad you''re happy. Then the two of us start walking again, side by side, in silence, through the lighted streets of the night. This time, I can see more than before. You can hear the crunching of feet on the ground. ''There are still some stalls left, aren''t there? ''Hmm?Oh, yeah. That''s right. We''ll clean up tomorrow. The brighter the better. It''s not safe in the dark. But maybe he''s still a little nervous, or maybe he''s talking too much, which is not like me. Is it his hands? I wonder if it''s my hands. d*mn, why are they so puffy? I work in the water every day. ...... I want to get all puffy like this. I''m not sure what to do. ...... But of course I can''t. It''s a bit frustrating that you can''t plump even though you''re touching it. It''s easier to touch than Magda''s ears in the public eye,......, but why? ''It''s almost over, isn''t it? That''s what Ginette said as the church came into view. ......The end, huh. It''s weird to go back and forth one more time, isn''t it? There''s always tomorrow, and I need to get some sleep. ...... It''s very regrettable. ''I was happy to be able to walk with Yashiro, but ...... I still feel a little regretful because of this.'' He raises his eyebrows and makes a troubled expression. ''I really wanted to do a little bit of eating and walking around. It''s not a mockery, it''s not a resignation, it''s a little bit of an indulgent smile that almost gets you. You ...... can''t be fair with that face. ...... Now I''m thinking about making something for you. ......... ...Oh, yeah. I''ve got something for you then. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I''ve made you sad before, you know. ''It''s getting cold, but ............ here you go. I handed him some food wrapped in paper from my bag. Ginette lets go of the hand that was holding it and takes it with both hands. ...... Ah, my hands have fallen apart. ............ ''Can I open it, please? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Is he more interested in the food than the hand, this guy. He''s a real foodie. ''Here you go. ''Yes, sir. With my permission, Jeannette opens the paper package. ''Ah!............ This is...'' It''s Ginette''s favorite food. ''It''s Imagawa-yaki, isn''t it? Yes. That''s the Imagawa-yaki from the store Estella bought it from before. Estella lured her to join the festival this time. Last time, I ate more than half of it as a test. ...... Or maybe I ate more than 80% of it. ...... So I bought some to pay for it as well. ''Actually, I love ...... this Imagawa-yaki.'' ''I know. It''s your favorite, isn''t it?We''ve talked about this before. ''......, you remembered me? Well, it''s an essential technique for a con man to remember the perfect taste of his opponent. Therefore, I understand almost everything about Jeannette. ''I''ll treat you to a proper hot meal next time, so please bear with me this time. ''Patience? ......'' Perhaps impressed, Jeannette stared at the Imagawa-yaki and refused to eat it. I wonder if she likes it that much. ''............I''m glad. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. You like it so much ......? If you are that happy with just one piece of Imagawa-yaki, you should probably take them on a trip. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with them. ...... And I''d like to see him do that, too. I don''t know. Why don''t we take a break from the store and go on a trip sometime? ''A trip to ......? ''Yeah. I think you''ll broaden your horizons and make new discoveries by experiencing a different land. Japan''s food culture has developed more than any other country by actively introducing new things to the world. While cherishing tradition, we should also make the most of new perspectives. ''Yes,......, with Magda, Loretta, and your sisters around, you can open a store,......''. ............Hmm? ''If you guys say it''s okay, I''d like to go. With Yashiro-san.'' ............ When did you guys decide to go on a trip together? I meant to say ''together''. ............ ''But if that happens, please ...... that ............ again, hold my hand .......'' ''--! ''Well, ...... I have a bit of a stinky streak, so ............ if I get lost in a strange town... ...I''m in trouble. ............'' ''Ah ...... ah, yes ....... Lost is, yes, troubling. ......'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ............ A trip for the two of us. ............... ...I don''t think I''ll get permission. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Ginette, too, is under some mysterious strain, and makes a strange noise. She seemed to be trying to change the subject. I''m more than willing to go along with it. ...... Tension can kill you sometimes. ''May I have some of your Imagawa-yaki? ''Oh, oh, oh, oh!Eat, eat, eat!It''s festival etiquette to eat as you go. ''Yes. Then ............ that? I try to bite into an Imagawa-yaki, but stop halfway. Jeannette is looking at me and tilting her head. ''Don''t you have one for Yashiro-san? ''Yeah, mine is at .......'' I was so full when I bought this. So I had no intention of buying one for myself. ''Eating alone is ......''. ''No, just eat it. I bought it for you.'' ''But .................. Oh, yes! ''I''ve got a very good idea,'' said Jeannette, turning to me with a smile that said, ''I''ve got a very good idea. Then she lifted the Imagawa-yaki to her eye level and said something like this. ''Here is the Imagawa-yaki. Now, let''s share this with me. Oh come on, this is ...... While I was puzzled, Jeannette continued with a smile. ''However, Yashiro-san, please eat more than me. This is the test I gave Jeannette before. I showed her firsthand how gullible she was. Now you want to give it back to me? ''I''ll split it in half and hand you the one you choose, Yashiro. Is that okay?'' Perhaps you''ve been thinking about doing this to someone else since you were tricked into it. But ............, what''s the point of doing it to me?To the person who set it up. But I guess it''s fun to play along with Jeannette''s antics. ''Yeah, that''s fine. ''Hmm. Then we''ll split it in half. With that, Ginette split the Imagawa-yaki in half. The size of the halves became uneven, with the right side becoming larger. ''Yes, sir. Which one is it? She holds out her two hands with the Imagawa-yaki. After I choose the larger one, I take a bite of that one and give it to him, and I will not be able to fulfill the condition of ''eating more than Jeannette''. ...... I miss this. I''ll take the big one then. Thinking in my mind that this is a great service, I point to the larger one on the right. Then Jeannette smiled happily and said, ''Snap! and took a bite of the larger piece of Imagawa-yaki. As she chewed, Jeannette made an expression of satisfaction on her face. And so, the Imagawa-yaki that was presented to me was clearly marked with ............ Ginette''s teeth marks. .................. Is that okay? ...... ''I''m sorry, Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''Prank was a success! ...... but ............ ''...... are you sure? ''Yes?'' ''If I eat this, ............ that ...... you put your mouth on this part, right...? ...?In other words, if I eat it, it will be ...... what you call it. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... ''............ Huh!I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to do. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ''No, but before, I didn''t care ............ about it.I''m not sure what to say.If I were to do a surprise ...... in front of you ............? If I were a reporter on a surprise show, I would have said it without hesitation. That''s the standard for such shows. Yes, his name was Indirect Kissing. ''Aaah!I''m drooling!I got a little drool on me. ............ I can''t let Yashiro eat this! I''m not sure if it''s because I''m a little nervous, but I''m pretty sure it''s because I''m a little nervous. ''Mogumogu............ now, strange things will be erased from the world and ............ ............ ah'' You seem to have noticed, but I think you should be reminded of this. ''Failure to meet specified conditions: ...... I guess I''m unopposed.'' ''Huh. .................. I''m in.'' So you''ve won again, after all. Well, most ............ I''m already down to zero life. Ginette...... That''s not fair, that''s a foul ............ Of course she''s cute. ...... d*mn. I couldn''t sleep that day, even though my life was zero and I was exhausted from the festival,....... 75-Anecdote Four: Trying Door-in-the-Face Techniques Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a swindler. A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That''s who I am. You''re a really nice guy, Yashiro. ...... That''s why he''s smiling so cheerfully at me. ............ ''The sisters said it really helped.'' ''You can get rid of most of the kid''s peeing by making it a habit to go to the bathroom before bed. ''That''s a blind spot. ''I think it''s common sense. ......'' I was approached by a church member who told me that the kids in her care were masturbating badly and smelling badly every morning. I told him that Regina had citric acid, and that he should get some, dissolve it in water, and sprinkle it on the spot. The citric acid would neutralize the ammonia and remove the smell. This alone can alleviate a lot of the damage caused by masturbation,......, but that''s not the point.I''m a fraud! I''m a fraud! I''m not a friendly, know-it-all brother! I''ve been running around for the town so much lately that I''ve almost forgotten about it. I''ve been running around for the town for a while now, and I''ve been forgetting about it. It''s just that all the people here are too cautious and don''t know how to be suspicious. They don''t even notice, much less suspect, that I''m acting on my own behalf and using them as a stepping stone for my own gain, and they just smile and say ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san''. ...... ''You have to reward Yashiro for all his hard work. ''Don''t treat me like a child. ''Then, you can thank me. It''s my way of saying thank you.'' ''It''s the same as .......'' ''Is there anything you want me to do for you? ''Nothing. ......'' ...... No, wait. This is a good opportunity, isn''t it? Isn''t this a good opportunity to let them know that I''m a fraud and a villain at heart? I''ll seduce them with sweet words, suck them dry to the bone and take over ............ their spiritual home, the sunny pavilion. ...... ...... sigh sigh sigh ...... ''If there''s anything I can do, please let me know. I''ll do my best for you, Yashiro-san! ''............'' ............ Well, you don''t have to take over, you can just show them a little pain. I''m not going to be able to get rid of the sunlit pavilion. I''m sure there''ll be a new road. Yeah. There''s nothing to take over. I could take it over anytime if I wanted to!But it''s not now. ............ Oh no, it seems we''ve been poisoned by the sycophants of Jeannette. How infectious. You might want to regain some of your con man instincts here. Let''s go back to basics and try some of the most orthodox scamming techniques: ...... It''s called the "door-in-the-face technique". First, you make a big demand and make the other person refuse it. This is a scam technique that uses the small amount of guilt that is created in the other person to get them to agree to the original demand. For example, when you want to sell a down comforter of 100,000 yen, you first recommend a high-class down comforter set of 1 million yen. Naturally, the customer refuses the offer, but at this point, the customer feels guilty because he or she is sorry for the offer. Then, I offer him a down comforter that I really want to sell. The price is one-tenth of what you paid for the duvet, and since you rejected the duvet earlier, you feel bad about rejecting it again, so you buy it. ...... If you want to ask the girl you are after out on a date, try asking her out on an overnight trip first. Naturally, she will refuse, but if you later say, ''Well, let''s just have dinner tonight,'' the chances of her accepting will increase. The advantage of this technique is that it makes it easier to get the person to agree to your original request, and that by lowering your request after being rejected, it looks as if you have made a concession, and the person is less likely to feel cheated. Well, a sycophant like Jeannette would fall for it like a charm. Now I''ll get my scammer''s instincts back! Ssshhhhhh ......, watch me, I''m going to make Jeannette howl. First, let''s set up the original request. I''m not sure what to do with it. This is a dish that even Ginette said she didn''t like to make because of the difficulty of cutting and seasoning. If you make me make it, I win. So, I ordered the more difficult to make dish, "Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Saiari" (250Rb). This is a very troublesome dish that makes Ginette, Magda and Loretta, who serve and deliver the food, cry. ''Then, I''d like to try the "Kaiseki at the Sunken Pavilion". ''Yes, sir. I''ll do my best to make it. ''Sorry!Wait a minute! You''re agreeing to this? You were about to collapse from anemia when I suggested this dish! ''I''ve been practicing hard to overcome my weakness. I was just hoping you could see how much I''ve learned. I underestimated Jeannette: ...... How hard can you work? There''s no point in forcing him to do something tedious. I''m sure he''ll do it without complaining. For example, he will clean my room or do my work for me with a smile on his face. That makes no sense. I have to ask for something that Jeannette would not like to do and would not normally do for me. .................. Orthodoxly, money? No, this guy is for Mr. Yashiro!I''m going to use my store as collateral to get some money! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on this subject in the future. Stop ....... Something else is more ............ ...... Yes. Jeannette is always reluctant when her sense of shame kicks in. I''m sure she''s getting used to the mini-skirt maid outfits these days, but if you make them more revealing she''ll probably refuse. ...... And if it''s that kind of clothing, I''d like to see it too. ...... Mmm. There is a "school water apron type uniform" that I made once when I thought that summer would come after the rainy season. When I showed the prototype to the public, Estella and the others criticized me a lot, and Ginette turned red and said, ''I can''t!I can''t wear it! I can''t wear it! ...... I''ll make you wear it! Then demand more than that. ............ ''Jeannette. I don''t care what you eat, can you spend the day in a ''scrubby apron without an apron''? In other words, just a regular scrub! It''s less embarrassing because it''s hidden by the apron. The devilish way ...... removes the apron! I''m sure you can''t do this! In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following URL: ....... Yes! I''m not sure what to do with it. I was thinking of ....... I was thinking, ''Wow ............, I understand! ''What?............Seriously?'' ''Oh, you know, I''m embarrassed to say this, but ......Yashiro-san, you''re doing a great job, so I thought I should do my best, too,......! ''Yes,......, can you wait a moment? ............Ginette, I think you''re working too hard! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... No. You have to make a request that can be absolutely refused. ............A request that can be absolutely refused: ......... ...That''s it! ''Ginette! ''Yes.'' ''Pinch my face with your tits! ''Yes ..................'' ''Yes!Jeannette froze! She''s totally freaked out!I''m a total pervert. ???????????????????????? Hey! Now you can''t pinch them, but you can rub them. ............ ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... What are you talking about, me? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. What are you running your mouth about? What''s with the "I''m a total pervert ????????????????????????"? I''m not sure. It''s not a good time! I''m not sure what to do. No, no!No, Jeannette!It''s just that ...... I''m a little tired. ......! ''..................???......, I understand.'' ''.............................. Yes?'' Ginette turns red, raises her eyebrows, and declares in a loud voice. ''I''ll do it! ''What''s wrong with you, Jeannette? Why? Why are you saying yes? ''Oh, um!I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. No, if you do that, it won''t be a vacation at all, but ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... ...I ...... will do my best ......! Before I could finish, I grabbed Jeannette firmly by both shoulders. I''m not sure what to do. Then, I looked into Ginette''s feverish eyes and told her earnestly. ''You need to take better care of yourself! ''Er .................., yes. I''m sorry .......'' Even though it was a seed that I sowed,......, the psychological damage this time was considerable. ...... Ah, I don''t think I''ll be able to sleep in agony again tonight. ''Make something that''s easy to digest, like ...... rice cakes. ''Yes, yes. I can do that right away.'' ''Well, that''s my way of saying thank you. ......'' Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a fraud. But I want you to remember one thing. Even a con artist can''t fool some people. There''s no scam on ......ginet. I''ve learned that the hard way. 76-Anecdote 5 Trying Foot-in-the-Door Techniques Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a swindler. A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That''s who I am. Jeannette''s too stupid, so I''ve decided to give her a little training. Otherwise, he''s bound to get hurt. If I hadn''t been so Buddha-minded, she''d be in a school swimsuit right now with my face between her tits. Thank God for my steel reason! In fact, I kind of wish you had done it! ''Listen, Jeannette. People are easily fooled. ''But those two are very cautious and have a strong sense of self-discipline, so I don''t think they can be fooled by anyone, can they? ''Those two,'' Ginette pointed out. ''''Have you been hanging out at the Sunshine Pavilion again today?You have a lot of free time on your hands, don''t you, woodcutter princess? ''Since the completion of the contract, your attitude towards me has changed. ...... I guess you''re just showing your tail, huh?It''s so shallow. ...... I don''t remember these guys being this close. I''m not sure what to say.Can you please warn her to stop monopolizing Ukrines? ''Are you doing that? ''No, I''m not!It''s wrong for that woman to be showing off Yashiro-san''s hand-made gusset!It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''No,......, I''m not that happy about it,.......'' ''I''m not that obsessed with it either,......''. I don''t know. Why are you two staring at me with your eyes looking up? Don''t look at me like you want to say something. Say what you want to say with your mouth. However, people in this situation are easily deceived. The rivalry builds up self-esteem and creates an opening. ''Jeannette, come here for a minute. ''Yes, sir.'' I''ll call Ginette in and give her a lecture. ''Take a good look at this. I''m going to show you the ''Foot in the Door Technique''.'' ''Foot in the door ......? Once a person has accepted another person''s request, he or she will feel obliged to accept the next request as well. This psychology plays a big role in people who have a hard time getting rid of friends who are always selfish. A tasting at a supermarket may be a good example. A person who agrees to a tasting is more likely to agree to the next request, ''please buy the product''. At least, the probability of buying the product increases more than those who did not taste it. If we make this more sophisticated, most negotiations will go well. ''In short, make them accept simple demands first, and then gradually increase the demands. ''I feel bad asking you again and again, but ......''. ''Don''t worry. You''ll give them the satisfaction of knowing that you''ve granted their wish. That satisfaction is a hard to get pleasure from feeling. ''So ...... is it? ''Well, just watch. I''m going to make those two order the most expensive one here, the ''Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Sairi''. ''Eh, it costs ......250Rb, you know? That''s 10 times more than the 25Rb daily set meal. It''s a price that makes me want to say, "Are you kidding me? Even Imelda had never eaten this dish before. Not to mention Estella, who is rather poor for a lord. I''ll make them eat it! For starters, I''ll make them agree to a simple request to get them in the habit of accepting. ''Well, well, well, both of you. Since we''ve come to the Sunlit Pavilion, why don''t we grab a bite to eat? ''Yeah, sure. I haven''t had Ginette''s cooking lately. I wonder what I should have. ''Then I recommend river fish. You can catch some good ones this time of year.'' ''Oh, is that so?I think I''ll go for river fish then. Now, Estella is as good as trapped in my trap. ''Then, I''ll have the grilled salmon set meal at .......'' ''Hey, Estella. Why don''t you splurge and have the ''sunny-side up gozen'' for a change?We''ve got the best ingredients today.'' I rebuffed Estella''s attempts to order as usual, and first recommended the second most expensive menu item at the Sun Goddess Pavilion. And Estella, although she was caught off guard, showed some hesitation as to what to do. ''The Sunlit Pavilion Gozen, huh? ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''Eh......, what''s with you, suddenly......'' ''So, it wouldn''t hurt to treat yourself to a little something here and there, would it? ''...... "Reward Yourself" ......'' Estella''s facial muscles all relaxed at once. She''s so easy, this one. ''Well, then ......, I''ll take that.'' Okay!Then let''s take another breath here! ''Yeah, but if you''re going to give me a reward, you might as well make it worth it. Hey, Estella. You know, .......'' And just as I was about to recommend the "Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki ~Saiari~" for its original purpose, a voice interrupted me. ''Hey, Yashiro-san!Can''t you recommend it to me? Just as he was about to make a push, Imelda interrupted him. Hold on a minute. The foot-in-the-door technique works better if you let the tension rise gradually and then force her to give in to your demands! If you interrupt, it could fail. In the worst case scenario, you could make a big mistake and go back to the beginning, like ''Oh, I''ll just have the grilled salmon set meal. ''Wait a minute, please. I want to concentrate on Estella now. ''You''re putting me off! ''Sorry. It''s very important to me. ''What? No? The foot-in-the-door technique I''m using on you, though? ''Are you saying that your time is more important than mine? Yeah. I''m in rehab as a con artist. It''s very important. ''I''ll take plenty of time for you later, okay? I''m gonna set you up with the foot-in-the-door technique. Just make sure you fall for it. ''Well, well, I guess I can''t help it. Because, you know, how long have we known each other?I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it.So...'' I''m sorry!It''s that face!It''s always that face that gets on my nerves. ''Yashiro, I''m different today. Today, I think I''ll go all out and have the ...... sunlit pavilion kaiseki. Are you the daughter of a rich man who indulges in hosting?...... You''re not too far off the mark. ''...... It''s great. As Yashiro said,............, this is the foot-in-the-door technique,.......'' Yeah ...... a little bit different from ............ this is completely Estella''s self-destruction. I''m not sure what to say.What is that sunlit pavilion kaiseki? ''Yes. It''s our most expensive meal. ''Isn''t there anything higher than that? ''Yes. The most expensive one is the Yangdari-tei Kaiseki - Saiori.'' ''I see. ...... will take two of those.'' ''''Two? ''Yes, it''s ''twice'' as much as Estella''s! ''It''s amazing ...... just like Yashiro-san said ............ this is the foot-in-the-door technique''. No, it''s ....... It''s unquestionably Imelda''s self-destruction. I didn''t do anything. ''Why are you always trying to compete with me?That kind of behavior shows how shallow you are! ''Whatever you say, sir. It''s a trick that poor people can''t do. ''Mukkaa ......! Estella clearly bent her head. It''s rare to see someone with such a clear expression on their face. ''Ginette-chan, I''ll take five kaiseki from the Sunlit Pavilion! ''''No, you can''t eat that much, can you? ''I''ll treat Umaro and the others! Don''t be so competitive. ...... In any case, that money is tax revenue from the forty-two districts, right?I''m not going to know if there''s going to be a coup d''etat. ''Mr. Manager!I''m going to buy up this store''s pantry! ''The pantry? ''It''s a pity, Estella-san. You''ll need my permission to cook for you. ''If you''re a coward, ............, I''ll buy your sunlit pavilion! ''You''re buying a restaurant? ''Then I''ll buy up the entire forty-two districts! ''Isn''t that too big a scale, Imelda? ''I''ll contact Assunto and take control of the 40th, 41st, and 42nd districts of the 40th League! ''There were more higher-ups! ''All Blooms are mine! ''The whole city? ''I''m going to conquer the world! ''You''re going after the world? ...... What are these guys competing about? ''Ya, Yashiro-san, we''re in trouble!The world is in Estella-san''s hands! ''Ah~ ...... Ginette. Can I have a word? ''Yes, yes!I''m in a bit of a bind right now, so please be brief! ''Go make two grilled salmon set meals and feed them to them.'' ''Yeah, ......, but what about the foot-in-the-door technique? ''Oh, ...... that ............ thing.'' I turned my gaze to the two men bickering across the table-- ''Then I''ll take two worlds! ''Then I''ll take five! --Today, I''ll tell you a new fact I''ve learned. ''...... can''t be used on unfortunate girls. Even I still have a lot to learn. That''s what I learned one day when I was sixteen, Obayashi. 77-Episode 6 Try Low Ball Techniques Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a swindler. A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That''s who I am. A con man chooses his targets carefully. They target those who have half-baked knowledge and confidence that they alone will not be deceived. Such people are the easiest to set up. So, Loretta. Let me f*ck you. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Loretta is surprisingly confident and knows exactly what she''s capable of. On top of that, she listens well and has the ability to read other people''s emotions. This kind of person can easily be caught by surprise. ''Loretta. Can I have a moment of your time? ''I''m sorry. I''m busy right now, so I''ll see you next time. ............ I was rejected. ''What''s more important, your job or me? ''What''s wrong, big brother? ...... No. I''ve had a string of unsuccessful scams and I''m starting to lose my mind. Calm down. It''s Loretta. It''s "Loretta" for "talkative idiot". She''s easy to beat. It''s like a professional baseball player challenging a substitute on a youth soccer team in calligraphy. ...... Surprisingly, the game is invisible. ......! ''Loretta ...... you, you''ve improved your skills ......''. ''Big brother, are you okay?Are you a little tired? He was worried about me. They looked at me like a disappointed girl looking at a disappointed child. I don''t like it. ''Miss Loretta. Sorry to keep you waiting. ...... Ah, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''What''s the matter, Jeannette? Are you going out with Loretta?'' Ginette was wearing a cloak with the church''s emblem on it, which she wore when she went to church. It was a sort of vestments. ''Actually, the church is in a lot of trouble. ......'' According to Ginette, the church, which had been on the verge of collapse due to Loretta''s brothers and sisters, was on the verge of falling down. ''My brothers and sisters, they have too much energy. ...... I''m sure they''re kicking around pillars and walls. ''No, it''s simply because the load on the building increases with the number of people. ''I tried to get my older siblings to fix it, but ...... it looks like it''s going to need some major repairs, and ...... it''s going to be a bit expensive.'' ''So, it seems that the younger brothers and sisters are calling for donations, but ......'' ''......We can''t get any money at all. ............'' In other words, they are trying to raise money to repair the church. ............ This could work! ''You guys are lucky!You''re very lucky! A fundraising scam! There''s no better rehabilitation for me than this. There is no scam that is as easy as a fundraising scam and can be done by anyone. The easiest way is to have a beautiful woman hold a donation box. The money will naturally come. But this time, I''m going to use a more advanced technique. ''I''ll get that money for you!You guys keep working! With that declaration, I ran out of the Sunken Pavilion. My goal is the church. That''s where my brothers and sisters are doing their fundraising. This time, I''ll be using the ''Low Ball Technique''. This is a technique that hides the disadvantageous conditions of the other party, and makes the first request easy to be accepted, and the subsequent difficult requests difficult to be refused. To put it concretely, let''s say there is a very cheap notebook computer. The price is 30,000 yen. Cheap!This is a good buy!After deciding to buy it, ......, you are informed that you must first install an operating system, add software, and configure settings to connect to the Internet. All of these options were extra, and the total cost was 170,000 yen. However, once I had decided to buy it, I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed to refuse it now, so I ended up paying 200,000 yen for it. Even though there are much better computers available at much lower prices,...... --This is the "low ball technique". This is a very serious scam. This is a very serious scam, because it takes advantage of the other person''s conscience and puts them in a situation where they can''t say no. It''s a trick worthy of a scammer, the number one most hated profession in Japan. When you arrive at the church, Bertina, Loretta''s siblings, and the kids who were at the church from the beginning are all lined up in a row with donation boxes. ...... I guess that''s not much. Due to the festivities, you can see a few tourists in front of the church. They seemed to have come to see the church, which held a festival to give thanks to the spirit gods, and the glowing bricks that beautifully displayed the festival. But it''s safe to say that almost no one is going to donate. Of course not. They are just standing there with a donation box. If they don''t make it clear what the donation is for, there is no reason for people to want to donate, and I suspect that people don''t even know that what they are doing there is a fund-raising activity. I am not saying that they are not working hard, but if they are working hard, then all their efforts are in vain. ''You seem to be struggling. Miss Bertina.'' ''Oh dear. Yashiro-san.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m sure there''s a few coins in there, but it''s far from enough to pay for the ...... repairs. ''I am very grateful for your goodwill,...... but at this rate, I don''t know how many years it will take to repair,......''. I''d like to tell that to Bertina, who sighs, ''Huh ....... If you just stand on the main street wearing a school swimsuit, you will be able to save the target amount within a few days. ......, but this time I''m going to do the heavy lifting. ''Paper and pen. And get me a board that''s a size larger than the paper.'' Kid #1 reacts to my instructions and runs to the church. The people who donate money are, as Bertina says, acting out of good will. Then we should tickle their good intentions. First, let them exercise their good intentions to the fullest. As I looked down the street, I saw an old lady coming toward me. She is petite, her hair is elegantly tied up, and she seems to be a good person. She has the appearance of a con artist''s favorite strike. She is the embodiment of good-naturedness. Target chosen. I walk up to the little old lady with the most refreshing smile on my face. In my hand, I have the paper and pen I asked her to bring earlier. The board is used as a stand for the paper. ''Excuse me. Spirit Church. May I have a moment of your time? ''Yes, yes, what is it? It''s a calm-mouthed madam. She looks like she''s about to bake a herring pie or something. ''Actually, the church in the forty-second ward is deteriorating so badly that the ...... young children there are in danger of losing their place to live. ''Oh, well, ...... is that so?'' When she saw all the young children lined up in front of the church, the calm madam''s eyes widened. It''s a very sympathetic look. ''So, I''d like to ask you to help me sign a petition to repair the church. ......'' ''Yes, that''s fine. It''s a small price to pay.'' She accepted and took the paper and pen from me and quickly wrote her name on it. ...... Merle Erin. ''And so, Miss Erin. ''Yes?'' He looked a little bewildered at being called out suddenly, but he must have remembered that he had just written his own name, so he didn''t say anything more. ''I''m sorry, but could you please make a small donation to help these young children?Please, Ms. Erin. This is the low-ball technique. First, by agreeing to sign it, Ms. Erin considered this decision to be a responsibility. There are not many people who, once they have taken on a task, can abandon it halfway through. Moreover, once the other party knows my name, I''ve become one step closer to Ms. Ayrin than a mere stranger. It''s hard to treat someone you know badly. This is why the "low-ball technique" is so hard to refuse. What''s more, it is good intentions that are currently driving Ms. Erin. A person who works with good intentions cannot ignore the requests of others. ''Please, just give me your feelings. No one can really walk away with nothing but his feelings when asked to do so. At least, it is not a small amount like 10Rb. 100...... or even 1,000Rb...... ''If we can''t fix it, we''ll feel sorry for those kids. This is also the guidance of the spirit gods. ............ Okay. I''ll donate. Will that be enough?'' Then, Miz Erling offered me ..................5 10,000 Rb! Huh? What''s with this old lady?Are you a wealthy man? I''m not sure what to make of it. I couldn''t help but forget my honorifics. But I guess it can''t be helped. 50,000Rb a pop? That''s not the kind of money you want to donate! ''May God bless those children. Ms. Erin smiled and walked away. I was puzzled. ...... But it didn''t stop there. ''Hey, did you hear that? ''Oh, yeah. We can''t let little kids like that get lost in the streets, can we? ''We''re here today because of the Spirit God''s guidance. ''Alright!I''ll donate too!'' ''Me too! ''Me too! The circle quickly spread, and people from all over the main street gathered one after another, raising a tremendous amount of money for ....... At the very least, the amount of money raised was enough to rebuild the entire church. No, we could even add more churches for more children. ''Thank you, everyone. May you all be blessed by the Spirit God. Bertina thanked me happily. Her smile was so beautiful that the men who had donated to her were almost melting in their grins. ''Whoa!What''s this? I heard a voice behind me and turned around. There were Loretta and Ginette with expressions of surprise on their faces. ''We''ve come to help you after a break from work. ............ Was that necessary? ''No,......, well,.......'' ''I didn''t do anything either,...... ''Yashiro-san . It''s amazing!In just a few minutes, I''ve seen so much ............ I knew it!I''m sure you''ll agree. Ginette''s eyes filled with tears of joy as she witnessed the warm support that had gathered at the church. I''ve been lifted up in a big way. ............ To be honest, I''m in a delicate mood. It''s true that Ms. Ehrin may have paid for the Low Ball Technique ......, but I''ve done nothing after that. I had nothing to do with it. For all I know, Ms. Ehrin could have just thrown a bunch of money into a donation box without me having to do anything. ...... I''m not sure if I succeeded or not,......, but I learned a further lesson with such a subtle blur. The 42nd district is not a good town for scams. I''m not going to ...... cry. 78-Anecdote 7 Try Thats Not All Techniques Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a swindler. A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That''s who I am. It''s got to be me. ...... No, no, no! What are you getting so weak about? I''m the one who caused the historic incident that stunned the whole country! I''ll ...... trick you. Watch me, you sycophants of the forty-two wards. ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The one who appeared in front of me, puffing on a cigarette and showing off his raging cleavage, was Norma, the fox-man from the mold shop. Today is the day when the thing I ordered from him arrives. ''I''ve brought you what you asked for, but what are you going to do with such a large amount?You''re not going to use it all, are you?'' ''Of course not. I''m selling it. A huge package was placed in front of me with a very heavy ...... sound. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... He was holding this heavy package with his left hand, wasn''t he?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure Norma, who belongs to the hardware guild, doesn''t like the idea of me getting into the hardware business without permission. But... ''Don''t worry. It''s just a one-time event, and I''ve already gotten permission from the lord and the hardware guild. ''Is that so?I hope so. Norma let out a sigh of relief and looked at me with a soft expression. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.I''m sure you''ll be able to tell me what it is. ''Well, why don''t you come and take a look?I''ll show you how to use it on the main street.'' ''On the main street?Not here? ''It doesn''t make sense unless it''s on the boulevard. What I''m going to attempt is ''That''s Not All Technique''. I''m going to try the ''That''s Not All Technique'', or in layman''s terms, the ''Value-Added Sales Technique''. In order to do this, you need people who can sympathize with how great the value-added is. And the more of them, the better. That''s why I''m going to hold a demonstration sale on the main street! ''Wow, you think of interesting things. Well then, I''d like to observe again. ''Oh, I''d like to see it right in front of you, if possible. But they''re expensive, aren''t they? But it''s expensive, isn''t it?'' It would be great if you could say something like that. ''Hmm?I don''t understand. ...... What''s that? Well, I suppose you''re right. If you asked him to be a cherry, he wouldn''t have a clue. Anyway, just one spectator will do the trick. I took Norma and headed for the main road. Thankfully, Norma was able to carry the heavy load. I set up a platform on the main street, and put a cutting board on top of it, and a big, fat cucumber on top of it. ''Come on, come on, customers on the right and left!If you have time or leisure, please stop by and have a look! He raises his voice and attracts the attention of the crowd. After a good crowd has gathered, I take out the wonderful product I''m going to introduce to you. ''Look at this knife! It''s a cast knife that Norma mass-produced for me. It''s cheap. To be frank, it''s of such poor quality that if you can cut it properly the first few times, it''s good enough. Compared to the excellent forged kitchen knives in this town, it''s like a toy. However, this knife had one major feature. On the blade of this knife, there are seven round holes about one centimeter in diameter in a row. This was the famous "Cucumber knife with holes! It''s a knife with holes! Have you ever had a problem with cut cucumbers sticking to your knife?But with this knife, you can use ............. Come on, stand up!You can see for yourself what will happen! I laid the cucumber down on the cutting board and sliced it into slices with a ''stototototot! I cut the cucumber into slices. The slices of cucumber were so thin that they didn''t stick to the knife. ''Ooooh! the audience shouted. This is it!I''ve been waiting for something like this! ''How about it?Have you ever seen a knife like this? He stopped his hand and looked forward, and the audience applauded loudly. Wow, that''s a good feeling. ''Now, how about one for the family? ''But they''re expensive, aren''t they? At the right moment, Norma says something wonderful. This is a capable woman!I knew she was something else from the first moment I saw her! Norma knows how low the cost of this knife is. In other words, the statement was made to encourage me. So the statement was made to encourage me. Mmmmmmmmmm. This knife is from ...... ''500Rb each! The buzz ...... and the groans ...... The crowd''s faces instantly clouded over. Expensive!I guess they think so. Yes!It''s expensive!It''s so expensive it''s ridiculous! But that''s okay! The more I show my reluctance, the greater the sense of accomplishment I''ll feel when it''s overturned. Because catharsis is something you feel after oppression. 500Rb is expensive. But if the knife is that sharp, it can''t be helped. ...... But it''s expensive,...... and that''s the level of price setting. The audience''s mind is wandering. So I pull out my secret weapon! ''''If you purchase now, you will get this mini food sample (grilled salmon strap) presented by YODAMARI-TEI! ''''Ooooh! It''s value added. Since the festival, the food samples of YODAMARI-TEI have become a hot topic. There are even people who come just to see the food samples. I''ve been diligently making miniature versions of these food samples! I''ve attached a little string to it, so that it can be hung from your bag. The strap is made of a slice of salmon from the grilled salmon set meal, the signature dish of the restaurant. You can get one of these with the purchase of a knife! I could feel the audience''s heart shaking with excitement ....... The cost of this knife and the grilled salmon strap is not much. If they were sold for 500Rb, they would be worth a fortune. They are not that expensive or of good quality. Nevertheless, the audience is inclined to buy it. The reason for this is the "free" grilled salmon strap. It''s not that I want it desperately. But if I can get it, I want to have it. That''s the psychology at work. Now, with one more push, all of them will buy this cheap, poor-quality knife, which makes cucumbers stick to it, at the high price of 500Rb! Scammer now! I''m still a con man at heart! Come on, you guys!Come on, you guys, get suckered by me! --And just when my voltage was about to reach its maximum, ...... they showed up. ''No, wait!Mr. Yashiro, please wait a moment! ''Mr. Yashiro!Why didn''t you ask for help? ''Hero-sama!We''ve come to help you, though in a small way! We''ve got Becco the waxworker, the Yaplocks the corn farmers, Theron the bricklayer, and Wendy the flower researcher. ...... They all have one thing in common: ............ ''''''''The Yashiro Paramilitary!Here they come! '''''''' All of them are my ............ ''followers''. ''I can''t let Mr. Yashiro be the only one who spends his money, that I can''t! ''Yes, of course!Yashiro-sama is as good as a god to us,......, and if we don''t stand up here, what the hell were we born for? ''In order to spread the word about Hero-sama''s wonderful inventions, we''ll do our part!Hey, Wendy! ''Of course!I will give you this ''Light Reflecting Powder'' which is an improved version of glowing powder!This is a revolutionary item that can dramatically improve a woman''s beauty just by mixing it with her makeup tools! That''s what Wendy said as she piled up a large number of vials of powder with a pearlescent eyeshadow-like glow. The women scream in delight. ''Then I''ll make a silvery waxwork. It is a wax lantern with a candle wick inside, surrounded by decorative waxwork. When lit, they cast beautiful shadows on the wall. ...... Drinking sake while looking at them is very special, that it is. A reluctant ''hmm......'' leaked out from the males. We have brought with us the sweets made from cornstarch that Yashiro-sama taught us!It''s called ''ramune candy,'' and it''s from Yashiro-sama''s hometown. The children were drooling in unison. ''Finally, a vase made of bricks from the brick workshop. ''What!That''s going to be your main product, isn''t it? The brick vase invented by Theron, along with the glowing bricks, has attracted tremendous attention and will be one of the main products in the future. ...... Are you going to put that on as a bonus?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''''Compared to the favor I received from Hero-sama--'''' '''''''' This is nothing, that it is nothing, that it is nothing. ...... There are a lot of a**h*les. There are a lot of a**h*les. ''Sell me that knife! ''Sell me one! Me, too! ''Me too! Naturally, the knives sold like hotcakes. For the bonus. Or rather, the kitchen knives were the freebies. After all, the price of the knife was supposed to be 500Rb, but the bonus alone was worth more than 500Rb. That''s a good deal. The kitchen knives, ...... or rather, the set of works (with kitchen knives) by the Yashiro devotees, sold out in no time at all, the children rejoicing over the rum, the women swooning over the pearl make-up on their eyelids, and the old men grinning with decorative wax lanterns in their hands, looking forward to tonight''s drink. The men are grinning with decorative wax lanterns in their hands, looking forward to tonight''s drink. ...... No. This is not what I was looking for at all. ...... I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''I want to eat it every day! ''I want to buy a subscription to this makeup kit. ''Let''s hear the details. ''These wax lanterns smell so good, don''t they ......? ''You''re really good. ''I''ve never seen such a nice vase before: ...... nice......'' ''And that handsome guy is also ...... nice......'' Somehow, their skills are getting high praise. Oh, they''re doing some kind of contract over there. They''ve got a new customer here. ''Mmmm ......, I was going to help Mr. Yashiro, but ......'' ''Somehow, our reputation has risen. ......'' ''We always have good luck when we''re with our heroes, don''t we? ''Ah. Hero-sama is a truly wonderful person! ''Mr. Yashiro! ''''Mr. Yashiro! ''''Hero-sama! '''''''''''' Banzai!''''Banzai!'''' '''''''' ''Yamen ka, group of idiots! The knives were sold out, but ...... in the end, again, I didn''t do anything. ...... I''m afraid that the number of ...... Yashiro believers is increasing slightly even though I''m not doing anything. I''ve just realized that ...... knives in this world are not widely used by the general public, as Jeannette said ...... It seems that I have already stumbled upon ...... from the very beginning: ............ 79-Anecdote 8 Trying Deadline Techniques Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a swindler. A filthy man who cheats others to line his own pockets. That''s who I am. Come on!Today I''m going to show you the hottest scamming technique: .................. here! The Dead Line Technique! You''ve been having some trouble with your scamming lately.It''s hard, isn''t it?You''re losing confidence. But don''t worry! With this technique, you''ll be able to fool people in a very interesting way, and your confidence will be restored in no time! Now you''re a first-rate con artist! Hmm?But, don''t you need some difficult knowledge and skills? You think so, right? But that''s not true at all. All you have to do is to add a certain word when you introduce a product. It''s easy for anyone to do, and it''s immensely effective. That''s what the Dead Line Technique is all about! Now, if you want to know more about it, please transfer the cash to this account. Now!Come on, hurry up! In spite of my sinking mood, a vision of me as a brisk salesman floated in my brain and I talked endlessly about TV shopping on a sunny afternoon. It was lunchtime. If such a TV shopping show was being broadcast on ......, I would clearly say. ''Whoever tried to pay for this technique. You''re being scammed. It''s called. The "Deadline Technique" is a way to scare people into thinking that if they don''t buy now, they''ll lose money. If you don''t buy it now, you''ll lose it.'' This is a method to make people buy a product by implanting a threat into their unconscious. To put it simply, it is a method to make people buy a product by implanting a threat into their unconscious. Limited quantity! Double on weekends! ...... Oh, that''s wrong. ''Half off on weekdays'', yeah. That''s what it is. Well, the most obvious one is ''Half price now! I guess. Even if you have never paid attention to a product before, you are attracted to it when it is said to be ''half price only now''. Humans are such creatures. Even if a product is sold at half price but is normally sold at double the price, we feel that we are getting a bargain when we are told that it is half price. Half-price delicatessen and lunch boxes at supermarkets are often better than throwing them away. In Tokyo, it costs a lot of money to throw away food. Even if it is not, it is very painful to throw away food. Even if it is already rotten and inedible. So, in order to prevent that from happening, I''m going to get rid of all this rotting food that''s piled up in front of me! I''m in the pantry of the Sunlit Pavilion. I''m going to make a special dish using all of the food in here that''s already at the end of its shelf life (......), and sell it! Don''t worry! I''m not going to fail this time! I have the Dead Line Technique, and best of all, my target this time is ...... Hey, Umaro!Come on!I''ve been waiting for you! ''Ya, Yashiro-san, ...... your face is a bit scary, isn''t it? Sensing Umaro''s presence, I move from the pantry to the dining room with the speed of instantaneous movement. I was probably going faster than the speed of sound at this time. That''s how fast I moved. All so I could meet this guy, the King of the Herons, Umaro. ''I''ve got a special dish for you today!You''ve got to try it! ''...... Because when Yashiro-san says it, it usually turns out to be a bad idea,...... Magda-tan, I''ll have the daily set meal! I''m not sure what to do.Well, don''t be so hasty, listen to me. Forget about Magda for now and just look at me! ''Ya, Yashiro-san, ...... that''s ...... kind of creepy .......'' I hold Umaro''s shoulders and guide him to his seat. It''s a friendly skinship of physical contact. ''Ya, Yashiro-san!It''s so close!It''s so close! ''Don''t be so rude. You and I are close, right? ''......Yashiro and Umaro............ are gross.'' ''Magda-tan!I''m not sure what to do.I''m just completely involved! ''I see. That fox guy is a badass receiver. ...... memo memo memo. I''m not sure why Regina is even here at this time!I''m not sure what to do. ''Fox people ...... shouldn''t underestimate a woman''s intuition. I''m not sure what to do. This was a very valuable and smooth conversation scene between the shy Regina and Umaro, who was too nervous to speak properly in front of a woman, but I don''t care about that. The important thing is to get Umaro to buy the product you want. In other words, it''s a set meal to save the rotting foodstuff, called ''rushing rice''! ''We came up with a new menu. We''ve also started a campaign so that the new menu will spread quickly. ''I wonder why ...... the more Yashiro-san stresses about it, the more it smells fishy ......''. ''Hmm ...... I wonder if I can keep that attitude when I hear these words?'' ''What is it? ''''Only now, half price! ''The stench has doubled! Why? My guess is that at this point, Umaro was like, ''Wow, half price!I''ll take four of them then! At this point, Umaro was supposed to rush in and order a bowl of rice, like an idiot! ''That ...... guy, I knew it, the daily special ......''. ''It''s so good!And it''s only half price now! ''No, it''s ......, so it''s the daily special .......'' ''And it''s a bargain!After all, it''s only half price now! ''...... Um, Mr. Yashiro?Can you listen to what I have to say? ''What?What is it?...... ''Half price for now''? ''I didn''t say that!That''s a hallucination! ''Oh, look closely, you''ve got the ''Half Price Now'' phase on your face. ''What kind of phase is that? ''''...... I''ll be half-price at ............ when this battle is over.'''' ''You''re not saying anything very well, even though you''ve suddenly started to make a small play! You''re crazy! You''re crazy! What happened to the Dead Line Technique? d*mn it!That TV shopping was a sham, wasn''t it? ...... Oh, no. That''s my brain talking. ............ ''Oh! I''m not sure. ...... What''s wrong, Yashiro? ''Oops, I forgot to mention ...... ............'' ''What''s that? ''Actually, it''s half price right now.'' ''I didn''t forget to tell you!In fact, that''s all I''ve said!What''s wrong with you?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I can''t believe ...... that someone like Umaro pointed this out to me. ............ I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''It''s only half price now. ''Other than that, yes! ''Well, you see, the taste and so on, well, let''s see... ...... What can I say... ...... If you think too hard, you''ll end up in the deep end... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. Umaro is right. I''m crazy. What''s wrong with me? This isn''t a technique or anything. It''s just threat ...... extortion. This is not my style. ............ But ...... ''But I want to win! ''To whom? ''Me, myself!It''s half-price right now, to myself! ''Yashiro-san is not half price! ''What about that guy? ''I don''t know, that return? What?Shut up, shut up! All you have to do is eat what I tell you to eat! If you fall for my scam, then everyone will be happy! So, ......, I got it. I''m going to ask you to do what Yashiro-san says. ''Really? ''I''ve lost my patience with .......'' ''Yes!I won!I won, I won! ''............ What is it? This gushing emotion!Pleasure!A sense of accomplishment!A sense of fulfillment!Aah! This is it!This is exactly what I''ve been looking for! Ha-ha-ha!Hahahahaha! ''...... Umaro'' Magda strode past me, shouting her victory. He then stood next to Oumalo and bowed his head. ''...... I''m sorry. It''s just for today. ''Ma, Magda-tan...... Magda-tan''s ''Pecori'' at such close range? ''...... Yashiro, you''ve been tired lately. ...... Please forgive him.'' I''m sure you can.I don''t mind at all! ''......Maybe it''s because sales are sluggish......Magda''s lack of effort......'' ''No, it''s not!That''s right!I''ll show you the proof! As soon as he said that, Umaro pointed to the leftmost and most expensive menu on the wall. ''I''m going to have the "Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Saiari" today! ''Is ...... okay? ''If this makes Yashiro-san feel better, it''s a small price to pay! ''....... Good for you, Yashiro.'' ''What?.................. ah,...... ah, yeah... ...well, ..................'' The flames in my heart that had been burning so high were extinguished in an instant. ...... is embarrassing! It''s not a technique, it''s not a smart way of doing things. ............ I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ If I had a hole, I''d bury Umaro in it and dig another one before I went in! ''Magda......Wumalo............I''m sorry. I won''t ...... do this again.'' It was a total ............ defeat for me. ''Oh, that Yashiro-san said ............ ''I''m sorry'' ............''. ''...... this is a big deal.'' ''Really, I''m sorry, both of you! ''Yashiro-san!Really, what''s wrong with you? ''Especially you, Umaro!Sorry!I''m sorry! ''No, please don''t!Please don''t apologize like that! ''I''m sorry for trying to force a dish made with rotten, or almost rotten, ingredients on you! ''Did you mean to do that? ''Yes!I was going to! ''Apologize to me!Apologize to me with all your heart! ''...... Oumalo. It''s just for today.'' ''Hah!Magda, you''re so kind!I forgive you! The sky is high, Oumarro is happy, Regina is mindlessly scribbling something, and since Magda went back to work, there was not even a conversation. ............ I was thinking about myself a little bit. I wonder if I ............ am not a good con artist? What a ...... 80-Anecdote 9 Trying Hard to Get Techniques...? Obayashi, 16 years old. I''m a restaurant worker. I''m the guy who grates the fish, cooks the rice, and cuts the meat into bite-sized pieces. That''s me. Now~ let''s bare some carrots~ .................. haha. Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what''s going on with him. ''...... I feel a tremendous negative aura.'' ''It''s a little ...... hard to get close to. ''Do any of you have any idea why Yashiro is like that? ''I can''t think of anything in particular .......'' ''I can''t think of anything in particular either. ...... What about the sisters? ''I''m sorry, I don''t have any......, but you seemed fine when you did a fundraiser for the church a few days ago. ......'' ''I''ve been feeling a little weird since yesterday. I''m not sure if it''s the usual Yashiro ...... or not ......''. There are a lot of people gathering around and talking about something. They seem to be trying to keep their voices down, but you can hear them. If you''re going to talk so that people can hear you, you might as well talk ...... ''Oh, I wonder if anyone will compliment me on my ......'' ............ flyer. ''Hey, you''re saying something! ''Oh, so you want me to compliment you? ''No, wait!Whenever Yashiro says something like that, there''s always something behind it! ''...... A careless remark is fatal. ''Why don''t you just give him a compliment to try? ''Yes, I think so. I think so too. ''Both the sisters and the manager have too little sense of danger!That''s my brother!That big brother is blatantly urging you to do something!It''s definitely a trap! It''s a trap! ............ Look at that, Not a single one of them even gave me a compliment. I''m just a bad guy who doesn''t have a single thing to praise. .................. Duh. ''You''ve started crying!I think you should have praised him. ''...... It''s probably too late. It''s time to move on to the next thing. ''Oh, big brother is getting so small! ''This is an emergency!We all need to work together to get out of this situation! ''But what are we supposed to do? ''Well, why don''t we do something to cheer them up? ''For example, what kind of things? ''Yes. You could tell them a story about the Spirit God. ......'' ''''''''That''s a bit ......'''''''' ''Yes, why is that? ''Sister. Um, ......I''m sorry to say this, but ......'' ''What is it, Jeannette?'' ''Yashiro-san doesn''t ...... like that kind of story very much. ......'' ''Isn''t that right?I feel like I could listen to that for about five hours ......'' ''It''s too long ......, even I can''t ......'' There''s something about the way Bertina is being so politely isolated over there. If you''ve ever been in a situation where you''re not sure what you want to do, you might want to check out this website. It''s a good idea to have a good friend who can help you. ...... I like it, everyone seems to be having fun,............ anyway, I''m not ...... ''Oh, ...... what''s this feeling ......? ''...... Manager, are you too worried about Yashiro, is your chest hurting?'' ''A little ...... just a little ............ cute, Yashiro.'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. Magda and Loretta are gently placing Ginette in a chair. I feel like the devout Alvistan is being excluded in order. ''I think the first thing we should do is to consider the factors that caused Yashiro to go crazy. ''Yes! ''Yes. Then, Regina.'''' ''Genetic! ''......Yes, can you think of something more like this, an external factor, limited to events that have happened in the last few days?'' ''Yesterday at the store, you were flirting with that fox guy. ''What? ''What? ''Wait!Wait, wait!That''s a misunderstanding! Estella and Imelda are taking Umaro to the corner of the store. They hanged him. I''m sorry. Oh, Regina approached Estella and the others, smiling. I wonder if she''s going to tell them something stupid again. ''Maybe you''re ''waking up''? ''Let''s see, ...... ''woke'' to what? ''That''s why!To fox people, and to the excessive friendship between men and men. ......'' ''Regina. Yashiro doesn''t have that kind of taste. ......'' ''What are you talking about? ''Hey ......, do you think I''m a guy? ''Don''t worry, I''m not just a guy, I think you''re a beautiful boy. ''............ you''re still here? ...... who thinks so? ''As expected of Estella. You''re so handsome.'' ''Shut up, Imelda! In the meantime, Regina gave Umaro an earful, and Umaro gave her a disapproving look. Oh, I''ve just been made to do something horrible. Regina said, "Don''t worry, don''t worry," and brought him over to me. Umaro comes to me alone, trudging. ''Oh, ...... that''s right, ............ are you really going to say that? The latter part of the line was uttered to Regina, who was watching from the rear. Regina said, ''Yes, yes! Regina nods her head with a big gesture. Letting out a huge sigh, Umaro turns to me. Then, with a serious expression on his face, he said this to me. ''You don''t look good with a depressed face, my honey. ............ If you''re feeling down, I''ll warm you up with my arms. I don''t know what it is, but it irritated me so much that I threw the carrot I was peeling at him with all my might. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... d*mn, it didn''t go through, did it? ''......Yashilo,......No,......I said I didn''t want to,......but.... ...Regina''s ............''. ''Gullllllll ......'' ''Heee! Umaro lets out a short scream and rolls away, clutching his midsection. ''Oh, it''s going wild! There''s a groan on the other side. But it doesn''t matter to me. I''m only good at peeling carrots. .................. What?Where''s the carrot? I can''t believe I lost my ...... carrot. ...... I can''t believe I lost that big thing. ............ I think I''m done. I can''t even peel a carrot. ...... I can''t even peel a carrot. ............ ......I''ll peel a new one............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Oh, that ...... is just for now, just for now, can I go and squish it! ''Manager, calm down! ''...... Regina, sedate me.'' ''Really, it''s a bustling place .......'' It''s lively. ...... Yes, it''s lively. Whether I''m depressed or gone,...... the world will still spin. If you''re not a fraud,...... you''re like a girl who wears bloomers underneath her pantyhose. I''m sorry. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. .................. ''Ah! I''m not sure what to make of it. ''He''s probably thinking of something erotic anyway. ......'' Even though it''s ....... I don''t know what I can do. I don''t think I can even handle the "hard to get technique" right now. ...... It''s a way to make people feel special so they will buy your product. It''s the ''good news only for you! You know, the ''good news only for you! They give you a free raffle in front of a cell phone store and say, ''Congratulations!You''ve won a cell phone! The hard-to-get technique is also used to make it look as if the customer is a lucky one, and to make the customer sign a contract by saying, ''By the way, please register as a new customer. In fact, there is no value in the cell phone itself, but the fact that you have won the prize makes the customer feel "special". ...... special. I''m not a fan of ............. ...... There are plenty of crappy people like me who can''t do anything but peel carrots. ...... I''m not ...... What''s this?What''s this? Suddenly, Umaro shouts out loud. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to do this. ...... Oh, there it is, the carrot. I''m not sure what''s going on here. ''I want you to look at this! ''Which one is it? ''Um, can I see it too? ''Oh!I want to see it too! ''You can put ...... Magda first.'' ''I want to see it too. ''I''d like to see ...... Pori Pori Pori ...... too ...... Pori Pori Pori Polipolipolip.'' And all those present look into the carrot. And then silence. It''s ........................ quiet. '''''''''''''' What the hell is this? '''''''''''''' And they all shouted in unison. What is it?What''s wrong with that? ''Yashiro-san, what''s this? ''...... I have something to ask you.'' ''Big brother, what''s going on here? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... What? I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions. Estella told me to cut the carrot that I threw at Umaro with a thump. ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa! Such an unfamiliar cheer goes up. ''''Yashiro-san, ...... is amazing.'''' Ginette mutters, staring at the carrot I''ve cut. Great? When I looked at the carrot, ...... it was in the shape of a four-leaf clover. I thought I was ............ peeling it, but it seems I was unconsciously carving it into this shape. If you cut it into rounds like Kintaro candy, you can make a four-leaf clover out of the whole carrot. ''I feel like I''ll be happy if I find one of these in my soup! ''...... lucky clover''. ''That''s my big brother!You''re very clever! I''m getting a lot of praise. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san! Ginette peeks at my face. ...... so close!It smells good! ''Can you teach me how to cut this? ''What? Ginette pinched a four-leaf clover-shaped carrot with her fingers and appealed to me with a serious expression. ''I want to master this way of cutting and use it in the dishes at the restaurant!Please!Please, please teach me!Please teach me! Then, he bowed to me with great vigor. ''Oh, me too!This technique is interesting for carpenters too! ''I''d like to hear about it too. I''d like to hear about it, too. If we could make a medicine in this form, maybe the kids would be willing to take it. ''I''d like to ......polypolypoly ...... for the children too. ......polypolypoly ...... ......policepolicepolicepolicepoly......'' ''I''d like to hear it too. As a knife user, I''d like to master it.'' ''Then I''ll teach you, too! ''...... This is a skill that needs to be learned.'' ''To tell you the truth, I''m training now to get closer to the manager!I''ll learn it! I don''t know. The ...... eyes of the people are very serious. ''Do you want to know ...... so badly? '''''''''''''''' Come on, ''''''''''''''''! This is ...... Does this mean I''m ...... myself ...... special? Then! I think you can use the ...... ''Hard to Get Technique'' here! I''m not sure what to say.I''ll give you a special lesson, just for you guys! '''''''''''''''' Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''But instead!......There''s a condition. ''''''''''''''''......Gokuri'''''''''''''''' I''ll use this ''hard to get technique'' to get the price I couldn''t get out of you earlier! ''Praise me! ''You''re a man! ''Genius! ''Cool! ''Good looking! Hmmm ............ hahahahahahahahaha! More! Compliment me more! Give me more praise, give me more confidence! ''You are the savior of the 42nd district! You''re the hope of the Sunlit Pavilion! You''re a good young man! A man I can rely on! He''s very patient. He''s also very decisive! ......The second one ''''He''s a good listener! My brother has good taste! He has deep pockets.'''' ''''He has leadership skills! He''s a good father! He''s got a big heart! He has big hands,......''''...... double eyelids''''''He''s smart! You look so young! You also have egg skin after bathing! It''s unique! Somewhat mysterious! Two-faced! ...... duplicity'''' ''''Oh, you know! Ginette stepped forward, brushing aside the words of praise that were being heaped upon me. ''Please let me tell you something! It''s written on her face. All right. I''ll listen! With a twinkle in her big eyes, Jeannette says to me in a voice as loud as she can. ''I love you, Yashiro-san! --Wow. The sunlit pavilion is covered with a tense silence. ............ Honestly, I couldn''t imagine this statement. ''What? In the midst of this, Ginette understood the line she had just uttered, and her whole body erupted in a puff of steam. steam erupted from her body. ''Tsk!No, no, no, no!That''s not what I meant! Ginette, her face redder than the carrot in her hand, flails her arms around. I''m not sure what you mean by that.This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money.It''s not that I don''t like it,......, it''s that I don''t like it,................... I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do.It''s not like that! Perhaps she couldn''t take it anymore, but she finally covered her face and ran into the kitchen. Well, I guess ...... she didn''t mean anything by it. Yeah. It must be. ...... So, guys. Can you please stop looking at me with those piercing eyes? And so I regained my confidence as a con man. ............ I''ve decided to seal up the Hard to Get Technique because it''s too dangerous. 81-Episode 70 Flowers and Sweetness ''Um, Yashiro-san. Do you have a minute? One afternoon, the peak of the day had passed, the increasing number of customers had been dealt with safely, and a calm time had finally arrived. It was tea time, just one hour before the final bell. It was at this time that Ginette approached me. ...... ''Actually, I have a favor to ask you. ''What is it?'' I was hollowing out a fruit into a star shape using a mold I had asked Norma to make for me. The rabbit apples turned out to be a disaster, but the star and flower shapes seemed to be well received by these guys, so I decided to incorporate them into the menu. By the way, I''m making mitsumame now. It seems that white sugar is too expensive to be sold in the restaurant. However, we can get brown sugar somehow. That''s why I''m making mitsumame. The other day, when I visited Homer, a rice farmer, I found some glutinous rice, so I ground it into powder and made shiratama. I also made agar-agar. The nets of the Sea Fishing Guild, which are being renovated by Loretta''s brothers, have been catching seaweed among other seaweeds. This is like being told to make honey beans. It was a revelation. ''Oh, it''s pretty. It''s a star. ''Do you want some? ''Well, let''s go to ............ and see. The 42nd district is absolutely lacking in sweetness. That''s why there are no customers at the height of tea time. It''s a pity that we don''t have the custom of having a snack at three o''clock. ...... ''Oh!That''s right. Ginette swallowed what was in her mouth in a panic and caught her breath. When she turns to me, she straightens her back and speaks to me with a squishy smile. ''I''d like to go pick some flowers, can you watch the store for me? ''Flowers ............ Oh, the bathroom. You don''t have to tell me every single thing like that, just go .......'' ''Oh, no, no, no, no! Hmm? Picking flowers is a secret word for a toilet, right? ''You know, actually, after this ......'' Just as Jeannette was about to say this, the door to the cafeteria opened. ......, but no one came in. Only a fresh breeze flowed into the room through the open door. ............What?It''s kind of scary. ...... ''Oh, I see you''re here already. ''You''re here? ''I forgot to tell you this morning,......, Millie. Please come in.'' As Ginette called out to the door, a small head peeked out from the side of the door. It was a cute little girl with little antennae on her head. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ............ What''s this? Ginette let out a wry smile. It''s like a girl''s version of Umaro. I wonder why. It''s so much more charming and adorable when it''s a girl. ...... On the other hand, Umaro is ...... not that guy. He''s a bit of a jerk. He should be excommunicated from the association. ............ That''s a good thing, isn''t it? It''s a good thing. It''s okay. ''............ Hmmm...'' ''Your voice is too small! Then, a minimalist girl named Millie walked into the dining room with a timid movement that perfectly fit the word ''timid''. The way she walked slowly, she looked like a karakuri doll. She approached us with a jerky, clattering, and awkward behavior. She wears unadorned clothes and has short, fluffy cat hair. Its round, slightly drooping eyes remind me of an upright red panda. ''Are you a red panda mankind? ''No.'' ''No. Millie-san is a member of the Nanahoshi-Tentou human race. ''...... Isn''t that too much subdivision?'' ''What do you mean?'' No, well... I don''t care if it''s common knowledge in this town that it''s so finely divided,......, but it could be more broadly classified as the ladybug people, or even the insect people. If there are ladybugs, does that mean there are also ladybugs, ladybugs, and ladybugs? Can you tell them apart? You can''t tell them apart. I''m sure you''ll be surprised. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... I''m so scared of you. But it is really small. It''s smaller than Magda. About 120 cm. But I can''t see anything that looks like a ladybird. The only thing I can see is a pair of antennae on its head. ''Does it have wings or something? ''Huh, ......................... It''s ............, not .......'' It''s a whisper, just like the buzzing of a mosquito. Is this a thing? ''So, Yashiro-san. I should have told you earlier, but it took me a while. ......'' Jeannette bows her head. But she has a happy look on her face. ''I''m thinking of going flower picking with Millie-san. ''You''re taking me out? ''No, I''m not! Because of Jeannette''s sudden loud voice, Millie''s shoulders shook and she jumped up lightly. Don''t tease her, you poor thing. You know what? I''ve been a close friend of Millie''s from the Flower Arrangement Guild for some time now, and she''s very important to me. How can you be so close to someone who is so shy? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s not that they don''t like you, but ...... it''s a bit hurtful. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. ''Oh, ........................''. ''Yes, what is it?'' Millie pulls Jeannette''s hem a little bit, and Jeannette puts her ear close to Millie. Ginette nodded her head in agreement as she was told something. ''It seems that they grow flowers in their facilities, but they also manage the entire forest to grow flowers. The forest we''re going to is managed by the Flower Arrangement Guild.'''' ''I see. So they manage the flowers in their natural state. ''Ah, ...................'' ''Huh?............ Yes. Yes. ....... Looks like it.'' What a pain in the ass, talking to this guy. You always have to go through Ginette to get a response. ''So, may I ask for the ...... store? ''Oh, go ahead. You won''t get any customers until the evening anyway.'' ''Thank you, sir. Ginette was smiling, happy to be going out. Picking flowers while chatting with other women. It''s fine. Go ahead. I''m not quite Jeannette''s level, but I can cook. I invented a lot of the dishes in the first place. It won''t be a problem. ''Well, I''m off. ''Ah, ............'' When Jeannette bowed, Milly followed suit and bowed her head. It looks like a comfortable size to sleep with. Millie followed Jeannette to the exit. There was nothing attached to her back, nothing that was truly typical of the Euphorbiaceae. It seems a bit plain. ...... Oh, that''s right. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. When I called her name, she jumped up and let out a strange cry. ...... You don''t have to be so surprised. ............ ...... Will you stop looking at me like I''m a s*xual predator who''s after little girls? ''Don''t take care of Jeannette. Watch her and make sure she doesn''t wander off. If they were going to the forest managed by the Flower Arrangement Guild, Millie would probably know more about the forest than I did. Ginette seems to be solid, but there are things that are missing,......, or rather, there are things that are missing. There is no part of her that is not missing. If you don''t keep an eye on her, you never know where she might go. ''Mmm, that''s terrible, Mr. Yashiro. That makes me look like a child. ......'' I''m sure it''s similar. Jeannette puffed out her cheeks in disapproval. ''............Miri,big sister......'' It seems that she was happy to be relied on. Well, if you''re that size and that shy, you''ll probably be treated like a child wherever you go. Young children are happy to be treated like big sisters. I guess that''s where that smile comes from. ..................... and ......... .,......, let me ......! Her cheeks turn red and she struggles to keep her voice down. She smiles at me like that. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. It must be quite rare. Ginette''s eyes widen. How shy are you, usually...... ''Well, I''m off. ''Oh,............, I''m off.'' After looking back again at the door and bowing, Ginette and Milly left the cafeteria. The door closed, leaving me alone in the dining room. Magda and Loretta have gone to support the stall. There are no customers. Even though I''m still experimenting, I''m beginning to feel that there''s no point in staying here and making honey beans that no one will eat. So I decide to make something that just occurred to me. I take out the thin and light steel plate I got from Norma''s place and start to process it. I use a hammer and an iron rod with a rounded tip like a pencil - a punch - to bend the steel plate. The tip of the punch is placed on the steel plate and struck with the hammer. Originally, the punch was used to mark the area to be drilled, but if you are careful not to apply too much force, you can make an uneven surface on a flat iron plate like this. This is a technique used to make tinplate signs. I repeat the humble work with the sound of metal clanging. ''Well, that''s about it. In front of me, there is an iron plate that looks like a ladybug the size of the palm of my hand. It looks like a large badge with a little more bulk. It is also about that light. Then I colored it to make a vivid ladybird. Now that I''m satisfied with the result, I move on to the finishing touches. I took out a teardrop-shaped steel plate with a strong warp. The first thing I made when I got a scrap piece of iron from Norma''s mold shop was this "patching clip". This is the thing that little girls use to fasten their hair. It''s a popular accessory that can be attached with a single touch. Attach this to the Eclipsed Ladybird and you have the ............ Eclipsed Ladybird Hair Clip. Well, there''s no need to show off how many people you are, but since Millie didn''t look too much like a Nanahoshitentou, I felt like making one. More importantly, I''m sure I''ll be getting to know the Flower Arrangers Guild better in the future. Ginette wants to make a flower bed, ............ and I have a vase that I made, ...... and I''m sure they''ll be more than happy to help us out in the future if we give them this kind of attention. It''s an investment. It''s an investment. While I was satisfied with my good work, Estella came to the sunny pavilion. As soon as she opened the door, she asked, ''Where''s Ginette?Where''s Jeannette? She looked around the restaurant. ''I''m sorry to hear that. I''m all alone now. If you want to eat Ginette''s home cooking, come back later in the evening. However, it seems that Estella''s business was not about the food, and she looks a little troubled. ''I need you to submit some documents to ....... Well, I can just give them to you later. ''Documents?'' I looked at Estella, she was holding a rolled up piece of paper. It looked like a rather expensive piece of paper. Is it a contract of some kind? ''This month is Ginette''s birth month. I need you to update your age.'' ''Update?'' ''Every year, the residents have to submit the documents in the month of their birth. ''Do I have to update it myself every time?That''s a hassle.'' ''You have to write your age on many of the documents for stores and jobs. The landlord has to certify that the age is correct. I wish it was automatically renewed like in Japan. I didn''t even want to renew my driver''s license. Do the residents of this city have to go through such tedious procedures every year? .................. Hmm? ''Is Jeannette''s birthday this month? ''Yes, it is. I think it''s around the end of next week? ''You should have told me that first! Oh, shit. I didn''t prepare anything. I shouldn''t have been making hair clips for ladybugs. I have to prepare a present for Jeannette. ...... ''...... What are you in such a hurry for? ''Well, because I haven''t made any preparations. ''What preparations do you mean?Documents can only be accepted in your own handwriting. ''It''s not about papers, it''s about birthday preparations. Presents, parties...'' Well, there''s no cake in the 42nd district. What should I do?Can you make it with brown sugar? ''............ What does a party have to do with birthdays? ''Huh?'' Estella gives a sullen look of ''I don''t understand''. ''............ What, no?Like a birthday party. ''In my country, we all celebrate the day the person was born. ......?'' ''Why?Everyone who is alive, of course, has a day of birth, right?Why do we need to celebrate it in a special way?'' That''s a serious tone. This guy really doesn''t get it. There is no custom of celebrating birthdays in this town. ''Don''t you eat cake or something? ''A cake?You''ll go bankrupt if you eat something that expensive just for your birthday. ''Is it that expensive? ''It''s expensive. First of all, sugar is a luxury item.'' Well, that''s true. You can get brown sugar a little cheaper, but it''s still expensive. It''s a city lacking in sweetness. ''If we don''t celebrate birthdays, what else are we going to celebrate? ''I celebrate marriages and births. We also celebrate employment and the first year of employment. In many industries, wages increase in the first year. In other words, people celebrate when their lives improve, such as when they start a family or get a wage. It may be reasonable to say so. But it''s also a bit tasteless. ............ This guy smells like money. ''Yashiro ...... has eyes like a bad man. ''Take a good look and remember. These are the eyes of a money-grubber.'' ''Can''t you think of anything but ...... money at all? ''Are you asking me to die? ''...... Are you going to die if you don''t think about money, are you? If there is no reason to live, one is as good as dead, isn''t he? ''Money, money, money, ...... you''re a dullard, aren''t you? This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. You can find a lot more than just a few of these in the market. ''It''s .................. so cute! Estella covers the table with her head and stares at the hair clip. Her eyes are glittering. ''Did you make this, Yashiro? ''Yeah. I thought I''d give it to someone. ''I want you to give it to me!How much do you want?How much do I have to pay you to give it to me? ''Money, money, money. You''re a greedy bastard, aren''t you, ......? I can''t do that. I''m afraid not. ''No, no, no. ...... I don''t know who you are, but ......... you can''t keep a pretty thing like this all to yourself. ...'' I''ve never heard of a culture where people share hair clips. Even if you''re close to your sisters, don''t you have your own hair clip? ''Do you want it so badly? ''Yes, I do!Well, it doesn''t have to be a ladybug, but ......'' ''For example, what kind of shape do you want?'' ''Let''s see, ............ a shiitake mushroom.'' ''Yeah, ...... what''s your hobby? ''Yes, it''s good!They''re delicious and have a pretty shape, don''t they, shiitake? I wonder if ...... shiitake mushrooms are ............ Estella, is it possible that you have bad taste? ''Well, I can make you a shiitake hair clip. ......'' ''Are you sure? ''How about one that looks like a small shiitake mushroom nestled next to a large shiitake mushroom? ''Hoooooo!That''s so cute, I can just imagine it!It''s like ''you''re the big shiitake, I''m the little one''? ''No,......, a couple that can be compared to shiitake mushrooms is very subtle,......, but if it''s fine with you, then it''s fine. ''This is ............ too much fun! Well, you can make a few of these, so you can at least make them. But... ''I want to eat a cake. ''..................? ''Cake. ''............ buy me a drink?'' ''Yes.'' ''........................Cake, huh... ...'' Just now, he said it was a luxury item. I suppose it''s not a food that I''m willing to treat myself to. But I want to know the level of cakes in this world. It will greatly change my behavior in the future. ''.................. Imagawa-yaki means ......? ''It''s a cake. It''s a cake on your birthday.'' ''So, why a cake for a birthday? ''It''s a custom in my country. Anyway, I''d like to try some cake in this city. ''.................. but... ......'' He''s very reluctant. If that''s the case, why don''t I make you a hair clip made of eringi mushroom or bunashimeji mushroom in addition to shiitake mushroom?Would that convince you? ''Please go eat with me, please. It''s a good idea....... together?'' ''Yeah. It''s better to go out to eat than to have someone buy it for you. ...... I''d like to keep this a secret from Jeannette, just in case. If she decides not to buy a cake, she might be more or less shocked. I don''t want her to feel that disappointed on her birthday. ''......, the two of us? ''Yes, I guess so. If it''s expensive, it''s probably better. ''...... When do you want to go? ''How about tomorrow?Can you make it?'' ''I''m fine!I''m fine! I''m fine!I''ve got work to do, but I''m going to throw it all away!'' ''No, ...... do the work. We''re working on the sewage project in District Forty and the city gate project in District Forty-two. ......'' ''Yes!It''s really hard work!So I think it''s okay to reward myself! I don''t know what it is, but Estella is suddenly on fire. ...... You never know where it might ignite. ''Well, tomorrow!Let''s go eat cake!We''ll have to go out to the 40th district, are you okay with that? ''Do we have to go that far? ............ It can''t be helped. Then let''s meet at the central square. ''Yes! Estella nodded with an angelic smile. I''m sure he wants to eat cake, too. ''By the way, ......''. Estella clasps her hands behind her back and begins to squirm. She glances at me with a prying, upward glance. ''Which do you prefer ......, a skirt or pants, Yashiro?'' ''You mean, do you wear skirts or not?'' ''No!I mean pants, not skirts. ''Oh, that''s ...... confusing.'' ''You''re the only one who thinks so there, .......'' ''I don''t think it matters either way. ............ Well, maybe a skirt. I''ll tell you what.'' ''All right!'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Then turn around before the door. ''See you tomorrow. We''ll meet at the central square at the time of the morning bell! ''That''s too early! ''Don''t be late! Estella said the last word forcefully and left. I mean, ...... is meeting at eight in the morning? Well, if you''re going to the 40th district, you have to leave around that time. It can''t be helped. Research is a very important factor. And so, my new plan began to move slowly and without anyone knowing. 82-Episode 71 The Ladybug Evening. An hour had passed since the bell rang, and Ginette and Milly returned to the sunny pavilion. ''We''re back. ''Ah, .....................'' Millie''s shyness seemed to have returned after several hours of absence, and she would only look at me through Ginette. ''Thank you for watching the store. Did you get a customer?'' ''Estella just brought some papers ............, and he left with them, didn''t he? What the hell is he doing here? ''Documents?...... Oh, that''s right. It was time for me to renew my age. It''s like renewing your driver''s license, after all. I don''t see any particular emotion in him. ''How old are you going to be? ''I''m sixteen. ''I think you said sixteen when I asked you before ............? ''Yes. So I answered ''I''ll be sixteen this year'', right? ...... It''s confusing. Tell me how old you are now. It seems that when the concept of birthdays is rare, the moment the New Year arrives, everyone starts thinking, ''I''ll be sixteen this year. If that''s the case, why don''t you let them update it all at once in the New Year? ...... ''So you''re sure you''re the same age as me? ''Yes. We''re the same. ''I''m actually about twenty years older than you. ''How old are you Millie? ''Oh, ........................... .............................. ............... Ju...... Oh...... You'' It''s long! It''s so long! I was nervous about halfway through, ''Was that a bad thing to ask? I was so nervous! ''Fourteen. You''re older than Magda.'' ''Yes, I am. Millie-san looks like this, but she''s a grown woman. ''Ha-ha-ha, that''s not true.'' ''Oh, .................. that''s awful.'' Millie nodded. No, you can''t be shocked by that, Millie. You need to understand your own appearance objectively. Besides, if you were an adult, Regina and Imelda would be old ladies. ''Millie, you''re a genius at picking flowers. Ginette is desperately trying to follow up. I guess she''s trying to show that she''s a mature woman who can do her job. ''Speaking of which, where are the flowers? ''They''re in the cart outside. ''Really? May I see them?'' ''Yes, ...................'' Millie nodded and walked out. I followed her outside and was surprised. ''This is also ............''. There was a huge cart full of flowers. They were in full bloom. It was so gorgeous that it made me wonder if some store had just opened a new store. ''That''s a lot of flowers. ''Yes. Millie-san, you work very fast. Most of the flowers here were picked by Ms. Milly.'' ''I''d like to see her work once again. ''Huh!........................... ......... ohhh ..................'' Millie froze with a troubled expression. The joints are frozen tightly like a tin toy that has run out of oil. ''s .................. embarrassing ......... ...from ............''. ''How come Jeannette is okay with it? ''Ah ............Jinette-san is ............... ...your friend ...... so ............'' ''Well then, you''ll have to get to know me better too.'' Then he took something out of his pocket and placed it in Milly''s hand. ''........................... ...wow! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''...... ladybug''. That''s a hair clip of a ladybird that I made during the day. Millie''s small hands grasped the large hair clip with care. ''Wow, it''s cute, isn''t it? Over Millie''s shoulder, Ginette also looks at the hair clip. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... I like it, I like it. It seems to be written on her face that she wants one too. I''m not sure if this is the right gift for Jeannette. Motifs, what should I use? ...... I could clearly see the fear and anxiety fading from her eyes as she stared at me. ''Do you want me to put it on? ''Oh, ............ yes! She opened her mouth in a half-circle, a childish smile on her face. She has a different kind of cuteness from Loretta''s sisters. It''s like she''s on the very fine line between being a child and becoming a big sister. Childishness and the need to act like a big sister peek out at her alternately. She is in the throes of puberty. It''s the kind of age that ............ makes you want to tease her. So, I put a big hair clip on her bangs. I''m sure you''ll agree............. I can''t see you ............ I can''t see you... ...'' I''m flabbergasted. He''s aghast and very upset. What is this? I want to take it home with me. ''Yashiro-san, you shouldn''t tease her. Jeannette puffs up her cheeks. I''m sorry. I was just having fun. I take off the hair clip and put it in its proper place this time. Put it on the right side of your head, a little above your head. The ladybug sits on Millie''s little head, swaying and swaying. I think it''s quite cute. I think it''s very cute, and the way it''s attached to Miry''s head shows off its quality. ''Wow ............''. I can''t see it, but Millie''s gaze is desperately drawn to the hair clip. ''It looks good on you, Milly. It''s very pretty. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. As she nodded her head, the Eurasian ladybird swayed softly. ''Thank you, ............. Thank you, ladybug! Millie thanked me again. But ............ you''re the ladybug. ''Ladybug, you''re a ............ kind person. No, that''s why. Ladybugs are ...... ''Would you like to go pick some flowers ...... with me sometime?'' The effect of the ladybug''s hair clip was so great that she invited me to pick flowers, something she had refused to do just a few minutes ago, saying it would be too embarrassing. I guess that''s how close we''ve become. ''Well, I guess I''ll ask her to take me there. ''Yes! Once she overcame her shyness, she is an honest, cheerful, and cute girl. I''d like to get to know her very well. And I''d like to get her to wholesale flowers to ...... at a reasonable price in the future. I''m happy for you, Millie. I''m glad we can get along.'' ''Yes. ...... Ladybug, good friends.'' No, so ............ oh, forget it. You can call me ladybug, I don''t mind. Call me whatever you want. ''Jinetto-san, here''s ...... for you.'' Millie then handed Jeannette a huge handful of flowers from the cart. ''Oh, my God, are you sure this is such a good idea? ''Thank you for helping me. Millie is in a good mood. It''s obviously an over-service, but whatever they give you, you should take it. I''m going to put it in the vase that Yashiro gave me. ''............ Ah, ah. It''s okay, I guess. It tickled me so much. ...... ''I''ll come back to .......'' ''Yes. Please come again.'' ''Goodbye.'' ''Have a safe trip. Millie pulls a huge cart with her tiny body. It''s amazing that it moves. The beastmen ...... are insect people, but ...... what''s going on with their arm strength? I''m not sure. Even though we were far away, Millie would often look back and wave. Each time, Ginette and I wave back, saying ''bye bye''. ''Bye, bye! ...... When I was a kid, there was a guy who never finished saying ''bye bye''. Millie is still a child, isn''t she? ''That was so cute.'' ''Is he always like that?'' ''Heh?'' ''You mean Millie, right?'' ''Oh, yes. Millie always looks like that today, she''s very pretty. Ginette must be her favorite. When she talks about Millie, her face relaxes into a grin. ''But I was referring to the hair clip. ''Is it really that important?I made it in a matter of minutes. ''Did you make it after we left? ''Yeah. I had the time and materials. ''But wasn''t Yashiro-san working on a prototype for a new menu? ...... Ugh. No, you see. Well, what can I say? It''s not like I''m going to be alone with my sweet ......, is it? So, this is part of my project. ............ Don''t stare at me so hard. Hey, Jeannette. What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? You want a response? I don''t have much to say, do I? ............ I don''t care. ''I''ve asked him to take care of you. ............ I mean, thank you. ............'' I don''t know. ...... Don''t come at me, you bastard. ''......If he''s a good friend of yours, I thought it would be ...... better for us to get to know each other.'' ''Yes, sir. That''s right. I''m glad you did. Perhaps satisfied with my reply, Jeannette smiled. You look so satisfied. After that, I opened the door to the dining room for Ginette, who had her hands full. When Millie was holding it, it looked like a lot, but when Ginette is holding it, it looks like the right amount. How small is it, Millie? ''Here, look at this, Yashiro-san. Jeannette put the flowers in a vase and brought it in front of me. ''They''re very nice. It''s just as I expected. She smiles, looking very happy. Ohhhh, ............, what is this? I''m embarrassed. Oh, I see. This is it. Is this the true purpose of a man sending a bouquet of flowers to a woman? I''m sure you''ve been thinking about it for a while. I thought they were just rude narcissistic bastards, but ...... they were actually writhing on the inside too. So that''s it. So that''s how it is. If so,............, I''d be happy to send you a bouquet of flowers or something,....... What a... I''m sure it''s because of Yashiro. Thank you very much. Let''s send it! Let''s give it to him, guys! The time when we should be giving gifts is right around the corner, isn''t it? Feel it, the times! It''s time to actively send flowers! Then you should do some research. How often do the men of this world send flowers? What kind of flowers are appreciated? On the other hand, what kind of flowers should be avoided because you think, ''Oh dear, that''s a bad idea ......''? I don''t know anything about flowers!I want to know!I''m worried! So, I casually inquire. ''Well, is the flower arrangement guild ...... rather profitable? ''Yes,......, it seems that not many people are getting married these days, so it''s rather difficult,'' he said. ''Marriage? ''Yes, it seems that many men give a bouquet of flowers when they propose. ...... Are flowers really that heavy a thing? ''......Wouldn''t you give them more casually? ''Of course, there are those who do, but they don''t seem to have a chance. In the end, most people only give flowers for milestones such as marriage or retirement. Is that so? ...... I''ve heard Imelda say that she gets them all the time. The reason ............ the custom of giving flowers, hey ...... ''So it''s pretty hard for Millie. ''I guess so. But she loves flowers, so she says it''s not hard at all. ''It''s like your cooking?'' ''Yes, it is. I guess we''re a lot alike. More rewarding than money. However, if the sales increase, you must be happy. If you become popular, you will feel rewarded. If you do well, you can aim for a synergistic effect. ...... ''Ginette. Do you like flowers?'' ''Yes, I do. I love a flower called Soleil.'' ''Soleil?I''ve never heard of that flower.'' ''Yes, it is. It''s a flower you don''t see very often in the Forty-Two Wards. Soleil......, if this is a translation by ''forced translation magic'', it means ''sun''. I see, it''s the kind of name Ginette would like. It''s not impossible that the names happen to have the same sound. ''By the way, isn''t it in there? I ask, pointing to the vase Ginette is holding, but she shakes her head quickly. ''Not here, sir. Soleil is a more prominent flower with a warmer color.'' ''Oh, ......''. Soleil. Yeah. That''s good information. When I asked her if she liked flowers, I got to know her favorite flower in a casual way. Well, as far as Jeannette is concerned, women in this town would be happy to receive flowers. However, it might be difficult to give her a bouquet of flowers because of the heavy impression attached to them. If a strange misunderstanding arises, it may cause trouble. In order to block such misunderstandings, a moderate excuse is necessary. Excuses are good. They work well for both the giver and the receiver. I don''t mean anything by it. It''s just a feeling. It''s a lighthearted exchange. But maybe that person is ...... nervous. I''m sure you can make something like that happen. Get fired up, young people!And blow up!I''m not sure what to say. ......?No, no, no! I''m not on that side anymore, I''m in the position to recommend flowers. If there is a group for sending flowers, I''m going to run for president. In other words, we should make it a custom to exchange flowers without any hesitation. It is enough to express your gratitude. Send a bouquet of flowers to someone you love. Like, say, on their birthday. Next time I see Millie, we''ll talk about it. And let her tell you what kind of flower ...... Soleil is for now. Motifs. I think I''ve got it. After that, as usual, Trubek''s carpenters and other people who have been showing up since the festival came to eat dinner at the Sunlit Pavilion. I cleaned up quickly and took a bath, and the day was already over. ''Oh, that''s right. Ginette. ''Yes.'' I stopped Jeannette who was about to go back to her room and told her about tomorrow. ''I''m going out for a bit tomorrow morning. ''Where to, sir? ''Um, ...... to the 40th district for a bit. ''The sewage works are about to be completed, aren''t they? ''Oh, it looks like it.'' ''I see. Please leave the store to me. But please be careful on the way. ''Oh. Sorry.'' ''No, sir. I''m going to rest first then.'' ''Oh, good night.'' ''Good night, Yashiro-san.'' Apparently, he misunderstood me very well. I can''t say I''ll be inspecting the cake at this stage. Not until we know where the cake is. ''Oh, that''s right. I''ll have it made by tomorrow. Loretta has gone home and Magda is already back in her room. Ginette should be asleep by now. ...... I quietly slipped out of the dining room and came to the garden where the cart was parked. I thought I''d make a hair clip for Estella. However, I didn''t feel comfortable doing it in the cafeteria. I''m going to work outside. What? Isn''t it dark? Aren''t you scared? ............ Hmmm. The man who was afraid of the dark is gone now. There are a lot of glowing bricks in front of the sunlit pavilion! It''s so bright! How about it, you ghosts! If you can come out, you can come out! Huh-ha-ha-ha! --At that time. ''...... Master Yashiro''. Suddenly, a black figure appeared from behind me and ran his fingers up my neck. ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!It''s really coming out!It''s a lie, it''s a lie!I''m sorry!I got a little carried away!I just came on too strong because you''re so bright!I''m sorry, I''m sorry!Please leave!''Nam-nam-nam-nam! ''Please be quiet. I scream, and a soft, thin finger covers my mouth. Oh, ......, what a nice smell. ''It''s me. Master Yashiro.'' If you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... ............ It''s you. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Yashiro-sama!...... Are you okay?'' ''...... Oh ............ I''m just having a bit of a heartache ......'' ''You''re as lame as they say. ...... I''m sorry for your loss.'' ''You don''t know that, do you? Who''s the badass? ''Besides, since you snuck up from behind and tried to strangle me, you must have been a little bit, just a little bit, surprised. ''If it''s just a little bit like that, when you''re really startled, you''ll look like you''re about to fall off your neck. I''m jealous. It''s okay, as long as it''s just a little! ''But I didn''t choke you. ''Then what was that all about? When I asked Natalia with some annoyance, she looked at me with her usual calm expression and asked me this question. ''Didn''t you make some kind of promise to your daughter today? ''Hmm?Ah. We''re going to the Forty District together tomorrow.'' ''It''s still .......'' ''What is it? ''Since this afternoon, the young lady has turned into a disappointing girl who can''t be helped.'' This is what the resident maid said to me: ...... How excited were you, Estella? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m not sure what to do. Oh, ............ well, meeting up and going out to eat cake is a date in layman''s terms, isn''t it? ''So, I thought it would be inconvenient at this time of night, but I''ve just come to visit you just in case. ''Just in case?Was there something you wanted to confirm? ''Yes, sir. But I''ve already confirmed it. He smiled and took out a knife with a blade of about 10 centimeters from his pocket. The blade reflects the light of the moon. ''This knife should be sufficient for the thickness of your carotid artery. ''What the hell did you come here to check? ''Just in case, sir. If I don''t kill you with a single blow, you''ll run away, won''t you? ''What do you think you''re going to do, kill me? ''If you don''t have any bad thoughts, nothing will happen to you. ''Nothing''s going to happen! We''re just going to eat cake! This maid is a little too overprotective, don''t you think? ''At any rate, I''m glad we got to talk. Looking at you, I could clearly see that you are a selfish outburst of a young lady.'''' ''Are you running out of control? ...... Something scares me, tomorrow.'' ''When I pulled a mini-skirt out of the closet that was inevitably showing my underwear, I had a headache wondering what to do. ......'' ''...... Why do you have a mini-skirt that''s such a stupid length? ''The Lord''s taste is actually ......''. ''Oh, I knew it!I don''t even want to hear that information! The future of the forty-second district may be bleak. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information. ............ Are you okay with this ward? ''If you''re so worried, why don''t you come too? ''No, sir. The young lady was trying to leave me with an obvious lie. ''It''s obvious, isn''t it ......? Or rather, don''t lie to me. If you make an enemy of Natalia, she''ll turn you into a frog. ''So I''m going to be careful and just follow her secretly. ''You''re not going to do that, are you ......? I''m still worried about the future of this district. ...... After seeing Natalia off, I made up Estella''s hair clip, keeping the noise to myself. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. ...... I''m pretty good at this. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. 83-Episode 72 Cake...? Estella''s here. I mean... There''s a prowler. Morning. I finished my donation to the church, made some preparations, and headed for the central square. And I arrived at the square a little earlier than the meeting time. No, to be precise, I hadn''t arrived yet. At the entrance to the central square, I stopped. There is a suspicious person. There is a suspicious woman hiding behind the large bags of street vendors who are still preparing to open their stores and looking at me. ...... What the hell is she doing? I''m not sure what to make of it. You''re in my way, so get out of my way. But since he''s hiding, he must have something he wants to tell us. How can you say, ''You''re being exposed'' without reading the atmosphere? Above all, today we are eating cake on Estella''s account,......, and I don''t want to upset her. If that''s the case, I guess it''s best to take advantage of it. It''s a good idea to take advantage of it. With a casual remark, I stepped into the square. The distance from the open air where Estella is hiding is 10 meters. Well, she must have heard me. Oh, she looks so happy. ''Good, good. She''s probably thinking, ''Okay, okay. Pretending not to notice, I stand in the middle of the central square, right where Bekko had set up the wax statue of me, the hero statue. ............ I feel like ''you''re here''. Just as I was thinking this, the morning bell rang out loudly. It was eight o''clock. Time for the streets to open and the city to start moving. Farmers start working at the wake-up bell, though. Ginette wakes up around that time every morning to prepare the food. There was a time when I tried to help him, but I was too lazy to do anything more than slow him down, and in the end he left the morning preparation to me. Magda is also weak in the morning. She might be weaker than me. ''Yashiro~! ...... Estella went around the square from where she was earlier, left, and came back as if she had just arrived. I was watching the whole thing. But I decided to avoid upsetting Estella today. This is entertainment. I''m going to play right into Estella''s hands. ''Hey, Estella. ''Sorry. Did you wait for me?'' ''No, I just got here myself.'' ''......! I feel like I''m doing a little gut punch. ...... What, do these kinds of standard things exist in other worlds too?I guess people think the same way after all. ''Hey, hey. What do you think ......?'' Then Estella pinched the hem of her skirt and showed it to me. This may be the first time you see a skirt that isn''t a dress. ''It looks good on you. You look lovely. ''Oh my!...... Hold on a second! Oh, dear.And then, half-turning, Estella rummaged through the bag on her shoulder. I''m not sure what it is, but I''m sure it''s something. ...... It''s a thick document. ''...... Funny. I don''t see ''cute'' as a response in there. ...... ''When his response was, "Well, that''s okay, isn''t it? It''s important to make it clear that you''re shocked when he says it doesn''t suit you at all. This will make him feel guilty and he will treat you nicely during the date. ............ What if you get a compliment?Where is it?Where''s ............'' ''Hey ......'' ''Hiya! When I called out to her, Estella hid a thick document behind her back and hurriedly turned to face me. I caught a glimpse of the cover of the document that Estella had hidden behind her back. It said, "The Complete First Date Manual - Now you too can be a popular woman. It said, "This is the perfect manual for your first date. ...... You shouldn''t rely on such things, as is the case in any world. ''Shouldn''t we go now? ''Yeah, I guess so!Let''s get going and get this over with!It''s not like this is a date! No, you''re here as if it''s a date. ''No, since it''s a special occasion, why don''t we just have a date?'' ''Yashiro''s so dirty! ''Why? You''re being too self-conscious. It''s normal to have a date. You should be more casual about it. We''re just going to eat cake. If you''re going on a date, you should''ve at least brought me flowers.It''s my first date. You can''t be like that at the height of the bubble. I don''t want to be on a date where you''re sitting in a lounge on the top floor of a hotel, looking at the night view and saying, ''This night view is all yours. Besides, if you give her a bouquet of flowers before the date, she''ll just become a burden. ''I don''t have a bouquet, but I''ll give you this .......'' ''Ah!What''s this? Instead of a bouquet, I handed Estella a shiitake mushroom hair clip that I finished last night. ''Sorry I''m naked, but... Here''s a present for you. ''No!It''s fine!It''s totally fine!I''m so happy!Thank you!'' He''s so happy. It''s a shiitake. I tried to make it as cute as I could, but it''s a shiitake, right?Is it really that much to be happy about? ''The one and only ...... hair clip that Yashiro made for me ..................''. He held it in both hands and held it above his head, looking at it carefully. ''...... Are you going to offer it to the gods? ''...... It''s so cute.'' I was expecting more of a smirk, but Estella was very calm and quiet with a smile on her face. When I was thinking that this was somewhat out of character, Estella suddenly turned to me. ''Hey, can you put it on for me? She said, offering me a shiitake mushroom. If you want to put it on, you can do it yourself because it''s a ...... patching fastener. I take the shiitake as he asks, look at the balance of the whole, and put the shiitake in the right place. The clasp sounded, and the mushroom was attached to Estella''s head. A cute hair clip with a small shiitake mushroom nestled in a large shiitake mushroom. When she touched it with her finger and confirmed that it was properly attached, Estella broke into a happy smile and said ''Thank you, Yashiro. I''ll take good care of it. -- I''m not sure if this guy ...... was this cute? I''m not sure if it''s the shiitake mushroom power? It''s not only good for the body, but also has such effects! I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results,......, ............. You can''t see straight, can you? You can''t look at it directly?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I don''t get it. I don''t want to admit it. I don''t want to admit it.It''s not a date! ''What?You just said it was a date! ''Shut up!It''s a preliminary inspection!Work, work, work! ''It''s a date!I don''t care what anyone says, it''s a date!It''s my decision.You can''t change it now! Oh, shut up! Young men and women don''t date without permission! What''s a date? What''s a date? We''re just going on a field trip and eating cake together! This is a field trip! It''s a field trip. ............ What if you get nervous and can''t taste the cake? The store was located in a small, stylish alleyway with a relaxed atmosphere, off the main street in the 40th district. The store sold tea and cakes, and was relatively empty at this time of the morning. ...... Don''t they have coffee here too? I wonder if they have coffee. I was shown to my seat. The waitress gently pulls Estella''s chair and escorts her to her seat. No, not for me. ....... ''Yashiro. Would you like some cake and tea?'' ''What kind of cake do you have?'' ''Types?'' ''No, you see. There are several to choose from.'' ''A cake is a cake. There are no different kinds.'' Really? ...... Only one kind? There are many kinds of cakes, and it''s fun to worry about which one you want to eat! But ...... only one kind? It''s a bit nerve-wracking. ''Well, I''ll have the cake set. ''We don''t have a set. ''You should have a set!I usually drink something when I eat cake! ''Don''t tell me! What a lousy service! You should take a lesson from the sunken pavilion. ''Then I''ll have the same as you. ''What, we''re splitting it? ''No, ask for one each.'' ''It''s ......, isn''t it? Estella gets up and goes to tell the waiter her order. ...... Why would a customer go and tell him? You come here, waitress! ''I''m telling you. ......What''s wrong with you?'' ''I thought it was third-rate.'' ''What?They''ll kick you out if they hear you. It''s a very popular restaurant and you can''t get in after lunch. If that''s how you''re gaining an advantage over the customers, it''s the worst. It''s not just bad, it''s heinous. If you''re dissatisfied with the cake at all, you''ll say, ''This isn''t a real cake,'' and go on a gourmet manga-style tirade against them, you bastard. ''Don''t tell me you''re going to pick up the finished product, too? I''m sure they''ll bring it to you. As Estella said, the shopkeeper will bring the cake and tea to you. ...... You''re a man. That''s a negative. You''re right. I''m not sure what to do. I guess I can''t help it then. ''............''. The sound of dishes clinking echoes. ............ Say something! ''Thank you for waiting''! ''Here''s your cake'', ''Here''s your tea''! You can''t even say ''please take your time'' to the staff here! ''...... If it were a sunlit pavilion, I would have fired them. ............'' ''I''m a clerk at a high-class restaurant in the 40th district. ......'' What the hell? f*ck you. As soon as you sit on your laurels, your reputation will be ruined. So, I look down at the cake and tea that were offered to me silently and without any explanation. ..................What? ''...... What''s this? ''This is the cake. ......What?No, you''re kidding, right? It''s ............ black. And ............ there''s nothing on it. There is no fruit, no cream, no nothing on the black sponge cake lying on the plate. The presentation was also a failure. ''Come on, try it. It''s delicious.'' ''Oh, oh. ......'' Estella smilingly offers me a piece of cake (as she calls it). That''s right. She''s on a first date now. We''re going to go out and eat cake at a fancy restaurant. It would be a special act worth looking forward to the day before. I don''t want to ruin ...... that. But ............ I cut a small piece of crispy sponge with my fork and put it in my mouth. .................. bread, this. Brown sugar bread. I remember eating it in school lunches, it has a nostalgic taste. But it''s not a cake. What do you think?It''s good, right? Yeah. Well, it''s not ...... bad, I guess. It''s just ...... bread. I want you to remember. When I was very, very young, my grandmother told me she would give me jelly, and I was overjoyed, but when the jelly that came out was a hardened agar agar wrapped like a candy ball, I had that ''not this'' feeling. The feeling of ''not good enough'' when a pound cake came out after you were happy to be told to eat cake. It''s not bad, it''s good, but it''s not what I was looking for, and it makes me want to scream. ''Yashiro...... maybe it''s not to your taste?'' Estella looks a little sad. ''I was looking forward to it, but if the other person looks bored, I can''t help but look like that. ............ I''m sorry. It''s good. It''s got brown sugar kneaded into it, right?'' ''Yes, it is. And the fluffy dough is popular with young women. Our bread is too hard. But since Regina is making the baking powder, District 42 can bake it even fluffier. ''How come this isn''t included in ''bread''? Cake sponge is made from wheat and baked in an oven. Then, in this city, it is considered ''bread'' and should not be made without permission from the church. ''The previous queen was a big cake lover. She could only bake cakes if she registered in advance and had a permit. ''Then, what if I bake bread and call it cake? ''Judgment of the Spirits''. You can find a lot more information on this at ....... I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure. That permission is the key, isn''t it? ''That permission comes not from the lord, but from the church, right? ''You understand very well. ''If the church, which makes a certain amount of profit by monopolizing the staple food, bread, allows the distribution of cakes that may threaten the value of bread, it is natural to think that they are getting a reasonable compensation. ''There''s a reasonable tax on the amount of flour used. ''So the more you sell, the more tax you have to pay. ''That''s true. But it''s not that exorbitant. ''For example, if I sell cakes at the Sunlit Pavilion, the flour used for pasta doesn''t count, does it? ''Of course, you''ll be taxed according to the amount of flour used in the cake. ''Are you going to weigh it? ''No, we don''t weigh it. You have to declare it. But false declarations will be immediately punished by the Judgment of the Spirits. ''...... Aren''t you relying on the Judgment of the Spirits too much? In the event you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. For example, let''s say I lied to Estella and said, ''I forgot my wallet today, so buy me dinner. After that, ''You were looking at another woman, weren''t you? No, I wasn''t! Judgment of the Spirits! Let''s say the story goes like this: ....... In this case, Estella is invoking the "Judgment of the Spirits" in response to my statement that I didn''t look at the other woman, so if I didn''t actually look at the other woman, I wouldn''t become a frog. Even if I had lied about forgetting my wallet before that, I would not become a frog unless someone pointed that out to me. Judgment of the Spirits has more holes than you might think. That''s what I''ve learned from living in this town for more than half a year. To get back to the point, it is possible to accurately collect taxes on the amount of wheat used by invoking the "Judgment of the Spirits" every morning by a church member to check for falsehoods. It is said that those who handle the cakes are subjected to the ''judgment of the spirits'' every month by the people of the church. I''m sure they''re trying to keep a tight rein on it, so... ''What should I do if I want to make a prototype? ''If you apply to the Church, you''ll only be allowed to prototype in front of the Warden. The Warden: ............ In my mind, I pictured a beautiful elf with a happy face drooling. ''Are you going to make a cake, Yashiro? ''If I can, yes. ''A cake made by Yashiro? ...... I wonder what it will taste like.'' ''At least it''s better than this one here. ''You came out big. A big one. It''s not even a cake. As a palate cleanser, I sipped my tea and blew out ....... ''Hey!What are you doing, you filthy thing? ''It''s ............ too ............! What is this? I''m not sure. How much hot water did you soak the tea leaves in? It''s bitter, it''s astringent, it''s tasteless! Oh, I''m so frustrated! ''Estella ......, is the tea here good? ''Huh?...... Hmm, to tell you the truth, I''m not really a fan of it. I like Natalia''s tea better.'' Okay! I''m glad this isn''t the standard for this city! ''...... Estella, bad.'' ''What, what? ''I knew this wasn''t a date.'' ''Eh ............''. This ............ kind of half-baked stuff is not appropriate for Estella''s first date. ''I''ll ask her out again next time!And when I do, I''ll bring a bouquet of flowers and treat you to a much better cake and tea!So, let''s just pretend this isn''t a date! ...... Will I be angry? ...... Will I be disappointed? ............ Would you cry? I said what I wanted to say and bowed my head. I was afraid to look up. I''m not sure what kind of face Estella will be looking at me with when I look up. .................. It''s time... ... ''............ eh''. Slowly, I raised my head and my eyes met Estella''s. ...... No, no, no, no? It''s a good idea to take a look at the website to see if there is anything you need to know. ''............ Ho, really? ''What?'' ''...... bouquet......'' ''Ah, ah.'' ''............ Ah! ''No, no!I''m not proposing to you or anything!'' ''--!I know, I know, but it''s not like that! ''Do you really understand? ''I know, I know!You know what?You don''t want to admit that the cake here isn''t good, and you want to start over, don''t you? ''Yeah, that''s right!The cake in this store can''t even be called a cake!It''s out of the question!I took pity on you for being happy with this kind of thing, so I wanted to give you a real cake, and that''s why I asked for a second date! ''I know, I know!I didn''t think it tasted that good either! ''What do you think?I didn''t think it tasted that good either! ''No, I didn''t!I just took a bite and felt a little sick to my stomach!I''m of noble birth. ''You''re a regular at the Sunlit Pavilion, but you''re born noble, ......'' ''The Sunlit Pavilion is a first-class restaurant, right? ''I agree with you there! We stood up and shook hands tightly. Then we realized that we were surrounded by scary-looking waiters. ............ Ah-la-la. '''''''''' Get out of here!Don''t come back! '''''''''' We were kicked out of the cake shop and left the 40th district as if we were running away. On the way back, we heard about the restrictions on selling the cakes, but it seems that it is possible to sell them at the sunny pavilion. In fact, it would be convenient to have someone like Ginette as the manager to sell the cakes. He wouldn''t lie, and it would be good for the church officials. The problem is the price. After taxes, the price will inevitably be higher. And the biggest problem is the ............ brown sugar. In this city, brown sugar is commonly used, and white sugar is a super luxury item that only the upper class can afford. If I can''t get it, I can''t make the cake I want. Price and taste. This is a very difficult balance. It was around dusk when I returned to the sunlit pavilion. If we have cakes, we can make up for the time when customers will be away. We need cake. ''Yashiro-san. You''ve got a difficult look on your face. ''Hmm?Nothing. It''s nothing.'' Jeannette asks worriedly, but we can''t talk about it just yet. Not until we have a better idea of what we can do with the cake, not until we have ...... the sugar. In the evening, the business of the sunny pavilion is closed. Since I couldn''t help today, I took on the responsibility of locking up the store. I went around checking the windows and doors one by one. Just as I was about to close the front door, I saw a black figure standing in the yard. ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ''It''s me.'' It was Natalia again. Two days in a row. ''Don''t scare me every time! ''I''m not trying to scare you. I need to talk to you.'' Natalia ignored me and told me what she wanted to talk to me about. ...... What a woman. ''I have a question for you. ''What is it?'' ''Your daughter had a shiitake mushroom on her head that she said was given to her by you. ............ Don''t you have any sense? ''Tell that to your daughter, that''s! I didn''t choose the shiitake! After telling her who was crazy, she asked Natalia to leave. At any rate, from what Natalia told me, Estella didn''t seem too depressed. ...... I was relieved. You have to make sure you redo the date. ............ Although it will be a long time later. 84-Episode 73 Food of the Nobles Early morning. At a time when even Nephrite was probably still asleep, I slipped out of bed and went down to the kitchen. There was someone I had to see. ''Hey, Yashiro-san. Good morning. You''re early today. In the kitchen was Ginette, who was up early as usual. I wondered if she was getting a good night''s sleep. And in front of Ginette, there is a bird. ''Wow, I thought Yashiro was definitely a sleepyhead. I''ve changed my mind. It''s a nepheline with a Showa-era flavor. ...... You can''t beat a chicken, can you, waking up early. I''m sure you''ll agree. Today''s eggs are this big. ''Isn''t it great? Ginette and Nepheli show me a basket full of freshly harvested eggs. The eggs and the meat from the slaughtered chickens are delivered to the Sunken Pavilion through the Garbage Collection Guild, not through the Peddler''s Guild. This is based on the first contract, and we are given priority in receiving the necessary amount of eggs. We have discussed this with Assunto, and he has been flexible. Momat and Delia also send food to the garbage collection guild. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to donate. Naturally, we also buy food from Assunto. In order not to make a profit or loss for each other, we have discussed many times and found a compromise, and settled on the present form. However, in case of crop failure due to climatic changes or disasters, we will take flexible measures. And the guy I want to meet is this Assunto. ''Has Assunto arrived yet? ''No, not yet. I thought he''d be here by now. ......'' ''I''m sorry, sir. ''Oh, speak of the devil, sir. Ginette smiled and walked out into the courtyard. She had been exchanging food in the front yard, but since the pantry was in the courtyard, she had built a kitchen door so that she could do so in the courtyard. ...... Umaro. So, basically, we communicate with vendors in the courtyard and kitchen. ''Oh, that''s unusual. Nice to meet you, Mr. Yashiro.'' A pig face looks at me with a friendly smile. This guy has gotten a lot rounder since the incident. It''s not just his ...... body, but his personality as well. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. I''ve learned that if I imitate Mr. Yashiro, my business will go well,'' he said. ...... I''m not giving advice to others. ''Assunto, do you have any sugar? ''Yes, we do. There''s some fine brown sugar in there. ......'' ''Oh, no. It''s fine white sugar. Or granulated sugar.'' ''............ Jo,u............ white sugar... ...'' The blood drained from Assunto''s face. ''............ Could it be that I''m being wound up?If I have to pay off Yashiro-san for a luxury item like fine white sugar, ............ I''ll go bankrupt.'' ''You''re a bad listener, you are! Who said anything about taking money? ''If you have it, I want you to sell it. But first, I want to ask you about the market. ''The market? Is that so? The market? He must have been very relieved. He sounded a little like a broken tape recorder. ''If it''s white sugar, it''s 80Rb for 10 grams. ''You''ve got to be kidding me! ''That''s still the maximum discounted price! Assunto''s fright is real. I''m sure there''s no lie in his words. What the hell is that? ...... That''s not the price of seasoning. If you use about 100 grams to make a cake,...... a whole cake will cost 800Rb, and if you add cream, fruit, taxes and profits,...... If you add in the taxes and profits, you''re looking at roughly 3000Rb. ...... It''s not like you''re eating dinner on a luxury cruiser. ...... ''It''s too expensive ......'' ''It is said to be the food of the aristocracy. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Assunto replied. ''Food of the aristocracy, yes. ...... ''Well, Mr. Yashiro. If you are looking for sweetness, don''t you have enough brown sugar and honey? ''Well, there''s no shortage of them. ......'' I can''t make the cake I want, then. ...... I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. I''ve heard that the tax is determined by the amount of wheat used, so I''m planning to make rare cheese cake or Mont Blanc my mainstay at some point. We will also use rice flour to reduce the amount of wheat used. But first I have to make a strawberry shortcake! Because strawberry shortcake is the best cake of all cakes! First, you have to be happy with the way it looks. And the word "cake" must make you happy. To achieve this, strawberry shortcake is a must. And for that, I need the white sugar. ''In this case, I''m going to ...... barge into a sugar cane farmer''s house and ...... show my skills as a garbage collector''s guild. ''Oh, I don''t think that''s possible. Assunto stops me before I can take action. ''That''s nobleman''s food. It is grown in the farmland controlled by the nobility and distributed by the nobility through the peddlers guild. There''s no room for others to interfere. ''Is that so?'' ''Yes. Even if they manage to get their hands on some sugar cane, only the sugar makers can refine it. And they can''t make a living without getting wholesale sugar cane from the nobles. ...... We have no choice but to share the sugar with the nobles as they please. They monopolize the sweet juice and sip it. ...... Only sugar. ''I''ve never eaten sugar before, either. Neffery bent his beak into a crook. ............ You''re handy, dude. ''Do you have a ginette?I''ve had them. ''A few times when my grandfather was around. ...... Not recently at all.'' ''That''s right. It''s too expensive. ......'' ''If that''s the case, it''s probably unavoidable. ...... But... If that''s the case, then why is brown sugar in circulation? ''It''s because it''s refined in large quantities in the process of training sugar workers. Assunto replies to Ginette''s question. In the process of training craftsmen to refine fine white sugar, they must be refining large quantities of brown sugar. Brown sugar is not cheap, but it is distributed stably. The price is not unreasonable. It is like ''top-notch brown sugar made by top-notch people, but top-notch white sugar made by top-notch people. Second-rate products are not distributed at all. It seems to be made by sugar craftsmen who are more than apprentices and less than masters. ''Well, the sugar workers have their hands full trying to make a living, so it''s hard to say if they''ll cooperate. According to Assunto, the sugar workers are divided into a number of groups, each with its own factory and its own way of refining sugar. Each factory is allowed to decide its own selling price, and depending on the amount of sugar it produces, it sells the sugar to the peddlers'' guild at a profitable price. The factories are also allowed to sell their products in stores. So, what''s the problem? ...... ''The sugar cane is not coming in. The aristocracy gives only a very small amount of sugar cane to the factories in order to raise the price. This limits the amount of sugar in circulation and raises the price. As the price rises, the price of sugar cane also rises, and the aristocracy can earn a profit. It also makes it possible for the nobility to monopolize sugar, keeping it out of the hands of the common people. The reason it is called the food of the aristocracy is that the aristocracy manipulates the price and makes it food for the aristocracy to enjoy. ''If some factory lowers the price for the common people, ...... that factory will not be able to receive sugar cane from the next factory. The aristocrats want to monopolize sugar even to such an extent. Not only in terms of profit, but also in terms of consumption. ''Why do you have to do that ......? ''Maybe they think the sugar cane will run out. It takes a lot of farmland to grow sugar cane. Therefore, if the land is devastated by any kind of impact, it will be difficult to revive the next sugarcane field .......'' ''Are they permanently reluctant to distribute the crop because of a possible crop failure? ''Yes, sir. Sugar is a seductive condiment that captivates people. Idiots. There are idiots. There are idiots running around. ''Go to the peddlers'' guild and confiscate the sugar cane. ''Oh, don''t you know?The head of the peddler''s guild is a nobleman, remember? ''What''s that?The Peddler''s Guild doesn''t work for the common people, you declare? ''I''m not saying that the entire guild is like that. We, the lowly, put profits first. Oh, and trust is our number one priority. You''re lying. You''ve got the look of a cheater. ''But it''s unlikely that the peddlers'' guild will pressure the nobles. ''You don''t put pressure on the lords, do you? ''That''s true. How many nobles do you think are unable to become lords?If the lord loses the trust of the people and is expelled from the lord''s seat, the other nobles will have a chance. ''So the lord keeps getting pushed around by the other nobles? ''It''s the fate of those in power. So this city has a church, a royal family, a lord next in line, and the rest of the nobles are aiming for that position while gobbling up the blood tax of the common people. d*mn, all of them are bad. ''But, this district is very livable, isn''t it? There''s also the fact that the people in the city are all nice. ...... What''s the word? ......'' Neffery scratches his head, searching for words. I''m not sure if he''s having trouble coming up with words or if he''s just wandering back and forth to the right and left. ...... I hope you didn''t walk three steps and forget what you were thinking. ''The ability to focus on work is a unique feature of this ward. Many wards suffer from heavy taxation, or have conscription and other obligations imposed on their citizens. ''Yes, yes!That''s it, that''s it. We can only do our own work, so we can use our time effectively, and the taxes are very low in this district, aren''t they? ''Unbeatable, I''d say. Well, but ......''. Assunto looks at me meaningfully, and then breaks off. I know what you mean. District 42 is the bottom of the barrel. The other wards look at us differently just because of that. People from other wards say, "Of course it''s cheap. That''s not a place for people to live. Those who don''t think so are people from the 42nd district and some people from the 40th district. The only people who don''t think so are people from District Forty-two and some people from District Forty. ''So the lords here are doing quite well. ''I think so, too. I don''t really think about taxes much, but that itself is thanks to the hard work of the lord. The fact that you don''t care about it means you''re not suffering from it. It''s hard to recognize that being normal is a blessing in disguise. ...... Not long ago, these people were struggling to survive. They were not in a very normal state. That''s why you can see how grateful they are for the "normalcy" of today. I think that''s especially true for people like Nefari, who are very sensitive. ''The Lord of the Forty-second District is a unique person. He thinks of his people first and foremost, and tries to make his domain wealthy even at the cost of his own life. Ah, the lord of the forty districts is also quite a wonderful person. ...... However, he will not be able to compete with the lord of the forty-two districts. ''Is that a compliment or a mockery?Are you making fun of me? ''It''s a compliment that you''re stupid. In fact, it''s foolish. To save others from starvation with your own money.'' ''What?You know, .......'''' Ginette''s expression twisted at Assunto''s words. She opens her mouth in a slightly puzzled manner. ''Is it foolish to do something for others?I think it''s a wonderful idea. ......'' Ginette, a devout Alvistan, could not understand what Assunto was saying. But you know, that church you believe in is also profiting from its monopoly on staple foods. ''To take it to the extreme, if everyone is on the verge of starvation and there is only one loaf of bread, who do you think the lord should give that bread to? ''That would be ...... divided evenly among all of you, or .......'' ''That way, everyone''s lifespan will be extended a bit, and then they''ll all be wiped out.'' ''............'' I once said something similar to Yap Lock, a corn farmer: ...... ''First, the leader must survive. Otherwise, the forty-two districts will perish. If there is a lord, at least the Forty-two districts will survive. Even if we cannot save those who are starving now, we can take action to prevent those who will starve later. If you look at history in the long run, those who can take such actions are the right ones. It''s not a good idea to let your immediate emotions get the better of you and wipe out ....... So, the lord of the forty-two districts is stupid and foolish as a lord. ''It''s .............'' ''But as a human being, he''s the best. ''What? I''m going to say what Jeannette probably wanted to say, and what she probably wanted to hear from me. There are times when I want to think that way, not as a theory, but as a belief. ''A lord who tries to protect his people even at the cost of himself. It''s not a half-hearted effort. He may lose his life or be kicked out by other nobles. Even so, I think it''s cool for a lord to run around trying to make his people rich. ''Yes, yes!I think so too! ''That''s why Assunto is saying that. ''That''s why Assunto says ''stupid'' is a compliment.'' ''...... I see. So that''s what he meant. But that way of doing things seems to be protecting the people, but in fact it''s putting them in danger. If Estella''s family is kicked out of the position of lord, and a new lord comes to rule the 42nd district, and he suddenly says ''increase taxes tenfold'', the people of this district will all go bankrupt at once. We must not forget that there is such a danger. In order to prevent that from happening, it is necessary for the people to protect their lord. Well, I''m going to help you as much as I can. ''But I don''t want the lord to be overwhelmed, either. ''If the lord is going to be reckless, I''ll take action. It''s not my place to let the 42nd district fall into chaos. ''I''ll protect him. And then... GANGORO GUSHAN! --There was a loud noise in the cafeteria. ''What, what, what, what was that noise? Neffery stretches his neck and looks around. ...... Ah, the chickens we had in elementary school used to move like this. ............ This is not the time to be nostalgic. ''From the cafeteria, right? ''Oh. Let''s go check it out. We all looked at each other and headed for the cafeteria together. There was ...... ''...... There it is: ............'' There was Estella, tumbling over the tables around her. ''What are you doing, man? ''Aaah! Estella jumps over the toppled table and retreats to the corner of the dining room. Stop it, stop it!The table will fall over again! ''Yah!No, no, no, no, no!I''ve been trying to have breakfast with you guys for a while now,......, and I thought I''d help out with the donations,......, so I got my work done yesterday and came here first thing in the morning, It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I had no intention of eavesdropping, you know! You chewed a lot for someone who didn''t, you bastard. ''...... you, how long have you been listening? My cheeks heat up slightly. ''Eh ............ and ............ ''The lords here are the best human beings. From .......'' You heard me, ............! ''And that ............ ''He''s the one I''ve been ............ ...... and also .................."... ... aaaaah!I can''t say more than that! ''Ah!Estella-san! Holding her face, Estella runs out of the cafeteria at full speed. I guess that''s what it means to run like a rabbit. The reddish ears seemed to be trailing a red light, such was her speed. ''...... What the hell was that? ''............'' I couldn''t even say, ''I don''t know''. d*mn ...... Estella. ............ The timing was too bad. It''s not like she can say it because she''s not listening. ...... Don''t ask her that! I''m not sure what to do. ''Hey, Yashiro?Isn''t your face a little red? ''No, I''m not! ''No, but... Give me your forehead. Then Nephrite puts his forehead on mine. The bird''s face is so close!I''m a little scared! ''Ouch!I''m sorry, I''m so .................. embarrassed! Holding her face, Nephrite ran out of the cafeteria at full speed. This is what it means to run like a rabbit. It was such a speed that it seemed as if the red turban was trailing a tail of red light. ...... is rather unimportant. I don''t care. ''Well, well, well. I''m jealous of how lively your surroundings are, Yashiro-san. ''Shut up, Assunto. I''ll make you cry.'' ''Mmmm ...... scary scary. By the way, if you''re so inclined, would you like to go see a sugar cane farm?There''s a large farm in District 16. District 16 is as far away as the diagonal from District 42. Even if I went all the way to see it, it would be a waste of time if the aristocrats are not managing it well. ''I''d rather see the nearest sugar maker. ''If that''s the case, there''s a sugar factory in District 40. Would you like me to write a letter of introduction? ''Oh, yes, please. ''Then, ............ would you be willing to pay me when the sugar is cheaper? ''...... careless''. ''I''m a merchant. I got a letter of introduction, but he wanted to talk to the other side first, so I won''t visit the sugar factory until tomorrow. I want to see it. Isn''t there any way to make a breakthrough? ...... If there''s nothing else, let''s go to the sugar cane fields. ...... It might be hard to make a day trip to the 16th district. Without much progress, the day ended without incident. And that night, ...... that guy came again. ''Good evening, it''s me. ''Natalia ......, isn''t it becoming something of a routine for you to come here in the middle of the night? ''I have something I really need to ask you. ''What is it this time? In the middle of the night, the head maid stands in the garden of the Sunlit Pavilion. I don''t know if she''s a workaholic or a bored person. ''Actually, the lady said, "Let''s tear down this house and build a sugar cane field for the sake of the people!Don''t worry!No matter what hardships we face, I''m sure there''s someone somewhere who can protect us!Aha! He began to talk about incomprehensible nonsense such as ......''. ''Hey there. You''re losing respect for me.'' I don''t care if you''re a disappointment or a flat-chested girl, you''re a lady. Don''t forget that. ''So, before I could even think about what the cause might be, your face popped into my head, and I came to ask for an explanation. ''It''s too much trouble to explain, so why don''t you tie Estella up and lock her up in a warehouse for a few days. I''m sure she''ll grow out of it. ...... or rather, Estella. You''ve been listening to me for a while now. It''s ...... getting a little difficult to see each other. Let''s go by ourselves for a while. I''ll do that. I thought. 85-Episode 74 Raccoon at the Sugar Factory We''re at a sugar factory in the 40th district. But ...... ''It''s a very big factory. I''m a little surprised to see Jeannette standing next to me. So far, Ginette has been cooking at the sunny pavilion every day. Rain or shine, morning or night, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Although she took a break during the ...... renovation. So, Jeannette could not go out anywhere. And now she''s coming with me to the 40th district. ''It''s so exciting to be able to show you the inside of this place. Her big eyes sparkled like an elementary school student on a social studies field trip. Do not shout and do not run in the facility. And don''t touch anything in the facility. --I remember being told all of that. Factory tour. I went to see a factory that made candy. I remember getting a candy ball on the way home. ''Haaaa......, I''ve actually been so excited since last night, I haven''t been able to sleep at all.'' I know. I could hear you walking around even at the time when you would normally be asleep. But I''m sure you went to bed before I did, because I made sure it was quiet. ''I''m sorry. I''m afraid I''ve been a bit selfish. ''No, it''s fine once in a while. In fact, if you don''t change the system so that you can take a break from the cafeteria like this, the Sunken Pavilion won''t last long. If we leave it to Jeannette all the time, it will go bankrupt someday. All it takes is for Ginette to get sick, and the restaurant won''t be able to open. That''s why we need to start getting used to it little by little. So, we need to get used to it gradually, so that someone other than Ginette can run the store. And so that Jeannette can accept the situation. You seem to be worrying about the sunny side up all day. Well, that can''t be helped. ''...... Will you be all right, Magda and the others......'' Quickly. ''We''re fine. I''ve limited the dishes I''m going to make, and I''ve already prepared them. They''ll be fine for at least one day.'' ''Yes, of course. I trust you all. Magda was to be the leader today, supported by Loretta and Delia. I told Delia that I would treat her to a sweet treat later. The fruit honey bean is now ready. I was making ...... Anmitsu, and that''s what I ended up doing. ......Anko is unexpectedly difficult. It''s a bit like ...... losing out on the taste of the Imagawa-yaki you ate the other day. ...... You can''t serve something half-baked like that. Is it the azuki?I''m not sure if it''s the red beans or the chemistry with the red beans?The brown sugar didn''t taste as good as I expected. If you have access to white sugar, you can even make bean jam. ...... ''I hope you can find some white sugar .......'' ''Well, I''m not holding my breath. ''Well, I don''t expect that we will be able to get sugar any time soon after I visited the factory today. I just wanted to get a chance to do something. Just a small chance to break through the current stalemate. ''Hey. Are you the people Mr. Assunto was talking about? As I was looking up at the factory, a voice called out to me from behind. I turned around and saw a thin, light-skinned man standing there. His eyes were black. ...... A raccoon? It''s kind of a strange look. ...... Is it a feminine man in the beast race? The other thing that bothers me is that this brother has a long, thin plant stem in his mouth. In the old manga, the gang leader had a mysterious leaf in his mouth. ...... Is this like that? ''Oh, this?It''s sugar cane. It''s much sweeter when you sit on it like this. It gives the impression of being frivolous and flirtatious, like some kind of host. ...... I feel something fishy. What''s with this guy? You are Percy Laird? ''Hmm, yes.'' Laughing, Percy held out his hand to me. We shook hands lightly, and Percy raised his eyebrows for a moment. ''Are you a craftsman? ''No. I''m an employee of the cafeteria. ''Do you peel potatoes or something? ''I''m in charge of business strategy. ''Wow, you''ve got thick skin for a .......'' He''s looking at the details. He may have asked for a handshake to find out. Is ...... that too much to think about? ''Are you ...... Mr. Percy a raccoon human race?'' ''Hmm. That''s right. Also, can you please stop calling me Mr. Percy?I don''t know what''s wrong with my throat. It makes me go ''Yee! A man without clothes. Free in a way. Rude in a way. Either way, he seems to be a man who holds himself firmly and unwaveringly. ''Um... I''m Ginette, the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion.'' Ginette holds out her hand. ''Oh, no. I don''t want to shake your hand. My hands are really dirty right now. ''Hey! ''What? You don''t look like you''d mind getting your hands dirty, do you? ''I don''t want to!You''re as clean as if you were born and raised in a sterile room! ''Hahahaha, it doesn''t suit your face''. ...... This guy. He''s rude to a fault. ''Actually, I just picked up some radishes in the field. ''Do you have a vegetable garden? ''Yes, I do. I can''t make a decent living with just a sugar factory. What? ''Isn''t the sugar factory for the nobles? ''That''s only for a handful of factories at the top.'' He showed his white teeth and let out a bitter laugh. He waved his hand, ...... and sure enough, there was dirt on it. Both hands were covered with dirt. When I looked at my own hands, they were black with ...... dirt. ............ Good evening. There were three radishes on the colander. All of them were skinny, and not very good at all. With such thin radishes, "radish''s foot" would be a compliment. White and thin. However, the radish is covered with soil, so the white is only on the leaf side. ''Hey, bro. Did you have a visitor?...... ah'' A girl comes out of the factory. She looks very simple, with triangular ears on her head. Maybe it''s because of the simple clothes she''s wearing,......, but she looks like a country girl who went to the city and got cheated by a bad host and had her life ruined. So. She''s thin, flirtatious, and halfway good-looking. ...... She''s the type of girl who would be swindled by a guy like Percy, for example. ''Young lady. This man is dangerous. You should stay away from him.'' ''Um, ...... that''s my brother, ......?'' ''What the hell? Are you still mad at me for putting mud on your hands?'' No. I''m just trying to straighten out a naive girl so she doesn''t throw away her life paying tribute to a pimp. Excuse me. You two are brother and sister, aren''t you? ''Yeah. She''s my sister, even though she''s quite a bit older. She''s pretty cute, right? ...... ''Mabu''. ''Yes. I think she''s very ugly.'' Can you understand me? Mabu-itchi is a word meaning ''cute'' that was used by the Yankees in the 80s. ''Forced translation magic'', that''s playful magic. ''Molly. I want you to go home and wash these radishes.'' ''Yeah, but ......''. ''Just do it.'' Percy glanced at me. ''What''s ...... that?It was a wary look. ''Because you''re pretty. I just don''t want other guys to see you like this.'' ''You''re a sissy-con! ''Yeah, right?Is that bad?'' Not bad, but ............ ''Is it all radishes tonight?'' ''No way. I''ll eat one and save two for later.'' ''How did you do that? ''How? ...... It''s normal. You wash them and put them in a cool, dark place. ''Oh, you do that? ''What''s the matter with you?Don''t you know anything about that? I give Jeannette a look. Jeannette looked troubled for a moment, but I made her shake her head and swallow the words she was about to say. ''Come on, you don''t care about radishes, do you?Just look at the factory. I don''t have as much time as I''d like.'' ''That''s right. By the way, can I have one of those thin ones? I pointed to the thin cane that Percy kept sucking on. ''That''s impossible. You can''t give away sugar cane to outsiders. ''I see. Too bad. ''Well, just give up. Percy claps me on the shoulder with a muddy hand. Stop it. You''ll get your clothes dirty. ''Oh, Yashiro-san. My clothes are .......'' ''Oh, I''m sorry! Percy seemed surprised by Jeannette''s words, as if she hadn''t meant to offend him. He scratched his head and explained with a smile. ''Oh, Mr. Percy!You''ve ...... got mud in your hair! ''What?Oh, no!Oh, shit! ...... Is this guy stupid? ........................ is he trying to make us think... ......... No, it''s not. It''s because you''re doing something you''re not used to doing. ''Hey, bro, give me your head. ''No, thanks. I''ll do it myself.'' ''You can''t because your hands are covered in mud.'' ''Oh, ......, I see. I''m sorry.'' ''Hey, bro. You promised not to say anything about it.'' A poor tenement''s promise of father and son. ''Yashiro-san... I''ll remove the soil. Ginette walks up behind me and removes the dirt with a gentle hand. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Ginette. I''m sorry I''m in such a state. ......'' ''What?What''s wrong?What do you want me to say?'' I guess they won''t pick me up even if I''m reckless. Well, there''s no such thing as a historical drama in this world. ''It cost you a lot of money just to ask for sugar cane. I said jokingly, and Ginette let out a giggle. ''That''s true. It''s a good example of how not to be greedy. ''Indeed. ''You''re that interested in sugar cane, aren''t you? ''Oh.'' I smile at Percy, who has joined our conversation. ...... A little, provocative, smile. ''I''m just curious to see how sweet ...... a cane that hasn''t even grown enough is.'' ''What about ............?'' Percy''s expression clouded. A hint of hostility turns towards us. ''Sugar cane accumulates sugar in the stalks as it is exposed to sunlight. In other words, the bigger it grows, the sweeter it becomes. I was a little curious to see how sweet such a thin cane would be before it grew up. ...... Too bad.'' The smirk that had been on Percy''s face disappeared. It looks like you''ve hit a sore spot. Or did he just reaffirm that I''m not the only one? Just like you did with the first handshake. Do you want to reexamine your options? ''My brother ...... that guy ......'' ''Molly. You should go home.'' ''But ......''. ''It''s okay.'' ''My brother''s an idiot and I''m worried about him.'' ''You''re a little harsh, aren''t you? The expression on his brother and sister''s face was casual and ...... quickly returned to a stern expression. ''Just go home.'' ''...... Yeah. Don''t do anything rash.'' ''I know.'' Molly pulls away from Percy and walks away with the radish with the soil. She stroked her face once with a dirt-covered hand, and Percy tried to sound cheerful. ''Well, I''m embarrassed to show you. You''re early. You''ve already constructed an excuse. He''s used to spouting ...... lies. He''s just on the edge of being able to lie ...... without getting caught by the Judgment of the Spirits. You''re right, he''s not too naive. But it has a familiar taste to me. It''s a habit for me to suck on it. And it''s not sweet at all, you know? Percy tells me as he flicks the thin stem in his mouth with his finger. He must have decided that I was the one to talk him into it. ''We''ve been poor since we were kids. Even this was very sweet to me at the time. You know what it''s like, don''t you?You know what it''s like to be a man without money. I told you in advance that I was a resident of the 42nd district. That''s why I said ''you know what it''s like. So it''s not a lie. Please understand. I didn''t mean to offend you.'' ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......'' Percy apologizes, and Jeannette looks at me anxiously. I know. I don''t mean to make things worse. ''''No, I''m just really curious. I was wondering if there''s a special kind of sugar cane in the forties that''s sweet enough before it grows. But I guess it doesn''t work that way. ''Haha!There''s no such thing as dreamy sugar cane. ''I see. Too bad. We exchanged light smiles, and the atmosphere softened for a moment. After that, we were led to the sugar factory, but there was no one inside ............. The sugar production lines were lined up, but there were no employees there, and it was quiet. ''I''m sorry. I really wanted to show you how we work, but the cane hasn''t come in yet. The factory is closed today. In a large workshop the size of a gymnasium, there was a long, narrow desk, a large kamado, a huge pot, and a lot of other equipment that I couldn''t understand. At the moment, all of them are in a standby state. ''How long has the sugar cane not been coming in? ''It''s been about three months now. ...... Something must have upset the nobleman.'' Percy said with a fed up look. Three months? ............ The temperature in the room seems high for that. You can feel the faint warmth of the room, as if it had just recently ...... been used to build a large fire here until yesterday. And the tools are too clean. The factory is closed, but they clean it frequently?Just the siblings in this huge factory?Or is the factory shut down, but the employees come to work to clean? That''s impossible. One conclusion. The factory was operating. Yesterday ...... at least three days hadn''t passed since it was shut down. That''s what Percy''s trying to hide. ''Even with such a big factory, what they do is simple. Percy explains as we walk through the factory. ''You grind the cane and collect the juice, heat it to make crystals, remove impurities, heat it again, filter it, crystallize it, and ...... repeat that process several times, and that''s what you get sugar. The manufacturing process is surprisingly simple. However, it requires a lot of skill and cannot be imitated by amateurs. It can only be done with such facilities. Therefore, there is no problem in teaching it to others. There is no way to steal the technology. ''Well, that''s about it, but do you have any questions? ''I can''t ask any more questions if I can''t see the work. ''That''s right. Bad timing. ''That''s true. I''ll come back later. Ginette. ''Yes, sir. ''Shall we? ''Yes, sir. Deciding that there was no point in staying here, I decided to take Jeannette with me and leave the factory. ''I''m sorry I couldn''t show you something better. ''No, it was a good show. Percy looked somewhat relieved. We shook hands one last time and left the sugar factory. After leaving the factory, ...... we quickly hid ourselves. ''That ...... Mr. Yashiro,'' he said. ''Too many strange things have happened, haven''t they? ''Yes, sir.'' Hide in the shadows of the alley, where you can see the sugar factory. There''s something secret about that factory. And Percy was trying so hard to hide it. There were just too many lies. ''First, the radishes.'' ''Yes. If you''re going to preserve radishes, they''ll last longer if you keep the soil intact. Besides, the leaves absorb water from the radish, so it is common sense to cut them off before storing them. ''Besides, you said to store them in a bed. Long, thin root vegetables such as radishes and carrots should be stored upright. Could it be that I just didn''t have the knowledge? How could two poor, needy siblings not know how to preserve their food? ''And, crucially, their hands are covered in mud. Percy''s hands were stained with dirt. ''But isn''t that because you''ve been pulling out radishes?'' ''Jeannette. What do you do when you pull out radishes?'' ''How ...... do you say, ......?'' Ginette also grows radishes in her vegetable garden. Recalling the time when she pulled out the radish, she answered my question with a gesture. ''Hold the root of the radish by the base of the leaf, rotate it to the left, and pull it out at once, along with the soil. Radishes grow their roots while ''rotating'' as if following the sun. In other words, like a drill or a screw, it is twisting clockwise as it sticks into the soil. ...... Of course, they are not as twisted as they appear to the naked eye. Therefore, if you hold the base of the leaf and rotate the radish in a counterclockwise direction, as if you were pressing down on the soil, it will easily come loose. ''With a spoon. ''That''s right. It''s relatively easy to pull out by doing so. ''So, at what point does the hand that was holding the base of the leaf get dirty?'' ''Oh, ......! Percy''s hands were ''too dirty'' with soil. ''Didn''t you brush the dirt from the radish? ''You did, but you didn''t brush the dirt off the radish. You didn''t brush it off.'' ''Yes, I did. ...... Then I dug up the dirt with my hands. ......'' ''A guy who''s been poor since he was a kid and has a vegetable garden doesn''t know how to pull out a radish? ''...... That''s weird.'' ''Besides, he wasn''t used to getting mud on his hands. The reason he was randomly touching my head and soiling my clothes was because he didn''t normally do things that would get mud on his hands. The reason why he was touching my head and soiling my clothes was because he didn''t usually do anything that would get mud on his hands. He didn''t have it in his head what not to do or what not to do when he got mud on his hands. ''That alone is enough evidence for me to believe that he did it on purpose to get mud on his hands. ''I see. ......'' In other words, Percy has never worked in the fields before. He probably leaves it to his sister. And yet, he acted as if he had pulled it out himself. It was probably a manipulation to make us think that there was no money in this sugar factory. Why did they do it? ...... There is only one answer. There is only one answer. They have a way to make a profit that they don''t want anyone to know about. The inside of the factory looked like something that had been in operation and had to be shut down suddenly. These guys are making sugar. But for some reason, they don''t want us to know about it. If we can figure it out, maybe we can get our hands on some sugar. We might be able to find the trigger we thought we''d never find. That''s what I was thinking as I looked at the sugar factory. 86-Seventy-fiveth episode. After we left the sugar factory, I watched Percy for a while, but I didn''t see any suspicious behavior. I thought he might have gathered the workers and started working after we left,......, but it seems he really took the day off yesterday. d*mn it, I should have just roamed around the forty districts with Jeannette. ''Mr. Manager. How was the Forty-second Ward? ''Yes, sir. It was a lot of fun. Well, it''s okay that Ginette seems to be satisfied. ...... I don''t know, the time with Estella, yesterday, ...... it seems that when I concentrate on one thing, I tend to neglect the people around me. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the most out of it. ...... If you don''t break that habit, you''re going to get stabbed someday. You can practice with ...... Loretta. No, he''s not afraid to do a little something bad. ...... ''......Yashiro''. ''Hmm?What''s up, Magda? The day after the factory tour, it was a sunny afternoon in the sunny pavilion. In the cafeteria, lined with familiar faces, I was confronting myself, when Magda came up to me. His expressionless face stares at me. ''...... Magda''s turn next.'' ''......What?'' ''......Estella, the manager, and then ......Magda is next.'' ''............You want me to take you to the Fortieth Ward?'' ''......Yes.'' It''s not that I''m going there for fun. ...... ''Oh, then I want to go too!Big brother, please take me too! ''You know, ......'' ''...... Loretta''. I was about to give Loretta a hard time for being so eager to play, but before I could, Magda spoke to Loretta. ''...... Loretta is next, next.'' ''Who''s next?Who am I next to? He didn''t seem to have any particular idea of what he was doing. Maybe Magda has some pure rules, but ...... why is this guy so confident? ''Well, well, well, gentlemen!It''s a beautiful day today. ''Oh, Estella-san. It was past lunchtime, and it was time for tea, when Estella came into the sunshine pavilion. A shiitake mushroom hair clip was attached to her head. ''Oh, that''s a cute hair clip. You''ll be able to get a lot more information on the web. ...... Estella, did you come here to show off? I''m not sure.What are you talking about?I''m not sure.I''m sure you''ll be able to understand. What''s with all the theatricality? Your mouth is itching to talk. If you want to brag, why don''t you? ''What''s the matter, sir? With a twinkle in her big eyes, Jeannette shows interest. ...... You''re a good spectator, you know. Very good. It''s a great way to tickle someone''s ego. And you do it without a hint of malice or shallowness in your opponent''s eyes. ''No, well, it''s a little. I got it through a certain route, or rather, .......'' ''I made it for you.'' ''Oh, Yashiro!Why are you revealing it? It''s not like you''re hiding anything. ...... On the contrary, hiding it makes you look guilty. I''m not sure what to do. You can''t do that. If you reveal such a thing and ...... start a strange rumor, you''ll ...... be in trouble.'' Yeah. No. No. No such rumors will start. ''You look very good together. You look lovely. What? That''s how people react. ''...... Magda has a nice masakari shape.'' ''I want an acorn or a sunflower seed! ''I want acorns or sunflower seeds.'' ''...... I got a reservation for something. ''Who said anything about making them? ......'' ''...... Don''t worry. Yashiro will make it.'' ''Yes, he does. That''s why he''s your brother! These guys are really full of baseless confidence, aren''t they? Well, I don''t mind if you make it. And at times like this, Jeannette just looks on from afar with a ''hmmm''. Doesn''t he ever beg for it? If he did, I could give him a few more ...... things. ''What kind of shape would you like, manager? ''Is it me? ''...... If I tell you now, you''ll make it for me somehow.'' ''Mm-hmm. Yashiro-san is very kind, you know.'''' ''Don''t give me that kind of characterization, will you? I''ll protest at least. At the moment, I''m doing a lot of things, but I can''t guarantee that I will continue to do so in the future. But I''ll just ask. What kind of hair clip does Ginette want? ''I don''t care what it looks like. ...... Wow. That''s the most annoying one. ''''What do you want to eat?'''' I don''t care what you want.''''''Then let''s have ramen.''''''Oh, ramen? I''m sure Ginette won''t be like that, but ...... If you want to give a gift that will make people really happy, why not? You can find a lot of things that will make you really happy,......, but you have to find them yourself. I think soleil flowers continue to be the first choice. ''Why don''t you guys try shiitake mushrooms?Wouldn''t that be cute?'' Not gonna happen. Look at this ''What should I say? ...... He''s super happy, and it''s hard to deny it. ''...... back to work''. ''Me too.'' Oh, he escaped. Your comment seems to have been put on hold. ''What''s with you guys ............, what''s that flower? Estella, who had been following Magda and the others who had returned to work with dissatisfied eyes, turned her gaze to the vase on the counter. ''Could it be a present from ...... Yashiro?'' ''Eh?Oh, no. It was given to me by Millie from the Flower Arrangement Guild. ''Oh, I see. It''s from ............. What are you relieving yourself of? Just because I sent a bouquet of flowers to Ginette doesn''t mean that I''m proposing to her, right? ''Yes, yes. About that bouquet...'' Now that Estella is here is the right time. Although it''s still a bit vague, I''ll announce my idea. ''I''d like to create a climate where people can send flowers to each other more easily. ''Climate'' is ...... another exaggeration. ''Well, it''s just a habit. I want to create a more casual atmosphere. ''That''s a wonderful thing. If we do that, the city may be filled with flowers. ''And more work for Milly.'' ''I''m sure she''d love that. ''But... How do you plan to do it?Are you going to take the initiative and go around handing out flowers to people? You''ll go bankrupt if you do that. It doesn''t have to be a bunch of flowers. Just get them used to giving flowers. For example, give a single flower as a token of gratitude to someone who has been good to you or someone you are close to. One flower is not a big expense, right? It''s like Mother''s Day. A single flower should be easy to give, both financially and emotionally. ''Then you know what? If you are a person who is always kind to others and is respected by others, a bunch of flowers will become a bouquet. ''That''s wonderful. Gratitude can take shape. ''But wouldn''t the people who don''t get flowers feel sad? ''Then, you should be more kind to others for the next time.'' ''That''s right. I think it would be great if we can repeat this and become a city where everyone can be kind to everyone. Well, it''s like a kind of festival. It''s like a kind of festival. If we spread the conversation around the restaurants like the Sunlit Pavilion and Cantaloupe, the topic will spread a little. ''You can express your gratitude to someone who is usually too embarrassed to say thank you just by giving them a single flower. I think the more people who have never sent flowers before, the more they will appreciate this project. ''It would be nice if such an event could be realized. ''I don''t know. ...... I can work on it, but I''m not sure if people will get on board. ......'' Estella didn''t seem too keen on the idea. Well, if you have a lot of people to thank, you''re going to have to spend a lot of money. I can understand her reluctance. But... ''You can casually send flowers to someone you secretly care about. ''''''''--! ''You can give flowers to the person you are thinking of as a thank you gift. In that case, you''d better send a lot of thank you flowers, though. It''s a great way to create an alibi for your work. ...... In addition to Estella, who listens attentively, Ginette, Magda and even Loretta, who have been back in front of me for some time, listen to the story with a serious expression. Girls love this kind of thing,......, really. ''Let''s do that event! Estella is super enthusiastic. To tell the truth, I thought it would be a little hard to give her a bouquet of flowers just because it''s her birthday. First of all, we want to make the custom of giving flowers take root. However, even if the project was delayed and the event was to be held later than Ginette''s birthday, we could still send flowers with the excuse that it would be a practice for the project. Excuses are good! Excuses are a good way to get rid of obstacles to action. Estella is glowing with the will to fight. This is going to go faster than expected. ...... Thank you, sponsor. It''s a great way to make sure you don''t end up with a lot of problems. ''........................''. The one who peeked through the crack in the door was a reclusive ladybug. It was Millie. ''.................. I''m sorry. I''m leaving.'' ''Oh, wait, wait!I just had something I wanted to tell you.'' ''Yeah, ......?'' Surprised by the number of people, I managed to stop Milly from leaving. ''Don''t worry. They''re all Jeannette''s friends. There are no bad guys.'' ''Yeah, ........................ yeah. I know.'' You know, but you can''t control your shyness. ''...... Mmm, that was'' ''What a surprise.'' Magda and Loretta''s eyes sparkled when they saw Milly. ''...... such a large hair clip, yes''. It''s big and impressive. Apparently, they are curious about the large Nana Hoshi Tentou hair clip on Milly''s head. ''...... Yashiro. You can also use Magda''s hair clip in the scene where Magda is hunting demonic beasts in Masakari. ''Why are you making a story out of this? ''I don''t mind a big one like this! ''It''s not a hair clip if it''s that big. It''s a shield, a shield. You seem to be getting your hopes up. Maybe it''s best for me to give it to him as soon as possible. ...... You never know what kind of high hopes they''ll have for you as time goes on. ''Oh, ............ that''. ''Oh, Millie. Don''t mind if I do. Do you want something to eat? ''Yeah, ............ that ............'' Millie hides behind the door of the cafeteria and doesn''t try to come in. She''s very shy. I have no choice but to go to her. ''What''s the matter today?You wanted to see Jeannette?'' ''Oh, .................. to the ladybug, .......'' ''Me? ''............Oh, thank you ...... for the hair clip you gave me ......'' Millie then held out a large bouquet of flowers to me. This guy can give flowers to anyone, can''t he? I''d like to learn from him. While accepting the bouquet, I lured Milly into the store. As I waited in the store a little further away from the door, Millie came into the store. It is a rule of thumb to lure a stray cat in little by little. It makes it easier for them to let their guard down. Finally, Millie came into the store. The smile she gave me was a little less stiff, and I could tell that she had gained my trust. I''ll give you ............. As usual, the bouquet is too large to carry. It''s probably just the right size for me to carry, though. ''Oh, azaleas. I saw a familiar flower in the bouquet. An azalea. When I was in elementary school, I used to pluck the azaleas blooming on my way to school and suck the nectar from the flowers. ''This brings back memories. And when I reached out my hand to the azalea... ''Geez!Gajigajigajigajig! ''Noooooooooo! Suddenly, the azalea tried to bite my hand. What is this?A plant-based monster! ''Oh, .................., wrong ......... ...This looks a lot like an insectivorous plant ...... azalea.'' ''You said you made a mistake ......'' ''I''m often mistaken for ...... because of the resemblance. ............ There have been many accidents where amateurs have been bitten by ... ...'' ''That''s a dangerous flower ......'' ''But the ...... petals here are a bit jagged and have a ...... triangular spot pattern, so they''re easy to spot. The ...... professionals don''t make mistakes. ''You ...... made a mistake.'' ''Oh, .................. I''m sorry.'' ''No, it''s fine. It is very difficult to distinguish plants that look alike. People often get food poisoning from mistakenly eating different plants like mugwort. ''Well, it must be very difficult to distinguish plants that look alike. If you compare them, they''re different, but you don''t notice it if it''s a single plant. Most of the time, a plant lives by itself. Fake plants rarely grow side by side with the real ones. It''s more likely that you''ll try it and say, ''Oh, ...... it''s poisonous......''. Even I am afraid to touch wild plants. The most I can do is to ask a professional and think, ''Oh, so this is what it is. It''s more likely that you can''t tell the difference at all even if they tell you. ''Mushrooms are very similar, so you have to be careful or you''ll be in danger. Estella says with a lively face. ...... Why are you such a fan of mushrooms?Do you like mushrooms? ''But, Yashiro-san. What should I do? Ginette looked a little troubled as she accepted the flowers from Millie. ''I don''t have a vase. The brick vase I gave her is filled with the flowers Ginette received the day before yesterday. These bouquets won''t last long if buried in the garden,...... but it would be a waste to throw away the previous ones,...... ''Shall I divide it into small pieces and put them in cups? ''Do you want to divide this bouquet into smaller pieces? ...... That seems kind of tasteless. ......'' And then it occurred to me. ''That''s right. Hey, Millie.'' ''......What?'' ''Do you mind if I share this with everyone? ''Is everyone at ......? ''Yeah. It''s beautiful. I''ll share it with you.'' I asked, thinking he might not like the idea of someone else giving him a bouquet of flowers in front of him. ...... ''...... Hmm. I think it''s a nice thing to share with everyone and enjoy the flowers together .......'' Millie gave a lovely smile as if a flower had bloomed at my idea. Okay, if you don''t mind, I''ll do it. It''s just like a pre-release of the project we were talking about earlier. ''Okay, Millie. ''Yeah, ......? ''It''s a thank you.'' I took a few flowers from the bouquet I was holding, made them into a small bouquet, and handed it to Millie. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''..................ohana......... ...It''s the first time I''ve ever received one. ......'' It''s a relief to see Millie''s cheeks loosen up and her vermilion color deepen and turn red. Thank God. She seemed pleased. ''Ah, thank you, ......, ladybug! ''No, well, it''s my way of saying thank you. It''s a little hard to be happy when you''re so pleased. Well, I''ll force myself to conclude that the feelings of the giver are important. And now. ''Yes, Jeannette. ''Even for me? ''Thank you for everything. ''Oh, no. ............ I''ve always been grateful for your help, too. ......... ...'' ''Please take it. Picking out a relatively warm shade of flowers from the bouquet, he made a bouquet and presented it to Ginette. Ginette takes the small bouquet with both hands and hugs it tightly. ''Thank you very much. I''ll take good care of it. ''No, just a normal one. It''s not something you can keep on display forever. ...... In the first place, the intention is to make the act of sending flowers more casual. ''Please feel free to take it. ''Yes,......, I''ll take it.'' There is a glint in the corner of his eye. ...... Hey, don''t cry. ............ I''m just sharing what I got. ...... It''s painful. ............ No, no, no. It''s all about the feeling of the giver, isn''t it? Thank you, thank you. Yeah. All right, let''s give them one after the other to disperse the heaviness of the bouquet. ''Magda, look. Here''s one for you.'' ''...... for Magda too?'' ''You''re always working so hard.'' ''............I''m glad.'' Even Magda seems to be happy to receive a bouquet of flowers. She''s a girl after all. ''......Thanks for the food.'' ''...... I wonder why. It''s the same word as Ginette''s, but when you say it, it sounds like you''re about to eat it. ''...... Mmm. Yashiro, that''s rude.'' ''No, sorry.'' ''...... I demand another bottle.'' ''Yes, yes. It looks like I''m going to be charged for my bad mood. I break off a pure white, lily-like flower in the middle of its stem and place it in Magda''s hair. Magda''s hair has a lot of volume, so even a slightly larger flower will look good without being too obvious. ''............ chic ...... yashiro ......... ...doer.'' The expression on his face was the same as always, but ...... I wonder why. It looks like Magda is very embarrassed. Oh, maybe it''s because his ears are flapping so busily. ''And then ......''. She says, looking at Estella. ''What, me? I hand Estella a bouquet of mainly white-colored flowers in muted shades. ''I''ll make it a little more gorgeous for the show. ''Yeah, ...... no, that''s good enough for me, but ............, I''ll expect more from you. Well, it''s a promise. I''ll give you a bouquet of bright red roses on our date. Just like in the trendy dramas. Wear a pure white suit or something. ...... doesn''t suit you. ''...... bouquet .................. happy''. She puts her face to the bouquet and takes a deep breath. Estella has a very girlish expression on her face. ''...... smells good.'' ...... Can you please stop doing that? Surprise strikes can be very hard on the heart. ''--and so on. It''s a custom to send flowers like this. ......'' ''You forgot! When I started to close, Loretta came at me with the force of a comedian on a stage. Loretta is an excellent comedian who can do what she promises. ''Just kidding. ''It''s scary because it doesn''t look like a joke when it''s your brother! ''I saved a special bouquet of flowers for you. ''Are you sure? ''Here, take it. I handed Loretta a bouquet of beautiful, pale pink, biting azaleas. ''Gaggle!Gaggle, gaggle, gaggle! ''Oh my God!Isn''t that the insectivorous plant guy? Great reaction. I''d like to show it to young comedians as a model of reaction. ''Oh my god!I don''t need this image of a colorful character!I want you to get it right! Loretta complained, half-crying. Did I torment her a little too much? ''I''m sorry. Here, it''s a proper bouquet. ''...... Now, what kind of trick is ............?'' I think I''ve aroused her suspicions. I can''t help it. It''s a special occasion, son of a b*tc*. I pushed the bouquet to Loretta and patted her head with my free hand. ''You''re always acting like a good big sister, you''re a good big sister. Keep up the good work, and take care of the sunny pavilion. ''Huh. ............ h-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he What?What''s wrong?I''m going to die tomorrow! That''s too much ...... That makes it sound like I''m not always nice. ''Um, Millie-san...'' ''What, Jinetto-san? ''Could you teach me how to make dried flowers? ''Yeah, ...... is fine.'' ''Me too! ''...... Magda too.'' ''Oh, me too! ''Huh. ............ Well, then, ............ all together.'' Hmm . If such a small bouquet of flowers can have such an effect, then ...... seems like a flower-giving event would work. It would be even more effective if you added some words when you gave them. ''Why don''t you make some potpourri or something? ''Oh, ...... good idea, Popuri. Yeah, let''s make some potpourri.'' Millie nodded and seemed to adopt my idea. It would be difficult to make a beautiful one, but with Millie, I think I can manage it. When I saw the crowd of girls with flowers in their hands, I thought ...... that this kind of thing is really nice. ''So, he''s the only one left after all. ''Gajig!Gajigajigajigajig! I was watching the girls talking happily, wondering what to do with the remaining biting azaleas in my hand. 87-Episode 76 is similar, but its different. The dried flower class by Ms. Millie has come to an end. It seems that everyone has finished bundling their own bouquets and hanging them in a cool place. From now on, there will be a drying period. In the case of potpourri, you have to add fragrance with essence oil or something after this. Dried flowers and leaves are packed in jars, and the fragrance of the herbs can be enjoyed. It might be a good idea to decorate the table at the Sunlit Pavilion. You can''t put fresh flowers on the table in the dining room. The petals might fall off, insects might come, or you might knock it over and spill water on it. ''I''m looking forward to it, potpourri. Ginette says happily, looking at the flowers hanging on the wall. The recipient is so happy, and the recipient looks on in delight. It''s a strange kind of elation that makes you feel like you''re on top of the world. If the flower-giving event ...... takes root, it will be a great thing. ''I think if we hold workshops on dried flowers and flower arrangements like this, more people will become interested in flowers. ''Oh, ............, but ...... public speaking is ...... I''m not ...... good at it. ......'' Ugh ...... I see. That was a blind spot. I thought it was a good idea. ...... ''But .................. if you say so, ladybug, ...... ......I''ll think about it. Oh, that''s a surprisingly good feeling. If it works, it might be effective in attracting fashionable girls with herbal tea and cakes. If that joke of a cake shop in the forty-second ward is attracting a certain number of customers, it seems that if they offer something decent, they can overcome the disadvantage of being located in the forty-second ward. ''Hey, I''m going to go take another look at my flowers. ''...... Magda too. ''Oh, me too! ''Uh-huh. Then I''ll join you. The owner goes to look at each of the flowers that have been hung in various places, spacing them out. It would have been fine to display them as fresh flowers for a while longer, but since Millie was there, it was decided to use them as dried flowers right away, even though it was a bit of a waste. So she wanted to see the beauty of the flowers as fresh flowers. Butterflies aren''t the only ones that flock to flowers. And then, as if by chance, there were no more people around. Dried flowers are nice, but I had something I wanted to ask Millie. ...... preferably one that no one else would hear. ''Millie ...... got a minute? ''......?............What?'' Millie comes up to me, but ...... I don''t want to talk to her here. I''ll just casually invite her out. I call out to Jeannette at the counter. ''I''m going to go check out Millie''s cart. ''Oh, yes. While listening to Ginette''s reply, I pull Millie''s hand and move outside the cafeteria. Because I moved a little too quickly, Millie was running a little fast. A ladybird was swaying above her head. Once outside, she closed the door tightly and turned to face Millie. ''......?Cart, do you want to see it?'' ''No. I don''t want a cart. ...... Oh, no, I''ll just have a look now.'' I quickly look over at the cart, which has no flowers on it. You can''t lie about something as trivial as that. Just take a look and it won''t be a lie. The inside is bigger than I thought. There''s enough room for me to lie down on my back. I look at the cart, and Milly follows me closely. She seems to be happy that I''m interested in the cart, and keeps smiling at me. ''So, I''ve got a question for you. ''What is it? ''Do you know a flower called Soleil?'' ''Yes. It''s a beautiful flower, ...... orange with big petals, like the sun. It must be quite a beautiful flower. Milly''s smile was even smoother than usual as she talked about Soleil. ''I want it. No, I want to see it at least.'' ''N.................. difficult.'' ''Difficult is ...... expensive?'' ''Well, ............ rarely bloom.'' ''It doesn''t bloom? ''Soleil is a flower that sometimes blooms deep in the forest, and those who find it will be lucky. ''So it''s not in circulation? ''Probably not ...... ever. ............ Soleil withers overnight if you pick it... ...'' You''ve got to love those pesky flowers again. ...... ''Jinetto-san ............ told me about it before ......'' It must have come to her mind when she heard the word ''soleil''. Millie told me this story. ''Jinetto-san ...... told me that when he was all alone ............, his grandfather gave him some soleil... ...'' It seems that this was before Ginette was welcomed to the sunny pavilion. When Ginette, who had no parents, was about to be crushed by loneliness, her grandfather-in-law picked a soleil from somewhere and gave it to Ginette. ''''Now you can be happy,......,'''' he said,.......'''' My step-grandfather, who supported Jeannette when she was a child. Memories of such an important person. That''s why it''s my favorite flower. ''Do you want to go look for ......? I''m not sure what to make of that. ......I''m glad to see you''ve let your guard down so much. There''s no guarantee we''ll find her, though. ...... ''Oh. Please.'' ''Yeah. I''ll do it.'' We''ve got a good friend. All right, I''ll look for you tomorrow. ...... ''Yashiro-san. ''Noooooooo! Suddenly the door opened and Jeannette came out of it. ...... heart, I thought it was going to jump out. ''...... Oh,......, did I by any chance have bad timing?'' ''No, no,...... I was just a little startled. Don''t worry about it. I, as well as Jeannette, have a kind of impatient look on their faces. We are both very nervous, and we each hold our breasts facing each other. My heart hurts. ...... ''So, what is it?'' ''Oh, that''s right. Estella''s story about mushrooms was so interesting that I''m thinking of making a mushroom dish for dinner. What kind of mushroom ambassador is he? ''''Do you like sauteed spinach and mushrooms?'''' He said, holding up a handful of spinach. ''That looks delicious.'' ''Then I''ll make that for you.'' ''Oh. You can make it even better by dropping an egg on it. Make it look like a half-boiled fried egg.'' ''Eggs ............ sure looks good.'' It''s called Popeye''s egg. It''s even better if there''s bacon. I can imagine the taste, so my expectations are high. Why don''t you just make a little bit of it now, instead of calling it supper? ''Oh ......''. Millie''s voice is relatively clear, not the usual fading voice. She seems to have noticed something, and is staring at the spinach that Jeannette is holding. ''What''s wrong, Miss Milly? ''That''s ............ wrong. Fake. ''Fake,'' Millie says, pointing to the spinach Ginette is holding. ''...... Fake? I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s true that the leaves are a bit jagged to be called spinach. ...... Spinach leaves are more rounded. And the stems are also a bit thicker. ...... ''It''s stinky spinach......'' ''K, stinky spinach! What''s that? Another strange plant unique to another world? ''It''s very, very muddy and ...... inedible.'' ''Is that so? Ginette took a bite of a leaf. ''Hmm? Ginette fainted in agony, holding her mouth. She twisted and squirmed. ''Hmm!Mmm! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ............ Something erotic, Jeannette. ...... ''It''s ............ stinky. ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. But it must have been very hard. Both of her eyes turned red and she was in tears. ''I can''t eat this .......'' He muttered sadly. ...... Does it smell that bad? ''Which ......?'' ''Oh, you shouldn''t ......''. Without hearing Jeannette''s words, I take a bite of the stinky spinach. I felt like punching the guy who grew ...... it. ''Ksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! I''m not as well-behaved as Jeannette, so I spit it out immediately. After that, I spit out all the saliva that remained in my mouth. But it still stinks. It stinks all the time. What the hell is this?Is it a curse? ''...... ugh ............ smells like when the asphalt heated by the summer sun gets wet by a sudden rain...'' ...'' ''Asphalt?'' ''No...... nothing............ don''t worry about it......'' ''Soil......No, it''s muddy......'' What the heck is this,how did this get in my house...... ''Did Assunto deceive you?'' ''Oh, no. I bought this yesterday when I went to the Forty District. I saw it at a street vendor on my way home. ......'' ''......Did you get cheated in the Forty District............'' ''No,......, I misunderstood it on my own,............, and it was cheap,....... It''s more accurate to say that I was ignorant rather than deceived. No, it''s evil to sell such inedible products. I can feel the malice of trying to lure in people who don''t know. ''Oh, ...... forty wards are famous for growing spinach,............, but some people can''t grow good spinach. ......'' Millie tells us about the spinach situation in the forty wards. I''m not sure if you''re trying to sell it to me because it tastes bad,....... ''No offense,...... but those people also ...... don''t know what to do,......'' ......? Those people? ''Millie. Do you have any idea who''s making this stinky spinach?'' ''............ Hmm. Childhood friends.'' I''m surprised. It''s a small world. But what? ''So, Millie is a child of the forty-second ward? ''Umm ...... originally, Neck and Tic were ............ ah, childhood friends, twins, were in the Forty-second Ward. They belonged to the flower arranging guild with us, but one day their father suddenly said, "We''ll start spinach. ......'' It seems that they made a fresh start and moved to the 40th district to start a spinach farm. However, it seems that no farmer was kind to the newcomer and he was given ...... the wrong spinach. But Neck and Tic are masters at finding flowers. That''s why they are soley ......''. ''Oops!Millie ......, that''s off the record.'' ''...... Oof?'' ''No secret, huh? ''............ Oh. Yeah. Insider.'' Glancing at Jeannette, Milly nodded approvingly. Then she smiled happily. ''Ladybug-san, ...... easy''. I don''t know what made you come up with that impression, but can you please stop ......?It''s making me itchy. ''Um, Yashiro-san. What on earth are you talking about with ......?'' ''No, well, I''m talking about this. Hey, Milly.'' ''Hmm, .......'' ''Is that so? Ginette seems to have been convinced without really knowing what she was talking about. In this kind of situation, Ginette is good-natured and helpful. He smiled at Jeannette and quickly hid himself and Milly behind the back of the truck. He crouched down, put his face close to hers, and secretly held a meeting. ''Do you want to go looking for ...... tomorrow? ''Yeah, let''s go to .......'' ''Hmm. Then I''ll go there now and ask for help.'' ''Are you okay by yourself? ''I''m fine. I don''t know what it is, but I''m not sure what it is. I don''t know what it is, but in Milly''s mind, I''m being made out to be a nice guy. Don''t be fooled by evil people who pretend to be nice. She beckons me a little and puts her hand over my mouth. When I put my ear close to his, he whispered secretly in a small voice. ''I''ll come get you in the morning. She looks happy, as if she''s sharing a very special secret. ''Okay. Can I pick you up at the morning bell? ''Yeah. About the time the waking bell rings.'' ''............ Seriously?'' ''Because you better get there early.'' ''............Seriously? ......'' They''re meeting at four in the morning. I''m not sure I can get up. I''m so heavy I feel like I''ve got a hundred old men crying on my shoulders. I''m not good at waking up early. ...... ''What''s the matter, Yashiro-san? I''m not sure.Ah, ...... I''m going to the 40th district tomorrow with Millie, and we''re meeting ...... around the time the waking bell rings. ......'' ''Well, ...... it''s early.'' ''Oh, it''s early. It''s not just that I''m not sure I can get up, it''s that it''s impossible to get up. I guess I''ll have to stay up all night. ......'' ''Um, ...... if you want me to wake you up?'' ''Really? The goddess of salvation has reached out to me. Ah, Jeannette. You look like you''ve got a halo over you now. I couldn''t help but squeeze Ginette''s hand with both of mine. ''......, please? ''Yes, sir. I''m sure I''ll be up thirty minutes before the wake-up bell. This guy''s amazing. Isn''t he actually a chicken man? ''Well then, please take care of him. ''Yes, sir. Leave it to me. Even though I don''t have to worry about oversleeping anymore, ...... looks like a schedule like going to catch beetles. Without Jeannette, it would have been impossible. ''So, that ...... Yashiro-san.'' Ginette plays with her bangs in a slightly embarrassed manner. It''s unusual for Jeannette to make such a gesture. ''Well, since I''m going to wake up Yashiro-san who is asleep,............,......, there is a room... ...'' ''Oh, you can come in. You don''t even have to check.'' ''Yes,............, excuse me.'' Now you''re talking. ...... ''Oh, ...... and then...'' I''m not sure if it''s a precaution or not, but Millie is looking at me with big eyes while raising a small hand. ''Ah...... tomorrow, I think we''ll be eating ...... in the 40th district.'' ''Then I will make lunch for all of you.'' ''Are you okay with that?You don''t have to ...... overdo everything like that, do you?'' ''I''m fine. It''s what I always do.'''' Thank you so much for your ...... support. I''ll send you flowers again. I''ll be sure to send you some more flowers. ...... and I''m bowled over. After confirming tomorrow''s schedule, Millie pulled a large cart and waved as she left. ...... You''re such a kid. ''So, where are you going tomorrow? ''Oh, I''m going to see the twins who are making ...... stinky spinach.'' ''Can''t say I''m going to find Soleil. ''You''ve been very busy lately.'' ''Well, I suppose it can''t be helped. It''s like I''m doing it for myself half the time. ...... No, for your own good, right? Yeah. You can''t go wrong with that, yeah. Even so, ...... I''ve been going to the forty wards really often lately. I''m in the mood to start a bus. ''Don''t take it too hard. Ginette''s face looked a little sad as she said this. Is she worried about me,...... or is she lonely because she can''t be with me,............? ''I''ll get the money back for the stinky spinach. ''No, sir. It''s already been done. It''s your own fault for not checking. ''Come on, let''s go inside. We''re out of spinach, so we''ll have to come up with a different dish. ''Oh, I see. ...... d*mn, I wanted to eat those Popeye eggs. ......'' ''Well, I''ll make some more later.'' Smiling, Jeannette opened the door and saw Magda standing there. ...... as if she were sticking to the door. ''What? Ginette screamed. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... Oh, that smells good. ''......Yashiro and the manager have an obscene embrace in the garden. ......'' ''What ...... are you doing?I''m sorry, I''m sorry! ''Oh, no!This is not the same thing!It''s because you startled me! ''I''m sorry, I''m an obscene manager, I''m sorry! ''No, that''s the part you shouldn''t admit!If you''re not, you should say you are! ''Huh!......That''s right,............Sorry.'' Ginette slinks away from me and squeezes her shoulders in the back. Her face is bright red. ...... Oh dear. It''s ....... ''What are you doing, sticking to the door, Magda? ''...... Magda, I''m good at getting up early.'' ''No, you''re not as good as me in the morning, are you? ''...... I''ll be good at it tomorrow.'' ''Oh, ............, you mean, you want me to take you tomorrow?'' ''...... affirmative.'' Magda''s nose sniffs, ''Supee! Magda''s nostrils flared. ''Well, ...... okay. ''Um, Magda-san, ...... if you''d like me to wake you up?'' ''...... please.'' You''re not getting any better at this. Well, I can''t speak for others either. Tomorrow morning is early. At any rate, I made up my mind to go to bed early today. That night-- Midnight. There was a knock at the door of my room. Ton...... ton...... ton............, three times. And then, slowly, the door opened. ............ Gee............ Through the slight opening, a pair of glowing eyes peers at you. ............ ''......Yashiro. Have you slept yet?'' ''I know you''re looking forward to it, so get some sleep. I''m sure this guy won''t be able to wake up tomorrow morning, so I pulled the covers over my head. 88-Episode 77 Soleil. Sunflower. Early morning. I mean, it''s night!Night! The sky is dark! ...... Oh, I''m so sleepy. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The two weak morning people of the sunny pavilion were awakened early in the morning by the gentle but warm voice of Jeannette, and managed to get ready before the meeting time. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. Take care.'' Ginette sends us off, handing us lunch for the three of us. I respect this guy''s ability to get up early. More importantly, it''s really amazing that you can put on a million dollar smile this early in the morning. I can''t make the donation to the church, so I asked Estella to do it for me. I asked Estella to bring Natalia with her so that Ginette would not be burdened. Not long after that, Millie came to pick me up and we started walking towards the 40th district. ...... Magda got into Millie''s cart and seemed to have fallen asleep. ''Don''t you want to sleep, Milly?'' ''Nah. I''m fine.'' I wondered if her voice was low at the beginning because she was still nervous. But it''s a great improvement that she doesn''t run away when we meet like this, and that we can talk normally now. Today, too, the Eurasian ladybirds are swaying around Millie''s head. By the time we reached the 40th district, the sky in the distance was finally starting to lighten. Ah, the sun is rising. Thank goodness for that. ...... I hate the dark. Oh, .......'' After walking for a while into the fortieth district, Millie suddenly made a short, happy sound. ''Neck, tic. There were two small figures in the direction Miry pointed. They were stocky, with long, thin faces. ............ They were anteaters. ''Hello, Milly. It''s a beautiful morning. I have a feeling something very good is going to happen today. Don''t you?'' ''Hi!You must be the ladybug. I''m my brother, Tic. I like to play ball. Nice to meet you.'' ''Oh, oh. ......'' I shake his hand. Chick spun around and put his hand on my shoulder as we shook hands. ...... summit meeting. What is it with these junior high English textbook types? ''Oh, Millie. Is that a shovel?'' ''Huh?No, it''s a lunch box. That''s totally different!It doesn''t look like a shovel in any way! ''Ladybug, are you Milly''s father? ''Yeah, ......?No, it''s ......? ''''We''re not, either.'''' I don''t know what''s more annoying, the twins or the ...... English examples! I don''t know what to say, but I''m not sure what to say. ............ Do you guys call me "ladybug-san" too?I don''t have any ladybug in me at all. ''Hey, Ladybug-san, ...... this is your brother''s neck, and that''s your brother''s tic ......''. ''Nice to meet you, ladybug. My name''s Neck. I''m fourteen years old. I like to play ball. Last night I worked very hard in the field. How about you? ''...... no, I am not.'' These guys are exhausting. ''...... millie, I''m sorry ...... I''m starting to feel like going home.'' ''Oh, ...... good luck with that. Maybe you''ll get used to it in an hour or so. ......'' A beautiful girl defending her childhood friend. d*mn, how healthy... ''You know, ...... ladybug wants to see Soleil. ''Whoa!What?Can you say that again? ''Yeah, ......, I want to see Soleil, ......'' ''Whoa!This is awesome. Hey, I know you think so, Tic.'' ''Oh, I think so, Neck. We''re encountering a miracle right now! ''All right. I''m not leaving, let me hit you.'' ''Oh ...... that ............ ladybug ...... I''m sorry. Please ...... me.'' d*mn it. If it wasn''t for Millie, you''d all be getting your long, thin faces bent up by my right hook! ''Actually, Soleil bloomed yesterday. ''Can you believe this timing? Sounds like a lie, right?But it''s the truth! ''Really? ''It''s true. They should be in bloom by this afternoon. ''Do you want to go see them right now?Or do you want to have a nice apple pie at home? ''I want to see them right now!Take me there.'' ''OK, then I''ll invite you to my house! ''It''s a really good apple pie! ''Not that one!It''s Soleil''s! ''Oh, no... ......'' ''Oh, God, ......''. Oh, you''re driving me crazy! ''Listen, ladybug, think about it. Keep a cool head, keep a cool head.'' ''Soleil, if you miss this today, you won''t see her for over a year, but you can always bake an apple pie and see as much as you want, okay? ''That''s why I want you to take me to see Soleil! ''..................'' ''..................'' ''............ ah'' ''Oh, I see.'' What''s wrong with these people? How are they adjusting to society? ''Well, let''s get moving. ''Hurry up, you two.'' ''......, you''ve been throwing me around.'' The anteater brothers beckoned to us, urging us to leave. When Millie put her hand on the cart, Magda, who had been sleeping there, popped up. ''...... have you arrived? ''Oh, Magda. You''re awake.'' ''...... Yeah. ............ Who''s that and who''s that?'' Magda rubbed her sleepy eyes and pointed at Neck and Tic. Neck and Tic were startled by Magda''s sudden appearance, and froze with their eyes wide open. ''Hey, Milly. If she''s on your cart, does that mean she''s a flower spirit? ''Yeah, ...... yeah. An employee of the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''HAHAHA! Are you kidding?If she''s not a flower spirit, she''s a fairy. It must be.'' ''Hmm ....... sunny-tei-san''s employee ......, right?'' ''...... Magda is neither a genie nor a fairy.'' ''HEY, did you hear that, Tic?Did you hear that beautiful voice? ''Yeah, I heard it with both my ears! ''I can''t believe it, but she''s not a spirit or a fairy. ''It''s hard to believe, but if she says so, it must be true. ''Then what the hell is she?Other than spirits and fairies, is there any other life form that is so pure and beautiful? ''Well, calm down, Neck. I think you''re forgetting one very important thing. ''What is it, Tic?Tell me.'' ''It''s a being far more pure and unspoiled than any spirit or fairy. ''Oh! ''Yes!The being that just popped into your head. That''s the Answer. ''Oh, my God, ......, she''s...'' ''Oh, yes. The beautiful woman named Magda is ...... that being! The anteater brothers, who had been writhing around and discussing something with exaggerated gestures, all stared at Magda. Then they all said in unison. ''''Magda, you''re a real angel. ......'''' What, is that some kind of rule?Is it a religion? Or is it a disease?I wonder if it''s contagious!I know a guy who has the exact same symptoms. ''...... Are you related to Umaro? ''It doesn''t seem to be, well, treated the same.'' ''Ohhhh ............ neck and tic is ............ weird''. No, they''ve been weird from the start. Magda straightens her posture and addresses Neck and Tic. ''''...... Neck, Tic.'''' ''''Yes!'''' ''''......Yashiro, do him a favor.'''' ''''Yes!'''' Hey, I know that ...... feeling. ''''Come on!Ladybug, there''s no time to dawdle! ''Yes!The soleil will start wilting at sunrise today, and will be completely dead by noon. Hurry up! ''Are you serious? ''Harry up!Ladybug! ''Hurry up, Millie! ''''Oh, ......, yeah! ''''And Magda-tan, moe~! ''''Don''t do something irrelevant, hurry up! The anteater brothers were infected with a serious disease. I slapped their asses and sprinted through the forty districts near sunrise. Stepping into the deep forest in the forty district, I followed the anteater''s back and went farther and farther. ...... You''ll never find anything like this without a guide. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. It was all I could do to keep up with them. ''Hey!Rook!There it is! ''Good. You''re just in time! ''Where the hell are you? I search the forest with my eyes. It''s too dark to see much. ...... d*mn it, where are you?I mean, which one? ''Ladybug-san ...... that ............ far up, in the tree ......'' ''Up in the tree ............? I looked in the direction Millie was pointing. A large tree stretches toward the sky. On its branches, a bright flower the size of the palm of your hand was blooming. It was a beautiful flower, orange in color with large petals. ''Was it a flower on a ...... tree? ......'' ''Only one flower ...... blooms at irregular intervals ............ and you might get lucky.'' It is said that whoever finds the soleil will be lucky. That''s what Millie told me yesterday. She put her hands together, closed her eyelids and bowed her head towards the flower. She was probably praying. The anteater brothers and even Magda were doing the same thing. ...... Should I do the same? ............ No. The morning light was beginning to break through the forest. When the sun rises, the soleil will begin to wane. Then I won''t ask for anything. I''ll just keep my eyes on her for as long as I can. Imprint it in my brain so I''ll never forget it again. Soleil shone brightly in the morning sun that shone into the forest. Perhaps it was the reflection of the sunlight in the morning dew, but it really looked like it was shining golden. But then it began to wilt rapidly. I was glad that I did not close my eyes. It was really an instantaneous event. The petals were barely attached to the stem, but there was no sign of them. ''I''m glad I saw .......'' I thought to myself. ''......Yashiro''. Before I knew it, Magda had finished her wish and was standing next to me. ''............The desire to be seen can become a crime if taken too far. ......'' ''That''s not what I meant by "I''m glad I was seen."'' It''s a good thing I said ''good'', not ''pleasure''. ...... The public morals of the Sunlit Pavilion are becoming a serious matter. In the meantime, we have to restrict Regina''s access. ''What did Magda ask you to do?It was something serious.'' ''...... Yeah. It was a serious request. ''Is the content still a secret? ''............ with Yashiro.'' Magda turns to look at me. Magda''s face is bathed in the morning sun. ...... ''......May you and Yashiro be together forever.'' ...... He seemed to be smiling, somehow. ''By the way, I wished for more sales of stinky spinach. How about you, Tic?'' ''Funny you should mention that, Neck. I''m the same. You''re the same, aren''t you, Milly?'' ''Yeah, ............, well, Miry''s hoping ...... the flowers will make a lot of people happy... .........'' ''I see!I hope it comes true, that wish! ''What about you, ladybug?What did you ask for?'' ''I was watching Soleil, I didn''t have time to make a wish. But if I were to make a ...... wish, it would be ............ If I had to make a wish, it would be ...... to celebrate Ginette''s birthday in a big way. ...... I''m going home. You''ve been a huge help, thank you, guys.'' ''Hmm, ......, that''s good.'' ''Don''t worry about it. I was just doing what I had to do.'' ''Yeah, right. We''re friends now, aren''t we? ''Ha-ha-ha-ha, I don''t know about that. ''Yes!Why don''t you come to my house afterwards? ''That''s a good idea, Neck!I have a very good apple pie at home.'' ''You just want me to eat apple pie after all. Well, if you have apple pie, I''d like to try it. ...... What are you doing about the sugar?You can''t be sure it''s just the sweetness of the apples? The word "apple pie" gave us a hint of hope as we headed to the anteater brothers'' house. What came out was a whole apple wrapped in dough and fried. ''What kind of apple pie is this? It''s an apple cutlet, then! ''It''s a pie, it''s a pie! ''Oh, it''s pie!It''s a pie, it''s a pie! ''...... pies and pies, just like Yashiro. ......'' ''Hey, Magda. Don''t listen to anyone. Who said anything about pie? But this apple pie is terrible. It''s not just that it''s sugar-free. This is a different kind of food. I took a bite. ............ It was a greasy, shriveled apple. ''............ When I get some sugar, I''ll give you a real apple pie. ......'' ''Does it taste any better than this?'' ''I''d say not as good.'' ''I''m looking forward to it, but I''m not holding my breath. ''Sure. Sugar is a condiment that is out of the reach of ...... us common people. Farming stinky spinach seems to be quite difficult, and the anteater brothers'' home is more like a poverty-stricken ...... home. Their parents have been ............ for a long time, so it seems that the two brothers are now running the smelly spinach farm. It seems that they are the only ones in the forty districts who grow this stinky spinach. ...... I''m glad the damage didn''t spread. ''So, are you the ones who were selling it at the stalls? ''No, it''s not. It''s true, believe me. Trust me.'' ''There''s only one person who''s kind enough to buy our stinky spinach. That''s who we sell everything to.'' From what I hear, their stinky spinach is deemed worthless and the Peddler''s Guild won''t take it. If they don''t have any business with the peddlers'' guild, there''s no problem for them to sell their crops to whoever they want. I''ve confirmed this with Assunto beforehand, so I''m sure. In other words, no one is going to complain about me buying stinky spinach from them. If it''s worth the ...... price, that is. ''But why would the person who buys it buy such stinky spinach? ''Because he''s so kind. ''He''s always looking out for us, and sometimes he even brings us food. ''Is he feeding you?'' ''HAHAHA! I think we might be close. It might be great to stay cheerful in the midst of poverty. But is there anyone who can take on the ...... life of others without any benefits? I''m not sure if it''s because I feel sorry for these people? No, if that''s the case, urge them to grow spinach instead of stinky spinach. If you''re the kind of person who can financially support your twin brother, you should be able to have that kind of say. ...... What is it then? Are you sure it''s just good intentions? ''If you want, you can take a look at my field. ''We have a lot of space, so I''m sure it''s worth seeing. ''Well, let''s see it. Let''s see the field where you grow stinky spinach you can''t sell. ''The field is behind this house. ''Come on, let''s go! With an American gesture, the anteater brothers beckoned us to follow them out into the field. The anteater brothers were right, the field was too big for the two of us to reach. Mormat would not hesitate to hire a peasant. With a field this big. But in reality, only a small space close to the house was used. About a third to a half of the field is left over. There is no use in producing a lot of things that cannot be sold, and they do not have enough money to expand their business to that extent. ''Now, open your two eyes and take a good look. Whoa!But don''t open them too wide and drop your eyeballs. It''s my job to clean up after them. ''HAHAHA! Nice joke! It''s not a nice joke. ''Look, here''s our pride and joy, the world''s most unsuccessful spinach! ''I can''t decide if they''re positive or stupid. I crouched down in the field, ............ and realized. ''Oh, hey, ............ this is ......''. Then I finally understood. The pieces that had been scattered about were coming together neatly. Things that I had thought were completely unrelated became intricately intertwined. ...... ''So that''s what it''s all about: ......'' All the mysteries were solved. I felt like the vague things that had covered my head had been dispelled and my vision had been cleared. I can''t believe I overlooked something like this: ............ ''Oh yes!What timing!Look at that, Tic.'' ''Whoa!Speak of the devil, Neck.'' The anteater brothers shouted with glee. The rumored person who came to the field-- The rumored person who came to the field to buy the stinky spinach they couldn''t even sell showed up. ''............ Why are you here? The "gentleman" looked at my face and his expression was tense. He was a good-looking man, with only his eyes blacked out. A raccoon man with a gentle, flirtatious impression. Today he''s a familiar face to me with a thin cane in his mouth. ''Hey, what a coincidence. ............ Percy.'' Percy, the sugar man, was there. 89-Episode 78 Answers ''What the hell is going on here? ......'' Percy''s expression froze as he opened his mouth wide enough to drop the thin cane he was holding in his mouth. ...... How can that cane not fall off? I''m not sure if you''ve sniffed this place out. ''Sniffed out ......, what are you talking about? ''Don''t be stupid! Percy''s eyes glinted in the black border. The flirtatious face he used to have is now hidden from view. ''So you were a dangerous person after all. I thought I was going to smell it from the beginning. ...... In the first place, when I was introduced to "that" Assunto, ............ ah!I''m not sure what to do. Percy ruffled his silky hair. You''ll regret it in the future if you torment your hair follicles too much. ''......They found out about the black market, ......and Assunto sent you to me, didn''t he? ''...... black market? ''Don''t play dumb with me!I''m not that stupid either!I already know everything! Percy''s expression twisted, and he glared at me with a scary look. I have no idea what ...... you''re talking about. ''Hmmm, ...... black market, .................. I see... ...'' ''What ............? ''Hmm?'' Percy''s face is getting paler and paler as he reveals his dumb face. ''............ No, no. It''s nothing. ............ Forget it. I''m not so good-natured that I''ll just forget it. ''Heh, hey ...... what the hell is wrong with you? ''Yeah, man. What''s with the air?Let''s all get along! The anteater brothers are trying to clear the air, but ...... Percy''s expression remains stiff, and I''m stuck with these guys. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... I wish I could be alone with Percy somehow. ''Oh, ............ ladybug, ......'' Millie anxiously grabbed the cuff of my dress. ''............Kenka,no......, okay? ''It''s okay. We''re not going to fight.'' ''............Really?'' ''Do you want me to play Judgment of the Spirits? ''Yeah. ............'' After a moment of indifference, Milly shook her head violently. I don''t have a problem with it, because I don''t turn into a frog when it''s applied. ''Hey, mop and burp. ''Hey you!My name is Neck! ''Meeteetoo! ''No, it''s not Meetoo! ''My name is Tic! ''Okay, you two. Can you give me a piece of this stinky spinach?'' I said, pointing at the many stinky spinach plants in the field in front of me. The anteater brothers looked at each other with a puzzled expression. ''Hey, Tic. ''What is it, Neck? ''I was wondering...'' ''What do you mean, by any chance? ''Do you eat ladybugs raw? ''Whoa!That''s wild! You can''t eat them raw, they''re so muddy! ''Pull out a plant, root and all, and sell it to me. ''You''re a good man, Neck! ''Oh, you''re a very nice man, Tic!I didn''t know there were other people who would buy stinky spinach besides our ''nice guy''! ''That''s Millie''s acquaintance! ''Millie''s acquaintances are all good people! ''Hey, hey, hey. Don''t casually make yourself out to be a ''good person'', NE~Yo! ''A~tch!I''ve been caught! ''Just hurry up and give it to me, stinky spinach! I''ve had enough of your American Short Comedies! ''OK, OK, Jast-A-Moment! ''A-rile-bee-wait-okay? ''OK, so hurry up and do it!Naw! ''......Yashiro is a susceptible nature. Don''t worry about it.'' When I hurried, the anteater brothers both kneeled down on the soil and began to dig up the soil with both hands. ...... Don''t they use tools? ''Oops, Tic!Don''t damage the roots in your haste! ''Of course not, Neck!The ''good guys'' said that roots can be sold as roots! ''Yeah, that''s right. You know exactly what I''m talking about. ''Of course DA-ROa??'' Yeah, it''s annoying. But ............... ''Roots can be sold as roots'' ....... When I glanced at him, Percy turned his face away and tried not to look at me. ''Wow!Look at these magnificent roots! The stinky spinach was dug up and held high by the anteater brothers with a lot of soil on its roots. Underneath the spinach-like leaves was a large, thick, white root that looked like a radish. It might be closer to a turnip than a radish. ''Hahaha!It''s really great! ''It would be great if it tasted good! ''That''s right. It''s just the taste that''s a pity. I think taste is the most important factor in determining the value of vegetables. ...... ''Only'' taste is a disappointment'' ...... ''Then why don''t we give you some freshly picked stinky spinach! ''Buy now, and I''ll give you another of the same! ''Oh, yeah, I''ll take it from ...... then.'' These guys may not be from a junior high school textbook, but a late night shopping show. The anteater brothers, looking rather happy, pulled out another stinky spinach and handed one to me and one to Magda. We bought two for the unbelievable price of 1Rb. ...... Well, to be honest, one is enough for me. ''You''ve got mud on your hands. I say, and the anteater brothers look at their hands. The anteater brothers'' hands were covered in mud. Just like Percy''s hands were covered in mud when we first met. I see. The only farm work he''s ever seen these anteater brothers do. That''s why he had to dig up the dirt to pull out the radishes. As a result of digging up three radishes, Percy''s hands were covered with mud that day. The big difference between Percy and the anteater brothers is the way they handle their dirty hands. Unlike Percy, who was touching his clothes and hair, the anteater brothers were careful not to touch anything with their hands, lest they get dirty somewhere else. Well, that''s normal, isn''t it? Percy turns his head away and purses his lips. I guess he''s trying to figure out what I know and what I don''t know. I can''t help but feel uneasy about how much he knows about me. But I don''t want to give him unnecessary information by saying something he doesn''t want to hear. The ''black market'' comment he made earlier had instilled fear in Percy. People who are like that are ...... fragile. ''Millie. ''Yeah, ............ what? ''The anteater brothers got their hands dirty. Can you go wash them for me? ''HAHAHA! I can wash my own hands. As long as we''re not quadrupeds. No, you''re more like quadrupeds. ''...... It''s important for both of you to be clean. Follow Millie''s instructions and wash your hands quickly and thoroughly.'''' ''''Yes!Magda!'''' Magda said, and the anteater brothers straightened up and began to urge Miry to lead them to the washroom. ''''Come on, Milly!Let''s get a move on! ''...... Miri, what do you want me to do? ''I''m in charge of opening doors and faucets. It''s important to keep them clean! ''Yeah......, okay. Okay, ladybug, I''m off. ''Oh!Nice to meet you. After seeing Millie and the anteater brothers off, Magda muttered to herself. ''...... Is that good? ''Very good.'' With Magda''s assistance, we were able to get the three out of the way. Millie was too kind, and the anteater brothers should ...... tell her what happened before deciding how to proceed. Magda''s presence is a great help at times like this. This guy is usually quiet, but when he opens his mouth, he has a tremendous influence to optimize the situation. She sees things carefully and is quick-witted. She is a good girl who is very thoughtful. ''Now, let''s get down to business. Percy.'' ''............'' Percy backed away slightly and stared at me in a defensive manner. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one with good intentions when it comes to getting rid of the anteater brothers. ''...... Oh, oh, oh, Yashiro-san is talking to you. I''m not sure what to say. ''Ah, Magda...... that kind of thing, no thanks.'' ''...... so''. I don''t know where you got your knowledge from, but you don''t need to fill in the bottom three positions. I''m not sure what to make of it. I don''t know where you got your knowledge, but you don''t have to fill in the three lower positions. ''First of all, let me tell you that Assunto didn''t send me to you with any plan. ''...... Are you sure?'' ''If you think I''m lying, you can always invoke the Judgment of the Spirits. ''............'' Percy turned his steely gaze on me, took a good deal of time to think it over, and then muttered, ''...... Okay. If your assumptions are wrong, you''re not going to get anywhere. ''I''m looking for sugar for a reason. It''s not at the ridiculous prices that the aristocrats have fished out, but at the kind of prices that can be used in large quantities in ordinary restaurants. ''Sugar?Are you insane? Percy''s smile, as if he was mocking me, seemed to be somewhat self-deprecating. He probably feels that the current situation where he can''t go against the nobles is strange. That''s why he took action. ''I think it will be possible if I ask you, don''t you? ''Well, it''s impossible. There''s no sugar cane coming in. We can''t make sugar because there''s no sugar cane. ...... Haha. What are you talking about now? ''Then why don''t you use this one? I hold up the stinky spinach with mud that the anteater brothers gave me. ''With that stinky spinach, how do you get sugar from ......? ''That''s enough. Percy.'' I interrupt him, and his mute eyes stare at me. ''I told you it was a question and answer session. I know everything, man. ''He''s not named Stinky Spinach. I don''t know who gave it to him, but it''s a common name.'' That''s the complicated and annoying thing about forced translation magic. Perhaps the first person who saw it gave it the name ''stinky spinach''. Since then, those who saw it for the first time were told that the vegetable''s name was "stinky spinach," and it stuck. So the name of this vegetable is "stinky spinach" in this city. That''s why this vegetable is called "stinky spinach" in this city. That''s because that''s what they''ve been taught to call it. And that nickname was passed down to me at ....... Even I know who this guy is. Forced Translation Magic is greatly affected by the knowledge of the user and the listener of the words. If even one of those who have ever said ''stinky spinach'' had known the official name of this thing, I might have been able to know its true identity much earlier. ''In my country, we call this thing ''sugar radish''. ''......!'' Percy''s face contorts. There''s no way to confirm how my words were translated, but ...... judging by his expression, he must have sounded like he was getting right to the point. ''...... "Sato" and "Radish"?'' Magda tilted her head. Okay, so it was translated as a combination of those two words. Then that''s best. They can''t understand the meaning of ''sugar and radish'' in Japanese. I''m relieved to hear that it was properly translated as a combination of the nouns ''sugar'' and ''radish''. ''Sugar can also be made from other sources than sugar cane. ''...... That''s what this is?'' Magda stared at the sugar radish with a curious look on her face. ''Well, it''s hard to believe that this can be made into sugar. ''Originally, it''s not a vegetable for eating the leaves. The main part is in the roots. Sugar radish accumulates sugar in its large roots when exposed to sunlight. In Japan, sugar radish is produced in Hokkaido and other areas. In Japan, sugar beet is produced in Hokkaido and other areas. Most of the sugar beet is shipped to sugar processing plants and is rarely sold in the general market. Therefore, it is not familiar, but it is one of the proudest foods of Japan. In the north, there is sugar radish in Hokkaido, and in the south, sugar cane in Okinawa. Japanese sugar is made from them. Incidentally, although it is called "sugar radish," it is a member of the "daylily family," the same as spinach, and its leaves resemble spinach. However, if you compare them side by side, they are totally different. ...... Human memory is a vague thing, and if you are presented with a similar thing as the same thing, you will be convinced that it is so. If you are shown a lizard, you will be convinced that it is a lizard, right?It''s like that. So, of course, it is not a member of the radish family. It is called so because it looks like a radish, but it is a different plant. The most characteristic feature of this plant is the sugar accumulated in its roots. ''Although the initial process is different, after squeezing out the sugar solution from this plant, sugar can be crystallized in the same way. Percy. That''s what you''ve been doing. ''...... Hey, what''s this ............'' Percy is about to make an excuse when I reach out my arm and point my finger at him. ''You don''t want to lie. The only action you can take is to remain silent. ''......''. I''m not here to discuss the properties and characteristics of sugar radishes. I already know what they are. Percy and I both know how to use sugar beet properly. It''s a waste of time for the two of us to talk about the properties of sugar radishes. ''When you''ve given up, tell us how you knew you could make sugar from it, or something like that. Until then, I''ll keep talking.'' The next time Percy opens his mouth is when he''s admitting defeat. I''ll keep talking. ''You posed as a kind person, bought these sugar radishes from the anteater brothers at an unbelievable price, then made sugar and sold it on the black market. Didn''t the nobles find out about this and stop him from selling sugar cane? I looked at him, but Percy didn''t say anything. However, the bitter look on his face is like an affirmation of my opinion. The stinky spinach ...... sugar radish leaves that Jeannette was grabbed with were probably also sold on the black market. They were used by people who wanted to make a profit by deceiving customers by selling spinach in a place famous for spinach. ''When we went to visit the factory, it hadn''t been shut down for very long. Even though they said they hadn''t received any sugar cane for three months. The fact that there were traces of sugar production just before the shutdown is evidence that sugar was being produced from raw materials other than cane. ''...... Why do you have to be so coy? Percy didn''t speak, but Magda sent me a question. She couldn''t understand why Percy didn''t market it more widely, even though he had found a new way to make it profitable. ''What would the aristocrats who want to monopolize sugar think if a sugar substitute ......, or rather, this thing is already sugar itself, ...... appeared in large quantities at low prices?'' ''............''Maicchingu''? That''s such a cute word to use. ...... ''They''d be crushed for sure. Not only will they not be able to distribute sugar cane, but their sugar routes may also be shut down. It''s that simple. All you have to do is say, ''Anyone who does business with Percy is forbidden to do business with anyone but Percy. The traders can''t afford to lose their sugar, and the sugarmakers can''t go against the aristocrats who control the sugar cane. ''...... I see. ............ scary.'' That''s why Percy was selling the sugar to the black market. This is why Percy has been selling sugar to the black market, so that he can profit from it without his identity being known. ''Considering the current situation, it seems that people don''t know how to make the new sugar or even about this sugar radish, but it seems that people have caught on to the fact that ...... it seems that Percy is the one who is making the ''new sugar''.'' The wrinkles between Percy''s eyes deepened. ''That''s why they thought we were spies looking for the sugar factory, when we came here for a factory tour with an introduction from Assunto. ''That''s right!That''s why we appealed to him that we couldn''t move the factory and were in need of money, but he saw through all of our ....... ......'' No, no, no. I was convinced by your appeal. I knew there was more to it. ''I''m not a spy, and Assunto is not a pawn of the sugar barons. ''You can''t trust him! Percy raises his voice. You can see the agitation on his face. It''s a sign that you''re being pushed very hard. You can clearly see that he is just trying to put up a good front by raising his voice. For Percy, sugar radish is his only lifeline. If it were cut off, his business would cease to exist. However, we cannot overlook the current situation where sugar is being sold to the black market. Regular products are strictly controlled by the aristocracy and cannot be accessed by the general public. On top of that, the pirated version of "new sugar" is only distributed in the foul black market. Then, neither of the two sugars can be used at the Sunlit Pavilion. Perhaps Jeannette won''t agree to it. He may be deceived, but he would never deceive anyone. He wouldn''t buy food for his customers at a black market or some other fishy place. I''ve been cheated by ...... stinky spinach before. Therefore, I have to make the "new sugar" available to the general market. If I can do that, I will have completed my mission. ............ Now, what should I do? ''......Do you want to make a contract with Percy and ask him to supply sugar to the Sunshine Pavilion? ''If you are exchanging goods frequently across the districts, it will be easy to be noticed by the nobles. We don''t want to lose our supply of sugar as soon as we''re discovered. We don''t want to lose our established menu ....... Once a person has tasted the cake, if the cake is taken away, there will be a ...... riot. ''In ......, in the garbage collection guild. ''That''s a ward-only guild that can only operate in the 42nd ward. ''What about the Sea Fish from the ...... Sea Fishing Guild? ''That''s for repairing the nets they bring in. It''s not against the law to take what you can get. ''......Yes. But the Garbage Collection Guild can''t come to District 40 to trade sugar. If you want to buy goods from him, you need to buy directly or through Assunto. ''...... Do you come here every day to buy?'' ''It''s a hassle, and if you act so conspicuous, you''ll soon be found out.'' ''...... secretly.'' ''No, you can''t.'' The flow of goods is easily traced. In this world, where you can''t lie when questioned, the truth will soon come out. If one of the nobles asks Jeannette, not me, where it came from, I''ll be out in a heartbeat. I can''t take that risk. ''Hey, hey! Suddenly, Percy dropped to his knees on the ground. ''Please!Please don''t tell anyone about this!I can''t protect my sister if I can''t make sugar!I don''t want her to live in poverty!I don''t want him to be miserable anymore!That''s right!Please! I bow my head with my hands. Percy gets down on his knees, not caring that his hair is stained with dirt. He''s a sister or a ............ sissy. If so, ...... ''......Yashiro''. Magda stares at me with emotionless eyes. ''...... What are you going to do?'' His eyes seem to be saying, ''Do something about it. ...... He''s starting to look like Jeannette. ............ I''m going to act in my own best interest. It''s not like there''s anything you can do about it. Who''s going to keep quiet about such a lucrative deal? ''What? Percy looked up with a start. His forehead was stained black with dirt. ''I''ll take this back to Assunto and ask him for a business meeting. Tell him about the existence of sugar radishes and how to produce them, and the nobles will jump at the chance. We might be able to get a margin, and if we do well, we might be able to secure a certain amount of sugar.'' ''Wait, wait!Then, my siblings and I are ......? ''Why don''t we just continue as before?Buy sugar radishes, make sugar in a small way, and sell it to the black market. Well, the price of the most ...... expensive sugar radish will probably go up. ''......?Are you a ............ demon? Percy grabbed a handful of soil and looked indignant. I''m not sure what to do. You can find a lot more information on the web at the moment. ''I''ll make an appointment with Assunto on my way home, and we''ll talk at the Sunken Pavilion at night after work. It''s getting light in the garden, so if we can talk over a nice meal outside, he''ll be happy to oblige. Well, let''s have a drink and a chat to celebrate the occasion. ''............'' Turning to Magda, who was not saying a word, I mentioned my plans for the evening. I''m very grateful to Magda for keeping her mouth shut at times like this. She reads the atmosphere and knows my intentions. ''That''s ...... the way I found it, ......! Percy barks in anguish. You''re a sore loser. ''That''s too bad. I knew it too. That''s all I know. I didn''t hear anything from you or learn anything from you. I just ended up in the same place. I don''t care who I sell this knowledge to, it''s my business. ''You''re willing to take away someone else''s profit for your own? Percy stood up and closed in on me. ...... but... ''You''re the one who''s taking away the anteater brothers'' profits for your own gain. ''............ Yeah.'' At my words, Percy''s face turns from red to blue. ''Who is it that is hiding the value of these sugar radishes and buying them at an unfairly low price to increase your profits? ''......So, that''s ............''. ''Who is the one who keeps calling sugar radish by the name of ''stinky spinach'' to keep people from paying attention to the valuable root? ''......o, I''m ............''. ''Look at the field here. Look at their houses. ............'' Most of the fields are abandoned, and the houses are shabby, ready to collapse. Their standard of living is probably not very high. ''This is because you are depriving the anteater brothers of their profits. ''............ is different from .......'' ''No, it''s not.'' Percy staggered back to get away from me. ''You''re the one who''s preying on the anteater brothers. You''re the only one who gets to sip the sweet juice at their expense. Just like the ...... nobles.'''' Percy twisted to get away from the pointing finger, and lost his balance and fell on his butt. ''Ugh! Percy''s face contorted in pain. The distortion became worse with time, and Percy''s face became crumpled. ''O, I''m ............ just, my sister is ............''. ''Yeah, I know. There are things that are important to you that you want to protect no matter what.'' ''Yes, that''s right!That''s why ......! When you show some understanding, Percy will hang on to you desperately. Then I push him away. ''So,'' he said, ''I can do the same thing, right? ''............ yeah''. ''I also have something important that I really want to protect. It''s the store and the people who work there. ''...... Oh, no, ............ that''s ......'' ''For that reason, even if some siblings are forced to live in poverty,......, it''s ''inevitable'', right?'' ''............'' Percy fell completely silent. He was convinced that what he had done so far was now going to be done to him. And because he had done it before, he couldn''t even argue. Percy''s face gradually turned down, and he nodded completely. He looks like a mechanical doll with a dead battery. ''This will make life easier for the anteater brothers. If I provide Assunto with the information, he can sell the sugar radish for a very high price. We''ve been forced to live in poverty for so long. It''s about time they were rewarded. ''......Yashiro'' Magda grabs me by the hem of my dress. He stares at me blankly. Her ears are lying slightly to the side on her head. A sign of anxiety. I took Magda''s hand and squeezed it once as she grabbed the hem of my dress. It''s okay, don''t worry. --That''s what I meant. ''............ so''. I guess she got the message, because she slowly pulled away from me. Then it''s time to finish the job. ''That''s why, Percy. Why don''t you find a new way to make sugar again? I say mockingly, as if spitting. I don''t know what kind of expression Percy had on his face as he listened to my words, but I didn''t miss ...... Percy''s hand squeezing the earth. I don''t know if you heard what I said, but I didn''t miss ...... Percy''s hand squeezing the dirt. ...... Direct that energy in the right direction, Percy. I''ll be waiting. 90-Episode 79 Late-night Talks Night. Assunto came to the restaurant after it closed. I had made an appointment with him as soon as I returned from the 40th district. When I told him it was about sugar, he was immediately interested. We had a brief meeting there, and now we are at ....... ''Well, that''s Mr. Yashiro. You''ve already got a plan for the supply of sugar. ...... This is really worthy of respect. I''d like to call you ''Ya-sama'' out of respect.'' ''If you want to show respect, don''t call me that. Assunto, who has been in a good mood since his appearance, is smiling with wrinkles on his pig face. He had complained happily the other day that his laugh lines had increased. Even in the dim light, I could clearly see the wrinkles on his face. The reason why the garden of the Sunlit Pavilion is dimly lit is because the shining bricks in the garden are covered with cloth to block the light. The secret agreement was made in a dimly lit place to create an atmosphere of ......, but this is also a part of the production. It''s also to make it easier for the enemy to get caught in the trap. Assunto sits on the side of the store, and I sit with my back to the street. I don''t know if there''s such a thing in the yard, but I''m sitting down. ''Well, I couldn''t get my hands on it even though it was guaranteed to make money, sugar. The fact that you can handle it ...... means that you have to do something to repay Yashiro. ''Returning the favor,......,'' he said. He put his elbows on the wooden round table in the garden, leaned forward and whispered to Assunto. ''I want you to make peace with the disaster that''s about to happen. ''What?...... calamity?'' A bead of sweat breaks out on Assunto''s cheek. It was at that moment-- ''Aaahhhh! A man suddenly jumped out of the darkness, screaming. He ran up behind me and shouted even louder. ''Die! ''Hiiiiiiii? Assunto, who was sitting opposite me, let out a pathetic scream and fell down from his chair. He probably saw a knife being raised and lost his back. He doesn''t have the guts, you know. As for me... ''......Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion......''. I could afford it. I had already predicted ...... this would happen, no, I had set it up. The man standing behind me, about to put a knife to my neck, is Percy. I''ve lured out this man who''s halfway good, halfway sisterly, and capable of taking drastic action when the situation calls for it. ''Yashiro-san! Assunto''s dirty voice called out my name in concern. I''d rather hear that in Jeannette''s voice. I''m not happy at all. Just as I was thinking that...There was a sound of metal hitting metal. ''...... I won''t let Yashiro be harmed. Magda jumped out from under the table and flicked Percy''s knife away with her Masakari. There is no one who can match Magda in speed. At least, I can assure you no one that I know of. At the same time, the cloth covering the glowing brick was removed at once. In an instant, a bright light floods the garden. ''What the hell is this? Percy cries out in surprise, covering his eyes with his arms at the sudden light. You''re full of holes, kid. You''re all over the place. ''......? Estella, who has been standing by, puts a knife to Percy''s throat and warns him. ''Checkmate. ''......, you set me up. ............! Percy''s voice is raspy and bitter. Yeah, I did. I set you up. I''m a fraud. I knew if I pushed you, you''d act like this. There aren''t many things a person does when life gets tough and they can''t get by. You can either turn to someone else, act like a yap rock, or ...... get rid of the people in your way. ''You love your sister and you will not run away from the world by yourself. Never. So, the only action you should take is to eliminate ...... me, the obstacle in your way that is ruining your life. Gradually his eyes must have adjusted. Percy drops the arm that was covering his eyes and looks around. There was me, Assunto, Magda and Estella. And Ginette and Loretta were there too. It was Ginette and Loretta who removed the cloth. Percy, lured out into the light, glared at me with eyes like a wounded beast. He looks like he''s about to pounce. ''What do you want me to do? ''I just want to talk to you. Just sit down.'' I suggest a chair, but Percy bares his fangs. ''You''ve got to be kidding me!You could have just talked to me in that field during the day!Why are you bothering with this ......! ''If you keep talking in the field, the anteater brothers will find out who you are. ''............What? The anteater brothers, who had only gone to wash their hands, had returned relatively quickly. If they had continued the conversation, it would have ended in anarchy. That''s not good enough. We have to finish this thoroughly. ''Well, I wanted to talk to you calmly. ''...... Wouldn''t it have been better to tell the whole story in front of the Cary brothers?You don''t have to go through this tedious procedure. ......'' ''Carey?'' ''They''re the anteater brothers of the stinky spinach farmers!I''m talking about Neck and Tic!You should at least remember their names!Don''t you feel sorry for them? No, I''ve never heard of them. ...... ''I''m not going to talk to those guys until after the whole thing is over.'' ''Don''t tell me you''re going to exploit ...... the Cary brothers against them?'' ''If so, what are you going to do?Do you have the right to say anything?'' ''............ No. ............ I''ve been taking advantage of their kindness and ............'' Percy loosened his grip on his fists and nodded off weakly. It seems that the poison has finally left his system. He glanced at Estella, who gave a small nod and moved her knife away. ''Sit down. ''...... Ah.'' I offered Percy a chair and sat down next to him. The seat across from me is Assunto''s, but ...... he''s still lying on the ground. Why don''t you just get back in your chair, you disgrace. Now I look at Ginette. He nodded his head and walked into the dining room. ''I didn''t have the option of revealing what you''ve been doing right there. He settled down and began to speak slowly. Yeah. I couldn''t do that. ''To the anteater brothers, you''re a ''good man'', a ''benefactor'' who''s helped us make a living. If they find out that you''ve been using them or cheating on them, even if those brothers are irredeemable a**h*les, they''ll be shocked to within an inch of their lives. ''...... Yashiro, you''re exaggerating. It can''t be that bad.'' Magda follows up. ''Well, I don''t really care about their stupidity, so I''ll just take it as it comes. As I was doing this, Ginette came out of the cafeteria with a cup of tea. Politely, there was enough for everyone. I asked the others to join us at another table I had prepared. It''s just the three of us here. ''I wanted to give you some space. You needed time to think about things, and we needed to get the right people together.'' ''...... made me think a lot, a lot.'' Percy muttered, as if he had made up his mind or given up,....... I''m not sure what to make of it. The process must have taken a heavy toll on Percy''s mind. He''s not a bad guy by nature. You can sense that in every conversation. You push him, you make him decide it''s the only way, you make him act, and you make him fail. After making him cool down, the emotion that comes to his mind is ............ ''relief''. ''Oh, thank God. I didn''t have to kill him. I''m so glad it didn''t turn out to be a disaster. I''m sure Percy''s mind is filled with such relief right now. With relief comes fatigue. It''s called "exhaustion. In fact, at the moment, Percy is wearing a weak expression on his face that he can''t hide. He is completely defenseless. He''s a carp on a chopping block. Like a dry sponge sucking up water at once, or lungs emptying during a swim sucking in a full lungful of air with a single breath, there is a force that tries to absorb more than usual after letting it all out. Percy, who had let his emotions get the better of him, would now listen to us with open arms. ''I want to distribute sugar. And I want it cheap and stable.'' I''ll tell him what I want. No subterfuge, just straight up. ''...... can''t do that, man. I wish that were true, too. Put your elbow on the table and rest your cheek on it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... Don''t do it, your languid look is like the gravure of an idol magazine, and it''s strangely fitting and annoying. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... ...... Getting down on your knees is a given. Sometimes they even did things like bribery to curry favor,............, and to me as a kid, it looked really ugly. ''Hey. That''s enough badmouthing Assunto. ''Mr. Yashiro, you''re the worst. I''m sorry, but I''d like to hear what you have to say, so can you please keep quiet for a while? Assunto looks grim, as if he could bow out for 1Rb. All right, just keep your mouth shut. Hmm. Children are sensitive about such things, right?That''s why we were bullied a lot by the kids in the neighborhood, ...... saying that we''re living the good life by flirting with the aristocracy. ......'' ''I have no idea what''s wrong with that!In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. But he ignored it. ''Well, actually. My father earned his money by rubbing his head on the ground like a grasshopper, and we made a modest living with it. It''s a fact, and I don''t care what people say about it, that''s what I thought. ...... but''. On the table, Percy''s hand is clenched. The fist is tightened and a faint ''squeak'' is heard. ''When my parents were killed in an accident, ...... one of the neighbors said to me, ...... "Suck it up," .......... ...I was so disappointed that I had done such a bad thing. ...... I was so disappointed that protecting my family was such a bad thing. ...... I was so disappointed that I had done such a bad thing. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I hated my dad so much, but ...... he was a jerk. ...... I punched him in the face. Money makes people crazy. It affects not only those who have money, but also those around them in many ways. Jealousy and black-hearted scheming exist everywhere. ''When my parents disappeared and it was just me and the newborn Molly, I thought, ......, I''m going to protect Molly no matter what. Even if you are the one who gets stuck in the ............ mud and ends up going down the wrong path,............? ''When I realized that I had done something dirtier than ...... my father,......'' he said. ''That''s how desperate you must have been,......, I can tell. To my surprise, Assunto showed empathy for Percy. Does he have any compassion for others?Or was he just making a play to gain an advantage in the negotiations? ''Actually, I have a sister, too. ......'' ''That''s too bad! ''Yashiro-san, I''m about to tell you a good story, so could you please shut up? Assunto thumped the table. He called himself a good story. ...... It''s cold. ''I, too, worked hard to protect my only living relative, my sister. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ...... A little? You''ll be out of the running for Judgment of the Spirits. ''Then, one day, my sister said to me: ......'' ''Don''t do the dirty work ......?'' ''No. ......'' In response to Percy''s question, Assunto gave a small shake of his head. Then he clenched his fist and said forcefully. ''''It''s still sweet!You have to be greedy enough to squeeze the dregs one more time to be a merchant! ...... and'' ''I''m scared, your sister .......'' A sister who''s even more insatiable than Assunto ...... is too disgusting. ''A sister is a person who understands her brother. ''Well, ...... your sister may be tough, but ...... my Molly is ...... sensitive, pretty, and has a really good voice. I''m sure you''ve heard of her, but I''ve never heard of her. ''I''m proud of my sister, that''s enough, you siscon''. It''s too far off topic. ''......, but if he knew I was such a dirty person, he''d ............ ''You''re an idiot. I''ll tell you what, Percy. You''re an idiot. ''You don''t see Molly for what she is. ''Ha ......, huh!f*ck you!I''m only looking at Molly, and I''ve been working so hard ......! ''In the process of working hard, you''ve lost sight of Molly. ''How can you say such a thing to me? ''Molly knows everything, man. ''What about ............? The Molly I met at the sugar factory had a good view of her surroundings. She probably noticed that we were aware of Percy''s cover-up. Molly''s a girl with great instincts. That''s why we thought we could bring her in just by asking her to give us a message. ...... Looks like we were right. ''Master Yashiro. I''ve brought the man you asked for.'' Natalia emerged from the street at night. Beside her was Molly. ''Molly!What are you doing here ......? ''I heard my brother was going to do something crazy. ............'' ''Listen to me: ......'' Percy looks at me. Yeah, that''s what I asked him to tell you. ''I didn''t think you''d do anything rash, but I asked Natalia to keep an eye on you just in case. I also asked Molly to give you a message.'' ''Surveillance ............ I didn''t notice ...... at all.'' ''Of course not. I''m the head maid, remember? No, I don''t think that''s the kind of title you want to put your name on here. ''Molly, did you know ............?'' The siblings face each other. Molly is standing, face down. When she looked up slightly, she gave a small nod. ''I knew ....... All the things my brother is doing,.............'' ''......why............'' ''You''d know that if you ran the factory every day, that''s ......'' ''............What, seriously?'' Idiots. There''s an idiot. He''s not very good at hiding things, is he? ''I''m really sorry ............ for Mr. Carey''s brothers, but I know you''ve been working hard for me, so... .........I couldn''t say anything. ......'' Tears dripped from Molly''s eyes. ''......I''m sorry, bro. I''m sorry for giving you such a hard time all the time. ......'' ''Ba, idiot!It''s okay!It''s all my fault!There''s nothing for Molly to cry about!You know that, right?It''s my fault, isn''t it?It''s none of your business, is it? Her eyes stare at me. ''Hey, you!If it''s punishment, I''ll take it all on my own!I''ll even guarantee all the damage I caused to the Cary brothers!So, can you just let Molly off the hook?He really didn''t do anything wrong! ''''No!My brother did something bad for me ...... because of me!So I''m the one at fault!If it''s a punishment, I should be the one to take it! ''That''s not true, Molly! ''You''re an idiot, so shut up! ''That''s cruel, Molly! It would have been a big deal if she''d been able to reflect on that before others pointed it out. ''If I hadn''t known, you''d have done the same thing tomorrow and the day after, right? ''............So, that''s ......'' ''What you''re doing now is not remorse. It''s regret. You are only regretting that you did something that would be discovered and hunted down. Stop pretending you''re sorry. It''s disrespectful to the anteater brothers. ''............'' ''............'' Saying ''I''m sorry'' after you''ve been found out is not ''I''m sorry'' but ''Please forgive me''. It''s not remorse, it''s self-preservation. It is a selfish escape from reality. ''That ...... Yashiro-san............'' Ginette walks up next to me and looks at me with eyes that seem to want to say something. She gives me that look again: ...... ''Magda.'' ''...... What?'' Magda and I are the only ones who have actually met the anteater brothers. I''d like to hear an objective opinion from someone other than me. ''Did those anteater brothers look unhappy to you?'' ''...... Negative. They looked unbelievably happy.'' ''They were happy, weren''t they? Their crops were selling.'' ''...... And we met some ''nice people'' who brought us some food once in a while. ''Oh, you guys ...... what the heck are you ...... doing?'' I ask a puzzled Percy. It''s a very fundamental question. ''Did you guys do something wrong to those anteater brothers? ''What about ......? ''You were the only one in town who found a use for the vegetables that no one else saw any value in, and you were the only one who bought them, right?What''s wrong with that? ''So, that''s ...... what I said earlier, right?You said that I ...... intercepted the legitimate benefits that the Carey brothers should have received. ......'' ''Value?For stinky spinach that doesn''t even sell?'' ''That''s because you don''t know what real value is. ......'' ''If you don''t know, you can''t make a product out of it.'' ''Huh?'' Percy scratched his head with a confused expression. Assunto calls out to Percy. ''Can I have a word with you, Mr. Percy? We merchants buy and sell goods by paying for their value. No matter how much hidden value there is, if you can''t present it, the product is worthless,......, and if you say it like this, it''s as good as garbage,....... ''Go, garbage ......'' ''I only know one person who would be sincere enough to pay to take in such useless trash. ...... Hmm.'' Assunto turns to look at me. ''Don''t, don''t look at me, you creep. ''Isn''t it up to the individual who has the trash in their hands to decide what to do with it? ''But, but ......''. ''If you still suffer from pangs of conscience,............, well,......, I''m sorry to say that I''ve heard from a certain person. ......Wouldn''t it be better if I taught you the correct way to use that garbage? ''...... correct,usage......? ''Yes. If we do that, we will know that our crops have value and we will be proud of them. Of course, the price of the crops will increase, but not as much as the nobles.'' Percy and Molly froze, unable to read Assunto''s intentions. However, she seemed to understand that she wasn''t being blamed, and Molly''s tears had stopped. ''Well ...... I mean ............ what does that mean?'' Percy scratched his head, held his temples, folded his arms, looked up at the sky and ...... finally turned his gaze to me in a helpless state. ''I''m sorry I haven''t told you before. It''s actually a great crop. I''ll buy it at a fair price from now on, and I''ll be counting on you. ''But, but... ......! It''s fine! If you get your act together, we''ll back them up so well that you won''t even have to complain. ''Percy. Your factory will be in full operation tomorrow without a break.'' ''What?Eh, ...... yeah?'' ''Loretta, can you get ten brothers and sisters each to send to the factory and the anteater brothers?'' ''Yes, sir!This month, some of the children have moved up from the younger class to the older class!They''re old enough to work! ''Assunto. I want you to identify the weak sugar factories that are being shut down by the nobles, and the good farmers who are letting their farmland go to waste. ''Yes, yes. We''ll pick up some beautiful people like me. If it''s ...... like Assunto, I''ll be very worried. But I''m sure he''ll understand my intentions. Then good. ''Estella. Keep the nobles in check.'' ''You''re being too reckless! ''Natalia. Back up Estella. ''Fr?¡èulein.'' ''That''s too much, Natalia! If we can keep the aristocrats away for the first month or so, we can build a base for sales. ''Ginette.'' ''Yes.'' ''I''d like to create a new menu at the Sunken Pavilion to promote Percy''s ''New Sugar''. Will you allow me to do so?'' ''Yes, sir. I''d be happy to.'' ''Also, I''d like to talk to Bertina. ''Then I''ll ask her to let you know first thing tomorrow morning. I can''t sell it without a permit. Well, I''m sure Bertina will give me the OK right away. After all, Bertina has a sweet tooth. ''And Magda. ''...... what?'' Magda is looking up at me. The same eyes that were staring at me this afternoon. ''Is that okay?'' She puts her hand on my head and crunches my hair. It''s rare, really, that Magda begs me. That time. When Percy got down on his knees in the anteater field and begged me to protect his sister, Magda stared at me silently. The look in her eyes told me that she wanted to help them somehow. Ginette''s good-naturedness must have infected you. I''m aware of some of the symptoms, and ...... I guess that''s what happens when you live under one roof. It''s a pandemic. There''s nothing we can do. So I''ll give up and at least help people. But I''m going to build in a mechanism that will benefit me greatly. ''When sugar becomes available, their lives will be more stable, and they won''t have to deal with that again. ''......Yashiro. Are you doing this for Magda? ''Well, I suppose that''s part of it. ''............Yashiro.'' Magda closes her eyelids and gently touches my hand as I stroke her hair. ''...... Thank you.'' Slowly opening her eyelids, Magda''s face seemed to ...... smile a little. It would be nice if he had a friend who was close to his age. Somehow, it''s good to have more people to care for. Educationally. ''Oh, that ......''. After assigning each of us a task, Molly calls out to me. ''Ni, you''re too stupid to understand, so why don''t you ...... tell me?'' Do you need that preamble? Look at him, he''s right there looking like, ''What? That''s your brother''s face. ''What are you going to do? ''I''m going to distribute the sugar. ''But if we do that, the aristocracy will ............ almost shut down our factory just for selling a little sugar to the market. ......'' ''That''s why.'' ''......What?'' It''s a matter of life and death for a factory owner when sugar cane doesn''t arrive for three months. The system that allows such a thing to happen is crazy. So I''m going to destroy it. I''m going to destroy it. We''re going to make a lot of stuff and put it into circulation. We''ll release them into the market so fast that the aristocracy won''t be able to control them even if they try later. ''Can you do that ......? ''Assunto will take care of it. You know? Assunto was playing the abacus over there, doing some calculations. His eyes glittered. ''I''ve calculated that, at the lowest estimate, once the six factories start producing ''new sugar'', the nobles won''t be able to do anything about it. If we put too much pressure on the factories, we can build a structure where all the factory managers will turn to the ''new sugar'' and leave the nobles'' sugar. ''So, do you have any plans for the factories? ''We have up to three. ''Then find me the other three as soon as possible. ''I understand it''s not easy to ....... I''ll see what I can do. Assunto''s eyebrows were raised, but his eyes were strangely lively. It''s a different look than the one he used to have when he was scheming. ''Oh, by the way, there is a sugar maker whose ...... factory burned down in a fire. If only the factory could be built, there would be four of us including him.'' ''Okay, let''s build one in District 42 on the condition that you come to District 42. Estella, do you have money? ''No, I don''t!I don''t, but ...... you can do whatever you want. It''s too late for a factory or two. ...... Haha.'' ''Okay!Okay, Magda!What''s he up to?'' ''...... Just tomorrow, the sewage works in the Forty District will be completed, and Umaro will have his first vacation in a week.'' ''Okay, lucky!Then I''ll have the factory built quickly during my vacation! ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... isn''t that too much to ask ......? ''...... manager'' ''Yes, yes. What can I do for you, Magda? ''...... Magda loves people who work hard.'' ''I do!That factory!I''ll build it perfectly! ''Aaah! Umaro suddenly appeared in the garden of the Sunken Pavilion. Ginette let out a cute scream at the sudden appearance. ''How,how,how,how,how did Oumalo-san get here ......?'' Holding her speeding heart,............, she wonders if it''s reaching her,......, blocked by such a resilient wall, Ginette asks Umaro. ''Hee, hee, hoo, hoo!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... No good, he''s still not immune to Jeannette. ...... I''m going to ask him. ''Why are you here at this hour? ''Oh, actually, sir. I was working overtime earlier and I''m on my way home now. This change in attitude is a little annoying. I''m not saying that you should be nervous with me, but ...... ''So, is the sewage work finished? ''Perfectly! ''Um, Yashiro-san...... Oumaro-san. You seem to be very tired. ......'' Jeannette asks with concern. ''I''m a translator. ...... ''You''re dying. ''Haha ............ Well, I haven''t had a day off in a week. ......'' That kind of feeling is really coming out. Umaro looked ragged and gaunt. I wonder if he was working overtime until midnight every day. It must have been hard work for you. ...... I''ll give you a break. ''Magda. ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' Magda poured a cup of tea from the tea set Ginette had brought with her. As she handed it to Umaro, she said in her usual flat tone. ''...... Good job . You did a great job.'' Yes, sir. Everyone, please evacuate. Needless to say, ...... We, the familiar faces, all simultaneously, spontaneously, silently, took a step away. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it.I''m so tired!I''ll be back in a few days. ...... With this much energy, I should be able to finish a factory or two in half a day. Umaro, I can work without sleep or rest for another week. But then ...... Umaro staggered and sat down on the ground. ''Are you okay, Mr. Umaro? I guess okay means the exact opposite of okay. ''Jeannette, you''re no good. You''ll drain Oumalo''s strength. It''s still .......'' ''...... Hmm, Magda''s up.'' Magda walked over to Umaro, who was sitting on the ground, and patted him on the head with the same hand that I always do. ''...... good boy. Good boy.'' ''Factory, I''ll build you a dozen! ''No, I don''t need that much.'' I like you, Umaro. Stupid. ''What the ...... hell are these guys ...... doing going that far ahead?'' Percy''s expression was one of confusion. ''If you fail,......, the nobility will take notice of you, and you''ll all be finished!You might not be able to live in this city!So why are you so ...... confident in your actions? Up until now, Percy has been too afraid of the consequences to take any drastic action. Then I can understand your confusion. But if you don''t take action, you''ll never be successful. Ever. ''Oh, um, Mr. Percy.'' Jeannette stands in front of Percy. She folds her hands in front of her chest and smiles fondly. ''Failure is not something to be afraid of. What you should really be afraid of is being alone.'' ''...... lonely?'' ''People create no small amount of friction in order to live with someone else. If you stop acting out of fear of that, you won''t be able to live with someone else. ......'' Percy''s eyes widened. It must be something that comes to mind. Something he''d stopped doing, something he''d lost. ''Loneliness is a very lonely thing. There is no one to share your joys, no one to share your sorrows, no one to give you a hand when you are in pain. ...... Most of all, there is nothing you can do when someone you love is suffering. ...... It is very unfortunate. It''s very unfortunate. If you don''t take action, you won''t be able to make a connection with someone. If you don''t have a connection, you can''t do anything for someone else. That''s what Ginette thinks is sad. ...... She''s a softie. ''Mr. Percy did a lot of things for Molly. Was it scary?Was it anxious?'' ''...... that''s .......'' ''It''s the same for us. We don''t have to hesitate to do great things with the people we love. ''But ......'' ''And ......'' Ginette turns around. Ginette''s long hair fluttered in the night breeze. ''Because I believe in ...... you, Yashiro.'' Ginette''s smile under the big moon was so beautiful that ...... I couldn''t help but gasp. ''Oh, no, sir. We''re .......'' With a mischievous smile, Ginette shrugged her shoulders. Don''t ...... tell me, tell me. If you''re trying to convince someone, tell it to the depressed raccoon over there. ...... d*mn it. ''......You''re ............ not the reason ......... ...'' ''Maybe it''s because of that reason that you can be strong. I work hard for the people I love. There aren''t many reasons that drive me more than that. ''Hey, bro.'' ''Molly......'' ''Let''s give it a try.'' ''.................. Oh. Yeah, I guess.'' Percy choked on his tears. Maybe it was a flashback to all the things he''d worked so hard for, all the things he''d carried alone for so long. He''s a little clumsy, and he''s been working too hard. ''Hey, me!I''ll do it!If we run the factory at full capacity, we can make enough sugar for this whole area! Percy stood up, shouting with strength. He wipes the tears from the corners of his eyes with his arms and smiles, showing his bright white teeth. ......? ''Hey!Percy! ''Hmm?What is it?You look so weird.'' ''...... originally.'' ''I''m sorry, he was born that way.'' ''It''s your brother''s default. ''If you endure it, you''ll get used to it in three days. ''Oh, hey, guys!I don''t think that''s what ...... means, okay? All right, Magda, Estella, Loretta, Natalia. You guys should remember that. And Ginette, that''s not a subtle denial, is it? Not ''no''!Percy!You''ve lost the black around your eyes! ''What? Percy hurriedly looked at his arm. On the contrary, the black color around her eyes had been completely removed. ''Oh, no!The ink has fallen off! ''Ink! ''Big brother, I''ve always had a complex that I don''t have any animal features at all, that I look like a woman. ......'' ''Stupid, Molly!Don''t say that! ''I write it myself every morning.'' ''Don''t tell on me! Wow. ...... What is it with Percy and ...... ''Shut up! ''You''re so annoying!It''s your constitution, you can''t help it! ''...... irreparable cover-up.'' ''Hey, hey, why are you looking at me with such pity? ''It''s not my constitution, my heart is kind of feminine. ''You guys can say whatever you want! Magda and Loretta also hit him where it hurts, and Percy was on the edge of his seat. Yeah. Well, he doesn''t seem to be a bad guy. ''Alright!I get it!I know exactly what you''re going to say!Now watch this!I''m going to make a lot of sugar, and I''m going to make it in a manly way, and I''m going to become a man among men, so that one day I''ll have fine animal features! ''...... 10Rb to abort'' ''Oh. I''m 5Rb to fail.'' ''Then I''m about 20Rb away from giving up. ''I''m 15Rb...... to give up halfway through.'' ''You guys are terrible!And you''ve failed at all of them! While Percy was playing with our girls, Assunto finished his calculations. Sugar distribution channels and methods. The amount of sugar needed per month and the price to maintain equilibrium in the market. After all, it''s best to let Assunto do this kind of work. He''s a useful guy. It''s just that he was rotten to the core for a while. ''That''s great, Xanthe. ''It''s Assunto, though! It''s the same either way, isn''t it? ''...... Um, we''re .......'' ''Yeah. You don''t have to worry about anything anymore. All the people here are very fun, very reliable, and wonderful people. I''m sure they''ll figure out a way to make us all happy. Molly and Jeannette were having this conversation. ''What do you think we should do? ''I think we should try our best.'' ''...... I see.'' ''Yes.'' ''Then I''ll do my best.'' ''Yes, sir. Please do your best.'' Yes, Umaro suddenly became quiet. ...... He must have been tired. ...... I''ll lend you my bed for the night. ............ I''ll start using you tomorrow. What a mess. I''ll be a man! With such an idiotic cry, our "new sugar" distribution plan was set in motion. 91-Episode 80 Sugar Destination ''Yo!You''ve got your makeup on today.'' ''Shut up, dude. I''ve grown accustomed to the forty wards. I''d come to Percy''s sugar factory. After a midnight meeting, I came here today to get some sugar. Yesterday I spent the whole day running around informing people, doing small tasks and preparations, and today I have a full schedule. I have to finish what I have to do quickly. ''Well, why don''t we just get a permit and start selling the cakes? ''Hey, you. That''s the cake, isn''t it?The pretentious store on the other side of the main street, .......'' You must be referring to the place I went with Estella before. ''Is that ...... good? ''It''s not bad, but it''s not the kind of cake I''m looking for. ''Isn''t that the kind of cake you''re talking about? ''Not at all. Well, I''ll let you eat it when it''s done.'' ''You''ll use sugar, right?How sweet is it?I''m a sucker for sweets, seriously. It''s probably because he''s been through a lot, thought a lot, vented a lot. Percy''s face has become refreshed, as if he has lost his possessions, and the flirtatious atmosphere he used to have has returned. However, he is no longer as sneaky as he used to be. ''I have such a sweet tooth that I can eat a whole barrel of sugar that I made myself. ''...... How can you eat like that and not die? If you''re a normal person, you''ll go straight to diabetes. ''It''s not that ridiculously sweet, but let''s just say it has a lofty taste that you can''t get with ...... sugar direct. ''Oh ...... oh!I don''t know what it is, but it looks amazing. ......'' Percy''s nose is puffed up. How intrigued is he? ''Okay!It''s for future study!I can''t help it, I can''t help it. I''ll follow you! ''You ...... need to work. ''I''ll start tomorrow! ''Wow, this is definitely someone who doesn''t work hard.'' ''I''ll do my best!I''m a man! ''Procrastination, uncool, unmanly. ''Shut up!I want some sweet cake! The only thing manly about you is your assertiveness. If you disregard the ...... content. If the taste of the cake will give you a boost for your work tomorrow, I''ll let you have it. In any case, I''m going to bake a whole cake. .................. Oh, one hole is definitely not enough. Yeah, I think so. ''Well, let''s go. ''I''ll go get Molly too! Percy runs off with a childlike smile on his face. He''s so cynical. And a perfect child. Hardly the man who attempted assassination yesterday. Percy runs off in high spirits, but when he comes back a few minutes later, his shoulders are slumped and he''s pouting. ''I can''t go to ...... because I have to work,'' she said. ''Your sister is more solid than you. ......'' In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web page. ...... You didn''t get to work too, did you? I''m going to go with Percy. I took Percy to the anteater brothers'' field. Magda and Assunto are there to explain the value of sugar radishes and their future prospects. ''Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you while we were alone.'' I came to Percy alone because I had something to ask him. And I wanted it to be as private as possible. ''Do you have any idea where the black market sugar goes? ''...... Why are you asking me that?'' ''No, ...... I''m just curious about something.'' The black market is a system that is in direct opposition to the peddler''s guild, and is not approved by the church, the nobility, or the residents, and is frowned upon. You can''t do business with them openly, of course, and if they know you''re doing business with them, your name will be seriously damaged. Percy probably didn''t want me to mention this topic anymore, but I really wanted to ask him about it. ''Molly will be thirteen this year, right? ''Yes, that''s right, but I''m not going to ...... do it.'' Don''t stare at me with scary eyes, siscon. ''If you had taken over the factory shortly after Molly was born, it''s hard to imagine that you could have ...... run a normal business and managed to raise a child and work at the same time. You''re an idiot. You''re an idiot.I''ve been working really hard! ''Haven''t you been selling sugar to the black market for quite some time?'' We walk side by side and try not to look at each other. If it''s hard to talk about something, it''s even harder to talk about it when people see your face. ''Well, ............ it''s been about eight years now,......, but at first I was honest... ...! ''I know, I know. There are plenty of things in life you can''t help. I''m not accusing you of using the black market. I don''t care about that. ''Sugar has been flowing for eight years, and yet sugar has not reached the general public. Even the top cake shops in the 40th district use brown sugar. If this is the case, it is reasonable to assume that someone is buying up all the sugar that has been flowing in. In fact, it is even possible that they have been encouraging Percy to distribute the sugar. The day before yesterday, I heard that Percy was 20 years old this year, which means he was only 12 years old eight years ago. It would be easy to deceive such a child. If you make them feel insecure, you can get them off the hook in one shot. I don''t know if he''s done anything that bad, but there''s a guy who''s been getting sugar unfairly for the last eight years and sipping the sweet juice. That''s for sure. ''Well, you''re right, but ...... indeed, it''s not ...... right for me to mention his name here.'' ''Imagawa-yaki: ......'' ''What? ''............, right? Percy was reluctant to say it, but I gave him my prediction, and it turned out to be correct. Percy''s pupils widened as if to say, ''I knew it. So that''s it. The sweet bean paste used in the Imagawa-yaki was a taste that could not be reproduced with brown sugar. The store had always used white sugar. The "new sugar" Percy made. I hadn''t noticed it for a long time, but it seems that the store of Imagawa-yaki is in the 40th district. I heard that Estella had asked them to set up a stall as a "special exception" during the festival. That explains why I didn''t see it when I was walking around the 42nd district. ...... I was casually looking for it. ............ No, you see, I took it from Jeannette first... It''s a good thing I was able to return it at the festival. If there is an Imagawa-yaki store in the 40th district, then it makes sense. Hey, hey!Are you going to tell ...... anyone about that?'' ''No. I''d rather keep it under wraps. Don''t tell anyone, either. If the ''new sugar'' becomes popular, the Imagawa-yaki shop will use the official one from now on. The taste will never change. If we keep quiet, no one will know about the past. We don''t need to know that Jeannette''s favorite food was made on the black market. Food is innocent. There''s no need to tarnish the good memories. ''......Yashiro''. Magda appeared in front of us as we were heading for the field. ''Assunto''s not here. ''What''s up?Are you alone?'' ''...... Magda''s duty is done. Assunto will talk to him about the future.'' ''I see. From now on, we''ll make full use of that field and spread the sugar radish to other farmers. Assunto will explain about the rights and management methods. ''...... Mormat was also here.'' ''I guess he was invited by Assunto.'' ''Assunto told me that they were planning to plant sugar radish fields in District Forty-two as well. It makes sense that Mormat of the District Forty-two Agricultural Guild was called in. He also plans to talk to the guild leader of the 40th district agricultural guild to increase the production of sugar radishes by dozens of times the current amount. ''''...... The anteater brothers, they were very happy.'''' ''I see. They''ve been recognized for what they''ve been making and told that it''s very valuable. That must have been nice. ''...... But a good man told me yesterday about the value of sugar radishes.'' ''You were going to see him? ''Oh, yeah. I apologized. Apparently, Percy told the anteater brothers before we left. ''On the contrary, he thanked me. ...... ''A good man was sugar-coating me, and it opened up a new path for me.'' It seems ...... quite sycophantic to think that being taken advantage of has opened up possibilities. ...... Well, maybe they are. I''m still a little bewildered. ......'' ''Then let them make a lot of money.'' ''Oh. I''ll do my best to make that happen. After meeting up with Magda, we proceeded down the main street. When I got to the front of the lord''s mansion, Estella was there. ''Hi. I''ve just finished.'' Estella had asked the lord for help in expanding the production of sugar radishes and the distribution of sugar. ''The results were good. The look on Oji-sama''s face when he found out the value of sugar radish was ......'' Estella giggling. He''s in a good mood. ''I''ve gotten them to promise to cooperate fully in suppressing the nobles. We should be fine for at least a month. ''There''s the Woodcutter''s Guild and Torbeck''s Engineering Shop in District 40. The nobles won''t be able to do anything against them. It''s a great advantage to have a force in the territory that can resist the nobles. In the future, Percy''s sugar factory and the anteater brothers'' sugar radish farm will be added to the list. ...... Isn''t it invincible, forty wards? I''m not sure how you can find the value in such a thing. ''Well, you''re right. People who don''t know about this stuff never talk about it. I knew about it, but I have to admire how Percy figured out how to make sugar from sugar radishes. ''No, ...... actually, when I was still a kid, I couldn''t get the factory to run properly. ......'' Scratching his head, Percy speaks with embarrassment. ''I didn''t have any money and I was looking for something cheap to buy and I came across stinky spinach. ......'' ''Did you force yourself to eat it?'' ''...... Ah. The roots looked tasty, so I gave it a try, but it was ...... stinky.'' ''But you still kept trying.'' ''Because I didn''t have anything else to eat. ...... And I discovered that if I cooked them at a very high temperature, the smell would lessen. The component of muddy smell in sugar radish is similar to the component of muddy smell in eel, and it is decomposed by high temperature. That''s why eel grilled with hippopotamus does not smell like mud. ''And when the smell was gone, I thought to myself ......, "Hey, I can make sugar out of this, can''t I? I thought.'' ''That''s why you won, because you were able to connect it to sugar. ''Haha, is that a compliment? ''In moderation.'' Percy''s face crumpled up in a smile, as if he was not satisfied. ''Well, after all, I''m only good for making sugar. That''s why I''m more sensitive to sugar than anyone else. ''Ah. You don''t seem to be able to farm or cook at all. ''Shut up!I''m fine with Molly! ''What are you going to do when you get married? ''I''m not going to marry her off! ''No, go ahead! ''No way, no way! ...... This guy''s got it bad. I''m worried about Molly''s future, you know. ''Oh, yeah. The old man will take you home in a carriage. It seems that he was quite happy with the information about the sugar and that the lord Demilly gave him preferential treatment. That''s very thoughtful, that bald man. What was prepared was a very luxurious carriage, and Percy was puzzled. ''Can I ride in this ...... thing? ''Oh?Do you want to ride alongside? ''You can''t, no way! There''s a big, hairy horse that''s going to pull the carriage. Let''s say hello. ''Pleasure to meet you, Tsurupika. ''Yashiro ......, can you stop before they confiscate the carriage? I don''t understand what you''re complaining about ...... when I''m being so polite. In such a luxurious carriage, we returned to the 42nd district. I was dropped off when I entered the 42nd district, and I decided to go back to the sunlit pavilion after I finished another errand. The place I was headed to was ...... ''Hey, Neffery. ''Oh, Yashiro. Nepheli''s poultry farm. I need fresh eggs to make the cake. I''d better get home and cool the eggs. Cold eggs are essential for making a cake. If they''re not cold, the meringue won''t foam well. ''I got some good eggs today. I''m proud of it. Neffely proudly hands me a basket full of eggs. Yeah. They''re certainly big and well-shaped. ''Sorry. You should come to the Sunshine Pavilion later. I''ll feed you some good food.'' ''What, what, what?What are you going to feed me? ''A cake. ''Cake?...... Lovely. I''ve always wanted to try it. ......'' As expected of a fashion-conscious, fashionable girl like Nepheli. Of course she knew about the cake. But it''s not what you think it is at all. ''Oh, An-chan!What do you mean, ''you''? I yell in a whisper, and Percy tugs at my clothes. ''What''s that? ''Ah, ah, ah, ah, that girl ............ you know? ''Neffery?Well, I mean, I know her. ......'' ''Are you guys dating? ''No, we''re not dating!We''re just friends who help each other out in business.'' ''...... or do you have a boyfriend ......?'' ''Eh ............ you, no way ............'' ''............Moving.'' Are you serious? What?This guy, seriously? ''What a woman with such clear animal features. ......'' This guy ...... has no beastly features at all, so he''s longing for the exact opposite type. I thought it was masculine to have a lot of animal traits. Percy is very feminine and Nepheli is very masculine, right? Are you sure about that? ''Ah, ah, um! ''Hmm?Who is it? ''Pfft, it''s Percy Rayard!Remember me as Percy, the perky, blooming sea lance! Hey, hey, hey. Coelacanths don''t bloom. ''Oh, ha, ha, ha, what is it ......, I''m sweating, ha, ha! ...... How nervous are you? ............ You''re a chicken.Look closely. It''s a chicken even if you don''t look closely. ''O,...... me,...... that,......, it''s hot today. Percy wiped the sweat off his face and let out a dry laugh. Relax. You''re the only one who''s sweating. ...... Oh, look, your make-up''s completely gone. ''What?Your eyes. ......'' ''What?............ ah! Percy shouted when he saw the ink on his hands. The black make-up around his eyes had completely fallen off and he looked like a normal flirt or a handsome man. ''No, this is the ......! ''You don''t have any animal features at all, do you? ''No, that''s not true .............'' ''And the makeup? ''Oh, it''s ...... right away!I think the beast''s features will be ready tomorrow. ......'' ''I don''t like people who don''t look like men like that. ......'' ''Huh? Neffery ...... you, what a direct ............ ''You should be more firm. A man has to be a man.'' Nepheli pats Percy on the arm. ''...... Does Nepheli prefer men with animal features? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''What about ...... Yashiro? ''Huh?I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''...... Yashiro has no animal features.'' No, Magda. That''s a given. ''Oh no. Because Yashiro is not a beastman. It''s natural that he has no animal features.'' Yes, yes. Nefari is right. ......, but I coined the term "beastman race," didn''t I?When did it become so widespread? ''...... Yashiro is an exception? ''Oh, no, not ...... that ............ too, not anymore!I''m sure you''ll have a great time.I''m definitely going to eat it!See you later!Good luck! With a bright red face, Nephrite ran into the chicken coop. ''Oh, no!I can''t believe it! What a girlish scream, covering her face with her hands. She covered her face with her hands, swaying her ...... cravat. ''...... That''s why, Percy. Magda, ''Doggone it! Magda puts her hand on Percy''s shoulder, depressed. Did you ask her that to comfort her? If so, Magda''s ...... ''...... no pulse at all''. ...... You''re a demon. ''O ............ ole!I''m going to be a man! You''re pathetic, Percy. Well, good luck with that. I don''t know. ...... Are there any acquired animal traits? I''m pretty sure I won''t be able to recognize you if you do. I was thinking about this as I listened to Percy''s screams, which would probably never come true. 92-Episode 81 Taste of Happiness ''......Yashiro............,I can''t,I can''t,I can''t......'' ''Hold on, Magda!We''re almost ...... there!'' ''Wha,wha!You''re being pushed too hard!Calm down! ''Yashiro-san, please hang in there!We''re almost there! The kitchen of the sunlit pavilion had turned into a battlefield. ''It looks so delicious, Yashiro-san!It smells sweet, as if the spirit gods are smiling on us! ''Aah! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.I ............ can''t stand it anymore! ''......!Delia''s power has been increased! I can''t stand it!My foot!My foot went into the ground. ............ Oh, dear!The building''s starting to creak!I''m not sure what to do. In order to make a prototype of the cake, I asked Sister Bertina to inspect and audit the work process on behalf of the church. ...... It was obvious that Bertina would go berserk in front of the sweet food. That''s why I asked Delia to restrain Bertina. ...... That was a mistake. The sweet smell of the cake and the sight of it was enough to send even Delia into a tailspin. Magda was the only one she could rely on. But that''s about to run out of steam. ...... At this rate, the cake will be devoured before it''s finished! I''m not sure what to do.I''ve brought you here! I''m not sure what to do.Thank God! ''What''s with the ............ summoning me to this place, and the ...... hellscape? Norma drops the smoking pipe in her mouth. ''I''m sorry, Norma!Please hurry to ...... the kitchen and help Magda! ''......, I can''t help it. ............'' He picked up a dropped cigarette, twirled it around and inserted it into his cleavage. ''...... Isn''t it hot? ''Oumalo!You hold those guys too!'' ''Oui, no, no, no, no!Murimurimuri!You can''t!It''s ...... embarrassing to ............ touch a woman. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, you''re a useless fox! I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I still don''t understand the values of these guys, like the fact that the anteater brothers are not interested in Millie and are only interested in Magda, or the fact that Umaro is fine with such a s*xy sister. ...... I''m not sure what to do.I''m sorry.Isn''t it over yet? I''m sure you''re right.That''s right!All you have to do is put the whipped cream in a squeeze bag, decorate it, and put the strawberries on top of it. ...... ''Strawberries?It''s like the will of the spirit gods.If you put the strawberries on top of the pure white whipped cream like the heart of God the Spirit and the warm colors like the heart of God the Spirit, it is truly a sweet dedicated to God the Spirit!I think I have the right to be the first one to get it, Yashiro! So!I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. Bertina''s eyes are bloodshot. ...... That''s not the face of a saint. It''s not fair!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. I''m not sure what to do.I''ll do it later! ''I''ve just been promoted to a favorite! ''Just you wait! Delia is transforming into a beast. ...... d*mn, it was a mistake to let this guy in the kitchen. ''...... Magda''s in danger, too. ''Wait!Wait, wait, wait, wait!You are the last line of defense!Please hold on! ''......Muh ......I want to live up to Yashiro''s expectations ............ ............ but''. ''What is it with these kids? If it weren''t for Norma, the defense line would have collapsed by now. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''d*mn it, oh d*mn it!Let me at least make a cake calmly! I hurriedly decanted the whipped cream and garnished it with strawberries! '''''''''' ohhh! There were shouts of joy from everywhere. There were countless people at the entrance of the kitchen. Loretta''s brothers and sisters, Theron and Wendy, the Yaplok family, Becco and Assunto. Some people from the forty districts were also invited. Yashiro-san!I''m ......!How dare you not let me in? ...... Come in, ......, get out of here!You can''t see me! So, naturally, Imelda is here too. ''Yashiro!Can you hear me? That''s Estella''s voice. She''s shouting from the dining room, over the crowded kitchen. ''Oh!How''s it going over there? ''I''m ready! Good. It seems everything is ready. ''Yashiro-san!Cake!Cake for me!To me, the auditor! ''No, I''ll go first!I''ll do whatever Yashiro asks of me, my friend, my most trusted, me first! ''...... Magda, I can''t take it anymore. ......'' ''Then I want to eat too! ''Hey!Don''t push me!It''s dangerous. ............ It''s dangerous! The beasts of prey lost their reason and pushed Norma away and rushed into the cake. If we don''t do something, the cake will be ruined. ............? There''s no cake for those who can''t play nice! Everyone stopped moving immediately. The people who hadn''t listened to my repeated warnings stopped moving with one shout from Jeannette. The red eyes are as clear as the ...... clear sky. ...... No, they''re frightened. ''......When Jeannette is angry, it''s when she''s serious. It''s possible that she''s not serious about giving you a cake.'' ''It''s scary how serious the manager can be sometimes, isn''t it? ''...... It''s not like Yashiro, who is kind of sweet.'' I''m sure. They ...... lick me, but can listen to Jeannette? I''ll make you cry for real next time. ...... individually. ''Come on, Yashiro. Let''s cut the cake.'' ''Yeah, sure.'' The kitchen is now quiet, making it easier to cut the cake. I mean, ......, should I have done this from the beginning? No, it''s only after the rampage that they realized how serious Jeannette really is. They have a guilty conscience. d*mn. Cut it up and taste it. Before ......, I''ll ask Bertina. ''First of all, Miss Bertina. Did any of these steps violate the Church''s definition of a cake? If I say ''violated'' here, of course this cake will never be eaten by anyone. It''s going in the dashbox. ''No problem. From now on, the sale of this cake is permitted in the name of the Church. Hmm. It''s a foregone conclusion. Otherwise Bertina can''t eat the cake. She had to say yes, from the start. ''Well, ......''. I slowly approach the blade to put the knife into the freshly made cake. ............ ''Ah, yes. Ginette.'' ''Yes?'' I stop and call out to Jeannette. Jeannette turns to me with a curious look on her face and tilts her head. Before I say anything to Jeannette, I quickly look at Magda, Loretta, Bertina, Delia, and Umaro. Bertina''s not going to forget the plan just because she wants to eat cake, is she? Loretta and Delia quickly leave the kitchen, and the crowd of people moves toward the dining room. Good, good. ''I''m sorry, but can you go get Estella for me? ''Estella-san, is it? ''Yeah, yeah. I''ve asked her to do something for me.'' ''Yes, sir. All right. I''ll bring her right away. With that, Jeannette walks towards the dining hall without a second thought. --She didn''t know what would happen to her later. The moment Jeannette turns her back, I quickly decorate the cake with sixteen thin candles that I had Bekko make and a plate made of sugar candy that I had prepared in advance. Everyone in the kitchen except Jeannette smiled at me. Ginette was the only one who didn''t know. It was getting dark outside the window. This morning, I went to Percy''s house, and then I went to Nepheli''s house to get some eggs, and then I went to Sunshine Pavilion to be audited by Bertina, and I just passed the audit, and ...... Sunshine Pavilion got permission to sell cakes. ...... I''m glad I got it in time. ''Estella~san. Yashiro-san is ............ here! As soon as she left the kitchen and stepped into the dining room, Ginette screamed. It was because the lights in the dining room suddenly went out. The lights in the kitchen went out at the same time. Estella turned off the lights in the dining room, and Magda turned off the lights in the kitchen. Just as we had planned. ''What?What?Ah, sir!What''s going on?Um, is everyone okay? The cafeteria was enveloped in darkness, and the first thing that came out of Ginette''s mouth was a voice of concern for everyone. It was very typical of Jeannette. ''Ginette-chan. Over here.'' ''What?Estella?Um, is this ......?'' ''It''s fine. Here.'' I can hear her voice. Estella leads Jeannette to the dining room. Here, she finally lights the candle on the cake. A pale light illuminates the kitchen. Relying on this flickering light, the rest of us in the kitchen moved together to the dining room. The dining room was pitch black. There, I could feel the presence of countless people. I can''t see their faces, but I know that there are many people there. ''Ginette''. As I leave the kitchen and enter the dining room, I call out Ginette''s name. ''Yes, sir. ............What?'' Ginette turns around and her eyes widen as she sees the flames flickering on the cake. With Ginette staring at me, I slowly walked up to her. Estella skillfully led Ginette to the table. I put the cake on the table and said to Ginette. ''Ginette. Happy birthday. Today is Ginette''s birthday. ''............What?'' I''ve never been in the habit of celebrating birthdays before, so I''m sure you won''t be able to feel it, but ...... the events of the past few days have been like telling me to ''celebrate Ginette''s birthday in a big way''. Ginette''s birthday was suddenly announced. In a city where it was not customary to send flowers, I created an atmosphere where people could send flowers more easily. I learned of Ginette''s favorite flower, which happened to bloom, and was able to see it with my own eyes. I heard that there was sugar, and after some difficulty, I was able to obtain it. I have just obtained a permit to sell the cake. All of them have appeared in front of me one after another in the past few days. ...... God is such a bastard. He must have been laughing at me as I was running around frantically. Are you happy now? But I made it. I was really close. I almost gave up. But then things happened. As if to tell me to go all out. If you''re desperate, you can make it just in time, just under the deadline. I want to celebrate Jeannette''s birthday in a big way. I need your help. I spent the day yesterday going around to everyone I know and asking them to help me with this plan. I persuaded the people of this city who do not have the custom of celebrating birthdays and told them how important and meaningful it is. And I was once again reminded of how popular Ginette was. Even those who had initially said, ''I don''t understand,'' agreed to help us, saying, ''For Ginette''s sake. If it hadn''t been for Jeannette, we wouldn''t have been able to do something of this magnitude. After all, there are so many people gathered in the Sunlit Pavilion now. People I''ve come into contact with at the Sunlit Pavilion. Other than that, people I''ve met in various places. I''ve invited many from the forty districts. It''s a grand party, no less than the standing-room-only parties that some lords hold at their homes. Sixteen small flames flicker on top of the birthday cake that brings the party to life. On a plate of sugar confections in the middle of the cake, the following words are written. "Happy birthday, Ginette!Happy birthday! Everything had been prepared for the sake of the one girl who had been protecting this sunny pavilion. This time, this space, these people... This time, this space, and these people are all here now just for Jeannette, no one else. ''............ Oh, that ......'' ''Ginette, try blowing out that candle with one breath.'' ''Huh?At ......, but...'' ''That''s how we celebrate in my country. Everyone clap when the fire goes out! '''''''''''' Oh, ''''''''''''! Many people in the room watched with bated breath. The atmosphere is tense. Ginette, who had been looking confused and hesitant, took a deep breath. Then ...... ''Phew~......! With a single breath, the flames were blown out and a huge round of applause erupted. Then, the lights were turned on in the sunlit pavilion. Inside the brightly lit restaurant again, there was ...... ''Wow ......'' Under Estella''s leadership, the restaurant was decorated with warmth and a handmade feel. My brothers and sisters, the kids from the church, Mo-Mat and Yap-Lock also helped. Everyone who cared about Ginette helped out generously. ''Oh, that ............''. Ginette was the only one who didn''t understand the situation. She was restlessly looking to the right and left, touching her cheeks and hair. ''Jeannette. This is a token of my gratitude.'' Estella says, holding out a flower. ''Estella-san ......''. Ginette gently takes the flower. Immediately, countless flowers surrounded Ginette from all over the place. ''...... Manager. Congratulations.'' ''Thank you for everything, Manager! ''Gogo, gogo, rice, always delicious! ''Ginette, my flower is from the tomatoes we grow here! Each of them has their own personality, and their flowers are not unified. However, all of them had a ...... big smile on their faces as they presented the flowers. ''Mi............ everyone......'' The bouquet grew larger and larger in Jeannette''s arms as she carefully accepted each flower from everyone. ''Congratulations to Jinette-san ............''. Millie presents Ginette with a large sunflower. She says it''s an image of the sunny pavilion. ''Millie-san ......'' Ginette''s voice is shaking with tears. Before she knew it, Ginette''s bouquet had grown so large that she couldn''t hold it. ''Oh, um, ............ everyone ............, um, I''m not sure if you ......I don''t know if you understand this, but ............I ...... ......I''m .................. happy.'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Her big eyes were shimmering with happiness, as if they were about to break ....... ''Ginette. ''...... Yashiro-san.'' I called out to her, and the crowd quickly cleared a space for me. Well, a word from the planner is a must at a party, isn''t it? Spectators, stay where you are and listen quietly. ''You surprised me. ''...... Yes. You surprised me.'' Ginette giggles. I turn to her and look at her face for a moment. Her cheeks were red, her eyes were moist, and she was smiling, which was very Ginette-like. I honestly thought it was a nice face. ''In my country, we celebrate the birthdays of our family and friends in a big way like this. No, it doesn''t have to be a big celebration. It doesn''t have to be a big celebration, just a small congratulations. ''...... nice ......, it''s a very nice custom .......'' ''This cake is essential for this. ''No way. ...... So, Yashiro, have you been ............ busy the last few days?'' I don''t answer, I just smile and take that as an answer. I''m not going to boast about my hardships. ''It has a happy taste, perfect for such a happy occasion. ''Is that so?I''m looking forward to it. ''Isn''t it?Estella. ''Yes, yes.'' At my signal, Estella slips the knife into the cake. The strawberry shortcake, cut into eighths, is placed on a plate and handed to Ginette. Magda and Loretta take care of the bouquet of flowers, which they hold in both hands, and carry it to the side. ''Today''s hero is Ginette, you know. I''ll give you the right to eat first. ''Eh, but! Ginette looks at Bertina and Delia, who were rioting in the kitchen earlier. ...... Thank God they''re adults. ''Oh, um, ...... is that okay?I''m not a .......'' ''That''s your cake. ''It''s my .......'' ''It''s got your name on it.'' Estella made sure to put a plate of sugar candy on it. Very thoughtful, indeed. ''............ It''s true, isn''t it? Her eyes began to water again and she held her fork with trembling hands. Then slowly cut the cake into bite-sized pieces. ''...... It''s soft. You can feel the fluffy texture just by looking at it. ''............'' Then, gently take the cake on your fork into your ...... mouth. ''Ah ..................'' With an exhale, Jeannette''s face turns pale pink, and a smile of happiness spreads across her face. ''......Sweet! She held her mouth, trying not to miss the sensation that spread in her mouth, and slowly soaked up the aftermath as if savoring it with her whole body. ''It really tasted like ............ happiness.'' ''''Right?'''' After placing the bite of cake on the table, Jeannette turns to me. She puts her hands together and bows deeply. ''Thank you so much for .......'' She keeps her head down and doesn''t look up. Perhaps he is overflowing with gratitude. But ...... this isn''t the end yet, is it? ''This is my gift to you. I''m glad I got this one in time. A hair ornament in the shape of Ginette''s favorite flower, the Soleil, with its beautiful, large, bright orange petals, is fastened to Ginette''s hair. ''What? Ginette looks up quickly and touches the hair clip with both hands fearfully. Estella comes in front of Ginette with a mirror. She holds the mirror just where she can see her face and points it at Jeannette. Ginette looks into the mirror, turns her face slightly to the side, and stares at the hair clip. ''............ Soleil............... ...'' There, Jeannette''s tear glands finally broke down. A large tear falls down her cheek. ''............My............ most favorite... My favorite ............ flower is .............'' ''I couldn''t get you a real one, though. ''That''s not true!It''s .................. now ......... ...No, this is .............'' She wiped away her spilling tears with both hands, but still wiped away the overflowing tears again and again, and Ginette said in a clear tone. ''This diadem is ...... my lifelong treasure. Whoa!A cheer went up. The mission was a success. That''s what I call it. Everyone in the room was happy. Everyone was celebrating. Everyone''s heart was in one place. I''m sure the custom of celebrating birthdays will take root in this city. As long as everyone remembers this feeling. And ...... Every person in this city will celebrate someone''s birthday. And ...... and ............ We ate cake at the sunny pavilion and we made a lot of money! Great event! Special day, great! It''s a special day, and it loosens your purse strings! It''s my birthday! And sell it, shortcake! Oh, dear.Noo-ha-ha-ha-ha! "Mr. Yashiro. Jeannette, who has no idea what''s in my heart, stares at me with pure eyes. And then ............ and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''Yashiro-san! Jeannette jumps on me. ...... I mean, you know, that ............ thing, she hugged me. She put her arms around my neck and squeezed me. ''..................Thank you,......! His voice was trembling with tears and a bit scratchy,............, but he sounded very happy and warm. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that,......, ............. In fact, it''s all for my benefit. ............ You don''t even know you''re being used ...... to fight!Yeah, that''s right!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea, It was all calculated! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I''ll be back! ''Hey, don''t cry!What?I''ll be back.Eat the cake and stop crying, okay? This is also, of course, ...... calculated as ......, you know? I''m sure you''re right, Yashiro.I''m an auditor, and I''m getting a cake! ''And me! ''Oh, me too, me too!You did a great job behind the scenes this time, didn''t you? ''...... Magda is the winner.'' ''I want it too! ''But you know what? Look closely. This isn''t enough, no matter how you look at it.'' ''Yashiro-san. ''Yashiro. ''Yashiro''. ''......Yashiro'' ''Onii-chan! Make ''''''''''! '''''''''' ''Look at this situation and tell me, guys! Yeah, yeah. It''s all so calculated! Oh, God!All right, all right!I''ll make you a hole! I''m gonna bleed you out! You know, I''m-- I''m feeling pretty good today. 93-82nd-episode 82 We''re in the forty-second ward. In the kitchen of a failing cake shop with a deep history. Ginette''s birthday party included Demilly, the lord of the fortieth district. I wanted to talk to him about some things related to sugar rights, and I also wanted him to help me in some way. If we could produce sugar in our own territory, it would generate enormous profits. With that in mind, Demilly agreed to attend my birthday party. Estella, who was taking care of Demilly, told me that he was very happy because of the sewage. So, what we''re going to do today is a gathering that I''ve offered and Demilly has requested. ...... I''m extremely frustrated right now. Maybe I should really stop. I''ll teach you. Today, I''m supposed to personally teach the representatives of the forty districts how to make shortcakes. And yet, this is his attitude. ...... What is "Luxury"? I was introduced to a man named Pompeo, who was the owner and chef of the restaurant. ...... This man was snarky and snide. He is such a nasty man that I want to write him down as an example of the word ''nasty'' in the Kojien dictionary. ''I had to make time for you because my lord asked me to. You should be grateful. ''Hey, you. Is that the attitude of someone who is being taught? Paula was just as annoyed as I was. Why is Cantartica from the tavern in the cake shop? I asked the food and beverage people from District 42 who were attending Ginette''s birthday if they wanted me to teach them how to make shortcake. All of them raised their hands, so we decided to play rock-paper-scissors. I''m going to teach the recipe to all the stores anyway. That''s why I decided to teach it to Paula, the winner of the big rock-paper-scissors tournament. ''Yashiro. You don''t have to teach this guy the cake recipe, do you? Paula gives me a look of obvious disgust. You could say that. ...... ''I want to spread the cake as much as possible. The more ''proper'' cakes are available in the forty districts, the more demand there will be. The demand will definitely increase if we promote very tasty cakes at a reasonable price instead of those rip-off brown sugar buns. We need to get as much sugar into the market as possible. And fast. As for shortcake, we have to give up our monopoly. We have to give up our monopoly on shortcakes. That''s what I decided to do this time. ''Well, it''s not much of a thank you, but ......, in honor of you, I''m giving you permission to use our beautiful kitchen. You should be grateful. I''m the one who should be thanking you. ...... However, ...... hmm. The kitchen looks pretty nice. ''Looks like a good kitchen to use. I''m sure you''re right.That''s why the poor people. Hmm? ''Please don''t use the word ''kitchen'' in a muddy way. This place is called a ''kitchen''.'' Kitchen and kitchen are both ''kitchen'' after all. What a hassle. ''The kitchen of my coffee shop was designed and built by Mr. Umaro Trubek, the young master builder of the famous Trubek Construction Company. It''s easy to use, that''s a given, you''d have to say. ...... Ila. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. There''s a storage space in the dead space. You''re the best, you''re the master. ''You!How dare you speak so rudely to Umaro-sama?I can''t let you use this wonderful kitchen!Get out of here! I use Umaro''s kitchen every day. ''Are you going to disobey your lord''s orders?Didn''t he tell you to teach me how to make cakes and spread them throughout the forty districts? ''What does the lord want?He''s just a nobleman, isn''t he? How dare you call the lord ''such a person''? ...... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. This is why they are given preferential treatment in many ways and are looked up to. You can get brown sugar bread and tea in a third-rate restaurant that doesn''t even know how to make tea. How high does his nose have to go for something like that? I''m going to steal all your customers, Kola. ''Yashiro-san, we''re ready. ''Oh. Thank you.'' Ginette, who was quietly preparing the food I brought in. Looks like it''s ready. ''Well, let''s get on with it and get the hell out of here. ''Wait. I said you''re not allowed to use it. ''I''ve got my own reasons. ''I don''t know!If you can''t worship Master Umaro, you have no right to bake a cake! Who would worship such a thing? ''Um, Yashiro-san, what should I do with ......? ''That''s fine. Let''s go home and have a study session at the sunny pavilion. There''s no need to teach this guy.'' I can understand why you would want to do that, but ...... I know you want to say that, but at the moment, this store is so well known that it''s called "Luxury when it comes to cakes". So, if this shop sells shortcakes, it will have a great advertising effect. Anyway, we need to bring sugar to the point where ordinary people can eat it. And that''s within the next few weeks. ''Oh well. I''ll just have to win that old man over. I''m perfect and well known, and I''m learning to cook from a guy in a restaurant I''ve never heard of in the 42nd district. That''s what you can''t tolerate. From the very beginning, he has been openly hostile to you. Then you have to get rid of that hostility. ''Magda''. ''...... Yes, yes.'' Magda and Loretta come in from inside the store. As soon as they arrived at the store, they went to the seats to ''observe the shopkeeper''s movements''. ...... They didn''t seem to have a good opinion of him. The two men''s expressions were sullen. ''I''d like to call Umaro, any ideas? I have a feeling that if we put Magda in a gothic lolita costume, she''ll fly to us no matter what district we''re in. ''...... Then we don''t have to think about it.'' ''What do you mean?'' ''...... Magda. I want to see Umaro.'' ''He''s here, Magda! Suddenly, Umaro came running into the kitchen. ...... What?You''ve finally classed up as a pervert who can transcend dimensions and space? In fact, when we were observing the shopkeepers in the seating area, a poorly disguised Umaro came into the store. I''m sure he came to see Magda-chou. ''No, I came to see him, you can see him at the ...... sunlit pavilion. What''s this guy stalking me for? I''m sure he doesn''t have time for this. ...... ''Oh, who are you?The young lion of design!You''re Umaro Trubek, genius! Pompeo straightens up and says to Oumalo in a tense voice. He''s a funny guy, even for Oumalo. ''Hmm?Who are you? ''It''s me!I''m Pompeo, owner and chef of Luxury, which serves the best cakes in all of Broome!You''ve designed the best kitchen in the world! ''Hmmm, I don''t remember .............'' It seems that this is the best kitchen that people are talking about right now, but this guy seriously can''t remember. ''But well, if you''re a cake maker, you should learn about Yashiro''s cakes. It''s a delicious cake that I can vouch for. ''Of course!That''s exactly what I''m about to learn! Hey, ......, you''ve flipped your hand nicely, ....... ''Now, go ahead and teach me, fool. Thank you for listening, and surrender all of your skills to me. ...... I want to punch you. ''Umaro. ''What is it? ''No magda for three days.'' ''Why are you taking it out on me?You''re terrible! ''Because that''s what ...... says.'' ''Aaah!Magda!Don''t go!I''m confident that I''ll die of exhaustion without you! Don''t have such confidence, you idiot. In spite of Umaro''s shameful appearance, Pompeo''s eyes were filled with a glow of envy. ...... believers are scary. ''So, Yashiro-san. Let''s make a shortcake right away.'' ''Yes, let''s. I have to go home early to open the store. I''ve decided to open from noon today. I was afraid that some of my regular customers might complain, but when I gave the reason that it was for the promotion of cakes, they agreed to it. Everyone seems to be obsessed with cake. Shortcakes should be sold in the 42nd and 40th districts at once. That alone would greatly increase the distribution of sugar. ''I want to see it properly once too! ''...... visit Magda too''. ''Well, me too!Isn''t that right, Magda? ''...... Sorry. I''m banned for three days.'' ''Magda? Oh, shut up. I''ll lift the ban. Just watch. ''Yashiro-san!You''re so kind!Thank you!I''ll never forget this favor! I''ll never forget this debt of gratitude!'' I''ve just unbanned something that was restricted on my own, and the debt has been sold. What is this business? It''s too risky. ''Well, I''ll ask you to make something for free some other time...'' ''Ha-ha-ha. What are you talking about now?I''ve never received a single Rb from Yashiro-san. ............ Is that right? ............ ''Hey, Pompeo ......''. ''What is it? ''This kitchen, how much did it cost to make? ''It''s the kind of price that would make the average person''s pores expand to the size of their nostrils if they heard it. That''s scary. ...... I see. The value of things can change so much depending on people and places. ''......Yashiro''. ''What is it?'' ''...... I think I can buy this kitchen ...... Magda with ten ''Ahhh'' tickets.'' ''Nah, three tickets will get you change, probably.'' I''m starting to feel a little sorry for Pompeo. At least I''ll teach him how to make a good cake. After the shortcake workshop, we all went back to the 42nd district. As a thank you for being our lecturer, Demilly provided us with a carriage, so we were able to arrive earlier than expected. We said goodbye to Paula, who had to help out at the store. ''Thank you, Yashiro!I''ll definitely make a better shortcake than that unsavory man!I''ll also find a drink that goes well with the cake and make it our signature dish!See you! Paula waved as she ran. I don''t know if there''s ...... any liquor that goes well with ...... cake. ''You don''t have to run like that. ''Maybe you want to go home and make it early. I understand that feeling. Ginette says smilingly, looking at Paula''s back as she runs at full speed. ''Well, when I was younger, I used to want to try out my freshly learned scamming techniques on someone else. ''Well, let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion, shall we? ''Yes, sir. I''m glad we made it in time for lunch. Demilly''s carriage, huh? ''So, how was it?What about the ''high class coffee shop'' in District 40 that you actually saw?'' ''...... out of the question.'' ''I agree. That''s not customer service!It''s disrespecting the customer! It seems that Luxury''s attitude towards customer service was unacceptable to these two. Well, it can''t be helped with that kind of attitude. No greeting, no greeting, no greeting, no coming to order, no explanation of the food, how can you feel good? ''...... Magda, I''ll do my best to over-serve you. ''I''m bleeding out, too! The spirit of the two waitresses blazed with enthusiasm. It''s a good thing that the sight of poor customer service has fired them up, but don''t get hurt. Well. We had planned to have the sunshine pavilion and luxury as the representatives to spread the cake to each district, but ...... ''There were so many people who wanted to participate that we had no choice but to add more people. ''Why did you say ''unavoidably'' so strongly? Well, don''t worry about it. There will be a total of six locations over the next two days. I''m supposed to hold a cake workshop. I''m going to choose a store with a large kitchen and gather representatives from each store there to teach them how to make cakes. Since it was impossible to teach everyone at once, I set up six different locations and asked everyone to come to the one they wanted. And at the first venue we visited that day, ...... ''Yay, Yashiro-san!What the hell is this? When Jeannette and the rest of the class saw the cake I had made, their eyes widened. No wonder. I was expecting to get a shortcake, but instead I got a different cake. ''This is a rival to the shortcake ......, and in my country, there was even a specialty store for it, a major faction in the cake world. It''s a cheesecake! '''''''''' Cheesecake! '''''''''' This is the most popular type of cake in the world. It''s a superstar that can be enjoyed in a variety of flavors, such as rare, baked, and souffl??, just by changing the cooking method. That''s what cheesecake is. This time, I tried baking a souffl?? cheesecake. The apricot jam on the surface sparkles and shines. ''Oihii~reasu! Ginette wept. She writhes uncontrollably, her fork in her hand flailing about. ''I didn''t know there was such a cake. After carefully tasting the cake, Jeannette lets out a sigh of relief. I approached Ginette, and quietly asked her. ''There''s more where that came from. ''......What? Seeing the smile on my face, Ginette''s expression stiffens for a moment. The surprise is evident in her eyes. The cake is a sweet that broke the conventional wisdom. It''s a powerful menu that makes you think that you can live off of it for the rest of your life in this world. But that''s just a small part of the many cakes. ''I''m going to teach you a different cake at every venue you visit. ''What, what? ''Then the 42nd district will be flooded with different kinds of cakes. Then you will have more fun on your holidays, wondering what to eat and where to go. If we only taught shortcake, there would be only occasional days when we would say, ''Let''s eat cake today! If we only taught shortcake, there would be only occasional days when we would say, ''Let''s eat cake today! However, if there are many kinds of cakes available, it is human nature to want to eat all of them! Before you know it, you''ll be eating cakes more often. And then, ''I''ve come full circle, let''s have another shortcake! And so on, eating cake becomes a habit! At that point, there will be people who will compare the cheesecake of this store and that store. That''s what I''m aiming for. If it takes root to that extent, no one will be able to put restrictions on sugar anymore. When that point is reached, this operation will finally be complete. ''Mr. Yashiro, you''re amazing! The shock of the ''seven kinds of cakes'' made Jeannette lose her expression, but as the shock penetrated into her body, a dazzling smile appeared on her face. ''Yashiro-san is a genius at making people happy! ''Um, can you stop using ............?It''s embarrassing. ......'' ...... I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday. .................. No, no!No! No! No, no, no!That''s right! I wanted to popularize cakes to get rid of the 3 p.m. demon hour when customers stop coming in. I forgot all about it. Hahahaha! ...... Ginette''s birthday is a big promotion to promote cakes. So I don''t really care about the warmth and feel of a hug, the smell that tickled my nostrils, or ...... anything like that. ............ ''Gofu! ''Yashiro-san!What''s wrong with you? ''...... Sorry, sorry. I''m excited to remember. ......'' ''What are you doing? Yeah!I can''t afford to be horny right now! It takes time to bake a cake!Let''s roll it up! ''Okay, Jeannette!Let''s move on to the next venue! ''Yes, sir! By the time the last class was over, the sky was darkening and the moon was slipping a little. ''It''s getting late, isn''t it? ''I''m really tired, aren''t I? Ginette, who had been running around with me, looked exhausted. ''But, everyone. You all looked so happy.'' ''It''s .......'' Some people complained that it wasn''t a shortcake,...... but even those who did ate the finished cake and said, ''This is better,...... no, this is the best cake! No, this is the best cake!'' In the end, he affirmed. If people think that our cakes are the best, the competition will increase and the quality will improve. ''But you''re a little disappointed, aren''t you? ''What''s that?'' With an exhausted body, I trudged towards the Sunken Pavilion. On the way there, Jeannette looked at me with an implied smile on her face. It''s the ''I''m going to mess with you'' look that she sometimes shows. I''ll take it. ''You really wanted to monopolize that cake, didn''t you?You''re a good person, but you didn''t go so far as to teach your skills around for free, did you? ''I''ll drop the tech where it''s needed. It will eventually be to my benefit.'' I''ve given Estella the sewage rights, Umaro the sewage construction know-how, and the truth about popcorn to the Yaploks. ...... I''m willing to give my knowledge where it''s needed. Sure, I''ve never sold it at a huge discount like this, but ...... it''s a milestone. You could say it''s a seed sowing. Someday, in the ...... not too distant future, the seeds sown today will sprout, bloom, and eventually grow into a dense forest. We have created that soil. And the benefits are sure to come to me. Because ............ No, wait. ''I''ll tell you the answer tomorrow. ''What, why tomorrow?Can''t you tell me now? ''Come on, let''s go home. ''Huh, Yashiro-san~? Yeah. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I''ll tell you the answer. And the next day. ''So that''s how it was.'' Ginette nodded broadly as the scene unfolded in the cafeteria. ''...... This is a sight to behold. ''There are so many things I didn''t know about. ......'' The table at the sunlit pavilion is lined with a variety of colorful cakes. Shortcakes, cheese souffl??s, gateau chocolates, Mont Blanc, mille crepes, chiffon cakes and apple pies. And this is the ...... cream puff that I haven''t told you about anywhere else. ''Hmm. I see. In other words, you can eat all the cakes that are now available here and there in the 42nd district if you come to the Sunshine Pavilion, that you can! ''Well, that''s how it is. After all, cakes are only beautiful when they come in a wide variety. Besides, this is undoubtedly the main store. The mainstream of cakes in the forty-two districts. This is the original. There''s no way you can''t get customers here. Which means, if we release a new cake, it will become the trend of the town. After spreading the cake culture, the competition will intensify. In the midst of it all, we''ve gained a status that''s hard to get. "The original," "the main store," "the latest trend. All of these words are appropriate for sweets. The grand birthday party of Ginette''s must have left a deep impression on people''s minds. As long as that image remains, the cakes at the Sun Goddess Pavilion will continue to be ''different from other places, with the authentic taste. ''That''s why, Becko. I understand!We should make food samples, that we should! That''s what I meant. That''s why I called you here. ''Haaah ...... I''m so happy ............ to be able to handle such beautiful things at the sunny pavilion.'' If this goes well, I may be able to fulfill my promise to Ginette. A promise made a long time ago: ...... "I''m going to rebuild the diner. "...... What? "I''m going to make it a popular restaurant that can attract more customers. "The Sunken Pavilion, you mean? Yes. We''re going to make it a place where many people come every day. Like when your grandfather was at ......? I don''t know how crowded the Sunken Pavilion was when your grandfather was here, but I''m sure it''s as good as it gets. You must accomplish this not with your grandfather''s power, but with Jeannette''s power. Then I''ll be able to ............ I''ll be able to ............ What? If that happens, what am I going to do? ''Yashiro-san? ''............'' ''Yashiro-san.'' ''Hmm!Oh, oh, ...... bad. What is it?'' ''No, what''s wrong? ''No, it''s ...... nothing.'' ...... What the hell are you thinking, man? Now you should do what you have to do. ............ is that a given? Haha. ''Okay!We''ll start selling cakes at three o''clock today! '''''''' Oh! '''''''' The shopkeepers of the sunny pavilion and even Becko are raising their fists in the air. Finally, the cakes are on sale. And so.... ''I''m sorry, but can we have the whole place to ourselves for about thirty minutes from three o''clock? ''What?You mean here? ''For now, I''ll just take one table.'' ''No, sir. If Mr. Yashiro is planning to do something, please let him take priority. ''Then, can I ask you guys to help me too? ''Yes, sir. I''d be happy to. ''Oh, I''ll help too! ''...... I''d love to. ''What should I do, that I should do? ''Oh, don''t worry about Becco. Make me a food sample, ASAP, in a hurry.'' ''Duh, urgent type?Oh, I see what you mean!I''ll finish it in a hurry, that I will!Then, excuse me! ...... and that''s about it for preparations. ''Well, I''m off for a bit. There''s one last thing to prepare. To get it, I''m heading to a place. ''Um, Yashiro-san. I was about to leave the cafeteria when Jeannette stopped me. ''Where are you going?'' It''s a simple question. So I''ll answer it casually. ''To Millie''s.'' ''Millie''s? ''I''ll explain the situation later. I''ll see you later. ''Yes, sir. Have a safe trip. Ginette sees me off, and I leave the sunlit pavilion. I have to keep my promises, you know. Yeah. I''m a fraud who keeps her promises, aren''t I? 94-I promised episode 83. "2:00 p.m. today. "Come to the central square of District 42 at 2:00 p.m. today. Count Iketale, thief. Estella is standing in the central square holding a card with that message written on it. From his position, he can''t see me. I''m in full view. ...... This is the power of the thief, Count Iketale. I''m wearing a silk hat on my head and a well-tailored suit with a large fake beard over my mouth. It''s a perfect disguise that no one will ever find out about. He had given his high school blazer to Uclines, a dressmaker, who had mastered the sewing and cutting of it. As he took the clothes apart, he said, ''The care you''ve taken with this ...... is amazing! He was in a frenzy, his eyes blazing with joy. This will raise the grade of clothing in the 42nd district even further. ......The price will probably go up, too. ............ However, because of this, I am a respectable gentleman by all accounts. Estella won''t even notice me. I''ll just go around behind her while I can. ...... ''Hey, Yashiro. How long do you think I should stand here? ''What? Nonsense! Did he just say ''Yashiro'' to me? No, no, that can''t be right!I''m a perfect gentleman now. There''s no way my true identity will be revealed. ...... You''re right!Did you say ''hurry up'' instead of ''Yasharo''?That must be it! ...... Does Estella say ''hurry up'' to a gentleman she''s never met before?It''s kind of scary. ''Yah shiloh!Do you think you''re disguising yourself with that unusually conspicuous outfit? ''Hey, hey, hey, hey! I thought he looked at me and said ''Yashiro''! Is it possible that you''re starting to sense it? Is it really five seconds before I''m exposed? Then I''ll just cover it up! I don''t understand the language of this town. Is there a difference between us? ''How is that possible in a city with forced translation magic? ''It''s not possible. Yes, there is. There is no such thing. There is such a thing. ''Either it exists or it doesn''t!d*mn it!Why don''t you just take off that weird beard? ''Ouch! The fake beard that was attached to the skin under my nose was ripped off. The sensitive skin screams. ...... What a guy. ...... ''...... If this was a real beard, you ...... could have killed someone. ......'' ''You don''t grow that great of a mustache in a few days!Also, people don''t die from this stuff! It tingles so bad. I''m a little teary-eyed. ''So, what''s the joke?You weren''t trying to play a joke on me, were you?'' ''No, I wasn''t! ...... d*mn, you''ve ruined the stylish situation I had planned for you. Estella is waiting for me in the central square, right? Then, a well-dressed gentleman comes in with a big bouquet of flowers. And Estella says, ''Haha ......, what a fine gentleman. He must be a nobleman of some renown. It would be rude to show her such flat breasts. I should cover myself up a little. Then, the gentleman holds out a large bouquet of flowers in front of Estella. And, ''...... what? And when Estella was surprised, the gentleman said. ''A while ago, a very fresh and handsome boy offered you this bouquet of flowers ......''. Then Estella realizes. ''Yashiro is the only one who''s fresh and good-looking! She said. And she looks around for me. But she can''t find me. Estella gets impatient. Just when you''re starting to wonder if you should go look for me or wait for me, I''ll tell you the truth. ''Ta-da!It was actually me! ''What?I didn''t notice you at all! The gentleman who took off his silk hat and fake beard was me. ...... ''--and that''s how it was supposed to be! ''...... At any rate, it''s not rude to show your breasts to a nobleman who doesn''t have them,......? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s no use. Let''s just go with what''s normal. ''Estella. ''Hmm?What is it?'' ''I''m sorry!Wait, what? ''Did you eat something bad? What the hell? I gave you a cold stunt the other day! ''That''s enough!Estella''s KY! ''What do you mean by KY? ''It''s ''KY'' for big tits! ''That''s a lie!I''ll turn you into a frog! Hmm!That ''I''ll turn you into a frog'' is also a lie! Well, in a joke between friends, it is said that this word means ''let''s make peace''. It''s a sign of an open mind. ''Well, anyway. It''s too late to be cool now, and it''s weird to be shy in this atmosphere. ''So, what''s the matter with you, since a while ago? ''Hey.'' ''............ huh?'' I held out the large bouquet of flowers I had in my hand to Estella. ''I''ll do it. ''............ Aren''t these props for disguising yourself as a gentleman? ''It''s a gift for you.'' ''But ...... such a big flower ..................... ...Are you sure? I went to Milly in the morning and asked her to make me a bouquet. I asked her to choose mainly red flowers that would suit Estella, based on her taste. He had a very good intuition, too, because he could tell from the atmosphere of the flowers that ''...... this is for Estella. In any case, since the bouquet was bought for Estella, there was no other use for it than to give it to her. So you should accept it honestly. ''Didn''t you say that you should ask for a date with a bouquet of flowers? ''De ............ date ...... ah! Did he finally notice? Yes, I did. I came here today to ask Estella out on a date. I asked Natalia to help me out beforehand, and we made arrangements so that we could have some time together. I''m sure Natalia had been guiding Estella''s actions since this morning. She had also given Natalia the "Count Iketale" card. No, you''ve done a great job. I think she did the best job she could. It''s because of ...... that I''m starting to feel depressed about returning the favor. ''All right, sir. I will carry out all of your requests without delay. In return, please present me with a bouquet of flowers sometime. I''m not married and I''ve never had a boyfriend, so what does that have to do with the law?...... Excuse me. You''ll be able to get a great bouquet of flowers. I''m not going to ask the store to choose for me, but I want you to choose the flowers with your own eyes and make a bouquet for me. Is that okay? ...... That''s a lot of hurdles. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ............ How about an azalea that bites? ''That ...... this ............'' While I was reminiscing about this and that to get here, Estella kept alternately looking at the bouquet and me with a puzzled expression on her face. ''......You remembered me. ............'' ''Of course you did. Who the hell do you think you are?'' I''d rather tell a blatant lie to every passerby on the boulevard than go back on my word to this guy. It is more unlikely for me to despise Estella than to risk being turned into a frog. She''s done a lot of work for me. Well, you have to reward her once in a while. ''That .........'' ''Hmm? ''Since you have such a beautiful bouquet of flowers, ...... I hope you''ll take care of that too.'' ''What? ''So, I''m going to ...... ask you out on a date.'' You''re asking me out on a date? ............ Oh, you mean that. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. All right, all right. I''ll show you my brilliant storytelling skills. ''Hey, girl. Why don''t you come over and have a cup of tea with me? Let''s start over. Of course. I''m sorry. So, once again . ''Estella. . .............................. ...... Wait a minute.'' What the hell is this? This is embarrassing. ...... What do you say, in this situation? ''Do you want to go on a date? ''It''s a beautiful day, let''s go for a walk. ''Would you like to have a morning coffee with me? ''Please!I''m not going to do anything!I''m not going to do anything!Why don''t you come over to my place? ...... I don''t think that''s right. We already know where we need to go. So why don''t you ask her to go there? ...... is not the place to ask me to go. I''m sorry.I''m not sure what you mean. I''m sure you''ll be fine.That''s right! Just follow me! ............ ............ ............ Proposal, this! ''No, uh, Estella!That was ......''. I hastily tried to explain that there was no deeper meaning: ...... ''Yes! I was interrupted by a very bright smile. ''Then, Yashiro, take me. The expression on his face was foully radiant. ...... ''...... I''ll follow you wherever you go.'' Well, that''s okay,......, I thought. ''There''s a place that makes really good cake. Let''s go there.'' ''Oh, you''re coming now?I''ll have to give Natalia a call if I''m going to be late. ......'' At that moment, a knife flew at Estella''s feet and pierced the ground with a ''click''. and stabbed into the ground. ''............'' ''............'' Estella silently pulls out the knife as I watch in silence. On the knife was written, ''Don''t worry. Good luck from N.'' It was written on the knife. ''...... being watched.'' ''Looks like it.'' Now that Natalia has given her OK, we don''t need to worry about the rest. It''s not like I''m going to make her stay overnight. We''re just going to enjoy a leisurely cup of tea. ''Shall we go then? ''Yes.'' As I start walking, Estella walks next to me, smiling, at the same speed. We walk shoulder to shoulder. I thought again that this kind of distance is comfortable with Estella. And here we are, at a place that serves delicious cakes. ''Well, I knew you would,'' I said. ''The cake here is the best. Do you know this place?It''s a hot store in the 42nd district. ''Oh, really? What kind of store is it? ''It''s called ''Sunlit Pavilion''. ''Yes, I know it. ''What''s this little play? We both laughed at the play that had started without really understanding it. ''Well then, ladies first, .......'' ''Wow, you can be so thoughtful. I''m impressed. He puts his hand on the door and opens it gently. I let Estella go in first, and I followed behind her. ''''Welcome. Welcome to the Sunshine Pavilion.'''' A cute sales clerk wearing a calmly designed maid''s uniform greets me. ''''Ah, you''re new, aren''t you? ''''Yes. It''s a uniform for tea time. From now on, we''ve decided to wear different uniforms for each of the three time periods: from morning to lunch, from teatime to dinner, and after dinner. The idea is to match the atmosphere of each time. At lunch time, you want to eat a hearty meal, at tea time you want to relax, and after dinner you want to enjoy a meal in an adult atmosphere. That''s why I chose to wear this dress. ''...... Reservations, accepted. Come here.'' Magda leads us to a seat in the back. There is a slightly sweet smell in the restaurant. ''Your bouquet can be displayed here. Please feel free to use them. ''Wow. You even lend out vases.'' ''There''s no water in it, though. If you''re going on a date, I''d like you to bring a bouquet of flowers to ask me out. Estella showed me a glimpse of her girlish side. That''s probably what most girls in this town long for. If that''s the case, there''s a good chance that the lovers who come to eat the latest sweets, cakes, will be carrying bouquets. A guy who is sensitive to fashionable sweets must be a guy who understands girls'' feelings, because such a guy would never disregard the promise of a date. I asked Theron to prepare several different sizes of vases for me. I asked Theron to prepare several vases of different sizes, from a single vase to the huge bouquet that Ginette had received for her birthday, so that I could choose the size that would make the flowers look good in any size. And to keep your clothes dry when you bring them home, we don''t put water in them. But I can if you want. ''Sir. When we were seated, Ginette came to our table with a menu. Tea time menus are not posted on the wall. ''Here are the menus. In the same soft voice as usual, but with a hint of nobility, Ginette presents the menu. She seems to be enjoying herself. The edges of his mouth are a little loose. ''What?There''s so much on ......?'' The menu lists seven kinds of cakes as well as the names of the teas. For the tea, I asked Natalia to introduce me to the lord''s official tea garden. ''In return, ...... well, ............ I want to eat cake. ......'' ......I guess I''ll have to treat Natalia to one next time ............ ''But I can''t imagine what it''s like just from the name. ......'' ''In that case, this is ...... Magda.'' ''...... Copy that.'' Ginette called, and Magda came over with a tray. On the tray is a colorful array of food samples of cakes made by Becco. They look like the real thing. No wonder he mistakenly took a bite. ''What ...... should I do? ............ I can''t decide anymore. ...... ......'' This is it. This is exactly what I want. It would have been nice to offer half-size cakes as a set ......, but we decided to hold off until the cakes were fully absorbed. In this way, the other cakes, which have been discarded after much agonizing and worrying over ''which one should I have,'' will make people think ''I have to come back for another one soon! It''s a strategy to make people think, ''Hey, Yashiro. ''Hey, Yashiro. Which one do you think is best? He couldn''t decide, so he threw the whole thing at me. ''You''ve had shortcake before, right? ''Yes!It was delicious. ......'' ''Then let''s have a different one. ''Yeah, but ...... there were so many of us at that time, and the amount for one person was very small. ............'' ''Shall we make a shortcake then?'' ''But, but!I want to try something else too! ''Then which one are you going to get?'' ''.................. Any recommendations?'' You''re throwing the whole thing away. ''Cheesecake, I think.'' ''...... Is it good?'' ''Of course.'' ''Then ...... yeah, I''ll have that.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Ginette looked at Estella, smiling, and waited for a long time. Now she turns her gaze to me. ''Yashiro-sa............, what would you like to do?'' In a way, this was a date, and also a demonstration for the Sunlit Pavilion. It was meant to confirm the sequence of events in preparation for the actual event. That''s why Ginette is being more polite than necessary. ''Well, let''s go to Mont Blanc. ''Why?You''re recommending cheesecake, aren''t you? ''No, because. You''re going to have cheesecake, right? ''What?...... Actually, that Mont Blanc is the best .......'' This guy can''t look at me like that anymore, can he? ''......Customer'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little paranoid. ''......If we both eat different things, ...... ''Hey, I want to try that one too,'' ''Well, let''s trade bites,'' ''Yeah,'' ''Yes,'' ''Ahhhh... ......... Delicious! ''Hey, you''ve got cream on your cheeks.'' ...... can do that. ''Yashiro. You can make it into a Mont Blanc. Isn''t this girl ...... too transparent in her schemes? ''Now, please wait a moment. Ginette and Magda retreated to the kitchen, and after a while, Loretta came out with a tea set. After all, cake should be eaten with tea. ''It''s a set price, isn''t it? ''It''s a bargain, isn''t it? ''But do you also have individual items? ''Basically, they''ll order a set, but there are some people who just want the individual items, so just in case. Some people might want her to order the cake set and me just the tea. If you only have one item and it''s expensive, like luxury, you''re failing. ''And the waitress will make the first cup of tea. ''Why?'' ''It makes you feel like a lady, doesn''t it? ''............?I''m not. That''s because that''s what you usually do. ''I''ll make you a cup of tea, sir! ''Loretta, you''re too nervous. You need to relax. The tea set clinks. Loretta is too tense. ''Yes. Like dropping from a high place. Make sure it''s well aerated. ...... Yes, you''re good.'' Estella is lecturing her on how to make tea. She''s as good as she gets, or at least she''s used to it. ''It''s ready!Hey, wait for me! ''Yeah. You messed up at the end. Loretta. Re-education decided. ''Oh, it''s good. It tastes just like ours. ''It''s from the tea garden Natalia told me about. ...... In exchange for the cake. ''Did she teach you how to brew it?It smells so good.'' ''I brewed it my way. It''s not bad, is it? ''Yes, I''d like you to make me a cup of tea next time. ''I don''t want to work for free. Estella chuckles and enjoys her tea. This makes me think that she really is a lady. ''Thank you for waiting. Here''s your souffl?? cheesecake. ''Whoa, whoa, ......!Too nice .......'' Estella gazes at the cake in front of her with eyes that seem to be melting. ''Thank you for waiting. It''s Mont Blanc. ''............ juruuri'' Estella stares at the cake in front of her with eyes like she''s watching her prey. ''...... Don''t take it, okay? ''Gosh, I''m sorry ...... ''Hey, I want to try that one too.'''' ''It''s too early!Eat your own first. ''Yeah, that''s true too. Let''s eat ......! He couldn''t hold back and threw the cake in his mouth before he could even say ''thank you''. ...... Is this guy really a lady? ''???????????????????????????????????????!............ happy''. Estella savored the sweet taste in her mouth. She puts her hands on her cheeks, opens her mouth and looks into the air. What a shame. If only there was popcorn here, I could throw it in my mouth and play with it. ''This is going to be popular. ''I''m going to make it so. ''What does it taste like over there? Estella forgot all about her earlier act and started asking for more. As usual, her eyes are filled with pure curiosity. Her eyes are sparkling, without any ulterior motives. ''Just one bite. ''Ahem. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to encourage you.'' ''I did. He takes a bite with his fork and holds it out to Estella. ''Here you go, ahhhh.'' ''Ah~n .................. Oh, this one''s good too! The next moment, she was writhing in agony. ''--Huh?'' Estella''s body shuddered. What, did she get a bone stuck in her throat?Did she bite the seed? She was a little confused by the sudden change in her emotions that made her think such a thing. ''Ha............ hahaha ............'' Estella''s face turns bright red, and steam rises lightly from her whiskers. ''Ka,ka,ka,ka,indirect............ki,kiki,kiki............'' You''ve just realized what you''ve done. I guess what I did earlier was really an unconscious action. ''Calm down. I haven''t put my mouth on it yet. It''s okay.'' I knew this would probably happen, so I waited without putting my mouth on it. Well, I''m going to use this fork. ''...... Sir.'' And Magda comes up next to me. And ...... ''...... "Hey, I''d like to try some of that too."'' ''You, ......''. ''...... Ahhhhh.'' ''............ Don''t do that to the other customers.'' ''...... of course'' ''Oh, dear.'' Well, I''m sure Magda won''t be embarrassed by Estella. She takes a bite of the Mont Blanc and feeds it to Magda. ''............ Magda likes this best. Remember that.'' ''What''s with the long-winded urging? ''Hey, big brother! The re-educated Loretta leans in from behind Magda. ''Well, what was it again?Anyway, it''s ''aun''! This guy doesn''t even seem to be trying to put on a show. No demonstration in sight, this one. ''There you go. ''Ah~n .................. Mmmmm!It''s delicious! ''Sir.'' And Jeannette smiles at me. ...... You too, Jeannette. I can''t help it. ...... I take a bite of the Mont Blanc and point my fork at Ginette. ''Here, ah~n. ''What?No,......, I was going to give you a new fork,.......'' Ginette''s cheeks stained with impatience. In his hand, he holds a new fork. ............ My misunderstanding ............? I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry.I''m so embarrassed! I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, well, if you''ll excuse me from ......, I''d like to go to .............'' Holding her long hair in her hands, Ginette slowly bends over. Her mouth gently approaches the fork, and she takes a bite of the Mont Blanc in her mouth. ''It''s very delicious. She holds her mouth and smiles softly. I''m glad I gave you the Mont Blanc ....... Do you want another bite? I''m sorry.I don''t know, there''s hardly any left,Montblanc...... ''......The manager ............ is tough.'' ''They took it all away from me. ......'' ''Ginette,...... the destructive power of the unconscious ...... is tremendous.'' Across the table, the three girls are mumbling. But you can ignore them. I mean, if you mess with me now, I''m going to blush. To prevent that from happening, I''ll announce my summary. ''From now on, I''m going to offer a stylish tea time like this. Of course, you don''t have to do anything to keep out the regular customers. It''s a bit silly, like Umaro, but in this atmosphere, they''ll be able to behave themselves. It''s difficult, but we''ll make it work. It''s difficult, but I''ll try to do both. You could separate the seats like a non-smoking and smoking area. ''a?? normal customers'' ''customers of idiot children a??'' ''a?? normal customers''''a?? stupid customers''''a?? stupid customers''''a?? two stupid customers are here''...... ''By the way, Estella. ''What?What, what?'' Estella''s eyes rolled back in her head as she was suddenly asked to speak. ''How was your date today?I''d like to hear your objective opinion about the atmosphere, the service, and the atmosphere of this restaurant.'' ''I see. ...... So that''s the story behind today''s date.'' ''It''s also true that I wanted to keep my promise to you.'' ''Yes, yes. I understand.'' I wonder if he really understands. It''s like he was simply swept away. ''I guess so. I think it''s good.'' I straighten my back and the mood changes from the girl on a date to the familiar Estella. ''I don''t know how well it''ll go over, but I think it''ll work. It tastes good, too.'' ''So it has Estella''s seal of approval. ''Well, I''m not sure how much my endorsement is worth. Finally, we can start moving. With this, the Sunken Pavilion has acquired another great weapon. Now all that''s left is for the city gate to be completed and for the street to pass in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. ...... This restaurant will become, no joke, the best restaurant in the 42nd district. More customers might come here than when Jeannette''s grandfather was running the place. I''m sure Jeannette will be very happy if that happens. If that happens, I''ll go to ............ ''Oops, I almost forgot to pay.'' ''Huh?No, thank you. It''s just a demonstration. ''I had a date with Estella this time. It wouldn''t look good if I didn''t pay.'' ''Is that so?Then please pay at the counter.'' ''Estella. I''ll buy you a drink, you should be grateful.'' ''If you hadn''t said that, you would have been smarter. You''re a disappointment, aren''t you? ''Leave me alone.'' He speaks lightly, then pays at the counter. ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes, what is it?'' I take out 20Rb from my wallet and ............ ''No, it''s nothing.'' ''I see. Oh, that''s right. Thank you very much. I''ll look forward to seeing you again.'' ''Well, let''s go outside for a while. ''No, no, not that far.'' ''It''s just a fling, a fling. ''Then why don''t you just leave me here? With Estella''s joking voice in my ear, I left the sunlit pavilion. I close the door. ...... ''............ I haven''t returned it yet, have I? I grabbed the 20Rb and put it back into my wallet. It clinked and got mixed in with the other coins. 20Rb. The price of stir-fried scraggly vegetables at the sunny-side up restaurant. It''s the price I ran away from ...... and haven''t paid back yet. I''m not sure what to make of it. I stretched out and looked up at the sky, which was clear as day. Well, it''s always good. There''s still time. I''ll just have to figure out how to sell the cake. It''s not so easy to get customers just by waiting. There are rivals all over the 42nd district. I can''t lose to them! All right!I''m going to be the number one! I spit out such enthusiasm into the sky, returned to the face of a shopkeeper, and entered the Sunlit Pavilion. 95-Anecdote 10 Different World Fraudsters vs. Foreign... The great city of Allbloom. This city has a lot of tricky rules. With the "Forced Translation Magic", your words are forcibly translated into words that your opponent can easily understand. It is difficult to smoke them out with ambiguous phrases or misrepresent them with confusing words. And then there is the Judgment of the Spirits. A joke of a spell that turns liars into frogs. ''Next. Come here and tell me your name and the reason for your initiation.'' The soldier guarding the gate says to me in a dignified tone. These guys are the easiest. ''My name is Aina Thackeray. I came to this city as a ''tourist''.'' I give her a thin smile. No, no, no. If I smile, they''ll know. ...... But I can''t help but think it''s hilarious. A city guarded by spirit gods. A city with ironclad rules that cannot be lied to. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''Then let me check your belongings. When you enter this city, all of your belongings will be searched. Anything that can be sold - meat, fish, fruit, antiques, etc. - will be taxed even if you have no intention of selling it. This is because there is no way for the gatekeeper to confirm whether or not you intend to sell. If they can''t collect it later, they decide to take it first. If you have a problem with it, don''t enter. ''Hey. What''s this?'' The gatekeeper takes out a vial of powder from my bag. There were twenty of them. Three grams of powder in each bottle. Sixty grams in total. ''It''s medicine. ''Do you really need this much? ''It''s just a day''s supply in small portions. ''What kind of medicine is it? ''Actually, it''s .......'' I pull the collar of my dress down tightly. The loose-fitting robe is pulled down, exposing a great deal of skin around my chest. The fullness of my breasts and the large scar in my cleavage are exposed. Looking at my chest, the gatekeeper hurriedly looks away. With a bright red face, he ...... is a pure man. ...... ''I have a large scar on my chest ...... so ......'' ''All right!That''s enough! Get your clothes ready! I''ve heard that almost everyone in this city is a devout Alvistan. They are compassionate and caring and would never do anything to humiliate others. Those who work as gatekeepers must be especially well-behaved and upright. You can go through now. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It looks like we''re going to make a lot of money this time,....... When you go through the gate, there is a strange man there. ''Um, ...... sorry, ............ again, as always, please, ...... ...... sorry.'' ...... half-fishman. The half-fishman is bowing to a beautiful woman with bear ears standing by the gate. It''s kind of slimy and oddly floppy. It''s ............ weird. ''Masha''s still out there, isn''t she?Why don''t you bring her in quickly? ''Well, I''ll bring her to you. ...... Yes ...... sorry ......''. The half-fishman is in a different doorway than the one I came through. Is that the gate for the residents? Those who live in this city can pass through a different gate than those who come from outside. It is likely that many of them go outside the gate for work. This is a measure to ease the congestion. ''I''m sorry ...... I''m sorry ...... I''m really sorry ...... I''m always sorry ......''. ''Just hurry up and go! ''I''m sorry ...... I''m sorry for being so persistent ............ I''m really sorry I couldn''t take my eyes off your feet... I''m sorry...! ''Go, go, go! The half-fishman kept repeating his apology, bowing his head and gradually retreating. It''s ...... or rather, it''s slowly approaching us. Why don''t you just walk forward? I can''t stand to be hit by that creepy thing. And just as I was about to change my path, the half-fish turned around. ''Whoa! Perhaps startled by my presence in front of him, the half-fish jumped up and slipped spectacularly. He fell forward and clung to my legs. Through the robe, I could feel a slippery sensation. ''Ouch! Who could blame me for kicking the half-fish away immediately afterwards? Don''t you dare touch me!I''m not cheap! I kicked him in the face with all my might. If I''m not careful, I might have blacked out. The reason I wear a robe is to give the impression that I''m a quiet person and to catch them off guard. The truth is that I am a martial artist, especially skilled in footwork. It''s not uncommon for a con artist to run and fight. ...... That half-fish might be dead. Well, if you call it self-defense, you should be fine. ...... When you look at the fallen half-fish with fear ...... ''Hah ...... hah ...... hah ah ah ah ah ah!Foot!I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to do.It feels good! ''Heee! The half-fishman was writhing in agony. That''s disgusting! Probably the most disgusting thing I''ve ever seen in my entire life. ''Don''t bother other people, Calvin! The bear-eared beauty from earlier rushes over, lifts the rolling half-fish, and tightens her hold. I''m not sure what to do.I''m so sorry, I''m so sorry!But if you want to punish me, ...... I''ll trample you with my foot ............''. I''m not sure what to do. The bear-eared beauty pounced on the half-fish. and throws the half-fish outside the gate. The half-fish flies away into the distance, very far away. ...... That''s the ocean. I sincerely wish I could go back to the sea. ''I''m sorry, gatekeeper. Let Masha in, will you?She''s the head of the Sea Fishing Guild, so be polite.'' ''Yes, sir!Yes, sir. After giving instructions to the gatekeeper, a beautiful woman with bear ears came over to us. ''Are you alright? ''Huh?Oh, yeah, ...... well...'' The bear-eared beauty called out to me, and I gave a vague reply. There was no way I was okay. The robe became slippery, and above all, such a creepy guy touched my feet. ......1 It''s not worth it to get 10,000 Rb. But if you tell that to this bear-eared beauty,...... ''If you are worried about the stains on your robe, you can ask old lady Mumm of the 42nd district. She''s a genius at removing stains. As for the money, I''ll have Calvin, the guardian of the mermaid, pay for it.'' ''Oh, I''ll pay for it...'' ''Of course you will, Marsha.'' When I turned my head in the direction of the voice, I saw that a mermaid was being brought in by the gatekeeper. The beautiful mermaid was placed in a huge tank attached to a cart. I''ve never seen a mermaid ...... before. I''ve never seen a mermaid before. ............Eh, so the half-fish guy from earlier is a mermaid too? ''Well, here you go. ''What? The mermaid in the tank holds out something that looks like a piece of paper towards me. ''Give this to Grandma Mum. Then she''ll remove the stain.'' ''...... Oh, hi.'' The paper read, ''Seafaring Guild, Marsha Ashley. If you give this paper to the mermaid, she''ll get the bill. ...... ''Thank you, sir.'' I thanked him ladylike and took the paper. ''Well, we''ll leave you to it. It''s really a disaster. If you''re going to the forty-two wards, I recommend you go to the Sunlit Pavilion. With these words, the two of them walked into the city. ...... What''s that means of transportation? I''m not sure. It is one of the characteristics of this All Bloom that there are many strange people. There''s no point in worrying about them all the time. I regained my composure and stepped out. Beyond the gate, there was a beautiful cityscape. This place near the sea is prosperous in the fish trade. Fish must be transported from here to the entire city. ''And, that''s not the point. ......'' I take off my slippery robe. I had originally planned to take off my robe when I entered the city. Underneath the robe, I put on light, comfortable clothes. She wears a revealing dress that emphasizes her breasts and shorts that expose her thighs for easy running. Thanks to her knee-high boots, she is less exposed and does not look like a prostitute. It is a fashionable exposure, not an indecent one. However, I''m sure that any man could fall for it. ...... For example, the men lined up in the carriage over there: ...... ''My God, why are the requests coming from so far away?I''m having a hard time getting home! ''The request was received by ...... the chief.'' ''That''s right. There''s also a bento box at the sunny pavilion, so get in a good mood and get to work. Instead of standing in line, a large man with a horse face and a long man seem to be persuading a man with a fox face to get on the carriage. ''No!I can''t finish my meal unless I see Magda''s face! ''It''s ...... a system that will end the life of the beams as soon as Magda-chan gets married. ''Yangboldo!Don''t be silly!Magda is not going to get married! ''No, she''ll go someday. ...... Liang, please pay attention to reality a little more. ''Shut up, Gooziya!I''ll put all your salary into Magda-tan! ''That''s embezzlement, boss!I''ll give it to Delia-san anyway. It''s easy to get caught up in ...... these guys talking about women. ''Hey, guys. They change their tone depending on who they are talking to. This is a common tactic of scammers. ''I''ve got a question for you. The scammer will lower the luggage to the ground, acting as if it is too heavy to carry ....... When she does this, she emphasizes her bosom in a big way. A man who can''t be bothered by this is ...... ''Gah! ''What? Suddenly, a man with a fox face shouted and ran away. What the hell is ...... that? ''The stimulus was too strong for the ............ wingman, who had greatly exceeded his tolerance for women. ''Well, even just talking normally is overheating, isn''t it? A large man with a horse face and a long, thin man are talking with dumbfounded faces. Female tolerance?Overheating? Huh?That''s not good. There''s a lot of crazy people in this town, Allbloom. We don''t care about them. We don''t care about the ones that got away. We''ll just have to fool around with the remaining men and let them buy us lunch. ''Actually, I''m~ so hungry~ ...... Do you guys know any good places to eat? Here, she emphasizes her breasts even more and pulls herself closer. ''Also, ...... I don''t know where I''m staying tonight. ............ Do you know any good places? In this way, the man who is tickled by the ulterior motive is stirred up by an impossible fantasy and becomes a servant who buys him dinner and gives him gifts. In order to capture the faintest of hopes,............, men are so easy to please. In fact, these two have their eyes glued to my large breasts. ''............ flaws''. The big guy with the horse face seems to have found a scar in my cleavage. This scar is a scar I got when I screwed up in a previous scam. ...... The location of the scar makes it look like I had heart surgery, so now I''m using it for scams. It''s a great prop to play the part of a sickly young lady. So, let''s set it up as ...... a girl who got over the surgery and got well, and is on a trip to commemorate it. There are many men who are vulnerable to such a "woman who has overcome her difficulties". Knowing that such a situation exists, they will loosen their purse strings. It doesn''t matter how many lies you tell. As long as you never see them again, the lie will never be discovered. As long as your lie is not exposed, you will not be subjected to the judgment of the spirits. ''Yes, ...... actually, this scar is ...... from a heart ...... a long time ago.'' ''...... breast augmentation''. ''What about ............?'' ''Fake boobs B''. ''Fake ...... ''No, they''re not!They''re real!It''s my own!'' ''...... Nice joke.'' That''s all he said, and the big guy with the horse face walked away. ''What?I''m sorry.If you think it''s a lie, try the "Spiritual Judgment"!It''s my own!Really! Without even listening to him, the big man with the horse face went away. ...... What is it?What is it with these people? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Your brother ...... my breasts ...... look strange? It''s a strategy to tickle your conscience, implying that you were hurt because of someone you know. ''Heh, it''s not weird ......, you know? He glanced at his chest and slumped. Okay, he''s down. This guy can afford it. ''So, do you like ...... your brother''s breasts ............?'' ''No. Not really. ''What about ............? ''Delia''s are bigger, better shape, better tone, better smell!Oh, Miss Delia!I want to meet you, Delia! The long, thin man danced away as if he were spinning. .................. Well, well? You can''t help it if you like the woman you''re with. It''s not like my breasts were defeated by that Delia or something. I''m sure there are guys out there who are single-minded like that. ...... I don''t regret it!I''m not. I''m not sure what to do.What are you looking at? ...... I shouldn''t have done that. I can''t stay here if I''m going to be this disgusting. More importantly, I don''t like this area. It''s a bad match. It must be a bad omen. Yeah. I''ve had bad luck since the half-fish hugged me in the first place. Let''s change places. I looked at the sign for the carriage and saw ...... ''...... forty-two districts''. This carriage was going to the 42nd district. Forty-two wards...... is the ward where there is an old lady who is good at removing stains. If so, let''s head there. ...... And while we''re at it, I''ll make a sucker out of you, people of the forty-two wards. ...... ugh. --Meanwhile, at that time, the sunlit pavilion. Delia, ''Yashiro!I''ve come to visit! Masha: ''Long time no see! Yashiro''Oh, Delia and Masha. Ginette''Welcome, you two. Delia''Give me the cake!Cake!I''ll have a Mont Blanc and Masha will have a Mille Crepes. Masha:''Delia told me about it and I was really looking forward to it. Jeannette: ''Then I''ll prepare it right away. Yashiro''So, no half-fish today? Delia: ''I threw them away because they were too gross for my taste. Yashiro: ''That''s the kind of thing you go over all year round. ......'' Masha''Speaking of which, where''s the carpenter who''s always around here?He''s not here today. Yashiro: ''Umaro? Masha''Yes, yes. I like him because he always turns red when he sees me. Delia: ''He''s teasing me by looking at me on purpose, you know? Yashiro''If you do that too much, he''ll die. Masha: Don''t worry. I''ve got him on the verge of death. Yashiro''...... Are you sure about that? Magda''......Umaro and the others are working in the 35th district today. Masha''Oh, really?I''m not sure if I''ve ever seen you before. Delia''We came through the gate there today. Magda: ''I gave him a lunch box at ......, so he probably won''t come today. Yashiro''Umaro would probably show up, even if he had to leave work. ......'' Magda''...... For the fox people, there''s Norma. Norma: ''I''m just here for the cake. I''m not going to bother you guys. Delia: ''You don''t need to bother me. We''re just here to eat cake too. Yashiro''It''s good that it''s popular, but ...... all the acquaintances are gathering here. ......'' Estella''Hello, everyone!I''ve come to eat cake again today. ............ What''s with the big tits? Yashiro''Look, we know each other again. ......'' Estella''You guys!How can you grow so much when you live in the same district and eat the same kind of food? Delia ''Salmon! Norma, ''Smoking pipe''. Masha: ''krill? Estella: ''That''s just what you guys like! Norma''There''s no such thing as food that makes your breasts grow. Masha: ''But don''t they say that drinking milk makes them bigger? Estella: ''I drink milk every day!But it still doesn''t work! Delia: ''Salmon is enough. Estella ''I''m starting to eat rather a lot of salmon!'' Norma ''How''s the flue?'' Estella''......The smoking pipe is ...... a little ......'' Yashiro''It''s okay Estella. They just have the constitution to get big tits no matter what they eat or not. Estella: ''Then what am I supposed to do? Yashiro: ''Give up! Estella: ''I can''t give up! Jeannette''Sorry to keep you waiting ............ Estella, what''s wrong? Magda''......It''s hard to live...... that''s what I mean.'' Jeannette''I don''t know, but ...... Estella-san, please do your best! Estella''I''m trying to do my best. ............ Oh, if there was a pill that could make my breasts bigger, I''d pay as much as I could! --No one thought at the time that this would be the beginning of the current uproar. 96-Anecdote 11 Different World Fraudsters vs. Foreign... ''Really, if I drink this, my breasts will get bigger? A beautiful girl with red hair leans forward on the table. She seems to be quite interested in it. ...... This will sell. I''m at a tavern in the 42nd district called Cantalucica. I left my robe with a stain removal genius named Mumm and was thinking about what to do when I encountered ...... my prey. At first I thought it might be a man with a nice face,...... because his chest was so flat,...... but then he mumbled, ''My chest... ...I''m sure they''ll grow in some way. ...... I''m sure they''ll grow in some way. ...... I''m sure they''ll grow in some way. ...... I''m sure they''ll grow in some way. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something you like. I''ve got some good information for you, and I''d like to talk to you about it. The red-haired girl followed me with open arms. That''s how I approached her, and here we are. A rather nice bar on the main street. The red-haired girl and I sat on the window seat. I''m going to use the Marsha Ashley card that I didn''t use during the stain removal. This way, even if I eat and drink a lot, it won''t hurt my pocket. It''s a reimbursement card. It would be a shame to use it for only 3Rb of stain removal. It''s more profitable to eat and drink a thousand rb here. By treating the red-haired girl to a meal, we can dispel some of her distrust of us. ''Hmmm ......, it looks like normal powder to me.'' I stare at the powder in the vial with suspicion. That''s probably true. There is no such thing as a pill that makes your breasts grow just by drinking it. However, a girl with a sincere wish is likely to bite into such a fishy thing, grasping at straws. ''I''ve been dealing with this product for five years now. ...... In the first year, my breasts, which were completely flat, grew this big. ''What? The red-haired girl''s gaze focused on my breasts. I emphasize my proud F-cup breasts and show them off with a bang. ''......, really? ''If you don''t believe me, you can go to ...... and play "Judgment of the Spirits" on me, okay? ''Yes ......, but that''s ......''. The red-haired girl hesitated. I suppose it is. I''m sure you''re right. The Judgment of the Spirits is the same as killing someone if you make a mistake. ...... But it is that hesitation that feeds us. If you are hesitant to use it, your sense of guilt will be replaced by a sense of duty, and you will not be able to say, "I don''t want it. When this red-haired girl uses the Judgment of the Spirits, my victory is assured. ''Don''t worry. I''ll never turn into a frog. That will prove that my story is not a lie. So, please, don''t worry about it. ''That ............ right?............Then, ......'' Even this red-haired girl needs something to trigger her to make the purchase. If you have an excuse to buy something, it will be easier to buy it even if it is a little expensive. It is the right way of scamming to justify a woman''s desires like that. ''Well, then, are you sure you want to use ......? ''Of course I am. My breasts grew to an F cup in a year, five years ago when I started dealing with this drug.'' ''Let''s ............ "Judgment of the Spirits" ......! The red-haired girl stretches her arm straight out and points at me. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... I get nervous no matter how many times I experience it. I''m sure you''ll be fine. A few tens of seconds pass, and then the light that enveloped me disappears. Of course, I haven''t turned into a frog. Of course not. I''m not lying. My breasts grew rapidly in one year, five years ago, when I started dealing with this product. It has nothing to do with ...... this drug. Five years ago, I was 13 years old. I guess it''s called a growth spurt. My body quickly transformed into a feminine one, and my breasts got bigger. It just so happened that my growth spurt came at a time when they were starting to run scam businesses using this drug. That''s all. I never said anything about my breasts getting bigger thanks to this drug. It was this red-haired one who misunderstood. ''I''ve come across this ...... amazing medicine: ............'' ''There is a saying, "Once in a lifetime. Every encounter is special, and you can never redo that encounter again. ''Strawberry ...... Ichie? ''Think of someone you love. What was your encounter with that person like?Wasn''t it ...... accidental, yet fateful ...... and very wonderful?'' ''......Encounters with ............important people''. Suddenly, the red-haired girl''s face turns red. She must have thought of the man she was in love with when she heard the word ''significant other''. Easy to understand, she''s a really good duck. Such a maidenly woman tends to want to make the man she is in love with her "destiny" even if she has to force it. It''s because they want a reason. Just like when they buy an expensive product, they want to have some reason to conclude that the person is worthy of their life. There is no more solid reason than "he is the one" ....... Therefore, they want that reason. Right now, the red-haired girl is probably replaying her encounter with the man in her mind. Probably, it was just a normal encounter. However, if she hadn''t gone to that place on that day, she would have said, ''......'', ''if I hadn''t talked to him, ......'', and so on. The two people who met by such a series of coincidences must be ...... destined to be together. So, one more push: ...... ''What do you think? Would you like to try one ...... of these coincidences as fate?'' The man she fell in love with and this stinky ......, or for the red-haired girl, ''medicine of hope'' ...... are brought together in the same sentence. This will replace the medicine in the red-haired girl''s mind as being as valuable as the man she fell in love with. ...... Then, the result is clear as day: ............ ''All right. I''ll take them all. I''ll take all of them. I''ll take twenty of them ............ and I''ll get a D cup ............ and maybe even an E cup. Maybe even an E cup. ......? ''Are you sure you want them all ......?'' ''Yes!I''ll take them all! ''Thank you very much!I wish you all the best and hope your dreams come true. And after the purchase, I''ll put a spell on you to make it harder for you to come back to yourself. ''I hope your dream will come true and the man of your dreams will be turned on by your charms. ''U, fate''s ............? I knew I hadn''t turned him on yet. If you''re this shy, you might not have much hope. I don''t care about that. ''Large breasts are one of the most attractive features of women. ......'' ''So,......, right? ''If you have everything else, you might be able to ...... win over any opponent. ''Oh, no!You can''t have it all,............, can you?I''m not sure what to say. Yes. The spell is cast. Now you''ll be all melty and dreamy for the rest of the day. You can melt away to your heart''s content. The red-haired girl comes to you with a buoyant expression and pays you in full. She seems to be carrying a large amount of money with her. ...... I guess I should have asked her for more. ...... I was going to sell them for 1,000Rb each, but to my surprise, the red-haired girl wanted to give me all 20 bottles. The total price was 20,000Rb...... even after deducting the introductory tax, free materials, and travel expenses,...... hmmm, I made a fortune. You can''t stop being a con artist. The red-haired girl won''t realize she''s been cheated until after she''s consumed all the pills. I''ll be out of town by then. There''s nothing I can do if I''m not in town to find her and cast the ''Judgment of the Spirits''. In the first place, I only said that there is a possibility that my breasts will grow. No matter how many questions I was asked, I dodged them well and never said a word about how this potion would make my breasts bigger. The Judgment of the Spirits can be avoided at all costs if you understand how it works. The only people who don''t realize that are the residents of this town. You can continue to drink with glee. Those nondescript powdered mushrooms. Just mushrooms, which are plentiful in my town. Well, they can be used to make medicine, and I''m not lying when I say "medicine. Eating them won''t kill you. So no one can punish me. No one. ............ ugh. ''''Hey, isn''t that Estella? ''''What? Suddenly, a voice came from behind me, and I and the red-haired girl both shook our shoulders. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Who''s this airhead who''s talking to me in the middle of a secret conversation? It''s a good idea to take a look at your face and see if you can ............ find any chickens. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, what?You''re so rude.'' ''Oh, is that what you meant?I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to startle you. The chicken-faced ...... girl?The chicken-faced ...... girl smiles and bails at me. ...... smiles, doesn''t it? ''Ne, ne, ne, ne ferry!What are you doing here? ''I''m here to deliver eggs. I''ve started selling cakes here too, you know.'' Apparently, the red-haired girl and this chicken knew each other. The red-haired girl is desperately trying to gather up the vials and hide them from the chickens. ''Oh?What''s in that vial? ''It''s nothing!It''s nothing! The red-haired girl is in a great hurry to advertise herself as ''some kind of mysterious item''. ...... This girl is really a bad girl. It''s a good medicine for beauty. A woman as fashionable as her should take the initiative to adopt things from other countries. You know? ''Yes, yes!That''s what I''m talking about!'' ''Heh. Hey, you should share it with me. I''ve been having a lot of skin problems lately. You can''t see my skin!With feathers! ''Da, no!No, no, no!This is that ......! ''I brought it for her, so there''s a chance it won''t fit her skin. If it''s a possibility, it can''t be a lie. Also, since it''s ''something I brought for her'', it should be safe too. ''Oh, is that so?Then it''s impossible. I''ll give up.'' ''............ Ho! The red-haired girl breathes a sigh of relief. If this girl ...... had a scammer by her side, she''d be getting cheated every day. ''Well, I''m a little relieved to know that Estella also uses such things.'' ''What? ''Because you''re always dressed like a man. You''re a beautiful woman, so you need to polish your womanhood and become more girly like me. ......, oi. Chicken! I don''t know where this confidence is coming from, but the chicken is making a very smug face. It''s kind of annoying. ''Oh. Isn''t that Regina?'' ''What?'' The chicken points out the window and looks at a woman walking down the street. She''s dressed all in black, walking down the street with her head down. ...... What a gloomy woman. ''Hey!Regina! ''What?What?Who are you calling me?Are you an enemy?Are you bullying me? ''It''s me, you...'' ''Oh, what is it? You''re the chicken from Mr. Chicken. ''It''s Neffely!I told you to remember my name! ''Patience, patience...'' She speaks a strange language. She''s talking to the chickens through the window, and it looks like she''s coming into the store. ...... It''s time to leave. The more people there are, the more likely it is that I''ll have to tell lies. ''Well, then, I''ll be around .......'' ''Oh, wait! The red-haired girl stops me from getting up. ''This girl Regina who is coming is a pharmacist in the 42nd district. ......'' Pharmacist? ''Can you teach me how to make this medicine?I''ll pay you handsomely!I''m sure there are many people who need this medicine!What do you think?'' ''Eh, no, ...... that ............'' That''s not good. If the pharmacist looks into it, ...... even if they don''t find out right away, they''ll find out someday. No, wait, wait. Calm down, me. I''ll look suspicious if I get upset here. Calm down, calm down. ...... ''As much as I''d love to help women with their problems,......, the process of making this medicine is a secret. Please understand.'' ''Well, that''s true. I''m sorry for saying such a strange thing.'' ''No, no. I''ll leave you to it. ......'' ''Yeah. Take care. Thanks for the nice meeting.'' ''No, sir. My pleasure.'' I bowed deeply and left the table. You pass the pharmacist in the store. ............ Even a pharmacist can''t tell what it is at a glance. It would take a week to analyze the ingredients. We''ll be out of this city by then. No need to rush. ''What''s that, what''s that vial? ''Estella said it''s a medicine she bought from a traveling merchant. ''Is that so?Can I see it? ''Yeah, sure, but please be careful with it!It was expensive! I can hear them talking. But my victory is unassailable. I sashay out and continue down the main street. I have no more use for this place. When my work is done, I have only one more objective to fulfill. I head for the carriage stop at the entrance to the Forty-second Ward. It looks like a carriage has just arrived. ''Wendy, watch your step. ''Thank you Theron. A couple gets out of the carriage. The man is strikingly handsome, and the woman is plain. How could such a plain woman have caught such a nice man? I''m a much better woman than you. And I have bigger breasts than you. Would you like me to take ............ yours? No, you don''t have to go that far to make some waves. ...... Hmm. The couples of the world should die out. I purposely stumbled and hugged the handsome man. ''Aaah! ''What''s with ......!Are you okay? The way he accepted me, the way he didn''t touch my body unnecessarily, I passed! The worried eyes, yes! ...... Muggy. ''......! He seems to have noticed that the handsome man has turned his cheeks and averted his gaze. That uninitiated reaction ............ passed! ''I''m sorry. I stumbled.'' ''Oh, I see. Are you hurt?'' ''Yes......'' And then, with her breasts pressed against his chest, he turned his gaze toward the sober woman. She has a triumphant look on her face. The more you anger the woman here, the more her anger will go to her boyfriend. The more you anger her, the more her anger goes to her boyfriend. ....... The boyfriend doesn''t like it when she gets angry at him for just helping people. Of course he''ll say something back. I hope it sparks a big fight. Couples should die out. I thought to myself, ...... ''Please be careful. Come on, give me your hand.'' ''......What?'' The woman smiled so calmly that I was taken aback, and held out her hand to me. ''Oh,......, hi.'' She pulled me by the hand and slowly pulled me away from the handsome man. I see. You''re the kind of guy who hides his anger behind a smile and then explodes later,....... ''You have a wonderful boyfriend, don''t you? ''Yes, I am. Yes, I am.'' He affirmed ....... If so... ''Such a kind boyfriend, I like him. ...... I think I''m starting to like him. ''Yes. I understand. I know exactly how you feel.'' ...... You get it, don''t you? ''Theron is really kind and nice. ...... It''s a real mystery to me why he''s with me. ......'' ''That''s not true, Wendy!If I''m a butterfly, you''re a flower. If I''m a beetle, you''re a sap! ...... sap? ''Just as it''s inevitable that night will break and morning will come, it''s also inevitable that I''m attracted to you.'' ''Theron ...... glad.'' ''I''m fascinated by your brilliance, I''m like a moth attracted to ...... light.'' ''Moths............ lovely.'' Yeah. These two are crazy. Okay, let''s not get involved anymore. I''ll leave you to it. It''s too stupid to do this. I still want the couple to die. ''Please stay until the fortieth district.'' ''Yes, sir. If you''re going to the forty-second district, I''d recommend going to Cafe Luxury. They serve delicious cakes.'' ''I know. That''s where I''m going, of course.'' ''You''re a connoisseur, aren''t you? He gets into the carriage and has a conversation with the guardian. I''m sure that the Cantalcica tavern that you mentioned earlier is now selling cakes,......, but it must be a degraded copy anyway. I''m fascinated by the real cakes that can only be found in this city. Ever since the first day I ate it,......! So, after finishing my work, I headed to the 40th district for another purpose, to eat a luxury cake. Once that''s done, I''ll be done with this troublesome city. I''ll come back to scam you in a few months. See you, 42nd Precinct. And the good-natured red-haired girl. Slowly, the carriage began to move and I left the Forty-second Ward, savoring the afterglow of my victory. --while, at that time in Cantalucia. Regina: ''Hmm?This is not medicine. Estella: ''What? Regina: ''This is just powdered dried mushrooms. Estella: ''Really?No way! Regina: ''You''ve been deceived, haven''t you? Estella: ''But the ............ Judgment of the Spirits didn''t work. ...... We have to go after him anyway! Regina: ''He''s probably gone. She''s gone. ...... She''s gone. Estella ''............No.'' Nephrite: ''Hey. Why don''t you talk to Yashiro? Estella''...... to Yashiro? Nephrite: ''Show him the Conversation Record and he''ll see through the scam. Yashiro, you seem to be good at that kind of thing. You know, you''re rather ...... dependable, aren''t you?He''s got a bit of a ...... head on his shoulders.So... Estella, are you going to show me the Conversation Record? Regina, what is it?Did you say something that you wouldn''t want me to see? Estella ''............'' Regina: ''Well, I''ll have to weigh the embarrassment, the amount of money I was cheated out of and the humiliation of being cheated, and see which is heavier. Estella''............ Oh, God!I''m going to go see Jashiro! Nephrite''You have to come! Regina: ''You tell him. The contents of this vial are dried mushroom powder. The only thing in it that might be good for you is the fiber. ......'' Estella: ''Okay. Nephrite: ''But you can tell a lot just by looking at it, even the ingredients.'' Regina: ''My eyes, they''re a little special. Estella''Thank you, both of you!I''m off then! --Estella, we''re leaving Cantalucia to go to the Sunshine Pavilion. Estella: ''Yashiro! What''s the matter, Yashiro? What''s the matter? You look like you''ve been tricked into buying something fishy like ''medicine that makes your boobs bigger''. Estella: ''How do you know? Yashiro: ............ Really?I was just gagging that I might be in that situation someday. ............'' Estella''............ Apparently, that someday is ...... today. Yashiro''............You...'' Estella: ''Yes, because!We were talking like that during the day. ......! Yashiro: ''Is that the kind of food that makes your breasts bigger?'' Estella''...... Yeah.'' Yashiro''Anyway, tell me what''s going on. And show me the Conversation Record.'' Estella''I''ll show you, but ...... don''t laugh, okay? Don''t worry!I''ll laugh my ass off! Estella: ''Oh, my God!Whatever you want! --Explaining the situation Yashiro ''...... You''ve fallen for a typical trick.'' Estella ''...... I''m sorry. Theron: ''Good evening.'' Ginette''Oh, Mr. Theron. You too, Wendy. Welcome. Theron: ''Oh, I don''t want to eat today, but I''d like to have some medicine to remove Wendy''s luminous paint. Ginette''Ah, yes. Regina-san left it for you. Please wait a moment. Wendy''I''m sorry for the inconvenience. Magda''...... is glowing again. Loretta: ''It''s only dimly lit, but it''s shining brightly. Wendy''......Excuse me. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. Estella''......That''s right, but ......I''ve explained it in more detail, why do you only pick up that part ......'' Theron ''Hero-sama''. Yashiro''Yo, Theron and Buddha. Wendy: ''It''s Wendy, Mr. Hero! Yashiro: ''No, I was just thinking that you had a strong halo. Theron: Hey, is this the woman you were talking about? Yashiro: Hmm?You mean the con artist? Theron''So she was a con artist?We''ve seen that woman. Estella: ''Really?Do you know which way she went? Theron: ''We took a carriage to the 40th arrondissement. ...... I believe she said she was going to eat cake in luxury.'' Estella: ''Alright!Then get in the carriage and go to ......! Paula: ''Hey!Is Jashiro there? Jashiro: ''Paula. What''s going on? Paula: ''Just now, a beautiful girl with long brown hair, big boobs and thighs came to Cantartica. Estella: ''Do you have the same sensibility as Yashiro, you ......'' Paula''He gave me this to pay for it. Yashiro''...... Masha''s signature. Are you going to charge Marsha?'' Paula''Yes, I think so.'' Masha''What?Why is Cantartica billing us? Paula''Oh, Masha, you''re here. Masha''The cakes are delicious, so I''m staying here! Yashiro''Do you have any idea? Masha''Yes. I gave it to this beautiful girl with long brown hair, big boobs and thighs. ...... She said she was going to pay for Grandma to have the stain removed. Yashiro''...... you''ve been scammed too. Masha''e~......What should I do~'' Delia''If you know where they''re going and what they look like, let''s grab them and make them pay for it! Yasilo''But looking at the ...... Conversation Record, it might be difficult to get back the full amount ....... I can''t find any conclusive lies. Estella: ''Because this medicine is fake, isn''t it? Yashiro ''They haven''t stated that it''s a breast enlargement potion. He''s just leading Estella to believe that. Estella: ''No. ...... then ......'' Yasilo: ''So let''s do the same thing to her. Estella''What? Yashiro''......Yashiro troupe, the second performance is about to start.'' --A foreign con artist who scammed her way into Yashiro''s territory: ...... What will be her fate: ......... ...continued... 97-Anecdote 12 Different World Fraudsters vs. Foreign... ''This way, please.'' ''Thank you.'' I walked gracefully through the calm atmosphere of the restaurant, guided by a good-looking waiter. I came to my favorite coffee shop, Luxury. Eating the cake here was one of my objectives. It was a popular place and I had to wait for almost two hours to get in. The sky was getting darker and darker, and night was coming soon. But I''m not the kind of person who would give up just because of a line, my sweets soul! When your turn comes and you''re ushered into the restaurant, you feel a sense of superiority. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... No, but I think you''ve been working behind the scenes. ...... Contractors?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Well, there''s no point in thinking about it. It''s okay. That''s how I got my turn. The seat I was given was at the back of the restaurant, on the window side, a very good seat. It was the perfect place for me to eat a cake by myself. I looked next to me and saw a couple of girls eating cake. They seemed to be young ladies, wearing well-tailored clothes. Both girls looked young, but they must be well-to-do to be able to afford this luxury. One of them is a young girl with tiger-striped cat ears. They look old enough to be considered little girls. The other is ...... something. The other is ............ a kind of ordinary girl. There is nothing special about it. However, the voice of the girl caught my ear a lot. ''Hmm~...... the cakes here are not so good. ''...... mediocre work''. Huh? What are you talking about, you little girls? What are you talking about, you idiots who don''t know how good this cake is?Are you stupid? Well, I guess children can''t understand that noble taste, I''m sorry. ''I enjoyed the cake I had in the 42nd district more. What was the name ...... of it, you see, a somewhat warm sounding name ......''? ''...... sunshine pavilion.'' ''Yes, yes!That''s right, the sunny pavilion!I love you all.It''s a name that makes you want to say it, ''Yo-damari-tei!The name that makes you want to say it. ''...... Loretta, you''re too much. ''Huh. ...... I''m sorry.'' The normal girl shrugs her shoulders as the expressionless tiger-eared girl stares at her. It''s definitely too much. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Sunlit Pavilion?I''ve heard of it before. ............ Oh, that''s it. The mermaid you met at the gate mentioned the name of the restaurant. I''m sure the mermaids you met at the gate mentioned the name of the restaurant: "If you''re going to the 42nd district, I recommend you go to the Sunlight Pavilion. ...... Is it that good? No, but it can''t be better than the cakes here. ...... ''...... Loretta''. ''What''s that, Magda? ''...... How would you describe the deliciousness of the cakes at the Sunshine Pavilion in one word? ''That is,......, first and foremost, it''s dreamy. Sweets should be the kind of food that makes a girl live in a dream world. First of all, it looks pretty. A shortcake coated with pure white cream and decorated with bright red fruits. A golden cheese souffl?? covered with shiny apricot jam. The Mont Blanc ......, with its calm colors and thinly intertwined creams, gives a cute and chatty impression, and the first thing that impresses you is when it is brought to your table. The sweet aroma of the cake ...... wafting through the restaurant will make any girl''s heart skip a beat. And then you pick up your fork, and this is where every girl comes to a conflict. That''s right!It''s a shame to destroy it!That''s how perfect the cake is. However, the sweet taste packed into the cake is so sweet that a girl''s conflict is overwhelmed and she sticks her fork into the cake ............. At that moment, you feel the soft and fluffy texture on your hand. The sponge cake is just like a sponge ......, no, it is like poking a white cloud in the sky with a fork, such a dreamy feeling can be felt from the arm to the whole body. And finally, the cake is brought to your mouth,...... and your heart is already full,...... and you will laugh at yourself for thinking so. Just after you take a bite of the cake in your mouth, you will feel a sense of ...... satisfaction ...... and happiness that will make you thankful to have been born in this world. Once you know that, you will never be able to eat any other cake. Sweet. Yes, it''s sweet. But the sweetness isn''t just simple sweetness, it''s a happy sweetness. When I ate the cake for the first time, I was moved to tears and thought, ''Oh, this is the taste of my dreams that I have longed for since I was a child. The fluffy sponge melts in your mouth, the sweet cream smoothly passes over your tongue,...... and the sweetness spreads all over your body,...... and the color of the world changes. When you breathe in, the air is sweet. Everything you see is brightly colored and shining. ............'' ''...... Loretta.'' ''Yes, yes!What is it?'' ''...... in one word'' ''Ah ...... ah, anyway, it tastes of happiness!It''s a maiden''s food!It''s a staple food! ''...... I see. You should definitely try it. It''s a staple food. ...... and ............? I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not. It''s as if it''s more delicious than luxury cakes. ...... No, that''s not possible. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following URL: ....... ''Oh, I heard that too. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''......They say it''s so good that fashionable girls can''t die without eating it. ''Oh, I wanted to eat it!But it''s not too late!I won''t be able to make it unless I take a carriage now! Oh, no! I can''t believe such a delicious cake is only available until today! d*mn it!I was in the 42nd district a while ago, why didn''t I go to the sunshine pavilion .................. haha!I''m not sure what to say. It is the opinion of these women and children that there is no guarantee that I will be satisfied with my meal. ...... That''s right. I came here to have a cake ...... of this luxury. There''s nothing to be confused about. I can have what I want ...... ''Sir''. At that moment, the owner and chef of this restaurant, Mr. Pompeo, came to my table. What?Why?The owner-chef himself? Incidentally, the reason I know his name is because I''m a big fan of his. His mature charm, his elegant smile. He''s right up my alley. Such a wonderful owner chef is talking to me. I''m so glad I came to Luxury. ...... It''s like a dream ............. I didn''t do anything wrong. ...... I''m sorry, but we''ve just sold out of cakes and can''t offer any more to our customers. ........................ What? ''If you''d like to order just a beverage, that''s possible. ''Yes. ......Ke, what about the cake? ''No, we''re sold out. ''That''s ...... such............'' My eyes went black. No ...... cake? ''Oh?There''s a carriage in front of the shop......'' Mr. Pompeo peeked out the window. I followed his lead and looked out the window. A very luxurious carriage is parked there. It''s clearly a nobleman''s vehicle. A blonde young lady in a gorgeous dress is getting into the carriage. ''Hmm?That''s Miss Imelda of the Woodcutter''s Guild, isn''t it? Pompeo muttered to himself. ...... Ah, so that''s the young lady from the Woodcutter''s Guild that you were talking about earlier. ............ That means that the carriage is heading to the 42nd district. ......? ''Yes. I have a good face for the lady. If you wish, I can make special arrangements for you to ride in that carriage. ''......What? ''There''s a store in the 42nd district that serves cakes. Why don''t you go there tonight? Mr. Pompeo spoke to the nobleman for me at ............ me, special ......? ''Would you like that? ''By all means, please! ''Then come this way.'' Escorted by a sincere Pompeo, I moved gracefully through the luxury. ''I see it. That customer must be a ''special'' customer.'' ''...... I''m so close to Pompeo-san, I feel so bad...'' ''...... Magda, you''re a stick-in-the-mud ......'' ''......I''m so sorry.'' It''s nice to see the envy in your eyes. Feeling superior, I walked out of the store. Despite the waiting time, my stay was very short. But so what?I''m a special customer. And so, the special me arrived at the rumored store, the Sunlit Pavilion, in the special carriage of a nobleman. ''............ What is this place? It was a wonderful store filled with light even though it was night. The bricks set up in the garden were shining brightly. I didn''t know there was such a store in the 42nd district. ...... ''Welcome to the Sunshine Pavilion''. ............ It''s huge. ''Please, come inside. May you have a wonderful encounter. ......'' The smiling shopkeeper leads you into the store. The interior of the shop is ...... ordinary, I guess. However, it is decorated with a large number of flowers. It''s like a flower garden. A sweet smell fills the restaurant. I took a seat and looked around the restaurant. The atmosphere is calm. There are a good number of customers. The clothes worn by the customers all look expensive. I guess this is the kind of restaurant that lords and daughters of noble ...... families come to. It''s what we call a hidden gem. ...... I think I may have made a good discovery here. ''Are you ready to order? After a while, the waiter came to ask for my order. It seems that in this restaurant, the waitress comes to ask for your order. The fact that I didn''t have to stand up made me feel superior, as if I were being treated as a special customer. ''I''ll have one of the limited time cakes. And a drink. ''The drink comes with the set. Please choose a tea from this list. What ...... tea comes with the set? Moreover, you can choose from four kinds of tea ......, or eight kinds since there are hot and iced tea ......, and eight kinds of cake ......, You can have an infinite number of combinations. ............ What''s wrong with this place?Isn''t it too high grade? ''Well, let''s go to ...... a normal one. To be honest, I don''t know what kind of tea they serve. I just order what I want. ............ I wonder if this is the right way to order.Wouldn''t they laugh at me? ''All right, sir. I''ll get you a hot cup of Earl Grey. Good. ...... seems to have gotten the message. The clerk disappears and you let out a sigh of relief. I was nervous. ............ As expected of a store rumored to be owned by a young lady from the forty-second ward. ...... Even that shopkeeper is putting tremendous pressure on me. You can''t let your guard down. After a short wait, a fragrant cup of tea followed by a ...... long awaited cake arrived. ''What,............, what is this,............? It was a dreamy cake that could be called a maiden''s staple food. The cake is covered with pure white cream and is decorated with bright red fruit and gooey jam, giving it a very pretty appearance. There was a little mint leaf on top of the cake, which stimulated my maiden''s heart irresistibly. When you bite down on the mint, you will feel a strong sensation of "ouch!Wow, that''s refreshing! Isn''t that what mint is for?You''re such a lovely leaf, aren''t you? Then, fork in hand, take a stab. ............ Oh ...... what those ladies said was true. It was the first time I had ever felt such a pleasant sensation. It''s the first time I''ve ever felt such a pleasant sensation in my life. I suppressed my racing heartbeat and finally took a bite ...... into my mouth. ''............ Mmm! Oh, .................., well, ?????????????????????! It''s delicious!It''s delicious!It''s too good to be true. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''ll try. Oh my god, ...... that cake I thought was the best in the world was nothing but sweet bread. ''This is the ...... cake ......''. With trembling hands, I took a second bite. ............ Oh, my heart might wear out and I''ll die before I finish this. It''s delicious. And ...... happy............ this is the taste of happiness...... At that moment, a man with bad eyesight and a small villainous appearance came rushing out from the kitchen, looking like ''Oh, he''s not popular but he thinks he''s pretty good looking. The atmosphere was ruined. I wish itamen would disappear from the world. I ignored him and was about to take my third bite when, of all things, he walked up to me. ...... What?What is it? ''Sir, I''m sorry! ''......What? ''We mistakenly served a poisonous cake as a limited time special cake. ''Pfft! I don''t know what it is, but something came up from inside my body and got stuck in my windpipe. I started coughing and couldn''t stop. What the hell did he just say? Is it poisonous?This cake? How can that be? It''s so sweet! ''Gosh!I''m sorry....... Jo, don''t joke!Oko...... Goho!I''ll get angry! ''I''m not joking! Itamen looked very serious and very impatient as he began to explain. ''This cake is a very dangerous cake made of only ...... poisonous materials, so dangerous that even the chef does not want to touch it, one bite and you will die in a month, two bites and you will surely go to the other side in a whole day. It''s a horrible cake that is a mass of the strongest and worst poisons that the whole world has acknowledged as being a bad idea to eat,......, or poisonous cake for short! ''''How can such a thing appear by mistake?It''s strange that it''s even here in the first place! Well, this is harassment, isn''t it? It happens sometimes. Sometimes there are stores that try to get rid of customers who are low class for some incomprehensible reason, like to protect the dignity of the store. ...... Ahhhhh, I see. So this is one of those stores? ''That''s ridiculous. I''m not leaving.'' I tried to take a third bite, ignoring the itamen, but ...... the itamen firmly grabbed my arm holding the fork. You can''t eat it!You can''t eat that!Don''t touch me, you pervert! ''You can call me whatever you want!But sir!The moment you take your third bite, ...... you will be ............'' ''............What''s going to happen ......?'' The ...... itamen did not answer my question. He just looked away and looked down with a tearful face. ...... You''re kidding, right? ''...... If you don''t believe me, go ahead and ...... use the Judgment of the Spirits.'' Itamen says, without looking at me. Itamen''s arm is shaking slightly as he grabs my arm. So be it. The thing that the people of this city fear the most is the Judgment of the Spirits. ...... You want me to use that? I''ll use it. I''ll use it. If you want to admit you''re lying, now would be a good time. ''............'' Itamens don''t answer. ''...... I can''t help it. Taking a breath, I stretch out my arm and point at Itamen. ''''Judgment of the Spirits! Immediately, a pale light envelops Itamen''s entire body. Hmm. You can reflect on this as a frog. ............ ''............ No way, right? But Itamen did not turn into a frog. Even after the faint light disappeared in a few tens of seconds, Itamen stood before me with his head down, unchanged. ...... That means that ............ ''Hey, are you sure it''s ............ a poisonous cake? ''I''m ...... sorry.'' ''I''m not ............ sorry, either! I ............ am going to die? I''m not kidding! Why are you doing this to me? ''Oh, that ......! Just then, the shopkeeper with the big breasts comes running in. ''It''s our fault,......, and you don''t have to pay for it,.......'' ''Do you think you can get away with that?What are you going to do?What are you going to do? I don''t want to ...... die, I don''t want to! ''............ mushrooms......'' ''What?'' With his head down, Itamen said something. ''What? If you have something to say, say it! ''Or, if you have dried mushrooms, you can purify them! ''Dried mushrooms? What the hell is he talking about? ''Whatever you eat will be expelled from your body by the fiber contained in the mushrooms!If you can drink 400 grams of powdered dried mushrooms by noon tomorrow, you may be able to purify your body! Where the heck is ........................ that stuff? ''Red hair ............'' ''...... visitor? ''The red-haired girl! That''s right! That potion I sold to the red-haired girl today!That powder is made from the mushrooms in my town! And it weighs exactly 400 grams! Is this fate?No, it doesn''t matter! If that red-haired guy had drank even one bottle, saying it was for today, ............ ''I can''t let this happen! We have to find that red-haired girl right now and collect everything! ''Hey, Itamen! ''Y...... itamen?'' Itamen''s face twitches. What?You''re a screw-up, you''re a jerk, you''re not even good enough for Itamen! ''You don''t know any red-haired girls around here! ''Red hair ......, is it ............ I have an idea .......'' ''Remind me often!The girl with the sad flat chest! ''Oh, I know that one! ''Why does that word remind you of me? ''My Lady!It''s too early!Please hide quickly! For a moment there seemed to be a commotion near the entrance, but ...... that doesn''t matter now! ''If you have any idea where she is, tell me where she is! ''Actually, sir. The woman has an appointment later today,............, and I think she''ll be arriving soon,.......'' Itamen, for some reason, speaks in a way that makes the words fly far away. This guy ...... is making fun of me?I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. The entrance to the cafeteria opened as I took aim at the Itamen''s whip. ''Oh, speak of the devil. Itamen''s gaze turns to the entrance, and I turn to follow it. There she was, a very beautiful young lady from a good family, dressed in black and accompanied by a prestigious-looking maid. She wore a glittering dress and walked into the store with a graceful gait. It is true that she has red hair, but it is not such a beauty that I am looking for,............, and my gaze turned to the chest of the young lady of good family,......, and I was stunned. The breasts were sadly flat. They were so flat that I thought they might be gouged ...... slightly. Those breasts ...... those vertical breasts are ...... ''Oh, you!'' I couldn''t help but run out of the room. Then, I took the red-haired girl''s hand and appealed hard to her. ''Hey, do you remember me?We met today, right? ''Oh. Are you the ...... from back then?It''s been a while.'' ''Don''t greet me like that!Hey, you haven''t used a single bottle yet, have you?'' ''Yes, I have. I was just about to take my first dose when I got the cake here. ''Oh, good!I''m sorry, but can I have all those pills back?I really need them! ''I''m sorry to hear that, but ......'' ''Please!I''ll pay you back in full! ''But, ......'' Oh, God!You''re driving me crazy! What the hell is this?You''re just asking me to return something I sold you! What''s wrong with you? I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Huh?What, are you trying to take my money?It''s my medicine! ''It''s ''my'' medicine now. If you can''t afford it, you can break off negotiations. I just want to see some hope. ''You know what?I''m telling you, it doesn''t work at all! ''That''s not true. ''Yes, it does!That''s what I''m saying, so there''s no doubt about it! ''But the Judgment of the Spirits didn''t judge it that way. ''It''s ...... to avoid being caught by the Judgment of the Spirits. Just as I was saying this, a knife was thrust in front of me. ''What?What? I jumped back. As if to protect the red-haired girl, a prestigious-looking maid was holding a knife. ''Listening to your story, it sounds as if ...... you are saying that you have ''scammed the young lady''? ''U......!'' I''m sorry. I''ve been talking too much ...... about unnecessary things. ''If that is the case,......, then you will be brought to the court as a person who has committed violence against your daughter, and you will be punished accordingly. The crime of defrauding a child of a good family will probably be ...... punishable by death.'''' ''No!No, no!It''s not fraud!That''s not it!You see, the effect of the drug changes depending on your constitution,......! ''Then it might work for you too, young lady. ''That''s not what I meant. ............ Oh, my God!All right, all right!I''ll buy it!I''ll buy all your hopes and all your pills! ''That''ll be 40,000Rb. ''Yo ......? Is this young lady ...... stupid? ''40,000Rb is ......,double the selling price! ''Yes. What about it? ''What is it, ............?'' ''So, the negotiations have broken down. ......'' ''All right!I''ll pay you!I''ll pay you! That''s right! I''ll have this idiot who made a stupid mistake make up for the loss! I''ll suck you dry to the bone, along with compensation for the pain you''ve suffered!Phew phew phew ...... ''......3............4 million. Sure, I got it.'' ''Now, give me all that medicine! Detox anyway!When you''re done detoxing, you can get itamen from ...... I''m glad you''re here. Itamen makes a stupid voice that strokes your nerves. ...... Irritating! ''What was so good about it?I''m going to die, and I''m going to lose a lot of money. ......!Watch this!I''ll make it up to you, I promise! ''Hmm?Why are you intervening? ''You'' ......?Don''t be silly!What do you mean you''re interrupting me?What kind of nerve do you have? ''So, don''t interrupt me. Itamen roughly pushed me away with his arm, and stepped in front of the red-haired girl. ''Good for you, Estella. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''ve been able to get my money back from the people who swindled me out of a mere dried mushroom powder that they claimed was the secret to breast enlargement. ............ What? In addition, you can get back the loss of Masha of the Sea Fishing Guild, who suffered from the misuse of the card that was given to her as a stain remover for Grandma Mum. I can''t stop sweating at ............. In addition to that, you will be able to claim for the cost of two seats in luxury, the cost of the cakes you bought to sell out, and the cost of chartering the 40th district lord''s private carriage, as well as the cost of carrying one civilian in it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ............ I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ............ ''Yashiro-san''. The young lady of the Woodcutter''s Guild stood up, put her hands on her hips and said arrogantly. ''Don''t forget the special travel and super-premium appearance fees for the Lumberjack Guild''s biggest star, this Imelda Javier! ''Oh, yes, yes. That''s included, then.'' ...... Itamen turns around and looks back at me. With a very evil smile on his face, ...... ''Including the first 20,000Rb, that''s 40,000Rb. Thank you. ''You ...... are .............'' ''Oh, yes. As my manager said, I''m not going to charge you for the cake here. The manager ...... said that the bombshell ............ ''You don''t have to pay for the cake'' ....... I don''t care how small the service is! What are you?Did you know all this from the start? So you''re saying it was all a lie,......?But the Judgment of the Spirits found no lie in the words of Itamen. ...... I don''t understand. I don''t know what''s a lie and what''s the truth. ...... My heart creaks. I feel like I can''t breathe. Is this from the poison?Or is it just my imagination? I stare at itamen, trying to discern the truth. The expression, the gesture, the voice ......, no matter how small the change, can be overlooked, and the other person''s emotions can be captured instantly. That''s what a good con artist does. If you can see what he''s thinking, you''ll know what he''s thinking. ...... If you can see what I''m seeing, you''ll know what I''m seeing. ............ I''m sure you''re lying about the poison in the cake, aren''t you? Affirmative?Negative? Either way, tell me what you think. Let me know what you think, so I can expose what you''re thinking. ...... But Itamen only smiled faintly. I can''t read ............. I don''t know what he''s thinking. ...... I don''t know what he''s thinking. A chill washes over me. ...... I feel like I''m going to vomit, a sickening feeling comes over me. ''...... Hey. Just drink some mushrooms and you''ll be fine. ''What? Was that a warning?Provocation? f*ck you!Fool me! So everything was just as he wanted it to be? I''ve only been dancing in the palm of his hand! ''Where the hell did you come up with this? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... No, if that''s the case, then Pompeo''s statement in Luxury is also strange. ...... The carriage arrived in front of the store at such a good time... ......... What?It seems that the carriage arrived before I entered the store and people were rushing in through the back door. ............ In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... Itamen leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear. In a quiet, resonant ...... and terrifying voice that pierced my eardrums, ............ ''Don''t you dare play in my territory,......, you third-rate.'' I couldn''t take it anymore and stepped aside. As a conditioned reflex, my body flew backwards. It hit the table and a violent noise echoed. My ears are hot from the voice pouring into them. ...... My eardrums are aching. ............ This guy ...... ...... He''s a top-notch con man. ...... His eyes are out of the ordinary. The aura he gives off is something else. How did you not see that before? No, no. ...... I''ve been "fooled" until now. ...... I''ve been tricked ...... into thinking that this class act is ordinary. ............ Scammers hate to have their territory violated more than anything else. Sometimes they even take ...... lives. ............ --I''m not sure what to say. I got a chill down my spine right away. ...... No. You can''t ...... live in this world if you go against ...... this top-notch con man. ......... ... Oh, dear, dear, dear ...... me ............... ...or .............'' No, I can''t speak. ............ ''Okay. You''re leaving? ''Hi......? This man''s voice cuts through my heart like a deadly weapon: ...... ''Our guest is returning. See him off.'' ''Yes, sir. This way, please.'' Oh, ...... how warm this man is, ...... will he rescue me from this horrible place, ......... ...the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. ............ I wish I knew your name at least. ...... ...... ''...... Sorry to bother you.'' With trembling feet, I walked through the door of the store. It was night outside and the wind was cold. ............ Thank God. I made it out alive. ............ ''Oh, that ......'' I want to leave this place as soon as possible. The manager of the sunlit pavilion stops me in my tracks. When I turn around, the manager is looking at me with a slightly sad face. ''If you would like to visit ......, please do so again. I will treat you with all my heart and soul at that time. With that, he bent at a right angle at the waist and bowed deeply. ''Thank you very much. ............ No good. It''s too different. There''s no way you can compete with ...... a store like this, where there are two monsters,...... too unsuitable for me right now. But ...... ''If I can be worthy of this store,......'' When that happens, ...... ''I''ll be back to visit you. ''Yes, sir. I look forward to seeing you again. With a warm smile that was brighter than the moon in the night sky, like sunshine, I left the store. My memory is hazy from that point on, but when I came to my senses, I was back at home. Still, the only thing I remember clearly is ...... that the cake was the most delicious ............ ''Oh, ...... after all this time, I think I''ll take over my family''s mushroom cultivation ......''. That encounter was so shocking that it made me think such a thing. I hope ...... to be able to eat that cake again someday. ............ I hope ...... ............ ''Okay!To-chan!Ka-chan!I need to talk to you for a minute...'' --while, later, at the Sunken Pavilion. Yasashiro: ''Hey, Magda. Can you bring me the table? Magda: ''...... I knew you''d say that, I''m already here. Yashiro: ''You''re so clever, you''re ...... good.'' Magda''......You can pet it. Yashiro''......Yeah, when we''re done here.I''ve already been up there. Umaro''Yasilo-san, what are you doing? Yashiro''Hmm?Yeah, I was thinking of removing the tags for the new super limited time menu. Umaro''What?I didn''t know there was such a thing!I wanted to try it. ...... What was on the menu? Yashiro: ''Here, here. Can you read it? Umaro''Ugh!It''s a small font. .................. Let''s see, what''s that? ...... It''s a very dangerous cake that uses only poisonous substances, and even the chef doesn''t want to touch it. It''s also a great way to get the most out of your time and money. It''s a cake that I made, so I''m free to name it whatever I want. Umaro''That''s true, but the ...... sense is just too .......'' Yashiro''What are you talking about? When I came up with this name, I thought I was a genius. Umaro''Yeah~......'' Yashiro: ''If it wasn''t for that name, that scammer wouldn''t have fallen for it. Umaro''Ah, so that''s the cake. That makes sense. Magda''...... only mentioned the official name of this cake, so Yashiro didn''t turn into a frog even though he was subjected to the "judgment of the spirits". ''Besides, I''ve hung a tag here to prove that it exists on the menu. That''s pretty fair, right? Umaro''......, it''s not fair to write in such small letters. Yashiro. You can''t just write this on a huge bill, can you?I tried to keep it the same size, but it just naturally ended up this size. Umaro ''...... naturally ......? Yashiro: So, well. So, today, this tag is no longer useful. Umaro''By the way, ......, you didn''t really use a poisonous substance, did you? Yashiro: ''Of course not!I can''t stand people who play with food the most!Next to the rear! Umaro: ''You''re not the best, are you? Magda''...... You did a great job back then, Umaro.'' Umaro''Muhaha!Magda praised me!It''s no problem!I just rode to the 40th district in a horse-drawn carriage, asked Pompeo to give me a seat, and asked him to give me a play! Magda: ''Thanks to ......, I was able to lead that scammer to the sunlit pavilion. Umaro''Because Magda''s acting was brilliant! Magda''......, that''s normal. Umaro: ''I''m attracted to your humility, I''m numb! Magda''...... Speaking of shiny, Wendy did a great job. Umaro''Ah. Wendy''s glow-in-the-dark paint helped her find the faceless impostor, didn''t it? Magda ''...... Thanks to Wendy''s touch of the impostor at the carriage stop, the impostor''s hands were glowing in the evening light. It was easy to find him.'' Umaro: ''You never know what will be useful for what. ''Okay, I don''t need this tag anymore, so I''ll give it to Umaro. Display it in your room as a souvenir. Umaro''Wow ......, I don''t need this .......'' Yashiro''Magda, get the nail out of my hand. Magda''......I knew you''d say that, so here it is.'' Yashiro: ''You''re really thoughtful, Magda.'' Magda''...... Just stroke it.'' Yashiro''Yeah ......, so when this is over.'' Umaro''So, what kind of cake is this really? Yashiro''It''s just a regular strawberry rare cheese cake on the inside. Umaro''That looks delicious! Magda''...... Want some?''Umaro did a great job, so we can extend the time period for a special offer. Umaro''Really? Magda''......You should eat it to death. ......The "poisonous cake" ......'' Umaro''......Somehow, when you put it that way, I''d rather not ............ Yashiro''Don''t worry, it''s not really poisonous. Even if you eat until you die, you won''t die. Umaro''No, ...... you''ll die if you eat until you die, right? Yashiro: ''Eat up and contribute to the sales. Umaro''But too much sweet food is also poisonous in a way, isn''t it?Cholesterol-wise. Yasilo: ''Nah, if it comes down to it, just eat mushrooms and you''ll be fine. Umaro: ''What''s that?Mushrooms? Yashiro: ''The dietary fiber in mushrooms helps to remove excess cholesterol from the body. ...... Well, if you don''t eat too much like an idiot, you won''t have a problem. It''s not just for cakes, you know. Yashiro''You never know what you''re going to get. ............ Okay, that''s it. Magda''...... Good work.'' Umaro''So, um... What should I do with this tag? Yashiro''Well, let''s work hard today! Umaro''Oh, you''re ignoring me. ......'' Magda''......Yashiro'' Yashiro''What''s wrong? Magda''............Jee~'' Yashiro''............All right. Give me your head.'' Magda''......Mhmhm.'' ''Yes, Fluffy, Fluffy.'' Magda''......Mufu! Umaro''Aaah!Magda is a real angel! --Thus, the exotic swindler''s scam scheme was defeated by Yashiro. It seems that the foreign swindler has changed his mind, and congratulations are in order. ...... Estella''...... haha'' --Oh, I have a feeling this will go on for a little while longer...... 98-Episode 13 Different World Fraudsters vs. Foreign ... ''...... Huh.'' Ginette sighed more since the exotic impostor incident. ''He''s not coming. ......'' She stares at the door of the sunlit pavilion, muttering such things repeatedly. It''s not that scammer ...... who''s waiting, it''s Estella. ''Are you still concerned about her? Estella hasn''t shown herself to us once since the incident. On that day, after getting rid of the swindler, she bowed deeply in front of everyone and apologized, and waited here for those who had gone to the 40th district to come back, bowing deeply and apologizing again. After apologizing sincerely to everyone,......, he disappeared completely. It is understandable that Jeannette is concerned about this. ...... What''s he caring about? ''......I''m sure he thinks this whole thing started ...... because he fell for a scam. ''I''m sure he thinks he''s ...... caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people.'' Magda said, and Loretta continued. ''So he doesn''t want to face us? ''...... perhaps.'' ''He''s strangely loyal or inflexible, you know. ''She''s very serious, Estella-san. ......'' Everyone seems to have come to the same conclusion, though with different interpretations. I think Estella cares too much. I think so too. She apologized, so why don''t we just leave it at that? ''Excuse me. Natalia came to the sunlit pavilion, wearing a pitch-black maid''s uniform that seemed to absorb all the afternoon sunlight. ''Ohhhh ...... I''m in trouble. ............ Oh, no. Don''t worry about it. ''You''re not too good at being suggestive, are you? Do you know the word "casual"? ''Actually, I can''t help it. ''Is it that bad? ''Yes, ......, instead of the usual black silk pants, I offered you the most lovely cat pants, but you didn''t even notice it at all ......! ''You could have found something more appealing. Is it that you''re not good at measuring how faint you are? ''I can''t help you now. Please do something.'' ''You, that''s not giving up, that''s throwing up. ''Wow, that''s really interesting. Please do something about it. ''You''re not even good at flattery! No. Natalia''s starting to get clunky. She''s in a real funk. ''I''ve never seen the young lady so depressed. It seems that she was very distressed by the trouble she caused you. Unusually, Natalia shows a tired expression. I''ve never seen her let out a sigh before. ''......If I could take your place, I would. ............'' ''......, Natalia.'' Even Jeannette''s expression of grief was contagious. How could Natalia be so weak? ...... It makes me want to protect her just a little bit, doesn''t it? You want to do something about it. ...... If I could take your place, I wouldn''t mind at all. ...... I retract my previous statement. You don''t need to protect this tough guy! ''Yashiro-san ......, I feel sorry for Natalia .......'' ''Well, what part? ''Oh, ...... whimpering.'' ''You''re crying ......! ''It''s okay to lie and cry in this world, isn''t it? d*mn. It''s so obvious what you''re trying to do. That''s the point, right? "Please comfort the young lady. Isn''t that what you''re saying? ''I can''t help it. I''ll be back in a bit. ''Um, I''ll go with you! ''...... Magda too! ''I''m coming too! ''Then what are you going to do about the store? ''Then I''ll take over.'' Natalia raises her hand, her wrist extended. ............ for a moment. ''...... I''m afraid we can''t open the store.'' ''...... Customers are gods.'' ''......You must not be rude.'' ''Hmm?I''m not very trustworthy, am I?'' After seeing how clumsy she was earlier. I know you usually perform your duties perfectly as a maid. ''...... Natalia doesn''t know enough about menus.'' ''I''m going to go run and get my sister now! ''Still, we need at least one person who is familiar with the store''s system and has a strong sense of responsibility. ......'' ''Hello!I''m here again today! ''Okay!Problem solved! ''Yes! ''What, what is it?I''ve come at the perfect time again, haven''t I? We left the shopkeeping to Umaro, who showed up at the perfect time, and we headed for Estella''s house. ...... Speaking of which, is it okay to take these guys to the lord''s house? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ In fact, even if you see Estella in a dress, Ginette doesn''t realize who Estella is. The timing was perfect, as neither Loretta nor Umaro knew Estella in the lord''s daughter mode. ...... I mean, Loretta must know that Natalia is the lord''s maid, right?It''s strange that she doesn''t question the fact that Natalia calls Estella "Miss".Isn''t she a stupid girl who can''t connect the dots? It''s really a miracle we haven''t been exposed yet. But that''s only until today. If you go to the lord''s house in this way, no matter how much Jeannette is ...... --And when we reached the main street, we saw a group of people running towards us from the other side, ''thud thud ......''. ''Oh my God!What the hell is this? The group was led by Estella, with Imelda, Nephrite, Delia, Masha, and Theron and Wendy following behind. Masha is in a cart tank being pushed by Delia. ...... The wolf with child. ''Just leave me alone already! ''That''s not going to happen! ''Yes, you can!You can''t just leave me alone! ''Estella~!We''re friends, aren''t we~'' ''...... Masha, aren''t you taking it a little too easy?This cart is surprisingly heavy. ......'' ''Estella!I''m actually weak, but I''ll do my best to run! ''Estella-san!I''ll try my best to run during the day, even though I''ll emit a lot of light tonight! ''Oh no!What the hell? Apparently, they''re trying to cheer Estella up too. But that''s naive. Estella can''t be captured by such a simple method. You''ll have to use your brains and team play like we do! ''Loretta, Magda! ''Yes, sir! ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' On my command, Magda and Loretta danced in front of Estella. ''Magda and Loretta! As Magda stood in front of Estella, she held her stomach and crouched down. ''...... ouch, ouch, ouch''. ''Oh, my God!Is there a kind, red-haired, gentle woman anywhere? ''Do you think I''m going to fall for that? But that tsk-tsk will be the death of you! ''Now!Let''s go, Jeannette! ''What?What?What do you mean you''re going? The plan is for Estella to slow down for a moment, and for me and Jeannette to catch her in a pincer movement! First, Jeannette will stand on Estella''s right side. Ginette will stand on Estella''s right side, and I will come around to her left side and push Estella away with all my strength. Estella then shouts, "I''ve been thrown! Estella screams. But don''t worry!But don''t worry, Estella''s body will be ''popped'' by Jeannette''s big tits waiting for her. Then, Estella immediately shouts, ''Wow, the cushion saved me! Then Estella immediately exclaims, ''Wow, the cushion saved my life! Now I can catch Estella safely! ''Come on, Jeannette!Stand by! ''What?You?Me?What? What the hell? Jeannette doesn''t know what the plan is! Despite all the eye contact we''ve been making, Jeannette just tilted her head. d*mn it!Magda can understand me with just eye contact! ''You can''t expect Ginette to be reckless, can you? Estella slipped past me with that line. d*mn it!I knew Estella''s athleticism was outstanding. No matter how much she slumps, she''s still running at top speed. No! If she slips past me here, I''ll never catch up. Stop her!Here!No matter what it takes! ''Estella! What? I reach out my arm towards Estella who''s slipping past my side. I can see Estella''s back as she runs away. Stretch!Stretch out more!My arm! My arms, my clothes, anywhere!Catch me, my hand! ''I won''t let you go! My arm touched something soft. I can''t let it go. ............ So I grab it with all my might! ''What?I''m not sure what to do. I don''t care if you scream or shout, I''m not letting you go until you listen to me! If you''re angry, be angry. I don''t care if you hit me! I''ll take it all in later! So, just for now: ...... ''Be patient! ''What? I forcefully pull Estella to me and hold her tightly with both arms. I hug Estella from behind with my arms around her. Estella''s ears are at my mouth. It''s a convenient position. It''s also nice that we can''t see each other''s faces. ''........................? I hug her tightly so that she can''t escape. ''.............................. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Estella screams in my arms. ''Estella!Listen to me!'' ''Huh...... wafu...... wafu............ yashi... ...Yashiro............ na,na,what...... what......'' ''Just listen to me!I''m not letting you go until you listen! ''Ahh,......Wow,okay,............I''ll listen......I''ll listen ............'' Finally, Estella became quiet. However, her body is still very stiff and tense. ''You know what, Estella? ''Huh. ......!Don''t breathe in my ear, please! ''It can''t be helped, just be patient.'' ''But, patience is ............! ''You know, Estella, ........................ phew~'' ''Oh, no!I did it on purpose, didn''t I, just now? ''Force majeure.'' ''You''re lying!I''ll turn you into a frog! As I teased Estella about her screaming, I noticed that I was being surrounded by cold stares. ''...... Yashiro. You''re flirting too much. ''You probably won''t run away even if I let go of your arm, Estella.'' ''You''re being slutty in public! ''I don''t think that''s such a good idea, I do! In order, Magda, Loretta, Imelda and Nephrite. ''Oh my god, Estella is so red~'' ''No, that''s not true! ''...... Yashiro, I want you to do that for me later too.'' ''Oh, Delia-chan. Are you jealous? ''Because Magda sometimes does that for me. ...... No, Magda just sits on my lap. ............ I mean, hugging Delia from behind... ''Um, Yashiro-san: ......'' Ginette says quietly to me as the surroundings become noisy. ''That ...... is very hard to say, but ............ that, Yashiro-san''s hand is ...... ...... Estella''s ......m,...... on her chest.'' ''''What?'''' I''m going to move my fingers to check it out. ''Nyaa! ...... soft. What? Soft, you say! ''That''s why!I''m telling you that you have some breasts!That''s enough!Let me go! ''Oh, oh!I''m sorry!'' He hurriedly took his hand away. There was something ...... impossible about it. ...... ''Don''t tell me you''ve been trying a little ...... of that potion. ......'' ''Yashiro-san! Jeannette comes to cover my mouth in a panic. ''......That ............ is what Estella-san is most concerned about right now, so...'' ...! Is that a forbidden word? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. And then Estella made a big deal of it. And Estella''s shoulders were slumped in a big way. ...... What''s with this ''ahhhh ......'' atmosphere. What is it then? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. That''s why you''re getting away. People who are in shock don''t want to hear such words! ''Don''t worry about it''?I do care! ''Forget it''?You can''t forget, so you''re bothered by it! You know what? Let me make this clear. Words like that don''t help you! Such flimsy words are nothing but a self-satisfied ''I did my best to cheer you up''! ''Estella. You''ve fallen for a scam! ''............''. Estella''s shoulders trembled as she looked down. Then she looked up and glared at me with tears in her eyes. ''That''s why!You''ve been hiding in the house to avoid seeing everyone!I don''t have a face to show to everyone anymore! ''What you don''t have are breasts! ''Shut up! Estella clenches her fists and punches me. She jumps into my chest and hits me with her fist. ...... It doesn''t hurt at all. ''...... Since Yashiro said that, I''m ............ concerned about it too! ''It''s good that you care, you idiot! ''......?'' What the hell?He doesn''t know what he''s talking about! ''Listen, Estella!People are interesting because they''re different. They''re unique, that''s why they''re attractive!Or to put it another way, it''s because they lack something that people are attracted to them! ''What''s missing from ...... and ............? Who in the world would be attracted to a perfect human being? If that were the case, all of humanity would fall in love with a goddess or an android. ''Look around you. ''Around ......''. Estella looks around. There''s Ginette. Magda is there, Loretta is there, Imelda is there, Delia is there, Masha is there, Nephrite is there, Theron & Wendy are there. ''We''re all missing something, aren''t we? ''That''s not true .......'' ''No?'' ''............'' Estella looks around again. ''I''ll explain them to you one by one as we go along. ''Jeannette''s a dumb girl, isn''t she?'' ''That''s terrible, Yashiro-san! The voices of criticism flew from afar, but I ignored them for now. ''Magda doesn''t express her emotions well. Loretta is too normal.'' ''...... Mmm.'' ''Normal is good, isn''t it? ''Imelda is ............, right?'' ''What? What do you mean by that?What do you mean, ''what''? ''Delia tends to use the wrong amount of force, and Masha is a bit of a jerk.'' ''No, that''s not true, Yashiro!I''ve been rather ladylike lately, ......! ''You''re awful, Yashiro!I''m not sure what to do. ''Neffery''s a chicken, you know? ''What''s wrong with that? ''''Theron and Wendy are destined to explode in the near future. ''''I won''t, Hero-sama! Ignoring all the voices of the outside world, I faced Estella. ''''But that''s the good thing about them.'''' I don''t think I can follow ''''''''''''''''''......'''''''''''''''''' Shut up, outsider. ...... ''That''s why, Estella. You''re fine being you.'' ''But ......!Everyone''s and mine are ...... different.'' ''That''s why it''s okay to be different. We don''t have to share the same problems, do we?It''s okay to be concerned, but don''t be too concerned. ''But you''re making fun of me all the time, so it''s probably bothering you even more! ''I''m teasing you!Of course I tease you! ''Why not? ''Because your reaction is funny. ''It''s because your reaction is funny.'' ''You''re so funny, ............ how ...... I am! He held up his index finger and pecked Estella on the lips. ''--? Most girls will shut up when you do this. Well, it''s a double-edged sword, but ...... if you follow up properly after this, you can often get them to forgive you relatively easily. ...... It''s a real gamble, though. I think it''s fun to hang out with you. ''............E.......'' In an instant, Estella''s anger dissipated. Her expression slipped away, and she gradually turned red from the base of her neck. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In fact, I''d like to kick this embarrassing role to the curb and push it to Umaro or Theron. ............ ''Estella. You don''t need breasts. You can keep them.'' ''......,......,......,......... ...'' I can feel the faint bulge in my right hand. ............ Yeah, shit. I''ll admit it too. I''ll admit to being a little nervous. I''ll admit that I''m a little nervous about it,.'' Estella''s face turned from red to crimson as she wriggled the fingers of her right hand. ''Ba............ are you stupid!You''re so dirty! Don''t!And then Estella pushed me away from her chest. Oh, so now we''re even, touching each other''s flat chests. ''Aaah!This is ridiculous!I don''t care what Yashiro says about me from now on!I''m going to live with the confidence I have in myself now! ''That''s right, Estella-san! Ginette agreed with Estella''s declaration of determination, and the others praised her one after another. I hope this will cheer you up. ''Yashiro''. Estella, surrounded by her friends, looks at me with challenging eyes. It''s kind of an away-from-home composition. ''I won''t screw up like this again. I swear.'' ''You can tell that to the spirit gods. ''No. I swear to you. But if I''m ever foolish enough to get into this kind of trouble again, ......'' Her provocative eyes arched softly, and a soft smile appeared on her face. ''I''ll be the first to ask for help again. Nice to meet you.'' ...... If you can be honest, you can get over this in an instant. That''s the extent of most of the world''s problems, isn''t it? ''Oh, I''ll leave it to you''. Estella messed up this time, but there was something to be admired. That''s because she asked me for help right away. When you''re being scammed, it''s always a good idea to talk to someone you trust right away. Don''t fight your fears alone. Don''t think that you can handle it by yourself. Just take a deep breath and look around. There''s someone out there who can help you. If that is conveyed to you, ...... then I can say that the commotion was meaningful. ''All of you, if anything happens, you can count on me. I''m always here to help. Yes, the most important thing in this world is the spirit of mutual help and-- ''At a discount! '''''''''''''''''' You''re charging me money? --It''s all about money. 99-behind-the-scenes joke ''Good day, ladies and gentlemen. It''s another beautiful day, isn''t it? Imelda walks into the store with sparkling eyes. ''Manager, tea and Mont Blanc! ''Yes, sir!Yes, thank you. Ginette is a little flustered because she''s been ordered before she can say ''Welcome''. The restaurant, which had been crowded with a good number of customers, was momentarily covered in silence. Well, that''s surprising, isn''t it? He strolled into the restaurant, came to the far end table where I was sitting, and sat down at the seat directly in front of me. ...... Hey, why are you sitting here? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. It''s ...... close. And it''s kind of annoying. ''What''s ...... that? ''What?What do you mean?'' It''s like he''s doing it on purpose. You look like you''re saying, ''I have something to ask you! You look like you''ve got something to ask me. ...... Oh dear. ''You look happy. Did something good happen to you?'' ''You know what I mean!Well, what can I do? I can''t help it, I''m overflowing with emotion! What''s overflowing is hotness and annoyance. I can''t help it!Specially!I''ll tell you why I''m in a good mood, Mr. Yashiro!It''s ......! I''m not sure if that''s it. Umaro has lost a lot of weight. Don''t patronize him, poor guy. I don''t want him falling asleep when I want to work him. ''............'' The expression fell from Imelda''s face, as if she''d hit the nail on the head. Well, that''s what I thought. After the sewage construction of the forty districts was finished, we were about to build the city gates of the forty-second district, when Imelda said, ''Finish the branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild first! It seems that Imelda appealed directly to Umaro. Umaro was in the process of building a sugar factory at my request, and he refused the request, saying that he had to take his turn, but ...... this lady intervened, making the most of her money and power. In the end, Umaro gave top priority to the construction of the lumberjack guild''s residential part - although it was only Imelda''s residence and the dormitory for Imelda''s maids - as soon as possible. Of course, it was of the highest quality, without compromise. When Umaro arrived here last night, he was crispy and dried out. ''............'' Imelda remained silent. Her lips pouted in boredom as she stared at the floor. ''Oh, I''m so embarrassed. Imelda turned around and walked out of the sunlit pavilion. ''Um, Imelda?Where are you going? Without answering the call of Ginette, who came with Mont Blanc and tea, Imelda went out. And then the door was quietly closed. ............ You don''t have to be so depressed. ...... ''Yashiro-san, did you say something?'' ''No,...... I said something,...... I didn''t let him say anything,......'' Should I go after him? Just as I was thinking about this, the door of the sunlit pavilion was thrown open with great force, and an extremely bright voice echoed through the restaurant. ''Good day, everyone. It''s another beautiful day!Ah, manager, tea and Mont Blanc! ''Are we starting over? This guy is mentally strong. ...... ''Um, Yashiro-san......, what should I do with the Mont Blanc and tea......? ''Give me two of each and charge me for both.'' After that, Imelda sat in front of me with a happy face, giving me a long list of information that I already knew. She told me that the bedroom had the best sunshine and that the garden was full of birds. She went on and on with information that could have been posted on ?????????????????????. The point is. Imelda is in a very happy mood. ''You know, Imelda, ......''. ''What, you want me to invite you to my new house?You should know your place!I don''t understand how you thought you could be a part of this historic moment in my life, my first time living alone. ''No, ...... you see, .......'' ''But ......, well, if Yashiro-san wants to ????????????, I''ll be more than happy to invite him!It''s special. You''d better stop pushing for specials because you sound like a fraud. ''The lords of the forty and forty-two districts, as well as various nobles, are invited to a standing dinner party. Then, I performed a magnificent dance. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this on the web. ''Why do I have to be introduced to these aristocrats? ......'' No, it''s too much work. ''Why don''t you start the party after the lumberjack guild branch is completed. You''ve only built a house. ''It''s fine. I''m sure Umaro will have it finished soon. ''Idiot!Don''t monopolize Umaro any more!He has to build the city gate now!It''s because you screwed up the construction of the residence that the construction has been delayed!We can''t delay it any longer. The rest of the branch''s facilities can wait! ''Don''t you think it''s unbalanced to only have residences! ''''That''s why I was planning to build a branch of the Lumberjack Guild after the city gate was finished! You forcibly twisted that plan! ''''There''s nothing for you to do if you move in before the city gate is built! ''''Because!'''' Imelda''s cheeks puffed up as she glared at me. Imelda''s cheeks puff out as she glares at me. ''While I''m gone, you guys are doing something fun!I wish I could have had a part in the cake! ...... Don''t be squeamish about that. It''s Mont Blanc.'' ''Well, how beautiful. ............ Mr. Bekko!Isn''t Mr. Bekko here? ''No, he''s not here today. He''s busy making candles for his birthday. The custom of celebrating birthdays spread quickly in the 42nd district, and every store that sold cakes created a ''birthday cake''. Each of these cakes has its own individuality, and the result is interesting. However, all of them have one thing in common: they put small candles for the number of ages on the birthday cake. This is probably because of the impression of Ginette''s birthday. So, Becko is very busy now. ''Then you can''t eat this Mont Blanc! ''Eat it! ''Isn''t it going to run out? ''You can have it made later, if you want a food sample! This guy hates it when beautiful things disappear. ...... He has a difficult personality. ''So, I''ll have ............ it.'' Imelda took her seat, grabbed her fork and faced the Mont Blanc. Oh, they really prepared two servings. ''Haaaaaaaa............, you were born to eat Mont Blanc, weren''t you? ''Yes, probably not. I''m not sure what to make of it. After taking a bite, Imelda couldn''t stop herself from gobbling up the Mont Blanc. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it again. ...... You eat a lot, really. I''m sure you''ll like it....... munching...... this next...... munching...... something. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ...... zzzzzzo............ pfft...... I''ll definitely help you with your moxie! I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Don''t talk while eating. ......'' ''Moxie Moxie ...... Moxie Moxie ............'' ''Don''t make weird noises while eating: ......'' The next step is just to build a city gate and rebuild the street from the gate to the main road. There''s no need for us to be involved, I guess. ''By the way, today we''re going to talk to the ......, what''s her name, ......, the red-haired ......... ...Oh, yes, is there any Turpella here? ''It''s Estella! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited about this. ...... At all. ''Don''t be so rough with her, Tsurupera. ''Estella!Can you please not get on top of me too! ''Not at all. It''s tea time and you''re making too much noise. ...... Why don''t you calm down a bit, Espeta? ''Estella! ''So, don''t make loud noises in the store. ''Tsurupeta.'' ''My name is completely gone!It''s just a swear word, isn''t it? He''s a lively fellow today. ''Well, if people manage to make time to come to the store for a break after a long absence, ......'' With the design of the gate and the construction period, Estella has been busy running around again these days. She also has to decide how to operate the gate after it is completed. Once the gates are completed, we will need soldiers to check who is passing through and to chase away the magical beasts outside the gates. The Lord''s vigilante group will be in charge of this task, but they are a bit short on manpower. That''s why we are recruiting from other districts as well. It''s an opportunity for young people who have run out of jobs. I''m sure we''ll have enough soon. ''Oh, it''s Mont Blanc. I like ......, but I think I''ll have apple pie today. ''Eat your food, eat your food. This guy is a ...... child for skipping lunch to eat cake. ''Eh~!I want to eat cake! Estella twisted her body with her mouth agape. No, no, no, no! Just as I was thinking that she was really acting like a child at ......, I heard this conversation from inside the restaurant. ''Hey!Eat it all! ''I don''t want any more! I looked over and saw a mother and a young boy eating the grilled salmon set meal. Or rather, the mother seemed to be struggling to feed the boy''s leftovers. ''Um, ...... was that a bit much?'' ''Oh, no, no. I''m so grateful that you gave me so much. ...... Come on, don''t be selfish and eat it all! ''Hey!I''ll eat the cake! ''If you can eat cake, you should eat food!It''s a waste of money! ''No!I don''t want any! ''Huh. ............'' ''I don''t want it anymore.'' That one word made Jeannette''s expression cloudy. ...... Want me to hit you, kid? I''m sure the only reason you''re here is because Imelda is eating a delicious Mont Blanc and you want to eat it too. Cake looks better than rice. But you know, I hate people who put sweets before food! Those who eat sweets before dinner and say ''I can''t eat rice'' should be sentenced to never be able to eat white rice again. ''Well, if it''s ......, would you like to put it in your lunch box and take it home? ''Yes, but the amount of ...... is only this much. ......'' The boy''s leftover food consisted of half of the rice, a quarter of the salmon, and two more bites of the vegetables. He could have eaten it if he forced himself to eat it. You left too much rice, you little brat. The basic rule is to eat in triangles... side dish, rice, and soup!You''re not getting the education you need! ......? I''m sure you''ve heard of this ............ ...... ''...... ah'' Suddenly, a very ............ nostalgic memory came back to me. I was taken in by the master and the proprietor when I was five years old, and my memories of them are still vivid,......, so it''s almost like I don''t have any real memories of my parents. ...But I clearly remembered that I was depressed at the age of five. In my own childish way, I was hurt by my parents'' disappearance, and my kind uncle and his wife were concerned about me. There were times when I annoyed them by saying that I didn''t want to eat the food prepared by the landlady. That''s when ...... Yes, just like this kid, I have been selfish. ............ Wow, it''s so embarrassing to remember ...... I was under the illusion that my parents were gone and that I was an unwanted child. ...... I was selfish because I wanted ...... to be told that I was special. Just like this kid, he left his food and asked for a piece of cake. ...... That''s when the ...... landlady told me .................. ''Hey, kid. ''......What?'' I stood behind the kid and looked down from a high place at the kid''s cocky face. The kid shows a slightly frightened expression. ''Hey, come to the kitchen. ''Ya, Yashiro-san!Don''t bully me, okay? What do you think I am? And if you want to bully me, I''ll take you out in the open. I won''t allow outsiders in the kitchen unless there''s something wrong. Hygiene control is a mission as important as life for those who handle food. ''Ginette, bring me two new aprons. ''Yes, ma''am. I''m home.'' ''Hey, old lady ............, and mom. I need you to come with me.'' ''Huh?Ah, yes. ......'' Ginette brought aprons for the old lady and the kid to wear, and took them to the kitchen. As soon as they entered, they were made to wash their hands, clean their nails with a brush, and finally sprayed with alcohol before being allowed to enter the kitchen. Naturally, their shoes were also sterilized. ''Don''t touch anything that''s around here. I nailed them just in case, and took them to a place where they could see the workbench. Now let''s play ....... I put the leftover food from the kids on the cutting board. Vegetables and salmon fillets. Mix it with miso, sugar, and soy sauce and pound it with a knife. It''s like chan-chan-yaki. Then fry it gently in a frying pan. The water is blown off and the "seeds" with concentrated flavor are made. After that, I make the "thing" that all kids love. Do you remember this? When I was very young, when I couldn''t eat rice by any means, I asked someone to make a rice ball out of the leftover white rice in my bowl, and I was able to eat it ....... Children are simple, and if it looks interesting, they will be interested in it and eat it. In many cases, a child''s "full stomach" is simply "bored". This is evidenced by the fact that they will say ''I''m hungry'' right after the meal. ''Onigiri, onigiri, what should I put in it? ''Aha! While singing such a song, I pick up the leftover rice and make a bite-sized rice ball. This kind of simple song can be very attractive to kids. ...... I still remember the out-of-tune original song the landlady used to sing. A witty ginette brought out a new flat plate. I put a bite-sized rice ball on it. Then the kid''s eyes sparkled as if he couldn''t take it anymore. ''You can eat it when you go back over there and sit on the chair. ''What? Hurrying is also effective. He took his time, sang a song or something, and turned everything the kid had left into rice balls. I''ve added some seasonings such as miso,......, but this time it''s just for service. ''Come on, let''s go back!Oh, give me back my apron. ''Yes!Hurry up!Quickly! As soon as he left the kitchen, the kid took off his apron and pushed it to Jeannette. Then he sat down on the chair with lightning speed and waited for the rice balls to appear with an excited expression on his face. ...... You''re an easy kid to understand. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m going to eat it! The kid took a bite of the ''chan chan yaki mock rice ball''. ''Hmm!Oihii! He flapped his legs and popped it into his mouth. At this rate, he should be able to finish it. The kid''s interest seemed to have completely shifted to an interesting dish that appeared later than the Mont Blanc, which he had never seen before. ''Yashiro!Can you serve me some of that? ''Me too! Did your interest shift too?Kids. ...... ''Yashiro, you''re amazing. You understand your child''s feelings very well. ...... Really, it''s amazing. I''m not sure why I''m crying a little bit, said Jeannette. ...... Why the teary eyes? ''You''re kind of ............ like an old man.'' ''Who smells like an old man! ''Oh, no, sir!My grandfather has a bit of a ...... resemblance. I feel like I''ve been told something like that before. Am I really that old-fashioned? ''Where do you come up with these things? ''Oh, this is ......''. I''ve never told anyone anything about myself. ............ Well, that''s okay. ''It''s something the landlady did for me. ''The proprietress? ''Well, ............ her mother.'' My mother is still the landlady. ''I see. ...... She''s a wonderful mother, isn''t she? ''Well, ...... maybe so.'' d*mn it. You''re a little ............ happy to be praised by others, why? ''I ate it! ''Oh!You''re doing great, you little shit! ''Is that a compliment? ''You''re complimenting me a lot. Hey, kid? ''Yeah!'' Estella tilts her head. I don''t know why she''s reacting like that, but I''m inclined to tilt my head back. ''I really apologize for the inconvenience. The old lady bows her head while carefully returning the folded apron. ''No, sir. I''ve made some new discoveries too. Please don''t worry about it. Ginette bowed back. She refused the old lady''s offer to pay for the extra rice balls and paid for the grilled salmon set meal for two. The old lady bowed again and again, and the kid waved cheerfully and left the restaurant. ''I''m glad. I''m glad you''re happy. Thanks to Mr. Yashiro.'' ''But well, maybe it''s a bit much for a kid. ''Yes, you''re right. ...... Sometimes, there are children who leave a little bit of food behind. Unlike Japan, where people are bored with food, it is basically impossible to leave food uneaten in this city. After all, this is the poorest district in the world. This is a city where the standard of living was such that you could suck on the bones of a rib for three days and three nights. But the fact that there are leftovers suggests that the quantity of food is simply too large. ''Customers'' leftovers can''t be reused, so ...... it''s a bit of a waste, isn''t it? ''If you mix it with compost, it may eventually become fertilizer, but ...... there is a limit to that, too. It is not possible to use them for other customers, so the only thing you can do is to compile them as food waste and use them as compost. You can feed it to the pigs,......, but each guild makes its own food for livestock. The only way to use them is to mix them in with Umaro''s food. ''I don''t want them to be mixed in! Umaro arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion at an extremely good time. It''s so good timing that he might as well have been standing outside. ''Don''t eavesdrop on my trade secrets, you prick. ''It''s not a trade secret!It''s just a conspiracy! Ginette leads an angry Umaro to his seat. After a while, the place is filled with familiar faces. If Umaro has arrived, then it''s ...... already that time. ''...... I''m back. ''We sold out again today! Magda and Loretta walked in together. These two were in charge of the mobile sales of the second and seventh stores of the Sun Moon Pavilion. After lunch, the number of customers is still low, so they go to the mobile shops at that time. They were carrying the "Afternoon Menu," which was available in limited quantities after lunch. The popcorn is a new flavor, caramel popcorn. A limited number of egg sandwiches with egg salad are available every day. These tacos have been selling well, as they are used to fill the stomach until dinner. ''Magda-tan!Good work on the road! ''...... Umaro too.'' I''m not sure what to say.I''m so tired now! And Umaro will come to have lunch just as Magda is coming back. ...... He''s a pro, isn''t he?You''re right on time. This slack-jawed fox is a famous architect in his own right. ...... He''s got fans. ............ What? ''Aaah! I''m sure you''ll agree. ''What''s the matter, Yashiro-san? ''...... I see. That''s right. ............ Why didn''t I notice this before? ............'' The people here are all familiar with each other. It''s like we''re friends. If you''re one of us, you should be able to help us ....... ............?You know? ''............mmmmmmmmmmmmm'' ''Scary, scary, scary, scary, scary!I''m scared, Yashiro-san! ''Oh ...... I have a bad feeling about this, that face of Yashiro''s ......'' ''It''s evil.'' ''...... the face when you are planning something'' ''It''s evil brother mode.'' ''Is that so?I think he looks like he''s having a great time. '''''''''' Are you a knothole? '''''''''' ''It''s terrible, folks! I''ve come up with an ingenious solution to the problem that''s been occurring at the sunlit pavilion lately. It''s simple, really. It''s simple, but it requires a pull to make it happen. And I''ve got so many good friends. Hey, guys. I turn my gaze to my friends who are there. With a big smile on my face. ''We''re ............ ''friends'', aren''t we? '''''''''' Scary! '''''''''' Everyone except Jeannette turned pale. ''...... Excuse me . ''Yes, sir. We''re very good friends. Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Isn''t that right?'' ''Yes.'' I''ll take Ginette''s words with a big smile as representing the opinions of the people here. Now, let''s get down to business. ...... 100-The Power of Episode 85 Yesterday, there was a kid who couldn''t finish his set meal. There are two reasons. One is simply the quantity. It''s the kind of food Umaro and the other carpenters can eat and be satisfied. It''s too heavy for kids. Of course, the amount of food can be adjusted, but there is a limit. Another thing is the lack of flamboyance. At the moment, this place is pretty cool. To put it in JK''s style, ''Isn''t this really bad? Yeah. They have cakes, pasta, okonomiyaki, and ............ what the hell is this place? It''s a diner. It''s a diner. And it''s got food samples and stuff. A child is like a curiosity walking around in clothes. Consciousness goes elsewhere quickly, and then appetite is shut out. All the kid likes to do is play and eat snacks. Eating and sleeping are a hassle. Do you remember?When you were a child, you wanted to go out and play early, but you were annoyed when you were told to eat first. Didn''t white rice or your mother''s home-cooked food look very unappetizing at such times? It wasn''t until I was a little older that I found enjoyment in food. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is only when you grow up that you realize the value of home cooking. There are probably a few kids who feel happy when they eat salmon fillets with white rice. It is more fun to look at food samples or to eat cake. In other words, food is ''boring'' for kids. So, I''m going to make a special menu for kids. I''m making a presentation to the familiar faces gathered in the sunlit pavilion. Yesterday and today, I ran around the forty-two wards to set up an appointment, and after the restaurant was closed, I forced my familiar friends to gather there. ''What is a children''s menu, after all? Estella, who had given up thinking for herself, asked me while propping her elbows on the table. It''s because you''re always looking for answers in places like ...... that you can''t grow milk. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who can''t wait to get started. It was very tasty and I loved it. ...... I''m sure it''s a memorable taste for Jeannette,......, but it''s a little bitter, old man. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... ''So I can''t refer to that. Has anyone else come up with anything else? Loretta cuts off Imelda''s long-winded bragging. Nice, Loretta! ''What kind of food did you eat as a child, Loretta? ''What ............? Estella casually asked, and Loretta''s face grew pale. ''Or ...... if you chew on the grass by the riverside for a long time like this, ...... you will feel something like, "Is it sweet? I''ve been chewing on the grass by the river for a ............ long time, and it''s kind of ...... of sweet. ''Okay, Loretta!I''m sorry!It''s totally my fault!I''ll treat you to a cake next time, so please shut up!I can''t see tomorrow through my tears! ''No, but the grass is so good that it''s like a paradise on earth. ''That''s enough, Loretta!Don''t say a word!I''ll buy you three cakes! As you can see, you never know where the mines may be, so don''t poke at other people''s past without a second thought. You''ve learned a good lesson, Estella. ''Oh, um... What about you, Natalia?Do you have a favorite food from your childhood?'' ''Me? Here Jeannette successfully changes the subject. Nice pass to Natalia who is following Estella. ''When I was a little girl, or rather when ...... you were a little girl, I couldn''t help but enjoy the various ways in which the innocent little girl, who didn''t know anything yet, did this and that. ''Hey, shut that guy up! ''No, I''d rather hear the details!What did you do to little me? d*mn it! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. I''m not sure what to say. Do you notice anything about that?Hmm?You don''t?Well, you''re a very disappointing girl, aren''t you? Oh, I''m sure Umaro has met the ''Lord''s daughter'' many times. ...... ''Oumalo''. ''Hiya! ...... ...... I''m not sure what to say. ......'' Yeah. It''s as if they can''t see what''s going on around them. If I don''t tell them about this ......, they''ll probably never notice. Well, it doesn''t really matter. ''What do you think it is, Delia? I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been smiling for a while. ...... Oh, I see. He''s a fan of Delia''s, isn''t he? I''m sure you''ve heard of it.That''s the only way to go. ''What, what?I want to hear it! ''It''s salmon roe! Yeah, Delia ......, that''s not a kid''s meal, that''s a kid''s meal, salmon. ''Oh, come on, Delia. It''s not like that, is it?Think about the foods that kids like. Masha, who forced herself to join in, puffs Delia''s bear ears. ''Oh, no!You can''t do that, can you, Masha? ''Mmmmmm... Delia is so cute~'' ''Yes!It''s so cute!It''s super cute! Oh, ......, shut up. ''Then, then, do you understand Masha?A kid''s meal? ''It''s easy to figure out with a little thought! Holding up her index finger and waving it from side to side, making the water in the tank sip and sip, Masha begins her deduction with the air of a great detective. In the event that you''ve got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Ah ......'' ''...... ah'' ''Ah~......'' ''Ah! ''............ ah'' Those who were present let out their own voices. All of them seemed to have thought of something, and all of their gazes turned to me at once. ''Everyone, got it? '''''''''''''''''''' boobs'''''''''''''''''''' ''......'', hey! You can''t offer something like that as a product! I''m not sure what to do with it. It''s a good thing that the manager of this store has a great one. ''What? Ginette crouches down to hug her breasts as all eyes are on her. The tips of her ears are bright red. ''I see!That''s right! ''No, Yashiro-san!No, no, no, no, no, no, no! ''If it''s on the menu, can I order it with my employee discount? ''It won''t be on the menu!Oh, God!Please repent! I''m not the one who said that, but ...... is unreasonable. Well, God is always unreasonable. I suppose it''s the same for the followers of that god. Ahhh, what a nasty world we live in. ''So, ......, what''s the right answer after all? Estella asks, a little impatiently. It''s already night. I don''t think it''s a good idea to drag this out too long. I have a favor to ask. That''s why I stuck my chest out and looked around at the faces of the group again. ''I''m going to make a children''s lunch at the Sunshine Pavilion. Yes! When it comes to food for children, it''s got to be children''s lunch, no matter what! It''s a dream food where you can eat all the good stuff. But you can''t put toys on them in this world. ...... Toys will come soon. But in addition to that, I''ve thought of some other "centripetal force" that the kids might bite on. But first, let me explain the contents. ''Pilaf, hamburger steak, pasta, fried shrimp and orange juice. All of these things are served on one plate. ''Wow, that sounds delicious! Delia licked her lips. Goozuya, who witnessed the scene up close, said, ''What?That''s too s*xy! She died in agony, clutching her breasts. ...... Oh, it looks like she''s alive. He''s lying on the floor twitching. If he''s alive, good!Let''s ignore it. ''Unfortunately, due to expenses, children''s lunches are limited to kids. ''Why the hell not? ''So, it''s a cost thing! Put up all the things that kids would like. If you serve this kind of food to adults, you won''t be able to sell anything else. The children''s lunch is just to attract customers. The profit is not that big. If a child asks for a meal, the parents will come to the restaurant. They use the child as an excuse to make a profit from the parents. ''Hey, how old is a child?How about in your twenties? ''Of course not!If you''re an adult, you''re out! ''......Hmmm...... Magda is still a minor.'' ''Oh, over twelve is out too.'' ''...... even though she''s underage! If we allow Magda, we''ll be in the red. I''ll draw the line at under Magda. ''If you''re over ten, you can eat the same food as adults. Children''s lunches are limited to ten years old. ''Oh, no, it''s too juicy! ''Hey, pick out that black maid over there! It may have been a mistake to call Natalia. ...... I digress. ''So, I''ve got a favor to ask of you ......, my ''good friends''. ......'' ''Here it comes...... Goozuya, I''ll try not to make eye contact with you.'' ''......us'' ''Natalia, we''re with you.'' ''Yes, ma''am. ''Delia, what are you going to do? ''I''m on Yashiro''s side. ''Oh no!You''re such a maiden! ''What?You idiot!It''s not like that!I''ll shatter your ribs if you say anything funny, you bastard! No, it''s scary. Delia ...... is giving off a squeaky-clean vibe, but ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''I''m going to make a prototype for now, can you wait a moment? ''Um, Yashiro-san. Do you need any help?'' Jeannette lifted her head from her chair, but he stopped her with his hand. ''I''m fine. I''ve already prepared it in the evening. All that''s left is to heat it up.'' ''Oh, so that''s why you were working in the evening, is it? I''ll be waiting for you. ''In the meantime, why don''t you sample the new popcorn flavor? ''Yes! ''At ......, now delighted Delia. Help me out.'' ''What?I want to be the eater! ''...... with a little extra for the girl who helps me.'' ''Yes!I''ll help you! Now that I have the sugar, I can make caramel popcorn, but the taste is not consistent. The amount of caramel in the mixture was uneven. In order to practice, we asked everyone to taste the popcorn, which will be very useful for our future publicity activities. Well, I hope that people will say, "It was delicious! That''s all we need. It is important to hear this kind of information several times here and there. Information is not so memorable if you hear it only once. However, if you hear something once and hear it again in another place, your brain will misunderstand it and say, ''Hey, I''ve heard this before ......, is it important? The brain misinterprets the information. The more important the information, the more it is stored in the brain, and the more it is stored in the brain,......, the more people feel a sense of familiarity with what they know. I''m sure you''ll agree. That''s why you have to taste it and talk about it a lot. By the way, the reason I excluded Bertina this time is because ...... she only eats and does not publicize. She almost never leaves the church. Also, ...... I''m not going to make a huge loss on the tasting. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not going to be able to make a big loss on the tasting. A small hamburger steak that looks like something you could put on a kid''s forehead, potato salad, and fried shrimp. And fried shrimp. Shrimps, crabs, octopus, and squid are not commonly eaten in this world. Assunto told me that they are only eaten by some people in certain areas. That''s why the catch is so small and not available on the market. ...... But we have Masha. If you ask her to catch a little more, she will catch a lot of fish for you. Since there is no one to compete with, they are almost always sold to the sunny pavilion. We are very fortunate because we do okonomiyaki. That''s how I came up with the idea of fried shrimp. The bread, which is too hard to be used as a weapon, can be made into breadcrumbs that give it a nice crunchy flavor. It is a crunchy, or rather, a crunchy new texture. It''s a subtle taste that I like a little. So, about the food. At first I thought an omelet would be a good idea, but ...... thinly baked eggs are difficult to make, and if there is a rush of orders, it will be a burden. So I decided on shrimp pilaf, which I could make in bulk. If you have butter and consomme, you can make it quickly in a frying pan. The kids will eat it anyway. There is no need to pursue the real taste. A mere pilaf will do. Besides, the "thing" won''t look good without pilaf. So, I''m going to serve the food on my special children''s plate (in the shape of a food cart) that I made up quickly last night. Speaking of food stalls, our stores No. 2 and No. 7 are the only ones in this 42nd district. In particular, the second store, which sells popcorn, is very popular with children. If you serve it on a plate shaped like that, the kids in this district will cry with joy. Hmmm, not so easy, kids. Meat and veggies in a well-balanced, visually pleasing and festive way. I''ll never let you have leftovers again. ...... Ginette looked sad when she saw the kids'' leftovers. He doesn''t have to look like that. You can always just smile like an idiot, that''s all that matters to him. ''Hmm......, but that doesn''t mean anything. I''m talking to myself in the kitchen with no one but me. I don''t know why I''m talking to myself, but I am. ''Come on, it''s ready. Taste it, taste it. It''s simple, if you don''t like talking to yourself, you don''t have to be alone. Isn''t that a clear and simple solution? I returned to the cafeteria with my children''s lunch. And there was... It''s a different taste from ............ honey popcorn. ...... This is the taste of happiness. --Bertina was there. ''...... Why are you here?'' ''I smelled a very nice scent coming from this direction.'' ''Is that a dog?No, even a dog would be surprised! What kind of sense of smell does this guy have? ''Pori pori pori ...... Yashiro-san. It''s terrible. Don''t tell me you''re eating this delicious food. ......PolyPoly......'' There''s nothing I can say to this guy. I''ve learned my lesson. It''s a waste of time and effort. ...... You can do whatever you want. ''Giggle,'' said Ginette, looking at me with a happy smile. ''You''re like a father and son. ...... What, I''m the parent? This elf is definitely living triple digits, right? ''''Pori pori ...... dependents for life. ...... pori pori.'''' Don''t make horrible declarations. You upper Engel''s coefficient. At any rate, avoid the table where Bertina is sitting and unveil the children''s lunch. When I put the children''s lunch on the table, I heard a lot of ''wow'', ''oh'', and ''itadakimasu''. ...... Hey, someone hold Bertina down! Ginette looks at me and the children''s lunch alternately, her big eyes glittering. ''It''s so cute ......! I couldn''t make out the second half of her voice. I guess she was that impressed. It''s a little ...... over the top, though. ''Surely, this will be a big hit with the kids.'' ''...... There are so many things to see, you''ll never get bored. ''This, this, this is all for one person?It''s unbeatable! ''Hmm ......, even the best grilled salmon might not be good against this ...... guy...'' ''Delia-chan! I think this one is the winner in terms of children. Estella and Magda are impressed, Loretta is upset for some reason, Delia has an incomprehensible rivalry, and Masha cuts her off. It seems to have been generally well received. ''Yashiro-san! In the midst of this, a grim-faced Imelda stepped forward in front of me through the crowd. ''I think I might have stopped growing at the age of nine! ''That''s impossible! ''But I''ve never checked with anyone, and I can''t completely deny that possibility! How can you lie so brazenly? ...... No, it''s ''might'', so it''s safe?Sure, you can''t deny the possibility. ............ No, you can. I''ll tell you what, Imelda. Well, let''s just leave Imelda''s outbursts to Estella. ''Are you a genius? ''...... Magda may have stopped at age nine.'' ''Me too! ''Hey, Masha!What about me? ''I can''t deny the possibility. ''Pori Pori ...... me too ...... Pori Pori ...... at least the possibility ...... Pori Pori''. ...... These guys ............ should all turn into frogs or something. ''All right!I''ll let you taste it later!So don''t try to rob the kids after that! ''Ha-ha-ha. There''s no way we''d do that, Yashiro. ''...... Magda and the others are adults who can read the air. ''You can trust them, big brother! ...... Has there ever been a word more empty than this? ''And!This children''s lunch is not yet complete. As the waves recede, an eerie silence falls over the sunlit pavilion. ''It''s so cute, but it''s not finished yet? A large bead of sweat ran down Ginette''s cheek. That''s right, Jeannette. This children''s lunch is still incomplete, incomplete. It doesn''t have the ...... ''pull'' yet! ''So, I need to talk to you guys. Well, that''s why I asked you to come here. ......'' If we can get the cooperation of these people here, this children''s lunch will be complete. ''This is just a prototype. It will only be used here, and if we can''t get permission, it will be discarded immediately. So don''t get mad, okay?'' With that, I laid out the items I''d made in advance on the table. ''What''s this? With Estella''s voice, everyone let out a cry of surprise. What was laid out there was a small flag with a square piece of paper attached to a toothpick. Yes!A children''s lunch wouldn''t be complete without a flag on top of the pilaf! ''Isn''t this the emblem of the ...... lords ......''? ''There''s also the emblem of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''There''s also a coat of arms for the river fishing guild. ''I also have the coat of arms of the lumberjack guild! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. What the hell is this ......? I get a lot of stares from people who want me to explain. It''s usually more convincing if you actually do it. So I thrust the flag with the lord''s emblem on top of the pilaf. At the moment, the children''s lunch transformed into a complete body and began to radiate a dazzling and overwhelming presence. ''''''''''Oh! '''''''''' The soul of those present trembled, and the world resonated with it. The voices that leaked out unconsciously were all low and thick, regardless of whether they were male or beautiful. ''It''s wonderful, Yasiroro!It''s like a dish in honor of the lord! Estella was in tears, her whole face muscles relaxed in a grimace, as if she couldn''t understand what was happening. She must be swirling with such emotions that cannot be expressed in words. ''Ya, Yashiro-san!Would you please put up my flag there too? ''No, no!I want the flag of my river fishing guild! ''Damm it!I''ve already decided that the next one will be for the Sea Fishing Guild! Imelda, Delia, and Masha are pushing and shoving each other with their respective flags. Who will be the first to reach the pilaf?Only the victor will be able to raise his own banner to the top!...... You don''t have to get so worked up about it. ............ I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure it will be a big hit if it looks like this! ''No, it''s not like putting up a ...... flag is going to get you excited,'' he said. I looked over and saw Magda, Loretta, and Bertina working on something. ''...... This is Magda''s coat of arms. It''s a radical design based on the hunting guild''s coat of arms, with an image of a tiger tribe. ''I''m going to write all of my many brothers and sisters!It will take a long time, but I''ll do my best! ''I would like to have a children''s lunch and cake set. Bertina'' ...... Apparently, these guys want their own flag too. I mean, Bertina''s got a bit of Tanabata mixed in, don''t you think? ''But which flag should I stick? The children''s lunch flag can either make a child''s heart happy or send it to hell. It is often underestimated, but it is a serious responsibility. That feeling of loss when you think you like the Japanese flag, but it''s a flag you''ve never seen before from a country you don''t know. ...... The pilaf tasted like paper mache. ...... ''I''ll decide the order of stabbing. I don''t care if the kid cries or not, I''m going to stab them in the order I decide. ''...... Yes!I''ll do my best! When I see the fierce battle that is currently unfolding in front of my eyes, I think ...... that perhaps I am about to step into an unbelievable realm ....... What an exaggeration! ''Hey, enough with the flags, someone taste the food''. I don''t care about ''''''''''. '''''''''' ''Yeah~............'' Even Bertina is putting the flag before the food. The flag of children''s lunches: ...... You''re really something, aren''t you? ''So you guys. You''ll allow us to use the flag, won''t you? '''''''''''' Of course!So use this flag. '''''''''''' Yes, sir! Unanimous. Everyone agreed immediately. I don''t know. ...... I don''t know if these guys can be this naive. ...... It''s the emblem of the guild or clan, isn''t it? ''Oh, uh, Yashiro-san! What''s that? I''m not sure if you can make a flag for the sunlit pavilion or not! ''...... No, this store doesn''t have a coat of arms or anything, right?'' ''Huh. ............That''s right. ............'' Even Jeannette, under the heat of the moment, is saying such things. Maybe this will become a boom again. ''Well, let''s see what we can come up with. ''Yes!I''m sure that Mr. Yashiro will make a wonderful coat of arms! No, even if you trust me like that, ...... ''......Yashiro is going to make a coat of arms for the sunlit pavilion ......? Magda''s muttering instantly silenced the store. All of them folded their arms and pretended to be deep in thought. ''Since it''s Yashiro, I''m sure he''ll include some elements that will make it look like a sunlit pavilion or a ...... ginette-chan. ......'' What? What, Estella. You''re casually raising the bar, aren''t you? '''''''''''''''''' boobs! '''''''''''''''''' ''You guys.........'' ''Oh, my God!Yashiro-san, please repent! ''Why me? It''s a good thing I''m in trouble. I think I''ll hold off on the emblem for a while. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a good idea to take some time off. I don''t think that''s a good idea just when you''re about to invite the kids in. No. No way. And so, with a definite response, the new menu of the Sunlit Pavilion was born. 101-Episode 86 Imelda~ Because what? Night. The inside of the restaurant is deserted and quiet. The end of the day is just around the corner. It''s always quiet at this time. Magda is on her way to Newtown to drop Loretta off. The streets are dangerous at night. ...... Hmm?Magda? There''s no one in the 42nd district who''d dare attack him. It''s much safer and more secure than me dropping you off. That''s what I think as I look out at the common scene of every day. Ah, I''ve worked hard all day, ....... The last order is over, the dishes have been put away, and the Sunlit Pavilion has not been able to begin ............ the closing process. ''Manager, may I have another cup of tea? ''Yes, sir. I''m home. ''Hey, you! ''What is it?'' Imelda is elegantly sipping her tea. ''What is it? No, no, no! ''Last order''s over. Go home now.'' ''Is that what you''re saying to me, your customer? ''Get the hell out of here! ''It''s a pity ...... that someone with such a bad eye is in the customer service business. ''The way you look at me has nothing to do with the way you talk to me! What the hell? What is this guy trying to do to me? ''Jeannette goes to bed early every night to maintain those huge breasts! ''It''s not to maintain her breasts! ''Well, ......, those breasts don''t look very energy efficient. ''No, it''s not! No, but with such a large object hanging from your body, you will probably lose a lot of energy. I want to let her sleep as soon as possible. ''So, go home. ''Why are you treating the lady so cruelly!You don''t have enough compassion in your vocabulary! ''You''ve got heavy titties there. ''Compassion, Yashiro-san!Also, it''s not that heavy of a thing! While Jeannette was barking something I didn''t understand, I observed Imelda''s behavior and noticed something. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the way you live it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... He''s stalling for time and planning something, isn''t he? What is it? The benefits of staying here: ............ ''Maybe you. Do you want me to stay here today?'' ''No, of course not! ''In that case, there''s a room available, so why not? ''........................'' She''s wavering! Imelda''s heart is shaking! I knew it. She doesn''t want to go home for some reason. ''......'' What kind of bed is it? ''It''s not very good, but it''s made of straw. ......'' ''Straw? Imelda froze with a dramatic expression on her face. ...... Well, I was surprised at first, too. But once you get used to it, you''ll love the straw bed. I make sure to replace it with new straw every month. Straw smells good right after it''s dried in the sun. ''That''s impossible!I can''t believe I''m sleeping wrapped in straw! ''No, you''re in a position to stay at ......, aren''t you? ''No, I''m not staying here, not in a place like this. ''Then go home. ''........................'' ''What the hell is wrong with you? I really don''t understand what you want. ''............'' ''What the hell, look at me.'' ''............ Myuu'' ''Why did you squeal? ''...... what the hell, seriously? ''Um, ...... if there''s something wrong with you, could you please talk to me?If there''s anything I can do to help, I''ll do it. ''...... Are you sure? ''Yes, of course. It''s also a good idea to take the easy way out in situations like this. ...... This is what Imelda is trying to say, you know?It must be a pain in the ass anyway. He''s got dozens of waiters in his house. Just let them do it. I don''t know what the problem is. A few dozen waiters will usually solve most problems. ''Actually, there are no ...... waiters today.'' ''There aren''t any? That was the moment when my solution was totally denied. I mean, was that the problem? ''What the hell is wrong with you? I took a seat in front of Imelda and decided to listen to her carefully. If I don''t listen, she''s not going to leave. ''Actually, I was supposed to move in today. ......'' ''Oh, so it was today. I didn''t know when you moved in because you''ve been showing up at the Sunken Pavilion a lot lately. Well, the woodcutter guild''s 42nd district branch, known as ''Imelda''s House'', was already in a livable condition, so he must have been coming and going as if he were staying in a villa. Of course, he had more than a dozen waiters with him. ''So, how did it happen that on the day of the full-scale move, there was not a single waiter? ''That''s why the ............ waiters, all of them ...... together, said, "Well, the move is tomorrow, right?"'' ''! ''I think you''re the one who blew it! ''It''s outrageous that you all got the date wrong! ''You''re the one who got the date wrong! ''I wanted to come here as soon as possible! ''You admit it! Yeah, he''s a ...... idiot. ''So, couldn''t you have brought some people with you? ''That''s because ...... ''No, we''re also moving out of our current house and preparing to move!You can''t just say that out of the blue! You can''t just say that out of the blue! ''That''s a very good argument. You''re the one who doesn''t understand. ''The head waiter, who was the only one following me, also said, "Well, I also have to prepare for tomorrow''s move ......," and went back to the 40th ward ......''. ''You should go home too. ......'' ''I''m a woman who won''t budge once I''ve made up my mind! Ugh ...... annoying woman ...... ''...... So, the real question is, what are you going to do about it? Even if there''s no waiter, we''ll just go home and sleep. It''s not like you can''t handle it, but ............ if you leave this guy alone, anything can happen. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. I thought she might do something like that. ''Don''t worry. I have a strong ally! ''Allies? Who is it? Estella? ''Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm ......'' ......Wow...... something, they''re looking at me so hard............ ''......What do you want from me?'' ''Don''t you think it''s dangerous for a woman to be alone at night? ''Then let me stay here. ''I don''t want to stay in the straw!If you really want me to stay here, please call Umaro-san and have him make me a luxury bed! ''...... you...'' What are you going to do? Do you want me to kick you out? ''You just made a face like, "Should I kick you out?"'' What? And Imelda is threatening me. ...... This guy''s getting pretty nervous right now. I''m sure his nerves are overstimulated. He''s mastered the art of mind-reading. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Can''t you do something about it? ''You know, ......, don''t think you can just tell me anything and everything, okay? ''I''m sorry ...... you''re right. I''ve been relying on you a lot lately, haven''t I? I''m not sure what to do. No, that''s not true, but ...... Then, I will take Mr. Yashiro for myself. Please use your skills as the head waiter to control the waiters. ''Aaah!You see, Yashiro is a very important person for the sunny pavilion,......, so you can''t ...... that kind of thing,......, but Yashiro can. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. ''Relax, Jeannette. I''m not going to Imelda''s.'' ''Are you sure?I''m glad ...... you''re here. If you go to Imelda''s, you''re going to be in a lot of trouble every day,......, and you''re going to go bald from the stress. ''But our waiters live in a dormitory, you know? ''Do you want me to live in that dorm too? ''Yes, that''s right. I''ll have a special room made for you in the girls'' dormitory. ''............................... What kind of nonsense are you talking? ''You just had a pause, didn''t you, Yashiro?Your mind wavered for a moment, didn''t it? ''Hahaha, what are you talking about, Jeannette, really, you''re a funny guy, hahaha.'' ''Your words are too dry! I was almost caught by the words ...... "girls'' dormitory". Because you. I''m sure you''ve heard of it.If there were such a book, you''d buy it, right? You know what I mean?In a girl''s dormitory, all the students go into the bathhouse and rub their tits together, right?You''ll be lusting after them in the bathrooms. But I held back! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. It seems that reason is still the better part of the story, libido. I''m not going to let it get out of control like that. ............ "The Mixed Bathing Tale of the Otherworldly Girls Dormitory I''m sorry.I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to do. Hang on, me! And, Jeannette. What exactly are you going to do?'' ''Well, if you don''t like ...... straw beds, we can provide you with ............ something luxurious and fluffy. ..................Po......... ...popcorn: ......'' ''I''m sorry, Imelda. I''ll take care of it.'' ''Please do.'' ''Hmmm ...... sorry ............ I couldn''t think of anything... ...!'' Ginette, I think your head is already more than half asleep. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''Shall I take you to the forty district now? ''I can''t walk from the forty-second to the forty-second ward. ''...... Exercise, you''ll get fat.'' ''Shh!I''m sorry!I''m at least exercising! ''What are you doing? ''.................. fast-talking''. Isn''t this guy half asleep? ''These, these muscles are really sore!It''s going to burn a lot of calories! He said, squeezing the area below her cheekbones. If that''s the only way to lose weight, all the girls in Japan would be talking very fast. ''My suggestion won''t get us anywhere. Tell us what you want. We''ll come up with a solution. ''There aren''t that many requests ......, are there? This is coming from a guy who''s already rejected his bed of straw and his parents'' house. ''I want to sleep in a soft bed. ''...... Omero? ''Who are you, Omero? ''The deputy head of the river fishing guild, with such a big body and such tiny bikini pants.'' ''He''s a pervert!He''s undeniably a pervert! Yeah, I can''t deny that. But it''s so soft. ''I want to sleep in my bed! ''So you want to sleep in your own house? ''If that''s how you see it, then maybe that''s the way it is. Why are you blurting it out? Is there a penalty for honestly admitting it? ''Then I''ll take you home, so get ready. I''m not sure what to do with it. ...... this guy. Do you think I''m going to be the wolf that sends you home? That''s rude. ''I''m not going to do anything. ''''Please do something! ''''What? I and even Jeannette were shouting. What are you talking about, young lady? ''''Send me to the mansion alone,......, that dark and spacious mansion, throwing me out alone,............, are you still human? In other words, this guy is ...... ''Are you afraid of being alone in the house? ''I''m not afraid. So ...... I''m wondering if there''s a penalty for being honest. ''It''s just ......'' Imelda''s color was getting worse and worse. It''s all white now. ''............If the ghosts appear ............... ...'' Imelda begins to shake and shake. Teacups and saucers clink on the table. ...... Yeah, too much shaking. ''Imelda, you''re afraid of ghosts too, aren''t you? ''Hey, Jeannette. Who else is that ''too'' on?'' ''Oh, no. I''m a little afraid of them myself. Ginette smiled, still looking a little sleepy. ''But if you sleep as soon as you get home, the ghosts won''t come. My grandfather told me that the ghosts appear to children who stay up late. So, if you fall asleep, you won''t be afraid. ''No, no, I''m not afraid!I''m just ...... so!I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... escort............ is a nasty word. So, Yashiro-san!You''re going to stay at my house for the night! ''No! ''You''re saying it''s okay for a young maiden to see and masturbate to a ghost? ''Don''t wet yourself, .......'' ''If there are men here, I''ll be able to sleep in peace! ''I thought young girls didn''t expose their sleeping figures to outsiders? ''Yashiro-san is now one of us. ''...... Stop it, I''m serious. I can''t stand to be recognized as a family member in a house full of muscle dalliances like that. ''In the first place, when you''re afraid of ghosts, there''s no way ............ I can be of any use.'' I admit it now. I hate ghosts. Ghosts?I don''t care if they are or not. I''m scared either way. I can''t, I can''t!The industry term is ream-oo-su, ream-oo. If Imelda were to say something like "caw" in the middle of the night, I''m confident I''d run away at the speed of ...... light. Of course, abandoning Imelda! ''Still, it''s more reassuring than not being here! ''Ha-ha-ha!You don''t understand, Imelda!When there''s someone next to you who''s more scared than you are, your fear doubles! ''Geez! How many times have you been startled by a scream? I can''t be relied upon to scream at the mere rustle of a convenience store bag on the street at night! After all, I''m the guy who screamed in the middle of the night when a kitten said ''meow'' to me! You''re crazy to expect it! ''So, shall I come with you? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. She''s asleep. ''No, you''re already asleep, aren''t you? ''Hmm. There''s nothing wrong with .............'' You''re not talking straight. With his eyelids fluttering, Ginette is fighting hard against sleepiness, even though he''s about to lose consciousness with a ''pop ......'' if he''s not careful. ...... It''s dangerous to take him out in such a state. There are many. I''ll take Imelda home, you go to sleep. Under the circumstances, we have no choice. Normally, it would be reassuring if Magda came with me, but ...... I can''t leave Ginette alone. It''s a dangerous time of night in this world. In that respect, no matter what the situation, Magda is there to reassure me. Ginette rubs her face in an attempt to wake up from her sleep. It was a busy day, as the children''s lunch was on the menu for the first time. We struggled with the unfamiliar menu, and ...... Ginette must have been very tired. I''m sure you''ll find that you''re not the only one. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s not often that Jeannette looks so sleepy. It''s not often that Jeannette looks this sleepy, maybe when she couldn''t take it anymore and fell asleep on the day of the festival.That day, she woke up afterwards. ...... ''Jeannette. Go to sleep now. I''ll be back in the morning. See?'' ''............ Mmm.'' Jeannette puffs out her cheeks. It might be the first time she''s ever looked like this. ''............ Please come back soon.'' And I''ve never heard her say something like this before: ...... ''Oh, yeah. I''ll take care of it. I wonder if the drowsiness is causing me to show my true feelings, which I don''t usually show. Ginette seemed to be sulking just a little bit. ''So, please take care of Imelda-san. ......'' She bowed her head sluggishly with throbbing eyes. Then, with a dizzy gait, he headed for the kitchen. I guess she''s going back to her room. Perhaps Jeannette herself is feeling the limits of her own strength. Even Roomba comes back to recharge his battery when it''s about to run out. With Jeannette gone, the sunlit pavilion became even quieter. ...... This situation alone is already a little scary. Well, Imelda''s here, so it''s a little better. ''Magda will be back soon. If you don''t tell her what''s going on, she''ll worry about you, so you''ll have to wait until then.'' ''I know, sir. He said and sipped his tea again. ''...... As expected,............, I am aware that I am being selfish this time.... .........That,......I''m sorry.'' I''m not sure what to do. I don''t like to be pushed around by selfishness, but I don''t mind being relied on if I''m in deep trouble. ''............''. Imelda suddenly begins to squirm. The sound of clothes rustling echoes in the quiet dining room. ''What''s wrong?'' ''That ...... I drank too much tea. ............'' ''If you need to use the bathroom, go ahead. It''s less scary in here, right?'' ''But ............ the thought of being all alone in that small space ............'' ''......You''re not going to ask me to follow you into the bathroom, are you?'' ''No, of course not!I''m not that inconsiderate of a person. That''s good. ''If I had to make such a request, I''d leak it right here! ''Hey, have some sense. There''s something wrong with this guy. Well, his father''s an a**h*le. It''s unfortunate that you can''t choose your parents. ''......Uh............'' The squirming is getting faster. ''......I think you''re nearing your limit. ''Just go ahead and do it.'' ''But ......'' ''I''ll stay right in front of the door.'' ''Oh, that''s disgusting! ''Then what do you want me to do? ''...... Magda will follow you.'' ''''Aaaaah! Suddenly, Magda appeared behind us without a sound, and Imelda and I both screamed. It''s a scream. ''''...... Imelda, I think you peed your pants. ''...... I''m home.'' ''Oh, welcome back, Magda. ...... You scared the shit out of me.'' ''......I''m home, I just lost my timing.'' ...... You did that on purpose, I''m sure. ''.................. Oh, I can''t. I''ll apologize first.'' ''Magda, take Imelda to the bathroom ASAP! ''...... aiaisa''. Magda''s speedy removal of Imelda from the bathroom saved the day. It''s a relief that nothing happened. ''......I guess we can''t just sleep ............ normally for a night and call it a night. I guess. A vague sense of foreboding was swirling in the back of my mind. I explained the situation to Magda, who came back, and I quickly prepared to go out. Of course, I had to use the bathroom. I don''t want to use any other bathroom but this one. Imelda''s place is supposed to have flushes. It''s best to use what you''re used to. ''...... I''m worried about Yashiro. That''s what Magda said when she came out to see me off. I wish I could follow him, he said. However, with Ginette''s situation in mind, I want Magda to protect the sunlit pavilion. ''It''s just for today. Don''t worry.'' ''...... Just for today, I wish Imelda''s tits would squish. ......'' ''What are you worried about, man? Don''t worry, mistakes never happen. I''m sensible, and Imelda is not used to such things. Nothing is going to happen to you. ''...... Imelda won''t let go of Yashiro until she''s asleep. ''Well, I''m sure she will.'' ''......After that, in a large unfamiliar house, Yashiro is all alone ............'' ''......What? ''............I might be too scared to sleep. ............I''m worried.'' An unpleasant sweat broke out on his back. ............ I see. So that''s what''s going to happen. ............ ''Da, da, da, I''m fine. I''m tired. Yeah. I''ll be asleep soon.'' ''......Yashiro..................Good luck''. I''ve received some not-so-encouraging support. ...... Lamenting now won''t change the situation. ''Well, I''m off then. Take care of the store and Ginette.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' The only thing that helps is that the road from here to Imelda''s house is light. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have even gotten there. ''Well, let''s go.'' ''Yes. Let''s go. I started walking, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. Is this heavy feeling coming from the day''s fatigue or from mental stress? ............ Well, I guess it''s both. I''m sure I''ll sleep well today. That''s what I told myself as I made my way to Imelda''s house. 102-Episode 87 Imelda and I are alone. Imelda and I walk down a narrow path illuminated by the light . ''It''s beautiful. ......'' Imelda murmurs as she walks. In the world of light and darkness with a clear contrast, Imelda''s well-shaped face becomes even more artistic. Looking at her mysterious profile, I feel a little uncomfortable. I guess it''s because there''s a big gap between her and her usual selfishness. ''I''ve always wanted to walk this way, like this. She turns back to me and gives me a soft smile. If she did that on a regular basis, I could say without hesitation that she is a beautiful woman with impeccable taste. ''What is it?You have a funny face. ''I was born with this face. Imelda looked into my face and I felt a little embarrassed. Because it is. She''s a beauty that all the men in the district would be crazy about. Her destructive power is unbelievable. In addition, if it is just the two of us, alone, on a night street in a nice atmosphere,...... and he is relying on me,............, he will be somewhat conscious. I know. A little. ''You''re a strange person. Imelda chuckled, as if my reaction was funny. ''Your face is rather visible, isn''t it? She tilts her head and gives me a sideways stare, as if looking up at me. I feel as if I''m being told off by an older sister. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Hmm. Please don''t do that because it makes it hard for me to react. ''What? Suddenly, Imelda screamed and jumped at me. Wait!It''s 10 millimeters in diameter!...... No, what are you talking about. No, I''m a little freaked out. No, I''m freaked out. What the hell?What''s going on? What are you trying to say?What, here? ''...... Bug! ''...... Bug? ''It''s a bug!It''s a bug! It''s buzzing in my ear right now! .................. Ha, ha. Of course there are bugs. You''re a city girl. ...... ''I think it''s more dangerous to hug a man than bugs around here. ''Huh?'' Imelda seems to have realized her indiscretion when I kindly informed her of the current situation. Her face is slowly turning red as if an electric heating wire is heating it up. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Who''s the shield, here? It''s a mixture of embarrassment and a desire to jump away and a fear of insects and a desire not to leave. ...... Imelda is repeating some interesting movements. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. Yashiro-san, protect me, will you? ''No, no, no, no. ......'' I''m not your soldier, and since we''re alone, I''d rather you refrain from acting rashly out of embarrassment. I''m not a soldier of yours, and since we''re alone, I''d rather you didn''t act rashly. ...... Hey, girls. You should be a little more shy. ...... ''Can you please ............ just ............ your hand? ............ What the hell? You''re really scared? I can''t help it. ''Hey, hey, hey. I''ll protect you, miss.'' ''Good. That''s a good point.'' Despite her arrogant words, Imelda grabbed my hand in a reserved manner. The touch of her hand made me feel as if I were entrusted with the care of a little girl. ''Please take a look. Look at this beautiful path of light. ......'' An illuminated path lined with bricks that emitted accumulated light. The path, stretching far into the distance, seemed to float in the dark night, a fantastic sight that made me think that if I could walk along the Milky Way, it might be like this. ''It''s strange. ............'' It''s not uncommon for a young lady who is usually selfish to be bewildered by the new feelings that grow inside her when she sees such a beautiful sight. This one must be ...... ''I wonder how it shines. ''I told you! I was surprised. In order to get the branch of the Lumberjack Guild to be where it is now, I''ve been working hard to make presentations to him, to this woman in front of me, and to Imelda herself. Naturally, I explained about the path of light and the bricks of light that are the key to it. Didn''t this guy understand any of that at all? ''Well, it doesn''t matter what the principle is, as long as it''s beautiful. Are you serious? ...... Is this guy serious? ............ ''I can see now that you''re not listening to me. ''Oh. I''m listening to you.I''ve been listening to you talk about your new cake, the rare cheese cake, how delicious it is, and how you''re making Bekko create something interesting again. ''...... I didn''t tell you about that, did I?How do you know that? I''m not telling you any of my trade secrets that I haven''t disclosed to anyone yet because I haven''t implemented them yet. ...... ''Ohoho. Who do you think I am?It''s me, isn''t it? There are not many sentences in the world that contain so little information. ''I heard from Mr. Bekko. ''Okay, okay. He needs to be punished severely. Thank you for the information. Next time, ''Oh, is this really too much to ask? I''ll let you do it for free. Leakage of trade secrets should be punished severely. ''I see you, my new house. The Woodcutter''s Guild District Forty-Two branch emerged in the darkness of the night. In the middle of it is a luxurious building. This is Imelda''s new home. There is a room for Imelda and her family when they visit, a guest room, and a room where some of the very closest servants live. The others seem to live in a dormitory at a distance. However, Imelda''s family - in other words, the guild leader Stuart Javier - has a job in the 40th district and is not likely to come here often, and visitors are unlikely. In other words, this is basically a house for Imelda to live in by herself. ...... What a luxury to live alone. A single room would have been fine. But this time, that''s what got her into trouble. ''Isn''t it a beautiful house? ''Really. You did a great job, Umaro. ''I participated in the design too, you know. ''She said she had a hard time with all the teasing from the side. ''It''s worth it, it''s a beautiful building! It must have been a lot of pressure for the beauty-conscious lady to interfere. Oumalo. I''ll make you a big bowl of rice next time. That''s the least I can do. ''But that''s the thing, isn''t it? ''Hmm? Glowing bricks were placed in various places to illuminate the beautiful building. Imelda looks up at the mansion, which exudes an unearthly atmosphere, and mutters. ''Seeing it all lit up like this, it''s kind of ......'' It''s kind of ...... ''It''s ............ scary.'' Exactly. I was just thinking the same thing. It is illuminated by a light from below, casting an eerie shadow. I guess it would be easier to understand if I said it was eerie, like when you shine a flashlight under your face. In any case, the atmosphere is somewhat like that of a ''do-o............n''. Moreover, there is no sign of people, so it looks like an abandoned building. ...... It''s really scary. ...... ''Then I''m not going back. ''No, you can''t!I''m not leaving you today! ''Don''t you dare say such trifling words, young maiden! ''No matter how trivial or unethical it is, I''m definitely not leaving today! I tried to shake off his arm with all my might, but the enemy, as well as being convinced that his life would be over if he abandoned me here, clung to my arm with a tremendous force that exceeded my full strength. How can such power be hidden in this thin arm? ...... How can such a thin arm ............ be so soft... ...Oh, it''s so soft. Imelda hugged my arms tightly with both of her arms. Naturally, the large swell of her bosom was pressed generously against my arm and ...... I decided to surrender unconditionally. So, the explorers stepped into the abandoned ...... and newly built mansion ...... Oh, no, not the explorers, but I feel like it. It''s a good thing the floor doesn''t creak. You can''t squeak. It''s new construction. But they''re sticking to me like crazy, aren''t they? Scary is scary, right? ''Anyway, let''s get to the bedroom. ''It''s an embarrassment, isn''t it? ''I don''t do shameful things! ''You can''t be a ...... gentleman and go straight to the bedroom without even stopping by the living room when you''re visiting a woman''s house for the first time! ''I have no business in the living room of this dark house!Just get some sleep and get this day over with! As long as he sleeps, I can sleep too. I sleep and wake up in the morning. The world is filled with light. Oh, I long for the sun. I miss the morning sun, the sunshine. ''So, but ............, at least take a hot bath ......''. ''Not in this darkness. ...... You''ll have to put up with me today.'' ''Oh no!It''s the first time I''ve done this. ''......''Letting a man into the bedroom'', right?Nothing more is going to happen, so just go to bed quietly today, seriously. ......'' I''m afraid of the dark. If I don''t go to bed soon, what if I have to go to the bathroom?Magda''s not here today, you know. Oh, ......, I''m nervous without a beastly hand. Man hands?What good is a hairy hand if you can''t use it? What we need is a beast hand. I need a cat''s paw, desperately. Go down the hallway and deeper into the house. Up the wide stairs to the far end of the second floor. The room facing south with the best view. That was Imelda''s bedroom. Near the bedroom are a dressing room and an office, and this whole area seems to be Imelda''s private space. ''I''ll turn on the lights. ...... but... ''There''s no .............'' Oh, ....... No wonder, if you think about it. There was no way Imelda could have brought the daily necessities of the house. Such things are brought in by the head waiter. ''Well, I''m just going to sleep now. If you have a futon, that should be enough. Fortunately, the bed in the bedroom seems to be in working order. Fortunately, the bed in the bedroom seems to be in working order. ...... I don''t know if there are any other beds that can be used, though. Well, I can sleep on the floor, I guess. ''Oh, that''s good. I brought my nightgown with me.'' Imelda pulls out a lovely, fluffy negligee from her luggage. ''So that''s what you wear to bed. ''Then, please leave the room for a while while I change my clothes. ''Huh? ''No, "Huh? I''m going to ...... change my clothes! What does that mean? Am I supposed to wait in that dark and strangely long hallway until you''re done changing? You know how scary a long hallway is when you can''t see what''s coming? ...... What if you hear dragging footsteps or something like that? ............ Zulk ............ peta ...... zulk ......... ...Peta ...... Zulk ............ Peta ...... Zulk............ Peta...... Zulk......... ...Peta......Zulk............Peta...... Zulk............ Peta...... Zulk......... .............................. ..................... .............................. .............................. .............................. ............ ''Peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta peta! ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ''What''s wrong with you, suddenly! I''m scared just thinking about it! I can''t!I can''t!Absolutely not! ''You, don''t change your clothes and go to sleep! ''I don''t want to!I can''t sleep unless I''m wearing this loungewear! ''Just get under the covers and close your eyes and you''ll sleep! ''No, you can''t! ''I''m the one who can''t! ''What''s that?All you have to do is wait in the hallway for a bit.'' ''That''s what''s impossible!Look, ...... you''re in a long corridor where you can''t see ...... ahead, and if ............'' I tell him about the scary imaginings that have just come to mind. ''No, no, no, no, no, no, no! ''What?That''s what''s going to happen, isn''t it? Imelda''s face turns blue and tears well up in her eyes. ''And, and, and, but ............ watashi, I still have to change my clothes ......''. d*mn it!You''re so stubborn! ''All right,......, if you''re so sure, then it''s no use. Let''s go out into the hallway......'' ''Are you sure?You don''t mind, do you? ''But if ...... you get scared, I''ll be right back.'' ''Please wait, sir! Imelda clung to my waist as I tried to leave the room. ''Somehow, someway, I have a feeling that as soon as I leave the room, I''m going to go straight outside! Of course!Because I''m already scared! ''Wow,...... you got it.'' Phew, ...... understood. ''But please turn around while I change my ...... clothes.'' ''..................Hmm?'' I can hear the ...... sound of clothing rustling. ''What?Wait a minute!Are you going to change your clothes in front of me? ''Well, not in front of you!Behind you!You can''t turn your head this way, Yashiro-san!If you do, you''ll be held accountable! Are you serious? Are you serious? Facing the door, I was forced into a situation where I couldn''t move an inch. I wished he would have at least waited until I was in a more comfortable position. It was too sudden, and my ............ heart was beating wildly at maximum output. The only thing shaking my eardrums was the sound of my heart beating loudly and the faint rustling of my clothes. What is this situation? I''m so embarrassed. ...... I''m so embarrassed. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... This guy really changed his clothes. ............ If I wasn''t a gentleman of steel and self-control, you''d be in a lot of trouble. You''re lucky it was me. You''re lucky it was me!You should be grateful!...... And you''d better make up for the HP in your worn-out heart with something. ''Oh, ............, ......, please don''t look at me too much. ''Oh, no, ............ sorry.'' Turn your head away quickly. d*mn, ...... Imelda looks so lovable. I wonder if today''s work was that hard. ...... Your eyes are tired. Yeah. ''Hey, I''m going to ...... rest today.'' ''Oh, oh!I''m going to go to bed.Go to sleep! ''I can''t offer you any hospitality. ......'' ''Just go to sleep! My heart can''t take much more of this. As I turned my head away to avoid seeing her in her nightgown, I heard Imelda crawl into bed. ...... Ah, it''s finally over. This long day is . ''Yashiro-san ......'' ''Oh. Good night.'' ''No, not that ............ hand, ......'' ''Hmm?'' I turned around to see Imelda looking at me, with only the top of her nose peeking out from under the covers. A thin, white, right-handed hand is gently held out from inside the futon. ''Would you mind holding ...... my hand? ............ What,why? ''Ya, it''s Yashiro''s responsibility!......The story you just told me was too ......terrifying. ......'' Oh, ...... the sound of dragging feet. ...... I''m sure you''ll be fine until you fall asleep. That ...... is pretty hard to do. Well, I guess it can''t be helped. In the first place, he called me here because he was afraid of the night,......, so he had no choice. I had no choice but to take Imelda''s hand. It''s not that I got scared and missed human skin, or that I started to think about what I should do after he went to bed, and I got scared for nothing. It''s something I can''t help. ............ Seriously, what should I do? After he went to bed. ''That ...... Yashiro-san''. Imelda squeezed our joined hands. I sit down on the bed and look down into Imelda''s face. ''Why are you afraid of ghosts, Yashiro-san? ''Why is that: ......'' Is there a reason? Isn''t everyone afraid of them? ............ No, those who are fine are fine. ...... Then why? I''ll think about it again. How long have I been afraid of ghosts? ............ Oh, I see. ''Landlady, ...... my mother told me when I was just a kid. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. ''Heee!I''m afraid of the window!I''m afraid of the window! No, calm down. Even I wasn''t that upset when I was a kid. But those words scared the hell out of me, and I hated gaps in curtains and ...... to death. ''Yes, a good boy is ...... what kind of boy are you talking about?Can I be classified as a good girl?No? Well, objectively speaking, you''re not a ''good girl''. I''m not a good boy. I''m not a good boy. I''m not a good boy. ''I''m going to be a good girl ......!I''m sure you will!...... So please don''t take me with you. ............ Please don''t take me with you. ...... But well, you don''t have to scare me this much. When I was too scared to sleep, the landlady said to me. I''ll tell him that too. ''You know, Imelda. You don''t have to be so scared. ''............ Why, sir?'' Her tearful, girlish eyes look up at me. It would be so much cuter if she was as mature as this on a regular basis. ...... ''It''s because there are people watching over you. ''--Huh? For a moment, the hand that was linked to mine was filled with strength. Then, it slowly becomes warm. ...... What?What''s this reaction? ''That ............ is ............... ...Ya,......,......,Yashiro,............,is that what you mean? ''Ba!No, it''s not! I''m not sure what you mean by that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.It''s not! I''m talking about your deceased close relatives and ancestors! ''In the deceased ............, it''s your mother, isn''t it? The one who watches over me is .......'' The words that came out of her mouth made my heart flutter for a moment. I see. It''s his mother,....... I gently looked out the window. It was a beautiful starry night. ''You know, your mother used to say to me. If you do something wrong, you will be liked and followed by people who are not of this world. ......'' ''That''s ...... scary.'' ''Well, I guess there''s no difference in the wording used to train children anywhere in the world. ''But it''s ............ reassuring ...... if your mother is watching over you... ...you know, ......''. Imelda''s words tended to trail off as sleepiness overtook her. You''ll be able to relax .................. and ......... You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. It''s more like a ''sizzle'' in your hands. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. ''............ if''? ''Huh?'' I endured the pain in my hand and looked at Imelda''s face,...... which was completely pale. ''If ...... your mother had looked at the current Watashi and judged her to be a ............ ''bad boy''... .........Wow, what happened to me? ......'' It seems that he is aware of the fact that he is in trouble if his mother is watching him. ''Oh my God, is your mother coming to take me away? ''Calm down!You''re a parent and a child,.......'' It''s not possible. I''m not sure if that''s true,............. The master and the landlady. They wanted me to be a decent person and to have a normal happiness. But I have lived my life in such a way as to trample on ...... their wishes. If the master and the proprietor are watching my actions,...... and if they are angry,......? "Yashiro ......, I''m disappointed in you ....... I''m disappointed in you. ...... I wonder if I raised you wrong. ...... "Yashiro...... "Yashiro...... "Let''s live together again, this time here: ...... ...... Maybe they''ll come out of hiding. ............ Yes ............ As if peeking at us from outside the window with a ''zee ......'' ............ ''Hoaaaah! ''No, no, no!What is it? It''s not good, it''s not good, it''s not good, it''s not good, it''s not good! I''ve been doing nothing but holding grudges for over twenty years! All I''ve done is live in disgust! They''re never going to watch over me like this! --At that moment, the window made a rattling sound. ''Aaaaah! ''Aaaaah! I''m looking! I''m peeking! The master! The landlady! Or is it ...... another scarier ...... ''nanaka''! ''''Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!I''m so scared!It''s really scary! ''Ya, please stop!If Mr. Yashiro says something like that, I''ll get scared too! ''Just go look out the window! ''You can''t! ''There might be something out there! ''That''s why I''m telling you it''s impossible! And the windows rattled and shook. ''''Gyaaaaaaahhhh! I''m screwed. ...... I''m scared. ...... I''m too scared. ............ I hate the night. I hate the ...... darkness. ............ I can''t wait to go back to the warmth and kindness ...... of that sunshine. I desperately wanted to go back to that warm and gentle sunshine. --Rattling. I''m not sure what to do. I''m afraid of Yashiro''s screams more than anything! Screaming. Aah, aah, aah. The screams did not disappear from the darkened bedroom. I wonder how long I''ve kept my mind sharp. ...... From afar, I heard the sound of hope. Clank clank!Clank-clank! The wake-up call. It''s a signal that the sun will rise in a few hours. Night is ending. ...... It''s time for people to wake up. I didn''t sleep a wink, but that doesn''t matter! It doesn''t matter, it doesn''t matter! The sun is coming up. I''ll see you all. I''m so happy about that fact. ''...... Is it time to wake up yet? ''Oh, ...... our fight is over, ......'' ''Morning ...... is coming .......'' ''Oh, ............ that was a long ............ time, wasn''t it? ''But we ...... endured it, didn''t we ......'' ''Yes!I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Yashiro-san! ''Imelda! Hugs. A passionate embrace. A sign of friendship between warriors. A beautiful embrace. ''Now, open the window and see the world!There''s nothing to be afraid of anymore! ''That''s right!We''ve never even been able to touch that window before, now let''s open it! Imelda and I both rushed to the window. It''s still dark outside, but it doesn''t matter. It''s morning in the world. We''re ready to welcome the sun. The time of darkness is over! We both put our hands on the window and let it open. The cool air caresses your cheeks and refreshes your tired body. Your eyes become clear. You can feel your brain cells being activated. A large window overlooking a large garden. Outside of that is a balcony, and once you''re on it, you''ll be able to see everything in the branch. Leaping onto the balcony in our bare feet, Imelda and I leaned against the railing. This is what it means to feel awake. Nerves sharpening. I feel like I can do anything now. And my sharpened nerves made me clearly recognize a figure stirring in the ............ darkness. What? There''s something out there! In the garden of the mansion, there is a ...... moving figure ....... My eyes, accustomed to the darkness, are catching its outline. A figure is peeking out of a ............ window at the first floor of the building. ............ ''''A scary ghost is coming through the window and taking me away! ''''Gyaaaaahhhh! ''''Nyaaaaah! Me and Imelda screamed together on the balcony. Startled by our voices, a figure screams. That scream sounded very familiar to me. ...... In front of the mansion, a figure looks up at the balcony from the large garden,......, and it is Ginette. .............................. ........................ I''m freaked out... ... I lost all strength from my waist and slumped to the ground. ...... I can''t move a step. ............ ''Oh, no!Are you okay, both of you!Um, sir!I''m going to go help you. I didn''t have the energy to respond to Jeannette''s voice flying from below ...... anymore. I sat down at a table in the sunshine pavilion and drank some hot soup. There was no one in the restaurant. The time was around 4:30 or ...... a little later, it was time to wake up Magda and go to the church to donate. ''Thank you for your time. Ginette, sitting in front of me, says to me with a wry smile. ''Oh ......, I''m really tired.'' After that, Ginette came up to the bedroom and rescued us. We were rescued. After all, as soon as I saw Jeannette, my heart was filled with an inexpressible sense of security. It was at that very moment that I lost my fear. Then I returned to the sunlit pavilion with Imelda on my back. I could have let Imelda sleep, but she didn''t want to. ''I''ll cry if I wake up and find myself all alone! ......, that''s right. And now Imelda is sleeping in my room. ...... This is how it''s going to end up, isn''t it? You''ve been talking about straw, but the moment you got into bed, you went to sleep. I don''t think he''ll wake up even if a heavy metal band plays next to him. What the hell was all my effort for the night? ...... ''But why were you there at that time of night? ''Heee! Ginette makes a strange noise. When you make a voice like this, you usually have something guilty on your mind. ...... In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... In the event that you have any questions concerning where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ...... As soon as I woke up, I felt a little anxious ...... and realized that it was going to be hard ......... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following URL: ....... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. ......... But it''s not!I don''t mean to discourage you from doing so, but ............ I don''t know, ......... I''m not trying to discipline you or anything, but I''m just trying to make you feel ...... better. ............ I''m sorry. So you''re saying ...... you were jealous ...... that me and Imelda spent the night alone together?No, I don''t know if it was jealousy or not, but at least it made you feel uneasy. ...... That''s what I think. ''Oh, ...... that .................. was a bit much... ...'' ''No ............''. It''s okay. It''s okay. It''s just that ......, well, you know, it''s just that ............ ''Never mind, it''s ...... okay? ''............ Yes.'' You might be a little bit happy about that,...... but I can''t tell you what I''m thinking. 103-Episode 88 Unpopularity ''Woohoo!The sea fishing guild is here! ''I love it!I''m in the lumberjack guild again! ''Eh~, trade me~!I''m in the Trubec Engineering Guild! The children are chatting animatedly. ''It''s a great success. No wonder Jeannette was so happy. The children''s lunch was a great success. There had always been a large number of men who came to the restaurant to eat in between work, but when they went back to work, many of them came with their children during the so-called ''hole time''. It seems that mothers and their children are enjoying a leisurely late lunch, avoiding the time when there are many males. The children''s lunch flag is served randomly. At first, I was expecting some complaints, but surprisingly, even if the flag was not the one they wanted, the children just shrugged it off as ''inevitable'' and there was no major confusion. However, with the exception of one flag, ...... ''Aaah!This flag is killer! ''Wow, that''s cute! A child frowning and staring at it as if it were an abomination is ...... ''......Why does everyone hate ............ me, did I do something wrong?'' Estella is on the verge of tears. ...... Yes, only the lord''s crest is somehow unpopular with the children. Five days have passed since we started selling children''s lunches. On the first day, the response was only, ''Oh, it sold well,'' but on the second day, there was an immediate response. Children who ate the children''s lunch showed off the flag in the square. And today, the fifth day. The number of children''s lunches sold surpassed the number of sales of our signature dishes, "Yaki Salmon Set Meal" and "Daily Specials Set Meal," and became the sole top seller. Boom, wow. So, in the midst of all this, what caught my attention was the unpopularity of the ...... lord''s flag. The kids who looked at the flag frowned. I wondered if they were afraid of the double-headed eagle and the snake.I thought, but apparently not. ''Yashiro......'' ''What the hell? For the past few days, Estella has been stuck in the sunshine pavilion, seemingly unable to get any work done. I think I''m about to start crying for real. ''Could you design a new coat of arms for me? ''Bah!Don''t change it, you can''t do this! ''Because!Because of that!It''s not appropriate for a lord to have a coat of arms that is so hated by the children! His eyes are serious. ...... This guy could be serious. ''Oh, ...... hello.'' ''Oh, Millie-san. ''Hello, Millie. I brought you some flowers. ''Thank you very much. There are fresh flowers on the counter all the time these days. Today is the day to replace them. With the increase in the number of parents and their children, the plan is to win the hearts of the mothers as well. ''Wow!Your sister''s coat of arms is so cute! ''Yeah, ......? A young girl in the store is getting excited as she stares at the bag that Millie is wearing on her shoulder. The bag may have been provided by the guild and had what appeared to be the guild''s coat of arms engraved on it. ''......, the guild''s crest?Cute?'' ''Yes!It''s cute! ''Oh, thank you .......'' Millie smiles shyly as a young girl compliments her store''s coat of arms. Even a small guild has a coat of arms. It is used to mark the goods that are delivered. The food and drink guild to which the Sunlit Pavilion belongs also has a coat of arms. However, restaurants tend to emphasize the individuality of each person, and there are few restaurants that display the guild''s emblem. There are very few. So you don''t see many of them. It would be nice to have one in the Sunlit Pavilion. Crest. The coat of arms of the Flower Arrangement Guild is a cute design with a motif of pretty flowers and birds that would be popular with girls. The girls in the store were flocking to Millie''s bag with the crest of the flower guild. It was very popular. ''Okay!Let''s take that thing! ''We''ll be in big trouble! Estella''s brakes seem to have failed, and she has no idea where she''s going with her foot on the gas. ...... If I don''t do something, the lord of the 42nd district is going to blow himself up in a big way. If that happens, the people will lose faith in him, he will fall, he will be taken over, and the lord will be replaced. ...... If that happens, the plans for the city gates and roads will be ruined!On top of that, Estella has the rights to the sewage system, so she won''t be able to sell to other districts and money won''t be coming in from the outside. ...... I can''t let you do that. ''Hold on a second. I''m going to find out what''s causing this.'' ''Yashiro......'' Estella gives him a pestering look. ...... something, if you were abandoned in the park on a rainy day, I would pick you up and take you home, I would. And I''m going to name you Crane. ...... Would "Peta" be better? While thinking about it, I grabbed a nearby kid and listened to him. I smiled so as not to scare the kid. ''Hey, can I talk to you? ''Aaahhhh!Mama~a!I''m being taken away by a scary old man! Who''s the kidnapper? ''...... Pfft.'' Estella is laughing at me over there. ...... I''ll stop, you bastard. ''Hey... Why do you hate the lord''s flag?'' ''Oh, it''s ......... ......'' The kid glanced at his mother. He was probably checking to see if it was okay to talk. ...... I see. You have to cage the old lady to get the kid to talk. ...... I''m not sure what to say.What a bunch of beautiful wives we have today!I can''t help but want to ask you to sample the new cake we''re releasing next month!'' ''You guys!Make sure you answer this wonderful brother''s questions! ''We''re going to help that cool big brother! ''I don''t care about the Flower Arrangement Guild!Just listen to your brother''s story! ''Oh, ......, I don''t care,............''. I''m sorry, Millie. ...... I''m going to buy you a bouquet of flowers. They don''t take advantage of their children. She''s bossy, even a little unreasonable. And yet, they have built a strong relationship of trust with their children, so they are fulfilling their duties as mothers. It reminds me of good old Japan. It reminds me of the good old days of Japan, when a strong-willed mother was the norm. The kids gather around me, obeying the orders of such a scary mother. Thank you for making it easy. ''Ginette. ''Yes, sir. I''ll go get ready.'' That''s all Ginette needed to know, and she retreated to the kitchen. She will bring the rare cheesecake that she has prepared and cut it into bite-sized pieces for the tasting. The tasting was to be held at some point. Word of mouth has tremendous advertising power in this world. I''ll leave the old lady to Jeannette. ''Hey, don''t you guys like the lord''s flag? ''............'' It must have been ingrained in them that if they say anything negative, they will be offended. The kids keep their mouths shut. They are smart kids who are watching adults very carefully. Therefore, I will treat them as if I were dealing with adults, not kids. ''You can be honest with me. It''s more helpful.'' ''Killer! ''Me too...'' ''Hey.'' Yeah. You''re really being honest. ''Is there a reason you''re doing this? ''............'' The more questions you ask, the more the kids think they''re being told off. We need to somehow create an environment that will make them talk honestly. ''So, who''s afraid of the picture of the ...... eagle? I raise my hand and invite the kids to raise their hands. But the result was zero. No hands went up. ''Then, I hate snakes! I ask the kid to raise his hand, but he doesn''t respond either. It seems that the design is not the problem. What then? ''Who doesn''t like lords? No one raised their hands, either. When I glanced at Estella, she was patting her chest in relief. ''Then what the hell is wrong with me?Does anyone know? I crossed my arms and asked them with exaggerated movements, as if I were an older brother in a children''s TV program. Seeing me, a faint smile appeared on the faces of the kids. Good, good. I guess this kind of thing works in this world too. If you want, I''ll teach you a counting song later. ...... Oh, since it''s going to be translated, shouldn''t it be in the melody?What''s going to happen with that?But that''s okay for now. ''You know, ......''. As I was twisting my neck, a chatty girl with an air of ''I''m a big sister'' came up to me with her hand over her mouth. It was a signal for a private conversation. I gently lend my ear to the girl. ''...... My dad always looks uncomfortable when I get a letter with that crest on it. ''Your father? ''Yeah, ......, so I''m sure that letter is from ............ someone bad.'' When I looked around, I saw that all the kids were nodding their heads in agreement, as if their private conversations had been overheard. ...... Oh my god. The letter was probably a collection notice. It must be a document to collect the monthly tax based on sales and harvest. That''s a nasty look on your face. Taxes are paid later, right? It''s like a ''take it or leave it'' kind of thing. Even if it wasn''t, a letter from a lord would make you nervous just to receive it. In Japan, it''s like getting a letter from the tax office or the police. For a moment, you may wonder, ''Have I done something wrong? This is the kind of thing that makes you wonder if you have done something wrong. So these kids were watching their parents'' expressions closely. ...... It''s going to be difficult to clear up this misunderstanding. ...... ''Can I have a word with you, gentlemen? In front of the kids who were repeating secret conversations that were not really secret conversations, Jeannette crouched down, looked at them and slowly spoke. The kids who had been chattering quieted down and all turned their attention to Ginette. All of them have a smile on their face. ...... With a single smile, you''ve tamed the kids I went through so much trouble to get to know. ''My lord is not a bad person. On the contrary, the reason why you all can live happily every day is because the lord is working hard, hard, hard. ''......Ginette-chan......'' Estella is in tears over there. ......, but Ginette is not protecting you, okay?Ginette doesn''t know that Estella is the daughter of a lord. She simply thinks so. ''Hey, kids. Do you like popcorn?'''' ''''''I love it!'''''' ''''Well, how about cake? ''''''I love it! ''''I love it! ''''I like it a lot! ''''How about children''s lunch? ''''''Sukiiiiiiii! The kids are shouting at full power, as if they''re grinding their souls. Hey, the store creaked. ...... ''All that food wouldn''t have been eaten if it weren''t for the lord. ''......What?'' ''Bullshit. ......'' ''Is that so?'' ''Oh. It was the lord who said, ''You can set up a stall,'' and it was also the lord who made it possible to use sugar for cakes. And the sale of this children''s lunch has also been approved by the lord. But it wasn''t done by the lord alone, you know. I''ll keep my mouth shut about that. ......, you don''t have to adjust your mind to the kid. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. ''...... Wow.'' ''That''s amazing.'' ''Yes!Yeah, the lords are awesome! With my encouragement, the kids are starting to question their own values. The lord is not a bad thing. ............ Maybe, just maybe. This "maybe" is important. We need to create a space in the minds of those kids who have not listened to us so far. Then, if you attack them, you can fool them into thinking you are a kid. ''But ...... hey? ''Yeah,......, my dad said, "You raised taxes again, that a**h*le lord! He said.'' ''Heh. What''s your name, son?'' ''Jeannette. Can you get this scary lady off the stage right now? ''Yes, I''ll do that. Come on, Estella. Just hold on here. ''But!That guy!It''s him! ''Estella-san!Let''s leave it to Yashiro-san for now!'' Estella is being dragged by Jeannette to the far end of the store . ...... You could have just thrown her outside. ''Still a little unbelievable, aren''t you? ''......Yes.'' ''Me too ......'' ''A little .......'' ''I see. You''re right. It''s not gonna be easy anytime soon.'' To show you that I''m on your side, I''ll show you that I agree with you a lot. Actually, the kids have already fallen for one of mine. They thought it was ''hard to believe'' that their lord was a good man. But when I said, ''Isn''t that a little hard to believe? But when I said ''a little unbelievable'', they changed their opinion to ''a little unbelievable''. And he affirmed it himself. By doing so, he was able to limit his distrust of the lord to only ''a little''. Since I affirmed it myself, there was no way the kids would doubt it. What''s more, even I, his ally, said, ''That''s right. The lord is ''a little'' unbelievable. That''s what all the kids are saying now. Now all we have to do is overturn their wobbly values, and their opinions will change 180 degrees. ''Well, tomorrow. Will you come back for another children''s lunch?I''ll show you the proof that the lord is on the side of you kids .............'''' ''Tomorrow? ''One more time?'' ''Yes.'' I nodded loudly, put my hand over my mouth and motioned with my hand for the kids to gather around. It''s a signal to talk in private. This is what the kids like. Sure enough, they all crowded around me with excited faces. Making sure they are all focused on me, I secretly say to them. ''If you beg your mother now, you can have a children''s lunch tomorrow. ''''''''--! That''s good to know!The kids ran to their mother as if they had been shot. ''Hey!You know, my good brother wants us to come back tomorrow! ''The lord! ''The evidence! There are many reasons for begging. Even the impregnable mothers would have to agree if they were told at this place, in this situation, and at this time. At any rate, in a store where they were being allowed to taste cakes for free, their own children, who had been found to be antagonistic to the lord through no fault of their own, were ordered to come back tomorrow by a good man who was willing to help them dispel their distrust of him, and who they had just said was kind and a good brother. We were ordered to come back tomorrow. In addition, we can add the environment of ''we can''t be too cunning because of the other wives'' eyes. There are not many mothers who can say ''no'' in this situation. ''I can''t help it, .......'' ''Well, I''ll see you tomorrow. The mother falls, and the kids shout with joy, ''Yes! They shouted with joy. This alone must have raised the lord''s stock a bit, right? ''Well, gentlemen. Please take your seats. Clapping her hands, Ginette calls out to the kids. Perhaps due to the power of their big breasts, the kids obeyed Ginette''s words. ''''Do you have some idea of what the lord has done for us so far? ''''''Yes!'''''' ''''The fact that your lives have become much easier in the past few months can be said to be the fruit of the Lord''s efforts.'''' Ginette began to persuade them. The mothers listened attentively. There''s no place to talk about this, so this might be a good opportunity. After all, it is only with the support of the people that a lord can exercise his power to the fullest. ''Ginette-chan ............ is so kind.'' Estella is staring at Jeannette with both of her eyes bugging out. I''ll sit down and listen to Dr. Ginette''s lecture,............," she said when she let her guard down. ''But there is a wonderful person who planned them first and lobbied for them harder than anyone else! ...... It''s been a very, very unpleasant trend. ''There is a wonderful person who invented price stability, sugar distribution, knowledge of sewage, popcorn, cakes, and this children''s lunch ...... No, most of the menu items we have in this store! ......Hey, I think I have a cold. ............I can''t stop the chills. ''He''s a humble, thoughtful and modest man who doesn''t do much in the way of public appearances. But!We must never forget his presence, his achievements, and his kindness! ''Hey, girl!What kind of person is that? ...... Oh, stop it, you nameless little girl!If you ask Jeannette such a thing now, ...... ''Who are you? ''Where are you? ''I want to meet you! Shut up, you kids! Look!Ginette''s cheeks are getting a little flushed because of your agitation!Don''t make me get excited! ''''''Tell me!'''''' ''''I understand! You know! ''''That person is ............ that person! And so, the person Ginette was pointing at was ............ Estella. ''What?Me? ''Oh, no!I''m not sure what to do. I ...... ducked under the table in the nick of time and escaped danger. ''Oh, wow!That''s him! ''You''re awesome! ''He''s so cool! ''No, no, wait a minute, guys. This is a misunderstanding. ...... First of all, I''m not a guy. ......! ''Oh, um, guys!You''re wrong!You''ve got the wrong guy!I''m not that guy! It''s not him!Thanks for the cake! ''I like you, big guy! ''I''ll be your wife! ''No, no, wait!What about me? ''...... Estella''. I jumped up behind Estella, who was trying to argue with the kids, and quickly gave her an earful. ''It''s nice to be a lord who is popular with children. ''Yeah, ............ do you think so? Estella''s smile falters. ''Oh, Yashiro-san!Where the hell are you ......? ''Oh, I''m sorry, Ginette. I''m going to go to Bekko''s place. I''ve got some urgent work to do.'' ''What?Huh?No, but I''m still in the middle of telling everyone how wonderful Yashiro-san is at ......! ''''Well then!I''ll take care of the rest!Oh, I''ll tell Magda and Loretta to go back to the store! ''Ah!Yashiro-san! I hurriedly left the sunlit pavilion. I''m not kidding. I can''t stand being made into a hero in a place like that. I''m a con artist, remember? I''m just gathering information to run a scam in this world and laying the groundwork for living in this world. You can''t scam me if you''re a celebrity. The lord changed this city. That''s all that matters. History is fine as long as the leader of the time represents it and leaves his name behind. If you have to memorize the name of the carpenter who built Osaka Castle, all the students who take the entrance examinations will suffer from exam neurosis. I easily dodged the disaster that was about to befall me and walked away from the sunny pavilion. I''m going home until the noise dies down. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I''ve got to get ready for tomorrow, too. 104-Episode 89 Special ''I am sincerely sorry ...... for this ...... and I will never ............ do this again! I''m so sorry, that I can''t do it again! Early morning . Bekko is on his knees in front of the store. I don''t mind at all that Jeannette is looking at him and freaking out. All you have to do is get down on your knees or sleep on your knees. ''What the hell happened to that ......? ''I just gave him a big talk yesterday about confidentiality. A leak of information can, in the worst case, bring down a major corporation. Information leaked in a casual manner can cause astronomical losses. In particular, if ...... someone else had beaten us to the punch with regard to the product we had Bekko make this time, we would have lost an immeasurable amount of money. In addition, the opportunity for the kids to fall in love with the lord would have been destroyed. It was a very serious incident that could not be forgiven by expelling the forty-two districts. ''So, have you got the numbers? ''Hahaha! You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a few of them. ...... I''m not that mad at you, so stop being so afraid of me. ''Just look up at me. ''But ...... I can''t forgive myself, that ...... I can''t forgive myself.'' ''All of you, raise your heads! ''Hahaha! He raised his head. What?Is there some kind of Edo-era sensor built in? Also, ''haha! is when you bow down?When you raise your head... ''Haha! Not many people say that when they bow down. ''Well, I can''t help but think that if Imelda is pestering you, you''re going to break down. ''No, no. This matter was caused by my lack of awareness, that it was. Mr. Imelda had nothing to do with it, that she did. Becko told Imelda about the new cake and the secret work. I''m not sure if it''s because of my beliefs, but I''ll take full responsibility for it. ...... Could it be...? ''Ha-ha-ha. I''m not sure. I''m going to kill myself, that I am. I''m scared!What, is it really that painful? That''s really rude. ''I''m a fan of Estella, Magda, my sister, Molly from the sugar factory, and Cheryl from the corn farm. ''They''re all vines, aren''t they? Cheryl is five years old.You''re a criminal. ''So, what is that ...... package all about?I thought you said it was to teach us about the magnificence of our lord? ''No, it''s not that noble, is it? Where did you get that from and who did you talk to? Do you think I would say something like that? Well, at the very least, it''s enough to take away those kids'' preconceived notions and make them think they like the lord. It''s a stunt, that''s all. ''Good morning! ''Good morning, ......, what''s up? ''Oh, you''re here.'' Theron and Wendy arrive at the Sunken Pavilion at the right time. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. ...... Why is Wendy with you when you called Theron?I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say.I don''t know.I''m not sure what to make of that.Explode!Or lose the eyebrows!Disintegrate, handsome! ''You disgusting bastard! What?No, no, hero!We''re such ......!'' ''Yes, we are. I was only accompanying Theron as a light to keep him from falling on the dark road. ...... What kind of a man would use her as a light, is that it? If I were Wendy''s father, I''d punch him in the face and say, ''You think my daughter''s a flashlight? If I were Wendy''s father, I''d punch her in the face. ''Did you ask Mr. Theron to do something for you? ''Oh . Bekko and Theron. This is a project that won''t succeed without the cooperation of these two.'''' ''''Ah, Mr. Yashiro!To think that you would rely on me like this, ............ I will cut my stomach to express my gratitude, that I will! ''No! I''m not happy at all even if you cut me! ''Theron, it''s great ...... to be relied on by a hero, ............ it''s wonderful.'' ''It''s because of your support that I''ve been discovered by the heroes. ...... Thanks to you.'' ''Theron......'' ''Wendy......'' ''Do you want to kiss me, that you do? ''Aww! ''Aaah! Good job, Becco, you''re the best!Good job! Ginette''s face turned red, but she was watching it all the same. Hahahaha!That was a bummer!I''m not going to let it go that pink! ...... Don''t be happy that you''re relying on me, guys. I''m not sure what to do. ''By the way, Theron. ''Yes.'' ''Will it still dry out? ''If you keep it exposed to the outside air, it will ....... But we''ve improved it so that it can be made soft and sticky again by kneading it with water. ''I see. That''s very helpful.'' ''Oh, that''s very kind of you! ''So, you''re exaggerating! Theron bowed at a right angle. For some reason, Wendy is bowing with him. Well, she''s a good girl. I wish he''d explode, but only Theron. ''This is the actual item. ...... I''m sure it''s quite heavy,...... but I''m sure the bug people have strong arms,...... While Wendy is lowering the crate to the ground, Theron adds to its contents. ''As you said, it''s individually wrapped in small portions of about 25 grams.'' ''I see. I''m sorry for asking you to do something so troublesome. ''I''m sorry!I''m sorry to ...... make you bow down to the heroes! ''So stop it! Am I a dictator? And you''re still bowing to me, Wendy? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... What is this scene?Are you a bad person? I''m sorry, but can you take all this to the kitchen? ''''''Yes, I''d be happy to! Yes, that it is! The three of them competed with each other to carry the heavy luggage, and Ginette led them into the kitchen. ...... I wonder why people like me so much. ............ I get so many strange looks. After the early morning hustle and bustle is over and you''ve done your morning routine, the sunlit pavilion is open for business again today. ''I wonder if they''ll be okay ...... and if they''ll get it right?Our flag .......'' ''Well, don''t worry about it. Estella, who had joined us at the church, looked anxious as ever today. She''s so weak mentally. Well, just keep your head down. It''ll probably work out. Whether it''s sunny or rainy, whether Estella is sinking, time flows at the same speed, and the life cycle of the people in this town is also regular, and almost every day, the same people come to eat. ''Hah!Magda-tan, you''re a real angel again today! And let''s not talk about the unrelated ones this time. While I was busily working, lunch time was over, and this time came. The parents and children from yesterday are gathering one after another. Now, it''s time to play. I wonder if they''ll bite well. ...... ''Welcome to the Sunshine Pavilion''. Ginette begins to serve the mother and child. ''Well, I''ll have the daily set meal and a children''s lunch for her. ''Yes, ma''am. Magda-san! ''...... excuse me.'' At Ginette''s call, Magda approached the table with Ginette, carrying a large box. As if to switch places with Magda, Ginette went down to the kitchen. The box Magda brought was the size of an upright piece of cardboard, with a large slot at the bottom that looked like a small vending machine. Or rather, it is exactly like a small vending machine. The internal structure is so complicated that I was about to give up on the idea of letting Becco copy it, but he made me build it as a punishment for leaking ...... information. I spent half a day on it yesterday, and it turned out pretty good. The small vending machine has three levers, and by pulling down any one of them, a flag falls down to the bottom slot. It was closer to the old "Cosmos" vending machines than the current ones. In the future, we will use this small vending machine to let children who order a children''s lunch choose a flag. ''Press .......'' The kid pulls down the lever of the small vending machine, prompted by Magda. Then, a flag in a case fell into the slot. Here, it''s for the pilaf, you know. I have to keep it sanitary. Incidentally, we''ll try to collect as many of these cases as possible. It''s a cost saving measure. Now, let''s see which flag came up: ...... ''Ah!............ ugh ......'' The kid''s expression clouded over. The kid drew the flag of his lord. That''s it!Great job, kid! ''...... jackpot! Magda rang the handbell. ''What?What? The kid looks around in panic at the sudden situation. He must be puzzled by an event that had not happened until yesterday. The kid immediately sensed the next move and turned his gaze towards it, ''Ah! and turned his gaze in that direction. Where the kid was looking was Loretta. Hearing the sound of handbells, Loretta walked to the table where the kid was sitting, carrying a box full of small bags. This time, Loretta switched places with Magda and stood in front of the table. ''The lord''s flag is a jackpot!Congratulations!I''ll give you one of these bags of your choice! ''Really? What kid wouldn''t be happy to be told he''s won. All eyes in the store ......, especially those of the other kids, are focused on the kid who won the prize. They must be curious about the contents of the bag. ''Well, here! The kid who got one of the bags proudly holds it above his head. The other customers'' children swarmed around him. ''Let me see inside! Hurry up, hurry up! Under pressure, the kid who won the prize opens the sachet. ''What? What came out of the bag was a square wax mold made by Becco and a children''s clay developed by Theron that did not harden easily. ''What''s this? The kid who had won asked Loretta, tilting his head. Well, I guess he doesn''t know how to play. I guess that''s where I come in. ''Hey!Good for you!You''re so lucky! I pat the kid on the head and give him a refreshing smile. ...... He''s a little frightened. Well, well. Nothing?I don''t like kids, so I don''t have a problem with them hating me. This is a toy that the lord provided for you kids ....... '''''''' Toys? '''''''' ''I''ll borrow it. With the approval of the kid who won, I begin to knead the paper mache. Playing with clay at the dinner table is outrageous, and I would never normally allow it, but it''s a good first day. When the clay is well kneaded, it becomes soft. I pressed the softened clay into the mold that Becko had made. After pressing it from behind with a ''swoosh, swoosh'' motion, he slowly removed the mold. ............ The clay was in the shape of a horse. '''''''' Wow! '''''''' The kids ate it up. ''Besides horses, there are also dogs, cats, foxes and alligators. Maybe there''s something that''s not an animal. '''''''' I''d love to! '''''''' Okay. I think it''s safe to say that the toys worked for now. Something the kids want unconditionally and quite badly. That''s what toys are for. But toys are difficult. If it''s too simple, kids won''t bite. If it''s too complicated, kids won''t bite. I was going to have him make miniature animal figures, but then I would have had to color every single one of them. Becko has a talent for painting, but he didn''t have the time. If he painted, he would need time for the paint to dry, and above all, he would need time to prepare the paint. It is not a convenient world where paints are sold in stationery stores. You have to make up your own combinations of the colors you need. I didn''t have time to try them out one by one. I asked Millie to prepare bamboo to make a bamboo dragonfly, and I also thought of using wood to make a kendama, but I didn''t have time to teach her how to play it. But we didn''t have time to teach them how to play. Kendama is very difficult to make. When I thought of something that I could spare time for and that was simple to play ......, clay was really convenient. In addition to the simplicity of kneading and pressing, kids can easily make complex animal models. That''s a lot of enthusiasm. The good thing about this model is that we don''t have to paint it. The best thing about this is that we don''t have to paint anything, which saves us a lot of time, and at best, it''s perfect for "free creative activities that maximize the creativity of children. You can paint it whatever you want. It doesn''t matter if the horse is red, camouflage, or anything else. Perhaps this will lead to the birth of a future artist among them. In that case, I would like to ask you to donate a lot of money to the cafeteria. I''m the one who gave them a start, and I''m as good as their parents. Another advantage is that you can play with it as many times as you like by re-kneading the clay. Play until you get bored. And after you get bored, you will discover new ways to play. That''s innovation! Oh, what a good thing I''m doing now. It''s no exaggeration to say that the future development of the 42nd district is being created by me right now! ''You can always go to the brickworks to buy clay. When you''ve collected a lot of molds, you can exchange them with your friends and play with them. What you do with the toys is up to you. Have a great time! The eyes of the kids looking up at me, how bright and dazzling they are. ...... I can make a fortune with educational materials. No, I won''t do it, but... ''Hey, hey!Give it back!It''s mine! The kid who won stretches out his arms and wants the mold and clay. I bet you want to do it, don''t you?Don''t you want the other kids around you to do the same? ''The lord''s flag is the winner. If you win, you get this one! ''Mommy!I''ll have kids'' lunch too! ''I want to do that! ''I want a horse! The kids scattered to each table, begging for more. The first day of service, the percentage of lords is high, but ...... it''s not so easy to win, you know? You''ll have to beg for it over and over again! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money.Let''s go every day until we win! We''ll go every day until we win!Come on!Loosen the purse strings for our little ones!And while you''re at it, have a nice meal before you go home! Hmmm, hahahahahaha! ''Ahhh!It''s the Sea Fishing Guild! ''Hahahahaha!I''m going to win!You''ll see~!........................ Torbeck! ''Pupupu!I''m next!'' The kids are swarming the small vending machine. Magda is maneuvering the kids to line up in order. He''s casually awesome, that guy. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that those disorganized kids don''t clash with each other, and they listen to you. ...... Isn''t it boob power that makes kids listen to you? I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh no!Let me see! ''I love it! ''It''s true, it''s the lord! ''Give it to me! ''No! The kids jostle each other like lion cubs. ''Mi, look at ......!Hey, look at me, Yashiro! Estella says in a tearful voice as she claps me on the shoulder. ''The children, they want to be lords!They''re jealous! ''All right. I can hear you, so don''t hit me on the shoulder!It hurts like hell! I don''t know how excited she is, but Estella''s face is crumpled and her body is writhing and twisting. And then I hit her hard on the shoulder. ''Yashiroo! What the hell? ''I love you! ''What? ''It''s because of you!I''m so happy!I can do my job with confidence from now on!Thank you!'' ''...... Oh,oh.'' You''re usually not very honest, but ...... you shouldn''t just blurt out such horrible words. How do I react to that? ...... d*mn it. And you don''t even know it. ...... Tomorrow I''m going to bully you again with my smooth, floppy ...... I''m going to bully you! I''ll make you as embarrassed as my face is right now! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand what I mean. She looks like she wants to say something, but she doesn''t speak to me. It''s no wonder. As punishment for yesterday''s propagation of Yashiroism, I''ve banned ''Mr. Yashiro'' from work for the rest of the day. If you want to call me ''Yashiro'', you must call me ''Hey'' or ''You''. As a result, Jeannette hasn''t been able to talk to me today. I feel bad that I''m ignoring her, but she needs to see some pain. I don''t want to have to go through that again. The kids are swarming around the new model and making a lot of noise. It seems the new model is a condor. It seems that I was able to successfully drive a wedge into the "small gap" that I kept in my heart yesterday. The small gap became a hole, and the hole gradually widened, destroying the ...... entrenched stereotypes. In the minds of the kids, the lord was upgraded from "a bad guy who torments my parents" to "a good guy who gives me toys". It''s the same as when you get excited when you see a sticker in a candy box or a shiny back of a character card. In other words, it is enough to establish such a rule among the kids. Winning a lord" = "getting a toy" = "being treated as a hero among the kids". Now that such an equation has been established, the popularity of the lord will be unassailable. ''Thank you!Thank you, Yashiro! Estella, weeping tears of joy, hugs me, pats me on the head, and pats me on the face. How excited are you? ............ You must have had a really tough few days. ...... Human skin can act as a tranquilizer when emotions are running high. I mean, Estella is like a cat. At first she was very cautious and didn''t show any vulnerability, but now she''s showing her emotions so honestly. It''s like a cat laying down with its belly exposed. You''ve become quite attached to me, haven''t you? ''Oh, hey! It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find any useful information. I''m not sure what to say. ............ I''m not sure what to say. I was about to say it, but I swallowed. But as if he had made up his mind, Jeannette took a deep breath and ...... said something outrageous again. ''You! The ...... world froze. ''You, um, are amazing!Yasi ......, you''ve made everyone smile. I think you''re really great at that! ''...... Hey, Jeannette......'' ''Yes!What is it, dear? ............ Is this guy on purpose?Or are you a natural? Just as I was about to point out the dangers of what he just said, the kids started screaming. ''It''s just like when your mother calls your father! ''Are you married? ''Are you guys in love? ''Huh? Ginette makes a strange noise at the kid''s words. ...... No, ''Huh! It''s not ...... ''Oh, no,...... that''s not it!I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you''re thinking. ...... ...... That''s all! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... And as he left, he dropped another bomb on me. ............ The air felt heavy, and I looked to the side to see Estella ...... frozen with her hand on my shoulder. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... What''s wrong with the air? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. I''m not sure what to do. The kid who started the whole mess has one last thing to say. ''Is that infidelity? He pointed at me and Estella. ...... Who taught a little girl that word? ...... Immediately after, Estella ran out of the store shouting, ''It''s not like that! In the end, I was left behind and had to do all the rest of the customer service. ...... Did I do something wrong? You''ve been working rather hard. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. .................. I was convinced at the time that God doesn''t pay attention to people''s good deeds. I was convinced. 105-Episode 90 One Day in the Forest I can''t believe my eyes. There''s a word for that. ''Hey, is this ...... really my eyes? It''s used when you can''t believe what you''re actually seeing, not just ....... Yes, for example, in this case. ''Oh, ...... Rejina, hello.'' ''Oh, Millie, hi. How are you? ''Yes. You look good too, Regina. ''I''m fine, but I''m not going anywhere, so it doesn''t mean much to me. Regina and Milly. The extremely shy duo are chatting. ''What the hell is going on? ''Ouch!...... Ah, ladybug-san.'' ''What the hell is wrong with you? You''re suddenly shouting too loudly. I was so surprised I thought my boobs would shrink.'' ''They''re shrinking?Seriously, I''m sorry! No, of course not. I got upset at the sight of something a little surprising. Let''s just calm down. I was now coming through the main street to the east side of the 42nd district to go to Regina''s store. The weather is fine. The sun was shining and I felt a little sweaty. On a day like this, Regina must be sitting in a dark, damp room with the wooden door shut, hugging her knees and talking to the cotton dust rolling on the floor. The weather was so clear that she could have been sure of that. And yet, somehow Regina was outside, talking to Millie. So that''s it. The first thing I should say is ...... ''Millie ......, don''t get too close to her, she''ll get sick. ''Yeah ......, what''s making you nervous? ''Oh ...... yourself, you''ve got some nerve ......''. I''m just trying to make sure that a beautiful girl with a promising future doesn''t trip over some stupid pebble and go off the rails in life. ''Oh,......, Rejina and I often ...... talk ...... from time to time, right? ''Yes. She is one of the few friends who remembered my name. ''You guys must have been close.'' ''............Ummm ............Yeah.'' ''Well... .................. well...'' ''I guess it''s not worth mentioning. ......'' ''I''m sure you''ve met him on the street and you''ve exchanged a few words. ''So, where are you going?'' ''Home?I''m in dreamland. ''Only you would describe your house that way. How introverted are you? ''On sunny days like this, it''s best to shut the doors and sit in a dark, still room, holding your knees and talking to the cotton dust rolling on the floor. ......'' You''re not seriously doing this, are you? I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Yeah ...... that ............ can I answer normally?'' Of course. I''m not looking for Millie to be a joke. What I want from Millie is healing. Just be yourself. ''You know, I''m going to go pick some wildflowers. ''Not flowers? ''No. ...... We''re going to dry them and preserve them.'' ''Oh, I see. It''s that time of year again. Regina claps her hands. What is it?Is it in season? We don''t have four seasons in this town, so I don''t really know what the season is like. ''If you don''t mind, can I go with you?I have some medicinal herbs I want to collect while I''m here. ''Hmm!It''ll be fun to go with you.'' ''Then it''s decided. Even if we have a lot of luggage, we''ll have a man to help us. ''Wait a minute. Why am I supposed to go with you? ''Oh, ......? ''Huh?'' ''No, not ...... ''e'', but .......'' Why is Millie even looking at me like, ''You''re not coming? Why does she look like she''s not coming? I didn''t say I was coming, did I? ''Wildflowers grow in the deep, deep forest. ...... With only beautiful women and beautiful girls, I''m worried about something. ...... Hey, Millie.'' ''''............ ''It''s not fair to use Millie, Regina. It''s not fair to use Millie as a trump card. It''s hard to say no. ''If you help me, I''ll give you a nice medicine as a reward. ''Medicine?For what? ''A man''s pride!It''ll give you more energy. ...... ''Come on, let''s go first, Milly. ''Yeah, ......, but .......'' ''Oh, no, no, no, no. Let''s go. ''Hey, wait!Don''t do that, yourself! Regina comes running after us as we start walking. She stood next to me and grabbed me by the shoulders. What a rough body touch. There''s nothing s*xy about it. ''...... haha ...... haha ............ Akan... ...I''ve used up all my energy today. ......'' ''How little strength do you have,......'' I''m sorry to hear that you''ve run out of gas after only two meters of running. ...... ''Ah ......, then you can ride? ''What?I''m sorry.Are you sure? Millie said, pointing to the usual cart. Magda had ridden in it when she went to meet the anteater brothers, and it was a big cart that even Regina could lie down in. The power of the beastmen is immeasurable, since such a small Miry is pulling it with ease. Well, it''s not a beast, but a bug. I''m sorry about that. Be my guest.'' Regina climbs into the back of the truck, cutting her hand. What kind of old man are you? It''s not ''excuse me''! ''You''re not carrying flowers today, are you? ''Hmm. I''m picking lots of wildflowers.'' ''...... to fill this one? ''Wildflowers, they''re delicious.'' ...... Beastmen are not fuel efficient. Magda and Miry seem to get hungry after using their powers. I''ll be back.I can''t ride in the back of the truck on the way back, can I?'' That''s because we''ll be loading wildflowers. ''You. Do your best to pick herbs for me, too! ''Regina. You really look good on a cart. ...... I mean baggage.'' It would definitely save us a lot of trouble if we just threw him out. ''Ladybug, I''ll teach you how to pick wildflowers. ''You''re a pro, ......, let''s see what you can do. ''That''s no...... big deal,...... is it? I think she''s really going to fill this huge cart with wildflowers. That''s how I ended up following her into the forest. Millie seemed to be talking to me on the assumption that I would follow her. Well, I guess I''ll just pick some wildflowers and go home. Me in insectivorous plants in the forest. ''Ta-sukete! ''Oh, ......, soon! ''Already!How many times have you done this to yourself?Get a grip, will you? In the deep, deep forest. I was preyed upon by a giant insectivorous plant that I touched with my fingertips. The mere touch of my fingertip was enough to prey on it. ...... Even the scary older men in Japan wouldn''t dare to hurt me unless I bumped their shoulders.It''s so unreasonable! ''ugh ............Yes, while you''re at it ......'' ''I''m sorry, Millie and ......''. ''Ah ......, hurry up ......, if you open this petal, the beast will be caught by the smell and come ......''. It''s more survival than I imagined. I''m not sure if I''m going to be attacked by a beast when I have that smell all over me. ''Regina. Do you want me to give you a hug? ''Ah~, I''m sorry. I''m not the type to flirt outside. I''m a lady.'' d*mn. ...... I was going to make a companion. I heard that it was a forest in the 42nd district, so I completely underestimated it. This forest is managed by the Shoka Guild and is off limits to the general public. It is said that you can enter the forest if you get permission from the Flower Arrangement Guild, but you must be accompanied by a member of the Flower Arrangement Guild in order to do so. Regina has been there several times in the past to gather herbs. Ginette has been in there too, right? ''Ginette''s been preyed upon quite a bit, hasn''t she?He''s so pale.'' ''Yeah. Jeannette''s never been to .......'' ''It''s a pity, you can''t have a friend. ...... Why am I the only one being preyed upon by insectivorous plants? ............ ''It''s hard being good-looking! ''If you''re so positive, you''ll be fine. Let''s keep picking wildflowers. ''Hmm...'' Nobody''s listening to me. It seems that this area is deliberately planted with a large number of insectivorous plants in order to prevent trespassing. And they''re huge ones that prey on people. ...... What have these guys been eating to grow up to this point?...... You''ve eaten a few of them, haven''t you? ''This flower likes sausages and beer.'' ''Old man.'' It loves sausages and beer, and sometimes preys on people. Old man!...... No, males don''t prey on people. ''Ladybug, maybe you smell like sausage. ......'' ''Oh, that may be so. I''m the only one in this group with a sausage hanging out ......'' ''Come on, Millie!Let''s get on with it! Don''t listen to Regina. ...... What''s she trying to say? ''There''s a lot of ...... wildflowers ahead. I''ll pick some for you, ladybug.'' ''No, no, no. Don''t mess with me, Milly. I''m an expert at picking wild plants.'' ''How can an expert be preyed upon by insectivorous plants like an idiot? Shut up!There were no insectivorous plants of this size in Japan! I''ve been following the landlady to gather wild vegetables since I was a child. There is a widespread image that grandfathers go to the mountains and grandmothers go to the rivers, but in my family it was the other way around. The proprietress went to the mountains to gather wild vegetables, and the master went to the river to catch river fish. I was taught the skills of both of them, and I am the one!Whether it''s picking wild vegetables or catching fish in the river, I''m ready to take on anything. Nothing is impossible for me! I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you. Millie pointed to several long, spindly trees. They were less than a meter in diameter and about four meters tall. At the top of these long trees. At the top of the tree, about three meters above the ground, there is a green grass-like growth. It does not look like a leaf of the tree, but like a parasite of the tree. It reminded me a little of a sea anemone. I mean... Oh, come on. ...... ''The wildflowers on top of the tree are what I''m looking for. ''No, you can''t.'' That''s impossible. You''d have to have feathers to go and get it. The tree trunks are as smooth as whooping crape and there are no branches or hollows to catch your feet. The habitat of wildflowers is not a place where humans can reach. ''What''s the matter with you? Aren''t you good at this? That''s why we didn''t have any of these stupid plants in Japan! I tried to argue with her, but I stiffened. A beast the size of a tiger appeared beyond Regina. It bared its fangs and was definitely staring at me. It made a threatening ''grrrr'' sound in its throat and kept its head low, ready to pounce. If you''re attacked by one of those things, you''ll be more than hurt. ''You guys ......! Before I could say ''run'', the beast came flying at us. No, definitely, towards me. ...... me? I''ve heard that the smell of insectivorous plants attracts the beast. ............ Is it really this effective, that smell? I''m running. I''ll run as hard as I can. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... And then I was captured. I was held down by Magda''s thick arms, which were as long as my waist, and my movements were completely blocked. Is this what you call a disaster? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to ............ end up being attacked by such a beast here? When I was about to be engulfed in such desperate thoughts, I heard Regina''s voice clearly. ''This is our chance. Go pick some wildflowers while you can. ''Hmm.'' No, no, no!Help me!I need your help right now, please! What do you mean?I don''t awaken in a pinch, or have hidden powers that overflow, or anything like that! If you leave me alone, I''ll be eaten for sure! ''Ladybug-san''. Millie''s anxious eyes turned to me. And ...... ''...... Good luck.'' What? Millie said the unanswerable words and climbed up the tree easily. Wow, Millie is a good tree climber. ...... It''s not a good time to talk about it. I''m in a lot of trouble! But ...... I''m not sure what to do.Huh!Huh!Huh!Huff! The beast started licking my face. ...... eaten............? After that, the beast repeatedly sniffed me, climbed on me, bit me sweetly, and acted like a cat pouncing on a ............ reefer. ...... This is ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Well, I''m really grateful that you took on the job. I''m not sure I''d have thought to take on .............It''s not ............!I''m not ......!I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. And it stinks!This beast''s saliva smells so bad! ''Well, I''ll go to ...... too.'' ''Hey!Where are you going? ''I''ve got to get some herbs. ''Yes, that''s right!I have to gather all the herbs for you, right?So, you, take my place! Regina smiled at my desperate plea. ''Well, I''m not getting married yet. That''s what I''m like! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your wedding. ...... I can''t get married anymore. I''ve had a bad time. ...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... . I''m not sure what to make of it.I''ll give you lots of hilar leaves. See? Worried that I was so exhausted that I could barely walk, Milly gave me a lift to the sunny pavilion. Hmm?Regina? ''Oh, my house is this way. See ya! I said, and quickly left. He ...... seriously remember ............ ''Oh, ...... you know, hilar leaves are really good ...... in soup to warm you up, right? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. She''s a really good girl. I want her in my home. How about we trade her for ...... Loretta? ''I''m sorry I had to give you a ride. Do you want to come by?'' ''Uh-huh. I need to dry some wildflowers.'' ''Right.'' I leave Milly at the door. As usual, she repeats ''Bye! Millie repeats over and over again. After seeing her off until she was completely out of sight, I opened the door of the sunny pavilion. ''Oh, welcome back, what''s wrong, Yashiro? As soon as she sees me, Jeannette comes running up to me. The next words came out before I could say ''Mr. Yashiro'', so it was a bit confusing. Well, let''s panic. I said I was going to Regina''s, but when I came back, I was soaked. ''I was out gathering wildflowers with Millie and one other person. ''Oh, ......, that beast must have gotten to you.'' Ginette let out a chuckle. It seems that the annoyance of that beast is common knowledge among those who have been in the forest. Ginette walks into the kitchen, saying she''ll be right back with towels. She must be going upstairs. I hope you have a bath ready. ''............ sssssss'' Magda whisks up to me and sniffs me. ''......I smell another woman.'' ......I wonder if that beast was a female. ...... ''......And a smell that makes me want to take a bite out of it. ............Itchy.'' ''Please don''t do this. ...... I don''t have any energy left today. ......'' The feline element in the tiger tribe seems to have reacted to the feline element in me. I''m not sure what to do.What''s wrong, big brother? Loretta came out of the kitchen and ran in front of me. Ah, so you''re worried about me too. You''re so different from Regina. ''Whoa!You''re disgusting, big brother! He picks his nose, makes a U-turn, and heads back to the kitchen. I''ll put you up for ............ trade, seriously. ''Yashiro, the water is boiling now, please wait a little longer. Ginette comes back with a towel. That''s Ginette. She seems to have prepared the bath without telling me. She knows what she''s doing. ''Big brother. When your body is clean, I''ll worry about you too! ''Shut up, you can''t say anything else. Loretta pokes her head out of the kitchen. That''s the way he is. I know exactly what you mean! ''Oh, yeah. Here, a souvenir. ''What is it? I hand Ginette the wildflower Millie gave me. What''s it called?It''s a wildflower I''ve never seen in Japan. ...... ''Wow!That''s a hilal leaf! Oh, yeah. Hilal leaves. ''I see. It''s that time of year already.'' ''Is it the season? ''Shun? In a city where all kinds of food are available all year round, the concept of season may not exist. But it seems to be a food with a sense of season. ''When I eat this wild plant, I think it''s the end of the season. ''Osameki''? ''Yes. It''s the time to wrap up the year. ''Ah, ......, come to think of it...'' I''m going to break my fingers and count them. Hmm ......, that''s true. It''s already been almost eight months since I came to this world. It''s already December, isn''t it? Even in this world, where the time and calendar are very close to Japan''s, is December still the time to end the year? The last month of the year. Well, that makes sense. Perhaps it was because it was December that Millie and Regina went out to gather wildflowers and medicinal herbs. They are probably preparing for the New Year''s Eve. If you ask me, the whole town seems to be busy. ''Um, Yashiro-san. ''Hmm?'' Hugging a leaf of Hilar, Ginette stares straight at me. ''Could you please go shopping with me tomorrow?There are a lot of things I need to buy. ''Oh, good. We''re getting ready for New Year''s Eve too. Yeah. Do you have any buckwheat noodles?New Year''s Eve soba. Oh, and mochi. I''ll ask Assunto. ''Well, let''s go shopping tomorrow. Magda-san, Loretta-san, take care of the store for me.'' ''A day?Is it going to take that long?'' ''Yes. It''s very important, so it must be done without fail! ''Hmm... Well, that''s fine. With no four seasons, District 42 is like an everlasting spring. Recently, the weather has become a little cooler and more like autumn. It would be nice to spend a day with Ginette in the fresh autumn breeze, wandering around the city to do some shopping. I''m getting a little excited. Now that I''ve decided that, I''ll have to get some rest early today. It''s not that I''m looking forward to tomorrow or anything, it''s just that I can''t wait until tomorrow. I''m running out of energy today because of the beast, and tomorrow will be another day of walking, so I need to be in good shape. That''s why I''m going to rest early today. ............ d*mn!I might not be able to sleep! I spent the day with a slightly buoyant heart, and waited for the next morning. The sky was clear and blue, the sun was shining brightly. The sun was shining brightly and the sweltering heat of the day arrived. 106-Episode 91 The soles of the feet on a midsummer da... It''s hot! What the hell is this? ''What''s going on with ...... Jyu,December,......? I wipe the sweat from my chin with my arm. I''ve never felt this heat ...... even in August. ...... Where''s the city of everlasting spring? ''This time of year, we have a heat wave every year.'' ''......Seriously? ......'' I''m pretty sure it''s summer day when the temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius, midsummer day when it''s above 30 degrees Celsius, and extremely hot day when it''s above 35 degrees Celsius. If we are to believe the magic of forced translation, are we going to have days of over 35?¡ãC? It''s December, remember? ''When I feel this heat, I feel the end of the year. ''Is that how it is? ......'' ''Yashiro-san, this is your first time in the heat wave, isn''t it? ''I''ve had a few times before when it was hot. When we had a festival, the temperature was such that I could wear a yukata comfortably. But when it''s this hot, ...... you don''t want to stay inside and come out. Oh, so that''s why Regina was unusually outside yesterday. I knew this was going to happen, so I decided to get some groceries while it was cooler. ...... d*mn it, tell me! ''What are you going to buy? ''About three weeks'' worth of food and a few other things for the end of the year. ''I''ll have Assunto bring it to you. ......'' ''Then, let''s go ask Assunto-san to bring the food for the Sunken Pavilion. Do we need to separate the ingredients for the restaurant and for home? ''Well, we''re off! ''...... oohhhh'' Ginette pulled me by the arm and pulled me out into the middle of the blazing sun. Farewell, sunlit pavilion. Farewell shade. ...... The time is just before noon. From this morning until now, Jeannette has been working all day preparing the food to be served at the restaurant. Now Magda and Loretta alone can run the restaurant. ''I think the number of customers will probably decrease for a while. Everyone is busy preparing for the end of the year. ''Isn''t it because it''s the end of the year that you''re going out for a quick meal? ''That''s fine as long as we can go out. ......'' What? It''s going to get so hot that you can''t go outside? Stop it, seriously. ...... ''First, let''s go to Assunto''s place. Ginette took me by the hand and we headed for the main street, the sun burning my skin. Before I knew it, Assunto had moved his branch to the Forty-second District. It seems that they used to be in the forty-second district, but moved here before and after the festival. They chose a contractor who could start construction immediately, instead of asking Trubec Construction Company. Did you want to come here so soon? ...... Well, money is always taken by those who are quick. As we wipe the sweat off our faces with our handkerchiefs, Assunto greets us. ''Well, you''re very hot. ''Huh?No, no!You see, this is not what I meant. When Assunto said this, Jeannette hurriedly let go of the hand she was holding. No, Jeannette. I''m talking about the temperature. ''It must be hot outside, please come inside. ''Oh, ............ yes.'' Ginette''s face flushes as she realizes what ''hot'' means. Well, I wouldn''t go into it without a fight, either. ...... There''s no air conditioning or anything. Of course not. Across from us sits Assunto, who unfolds a sheet of paper on his desk that lists various products. It''s like a menu. ''What can I do for you today? ''Well, I wanted to prepare for the end of the year. ''I see. Well, how about some soybeans? ''That sounds good. Soybeans.'' Jeannette is telling Assunto about the ingredients she wants. As for me, ...... I can''t do this anymore. It''s too hot for me to hear. I can''t even eat when it''s this hot. I don''t care about food. ........................ Oh, that''s right. I don''t know. Do you have any somen? ''Yes, sir.'' You do? ''We have buckwheat noodles and udon noodles, do you want me to bring some? ''I guess so. For summer fatigue, there''s somen. But they get boring faster than you think, so buckwheat and udon would be good. ''Well, please, for now. ''Yes, sir. Oh, I''d like to try Nagashi Somen. ...... Cold Chinese noodles: ...... Will "Chilled Chinese Hajimemashita" finally make its debut in another world? ''Yes. How about glutinous rice? Assunto is looking at me smiling. Glutinous rice............ I''m supposed to eat mochi in this hot weather? I''ve just been given some wild plants. I just got some wildflowers. ''What do you want, Yashiro-san? ''Well, I''ll just take it. ''Now, I can offer you red beans at a discount. ...... What, is he trying to tell me to eat zenzai in this hot weather? It''s a gaman contest. ''How do you eat red beans? Jeannette asks me. No, no, no. ''It''s what''s in Imagawa-yaki. ''Imakawayaki''s?Please!Mr. Assunto, please give me that! No, you''ve got quite a bite. ...... Didn''t you know? ''Stewing pumpkin with azuki beans makes it sweet and delicious. The winter solstice pumpkin. ...... It''s also something you want to eat when it''s cold. Isn''t there anything more suitable for summer? For example, shaved ice. ''Hey, is there any place where we can get big ice cubes? ''Ice ......? ''What''s he talking about in this hot weather? They''re looking at me like. I know, I know. I know I''m talking out of my ass. But, you know, you want to have shaved ice, or even if you don''t, you want to put watermelon or drink in a tray with cracked ice and chill it. ''We can''t prepare it right away, but if you give us a couple of weeks to ...... ''Really? There are no refrigerators in this world, so you''ll probably have to freeze it in a cave or something. ...... You might be able to eat shaved ice in two weeks. ......... ...Do you want to buy some? No, we need an ice scraper first. A shaved ice machine. And no syrup. ....... ''Well, that''s still good.'' ''I see. Well, it''s silly to pay for ice, isn''t it? Assunto smiles elegantly. He''s changed, hasn''t he? In the past, he would have sold you whatever he could. ''Then, tomorrow ...... we''ll deliver these ingredients the day after tomorrow at the latest. ''I''m sure it''s going to be hard work in the hot weather, but I''d appreciate it. ''No, no. It''s just business. That''s great. I respect you as much as a mover in the middle of summer. I''ll never be able to copy you. ''Oh, that''s right. Since you purchased a large quantity, I''d like to offer you a little service. Please wait a moment. With that, Assunto hurriedly left the reception room. When he came back a few minutes later, he was holding a fan in his hand. ''Oh!Isn''t that a fan? ''As expected of Mr. Yashiro. You know your stuff. This is an item invented in District 10. I''ll take the fan and stir it up right away. ...... Ah, it''s cool. Ginette follows my example and moves her fan. ''It''s true. It feels so good. ''I''ll give you that one. ''Are you sure? ''Yes. It''s not very expensive in itself. I''m giving it to someone who''s always been good to me. You two are the first. Apparently, since it''s a rare and useful item, he plans to hand it out to his clients. I guess that''s the direction his mind is going, too. ''Then, Assunto. I''ll give you one piece of advice as a thank you for giving me something good. I point to the paper part of the fan and say. ''Write an advertisement for the peddler''s guild on this part of the fan. That way, you can advertise it to people who use it and to people who just see it. If it''s a rare item, it''s even more eye-catching. ''It''s the same as the sunlit pavilion shirt.'' Well, that''s what it is. ''I see. ...... Is it an advertising effect? ....... No, this was a blind spot. I guess I''m still not as good as Yashiro. May I use that idea? ''Yeah, use it, use it. It won''t hurt my pocket.'' ''Then, be my guest. Assunto is smiling. He''s probably thinking in his head about what kind of advertising phrase would be more effective. ''So, that''s it for us. ''Are we going somewhere else now? ''Yes, sir. We''re going shopping for the day. In the hot sun. I was almost melting in the disgusting heat while blowing air around my neck with a fan. ...... Is this fan made of bamboo? ............ Bamboo, yeah. ''Probably so. I don''t know the detailed route of acquisition. It''s out of my jurisdiction. It''s a fan made from bamboo procured from somewhere by a craftsman in District 10. No wonder Assunto doesn''t know how it''s made. He doesn''t say where he gets his materials from every single time. ''Don''t tell me you''re planning to make your own fan? ''No,......, that''s not the case,.......'' I want to do shizusomen. But I''m not going to tell anyone about it yet. I don''t want people to get their hopes up. At any rate, I''ll provide you with some unimportant information. ''Stepping on blue bamboo is good for your health. ''Huh? Ginette said, turning her gaze to her feet. ''...... No way, you can absorb some kind of ingredient from the soles of your feet and ......'' ''That''s not possible! Do you have a mouth on the sole of your foot, you. ''There are a lot of acupuncture points on the feet, and when you stimulate them, they release waste from the body. ''Is that so? ''You''re standing on your feet, you''re like a lump of waste. ''I don''t know what it is, but ...... I feel like you just said something bad.'' Ginette puffed her cheeks lightly. ''There''s a ...... pressure point on the bottom of my foot?I''m not sure.It''s not exactly what I''m talking about. ''Okay, Assunto. Give me your foot. ''Feet?What are you going to do? ''I''m going to give you a little foot massage. ''Oh, no!I''m afraid to ask you to give me a massage, Yashiro-san! Don''t be respectful, it''s kind of creepy. ''Ms. Jeannette, why don''t you give it a try? ''What?Is it me? ''I''m also a little interested in it, and if it''s something that could be a topic of conversation, I''d like to adopt it positively. ...... I''d like to see it with my own eyes for reference. ''But, but ......''. Ginette closed her knees tightly and looked down in embarrassment. ''It''s dirty, and it''s ......''. ''Oi!Water and hand towels!Also, please bring some aromatic oil! As soon as Assunto called out, a booth maid who must have been waiting outside the reception room quickly brought a tub of water, a hand towel and aromatic oil. I didn''t know they had aromatic oil. ''Now, please take your shoes to .......'' ''Whoa!Before you know it, you''ll be talking about doing it! Assunto took an interest. He wouldn''t mind using Jeannette as bait to get some knowledge. Ginette took off her boots and dipped her bare feet into a tub of water. I wonder if it''s ....... I''m strangely nervous. I feel like I''m peeking into Ginette''s bath. Ginette washes her feet with the sound of water splashing. Hey, Assunto. Don''t look so hard. I don''t like the thought of losing something. ''So,............, that ............ Yashiro-san.'' She averted her gaze and slowly pulled her feet out of the water and held them out in front of me. Jeannette''s face was bright red. ''Nice to meet you ......, please .......'' ''Oh, oh!'' Fearfully ......, why are you so nervous, just touching my feet. What are you, a junior high school student? Feet, feet. Just a foot. It''s nothing. Just grab it, press on the pressure point and say ''you''re dead''. ...... No, I''m not dead. Okay, I''m totally fine. I''m totally fine. I''m totally fine. I took Jeannette''s leg in my hand, pretending to be comfortable, not caring about anything in particular, feeling lighthearted. ''Hyah! ''Whaaaat?Sorry! ...... What is this?I feel weird! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I was just ticklish. ......'' ''Oh, yeah, yeah. That''s right. It''s your first time.'' ''Huh,............, yes,......, well, I don''t have any ...... experience, so ......'' I''ve never had a foot massage before! ''Yes, that''s right! Foot massage! Foot massage! Come on, let''s start the foot massage! Ginette sits on the sofa. Ginette sits on the sofa, kneels on one knee, stands up on the other knee, places a cloth on the upright knee, and gently places Ginette''s right foot on the cloth. The left one is taken out of the water trough and placed on top of the boot that has been removed. ''Oh, that ...... is kind of ............ exciting, isn''t it? I''m so ............ sorry that I had to turn my foot against Yashiro-san. ......'' So, why is everyone respecting me so slightly? I''m just a regular scammer around here, you know?I''m just a regular scammer who''s destroyed a few organizations. ''Okay, I''ll start, but let me know if it hurts. ''Yes, ............''. Jeannette purses her lips tightly together. ...... What''s with this ''I''m going to s*xually harass you now'' vibe?It''s a massage, right?It''s a healthy thing to do, that''s all! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. When I looked at her, she looked like she was about to cry, and her eyes were filled with tears. Then, in a voice full of courage, she threw out the following request. ''Please ............ gently ...... do ......... ...? --gulp! ''Ouch! ...... you. You did that on purpose, didn''t you? Even if it wasn''t on purpose, that was out! What''s with the timing of that line?Are you aiming at me? I''m not sure.I''ll be back!Yahiro-san ............! ''How about ...... sorry? ''Huh!Oh, uh, ...... I''m sorry, sir. ......'' ''Okay, .......'' You''re making me nervous for nothing. ............ You''re totally, totally ............ ''You should use this amount of pressure to avoid too much pain. ''Oh ............,hmm...... yes...... that.... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing.I''m not sure what to do. Stop panting! ''You know, you two ...... should do that kind of thing at night, at home ......''. ''That''s not what I''m talking about!Massage!'' Assunto averts his gaze and gives an awkward look. Oh, God!I don''t know what to say. It''s a great way to get a good night''s sleep. Ginette said with tears in both eyes. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ...... ''Is there any pain? ''Yes. It hurts when it''s hard, but if you go easy on it. Finally, Jeannette''s smile returns. It''s not like I''m going easy on him,......, I''m just touching him most of the time. It''s not just pushing. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ......Ginette, you''ve got a lot of waste in your system, don''t you? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it.I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. ...... so you. I''m not sure if you''re doing this on purpose, or if you''re just choosing your lines. ''......Uh............Yashiro-san bullied me...... ......'' After the massage, Jeannette is sitting triangularly on the sofa, crying. She is rubbing the sole of her right foot. The stinging pain doesn''t seem to be going away. I did a little work on his right foot and left it at that. It is dangerous to do this in public. ...... Well, if you insist, you can do it in my room this time. ............ No disrespect intended! ''But did it hurt that much? ''Yes. It was almost as bad as when the clay pot hit my whiskers. ......'' ''...... so much, huh? The metaphor is rather graphic. This guy''s got real experience, right? ''It hurts because it''s unhealthy. I can feel the pain when I''m pushed. ''You''re right, that was a bit of an exaggeration. Assunto chuckled, and Ginette puffed out her cheeks, perhaps a little annoyed by it. ''Then you should have it done too, Mr. Assunto!It''s definitely painful! It was unusual for Jeannette to get so worked up. But Assunto has a relaxed expression on his face. ''I''m sorry to say, but ...... Yashiro is not a muscle-bound powerhouse, and the way he hurts just from a light push with his thumb is ......... .. ......'' ''Okay, Assunto. Sit there and wash your feet.'' Hmmm ...... you don''t know. You don''t know how many celebrities have had their feet licked in agony on TV. ''No, that''s fine, but you can''t ...... have a funny reaction, can you? That''s called ''pretending''. ''It doesn''t hurt at all. ...... Ow! You know comedy, don''t you? Assunto washes his feet, much more roughly than Ginette. He sits down on the couch like Ginette and puts his right foot out to me. ''............ In my country, there''s a food called "pig''s feet". ''Why are you talking about it now? No, it''s not pig''s feet, I thought. Assunto''s feet were normal human feet. This would make it easier to press pressure points. I was just wondering what I''d do if it was a hoof. ''I''m a little nervous,'' he said. Assunto sat down shallowly and put his weight on the backrest. ''It''s definitely going to hurt,'' he said. ''Ho ho ho ......, I won''t make as big a fuss as Mr. Ginette.'' Assunto is comfortable. ''Then, if you make more of a fuss than Ginette, you''ll get a discount on the food I ordered today.'' ''Yes, I''ll do that. However, please refrain from unbelievably violent behavior, okay?I''m trying to make a scene, .......'' ''I''ll play fair. I swear on the Spirit God.'' ''I see. Then you''re safe.'' You know what? An unhealthy-looking guy like you, there''s plenty of room for tears if we play fair. ''Then let''s go. ''Yes, sir. Please.'' --Squeeze! ''Pyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! On a sunny, very, very hot summer day, a pig squealed-- ''Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!Aren''t you doing something reckless!Are you sticking a knife or something? ''You''re just pressing lightly with your thumb, see? ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!It''s not a good idea.I''m sorry.Pugyaaah!'''' Assunto slumped down on the couch. ''Ginette . Hold Assunto down so he doesn''t fall.'' ''Yes, sir. I don''t want him to get hurt. Ginette obediently listens to me and presses both of Assunto''s shoulders against the sofa. ''What?No, please don''t!You can''t hold me down! ''But it''s dangerous, sir. ''Devil!Are you the devil?Do you have a past that you''re still holding on to?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. Press down with your thumbs from the outside to the middle of the sole. There is a kind of stubborn muscle, so I massage it with my thumb to make it lumpy. ''Ouch!Ouch!I''m sorry!I apologize!I''m sorry for laughing earlier! Serious tears came in, and although it wasn''t enough at all, I''ll let you go. ''Haa.................. haa......... ............... haha ............ ..................'' Leaning languidly against the couch, Assunto''s shoulders rise and fall violently. He glanced at me and stared at me with both eyes moistened with tears. And then he said this in a resentful tone. ''...... and .................., Yashiro-san... ...You''re so violent. ......'' It''s a good thing you don''t handle bamboo at your place. If there had been bamboo here, I would have cut the tip at an angle and stabbed you for sure. ''Well, thanks for the discount. ''............ is ............... ...zzzzz ............ leave it to me ............'' Assunto nodded, exhausted, as if he had been tortured. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of them. ...... I wonder what we were doing here after all. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. Ginette, still in a bit of a bad mood, says to me with a look of vengeance in her eyes. Oh, go ahead. I''m good with foot pressure points. ''............ Please make time for me next time you''re free.'' ''............ Hmm?'' The only time the Sunken Pavilion is free is at night. If you''re asking me to make time for you there, then .................. ''Ah, ............ ah, ............ well, one of these days.'' ''Yes. ...... sooner or later. Well, you''re overthinking it,............, aren''t you? In a delicate atmosphere, we walked down the main street. The sun is still high in the sky, and it is beating down on us relentlessly. I guess that''s why. I''m sweating like crazy now. 107-Episode 92 Shopping Before going to Millie''s flower shop, I bought some popcorn on the main street. Naturally, it was honey popcorn from the second store of the Sunlit Pavilion. At first, I was thinking of adding more stalls, but at present, two stalls are enough. I decided that it was more important to establish a solid foundation and build a solid customer base than to expand our business too quickly. Management should be strategic and resourceful. However, it seems that popcorn does not sell well on a very hot day. It makes you thirsty. I told my sisters who were working as vendors to drink water and take turns to take a break in the shade periodically, and we headed for the flower shop. ''Cooler ......''. Millie''s flower shop was filled with a cool, cool air. It was like the effect of sprinkling water. ''Hey ......, welcome.'' ''Hey. Thanks for yesterday.'' ''Yeah. I had a good time, too. Miri was in the middle of cutting the stems of the flowers diagonally with a large pair of scissors. She gathered up the flowers, put them on the table, and walked over to us. The way she moves around, she really looks like a ladybug. No, he''s really a ladybug man. ''I''d like to ask you something. ''What is it? ''Do you have any bamboo?I want the thickest, longest, most magnificent one possible. ''Ah ............ ugh ......'' Millie gives me a troubled look. What is it?I''m not sure what to do. ''''Oh, ......Regina''s the one. ......'''' Regina? ''Ladybug says to be careful when you say ''thick'' or ''long'' or ''splendid'' because that''s when you''re trying to sekhara ......'' ''Sorry, Jeannette. I''m going to go kick Regina''s ass now. ''Oh, um, please calm down, Yashiro-san!Millie-san, Regina-san''s comment was a joke, so please don''t worry about it! I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. ''If it''s bamboo,......, just wait a minute and I''ll get it ready for you, okay? ''I see. Thick, long and magnificent.'' ''Oh ......f,thick and long......'' ''You don''t have to recite it, Milly!You''ve just done it for fun, haven''t you, Yashiro? No, because......... ''Jeannette used to be somewhat of an out-of-touch, pouty guy, but ...... she''s become sensitive to such things. ...... I''m saddened.'' ''Whose fault is it? ''.................. Regina?'' ''............It''s ............ undeniable, though. ......'' Awareness ............ of me? .............................. .................. ''...... ladybug-san?'' ''Nah, it''s nothing! ''Nyet!...... What, what, what?'' ''Oh ...... no,............ sorry,nothing.'' ''Yeah ............, yeah. Okay. What the hell are you doing, man? ''So, how long is the bamboo ......? ''Well, I''d say about two meters. It could be longer, though.'' ''Okay. I''ll bring it next time. ''Thank you. He took out a sheaf of paper from his apron pocket and wrote on it. ''Thank you very much for your .......'' Millie puts her hands together and bows. A large ladybug hair ornament sways on her head. You may be happy to see the hair ornament swaying, and when you look up, you will see ''hehehe......'', holding the hair ornament with your hand and smiling shyly. What''s this? Can I ask for takeout? ''Um, Miss Milly. What kind of plant is this?'' Ginette says, staring at the long, thin grass on display by the counter. There are no flowers on it, just grass. Stems and leaves. Do the leaves look like strawberries to you? ''Ah, ...... that''s a snow strawberry, ............ if you plant it now, it will bear fruit every morning when the snow falls.'' Snow...... That''s not a word you want to hear on a hot day like this . I wonder how long it''ll be before we can harvest them. ''Can we eat strawberries every morning?'' ''Hmm. If you grow them well. ''Mr. Yashiro, would you like to buy one? You mean like an advance investment? Well, I guess it''s not a bad idea to try. I''m also hoping that the snow will fall soon, as it does in the summer. ''''Then deliver that with the bamboo. I have other places to go today. ''Hmm!I''ll take it with me. We paid the bill in advance and left the flower shop. Millie came to see us off at the front of the store and kept waving at us until we were out of sight. But she didn''t say "endless bye bye" as usual. It seems she doesn''t do that when she''s seeing us off. ''Well. Shall we go beat up Regina? ''No, that''s ............ well, I''d also like to go to the hardware store and buy some pots to plant the snow strawberries I mentioned earlier.'' ''Pots...... then, Theron''s place.'' ''Yes. The brickworks is farther from here than the hardware store. If you''re going to take the long way, it''s better to come empty-handed. I sweat just thinking about taking a detour in this heat with my luggage. Let''s head for the brickworks first. ''On a day like this, with the sun beating down on us, Wendy might be glowing even in the daytime. ''Uh-huh, ......, no way. Laughing, we walked along a deserted street and arrived at the brickworks. ''Oh, Hero-sama! ''Whoa!It''s too bright! It was Wendy who greeted us at the brickworks. ......, but when we went into a little shade, she began to emit light as if it were nothing. It''s bad for your eyes,....... ''I''m sorry, sir! ''Are you still working on the glowing flower? ''Yes. But right now, we''re mainly developing paints for use on bricks. I want to support that ...... work of Theron''s, so I''m going to ............ cackle! Wow, cute monkey impersonation. I''m not embarrassed. That was a monkey imitation. I''m not embarrassed, I promise!I won''t accept it otherwise! ''Now, I''ll use Regina''s medicine to suppress the light. ''Did you buy it on purpose?'' ''No,......, if you emit too much bright light in front of the heroes,......, that ......, "I can''t see anything because I''m blinded~", he said, aiming to rub my chest. I''ve been told to keep it with me ...... just in case. ''Sorry, Jeannette. I''m going to go kick Regina''s ass now. ''Oh, um, please calm down, Yashiro-san!Wendy-san, Regina-san''s comment was a joke, so please don''t worry about it! ''''Yes, sir. Of course. The heroes would never do such a shameful thing. ''...... What about that one? ''Please don''t imply anything! I don''t know. Regina''s spreading all kinds of weird rumors. She should just lock herself in her room for the rest of her life. Well, well, well. Welcome to my workshop. A freshly sweating Theron emerges from the kiln with a hand towel wrapped around his head like a bandana. Is he firing bricks in this heat wave?What are you, a dominatrix? ''Theron. You''re a pervert, aren''t you?'' ''I''m sorry, hero, ...... I can''t see what you''re talking about because it''s so sudden. ......?'' Theron looked at Wendy in confusion. Wendy chuckles and smiles back. As their gazes crossed, they both let out a light laugh. All right!Explode right here! ''Actually, I''d like a potted plant. I''d like to plant some snow strawberries.'' ''Oh. If that''s the case, I have a recommendation for you.'' Ginette is ordering a potted plant, leaving me to start planning my rear-end explosion. ''Oh, yes, hero. Theron was about to go get a potted plant, but he turned to me and said this with a confident expression. ''I''ve completed the thing that Hero-sama taught me before!I''m afraid I''m not the best, but I think it''s pretty good. ''...... me, what did you say?'' ''I''ll bring it with me. If you like it, please have it. Theron walked back to the grill with a happy face. ''Ahhhh, it''s so hot! I wonder if I''ll hear a perverted voice. And let your handsomeness plummet. Of course, such a bizarre thing was not going to happen. Theron came back with a fresh smile as usual, and his glistening sweat added to his manliness. ...... Tsk. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. ''......Oh wow~......'' ''Please take it! ''What, what?Are you asking me to die? I''m not going to use a shichirin on a hot day like this. Unlike you, I''m not a pervert who gets excited by hot air. ''Eh, but when you were talking to the guild leader of the ...... Sea Fishing Guild, you said you''d be happy to have a shichirin, didn''t you? ''''Ah?Ah ............ ah, that time. ......'' A few weeks ago. There was a time when the wind was blowing so coolly that it made me feel as if autumn was deepening. Then, Masha of the Sea Fishing Guild brought me some saury and clams. Then I said, ''I wish I had a shichirin,'' and showed Theron, who happened to be there, what a shichirin was. I showed him what a shichirin was. ...... I didn''t expect him to make one for real. And on such a hot day,...... ''Could it possibly have been a nuisance ......?'' Theron''s complexion instantly turned blue. ''I created this without the permission of the heroes,.................., and I''m sorry for my hasty actions...'' ...............That''s right, I made the mistake of thinking that I would be allowed to create such a wonderful thing. ...... I''m not sure what to do. ...... I''m not sure what to say.Hero!I''m sorry, sir!If you''re going to punish me, please, punish me equally!If you are going to punish me, please punish me equally! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ......... ...... haha. I just wanted a shichirin.I was just in the market for a shichirin.Ah, if you look closely, you''ll see that this is a first-rate shichirin!As expected, the work is meticulous and of high grade! ''Really, Hero-sama? ''Good for you, Theron! ''I owe it to Wendy!You''ve been so supportive of me! ''No, you didn''t!I was just there for Theron. ......'' ''That''s what''s going to help me. ......'' ''Theron......'' ''Wendy......'' You guys, I''m going to roast it over the seventh ring. I''ll put a dash of soy sauce on it and cook it up nice and fragrant, rear! ''I''m glad you got a good deal, Yashiro.'' In my country, this kind of thing is called a hard sell or a cry-off. This is a kind of scam, isn''t it? But the quality of the shichirin is really great. I''m sure you''ll enjoy the delicious clams. ...... when it snows. ''Then deliver it to the sunny pavilion along with a bowl of snow strawberries. ''Yes, sir. We have four shichirin in total, how many shall we bring? Four. ...... She glanced at Jeannette. Ginette said, ''I''ll leave it to you. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... But please be gentle with me," she said with a troubled smile. ...... d*mn it, these guys. It''s a shame that you have to sell to a scammer,....... I''m going to take four of them. We''ll have a shichirin party sometime.'' ''That sounds great!We''d love to be there! ''If there''s anything we can do to help, we''ll do it! Hmm, something''s really making me nervous... ...... ''All right!All right, all right!When it snows, come and have a drink with me. ''''Yes! With glowing smiles, Theron and Wendy nodded. ...... Oh, Wendy was really shining a bit, though. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. Strangely enough, the moment we left the brickworks, the temperature seemed to drop by 2 degrees Celsius. ''...... was a hot and stuffy place.'' ''You look happy, don''t you? ''...... I''ll give Theron a foot massage next time.'' ''I feel sorry for him. Mmm-hmm.'' Ginette shakes her shoulders and giggles as she walks next to me. She seems to be in a very good mood. ''Do you enjoy shopping? ''Huh? ''No. Not so much, right?It''s not often you get to take your time and store around like this. Assunto does most of the shopping for me now. I''m grateful for the excellent service, but I still enjoy shopping by walking around on my own. When I was in Japan, I once spent an entire day wandering around the electronics district looking for PC parts. It''s quite a fun memory. ''You too should take a day off once in a while and enjoy shopping like this. Then you''ll be able to see things in a new light. Well, I''m a little worried that I might get caught in a scam at some shady store if that happens. ''Yes, that''s true. ....... The store has become a little more stable. In fact, if you have Magda and Loretta, you''ll be able to run the store. I still need Ginette''s preparation and direction, but I may not even need that anymore. And then there are my sisters. ''Maybe it''s not a bad idea to make time for that. Jeannette''s smile was very cheerful, and she looked just a little more mature than when we first met. The man who had only clung to the sunny pavilion was no longer there. Little by little, he is able to keep his distance, and little by little, he is able to look at the world from a macro perspective. The fact that the Sunlit Pavilion is an important place for Jeannette will never change. But it may become more than that. No, it has to be. The Sunlit Pavilion will become a position of "one of the most important things" for Jeannette. It would be evidence that Jeannette had grown up. ''But ......'' Suddenly ...... As I walked forward, Ginette disappeared from my sight. She had disappeared as if she had melted into the flowing landscape. Realizing that Ginette had stopped, I looked back at her. The landscape was out of focus, like a shaky image, and only Ginette was in focus as she stopped. ''I hope you''ll be with us then, Yashiro-san. The same as always. That smile was there. ''.........'' For a moment. It was only for a moment, but my mind went blank. ''............ Well, once in a while...'' ''Yes.'' What the hell is ............ going on with me? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The flowing scenery looks a little fainter than before ......, but I guess it''s just my imagination. ''Come on!The next stop is the hardware store!Let''s go see Norma''s tits! ''d*mn it, Yashiro-san. Regina-san will say a lot of things about you because you keep saying things like that. As if to gently scold me, Ginette lightly presses my arm. What?I don''t know if Ginette is the kind of girl who does this kind of body touching! I wonder if she did ....... What is it then?You''re saying I''ve become conscious of you? You''re kidding me. Why would I be ...... I''m sure she hasn''t even seen Norma. She''s a reclusive shy girl. She''s probably some kind of mushroom.'' ''............ is terrible, Yashiro-san.'' It''s not very convincing if you say it after you''ve blown your guts out. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website to see if you can find any useful information. The street is a gentle uphill slope. Norma''s mold shop stands near the entrance. I''m already familiar with this store, because I order various things from it every time something happens. ''Norma, are you there? ''Oh, Yashiro?I''m here, but I''m not .......'' Norma puffs elegantly on her cigarette at the back of the store. Purple smoke hangs in the dimly lit room. It disappears in a circle near the ceiling. Norma leans on the counter as if to put her weight on it. Her tits are thumping on it. ''Regina told me to be on the lookout for you when you come in. ''Sorry, Jeannette. I''m going to go kick Regina''s ass now. ''Oh, um, please calm down, Yashiro-san!Norma-san, Regina-san''s comment was a joke, so please don''t worry about it! ''Kufufu ......, you know what I mean. It''s cute when you make fun of it, you know. Kufu......'' He spun the flue dexterously to remove the ashes. ''Yes, yes. How''s the fridge?If it''s useful, I''d like to sell it to someone else. ''Well, it''s not so bad. It depends on the weather. ''That can''t be helped. We''ll just throw them in the well. I stuff a new leaf into the flue and light it. A faint, sweet smell of smoke fills the air. ''Mr. Yashiro. What is this ''Reizouko''?'' ''Oh. It''s the box I used to keep the agar agar in when I made honey beans. ''Oh, so that''s your refrigerator? ''No, it''s not. ......'' It was not a refrigerator at all. The well in the sunny pavilion is deep. Therefore, the water near the surface is quite cool. Or rather, the well water is chilled to the bone. Then, you throw this "refrigerator," a metal box that is completely waterproof, into the well. That''s all there is to it. Well, it does get cold, doesn''t it? It''s like chilling summer vegetables in a riverbed, you might imagine. However, there are too few of them to get through this hot midsummer. Well, at best, I can make good honey beans. ''So what do you want?What do you want? ''Yes, sir. A couple of shovels. ''A shovel. Wait a minute. I''ll pick out a good one for you.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll take care of it. After that, we bought the two shovels Norma had brought with her and returned to the sunny pavilion. I''m exhausted from walking around in the heat. But, ...... for some reason, ............ I thought it was a pretty fun day. 108-Episode 93 I really like that. Hey, ...... Yesterday, it was a little chilly at night.Unbelievable, right? I was sweating! It''s so uncomfortable! Sweating so profusely that the straw on the bed was sticking to my neck. I was so sick that I woke up even though I was still sleepy. Oh, I want to have a morning shower. I opened the wooden window that was fitted into the window, but there was no breeze blowing, and there was a sweltering heat in the air. ...... It''s because of the humidity. It''s too hot without sunshine. I didn''t look at the hourglass, so I don''t know exactly what time it is, but it''s probably before four. There''s no delicious smell coming from downstairs. I listened closely to ...... and heard the sound of water splashing around. ...... What the hell is that?There''s no need to be coy about it. I think Ginette is doing something in the courtyard. My head is still a bit fuzzy, but I don''t think I''ll be able to fall asleep again. I decided to give up and get up, and headed for Ginette. ''Whoa! I opened the door to find Magda lying in the hallway. He was lying there like a bowling pin, with his hands clenched tightly together. Anyone would be surprised to open the door and suddenly see this. I let out a very low voice. ''Hey. If you''re going to sleep, sleep in your room.'' ''............ is impossible.'' Well, the corridor is a bit cooler, but it''s only ...... a margin of error. But that doesn''t mean you can''t catch a cold lying around here. ''If you can''t sleep, get up. If you''re too lazy, you''ll get sick.'' ''...... piggyback'' ''It''s too hot, so no.'' ''.................. princess hug'' ''I''m dull in my sleep too, ...... give me a break.'' ''............ I have no choice. I''m up.'' Magda woke up with a slow, sluggish movement, like a zombie coming out of the grave. Her hair is shaggy. I''ll have to cut it soon. ''I''ll give you a brush later. ''...... Mwah.'' ''No, I haven''t done it yet.'' ''...... reminds me...'' Oh, is that a thing? Still unable to open his eyelids, Magda grabbed my pants and walked unsteadily. I stumbled in front of the ...... ginette, and my lower half ''purr~! And seriously, give me a break. ''Hey, Magda. We''re on the stairs. Keep your eyes open.'' ''...... m~'' Rubbing his eyelids, Magda walked out to the landing of the stairs leading to the courtyard. It is a rather dangerous staircase with only a simple handrail. If you''re sleepy, you could fall down. I have to keep an eye on Magda. And in front of me, watching Magda closely... ''...... and oh! ''''Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!'''' --Magda jumped from the landing to the garden with the beautiful form of a special effects hero. Jeannette, who was downstairs, also noticed and screamed. Ginette''s shadow fluttered. Apparently, she caught it well. ............ What are you doing, Magda? ''Hey!Are you two okay?'' ''Yes, yes. I''m fine. What about you, Magda? ''...... I could fall on my head and be fine from this height.'' ''My heart''s not fine.'' I grab her head a little roughly and pat it around. You should be a little sorry. ''.................. mmm'' Magda lets out a small ''mmm''. ...... That''s not a compliment. You should reflect on that. ''But you''re both early today, aren''t you? ''It''s been too hot. Couldn''t stay in bed.'' ''That''s true. It''s been especially hot today.'' The heat seemed to be getting to Jeannette, who always seemed to be unaffected by it. ''Why don''t you wear a bathing suit today? ''No, I can''t.'' She smilingly dismissed the idea. ...... Tsk. ''Then put on your normal maid''s uniform and pour a lot of water over the top. ......'' ''No.'' He smiled again. ''But it''s hot, isn''t it?'' ''It''s hot during the heat wave.'' ''So, for the sake of your customers, show them how cool it is from the outside. ......! ''Please give up.'' d*mn ......, today''s Jeannette seems to be different. No matter how hard I push or pull, it doesn''t budge. ''It can''t be helped. Then let''s make a special effort to dress as usual today. ''What''s so special about it? What a pity. If it''s summer, there''s something to be said for summer attire. ''So, what are you doing here at this hour? ''Yes. I thought I''d do the laundry. ''Do you want me to help?Yes, I''ll help you!By all means! ''Um, ............, not underwear, in case you were wondering. ''........................'' ''............? ''.................. I know! ''Now you''re really disappointed, aren''t you?You were at a loss for words for a moment, weren''t you? Today''s laundry is supposed to be towels. We use a lot of cloths every day in the cafeteria. It''s a lot of work just washing them. I''ll at least help you dry them. ''What?Where''s Magda? ''...... Magda is here.'' ''Magda!No, you can''t sleep in the laundry! ''...... chilly'' ''You''ll get wet! ''...... good'' ''Not good.'' Jeannette pulls Magda out of the laundry basket. Ahhhh ...... you''re getting wet. ''Go wash your face. You''ll feel a little better.'' ''...... Got it.'' Magda heads for the well. I''d like to wash my face too, but ...... well, we can do that later. ''So, this one, please.'' The towel is handed to him and he unrolls it and drapes it over the rope. He''s been doing this kind of work every day since before the sun came up? I''m grateful. I guess I should thank him somehow. ''Hey, is there anything you want me to do? ''Huh? ''You know, I''d like to thank you for working so hard every day like this. ...... If there''s anything I can do, I''d be happy to hear it. I said, and Jeannette paused for a moment, then smiled. ''This is like a routine now,'' she said. It''s nothing to be thanked for, I suppose you could say. ''Oh, but... That''s right. I''d be happy if there was something cold on the menu. According to him, the set meal was not selling well yesterday. The customers must have lost their appetite in this heat. I''d like to do something about it. ...... ''Rather than a meal menu, it would be nice to have something cold on the dessert menu. ''Dessert. ......'' ''Yes, sir. A cold dessert. Do you have any idea what that would be? No, not really. I thought about it yesterday when I was shopping at Assunto''s place, and I''m sure everyone would be happy if we could make shaved ice. But we don''t have ice. We don''t have a refrigerator. The best I can do is to use Norma''s "simple refrigerator" (a waterproof box) to cool it. I can''t even make ice cream. I guess the only thing we can offer is iced tea. Currently, we are serving iced tea at the Sunlit Pavilion. The tea is made in a bottle and put into a well to cool. I don''t have gum syrup, so I sweeten the tea beforehand and chill it. Actually, I don''t like this iced tea very much. It''s a little too sweet for me. I like to have something refreshing to drink, I think. ''I wish I had coffee. ......'' Iced coffee can be served black without sugar. But there is no coffee in this town. Not only at the Sundaari-tei, but also at the luxury coffee shops in Cantalucia and the Forty Wards. In other words, there is no coffee in this world. Well, let''s say you somehow roast some beans that you don''t know what they are, grind them in a mill by chance, put the ground beans on a filter by fatal chance, and by some astronomical miracle pour hot water on it. Then coffee is born. However, the person who sips it reacts with ''Bitter! and they would never look at it again. Seriously, I don''t know what the world''s first coffee drinker was thinking when he made that ......, but he did a good job. As a coffee lover, I have to admire it. ''Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee? ''Hmm?'' ...... What did you say? ''Oh, by the way, ......''. As I froze, Jeannette began to giggle. ''Didn''t Yashiro-san say that before?It seems like it''s been a long time since ...... you asked me to have morning coffee with you.'' That''s what I said to Jeannette when I was testing the way the "forced translation magic" sounds and is translated. I remember that time ...... ''Oh, by the way, that time was ............'' Ginette muttered the same words that I had thought of in my head. The only thing is that what I thought of was different. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. He puffed out his cheeks in a slightly embarrassed manner. A faint protest. A cute resistance. This must have been the time when I was verifying the translation of "I got it" to "I stole it". ...... Yes, I did say it that day. I said, "Would you like to have a morning coffee with me? And at that time, ...... Ginette did indeed say. I''ll make you a cup of coffee. And. I had forgotten until now that the word "coffee" had been introduced to Ginette from the beginning. So there is ...... ''Is there ............, coffee?'' ''Yes. I like it, coffee. ''But, but it''s not on the ...... menu, is it?'' ''No, it''s not. People don''t drink it because they say it''s too bitter. No way. ...... ''Do you have ...... coffee beans at the Sunlit Pavilion? ''Yes, we do. My grandfather was a coffee lover, so we have a mill and a siphon.'' Jesus ...... ''......I wish you would have told me sooner ............'' ''What?Oh, I''m sorry .......'' ''No, it''s ...... fine. Sorry.'' I completely misunderstood. It''s called an assumption. There was no coffee in the restaurant called "Sundaari-tei" or "Cantalucica". And most importantly, there was no coffee at Luxurious either. At that point, I had concluded that there was no coffee in this world. But, ............ exists? ''When this is over, I''ll have you make me a cup of coffee. ''Yes. It''s been a while since I''ve had a drink. Ginette hurriedly hung up the laundry. In the end, she finished drying the laundry without being able to do much to help. ''Now, I''m going to prepare the coffee. Normally, this would be the time to prepare the donations for the church, but she said she would give priority to my request. ''It might take a while. ''Then I''ll go ahead and prep the food. Normally, it would be more appropriate for me to make the coffee and Ginette to cook, but I wanted to try it for some reason. I thought I''d like to have a cup of Ginette''s coffee. Maybe it''s different from the coffee I know. After placing the laundry basket in the space under the stairs, Ginette went into the pantry. I''ve been in there many times before, but I''ve never seen coffee beans in the pantry. ''Look at this. This is what coffee is made of. They were unmistakably coffee beans, raw and unroasted. ''How do you roast them? ''I do it myself. I learned how to do it from my grandfather. That''s very authentic. ''Where can I get one of these? ''Just ask Mr. Assunto and he''ll bring it to you. Do you carry it, Assunto? Tell him! ''I think I heard before that people who like it seem to like it, and it''s selling well. People don''t like coffee. At first, everyone thinks it''s bitter. Once you get used to the bitterness, it becomes a habit. If you don''t know that, there is no reason to drink coffee. If you do not have the knowledge of what coffee is, you may reject the bitterness. But coffee does exist. ''It''s been a long time, so I''m excited, too. After fetching the tools, Ginette went upstairs. I took the coffee beans and the vegetables to prepare and headed for the kitchen. And on the way, ...... ''When I thought she wasn''t coming back, I went to ............''. I found Magda lying by the well. He seems to have fallen asleep while washing his face. Maybe it was because it was a little cooler by the water? ''Hey, Magda. Don''t sleep here. ''......Munyu............'' Magda let out a cute breath that would make Umaro die in agony if he heard it. I guess he couldn''t get up early enough. I carried the vegetables to the kitchen and carried the sleeping Magda to the dining room in a princess hug. It''s probably too hot to sleep even if I took him to bed. Then, the dining room, with its large space, is still somewhat cooler. He can sleep here for a while longer. Maybe the smell of coffee will wake him up. ''............'' ''I want a cold dessert,'' said Ginette. ''This is good, isn''t it? There''s coffee in the sunken pavilion. We have cream for the cake. And the agar used to make the honey beans. If you have all of these, you can make ...... that. A simple yet stylish dessert that I can''t resist eating in the summer. Let''s make some coffee jelly. It''s going to be another hot day. I''m sure that cold coffee jelly will be exceptionally delicious. ''If that''s the case, ......''. I start preparing the coffee jelly in parallel with preparing the vegetables. I don''t have a refrigerator, after all. The only way to cool it down is to use a cold well. I hope it will harden properly. ...... Well, I''ve experimented with agar before with honey beans, so it shouldn''t be a problem. You can use whipped cream instead of creep. I''m starting to enjoy this. As if in response to my rising tension, the sound of a bell rings out loudly. It''s the wake-up bell. I have a feeling it''s going to be another hot day. With these thoughts in mind, I started peeling potatoes for starters. 109-Episode 94 Whats New and Whats New? ''...... maaaahhhh''. Magda opened her mouth wide and screamed like a frog in agony. ''...... and bitter ............'' I gave her a cup of coffee, but it didn''t seem to suit her taste. He glared at the cup of coffee as if he were looking at an enemy of his parents, and stretched his arms as far as they would go to keep the cup away from him. ''This is not ...... ............''. Apparently Loretta didn''t make it either. She slumped her shoulders and nodded like a laid-off businessman. ''That''s how it is at first, isn''t it? With a wry smile, Jeannette sips her coffee. ''At first, I also thought, "This is not for people to drink. ''But you started drinking it, didn''t you? I''m definitely a coffee drinker, so I''m guzzling it down. I''m going to have some of Magda and Loretta''s leftovers. ...... Oh, they put sugar in their coffee. ............ You don''t understand. She smiled quietly and bit her lips tightly. Her expression had a nostalgic feel to it. ''I guess it''s because my grandfather loved .......'' He turned the cup in his hand so that it tilted slowly, and stared into it. I wonder if he is staring at the shaking coffee. ''When my grandfather left,......, I was kind of lonely,......, so I started drinking it,.......... ...Hmm, I''m like a child, aren''t I? It''s unusual for Jeannette to talk like that. She doesn''t talk much about her past, but this is probably the first time she''s talked about her grandfather in front of everyone.I don''t know if he talked about him individually or not. ''Oh, I''m sorry. It''s such a story. ......'' Shrugging her shoulders in a slightly embarrassed manner, Jeannette sipped her coffee. ''I guess it''s because I drank coffee with Yashiro-san. Then she puts the cup down on the saucer and looks at me with a ...... gaze. ''Yashiro-san is somewhat like your grandfather. That''s something he''s said to me before. The grandfather who took Jeannette in and protected her until the day her life ended. Does this guy see the face of such a person in me?...... is too much for you. ''Was the ...... manager''s grandfather a ...... titty fanatic?'' ''That''s not the point, it''s the resemblance! ''So, in that way, you''re affirming that I''m a boob maniac? ''...... You''re Yashiro, you can''t help it. You can say whatever you want. I drink up my coffee and take Magda''s. It is past noon. Actually, it took a long time to roast the coffee, and it is now late. The coffee jelly will be ready soon. By that time, people should be arriving in droves. ''Hello. The first person to show up was Bertina. ...... She is a very enthusiastic sister when it comes to tasting. ''Oh, is that a new food? ''That''s what it is. Would you like to try it? If you don''t know, you probably can''t drink it properly. So I handed the sweetened version that Loretta was drinking to Bertina. Smiling, Bertina takes the coffee with both hands. She smells it first and inhales its deep aroma. ''Hmm~............ smells good. Now let''s go to .......'' After savoring the aroma, she takes a sip of her coffee. ''.................. Phew! You threw up! ''............It''s poison.'' ''No, it''s not! ''I was taught that all bitter things are poison.'' ''You''re wrong, that interpretation! Who taught you such crazy knowledge? ''...... This time the food is not promising. ............ I''ll go back to the church and cry... ...'' ''Wait, wait, wait!Because coffee jelly is delicious!You don''t need to be able to drink coffee to eat it! ''No, ...... you don''t have to force yourself to eat it, I have cake.'' What are you urging me to do in a roundabout way, Sister? ''Yo, Yashiro!I''m here! ''Thank you for inviting me, Yashiro. Delia and Nepheli arrive at the store at the same time. They''re bumping into each other at the entrance, trying to decide who should go in first. ...... You guys don''t get along as well as usual, do you? I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be glad you did.You''ll be glad you did, Yashiro! Wearing a fluttering, summery one-piece dress, Imelda appeared on the scene in all her glory. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... No, close the umbrella. ''It''s really ...... bad of you to call me out on such a hot day, Yashiro. I''m not sure what to say. And Norma comes in with a dress that''s open to the chest. Welcome!I welcome you! Sweat like grains appear in the cleavage, like beautiful crystals. ...... ''It''s so hot, can you please come in quickly? ''Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Yashiro.'' Estella and Natalia come over to Norma''s big tits with a backward look on their faces. Behind them, Millie popped up with a large ladybug hair ornament swinging in her face. ''Hello, .............'' ''You called a lot of people. Are we all here? ''I''m here too. Paula the cantaloupe walks into the store, her golden retriever-like canine ears flicking. This is the same Paula who took to me as soon as I told her I was launching a new product. He was the same way with the cake, and he would jump at anything he could get his hands on. ''But you''re all women, aren''t you, Yashiro? Estella looks at me as if she wants to say something. I wonder what she''s talking about. ''Three ...... four ............, that''s nine people. Ginette is counting the number of visitors. ...... She still seems to be bad at arithmetic and is slow at counting. Maybe she''s not good with numbers. ''Oh, Jeannette. There''s one more coming. ''Is that you, Regina?'' ''No. I invited her, but she''s not coming.'' He really doesn''t like to be in public places. ''Wendy then? ''She won''t come unless she''s with Theron. ''Why don''t you call him together? ''I''m in a bit of a situation. ''...... Oumalo?'' ''Are you Becko-san?'' ''Neither of them. For some reason. It''s a boys-only day. Because I want to do something. So, who is it? ''Me, sir. Then the last guest showed up. ''Thank you for inviting me, Yashiro-chan. It''s the sheep-faced owner of the clothing store, Ukrines. ''You''re Ukrines, aren''t you? ''Hello, Ginette. I''m sorry to bother you. This is the first time I''ve ever seen a woman use the word ''chan'' in a casual tone of voice. This uncomfortable tone of voice is still the same. ''Why Uclines? ''Hmm?Are you dissatisfied?'' Estella asks me in a whisper. I simply reply, ''What the hell are you talking about? ''Of course I''m not dissatisfied. I was just wondering why. Of course you''re wondering. Ukrines is indeed uncomfortable with this group. ''I don''t think you''re up to something again, .......'' ''Okay!Now that we''re all here, it''s time to show off the new sweets! He shouts loudly to interrupt Estella''s guess. ...... This guy is really sharp. It doesn''t matter if there''s a Uclines in the mix. Don''t be so sure. ''By the way, Uclines ......''. Pretending to be going to get ready, I give Ukrines an earful. ''You''re ready to go?'' ''Of course I am. Speed is of the essence in this kind of thing. Despite his calm tone, he has a keen interest in making money. Actually, this morning. After the donation was over, I walked around the forty-two wards by myself. I ran around in the extremely hot weather, calling out to every single person who was needed for this big project. And the most important role in this project. Ukrines is the one who will play the most important role. I heard that he had talked to me in the morning, and had already achieved something in just a few hours. I knew I could count on this guy. Now ...... the bait that could be used to catch the big ones is .................. ''Magda, Delia. And Norma and Natalia . Can you help me out a bit?'' ''Huh?Um, Yashiro-san. If you want to help, I''m .......'' ''Oh, Ginette''s fine. Just sit down for now.'' ''But ......''. ''Because you''re the main dish.'' ''Main ............?'' With Ginette tilting her head curiously in her chair, I headed for the kitchen with the selected members. Uclines casually follows me with the luggage. Nice, that casualness. With the four beauties and Ukrines in tow, I walk through the kitchen and out into the courtyard. ''What?Isn''t that the kitchen? Delia questioned, but Magda quickly answered her. ''It''s chilled in the ...... well. Cold dessert this time.'' ''Wow, that sounds delicious! ''I see, it''s a perfect dessert for summer. ''You think of interesting things, every time. I''m impressed. So, no more smoking pipes? Each one of them interpreted it well and agreed with me. Oh, no smoking pipes. ''Well, I''ll go to the kitchen and prepare the dessert. ''Yes, yes. Leave it to me. I pulled up a simple refrigerator from the well and left the five of us there, and went back to the kitchen. As expected, it''s not a good idea to have a man in the room. ''What?What are you guys helping with? ''Master Yashiro. I need a detailed explanation. ''Tiger girl, do you know anything? ''...... I have no idea.'' Oh, no, no, no, no. You guys just do what Uclines tells you to do. This will make this hot and humid ...... heat wave a lot more enjoyable. ...... Mhmm. When I returned to the kitchen, I immediately took out the coffee jelly from the refrigerator. Oh, it''s hardened properly. I think this will be a good product. However, it will take time to make, so the quantity will be limited. ...... I wonder if it would work if I left some in the fridge. There seems to be little demand for coffee beans, and they are not sold in small packages. It''s a lot of work and no profit. So when you buy coffee beans, you have to buy them in bulk. As a result, the company wastes a lot of coffee beans every year. So why do they buy it? ...... I knew the reason and didn''t ask the question. But Ginette told me. ''Every year on the anniversary of my grandfather''s death, I make coffee and we drink it together. In our world, there is no custom of graves and no such thing as Buddhist altars. Mourning the dead seems to take the form of offering prayers to their souls. So, I heard that Jeannette also made two cups of coffee at the sunny pavilion and drank them in memory of her grandfather. I thought that there was no such thing as a birthday, but there was such a thing as a death anniversary. Ginette used to buy coffee beans every year for that one day. ...... I''ll have to spend more on it from now on. It makes the old man happy, doesn''t it? ''Well, let''s serve it up. I dare to say it out loud to change my mind from the sadness. There''s a lot of fun waiting for us. There is no time to be gloomy. I take out the coffee jelly from the refrigerator, cut it into dice, and put it in a small bowl. It would have been great if I had a glass container, but ...... that''s a subject for the future. It''s expensive, glass. I''m sure the aristocracy will be reluctant to give it to you again because of their interests. ...... I''m sure the aristocracy will be reluctant to give it to you again because of their interests. ............ I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Well, I guess this is a good thing. Serve whipped cream on top of the jelly, which shimmers with elasticity. If it is too little, it will be said to be bitter, but if it is too much, the freshness of the coffee jelly will be spoiled. This amount is very important. This is the debut of coffee jelly. I have to make it a spectacular success. I put the cream in with one of the five greatest concentrations of my life. ............ exquisite. This is the work of a master. Excellent distribution. This is absolutely delicious! And just as the satisfying coffee jelly was finished for the number of people, Magda and the others came back to the kitchen. ''Oh! I couldn''t help but exclaim. Excellent!It''s fantastic, you guys! Perfect and awesome! ''I demand ...... an explanation as to why we have to dress like this.'' Natalia turned her cold gaze towards me and asked me with a blank expression. I''ll answer that question later. In front of everyone. ''That''s not the point,'' she says, ''look!This is the new sweet!It looks cool, doesn''t it?'' ''Oh!It''s kind of pliable and interesting! Delia immediately took a bite. ''It''s black. ...... It''s strange looking.'' Norma is also looking at it with great interest. ''............ Looks bitter. Maybe Magda should just have the cream.'' ''Well, don''t say that, just try it.'' I pat Magda on the head, her brow creasing. Now we''re completely off topic. By all means, I want many people to know about it. Never listen to a person who uses "more than that" and dodges my questions. You don''t need to listen to them before you don''t trust them. --I mean it. The first thing a scammer learns is "it doesn''t matter". It''s the first thing scammers learn. Ponzi scheme recruiters are fond of saying. They want you to focus on the "bright future" that doesn''t exist. So, if you don''t want to get caught in a scam, just cover your ears and say ''Ahhhh, I can''t hear you'' to anyone who uses the word ''more than that'' even once. ''I feel like I''ve been ...... left out of the loop''. Natalia. You''re absolutely right. But I like the way you listen to me when I say that. You''re a very nice guy. Best of all, ...... is my favorite outfit right now. ''Come on, bring me the latest sweets. I instructed the beauties with the coffee jellies to ''come out one by one in the order I tell you'' and returned to the dining room with Ukrines. Now, let''s get started. ...... ''I''ve kept you waiting!Now it''s time to unveil it! This is the event of the summer! ''The 42nd Ward Swimsuit Collection in the Sunlit Pavilion! The cafeteria was buzzing with excitement. Don''t worry about it, let''s have the top batter make her appearance! ''First up!Delia! I call out, and Delia emerges from the kitchen. ''What? ''Wow! and so on. I suppose that''s just as well. Delia is wearing a bikini that boldly exposes her legs and stomach. However, since Delia usually wears revealing outfits, we don''t feel that she is disgusting. Rather, the colorful colors make her look even cute. ''This is a shorts bikini that shows off your healthy body in a beautiful and cute way. Uclines explains what she recommends about this swimsuit. ''Oh, my ......, I feel a little embarrassed when people pay attention to me like this. ............ Oh, don''t look at me too much.'' ''Don''t worry. There are only girls here. ''Oh, that''s true too.'' My words seemed to ease Delia''s tension a bit. ...... Well, there''s one boy here, though. I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Of course, we want everyone here to wear swimsuits! As soon as I proposed the plan, Ukrines took to it with great gusto and produced a swimsuit based on the design I had given her at a very fast pace. This clothing store ...... can do it! Delia finishes distributing the coffee jelly she brought with her and walks up to me. ''Hey, you know what?Does this ...... look good on me?'' She crosses her arms behind her back and shyly asks me that question. When he asks me that, I have only one thing to say. ''You''re so cute. ''Cute ......?Are you cute, or am I? ''Yes, I am. It''s a bit revealing, but it gives her a healthy and bright impression. It''s a good swimsuit that makes good use of Delia''s honesty and cheerfulness. It looks good on you. ''Mwah!I got a compliment from Yashiro! Delia writhes in delight. The overexposure no longer seems embarrassing. Isn''t that important?Creating this kind of atmosphere. ''Well, next is Norma! I call out, and Norma emerges from the kitchen with a relaxed gait. ''What? ''This is .......'' Her voice is a little more nervous than before. Norma is wearing what is called a monkini, a swimsuit that looks like a one-piece swimsuit from the front but looks like a bikini from the back. Her back and waist are boldly exposed. In fact, covering her stomach emphasizes the exposed parts and makes her look somewhat s*xier than a normal bikini. It''s not just about showing off your skin, you know! ''...... Don''t look too hard. Unusually, Norma is embarrassed. She usually shows off her cleavage as much as possible. It seems that she is embarrassed to be dressed differently than usual. ''This is a swimsuit that makes an adult woman look more attractive. ''Because the adult s*xiness is emphasized not in the obscene direction but in the vector of beauty. It is difficult to wear, but it suits Norma well. It''s even mystical. ''Well, ...... if you admire it so much, I''d be happy to wear it. Norma loosens her mouth with a face that seems not to be full. He likes to be complimented, doesn''t he? But ...... this swimsuit is not good from behind. ''Okay, next. Natalia! Natalia appears with a slightly sullen expression on her face. ''Wow, .......'' ''This is lovely.'' The cheers from the crowd were becoming more positive, as they were getting used to the swimsuit. Natalia was wearing a black bikini with a pareo wrapped around her waist. The way Natalia''s thin, white legs peeked out from the long, curly skirt-like pareo was very s*xy. ''This is the best for a graceful woman, isn''t it? It''s not too revealing, so it''s still very s*xy and ladylike. ''I wish a ladylike woman like Natalia would wear something like this. It is a swimsuit that shows the playfulness of a woman who has both the reserve of an adult and the honesty of a girl. You''ll find something that will make you smile. ''............Does it make you feel good,............ I''m not sure what to make of it. The grumpiness disappears from his expression, and he finishes handing out coffee jelly with fluid, lean movements. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Why did you turn? ''......But, you know, swimsuits are ......''. And just as Estella was about to pour out her negative emotions on Jeannette, I called the last one in to stop her. ''Come on, Magda!You''re up!'' Seeing Magda emerge from the kitchen, the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed drastically. ''Wow! ''She''s so cute! The atmosphere was softened by the appearance of a pretty girl in a swimsuit show with the s*x appeal of an adult. Magda is wearing a swimsuit called a tankini. This is a combination of the words "tank top" and "bikini," and as the name implies, the tank top is worn over the bikini. A tank top can be a camisole, and the one Magda is wearing now is a camisole with a cute frill around the chest. The camisole can be removed to reveal a bikini, but if you''re too shy to wear a bikini, this kind of swimsuit can be worn over the top. ...... You can also cover up your small breasts with frills. ''......It''s even better when you take it off. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of swimsuit. No, that''s okay. I''m not looking for that in Magda. ''...... jelly all over the place?'' ''Oh, that''s for us. This one, please.'' ''...... I see.'' Magda walks over to me with the coffee jelly. ''Come on, enjoy your coffee jelly.'' ''No, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Estella is also showing some interest in the swimsuit. She wants to know the details. ''No, what. It''s too hot, so I thought we''d go play in the river. ''Great, that''s great!I''ll show you a good spot!You can swim! With Delia, we''ll have a safe place to play. ''So, I was thinking, why don''t you try on the latest swimsuit that Ukrines made for you. ...... Even if I give it to you normally, you''ll say, "It''s too revealing" or "I don''t do this kind of thing" or "I''m gutted."'' I continue with my presentation, unaware of the anger rising from Estella. ''A bathing suit is not a disgusting thing. It''s a fashionable piece of clothing that shows off your beauty and cuteness in this way!Healthy exposure is not ''erotic''!It''s beauty! Well, it''s up to us to decide how we want to look at it! ''It''s just that it''s gotten so hot here. It''s a waste if we don''t take advantage of it and enjoy it, right? Wasteful is not good. Eliminate waste and make the most of what you can. That is a wonderful way to live as a human being. ''We have swimsuits to suit everyone. Please try it out. When you are a little curious, you are handed a swimsuit that has been prepared for you. Uclines, as expected, understands the psychology of customers. I''m interested in swimsuits. I am interested in swimsuits, but I am embarrassed to wear one myself. That''s when I was handed a swimsuit from ....... ''Wow, it''s so cute! If you feel that it''s cuter than you thought it would be and not too revealing, you''ll want to wear it ............, of course! Moreover, there is a group mentality at work here. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has to change your clothes, or you''d break the mood. ''What do you think, Loretta?Isn''t she cute?'' ''Yes, sir!I''d like to try it on! ''What about Millie?I thought you''d look good in something like that.'' ''Oh, ............, yeah. I think I can wear this ............. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. ''But ...... I''m ......''. And the last obstacle is this guy. Estella. She needs to get rid of her breastless complex. ''Estella. Your swimsuit is designed to show off your long, thin limbs. Isn''t it cute with all those frills?I''m sure you''ll look great in it. ''So,......, is it? The ruffles around the chest disguise the lack of breasts and enhance the rest. That''s what this swimsuit is for. If Estella is up for it, she''s all set. ............ Ready to fish for the main course. ''Oh, um, ............ um, ............ um... ...'' While everyone else is getting ready to wear it, Ginette is the one who''s fretting. This guy is extremely shy about exposing his skin. But now that you''re in my hands, ............ you can take off that extra piece of fabric! ''Ginette. ''Yes, yes .......'' ''Are you ashamed of your swimsuit? ''Yes, well, ............ yes. It''s still a little ...... for me.'' ''You''ll look great in it.'' ''But ......''. Hmm ...... I know Jeannette''s weakness. You can''t escape me. ...... ''It''s summer. Let''s make some fun memories together.'' ''............ together......'' The people you meet in this way are all trying to share the same fun. It''s not the kind of thing you can reject, this guy. ''......Yes, that''s right.'' ''Yes. Then I''ll try my best to wear it. Yay! Hooray for summer! Thank you for the hot weather! Welcome to another world! ''Then I''ll help you change! ''That''s fine! ...... Too bad you couldn''t fake it with the flow ....... Come on, guys! Get into your bathing suits!And entertain me! ''Oh, ...... well, ............. You''ve had a lot of fun today, Ginette. ''Oh!I''ll be back. An old woman''s calm voice mingled with the sassy voices of the girls in their bathing suits. It was Grandma Mum, a regular laundry worker from when Jeannette''s grandfather was still alive. ''Shall we come back today? ''No!Please, come in. Jeannette loves Old Mum. There''s no way she''ll let her go. The girls, sensing the atmosphere, lowered their voices. Oh, ......, this is the trend of canceling the swimsuit show. ''Oh no! On the way to the cool seats at the back of the store, led by Jeannette, Grandma Mum looked at the coffee jelly and raised her voice. ''This brings back memories of ...... coffee. Oh, but it''s hardened, isn''t it? ''It''s a dessert made from coffee. Would you like to try it? ''Oh, you don''t mind, do you? ''Yes. Grandma Mum is a regular customer. Hearing this conversation, the people who had been absorbed in their swimsuits remembered the existence of coffee jelly. ''Oh, yes!I want to eat this! ''That''s right. I''ve never seen this food before, it''s very interesting. ''Well, young lady. I''ll do the ''ah-ing'' at .......'' ''No, that''s fine.'' Oh, I see you''ve completely canceled the swimsuit show. Well, I''ll enjoy it on my next river trip. ''...... This is a bitter lump.'' ''Yes, ...... I''m not expecting much either.'' ''Don''t say that, just try it.'' Magda and Loretta show some difficulty. I''m drinking the coffee first. But coffee and coffee jelly are totally different. ''Mmm!It''s good!It''s sweet! Delia, who loves sweets, takes a bite and exclaims. ''It''s sweet and refreshing. ...... It''s strange that the slight bitterness tastes so good. ......'' Bertina''s eyes light up at her first taste. ''Wow. It''s a fashionable taste. It looks nice and perfect for summer.'' ''I had the same impression. Your daughter is now old enough to understand things a little better. ''......, are you putting yourself down?Are you belittling me? Estella and Natalia liked it. ''Well, what do you say? ''............ if you just want to try it.'' ''Yes. I don''t have high hopes for it. Magda and Loretta put the coffee jelly in their mouths. The moment they put it in their mouths, their eyes widened. Their eyes widened. ''...... Magda has been waiting for something like this for a long time. ''It''s delicious!The aroma of the coffee is crisp and pronounced, yet it stands out in the sweetness of the cream, and the slight bitterness makes the sweetness not overpowering. The look, feel, smell, and taste of this dessert will make you feel the coolness of the season. That''s a big compliment. You guys change your palms, don''t you? ''Ginette. ''Yes. ''I''ll get one for Grandma Mum. You eat it too and tell me what you think.'' ''Are you sure?'' ''Yes. You can make me another one.'' ''Yes, sir. Thank you very much. Ginette sat down across from Grandma Mum and took a mouthful of coffee jelly with her. ''............ Ah, it''s delicious.'' ''It really ...... reminds me of the old man in the sunshine, it tastes so nostalgic. ......'' I felt as if I was immersed in the "sunlit pavilion of that day", separated from the rest of the world. Let''s leave it alone for a while. ''How about Imelda, Nephrite, and Paula? ''I''d like a refill!Also, please have Bekko-san make a food sample of this ASAP! ''It''s kind of a mature taste, isn''t it? ''Yes, yes. I''m sure my customers will love this. Imelda had already eaten her fill, Nephrite had the eyes of a young girl yearning for adulthood, and Paula seemed to have enjoyed the coffee jelly with a curious, passionate look in her eyes. ''Ah ............ Miri, I like this. ''Isn''t it bitter? ''Oh ............, it''s good, isn''t it? It seems to be a little bitter for Millie. But she seemed to like it. Since it has gained the support of such a wide range of people, the coffee jelly will be a success. It may sell like hotcakes during the heat wave. ...... I''m going to be busy preparing it. ''It''s really nostalgic. ......'' Grandma Mum, eating a small mouthful of coffee jelly, muttered to herself. ''In the past, we used to drink coffee together like this, here. I liked the old man in the sunshine. ......'' ''............Yes. That''s right. The people who had been making a lot of noise kept their mouths shut and just stared at the quiet air in the corner. Somehow, I felt that I shouldn''t destroy this. This air. ''You''re doing well, Jeannette. I''m glad to see you''re doing well, too. ''..................'' Jeannette was at a loss for words. For a moment, her eyebrows furrowed and she looked like she was about to cry. But the next moment, a soft smile covers her face, and she says in a voice like a soft flower blooming. ''Yes. I''m very happy too. The watchers say nothing. They don''t say anything, but they all feel something. That''s the look on their faces. The swimsuit show has been cancelled,............, but that''s okay. I''ll try not to ruin the calm atmosphere, but I''ll advise Ginette not to let the most important things go unanswered because of this. ''Jeannette. ''Yes.'' ''Your swimsuit will make your boobs look terrible, but that''s its charm, so don''t be shy to wear it. ''Why did you just say that?We were in a good mood! You idiot!Of course it''s because good tits are more important than good air! ''Yashiro......'' ''Yashiro-sama......'' ''......Yashiro, so it can''t be helped.'' ''My brother is ...... totally.'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ You don''t know what I''m talking about! I''m not sure what to do, but I''ll back off for now. It''s special. Hmm. 110-Episode 95 The Right Way to Spend the Heat Today, we are open at the following location. If you need anything, please come to the following location. We put a sign on the door with a map and these words on it, and headed for the riverbank to conduct our business (we''re all going out, so if you want to eat, come to us). This is the second time we''ve done this, after the day of heavy rain. We haven''t really had any visitors lately, and the last one might have been old lady Mumm. ...... Oh, Umaro was there. But well, he is a customer, not a guest. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, there were really no visitors. Ginette said, ''It can''t be helped at this time of year,'' but ...... what?Are the people in this town saying, ''I don''t want to go outside because it''s too hot? Are you suffering from summer fatigue?Eat rice, eat rice! So, perhaps because of this situation, Ginette was relatively unconcerned about my business trip (a vacation in the name of business). In fact, she was rather enthusiastic about it. ''I''m glad we can all go out together. She had been excited about it since last night. I wonder if he''s waking up to the joy of playing. ''...... hot''. Magda doesn''t seem to like the heat very much, and has been sluggish to the point of being useless for the past few days. When I show her coffee jelly, she flies to it, but other than that, she basically sticks to the floor. ''My swimsuit, it''s amazing!It''s so hot, big brother! Loretta seems to be happy to play in the river, and she''s frolicking all the time. She has been playing in the river with her younger siblings since the time when New Town was called a slum, and she is a good swimmer. However, this is the first time he got a swimsuit, and he is eager to show it to others. What she has been doing so far, according to the testimony of her sister at ......, was to say, ''Hey, girl, take a dip! I''m not sure. ...... She''s a wild girl. I''m pulling the cart today because Magda is lagging behind. I''ve got a lot on my plate today. Including lunch. ''Hey!This way, this way! When I arrived at the riverbank, Delia greeted me with a big wave. Delia had already changed into her swimsuit. Every time she waved her arms, a healthy bulge swayed in the air. ...... I love summer! On the riverbank, there was a simple scorched-earth hut and a large parasol. ...... Why? ''I asked Umaro to build it for me. The parasol is based on the parasol that Yashiro gave me. Estella, who was already here, explained it to me. This guy hasn''t changed into a swimsuit yet. ...... He was probably too embarrassed to wait for Ginette or someone to come. ''You can change and use the bathroom in this hut. Natalia explained to me. Natalia is already changing. Her bare legs peeking out from her pareo are dazzling. It makes me salivate. ''So, where are the Umaros? ''They''re out shopping. Imelda came out of the hut. She''s wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a dress with a wide hem. She was wearing a wide-brimmed dress and a wide-brimmed hat. ...... Why didn''t she change her clothes when she came out of the hut? ............ Oh! ''Is it the bathroom? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. No, because. I was just checking to make sure there was nothing wrong with changing clothes. ...... I can''t have anyone peeking in on me, you know. I don''t think there''s a man in this city who''d do something of that magnitude ...... when there''s Delia, Magda, Estella, Natalia, etc. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... I''m sorry to hear that. Well, think of it as a fee to see a beautiful woman in a bathing suit, and work as hard as you can. ''It''s quite cool here. Under a parasol on the riverbank, Norma, who had already changed into her swimsuit, was lying down gracefully. Another dynamite! If I had some sun oil, I''d apply it to her! ''A...... ladybug~!Hello, Jinetto! ''Hello, everyone. Millie and Bertina walked up to me. I wondered if the slower pace of Bertina and the narrower stride of Milly would be the same speed. That''s a new discovery. ''I''ve bought something! ''It''s hot, that it is!I feel like jumping into the river, that I do. ''I want to wash ......''. The three men return with disgusted looks on their faces. Paula and Nephrite were on either side of them. ''Come on, come on . Don''t be a pussy!You''re a man! ''Isn''t it a privilege to be able to walk with these two beauties?Hey, Nephrite.'' ''Yes, you should be grateful. Oh ...... you''ve affirmed it, Neffery ...... ''What did you get for me?'' ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Good morning. ''Our swimsuits and some alcohol, that I did. ''Don''t go into the river with alcohol, okay? ''Of course not, brother. We''ll keep it cold and drink it later. Well, that''s fine. ''Then we''ll go change first. Come on, let''s go. ''Oh, yes, sir. ''I understand, that I do. ''I''ll go with you. ''No, Omero''s already in his swimsuit. ''...... I''d rather go home than be left alone in this.'' ''............ Why are the men in this town so immune to women? ...... Or is Omero too scared? So, the four of us went into the hut together and began to change clothes. ...... Why are there four men in such a small place? ............ Omero, come on out. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry to keep you waiting! Suddenly the door was opened and Percy jumped in with a flirtatious greeting. ''Hey, peeps! ''Hey!Give me a break, man! Percy panicked. I mean, why are you here?I didn''t call for you. Where did you hear that from? ''I''ve finally figured out what it takes to make ...... good sugar.'' He started talking. I''m standing next to a guy with his ass hanging out in the open, and this halfway good-looking guy starts talking about something.In front of his bare ass. ''It''s ...... love.'' ''Oh, Becco. There''s a long hair growing out of the mole on your ass.'' ''Are you sure, that you''re sure? ''Do you want me to pull it out? ''No, that I can''t!Pulling out the mole hair will make you unhappy, that it will! ''No, it won''t.'' ''I mean, listen, you guys! I''m more interested in your mole hairs than your love. ''I''ve never been much of an egg eater. What do you mean?I''ve heard a lot of stories about stomach problems. It''s scary, right? ''Getting an upset stomach from eggs is a sign of poor management. Eggs from District 42 can be eaten raw. As long as they''re fresh, that is.'' ''Yes!That''s the point! Oh, ...... was that a bush snake? ...... ''That''s what love is, isn''t it? ''Sterilization. ''I''m talking about the loving kindness of Mr. Nefari, making the eggs safe to eat! ''Becco, can I braid your mole hair? ''No. ...... You have three of them, that you do! ''That''s enough mole hair!Listen to me, my love story! In short, he came to the 42nd district frequently to buy eggs to meet Nepheli, and said, ''Making sugar also requires love! And you were inspired by him in some incomprehensible way, right? ''So you were stalking her as part of your daily routine, and when you found out that Nepheli was going out, you followed her to the river, so you rushed to buy a bathing suit and rushed here. ''That''s a great answer, but I''m afraid you''re not listening, young man!You''re not stalking me!It''s platonic love!It''s pure love, don''t you get it? Don''t talk about pure love with a guy who runs as fast as he can just to see a bathing suit. ''Your sister''s not here? ''No one can see my sister in her swimsuit!I won''t even show it to my wife! ''Wow, ......, Yashiro-san, you''ve made acquaintance with such a pervert again, haven''t you? ''Really, I''m troubled by all the perverts, including you.'' ''I''m not a pervert! Shut up, pedophile. ''Well, I can''t help it now that I''m here. Let''s get dressed. I''ve got the rest of you. No amount of men''s swimsuits will do you any good. We should just give this place to the women. ''Oh, and guys...'' I remembered something important, and I''m going to tell everyone. ''That black stuff around Percy''s eyes is makeup. Don''t spray her with water or anything.''Never''? ''''''Heh~............ (smirk)'''''' ''''Are you all demons? I quickly changed my clothes and left the hut. I waited for the others to come out, and now Jeannette and the others entered the hut. ''Then, please wait for a while. ''Oh. If you need any help, you can always call me at .......'' ''Natalia. Keep an eye on things.'' ''Yes, ma''am.'' Is that why you had Natalia change her clothes first, Estella? It''s okay. It''s a good idea to have a little patience. In a little while, swimsuit paradise will come to you. There''s treasure in waiting. Isn''t that the way it''s supposed to be? ''So, in the meantime, Oumalo, Becco, Omero and the charlatans. Help me. ''Percy! I''ll bring a long bamboo cart cut in half. We''re going to make drift noodles. The somen is already boiled and soaked in water. The mentsuyu is my original. For now, I just set up the bamboos and get ready. ''What''s this?You''re doing something interesting. ''Geez!Master! ''Oh no!You''re showing your stomach! ''Boobs ''dong''! That it is! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. ...... What the hell are these guys doing? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. Delia is building up her anger gauge. ...... This is not good, the river will turn red. Mostly with Omero''s blood. ...... It''s a fun vacation today. I''ll make sure Delia''s in a good mood. ''No, your swimsuit is too cute, everyone is embarrassed. ''Oh no!............ again!You''re a good talker, you know that? Zun! --The bones in my shoulders creaked. ...... Why do I have to do such serious damage? ............ ''Brother, you''re a man! ''Mr. Yashiro, you''re so cool! ''Mr. Yashiro, that''s great! ''Casual skinship with a beautiful woman: ...... Can I have that technique now, you? The four idiots who crowd around me and make whatever noise they want...... go sink in the river once...... ''That''s right. Men are really stupid. ''Geez! That it is? ''My back?You can even see my back! Umaro and Bekko make a fuss over Norma, too. They''re going to die today, aren''t they?They''re making too much noise. ''Ladies and gentlemen. It seems the ladies are ready. Natalia said quietly, and our eyes naturally focused on the door of the hut. ...... is coming! It''s finally time, swimsuit paradise! I''m not sure what to do.''Entry number one, Magda Lavers, Lolita Angel of the Sunshine Pavilion! Natalia begins to talk like a presenter in a clear voice. No, what''s that? Is there a beauty contest in this world too? As if in response to Natalia''s call, the door opens and Magda emerges. I''ve seen Magda in a swimsuit before. It''s a swimsuit that prioritizes cuteness. ''What?I would love to die right now! A pervert is writhing next to me. I''m on the verge of fainting. Oh, it''s so hot. Can''t someone just dump me in the river? ''...... It''s even more awesome when you take it off.'' ''Oh, okay, okay. Come here quickly.'' ''...... Mmm. I''m not impressed.'' That''s because it''s your second time. You can have Umaro rave about it here. No, it''s cute.But aren''t you curious about the world you haven''t seen yet? Entry number two!The lively idol of the chicken farm. Nephrite!'' Natalia called out, and Nephrite came out of the open exit. ''Hey!Don''t pay too much attention to Yashiro''s s*x! When she comes out, her eyes suddenly meet mine, and she embraces her body in an embarrassed manner. You can find many different types of swimsuits in the market. However, the back of the swimsuit is wide open, and there is no shortage of s*xy effects. Like Magda''s tankini, she is wearing a bikini underneath. ''Ne, ne, ne, ne, ne, Neffery-san!You''re really beautiful!It''s amazing! A charlatan is barking in the distance. I''d like to throw him in the river too. Nephrite comes up to me and asks, ''How''s it going? He asks me. There''s nothing I can say except, ''It looks good on you. ''But my swimsuit is less revealing than others, isn''t it?Is there a point to it?'' ''No, I just thought it would look better on Nephrite. ''Oh, maybe you don''t want to show ...... my skin to other people too much? ''Yes, .......'' ''Ah~!You hit the nail on the head!I''m sorry!You''re such a jerk! Neffery slaps me on the back and bounces away from me. Sparrows and pigeons walk like that,....... It''s true that you don''t want to ...... expose your skin too much. It''s because the ...... face is like a chicken,...... and the borderline is very ...... uncomfortable. What do you mean? It looks like something ...... you''d find in an Egyptian mural. I can''t look at it directly. ...... I''m not sure what to say.Entry number three!Paula, Cantartica''s signature girl! After an exclamation that sounded like a cabaret host, Natalia next called out to Paula. ''Look, look!Isn''t she pretty? Paula, confident in her own appearance, was straightforward in her appeal. It was a sports-type bra that covered her from the neck to the bottom of her breasts, exposing a large part of her from the shoulders to the back, so it was not too heavy, and yet it gave her a lively impression that showed off her cuteness despite the exposure. It looks like something a beach volleyball player would wear. It''s the perfect swimsuit for a bright girl like Paula. ''Hey, hey, hey!Are you cute?'' ''Oh, yeah. You''ll get more customers if you stand in the store in this. ''No, no, no!You''re hot! This kind of light-hearted conversation might be Paula''s greatest charm. ''I can''t believe she''s going this far!Sister Bertina, the saint of the forty-second district! Natalia, who seems to be having trouble with the entry number, calls out Bertina''s name . ''''Ohoh! No wonder Becco and Omero couldn''t help but let out a squeal. Bertina was wearing a pure white hoodie on top, an outfit that could only be seen on ....... In fact, she is wearing a white one-piece swimsuit underneath, but on top of that she is wearing a rash guard, a hoodie that can get wet. The front of the hoodie is fastened so tightly that it looks as if she is only wearing the hoodie. No, every time she walks, you can see a glimpse of something white at the base of her legs, which is also very erotic!It''s not panting, okay?It''s a swimsuit.But that doesn''t matter at this point, does it?It''s not pants, so there''s no shame, right?Then it''s okay to look at it, right? I''m not embarrassed either. Thank you for your concern, Yashiro-san. ''No,......, I thought that Bertina was a little bit like that,......, haha.'' The more you hide, the more erotic!I thought that''s why I put her in a rash guard!I can''t say that ....... I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ''Oh ...... it''s okay. Miry, I''m not a child. ......'' Miry comes out, flustered by Natalia''s funny call. She is wearing a dress with frills on the chest and waist. The swimsuit is designed to look like a child''s, but with a little more attitude. What Millie is looking for is not exposure!It''s about healing! ''Hey ladybug, how''s ...... it going? ''If you ask me if it''s good or bad, ......, I''d give it a hundred points! ''......It looks like a criminal~'' ''......That''s not the way to look at a child.'' ''......I can''t help it, it''s Yashiro.'' Paula, Nephrite, and Magda are making strange accusations about me. I''m jealous. I''ll look at you that way a little bit, yes! ''A single piece of art brought into the world by God, which attracts men from all over the world with its elegant dressing. The beauty of the world is gathered there. ............ Well, ............ Oh, yes. ...... Venus will descend upon this land! ...... Don''t let them give you a copy. I''m not sure how much they paid for you. ''You''d better watch out! Imelda emerged from the hut with her arms outstretched. I gave the flamboyant Imelda a dress on purpose. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that or not, but I''m going to do it. ...... It''s the big tits that think exposing their cleavage will make men happy!That''s sweet!It''s also good to have tits that are cramped and squashed! ''They''re so squishy! I''m not sure what to do. The fact that she doesn''t look too uncomfortable while holding her breasts is probably because the heat is making her feel more liberated. So there are only three of us left. ''So annoying and yet so shadowy!The ordinary of the ordinary!Loretta Hewitt! ''You''re calling out to me badly!I can feel your malice! Loretta sprang out with the force of a daisy-chair comedian. Yeah . That''s your position, right? ''I wish I could have come out with shame like the others! ''It''s better than being sent to the end and having to make a joke before being called. It''s better than being the last one to go and being called on to make a joke. ''Ugh, ...... that''s better than that, though. ......'' Looking at Loretta''s pouting face, my pseudo-brotherly heart was aroused just a little. d*mn it, it''s just for today. ''You look good, Loretta. Let me have a closer look.'' ''Are you sure!I want to see it!I want to see it! Loretta smiles and starts twirling happily. I guess she wants me to look at her front and back. Loretta''s swimsuit is an eye-catching bikini with no matching top and bottom. The more colors there are, the more noisy the color tends to become, but with Loretta''s brightness, it doesn''t matter. It''s a very "typical" coordination. Something unique like this goes well with Loretta. Or is it because the main body has no personality? ''Now, ......, which one shall we choose last: ............'' ''Natalia, do you have something against me? Estella''s voice came from inside the hut as Natalia giggled. ...... Estella after Jeannette, that''s tormenting. I''m not sure what to say. You are a cool but dreamy girl, and all you do is dream!I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ...... I''ll be back. Click! In the middle of Natalia''s call, a knife flew from the hut. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... Do they usually do this kind of advanced comedy and comedy? ...... Also, Natalia, you just took a knife out of your pareo, didn''t you?Don''t keep it in there. ...... ''Our lady!Estella Nine Torn!'' ''Who is the daughter of the House of Nine Turun? I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I mean, you guys. What''s the matter with you guys today? ''Oh my god! Estella is furious. However, the swimsuit she is wearing is very cute and her angry face does not suit her. That''s it. I''ll make him laugh too. ''Estella, my God!You''re dropping your tits somewhere! ''No, I didn''t! ''Oh, my God!Everyone, let''s split up and look for them! ''Natalia, get off me!And don''t look for me, either! Funny ......, you don''t smile at all. ''I''m leaving, seriously! ''Oh, wait, wait, wait!I haven''t had a good look at it yet.'' ''You don''t have to look!You''re going to laugh at ...... anyway, right?'' ''You idiot!I told you I picked the cutest swimsuit I could find! This is the swimsuit that I told Ukrines to put extra effort into making. I felt that Estella was too concerned about her breasts to wear something like this. It''s just that I''m missing a lot without Estella. ...... No, you see, there is also the calculus of wanting her to lend a hand when there is something that might lead to business. ......Don''t bother. I want to see your tits once in a while. ''This is called a bandeau bikini. It''s a tube top bra that makes your breasts look bigger.'' ''Oh, really?'' The bandeau bikini I gave Estella was decorated with three tiers of frills on the front of her breasts and at the waist, subtly hiding the parts of her body that people tend to look at. The volume of the frills disguises the small size of her breasts, and the pants are like a mini skirt with the frills from the waist. Thanks to these voluminous frills, the arms and legs extending from the frills look even thinner and more slender. Her waist also looks tighter. You can see a new side to Estella, who usually wears cool clothes, by putting her in a cute, frilly swimsuit like this. ''Well, well, it''s summer. You should enjoy it too. ''...... summer?'' Oh, I see. It''s December, and this hot season is called the ''heat wave season''. ''When having fun, it''s better to have fun together.'' ''Yeah, ...................'' Hmm? What is it? Why is Estella so red faced and stiff? Oh no~...... did I say something again? No, no, no, that''s not what I meant. ............ Oh no, my back is starting to sweat. ''No, that''s not what I meant. ......'' ''I know. ...... You''re an idiot. Do you have any idea how many times I''ve heard you make careless mistakes?'' With a wry smile, Estella pats me on the shoulder. ''I know exactly what you mean. She pats me on the shoulder twice and walks away from me as if we were passing each other. As we pass each other, he leaves me with these words. ''Now, don''t deny it. It''s .......'' What''s that? What''s that reaction? What should I do? ...... My heart hurts without knowing why. I''m sure I touched something I shouldn''t have, right? I''ll be careful what I say. Seriously, I''ll be careful. I''m worried that I''ll hurt you someday. ...... ''Well, now then, what are you waiting for? The final weapon of the forty-two districts is here! ''No, please don''t stir things up like that!I''m leaving as usual! Without waiting for Natalia''s call, Ginette emerges from the hut. ''''''''.................. gulp'''''''' All the boys spit in their mouths. No, that''s not fair. It''s a weapon worthy of the name ...... Lethal Weapon. Perhaps because of the tremors, Jeannette squeezed her breasts. I''ll help you!I''ll hold one of them for you. ''Oh, um, ............, that''s weird, isn''t it? Not at all! In fact, I think you should wear that outfit on a regular basis! Ginette''s swimsuit is a halter-neck bikini where the bra strap is tied behind the neck. By tying it behind the neck, the breasts are lifted up and the cleavage is emphasized more and more. If I were to attend a meeting of the gods to decide on the three sacred treasures, I would recommend this bikini. The waist of the pants is adorned with a large ribbon, which makes it look less revealing than it is. Even if you don''t have a pareo, it will alleviate some of your embarrassment. Anyway, Ginette''s swimsuit is designed to sway and sway whenever you move. ''Ginette. ''Ha, yes!Is it ......?'' Perhaps still unaccustomed to being seen in a bathing suit, Ginette''s ears are red and she looks uncomfortable. I make it clear to her. ''Thank you for the meal. ''''Please don''t say that! ''''''Thank you for the food! '''' ''''Everyone, please repent! The three men who took advantage of me were also pissed off. After enjoying the swimsuits of all of us, we played in the river to our heart''s content. Bertina and Milly were quiet enough to dip their feet in the water, while Paula and Delia jumped in and swam with all their might. As for me, I was teaching Ginette, who said she couldn''t swim, how to swim. ''Hands, keep your hands on me, okay? ''Yes, yes. It''s okay, just dip your face in the water.'' ''Oh, you''re not going to drown? ''I''m fine. Ginette realized that she really hadn''t been outside the cafeteria much. Estella, as expected, and Natalia were swimming around with the beautiful form of a competitive swimmer. And Loretta was swimming so well that it made me feel sick. ''That''s disgusting! ''It''s terrible!My brother is straight up terrible! She swam so fast even though her form was a mess, it was like swimming with a snake, and I felt a little ''wow''. Norma and Imelda are relaxing on the shore. Well, everyone has their own way of spending time. Magda and Nepheli were like, ''...... do you want to take it off? Isn''t it too early? ...... do you want to attack?'''' We need to know when it''s time!A makeover is a powerful weapon that only the two of us have! The two of them were discussing when to wear a bikini or not. ...... Do what you want. We had a lot of fun until late afternoon, and when we got hungry, we decided to have Nagashi Somen. I couldn''t wait to do this. I had never done it in Japan before. I couldn''t leave this to a stupid kid, because the person who washed the noodles had to find the right timing. By process of elimination, I''m the only one who can do it. All of you here are idiots. ''Well, let''s play! ''Garuru! ''Hey, who''s that?Who just screamed like an animal?Was it Magda?Delia?'' ''...... Sister Bertina.'' ''Is that you? Don''t even get me started on the noodles. I asked Omero and Bekko to keep pouring water into the bamboo with a ladle, and poured out a handful of somen. Oh!It''s flowing! ''Bon app??tit! ''Delia!No grabbing! ''Eeee! ''Gulp! ''Bertina, calm down! There''s a high rate of beasts here!I don''t know. After a couple of servings, things finally settled down. It seems that each of us has eaten a certain amount of somen. ''Yashiro-san. I''ll change. Please eat too, Yashiro-san. ''Hmm?I see. Sorry, Jeannette.'' ''No.'' I accepted Ginette''s offer and stood next to the bamboo. Becko and Omero seem to have taken over. Delia and Magda are going to drain the water. ''Then, let''s go! Ginette says in a relaxed voice. She grabbed her chopsticks and braced herself. ...... Then the somen was dropped onto the bamboo. ...... Instant! --......Swoosh! ''That was fast! The two watermen were pouring water at a speed like a whitewater slide. Magda keeps the water flowing, and Delia swings her ladle in time with the somen, and launches it like a slamming mass of water. Are these people going to feed us? ''That sounds fun. Let me have a go. ''Yeah, but ......''. Ginette flinched for a moment at Delia''s offer, which was clearly too dangerous, but ...... ''Then, please.'' ......I guess I gave it away. ............ You will find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time. She pointed the ladle at Omero, then spun the ladle around and held it like a batter. ''Omero, eat up! He then ''hit'' the somen with the ladle as if it were a thousand knocks. ''Dofufu! The noodles hit Omero''s mouth perfectly, and not a single one spilled. ''That''s amazing ......''. ''No, it''s great, but that''s not how you do it!Let me eat like a normal person! I won''t allow you to play with food! And so the good time passed, and ...... we truly enjoyed the hot day of midsummer. It''s okay to have fun like this even in the hottest season. If you just complain about the hot weather, your heart will rot. Thanks to the heat, we were able to see everyone in their swimsuits. ''Spend the time when your activities are restricted by having fun by playing around ......? I''ll try to get this idea to take root in the whole city next year. That''s what Estella said with a carefree smile. That''s right. Enjoying the hellish heat wave is a win-win situation. There''s sure to be fun things waiting for us tomorrow. After all, summer has just begun! After the sun had set, we returned to the sunny pavilion, where we closed the store early and collapsed into a sleepy stupor. As my consciousness was engulfed in a muddy sleep, I thought to myself ...... ''What should I do next? ...... I wonder if I can do a test of courage, watermelon splitting, ...... fireworks, ......'' I was thinking like a kid who is excited about his summer vacation plans. Eventually, my consciousness was interrupted and I fell asleep. When I woke up, I had no idea that such a thing had happened. ............ ''............ You''re lying, right?'' When I woke up to the intense cold, I opened the window and gasped. My breath and the view in front of me were all covered in white. The whole world was covered in snow. 111-Episode 96 descends too much, doesnt it? Arientee...... If you were to poke the earth with an ice pick, it would crack just right. ............ This is exactly what I mean. ...... Oh, by the way, today is the 16th of December. I''m sure ...... someone won''t disappear. ...... No, they won''t. No, no, no. ''Why is there suddenly so much snow on the ground after yesterday''s heat wave? ''It''s early this year, isn''t it,snow? ''...... Is it like this every year?'' ''Yes. The waking bell hasn''t rung yet. It was 3:30 in the morning. I was so cold that I woke up and ran into Jeannette in the hallway. To my surprise, she was unusually dressed in her nightgown. ''We can''t do laundry when it snows,'' she said. She smiled troubledly and looked down at the snow piled up in the courtyard from the upstairs landing. Her breath is white, and her muscles contract in the blowing wind. ''I''m a bit of a sleepyhead this time of year. ''No, you''re up early enough. It''s not even four o''clock yet. ''Why such a heavy snowfall the day after a very hot day? The snow in the courtyard is definitely more than a meter high. Even if Magda jumps off the landing again, I won''t have to worry this time. ''Isn''t it natural for it to snow when the heat wave lasts more than five days? It''s not natural. Why do you have such an innocent look on your face like, ''What''s so funny? Why do you have such an innocent look on your face? What, are you trying to say that you''re on the rebound?It was so hot, and now it''s going to be so cold?Who''s in charge of the weather here?The Spirit God?I''ll kick your ass. ''In this city, there are five days to a week of extremely hot days around this time of year. And when the temperature rises above forty-two degrees, it snows the next day. ''Did everyone agree to play in the river? ......'' ''Yes. The heat wave lasts for at least five days, and this year has been especially hot, so we had a feeling that yesterday would be the last day. So, it seems that everyone was excited about it. ...... Tell me about it, too! ''I''m sorry. I didn''t know that Mr. Yashiro didn''t know. ...... That''s right. It''s the first time you''ve been to this city this year,......, and I''d forgotten about it. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. What''s that cute little thing? I''m going to push you down, okay? ''...... I have a feeling that Yashiro and I have been together ...... for a long time like this,......'' he said. ''Can I push you down? I''m not sure what to do. Well, ...... no? I felt like he was proposing to me. ...... ''Well? ''Yes? No, even I will learn. ''How long will this snow last? ''About ten days this year. ''If we get a few meters of snow, will it be warm and sunny the next day?'' ''Uh-huh, ...... won''t change that quickly, will it? No, this change from yesterday to today!Why are you pretending it didn''t happen? How many degrees is the temperature difference? Habit is a scary thing! ''Every year, the hot season starts when the leaves of the hilar are ready to be harvested. It varies a little, but it''s always around the same time. On the other hand, there is a specific date when the heavy snowfall season ends. As Ginette said earlier, if the temperature exceeds 42 degrees Celsius during the heat wave, the next day it switches to the heavy snowfall period. The earlier the temperature rises in the hot season, the longer the heavy snow season will be, and conversely, if the temperature does not rise in the hot season, the shorter the heavy snow season will be. This year, the heavy snow season came relatively early, so the period of snow cover will be long. This situation will continue for ten days. ...... Ten days? Today is the 16th, so the end of the heavy snow season is the 25th. Christmas. ...... But we don''t have Christmas culture here, and if we don''t have Christianity, we can''t even explain what day it is. Well, maybe we can have some chicken and cake. Turkey? Chicken''s better! ''So you''ve been buying a lot of food.'' ''Yes, sir. This time of year, a lot of guilds take a break from work. ''''A lot of guilds'''' means that there are some stupid guilds that work in such heavy snow. ''Aa...... that............ we''ll be open for business too, you know?I''m sure there will be few customers. ''Well, the wumaros will come. Definitely. ''I don''t know. But it looks like you''re coming.'' Ginette chuckles. It''s been a long time since we''ve had such a relaxed conversation in the morning. But now it finally makes sense. It wasn''t just the heat that had kept the guests away from the sunlit pavilion until yesterday. This heavy snowfall is really unbelievable. All the trains in Japan have been stopped and all the major companies have been ordered to stay home. Convenience stores and the like may be working, but ...... ''Oh, so that''s what you meant. ......'' ''What''s that?'' ''That''s what Assunto said.'' ''......?'' ''Assunto said, ''In two weeks, we''ll have ice. ...... Yeah. We''ll get it. It''s too late, though. ''If we can make the ice last until next year''s heat wave, we''ll ...... make a fortune in shaved ice .......'' ''That''s really impossible, isn''t it? ''No, if we build an ice house, ............ how will we make it? Can you dig a hole and spread straw on it?Do we need a cave or something? I don''t know.If I''d known this was going to happen, I''d have checked out places where we could make an ice house beforehand! ''As well as ice, right? Mmm!'' said Jeannette, rolling up her arms. ''We have some work to do before breakfast, Yashiro-san! ''What about ......? Ginette stares at me with a somewhat enthusiastic look in her eyes. What is it?What are you going to do? ''First, let''s get you dressed. You''ll catch a cold in this outfit.'' ''Well, ......, you''ll always be in your pajamas.'' ''Could you please go and wake up Magda? ''............ I''ve got a bad feeling about this. ......'' ''He didn''t seem to like the heat, and ...... maybe he''s strong in the cold.'' You''re an idiot. The one who dreads hot weather is the one who doesn''t like ............ cold weather and won''t come out of the futon. ''Then I''ll go change my clothes too. ''Hey, hey.'' I''m going to go wake Magda up. Maybe he''ll be excited to see the snow. I don''t think so, but... ...... ''Magda, Jeannette wants you to wake up. He knocks on the door, urging her to get up. ............ No answer. He''s asleep. Well, that''s to be expected. He never wakes up when he''s supposed to. ''Let''s go in. I''ve been given permission by Magda herself to enter her room unannounced. However, I have no intention to invade her privacy, or to search her underwear, or even to attack her in her sleep. In short, she is saying, "I am not sure I can wake up, so I want you to come in and wake me up. Also, if you are too scared to sleep, you can hide in your bed. I''ve never done that ....... When I entered the room, Magda was not there. There was no way ............ I approached the bed and raked my hands through the straw. ''...... You''re easy to understand, you know.'' ''............Summer......Summer......... ...bury me.'' ''I never thought I''d see the day when you''d ask me to do that. You never know what will happen in life. It must have gotten so cold that it burrowed into the straw. A small animal. ''They''re doing something, they''re working. ''...... hunting guilds are closed during heavy snowfall. ......'' ''That''s too bad. The Sunken Pavilion is open all year round.'' I remember that the t-shirt I made before said it was open all year round. I guess it''s a lie if it''s closed. I''ll be careful. ''......Yashiro'' ''What is it? ''............ warm, human skin.'' ''...... You know what you''re saying?'' ''............ cold.'' I''ll teach you some dry rubbing. It''s surprisingly foolproof. If you rub your skin with a dry towel, you will feel a little less cold. It''s a hell of a way to get there, though. ...... Naked top and all. ............ ''Good luck getting up, I''ll give you some coffee jelly.'' ''............ refused''. I know, right? That''s how I used to wake up yesterday. Oh, yeah, Ginette bought red beans. ...... Did she also buy sticky rice? Then I''ll make zenzai...... or even oshiruko. I''m sure they''ll like it better. You''ll have to put mochi in place of the white balls, though. I dragged Magda out of bed and told her to get dressed. ...... I think I''m going to fall asleep. ...... But I can''t make her change her clothes. ......... I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Look, don''t fall asleep, okay? ''...... That''s what Percy taught me yesterday. That''s what Percy taught me yesterday. ''In his case, yes, but not now. Now get dressed.'' ''...... aye aye.'' Magda, half-asleep, starts to wander off. I also went back to my room and changed into my outer clothes. I had fallen asleep yesterday because of the fatigue I felt after swimming, and my clothes had been thrown away in a mess. It was the opposite of the simplicity of Magda''s room, a man''s messy room. If you can''t go out, why don''t you take this opportunity to clean up?It''s the end of the year. After getting dressed, I walked out into the hallway and found Jeannette waiting for me, all ready to go. ''Yes, Mr. Yashiro. And Magda-san. Jeannette smiles and hands me and Magda a shovel. Jeannette is holding an old shovel that has seen better days. ''.................. Yes?'' ''Shoveling snow, sir. We can''t go to the kitchen like this. We''ll clear the courtyard of snow in the morning and then clean up the front of the store and the yard after we get back from church.'' ............ Seriously? ''It''s not like you can shovel the snow and it''ll be reset ...... the next morning, is it?'' This is a world of extreme weather. It''s possible that we''ll be hit with a meter of snow night after night. But my fears were easily dismissed. ''In the heavy snow season, it will fall heavily on the first day and then continue to fall only sporadically. But it will continue to pile up little by little, so you will have to shovel the snow several times. At any rate, it''s not reset every morning. ...... On the other hand, it''s hard to refuse. You can''t say, ''If it rains every day, it''s useless to do it. d*mn, it looks like you can''t escape shoveling snow no matter what you do. ''Well, let''s do it quickly! ''Yes! ''Good luck with .......'' ''You do it too.'' ''...... I expect a reward.'' ''Oh, you better. I''ll feed you good food.'' ''............ Negotiated.'' I kicked the snow off the roofless stairs with my feet and walked down to the courtyard. ............ It''s so piled up that it makes me sigh. I guess only elementary school students can be happy with this. ...... ''......''You can use the ''red shiny thing'' for a moment. ''Don''t do it. Even food is limited. You should avoid anything that makes you hungry.'' ''...... Hmm, you have a point. We can''t afford to waste food shoveling snow. Let''s just make sure we have access to the kitchen and pantry. ''Speaking of which, where are the chickens? The chickens are kept in the courtyard of the Sunlit Pavilion. Since Nepheli''s eggs became available, they''ve been treated as pets. ''We keep them in an indoor shed and shelter them in the dining room. ''It looks cold in the ...... cafeteria.'' ''Yes, it is. We''ll have to get a fire going soon, I''m afraid. There''s no fireplace in the sunlit pavilion. How are you going to keep warm? ''We have a small wood stove. It''s an old one from my grandfather''s time, but it''s warm. ''Oh, ...... I''ve seen that before. It''s the one that''s been gathering dust in the back of the storeroom. ''It''s only used this time of year. It was a small iron stove, about 40cm high and wide and 60cm deep. It had a small window, so I guessed it was used to heat wood by throwing it in. ''Well, let''s hurry. We can hit the stove when we''re done, right?'' ''Yes, we can. You can put a pot on top, so you can make hot soup. I''ll make hot soup while keeping warm. I like that. That''s my kind of lean cooking. Pork miso soup or sweet sake would be nice. We shovel the snow and throw it away. We should be able to make a path with enough room for one person to walk. ''But this work is hard on my arms and back. ......'' I shouldn''t have been so excited yesterday and swam so hard. My muscles are sore and it''s hard to lift my arms. ''............ cold.'' ''Just keep moving, you''ll warm up eventually. ''......If you''re in Magda''s class, this level of exercise is not even enough. ......'' ''......'' I don''t know whether it''s great or inconvenient to be a superhuman. But Magda''s coldness is a bit abnormal. His body is shivering and his lips are pale. ''You can go back to your room if you want. ''The ...... room is cold, too.'' ''But it''s better than outside. ......'' ''......Yashiro. Human skin.'' ''I''m going to get lost in here, aren''t I? I''ve got to finish shoveling the snow and get the stove going. ...... ''But, Mr. Yashiro. It takes a lot of time to set up a chimney and ...... to use a stove, right?'' ''Are you serious?'' ''I''m sorry, ...... I should have done it yesterday, but ...... I''m very sleepy. ......'' It was almost impossible for Jeannette, who had never swum before, to resist the drowsiness. But what the hell. I really need to warm her up with human skin. I can''t even boil a bath in this snow. .................. snow? That''s right! I crawled up the meter of snow that I hadn''t finished shoveling yet and forcibly rolled into the kitchen. ''Come on! The chickens were cold in the kitchen. You''ll have to wait a bit longer. ''I think there''s a ............ around here. I didn''t expect to be on the scene so soon. ''Now all we need is a ...... Magda-sized one that we can make quickly. ............ Okay! I whip my aching muscles into shape and vow to give it one more go. I borrowed some usable charcoal from the kitchen and headed back into the snowy courtyard. ''Yashiro-san, what the hell are you doing ......? ''Jeannette, I''m sorry, but you''ll have to build a fire for this one. ''Here ......''. I handed Ginette something I''d picked up in the kitchen. ''I think it''s ...... a seven-ring, right? ''Oh. Magda, hold on a minute. I''ll make you a warm room right now. The snow is a meter deep. You don''t have to pile up the snow, you can just dig a hole in the side and it''ll look like that. A warm room in the snow. Yes, a "kamakura"! But we''ll have to pound it a little to harden it. We don''t think too much about it, but we just make a simple maze with speed first. In the meantime, Magda managed to keep warm by biting on the seven rings. If you put a shichirin in a kamakura, it will be even warmer. It should last at least as long as I''m shoveling snow. ''I''ll help you. ''Thanks! With Ginette''s help, a small hole was completed in the side of the house where Magda could fit in. It''s called the Snow Hotel Kamakura-tei. ''Come on, Magda. Come on in. ''...... in the snow ......?'' ''Come on. Think you''ve been tricked.'' ''............ got it.'' Cautiously, Magda entered the make-shift hut. She bends down and steps inside, her tail wagging. ''............ warm.'' Right?And when you put the seventh ring in, it''s ......'' I put the seven-ring inside the simple kamakura. The red color of the burning charcoal illuminates the walls of the kamakura. ''............ This is a good one. ''It''s true. It''s warm just to be near it. ''When we''re done shoveling, we might as well build something more substantial. ''It''s an open terrace! An open terrace in a cafeteria with a kamakura?Are kamakura open in the first place? ''Well, something like that.'' I''m a little tired from trying so hard, so I''ll just answer appropriately. If Jeannette perceived it that way, then there was nothing wrong with it. ''Big brother!Manager! Suddenly, Loretta came running out of the kitchen. Did she just come out in the snow?It''s not even four o''clock yet. ''Miss Loretta. Are you all right, in the snow like this? It would have been fine if Loretta-san had taken the day off. ......'' ''I don''t want that!Even if it''s raining or snowing, we don''t take a day off.As long as there''s work, I''ll work! By the way, there was a time when this guy couldn''t work even if he wanted to. When it comes to work, he''s serious and works hard. It''s just that it''s hard to see from the outside. ''I brought my three brothers with me, so I''ll leave the snow shoveling to you! ''Leave it to me! ''Omakase! ''The handyman of the snow shoveling world! This is a reliable helper. This is a great help. It''ll be much faster than me doing it all by myself. ''Did you come all this way while shoveling snow, Loretta? ''No, sir. I wanted to get there fast, so I zipped along on the snow.'' ''Snow, get out of my way!I have to go to church after this! ''As expected, this distance is a bit hard to walk. ......'' Well, I don''t know. .................. Hmm? ''Hey, Jeannette.'' ''Yes?'' ''We can''t use the usual carts with all this snow, can we?'' ''Yes, sir. The wheels would get buried in the snow.'' ''...... Then how are we going to carry the food? ''In that case, here you go! Ginette took out three backpacks from under the stairs, wondering when she had prepared them. .................. Really? ''It''s very hard, but you have to be patient for ten days. It''s modern children who can''t endure those ten days. Calan!Kalarn! A bell rings in the distance. The wake-up call. ''Well, I''m going to go do some prep work. ''...... Magda will be here a while longer.'' ''Oh, Magda!What''s that?It''s looking good!Please let me in too! ''...... I can''t, my hole is too small.'' ''My brother will dilate it! ''I''ll expand it! ''It''s too small. ''Foreign object in! No, no, no. They''re all accepting this impossible snow as normal. They''re giving up because they have no choice. Why don''t they fight it? Why don''t you think about facing this snow? I don''t want to. I don''t want to spend ten days on the road to the church and back, with a backpack full of heavy food and my feet stuck in the snow. ............ Gently touch the snow. The snow is as soft as you would find at a ski resort. ...... So it won''t slip or sink. ............ ''Yeah . I can handle it in two hours! There''s also bamboo. It''s the one I used for drift noodles. I''m going to use it to conquer ...... this snow! ''''My brothers! ''''''What?'''''' ''''''Did any of you work at Umaro''s place? ''''''Yes!'''''' All of them. Then they might have some skills drilled into them. ''''Okay, you guys, give me a hand! ''''''Whoopee! ''''......What, that''s what you think of me?'''' ''''Oh, ...... yesterday, I taught my brothers how excited my brother was when he saw the swimsuit.'''' ''It looks like there was a lot of malicious distortion going on, huh? ''No, not at all!It''s just the way it is! ''If that''s why you''re reacting like this, then I''m even more sad! And, it doesn''t matter! ''My brothers!I''m going to make two things now.'''' ''''''What?'''''' ''''A sledge and a boot! Let''s put our knowledge of snow country to good use in a world buried in snow! 112-Episode 97 You dont have to say anything... December 16. I poked the ground with an ice pick, but I couldn''t see the ground at all. Who is the one who built such a world? ...... ''Waha~!You can walk on snow! ''...... won''t sink''. Loretta was excited to wear the sandals that everyone had made together. Magda walks on the snow, checking it step by step. ''It''s amazing, Yashiro-san. It''s like magic that your feet don''t get stuck in the snow. Ginette''s eyes sparkled. But I didn''t expect such an ancient tradition to be called magic. People north of the northern Kanto region must be surprised. ''It''s like walking on a cloud. Ginette walks through the snow, squeezing and squeezing. Her footsteps seem to be lighter than usual. ''Sleighing! ''Hiku! ''I''m an impersonator of Kasajizo! My brothers are pulling a sledge loaded with foodstuffs. We can''t use wheeled carts, but we can use sledges. What could be more useful for transporting food in the snow? I wonder if the story of the Kasa Jizo is spreading? ''...... It''s cold. Yashiro, hug me.'' ''Don''t f*ck around on the snow. ''...... very serious'' ''............ try a little harder.'' I''m not the type of guy who''s as confident in his physical strength as you are. I''m not the type of person who is confident in my physical strength like you. He has shown some interest in the kajiki, but he doesn''t get too excited about it. The three younger brothers are working together to pull the sled. ''Whoa!Wha-ho!I''m not afraid of the snow! ......, so Loretta is the only one who is excited about it. ''You should help out a little too! ''Wabuku! A snowball the size of a fist hits Loretta in the face. Hmm. I guess my shoulder''s still in good shape. As expected of the handball throwing class record holder. ''Huh!You did it, big brother! Loretta''s eyes sparkle as she begins to make an oversized snowball. But next to me walks Ginette, who is synonymous with ''dumb''. If I''m good, Ginette will surely fall prey to the snowball. ''...... If you hit Jeannette, you''ll have to skip breakfast. ''Huh! Loretta removes the snowball. Oh, the ...... snowball cracked open and turned into a small lump. ''Well, I''ll get revenge when I get back! ''Yeah, when I get back. There are no guests here anyway. Let''s have a snowball fight and play. As we approached the field, Mormat hadn''t come out yet. It''s impossible to work in the field in this snow. I jumped down on the fresh snow in the field and wrote ''Mormat''s idiot'' with my footprints. ''...... already, Yashiro-san. When I returned to the road, a troubled-looking Ginette admonished me. Well, well, well. It''s okay to play around like this. ''They''ll never know I wrote it, anyway. ''No, they''ll probably find out soon enough. Loretta says confidently. What, you know a lot about mormat biology?Are you a Dr. Morgat? When I look up, I see Magda attached to Loretta. Her ears are flattened, and she is listless. ''Magda. ''.................. Mmm.'' Her reply is minimal. He''s in a lot of pain. ''I''ll make you something nice when we get to the church. Just hang in there a little longer.'' ''............ Mmm'' I warmed her ears with my hand, as if I were covering them. It''s hard to have cold ears, isn''t it? Your bite hurts, you know, when your ears are cold. ''Yashiro-san. Is that the ''good stuff'' you were preparing just now? ''Hmm?Yeah. I''m sure the kids at church will love it. I thought I would have to spend a lot of time making sandals and sledges, but my brother and Loretta took to it so quickly that I was able to leave them to it. So I used the free time to prepare the ''good stuff''. I steamed the glutinous rice and boiled the red beans. ''Now all I have to do is boil it again, and it will become oshiruko. ''Is oshiruko ...... a soup?'' ''The soup ...... is a soup.'' Where do you think the position of oshiruko is? You can say it''s a drink because it''s in a vending machine, or you can say it''s a soup because it''s in a vending machine. Oshiruko is "oshiruko" after all. It is neither more nor less than that. By the way, Percy brought a lot of sugar with him when we played in the river yesterday. ...... Maybe this is a bribe. I don''t know. ...... It''s like I''m supposed to get along with Neffery to make things work. ...... Well, I don''t know, because he didn''t tell me. So you are all set to make oshiruko. There was no time to make the rice cakes, so they were simply mashed like ohagi. ...... Well, there is no difference in taste. I hope this makes Magda feel better. ......? I''m not sure what to say. Magda suddenly fell into the snow. He fell forward, with a thud. ''What''s wrong?Are you at your limit?'' I hurriedly picked her up and saw that Magda was shaking and shaking. Isn''t this a bad idea? ''...... is a flower......'' ''Hana?'' Magda said in a shaky voice. ''What?What are you trying to say? ''I want you to ...... your nose, plop ...... it down.'' ''What about ..................?'' ''I want you to .................., .......'' ''Cover your nose? ''...... should I just, uh, blow my nose?'' ''..................Yes.'' ''.................. stinky?'' ''......I''m fine.'' No, I don''t have any toothpaste or anything like that, though I do rinse my mouth out. ............ Oh, really? ''............Yashiro......'' He looked up at me with his usual expressionless but somewhat weak eyes. His hands grabbing my clothes ...... are so weak that it''s hard to imagine them from the usual Magda. He''s asking me to do it. It must mean something to him. ...... More importantly, I don''t think he''d mess around in a situation like this: ............ ''All right. Then let''s go to .......'' ''............''. The only thing that escaped was a sigh of ...... breath. I feel like I''m about to fall asleep,...... and I''m going to sleep like I never woke up,...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. I don''t know what the point of blowing your nose is. I don''t know, but ...... ''.................. blow''. I gently bite Magda''s little nose. I felt a little nervous, like I was kissing her, but she was Magda. If our lips accidentally touched, it was safe because we were children. Now I''m going to blow my nose. ...... So, what happens now? --And... Creepy, creepy, creepy!Magda''s body vibrated. Like a dog splashing after getting wet, it''s a super-fast vibration that no human can imitate. What''s that? Is my mouth that smelly? ''............ mom'' ''......What?'' Magda clung to me tightly. She buries her face in my chest and rubs her head against me. Magda''s strength is returning to her arms. ''............ nyaa''. She lets out a small cry and stops moving. ............ ''.................. Huh.'' Suddenly her ears stand up, twitch and shake, and then stand up again. The ears are pointing at me. ''...... Magda?'' ''...... hey .................. wait.'' She presses her face against my chest and squirms around somewhat. He rubs his head restlessly, busily, merrily. ''............ Mom, you''re spoiling my parents. ............ I''m so embarrassed. ......'' Apparently, she''s embarrassed. In ......, mommy parents are ...... ''............ Magda, you''re an adult.'' ''You''re still a minor, so you''re safe. Apparently, the extreme cold had taken its toll on her spirit. Maybe he was feeling nervous. After sniffing, Magda''s arms were firm and strong. Perhaps, for Magda and the other Tigers, sniffing is part of the expression of affection that parents give to their children. The child rubs his head and rubs his soft parts. Just like Magda is doing to me right now. ''............When you grow up, you won''t have to do this ......''. Apparently, Magda is embarrassed by her current pampering mode. It''s the first time you''ve rubbed ...... your head or rubbed my belly. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''............But I''m underage now,......'' ''Yes, yes. That''s right. ''............Because you''re a yashiro.'' ''Yes, yes.'' ''..................Thanks.'' ''Hmm.'' Maybe this guy has some bad memories of snow. It''s said that when a trauma comes back, it can cause sudden loss of consciousness or collapse. Well, I''m not going to pursue it, but I''ll keep it in mind. And if he''s behaving strangely, I''ll indulge him like this. I''m sure he''s lacking something like that. If you do that, will he be able to ...... laugh at you someday? I''d like to see that. ''Mr. Yashiro''. Ginette calls out from behind me. The reason she didn''t come from behind Magda is probably out of consideration for Magda. I''m sure Magda is more cautious now. ''Does she look okay? ''Yeah, I''m fine. Your arms are stronger, and your complexion is improving. Your body temperature is rising, too. ''You''re fine now, Magda? ''............ Mmm. Five more minutes.'' ''Yes, yes.'' ''Well, I''ll go to the church first and make a fire. I''ll go to the church and make a fire so we can have something hot to eat soon.'' ''Right. Take care of it.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Ginette slowly walked back to her brothers and went to the church first. ''Magda, are you alright? ''...... I''m fine. I''ll be fully recovered in seven minutes.'' ''You''re two minutes overdue, .......'' Loretta tries to look into Magda''s face, but Magda stubbornly refuses to do so. Every time Loretta moves, Magda''s face is pressed against my chest. It hurts a little, so I''d like you to stop. ''............ but .............'' ''Don''t be shy! ''............ stinks.'' ''You don''t stink! Loretta was shocked by Magda''s harsh words. If she can make jokes like this, she should be fine now. ''Loretta. Why don''t you go ahead and heat up some oshiruko? The recipe is at .......'' I tell Loretta how to make oshiruko, when to add water when it boils, and how much sugar to add. I don''t expect her to be able to remember. ''If you look at the Conversation Record, you should be able to do it without fail. ''All right, sir!I''ll leave it to you! Loretta puffed her chest out with pride. It''s a normal-sized bulge. With the Conversation Record, it''s easy to pass on the recipe. I''m sure that even the idiot Loretta will be able to finish it. ''Well then, my brothers will be here soon! ''Yes, yes. Oh, and Loretta...'' ''What is it? ''Don''t fall down, okay?Don''t fall. ''Don''t pretend like that!I''m not going to fall! After a moment of wondering if she should fall, Loretta ran to the church without falling. ''............ Well.'' I put my hand on Magda''s head. ''I''m all you''ve got.'' ''............Yeah.'' Well, what can I say? It''s a rare thing. ...... Yeah, life is a lot of things. ...... My chest was warm and now it''s cold. That''s why I was the only one who noticed. Magda''s situation. I looked up and saw that Magda was crying. You''ve got no expression on your face, do you? ''............ strange?'' ''No. I was afraid to get into a car for a while too. ''...... cars?'' ''It''s like a horse-drawn carriage. I''ve been in an accident with one.'' ''...... carriage, are you afraid? ''I''m totally fine now. I got over it a long time ago. That''s why. ......'' At this time, I had an image in my mind of a kitten mewing to itself on a snowy night. ...... You must be cold. Come here and warm up more. ''No need to rush, no need to be in a hurry. And don''t worry about it. ''............'' ''It''ll all be in the past someday. And then, surprisingly, you''ll be okay. ''......When I grow up, will I be ......?'' ''No. It''s not about age. It''s when you start to think that traumas and annoying things that are holding you back are no big deal. ...... ''Maybe it''s when you find your place in the world. ''...... place............'' ''Even on a cold night, it''s warm when you get home, right?If you have a place to come home to, you can be strong.'' ''..................Yes.'' ''Yes.'' ''............ so'' ''Hmm.'' ''...... ''Yes''. I don''t know what happened in Magda''s past. I''m not going to ask, and I may never know. But that''s okay. Even if I don''t know what his past was, I know what his present is. I can see his future with him. That''s all I need. ''...... Mmm.'' Magda buries her face in my chest again, her puffy cheeks leaking a dissatisfied voice. I''m not sure what to do. ''............Yashiro is so cool sometimes,............ ...... is unfair.'' ''Right?That''s what I''m trying to do, actually. That''s why I make Yashiro mischievous every day.'' ''............ That''s not true. That''s just me. Hey, hey. I don''t care either way. Think what you want. Just one thing. ''If you need help, you can count on me. ''............ Yes.'' Magda''s body warmed slowly. She must have felt safe. It''s the warmth of a child''s body. We sat there for a while, exposed to the too-cold wind. It was so cold that it was no joke, but ...... I thought I would do this until Magda calmed down. I''m not sure what to say. Magda! When I arrived at the church, the kids were already eating. I''m early. ...... No, we ended up staying outside for about thirty minutes, so I guess it can''t be helped. ''It was cold, wasn''t it?Have some hot soup. ''Thank you. ''......Thanks''. ''...... Ah. ............ Magda-san. ''Yashiro-san brought you some oshiruko, it''s amazing food, you can count on it.'' Ginette reacted slightly when she saw Magda''s face. She must have noticed the tears on her face. After that, he talked to Magda gently with his usual smile. I think he''s a really nice guy, being able to pay attention to things like this. ''Hey, big brother!Please give me a taste! ''Oh. You followed the recipe, didn''t you? ''It''s perfect!The manager did all the work!All I did was stir it! ...... So, why do you look so proud of yourself? ...... When I followed Loretta into the kitchen, steam was rising from a huge pot. And the sweet smell of red beans was in the air. On the workbench in the kitchen, there was a row of ''make-believe rice balls'' made from roughly mashed glutinous rice. Would ''kind of mochi'' be more appropriate? I''m not sure what to make of it. ............ Hmm. Normal! It''s just normal oshiruko. ''As expected, it''s just what Loretta was stirring. It''s so normal.'' ''It doesn''t matter, sir!It''s seasoned by the manager, right? ''It''s delicious. Very good.'' ''Ehehe, it''s .......'' Maybe this guy also wanted to do something for Magda. He seemed to be Magda''s closest friend in the sunlit pavilion. ''Well, when you''re done eating, you can have this for dessert. ......'' '''''''''' Thanks for the food! '''''''''' Before you can finish your sentence, you can hear the voices of the kids and then Bertina''s voice coming from the common room. ...... It''s too early to finish eating. ''Um, Yashiro-san,......, Sista,......, it seems like you guys can''t wait? ''......That''s why you ate your food in such a hurry. ............'' You kids, don''t grow up to be like Bertina. No, seriously. ''Then let''s give it to the kids! '''''''' Wow! '''''''' ''Where are the sisters? I shouted, and there were shouts of joy. Except for about one sister. ''Ginette, Loretta. I need your help.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Yes, sir! Someone tugged at the hem of my dress as I tried to serve the oshiruko. It was Magda. ''...... Magda will do it too.'' ''Can you do it?'' ''............ stupid question''. ''Foolish question. ...... Well, let''s see how you''re back to full strength. ''Yes!Now for the mission!Distribute the oshiruko to the kids so Bertina doesn''t steal them away! ''Yes, sir.'' ''Yes, sir.'' ''...... Understood.'' The members of the Sun Goddess Pavilion leave the kitchen with a bowl of oshiruko. When they left, Ginette was caught by Bertina and the oshiruko was taken from her. ...... Mission failed. ''Oishii! ''Awwww! ''It''s hot! ''Omochi! ''Revolutionary of sweetness! Oh, Hammaro''s eating it too. As far as I can see, oshiruko is a big hit. Maybe I''ll try making real mochi at church next time. Anko and ...... Oh, Ginette bought a lot of soybeans, so we can make soybean flour. Okay, okay. The mochi pounding contest is almost a done deal. ''......Yashiro'' ''Oh, Magda. Oshiruko (sweet red bean paste) is being served to the kids, and the members of the sunny pavilion are also enjoying it. Magda seemed to be eating it too, her cheeks turning a light pink and she was smiling. ''Is it good?'' ''...... affirmative. ''The sweetness of Yashiro.'' ''What do you mean, my sweetness? ''...... That sweetness will be fatal one day. ......'' ''It''s not the same sweetness, and don''t say horrible things.'' It seemed to me that he had taken the trouble to tell me that he was well enough to joke about it. When I put my hand on his head, the chemo ears that had been lying flat on the ground outside pushed back against my palm with a faint resistance. Fluffy. ''Since this is the occasion, let''s enjoy it to the fullest, Snow. ''...... will do.'' Onward. Magda''s eyes seemed to be fixed on the road ahead. ''......I''ll do my best to get into a snowball fight.'' ''You''re not allowed to say "Red Moya," are you? ''...... Excuse that abbreviation. It''s the venerable ...... of the Tigers.'' ''You''ll get cold.'' ''............ zzzzz ............ puhhh''. It''s not ...... raining, but the heavy snow has made Magda big again. I''m not sure what to make of that. You may be ...... just imagining it, though. 113-Episode 98 Visitors on Snowy Days ''............ one dress'' ''Z, it''s not fair!I''ve just thrown a snowball at you before the spurt! ''......It''s eat or be eaten in a race.'' ''Was it that deadly? ''I lost. ''I''ll be eaten. ''The loser becomes flesh...'' Magda and Loretta ran across the snow, followed by their brothers. ...... They''re so energetic, these guys. ''I''m glad to hear that. I''m glad you''re feeling better, Magda.'' ''Yeah, well. We ate at the church, drank a pot full of oshiruko together, and returned to the sunny pavilion. Magda had recovered her energy and was no longer shivering in the cold. It seemed that Magda was not particularly vulnerable to the cold after all. Magda was striking a victorious gut pose in front of the sunlit pavilion. As I stared at him, our gazes suddenly met. ''............ oof''. As soon as our gazes met, he quickly averted his gaze. ...... Hmm... I think he''s avoiding me. After the meal, Magda started to show some signs of avoiding me. He was normal at dinner. As soon as he became calm after a while, he must have suddenly started to feel embarrassed. ''Hooaaaah! Loretta, who was heading for the garden, made a strange noise. What is it? What''s going on? ''O,oni,oni,oni,oni,oni! Loretta comes back on all fours, flapping her feet. Is she hunched over? ''Hi, hi, hi, someone''s down! ''Oh my God! Ginette rushes out at Loretta''s words. ...... And then she gets her foot caught in the snow and takes a big fall. ''............It hurts. ......'' It''s because you''re dashing with your hobbles,...... and you have to walk with your feet straight up and down. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. The entrance to the store. There''s a man lying in front of the door. Most of his body is buried under a huge pile of snow. Around the man, there were only footprints that seemed to belong to him and those of a person wearing kimonos. ''The murderer may have been wearing kanjiki. ......'' ''Those are my footprints! ''Loretta ............ you ......'' ''I''m not the culprit!It''s just my footprints from when I went to check it out earlier! ''Mr. Yashiro!Look at that person''s fingertips...... there are some words written on them.'' Ginette was right, there was what looked like writing on the hand of the man buried in the snow. It was a dying message. It''s a kind of dying message, in which the victim uses the last of his strength to leave a clue to the killer. And the words written on it were: ...... ''Magda Tan''. ''............ Magda'' ''...... frame-up''. Magda denies committing the crime. However, the dying message clearly states that Magda is the culprit. ...... ''But Magda was with us the whole time. ''d*mn, so ...... Magda has a perfect alibi ......''. I never thought I''d be the one to prove a suspect''s alibi. ............ No, but I''m sure there''s some trick to ...... ............Oh, yeah! ''I get it! I clench my fists and assert to all those present. ''The killer is in here! The air ripples with a ...... buzz. As everyone''s attention is drawn to me, I begin to tell them the perfect theory I''ve constructed in my brain. ''The murderer somehow summoned the victim to this place, somehow came from the church to this place in an instant, somehow killed the victim, and somehow returned to the church with an unsuspecting face! ''You don''t understand a single thing, big brother! ''Yeah, shut up!That''s what tricks are all about! It''s the mystery that makes the impossible possible! ''In other words. The culprit is Magda ............, who worked a little harder today than ...... Loretta! ''Wait a minute, sir!You can''t decide like that! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san ......, before you do that, you need to help those who have fallen .......'' ''Oh, you''re right. You have a point.'' ''A point, is it? ......'' A troubled Jeannette told me to help a man up who was buried in the snow. The man was ...... Umaro, as most people expected. ''Yeah . It was an accident.'' If the victim is Umaro, there''s no need to speculate. A suspicious death wouldn''t be surprising at all. Rather, he would have said in an interview, ''Oh, I knew that would happen someday. ''Hey, Umaro. I lightly slapped Umaro''s cheek, which was frozen to a crisp by the cold. ''......''s ............''s ......''. Oh, there''s an ''is'' in there too. ''......Hey, is that you, Yashiro ............?'' Umaro opens his eyelids. His cheeks seem to be puffed up. I look into Umaro''s eyes and say in a clear tone. ''Don''t illegally dump in front of the store. ''I''m not trash, you know! Yeah. I''m glad to see you''re feeling better. ''...... Oumalo''. ''Oh ...... Magda-tan ............ I miss you ......'' ''...... almost made me a criminal.'' ''Aah!I don''t know why Magda-tan is so angry! ''......punpunpun'' Haha, why don''t you ask him to take you there? To an angel. I''ll leave you next to Patrach. I''ll take Paula. - Substitute?She''s a Canis Major. ''Why did you write Magda''s name? ''What?It''s ............. Why did I write this ......?'' It seems I wrote it unconsciously. In the midst of the extreme cold, I wrote "Magda-tan" with the last of my strength in my fading consciousness. ............ Yeah, it''s too late for this guy. ''I don''t remember much, but did you think it would be good to be near Magda-tan when you die? ''You don''t care if it''s a letter? ......'' These feelings of his aren''t love, they''re faith. ''Anyway, please come inside. I''ll have some hot soup for you in a minute.'' ''Oh ...... I''m sorry.'' Jeannette hurriedly entered the dining room. She made a pretense of passing by so that Umaro wouldn''t get nervous and lose his strength. ''Excuse me, sir. I haven''t turned on the stove yet. ...... If it''s too cold, I''ll bring you a blanket. ......'' ''Oh, don''t worry about it. ''Even if it''s Magda''s blanket? ''.................. Gokuri-ssu.'' ''Mr. Manager!There are two perverts here! ''Oh, no, no, no!I''m not the only one! Hey, hey. Am I unanimously recognized as a pervert?I''ll throw you out in the snow, you son of a b*tc*. ''...... seven rings'' Magda will bring you a chicken and a shichirin from the kitchen. He''s not going to ...... eat them, but he''s going to heat up the chickens. He''s been sitting in the cold dining room all day. Now he''s curled up in a ball wrapped in straw. ''What''s this?Shichirin?'' ''...... Magda''s favorite.'' ''Great stuff!I like it too! ''I like simple things, Umaro. ''''Hey brothers.'''' ''''''Aye aye!'''''' ''''You haven''t said anything yet! ''''''I can do almost anything! ''''''Then go kick Umaro in the face.'''''' ''''''Aiai-sa!'''''' ''''''Don''t listen to those bad things!I''ll re-educate you! ''''''I can''t go against the master! I see. They''re master and apprentice, aren''t they? Then let''s have them do their best to help their master. ''''Help me assemble the stove.'''' ''''''Aye aye! ''''If we have a stove, everyone will be warm and we can get money from Umaro.'''' ''''There''s a fee? The charcoal in the shichirin is lit, and little by little the coals turn red. Wait a little longer. I take my brothers and start to set up the stove. Magda is at the fire with Umaro, and Loretta is helping Ginette. ''There you are. The guests.'' ''Yes, I did. Mmm-hmm.'' As she exits the kitchen, she calls out to Ginette, who smiles at her funny. You''re here even on a snowy day, aren''t you, Umaro? Well, I knew you''d come. It took about twenty minutes to set up the stove. The chimney was tucked inside the stove. Three separate iron tubes are connected and fixed to the holes in the wall. During the renovation, they had drilled a hole in the same place as before, and the length of the chimney was perfect. That''s Umaro. ''It may still take a little while for the wood to burn,'' he said. Ginette came out of the kitchen to watch, happy to see the stove installed. She seemed to be excited about it. I asked Loretta, who had a lot of energy, to bring me some firewood and I lit the stove. ............ Yeah. It''s going to take a while. ''In the meantime, drink this to keep warm. That''s what Ginette brought me, oshiruko. It was a good thing that I had prepared a little more than I had expected to serve at the Sunlit Pavilion. We put the oshiruko on a table away from the Umaro. It''s a seat near the stove. ''Oh ...... thank you ...... thank you ............''. Umaro gets up slowly and moves to the table. It will get warmer soon. ''Ah ......'' Ginette exclaims, looking at the window. As I followed her, I saw that it had started to snow. It hadn''t been falling while we were at the church. It''s snowing a lot. ''It might be a really snowy season this year. Ginette muttered, and Umaro agreed with her. ''Yes. It''s rare that it snows in the daytime. Apparently, it''s common for snow to fall at night during heavy snowfalls. Looks like it''s going to pile up again. ...... ''Maybe I won''t be able to go to church tomorrow. ''Is that so?'' ''Yes. When there''s a lot of snow, people lose their sense of direction and can get lost even on familiar roads. It''s called a whiteout. When you are hit by a blizzard of snow that makes it impossible to see what is in front of you, the world looks completely white. Even if there is no snowfall, the diffuse reflection of light creates an illusion that the boundary between the snow and the clouds is lost. Even people who are accustomed to snow can get lost because they cannot recognize height, width, and perspective. ...... ''Maybe we should go to the church again while the sun is high and share some food with them. ''The church has reserves, right?'' ''Of course we do. But it''s selfish of me to want to do something for .......'' Ginette said it was selfish of her to donate. No one would think of it as meddling, though. ''Oh, well, I''ll help!I''d like to thank you for this soup as well. Umaro raises his hand vigorously, as if he likes the soup. What''s so important about a guy who was almost lost in a store? ...... I''ll go along with you if I have to. ''Magda and the others can stay here. I don''t want to turn off the stove.'' ''............'' Magda is staring at me. ''...... That''s not what I meant. ''Just stay here and wait for us to come back.'' When I fluff up his chemo ears, his eyes narrow and he lets out a ''mmm''. ''...... If that''s the case. He seemed to be convinced somehow. But we''ll have to go through those snowy roads again. ............ I sigh. ''Anyway, let''s see how the snow goes for a while longer. Hopefully it will stop. It was decided to wait and see while the snow was falling. The quietly falling snow was beautiful and ...... somewhat eerie. ''Well, let''s take it easy. There are no stupid customers coming in the snow like this. ''......, did I just get dissed? Well, only the magda-addicted Umaro would come here in the snow like this. The only other person who would want to come here so much is ...... ''I''m sorry, please! ''......It''s cold ......'' ............ There you are. The door of the sunlit pavilion opens and two beautiful women rush in. Natalia is wearing a black maid''s dress that has been turned white by the snow, and Estella is being carried on her back by Natalia. ''Can someone please give my daughter something warm? ''Even tits have human rights! ''...... demand is sure to be there. ''Women are charming!Even if you don''t have breasts, it''s okay! ''No, gentlemen. It''s not a warm word, it''s ......! ''Wait a minute, Natalia. ...... That wasn''t even a warm word. ......'' Shivering and breathing hard, Natalia and Estella give me a last-ditch effort. Where do they get that kind of power......?They''re burning up their life force to make a comment? While I was making a fool of myself, Ginette came over with oshiruko for the two of us. ''Yes, sir. It''ll warm you up.'' ''Ginette-chan, ...... you are the only one who is kind.'' Estella got off Natalia''s back and hugged Ginette around the waist. Ginette, who had left some soup stock by the stove, pats Estella on the head as she hugs her. Natalia stands up, goes to Ginette''s side, and bows condescendingly. ''Thank you very much. Two bowls of soup like this for me: ......'' ''One for me! They''ve been in some kind of trouble again,...... there''s so much snow on the ground,...... I wonder if they had a dispute over whether to shovel or not. ''Why did you come here in the snow like this?Why don''t you just stay home and do your work? ''There''s no one at my house right now. ...... My father and mother are evacuating before the heavy snow season, and everyone else has gone back home. ......'' ''No planning! What are these people doing? Why are you letting everyone take a break at the same time?Why don''t you leave some of them behind. ''Then, isn''t it hard to eat and stuff? ''Yes, sir. It''s hard.'' ''...... Natalia. Whose fault do you think it is?'' Natalia replies with a straight face, while Estella stares at her. I see. The trouble happened because Natalia, the head waiter, gave the waitresses a vacation. ...... You''re easy to understand, you know. If so, why don''t you stay with us during the heavy snowfall?It''s not the most comfortable place. ''Really?That would be great. ...... I''m sorry, Ginette.'' ''Thank you for your kindness. We''ve got a new houseguest. Well, there''s an empty room. ''''''We''re here too! ''''Oh, I want to be here too! said my brother and Loretta. ''''I know Loretta is a pain in the ass, but ......'''' ''That''s not what I meant! ''You can go home to Newtown, right?I''ll implicitly say that to Umaro as well.'''' ''...... something, I could sense that kind of atmosphere. I can understand why you want to stay here, but there isn''t much room. Estella and the others, but I can''t carry Loretta and her brother with me. ...... Boom, boom, boom! Suddenly, the door of the sunlit pavilion was slammed, and everyone in the room shuddered. Everyone in the room shivered. ''What the hell is ......? ''Sir, is that ......?'' ''Wait, Jeannette! He stopped Jeannette as she went to open the door. ''I don''t know what''s in ...... here, but I''m ready for anything to happen ...... Umaro, pick up.'' ''Come on, you''re gonna cry. As soon as the door opened, a cold wind blew in. In the midst of it all, standing there like an ice statue was a ............ bear! ''A ............ sweet thing ............... ...'' It was Delia. I''m not sure if she cried a lot or not, but her eyes and nose ...... are now covered with ice all over her face. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. I forgot to buy some ............ sweets, and when I woke up ...... at night, I couldn''t sleep. ..................Hiccup......'' She curled up her big body and sobbed while squirming like a little girl. At any rate, I take her in front of the stove. ''Miss Delia. Here''s some sweet oshiruko. Here you go. ''Hmph!It smells so good!Can I eat it? ''Yes, sir. It''s hot, so please be careful.'' ''Okay!I''ll eat it!It''s hot! ...... You don''t know anything, do you? According to Delia, she was so excited about playing in the river that she forgot to prepare for the heavy snow season. Naturally, she also forgot to stock up on sweets, and by the time she realized it, the snow had already piled up. I guess there are girls like this in the world who don''t plan ...... Hey!Can you leave it here during the heavy snow season? ''Huh? ''I''ll do anything you want!I''ll even share a room with Yashiro! No, no, no. You can''t have the same room as me. And ''I''ll do anything'' in such a situation is too dangerous. ''No, that''s as good as ......''. ''I don''t have anything sweet to eat. ............'' Large tears trickled down from Delia''s eyes. I feel like I''m being stared at by an abandoned dog. ...... It''s really big, but ...... ''Yashiro-san. That''s fine. If you want to stay in your room, you can stay with me. As long as Delia-san is okay with it. ''Is that okay?That''s the manager!You have a big heart and big tits! ''I don''t care about your tits! Delia hugged Jeannette and made her tail twitch. ''How many people are going to be staying at ...... after all?'' I asked with a sigh, and eight hands went up. ''......,'' she said. ''Oumalo. Are you going to stay too?'' ''No, because I''m planning to come here for three meals anyway,......, so it''s a little hard to go back and forth,.......'' If I''m going to let the bastard stay here, then I''m going to get my own room. ...... Good grief. ''You''ll have to pay extra. ''Why not?...... No, if you can get him to stay, ............ might be a good idea. I''m sure Yashiro won''t mind throwing you out in the snow. ......'' This guy is getting used to being an abused character. I''m not sure what to make of it. Oh, man. Ginette''s sycophancy is getting to be a bit much. After all, she''s planning to let everyone who wants to stay at the sunny pavilion. ...... Let''s see, Estella, Natalia, Loretta and her three brothers, and then Delia, Umaro and Becco. ............ What?When did you get mixed up in this? ''I''m embarrassed to say that I''ve neglected to prepare for winter shelter. ...... Please be lenient with me. ......'' I''m ashamed to say that I''ve neglected to prepare for winter shelter. So now we have nine housemates. You could throw Estella and Natalia into the empty room, Delia into Ginette''s room, and Loretta and her brothers into Magda''s room. Or we could offer Magda''s room to Loretta and her siblings, and Magda could go to Ginette''s room ...... and the bastard could end up in my room ............ Ah, It''s annoying. ''We don''t have enough bedding...... we might have to ask you two to share one, is that okay?'' ''We''ll be fine. Umaro and Bekko don''t need a futon.'' ''Yes, they do! ''They will freeze without bedding in this cold weather, that they will! ''Let''s warm each other with human skin! ''I don''t like men together! ''I don''t want it either, that I don''t! How selfish of me! I might have to get some bedding for you. ...... ''Maybe there are some extra blankets in the church. ''Yes, they do. I''ll borrow them in exchange for food.'' ''Well, I''ll help you. I don''t want to be left in the lurch.'''' ''Oh, Delia. You''re very reliable.'' ''Hey, ......, I said the same thing a while ago. It''s snowing outside my window. It''s getting a little weaker. ''Should we go earlier? ''Yes, it is. ...... And it doesn''t look like it''s going to stop. ......'' ''This snow will intensify by midday. Natalia says confidently. ''Natalia''s weather predictions are quite accurate. There''s some kind of observation method that runs in the family. I don''t know much about it. ''It''s a family secret. But we''re confident in our accuracy.'' ''So now''s the time to go. ''Then I''ll go get ready. I just got back, but I think I can make one more round trip. I''ll donate enough food for a few days. I''m sure Bertina won''t let her children starve and eat themselves to death. ...... Well, it''s better to have a full stomach. Ginette went to the kitchen and brought in food from the pantry. Delia helps her, and Umaro and I carry the food out of the store. Umaro and I carry the food out of the store, to be loaded onto a sled. When Umaro saw the sled, he said something like this. ''This sled could be more stable if you modify the legs a bit. ''Can you do it quickly? ''I can do it in five minutes. ''Okay, go ahead. We''re carrying a different amount of food than we did when we only carried breakfast. If it''s going to be sturdy, it might as well be. And then-- ''Hey, Yashiro! A familiar crocodile came. Mormat came in with a backpack full of vegetables. ''You''re the one who wrote strange words in my field! ''You''re so quick to suspect people like that .......'' ''You''re not? ''No, it''s not. ''Isn''t this the jackpot? Right or wrong doesn''t really matter right now. I''m talking about the fact that he''s immediately suspicious of people. ...... ''d*mn. Here, give this to little Jeannette. I said, dropping the basket full of vegetables onto the snow. ''Are you sure?'' ''Yes. We''ve got more than enough for ourselves. The sunny pavilion is likely to have customers even at a time like this. ...... You''re here, aren''t you? Mormat looks into the store and smiles. ''You can add to it. ''Sorry about that.'' ''That''s okay. I''ve got a stable life thanks to you guys. This is a small price to pay.'' ''Oh, well, be my guest.'' I take the vegetables Mo-Matt brought and smile at him properly. ''Another one! ''You''re being too cavalier, aren''t you? I''ll take what I can get for free!Especially if it''s someone who won''t be hurt in any way whatsoever! I''m not sure.I mean, what''s this? ''It''s a sled. ''Oh, it''s a ...... sled to move your stuff on the snow. ......'' ''Do you want one?'' ''No, of course I want one. ......'' Did we find the materials yet? ............ hmmm ...... could we use old barrels or crates ...... ......Okay. ''I''ll give you a pair of snow boots and this sled to make it easier to walk on the snow. So give me the vegetables!'' ''Oh!Are you sure?...... So, what''s a pair of hammocks?'' ''''My brothers! ''''''Yes!'''''' At the sound of my voice, my brothers came running out. They dexterously walked around on the snow with their walking sticks attached to their feet. ''''Oh!My feet aren''t sinking!What''s that? ''It''s a good one, isn''t it? ''Give it to me!I''ll bring a lot of vegetables! Okay, okay, this should be enough food for the housemates. ''So, Umaro. Thanks.'' ''I don''t know how to make it! ''My brothers will teach you.'' ''What?You guys know how to make it? ''Of course! ''Accumulated knowledge! ''You''re the experts! ''Then I''ll teach you how to make it. ''Is that how you ask for things? ''Your figure is too high, boss! ''A lowly carpenter''s rise to power! ''...... You guys have some nerve. ............'' Umaro shakes his head at his arrogant brothers. ''Well, I hope you get along. ''Are you ready?'' Delia pokes her head out. ''What the hell, you''re not done at all. ''I''m reinforcing the sled. Umaro, how much longer? ''Oh, it''s done. Now it''s pretty sturdy.'' As they are loading the reinforced sled with food, Ginette comes out. She finds Mormat, greets him, and after hearing his story, agrees to exchange the sled for the ingredients. In fact, she welcomes him. So, in the end, it was me, Ginette, and Delia who went to the church. Well, we''re just going and coming back, so it shouldn''t be a problem. ''Well, I''ll see you later. ''...... Take care.'' ''Thank you for the blanket! Magda and the others saw us off, and we set off. ...... I never thought I''d pick up something like that on the road. ............ It''s not too much of a waste of time. The one who picked it up was Imelda, the princess of the woodcutter''s guild. 114-Episode 99 Working in the Snow ''I thought I was going to die. ......'' Imelda, the girl I picked up in front of the church, is sitting on the wood stove in the sunlit pavilion, drinking oshiruko. Well, that''s why I brought her here. When I went to the church to share some food, I found Imelda lying in the street. And she was slightly buried. When I asked her, she said, ''On a day like this, I''m sure there will be interesting things to do at the Sunny Pavilion! It seems that Imelda was on her way to the pavilion with an unfounded conviction. But then came the snowfall. Even though it wasn''t a whiteout, the visibility was poor, and she wasted more energy than necessary, running out of energy when she reached the church. ''Really, I''m glad Delia found me, but if she hadn''t, I''d be dead. ''I''m fine about that.'' ''What do you mean ''fine''? ''I''m a very lucky person. ''What kind of luck is that if you''re about to get lost ......'' With unshakable confidence, Imelda gulped down the oshiruko. I guess she doesn''t have ....... ''It was delicious. Mr. Bekko, I''d like a food sample of this, please. ''Again, that it is! ''Didn''t I ask before that all the food served at the Sunlit Pavilion be made into food samples? ''At ......, we will start working as soon as the snow stops, that we will. I wonder what kind of contract is in place between Imelda and Beckko. As far as I can see, they''ve been forced to sign a completely unequal treaty. ''It''s quite warm here, too. Imelda says with satisfaction, her palm facing the wood stove. The church had a fireplace and the common room was quite warm. She must have been comparing it to that. After picking up Imelda, I carried her into the church and warmed her cold body with the power of a microwave. We took her in front of the fireplace and Delia hugged her while the kids rubbed her body with towels. In the meantime, all the boys had been let out. ''...... Ms. Delia. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. ''I will, you idiot! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You''ve been misunderstood for the most part, Delia. You should be grateful for that, however, because you got the bedding and firewood thanks to your encounter with me. I had planned to borrow blankets from the church, but there were fewer than I expected. The reason for this was that Loretta''s siblings had increased in number since a few months ago, and the matrons would also be staying at the church from today until the end of the heavy snowfall period. So, when I was completely out of luck, Imelda offered me a blanket, saying, ''We have plenty of blankets. Imelda offered to help me. ...... Well, because of that, we even had to take in Imelda''s luggage, but ...... we couldn''t put our backs into it. After that, we went to Imelda''s house, unloaded the food, and loaded the empty sled with bedding. I found some firewood in good condition and decided to borrow it as well. The increase in the number of female residents meant that the ...... men would be sleeping together in the dining hall. At the very least, we need to keep the fire going all night, or else people will freeze to death. As expected of a lumberjack guild, ...... the stock of firewood is so large that you won''t even notice it''s gone down even if you take a lot of it out. Of course I got your permission. It was an after-the-fact agreement. ''Well, that''s why the man has to sleep and wake up here. ''That''s terrible!In the cafeteria! ''I have rather sensitive skin with this ......! ''Shut up!If you don''t like it, go home! I''m the biggest victim here. Why should I be forced to leave my room? ...... If you cram all the people into one room, it''s possible for everyone to sleep upstairs. But with so many women in the room, I wondered if it would be a good idea for the men to sleep on the same floor. There were six men: me, Umaro, Becko, and my three younger brothers. Well, it was a good number for sleeping in the dining room. It''s better than being crammed in a room. ''If this is the case, I should have invited Nephrite and Norma. Ginette said with an innocent look on her face. ...... ''Please don''t. If Nephrite comes, Percy comes. I don''t want any more trouble.'' ''No way... You''re not coming from the 40th district. I''m sure. Sweet. You''re naive, Jeannette. You''re underestimating the power of the pervert. He''ll come. He''s not gonna let this snow get to him. ''Oh, by the way, how do you shovel snow?'' Delia said, perhaps getting bored. The residents of this town must have an ingrained sense of ''shoveling snow on the first day of a heavy snowfall season''. We, too, had initially planned to shovel the snow after returning from church. But when we looked out the window, the snow was getting heavier than before. There''s no point in shoveling, I guess. ''Even if we shovel, it will pile up again soon, right?Let''s wait until it stops. No wasted effort. That''s my style. But. ''No, no, no. It''s dangerous if you don''t remove the snow from the roof. ''Yes, that it is. Especially if it''s snowing, there''s a danger of it collapsing, that it is. ''...... Oh, I see. Shoveling snow is not just for getting in the way. So, in this heavy snow, I have to go outside, climb up on the roof using a ladder or something, take the snow down, and then carry it to a place where it won''t be in the way. ............ ''It''s a pain in the ass! ''But if we don''t do it, the sunny pavilion will go out of business! ''You''ve got a weak design! ''There aren''t many buildings that can withstand the weight of snow! Snow weighs tons when it accumulates. It can''t be helped. ''Is it safe for an amateur like me to do that? ''...... Yashiro is dangerous. Magda will do it.'' ''''Ma, I''d rather do it myself than have Magda do it! ''''''Toryo''s a bit of a dilettante!We''ll do it. ''''I''ll do it if my brother does it!As your sister! ''No, no, Mr. Loretta!It''s too much for a young maiden like Loretta, that it is. I''ll do it! ''You never know what a pervert might do when he''s on the roof. I''ll do it. If it''s hard work, that''s my domain.'' ''No way!I can''t make you do that kind of hard work. I''m the landlord here. ''I''d rather do it myself than you, Ginette!You''re going to take care of me! ''I can''t let the young lady do such a dangerous job as unloading snow. I''ll take care of it! Natalia said proudly, breaking off the conversation. Then all eyes naturally converged on one point. There, sitting by the wood stove, was Imelda, elegantly enjoying a cup of tea after making oshiruko. ''What''s ......?Everyone is staring at me. ......'' Imelda is more upset than ever as everyone stares at her. I''m sure she understands most of it, but I''ll be kind enough to let her know. ''Hey, Imelda. Do you know the word ''cooperativeness''?'' ''No, you don''t, Yashiro. There''s no way Imelda can understand such a difficult word. ''You''re not listening to me, Estella! At Estella''s provocative words, Imelda stands up and proudly displays her chest. ''If I really put my mind to it, I can make the snow fall better than you!The snow that falls on me will fall in such a way that it will say, ''Wow, I''m so happy to have Imelda fall on me! That''s a phenomenon I''d love to see. ...... What is it like? ''No, I''m not. ......'' ''If you do it, you''ll fall like, "Oh, I can''t tell which is my chest or back. ......"'' ''Certainly! ''It''s not ''sure'', Yashiro! Why am I always the one who gets pissed off? ...... ''All right, all right!If you insist, I''ll give you a match! ''As you wish! The two of them stared at each other. ...... Hmm, this is not good. ...... ''Anyway, let''s all work together and get this over with. And with that, he led everyone out of the building. The snow was getting stronger, and it was so white that we couldn''t see more than a few steps ahead. ''This snow is dangerous. Let''s get up on the roof with only those who are really confident and get it over with. ''Then I''ll go. I''m sure I can handle a fall.'' ''I want to choose people who won''t fall. ......'' ''Then I''ll go!I know all about the structure of buildings, so I know how to get the snow down without falling.'''' ''''''We''re coming too! ''''......, Magda too.'''' I was surprised to see Magda come forward. ''''Magda, are you okay?'''' ''...... I''m fine. If Magda goes, Umaro can surpass the level of humans.'' ''Of course!I''ll show you what I can do when I''m over one hundred percent! Ah, ......, this is going to go fast. ''Well, you guys downstairs, clear the yard of snow. ''What?You''re going to shovel the snow?'' Ginette shouted in surprise. It was my opinion that with this much snow, shoveling would be a waste of ...... time. ''Shoveling snow is not the main thing. I want you to make sure you have enough space to build a kamakura.'' ''Oh, a kamakura! We need to get a lot of snow off the roof. We can''t afford not to use them. In order to be safe from the wind, we built four kamakura, with the entrances facing inward. They are arranged in such a way that each team can see the other from each of the kamakura. ''Let''s divide into teams and make kamakura later. ''...... Kamakura and shichirin are the strongest combination. ''Then, I''ll prepare some food that can be roasted in the shichirin. And so, after dividing up the roles, we went up to the roof. Estella and Imelda were left to Natalia. You''re good at that, aren''t you? She gave me a very annoyed ...... look, but ...... well, good luck. I''ve got to get up on the roof in the snow. I guess we''re even. ''Too high! The roof we climbed up on was much higher than we had imagined. There''s more than a meter of snow on the roof, so you might not die if you fall, but the ...... wind is really strong and scary. Next time I''ll ask Umaro to make a mechanism to melt the snow by crawling a chimney under the roof and transferring the heat from the stove to the roof. ''Like this, make a cut of a certain size and drop it down. It''ll be safer if we drop it from here toward here. ''Oh, sorry. I wasn''t listening. When do you want me to push Umaro down? ''You can''t drop me!.................. You really shouldn''t! Wow, that sounds like a lot of pretense. Itchy, itchy ...... ''Oniichan, the devil''s face...'' Oops. I''m not sure I''m ready if Hammaro can see that. ''...... should be done quickly. It''s cold.'' ''Yes, it is. Then watch out for the scaffolding, and let''s get to work! ''''''Oh!'''''' ''''''You get ten points for hitting Becco.'''''' ''''''Oh!'''''' ''''''I can hear you, that I can hear you! Bekko. ...... I didn''t know you were even eavesdropping on the conversation on the roof. ...... I thought the amount of snow had increased, making it harder for sounds to travel. It''s dangerous to work on the roof, so we worked quietly and carefully, not messing around. Although there was a lot of snow, we did not freeze, thanks to our constant work. When we finished unloading the snow and went downstairs, we found a large space in front of the entrance. They''ve worked hard, these guys. You''ve seen it?This beautiful ...... plane ...... that I evened out. ''Bo, I evacuated this comfortable space ...... and then you can tell me ......''. You''ve successfully antagonized them into doing your work. ...... Natalia, you''re good. ''So, what''s a kamakura? Delia, who is the only one covered in snow, asks with a smiling face. She''s definitely the one who worked the hardest. And he never gets tired. ...... Next time, I''ll give you an award for your hard work. ''It''s like a hut made of snow. I''ll start explaining about kamakura. The basic construction method is to heap up a mountain of snow and then carve out a hollow inside. It should be about ......2 meters in size. We have a lot of snow. ''Oh, that''s easy! Delia smiles. ''Just make a big snowball and drill a hole in it, right? Mmm-hmm, you''d think so, right?But the bigger the snowball, the more power you''ll need to roll it. The easiest way to make a snowball is to arrange medium-sized snowballs of about 1 meter in a triangle and put another snowball on top of it. This pyramid-shaped snowball is then covered with snow, and holes are dug and covered with snow ....... I used to do this in school. It''s a method that even a child can use to make something decent. Let''s split into teams and get to work! The teams were: me, Magda and Loretta, the sunny pavilion team, Delia and her brothers, the cheat power team, Imelda, Becco and Umaro, the artist team. Estella and Natalia were the team of lords. First, each of them made a snowball and placed it in a triangle. Take into account the direction of the entrance and place the snowballs in such a way as to reduce the amount of digging. ''I''m going to win the championship and get the luxury prize! I don''t know where she got this information from, but Loretta is very enthusiastic about it. What''s the prize? ...... ''......The manager will give the best one to the best performer.'' ''Pants, huh? ''...... Only Yashiro would want that.'' ''Then it''s boobs! ''...... or less''. What the hell?Is it possible that the nice things that Jeannette gives you are ...... things that aren''t erotic? Oh well. We''ll find out when we win. The other teams can''t do much anyway. There''s too much difference in experience and knowledge. I''m going to win. ...... I doubt the other team will even finish. ''Dousei! When I turned around at the sound of a heavy bass echoing in my stomach, Delia was making a huge, impossible snowball. It was a ridiculously large snowball, three meters in diameter. ''''Now all we have to do is make a hole and we''re done. ''''''Leave that to me! Haha. It''s so easy. ...... They''re really overpowered, aren''t they! ''''Then, young lady, let''s take a look at the secret snow shoveling technique that has been passed down in my family for generations!The secret technique ...... is ''snow gathering''! Natalia moves at such a speed that her body seems to split and collects more and more snow from around her. You''ll be able to get a lot more snow than you think. ''Mr. Bekko, Mr. Umaro. Go ahead and finish it. ''...... Well, that''s what happens. ''I knew it, that I knew it. That blonde lady with the arrogant attitude has a fighting strength of about 530,000? ''Ah, if it''s a Kamakura designed by Imelda, it must be a beautiful work of art. ''...... Wow, that''s exciting.'' ''I''m looking forward to it! ''Oh, please don''t interfere! ''I don''t want you to stir things up, that I don''t! Our words ignited Imelda''s ''I''m expected'' spirit. ''Very well!I''ll make a wonderful kamakura for you, by you, for you, and show it to you! Okay, okay. You better make it right. Don''t let Umaro and Bekko do it. ''It would''ve been easier if you''d stayed out of it. ''I agree, that I do. Well, I can''t help but have a little sympathy for the two who lost their shoulders. And so it went for a few hours. With the help of Magda, who was very active with her beastman power, and Loretta, who usually helped me out, I managed to complete the kamakura before sunset. Delia and her brothers, who were the first to finish, dispersed again to help the other teams. Delia was sent to Imelda''s team, while her brothers went to help Estella''s team. ...... Why don''t they come to us. After such a process, all the kamakura were completed. All of them are quite good. Ours is an orthodox one, with a sphere for the delia. Delia''s is a sphere, because it was originally a snowball. And Estella''s is a stylish heart-shaped entrance, and Imelda''s is just amazing. It looked like a little hut. We set up seven rings in each Kamakura. Just in case, open a small window for ventilation so that the air doesn''t get trapped. This way, even if you cook something inside, you will not be filled with smoke. ''Ladies and gentlemen. Rice cakes and fish. Ginette comes out with a tray of food. ''Wow, everything looks so beautiful! Ginette exclaims when she sees the kamakura. ''So, which one is the winner? ''The winner? ''You''re going to give the winner something nice, right? Something very erotic. ''Oh, that''s right. I didn''t explain the prize at all, did I? Leaving the tray with the food on it with Magda, Ginette went into the dining room again. And when she came out, she found ............ in her arms. ''The prize is a wax statue of Yashiro! ''You still have that? ''I got it from Bekko-san, who was handling the wax statue at the festival! ''We all made this kamakura together. Let''s not compete to be the best. Therefore, we will split the prizes. You will be the light in the center of each of the four mummies. Without a second thought, I placed the wax statue in the center of the facing kamakura and lit its head on fire. ''What?The wax statue? Melt away, you d*mned statue. Night fell and the snow had almost stopped. I wouldn''t catch a cold if I played in the kamakura for a while. ''Let''s have dinner in here. I agree with ''''''''. '''''''' The food was placed at the foot of the wax statue so that it could be taken equally. It''s unpleasant, though. ...... It''s like they''re making an offering. ''...... rice cakes ...... umami''. What Magda is eating is what could almost be called a grilled rice ball. I wonder if these people who don''t know what rice cake is perceive steamed glutinous rice as ''rice cake''. That is a serious matter. Someday, I would like to give them something proper to eat. Thinking about this in a daze, I stuffed my face with burnt fish. It''s been a long time since I''ve had such a playful summer and winter. ....... Thinking like this, I decided to ask Masha of the Sea Fishing Guild for some clams next time. 115-Episode 100 is busy at the end of the year. Heavy snow season. It is a time when people in the city stay at home and cherish the moments with their families. It is a period of time when people in the city stay at home and spend time with their families. ''Manager!Four more oshiruko! ''Yes, sir! ''Manager!Two children''s lunches, the daily set meal and the grilled salmon set meal! ''Yes, sir! ''...... Magda will grill the salmon.'' ''Thank you for your help! The sunlit pavilion had turned into a battlefield. ''Why are there so many customers here? It was so busy that even I was working as a waiter, going back and forth between the store and the garden. ''Yashiro!There''s an opening in the Kamakura! ''Then show the customers who are waiting for their turn! ''All right!Natalia, go to the kitchen and help Ginette. ''Yes, ma''am. Under Estella''s instruction, Natalia took the empty dishes and went into the kitchen. Yes. A kamakura. This thing was a big hit. ''Yashiro-san!Kamakura No. 8, it''s ready! ''Umaro''s approved, right? ''Of course! ''Good!Show the next guest in!When you do, show them that it''s fresh! ''I''m on it, sir! Imelda is working with Umaro and her brothers to make new kamakura. This is the eighth one. ''Oh, look, look, look! It''s so cute! I can hear the voices of the female visitors. In the direction they were pointing, there was a lovely line of deformed snow sculptures of the members of the "Sunshine Pavilion". They were engaged in a snowball fight. And this is the one who created this busy situation. Yes. It all started the day after we made the kamakura. That day-- The first day of the heavy snow season. We made a lot of noise with our homemade kamakura, and started making snow sculptures the next day. It was surprisingly fun, and we all got absorbed in it. While dodging snowball attacks from Delia and Loretta, who were bored with making snow sculptures, me, Estella, Natalia, Imelda, and Becco, who was our main goal, made snow sculptures with our souls. It felt like a petit snow festival. ''Yashiro, look at this! Estella showed me her confident work, which was apparently a shimeji mushroom. ''You like mushrooms, don''t you ......''. ''What kind of mushrooms are these?It''s a statue of a goddess! ''...... Spirit God, are you going to lose your temper? ''So, what''s that round thing on Yashiro?'' ''It''s a snowman. The one I made was just an ordinary snowman you can find anywhere. I made a face with charcoal. It''s cute!Yashiro-san, it''s so, so cute! Apparently, Ginette was stimulated by something in her mind, and started running around the snowman like a dog. Don''t get so excited. ''I want to make one too! I taught her how to make it, and she spent the whole day silently making a snowman. Silently, silently, silently, ............ hundreds of miniature snowmen the size of the palm of her hand were being made, as if she were trying to memorialize an unrelated Buddha. It''s ...... scary. Imelda, as expected, has an insatiable appetite for beautiful things, and even her snow sculptures were radical and stylish. I don''t know what it was, but she was creating something like an object with a motif of something. And Becko, ...... ''Are you a monster......'' There we were, in the garden of the sunlit pavilion. And dozens of sets. The reason why there are dozens of sets is because they show us all doing something together. It''s not just a likeness, it''s a carbon copy. They keep making them at an astonishing rate. I feel like I''m being shown a photo of ...... memories. ''I''m about to run out of snow, so I''m going to deform it from here, that I am. Becko seems to have learned the trick of deforming, since I taught him before. He seems to be growing up somehow. By the way, ...... says there''s not enough snow. ............ What the heck! ''That''s right!You''re using too much!'' Delia and Loretta complained. ''I want more, too, snow. Ginette has already made a sickening number of snowmen. Are you going to make more? ''At ......, you can get them from somewhere else.'' Standing in the middle of the grumbling crowd, Magda offers a solution. That''s right. There''s plenty of snow in the city. And the elderly may have trouble even shoveling the snow. Even the lazy young ones may not be doing it. Snow may remain forever on roads where no one goes. ...... Yap Lock''s house may have been destroyed. ............ He only saves ''for his children'' when he gets money from corn. ...... He should rebuild his house first. ''''Then, my brothers. ''''''Ho, ho, ho!'''''' ''''Gather all the younger brothers and sisters who seem to have free time, and get snow from the places that haven''t finished shoveling. ''''''Ho~y!Let''s play in the snow! ''''Okay, Loretta!We''re coming too!This game won''t be confined to this small yard!The whole forty-two districts are our battlefield! ''As you wish!We''ll have a big snowball fight with Paula and Nephrite! ''Oh, Nephrite!I was hoping to settle things with that guy sometime. ...... Good!Brother!I''ll send some people to follow us to the main road. ''''I''ll send some people! ''''It''s a blessing in disguise! How labor-hungry are you people? And so, all the brothers and sisters went out and collected snow from all over the 42 districts. They cleared away the snow from the streets in order to pass through, made a lot of noise here and there, and brought the collected snow to the sunny pavilion. The people of the city must have been interested in him. They must have been curious about the people who were making a big fuss outside during the heavy snowfall. And when he went outside, he found that there was no snow on the ground. When I followed the noisy people, I found various objects made of snow and a snow house. In addition, there is a delicious smell coming from the dining room in the back of the house. ............ That''s right, people come here. So, it''s the eighth day of the heavy snow season. A lot of people were coming to the sunny pavilion. But, sadly. Not all of them were guests of the pavilion. Most of them were spectators who had come to see the Petit Snow Festival. There are a few people who eat something at the pavilion, though. Estella says, ''We have a lot of food hoarded, so eating out may not be an option. I admire her spirit of not wasting food. But in such a situation, the kamakura became incredibly popular. Eating oshiruko in a kamakura. It seems to have become a boom among the residents of the 42nd district. It can only be done at this time of the year. Such a limited situation has spurred its popularity. The line of people waiting for oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) was long ......, but the various snow sculptures protruding from the garden of the sunny pavilion into the street in front of it were a delight to the eyes of the customers. Not a single customer complained. ''Sometimes people come into the restaurant to have a set meal. ''They must have gotten hungry while waiting. It takes time to make it. There have been times when customers who were waiting in line for oshiruko have suddenly left the line and come into the restaurant. They usually order a set meal or a children''s lunch. ...... When such people appear, other customers start to imitate them. Particularly, those with children would see ...... some kid waving a flag happily as he left, and the kids in line would scream ''I want one too'' and then come into the restaurant. Magda and the other waitresses had to go back and forth between inside and outside the restaurant, and Ginette had to deal with all the food. ''Ugh ...... I want to have a snowball fight.'' ''You''ll have to be patient!I''m here to help you, and I won''t tolerate you skipping out! Paula got angry, and Loretta carried the oshiruko while crying. ''Thank you for waiting. It''s very hot, so please be careful with it. ''Your words are too polite. ''Your words are too rough. Delia and Nephrite stared at each other as they left the kamakura. At first, Paula and Nepheli had only come to have a snowball fight, but as the number of visitors gradually increased, they offered to help. I have nothing to complain about Paula. She is indeed the signature girl of Cantaluc?-a. As for Nepheli at the poultry farm, I was worried about her, but to my surprise, she was able to serve the customers well. Well, there are a few things that make me uncomfortable, such as the use of ''o'' at the beginning and the repeated use of ''I''m sorry. ''I''d like to take down this empty dish. Hmmm, that''s it. I''d like to fix that. ...... I''d like to fix that. ''I''ll take it down'' is fine, there. ''Oh, it''s empty now, huh?Well, let''s clean it up.'' ...... Well, it''s a hundred times better than Delia. ............ ''But, well, it''s not as good as it could be: ......'' ''Hmm?What''s that? I muttered, staring at the buried mound again. ''Jeannette said she''d like to see a line forming at the Sunken Pavilion someday. ''There is one now, isn''t there? ''......, and then Ginette will be stuck in the kitchen and won''t be able to see the procession.'' ''Oh ............ I see. I can''t let that happen. Estella lets out a chuckle. ''Well, at this rate, the day will come when there will be a line at the Sunken Pavilion. And not just during special occasions like this. ''But you know, I don''t think Ginette-chan would be okay with a line. ''That''s what I was just thinking, too. She''s aiming for the Sunken Pavilion of her grandfather''s time. It will take a lot of hard work to surpass the sunny pavilion ...... in his memory that will never come back. You''ll have a hard time surpassing that. After all, memories are subject to correction. ''What? A guest screamed as he finished his meal and was about to leave the Kamakura. When he left the kamakura, the snow on the part where his hand touched collapsed. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry! ''Oh, it''s okay, it''s okay! I ran up to the pale female visitor and smiled at her. ''I''m making a fire in the snow, it''s just melted. ''So ...... is it?'' ''Don''t worry about it.'' ''Huh, even if it''s .......'' The female customer still showed signs of concern. Then Estella comes over and says with a fresh smile. ''I''m really fine, so don''t worry about it. Anyway, did you get hurt? ''........................ yes.'' ''Hmm?'' ''Ah!No, no, no, no! A female customer holds her cheeks with her hands and turns her head away from Estella. Her cheeks are red. ''Oh, no!I''ll be back! ''Uh, yeah. I''ll wait for you at ......, okay? ''Yes!'' A female customer with sparkling stars in her big eyes. She holds hands with her companion and starts crowing. ''You''re so cool! ''He''s so handsome! ''''I...... you............, you guys.......'''' ''''We''ll be back!Here''s your money!'''' Not listening to Estella''s words at all, the female customer left the money and went home. ''............ handsome men are ......'' ''I like good-looking guys. I''m not sure what to say. ''Thank you ...... for the compliment that doesn''t make me happy at all! Hmm. I''m a pretty good looking guy too. ...... ''Hey!Umaro! ''What?What?What did he just ask you, me? ''For now, just say ''yes''! ''If Yashiro-san says so, then ''no''! d*mn it! He''s going to take a hot bath outside today! In a single tub, with Becko! ''From my point of view, they''re both the same...'' ''No, no, no. Estella is strong, isn''t she? ''But Yashiro''s strength isn''t in his face. ...... Look, how interesting is his story? Delia, Paula and Nephrite are having a girl talk. Bakka, Nepheli. Interesting talk and a good face are both my weapons. ''Before you do that, can you please stop assuming that ...... I''m good looking? Estella says, not with modesty, but with a look of disgust on her face. Oh, what?Are you uncomfortable being compared to me? ''What do you yourself think? ''About what? ''Who''s more handsome, you or me? ''Of course it''s Yashiro, isn''t it? He said. And he said it immediately. ''Oh, no, no, no!I''m not classified as handsome, so I''m just unbeatable. ............You idiot! I''m not sure why you''re mad at me, now? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''Mr. Yashiro. The glutinous rice has been steamed. Please prepare the rice cakes. ''Hmm?Oh, I see. If I had a mortar and pestle, I could make a real mochi pounder. ...... I''d have to ask Milly for a big tree for this. Maybe next year. This year, I''ll just use some kind of rice cake that I ground up. ...... ''Whoa! Just as I was about to return to the kitchen, a male customer shouted again, this time. It seems that when he grabbed the wall of the doorway of the kamakura to go out, it fell down. Oh, I see. This must be ...... I look up at the sky. The clouds are thinning, and light is peeking through the gaps. I remember Ginette saying that things don''t change that fast. ...... ''Hey, Natalia.'' ''Yes.'' ''Do you know what the weather will be like tomorrow?'' ''...... Clear skies, I hope.'' ''Then it''s going to be warm.'' ''Yes, it will. It''s about time. ''About time,'' Natalia said. Well, that''s what it looks like. The heavy snow season is over. I thought it would be cold until the tenth day and the snow would melt the next day, but ...... the temperature will gradually rise and the snow will melt more and more. Then it''s salt time. ''I''ll go talk to Jeannette. ''I see. It''s my first time at .......'' ''Hmm?'' ''I''ve never missed the end of a heavy snow season.'' Natalia says, expressionless. Her profile looked unusually sorrowful. ''You know, .......'' So, I''ll put on a cheerful face and say. ''Next year, it will snow like crazy. ''That''s .............'' Next year. Next year. ...... ''Well, I''ll go tell the manager. ''I''ll let the clerk know.'' ''Oh, please.'' That''s all I said, and I went into the kitchen. In the kitchen, Ginette was busily cooking. Magda and Loretta were looking at a pot of oshiruko. Just in time, all the regular members of the Sunlit Pavilion were in the kitchen. ''Hey guys. Listen up.'' I called out to them, and they all turned to look at me. ''The Kamakura will end today. Any more of this and our guests could be in danger.'' My words cause the three of them to gasp for a moment. However, they seemed to have prepared for this somewhere, and no one argued. ''That''s right. The temperature is rising, and ...... the only thing left to do is to display the snow sculptures. ''That''s only going to last for one more day, though. ''It''s a shame to leave it behind, but it can''t be helped. ''...... See you next year. We can do it again.'' ''Mwah ...... but it''s a shame ...... Kamakuraza, it was fun ......'' It''s not like you''re talking about Tamaplaza. It''s only available during the heavy snowfall season, and the open terrace of the sunlit pavilion "Kamakura-za" ...... has a nice ring to it. Let''s use that name from next year. ''Oh, so it''s the end ......''. Estella comes into the kitchen from behind me. ...... Huh?She was supposed to be in there before me. ............ Oh, right. ''The bathroom. ''I was serving a customer! Looking at the paper with my order, I tell Ginette I need more food. There was another order for a children''s lunch. ''Estella, can you get me some glutinous rice?'' ''Hmm?Do I have to crush it?'' ''Oh. Magda, show him how to do it.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''Loretta.'' ''Yes, sir.'' ''I''m going to announce the end to the customers, so if they complain, you can help persuade them. You''re good at this sort of thing, aren''t you?'' ''You can count on me!I''ll tell them they''ve got something to look forward to until next year! The festival will end someday. But we''ll see you next year. ...... ''............ Big brother, what''s wrong? ''Hmm?Oh, no. ......'' Something stuck in my mind. It seemed very important, but also very trivial. ...... ''So, Yashiro-san. I look forward to working with you. ''Yeah. Leave it to me.'' Well, okay. We need to focus on what we need to do now. When I went outside and announced the end of the event, the guests were momentarily disturbed, but they realized that the heavy snowfall was over and said, ''It can''t be helped. When Loretta said, "See you next year," the smiles returned to the faces of the customers, and the kids said, "Can''t wait until next year," which made the adults smile. On that day, the sales of oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) reached a record high. At night, the restaurant closed. The Kamakura was still in good condition, but it had become a little dirty. ''Mr. Yashiro, how can I help you? I was alone in the garden when Jeannette came out and asked me if I was worried. ''Hmm?No, I just thought it was fun.'' ''Yes, it was. It was fun.'' With that, she closes the door softly and stands next to me. The two of us stood side by side, staring at the kamakura. We started by digging a hole to warm Magda, who was cold. ...... We made a mound out of the snow that came out when we were unloading the snow, and ...... before we knew it, we were in business. I''m sure some other store will imitate it next year. Well, that''s okay, too. ''Um, would you like to come in? Kamakura.'' ''Sure.'' Ginette and I enter the Kamakura. It''s the first kamakura made by the members of the Sundaari Pavilion. ''It''s warm, isn''t it? ''It''s strange to be warm when you''re surrounded by snow, isn''t it? The chairs are cool and cold because of the snow. Although there are cushions on the floor, my buttocks still get cold. ''A customer told me that. ''Hmm?'' ''That there''s always something fun waiting for you when you come here.'' He chuckles happily. It must have tickled her to remember the time he said that. The words that made him happy tickled him no matter how many times he replayed them in his brain. ''Thanks to Mr. Yashiro. ''No, this one is the result of everyone''s work. The snow sculptures were the work of Bekko and Imelda. Umaro, Delia and my brothers did a great job on the kamakura. ''I guess everyone will be leaving soon. ''After the heavy snowfall, we''ll all have work to do. They''ll go home today, or tomorrow if not sooner. The noisy life with the housemates has come to an end. ''...... You look lonely, Yashiro-san.'' ''Huh?How can that be? I see those guys almost every day. Umaro probably comes to eat every day. Bekko shows up one way or another. Delia meets him often to negotiate with the river fishing guild. Estella and Natalia, whenever they feel like it. The same is true for Imelda. ...... ''............ Well, that was fun. ......?'' ''Yes. It was a lot of fun.'' ''Yes, it was a lot of fun.'' ''We lived in a special environment, a different life. I feel like I''ve been in a camp or a training camp or something. ''This year has been a really fun year. Ginette says. Oh, right, it''s the end of the year. I''ve been so busy I forgot. ''Yashiro-san. ''Hmm? ''I look forward to working with you again next year. He straightens his posture and folds his back while sitting. I look at Jeannette bowing deeply, and feel an inexplicable itch. There''s still a week left in the year. ...... However,......, if you are told in such a formal manner,...... I''m not sure what to say. I''ll see you next year. I''m sure you''ll feel the need to greet me properly as well. ...... I''m not good at this kind of thing. ''Ahh!The two of us are hogging the pillow! I can hear Loretta''s clear voice coming from outside the house. Next, I hear the sound of a bunch of noisy people coming out. ...... Oh, God. I can''t even relax when they''re around. It''s not fair!I want to make a kamakura too! Don''t use "kamakura" as a verb. The complaining Loretta is, well, in short, not playing enough. The snow will be gone soon. Then. ''We will now hold a memorial event for the heavy snow season, the last big snowball fight! Let''s have all the fun we can until the very end. That''s what I thought. ''The loser will do whatever the winner says! Sounds like fun!I''ll take that match, Yashiro! ''Maybe I''ll join you. ...... I''m going to make Yashiro apologize for all the rudeness he''s been showing me. Delia and Estella announced their participation with glittering eyes. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''ll try. ''We have the ultimate weapon, Magda! ''...... Magda wants to order Yashiro to pretend all day long.'' d*mn ......, you''re an enemy too ...... ''Then I''ll ask for permission to possess the wax statue! Ginette rolls up her arms. ...... This is the first one we have to defeat. The sun had set and the sky was dark. However, the moon peeked out from between the clouds, and the moonlight reflected off the snow, making it seem strangely bright. The light bricks peeking through the snow also had a faint glow. That day we had a snowball fight until late at night, ...... and after watching the summit battle between Delia and Natalia, we fell asleep. The extraordinary life that had continued day after day came to an end like this. Everyday life would return. I was somewhat sad about that, but also relieved. It was a feeling similar to the sadness at the end of a school trip and the sense of relief when I returned home ....... So, should I say something like, ''Oh, home is the best place to be''? Everyday life is the best. When the snow melts, the construction of the city gate will resume. When the snow melts, the construction of the city gate will resume. By the time it''s over, ...... will probably have started something different. So many things have happened this year. I wonder. I guess the end of the year makes you think about such things, even in another world. Oh, by the way. The winner of the snowball fight was Natalia. I guess skill is more important than power in these things. 116-Anecdote 14 Christmas at Yodare-tei a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''I want a fir tree.'' ''A fir tree? In the morning, Yashiro and the manager were discussing something in the kitchen. ''...... Good morning.'' ''Oh, Magda, good morning.'' ''Good morning, Magda. My mind was still a bit foggy and unclear. Magda bypassed the kitchen and headed for the dining room. He plops down on the dining room table and closes his eyelids. This is a small distraction from the fact that he is sure to fall asleep when he returns to his room. I never sleep, I just close my eyelids a little ....... ......ke............ ......Kuka. ''Good morning, Magda. You look sleepy.'' I looked up and saw Estella standing at the entrance to the dining room. That''s unusual. I usually meet her at the church. ''...... Well, is that a fake ......?'' ''What''s the matter?Are you sleepwalking?'' Estella approaches me, her face twitching for a moment. ''I woke up early today, so I thought I''d help you out for a change. Quietly approaching, Estella casually pats Magda on the head. Her fingers touched her ear and rubbed it lightly. ............ Mmm. ''...... s*x.'' ''No!I don''t mean to do that, but...?See, Yashiro does it all the time. ......'' Yashiro is special. He doesn''t let anyone else touch him. ''......It''s like having Yashiro help you change your clothes when you have Natalia do it for you. ''Oh ......, no, I''m sorry.'' ''...... just know.'' He waggled his ear at the touch. I''ll have to get Yashiro to wipe it again later. ...... ''So, where''s this Yashiro?Is he in the kitchen?'' Yashiro: ...... If it''s Yashiro, ...... let''s see: ...... ''...... Yashiro is ............ in the kitchen ......... ...'' ''Are you sleepy?'' ''...... I''m fine. I''m just sleepy. ......'' ''......You''re sleepy. And quite ......'' Estella''s face twitched again. I don''t want you to look at me like I''m a troubled girl. Magda is just a little sleepy. ''...... Yashiro is in the ...... kitchen with ............ the manager... .........'' Let''s see, ...... what was that ............ Oh, yeah. ''...... "I want a rubdown."'' ......'' ''I''m going to the kitchen for a bit! Estella''s footsteps rattled as she headed for the kitchen. It''s a noisy morning. ...... A lady should be as ladylike as she is elegantly slumbering in the morning. So, Magda is going to sleep a little ............ longer. I''m not sure what to say. ''Yasirot! ''Oh, Estella-san. Good morning.'' I jumped into the kitchen, only to find Ginette there. ''Huh?Where''s Yashiro? ''If it''s Yashiro, he''s gone back to his room. d*mn it!He escaped. ''So, are you alright? ''What?What''s that? ''No, no, ......, so ............ rubbing rubbing ......... ...Anyway, were you okay? ''Yes, yes!That ...... is perfectly healthy.'' I wonder if she gave up on the rubbing ...... I''m glad to hear that Ginette seems to be okay. ''Anyway. You have to be very careful in the church after this. ''Oh, Yashiro-san said that you won''t be going to church today. ''What?Why not? ''Well, he has to go see Nephrite at .......'' ''Nepheli! Nepheli, you mean?The poultry farmer? ...... No way,............ that Yashiro wants a rubdown. ''I''m sorry. I''m going to have to come up for a minute! ''What?I''m sure you''ll agree. With Ginette''s permission, I walked through the kitchen, across the courtyard, and upstairs. I''ve always been a little suspicious. I''ve been wondering about this for a while, because the way Yashiro looks at Nepheli is a little different than the way he looks at other people. ...... I didn''t think he saw me as a rubbing target. ............ I''m not that big... I don''t know if that''s what you want. No, I don''t care about that! I can''t overlook such an insolent act of rubbing. ''Palm ......! ''What do you need for Christmas? ............ It''s not so easy ......''. As I was about to rush into the room, I heard Yashiro''s voice coming from inside the room. ......Kurisumasu? I put my ear to the door softly. ''I''ve already prepared a present for you, but ...... I''ll have to hide it so you won''t find it. Presents? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do that. ''I''ll make the cake, but ...... it''s got to be Neffely''s.'' A cake and a nefari? What the hell are you talking about? ''And then ............ lover.'' ''Koibito! ''No way ......Yashiro............ Nepheli as my lover...... ......'' And are you going to rub it in ............? ''No!The new Christmas is not going to be encroached upon by lovers!I won''t let that happen!I''m not going to let that happen!I give you these words from another world!Explode! ............? What the hell is Yashiro talking about? ''...... hahaha ...... I''m sweating fresh ...... I''m feeling refreshed ...... haha Haha. ...... You''re smiling like you''re having fun. ............ What in the world is this Kurisumasu, Yashiro... ... Millie, can you take me back to the forest? ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I don''t know what to say. And that too in the forest! ''I''ll go to Imelda''s first. ...... Well, she won''t be awake, but ...... we don''t have much time. I''ll wake her up. Oh no!Yashiro is approaching. ......! Hide somewhere. ............ No. We need to get to Imelda before she does! a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Imelda!Wake up!'' Early morning . Estella barged into my bedroom and started screaming so loudly that I woke up in the worst way. ''Please don''t shout ...... I have large breasts, unlike you, so I''m weak in the morning. ''It has nothing to do with my breasts, doesn''t it? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... It''s too rude. I''m not sure what to make of it.They need to be retrained. ''Imelda, it''s an emergency!Jashiro is coming to rub you!'' ''Huh? I jumped out of my skin. Is this what you mean when you say you didn''t know? Yashiro-san is coming to ...... rub me? ''Why would you do such a thing? ''I overheard it by accident, when I was listening in front of Yashiro''s room! ''...... That can''t be a coincidence, can it?'' ''And anyway!If Yashiro comes, don''t let him rub you! ''No, I won''t let him rub me! I''m not going to let him squeeze me!''''You know, that''s the kind of thing that happens when you make a formal request for a relationship, get your father''s permission, get married, announce your engagement to the guild, go on a bunch of ...... dates, and have a romantic... ...For example, he proposed to me on a hill overlooking the sea at sunset. ...... We had a wedding ceremony with many people''s blessings. ...... We went on a honeymoon. ............ ''That''s what I''m talking about! ''...... I think it''s good to have a strong sense of chastity, yeah.'' While showing a certain understanding, Estella''s face twitched a little. What is it?I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''Imelda-sama. A visitor is here to see you. ''''What? I and Estella gasped at the same time, then looked at each other. It seems that Mr. Yashiro has arrived at ...... to rub my face! ''No, listen!No matter what happens, don''t make any concessions! ''I know, I know!I''m a lady, I''m a lady! In the first place, there is no way Yashiro-san would just show up out of the blue and ask for a squeeze. Estella must have misunderstood something. That''s right. I''m sure she is. ''I''d like to talk to you. Send her in. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. It''s your fault for showing up so early in the morning. I''m not going to let anyone else see me dressed like this. Do you really understand how fortunate you are to be in ...... such an environment? It''s a good idea to get yourself dressed and ready to go to the reception room. It is a woman''s prudence to keep her guests waiting. I can''t be shallow and pushy. Take your time, pace yourself, and ...... run as fast as you can. I hope I didn''t keep you waiting. When I entered the reception room, Yashiro got up from the sofa and walked up to me. He seemed to be a little impatient, as if he couldn''t hold back. Did he really want to see me that badly? ''Imelda''. ''Yes,.......'' A serious look in her eyes,......, and a little bit of excitement in her heart,...... Mr. Yashiro...... you, no way............ ''I have a favor to ask you. ''What''s that? ''Fir......'' ''You are insolent! I slapped Yashiro without thinking. It''s not acceptable to suddenly talk about rubbing, as expected! ...... Even though there are servants and Estella in this house right now,............ ''...... What the hell are you doing ......'' You''ll be able to get a lot more information on the web. Of course. It''s so early in the morning and you''re rubbing me right after we meet. ...... ''There are some things that I can tolerate and some things that I can''t! I''m not sure what to say. ...... Well, the Lumberjack Guild hasn''t moved yet. ...... I''m sorry for being so reckless. Even if the Lumberjack Guild has something to do with it, ............ what? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''What are you going to do if you back out so easily? ''No, you can''t, can you? ''No, it''s just not possible right now! ''I need it ''now''! ''How much do you love your tits! ''What are you talking about! I can''t believe ...... that a man who has his eyes set on the future after marriage would be swayed by a short-term squeeze. ''Well then, I''ve disturbed you all morning. ''You''re leaving! ''I don''t have time for this. ''Are you having withdrawal symptoms? ''...... No, I don''t get it.'' ''I''m just trying to get a good rubdown! ''See you later.'' He left a simple greeting, and Yashiro left. ............ millie. You''re going to that little girl from the flower arrangement guild, aren''t you ............ ''Servants!Get ready to change your clothes now!I''m going out! Today''s ...... going to be a busy morning. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Oh, Ladybug! The ladybug came to the store shortly after we opened. The store is open from this time for restaurants and people who come early in the morning. Regular customers come to the shop first thing in the morning, but this is the first time for Ladybug to come at this time. I wondered if he would buy flowers again. I was just coming out to the front of the store to pick up the flowers I''d ordered, but I was interrupted by the ladybug''s arrival. Let me tell you about it. ''What''s a fir tree? ''A fir tree?'' ''Trees ............ are not for sale. ''I wonder if they grow in the forest managed by the flower guild.It''s a crazy story that ignores the climate and all, but I feel like anything is possible in this city. ''What?Climate?Absurd? Quickly, the ladybug said something like an excuse, and looked at Miri seriously. He seems to be in a great hurry. ''The fir tree is ...... the one with the jagged edges, isn''t it? ''Yes. Like this.'' Then he draws a jagged tree in the air. I thought he had captured the features well. ''Then I think there is .......'' ''Can you give it to me somehow? ''Yeah,............, what are you doing? ''Decorate it! ''............ What are you doing? When I heard the answer, I was even more confused. But you can probably give away the trees in the forest. If you ask someone from the Lumberjack Guild, they''ll cut it down for you, and if they''re from the Lumberjack Guild, they must know Ladybug-san. ''I''d like a small one, if possible. About a meter.'' ''Yeah, ......?That size won''t be enough to make wood ......?'' ''Oh, that''s okay. I''ll use it as is.'' ''Just like that? Ladybug always says the strangest things. But those strange things turn out to be very nice in the end. Then I''d like to see the final form of this strange thing, too. It''s okay. If it''s that big, I''ll go and cut it for you. Do you want me to deliver it to the sunlit pavilion?Or do you want to go with me? It''s fun to hang out with you, ladybug. If we go to the forest together, ............ it''ll be fun, too. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m trying to get ready for Christmas today. I''d appreciate it if you could deliver it to me.'' ''What is ............?'' I''ve never heard of it before. ''Christmas is an event in my hometown, ...... it''s kind of ...... of fun.'' ''What kind of things do you do? ''Well, it''s usually lovers making out and ............ chattering, which is starting to piss me off.'' ''Is this the day of the Koibito-san? ''Well, I guess that''s how it is these days.'' ''Hmmm ......'' ''Well, I guess it doesn''t really matter to Miry, who doesn''t have a dwarf. ''Then I''ll deliver it around noon. ''Oh. Nice to meet you. I''ll go to Nephrite''s place now. ''Yeah, ......? You''re going to Nepheli''s? ''...... eggs?'' ''Oh, no. Eggs have nothing to do with it.'' ''Then, to Nefarious, errands ......? ''I''ll need it for Christmas, for sure. I don''t know if he''ll OK it, but I''ll ask him.'' ''That''s ......''. ''So that you can be a koi-bito with me? ''Well, I''ll see you later. Oh, that''s right. If you''re free at night, come to the sunlit pavilion. See you later. ''Ah, ............ has gone .......'' What should I do? ...... I failed to mention it. ''Hey Furey, I''m here now. ......'' Miri looked into the store. Nefarious is a regular customer who comes to buy flowers every day, and even now, Miri is choosing the flowers she recommends. ...... Right now, Nefarious is standing at the entrance, frozen in place. I wonder if the ladybug couldn''t see her because she was behind the flowers. ''Oh, ...... Nefarious-san? ''............I''m ............ going home... ...'' ''Ah, ...... where are the flowers?'' ''I''ll come back for them later! I''m not sure if I''m going to ...... become a koi-bito. ''Millie! ''Millie-san! ''Aren''t you being rubbed? ''Yeah, ......, what are you doing? ''That reaction ...... seems to be safe.'' ''Yeah, ............ um, ...... safe.'' The two of them are very relieved ...... to be rubbed? ''So, where is Yashiro! ''Where are you, sir? ''Ah, ............ Neferi-san''s, place ......'' ''d*mn it!It''s a bird! ''Let''s hurry up! ''Oh, it''s gone to ..................'' Is it really ............ the real deal, after all? ''Let''s go get the fir tree .......'' Miri pulled out a cart and headed for the forest. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? My body is hot ...... and heavy ...... My heart is beating out of control like it doesn''t belong to me,...... and I''m in a bit of pain. ''Oh, Neffery!Where the hell have you been? When I returned home, I found Yashiro there. ...... Really, he was there. My heart skipped a beat. I don''t know what to do. ............ I''m not ready yet. ............ ''Neffery. ''What,...... what?'' Yashiro comes in front of me. He''s staring at me. He''s going to tell me. ...... He''s going to tell you? I''ve been longing for ...... that word for a long time. ...... "I want you to wake me up every morning before the sun does. Such a prince-like proposal ...... to Yashiro ............ ''There''s something I want. ''What do you want, ......? ''It''s you. It''s not that ............ pushy. ............ But I don''t mind. ''It''s ......''. That''s ...... ''Thighs! It''s ...... thigh meat! ''............ thigh meat?'' ''Ah!Chicken thighs!With bones!'' ''............ Are you going to eat it?'' ''Of course we are, right?Do you think I''ll decorate it?What, are you sleepwalking?'' Yashiro laughs. ...... I''m not laughing at all. ''What about ...... Kurisumasu ......?'' ''Huh?Who told you that?'' ''It''s ...... a day for lovers to spend together, isn''t it?'' ''Oh, ...... in my country, it''s been polluted by couples and has become such an abominable day ...... that it''s sad.'' It''s a sad day! ''But I''m not!I''m not going to let it be a dirty day! It''s unholy. ...... ''I just want to get some friends together and have a good party. You''ll be there, right?'' ''You''re coming.'' ............ That''s a very forceful invitation. ............ But I don''t mind. ''Where I come from, we always have chicken thighs for Christmas. ''Why not a hexenbiest''s meat?Wouldn''t that be better? ''No, no, no!It has to be chicken!There are those who say that turkey is the real deal and chicken is evil, but I''ve been eating chicken since I was a kid!So chicken is the right way to go! ''I''m not sure, is ...... the right answer? ''It''s the right answer! With this look on his face, Yashiro never bends his opinion. He never gives up. He just wants to be true to himself. I''m just a little ...... glad that he relied on me at a time like that. ''All right. I''ll prepare the most delicious meat for you.'' ''Really?That would be great! ''Then I''ll just go and squeeze five or six birds. ''And don''t say ...... strangle ...... so easily. Why not? If you don''t wring them out, they''ll go crazy.They''re very healthy. ''Wait a minute! ''Please wait! Just then, Estella and Imelda arrived, looking terrible. ...... What are you doing, you guys. What are you doing here? ''You guys are so energetic in the morning,.......'' ''Haha ...... haha ...... that''s because ............ Yashiro is... ''......... haha ...... haha ...... touch'' ''Huh!I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t,......, and I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t,......, and I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t,....... ............Neffery, I''ll pass. ......'' ''No, I don''t know what''s going on. ......'' These two are really close, aren''t they? They always seem to be together. ''Just perfect. You guys, if you''re free today, come help out in the evening.'''' ''Haa...... haa...... hand...... down?'' ''Huh ...... what ...... is that? ''You''ll see. See you soon.'' ''Uh, yeah, .......'' ''All right, .......'' ''And Neffery.'' ''Yeah. I''ll squeeze in a good one.'' ''No, that''s why ...... it''s okay.'' Yashiro lets out a sigh and leaves. ''Ahhh ......, I guess I was mistaken after all ......''. ''What?What''s that?'' ''Hmm ...... it''s nothing~'' ''You''re a strange person ...... in many ways.'' Well, that''s true,...... even if it''s a proposal, it won''t come without warning this early in the morning,...... though it should be obvious if you think about it for a moment. ............ ''I feel like an idiot,............,'' he said. But I''m kind of ...... relieved. It''s a little early for that. It''s a little early for that kind of thing. We''ll get to know each other a little better ............ and then we''ll ...... ...... I''m not sure what to do. With such sweet and sour thoughts in my heart, I continued to squeeze the chicken from morning. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? When tea time was over, Theron and Millie came to the store at the same time and left some kind of tree. Around that time, my brother started to get strangely enthusiastic. ''Okay, Loretta. Give me a hand. ''Yes, sir. Your brother seems to be busy. So you need my help, I get it! ''It''s an easy job that even a dumbass like you can do.'' ''I''m not an idiot! ''How much is the total for three children''s lunches and two oshiruko? ''That''s the manager''s job, not mine to step into. I''m a capable girl who knows her place. ''And it''s a job even an idiot like her can do. ''I''m not an idiot! It''s funny ...... that you don''t seem to get it ............ ''Put some colorful fabric on this thing I''ve been working on since this morning, cutting wood. Then he put the wood on the table in the shape of a star, a sphere, a boot or a walking stick. There are many of them. They''re all pretty. He''s as crafty as ever. ''What''s this? ''It''s called an ornament, it''s a Christmas tree decoration. ''Ohnaments ......, hmmm, I see. This is the .......'' ''You definitely don''t understand, do you?'' It''s okay if you don''t understand. As long as you look like you know what you''re talking about, you look smart. ''I got some scraps of cloth from Ukrines, so you can use them as you like. ''All right!I''ll use this to make it look really cute! ''Oh. Can you do it? ''I''ll do it! To tell you the truth, I''ve been feeling lately that I have a better artistic sense than others. My intuition seems to be right most of the time, so I must be good at it. I''m going to make something amazing and surprise my big brother! ''Yashiro~'' ''It''s here. ''Oh. Come over here and help me with this. Estella and Imelda came with me. They seem to be doing the same work as me. Mmmm ....... This is going to be a battle we can''t afford to lose. ''Make it look like .......'' ''That sounds like a lot of fun. ''Leave it to me, and you''ll be fine. ''Please don''t. It''s an easy job that even an idiot can do.'''' ''''I''m not an idiot! That''s right! Pupu...... is calling me an idiot child,pupu~. And then, woot, woot, woot, woot, we forgot about the time and made ornaments. After looking at the ornaments objectively and without favoritism,......, I think mine is the cutest. I''m sure you''ll agree. When the light coming through the window began to fade and the sky began to change color slightly, all the ornaments that had been prepared were covered with colorful cloth and made into beautiful decorations. I attached clasps and strings, and made them into rings so that they could be hooked. ''It''s done, big brother! ''Oh. Now, go decorate this fir tree. ''A fir tree? ''Here, here. It''s got quite a nice flavor, doesn''t it? The 150cm tree, once carried to the courtyard, was placed in the middle of the dining room in a potted plant by Mr. Theron. This is the fir tree: ...... ''A fir tree...... or ............? ''It was a misunderstanding ...... ............. It seems that Estella and Imelda are staring at the fir tree with exhausted expressions. What''s going on?Well, something must have happened. ''Then decorate it nicely. I''ll go prepare the food.'' My brother went back to the kitchen and I decorated the fir tree with ornaments to show off my taste. ''Oh, Loretta''s decorations: ......'' ''Mmm-hmm. Isn''t that cute?'' ''It''s kind of, ...... normal.'' ''Well, it''s normal, isn''t it? I''m not going to be defeated by this spearhead, I decorated it! I decorated it! ''It''s beautiful, Yashiro-san.'' ''Well, I guess it''s like this.'' Looking at the decorated fir tree, Yashiro nodded in satisfaction. ''This is what Christmas is all about, isn''t it? ''Well, it''s just a make-believe Christmas. Mr. Yashiro said, but I think it''s enough to convey the joyful atmosphere. The small fir tree, 150 centimeters tall, planted in a large pot specially made by Theron, was dressed up like a tree in a dreamland, with many colorful ...... ornaments on its branches. The tree was adorned with many colorful ornaments, called ornaments, on its branches, making it look as pretty as a tree in a dreamland. ''Big brother!The chicken is cooked! ''The ...... cake is done, too.'' The food that Yashiro had been preparing since noon was now ready, and the party was about to begin. Outside the window, the sky was turning red, and the shiny bricks in the yard were gradually increasing their light. After this, many guests will visit here and we will have a nice dinner together. ''I''m looking forward to it. ''Oh, yes. Everyone will probably be here soon, so take care of them.'' Clapping me on the shoulder, Yashiro-san heads for the kitchen. ''...... Um...'' ''Hmm? ''Where are you going?If you want to cook, we''re all here. I helped a little, and all the food is already laid out in the dining room. ''There are preparations to be made. And with that, Yashiro left. ...... Preparation? I''m sure it''s already done. ...... ''Hello~! ''Oh!I''m here! ''I''m sorry to disturb you, that I am. Umaro-san, Delia-san, and Bekko-san were the first to arrive. The three of them were staying at our house until the day before yesterday, which makes me wonder why they weren''t here yesterday. It''s strange. Later, we met the sisters, the children of the church, Loretta''s siblings, the Yaploks, and their family. Norma, the mold maker, Ukrinez, the dressmaker, and Millie and Nepheli, the people who have been helping us with our business, came to see us. ''Wow, this looks delicious! I heard such comments when I saw the food on the table. I''m glad to hear that. ''Where did Yashiro go? ''Um, ...... something, he said he had to prepare ......''. ''Oh, that''s right. Mm-hmm.'' Mr. Ukrines smiled with pride. ''Do you know something about it? ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Merry Christmas! And then, an old man in bright red ...... appeared, Yashiro. I didn''t recognize him at first because he was wearing a bright white mustache. ''What ...... are those fancy clothes? ''Well, ......? Mr. Yashiro was dressed in bright red clothes and carried a large white cloth bag on his shoulder. ''Now, here''s a present for all you good kids. With that, he reached into the bag and began to hand out small packages to Loretta''s siblings who had gathered nearby. ''Ooooh! ''Plesentos! ''I''m so excited! They were so excited to hold the small packages. The children of the church also flocked to the bright red Yashiro, urging him to give them gifts. And later, Yashiro gave us the gift as well. ''...... Mmmm, this is a good one. ''Wow, it''s so cute! ''Did you make this, Yashiro? ''It''s lovely. ......'' Magda, Loretta, Estella and Imelda relax their cheeks. ''Wow, ...... I never thought that piece of scrap iron would turn out like this, ...... but it did. Norma muttered happily. The raw materials seemed to have come from Norma''s place. ''You''re a genius! ''It''s so cute! ''You''re so cute! ''I''ve always wanted something like this! ''I''ve been waiting for this for a long time! ''A storm of excitement! Everyone has their own impressions. All of them were filled with joy. ''Here, Ginette, too. Mr. Yashiro gently handed me something: ...... It was a small pin badge. It was a cute little badge in the shape of a fir tree. It was a wonderful gift, just like Mr. Yashiro. ''Is it okay if I take it? ''Yes, you may. Today is the day when good children get presents. Why is he talking like that? I don''t know, but since Yashiro is doing it, he must have something in mind. I''ll try not to pursue it too deeply. ''Well then, everyone. Let''s start eating. With a cheerful ''wow'', the Christmas party began. It was the beginning of a very warm and joyful time. Mr. Yashiro has made a wonderful time for us again. I''m really grateful to Mr. Yashiro. ''Oh, I''m ...... glad. ''We are together, Theron. ''We''re together, Wendy. ''Hey, hey, isn''t my one extra cute? ''They''re all the same!No, ......, but mine might be a little prettier than the others. ......'' ''Hmmm ......, can''t you use this for your carpentry skills ......'' ''I still have a lot of work to do, that I haven''t done yet. ...... Well done, Mr. Yashiro! This gift from Mr. Yashiro is making me smile more and more. This is the kind of power that Mr. Yashiro has, isn''t it? ''Yashiro-san''s ...... is amazing.'' From that point on, it was a very enjoyable time, even if it was lively and a bit noisy ...... as usual. I still don''t know much about Christmas, but I like it very much. I''m sure I''ll spend it with you all again next year. I think so. 117-Episode 15 The Year-end and New Years Day at Yoda... a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Sister. We''re ready.'' ''Bertina, the glutinous rice, it''s so hot! ''...... Children, help me. ''''''Yay! ''''''Ginette and the rest of the Sunny Pavilion came to the church and started something interesting again. ''''Listen, kids!If you don''t work, you don''t eat!If you don''t help us properly, we won''t feed you a single thing!Do you understand? ''''''Yes~! This time, too, Yashiro-san was the initiator, and he planned this event to make the children happy. He''s really a very kind person. ''''Then, go tell what I just said to that sister over there who doesn''t work but eats more than others. ''''''Sister!If you don''t work, you shouldn''t eat. Yashiro-san...... is using the children as a check on us............ this must be a very tasty food. I can''t stop being excited. ''Yashiro-san, how is the mortar and pestle?I made it according to the measurements you gave me. ''Oh, it''s perfect. And Milly, thanks for the zelkova tree. ''Oh, ...... no. I had a great Christmas. ......'' ''You''re a good girl, Millie. ............ Some lumberjack guild, on the other hand! ''It can''t be helped, can it!I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.It''s Umaro-san''s negligence! ''''Wait a minute!I''m working really hard on the city gate right now! ''Yashiro. Let''s get started. Loretta''s in tears because she''s holding onto the sticky rice. ''''Ah, it''s hot!I want the next instructions quickly! Millie from the Flower Arrangement Guild brought wood from the forest, and Umaro from the Trubec Engineering Shop processed it into a mortar and pestle, and today they''re going to do something called ''mochi pounding''. The children gathered around Mr. Yashiro, excited to see what was going to happen. ''Okay!I''ll show you how it''s done. I''ll show you how it''s done. ''''''Yes! ''''Then, to make it easier for everyone to say, Estella, step forward. ''''Yes, I knew you would say that! He is always lively and the children come alive when he is around. He is truly a ...... wonder. Then the mochi pounding began with a loud shout. At first, Mr. Yashiro was pounding the rice, but it seemed that the timing of mixing the glutinous rice was difficult, and Ginette was having a hard time. So they switched players, with Yashiro taking over the mixing and Magda taking over the pounding. ''............ I''ll finish him off with one blow. ''Take it easy, man!It''s the only mortar we have. ''...... I''ll do my best.'' ''''Then, let''s do it! ''''''Petan!''''''Peentan!'''''' This time, the rice cake is pounded at a good pace. This is fun to watch. The children are also very happy. ''Let me try too! ''At ......, change of players.'' ''Okay, Estella. Let''s go.'' ''All right!Let''s go! ''''''..................'''''' ''''Hey, guys!Where''s the shout? ''''Idiot,......, don''t let the kids bother you.'''' ''''''You can say it!You can say ''petan-petan''!It''s more hurtful if they don''t say it! I think my kids are starting to look like Yashiro these days. ...... I hope they become interesting adults. Then the rice was pounded over and over again with the children ...... and eventually it turned into rice cakes. ''Yashiro-san. Anko and soybean flour are ready. ''Then cut the rice cake into small pieces and season it.'' ''Yashiro-san. ''Oh, Bertina-san, you can also help .......'' ''Yes, sir. It''s very delicious. ''You''re already eating? I''m first in line. It grows well. It''s delicious. It''s an intoxicating taste. I''d better tell you about this soon. ...... ''Second helping''. ''It''s just about ready, isn''t it? I continued to eat mindlessly for the next few minutes. Let''s do this even after the new year!Let''s do that. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Haa...... me, I can''t eat anymore. Even if you think the rice cake is quite small, it will fill up your stomach when you eat it. I''ll bring some home for Natalia, who couldn''t come today because of work. ''Hey, God of Flatulence. ''Who''s the God of Flattening? Yashiro came next to me with two kinds of flavored rice cakes, one with red bean paste and the other with soybean flour. The mochi pounding contest, which is held in the church yard, seems to have come to an end as everyone is starting to get full. According to the custom of Yashiro''s hometown, they are going to make "Kagamimochi" (mirror rice cakes) after this. And they keep it on display until the new year. ...... Why rice cakes? ''The 28th is considered to be a lucky day because it is the last day of the year. Well, I don''t know much about it myself, but I thought I''d take advantage of it. Christmas, birthdays ...... and today ...... In Yashiro''s hometown, they seem to be very concerned about dates. For us, dates are just a way to see how long we''ve been working, harvesting crops, progressing construction projects, collecting taxes, and so on. Somehow, I felt a little jealous of Yashiro''s hometown, where he tries to enjoy ''that one day'' that comes only once a year. ''What are you going to do when the year ends? ''Hmm?New Year''s Day? I wasn''t familiar with the word ''New Year''s Day'', but I''m sure Yashiro''s hometown would have all sorts of things to do. I was a little curious. ''We''ll do all kinds of things. Like feathering.'' ''Feathering?What kind of things? ''It''s a game that two people play. ...... What''s the word? ...... You take a wooden hagoita, and you take turns hitting each other with the feathers.'' ''You hold the board and hit the feathers ...... alternately? Feathers?............ birds? In my mind''s eye, I see images of a pair of men holding a wooden plank and alternately striking a fleeing chicken with it. ''That''s cruel, isn''t it? ''Cruel?'' I feel sorry for the chickens. ...... We have to stop them from playing such dangerous games. ''And then there''s kite flying.'' ''Octopus flying: ......'' In my mind''s eye, I see an image of a wriggling octopus being slammed into hot oil. ''You''ll splash the oil! ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but ...... it''s not the same thing anyway.'' These are all things that seem to torment living things. Isn''t there a more peaceful way to play? ''Backgammon is surprisingly fun if you take it seriously. ''Backgammon? ''It''s a piece of paper with squares on it. You roll the dice, and the number of squares you roll is the number of squares you can advance to, and the first one to finish is the winner. ''............ Is it fun?'' ''It''s fun!It''s even more fun when you write commands on the squares. Yashiro says confidently. If Yashiro says so much, it must be interesting. ...... I might want to try it. ''Alright!Let''s do it, dude! I and Yashiro''s shoulders shook as he suddenly called out to us from behind. When we turned around, Percy from the sugar factory was standing there. The black make-up around his eyes is still in place today. ''Why are you here? ''Well, I''ve been going through some stuff, like ......? Percy''s demeanor like this means that he''s ...... probably going to be ...... soon. ''I''m sorry!I''m here to bring you some eggs. ......, right? Nepheli came to the church to deliver eggs. ''Hey, what''s this?What are you guys doing? Nepheli showed interest in the rice cake pounding we were doing, and got excited. ''d*mn it!If you''re going to do something, why don''t you call me? ''Of course, Mr. Nephrite!It''s good to have everyone together, isn''t it? ''Oh!...... You scared me. You''re here, Percy? ''Yes!You and me, we''re buddies! ''...... Yeah, ...... since when ......'' ''Don''t look so uncomfortable!I''ll cry. So Percy got wind of Nephrite somewhere and was here before us. ...... You''re a stalker, now. I''m not sure what to say.What about that backgammon game we were talking about?Why don''t we play it together?How about you, Nephrite! That''s how you''re going to get a promise to play with Nepheli. ...... You''re straight in love, Stoker Tanuki. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. ''I didn''t come up with it. It''s a traditional game that''s been passed down from generation to generation in my hometown. ''I''d like to try it. Oh, but ...... I''m busy this time of year. ......'' ''How about the night of the 31st?Everyone''s finished with work and won''t be free from that time onwards, right? ''...... Hey, are you going to pass the year in the sunny pavilion? ''That''s my girl!You know what you''re talking about! ''Don''t be silly. ...... Let me relax at least for the New Year''s holiday. ......'' ''...... (sugar, I''ll bring a lot of sugar!)'' ''...... (You''re always doing that.)'' ''...... (You use it, sugar!Cake, it''s really good! The guys are having a secret conversation ...... but I can hear them all. ''Yashiro-san, what''s wrong? ''...... dangerous magwai between men.'' ''Wow,......, brother, Umaro is still more useful than that raccoon.'' ''That''s terrible, a normal girl! ''You''re terrible to me, too! Because of Percy''s noise, everyone gathered around. ''How about we all have a New Year''s Eve backgammon tournament at the Sunlit Pavilion?That''s what I''m talking about. ''That sounds interesting. If you''d like to join us, please come. ''...... Hey, Ginette, ............'' ''Doesn''t that sound like fun? ''............Well, if you say so ......'' ''Yes!It''s a deal!I don''t know.Isn''t it nice, Neffery-san? ''Yeah, ...... after the end of the work day, ......'' ''Yay!I''m staying with Nepheli-san! Percy shouted with great emotion,......, but that statement was indeed ............ ''............ Oh, don''t do that. Forget it.'' ''Yashiro. The bedrooms are on separate floors for men and women. ''They will be anyway.'' ''Oh, no!No, Mr. Nefari!That''s not what this is about!'' It seems that Nephrite''s opinion of Percy has dropped. Rather than trying to make up for it now, he''d better find another way to make up for it, if he''s a man. ''Hmmm ...... I wonder if I can go ......''. As for my parents, well, I''ll have to convince ...... Natalia. She''s a bit of a hardheaded person. ...... She''ll probably say she wants to spend New Year''s Eve ...... at home. I''m against it! Imelda was the only one who firmly objected. ''I''ve been told to go back to my parents'' house for New Year''s Eve. Therefore, I request that we postpone the New Year''s Eve at the Sunken Pavilion! ''No, what other space is the Sunken Pavilion trapped in? ''We can''t postpone the New Year''s Eve, so please come and stay at ...... another time.'' ''I don''t want to, I don''t want to!It''s not fair, it''s not fair! Imelda went into ''no'' mode. Let''s just ignore her for now. The fate will not change even if we resist. And three days later ...... on the night of December 31st. The backgammon tournament was held. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Konnichiwa~! ''Ah, Mr. Nefari. Welcome. When I arrived at the sunny pavilion, there were already many people there. ...... Something is wrong in the dining room. ............ ''What''s wrong with this? ''Well, Yashiro told me that backgammon should be played with everyone sitting in a circle. ''Oh, ......, it''s so deep.'' The tables and chairs in the dining room have been moved to the corner, and layers of rugs have been laid out on the floor. Oh, it''s warm. ''We''ve put straw between the rugs. The floor is cold. This is the kind of ingenuity that makes Suntari-tei so special. The wood stove is making a crackling sound, warming up the space. A large piece of paper with many circles on it is spread out on the rug, and a flat wooden board is placed underneath it. I think it was so that the paper would not be tilted by the straw under the rug. ''What are you doing now? ''I''m writing down orders. Do you want to write something too?'' According to the story, you have to obey the orders written on the squares where you stopped. So you can''t write anything too strange, can you? ...... ''The person with the biggest boobs gets to wear a bathing suit'': ...... I''m not sure what to do. ...... Someone was ready to write something weird: ............ ''Mr. Neffery. Come here!It''s open!'' ''Oh, thank you. I''m Percy, I run a sugar factory in the 40th district. He''s very witty, a little weird and funny. He says the black around his eyes that looks like animal features is makeup. ...... I don''t think you should worry about such small things. Around the backgammon, from Yashiro to the right, are sitting Ginette, Estella, Loretta, me, Percy, Oumalo, and Magda. ''Hey, where''s Natalia today? ''I couldn''t bring her, as expected. ...... She''s the head maid.'' I wonder if Estella is a lady of some sort? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ...... She''s also good friends with Imelda from the woodcutter guild. ''Do you want to write something, Mr. Nephrite? Loretta hands me a pen. ............ A brush?Why a brush? ''Oh, I''ll use that brush later. Don''t worry about it.'' If you say don''t worry about it, well, I don''t. ...... I glanced at it and saw the order to ''get your face scribbled on''. ...... It looks like that''s what the brush is for. Oh, man. Yashiro continues to do strange things. It''s just too much for a normal person like me to think about. ...... Well... That''s what makes him different from other men. .................. ''--! I''m kind of embarrassed that I thought of it myself. ...... Stupid, stupid, me...... what are you thinking...... ''Hmm?What''s the matter, Neffery?'' ''Huh? ''What''s with the red turban? ''It''s always the same! ...... already. When people are this shy, Yashiro is always ............ insensitive, which I think is a sin. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. Can I write about it here? I point to one of the large squares with the word ''Agari'' written in front of it and say. ''Oh. Just make sure it''s worthy of the final challenge.'' Yashiro smiles happily. You can still have that kind of relaxed expression on your face. ............ I''ll write my orders in that square. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. "Tell the person you love about your feelings. Yashiro''s expression changes when he sees what I''ve written. You''re ...... conscious. It''s a little ...... scary. But it''s a good opportunity to ...... If Yashiro stops here and tells someone who isn''t me that he has feelings for me, ...... I''ll give him my blessing. And next year, I''ll be a clean slate. If I stop here, ...... then I''ll tell you exactly how I feel. No matter what the outcome ...... End of the year. I think it''s a good time to make a move. ''This,......, this is going to be interesting! ''...... Hmm, interesting.'' ''Heh, ............ interesting things you''ve written, Neffery.'' ''Do you like ............?'' Loretta snorted, Magda chuckled slightly, Estella grinned, and Jeannette put a finger to her chin and tilted her head. Come on, let''s play. Win or lose, ...... I won''t regret it! Let''s get started! With such a call from Yashiro, the backgammon tournament began. The backgammon tournament began with such a call from Yashiro. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? ''Please don''t call me a toilet!I don''t want to be a toilet character! ''Oh, you''re so clever, Loretta. ''Haha!We look alike! I did a great job of imitating someone I know, which was written in the square I stopped in. ............ I was so embarrassed! I''m sure it''s my brother. I''m sure it''s my brother. He''s whistling a tune he can''t play. But!But that''s just the beginning!...... The first group is approaching the square I drew. Now, who''s going to stop?You''re going to have to go through the same painful memories ...... that I once had to struggle with for three days and three nights! ''Oh, I''m taking a break, Percy''s next. ''Oh, thank you!I''ll take good care of the dice you gave me, Nephrite! Mr. Percy rolls the dice with exaggerated joy. The number that came up was ...... ''3''! I did it!It landed in the square I wrote the dreaded order in! ''My face is scribbled with ink. What?Mr. Percy, you''re already scribbling! ''It''s not graffiti! I was going to do the humiliating ''meat on forehead'' that my brother did to me before. You can''t use it, Mr. Percy!I''m disappointed! ''You''re a terrible person, aren''t you? You''re a man who can''t read the atmosphere, Mr. Percy. This is no good. You''ll never be popular. You''ll always be a ''good friend''. That''s what happens when you can''t read the atmosphere. ''You''re right, it''s no fun to write anything on Percy''s face now.'' ''Hey!I''m not making this face to be funny! ''Huh?Wasn''t it? ''d*mn it!I thought you were on my side, what''s wrong with you, you fox? Mr. Percy stood up and screamed. You''re disgusting. I''ll never be popular. ''All right, all right. I''ll take care of it.'' With a tap of his knee, the older brother stood up. He walked into the kitchen and brought out a wet towel. ''Percy, give me your face. My brother wiped Percy''s face. ...... ''Okay!It''s done.'' Percy turns his face from the one his big brother was playing with to his face. ...... That face is not fair. ......! I''m not sure what to make of it. That face is a panda, for all intents and purposes. It''s the panda people! ''''''Buh-uh! This is ...... not fair. Of course you''re going to laugh at this. ...... ''''Pa......, Mr. Percy......, don''t look so funny.......'''' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. There are worse things than meat. ...... I found out about it that day. I knew it that day. a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? Percy''s face became funny, and Umaro laughed and laughed as he watched his favorite Nepheli laughing at him and hurting him. Magda wished she could tell him. Magda wanted to tell him that if he behaved that way in such a situation, he would be the one who would suffer. ...... ''...... Umaro''s turn.'' ''Oh, thank you, Magda! Umaro happily rolls the dice. ...... Now, what kind of tragedy will befall ...... Magda if her intuition isn''t off. ...... Here''s an interesting thing... ......... "I''m going to make some resolutions for next year. ............ Huh? This is ...... this loose order of things that may or may not be ...... ''Oh, that''s the one I wrote, isn''t it? The manager says happily. ...... Funny. I can''t believe Magda''s hunch is off. ...... In fact, what''s the point of having Umaro if nothing funny happens to him? ...... What''s the point of having a comedian who doesn''t do comedy? ... ''My ambition for next year is to complete the city gate!I''m going to finish the city gate! ''Gosh, this is boring!Next, next! ''What?It doesn''t matter if it''s normal! Yashiro feels the same way as Magda. That''s Yashiro. He knows what he''s doing. ''Yes. Magda''s turn is next.'' ''......Yes.'' Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Magda rolled the dice: ...... ''3'' ......1,2,3............ turns his attention to the command written there. ''I''m going to decapitate Umaro. ''Why Oumalo? Excellent! Umaro has just attracted a god. The god of comedy! I''m pretty sure it was ...... who wrote this. It''s Yashiro. He''s standing next to Magda, giving a little gut-punch. ''In ......, it''s an order.'' ''Ugh ...... please go easy on me ......''. ''...... Don''t worry, your head won''t fly off.'' ''Are you talking about that level? I put my finger on Umaro''s forehead, who looks shocked, and decapitated him with a light flick. --I can''t believe it! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... Even though I took it so easy on him. ''Ah, d*mn it, Magda got the better of me... ......'' Such a happy voice rises. The source was Yashiro. Yashiro''s frame is stopped one square before Magda''s stop. ''Except ''1''!All but ''1'' is coming! Umaro''s words must have reached the heavens. The dice rolled by Yashiro showed ''1''. ''Why is that? ''...... Great pulling power. ...... As expected, Umaro. You''ve got it.'' ''Aren''t you happy? You''re not happy? It''s a shame that you''re getting a second bite at the apple as Yashiro intended. What a delicious development. ''Hey, Jeannette. Do your best to get ''4'' out. Yashiro hands the dice to the manager. Magda''s and Yashiro''s frames are stationary in the fourth square from the manager''s frame. In other words, what is written there is. "I''m going to decapitate Oumalo. If they can stop here in this fashion, it''s pretty awesome! I can''t help but get my hopes up! I''m going to go now. The manager rolls the dice. All eyes are on the dice. The dice slowly turn and finally the dice rolls a ''6''. ......Passed............ ''4......5......6............. Let''s see. ......'' The manager leans forward and reads the command written on the spot where his frame has stopped. ''''Go back two squares.'''' After returning two squares, the manager''s frame stops at the same spot as Magda''s. ...... The manager apologetically gives Umaro a deco-pin. I''m not sure what to say. ''Yes!It''s up!'' Estella shouted, throwing her arms up in the air. Loretta and Nepheli, the first two to go up, applauded. The night was deepening, and ...... the backgammon was coming to an end. The only ones who haven''t gone up yet are me and Yashiro. Now we are fighting for the last place. I''m just a stinker who got caught up in a lot of things and ended up here. Yashiro-san, on the other hand, said, ''I''m all about how to drag others down!That''s my way of backgammon! That is my backgammon way! As he said, he kept pulling down various people''s legs, and before I knew it, he was fighting with me for the lowest rank. Then, Yashiro-san was one step away from ......, and the dice came to me. If I roll a 6, I will win. If not, I''ll lose on my next turn. A tense moment. I closed my eyelids in prayer and threw the dice. The dice rolled and came up with a ............ ''5''. ''Aah!That was a close one! ''Ha-ha-ha!Too bad for you, Jeannette!You can''t give up your victory so easily! ''Well... It''s not so easy. Ah, one more and we would have won in a landslide. ...... I pushed down the disappointment that was welling up in me and moved my frame forward by five. 1......2......3......4......5... .......... And the sentence written in the square was: ...... "Tell the person you love about your feelings. For a moment, the air in the cafeteria shook. The calm and peaceful mood that had been flowing earlier disappeared ...... and was replaced by a tense and tense atmosphere. "Tell the person you love about your feelings. You have to obey all the commands written on the squares. That''s the rule of backgammon. ''Oh, you know what, Jeannette!I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. That''s what Mr. Yashiro said to me. I''m sure he was just being considerate. But don''t worry. I had decided to say something when I stopped at this square. I was looking at this square and thinking, ''This is nice. I stood up and took a deep breath. Then, I look at the person to whom I should convey my feelings. ''......Ginette''. My eyes met with Yashiro''s. That''s right. You must tell her exactly how you feel. To the person you love. ''I''m ......'' Someone''s throat rang with ....... I didn''t care and continued speaking. In order to convey the emotions that were overflowing from within. ''I love everyone here. I''m happy to be surrounded by such wonderful people. ''So, I''m going to tell the person I love how I honestly feel. I''ll change my overflowing feelings directly into words. ''Thank you very much for all your help this year. I look forward to working with you again next year. I bowed my head deeply. This is my honest feeling. This is my honest feeling towards the people I love. May the coming year be a joyous one, too! Karankaraan!Clank clank! The church bells are ringing. The church bells rang. Only today, the bells ring at the time the date changes. That''s right. ''Ladies and gentlemen. Happy New Year! A new year has just begun. I''m sure there will be a lot of fun things waiting for you this year. Because there are so many wonderful people by my side. ''Oh, my God. I''m no match for you. With that, Yashiro lifted up his frame and mine, and let them reach the goal at the same time. ''I think we can call it a draw. ''Ah, ha......, yes! If Mr. Yashiro rolls the dice again, he would have won. He made it a tie. ...... I like ............ such casual kindness. ''...... Hey Yashiro. If you''re looking for the best way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends, then you''re in the right place. ...... ''Well, well, well!I''m not sure what to do. As Estella was about to say something, Yashiro stood up, interrupting her. Now that you mention it, I might be a little hungry. Mr. Yashiro is a really thoughtful person. ''Do you guys all get old at the same time at the beginning of the year?Didn''t I hear you say something like that before? It''s true that in this city, as each new year arrives, we add up our ages as ''seventeen years old this year''. But ...... ''No, I don''t.'' It''s different this year. Because ...... ''Because I haven''t had a birthday yet. I would like to take my age on my birthday, I think so. 118-Episode 101 Smiling Source ''Well, thank you very much for your help, Yashiro. When lunch was over and the crowd had settled down a bit, Mo-Matt came to the sunny pavilion, wiping away his sweat. It was just a few days ago that we were trapped in a heavy snowstorm, but today the weather is a little sweaty. It''s even January. ...... Isn''t this city trying to get rid of all living things? ''You''re right, if we put lime on the fields, the food will grow better. Look at the asparagus, they''ve grown so big.'' ''What do you mean, lime? Ginette says, peering at me as she brings the water to the mormat. It''s okay, he doesn''t need water. He''s just dropping by for a visit and doesn''t want to eat. ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but ...... you know what calcium and magnesium are, right?'' ''No, I don''t.'' He answered immediately with a nice smile. So you don''t know ...... from that point on. Then, even if I tell you slaked lime or bituminous lime, it will only confuse you more. ''No, no. Since the heavy rains, I''ve noticed that my crops have been growing worse than usual. I''ve been wondering why, why, why, why.'' Mormat explains to Jeannette in a way that sounds like a celebrity who often tells ghost stories in the summer. There are people who talk like this in other worlds too. ''Hey. I tried changing the amount of fertilizer and stuff, but it didn''t work. ......'' ''So that''s how you got Yashiro-san?'' ''Yeah. As a professional farmer, I thought it would be a good idea to ask an amateur to teach me. ...... Well, Yashiro is special. If you have any good ideas, let me know, and I''ll make sure to produce good vegetables, that''s what I''ll do as a professional. ''That''s true. Everyone is happy when they can produce lots of delicious vegetables. All this talk of professionalism doesn''t seem to be resonating with you, Momat. To Jeannette, pride and stubbornness are trivial matters. He can learn from any opponent, no matter how insignificant. In that sense, he''s a genius. Well, that''s where he can be taken advantage of. ''So I talked to Yashiro about it, and he said, "Try mixing a little lime into the soil. ''I''ve never even seen lime before. ''Well, to put it simply, it''s a white powder. The kind you shouldn''t put in your mouth.'' I thought, ''Oh, Yashiro''s been talking about boobs and tits a lot lately, so he''s gone crazy. Hey! Who''s talking about tits and tits and tits? ''You''re a rude one, you crocodile. ''That''s right, Mr. Mo-Mat. Mr. Yashiro''s love for tits started from the beginning. ''No, that''s not it! Ginette giggles. She''s been making jokes like this lately. Isn''t he being influenced too much by Estella and Magda? ''You''ve changed a lot, Jeannette. ''Is that so? ''Yeah, you''re more beautiful than before. ''That''s not true .......'' ''That''s because I''ve started wearing a bra. I guess it makes the lines look cleaner.'' ''You''re talking about my boobs! ''You''re talking about boobs! The ''talking about boobs'' was in perfect unison. They were in perfect sync. I wonder if there''s a comedy school in this town. ''So, if you mix lime with it, vegetables will grow? ''Yes, that''s right. I wonder if there was any nutrition in that stuff. ''No, it doesn''t.'' Didn''t this guy listen to my explanation at all? If you mix too much of it in the soil under the mistaken impression that it''s nutritious, it''ll ruin your vegetables. ''Rain and other factors cause hydrogen ions to accumulate in the soil, making it acidic. Since most crops prefer neutral or slightly acidic soil, it is necessary to remove the accumulated hydrogen ions in order to return the soil to a good condition for crops. Lime is used as a method to do this, as I explained before. ''No,......, it''s too hard to know what to do,.......'' ''If I apply too much lime, will the vegetables stop growing? ''It seems that asparagus and spinach prefer alkaline soil. Well, there''s a limit to that, too. ''Are you sure you''re using the right amount?It looks like the asparagus is growing super well.'' ''No ......, no ............, I''m keeping it ......, yeah?'' I straighten my arm and point to Mormat. ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''I''m sorry!I mixed it up a little too much! Totally ...... ''That''s why you''re an amateur.'' ''The positions have been reversed, Mr. Mo-Mat.'' ''...... d*mn, this is embarrassing.'' Ginette giggled happily. I feel like this kind of peaceful time is the charm of this place. ''I want to! ''Ta-da! ''Amo! The lively voices of children echoed in the background. They are the kids of a group of mothers who are often seen these days. They open the door of the sunny pavilion and enter the dining room with serious expressions, like a party of brave men challenging the boss''s room at the deepest part of the dungeon. Legendary weapons or rare equipment? ...... In such an atmosphere, the kids are clutching a flag with the emblem of the lord on it. No, they are equipped with it. ''''You know, this flag, when you equip it, it accumulates power, and it''s easy to get a winning ticket in a lottery! ''''That''s right! The kids proudly tell me. Ha-ha-ha, I see, I see. Yeah, that''s a lie. What do they think they''re doing? Of course not. That''s why kids are so ...... stupid. ''All right, let''s trample on your dreams! ''No, Yashiro-san!When you''re a child, spells and jinxes like that are very important!It''s like risking your life! Well, that''s true. I remember we used to do things like ''fall off the white line and die'' very seriously. Speaking of which, ...... I look at the promise ring wrapped around my left arm. The Promise Ring was supposed to have been cut off on the day I entered high school, but somehow it was restored when I was reincarnated into this world, and it is still firmly attached to my left arm. The five hundred yen coin hidden in my collar means that they''ve recreated the same equipment I had when I entered high school. So, this promise ring is nothing but a silly spell, if I may say so. But somehow, I still don''t feel like removing it. I guess that''s why the kids are holding on to their lord''s flag for dear life. ...... Oh dear. I can''t help it. "Ginette. I call Ginette and give her an earful. ''Make those kids think the spell was real. ''Does that mean I have to win all the lottery tickets? ''Don''t be so blunt. It sounds like cheating.'' ''Hmmm ......, yes. There''s a difference between kindness and dishonesty, isn''t there? Hmm. There is no difference. No matter how noble the idea, injustice is injustice. Well, it''s not so much a loss as a bonus toy in the hands of a bunch of kids. But if those kids tell the world that the spell was real, those kids who believed in the spell will beg their parents and come back to eat children''s lunch. I call this "scattering bait". A store that gives customers the impression that they can win a prize by occasionally giving out a jackpot will make more money than a store that is too stingy to give out a first prize. This is exactly the reason why UFO catchers have pictures of the winners posted on the wall. A group of mothers'' friends arrive at the store a few minutes after the kids. As soon as they do, they drop their fists on their children who have entered the store without permission. Mothers over here are powerful, as usual. ''Well, I''d better get back. Oh, by the way. You can use this asparagus if you like. ''Sure. I''ll poke around in the uumaros.'' ''Don''t play with your food!Eat it properly!Boil it and eat it! ''No, let them eat how they want. ......'' Mormat, who had only come to report on the field, slunk out of the dining room. ...... He should eat something once in a while, too. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. At about the same time as Mormat was leaving, the strange voice of a child rang out. The other two looked envious. The other two men surrounded the kid with envious faces. ''Yeah!I love it! ''Did you get the spell? ''I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it. ...... Are you that happy? ''Well then, next person~. I wonder if I''ll win this time? Ginette talks to the next kid in a tone of voice that sounds like the sister of an educational program. Perhaps because she knows she''s going to win, her smiling face never stops. Normally, her face is always on edge, as if to say, ''What if I don''t get it? ...... In addition, she never says, ''Do you think I''ll get it? I would never say that. If I were a kid, I''d be convinced at this moment. If I were a kid, I''d be convinced at this moment, ''Oh, I''m not going to miss anything today. I went to the group of moms and friends and secretly told them the truth so that they wouldn''t find out from the happy kids. If I tell them beforehand, they won''t get the wrong idea. ''We''re having a special New Year''s service today, no surprises. ''Oh, is that so? ''I''m sorry, are you sure? ''Look, my girl. She''s ridiculously happy. Thank you.'' ''No, no. Thanks again.'' If you emphasize that it''s a service, some stupid parents will say, ''Let my kid win too!It''s not fair! It would prevent some idiot parents from attacking us later. Now, it''s your fault for not being there. Since the group of moms all had a good time, they''ll support the sunny side up. Cramers don''t come to a place where there are many defenders, you know. ''Aaahhhh, there it is, there it is, there it is, there it is! ''Ee!That''s not fair!Me too! The other two drew the winning ticket, and the last remaining girl looked like she was about to cry. ''Then, let''s do a spell with your sister, shall we? ''A spell? ''Let''s ask the lord. Please let me draw a winning .......'''' ''Yes ......, Lord Ryoshu, let me draw a ............ spell .......'' ''Well, do you think I''ll win? ''............'' The young girl pulls the lever with an anxious face. And, of course, the lord''s flag comes tumbling down. ''Aaaaahhhh!Aaaaahhhh! He shouts something I can''t understand. Monsters. ...... But the lord''s flag has somehow become popular, hasn''t it? At first, all I got was a disapproving look. ''Well, gentlemen. Let''s give thanks to the lord. That way, you might be able to accumulate more power, right? ''''''Really? Ginette said something random. There''s no such thing as power. What the hell is power anyway? But maybe Jeannette really believes in it. That gratitude brings good luck. ''''My lord. ''''''Lordsama! ''''Thank you very much.'''' ''''''Aaahhhhhh...... Aren''t you getting a little madamish?Zamasu? ''''Then, I''ll go prepare the food. ''''''Woohoo! In the event that all of them hit the jackpot, the kids, who were at the height of their tension, were in a frenzy without even listening to their mother''s restraint. ...... If this had been done in Japan, I might have lost my temper. However, if there were no other customers at ...... the sunlit pavilion ............, this would be fine. ''''Ryoshusama! ''''Hooray!Hooray!'''' Isn''t ...... awakening some kind of strange love for the city? I wonder if this circle will expand and declare independence one day. ...... ''''Youshi-sama! ''''Hooray! ''''Greetings! ''''Hooray!'''' ''''Ooooh!What''s ...... this?'''' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Yashiro, ...... what''s going on? ''Oh, actually, .......'' I explained to them what had happened, and they nodded, ''I see. ''It''s true that when someone else gets a lucky draw, you think, ''Maybe I''ll get one too. ''And if you think you''re the only one who didn''t get it, you might get stubborn. ''That''s a pattern of ...... spending a lot of money.'' Estella lets out a chuckle. But when she sees the kids getting excited, she smiles again. ''''Youshi-sama! ''''Hooray! ''''Greetings, sir.'''' ''''Hooray!'''' ''''............ something,I feel good.'''' ''Then maybe you have the makings of a dictator. ''Wouldn''t it be nice to have the support of the people? ''They''re just kids. ''Isn''t the support of an innocent child the most gratifying? That they genuinely like you.'''' The Estella of today would approve of anything. She''s in a very good mood. It''s a far cry from before when she was pouting because the lord''s flag was unpopular. ''''Sorry to keep you waiting~'''' ''''''Waaaahhhh! Even on ......, their volume is always maxed out, isn''t it? It''s starting to hurt my ears. ''''''Eat quietly or your toys will be confiscated'''''' ''''''............'''''' With a word from the mother, the kids'' volume went down to min. No, zero. That''s extreme. ...... ''''It''s pasta with meat sauce.'''' Yeah. Pasta''s coming out fine. ''Enjoy your meal.'' Ginette bows to her group of moms. She looks at them and smiles. ''Welcome, Estella.'' ''Hi. I think I''ll have some pasta. ''How about some plain pasta? ''With meat sauce, please? What, you want ...... sauce? Well, I''ve never seen anyone who doesn''t want it. ''So, how''s the progress on the city gate? ''It''s going well. The ground survey is done, and we''re working on the foundation. There''s a risk of the gate collapsing if there''s an underground water vein in the planned construction site. However, since this is the place where the outer wall was originally built, the survey should have been done beforehand, so it seems that this time the survey was done again just to be safe. ''It''s no good saying that the city gate is broken. Especially since there are vicious hexenbiests outside the 42nd district. Tearing down the outer wall and building the city gate means that the monsters will have to be prevented from entering by human hands for the rest of their lives. ''Your vigilante group can be counted on, right? ''They''re all very skilled and elite. If we were to participate in a martial arts tournament, we should all be able to qualify.'''' ''...... Okay.'' ''...... Well, it''s a peaceful city, the Forty-two districts.'' It''s true, I''ve never seen a heavily armed soldier. ''I''ll start training them gradually. ''Get Magda and Delia to train you. ''With those two, everyone will quit on the first day of .......'' Well, I''ll probably run away, too. They''re way beyond the capabilities of humans. Even if I were to stick to Delia''s back and blow myself up, she''d be fine. I''ll die a dog''s death...... ''Well, I think it''ll be finished in two months. It''s January now, so ...... by the end of February or the beginning of March, the city gates will be ready. I can''t wait. When the gate is built, the road in front of the sunny pavilion will be ready. It''ll be a great road. Then we can turn our biggest handicap, our poor location, on its head. In fact, it will be the best place. ''Construction is going well, smooth sailing. It''s a good omen for the new year. It''s going to be a good year. ''Don''t talk like an old woman. You don''t even have tits that can sag.'' ''What''s it to you?Besides, it''s better if they don''t sag! No, you. If they sag, you can enjoy them in your own way. ...... I''m sorry for the wait. Ginette, who is most likely to be pulled by gravity, arrives with Estella''s pasta, which is impervious to the effects of gravity. I wonder if the gravitational pull on these guys is really the same. ...... ''As for me, I''m in a really good situation right now. I''m free from the tedious paperwork, and I feel fine. From here on, I''ll be mainly monitoring and inspecting the construction site. She must have done a lot of complicated and troublesome work in building the city gate, including various permits, applications, and laying the groundwork. Estella, freed from all of that, smiled brightly. Estella''s right, this year might be a good year for us. What can I say, it''s a good start. I don''t regret giving the kids a great service at all. I feel like I''ve become more open-minded. ''''Thank you for the food! I heard the loud voices of the kids, and that was the signal for Jeannette to go to the table. When they have finished eating, they take down the dishes and bring back a basket of toys. At first, the toys were served with the food, but when it was pointed out that the children were distracted by the toys and did not eat their food, the toys were given later. ''If you want a toy, be a good boy and eat everything! I think this mother is very good at disciplining her children. ''Now, choose one of each of these things you like. A wax mold of clay in a bag. You are not allowed to touch it stubbornly. Pick one by intuition and take it. The kids follow the rules surprisingly well. I wonder if they enjoy the rules as well, or if it is a result of their parents'' discipline. After much deliberation, they choose a toy and open the bag and are delighted. I suppose so. A new model was added today. I had a meeting with Becko to make a prototype while we were trapped in the snow. ''Mom!Can I go play with my toys? ''Yes! ''Yes! Once they finished eating and got their toys, there was no reason for the kids to stay in the cafeteria. Their playground is a little square nearby. ''Yes, yes. Go ahead.'' ''You have to be back before dinner! ''''Don''t fight, get along! ''''''Yes! There''s no need for parents to keep an eye on them every time they play in the neighborhood. If something happens, someone in the neighborhood will help you, just like in the old country. That''s the kind of town we have in the 42nd ward. ''See you later, onee-chan! ''See you later! ''See you! ''Hello!Everyone, please come again! The kids waved at Jeannette, and she waved back in return. And now, the kids all look at me at once. ''''See you later, Nee-chan! ''''See you later! ''''Oh, see you! Hmm? ............ Huh?What''s this? It''s something like ...... now ............ ''What''s the matter, Yashiro? ''Huh?Oh, no, .......'' Now, there''s something ...... that''s bugging me ............!No way! ''Hey, Estella! ''What is it? ''Oh, I''ll see you later,'' sounds like ''crotch,'' which is not a good thing to say to a bunch of kids! ''You''re the only one who thinks like that! ''No, but!But ''crotch'' to kids? ''Don''t say ''crotch'' or ''crotch''! Estella gave me a chop. My brain hurts ...... even though I''ve been thinking seriously about educating the youth ...... Well, it''s not something to think about. It''s just a greeting. It was a beautiful day outside. The wind was blowing in and it felt good. It''s a perfect day for kids to play. There is no reason for problems to occur on such a clear day. It was supposed to be ............. Problems can come out of nowhere. ...... d*mn. 119-Episode 102 Bugs ''A bug?'' ''No. It looks like there''s a bad bug~'' Regina came to the sunny pavilion to add some more medicine. ...... It seems that this guy never went outside during the really hot season and the heavy snow season. Regina told me about a rumor that was going around the main street. ''You know Cantartica, right?You know, the one with the plump dog-eared shopkeeper with the little butt? ''I wonder if there''s another way to describe it. ''The dog-eared clerk with an estimated D-cup. ''That''s already a description of the clerk, isn''t it? It''s hard to get information out of this guy. He deliberately veers off in a direction that I find interesting. If you''re hungry for conversation, make some friends. ''So, it seems that Cantar Chica has done something a little bit wrong. ''What do you mean "messed up", ...... worm? ''That''s right. There was a big bug in the food he served to the customers. ''In what? ''A hamburger, apparently.'' ''......Wow............'' ''It probably got mixed in while I was kneading it by hand. If you leave the hamburger seeds unattended in the kitchen, they might be contaminated by insects. Did I teach you about hamburgers? Cantaloupe''s meat is good. Even a slice can be used in one way to make a feast. I think I taught it to them at the festival in the sunlit pavilion. ...... I may have done something unnecessary. ''...... Are you depressed?'' ''Boobs?On the contrary, I think they were growing a bit. ......'' ''I''m serious, I''m asking you.'' ''If you''re serious ......, they should have grown at least half a size, if not one size.'' ''That''s not what I''m talking about, that''s what I''m serious about! What are you seriously talking about Paula''s boob growth record? And I''m just a little curious!Tell me more later. ''As expected, she was a bit down. ''I see. ......'' ''Well, you should watch out for yourself. You don''t want to touch all sorts of erotic things and cook with them, do you?'' ''I won''t! Our cafeteria has perfect hygiene! If a small insect gets in, Magda will kill it instantly! Although I do get a little ''red blur'' here and there that makes me hungry! ''But I''m curious...'' ''D-cups? ''That too!And the bugs! That kind of trouble can cause rumors that linger for years to come. ''Let''s go have a look. ''D-cups? ''Don''t you ever learn? Leaving the idiot Regina behind, I headed for Cantalucia. ...... I feel a little responsible for teaching her about hamburgers, after all. ''Oi, Paula, yes .................., na ......''. When I entered the cantartika, a depressed Paula was crouched on the floor. I wonder if it was because of the bug problem. ...... Cantalcica was temporarily closed. ''Hey, Paula,......, are you okay? ''........................ Ah, Yashiro... ...'' Paula, who was holding her knees, looked up. ''............ You look terrible. Her eyelids are red and swollen, and there are dark circles under her eyes. It''s easy to ...... tell if she''s cried too much and hasn''t slept. Her ears and tail are flattened. ''I heard that. I''m sorry to hear that. ''...... I''m quitting the store. ''Hey, hey, hey!Wait a minute! You just said that without asking the owner''s opinion. And that''s a serious statement with a lot of power, isn''t it? ''It''s true that I may have made a mistake!But everyone makes mistakes!The important thing is to never make the same mistake again! ''............ or ............ worm... ...or ............ me ............ I''m not a ...... restaurant. ............'' ''Anyway, you''re acting like a restaurant, so calm down.'' He crouched down next to Paula and patted her head. ............ I''m sure it''s not a good idea to fluff her canine ears at this point. I have to be careful not to touch her ears. ''............I''ve lost my customer''s trust ...... ......'' ''Then we''ll get it back.'' ''Can you .................. do that?'' ''Of course you can, .......'' ''Wow, that''s hard to do. ''Look at the Sunken Pavilion. Since the old man left, things have been going wrong, and until recently, there were no customers at all, right?But it''s back on its feet. People can tell that you''re making an effort. I never thought I''d be preaching about the value of hard work. ...... It''s natural to work hard. It''s the results that follow that count!There is no value in effort! I really want to say ....... But that''s too much for Paula right now. If you don''t make her look at what she can do now and give her confidence that it''s not in vain, ...... she might really quit the store. Hard work is noble. Hard work is rewarded. Hard work is cool! ............ It''s hard to fool yourself ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it.It''s a good idea. Effort is precious! ...... I''m making a lot of effort right now, aren''t I?I''m not sure what to do. ''...... what should I ...... do? ''For now, it''s about preventing it from happening again. It may be painful, but you have to face the fact that it happened and find out why it happened. ''I don''t know the cause .............'' ''That''s what we''re going to find out!I''m going to review the kitchen, the equipment, the cooking method, everything, one by one, and pick up every possible contamination, no matter how small. And when we find the cause, we''ll make it public. ''Publicize? Paula stood up with a look of surprise on her face. ''No, if you do that, you''ll lose even more credibility and we won''t get any more customers! ''Why would I lose trust in you? ''Because they might think ............ that you''ve been doing it so sloppily. ...... or ......'' ''Are you being that sloppy?'' ''No, I''m not!I''m very careful and put my heart and soul into my work!...... But if insects get into it, it means that ............ it wasn''t made properly... ...So I''m scared. ......'' ''I''m scared because I don''t know. ''What about ............?'' People are afraid of the unknown. ''I''m afraid because I don''t know why it happened. We don''t know why it happened, so we''re afraid it''ll happen again. ''That''s ...... true, but ......''. ''And it''s the same with the customers. ''And the customers? If there is a restaurant that has caused a problem, what the customers hate the most is dishonesty. For example, if there is a restaurant that has a food poisoning, and the restaurant says, ''We checked the food and there was no problem, so we are fine! Who would want to go to a restaurant that says, ''We checked it out and it''s fine! In the first place, "we didn''t find out" or "we didn''t find any problem" are either incompetent or they are trying to hide something. It is a betrayal of the customer to neglect to investigate the ...... problem that caused the food poisoning. If a restaurant does not take measures, it is like advertising, ''You don''t have to come here anymore. By disclosing the cause of the problem and what measures you have taken to prevent it from happening again, you can proudly declare that you will never make the same mistake again. If you don''t do that, your customers won''t be able to eat with peace of mind. ''...... Won''t you lose ............ customers if you do that? ''There will be fewer. Definitely.'' ''......? ''But they won''t disappear. And if you keep showing them that you''re doing your best, the customers you lost will definitely come back. If you show your sincerity, your feelings will surely be conveyed. All we on the store side can do is do our best and trust the customers. ''......We believe in ............ our customers.'' There will be more people who will attack you with malice. But there are also a few people who will support you. ''If you really want to continue the store, don''t run away!Now is the time to make a stand! ''I''m going to ............!I''ll never give up until I show my sincerity and my customers believe in me! ''Okay!You said it well! ...... Hmm. It''s not like the hamburger store went under because of the hamburger I taught them. ''You see ............, I know I can''t say this to Yashiro, but ......... ...'' Paula stares at me with a feeble atmosphere, like a candle about to go out. They are so weak that they seem to disappear,......, but deep within their eyes is a strong core of radiance. It''s a little bit of a mock-up, as if she knows exactly what angle to look up at to make herself look the cutest. ............ ''...... Help me, will you? ''............ coward.'' ''That''s a compliment, isn''t it, "Paula''s cute"? Hey, hey, hey, hey. ...... ''If you can talk like that, you''re good to go. Well, let''s go check it out with all our might! ''Yes! The kitchen of a restaurant is a treasure trove of trade secrets, so to speak. The old Paula would never have let me in there. However, it seems that her caution towards me is gradually waning as I have been involved with her in various ways, such as teaching her how to make cakes, occasionally helping her out at the Sunshine Pavilion, and collaborating with her on the tacos at Sunshine Pavilion No. 7. This time, however, I have a big goal to investigate the cause. That''s how serious Paula is about reviving this restaurant. ''I''ve never been in this kitchen before. ''Yashiro is the first person to let an outsider in. ''It''s highly classified here, isn''t it? ''That''s because we''re the number one restaurant in the 42nd district.'' ''Oh, ......, how can you talk so big in front of me? ''I''m as good as the Sunshine Pavilion. One is a diner. One is a diner, the other a bar. They have different clientele and food concepts, so it''s hard to compare them. ...... ''Oh, so this is the smoker that makes the sausages. This is a large box for making smoked fish, and at first glance it looks like a wooden locker. It has a large opening door at the top and a large drawer at the bottom. The meat is hung on the top and smoke chips are burned on the bottom, sending the smoke upward. In Japan, "Sakura chips" made of finely cut cherry trees are popular. ''Oh, so you use hickory chips? ''I know exactly what you mean. I guess it was a mistake to put Yashiro in the kitchen. ......'' ''I''m not going to steal your technology. Besides, I already know it. Hickory is a member of the walnut family, a wood commonly used in North America. If you are a baseball player, you may have seen bats made of hickory. Hickory, like walnut, is very suitable for smoking meat. You have made a good choice. It is indeed a famous restaurant that sells sausages. ''Next time, try smoking with a different wood. The smell will change and the taste will be completely different. ''Is that so? ''What, you''ve never tried it?Apples and beech wood are pretty good.'' ''Oh, I''ll try ...... next time. Now that the lumberjack guild is here, ......'' I see. So wood chips for smoking are the domain of the lumberjack guild. If you ask Miry, she might be able to help you out. ...... The Flower Arrangement Guild, to which Millie belongs, manages the forests in the 42nd district and occasionally asks the Lumberjack Guild to cut down trees for them. The lumberjack guild''s main job is to cut down the trees outside the outer wall. I guess that''s where they are separated from each other. Or maybe I''m the only one who asks the flower guild to cut trees. ''...... is ready. While I was intrigued by Cantartica''s special smoker, Paula had completed the preparation of the hamburger. She plans to verify this by actually recreating it. ''What do you wear when you make it?'' ''Just like this.'' ''Hmmm ......'' ''Should I change it? ''Well, ideally, it would be better to have different people in charge of the inside and outside. ......'' That kind of sunlit pavilion also has a ginette that comes and goes. ...... ''Well, that''s okay for now. Just try to make it as usual for now.'' ''Uh,yeah......'' With a somewhat nervous look on her face, Paula began to make the hamburger. She puts the lump of meat into the meat mincer and minces it. If there''s a bug in that meat mincer,......, you might not even notice. ''Do you use that meat mincer for sausage meat? ''Huh?U,um...... no?'' ''No, it''s just a question. Don''t worry too much about it. You''ll get hurt.'' ''Uh, yeah...... I''m kind of nervous......'' ''I''m fine as usual. I know how you feel. Even when you''re doing something you normally do, you get anxious when you think you''re being watched. Especially when you are being watched for the purpose of looking for problems, as in this case. I put the twice ground meat into a bowl, season it, and knead it quickly. Yes, she''s good. Paula must be a hard worker. I''ve only been teaching her for a short time, and she''s already made it her own. Though I guess she''s still not as good as Jeannette. And then, the highlight of the hamburger cooking, the process of removing the air from the inside of the hamburger by slamming it into the palm of your hand. The sound of the hamburger patting and slapping echoes in the air. ''Now all I have to do is cook it .......'' ''Well, let''s grill it. ''But the ...... worm, it came out of the hamburger, so it''s not right if it''s not in there at this stage.'' ''Let''s just try to finish it. Leaving out work based on assumptions is the worst thing you can do in verification. You might find the answer in the place you left out.'' ''Oh, I see. I see. Okay. I''ll bake it then. Paula hurriedly put the frying pan on the fire and started to heat it up. If the worm had attached itself to the hamburger just before cooking,...... it might have burrowed inside the not-so-hot hamburger to escape the heat,.......... ...Well, that''s highly unlikely. The kitchen is filled with a delicious aroma. ''Speaking of which, what happened to your father? ''He''s at the butcher''s guild. He was determined to find out if any bugs could have gotten into the meat while it was being transported.'' ''Don''t be too flashy and antagonistic. That act is like shifting the blame to you, saying, ''It''s not my fault, it''s yours. Even if the insects were attached during transportation, you can''t escape the responsibility of neglecting to check the product before use. I think you''re just making enemies. ''It''s ready, hamburger! The hamburger steak is placed in front of you, ready to serve. Yeah. Looks good. ''...... Bon app??tit.'' ''Yashiro, are you sure you didn''t just want to eat it? ''I''m doing my research. It''s just that it looks really good.'' ''Hmm. ............ Well, well. If you want to eat it so badly, I''ll eat it specially for you. ''Chopsticks, please. ''Can I use a knife and fork? ''You''re so pretentious. ......'' It''s easier to eat a hamburger with chopsticks. I cut the hamburger with the knife he handed me. The juices are pouring out of the slit. It''s absolutely delicious. ''............ Are there any bugs? ''I don''t care if there are! ''No, you should care! You''ll never know if you eat it with a hamburger. ''...... How mental are you, Yashiro ............''. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web. ...... I really hope you don''t have eyes and mouth. ''Well... I''ll eat it. The hamburger is cut into large pieces and filled to the brim. The reason I made it large was so I could enjoy the juices. If you cut it into small pieces, the juices will escape. Mmm!It''s delicious!I want to eat it on top of rice. I want to eat it on top of rice and eat it with the rice soaked in the juice. ''Well, how is it?Is it good? As I''m chewing the hamburger that I''ve eaten too much of, Paula looks at me and asks. Her eyes are a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. ''It''s delicious!This is bad! ''Really?Yay! Paula clenched her fist tightly. ''If you want, you can come here every day to eat. That''s great service. Were you that happy to be praised? Well, I don''t need it since I''m eating at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''But ...... didn''t seem like there was anything wrong with it. ......'' If there is no problem with the work, then it must have been mixed in with the food. ...... tools ...... ventilation windows and gaps in the walls, let''s check. ...... ...... ''Hey,hey............'' Paula calls out to me in a strangled voice. ''I ............ lied, I didn''t lie. ......'' ''......Lies? What, all of a sudden? ''I really don''t cheat or lie to hide my bad points! Oh, ......, I see. I''m not sure how the bug got in there, and I gave him a hard look, so he thought I was lying. So you misunderstood that because I made a difficult face, people suspected that I was lying. ...... He''s trapped, too. I''m not so blind as to doubt you. Even in the forty-two districts full of sycophants, Paula is a particularly trustworthy partner. I know that you''re an honest, hard-working person who''s always looking straight ahead and making an effort. ''......Yashiro''. He''s not gonna lie to save his own skin. I know that all too well from my time here. Look at this. Paula''s tail after I said ''believe''. See how she''s wagging her tail? That''s not a ''hooray, I got you'' kind of feeling. ''Yay!I''m glad you believed me! It''s a reaction of ''Wow! ............ That flapping thing didn''t get a bug in it, did it? ''There''s nothing wrong with the process. Then it''s the environment. It''s going to take some time, but we''re going to take a thorough look inside the kitchen. There might be a crack where insects can get in, or maybe there''s a nest somewhere in the shadows. ''Ew ......, I hate looking for that .......'' ''It''s for the customers.'' ''Yes, you''re right!I''ll do my best! Paula and I split up and searched the kitchen. There were woodchips in the kitchen, so we thought they might have been mixed in there, but ............ the result was white. No problem. The kitchen was clean, neat and tidy to the point of being f*cking disgusting. ...... Hmmm. Oh boy. I don''t know what to do. ...... I''ll just say, ''I checked it out and it''s fine. So it''s okay now! I think I''ll just announce that I''ve done all the work. I''ve worked so hard. I think that effort should be more appreciated. ''...... d*mn. This place is too perfect. You should''ve cut corners and run a less sanitary business.'' ''No, you can''t do that!We serve our customers with all our heart! But if it''s so clean, you can''t even get a clue. ............ Oh, I see. I don''t know. What kind of insects did you get in there? ''............ Why?'' He gave me a look of disgust. You don''t like bugs?''No, not the kind of bugs. ''No, I think you might be able to narrow it down to a certain type of bug, don''t you? If it''s a winged worm, it can get in anywhere, but if it''s an earthworm or something like that, it''s going to narrow down the route of entry. ''...... Actually, I''m saving it as a warning, aren''t I? ''Seriously? You should throw that thing away right now. ...... Well, I appreciate it this time. ''Can I see it?'' ''............ Yeah. Give me a minute.'' With that, Paula headed toward the back of the kitchen. The second floor of this building seems to be used as a residence. She must have passed through the kitchen and headed for the living space. Without much waiting, Paula returned. In her hand, she held a small box the size of the palm of her hand. I don''t like the idea of a ...... bag, even if it''s ...... dead, because it looks like it might escape. ''So, can I see it? ''Uh, yeah......''. Paula steps away from me as I hand her the small box. She doesn''t want to see the bugs. She''s a little girly like that. I gently open the lid of the small box. ''............? A voice leaks out. I can''t help it. ...... No, I can''t help it. Inside the box was a grasshopper-like insect, about eight centimeters long. ''...... Paula.'' ''What, what?'' ''I finally figured it out, ...... what was wrong with it. ......'' ''What?What? Paula leans forward, and I tell her clearly. ''It''s your head! There''s no way a big bug like this could accidentally get into a hamburger! This is a worm that was put there with malicious intent! ''Let me tell you the conclusion. Cantartika did nothing wrong! ''Ho,............ really?'' Huffing ......, Paula slumped to the ground, letting out a breath. Her legs and feet must have relaxed in relief. ''............ Thank God''. Yeah, I''m glad. It was good, but then ............ another problem arose. ''Do you remember the face of the customer who brought this to you?'' ''Yeah......, yeah. They''re the ones I''ve had this happen to. ...... As expected.'' ''What were they like? ''They were a couple of big guys, very conspicuous. But I''ve never seen their faces before. ''Adventurers? ''I don''t think so. He had very little luggage. And what he was wearing didn''t look like an adventurer either. ......'' ''I see. So, did they claim any financial compensation from you? ''Uh, no. I just gave them free money for the meal. ......'' So it''s not a kind of extortion,............ If that''s the case, there''s only one thing I can think of. ''Looks like someone is trying to ruin the reputation of this restaurant. ''What? It''s called a negative campaign. Are they trying to steal customers away from the restaurant by giving it a bad name? ...... Or are they planning to shut it down? ...... Whatever it was. I''m going to have to take him to task for his ...... stupidity. You''ll never be able to hang around this town again. 120-Episode 103 Insect fishing It was two days after the bait had been spread that the men took the bait. ''Hey, hey, Mr. Omero. Did you hear that? ''About what, Mr. Mo''amat? ''Well, it seems that the bug fiasco in Cantalucia was a mistake. ''What do you mean, a misunderstanding? ''The professionals checked it out, and they said there was very little chance of bugs getting in. ''What the hell!Does that mean that Cantaloupe''s food is safe? ''Yes, that''s exactly what it means. Now I can eat hamburgers every day with peace of mind, though I prefer vegetables. ''That''s good news!Not being able to eat hamburgers is like having your life fade away, though I definitely prefer fish. ''No, no, no, ha-ha-ha. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. A jolly alligator and a raccoon are laughing hysterically as they huddle together. ...... Don''t they have any sense of theatricality? I talked to Estella and got her to temporarily allow me to run the business on terms favorable to Cantalcica. Normally, it''s forbidden for one store to advertise another store. It''s a source of trouble. However, this is not the case when there is a mutually agreed-upon cooperative relationship, as in the case of Hidamari-tei and Cantartica. Well, it''s a kind of etiquette. However, we have asked for the cooperation of the restaurants in the 42nd district. There has been vicious harassment of Cantartica. If this is left unchecked, there is a possibility that other restaurants will eventually be affected,......, he said. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following address. At the same time, I asked them to provide information and also requested cooperation from other guilds. As a result of this, the two old men I mentioned earlier put on a big show. Not only those two, but also various other collaborators have been asked to perform the same act in the 42nd district. This is bait. If their goal is to destroy Cantartika, they''ll take action when they hear that their actions aren''t working. If not, they''ll come up with another plan. Even the most blatant acts of stupidity will not become a threat if they are understood by all the people. Everyone is helping us to clear Cantar Chica''s name. ''So you can make a name for yourself if a problem arises. Then we won''t be stupid enough to make our own ......''. ''Oh, Yashiro!It''s the two of them!I''m sure of it! I look out the window of the kitchen in Cantalucia and see my targets. If the faces are unfamiliar and they are not travelers, there is a high possibility that they are from another district. With this in mind, I sent my brothers to stake out the border of the district and told them to inform me if two strong men came. After much mistaken identity, they finally caught the real thing. The two big guys were approaching straight towards Kantaruchka. Are they gladiators of some kind?Their muscles are so muscular they look like they could rip your clothes off. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Do you want me to prepare the hamburgers?'' ''Yes, I will. Make me one that''s absolutely flawless and perfect.'''' ''Yes, sir. For the past few days, Ginette and I have been helping out in Cantalucia. With Paula in charge of serving and cooking, we couldn''t prepare carefully for catching the target. So she brought Ginette, who had mastered hamburgers perfectly. In addition to Ginette, Estella and Natalia were also waiting in the kitchen. The kitchen was staffed by Estella and Natalia, and they were to make sure that the hamburgers were free of foreign substances. They will control the hamburgers with excessive thoroughness and make sure that they are 100% flawless. ''And if you say there''s a worm in it, ......'' ''You''re black. You can catch them in the act, but if you watch them too closely, they might stop doing it. We should just keep a casual eye on him. ''Hey!Order up! ''Hurry up! Two strong men, ...... right muscle and left muscle, are annoyed and raise their voices. ''We have to go.'' ''Wait.'' Paula stops him as he heads towards the customer service. I don''t want those customers to be alarmed. They''ll be less cautious if they''re served by someone they''ve never seen before, rather than someone they''ve seen last time. There''s less chance of being recognized than the second time. ''I''ll go. I give Paula a pat on the head and straighten my collar. Today I''m wearing a waiter''s outfit that matches the atmosphere of Cantalucia. It seems that Cantalcica doesn''t hire men, so the waiters'' costumes are their own. ...... I''m the only one in a costume. ...... When I stepped out into the hall, the right muscle beckoned me with a large gesture. The left muscle gave me a sharp stare as if to kill me. ''Yes, I''m home! I said in a ponderous tone, and walked flusteredly to the customer service desk. When I see this type of clerk, these muscles will think. ''Oh, he''s never going to find out. He''s so easy''. ''What can I get for you? ''A hamburger. Bring it to me in ten seconds.'' ''Ju~byo~?Eh? ~~ ...... Geez.'' After pondering for a good ten seconds, I turned a cute smile to my right muscle. ''Yes, ASAP. ''It''s already been ten seconds!Are you kidding me? ''Huh?You want me to lick the hamburger before I serve it to you? ''No! My right muscle thumps on the table. The well-made, heavy table seemed to deflect for a moment. ...... arm strength is amazing ............ ''Oh!I''m a drinker!Bring me the most expensive liquor in the store! Assuming the price would be free, the left muscle placed an order. ''I''ll have to pay in advance, if that''s okay with you. ''U.................., well, I guess I''ll just have a cheap drink first ......'' Cantartika is a prepayment system. If you want to drink the most expensive liquor, you''ll have to wait until you can afford to pay a lot of money. In the end, the right muscle ordered a hamburger and wine, and the left muscle ordered ale and special sausage. I took the bill and went back to the kitchen. ''...... Yashiro. You''re a genius at getting on people''s nerves, aren''t you?'' At the entrance to the kitchen, Estella heaped praise on him. ''Do you admire me?Do you want me to sign it?'' ''I''m afraid I''ll be d*mned, so I''ll pass.'' ''No thanks, I''ll be d*mned. Thanks to my encouragement, they can be as evil as they want to be. ''Let''s destroy them because they piss me off.'' This is also a strategy, you know? ''Mr. Yashiro, this is the perfect version of a hamburger. From Ginette, you receive a perfect hamburger that makes you drool just by looking at it. ...... Wouldn''t it be obvious if I bit into it a little? ''Ms. Jeannette. You forgot to put sauce on it.'' ''Ah!I''m sorry. I guess it wasn''t perfect.'' Jeannette scratched her cheeks in embarrassment, her tongue peeking out cutely. ''d*mn!Is this what you call girl power? ''I''d like to learn from her, but I don''t think I can imitate her! Estella and Natalia are mysteriously damaged. ''I like you, you''re a natural! ''It''s nice to be natural! ''Oh, um, ...... I''m not a natural. ......'' ''''''''All naturals say that! '''''''' ''Why are Yashiro and Paula participating in this? I''m not sure if you''re going to be able to do this, but I''m sure you can. Along with a spell to make it taste better. ''Be delicious, love love lovea??''. ''...... What''s that sure-to-be-cursed spell, ......'' Estella takes two steps away from me. You really don''t know what you''re talking about. ...... It''s a delicious spell.It''s a magic word that makes men all over the world go crazy with nosebleeds. And while I''m at it, I''ll write your name in the sauce you put on your hamburger. Kids and their big friends will love it. That''s why I''m taking the hamburger steak that I put so much love and care into to the right muscle. On the hamburger steak, I wrote "Mukki Mukki" in sauce. ''Hey, are you licking me? ''No, no, I haven''t licked it yet. ''What do you mean, ''not yet''?Don''t try to lick me!Don''t lick me! ''Are you a cat?''...... I''m not going to say it, because I''m sure you won''t understand. Putting down the hamburger, and other items such as alcohol and sausages, I leave the seat of the muscles. Wow, I''m getting a lot of stares on my back. They''re staring at me like crazy. I take a quick look around the restaurant. The crowd is good. It''s reasonably crowded, but not so packed as to impede your movement. ......, of course. The people here are all "preparers". Currently, Cantalcica is practically closed. All the customers here now are people who know what''s going on, and they''re trying not to get in the way of our activities. However, they are not theatrical people, so I have given them two simple orders. One, don''t look at the target. They''ll know. And the other is ''eat like a normal person''. ...... This is the most effective. These guys are background. They are categorized as props. They are not even extras. Now, let''s hide behind the ...... "props" and see what''s going on. ............ However, we can''t watch them closely, so we can only pretend to be working and keep our ears open. After all, if they are alerted, that''s the end of it. If you just want to clear your name as a cantartika, just arrest him in the act. It''s a very simple solution. ''This was harassment. Cantalcica is innocent.'' But that would do too much damage to the muscles. The best that can be done is to ban them. That''s too lukewarm. ...... Don''t ever think of disobeying them again. I know their M.O. because Paula showed me the Conversation Record. Before long, he slices into the hamburger and says out loud... ''Hey, hey!What''s going on here? Yeah. Exactly the same line. Are these people stupid? How can they do the exact same thing in the same store? ...... But now it''s clear. These guys aren''t just after money, they''re definitely trying to destroy Cantartika. They are trying to create a bad image of Cantar Chica by making the same accusations over and over again. No matter how many people around him say, "Cantartika is not bad. No matter how many people around them say, ''Cantartica is not bad, it''s the muscles that are bad'', these people will not stop. It doesn''t matter whether it''s true or not, whether you believe it or not. The purpose is to make a scene here and leave it in people''s memories. So you should know, ......, just how dangerous what you''re doing is. ''How can I help you? ''There''s nothing to be done about it!Look at this!'' The right muscle pointed at the hamburger. ''...... "Munchy" ...... Pfft. What''s this? ''That''s what you wrote!I''m not looking there, I''m looking inside the hamburger! When I turned my gaze to the hamburger, I saw ...... a huge grasshopper peeking out. I really wonder ...... how it got in there. ...... I''m not sure what to do. These are the same words I saw in the Conversation Record. It''s the same word for word. It''s not "there was a worm in it" but "there is a worm in it". It''s not a lie because it''s in there. Then, with the line, "You want the customers to eat it?", he makes the people around him believe that it is the restaurant''s fault that it contains insects. They may have been influenced by someone, or they may be scamming people out of their depth. If you ask them, ''Did you put the worms in there? ''Do you have proof?'' ''Did you see it? If I were the mastermind, I''d teach them to say that. I''d get angry, change the subject, and make it a moot point. Then, I would continue to intimidate them with a loud voice to reduce their strength and energy to make a good argument. You will lose heart and say, "Enough. I''ll just do what you say and get this over with,''" the store will be finished. It''s a complete surrender. It''s tricky, but you have to keep your mind strong and keep saying, ''What''s different is different. In addition, I hate to death this kind of shameful idiot who can only make threats less than scum. ............ Stand up to them reasonably with a strong heart.... I''m not sure what to do. ...... You''ve got the wrong guy to fight, punk. No, you thug. No, no, no. Incombustible garbage. They are the industrial waste that God had to produce when he created the world. Put the trash in the trash. Give the scum what they deserve. ''Hmmm, ...... is strange. He crosses his arms and tilts his head in a big way. You''ll be annoyed by this move. ...... I did it on purpose, okay? What''s wrong with that?I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Isn''t it a mistake to say "put" instead of "......"? ''What the hell are you doing?Do you have any proof? ''Have you seen it?You''ll get away with it if you don''t! Hmm, as expected, it''s a textbook response from ....... ''Well, well, well, just calm down and listen to me for now. I begin to explain in a slow tone of voice, controlling the hysterical shouting of the men with my hands. Yes. Carefully, so that even an idiot can understand. ''I can think of two cases in this case. ...... The first is the possibility that you got in before you burned it. I stick out my index finger and raise the first possibility. I look at the men, but they don''t seem to be interrupting me. I guess they''re trying not to say too much for fear of being caught by the Judgment of the Spirits. Good choice. Then let''s get to the bottom of this. ''But that''s not gonna happen. Look at it. The meat''s cooked through, but this worm, down to the last leg, is still clean. Do you know how hot to cook a hamburger?If it was in there, it wouldn''t stay this clean. ''Ugh. ......'' ''What the hell is that?Then it must mean it came in afterwards!'' As soon as the left muscle let out a small groan, the right muscle couldn''t take it any longer and spoke up. Hey, hey. Are you sure you don''t want to keep quiet?If you talk too much, you''ll choke yourself. ''That''s just not possible. But I''ll simply deny it. Then, as expected, the right muscle started screaming. ''How can you be so sure?You wouldn''t have known if you''d come in while you were out of sight! I knew this guy was dangerous. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask for help. ...... Since he gave me a good word, I''ll take him up on it. That''s what I mean. It means that this worm went into the hamburger of its own volition. ...... Take a good look at it again. I point to the grasshopper peeking out from the slit in the hamburger. Yes, the grasshopper is ''peeking out'' of the hamburger. ''Why did it come in through the butt?It''s not like it went into bed just to go to sleep. Normally, if a bug wants to get into your food, it will go in head first. Could it have come from somewhere else?Not likely. Because there are no holes anywhere except in the slit. The hamburger has been hammered many times to get the air out. There are few cavities in the meat. If you''re going to cut into it, you should at least have a hole. There are none. Therefore, this grasshopper did not enter the hamburger by its own will. ''Besides, this grasshopper is ............ strange. ......'' ''So what''s so funny about it? The right and left muscles stood between me and stared at me with a face like a young man. Huh, I''m not afraid of that. You know what?If you try to touch me, ...... you''ll be in for a world of hurt. ............ Natalia. Nice to meet you!If you can, do something cool to stop her before she touches you. I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. So, back to the topic at hand: ...... ''I''ve never heard of this grasshopper living in the 42nd district. ......'' ''You just don''t know anything about it, do you?You''re just ignorant! ''Ignorant?...... I was once known as ''Dr. Bug''? ''What ......? ''Is this me, who goes all the way to the forests of District 42 and District 40 to look at this and that, ...... ignorant? ''............, you''re lying ......, anyway?You''re just making stuff up. ''Would you like to try the Judgment of the Spirits? ''............! You can do it. It''s also true that I''ve followed Millie and the anteater brothers all the way to the forests of District 42 and District 40 to look at this and that. Well, it wasn''t insects I was looking at, but flowers. I''ve never heard of this grasshopper living in District Forty-two.'''' Yeah. No one ever comes to me to talk about grasshoppers. And I haven''t collected any such information. I''ve never heard of them. I''m not interested. But I''m sure this is what it sounds like to these muscles. ''Bugs like this don''t exist in the 42nd district. ''Now, ......, where the hell did this bug come from? ''I don''t know. ............ Didn''t the guy in this store put them in here on purpose? I don''t know. ''So you''re saying that the guy in this store put the bugs in there? ''That''s right .......'' ''Wait! The left muscle stops the right muscle from slipping up. ...... You''re a cool guy, Left Muscle. If the right muscle says ''that''s right'' now, he''ll be trapped in the ''judgment of the spirits''. They must know that it wasn''t the shopkeeper who put the bug in there. How could you let that happen? But that''s like confessing ''I''m the culprit'', isn''t it? ''Isn''t the problem not how it got in there, but the fact that there''s a worm in there right now, huh, shopkeeper? The left muscle seems to have passed the baton. The right muscle is getting smaller in the back. ''Let''s say, for example, ......''. I say again, pointing to the grasshopper in the hamburger. ''Is there any way you could make this taste good?'' ''No!Do you think I''m an idiot? ''Why do you say that? ''Are you doing that? A blue streak appeared on my forehead, and my left muscle grabbed my chest. Natalia!I think it''s time for me to go!What''s going on?Are you on a break? No help is likely to come, so I take my own way out. ''Oh no, what''s this? I thrust my hand into the pocket of the left muscle that was approaching me. ''What the hell are you doing? In a panic, the left muscle releases me and moves away from me. Then, with a slight blush on his cheeks, he squeezes his collar and glares at me with a grudge. ''Hey, you''re a pervert! Hey, come on, stop it. If you react like that, it will make me look like someone who is into s*x. ''............, you''re in trouble. That''s what I''m talking about. So don''t blush! Only beautiful women or beautiful girls are allowed to react like that! ''I''m sorry for the unpleasant reaction you''re showing me, but ............ can you explain this guy to me?'' I raise my hand high, the one that''s tucked into the pocket of my left muscle. There was a product in my hand that looked exactly like a grasshopper in a hamburger. ''Nonsense!How could something like that be here? As he said this, his left muscle went through his pockets. He seems to be in a great hurry. That''s probably true. The bug that Dr. Bug had assured him didn''t exist in District 42 had just come out of his own pocket. But that''s a self-serving interpretation on both sides. ...... You can explain it to me, can''t you? ''Hey, that''s ............ me. ...... Oh, hey!Did you put a bug in my clothes? ''No, no, I didn''t!I''m serious!I didn''t do that! The left muscle, having lost its escape route, turns on the right muscle. The right muscle was very upset by the sudden shift of responsibility and made a ''very nice remark''. ''Because I''ve only brought one fish today! After he finished, both the right and left muscles tightened their expressions at the same time. But I''m not going to let this go unanswered. I''m going to pick up the spilled words right away. ''And?Where''s the one you brought today, right now? The muscles shut their mouths and avert their gaze. ''Where is it now? I ask again. But they don''t answer. ''Then, what the hell, ...... can you tell me your names, addresses, and guilds you belong to? ''Hey, why do we have to answer that ......? ''Yes, that''s right, that''s right! ''I''ll tell you why .......'' He said in a matter-of-fact, clerical tone, as if he were a clerk delivering a decision. ''It''s because we''re going to file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court. You and the guild you belong to. ''What? ''Our guild has nothing to do with this! ''Don''t be silly. I''m not sure what to make of that. There''s someone behind these guys. If you use him as an excuse,...... ''I''m sorry!I admit everything!So please don''t drag the guild into this! I''ll never come back to this store again!No, I''m not coming to this town!So, please! Muscles put their hands on the floor and bow their heads. If you don''t want to involve the organization, does that mean that ...... these guys acted on their own judgment? Instead of following orders? Well, it doesn''t matter. An apology after a wrongdoing has been exposed is not a repentance, it is a plea. When you need to say ''I''m so sorry'', these guys are saying ''please help me''. ...... Do you think I''d forgive such a brazen guy? You can easily find out which guild these guys belong to. If they want to disappear to avoid that, that''s fine. I''ll hunt them down so they''ll never come back to this town. I''m gonna make them ............ sorry they ever did what they did in my territory. Now, choose. Become a frog and forfeit your human rights. ............ Or stay human and become subhuman: .................. If I had to choose, I would have given him that kind of harsh punishment, but... I look back at the kitchen and call out to the other side. ''Yes, that''s right,......, but what do you want to do, Paula? As I call out to her, Paula emerges from the kitchen. This time, it was Paula who was harmed. I don''t think it''s right for me to come in and take all the blame. Paula puts her hands on her hips and looks down with disdain at the muscles on their knees. Now, what do you think will happen? ''I''ll forgive you if you guarantee to pay for the last time and this time, plus the estimated sales during the time you had to close the store. ...... He''s a solid guy, this one. Sales come first. I''ll pay you!No, I''ll pay you!So please, let''s keep this between us! Muscles, in a desperate plea, broke Paula, who had been the biggest victim. ''Forget it, just leave the money and go home. If you want to pay in installments, please tell me how many installments you want to pay first. I knew she was solid. But if you ask me, you''re too lenient. Too lenient. Nothing good will come from showing mercy to such people. In fact, it may even lead them to do bad things. However, it''s not a good idea to sanction them too much, and above all, Paula says it''s okay. Then, let''s leave it at that. I''ll leave the rest to the parties concerned. For now, it looks like our work is done. When business goes well, you can get into trouble like this. ...... You have to be careful at the Sunken Pavilion too. ''Yashiro-san. Thank you for your hard work.'' ''No... Thank you for your help. Estella and Natalia too.'' ''Good. I''m not going to let the bad press in the 42nd district go unnoticed. ''I didn''t do anything, sir. You really didn''t do anything for me, Natalia. Why didn''t you just jump out of the way? Well, it''s a good thing we worked it out. Oh, yeah. The giant grasshopper I pulled out of my left muscle pocket was a model I had Bekko make of the last grasshopper Paula had saved. He put it in his palm, put his hand into the pocket of his left muscle, pulled his hand out and at the same time made it look as if he had taken it out of his pocket. Well, it''s a common magic trick. Three or four misunderstandings in a row can easily twist the facts. I don''t know much about bugs, there''s no guarantee that this grasshopper doesn''t exist in District 42, I didn''t have a grasshopper in my pocket, this grasshopper is just a model, and most importantly, I''m not a clerk here. I''m not a shopkeeper here. All of this is just a bunch of muscular people making up their own minds. ...... Well, I made them think that. I hope they learn their lesson and don''t hang around here anymore. I hope I can stay out of trouble from here on out. You could at least listen to my little wish. Hey. Dear God. 121-Episode 104 Second Damage ''Is it ...... for guidance on how to deal with the "Judgment of the Spirits"?'' In the early morning, in the dining room of the sunny pavilion, Assunto, who came to wholesale vegetables, recited my question. This guy is also a man who has been quite nervous about the Judgment of the Spirits. I asked him if he could think of anyone who might be doing the same thing. ''That''s something that''s done as a matter of course in most guilds. ''Everywhere? ''The more prestigious the guild, the more scrupulous. I''m sure you''re aware of that, but I''m not. It''s like a company that teaches English conversation to its ...... employees?Well, as far as I know, there are almost no successful cases of skill improvement courses forced by organizations. ''We will thoroughly educate our employees to prevent them from being overtaken by rivals'' and ''educate our employees to overtake rivals'',............. ''That''s a scary story. ''Although our peddler''s guild is more modest. ''Lie to me. I''ll turn you into a frog. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa. That''s not allowed in the Forty-Two districts. Oh, I see. He doesn''t know it yet. That I''m in a situation where I can cast the Judgment of the Spirits on you. I guess Estella is more perceptive than me. ''Yashiro, you must have realized by now that ...... the Judgment of Spirits, which Alvistan blindly believes to be perfect, has many holes. So, if you don''t have enough self-defense, you may suffer unexpected damage. ''''What the hell kind of ...... spirit god is this? They irresponsibly spread such an incomplete and unavoidable thing. Be careful what you say. If you get stabbed, you''ll be disadvantaged in some way. ''Don''t measure a man''s life by his profit. ''Oh?I think I''m in the same boat as you, don''t you? ''That''s a laughable joke. ''''However, it is sadly true that we are often made to suffer thanks to the Spirit God.'''' ''If you were right in front of me, I would have spanked your ass. ''Hmmm... ...... If you are too much of an otter, you will be punished by heaven. ''Well, I''ll just pat your butt. ''............ Heaven''s punishment is coming, isn''t it? Assunto shrugs his shoulders. He''s also an Alvistan, isn''t he? But he doesn''t seem to be as devout as Ginette. ''Every time I talk to Yashiro-san, I learn something new. I never thought I''d be able to spank a spirit god. ............ Hmm...'' ''It doesn''t matter if you''re a god, human, or spirit, you''ll be punished if you do something stupid.'' ''No, no. I think it''s interesting that you see the spirit gods as existing just like us. If you ask me if I believe in God, it''s hard for me to say ''yes'', but if you keep showing me his power so clearly, my perception will change to ''well, maybe he exists''. ''Does Assunto think that there are no spirit gods? ''That''s not true, sir. The Spirit God does exist. That''s for sure. Just ......'' He pulls a large, shapely tomato out of the basket and plays with it on his hand. ''I don''t think it''s possible to touch it like this. So to speak, the Spirit God is the pumpkin soup I ate as a child.'' ''Pumpkin soup? What the hell is this guy talking about? ''I''m sorry, sir. I didn''t understand your analogy.'' Chuckling, Assunto began to explain with hand gestures. ''Pumpkin soup is my favorite food, and when I was a child I thought it was the best food in the world. But we were so poor that we could only eat it once a year or so. Assunto was poor as a child: ...... Maybe that''s why he became obsessed with money. Anyway, now that he''s earning a good living, his life is probably one of the most successful. ''If I close my eyes, I''ll remember. That color, that smell, that taste, and that warmth. ......'' Assunto, his eyelids closed, stretches out his arm and lets his hand wander through the empty air, as if he were trying to touch the soup in his brain. ''I recognize its existence, and I can visualize its shape clearly. But I can never touch it. And yet, I can say with confidence that I like pumpkin soup even though I am not here. In other words, that''s what the spirit gods are to people. ''It''s a hard parable to understand. Assunto chuckles again. Well, maybe that''s what idolatry is all about. We worship what we are told is there, embodying it in our minds and hearts. However, because it is stored in the mind of the individual, each person may customize it as he or she sees fit. For their own convenience. ''And you treat them as if they were human beings. ...... Hmm, do the gods of Yashiro-san''s country live in the same world as humans? ''Not really, though.'' What''s ...... this, are you being made fun of?I don''t think it''s ...... complimentary. I hadn''t really thought about it that deeply. ...... ''But if the spirit god had huge tits, wouldn''t you rub them anyway? ''...... No, I''m afraid not.'' ''What if she has big tits? ''It''s not a matter of rank. What the hell is this guy?Are you a vine man? ''Besides, I have a wife.'' ''Huh? I almost cast ''Judgment of the Spirits'' on him. Wife?What, shredded radish?I thought of the scene in Assunto''s house where there were shredded radishes spread on the bed, ''My balls. No, no, no, it''s ''me and my balls'', then. ''Assunto ......, blackmail is a serious crime. ''You know,......, I hate to be so glib about this,......, but my wife has been approaching me passionately. ''''So, ''...... of the Spirit''! ''Please wait!It''s not a problem if you want to do it, but I don''t think it''s a good idea for Yashiro to take the initiative in breaking the agreement! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what to do.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do.If you forbid them to marry, they will perish. Oh, that''s true too. ''I guess only church officials care about such things. We ordinary people only thank God the Spirit every day. ''Then you don''t have to worry about it, do you, Ginette? ''I guess so. Those who grew up in the church tend to think a little like that, but ...... there''s no problem. Even if you''re Sister Bertina, there''s no reason for anyone to blame you for it. You can marry Bertina too. I guess our religion is pretty loose. Is it?Have you made enough progress to start thinking about such things? ''Baka!You idiot!No, nothing! ''Well, ......, but I suppose it''s only a matter of time. Ho-ho-ho. ''......''. Just say it. ........................ I''m not conscious at all!Ignore it, ignore it. ''Um, Yashiro-san.'' ''Oh my God! I''m not sure....... What''s wrong with you? As I was talking to Assunto, Jeannette came up to me. He had been checking the ingredients in the kitchen earlier. ...... You should have carried the food more slowly. ...... Hey, Assunto. I''m not sure what to say. You''ve been very careful today. Was Assunto trying to be clever again?'' ''No, no. Not at all. ''Mr. Yashiro, that''s terrible. Ho-ho-ho. d*mn you for playing it cool. You d*mned pig. ''I was carefully checking the quality of the ingredients when Assunto-san told me to.'' ''Quality?Assunto, is there a problem?'' ''''Oh, no, ...... actually...'''' Assunto''s expression clouded. There was something wrong. ''It was the day before yesterday, but ...... have you heard of the sweet shop ''Graduates'' on the main street? ''A sweet shop? I nodded my head. Ginette began to explain about the store. ''The Graduates used to be a tea shop, but after Yashiro taught them how to make cakes, they turned it into a sweet shop. ''Wow, that''s quite a transformation, isn''t it? ''They started to serve cakes with tea. ''Oh, you mean a teahouse, like a coffee shop. It was a place to drink tea and have a smoke. Then they started to serve cakes and ............ it''s totally a coffee shop. ''At that "Graduates", it seems that ...... food poisoning has occurred.'' ''Huh! I''ve never heard of it! If there''s an outbreak of food poisoning in a restaurant, send a message to the guild members immediately! It''s a matter that needs to be addressed by the entire city! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''...... Another case of the worm? Assunto''s expression became clouded, and an uneasy atmosphere prevailed. The bug incident at Cantartica. That was a big deal and we fought it off. The food poisoning scare that followed shortly after. ............ ''What''s the situation? ''According to the master of The Graduates, a stern man came in suddenly and said, "I''ve been sick since right after I ate something from this restaurant. Is the food in this restaurant rotten? Is the food in this shop rotten?'' He made a big fuss about it. ''It''s the same .............'' ''What''s the same ......? Assunto and Ginette nodded their heads in agreement. The stern man - let''s call him Squidman - Squidman says, ''I feel sick. It''s not ''I feel sick'' or ''I have a stomach ache'', it''s ''I feel sick''. ''Why does this cake taste so good, d*mn it! ...... Even so, the ''mood'' is getting worse. It''s up to him. And then he continued, "Is everything in this store rotten? By putting two words together, he makes the listener imagine a third word with a different meaning, just like the insects. In other words, they are claiming the unspoken words, ''I ate something from this restaurant and got a stomach ache. Humans have a habit of deriving solutions from the information they are given and filling in the missing parts. ''Yashiro-kun is a good person. ''I don''t have a girlfriend right now. If someone says this to you, you''ll think it means ''Yashiro, go out with me'', right?But that''s not the case.If you make the mistake of confessing your love to someone, they''ll say, ''Oh, ...... I didn''t mean it like that, but ......''. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Well, that''s the thing. It''s dangerous to make assumptions on your own. But you can''t just leave it there. Assunto shows a reluctant expression. ''I''m sorry, but I''m explaining the situation to the producers and confirming the quality of the product. Some of the producers, such as Mormat, are cooperating with us with a certain level of understanding, but there are some who are not in a good mood. ......'' When food poisoning occurs, there are several places that should be suspected. First is the restaurant. Was there a problem with the storage conditions, cooking area, or cooking method? Then there are the distributors. I''m talking about sending cool food at room temperature. ...... In our world, the peddler''s guild may have exposed the food to something bad in transit, such as demon saliva. --I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you. If you go further back, you can get to the producers. It goes all the way back to the producers, to see if there are any diseases in the process of making the food, or if there are any harmful substances in the ingredients. If all of these are fine,......, well, there you have it. That''s the first thing I''d look for, though. I mean-- ''Hey, are you really sick? But you can''t say that to the face of a customer. Especially when you''re in the customer service business. Even if it''s ridiculous, you have no choice but to investigate. ''Can''t we do something about it? ...... If we don''t, there will be another dissonance between the peddlers guild and the producers. ......'' I''m not sure what to do. ...... and Assunto looks at me. ...... eyes, stop it. ...... Then Ginette. ............ God d*mn it. ''And?Was there any actual damage?'''' ''''Yashiro-san! Don''t speak in unison. And don''t look so happy. ''''There was no damage, sir. No money was demanded, nor was the store destroyed. If I had to say, I''d say my reputation was damaged .......'' ''Reputation is the life of a store. It would be unbearable to have it targeted.'' ''That''s true. I''m a merchant myself. I understand how you feel. Again. Again, an act of harassment. If it''s not for money, it''s a personal grudge. ...... I''m not sure if it has anything to do with the bug guys. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Estella came to the sunlit pavilion early in the morning. The wake-up bell had just rung about thirty minutes ago. It is unusual for Estella to come at this hour. If I''m not mistaken about the time, it''s ...... ''Are you waking up hungry?You''re a picky eater.'' ''Can you please stop labeling me as something I''m not? He walks over to the table where Assunto and I are sitting opposite each other and holds out a piece of parchment in front of me. ''There''s an urgent call from the Food and Beverage Guild. It seems that some customers have complained of food poisoning at the sweet shop ''Lemon''. ''Information, too late! ''What the hell?I thoughtfully rushed over first thing in the morning! ''I''m sorry, Miss Estella. I''ve just spoken.'' ''What the heck! ''Miss Estella, please sit down. I''ll get you some tea now.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry, Jeannette. Ginette goes to the kitchen and Estella sits down next to me. Estella sits down next to me while I look through the parchment. The customer who filed the complaint is an iguana man, about six feet tall. He looks like a ...... lizardman. According to the lawsuit, the customer felt sick immediately after eating a cake served at the sweet shop "Graduates". The Iguanas have not made any demands for compensation, only that the sweet shop "Graduates" be closed. The owner of the sweet shop "The Graduates" said that there was no problem with the ingredients or the production process and that the store was not at fault, but he was not absolutely sure and decided to close the store for the time being. I see. So they''re just going to wait and see until they can find some kind of solution. It''s true that we can''t stand it when they keep coming to the store and making noise. ''But why ''Graduates''? ''Oh, that''s because...'' Ginette explained to me as she placed the tea in front of Estella. ''It was under a big lemon tree that the Master met his wife,'' she said. ...... That''s wonderful, a store named after the memory of their love. ......'' ''Oh, no, ...... that''s not what I meant.'' That''s not the explanation I was looking for. ''I can see why Cantalcica is on your radar. It''s the most visible bar on the main street. It''s the fate of popular restaurants to be coveted. ...... So, if they don''t do something about their tofu mentality, they''ll have a hard time in the future. ''But the Graduates?I don''t even know where that is.'' ''It''s near the square. ''From the square, it''s on your left. ''It''s near the market, so I often use it to take a break from peddling. ....... Maybe it''s a famous restaurant? ''But that''s strange. We don''t have a lot of sales, and ...... we only started getting attention when we started serving cakes. ''You''re getting attention? I felt a little uncomfortable with the information Estella had given me. It was not that I doubted Estella''s story, but I had a feeling that the key to the answer I was looking for might be hidden in that information. ''You''re getting a lot of attention. The Graduates seem to have developed a lemon pie that is an improvement on the apple pie, and it''s a big hit.'' ''I see. Lemon pie is delicious, isn''t it? ''So you know about it?I''m impressed. No, well, ...... there are many other kinds of pies. Cherry, blueberry, apricot. But lemon pie has a unique, refreshing flavor that you can''t get anywhere else. The refreshing lemon cream is good when you are tired. ''I''d like to try it sometime ...... to see what it tastes like. ''Well, let''s go there. ''Are you sure? ''Let''s take Estella, say it''s a survey, and let her eat for free.'' ''...... You''re a shallow thinker, Yashiro.'' Shut up. It''s part of helping people. Why don''t we just take some of the goodies? ''Since the Graduates succeeded in developing an original cake, restaurants in the area are now working hard to develop their own original cakes. ''That''s a move in the right direction. If they only make the same cakes as other places, they won''t be able to attract customers. On the other hand, Yojimaritei has the strongest signboard, ''the original''. You''re safe. Besides, I still have some hidden gems. Tarts, tiramisu, bavarois, and the like. ''The Graduates are on the main street right now! There are many stores on the main street that are secretly hoping to ''beat the Graduates! ''Do the customers know about it? ''I don''t think the customers know.I don''t think other stores can say, ''Let''s beat the Graduates! I don''t think they can say that.'' ''But it seems to be a rumor among the cake connoisseurs. I''ve heard rumors about it from customers who come to the Sunlit Pavilion. So it''s ...... that people in the know know about. ''It''s natural that Yashiro doesn''t know about it. ''Why is that? Estella says with a soft smile. ''Because everyone in District 42 is obsessed with cake right now. They want to know everything there is to know about cakes.'' ''Is that so?'' I ask Assunto, who seems to know more about the city than Estella. ''Well, yes. There seems to be an active movement, especially among young women. They form small groups to eat cakes and exchange information. ...... Are they forming a cake circle? Since there are no guidebooks, we have to get information from our own feet. And there are no social networking sites in this world. ''I guess the fever that had been fueled by the arrival of new things has finally calmed down and people will start to explore. Customers will become more demanding, and stores will offer higher quality products. As it matures, it will become something that can be called a culture, I''m sure. Estella''s eyes sparkle with the prospect of the future. The new ............ cake ....... ''Estella, can you help me with another one? ''What are you going to do this time? ''This time it''s ............ well, ............ lizard fishing, I guess.'' If I''m right, this should help us catch it. 122-Episode 105... Hey! ''Cake?'' Estella frowns. ''Yes, cake. ''Cantalcica and Lemon both serve cakes. It''s the time of day when lunch is over and the customers have retired. In the deserted interior of the restaurant, Estella and I were sitting facing each other. On the table, there was a lemon pie from the sweet shop "Graduates". We had taken it out. ''If it''s cake, every restaurant in the 42nd district serves it. You must have spread the word. ''Then let me put it another way. You''re the one who spread the word.'' ''Then let me put it this way, two of the famous restaurants that serve cakes were hit from the top. ''...... Someone who doesn''t like the cakes is behind it? ''Only if there is a connection between the two incidents. I cut the lemon pie into bite-sized pieces and put them in my mouth. Yes, it''s delicious! The lemon flavor mixed in with the custard cream gives it a refreshing sweetness. This afternoon, Estella and I went to "The Graduates". I made an appointment with the person in charge and was told that he would be available at noon today. But that''s why I couldn''t take Jeannette with me. Since the children''s lunch was a success, the restaurant has been very busy during lunch time recently, and Ginette could not leave the restaurant. That''s why Estella and I went to "The Graduates" and asked the master about the situation and showed him the kitchen. He showed us how to cook the lemon pie, and of course there was no problem. We were given a piece of lemon pie because we had made it. I wanted to give it to Ginette and the others who were staying at the sunny pavilion. Originally, the status of lemons in this town was infinitely low. The people here didn''t eat them except by biting into them. But when the Sunlit Pavilion showed them how to use lemons, with lemonade, lemon water, and lemon tea, their recognition gradually increased, and so did their demand. The master of "Graduates", who is particularly attached to lemons, tried to find a way to use them in cakes and came up with this lemon pie. Before the renovation, the store used to serve mainly green tea and hojicha tea in a rather Japanese style, but when I taught him how to make cakes, he came across lemon tea and was impressed by it. So, the cake using lemon as a sign of their love, including the story of its birth, was a big hit with the female customers, and soon became a popular restaurant. ...... d*mn, girls everywhere love this episode of love. ''......HamHam............The Taste of Love'' ''It''s delicious. I''ve become a fan of this cake. Magda and Loretta seemed to like it a lot too. ''Yashiro-san. I''ve made you some coffee. ''Oh, thank you. Ginette made me a cup of fragrant coffee. It''s certainly delicious, but a little too sweet for me. It tasted like ...... love. So I''m going to use a sharp coffee to freshen up my palate. Hmm. I wonder why I feel a little smarter when I drink coffee. ''So, about what you said earlier, are they really after the cake?It was hamburgers that were abused in Cantartica, wasn''t it? ''Well, it may be difficult to prove the connection. Estella gives me a serious look as she chews on her lemon pie. She''s got a bit of a scrunchy nose, though. ''Cantalcica is probably the number one restaurant in the 42nd district, both in name and reality, so it may have simply been targeted. But they also sell cakes. I don''t think we should disregard that. ''So the cakes are what got someone''s attention? ''Yes, I''m afraid so. The harassment only started recently. And the most recent change in the 42nd district is the appearance of cakes. Fashionable cakes began to line the streets where there had been no such thing as a good sweet. Thanks to the spread of sugar. ''You don''t think ......''. ''It''s not impossible that it''s possible. Until now, sugar has been monopolized by the aristocracy. Now that it''s available to the common people, they may have some ideas about it. ''What do you think about that? But, unusually, Ginette objected. ''Mr. Assunto once told me that the aristocrats are indifferent to the sugar that is now available around here. Let''s see, it''s called ............ ''poor man''s sugar'', and it''s a counterfeit of the high class nobleman''s sugar. ......'' I see. The new sugar is made from sugar radish, a kind of "stinky spinach" that you can''t even eat properly. From the point of view of the aristocracy, which values tradition and dignity, sugar made from sugar radish may be shallow. Since they call it "poor people''s sugar," they may think it is insignificant and has nothing to do with them. It''s like how the rich don''t care about sweets. ''Indeed, I haven''t heard of any protests from the nobility regarding the distribution of sugar. In fact, they don''t even seem to care. If that''s the case, ...... I may have been wrong. There is no connection between the two recent incidents, each store just got involved with some strange people because of their high profile,....... ''Then it might be a waste of time. ''What?...... Oh, is that it? By ''that'' I mean the second phase of the harassment operation I''ve been asking Estella to carry out. This time, she places several girls in front of the sweet shop "Graduates", and asks them to keep saying lines like "Graduates are closed?", "Let''s go to the sunlit pavilion", "Well, that''s the original place for cakes", "Cakes at the sunlit pavilion are really delicious~", just like the villagers in RPG. If the protagonist talks to them, they''ll say the same thing over and over again. This is so that the information is conveyed properly. I pity the Graduates, who are repeatedly advertised in front of the store. ...... Well, forgive me. But if the aristocrats aren''t involved, then the cake line is a bust. ...... The only people I can think of who might be antagonistic to the cake are the aristocrats. ''Well, I guess we''ll have to rethink our strategy. ......'' ''That''s right. It might be better to wait and see. If you want, you can get an escort to reopen the Graduates'' business. ......'' --and that''s when we were talking. ''Is there anyone in charge? The door was kicked open with such violence that a man stepped into the store. The man''s face was that of a reptile. If I remember correctly, that face is ...... an iguana. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ............ He''s here! The Iguana man looked around the store,...... probably because he was the best-dressed,...... and spotted Estella. ''Oh!You''re the one in charge here? ''No, I''m not.'' ''Don''t talk back to me! ''You''re not ......, are you? ''It''s your eyes! ''Your eyes are talking back to you?I''ve never heard that word before.'' ''Shut the f*ck up! ''Does it bother you? ''Are you ...... fighting with me? I''m sure you''ll be able to tell by the way she carries herself that she''s a strong woman. Looking at Estella''s relaxed expression, she may not be so fearsome. If that''s the case, I''m relieved. ...... ''...... patted down chest'' ''Shut up! He stared at me with a very scary face. It''s scarier than an iguana,......, and it''ll give you a look of comfort, yeah. I''m sure you''ll be fine. Ginette stepped forward, even though I should have stopped her. ''What? ''Fiyu! Ginette is at a loss for words as she stares at you. But then she takes a deep breath and says, ''Mmm! I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. ...... bang! ''...... overhanging breasts''. ''So, shut up, Yashiro! He got mad at me again. Estella, you''re scaring me! ''Oh, it''s me!It''s me! ''What about ......?'' The Iguana man''s brow wrinkled at the sudden declaration. Realizing that the message was not being conveyed, Ginette gave a proper explanation. ''I am the one in charge! ''And I''m the one in power! ''...... Magda is the popular one.'' ''What, I''m the normal one! ''What the hell is wrong with you people?Are you kidding me? ''''I''m very serious! ''''Then you''re even more annoying! Except for Jeannette, I, Magda, Loretta and the rest of the staff of the sunny pavilion all declared in unison that we were serious, but what the hell is wrong with this reptile? ''Oh, sir. I''m the one in charge, can I help you? Nervously, Jeannette calls out to the Iguana Man. Then the Iguana Man looked at Jeannette and lifted the corner of his mouth in a grin. ''So you''re in charge. Then let''s see what you can get out of me. ''You mean your tits! ''No!You shut the f*ck up!You''ve been yammering on and on! The iguana man bared his fangs at me. I think I have a high rate of being disliked by people I meet for the first time. ''What do you have to offer, ......? ''Money! Hmm? That''s strange. According to the previous information, this guy shouldn''t ask for money. ...... ''Anyway, give me 100,000Rb. And shut this store down. It''s an eyesore.'' Wow, ...... this guy is getting a taste for it. And it''s getting really messy. ''Oh, uh, .......'' ''What the hell, man?Get on with it! ''But ......, why would we do that?'' ''An! Iguana man who really doesn''t seem to understand. Estella interrupted him. ''You didn''t say what you wanted. You haven''t told me why this store needs to transfer money to you. Or are you some kind of robber?'' That''s good. If he''s a robber, he''ll beat you to a pulp and turn you in to the neighborhood watch!...... Magda and Estella. No, you''re not!I''m, you know!I''m, you know, ............ that thing! ''Maybe you''re saying, "I''ve been sick since right after I ate something from this restaurant. Is the food in this restaurant rotten? Are you trying to say ......?'' ''Yes!That''s it, that''s it!That''s what I''m talking about, manager!Do you understand? ''Yes, yes, yes. This messy reptile couldn''t seem to come up with the right words to say, so I gave him a helping hand and he took advantage. ...... No, that''s why. You should know that. The fact that I know what you have to say means that your bad behavior is coming to light, right? ''Oh!The Judgment of the Spirits won''t work on me!After all, I''m not ''lying''! Cheap ......, you reptilian, too cheap! You haven''t even said what you had to say, let alone lied about it. In other words, you''re not even on the stage. ''So, you''re not feeling well right now, are you? ''Can''t you see that, huh? To Estella''s casual pointing out, the reptile replies with a threat for some reason. I''m not sure if you''re aware of that. This is a great way to make sure that you do not have to worry about your own health and well being.-- Estella pointed out to him implicitly ......, and he replied with great vigor. You can find a lot more information on this at ....... I''m not even sure I know what you''re looking at when you look at me like that. Such a super class idiot. I''m sure it''s more short sighted than the most gullible mormat in the 42nd district. ...... I can''t help it. I''m not sure what to do.This is a big deal!I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m going to clearly and slowly tell you the setting that this stupid reptile should be protected from. Just pretend you''re suffering from a stomachache. ''Ah, ah!That''s right!Ouch!My stomach hurts from food poisoning! You''re not supposed to say that!Now you''re totally trapped in the Spirit''s Judgment! It''s your cake''s fault!Take responsibility and give me 100,000 Rb!Also, shut down the store! ...... Why does he have to ruin all the measures he took to prevent the Judgment of the Spirits? I''m getting tired of even arguing with this guy. ...... I feel like my reputation is going to go down the drain if I have a serious fight with this guy. ......... ...What should I do?I''m not sure what to do. And then he said, "Can you not look at me like that?I don''t know you either. I don''t know her either. Isn''t he more short-sighted than the most gullible man in the 42nd district, Mo''amat? He gave me a look like. ''Loretta ......, can you turn that guy into a frog? ''No, I don''t want to!I feel like I''m losing if I get involved with him. ''No, ...... I also feel like I''m losing if I get involved. ''That''s not true!Big brother, just go ahead and kill him like you always do! ''Yeah~...... me? ''Shut up, you guys!If you don''t get on with it, ......''. The idiot reptile spits and yells and pulls out a large sword that hangs from his waist. It''s a sword with a wide, curved tip. It''s a sword called a cutlass. The sword reflects light, and the air in the store instantly becomes tense. The first to make a move was Magda,......, who moved so casually, as if she were going to the bathroom,......, that we could not react. No one could think of anything, not even the reptiles were prepared. Magda approached the reptile, and with such a casual action, as if she were picking up marmalade from the table,......, she made a fist. The small fist clenched tightly was aimed precisely at the base of Cutlass'' blade. At the same time as he swung out, he caught the wide blade, and with a crisp sound, the blade flew through the air. And then, with an eerie sound, the blade flew through the air. ...... Wow, the sword has been cut in half from the base. ''...... No sword drawing or violence is allowed in the store. I''m sure you''re aware of that. The sword you just pulled out was smashed within seconds. ''...... next violation and I''ll ............ break it.'' No, there is no next time, you''ve already broken it. ............ What, you''re talking about the human body?It''s not the sword that''s broken, but the owner! That''s not good. I don''t want any bloodshed, that''s for sure. ''Magda. They say he''s got food poisoning, which means he''s sick. Sick people need to lie down and rest right now.'' He intervenes between Magda and the reptile and puts his hand on the reptile''s shoulder. Then he told the reptile, ''Lie down quietly. Or else you''ll get a ......'' look. The reptile must have taken the fact that his prized cutlass was so easily destroyed very seriously. ...... He quietly followed my instructions and sat down on the floor. And then gently ...... lay down in a reserved way ....... The reptile is sweating profusely all over ...... its body, probably because Magda is staring at it. You look really unwell. If he had acted like this from the start, we could have made it more worthwhile, or used a trick or two,....... I think the stupidest way to fight back against such an idiot would suit you. ''Genet. Bring me a black bag of pills from the medicine cabinet.'' ''Huh?Oh, yes.'' Ginette hesitated for a moment, but when I nodded, she seemed to agree to my request. ''Estella, get me some water. ''I''ll boil it. ''Water!Just water! She''s scary as hell, this one. ''Loretta. ''Yes, sir. ''You''re a beastman, aren''t you? ''I''m a very pretty hamster man. ''Is your strength strong? ''If Magda-chou is ''100'', I''m about ''2''. ''That means I''m about ten times as strong as Jeannette. ......'' ''Am I that weak? Ginette, who had brought the medicine, rolled her eyes. The power of the beastman race is far beyond that of humans. Don''t worry about it. ''Well, Magda and Loretta. You two work together ......''. Pop ...... and put your hands on the stupid reptile''s chest. Then I''ll say with a big smile. ''Make sure that the sick man here is held in place so that he can never escape. ''''What? ''''Kashimari~ (smirk)'''' ''''Hey!You guys! As the reptile tries to get up, Magda presses down firmly on its shoulders. Loretta skillfully presses down on its flailing legs. Oh, you''re holding his knees? Well, that''s a good decision by the eldest daughter, who has sometimes twisted her naughty younger brothers around by force. Well, ......, I sit down on the stupid reptile''s chest. I''m going to sit on that stupid reptile''s chest. ...... Are you stuck? ''Hey, you guys!What the hell are you doing? ''Oh, nothing. If you''ve got a stomach ache from eating my food, I''m going to have to ''take responsibility'' for taking care of you, okay? I give him a refreshing smile, and the stupid reptile''s forehead starts to sweat profusely, dripping down. Come on, you''re so rude. You have such a beautiful smile. ............ nii... ''Heeeeeee! An eerie sound that didn''t belong to a human escaped from the stupid reptile''s throat. ''Ginette, show me the Conversation Record. ''Yes, sir!Conversation Record! A translucent panel appears in front of Ginette''s eyes. This is a very useful thing, with various search functions. You can see the exchange rate of a currency, and you can also specify a date to see the conversation of that day. And ...... ''Search for conversations with this Iguana man before yesterday''. It is also possible to search for conversations with a specific person. And the search result is ............ ''Not applicable''. ''Huh~, that''s strange~? ''Yashiro is quite fond of that, isn''t he? Estella, with a glass in her hand, looks at me with a dumbfounded look. You''re an idiot. It''s just good manners for a deductionist, you know. Everybody does it! ''You''ve eaten here before, but you haven''t had a conversation with the manager, Ginette, have you? ''Uh......, no......, another guy took care of it, ...... I believe.'' ''And the accountant? ''That too, another guy .......'' ''When was the last time you were here? ''Huh?'' ''When I''m in the store, I''m in charge of all the bills.'' Ginette said firmly. Recently, Magda and Loretta have both learned to do the math, but Ginette is still faster. In addition, Ginette wants to talk with the customers as much as possible, so she is in charge of the accounting at the Sunlit Pavilion. But, as Ginette said, the only condition is ''when Ginette is around''. ''I haven''t opened my store for a few days now,......, but if you''ve been sick recently, it can''t have been that long ago that you had the meal that caused it,.......'' I''m not sure what to do.That''s right!You''ve got the wrong restaurant!That''s right, maybe!There are a lot of similar stores, heh, heh, heh......'' ''There''s not a single store, let alone a restaurant, in this neighborhood, away from the main street. Estella asked sharply. Not only that, but there are no buildings around the Sunlit Pavilion. This store stands alone on the side of the road. ''No, that''s why ............ I wonder if I was dreaming ...... hahahahaha...'' ...'' How has this stupid reptile managed to avoid being turned into a frog so far? I''ve never heard anyone lie so blatantly before. ''Well, well. That''s all right, gentlemen. The air in the store was becoming more and more conducive to exposing the stupid reptile''s lies, as he told so many blatant lies. But that''s not good, is it? You know what they say, hate the sin, hate the person. And from the looks of it, this stupid reptile is feeling very sorry for himself. ''Why don''t you stop obsessing over the truth, the whole truth, and all that? I say with a calm heart, like a saint. I''m sure you have a kind, compassionate smile on your face. ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san ......''. ''Yashiro, your face looks terrible. ......'' ''...... evil''. Jeannette, Estella, Magda, say such terrible things. I twist at the waist and turn around to ask Loretta, the kind-hearted, honest woman. ''That''s not true, is it, Loretta? (Nitaa ......)'' ''Hii!Oh ...... there''s a demon.'''' They''re all so rude. Oh, well. Compassion is not something to be shown to someone, but something to be given. ''Mr. Reptile......'' ''Ha, hahi......! ''I''m going to give you some medicine now.'' ''Eh...... no, I think I''m fine...... now, I guess. My stomach doesn''t hurt anymore. ......'' ''Don''t be shy, reptile. There are no signs of food poisoning, and you look healthy enough to be suffering from food poisoning, even if you''ve been blatantly lying about it. ...... Sick people need to be treated ......, don''t you think? ''............ Ah,............, no... .........Sus,sus,sorry......'' ''Oh, no!It''s okay!You don''t have to say anything!............ ''This kind of thing'' is mutual, you know.'' ''O,ota ...... is ............'' ''Come on,......, open your mouth,............'' I think Regina said, ''I''m not going to make it!I''m about to die!I want to die with my tits between my legs. I open the seal of the ultimate potion that Regina left for me to take when I''m in a serious condition where I''m thinking, ''I''m going to die! Inside, there is an unmistakable, ''This is medicine! From inside, I smelled an inexplicable fragrance that said, ''This is medicine! Boom! --As soon as it was exposed to oxygen, the medicine began to move. Bokon......Bokon......Bokon............ I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it.What''s it good for? ''Come on,......, I don''t know. ''I don''t know! ''But I''m sure it''s good for you. He''s a bit of a joker, but he never makes anything that''s bad for you. ...... He''s more than happy to make something that corrupts your mind, though. ...... So I''m sure it won''t kill you if you drink it. ''No, you can''t drink that dangerous stuff! ''Yes, you can. ...... I''ll push it into you. ......'' ''That''s not it!That''s not what I meant! The stupid reptile strained his entire body, trying to escape his restraints. But there is no escaping the restraints of Magda and Loretta. ...... Loretta, you''re surprisingly good at what you do, aren''t you? This reptile is also a beast, but you''ve got it under control. Let''s see: ...... I moved my body closer to the stupid reptile and showed him the part of the medicine that had the warning on it. "Indications: good for you. Probably good for you. Side effect: stomach bug will make a ''switch'' sound (for three days). Caution: When exposed to air, it makes a strange noise. If you put your face close to it to drink, it will make a screeching sound. Usage and Dosage: Drink the proper amount with ''guts''. So, that''s it. Let me see your guts. ''No!Stop it!Keep that thing away from my face! ''Yes, yes, yes! I ignored all the pleading words of the stupid reptile and took out Regina''s special potion in front of her and held it close to her face. As soon as she did... ''Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The wriggling potion let out a scream of desperation. ''No, no, no!I don''t want to drink it!No way!Ususo-suso!It''s all a lie!I don''t have food poisoning!I''m in perfect health! ''Oh, ......, is that so? I nodded my head twice and smiled again. ''But that''s a lie too, isn''t it? If it''s all a lie, then it must be a lie that I''m in good health. Well then, I guess I''ll have to take my ...... medicine. ............ Hee hee hee. ''Wait, please!Please!I''ll do whatever you say! There you go again. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. He''s too stupid compared to those two insects. That''s why it''s so hard to connect the two cases. So I''m going to ask him directly. ''You''ll do anything, won''t you? ''I will!I''m serious! ''Then tell me the truth, and don''t lie to me about this. If you do, I''ll overlook all the bullshit lies you''ve told me so far.'''' I stood up and pointed at the stupid reptile lying there with his arms straight out. ''But if you lie to me here, ............ I''ll end your life. The stupid reptile seemed to finally realize the gravity of the situation. His pupils dilate and his eyes begin to tremble slightly. His mouth opens slightly and his teeth clatter against each other. I turn my cold, emotionless gaze to the stupid reptile and ask. ''Who put you up to this? He''s an outsider. It doesn''t feel right, no matter how you look at it. When I was a worm, the pair of us strongly refused to let anyone know what organization we belonged to. But this idiot seems like he''d talk a lot. There is clearly a temperature difference. In contrast to the pair of insects, this stupid reptile is too light. He''s shallow, thoughtless, and flippant. Yes, just like ...... He''s as flimsy as an errand boy who did what someone told him to do. ''Who told you to do this? The stupid reptile''s complexion was turning pale by the minute. Do I look so horrible? Yeah, what do you think, sissy? ...... ''............ Answer me.'' ''I don''t know. ......'' I don''t know, huh? ''Ho, it''s true!I was walking down the street and all of a sudden a guy I don''t know approached me and said, ''I''ll give you money if you mess up the cake in District 42!I''m serious!Oh, look at my tool bag!It''s got the gold coins I got in advance!There''s no way a punk like me has this much money!Hey, trust me!I''m serious about this! I stare into the eyes of the stupid reptile. The eyes are wide open and dark with fear. ...... No one can tell a lie with eyes like these. I''m sure he''s not lying--I''m sure of it. ''All right. I believe you.'' ''Really?Thanks for the help. ............ Well, get these little b*tc*es off my back as soon as possible. ......'' ''I''ll take your word for it.'' ''......?So come on, let''s get these guys'' hands off ......'' ''Food poisoning, isn''t that hard?'' ''What?No, no!You idiot!You know that''s not true, right? When I chuckled, Magda and Loretta chuckled at the same time, and even Estella chuckled as well. ''Oh, you ......, you ............, stop ......... ...! ''It''s okay. I''ll be fine. ???????????? It''ll get easier. ............ Maybe.'' ''Yes!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! ''Stop,'' said the stupid reptile, opening his mouth, and I threw Regina''s writhing, screaming potion into it. ''Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The strange voice of the mysterious potion combined with the screams of the stupid reptile, the potion was eventually swallowed. ''Hmph!Hmmmmmmmmmm! After making a few dozen strange noises and convulsing his body, the stupid reptile relaxed. ............ He''s dying. ...... No, I''m lying, okay?He''s just fainted. ''What are you going to do about it? Estella asks with an amused, annoyed, and complicated expression. ''Well, it''s ...... not a good idea to leave it in the store. ...... ''I''ll just dump it in front of the Graduates''. ''...... Magda will take it.'' I''m not sure what to do with it. I don''t know, I feel like everyone''s face is wizened. The only one with a worried look on her face was Jeannette. Don''t worry, don''t worry. This kind of thing won''t die in a little while. ''Well, let''s go dump them. And as I approached the stupid reptile... ''Swoop!Swoosh!Sip-sip! I''m not sure what to do. ...... Oh, this guy must be hungry. Oh, Regina. Your medicine really works well. ............ side effects. ''Scooch!''S-s-s-squeeze!''S-s-s-squeeze! As I listened to the voice of that strange stomach bug, I thought of the important information I''d gotten. It seems that someone who doesn''t like the cake is sneaking around behind my back. This is a situation to think about. ............ Yeah. 123-Episode 106 Yokudatei Trial It''s been a few days since the day the idiot reptile stormed into the Sunshine Pavilion. Today was the trial. ''Defendant, Pompeo. ''Wait a minute, guys!What the hell did I do? This is an improvised courtroom made by moving the seats of the Sunlit Pavilion into a U-shape. The defendant in this courtroom is Pompeo, the owner-chef of Luxury, a restaurant so famous that it is said to be the place to go for cakes in the forty districts. We are surrounded by Pompeo in the sunlit pavilion. Ginette is on Pompeo''s right, Loretta, Estella, and Delia in front, me on his left, and Paula in the back on the audience side. ''What the hell is going on?Isn''t that rude? Pompeo is fascinated by Umaro. So I used Umaro for a moment to ask, ''Would you like to see the interior of the restaurant I renovated?I''ll give you a special tour of the inside,'' he said, luring me out and kidnapping me when I was just in front of the excited Sunlit Pavilion. Peacefully. ''We will try her peacefully. ''Aren''t you already violent in your methods? Pompeo, a handsome man who looked like he was about to step into the realm of a dandy, twisted his face. ''Release me now!I''m the most respected person in the forty districts!Do you really think you can get away with this?You''ll start a war! ''No, the Woodcutter Guild is definitely the best. And Torbek is second. You''re just trying to look good for the noble girls, aren''t you? ''Luxury is the face of District 40!If you were to ask me what the specialty of the Forty-second District is, everyone would say the cake from my store! Isn''t that the cake I taught you? It seems that the shortcake I taught you has been gaining explosive popularity in luxury lately. It''s sweeter and prettier than the brown sugar buns, and the girls are going crazy over it. d*mn, I should''ve saved my margin. ''I''ve come all the way to the 42nd district to see the interior of the restaurant Umaro-sama worked on!I don''t have time for you guys! ''Oh, that''s because I''m talking about here. ''What? ''This restaurant was completely renovated by Umaro, right? ...... in exchange for ''two months free rice''. ''That''s why I thought ...... the air was delicious.'' ''You''re actually pretty random, aren''t you? The reason the air is so good is because it''s in the country. The air is good because it''s in the countryside. ...... The forty wards are pretty good too! ''So, what the hell is this?Why do I have to be treated like this? ''Ask your own heart! Suddenly, the voice of a beautiful dog-eared girl came flying out. It''s Paula. Paula, who had been listening to the conversation in silence up to this point, finally overflowed with anger and stood up, slamming the table. ''It''s no use playing dumb, you know! ''Well, calm down, Paula. Or I''ll poke your tits.'' ''Huh?No, no, no!Oh, my breasts are for ...... special people only, so ...... not yet, no.'' I''m not sure what you mean by that. You don''t even have tits to poke. ...... ''You don''t even have tits to poke ......'' ''I can at least poke them!Rubbing them can be a bit difficult, but ............ what do you want me to say? Oops. I think I just let my thoughts dribble out of my mouth. ''Hey ......, why in the world did I get brought to this place? Pompeo watched this exchange with a twitching face. He looks like he wants to go home as soon as possible. ''Ask my tits,'' he said. ''Breasts!My own breasts!'' Paula complains, slapping her own breasts. ...... The gesture looks like ''Come and jump into my tits! It''s a nice gesture. ''I don''t remember any of this. I haven''t done anything to make you hate me. Slapping himself on the chest, Pompeo asserts in an unruffled voice. I don''t want to jump into his chest, even though it''s a ...... similar gesture. Not even slightly. ''...... most''. Pompeo''s eyes narrowed as his eyelashes, long for a man, slowly lowered. ''If you say that the cakes in my store are too delicious and are taking away my customers,......, then I''m prepared to bear a grudge. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. It''s not like we''re on the same page. Most of the customers of luxury hotels are aristocrats and rich people. On the other hand, most of the customers of the Sunlit Pavilion are ordinary people. It''s not like we''re taking customers away from each other. I wonder if this guy''s goofiness is getting more sophisticated. Do you remember the time when you smugly claimed that brown sugar bread was a cake? Even if you pretend to be a high class person, you are using what the aristocrats call "poor man''s sugar". But the aristocrats who are happy with it are the ones who are laughing. I bet you don''t know the difference in taste, do you? ''May I ask you a question, Mr. Pompeo? Estella stood up with a dignified face and stepped in front of Pompeo. Then she asks in a serious tone. ''What does the 42nd district look like to you?The cakes that your store is selling are spreading at a tremendous rate. ''I don''t see it. Pompeo replied in a relaxed, confident tone. ''My store doesn''t sell ''cake''. I offer ''an elegant moment, eating a cake with elegance. The luxury of my store is not something you can try to imitate, and customers know that, which is why they patronize my store. It''s not as if the service is inadequate for ....... But the sign that says "the place where the aristocracy gathers" is huge. The very act of going to a luxury restaurant becomes a status. As Pompeo said, it''s not easy to imitate. ''I don''t care what kind of cake you make. I''ll just keep serving my cakes. That''s quite a graceful statement. I guess it''s people with this kind of thinking that make them stand out from the crowd. An unshakable belief is valuable by itself. People''s beliefs can be easily shaken by a little anxiety. ''In the first place, it would have been impossible for me to go all the way to the Forty-two Wards myself without Umaro-sama''s invitation. For me, the 42nd district is such a place. Pomp??o says this as if it were a matter of course, without hesitation or hesitation. ''I see. Thank you. Estella turns on her heel. Then she leans in close to me and whispers in my ear. ''You''re looking down on me. The words that she whispered to me were not angry or sneering, but just joking with a wry smile, ''You''re in trouble. That''s the ''norm'' in this town. The lower class wards are looked down upon unconditionally. Maybe Pompeo''s right, maybe they''re not even looked at. ''So there''s no way that Pompeo was trying to destroy his rival''s store. ...... ''I don''t think so, not from the looks of it.'' She exchanged a glance with Estella. She was not seriously doubting Pompeo, but she was trying to eliminate the possibilities one by one. It''s just that the most suspicious, given the circumstantial evidence, was a cake shop ...... in another district, namely Luxury. ''Hey, Yashiro. Do you believe that unsavory man? Paula comes in with anger in her shoulders. Then she leans in close, just like Estella did earlier. I wonder if she has some kind of rivalry with Estella. ''I don''t trust you at all. In the whispered words, a hint of dissatisfaction could be seen. Well, I suppose it can''t be helped. For Paula, Cantalcica is her whole life. He has always given his all in cooking, management, and service. He can''t stand the fact that they are tarnishing it. Anybody would lose their temper if something important to them was defiled. To use a simple metaphor, it''s like when you see your colleague''s charlatan messing around with an innocent, quiet girl who is soothing to look at. It makes me want to kill him. If someone tries to make me laugh with some mild s*xual harassment, I''d have to kill them socially by any means necessary. So, Paula''s anger is understandable. However, the trouble is that ...... Paula''s anger has shifted from the muscles of the bug riot to the mastermind behind it, and now to the "vaguely suspicious" Pompeo. If that guess is true, there''s no problem. ...... ''He had a bad attitude when I taught him how to make cakes, didn''t he? When he taught Luxury how to make cakes to promote sugar, Paula was there, but she didn''t like Pompeo from then on. ''Why don''t we just go in there and make it impossible for Luxury to do business?Then they won''t be our rival and they won''t harass us like this anymore. Snorting, Paula said something outrageous. She is convinced that Pompeo is the culprit. She seems to be too displeased to make a clear judgment. I''m going to have to correct him. ''If we do that, we''ll be the bad guys. ''But they say an eye for an eye: ......! ''Can I have a word with you, Paula? Estella held up her hand to stop Paula, who was about to make her own argument. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ''But ............ you''re so suspicious?I''m not sure what to make of that. In Paula''s mind, Pompeo is a complete bad guy. Poor guy. ''Aside from his eyes ......, you can''t use the Judgment of the Spirits on just anyone because they''re suspicious, can you? ''Well, ...... yes, but ............, well, yes, yes.'' I''m not sure if Estella got her point across or not, but Paula stepped aside quietly, somewhat frustrated. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more than just one. If he turns into a frog, the murderer is Pompeo, and if he doesn''t turn into a frog, Pompeo is innocent. However, "Judgment of the Spirits" is not something that should be used carelessly. The same is true if it is used as a threat. The Judgment of the Spirits is a weapon that can take away an opponent''s life in an instant, like a handgun. Even if you are dealing with a suspect who is 99% suspicious, you should not pull a gun on him or her lightly. Think about it. If your friends and neighbors get the impression that you are a dangerous person who pulls a gun on them whenever something happens, ...... you will not be able to live a normal life. If you are in a business like a restaurant, it is even worse. I understand how Paula feels. If the most suspicious person is someone you don''t like,...... everyone will assume that it''s him. And you''ll want to take immediate action. That''s why we have to be cautious. This is why we must be cautious, and deal with the situation in an orderly fashion. Judgment of the Spirits is a trump card. A trump card is effective only if it is played last. If it is flashed from the very beginning, you will be caught off guard at the critical moment. In addition, what happens if the trump card you play ends up being a failure? ...... The difference between the "Judgment of the Spirits" and a gun is that it can be evaded if the opponent is not lying. And if it is evaded, it means that the opponent''s innocence has been proven. Of course, there is the possibility that he may have been wrong in his words. The "Judgment of the Spirits" is a system with unexpected holes. But even so, how many people can use the "Judgment of the Spirits" once it has ended in failure twice or three times? If you think about ...... if it is evaded again, there will be very few people who can do it. Judgment of the Spirits should not be abused. If the attack is too strong, you will end up choking yourself. Therefore, it is best not to use Judgment of the Spirits carelessly. In the first place, they have rarely used Judgment of the Spirits so far. They are afraid of its power, its efficacy, and the consequences it can bring. And it is because of this fear that this city is still running peacefully and safely. There is no way that a world in which even ordinary citizens shoot guns at random can maintain a sane state. However, I can''t deny the feeling that my resistance to the Judgment of the Spirits has diminished, if only slightly, because I have used its power several times. If that''s the case, then I have to make it clear to him. Too strong a weapon can kill you. Those who don''t know that are drowning in power. ''For now, ......, Paula.'' ''What?'' ''I''ll take care of it.'' ''............ Yeah. I will.'' I smiled, and a little of the venom drained from Paula''s face. She must have sensed our thoughts even though she didn''t say anything. ''I have a feeling that Yashiro will take care of it, and I shouldn''t get in the way. No, I don''t want to get my hopes up too high. ''Well, I''ll at least try to keep the crazy ones from wandering around here. That''s why I need to find out what''s behind him. ''So, is my suspicion confirmed? ''Well, it looks like he''s not black. ''Of course not. Even if I didn''t have to do such a foolish thing, there''s no way my restaurant would lose to a diner like this one that only has an outstandingly wonderful interior atmosphere. He only praised the Umaro part. ...... ''So, are we done here? ''Yeah. I''m sorry to bother you. Shall we leave?'' ''No, let me have a good look around the store! ...... How much do you love Umaro''s? ............ ''But first, Mr Pompeo. Would you like to try one of our new products?'' Ginette walks up to Pompeo, holding the ''new product'' that she prepared this morning. ''New product?What is it? ''It''s a fruit tart. The sweetness of the custard and the refreshing sourness of the fruit combine to make it very delicious. ''''Hmm. This kind of cake imitation is .......'''' Hey, come on!Don''t say such a thing. A tart is a deep and sublime cake. ''Well, you might as well try a bite. ........................ ...... Yum! As soon as I put a piece of the tart in my mouth, Pompeo''s eyes widened and he darted in front of me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... scary scary scary! ''Do you want me to teach you how to make this? ''......You...............'' I thought you didn''t care what kind of cake we served, you were going to serve your own cake. ...... ''I''m sorry ...... Oh, well. It''s a great success. As I began to think about kicking Pompeo out of the way, Assunto arrived at the sunlit pavilion. --Bringing good news. ''I''ve found him. The iguana man. ''Are you sure?'' ''Yeah. Mr. Yashiro''s sketch is amazing. It was said to be a true likeness.'' Assunto says admiringly as he flips through the sketch I''ve given him of the stupid reptile. Assunto had been asking me about the stupid reptile while I was working. I avoided the muscles in the worm case because they were cautious and seemed to be trying to hide their identities. I''m sorry if I did Assunto a disservice by prying into his affairs. But I''m sure the stupid reptile will be fine. He''s such a careless man. I''m sure he''s been similarly careless elsewhere. Sure enough, he sprouted a tail right away. ''His name is Otmar. He''s a member of the ragtag guild that has forty districts as its stronghold. ''A ragtag guild?Is there such a thing? ''Oh, no, no. There isn''t. Not officially. ''Officially, you mean ...... an unofficial organization. ''It''s an unofficial guild formed by a bunch of halfwits who can''t belong to any guild. But ...... sadly, they don''t seem to be in need of work. I don''t have a problem with work. In other words, there is no end to the number of people who will pay such a ragtag group to do their work for them. The kind of work you would ask a ragdoll to do is ...... ''So their main job is to harass people like this? ''Yes. They don''t have the guts. They can''t do responsible work like guarding the city or being a bouncer. They can only use their vaunted strength to bully the weak, that''s how they are. But there''s no shortage of people bringing in requests, right? This town must be rotten behind the scenes. ''But that''s strange.'' Estella clenched her jaw and stared into the air. She seems to be trying to remember something. ''I think it was that incompetent reptile, ...... excuse me, Otmar?I believe he said that he was walking down the street when he was suddenly approached by a stranger? ''Oh, that''s right.'' Hearing Estella''s words, I noticed something strange too. ''If you form a guild, don''t requests come from the top? ''Because they can''t follow those rules, they''re outcasts. In other words, they''re just doing what they want. ''They just kind of flock to the same places and do the same things to get money. Occasionally, they are given a job by someone with power and act as a group. That''s the extent of their connections. ''You don''t seem to have much of a connection, vertically or horizontally.'' Estella shrugs. If the stupid reptile Ottmar had done something scandalous, it would be impossible to hold the representative of the ragtag guild accountable. In a way, they are the perfect people to do bad things. ''A lizard''s tail cutter. ''Oh, that ...... iguana''s tail can be a big problem if you cut it off. Ginette says, raising her hand. Yeah, that''s not what I''m talking about, you know. So, I''m sorry,......, but could you please shut up for a second? The bottom line is that it''s getting harder and harder to hang Otmar''s scandals and get him to tell his clients. If the request was made without going through the guild, no one but Otmar would know who the client was. And even that Otmar describes the client as ''a stranger''. ''This is going to be troublesome, isn''t it? ''Yes, it is. It might not be possible to talk to the client and make him stop .......'''' Estella and I look at each other. This one. I don''t know how we''re going to end this. ...... As a condition of victory, the restaurants and residents of the 42nd district will no longer be subjected to the unjust harassment of the ragtag guild. If you can''t identify the source of the problem, you''ll have to guard the entire city. ...... ''We''re sending a lot of vigilantes to work on the city gates. ...... Security inside the city is stretched thin right now. The installation of the city gates can be said to be the destruction of the outer wall. In District 42, where the outer wall faces the forest where many hexenbiests live, it is essential to dispatch a large number of vigilantes. If anything should happen, the city will be destroyed in no time at all. ''Do you want me to help you?I''m sure Magda and Norma would be quite useful. Delia said to me. It''s true that the three of them would be able to defeat most hexenbiests. ...... The three of them will be able to defeat most of the hexenbiests and the ragtag guild. You can''t just throw the three of them in and solve the problem at once. It''s a very difficult opponent. ''Well, what happened to Magda today?I can''t see him. ''Magda-san is on a hunting trip today. ''Is he hunting or something? ''That''s Magda''s main business. Ginette is answering Delia''s question politely. Once the city gates are completed, Magda''s workload will be greatly reduced. That''s why we don''t want to delay the work by sending the vigilantes to do other jobs. ''Hey. That ragtag guild is doing a lot of bad things, can''t we just go in and destroy them? To Paula, who seems to have a strong sense of justice, this seems like the right thing to do. Evil must be destroyed,....... ''It''s going to be a war, then. Estella said with a wry smile. ''It''s not just the forty wards that have ruffians. They''re in almost every ward. ''But this time we''re dealing with ruffians from District 40, right? ''No, it doesn''t stop there.'' Estella explained the danger in a way that Paula could understand. The connections between the ruffians are indeed tenuous, and even if one of them messes up and gets caught by some vigilante, they will continue to pretend that they don''t know. I had nothing to do with it. However, if the vigilantes start to destroy the ragtag group, ...... they will probably unite and start attacking the vigilantes and the lord who took action. If they do, they will unite the racketeers, who have only tenuous ties, and create a large force. After all, for the ragdolls, tomorrow is their own fate. They will be desperate to resist. ''And once a force is born, it is difficult for it to go unnoticed. It''s best not to provoke them. ''...... Yes, I know. It''s frustrating, but it''s the only way. We don''t have the power to wipe out the corruption in this city. The best we can do is to defend our own city. ''For now, let''s go to District 40 to gather information. ''Right. If Ottmar received a request in the 40th district, there is a possibility that the client is also in the 40th district,....... Well, it''s not out of the question. If he wanted to hide his identity, he might ask a ragtag group of people from other districts to do the job. ...... It''s hard to say. ''Pompeo''. ''Mogumogu............ something?'' ''Don''t eat that, you tart. ...... ''You came here in a carriage, didn''t you?Can you give me a lift?'' ''You, .............'' ''I''ll show you the tart.'' ''I''ll show you the tart.'' ''You can take me back and forth as many times as you like.'' No, not that much. ...... Oh, yeah, sure. Then I''ll let you go back and forth as many times as you like. Feel free to use Pompeo''s carriage when you go to the 40th district in the future. Mm-hmm. I got your word. Don''t say no. ''But my carriage is small. It can only hold two more.'' ''Is it small? ''I''m not a nobleman. ''Well, it''s quite a feat to have your own carriage. ''Well ...... there''s no space ............''. I look around at the members of the group and choose one to ride with me. ''Then you''re the only one who can do it, right? He pats Estella on the shoulder and turns his gaze to her chest. ''It saves space. ''...... I don''t think that space is relevant, do you?'' Estella clenches her fists tightly. I''m just kidding. Hahahaha. I can''t say ...... out loud. Because you''ll be turned into a frog. That''s why Estella and I decided to go to the 40th district. Well, I guess we won''t get much out of it. 124-malice directed at episode 107 In a narrow carriage, Estella and I arrived at the 40th district. ...... It''s really small. It''s a far cry from the carriages of Demilly, the lord of the Fortieth Ward. My ass hurts. Well, as you can imagine, I wouldn''t complain in front of him after he gave me a ride. It''s so small. d*mn it.'' ''...... Can you please stop sitting next to him and complaining in front of him? The owner of the small carriage twitches his face next to mine. It reminds me of the crowded trains in Japan, where you can touch each other''s arms just by sitting normally like this, and it makes me uncomfortable. Incidentally, Estella is sitting in a single seat across from me. Because the stairs to get into the carriage are stored inside the carriage, only three people can ride in the carriage. Why didn''t Pompeo sit over there? It would have been so much more pleasant to touch Estella''s skin. But the seat Estella is sitting in is the lower seat. It''s facing the opposite direction and close to the door. Well, I don''t know about that. ...... ''But it''s uncomfortable! ''Then you should have sat on the other side! ''Huh?Why are you trying to touch Estella?Pervert!Pervert!You''re a nipple freak! ''You''re being disrespectful!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this, but I''m sure you''ve seen it. ...... Oh, he''s right. ............ Wow. ...... ''......Can you guys please stop talking about my breasts? Estella''s eyes glaze over as she pulls a knife from her pocket. It''s not good. I can''t dodge in this small space. Yeah. Let''s be quiet. After that, we quietly rode in the carriage, were dropped off near the sugar factory, and parted ways with Pompeo. ''Aaah!It was so cramped! ''Shut up! I shouted to the carriage as it drove away, and was rebuffed by Pompeo, who peeked out of the window. Huh, hell ears. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. Good friends?No way. It is my belief that you will never be able to share your life with a milkless man. ''But it''s a bit of a pain in the butt. ''Well, ......, that''s not an option.'' ''...... Why are you trying to pet me?'' ''I''m just trying to be nice.'' ''......I''m going to stab you, aren''t I?'' Not at all. If you can''t accept the kindness of others, you''re ...... too narrow-minded to accept it. It''s not like it''s going to ...... decrease, cheapskate! I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to say. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. When I turned around, I saw Percy, a raccoon-human with perfect makeup around his eyes. ''Hey, eye makeup. ''Did you come all this way to sell a fight, you ......?'' Percy''s face scrunched up in a big way. What the hell. I''ve come to see you, so you should be more sociable. This is why young people nowadays are so ...... I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s a pervert who gets s*xually aroused by the twitching faces of others.I''m not sure how many times I can make someone twitch. I''ve been labeled something terrible. You''re just twitching on your own. I''m just stating the facts honestly. ''So, what do you want?Do you suddenly need some sugar?'' ''No, I just wanted to ask you something. ''I can''t give you my sister''s private information. ''You''re the only one who wants to know that. ''And you can''t tell me about Mr. Nefari! ''You''re the only one who wants to know that too!I mean, do you have that much information on Neffely? How much of a stalker is this guy? ''Then what is it? ''Have you seen anything unusual lately? ''Well, Nepheli-san was on ...... the other day.'' ''I said I don''t want any information about Nephrite! He''s taking his job seriously, isn''t he? ''Have you seen any suspicious people around this factory, or had anything strange happen?Oh, and exclude anything related to Yashiro. ''Estella ...... that annotation, do you want it? ''You''re making people sound like the source of all this craziness. ...... ''Well, nothing much happened, huh? ''Not even a problem?'' ''Oh, no. It''s been pretty normal. It''s business as usual. ''I see. ......'' Estella crosses her arms and gives me a serious look. She thought about it carefully and then said to me. ''I guess we''d better talk to the factory manager. ''Me, the manager!You''re a pretty tough guy too, aren''t you, red-haired girl? Estella''s words made Percy''s face twitch. Estella. ...... Are you some kind of pervert who gets s*xually aroused by people''s twitching faces? But Estella does have a point. ''Okay, let''s go see Molly. ''Percy. I''m sorry to bother you. ''Hey, hey!Don''t ignore me!I''m in charge here!I''m the one in charge!Hey!Listen to me! We left the noisy Percy behind and walked into the factory. What kind of person would come back from the outside when the factory is in operation? Most likely he went back to District 42 to stalk us. He smells like chicken. I''m sure of it. Oh, sorry. Could you please stay away from pre-criminals? ''Who''s a precriminal, man? I wonder why Percy''s following me. That''s why he''s so caring. ...... ''Hey, you got a visitor? ''Hey, Molly. You''re in my way.'' ''Welcome, Yashiro. And Estella-san.'' Since the reopening of the sugar factory, I''ve had the chance to meet Molly several times. The smart Molly is well aware of us and has been friendly to us, saying that we owe her for the sugar factory. She''s really a lovely girl. When I was thinking that she had no particular animal features except for the triangular ears on her head, I noticed that she had paw pads on her palms. It''s so soft and pliable that it''s a bit addictive. ''Are you pawing me again today? ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. That''s s*xual harassment. He warned me in a cute way. I think this little bit of tallness is Molly''s greatest charm. ''Hey, you!Can you please stop saying weird things to my sister? I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. ''Don''t you dare say anything funny about me either! He''s got a lot of orders. ''Hey, you were at .............'' ''That''s terrible, Molly! ''Haha, you''re the man in charge.'' ''Shut up, you! The sugar factory''s all Molly''s now. That''s good. Now you can go to the poultry farm and adopt a son-in-law without any worries. ''So, Molly. Can I ask you something?'' ''Yes, what is it? ''Has anything strange or troubling happened to you lately? Molly tilted her head and thought about Estella''s question. ''............ brother, can you work for me? ''Yeah, that''s not what I meant. ......'' It wouldn''t be the first time. ''Also, you smell like chicken. ''Oh, hey, Molly!...... Don''t say anything that could be misinterpreted. I''m not doing anything lewd like that. There''s no such thing as a misunderstanding. It''s most likely because you''ve been hiding behind the chicken coop. ''But, well, ...... maybe you''ll get used to the scent sooner or later, ...... that is, if you get a girlfriend or something!I''m sorry.I''m so embarrassed! You''re aware of this, your brother. ''I''m sorry I''m such an embarrassing brother. Ignore the embarrassed Percy and get to the point. ''Are you a suspicious person? ''Yes, I am. Have you seen them?Except for Yashiro and Percy.'' ''So, come on, Estella. Do you need that note? My plea was brushed off. This guy, when did he learn such advanced through-skills ...... ''I can''t think of anything in particular. Currently, the factory is operating without problems, materials are in stable supply, products are sold at reasonable prices, and there is no ...... interference from anyone. No problem at all, huh. Estella and I look at each other. Estella seems to be thinking the same thing as I am. ...... I need more information. ''Do you want to visit the anteater brothers? I asked Estella, and Molly interrupted me with a small hand up. ''Oh, that''s ...... after this.'' At that exact moment, there was a visitor at the factory. ''Hey, guys!It''s a beautiful day!I''m feeling very well! ''Me too!I had a really good apple pie yesterday.'' Neck and Tic. They''re the anteater brothers of a farmer who produces sugar radishes. ''Oh no!Look at this, Neck! ''Wow!I just saw something amazing too, Tic! ''Isn''t that the ...... ladybug over there, assuming my eyes and memory aren''t ...... going crazy? ''Oh!That''s exactly what I was thinking right now. Apparently, you and I are both quite normal. I was a little worried because I''ve been working so hard for the past few days, but it seems that the apple pie I''ve been eating every morning has been keeping us in a normal state. ''Oh, you''re absolutely right. Apple pie is really a wonderful food. By the way, did you know?There are two kinds of apple pie. ''What?Two kinds?What do you mean by that? ''Apart from the apple pie we often eat, there''s a new kind of apple pie in District 42. ''Wow, that''s interesting. I''d love to try it. ''Then I know just the person for you. ''Oh, come on, that''s not very nice. How could you keep such hot information from me until now?You''re too bad for him, Tic. ''Don''t be so mad at me, Neck. I''m sorry. I was out of my mind at the time. I should''ve told you right away. You''re absolutely right. ''No, that''s enough. Anyway, who is this person, anyway? ''That''s the ladybug over there at ......! ''Whoa!How are you doing, ladybug? ''It''s too long! What are you two lazily chatting about? ''''Ladybug-san. Please let me have a new apple pie. Please.'''' ''''Are you guys still eating apple cutlets? ......'''' ''''The apple pie they''re talking about is just whole apples dipped in batter and deep fried, it''s not very tasty. ''Shouldn''t you have taught Pompeo to make apple pie before tarting? ''No, no. They''ll never go for luxury anyway. No matter how much money they make, they''re not going to stop living in poverty. The number of farmers producing sugar radishes in the forty and forty-two districts is increasing exponentially. Many farmers are flocking to this new foodstuff with the promise of profit. The anteater brothers are at the center of the sugar radish concession. The anteater brothers have a monopoly on the seeds and know-how of how to grow high quality sugar radish. ......, but... They are either sycophantic or else they are downright stupid, and they have tried to spread their concessions to others. If Demilly, the lord of the 40th district, hadn''t been careful and stopped the spread of the rights, the price of sugar radish would have plummeted and the market would have been destroyed by now. If profits do not increase, the number of farmers who produce sugar radishes will decrease and the yield will fall. It is necessary, to a certain extent, to have a system in which profits are concentrated in certain areas. So, the anteater brothers, who must have made a lot of money by collecting profits, ...... are still living in a ramshackle house that looks like it will blow up in the face of the wind, and they don''t seem to be living a life of luxury. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this. ...... for Magda. ''Nappo-Pai! ''Nappo-pai! ''All right!I''ll feed you next time!'''' ''''Yay!My treat!'''' ''''Pay up, you rich brothers! What a mess. I''d like to ask the world if it''s okay to have two crazy people like this as the head of sugar radish. ''Hey, guys. Can I ask you a question? ''Oh, sure. Fortunately, we''re in a very good mood. ''Ask me one or two questions. Oh, but no more than three, okay?Otherwise, we won''t have time to eat apple pie.'' ''Hey, Chick!Nice joke! ''Thanks, Neck! ''Can I ask you a question, ......?'' Estella is already looking tired. You''re gonna need more endurance if you''re gonna mess with them. Patience, patience. ''Have you seen any strange people lately?Except for Yashiro and Percy and you.'' You''ve finally included the person I''m asking in your exclusion list. ''I''ve seen a lot of strange people, but probably not the kind of people you''re asking about. ''No, I haven''t. Not unique people, but suspicious people, I suppose. ''By the way, I heard that there are stalkers in the 42nd district these days. That''s a big deal, isn''t it? ''Oh, that''s because it''s about your ''benefactor''. I wonder how much the stalker rumor is spreading. Don''t scare Nephrite too much, Percy. ''That would be ......''. Estella''s eyes stare at me. Yes, I''m sure she is. After all, she''s after the cake from District 42. From the testimony of Otmar, the idiot reptile, I expected the target to be a cake, but I couldn''t deny the possibility that the target was a ''sugar cake''. If the aristocrats were involved, the anteater brothers and Percy''s factory, which produced the "poor man''s sugar," would have been damaged. However, this was not the case. This suggests that the target is purely the cakes of District 42. This should completely eliminate the nobleman as a suspect. ''It looks like there''s no more information we can get from the Forty District. ''That''s right. We can''t go to a racketeer''s hangout to gather information. It would be quicker if we could get an eyewitness account of the person who asked Ottmar to do the job, but ...... I don''t think the ruffians will cooperate. It''s a matter that could come back to haunt them. If we''re not careful, we''ll be surrounded and beaten to a pulp. ''Well, let''s go to Luxury and ask them to send a carriage. ''...... Are you going to give me a ride home? ''Of course. I don''t care how many trips you have to make.'' The recipe for the tart was agreed upon after the whole mess was cleared up. Then we''ll have to take what we can get. I said goodbye to Percy and the others and headed for luxury. The sewage system in the 40th district had been cleaned, and the roads had been leveled as well as the soil that had been dug up. The bumpy roads that used to be so difficult to walk on are no longer there. ''This has become a nice town,'' he said. ''There''s still room for improvement, though. ''Haha. I think Yashiro might be a good ruler. ''Please don''t. I don''t want to be in a position where I''m forced to be responsible for everything. ''If that''s what you think, then you''d better reduce the burden on me. You''re always asking me to do the impossible. ......'' ''What are you talking about? Isn''t it a lord''s job to be forced to do things he can''t do? ''............ Well, that''s true, but...'' I''m not sure what to say. My acting lord seems to be very tired. ''If it''s so hard for you, why don''t you just throw it to someone else? ''Who''s going to take over for me? ...... That''s not ............! ''Hmm?What is it? Estella stopped suddenly . She rolls her eyes and stares at me. ''...... What the hell? ''............ Nah, it''s nothing. Forget it.'' She mumbles and stalks past me. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. ...... What the hell? If the work is too hard, just tell someone else to do it. ............? Estella is the daughter of a lord, and the only people who can do the job are her parents, who are also lords. But her parents are sick and can''t do it. The only other person you can entrust your work to is your ...... future son-in-law. I''m not sure. .................. So why did you look at my face, turn red, and then walk away as if you were running away...? ... ''......, I don''t get it.'' I''m not sure why, but my voice was also slightly upset as I muttered that. ...... d*mn it. I don''t get it. ...... d*mn. Without saying a word, I walked as fast as if I were in a walking race and arrived at the luxury store. There was a line of elegant ladies in front of the store. It was as popular as ever. ''Oh, ......''. ''Over there: ......'' When we got to the side of the store, some of the ladies in the line looked at us. ...... None of them were friendly. ''...... What the hell. You can look at a person''s face and whisper ...... badly.'' When I look at you, you look away. What the hell is ...... this? ''Yashiro, let''s just go around the back.'' ''Yeah, right. We''ll talk to Pompeo and get him to lend us a carriage for a quick ride. I was about to go around to the back of the store when ...... ''Are you here for reconnaissance? ''I''m here to steal the secret of the cake. I heard those words. What the hell are these people talking about? Why do I have to steal Pompeo''s technology? In the first place, the cake here is made by me ...... ''Onii-chan! That''s when I heard a voice calling me in the distance. That voice was Loretta. I looked over and saw Loretta running towards me at great speed. Her brothers and sisters are all so fast that it makes me sick. ''What''s the matter, Loretta? When Loretta came right in front of me, she put her hands on her knees and moved her shoulders up and down violently to catch her breath. The ...... sunlit pavilion is? I''m not sure what to make of it.The manager is in trouble! Magda''s out hunting today and she''s not home. So Ginette is the only one in the sunlit pavilion now. ...... ''Estella! ''All right!I''ll go and negotiate with Mr. Pompeo to make arrangements for you as soon as possible! Estella runs off in a panic. While Estella was waiting for her to return, I tried to ask Loretta for more information. ...... ''Oh my God, I heard something happened to you. ''Oh, really. That''s terrible. ''This is not the time to be here, is it? I''m not saying all of them are there. But there are definitely a few people who are directing their malice towards us. ''...... big brother............ what is this?It''s kind of scary. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. The malice directed at me. But I don''t know exactly what it is. ...... That''s not good. Oh yeah, ...... I totally forgot about that possibility. ''Yashiro!I''ve got a carriage for you!'' He took Estella, who had returned, and quickly left. The carriage will be stopping some distance away. ''Yashiro, what''s wrong? ''Big brother, your face scares me. ''''......, we may not be able to catch the culprit this time.'''' ''''Huh?'''' I tell Estella and Loretta, who are both rolling their eyes, the name of the troublesome enemy. Perhaps, the enemy this time is ...... ''It''s a collection of unconscious malice. ''''Unconscious'''' ......?What do you mean? ''It means ...... ''envy''. ''It''s cheeky of the 42nd district to sell the same cake as Luxury! Such motives were far from profit and loss. It''s a much simpler, and therefore much worse, emotion than Paula''s repulsion. If that''s the cause, we''ll never find out who did it. There is no connection between us. The other side got to know us on their own, took it upon themselves to antagonize us, and attacked ...... us directly. The suspect is a person who looks down on the lowest class of the 42nd district, including the luxury regulars. The only action we can take is to ...... fight back. The big breakthrough of the 42nd district has been noticed ...... and seems to have caught the nose. 125-Attack to protect episode 108. When he returned to the sunlit pavilion, he found a strange space. ''Oh, Yashiro-san, ......! Jeannette spotted me and rushed over to me. ''How long has this situation ...... been going on?'' ''It''s ...... been almost an hour .......'' Inside the sunlit pavilion, a dozen or so stern, muscle-bound men stood around. They have huge swords hanging from their waists for all to see. All of them, with their huge bodies, were standing there without doing anything. In the middle of the room, there was a man with long hair sitting alone in a chair. He is staring at us with a grin on his face as we enter the restaurant. There were no other customers. At this time of day, a group of moms with their kids would usually be there to eat cake. ...... I''ve made a new cake, and this is ruining it. ''You''. Estella said briefly, walking over to the Longhorn, who was sitting in a chair by herself. ''What''s this all about?If you''re interfering with my business, I''ll take the appropriate action, okay? ''Business obstruction~?Huh?What are you talking about? He spoke in a way that struck a nerve. And then he stares at Estella with a smirk on his face like he''s about to throw up. She''s enjoying playing with people. ''I''m just taking my time because the lady there told me to take my time...'' When I looked at Jeannette, she looked annoyed and nodded her head. Ginette always says ''take your time''. I see. ...... So now you''ve come to me like this. ''Or what?You''re not supposed to take your time, but you said ''take your time''?Then, she''ll have to become a frog, right? The men filling the floor laughed in unison at Long-hair''s words. ''There''s a limit to what you can do, don''t you think? ''Sorry~, I don''t have any common sense~'' The men laugh again. Estella bites her lip in annoyance. You can''t reason with someone like this who doesn''t want to talk to you from the start. That''s the type of person Estella doesn''t like. All right, I''ll do some probing. ''I''m sorry, but this is a place for ''guests'' to relax. I look at the big guys standing there. ''It''s nothing more than a business obstruction for ''non-customers'' who haven''t even ordered to stay for a long time, isn''t it? Seemingly anticipating such a response, the long-haired man licked his tongue as if he had been waiting for it. ''I ordered a cup of tea, didn''t I? ''What about the men around you? ''They didn''t order anything. So they''re not sitting down, are they? ''So because they''re not sitting, they''re not ''staying''? ''Oh, yeah. We''re not disturbing you. We can leave as soon as another customer comes. You have an empty seat, right?You can sit down if you want. Isn''t that right? ''I''ll tell you what. You''re in my way.'' ''I''m not impressed with the way a waiter talks to a customer. ''You''re the one who said I''m not a customer, aren''t you? ''Yes, I did. But you''re a person who might become a customer in the future.Are you sure you want to treat them like that?Yeah, you''re in the customer service industry. I''m not sure what to say. It''s an implied threat, ''I''ll spread rumors and make a mess of things. ''It is an obstruction of business for a non-customer to stay in the store for a long time. It''s a theory even an idiot can understand, but you''re too stupid to understand it.'' ''Hey, hey. Don''t get carried away or I''ll kill you.'' ''Then we can get rid of them right away. You want to try it? I''m bluffing with a bluffer. He''s not gonna touch you. Or rather, you lose if you mess with him, like this. ''....... There''s a pretty tough guy here. The longhair distorts his face. But then he immediately grins and glares at me. Provocatively. ''All right. All the people here are my friends, and they came here to accompany me. ...... If the people accompanying me stay for a long time, they will complain, right?Of course. What is it?What are you going to do next? ''Hey''. ''Hey.'' Longo calls out, and one of the men standing behind Longo arrives at the table. Then, in a thick voice, he says to Jeannette. ''You have a visitor. Bring me the menu.'' ''What?Oh, yes! Jeannette returns to the counter and takes the menu. ''Tea. Give me the cheapest one.'' ''Yes, .......'' Ginette glances at me. ...... Well, we''ll just have to serve it. I nodded, and Jeannette went into the kitchen. ''Hahahaha!I''m sure you won''t say ''take your time''!d*mn it!Isn''t the service getting worse in this restaurant? The big men started laughing at the longhair''s words. ''So?What''s this about? Estella asks in an angry voice, her anger quietly building up. As if to strike a nerve, the longhair stares at Estella with a lecherous glare. ''My chaperone has just been replaced by your man''s chaperone. ''Huh! ''It''s not like it''s off-limits to non-guests, is it?I''m allowed to stay for a little while, right?How many minutes?How many seconds?I don''t care how long, you decide. After that time, you''re no longer with him. You''ll be with me instead.'' ''You can''t be serious ......! I stop Estella from raising her voice. I put my arm out in front of her and interrupt her. You don''t have to talk. These scumbags are my ...... prey. ''I understand you very well. ''Huh. So you agree that I''m right?'' ''Stay as long as you like. One year, ten years. Stay as long as you like. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha!That''d be great!'' The long-haired man belly-laughed and stood up, peering very closely at my face. His piercing eyes were right in front of me. ''Well, I''ll let you do that, ............ hehehehehe''. He laughed in an unpleasant voice, shook his shoulders triumphantly, and returned to his seat. She sits down and crosses her legs in a showy manner. ''Loretta. ''Yes, sir.'' I call Loretta and take her to a corner of the store. She sits down at a table at the end and takes out a pen and paper from her breast pocket. ''Take care of it for me. You''re a dumb girl, so write down what you need so you don''t forget.'' ''I''m not an idiot! I can feel the eyes of the longhairs and the big men gathering. But I ignored them and wrote down the ''necessary things'' on the paper. The time is ...... sixteen o''clock. ............ Just in time, I guess. ''If you don''t have enough manpower, you can ask your brothers and sisters to help you. ''Is there so much to buy? ''There''s not much to buy, but you''re an idiot.'' ''I''m not an idiot! I handed the note I''d written to Loretta. Loretta''s eyes sparkled as she skimmed through the contents. ''All right!I''ll take care of it! Slapping her chest, Loretta goes to Estella. ''Come on, Estella. You''re coming out with me! ''What?Me too? ''Yeah, go ahead, go ahead. I''m sure you''re just annoyed to be here. ''But, Yashiro, ......? ''Just go. Go help ...... Loretta.'' ''..................'' Estella stares at me. Then he lifted the corners of his mouth in a wry smile. ''I can''t help it. I''ll help you. ''Well, I''m off! ''Oh, are you going out? Ginette returns with tea and asks Estella and Loretta as they leave. ''Yes, sir! ''It''s just a little errand. ''Well, take care.'' Ginette bows and sees Estella and Loretta off. Ginette then placed the tea on the table of the large man who had declared himself her guest. ''Hey, what are you up to? The longhair glares at me. ''No, nothing. We''ve got two unusual guests who may be staying for a long time. I have a lot to do.'' ''Hmm, ......, I don''t like this guy.'' ''Well, thank you. Oh, yeah. About what you were saying earlier. Seventeen minutes.'' ''Huh?'' He must be dumb. Hearing the specific number seventeen, the longhair frowns. ''Didn''t you just say that?Tell me what''s an acceptable length of stay for a companion. I can decide, can''t I?Then every seventeen minutes. And every seventeen minutes, it''s gonna be one of you or the other. Violate that, you''re out. ''You''re ...... still up to something, ......! ''Don''t worry. It''s just for today. I say in a calm voice, trying to calm the long hair that''s starting to stand up. It''s just for today. ...... I don''t even know what''s okay with that, but when someone says it''s okay, you kind of get the feeling it''s okay. Look at it. The long-haired man also sat back in his chair. He''s got a look on his face like, ''Well, it''s okay. He looks uncomfortable. ''Hey, Jeannette. You see that hourglass I made that tells the fine time?'' ''Yes. The one with the lines in it, right?'' ''Yeah, that''s the one. Bring it to him. I''m sure it''ll be useful.'' ''Yes, sir. There''s an hourglass I made because I started making cakes and I thought it would be better to know the exact time. It''s just a simple thing with lines drawn on it for every minute, but it''s useful for baking cakes. ''I''ll leave it on the counter, then. With that, Ginette places a large hourglass on the counter. It is a large hourglass that can measure an entire hour. When Jeannette turns it over, the sand begins to fall. ''So, we''ll start now. ''So, what are you doing? Longhair glares at me, annoyed. ''If there is a clock, people will want to go home early. That''s why clocks are hidden from customers in many coffee shops. This is to make people feel more relaxed. In many amusement parks and game centers, clocks are placed only in limited places. It is necessary, but if you want people to relax without worrying about the time, you should take such a measure. I''ll do the opposite. Go home early, you idiot. That''s the signal. ''Well, Jeannette. Get me some food. I got nothing to eat over there, and I''m starving.'' ''Yes, sir. Then what would you like to eat?'' ''Well, I''d like to try the ............ sunny-side up kaiseki. It''s the most expensive menu in this restaurant. It is a gorgeous looking dish with a lot of side dishes arranged in small portions using decorative cutouts. Naturally, it takes a long time to make. However, there will be no more customers today ...... for a while. That''s why I thought I''d take my time to have it made. ''It''s going to take a while, isn''t it? ''Don''t worry. I''ll make a flag for the children''s lunch. ''Then, please wait a moment. With a bow, Jeannette walked into the kitchen. That''s right. You should just forget about this troublesome thug and cook your favorite food to your heart''s content. ''Hey, hey. Why don''t you just leave the customers alone? ''What is it?An addition?'' ''Are you kidding me? ''Well, take your time, sir.'' He knocks on the longhair table, and I walk past him. Bring me the materials to make the flag. Naturally, I''ll be working in the cafeteria. I''m not letting these dangerous people out of my sight. I get the materials and start making the flag. A heavy silence falls over the cafeteria. On the way, the church bell rings. It''s the end of the day, which means it''s 16:00. The men''s eyes, which until then had been focused on the hourglass, were scattered by the sound of the bell. It seemed to have broken their concentration to a good degree. ''Yashiro-san. Sorry to keep you waiting. ''Oh, thank you. Not long after that, my meal was brought to me. It took about thirty minutes from the time I ordered. It''s gotten a lot faster. Oh, you''re more enthusiastic than usual. Perhaps Ginette was feeling a certain amount of stress. She smiles with a smile on her face as she holds a dish that she is very proud of. ''Wow, that looks delicious~'' ''Keh!I''m not going to let you ...... see this, you''re annoying! Hmm. It''s a dish you can''t get your hands on because you''d rather waste your time with a cup of cheap tea. You must be jealous. You can order it if you want.If you can afford it. ''You want some? ''Oh, you''re giving it to me? ''No, I''ll take your money. ''What the hell is that? ''People call this ''business''. ''Don''t say something you don''t understand! You don''t know what you''re talking about? ...... I see. ...... You have a sorry head. ''Then, let''s eat. When I opened my mouth and started to eat, the ruffians all looked at me. But it was a bad choice. I don''t know what you want to do by gathering such an unbearable group of people. This is the kind of work that should be done by people with patience. ...... Well, I doubt very much that harassing a restaurant can be called work. Harassment is a race against time. No matter what the restaurant says to you, you must stand tall, ignore it, not hear it, not see it, not speak it, and not move away. If you can''t do that, this is not the place for you. I ate my meal slowly for about forty-five minutes under the gaze of the ruffians staring at me. I left my seat once in the middle of the meal to turn over the hourglass, but after that I spent a graceful time in a corner seat. ''Mr. Yashiro. Would you like some dessert after dinner?'' ''Oh, that sounds good. I think I''ll have a fruit tart.'' ''Then, I''ll go prepare it. ''Oh, but first, Ginette. ''Yes? I stop Ginette as she starts to return to the kitchen. He''s been standing by my side the whole time. He was probably uncomfortable in the presence of the ruffians, but he had nothing to do because there were no customers. The hours of idleness and inactivity were taking a toll on his strength and energy. Ginette must be very tired. ''Go rest for about thirty minutes before you eat my cake. You haven''t eaten, have you?'' ''But ......''. ''I''m fine. I''m full right now, and besides, I can handle customer service!I''m good at customer service. ''Soo...... that''s right. I''m looking forward to working with you. Ginette bowed and retreated to the kitchen. On the floor of the diner, there are about a dozen ragtag people and me. I can''t help it. I''ll just serve them. ''Sir~, do you have any itchy parts? ''Shut the f*ck up!You''re pissing me off, so shut up! He''s probably hungry. He''s very irritated. ''Hey, hey . Don''t be so crunchy. It''s not like the omake around the Imagawa-yaki. ...... Pfft! ''It''s not funny!Don''t laugh, you''re annoying! It''s not funny or too much! I was so frustrated that I just stared at him with lazy eyes. Then, he turned away with a scowl on his face. Isn''t that too much? Thirty minutes passed with him completely ignoring me. ''Yashiro-san. Fruit tart and iced tea. By the time Jeannette had finished her break and brought me the cake, it was starting to get dim outside the window. ''Oh, I was just getting hungry. I''m sorry to have come at such a good time. She flicked her tongue adorably out of the corner of her left mouth like a famous cake shop sign girl. The fruit tart isn''t really my mom''s taste, though. I can clearly see that my every word and action is irritating the ruffians. The inside of the restaurant was filled with a whirlpool of sludge and hatred. ''Mmm~, yummy~! You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. ...... He must have lost his temper. ...... He raised a tightly clenched fist and swung it down at the table beside him. I''m sure you''ll agree. Just before the big man''s fist and the table collided, I said a few words that stopped the big man''s movement. ''Also, everyone involved will be banned. He turns his head in a circular motion, like a broken doll, and looks at the big man as if to poke fun. With an audible grunt and a clench of his teeth, the big man took a step toward me. ''Stop! It was the voice of the longhair that stopped him. The big man glared at the longhair with a disgruntled look. However, Longo muttered a word with a face more terrifying than that of the big man. ''Can''t you hear what I''m saying? Oh, ......, you''re in control. It''s domination by fear, though. I don''t know what the longhair is to these guys, but I guess the big guy can''t argue with the longhair. The big guy goes back to where he was and stares at me, his facial muscles twisted to the point of twitching. You look like you''re about to burst a blood vessel, that expression. --And then... ''Onii-chan! A hamster boy bursts into the store. ''Whoa! The hamster boy turned a blind eye to the strange scene in the store, and stiffened in an amusing way. ''This is ...... exactly ............ a big bag of muscles! It''s Hammaro. ''Oniichan......''. Hammaro stares at me. I nodded my head, and Hammaro gave me a ''good'' look. ''Sweaty, poisonous gas! ''What the hell, kid? ''YEAH! Hammaro said what he wanted to say and ran out of the restaurant. ...... That look was a ''can I tell you? ............ How much did you want to say in that last line? I''m not sure what to make of it. The Yashiro Theater at Dusk. I looked at the hourglass and saw that another thirteen minutes had passed. Soon, all the sand will be gone. ''Hey, you big guy over there. I call out to the big guy staring at me. ''It''s been almost two hours. ......'' I point to the hourglass with my chin and ask. ''Which one are you with now? ''............, huh? ''No, "Huh? No, not ''huh''. You change to one of them every seventeen minutes, right?'' The big man is understandably flustered. You can clearly see the panic in his anger-heated brain. ''No, .......'' ''Hmm?You''re not?If you''re not with either of us, then you''re a complete outsider, and I''m going to have to ask you to leave right now.'' The big man turns his gaze impatiently to the longhair. You want me to ask the longhair''s opinion? Fine. Do what you want. ''I''m pretty sure I was with the big guy first, right?Is that okay?'' Longhair looks at the hourglass. And frowns profusely. ...... Oh, so that''s it. A smile leaks out of his face. ''Alright. I''ll give you a hint.'' With that, I stand next to the hourglass. When the sand inside crosses the second line from the bottom, I open my mouth again. ''In exactly one minute, that''s two hours minus one minute ......, or one hundred and twenty minus one equals one hundred and nineteen minutes. The men and even the longhair showed their dismay at the string of numbers. It seems that their minds are quite confused. ''And the seventeenth part of one hundred and nineteen is seven. It''s a simple division, but ...... it seems to be difficult for these guys. The wrinkles on my face are growing by the minute. ''Therefore, this is the seventeenth time in seventeen minutes. When I emphasize the word ''seventeenth'', the longhair looks up. ''The first time was from you, so ......''. As he says this, he points to the big man. Then he points his finger at himself, ''once,'' and again at the big man, ''twice. The rest of the time he points at himself and the big man in turn, and the seventh time he stops is at himself - the longhair. ''What?It''s me!Hey, you guys are with me, right? ''Yeah, ...... yes!Yes, I am! Me too! ''Me too! One after another, the big guy says, ''I''m with the longhair. Meanwhile, the sand slips away and crosses the last line. Fifty-nine minutes. ''Me, too! ''Me too! There were only two people who said so at the fifty-nine minute mark. ''Oh, that''s too bad! I snapped my fingers involuntarily. ''d*mn!You stink!You stink, you guys! Longhair taunts the two who were late. The two being chastised slumped their shoulders and looked down. Oh, I see. So that''s the misunderstanding. No, no. It''s the other way around. Well, I''ll tell you the truth here. ''You''ve just started the seventeenth minute of the eighth degree.'' I say, emphasizing the ''eyes'' this time, to the longhair who looks at me with a triumphant look while breaking out in a cold sweat. And then, as if the longhair noticed something wrong, he frowned. ''The first seventeen minutes were with the big guy over there. ......'' I pointed to the big guy and said ''one'', then pointed to the longhair and said ''two''. I counted ''three, four, five, six, seven......'', pointing alternately as the longhair had done, and stopped my finger when I said ''eight''. ''For the eighth time, seventeen minutes from now, it''s against the rules unless you''re with me. I say to the person in the direction of my fingertip, the longhair, with a big smile on my face. ''So, all of you who said you were with the Longhorn in the previous turn, get out. I thought we were going to be wiped out, but there were two of us left. Too bad. ''What the ......? The long-haired man''s eyes widened, and a deep crease appeared between his brows. ''......, you set me up, didn''t you? ''What are you talking about?I was just clarifying a vague rule and announcing the start time. I even stated that the rule was for today only. It''s a rule only for you. ''If you could do simple math, you wouldn''t make any mistakes, and since you couldn''t even do that, I even gave you a hint. I even gave you a hint. It was Longyou himself who misunderstood it as ''seven changes'' and started counting from himself instead of from the big man. ''...... Hey, hey, hey, don''t stare at me with a scary face. I mock the longhair, who stares at me with evil eyes, and say. ''I''ve been playing by the rules you''ve set for yourselves.You should be thanking me.'' It was the longhairs who came up with this rule. I''m allowed to set the time, and if I exceed it, I''m out. ''Then let''s have those who stayed too long get the hell out of here. ''Hey, wait!They''re not with me after all!Think about it. ......'' I straighten my arms and point at the noses of the longhairs who are trying to make excuses. ''Hmm?What did you say? ''............ d*mn!It''s nothing! Words, the moment they are uttered and the moment they are written, carry a responsibility. There are times when the words you say walk on their own and are used in situations you never thought possible. But the responsibility is borne by the one who uttered them. It is not uncommon to be blamed endlessly for a gaffe made decades ago. That''s what you said to yourself just now. You''ve got to take responsibility. ''Now, if you''ll excuse me for interrupting your business, I''d like to leave. With a graceful wave of his arm, he leads his customer''s companion to the door. The longhair, who had been staring at my movements with her mouth shut, clicked her tongue and said to the big guys. ''.................. Hey.'' ''...... Hey.'' After a brief exchange, the men leave the cafeteria. As they did, they glared at me as hard as they could as I stood by the door. ''Hey, hey, what''s going on?You''re getting in my way, aren''t you? ''Not at all. It''s just too hot. A familiar voice is heard from the other side of the large men who are walking out of the store. ''If you''re not a customer, get the hell out of here! ''You''re so brazen, aren''t you? It was Delia and Norma who came in through the crowd of big men near the door. I''m glad you''re here. You''re invited, of course. ''I''m here, too. And Imelda came in a little later. She wanted to show off. ...... She should have come in with me, but she''s obsessed with small details, isn''t she? In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site. One on one. He looks into their faces and says in a clear voice. ''Get out of the way. ''You''re an eyesore. The big man, having been clearly confronted, tries to draw the sword hanging from his waist. But ...... ''''--! Delia holds the hilt of the sword. With that, the big man seems to be unable to pull the sword out. There was nothing he could do in front of Delia''s power. And before the big man could get a grip on the hilt, Norma had placed a smoking pipe right on the big man''s neck. I can see it at a glance. There was too much difference in their abilities. That''s why the big man can''t do anything against Delia and Norma, the two of them. ''Oh, no. You''re making a lot of noise. I''ll just have a nice cup of tea. Imelda said and walked over to the large man in the chair and stood up. ''Please step aside. I''m in the mood for a cup of tea here today. ''...... Ah! In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I''m not sure what to make of that. '''''''' It''s Imelda''s group from the Woodcutter''s Guild. ............ You''ve already been to the 42nd district? The man, as expected, could not keep his composure when surrounded by so many hot ...... and swarthy ...... and burly woodcutters, and began to sweat profusely from his forehead. ''I''ll tell you one last time. ''Stand down! ''...... is, yes ............''. At Imelda''s words, the big man stood up and gave up his seat. ''You''re gonna ...... do it! The long-haired man shouted and kicked over the desk. ''Hey!You guys!I don''t give a shit!Come on in, all of you!I don''t want to get mixed up in this!Let''s tear this place down and make it impossible to operate! The big man outside did not respond to ............ the voice of the longhair. ''Hey!What''s going on?Come on in!'' With that, countless large men came into the store. However, ...... ''...... Eh, who are you guys ......?'' It was not a bunch of ruffians. The long-haired man was confused and stunned by the large men coming in one after another. ''These guys are my business associates. ''These are the guys I love. They were the fishermen of the river fishing guild and the craftsmen who worked as sheet metal workers and blacksmiths in the hardware street. I''ve met them a few times myself, but ............ their faces are as scary as ever. ...... They make the ruffians look like moe characters. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s not only that these people are acquaintances of Delia and Norma, they are also acquaintances of mine. They change every seventeen minutes to be with one or the other, but don''t worry about it. Just tell me if I''m in your way. I''ll get rid of him. The longhair''s face twisted into a perceptible contortion. ''...... Huh, hmm. I see. I see what you mean.'' The longhair smiles, though he''s sweating cold. ''You''re right, it''s probably best to back off for now. But hey!This isn''t the end of it, okay?This store is going to be open for business tomorrow and the day after, right?How long can an all-out war like this last one go on? ''Total war?What are you talking about? ''Don''t quibble!I know you''ve gathered everyone in the 42nd district who has any skill at all!Most likely, the ordinary, featureless woman you gave the note to ran off on an errand! It was Loretta, apparently. ''But that''s too bad!We just weren''t prepared enough this time, and there''s plenty we can do about it! ''Oh. ......'' The long-haired man''s eyes were swimming with pride. ''Well, we can''t afford to be so cavalier now!In this situation, I''ll gather as many of my men as I can and surround this store with them ......! The stubborn longhair spat and bellowed. At that time-- ''''''Ryoshu-samaaaaaaaaaaaa!'''' Suddenly, a cheerful voice is heard from outside the cafeteria. It''s the voices of a bunch of kids. ''''What, what now? ''Hey, bro!We''re in trouble! One of the ruffians, who had been driven outside, comes running in, looking distraught. ''There''s a terrible army outside! ''An army? The longhair runs, pushes aside the ragtag group standing in front of the door, and rolls out. I follow him. Slowly. ''............, ............! The longhair, who had gone outside and looked in the direction of the church, stiffened with a shocked expression on his face, as did the other ruffians who had witnessed the scene earlier. He opened his mouth wide and gaped. The longhairs stare at ...... The shadows of fifty or so soldiers hovered over the dimly lit street as dusk approached. Their footsteps echoed as they marched from the city gate along the planned road. ''Hey, is that you, Lord Ryoshu? ''Roushi-sama! In front of the sunlit pavilion, a large number of children carrying small flags with the emblem of the lord were crowding in. They were shouting at the top of their voices, waving the flags with their tiny arms. ''Ryoshusama! ''Ryoshu-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Cheers that cut through the evening darkness fly toward the soldiers who are still marching far away. The glowing bricks placed at even intervals along the planned roadway make the majestic march of the soldiers even more dignified. From time to time, the blades of the spears glittered in the reflected light. ''What ............ is this place, ......? ''You want to interfere with the sale of cakes, don''t you?'' At the words thrown from behind, the longhair shakes his shoulders and looks back as if distraught. Ahead of her, Estella stood with a beautiful but cruel smile on her face, accompanied by vigilante soldiers. ''Cakes are now a major industry in the forty-two districts. ...... If you want to interfere with that, ............'' The darkness of the evening intensified the chilling beauty of Estella''s face, creating a chill that was almost frightening. A devilish murmur escapes from her small lips, which are like ripe red fruit. ''...... You are the enemies of the Forty-two districts. We will do everything in our power to eliminate you. ''Ku......! ''Right.'' I stepped forward in front of the longhair who backed away. ''They''ve voluntarily abandoned their ''being customers''. If you''re ............ the one who said you were going to destroy the Sunlit Pavilion, you don''t need to hold back anymore, do you? It''s ............! That''s the only reason we didn''t interfere. The moment he gave up being a customer, his future was set. Elimination. You don''t have to choose your means. Don''t invaders need to be sanctioned accordingly? ''Yo, I didn''t hear that there are this many soldiers in the 42nd district! ''''And what the hell are these kids doing here? The ruffians are in a panic. They''re shouting something, but it''s too ugly to listen to. ''It''s just your ignorance that you didn''t know, right?Why didn''t you do your homework when you got the information about the cake? There was no one who could refute Estella''s words. ''It''s always been the case that kids go crazy for something, isn''t it?It''s the same everywhere, isn''t it? In the shadow of the marching soldiers, the kids continued to cheer with unending power. I''m going to hold one of them in my arms and say to the ragtag bunch. ''The hero who slayed the dragon ......, the great hero of a hundred battles ......, it''s always the absolute strongest that the kids are crazy about.'' ''Ryoshusama! ''Ryououshusama! The near screams continued. Small flags are being waved in a frenzied manner. This scene must be ...... quite terrifying. An absolute powerhouse, capable of captivating the most innocent of children. They''re coming at us in packs. And there are several of them behind Estella. ''If you want to waste your life, you can do it. But before you do, can you give a message to your employer?'' Sweat trickled down his long haired cheeks and fell from the tip of his chin. I wait until the drops hit the ground and disappear, and then I say in a clear tone. ''Aren''t you picking a fight with the wrong person? You can tell him to think twice about whether you are the right person to mess with ....... ''Oh, brother, ......! ''Ugh, shut up!I''ve already spent the money you gave me!You can''t back out now! ''But! ''Shut up!Before the reinforcements arrive, kill everyone here and then run out of the district and you''ll be fine! The longhair pulled out the sword at his waist, as if he was cornered and lost his mind. Estella, Delia, Norma, the vigilante, and the woodcutter and other big, burly men take their stances and start to kill. The air was tense, and the atmosphere was beginning to feel like it was about to explode. ...... ''...... I''m home'' I heard a flat, small, and very familiar voice. It''s Magda. She must have returned from hunting. ''...... Out of the way. I can''t get through.'' Magda''s voice came from beyond the crowd of vigilantes and woodcutters. ......, and at the same time, there is a groan. Vigilantes, lumberjacks, fishermen, blacksmiths, and big men with big muscles, fearfully clear the way. Magda was standing at the end of the road. ''............ this again''. I was speechless too. ''...... We''ve got a big one today. Magda was carrying a Bonacon, a super-classic magical beast five times her size. ''Bo, bo, bo, bo, bonacon! A strange cry rose from the ragtag crowd. Bonacon is a hexenbiest that is considered difficult to kill even for skilled hunters belonging to hunting guilds. In addition, with such a huge size, only a ...... monster can hunt it. ''...... Delia, take it. You can''t help it. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Groans. ''Hey, can I just put this in the store? ''Oh, yes. Then take it to the courtyard, please. ''The stall''s in the way. Norma, let me leave.'' ''Don''t be so easy on me. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ...... shudder. ''...... yashiro.'' ''Hmm?What is it?'' ''...... reward''. ''Yes, yes.'' Magda hugs me around the waist. I fondle its ears. . ...... scream . ''Naaaaahhh!Oh, that guy!''Toto, tiger people''s ears, ears, fuzzy! ''Don''t you want to live? You''ll get us all killed! The ruffians are making a lot of noise. What the hell. Magda''s happy, so why not? ''............ Mwah! See? ''What the hell is wrong with you people?All of you are such a mess!That''s not what I heard at all! The longhair stomped on the ground and ruffled his hair. ''...... I can''t do this. .................. You gotta be kidding me! Goddammit! After muttering quietly as if a circuit breaker had tripped, he ranted and raved with the emotions that welled up in him. ''You can''t fight a war for a pittance like that!What''s with all those soldiers?What''s with those freaks?And what''s with this guy? Finally, he pointed at me and turned his bloodshot eyes to me through his messy long hair. ''You pretend to be an idiot, but you''re really smart, you show a lot of guts when you''re on the spot, you touch the ears of the tiger tribe with a nonchalant face. ............ What the hell are you doing?What the hell? ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but ...... I''m just a cafeteria worker. I''m not sure what to say. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... It is a bit scary, as if you are looking at a broken person. ''Since when ...... did you know this was going to happen?When did you start preparing for this? In the end, he looks like he''s about to cry. I guess he doesn''t know what''s going on anymore. He doesn''t even know what he wants to do. ''You can''t convince me by asking that. ''What? ''More importantly, is ............ okay?'' I lifted my chin and pointed behind my long hair. The shadow of a soldier was almost upon them, his footsteps echoing in the distance. ''.................. d*mn it!Let''s get out of here, you bastards! ''Eh!Ah, yes!'' The ragtag group fled through the space that had been left open for Magda to pass through, almost falling over. Toward the backs of these ruffians, I gave them a proper send-off like an employee of a diner. ''Please come again! ''Shut up!I''ll never come back! The longhair''s howl echoed in the darkening sky. Now there would be no more of that kind of people messing with the 42nd district. ''Ryoshu-sama! ''Hai!Stop!''Shut the f*ck up!You kids!Shut up for once! ''A monster!Damare! ...... You little bastards. ............ What are you getting excited about! ''''Emergency announcement!If you don''t quiet down right now, the power you''ve accumulated will be confiscated and reduced to zero! ''''''............'''''' The noise stopped for a moment. ...... kids, how much cash do you guys have? ''''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san.'''' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. Now that the woodcutter was gone, he appeared in front of me. However, there were countless question marks on her face. ''I don''t know what''s going on .......'' Wow, that''s the first time I''ve heard that word in a while, ''gibberish''. Why did you choose that word, ''forced translation magic''? ''Hmmm!In fact, it was all my idea! The shadows of the soldiers marching from the direction of the city gate finally arrived in front of the Sunken Pavilion. At the head of the line was ...... Loretta. ''''Ah, um, ...... this is ............'''' ''''''Oningyou-saaaaan! Behind Loretta, her younger siblings said in unison. Each of the younger siblings was holding a wax figure dressed like a soldier. ''Is this the soldier''s ...... true identity? Ginette looked at me like she was asking a question, so I nodded broadly. I used the note to ask Loretta for a favor. I also told her to ask Delia, Norma and Imelda for help, but the most important thing was this guy. "Have Becko make fifty wax figures of soldiers. When it gets dark outside, use them to stage an imaginary march. That''s what I wrote. Becko is a man who can finish my wax figures in about 40 minutes. I figured he could do fifty of them in about two hours if he didn''t care about the details. But he did a good job. Although I said two hours, I was expecting it to take longer. ...... When Hammaro jumped in, I was surprised, ''What, already? I was so surprised. Yes, yes. Hammaro''s arrival was the signal that the grand march was ready. ''The west side march is a great success thanks to me! Loretta says proudly, with a chest full of nothing. Yes, yes, yes. I''ll give you a prize next time. So if Loretta''s in the west, Estella''s in the east. ''You''ve done well, haven''t you? ''No, ......''. For a man who''s just had such a great success, you''re looking a little glum. What''s the matter, Estella? What''s wrong, Estella? ''You can stretch your breasts even if you don''t have any.No one will be angry or cry.'' ''I''m not holding back!Who''s going to cry? After one coughing fit, Estella looked like a man with a neck injury and shyly let her gaze slip away. ''To be honest, I wasn''t very calm until we got outside. After Yashiro''s note pointed it out to me, I finally saw what I needed to do. ...... I''m sorry about that.'' ''Hmm?Oh. Estella had fallen right into the trap of that longhair. So I wrote in the memo I gave to Loretta, ''Get Estella out of here'' and wrote to Estella, ''You should be active where you live''. I''ll take care of people like that. The right people in the right places. ''But I can''t believe you''re using my children, too. ......'' Estella''s expression finally returned to normal, as if she had exhaled the heavy air. Then she smiled bitterly as usual. ''It''s actually a great thing when a kid gets carried away. They and I both had things we were crazy about back then. If you think back to that time, you can understand firsthand how great it is to get kids hooked. The kids in the 42nd district are obsessed with "Lord" to the point of being fanatical about it. But it''s not because they''re vigilantes, or because they''re fascinated by the Lord, as some ruffians mistakenly think. I used Loretta to tell the kids this. I used Loretta to tell the kids that if they cheered for the vigilante procession coming from the church this evening, showing the banner of the lord, the ''super lord power'' would build up and it would be great. ...... Well, I''ll have to think about what the "great thing" is after this. ...... Ten jackpots in a row? Yeah, there''s something special about a big one. Okay, I''ll have Becko make one. I didn''t know children''s lunches came in handy here. The small flag with the Lord''s emblem that the kids were waving so hard was the well-known children''s lunch flag. And the imprinting of ''lord = good thing'' is another achievement of the children''s lunch. ''So, boys and girls, take the flag with the full amount of your lord power and go to Ginette''s sister to get the voucher! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' ''Eh!What?What''s a voucher?You know, Yashiro-san! ''Anything is fine as long as you can identify yourself. Just give me something. ''Eh?Yes, yes!I''ll give it a try! Ginette walked into the cafeteria while being jostled by a huge number of kids. ...... I''m sorry, Jeannette. I just don''t want to have to deal with the power of those kids. It''s too hard. ''Will the ragtag guild stop messing with the Forty-two districts now? ''It might not stop them, but it should be fine for a while. I let them know firsthand that they would be badly burned if they messed with us. If we can buy a little time, we might be able to take measures in the meantime. In the meantime, let''s work together with the 40th district and work out a countermeasure against the ruffians. ''Yashiro-san. Is the case closed? Imelda approached me, twirling her parasol. Behind her are Delia and Norma. ''Oh. Thanks for your help. ''I mean it!You can count on me, so just leave it to me! Delia slaps him on the chest. ''I''m done with this. I don''t want to have to call you anymore. Norma puffs on her cigarette after a hard day''s work. ''It''s no trouble at all for me! She opens her parasol and twirls it around and around, even though the sun is not shining. ...... Kabuki. ''You big guys over there, you''ve been through a lot! ''Oh, no, Yashiro-chan. You''re so rude to me! ...... the blacksmiths. Not all of them. Not all of them are like this. But when it comes to the strong-armed people you can gather with the Norma, these are the only ones. ...... Thank goodness you didn''t say a word. We''ll do anything for you, Yashiro!We''ll do anything for you! We''ll give you the master''s sweets and Omero''s brother''s life at .......'''' ''''''Please do one thing for us in the future! ......The fishermen of the river fishing guild. ...... Omero is in a position where he''s not sure if he''s being adored or abandoned. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Tsundere, you stupid muscles.'' The Lumberjack Guild, for better or worse, is still the same. Once again, they''ve used a large group of people to put on one of their grand theatrics, but ...... that doesn''t mean they''re perfect. ''We could show Bekko the Bonacon skull that Magda captured and display a replica in the square. ''That might be a good idea. If there are children running around it, carrying the banner of the lord, ......'' ''...... might be a good scare for the ruffians who came to scout.'' ''Our underpowered vigilantes aren''t enough to stop them. If it can be a deterrent, I''m all for it. ''Well, that''s about it then.'' ''Yeah. Thanks again for your hard work. I exchange a high five with Estella. I also high-fived Delia, Norma, and Imelda, and patted Magda on the head with a joke about passing Loretta by. Magda''s battery seemed to have run out, and she was asleep in the garden when I noticed her. The enemy is unspecified, so we have to defend ourselves. It''s been a long detour, but it should hold us over for a while. Criminals go for things that don''t have fangs. Once you give them a big bite, they will be quiet for a while. However, if the opponent is stubborn, it will be more troublesome from there. ............ For now, let''s bask in the victory. And tomorrow, I''m going to work hard and make all the money I missed out on today! 126-Episode 109 Depression after Victory It''s a clear, crisp morning. Estella is sitting in front of me with a big smile on her face. ''Yashiro. Which do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?'' This is a church. It''s the usual donation and breakfast time for us. ''Let me hear the good news first. ''The kids came all the way to my house with a letter saying, "Thank you for everything, Mr. President. It made me so happy.'' ''So, did you just go to ......? ''Why does it sound like I''ve kidnapped a little kid? ''If you have a cute little girl, share her with me.'' ''I''m not sharing! ''Are you trying to keep them all to yourself? ''I''m not!I''m not kidnapping you! Banging on the desk, Estella sniffs, ''Supee! She sniffs. ''What''s the good news about that?I don''t feel happy at all, do you? ''It makes you feel better when I''m in a good mood, doesn''t it? ''I''m sorry, but I don''t have a mental link with you. Whether you''re happy or sad doesn''t affect me at all.'' ''I see. Yes, that''s true. After saying this in a cheerful voice, Estella''s expression suddenly became cloudy. ''...... is just fine. Don''t let my downer feelings get in the way of your hearing the bad news, .......'' ''I said I don''t want to hear it. Let me at least enjoy my breakfast.'' I turn my body to the side and try to show Estella that I don''t want to listen to her. I don''t want to listen to her heavy talk because it really depresses me. ''Hammaro~, come here for a minute~'' ''Hammaro? Estella beckons, and Hammaro comes trotting towards her. He doesn''t even recognize me, but he comes to me, doesn''t he? By the way, since Loretta started to participate in the church donation a few days ago, Hammaro and his brothers are also here to accompany her. ''Hey, Yashiro. Estella covered Hammaro in a hug from behind and thrust a butter knife at his neck. ............ Hey! ''If you don''t listen to me, you''re going to get a scar on your face. ''You''re an idiot, aren''t you! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell is this guy thinking? What the hell is he thinking, taking a kid hostage in a church, did he drop his brain somewhere? It''s a butter knife, so it''s not dangerous. It''s just that it''s very sticky. ......'' ''Nihooooo, hostage, bread handling! ''All right, all right, let Hammaro go. ......'' Bertina''s going to be very angry. She''s a surprisingly educated mom. ''Estella-san. ''Oh, Sister Bertina!No, this is just a little joke. ......'' Look at that. Bertina would never allow you to play hostage, even in jest. ...... ''Butter knives are not for pointing at people. It''s for licking.'' ''It''s not for licking, either! ''Uh-huh. I was joking. Does that count as a joke and not a lie? Well, I''m not trying to turn Bertina into a frog. ...... I''m not going to turn Bertina into a frog, but please don''t make a joke that will affect children in a bad way. It''s dangerous to imitate them.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sorry.'' ''No, I''m not. I know you have a lot on your mind, Estella.If you need anything, you can always consult me.'' ''Yes. Thank you very much. ''I will help you in any way I can, ...... Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Hey, kiddo, you little eater. You should be the one to listen to him. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. Bertina left with an unconvincing warning. ''You''re angry with me. ''Then why are you complaining to me?You got what you deserved.'' ''Ahh, I''m really screwed... I never thought I''d end up like that...'' ''Oh, God. I know!I''ll listen to you, so stop your deliberate appeals for me to listen to you, you''re annoying. She looked pleased, and Estella straightened up and sat back down. ''......, and I''m sorry to tell you this, but ......''. The smiling face vanishes in an instant and a dark expression appears again. He''s one of those guys who changes his expression all the time, really. ''The construction of the city gate has been temporarily suspended. ''Huh? What the hell is that? It should be a matter of the highest priority, no matter what, in the current forty-two districts! ''Actually, a powerful hexenbiest has been discovered outside the outer wall. ''It''s been there for a long time. ''...... Not really.'' Magda interrupted me and Estella''s conversation. ''......They form herds with multiple males protecting a single female. It''s never been done before. ''We call it a swarm,'' he says. Bees and ants are probably like that, but it''s rare among hexenbiests. I see. Swarm ....... ''Didn''t Magda catch a Bonacon a week ago when some strange ruffians took over the Sunken Pavilion? ''Yeah, that was a good one. It was quite a big fish and we all devoured it. They helped us get rid of the ruffians. We had a big Bonacon party to thank them. ''At that time, Magda felt something strange in the forest,'' he said. ''...... There was an unevenness in the movements of the magical beasts. There were also traces of fierce territorial battles that destroyed the forest. This is unusual. ''So, we sent the vigilante to investigate. ......'' So they found the Swarm. That must have been pretty scary. These vigilantes always lag behind even the ruffians. ''So what are we gonna do? We can''t keep building city gates with them around.'' ''...... Don''t worry. If you defeat the female, the swarm will naturally be dismantled. ''So, ...... who''s going to do that? ''I''ve asked the hunting guild.'' Estella says as she strokes Magda''s hair. Lately Estella has been stroking Magda''s head a lot. She doesn''t touch Magda''s ears because she doesn''t have Magda''s permission, but ...... I think she really wants to fluff them up. ...... Estella, you said before that you like cute things. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. He said he would organize a team and take care of it as soon as possible. ''I see. That''s a lot of enthusiasm. ''...... Magda hunted down Bonacon.'' Magda says coldly. I''m sure you''re thinking, ''Oh, ...... that''s because Magda''s been taking all the good points away from me lately, and I''m frustrated or upset about it. ...... You''re a small man, Use Damare. ''......, so you''ll end up being a branch manager. ''Haha. That''s harsh, Magda. You should just ask her, ''Let me fluff you up''. And then, ''In exchange for the ...... ''floppy'''','' she replied, ''I can''t accept such an exchange! And Estella refuses. Isn''t this the usual flow? But wait a minute. ''Is the hunting guild in the 42nd district a branch? ''...... headquarters is in the 41st district.'' ''That''s because of the city gate. It''s only natural to base ourselves in a place where it''s easy to operate, right? That''s true. The Woodcutter''s Guild also dares to locate its headquarters in the forty-second district. Imelda says that many of the members of the Woodcutter''s Guild could have lived in the high class districts of the 20th district or more. However, they are in District 40 because they mainly use the city gates of District 40. I guess the hunting guild is the same. ''So, why is there a branch in District Forty-two? ''Because there are magical beasts living in the forests of District Forty-two.'' ''Oh, there was a ......, I think.'' After being preyed upon by the insectivorous plants, the hexenbiest that looked like a big stupid cat pounced on me with all its might, ...... a past I don''t even want to remember. ''''......On rare occasions, hexenbiests can break through the outer walls. The forest outside the forty-second district is inhabited by dangerous hexenbiests that can do that much. ''So they''ve put up a branch to protect the city from them. That must mean they''re being treated very well. No wonder they''re so high and mighty. ''I think we''ve talked about ...... before.'' ''Is that right? ''I''ve already told you the whole story about the 42nd district. ''I''m sorry, but I''m a very forgetful person. I''m the kind of person who only wants to remember things that interest me. ''...... Well, I''ll explain it to you each time. ............'' He''s looking at me like I''m a pain in the ass. Come on. Don''t stare at me like that. You''re embarrassing me. ''Well, that''s why the work will stop for about a week.'' ''It''ll be over in a week, won''t it? ''They''re professional hunters, after all.They won''t let us down.'' ''...... Use Damare has a bad personality, but he''s good.'' Well, if Magda says so, I''ll believe her. I don''t know what else to do. ''Magda''s not going to join us? ''...... told me not to come.'' ''You mean you don''t want Magda to get any more credit for this?That''s petty.'' ''...... That''s one thing. But the ''red shiny thing'' can be a drag when hunting a pack. In the event that you have a single opponent, the "red blur" is invincible, but after using it, you will go into berserker mode, where you will not be able to reason for a while due to intense hunger. Indeed, it may be a little difficult to handle in a battle of many against many. You can control it by your commander,......, but it may be a bit of a threat to those who are hunting for their lives. ''Well, you know. The right person in the right place. Magda can hunt Bonacon by herself. He''s just not the right guy for the job. I said these words to Magda, who seemed somewhat depressed. I put my hand on Magda''s head instead of Estella. I put my hand on Magda''s head instead of Estella''s and fondled her ears and she hugged me around the waist. ''...... I''m not depressed.'' ''I see. Well then, let''s give them something to cheer about. ''...... Look on the bright side.'' ''Yeah. Every time I fluffed my ears, Magda would hug me tightly. He seemed to be quite concerned about it. He''s proud to be a member of the hunting guild, after all. ''...... is nice, Fluffy.'' Estella is looking at him enviously. You want to mooch so badly? ...... ''Hey, Magda. Estella wants to play with you.'' ''............'' I slithered up and looked at Estella. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... However, Magda was not so lenient. ''......In exchange for the ''lumps and bumps''''. ''Where are you going to pick and knead? ...... Magda is a girl who has no idea what she''s doing. I''m not sure what to say. ...... ''The city gate is also a problem. ......'' I glanced at Jeannette. ''Oh, I''m in trouble!I''m very, very troubled!Ah~, is there anyone who can help me with my problem~? ''Hey, Loretta, ......, you''re in my way. ''Interrupting is terrible! I''m looking at Jeannette, and Loretta keeps interrupting my view to give off a blatantly caring aura. ...... What do you want? What do you want, Loretta? I''m not sure what you''re looking for. Jeannette speaks to the noisy Loretta. Ginette, you''ve got to learn. At times like this, all Loretta does is talk nonsense, you know? ''Actually, Mr. Manager! ''Yes, what is it? Although Jeannette is smiling as if she is trying to help you,......, her face looks somewhat tired. ''The manager is not feeling well, so I want to do something to cheer him up! ''What?I''m not well? ''Oh!This is something you shouldn''t say directly to the store manager. ...... Hey, hey, hey. ''Oh, um, ...... do I look so listless? Jeannette looked at us anxiously. ''To be honest, you don''t look very well. In fact, recently, strange customers have been coming to the Sunlit Pavilion. They are the ...... kind of creepy customers with a hint of malice. They are not directly malicious like the ragpickers, but ...... After the ruffians were turned away, some peace returned to the sunlit pavilion. The usual customers show up, make a fool of themselves, eat, and go home. That''s fine. The problem was the "customers from outside" who blended in. Two to five pairs of unfamiliar customers a day. They usually come in groups of two or three and order a cake. And as soon as the cake arrives, they snicker at ....... ''Look at this......''''It''s really...... sense, or class, or something...... like that... ...right? The choice of plate is also a little ......, isn''t it?'''' --. But they do nothing more than that. They don''t balk at payment, nor do they make difficulties. They just make a lot of appeals that they were not satisfied, and then leave. ''...... are you still there, the example ......''. Estella asks me. Estella must have been aware of it, because she had encountered it once before. Ginette is always thinking from the customer''s point of view, what they are thinking, what they want, what will make them happy. He is sensitive to such aspects. That is why I am perplexed by the behavior of the "customers" who have been blending in lately. Even though they dislike you very much, they come all the way to the store to complain with a disgusted look on their face. ...... I guess they can''t understand why. There is no way you can understand. They don''t understand why they are doing it, because they don''t understand why they are doing it. They just ''don''t like it for some reason''. And they feel compelled to complain about it. In short, they''ve got a nose for it. He said, "I kind of don''t like the cakes of Hidamari-tei, which is making a lot of noise even though the quality is far from the luxury we like. This "somehow" is a tough one. ...... No one can find the right words to say, and they fall silent. A heavy air hangs around us. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I mean. ...... ''Loretta''. ''Hey ......''. ''Why are you depressed too? ''Because ...... I was really ...... trying to surprise the manager and make him feel better, but I got excited and ...... It''s a ...... failure. Loretta is also very sensitive to the subtleties of other people''s emotions. She was probably spinning out of control in her desire to do something about it. ''Idiot. ''Ugh. ...... I''m sorry.'' ''No, you''re not.'' I stroked Loretta''s head, forcing her to turn her face forward. ''Ginette''s feeling a little better. ''H......? At the point where Loretta was staring, Ginette had a weaker but softer smile on her face than before. ''He''s just happy that you think that way, you know. See? ''Yes. Loretta-san. Thank you very much.'' ''T............ manager~! Loretta jumped into Jeannette''s chest and buried her face in her fluffy tits, which were as soft as a super-luxury down comforter. I love it!I love it! ''Ginette~! ''You can''t do that, Yasirotte! ''Geez! ...... You, if my head falls off, will you be responsible? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Give it to me. ...... ''Goh, goh, goh, ...... well, geh, goh, goh, ...... don''t worry, ...... goh, goh, goh, ...... Even if you don''t ...... go-go-go-go-go! ''Are you okay, Mr. Yashiro? Oh no...... I''m in the wrong place............ and I''m going to die...... ''Yes, Mr. Yashiro. Here''s some water for you.'' ''Bertie, gulp, gulp......'' ''Here, stretch your back and drink the water slowly. ...... That''s right, calm down. ............ Yes. Good job.'' Bertina gently pats me on the back. Her touch was gentle, and somehow, it warmed my heart. ''............ stopped''. ''The sisters have always been good at this kind of thing.'' Ginette said happily. I''m sure that Ginette herself has been saved by Bertina in this way many times. ''Gentlemen. Do you have a moment? As usual, Bertina straightens her back and speaks in a quiet voice. ''You can''t help what you like and what you don''t like. If you try to force them to change, there will always be conflict. Accept it, tolerate it, ...... and if that is not possible, keep your distance. There is no such thing as an absolute right, but I hope you will make the best choice. ''Don''t try to make everything go your way, is that it? Bertina smiled quietly at Estella''s words. ''Ginette. ''Yes.'' ''I know some people will be harsh. But you have so many people around you who think well of you.'' ''............ Yes.'' ''People tend to pay more attention to harsh words. It''s probably because it hurts their ears that they remember it. But ...... don''t miss the words that say they like you. The person who cares for you is the one you should care for. It''s a good idea to be careful not to lose sight of the people you care about because you''re so busy trying to escape the pain of the immediate future. ''............'' Jeannette closed her eyelids for a generous ten seconds, thought long and hard, then opened her eyes again and nodded ...... quietly. ''...... Yes. Thank you.'' His large eyes were filled with a gentle light. ''Yashiro-san. ''What is it?'' I asked, but Bertina just smiled at me and said nothing. Oh, I see. So that''s it. ''Please take care of Ginette''. If I say the words, I''ll have to respond with words. I don''t dare to say anything in order to create a situation where I don''t have to do that. Maybe he can see through me too. I can''t say ''I''ll leave it to you'' with my chest out ...... just yet. ''Well, then, ...... what do you want to do?Do we just leave it like this? You know what?You can take my place, in that position! ''I can probably take care of the cake today. ''What?'' It was Ginette who raised her voice in surprise. Well, it was a plan that was hurriedly thrown together yesterday after seeing the situation at the Sunlit Pavilion. I haven''t explained it properly yet. I thought we could do it here, when we were all together. ''I''m going to the 40th district after today. ''What the hell are you going to do? Estella asks. And Ginette stares at me with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation in her eyes. Bertina smiles at me. Magda, half-lidded as usual. Loretta is buried in her tits. I love ....... I look at the faces of these people in turn and declare. ''I''m going to nip malice in the bud. A troublesome situation can be resolved in a rather simple way. I''m going to give it a try. 127-110th episode collaboration project Fortieth district. It''s a high-class salon where aristocratic ladies gather every day,......, well, it''s a coffee shop,......, but you know, luxury,......, I had come with Jeannette. ''You look wonderful, Mr. Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll agree. The ...... face is close. I told her I could do it myself, but she said, ''At least this one,'' and happily wrapped it around me. I''m now wearing a "chef" outfit. I made it myself to look like the kind of chef you often see at teppanyaki restaurants. If I''m going to be standing next to Pompeo, I need to look the part. You also need to be able to convince the ladies. ''It''s quite a look, isn''t it? Pompeo, who is still dressed in his chef''s uniform today, smiles at me when he sees my outfit. ''But I can''t deny that I still feel like I''m wearing a costume. You should quickly become a man who can wear a costume like me. ''''''Yikes!Mr. Pompeo, you''re beautiful! A yellow voice came from behind the special kitchen. These are the regular customers of Luxury who have been invited to today''s special show. Apparently there are twenty of them. Pompeo raises one hand to them. Every time he did, yellow voices flew. Then he gave them a wink like, ''What? A wink from Pompeo ...... is annoying. ...... He''s always been so stubborn, you know. Now we are standing in a special kitchen set up in the luxury store. The tables have been removed and a simple, yet functional and artistic kitchen set up has been set up in a space that takes up a third of the restaurant. This is where I''ll be cooking with Pompeo today. Co-performance. It''s a production, an act. A demonstration would be better. I''m going to do the "cooking for show" that I''ve sometimes seen on TV, here at Luxury, in front of the ladies who patronize Luxury. Due to a number of conflicts, the restaurant is thought to be the one that made cakes popular in the 42nd district. In fact, we''re the only place where the obnoxious customers show up. ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ............ I''m exhausted just lifting that thing. Anyway, the plan is that the restaurants of the 42nd district, represented by the Sunlit Pavilion, will show that they are on friendly terms with Luxury, and that they are engaged in friendly competition with each other, so as to mitigate the ill will of the ladies. In order to do so, it would be best if we were to borrow their breasts. The ladies will be satisfied if we make them think that we have learned from Pompeo and can finally make a reasonable cake ....... And eventually, they will support you if they think, ''Oh, the new guy from that time, he''s doing well these days. Humble ...... humble ............ humble ...... humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ humble ............ I''ll play the part of a humble man. ''Have a nice day. ''Sure. As a top chef, it''s only natural to lend a helping hand to newcomers. Well, go ahead and hit them with all your might. ''''''Yikes!Mr. Pompeo, you''re awesome! Oh, ......, I want to punch you. ''''Mr. Yashiro. Your face is scary.'''' Ginette said, pinching my cheek. What?Is it okay to say, ''This guy did it'' and hit him back? I think I''m going to go crazy and pinch her breasts instead of her cheeks. ...... ''By the way, I''m Ginette, the head of the Sunlit Pavilion and a first-class chef. ''Wow, I can''t believe I''m top-notch. ......'' ''I heard that a top chef lends his chest to a newcomer. ''You''ll have to repent. Perhaps because it was someone else''s store, her voice was more subdued than usual. Instead, I was poked on the bridge of my nose by a ginette with a raised eyebrow. What''s this, a reward? One more time, please. ''I hope you do well today. Finally, straightening her scarf, Ginette returned to her reserved seat in the audience. The only person on my side is Jeannette. ...... It''s away from home. But it''s nothing to worry about. The regular ladies are not the judges. In fact, it''s easier to turn their feelings around if they look down on us. My goal this time is to dispel the feeling of ''I don''t like you somehow'' directed at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''I''ll do my best at random''. I''ll do my best to ............ appropriately. ''I''ve prepared top-notch ingredients here. Are you sure you used the same materials?'' ''Yes. We use the same ingredients to make completely different sweets. I''m going to make two different kinds of sweets for today''s guests. A pile of colorful fruits piled up in front of the special kitchen. Even though they are top-notch, after all, they are purchased through Assunto, so they are available at the Sunlit Pavilion as well. ...... Just because Pompeo says they are top-notch, they will be perceived as the finest sweetness by those ladies'' taste buds. I''ll leave it at that. This time, I''m going to take full advantage of the characteristics of Pompeo, who is easily seduced, and the self-proclaimed well-informed, who are easily influenced. If I can coax Pompeo into saying that the cake I''m making is ''wonderful'', the ladies who are enamored with Pompeo will chant ''Yes, it''s wonderful''. Well, it''s like phone shopping. If you can make your target think, ''Oh, so that''s what it is,'' you''ve succeeded. It is easy to lose weight just by adding a??. If you eat ________, you will not get cancer. Many people may have believed such a statement. Word of mouth and assumptions are not foolproof. ''Well. Today, I''d like to show you, our loyal customers, our new luxury cakes and the process of making them. ''''''Yikes!'''''' ''''However, a cake takes a lot of time and effort to make. In the meantime, please relax and enjoy our delicious tea and simple sweets. ''''''Yikes!'''''' The ladies are so friendly to Pompeo that I think it''s a setup. That makes it easy for me. Pompeo was not exactly friendly to me, but once he got into it, his pride as a professional would not let him down. I''m sure he''ll come up with something good. In order to deal with the malice that has entered the Sunlit Pavilion, I came here yesterday and approached Pompeo about this project. At first, he was fiercely opposed to the idea, saying, ''It''s outrageous that you should show your customers how you cook,'' but when I told him that Umaro was going to build a special kitchen ''just for this occasion,'' he flipped his hand and said, ''Then let''s do it! He agreed. ''Oh, the height of the ...... cooking table is perfect, and the kitchen ...... workmanship is beautiful and ...... awesome. I feel like I''m swooning uncomfortably next to it. ...... I''m about to slide my cheek against the kitchen table. When this is over, we''ll tear it down. ...... He''s not going to go crazy, is he? And the ladies who are regulars ...... were very easy to collect. I gave invitations to the customers who visited the store yesterday. "To our special guests. An invitation from Pompeo. The ladies jumped at the chance, and even though it was yesterday, and early in the morning, not a single one of them was absent. The ladies who fished with magda, who fished with umalo, who fished with Pompeo. This is how the world goes round, isn''t it? And so, the cooking demonstration show, "The Artisan of Cakes in Luxury," took place. Tea and small baked goods were served to the audience by the unsympathetic staff of Luxury. ...... Oh, those baked goods, they''re supposed to be cakes? I thought it was dry bread. After taking a sip of the tea, Ginette''s movements stopped for a moment. She raised her eyebrows in annoyance ...... and gently placed the cup back on the saucer. Yes, I understand. The tea here is thin, but it''s astringent. You seem to think that''s what makes it "luxurious". ...... That''s right. I found out the other day that the shopkeepers here are unfriendly because "if they flatter the customers, they will think that the store is in a lower position than the customers," so they do it on purpose. ...... Huh, there are many different ways of thinking about customer service. And this store is succeeding in doing so. ...... ''Let''s get started. Let''s do it. Luxury is temporarily closed until the show is over. Well, I''ve heard that not many people come this early in the morning, so it won''t be too much of a problem, but I''ve brought Jeannette with me. It''s better to finish early and go home. Pompeo is going to make the fruit tart that I taught him the other day. I was going to tell him about it after the whole mess was over, but he insisted, and it was so annoying that I had no choice but to tell him. ...... What''s with the new luxury menu? It''s already on the menu at the Sundaily Pavilion. But Pompeo is not a man of words. Although the self-proclaimed "cake" that I ate here for the first time was a bit of a mess, Pompeo was a man of proven ability and taste who deserved to be called a top-notch chef. As proof of this, he handled delicate decorations without difficulty and even arranged them in a beautiful way. Moreover, she never neglected her efforts to master what she learned. After being taught the fruit tart, she practiced and studied it for three days and three nights without sleeping, and now she has completely made it her own. The fact that he has a fan base does not mean that he is not good at it. If you''re ......, you should also look into tea and other things. You''re good at sublimating what you already have, but you seem to be really bad at creating something that hasn''t been seen yet. He is a craftsman who will become amazingly good if I teach him many things. I''m not going to tell you ....... ''So, what are you going to make? Pompeo peers at my hand with interest. ...... What are you trying to steal? ...... I haven''t made anything yet. ''This time, I''m ......''. Shifting my gaze from Pompeo to the audience, I declare. ''I''m going to make pudding a la mode. The name, which I had never heard before, caused a slight buzz. But the ladies in the audience are only interested in Pompeo''s new cake. My story seems to have been quickly dismissed from their minds. Ginette and Pompeo stare at me. Only people who know ...... are paying attention to me, which is a pretty cool situation. This is the kind of development that burns. It''s good to make a cake together and show that you have a good relationship, but if you make the same cake, there will be a tendency to make it inferior. That is not good. On the other hand, if the products are completely different, it will be difficult to get people to have a certain level of interest in them. I guess you could say that I''m like the person who is not interested in the ...... tying product. It is difficult to get people to be interested in it and not be able to compare it. As a result, I came to the conclusion to make something different with the same ingredients. Ordinary pudding is too weak, so I decided to make pudding a la mode. This way, I could use fruit. If you make thin cookies with the same dough as the tart, and insert them in place of the wafers, you can make it with almost the same ingredients. Wafers can''t be made here. The ingredients are different. Instead, I''m gonna make you pretty heart-shaped thin cookies. You like that, don''t you, ladies? Let''s start cooking! I picked up the flour and was about to make the thin baked cookies when ...... ''Jeez, ............''. I was so close to him that Pompeo was attached to me. You should make some too!Don''t just watch me work! ''...... (I''ll teach you later!)'' '' (I swear!If you lie to me, I''ll give you a thousand frogs! '' (I''m scared!I''m scared! With these ominous words, Pompeo returned to his space. The special kitchen is a wide angled ''eight'' shaped kitchen, and is designed so that people can cook side by side. You can watch us work up close as long as you don''t disturb the ladies. ...... Well, the ladies seem to be preoccupied with Pompeo. ''Yashiro-san. Good luck with that.'' I''ve got one Ginette in front of me. It''s okay. I''m all about quality over quantity. Besides, Ginette has the biggest tits of all of us. ''I swear to you that I''ll make the best pudding, plump plump. ''Who''s the plump one, d*mn it! Ginette puffs out her cheeks as she holds her breasts. Oh, I''ll calm down. It''s not the ............ s*xual harassment, you know? ''Your knife work is very artistic. ''Well, look how beautiful the fruit is cut.'' ''Oh, it smells so good ...... I can''t stand it. Over there, the ladies are chatting away. This is a great event for fans. If you hold this event on a regular basis, you''ll have a steady stream of customers. You can have it, you know. I''m not going to do it because it''s too much trouble. ''I see. ...... So you strain it three times with a fine colander. ......'' Ginette is staring at my work, mumbling to herself as she explains the process. No,......, I''ll teach you when I get home. I, of course, and Pompeo proceeded without a hitch. Wow. You''re very clever. That''s a chef who owns a top restaurant. If it''s just skill, he''s probably better than me. Yeah, he''s no match for me. Though I''m sure Jeannette, not me, would be just as good. ''Ah, Yashiro-san. It''s better to keep the white streaks on the orange for a better mouthfeel when you eat it. ''Huh?Oh, this? I see.'' As Ginette pointed out, I cleaned off the white stripes from the orange bunch with a knife. I''m impressed with Jeannette for taking into account the texture of the oranges. Although it took a lot of time to bake and let the oranges rest, the time passed peacefully from start to finish. The ladies listened in rapt attention to Pompeo''s poetry, the ladies laughed at a gag I interrupted from the side, and then glared at me. ...... While all this was going on, both of our sweets were nearing completion. ''Well, ......''. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. She had just taken the pudding out of the mold. ''It''s a lovely, puffy ...... cake.'' It''s not a cake, though. It''s not a cake, but denying it would only make a bad impression. If the lady says it''s a cake, then it''s a cake. I don''t have any strong beliefs about pudding that I can''t compromise. ''This is the pudding. Isn''t it an easy name to understand? ''Yeah, sure.'' The young lady chuckled. I guess being in the same space for a few hours has made her less wary of me. This was my aim. The most effective way to eliminate the unseen malice of "I don''t like you somehow" is to let people know who you are. Reveal yourself. By exposing your bad parts and inadequacies without pretense or excuses, the other person will be less wary of you. However, there is no need to be humble. ...... Well, it''s easier to be accepted if you start from the bottom, that''s for sure. But if you''re too humble, you''ll end up with a weird hierarchical relationship, and that''s not good. I''m here to borrow your chest, Pompeo. It would be better to start with something like, "I''m here to ask Pompeo for his chest, and I''m not that big of a deal. People are less likely to be antagonized by someone who makes no excuses. It makes you look shallow if you keep accusing fair-minded people. After that, the more conversations you have, the more the rancor will fade away. In business, it is often said, "The more difficult your boss is, the more you should take the initiative to greet him. Even if it''s just a greeting, if you keep talking to your boss, it will diminish the awkwardness. For example, suppose you make a mistake and are severely reprimanded by your boss. In such a case, it is effective to go and apologize again after an hour or so has passed. Even if you are afraid to approach the person with an irritating aura, you can approach him or her and say, "I''m sorry about earlier. I will be more careful in the future. I''ll be careful in the future and ask for your continued guidance and encouragement.'' ...... You don''t have to go this far, but you should at least tell your boss that you will do your best from now on. If you do this, your boss will be in a much better mood. Even if there is no change on that day, the next day or later, his mood will certainly improve. Human beings are very simple. In short, the true nature of "I don''t like something" is "dissatisfaction with the fact that things are not going as I want. And the person at the center of it is perceived as "a hateful enemy who opposes you. However, if that "hateful enemy" shows a friendly attitude toward you, ......? It is true that you may not be getting what you want, but what if the other side came to you with a sincere explanation that there is a reason for it? It''s difficult to maintain the feeling of ''I don''t like it somehow'' until they do that. To sum it up roughly, "I don''t like it because I don''t know it well. It is said that the degree to which we can tolerate the same noise made by our neighbors differs greatly between neighbors with whom we greet each other on a regular basis and neighbors whose names and faces we do not know. The faults of a stranger may be unpleasant to the eyes, but the faults of a friend can be tolerated to a certain extent, and may even be considered attractive. It is often a simple comment that turns a weakness into an advantage. There is a fine line between ''stinky'' and ''generous''. There is a fine line between ''saver'' and ''poor'', ''friendless'' and ''beautiful'', ''slender'' and ''flat-chested''. ...... In the current situation, if the "cloned cake baker who imitates luxury and sells cakes" changes to the "fledgling cake baker who aspires to be a luxury baker and works hard to be one," the ill will toward the sunny pavilion will disappear. The correctness or incorrectness of the perception is not important at this point. Even if you claim that we are the originator, it will only arouse antipathy at present. Then, we will convince them with our strength. If people find out later that ''Oh, the original shortcake was made at YODAMARI-TEI? That''s fine. After all, our manager is not aiming to be the number one. Rather than such a title, he is looking for peace and tranquility where everyone can relax. It''s up to the individual to decide what''s worthwhile and what''s most precious. I will bring back the sunny pavilion where Jeannette can smile. If you want number one, I''ll give you as much as you want. ''''It''s done! ''''''Yikes!'''''' Cheers went up around Pompeo. It seems the fruit tart is complete. ''''Wow, ...... is beautiful.'''' I couldn''t help but let out a gasp at the result. Yes, it''s beautiful. To be honest, I was surprised. ''Well, well. I''m a professional. Pompeo said, somehow looking very happy. His nose is twitching. Was he that happy to be praised by ...... me? ''''This one is finished too. ''''...... Well.'''' Looking at the finished pudding a la mode, several young ladies let out words of admiration. They put their hands on their cheeks and stare at it with enraptured eyes. The plump pudding is served in a long, thin bowl. It is beautifully decorated with jewel-like fruits and filled with pure white whipped cream. A heart-shaped cookie is inserted into the pudding. ''Cute ......''. ''It''s ......, isn''t it? The young lady, disregarding the fact that I made it, gives me a favorable impression. Or perhaps she is no longer hostile to me. ''Yashiro-kun. Tell me, please. I promise! ''I told you it was ...... minutes.'' Pompeo is approaching rapidly. Too close! Also, why are you being so hostile to me? What''s with the ''Yashiro-kun''? You''re the first person to call me by ...... name. ''Now, please eat. Pompeo''s words were met with cheers from the ladies. We sat down at the table, and as soon as the cakes were brought out, I took a bite of Pompeo''s fruit tart. ''It''s delicious! ''The rich sweetness is ......''. ''Yet the refreshing sweetness of the fruit is ......''. The ladies, who were experiencing custard cream for the first time, seemed to be impressed by the deep sweetness of the flavor. In the midst of all this, only Jeannette was the first to take a bite of my pudding. ''............ wasshoi............ wasshoi,sir! ......'' ...... So that''s what you think. But it''s not the usual excited feeling, it''s the kind of emotion that makes your eyes water a little. It seems that Ginette has hit the nail on the head. ''It''s a new kind of sweetness that I''ve never had before. ......'' Jeannette must have known some cream puffs and custard creams, but the pudding seemed to be something else. Hearing Jeannette''s words, the ladies shifted their interest to the pudding. ''............ Well.'' ''...... This is...'' ''.................. delicious'' Although there is still a part of me that thinks, "It''s just the 42nd district," it is significant that I was able to get him to say that he approves of this district. Once you have been recognized, the thought that ''I have recognized you'' comes into play in no small part. Once that happens, you may feel annoyed when someone says something bad about you, or you may feel a little happy when someone praises you. ...... By repeating such small changes, you may find yourself becoming a fan ....... I can''t say that I don''t. ''Well, you are a craftsman approved by Mr. Pompeo, aren''t you? ''Yes, that''s true. This level of quality is rather natural, isn''t it? ''On the contrary, I''m relieved. If it were too bad, it would damage Pompeo-sama''s name. ''That''s true. This much is natural. ''Yes, it should be delicious. And just like that, the evaluation of the cakes in the 42nd district of the Sun Goddess Pavilion was reassembled in the ladies'' minds. "Of course it''s delicious. It''s a compliment from the top, but it''s the greatest compliment of all. The fact that it is ''natural'' means that it is already top-notch. ''To tell you the truth, I''ve been to the Sunlit Pavilion before. ''Well, you too? ''Yes, me too. Oh, no. The person who was spreading ill will in the sunny pavilion was mixed in. ...... Should I have spit in his face? I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''Indeed, the texture of that mille-crepe cake was interesting,......, and I would be happy to go back for more. At these words, Ginette''s expression brightened. The customers, whose intentions she could not see, actually thought the cake was delicious. This fact lightened Jeannette''s heart. I''m glad I brought you here. ''When I came here, the store was filled with scary people. ...... I was too scared to go in, you know? So some of you came when the place was occupied by ruffians. I''m sorry to hear that. They came all the way from far away. ''That''s why I thought it was a place for people like that. ''When I went there, it was a nice, calm place with a nice atmosphere. ''Mr. Umaro designed this restaurant. ''Well, Mr. Torbek''s construction company?That makes sense. ......'' ''Wow, Umaro is popular among this kind of people, let''s use ............. ''Then I''d have to say those scary people are out of place. ''They appear everywhere, you know, those people. There''s no point in worrying about them.'' ''Yes, yes. It''s best not to get involved. ''That''s right. And the girls repeat their whispered conversation in full view. No matter where you are in the world, girls'' gossip is scary. ...... I don''t want to hear it, I don''t want to hear it. .................. Huh? It''s delicious, Yashiro!I''m not sure how you come up with cakes with such interesting textures. I felt something tugging at me, and I tried to figure out what it was, but ...... the hot Pompeo grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me around, shaking my brain and stopping me from thinking. ''By the way, I heard that Yashiro loves women''s breasts,............, right!This is based on that motif, isn''t it! I''m not! I''m sure there''s boob pudding and stuff, but! I mean!See!The ladies'' gazes are getting really cold! I was just trying to improve my image! Because of that idiot Pompeo, I was forced to feel very uncomfortable after that. I''ll have to postpone giving you the recipe for much longer. Reflect on that. ''I''ll be back for more cake. ''Yes. Please come back. I''ll be waiting for you! That''s what the young lady said to Jeannette as she was leaving. Ginette bowed deeply with her usual bright smile. It''s those talkative ladies. The malice emanating from this will fade. Riding in the carriage prepared by Pompeo, Ginette and I returned to District 42. In the carriage on the way back, I pondered over the uneasiness I had felt earlier. I had speculated that the noble ladies had hired a ragtag group to harass someone they didn''t like for some reason. ............ "I was too scared to go in. I was too scared to go in." "There''s nothing to worry about. It''s best to stay out of it. This is how the ladies evaluate the ruffians. It is natural that they are not favorable to you. ...... Would those ladies ask for a job with someone they dislike so much? You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. In the event that you''ve got a problem, you''ll be able to always contact your doctor. Did someone ask the ragweed to do it on their own and the other ladies didn''t know about it? Those rumor-loving, cake united ladies with a certain amount of unity? Some of them even came on the very same day and left without entering the store. ............ It''s a bit tricky. I''m not sure if it''s really those ladies who sent the ragheads. Are they ...... luxury-related people to begin with? But there are other people who would benefit from interfering with the distribution of the cake: ............ ''...... Mr. Ro. Yashiro-san!'' ''What? Shaking my shoulder, I come back from the sea of thoughts. Jeannette was peering at me with an anxious look on her face. ''Um, Estella-san is at ......'' ''Estella?'' I noticed that the carriage was parked in front of the mansion of the lord of the 42nd district. Estella was standing outside the carriage, clinging to the window in an impatient manner. ''What is it, Estella? Was she here waiting for us to return? If you look at the large number of maids led by Natalia outside, they seem to have blocked the road and stopped the carriage. ''Yashiro, I''m in trouble! I have a bad feeling about this again. I have a bad feeling that the unseen malice that''s been smoldering these days is about to reignite. ''The hunting guild has refused to cooperate. ''Huh! ''They said they can''t cooperate with anything related to the construction of the city gates in the future! The sun, which had been high in the sky, was now covered by thick clouds, and the sky looked like it was about to rain. It was just before noon. Aside from Jeannette, it looks like I can''t go back to the sunny pavilion just yet. ...... ''Estella, get in. We''ll drop off Ginette at the Sunken Pavilion and go see Use on the way. ''Yes! We told the coachman where we were going and headed for the Hunting Guild''s 42nd district branch. 128-Episode 111 Hunting Guild Situation ''Can you explain to me what this means? Estella closes in on Use. Her right hand is on the hilt of a knife and she''s about to pull it out. It''s not a threat, of course. It''s an insurance policy in case Use and the others try to use their power. ''Wait a minute!We have our own problems! But the reaction of the Use was weak. I thought that they would say that the conditions didn''t match, or ask for something in return, or something like that. ...... ''Don''t tell me you went to investigate and got scared of the Hexenbiest Swarm? ''Don''t be silly!We''re professionals!We are professionals! We are the only men who can stand up to any powerful hexenbiest! ...... No, you''re too scared of Bonacon to hunt, aren''t you? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The demolition of the outer wall has been halted. If such a fearsome group of Hexenbiests were to invade the city, the 42nd district would be destroyed in an instant. That''s why I asked the hunting guild to eliminate the swarm of monsters, and I''m sure they accepted the request at least once. ...... I''m not sure what happened to you, then.You were so eager to take down Swarm. ''No,......, well,............, that''s true,.......'' This is not going to get us anywhere. I straighten my arm and point to the Uzes. ''Wait a minute!I didn''t lie to you! ''Then it won''t be a problem. Let''s see you face justice.'' ''Wait!Just listen to me! Distraught, Use hides behind his desk. Estella grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him up. She sits Use down in a chair. ''So, you''re going to tell me? ''That............ is, that.............'' ''What the hell? Use isn''t exactly friendly to us,......, but that doesn''t mean he''s a man who''s reluctant to contribute to the city. He values his pride and is not afraid to take on the occasional reckless hunt. He is a man that Magda recognizes as a skilled hunter. Even though his character is a bit difficult, I don''t think he''s the kind of small guy who would damage the interests of the city just to annoy someone he doesn''t like. ''Are you rebelling against us because you don''t like us? ''No!Well, it''s true that I hate ...... him to the core. I don''t like him at all,'' he says, pointing at me. ...... I could turn him into a frog. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the 42nd district is thriving.We''ve lived in this city for a long time, and we''re attached to it!If the city gates can be made more accessible to us hunting guilds, there''s no reason to begrudge our cooperation! ''Then why? ''............'' He has no intention of refusing to contribute to the city, but he can''t help. And the cause is unspoken: ...... ''...... erotic things?'' ''Hey, somebody!Get that a**h*le out of here!I can''t take this shit seriously! What the f*ck is wrong with you?I''ll turn you into a frog. ''Use ............, you''re too old to be thinking about erotic things all the time. ''You''ve been poisoned by that man too much! ''Excuse me!Who is it that''s infected with Yashiro? ''Hey, hey, you''re the one with the most disrespect, Estella. However, there''s a lot of things I can''t figure out. We can''t move forward unless this guy talks, but we can''t just leave it at that. You can''t restart the construction of the city gates unless you get rid of the swarm of monsters. ...... At this rate, ''Hey, Oumalo. You''re not busy right now, are you?You can help me out a little bit,''" he said, forcing Umaro to do all sorts of work. ...... Like Luxury''s special kitchen, ...... I understand that you have something difficult to say. But that doesn''t mean you can''t say, ''Oh, well, that''s just the way it is. You know you can''t just go home and say, ''Hey, you stink of sweat,'' right? I''m not sure what to say............. I''m starting to get a little worried! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''I don''t care about the smell of your sweat right now! ''''You''re the one who started it! Use slams his desk and stands up. He''s just leaning forward, so I stick my index finger in front of his face as he approaches. ''Answer the questions I''m about to ask you. ''What''s ......?'' ''Just go through what you can''t answer. Well, what the hell. I''ll make it an easy question for you to answer, and you can answer it with either ''yes'', ''no'', or ''no, s*x''.'' ''You''re a real idiot, aren''t you? ''Yes, louse. Did you just realize that? Hmm?I just realized it''s one against two, isn''t it, this composition?Are they enemies? Whatever. The stubborn ''I''m not going to say a word'' vibe that Usae had plastered all over his face until just now is fading. Shouting out like an idiot will make him talk less. If you make the air heavy with accusations, the other party will not open their mouth, but if you do the opposite, their reaction will be the exact opposite. This will make it easier for Use to answer my questions. Now then, let''s go to question one. ''Use. What are your three sizes?'' '' ''No, s*x.'' ''Are you nuts, guys? Oh, now it''s two against one?...... Yeah, don''t bother. ''Take it seriously! ''Come on, Ugse. ''Don''t tell me!It''s your call! ''So, you''re going to answer my questions?'' ''U............'' Use''s expression clouded at my words. It''s too late to regret the words I said in the flow of the conversation. Besides, even if you don''t have to go through the troublesome procedure of getting a word in edgewise ......, a simple guy like him can easily figure out what you''re thinking and what you''re hiding just by laying out the words you say. ''First of all, the fundamental question is: ...... do you like the 42nd district? ''...... Well, to a certain extent.'' Estella begins to grimace at Use''s answer. ...... Really, why doesn''t everyone realize who this guy is?It''s so easy to understand. ''So you''re saying that you won''t do anything to hinder the development of the forty-two districts unless you have a good reason? ''If the forty-two districts develop, it will be easier to buy good liquor. ''But I can''t help you this time. ''............'' Silence. That is to say, there was a ''considerable reason'' that compelled you to do so. ''Is it because of a personal grudge? ''No. I don''t really have any feelings for you guys right now. ''Do you like me? ''No''! ''............ Which do you like better, big tits or small tits?'' ''Definitely big tits.'' ''Did I really need to ask that question right now? It''s annoying. Even if the person you''re talking to is an ooze, you''re going to have to deal with the same amount of heartbreak as I did when someone told me face to face that they hated me. ''I''m willing, but I can''t do it, is that right? ''............'' ''Are you sure you want to keep losing to Magda? ''It''s not that I lost!It''s just that he''s been working a little harder lately. ...... I''m going to get a big one soon! ''I think this is the perfect time to do it, don''t you? ''............'' Hmm, that''s a tough one. Well, let''s do something a little sneaky. ''If we ''escape'' now, I don''t think we''ll get another chance. ''Don''t you dare run away!We were ready to do it too!But the top is ............! After he said this, Usae''s face became agog. He was clearly upset and regretted his mistake. I see. ...... ''up''. ''Yes, yes. Estella.'' ''I see. ......'' ''Oh, no, ...... well, you know, ............ uh, uh, up, you know, there''s a lot of things, right?It may not be as high up as you think, you know?See?Ha, ha, ha, ha, ......'' You''ve got a hard excuse. ...... ''On top of your underwear - in other words, you can''t go hunting because you don''t have a bra that fits!That means you have no bra on right now! ''No, s*x.'' ''You don''t have to do anything stupid! Estella blames us. Do you have the right to do that? ''''Even Estella is always saying, ''I don''t want to go on the top of a kappa kappa''! ''I''m not saying that!It''s because she thinks she''ll lose if she says it! ''...... You guys, if you''re going to play, can you please go home? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. So let''s get to the point. ''I think this is a branch, right? ''............'' A deep crease appeared between Use''s eyebrows. His face says yes. ''And, I believe, the headquarters is in the 41st district. ......'' ''............'' The furrow between Use''s eyes says. ''Jesus. ''They''ve done something to you, haven''t they? ''............!'' Use turns his head away as if he can''t stand it. He is biting his lip. The expression on his face is ''yes ......'', or from this angle it looks like he''s trembling with shame ......, possibly even ''no, s*x''.... ... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''No, I wasn''t!You''re an idiot, aren''t you? ''Yes, you are. Did you just realize it now? ''Ah!That''s enough!All right, all right!I''ll tell you everything!Hey, you guys, close the door and watch the outside! ''''''Hey!'''''' As if some part of him had slipped, Uzse shouted out loudly, leaning back against the back of his chair and turning his body upside down. ...... No, I''ve never seen a yakuza boss with a good attitude. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. When the door is closed, the room becomes strangely oppressive. ''...... You''re right. After the door is closed and a few moments later, Use mutters in a low voice. ''......You can''t ............ do something so obscene.'' ''No!You should take out your brain once and wash it in the riverbed! ''If you do that, everyone downstream will turn into miso soup! ''No way! Use kicked the office desk and bellowed. He''s so scary! He still has a scary face. If I didn''t know him, I wouldn''t even give him a second thought. I don''t know if he''s a smart guy or a stupid guy.I really don''t understand.'' Use asks Estella with a puzzled expression. You idiot. You should praise her face before asking if she''s smart or not. ''So, in short, the headquarters has asked us to wait for the defeat of the hexenbiest Swarm. ''Oh, ...... that''s right.'' ''What''s the reason?'' ''............ I wasn''t told.'' ''......Really? ''I''ve told you this much. There''s no need to hide anything now! The completely resigned Use glared at Estella, who persistently questioned him. I''m sure he found some truth in her eyes, and Estella shrugged her shoulders with a troubled look. ''What do you think, Yashiro? ''If I had to guess, I''d say .......'' In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to get a lot more. If not,......,............ It''s a great way to get the most out of your business. In short, there''s a lot of money to be made, so let me get in on it. ...... It''s true that if you think of the branch as being dispatched to defeat hexenbiests in the 42nd district, then defeating hexenbiests outside the outer wall is outside its jurisdiction. If this is the case, there is a possibility that the headquarters will say, ''Don''t decide the formation on your own. If this is the case, please see ...... ''Are you asking me to pay a referral fee? ''I don''t know.'' Use spits out brusquely. He might be angry at the unreasonable order from the headquarters. ''You guys really wanted to take down the hexenbiest Swarm, didn''t you?'' ''............ ah.'' ''And yet, all of a sudden, we got a wait from headquarters.'' ''......Yes, that''s right.'' ''And they didn''t give us a detailed reason.'' ''Oh.'' ''In addition, they even put pressure on me. ......'' You''ve got to be kidding me. If you disobey me, you''ll be expelled from the guild! ''...... Ah. That''s terrible. Use doesn''t notice. I''ve given away information I didn''t get. Pressure from headquarters? There''s no legitimate reason to interfere with a hexenbiest''s attempt to take down a swarm. The only thing I can think of is honor or money. ...... It can''t be the hexenbiests that the hunting guild summoned to destroy the forty-two districts. ...... ''If the city gates are built, it will be much easier for us to work. I''d help if I could!But if we do, we''ll be unemployed by the time the city gates come up. Even if we have easy access to the gates, it''s useless if we don''t get permission to hunt. ............ d*mn it!What do you have against us, the people at headquarters? It seems that Use is not convinced. So if we can convince the higher-ups, we''ll be able to take down the hexenbiest Swarm. Oh dear. I never thought I''d have to kill a human before a hexenbiest. ''Estella. Can you contact the guild leader of the hunting guild?'' ''I don''t have any connections. ...... Well, it''s not impossible, but ......'' You look incredibly ???????????????????????? uncomfortable. He seems to have a breakthrough he doesn''t want to take. If there is a way out, I''ll force him to take it. ''Didn''t I tell you before that the guild that runs the whole district has a certain amount of power? ''I heard that when I was in the Lumberjack Guild. Unlike the guilds that are contained within a ward, the guilds that operate across all wards have obtained the approval of the lords of all wards to establish their guilds. Therefore, no single district can forcefully interfere with the guild. To do so would lead to a war between the districts. ''The hunting guild is such a guild that spans all the wards and has a lot of power...... well, you can call it the right to speak, but ...... that kind of guild is pretty strong. The meat is eaten by the whole district. In addition, the meat of Hexenbiests is of high quality, so that most of the familiar Japanese meats such as beef, pork and chicken have lost their market share to Hexenbiest meat. The loss of Hexenbiest meat would be a major blow to people''s diets. The lords of all districts would not want to go against the hunting guilds too much. ''So, what do you think is the deciding factor for a guild with such a strong voice to decide where to base itself? ''The city gates?'' That''s what the Lumberjack Guild did. They put down roots in the forty wards because of the city gate they use frequently. This was despite the fact that the district was lower than its original rank. ''The hunting guild is in District Forty-One for a similar reason. That''s the city gate I passed when I went hunting with Magda. It''s true, once you go out that gate, the forest where the monsters live is just around the corner. ''......, the lord doesn''t want to let go of a guild that has such a strong voice, so he''ll make a lot of accommodations, normally speaking. ''Just being there is profitable. In the 40th district, thanks to the Woodcutter''s Guild, the Torbeck Engineering Company, luxury goods, and nobles and wealthy people who were lured by the Guild are gathering. And as these people gather, new industries are born and revitalized. There are so many advantages. ''If that happens, the lord and the guild leader who has the power to speak will naturally get along well. ''Well, there''s no harm in getting along with each other, you know. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''............ haha''. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Wow, that''s a nasty look. It''s the kind of disgusting face I''d like to put in the dictionary as a reference image for the word ''disgusting face. ''So, if you talk to the lord of the forty-first district, he might be able to get you through to the head of the hunting guild. ''...... I understand. So you hate the Lord of District 41 like a scorpion. The kind of man Estella hates so much. You don''t even have to look at her to know what kind of person she is. ''Ahhhh, I''ve been trying to avoid having any contact with him, but ...... life is so unpredictable...'' I''m getting a little desperate. Do you hate it that much? Well, we''re lords of neighboring districts. They must have had some trouble. They say that negative emotions instilled in us from childhood don''t dissipate in adulthood, but become more complicated and irreparable with time. Well, it''s possible. But I''d rather have trouble in front of me than trouble in the past. ''Well, Estella. Can you make an appointment with the lord of the 41st district? 129-Episode 112 Ear-ear disease caused by a sense of w... ''Mu ??????????????????????????? ah ah ah ah ah ah ............! There''s a seal in the sunny pavilion. No, it''s Estella. She lies prostrate on the table, shakes her body occasionally, and cries ''muaa''. She has become an annoying creature. ''No reply~! We were trying to make an appointment with the head of the hunting guild, the lord of the forty-first district where the hunting guild''s headquarters was located. In order to do so, he sent a letter to the lord of the 41st district, but ...... he did not receive a reply. ''Three letters, three letters!Sending three letters and not receiving a single one back is nothing short of diplomatic rudeness!That''s why he''s so unattractive! Estella is furious. She''s like a seal on the shore, acting threateningly. ''Well, calm down, Goma-chan. ''Who the hell is Goma-chan? He pats her on the head to calm her down. Estella seemed to have calmed down a bit, although she looked unhappy. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''Hmm?What''s up, Magda?'' As I was comforting Estella, who was sitting in a corner of the sunlit pavilion, Magda came over to us with a fruit tart. ''...... The manager told me to take it. ...... to Goma-chan.'' ''It''s not Goma-chan! I''m not a fan of this kind of thing, but I''m not a fan of this kind of thing. It''s cheap, your mood ...... Therefore, Jeannette and the others are too busy serving customers to deal with Estella. Well, it''s easier to talk to her that way. ''Ah. That''s right, Magda. '' ''...... what?'' ''Have you ever seen a guild leader of a hunting guild?'' ''...... Negative. A hunting guild is a large organization with a very vertical society. It''s not every day you get the chance to meet someone higher than your immediate superior. It''s a vertical society,......, yes. ''......, but I''ve heard rumors.'' ''What kind of guy is he?'' ''......When you meet a bear on a mountain road, ............ it pretends to be dead.'' ''A bear! Is this the kind of guy that wild animals instinctively fear? ''...... also known as "Medora the Roaring Thunder"'' ''Roaring Thunder'' is ...... another disturbing name. ''...... No. It''s a monster," is the general opinion of those who have actually seen her. Some of them lost their eyesight when they saw him. ''What kind of monster is that, ......? Well, it''s probably just a muscular old man anyway. ...... Let''s not get our hopes up at all. ''...... arms are as big as Magda''s waist''. ............ Too big?I don''t know. ''Gorilla people? ''...... I''m pretty sure it''s ............ ferret people.'' No. The ferret I know isn''t a stout creature like that. There must be some mistake. ''...... I''ve heard he''s a terrible man, merciless to those he doesn''t like.'' In my brain, I can easily imagine the boss of some gang instructing his men to harass a store that doesn''t listen to him. A strong vertical society ...... I see. ''Thank you. You can go back to work.'' ''............ Jee''. ''............Yes, yes. Come on.'' I beckoned and Magda clung to my waist. I fluffed his ears and he let out his usual ''Mmmmm! She let out a gasp. I feel like I''m getting into a strange habit of spoiling her lately. ''...... maybe''. ''Hmm? ''......If you do the same thing to the guild leader, you''ll be ............ erased.'' ''......I won''t do that. ............'' I''m not sure who''s going to be wagging their stiff ears at me. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I have. As soon as she entered the restaurant, she spotted Estella and walked straight towards her. ''I knew you were here, Goma-chan. ''Where did you get that information?It''s not possible, is it? Estella protests vehemently, but ...... common sense is not good enough for Natalia. There''s nothing she doesn''t know about Estella. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... It doesn''t matter. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I think you''re doing something very advanced. ...... Well, I don''t really care about that. ''I finally received your reply. ''Finally? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ''That man has always been like that, you know. He looks down on me and thinks I''m a fool. He continued to complain as he unsealed the letter. ''Do you know him? I ask Natalia, concerned for Estella who has started to read the letter. ''If it''s about Estella, you can ask Natalia and she''ll give you the answer. ''Yes, that''s right. Your daughter and the current lord of the 41st district are close in age, so we''ve had many opportunities to see each other since we were young. ''Is the current lord of District 41 that young? ''His predecessor passed away early, and ...... his son, Ricardo, took over. A lord at the same age as Estella. ...... I guess the weight of responsibility is different from Estella, the acting lord. ''He''s been vivacious and unafraid since childhood, honest and foul-mouthed, thoughtless and impudent, full of malice, condescending to others, proud and proud, petty and insignificant, a wonderful lord. ''How dare you talk like that? The second half of the sentence is a storm of abuse. ''You''re no good because you''re a woman,'' ''You can''t be a good lord,'' and so on, bullying the young lady .......'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. So Estella''s natural competitive spirit made her into this boxy girl. In order not to be outdone by the neighboring lord''s son. ''I don''t know how many times ...... I''ve been stopped from assassinating someone. ''I''m seriously afraid of you.'' I''m not plotting against you. And don''t you dare tell anyone about it. ''If a lord''s family doesn''t have a baby boy, it''s customary to get a son-in-law to take over the reigns of the family, but since he''s the lord of ...... the 42nd district, he''s not being looked at. ''''Oh, that''s good. It''s a shame that Estella is wasted on such low-level idiots. I don''t know, ...... the thought of Estella being used as a tool in a political marriage makes me irresistibly angry. ''The surrounding nobles are also not keen on marrying the young lady as it would mean being incorporated into the Creamona family. If I''m going to be the lord of the 42nd district anyway, it would be better for my family to take over after the death of the Creamona family.'''' ''You don''t want to talk about the name of Creamona? ''''Since the image of ''Forty-two Wards = Crea Mona'' has been completely attached to it. There are many foolish aristocrats who look down on us just because of our name. ''Even though your family is no more than a lord and a half-baked noble? ''It''s because we''re halfway there, sir. You don''t want to take away the possibility that you can climb up to the top if you want to.'''' In other words, the forty-second district is definitely looked down upon, and the trend is that it would be shameful for one of us to be adopted as a son-in-law and take over as lord? Do they think that if they want to, they can take over the Central District? Such people will probably remain in the middle of the road forever. ............ Don''t underestimate the 42nd ward. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''She''s smart. She''s been getting clunkier lately. ''Oh?Aren''t clunkers cute?'' ''From your point of view, I guess so.'' ''Miss, when you pinch her nose while she''s sleeping, she makes a cute ''miiiiii'' sound, you know? ''What are you talking about behind my back? Estella, who has finished reading the letter, closes in on Natalia. She bared her fangs as her cheeks flushed red. ''Embarrassed young lady, moe~'' ''You''re so annoying! These guys, their hierarchical relationship is collapsing by the day. ...... ''I''m not thinking about marriage, I''m... When your father retires, I''ll be a great lord. The future of the Forty-two districts is secure.'' He shoves the letter back into my chest. ''Can I read it? ''You can throw it away. It''s not that important.'' A cursory glance at the letter reveals that only the text appears to have been cut and pasted from some standard text, but the entire ...... letter is littered with detailed sarcasm. The world has become more generous when the acting lord sends a letter directly to the lord. Or... I envy you that you can visit me whenever you want, but I''m too busy to do that. Or. It''s a fool''s errand to waste time, but when meeting an old acquaintance, it''s a good idea to be the fool of your childhood. And so on. ...... This means that you don''t approve of him as an acting lord and you can''t have him, right? ''He''s always been like that. He''s always been like that. He''ll get on your nerves if you''re not careful. He''s a nasty guy who can''t keep his mouth shut. ''I see. ...... That''s why the gatekeeper of District Forty-one looked down on the people of District Forty-two more than necessary. ''It''s not just the gatekeepers. ...... It''s the whole town.'' He sat down in a chair with Dokka and crossed his arms. An aura of grumpiness rises from his body. ''That''s a very different reaction from the demi-lie of the Forty District. ''Master Oji is a good man. He''s someone I can respect both as a lord and as a human being. Estella''s expression brightens a little. I wonder if this is also a result of her childhood. ''Demilly-sama is an old acquaintance of the current lord, and they are very close. ''That''s what he said, I believe. ''Demilly-sama of the 40th district is generous and personable, and has always been someone who cares about my lord whenever something happens. I imagine he''s like a big brother you can rely on. Nowadays, the 42nd district is full of life, but when I first arrived, it was in a terrible state. He must have been consulted in many ways. ''On the other hand, District 41''s Mr. Siegenthaler is ............! ''Easy to understand, you too. ''The previous lords were still able to talk. He was ...... hard to get to know, though.'' ''But it is also true that the lord''s condition deteriorated due to his association with Lord Siegenthaler. ''Your father is ............ weak to hit, you know.'' What, did he fall asleep from stress? Well, anyway, I guess he''s not a good match for District 41. If you ask me, I''ve become more active with the Forty, but I can''t get along with the Forty-One. Basically, we use it only as a transit point. It''s not a main street, but a small road used as a loophole for a few kilometers. ''Oh, I don''t want to go to ............ ......''. ''No, we have to go, don''t we? ''I know, I know. ...... I''m going. ......'' Estella the seal, again. ''Well, I''ll go with you. See?'' ''Nn............ please.'' You''re so naive. That''s why you''re in trouble. It''s certainly depressing to go to a place where you know you''ll get a lot of grief. I can''t just blow him off. I hope the negotiations go well. ''So when do you want to meet? ''Three days from now. ''You''re being very coy again. ''That''s on purpose. I''m just harassing you to make you feel better. ......'' ''That doesn''t sound like you.'' ''Huh?'' Estella, who had been sulking, looked up at me. ''No, I know you don''t like it, but...'' ''I just think it''s not like Estella to make judgmental comments about people. ''I didn''t mean to say anything bad about ...................'' I was about to say something, but then I cut my words. She looks like she''s about to cry, and her mouth sticks out like a duck. ''............ I''m sorry. I''ll be careful. ''No, I didn''t mean to blame you, okay? Oh, no. I''m sulking. I''m sure Estella is aware of that. But there are some people you just can''t stand and you feel more negative emotions towards them than you should. It happens all the time. It happens to me too. But it''s a little painful to have it pointed out to you by ....... Somehow, I feel like ''everyone is blaming me''. ...... Hmm. I think I may have misspoke. ''Estella is... Estella is a better person, a kinder person, and she would smile all the time if she could. That''s what I think she is. ''............'' Estella turns her head and refuses to make eye contact with me. I continue without concern. ''But he also thinks about his people, he works hard, and he has a stronger sense of responsibility than anyone else. ...... That''s why he gets impatient and makes little mistakes. ''............'' ''But don''t forget that.'' I put my hand on his head, brushing his fine red hair. ''No matter how hard it is, you''re not alone. I don''t know what you''ve been through, but you''ve got me now. ''......Yashiro'' Until now, Estella had been hiding her true identity, and everyone had been struggling to cope on their own. That must be exhausting. You must be exhausted. ''If the load on your back is impossibly heavy, just throw it away somewhere. If it''s worth anything, I''ll bring it back and keep it for you.'' I can''t be arrogant enough to say I''ll take half of it. That''s about it for now. ...... ''...... Can''t you even honestly say a word of encouragement, you? ''I''ll be honest, I''ll always be honest. I''ll help you if it''s worth money.'' ''Well, I guess I''ll try to smell like money from now on. As she said this, Estella stretched her curled back. ''...... thanks''. ''No ...... sorry.'' ''Nn ......'' ''Oh.'' The delicate atmosphere lightens a little. Estella reflects on her blunder, I reflect on my own, and let bygones be bygones. ''My Lady, Master Yashiro. After Estella and I have made our peace, Natalia quietly raises her hand. ''''......, explode.'''' ''''That''s not what I meant! The voices came together beautifully. Yes, Estella and I seem to be on the same page. ''''Um, Yashiro-san.'''' Ginette is coming towards us. I saw that the number of customers had decreased and there was a little more room to serve them. ''There''s a customer here to see you. ''A customer?'' Ginette said, and I looked at the entrance and saw Pompeo. ''Hello!Mr. Yashiro!'' ''...... tell him I''m not home.'' ''I see you!I''m in full, full view! d*mn. ...... I should have talked to you somewhere more private. ''What, at this busy time? ''Oh. Is there something in the works?'' ''I''ve been waiting for three days for a visit to my lord. ''You don''t seem to be busy, do you ......? ''Well, I suppose you could say that. ''And?What is it? ''I''m here to learn how to make pudding.'' ''You''re early!I just taught you how to make fruit tarts the other day.'' Even though I had promised to teach him after the mess was over, he barged in like now, and I reluctantly taught him ahead of schedule. How many times can the same trick be used? ''Oh, I''d like to be taught too. Ginette raises her hand in a reserved manner. Come to think of it, I promised to teach Ginette as well, didn''t I? ''Well, Jeannette. I''ll teach you when we get the guests back.'''' ''What about me! ''Shut up. You''ve been watching.I''m busy teaching Jeannette.'' ''Why don''t you teach her with me!It''ll save you a lot of time! He''s an annoying old man. Luxury''s regular customers call him ''calm and dandy''.What the hell is that? ''I can''t help it. ......'' Well, I''ll at least teach you the basic concept of pudding. ''Jeannette, look at your breasts. ''Your breasts ......?'' ''Pompeo, look at Estella''s breasts.'' ''Oh, my breasts? ''Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have to go to ...... .......'' ''Wait, wait, wait!What is this?What''s going on? ''Listen, guys. Pudding is a food with that kind of texture. ''It''s totally different here and there!I want to follow the example of the puffy one! ''...... Pompeo............ will now be okay?'' I don''t like ...... wills that say ''I''d rather be plump'' ...... ''I can''t help it. Then I''ll tell you now. In return, you''ll have to answer a few questions.'' ''What''s that? Pompeo''s eyes light up when he''s told about the pudding. Well, it''s dangerous to make decisions based on information from only one direction. ...... ''What are your impressions of District 41 and the hunting guild? I thought it would be good to know what District 41 was like from the perspective of the district on the other side of District 42. ''Nothing in particular. I''m only interested in things that have an elegant feel to them. Well, I guess you could say that I''m ............ the kind of person ...... you don''t want to get involved with.'' ''I see. That''s good to know. It''s true that they don''t give a good impression. The day ended with me teaching Ginette and Pompeo how to make pudding. I''ll have to have Jeannette master it before Pompeo does, and sell it at the Sunlit Pavilion soon. By the way, some of the ladies from the forty wards came to eat the cake. They all went home looking more delicious than before. At any rate, it is safe to assume that the other side''s malice is gone. ...... d*mn, one problem after another... ............ And three days later. I went with Estella to meet the lord of the 41st district. 130-Episode 113 Lord of the Forty-one Wards To be honest, the mansion of Ricardo Siegenthaler, the lord of the 41st district, was a delicate structure. I felt that it was made to compete with the mansions of the lords of the forty districts, but the technology hadn''t caught up, so it failed in many places. ...... ''Has he been a vain lord since his predecessors?'' I whispered to Natalia standing next to me. ''This one was remodeled after you took over,'' she said. ''What?...... No, because it''s kind of old-fashioned, isn''t it? ''I think the designer''s head and the wood used were old. Wow, that''s harsh. It seems that Natalia doesn''t think too well of the Lord of this place. Neither the parents nor the children have a good relationship with each other. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who can''t afford to lose. ...... You can''t help but dislike them if they treat you like that. ''...... with bare hands''. Natalia muttered, clenching her fists. ''Do you want me to take it apart? ''I have a feeling you could do it, but ...... please don''t.'' I didn''t come here to declare war. ''You''re late. How long are they going to keep us waiting?'' Estella said with an annoyed expression. We''ve been standing in front of the gate for at least 20 minutes since we arrived at the lord''s mansion and asked the gate guards for help. If it were any other lord, he would have already left, saying, ''You are rude. ...... It''s this kind of harassment that makes people hate you. The lord here. But since this is not a courtesy visit, Estella''s attire is simple. It''s just a little better quality than her usual clothes. ''This harassment in anticipation of our being too angry to leave: ......'' ''It''s like you''re loudly advertising your small capacity. In the first place, what would the people think if they saw you making the lord of another district wait in front of the pavilion? ......'' The two women are killing me. I''ll stay away for a bit. While being harassed by the little lord, I look around the city. ''...... It''s quiet. The roads are not well maintained. But the streets are wide, and they look neat because they are not crowded. It is a base for hunting guilds, so they must have taken care to make it easy to transport animals. However, it lacks liveliness. It was deserted, or rather, there were not many people walking along this wide road. There were hardly any horse-drawn carriages passing by. Only two carriages passed by during the twenty minutes I was standing here. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Because he had his back to the gate, he did not notice that the messenger had come that far. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me, which startled me a little. That''s how quiet this town is. It wasn''t quiet, but it was ...... a bit tinnitus, as if I was hiding my breath. ''The lord is very busy and had a very hard time making time for me today. The old man leading us to the lord said this in a condescending tone. Then, stopping in front of a large door, he bent at the waist and added, ''So, please, let''s go. ''So, please don''t take too long. As Natalia reached into her pocket, I gave her a poke in the hip. ...... Don''t stab me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Welcome, acting lord of the 42nd district''. The room I was shown into was an opulent office with a large window behind it. The floor was covered with the fur of a large magical beast, creating a luxurious atmosphere. ''It''s been a while, Lord Siegenthaler. ''Ha! Ricardo Siegenthaler, Lord of the Forty-first District, snorted at Estella''s greeting. ''Don''t do that. You''re making my neck itch. This is between you and me. Let''s cut the formalities.'' ''Well, ...... I didn''t know there was such a deep connection between you and me.'' ''Hmm. You''re still not a pretty girl. ''Because I''m currently here in the position of acting lord. ''''Hmph. ......'''' Ricardo frowned, but lifted the corners of his mouth. Ricardo sits in a large leather chair behind his desk, leans back and crosses his legs arrogantly. He lifts his chin and looks down at you. ''I read your letter,'' he said. '' (Suggest a chair!)'' Natalia''s temper flared as Ricardo began to speak. The three of us are still standing in front of the office desk. Behind us is a sofa with short legs. Normally, Ricardo should move over to the couch and sit us down on the one across from it. ...... We look like employees who have been summoned to the president''s office. Estella''s gaze turns to me as well. ''(No provocation allowed.)'' Estella''s eyes seemed to be telling me that. I know. Even I wouldn''t go on a rampage against an enemy general on their home turf. Even at the hunting guild branch, you were quiet at first.I''m quite a pacifist. ''So, what do you want today?I''ve got a lot of work to do. Please keep it short. '' (If you''re busy, why waste twenty minutes harassing me?)'' ''(...... Natalia, calm down.)'' Who would have thought that Natalia would hate him so much? Well, it''s not so much because she can''t accept Ricardo''s nosy personality, but because of his many rudenesses towards Estella. ''Then I''ll skip the extra greetings and conventions. ''Huh!I don''t expect such manners from a country bumpkin like you. '' (Yashiro-sama. Thank you very much for everything. ''Wait, wait!What have you decided to do?(Just stay calm!)'''' What''s the point of resigning to take on Ricardo? There will be a war, seriously! ''I''d like to request a meeting with the head of the hunting guild. I''d like to ask him to do some large-scale work, so it might affect our district a bit. I wanted to let you know about that in advance. ''...... in advance''. Ricardo stepped up to the desk and kicked up the quill that was standing on the pen holder. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. ...... You''re a handy guy. I''ll practice next time. ''So you want me to write a letter to Medora at the hunting guild? ''I''d like him to give me a letter of introduction. I couldn''t get any help from the branch manager. ''Hahaha!What the hell are you doing?You were refused cooperation by someone who lives in your territory?Hahaha!This is a masterpiece.'''' Fiddling with his quill with his fingers, Ricardo laughs with his mouth wide open. ''Kuh~............, I guess they''ll lick me because I''m a woman.'' ''......'' ''--Huh!'' I managed to hold off Natalia, who tried to move silently - without even breathing. I''m glad my ...... arm reached her. Natalia''s grip was a little thinner ...... than I had expected, but her muscles were tight and hard. It wasn''t because she was working out. This guy really wanted to kill her now. I rubbed his arm lightly to relax it. ''...... I''m sorry.'' ''That''s okay. It''s just a miracle I was able to move faster than you.'' If it''s a miracle, it''s probably because of God. Pray to your favorite spirit gods and such when you get back. ''Maybe so. ......'' Estella spits out the words slowly, as if she were swallowing them. She swallows the words she wants to say and spits out the words she has to say. ...... That''s a dexterous trick. ''That''s why I need you to write me a referral. I''m sure they''d be more than happy to work with you if you went through proper channels. You''re really trying to say. ''It''s because you''ve been pressuring them and interfering! But there''s no proof. But there is no evidence. Since there is no proof, you can''t say anything you don''t want to say. It''s not a good idea to antagonize them here. How did you hold back? ''Hmmm ......,hehe,what should I do? And yet ...... ''I can write it for you, but ...... it won''t benefit me, will it? ''Advantages ......? Ricardo''s attitude is still provocative. No, he''s getting stronger. ''You know, exchange conditions?You know, something like that. ''You want me to do something for you in exchange for a letter of introduction? ''Yeah, yeah. So what are you going to do for me?'' Ricardo tilts his head as if he''s peering down. The way he peeps at me, I can tell when he does it, but it makes me want to ...... punch him. ''I want to ask you the opposite. What do you want me to do?I''ll help you if I can. Estella, who must be very irritated, is trying to hold back her anger, even though she''s been put through so much. The smile on her face is twitching slightly, but I would rather praise her for keeping her smile intact. ''Ha-ha-ha, no. Nothing. ............ He''s an idiot. ''What you can do, I can do! ............ Do I have to make any comments about this guy?You don''t have to. ''Does that mean I can''t ...... write a referral ............? ''Hmm, no, I can write one for you. I''m sorry for you. ''Poor,'' says Ricardo, with condescending emphasis. The color of his eyes becomes cloudy in his smirk. ''If you get down on your knees and ask me, I''ll think about ...... you, okay? ''Let''s go home, Estella.'' ''Let''s go home, sweetheart.'' ''What?Wait, you two! Natalia and I turned and walked away almost simultaneously. What a waste of time. If anything, I''d rather give up the city gate than owe this guy a favor. He''s the lowest of the low. ...... If I ever get in a situation where this guy wants Estella herself, ............ I might kill someone for the first time. ''Negotiations have broken down? What part of this is negotiation? ''I''m afraid we don''t have much time, so I''ll have to come back. ''Right. The Lord of District Forty-One seems to be busy. ''Hey, you two! She reversed in front of the large door of the office and turned to face Ricardo. Natalia, with her good posture and dignified face, glared at the scum lord. I''m leaning my weight on the door with my arm. ''Thank you for your time. Natalia says, folding her back. I respect you for bowing to a guy like this, I do. ''I see. Then do as you please. It seems that Ricardo has no intention of stopping us. He has no intention of following up on his diplomatic rudeness, even as relations deteriorate. He probably thinks that there is no need to do so. ''He''s the kind of person who forgets the favor we''ve done for him. There''s no point in asking him to be polite, is there? Ricardo says, as if he is guessing. What do you mean by preferential treatment?A favor?I don''t recall that at all. He looked at Natalia, but she shook her head with a cool face. Estella, on the other hand, has a ...... puzzled look on her face. After all, she doesn''t seem to remember. ''Well, never mind. If you''re done, there''s nothing to talk about. While sitting in his chair, Ricardo turns his body around. Wow, there are swivel chairs in this world too. Ricardo''s hand reaches out from the top of the long backrest and waves it from side to side. ''Get the hell out of here,'' he says. We look at each other and see if anyone has any objections. ...... Yeah, no one. We made a unanimous choice to leave this unpleasant place. ''Oh, yeah. As we stepped out of the room, Ricardo turned to face us again. Of course, he sat down on a chair and turned his body upside down in a pompous manner. ''From the end of next month, there will be a toll on people and things passing through the 41st district. ''Huh? It was Estella who raised her voice. She stepped back into the office she had just left. ''What do you mean? ''I''m saying that there will be a toll tax on goods and people brought into the 42nd district through our district, and also on goods and people taken out. ''I didn''t hear anything about that! ''What, you haven''t received it yet? ''Has it arrived ......? Then Ricardo smiled his wickedest smile yet. ''I sent you a letter, didn''t I? ''...... letter......'' The word ''letter'' had a rather nasty ring to it. ''...... What is it? I looked at Estella and she had a scowl on her face. ...... It''s probably some kind of harassment or innuendo. ''Aside from the misunderstanding with the letter,......, isn''t it a bit violent to put a toll tax on all of the logistics? ''A maid shouldn''t be talking to the lord of another district. ...... What kind of education do you have, your place?Oh! ''...... Natalia.'' ''I apologize for my behavior. Natalia bows her head deeply. But it''s not to Ricardo. It was to Estella. ''Well, I''ll forgive you if you''re sorry. I have a big heart. I wonder what would happen if I used the Judgment of the Spirits now. If you can''t turn that bastard into a frog, you''re incompetent. But using the Judgment of Spirits on a lord is like a declaration of war. If you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. ...... I guess we have no choice but to stop. ''O lord of the forty-first district with a big heart. ''...... What the hell are you? ''I''m just a handsome guy passing through.'' ''At ............?What the hell? Ugh, I''m through, I''m through. You can''t read the air. ''Would you mind answering this maid''s question while you''re at it?''Open-minded lord. ''...... Are you fighting with me? The open-minded lord has a terrible temper. I''m going to respect you. ''...... Keh. ''Well, okay. It''s what I wrote in the letter anyway. I''ll tell you.'' I can tell you were actually going to say that all along. I see. So that''s how he is. You''re the type of person who withholds, procrastinates, and then when the other person loses interest or is in the mood to say no more, you tell them. ...... In the end, you can''t help but tell them. I''ll listen to you, so tell me. ''I heard you''re building a city gate in your district? ''Yes, that''s right, but ......, that''s something you should ............ know in advance! ''I bet a lot of adventurers, hunters and lumberjacks will use it when it''s finished.'' ''............ Yeah, yeah, maybe.'' You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I''m not sure if it''s ...... anger that''s in those eyes. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''That''s because, as I explained before, the direction the city gate is facing is different. ......! ''Huh?What''s the explanation? This guy ...... might not just be harassing me ............ what makes this guy this way... ...what the hell is that? I''m sure you''ve got ...... enough to explain ............. ''Enough ......, I see.'' He threw his arms up in the air and let them fall lazily. It''s the kind of pose you strike when you''re losing motivation. ''Well, anyway. We''ll have to make up for the loss of tax revenue somewhere. Since we''ll be disadvantaged because of the 42nd district, it''s only logical to ask the 42nd district to make up for it, isn''t it? ''Forty-two wards are the cause, that''s not true ......''. ''The details are in the letter. Again, ''letter''. ''There should be a full explanation in the letter. You''d better read it carefully. Finally, Estella stopped answering. You can''t see her expression from here, but ...... Estella''s back was angry. The 42nd district, surrounded by cliffs to the north and west and an outer wall to the south, cannot be accessed from other districts without passing through the 41st district. In other words, if District Forty-One is blocked, neither people nor goods will be able to enter District Forty-Two. Even if they did, they would have to pay a higher price due to the additional taxes. Ricardo''s policy is to sabotage the city gates of District 42 in order to prevent them from functioning. We can''t just sit back and accept this. If the demand is too unreasonable, I''m sure the General Court will deal with it. At any rate, if this is left unchecked, there is a danger that the 42nd district will not receive any supplies. ''...... Are you trying to start a conflict with District Forty-two? ''Which one is it?I heard you.I heard your place is expanding its military? ''Huh?That''s a false accusation! ''Don''t you dare lie to me! Ricardo stands up, knocking over his chair and making a racket. It''s a big one,......1, about 80 centimeters,......, and there''s too much of a height difference with Estella. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. Ricardo''s intimidating attitude caused Estella to take a half step back. ''............ Ah! Estella reacted to Ricardo''s words. I didn''t know what he was talking about until about halfway through. ...... Is he talking about the march of fake soldiers that was set up to get rid of those ruffians? Expanding the military...... does it look that way from the outside? ''I''m sure you thought you had it well covered up in your territory, ...... but unfortunately, you didn''t. I''ve heard that the honest to goodness kids are happily chanting ''lord lord lord'' in chorus.They''re waving flags with the lord''s emblem on them. ''No, that''s ......''. It''s a complete misunderstanding. But that didn''t stop Ricardo from assuming it. ''You were planning to expand your army, open the city gates for profit, and invade the 41st ...... district, weren''t you! ''''We have no such intention!If you want, you can have the ''Spirit Judgment'' applied here and now! ''''Hmph!That''s not going to happen!I heard that you got a very smart advisor. A smart advisor? I had a bad feeling and looked next to me to see Natalia staring at me. I turned around and saw Estella staring at me. ...... Stop it. Don''t look at me. If you do that, it''s like declaring war. It''s a perfect opportunity for you guys. To take over this 41st district! ''That''s not our intention at all! ''Then show me the proof! ''...... proof,evidence? ''Yes. Let''s see if you can show us that you have no intention of invading. ''What do you want me to do? Ricardo grinned wickedly, perhaps because Estella showed a willingness to concede. ''Cancel the installation of the city gate. What the hell is ...... that? 131-114 In order to make it difficult to talk about, Ricardo Siegenthaler, the lord of District Forty-One, has demanded that the construction of the city gate in District Forty-Two be cancelled. This is an absurd demand that we cannot possibly accept. There is no way we can tolerate the development of District 42 being blocked by other districts. Who in the world has the right to say, ''You are not allowed to develop''? If the representative of the forty-two districts had been anyone other than Estella, the acting lord, he would have declared war right here and now. There was no way we could negotiate, so we decided to leave. Nothing came of it. ...... Well, that''s one thing clear. I don''t like the lord here. It''s a good thing we found out. The man who saw us off was the old man who took us in the first place. ''I''m glad to see you back early, sir. If the master is the master, then the butler is the butler. We left the lord''s mansion without speaking a word. When we went outside, we saw a carriage parked in front of the gate. It was the carriage of the Clairmona family, the lords of the 42nd district. We''ve come here today in this carriage. Normally, Estella rarely uses a carriage even when going out. She also walked when she went to see Demilly, the lord of the forty districts. Estella said, ''I walk as far as I can,'' but I''m sure there are many reasons that she doesn''t dare to say. The Cremona family was in financial trouble when she went to Demilly to ask about the sewage system, although it was in a good condition now. What''s more, Estella is not a lord, but an agent. She may have her own thoughts on the matter. And yet Estella has decided to use the carriage today. It''s clear that she had mixed feelings about this as well. ...... Don''t worry about that for now. I''m not going to pry into it. It''s not my place to poke around. I know what I''m doing. So, what''s the problem now, as I said before, is that the carriage is ''parked'' in front of the gate. They have not moved the carriage into the grounds, nor have they let the horses rest. That''s how thorough they are. ''Well, I expected this to happen. Estella gets into the carriage. Estella is the first one to get into the carriage as she sits on the top seat. Natalia, as expected, does not get into the carriage first and pull Estella''s hand. When Estella gets in, the carriage shakes. She must have been frustrated and put too much pressure on her foot. ''So, Master Yashiro. ''Oh, Sankyu. Natalia is looking out for me too. She lets me sit next to Estella and she sits at the bottom. She even opens and closes the door for me. I''m sure he has no reason to respect me. As I stepped onto the carriage step and was about to enter the carriage, I saw a group of people out of the corner of my eye. As I looked at them, I saw a group of incredibly stout men pulling a simple cart made of wooden boards with wheels. The cart had a large beast strapped to it, and I could tell at a glance that they were members of the hunting guild. The people at the headquarters all seemed to be as well-built as Use. ''Yashiro-sama......, you''re not interested in macho men......'' ''No! I was a little annoyed by that casual plural! Muscles are no fun to look at. Let''s just get on with it and get rid of this town. ......, I thought, and turned my gaze once more to the men. With a bang and a bang. ''...... You''re very curious.'' ''Shut up for a second.'' I silenced Natalia with my usual tone. Perhaps she sensed the seriousness of my words, but the softness in Natalia''s voice disappeared. She seems to be following my lead and looking at the men. ...... And I think I''ve found them. A quiet murderous tone emanates from Natalia. ''............ So that''s it, huh? ''It looks like .......'' There were a lot of things that were bugging me. I knew that would be the case. But now it''s conclusive. I''m convinced. ''It''s all ...... his fault, isn''t it? As I stared at them, I saw a familiar pair of men - the two muscle men who had caused the bug riot in Cantar Chica. ''Estella. ''Yes?'' ''I''ll call Estella and show her what''s going on outside. ''............ Aah!'' Estella seems to have noticed the muscle men and shouts loudly when she finds them. The muscles noticed her voice and gave her a look like ''Oh, no! and quickly disappeared into a side street. Other than the two men in the bug racket, the other men approached us. They stared at us with menacing, wary, hostile eyes, as if they were trying to intimidate us for shouting. Have you come to report the results of your hunting to your lord? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. There is probably a guild or a demon beast dismantling site up ahead. The two men who just came in are going to take a detour and meet up with you later. ''Did you see that? ''Oh. Stay strong.'' If those two were here in District Forty-One, then ...... We should assume that the whole thing was arranged by Ricardo, the lord of the forty-first district. We got into the carriage and decided to go over the information we knew. ''It was the cake they were trying to block, wasn''t it? ''I''m guessing this is because it''s the most exciting product in the Forty-second Ward and the Forty-second Ward seems to be emphasizing cooperation with the Forty-second Ward.'' It''s only a theory, but ...... So far, the 42nd district has done many things jointly or in mutual cooperation with the 40th district. We have built sewage systems and roads. Attracting lumberjack guilds. And most recently, a cake performance with Luxury. Now, the topics of conversation between the 42nd and 40th wards are often linked. They are all talking about the same thing. Skip the intervening forty-one wards. ''You mean you didn''t like that ......''. ''Well, you''ll never admit it that clearly, but I''m sure you''re not that far off .......'' As you can see from Ricardo''s attitude, the people of District Forty-one look down on District Forty-two and give a glance to District Forty. It would be unacceptable for the Forty Wards to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Forty-two Wards. If forty wards had fallen to the level of forty-two wards, it would be self-contained, but if you look at the current situation seriously, forty wards are not in decline. If that is the case, it means that Ward 42 is now on par with Ward 40. They have overtaken their own 41st district. Well, you can''t admit that, can you? ''So, you want to kill the cake?Isn''t that too short-sighted?'' ''Maybe they were just scouting the city gates. It''s also possible that he was walking through the Forty-second District when he heard about the cake .......'' Natalia''s opinion is strangely convincing. It''s not unreasonable to think of it as the actions of a single person. When she received information about the construction of a gate in a neighboring district, which would greatly affect the interests of her district, and sent her to inspect it, she found that the city had undergone a drastic change and the residents were happily talking about cakes. The reasoning that this caused such a ruckus ...... was more likely to be: ''Cakes are the specialty of the forty districts, and you''re copying them when you''re from the forty-two districts!I''ll destroy it! I''m going to destroy it!''--that makes more sense to me than some crazy idea. ''If that''s the case, he might have come to visit a few times. ''I''ll ask Umaro. I''ll ask Umaro if any of the workers have seen the strange muscle man. I don''t know if they were doing anything as big as espionage, but I''m sure they came to inspect. Because our information was conveyed to the lord. ''You must have heard from the Longhorns who sat around and tried to sabotage our business that we were expanding our military. As soon as they knew about it, we can be sure that the ruffians who were harassing the 42nd district and the lord of the 41st district were connected.'''' ''That''s for sure. If they were conducting intelligence activities in other ways, there''s no way they could have received information that District Forty-two was expanding its military. ''That''s right. In fact, there has been no military expansion in our territory. The horde you showed those ruffians was just a wax dummy. There''s no way anyone other than those ruffians could have gotten that information. The hordes of soldiers were only there at that time and place. While we were talking about this, the carriage arrived at the lord''s mansion. But I took Estella out of the carriage and headed for the square. ''Next, let''s talk about the fact that you know this guy who appeared after the sitting incident. In the square, there is a huge Bonacon skull. But as you can see by touching it, it''s a wax replica. It''s a disgustingly elaborate replica, though. Using the giant skull as playground equipment, kids are playing around loudly. In their hands, they hold a flag with the emblem of their lord on it, occasionally shouting things like ''Ryoshusama! and so on. At first, it was just a jinx to make it easier to win a children''s lunch, but now the flag itself has become valuable, and waving the flag in praise of the lord has become a boom among the kids. As small children imitated what the big ones were doing, the original meaning of the flag gradually faded away. Some of them may be shouting ''Ryoshusama'' without even knowing its meaning. ''...... Maybe it''s time to impose some restrictions. That''s right. If we go too far, the other wards and royalty might take notice. It''s all well and good to respect and celebrate, but these kids have gone a bit too far. Sometimes it''s just too much. Enthusiasm can reach its end if you don''t stop it there. Especially when it''s a pure child. I''ll teach them what a lord is, how to treat one, what not to do, and so on, at a later date. I''ll have to take some responsibility for firing him up. We need to be very careful not to become anti-lord forces as a reaction to the expiration of the lord''s power. A reaction is a terrible thing. So, back to the topic at hand. We only got into this situation after we fought off that ragtag bunch of longhairs.'' ''If you know about it, it means you''re here to inspect. Most of the people coming from District Forty-One would pass by the Lord of District Forty-Two''s mansion to reach the main road. This central plaza at the end of the street is a kind of ''back entrance''. It is connected to the 41st arrondissement by a narrow street, and there is little traffic of carriages. Carriages and wagons loaded with goods would go through the big road. In other words, the only people who know the situation in the central square are those who came here with the intention of coming here. Which brings up the fact that the 41st district is probing the 42nd district. Well, it''s full of circumstantial evidence. ''At first, the low-level members of the hunting guild were harassing the store, but when ...... Yashiro got back at them, they decided it was a bad idea to act on their own. ''So they hired a ragdoll to do the job, ...... I guess. ''It''s not fair to ask a ragdoll from the 40th district to do the job. ''I can smell the small stuff. When the ruffians were caught, if they were found out to be from District 41, they would be suspected. That''s why they asked the ruffians in District 40 to do it anonymously. Yeah. Small guy. They can''t even take responsibility for themselves. Smart? Careful? Nonsense. Smart people don''t trust sloppy planning to useless riffraff, and careful people do careful research before they act. They get pissed off, act quickly, get beaten back, and run away with their tails between their legs. After that, they sneak off to hide. ...... What is smart and careful about that? ''Let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion. ''Yes, we should. My head hurts from all the frustration. I''m in the mood to look at Ginette''s face and be soothed.'' ''Then I''ll look at her tits and let them heal me. ''Can you please stop doing that next to me? I''m sure we won''t have to fight over it. ...... In any case, a lot of information had been pumped into my brain in the past few hours, and I needed a break. I''m in the mood to go back to the sunny pavilion and eat something sweet. ''Welcome back, Mr. Yashiro. Estella-san.'''' ''''Ah, ...... is soothing. ............'''' Estella and I were fully healed by the smile of Ginette who greeted us at the sunny pavilion. I think Ginette has a waterfall or forest among her relatives.You can find a lot of negative ions in the air. ''...... If you''re tired, pudding is the way to go. Ginette seems to have picked up on it and put it on the menu right away. Then let''s see what she can do. ''I''m still a little unsure, so this is a trial period. Ginette said embarrassedly, and then Loretta spoke to us. ''We have two kinds of pudding, the manager''s version and Estella''s version. Which do you prefer? ''I''m tired, so I''ll take Jeannette''s.'' ''Yes, sir.'' ''Hey... Does the pudding have my name on it? ''Just for now, I''d like to borrow it. ''That''s fine, but ......, since it''s so nice, I think I''ll go with that one.'' ''...... Estella-san, are you full now? ''I get it, it makes sense!That''s what it means! Estella senses something and tries to grab Loretta. But Loretta successfully dodges her and runs to the kitchen. ''''Um, ......, I''ll serve you both a normal size. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. ...... That means Ginette''s version wasn''t ''normal size''! ''...... special size''. Leaving the meaningful words behind, Magda returned to serving the customers. ''I demand that you retrain your employees,'' he said. ''I feel like the people of the lord are in the lord''s category~'' ''......LorettaMehLorettaMehLorettaMeh............'' As I sat down in my usual seat in the back corner, I felt instantly lighter. I was relieved to know that I was back, after all. The same is true for Estella, who is sitting across from me, her face completely relaxed. ............ This is not the time to be relieved, though. ''It was a terrible thing, the 41st district. ''That''s because he''s that lord,.......'' ''No, that''s part of it. ......'' On the way home, I was observing the streets of the 41st district from the window of the carriage. The main street through which the carriage passed was lined with reasonably large buildings. The street was lined with large buildings and had a good view of the city, and although it was poor, it was still a decent place to live. It was ...... very quiet. Between the buildings, I could occasionally catch a glimpse of the inside of the forty-first district. ...... ''Isn''t the gap between rich and poor too great in that district? Just beyond the main street, I could see a number of dilapidated buildings that looked like abandoned houses. It is inevitable that slums are formed in the secluded areas, but ...... to see buildings of that level right behind the main street is ...... ''I got the impression that it was just a ...... papier-m?¡éch?? surface that had been painstakingly mended. ''That may be true. Estella says that the 41st district is not a very financially secure district either. Well, it''s second to last. In such a situation, the wealth is concentrated in the center of the city because of the outstanding groups like the hunting guild. The hunting guilds are favored so much that the rest of the people are not benefited. Not only that, but they also impose heavy taxes to give priority to a few nobles. ''So those who can''t take it anymore try to flee to other districts. ''The outflow of the people, ...... but if that happens...'' Yes. The tax revenue will be squeezed even more, and the burden on the residents will be even greater. It''s a vicious cycle. ''But thanks to the hunting guilds and the city gates, there was once a difference in economic power that the forty-two districts could not compete with. That''s why only the 42nd district was suckered by the peddlers'' guild. No one can be strong against those with economic power and authority. So, let''s make up for it by exploiting those who can. That''s the easy solution that everyone thinks of. It''s the start of a vicious circle. ''Can''t you stop that biased policy?Like, with external pressure? For example, colluding with the lords of the forty districts and other districts to make them change the policies of the forty-first district. That''s difficult. After all, it''s the hunting guild that''s benefiting. The hunting guild is a guild that works across all districts. That means that the hunting guilds are responsible for the majority of the meat distributed in all districts. Every district wants to eat meat. They don''t want to get into a conflict with the hunting guild and ruin their relationship. ''...... This city is rotten. ''Maybe everyone is aware of that. But no one can speak up. But no one can speak up, because the more corrupt the city is, the better off the people in power are. ...... Keh. ''The toll tax is more of a problem than the gap between rich and poor in the 41st district. ......'' Estella plops down on the table, scratching her hair. ''We may be able to appeal to the General Court to stop it, but ...... it''s a 50/50 chance we''ll win. ...... No, neighboring lords can challenge unfair ordinances. If the other side makes unreasonable demands, the other side will have to pay the price. ............ I understand that the other side is making unreasonable demands. I am also confident that I have legitimacy. But in a court of law, the outcome is not always as you want it to be. The other side is making a preemptive move, and may have obtained information or other information that could be used against us. But that is not the point. ''Don''t go to court. ''Is it a disadvantage, after all? ''No, regardless of whether we win or lose, if we go to trial, the 42nd district will be hit hard. If we lose in court, it will be impossible to stop the toll tax in District 41, and the distribution to District 42 will take a big hit. In the worst case, if such a precedent is set and other districts start copying it, the distribution will die completely. There is a high risk that goods will no longer flow to the 42nd district. ''Then, what if we win? ''You''ll be harassed forever. Harassment of all sizes. Denial of work between guilds. Interference with the forty districts and others. ''There are so many ways to do this. As a ''lodger'' who has left District Forty-One, you can commit repeated crimes in District Forty-Two, or become a resident of District Forty-Two and commit evil deeds inside and outside of District Forty-Two. ''...... Would he go that far? It''s a possibility that can''t be denied. If I were in Ricardo''s shoes, and I lost the case, ...... In the event that you are in the position of Ricardo, and you lose the case, you should advertise that District 41 has failed because of District 42, and release all of its citizens at once. Only the hunting guild and the lord''s relatives will be left in the district. The released lords will drop in rank and pour into District 42. There, they rampage, looting and destroying. I, the lord of the 41st district, give money and goods to such ruffians in the name of ''making amends for the trouble caused by the collapse of the district. The more they rampage, the more I give them more apologies, thinking that they must be hurting so badly. Now the ruffians know that the more they destroy District 42, the more money and goods they will get from District 41, and they will destroy all of District 42 in no time. When that happens, what action can District 42 take? Start a war against District Forty-one?How?In a district where there are only lords. That''s an invasion. The other districts won''t allow it. So we dispose of the lords? Dozens and dozens of them, by the lord? What would the outside world think of that? ...... Most likely, there''d be no decent people left before then. You may have escaped ...... or ............. Now, after such a situation continues and the 42nd district is destroyed, I will stand in front of them without hesitation and say, ''After all, the lord of the 42nd district is incompetent and useless. I''ll rule this area again.'' I appeared like a savior and ruled both District Forty-one and District Forty-two. I''ll distribute the land to the ruffians who have worked so hard, so they won''t rebel. ''...... and even if you just think about it, you can do this much.'' ''Yashiro ............, you''re not going to betray me, are you?Don''t abandon me, okay? Estella is really trembling. I''m not sure what to do. This is just a simulation with the impossible condition of ''if all the people in the forty-two districts were ignorant and unresisting. ''Ya, Yashiro. I''ll treat you to pudding today. So, okay?Hey! ''Don''t worry. I''m not interested in being a lord.'' ''I see. ........................ What?Not at all?Absolutely not?You feel like it''s impossible no matter what?'' Why are you so desperate? I''m not going to be a lord or anything, am I? ''............ I''m in a bit of a mood. Here''s the pudding. Yashiro''s buying.'' ''Hey, hey, hey. I think you just flipped out a little bit. ......'' d*mn. What the hell? ''Anyway, don''t go to court. ''Then what should we do ......? ''Let''s just ask for help. ''Ask who? ''Another district that would be harmed by the introduction of a toll tax. ''...... Ah! Yes, the 40th district. If a toll tax is imposed just for passing through the forty-first district, it will be difficult for Imelda''s father, Javier, to see his beloved daughter. That father is not so naive as to allow such a thing. He''s such a pervert that he''ll turn the whole country off. ''It seems to me that Ricardo''s words and actions stem from a personal grudge. Then it''s better to resolve the grudge on a personal level. The bigger the fuss, the more time and effort it takes to calm it down. And money. ''All right. I''ll make an appointment with the old man. ''Oh. Take care of it. Ricardo. You''re only looking in one direction. It''s not just the 42nd district you''re trying to make enemies with. I''ll remind you of that. 132-115. Position as the lord of the Forty Wards The day after the incident with the 41st district, Estella and I were walking towards the 40th district. To be honest, I was surprised that we were able to make an appointment much sooner than I had imagined. ...... I was just about to consult with the old man regarding the introduction of a toll tax in the 41st district when I was contacted by him. He said, ''I need to talk to you, so come at once. ''It''s a great opportunity. ''Probably the toll tax story got into his ears. It''s a neighboring district, so it''s not like he can''t announce anything. ......'' ''It''s either good timing ...... or he went to talk to us because we moved ......''. It''s probably the latter. It would not look good if the information about the introduction of the new system was leaked by others. It was a natural decision to go and greet them before that happens. This is especially true if the new system will have a significant impact on the logistics and economy of the other territory. It''s ....... It''s a good thing you''ve got a little footwork, that little lord. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the future. If things go well, he might be able to put pressure on District 41. There''s also a lumberjack guild in District Forty. A hunting guild that spans the entire district. The power of the guild is so great that an ordinary lord can''t have a straightforward opinion. But there''s a lumberjack guild in District 40. They have as much power as the hunting guild. As Estella said, if things go well, we may be able to have an equal discussion. If you want, we can bring the Sea Fishing Guild into the fold. ''Huh? Suddenly, Estella stopped. The narrow mountain road that extends from the central square of District 42. It''s called a back road in contrast to the main road. Ahead of her on the one-and-a-half lane road, called a back road in contrast to the main road, she saw a familiar large cart. The cart was loaded with a large quantity of flowers. ''Hey, Milly! ''Oh, ......, Estella. You too, ladybug. Millie was walking down the back street, pulling a cart. Is she on her way to deliver a package somewhere? ''Are you in the forty-first ward, ......? ''No, no. We''re in the forty-second ward. ''That''s a lot of .......'' ''Not as much as Millie, who''s making deliveries. Oh, right. Estella clapped her hands and pointed to the flowers on the cart. ''Hey, Milly. Can you sell me some of these flowers? ''Oh, ......, that''s fine. ...... I''ll make you a bouquet.'' Estella''s offer brightened Milly''s face. I''m sure she''ll be very happy. ''Let''s take some flowers to your father. He loves beautiful flowers, you know. Is that so? I can picture the face of a balding, friendly, smiling old man. Yeah, it''s fine. Your love of flowers has nothing to do with whether or not you have hair follicles. ''I''ll pick a flower that will make my old man happy...'' ''Millie. Isn''t there a flower with hair-growing properties? ''Yeah, ............, no ...... maybe.'' ''Yashiro, you don''t need to worry about anything else!I''m sorry, Milly. Don''t worry about what Yashiro says.'' ''...... Yeah. I don''t care. I don''t care. You''d be so happy if they existed, hair-growing flowers. If we planted dandelions on their scalps, they''d all turn into cotton wool by fall and look like Afros. ''Millie, can you give me a bunch of dandelions? ''Yashiro, shut up!The dandelion afro fiasco is on Oji-sama''s list of the five worst traumatic incidents he doesn''t want to remember! It''s already been tested! ''Oh, ......, I''ll let Miri choose the ladybug''s.'' ''Nn......? What, am I going to buy one too?I was just kidding about the dandelion. ...... Yeah, I don''t think I need it. Only Estella should buy this stuff. ............ Please don''t look at me with such sparkling innocent eyes. ...... My heart will be purified. My heart will be cleansed. ''Well, I''ll ask you. ''Mmm! Ohhhh, ......, the smile got the better of me. I don''t think I can beat Millie. ...... If it were Regina, I''d kick her ass. In the end, Estella bought a modest but cheerful bouquet of warm orange flowers. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... Um, Millie?This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your money. Millie seems to be very much in favor of the custom of giving flowers to each other, and has started to carry a number of reasonably priced bouquets. Perhaps that''s why they''ve been selling so well lately. That''s what she told me the other day with a big smile on her face. ''Well then, Miri, this way. ''Oh. Be careful.'' ''Thank you for the flowers. ''Mmm......, bye! Millie waved her hand as she pulled the big cart away. There was only one ''bye'' today. I wondered if she was hesitant because we were in another district. ''Well, let''s go, too. ''...... What should I do with this flower? ''If you''re hesitant to give them to the old man, why don''t you give them to someone you like? Where can I find someone like that? Who am I supposed to give it to? ............ Wow, what''s with that smiling face? What''s that?I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I can''t have a serious discussion while I''m squirming. Dismissed, dismissed. ''Right. You might even meet a beautiful woman with big tits at Demilly''s.'' ''Mmm ......, I''d have very mixed feelings if there was such a disreputable person at the old man''s place ......''. Demilly is a lord, remember?I''m sure he''s doing what he can. I''m sure he''s doing what he''s supposed to be doing. .................. That bald guy, what an envy. ...... ''Do you have a convex lens anywhere?I''ve got to burn out his hair follicles. ......! ''You''re going to see a lord now,......, so don''t be rude! What are you talking about now? Once you''ve messed with him, you''re his friend. Well, unlike the time in District 41, we should be able to visit him with some ease. --It wasn''t long after that that my naive thoughts were blown away. Ambrose Demilly, the lord of the fortieth district, who I hadn''t seen in a long time, had a very stern expression on his face. ''Estella. I don''t think you''re entirely to blame. But I can''t say that you''re entirely blameless either. ''............ Oji-sama''. What are you talking about, you baldhead? It was not the kind of atmosphere where you could talk ...... lightly. The introduction of the toll tax in the forty-first district has caused more tension in this district than expected. The biggest factor was the existence of the Woodcutter''s Guild. ''I think you''re as cute as my own niece. But there are some problems that can be solved with ...... niece cuteness and some problems that can''t. ......'' ''...... Yes''. In a serious voice that does not fit the image, Demilly continues. ''If you create a branch, all the contracts you''ve been forced to sign may be for naught. ...... This is an alarming problem.'' ''............Yes.'' The Lumberjack Guild gave us permission to establish a branch on the condition that we build a city gate. The city gate must not be withdrawn. On the other hand, if a toll tax is introduced due to the current complications with the 41st district, a large tax will be imposed on the transport of wood taken by the branch. The profits of the Lumberjack Guild would be severely impaired. This situation would be unpleasant for the lumberjack guild. In the first place, it was the Demilly who mediated with the Lumberjack Guild, and the Demilly did everything he could to help. If we let the woodcutter''s guild do any damage here, it would ...... be a blot on Demilly''s face. ''Couldn''t you have defused the situation a little earlier? ''...... That''s .................. sorry, sir... ...ugh.'' Estella looks down and bites her lip. I thought she was going to be on my side, but she gave me a hard time. ...... It must have been pretty damaging. It''s a wonder Estella hasn''t started crying, she''s so depressed. ...... You bald old man ......''s squeaky! I''ll polish you up so much that you''ll be a squeaky wheel! It seems that I was not the only one who was hurt by Estella''s depression, Demilly rushed to Estella in a panic. She bent down and looked into Estella''s face. ''Oh, Estella,...... please don''t look so sad,...... I''m not blaming you for anything.'' ''............Yes. I know. ............'' ''Oh ...... when you look at me like that, it makes me sad and want to ...... pelop you.'' ''What are you talking about, you bald old man? Where did you lose your sense of decency and common sense? You should only lose your hair follicles. ''Oba-kun......, we''re having a serious conversation between lords. Don''t interrupt me.'' ''What''s so serious about that, you demon vine peropero! Since Estella is down, I have to follow her somehow. ''I''ve tried to be as polite as possible. They''re the ones who rejected it. Isn''t it wrong to blame Estella for that? What could Estella have done in that situation? ...... Well, if it had been before the situation, you might have been able to do something about it,......, but that''s not my place to interfere. So I''ll at least do my best to defend him as best I can. ''The way I saw it, that wasn''t an attitude of listening. She was aggressive, and nothing you could have said would have changed the outcome. If Estella didn''t try hard enough, doesn''t the lord of District 41 have a problem too? The more you talk to him, the more he gives you a disadvantage. I think keeping your distance is one way to deal with him. ''How can you be considerate when you''re repeatedly harassed so blatantly? I''m trying to give an honest opinion. No matter how much you point out that you didn''t respect the other person, if the other person is a bastard like that, it''s a different story. If you are not a respectful person, you cannot behave in a respectful manner. But ...... ''I don''t think Siegenthaler''s son is small enough to be harassed like that. ''What about ............?'' What is this bald man talking about? I''ve never seen a man with such a small capacity before in my life. ''It''s true that he''s not as well-spoken as his father, the former lord, and his attitude is not always the best, but he has the discipline to be reasonable. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. ''......It''s because he''s the lord of the 40th district. ............'' In the event that you''re not happy with the way Demilly is defending Ricardo, Estella will say as if to spit out. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. They are bosses, seniors, or people in slightly higher positions. ''He''s not that handy of a guy to be able to use two sides of the same coin, you know? ''............'' From the reactions so far, Demilly seems to think that the trouble was caused by Estella''s lack of effort. ...... I don''t like that. I''m sure you''re right. In other words, Mr. Demilly says that if the 42nd district were to make more of an effort, the current turmoil could be put to rest. ''Oh?Hmm, ah, ah... Well, I don''t know. It''s not that simple. But what''s the matter with you, suddenly taking on a more formal tone?It''s not like you. Formal tone? Isn''t it obvious? Isn''t it rude to be familiar with someone you''re not particularly close to? ''Estella. Mr. Demilly has a point. Let''s go back and see what we can do. The busy Mr. Demilly has taken the trouble to invite us to this wonderful house and has even given us some advice. I think we should return the favor. ''Oh, um, Oba-kun?Are you angry about something? What? Nothing? I''m not mad at you, though I''m surprised that you''d dare to speak so highly of me after shutting down everyone else''s opinions. ''From my point of view, Estella seems to be a caring person. For example, when I was in trouble and on the verge of tears, she kindly called out to me, a reliable acquaintance of mine, and to make her happy even a little bit, I rushed to pick up some beautiful flowers ''by myself'' and bring them to her. I snapped my fingers and the maid from Demilly''s house came into the room with a bouquet of flowers for me and Estella. I had asked her to keep them because they might interfere with our discussion. Estella said she wanted to give them to us as a thank you after the discussion. ...... ...... Oops, that''s the one I shouldn''t say out loud. ''This, this flower is by ...... Estella?'' ''...... Yes.'' ''Wow, ...... to give to me?'' ''...... Yes. I was told that you often go to the mountains to look at flowers, so I thought you would be ...... pleased.'' Demilly''s face brightened up. ''I''m glad to hear that, Estella!That''s right. I love flowers. ''That''s why you''re going bald. ''None of your business, Oba-kun! ''They''re taking all the nutrients. ''That''s not possible .................., is it? There''s no way. Demilly begins to get nervous and stands in front of Estella. Estella took the bouquet from the maid and handed it to Demilly with a slightly downcast look on her face. ''...... It''s Estella. It''s a beautiful flower. Can you give it to me with a smile?'' ''......, but ............, it''s almost as if this is a cunning ploy to get you to do me a favor... ...'' Certainly. Give them something they like so that you can get their cooperation. It''s a cunning ploy and one that Estella would hate. ''What are you talking about? How could I possibly think such a thing?I know Estella''s straightforward nature better than anyone. I''ll take this as a gift from a dear friend. ''...... Oji-sama''. Demilly gently stroked Estella''s hair. Finally, Estella''s expression softened a bit. ...... At all. If you know Estella''s character, the first thing you should do is to be happy to see her again. If you know Estella''s personality, you should be happy to see her again. I''m neutral!" Of course Estella would be depressed. She''d been beaten down so much she''d only managed to keep her spirits up. If the big tree that she thought she could be close to was unexpectedly cold, ...... her heart would fade at once. ''Estella. Don''t misunderstand me, please listen to me. As the lord of the 40th district, I''m in a position where I can''t take sides with either you or Siegenthaler''s son. If I were to join either side, the balance would be shattered at once and the security of this whole area would rapidly deteriorate.'''' ''Yes, sir. I''m aware of that. Like a parent looking at a child, Demilly looks at Estella with gentle but slightly stern eyes. She speaks slowly in a soft voice that seems to sink into her heart. ''But you see. I''m not a lord, I''m just Ambrose Demilly, and I want you to remember that I care about Estella more than anyone else. ''...... Yes. Oji-sama.'' Estella''s nose is turning a little red. She didn''t cry, but it must have been ...... hard for her. ''You''ve ...... got a good friend who''s angry for you, Estella.'' ''Yeah ......''. Demilly and Estella both turned to look at me. Don''t look at ...... me. What if there''s a hole. ''...... Yes. I''m a good friend, I think.'' ............, can you stop saying things like that in front of him? ''You really are a good friend.'' ...... Why did you emphasize that so much? ''Let him be a good friend forever and ever. You''ll always be a good friend. ...... When did you become Estella''s father? If you''re related to her, you''ve got a gene for trouble whether you''re born a man or a woman. ...... ''By the way, Oba-kun. It''s a nice bouquet of flowers. Demilly points to the bouquet I''m holding and says. It''s ....... You''re asking for it, you sunshine reflection. ''...... You''re not giving that to Estella ............, are you? ''Are you my father? ''You have no right to call me father! ''I didn''t call you father! I''m not calling you father!'' Seeing Estella on the verge of tears, she must have suddenly become very cute. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. This is a bouquet of flowers that I brought with me to give to any woman in this building who has breasts that are bouncing around!They''re not yours! ''I don''t see any such disreputable women in my mansion, do you? What, you don''t have any?You should have a mistress or two around! Ah, Estella is looking so relieved. ''Anyway... If the 41st district starts charging a toll tax, all three districts will be hurt. That''s right. Even the forty-first district, which started the toll tax, will be hurt. At the very least, there will be friction in diplomacy and trade. The reason why they are trying to force the introduction of such a tax is ...... the city gate of District 42. If you can convince them that it does not interfere with the interests of the 41st district, the matter may be resolved. ............ ''''Please return!The Master is currently meeting with a guest! Suddenly, the hallway of the building becomes noisy. ''What is it? ''That''s right!Just calm down!Even I can''t protect you from this!Even I can''t protect you from this, that''s for sure! This voice is ...... Stuart Javier, the guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild? What''s that muscle-bound bastard doing here? I''ll take full responsibility.I''ll take full responsibility!If you have a problem with that, you can take it to court or a judge! And then, a shrill female voice: ...... The shouting and screaming and the rattling of footsteps eventually came to the front of the reception room where we were: ...... ''It''s me!I''m coming in! With such a voice, the large door was thrown open with a roar. ''What? There was an old lady who looked like a ...... gorilla, with long white hair tied in two at the shoulders with a cute red bonnet, and a muscular physique that would be a good match for Javier, who boasts grizzly muscles. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The gorilla hag shouted those words with a snort. I managed to say aloud the words that I needed to say right now, as the air in the reception room was frozen, unable to comprehend the situation. ''At any rate, pretend to be dead! I don''t know if this will work with ...... gorillas. 133-Episode 116 Roaring Thunder ''What are you pretending to be dead for? We were at the mansion of Ambrose Demilly, the lord of District 40, when a gorilla with a hoarse voice burst in. --I thought it was a gorilla, but it was headed straight for me! Pretend you''re dead!I''m dead!I''m super dead! ''Don''t do anything stupid!Come on, get up!'' He thrusts his hand into my side and easily picks me up. He lifted me up and threw me down, and before I knew it, I was on my feet. What kind of muscle power do you have,...... forklift? I''m sure you''ll agree.Pretending to be dead. ...... Are you a bear? I''ve heard of bears pretending to be dead. ............ What?I''ve heard that one before! As I recall, if you look directly at it, your eyesight will fail. ............ ''The gorilla people ''Medora of the Roaring Thunder''! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. No, ...... it''s not. The ferrets I know aren''t this chubby. They''re more slender and cute! ''What the hell is wrong with you youngsters?What is it with young people these days! Medora shouted in a thunderous voice worthy of the name ''Roaring Thunder''. ''You don''t even bother to greet me!Don''t you have any sense of decency? ''No, if you''re talking about that, what about you who stormed into the lord''s house while he was visiting without permission? ''Who are you calling ''you'' to?I''m going to eat you! ''You''re scaring me! ''In an erotic way! ''I''m more scared! What the heck, this thing is ...... out of this world in every way. It''s big!It''s just too big! ''Too big, .......'' ''Don''t talk about tits to a lady you''ve never met before! ''I''m not talking about my tits, who''s the lady, here? ''Are you saying my tits aren''t big?I''m a G-cup! ''I didn''t want to hear that information. You''re just like Norma!They''re totally different. No, they''re huge!I don''t want to hear that information! It''s not like you''re looking at me in a pornographic way.You''re embarrassing me! ''Is this coming from the guy who said he was going to eat it in an erotic way? ''Come on, Yashiro. You''d better stop biting Medora Rossel, the head of the hunting guild who''s said to make even crying children faint. I''m getting chills watching you. Stuart Javier, guild leader of the lumberjack guild, a hot bearded father with ripped muscles, pops his hand on my shoulder. I almost dislocated ...... myself with that ''pop''. ...... Don''t your muscles know any discretion? ''You brought me here?'' ''I''m sorry. I just couldn''t stop it.'' ''What''s the muscle for? ''Muscles for my daughter. ''Don''t look so crisp! ''Ambrose. Sorry. I didn''t mean to upset you. ''No, it''s fine. It was a bit of a surprise, but ...... the timing was actually good.'' Demilly seemed to welcome the visit of this rude gorilla ...... who seemed to be a ferret but didn''t admit it ...... for the time being. ''Estella or''. ''Yes.'' Estella stepped forward, with Demilly''s permission. Then she bowed to Medora. ''I am the acting lord of the 42nd district. My name is Estella Creamona. Please make my acquaintance. ''Hmm ......, you can greet people properly, can''t you? Medora says with a big attitude, folding her big arms in front of her big chest. ''Hey!I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... This kind of woman is a pain in the ...... ass! ''Hey, Yashiro. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''I''m not that unprincipled! ''No, but, Oba-kun. That bouquet of flowers is for the woman whose big tits are bouncing around in my mansion, isn''t it?'''' ''Oh my god, Demilly!What an unnecessary thing to ......! ''What?You want to send me a bouquet of flowers? ''''You''ve got me hooked! ''''Good luck.'''' Bald and bearded with thumbs up. ...... These guys are trying to use me to ease Medora''s anger, aren''t they?My eyes are telling me so. ...... I''m picturing a villainous wrestler hitting a round girl with a bouquet of flowers as soon as she gets it. ''Kozo, what''s your name?'' Kozo is ...... ''Obayashiro. I work at a diner in District 42. Also, I sometimes act as a kind of advisor to Estella.'' ''I''m Medora Rossel. I''m the guild leader of the hunting guild. He can be quite intimidating when faced with him. No wonder ...... bears pretend to be dead and lose their eyesight when you look directly at them. This thing is emitting a huge amount of aura from its entire body. ...... You''re not a real fighter, are you? You can find a lot more information on this topic at ....... You may be right, Demilly and the others are right. If you''re a brainiac like Usae, you could be in danger of getting your hand blown off at any moment. If you think of it as an investment to talk calmly, the price of this bouquet is a small price to pay. ''I''ve said a lot of rude things. To tell you the truth, I''ve been wanting to see you for a few days now. That''s why I''ve been running around. Anyway, it''s good to see you. I wanna talk to you. Will you accept this as a token of my friendship?'' I made a big show of being friendly so he wouldn''t hit me as soon as I gave it to him. Don''t hit me. ...... Don''t hit me. ...... Don''t ever hit me. ............ This is not a flag!I''m serious! ''Hmm! Sniffing, Medora snatched the bouquet from him. I braced myself for a ...... beating. ''I''ve never had a bouquet of flowers before. It''s like that, isn''t it?Young men give them to young women, don''t they? ''Well, there are some guys like that. But I didn''t copy them, did I? ''So you''re not copying anyone, but your own thoughts. ...... Hmm!Well, okay. I''ll take it. I''ll take it, but let me make this clear! I''ll take it. ...... It''s huge. I thought a light truck had rammed into it. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m a responsible person, and I''m this old. I can''t be your wife.'' ''What about ..................? ''But I can ............ make you ''the best of me'' .......'' What is he talking about ......? ''......Yashiro''. Estella softly approached me, giving me an earful from behind. ''Although it has been somewhat relaxed in the 42nd district, a bouquet of flowers is originally an item that is used for ...... marriage proposals, except for gifts to relatives and superiors.'' I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Yah!No, no, no!No, no, no, no!This is a sign of respect!It''s a sign of respect, it''s a sign that we should get along! ''No, no, no!You don''t have to keep saying that!Let''s get along ......! It sounds like a different meaning! ''Seriously,......, that Medora is embarrassed,......'' ''Mmm...... I''m not very close to you, but it''s not my style,...... what can I say......'' ''''It''s like I''m having a nightmare............'''' ''''Shut up, you two old guys! Medora bared her fangs at Javier and Demilly. It''s amazing that Medora would win a two-on-one fight. Demilly doesn''t seem to have much contact with him, but Javier seems to be very close. ''So there''s a connection between the guilds? The lumberjacks'' guild and the hunters'' guild are a little similar in nature. Both of them are all over the city and their base of operations is outside the city walls. In addition, Medora may be the number one ............ for the fact that they are all stout. ''I and Medora debuted in our respective guilds at the same time. Well, there was a bit of an uproar at the time. ''Oh, I remember that, too. I was studying geopolitics, and there was a lot of excitement at the time about the appearance of two extraordinary monsters. ''Hmm!It''s not that I''m special. It''s just that the men around me were cowards! No, no, no. Anyone would look like a coward with Medora. I''m sure he''d freak out if he saw you at night. ''Since I''ve become famous, there have been some powerful men who have tried to challenge me, but ...... none of them have been much of a challenge. There are a lot of daredevils in the world,....... ''...... Well, ...... you''re the first person to ever send me a bouquet of flowers.'' Medora''s cheeks flushed red as she popped ............ her ...... goosebumps. Maybe I''m the most daredevil of them all. ......? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ''That''s right. He''s so reckless when he doesn''t feel like it. I can''t tell you how many times I''ve gotten into a fight with him. ...... I''m a peace-loving woodcutter, after all. I don''t know.It''s not like you''re a peace-loving muscle! It has nothing to do with muscle! Javier and Medora seem to be on good terms after all. According to him, they often met each other outside the outer wall and gradually deepened their friendship. They''ve known each other since long before Javier came to District 40. ''Because of that, he made an absurd demand to see the lord. ''That''s not absurd! ''...... That''s what I''m calling ''reckless''. Even Javier seems to be a little fed up with the loud voice coming out of his big frame. Medora is very excited. ''Wait, please. Miss Rossel!'' Estella says to Medora in a dignified voice. Her eyebrows are furrowed, and I can see that she''s trying to muster up the courage not to lose. ''We have no intention of invading District 41. That''s a misunderstanding! ''Hmph! However, Medora frowned and snorted, and began to refute Estella''s words. ''Invading isn''t just about military force!Whether it''s the economy or trade, they''re trying to threaten our peaceful life, so it''s not wrong to say that we''ve been attacked! ''''That''s also a misunderstanding!It is true that the installation of the city gates may have some negative effects. However, we are not trying to take away the interests of District 41!Please send a letter to ...... to explain this! ''Don''t make me laugh! Medora blew away Estella''s efforts to express her position with a single blackmail. After her eardrums screamed from the explosion, ...... silence fell in the room. ''Did you give a proper explanation?By letter?'' ''............ Yes.'' In the quiet room, Medora asks Estella in a questioning tone. Estella manages to look forward and accepts his words head on. ''Properly, here are our objectives and prospects, and detailed data regarding them. I apologize for any inconvenience I may cause in the future, and I am prepared to take measures to compensate for it if necessary. ''Hoh ......'' Medora gazes at Estella with narrowed eyes as she pleads her case. ''Ricardo...... excuse me............, Lord Siegenthaler also said that he received the letter, and I am sure that our sincerity has been conveyed! I''m sure he''ll understand! ''Don''t be stupid! The air vibrated, shaking Estella''s hair as if a gust of wind had blown. Estella shrugs her shoulders. Due to the difference in size, she looks so unreliable that she looks like she''s about to fly off. ''The fact that you''re only talking about such an important matter in a letter is proof that you''re not sincere! ''............ eh''. Estella chokes up at Medora''s words. ''Do you think that you won''t feel uneasy or dissatisfied before a big change that will change the cycle of your life that you''ve been leading up to now?Do you really think that you don''t have anything to ask or say? ''...... No, ............ it''s ......''. The volume of his voice has calmed down, but the power in his words has increased. Medora continued to speak, as if she were stabbing her opponent with every word. ''You are a lord, moreover. You should know that the number of lives you are carrying is not ten or twenty, even if you are acting as a lord, you are doing the work of a lord! ''............'' ''What is it? Unable to say anything back, Estella took a half step back. Her body is trying to escape. ''Ricardo is like a son to me. I''ve known him since he was a dumbass. He''s a reasonable man. I can vouch for that!He''s not a sourpuss who hates people for no reason! After taking a glance at Estella standing there, Medora turned her gaze to Demilly. ''Ricardo has come to make sense, hasn''t he? ''Yes, I did. The day before yesterday, along with explaining about the toll tax, I came to bow to you in case I might cause any trouble. ''What, ...... Ricardo?Is that true, Oji-sama? ''Yes, sir. It''s the proper procedure. He makes an appointment, meets with you, and comes to explain the new system in person. ...... d*mn, Ricardo, you''ve been laying the groundwork for this in the few days you''ve had us waiting. ...... You didn''t just take the time to harass us. He''s thinking ahead. It may be our fault for not having thought of that. ...... The more you lag behind, the worse it will look. If you''re in the market for a new pair of shoes or boots, you''re going to want to take a look at these.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Once again, Medora looks Estella straight in the eye. Estella was looking down and clenching her ...... fists. ''What you neglected to do was the one thing a lord shouldn''t skimp on. ''............!'' A small gasp escaped from Estella''s mouth. Medora changed her tone and spoke to Estella in a slightly calmer manner. ''I heard you''re dressed like that because you''re a woman and can be licked. ''...... That''s not what I meant. ......'' ''It''s not because you''re a woman that they lick you. Look at me. I''m a guild leader like any woman. No one''s going to talk down to me. It doesn''t matter if you''re a man or a woman. No, it''s not right to talk about you and Estella in the same breath. The conditions are too different. It''s outrageous to say that because I did it, you should do it too. ''The reason you''re being lambasted is because you''re half-hearted. ''What? ''You use lord and mere woman when it suits you. That kind of half-hearted thinking is why you get licked! ''Hey! I found myself shouting. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. It''s not fair to equate Estella, who was forced to be the daughter of a lord whether she wanted to be or not, with an ordinary person who was not a guild leader at the time and had no responsibilities and could do anything she wanted. You know that, don''t you? Medora narrowed her eyes at me as I intervened. ''Are you saying that you''re allowed to be lenient if the situation is different? ''It''s not indulgence. It''s a restriction. ''It''s not? ''Not at all. ''You''re not a kid. ......, is there anything you can''t do if you want to? ''So you can live the same life again on the condition that you never die? Medora fell silent. ''A person who can do something reckless without regard for his life is strong. They have no weaknesses. I know that very well, as I''ve been reckless with my life. ''The reason Estella hesitates and worries is not because she''s a woman. It''s not because he''s weak!And it''s not because she''s naive or half-hearted! I take a big step. I''m going to take a shot at Medora, who''s at least a foot bigger than me. I close the distance. I put my face close to his and stare at him at close range. ''On his back are the lives, happiness, and peace of the people. Don''t put me in the company of a light-weight person like you! ''............''. Is that all you got? But there''s more. You won''t get away with this. ''You said that, right?I''ve known Ricardo since he was a kid, and he''s not a sourpuss who hates people for no reason.'' ''Oh, yeah. I did. So what? ''So you''re not a sourpuss, is that why you''re on ......? Why don''t you say the word you just abbreviated? Well, you don''t have to say it because I know it. Ricardo''s not a sourpuss, he''s a ............... --You did something wrong, didn''t you?I bet you did. ''How much do you know about Estella? ''............'' ''Tell me. How much do you know?'' ''...... I don''t know . Nothing.'' ''I don''t know anything about Ricardo either. But I know a lot about Estella.'' That''s right. I know Estella well enough to know that you know Ricardo. You may have lost in time, but I''ve been through a lot of rough patches with this guy. Do you have one?Have you and Ricardo ever gone up against an organization bigger than you?Have you and Ricardo ever faced a desperate disaster that could destroy an entire city? ''Estella is not a stupid person who justifies herself for her own sake. Ricardo''s attitude, which I saw with my own eyes, is clearly his fault!It''s the work of a sourpuss who has no respect for his opponent!I''m not going to let you argue with a guy who wasn''t even there! I''m not going to let you contradict me. You''ve talked a lot of sense, you old b*tc*. But what do you think? You''re the same as me after all. You''re a narrow-minded tree who can only believe what you see. ''Medora. You''re quite confident in your own eyes. Because you are, aren''t you?You''ve seen Ricardo since he was a child, you''ve seen what he''s like, you''ve crushed his opinions, you''ve imposed your own and even reprimanded him. You can''t go this far with a careless mind, can you? ''I don''t know what you''re trying to say, but I''m a woman who''s made it this far with just this arm. I don''t run and I don''t hide. I assure you that I am responsible for everything I say, everything I do. Grace. Then ...... ''You''re the one who''s not making sense. ''You''ll have to explain to me what you mean. This is a long story. I stepped away from Medora and took some distance. The tension in the air eases just a little. Estella''s eyes meet mine. ...... Don''t look at me like that. You''re not wrong. I know I am. So I''m going to prove you right. ''Was it you who sent the members of the hunting guild to the 42nd district?Or was it Ricardo?'' ''That was me. But before that. Be respectful to the lords of the other districts. Who would call you that? ''I''ll consider it if you prove to me that Ricardo is worthy of my respect. ''What did you say about our guys at ............? ''They''re here to inspect the city gates, right?And as a result, they put pressure on Use Damare and the others.'' This is something we need to get straight. Otherwise, this story will never end. ''Oh, yes. As a result of the inspection, it was determined that the city gates of District Forty-two posed a threat to District Forty-one. That''s why we had to wait for that Use kid. That Use is a boy. ...... ''May I ask what your criteria are?'' ''Because Trubek was involved. No matter how you look at it, that was a gate being built by District Forty and District Forty-two, to the exclusion of District Forty-one. The profits generated by the gates would be shared between the two sides, and the 41st district in between would be exploited. Even an idiot could predict this. ''That''s it! ''Estella. ''............ Yeah.'' I''m sure you wanted to tell me differently, but I''ll let you keep your mouth shut for now. That''s not what I meant. There are people who won''t be convinced by a good argument. He''s the kind of guy who doesn''t care what others say once he''s convinced he''s right. ''That''s why he put pressure on Use to stop the construction of the gate ......''. ''Even if it wasn''t stopped, I would have been willing to help if there was a chance to discuss it properly. ''Do you want to be a frog? ''...... What do you mean?'' Medora''s reaction to this: ...... I knew it. This guy''s personality is probably as plain as day, no strings attached. That''s why it bothered me. I don''t know why he did what he did......, but his reaction now makes sense. ''You had no intention of discussing it. You wanted to destroy the forty-two districts with your bragging power. Isn''t that right?'' ''Don''t be so judgmental!When did I ever do such a thing?If you''re talking about force, you''re the one who did it!You''re the one who''s expanding your army. ...... ''Where did you get that information ......?'' ''Huh?'' That''s right. This guy''s story, ...... and Ricardo''s too, ...... is completely missing an important part. ''I''ll tell you straight out so you won''t get blindsided. Why did you target the cakes in the 42nd district? They never mention anything about obstructing the business of restaurants in the 42nd district that serve cakes. It''s as if they don''t know. ''...... What are you talking about, then? ''Conversation Record''. I opened the Conversation Record, showed him the relevant part of the conversation, and explained in detail about the three cases of business obstruction that had occurred in the 42nd district. Of course, there is no evidence in the Conversation Record that the Hunting Guild was involved. What''s more, the latter two cases are not from the hunting guild but from the racketeers'' guild. But ...... If you think my story is horseshit, you can cast "Judgment of the Spirits" on me. In exchange, I want you to gather all your guild members in one place. Every last one of them, every single one of them. And from among them, I''ll name two men. I want to see if any of their conversations match this one in the Conversation Record. The Conversation Records of those who were there at that time and place contain a clear record of their conversations. Conversations that would not have been recorded if you had not been there are not recorded in the Conversation Records of unrelated people. You can''t just say, ''This isn''t what I said,'' you know?You''d be a frog. ''What do you say?Do you want to try it now? ''............'' Medora shut up with a grim face. It was the only thing he could do. Given the circumstances, Medora didn''t know about the incident. Ricardo''s bastard didn''t say a word about the cake either. If he didn''t like the cake, he would have said a word or two about it. But there was no such thing. Probably, this was a low-level person who came to inspect the 42nd district and caused a commotion on his own. It was neither the order of the guild leader Medora nor the order of the lord Ricardo. Probably, Ricardo told Medora about the situation in District 42, and Medora ordered his men to inspect it. The truth of the matter is that the subordinate who came to inspect the situation harassed me, saying, "You''re too cocky for the 42nd district," and I got back at him, so he got stubborn and asked the ragtag group to do the job. ...... Well, I''d have to ask him about the details. I''m sure he''s not far off. I''ll take advantage of him. ''He''s the one you''ve been letting tell you what to do, isn''t he?To destroy the Forty-Two districts.'' ''............'' Medora doesn''t talk. He knows that now is not the time for denial. ''Oh, hey. Yashiro. It''s not right for me to interfere, but Medora''s not the kind of guy who''d go behind your back like that. ......'' ''Enough with the imaginary stuff!It''s the speculation that leads to conflicts. We''ve shown you the evidence of actual events. Then, isn''t it your turn to show us the evidence that you are innocent? Javier''s words didn''t let him finish. I know more than enough in this short time to know that Medora would never use such a trick. But, you know, Medora has a bad habit of only talking about things in the world she sees. That''s why he reprimanded Estella so harshly. What will you do when you find out that what you see is not the whole world, Medora? ''How can you defend Ricardo''s actions when you didn''t even see them? Of course you know about your subordinate''s blunder that you didn''t see, don''t you?Or what?...... ''What I didn''t see is none of my business''? You come on strong and get hit back. This is going to be tough. Now, what are you going to do? Talk back? Backlash? Well, if he''s good, he''ll put it on hold. The rule of thumb is to take it home, get the facts, and then figure out what to do. That''s the only way to avoid widening the wound. If that happens, I''ll give you a big reprimand. You''re so proud of your eyes, you can''t even see that much. At least, you won''t be able to justify Ricardo''s actions. Estella is not the only one to blame. I''ll put that in your brain. ''Say something. You''ve been ranting and raving until now. Don''t you think it makes sense to express your own views here?'' I''ll give him back the exact words he''s been using. That seemed to do the trick. ...... Medora slowly looked up. Then he glared at me. He takes one step closer and then stops right in front of me. The distance between me and Medora is less than a meter. I can reach her with my arm. ............ get hit? I don''t care. Then you''re just that kind of person. Words from a man like that carry no weight. Estella''s heart will be a little lighter. Then that''s okay. ...... ''Oba Yashiro! Medora says in a voice that sounds like an explosion. ''I''m sorry! Then he gets down on his knees with such force that you''d think he was going to punch through the floor. ''There''s no lie in your words. I could feel it. And to the extent that you were really pissed off, I was rude to your daughter ......, the acting lord of the 42nd district. I''m sorry! It''s too .................. graceful ....... ''I''ll make sure those idiots of mine are dealt with. But any misbehavior by my men is my misbehavior!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be rewarded in some way! ...... Honestly, I didn''t think it would come to this. It was on my list of options, but I had ruled it out first. I knew from the moment he unilaterally defended Ricardo that he was a bigot who would never bend. ...... Apparently, I need to correct that thinking. ''Sir Estella Creamona! ''Yes, yes!Oh, no, please don''t, Miss Rossel. I''m still a deputy.'' ''Then, Estella!Let me call you that as a sign of affection.'' ''Well, that is, of course, .......'' Medora, whose huge body was stretched out on the floor, now rises up vigorously. ...... I thought she was going to smash through the ceiling this time. ''Give me some time. I''ll go talk to Ricardo again, this time properly. Then I want you to meet me again.'' ''Yes, yes. Of course. ''Javier, and ...... Baldy! ''I wonder if you''d be so kind as to pay your respects to the Lord of the Fortieth Ward, Ms. Rossel? ''Ah, Demilly. You guys need to take some more time. I want to have a discussion we can all agree on.'' Medora looked refreshed, as if a curse had fallen upon her. The aura of unhappiness that had been plastered on her face since she first came here was nowhere to be seen. ''And, Oba Yashiro! ''''What the hell? Don''t yell at me. ...... You''re scaring me. You''re the first person who''s ever spoken so openly to me. You''ve got a lot of nerve.'' ''I don''t feel like I''m being complimented. ''I''m complimenting you, ............, ............... I''m not feeling complimented. ''I''m complimenting you. ''Yashiro ............ no, darling.'' ''Why did you rephrase that!Who''s the darling? ''You deserve to be my first, you do! ''I''m not happy! ''I''m not happy! ''''Yashiro is .......'''' ''''This is a lawless place. ......'''' ''''Shut up, you two old men! It was a miscalculation that the strange gorilla had taken a liking to me, but ...... I felt like I had finally made a start. Watch me, Ricardo. I''m going to turn this thing upside down. At the very least, you can practice your ''I''m sorry''! 134-Episode 117 spoiled Anyway, let''s talk about it another day. That was the end of our discussion, and we broke up for the day. On the way back, Demilly provided us with a carriage, so it was easy for us. It was not that I was being stingy and asking Demilly for money. Demilly gave Estella a ride home in his carriage. By indulging her like this, he is implying that the 42nd district is in a position to be protected by the 40th district and that he has no intention of antagonizing them. This can also be said to be a consideration between the lords. The economic disparity between the 40 districts was so great that Demilly was able to maintain his dignity by generously providing a carriage. Estella was also showing respect to her partner. She even took care of them in an aristocratic way. ''I''m glad. It''s going to be okay.'' ''Yes ......, I guess so. In the carriage on the way back, Estella looked relieved, but also somewhat thoughtful. If you suffer heavy damage to your mind, it can drag on for a certain amount of time afterwards and make you feel like you want to go to bed today. ...... ''We''ll have another three-way meeting on another day. This time, we need to plan our strategy better. ''Yeah, ...... I guess so.'' ''As for the 41st district, Medora said she would take care of it, so we should be fine if we leave it to her. ''Yeah, ...... I guess so.'' ...... Broken Raydio. Estella looked blankly out the window, her face melancholy the whole time. Well, I guess she has some thoughts. To be honest, I''ve been hit with a lot of pain this time. ''Do you want to drop by the sunny pavilion? ''E.................., no, not today. ''Maybe some pudding will take the edge off.'' ''Yeah, ...... might do that. But no.'' ''Oh, you''re through! ''The pudding is full of milk, so if you keep eating it, your boobs might get bigger!After all, it''s pudding!It''s a plump, plump pudding! ''...... Yashiro really likes boobs, doesn''t he? Who are you? The Estella I know is not this kind of office worker who''s starting to get tired of life! ''Hey, Estella.'' ''Hmm? ''Don''t worry too much about it. ''............''. The short sound uttered was in no way a sign of ''understanding''. ''Think positive. You know your faults, and you''ve been promised this next one. That''s a pretty good deal, don''t you think? Once you know your faults, you can make up for them. You''ve been kind enough to let me know. That means he''s given you a chance to start over. You could have broken off the relationship without saying a word. But if he let you know not to do that, then you can repent and show him a new you from this moment on. You can walk on your own feet to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future. Medora and the others are saying that they will see to it that you do. We''ll set up another meeting. That''s the biggest concession they''ve given us. If we get results there, things will change. The stagnation will be broken and a new relationship will be established. At a time like this, we can''t just sit around with a blank look on our faces. ''Estella. The only thing you should be down about is your boobs.'' ''...... yes ............ yes.'' No, that''s not good. Then again, Estella turned her gaze out the window in silence. Let''s leave her alone for now. That''s what I thought, and I turned my gaze out the window too. The scenery flowing by was a large street with a wide view. It was the main street of the forty-first district. But it was still deserted. It looked ...... bleak. Maybe I need to walk around this city once. ''Hey, gentlemen. He opened a small window in the carriage and called out to the man who was driving the carriage. He shifts his body slightly and turns his head toward you. He is an old man with well-tanned wheat-colored skin, and he is wearing a straw hat. From his smiling face, I could clearly see that he was a good person. The fact that such a person was in his service showed how virtuous Demilly was. ''What is the specialty of the 41st district? ''Is it a dish?That''s right, .............'' The old man traced his beard with his finger and thought for a few seconds, then crumpled up his face and said with a smile. ''I guess it''s meat. The meat of the magical beasts hunted by the hunting guild is roasted and eaten. It''s just too good to resist. It''ll make you drink more. ''Is that cooking?'' ''No, no. Sometimes it''s better to leave things as they are. ''That''s true, too. Thank you. ''No, thank you.'' He closes the small window and sits deep in his seat. The speciality is meat ....... But I can''t smell the aroma of roasting meat. You''re on the main street, though. If it''s a specialty, they should be cooking it all over the street. Little by little, I began to understand ...... the city of the 41st district. Not long after that, the carriage entered the 42nd district. We stopped in front of the lord''s mansion and got off the carriage. We thanked the lord and saw the carriage off. ''Well then, Yashiro. I''ll be going now. Have a safe journey home.'' I could only reply, ''Oh, yes. He seemed to be in a very bad way. After all, this time I only made him admit that he was also at fault. As for our fault, I just ''avoided mentioning it where there was no need to apologize''. It was to Ricardo that Estella was rude, and while Medora and Demilly may complain about it, there is no need for her to apologize. But I do apologize for the trouble I''ve caused. ...... The fact that Estella couldn''t care for Ricardo is Estella and Ricardo''s story, and no matter how much you say you loved her like a parent, you don''t have to apologize to Medora, a stranger. That''s why I twisted the direction of the story this time. If I had apologized to Medora at that moment, Estella would have been burdened with a burden she didn''t have to bear. Every time something happened, she would have to make a point to Medora, and so on. No matter how close you are to each other, no matter how much you are like family, you should be able to separate what should be separated. So I didn''t let Estella apologize. ...... Perhaps that became a burden to her. I thought about this as I watched Estella''s back as she trudged into the building. Apologies, when uttered, can lighten the heart somewhat. It can fool your mind for a moment. You can only fool your mind for a limited time, though. ''Well, I''m sure Estella has a few things she wants to think about on her own. ............'' I said it myself just now. No matter how close you are, you have to separate the parts that need to be separated. This is not my place to interfere. The things that happened between Estella and Ricardo in the past. As the acting lord, I dealt with the lords of other districts and the head of a large guild that covers all the districts. Negotiations. Dialogue. That''s a part I don''t know about. I''m an outsider and I''m not supposed to step in. So I should stay out of it and watch. That''s what I thought. ...... The next thing I knew, my body was stepping out towards the lord''s mansion. I know it''s better to leave it alone for now. But if you ask me, ''Can I just leave him like this? then the answer is no. No matter how much you say it''s better to leave it alone, I''ve come to the conclusion that I don''t want to leave it alone. My body was moving on its own. There are two maids standing at the gate. ...... Can you stop them?I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m going to have to. ...... Can I come in? It''s a good idea to take a look at the website to see if there is anything you can do to help. ...... Automatic doors? What a lax security system. I''m not sure if this is a good idea for a lord''s mansion! ''Master Yashiro''. Just as I was thinking that, the last line of defense of the mansion, Natalia, appeared. ''...... Mm, come on through! ''You''re a face passer! ''All of us maids know Master Yashiro very well. Natalia bowed reverently. ...... The atmosphere is somehow different from what you see outside. Is that it? ''I was just about to go to Yashiro-sama when the young lady came back with a thoughtful look on her face. I don''t want Estella to have to rely on me every time something happens to her. ...... Well, I''ll give her a hand this time. I was planning on it. I was going to. I turned on my heel and Natalia started to walk towards me. As I followed her, the maids I passed in the hallway stopped and all bowed deeply. ...... It''s a little disheartening to see them looking so high and mighty. ''Master Yashiro''. Natalia pauses in front of a room. I''ve never been in this room before. ''This is your daughter''s bedroom. ''Bedroom?'' Have you become depressed? ''The young lady is not here at the moment, so you can kunk and kank all you want. ''You don''t need to do anything else! What are you doing taking her to a place where she''s not present! ''This is the door to the costume room. The underwear is in the chest at the back, especially the second and third rows from the top are selected with s*xy items that tickle men''s fancy. ......'' ''Can you take me to Estella''s place! ''Huh!I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will make your life easier.I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s a little upset. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one.I''m not going to do that! I''ve been trying to get Yashiro-sama to get motivated, and I''ve done my best to come up with a solution. ...... You don''t have to think about anything else. ...... ''...... A sudden call like this is a rare occurrence.'' ''Hmm?You mean Demilly?'' ''Yes. I knew I should have accompanied her. ...... I can''t believe the young lady came back with such a face. ......'' I''m sure this guy had a lot on his mind in his own way. As the head maid, Natalia could not always be so close to Estella. Especially when she goes to familiar places like this one, she often gives priority to her duties. Demilly is always friendly. Also, because of his position as acting lord, he doesn''t like to walk around with too many companions. Certainly, if a person like the Deputy Prime Minister were to go on an inspection tour of a neighboring city with the same level of security as that of the President, it would be an embarrassment. I''m sure Estella is taking good care of herself. ''Yashiro-sama''. Because Natalia knows this, she is also holding back her desire to be by her side. She looks at me with a serious expression and bows her head deeply. ''Please take care of your daughter. ''Oh, ......, I''ll leave it to you. As for me, I''ve come this far with the intention of causing some trouble and doing something about it. I don''t need to be told. With a bow, Natalia gently opens the door. ''Your reward is whatever you want from the chest in the back. ......'' ''Don''t you dare open the door to the dressing room! We''re leaving, just like that, make a U-turn! I''m in serious mode. After lightly chastising the idiot Natalia, I made my way to the office. Apparently this is Estella''s workroom. After knocking twice, Natalia slowly opened the door. I thought I didn''t have to wait for an answer, but ...... Natalia must have some special authority. It was proof of Estella''s trust in her. ''Ma''am. You have a visitor.'' ''What?A guest............ ah.'' Estella was sitting behind her office desk, which was piled high with papers. When she spotted me, her expression clouded slightly. You can see the complex waves of emotions. ''Then, please take care of the rest. I''m sure she would have liked to have been there, but Natalia read the situation and left the room. ...... I''ll have to report the results to you later. So, I''ll do my best to report a good result. ''Estella. It''s been a while.'' ''What''s that, didn''t you go back to ......? ''I forgot to tell you something important.'' ''Heh, ...... let''s hear it.'' With a weak smile, Estella leaned back in her chair. I could feel her sluggishness, as if she was mentally exhausted. ''You look tired. ''...... Yeah, I guess. Yeah. I''m a little tired.'' Estella exhales, then puts her weight on the armrest and rests her cheek against it. Her cheeks are squashed and she has a sulky look on her face. ''...... Medora''s right, you know. ''It''s really ...... disgusting how right you were. I think Medora is right in that you have not been reasonable with Ricardo. ''Do you remember what Ricardo said? ''I have a tendency to forget unpleasant things easily. ''Hmm ......, that''s very Yashiro.'' He laughed, then leaned back again. The chair creaks and Estella''s body sinks. Her red hair sways softly. ''''You said, "Forget about the favor I''ve been giving you," right?I''ve been thinking about it,......, and I know I''ve been treated well. I just took it for granted that ...... I was being treated well. I wonder if the thought of this has damaged me to this extent. Indeed, it is easy to lose sight of the value of the kindness we receive from others. I''m sure everyone has had the experience of appreciating their mother''s kindness ...... for the first time after starting to live alone, but that is exactly what happened. The benefits that you have been enjoying as a matter of course are actually very gratifying, and the other person has gone to a lot of trouble for them. If I were a mother, I would get up early in the morning before anyone else, prepare food, wake up my family when it''s time, give them the clothes I''ve washed beforehand, and clean up after I see them off. ...... If asked to do something, they would refuse to do it in no time, but they do it every day as a matter of course. However, the people who receive them often don''t recognize them as a matter of course. ''I was benefiting from it, but all I did was complain and complain ......''. We are all prone to making the same mistakes. No one can reflect on their own circumstances,...... especially while they are blessed. ''Originally, I was uncomfortable with the 41st Ward. ...... No, no, no. ...... I hated the 41st Ward. My father was being bullied by Ricardo''s father, in my young eyes. But that''s only one side of what Estella saw. It''s not untrue, but it''s not the only truth. ''That''s why I hated Ricardo''s father. And naturally, I disliked his son, Ricardo. Without trying to dress it up or make it up, Estella says the word ''hate'' honestly. There was a gracefulness in her admission of her own faults. ''Well, Ricardo has that personality of his. I can say that even if it hadn''t been for his father, we never would have been able to get along. Estella says with a slight self-mocking smile. Well, Estella and Ricardo are likely to choose the exact opposite path and means even if their goals are the same. I''m sure I''m the reason why things have gotten so complicated when I could have just said ''I hate you''. ...... You can find a lot more information on the web. She then begins to speak as if she has made up her mind. ''When Ricardo''s father......, the previous lord of the 41st district, died, I didn''t attend the funeral because my father...... said I didn''t have to. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.So I didn''t attend the funeral. If your father says you don''t have to go to the funeral, you probably won''t want to go to the funeral. But how would it look to the people around you? ...... ''Also, I didn''t attend the unveiling party when the new lord took office. ''I didn''t know they had an unveiling party. ''Well, it''s just a way to say hello to the new lord without all the formalities. ......'' It''s probably a way to carry on the relationship that the previous lord had. If Estella''s father, who is also the lord, is in attendance, it may not be a problem. ...... It''s not too late for you to be aware of this when you''re told. ...... That''s right, if you keep doing it over and over again, you''ll become uncomfortable. ......'' Yes, even trivial things can be considered disrespectful if they continue too long. In fact, Estella is not a lord, nor is she officially the next lord. If she gets married, her husband will become the lord, and Estella herself will not necessarily succeed to the lordship. That''s about the extent of her position. ...... If you think about it, participation in events is not essential. ...... But. ''Medora is right. ...... I used to be the acting lord and a woman at the same time. I was halfway there. ......'' Daughter of a lord. I''m not even sure if I''m going to be a lord or not. The fact that she was tolerated because of this is no longer the case since she has been appointed as a temporary lord after the lord fell ill. ''When I built the city gates in the 42nd district, I didn''t take anything that had happened before into consideration. While I had benefited a lot from the project, I had not said anything that I should have said in the first place, such as the fact that the direction of the gate is different from that of the 41st district, so we would not be competing for users. ...... In addition, they tried to get away with only a letter ............''. The benefits that the 42nd district has received so far-- Estella told me that one of the benefits the 42nd district has received so far is a branch of the hunting guild. It seems that Estella''s father asked the previous lord of District 41 to set up a branch of the hunting guild in order to defeat the demonic beasts that blundered into District 42. The situation is that District 42 is asking for it to be placed there. The people in the branch are treated as residents of District 42. However, they are using the city gate in District 41 with the money of the headquarters of District 41. In spite of this, the prey hunted by Use and the others from the branch is credited to the profits of District 42. It is as if they are stealing the profits of District 41. The forty-two wards began to build city gates in their own wards while ignoring this. If Estella had taken over the role of the lord, she would have had to discuss the promises and rules made by her father with Ricardo, the current lord of District 41, at that time. But Estella was in the position of acting. That''s why Ricardo overlooked the situation as it was without pursuing it. However, it was Estella, as the agent, who pushed forward the city gate plan. If that''s the case, then there''s a line of reasoning that should be followed, and how about continuing to take a privileged position? ''I''ve been reminded of that. I''ve been reminded of how ignorant and irresponsible I''ve been. ............ It may be too late to realize it now, but ......'' ''No, you don''t.'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. It may sound a little roundabout, but I think she can understand now. ''A lot of people can''t even realize it. The more you realize it, the more you''re one step ahead. ''...... made me realize that.'' ''But there''s still something you can do to help. This is not poor consolation. Awareness seems easy, but it is quite difficult. There are many people in the world, and we think we live as a part of them. But we are always alone. There are only a number of one-on-one relationships with the people around us. The idea of ''because everyone else is doing it'' or ''because everyone else says so'' or ''because everyone else is with me'' is very dangerous. How would you feel if someone you have never met before blended into your circle of friends of ten years and became equally familiar with you? The reason may be obvious to a third party, but the person concerned will not notice it. In many cases, they are confused, wondering why they are the only one being treated coldly. You''re so caught up in the idea that you''re the only one, that you can''t see what''s going on around you. Human relationships are always one-on-one. We are supposed to deepen our friendship with each other and "build up" our bond. If you don''t realize this and act like everyone else, friction is bound to occur. Because there is no bond to build. Estella has neglected to do so, and has only one foot in the world of the lords. It may be unavoidable considering the situation in District 42. The other districts also understand this, so they tolerate us without being too harsh. Even Ricardo. But it''s not just yesterday that the lord of District 42 fell. More than a year has already passed. The period of time when you can say, "It can''t be helped" has long since passed. And yet, the 42nd district still has no answer and is still taking advantage of the generosity of those around it. This is a problem that Estella''s father, the current lord, must settle properly. If he can''t come back, he must formally entrust his position to someone else, not as a substitute. If she can''t even do that, then Estella, who is currently acting in her place, has to make that decision. That''s probably what Medora meant when she said she was halfway there. ''I''m stuck, honestly ............ I''m too ignorant of my own shortcomings ......''. I''m tired. As if to express these words with her body, Estella slumped back in her chair. Maybe it''s because I''m here that she''s not crying. Maybe it''s because I''m here. The ...... excuse is a half-hearted one. I''m not going to go into the lord''s affairs. ...... I have a responsibility too. I''m also responsible for the reason Estella is in such a funk. ''You seem to be in a very bad way. ''Haha ............ indeed.'' She covers her eyes with one arm, raises her chin and looks up at the ceiling. ''...... It''s tough to be confronted with your own inadequacies.'' I guess it''s because I saw his face. I''m not trying to be cool. I''m not trying to be a hero, but ............ I''ve been saying things like. ''I''ll take care of it. ''............What?'' I walked past the office desk and right next to Estella. It was a rude act that would normally be impossible. Beyond the desk is Estella''s territory. Stepping into it could be called a declaration of war. But I''m stepping in. I''m special to you, aren''t I? As if to ask that question. I stand right in front of her and look down at Estella. ''...... What?............ What? She puts her hand on the armrest on one side and leans forward. Sandwiched between me and the backrest, Estella has nowhere to run. ''Cho......Yashiro............ close,yo......'' I keep my eyes on the door. Don''t worry, they won''t come in. Natalia has entrusted me with her. ''What you lack in strength, I make up for. If you''re tired, I''ll support you. If you need to cry, ...... I''ll be there for you.'' ''......Ya,White......?'' ''You''re short sighted, impulsive, and in plain English, a bit of an idiot.'' ''Na......? ''That''s why!I''ll lend you my ...... wisdom.'' No matter how hard I try, it''s impossible for him to become a great lord in a few days or weeks. If he can''t do it on his own, then ...... someone else will have to help him. ''If something bothers you, talk to me. If you''re confused about something, ask me for advice. If there''s something you want to accomplish, don''t hesitate to turn to me. ''............, but if you get spoiled there again, ......'' ''What are you talking about? You''re really hard-headed. Why do you take it as a spoilage? ...... Why do you think the process is so important? ...... What''s important is the outcome that makes us happy. ''A lord is only a lord if he can use his talented people. A man of my stature is willing to put in the extra time and effort, you know? You should be proud of your ability to make a man as big as me think that much, acting lord. ''You can change your point of view as much as you want. You can quibble all you want. If someone says something, give them the best ending to shut them up. You don''t have to listen to what they have to say, and you don''t have to be foolish enough to go along with them. If they say, ''You''re cheating,'' say back, ''I''m just being smart. If they say, ''You''re selfish,'' laugh at them and say, ''It''s the result of charisma. If they call you a coward, say, ''That''s the best compliment I can give you. Every great man who has left his mark on history has a cowardly side. As for whether they are ''cowards'' or ''schemers,'' the people of the future will argue about it on their own. Let them say what they want. Apparently, being called ''pervert'' by a beautiful girl by a beautiful girl is said to be a ''reward'' in some areas. You just have to keep that kind of spirit. ''You''ve got me. You don''t have Demilly or Ricardo, you have the best brains. ''...... Would you say that yourself? ''Of course I would. Who do you think I am? ''...... Oba Yashiro. You''re the ...... oddball of the 42nd district.'' Those who are called oddballs and heretics may be the great geniuses who were never understood. ''You can count on me, Estella. ''............ yes''. ''I think I can handle most things, except for breast problems.'' ''............ Why do you always have to say so many words, you know? Finally, Estella spoke up. Yes, that''s fine. All you have to do is keep a cool smile in your eyes like that. Your eyes glitter and reflect light. A transparent film will form on the surface of the retina, and it will begin to moisten. ''Hey ...... and .................., sorry''. He spins his chair around and turns his back to me. He rolls over and holds his face. ...... Go ahead and jump in, you know, be honest at times like this. ''Thank you for ............ and ....... It''s a little bit confusing because of the suddenness of everything, but ............ I''m going to try to sort out my feelings overnight today and ...... tomorrow... I''ll be fine tomorrow. ......... I''ll be fine tomorrow. ............ So... ...I''m sorry about today. ''......Okay.'' If you jump into my chest, you may feel that something as the acting lord will be broken. The needle that was swinging unsteadily would tilt heavily towards the woman. This is Estella''s non-negotiable line. There''s no way I''m stepping in this line. ''Well, tomorrow. Come have dinner with me at the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''...... Yeah. Sure.'' I slap the backrest and head for the exit. ''Oh, yeah.'' I stop in front of the door and leave a last word. ''Good work. An arm stretches out from the top of the backrest and gives me a small wave. ''Thank you,'' he says. I''m doing the same thing as Ricardo, but the message I receive is so different. When I left the office, Natalia was there, bowing deeply to me. Don''t do that. It''s not my style. ''We''ll take you to the .................. gate, sir. Natalia started to say something, but didn''t say anything. Maybe it was about the current lord, she thought somehow. He has been ill for over a year and has not been seen in public. He has been ill for over a year and has not been seen in public. ...... It will probably be difficult for him to return as lord. But it''s not your place to tell me that. Natalia is well aware of this. No need to mention it, no need to pry. It''s a very comfortable environment for me. At the gate, she bowed to me once more and I left the lord''s house. I walked a little further, and suddenly the words fell out of my mouth. ''...... I wonder...'' I never thought I''d say that to Estella, asking her to rely on me. I never thought that such a day would come. I thought that lords with power were just for us to use as we please. ...... I chose to actively protect him. I was supposed to use him, but I found myself reaching out to him. ...... ''I''ve got enough of those guys on the internet ......''. I really ............ don''t know what I''m doing. You''re going to have to get out of the 42nd district and get involved in a dispute with a neighboring district,............. In the world of stories, the heroes and heroes are the ones who come from other worlds. However, in reality, things don''t work out that way. I came from another world and I''m just an impostor. I''m not a hero at all, I''m just a bad guy. I''m not a hero, I''m just a bad guy. ...... How can I help people? ............ I''m not a hero. As I walked along, thinking, I seemed to have come back to the sunlit pavilion. In front of the store, Jeannette was waving at me. ''.................. ah'' ...... Oh, ...... jeez. What the hell is this feeling? ............ Look at the sunlit pavilion. When I saw Jeannette''s smiling face waving at me in front of it, I ...... was sure it was because I had been out to the 40th district. ............ I was relieved, I was relieved. ''Oh, I''m back,'' I thought to myself. ...... ''Thank you for your hard work. ''Oh, ...... you''re back. ''Welcome back''. Such a casual remark was unspeakably ............ soothing. ''Jeannette ...... sorry.'' ''What?What is it?'' I turned my head away from Ginette and walked into the sunlit pavilion as if to flee. ''............ embarrassing''. ''Huh?Did I do something wrong?I''m not sure. I went straight through the dining room, past the kitchen, and through the courtyard and stairs with my big toe. I hope no one saw ...... this slack, loose face. ...... Oh, shit. ............ I''m totally spoiled too. I can''t say the same about Estella. ...... Holy shit. 135-Episode 118 Pre-movement Warm-up ''Do,how ......?'' The day after she had talked with Demilly and the others in District 40. Estella had come to eat at the sunny restaurant as promised. I didn''t see her at the donation time, so I thought she was still depressed. ...... ''I thought I''d write to you first and say thank you. You see, I''m shy. ''I''m shy,'' he said. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m trying to appeal to you to be more cheerful. ......'' That''s why it''s a decapine. You should have acted more normally. ...... Estella is a little restless today. Well, it''s not so easy to change when you''ve made up your mind. It will be a period of spinning for a while longer. Estella''s letter was very simple, yet sincere. First, she explained how she had realized her inadequacies and apologized clearly in writing for everything that had happened. He apologized in writing for not attending the funeral of his predecessor, and for not being present at his lord''s unveiling. He has not attended the funeral of his predecessor, nor the unveiling of his new lord. ...... Well, since the lord hasn''t retired yet, the question of following the rules is a delicate one, don''t you think? And Estella''s remorse for the insensitivity of having done it all in a letter was clearly spelled out in her words. Finally, she wrote a request for me to apologize to her face to face when we meet again. ''Suddenly barging in and unilaterally apologizing is ultimately for my convenience. ...... I didn''t know what the best thing to do was, but I thought this was the best thing I could do right now. ''Well, that''s good, isn''t it? I told him I wanted to meet him and apologize, not just write him a letter. I don''t think there''s anything to be upset about this letter. ''We haven''t set a date for the three-way meeting yet, but I''ll make sure it''s on ...... by then.'' Estella clenched her fists tightly. ''I''ll have to learn to control the urge to punch Ricardo in the face! ''...... You''ve been resisting the urge to punch him.'' This guy was quiet and a little shaky in front of Ricardo, wasn''t it because he was nervous? ...... I hate them more than the bugs that jump into the soup I''m about to eat. He said it with a very refreshing smile. Well, the fact that he can say such a thing is probably a sign that something has been sorted out in his mind. He wouldn''t even have been able to say such a thing before. ''Well, I have to admit that I was not polite as the acting lord. But if I had the chance to meet him as a mere childhood friend, I would hit him four times. I don''t know if lords have off days, but if you''re just childhood friends, you can do whatever you want. Just don''t overdo it. ''And kick him six more times. ''What have you been doing to me, so far ......'' You''re going to do some serious damage, like cracking a bone or something. I''m pretty sure I wouldn''t be able to stand up if he kicked me low six times. ''Ricardo might have liked you, you know? ''Hahaha, Yashiro~............ I''ll take you to court, okay?'' ''...... Your face is really scary.'' Do you hate it that much? ''But when you''re a kid, you try to bully the girl you like to get her attention. ''Ricardo''s is not like that. ...... We were the lords'' children, for better or worse.'' Anyway, there was a rivalry, Estella said with a wry smile. Ricardo, too, could not afford to lose to the daughter of a lesser ward. So he might have bullied her at every turn to inspire her that he was better than her. Well, I can only speculate. But if he''s been doing that for a long time, it''s no wonder he''s hated by the ............ scorpions. As for Estella and Ricardo, if you ask me, they are both on the same side. Of course, the odds are slightly in Estella''s favor. Ricardo is a small, narrow-minded man who has been hostile since he was a child and is still irreverent even now. Estella, who could not draw a clear line between her childhood and her position as acting lord. If the outside world makes a fuss, it''s inevitable that they will argue that their acquaintance is absolutely right. If that was the case, it would be much more constructive to put aside all the conflicts and talk about the future. Estella has already shown her sincerity. Now it''s just a matter of how the other side will react. ''Well, either way, there will be some time before the three-way meeting. Let''s take our time until then. ''Yeah. I guess so.'' With a slightly radiant expression, Estella slurps up some pasta. ...... I guess this is a culture where people sip noodles. There are also chopsticks, so it''s similar to Japan, right? I''m going to be sorting out some paperwork later today. ...... Oh, I''m so depressed. I stick my fork into the pasta. It won''t stick, probably. I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. ''Don''t use it lightly.'' ''Yeah~...... yesterday you said ...... that,...... if you''re in trouble, you can count on me... ...'' Hey, hey, hey. If you''re embarrassed to say it, don''t say it. In the first place, I didn''t say that to take care of your chores. ''Estella-san''. Ginette, who had come to pour water, gave Estella a soft smile. ''If your work is difficult, please contact me. I''ll help you in any way I can. ''There, I''ve made you feel better. ''Oh, no, no, no. I''m just kidding, Jeannette. I just want to thank you for making me a delicious meal. Estella smiles and sips her pasta. ...... Don''t skip the sauce. Like a child. ''Yashiro-san.'' ''''Hmm?'''' Ginette smiles at me, holding the jug in her hand. ''Are you all right, Yashiro-san?Are you straining yourself again?If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. ...... I''m a little embarrassed when people look at me like that because it was yesterday. ...... ''It''s all right! ''What kind of character are you, then? I''m not.I''m just being honest! ''If it''s ......, it''s even more serious.'' Estella looks at me with a serious expression. You''re an idiot. Your cuteness skyrockets when you end your words with ''ra''! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I''m not sure what to do. ...... It''s rather cute. Now, I''m going to do what I have to do. ''Jeannette. I''m going to go out for a bit. ''Yes, sir. I was wondering if I could ask you where you''re going ......?'' ''Hmm?Yeah. I''m going to the 41st district. ''...... Are you alone? Ginette looked uneasy. I''m not sure if it''s because I''ve met the lords of the districts yesterday and the day before, and they''ve made me think a fair amount, but they seem to think I''m getting into trouble again. I wonder if I was making a face that would make Jeannette think that. ''Don''t worry. I''m just going to take a look at the city. ''It''s not dangerous, is it? Mmmm ...... I might have to do some reflecting on this one. The fact that Jeannette is so worried about ...... me must mean that I''ve been looking very scary. ...... I just couldn''t face her yesterday in a different way. ...... ''The talks are moving in a peaceful direction. There''s nothing to worry about. I just thought you''d want to know, you know, about them. Especially about the kitchen. ''I see. ......In fact, I wish I could come with you. ......'' We''ve got a good crowd today. It''s not good for Jeannette to leave without any preparation. ''It would be a shame to take Jeannette on a visit like this. ''It''s a waste ......? ''If we''re going to take a vacation, let''s go to ...... a more fun place. Like shopping.'' ''...... Yes. By all means.'' He was surprised for a moment and then nodded with a soft smile. It''s a moot point, but if it eases Jeannette''s anxiety, so be it. And it''s not like I''m going to be in any kind of danger just because I go to the 41st district. You''re not ............, are you? I''m getting a little nervous about this. If you get tangled up with those ruffians,.................., ......, you might not want to go. I think I''ll stop. ''If you''re that anxious, I''ll go with you. It seems that the river fishing guild isn''t fishing today, so she''s helping us in her spare time. ''That''s true. I''m sure you''ll be safe with Delia. ''Oh!Whether it''s a thug or a hexenbiest, I''ll just whip it around. It''s a very cute and reliable statement. A girl who kuru-poi a hexenbiest is undoubtedly a dangerous person, but if she is on ...... your side, you can count on her. ''Then I''ll ask her. ''Okay!Then let''s get started! I''m not sure if I''m in a good mood or not, but Delia is in a better mood than usual and says to hurry up. She''s probably not the type to go out too far. Maybe he''s happy to go away. I''ll buy him something sweet if I can. I''ll be back in a bit. ''Yes, sir. Take care of yourself. Ginette saw us out of the sunlit pavilion, and we walked aimlessly down the main street. Today we''re going to pass by the lord''s mansion and go outside the district. If you''re going to District 41, this road is easier to use. ''Where are we going? ''The forty-first district. I haven''t decided on the details, but I''d like to see the atmosphere of the city. ''Well, you might want to walk down a few alleys off the main street. That''s where you''ll find the real scenery of District 41. Delia said with a knowing look. Is this guy familiar with the 41st district? ''I often go there to see Masha. I sometimes eat in the 41st district, and I have a favorite restaurant there. ''A sweet shop? ''No. It''s just a regular bar, but they have good fruit.'' It seems that Delia prefers sweets to alcohol. There may not be any sweet shops in District 41. Sugar has never been common in the city. ''Maybe it''s a good thing we brought Delia along. ''Right?All right!Then let''s get on with it! I''m afraid that Delia''s words sound like ''invading''. ''Yashiro-san~! I was about to leave the 42nd district when I heard a voice calling me from behind. I turned around and saw Imelda running towards me, her tits shaking without fear of anyone. ''...... Reminds me of American Cracker,'' she said. ''Hmm?What''s that? ''No, it''s nothing. Delia wouldn''t understand, I''m sure. Anyway, it''s a rampage of bang bang bang. While we were having this useless conversation, Imelda came up to us and shook her shoulders in a big way to catch her breath. Every time her shoulders go up and down, her boobs go up and down. ...... ''You remind me of ...... slime.'' ''Hmm?What''s that? ''No, it''s nothing.'' Delia wouldn''t understand, I''m sure. It''s just pliable. ''Haha ...... haha ......, what a coincidence! ''There''s no such thing as a strange coincidence with such a breathless .......'' ''I can accompany you ...... hahahahahaha ....... I''d like to go with you ...... haha ............ haha ......'' ''So you want to go with me? ''...... haha...... yeah...... haha...... well... ...haha............ haha......'' He was too tired to give up his vanity. Well, it''s true, I haven''t had much time to talk to Imelda lately. It''s just a casual visit. It won''t be a problem if she stays. ''Then let''s go together. ''If Yashiro-san says so much, then it can''t be helped. ''You''re back early, aren''t you? I don''t know what it is, but I''ve got more companions. Is the woodcutter''s daughter famous in the 41st district?If so, she might be able to give us some information. On the other hand, you can''t say that you won''t get into trouble, but ...... I''m sure Delia will take care of you in that case. ''Nice to meet you, Delia. ............ Hey, are you in a bad mood? ''......Not really.'' Delia''s cheeks were puffed up. No, no, no. It wasn''t really a date, it was just a visit. ............ ''Let''s go out for something sweet sometime, okay? ''Just the two of us?'' ''Yeah. I''m going to ask you out on a date. ...... Fix your mood.'' ''I can''t help it!You promised! He punched me in the back. ...... Hey, Delia, you didn''t have a log or anything, did you?I''m not sure what to make of this shock,......, but I think my bones are going to fracture from fatigue if I take one more hit. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out, I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I feel like I''m looking at my niece or something, even though she''s this big. ''Come on, I''m coming!Follow me, sir! ''Hey, jump in. You''re not in charge. With a smiling Imelda in the lead, we entered District Forty-one. The forty-first district looked somewhat tired today as well. As soon as we left the main street and entered an alley, the glamour of the district disappeared. Several stores stand side by side in a dimly lit alley. The number of customers didn''t seem to be good. ''Oh, you''re a big girl. Are you a member of the hunting guild? Delia was being approached in front of a store selling weapons. ''No, I''m from the river fishing guild. ''Oh, I see. ......'' As soon as he realized that he wasn''t from the hunting guild, the man who seemed to be the shopkeeper instantly lost interest and walked into the store. ''You''re acting as if you''re not a customer except for the hunting guild. ''This town seems to be run mainly by the hunting guild. Perhaps this unusually narrow alleyway is the result of trying to expand the main street to accommodate the hunting guild. In order to expand the main street. The stores at both ends of the street have been pulled down little by little. ...... is a possibility. ''Let''s go one more street back. The people on the first street have a strange pride and are hard to get along with. In the 41st district, it is said that those who are based in each alley from the main street are called ''first'' and ''second''. The further back you go, the poorer you seem to get. Perhaps that''s why they have a strong sense of camaraderie. ''So those based on the main street are celebrities. ''It''s an apples-to-apples comparison. They don''t have any money. That''s why they have nothing to be proud of. The pride that only exists in this region, that you''re the ''first one''. ...... Electorate ...... nonsense. ''The hunting guilds are getting the best of it, and the common people are getting the worst of it. I''m not sure what to make of the lumberjack guild.Aren''t they in a similar position? Imelda was dumbfounded by the state of the 41st district. But isn''t the Woodcutter''s Guild in District 40 in a similar situation? I''m not sure what to make of that.There are many professions that use wood in the first place, and we have a well-balanced coexistence and co-prosperity. Imelda exclaims confidently. Rip it off!Rip it off, the bosom of my shirt! ''Yashiro. Don''t stare at me like that. Delia puffs up her cheeks again. No, Delia''s is bigger than mine, but I feel like I shouldn''t look at Delia like that. ...... ''Hey, Delia. If you''ve ever eaten around here, have you ever heard of it?Have you heard any rumors ...... about lords or hunting guilds, especially grumbling? If they''re the kind of people who call out to each other in a few alleys, they''ve probably developed a strong sense of camaraderie. A strong sense of camaraderie makes it easier to turn against those who are not your relatives. It is called "peer pressure. It''s the kind of pressure that says, ''He''s a jerk,'' ''That''s true,'' ''Oh, I thought so too,'' ''Hey. If you want to complain, they''re always complaining. If you want, why don''t we go check it out? ''Sure.'' It''s still early for dinner, but I''ll have a look at ....... Delia took us to the third alley. The streets and buildings were getting dirtier and dirtier, and Imelda''s brow was wrinkling deeply. ''...... It stinks,'' she said. ''Isn''t this one of the better ones? ''Is there anywhere more intense? ''After the fifth one, even I can''t do it. I don''t even want to eat.'' What kind of place is it? Isn''t it worse than the old 42nd Ward? So the lowest wards are just as bad after all. The third alley was full of eccentric characters, including a drunken man sleeping on the side of the road, a man sitting and staring blankly at the sky, and a suspicious man staring at us from the fourth alley. ...... Can I go home? ''Imelda. You''re regretting following me, aren''t you?'' ''No, I don''t ...... have a bit of that. ......'' Imelda''s expression twisted as she held her nose with a pure white handkerchief. This place must be unbearable for Imelda who loves beautiful things. ''Here it is. The fruit here is sweet and delicious. The tavern was located at the end of the third alley. It had a modest signboard, as if it was owned only by its regular customers. When I entered the bar, there were about a dozen customers. It was a big crowd, even before dinner. ...... Don''t these people work? ''Master!Long time no see.'' ''Oh, ...... the bear cub.'' Oh, no, not like the guy who was watching us play hide and seek. ...... Are you going to show your ass?I''ll give you a first prize if you do. ''See, there''s the usual.'' ''Oh!Yashiro!Yashiro!Here, here!This is the good stuff! The fruit Delia was so excited about was the mango. Well, they sure are sweet, aren''t they, mangoes? Maybe I''ll make some mango pudding next time. ''I''m sorry ......, but it''s delicious! ''Right?'' The two of us sat at the counter tasting the mangoes. I don''t really care about mangoes, so I decide to talk to the master. ''What do the people here usually do for a living? ''Various things. The Master says in a quiet voice as he wipes the cup. He looks like an old man over sixty, but I wonder what the retirement age is like in this world. ''He''s growing mangoes in his orchard, and that guy over there is making weapons. ''Does he benefit from the hunting guild? If you''re a weaponsmith, you should be very happy with the demand for weapons used by the hunting guild. But ...... looks shabby. ''The weapons used by the hunting guild are on loan from the lord. ''Loaned? ''The weapons are given to the hunting guilds in exchange for taxes. They don''t give them back. If it breaks, we destroy it.'' In order for the hunting guild to continue hunting, the lord provides the weapons. It seems reasonable to me, but ...... If the weapons paid for by the taxpayers are being misappropriated, where are their profits coming from? ''In this city, the hunting guilds are the best, and everyone else is competing for the little money that falls out of them. ''How come there''s no rebellion? ''Only a fool would fight a war he can''t win. ...... If you can hold out, you can make a minimum living. How''s that working out for you? Well, you''re making enough money to go out and drink. ''With the hunting guild, the 41st district won''t go bankrupt. I''m sure the economy will pick up sooner or later. With that, the Master took the wiped cup to the kitchen. Turning his back to me, he seemed to be saying, ''Don''t ask me any more questions. ''d*mn, I can''t do this. ...... I work day in and day out, but it never gets any easier. ......'' ''You''re lucky you can drink. ''That''s true, but...'' In the back seat, a group of men are talking nonsense. ''Do you have a minute? Two men sit at a table for four. One of them is completely finished and drunk. The other hadn''t had much to drink, perhaps to keep an eye on this drunkard. ''You seem to be very unhappy. ''That''s right, if they''re so blatantly disparate, ...... you''d think so too, wouldn''t you? ''Certainly. But complaining about it won''t get you anywhere. I''m going to work hard and buy a house in the 40th district someday. ''Hahaha!Impossible!For you, forty-two wards is the most you can afford. Kachin...... ''Ah, lord......'' ''''What? The man who had been drinking suddenly straightens up and looks around the restaurant. ''Oh, don''t scare me!You''re going to turn me into a frog! ''What is it? I was just trying to ask you a question about your lord.'''' Well, that''s a lie. ''Yes, you did. You just misjudged it. Sorry, bro. He didn''t mean it either. Please forgive him.'' ''That''s fine, but ....... Hey, the lord here is still a young man, isn''t he?Isn''t it his fault that we''re in this situation? ''Young man? ............ Hey, bro. Don''t ever say that. If the military police find you, you''ll be in a lot of trouble. ''Are you even oppressing me? The less drunk man warns me in a whisper. Are they controlling speech in this town? ''No, it''s not. The soldiers around here are all in love with the lord. Anyone who speaks ill of the lord will be purged so that the lord won''t find out. ...... That''s scary. You''re a complete fanatic. ''Don''t you ever think about leaving? ''There are people like that. They get into trouble and leave here. ...... These days, the exodus of residents is becoming more and more serious. The fewer people there are, the lower the tax revenue will be, and the more the city will suffer. This will lead to higher taxes and higher prices. It''s important to avoid the outflow of people at all costs. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... Is he just an idiot or is he ............ ''But well, ......''. The less drunk man gulps down a lukewarm ale. ''I can''t hate ......, can I? After all.'' That''s all I muttered, and I was deeply immersed in my own world. What you can''t hate is the lord or this town ...... It is not wrong to try to rebuild the economy around the hunting guild. It''s more likely to work if you use bold policies to secure profits and then distribute the benefits to the people, rather than totalitarianism that will leave you destitute. However, such a method is likely to arouse antagonism. If left unchecked, some people will lose motivation and vitality like the people who are talking here ....... When there is no way to stop them, this city will end. It''s a high-risk gamble. It''s been less than two years since the last lord died. ...... If the policy of giving preferential treatment to hunting guilds was inherited from his predecessor,......, it seems that the results have not been good since Ricardo took over. This is evidenced by the dead eyes of the people. The heavy rains and the changes in the 42nd district may have been stressful for the 41st district. There may have been a number of factors, but Ricardo has yet to see any clear results. That''s more than enough reason to lose the trust of the ...... lords. A lord must have a certain charisma. The lord must have a certain charisma and make the people believe that they are safe with him. Otherwise, the territory will not be able to hold together. Ricardo......, you must be in a great hurry right now. You''re like the ...... Estella of old, not paying attention to every corner of the territory. I need a breakthrough. You think so, don''t you? If you don''t, you''re not a lord. You''ve come to the point where maintaining the status quo is no longer an option, your 41st district. ''Yashiro~, Imelda ate them all because you were too slow, mango. ''Huh!Ah, you ate two more slices than I did!Please don''t blame others! ''''No, I don''t really care about mangoes. ''''What do you mean you don''t care? No, you''re scaring me. Are girls'' love for mangoes the same all over the world? Anyway... I''m glad I came to visit. We finally have a clue to the solution. I can''t wait for the trilateral talks. We''d better get ready before then. After that, we looked around District Forty-One a bit more, and then we headed back to District Forty-Two. ''Don''t forget your date! Delia said sternly as she skipped away. ...... Maybe I''ll take her to the sweet shop "Graduates". I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. Imelda said with a clear face, humming as she left. ...... No, I didn''t make any promises to you! ...... At all. I''m trying to figure out how to get around this. ...... You''re so easygoing. ''My head hurts ......''. But I didn''t know that. But what I didn''t know was that the next day ...... would bring more headaches. ............ That is, until I heard the earth-shaking footsteps in the early morning. ............ ''Is my Yashiro here? In the forty two districts, Medora attacked............ who is yours? 136-Episode 119 Attack on Medra ''Is my Yashiro here? We had just finished donating to the church and returned to the sunny pavilion, where we were preparing to open the store, when the man appeared. ''Oh no!Everyone, pretend to be dead! I immediately fall to the floor. But Jeannette was standing there with a blank look on her face, and Magda was ...... unusually ...... stiff with sweat on her forehead. ''Hahahaha!You''re doing it again, Yashiro, no darling! ''Why did you rephrase that! ''What are you planning to do, make me cry here, to recreate the time when we first met? ''It''s not a memorial surprise! ''Hey, I''m up, I''m up! A hand is thrust into my side, and I''m easily picked up. He lifted me up and threw me down, and before I knew it, I was standing up. I said, "What kind of muscle power do you have?A crane truck? Hmm?Oh, that tiger girl over there is Use''s boy''s girl, isn''t she?You''ve got some pretty good eyes! ''......? Magda jumped a little when Medora saw her. ...... Magda is terrified. His wild instincts must be ringing an alarm bell. ''This one''s dangerous. ''How did you know Magda was a member of the hunting guild? You''ve never met him, have you?'' Magda had told me before. The Hunting Guild is a big organization, and it''s a very vertical society, so you rarely get a chance to meet anyone higher than your immediate superior. ''Who do you think I am?It''s easy to tell if someone is one of us by looking at their chi. It''s amazing ...... that the guild leader of the hunting guild should be able to tell ....... ''You seem to be very well taken care of. You''ve got a good man taking care of you. Your hair is well groomed and your skin looks good. Hmm?Her ears are nice and thick. Medora begins to fondle Magda''s ears. ''...... Meeeeeee! That''s a warning sound!That''s the sound a kitten makes when it calls out to its parent cat for help! ''Medora, that''s enough!Don''t mess with my Magda! I snatch Magda back from Medora''s hands. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Ouch, ouch, ouch!I''m sorry.I''m going to break my neck or my spine! ''...... Mii!Mii! ''Oh, good, good. That was scary. Here, I''m gonna fluff you up, okay?'' I whip my creaking body into shape, distance myself from Medora, and fluff Magda''s ears as if to comfort her. ''...... muh-uh''. The usual ''mwah'' sounded a little teary. It seems she was quite scared. ''Yes, darling!Do you like tiger ears?'' ''He''s the only one who likes them. Beastmen don''t like to have their ears touched, right?I won''t touch them if I have to. ''Oh, beastmen. ...... That''s a good name. I''m going to use it too. I''ll use it too.'' Medora caught on to something strange. I was about to say, "I don''t care about that,....... I''m not sure what to say. The unimportant situation had suddenly begun. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. I''m not sure what to do. And ...... --poof! And two cute ears popped out from Medora''s head. ''When you reach my level, you''ll be able to control your animal features!Come on, darling. You can pretend until you''re done! ''...... No, thank you, thank you. What? What? Is it possible to control the animal''s features? Isn''t that what it is? Isn''t that the kind of thing where a human is reincarnated as a demon and can transform his muscles at will? Isn''t that the kind of thing that makes the main character gasp and say ''100% ......''? I''m sure you''ll agree.It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. After proudly showing off her ears, Medora moved her face closer to mine. Magda sensed his presence and clung to him. I''m not sure what to do. ...... die!I''m going to die, Magda.I''m not going to die while looking at a close-up of Medora! I''m not going to be able to do that. I''m not sure what to say....... You might lose them. I''m not going to let you do that.It''s special! ''No, no, ............ right after we meet, I don''t think that''s ...... right, me.'' ''............ What ......?'' The expression disappears from Medora''s face. Medora''s face turned serious and a little ??????????????????????????? scary ????????????????????????????????????! I''ll be eaten!I might get eaten! ''............Okay.'' She rolls her large back toward you, ...... covering her face with her hands. ''I''m ...... being cared for! I''m not sure what to do. If I don''t do something soon, this is going to be a pattern I can''t get back! ''So, what are you doing here?It''s so early in the morning. ''Hmm?Oh, that''s right. I was so happy when I saw your face, I almost forgot.'' Don''t forget to tell me what you want, just make it short and leave now! ''That ......'' The immaculate saint Ginette steps in front of the giant demon god Medora. ''Stop!Don''t waste your life!You still have a life to live! Your tits aren''t just for you! ''Aren''t you tired from traveling so far?If you''d like, you can have some tea. He smiled at Medora and offered her a chair. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... Stop, you''re going to stay. ...... I can smell the flag that you''re going to live here. I''m going to ...... get rid of him quickly. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. I''ll take your word for it. Medora''s huge body dexterously fits into the chair. ...... How many tons do you think that chair can take? ''You. What''s your name?'' ''Yes. I''m Ginette Tinard, the manager of this sunny pavilion. I look forward to serving you in the future, Medora-san. Huh?I thought Ginette''s name was ''Ginette Poyne''? ''Do you know my name? ''''No.'''' Because Yashiro-san mentioned it earlier. ''Oh, I see. ...... ...... Hmm, that''s good tea. The temperature and steeping time are excellent. ''Thank you very much. I''ll get you a refill. ''Yes, please. ''Please wait a moment. ...... is awesome. I''m not sure how you''d be able to deal with a demon-grade medora that pretends to be dead. ...... Ginette, are you some kind of god after all?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''ll worship them for now. I''m not sure what to say.What is it, Mr. Yashiro? ''......May your boobs increase, may your boobs increase, may your boobs increase ......'' ''......You can''t tell me that ......'' I can''t say there''s no benefit. Then I want to bet on that faint possibility! ''Hmm ......, I can''t believe you tried to ruin such a nice store. ............'' Medora sniffs as she looks around the store. ''Hmm?''Tried to shut it down''? ''Manager, and then darling. And while you''re at it, that spoiled tiger girl over there! ''...... nyafu! Magda, who is still cobbling on my chest, shudders . Does the mere fact that he''s called me make me reject him: ...... ''Is this all the shopkeepers?'' ''No, there''s one more. There''s another employee, Loretta, who''s very pretty. ......'' ''Good morning, sir! Loretta appeared at the right time with her usual dim-witted greeting. However, when she saw the hexenbiest sitting in front of her, she stopped her movements. Then, like a rusty karakuri doll, she flipped her body with a giggle ...... and turned to leave the store. ''Good night,.......'' ''Wait a minute, Loretta! ''Hey, hey, hey, why do you know my name, you gorilla? ''Who''s the gorilla? ''That''s right!It''s rude to be a gorilla! ''Hey, darling!That''s not fair! You''re pretty rude too, calling me darling without my permission! ''If you''re all here, then listen to me!Let''s gather up! We obeyed Medora''s order without hesitation. Because we don''t want to get into trouble, do we?With Magda in this situation, we don''t stand a chance. ...... ''Magda ......, can''t you manage to win with ''Red Moya''? ''...... blown away by snorting......'' By the breath of your nose? ......It''s an order of magnitude different ............ In the event that you have any questions concerning where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you can call us at the web site. ...... Amazing!I''m not sure what to do.It''s a great defense!I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''ve come to apologize today! What are you doing sitting there like a big shot, making us all stand there? ''Hey, Loretta.'' ''I''m sorry, please don''t kill me! ''...... That''s an unusual reply, isn''t it?Well, okay. Why don''t you go get the men who were outside? ''............ I didn''t see anyone, did you?'' Loretta said with a tilt of her head. Hearing those words, a vein appears on Medora''s forehead. Fat!You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''Wait a minute, please ......''. Standing up slowly, Medora walked out the door ...... and. ''Don''t you dare run away, you bastards!I''ll find you and I''ll break your bones! ...... Don''t be shouting about things in the storefront. ............ ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on in! ''Yes, yes ......''. Prompted by Medora, a group of burly men came into the store. All of them had pale faces like dead men, but all of their faces were familiar to me. ''Aren''t you the ruffians from that time? It was the two idiot musclemen who had caused the bug ruckus at Cantartica, the reptilian Ottmar who had caused the food poisoning ruckus at Graduates and Sunshine Pavilion, and the long-haired and other strong-faced group who had caused the sit-in ruckus at Sunshine Pavilion. ''Make sense! ''''''''''Hey! '''''''''' With tearful screams, the burly men all got down on their knees at once. The floor of the sunlit pavilion is filled with muscles. ............ Yeah, ...... what is this ...... ''''''''''I''m so sorry! '''''''''' If that''s what you think, you need to think a little harder. A diner filled with muscles is ...... what kind of business obstruction is that? ''When I heard Darling''s story, I immediately gathered my constituents and asked them what was going on.'' ''On the body?'' ''Hahahaha!Of course, we discussed it! Medora''s fists were clenched tightly. ...... The people on their knees are shaking like crazy. ...... What kind of discussion? I''m sure you''re already aware of this, but I''ll walk you through it. Medora''s tone of voice changed, and she began to speak with an air of mystery. ''In the first place, it all started when I heard from Ricardo that the 42nd district was planning to build a city gate. It seems that it was not a consultation, but a small talk. Although they have known each other for a long time, it seems that they don''t spend much time together, and since Ricardo became the lord, they only see each other once a month or so. In the midst of all this, they happened to have a chance to meet, and that''s when they heard about the installation of the city gate in District 42. ''I was so mad,'' he said. ''Are you trying to steal the profits of District Forty-one? He thought that the rude and unreasonable acting lord had forced him to do it. ''So, we sent our young men to see what kind of city gate that rude person was planning to build. The underlings were the right and left muscles of the bug racket. ''And then, these idiots ......'' ''Hee! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry! ''Hmm...... you can''t even explain it well in that condition...... can I speak for myself?'' Medora says in a heavy, gut-wrenching voice. And then, in an indifferent tone of voice, he began to tell the story of the past. As I had predicted, the right and left muscles who had caused the bug riot in Kantarutika had harassed me of their own volition. It is clear that Medora did not blame his subordinates ...... to escape responsibility. This is a woman who can get down on her knees to me, a nobody, in public. She wouldn''t pull a trick like that. Besides, the reasons that the muscles gave were unexpected, but somewhat convincing. ''I wanted to make my ...... mom happy. ......'' The motive for their scandalous ...... behavior was to please Medora. I don''t really understand that feeling,......, but there are certainly more than a few people who find it worthwhile to be recognized by those in power. ...... I guess they call you "Mom", Medora ............ haha. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s not just a matter of time before you find yourself in a situation where you can''t get out of it. In addition, the city was filled with delicious smells, and the women walking the streets were gorgeous and all smiling. And what the women were talking about was ...... "cake". They knew from their own knowledge that "cake" was a favorite delicacy of the aristocracy, served at a coffee shop called Luxury in the forty-second ward. The food of the upper class is being sold in the bottom forty-two wards. They thought it was fake and fake anyway, so they tried it. ...... The taste was unbelievable,...... the muscles said excitedly. And then they thought, ............''Cheeky''. ''When I was ordered to inspect District 42, my mom was very angry. So I thought the people in District 42 were up to no good. I can''t ............''. I''m going to destroy it. That''s what he thought. That would make my mom happy. That she''d be pleased with me. They are proud of their absolute power, and being recognized by their mama, who reigns over them, is their greatest pride, reason for living, and pride. It is similar to the act of a Yankee who is infatuated with the head of the team. If someone appears who threatens the leader to whom they owe allegiance, they rush to confront him, even if the act is reckless and without regard for their own lives. They do not think about the future, and they do not mind involving unrelated people. There is only one thought there. I want to be a special person to the person I admire. This desire is what creates the strongest loyalty and unity. This is why hunting guilds are so powerful. This time, those muscles got out of control and caused a problem. And it looks like Ricardo''s in there too. And it looks like Ricardo''s got his own military police to suppress speech at his discretion for him. ...... I don''t have one of those, do I? I''m not sure what to say. Muscles rubbing their heads on the floor. And the rest of the ruffians were hired by these muscles. Muscles, who had been beaten back by me over the insect incident, was so afraid of being exposed that he resorted to a cunning cover-up. He used the ruffians from the 40th precinct. They wanted to make people think that they were one of them. And if they could get me to blow off some steam, that would be even better. I see. That''s why the second time it was an idiot like Otmar, and after that, it was a bunch of longhorns who were very serious. The second time was just supposed to be a distraction. The second time was supposed to be just a distraction, but they got pissed off when I got back at them again. ...... In the end, I got beaten back. ...... And then I heard from these guys. And these guys told me that the 42nd district is expanding its military. The stunt we put on to get rid of the racketeers - a wax figure march of soldiers made by Bekko - turned out to be the catalyst that made things worse. ''But now that I''m here, I understand. There''s no sign that they''re expanding their armaments. I can see that clearly. That''s what I call Medora. The real thing, which has been through a thousand hardships, will not accept such deceptions. ''But I was very mad at that time. It''s just an excuse, but I believed what they were saying. And Medora''s anger finally reached its peak. Then came the request to the hunting guild''s branch to take down the Swarm. I can only say that the timing was too bad. ''That branch is rented out to hunt magical beasts in the Forty-Two District. I can''t stand it when they force me to do something I don''t want to do!That''s why I instructed Use to stay put. In short, I didn''t explain well. If we had given a proper explanation and followed the formal procedures, this would not have happened. ...... Though Medora is also wielding his power in a rather short sighted manner. And when he had finished telling the whole story, Medora took a breath as if to switch the air. The air in the place seemed to tighten up with that. ''I don''t think I''m not responsible for this whole mess!What those idiots did was not supervised by me, the person in charge!I''ll make sure to apologize to them!I''m sorry! Medora got down on her knees in a more manly fashion than anyone else. This might have been the most effective thing I could do for those muscles. They had made the respected and admired Medora get down on her knees. They were ashamed of their own stupidity and would not repeat such a foolish act again. ''But you must understand this!Ricardo is not responsible for this!He didn''t do anything!I ordered the inspection on my own. I didn''t do it on Ricardo''s orders!I did it all on my own initiative!Ricardo didn''t even know about this!If you don''t trust me, you can call the judgment of the spirits on me! The air rippled with ...... excitement. It''s a good idea to have a good time. A person of Medora''s stature would never have been subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits before. If they tried to do that to Medora, the hunting guild would have him beaten to a pulp in no time. Now, Medora had given her life. Even if you believe, you can''t shake the fear. Because you can''t deny the possibility. If I point my finger at Medora now, the ...... muscles will pounce. I''m sure they''d try to choke me out. That''s how desperately I want to stop the Judgment of Spirits, no matter what else I have to sacrifice. You can''t dare to use it for anything other than a threat. Medora''s life is too heavy for me. I''m not prepared to carry it. ''Medora. I''ll take your word for it. The air relaxes with relief ....... The air of relief spreads like a ripple. In the first place, there''s no reason for Ricardo to interfere with the cake in District 42 other than because he simply doesn''t like it. If you listen to what I just said, you''ll understand. From our point of view, the events that seemed to be a big swell of events all related to each other, turned out to be the result of a combination of misunderstandings, assumptions, and personal desires that went off in strange directions. Surprisingly, reality may be like that. Because it''s not a drama, it can go off in unexpected directions at the drop of a hat. But what is frightening is that these feelings "pile up". If they pile up and pile up high,......, they will fall down one day. Before that happens, it is better to remove the dangerous ones. In a way that is clear to everyone, black and white, and still refreshing to everyone,....... ''At any rate, I understand. I''m not going to blame Ricardo for this. I promise.'' ''Okay. ...... Thank you, darling.'' ''Can you stop ...... calling me that, darling? ''It''s ...... embarrassing to call you by your name.'' Don''t be embarrassed, it''s horrible! It''s much more embarrassing to call me darling. ''But don''t just apologize to us, apologize to Cantartica and Graduates ...... for causing you trouble.'' ''Of course. I''m going to go over there and make a polite apology. I hope they''ll forgive me, and be sincere.'' ''I see.'' He''s going to go door to door to all the people he''s caused trouble for, and he''s going to be sincere about it. ''But I wanted you to hear it from me first.'' Medora smiles thinly. He has a very clean character. ''If an apology isn''t enough to make you feel better, you can boil me, roast me, make fun of me, whatever you want! ''No, that''s fine. ''Don''t say that! ''I told you I don''t want it! ''Do what you want! ''That word''s getting a little too meaningful, isn''t it? ''Make a mess of it! I''m not sure what to say. Pushing back the oncoming demon god, I turn my gaze to Jeannette. It''s also eye candy ....... ''So, ......, okay? ''Yes, sir. I''ve had enough.'' Enough apologies, he says. Well, I knew it, I knew he''d say it. Trying not to touch the frightened Magda and Loretta, I set off for Cantalcica with a burly man and an even burlier woman in tow. Paula would have cried if such a group suddenly came. I intervened and explained the situation to her. Then there was another round of getting down on our knees. At first, Paula stared at the ruffians as if she were looking at filth. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it again. ''''''''Yes!I swear. '''''''' I''m not sure what to do. ...... It''s traumatizing. After that, they moved to Graduates, where they performed the same kind of kneeling ...... that ended the ruckus. ...... I thought... ''Alright, you guys!Go work for free at the store that caused you trouble for the rest of the day!Don''t be afraid to take on any job that comes your way, and take the initiative to do the jobs that others don''t want to do!Do you understand? ''''Yes!Mom!'''' '''''''' Us!Copy that! '''''''' Medora said ...... something ominous: ...... ''Hey, hey, Yashiro ...... maybe you want me to help you ............?'' ''Sounds like .......'' ''No, not at all!I''ve got no place to put those muscles! You''re treating me like an interior decorator. ...... And so the nightmarish day began: ...... ''Passersby, listen up! Medora shouted in front of Kantaruchka. ''You guys, eat at Cantalucia or the Sunshine Pavilion for dinner today!And after dinner, have dessert at Lemon!Do you understand me? '''''''''' Yes! '''''''''' For some reason, even the residents of District 42 obeyed Medora''s orders. This is charisma,............, no, it''s fear, yes. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. In a matter of seconds, the passersby are lined up in a line that is as impressive as an army. What ...... is this, a military exercise? The rest of you wait here.The rest of you stay here!'' ''''''''''Hey! '''''''''' This situation: ...... Medora or the residents of District Forty-two, who''s more abnormal? ''Yashiro! Paula comes running from Cantartica, filled with muscles and old men, looking like she''s about to cry. ''What a lot of people!What the hell is this?What am I supposed to do? ''For now, just do business as usual. ''It''s not normal at all just because you have muscles! ''Give him a good job. ''Forget it!You think you''re someone else! ''Pfft!Paula puffs out her cheeks. But she seemed very happy that the store was full of customers. Her tail is wagging. ''Hmm?Darling, do you like my tail?Okay, I''m here! ''Please don''t. Please.'' ''Don''t be so shy! ''Stop or I''ll ban you from the Forty-Twoth Ward. ''''Hmmm!I also like your modesty, Da-Ling. I''m so creepy. ...... ''Yashiro...... you......'' ''No, it''s not. Anyway, it''s not. Paula is just as creeped out by Medora''s words as I am. Don''t look at me like that. ...... I''m going to cry. ''Miss Paula! ''Who''s Miss Paula? A big man calls Paula from the entrance of the store. ''The store is not running!Please come back! ''Oh my God!How can so many people be out of order?I can''t help it! Despite her anger, Paula walked back to the store with a happy face. I''m sure that after a day of hard work, those ruffians will be able to serve customers in a reasonable manner by the afternoon. Paula will take care of that. ''...... Where are we going? Two people on the main street. Me and Medora are standing side by side. I have a bad feeling about what Medora said, and my face naturally tenses up. ...... I''ll help you with the sunshine pavilion! To be honest ............, I want you to go home right now ....... I''m going to go now.If you don''t work hard, the customers won''t wait for you! He grabbed me by the neck and dragged me back to the sunlit pavilion. ...... No, he took me away. On that day, for one day only, ...... a new waitress was born at the sunlit pavilion. ............ Would you like to nominate her? 137-120th episode rookie waitress ''Rrrrrr!It''s lunch time again today with Magda-tan!Konnichiwa~ssu! ''You''ve come a long way!Welcome to the sunny pavilion! ''I made a mistake! ''No mistake, Umaro!Come back here! Umaro, who was singing a cheerful song so loudly that I could hear him even if I was inside the store, made a U-turn as soon as he saw Medora. Well, that''s what happens. It''s instinctive! ''What, what, what, what, what, what?Is this another new kind of harassment? ''Thank you for your honest feedback. But that''s the guild leader of Magda''s guild.'' ''What?You''re related to Magda? Umaro hid himself in my body and stared at Medora, who was wandering around the Sunken Pavilion. ''If that''s the case,......, it''s not acceptable,................... ......! Umaro, who can do anything for Magda, rejected her unexpectedly! ''Medora-san. ''Is that so?I understand. I''ll be careful next time. ''Yes, sir. But a smile is very nice. ''I see!Well, I''ll do my best! You think that smile is nice? What''s the matter, Jeannette?Did your retinas burn out? ''Whatever it is, you''d better get to work. I''m not going to be bothered if you have to carry me out too. ''Hey, manager, go back to the kitchen!We''re getting stuck here! Norma and Delia, wearing frilly aprons, move around busily. ''Why is this happening?Even those two ......'' ''No, Medora insisted on working at the Sunlit Pavilion, so I thought I''d throw in some ...... strong characters to cover it up somehow. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following URL: ...... I''m not sure if it''s just my imagination, but the air in the store seems to be thicker. ...... So, where is Magda ......? ''Oh, Magda can be found at ......''. Magda, who had been stuck in fear after seeing Medora in the morning, was now ...... ''...... newcomer. How long are you going to keep your customers standing?You should show them the way quickly.'' ''Yes, yes. I''m home!'' He was giving Medora strict instructions. Not only that, but as soon as Medora turned her head to face Umaro--swoop! --He slapped the back of Medora''s head with the tray he was holding. He made a very high jump and aimed precisely at the back of Medora''s head. ''...... "Yes" is one time. This is an ironclad rule of customer service. ''............ yes''. Spang! Slap, again. ''......Smiling is the life of the customer service industry.'' ''Yes. ...... Is this okay? ''..................Well, not bad.'' Magda............, you daredevil...... ''......In this store, Magda is the senior. Newcomers should be obedient and do as they are told.'' No, that''s true, but ............ you''re awesome. ''Sir? ''Hiiii! Umaro screams at Medora, who approaches him unhurriedly. ''Are you alone, sir? ''Yes!I''m sorry I''m alone! ''I''ll show you to your seat. ''Yes, sir!Thank you very much for your kindness! Flipping her custom-made pretend apron, Medora leads Umaro to a seat in the back. ...... It looks like he''s being taken away. ''Magda, don''t be too hard on yourself. ''...... Magda''s strictness makes the customers feel sorry for the guild leader.'' ''Hmm?'' ''...... Without that kind of advantage, that demon god of fear won''t be accepted. It is the manager''s intention to provide the customers with a comfortable dining environment as much as possible. ...... Magda will make the best choice.'''' It is true that if such a big one was left free without any explanation, it would be an object of fear for the customers. However, if the big guy is scolded harshly and does his best to serve the customers,...... some people might be inclined to support Medora. Magda ......Think about it ...... ''............When today is over...... Magda may not be in this world...... ......'' He''s so scared! You''re shaking so badly! ''It''s okay.'' I put my hand on Magda''s head and rubbed her ear lightly. ''No matter what happens, I''ll protect you. Snap!Magda''s ears flared. They stand up straight and stiffen a little. ...... What the hell, you scared me. ''............ Yashiro, that''s not fair.'' ''What''s that?'' ''...... I don''t want you to look at me right now.'' Magda bent her head to turn away from me. Then, as if in some kind of resistance or revenge, he popped me in the waist with a cat punch. What the hell, that tickles. ''...... I feel like I can beat that demon god now. ''Don''t do that. ...... I don''t have the confidence to defend myself in an all-out confrontation. You can''t win with pure defense. The only thing I can do is to stop it before it enters the battle. ''Well, I''ve never done this before, but it''s fun to be a customer service representative!I think I might be good at it! Hahaha. Not at all. ''So, fox!What are you going to eat? Spahn! ''...... To provide a respectful and comfortable dining space for our guests. This is not a game.'' ''............ Yes. I''m sorry. ...... No, I''m sorry. I''m sorry. It''s really ...... frustrating, but I''m starting to think Medora might be a little more tolerable. ''I can''t help it. I''ll show you how it''s done. And so Delia approached Umaro. ......?You''re a role model? ''Hey, fox. Eat your salmon! Spahn! ''Hey, ......, Magda! ''...... we''re all going to be equal today.'' ''So, is that me too? Loretta began to shake and shake in a completely unrelated way. Yeah. With the power of equality with these two, Loretta''s head would be blown off. ''...... Today, Magda is determined to be devil-may-care! Magda has always acted with the best interest of the Sun Goddess in mind. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... Perhaps this is the first place where she feels she belongs. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. That is why she is still working hard today. ...... But this makes Magda the bad guy. We need Magda to be our idol, you know. ''Magda. ''...... Leave it to me. I''m going to go hard today. Magda showed her usual expressionless but crisp face. You don''t have to be so uptight. I gently pull Magda into a hug from behind. ''That''s enough. ''Or .......'' ''Medora has learned her job well enough. From here on out, let''s keep things lively and fun, just like we always do at the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''............ Magda, did you make a mistake?'' Magda''s ears flattened and she fell asleep. ''No, I''m not.'' I stroke her head, and her ears quiver a little, as if she''s ticklish. He''s begging for fluff. When you stroke it, its ears quiver. ''...... Mufu~'' Today''s Mufu seemed a little soft. ''Sorry, guys. Please don''t blame Magda. I''ll take the blame.'' ''No, what!I''m the new guy here and the tiger girl is the senior. Seniors discipline newbies. It''s natural. She''s not wrong.'' ''I don''t care about it either. There''s no way Magda would do anything wrong. ''............ bought it.'' Magda looks a little embarrassed. ''We''re watching you, you know? ''Haaaa............ to see Magda being embarrassed, ............Oyla, I have no regrets even if I die now. ......'' ''We''re going to have an event called "Petanko Fair" where Magda will be wearing a cute uniform. ......'' ''You''ll regret it!I can''t die now! He''s a quick-turning bastard. ''If you want, I''ll join you in that fair. ''What kind of flat-chested girl are you? ''Oh, an event with Magda, her sister and Estella. I wish I could''ve been there. Come on, Delia. Don''t include Estella. She has a lot on her plate right now. Medora looks around the store, as if she has noticed something. She points to Magda, Delia, Norma, and Medora ...... in turn. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ...... If you weren''t here, I could honestly say that. ............! ''Oh, I''m a beast girl too... ......'' Loretta, who has been excluded from the list, makes a small protest. Well, you don''t look too beastly, do you? ''Well then, everyone!Why don''t we start some kind of beastly service now? Medora makes a suggestion that seems to be going nowhere. ''...... What do you mean, "beastly service"? ''...... end with "nya"''. ...... Magda ............ you really are a brave man. If you had made that suggestion when Medora wasn''t around, I would have kept you on the edge of my seat all night. But! Why, now! ''That sounds interesting!That''s what I''m going to do! ...... I''m hooked! ''Are you going to do it too?I''m from the bear tribe. ...... I''m feeling a little weird. I''m not sure what to say.Delia, you look so cute! ''No, is it?Yah ha ha ...... Yashiro is very flattering~'' It''s really cute that Delia was embarrassed by the nyah nyah nyah. I think I''ll make this a standard service. ''Men are so stupid, aren''t they? I can''t believe they''d be happy about something like this~'' ''Norma!How smart can you be?I''ve always thought you were smart, right?I''ve always thought you were smart. I''m not sure what to say.I don''t know what you''re talking about!You can''t get anything out of me even if you flatter me. Mewling, Norma busily touched her chest and mouth. I''m sure she wanted to smoke a pipe to calm down, but it''s a pity. No smoking in the restaurant. ''...... yashiro''. ''What is it? ''............nya?'' ''Oh, she''s cute, cute, cute. Magda is just plain cute. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ...... You have to use your nerves, surprisingly. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ''Oh, ...... there''s one person who can''t ...... do it.'' ''Why?Oh, nya!I''m doing ...... properly, and I''m doing ...... properly. See, I don''t know where to put it anymore. ''Yashiro-san.'' Jeannette walks over to me with a fluffy gait. ''Umaro-san''s order is not ready yet. I hope he gets his order soon.'' ''............ Why are you even doing this? ''...... Is that weird? ...... Sorry, Jeannette. It''s so cute, it''s making my nose bleed. ............ ''Then I''ll take your order! ...... Sorry, Medora. I''m so scared I''m going to throw up blood. ............ But it wasn''t me who was frozen in true terror, it was Umaro. The mountainous Medora bent down to look into Umaro''s face and gave him a big smile,...... a smile that was truly the smile of a ...... demon god. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''......go............go......... ''.........Gof! ''Umaro! He vomited blood! He must have a hole in his stomach from the intense stress! ''Pull yourself together!The wound is deep, but don''t worry about it!I''ll call Regina now! ''...... No, I don''t want any more ............ dense people ......... ...I don''t want any more ......ss ............ gulp'' ''Ooooooooooooooooo! What is this farce? Norma is looking down at us with cool eyes. Stop it. You''re waking up to something, that look. And just then, the door of the sunlit pavilion is thrown open with great force. ''Yashiro, we''re in trouble! Estella ran into the sunlit pavilion, and when she saw Medora in her furi-furi apron, she expressed her feelings very honestly. Mm-hmm. Screaming. It''s the right reaction. ''Hi, long time no see! ''Meow''? No, please don''t ask me to explain ...... when you look at me with such a terrible expression. ''Actually, ......''. I left the dying Umaro on the floor and explained to Estella about the current otherworldly Sunshine Pavilion. ''...... Totally. Pulling in one changed situation after another, ......'' ''It''s not my fault, is it! Medora just barged in on her own, Ginette agreed to help, Magda created a situation that I don''t understand, and Loretta was just working as normal. I''m not in on this. ''I''m sorry I bothered you too. I wanted to go and apologize to you, but I didn''t have an appointment, so I didn''t know what to do. ''...... Can''t you do something about that ending? ''No, you can''t. We''re in the middle of a ''beast girl fair''. ''............ beast ...... ''girl''? ''What is it? I''m scared. Your face scares me, Medora. That''s definitely a Yankee thing, isn''t it?Are you gonna do it? That''s the same nuance as a yankee''s ''What? ''If you''ve been reasonable with the store, that''s all that matters. It seems that you''re working diligently and paying back the damages. We''re both sorry for the trouble we caused. ''That''s nice of you to say. I don''t know why I look like an idiot when I''m talking about something serious. ...... Well, it''s the end of the sentence. ''Is that what you want?'' ''Yes. All of the stores are just like this one, and they all seem to be having a good time while being confused. There''s nothing more for me to say. ''Did they look happy? ''I was surprised when I first saw him. I came here to see if there was something behind it, but when I heard the ...... reason, I understood.'' Estella looks at the hexenbiest in the pretend apron with a wry smile. ''...... You can''t go against that thing, can you? ''Yeah, you can''t.'' ''That''s terrible. You''re talking to a girl. Who''s a girl''s ''child''? ...... ''I''m sure they''re starting to enjoy serving you. I''m rather addicted too. It''s good that you''re into it, but you''ll have to go somewhere else next time. I''ve had enough of this. ''I''ll greet the next customer with a smile. I''m sorry about the next customer. ...... Come on Becco or Assunto. ...... Just as I was looking at the door, it was thrown open with great force and Use jumped in. ''Oh my God!Is Magda there? ''Welcome, guest! ''It''s a big deal! I don''t know what''s going on, but this is certainly more important. Your guild leader ...... seems to have been reincarnated as a monster. ''What''s wrong? What''s wrong with you? ''What''s wrong with you, Mom? ...... Wow, you call me ''Mom'' too? ............ ''What do you think?Isn''t it cute? ''What? He couldn''t have imagined that she was doing it for the cuteness. Use let out a question mark from his soul and froze. ''Kawaii-ii-ya-ro? I''m sure there''s a tremendous struggle going on in the Usses right now, whether to be hunted for your life or become a frog. ...... Well, if you lie here and say "Medora is cute", you won''t be turned into a frog by that lie. ...... ...... I can''t help it. It''s a good idea. What would you think if Jeannette wore that pretend apron?'' ''It''s so cute! ''Oh, yeah, it''s cute! I was not heard by Medora. I was careful to ...... make it so. So Medora smiled, feeling good about Ursse''s ''no lie'' reply. ''So, what do you want with Magda? After the Medora crisis passed, I asked Use what was going on. He seemed to be in a panic about something. ''Yes!Magda, get here now!A hexenbiest has broken through the outer wall into the city! ''What a pity. We don''t need to rely on the tiger girl, you guys can take care of it yourselves. ''That Hexenbiest is a Chimera Ant, Mom!All our attacks will be blocked!We can only kill them with a powerful attack like Magda''s! ''Hmm............ChimeraAnts......'' Medora crosses her arms and ponders. I mean, ...... ''I don''t need the ''nya'' at the end of words anymore. ''Hmm?Is that so?Then, what should I add next? You don''t need to add anything! It doesn''t do anyone any good, and it removes all the tension from the story, making it hard to concentrate. ''...... Next, add ''nandane-ne'' to the end of the word.'' ''Hey, Magda ............ why do you do such dangerous things ......'' ''Mmm!I get it, I get it! ''You''re very adaptable, Medora! The birth of one of the rarest and most severe tsundere in history. ...... I didn''t want to see that, not even rarely. ''Whatever you do, do it fast!We can barely contain it on our own! ''...... Okay. Magda''s coming out. ''I''ll go with you! ''...... Magda alone will be fine. ''I''m not going there for you, you know!I''m not going for you, I''m going for the people of this city who have been bothering me. ''If you''re ......, you''re going to have to lend me a hand. ''Hey, are you guys ............ going to take this seriously? The Chimera Ant appeared right next to the planned construction site of the city gate. It might have been attracted by the noise around the outer wall. ''Delia and Norma, stay here and be prepared for anything. ''Ooh!I know, I know! ''Don''t expect too much from me, you know. ''You guys like this kind of thing, don''t you? In the event that the Chimera Ant that you missed comes to us, Delia and Norma will stay behind. Well, I don''t think that''s going to happen. We have Medora. ''Ginette. You''ll continue your work as usual. But if any of the guests get scared, reassure them it''s okay.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir.'' ''Yes, sir. So why is Jeannette even on it? ...... Well, she''s cute, so it''s okay. ''Let''s go then.'' ''......I got it, you know...'' I''m not sure what to do. ''d*mn it, ......, I''m strangely tired from all the tension .......'' ''No, you don''t have to use it, Ugse. There is no demand for it anywhere. So, along with Magda, Medora, and Use, I headed to the site where the city gates were to be constructed. At the site, a dozen or so members of the hunting guild were holding back a huge magical beast with all their might. Huge nets were thrown and countless ropes were fastened over the beast''s body. The ropes were tightly fastened to the hexenbiest''s hard body, probably with claws at the end. Whether from pain or annoyance at being restrained, the hexenbiest was flailing about trying to break free of them. It''s a terrible sight to see a creature the size of a rhinoceros rampaging through the city. Fortunately, no one seems to have been injured. ''...... Where''s Imelda?'' ''She said she was going to visit her parents at lunch today.'' ''...... Good.'' This is a big deal by Imelda''s house. I was a little relieved that Imelda wasn''t home. ''It''s a big one, though. ......'' The Chimera Ant took the form of a giant lion. The first half of the ....... The back of the body is made up of ants. It even has wings. Does it fly? ''He''s probably excited because people have been in and out of the forest a lot. ''Do you and Magda think you can handle it? From the looks of it, it only took fifteen muscle-bound men to block his movements. It must be a hexenbiest with more power than it looks. From the looks of its face, it looks fierce. Magda and Medora, if the two of you work together, you can manage ...... I''m not sure what to do. At that moment, all the big men of the hunting guild flew into the sky at once. The Chimera Ant flapped its wings forcibly, and all the men who had been holding it back flew up into the sky. The nets and ropes that had been used to hold them in place took their toll, and the members of the hunting guild were entangled and dragged into the sky. Some of them fell from a certain altitude. ''Ugse!Magda!You''ve got to rescue my guys! ''Yes, sir! ''...... Understood.'' Magda and Use acted swiftly on Medora''s orders. He''s quick to make decisions and quick to take control of the scene. This Medora guy really has the capacity to bring together a large organization. Of course, the tsundere ending is gone. Now for the serious part. ''You''re not going to send the two of us to rescue ...... that hexenbiest all by yourself, are you? The Chimera Ant was on the prowl for more freedom. The ones holding the ropes are desperately resisting to block its movement. Magda and the others are tasked with rescuing those who are trapped in midair, unable to hold on. There is no time to attack the Chimera Ant. Even if they could, they would only be able to grab the ropes and restrain the Chimera Ant''s actions. Then Medora is the only one who can stand up to the Chimera Ant now. But can ...... one person stand up to such a monster? When such anxiety came to the back of my mind, Medora gave me a reliable smile. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''Don''t ruin a serious scene! She laughed and then disappeared from in front of me. --I thought I heard a "duh! By the time I thought I heard a "duh!" sound, Medora had moved far away, right under the outer wall. The impact shook the air as if a cannon had been fired. In an instant, he''d moved about a hundred meters. ...... That''s bullshit for such a huge body. ''Hold on tight! Medora instructed Magda and the others who had finished rescuing the stranded comrades. And then, with a mere two steps, kicking the ground and the outer wall, Medora took the Chimera Ant "over the head" as it flew overhead. It looks like it can pole vault without a pole. He''s a ...... fighter after all, isn''t he? I''m sure he''s stronger than you think, but he''s still not my enemy. ............ I''m not sure what to do. And at the same time as he strikes down, he lets out a roar like a beast. I''m not going to be able to do that. ...... I''ve never heard such a fierce tsundere line before. No, I rather ...... didn''t want to hear it. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. The hexenbiest that crashed into the ground did not move a ...... muscle. ...... is the strongest. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It is quite expensive and there are not many of them, but for the safety of the city, the stones are used sparingly in the outer walls. That''s right. Unless there''s some kind of warding, there''s no reason why someone who can fly or someone with a monster-like power like Bonacon can''t enter the city. In such a situation, there are rare cases where a hexenbiest is powerful enough to surpass the hexenbiest''s power. Like the Chimera Ant this time. I''ve heard that such monsters try to invade the city and prey on humans, but I''m really glad that there was no damage this time. Usae and the others must have done very well. ''If we can''t kill them on our own, there''s no point in you being here! '''''''' I''m sorry, Mom! '''''''' But Medora said it was an inadvertent mistake,......, and all the strong, stout men were on their knees, half crying, saying, ''I''m sorry, Mama. ...... It''s too surreal. ''...... That Chimera Ant was one of the most dangerous hexenbiests of the last decade or so. The beastman tribe can tell the strength of a hexenbiest just by looking at it, probably because of its beast blood. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ............ I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I thought you were talking about something serious! ''I''m sorry, but I''d like to postpone my afternoon help until another time. We need to deal with the hexenbiest as soon as possible. ''Don''t worry about postponing, just go home. Medora must be a polite guy, really. ''Let the ruffians work hard all day. ''Well, I''m sure they''ll be fine. Paula and the others seem to be doing well somehow. ''Well, I''m going to leave now. ............ Can I come and see you again? ''...... Isn''t there a meeting of the lords before that?'' ''Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Don''t forget that, no matter what. ''I''m sure Ricardo will give you a formal reply, but if it''s good between here and District 40, the meeting will be held in three days. ''So you''ve finally made up your mind. ''I''ve made up my mind. I just had a few errands to run. I hope you didn''t do anything underhanded again. ...... Well, you can''t do anything crazy at a meeting with Medora in attendance. He was probably busy dealing with some trouble in his territory. The forty-first district seems to have a lot of problems. ''I really enjoyed today. I''m sorry I came here to apologize and have fun, but ............ this city makes people feel happy. It''s a nice city.'' Medora slowly looks around, as if trying to see the entire city. Medora''s eyes were incredibly clear as she looked at the city. ''I hope the 41st district changes, too. ''I intend to. Even if it takes a long time. ......'' ''It might not take long at all.'' ''What?'' I make eye contact with Medora. If you take me up on my offer, ...... I''ll change the forty-first district for you. Of course, as a stepping stone to the further development of District 42. ''...... I''ll let you know what I''m thinking next time. ''Yes, you''re right. I''m probably going to get caught up in this, even if I don''t want to. ''Hahahaha, you don''t like it? Medora''s large hand rests on my head. ...... heavy. ''It''s strange to look into your eyes. It reminds me of the dreams and hopes I had when I was just a little girl, the hot, strong impulses that made me think I was invincible. ...... ''Don''t you still have dreams? ''There aren''t many more dreams that can come true at my age. ''Then I''ll give you one more.'' Medora''s eyes widened. Surprise and anticipation. Eyes filled with surprise and anticipation stare at me. ''I''ll add one more thing to your dreams that will come true in the future. If I do what I want, he''ll have one more dream come true. Well, it''s an ''in addition to'' to my wish. ''That''s ......''. ''You''ll have to wait until it comes true. ''............ marriage?'' ''No way! Absolutely not! This is the only thing I denied carefully, and I returned to the sunlit pavilion. I''m sure you got my ............ denial, right? .................. I''m worried. 138-The 16th hand, the foot, One fine afternoon. I don''t go to the ...... market. I was sitting at an empty table, showing my hands to Ginette and Estella sitting across from me. I was sitting at an empty table, showing my hands to Ginette and Estella sitting across from me. I show them both my palms, squeeze them lightly and flip them over. As soon as the back of her hand is facing Jeannette, she opens her fingers again. Then you do the same thing in reverse. Repeat the process two or three times to show that you are not holding anything in your hand. ''Estella, lend me a copper coin. ''............ When will you return it?'' ''I''ll pay you back as soon as I''m done. You''re a stingy bastard.'' ''Why don''t you use one of your own? ''Then he''ll wonder if there''s a trick to it, won''t he? ''...... I can''t help it.'' After much reluctance, Estella finally pulls out a copper coin. ''Put it in my hand. ''............ Give it back to me.'' ''You''re so persistent. I hold out my right hand and ask Estella to place the coin on it. It''s right in the middle of her palm. ''Well, keep a close eye on it. She bends the fingers of her right hand to grip the coin. He then grasps his left hand in the same way, and holds it out in front of them with the back of his hand facing upward. ''Now, which one is the one with the coin in it? ''Huh?'' ''Huh?'' Estella and Ginette both make silly noises. ''Well, that''s that. ''Well, ......, I think it''s this way. Ginette points straightforwardly to my right hand. But then Estella''s face turned flabbergasted and she held Ginette''s hand. ''Wait, Jeannette. Didn''t Yashiro just say, ''Which one is in there? ''Yes, that''s exactly what he said.'' ''...... It''s possible that when you turned your hand over, you dropped it down! ''Huh!That''s right . If that''s the case, then it''s ''not in either of them''! ''''Oh. As expected of Estella, she notices interesting things.'''' ''Hmph!How long do you think I''ve been with Yashiro? At least this much.'' ''Estella, you''re amazing. You''re so smart. ''Even though you don''t have breasts. ''Breasts have nothing to do with it! I flipped my left hand open so that the palm of my hand was facing upwards. On top of my left hand, there was a copper coin. ''''What the hell? Then, with just a bit of ...... fiddling, he opened ...... his right hand, and there was nothing on it. ''''D-D-Do, why? ''I''m sure I put it in my right hand! ...... Oh, this reaction ...... is super creepy! ''Can you show me how to do it again? ''Eh~ ...... I can''t help it. Then, Estella. Do you have any copper coins? ''Why don''t you use that? Oh, I knew it was a bad idea, I was going to cheat you. ''Well, I''ll hold the copper in my left hand this time, so watch carefully.'' He grasped his left hand. Then she grasps her right hand. Estella looks at the copper coin in her left hand to see if she dropped it somewhere or hid it. Jeannette looks at my hands alternately with a kind of annoyed expression. Well, I mean. I''m playing with magic in my spare time. ''Which way? ''This way! ''Oh, I thought it was that way, too! ''They''re the same, aren''t they? ''I''m sure this time! ''But by the way...'' When he opened the hand of the one who had not been chosen, there was a single copper coin. ''Muaaah!Why? ''Ya, Yashiro-san, is it magic? All hell broke loose. ''One more time!Just one more time! ''I have a feeling I''m going to win this time! Estella and Jeannette started to show their competitive spirit. I don''t know why they get so pissed off when they miss these two choices. However, they can''t win as long as they''re stuck on the straight and narrow. Because this is magic. It''s a very simple trick, a coin in each hand. It''s just that he hides it well. Well, there is a technique to hiding it, but I''m good with my fingers, so it''s no problem for me. I am confident that no matter from which angle you look at me, you will not find the hidden copper coin. ''Now, there is a copper coin in your right hand. Take a good look.'' ''Jee! ''Jee~'' ''I''ll grab it. ''Yes! ''...... Yes.'' ''Oh, yeah.'' ''What the hell? ''......Yes, I was concentrating so hard right now that I was kind of surprised. My ...... heart is pounding. ......'' How serious are you? ''It''s the third time. The next time you miss, you''ll be punished. ''''Punishment game ......?'''' Estella made a blatantly disgusted face and Ginette looked a little frightened. ''''Well, I won''t make it that tough. ''''How about a foot massage?On level E!'' ''Whaaaaat!Level E? Incidentally, level E is the level of strength where soft touch is level A, and level E is the level of full strength without reservation. ......Hmmm......, I can see Jeannette''s rampaging tits now. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited. ''No, it''s not ...... that I was addicted to it,......'' ''......The manager was really into it.'' ''That''s it, I''ve had my foot pressed over and over again. ''Ma, Magda, Loretta also ......!You''re not that much of a ......, are you? ''''No!'''' ''''Yes,......, was it? Yes. I don''t know why Jeannette was so into it. Mainly, the pushing part. I made a green bamboo step with the bamboo Millie gave me, but ...... Ginette couldn''t stay on it for more than two seconds. This is why I''m not very good at being hit. ...... juluri. ''Ya, Yashiro has an evil look on his face. ...... It''s kind of scary. ......'' ''I''ll give you a warning ...... ginette,remove.'' ''Ya, ya, ya, stop it!You don''t know that yet!You might get lucky! ''No!You''ll get a foot massage!On level E! ''Ugh ......, I''m ...... scared that that prediction is going to come true.'' As Jeannette squirmed, a strange pair of people appeared in the empty store. ''Well, well, well?It''s as lively as ever in this store. ''Oh ...... hello ......''. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a nerd. Obscene cleavage and unadulterated fullness: ............ Nice combination! ''An unusual combination, isn''t it? ''Not really. You know? ''Oh, yes. Noma-san is very knowledgeable about flowers and the language of flowers .......'' ''A little bit, Millie. ...... I have an image, too. ''Oh ...... I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ve already heard of her. ...... ''Millie!I''m a posthumous ......, please don''t ......'' What a mess. I can''t believe that this s*xy lady who shows off her raging cleavage was so heartbroken over a wounded flower. ............ ''So you wanted to add gap moe to your attributes because you''re impatient with your age? As soon as I finished, the ashes from the flue fell on my collar. ''Hot! You idiot! I''ve got a copper coin between my fingers right now, I can''t shake it off!Oh, don''t worry about dropping one hand. Throwing the copper coin in my right hand onto the table, I brush away the ashes. ''...... They''re reckless.'' ''I guess I deserved it.'' It''s funny. Norma wasn''t supposed to be smoking a pipe because it''s non-smoking in the restaurant. ...... He didn''t throw away the ashes he smoked outside for this. ...... So he was going to be played with while the ashes cooled. Are you actually waiting to be played with?Are you a M girl?I want to torment her. ''Ladybug-san, ...... are you alright? Millie swiped the ashes off my clothes. Well, that''s cute. Can I take it home with me? ''Well, now that more people are here, let me explain the rules again. From now on, I will use my right hand and left hand to hide the copper coins. You point to the hand that you think contains the copper coin. When I open my fingers, if there is a copper coin in my palm, it''s a winner. If not, it''s a miss. I''ll make it a rule. ''Well, Estella. Give me a copper.'' ''Don''t you have anything like a memory? What a stingy bastard!Haven''t you been making some money lately?Give me some pocket money! ''The construction of the city gate has been delayed and I''ve been chilling every day. I won''t waste even a single copper coin.'' Well, I admire your spirit. I wonder if that''s what a ...... lord would do. ''Well, Ginette. You take it.'' I''m not sure I can do that. Ginette grabbed the copper coin she had just thrown on the table and looked a little happy. There are people who are strangely happy when they are chosen to help at a magic show. First of all, he makes an "appeal" that he does not have anything in both palms. In fact, there is a copper coin in his left hand. But no one notices that. Then I hold out my right hand, and Ginette, with a slightly nervous look on her face, places a copper coin in the middle of my palm. They all look at the copper coin. ''Well, here we go. I slowly close my fingers and clench my fists. Then I clench my left hand, and quickly cross my hands in a trick. ''Aaah!If you''re going to do something like that, you should have told me first, Yashiro! Estella shouts in reproach. But you''ll miss anyway. It doesn''t matter if you''re watching closely or not. After moving my arms for a moment, I quickly put my fists in front of everyone. All eyes are on my hands. ''Now, which is it? If they were looking at me honestly, they would point to my right hand, and if they were looking at me crookedly, they would point to my left hand. And the result. Magda and Loretta, Milly and Norma pointed to the right hand, and Estella was the first to point to the left hand. She''s kind of proud of herself ......, like she''s saying, ''Hmmm, you guys don''t get it. Finally, Jeannette, after much deliberation, pointed to the left. This is a typical type of ...... self-destructor. It''s a good idea to keep your fist in the air. It''s clenched with the palm facing up. ''Open your fingers and if there''s a copper coin on your palm, you''ve hit it. If not, it''s a footstool. Are you ready?'' ''Good. I''m confident this time.'' Estella''s confident declaration of victory was followed by everyone''s nod. Now, the results are in. ............ ''''''''''''What? '''''''''''' When the fingers of both hands were opened at the same time, there were no copper coins in either palm. ''Yes, they all missed! ''That''s cheating! ''Oh, it''s a cheat, isn''t it? Estella is angry. ''Yeah, it''s cheating?'' Estella is angry. But I''ve checked the rules fair and square. ''Open your fingers, if there''s a copper coin on your palm, you win. If not, it''s a footstool. ''Where''s the copper? Ginette asked timidly, ''Doesn''t it matter now? or something like that. Where is it?It''s at ......... ''Come on, you guys, line up!Who wants to be the first to get their feet crushed? ''What?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Ginette is very upset. She seems quite disgusted. ''Why don''t you start with the manager?You''re experienced, aren''t you?'' ''What?That''s outrageous. I''m still inexperienced. I don''t think there''s anything inexperienced about being a foot-jacker. ''At times like this, it''s usually Oumalo or Loretta, isn''t it? ''It''s not fixed, Estella-san!Please stop using that kind of impression! ''...... Loretta. A wise decision. ''I didn''t do it! ''Ah ...... good luck ......''. ''I''m not trying hard! ''Loretta''s sacrifice will not be ...... in vain.'' ''The manager looks like a demon only when it comes to foot pressure points! Looking at the screaming Loretta, Norma let out a sigh, ''Oh dear ......''. Then, she raises her hand with a beautiful hand with her fingertips together. ''Then I''ll be the first to get hit. ''Oh, no. I''ll go if you go, Norma! ''...... Wait. I can''t overload the manager. Magda will take the lead here.'' ''Oh, ...... Magda-chan is the most pitiful, so I''m afraid, but ...... Mirii is also fine, okay?'' ''I''d rather go myself than let Miry do it! ''What?I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. '''''''''' Please come in. '''''''''' ''What''s with this sense of unity?There''s too much solidarity here! Since Loretta seems to have taken the best part, I''m going to bloody Loretta first. To prevent her from falling, I prepared a well-made, low-legged chair with a backrest and armrests, and pushed in the pressure points on her feet. ''Gyaaaaah!It''s so good! Just by pressing the pressure point lightly, Loretta turns her body upside down and shows a nice reaction. ''Yes. This is the basic, normal reaction. ''It''s awful to be normal when you put your body on the line like this! ''I''m kind of curious. Seeing Loretta''s reaction, Norma comes in second. ......Are you a bit of a M?...... I''m thrilled. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Then, I press lightly on the treads of my feet. ''........................ mmm! Noctaaaaaaan! ...... I feel like I''m leaking out a voice that minors shouldn''t hear. I''m not going to go any further because it''s too dangerous. ...... ...... ............ ...... I''ll ask you again soon. Yeah. I bet your shoulders get really stiff making molds. That''s why it hurt so much. It must have. It''s nothing to do with your M-ness. ''Oh ...... ah ............ gently ......... ...do it, okay? ...... That makes sense! I''m not sure what that means.It''s not just for Millie! For Millie, it''s ............ a very, very gentle ...... touch. .................. It seems that Millie is in surprisingly good health. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m ...... young? ...... Oh, no. It''s not that there''s anything wrong with Norma. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ''What do you want to do next? ''Well, let''s see ...... that ......''. Estella asks, looking at Jeannette and Magda. Jeannette is in a great panic. ''The last one is level E.'' ''I''ll go! Stretching out her arms, Ginette runs for office. You''re not very good at this. ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san? ''What is it? ''Please be gentle with ...... me.'' With a face already on the verge of tears, Jeannette puts her bare feet in front of me. Oh ...... I want to flop ..................... ..................... No, you can''t. ''Oh, um, ...... can I help you?'' ''No, it''s nothing!Let''s go, then.'' ''Nyahun! When I grabbed the side of his head to hide my embarrassment, Jeannette let out a strange scream and folded her upper body into a ''ku'' shape. ...... Huh, I thought my boobs were going to fly off.'' ''They''re not flying! No, but... But then, right in front of me, there was a huge ''bang! in front of me. It seemed to ignore the perspective. ''Well, I''m going to push a little, so be careful around me. ''I don''t think I can do that much damage to the people around me. ......'' Contrary to Jeannette''s words, the people around her took a step back and lowered themselves, holding their heads in case something happened. ''You can''t reach that far, you know! ''...... can''t deny the possibility of it growing.'' ''It''s not going to grow! ''The manager''s tits are beyond dimension. ''It''s not going to exceed! She looked at Magda and Loretta alternately.I can''t do it! Ginette is furious. Is stress the cause of your irritability?Then you can use the stomach acupuncture points at ....... I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. The gynoid writhes, shaking its upper body from side to side. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what to say.It''s not a ...... thing!I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say. It''s so s*xy! I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Yashiro, if you don''t stop, Jeannette will cry! If she doesn''t cry, I want to make her cry. ''I give up, Mr. Yashiro!I can''t go to ...... anymore! I can''t help it if Jeannette begs me. Let''s do this another time. ''You still have a body that looks like a storehouse of waste products. ''...... ugh ............ sorry ......... ...'' Rubbing her feet, Jeannette crouched on the floor. She might not be able to walk for a while. ''Well, Estella. ''After what you just saw, ...... you''re scary as hell ......''. He sits down in the chair fearfully, and holds out his white, smaller-than-you''d-expected feet. It''s tiny!What is this?It''s so cute!What, a child?Oh, ......, you haven''t had a growth spurt yet, have you ......? ''Well, you''ll be fine. You''re going to take it easy on me, aren''t you? ''I don''t have stiff shoulders.'' ''How can you say that to me, a desk-bound man? You''re exempted from the heavy weight of the mysteries of the human body because you do more desk work than anyone else. Don''t complain. ''''Then let''s get cracking. When I pressed the base of my finger, ............ a kick flew at me with great force. ''That was close! I wanted to praise myself for being able to dodge it. ''You better watch out! ''It hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much! ''I didn''t push that hard. ............ gulp.'' ''Ouch, ouch, ouch! It seems that Estella''s eyes were tired after all. Eat blueberries. What? ''Hey, Yashiro!Yashiro-oo! Because of the pain, Estella is showing some interesting movements ...... that I can''t quite understand, but ............ ''Moo,............, stop it,......, Yashiro-oh,...... ......'' I''ve been spoiled by half-crying! Hey, someone, cook some white rice!I think I can get three bowls of rice now! ''Oh, oh... ............ I can''t help it... ......'' I feel a little embarrassed to be touching Estella''s little feet. ......Next time, we''ll do it again slowly. ''...... Finally, Magda. ''Oh, ............, don''t sit on my lap, sit in the chair across from me. Magda sits on my lap with Stone, as usual. You can''t do that. ''You can put your ears on .......'' ''That wouldn''t be a punishment, would it? ''...... Beastmen''s ears rival their tits.'' ''You ...... bring that up now?'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.I''m sure you''ll agree. Well, they all gave me the same answer: ''The boobs are just a metaphor, so if it''s okay with you, it''s okay. They said it was a little more intimate skinship than stroking her hair or giving her a hug. ''So, you''re an ear. ''...... can''t help it. I''m ready for this. Anytime you''re ready.'' What a farce. The truth is, I know that foot pressure points don''t work so well on Magda. Magda says it''s because she''s a beastman hunter, but ...... she''s very resistant to pain. The tickle is more likely to win, and Magda doesn''t like foot pressure points very much. So I guess I don''t have to take the time to do it. I fluffed the cat ears that were shaking expectantly in front of me. ''............ Mwah! Magda shouted in a good mood, and the punishment game was over. 139-Episode 121 Three-Party Talks ''I have been underestimating the fact that I have been given preferential treatment in various aspects as described above. In that regard, ......'' District 41. Currently, a three-way meeting is being held at Ricardo''s residence. The attendees are Ambrose Demilly, the lord from District 40, and Stuart Javier, the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild. From District Forty-One, Lord Ricardo Siegenthaler and Medora Rossell, the head of the Hunting Guild. And from the 42nd district, the acting lord, Estella Creamona, and the Sunshine Pavilion employee, Oba Yashiro. ...... I''m the only one who''s clearly out of place. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. These three are only there to listen, and are not allowed to speak unless asked to do so. ''...... So, Ricardo. I''m really sorry. Here we are.'' Estella bows her head deeply. As I told you in my previous letter, I''m taking the time before the tripartite meeting to apologize in person for my past rudeness. If we don''t do this, we won''t be able to discuss on an equal footing. Well, since Estella has volunteered to apologize, I have no intention of interfering. If she had been forced to do so, I might have interfered in any way I could. ''And now, Mr. Demilio, Mr. Javier, Ms. Rossel. Thank you for making time for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.'' Estella puts her hand on her chest and thanks him. Then she turns to Ricardo again and says with a refreshed expression. ''Ricardo too. Thank you for listening to me. ''............fun''. You can find a lot more information on the web. But ...... ''It''s not ''hmph'', Ricardo! Medora shouts at Ricardo. ...... Well, he probably thinks he''s just giving you a hard time. ...... Ricardo covers Medora''s ears in an annoyed manner. ''...... Your voice is too loud, Medora. ''It can be big!I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea.If that''s the case, don''t you have some words to say?Yeah, what do you think? ''...... Shut up ......, I know what you''re talking about.'' After a glance at Medora, Ricardo sat down and looked at Estella. After staring at her for a few seconds, ...... she sighs lightly and averts her gaze in the opposite direction. ''Well, that''s fine ......''. ''I see. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that, Ricardo. ''.................. ah''. I think Estella wins this game. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''I would like to make a formal apology to you as well. After Estella''s story was over, Medora now said something like that. ''The reason why rumors spread that were not good for both sides this time was the fault of my young people, in other words, my fault. It was an ill-considered, short-sighted action. I''m sorry. Medora folds her large body into the shape of a "ku" and bows her head deeply. This should clear up any tensions between the 42nd and 41st districts. After raising his head, Medora twisted his body slightly and looked back at Ricardo. ''I''m sorry, Ricardo. I''m sorry I took the liberty. I''m sorry. It''s because of your selfishness that things have gotten this far. If you''re an old geezer, why don''t you just retire? ''When you retire, I''ll serve you as your maid. ''...... Even if it''s a joke, don''t say such a bad omen.'' I''m not sure what to say. ...... I wish I could have shown you the apron I wore the other day. ...... I''ve been dreaming about it, you know. ''Miz Rossel is the only one who can lead the hunting guild. You can''t retire. I suggest you reconsider, Ricardo. ''Look at that!Miss Estella seems to have a better eye for detail than you do, Ricardo.'' ''Shut up, you old hag.'' ''Ricardo!How dare you call me an old hag when you''ve come all this way to visit the acting lord of another place? ''I was talking to you, you f*cking hag!What are you so casually blaming others for? This is a great way to make sure that you''ll be able to get the most out of your vacation. ...... I guess this is what he''s really like. That''s good, isn''t it? Demilly said, trying to mend the situation. I guess he''s good at smoothing things over. As expected of a monk. ''Thank you for keeping it smooth. ''Yeah, let''s shut up, Oba.'' Demily smiles. But his temples are twitching. ''But, well. Just because I received an apology doesn''t mean I''m going to tolerate the city gates. ''Eh, why not?You''ll go bald if you''re too stingy.'' ''Hoho, Estella. That''s doing a lot of damage to me too, so be careful.'''' Demilly, you''re in trouble. ''I''m not going bald. ''Hmm~, I think I''ll go home now~! ''Well, well, Ambrose. It''s okay to be bald. It''s not like it''s decreasing. ''It can''t get any worse than this! Javier adds fuel to the fire. It''s Ricardo''s fault for saying something that provoked him, but Demilly''s too mature to take the foolish provocation. I can''t help it. I''ll tighten up the atmosphere a bit. ''Come on, you guys. Grown man, you''ve got no hair.'' ''Why did you cut it there, Oba-kun? ''Don''t encourage baldness, you...'' ''Yashiro, I can''t defend you either. ''Darling. You''re too much of a nerd. ''Yashiro. You''re in a serious place, you should know better. They protested furiously. All-out assault. What''s with people being so nice to me, ......? ''Anyway, if the 42nd district is going to build a city gate, the income of the 41st district will be reduced in no small measure. You''ll have to make up for it somewhere. In light of the current situation in District 41, Ricardo''s argument may be unavoidable. Even now, the economy is not running well in the 41st district. Wealth is skewed to a few, and many are left behind. The current 41st district is a den of the working poor and NEETs. We can''t afford to lose any more revenue, even a little. That is the sincere desire of Ricardo and the other 41 wards. But that doesn''t mean we can''t cancel the city gate. I don''t hear any accusations that he''s only thinking about District 42, that he''s selfish, or that he''s just trying to get customers to come to the sunlit pavilion after all. This has to do with the 42nd district and also the 40th district. The Woodcutter''s Guild is looking for a city gate that allows easy access to the forest on the 42nd district side. That''s why they even created a branch. The facilities are already seventy percent complete. We can''t back out now. That said, if a toll tax is introduced to make up for the decline in the 41st district, Assunto and the other peddlers'' guilds will suffer the consequences. Of course, this is a matter of life and death for us residents of District 42. Oh, no, what should I do? If Ricardo had been a real jerk, a bottom-feeder, the worst kind of scum like sludge settled at the bottom of a swamp, we could have put all the burden on District 41 and had a ''So Very Happy! The ending wasn''t so bad either. ...... But now that I know about him, that''s not going to happen. Estella must be uncomfortable with the happiness built on Ricardo''s dead body. And if I let Medora go, I''ll be in serious trouble. ...... The best thing for him is to stay with Ricardo and let him take care of himself! That''s why I''m going to make a small contribution again. ''Why don''t we put together a list of requests from each district?It''s just a waste of time, isn''t it? As I moved, everyone''s eyes gathered. Oh, I forgot to mention that we''re currently in the reception room of Ricardo''s mansion. In a large room, desks are lined up in the shape of a mouth, but the desks aren''t attached to each other, so it looks more like the top of a rhombus than a square,......, but anyway, each person is sitting facing the center. Ricardo is at the far end of the room. On the left from the entrance is Demilly. Estella is on the right. The attendants are seated in chairs diagonally behind the lords. And there are three desks in front of the entrance with three attendants sitting in a row. I walked out to stand next to Estella with a leisurely gait, just like in Shakespeare''s play. I get looks from three directions. That''s it. Listen to me carefully. I''m about to tell you something very important. But first, let''s do some prep work. ''District 42 would like to set up a city gate and open it up to lumberjacks, hunters, and adventurers as a new source of income for the district. Naturally, we would like to stop the toll tax in District 41. ''......fun'' Ricardo sniffs, a look of displeasure on his face. This time, looking at Ricardo, I speak as if to confirm. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Is that okay with you? ''...... Well, that''s about it. But if you give up on the street gate, I''ll consider a toll tax. ''Hmmm ...... that seems to make the discussion parallel ......''. Hearing Ricardo''s opinion, Estella crossed her arms. The desires of the 42nd and 41st districts clashed beautifully. No compromise is likely to be found. Finally, I turn my gaze to Demilly, who is sitting across from me, for confirmation. ''What the forty wards want is hair growth, is that right? ''I don''t know where I got that idea!No, that''s what I want, that''s for sure! ''Ambrose, calm down. Don''t get too excited or you''ll go bald. ''You''re getting excited!I''ve been attacked from behind by my friends! Well, the hope of District Forty is that the quarrel between District Forty-One and District Forty-Two will cease, and this neighborhood will be at peace. If they start a war, there''s a good chance they''ll get hit by a stray bullet. And trade will stop. Well, the truth is that you want to be able to use the city gates of the Forty-two Wards,...... but if you say that here, it will give the impression that the Forty Wards are supporting the Forty-two Wards, so I won''t say anything about it. It would be better if Ward Forty remained neutral. In order to catch Ricardo. ''If I dare to say what I want, I hope that this discussion will end peacefully and amicably for both ...... and all three districts, including us. There may be some dissatisfaction, but ...... I hope you can somehow find a compromise. Demilly, with his good-natured face, gives an exemplary opinion. But that''s not good enough. Even if it''s good now, the compromise will leave you dissatisfied, and the dissatisfaction will grow in proportion to the economic disparity. ...... It will flare up again in less than a decade. It''s better if it lasts five years. At any rate, a compromise means ''nothing is solved, but let''s put up with each other''. What''s the compromise this time? Is it just to make a door instead of a gate?That''s a joke, isn''t it? ''Well, then. How about we call it a ''large door'' instead of a ''gate''? ''Are you kidding me, you bastard? ''It''s a compromise! ''Then I''ll stop the ''toll tax'' and start the ''entrance tax''! ......?This is what will happen. I mean, don''t seriously propose something that I think is impossible. ''This way. This problem is not easy to solve. Because there is a reason why both sides can''t back down. ......, right?'' I look at Ricardo. I know. I know what''s going on in your city''s kitchen. ...... ''......Hmm.'' Ricardo leans back, looking unhappy. Oh, Ricardo. You can''t do that. It''s a trait of people who''ve been wronged to want to keep their distance. And crossing your arms in front of your chest is the gesture of a mentally cornered person defending himself from further attack. Now you''re telling me with your body that what I''ve said is true and irrefutable. If I had been trying to scam you, the game would have been decided at this moment. Well, I''ll give you a lenient judgment this time. ''After all, we''ve both come to the point where we can''t compromise. Ricardo turned away and said nothing, and Estella only looked up at me with an uneasy look in her eyes. Demilly was stroking his bald head with a difficult look on his face. ''...... When you''ve come this far, there''s only one thing to do.'' He removed his hand from the desk and raised his body from its forward leaning position. I straightened my back and took a large, fluid step back. Everyone''s gaze follows me, and everyone, including Estella, is now facing me. With all their faces in my line of sight, I say the only solution I can think of. I spread my arms out, proud and confident. ''Let''s go to war. Instantly, the air in the room becomes tense. Javier and Medora''s gazes sharpened, and Demery''s brow furrowed deeply. ''............ Are you serious, you bastard? The first to open his mouth was Ricardo. I was expecting Estella or even Assunto to take a bite out of it, but ...... they were both taken aback and dumbfounded. Maybe the ones who are used to rough stuff can keep a level head in these talks. ''Of course. ''Oba-kun ......'' He raised one hand to restrain Demilly, who was slowly rising to his feet. ''It''s all right. I know what you mean. I know what you''re going to say." As if he had understood her thoughts, Demilly sank back into his chair. His expression seemed to soften somewhat. ...... Javier and Medora, scary. Don''t be angry. It''s just a necessary step. I just wanted to make sure that everyone in the room knew that we had already gone that far, that we were trapped in a cul-de-sac with no way to go forward or back. No one said a word. But it must have crossed everyone''s mind. The possibility. You try to pretend that you didn''t notice it, and you try to avoid it, and that''s why you end up going around in circles, losing the main point of the story. Once you recognize it. We have ...... come one step closer to war in these three districts. ''But not everyone here at ......, and of course not all the people in the three districts who are not here, want that. As I put my opinion into words, Javier and Medora''s shoulders slumped. The stance of war was lifted. But Estella and Ricardo''s expressions are still fixed. Estella''s expression is anxious, Ricardo''s irritated. It''s simpler than that, you know. ''I don''t want a war. But we have to settle this. ...... then what do we do ............?'' I know you''re going to laugh this off as ridiculous, and of course it is, but let''s do something that you''ve all ruled out as an option from the start, and do it seriously. ''Instead of a war, let''s have each district elect a representative and have a fair fight! He clenched his fists and raised his voice. This is not a joke, a foolishness, or a mockery! ''We''re going to fight fair and square, under terms and rules that are acceptable to all three of us. Are you ready?I''m not kidding. When you do this, think of it as a war!If we don''t have that kind of determination, we''ll never be able to solve this problem! He walked briskly and came up next to Estella once more. And slam the desk with all your might. Bang!--The sound heightens the tension. ''This is war!This is a new era of war where no one''s blood will be spilled! Shin ...... and the room goes silent. No one says a word, but is silent in thought. ''............Huh''. In the midst of this, Ricardo snickers at me as if to mock me. ''Can you solve the problem with such childish trickery?If you lose the game, do you want me to allow you to set up a city gate? Slowly, Ricardo stands up. ''The people''s livelihoods are at stake here,......, and we''re not running the government just for the fun of it like you!I''m not going to let you get away with it! Ricardo kicks the desk away with force. The desk collapses with a violent crash. The bottle of ink on top bounces on the floor, spreading a black stain. ''If it''s ......, negotiations have broken down. You''re in a position to look down on people. You think you''re in a position to patronize people? I''ll show you a real sneer. ''I''ll let you build the city gates yourself. You''ve heard about the Hexenbiest Swarm, right?It''s been determined that it needs to be defeated immediately, regardless of our city gates. Isn''t that right, Medora? I turned to Medora, who was giving me a difficult look. ''...... Ah. If we leave it as it is, hexenbiests will enter the city and ravage not only the 42nd district, but also the 41st district, the 40th district, ...... and all the districts beyond that. That''s right. Hey, Ricardo. How do you feel now? An ally in your own camp has just ''agreed with me, the enemy'' from behind your back? Your back must feel lonely at once. There''s a psychology of place. When the person behind and next to you is hostile, you feel very uncomfortable. The person behind you is many times more distracting than the person facing you. Hey, Ricardo. Tell me, ......, how does it feel to be isolated? ''The hunting guild will take down the hexenbiest Swarm at the earliest opportunity. This is the will of this entire city. It''s impossible to disobey. Do you understand? ''............! ''Very well. And once Swarm is gone, there''ll be no reason to stop the construction of the city gate in District 42. ...... You know that, right? ''''It''s such a pain in the ass!What are you trying to say? Ricardo is irritated. But all you can do is stomp on the floor right then and there. Just like you just did. That''s all you can do right now. You can''t hit me, can you? You''re admitting in your heart now that you''re wrong. You got up in the heat of the moment, but you''ve lost sight of where you put your raised fist. Think about the situation you''re in right now. Me and Estella are enemies, of course, and Medora is sympathetic to me in some ways. Demilly and Javier are neutral, but I''m sure they''ve heard that the Woodcutter''s Guild wants to use the city gates of District 42. It''s hard being alone, isn''t it? Even trivial things that normally don''t bother us start to bother us, bringing negative consequences and filling our heads with negative elements. ''We''ve come to a point where we can''t back down from each other. We can''t stop now. If negotiations break down like this, we''ll go ahead. Perhaps you will do the same. ............ then we''re done. It''s over. The thing we were unanimously trying to avoid just a moment ago will become a reality. Yeah. War. ''d*mn it, ............, d*mn it! Ricardo kicks the floor again. In the meantime, Medora had raised the fallen desk and put it back in place. ''Are you ready to listen to me about this ridiculous game? ''..................'' Ricardo glared at me silently. But there was only one answer. ''...... Speak quickly.'' Averting his gaze, Ricardo returned to his seat. I''m glad Medora put the desk back so it looks nice. It''s not cool to pick up a desk that you knocked over yourself. ''Now, before I go to ......, can I have a drink of water? ''Oh, yeah. Drink it slowly.'' Demilly answers me. It''s a way of saying, ''I''m going to ask you too. By showing a friendly attitude, he is implying that he wants to help in any way he can. The worst possible outcome is clearly stated in advance, and everyone''s consciousness is tied to it. Then, by making them think "I want to avoid the worst case scenario," they are induced to compromise with a "better" solution. It''s an application of the door-in-the-face technique. Thanks to Ricardo, the consciousnesses of everyone in the room are now aligned. ''One wrong decision and it''s war. This sense of urgency makes it difficult for them to interrupt or push for their own demands. No one wants to be told that they are the one who started the war. Slowly drink some water to moisten your mouth. Now, let''s do this. Ohba Yashiro, solo performance. ''What I''m about to do is just a game. No one will die. But depending on who wins, you could lose your territory.'' ''That''s a ...... disturbing story.'' Demilly said in a cheerful voice, probably unable to bear the tension. But the pleasant air was soon broken by silence. ''I''ll continue talking. We''re going to play by the rules, fair and square, and make things clear and black and white. A clear winner in front of the crowd, with no one to complain about afterwards. ''So it''ll be a spectator game.'' ''Yes. Because this game will be of great importance to the people of each district. Estella''s expression is more serious than ever. She''s familiar with me, so maybe she knows what I''m thinking. I feel like I''m going to do it, but I''m also worried. He looks like a mixture of those things. ''What are you going to do now that you have a winner? Ricardo leans back and asks in an arrogant manner. But his gaze is serious. ''The winner can make the loser accept one condition of his choosing. ''...... Huh.'' Ricardo''s face contorts horribly. Oh, he''s just thinking about what happens when he wins. Yes, that''s the losing flag. Sorry for your loss. But if Ricardo doesn''t get on board here, it''s no use talking about it, so I''ll carry him on my shoulders for a little while longer. ''If District Forty-One wins, we''ll honestly withdraw the plan to install the city gate. ''In return, if you win, you can tell us to build the city gates and not charge a toll tax. ''If that''s what you want. Of course, we can do more than that. ''That''s a story with more disadvantages for the forty districts. ''Well, yes. There''s not much to gain, and the risks are high.'' ''Oji-sama. This is our district''s problem. Please, take it easy on .......'' ''No, Estella. We can''t just stand in a safe zone and watch the battle for the second district from a distance. As long as we say we are neutral, non-interference is unreasonable. We participated in this issue from a position of ''neutrality. The city is lucky to have such a person at the top. If the forty wards here announce their non-participation on the grounds of neutrality, ...... ''It''s possible that the winner would have absorbed the losing district and launched a war of aggression. ''Yeah, I thought the same thing as you. There''s no need to show mercy to those who didn''t stand on the same field. Annoyingly, Ricardo and I are on the same page. Neither one likes the other. Even a child can understand that. The best way for the riskiest forty districts to avoid risk is to stand on the same field. It would be better to stand on the same field and lose in the least risky way. For example, you could collude with one of the ...... and lose in a way that leaves no scars. If you''re going to win, that''s one thing, but ...... it''s still not very beneficial. ''Hey, Demilly. Don''t worry about it.'' Javier got up from his chair and slapped Demilly on the shoulder. ''You''ve got the Lumberjack Guild with you. You may have trouble with the hunting guild, but we won''t let you lose. ''Huh!What are you talking about, you bearded old man?Are you trying to beat my hunting guild by force?You have no idea what you''re doing. Go train in the woods for a hundred years! ''What the hell, you old hag? ''You can''t do this, old bearded man! Javier and Medora. The two big guys stand up and sparks fly. It''s like a monster movie poster. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ......'' It was Imelda who raised her hand fearfully. She wants to have her say. I looked at Ricardo and Demilly, who both gave me the ''okay'' signal. ''Permission to speak. I said, and Imelda stood up and said in a quiet voice. ''Under those conditions, District Forty-two is at too great a disadvantage. Next to Imelda, Assunto and Use were shaking their heads furiously. ''The Lumberjacks'' Guild and the Hunters'' Guild are both full of skilled men. Even though there are branches of Magda, Delia, Use and the hunting guild in the 42nd district, the difference in strength is obvious. There is also a big difference in human resources even if the selected players are competing against each other. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money to spend, you''ll be able to get a lot more than you can afford. Assunto, Use, and even Estella seemed to agree, and they all nodded their heads in agreement. If you look, Demilly, Javier and Medora are also looking at me sympathetically. ''Hey, you. What did you say your name was again?'' Ricardo closes his eyes and talks to me. He folds his hands behind his head and crosses his legs comfortably. ''It''s Oba Yashiro.'' ''Yashiro. ............'' Ricardo raises himself up and sits back down, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He crosses his hands and stares up at me with a glare. ''......You think you can win a game with that kind of content?'' Is this a warning? Hmm. That''s quite kind of you. Now you can say, ''Pfft, he doesn''t know. That''s easy! Maybe it''s because he''s been around Medora since he was a kid, who insisted on being reasonable. ''I''m not sure if I can win yet, but I don''t think I''ll lose ...... badly. ''Is there anyone who''s quite skilled in the forty two districts?I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the most out of it. ''Ricardo''. ''......? I''m sure he didn''t like the fact that I called him that, but Ricardo glared at me with a very scary look on his face. But I didn''t care, I continued. ''What do you ''think'' this game is about? ''Huh? All you guys do is brag about your muscles and your strength. How could I propose such a barbaric game? ''The game I''m proposing is perfectly black and white, yet safe and peaceful, not a drop of blood will be spilled, yet it''s dramatic and moving. It''s a very popular content with great planning power, and when it''s shown on Japanese TV, it gets good ratings. ''Yashiro.'' Estella stands up, looks me in the eye and asks. ''What are you trying to do? Thanking her for the nice gesture, I look around at all the faces, pause long enough to pontificate, and then say slowly and loudly. ''Let''s have a gluttony contest, black and white! 140-Episode 122 The first secret room meeting and the ... ''Are you nuts?'' Ricardo''s face contorts into a frown. You''re the idiot. --I''d like to tell him that, but I don''t think that''s a good idea. I mean, he''s the key person this time, and anyway, we can''t start talking unless he shakes his head. It''s not good to upset him. ''You''re the idiot. Oh. I couldn''t resist. ''What? Oh, come on. Ricardo, you''re such an idiot, you''d bite ...... if you didn''t know better. I just let it out. Because you''re too stupid. ''Do you want to make the arms dealer rich? ''Huh? He''s a complete yankee. If I moved to a new school and found this kind of person, I''d give up on my school life as soon as possible. But there''s no way I''m giving up now. ''Perhaps, when you heard the word "competition", you imagined a martial arts tournament or a mock battle. No, in fact, that''s all you could imagine. ''............ So what? ''If blood is spilled, there will be a sticky situation afterwards. ''That''s what a match is all about! ''Because you can only see things from one perspective like that, the economy of the 41st district is not running. ''..................? Oh ....... That''s a serious tone. You must have been hit hard and had no choice but to snap back. ''What do you mean, the economy isn''t running? ''Exactly what I said. It''s not like you haven''t noticed, is it?I''ve only been here once and I''ve noticed a lot, haven''t I?'' ''............'' Ricardo closes his mouth. You want me to explain? You want to hear it? ''It''s called the first street, off the main road. For some reason, it''s lined with weapon and armor shops. There seemed to be a lot of stores like that on the main street, why is that? ''......'' ''Because the main street is the face of the city. It should have stores that are appropriate for the district and the lord of the district. The forty-first district is the city of hunting guilds. It''s only natural that it should be lined with weapon shops. Face,hey ...... I''m sure there''s a line of them. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. ......, but there were no customers. This is because the only people who use those armors in this city are the military police and the hunting guild, and those two get their armors from the lord. ''Weapons and armor are an absolute necessity. If you don''t provide them and maintain a certain level of accuracy, they can kill you. We can''t leave it up to the individual, because we can''t tolerate a situation where people without money can''t afford to equip themselves properly. That''s a fair point. But that''s why we''re stuck. If that''s the case, why are the weapon shops open? Why don''t they just make them and sell them to you? Why do they even bother opening a store? ''...... You want to sell more, don''t you?'' ''Yes. That''s why .............'' Raise a finger to get attention. Give them plenty of thinking time, and then tell them the answer. ''Because we have no money. Arms dealers regularly supply weapons to their lords. But even Ricardo can''t afford to replace expensive items such as armor so often. As a result, hunting guilds and military police take good care of the weapons they are provided, and weapons are not sold. That''s why arms dealers keep their stores open. To get customers from outside. But the only people who buy armor, aside from the military police, are the hunting guilds. Well, the lumberjack guild might need weapons for self-defense, but there''s no reason for them to come to District 41 to buy them. The old man who owned the weapon store on the first street asked me, ''Hunting guild? I asked. That''s proof there are no other customers. ''Look. The economy is not running. ''What''s that got to do with the gluttony contest? ''Seriously, don''t you understand? A little over the top, I show Ricardo a look of surprise. This will make it harder for him to interfere with the troublesome details. If you interfere with too many details, it''s like saying you don''t understand. Don''t ask trivial questions. Think for yourself. If you don''t understand, just listen to the end of the story. Interrupting in the middle will only make the story longer and blur the content. ''You thought the gluttony contest was a joke, didn''t you? ''............ Ah.'' It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ''............, so what? ''Then let me ask you something. Think it over. Choose your words carefully, and answer. ''When the tournament is over, what will be left of it? Ricardo raises an eyebrow. He starts to speak, then stops. The frown on his face suggests that he was afraid to say it. However, he must have made up his mind that he would not get anywhere if he kept quiet. After clearing his throat lightly, Ricardo replied. ''It''s ...... pride and honor. ''Pppp! ''Shut the f*ck up!Don''t laugh at me! ''You''re a boy, aren''t you? You want that kind of thing.'' ''You''re making fun of me, aren''t you? ''Yes, I am. You''re an idiot. You''re a patronizing a**h*le.'' When I said it clearly, Ricardo was beyond angry and pouted. I seriously don''t get it. He''s looking at me like that. ''We''re talking about the economy now, aren''t we? Think about it. Can you fill your stomach with pride and honor?Can a man who sits in the back alley out of work get money?Is this the time to be basking in a moment of triumph while leaving the economy spinning out of control? ''Hey, if you''re talking about the economy, say so at the beginning! ''That''s all I''m talking about. That''s all I''m talking about. I know you hate to lose, but such an argument is spiteful and foolish. Don''t be defending your petty pride in a dire situation. ''It''s not my fault, it''s your fault for not telling me''?Pfft, idiot. ''If you hold a fighting tournament, who will make the profit?Well, the weapon and armor shops. The innkeeper and the innkeeper might make some money, too. But only the stores near the venue will be profitable. If that''s the case, there will be another dispute over where to hold the event. The restaurants right in front of the event site will be in full swing every day. The restaurants near the event site will be able to sell even if the food is so bad and the price is so high that it is ridiculous. But if there is no event, the restaurant will not be seen. There would be no repeat customers. ''What''s the point of making the weapon shop profitable?Make them make new, more powerful weapons and start a war in the upper districts?'' ''You idiot!Who would do such a thing? ''''Then where does the money the arms dealer makes go back to?Just because the armorer''s pockets are warm doesn''t mean the economy will turn. The city won''t recover.'''' ''............'' I''m not saying the armory is bad, but it''s not necessary right now. Above all, we should avoid further increasing the disparity within the same city. Even now, there''s this stupid first and second preference thing going on. What''s to stop it from getting worse? ''It''s not the content of the game that should be considered. It''s the benefit it gives. ''You don''t care about the game? ''Buckaroo. Cut corners in the match and I''ll beat you to a pulp and give you everything you want. ''Then what do you want me to focus on? ''Everything! The games, the economy, the distribution of the benefits, and everything else, we''re going to take care of it all and make it perfect, impeccable, and a complete success. ''Let me tell you the merits of holding a gluttony contest. When you hear this, you''ll understand how great my idea is. Even if you''re dumb.'' ''Oh, talk to me about ............, you stupid face.'' You must be very frustrated if you''re so sore at losing. Pfft. ''The venue will be here, in the 41st district. Gather up all the people who have extra hands and have them clean up the city. Make sure there''s not a single piece of trash in sight. No stench, no stink, imprison anyone who is rebellious, but get them to participate in a positive way for this event. ''Imprisonment? ...... What do you think you''re doing ...... to my people? ''You''re a mess, Ward 41!And you stink! ''What ......? I said firmly, Imelda and Javier nodded yes, and Demilly smiled modestly. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. You didn''t notice ......? You''ll be able to''t get used to this stench. It''s a beautiful city where you can invite the aristocracy. ...... Well, Imelda is like an aristocrat, and the aristocrats who are Luxury''s clients sometimes come to the sunny pavilion, so yeah, it''s not a lie. ''You''re not working anyway, so let me work. ''You know what!You''ll need wages for that!Where are you going to get the money for a big public works project like upgrading the whole city? ''The forty wards will pay for it. ''''What? Demilly raised a strange voice. What the hell are you doing with your bald head? Don''t get up so suddenly. You''d think it was sunrise. ''To be precise, the 40th and 42nd wards will pay for the reserves. The 41st district will also give some money. Your place will be cleaned up.'' ''Oh, um, Oba-kun. Does that mean I have to donate?To make this event a success?'' ''No, no. It''s an investment in ....... No, it''s for advertising. District Forty-one will gather the manpower, and Districts Forty and Forty-two will cover the costs. In exchange, we''ll let you set up store on the main street of District Forty-one until the event. ''See how many stores are empty? ''Not on the main street. If there are, it''s after the second street.'' ''Then move the stores on the main street over there and vacate the stores.'' ''What?You''re an idiot, aren''t you? ''Otherwise, you''ll have to pay for it with the tax revenue of the forty-first district. Take it from the people.'' ''............ you.'' This is one of the important plans. There are too many unneeded stores on that boulevard. What''s the point of having an arms shop on a street that outsiders visit first? A bakery, a tavern, and an inn. You can''t even buy meat from hexenbiests on the main street. You can only earn money by cooking and making visitors loosen their purse strings with the smell. If you can''t do that, what''s the point of the boulevard? Do you think the increase in standing and walking food will degrade your character? Are you obsessed with prestige and appearance? ''The feudal lords will do whatever they can to suppress any trouble about eviction. You can use money, force, or anything else to convince them. ''......, you''re forcing me to do difficult things. Don''t think you''ll have a good time. You''ll be the one moving around the most until the event. ''Forty and Forty-two districts will be able to set up store in prime locations in exchange for funding. If we provide food and lodging for the large number of workers who come and go during the infrastructure construction, we can make some money, and if we do well, we can get new customers in other districts. ''Hmm ......, but the loss is still too great ......''. Demilly, who had begun to count the money in detail, muttered with a sullen expression. If you only take the surface, it may be true. But ...... ''There''s more to it than that, Demilly. ''Hey, Yashiro. What kind of attitude do you have when you call out your father? Estella gives me a stern look when I say that. Don''t interrupt me, Estella. Well, if it bothers you, I''ll call you something appropriate. ''I can''t help it. Can''t you just rephrase it? ''It''s polite to be friendly.'' I straighten my collar and turn to Demilly. ''It''s not just that, Tsururin Angel Demily. ''I hope you don''t mind if I call you that!Ooba-kun and I are good friends, you know!Let''s just keep it friendly, okay? So please don''t ever say that name again! ''......Yashiro............, I''ll lecture you later.'' What the hell, Estella. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you. ''...... That''s what you say to people who are lower than you. ''I don''t care what you call me!I don''t expect you to be polite at all. Keep talking. Ricardo says, stomping his feet. Well, now that we have the permission of all the lords, we can talk to each other without hesitation from now on. ''Once the roads in District Forty-One are cleaned, all the roads from District Forty to District Forty-Two will have been cleared. You''ll be able to move around much more comfortably.'' ''Hmm. I see. It''s true that the roads here are terrible. said the lord of District 40, where the roads were beaten up until recently. What are you talking about? ''Above all, if a big event is very exciting and successful, a lot of money will be generated. We should focus on this flow of people, money and goods more than profits. ''So there is a possibility that there will be a lot of interaction after the event. Estella has a good point. The new relationships made during the event will be sustained afterwards. The number of favorite restaurants will increase, people in the same industry will work together, collaborations between different industries will take place. The possibilities are endless. We are planning to advertise the event in a big way. District 42 is now a center of food culture. There are a lot of foods that people in the 40th and 41st wards don''t know about. If we make full use of them, we can attract customers to District 42. It''s the farthest place, the city you don''t go to unless you have to, the land of the end. People may come to such 42 wards. It''s well worth it. ''Demilly. Are there any carpenters who can follow Torbeck''s lead?'' ''Hmm ......, I know a few other carpenters who are good.'' ''Good. Then let''s mobilize all the carpenters to build the road and the venue. ''If we mobilize all the hams, we''ll be able to clear the way pretty quickly. ''It''s starting to get exciting, isn''t it? Estella and Demilly seemed to have caught on as well. It''s good that the investors seem to be enjoying themselves. Even if they fail and a loss is incurred, they can just say ''well, it was fun'' and pretend it never happened. ''Hey, stupid face! Ricardo interrupts the tension that is slowly building up. ''The conditions are too good. ''It''s a good thing, isn''t it? ''Don''t underestimate me. Every good deal has an ulterior motive. If we''re being favored so blatantly, it''s like we''re being told to expect something.'' This guy must have seen a lot of dirty people in his time. He''s a poor guy who has a natural habit of looking into the belly of others. ''Oh ......, if I were a boob, I''d hug you. ''I refuse at all costs, you idiot. He''s starving for love. That''s why you''ve got such an ugly face. ''It''s an ugly face. ''Are you trying to fight with me?Just answer me!What the hell are you up to? Some people get anxious when the odds are in their favor. But when the situation is against them, they complain that it''s unfair. This guy is just such a guy. In short, he''s a coward. He is always thinking about not wanting to be cheated, not wanting to fail, not wanting to be embarrassed, so he can''t make bold decisions. That is why they cannot reform. That''s why you''re stuck in the doldrums. For such people, it is better to show them a disadvantage that is only a little lighter than the advantage. ''I see, there are such disadvantages. But I can make it work,'' ......, and if you tickle him like that, he''ll instantly burn up. Well, we''ll see. ''What I''m planning, as I''ve been saying all along, is to set up a city gate. That''s why I''m trying to drag you into the playing field.'' Since we''re the ones begging for your participation, we''ll have to do you a favor and make it look ''tasty'' to get you to bite. ''Demilly originally said he wanted to avoid a quarrel between District Forty-two and District Forty-one. This time, the forty wards will be quite indulgent,......, but I''m going to ask them to lend me their chest, as they are big men with different experience and capabilities than us. ''Hahahaha!You can''t say no to that, can you Ambrose? ''Hahaha, exactly. And I like the fact that it''s from Oba-kun''s mouth. He''s a man who rarely praises others. The two big men laugh at each other. This case is not so good for Demilly. If Demilly ignores the lower two districts, he won''t have to do much damage. But Demilly got himself into this mess. To save Estella. The lord of District 40 is so good-natured that it''s ridiculous. ''Honestly speaking, thanks to you, Oba-kun, our profits have increased. I''m really grateful to you for the sugar. ''My lumberjack guild is screaming for more work thanks to the sewage. So they''re open to investing, Demilly says, and Javier says he''s willing to back them up. ''But, yes, ......, if the forty districts win, I''ll be happy to have Oba-kun as my chief of staff. ''What? Estella let out a squeak at Demilly''s sudden comment. However, Demilly laughed without venom and waved his hands in the air. ''I''m not going to take it away from District 42. I just want you to come up with a few ideas on how to make the forty districts better. You''ll have to stay in District Forty for a few years, though. You''ve been bought off pretty well. Not only will you be involved in the redevelopment of Ward 40, but you will also be in charge of it. ...... The average person in Ward 42 will be overjoyed to hear that you have been selected. ...... I don''t want to do that. What''s so sad is that I''ve been living in a city of muscles and thin hair for years. ...... ''Hey, Ambrose. If you want to entangle Yashiro, you''ll need a lot of beautiful women with big tits. ''Ha-ha-ha. Of course, I''ve taken that into consideration. I''ll give you three beautiful secretaries with big tits. Let''s go, forty wards! ...... No, no, no. .................. No, wait,......, but ...... ''...... scum''. I''m not sure what to make of that. Ricardo gives me a contemptuous look as he listens to the conversation between the old men. You''re completely out of line, that accusation. ''I''m sorry, Stuart!My darling likes a moderately big tit like me!It''s not enough to have all of them!You know, darling? I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''...... you ............ are you serious ......'' ''Don''t look at me like I''m dirty. It''s a d*mn sham. I think I''m going to catch a cold from all that goo. ''Are you not going to intervene in that conversation, Estella? ''Would you mind not speaking before you''ve had a chance to speak, Imelda? Without even looking at her, Estella cut Imelda off with a slap. ''The size of your breasts is proportional to your value as a person. ...... That''s Yashiro''s basic stance.'' ''Hey, you guys. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. You think I''m not going to trigger it?I''m the guy who does it when he has to. ''..................'' ''Don''t just stare at me in silence, say something, man. Ricardo leans back in his chair and looks at me as if he were a fly swarming in pig shit on the street. That kind of cold stare only irritates people if they are not beautiful women. I''ll hit you, you bastard. ''That''s why ......'' I think it''s time to put it together. ''I''m fully motivated. ............'' I''m going to stand right in front of you, look you straight in the eye and say. ''The rest is up to you, Ricardo. ............ What are you going to do? You can''t take it home with you,...... well, that would be the normal decision,...... but this guy won''t do that. His eyes are glistening. He''s like a hunter. You guys who pride yourselves on hunting can''t turn your backs on the enemy when you''ve been set up so well, can you? ''Fine. I''ll take you up on your stupid offer.'' Arrogantly, Ricardo took the offer. With a firm will that hid his pride, different from Estella''s hating to lose. You should join the hunting guild after you quit being a lord. I think you''ve been influenced too much by Medora. But you''re the one who fell right into my trap when you tried to hunt me. ''Three districts will compete in a gluttony contest, and the district with the most eaters will win. Each ward chooses one of the strongest and competes fairly in front of the public. The winning district will have the right to force the losing district to do one thing. --Is that what you want to do? ''I''d like you to listen to the rules I''m about to propose. If you have any concerns, please let me know, but I want you to listen first. And I''d like to make one correction to the most important part of ...... in advance. The main idea is fine as Ricardo said. But there''s one big difference. ''There is more than one person to select.'' "What? I''ll step forward and announce it loud and clear. ''The gluttony contest will be held as a team competition among the selected members. I''ve successfully dragged Ricardo onto the field. I''d say this meeting was a success. Now, Ricardo, you''re going to work like a horse and cart. For us, yeah. 141-Episode 122 The 2 Secret Room Talks and the Second... After the meeting in the forty-first district, we were on our way to the forty-second district in a large carriage that Assunto had prepared for us. ...... You''ve got a nice carriage. ............ You could take more taxes from this guy. ''But it''s been quiet, hasn''t it, Assunto and Use? I say to the two old men sitting next to me. I mean, why do I have to sit next to them? Isn''t it strange that Estella and Imelda are sitting across from each other?You should have the two beautiful women sitting next to me and the two old men on the other side. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. From the other side of Assunto, Use whispered to me, accusing me. Assunto is also glaring at me. ''What the hell? ''You were given the right to speak if you raised your hand, so you have no right to be angry with me, do you? ''I''m not stupid enough to make unnecessary remarks in that situation. That''s not what I meant. ......!'' Gui, Assunto leaned in closer to me. It''s ...... disgusting. And a little smelly. I smell like an old man. ''Why didn''t you tell me ......? In a whisper, Assunto says in a strong tone. What are you talking about? ''Our acting lord is Estella!I thought my heart was going to stop when I found out over there! ''That''s exactly right!That''s all I was thinking about during the meeting, and I didn''t hear a word of it! No, no, no. ''You guys have met before, right?Aren''t you meeting the acting lord to discuss the establishment of a branch or something? ''I''m aware that the acting lord is beautiful, innocent, and has reasonably large breasts. No matter how much they resemble each other, Estella-san will be the first to be excluded! ''''That''s right!It''s only natural, since she has a bit of boobs! ''...... you two old men. Where do you recognize me from? ''No, before that, Estella, ...... what are you packing? Don''t be vain, be vain! You know what I mean. ''The acting lord is more beautiful! That''s why Use ...... is the same person. ''Estella is always beautiful.'' ''Mwah! ''Estella-san. Please don''t make creepy noises next to me. It seems that these guys hadn''t really noticed it until now. Well, I was surprised when I first saw her too. Women can be transformed by makeup. ''Well, I didn''t notice it. I hadn''t thought of it that way. You''d think that someone with Assunto''s insight would be able to spot him at a glance, but this guy didn''t seem to be looking at his face. I think it''s essential to remember faces and read expressions in order to win over opponents. ''I don''t intend to argue with a nobleman, you know. I don''t think you need to be that insightful. ...... And ......'' Assunto whispered modestly, showing some awareness of Estella. ''I try not to look at the nobleman''s face too often, sir. ''Come to think of it, you always look down when we meet. I thought you were nervous.'' Hahaha. Assunto wouldn''t be nervous with a nobleman. Well, he''s mostly ...... ''Does your envy show on your face? ''Yes. I try to keep it under control, but ...... it seems to be seeping out.'' Assunto''s face, as he said this, was a perfect reflection of his envy of the noblemen at a higher level that he had not yet reached. ''Well, Assunto. Calm down. Even if you say you''re a noble, you''re still Estella.'' ''Yes. If you think about it that way, you''ll feel a little better. ''What do you mean, what do you mean? For better or worse, you''re not very noble. Astonished by the shocking revelation, Assunto and Use were quiet during the meeting. Well, I''m sure they won''t talk too much in the future, but I''ll give them a warning. ''Oh, by the way, about Estella: ......'' ''There''s nothing to worry about. I''m not going to provide you with information for free. ''There''s no benefit in spreading the word. The two of them wouldn''t be particularly interested in revealing anything. ''It''s not easy, isn''t it ......, for a lord to have no tits? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. ''But Yashiro''. In the shaking carriage, Estella stares at me. Her eyes are serious. ''Why did you make the rules like that? ''What do you mean? ''The way the game is played, the number of participants, the time limit...'' Since it''s you, it must mean something, right? Here are the rules I''ve proposed. The gluttony contest will be a team competition among selected members. There is a maximum of six rounds. The first district to win three games is the winner. The time limit for each match is forty-five minutes. The time limit focuses on gluttony, not fast eating. It is also intended to encourage people to eat as beautifully as possible without making a mess. The district that finishes last in the first round prepares the food for the next round. This means that the losing district can choose the ingredients to give an advantage to its own district. You want to make the game last as long as possible. It would be tasteless if one district wins three times in a row and the game ends. We prepared a common plate and limited the dishes to those that could be placed on it. You can bring whatever you want, as long as it is on the plate. Putting a bowl of ramen on the plate is also acceptable. A whole roasted hexenbiest is fine, as long as it is not impossible to finish. The winner will be decided by counting the number of plates that are eaten. The number of plates eaten is counted to determine the winner. In each district, the players and their dishes can be kept secret until the last minute. Well, to tell you the truth, it is a measure to be able to change the strategy flexibly according to the situation of the battle. According to the schedule, the tournament will be held over two days, with three rounds each. The tournament will end when one of the districts wins three games. Incidentally, since the tournament cannot be carried over to the seventh round, the situation after that will be decided at the stage of the fourth round. In the case of two against one, the game ends when the district with two victories wins the next five rounds. If either of the other two districts wins, the loser is eliminated and the districts with two wins compete for the championship in the sixth round. If the score is 2 to 2 to 0 in the fourth round, the lowest ranked district will be eliminated. The fifth round will be the final between the top two districts. --and I proposed such a rule, and neither Demilly nor Ricardo raised any particular objection, so it was decided as is. ...... You can''t make a normal, entertaining proposal. That''s a terrible thing to say. But you''re sharp. ''There are monsters like Medora out there. If it''s a one-shot deal, there''s always a ''just in case''. ''...... is going to eat you, anyway. ''Anything that moves in front of you, .......'' Everyone in the room turned pale as they imagined the scene of Medora''s predation. ''Ugse. Do you know how much a Medora eats?'' ''I don''t. She only eats with people she''s comfortable with. ...... We''ve never seen her eat before. ''............ is this a no-viewing level?'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''ve never seen you do that. I can easily imagine a scene like this: ...... ...... If I make eye contact with it, it''ll eat me. But he''s always saying that you can''t get stronger without eating. I''m sure he''s eaten a lot. ...... He''s pretty strong. The amount of food you eat is proportional to your strength. ...... It''s a theory that''s not hard to understand if you look at Magda. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to compete with a monster like that. ''What, Assunto. Do you want District Forty-two to win?'''' ''Of course I do. I can''t stand it if they charge a toll tax. Besides, if Mr. Yashiro wins, there will be more restaurants in District 41 and more customers for us. What do you mean if I win? ...... But you''re right, Assunto. I''m sure you have some vague idea of the reforms I''m about to implement in the 41st district. ''When you say there will be more restaurants, you''re just renting them until the tournament is over, right?When it''s over, won''t it go back to being an arms store?'' ''Imelda. The thing that humans like most is to maintain the status quo. ''What is it, Estella-san? You don''t know what you''re talking about. Estella must have tried everything to improve the 42nd district. Since she hadn''t been able to improve it, she must have had some bitterness. Estella is right, people like to maintain the status quo. We are strange creatures who insist on maintaining the status quo even though we strongly desire to ''improve''. When our daily life changes, we explode with frustration due to anxiety and resistance to the environment outside of what we are used to. Sometimes they even become stubborn and rebel. However, when the change is made, the situation changes, and a little time passes, people adapt to the change. ...... Then, they gradually begin to think that the reform is a good thing, and when they get used to it, they run back to maintaining the status quo. ''In other words, the people of the 41st district are currently clinging to the status quo. Suppose we force them to destroy it and build a store on the main street for customers from outside?Then the boulevard will be crowded with people. Estella said with a certain certainty. ''If you make it obvious to everyone that the situation will work better that way, the power to maintain the new status quo will prevail over the power to restore it. Just as Japan once modernized en masse. A culture that is accepted as a good one expands rapidly. Well, in the case of the 41st district, it''s more of an optimization than a modernization. ''...... Surely, there''s no way you can have a city where you have to go to that smelly third street to eat. ......'' The previous visit must have been quite painful. Imelda''s face twisted into a huge smile. The mangoes were good and I want to go back for more, but I don''t want to go to that third one. I''m sure there are more than a few people like that. If we succeed in attracting such people... If we can send out the charm of the 41st district to more people, ...... ''If we can make the boulevards work, the 41st district will be more economically prosperous than it is now. Then Ricardo''s idiot won''t be so greedy about tax revenue and jealous of our profits. In short, the poor are to blame. The people in the forty wards don''t complain when the forty-two wards are having a cake fight. That''s because they have it in their own wards. And no matter how excited District Forty-two is, they can afford to think that they are still better than them. But that''s not the case with District 41. If they are overtaken by District 42, they will become the poorest district, and District 42 is currently the most prosperous. We are impatient, frustrated, and envious. That''s why they can only come up with ideas like ''taking profits from the 42nd district. ''After the city gate is built in District 42, I think that the area around the main street in District 41 should become a lodging town for those who use it. You see, there are many fields in District 42 and very few inns, right? ''The number of foreign visitors to District Forty-two is only about two digits a year. In addition, there aren''t many places to build new inns. Once the city gate is built, many people will come and go. Inns and eateries are essential. ''I''ll give that part of the city to the 41st district. ''What a waste of time. If it were me, I''d cram the inn into the 42nd district at all costs. Assunto shrugged his shoulders as if he didn''t understand. ''My lord isn''t the type to evict or seize land from his people. He''s a status quo guy. ''......, I''m sorry. You''re right. In contrast to Ricardo, who is devoted to the hunting guild and is trying to maintain the city with the hunting guild, Estella is trying to save all the people equally. In the Forty-Two Wards, it is difficult to carry out bold reforms as Ricardo is trying to do. The best you can do is to make the best use of the land that is left over. And I''ve already done that. ''If the 41st district gets more customers and more profits, even the most foolish of Ricardo''s people will notice the benefits. He won''t try to stifle our city gate. Then let''s have a big party. If you have an inn nearby, it will be easier to attract visitors from outside, and if the road to the 40th district is built, it will be easier to transport them. The hunting guild and the lumberjack guild would also benefit greatly. If we can gain their understanding, there will be no one to complain about the city gate in District 42. Now we can build them with impunity. In the end, the root of the uproar was ''I don''t like it''. You don''t like it because it makes you feel inferior. You feel jealous because you think the other side is better than you. Then, if you eliminate that envy, there will be no one to complain. ''Then, for my benefit, I''ll ...... make some money for the 41st district as well. When I said that, the people in the car all looked at me. It''s ....... What are you smiling about, guys? ''Yashiro is, after all, ......''. ''Yeah. I guess so.'' Estella and Assunto smirk at each other. ''...... Don''t look at me, you creep. ''Huh~...... is this what they call a tsundere? I''ve never seen that before. I''ve never seen this before.'' Usher lets out a gasp, exposing his stupid face. What kind of rumors are you talking about? ''Yashiro-san is a man with deep pockets. You are indeed the one I expected.'' I don''t know why Imelda is so proud of her chest. ...... Don''t stick it out so far or I''ll squeeze it. ''...... You''re being targeted, Imelda.'' ''Oh no!............Oh, Yashiro-san.'' Imelda is holding her breasts and her cheeks are lightly stained. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Hey, what the hell. When did anyone conquer the hunting guild? It''s funny, I don''t have any such data in my memory. ''Well, it can''t be helped in this situation. After all, they are the only tits in this car.'' ''It''s not the only one, is it Imelda?'' Estella puts her arms around Imelda''s neck and smiles angrily at her. What a crusty yuri video ...... that doesn''t seem to be in demand. ''But you know, Yashiro-san.'' In a carriage full of idiots, Assunto shows a serious expression. ''I understand the plan to provide economic benefits and eliminate friction with neighboring districts, but what about the actual gluttony contest?Well, as long as the competition is held, the economy will move and it may be possible to get the city to allow the installation of city gates through discussion. ......'' ''What are you talking about. Of course we''re going to win. You might be able to persuade them, but that will slow down the installation of the city gate. It would be better to win the battle and build it quickly. ''There are probably people in other districts who pride themselves on their gluttony. There might be some monster-grade ones lurking around.'' Both Demilly and Ricardo''s expressions didn''t falter when they heard about the gluttony contest. I''m sure you have some idea of the gluttonous bragging rights in your territory. The evidence of this is that both sides seemed a little impatient when they heard about the team competition. Even if one of them won, it would be meaningless if they lost to all the rest. This impatience must have shown in their expressions. We have monsters, too. Two of them, too. ''We have Bertina and Magda. We''re good for two wins.'' ''I see. Those two can do it!'' Estella leans forward excitedly, and Imelda is lightly pushed in reaction, and her tits shake. The ''only'' tits in the car. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. All we have to do is find one more who can eat a little. In the worst case, we have a trump card we can use. ''Well, our victory is not so easy. ''Yes, it is. ''In proportion to the breasts of the district''s representatives, I suppose. ''Oji-sama and Ricardo''s breasts are bigger than mine!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Estella grabbed Imelda''s shoulders and shook her forcefully. I''m not sure what to make of it. Imelda''s tits are the only ones shaking! I''m not sure what to make of that. Assunto makes a surprising remark. What, you don''t know?Those two have an abnormal appetite. ...... ''Okay!Let''s do a demonstration of gluttony to explain to the people. Assunto, prepare the food. I''ll show you something good.'' ''Ha, ha...... well, I''ll be happy to prepare that much for you. ......'' ''......Wow......'' ''......Geez.'' ''I''m sorry for your loss......'' ''......I can''t believe that such a quiet-looking sister and such a small girl could eat so much ......'' Assunto didn''t seem to notice Estella''s exhale of dismay, Use''s honest muttering, and Imelda''s condolences interjected in the middle of the sentence. ''But you know what, Yashiro? We can''t win by two either, you know?'' Estella was right, we need to find someone who can win another game. I have an idea ......, but I don''t know what he''s capable of. ''Then you don''t have to worry about it! Imelda puffed out her chest and slapped ...... her tits. ...... Pointy. I''m not sure what to make of it,......, but the density of boobs in the car is so thin that you can''t help but concentrate on Imelda,....... ''I''m a good eater, even though I look like one! I don''t think so. ...... ''Just the other day, I tried the grilled salmon set meal with a large portion of rice, and I finished it!I was applauded by the manager! ''Imelda. The exit is right there, but it''s moving, so be careful jumping down.'' ''Why are you trying to get rid of me?You''ve been so cooperative! What''s the big deal about a big bowl of rice? Even a Loretta can eat that! Even a normal Loretta! I mean, that''s ''normal''! ''Well, I have an idea, don''t I? ''Yeah, who''s that? ''I don''t know yet, but I''ve got a date with ...... and I''d like to test my strength. ''............ date?'' Estella''s eyes sharpened. It''s ......... I don''t mind, but... It''s like a thank you. ''Mr. Yashiro. That can''t be .......'' Imelda, who was there, would know. ''......Watashi, isn''t it?'' ''It''s Delia! I''m telling you, the deal with you is not done!You can''t end a contract with a unilateral demand! ''Does Delia eat that much?'' ''Only sweet things, though. Delia has a sweet tooth and eats a lot of sweets, if you limit it to sweets. ''But she eats a little more than others. ......'' ''What kind of people do you think are selected for boasting about their gluttony? ''Well, I''d say a big, muscular guy like Medora or Mr. Javier. You put Medora in the big man category. Is that what your ...... brain is telling you? ''So, how much sweet cake do you think such a muscular man would eat? ''Oh, come to think of it, men don''t really like sweets, do they? Estella''s gaze turns to Use and Assunto. Both Use and Assunto frowned at her. ''I prefer meat, you know. Sweet things don''t go well with alcohol. ''I''m not a fan of sweets either. It makes my jaw itch. ...... Well, my wife loves it, so we sometimes go out to eat it. ......'' ''Why are you suddenly declaring that you love your wife? ''No, no, no, no, no, Mr. Yashiro!My wife loves cake, so I''m just going to eat it with her. Wow, Assunto is embarrassed with a bright red face~, creepy~! ''''But, is it so convenient for you to get something sweet? ''After we win two games, if we intentionally come in last, we can decide what to serve in the next matchup, so we can serve cake there. That''s right. Jashiro. That''s Estella. You''re indeed Estella. You''re aware of the ''winning strategy'' I''ve put into the ''seemingly equal rules''. With this rule, if you give up one win, you can surely get one win back. That is, if you have the right people. ''But it''s hard when you keep losing. It can be a double-edged sword, can''t it? I understand Assunto''s concern. In other words, you''re throwing away a game to win one, and it''s hard to know how to use it under these rules. ''Well, don''t worry. We don''t need to go to the trouble of preparing it for you. ''Why not? Because, you know, ''he'' said so. ''What''s the specialty of the Forty District, ......? ''Ah! That''s when Estella seemed to notice. Yes. In the past, the culprit of the harassment that occurred in the 42nd district was determined to be Pompeo, the owner chef of Luxury, a coffee shop for the aristocracy of the 40th district, and forcibly kidnapped ............ for investigation. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. When it comes to the specialties of the forty districts, the name of the luxury cake is the first to be mentioned. ''If we bring Delia in on the first turn when the forty wards are in charge of cooking,'' he said. ''I can win one unconditionally! There are a maximum of six rounds, but I don''t know how many times I can take charge of the cooking. You never know how many times you will be in charge of cooking. At the tripartite meeting, I emphasized the aspects of "economic flow," "new customers," and "post-tournament connections. Every district will have one item that is the ultimate gem of ''this is it! as the first item. A product that will be highly effective in publicity. ''Did you make such a rule in anticipation of that? ''Well, yeah. Ever since we went to District Forty-One to inspect and decided to drag them into a big tournament to end this mess, we''ve been thinking about how to make sure we''d win without being unnatural. In order to do that, we needed to make them willingly provide us with what we were best at. So we gave them a lot of cumbersome explanations about the economy and new customers. They were so focused on their own interests that they didn''t look at what the other side''s interests were. I''ll make a hundred while Demilly makes ten. They don''t know that there is such a way. You make the most profit while they make the least. To use an analogy, it''s like saying, ''I''m going to make a bra that fits Jeannette, who has raging breasts, and you''re going to let me measure her breasts. Ginette will be able to control her raging breasts and I will be able to examine every inch of her raw tits. .................. ...... I''ll give it a try, that''s it! I''m not sure what to do.I''m going to make you a bra so that you can take a closer look at my raw tits! ...... No!No, no, no!No, no, no!It''s the other way around!...... No. I can''t show my true colors when I''m dealing with Jeannette. ...... ''Haha ...... I can be my true self in front of Estella.'' ''What?What''s with you all of a sudden?...... Are you that calm when you''re with me? Oh. I can stay so calm. I don''t know.I''m sure the shaking will have a disturbing effect on your mind. There must be a demon living in her boobs. ...... is nice. I want to move too. ''I''d like to win three games like that, but just in case, I''m going to bring in another person. ''One more person?I can''t think of anything more serious this time. ......'' Estella crosses her arms and twists her head. ''Don''t take it so seriously. He''s an idiot.'' ''Stupid?......Yashiro is the only one I can think of. ......'' ''Hey, come on.'' There''s no way I''d be the first one to come to mind in the forty-two districts full of idiots like him. ''If, contrary to expectations, we are forced to fight hard and we reach the stage where we are in trouble,......, I will be devastated and take ............ Magda hostage! I''m going to take Magda hostage. ''Huh? ''And then I''m going to let Umaro play and declare that if you lose, I''m going to pee on Magda''s embarrassing parts! ''You''ll win!Umaro will definitely win, that situation! ''Stupid solution, though! ''Yes, it''s very stupid, but it''s also very convincing, Yashiro! Use and Assunto are looking at me and Estella with cold eyes. ''Hey, ......, can we leave it to this kind of thing, the 42nd district? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''...... It''s not easy when the person you rely on is an idiot. ''Well, that''s the beauty of it, isn''t it? What''s going on? They''re sneaking away from me and talking over there. Hey, there''s no demand for rose images of old men and pigs anywhere. ''Anyway, let''s gather all the people together and explain the tournament. ''Right. This time, all forty-two districts must unite and win the victory! ''''It''s getting important, isn''t it? ''''However, it''s great to see the city getting excited, as a merchant. ''It helps us too when the city gates are up. Do your best and win for sure. The hearts of the people present converged towards a single goal. ''So, take care of the food for the gluttony demonstration, Assunto! ''I''m looking forward to it, Assunto! ''Sometimes despair is the essence of a happy life, Assunto. ''............ Don''t die, Assunto.'' ''What''s this?What is this disturbing atmosphere?Have I made a terrible promise?'' Assunto realized the seriousness of the situation when Bertina and Magda (with the ''Red Moya'' correction) began to fight each other in a demonstration held at the briefing session for the people. The fierce confrontation, one of the largest of the century, ended with more than a dozen injured and the loss of ingredients. The two monsters defeated Assunto. ...... Hmm?Injuries?The ones who got heartburn watching the confrontation between the two. One of them is me, of all people. ...... Common sense doesn''t apply to them. ...... It was one afternoon when I realized that. 142-Episode 123: Part 42 of Ward Three days have already passed since the meeting of the three parties. The briefing for the people and the event to let the people know about the two champions'' abilities had ended successfully. ...... Well, there was one merchant with a pig''s face who was fatally wounded, but that was something he said himself, so never mind... ...We had gathered at the Sunlit Pavilion to think of a dish that would represent the 42nd district. The reason why we were there was because the kitchen, designed by Umaro, was spacious, easy to use, and functional. It seems that the trend among the restaurants in the 42nd district is ''If you want to renovate, go to Torbeck Construction! It seems to be a trend among restaurants in the 42nd district. When I taught cake making in the past, the chefs who saw the kitchen here spread the rumor. Every one of them is curious to see it. What a great advertising effect. Next time I''ll get some advertising money from Umaro. The people who gathered here were the members of the Restaurant Guild who had stores in the forty-second district, people from the Peddler''s Guild and the market, and Estella. The producers also wanted to be there, but no matter how spacious the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion was, it could not accommodate that many people. We opened up the movable walls to maximize the number of people we could accommodate. It''s still a bit cramped. The plan is to discuss it on the floor first, and if a good idea comes up, try it out in the kitchen. ''This is the plate that will be used in the competition. Estella holds up a large plate, about 30 centimeters in diameter. It''s huge. Yesterday and the day before, Estella had been meeting with the other lords, accompanied by Natalia. There, they decided on the size of the plate, the schedule, and other details. I didn''t attend because Medora and Javier didn''t want me to. They kicked me out because it would have been unfair. They treated me like a complete advisor. ...... I''m only giving advice because I''m a friend. I''m just giving you advice because I''m your friend. ...... Oh, that''s a flag that I''ll be the only one to pass. Paula of Cantartica, with her golden retriever-like ears hanging down from her head, spoke up. She looks a little disapproving. ''It''s only a matter of time before the tournament comes around, isn''t it?If that''s the case, of course everyone wants to promote their own restaurant''s cuisine. Many people nodded their heads in agreement to Paula''s words. If your restaurant''s specialty is introduced in a place where many people from other districts gather, there will be a rush of customers who want to try it. The popularity of your restaurant will be concentrated, and you may become the strongest. No, it will be. It will become a "specialty of the 42nd district". ...... if only one dish is served. I''ve heard that Yashiro has a plan for that. Yashiro, can you tell the others about it? ''Oh.'' At Estella''s urging, I stand up unsteadily. Some people might not listen to me because I''m related to the Sunlit Pavilion, but I thought ............... ''If Yashiro is thinking of something, well...'' ''Yes, he is. I''m sure he''ll come up with something good.'' ''Here, everyone. Quiet. Mr. Yashiro''s story is about to begin. What''s ......? What''s wrong with you? ...... Oh, is that it? Well, if they''re willing to listen to you, there''s nothing better than that. You''ll waste a lot of time, energy, and mental strength if you''re met with a bad reaction. ''Well, first of all. The forty-second district is full of delicious food.'' ''Are we talking about boobs? ''I''m sure it is.'' ''You''re Yashiro, aren''t you? ''Hey, there!Don''t talk to me!And change your opinion of me! I cautioned the participants who had been talking too much, and I started talking again. ''There are as many specialties as there are restaurants, and I''m sure that all of them would like to present their signature dish in the competition. The participants listen to me with a ''yes or no'' attitude. ''If only some stores are allowed to enter, there will be complaints. So, here''s my suggestion: ......''. At this point, I took out the food samples I had asked Bekko to make for me. ''I propose a children''s lunch for adults, "Otona-sama lunch"! A children''s lunch for adults, with a variety of side dishes on a large plate. Well, it''s a plate meal. ''Whoa! ''Hey!Don''t stand up!You can''t see! ''Let me see! ''Oh, my fries are on there! ''Hey, are those our fries? A crowd of participants rushes in. ...... Are you a kid? ''Well, why don''t you watch and listen? I announce the concept of the adult lunch to the crowd of participants. ''If you choose just one restaurant, you''ll be on the wrong side of the line, so the concept is to include them all. ''Oh, ......, we don''t have a menu...'' A mild-mannered lady raises her hand. That''s the owner of an organic restaurant. ''You see that fried shrimp with the tartar sauce? ''Oh, yes. Yes, there is.'' ''That''s your place. Your tartar sauce is, I''m not flattering you, excellent. ''Oh, my! At his restaurant, they serve vegetables sticks with tartar sauce, and the tartar sauce was so amazingly delicious that I really wanted to try fried shrimp with it. ''Anyway, this is the first idea I came up with after asking around at various restaurants. I''d like to try making it now and modify it as necessary. You all brought your own ingredients, didn''t you? ''Yes, sir! ''Okay, then, let''s start cooking! ''I want to make hamburgers too. ''Can you teach me how to do it later? ''No, you can''t.'' The cooks from each restaurant went into the kitchen, lively and friendly. ''Mr. Yashiro. We can''t lose, either. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about this. ...... No, it''s very puffy, but... I want to pinch it. ......Punyun. I''m not sure what to do. I can''t. I couldn''t resist the urge to pick it up. ''Oh, I''m ...... sorry, I don''t work out ...... and I''m ...... puffy.'' ''No, no, no. It''s better to be puffy. Just don''t end up like Medora.'' ''I''ll never reach those heights.'' Ginette smiles at me. Somehow, Ginette''s expression seems to have softened even more recently. ''......?What''s wrong? Like this, she stares at me, notices small changes, and asks me questions. He''s been doing that a lot lately. I used to feel that he was occupied with the store and himself, but now that ...... Magda and the others have grown into a force, I wonder if he''s become more relaxed. ''Ginette. ''Yes.'' ''You''ve got some leeway.'' ''Oh, you mean meat, don''t you? ...I''ll try to be more moderate from now on. ......'' Hmm? No, I didn''t mean to imply that. ...... I hope I didn''t hurt you too much. ''...... If they get any bigger, ............ we''ll be in trouble, won''t we? I''m not sure what to do. ''I love it when my tits grow! ''Oh, dear!You''re talking too loud!Aah!Aaah!It''s nothing, folks!It''s, well, it''s nothing, anyway! Ginette bows her head to the participants who are looking at her. Even her ears are red. ''Momo momo!Because of you, I was embarrassed, wasn''t I?Oh my god!Oh my god!d*mn it! He slapped me three times, and with a red face, said, ''I''m going to the kitchen! and ran off, leaving me behind. The people around me were watching the exchange with smiles on their faces. Don''t look at me. Don''t look! You''ve never said much about ...... before because of Mr. Yashiro. I guess that''s how much you''ve forgiven me. ............ Hmm. I wonder what this feeling is. ............ ''Yashiro''. As I was thinking, Estella suddenly appeared in front of me. ''Oh!...... Don''t scare me.'' ''What''s wrong with you, spacing out?'' ''No, I was just thinking about my boobs. ......'' ''You''re not listening!'' Estella looks at me like I''ve lost my mind. ''Yeah. I don''t know, this kind of feeling is more comfortable for me. ............ What, I like to be abused?What? Seriously? ''But you thought of that, didn''t you? It''s an adult version of the children''s lunch. ''We don''t serve enough of them for the number of restaurants we have. ''So you''re saying we should serve them all?That''s too extreme an idea. But I think it''s a good idea. ''Well, you can''t get an adult plate anywhere, though. ''Then why don''t you have a limited time offer at one of the restaurants? Estella said something unexpected. We can''t serve the lunch to adults at some restaurants because each restaurant provides one dish. But for a limited time ......, for example, we can sell it only at a restaurant we rent in the 41st district during the gluttony contest ......, and after that we can set up a place on the main street... ...No, wait, if you make it a special sale for every event, you''ll get a premium ...... ''Estella!Nice idea!'' ''What?What, really? A special dish available only for a limited time. It could be a seasonal staple. Well, there is no season, but ...... the food that is eaten at this time every year can generate a certain number of sales without any danger. Oxen, chilled Chinese noodles, Christmas cake... Yeah. Not a bad idea. ''Hehe ......, I''m kind of happy when Yashiro praises me. Estella, who is in a very good mood, is squirming and smiling. ''How can you be praised by me?It''s not worth it. ''Because we can''t imagine what''s going on in Yashiro''s head. I think I''m going to brag that I was able to suggest something that Yashiro hadn''t thought of. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m neither Kongming Zhu-ge nor Yukimura Sanada. ''But, really. I''m glad you''re here, Yashiro.'' ''What?Returning the compliments?I don''t want that. ''I''m not flattering you.'' Estella takes my hand and looks me straight in the eye. ''If it weren''t for you, I''m sure nothing would have changed in District 42. No, it would have been destroyed by the heavy rains. ...... I thank you from the bottom of my ...... heart. Thank you, Yashiro. It''s not like .................. is a pattern. It''s very uncomfortable. I''m not sure why ...... Estella''s earnestness makes me uneasy. ...... I guess I like to be cursed? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''......What? ''For all I know, you could be a ............ lord or ............ It''s not a problem.You''re a fool, Yashiro! ''Doh! I received an unreasonable punch to the midsection and I crouched down on the spot. I''m so embarrassed! Estella runs off with those words. I don''t know what she looked like. I don''t know what she looked like because she was crouching. ...... But what the heck is this? This ...... inexplicable sense of unease. Something doesn''t feel right. Is it because I''m strangely calm before the tournament? That could be it. The people here are not thinking about the competition. Those who are more focused on publicity are more optimistic about the current situation. Regardless of the outcome, they will be able to promote the specialty of their restaurant. ...... But if you lose the game, ...... ''I don''t think Ricardo is going to take over the 42nd ...... district,'' he said. If we can explain and convince him that the construction of the city gate will greatly benefit District 41, we can build the city gate no matter which district wins this tournament. However, the construction period will be delayed. Significantly so. Even now it''s far behind. ...... If we don''t hurry, .................. ...... If we don''t do it soon,.................., there''s nothing to worry about. No, it''s true, there''s nothing wrong with being early. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. If it''s delayed,............, it''s not particularly troubling, is it? I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m sure you''ll agree. There is no such thing as a good game to lose. There is no such thing as a good game to lose, only a good game to win. We have to win the game and build the city gates fair and square, without anyone complaining. To do this, you need ............ strong players. With Bertina and Magda confirmed, let''s see what Delia and Umaro can do. ...... And who should we choose for the rest of the team? ............ Let''s have a qualifying tournament. ''Hey, Yashiro.'' Paula''s voice rained down from above. ''What are you mumbling about, crouching on the floor? ''...... I''ve been deprived of the energy to stand up for various reasons.'' ''If you crouch down like that, I won''t be able to pass by. ''Why?'' ''Why? ......'' I looked up and caught sight of Paula''s healthy, dazzling thighs. If I lowered my posture a little more, I could peek behind her short skirt. ............ ''Feel free to walk through. I''ll feel free to peek up your skirt too.'' ''I said I can''t pass because you''ll do that! I don''t understand. Why don''t you just go through? In fact, please let me pass! ''Yashiro-san~, the prototype is ready~'' Ginette comes back to the floor with a platter. The platter is so big that I can''t see the finished product from where I''m crouched, but instead I get a great view of the maid''s mini-skirt fluttering in the air! ''Ginette, can you come over here for a minute! ''No, in that position, ...... you can see it. ''That''s why I''m here! ''Oh my God!Please repent! If you can''t show it to me, does that mean it''s completely transparent? I''m sure he''s just fine. Today is a special day for the members of the food and drink guild to gather. I''m sure it''s just a pair of shorts. It must be!I can''t argue with that! ''Hey, Suketto! It''s Jeannette! Ginette puts the adult lunch on the table and pulls my crouching arm to make me stand up. I feel like I''m being cared for. ''Anyway, look at how it''s done. ''Hmm?............ Oh! I looked at the adult lunch on the table: ...... ''It''s huge! It was a tremendous volume. I''m not sure I could finish a whole plate of this. Or rather, it''s impossible for an ordinary person. Side dishes piled up on a platter. Hamburgers, sausages, and other foods were piled up in layers. ''That''s too much. ''But, but...'' If you use the ingredients you usually use, you can make this much volume. ......'' ''Why are there eight meatballs on it? ''Because one meatball doesn''t have much presence,'' he said. ......'' If you put so many meatballs on the plate, it will have the opposite effect. It seems that those who are not on the main menu are trying to make their presence known by their numbers. Because of this, the whole thing lacks a sense of crispness, and it looks like a jumble. ...... This is no good. You can''t help it. ...... I never thought I''d need that for an adult lunch. I took it back to the kitchen, removed the excess from the platter, and adjusted the amount to make it look better. Then, I put a trick on the side of the platter, which had little presence. ''Okay, that should do it. With a simple solution, he stuck a toothpick with the restaurant''s emblem flag into the meatball. ''Oh!Our emblem! ''How proud are you of your meatballs? Since some people can''t stick flags in salads, tartar sauce, etc. We decided to use the flags in order of each plate and stick one flag per plate into the meatballs. ''So, we''d better get them to eat a lot, right? ''Yes, you should. The more plates we have, the more times our flag will appear. ''Why don''t we adjust the amount of food we put on the plates a little more? ''Yes, yes! As soon as a direction was found, the discussion became more active, and all the participants came up with new ideas. In order to create the best product to represent the 42nd district, sometimes they stepped aside and stood up for others, and sometimes they insisted even through their own selfishness, and the lunch for adults was brushed up more and more. ''It''s amazing, isn''t it? ''Hmm? Estella whispered, looking at the participants as they debated. She kept her gaze on the participants, but only her voice was directed at me. ''Until a while ago, this was a quiet town at best, or apathetic at worst, where people simply enjoyed the disadvantages they were given. When I first arrived, the air in the 42nd district was somewhat stagnant and gloomy. ''Even if you rely on someone, you don''t tell them yourself, you just wait for someone to make a move. They were just trying to maintain their current lives. That''s what most of them were living for. They accepted malice and unreasonableness as ''well, it can''t be helped,'' and now that I think about it, the 42nd district at that time may have been like a candle just before it went out. The fire is still burning. But there is nothing more that can be done. It can''t be improved, it can''t be rekindled. The fire is still burning. There was nothing to do but wait for it to go out. ...... ''The people who saw the Main Street Theater and ate the cakes were inspired to do something about it. Estella''s eyes flickered over to me. ''Thanks to ...... someone.'' ''Hmm ............, you''re talking about results. People who can''t change can''t change, no matter what the trigger is. Even if there is no trigger, those who change will change. ''It''s just that I happened to be wandering around town at that time. There''s no causal relationship there.'' ''Hmm ......, you''re rejecting me as if you''re allergic to good people. Do you have a disease that kills you if you do good? ...... It''s similar. I''m a fraud, a bad guy. You''re all just a bunch of dupes. Realize it, idiot. ''Yashiro-san! Ginette comes trotting up to us, away from the circle of discussion participants, chatting by the wall. ''Oh~oh~, you''re making me all puffy. ''Hey!Can I use the pasta with tomato sauce?I''m getting the feeling that tomato sauce pasta is the only way to go here. Ginette is getting excited. It''s rare to see him actively expressing his opinion, other than about the ...... church and the cafeteria. He must be having a great time. ''Suit yourself. You''re the manager here. Tomato spa, Neapolitan, whatever.'' ''Napolitan?What''s that? ''Haven''t I ever made it before? ''Please teach me how to make it next time! ''Oh. I''ll teach you along with the titty pudding. ''I don''t want that one! ''Why not?I might be able to overwhelm you with a big meal if the menu is titty pudding.'' ''If you do that, people will think that the Forty-second Ward is the city of boobs. ''The city of boobs''?What is that, I want to live there!Why don''t we push that out all over the place? ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san! This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family. It''s a gentle handful of punches, like a soft stroke. I''ve never seen skinship like this before. ''Meh! That''s it.'' She puffs out her cheeks, then immediately smiles her usual smile. She looks happy and a little embarrassed. ''Oh, um... I''ll have the pasta with tomato sauce. ...... Uh, Yashiro-san, what did you say earlier? ''Hmm?Tomato spa? ''Then I''ll use ''tomato spa''. With a bouncy bow and her fluttering apron and skirt billowing in the breeze, Jeannette returned to the discussion circle. In order to fulfill her duties as a member of District Forty-two and the manager of the Sunshine Pavilion. ''You''ve changed, Jeannette-chan. Estella seemed to have noticed the change in Jeannette. ''You''ve become so much brighter. You never used to raise your voice like that before. ''That''s probably because you were making so much noise. ''I haven''t changed.'' No, you haven''t. You''ve changed. Most importantly, you stopped being so secretive, keeping everything to yourself. You''ve learned to take advantage of others. ...... so you can be bigger and bigger. If you can''t pamper others, you can''t pamper others. Estella is on the cusp of great growth. It is only a matter of ...... time when she will turn. ''Maybe there is nothing in this city that hasn''t changed. The slum has become a new town, the main street is full of life, and this sunlit pavilion, where there was not even a sign of life, is now filled with more people than it can hold. Indeed, the 42nd ward has changed greatly. There may be ...... nothing related to the 42nd ward that hasn''t changed. If that''s the case, ...... If that''s the case, then ...... I''m still the same bad guy, and I''m probably a foreign object to the 42nd Ward. ''''''''Oh! '''''''' ''Oh, it looks like you''ve got a good one.'' Estella takes a half step forward, then turns and looks at me. She invites me to go see it. ''Yashiro-san!Look at this!It''s perfect this time!You might have just made something amazing! Excitedly, Jeannette beckons me over. They invite me to come here. These guys are making a place for me, I thought ...... uncharacteristically. ''This is the representative dish of the 42nd district!This is the representative dish of the 42nd district, the "adult lunch"! The dish presented to me was a gorgeous and delicious looking lunch plate with perfect quantity, balance and appearance. No, it was more like a dinner plate. Even if you are an adult who has long since outgrown children, this playful "lunch for adults" will remind you of the excitement of childhood and make you chuckle. ''Now you won''t have any regrets even if you lose the big meal! ''No, you have to win! Somehow, the sense of accomplishment that we''ve created has made us forget our original goal. I think I''ll leave the food to Ginette and Paula, and Estella and I will focus on the players. 143-Episode 124 Possibility of Not Participating in th... ''This is the message from your daughter. Today, it seems that Estella has gone to the 40th district to meet with Demilly, and Natalia has delivered a message from Estella to me. ...... So, you know... I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''...... Are you kidding me? ''I''m not kidding, I''m not kidding! This guy is totally joking. ''...... That''s funny. I overheard that Yashiro-sama likes this kind of thing. ''Where''d you get that information, ......? ''I was trying to make you happy, but it seems I failed. ''You can go on as usual. ''Wow, you know that I spend most of my time naked at home! ''Who told you to relax at the same level as at home!Also, don''t throw out ridiculous information! You''re making me nervous with your imagination! ''Well, in other words, the gluttony contest will be held in the central square of District Forty-one in two weeks as scheduled. The roads are in good shape thanks to the hard work of the hamsters, right? Ginette summed up Natalia''s explanation in an easy-to-understand manner. Well, that''s what it means. During the period leading up to the tournament, each district is cooperating and cross-district commerce is permitted. As a result, many people have gathered in District 41, and there are currently no customers at the Sunken Pavilion. The entire city of District 42 will be treated as a "closed day" during this period. However, those who want to open their stores can do so. However, for the time being, YODAMARI-TEI is also planning to focus on the branch store in District 41. A branch restaurant is a kind of food court where several restaurants in the 42nd district operate together in a common store. As a result of my idea, it is said to be quite popular due to its novelty. Of course, they can''t fit everything in one place, so they are divided into several stores. Demilly also liked the food court so much that he said, "I''ll copy it," and immediately adopted it. People, information, supplies and money. People, information, goods, money, energy, enthusiasm, joy, anger, sorrow, and so on are all gathered in District 41 now. It''s getting exciting. It''s obvious to everyone that it''s a big party. ''Isn''t Yashiro-sama going to inspect the 41st district? ''Yeah, in a little while. At the moment, Umaro and the Torbeck Corporation are working hard to build a venue for the gluttony contest. Ricardo will probably stay with them until it''s finished, so I''ll show up when it''s done. ''The manager has been here all this time, hasn''t he? ''Yes, sir. I wanted to open the store whenever I could, even if there were no customers. Besides, we still have a few customers a day. The food court was left to Magda, Loretta, and Delia. For the food court, where the menu is limited, Ginette doesn''t have to go out of her way, and with those members, she can operate without compromising the quality. One of the regulars praised Delia''s salmon, saying that it was getting closer to Ginette''s. Another regular said, "Magda''s food tastes like heaven. However, due to space limitations, we can''t offer the entire menu, so if you want to try something that is not on the regular menu, we ask you to come to the main restaurant. Here, you can eat anything you want. After all, Ginette is the only one who can protect the main restaurant. That''s why we put them there. ''But it''s been a long time since ...... there''s been no one at the sunlit pavilion,'' he said. ''Before you started coming, it was like a miracle that there were people here. ''Yes, it wasn''t that bad,......, was it? There was one day when the only visitor was old lady Mum, my tea drinking buddy. Old Mum runs a laundry in the neighborhood, and her routine is to come once a day for tea. She''s the exception to the rule. I don''t think you should count her as a customer. ''It seems that the more famous the tournament becomes, the more customers will crowd in. ''Is that so?I''m not sure. Not yet.'' Ginette shrugs her shoulders with a wry smile. A crowd of customers in the sunny pavilion? It''s Jeannette''s dream. It''s Ginette''s dream, isn''t it, that this sunny pavilion will become a fun place where everyone can gather. Just like when Grandpa was here. I wonder if Ginette''s grimace at the prospect of more customers was humility or embarrassment. Well, you can''t get too famous, can you? The basic concept of this restaurant is to have fun together. It is not our intention to be so busy that we have no time to relax. We don''t want to think of our customers as mere guests, but we want to respond sincerely to each and every one of them. I think it is this way of thinking and attitude of Ginette that has made the current Sunlit Pavilion a place with a good atmosphere. If it becomes too busy and becomes like a stand-up buckwheat noodle shop with a fast turnover rate, it will not be the "Sunshine Pavilion of my grandfather''s time" anymore. It will be difficult to adjust to that. Well, I''ll deal with the problems as they arise and I''ll take care of them. This store is an important place for me, too. .................. No, you know what? ''It feels good to have it all to yourself. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''Mr. Manager, ...... is that a statement you made knowing that I would be more relaxed if I were completely naked? ''No, you''ll have to keep your ...... clothes on, okay? I told you not to do that. Ginette, don''t look at me like you''re having trouble dealing with me. You can''t handle a call for help, that guy. In fact, he''s the one I''m not supposed to touch. ''Oh, by the way, the young lady said, "I''m going to qualify, Petan! What did she say? ''Did she really say that?Recall it one more time, especially the ending! ''............ Oh, it was just ''qualifying'' ......, maybe, maybe''. ''It''s not "may", it''s "totally"! What is it, Natalia?I''m sure you''ve had a lot of stress at work lately. If you want, I can give you a foot massage. You can even rub your stomach points on it. What''s the qualifying round? What''s the qualifying round? ''Ah. We have to prepare at least six players with big appetites. Well, you don''t have to win them all, so the other two can just be spares. ......'' ''Two more people............ well, that means we already have four players, right?'' Ginette looked somewhat worried. What is it?Is there something wrong with that? ''Right now, we have Bertina and Magda. Then there''s Delia and Umaro. By the way, I haven''t told them yet, but ...... well, we''ll notify them soon enough. ''Oh, um,......, I''m not sure,.......'' Jeannette says with a somewhat apologetic look on her face. ...... What, what, I have a really bad feeling about ............ ''The sisters may not ............ be able to participate, you know? ''What? Why? It''s our ace! ''Well, if you say you can eat a lot of good food, he''ll be happy to join ......? ''Well, ...... it''s true that Sister loves to eat, but more than that, she values her position as a Sister of the Church, so it''s difficult for her to be involved in ...... the ''conflict'' between the wards. I think it''s difficult to be part of the ''conflict'' between ......''. ''...... and ............'' Sister''s position. That''s right, ...... she''s a sister. The Church, which is equal to all wards, can''t use its power for the 42 wards. ...... What''s more, it can''t participate in the "fight. ...... ............ Oh no. ''Hey, I''m going to go check! ''Oh, um, I''m ......? ''I''ve got a store, I''ll be fine on my own!Natalia, I''m sorry, but I need you to support Jeannette for a while. ''Natalia, I want to eat a nice cake...'' ''Go ahead and eat whatever you want!I''ll buy you a drink! ''I''m sorry, sir. It was as if I was urging her to do something. ''It''s not every day you get such a blatant request!Anyway, I''m counting on you. ''Yes, sir. No matter what happens, I will definitely protect you. Well, I don''t think anything will happen, but just in case. ''Then, please take good care of her.'' ''Yes, sir. But I don''t think anything will happen on such a calm day. ''No, it''s .......'' Ginette''s cheeks flushed a little with embarrassment as she said this to Natalia, who had the same idea as me. ''Lately, or even for a long time, I''ve had a lot of ...... fun and lively days, and when I''m ...... alone, I suddenly feel lonely. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... alone is lonely. ''Yashiro-san. ''Eh ............ ah, what?'' He turned his body, which had been facing Natalia, towards her and slowly bent at the waist. ''I''ll be waiting for your early return. When she looked up, Ginette had her usual smile on her face. ............ Was that a joke ......?I''m not sure if it''s a joke,......, but I''m a little embarrassed. I''m not sure what to say. You''re overreacting. ''Mmmm ...... sorry. Please be careful. There''s no guarantee that a hexenbiest won''t come in like last time. ''Ah, in that case, I heard that Medora has already sent a strike team.'' ''Is that so? Then you can rest easy now. ...... I''m glad. Ginette placed her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief. Her large breasts slowly rise and fall. ''Mr. Manager. I''ve got an erotic gaze aimed at you. ''Huh?Yikes! ''No, come on. I''m not looking at you like that.'' Ginette is not ''Kya'' either. ''Even if Yashiro-sama has no intention to do so, Yashiro-sama''s eros is like a blade without a blade. ...... It''s no exaggeration to say that everything that comes into view is being humiliated. I''m sure you''re stressed out. I''m sure you''ve been stressed out, Yashiro. ''Don''t make obscene assumptions! What the hell. Who''s erotic like a blade without a blade? ''How can you say such a thing without knowing my true intentions?I''ll show you how serious I am about ............! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa! This is my ............ seriousness! --I''ll be back! Lock on! Lock on! Full energy charge--unleash! Eat this, this is my all-out ............ erotic eyes! I''m not sure what to do. I''ll be back. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. Tits, tits, tits, tits, tits, tits! I want to be sandwiched between those tits! Tits, tits, tits, tits! (Side tits, bottom tits, tits, tits, tits! Tits, tits, tits, tits, tits! I''ve never seen Eldorado before. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Grab your tits, boy! ''Ya, Yashiro-san''s eyes, Yashiro-san''s eyes ah? ''Hey, manager!It''s dangerous here!Hurry up and evacuate! ''Ginette from ~...... Natalia, lock on! ''Aaah! ''Natalia, be careful! ''Ginette again! ''Nyaaah! ''Manager!Get out of here! ...... What are we doing? ''...... Well, I''m off.'' ''Hahaha ...... yes. Take care ............ hahaha......'' ''Haha...... haha...... what was ...... this time ...... at all, ''Yashiro-sama is ...... totally ......'' I''m going to skip the unwarranted accusations and head for the church. To be honest, if Bertina doesn''t participate, it''s going to be very bad. It''s not just a matter of struggling. Even victory would be in jeopardy. ''It would be a lot easier to negotiate with someone who''s willing to take the bait. ......'' For what it''s worth, Bertina is fulfilling her duties as a sister. Whenever the kids in the church get sick, she wavers like a new mother, but she never gives up and takes care of them devotedly. She exists in the same space, the same place, and the same world as the children, and shares their joys and sorrows. Not only does she take care of the children, but she is also active in charitable activities, visiting the homes of the elderly who live alone. The Sundaari-tei may have been one of such activities. I heard that the old man used to run it all by himself. ''The sisters wish for people''s peace of mind more than anything else,'' Ginette said to me at one point. Peace of mind. ...... is the opposite of conflict. It''s still difficult to get people to participate. ...... Before I could even formulate a thought, the church came into view. There was a figure sweeping in front of the gate with a homemade bamboo broom, and it was unmistakably Bertina. ''Hello. Yashiro-san.'' ......, Bertina''s stomach churned. ''Hmm... That''s not good. Lately, just looking at Yashiro-san makes my stomach growl. ''You''re Pavlov''s canine. ......'' It''s not like I look tasty, is it? ''What can I do for you at the church?It''s unusual for you to be here alone. Didn''t you say something obscene to Jeannette and she got mad at you again?You never learn, do you, Yashiro? Well, I did say something indecent, but I wasn''t asked to repent. ''I have a little favor to ask you, Bertina. ''Oh, for me?Please wait a moment. Bertina''s face lit up and she walked into the church grounds with a bamboo broom. She seemed to be on her way to clean up the broom. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on, let''s go inside. ''Oh, ......, no, I want to talk quietly, so I''ll just leave you here. If I go inside the church, I''m sure I''ll get tangled up with some kids and I won''t be able to talk to them. It''s better to talk outside. ''Shall we take a walk to the riverbank, then? ''Oh, yes. That''d be great.'' ''Mm-hmm. ......'' With her hand over her mouth, Bertina smiles elegantly. ''What?Did I say something funny? ''Yashiro-san, you try your best to be respectful at first, but you soon go back to it. ''Oh, ...... I''m sorry.'' ''No, sir. I don''t feel any offense in Yashiro-san''s words. ...... Recently, I''ve come to think his tone of voice is cute. It is said that the worse the child is, the cuter it is. ''I''m sorry ...... that I''m not good enough. ''Mmmm ......, you''re cute.'' He smiled and patted my head a little. The way he stroked my head was similar to the way I was stroked by the landlady when I was a kid. ...... I was a little at a loss for words. I was at a loss for words. How about a bamboo broom? ''Yes. It''s very easy to use. It only sweeps leaves and big debris. It''s very handy.'' After Millie gave me the bamboo, I made a bamboo broom for the bamboo. When I gave it to Jeannette, she was very pleased and asked me to make one for her. So, I donated three of them to the church. While we were talking about such unimportant things, we came to the riverbank. Hmmm, I don''t know how to break the ice. ...... ''Is there something difficult to talk about? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. You can''t ...... compete with that, you know. I''m not sure what to say. It''s hard to say,......, but I don''t know what to say,.......'' ''I''m not going to show you my tits, okay? ''Why are you jumping to that? Don''t say anything that will disappoint me the moment I review it, even if it''s just for a moment! ''No . I''ve heard rumors that Yashiro-san likes that kind of thing. ''...... Where is this rumor spreading? ............ I have a lot of ideas about the pharmacist who started it... ...'' Well, the source is probably the pharmacist. Maybe I should enter the ...... competition, without telling him. ''If you back out, it''ll be the end of the 42nd district,'' he threatened. ...... ''It''s proof that the people of the city like you, Yashiro-san. Rumors about Mr. Yashiro spread quickly, you know?'' ''You''re overreacting, and I''m not happy about it at all. ''It''s not an exaggeration. If I were to spread the rumor that ''Yashiro-san likes to be on his knees'' after this, there would be people who would come tomorrow at noon to confirm the truth of the rumor. ''...... What kind of country town is this? By the way, I remember that the landlady was also very well informed. ...... ''Yashiro-san has become an indispensable presence in the 42nd district. My ham kids say that Yashiro always sends out interesting things. They''re just playing around with it. Well, all the Ham kids are working in the 41st district, leaving the younger ones in the church. It''s unlikely that any strange rumors will spread for a while. Thanks to the efforts of the children of Ham, the construction of roads in District 41 is progressing at an astonishing pace. It''s hard to believe that they hadn''t used that labor force before. ''Well then. Let''s talk about it. ''Oh, ...... yes.'' As if the chit-chat had eased some of the tension, Bertina gave me a gentle smile. If she smiled at me like this, I''m sure the kids would listen to me. There is no way you can hide anything from them. ''Actually, ...... as you know, we''re going to hold a gluttony contest.'' ''Yes. I''m aware of it. Thank you very much for all the delicious food at the demonstration the other day. You can thank Assunto for that. I''m sure you lost a lot of money on that. But thanks to him, the explanation to the people went smoothly and the motivation of the people in the territory skyrocketed, so his expense was not in vain. ....... I''m sure Estella paid for it later. She said it was an event held by the district. I remember Assunto looked so relieved. ''So, about that gluttony contest, can''t we have you participate in ......?Ginette said it might be difficult due to her position as a Sister. ......'' Oh ...... what''s wrong with me. It''s not like you to add an excuse after your request. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if there''s anything you can do to help. Then, in a calm voice, she replied. ''That''s right. As a Sister, it is not advisable for you to get involved in conflicts with others. He said it clearly. ''Especially when one of you will gain a great deal by winning or losing''. It''s ......, man. Bertina''s participation will change the game dramatically. It''s not a joke, but it''s a huge move that could upset the balance of power in these three districts. ...... still, the Church can''t have that much influence. ''But ......''. Softly, I smelled like cherry blossoms, and a soft warmth enveloped me. Bertina gently reaches out her arms, cradles my head, and pulls me to her chest. It''s like she''s hugging my head and pulling me to her chest. I''m sure you''ll be able to join us as a human being who cares about Yashiro-san. I''m not sure if it''s because of my clothes or because I''m buried in my dynamite breasts, but I''m afraid I''m going to misunderstand you if you say something like that. ''Hmm. But it''s the kind of emotion a mother feels for her child. ''Ha, mother ......! ''Because Yashiro-san is very cute.'' ''No, no, no, no! So you are treating me like a child, so you are servicing my breasts without hesitation? I can hear your heartbeat,......,............ ''Yashiro-san......, you have saved my children many times.'' ''How many times? ...... Only during heavy rains, right? ......'' ''No, sir. Ginette is my little girl, too.'' ''......That''s not as ............ many times as you''d like. ......'' He squeezed his arms around her head. ''You saved this city and made it a better place to live. ...... How many people will be saved by that in the future? And as ...... people become wealthier, fewer children will suffer from misfortune. ............'' It was a calm ...... voice, but at the same time, a sad voice. ''All the people in this city are my beautiful children. Whether they live in the same house or far apart, ...... I love them all equally.'' Bertina, whose age is an order of magnitude different from ours, probably remembers when the current residents of this city were born. She probably thinks of them as her own precious, precious, adorable children. It is not a monopoly or a nuisance, but a place where anyone can return to ...... at any time, and Bertina has been protecting it for a long time. ''You have saved our children many times. You''ve saved our children many times, and now you''ve come to rely on me in important situations. ............ Do you know how happy this makes me, Yashiro-san?'' ''No. ......'' To me, it''s just brazen talk. ...... ''I want to help you who always try to do your best alone. I want to support you as you fight alone, without showing your weakness. I''m sure there are many people out there who would like to support you. No, always involve anyone and everyone. ...... ''Yashiro-san. Relying on others means showing your weakness. It means to ask someone to carry a heavy load for you. What you''ve been doing so far is such a lonely way of fighting ...... that you carry all the responsibility alone and distribute the rewards of your success to everyone else.'' So I was ...... lonely ............. No, of course not. I''m a fraud,...... and I''m not going to let a bunch of sycophants like these people walking around with their clothes on,...... drag me into the same place as them. ''Mr. Yashiro''. Every time I call his name. Every time I do, I ...... d*mn ...... feel relieved every time. ''Aren''t there a lot of people around you who want to be able to rely on you?If you''re smart, you''ll realize that, won''t you?'' ''............'' ............ Oh, shit. That smells good. ...... Bertina. I feel like I''m getting sick of thinking about all the things that go around ...... ''I was glad you could count on me. For your sake, it doesn''t matter if the church is a little angry with you. ''Wait! I flung off Bertina''s arm and let go of her body. If the church is gone, you can''t go back to the church. If the church disappears,......, or even if the church survives, if Bertina is no longer there,......! It''s okay. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I could smell the faint scent of cherry blossoms again. ''It''s not like there''s anything to be angry about. Besides, it''s only natural for a mother to do her best for her child, isn''t it? ''...... If you''re a mother, I hope you''ll let me suck on one of your boobs.'' ''ugh ...... You can''t say anything naughty. But if you can say something like that, then you''re okay. I won''t cry anymore.'' He then gently strokes the back of my head. ...... Who''s going to cry over this? .................. ''Leave it to me. I''m here for you, Yashiro-san. Go ahead and do as you wish. I''ll do my best to support you.'' ''...... Ah. That helps. With Bertina, our odds are much better. Oh ...... I''m glad I came to talk to you. ''In return, please give me a proper reward for my hard work. ''...... What do you want to eat? ''I want to eat all the cake once. I also want to eat a children''s lunch. ''...... Is it okay for a sister to make a deal like that? ''It''s a daughter''s privilege to be spoiled by her daddy. ''You know, ......'' She''s a busy mother and daughter ....... ''I''ll leave it to you. If you win properly, I''ll make you a whole cake, including the new cake.'' ''That''s ...... something you''ll have to work on all of a sudden.'' As I listened to Bertina''s quiet laughter, I thought like a poet, ''Oh, if I could hear a flower blooming, it would be like this. I''m not going to tell anyone about this. So I managed to confirm Bertina''s participation, and while cooling my slightly boiled face, I trudged back to the sunlit pavilion. I was out for about an hour and a half. As soon as I entered the restaurant, Natalia said to me on the floor where there were no customers. ''Mr. Yashiro. I overheard this rumor: ...... Is it true that Master Yashiro likes kneeling? The rumor ...... is spreading too fast. ............ 144-catch 125th episode participants It occurred to me that ...... ''You might want to check with the people you''re planning on letting in, just to be sure. ''...... You weren''t going to tell them on the day of the tournament and make them do it, were you?'' Estella is sitting across from me, giving me the stink-eye. No, no, you. You can''t do that. I''m not that unplanned. ''Well, why don''t I just tell you the day before? ''You''re too unplanned! I''m sure there are people who see it that way. ...... There are many things in this world. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your time. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. Mm-hmm. That''s good. Keep contributing to the restaurant. ...... In the first place, it seems to be a strange system that Estella doesn''t pay when she donates. ...... ''Pay for it''. I''ll pay for it. No, not now. ...... ''I''ve got to go see Ricardo later today, so don''t say anything that''ll make me nervous. ''You know what? Haven''t you and Ricardo already reconciled and are no longer at odds with each other? ''We''re not at odds anymore, but we don''t like each other. In fact, now that the rift is gone, I genuinely don''t like him. He hates you so much, Ricardo. I''m sorry for your loss. How much do you hate me? Don''t try to complicate things by doing something else, okay? ''Well, if you have a problem, come to my place. I''ll at least listen to you complain.'' ''H......'' Estella, who was about to stand up, rolled her eyes and looked at me. What''s with the face like a pigeon got hit by a peashooter. ''Estella, try saying ''ho-ho-ho''.'' ''...... Hotchpotch.'' ''That doesn''t sound anything like it.'' ''What are you talking about!I guess I had to look like something! ''Oh, you''re back to your normal face. ''Not at all. I thought I''d said something unusually witty, but ......'' He crossed his arms and turned to the side. It may be an obvious appeal to show that you are unhappy, but to me it looks like an appeal to show that you don''t have breasts, that your arms are so tightly attached. Okay, from now on, I''ll call Estella the "head-on beauty". The side view gives a ...... kind of sadness. ''But, well, ......''. Such a grumpy face turns to me and breaks into a smiley face. ''I feel a little better now, so I''ll thank you. Thank you. It''s a cool, bright smile. Lately, he is not forcing himself to act like a man, and is gradually changing his tone to a girlish one. Well, there''s still some stiffness left, though. ''Right. I can give Magda and the others a ride if you want. Currently, more and more carriages are running to District 41 every day. There is a kind of temporary dormitory near the food court, but there are many people who want to go back to their homes, and many people go back and forth between the districts to transport foodstuffs. Thanks to the support of the lord, it is possible to ride in a carriage at a reasonable price, but it is certain that it will become a burden as the number of times increases. Both Magda and Loretta come back to the 42nd district after work. They say that they feel uncomfortable unless they are at home, and that they would rather go back and forth than stay over there. The stamina of the Beastmen is quite impressive. But... ''I''m sorry. My branch is closed today.'' ''Oh, is that so? ''We''ll set up a food stall during the day for the people in Torbek. The restaurants in the food court are free to decide when they are closed. This is because there are many other stores in the area, so the workers won''t be bothered, and it helps the participating stores to be able to put the main store''s situation first. The Sunlit Pavilion branch opens at ten o''clock and closes at eighteen o''clock at the latest, which is enough time even if you leave first thing in the morning. Cantalucina, however, seems to be open until midnight, as if it were a bar in its own right. ''I''ll be open all day today, so Magda will have to stay here. ''What about Loretta? ''Do you think he can run the store by himself?He''s even more of an idiot than you think, okay?'' ''That''s terrible!I''m not an idiot! Loretta, who was wiping down the table, raised her voice in protest. ''That''s right, Yashiro.'' ''Estella-san, tell her! ''Loretta is normal.'' ''That''s terrible, too! Loretta, normal for better or worse, ''Mmmmm!'' and waves the rag around. Stop it. It''s chilling to see the water droplets fly. ''Well, why don''t you go open the store by yourself? ''............ It''s nice to taste the atmosphere of the main store after a long time.'' ''You must be lonely, Loretta.'' Indeed. They''re all lonely. ''But I can''t believe Yashiro would allow that.'' ''Hmm?'' ''''He''s going to say, ''Don''t miss out on even one Rb of earnings. ''If you continue to push yourself too hard, you''ll eventually go bankrupt and incur immeasurable losses, you know, in business. It is only by keeping your own pace that you will eventually make a big profit. It''s not uncommon for a company to get on a roll and open up branches all over the country, only to have all but the main office go under in a flash. ...... ''I think Yashiro is right, too. Ginette approached with a smile and handed Estella a glass of water. ''Thank you,'' says Ginette with a happy face as Estella takes the water and drinks it. ''I think the secret to continuing for a long time is to walk at your own pace and without strain. In addition, I''m happy to be with you all,......, although I''m not qualified to be a manager if I say this. ...... Well, she said something like that yesterday. It''s not that I don''t like it. It''s not because of that, but... Well, why don''t you take today off? At least for now. It''s like a ...... festival, you know. I''m going to go now. Yashiro, is the qualifying round the day after tomorrow okay? ''Yeah. Any day that''s convenient for you. It''s for the selection of the representatives of the forty-two districts.'' We won''t be able to decide without the acting lord. I''ll send him a look. ''Okay. I''ll see you then. ''Okay. ''............'' ''What''s ......?'' ''No, I just thought you looked like you wanted to say something.'' Estella looks into my face. I don''t have anything to say to you. ...... Oh, I see. So this is a request. Is that so?They''re all becoming spoiled brats, aren''t they? ''Okay, okay. Have a safe trip.'' ''What''s that? ''You wanted a friendly send-off, didn''t you? ''You know, ...... I''m not that kind of spoiled brat. ...... Well, okay. Bye.'' ''Oh, go on.'' After seeing Estella off, it''s time for me to leave too. ''Well, I''ll be going with you. Take care of her.'' ''Yes, sir. Have a safe trip. Um, ......'' ''Hmm?'' I turned to see Jeannette fidgeting. ''Is it leaking?I don''t need to see you off, just go.'' ''No, I''m not!You know,......, I''m not so sure about this kind of thing,.......'' Taking a half step closer, Ginette whispered reservedly. ''I hope you''ll be back soon. ......'' ''......What?'' ''No, um, ......Yashiro-san, you''ve been working a lot lately. ......I hope you don''t overdo it too .........'' .........I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to say. ......Ginette is in pamper mode? Did I just raise some kind of flag? ''Well, I''m just going to go talk to the players who are going to participate today. It''s not such a hard thing to do. ''Yes, of course. Hahaha ...... I''m kind of useless.'' ''You''re tired, aren''t you?Magda and the others are here today, so give me a break.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll do that. When you''re tired, you miss people, you know. ''......Yashiro'' Magda came up to me quickly. He looks up at me, opens his little mouth, and says something like this. ''...... See you later. ''............ What''s that?Have a good day, usually. ''...... Have a nice day.'' ''Yeah, I''ll be there. Take care of Jeannette and the store.'' ''Hey, big brother!Don''t worry, I''m here too! ''Also, make sure he doesn''t get out of control, okay? ''...... I got it.'' ''That''s terrible, both of you!I''m not going to run off! After being sent off in such a lively manner, I headed off to Millie''s. In front of the store, Millie was taking care of some flowers. ''Hey. You''ve got a lot of energy. ''Hey, ...... ladybug. Welcome.'' She tucked the pruning shears into her apron pocket, wiped her hands on them and trotted up to me. ''I''d like to ask for a bouquet of flowers. Something not too bulky.'' ''Hmm. A ...... present?'' ''Yeah. Just something for Delia.'' I have a date with Delia, just the two of us. A date is a bouquet of flowers. That''s becoming a staple in the 42nd district. ''............ nice...'' ''Hmm?What''s wrong, Milly? ''Oh, ...... yeah. It''s nothing. I''ll pick one for you.'' Smiling, Millie begins to pick out some flowers. When I buy flowers here, I always ask Millie to make a bouquet for me. Millie has good taste. The receiver of the bouquet will be happier if the bouquet is made with good taste. ''How about something like this? Millie shows me the bouquet, looking a little uneasy. Yes, it''s perfect. ''Then, take care of it. ''Hmm ............, I''ll be right back.'' After a bit of a daze, Millie rushes into the store and wraps the flowers for you. ...... Maybe she''s never received a bouquet of flowers before because she only offers them. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you can''t find anywhere else. I guess it''s very hard to give her a bouquet of flowers that you got from somewhere else, like ....... You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. ......Maybe I should ask her out on a date sometime. .................. No, no, no. She''ll probably say no. Millie has the right to choose. I think it''s best to just send her flowers if you get the chance. ''Thank you for waiting. ''Thank you''. She takes the bouquet and asks casually. ''Speaking of which, are the flowers and plants blooming in the 42nd district under the jurisdiction of the Flower Arrangement Guild? ''Huh?...... and ...... forest are under the jurisdiction of the Flower Arrangement Guild, but the others are not. There were some beautiful flowers blooming on the riverbank. If you can make a bouquet out of them, you might be able to surprise Milly. ''Oh, ......, ladybug. As I was thinking about this, Millie gave me a discreet glance. I thought she was reminding me of the fee, but she wasn''t. ''Will you ...... go to the forest with Miri again? To the forest? Well, that''s fine with me. ''Do you want to see me get eaten by an insectivorous plant again? ''Oh, ......, no, no.'' He waved his hands in the air and gave her an annoyed look. I don''t think I''ll have time to prepare for the tournament for a while, so I''m at a loss for an answer. ''Oh, that''s right. How much food does Millie eat? ''Yeah, ...... food?It''s normal. Well, I can''t imagine Miri eating three or four bowls of rice. I don''t have high hopes for her. ''The day after tomorrow, we''re having a preliminary round of a gluttony contest. Come and watch if you want. Oh, that''s interesting. I''d like to go see it. ''You don''t mind if I join you, do you? ''Miri, I don''t eat that much.'' ''I see. Well, thanks for the flowers.'' ''Hmm!Bye, bye! Millie gave a big wave. I left the flower shop after being seen off. Now I walk alone along the path to the river where I walked with Bertina yesterday. Then I found the person I was looking for by the river where I had talked with Bertina yesterday. I waved my hand and called out to him, who had round bear ears on his head. ''Hey!Delia. ''Hmm?Oh!Yashiro! Delia, who was sitting on a large rock with a fishing line hanging down, stood up and ran over to me. She moves like a big dog that''s taken to her. I feel like petting her neck and stomach. But I don''t. ''Are you fishing? ''Oh, yeah. We''re not fishing for a while. The river fishing guild is reducing the number of fishing trips in preparation for the gluttony contest. During the preparation period, many people will disappear from the forty-two districts and consumption will be reduced. On the other hand, since salmon is one of the ingredients for the big meal on the day of the competition, they plan to fish all at once the day before the competition. They are now conserving their energy. So I came to ask her out on a date. I told her that I wouldn''t be helping out at the Sunken Pavilion today. ''So you fish too, Delia? ''Just to pass the time. She''s surprisingly good at it.She can catch fish that come close to the bait with her right hand and ''bash! With my right hand! ''...... Delia, that''s not fishing.'' It''s a very powerful move. The fish must be going, "What? The fish must be going, ''What? ''So, what''s up today?Is there something I can help you with?'' Delia''s ears perked up. This guy loves to be relied upon. If I talk to him properly, he''ll go to the tournament. But first, you have to fulfill your promise. ''Here, Delia. Here.'' She quickly presents you with a bouquet of flowers she''s been hiding behind her back. Delia''s eyes widen in disbelief at the bouquet. ''Oh? Delia tilts her head, letting out a cry of disbelief, like a baby animal. Apparently, she doesn''t understand the situation. ''You know, when we went to inspect the forty-first district before, we promised, right?Let''s go on a date, just the two of us.'' ''............ Eh, Yashiro, did you remember ...... that ......?'' ''Of course I remember. So, you see. I''m here to ask you out.'' With that, he brings the bouquet closer to Delia one more time. She moves close enough to touch the petals to her chest, and as she does so, Delia''s gaze shifts and her jaw drops. Delia looks down and stares at the bouquet of flowers that is close to her chest. ...... and . ''............ guffaw''. Large tears spilled noiselessly from Delia''s eyes. ''Whoa!What''s wrong? Why are you crying? ''Oh, no, I''m sorry, ......!No, no, not like that. ......! He looked up hurriedly and wiped the tears roughly with the palm of his hand, near the base of his thumb. ''Well,......, you,...... are like this,...... so,...... that,...... this kind of thing,...... has never happened before. I''ve never had any ............ this kind of ...... treatment like a girl ....... I''ve never been treated like a ...... girl. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Then you might cry. ...... It''s not meant to be so heavy, you know?It''s more light-hearted. ......'' ''I know, I know!It''s a date, right?I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Here, take it. Then she takes the bouquet from my hand. I hold it in both hands and bury my nose in the flowers. ''It smells good. ...... It smells like a girl. That line would be out of order if I said it. ...... But when Delia says it, it instantly becomes girlie. ''Thank you, Yashiro. I''m so happy! Even that bold smile looks like a girl''s now. Maybe she''s as maidenly-minded as Nephrite. ''Ehehe~, flowers~. I got a flower~'' Delia held up a bouquet of flowers and began to spin around. Her tail is twitching like I''ve never seen it before. If a cat were here, it would definitely pounce on her. You''re a cat''s dream. ''Well, let''s go eat some cake. ''Yes! I nodded as hard as I could and went to ...... ''......What?'' ''Heh, ...... once in a while is good, right?'' Delia put her arm around me, her face flushed with shame. Delia''s arm wrapped around mine. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ...... This kind of awkwardness gives a sense of unfamiliarity. ............ It''s so cute! I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do.The sunny pavilion?'' ''Hmm, I guess so. ......'' ''If it''s the Sunlit Pavilion, they have all kinds of cakes and I''m sure Delia will be satisfied. ...... Since we promised to have a date together today, ...... ''Why don''t you go to "Graduates" or something like that?'' ''Ooh!It''s lemon pie!I''ve always wanted to try one of those! ''Then we''re set. ''Yeah!Let''s go, let''s go! I wonder if there''s such a thing as a vigorous date. Well, I think it''s nice, just like us. At the end of the main street, near the central square, is a coffee shop with a relaxed atmosphere. The store used to serve tea, and has a slightly Japanese appearance. I wonder if dealing with tea in this world also makes you want to have a Japanese style interior. I opened the sliding door and entered the store. ''Hello, Mr. Yashiro. Welcome. The elderly owner greets you with a friendly smile. Graduates does not open a restaurant in the food court of District 41. Originally, the owner and his wife were the only ones running the restaurant. They can''t afford to expand to a branch store. ''I''ll think about selling on consignment,'' he said. If possible, we''d like more people to try it. I had suggested that we sell the lemon pie on consignment. Ask other stores to sell them together. Of course, there would be a fee for that. But of course, there would be a commission. However, the owner cannot shake the concern that the products will be sold out of his sight. If food poisoning were to occur, the name of the restaurant would be ruined at once. You can''t ask someone to sell your products on consignment unless you trust them very much. And that''s not what I came here to talk about today. ''Sorry, owner. I''m just a customer today.'' When I said that, the owner looked at Delia, who was curling her back next to me, and said, ''Oh, I see,'' her face wrinkled up happily. ''Then please take a seat in the back. It will be a little quieter for you. With such consideration, we were led to the back of the restaurant. Once seated, Delia carefully places a bouquet of flowers on the table. She turned it a little towards her so that we could see the flowers better. ''I''m going to cherish them forever~'' ''No, they''ll only last about a week, okay? ''I''ll let my guts carry me through! ''...... Don''t ask that of a flower. I''ll teach you how to make dried flowers later. ''Before the date, I have a favor to ask you. I don''t want this to go unanswered, so I''ll start the conversation first. ''Will you participate in the upcoming gluttony contest as a representative of the forty-two districts? ''What, you want me to? ''Yeah. I need your help. Please. Put your hands on the desk and bow your head. Will he be disappointed that this was the purpose of the date? If that happens, you''ll have to put him in a good mood with a delicious cake. ...... ''I''ll take care of it! Delia says loudly and clearly, as if to push all the air out of the quiet store. When I looked up, I saw a sparkling smile looking at me. ''If Yashiro relies on me, I''ll respond to him! He thumped me on the chest and said strongly. I''m glad to be relied on. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. I don''t know if it''s okay to be trusted like this,......, but I am. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Your boobs were shaking so much just now. ''What? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. Delia barked. ''Don''t joke when people are talking seriously! I gripped my fingers lightly, and the cat punch that girls often use for skinship flew at me, and the moment it touched my forehead, ...... I was informed that what I thought was a cat was a ferocious bear. ''Ngozzzz! A sound that I''ve never made before escaped my throat and nose. ...... Please don''t joke about this one. ............ This is way beyond the level of a joke... ... I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry.I just did it with the same amount of force I use on Omero. ......'' Omero ...... you''ve been enduring this kind of impact like a two-ton car crash every day? ...... I''m going to respect you a little ...... ...... in the afterlife. ''But, but, that was Yashiro''s fault, you know! ''Ah, ah ...... I''m sorry ............ for my lack of crisis management skills, I must say... ...'' ''Haha, I hope you understand.'' It would have been nice if the damage was cute and easy to get away with. ...... ''Oh, but... I eat a little bit of everything, but ...... not as much as you think.You know that, don''t you, Yashiro?You know that, don''t you? You''ve seen him eat bribes at the sunny restaurant. It''s true, Delia eats a little more than most people. But... ''What if we limit it to sweets? ''Sweets: ......? ''Yes. Your favorite sweets. The kind of sweet you usually save to avoid eating too much of.'' ''How did you know about that ......? Delia fears that if she eats too much of the sweets, she will lose her grip, so she always limits herself to one ...... serving, but she has eaten about three servings. ''......That''s right,......I eat a lot more than most people,............ ...... No, I''m as good as anyone when it comes to sweets!'' ''Even Bertina?'' ''............ No. ...... That thing is. ......'' The appetite that clouds the faces of the bear people. ''That''s great, Bertina. ''Well, well, well. You''ve got a lot going on here.'' The owner of Graduates comes in with a bottle of water. It has become a standard practice for restaurants in the 42nd district to provide free water that has been purified by water purifiers. In some bars, it''s like, ''If you don''t have time to drink water, drink alcohol. The Graduates'' water was, after all, lemon water with a refreshing scent. ''I''d like to thank you, sunny pavilion. You''ve shown me the potential of lemons. ''It''s just that I happened to know about it. Don''t think too much of it.'' ''No, no. Those ''things I happened to know'' have changed us, this city, a lot. I have no words to thank you. ''Stop it. It''s disgusting. ''Haha, Yashiro is so humble.'' ''It''s not like that! You should talk to Jeannette about that. I''m not in charge. ''Please let me serve you today. ''Oh, you did it, Yashiro!He''s giving me a discount.'' No, no, no, a discount for a date. ...... ''Owner. I don''t need your service, but can you help me out? ''I beg your pardon? ''Bake me 20 servings of lemon pie.'' ''Nijuu ......, twenty servings, sir? The old man was so surprised he looked like he was about to collapse. In fact, I wanted to say a hundred servings, but the only monsters of that level would be the Ano-two. For now, just let Delia see how much she can eat. If she can''t finish it, she''ll bring it back as a souvenir. ''Haha, I see. It''s practice for the gluttony contest. ''Well, that''s about it.'' ''Hmm...... indeed, if it''s something sweet like a cake, women have an advantage over men...... you thought of that, didn''t you, sunny pavilion-san? I''m not sure what to say. The representative is Jeannette. ''Delia, just try it as long as you don''t overdo it. ''No, you don''t mind!I always stick to one slice, but today I''m allowed to eat a whole lot? ''Ah. It''s on me. Go ahead and go ahead. I think the future of District 42 depends on how much you eat. ''Oh, ......, oh, ......, you''re having a scary good day today. ...... Oh, am I going to die tomorrow?I''m not sure if I''m going to die. You''re overreacting. I''ll bring you 20 servings of my best lemon pie. ''I''m sorry for being so reckless. I''m counting on you. ''''Purrrrrrrrrrr! ''''What? The owner disappears behind the counter, leaving behind a mysterious cry. ...... What the hell was that?It was a very curly tongue. ...... ''Ya, Yashiro ......, is that what you call "gap moe"? And anyway, let''s think that the old man just got a little excited. ...... If you think about it too much, you''ll lose. It''s the 42nd district, where regular people are extremely rare. ''Here you go, sir. Two lemon pies on a large plate are brought out. ''This is enough for sixteen people. That''s because a whole pie is divided into eight equal portions. ''Twenty servings,'' I said half-heartedly. ''That''s half the number. ''Hmm?Oh, that''s right. Delia, whose eyes were already glued to the lemon pie, seemed to have noticed that. ''It''s not good to end things on a bad note, is it? ''That''s right. ''Well then, sixteen servings at .......'' ''Owner, change to twenty-four servings. He''s going upstairs! ''Yes, sir!I''ll bring you another eight servings of my elaborate lemon pie!Pull, pull, pull! ''''What? The owner disappears behind the counter with another strange shout. ''...... Is that a rule?'' ''If I were the owner, I''d stop him right now. ......'' ''Let''s eat what''s in front of us before the next lemon pie is baked. ''Well, let''s eat. ''I''ve always wanted to eat a whole pie!Let''s eat! Delia sticks out her fork and bites into the lemon pie. ''??????????????? is delicious! She seems to like it and gobbles it up with great gusto. Oh ......, that''s enough for twenty people. I''ll take one serving and let Delia try for twenty-three servings. That should be enough. ...... I mean, we''re already halfway through the whole thing, aren''t we? I''m not sure what to do. Eat a little more calmly. You''ll choke on it.'' ''Don''t worry!Sweets are in the other throat! ''No, I don''t have that kind of throat.'' ''Owner!Another one! ''No problem, just twenty-three servings! ''Prrrrrrrr! ''Don''t accept any more! Bottom line-- Delia eats an awful lot of sweets. And we should use the lord''s money to see how good the representative of gluttony is. ...... You don''t have to eat that much. ...... Oh, he ate four holes, Delia. ...... 145-be relied on for episode 126 ''Oooohhh!The lord''s flag, the gluttony contest version! ''Wow, wow, wow! ''Whoa!I got one too! ''Yeah!Me too! The sunlit pavilion is buzzing. ''Yes, yes. I''ve put a spell on you all to make sure you win the jackpot~. I hope you win~'' Ginette is smiling and letting the kids draw the flag for the children''s lunch. Naturally, all the contents are the cheering version of the lord''s flag gluttony contest. The idea is to get the kids to wave these flags and cheer. I wonder why no one notices the scowl on Ginette''s face when she knows she''s going to hit everyone. ...... I''m sure my mom and dad already know about it. ''Hey, hey. Yashiro-san.'' One of my mommy friends calls out to me. ''How''s the tournament going in our district?Are we going to win? ''Didn''t you see how much Bertina ate? ''I saw it. That was amazing, Sister.'' ''I was surprised too. I didn''t know you had such a special skill. ...... special ability?I think it''s a chronic disease. ''But well, if Yashiro-san is here, I''m sure we can win.'' ''Huh?I''m not going to participate. ''Y~ne~. Even if Yashiro-san appears, you''ll lose easily. ''You know that much, don''t you? The mothers'' friends chuckle. Then what makes you so sure of victory? ''When Yashiro-san is around, I feel like he''s going to take care of it. ''That''s a dangerous tendency. You might have a brain disease. ''Hmmm, the way you hide your embarrassment like that is popular among your mommy friends. It''s cute.'' I''m not sure what to say....... Stop it, seriously. ''Yashiro-san is also a part of the management this time, isn''t he? ''Well, ...... what kind of fate is that? ''Then you''ve won.'' So where does that confidence come from? ''If there''s ever a time to lose, ......'' My mom''s friends looked at each other, and they all looked at me. ''''''When losing is more profitable, right? ...... They''ve got it all wrong, don''t they? The fact that I seem to have contributed to the development of the city in some small way is, at the end of the day, a result of my actions. I didn''t do it with absolute confidence. In the worst case scenario, the city could have collapsed. If I had argued with Assunto and he had come to the headquarters of the peddlers'' guild, I would have been out. There was a greater chance that my amateur knowledge of flood control wouldn''t have worked. It''s the same this time. If we''re not careful, there''s even a chance that this 42nd district will be turned into a colony of the 41st district. Don''t look at me like I''m a god. ''Yashiro Daimyojin. ''Please lead the 42nd district to victory. ''Thank you...'' ''Aren''t you guys believers in the spirit gods? I don''t even know if there''s a Daemyojin in this world. It seems that the playfulness of forced translation magic has reached its limit. ''If you want to be blessed, drop some money at the Sunken Pavilion and go home. ''Oh no, I can''t go home without eating cake if you say so...'' ''I see. Since Yashiro-san said so much, I can''t not eat it. ''Well then, I think I''ll have a shortcake after dinner. ''Me, Mont Blanc. These guys seem to be enjoying the atmosphere of the gluttony contest. Well, it''s great that they''re having a good time, but it''s not ...... Daimyojin. I''m not sure what to do.The Spirit God''s ''Gokago'' is amazing! ''Everyone won! ''Isn''t it amazing?Hey, isn''t this amazing? ''Oh, yes, yes. Not great, not great, not great. ''What? ''Not very ............, which one? It''s a great way to shut up the kids who are fussing over the winning flag. The adults have agreed not to talk to the kids about anything related to ''lord power''. If they become fanatics of the lord, it will be a big problem. Moderation is fine, moderation is fine. ''''Just eat quietly, kids! ''''''Yes, sir! The kids are happily holding their lord''s flag and biting into their children''s lunch. ...... Don''t they get bored?You can prepare several kinds of children''s lunch. ''''Um, Yashiro-san.'''' ''Hmm?What''s wrong, Jeannette? As I watched the kids devouring the children''s lunch, Jeannette came up to me and gave me a quick earful. ''I was wondering if you could add a few more varieties to the children''s lunch. ''That''s odd. I was just thinking about that myself. ''Really?'' Jeannette rolled her eyes, and then slowly her eyes arched. ''Yashiro-san is a kind man, after all. ''I''m sure you were thinking the same thing.'' ''Mmmm, we''re the same, aren''t we? He smiled, wondering what made me happy. Well, it''s good to have a full menu. ...... I wonder if I can make curry for kids? If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I''m sure you''ll be pleased. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with it. Your menu is very popular among children. ''Is that what it is?Does that mean my ideas are childish? ''Uh-huh. That counterargument might be a little childish, don''t you think? Hmm. He''s become a man of words, hasn''t he? But what the heck. ...... Being expected is not really my thing. I''m the kind of person who wants to achieve my goals without attracting attention. After that, the time passed slowly, the kids ate their children''s lunch, my mom''s friends enjoyed their cakes, and I began to feel a little sleepy, when the end bell rang in the evening sky. Sixteen o''clock. It''s almost time to finish work. ''Ginette. I''m going to go see Umaro for a bit after this.'' ''Now, sir? ''I''m going to ask him to join the tournament. He''s staying in the dormitory over there right now.'' ''Oh, I see. ......'' Dusk can make people feel lonely. That''s why I''ve taken the necessary steps. ''We''re having a pot luck tonight. ''Hot pot, sir? ''Oh. I''ve invited Mormat and Delia, so the ingredients are free! I''m sure we''ll have a delicious salmon hot pot. ''Well, I''m looking forward to it. Ginette''s smile returned. ''You won''t feel lonely if you''re having a good time. ''Well, .......'' ''Um, ......, are you leaving already?'' ''Hmm?No, I''m going to the lavatory. ''Oh, I see. The restroom is in the back there.'' ''I know that. ''It''s in our manual, sir. Ginette giggles. She seems to be into this kind of pranks lately. ''Hey, Yashiro!I''ve brought you some vegetables! ''Look at this!We''ve caught such a big salmon, it''s worth holding off on fishing! Mormat and Delia walk into the store together. They have good timing, don''t they? ''Oh, dinner? ''Well then, we''d better get going. Seeing Delia and the others, the mothers'' friends leave their seats. They pay the bill in turn and prepare to leave. ''Thanks for the food. It was delicious.'' ''Yes. Thank you very much. ''Sis, it was delicious! ''It was delicious! ''Thank you, sir. Flag, I''m glad you won. ''''Mmmmmmmmmmm! It''s late in the evening and you kids still have so much energy. Share a little of that energy with me. ''''Oichan!Bye, bye! Bye!See you later! ''See you later! ''Be careful! ''See you later! ''Watch where you''re going, or you''ll fall! ''Bye! ''Bye, bye. Bye-bye, bye-bye! The kids leave the store in a hubbub. Now, I''m going to the bathroom. ''Hey, Yashiro. I''m about to go to the bathroom when Mo-Mat stops me. ''What?I''m first.I had a reservation.'' ''Why don''t you go to the bathroom, you ......'' ''Hmm?'' Mormat made a difficult face, then waved his hand, ''No, it''s nothing. What is it?I don''t understand him at all. Oh, is that it?Did he really want to go first? If you wanted me to take your turn in the bathroom, why didn''t you just say so? Well, I won''t. I went into the bathroom, finished what I had to do quickly, and prepared to leave. When I came out of the bathroom, I saw Mo Matt at the door. ''...... s*x''. ''I''m not happy that you said that.'' Wow ...... I''m glad a girl said that to me. ...... He''s a pervert. ............ Wow...... ''Hey, Yashiro...'' Mormat, who has a habit of wanting to be abused by girls, asks me with a strangely serious face. ''You can win this gluttony contest......, can''t you? ''Don''t ask me that. Ask Delia. She''s a player.'' ''You''re the one who picked him, aren''t you? ''They''re all guys who would have been picked naturally even if I hadn''t.'' The top four are unassailable. ''But they''re the ones you''re sure you can get to, aren''t they? ''It''s ......, Mo-Mat. Are you trying to put pressure on me?'' ''No, I''m not. It''s not, but ......''. With an unusually sullen expression on his face, Mo''amat slaps me on the shoulder. ''I believe you. ...... a lot.'' What do you mean ''a lot''? It''s so creepy. I feel like I''m losing my mind. I hope none of you are trying to put all the blame on me. Maybe it''s better to lose in a big way. ''I''m preparing the pot. Come home early.'' ''Then let me go quickly. ''I''ll be waiting for you. ''You can go ahead and eat first. I pat the crocodile-faced man on the shoulder and head for the exit. On the floor, Ginette and Delia were chatting. Oh, that''s nice. It''s always more comforting to look at a beautiful woman with big boobs than to talk to a bitter old man. ............ Though the thought of going to see Umaro makes me a little depressed. Another old man. ...... ''Magda and the others will probably be back by the time I get there, so you can go ahead and eat. ''No, sir. We''ll be waiting for you when you get back. ''You''ll get fat if you eat at night. ''Oh, ......, but we still want to eat together. ......'' I see. ''Well, if I''m not back by twenty o''clock, you can go ahead and eat. ''No.'' Jeannette smiled softly and stretched out her arm to straighten my collar, as if it were a matter of course. ''I''m waiting for Yashiro-san to come back.'' That''s a bit of pressure, though, isn''t it? ''Well, in moderation. I patted Ginette on the head and left the store. ............ ''Ginette...... what''s wrong?'' ''Oh...... no............ that......'' Ginette squeezed the sleeve of my dress with a weak ...... grip. I couldn''t help but reach for the arm that stroked my head. It felt like that. ''............ that.'' ''I''ll be right back.'' ''To ......''. He gently wrapped his fingers around the fingers that were picking at his sleeve and slowly lowered his arm. ''......Yes.'' Relieved, Ginette finally smiled at me. ''...... Something''s not right. ''Then I''ll go. ''Yes, sir. Have a safe trip.'' I tried to smile, to put a smile on my mouth. But I wasn''t sure and quickly turned my head away. When I left the restaurant, Ginette followed me outside and added a few words. ''I''ll be waiting for you, making a delicious hot pot. ''Oh. I''m off. I raise my hand and start walking towards the main street. ...... It''s hard to do. These days,......, or more precisely around the beginning of the year,......, people have begun to look at me strangely. When Mormat''s field was improved with lime, when he fought off the harassment of the ruffians, and at the gluttony contest,...... the people around him said in unison. ''That''s what Yashiro is all about. ...... What do you mean by "as expected"? You may be mistaken, perhaps? If you ask Yashiro, he''ll take care of it. ...... You gotta be kidding me. I''m a fraud. The reason I''m here is to gather information about the city, to formulate a secret plan to defeat the "Judgment of the Spirits" nonsense,............, and for me to succeed as a con man in this city. .................. ''d*mn ......''. Where can I find a scammer with a face like this. ''...... Maybe it''s time to move on. Well, that doesn''t mean you have to do anything about it right now. However, I think it''s not right to just keep putting it off, saying ''tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow''. ''When the ...... opportunity arises,'' you know. But surely, that''s not now. I still have things to do. For now, ............ ''I think I''ll just go see Umaro and go back to ...... for a hot pot.'' It doesn''t have to be now. But I put that day in the back of my mind for now. I''m sure Jeannette will see right through me when I''m thinking like that. She may seem absent-minded, but she''s more perceptive than you think. We walked through the darkened main street to the carriage stop. And that''s when I met an unexpected guy. ''Hello, Mr. Yashiro. Are you going to the 41st district? It was Imelda. Imelda was riding in a large private carriage, and she poked her head out of the window and approached me. ''Would you like to join us, if you don''t mind?We have a date, just the two of us, that we promised to have. No, I didn''t make any promises to you. ...... ''Are you sure you''re okay with this impromptu date? ''I''m fine with it. You can make promises as often as you like. It''s not like you''re saving it for later. As expected of a popular girl, she has a different way of saying things. If it were me, I''d be thinking over how to make the most of that one time and let the statute of limitations expire without being able to use it in the end. If there are two tickets in front of you, one for Ginette''s titty rubbing and the other for Estella''s titty flattening, and you can only choose one of them,......, you will be looking for how to get the most profit out of it. ...... ''What do you want me to do? ''Well, I''ll take the "rubbing ticket"! ''...... What are you talking about?No, you''re talking about boobs. That was a stupid question. It''s a stupid question. ...... ''Come on in, sir. ''Are you heading to the 41st district too? ''I''m in District 40. I''m going back to my parents'' house. ''I see. Well, I''ll let you take me halfway. The attendant came down from the platform and opened the door for me. The carriage of Imelda''s house is large and has a spacious interior. ''It was designed by Mr. Yamboldo. ''Mr. Janbold is the number two at Torbek''s construction company. I haven''t seen him lately, that horse face. ''You do good work, Janbold. ''Yes. Umaro''s designs are also very good, but Yambold''s designs are more delicate and more popular with women.'' ''Wow, ...... that horse face is so delicate. ......'' Indeed, the interior of the car was designed to be pleasing to the eye and functional. If Umaro''s design was ''stunning'', Yamboldo''s design was ''beautiful''. What''s more, Torbek is full of skilled carpenters. The future looks bright. ''I''m sure Torbek''s construction company will get bigger and bigger. Maybe. Haha. I''ve made such a big deal out of it. I had the cafeteria completely renovated for a mere 640Rb, a mere pittance that Gusuya had overcharged. After that, I made sure he got his money''s worth and more. ...... ''......'' is what happened. I will not mention Gusuya''s name, but I will tell you an old story. Imelda doesn''t know anything about our past. Well, there''s nothing important that she needs to know. It was a date, and I wanted to talk about something fun. But Imelda''s expression didn''t clear up. On the contrary, it became cloudier and cloudier. It was as if she was suffering from motion sickness, and her expression was fading from her face. ''What''s wrong?Are you drunk?'' ''Yashiro-san. Would you please listen to me? ''Huh?Oh, it''s about .......'' An air of seriousness drifted from Imelda. What the hell. They all look so serious today. ''I have a rival I don''t want to lose to. Who do you think it is? ''Who''s that? ......'' That''s the only person Imelda would recognize as a rival. ''Estella, right? ''No.'' Quick answer! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. I see, ...... gouging was his merit. ''So if it''s not Estella, then who the hell is it? ''It''s Umaro.'' ''.................. Huh! ''...... you ............ don''t mean Magda?'' ''No, sir!I have no interest in those pointy-eared children. I don''t know. I don''t know, it sounds like a good way to describe a certain category of people. ...... I''m not sure what you''re talking about.You and Umaro are in completely different positions, aren''t you?'' ''No, sir. Mr. Umaro is standing far ahead of where I should be. Umaro? ''He''s trying to get the ...... Queen of Boine-Sama division, isn''t he? ......'' ''I''m not going down that road, am I? She glared at me with a mischievous look, then tidied her messy hair with a hand comb. I guess she''s a real lady, since she can make every appearance like that. That means the path she should take is probably the path of a lady. ''Yashiro-san. It''s not that I''m blaming you,......, but I''d like to ask you, do you remember ......? The first time I met Imelda was when I went to see Javier in order to attract a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild to the 42nd district. ...... That''s when I said to Imelda: ...... ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a good time. ''I don''t remember you ever saying that to me! ''Heh heh heh, I want to be pinched! ''No, you didn''t! ''Well, let''s see, ...... ''gggggggggg ......'''' ''It''s not the same when it''s ''goofy''! Well, to be honest, I do remember. But ...... I said some pretty harsh things. ...... I hope you won''t rehash them. ...... ''Mr. Yashiro said this: ...... "The most beautiful girl in the world, Miss Imelda! ''No, I said that!That''s not what you''re saying right now! ''Miss, how do you go to the bathroom every day at ......? ''Yes, I said that too, but!I''ve been thinking about it a lot, and I''m really sorry that I said such a lousy thing!I''m sure you''ll agree.It''s a little bit different, isn''t it?I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. ''I''m sorry. I was hesitant to say the words that Yashiro-san said to me. ............ Because he pointed out the bad part of me so precisely... ...'' Then you should not have bothered to say it. ...... When I was about to say it, Imelda said the words. ''The only time you need to worry about a mascot whose only claim to fame is its beauty is when you welcome it and see it off. Yes. This is the word that Imelda would hate to hear the most, as she was a bit pissed off after being interrupted in her negotiations with Javier and also being ridiculed by District 42 and Estella. I was so sure that it would be the most damaging thing for her to hear me say that I let it go, and it was so harsh that there was no way to follow it up. I knew you''d remember. ...... ''Honestly, ......, it stabbed me in the heart.'' ''...... I see.'' I think it''s funny to say ''sorry'' and apologize here. I take responsibility for my words, and at that time I had to say this much. At least, that''s what I decided. ''Honestly, ......, it was hard for me. ...... I''m being blamed so much! What should I do? Should I apologize? No, no, no. No, no, no. It would be uncool to break down right there. You''re responsible for the words that come out of your mouth. If you think it''s not a mistake, then you should be proud of it no matter what anyone says. ''...... I''ve cried for three days and three nights.'' ''I''m sorry!I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I''ll get down on my knees for you! So please don''t stare at me like that! ''......, but even if you say so, I did something that can''t be helped, didn''t I? ''I wish I had that enlightenment a couple of turns earlier ......''. My heart is also in a wispy state. ...... ''Yashiro-san. Will you listen to me? I''m not sure what to say. ''Dream? ''Yes. Don''t laugh. I want you to listen to me. I just want you to listen to me. His serious eyes stare straight at me. Thanks to the hard work of the Hammies, the road to the 41st district has been cleaned up quite well. Thanks to their efforts, the carriage does not shake at all, and the only sound inside is the regular rattling of the wheels. I''ve got to take this seriously. I''ve never seen Imelda look like this before. I thought she was joking when she said Umaro was her rival,......, but the look on her face is that of a serious, determined person. ''I am ......''. Imelda declares, right in front of me. ''I''m going to complete the branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild and become a great branch leader! It seemed like a natural dream, but ...... it was also a bit surprising to me. As the daughter of the Woodcutter''s Guild, there was no need for her to stick to the branch. If she stayed at the headquarters and hooked up with a good man who was a candidate for the heirship, her life would be safe and she would be able to live a life of fun, even if it was a little too much like before. But this guy says he''s going to work as a member of the Lumberjack Guild. When you''re a branch manager, you can''t just play around and get drunk. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s not finished yet, but when it is, that branch will be an important base, even more important than the headquarters. I want to protect and develop that base with my skills, my brain, and my beauty. The fact that beauty is included does not mean that she is abandoning her womanhood. She only wants to stand at the top of that branch as the daughter of the woodcutter guild. ''There will be various conflicts. You may be slandered. But I want to make that branch the best ...... in the city, the best lumberjack base in the world. It''s a far-fetched dream. At first glance, it seems reckless. But this guy has decided to work towards that dream, one step at a time. But why? Such a question was answered by Imelda, who had a sad look in her eyes. ''You were jealous, weren''t you? No, I''m still jealous of you. ......'' ''Envy?'' Letting out a ...... breath, Imelda changed her tone slightly. ''If you''re heading to the 41st district at this hour, Yashiro-san is probably going to see Umaro-san, right?'' ''Hmm?Yeah, you know exactly what I mean. ''All of Yashiro-san''s relations except for him will return to District 42 at night. ''I see. That''s an excellent deduction. If we''re going to see Ricardo, it''ll be at an earlier hour. If I were to go all the way to District Forty-One at this hour, the only person I''d be meeting would be Umaro. ''What are you talking about? ''No, I''m trying to get you to participate in a gluttony contest. He might be the strongest depending on how you use him. It remains to be seen how far Magda''s power will take him, though. ''...... I envy you.'' ''What about ......?'' ''Umaro-san,......, I''m really jealous of you.'' I don''t see what you''re talking about. What are you talking about? ''Did you want to enter the gluttony contest?If that''s the case, there''s still a slot open at .......'' ''No, sir.'' Imelda says, closing her eyelids and interrupting my words. When she closes her eyelids, the pungent impression becomes stronger. Then, when she opens her eyelids again, large, striking, powerful eyes are staring back at me. ''It''s you, Mr. Yashiro. ''...... me?'' Imelda''s large eyes looked at me with a surprised expression. ''If you ask, Mr. Yashiro will invite me into the same field. You''ll have the right to stand and stand with us,......, but he,......, Umaro, is different. I clenched my fists tightly. Imelda''s thin, white, delicate fingers, which seem to be only for picking flowers, are clenched tightly. Her thumbnail was red and congested. ''He''s ...... always involved with Mr. Yashiro,'' she said. He is always ...... being approached by Mr. Yashiro. ............Wumalo-san is ............relied on by Yashiro-san.'' ''That''s a thing, isn''t it? I''m just being brazen and using it for good .......'' ''That''s why I''m jealous! Imelda floats her hips and closes in on me. The sudden movement caused the carriage to shake. I reach out to support Imelda as she loses her balance, but her hand is stopped by Imelda. ''It''s not necessary,'' she said. I''ve been a boring person, just making requests and enjoying what is given to me. ...... just like a beautiful mascot. ......'' Imelda sits back down. She sits deep in her seat, straightens her back, and lets out a long, thin sigh. ''I''m going to be a worthy head of the Woodcutter''s Guild and become a worthy person. It''s a future I''ve never thought about before, but ...... I really want to try it. Imelda smiles at me with a ...... refreshed expression, somewhat relieved after talking to me. ''I''m going to be someone you can rely on, Yashiro-san ....... Both as a business partner and as a woman, I promise. No matter how many years it takes. ''...... Why me? ''Of course. Imelda says with an air of pride and a smile on her face. ''It''s because you are the only gentleman that I recognize. Clear and fresh: ...... I''m not sure what to say. You don''t even realize that I''m not worth ...... that much. ''That''s why you should go for the win in the upcoming tournament, if you''re desperate. If the city gates are not installed, my dream ...... will not be fulfilled! Deep in her eyes, she has a strong will. Not many people can have eyes like this. These are the eyes of someone who can carry out their beliefs and grasp their dreams. These are the eyes of a man who can make his wishes come true and change the world around him. ''Thank you for listening. Mr. Yashiro. I''m so glad you listened.'' ''...... Oh. I see.'' Those were the only words that came out. This is a lot heavier than a confession of love, if you ask me. ...... I don''t know if I can carry such a ...... life-threatening thought. ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''ve already arrived. Imelda opened the window and saw that she was in the main street of the 41st district. ''Well then, Mr. Yashiro. Please give my regards to that blessed fox man. Also, tell him that I won''t lose. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. You can''t understand it, then you have that level of comprehension. ''It''s a mess. When I got out of the carriage, Imelda looked out the window and left me with these last words. ''I''ve had a lot of fun since I met you. I''ll try to make you feel the same way, so please wait a little longer. Have a nice night. The carriage pulls away. ''............ huh''. That was the heavy sigh that came out of my mouth. Heavy ...... Expectations are heavy, and you ...... are overestimating them. I''m just an impostor, and my only skill is quibbling,...... ''I''m not that big of a guy, I''m ......''. I''m not going to be fooled. ............ d*mn it! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to go to the dormitory where Umaro is staying and explain everything! They''re jealous of you!That''s a good thing, I''m sure! ''Oh, no!I can''t wait to go home and have a pot with Magda! ''I''d love to join you! Whether it was by chance or aim, I caught a sea bream at a very good time. Fishing for sea bream has an amazing rate of biting. You''re a more beginner-friendly catch than a herabuna. ''What a coincidence to meet you here, Oumalo. ''I''ve just finished work and was on my way home. I just happened to be passing by and heard Yashiro''s voice. I wish things would be as simple as this. Everyone is thinking too complicated. You should live a simpler life! ...... contradicts everything I''ve ever said. ...... ''Well then, Mr. Yashiro. As if urging me, Umaro pulled my arm and tried to take me to the carriage stop. Do you want to see Magda so badly? ''Oh, yes, Umaro. There''s something I want to tell you. ''What is it? ''I''m not going to lose.'' ''...... what?'' ''Is that the extent of your comprehension? ''I don''t understand a thing! Well, I guess that''s all he is. Yeah, yeah. That''s all you are. You''re easy to deal with. I don''t get tired of being with you, you''re good. ''Ah, the carriage arrived just in time!Come on, I''m going back to the 42nd district! Umaro gets into the carriage with great enthusiasm. I''m sure he''s not even thinking about tomorrow morning. Even so, he''s sure to get the job done. ...... He''s a great guy. You''ve got a good reputation here and there. Maybe I need to change the way I interact with him. ...... ''Oh, yeah. You''re one of the competitors in the gluttony contest. Nice to meet you.'' ''Huh?I didn''t hear you! ''I just told you...'' ''Oh, no!You''re always like that, Yashiro-san!...... Well, it doesn''t matter. With that simple reply, he quickly got into the carriage. I''m in the sunshine pavilion, humming unintelligible tunes like ''hot pot~ hot pot~ hot pot with Magda~''. Yeah. This is how he should be. Ah, I feel so at home here... 146-Episode 127 Omnibus Contest 42 District Representa... Today was a very pleasant day with clear blue skies from this morning and very comfortable temperature and humidity. ''Yes, yes. I guess it''s because you''re good at what you do. ''Hey, hey. Don''t give me too much credit. You''re embarrassing me.'' ''...... If Yashiro''s behavior was good, I''d be called a saint. These are the grateful words of Estella, the head of the selection committee for the first 42nd district''s gluttony contest. Who''s a saint? You fake milk habitual criminal. ''Yashiro-san~!Estella~!We''re ready to go! In the special kitchen set up in the central plaza of the 42nd district, where the preliminary round is to be held, Ginette gives a signal with a big wave of her hand. In addition to Ginette, people from the restaurants in the 42nd district are busily moving around behind the kitchen. They have to keep cooking for the gluttony. Today might be the hardest day for them. ''Magda and Sister Bertina, Delia and Umaro won''t be participating because they''ve been selected as players. ''If we let them participate, some of the cooks will die. No one has ever cooked for a gluttony contest before. The cooks of the three districts are supposed to prepare dishes for the gluttony contest. This was also a preliminary exercise for that. During the meeting with the lords alone, Ricardo brought up a suggestion. "If there is a delay in the cooking and the players are kept waiting, the ward in charge of the cooking should be penalized. Pacing is important in gluttony. If you wait too long, you''ll get bloated. This is an additional rule to prevent the disadvantaged districts from using the cooks to do so. Besides, it is not good if the game is lost due to untimely cooking. ''After all, this has turned into a rather large tournament, hasn''t it? ''It''s a district-wide event with the participation of the entire territory. Incidentally, all stores in District 42 are closed for the day. In order not to leave a bad taste in their mouths, they have asked their lords to take the blame. No one complained, though. Oh, you''re allowed to go back to work in case of emergency, no need to apply. There may be many emergencies, such as a chicken escaping or a cow giving birth. You are free to do as you please. ''......Yashiro''. When I was almost finished setting up the venue, Magda came to me with the members who had already decided to participate. ''...... Magda and the others want to join us.'' ''You''re a murderer! ''You mustn''t use harsh words, Yashiro-san. ''...... Juru.'' ''Don''t you dare let out a noise! If these guys participate, there will be a lot of deaths from the cooks, the food in the forty-two districts will be depleted, and the big tits will decrease drastically due to lack of nutrition. We can''t allow that! It''s not like that. We just want to get used to the atmosphere of the game. ''What are you talking about like a player? ''We''re players!Yashiro-san chose us. ''Surely, it''s better to have them experience it at least once than to do it on the spot. ''Hmmm ......, that''s true .......'' ''Whee! We heard a strange voice in the distance, and then Ginette came running towards us at a great speed. ''Ah, ah, ah, ............, people are going to die. I''m seriously freaked out. His eyes are so serious. ''It''s okay, Jeannette. We''re just enjoying the atmosphere,......, right? Let''s keep it to an eighth of an ounce. ''Two portions, please! ''...... You''ll starve to death, won''t you? ''There''s no one in this world who will starve to death after eating more than one serving of food. Ginette''s earnest plea was heeded, and Bertina was allowed to participate on the condition that she would eat no more than two portions, and Magda would not eat any "red moya". As for Delia, as long as you don''t serve her sweets, she''ll eat a little more than normal. ''Oh, what about ...... me?Are there any restrictions? ''No Magda''. ''That''s just mentally painful!It doesn''t matter how much you eat! ''Then ......''. I put my mouth close to Magda''s cat ears and secretly spout a certain line. Magda nods in agreement with my intentions. Then ...... ''...... Magda doesn''t like people who eat too much. ''I''m the kind of person who can fill up on two grains of rice! ''...... Hey, Yashiro. It is good that it is easy to handle, but ...... it is not suitable for the selection of the gluttony competition, isn''t it? I had no choice but to let Magda say, ''...... in moderation today. ''Can we overcome ............ that ordeal in real time ...... the food the sisters eat?'' He''s got a very serious look on his face. No, it''s true that Bertina eats at a level that would make a wanker''s mum cry. This time, she said she would stop at halfway. ............ I wonder how many servings Bertina''s halfway stomach would be in the end. ...... And then, Natalia, who was organizing the participants and spectators, comes over. ''Yashiro-sama, Ojou-sama, and many others. ''Who are the others? ''But I can understand your respect for them by addressing them as ''sama'', so why not? Bertina soothes an angry Delia. Umaro wants to argue, but there are so many beautiful women that he can''t say anything. ''The seating is fine, no major disruptions. ''Yes. Good.'' ''The seats designed by Mr. Yashiro are easy to see from any seat, so I guess it was difficult for people to complain. I had handed Umaro several design drawings for this setup. The spectator seats were set up in a fan shape around a long horizontal table that would serve as the stage for the gluttony, in a staircase-like structure that rose from the front row to the back. No matter where you are seated, you will never be out of sight. After the potluck, Umaro seemed to have been working on this setup until late at night. ''You haven''t slept enough, have you? ''No, I slept. If you assemble it to some extent, you can do it quickly in the morning. The assembled special set. It''s really like a TV show. ...... Should I have worn my sunglasses and all back?''Did you get a haircut? And say. ''But there''s one problem. ''What''s the problem?'' ''There are more people than we expected to attend, and we don''t have enough seats. Natalia said that more than forty people had expressed interest in attending. We were expecting at most a dozen or so people to show up, but ...... we may have ignited a fire at the briefing for the people. ''Apparently, there are many people who want to try the special menu that will be served this time. ''Ah, ...... I see.'' It''s not that I''m confident in my gluttony, but I want to try a new menu that I rarely get to eat. There are a lot of people who want to participate in the commemoration. ...... That''s a problem. I''m not sure what to do, Yashiro.You can''t have enough money to pay for all of that. ''Right. I''m not sure if that''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I don''t want more people to think, ''Well, I''m in! I don''t want more people to think that. It''s inevitable. I''ll have to cut them off. ''Foot-cutting? I went to the special kitchen and talked to the owner of Lemon and the other cake stores. First, we have to qualify for the competition. The food, the cakes! ''Each of you go back to your store and bake a cake as soon as possible. I''ll keep feeding it to you until there are ten participants! ''Um, but ......, won''t I lose my lunch for the adults if I do that? ''Don''t worry!The cake is a separate meal! However, if you fill up the other stomach first, the pressure on the main stomach won''t be half as great! ''Then, how about this? Estella comes up with a modification to my idea. ''Let''s divide the participants into two groups and let them choose which way they want to go. There were a lot of women, and if they can eat a variety of cakes, I think some of them might prefer that. ''But that would mean that the ''me and mine'' people would have to go to .......'' ''I''ll leave that to you.'' Natalia puffed out her chest and showed a crisp expression. ''Anyone wishing to participate after this will have to defeat ...... me first.'' ''Let''s just close it normally.'' ''Yes, that''s right. I''m sure you''ll understand. ''What are you going to do if someone gets hurt? ''...... That kind of provocation should be avoided because Norma and the others will be amused by it.'' ''It''s an all-out attack, me. It''s a good thing I did it for the best of reasons and it backfired. ...... I''m sad, Yashiro, please comfort me ASAP. ''From what angle are you going to spoil me?I''m not sure what to do. So, without having to think too much, the problem was solved in the simplest and easiest way. One word, ''I''m already on deadline,'' and it''s over. Yes, people can understand each other if they talk. As Estella had predicted, we divided the event into the cake category and the lunch category for adults, and we ended up with 27 people for the cake and 18 people for the lunch for adults. It''s hard to make lunch for adults. In the actual event, I only need to make enough for three people, so I don''t need to practice this hard. ''Eighteen dishes at one time? ...... How many times will the flag of our restaurant appear? ''I hope you get four rounds. With that kind of fun on our side, the selection committee for the gluttony contest began. ''Whoa!This is amazing!It''s amazing!Nepheli, you''re shoveling in the Mont Blanc with unrivaled ferocity!Who could have predicted that he would slurp up the characteristic thin cream of Mont Blanc like a noodle?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''No,......, it would be physically impossible.'' ''What are you talking about, big brother!Cakes are every girl''s dream!There''s nothing impossible about dream food! ''No, it''s ...... physically ...... well, okay.'' ...... This guy is strangely adept at it. In the beginning, the contestants seemed to be groping, but the long time limit of forty-five minutes worked wonders, encouraging a good sense of rivalry. ''Oh, no. Paula''s hands have completely stopped!It seems that his bravado was only at the beginning. ''Don''t be annoying, Loretta!We''re about to make a comeback, so shut up and watch! ''I can''t shut up, I''m a live person!I can''t shut up! ''You''ll have to remember that later! Because of Loretta''s encouragement of the participants, everyone was starting to get upset. The women were devouring the cake as if they were pouring out their resentment, worries, and other negative emotions that they had accumulated in their bodies. And some males. ''Gah ......, my mouth is so sweet! ''I think I might be on the verge ......''. There are extremely few yaplocks on Mo Mat compared to other female players. ...... Why did she join the cake one ............ ''Yap Lock commented before the game, "As someone who works with caramel popcorn, I thought it was only natural to enter the sweet one."'' ''That''s a big misinterpretation. And he''s making corn, not caramel popcorn.'' ''Mo Mat is a ...... well, perhaps he just wanted to be surrounded by young women.I''m Erowani.'' ''No, you''re not!I''m sure you''ll agree with me. The girls on either side of Mo Mat shifted their chairs to get away from Mo Mat. Pfft, that''s not fair. ''I have a sweet tooth like this! ''Then you should eat more economically. ''...... No, two is enough. ...... I guess you shouldn''t eat too much at once. The crocodile plops down on the desk, letting out a pathetic whine. This guy is no good. He lacks the guts that are most important for an athlete. ''Well, well, well, Mr. Mormat, I guess I''m going to have to retire. But he doesn''t leave his seat, he just wants to be surrounded by young girls. I''m Erowani. I told you that''s not true!And don''t move away from the girls on either side of you! Mormat followed, and Yap Lock gave up. The sight of Cheryl running up to him and biting into the leftover cake made me smile. ''Big brother ......, Yap Lock''s daughter is only five years old, so please stop looking at her with such disreputable eyes ......''. ''You''ve got some nerve, don''t you, Loretta? Do you want a taste of that?A real erotic look from me? ''One minute, Master Yashiro.'' Natalia, the watchmaker, gives the signal. The bell rang loudly in time. ''I will not be defeated!I''m not going to lose! ...... Moooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ''What? I''m not going to lose either!...... churun! The bell rings one minute before the end of the race, and the players make their final spurt. But there was no more room in their already swollen bellies. ...... In the end, the cake category ended with Nepheli''s victory. ''It was a great battle!The winner, Nepheli, showed us a new way to eat cake. He showed us a new way to eat cake, a way worthy of a champion. It''s a far cry from the girl from some tavern who skipped her job as a cook and joined the tournament because of the cake. You''re talking about me, aren''t you, Loretta? Paula, who was down from eating too much, woke up and bared her fangs. I don''t know if these two are close or not. ''That was a lot of eating, Nephrite. That''s what Estella said after the game was over. It''s true that he ate a lot more than the others, but I can''t deny that the others were too ordinary. First of all, Delia eats far more sweets than me. ''Yasiroro! The winner, Nephrite, comes running up to the live seat. ''Hehehe, I won. ''Congratulations. ''Oh, well, I''d better get going. Mr. Nefari, please play the game. ''Yes, yes. Good luck.'' Since Loretta was going to participate in the adult lunch division, she passed the baton to Nepheli. Nepheli sits next to me, and Estella and Nepheli are on either side of me. With me between them, Estella calls out to Nepheli. ''How was it, how do you feel about it? ''Well, it only tasted good at the beginning, and the second half was just painful. ...... I don''t want to see Mont Blanc again for a while. Nepheli rubs his stomach and lets out a chuckle. He really looks like he''s in pain. ''It''s a long time, forty-five minutes. ''That''s the point. Rather than a fight that can be decided in an instant, a fight that takes time and involves psychological warfare is more interesting to watch. It also creates drama. The current battle proved this point. The participants seemed to be getting excited and the audience was shouting a lot. People are moved by people who are serious. A first-rate swindler is not necessarily a better talker than anyone else. A really good swindler is a good mind actor. --''I''m ...... the first person I''ve ever felt this comfortable with. ...... I''m having so much fun right now.'' --''What the hell are you doing?If you don''t start now, you''ll never be able to change! --''There''s a hungry little boy in my house ......'' --''I really want to support your dream. Let''s grab your dream together! The use of joy, sorrow, anger, and emotions to move others to do what you want has been used for a long time. Humans have a habit of trying to identify with those who are close to them. It is fun to be with people who say that they enjoy spending time with you. When someone seriously scolds you for your inadequacy, you feel angry at yourself for not responding to them. Crying it out is one of the simplest and most popular scam tactics. It''s easy to make people feel sorry for you. Our paths are different, but our futures are the same. It is fun to spend time with such friends. For that time, ...... people pay money, and later regret that it was a scam! And then regret it. All of these methods are often used in pyramid schemes and painting schemes. The suspension bridge theory of love, for example, shows how easy it is to mislead people by synchronizing their emotions. If you spend a long time emotionally rooting for the contestants, people''s hearts will naturally overlap and become one. By aiming at the same goal, individual existence is integrated into a larger will. ...... sounds like a shady religious figure, but ...... That''s it. It''s like a cultural festival. We prepare together, stay at school until midnight, stay up all night, go shopping, etc. We share a special feeling by doing unusual activities. What awaits them afterwards is a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that is hard to obtain, and those who have experienced it have gone on to have best friends or lovers. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... As you can see from the above, the people who can work hard to prepare for the festival are the ones who can be fulfilled. And this contest is the perfect place to create such a sense of unity. Stores from the forty and forty-two districts are lined up in the forty-first district, and people from the three districts are jammed together. It is a heterogeneous space. A serious game is held there. The rule is that the losing district must unconditionally accept the winning district''s request. With such favorable conditions, and by doing preparatory work, even if it is forced, as we are doing now, the people of the 41st district, who have become entrenched in a trivial sense of selection, will become a little more unified. Eliminating the extreme disparity is the quickest way to eliminate conflict. Of course, it is impossible for everyone to be equal, and if that were the case, there would be no competition and development would stop. That''s not my point. What I fear is that the extreme disparity will create the lowest of the lowest who will not have the energy to climb up. When there is nothing left to lose, people will show no hesitation in taking. We need to take action before that happens. Well, eating good food and making a lot of noise is a good way to get rid of your daily frustrations. Cheer loudly, be happy if he wins, and be disappointed if he loses. And at the end of the day, if you hear the words, ''This tournament was the best,'' the people sweating in the 41st district will feel rewarded. ''Forty-five minutes. Quite dramatic, wasn''t it? ''It was pretty dramatic, though, wasn''t it? ''That''s why the audience is so moved by it. And now he''s saying to Neffery, ''Well done! Good job! and ''Good job! Hmm, who is it?Who''s the one who just said, ''Don''t look at Nepheli-chan in an erotic way! Who just said that?Is there anyone other than Percy who''s so peculiar? ...... I''m not sure what to do. The adult lunch section is ready. Natalia reports in. Natalia''s position is that of a director, balancing the whole thing. ''Ginette!Is everything alright over there? ''Yes, yes!I''ll do my best! The kitchen was full of enthusiasm. ''Well, Mr. Yashiro, the commentator. Is there anyone you''re interested in?'' Nepheli, for his part, is quickly becoming a real-life commentator. He must really like this kind of thing. I wonder if he''s an aspiring actress. ''Well, let''s see how long Bertina and Magda can hold out. ''...... Don''t worry.'' ''Mm-hmm. I''ll be fine. I''ll hold out for a quarter of an ounce. ''That''s two portions, Sister! Magda is okay, but ...... Bertina, if you love Ginette, you should listen to me. If you''re not, you''re not going to know what''s going to happen to Ginette''s life. ...... sounds like a kidnapper''s line, doesn''t it? I''m not the only one.I''m here too!I''m a very popular player! I''m sure you are, but what do you think, Yashiro? He waved his hand to show his presence, and Nepheli dutifully picked up his words. I don''t know what I think. ...... ''Well, it''s normal, right? ''Yeah. I think it''s normal too. ''Those two are saying some terrible things!I''m not normal! I''m not normal!'' Loretta replied in a normal way. I don''t get the impression that he''s a glutton. Well, he''s more of a show-off than the others, and has the guts to take reckless risks. ''Well, let''s keep an eye on how long it takes Loretta to throw up after eating. ''I''m not going to throw up!I don''t take food for granted! No, I don''t think that''s the point, is it? ''Now, finally, the new specialty of the 42nd district, the lunch for adults, has been brought in front of each player! The audience shouted, ''Oh! from the audience. It seems that the level of expectation is quite high. The markings of the restaurants stuck into the meatballs are eye-catching. ''Come to think of it, the inventor of the idea, YODAMARI-TEI, doesn''t have an emblem or a mark for his restaurant, does he?What did you do with it?'' Nephrite asked in a tone of voice like an announcer. I can''t help but wonder where he learns to do that, but since he asked, I''ll answer. ''Our specifications are much easier to understand. Here, look at the lunch for adults that Jeannette just brought in. ''Let''s see, ......?That''s right, I get it! That seemed to be a genuine surprise. As Nepheli gazed, and as the eyes of the audience, intrigued by Nepheli''s words, focused on him, the flag of the Sunlit Pavilion stood. On the flag, which does not have the store''s emblem, the word "Yojimaritei" is written in large letters across the flag. The colors are black and white with strong brush strokes as if drawn with a brush, but the result is quite impressive. Although familiar in Japan, "signboards with store names" are not so common in the world over here. This will be quite conspicuous. Incidentally, these flags - as well as the flag of the children''s lunch - are made by me carving a piece of wood into a stamp. If you soak it with ink and press it on a piece of paper, it becomes a flag. ''Oh, I think I want that flag ......''. Nephrite''s casual muttering is what we''re after. You want a flag?Then buy it and eat it! If you want to buy one, go to the food court in District 41 or any of the stores in District 42. The menu includes hamburgers, fried shrimp, hexenbiest sausages, meatballs, ...... salad, and many more. Announcer Neffery looks over the materials and gives his impressions. ''Fried shrimp is Yashiro''s idea, right? ''It''s something that''s eaten in my hometown. I didn''t come up with it.'' ''I''ve never had them. Of course not. I just recently taught it to a restaurant that serves shrimp. After all, bread is a luxury food in this city. The idea of using bread crumbs is unheard of. But bread crumbs can be used even for hard black bread. The batter was a little tough, but the shrimp turned out to be firm and crunchy. It was delicious. ''What do you serve from the Sunda-mari-tei? ''From us, it''s grilled salmon and Napolitan.'' ''Napolitan? ''That red pasta.'' ''What?There''s more than just meat sauce and tomato sauce in the pasta at the Sunlit Pavilion! ''I taught it to Jeannette last night, and we''re going to show it off for the first time today. ''Wow, I wish I could have eaten that! The fashionable girl, Nepheli, is very fond of pasta. She must have wanted to eat the latest pasta before anyone else. She looks very disappointed. ...... So, did she also sip on the Mont Blanc?Is that too much to ask? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. We couldn''t drop the grilled salmon because of what happened with Delia. We are the only ones who deal in salmon. Delia has always been a good friend of mine, and I wanted to help her improve the status of river fish. ''Yashiro...... hard. I ...... am getting hungry.'' Nepheli, who had eaten a lot of cake and looked distressed, rumbled when he saw the adults'' lunch. It''s funny you guys have separate stomachs. ''We''re ready, sir. With a signal from Natalia, it was time to begin the adult lunch category of the gluttony competition. The bell rang loudly, and the participants began to bite into the food in front of them. ...... Bertina finished her first plate before anyone else. Ginette''s complexion is turning pale. If you eat three plates, I''ll force you to quit. ''There are a lot of players showing off their amazing eating skills. They''re all fired up! The fists are clenched, and Nephrite''s play-by-play is enthusiastic. The audience cheered, and the competition became very exciting. There were those who flew at a light pace, those who kept their own pace, and those who were too conscious of the other competitors and got carried away. ...... There is one thing that all the competitors have in common. ''Delicious! ''Delicious! ''Oh, man!Seriously! They all look delicious. I also tasted it, and I can confidently recommend it as a high standard dish. ''As the person who invented it, I can''t lose! Loretta is fighting hard with a strange pride. Best of all, she''s eating it like it''s good. Good point. If there''s an extra slot, I''ll put him in. It might be a good advertisement if we put him in at the turn of the cuisine of District 42. Hey, Yashiro. Imelda''s participating too.'''' ''Seriously? ''...... I wonder what she''s doing, she''s not allowed to participate in the gluttony contest due to her position.'' Among the participants was Imelda, who was eating elegantly while holding her blonde hair with one hand. His position makes it difficult for him to represent the 42nd district,......, but his family members are influential figures in the 40th district. I''m sure I''ve told him that I won''t select him to represent the 42nd district because I don''t want him to be suspected of any shady dealings or manipulations. ...... Well, at least the selection committee is good. ''You''re not going to win at all, are you? Imelda gobbled up the sausage, which she had cut into small pieces to fit in her tiny mouth, with great grace. ''Oh, that''s quite something,'' she said, holding her mouth in her hands and rolling her eyes. ...... It looks like she''s just eating a normal meal. ''I don''t think you need to pay any attention to it. I''m with Estella on this one. Let''s just leave her alone and leave her when she''s full. ''Also, Regina is joining us. ''Seriously? ''Where is she? Someone more surprising than Imelda has come out. Estella and I stare at where Nephrite is pointing. ''I can''t ...... eat if people are watching me ......''. Regina ducked under the table to avoid the gaze of the crowd and didn''t touch her food at all. ...... What the hell is he doing out here? No, seriously. ...... forced them to. ''You can still go, okay? ''I would like to discuss the significance of experiencing ...... forty-five minutes.'' ''What the heck, I''m not done yet! However, those who ...... eat three plates of food before the others have even started the second plate should be asked to leave. I think it''s enough for you guys to do it on the spot. After that, Umaro also finished one plate and retired, saying, ''I''m moderate today. Well, this is what Umaro looks like when he is not under the influence of magda. He should be awakened, that''s all. The selection committee will continue with the rest of the team. Let''s see what kind of drama ...... will be created in the next forty-five minutes! It''s been forty-three minutes at ....... ''I can''t eat anymore. ''......Zzz'' ''That was delicious. ''Let''s go eat again. ''Can I have this flag?No, my son is... ......'' All of them stopped eating as soon as their stomachs were full. This is just a normal lunch!This is no time to be talking about how delicious it is to eat outdoors! ''If this is the case, we shouldn''t have let Bertina and the others retire. ''Then the top three would have eaten well, and the cooks could have practiced. The cooks showed a relaxed expression. Because after twenty minutes, there were hardly any more orders. At any rate, Loretta is still eating, but ...... well, it''s not something to be seen. ''Cantalcica''s sausages are great when you''re ...... hungry, but when you''re full, they''re awful and sticky like ...... the sign girl.... ...'' ''Hey, Loretta!You''re talking about me, right? I''m barely eating. That''s the level. ''Maybe it was a failure as a selection committee.'' ''It''s not a failure, it''s a complete failure. I stand corrected on Estella''s naive assessment. There''s no way we can choose who will fill the other two spots. ''Well, you don''t have to declare it in advance, so you can just wait and see what happens. ''Well, even if I don''t win ...... in the top three, I''m going to use Umaro to decide. It doesn''t matter if it''s Loretta, Nepheli or Paula. ''Well, this time, .......'' ''Well, I''ve found out that it''s good for adult lunches, so that''s good. ''That was a flashy advertisement, ......'' In the end, it turned out to be the unveiling of the new menu for the 42nd district. Oh well. The bell rings loudly, and the forty-five minutes of fierce fighting comes to an end. ...... It was a very slow battle. I hope you will think about how to pace yourself so that you don''t have to do this in the real fight. I''m not sure what to say.I''ve eaten the most! The winner was Loretta, who had eaten six dishes, a record that was great by normal standards, but not so great in terms of gluttony. Hmmm ......, that''s what I thought. Whenever Loretta is involved, it''s like this: ...... ''It''s normal. ''It''s terrible!I''ve worked so hard! The other two slots will be selected based on the situation. 147-Episode 128 Pharmacist of Lonely Height (?) ''Hey, Dusty, how are you?Huh?Hey, you''ve gotten bigger while I haven''t seen you for a while. I think they''ve grown about two sizes.It was only a pinch before this, but now it''s about a handful. Huh~, time flies. What do you mean, you''ve become a little more beautiful?Are you in love?Maybe you''re in love?Do you have a love sickness? ''You seem to have a different disease, though. ''Oh, dear! I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s a good move for a ...... recluse. I''m not sure how long you''ve been in there. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it now. ''How, how, how did you get in here? ''No, the door was open as usual. ''If the door was open, would they come in by themselves? ''Of course they would. It''s a drugstore. ''Are you a customer? ''I''m a customer! This is, as they say, Regina''s house. It sounds good to say that it''s the head office of the Pharmacists Guild ......, but it''s not that big of a deal because Regina is the only one who belongs to the Pharmacists Guild. It''s just an ordinary apothecary with little sunlight. It''s a normal apothecary with little sunlight, but the unique scent of this medicine is a little calming and I like it. Don''t tell anyone I said ......, though. ''You should at least clean it. You''re dealing with medicine.'' ''Idiot. I do that a lot. Cleanliness first. I''m not negligent about hygiene. I clean it up every day!...... except for this one corner. So, why don''t you just do that one? ''When there''s no more dust, who should we talk to? ''First of all, don''t talk to Dusty. ......'' I might have to make regular visits to this guy''s house. ...... ''So, what do you want today?Just so you know, I''m not giving you Dusty.'' ''No, thank you! I feel like calling 100 number 100 number. d*mn ......, they''re not going to travel to another world, are they? ''You said you were a customer, but if you''re a drug addict, isn''t that where you went to get your refill the other day? ''Oh, no, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean a customer who came to buy medicine, I meant a ''visitor'' who came to ask you for a favor. ''...... I''m not really into eroticism... ......'' ''Why are you assuming that my request is erotic and then proceeding to talk about it? And don''t lie to me. Half of Regina''s body is made up of rotten pornography. ''I''m here to ask you to participate in the tournament. ''No, you can''t! That was a very strong and immediate answer. Regina turned her back to me, squatted down on the floor, put a cushion on her head, pressed it tightly against her head with both hands, and started shaking. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. When I went to the Sunlit Pavilion to restock the medicine, the manager was in a really good mood, so I asked him, "What''s wrong?Did something good happen to you? ...... That was a mistake in the first place. ...... After that, the manager looked very happy and said, "Why don''t you join us, Regina? After that, the manager was very happy to say, "Would you like to join us, Regina?" After that, the manager was very happy to say, "Oh, it might be bad for the manager if I refuse. ...... Well, I can just eat something. ......" I thought, "Sure, I''ll join." I want to poison myself at that time. I want to poison myself!They were watching us so much!We were being watched so much!It''s not like we''re having dinner!It''s not like we were having dinner! Apparently, he was quite traumatized by being made to sit in front of the audience. In the event you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. You can find a lot more information on this at ....... I''m not sure what to do.I''m not going to be in the game! ''We''re not in. You never ate a single bite of food in the first place. ''It''s a gluttony contest. I want you to be there as a pharmacist just in case. ''...... as a pharmacist?'' ''Yeah. You''re the only one I can count on. Please.'' ''............ I mean.'' Regina was silent for a moment, then asked in a cool voice. ''You want me to dope you up? ''No, I''m not! What do you mean by doping gluttony? Does that drug make you starve?If such a drug exists, I''ll have it disposed of right there! ''Some people might get sick from eating too much, right?There''s a few guys in our group who might be tempted to go crazy at a big tournament. ''Oh, that fox guy. ''Umaro is fine. He''s only good for recklessness.'' ''Yeah. That''s a good position to be in, fox man.'' ''Shall I include you in the mix? ''No thanks. I''m a girl.'' ''Oh, that stuff that makes your hair shine.'' ''Wakame seaweed, that''s...'' I like my miso soup. But that''s not it! The words came out in bursts. I really don''t need to worry about talking with this guy. It''s so easy here. ''Well, if that''s the case, I''d be happy to help you out, but ............ there seem to be a lot of people ......''. ''You''ll be fine with me, right?I''ll protect you.'' ''What? Regina looks at me like a prairie dog that has sensed the presence of a predator. She has eyes like a common marmoset. ''Are you saying that you ...... are aiming for that kind of thing? ''I don''t mean anything by it. Just take it in stride.'' I just meant that if you''re around me and you get sick from all the staring, I can take care of it right away. ''Well, that''s a bit tasteless, isn''t it ......? ''Then what do you want me to do? I''m not sure what you mean by that. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please feel free to contact us at ....... In the event that you''re in a position to do this, you''ll be able to do so with the help of your own personal consultant. ...... You son of a b*tc*. ''...... Regina.'' He shouted lowly and leaned towards Regina. ''What the hell ......, you suddenly sounded serious and then ............ to ...... what?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I lean in closer and push Regina to the edge of the wall, then put one arm on the wall. It''s a wall slam. ''Hey, wait a minute,......, don''t take it too seriously,......'' ''Regina. I need you. Just shut up and follow me. Stay with me until I say it''s okay.'' ''...... a little ............ and that''s ......... ...'' Regina''s eyes trembled slightly. I tried to attack Regina in this way, imagining the kind of genre she might like. ...... It seems to have had an extraordinary effect. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... What? ''Are you serious? ''What''s that tsukkomi? Raising both arms, Regina pushes my body away and runs away to a larger space. I think her face is hot, and she''s flapping her hands in the air. ''You''re a blabbermouth, aren''t you!Why are you listening to me so seriously?Are you a good boy?Are you a good boy?I''m just waiting for your advice!You know what I''m talking about!I''m not an amateur! No, I''m an amateur. ...... What?Did you think I was a comedian? ''You''re a codger!You''re just what they say you are, aren''t you? ''What kind of rumors are going around? ''If you use polite language, it''s ''Mitarashi''! ''No, ''Mitarashi'' is different. Who''s the dumpling, who''s the dumpling? They''re not on skewers, and they''re only children. ''I''m scared! I''m scared! As expected of a womanizer who goes around spitting on every beautiful woman in the forty-two wards. ''Who''s spitting on whom? I''m sorry. Don''t talk about me like I''m an uncontrolled womanizer. ''Too bad for you!No one can free my tits! ''Wow, ...... she''s declared herself a bachelor for life. ......'' ''......!What?...... I''m not a ............ person anyway.'' Well, if you don''t go out, you won''t meet anyone. ...... There aren''t many people who can match the tension of this guy. ...... Me?I''m sorry, I''m just kidding. ''Well, ...... in the future, I''m going to be cared for in the sunny pavilion, so it''s okay. ''Hey you! Don''t bother Ginette. ''When I''m in the restaurant, I can serve you medicinal herbs.Eat and be healthy, medicine and food are the same.'' ''Your medicines are all full of weird side effects. You can''t feed that to your customers. ''Variety is good, right? I don''t want that kind of rich variety. This isn''t a training school for reaction comedians, sunny side up. But there are plenty of things that are good for you as ingredients, even if they''re not medicines. Regina rifled through the wooden medicine cabinet by the wall. ''There it is,'' said Regina, placing on the table an ochre-colored plant root similar to hineginger, turmeric. ''This is called turmeric,'' she said. It''s really good for you. ''There''s also turmeric in this town, isn''t there? ''What, do you know turmeric? ''Yeah. It''s good to take before drinking, it''s very useful in my hometown. There''s also turmeric, which is often used in cooking. I didn''t know that turmeric is the English name for turmeric until I was much older. Turmeric rice, turmeric drink, and other products with their own names were available. ''If you anagram the name, you can''t put it on the table, though. Don''t make vulgar gags. ...... Is that what turmeric is called in Regina''s country too? What an unlucky plant this is,...... ''Also, there''s this. ''Oh, it''s coriander seed.'' ''That''s great, me. I''m losing confidence.'' ''I just happen to know it. Coriander seeds are often sold as a spice in Japan. When used as a spice, it is often called cilantro, but the fresh leaves are probably better known as pak choi.In China, it''s called shanzhai, which means "fragrant greens. ...... Well, I guess pak choi is more famous. I''m more familiar with cilantro. I''m more familiar with cilantro, but the seeds and leaves have completely different aromas, and I like them both. ''I''m not a fan of pak choi .......'' ''Well, it''s unique, isn''t it? I can''t help but feel the significance of the ''forced translation magic'', as it can be understood by both cilantro and pak choi. ''Cilantro is excellent for dizziness, abdominal pain, detoxification, insect control and many other effects. ''I''ve heard that it was used as an aphrodisiac. In medieval Europe, coriander was used as an aphrodisiac. Well, Europeans are said to be aroused by body odor and the scent of sweat. ...... It''s an aphrodisiac that''s unlikely to work in Japan. ''Become erotic~! ''Stop it!Don''t smack me in the face with the pak choi!It stinks! Apparently, I call it cilantro when it''s dried and pak choi when it''s fresh. Well, I''m sure Regina understands the same word, so there''s no need to worry about it. ''Whoa!The effect of the aphrodisiac makes you look very erotic! ''You''re born with a face! I stroked my face with pak choi and it became more erotic. ...... With a claim like that, it won''t even sell in the midnight mail order. I''m sure you''ll like it.Why don''t you take a look at the other ones?There are a lot of them, but not all of them are used, right?Some of them don''t see the light of day very often. Since you''re here, why don''t you take a look? Regina runs happily to the medicine cabinet. She''s probably gathering all the ingredients to make the best medicine. But there''s no one to show it to. There''s no one to talk to. And since he''s the only one who deals in herbal medicine, he can''t talk to the people in the Pharmacists Guild either. The major apothecary in this town is the apothecary guild, which is different from the apothecary guild, but they seem to be making medicines using something called "magic herbs" that have magical powers. It''s like "herbs" or "potions" in RPGs. It''s highly effective, but it''s expensive, and the people of District 42 couldn''t afford it. Thanks to Regina, medicines have become more affordable and more accessible. It wouldn''t be wrong of me to at least talk to her. ''Mmmmmmmmmm...'' Regina hummed as she rifled through the medicine cabinet. Surprisingly, she is a good singer. Or rather, her voice is clear and pleasant to the ear. It''s a soothing voice. It''s a voice I''d like to hear as a lullaby. It''s fun to talk to Yashiro, isn''t it? ...... Yashiro? Did he just call me by my name? It''s usually ''myself''. ''......? I''m not sure if she realized what she said, but Regina turned around and froze for a few seconds, looking like a lizard stuck to a shelf. Gradually, her cheeks grew hot and her nose swelled. When the water boils, it looks like steam is coming from his nose. If the water is boiling, you might hear steam coming from your nose. ''I think you''re just imagining things! ''...... Well, at least I think it, so it''s not a lie. He''s too nervous to say anything funny. It''s okay, it''s okay. I''ll pretend I never heard that. So don''t be so shy. ...... It''s contagious. I hope you don''t get embarrassed by me. ''Here!Look at this! In a loud voice that clearly hides her embarrassment, Regina places the bottle she brought on the desk. Inside was a slightly ochre-colored, coarse sand, or a brownish substance about the size of a chipped grain of rice. When I pulled out the cork that tightly sealed the mouth of the bottle, I smelled a ...... nostalgic aroma. ''A chambarel??. ''What the hell are you, ...... right? Another name for it is fenugreek, which may be more familiar to women. It is said to beautify the bust line and can be found as a supplement in convenience stores and drugstores. ...... Also, along with maca and sponges, it is also sold as a tonic to give men the energy they need for the night. I''m sure you''re familiar with it. (deep meaning)'' ''Please don''t.'' It''s clearly written on his face. But... This is a good thing I''ve seen. If you''re looking for something to help you get through the day, this is the one for you. ...... It''s not a ...... tonic, okay? It''s not a tonic. It''s not a tonic. ''Do you even have maca?No. ......'' ''I don''t have any sponges, do I? ''Get away from there. Or your brain will rot away.'' I don''t need it, that pill! ''No underwear or anything?'' ''Yeah, I don''t want ...... those drug-smelling pants. You know what, why don''t you just show it to me like normal? ''Well, yeah, but... Don''t mix it up, okay?Really, this shelf is like my life, you know?You''re the only one who can touch it.You''re the only one who gets to touch my precious place, right?'' ''Hey, stop that obscene and misleading statement. I wonder if his eroticism will never run out. The wooden medicine cabinet was old, obviously older than this building. It must have been used before he came to this town. It''s a massive shelf with a deep color tone, soaked with the smell of medicine. ''Then let''s see it. ''I can''t help it, just a little. He seemed to be very happy. It must have been something that no one was interested in until now. Well, normal people don''t get it even if you show them plant seeds. ''Oh, I knew it, cumin seeds! ''Oh, that''s right. I like it too because it smells so good. ''Dried chili peppers. ''Be careful with that.It''s really hot, so don''t take a bite. ''...... I won''t take a bite even if you pretend, okay? I know how hot chili peppers are. And it''s a hawk''s claw. That''s not funny. But as I suspected, it''s all here. All the spices I need. ''Bao Kri Air really is a spice capital of the world.'' ''That''s right. There''s no such thing as a shortage. I felt that nostalgic ''aroma'' from the chambarel??. If you mix cumin seeds with it, the aroma will be even deeper. Turmeric, coriander, chili peppers and fennel: ............ With all these ingredients, you can make a good garam masala. And with garam masala, you can make "that". Yes. The first thing I thought of when I was trying to increase the variety of children''s lunches. A Japanese favorite that I haven''t had since I came to this world. Curry! ''Regina.'' ''What''s wrong with you, you look so happy.'' I pat Regina''s head as she looks at me with a smile. ''You''re a good woman, you know that? You''ve got really good eyes. You deserve praise. I''ll praise you, lavishly! ''............So, if you''re going to do this, you might as well ask me to take care of ............ you. ......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sorry about that. I can''t take care of her. Okay, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that. ''I need a certain number of them, can''t you get them somehow? ''I''ve got some here if you want to take them, but if you need more, it''ll take a couple of weeks. ...... I''ve got a peddler coming from Bao Kri Air. ''What?Has the spice distribution started? ''Well, the incident happened quite a while ago. But there are some things that the peddler''s guild here doesn''t deal in, so I''ll buy them through my personal route. It''s cheaper that way. She''s a good girl. Wouldn''t she make a good wife?No, I don''t think so. My best friend is just dust in a corner of the room. She wouldn''t make a good wife. No, you won''t. I''ll use the spices I have here, make a prototype, and get started on it in two weeks, after the ...... tournament. Well, maybe that''s a good time. ''I don''t know what you''re planning to do, but if there''s anything I can do, just let me know. We''ll help you.'' ''I see. Well then, go to .......'' To the reliable Regina, I''ll tell her what I really want her to do. ''Take care of the first-aid team for the tournament. ''I''m not so sure about that. ...... There''s a lot of people. ......'' f*ck you ...... It was one afternoon when I swore to myself that I would make him do it no matter what. 148-Episode 129 Lets make curry It''s a good idea to get some spices from Regina,......, and pay for them properly,....... I went back to the sunny pavilion and immediately started to make a prototype of the curry. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. In order to grind the spices into powder, you''ll need Regina''s yakken. So, I asked her to come along with a set of tools. ''Yashiro-san, we''re ready. ''What''s going to happen now? ''Are you making a potion, Yashiro? Ginette and Estella, as well as Delia, joined me in making a prototype of the curry. Magda and Loretta have gone to the branch store. If the curry turns out good, I''ll have to feed them. With all the preparations in place, I wrapped my arms around myself and got into the spirit. ...... Alright. I''ll show you what I''m really made of! Let''s get started! I ask Estella to peel and cut the vegetables, Ginette to wash the rice, and I begin to work on the garam masala base. Using Regina''s scale, I measure out the spices and put them into a large wok-like frying pan. Cumin seeds, coriander, chambaree, bay leaf, chili, fennel: ...... These spices are first lightly dry roasted. This is a simple process, but it is an important step that greatly affects the taste. Don''t burn them, but make sure they are crispy. ...... --It reminds me of a book I read somewhere a long time ago. It''s not common to make curry from spices. It''s usually a solid roux, or else you just heat up a retort and be done with it. I never thought I''d do something like this. Curry in another world ...... haha, where''s the one? ''Oh, it smells good. I''m not sure what to say. In the beginning, Estella and Delia looked uneasy, but when the scent of spices began to rise, they began to show interest, and curiosity spread across their faces. After the dry roasting was finished, while the spices were taking off the coarse heat, the onions prepared separately from the ingredients were fried until they turned candy brown. ''Um, Yashiro-san ......, is that burnt? ''It''s fine. Candy-colored onions are a must.'' ''Is that so? I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to interrupt. ''No, no.'' Remove the dry-roasted spices from the fire to remove the heat. Put the heat-reduced spices into Regina''s medicine cabinet. When the spices are ground into a fine powder, garam masala, the base of curry, is ready, but this is hard work. The seeds and leaves of plants are difficult to grind into a powder. Cardamom and cloves are especially troublesome. There is no such thing as a fancy mixer, so I push and pull the grinding wheel. Regina, who''s been watching me work, gently takes it out of my hand. ''Let me have it. I''ll show you what a professional does. She smiles triumphantly and begins to move YAKKEN with a familiar hand. A light sound, different from the sound I made when I did it, resounded in the air. The movement is smooth, and the spices inside turn into powder as you watch. A savory smell spread along with it. She''s really good. When I see her like this, I feel that she is a professional after all. I don''t have to worry about anything because Jeannette is cooking the meal. I concentrate all my attention on the curry and start to finish it. Saute the ginger and garlic in oil in a pan. When they become fragrant, add the meat and let it brown and become fragrant. After the vegetables have been cooked, add the candied onions. After that, add tomatoes in water, seasonings from around the world, and water. If you continue to simmer the soup, it will become a strong soup stock with the flavor of vegetables and meat. ''There you go!It''s done! Regina finished making the garam masala more quickly than I expected. The resulting garam masala was a beautiful powder with no streaks or skins. ''You look like a pro. ''I didn''t tell you, but I''m a professional. ...... Remember that.'' Regina clenched her fists and said with a slightly annoyed face. So that''s a non-negotiable part. All right, that''s the part you''re going to tweak. When garam masala is added to the simmering pot, the aroma of curry spreads throughout the area. It is a rich aroma that appeals to your stomach through your nostrils. The curry will be complete when it is cooked. ''Yashiro-san. The rice is cooked. When Jeannette opened the lid of the pot, the aroma of freshly cooked rice covered her face with steam. ''Oh, that smells delicious... ......'' Delia was pouting. Estella is also looking at the curry with great interest. ''Yes, Yashiro-san. I''ve served the rice.'' Ginette fills a plate with rice and brings it to me. The pearly white grains of rice shine like jewels, one by one. Then, I pour the original curry blend on top. ''Now, the curry is complete! What the hell is this? You can get by with just the knowledge you read in books, can''t you? You can do it, surprisingly. It''s not quite thick enough, but it''s definitely curry, and an irresistible aroma is spreading through the kitchen. ''Whoa!I can''t stand this smell!Let''s eat it! Delia''s eyes sparkled with excitement. ''A dish that uses so many spices like this ...... can''t not be delicious, right? ''But these spices aren''t used in Allbloom, so they''re not all that expensive. In Bao Kri Air, we use them on a daily basis. ''Do they have this kind of food in Bao Kri Air? ''No, I''ve never seen anything like this before. Was it ''curry''?I can''t wait to see what it tastes like.'''' Regina licked her tongue. It was strangely lustful and s*xy. ''You''re unnecessarily erotic. ''What do you mean ''useless''?I''m erotic in moderation! ''You don''t admit you''re erotic, do you ......? While saying this, everyone in the room is focused on the curry. I can''t wait to eat it too. ''Alright, let''s go taste it! ''I''ve been waiting for you! ''Let''s take it to the table first. A girl should behave herself. ''Oh, oh, I see. I see.'' Estella smartly restrained Delia who tried to insist on it. Well, I think boys should behave too. I''ll kick your ass if you don''t. They take it to the dining room, sit down, and all sing in unison. '''''''''' Itadakimasu! '''''''''' Stick the spoon into the curry, scoop it up, and bring it to your mouth. The moment you put it in your mouth, the mellow aroma of the curry passes through your nostrils and gives you an unbearable feeling of happiness,............. ''''''''''--!!!'''''''''' It came suddenly. ...... The tragedy is... '''''''''' spicy! It hurts!No, it hurts! I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say. I couldn''t help but let out a yell that sounded like the Salvation Army. The only difference between this and the Savior of the Century is that I''m the one who''s been severely damaged. ''Hey, manager!Water! ''Oh, um, please wait a little while... ......'' ''Ah, I''ll get it! Delia fainted in agony and called out to Jeannette for help, but Jeannette seemed to be too shocked to sit up. Estella then ran into the kitchen. Oh no, I should have prepared some water before I ate. ''Come on, guys!Here''s some water! We flocked to the water like hell''s pariahs. I don''t care about manners anymore!We tilt the jug and drink as if we were bathed in water. ''Hahaha!Water! Now I''m like someone who gets attacked by the Messiah of the End of the Century. ''......nnggg, nnggg, nnggg!............ Pfft!...... I thought I was going to die.'' Estella was the first to recover. Delia was crying. She was so shocked that she turned into a toddler, saying ''karaayo~karaayo~......''. Well, it''s understandable. I was so shocked that I almost chickened out. The destructive power of spices is amazing. It''s like a direct hit to the brain. ''Why are you overreacting? It''s delicious. The only exception to this was Regina, who had an uncanny tolerance for spices. ''If you''re okay, you could have gone to get some water or something. Estella, tears welling up in her eyes, protested to Regina. ''It''s not right. In my hometown, there is a proverb that says, ''Even if you are a parent, don''t let your parents use you if you are not standing'', and I can''t break it. That''s even worse than ''If you''re standing up, use your parents'', which is ...... Yeah, ...... but I''m surprised. After all, an amateur can''t just do anything by imitating others. ...... ''Oh,......Yashiro-san,............, is this the finished ......? I''m not sure. ''No, it''s ...... complete, but I can''t ...... do this. I can''t eat it. ......'' It''s a complete failure. I wonder why? Maybe the chili was hotter than I imagined. ...... No, maybe all the spices are more intense in many ways than I know. No, maybe all the spices are more intense in many ways than I know. The direction of the taste is not bad. It''s just that the spice''s "aggressiveness" was too high. There''s no such thing as "lingering hotness". This is just an eating weapon that is trying to destroy your taste buds. It''s a tragedy. ...... I didn''t see this coming. ..................?It''s a tragedy. I''m not sure what to say.Apples and honey! If the curry is too spicy, add some apples and honey to make it milder! I can''t really explain why it reminded me of ''Higeki'', but I think with apples and honey, I can change ''Higeki'' to ''Kangeki''! ''Let''s go to Becko''s later. ''Will honey do the trick? ''Yes!Then we''ll ask Milly to go pick apples. I think I saw an apple tree when I went to the forest before. Oh, that''s right. I have a date with Millie in the woods. This is just perfect. ''Eh~, I think this is fine. ......'' Regina finished her plate easily. ...... Well, there was a guy in Japan who liked curry tenfold. ''Let''s make the base milder and let people choose how spicy they want it. ''Yes, ...... indeed, we can''t let the children eat this.'' In Ginette''s opinion, this curry is a new menu item for children''s lunch. Then it should be the sweetest of the sweet. The child will have a strange trauma. ''What should I do with ...... this? Jeannette looked at the four plates of curry with only one bite eaten. ''I really can''t eat four servings, can I? I don''t expect Regina to be a glutton. But it''s outrageous to throw them away. Ginette and I will not allow such an act. ''............Umaro to ......'' ''Yashiro. You often choose that solution, but I think you''re about to lose your temper. My brilliant idea will be shut down by Estella. ''...... Gurururururu! Delia, who had turned into an infant earlier, now turned wild and threatened Curry. It seems to have decided that it is an enemy. ...... There''s no option but to force yourself to eat it. Then ...... If it is too spicy to eat, the theory is to dilute it. ''I''ll add cream and cheese to make a curry-flavored risotto. ''Oh, I think I can manage to eat that. ......'' Ginette says, peeking at her tingling tongue. ...... You look kind of cute, that face. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. If you want, I''ll do my best to eat it by myself. ''I don''t mind with this group. ''I''m fine with it too. ''...... I''m fine too. ''............ Hey, are you okay with that because there''s no portion for us? No one is saying that, but Regina is sulking. This guy is a lonely guy who likes to be alone. ...... I can''t help it, I''ll comfort him. I can even lick the spoon that Regina used! ''You''re such a pervert,......, I''m gonna hate you,......'' Yeah, d*mn it!You''re a hard man to please! ''Tadaimaesu~! ''...... I''m home''. Loretta and Magda came back much earlier than expected. ''What the hell?There''s something that smells really good! ''...... interesting scent.'' Their eyes lit up at the smell of curry that filled the restaurant. ''That''s not fair!You''ve been eating delicious food without telling us!I want to eat it too! Did you say ......? ''It''s no use. Loretta, here''s my food, you can have it.'' ''Can I?Woohoo! ''...... Where''s Magda? ''Magda, when it''s done right.'' ''...... properly?'' Magda tilted her head and the stubborn Loretta exclaimed almost simultaneously. ''Honyoooooooooooooooooooo! That scream sounds like something you''d hear on a cliff. ''...... convinced. I realized how kind Yashiro is.'' This pain is too much for Magda. Loretta?Well, she''ll be fine. ''What do you think, Loretta? It''s good, isn''t it?In a different way. ''No, I wanted ''delicious'' in a different way. ......'' Loretta stared at me with her tongue dipped in the water like a canine drinking water. The fact that she has tears in her eyes is one of the moe points. ''Loretta, you''ve become so cute lately. ''Even if you say it at this time, I can only feel hostility! I gave you a compliment. ''...... But I''d like to try a little ...... of it.'' ''Oh, you idiot!Stop it, Magda! Magda''s curiosity was aroused by Loretta''s overly amusing reaction, and before I could ...... stop her, she took a bite of the curry. ''............ I''m sorry. ''So I told you: ......'' There was no big reaction, but he was ...... crying. I stroked her head and gave her some water. After quietly drinking the water, he glared at Curry with tear-stained eyes and said, ''Shoo! He bared his fangs and threatened her. It''s the same behavior as ...... Delia. ...... Is this a habit of the beastman race? ...... Anyway, I made risotto out of the leftover curry to cover up the spiciness and managed to finish it. The risotto was rather popular, and there was even a suggestion to put it on the menu. But we can''t have curry flavor without curry! Let''s finish the curry first! ''Well, branch store, what''s going on? ''...... We closed a little early to save on materials. Recently, the sales growth rate has been very high.'' ''It''s kind of hard when you can sell but can''t.'' ''But that may increase the number of customers who come to the sunny pavilion after the tournament is over. ''That would be great. Ginette smiled at Loretta''s information. After all, eating good food makes you open-minded, doesn''t it? If this had been while eating the murderous curry earlier, there would have been a lot of cursing. ''...... There is a man in the 41st district who eats a lot. Magda sends me some information that I''m interested in. ''......A man with an amazing ......stomach who eats up all the food in the nearby stores and then goes into another store.'' ''That guy is going to be a ...... strong opponent.'' I don''t know if there''s such a guy ....... You might want to check him out. ...... ''Then, after cleaning up, let''s all go to Becko''s place. It''s past 3pm. The sun is still high. We''ll get some honey from Becko''s place and save the apples for tomorrow. Maybe I''ll pick some rare flowers somewhere and ask Milly out on a date in the morning. Then, I''ll look for some flowers when I get back from Becco''s place. I made a rough plan for the future, but ...... I hadn''t thought that I would get into a bit of trouble at Bekko''s place later. 149-Episode 130 Honey Becko''s house was built on a small hill that could be seen as you walked toward New Town along a narrow path leading from the central square. It was like a hilltop overlooking the New Town. ''Wow, that''s a nice view. Delia''s nose twitched as she looked down at New Town. Can you smell the wind? ...... Oh, Delia, that smells good. ...... kun kun. I''ve been to this place a few times, but this is the first time for these guys. I''ve visited a few times, but never with these guys. I had no idea.'' Loretta says as she walks beside Estella. ''Well, it''s a road you''d never come to unless you had something to do. This time Estella is leading the way here. ...... Because when I lead the way, it''s like I know Becko, right?I''m trudging along a little further away. Estella has visited here several times on behalf of the lord. ...... Was Bekko out as if he had timed it? It seems that they did not know each other until they met at the sunny pavilion. ...... ''Yaaaaahooooooooooooo! ''Ooh!I want to do it too! ''...... You should ride this big wave.'' Seeing Delia shouting at the cliff, Loretta and Magda also imitate her. ''...... hey hey.'' ...... No, Magda. I''m not sure if that''s the right answer for you. He asks Estella, looking at the noisy people. ''You know, if you knew this place, you could have figured out who did the wax statues, right? Do you have any idea how long I''ve been looking for you? Of course you can get beeswax in an apiary. I didn''t know there was an apiary at the time, but Estella should have noticed it. ''Well, I''m not very familiar with ...... beeswax.'' ''You use candles, right? ''No, we use lanterns. Also, Natalia prepared everything for us. ...... You don''t know enough! Well, I guess it can''t be helped then. ''Mr. Yashiro. It''s a nice place. Ginette walks up to me just as I finish my story. A soft breeze is blowing, and a faint scent of flowers is wafting in the air. ''This would be a great place to be if there weren''t any Beckos living nearby.'' ''Hmm ......, that''s a bit harsh, isn''t it?'' Ginette gives a troubled smile. It''s not terrible. The beautiful scenery and the hot, unpleasant Beckko make it a zero-sum game. ''I like it here!Hey, Yashiro!Let''s bring lunch next time! Delia seemed to like the high ground, and she smiled. She peers over the cliff and squints at the wind swaying her bangs. ''Hmm~!It feels so good~!You really live in a nice place, don''t you, Becko? ''My house is rather big too, that it is, even for you. ''...... You have a vast and beautiful flower-filled land. ''Um, gentlemen. If Mr. Bekko hears about this, he''ll be very sad. ......'' A large old wooden house standing on a hill. It looks like the house of a landowner in the Edo period. The large straw roof gives it an indescribable dignity. ''But isn''t it too magnificent? ''Beekeeping is best suited to large areas of land. Also, it''s better if there are no people living nearby. ''Are there any dangerous ones that can sting people? ''Becko''s father said that safety is not a problem. There''s a father? ...... I''ve been here a few times, but I''ve never met him. I always head straight for Bekko''s studio. I wonder what kind of pervert he is. ...... The chances of him not being a pervert are close to zero. ''Estella-san, do you even know Gozaru-san''s father? ''Hmm?Oh. I''ve met him a few times.'' ''Hmmm ......, I can''t believe you know my parents'' home in such a remote place, and that you even know their parents. ............ Huh! Loretta noticed something and was surprised and frightened. She looks at Estella with a slightly pale face. ''Could it be that you''re ............ engaged? ''Huh! ''What?What, Estella, are you getting married? ''...... unexpected combination.'' ''No, I''m not!There''s no way I''m doing that! Due to Loretta''s misunderstanding, Estella was surrounded at great speed. Delia''s bite is insane. So you like to talk about ...... that kind of thing. ...... ''Wait!I''m not going to do it!I don''t do that!I''m not talking about that at all! I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it. ''...... Why don''t you just pretend you were rejected? ''...... My pride will not allow me to do that. When I whispered in his ear, he stared at me with very scary eyes. ''Oh, I thought it was lively, but ......''. At that time, I heard a voice I knew well. ......''Oh, this is going to be troublesome,'' I intuited. ''Gentlemen, what are you doing here? Imelda was standing there, holding a parasol and giving off a slightly unhappy vibe. Apparently, she had come out of Becco''s house. ''''''Shuraba! Delia and the three others heated up. ''''Oh, that ...... thing, Yashiro-san, what, what, what, what should we do! ''Calm down, Jeannette. There''s nothing to worry about. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... There is no way, and the selfish misunderstanding is accelerating. ''I can''t believe that Estella and Imelda were competing for that Becco! I''m not sure what to make of it. You can find a lot more information on this site at ....... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following URL: ....... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. What are you doing?I''m getting some unpleasant looks from you.'' ''Rarely do I feel the same as Imelda. That''s enough, you guys! Imelda and Estella stand side by side, glaring at Delia and the others. They are unusually fighting together. ''Yashiro-san. What''s this all about?'' ''It''s alleged that you and Estella are fighting over Becco .......'' ''...... Can I take that as a declaration of war against the forty districts? ''No, no, wait!I''m a victim too! It''s Becko. You''re sparking a war. ''Anyway, I''ve only been there a few times on business! ''I''m just here to pick up the food samples I requested from Mr. Bekko! The two men are trying hard to defend their innocence. ...... Bekko. I pity you, boy. ''But we don''t have any food samples, Imelda. ''That''s because Mr. Bekko is ......''. Imelda then shows a grim expression as she stares at the flower garden beyond the wooden house. ''It''s because he was attacked by a nasty bee monster and almost died, so he couldn''t receive it. ''Huh! Bekko is dying? ''Oh, no. It was a waste of time for me to come all the way here to ......! Imelda said and tried to leave quickly. ''No, no, no!Why are you trying to leave so smoothly? Estella grabbed Imelda''s arm as she walked away. Estella grabs Imelda''s arm as she walks away. Imelda replies with a clear face. ''What is it? ''Becco is dying, isn''t he! ''Well,...... we''ve got two more days,...... no, half a day,......'' That''s a rough estimate! ''Becco is in danger, right?Isn''t there something you can do for him? ''Miss Estella . There''s a saying in my city. ''Why me? ''No, I don''t know if there is such a word!Let''s help her! ''Estella-san ......, you''re not seriously thinking about Bekko-san, are you? ''No! Estella scratched her hair as her suspicions rekindled. Well, judging from Imelda''s reaction, "dying" may not be the right word, but it''s not accurate. If her life was really in danger, Imelda would have been more desperate. She may look like a pouting woman, but she is not the kind of woman who can leave people to die. ''Well, well, well. Well, well, well.'' A small old man with a round face appeared from a wooden house with a straw roof. What do you do? Attack Defense a?? Magic Run away. ''Yashiro B''yyyyim! ''What are you doing, Yashiro? ''My magic''s not working! ''I didn''t see anything! Estella replied. ''...... You don''t know how to be playful. ''Hmmm... You''re so unpredictable!You''re Yashiro-dono, aren''t you? The old man looks at me and smiles. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on here. ...... You''ve got a way of telling people what''s going on, don''t you, Bekko? I see. ...... Hmmm. ...... Remember that later. ''He looks just like the statue my son makes. Oh, so that''s how you knew his face. And ...... it''s annoying as hell, that ending. ''That''s Carre Neveu, father of Becco. I hope you don''t mind me saying so. ''Okay, I refuse! ''Well, me too! ''I agree with .......'' ''Well, I''ll turn it down too. ''Oh, hey, everyone!Kahle-san. I''m just kidding!You all like to joke! Jeannette smiles at Kahle, the old man. Stop it, it''s a waste. What if there''s less of something? ''By the way, Kahle. I was told that Bekko is dying. ......'' Estella asks Kahle with a mysterious look on her face. ''Oh, he''s going to die, isn''t he? I guess I''ll just have to give up. Kahle, on the other hand, laughs in a voice devoid of any sense of tension. I''m starting to think that this guy is this kind of demon. ''Can you show me what''s going on? ''Oh, please do. Please go around to the flower garden in the back. Kale told us to go around the wooden house along the wall and step into the flower garden. ''Ah!Mr. Yashiro!You''re all here!You''ve come to worry about me, that you have? There was a large enclosure in the middle of the flower garden, and Becko was inside it. On closer inspection, the enclosure was a cube-shaped mass of screens, surrounded on all sides by a fine mesh. It was a rather wide enclosure with a side length of about three meters. And a great number of bees were buzzing around it. ''...... Wow. ''This is amazing .......'' ''I don''t want to go near ...... this.'' ''......Each one of them has a certain amount of magic power. ............They are powerful enemies.'' ''The numbers are troublesome. ...... Well, I don''t think we''ll lose.'' ''What?I''m not sure what to say. You''re going to fight? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''Magda, that was just preparation for the Red Moya. ''Kahle. How long has Becko been there?'' ''Since noon the day before yesterday, sir. I accidentally touched the decoy enju. ''The decoy enju? ''It''s a special kind of nectar that gives off a scent that lures the magical beast, the Enju-bee, that is currently surrounding my son. It seems that a type of Japanese pagoda tree, called Hari Enjuju, which is used to make honey, attracts the magical beasts, the "Enju Bees", in an amazing way. So Becko inadvertently touched the decoy enju, ...... ''Did he get what he deserved? ''I''m not a good beekeeper. ''Oh, well. Well, I guess it can''t be helped then. ''It''s important to give up on the world! ''...... should try harder in the next life. ''Hey, guys!You''re kidding, right?Right? Ginette seems to be getting seriously nervous about these people giving up so quickly. Don''t worry. I''ll help you. ''How do I get rid of the smell? ''The smell will naturally come off in three days. Or you can leave the bumblebee''s territory, or go to .......'' ''What''s the range of the territory? ''A five meter radius, sir. ''That''s too small! I''ve heard that the radius of a honeybee''s territory is about two kilometers, but ...... Enju-bee seems to be incredibly reluctant to go out. It seems that they prefer to get things done in the neighborhood. They are like reclusive monsters that only use the convenience stores in their neighborhood. ''Why don''t you just run away as fast as you can? ''That''s impossible, sir. Bumblebees can fly at 120 kilometers per hour.'' ''That''s useless!You have a range of five meters! ''When it smells the scent of decoy jujube, it will follow it everywhere. ...... It''s so annoying. ''Are you sure you don''t want us to get too close? ''The bumblebee is not interested in anything but the scent of decoy jade and people who are coming towards it. So if you let your son die, everyone will be happy. ''I''m not happy at all!Father, I want you to do something about it, that I do! ''Stay away from me, please!It''s because I''ve been so busy making wax statues that I haven''t been helping out with the work on a regular basis that I''m in this kind of trouble!You should reflect a little! Instead of taking over the family business, Becko works as a waxworker and is apparently neglected by his father. ''Didn''t your father use the money from that to buy expensive liquor and was in a good mood? Apparently not even at ....... ''At any rate, as long as we don''t go out of that enclosure, we''ll be safe, right? ''Very much so. ''So we just have to endure in there until tomorrow, the third day when we can get the smell .......'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll be patient! ''Even so, I''m hungry, and I''m about to lose consciousness, that I am. ......'' He said he couldn''t eat because he was locked up. ...... That''s why he said ''Bekko is dying. ''...... Magda has honey popcorn.'' ''Oh!Ma, Mr. Magda!Please!Can you please give me that honey popcorn?That''s right! I bow to you. Becko made a sincere request. ''...... understood. I present to you. ''You have my gratitude, that you do, Mr. Magda! ''......, come and get it.'' ''I''m sorry, that I can''t do that for a bit, that I can''t! I mean, if that guy comes out, we''re going to be in trouble too. ''Magda. Throw him over. ''...... can''t reach it at this distance, that''s for sure. A light paper bag filled with popcorn. I don''t think it''ll fly five meters if I throw it. ''Or give up.'' ''Mr. Yashiro!Please have some mercy! Becko appealed with tears in his eyes. It''s no use. ...... ''Do you have a long stick or something? I''ll put it on a stick and give it to him. I was thinking... ''...... Magda''s going. ''What?Are you okay?'' ''...... I''m fine. There are a lot of them, but they''re not very strong. ''Well, if ...... Magda says she''s fine, then ......'' If Magda says she''s okay with it, then it''s ...... okay to let her go? Is Magda going to be in danger?For Bekko''s sake? ''It''s kind of a waste of time.'' ''Yeah ...... I kind of feel that way too ......'' ''Posthumous, that it is! I know it''s dangerous, but I ask Magda to help me. I pray hard that he doesn''t get hurt. I''m not sure if there are any protective gears or not,......? ''......, I''m off.'' Jiri......, Magda took a step forward. The bumblebees are swarming around the netting, showing no sign of caring about Magda. Be careful, Magda ......, because the bumblebees are said to attack anyone who comes near them. Magda took another step into the bumblebee''s territory. At that moment-- ''Oh!Magda!It''s dangerous! Loretta''s shout and my gaze caught the object at almost the same time, and I witnessed a bumblebee leaping in a straight line towards Magda. The world slowed to a crawl, and I could clearly see the bumblebee''s sharp stinger sticking out of its buttocks. The little beast, no bigger than a thumb, pounced on Magda, its sharp stinger glaring... ''...... slow'' But Magda is the only one in the slow world who moves at the same speed as normal, or even slightly faster. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. The middle finger that was hooked on the thumb was vigorously flicked out with a deco-pin. This was the moment when I witnessed Magda''s strength once again. A fast and powerful blow explodes. But ...... I''m not sure what to do. Immediately afterwards, Magda''s stomach growled loudly and she gobbled up the popcorn in her hand. ''Aaah!My popcorn!My lifeline is gone! Yeah. This is what happens when you use Red Moya: ...... ''Magda, come back when you''ve eaten.'' ''...... Copy that.'' He only lost one bee, so he only needed a serving of popcorn this time. As Kahle had said, the bumblebee didn''t even look at Magda as she left. ''Yah, Mr. Yashiro! ''Oh, okay, okay, okay! Well, there is a way that we can probably manage. ''I don''t like to go out far, so I''m going home...'' If I can rely on that guy who left quickly by himself. ''Jeannette. Can you go back to the sunny pavilion now and make him a lunch box? ''Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''Then, Delia and Loretta, go help Ginette. ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you! ''Yes, sir! Then, I turn to the three remaining people and talk to them. There are some things I want these guys to prepare. ''Estella. Can you prepare a large, thick bag that can contain the Enju-bachi?'' ''Hmmm ...... if it''s soon ......''. ''I have a large, sturdy cloth bag in my mansion that I use to fill with sawdust. ''Okay!Then take care of it.'' ''All right, sir. Magda, can you help me with the bags?'' ''...... Yes, sir.'' Imelda and Magda walked together. ''Then Estella, you and Kalle get ready to make a fire. ''Fire?'' ''I saw it in Regina''s medicine cabinet when I was there. Fragrant herbs for pest control. Burn the herbs to create smoke and stop the bumblebees from moving. All the stopping wasps are then put in a bag. You might be able to use them for ....... ''Well, I''m off to Regina''s! I ran down the hill, through the main street, and opened the door of a familiar apothecary. ...... ''Hey, Dusty!Would you like to have a snack with me~...... hmm?What is it?What''s wrong with you? He''s still talking to dust. I wish he could cure his mental illness with his own medicine. I explained the situation and how it happened, and tried to get Regina to share some herbs to keep the bugs away. ...... ''In that case, I have a recommendation for you! Regina took out a handful of ............ namelee courser! ...... The way she took it out reminded me of a cat-shaped robot from the future world. It''s a useful item for getting rid of vermin and pests,'' she said. It is said that when the nem rexar is burned, smoke with a high hypnotic effect is generated. Well, it''s good for extermination. It''s called ......, which sounds like an elixir knockoff. When I returned to the apiary, I immediately tried the nem rexar and found it to be very effective. ...... ''...... Bekko is having a blast, isn''t he? ''Well, it''s impossible to avoid Becco from this position and get him to smoke. I''ll build a fire upwind and send the smoke up. The noisy buzzing of wings ceased, and the hundreds of bumblebees that had been flying around dropped to the ground and stopped moving. ''Bag them while you can''. Me and Estella, Magda and Imelda are stuffing the bumblebees into the bag. ''I''m not allowed to touch bugs! ''...... Do you think that''s a dignified thing to say? Correction. Imelda is of no use to me. It seems that my need to be needed does not come into play in these situations. ''Yashiro-san! Ginette and the others came back just as we finished capturing the bumblebee. They had made a lunch box for us, but ...... the important one, Becko, was asleep. It''s a shame to let it go to waste. ...... ''Leave it to me''. Regina, who I brought along to make sure the nem rexar was safe to use, came in handy here as well. ''There''s a member of the mint family that has a high stimulant effect. I squeezed out the extract and made a potion to wake you up, ''Smelly and bright-eyed X''! ''The name is enough to make you refuse to use it, it''s a bad medicine. I poured the mysterious potion into Bekko''s mouth, where I could clearly imagine the result: ...... ''Crap!It stinks, that it does! ...... and he jumped up with the reaction you''d expect. ''You, ......, should have a more surprising reaction. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. In the event that you''re in the market for a brand-new pair of shoes or boots, then you''re in the right place. ...... This guy can eat a lot of food too, can''t he? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I will repay this favor in some way, that I will! At such words of Bekko, Ginette shakes her body a little. Hmm?You can''t do that, okay?I won''t let you make a wax statue of me, okay?Don''t get your hopes up, Jeannette. ''Well, I''m sorry you''re all in trouble because of my son. ''Nah, I was just cleaning up the mess of some unprofessional beekeeper who couldn''t do anything about bees, so don''t worry about it. ''Not at all. I''m an embarrassing son.'' ''No, I''m talking about you, aren''t I? You should have at least one way to keep the bees quiet for a situation like this. You should at least have protective gear. ''No, but!I''m not sure if any of them are my son''s ''good guys'' or not. ...... '''''''''' That''s not true.'''' ''''I''m sorry I didn''t live up to your ...... expectations.'''' Estella, Magda, Delia, Loretta, and Imelda all answered immediately, and even Ginette denied it softly with a troubled smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bekko''s face caving in, but I ignored him. ''Anyway, can you share some honey with me? ''As much as my son''s benefactor asks, yes. With a smile, Kahle brought me an extra-large jar of honey. With this much, we can use it for many things. ''Oh, and one more thing: ......'' I say, pointing to a field of flowers. ''Can I take some of those flowers? ''Yeah, no problem. If I remember correctly, I''ve never seen some of the flowers here in a flower shop. They''re a bit inferior for ornamental purposes. But if you make a bouquet with ...... the right colors, you''ll have something just right. I''ll have an original bouquet for Millie tomorrow. 150-Episode 131 Two Tooth Shapes The day after I got the honey from Becco''s house, I came to the flower guild store early in the morning. ''Milly. ''Ah, ...... ladybug. Welcome.'' Millie bowed her head like a small animal. It seems the store is closed today. ''It''s closed, isn''t it? ''Yes. The lord of ...... told me to have a good night. But he doesn''t look like he''s resting. He also said ''welcome'', the store is open, and he''s wearing an apron to take care of the flowers. ''Oh, ......, this is ......, flowers need to be taken care of every day, otherwise they lose their energy, right? I''m going to tell the lord. I''m not going to tell the lord, and even if I did, it would just be a matter of ''that''s just like Millie''. Maybe you''re feeling a little bad about it? If so, it might be a good thing. Forget about work today and go to ...... ''Millie. This''. ''Yeah .................. wow! She held out the bouquet of flowers she''d been hiding behind her back. These are the flowers I got from Becko''s place. I don''t even know what kind of flowers they are. ''Lavender, raspberry, safflower, rosemary... ......'' I point to the pink and purple flowers and say the name of each one. ''Is there a place where these ...... bloom together?'' ''Oh. It''s an apiary on top of a hill.'' ''Wow. ............ I didn''t know that. ......'' I put my nose close to the flower and breathed in. ''I''ve heard good things. It was the first time I had seen such a soft smile, and I could clearly see that she was honestly happy. ''Is it okay if I take it? Millie tilted her head and asked me. But I couldn''t help but smile when I saw the words ''I want it'' written clearly in her eyes. ''Yeah, what?Miri, did you say something weird? ''No, thanks. I''ll give it to you, ....... I picked it up for you.'' ''Hmm!Thank you, ladybug.'' Really, Millie smiles like a flower blooming. It''s rare for a girl to be so loved by a flower. ''Millie. Can you take me to the forest now? ''Hmm. No problem. Do you have any flowers you need? ''Yeah, well, there''s ...... that, too. ......'' I should have said that when I gave her the bouquet,......, but what could I say? I touched her soft hair to disguise the strange tension that was knocking at my chest from the inside. ''Mew! Miri''s shoulders shake, as if she was surprised by the sudden touch. Her large eyes look up at me with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. I run my fingers through the large ladybug hair clip in my hair and talk to the big eyes staring at me. ''Do you want to go on a date? ''.............................. ''I do, .......'' He nodded his head, and then his eyes widened. and his eyes widen. ''Wait a minute,............, I''ll be ready in a minute.'' He stomped his foot on the spot, did a double-twist for no reason, and while trying to get into the house, he looked right and left at me as if he was trying to appeal to me. ''You can keep it. You''re cute enough.'' ''Oh, ............ ugh! When I praise her, her ears turn bright red and her big eyes start to flicker. Then she shakes her head and denies it. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. I''m not sure what to say. ...... I guess you can''t compromise on those things. ''Okay. I''ll be waiting for you. Go ahead and do it. ''Oh, no! He ran quickly into the store, turned around inside the store, and came back to the door again. She hugs the bouquet tightly and smiles at you through the flowers. ''Thank you for the flowers. They made me very happy. ......'' Probably because I leave them in my room. I felt that she wanted to thank me with the flowers. ''Wait for me. He shrugged his shoulders, laughed, and walked quickly into the store. I''m glad you''re happy. Surprise is very effective, after all. ...... But. ''Waiting for a girl to change her clothes in front of her house is ...... kind of embarrassing. When I was in junior high school, I saw a classmate standing still in front of a girl''s house, and I thought, ''What''s that guy doing?Is he an underwear thief? I thought, ''What''s he doing?'' ............ Well, he was on a date after that. ......... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m doing what I''m doing. ...... I think I''m going to die of embarrassment. I don''t know what I''m doing,......, but I''m old. ''Oh, ......, ............, ......... ...Oh, wait, let me ......''. After about twenty minutes, Millie quietly came out of the store door. ''I don''t have ...... time to do this, but I really could do it better .........'' ...'' I didn''t want to make you wait, so I rushed. I can really dress up better than that. That seems to be the complaint. But I can''t help it. ''Isn''t it cute? ''...... Really? ''Yeah. Let me have a look. ''Oh, ............ mmm! Millie popped out of the door, her usual apron removed, wearing a light blue dress that gave off a fresh and innocent image. On her head was the usual large ladybug, and on the other side of the head was a small bun. Her hair was just below her shoulders, and she was wearing it in a small bun, as if she had done her best. The silhouette of the ladybug was as if a large ladybug and a small ladybug were sitting on top of Millie''s head, facing each other. ''Dumplings are cute. ''Wow, ............ yes! Unusually, I could hear the beginning of the word ''yes'' clearly. He must have been confident in his dumplings. I''m also very happy when someone compliments me on my specialty. I know that feeling. ''......''s, but ......''. ''It''s not ...... your breasts, is it? ''Yeah. I know, and I know who put that kind of unnecessary wisdom into Millie''s head. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. I''m sorry for the short notice. I should have at least asked you out yesterday.'' ''Oh ...... no, no ......''. Millie opens her hands and squirms. ''No? ''If you do that, ...... Miri, I''m sure you couldn''t sleep last night. ............ This is fine. Thank you. Oof. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to''t sleep because you''re looking forward to the date, it''s too cute ...... I don''t know. ...... Millie is a really nice girl. ''Well, let''s go. ''Oh, ......, I''ll get my pochette, okay? Once again, Millie walked back into the store. It''s hard for a girl to leave. ''Sorry to keep you waiting ......, okay? ''No, ...... sorry is fine, but ............ isn''t it too big?'' She put a pochette on her shoulder that was big enough to hold a whole person. She was wearing it diagonally across her shoulders, but the bag was so big that the shoulder straps were floating far above her body. In other words, it was a "non-paisura. If you can find a shoulder strap that is smaller and attaches to your body like this, it would be better. I''m not sure if there is a pochette with a shoulder strap that can be attached to the body. ''...... are you talking about something fetching? ''No, no, no, no, no, no!No way, no way, no way!I''m not going to say that to Millie!I''m not going to say it to you, but I''m going to say it to Estella or Norma. Those two are very easy to talk to. And their reactions are interesting. ''No, it''s ......, right? ''Oh, that''s right!You can''t do that!I''m not going to repent, but I''ll take it as an opinion.'' ''Oh, so you don''t want to? ''Come on, let''s go!If it''s that big, it''s going to hold a lot of stuff! I don''t know if I can call this big bag as big as a Boston bag a pochette, but if Millie calls it a pochette, then it is definitely a pochette, and nothing but a pochette. If Millie says it, she''s right! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... I''m going to have to walk a little slower. It''s hard for her to keep up with me. It is very cute that she walks a little bouncy, but her bag is too big,......, and it bothers me a lot. ''It looks heavy, do you want me to carry it? ''Thank you ......, but I''m fine. It''s probably too ...... heavy for Ladybug to carry. ''............ already? ''Miri, I''m a strong woman.'' ''I see. ...... Hahahaha ............ In this world, this is fine ......, right? What? I thought it was empty, but it looks like it''s already in there. You can find a lot of things that are essential to be a professional when going to the forest, even if it is a date. For example, this ............ kind of high branch scissors?I''d be surprised if there were any ...... in there. You can get a lot of apples this season, you know. ''Apples? How timely! Yes, yes. I''ll have to tell Milly you want apples. ''Just in time. I was just thinking I''d like to get some apples for our date. Can you give me some?'' ''I''ll give you some, but you''ll have to pay. That forest is under the jurisdiction of the flower guild. ''............ while you''re at it? Millie''s brows furrowed slightly. It''s not a wrinkle, but it''s a subtle change that shows a hint of anxiety. ''...... apples, and by the way, ...... dating......?'' ''No, no, no!No, no, no, no! An apple with a date!If you want, you don''t even need an apple! No, no, no. I can''t bear to be saddened by such a misunderstanding. An apple is certainly necessary, but it doesn''t have to be today. If it comes down to it, ask Assunto. ...... ''I see,......, that''s good.'' For a moment I was nervous, but Millie seemed to be in a better mood. Hmm, that''s a tough one. It''s hard to know where the mines are lurking. I''ll be careful. ''You want me to carry it?My bag. ''No, I can''t. ...... giggle'' ......I can''t ............ ''Oh, ............'' He bent his right arm and made a gesture as if Milly were grasping at the air. ''...... You got a bug on you? ''What''s wrong?'' ''Uh, yeah. It''s ...... nothing,...... isn''t it?'' ''Hmm. I see.'' If Millie says so, it must be nothing. We walked for the next ten minutes, chatting, until we reached the forest. I''d like to go in there as soon as possible,...... but there''s a hexenbiest in there, and it''s crawling with those stupid insectivorous plants,...... and I can''t even get into the forest unless I follow Millie''s instructions. I can''t. I''m not going to be able to get into this forest if I don''t follow Millie''s instructions.''''............''s,......''s.'''' ...... drunk fist? ............That ...... thing.'' ...... Oh, I see. I see. You''re right. I don''t know how many times I''ve been nearly eaten by an insectivorous plant. ......'' He crossed his arms and nodded broadly. Then he uncrossed his arms and held out his left hand to Millie. I''m not sure what to make of it.It''s dangerous. ''???............, yeah! She takes my hand and smiles, a little embarrassed. That''s right. It''s a date, right? We should at least hold hands. ''Heh heh...... another memory is made......'' She squeezes my hand and walks away happily. After entering the forest, Millie protected me so well that I was only ...... caught by the insectivorous plant four times. Growth, growth. Yeah, yeah. Oh, wow!That''s awesome! At the place where Millie brought me, there were many apple trees lined up, and their branches were covered with ripe red apples. This many apples reminded me of ...... Ginette''s Pants Peachland. ''...... Ladybug? ''It''s okay!It''s safe to think! ''......?Hmmm ...... maybe it''s safe ......?'' Okay, you''ve got my seal of approval. It''s safe until you think about it! Boobs, boobs, boobs, boobs! Ohhhh, titty, titty, titty, titty, titty, titty, titty! ''......?Ladybug, right? ''Come on, Millie!Let''s get some apples! ''Oh, ......! No, no, no. Something''s been leaking out of me. Yeah, let''s pick some apples seriously. ''Can I tear this off with my hands? ''Oh, ...... wait. I''ll get the scissors out now. ......'' Then Millie took out a pair of long-handled pruning shears from her Boston bag-sized pochette. It looks like a pair of pruning shears! And let me tell you one more time, that''s not a pochette, is it?No, but if Milly says so, it''s a pochette! ''Oh, yeah...'' Miri shakes her body, holding something that looks like twig scissors. ''Miri, go and pick some apples,......, right? ''Yeah,......, yeah. Then, please.'' ''Hmm!Watch me.'' As soon as she said that, Milly went to the apple tree by herself. I think it would be faster if we picked them together. ............ Correction. I''m only slowing you down. Millie is moving around the tree in a leisurely, yet ''holistic'' way, dancing around the tree, but ...... the sound of the branches cutting is strange. Then the apples rained down on the ground -- bodododododododododod! --and make a sound that would hurt if it hit you directly. Millie gracefully dodged the rain of apples and continued to cut them off from the branches as if they were dancing. As the apples rain down on the ground, Millie glances at you. Oh, you want me to watch you, don''t you? I give her a little applause. ''Haha ......! Millie''s face lights up. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... That''s extreme, Millie. It''s not environmental destruction, is it? In a matter of minutes, the ground was covered with cut-off apples. You should have been careful not to let them fall and damage them, and when you picked up the apples, you found ...... not a single scratch on them. ...... What?Why? ''Oh, ......, please be gentle with the apple, okay?It''s a fragile fruit. No, no, no! What?Then what?So Millie''s apple dance earlier was treating the apples with care? But the fact is that the apples are unharmed. ...... There was a great falling sound, but ............ the ground was not soft and fluffy, and there were stones and branches falling all over the place. I''m sure the apple would have been scratched if it had fallen normally. ........................ millie What the hell did you do? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I can''t help but be stunned when I see what I can only assume is a professional''s skill being demonstrated in a place I have no control over. I''m not sure what to make of it. I don''t ...... understand. What the hell was going on? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. You know? When I asked him why the apple hadn''t been damaged by the fall, he replied. I wonder if there is some complicated theory behind it. ''What is the principle of cutting? I don''t know!If you use scissors, you can cut it! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. If you want to master this ...... technique, you should go to ...... Miri''s house and live there... If you want to master this technique, you can live in ...... Miri''s house and practice it for about three years. What are you going to do? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this in the future. I probably won''t be harvesting this many apples in the future, dancing around. ''No. If I want apples, I''ll just ask Millie.'' ''............ Yeah.'' I''ll ask Millie if I want apples. ...... I''ll ask Millie if I want apples. ...... I''ll ask Millie if I want apples. ...... I''ll ask Millie if I want apples. I''m not sure what to do. ...... But a pochette is a ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''Hmm. Small stuff. And a glimpse of a pair of pruning shears. Yeah, there''s a lot of scissors bigger than that in the Flower Arrangement Guild. ...... It''s already a weapon. ''Ladybug, do you want a lot of apples? ''Hmm?'' Millie, who had been gathering apples, looked up at me with both hands holding a large apple. I guess so. ...... ''I think I''ll take a lot. Millie did a great job picking them for me.'' ''Mmmm!'' She smiles like an angel and holds out a large apple to me. When I took it, I realized that the apple wasn''t big, but her hand was small. Well, the apple is pretty big, too. I put my nose close to the apple and breathed in, letting the fresh scent fill my lungs. Wow, that looks good. ...... Good. I wiped the surface of the apple with my clothes and bit into it. ''Yum! Sweet!It''s so sweet! There''s so much honey! I was expecting a more sour apple, but ...... ''Fresh and sweet. I thought it would be crispy and thirsty, but it''s so juicy and it moistens my mouth. ...... Is this really an apple? Hehehe. I''m proud to be a member of the Flower Arrangement Guild, and I''ve been taking good care of the apples in this forest. It''s a little bit like a child who''s been praised, says Millie with some excitement. She''s really proud of it. It''s a good idea to wash them before you eat them,.......It''s been outside for a long time and it''s been exposed to rain and stuff. ......'' ''No, no, you wiped it properly. ''Oh, ...... even if you wipe it .......'' ''It''s good enough. That''s how we used to eat it back home.'' ''Is that ...... it? But in Japan, I think it was more for wiping off the wax from the surface when you bit into it. You don''t need wax to make it shiny. As I was staring at the apple, Millie was also staring at it. The apple I''m holding. ...... Her mouth is slightly open. ............Wow, I want to stick my finger in it. ...... No, I don''t, but... ''You want some? ''Yeah, ......, but ............ is it bad, ......? ''When you eat out, it''s okay to be a little wild.'' ''Oh, ......? ''Yes. When I assured her, Milly''s face flushed and she gently reached out her hands to me. I thought, ''Are you sure you want to eat my bite? She didn''t seem to mind, either. When you give her the apple, she holds it in both hands, stares at it, and ...... wipes the skin off with her clothes. And then, fearfully, he bit into it with his little mouth. It''s ....... She made a reserved sound as she bit into the apple. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''...... ah-maaaaay''. Millie smiles happily. She looks up at me with a somewhat embarrassed look and smiles a little differently than usual. ''...... It''s kind of ............ like I''m doing something bad, ...... a little, I''m a little nervous. Maybe he thinks that biting into a whole apple is bad manners. Well, even in Japan, people don''t think it''s very well-behaved. I don''t think it''s bad either. She seemed to feel a little elated at the act, which she had never done before. ...... Makes me want to dye it my color, somehow. ''So what do you want to do after this? ''Oh, ...... ah''s ............''. Millie shakes her shoulders as she holds an apple with two teeth marks on it. She seems to be trying to say something difficult to say. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ''Miri......, when we went on a date, ............, I wanted to eat some cake......,'' I thought. I was thinking .......'' You''re begging. All right! I''ll give you something good to eat and you can follow me for a bit. Oh, yeah. Let''s invite Milly for cake in a more wholesome mood. ''Then let''s go to the place that serves the best cake in town. ''Hmm!I want to go to the Sunken Pavilion. Holding hands with a happy Millie, we left the forest. You can find a lot of apples in the bag that Millie has on her shoulder. I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Beastmen are really foul, aren''t they? ............ Millie is an insect. In this way, we got a lot of apples and a lot of honey, and after a lot of trial and error involving Ginette, Regina, and various other people, we completed ...... a delicious curry. I''m not going to go into the process. ............ was a hellish scene. ''Hot! Now it''s sweet! No! Smelly? And so on. ...... Haha, it was hard work. ...... 151-Episode 132 subtle changes ''Go ...... yourself .......'' Regina is lying on the floor, twitching and twitching. ...... Hmm. It''s my punishment for telling Millie what she doesn''t need to know every time. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It''s nothing to worry about. ...... But ............ a little bit, it''s going to be addictive. ......'' Regina, who is twitching, blushes. I might have to worry about that!Stop it, Regina!That''s the road you''re on! That''s why I''m at Regina''s store right now. I''m here to get more spices for the trial production. They say they won''t be able to get the full amount until next week, but they still have some left over. Well, we''ll make it. ''Well, I''ll get the spices. ''Yes, yes. I''m going to eat curry again. That was the biggest hit we''ve had in a long time.'' The perverted pharmacist from the land of spices seemed to like the curry rice very much. It seems that his research spirit has been ignited and he is going to study the best combination for each ingredient. Maybe he can make a seafood curry. ''But is this really the right price for all these spices? In the past, I stole from Norbert ...... oops, that doesn''t sound good ...... considering the price of the spices that came my way, the price of the spices I''m buying from Regina is honestly unbelievable. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That''s what I buy through my own personal channels. ''No, even if that''s the case, the cost is .......'' ''What are you talking about? You''re not an amateur economist.'' No, I''m not a professional economist. ...... Regina laughs and looks up at me as she lies on the floor. ''The sugar in this city, the sugar of the nobility is very expensive, right?It''s just like that. They risk their lives to export it, so only the most profitable ones are taken to other cities. Regina had a point, and it was only natural when you thought about it. In this world, there is such a thing as a "noble brand". For example, in this city, Allbloom, sugar made from sugar cane is the so-called "aristocratic sugar" and is very expensive. It is a very expensive product that the common people cannot afford. On the other hand, sugar made from sugar radish is so expensive that ordinary people in the 42nd district can easily afford it. The reason why cakes are now so popular in the 42nd district and can be eaten easily by anyone is because of its reasonable price. Even if it is the same sugar, the price jumps tens or hundreds of times higher when nobles are involved. If I had to risk my life to carry and sell sugar in a vast land outside of a city overrun by magical beasts, I would definitely take something of high value. I can''t afford to make a small profit when I am risking my life. My luggage must be bulky and of high value. In other words, the spices Norbert brought were such spices. Norbert was a peddler for the nobility who made contracts between the lords of the 30 districts and the nobles of Baocliere. In light of this, it can be seen that the goods he deals in are ''gems worthy of the nobility''. Besides, a nobleman is a vain creature. They are incomprehensible creatures who dare to desire expensive things. This is a very high-class product approved by the aristocracy of another country, and it is also a spice that the aristocrat''s peddler risked his life to bring. No wonder the spice is worth 500,000Rb. ''So, what you''re buying personally is like sugar from District 42, right? ''Yes. It can''t be helped that it''s more expensive than Bao Kri Air due to transportation costs, but ...... these things are only meaningful if you use them. It''s not like a craft where you can go around bragging about it at a ridiculous price. Well, it''s hard to use 500,000Rb of spices. ''Even though it''s a shipping cost, it''s a discounted price because it''s brought together with other things. So, don''t worry about the price and feel free to bring it. And sell your delicious curry at a reasonable price. I''ll be happier if you do. ''All right. Thank you.'' ''Why are you thanking me? That''s disgusting. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Come on, get up. How long are you going to lie on the floor? ''Well, you know, ......''. In the meantime, I''d like to ask you something that''s been bothering me. ''You said that spices disappeared from the market during the heavy rains, is that ......''? ''Oh, you mean the nobleman''s spices. I heard later that some peddlers had already done something wrong. So the nobles and the peddlers'' guild here restricted the distribution of spices for fear of trouble with the nobles of Baocliere. Thanks to that, we had a hard time even getting enough to use for medicine. ''Well, can''t you get it through your own channels? ''You''re an idiot. ...... A nobleman wouldn''t let you have free reign to make that kind of money. There are strict controls on what you can take out and bring in. ''...... You money-grubbing, usury-ridden bastards.'' In addition, the spices that Regina personally imports are treated as ''plant seeds'' and ''herbs (vegetables)'', and the introductory tax is much lower than for spices. If the spices of the nobility are mixed in with the spices, there is a possibility that the tax on other spices will be raised. Therefore, they try to buy spices from the peddlers'' guild. Well, they won''t be suspicious if the mysterious apothecary is buying mysterious grass, and they might think you are just a drunkard if you show interest in spices. The reason why this guy has been able to live peacefully until now may be because of his dense aura of mystery. ''Honestly, nobleman''s spices are just expensive and not worth the price, you know?But it is an essential ingredient in making the medicine that was used in that case. ...... As you never know when something like that might happen again, we want to keep the nobleman''s spices on hand even if we have to pay a lot of money for them. ''So you''ve been diligently researching the market. ''Have you changed your mind a little?I''ll take that as a compliment. ''If it wasn''t for that, I would have given you a compliment. Regina laughs as if to say, ''That''s the reward''. Don''t give me that ''delicious'' look. You''re not a comedian. ''Well, don''t leave. ''Hmm, be careful! As you''re leaving the store, you suddenly stop. ...... Is this guy a caring guy, or is it just a coincidence? ............ ''What''s wrong? ''Oh, no, ............, you know...'' ''Hmm?'' I stopped ...... to ask. ''No, it''s nothing.'' ''You''re a strange one. You''d better hurry up and go home, the manager is waiting for you with her tits full.'' ''Seriously?Really?Let''s hurry up and go home! ''Haha ...... really, you''re a fool, yourself.'' I was just giving you a ride. ''Then .......'' ''Hey, hey, hey. I''ll see you at .......'' ...... was copied. d*mn, I guess he saw right through my momentary hesitation. There are some words that have become difficult to say lately. I''m a little hesitant to say it or to ...... listen to it. Such words. Well, I''m a stranger. On the way back to the sunny pavilion, I met Estella. Hey! ''Estella! ''Hello, Yashiro. You''re quite late.'' ''What are you doing here?I asked you to stay at the sunny pavilion! I asked Estella to look after me when I went to Regina''s store. I asked Estella to stay with me when I went to Regina''s. No, I didn''t need to stay with her because Ginette was there. ...... I thought I asked her to stay with me because Ginette was the only one there. ...... ''Natalia put me to work a while ago. ''And Natalia?Is she at the Sunshine Pavilion? ''No, she''s at Use''s. The hunting guild has finally agreed to help us defeat the Swarm. That means I finally have one less thing to worry about. Well, that''s great. But I don''t care about that! Either way, Umaro and the others won''t be able to move until the gluttony contest is over, and the construction of the city gate won''t resume until after the contest. It''s fine as long as the Swarm is defeated before then. What''s more,! ''So Ginette''s the only one in the Sunken Pavilion now, huh? ''Uh, yeah. But I''m sure it''s fine, since the store isn''t open and there are no customers.'' ''That''s why I asked you! Ginette has been afraid of being alone lately. She has started to look very anxious. That''s why she always wants to have someone by her side, even if it''s just one person, to help her calm down. ''Oh well. Let''s hurry. ''Yashiro.'' Just as I was about to run, Estella stopped me. ''What are you in such a hurry for?Jeannette will be fine. I''ve been running the store by myself until you came. She''s in a hurry because the situation is different from before. ''Lately, Ginette''s been acting a little strange. That''s why I''m curious. Haven''t you noticed?'' ''Ginette''s behavior?...... in particular?'' Oh, my God. How could Estella, the shrewd one, not have noticed a change in Jeannette''s ...... ''Isn''t it you who''s crazy? ''Me?'' I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m perfectly normal. She is the most ...... decent person in the forty-two districts. ''Don''t you think you''ve been paying too much attention to little Jeannette lately?It''s like you''re taking care of a young child.'' ''You know, ...... that''s what Jeannette''s been ...... lately.'' ''And''. Estella leaned closer to me. The clear eyes look into my eyes. I''ve been looking at her for a while now, and she''s been looking at me like I could kiss her if I bowed lightly. ''Lately you''ve been looking far away a lot. It''s like you''re not here at all. ''That''s not true .......'' I tried to tell her that I didn''t, but ...... Estella''s eyes wavered slightly and took on a forlorn ...... color, and I couldn''t say it. ''If you have any problems, I''m here to help. Don''t be shy. It''s between you and me. I clenched my fist lightly and was hit in the chest with a thump. ...... It seemed like an awfully heavy blow. Trouble? Is it me? ''Well, I''m going to go back to work, but we''ll have dinner at the sunny restaurant. ''You''ll have to pay for it. ''I know, I know. See you later, Yashiro. Don''t keep too much to yourself, okay?The tournament''s coming up.'' ''You should talk to Bertina and Magda about that, not me. If they''re in top form, they can win. When she said that, ...... Estella''s expression clouded over again. ''Without you, we can''t start. Her words were tinged with a hint of sadness. ''Well, I''ll see you later. ''...... Is curry on the menu? ''Yes, I think so. It''s really addictive, isn''t it? ''Isn''t it? ''See you later! ''Go work hard.'' ''............'' ''Hmm? ''No, it''s nothing.'' Estella raises one hand and dashes off. She''s leaving like some hero. You seem to be popular with girls, I envy you. ''Well, I''d better hurry back. Remembering that Jeannette was staying alone, I started running towards the sunny pavilion. Estella says I''m overly concerned, but ...... do you really think she doesn''t notice that I''m giving off such a blatantly lonely aura? That''s what I was thinking as I ran. When you arrive at the sunshine pavilion, adjust your disordered breathing in front of the door. Try to be as normal as possible. ...... When I opened the door, I found Ginette sweeping the floor. She must have been brushing, because the floor was soaked with water. ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro! When he spotted me, he put down his brush and ran off at a trot. ...... I''m not sure what to do. ...... slipped and fell. ''Are you okay?'' ''Itta ...... ugh ...... I''m so embarrassed.'' Ginette fell on her ass, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. It must have hurt a lot, because it made a terrible noise. ''Do you want me to rub it for you? ''No, no!You''re right, that''s a ...... butt, and it''s ......''. ''Then I''ll rub your tits.'' ''You don''t need to rub that one! ''No, but it was really buzzing. It''s like, ''Oh my God! ''Oh, God!Please repent! She holds her breasts and puffs out her cheeks. But her buttocks seemed to hurt and she rubbed them again. He flaps his arms about, a busy man. ''You''ve been cleaning up, haven''t you? ''Yes. I thought I''d give it a thorough go when I had the time. ''Well, do you want some help? ''No, no, no!I''m sorry, Yashiro-san, you just came back and you must be tired. ''Well, it''s true that meeting Regina is mentally exhausting. ......'' ''Well, that''s not what I meant,......, Regina, you''re a fun person, aren''t you? You know? While following up with a bitter smile, he couldn''t hide his grimace. ''Here, can you stand? ''Oh, ......, I''m sorry.'' I held out my hand and Ginette clung to my arm with both hands. Her knees were trembling a little, and she seemed to be struggling to stand. She must be in a lot of pain. ...... ''Do you want me to rub it for you? ''Only if you feel like it: ......'' ''Don''t be shy, I''ll rub it as much as you want. ''That''s not the sound of rubbing! ''No, they say spit on it and it''ll go away. ''Oh ......'' Ginette let out a short cry, her face turning bright red as she held her buttocks. Oh, ...... right. ''Did you leak ......''. ''No, no!I mean, your ass is ...... wet and there''s a round stain on your ............ skirt. ......'' ''What, where is it? ''Please don''t look! When I tried to peek, Jeannette twisted her body and let her ass go in the opposite direction of me. Oh, ...... that move, are you trying to f*ck me?I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi''. ''What kind of spell is that? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. ''Kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi''. I''m not sure what to do. All right, now! Put your weight on your left foot and leap to the right at once. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ......This is a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. ''...... Um, Yashiro-san,............ are you okay?'' ''Oh, ...... it''s just warm, I think I''m going to catch a cold.'' I jumped and found a bucket of water, which I successfully knocked over. I fell down like a cartoon, and my whole body was soaked with water. ''Let''s not play while cleaning, okay? ''Yes, Mr. .......'' I felt like an elementary school student being scolded by the teacher. I don''t know what I''m doing. I''m old enough, I should have a little more composure. ...... ''Hey!The floor is wet and slippery,......, but it''s not that bad. ...... Here is a grown man who is even more restless than I am. I''m still safe, aren''t I? What the hell?What the hell?What kind of trap is this? Percy comes running into the store again, tears in his eyes, with a perfect makeup on. ''You''ve been stalking Neffely again, leaving the sugar factory alone? ''Geez!............But that''s not why I''m here. ...... P~P~'' ''Ginette. Give him the Judgment of the Spirits. You can''t do that. I''m sure he''ll turn into a frog. Percy whistles poorly, making lame excuses that even Ginette can see through as lies. ''By the way, little one. I''ve got two bags of sugar here. ......'' ''I don''t have time for your advice. ''You haven''t said anything yet! I don''t need to tell you!I don''t need to tell you that! You keep bringing me sugar like an idiot. Bring something more thoughtful for a change! ''As you can see, I''m going to clean now. ''Oh, you''re cleaning?I thought you were playing in the water.'' ''How innocent do you think we are? Ginette is watching me and Percy''s conversation with a chuckle. What, Estella''s right, it''s the same old Ginette. She was cleaning the house as usual when I came home. Maybe I was just imagining things. Ginette in the sunny pavilion was very natural, and there was no sign of anything strange. ...... Maybe I''m a little tired too. Maybe I''ve been worrying too much. ''Oh, then!I''ll help you, clean up!If you do, you can finish early and talk to me about it, right?Right?Let''s do it!Yes, decided! ''...... you. Well, whatever. Help me out then. I''ll give you a nice meal for your part-time job later.'' ''Seriously!What?An omelet!Boiled eggs!'' ''You''re almost a nefari in your head! d*mn, he''s good, isn''t he? He''s always so happy. He''s got a girl he likes, he''s got a good job, and he''s got a family that''s too open-minded to tolerate stalking. ............ Molly, you might want to tighten up on your brother a bit. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. That''s the level of triviality I''m talking about. If that''s the case, just tell them to come near our camp and we''ll solve it. And Nefery is on our cheering squad. At the moment, I''m having Uclines, the dressmaker, make some clothes for him. ''Okay, I''m going to take off for a while, so you can brush around here. ''Yes, sir!Molly''s been making me brush a lot, I''m really good at it! ''...... Don''t you have any pride as a brother ......? After declaring that he was being used by his sister, Percy happily began brushing. In the meantime, I went back to my room to change my wet clothes. ............ ''That ......! Ginette stopped me as I was heading back to my room. At the same time, she pinched my clothes in a very panicky manner. ''...... Where are you going? ''What?...... Oh, my clothes, I was going to change.'' ''Oh, ............ that''s right. If you don''t change quickly, you''ll catch a cold.'' ''Oh. That''s right.'' ''Then, please put the wet clothes in the laundry basket. I''ll wash them tomorrow.'''' I let go of my clothes, cross my hands in front of me as if grabbing my apron, and bow my head. ...... loneliness, it''s not your imagination. You can find a lot more information on the web. In that moment, Jeannette was certainly afraid of being alone. ...... Well, let''s not mention the fact that Percy''s humming, brushing presence is completely forgotten. I''m not the devil either. But ....... ''I''ll be right back. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting. Jeannette was still a little ...... strange these days. I went back to my room, took off my wet clothes and wiped myself off. All the while, I can''t help but think about Jeannette. ...... Is there something wrong with her? It is said that children instinctively turn to their parents when they are sick. ...... If something is wrong with you, it''s unlikely that you''ll tell us, Ginette. You might want to see Regina for a checkup. Anyway, it is certain that Ginette feels something and is keeping something secret. It''s surprising that Estella hasn''t noticed it. ...... Well, she''s been busy lately, so she doesn''t spend much time at the sunny pavilion. Magda might have noticed something. Loretta is ............ no, I don''t think so. She changed her clothes and went back to the floor. ''...... you''re early.'' What a surprise. When I returned, I found the floor had been swept clean. ''What?Am I that late? ''No, Mr. Percy did a marvelous job with the brush. It was amazing. ''Well, I wish I could have shown you, too!My brilliant brushwork! ''Well, let''s water it again. ''I don''t want to work for nothing! Now that the floor is clean, I have no choice but to give Percy some advice on his nonsense. I give Ginette the spices I got from Regina and ask her to make a curry. Estella will be coming later, so I can make more than enough. ''No, what. It''s not like I''m asking for advice. ...... Oh, do you need three bags of sugar?I''ll do it.'' ''...... Just talk to me. I don''t want any more sugar. I''m reselling it to Assunto, here. ''Actually, .......'' Percy starts talking seriously. ''I''d like to watch the gluttony contest with Nephrite, but I don''t know if there''s a way to make it look like we just happened to be sitting next to each other. ...... This guy. You''re really ??????????????? stupid, aren''t you? ''Come to my camp. Neffery is supposed to be cheering with us, not in the audience.'' ''Seriously?Can I go there? ''If the 40th district says yes. ''Of course they will!Of course they will!If it''s for the sake of Mr. Nephrite, I''ll use diplomatic pressure with sugar to get him to say yes! ...... Oh, he''s got the world by the balls, doesn''t he? If you get kicked out of the 40th district, come to the 42nd district. I''ll suck up all your know-how and use it for the development of the Forty-two Wards. After that, they were fed curry at random, and Percy, who was so impressed by the taste of the curry, showed them a strange dance with only his tension, and after making a lot of noise, Percy began to prepare to leave. ''I''m going to go to the lord''s place now and pick up a "Bashy! I''ll get you!On the day of the tournament, I''ll be from District 42 in body and soul, so please take care of me there! ''Jeannette~, do you have any salt? ''Please don''t sprinkle it on him. Tsk. I was rejected with a smile. ''Well, I''m leaving! Percy left the sunlit pavilion in a good mood. He''s really come a long way for something so trivial. ...... ''Well, manager, you too. See you later! ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting for you again.'' ''Tell Molly I''m sorry to hear about her brother. ''I''m not going to tell her that!I''ll see you later! ''Don''t stop at Neffely''s, just go straight home! I wave him off, but Percy doesn''t move from the door. What''s the matter?Hurry up and go home. ''It''s you, .......'' ''What''s that? ''Again! ''Don''t say "crotch", "crotch", you dirty bastard.'' ''Not that ''crotch''!I''ll see you around! ''...... Stop saying that to my face. ...... It''s gross. ......'' I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. You don''t have to say it over and over again. ''That''s right! Because Percy is in a sense pure and ......, he doesn''t read the air. ''You haven''t responded to my ''see you later'' once since a while ago! ...... did not avert his eyes. To remove his gaze here would be to admit that Percy''s thoughts were correct. ''You''re not going to see me again, are you? ''No, I didn''t say that. There''s a tournament coming up, and no matter how many years go by, the sunny pavilion will still be here. Isn''t that enough for you? It''s just that I don''t want to go to the trouble of putting it into words and saying, ''Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Lately I''ve been unable to say ...... ''See you later''. And I can''t respond. ...... because, you know, I''m a stranger. You never know when you''ll be gone. You can''t promise to see me again. I can''t tell a lie in this town. ...... ''Just go home and help Molly!You prodigal brother! ''What the hell, what the hell!You''re not going to see me again?I''m not leaving here until you meet me!I''m not moving until you say you''ll meet me. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!Tell me you want to see Mr. Percy again with your mouth! ''Oh, you''re annoying!I don''t care if you say it or not, it won''t change the outcome! ''If you don''t say it out loud, I''ll get anxious! ''Are you a girl? I''m not sure what to do. ......And this guy, .................., when I showed this exchange to Jeannette. I''d be more worried about ...... ''I''ll see you there! The voice was dignified and imposing. ''Mr. Yashiro will definitely see Mr. Percy again. I can assure you. Ginette assured him with a fresh, unclouded smile. ''So, please don''t worry. You know, Yashiro-san. A soft smile is directed at me. ...... Is this some kind of blackmail? If I disappear tonight,......, Jeannette will turn into a frog. No, I don''t think Percy would do that. ............ ''Besides, there''s a tournament coming up. There''s a certainty in the air, Ginette said. ''There''s no way Yashiro-san won''t be participating in the battle for District 42. Because ......'' Then, with a proud look on his face, he said. ''Obayashi is the one who loves us and the 42nd district more than anyone else. This is Jeannette. ...... That''s a little ...... unfair, don''t you think? ''I don''t know if I love ............ you, but I do. I can''t help it. Just this once. It''s special. I don''t want Jeannette to turn into a frog. Because I just said, "No matter how many years go by, the sunny pavilion will still be here. If Jeannette turns into a frog, then there will be no Sunshine Pavilion, and now I''ll be the one who told the lie. ...... I don''t want that. I don''t want to be a frog. I don''t want to be a frog. So, ...... really, I can''t help it. ............ I''ll ride you for once. ''I''ll go to the tournament and lead the 42nd district to victory!That''s a done deal!Percy, if you want to see me that badly, you can come see me then. Percy was taken aback and I made it clear to him. ''I''ll be waiting for you at .......'' ''Heh, heh!You finally said it!Don''t you ever forget what you said!If you disappear on your own, I''m going to kick your ass! I wonder where he''s planning to go after he''s gone. He''s an idiot after all. Satisfied with his statement, Percy left with a face full of stupidity. ''d*mn, ......, you can''t read the air.'' ''No.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that. ''I think you''re a sensible and thoughtful person. ''............ Each to their own, I suppose.'' ''I suppose so.'' Somehow, the two of us stood side by side in front of the door, gazing blankly at the eastern sky. We spent a few minutes alone in silence before Magda and Loretta came with Estella to the sunlit pavilion. It was very quiet and ...... somehow calming. 152-Episode 133 Sometimes Im alone. Today, the Sunlit Pavilion branch is temporarily closed. ''''Party at home! ''''''Drink up!Sing!'''' ''''Hey, don''t run in the store!I''m sorry, Mr. Manager. I''ll give you a good scolding.'''' ''No, sir. It''s fun and lively.'''' ''...... brothers and sisters, help me cook.'' '''''''' Yes! '''''''' I invited the Ham kids over for a curry unveiling. When I get some real spices, I''ll have to feed them to the church kids. The ...... is just a pretext, though. With all this activity, Ginette won''t be lonely. Estella says she cares too much, but I would care if she looked at me like that. ''Are you going out? ''Oh, yeah. I''m going to the forty-first district. ''Which is more important, your work or me? ''...... Where do you learn to do that? I think it''s time to rethink the educational environment for ham children. ...... ''Yashiro-san. Please have a safe trip.'' ''Oh.'' This time, there are various things I want to do as well as a hostile situation inspection. Well, none of it is official, so I''m going to go alone and get it over with. Also, I''m in the mood to ...... be alone for a while. I''m going to go to the 41st district.If you''re going to the forty-first district, go see our masterpiece! ''You should see it! ''You should see it! ''See it, you idiot! ''Look at what''s going to happen to you! ''Whose end is ''Hair is Gradually Going Away''? He stroked Hammaro''s head hard after he said something rude. ''Oooh ......, a little playfulness mixed with punishment ......! Hammaro''s head is now covered in hair, and he walks unsteadily, his eyes lightly rolling. Don''t think I''m going to indulge you forever. ''''So, what''s your masterpiece? ''''''A statue of the Spirit God! ''''Did you make a statue? ''''......, located in the central square. The symbol of this tournament.'''' ''It''s quite popular over there that the God of Spirit is watching over us. Magda and Loretta, who are regular visitors to the 41st District, give us their notes. I didn''t know there was such a thing. I''ll go check it out while I''m there. ''Well, I''d better get going. ''Yashiro-san. As I was leaving the cafeteria, Jeannette came running up to me as usual. ''Be careful. ''Oh. Oh, I''ll have Ricardo buy you some food, so you can go ahead and eat. ''Have you already made friends with the neighboring lords?That''s great. No, not at all. We don''t get along at all. But if I don''t say so, you''ll be waiting till midnight without food, won''t you? I''m moving around a bit today. Just pretend I''m not here and go about your day normally. ''Okay, I''ll go. ''Okay. Have a safe trip.'' I greeted him again and left the sunny pavilion. First, I''d like to check out the venue, see Ricardo if I can, and see Medora who''s going to kill the Swarm. I''d also like to get some information on the "man who eats a lot" that Magda and Loretta mentioned before. Thinking of the results as the top priority, I decided to go by carriage today,......, but that was a bad idea. I''m not sure what to do.You can count on me, Yashiro! ''I see you''ve finally begun to move in earnest. I''m counting on you, general! ''You fool. If Yashiro-san is moving, then this is as good as a victory. ''Then, should we start preparing for the victory party? ''It''s too early for that, indeed! The inside of the carriage became lively. The carriages, which are funded by the lords of the districts until the tournament, were filled with people heading to the forty-first district today. ...... They all look at me with glittering eyes. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. The muscles in my cheeks twitched lightly. ...... d*mn it. It''s ...... uncomfortable to be expected like this. Yes, this is not like me. I''m more like a man who is ...... far away from decency, who is cursed, scorned, avoided, and hated like a scorpion. He is the worst kind of scammer who has tormented many people in the past. You can''t be a good guy now. ...... It''s crazy to be admired. It''s impossible to be expected. I''m not who you think I am. Being a nice guy is an illusion, and you''re all fooled. Call me out. Call me out for being a deceitful a**h*le! ...... someone, please ............ call me out. I''m out of tune, man. The people of the 42nd district are so sycophantic that they don''t know how to be suspicious of others. Anyway, if only there was a rotten-hearted jerk who was critical of everything I did, who complained about everything I did, and who didn''t even listen to my opinions, he would condemn and abuse me,......, I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that there is only one ............ such rotten, cynical person in the world. ''So, Ricardo. Go ahead and curse me. ''Go home! He''s by far the most disgusting person I know. Ricardo Siegenthaler, Lord of the Forty-first District. I didn''t have an appointment, so the gatekeeper sent me away, but I thought, ''Maybe if I try a little harder, I can sneak in...'' I thought, ''Can I sneak in if I work a little harder?'' So I worked a little harder and managed to sneak in. I''m currently in the office of Ricardo''s mansion. ''How the hell did you get in here? You''re like a fly. ''Hey~!Who''s a fly? I''ll get mad, you son of a b*tc*~'' ''Don''t you smirk at me!You''re creepy! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.It''s also a great way to make sure you don''t end up in a situation where you can''t get out of it. ...... I''m not sure what to say.What kind of pervert are you? ''Who''s your kind? I''m not a pervert! ''--and other incomprehensible things. ......'' ''You, really, what are you doing here? Ricardo shouted, kicking the heavy dark brown office desk violently. The desk shifts slightly with a heavy ...... thud. ''You''ve got a temper. It''s not good for your health to be so irritated. ''Whose fault is it? ''My parents'' genes .......'' ''You''re the one!It''s because you''re messing around in front of me!'' ''Who''s letting you dangle in front of me? ''I didn''t say that!Are you deaf as well? He swung his fist at the office desk and slammed it down. You''ll be sued for sure if there''s a will in that office desk. ''I''ll let you off the hook for breaking in. If you have no business here, go home! Ricardo''s treatment was quite lenient, despite the blue streaks on his temples. Heh...... no questions asked...... I''m not sure what to say. I''ll call the vigilante. ''What the hell, I''m worried about you.'' ''I don''t need you to worry about me! Giving up on his work, Ricardo leans back in his chair and turns his head around. ''You''re making me crazy, you know that? ''Wow, that''s a ...... flag. ...... That''s a flag that I''m going to rapidly become a dere. ......'' ''Who''s that? Ricardo leans out of his chair and bares his fangs at you. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''What the hell is wrong with you?I thought he was joking, but he''s staring right at the heart of the matter. On the other hand, you''re acting like a common sense idiot.'' ''...... Hmm. That''s a compliment.'' ''...... Tsk! Well, I guess he got it right. A sharp tongue slap came back. It was an exemplary tongue lashing that would be included as a model in a textbook called ''The Tongue Lashing of a Good Child in Fourth Grade Elementary School. ''You know, trespassing in a lord''s mansion is a capital offense!Moreover, we''re about to embark on a spectacular war! ''A gluttony contest is a war,'' ...... pfft. ''That''s what you said!This is a war! ''You''re a man obsessed with the past. ''You''re just too random! He''s kind of creepy, like he''s really mad. It''s just a joke. ''My Lord!What the hell is going on at ......?You''re from the forty-second ward!How did you sneak in here?Gather the troops!There''s an intruder! The condescending old bastard who had shown us around before was ranting on and on about how he was willing to die. The sound of countless footsteps echoed from all over the house. ''Leave it!Leave me alone! But I''m sure it won''t turn out to be a big ...... deal. Ricardo stands up and gives the condescending old bastard a sharp look. ''Leave him alone. He''s my guest.'' ''But, Lord .......'' ''Don''t make me say it twice! ''............ ha!'' The old man hung his head and gave a short reply. Hearing this, the soldiers who had gathered there began to leave the place in droves. All of them gave me a resentful look. ''Scary~'' ''Trained soldiers are like that. Ricardo replied to my words as I saw the soldiers off. Oh, no, no, no. That''s not what I meant. ''It''s you I''m afraid of. That''s the attitude that gets you through any unreasonable situation with a single word. In this case, the old bastard''s opinion is absolutely correct. Nevertheless, all it took was a whiff of ''don''t go against me'' and all the soldiers backed down. ''In this district, if you screw up, we all screw up. ''I''m not going to screw up like that. ''That''s a lot of confidence. ''We''re hunters, you know.'' Ricardo says proudly. ''We may not be in a guild, but my father and I are as good as any of the hunting guilds when it comes to hunting. Well, your usse is probably not even close to my level. Ricardo, who is in charge of the branch of the 42nd district, boldly states that he can surpass Use. It is true that the muscle tone is far from that of the average person,......, but isn''t it a bit too much? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. This is why the lord of the 41st district must be a strong man, more powerful than anyone else, smart, and able to make quick decisions. ''Then it''s Medora, isn''t it? ''You idiot!A woman can''t be a lord! Wow, ......, that''s a total denial of Estella. ...... Also, if I had said that in Japan, there would have been complaints from various groups. You''re lucky you''re from another world. Anyway. If I take the lead and show them the way to go, the people can move forward without hesitation. That''s what a lord is supposed to do. Unless you''re leading the way and you''re going the wrong way. ''I''m going to beat you, Obeyashira. Ricardo stares straight at me. He''s clearly hostile. But the straightforwardness of it, the fairness of it, did not make me uncomfortable. ''I''ll fight to win. No matter what you''re planning, no matter what tricks you''re playing, I''m going to beat you to the punch. Be prepared for that. That''s a clean declaration of war. I''m beginning to think that this guy is actually a very serious guy. ''It''s not me you should be winning against, but Estella. Estella is the representative of District 42.'' ''Huh, Estella is no match for me.'' She snickers and sticks her finger at me. ''I only deal with truly strong people. ...... You, Obeyashiro.'' I''m sure that means you think highly of me. ...... If that''s the case, then you should fight Estella. The real threat is not a strong hand, but a player who can control that strong hand. The courage to stand up to the challenges he faces may be his strength, but it is also his weakness. Just as the best player does not make a good coach, the bravest man in the world does not make a good lord. Rather, a man who can take a step back and see things from a different point of view without getting involved in the battle is more suited for such a position. At the very least, the man Ricardo identified as a threat, Obeyashiro, would not have been able to help if not for the lord Estella. The one who dragged out the man you yourself said you should be wary of is Estella, who you don''t even care about.If you can''t see that, you''re going to be ...... tripped up. Don''t lose your temper in front of the people you are about to fight with. Always keep your cool and don''t let even the slightest thing upset you. Lack of equanimity will cause a rift. ''Besides, if you get together with Estella, you''ll be the lord after all. ''Nyon! My sense of normalcy has been shattered. ''Pop, Pop!What are you talking about?Why am I with Estella? ''What the hell. Aren''t you lending me your power because you''re in love with her? ''You''re so simple-minded, aren''t you!Are you so pure of heart!I wonder if you''re purely indulgent! ''Hey, ......, calm down. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!Estella doesn''t have the tits to poke me with, though! ''Duh!I told you to calm down! I told you!You''re the one! Ricardo ruffled his hair, slightly annoyed, and let out a short breath. ''What, you''re not? I thought you were. .................. What?I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one....... I knew it,...... like Medora? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. All at once I felt calm. I''ve lost all my excitement! ''I''m participating in this tournament for me. The reason I need to win is personal. So I''ll be responsible for eliminating anyone who stands in my way.'' ''That''s fine. I''ll avenge you.'' The eyes of a hunter on his prey. You look like you''re having fun. If you''re so distracted by me that you can''t see Estella, then we have a chance. In a game, if the general is safe, you can turn the tables even if the others are wiped out. I''m not the general of District 42, Estella is. I''m just a guest. ''Well, ......, I''m busy. It''s time for you to go home.'' ''Ah. There was no tea, but I wasn''t expecting it, so I''ll just leave you to complain.'' ''Don''t complain to me. Who would serve tea to you? ''I think it''s necessary to treat customers with courtesy and have a relaxed mind like that, don''t you? ''It''s a fool''s errand to be polite to those who are not polite. Is treating a beggar and a royalty the same as a great person?'' ''No. He''s just an idiot.'' ''Then drink your tea in your house. I was almost under the illusion that this guy was the best person to talk to in this town. I guess it''s just that we have similar black stomachs. ...... Hmm. ''By the way, Ricardo.'' ''What is it?'' ''You, what color are your nipples?'' ''Go home! A chair! He threw that f*cking heavy chair at me!Unbelievable! I can''t believe it! I think it hit the door and made a cracking sound! I mean, the arm strength to throw that chair from the corner of the room to the entrance, it''s scary! I don''t want to spend another second in the danger zone where such ferocious people are hanging out. I left Ricardo''s house as quickly as I could. ''Oh, ...... this is how it''s going to be ......''. I opened my mouth and looked at the street. The main street of the 41st district had been cleaned up like crazy. The streets were paved, the stores were organized, and the exteriors were gleaming and glamorous. Weapons stores, which used to look like ribbed houses in the wilderness, have all but disappeared, and the streets have become a bright, cheerful place where fashionable gals can go window shopping in a happy mood. In the middle of such a main street. In the middle of such a main street, a strange and incomprehensible object was standing in the wide open central square. It was a statue shaped like a beech mushroom that was fainting in agony after having a large amount of Mentholatum smeared inside its nostrils. ''...... statue of the spirit god, huh? I''m not sure what to make of it. And it''s huge. It was a majestic beech mushroom, over five meters long. Hammaro and the others, what a waste of effort. ''Hmm? I thought no one would appreciate such a huge, agonizing Bunashimeji. ...... There was a half-fishman kneeling in front of a giant Bunashimeji mushroom statue, earnestly praying. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... Did fish have eyelids? ''..................'' A large man with a fish face praying earnestly without any disturbance in the midst of quite a few people passing by. ...... Perhaps he is a devout follower of the Bunashimeji cult. Oh, it''s a spirit god, isn''t it, this statue. You look at it for three seconds and you almost forget. You know how they say humans get 80% of their information from sight?It''s a Bunashimeji mushroom no matter how you look at it. ''Hey, that''. ''Ah, ......''. Passersby A and B behind me start sneaking around talking. ''Gustave''s praying again. ''He''s got to be the most religious guy in town. I hear his name is Gustave. ''Is he famous, that big guy? ''Who are you? ''Passerby C.'' ''...... Where''s A and B? You guys. I don''t care who you are, who is he? ''Gustave from the hunting guild. He''s the biggest meal in town, and he''ll be playing in the tournament.'' ''He is? ''Oh, yeah. His daily routine consists of praying to the spirit gods like that and ...... devouring the food in the food court after work.'''' ...... It seems that Magda and the others were talking about that bastard. ''I guess the hunting guild will be the main representative of this city. ''There''s no such thing as the center, they''re all elected by the hunting guild. ''All of them? ''Yeah.'' ''Oh, I see.'' Ricardo said it was a fight to win, but ...... all of them? ''Most likely, they''re praying to the spirit gods to help them win the tournament. ''For a muscle-bound guy, you''re pretty religious, aren''t you? ''Idiot, you. It doesn''t matter if you''re male or female. It doesn''t matter if you''re male or female. Everyone respects the Spirit God the same way. So you''re saying that this scene of a muscular man praying with a serious expression to that funny statue of Bunashimeji is not a place to laugh? ''Doesn''t anyone outside the hunting guild say anything? ''Well, that''s what the ...... lords think.'' Passerby B''s words sounded half-hearted. ''There''s the hunting guild, and then there''s us, the people. That''s how this town is built.'' ''Yes, yes. We just have to sit back and wait for the results. ...... give up...... enlightenment............ are both different. To them, it''s common sense. It''s become the norm. Everything that goes right and everything that goes wrong is because of other people, because of other people. I guess you can''t change your entrenched view of life overnight. So what are you going to do if Ricardo loses ............? I''m not sure what to do. Do you want to accept all the misfortunes that come your way? Ricardo. It''s a good idea to take a lesson from Estella, at least for a little while. I''m sure the 41st district has been working with Ricardo and the hunting guild on a strategy to win. The players, and perhaps even the food, will be geared toward the hunting guild. It may not be a bad choice if you see it as a decision made by a person who is obsessed with winning and needs to win. ...... It''s a good bet. I wouldn''t bet on it, it''s too risky. ''So, does that half-fish eat that much? I casually inquire. Come on, come on, just tell me as a passerby. ''They''re not half-fish. It''s the Piranians.'' ''That''s confusing! ''Don''t tell me! ''Don''t tell me!'' According to a passerby, it''s ''not even close to eating''. ...... Let''s see what you got. Let''s follow Gustave and show him how to eat. I''ll follow Gustave and watch him eat. I''ll watch his fervent prayers from a distance. That''s a long time. Greedy!I don''t give money.You don''t give money. ...... It''s a long story. You can''t be too pious. While Gustave was praying, people were gathering everywhere, praying to the Bunashimeji statue. ............ Oh, was it a spirit god?Why don''t we just call it Bunashimejiism? The net result is that Gustave has been praying for thirty minutes. I thought ...... was a more carefree God, wasn''t it, Spirit God? For me, it''s the one that makes me repent every time I say the word ''boobs'', so I don''t appreciate it at all. ''Well, now that we''ve prayed, let''s go eat lunch! ''Pfft! Gustave of the Piranian race opens his mouth. But his voice is so unexpectedly high-pitched that he almost blurts out. That voice is so high-pitched! Are you that character from Chiba Prefecture''s Dreamland? Fortunately, Gustave didn''t seem to notice. ...... Be careful, if you''re not careful, you might laugh. That gap is not fair. It''s past eleven ...... and you''re going to work after eating. You''re taking a break at a strange time. Oh, I wonder. I wonder if they''re rotating their breaks to avoid the lunchtime crowds. Thinking like that, I followed Gustave with a light heart, but after ......, I came to regret it. ''Can I have a refill? ''I''m sorry!We''re out of food .......'' ''This store too? ...... It can''t be helped. Please restock before the evening. I''ll be back. ''Oh, you''re coming back? ''Yes. See you later. They devoured the entire food court and left the restaurant with a cool face. ...... To be honest, I lost my appetite just looking at them. Or rather, it was taken away from me. Doesn''t that guy have the ability to gather the appetites of the people around him into his own body? I was a little convinced, but when he showed up at lunchtime, the whole town would be in chaos. Even if we wanted to eat, we would run out of food. That''s why they let him eat lunch first. If a restaurant runs out of food, it is forced to close, but if it is closed from the beginning, customers can choose another restaurant. Confusion is minimized. The reason why Gustave is released before dinner time is that he is a barterer. You may eat whatever you like at a time when no one else is around. In exchange, you may not loiter on the main street at lunchtime. ...... Anyway, there''s a hell of a monster out there. What is it? Is it a curse that the more faith you have in the spirit gods, the more stupid your stomach gets? This guy eats as much as or more than ...... Bertina. At any rate, he can''t see the limit. Even Bertina has experienced this once in the past, the limit of the stomach. ...... I wonder if Gustave has it. ''The safest bet is to put the loser against him,......, but then you want to have room for one win,.......'' However, in District 41,......, there is another threatening person,......, no, monster, in the hunting guild. ''...... Medora. I wonder if I can suppress it by hitting Magda. ..................'' Gustave gobbled up the food court in one gulp. And then there''s Medora, whose everything is out of the ordinary. Will we be able to compete with these two monsters? ............ ''There''s no point in thinking about it. It''s about time. Let''s go to ...... and inspect Medora''s appetite.'' I need information. d*mn, I''m starting to get strangely impatient here. I was so relaxed yesterday. ...... I may have been a little too relaxed. I rushed through the main street and headed for the city gate of the 41st district. This is not the destination, but the headquarters of the hunting guild that stands right next to the city gate. I hope I can get an appointment. ............ On either side of the huge gate, which reminded me of some prison, stood a large, muscular man who looked like he belonged in a prison that was impossible to escape. Even the gatekeepers are scary. It''s hard to believe that the hunting guild is a legitimate business. ''Who are you? ''What do you want? As I approached the gate, the gatekeeper quickly closed in on me. It''s so oppressive ......! ''No, I need to see the guild leader. ......'' ''You''re not allowed. ''Go home. It''s so cold. No, I guess that''s to be expected. Even Magda said she''d never met him before she met him at the Sunken Pavilion. Even Use, the head of the branch office, could only meet him once a year, and there was no way he would grant permission to an outsider without an appointment. That must be how important he is. Especially now, just before the defeat of Swarm. No wonder security is tight. ...... can''t be helped. I guess I''ll give up for today. I''m sorry, but can you just tell him that Obeyashiro is here to encourage us to take down Swarm?Maybe that''ll help. ......'' Before he could finish, the gatekeeper straightened up and shoved him. Before he could finish saying ''should'', the gatekeeper straightened his back and turned around with such force that it seemed to create a gust of wind. Then, he shouted into the window of the headquarters with such a loud volume that it seemed like a whispered voice of a street car. ''Mom!The ''Obayashi'' you told me about has come to see you! ''Just like you said, he''s here to ask you out on a date before he defeats the Swarm! Hey! What''s a date? "Just like Mom said? What the hell is about to happen? Before I could say anything else, the headquarters building began to vibrate. ...... Medora is probably running down the hallway. ............ It''s going to collapse, it''s going to collapse!Don''t run in the hallway! ''Daaaaalllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! A monster has appeared. What do we do? a?? Run! Run away. Run away. I give up. But the enemy is coming around us! ''Oh, no!It''s too late, darling!I''ve been waiting for you my whole life! I was restrained by two log-like arms, swinging me around with impunity. Don''t ...... make your spine shatter ...... because it will turn into spine sprinkles! I knew you''d be worried about me when I went on a dangerous hunt.That''s the man I expected!I''m not sure what to make of it....... But that just makes me even happier!Oh, no!I''m not sure what to say, I''m embarrassed! I''d like to ask you to refrain from killing people out of embarrassment. ...... I mean, it''s time to seriously ...... die. ......... ... ''''You guys! ''''Ha!'''' I''m going to go on a lunch date with my darling!It''s a good thing she asked me out, because I''d be a fool to turn her down!Isn''t that right? ''''Haha!I''m out! ''''Protect the headquarters while I''m away! ''''Ha!At the cost of my life! ''''If anyone tries anything crazy, I won''t care about ............, don''t let me turn you into sprinkles! ''''Ha!I''ll break it into pieces! ''''Then, I''ll go make love for a bit, nyana??'''' ''''Ha!See you later! ...... What is this place?It''s a haunted house? ''''Come on, darling. You must be hungry.There''s a great restaurant that I go to. I''ve always wanted to go there with my darling. Would you like to follow me? ''Oh, ...... oh, I''ll go. I''ll come. ...... Let me go. ......'' ''Oooooohhhhhhhh!Then, I''ll go in a hurry! ''Hey!Release ......! Boom! --and my eardrums gave up their work. I can''t hear anything, I can''t feel anything. The only thing I could think of was that the scenery was moving so fast that I could ...... only vaguely think, ''Oh, maybe we''re going faster than the speed of sound. I''m still too relaxed. ...... I''m sure you''re not the only one who has turned off your crisis prevention abilities. ...... 153-Episode 134 First Date @ Otome I''m walking down the main street of the 41st district arm in arm with Medora. ...... That''s strange. We were supposed to have arrived at our destination at the speed of sound just a few minutes ago. ...... I''m not sure what to say.I forgot what I was doing! Medora ran back the way she came at the speed of light. visceral load, Unlimited...... When we arrived at the entrance to the main street, on the 42nd district side, he lowered me from his embrace to the ground and firmly put his arms around me. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ...... Hey, hey, hey, this guy. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''...... It''s a dream I''ve had for years. ......'' ''Just a few. Well, if you''re a creature that lives for a thousand years or so, you might call ten or twenty years ''just a little bit''. ...... I wonder how long this creature is going to live. Also, when you say you''re going to be brave,......, do you really need to do that? I''m sure the demon gods will be frightened and run away before the enemy. I''m glad you''re here. I feel like a heroine in a ...... opera, walking down the main street like this, arm in arm. I feel like an alien captured by NASA. Look at my right foot, the heel doesn''t actually touch the ground properly. Because Medora is bigger than me. My right shoulder is being lifted up like crazy. Why don''t I hold onto Medora''s arm anyway? When I looked at Medora to make such a suggestion, our eyes met perfectly. Medora''s cheeks instantly turned red, her mouth pouted, and she glared at me with a slightly accusing look. ''Oh, just because you''re right doesn''t ...... mean you have to look so happy. ...... This is why men are such a pain in the ass. ...... Oh, yeah. You''re right. You''re so right. I mean, my elbow''s buried. No, it''s buried. But I don''t know why, I''m not happy at all. ''Hey, darling. ''Is it ......?'' It''s an honorific. No, you see, I don''t want you to think I''m related to you when I talk to you intimately. ''Everyone''s looking back at us.'' Of course they''re looking. This is a rare sight in the world. A quick look at ...... I''d say 30 percent of the eyes are astonished, 40 percent are straight-faced (lost in thought), 10 percent are curious, and 20 percent are looking at me with pity. ''Well, ...... that guy, ......''. ''Shh, don''t look. I can hear the conversation between the mother and daughter. Hahaha ...... I want to look away too, from this reality ...... ''Hmm. I''m sure it''s a little too stimulating for a young girl. Well, I don''t know about that. I agree with you about the overstimulation part. ...... I think my right shoulder is about to fracture from fatigue. ............ I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try.I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to suit your needs....... That''s also ...... ata......'' ''I''d like some rice! Watch out ......, that''s a spell that will cast an unavoidable curse if you hear it all the way through. It''s a different world ...... with a lot of deadly dangers lying around. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can''t get enough of this. ...... ''Oh, look at that. That''s my favorite restaurant.'' Wow, it''s like deja vu. I feel like I''ve just seen this place before. ''The atmosphere is nice and the food is delicious. I''m sure my darling will like it. ''Well, I''m looking forward to it. ......'' ''Well, I''m looking forward to it. It''s not the s*xy jazz, dimly lit, pink lighting that makes for a good atmosphere, by any stretch of the imagination. ''Come on, let''s go in. ''Oh. Yeah, sure. My heart is racing like it hasn''t in a while. ...... ''............ Come on, let''s go in! Ah, ...... yes, yes. I opened the door and half-heartedly led Medora inside. Ladies first, you say?Well, I feel like the store owner should be the one to do this kind of thing, but ...... Medora looks incredibly satisfied, so I''m sure it''s the right thing to do. ''That''s my darling!You''re so thoughtful! I followed Medora, who was in a good mood, into the restaurant. The interior was decorated in an Asian style, as if natural wood had been used in its original form. There were tables made of exquisitely distorted single pieces of wood, and counters made from logs that looked like bumpy driftwood. Thick plants resembling banana leaves adorned the ceiling, creating a cool atmosphere. Located on the second street, two alleys away from the main street, the restaurant has a slightly high-class feel, and seems to be a restaurant for the particular type. Well, it doesn''t sound like something Delia would like. ''Ara. A la la la. Medora-chan, welcome. A beautiful woman with long hair pokes her head out from behind the counter. She is a beautiful oriental woman with brown skin that matches the atmosphere of this restaurant. Her eyes are drooping, suggesting that she has a mild personality. She seems to be smiling all the time, and her eyes look as if they could be written with a single line, like a smiley face. ''Hey, Osina!You''re in my way. ''Uh-huh. Take your time. Recently, the food court has been taking over the customers, and the ...... ............ Ne... ...............? I''ve got my eyes open. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The color of her eyes is purple, and they are somehow very seductive. I feel like I''m being sucked in when I stare at them. ''............ Medora-chan is a carnivore, right? Wait, Oshina. You''ve just judged me to be captive prey, is that correct? ''What are you talking about, Osina? I''ve told you before!I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It''s not a ''yuck''. I''m not sure what to say. What? Are you talking about me somewhere else? Will you stop it?I''ll sue you for defamation in a summary court. "This cute little guy is Obayashi? Cute? What kind of eyes do you have?A face like this is called a beautiful boy. I thought he was a stern man, four times the size of Medora. That''s not a man anymore. You''re a troll or a bigfoot or some such monstrous creature. ''You idiot!I''m sure you''ll be impressed by the fact that this cute little guy has the kind of dominance that scares the crap out of me!It''s the man I thought was the most suitable for me, you know?I don''t think I''m going to fall for a big, fat boy! No, no, no. If there''s a candidate, big boy or not, you''d better grab him and put a collar on him. Well, if there is a candidate, that is. ''Hmm, heh, heh, ......''. Osina stares at me as if she''s licking me. She slowly circled around me, moving her head up and down, examining me closely. ...... It''s a terrible humiliation. I wonder if this is what zoo animals are like. ''Hey, hey, Medora. ''What is it?I mean, don''t look so hard!You''ll scare my darling.'' ''All right, all right. Yeah? No, ''yeah? Even if you say ''yes'', it''s not ...... very safe. ''More importantly, Medora-chan.'' ''So what is it? ''''Let''s share.'''' ''''Huh? The brown, droopy-eyed, calm, pouty beauty made a comment that I didn''t quite understand. Frankly speaking, I want to go home. But for now, let''s at least hear the truth behind her unintelligible statement. ''...... Um, what''s that all about ............'' ''Oba darling Yashiro is very cute, so she''s in my favorites. ''...... I''ll pass.'' It smells like a mine! If you get involved with this person, you''ll get hurt! ''Nay, nay, darling. Why don''t you become a live-in employee at my place? ''Live-in ......? ''Mm-hmm. We''re in a bit of a financial mess. I''d be very happy if you could improve it.'' ''Oh, it''s not too late for that. It''s the 41st district''s version of a sunny-side up restaurant. ''Really?Too bad. If you lived here, you could always meet Medora-chan, too. I''d rather not! What is it? I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s not funny. I''m sorry ......, I like big tits .......'' I''m going to look away and say no. If I don''t make it clear, these people don''t seem to give up easily. ''Sokkaa~, you''re still all about Medora-chan,......'' ''No, that''s not true! ''......Oh, darling, you can''t do that in front of your ......best friend. ............Oh, come on!Don''t be embarrassed! ''I''m not talking about you! I''ve got something better than that in my house! I-cups! In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ...... Well, not really. It doesn''t mean that I think anything about Jeannette at all,......, but it''s not like that. It''s not like that. I''ll probably not give up on you for a long time, so it''s okay for now. At any rate, eat your dinner. Hmm? Didn''t he just say something dangerous? ''Come on, come on, take a seat over here. ''Darling. This seat gets a lot of sunshine and sometimes a nice breeze blows in. Come on, let''s sit down. By ''let''s sit down,'' you mean ''pull up a chair and let me sit down,'' right? I''ve learned, already. ''Medora, wait a minute.'' I raise my left hand to stop Medora, then I go ahead and pull out the chair with the best ventilation. ''Here you go.'' If it were Estella or Regina, I''d say ''Come in, princess'' here. It''s a good joke. It''s suicide to say that to ...... Medora. I can understand that. ''Da-ling!You''re such a smart guy! ''Honya~. You''re a gentleman. No wonder Medora''s so impressed with you. No, no, no. I was just telling you. That''s all, right?I don''t usually do this, okay? Smiling, Medora sits back in her chair. I push the chair along with it. ...... Heavy! After Medora sat down, the chair didn''t budge when he pushed or pulled it. The chair was so heavy that it didn''t budge when Medora pushed or pulled on it. It must be packed with muscles. ...... Just the tip of my pinky finger has more muscle cells than my entire body. ............ Well... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to say that it''s convenient for me, but I''m not sure if it''s convenient for Medora and I. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to say that it''s convenient for Medora and I. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to say that it''s convenient for Medora and I. ...... That''s okay. What we need to think about now is ...... ''Medora. Do you come here often?'' ''Yeah. It''s my favorite. I''d say it''s the only place I come.'' Medora looks relieved. A place to relax. I guess this place is like that for Medora. ''Hi, Medora. ''Oh, I''m sorry. ''Hi, Da-ling.'' ''...... Darling-chan''. A welcome drink was placed in front of Medora and me. It was a caf?? au lait-like drink with a tapioca-like substance in it, sinking to the bottom of the glass. It looks like the kind of drink that office workers would like. Oh, "office lady" is an abbreviation for "fashionable lady", right? The term ''office lady'' is a gender-specific term, and is nowadays considered undesirable. ''Fashionable lady''. So, I tried to drink a caf?? au lait with a tapioca-like substance that the office lady might like, but she asked for a bucket of .................. . ''Oh my god?Does it not suit your taste? ''No, no,............, the taste was too different from what I imagined,.......'' It tasted like burdock root soup. ''This is a burdock root drink with black bean balls. It wasn''t too far off the mark,......, but the black bean balls were apparently made from boiled and softened black beans that had been ground into dumplings,......, which were not sweet at all. But, to my chagrin,......, if you drink it thinking that it is such a thing, it tastes surprisingly good. Oh, how frustrating. ''Medora, can I have the usual one? ''Oh. Please. What do you want to eat, darling?I''ll take care of it for you today! ''No, no, if it''s a date, I''ll buy you a drink. ''That kind of manliness is a good thing about you, darling, but this is my best friend''s restaurant. Please let me make you look good. Medora looked a little desperate as she said this with a sweet look in her eyes. Well, it''s not too shabby to play ''I'' and ''I'' with each other here. ''Then, let''s have a meal. ''As expected, you have a good head on your shoulders!I would have given you a slap if you hadn''t! Oh no!I didn''t realize that the choice I made so casually was right next to death! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so interested in your work. ............ I can''t stand the thought of a Medora-like attack character in a gal game! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. But there is no such thing as a menu in this store. It''s not even written on the wall. ...... Maybe the style is to ask what''s available, get an explanation, and then order. But I know what I want. ''Well, I''ll have the one with the medora. ''What?'' Medora rolls her eyes. In a case like this, the theory is to go along with the other person. You can''t ask for something more expensive than the other person''s drink, and it is rude to be too reserved, as if you are underestimating the other person. If this is the case, you should ask the other person for a recommendation or order the same thing. Besides, it gives you a feeling that you are eating the same thing. ''......, two people, one? ''Of course not! Too much togetherness! I want two of the same thing!One for each of us! ''I see. So Da~rin wants to like the food that Medora likes. ''What? No, that''s not it. You''ve got it all wrong. So can you stop staining your cheeks red?Don''t make my eyes pucker. ''Okay, wait a minute. Osina disappears behind the counter with a smile. She''s an elusive person. She seems older than me, but... ''Medora. How long have you been friends with Osina? ''Since we were kids. Osina. Medora must have been babysitting the young Osina. ''I and Osina were born on the same day, in the same year, in the same city. ''What? Then what? Same age? In other words, you''re close in age to Javier the Woodcutter and Demilly the Forty District Lord? I can''t see it! Osina''s in her mid-20s by all accounts. I''m sure she''s in her mid-twenties. She''s ripe and ready to eat. That''s ............ forty-something? It''s understandable that you would be surprised. Both me and Osina are often called ''young'' by people around us. He was quite proud of himself, and his nose was fully extended. No, people say Medora is young because of her power and physical strength, right? Osina is in her forties. ............ Is that what you call a beautiful witch? ....... Women are scary: ...... ''I''m sorry about that. ''Hmm? ''I took you out by force.'' Medora''s mouth is full of auspicious remarks that one would expect from the culprit of such a forcible abduction. Is my eardrum broken?Is that noise? ''I was so happy to see you, darling. ...... Now that I''ve finally calmed down ...... and thought about it, I''m not sure if I bothered you, darling...'' ...............Are you angry? Well, if you''re asking me if I''m annoyed, I''m leaning heavily towards the ''annoyed'' side. ...... ''No, I''m not. In the first place, I came to District 41 with the intention of meeting Medora. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. If it weren''t for that, I wouldn''t have had dinner with him. ''I had to go to Ricardo''s today, but it was more like I came here to see Medora. ''Darling ......'' Medora lets out a soft chuckle. She realizes that I''m paying attention to her and doesn''t say much, so as not to waste her attention. It''s a mature communication of only smiles. ''...... Did you want to see my smile that badly? Oh, I didn''t get that. ''No,......, you''re going to take down Swarm, right?It''s not so much a pep talk as it is a thank you for seeing me. Also, good luck.'''' ''Oh ......, oh!Yeah, yeah, yeah!That''s what I''m talking about!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little confused. Medora is scratching her head to hide her embarrassment. It seems that the hunting genius is also a novice at love. ...... I don''t recognize it as love, though! I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m going to go out there and kick these monsters to the curb myself. You''ll be done in less than a day.'' I can''t find any other adjective than awesome. This time, more than a dozen members of the hunting guild have been selected to form a strike team and go out to kill Swarm, a magical beast. Magda is counted as one of them. It''s a very dangerous mission, but if ...... Medora is there, it''s going to be all right, that''s what I think. A dependable person gives you a sense of security just by being around. It''s a valuable presence. --And that''s one reason why I''m going to the pep rally to kill the Swarm. ...... It''s easy to imagine how much Medora eats when she shows us what she eats on a regular basis. Now, let''s see what you eat in your daily life. ''Sorry to keep you waiting~'' Osina appeared from behind the counter, approached us with a dancing gait, and placed a plate of food in front of Medora. The food was placed on the plate, compactly packed, as if it were a little bit reserved. It is a small lunch box that an office worker might like. It''s a surprisingly small amount, as if it had been transferred to a plate. ''............What? ''This is a collection of Medora-chan''s favorite foods. ''Well, just think you''ve been tricked and eat it!It''s really delicious! No, I don''t care if it''s good or not. ............ Is this all? The same dish is placed in front of me. ''What''s the matter, darling?Is there something wrong? ''No,......, it''s too little for a Medora,......, but it''s not a lot of food for the head of a hunting guild...? ...? ''Hmm?Is that so? ''Yeah, ...... sure, you might be surprised at first.'' Osina laughs and points to a dish that looks like something a fashionable girl would order, something that a normal man would not be satisfied with, a dish that is small in quantity and that has been carefully prepared with the right ingredients. ''Medora-chan has always been a small eater, hasn''t she? I bet your muscles are very fuel efficient. You''ve got a lot of power and stamina. ...... That''s too much of a cheat, that muscle. ''So, what about competing in the ...... gluttony contest? ''I?I''m not going to do that!I''m the kind of person who enjoys eating small amounts of food. Gluttony is not my thing.'' ''Oh, so you''re .......'' This visit ended with a surprising result. I never thought it would turn out like this. ...... Medora, although she looks like this, is actually a very small eater and prefers to enjoy the atmosphere rather than eat a lot. She does not participate in gluttony contests. That''s what he told me in no uncertain terms. ''I''m planning to have some of our best eaters participate in the contest. We will not go easy on you, no matter how much of a darling you are. Medora, on the contrary, seems to think that I''m going to participate. I see. I guess you can''t rely on an image that says ''this guy will definitely play''. So the only people to watch out for in District 41 are the Piranhas, like Gustave! No, there may be other tough guys out there, but ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Such a sense of security was rising just a little bit from the depths of my heart. No, no, no. You can''t be too careful. But I think ...... I can do it. As long as you don''t make any mistakes, you''ll ............ have a chance to win! ''Medora''. What is it? Thank you for all the good information. ''It''s been a pleasure having dinner with you. ''What?Oh, God!Stop it!I''m not going to take it easy on you, even if you ...... bone me for saying that. ''No, I don''t mean that. That was just a little thank you. ''Let''s go head-to-head, fair and square. ''Yeah, of course. At the mention of a match, Medora''s face takes on the look of a hunter. The corners of his mouth turn up in a grin. ''Love and competition are two different things! ''Now, let''s eat. ...... There is no such thing as "love" in the first place. After the hunting guild had defeated the Swarm, it was time for the gluttony contest. I drank a glass of burdock juice that looked like caf?? au lait and quietly burned with the will to fight. And I was thinking that ...... this plain tasting drink had caught my fancy and ...... I was frustrated. 154-Episode 17 Magda x Eyes Volume 1 Ceiling ...... The ceiling of Magda''s room. It''s the first thing I see every morning. --chari. And the first noise I always hear is the sound of footsteps and coins in the hallway. The clink of coins in Yashiro''s pocket. Then there''s a quiet knock on the ...... door and Yashiro''s voice as he opens it and asks Magda, ...... ''Magda. Are you awake yet?I''m coming in. I''m already up. But Magda always pretends she''s not. He''s always pretending not to be awake so that Yashiro, who''s approaching the bed, can see Magda''s innocent sleeping form. Today, I''m going to show off my s*xiness in a languid pose. ''...... Mufu~'' ''That''s a great sleeping position, you''re going to mess up your neck. ...... Funny. It''s supposed to be a pose that will make you salivate. ''Can you wake up? Yashiro asks, patting Magda on the head. Of course I can wake up. Your brain and body are already awake. This is pretending to be asleep. ''...... mnyu............ seventy minutes to go.'' ''That''s a long time.'' Actually, it''s a lie. I''m awake, but my body is heavy. I can''t open my eyelids. ...... I''m sleepy anyway. Magda''s theory is that there is no such thing as a person who can wake up early in the morning. Morning is not about getting up. Morning is about sleeping again. A manager who can wake up early is a slight deviation from the normal human standard. As you can see from her boobs, the manager is not a normal human being,......, but a neohuman. ...... So, if you have big boobs, you can wake up early. ...... What? You can isolate your sleepiness in your boobs. ......... ...possible? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Magda has revealed another truth about the world. ...... So ...... .................. gnawing...... ''Hey, come on!I''m not sure what to do. Yashiro does not know yet. A girl with modest breasts can not isolate sleepiness, this is a specification. So, sleeping twice is naturally a permitted right. ............ munching ...... munching ...... ...... Who is breastless. It''s not like I''m Estella. ''Wake up! You''re going to take down Swarm today, right?'' ''...... That''s right.'' All at once, my sleepiness vanished. Today is a joint hunting event between the hunting guild headquarters and the 42nd district branch. This is the first opportunity to go into the forest with the guild leader, Medora Rossel. I can''t miss it. Magda wants to be that strong one day. We can''t miss the chance to be on the same battlefield. ''...... change your clothes. ''Well, I''ll be downstairs.'' Why are we going down there? I could help you, but ...... Yashiro is a little less forceful. You''re not very good at pushing. With just a hint of frustration, Magda changes into her ''outside'' clothes. Outside the city gates is different from inside the city. He puts on the gear he needs to protect his life and grabs his favorite Masakari. Holding this gives you a boost of energy. He feels as if he can slash at any enemy he sees. When you go down to the first floor and out to the cafeteria floor, you see ...... ''Darling!I''m going to do my best today, so please support me! Medora Rossel was there. Magda kicked the floor and dove into her pocket at once. He attacked-- ''Oh, you''re all fired up, tiger girl! However, Medora Rossel lightly caught the blow of the huge Masakari with a hand like a cat pouncing on her. ''But, no matter how sleepy you are, isn''t it rude to mistake me for a hexenbiest? He smiled at me with the composure of a strong man. d*mn ...... strong. No, if I saw you when I woke up, I''d do the same thing. But I''m not confident in my strength, so I''ll run away as soon as I can. ''d*mn it!Darling''s bad!You''re joking too much! ''...... I''m not joking.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... I''m sure Yashiro is not too disappointed. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I have to say that I''m impressed. Medora Rossell has the experience, wisdom, and judgment befitting the head of a hunting guild to grasp the characteristics of the opponent and instantly develop the best strategy, and to execute it immediately. Yashiro is susceptible to "push". I''m not sure that a woman would be able to see Yashiro''s weaknesses in such a short period of time. ...... And one more thing: ............ Yashiro loves big tits more than three meals a day. In other words, Medora Rossel is ............ Magda''s love rival. ''...... Hey! ''Hey, hey, tiger girl!What''s the point of resuming the attack if you''re going to take your time to think about it? ....... I guess physical attacks are still no match for ....... ''......Yashiro''. ''Hmm?'' He doesn''t say anything, just stares at Yashiro. I''m sure Yashiro will understand this. ''...... Yes, yes. You''re such a spoiled brat, aren''t you? Exhaling lightly, Yashiro pats Magda on the head. Then he rubs the base of his ear lightly. ''...... Mwah! I regret to say that I''m a bit of a spoiled brat, but for the sake of Fluffy, I''m willing to accept it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... No, I''m staring at Yashiro, who is fluffing up. ......Those are the eyes of a predator. ''......All right! Medora claps her hands as if she''s come up with something. ...... and a sound like a carriage and wagon colliding head-on is heard. If you get caught in ...... that, you will ...... die. ''......Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ''What the hell, what the hell!What''s wrong, Medora? Medora Rossell slumps down and bends forward, her whole body filled with fighting spirit. He was so wild that he seemed to be about to blow away the sunlit pavilion. Medora Rossell''s ears popped up on her head. ''...... darling .................. zeeeeee''. Then he stares at Yashiro. Gazing. Stare. Lock on. ''Sorry ............, I don''t have any money or anything right now. ......'' Medora Rossell''s passionate gaze was deemed by Yashiro to be a mugging. You can''t blame him. One of the things that makes Yashiro unique is that he is not very perceptive. ......There is a slight possibility that he is too perceptive and is deliberately missing the point. ............ I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. Medora Rossell ...... is a strong enemy. It''s probably Yashiro''s best strike. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. It''s only a matter of time before he falls. ...... We can''t afford to be complacent. I''ve heard that submissive girls like this are unconditionally cute to men, even if they appear to be nothing more than monsters in Magda''s eyes. There is also a saying that ''avatars are also ectopics'' ............ that should not be underestimated. I''m not sure what to say.Are you ready to ............ mom? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... Oh, I managed to avoid fainting. Strong mental strength. I''m not exactly the head of the chapter. ''Yashiro ............, is your range of defense four-dimensional level ......'' ''Why are you telling me this?I don''t care, you guys, just go to the forty-first district!Why are you all gathering here?The gate is in District Forty-one! ''I''m here to pick up Magda. Use Damare said, pointing at Magda. Today, he was supposed to ride in the hunting guild''s carriage to District 41 with the members of the branch. But there was no need for them to come and pick him up. ...... I know Use Damare''s intentions. ''Mr. Use. Good morning, sir. I hope you have a good day. ''Oh, oh, you''re the manager!What a coincidence!Oh, yeah!I''ll do my best!I''ll leave it to you! ...... Use Damare is a fan of the manager, even if he doesn''t know it. His eyes flickered back and forth to the manager''s chest. Do you want me to charge you for this?...... Oh, no. Yashiro is going bankrupt. ''...... Medora Rossel'' ''Call me mama, tiger girl! ''........................ Kwa. ''Don''t look so bad! Magda''s mom is the only one in the world, so she can''t call Medora Rossel mom. ''Guilds have their own rules!If you don''t follow them, I''ll have you fired.'' That''s a problem. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. He glanced at the manager. ''What''s the matter, Magda? When Magda is gone, the manager will be working too hard by himself again. ...... Then he looks at Yashiro. ''''Hmm?'''' Yashiro needs ............ Magda. Doesn''t need a reason. He needs it. He''ll cry if he doesn''t. ...... cry. Then Magda can''t be kicked out of the hunting guild. Because there are people who need us. So ...... ''..................medramama''. ''.................., well, that''s fine.'' This is a last-minute compromise. More importantly, I have something to report to Medora Rossel. ''Ursse Damare is a big tit lover. ''Oi, Magda!What the hell are you talking about?''Oh, oh, oh, when did I say that ......! ''...... big tits, I''m going to go on a wild goose chase. ''Listen to me, I''m talking to you! I''m not a fan.You''re looking at my breasts like that? ''I wasn''t looking at you, Mom! Use Damare''s face turns pale as Medora Rossel closes in on him. Hmm. I should be punished like this. ''You, Magda!You''ll remember this later! ''...... Usse Damare.'' ''What the hell? ''............ Why are you calling me that?'' ''E...... what, you?Are you trying to force me to call you ''sir''?I''m not sure what the problem is, but I''m sure it''s a problem if you''re calling me out. That''s why it''s so hard for usse-damare to ...... ''...... There is such a thing as ''rank'' in human beings. ''Why are you looking down on me, you bastard? I''m not sure what to say. Use Damare, who has been making a lot of noise since this morning, gets angry with Yashiro. Only Usse Damare. ''...... is pissed at me.'' ''You''re included in this, you know! Use Damare says something that makes no sense. Yes, let''s ignore him. ''...... Shhhh, ignore it. ''Oh, you''re pissing me off! The pissed-off Use Damare is like a child. No, no, no. Adults who can''t grow up are ...... ''Mr. Magda''. And the overgrown adult, the manager, comes to Magda. ''...... It''s a shame this morning.'' ''What are you talking about? He hides his chest as he says this. You already know what I''m talking about. ...... ''Today, I heard that you are with the guild leader Medora-san and others, and Magda-san is a logistical support.'' He looked uneasy, and squeezed Magda''s hands, wrapping them around him. ''It''s noble to work hard, but please don''t get hurt. ...... I''ll pray to the spirit gods for Magda''s safe return. The manager always prays for Magda''s safety like this before she goes out hunting. He had never done this before I came here. Since I''ve been here, they''ve always done it. ...... Even if this becomes the norm, Magda will never forget to be grateful. ''...... I swear on the manager''s tits.'' ''Where did you swear what? The manager lets go of Magda''s hand and hides her boobs again. ...... If you''re going to be charged, Magda might as well take a lot of your money with her. ...... Can''t we somehow just collect from the usse damare. ...... ''Oh, Magda. You can''t let a girl talk to you like that. ''I''ll keep an eye on .......'' ''If you''re not careful, you''ll end up like Yashiro-san.'' ''Hmm. Well then, Ginette. Can you tell me more about the truth of what you just said later?'''' ''Huh!I''m sorry, I just did it on the spur of the moment. ......'' The manager is a bit of a natural. .................. Correction. Quite natural. This place is nice. When I live here, I think this every time I go out. "Let''s come back properly." ....... ''...... Yashiro, Manager. I''m off.'' ''Oh, be careful.'' ''Magda-san. Here''s your lunch. Please eat it if you''re hungry.'' ''............ much.'' ''Yes, sir. Breakfast, lunch, and insurance for when I use the Red Moya, so five in total.'' ''......Thank you.'' The fact that you abbreviated ''red shiny thing'' is bothering me, but I can''t help it if you''re the manager. You should learn the official name. It should be difficult for the manager. ''Darling. I''ll do my best, too! ''Yes, yes. Go do your best. ''Yes! Medora Rossel smiles broadly. Yashiro, could it be that you have ...... the makings of a fierce beastmaster...... ''Okay, let''s go, you guys! ''Yeah! ''...... Got it.'' And so Magda and the others left the sunlit pavilion. 155-Episode 18 Magda x Eyes Volume 2 The forest was filled with the scent of mangled beasts. ''That''s pretty close. ...... Don''t let your guard down, you guys.'' Medora Rossel also seemed to have the skill of keeping her voice down. ''Look. A swarm is like a mosquito pole, if you will. If you kill the female in the center, the swarm will naturally dissipate. It''s the female you''re after.'' But the females are guarded by powerful Hexenbiests. It''s not easy to even get close. They had already fought more than a dozen times. Magda has also used the "red shiny thing" twice. There''s only one lunch left: ...... ''Hey, there he is,......! The scouts come back to report in hushed tones. By ''there'', I don''t mean the hexenbiest, but the female reigning in the center of the Swarm. The air in the room is tense. Everyone stifles and hides in the shade of the forest. Gently peeking into the forest, I saw that there were nearly twenty magical beasts grouped together in the depths of the forest. In the middle of them, there was one particularly large Hexenbiest. That''s the center of the Swarm. A female. The female is a black-shelled hexenbiest that looks like a combination of an ant and a crab, and is about two meters tall. It''s about two meters tall and three meters wide. ...... It''s big and hard. I''ve never seen a hexenbiest like it. ''That''s nasty .......'' ''......You know a hexenbiest?'' ''Yeah. It''s big, hard, and fast.'' Medora Rossel twisted the corners of her mouth. ''Is he that tough of an opponent?'' ...... ''That''s a hexenbiest called an Arikani.'' ''...... Manchurian? I''m surprised at the name, it''s too literal. Isn''t there a concept of "twist"? ''Oh no, ...... Peruda doesn''t want to ......'' Use Damare says with a blue face. The Peruda is a four-legged beast with a snake-like face and tail, and it is poisonous. It is a highly dangerous hexenbiest that requires four of the most skilled hunters in the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild to hunt against it. There are two such Perudas. ''We''ll take care of Peruda. A large man with a piranha face and an extremely loud voice came forward. I think it''s Gustave of the Piranha tribe, and he''s a great hunter. ...... But he still has the same jokingly high voice. Are you kidding me? ''There''s also Mahout. ''Hey ......, that''s nasty.'' Drino, a swineherd with two large horns on his head. And then there''s Alvaro, a Byakko with white tigers from the ears and nose down. These two are also well known hunters in the hunting guild. Both of them have special abilities. ...... ''Gustave and Alvaro. You two take care of the two Perudas.'' ''Yes, ma''am.'' ''Understood.'' Medora Rossel''s orders are a mess. He''s ordering her to hunt the Perudas by herself when the four best men in the division can barely kill them. And Gustave and Alvaro have readily agreed to it. Can you do that? ''The rest of you follow Drino''s orders and take care of Mahout and the other hexenbiests. I''ll take care of Arikani! ''All right. Apparently, the hunters at headquarters led by Dorino will take out the other hexenbiests. Well, that''s all well and good, but I''m amazed that Medora Rossel is so confident that she can kill that big ant crab by herself. But strangely enough, it makes me think ''Medora Rossel can do it. ''Use and the others from the branch will be our backup. You''ve probably been worn out by this point, so you don''t have to do anything crazy, but if it comes down to it, you''re going to have to die for us. ''Oh, oh!Keep up the good work, you guys! ''''''Hey!'''''' The hunters from the branch had killed most of the magical beasts on the way here. The people at the headquarters had conserved their strength, thinking that there was a powerful hexenbiest in the center of Swarm, but ...... they were right. Medora Rossell, as expected. I''m not sure what to do. '''''''''' Hey! '''''''''' In the event you''re not sure what to do, there are a few things you can do. The demonic beast notices us and makes a warning sound at once. A warning sound to intimidate. Even though their ears are ringing violently, they never close their eyelids. When hunting Hexenbiests, a moment''s carelessness can lead to death. You can''t blink until you''ve killed your prey. ''Let''s get out of here, you bastards! Use Damare shouted angrily. Numerous spider-like magical beasts rained down on the heads of the hunters at headquarters as they charged. It seems they were hiding in the trees. Magda and the other hunters from the branch shoot the monsters above their heads so that the hunters from the headquarters can concentrate on hunting on the ground. Use Damare made a very good decision. He was watching carefully. Thanks to you, we''ll have backup in time. Hmm, I''m starting to think I should be allowed to call him ....... And then ...... --I''m sorry. For a moment, I felt the air change. The spider beasts are only numerous, but each and every one of them is no big deal. Peruda has also been completely subdued by Gustave and Alvaro. Medora Rossel, mankind''s ultimate weapon, has also subdued the Arikani, which poses the greatest threat. The same goes for the other magical beasts. ...... The current chill is ...... ''Magda!Don''t just stand there!The hexenbiest is still ......! Use Damare''s voice trailed off as he tried to warn Magda. Use Damare''s eyes widened. What appeared beyond that was ...... ''...... Bonaconk''. Bonacon, a huge, flaming bull, was charging toward us. It was many times larger than the Bonakon Magda knew, and its horns were fiercely extended and pointed. It was the first time Magda had ever seen such a fierce-looking Bonacon, and for a moment, she felt her feet slump. ''BUMOOOOOOOOO! With a screeching roar, Bonacon lunges forward. The ...... target was not Magda ......, but Medora Rossel. This Bonacon seems to be trying to protect Arikani. ''I won''t let ...... it. I was just a moment too late. After all, one moment of carelessness can be fatal. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. If Magda doesn''t stop him, ......! He slides his body in front of Bonacon''s eyes. A sharp horn cuts his cheek. A red streak runs down his cheek, and blood seeps through with a burning heat. But I''m okay with this. Magda glared at him, and Bonacon was momentarily frightened. And that was enough. ''......haa............'' When Bonacon was frightened, Magda covered his whole body with ''something red and shiny''. He holds his Masakari at the lower level and raises it at once. ''Boomo! He lets out a slightly dumb scream, and Bonacon falls to the ground. ''Good job, tiger girl! You can hear Medora Rossel''s voice behind you. Magda was close to where Medora and Arikani were fighting. It really was a close call. ''Well, I''ll go to ............ too!'' --Gosh! A heavy crash sounded in the forest. With his fist, he struck the hard belly of the ant crab. ''Haaaaaaah! It roars and strikes wildly. Zugga-ga-ga!Sugagagagagagag!The sound of a steel stake being driven into an iron plate echoed, and gradually ...... the outer shell of the ant crab cracked and ...... broke. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. He swung his right fist and slammed it into the cracked and thinning shell. ''Pee-gaaaaahhh! With a high-pitched scream, Arikani buried his huge body in the earth. Sinking to the ground, the ant crab stopped moving. ''...... really, I killed it all by myself. ''That was quite a feat, tiger girl!You can be even stronger! You can be even stronger! ...... munching. ''. I don''t know how you can be so carefree with your lunch in here. I need to eat my lunch to settle my stomach. Medora Rossell gazed warmly at Magda as she gulped down her lunch. ............ I won''t give you that look. As a sign of his intentions, he turns his back to Medora Rossell. ''I''m not going to take it away, you idiot. Eat slowly.'' A large hand is placed on his head. ...... dependable, big hands. Like a father you can count on. A few minutes later, the Swarm lost control after the female ant crab was hunted and turned into a ragtag group that was ...... completely subdued. Hexenbiest Swarm vanquished, complete. ''Well, I''m going home, you guys! '''''''' Hey!Mom! '''''''' Magda and the others were on their way home when Medora Rossel gave the order. Somehow or other, Magda found herself next to Medora Rossel. Medora Rossel is stroking Magda''s head all the time. ''It''s kind of an easy head to pet,'' she said. ''...... They say it''s a national treasure.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!That''s good!I''ll let you pet it some more! Laughing wildly, Medora Rossel stroked Magda''s head. Unlike Yashiro, she stroked him roughly ............, but not too unpleasantly. Then, through the gates and in the carriage, Magda returned to the sunlit pavilion. ''Darling!I''ve killed the Swarm! ...... with Medora Rossel. She followed him, patting him on the head. ...... What should I do with this? ''Darling, you should see this!I''ve been injured! The tip of my finger was slightly cut and bleeding. It seems that the cut was caused by destroying the outer shell of the arikani. ...... It is amazing that that is the only injury after defeating that magical beast with your bare hands. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do. ''Please lick me!Spit on it and it''ll heal! ''We have medicine, so put it on! ''Disinfectant! ''We have disinfectant too! ''Dah-ling! ''Wah, hey, ............ Mogot? In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the best way to get the most out of your wedding. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. ''Oh, ............ warm''. At this rate, Yashiro is likely to be cold tomorrow morning. Caution ............, I thought, ...... ''...... head, cool''. Perhaps it was because I had been stroked so much that my head felt sooty. It''s not that the hair follicles have been catastrophically damaged. That big hand of Medora Rossel''s was stroking it all the time. ...... How can I say, ...... not enough? ''...... Well, for once. Medora Rossel did her best. You should be rewarded with something like that. ''Oh ......, I''m so nervous I''m going to die,......'' ''No, I''m obviously going to die more than you, this scene ......''. Medora Rossel writhes cutely. Yashiro gazes at her with cold eyes. But he doesn''t reject her outright, despite what he says. I''m sure you''ll agree that Yashiro has a weakness for women with big tits and a strong push. ............ Is Medora Rossell your true love? I''m not sure what to say. ????????????...... ''Well, I''m leaving!I''m going to be alone and enjoy my fingertips ......, or I have work to do at headquarters! ''Don''t say horrible things, just go home!Get to work, get to work!And wash your fingers immediately!Wash your fingers now! Medora Rossel is cheerfully sent off, and Yashiro returns. ''...... d*mn it. Hmm? Ji~...... ''Magda''s injured too. You''ve got a little cut on your cheek.'' Ji~...... ''Hang on, I''ll get you some medicine soon ......'' Ji~...... ''...... What the hell, you too ............ Well, it looks like you worked hard today... ...'' When observing Yashiro, ...... I''m not sure what to say. What did he misunderstand? ...... ''......What, Yashiro? ''Don''t move.'' Yashiro kneeled down in front of Magda and gently put his hand on Magda''s face, holding her down. Then ...... Perrott. ...... and licked Magda''s cheek. ''Is this what you want?As you can see, I''ve already figured out Magda''s begging and I''ve ............ got it.What''s up?'' ''...... ho,ho.'' On the cheek ............chi ............chi... ......... chu.................. ''Magda?'' ''...... I''m going to bed.'' The moment I made such an excuse, my face exploded. I didn''t think that ...... I would make such a mistake, indeed. I think he misunderstood that Magda was forcing him to do what Medora Rossell was forcing him to do. Mm-hmm. It''s an understandable flow. That''s how it was supposed to go. But ............ cheek kisses are a bit too abrupt and ............ impossible. It''s a little too sudden,....... I did the best I could and headed for my room. I can''t wait to get out of here. ...... I can''t move my body as much as I want to. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... At the end of the day, Yashiro is ............ a natural at this point. Magda is not supposed to be such a trifling beggar,............, not anymore,....... Just one word: ............ ''......Thank you for the meal.'' ''Magda!What''s wrong, Magda? Leaving the confused Yashiro behind, Magda returns to her room. He crawls into bed and pulls the covers over his head. I think it''s not fair to take you by surprise. ............ I think it''s not fair. ...... I''m not sure what to say. The day ended with me writhing in agony for the first time in a long time. 156-Episode 135 Opening Ceremony That morning, the whole city was buzzing. ''Who''s going to win? ''Ours, ours!Forty districts! ''Bah-ka!Of course it''s the forty-first district! ''Oh, that''s right!Have you tried the cake from District 42?It''s so delicious! ''The food court is so nice!I wish they''d keep it there. ''Come on, come on!Let''s see which ward will win!Let''s see which district will win! It starts at 100Rb a mouthful! ''5,000Rb for the 41st district! ''20,000 for the fortieth ward! ''500 Rb for District 42! ''Mr. Momat . It''s not good to compete with each other, that it is. ''And it''s fatal that it''s slightly cheap. ...... What the hell are they doing? Anyway. And so, from the forty to the forty-two wards, across the border of the wards, the whole area around here is in a festive mood. ''It''s amazing. ''Don''t get distracted. ''...... I''m fine. Paula will take care of the manager.'''' ''Yeah!I''ll leave it to her!I won''t let him get lost! ''Paula, please take care of him. Please don''t let go of the manager''s hand. ''Um, um, why is everyone at ...... treating me like I''m the worst child? ''It''s because you''re the one who hasn''t been out the most. We walked slowly and deliberately around Jeannette, who was probably not used to crowds. In the 41st district, the site of the gluttony contest, a great number of people had gathered. People from all three districts were gathered in one place. This is tremendous. While being pushed by such a crowd, they tried their best to reach their destination without getting separated. ''It''s amazing. ...... I''ve never seen so many people in my life. ''......Perhaps they all are.'' ''We have a lot of siblings, but not this many.'' No wonder. If you had this many siblings, your parents would be crushed to a pulp. ...... Incidentally, it seems that there will be more. ''It''s been a while since I''ve been ......''. There are many events in Japan where people gather in one place, such as Hatsumode, Gion Festival, and Comiket. I wonder if Izumo Taisha and Ise Jingu were like this in the Edo period. ...... ''Oniichan! ''Popcorn, selling like hotcakes! In a corner of the main street, the No. 2 and No. 7 stores of the Sun Moon Pavilion are set up side by side. They are selling with permission, so there is no problem. The reason they are lined up is to avoid trouble. The reason why they are lined up is to avoid trouble. If something goes wrong, we tell everyone to work together to overcome it. Of course, I also told them to come to us if there was a problem they couldn''t handle themselves. ''We''ve finally reached the second seventh store. ''...... almost to the venue. ''It''s a lot of work moving around, isn''t it? It seems that my sisters have been standing by here since last night. We also left the 42nd district before dawn, but as soon as we entered the 41st district, we got caught in a traffic jam. It was a huge traffic jam of people. ''If I hadn''t been going to the athletes'' area, I might have gone back to .......'' ''It''s going to be even harder for the general public. We''ll be in a dedicated space as players, and Ginette and Paula will be in a dedicated space as cooks. So once we''re in the hall, it''ll be a little easier to get around. ''Speaking of which, what happened to Estella-san? ''...... Separated from the morning.'' ''She seems to be rich, so she''s probably sitting in a good seat somewhere, isn''t she?It''s not fair! No, I''m going first because I''m a ...... lord. Well, I''ll keep my mouth shut. When you enter the venue, the vigilantes of the forty-first district will guide you to the relevant passage. ...... Huh, now I can catch my breath. ''That was a hell of a crowd.'' ''...... cattle walk.'' ''I felt like a snail, didn''t I? ''Eh, huh?Well, well, well! Magda and Ginette''s popping out of metaphors made Loretta freak out. No, it''s okay, you don''t have to force yourself to say it well. ''Sh...... dying grandpa! ''Hey! That''s what you came up with after a lot of thinking! You are hereby sentenced to cheek munching for inappropriate remarks. ''Muaaahhh ...... I''m sorry ......'' ''No, you can''t. You have to think before you speak.'' ''Ginette is right.'' ''...... Dying people can''t even walk.'' ''That''s not what I said! You''re not following me, Magda! ''Hey!Yashiro! ''You''re late, guys! Nephrite and Delia were standing in front of the officials'' entrance. Oh, there''s Bertina in the back. ''You''re early, guys. You guys are early. Why is Delia using that industry term? Well, it''s probably just a game of ''forced translation magic''. ''You''re early too, Bertina.'' ''Yes. I didn''t want to expose the kids to the crowds, so I came before the sun came up. ''And the kids? ''The matrons are looking after them. ''I see.'' Thanks to the hard work of Umaro and the others, the venue could accommodate a huge number of spectators. Even so, we can''t fit everyone, so we have to change every match. Because of the difference in income between the 40th, 41st, and 42nd wards, it was not possible to have a uniform admission ticket system. Therefore, it was decided to divide the audience into three blocks, and each block would be managed by each ward. Each district was allowed to decide the price of tickets at its own discretion. The proceeds of the tickets go directly to the lord. So, the admission fee for the 42nd district was 50Rb. She could have ripped them off, but Estella explained to the lords and distributed the tickets so that everyone could see the show. ''If we can get the profit elsewhere, that''s fine. I remember you saying that. Sweetheart. Apparently, the forty wards sold some of their seats at a high price as premium tickets to see the whole game. Naturally, the aristocracy and the rich jumped on the tickets. The rest of the tickets were changed every other game, and the price was reasonable. In a sense, it may be fair to have such a blatant disparity. The idea of ......, which treats high status people and commoners together without discrimination, looks like equality, but it is actually quite a distorted idea. Is it really equality to treat equally those who have worked hard to earn money and those who have played too hard to become poor? ...... Well, there are many ways to think about it. That''s why there are so many different kinds of "fairness". Just as it is difficult for a democracy and a socialist country to share the same values. But the friendly 42 districts treat everyone the same. Nobles, commoners, and slaves are all treated the same. The idea is that they''re all human beings. The only aristocrat in the Forty-two districts is Estella, ...... though Imelda has recently been included, ...... and that''s about it. As for these people, they are rather lonely when they are isolated from other people. They don''t want any special treatment. ''Wow!It''s so spacious! We arrived at the waiting area prepared for the 42nd district. I was slightly overwhelmed by the sight that greeted me. The center stage was surrounded by audience seats, and the waiting area for the officials was prepared beside it. Looking at the audience from there, I felt a tremendous sense of intimidation. My stomach clenches at the thought of being watched by so many people. I wonder if this is how it feels to be an actor or an athlete on stage. ''Wow, I''m ...... getting nervous, even though I''m not competing. ''I''m fine,......, me too. Ginette and I are both experiencing an inexplicable sense of tension despite our rather easygoing positions. I''m glad I''m not a player. ...... I''m really glad. You can see the game clearly from here!I''m glad I''m a player! ''......I agree. Special seats.'' ''I guess it''s easier to cheer from here. The players were surprisingly calm. Delia, Magda and Bertina are all ...... nervous, aren''t they?I''m sure they don''t. ...... ''When you say waiting space, I thought it would be more ...... crammed into a small room and not fun at all. ''It''s quite interesting to see who''s waiting for you. In a big tournament like this. Whenever there''s a movement in the camp, you can''t help but wonder, ''Hey, what''s going on? That''s what makes it fun. It''s a long game. It is best to provide the audience with many things to see. The waiting space is also a kind of entertainment. Is ...... a bit too much? The waiting area is basically just an empty space with a few simple chairs and desks. Most of them will stand or sit on the ground. There will be chairs for the players. Well, whoever wants to sit down can do so. It''s 5 meters long and 4 meters wide, so it''s pretty big. At any rate, this is where the contestants, the cooks, and people like me will be waiting. Adequate space is necessary. The food is prepared in a special kitchen that can be seen from the spectators'' seats, but since it is decided just before the game starts which district will cook and when, the cooks of each district wait in their respective spaces. There is a one-hour interval between each game to change the seats and prepare the food for the next game. Roughly speaking, including the preparation time, it takes two hours to complete a match. ''Hello, Yashiro-san, everyone. How do you do? ''You''re usually here, Imelda ......''. Imelda was in the waiting area of District 42. We''re about to start the inter-district match, and I''m not sure if it''s okay for me to be in District 42, where I currently live, instead of District 40, where my parents live. ...... ''Isn''t the fox man also here? ''Oh, oh, oh, I''m a candidate for a player,'' he said. Umaro tenses up and argues back. His nervousness is not due to his pre-tournament nerves, but to the fact that he can''t talk to women. I mean, you should be more open-minded. Imelda sees you as a competitor and thinks very highly of you.Well, I''m sure she''ll never tell you that. ''Hey, Yashiro! I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... and I thought I was going to die. ''What the hell are you doing? ''That''s what I''m talking about! I turned around to see Norma standing there with her hands on her hips, looking very angry. Her pom-poms were super conspicuous. ''Oh!That looks good on you! ''It''s not a good look!What''s with this outfit? Today''s Norma, far from her usual languid adult s*xiness, has been sulking since this morning. Her clothes are unbearably s*xy, but ...... ''That outfit is ...... called a cheerleader! He clenched his fists and said emphatically. I clenched my fists and stressed, and was hit in the face with a pompom. ''Do you want me to stay all day with my legs hanging out like this? Oh, so that''s what''s bothering you. It''s true, I usually wear a long skirt with a slit in it, so my legs aren''t exposed that much. Oh, I see. So Norma is ashamed of her legs. As for me, I have to say good job to Ukrines for creating a cheerleader outfit that emphasizes her bosom so much. This time, I have asked Norma and the other volunteers of the 42nd district to be our "cheering squad". Since it would give us a good seat to watch the whole game, they all agreed to do so. At that time, I told them that they should dress like a cheerleading squad, but apparently Norma didn''t like it. It''s a really cute cheer outfit. She is wearing a very mini-skirt, her breasts are full of cleavage, and the pompoms she holds in her hands are unrelentingly uncomfortable in a different world. ''It''s very nice, Norma. Ginette praised Norma''s outfit with sparkling eyes. ''So, is that ...... it? ''Yeah, it looks great on you. It''ll motivate everyone if they support you.'' ''Well, only Yashiro would be happy with something like this. When I complimented Norma by following up with Jeannette, Norma made a little snide remark. But she didn''t seem to be satisfied. ''Miss Norma, you are bursting with s*x appeal! ''...... ripe fruit.'' ''I can feel the malice in you! It seemed that Loretta and Magda''s compliments were not accepted. ''Yashiro~, look, look!Isn''t he cute?'' ''I''m the cook, you know! Nepheli and Paula, dressed in cheerleading uniforms like Norma, came running towards us. You guys just walked in with us. ...... You work fast, Ukrines. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. They''re in regular cheerleading gear. Ukrines_...... you know what you''re doing! You''ll find a wooden partition at the back of the waiting area of the 42nd district, which appears to be a changing room. I wonder if it''s possible to look into it from the audience seats. ...... If so, I''ll go to the general seats too. ...... You can''t peep into it, I''m afraid. Here comes Ukrines with a beaming face. He seems to have recently found pleasure in dressing girls in new clothes. He''s definitely a woman, but he''s probably an old man at heart. That must be it. ''Oh ...... Nephrite, you''re so cute ......''. Wow,......, there''s a pervert in the mix. ''What are you doing, Percy?You''re a complete outsider, aren''t you?'' ''You told me I could come, didn''t you? Did I? No, but still... Would you betray District Forty and come to District Forty-two just to see Neffery? ''That''s treason. ''Don''t you dare talk to me like that!Of course your city is important, but ...... love is more important, right? If you''re embarrassed, don''t say it, it''s disgusting. It''s not like I''m the one who has to listen to it. ''Good morning, Yashiro-sama. In the waiting area, which was getting crowded, Natalia called out to me. But she wasn''t here to watch the game. ''I''m here to pick you up. ''Oh.'' Natalia had come to pick me up. To the lords'' anterooms, which were even more closely monitored and controlled than here. ''Well, I''ll be back in a bit. ''Yes, sir. Yashiro-san will be on the stage for the opening ceremony, right? ''Well, ...... you will be.'' For some reason, I''m supposed to be on stage with my lord. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. ...... Well, I have one job, so I can''t help it. ............ This is also for sales. It''s for my benefit. ...... Cut it out, Obeyashiro. ...... Oh, that''s too much trouble. ''Then I''ll be here to support you. Ginette smiles at me. ...... Don''t give me that look. You''ll think I''m going to do my best. ''Cheering'' ...... doesn''t mean I''m going to do anything, does it? ''Yes. But I''m rooting for you. I''ll be watching you.'' This guy might have sensed my depression and said something like that to me. ''Well, I''m off. ''Okay. Have a good day. Ginette sees me off, and I start moving again. Leaving the crowded waiting area for the officials, I entered the building opposite the spectators'' seats, behind the stage where the gluttony contest was held. This is the building where the lords wait, and each lord is assigned a private room. From the private room, you can watch the game from a good position, and it is truly a VIP room. We stepped into the building. As expected, there were few people around the lord''s anteroom. This is because it is strictly controlled and only certain people are allowed to enter. I don''t know why I''m entering such a place. ...... I''m a fraud, right? ''How long has Estella been here? ''Yesterday. Now she''s finished with her preparations and is meeting with the two other district lords.'''' ''Hey, hey. Are you sure it''s okay for me to go in there? ''Yes. Mr. Javier and Ms. Rossel are with you. ''...... Medora''s there too? I don''t know, maybe I should go home. ...... ''We''re here.'' Shit! Realizing that I couldn''t escape, I made up my mind. Well, even Medora wouldn''t suddenly hug me in front of her lord. Natalia knocked and slowly opened the door. ''Da-riiiinn! I was suddenly hugged! She twisted me down with tremendous force, and I couldn''t escape! ''You''re ...... as ............ curious as ever. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine.I''m not sure what to do.Keep him tied up! ''A collar or a leash won''t work on this thing. ''You''re not its owner, are you? I managed to pull Medora away and save her life. ...... Even before the tournament, she was drained of all her energy. ...... ''Oh, Yashiro. What are you doing? ''No, no, no, you''re busy today too, Oba-kun. Estella and Demilly approached me after my mishap,......, but ............ Estella, tits, boom! Demilly, hair, fluffy! ''Dauth! ''Dada, dada, whose breasts are dauth! ''What about the fact that you deny the possibility of natural hair from the start? No, when you know exactly what you''re pointing out, you''re probably guilty of a lot of things. In order to show that this tournament will be held with the consent of the three districts in a fair and peaceful manner, the lords of the three districts will jointly make an opening declaration at the opening ceremony. You''re going to be standing in front of a lot of people. ...... They''re so vain, aren''t they? Estella is wearing a large breast stuffing and Demilly is wearing a headband. ''So, is Ricardo cheating on his height as well? ''Is he faking it! It''s the only thing that doesn''t make you look good, Ricardo. That''s what makes it so weird. ...... ''Anyway, we''re running out of time, so let''s get ready and start the opening ceremony right away! ''Hmm!I''d like that!If that''s the case, we can''t change anything or ...... specifically change our outfits now, so we''ll have to keep things as they are for the opening ceremony, no matter what the people around us say! The two self-disguised lords are making such excuses as they quickly head for the opening ceremony. ...... Well, I''m not stopping you,............, but I don''t think Estella needs to do that. I''m not going to stop you. If she doesn''t have breasts, her identity might be exposed. ''Javier. Your lord is in an interesting situation, are you sure you don''t want to say anything?'' ''Huh!Hm, oh, oh!You''re Jashiro!What?'' ''What ...... are you. Are you nervous?'' Javier, the lumberjack general, was nervous as hell. Is he not good at public appearances?If you''re a guild leader, you''ll probably have to appear in front of people at some point. ''Ha-ha-ha. Stuart has always been bad at this sort of thing, hasn''t he? ''Uh-uh-uh, shut up, Ambrose! ''Don''t be too hard on yourself, it''s bad for your hair follicles. ''I don''t want to hear it from you, ............!What''s wrong with your head? Apparently, he just realized it. ''What are you talking about, Stuart? It''s natural hair, natural hair. Everyone in the room pointed at Demily at the same time. ??????????????? genie''s ......??????????????? ''Wow!That was a joke!My bad!Can''t you just pretend it didn''t happen!'''' Unexpectedly, I was able to take advantage of the forty district lords'' weakness . Yeah, yeah. I''ll make use of it in the future. ''''Well, gentlemen. It''s time for the opening ceremony. Stop fiddling with your stupid hair follicles and get ready.'' ''Estella''s maids can spit venom with ease. ......'' Natalia urges them to get ready while damaging Demilly. It''s time for the opening ceremony. ''So, let''s get going. It may not be a matter of seniority, but it seems that Demilly is the representative of the lord, and the atmosphere is such that Demilly is the first to take action. Demilly was the first to leave the room, followed by Ricardo and Estella. I, Javier, and Medora walked side by side with our respective lords. ''Are you nervous? Estella asked me along the way. ''Not really. I''m just going to stand there.'' ''Hmm ...... do you really think that''s all you''re going to do?'' ''What are you going to make me do? ''I don''t have to make you do anything, you''ll do something on your own. You always do.'' ''Shut up.'' Estella chuckles quietly. Dressed up, Estella is still beautiful and looks like a real lady in this way. It''s a strange thing. Maybe makeup is a kind of fraud. Before you become beautiful, the atmosphere you wear changes drastically. ''Now, it''s time. ''Oh.'' Ahead, the exit to the venue comes into view. ''The tournament is about to begin at .......'' With a kind of bizarre elation, your facial muscles form a smile for some reason. Well, it''s certainly not a bad feeling. I guess I got excited and thought I might as well go for it. I was in an uncharacteristically high spirits. When the lords went up on the stage, the audience broke out in applause. ''That''s impressive .......'' ''As expected ......, I''m a little nervous.'' After exchanging a few words with Estella, we went up to the stage. The three lords stand in the center of the stage, while I, Javier and Medora move aside. Demilly raised one hand, and the applause that had been breaking out quieted down. I''m going to hold a joint gluttony contest between the 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 3rd districts! Demilly''s voice was neither shouting nor raised, but calm and easy to listen to. Even so, it echoed through every corner of the hall. I guess you can get by without a loudspeaker. ''We hereby declare that we will not engage in any subterfuge or dealings in this tournament, and that we will fight fair and square! At Demilly''s words, Ricardo and Estella raise their right hands. It was a sign of agreement. ''The winner of this tournament will receive the greatest honor and prize! The prize is that the winning district will be able to make one request to the other districts. The prize was that the winning district could make one request to the other districts. I''m sure that the same kind of briefings for the people that we had in District 42 are being held in other districts as well. Then, I hereby declare the opening of the gluttony contest! With the declaration of the opening, the venue became excited at once. Applause and finger whistles were sounded loudly, and cheers rose up. A tremendous swell of sound shook the air. There is something uncanny about it. The frenzy of the World Cup looks so cute. Amidst the cheers and applause, the lords shake hands in praise of each other''s efforts. When the three lords put their hands on each other''s, the crowd cheered a little louder. I may be witnessing a historic scene. In Japan, this would surely make the front page of tomorrow''s morning paper. ......... This is not the time to get carried away by the atmosphere. I''ve still got work to do. I was able to bring it to this point with a good deal of vagueness. Estella was concerned and asked me a few questions, but I kept playing it off. Everything was to be decided here and now. ''Now then, I''d like to move on to the first game. ''Wait a minute!'' I shouted, and the hall buzzed as the three lords all turned to look at me. ''Hey, Yashiro. What the hell are you doing? Estella asks in a whisper. What are you going to do? You have things to do. But I didn''t have the lord involved in organizing the match so that he wouldn''t notice. The lord is a representative, but he does not participate in the tournament. He''s just a spectator. So you don''t know, do you?You don''t know who''s in charge of cooking the first game, or how they decide. ''From the second game onward, the lowest ranked district will be in charge of cooking, but it hasn''t been decided who will be in charge of the first game yet. ''Oh, really? Demilly and Ricardo seemed to be surprised, as was Estella. ''Yeah, yeah, that''s fine. ''...... Why didn''t you decide? Estella came up next to me and whispered to me. You''re an idiot. It''s for entertainment, of course. I pushed Estella away and walked to the center of the stage. ''Ah~......, actually, this time. I purposely didn''t decide on the dishes for the first game beforehand. This is because the act of discussing and deciding the first dish unseen by the people involved would cause grumbling. Even if the decision was made in a legitimate way, the people of the districts that were not chosen would not be satisfied if it was only hearsay. Isn''t that right? He asked the crowd. The crowd begins to murmur. That''s right, that''s right. It''s boring being out of the loop. Then why don''t you let your representative decide what to cook for the first game in front of your eyes? ''I think I''ll let the lords decide here and now by drawing lots, what do you think! The question was met with a shout of approval, ''Whoa, whoa, whoa! The question was met with a shout of approval. Yes, yes. The crowd likes to be extra excited. Some may argue that the decision should be made through proper consultation and fair discussion. But in this situation, the opinions of those who can make a calm decision will be silenced. Only at this moment, the one with the loudest voice wins, not the majority. In other words, if I stir up the crowd, things will go according to my plan. I''ve got the approval of the audience. So, what do you think, my lord?'' I turn around and ask the three lords this time. After the crowd''s opinion, they have their answer. ''I don''t mind. ''I don''t like the fact that it''s your opinion, but ...... well, do what you want. ''I''m fine with that, too. They don''t have a choice. That''s what I want. ''Now, wait a minute. Oumalo! ''Yes, sir! At my signal, Umaro comes running onto the stage. ''Sorry, Umaro. ''No, no, no. This is nothing to worry about. I''ll help you. In Umaro''s hands are two boxes of various sizes. One is a wooden cube with a length, width, and depth of about 30 centimeters each. There is a hole of about 13 centimeters in diameter at the top. It''s a hole of such a size that the contents are never fully visible, and you can easily take out what''s inside by sticking your arm through the hole. The other box is less than 20 centimeters wide and about 5 centimeters long and deep, and it contains a certain object. When you open the lid, you will find three balls of 5 cm in diameter inside. There is one red ball and two white balls. I hold them up on the stage and show them to the audience. ''Put the three balls in this box and draw one at a time. The red ball is the winner. Simple and easy to understand, isn''t it? This way, it''s obvious to everyone, and the lords can''t cheat. It makes sense to everyone. But then... ''Wait a minute! Ricardo, a man of few friends, who could not read the atmosphere and had a bad eye, intervened. I knew he''d bite, though. ''I''m going to check that box and ball. ''You don''t trust me, do you? ''Of course not! He said it! That''s what I''ve been trying to tell Ricardo and the others. Now, come on, be skeptical. That''s right, that''s how we''ll look. And when you prove there''s no trick, the audience will believe there''s no fraud. ''Are you almost done? ''Almost there! ''No, you won''t find anything if you observe like you''re desperately peeking inside a girl''s skirt. ''What?You!If you insult me in public, I''ll sue you in the courts! ''All right. Then, I''ll insult you alone at ...... later.'' ''No thanks, a**h*le! Ricardo throws the box back at me roughly. What the hell is he doing?What the hell is he doing with a box I''m about to use? ''Did you find anything suspicious? ''There''s nothing! ''Yes, there is. Do you want to check Demilly? ''No, I''m good. Ricardo''s done enough research.'' ''I see. Well, I''d like to check out the part of Demily that''s bothering me, in public. ''Oh, Oba-kun ......, can you stop staring at my hairline?I won''t let you check it out, will I?'' Okay. Too bad. ''Okay, Umaro. Hold the box for me.'' ''Yes, sir! Umaro, who has become my assistant, takes the box and I hold it up to the crowd. ''Let''s put them in! The crowd cheered lightly, and I realized that they were moderately excited. Now go to ...... and take out three balls from the box. Hold the three balls in your right hand and place the empty box on the floor with your left hand. Then, from the three balls held together in your right hand, take one white ball with your left hand and slowly place it into the box. One ...... Then, with your left hand, take another white ball and slowly place it into the ...... box. ...... Two ............ ''Now, this is the last one! As he says this, he slowly puts his right hand into the box and drops the ball. With a hard thud, the three balls are placed into the box. He instructed Umaro to shake the box. ''As for the order, well, ...... if I prepare it and the lord of the forty-two districts draws first, it''s very stinky. ...... How about here? How about in order of least hair follicles? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I''m sure Demilly will tell you, but either way, you''re the best. ''Ricardo, are you okay with that? ''Do what you want. Frowning, Ricardo continues to take a dull attitude. Then, Demilly, Ricardo, and Estella will go in that order. Since we don''t have a particular pedestal, we''ll leave the box in Umaro''s hands and let the lord draw. First comes Demilly. ''The red ball is the winner,'' she says. ''Yes. When you get the ball, hold it high so the audience can see it. ''Okay.'' With that, Demilly thrusts his arm into the box, looking slightly amused. ''I''m starting to feel like I''m taking part in a tournament. It''s a big responsibility. Demilly seems to be fiddling with the balls in the box, trying to get a hit. The wooden box rattled. Come on, pull it. ''All right, that''s it! Demilly pulled the ball out of the box and raised it above his head. At that moment, there was a sigh from the viewing area in the 40th district, and shouts of joy from the other areas. In other words, Demilly was ...... ''White ......? Demilly gazed at the ball he had drawn with regret. ''Well, it can''t be helped. She seems to have given up and gives up her spot to Ricardo. Ricardo stands in front of the box and looks at you with suspicion, as if he has not yet given up. ''You''re a hard man to give up. ...... Hurry up and pull it.'' ''Shut up!I''m not going to trust you ...... for the rest of my life. ''You, if you keep talking like that, Regina will write you a thin ......''. ''What are you talking about? ''There are many good things in the world that you don''t know. ...... Just pull it out.'' ''Hmm ......! When I held out the box, Ricardo thrust his arm into it with a look of frustration on his face. He is checking the balls in the box. He then flicked the box around to see if there was a fourth ball hidden somewhere inside. ''...... There''s nothing here? ''You really have a nasty personality, don''t you? I''m not going to let you be the only one to say that. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your money. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ''Don''t put your own spin on it!Also, I''m sorry for your bad eyesight, okay? And I''m sorry for my bad eyesight.'' He glared at me with bad eyesight. I''m scared. You have bad eyes! ''Well then, the rest can be found at .......'' While saying this, I quickly put my hand into the box. ''Oh, no!I wanted to do it too! ''It''s silly to spend so much time when you know the result, isn''t it? ''Well, that''s true, but...'' ''Here you go.'' He pulled his arm out of the box and tossed the red ball in his hand to Estella. ''Whoa! Estella panics, but catches the red ball with both hands. Once she had the red ball in her hand, she looked at it lightly and rubbed it a bit ....... ...... Are you doubting me too? ''You can''t peel off the paint or anything, can you?'' ''What?Oh, no, that''s not what I meant. ...... Haha. There''s something about what Yashiro does that makes me feel like there''s something behind it. Sorry, sorry, sorry. ''Well, because of my bad behavior, I''m the one''. ''Haha. I''m sorry. Anyway, I''m the winner. You did it! Estella smiles at me as if to make up for it. ''Hey. Can I check one more time? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... is why you can''t make friends. ''You''re so persistent, you''re a bad judge of character. ''Who''s the bad guy with the bad eyes?I''m just making sure. If there''s any cheating here, the rest of the tournament won''t go so well! He''s ...... really stupid. ''Hey ...... Umaro, give him the box. And leave it to us to dispose of it.'' ''What?Is that okay?I''m not going to ask my lord to dispose of the trash. ''I''m sure you''ll feel better once you''ve destroyed it and inspected it thoroughly. ''Is that so, ......?Then I''ll give it to you. Umaro reverently presents an empty wooden box to Ricardo. Ricardo takes it and looks inside. Hmm. Looking at him from the side, he''s a very unpleasant man. He''s not very likable. I hope the girls don''t like him either. ''Hmm ......, looks like you didn''t cheat. Finally, you''ve convinced me. ''But just in case, I''m taking this with me. I''ll take it apart and examine it again later. ''...... Do what you want with it. When you''re done with it, use it for firewood. ''See you later! Following the results of the lottery, Demily raised his voice again. ''The first game will be played with dishes from the Forty-Two districts!The match will begin thirty minutes from now! A cheer went up from the audience. The opening ceremony is now over. The demi-lieutenants return to the aisle they just left. They may be watching the game in their private rooms. I, however, am walking in the opposite direction from the lords to return to the waiting area for the people of District 42. It''s too much trouble to make a detour every time, so I get off the stage and head for the waiting area. ''Yashiro''. Estella comes running up to me. ''I''ll see you later. She puts her face close to my ear and whispers these words in my ear. There was a groan from the audience. ''Ya, Yashiro-san...... Ah, you............ even put your hands on the acting lord...... ......You''re a hell of a person. ......'' I''m not sure what to say. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ............. ''...... Estella'' ''...... sorry''. I''ll blame Estella in a loud voice that the other guys can''t hear. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ...... d*mn it. He''s a careless one. I guess I am too. ''Yashiro-san ...... is a panelist .......'' ''Don''t be stupid, we''re going back too. ''Yes, sir.'' With Umaro in tow, we left the stage and headed back to the waiting area in District Forty-two. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. Ginette is the first to greet us. ''We''ve got the first dish. Take care of it. ''Yes, sir. I''ll go make a delicious lunch for the adults. Well, I don''t really care how good it is. ''How many dishes will be served?I''d appreciate it if there were many. You know, with the flags and everything.'' Paula, in her cheerleader outfit, seemed to be in high spirits. ''Don''t worry. I''ve already been promised that there will be quite a few. ''Is that so?'' ''Yeah, it''s ......, after all.'' I say with a smile on my face. ''We''ll be sending out Bertina. ''What?Out of the blue? Paula, who didn''t know what was going on, raised her voice in surprise. She must have thought that Bertina, as a general, would be the last to be brought in. ''First of all, I''ll take the first win. This will make it a lot easier for the rest of the players. ''Ah, ......, I see. You''re right, Yashiro, you do think. I''ve told Bertina herself, Estella, Ginette and the others about this plan. This is why Bertina came to the venue early this morning with the kids from the church. In order to fulfill the wishes of the children who wanted to see Bertina''s bravery. Plus, it fits with the idea of serving lots of adult lunches. With Bertina, we''ll get fifty tickets. That''s why I wanted the 42nd district to have the first meal of the game, no matter what. ''So, there will be a huge number of them, so please prepare them right now! ''This is going to turn the ...... cooking area into a battlefield. ...... Ginette!Let''s go! ''Yes, Mr. Paula!Okay, Mr. Yashiro. I''m off.'' ''Oh!Take care! I watched Paula and Ginette run off to the special kitchen, and took a breath. Yeah, it worked. I''m really glad Ricardo is an idiot. ''Huh?What''s wrong, Mr. Yashiro?You''re smiling at me.'' ''No. I was just thinking that Ricardo was looking through some pretty cool boxes.'' ''Oh, ......, you were a little persistent. I don''t think you need to go that far, me neither. ''Not at all. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you. ''.................. What? I waved my right hand lightly. And then a white ball fell from the sleeve of my dress. ''Yikes!What?What the hell? ''Baka, shh!...... Your voice is so loud.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. ...... But, ...... what? Umaro''s eyes are bugging out. Well, I guess so. This guy, who was watching closest to me, didn''t seem to notice at all. ''Oh, no, Umaro. I''m really sorry ...... for making you be a part of the evil. ''No!I''m sorry.I''m sorry. He gently puts a white ball in the right hand of Umaro, who is so confused that he can only make strange sounds. ''Oumalo. This ball ...... should be disposed of well so that no one will notice it.'' ''Ya, ya, ya, Yashiro-san!Oh, you, you, you ......! ''Shh!If you don''t dispose of it promptly so that no one knows about it,......, you''ll be in a lot of trouble,............, buddy. ''Oh ...... demons...... Yashiro-san is a demon......'' With a blue face, Umaro hurriedly tucked the white ball in his hand into his pocket. ''I glanced at it, but it was still white. ...... What do you mean?Where did this white ball come from? Since you don''t seem to be convinced unless I tell you a trick, I''ll tell you. It''s a very, very simple trick. ''I hid a white ball in my sleeve. Then, when I put the balls in the box, I replaced them with red ones.'' I modified the gimmick I made before to hide the knife in the sleeve, so that I could hide the balls in the sleeve. While the audience''s attention was focused on his left hand, he switched the red balls with the white balls in his sleeve, and then put the white balls into the box. Instead of being able to show the color of the balls, he deliberately made a noise inside the box to show that he had put them in. ''So, Demilly and Ricardo will be white no matter what they draw. ''But the box was empty at the end, right? ''So, when I took the last one, you hid the white ball in the box in your sleeve and made it look like you took the red ball in your sleeve out of the box. ''......I didn''t notice that at all. ......'' Umaro may not know this, but I am actually very good at magic. I''m especially good at table magic using cards, coins, and balls. The reason why I made Umaro bring the wooden box to me in the middle of the opening ceremony was to make him think that the box was the one with the trick. Before that, I met him, talked with him, and came out with him, and people don''t usually think that my body is equipped with a trick. Magic is something that begins even before you go on stage. ''...... How could you hide such a large ball in your sleeve and act normal? ''I''m a bit handy, aren''t I? ''............I''ll never trust Yashiro-san again,............ in a good way. In a good way. The last word is not a follow-up at all, but well, I understand how you feel. ''Oh, ...... my heart hurts. ............ I don''t think I can do gluttony...'' ...'' I''m not sure what to say. But if Magda cheers you up, you''ll be fine. And so the gluttony contest began. Actually, it had already begun. At any rate, I''ll take the first win. I guess I''ll fight my way out. 157-Episode 136 Reasons for Eating a lot in Game 1 The hall was filled with the delicious smell of hamburgers and sausages cooking. ''Ladies and gentlemen!What do you think of this aroma?Isn''t it unbearable? ''''''Oooohhhh! ''''This is the ultimate dish, a lunch for adults, created by the restaurants of the forty-two wards by combining their respective strengths! ''''''Ooohhhh! ''''Don''t you want to try it? ''''''Oooohhhh! ''''''I want to eat it! ''''''I just want that sausage!Give it to me! ''''Loretta is so cute! ''I can''t stand the smell alone! ''Hamburgers are the best! ''A dream dish! ''Yes!I understand perfectly!I could feel what you were thinking!If you want to try it, please come to District 42 after the tournament!It''s going to be sold at a special restaurant for a limited time only! ''''''Oooohhhh! Loretta''s goading the customers. She''s really good at that kind of thing. There was one dangerous person in the ...... mix, but ...... well, Loretta is passing it off, so let it go. And Hammaro,......, you''re here. I''m not sure what to say.The 42nd district''s cheering section has warmed up! ''Oh, good, good. Good, good, good.'' ''Hey!What an honest compliment!Are you really my brother? ''If you''re so warmed up, you''ll be more enthusiastic in cheering. It''s times like this when your excitement comes in handy. I hope you''ll continue to be as energetic as you are. ''...... Yes, sir! Loretta was dumbfounded for a while, but then her face lit up with happiness and she nodded cheerfully with a million dollar smile on her face. In a competition like this, support can be a great help. Let''s have Loretta work hard in that direction. There''s a lot of people out there,...... and they''re all looking at me,.......... ...No, don''t look at me like that!I''ll be back. ...... Norma, the head of the cheering squad, is like that. Paula, the cheerful one, is away on cook duty right now. And Neffery is a chicken. ...... I''ll let Loretta get the ball rolling here. Well, that''s enough cheering for now. ...... It''s time to go. ''Bertina. You''re not nervous, are you?'' ''Yes. As usual. Bertina, who was participating in her first game, was standing quietly, wearing her usual calm atmosphere. Maybe it was a good decision to bring her first. I always get nervous in the first game of a big tournament like this. If it had been Umaro, I would have been crushed to a pulp. ''Umaro is a badass. ''Why did you suddenly say something bad about me in an unrelated conversation, I wonder? It doesn''t make any sense. I just want to tell him not to worry about the details. ''Well, I''m going to go warm up. Bertina bows her head and begins to wander off. ''......, come on. ''Don''t snack on it. ''I''m warming up.'' ''No! I guess the good smell has completely taken over. Bertina seems to be anxious about the special kitchen. If we don''t get this game started soon, Bertina might go out of control from hunger. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa! Suddenly, a cheer went up from the audience of District 41. Apparently, the players on the other side had begun to prepare. ''...... That''s Isak from the hunting guild. Magda said, looking at the dog-faced man in the waiting area of the forty-first district who had begun to do some flexibility exercises. ''Do you know him? ''...... is an advanced hunter. But more than that, what made Isak famous was his appetite and the way he ate with such gusto. There is no one in the hunting guild who does not know about Isak. ''You eat that much? Even within the guild, there is no one who doesn''t know how much they eat. ...... ''...... a.k.a. Isak the Canine Eater. There is a rumor going around that it is very embarrassing to eat with them. ''You''re just a dirty eater, aren''t you? ''Famous'' is a bad word? ''...... But I hear he eats an awful lot.'' ''Well, they must be powerful enemies. Isak the Canine Eater. Well, in Bertina''s hands, ...... ''Whoo-hoo! This time, a strange squeal came from the waiting area in District 40. When I looked, I saw a gorilla-like man with unusually well-developed pectoral muscles dancing strangely with his upper body naked. ''That''s Austin from the Lumberjack Guild. Imelda seems to know that gorilla. ''How''s he eating? ''He''s asked me out eight times. ''I don''t need that information! ''And I''ve been turned down nine times. ''That''s one too many times! ''That''s too many! ''You''re a demon, aren''t you? I feel a little sorry for you, you''re making it harder for me to see you as an enemy! In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m sure your father is the type to save his favorite foods for last. ''I see. Well, it might not be a bad strategy. The forty-first district is also preserving the rumored ravenous fisherman, Gustave. He''s probably the last one. If we can get three wins before then, it''ll be easier for us. --Boom, boom, boom! The bell is ringing onstage. That''s the signal for standby. ''Bertina.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m ready.'' There''s no sign of any nerves or tension, but ...... ''Go at your own pace, and have a pleasant meal.'' ''Well, ....... Thank you for your concern. His face flushed and he bowed deeply. Then he raises his head and gently places his hand on my head. ''You are kind, Yashiro-san. He strokes my hair as if he were stroking a child. ''For you, no one else, I''m going to work a little harder, aren''t I? ''Ah, ah, ............, I''m kind of embarrassed.'' ''Uh-huh. Just a little more.'' As if to say that stroking me will give me strength, Bertina continues to stroke my head. There''s no blessing in this head. ''Well, I''m off. I bow once more, and Bertina heads for the stage. ''Take care of yourself, Bertina. I say to her as she walks away. ''Don''t worry. I''m sure she''ll get a solid win. The players line up on the stage. The rest of the players in the district are stout, and Bertina looks especially small. From the outside, you can only feel uneasy, but ......, don''t worry, we know Bertina''s strength. The players shake hands and take their seats. Each player is given a large, four-seat desk. The reason the desks are so big is so that the players can pile up the plates they have finished eating on the desks. It''s more exciting that way. The reason why they are separated is so that refills can be placed right in front of the players. After finishing a plate, the player asks for a refill, and the number of plates piled up at the end of the plate is used to determine the winner. If the number of plates is the same, the winner is determined by weighing the plates. If the number of plates is the same, the winner is determined by weighing the plates. Before the game begins, there is a time of prayer before the meal. Most of the people in this town are Alvistan, followers of the Church of the Spirit. Even now, Bertina and the others are praying. ''Yashiro. Wait for me. Estella comes in, out of breath. I wonder if she was running as fast as she could. ...... a futile effort that doesn''t even shake. ''You''re too late. Those fake breasts, were they attached that tightly? ''It didn''t take me long to pull them off! ''Those fake breasts are so fragile that they can be removed in an instant.'' ''I''m sensing some malice in your expression, Natalia! Behind Estella, Natalia is following her. Is she watching us too? That means the lord''s room is empty now. What a waste. It''s a VIP seat! ''And then, Master Yashiro.'' ''Hmm?'' Natalia called me over and I looked at her. ...... ''Hey, ladybug, Miry''s here too. Miry was there. ''Miry, did you just come? ''Hmm. It took me a while to get her here. ......'' ''And Millie''s holding back--'' ''......Ah, ......that''s not good. I''m dying in this population density. ...... I can smell people. ............ I smell human... ...'' ''What kind of princess are you, Princess Mononoke?'' --It was Regina who was almost intoxicated by the human smell. ''Ladybug-san said that Regina-san was absolutely necessary. ''So that''s why you brought me here. I''m sorry.'' ''Yeah. I wanted to support you too.'' ''That''s right. For Miry''s sake, get a grip.'' ''Well, you know, ............ ah, men''s horny eyes are on my chest ......'' ''Oh, you''re being self-conscious. If I had time to gaze at your chest, I would pour it into Norma''s cleavage. ''Haha ...... really, I wonder where all those people were hiding ......''. As if looking at an outbreak of insects, Regina looks at the audience with a grudge. No, no, it''s not like this yet. ''Oh, there''s a private room over there. ...... I''m going to go over there. ......'' ''That''s a changing room, you idiot.'' When Regina was trying to keep her back, Ukrines came out of the changing room with great speed. ''Millie!I''ve been waiting for you!I''ve been waiting for you! ''What?What? ''Come on, come on!Change your clothes, change your clothes!I''ll make you look so cute! I''ll make you look so cute!'' ''Oh, your ......, ladybug? Millie asked me for help, but before I could say anything, she was taken away by Ukrines. As much as I''d like to help you, ...... I''m sorry, Millie. To be honest, I''d rather see you cheerleading. The game is about to start. Natalia''s voice drew my attention to the stage. A cooked lunch for the adults is placed in front of each player. Austin, the gorilla of the forty-second district, smiles at the aroma of meat rising from the air. Isak, the canine eater of District 41, is puffing away with his ears up and his tongue sticking out. And our Bertina of District 42 is ...... calm. She is calm and beautiful, quiet and cool, like a pure spring deep in the mountains. Her eyes are kind and compassionate, and she just stares at the adult lunch ............ with a lot of drool dripping from her mouth. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh ......, I feel like I''m going to win.'' Estella muttered, and I could only nod. Oh well. I''m only counting on you now. Now, please, Bertina! First, give us a win in District 42! --Boom! The bell rings loudly, and the forty-five minute battle has now begun. The time limit could be checked by the giant hourglass on the stage. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!Our representative from District 42, Sister Bertina!We''re shoveling in lunch for the adults at a tremendous rate!This is amazing!It''s amazing!The food is disappearing at a rapid pace. ...... What?What?I''ve already finished my first plate of ............? ''''''Oooohhhh! Loretta said, and the crowd went wild. She flattened the first plate with tremendous speed and raised her hands in a beautiful gesture. ''Another plate, please. A second plate was immediately placed in front of Bertina. Isak, who was standing next to her, and Austin, who was standing on the other side of her, could not help but roll their eyes at Bertina''s energy. However, Bertina is unconcerned about this, and she throws the food into her mouth and stomach at her own pace. Buzz, zzz!Buzz, zzz, zzz! No, that doesn''t sound right, that doesn''t sound right! But that''s okay, just for today! ''Come on, Bertina!Beat up the other two!'' I couldn''t help shouting. Haha, what the hell. I guess I''m having some fun too. ''Another plate, please. Without slowing down at all, Bertina piled up two or three more plates. Austin and Isak finally came to their senses and ate their lunch as if they were adults. ''Ga-ga-ga-ga!Gullllllll! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... I certainly wouldn''t want to eat with this guy. If the amount of food you spill on the table exceeds a certain amount, you will lose points. The act of eating something that has been dropped on the table is not beautiful, and if you drop something on the table even once, it will be put in a bowl on the scale as a "scattered meal". If the weight becomes heavier than the weight specified by the competition and the balance is balanced, points will be deducted. The weight of the weight is one fourth of the total weight of the dish. ''Another round! ''Woo-hoo!Ooo-hoo-hoo! ...... Austin, can''t you speak the language? ''Oh, I made a mistake. Can I get a refill, please?'' You''ve made too many mistakes!And you''re usually more polite than you think! Anyway, both Isak and Austin are now on their second plates. Meanwhile, Bertina was working on her eighth plate. Mm-hmm. That''s a win. The sand in the hourglass is spilling out. The spectators in the fortieth and forty-first districts grew quieter and quieter. ''Ekkeke, Bertina!Hi! ''''''Eekayke, Bertina!Hi!'''''' ''''''Hi! You don''t need it! ''''''Hi! I don''t want it! ''''''No, sir! ''''''No, it''s not! ''''''Moooooo! ''''''Moooooo!'''''' Only the audience in the forty-second district was excited. ...... Well, it''s a shame they''re all idiots. ...... ''''Tikki shou-oo-oo-oo!I''ll be back.I''m not sure what to say. The speed of the canine-eating isaac increases. It''s the spirit of a hunter, or should I say the guts of a hunter. The spirit of a hunter who does not give up even when he is already outnumbered by more than ten dishes is quite impressive. Probably, from Ricardo''s words that he would "fight to win", this guy must have been the second or third best player who could "aim to win". It seems that he was trying to get a win in the midst of the fact that we, the 42nd and 40th districts, were going to put in players to see how things went. I guess we all think alike. ...... But it was a bad match! This is Bertina, the real deal! She has a four-dimensional stomach, loves to eat, and is like a goddess of gluttony! Look at her!She''s already eaten forty-eight plates, and she still has that delicious look on her face. It''s only Bertina''s love and enjoyment of food that has allowed her to reach such heights! Austin in the 40th district has now eaten all 31 dishes. After the 32nd plate, his hand has completely stopped. Isak of District 41 has now eaten all 37 plates. Showing great perseverance, Isak continues to bravely challenge the large portions of lunch for adults. And Bertina has now eaten all 49 plates. There''s hardly any left of the fiftieth plate. She looks at the hourglass. Fifteen minutes left. Thirty minutes have now passed since the game began,......! At the same time, Bertina has eaten her fiftieth plate! And again, Bertina does not raise her hand ........................ in a beautiful gesture. What''s wrong? ''Thank you for the food. ''What? What did she just say? ''Thank you for the food! ''Hey, Bertina!There''s still fifteen minutes left!I don''t care if you don''t eat, just ask for a refill!You can rest for a bit, but you have to work hard until the end of the hour! ''But, Yashiro-san! I shouted, and Bertina turned to look at me on the stage. ''It would be a shame to leave it behind. ''Don''t worry about it, the staff will enjoy it later! It''s a competition! What the hell are you taking your time with! Hearing my words, Bertina nodded her head. She then raised her hand in a beautiful gesture. ''Another plate, please. The fifty-first plate was brought before Bertina''s eyes. But Bertina did not move at all. d*mn it! When she looked next to her, she saw ...... ''I don''t know what it is, but this is our chance!While you can!Gahhhhhh!I''m not going to let you down. ''I can''t lose, either!Woo hoo hoo hoo! When Bertina''s hand stopped, the other two picked up the pace. Sometimes, when you can see the back of your target, you can do more than you can. That''s exactly what is happening with Isak and Austin right now. They might be able to catch up to Bertina, the absolute best. That elation and sense of duty is pushing their stomachs beyond their limits. The sand in the hourglass seems to be falling at a slower rate than before. Eight minutes left: ...... ''Another round! Isak is now on his forty-second plate. ''I''ll have another one too! Austin''s growth rate was higher than Isak''s, probably due to the fact that he had taken a break earlier. He quickly piled up the number of plates, and this is his fortieth plate. She was on the verge of catching up with Isak. And yet, Bertina refuses to eat any food. What''s the matter, Bertina?I''m not sure if you''ve misinterpreted what I said about fifty plates being hard, or if you''re thinking that you shouldn''t eat more than fifty! The sand in the hourglass is not diminishing at all, so much so that it seems to be standing still. d*mn it!Hurry up!Hurry up and fall! It looks like there''s no other way for us to escape! Then go!Sand, fall! ''I''m rooting for you too! And Loretta starts jumping up and down. Apparently, she''s trying to speed up the fall of the sand by shaking it, but ...... that won''t have any effect. In fact, if this is the only thing that affects you, you are in trouble. So, Loretta''s actions are completely useless. ...... ''Okay!I''ll jump too! ''What?I''ll jump, too! ''...... I''m in.'' Fall fast! That''s all we wanted. We kept jumping. Even though we knew it was futile! I''m not sure what to do.Keep up the good work! Millie raised her thin voice as high as she could and cheered. Oh, wow! Millie is transforming into a cheerleader!And she''s wearing her not-so-long hair in twin tails, forcing it into a bun! The large ladybug hair ornament is attached to the waist of her cheerleading outfit so as not to interfere with her twin-tails. ''We''re rooting for you!Come on, Bertina!Now is the time to show us what you''re really made of! Natalia cheered in a clear voice, ......, what? Even Natalia is a cheerleader! ''Natalia ...... when? ''Just now, sir. Didn''t you notice, young lady? Estella was a bit taken aback. She''d be surprised if her own head maid turned into a cheerleader in a super mini-skirt. ''Ganbare, ganbare, sh~sta~! Nephrite is jumping up and down, waving his pom-poms. ''Give it up, you''re a bird that can''t fly! ''Cheerleader leader! Natalia calls out to Norma. ...... Cheerleader? ............ ''You should cheer too! ''A, I''m ...... because I''m ...... dressed like this.'' ''Right now, Ms. Bertina is fighting for the 42nd district all by herself!I''m not a cheerleader.Aren''t you a member of the same ward? What the hell? Natalia is saying something that sounds like a good argument! I''m not sure why your tits are so big.If you don''t shake them now, when will you shake them? Ah, yes. Natalia is still Natalia. ''...... My tits are so big because I''m .................. shaking them right now. I''m sorry. I don''t know what''s going on, but my persuasion seems to have worked. Are you okay, Norma?I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.I''m sure you''ll appreciate my support. As soon as she said that, Norma started jumping up and down with her pom-poms in a frenzy. Boom, boom, boom, boom! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure what to say.You have to work hard here, or you''ll lose your womanhood!As a woman from the same 42nd district, you should show some guts! ''Ms. Bertina!Fight for it! ''Ganbare!Sister! ''Ah, no!Please do your best! The cheerleader leader Norma, Natalia, Nepheli, and Milly raised their voices. The audience also cheered for Bertina in unison. The hourglass is ............, one minute to go! The hourglass is at one minute to go," said Bertina, her hand on her fork. What do you think? ''Gah-gah-gah-gah!''Gah gah gah gah! ''Woo hoo hoo!Whoo-hoo-hoo!'' Isak has now almost finished his forty-ninth plate. Austin is also on his forty-ninth plate. That''s not good: ...... is catching up: ............! ''I''ll have another one! ''Whoo-hoo!Whoo-hoo-hoo!Whoo-hoo!I''ll have another ...... please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. Finally, fifty dishes ...... If you finish this, you''ll be ...... on par with me! ''...... soooo ..................... ...haaaaa ......'' Bertina takes a deep, slow breath. Then she gave a small nod. ...... Huh?That guy, could it be ............ ''Gawd............ga,gawd......! ''U......p............hoho,ugh......... ...'' Isak has half a hamburger. Austin has a sausage and a Neapolitan left. ''I''m losing ...... ............! ''I can''t eat ............ yet either.'' --Boom, boom, boom, boom! Then the bell rang for the end. The result was-- ''Winner, District 42! '''''''''' Ohhhh! '''''''''' Neither Isak nor Austin was able to finish their fiftieth plate. ...... Just barely a victory. A narrow victory. .................. My heart hurts. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I have. ''What the hell, Bertina!You''re giving me the cold shoulder! ''It''s true~. I was so scared that I was going to lose! Delia and Nephrite complained to Bertina. Bertina accepted their words with a smile. ''But aren''t you glad that we won? ''Well, I suppose so. Good job, Sister. ''Anyway, you did it!Everyone, hurray for Sister Bertina! ''''''Banzai!Hooray! The cheering squad got really excited after winning their first game. After watching them with a smile, Bertina began to wander off. ''I think I''ll go rest in the shade for a while. ''I guess so. It''s a lot more strenuous than you might think when you''re out in front of people. ''Norma, are you talking about your own experience? ''Shut up, Natalia!Shut up! The people of District Forty-two were playing with each other. With these voices in the background, Bertina headed towards the locker room alone. ''Bertina.'' Slowly approaching, walking side by side, I call out. ''Mmmm ...... worried about me?'' ''Well, a little.'' ''But I''m glad you kept your promise. I''m relieved.'' ''............ I''m sorry. ............... ...Thank you.'' ''...... Yes.'' Bertina nodded, stopping in her tracks. She seems to have understood the meaning of my words correctly. ''Thank you, too. But don''t worry. With a slow bow, Bertina turned her back on me and started walking again. Her back seemed to say, ''Please don''t follow me. I watched her go into the locker room. ''Hey, hey, yourself. Isn''t it wrong to go peeking into the locker room with impunity? Regina chased after me, saying something stupid. Yeah, ...... she''s really caring too. He didn''t seem to notice Bertina, but he did notice that something was wrong with me. I guess that''s why he came by, even if he''s talking nonsense like this. Thank you for talking so quickly. ''...... Regina.'' ''Hmm~?What is it?'' ''I need you to get her some stomach medicine.'' ''What?.................. Oh, is that right?'' ''Oh, yeah. And, please. I''m not allowed in the women''s locker room.'' ''Okay, okay. Then leave it to me. I''ll go peek at Sister''s freshly changed clothes for you.'' Regina slapped me on the back and went into the changing room. I think we''re safe now. ''Yashiro-san. I turned around at the sound of a familiar voice and saw Ginette standing there with a worried look on her face. She must have finished cleaning up the kitchen and hurried back. His breathing was uneven. He must have noticed the change in Bertina. ''I''m sorry. I pushed her a little too hard.'' ''No, no. Even if this situation hadn''t arisen, even if Yashiro hadn''t said anything, even if he hadn''t wanted anything, the ...... sisters would have taken the same action.'' With a slight, forlorn smile. ''She''s a ...... troubled mother who pushes herself just a little too far for the sake of her loved ones,'' Sister said. Bertina was probably already over her limit after the fiftieth plate. If she had eaten even one more bite, she would have had stomach pains that would have made her fall asleep like before. He must have realized exactly his limit when he fell asleep with a stomachache once. ''Before, when Sister fell asleep ......, she was not well for a while after her recovery. I think she was caught up in her own remorse for the trouble she caused us. ''I was protected when I should have been protected. ...... That''s what Bertina would think. So she thought. ''I''m never going to worry about you again. ''Mr. Yashiro. ''Hmm?'' Jeannette''s eyes looked a little paler than usual. They had a nostalgic ...... tinge to them. ''Do you know why the sisters eat so much ......? ''What?Isn''t ...... that just gluttony?'' ''No.'' Laughing hilariously, Jeannette shook her head. ''When I first came to live in the church, I was more of a small eater.'' ''Huh!Bertina is a small eater? That''s impossible. Ginette, do you have a desire to become a frog? ''But,......, I was the same, and there were many other children who didn''t eat ...... food.'' ''Is it ...... something like ............ a rebellion against the church? ''No, no. It''s not that. ............'' ''Huh. ......'' exhaled Ginette, her lips pursed in a daring expression. ''We were abandoned children .......'' There are children living in that church who have nowhere else to go. Some of them may have lost their parents in an accident or due to illness, but ...... many of them may have been abandoned children. So, this is what was imprinted in the minds of those children. ...... ''We are unwanted children. ...... If we are not good, we will be abandoned again. ......'' I had no idea what to say to that. ''That''s why I''m kind of ...... reserved, even though it''s just a feeling. When I eat, I''m ...... worried that I''ll be thrown away. ............ subconsciously, I hold back. ''So it''s ......?'' ''...... yes. So, yes.'' As children eat, the sisters took the initiative to eat. ...... The sisters, who used to be small eaters, took action to show the kids that they were unconsciously holding back: ...... ''I''ve had a lot of second helpings,'' she said. ...... ''You don''t have to be shy,'' she said. ......... ...I think he was pushing himself very hard. And his stomach was getting stronger and stronger. ............ ''Now, the children watch Sister''s gluttony with laughter, saying, "I can''t help it. Thanks to her, none of the children put up with anything strange anymore. Because the ...... sisters eat their food more deliciously and more happily than anyone else. ......'' So Bertina''s gluttony was for the kids ....... ''But now that she''s woken up to the idea of eating, she''s become a total foodie,......'' ''But we can''t help but dislike such sisters. It was also a word that was assured with certainty. ''No matter what happens in the future, I will ...... always ...... love Sister Bertina''s mother. She proudly threw out her chest and said with a big smile. ''What do you think?Isn''t it nice? He looks as if he''s saying. ''Are you bragging? ''Yes, I am. I''m a proud mother.'' ''Well, I''m sure I''m at the top of the list of good tits to have as a mother. ''Oh, Yashiro-san. The sisters will be angry with you again. Ginette smiled happily while her cheeks puffed out. ''Well, let''s leave the rest to Regina and we''ll prepare for the second battle. ''Yes! She turned on her heel and started walking towards the stage. Norma, who has awakened as a cheerleader leader, is teaching Paula, who has joined her, how to cheer. It''s a lively scene. In the midst of all this, I stop and look backwards again. The changing room that Bertina had gone into. I''m sure Regina is giving you a prescription for some medicine right now,............. Well, get some rest. But I just want to say. ''Thank you, Bertina. I was too embarrassed to say ''mother''. 158-Episode 137. Pack up the second game. Pack up. Pac... After the first round, there was a bit of an argument. ''Why am I in last place? Isak from District 41 was biting the tournament organizing committee. Oh, no, not physically, but figuratively. The number of plates piled up was the same for both Austin of District 40 and Isak of District 41, forty-nine. And the number of plates left on the fiftieth plate is less for Isak. But ...... ''The Isak player spills more food and loses 8 plates! ''What the ...... hell is that? Didn''t he listen to the rules? No wonder he ate so much. And when I looked next to me, ...... Bertina was standing there with a pale face. ''Maybe I ...... didn''t have to work so hard? Everyone!Listen to the rules! If you knew that Isak was going to lose points, you should have only paid attention to Austin. ...... Well, even Austin was picking up the pace as Isak pulled him along... ......... Listen to the rules. Well, I was also a bit nervous because of the atmosphere. ''More importantly, Bertina. ''Yes. Thank you very much. She thanked me even though I hadn''t said anything. I''m supposed to say no more. Because I know. Okay. I guess I''m okay now. I glanced at Regina, who immediately noticed my gaze and gave me a satisfied nod. ''Yeah, you got boobs. ''What kind of nod was that? ''No, yeah, I said I had tits. ......'' ''Don''t say it twice, ''yeah boobs''! I don''t know why I need to look at her tits to prescribe her stomach medicine! d*mn it. Next time, I''ll do the interview and palpation myself! ''''Big brother! Loretta, the leader of the crowd, jumps in front of me. ''Who''s going next?I want to come up with an incentive phrase, so tell me. ''You''re surprisingly a person who prepares well. I thought you lived only on the spur of the moment. ''Of course I do!I''m going to make sure that no matter who''s in the competition, I''m going to make it happen! ''Then, you go ahead. ''I wasn''t expecting that! As expected, it''s impossible to make things exciting by myself when I''m playing. ''It''s fine. Norma''s awakened, and Paula and Nephrite are there to cheer you on.'' ''I''m here too! Natalia, who had dared to ignore him, stepped in. ''Are you saying that ...... I''m going to be fired from the cheerleading squad? ''I wouldn''t do that. Now is the time for Loretta to shine! ''The power of Loretta''s excitement is indispensable for the 42nd district. We''ve just won a victory, and the best way to keep up the good mood is to bring you in here!Go to the center of the stage and give us a big boost! ''Oh!That''s the kind of excitement only I can create! ''Yeah!I''ll leave it to you! ''Yes, sir!I''m in good hands! Loretta''s motivation has been ignited. Yeah, yeah. You just think about making it exciting and fight the good fight. We''re probably gonna lose once here. My plan is to leave the sweet stuff to Bertina, Magda, and Delia, and that should give us three wins. With Isak''s point deduction this time, the last place is District 41. If Isak had won, District 40 would have been in last place and would have been in charge of the next dish. The specialty of District 40 is cake. If Austin had lost at this point, he would have sent in Delia. But it was Isak who lost. The menu in District 41 would probably be meat-based. I''m not so sure about Delia. Also, now that we''ve won one game, there''s a good chance that both District 40 and District 41 will bring in strong players to try to win one game as soon as possible. If they are not careful, there is a possibility that Gustave, a ravenous fish, will appear. If that''s the case, it''s better to play it safe and hope that you can win, rather than lose. If you are in first place or last place, you can win the tournament. If you win, you are in the reach, and the winner is decided by Magda. If you are in last place, you can play a lemon pie on the next turn, and Delia will give you a win. If the 40th district is in last place, the result is the same. The ideal situation would be for Loretta to be in first place and forty wards to be in last place. ...... Well, I guess it won''t work out that way. Therefore, the 41st district, the lowest ranked district, was put in charge of cooking, and preparations for the second round began. At the same time, the spectators were changed. Since there will be some time to spare, the people here are spending their time as they please. Bertina and Ginette have gone outside to talk with the kids from the church. The cheerleaders, led by Norma, are practicing some kind of cheer. They were going to cheer with choreography. ''The one hour interval was a bit long, wasn''t it? Estella, looking completely bored, said this as she stretched. ''That''s something you can say when you''re winning. Those who are losing have an hour to plan their strategy and scramble around. It might even be too short.'' ''Doesn''t Yashiro do that, run around? ''You know, ......'' Estella looks at me with a smirk and a teasing look. You''ve got it all wrong, haven''t you? ''You''re the representative of the 42nd district. If you want to run around, you should be the one to do it. ''Then Yashiro. I''ll give you a great plan.'' ''What is it? ''Leave it to me''! ''............ you.'' Didn''t this guy do a lot of self-reflection recently? I''m sure you''ve been thinking that as a lord, you''ll be mindful to act responsibly and properly, but now you''ve left it up to me. ...... ''...... is why you can''t grow up''. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. ''Big brother!I have a question! Loretta comes in, snorting. Her eyebrows are raised, and her expression is somewhat brave. ''Do you have a physical attack? ''Of course not! If you admit that, you''ll be the first to get knocked out. They''re a hunting guild or a lumberjack guild. ''Hmmm ............ hmmm ......, I feel like I''m full of motivation!When you think about it, I''ve always been a bit of a reserved girl who''s always been in the corner of the support ....... What part of it? ''But!This time, I''m the star!Watch me, big brother!I''m going to make it a grand, grand, grand affair! Loretta raised her fist and looked up at the sky. There''s something about ............ Loretta that''s really exciting. It''s not you, but the people around you that should be excited. ''Oh, ...... oh, oh, oh, ...... there''s suddenly a lot of pressure,............, my stomach hurts! '' ''Oh, no! This guy, are you seriously okay! ''I can''t help it: ...... Regina.'' ''I''m sorry ...... there''s no medicine for a stupid girl.'' ''No, I''d like to order some stomach medicine from .......'' If you have any medicine for a stupid girl, please contact me right away. There''s a lot of people who''d like to take it. And so time flies. ...... --Boom, boom, boom, boom! The standby bell is rung. ''All right, Loretta!Let''s see what you can do! ''Hmph!I''ll do my best! Clenching her fists, Loretta goes up to the stage, fired up. ''Are you okay, Loretta? Estella says anxiously. Well, it''s a long shot. After all, Loretta eats only a little more than the average person. I don''t think she''ll be able to compete with the gluttonous people here. ''Well, I''ll be lucky if I win. ''Oh, so that''s what you were thinking? Estella lets out a sigh. Maybe you''ve learned to take it a little easier. When I glanced at her with that in mind, Estella was staring at me with a very serious expression. ...... What? I''m sure you''ll be able to follow up on this. Loretta is a very competitive person. ''Yes .......'' She hates to lose............. It''s true that she may have that side of her. ............ Follow ......Follow hey ...... ''Loretta and the others are not pawns. You have to take their emotional side into consideration.'' ''Hmm......'' I know what I''m doing. ............ Do you know what I''m talking about? I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... ...... this guy. ''Oh, thank goodness. We made it in time.'' Ginette came running in. She must have come running from outside the hall. Seeing that Bertina hadn''t come back yet, the kids must have caught her. ''Hmm, Miss Loretta. You look nervous.'' ''Give them a cheer. Your voice might bring us closer to victory.'' ''Is that so?Well then. Good luck!Loretta-san! ''...... Unfortunately, it doesn''t seem to be a straightforward task.'' As if to cut off the aftermath of Jeannette''s cheering, Magda appeared quietly. ''What do you mean?'' ''...... I know who''s in the forty-first district.'' This guy was going to check something like that? ''......The next to appear is Drino of the Suigyus. An amazing man with four stomachs.'' Magda said, and at that very moment, a cheer erupted from the audience in District 41. It was because a tribe of swineherds called the Dorino had come on stage. He was a big man with two thick horns on his head. A true swineherd. He looks like a tough guy who''d eat a lot. But ...... It''s not like you can use them all at once.It''s not like you can use them differently, so it doesn''t really make much sense. ''...... But that''s not the case. ''What ......?'' Magda''s eyes flickered bewitchingly. ''...... ''Change the Stomach'' is a technique that only a handful of the bovine beastman race can use, and Drino has mastered it.'' ''Change the Stomach''? ''...... An amazing technique that allows you to use all four stomachs at will. ''Is there such a technique that can only be used in a gluttony contest ......?'' ''......A rare technique that can only be used by a handful of people in the cow beast tribe.'' ''No, ......, isn''t there just no demand for it, that technique?'' I can''t think of any other use for it. But if you can use your four stomachs at will,......, you can''t win. It''s like four against one. It''s like ''...... the 41st district has come to win. ''Looks like. ''The players in District Forty are tough, too. Imelda, who is familiar with District Forty, brings me information. ''Xenobios, a pheasant man with an indomitable spirit. He''s a pretty nasty guy.'' On the stage, a flamboyant man with a bright red face stands in a stylish pose. What can I say? ...... "Stylish! It''s the kind of pose that makes you want to say, '' Stylish! ''...... Stylish! ''That''s what everyone who''s seen him says. He''s thin, flamboyant, and somewhat aristocratic, more suited to a gourmet than a glutton. I wonder if he is such a troublesome opponent. ...... ''He has ............ invited me to dinner a total of 239 times, and even after being rejected 240 times, he still invites me to dinner, he has an indomitable spirit. ''Isn''t that just being persistent! So, why have you refused more times than you''ve been asked out? ''His motto is ''Never give up''. His favorite word is ''sticky''. ''Wow ......, I don''t want to get involved with you anymore ......''. So, what about the important part, the gluttony? Well, you''ve been selected as an athlete, so I guess you''re great in your own way. ...... ''Hey guys. I think we''re ready. Estella says, pointing to the stage. The three players take their seats and the first dish is placed in front of each of them. The dish placed on the table is a very simple meat dish. A fist-sized chunk of meat, grilled to perfection. There were four different sauces on each table, and you were supposed to pour them over the meat as you liked. It''s very simple. So it''s going to be a game of deceit. --Knock! The bell rang loudly, and the game began. ''Whoa!I''ll watch!This is what I''m really doing! As soon as it starts, Loretta bites into the meat. She stabs a chunk of meat with her knife and fork, lifts it up, and bites into it. She doesn''t ...... cut it. ............ With her small mouth, she bites into a large chunk of meat and scrapes it off with her front teeth. It''s just like a hamster. It was a unique way of eating rodents. ''...... I wonder what Loretta''s eating style is ............ cute''. ''......Hmm, I agree.'' ''It''s kind of like a small animal. ''I could do that too if I wanted to, you know? Estella and Magda are fascinated by the way Loretta eats. Well, it''s true, she''s kind of cute. I don''t know what it is, but it''s ............ kind of cute. So, Imelda. You don''t have to compete with me. ''Oh, look!You''ll be the first to finish it! Ginette shouts excitedly. ''Please give me another one! She stretches out her arms and declares in a high-pitched voice. Loretta is the first to finish her first plate. Good. So far, so good! But if we start off so fast, how will we last? ''If you eat slowly, you won''t be able to eat as much. I think it''s better to cram as much as you can in at the beginning and adjust your eating in the second half. Estella has an idea of her own. That''s the Bertina strategy. If that works for you, ...... is fine. ''Give me a refill too! The swineherds of District 41, the Drinos, followed close behind. The stylish Xenobios of the Pheasant People was enjoying his meal in style, dexterously using a ...... knife and fork. ...... Is he going to do it? ''Loretta!I''m not going to let you down. In response to Paula''s encouragement, Loretta''s shoulders shook for a moment. Then, a fist stretched out from behind her and poked her. ''Hey, Paula. Where are the cheerleaders who threaten the players?You have to support them emotionally, don''t you? Something tells me that Norma is blossoming as a cheerleader in spirit as well. ''It''s our duty as cheerleaders to say more things that will make Loretta happy. ''She''ll be happy .............'' Norma admonished, Paula folded her arms and thought: ...... ''Yes, if you win first place, you can eat all the ...... sausages you want for a month! ''I''m on fire! Loretta''s eating speed has increased dramatically. How much do you like Cantaloupe sausage? --Slap! There was a dry sound on the stage. Xenobios from District 40 raised his right arm high in the air. He seems to have snapped his fingers. Then he stroked his bright red face with a gesture like scratching up his bangs and said a little obliquely. ''Hey, Chef!Can I have another plate of this? Stylish! ...... No, this is not the time for that. Let''s not worry about that guy anymore. He seems to be an insignificant opponent in terms of gluttony. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... But I can''t help but notice ...... that red face glimmering out of the corner of my eye! I''m not sure what to do. In the meantime, Loretta has entered her third plate. That''s a good pace. The chunks of meat seemed to be heavier than they looked, and none of the players were eating as much as they thought they would. The sand in the hourglass continued to fall, and it was now ten minutes past. About a quarter of the way through, we''re almost a plate ahead. ............ Let''s hope it all goes off without a hitch. Loretta''s rodent appetite shows no signs of slowing down at the moment. She''s flying lightly. ''...... Foo, Foo, Foo!Good luck!'' Millie shouted, trying her best to make her small body look bigger. In an attempt to make her small body look bigger, she raises her arms and jumps up and down. What is this? I want takeout. I wonder if there''s an alarm like this anywhere? ''Loretta, good luck with your ......''. Ginette folded her hands in front of her chest and prayed. ''...... but please, don''t overdo it.'' She was praying not for victory, but for Loretta''s body. ''Come on, come on!I''m sure you''ll speak up too!The representatives of our forty-two districts are fighting!Cheer with more enthusiasm! Norma is shouting to the audience. He has his hands on his hips, his arms outstretched, and he is leading the crowd with great courage. I''m not sure what to make of ....... More than 80 percent of the male audience was glued to Norma''s raging cleavage. Watch the game, guys. And at least cheer her on. ''Good! ''We''re watching you! ''Keep it up! ''Shake it up! ''Go wild! Don''t you guys be cheering for tits!We''re cheering for Loretta! Look at that!Loretta''s not sure what''s going on, but she''s shaking her head anyway!''Why is it shaking? Why is it shaking?'' You''ve got a puzzled look on your face like that! ''Loretta!Your pace is fine!Keep your own pace and keep eating! ''Yes, sir! The bastards in the audience are too stupid, so I''ll cheer them on properly. Loretta''s doing her best. I feel sorry for her if I don''t cheer her on. ''Hmm ......'' ''What is it, Estella? ''No, I was just thinking that you were so enthusiastic in cheering her on, even though you said you''d never lose.'' ''...... You''re annoying. Is that bad?'' ''Just the opposite.'' Estella puts her hand on my shoulder and leans in closer. ''It''s more ''typical'' of Yashiro to show his parental love like that. He smiles happily and pats me on the back. ...... What is "typical"? The real me is a cooler, dirtier guy. You just don''t know it, do you? I''ll have a refill! I''ll have another! And with Loretta in the lead, thirty minutes passed,............, and that''s when the strange began. ''............u............p''. Loretta''s hand stopped completely. However, she had a good lead, so if she could just escape ...... ''Mwah, I can''t do it anymore. Come on, let''s go!''Change the Stomach''! Dorino shouted, and his whole body glowed white. ''Hmm!My stomach feels better now!Onee-san, get me another one! Dorino''s ''Change the Stomach'' seemed to be a technique that could really switch the stomach at will. Dorino, who had looked like he was in pain earlier, began to eat again with the same vigor as when he was hungry. ''More food, please!I''ll keep bringing more! ''Mmm, mmm!I''m as good as ......! Loretta bites into a chunk of meat, trying her best. But after taking a bite, her face contorts in disgust. ...... I don''t think I can eat that anymore. If you force yourself to stuff it in, you''ll probably spit it out. Eating like that is bad for you. ...... ''......Let Loretta abstain.'' I can''t push her any harder than I already have. ''Are you sure? ''It can''t be helped.'' The answer to Estella spontaneously fell out of her mouth as she watched Loretta trying her best. ''Because Loretta''s body is more important than a win here. He said, and ...... was surprised. ''Oh, no!I don''t mean that in a weird way. Looking back,............, I was too late. ''Yashiro-san......'' ''You say that, too.'' ''......, that''s why Hammy misses you.'' ''Ladybug-san ...... easy.'' Everyone was staring at me with a grin on their face. ...... Please don''t take my out-of-character comments as a positive sign with such warm eyes. It''s so embarrassing! I''m not sure what to say. If Loretta hears what you just said, she''ll be very pleased. I can''t say that!That''s so embarrassing!You guys, don''t ever say that! Anyway, let''s get him to abstain. That''s when I thought ...... ''Whoa, whoa, whoa! There was an uproar that seemed to shake the hall. ''What the hell? ''Yashiro-san, take a look!Xenobios is here! Imelda told me and I turned my gaze to ...... ''Please give me another ...... thanks. Crunchy ...... munchy ............ another please!Thank you, kitty cat. Crunchy............ munchy............ another please! He was devouring the meat with great speed and style. It''s so fast!What the hell was that speed? ''He was probably eating the meat slowly, cutting it into small pieces at first to get his stomach used to it. Then, when there were only fifteen minutes left, he started eating fast, that''s how it must be! ''That''s absurd! ''''That''s so-called ...... pre-dinner meat! ''It''s not alcohol! The Stylish Xenobios seemed to be a rather unusual race. Eating meat stimulates their appetite, and then they eat more. It''s called a slow starter. ''d*mn it, I can''t lose!I''ll have another one!And ''Change the Stomach''! Dorino''s body glows white, and he eats faster again. Dorino''s body glows white and he eats faster again. Loretta had been leading, but the gap is quickly closing. Three plate difference......Two plate difference............One plate difference......... .........You''ve been turned around! ''Ha, ha, wow......, I''ll eat! Loretta bites into the meat with tears in her eyes. ''Wait, Loretta!No!You don''t have to win! ''I can''t, Yashiro. Look at the audience.'' ''What?'' I look back at ...... ''Good job, Loretta! ''Keep up the good work! ''It''s so cool! ''''Seeno! ''''Loretta onee-chan, keep up the good work! ''''Go for it!Loretta! ''''I''m really impressed right now!Loretta! The audience cheered for Loretta, who was doing her best. A big, passionate "feeling" encouraged Loretta to fight alone. This is something I can''t back down from. He''s the kind of guy who always responds to cheers. He''s the kind of guy who senses what others want and steadily carries it out. Didn''t I tell you to ...... make it exciting? Come on!Let''s support Yashiro too! ''Ah ...... ah! I''ll be cheering at the top of my lungs for the rest of the night. ''Loretta, go for it! ''Loretta-san! ''...... You''re going, Loretta.'' ''Loretta!You can do it!I believe in you! Loretta''s ears twitched, as if our voices had reached her. Her ears were the same as a human''s, without any animal characteristics. For better or worse, Loretta was an ordinary girl, but at this moment, she was more special than anyone else. Attracting everyone''s attention, Loretta bit into the meat. ''............ Yeah, this is the last one!''Change the Stomach! Dorino glows for the third time. He switches to his fourth stomach. That''s the last of him. ''Hmm~...... indeed, it''s already ...... impossible......, hey.......'' Stylish Xenobios is slowing down rapidly here. You can''t help it. No one has ever eaten to such a limit before. Xenobios'' plate stopped at twenty. Dorino had twenty-five. Loretta had ...... eighteen. ............ No. ...... ''Yah, Yashiro-san! Ginette tugged at my sleeve, raising her voice unusually. Ginette''s eyes are on ............ Seriously? ...... ''Loretta is ............ back?'' There was Loretta, swallowing the meat at a furious pace . ''I''ll have another one please! The meat was being brought in at a rhythmic pace, like soba noodles. He grabbed the meat and shoved it into his mouth. No, it would be more accurate to say that she stuffed it into her mouth. Loretta was mindlessly stuffing the meat into her mouth as if something had been blown out of proportion. ''s ...... amazing ............ where in the world did she get that kind of power ......''. Estella''s throat gurgled. The audience was silent as she devoured the food with such ferocity that it was almost suffocating to watch. I couldn''t take my eyes off her. Loretta, with tears in her eyes and her cheeks puffed up, was still trying her best to stuff the meat into her ...... mouth, and the sight was ............ moving. I can''t even remember .................. hmm? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. He grabbed the meat as it was brought to him and stuffed it into his mouth. ...... His cheeks swelled ............ and his neck swelled... ............... torso swells ............ ...... ''Well, I''m still going in!I''ll have another one!'' ''Goo...... what is this, it''s ............ going to be overtaken......? And at last, he was aligned with Drino from Change the Stomach and ...... reversed again. --can-can-can-can! Then the bell rang to end the game. The result was that Xenobios of District 40 had 20 plates. Dorino of District 41 had thirty-eight. And Loretta of District 42 had thirty-nine ............. ''Loretta ...... okay? ''.............'' In response to my question, Loretta only gave a small nod. She probably couldn''t talk. In any case, Loretta''s mouth, cheeks, neck, flanks, and entire body were so swollen that if she tried to open her mouth, her flesh would pop out of it. Loretta desperately held her mouth and stared at me with tears in her eyes. No, it''s cute.I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who would like to know more about it. The whole venue''s eyes were drawn to Loretta. There was an air of unease in the air from the beginning. ''Hey, isn''t there something wrong with that guy? ...... Yeah, this must be a ............ no-no. ''Loretta, come here.'' When I beckoned her a little bit, Loretta tied her mouth into a knot, her eyes welling up, and walked toward me a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, with her swollen body. ''You''ve done well. In terms of plate count, you''re the winner.'' ''............ (chuckles)'' ''......, though.'' I spun Loretta''s body around halfway,...... and pushed and squeezed her body from both sides,...... as a mercy to turn her back to the audience. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. And then a lot of meat was spat out of Loretta''s mouth. ...... It was like a rainbow bridge of gravy. ''You ...... just stuffed it in your cheek pouch, didn''t you? ''What are you doing?I packed a lot of stuff in there! With tears in her eyes, Loretta looked back at me and protested. Her cheek pouches have emptied out and she has returned to her usual clean contour. ...... How much did you pack in there? ''Oi, Cora!Oba-Yashiro!'' ''Oba-kun!I''m not sure that''s a good idea! Ricardo and Demilly come running out from the service entrance at the back of the stage. You''re talking out of your ass. ''It''s a foul thing to stuff your cheek pouch! Ricardo comes at him. Oh, I''m scared. This kind of guy who''s obsessed with winning has a kind of seriousness in his eyes. Don''t bark at me when no one''s trying to get back at you. ''But, but!The cow in the forty-first district also used the beast trait of the beastman tribe! ''''Hmm... Ma''am. I understand how you feel, but ......'' ''''Huh?The lord of the forty districts ............ has changed his hairstyle?The angle is a little different from before. ......'' ''Waaaah!It''s nothing!It''s just that I was in a hurry!No, it gets stuffy if you wear it all the time! Demilly is severely damaged by Loretta''s malicious words, which she doesn''t know are fake hair. Why don''t you just admit it? ''Anyway!It''s okay to ''eat'' using the beast''s features!But I didn''t eat yours!I just stored it in a different place temporarily! ''But, but!We''ll eat later! ''Loretta.'' I put my hand on Loretta''s head to calm her down a little. ''Just watch. I take out some caramel popcorn from my pocket. I toss it to her and catch it in my mouth. ''Let''s say you eat this way, and Delia or Magda uses their animal features to throw the food all the way up their body. ............ Does that count as ''eating''? What?...... No, that''s not ............ that''s .......'' ''Isn''t that the same as eating it later? ''............But mine is in my mouth,............'' ''So what!If you have a cheek pouch, you can''t eat it unless you take it out once!If you can put it directly into your mouth from the cheek pouch, then let''s see you practice it here. Loretta squeezed her shoulders as Riccardo yelled at her. ''Ricardo......''. ''What the hell? ''.................. There''s a way to say it, you know? ''Oh ............''. Don''t bully Loretta. ............ You''ll make her cry.Kola. ''...... and anyway!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve.Do you have any objections? As if to cover up something, Ricardo raised his voice and looked at me and Demilly. Demilly, who had finished fine-tuning her hairstyle, nodded that she had no objections, and I agreed. ''Then District 42 is disqualified!District Forty will be in charge of cooking for the next match!All right! With that, Ricardo quickly walked toward the service entrance. ''Eh, ah, ah!If you''re disqualified, at least give the next dish to the 42nd district ......! ''Loretta.'' ''...... big brother.'' ''............ Enough.'' ''..................Yes, sir.'' Her shoulders slumped, and Loretta nodded. ''Well, it''s also our fault for not setting clear rules. Please don''t let it bother you, young lady. ''...... Yes, sir. The lord with the nice haircut: ......'' ''Yes ............, can I take it honestly? ''Loretta is a good, honest girl. It''s nothing personal.'' ''I see. I''ll take that as a yes then. With a smile and a wave of his hand, Demilly returned to the service entrance. ''Shall we go back too? ''............ Yes, sir.'' Rubbing Loretta''s back, we walked off the stage. ''That was a close one, Loretta! Delia says. ''But it would have been worse if you hadn''t explained it properly first! Nefari is upset. ''We can''t help it this time. You''ll get it back next time! Norma encourages him positively. ''I mean, the match itself was really exciting, so why not?You like to have fun, don''t you? Paula is trying to cheer Loretta up. Greeted with warm words, ...... Loretta scratched her nose in embarrassment. Then she bowed her head ...... ''Ehehe ...... I''ve lost. Then she laughed. ''Don''t worry about it. I still have one win and one loss.'' ''...... This is everyone''s battle. It''s not time to be depressed yet.'' ''Yes, it is . We all know how hard Loretta-san has been working.'''' ''Estella-san...... Magda-Cho...... Manager-san............ Yes!I''m not depressed at all!The game ended in a disappointing way, but my main duty is to cheer!From now on, I''m going to get excited and share my power with everyone! That''s right!That''s the spirit! Loretta shouted cheerfully as usual, and Paula slapped her on the back. ''It hurts!You''re too good at this, Paula! The mood of defeat had completely disappeared as they joked with each other. ''Yes, I do!I want to wear a cheerleading uniform too!I''m going to do my best to cheer from here on out! ''Then I''ll put it on for you. ''Oh, don''t worry. I can do it myself! Declining Ukrines'' offer, Loretta went to the changing room by herself. She gives a big wave and smiles all the way to the moment she turns around. ''............I''m off then.'' ''Yes, ......, please.'' ''Yes, please.'' ''......Yashiro, good luck.'' We talked quietly, and I followed Loretta alone. I knew everyone was watching Loretta closely. I already know the kind of smile she has. The one he just smiled is the one he smiles when he''s ...... straining. ''Loretta. ''Swoon!What is it, big brother? I''m going to change now, okay?'' ''Ah. That''s why I came to sneak a peek.'' ''It won''t be sneaking if you say so. ''Oh, I see. That was a blind spot.'''' Loretta doesn''t look at me. I''m not going to peek at her either. I just put my hand on her head and stroke her thin, soft, fluffy hair. ''Oh, it''s ......?Oh,.......'' ''I didn''t hate it. ''............''. Loretta stops moving. Maybe she''ll lend an ear for another word or two. ''It was funny, quirky, and entertaining in a way that only you can be. The ...... results were a bit disappointing, though.'' ''............ Guess''. ''Well, you''ll do better next time. ''..................Yes, sir.'' I pat my head and Loretta grabs my hand with both of hers. ''...... I''m sorry.'' ''For what?'' ''............I didn''t ...... win. ......... ...'' ''When did I say ''win''?'' ''...... but''. ''I said, "Make it exciting". That was a huge success.'' ''............I was disqualified. ......'' ''It''s just like you calculated.'' ''Yeah......'' If you listen carefully, you can hear the voices of your friends rising in the distance. ''They''re excited to win at all costs for you.'' ''............'' ''You''re the one who brought us all together. Loretta''s hard work and pure feelings were directly felt by those who were watching. Loretta did more than enough to help us. That''s something much more valuable and hard-earned than a small victory. ''Loretta. Thank you. ''..................Oichii-chan......... ...At this time, it''s ............ unfair .......'' Loretta shook off my hand and ran into the locker room. She opened the door and walked in, her back to me, her voice only directed at me. ''From the next game, I''ll make it even more exciting!Loretta, the captain of the excitement team, will show her true colors!You can count on me! It was the genuine, usual voice of Loretta. ...... I felt very relieved. ''And then...............'' The door slowly closed. Gradually, I couldn''t see Loretta''s back, and just before the door closed, ...... she said something outrageous. ''Actually, I could hear you,...... and I''m also a beastman,............, so my ears are a little better,....... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that ............ Loretta''s body is more important than your victory here. Slam! --The door was slammed shut. ''............What? I heard ............ and ............ ''Wait a minute!You, you!Listen to me. ............ Oh, no!Forget it! You''re making it sound like I''m a good guy! ''Cause winning is more important!Me, my profits are the most important thing!Can you hear me?Hey! He must have looked like a pervert, banging on the locker room door. But who cares! I''d much rather be a pervert than be thought of as a nice guy! At the end of the day, I was hit with a painful counter ...... and with only one more fight left, my strength was almost exhausted. 159-Episode 138 Game 3 Pitfalls of the Love of Sweets ''Da-ling! There''s an emergency! Monsters are charging towards the main camp! ''All troops forward!Do whatever you can to prevent it from entering! Don''t worry! I''ve got Magda, Delia, and Norma, the three beastmen, Estella and Natalia, the knife-wielding duo, and even Umaro and Bekko, the sacrificial duo! You''ll never get to me, Medora! ''...... Magda can''t.'' ''You can''t stop that thing. ''I can''t stop it either. ''I''m sorry, Yashiro, but I can''t do it with a knife. ''Yashiro-sama, please be a pillar. ''You''re all heartless, aren''t you? Magda, Delia, Norma, Estella and Natalia are useless! In this case, I''ll run! I kicked the ground and ran as fast as I could from the first step. But I was spun around. How fast? ''Hmph~. Getsuch! ''That''s not gotchu!What the hell!You''re the enemy, aren''t you? ''Fighting is not the same as love, darling.'' Wielding an absurd theory, Medora invaded the space of District 42. ''A free man! ''No, no. I didn''t come here just for fun either. I know what it''s like to walk into enemy territory. ''In other words, what do you want? ''Ricardo said, "I think I''ve said too much."'' It''s probably about Loretta. I got a little pissed off and glared at her too. I was a little pissed off and glared at her. ''She said she wished someone would go check on her, so I went to check on her and tell her I was sorry. ''...... Ricardo is surprisingly petty, isn''t he? ''Maybe he''s a badass. Hahaha. Medora laughs wildly. He''s an overprotective guy after all. ''Tell Ricardo. ''I''ll never forget how you made my Loretta cry. ''I''ve always thought you''re pretty overprotective, darling.'' That''s not true. It''s just that I think Ricardo should suffer a little. ''Well, I''m going back. I won''t lose the third game either.'' ''Hmm. Unfortunately, the next match is as good as ours.'' ''That''s a lot of confidence. Do you think you have a chance of winning? ''Hmm. I guess.'' Thanks to Loretta, the tide is completely in our favor. No matter who District Forty-One brings out, we''re still going to win. ''Hmm?Who''s that? Medora looks towards the entrance of the hall. It''s the same corridor we came in through. I followed suit and looked over to ...... ''Delia-chan! I saw a huge water tank coming into the waiting area of the 42nd district with Masha waving at me with a muffled voice. ''Masha!You''ve come to cheer me up!'' ''Yes!It took me a while to get ready, so I''m late. Have you finished your turn yet? ''No, not yet. Masha was not from District 42, but Delia insisted, so she allowed her to enter. You can''t ...... have this tank in the audience. ''Hmm. The Sea Fishing Guild. You''re a pretentious mermaid whose only claim to fame is her tits. Shut up. You''re a big boss of a hunting guild who''s barely recognized as a woman because of her tits. And then-- ''Mama, mama, mama, Masha-san! Suddenly, a piranha-faced man with a strangely high-pitched voice bursts into our space. What the hell is that voice?Are you kidding me? And then I took a closer look at ...... ''That''s Gustave, isn''t it? ''...... Why is Gustave here?'' ''Yes, Gustave. What are you doing here? ''Hello, Gustave... It''s been a while... ''Yes, Masha!It''s been a while! Are you ignoring us all? ''Forget the tiger girl, how come you know her? ''I heard a rumor about a guy who eats a lot of food. ''As expected of you, darling. Oh, is that it?You know,......, were you inspecting or something when you were on your date with me? ''Don''t squirm with your big body! Well, you''re absolutely right, but! ''Ma, you have a ...... date with your mom? ''......Yashiro............Challenger'' Gustave and Magda looked at me like I was a freak. It''s a terrible rumor. ''Well, more importantly, Masha. You''ve come to see me, haven''t you? ''Uh-huh. I''m cheering on my friend Delia. ''Wow, me!Tomorrow!I''ll be playing an active role in the most important scene!After all, I''m the general!Please come!I hope you''ll come again tomorrow! Apparently, Gustave the ravenous fish has a crush on Masha, the guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''I want to be caught too! I don''t know. But ......, there''s no pulse. Masha is completely passive. When you''re a big-boobed mermaid like Masha, you''re bound to have a lot of guys coming after you. She''s got an air of maturity about her that the guys in District 42 don''t have. It''s the kind of s*xiness that makes you want to play with fire. ''...... Gustave is the general, after all. ''It looks like we''ll be facing Magda.'' ''Oh, come on, you idiot, Gustave!You''re leaking information about us!My darling is smarter than most men, a little leak and you''ll be swept off your feet! I''m sorry to say that I''ve been praised, but ...... what''s with the "bragging about your family" tone? And who is ''my darling''? ''See you, darling. I''m going to leave now so that this idiot doesn''t say anything else. ''Oh, hurry up and go home. And don''t come back. Masha asks me when Medora and the others have left. ''So, when are you coming in, Delia? It seems he was careful not to leak our information to the others. He''s a very thoughtful guy. He must be able to read the atmosphere. ......, in exchange. I''m not sure what you''re talking about.Don''t stare at me so much! ''Haaaaaaahhhh!I got kicked!I''m happy!Happy!Kick me more, kick me more!With your feet!With my feet! ''Ouch!You''re disgusting, you half-fisherman! Calvin, the deputy head of the Seafaring Guild (who has a serious foot fetish), is very excited to see Norma''s raw feet. He''s no good. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I wish he''d just become seaweed. ''Oh, yeah. Don''t worry about that. ''My cheerleading squad is being damaged...'' ''I''ll be patient. How dare you! Well, Norma can easily knock out Calvin, so I guess I''ll just ...... leave her alone. ''So, about Delia''s match: ......'' I say clearly to Delia, who is standing next to Masha. ''It''s right after this.'' ''What?I''m going to the third round? ''Wow, it looks like you''ve arrived at just the right time! Regardless of the timing of Masha''s visit, the flow is definitely in our direction. ''Thanks to Loretta, we have a chance to win. Thanks to Loretta''s foul play and the fact that she was deprived of the authority of the lowest rank as a penalty, Shikku was in charge of cooking for the third round. This is his first time cooking. ''Forty wards will bring out a luxury cake!When it comes to cake gluttony, Delia is unbeatable! A second win here would clinch the championship. ''I see!Loretta''s pretty good too! ''You''re so clever...'' ''Yes, she is!Loretta''s great! ''Ho, ho, ho, ho!He''s praising me a lot when I''m not here! Loretta came back just in time, wearing a cheerleading uniform and a ponytail. Her hair wasn''t as long as Ginette''s or Magda''s, so you could see the nape of her neck when she wore it in a ponytail. Hmmm. The way her hair is tangled is quite s*xy. Mm-hmm. It''s nice, Loretta. Of course!Loretta is s*xy! ''You''ve changed your words! Loretta''s eyes widen, but she looks somewhat happy. All you have to do is keep your cheerful face like that. ''''Well then!Let''s go for it! Delia clasped her hands and stretched her arms tightly. I could see the confidence in her face. --Boom, boom, boom! The bell rang for standby, and Delia walked up to the stage alone. Following Delia, a large man with a body like an armadillo walked onto the stage. ''...... Weblo of the Armadillo People. He has a stupid tongue that can eat any bad food, saying, ''Delicious, delicious. ''There are no good people in hunting guilds. ......'' ''...... When a person eats something they don''t like or something that tastes bad, their stomach refuses to take more and they eat less. Even if you don''t particularly dislike a food, if the seasoning or presentation is not to your liking, it will affect you somewhat. ''In other words, the armadillo human armadillons don''t have it. ''...... Yes. Armadillons are capable of eating anything in a flat state. Armadillon''s name has been overwritten. Magda, you might want to rethink your habit of taking the fun out of things. And one more. The representative of the Forty Wards will take the stage. He''s just an ordinary guy with no special features. He''s got some muscle in his arms, I think. ''Hey, Imelda. What the hell kind of guy is that ...... ............, huh?What about Imelda? ''...... was taken by a stylish man with a red face.'' The stylish Xenobios must have been taking Imelda out to eat again, without fail. A man with an indomitable spirit. I can''t help it. ''Percy! ''Hmm?What''s up, buddy? ''What kind of a man is that? ''Hmm? I try to get some information from Percy, who lives in the same 40th district. ''No, I''ve never seen him before, who is that guy? ''You''re useless!Go home now! ''I refuse!I won''t leave no matter what until I have Nephrite''s cheerleader outfit burned into my brain! What a useless man! ''Oh, that''s Killian from the restaurant, isn''t it? Unexpectedly, Umaro had information on the man. Oh, he''s from the Forty-second Ward too, isn''t he? --Boom! And with that, the bell rang and the third match began. ''Killian''s store is an austere store that people in the know like. ''Wow. What kind of food do they serve you? ''Super spicy food. Oh, look, there''s that!That''s the spicy chicken they''re using in the game. ''What? I shouted at Umaro''s words and ran to the stage. In front of the players, a plate of bright red chicken wings was placed. ''Isn''t that ...... cake? Such ...... why ............ ''Hmph!It''s so spicy! This is the normal level of spiciness in our restaurant, so I don''t understand how you can say that this level is spicy. Armadillons, while saying it was spicy and hot, ate the hot chicken with relish. Perhaps because it was his own food, Killian also ate the red chicken with an unconcerned look on his face. In the midst of all of this, the only one who remains rigid is ...... Delia. ''Delia! ''Ya, Yashiro. ......'' Delia looks like she''s about to cry. Is it so sad that it wasn''t a cake? It''s true that without the cake, you might have a hard time, but you can''t help it, just hang in there as long as you can. ...... Two defeats in a row is indeed not good. It''s not a good idea to lose two in a row. I''m not sure what to do. You can see the anxiety overflowing from her face. d*mn ......, I completely missed the point. I''ll take it! Delia bites into a bright red chicken wing. .................. Then she coughed loudly, all the hair on her body standing on end. ''Gosh!Gosh, gosh, gosh! ''Delia!Are you okay? ''...... great............ well......... It''s not ........., it''s .............'' Large tears spill from Delia''s eyes. ''Mii............ this is hard............ very hard. ............'' She curls her large body into a small ball and sobs like a little girl. Could it be that Delia is ............ ''Ah~...... this is bad luck.'' Masha leaks a sigh as she dips into the tank. ''Delia, I can''t handle spicy food at all. Just a little ''tingle'' makes me cry. ''...... so much? ''Kaiware daikon is too spicy for her to eat.'' ............ You have a child''s tongue! I think Magda and I were talking about how hot and spicy the curry was when we were eating it. ...... It''s not a characteristic of the beastman race, but simply because Magda and Delia have child''s tongues and don''t like spicy food. ...... ''Ya, Yashiro~......'' I can hear Delia''s voice shaking with tears. I''m not sure what to do. It might be inevitable in this situation,...... two losses,............ ''I, ...... will do my best! ''............What?'' When I looked up, my eyes met Delia''s. Her eyes, large and wet with tears, were shaking with fear. But I do my best to gather myself up and bring the bright red chicken wings to my mouth. ''Yashiro believed in me!I want to return the favor! He bites into the spicy chicken and screams. Tears and sweat come pouring out of my eyes. I can''t. I can''t let you eat any more. ............ I lost two games, but I didn''t ...... give them two wins. If the 40th district wins here, all the districts will be tied at one win each. Then we still have a chance to get back on track. ......... ''Mmm!Hot, hot, hot! ''Hmm, hmm. This level of spiciness doesn''t even fall into the category of spiciness, and for me, it''s perfectly acceptable, but it''s a bit much,............. In addition, the ability to efficiently convert the minimum amount of food required for life activities into energy is a superior biological ability, so even if you can eat more than others, it is nothing to be proud of. ...'' While Armadillons continued to eat like idiots, the manager of this very spicy chicken restaurant started to crap on them, insuring them in case they lost. He may have entered this competition because he is good at spicy food, but the amount of food he ate was too normal. If the others hadn''t been too spicy to eat, he might have won. ...... This time, the 41st district will win. ............ Two wins were taken. It''s not good. ...... It''s not good. ............ What went wrong? How did this happen? Yes, ...... me. Because I didn''t do my research, I assumed ...... that the food in the 40th district was cake, and I didn''t even ask ............ Imelda or Umaro. I didn''t even ask Imelda or Umaro. I didn''t even visit them. I didn''t have time to get carried away with making curry. ............ What am I doing? This ...... is a rudimentary mistake. ..................... ...lose? You can''t lose! When I came to my senses, I saw that the audience was cheering loudly. ''You guys!Shout harder! ''Come on!We''re going to cheer for Delia-san, who''s crying but still fighting hard! Norma and Loretta were leading the way, and the audience was cheering for Delia in unison. To Delia, ''Ganbare! Ganbare! to Delia. With such cheers, Delia bit into the spicy chicken in desperation. Her mouth turned red, and her eyes also turned red with tears. ...... Her appearance also struck a chord with the audience, and their cheering became more passionate. ''Ganbare! Ganbare! Ganbare! and ...... ............ You''re already working hard enough. ''Delia!Enough!'''' She shouted. ''You don''t have to eat anymore! The audience goes silent. Delia stopped, looked up, and looked at me with a ...... tear-stained face. ''But, but ............''. ''It''s okay!It''s okay! It''s better to be in last place than to try so hard. You can avoid mistakes like this one. You can prepare a menu that suits you and gives you an advantage. ...... Well, you can make it the player''s favorite food, or make it a dish that only Regina can eat, like the first curry... ......... Anyway, you don''t have to eat a single bite more of this. Delia, that''s enough. Just stop it. ...... ''I''ll take care of it!I''ll take care of it!So don''t eat anymore! This is all my fault. I got carried away, and it was my ............ fault. ''...... Sorry, Delia. I''m sorry, Delia.'' The only sound I could make was the buzzing of a mosquito. Even so, Delia''s ears were twitching, so I think her words had reached her. Delia''s shoulders relaxed and the ...... chicken fell onto her plate. ''............ haha ............ I''m f*cked... ...'' Delia mutters in a dry voice. Her voice was trembling, faintly. ''......Sorry, guys. ............I lost. ......! In frustration, he choked up and burst into tears again. You bite down on your teeth and try your best to hold it in, but the ...... sobs still start to leak out. I''m the one who got us into this situation. It''s ...... my fault. I''m the one who''s responsible! I raise my voice to the audience. No one here can blame Delia. ''So if you have a problem with that, tell me!No one else, just me! The cuisine of the forty districts must be the cake of luxury? Why bother bringing an already famous specialty to an event like this? Think about it and you''ll understand. We have such a big opportunity to promote ourselves. Of course they''d come to advertise something that''s minor now but will surely sell once it''s known!Or at least, that''s what I would have done! What you think, they also think. I forgot such an obvious thing. I can''t help you. I''m a devastating a**h*le. I deserve to be blamed. ...... ''I don''t blame you, a**h*le! It was a gentle tirade, thrown from the audience. ...... ''There are no absolutes in a game! I''m not sure what to say. Such rhetoric is ...... becoming more and more infectious and ...... ''Delia!You did a great job! ''Yeah, yeah, yeah! ''Come back with your heart on your sleeve! Smiles are blooming all over the place. ...... Are these people ............ stupid? They''re all stupidly .................. sycophantic. --Boom, boom, boom, boom! For the next forty minutes, Delia did as I told her and did not eat a single bite of chicken, and the result of the forty-second district was two plates. The winner was District Forty-One with seventy-two plates, and District Forty with fifty-six. District 41 now had two wins. This means that District 41 has won two games and is now in the lead for the championship. On the other hand, we have to win all the remaining two games. Now that we have the right to choose the next dish,...... how do we attack,......? ''Yashiro...... everyone......'' Wobbly on her feet, Delia returns. ''Heh ...... I lost.'' ''Nice fight, sir!Delia-san! Loretta jumps on Delia''s fake smile. Loretta knows best how hard it is to lose and how frustrating it is. In her own way, she must have wanted to encourage her. ''Your courage to stay there until the end. I think that''s admirable. It must have been very painful to stay on stage without being able to eat. But Delia didn''t run away, she stayed there until the end. ...... I''ve given you a hard time. I''m sure you''ll understand. Delia said with red eyes that still had traces of tears in them. Her back is straight and her face is crisp. ''Honestly, I''m so frustrated. ...... but I don''t cry anymore. I''m not sure what to say.I''m so sorry!I''ll never cry! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. ''We are all one team. I''m sure someone else will make up for my loss. Yashiro will make sure that happens. ......, right? All eyes turned to me. Delia is staring straight at me. ''Oh. I promise ............ I''ll make it happen. ......'' What about the frogs? What is the Judgment of the Spirits? I''ll make it clear to you! ''I am!No, we''re going to make sure that District 42 wins!Absolutely! As I raised my voice in an uncharacteristic manner, cheers rose from the spectators'' seats. The gazes of the countless people staring at me softened. ''Yes. I''ll do my best to help. Ginette stepped forward in front of me. Estella comes up next to me and sighs with her usual dumbfounded expression. ''There''s no going back now, is there? ...... I''m unusually heated.'' Magda squeezes the hem of my dress. ''...... Magda will definitely win. A win for Yashiro.'' A flame of fighting spirit flickered in the depths of his eyes, which were as quiet as the deep sea. ''Yashiro-san. ''Imelda......'' Imelda walks up to me with a serious expression on her face. ''I need to speak with you.'' With a dignified voice, she brought this information. ''The menu in the forty-second district is very hot chicken. ''That information is too late! The game''s already over! ''No, it''s not!Stylish Xenobios has been extremely persistent, and I''ve been trying my best to escape!But I''m getting impatient to tell him as soon as possible. ......! Oh, my God. ...... If I had gone to Imelda''s rescue first, everything would have been fine. ...... No, Magda wouldn''t have been able to eat that spicy looking chicken. ''Even the dominant and perverted Umaro wouldn''t have gone for that much. ......'' ''Suddenly, you said something bad about me! In the end, there was no one in the forty-two districts who could compete with Armadillons. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. It''s a mistake to think that it''s going to be easy with Bertina and Magda. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I''ll definitely manage it ............ even if.'' Yes, even if ...... ''Even if it costs Umaro his life! ''I''m being sacrificed in some way, aren''t I? ''...... Magda, I''ll never forget Umaro.'' ''No, I''m happy for you!I''m happy, but ............ Oh, no!I''m not sure what to say. Umaro: ....... You can either go for Magda first and get a solid win ....... But leaving Umaro at the end is also a good idea. ............ ''I can''t help it. For the sake of winning the forty-second district, let''s push him a little. ''What, what are you going to do? Estella smiles fearlessly. ''If you lose, you''re banned from the Sunken Pavilion for a month! ''Oh no!If that happens, I''m going to die! ''Oh, well then!How about a more direct ban on Magda? Umaro stiffens at Paula''s comment. Nephrite joins in as well. ''You might be able to push it further if you make it negative instead of just zero. For example, if you lose ......, Magda will tell you that she hates you.'' ''No, don''t do that!I''m tearing my heart out just thinking about it! ''Then, let''s give Magda as a bride, shall we? ''Na, Natalia!Please don''t say such a thing! Umaro is having a decent conversation with the beauties. He seems to be under a lot of pressure. ''There''s nothing to be nervous about. All you have to do is win, win.'' ''Well, that''s easy for you to say, but things don''t always work out that way. ......! ''...... Umaro''. Magda folded her hands and placed them gently on her cheeks. She gazes at Oumalo in a begging pose. ''...... Win.'' ''Muhaaaaaaaa!I''ll win!No matter who I''m up against, I''m going to win!For Magda''s sake! I''m sure ...... Umaro''s "Magda Power" is great, but ............ is this really enough to win...? ...? ''Masha-sa~n! We heard an annoying high-pitched voice, and we all turned to look at it. ''Good news, Ms. Masha! Gustave, the ravenous fish with the high-pitched voice, has once again burst into the space of District Forty-two. ''Oh no~, here you are again. Medamama''s going to kill you half to death. Marcia says this horrible thing so easily. But the part that scares me is that I can''t say it''s impossible. Nevertheless, Gustave is still slightly elated and speaks happily to Masha. ''''I''ve been selected to participate in tomorrow''s Round 4! ''''''--?'''''' ''''So, please come and watch the game tomorrow!Let''s see me in action! The buoyant Gustave may not have noticed. He may not realize that he''s leaked important military secrets to us. ...... But I didn''t want to hear that information ............. No, it would have been worse if I hadn''t, but now that I''ve heard ............ it, I can''t help but take precautions. ''Gustave!You''re bothering my darling again!I''ll kick your ass! ''Heee!Mom!No, no, no!I''m just giving the beautiful Masha a ......! ''Just come back!I''m not going to let you bother my darling, my own darling, who''s looking at me like I''m a hot mess over there! ''I''m sorry, Mom! Medora reappeared, grabbed Gustave by the collar, and dragged him back to the space in District 41. In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. ...... There''s a lot of reputational damage. ''...... Gustave is next.'' Magda clears her throat. Loretta, Paula, and others who work in the food court have heard rumors about Gustave, and some may have even witnessed it firsthand. That tense look on his face tells you all you need to know about how he eats. Umaro might be too much for him. I think I''ll go with Magda here,............, but if I do, what about the fifth round? I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Umaro, the slacker in full swing. Do you trust ...... with everything? But if ...... you spare the magda and it''s settled in the fourth round, ............ --Cullan. Callan. The church bells are ringing. That''s the end of the first day of the gluttony contest. Some of you will stay in District 41, some of you will return to your own districts. Even if you stand here and think about it, you''re not likely to get an answer. ............ ''Yashiro-san.'' Ginette calls out gently to me as I ponder. ''Shall we go home? ''Nn............ ah, I guess so.'' If we go back to the sunny pavilion, we might come up with a good idea. ............ sunny pavilion...... In my mind, I can see the familiar image of the Sunlit Pavilion. I''ve been away for a day now, but I feel nostalgic for the scene in my memory. Oh, ...... I can''t wait to go home. To that place ............ When I close my eyelids, ...... I''m standing in front of the sunny pavilion, and when I open the door, I see the same scene and smell as always. ............ ...... sunny pavilion ............ I love it. ............ Hmm? What is it? Something that reminds me of .................. sunny day pavilion...... ''Ladybug? Millie''s voice pulled me back to consciousness. ''...... Are you alright?Are you tired? ''Oh ...... no. I''m fine. I just need to think.'' ''Oh ...... I''m sorry ...... Miri, did I interrupt you?'' ''It''s okay. I''ve got to get home soon.'' ''Yes, you do. When the crowd dies down a bit, we''ll go home too. To the Sunken Pavilion. Magda and Loretta nodded their heads in agreement with Ginette''s words. There was Ginette, Magda and Loretta, and Estella was watching them from a little distance. ...... Norma and Millie, Neffery and Paula, Delia and Masha, Natalia and Imelda ...... and even Regina ............ It''s ....... Something''s bugging me. If we take all of these people back to the sunlit pavilion, we can find a way to break through. ...... I have a feeling. ...... I''m almost certain... ... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ...... ...... rely on? I''m not sure what to say. Masha beckons me. As I approach, she leans out of the tank and gives me an earful. ''Delia-chan. You''ll be staying at my house today. Even if you''re strong, I think it''s going to be a little hard on you. ''Oh, that''d be great. ''Yes, yes. You''ve become very honest lately, haven''t you, Yashiro? ''I''m honest? ''Before, you used to have a wall between you, or you used to take a step back, and you used to give off this ''I''m with you, but I''m not like you'' vibe.I''m glad to see that it''s easier for me to talk now that it''s gone. ............ wall. ..................I''m not like you guys. ...... ''I see. ......'' I forgot something fundamental. ''What''s ............ so simple about this? ......'' When I realized that, all the things that had been bugging me earlier fell into place. The outline of what had been blurred became clearer, and I was able to grasp the answer that I had been unable to grasp. The sunlit pavilion......, I knew the answer was there. I''m glad the fourth round is tomorrow. ...... If it had been today, I wouldn''t have made it. ''Hey, Magda. ''...... what?'' ''Just tell me what you know, to the best of your knowledge. Magda nodded her head, and I asked her a question. ''Is there anyone in the hunting guild with a bigger appetite than Gustave''s? Magda took her time to think about it, ...... and answered firmly. ''...... As far as Magda knows, there isn''t.'' ''......I see.'' Oh, God, my mouth is watering. ''Oh, I see. ............ Good.'' Then we still have a chance. We still have a chance to win! I stay where I am, look around at the people staring at me, and declare with absolute confidence and composure. ''I''ll take the fourth round tomorrow! 160-Episode 139 Game 4 The Devils Chewing Sound The morning of the second day of the tournament. I left the sunny pavilion before the sun rose. With a cart full of menus for the fourth round. ''Sorry, Milly. Delia''s not home, Magda''s asleep, and there was no one I could rely on. ''Hmm. I''m fine. I''m an early riser. Milly pulled the heavy cart piled high with luggage with a cool face. It''s ...... really shameful to have such a small child carrying the luggage. ...... ''I could have asked Umaro and the hamsters to do it, but ...... they''re a little weak. ......'' Loretta, Umaro, and Percy are actually not that powerful. Neffery and Paula are not so strong either. I guess not all beastmen are powerful. I misunderstood because the ones around me are so powerful. Milly. If you get tired, please let me know right away. I brought you some tea, so you can take a break whenever you want.'' ''Mmm. Thank you, Ms. Jeanette. But I''m still fine. Millie is pulling the cart, smiling and showing no signs of fatigue. The rest of us, except for Jeannette and Millie, are supposed to come with Estella and the others after the sun rises. The reason I left so early in the morning was part of the plan. It''s no exaggeration to say that the impact of the food when it appears will determine the winner. ''Mmmm~, mmmm~! Millie hums as she pulls the cart. She seems to be in a very good mood. ''You know, Miry, ...... I''m really happy right now.'' She smiles at you with a carefree smile, and shakes the large ladybug hair ornament on her head as she says. ''I''m very happy that the ladybug can rely on me, and that I can be of help to everyone, Miri. This is a tournament where the forty-two districts fight as one. I want to do something too. I''m sure there are a lot of people who would like to do that, and they won''t hesitate to help. That''s why, even though she was asked to do the tedious job of carrying the luggage early in the morning, she was smiling happily. ''Milly? ''Hmm? ''Thank you. That''s really helpful. ''Heh heh ......'' With a lot of effort, Millie pulled the cart. The fact that she walked a little fast may have been because she was embarrassed. Ginette smiled at the sight of Miry''s back. When our eyes met, Jeannette gave me a big smile as well. Yeah. We have to win. We can''t afford to lose here. Because everyone in District 42 is working so hard. No matter what happens to me, ............ I''m going to win no matter what! ''Um, Yashiro-san. That person is ......''. When we reached the central plaza of District 41, Jeannette pulled on my clothes. There was a figure squatting in front of the giant beech mushroom statue,......, or statue of the spirit god, standing in the central square, and Jeannette pointed at it and said. ''Isn''t that your opponent in the fourth round? Ginette was right, the figure was Gustave, a large man with a piranha face, a ravenous fish. As I recall, he was praying earnestly before. ''You''re a pious man, aren''t you? ''Are you praying for victory today? ''What?Well then, I''d better get out of the way. It''s not fair to have a spirit god on your side. ''Hello, Gustave.'' ''Hmm?I believe you''re ...... from District 42.'' Your voice is high again today. It''s still high this early in the morning. ...... you can''t lose. ''Haha!Good luck today! ''...... Why do you talk in such a high-pitched voice?Does my voice sound like that?'' Piranha''s face twitches slightly. Even though I''m speaking to her in such a friendly manner. ''Are you so unsure of your ability to win that you need to ask so desperately?'' ''No, no. This is my daily routine. I''m not worried about the game. I''ll win by a landslide anyway. ''Heh, .......'' You''ve got a nerve. All right. I''ll give an extraordinarily effective attack to a man like you who''s a man of faith. ''Hey, Spirit God. Gustave doesn''t need your help. He doesn''t want you.'' ''No, I didn''t say that! ''So, lend me your strength. So that I can beat Gustave.'' ''Z, that''s not fair!I was the one who prayed first! ''Prayers don''t come first or last, do they?In the first place, you didn''t pray for victory, did you?Then I''m the one who came first, aren''t I? ''Of course I was praying!In the first place, I pray every morning, ''May today be a great day!If we win, that means it''s a great day, doesn''t it? ''Eh~......, but even if we lose, it''ll be a great day if Masha praises us, right?'' ''Mach ...... to Masha-san: ......'' ''''You lost, but you did well.'''' ''That ...... is ............'' ''Hey, you don''t have to win then. That''s why, Spirit God. Let me win.'' ''Wait a minute!After all, it is my true intention to win and then be recognized by you!God of Spirits!Please, give me true victory ......! Ignoring me, Gustave kneels down on a giant beech mushroom. I''ll agitate him from behind with my nasally voice and mannerisms. ''Ugh ......, he''s using the spirit gods to attract women. ...... That''s terrible.'' ''Hey!How can you say that?It''s not like that, Spirit God!I''m not the slightest bit impure like that ......!'''' ''''You''re not thinking about it?Really?''Not even a little''? ''No. ............ some ............ of those things... .........'' ''Yes, skeevy!Evil!The enemy of women!A lousy half-fish who tried to use a spirit god to get a woman! ''I''m a piranha! ''Of the skeletons? ''I''m not a skeleton! '' ''Not even slightly? ''I am moderately skeevy! Gustave is confused. This guy''s funny. ''Spirit God. You''d better not side with him. He''ll think you''re a member of the Mutsrees. ''Who are the Mutsuri? Gustave stomped his foot on the ground, anger evident in his voice. Piranha''s eyes sharpened and glared at me. ''If you lose, it''s your fault! Well, we''re opponents, so it''s my fault if you lose. He doesn''t know that yet, so I''ll keep my mouth shut for now. Gustave clenched his teeth and turned his back. ''I will repay this humiliation with a match. Win the next game, and District 42 will taste defeat!Prepare yourself.'' With that, Gustave walks away. Ginette, staring at his distant back, begins to panic. ''What should I do, Yashiro-san?It seems that your fighting instincts have been ignited. Hmm. A guy with a burning fighting spirit can be troublesome. ...... ''Spirit God. May Gustave continue to cross Masha''s path until he chants ''not that one'' a hundred times. ''Hey!What are you asking me to do? Gustave came running back at a great speed. He looks desperate. ''Yes. It''s time to pass each other. ''Oh, my God!No more of that, no more of that, no more of that, no more of that, ......! After glaring at me, Gustave kneels in front of the statue of Beech Mushroom and begins to chant "without earlier" in a very fast voice. If you have too much faith, you might be worried about such trivial things. If you ask me, religions are mostly just assumptions. ''Okay, while we''re at it, let''s head to the venue in comfort. ''Um, are you sure you want to go to ......?'' ''He who believes will be saved. If I believed that the Spirit God wouldn''t be involved in such a silly prank, I wouldn''t be so pissed off to cast a disarming spell. You don''t have enough faith. ''Is that the kind of ...... thing you''re talking about? I don''t see any gods. If I can''t see it, I can only talk about it in my imagination. If that''s the case, it''s as good as saying it. Gustave. I hope you''ve wasted your energy and exhausted your mind. I''ll see you at ....... Proudly and proudly, I made my way to the venue. If it wasn''t a gluttony contest, but an arguing contest, I''m sure I wouldn''t lose to anyone, I thought. And so the second day of the competition began. The auditorium was packed again today. There''s even standing room. Well, if District 41 wins here, the game is over. Moreover, word has gotten out that Gustave will be playing in the fourth round, and most people are predicting that this will be his last fight. I''m sure a lot of people would like to see that. ''Come on!I''ll be cheering with all my might today! ''''''Oooohhhh! Like the day before, Norma wore a super mini and cleavage ''thump! She is wearing a very mini and cleavage ''doh! ''I''m going to cheer as hard as I can today! ''I''ll do my best, too! The two who were defeated the day before are wearing matching cheerleading uniforms and cheering for the team today. Delia ...... Boing! I''m glad to hear that ...... Delia is doing well. She must have had a good night''s talk with Marcia and gotten over it. You should have a friend, after all. ...... I don''t have any friends, though. Hmm. Yashiro-san. You''re in trouble! While the preparations for the first match were underway, Imelda came running over to me, blood running down her face. It seems something has happened in District 40. ''The 40th district''s player for the fourth game is .................. your father! ''''Huh? Your father is ...... the guild leader of the woodcutter guild, Stuart Javier! ''After all, if we don''t win first place here, we''ll be eliminated from the forty districts, so it''s the guild leader''s turn! I''m not sure what to make of it. I can see ...... being taken for a ride. ''''''Harbiel!Harbiel!Harbiel!I''m not sure what to do. ''''''There''s nothing I can do. ......, I''ll get it! ''''''Wow, ???????????????????????????????????????????????????!'''''' It''s probably something like that, anyway. ''''So, how much do you eat? ''''That''s normal. ''...... What are you doing out here? I guess he''s given up on the game,......, or rather, he''s going to put the final blame on the big man in the forty-first district and let it go unanswered. ''...... The forty-first district is going to have Gustave as planned.'' Magda, who was on a reconnaissance mission, has confirmed the names of the contestants. It''s me, Javier, and Gustave. Now let''s see if we can win ....... --Boom, boom, boom! The bell rings for standby. Let''s go! ''Yashiro-san! I was about to head for the stage when Jeannette came running up to me. She looks very anxious. ''Oh, ...... are you sure you want to use that menu ......? ''Yes. I came up with the menu this time and convinced Estella to let me put it together. She said, ''If we don''t do this, we won''t have a chance. I also asked Estella to do one more thing for me. I talked to Ricardo and Demilly first thing in the morning and got permission to do a small demonstration. You know. It''s just a simple demonstration of cutting food in front of an audience. A tuna dismantling show is a lot of fun, right?It''s like that. It''s a show, it''s a show. It''s a show, a show. ...... It''ll be a lot of fun. ............ Hmmm. Ginette. You just keep on cooking. And ......'' I put my hands on Ginette''s shoulders and flip her around. Then I tell her back. ''Try not to look at me. ''...... Yes. I understand.'' Ginette said in a mysterious voice and walked back into the kitchen without looking back. When she went on stage, Javier raised one hand and called out to her. ''Hey!Nice to meet you.'' ''You''re so outspoken. ''Ha ha!We''re on the same side, aren''t we? Javier is in a very good mood, but his ...... knees are shaking. He''s very nervous, isn''t he? I''m not sure if he was nervous before the opening ceremony. ''Just because you''re in front of the guild members, you shouldn''t be too cool about it. You''ll be embarrassed later.'' ''Ha, hah!Don''t say anything stupid!I''ve got no time for this at all! That line is already a temper tantrum. And there was another man on the ...... stage who was glaring at me. ''Hey, it''s been a while since I''ve seen you this morning. Have you been chanting it a hundred times, Gustave? ''Of course I did! I knew it. His voice was high-pitched. You''re joking. ''But I''m lucky. I never thought I''d be able to compete directly with you. ............'' The piranha''s mouth, lined with sharp fangs, turns into a distorted grin. ''I''m going to humiliate you in front of this huge crowd!The shame I suffered in front of the statue of the Spirit God will be returned to you tenfold ......! I''m sorry. This is the type of guy who can''t take a gag. ...... ''If I show my butt right here and now, it would be at least that embarrassing. ............ Shall I show it?'' ''Please don''t!You''ve got a future ahead of you! No, a future that is destroyed by having your buttocks out is ...... No, a future that is fine with having your buttocks out is more of a problem? In any case, this guy is actually a good guy. I''m not sure what to say.If you win, I''ll show you my ass! ''I don''t want to see it, sir! ''I''ll put Javier''s on too! ''I still don''t want it! ''...... Even if you don''t want to show it to me, ...... I don''t know why it hurts me so much when you refuse it outright, man. It seems that Javier was damaged for nothing in a meaningless place. Gustave, you''re a terrible guy. ''In exchange, if I win, you''ll show me Estella''s ass! ''No, I won''t! Suddenly, Estella appeared on the stage. Behind her are Ricardo and Demilly. Incidentally, Estella is in acting lord mode. ''In exchange for the demonstration, we, the lords and the acting lords, will keep a close watch on you. I''m sure there won''t be any wrongdoing, but just in case. Do you agree to this? ''Yes, of course. As soon as I agree, Natalia appears from behind the lords with a knife in her hand. ''Natalia will cut it for me? ''I, Natalia, would like to give you a demonstration. With her words, a table is brought in front of Natalia. There was a plate with nothing on it. ''Now, .......'' Natalia takes out a bright red apple from her ............ pocket. It was the apple that she and Milly had gone to pick before. ''Ha! Natalia throws the apple into the air and swings the knife two or three times. The apple falls onto the plate, is neatly cut into eighths, and rolls onto the plate like a flower opening. An amazing feat. But the real work is yet to come. Natalia took one of the eighth apples and dexterously cut into it. ...... The result is a cute little rabbit apple. ''Wow! It''s so cute! The audience shouted. ''Wow, this is... It''s quite .......'' ''Hmm. Well, it''s good, isn''t it? Demilly and Ricardo''s reaction was positive. As a presentation of the existence of such technology, it was a success. In the midst of the warm atmosphere, Natalia cuts four apples into the shape of a rabbit and arranges them on a plate. She then took the plate to the ...... player''s table. --Wow...... The crowd erupted. Everyone was at a loss for words, ''You''re not ......, are you? They were looking at the audience without hiding their uneasiness. Ricardo and Demilly''s soft expressions were gone, and their ...... face muscles were tense. ''Now, let''s start the fourth round,'' I said. As I said this, an inarticulate cry of grief went through the hall. It seems that there are still people who can''t face the reality, so I''ll make it clear. ''For the fourth round, this rabbit apple (four apples) is on the menu! ''No! ''Stop it! ''I feel sorry for the rabbit! ''You''re lying!Tell me it''s not true! Shouting. The audience shouted in unison when they heard my words. But I don''t care. The menu for the game was decided by the last place of the previous game. Forty wards had chosen a spicy chicken that no one would eat, and had made a small move to give an advantage to their ward. Do you have something to complain about this menu? When I glanced at him, Javier looked pale, and Gustave said, ...... ''Oh ...... how dare you ...... spirit god ............''. He was praying. ''Hey, hey, hey. You''re overreacting, guys. ...... This is just an apple, okay? No one seemed to be able to argue with my words. ''Come on!Let''s get on with it! I ignore all the people present and take my seat. If you don''t want to eat, don''t eat! I''ll eat it, though! ''Yes, that''s right. ...... This is an apple. ............'' ''That''s right...... an apple...... this is just an apple......'' Gustave and Javier also took their seats, mumbling. ''I''ll be going now,......'' Estella turns on her heel and walks quickly into the service entrance. She said she was sad to say goodbye when she got emotional. I guess he doesn''t want to see it. ''I''ll watch from here, Obayashi! ''Well, I guess I''ll do the same. Ricardo and Demilly seem to be staying onstage to watch the game. d*mn, these lords ...... don''t let anyone use the VIP room. A plate is placed in front of the players and the game begins. --Boom! The bell rings, the hourglass is reversed, and the sand begins to fall. I''m going to eat! Gustave makes up his mind and reaches for the rabbit apple. ''Wow!I''m so glad we''re going out as a family...'''' ''What? Just as Gustave is about to grab the apple, I teleport to Rabbit Apple A. Then Gustave''s hand stopped just before he touched the rabbit apple. He is shaking and stiff. ''''Hey, hey, hey. Don''t get too excited!'' ''Hurry up, mom and dad! At that time, this happy family of rabbits had no idea that such a tragedy would happen ...... later. ''Aaah!I can''t!I can''t!I can''t ............ do anything that would tear the happy bunny family apart! ''''Dad. I''m not sure what to do.I can''t let any of you be left out! Yes!It''s just as I thought. Before, Ginette and Estella couldn''t eat this rabbit apple. Even Magda was resistant to it. The statues of the spirit gods in this world are all abstract in form, and the residents of this city tend to find deformed things like this rabbit apple unusually cute. However, it was doubtful whether this would apply to Gustave and Javier. I feared that it was unlikely that the old men, let alone the cute girls, would not be able to eat the cute rabbit. ...... It seems that I have won the bet. I knew that Gustave would be inedible because he''s so religious that it''s ridiculous. ''Yes!I''ll eat it!It''s just an apple! On the other side of Gustave, Javier picks up the apple to inspire himself. I will not! ''Father!I don''t want to see my father like that! ''Imelda!Are you Imelda? Javier asks the rabbit apple in his hand. With a serious face. He picked it up and held it again with both hands as if it were important. ''Beautiful things must not be destroyed forever!I sincerely hope so! ''Imelda!No doubt, this rabbit apple is Imelda! ''...... No, it''s not, Father.'' Downstage, Imelda (the real Imelda) mutters with a scowl. ''That''s not fair, Obeyashiro!How about a fair fight? Ricardo clenches his fists, accusing me strongly. ''What''s not fair?Where''s the rule about no talking during meals? ''Yes, that''s ............, but it''s a natural moral thing to do if you''re interfering with other players ......! ''I''m just talking to myself, don''t worry about it, just eat.'' ''Of course I care! He''s a noisy one. ''Well, let''s ignore the outsiders and I''ll eat, too! ''If it''s ......, you can suffer the same!I''m a cute, cute, cute bunny!I love sweet treats, you know? ''..................'' ''..................'' ''..................'' ''..................'' ''............ Ricardo, are you crazy?'' ''Shut the f*ck up!I was just imitating you! Ricardo''s face turns bright red. It seems he was quite embarrassed. Well, ''ping pong'' is not ...... ''Yes, yes, bunny rabbit, bunny rabbit''. Grab an apple and bounce it around on the table. ''Tsk, tsk!Do you think I''m stupid? ''Bounce, bounce, bounce... ......'' After bouncing three times, I bring the rabbit apple to my mouth: ...... ''GABOO! I bit into it as if it were my own. '''''''''' Giaaaaahhhh! A scream echoed through the audience. ''Yum!Rabbit, yum! He deliberately opens his mouth to show the shattered pieces of meat as he repeatedly chews. Shack-shack, shack-shack, shack-shack, shack-shack, shack-shack, shack-shack. Gustave and Javier have gone pale and are staring at me dumbfounded. ...... I''ll give it one more push. I pick up the next rabbit apple, this time pointing my voice at my own apple. ''How dare you!Avenge your brother! ''Good!Good luck, bunny! ''Let''s kill that guy! The audience cheers Ringo on. But... ''That''s not fair, you little bastard! I lifted the rabbit apple high in the air, grabbed the skin of the apple for the ears, and ripped it off with great force. ''Ears, blech! '''''''''' Noaaaaaahhhh! ''And then, munch munch munch! '''''''''' Don''t do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then, holding the remaining two apples in both hands, he gobbles to the right and to the left in a rambunctious manner. '''''''''' Rabbit! '''''''' In the midst of the screaming, I quickly raised my hand and announced in a high-pitched voice. ''Another one! ''Devil! ''Demon! ''Cold-blooded man! All kinds of curses fly around. But this is good. In situations where the game is on the line, those who are cornered may do something they would never normally do, just because they have no choice. In this case, Gustave, who doesn''t want to concede the victory, may devilishly eat the rabbit''s apple in order to compete with me. If that happens, I won''t stand a chance. The only way for me to win is to push him to the limit. The original thought in my mind, "It''s a pity to eat such a cute thing," is combined with the thought of "It''s terrible to eat a rabbit" from the entire audience, making me believe that eating a rabbit apple here and now is a crime worthy of extreme punishment. Have you ever heard of this? We are easily influenced by the voices around us. If 90% of the people in the room insist that something is not wrong, even though it is clearly wrong, they will insist that it is not wrong even though they are convinced that it is wrong. They think that they might be the one who is wrong. On the other hand, when more than 90% of the people in the room insist that you shouldn''t do something that you feel a little guilty about, you won''t be able to do it. Neither Gustave nor Javier can eat the rabbit''s apple anymore. Especially if there is someone in that place that you don''t want to be disliked. Masha and Imelda are the key players this time. ''Ah, delicious!Cute bunny, yummmmm! ''Devil! ''Don''t you have any blood or tears? ''Somebody, stop him! ''Spirit God!Let him be punished! ''Please don''t bully him any more! I''ll just eat it. I''ll have a second helping. ''''''''''Noaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! In the end, I was the only one who ate the rabbit''s apple in the forty-five minutes of shouting. As a result, I had eight servings, while Gustave and Javier had none. The result was that I had eight servings and Gustave and Javier had none. The defeat of the 40th district was confirmed. But still, ...... ''Gosh,......, the rabbit,......, the rabbit,......! ''Terrible......Why are you like this............'' ''The devil ............ the devil ............! The ...... people in this town are amazing. Isn''t that a bit of an overreaction? The rabbit crying because he couldn''t eat his apple wasn''t overreacting or anything, was it? ''Hmm!Good win, good win! When I returned to the waiting area of the 42nd district in high spirits, ...... something, everyone had a delicate look on their faces. Well. At any rate, they''re all looking away. Yeah, yeah. I understand. I get it. ''Oh, big brother worked hard!You won the game for everyone, and gave us hope for the fifth game! ''Yeah, that''s ......, right!No, it was kind of a ...... great game. ...... Yeah, yeah!Good job, Yashiro! I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... It''s not that hard.It''s just like this for me!Hahahahaha!It''s not so bad! He said with deliberate haughtiness and pride. You can still see a twitch of his smile. ''Ah~, but apples are not to be eaten in large quantities. Sorry, I''m going to the bathroom. ...... There are times when you''re better off without me. Somehow, you''ll change your mind by the fifth round. I left the waiting area and headed for the exit of the venue. If I disappear for an hour or so from now, the atmosphere will improve a bit. I don''t know. I haven''t felt this way in a long time. I guess I''m a fraud. ...... .................. You''ve got the haters down pat. This is what a fraudulent creature should look like. ............ ''Please wait! His voice was sorrowful, desperate, and a little tearful. ...... I couldn''t help but turn around. ''It''s an apple!It''s just an apple! Ginette was standing in front of the audience, holding a rabbit apple and a knife. Then, without a moment''s hesitation, she removed the rabbit''s ears ...... and peeled the apple cleanly. ''Look!It''s an apple!It''s this apple that Yashiro-san ate! In Jeannette''s hand was just an apple, with the skin neatly removed. ''I''ll eat it too. I love apples! He said, and took a bite of the apple. The sound of crunching shook my eardrums very clearly. ''It''s delicious. It''s a very, very good apple. Ginette is talking to the audience. But ...... I don''t know why ............ those words were so powerful in my heart... I felt a tightening in the back of my throat. ''Jeannette. Can I have one of those delicious looking apples? ''Sister ...... yes. I''ll have it ready for you right away.'''' ''Oh, ......Miri, ......I want some, too.'' ''Oh, sure, I''ll have some as well.'' ''I''ll have some too! ''I like sweets, so bring me more! ''...... Magda would eat it all if it weren''t for the ...... next game. ......'' ''You''ll be patient. We''ll eat it all up for you. ''Can I have one too? ''Hey, Neffely, can you help me peel it? ''Oh, I can''t help it, Paula''s at ....... Leave it to me! The heavy air that had been stagnant began to move at once. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. ''Oh, yes, yes!I''m actually really good at peeling apples!I''m a carpenter! ''I''m also a sculptor, that I am, so I have some skill, that I do. ''I''m a hunter in charge of a branch of a hunting guild, that I am.Skinning is a piece of cake! The bastards are also getting excited for some unknown reason. ''Yashiro-san! And Jeannette calls out to me. With her usual voice. With her usual smile. ''How about it?Please join us, Yashiro-san!'' ''...... ah ............'' ...... d*mn . No, no, no. ''I''ve eaten too much and my stomach hurts, so I''ll go to the bathroom first~'' ''Yes!Then go wash your hands. ''Yes, yes! He raised one hand and left the hall in a huff. Don''t be so careless. ...... ''I can''t even eat another piece of apple. ............'' My heart is full. ...... This is the only way I can do it. This is the only way I can achieve my goal. When I made the curry and on the first day of the tournament, I was not myself, and as a result, I got into trouble. I relied on someone else. I trusted ...... others, saying that people who are fooled are fools. You can''t change. You can''t change. You can''t change. You can''t have a good time with everyone. ...... But still, ...... ''Until we win, we have to work hard ............ ''together''''. Something in my chest is holding me up, making it hard to breathe. I was in the mood for something refreshing. Preferably-- something other than an apple. 161-Episode 140 Game 5 Loves Foolish Eating Power Since they could not win a single game by the fourth round, the 40th district was determined to be eliminated. ''Well, I tried as hard as I could...'' Laughing, Javier scratched his head. No, you haven''t eaten a single piece. You''re Imelda,'' he said to the apple. and some other pitiful remarks. In the fourth round, Ward 40 and Ward 41 were in the same rank, but Ward 40 was defeated, and as a result of discussion, it was decided that Ward 40 would be in charge of cooking in the fifth round. ''I''m running out of things to show off. At least cook, right?It''s okay, right?Please.'' It was Javier''s best attempt at a cry-off. I guess he wanted to protect his right in front of Demilly at all costs. So, the fifth round was a battle between the 41st and 42nd districts in the 40th district. ''It''s finally the final battle, isn''t it? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. ...... What''s the appeal? You''ve been watching me. All right, all right. ''Is it good? ''Of course it is. It''s an apple from the 42nd district.Of course it''s good.'' He flopped down on an apple cut into eighths and said with satisfaction. I''ve taken your concern to heart. That was the intention of the conversation, but it seems to have been conveyed properly. Estella nodded her head in satisfaction and raised her voice to the audience with a flick of her hand. ''The fifth round is an all-out battle!Everyone, let''s cheer as hard as we can! At Estella''s words, everyone in the room shouted in unison. It seemed that the final match would be a real all-out battle, including cheering. Even from the space in District 41, a deadly atmosphere was wafting. Ricardo seems to have left the VIP room and is watching the game in the waiting area of District 41. I wonder if it was a waste of time, the VIP room. ''...... Yashiro''. Magda is coming to my side. He''s about to play a game, but as usual, his face is calm and emotionless. His ears are twitching, though. ''Are you nervous? ''...... moderately.'' I put my hand on his head and rubbed his ears. Normally, he would have gone ''mmm'' immediately, but he didn''t, probably because he was nervous. Perhaps it was my imagination, but I felt that her ears were a little firmer than usual. ''...... Magda will definitely win. Magda must have known how dangerous that statement was. I have no intention of using the Judgment of the Spirits for this statement. No, but it is still dangerous. Magda is trying to push herself that hard to win. It would be too much for Magda now to say, ''It''s okay to lose. But I can''t tell him to ''win'' either. There aren''t many words I can say to her. So I''ve decided to say something like this. ''I''m counting on you. ''...... Hmm. I''m on it. Do your best. If that doesn''t work, ...... I''ll take care of it. I''d appreciate it if you could win. --Boom, boom, boom, boom! The bell rings for standby. Cry or laugh, it''s the last game. ''...... I''m off then.'' ''Yeah!Go on!'' ''Magda-san!Please do your best! ''I''m sure Magda-chan can win! ''We''ll all be watching you here! ''...... reassuring.'' Magda slowly looked over at us all and gave a small nod. ''...... Magda''s place is here.'' Then she looked up and fixed her eyes firmly on the road ahead. ''......I will protect you. ...... A place to stay, huh? It''s the most important thing to Magda. It''s what I''ve always wanted. For that, one can be strong. Magda says she''ll fight for what''s important to her with such strength. Then we should support her. To the bitter end. As Magda walked onto the stage, the people of District 42 cheered her on, and the people of District 41 cheered as well. The athlete from the other side makes his way to the stage. He has gray hair and a thin body. ...... No, that''s because he has tight muscles. Supple but strong, that''s the kind of flesh I''m talking about. ''Alvaro is coming out. ''Usse......'' Suddenly, Use walked up behind me with his arms folded. He was from the hunting guild, so he must have known about that player. ...... ''You, were you there?'' ''Yes, I was!I''ve been here all morning, yesterday and today!I even ate an apple just now! I couldn''t see him at all. Maybe his brain is rejecting him?Maybe it''s got an ooze canceller, my brain. ''What''s he like? ''He''s strong. If we were to decide on the top five in the hunting guild right now, he''s good enough to make a run for it. He''s a cocky young guy. The man called Alvaro looked to be in his teens,......, about 14 or 15. By the way, Use is an old man by all accounts. Don''t be jealous, old man. Don''t be so pushy. You''re the one with the strongest odor of aging, aren''t you? ''I''m not happy!Besides, it''s not that bad! Use is barking desperately, but I don''t have time to talk about whether or not he has old-age smell. Let''s just get to the point. ''So, how much do you eat? ''I don''t know. He doesn''t look like a man who eats. ...... Does he eat that much? Unlike Gustave, Alvaro doesn''t seem to be a big eater. No,......, it''s not that simple with Ricardo. ......, Medora might have given him some ideas. ''I think there''s some kind of secret ......''. ''The secret is that ...... Alvaro can transform.'' ''Transformation? What is that?That''s kind of cool! ''Red?Or blue because he''s cool! ''I have no idea what you''re talking about, but there''s a ...... battle mode ...... well, he''s like my mom.'' ''Medora ...... even transforms ......''. The image of Medora transforming into a giant hexenbiest comes to mind. It''s beyond the realm of humanity. ''You saw it too, didn''t you?You saw the ears popping out of my mom''s head! ''Oh, that ability that does no one any good. I wish it was obsolete.'' So that guy Alvaro can make ears pop out of his head if he puts his mind to it. ............ What''s the value of a guy''s chemo ears? ''Yashiro-san''. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. Ginette called me, and for some reason, Use replied in a very excited tone. When did you become ''Mr. Yashiro''? ''No, you''re even more (glimpse) energetic today. Use''s gaze is honest. Do you want me to charge you for it? ...... No, I''ll go broke. ''Use, you''re looking too much. ''Ba!I''m not looking at you! (glancing)'' You''re looking at it all the time. ''Ha, ha, ha, he''s got a weird way of saying things!Then, I''ll do this! He thrusts his hands and feet forward at the same time, and Use jerkily moves away. I wanted to get more information about the hunting guild,......, but it seems that when Jeannette is around, he becomes a "monster with a glimpse of cleavage. I''m not sure what to say.What do you want from me?'' ''Yes!Let''s cheer together! ''Yes? Did you come all the way here to say something like that? ''I''ll give you lots of support so that you can do your best, Magda-san. ''Ah, ...... that''s right.'' Just as Magda considers the sunlit pavilion to be her home, Ginette also considers Magda to be like family. I''m sure she''ll be very enthusiastic in her support, too. ''...... Let''s cheer them on, as much as we can. ''Yes! They nodded to each other and turned their gaze to the stage. Magda and Alvaro had already taken their seats. A long iron skewer of meat, like a shish-kabob, was placed in front of them. ''Meat again. ......'' ''Both the hunting guild and the lumberjack guild tend to eat outside in the forest. It''s only natural that a dish that can be made by simply roasting meat would be developed. Estella talks about such knowledge with a smug face. Come to think of it, dishes like grilled meat have not developed much in the 42nd district. It''s mostly sausages and hamburgers. That''s because most of the meat from Hexenbiests is consumed in District Forty and District Forty-One. The only meat that comes to District Forty-two is scraps and cheap minced meat.'''' ''Assunto, you used to blatantly discriminate against us. ''In any case, it was too expensive to buy hexenbiest meat. As a result, processed products such as sausages were developed. ''Big brother!That meat looks really delicious!I can eat three of them in one sitting! ''That''s normal. ...... three.'' I wish you''d say ten or a hundred at least. Well, one is enough for me. ''I''m sure Magda-chou will eat a lot more! ''That''s right. I''m sure he''ll eat a lot. ''After all, it''s the final battle. ...... I''m sure the other guy will eat a lot too.'' We won''t know where the game will go until it starts. Those of us on the outside can only watch and believe. ............ And then... --Boom! The bell rings to start the game. '''''''' Go, Magda! '''''''' '''''''' Don''t lose, Alvaro! '''''''' Both of them bite into the meat skewer at the same time, receiving enthusiastic cheers. ''............ammuammu'' ''Mogu mogu ...... da ze''. It''s normal! Speed, so normal! ''It looks like you''re eating very well. ......'' ''Magda-san, you''re usually a small eater.'' That''s right. If Magda didn''t use ''red moya'', she would only eat as much as a child. ''Are you alright, Yashiro? ''I''m fine. We have a secret weapon. ''Didn''t Loretta use her own words to get me to say yes?I''ll be able to cheer you up with the best of them. ''Huh?Oh, did I do something? The second round, in which Loretta lost by foul play. Ricardo and Demilly admitted as much. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. In other words, ...... ''Becco! ''I''ve been waiting for you, that I have! At my call, Bekko comes carrying a huge box on his back. Estella and Loretta open up a space and Becko takes his place next to me. ''What''s this all about? Estella looks at the large wooden box that Becko is carrying and gives me a quizzical look. ''This is Umaro''s special ''One by one, they come out''! ''No, even if you tell me the name, it''s .......'' ''If you buy it now, you''ll get another one just like it! ''Yeah, I don''t want ...... it, what''s this? Estella didn''t seem to bite. If you''re a girl, you should light up your shopping spirit. ''Aaah!Magda-chou''s hand stopped! ''What?I''m only on my second plate! ''Your opponent is just on his third plate. Alvaro is not a particularly big eater, but ...... Magda in her normal state is indeed a heavy burden. But with ...... this ''one fish at a time''! ''Becco! ''I''m all set, that I am!If I can help you here, that the nightmare of that day will be rewarded, that it will!Now, let''s make a big show of it, that we will! When Bekko pulled the lever attached to "One by One," he heard a disgusting sound from inside the box that made his hair stand on end. --Boo..................! It''s the sound of wings. It was the ...... wings of a giant bee. And a hexenbiest jumped out of the box. A giant bee the size of my palm. ''Yashiro!What''s that? Estella''s expression twitched as she saw the bee fly out of the box. Similarly, Ginette and Loretta''s faces were tense. ''That''s right!That''s the bumblebee that almost killed Becko when he was attacked before! There''s nothing to worry about, Estella!I''ve got it all under control! ''Magda has already been exposed to the decoy enju! The bumblebee has a habit of rushing towards the decoy enju without looking at anything else. It''s unlikely to cause any damage to the audience! ''Oh, the Enju bee is on Magda! As if to prove the point, the unleashed bumblebee flew in a straight line towards Magda. ''Magda, look out ............'' Just as Jeannette was about to speak up. Magda''s right arm emitted a red, fuzzy aura, and the next moment, ''Pow! and the Enju-bachi exploded. We couldn''t see it, but it seemed to have been a decapitation blow. ...... Let''s not play rock-paper-scissors with Magda. ''............'' is not, it seems, right? I''m not going to play rock-paper-scissors with Magda. But that''s not what we should focus on! ''Ah!Magda! Estella pointed to Magda, whose hands had completely stopped moving, and something happened to her. ''Another one! She gobbled up the rest of the skewers on her plate. ''You''re making Magda starve by making her use the power of ''Red Moya''! ''Ah!Even if you use your animal traits, it''s not a foul as long as you eat! ''Yes,'' Ricardo said! If this is a foul, then ''Change the Stomach'' in the second round is also a foul! ''Hey, Cora, Obeyashiro! But then Ricardo came in from the next space. ''That''s a foul, isn''t it? And while he was yelling at me, the second one, let''s go. ''Ah, Kora!Don''t use it while I''m saying it! ''''It''s not a foul to use the beast feature, is it? ''I won''t complain if she uses it on her own, but if you want to help from the outside, that''s a different story! You''re always tweaking the rules to suit your needs. ''Then let''s have a meeting of the lords. Let''s discuss it for about three hours. ''Then the game will be over!And don''t casually release the third one! You''re a man who cares about the details. ...... ''All right. I''ll be careful next time.'' ''There''s no next time!And don''t let the fourth one out! He glanced at Magda. I''ve eaten all six dishes and the seventh one is on its way. There are thirty bumblebees in "One by One". I don''t think Alvaro or anyone else can eat more than 30 plates at the rate he''s going. You got ...... me, this game. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one.Touch that lever even one more time! ''What the heck!I thought it was a good plan! I raised my voice and kicked down ''They''re coming out one by one'' as if taking it out on him. It was at an ''exquisite'' angle. And then, as it fell to the ground, it made a cracking sound. With the sound, a long, thin wooden stick flew through the air. It was a lever. ''Oh, no, it''s broken...'' ''You!You did that on purpose, didn''t you? ''Hey, hey, do you think you could kick it down in anger and successfully destroy the lever? ''Do you think? I''m just asking, not lying. By the way, I can!I did it on purpose! ''d*mn it!What''s going on here? ''Well?Well, will the lid stay open? ''What the hell? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. The inside of the "One by One" is divided into thirty small rooms, and each room contains one Enju-bachi. The doors of all the rooms are interlocked, and the doors open in order from the upper left. When one door opens, all the other doors are locked, and when you pass through a door leading to the outside, which can be pushed open from the inside, the next room is unlocked. It may be easier to understand if you think of it as a program. If you pass through ''B'' after passing through ''A'', ''A'' becomes active, and so on. Well, in short, the thirty bumblebees stored in this box are released one by one. As the bumblebee is a dangerous bee that can harm humans, and because of its terrifyingly high fertility, it has been designated as a hexenbiest to be exterminated in the 42nd district. So Magda is not at all to blame for the extermination of the Enju-bee. If there is any blame to be placed, it should be on me for bringing it all the way from the mountains to this place and using it for my own desires. ''Call it off!This match is null and void! Ricardo is doing exactly what I imagined. So I give him the counterargument I''ve prepared. ''What, you. Every time you''re about to lose, you''re going to pretend it never happened?You''re a coward. ''...... what?'' I say with a big smile on my face as if to incite the anger in Ricardo''s face. I''m sure you''ll agree.In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''re going to be able to get a lot more than one of these. It''s like saying, ''I''m going to foul you if you don''t reveal your move first. The trump card is supposed to be kept hidden. ''When things don''t go your way, you throw a tantrum and make a fuss about ''no'', ''cheating'' and ''this is not acceptable''. ...... Do you really think that''s acceptable? ''Drino''s "Change the Stomach" and what you''re doing are completely different! ''It must be a deception, though. If I had known that he could use such a technique, I would have taken appropriate countermeasures. I don''t know how to contain four stomachs, but I''ll say it now. ''If you call this match invalid, then Drino is disqualified from the second round. Also, the forty wards that served us such inedible food as hot chicken is also a foul, isn''t it?Well, let''s call the second and third games, and the fifth game as well, invalid. That way, we''ll be the only ones with two wins, and District 42 will be the winner. ''How can such a crazy theory be accepted? ''Then just sit back and watch the game. ''You ......! Just when Ricardo reached out to grab me by the chest. ''Hold on a minute, my lord! A man''s voice came from above the stage. It was Alvaro of the 41st district. ''I don''t mind!Let''s keep this game going! ''But ......! Ricardo was about to argue with Alvaro, when Alvaro smirked at him. A ferocious grin, like a beast that has found its prey. ''In return, ...... I''ll let you get serious too. ''Huh! And just as you think you''ve got it in you, pure white smoke rises from Alvaro''s body. No, that''s not smoke. It''s a fighting ...... aura. A white aura. It''s just like Magda''s Red Moya,...... ''There you go! Alvaro flicked his finger vigorously, and what looked like a pure white vacuum wave was generated. The vacuum wave ran through the space with tremendous speed, blowing away the Enju-bachi that was flying towards Magda with a single blow. ''Aaah!I''m starving! shouted Alvaro, and he ate the spit of meat on his plate in one bite. That''s when I finally noticed it. Alvaro''s face had changed. On top of his head were tiger ears, and from the nose down was also shaped like a tiger. However, the main difference between him and Magda is that his fur is pure white. ...... ''Alvaro of the Byakko people will accept any challenge, no matter the circumstances! Bya...... Byakko people............ Magda''s people, huh? He quickly turned around and glared at Ursse. ''What?I don''t know if I''ve ever said that before. I''m not listening to you, you idiot! I''m going to give the Usset a hard time later for his insolence! ''Come on!Just let loose with the bumblebee!I''m faster than Magda, so I''ll shoot them all down! ''...... Mmm. Alvaro''s "flying claws" are accurate and unmatched. ...... The simple trajectory of the enjubachi is unlikely to miss. ...... It will be intercepted before it reaches Magda... ......... troubled'' Magda and Alvaro sitting apart. The bumblebees are flying towards Magda because ''they come out one by one''. It obediently follows the same trajectory. And Alvaro can attack them from a distance. With a nasty trick called the flying claw. I can''t use my ''white swooshing thing'' unless I''m in practice, but with a hexenbiest, I can use my power! What''s with the "white stuff"?Is this a clone of Magda? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Yashiro, that''s not good. ......'' Estella whispered to Ricardo, who was standing nearby, so that he wouldn''t hear. ''Look at the number of plates you two have.'' When I looked at the plates as I was told, Magda had thirteen and Alvaro had six. Magda''s record was two plates before she used the Red Moya. Alvaro had just killed one Enju-bachi and added one more, so he had six cards. ...... That means there are eighteen Enju-bachi left. If we don''t do something, we''ll be turned around. ...... ''Okay, Ricardo!Let''s call off this game and start all over again! ''You idiot!The moment you''re at a disadvantage, don''t talk so nice! How selfish of him! ''Magda can''t fly her aura like Alvaro. ...... That means'' ''Magda can''t defeat Enjuvachi anymore: ...... Does that mean she can''t use Red Moya: ......'' Without the Red Moya, Magda can only eat two of them. ...... No matter how, she can''t win. ...... ''Yashiro-san!I have an idea. Umaro rushes to Magda''s rescue. ''The use of the Enju Bachi is now as good as approved by both sides. This means it''s legal, doesn''t it? He was not talking to me, but to Ricardo. ''Hmph!You''ve come this far, you can do whatever you want! ''You''ve got my word. Umaro grinned and chuckled. Was ...... Umaro such a character? ''You''ve been poisoned by ...... something, haven''t you? I''m sure it''s Yashiro!You don''t know that? No, no, no. I have nothing to do with it. While he was doing this, Alvaro used his flying claws to fight off the bumblebees and ate the same number of meat skewers. Plates are piled up on Alvaro''s table. ''One at a time, that white tiger will take them all!Then ......'' In Umaro''s glittering eyes, I realize his true intentions. ''Can you ...... do it? ''Of course I can! ''Well, ......''. Magda might be in a bit of danger, though. ...... I looked at him, and he nodded clearly, as if he understood what we were thinking. All right,......, if that''s all you got,............ I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. Just to be safe, I''m going to turn down the part that might suffer the most damage. ''Keep cooking the meat! And to Umaro, I give the go-ahead. ''All right!Let''s do it! ''Aye aye! Umaro taps the bottom of the collapsed "One by One" several times, and suddenly the box is completely destroyed. The box collapsed in a crisp and funny way, like the set of a comedy show, and the dozen or so bumblebees trapped inside flew out all at once. Magda......, don''t hurt yourself! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. I''m not sure what to do.You can''t shoot a flying claw in rapid succession!You''ve got to be kidding me! Alvaro flies his claws in a panic. He was able to intercept a few of them, but not all of them. Magda dodged the flying claws and flew to Magda, but Magda made sure to kill them all. Then they ate the same number of skewers of meat as the bumblebees they had killed. The plates pile up. As expected, it was the cooks of the forty districts who screamed during these few minutes. ''Yashiro-san, all the Enju-bachi have been wiped out! ''How many plates are there? Looking at Magda''s table, there were twenty plates piled up. And Alvaro''s was ...... nineteen. ''Yes! Even Alvaro''s onslaught could not catch up with Magda. This is a win...... ''Another one, please! Even though Enjubachi is gone, Alvaro asks for another round. ''If you think you''ve won, you''re naive!I can still eat! ''What ......? This is impossible in a city where the Judgment of the Spirits exists, but I hoped he was bluffing. But ...... ''I''ll have another one! Alvaro ate the entire plate and demanded another. He''s not bluffing, is he? ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, the number of ...... plates is .......'' Ginette muttered with a blue face. The number of plates piled up on the table were both lined up ...... with twenty. Oh no,...... Magda is at her limit. He could have eaten one more plate. ............ ''...... another one''. In his usual flat voice, Magda asks for another plate. He puts on a cool face, but ...... ''Hey, hey, Yashiro!Is Magda''s stomach going to reset after she uses that red stuff and she''ll be able to eat again?'' Delia asks that question hopefully, but ...... it''s not. When Magda uses the Red Moya, she goes into Berserker mode, which is a state of starvation, and then she regains her composure by becoming "full". The fact that Magda is calm at the moment means that Magda must be full. There is no way he can eat even one more bite. Nevertheless, Magda bit into the newly prepared lump of meat, which was full of juice and seemed to have a heavy impact on his stomach. ''Magda!Don''t push yourself too hard! I was the most surprised at myself for saying such words. But I couldn''t help it. Because I could clearly see that Magda was straining herself. ''Here''s another one! Alvaro''s still going to make it. ...... This is unwinnable. But it''s good. That''s right. I don''t care if we lose! If you do, I''ll find some reason to help you build the city gate. I''ll get it done no matter how long it takes. So it doesn''t matter if you lose now. ...... ''...... I''ll do it. Magda muttered, her mouth still on the meat, her head still down. None of us said a word, but we listened to Magda''s voice. ''...... Magda will do whatever it takes ............ to not lose ......''. With a gulp, he bit into the flesh. I can feel his enthusiasm for devouring it, I can feel his seriousness. However, the speed of his eating does not increase. No matter how hard you chew, the meat is not going down your throat. My body is already refusing to eat. ''...... Magda wins ............. For the 42nd ward, ............ for the sunlit pavilion, ............ for the manager, Loretta and ...... for everyone who comes to the store,.................. and ......'' ''...... for Yashiro.'' He stuffed his mouth with meat and his cheeks were puffed up. He chewed and chewed and chewed, but he couldn''t swallow properly because of the ''...... Ugh'' of nausea. Magda has reached her limit. Alvaro, on the other hand, piled up more plates. We should let him abstain. If she pushes herself any harder, she''ll collapse like Bertina before her. I can''t let Magda go through that kind of pain. Ginette will be worried about her. ...... I''ll be worried about ............ ''Magda! Jeannette shouts. The sound of grief echoed through the hall. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried her best to squeeze out a few words. Jeannette must be trying to stop Magda. I know the feeling. ...... I''ll stop him too. ............ ''Good luck with that! ......What? ''Yes, sir!Magda!I''ll do my best to beat the imitator! Hey, hey, hey. ...... ''Magda!If you win, I''ll be so proud of you!I''ll give you my heartfelt praise! No, no, no, what are you talking about? ...... ''Magda!If you win here, you''re my Magda! Are you ...... insane? ''Magda!We''ve got your back! ''We''ll show you the guts of the beastmen! ''Oh, ......!Please do your best! ''Let''s see what you can do, Cantartica''s rival, the Sunken Pavilion! ''Magda, if you win, I''ll make you a sweet omelet with my eggs! ''Mr. Magda!If you win, I will carve a statue to honor you, that I will! ''Come on, Magda!Let''s show them that the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild is no match for the headquarters! ''Magda-san!Give this victory to me!I''ll honor you for it! ''Magdaa! ''Magdaaah! ''Magdaaah! ''Magdaa-chan! ''Senpai! ''Shishou! All of the people from the forty-two wards in the hall said to Magda, ''Hang in there. You''ve already done more than enough. ''...... Magda will not be defeated by .............'' Backed by the cheering crowd, Magda finishes her twenty-second plate. ''...... refill''. You''re still doing this? ...... Magda''s eyes were distorted with pain, but she hadn''t given up on winning. ''Magda! ''Good luck! I can''t do it. I can''t force others to work so hard, to struggle so much, to suffer so much. ...... That''s because I didn''t trust others. Humans are weak. They want to run away from hard things right away. There is no way you can ...... force others to suffer at the last moment and expect ...... results. It is uncertain and unrealistic. People can''t work for someone else. No matter what you say, it''s all for your own good. Human beings are supposed to be creatures who can only be serious for themselves. ...... If you believe in other people,......, there will always be a time when you will be disappointed,......, and there will be a time when you will regret that it wasn''t supposed to be like this. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I don''t want to be disappointed by such foolishness anymore. I''m tired of being disappointed and I''m tired of being disappointed. Magda. Painful, isn''t it? Painful, isn''t it? Just stop. Besides, even if you say you can''t lose, when you lose, you lose. If your opponent''s bad, you can''t win against them even if you stand on your head. There are times when mentalism alone won''t help. ''Aah!I''ve been outdone by another plate! Look at ...... the difference in size, experience, age, gender, race...... there are plenty of things that can''t be helped. I''m not sure what to do.I''m going to attack Magda and get repulsed by her with the red moya. ''Are you stupid?You''re not going to get hurt much! ''But Estella-san, look at Magda-tan! At Umaro''s words, I followed suit and looked at Magda. ''Look at Magda''s eyes!Those eyes are ...... Magda wants to win! Magda''s eyes were wet with tears, but they were glowing brightly. She seemed to be trying to silence her body and brain, which refused to ...... eat, with her will alone, refusing to give up. Even so, the reality of ...... reality is harsh, and ............ common sense dictates that.... ... ''...... reality............ common sense......?'' I don''t know what you''re talking about. You''re a fraud. ...... You''re a fraud, covering up reality with lies and subverting common sense. ............ It''s a scammer''s job to make you forget the painful reality and show you the sweet dreams. ''Magdaaaa! I was shouting when I came to my senses. Oh, this is a bad idea. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... I don''t care. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s so easy to fool the human brain that it might as well have been made to be fooled. Even a dish prepared by a novice chef will taste good if it is served at a top-class restaurant, and a fake medicine is just a nutritional supplement, but it will cure your illness just because it is given by a doctor. If you feel scared, you will see ghostly things, and if people keep telling you that you look good, you will feel confident even if your face is not so good. It''s no problem to scam such a pure and pure brain. ''If you can win, ......! While I''m saying that, Alvaro asks for another plate. The gap has widened to two plates. There is hardly any sand left in the hourglass. Five minutes left: ...... I''m going back through all my memories. Remember ...... what words to say to Magda ...... what words to say to Magda''s brain that will make her feel full and powerful ...... ...... to ''remember'' it. Don''t think about it. The new words you make up here and now won''t reach Magda''s deep psyche. Even if you tell him to ''hang in there,'' he can''t. Even if he is told to ''hold on,'' he can''t. There must be words that can be conveyed because it''s me and Magda, not anyone else. In the time we''ve spent together so far, I''ve found the words Magda is really looking for, words that can make her brain go wild. ............ And what I arrived at were words that no one else could imitate, that only I could say to him. If Magda could win ...... ''I''ll blow your nose! ''......? Magda''s ears perked up. Her eyes, which had been wet with tears, shone brightly and her tears instantly dried. Then, he took the meat skewer in his hand, ...... and ate it in one bite. It was a full meal. ''...... another bite''. The sand in the hourglass is falling. Two more minutes. ''......I also demand a snuggle and a lullaby.'' While we were waiting for the skewers, Magda sent us an extra order. Hmmm ...... is it a sign that your brain is getting carried away ...... ''All right!I''ll even add an old story! ''...... deal, done.'' As soon as a new skewer of meat was placed in front of him, Magda snatched it up and bit into it, opening her mouth in a way that was unimaginable for her small body. He tosses the naked skewer and piles up the plates. They line up! ''I''ll have another one! ''...... refill''. Only a minute left. At the same time, a new skewer is placed, While Alvaro held the skewer in both hands and bit into it, Magda grabbed a handful of meat and stuffed it into her mouth. Then, with thirty seconds left, ...... ''...... refill''. He passed Alvaro. But Alvaro''s meat is nearly finished too. Just when it looked like the score would be tied ......... ''...... Come on! Magda shouted. His face, which had always been expressionless, was filled with impatience, anger, and confidence. With ten seconds to go, a new spit of meat was placed in front of Magda. ''Oh, I''ll have another one! Alvaro, who was following behind, hurriedly asked for another, but ...... it was too late! ''Magda!I''m going to add the letters Ginette and River! ''Huh!Oh, um, .................. uh, ......... ...Yes!I''ll put them on for you! ''Kah! Magda''s eyes widened. The grains of sand are falling down like a stream, and ...... just before all the sand finishes falling, ...... ''...... Another one! Magda demanded the next spit of meat. --can-can-can-can! ''......m?'' Magda tilted her head in disapproval, as if she did not understand the meaning of the ringing of the bell. But Magda was the only one who didn''t understand the meaning. For proof, see ...... ''Magda! ''Great job, Magda! ''Well done, Magda! ''Magda!You did great! We went on stage and rushed towards Magda, the audience cheering like the earth was shaking. ''............?...... What''s next?'' Magda was puzzled. Patting her on the head, I show her the plate on the table. Magda''s table has twenty-six fully-eaten plates, while Alvaro''s table has twenty-five. ''...... Did you win? Magda''s puzzled look was somehow unbearably cute. ...... ''I won!I''m not sure what to say.You''re the best! ''Yes!Magda is the best! She lifted her small body. It was as if it was on a high horse. Ginette stood next to her and watched. A faint ...... smile appeared on Magda''s face. ''Alright!Let''s get Magda up in the air! ''''''''Oh! '''''''' Everyone gathered around and threw Magda''s body down with a plop. ''Woohoo!Woohoo! Magda''s body flies through the air with each cheerful shout. In the midst of all this, Magda is ...... ''......Ugh, I''m going to throw up......'' ''Stop raising your arms!Stop immediately! He was almost exposed to the reverse rain. ...... Well, it''s torture to lift a man after he''s eaten his fill, don''t you think? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Magda, I have something to say to everyone. The people here, and the people in the audience. All of them were cheering for Magda. I don''t understand why you want to say ''thank you''. So I led Magda to the middle of the stage and made her stand facing the audience. I knew that Magda was going to say something, and the audience gradually stopped talking. At ......, a hush fell over the audience. In the silence, Magda muttered a single word in her usual flat but clear voice. ''...... Respect me. You can hear the applause and laughter from the audience. ...... That''s what this guy said after such a tense, last-minute battle? This guy could be a big deal in the future. ''......Yashiro''. Magda looks back at me amidst a huge swell of laughter. He looked me right in the eye and gave me the V sign. ''......I kept my promise.'' ''Yeah. You''re the best, Magda.'' I put my hand on his head and fondled his ear. ''...... Mwah!'' Magda''s nerves had eased. That''s right, the game is over. All five games, all of them. And with a record of three wins and two losses, ...... The gluttony contest ended with the forty-two districts winning. 162-Episode 141 Where to Go It wasn''t long after our foolishness had ceased that something strange happened. ''You''re losing after all,.......'' With such a small ...... but clearly audible voice, dissatisfied voices began to leak out from the audience of District 41. ''What''s going on? ''Get a grip, hunting guild! ''Isn''t there a problem if we just leave everything to them? ''We even had our store taken! It''s a scam! ''Now the forty-first district is bankrupt! ''What are you going to do, lord? It was as if the resentment that had been building up until now had exploded. The shouting became a huge swell that filled the hall. Curses were mercilessly hurled at the stage and the hunting guild and Ricardo standing in front of it. ''It''s a shame I left you in charge! That one word spoke volumes about the system of District 41. Ricardo had managed to run District 41 with the hunting guild as his main force. As a result, the relationship with the hunting guild had inevitably grown stronger, and while the rest of the realm understood this to a certain extent, they were still dissatisfied. Up until now, the economy had barely been running thanks to the hunting guild. The management of the Ricardo had managed to keep the economy running, albeit poorly. But for the first time, it came to a visible halt. The delicate balance of the relationship that we had managed to maintain collapsed without a trace. Even though it was the only way, for the people who had been despised, put off, and neglected, this situation could be described as ''Look at me, I don''t care what you say! That''s what the situation is like. The dissatisfaction that had been simmering in their minds burst out at once here, helped by the fact that they had become a group. ''I don''t know anything about this!You guys have to take responsibility! ''That''s right!The lord and the hunting guild should make up for the damage we''ll suffer! ''Yes, yes! Shoes and trash are thrown into the hall. ''You should quit being a lord! Someone said something irresponsible, and the air in the hall instantly became tense. The members of the hunting guild quietly snapped. ''Dissolve the hunting guild, too! The lords, who had nothing to do but vent their resentment, spat out nothing but dirty words. Medora moves and stands in a position to protect Ricardo. He then barks to the audience. ''If you have a problem with me, tell me your name first! The loud voice, like a thunderbolt, causes the audience to stop shouting for a moment. ''Don''t hide in the crowd and bark!We''re not going to run and hide!We have nothing to be ashamed of!Let''s have a fair and honest discussion! Medora puts her hands on her hips and glares at the audience. The members of the hunting guild stand on either side of her. Gustave, Alvaro, Drino, Isak, Webro. The rest of the guilds, all of whom looked like they had a lot of strength, were standing around, glaring at the spectators. ''H...... Hen!Is it violence after all? ''...... what? Medora reacts to the unknown words that came from somewhere. A blue streak appears on her forehead. ''That''s how you intimidate and threaten us!You''ve been silencing our opinions! ''Yes, that''s right!What you''ve been doing is intimidation! ''Tyranny! ''Dictatorship! Medora''s muscles bulged a full size. ''...... Let him say it. ............'' That''s not good. If Medora keeps up her rampage, she''ll kill the people in the audience. No wonder the population of District 41 was cut in half today alone. The members of the hunting guild, who should be trying to stop him, are even more pissed than Medora. No, usually the hunting guild members were the ones who lost their temper, and Medora was the one who stopped them. Considering Medora''s character, that''s more likely. Medora, for better or worse, has a tendency to think of herself as being different from others. That''s why he doesn''t get upset or angry over a few things. But on the other hand, when he is angry, he does not listen to what others say. There is a tendency to overlook one''s own faults. A person who is loyal to his own righteousness will be unstoppable when it turns to destruction. ''If you have a problem, come forward one by one!I''ll deal with you in person! That''s blackmail, Medora. You''re impossible for humans to deal with. When she looked at Estella, her expression was tense and she was frozen. Her thoughts couldn''t keep up with the situation and she was lost in the atmosphere. Estella''s eyes wandered over to look at me. She looks like she''s about to cry and doesn''t know what to do ....... Is this kind of bleak atmosphere difficult for you? ...... I''m not sure what to say. Someone in the 41st precinct would say something like that. They got scared of Medora and changed the subject. With one simple word, he trampled on a game that had been settled with the consent of the person in charge and the contestants. ''That''s right!That''s a foul loss for District Forty-two, isn''t it! ''Good!Tell him more! ''Foul play, foul play! The shout from District Forty-One rekindled. ''Wait a minute!The fight just now, both sides were satisfied with ......'' ''We''re not convinced! ''But if you had won, wouldn''t you have said something like this? ''Shut up!If it''s invalid, it''s invalid!Start over.'' ''No, it''s not invalid enough!It''s a foul loss! ''Then isn''t District 41 the winner? ''Yes!We''ve won! They say whatever they want. And they get excited. I guess they want to shout out their victory and make it a fact. Estella runs out and pleads hard. ''Hold on!Can you please just listen to me? ''Shut up, you coward! ''I don''t want to listen to people who foul up! Oh, ...... cowards, huh. ''That''s enough of that! Medora shouts. It''s like having a Japanese drum beaten in my ear. ''We fought a fair fight, a fight that both sides agreed to!No one can accuse us of anything!Both of you are members of my guild!I''m the one who''s in charge, and I can assure you that there''s no wrongdoing! ''Then the hunting guild loses, too! ''What about ......? Estella frowned at the outrageous argument. ''That''s right, that''s right!District Forty-two, District Forty-one, and the Hunting Guild are falsely defeated as well! ''So we won then! ''That means you guys should all listen to us! ''Then vacate the lord''s mansion!Don''t live in that big house, you incompetent! ''Let''s fire the entire hunting guild and start a new hunting guild of our own! ''Whoa!I like that!I''m in! ''You have no right to complain about foul-mouthed losers! ........................ Hmm. That''s right. But, ...... that''s as good as it gets. ............ I''m sure Estella has her own agenda. .................. Oh, if only Estella would just throw it all in my face... ............... I''d make it all go away. ............ I don''t understand what they''re talking about. With that look on her face, she asked me for ...... help. I smiled ...... and the corners of my mouth lifted up involuntarily. I look around. Ginette was watching the proceedings with a worried look on her face. When she realized that I was looking at her, she looked at me with eyes that looked as if they were about to burst into tears. On the other side are the ...... others. They were all looking at ...... me as if it was some kind of habit. They were looking at ...... me with troubled faces, as if they didn''t know what to do. Those countless eyes were really asking me to ''do something''. Yeah. Good. This is my job. ''Ah, ......''. I took a step forward and Ginette let out a short cry. She bent her right hand, looking as if she was trying to grab me, but she couldn''t and her hand stopped halfway. She looks like she''s about to cry and purses her lips tightly together. It''s okay, you. You don''t have to ...... say anything. Well, just leave it to me. ...... I''ll do it. The Yashiro Theater ...... is on stage. ''Hey!He''s coming out!He''s foul! ''How dare you waltz in here? ''Hey, you!I heard you did something sneaky in the fourth round!I know you did, I know you did! Ignoring all the voices of the idiots hurling at me, I tell Estella and Medora. ''Get everyone back. Make this place wide open.'' ''...... Darling, what are you going to do?'' ''Just do what ...... I tell you.'' I''m not answering your questions. It''s not your place anymore. No one but me is allowed to enter from here on out. Our special guest is ............. ...... ''Ricardo. You stay here.'' ''............'' With his back to the audience, Ricardo remained silent. The tense expression on his face made it difficult to tell whether he was angry or confused. Estella and the members of the hunting guild moved away, creating a large space. Standing in the middle of it, I stood on my knees facing the audience of District 41, who continued to spew abuse. I just shut up and listen to the useless noise. Meaningless noise is not even worth listening to. Enough ......20 minutes ............ I was going to stay like that for ten hours... ...Surprisingly quickly, the noise in the auditorium ceased. No one was stupid enough to jump in. What the hell, guys? You''re pretty well-behaved. ''Hey. That green one there. ''Hey, what, me? ''Oh, yeah. Our eyes met a few times, didn''t they? ''Yeah, no, .......'' ''Didn''t you say, "Victory doesn''t suit cowards"? ''Oh, did I?No,...... did I say that,......?'' While the idiots were screaming, I looked each of them in the eye in turn. I would stare back into the eyes of the person making the statement without blinking. In doing so, he feels like he''s been pulled back from being one of the many to being an individual. The words that he spits out with such force gradually fade away and become a dead end. If you just show them, "I''m watching you," they will become speechless. Deprived of their anonymity in the crowd, they are losers who can only curl their pipes in the stinking back alleys of the cesspool. There is no need to be afraid of a crowd of such people. And they make an example out of the crowd. They point and talk to each other. Now, I''ve got this green, chameleon-faced guy. ''You didn''t tell him? ''No. ...... Oh, remember, hey ......, hehe, hey, I''m just excited .......'' ''............ I see. ''You don''t remember if you said it or not?'' I ask, straightening my arm and pointing at the chameleon man. ''Heee! The chameleon man jumps backwards, causing all those around him to fall over in a heap. ''Judgment of the Spirits'' is the strongest magic to frighten these guys. ''What about it?You don''t remember if you said it or not?Answer me.'' ''Hey, why me?You all said it! ''Oh, ......, that''s right. But you said it too, didn''t you? ''It''s not just me! ''I know, ...... I''m not going to let anyone in here get away with it.'' Then, slowly licking his gaze around the whole ...... ''I''m going to talk to you in order. I''ll listen to you in turn. ...... force you.'' The auditorium buzzed. Clearly, fear was in the air. Ricardo, who is always so naive, has never had to hunt down his own people. The fact that there are so many fools who think they can say anything is proof of that. I will teach them a lesson. I''m going to teach them a lesson. ...... Anyone who disobeys me will suffer to the bitter end. ............ ''Well, I''ll give you a fair hearing. But it''s annoying when people talk all at once. ...... If yes, sit down. If no, get up. All right?I''m gonna ask you a question. Seeing that no one was saying anything, I took that as an affirmation and threw a question to the idiots in District 41. ''Are you dissatisfied with the result of this game? If you''re unhappy, sit down. If you''re not dissatisfied, get up and leave the seats right now. ...... It''s for your own good. ''So ............ all say yes.'' As a result, no one stood up. That''s the natural result. In such a situation, human beings are forced to sympathize with those around them. When confronted by the strong, the weak unconsciously try to work together with the weak. Since they cannot win by force, they will try to resist by numbers. Now, these idiots are unable to act selfishly due to peer pressure. If you are the only one who says "no" and leaves the room while everyone else says "yes," the target of attack will be changed to you from that moment. A person who disturbs the harmony is likely to be envied by the stiffs who cannot get out of the harmony. So, no one can stand up. No one can speak up for themselves. ''Then let''s assume everyone says yes and move on. ......'' I point my finger at the audience. It''s the Judgment of the Spirits. ''You''ve been briefed by the lord, right?And you agreed to these rules. That''s why you''re here now: ......, right?'' If anyone disagreed with this tournament, the lord was supposed to persuade them. And who would come to watch the final game with excitement if they were against it? The people here were in favor of the rules of this tournament. At least until the ...... results came out. ''It''s a ............ great ''lie'' to agree with the rules and then go against them, isn''t it? Roughly ...... The faint sound of gasping for air seemed too loud. Those in the audience ...... pointing their fingers at me are looking ............ pale. ''Shouldn''t you guys be ............ frogs for telling an obvious ''big lie''? ''ugh ............ ohhhhh! Someone screams and runs for the exit. The fear is contagious, and the audience is filled with screaming. ''Can you get away from the ...... ''Spirit''s'' oh ......! ''Wait a minute! It was Ricardo who stopped me. ''I apologize for the outbursts of my people!It''s all my fault!So please don''t ...... do that to them! He grabbed my arm with both hands, raised his eyebrows, and pleaded with me desperately. The fear that had covered the seats eased, and the air trembled slightly. The people are confused by their lord''s actions. Should they hate him or admire him? ...... ''Please, I don''t care what they do to me,............, please! So that''s what you''re going to do. ...... After all, you''re just like Estella. ......... ...I can''t help it. ............ This time, it''s special, okay? I''m not sure what to do. The air, which had been easing, became tense again. Ricardo, too, looks like a pigeon that has been hit by a peashooter. ''What kind of face is that?Did you think you''d get a kind word from me? ''...... Oh, no, ............'' He shook off Ricardo''s arm and roughly grabbed Ricardo''s hair. ''Agh! ''My lord! Ricardo lets out a short scream, and a concerned voice comes from the audience. It''s ...... too late. You don''t even know how to ask someone for something, do you? ''......O,Oba......Yashiro............them...'' ...'' ''What the hell? ''.................. Okay.'' Shaking off my hand that grabbed his hair, Ricardo dropped to his knees on the ground. ''Please ...... this way.'' At the sight of him, the lords let out a gasp. As if they were looking at something unbelievable,......, all of them have anxious eyes. What are you pretending to be worried about now? ...... You made this happen, didn''t you? ''Ricardo, ......, you''re really useless. Useless. Incompetent. You''re not cut out for this. You''re not fit to be a lord, you know.'' Ricardo''s finger sinks into the soil on the ground. ''You''re the only one with a hunting guild policy, you can''t come up with any alternatives, you can''t leave any results, you take the game based on your baseless and half-baked confidence and pride, and you lose spectacularly. ...... Do we need you? ''............! I heard Ricardo grit his teeth. As he turned his body toward Ricardo, the audience came up behind him. I don''t have to look behind me to see the faces of the people there looking at me. I can feel a lot of energy. ''The winner of the tournament can give orders to the losing district, right? Well, it''s the lord''s job to give official orders. Well, let me give you an analogy. If I were the lord, I''d do this. ''You''re fired as lord. I heard a lot of people gasp in unison. For a moment, there was a deafening ringing in his ears, as if the air pressure had changed. Ricardo did not look up. Looking down on him with all my might, I began to give Ricardo a bad name. ''Don''t you think you can get away with anything just because you''re young?How long have you been a lord?Have you achieved anything? ''Are you taunting my father? I look down at Ricardo, who looks up at me from right in front of me. I get as close as I can and intimidate him. ''Taunt?I am. What have you been doing, your father?I don''t know how many decades you''ve been a lord, but the result of your ...... hard work is that filthy town, isn''t it?You''re just incompetent. ''...... you ......! ''You''re not?So let me ask you, why was this venue built?Why was the street in front of it built?Who''s responsible for the bustle of the main street?It''s all me, right? With the help of the people I''ve built up, the forty-first district has been reformed according to my plan. ''What you idiots and your son couldn''t do in decades, I, a stranger who''s been in this city for less than a year, made you do it in just a few weeks!Isn''t that right? It was made by the carpenters of the various districts, including Torbeck Engineering. But it was me who made it. I made them build it for me. ''What about flood control?What about food self-sufficiency?What about the economic base?Did you get any of those things fixed?I did. I''m the outsider!All of it, in this short period of time! These words might have sounded harsh to the people of District 42. When I looked at them, all of them looked like they were about to cry. ...... Don''t look at me like that. I turned away from the 42nd district and turned to the 41st district. Even these guys would cooperate if you gave them a purpose, and their eyes were full of life. During the construction period, this neighborhood was in full swing. Seeing the city changing, the people of this city had hope for the future. But there''s a little stubbornness that''s stuck in my heart like a thorn that won''t come out. ...... As long as it''s there, they can''t change. They can''t change as long as that thing is still there. ...... All they can do is do what they''ve been given and live an easy life with no responsibility. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you need to do to get it. He says after the fact that he ''always thought so''. This disposition cannot be dispelled by a little thing. The only way to correct these people who can only see what suits them, and don''t even want to see it, is to take away their place in ....... Now, let''s get to work. ''Ricardo. You''re not fit to be a lord, so carry a pickaxe and participate in the construction of the city gates of District 42. I tell the lord to do manual labor. Did that upset him? ...... ''You''ve got to be kidding! The lords complained. In spite of the repression of fear I had given them, they turned on me again. ''...... Who are you talking to? I mutter quietly, in the lowest voice possible. ''You haven''t forgotten, have you?I can turn you all into frogs, remember?'' An air of disapproval flows through the audience. ''You know the rules of this tournament, right?The winning district gets to tell the losing district what to do. ...... If I were a lord ............... ...I''ll make all of these wards belong to the Forty-Two Wards.'''' ''What? At the same time as Ricardo''s voice, the audience erupted. ''Hey, you ...... demanded that the city gates be set up ...... and that you wouldn''t complain about it .......'' ''Who told you that?You just assumed it yourself, didn''t you? ''............ What, huh?'' I turn my head away from the stunned Ricardo. As if to show that you''re not worth giving a d*mn about. ''At any rate, all of you should leave. Startled and angry. A mixture of shouting and screaming. They''re a nasty lot. ''Because if this place becomes District 42, where are you going to live?I don''t want to be in District 42. You can''t act of your own free will, you don''t bear any responsibility, and yet you''re the only ones who complain, and you''re only loud when you''re in numbers. The noise is getting quieter and quieter. Then, let''s finish it. ''But, well, if you''re going to cry and get down on your knees at ??????????????????????????????, then ............''. I grin and say with the most evil smile on my face. ''I can keep you as livestock, can''t I? That one word seems to have snapped the people out of it. ''Hey, you!Don''t get carried away! ''You''re a stranger!Don''t stand there! ''What do you know? ''This is our town!We''re not giving it to you! ''What''s with the cattle, man? ''Get rid of you, you stranger! ''Get out of my city! d*mn. Then you should have worked harder from the beginning ...... ''for the city you love''. ''Oh, shut up, ...... you frogs already.'' He stretches out his arm and points at the crowd. No matter how much you''re yelling, this pose will make anyone pale and choke on their words. Especially those who have something to hide. But ...... There are those who don''t. For example, those who have ...... something to protect, you know. ''Obayashi! Ricardo stood up and landed a heavy blow to my jaw. My brain shakes lightly and I fall to the ground. d*mn ......, that hurt ............ ''You''re right, you''re right!The rules of the tournament were just a misunderstanding on my part, and I can''t refuse to do what you say. You''re also right that the city was dying because I was naive and incompetent!But that doesn''t mean that this town is so light that it can be entrusted to you to take care of!This town is my, our, home!It''s an important place that we must protect with our lives!I can''t give it to you! Ricardo''s awake. If you''d said that earlier, you wouldn''t have gotten us into this mess. You know, ...... people are much more stupid than you think. If you don''t tell them, they won''t understand anything. There are people who won''t understand even if you tell them. ...... It''s not that convenient to just show them how hard you''re working and they''ll understand. If you don''t expose your true feelings, even if they''re lame or miserable, and put them into words,......, there''s no way people will follow you. I will!I, Ricardo Siegenthaler, will renege on my promise of this tournament!This tournament is nothing!It''s null and void!No, no, no!I''m telling you, none of my people are lying!I''m the only one who''s lying!I''m the only one lying! ....... You''re hot. It makes my back itch. Don''t look at me so straight in the eye. ''Hey, you devil!What are you doing to my lord?I''ll kill you myself! ''I''ll do it myself! I''ll do it!'' ''You touch my lord and I''ll kill you! The cries coming out of the audience were all from the heart, and ...... were so easy to understand that ...... ''...... you.'' Ricardo looked surprised and stupid. ''Are you defending me?I''m ...... doing fine, and I can''t even ...... do anything about the city.'' ''Of course you can! ''You''re the reason we''ve been following you! ''It has to be you! ''You protected us just now! ''That''s right!The only lord of the 41st district is Master Ricardo! ''Tell that to the demon over there!It''s not your place.'''' ''............ You ...............! ...!'' Ricardo chokes on his tears. They really are a bunch of simpletons. You''re saying the exact opposite of what you said before. How many times are you guys going to flip it around? If you hadn''t done that, I''d have been the one who got beaten up. If you have a common enemy,...... the more you hate that enemy,...... the more people will unite. Sadly, the quickest way to develop friendships is to speak ill of someone you know in common,......, and people whose animosity is directed in the same direction will naturally be able to work hand in hand. You should be grateful for ...... such a perfect villain, because there are not many. ''......,'' he said. He stood up, holding his aching jaw. As soon as you do, you''ll get a deadly stare from the 41st district. Heh, good eye. ''I''m not the lord, nor am I the acting lord. I''m just a facilitator. I''ve put together a service for you, and I''ll make sure the Forty-Two districts have a good time. ''A formal request from us will be sent directly from the acting lord at a later date. I guess you didn''t get my message. Then ...... ''At best, expect warmth, you losers. I''ll give you a big shove. Once the ground of the 41st district is solidified, these people will unite to confront the 42nd district. But what will actually be brought about is Estella''s idea of a ''joint development plan''. A meaningful plan with benefits for both sides. You''ll probably be disappointed. Just when they thought they were going to fight back, they''re presented with a proposal that has tremendous benefits for them. And they''ll think. ''Oh, this acting lord has silenced that devilish man. This will raise Estella''s stock in the 41st district. These people had a habit of subconsciously looking down on the 42nd district. It was necessary to beat them down once and for all and build up the relationship again. Otherwise, there would be no cooperation. You can''t build a good relationship. If one person hates me, and everything else works out, ...... it''s a good thing. In the end, if the haters disappear from this town, all will be well. ...... ''I want you to wait a minute! Suddenly, Estella raised her voice. When she turned around, ............ Estella was crying. Her eyes were bright red, she was biting her lip, and her fists were clenched tightly. ''...... I''m pathetic.'' He muttered, slowly ...... coming up to stand next to me. ''Even at a time like this, I''m ...... hiding ............ from you. ...... this role to you ............'' She turns her head, her shoulders shaking, and Estella says in a strangled voice. ''I''ve already ............ decided.'' And ...... ''......I won''t let you carry it all on your shoulders anymore.'' She stares at me with eyes filled with strong will. Soo ......, taking a deep breath, Estella spoke to everyone in the hall. ''I am ............ Estella Creamona!I''m the acting lord of the 42nd district. The air bubbled with excitement. The people in District 42 are the most surprised. ............ No, it''s me. Estella has just revealed her true identity. She said. ''My father, the current lord, has been ...... away from the administration for a long time due to illness. ............ It''s been nearly two years now... ...'' He speaks in a gruff, unhurried voice. With one decision in mind,............, this guy, no way. ''There''s no way he''s coming back!So I''m exercising my authority as acting lord and officially declaring it here and now! Spreading out her arms, Estella declared in a clear, high-pitched voice. ''Today, at this time, I, Estella Cremona, take office as the Lord of the Forty-second District!My words are the words of all the people of the Forty-two Wards!I want you to listen to them with all your heart! Estella has become Lord. ''What Yasharo said on ...... will not come to pass. I will not let that happen. I want to build a mutually beneficial relationship between the 40th, 41st, and 42nd wards, like we did in organizing this tournament. I am convinced that if the three districts work together, life will become easier, more exciting, more fun, and more wonderful! Estella made an impassioned speech with her fists in the air. For her first speech as a lord, she''s doing pretty well. ''Ricardo, Demilioji. Please, I need your help.'' ''Hmm......, we lost anyway, and we have no right to disobey.......'' ''That''s not what I''m saying, Ricardo! Stepping out and clenching her fists, Estella closed in on Ricardo. Ricardo retreated from the body. Apparently, he was pressured by Estella''s spirit. Like a fish out of water, Estella conveys her vision to Ricardo and everyone present. ''We need to build a relationship on a higher level, without winning or losing, up or down!We need to put aside our petty jealousies and suspicions and connect on a deeper level! ''But you can''t do that overnight at .......'' You can do it!We''ve touched so many people''s hearts through this tournament.We just need to keep doing it!You want to make the city a better place and the people a better place, don''t you? ''Oh, of course. ''Then we should stop bickering, stop checking each other out, and create a more friendly and meaningful relationship!Otherwise, it would be a waste! Ricardo was completely overwhelmed by Estella''s conviction. Isn''t it possible that your diplomatic skills have improved?I''m sure you''ll be able to get your opinion accepted in its entirety, this way. The three of us can discuss the details again. To make the future brighter. ''.................. You''ve changed, haven''t you? ''I was changed by ...... one ...... clumsy man.'' Estella''s gaze ...... turned to me, and I turned my head away and left. I''d rather not be in this place right now. ''Yashiro ......! ''If that''s what my lord says, then I guess my ambitions end here.'' He raises one hand and says in a frivolous voice. ''Well then, you''d better be grateful to our good-natured lord and live an honest life, losers. That''s it. That''s it. ...... Slowly, I head for the exit. Once I''m in that corridor, my work is done. You guys take care of the rest. There''s nothing more I can do. When I was about to step into the passage that leads to the outside underneath the bleachers,......, I heard the sound of footsteps. Then he grabbed ............ my hand tightly. A small, slightly cold ...... trembling hand ...... with slender fingers was restrained and forceful. When I turned around,...... ''............!'' There was Jeannette, breathing on her shoulder. She grabbed my hand as I was leaving the venue and stopped me,......, but no words came out, or perhaps only a trembling breath escaped from her thinly opened mouth,.......... ''............'' ''............'' What the heck,......, I wanted to say something to him,............, but my heart was in pain, and I couldn''t say a word either. We just stared at each other in silence. I''m sure I have a ...... horrible expression on my face, just like Jeannette does now. Hey, Jeannette,...... Please don''t look at me like that. ............ Or else ...... I''m hesitant to leave this city without you. 163-Episode 142 In 42 wards, a week after the conventi... ''It''s become quite lively, hasn''t it? Estella looked somewhat satisfied at the cheerful voice coming from outside the window. One week after the gluttony contest. The city had changed dramatically. Specifically, the number of people coming and going had nearly tripled. ''The three districts have decided to work together to build the gates and maintain the streets of District Forty-two. It should be completed in another three weeks.'' ''You''re rushing us so much. Don''t want to cause any problems later on with the rush work. ''We''ll be fine. The shortening of the construction period is the result of the concentration of skilled workers. Trubec Construction Company and the other carpenters who helped build the venue for the gluttony contest were all mobilized again this time. Trubek is at the top of the carpenters'' union. So Umaro has become the leader of the carpenters in this area. But only until the city gates and roads are built. ''It''s going to be a great gate. After all, it''s a gate that leads to the deepest part of the outer forest. It has to be very strong.'' ''Even if the gate is great, your vigilantes won''t be able to protect it. Can''t you talk to Use and ask him to send some people from the hunting guild? ''Hmm. I''ll take care of that. ''''Hmm?'''' Somewhat proudly, Estella pulls out a piece of parchment. ''I''ve asked Medora and Javier to send a gatekeeper. In return, they promised to study the introductory tax. ''Have you even negotiated such a deal yet? Estella, who usually takes the backseat, is being very thorough in her preparations. ''I''m a lord, you know. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. This guy has changed. It''s clear, from that moment on. After the fifth game of the tournament, from that declaration of the lord, clearly. ''Do you have any regrets? At that moment, there were many who knew Estella was the lord. Although there was no great panic, after that, things would not be the same as before. It is inevitable that there will be changes in the way we treat each other and the way we are seen. Will he be able to endure the changes? ''Haha. Well, I said it on the spur of the moment, that''s for sure. ............ But it was something I had to do at some point. I don''t regret it.'' ''I see.'' ''Well, a few people complained to me afterwards.'' ''Complained? ''Well, it was a lot of work,'' Estella says, letting out a chuckle. ''Norma, Delia, Paula, Nepheli......, and even Millie got mad at me for not telling her. ''You say you feel like you''ve been lied to?'' ''No.'' Shaking her head slightly, Estella smiled embarrassedly. ''If you had told me earlier, I could have helped you more with .......'' How happy those words were for Estella, who had been keeping it all to herself until now. I don''t need to ask that when I see this guy with a big grin on his face. ''Jeannette was surprised, too. ''Haha, I guess it''s .......'' ''''I''m surprised that Estella-san was a lord,'''' he said. ''''Surprise Kokimaro'' is a lie, right? Lie? I didn''t say that''s what Jeannette said, did I? It''s an image. It''s a fiction based on testimony, yes. ''I''ve met her a few times as an acting lord.'' ''''I didn''t notice you at all!I''m a surprised Kokimaro! ''No, that''s why! ''Magda was also surprised. ...... ''...... Surprise Kokimaro'''' ''Eh, what?Is ''Bikkuri Kokimaro'' popular in the sunny pavilion? Well, it was Estella''s declaration as lord that shocked so many people. ...... I was more concerned about what Estella''s parents would think. I had just asked Natalia about this point: ...... ''The current lord ...... excuse me ...... the previous lord is currently away from the city due to his worsening illness. He has decided to stay in a place with a mild climate to recuperate and wait for his recovery.'' The timing was just right. It was not possible to be a lord if your life is in danger if you don''t leave the city during periods of extreme heat and heavy snowfall. It seems that he had remained in the position of lord only out of parental concern for Estella, but now that Estella has made up her mind, he is going to devote himself to full-scale treatment. If you concentrate on recuperation and not on the administration of the district, I''m sure you''ll recover before too long,'' Natalia said, and it might be a kind of filial piety to put her in a stress-free environment. That''s why the lord''s mansion is now Estella''s, and she doesn''t complain about pimps like me coming and going as if they were her own. Although Estella had always been quite friendly to me, she had to check me at the gate and so on. I''m grateful for the new face pass. It''s really easy. I''m not so sure about the lack of security awareness, though. ...... Scammers have face passes... ...... ''Yes, yes. The main street in District 41 will remain as it is, with restaurants and accommodation-related stores. They''ve also decided to keep some of the food courts and continue opening stores in the forty and forty-two districts. ''Then we''ll have to decide which stores to open there. ''Yeah. We''ll have another meeting. Recently, Estella has been working very hard. And yet, she no longer complains as much as she used to. Natalia told me that even when she can''t show up at the Sunken Pavilion, she''s able to get through it with her energy. ''Aren''t you working a little too hard? ''Huh?'' ''You should be taking it easy where you can. If you''re too tense all the time, you''ll just snap out of it one day. You can easily break a thread or anything if it''s too taut. You need to give yourself some leeway. ''Yes, thank you. ...... But I''m in the mood to work as hard as I can.'' Estella''s expression darkens. Then her serious eyes look at me. ''I''m not going to let that happen to you again. ''That thing'' - that must mean the mess after the tournament. The one where I became the bad guy and focused the attention of District 41, which was on the verge of splitting internally, on a single point. This guy seems to feel guilty about that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... I realized ...... that I was not strong enough. It ............ really worked. ......'' Estella''s expression clouded with self-mockery, rage, and sadness ....... ''Yashiro. I promise you. I''ll never let you do that again. Again, I say the same thing. ''Never again will I let you carry the burden alone. After he said that, ...... his mouth twitched slightly. ''I''ll get stronger. So I need your help again. I know it sounds contradictory, but I still want you to help me in many ways. From now on, always. It''s unpretentious and unpretentious, but it''s not open either. There was an honest smile on her face. Not a smiling face, but a smiling, gentle smile. The calm atmosphere that was different from Estella''s previous self-righteousness made me a little upset. Estella has grown so much that I wonder if people can change in such a short period of time. I feel that way. She doesn''t need me anymore. I have nothing to teach her. There''s a word for the right person in the right place. So he should just move on by himself and not think about me anymore. It''s time for him to do that. ''Where there''s sunshine, there''s always shade behind it. It''s best if I''m alone in the mud and everything else is fine. In the end, happiness for everyone is only an ideal. ...... Even in a world that seems peaceful, there are ''backers'' who are working hard to keep that peace. In the world, there are necessary evils, you know. And I''m a perfect fit for such a villain. So don''t worry so much about it. ......'' ''I don''t like it. Estella interrupts my attempt to make light of the situation. Then, with a serious expression that could not be deceived, she said clearly. ''I don''t want to see you get hurt. He put his hand on his chest, looked straight at me with a clear voice as if he were making a speech, and said the words. He turned his clear, unpretentious, unpretentious, unpretentious, clear eyes to me. I like you. ............ What? After ruminating a few times in my head, ...... I finally started to think ....... Is this ...... a so-called ............ confession ...... or...? ...? ''No, um, Estella ......''. ''You''re one of our most important citizens. ''And ......?'' Estella said with a puffed out and composed expression. ''I''m trying to be a kind-hearted lord who loves his people. It''s a ...... thing, you know. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''Hmm ......''. After a short laugh, Estella did not speak. ............ Hey, what is it? What''s with that meaningful smile? What''s with the quiet atmosphere? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the most effective way to get the most out of your time. It''s the first big stage I''ll be standing on as lord. The unveiling ceremony ...... will be completed in about three weeks, or so you said. I''d say the beginning of next month. ...... ''Well, when the mood strikes''. Until then, if I''m still in town, ...... ''Then I''ll prepare a special seat for you. I''ll have a beautiful girl with big tits on either side of you. ''I''ll be happy to attend! Well, I''ll have to see to it that the city gates and roads are completed. I''ve worked so hard for it. I''ll stay until the unveiling ceremony. ''Imelda and Medora, is that okay? ''Sorry. I''m going to have a stomachache and be sick that day. I might not be able to attend. Imelda, but not Medora!Don''t put her in the big-breasted category. After that, we talked about revitalizing civilian exchanges and strengthening cooperation in public works with the 40th and 41st districts, and were told that the three districts had agreed to build closer ties thereafter. After a bit of chatting, ...... I left the lord''s mansion. Natalia, who saw me off at the gate, said to me with an unusually serious face. ''Lady Estella has changed a lot. It''s all thanks to Master Yashiro. Now that Estella had become a lord, Natalia no longer called Estella ''Miss''. She wondered why this change made her feel a little sad. ''Of course not. You''re buying too much.'' ''No, I''m not. You are influencing the people around you. I''m also aware that thanks to Yashiro-sama, I''ve been able to change.'' ''How have I changed? ''I used to aspire only to be faithful to my duties, but after meeting Master Yashiro, ......'' At this point, Natalia ruffles her hair, puts the little finger of her other hand in her mouth, and twists her body into an ''S'' shape. ''I''ve discovered my ''adult'' self. ''I''m really sorry. If it''s my fault, I''m really sorry, can you go back to normal? I can''t stand it when he blames me for his clunkiness. ''I can''t sleep unless you give me a good morning and good night kiss. ''So you''ve been having sleepless nights for a while now, that''s tough. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I still don''t know which is his real face. I''m not sure what to make of it. And for the better. He''s going to say it''s because of me. ''I believe that you meant what you said earlier. The ............ thing you just said? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like about me. ''Don''t compliment me too much. I''m not used to being complimented, so I''m going to have a stomach ache. I had a stomach ache right after I ate a fancy meal once. I learned then not to do anything I''m not used to. ''.................. You pig! ''Don''t you dare embarrass me! You''re so extreme, as usual! ''I never thought I''d be able to joke with someone like this. ''I also never imagined that I would meet someone who could joke around like this. Just as I was about to leave, Natalia took a step toward me and said ''I like you, too. As a ...... person.'' Gently, she stroked my hair. That was the only action that really stirred my heart. I felt embarrassed, itchy, and ...... frustrated all at once. ''Well, please take care on your way home. Natalia takes two steps back and bows her head deeply. d*mn ......, you''re back to being a maidservant in an instant. I don''t know how to react to that. ''See you at .......'' When she said this bluntly, Natalia smiled softly and bailed. ''Then I will go to Estella-sama and tell her, "Pfft, I''ve overwritten the thrill. ''Hey, stop it!Don''t do it!Don''t fill the house with bleakness! I''m not sure if she''s a good maid or a bad one. Give my regards to Estella and I''ll be on my way. The street runs from the city gate on the west side of the 42nd district, past the church and the sunlit pavilion, and intersects the main street in front of the lord''s mansion. It is said that it connects to the forty-first and forty-second districts. In order to facilitate the flow of people and goods, they decided to build a large road between the three districts. It seems that the city will develop rapidly now. The city gate of District 42 leads to the deepest part of the outer forest, so only those who are confident in their skills can use it. On the other hand, the city gate of District 41 is facing a different direction than the gate of District 42, so even beginners can use it with relative ease. It can even be used by a non-combatant handsome guy like me. By dividing the users according to their skill level, we can eliminate the competition for profit. Even so, the income from the city gates of the 41st district will decrease, but it will be more profitable as an intermediate city, a center of logistics, and a lodging town for the users of the city gates. The economic effects of the gluttony contest were clearly visible in the numbers, and District Forty-one, led by Ricardo, was no longer opposed to the gates of District Forty-two at all. On the contrary, they''re sending more and more people to finish it as soon as possible. Of course, they''re construction workers. The people of District 41, with their unnecessarily high average muscle ratio, are suited for hard work. As a side note, the two members of the hunting guild who caused the bug incident in Cantarchica seem to have developed a passion for Paula and are willingly participating in the construction of the city gate for the purpose of commuting to Cantarchica. They look like the representatives of some Torbek construction company. Although Paula seems to think that they are just ''more regular customers''. ...... ''Ah!Yashiro-san! While I was thinking about this, I met Umaro on the road under maintenance. Okay, through. ''Wait!I want you to wait a minute, Yashiro-san! As I pass by, Umaro walks around in front of me, blocking my way. What the hell. You should be working. The hamsters are hard at work on the road. Away from his command, Oumalo peers into my face. Don''t look so hard. You''re only allowed to do that if you''re a pretty girl with big tits. ''I''ll do my best! ''Oh?Road construction?Oh, good luck. Do your best and die hard. ''That last one, the meaning has changed!It''s not ......, I''ll do my best! ''So, ...... what? ''I''ll do my best! ''............''. I look back into Umaro''s eyes as he stares at me. He was hot and bothered, and there were flames burning in his eyes. ''Well, good luck. ''Yes, sir! Umaro replied clearly, and went back to his work. ''Come on!We don''t have much time!By the time the city gates are finished, the city roads will be finished too! '''''''' Yes, sir! '''''''' I left the place, listening to the cheerful voices of the hamsters. As I walked along the road under construction, I saw the Sunlit Pavilion. The road in front of the store has been widened, and the atmosphere has changed slightly. The trees in the forest seen from the garden, which at first looked quite rustic, now look more like a "stylish store with greenery". When I opened the door and entered the sunlit pavilion... ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. Ginette greets me with a smile. ''I''ll make you some tea now. Would you like some coffee? ''Coffee, then. ''Yes, please. Please sit there and wait a moment. He turned on his heel and danced his way to the kitchen. Just before he entered the kitchen, he looked back at me again and said ''I''ll make you a nice cup of coffee. -saying something like that. He is no longer overly reluctant to be alone, as he was before the tournament. In fact, she''s a little more relaxed than before. I don''t know what Ginette felt or thought at that tournament. But I do know one thing for sure. Jeannette has grown a year since that tournament. Definitely. So I''m sure it''s coming soon. Jeannette''s wish will come true. When the sunlit pavilion will be back to its former glory. 164-Episode 143. Memories of Coffee And!Nepheli''s beauty at that time ...... still makes my heart flutter when I remember it now. ...... The way she spread her slender arms and jumped toward the sky was as gorgeous as a swan. ......They were as gorgeous as swans. ......'' It''s a shame, it''s a chicken. The last order of the day has already passed, but Percy from the 40th district is still making idle chitchat at the sunlit pavilion. A few days after Estella explained to me about the city gate. Today was a day that was moderately crowded and moderately empty ...... from the morning, or rather, it was a day that was delicately exhausting ...... because the customers kept coming and going, and it seemed like both working hard and taking a break. It''s easier to give up if they come to you. In customer service, it''s sometimes easier to run around than to wait. But a day like today, when you''re short on time but the customers keep coming, is a bit mentally and physically exhausting. And the end of such a day is this stupid raccoon. ''Hurry up and go home. You''ll lose your carriage. Even after the tournament was over, the exchange between the three districts was still active, with the construction of the city gate of District Forty-two and other things, so the regular carriage service was still running. ''Oh, it''s already this late ......, I''ve lost the last train, can I stay here? ''What kind of carnivorous girl are you? Also, ''forced translation magic'' ...... is a ''carriage''!It''s not the last train, is it?I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. ''Ah!I knew you were here. A girl comes to the restaurant late at night, just before closing time. She''s a strong girl with raccoon ears on her head. It''s Percy''s sister, Molly. ''Hey, bro. Tomorrow is the day of the big sugar shipment. It''s early in the morning, so you''d better come home early. ''Yeah!It''s okay, Molly!Just for today! ''That''s why I''m going to ...... have a big deal with the peddlers'' guild tomorrow morning. You have to go home today, right? ''You can do it, Molly. She''s a better negotiator than me. Molly''s cute, so maybe the old man from the peddler''s guild will buy her at a higher price?I''m not going to allow anyone to look at Molly like that. ''I''m sorry, Yashiro-san. I''m sorry, Yashiro. I''m a noisy brother. ''No, it''s not Molly''s fault. It''s you who should be punished. I remember Assunto saying that big deals happen frequently after the middle of the month. If that''s the case, the delegate should go home. Or rather, go home. ''I''m in the mood to stay at the Sunken Pavilion today! ''I''d like to ask you to leave now. ''Again!You''re always joking! ''Hey, bro. Your eyes aren''t smiling at all. You should notice. You need to learn to read people. Molly stares at her brother as if she''s looking at some pitiful filth. What a sad little girl. You can''t choose your family. ''Anyway!If I say I''m staying, I''m staying!If you don''t, I''ll quit the factory! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... Percy crossed his arms and showed his determination to fight. ...... But... ''...... Then my brother is no longer my child. In a very cold voice, Molly turned on her heel and walked toward the exit. ''Hey!Wait, wait, wait!Just kidding!You''re joking!Molly! ''Hey, can you not touch me?I''ll call the vigilante. ''Why do you have to be such a stranger? ''Yes, sir. I''m a stranger. ''You''re my sister! ''Yes. Until just now.'''' ''I''m Forever Brother! That translation, is that okay with you, ''forced translation magic''? I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ''Ugh ...... anchan ...... my sister is very strict with my brother ......''. ''Be thankful that you''re not being disrespected for playing around so much, prodigal brother. Percy, who was really crying after being ignored by Molly for a short while, seemed to have decided to leave quietly. ''Well, I''ll be back. ''Oh. Come back sooner this time. I''ll see you later! ''Hey, there. ''See you later! ''Why did you change the ending? ''See you...'' ''You''re creepy. ''Ma-ta-nu''. ''What the hell is ''nu''? ''Moooooo! The shocking truth!Percy was actually a cow! ''What''s that, woosie? ''Percy!I''m the one who said what?I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. You''re talking about that again. ...... ''Mr. Percy.'' Just as I was thinking of what to say, Ginette approached me with quiet steps. ''I''m sure all of us will be waiting for you again. ''...... Ah, yes.'' ''Come on, bro. Don''t make me worry too much. I told you to learn to read the air, didn''t I?I don''t want you breathing oxygen, okay?'' ''Scary!You''re scaring me, Molly!What, do you have that kind of authority? ''I''m sorry, Mr. Manager, Mr. Yashiro. I''m such an idiot.'' ''No, it''s not Molly''s fault. It''s you who should be punished.'''' ''I think that''s one of your charms, Mr. Percy. ''Oh, please don''t praise me too much. You''ll get carried away. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Molly grabbed Percy by the collar and dragged him away. ''Come on, brother, he said he''d wait for me with all the employees. That should convince you.'' ''No, but ......''. ''You need to learn to read people, bro. The chickens won''t like you.'' ''I can read the air very well! ''Oh, yes, yes. That''s great. These conversations are fading. Molly, you''re getting tougher. ...... That''s right, having a brother who''s out playing 20 days out of the month makes you tougher. And you don''t really like Nepheli, the cause of the problem, do you? It''s not Nepheli''s fault, though. ''I hope things work out for you. ''Percy and Nepheli?I don''t know...'' It''s a long shot. Nepheli, he doesn''t like people with no animal features. And then there''s the matter of the succession of each other''s family business. ...... ''No, ...... well, that''s one thing, but ............ many things.'' ''A lot of things?'' ''Yes.'' Ginette turned around and smiled. ''Many things.'' There was a gentle, kind smile on her face, and it made my ...... heart sting just a little bit. ''...... Yashiro.'' Suddenly, a voice called out from behind you. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''...... Magda has learned a new secret technique.'' ''Secret technique?What''s that? Are you saying that the Red Moya has become even more powerful? No, but... It''s a new secret technique,......, and if you teach it to me, it won''t be a secret technique at all,is that okay? ''So, what''s this secret technique? ''...... Actually, Magda is already asleep at ...................'' ''What? That''s ridiculous!When I looked into Magda''s face, I saw ............ ''...... asleep.'' It was a perfect sleeping face. Even his nose lantern was puffed up. I''ve never seen anyone inflate their nose lanterns while awake before. So that''s proof that Magda is completely asleep at the moment! ''So, then, Yashiro-san, ...... that was the conversation we were just having. ''That''s ............ probably ............ talking in his sleep''. ''............ affirmation. Mnya Mnya ......'' ''Not awake?'' ''...... negative''. ''Seriously? ......'' ''...... seriously. Mnyamnya.'' Magda''s new secret technique for falling asleep upright and even talking to others: .................. Yeah, no demand. ''Let''s go upstairs and get some sleep. ......'' ''............Hmm...... do so......'' I thought I''d grown up a bit after the ...... tournament,............ but I''m still a kid. ''Yo ......! I''ll take Magda in a princess hug. What? He''s getting a little heavy, isn''t he? I was so excited when I picked him up just after winning the tournament that I didn''t notice. ...... In any case,......, kids grow up so fast. ''The day when you become a boob may be near. ''Yashiro-san. You are leaking the voice of your heart. ''............ sigh. The day I become a boi is also .......'' ''Mr. Yashiro . I don''t understand what you''re rephrasing.'' Ginette smiles at me and gives me a tsukkomi. If you say you''ve changed, this guy might have changed too. I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''ll take care of the lock up and clean up. ''No, you should be the one resting. You''ve been working a lot, haven''t you? ''I''m fine.'' ''......, is that right? ''Yes.'' Well, I''m a little tired from dealing with Percy too. ...... ''Well, let me get some rest first.'' ''Yes, sir. Good night. You too, Magda. ''......Munyu............OyaSyu......... ...'' Magda''s battery seemed to have run out before she could finish. The secret technique was over. With Magda in my arms, I headed upstairs. I put Magda down and went to my room. I was tired, and I was confident that I could fall asleep as soon as I got into bed. In fact, when I crawled into bed and closed my eyelids, a feeling of fatigue spread slowly throughout my body, and I felt tired and sleepy to the extent that I had not yet reached the point of slumber. If I close my eyelids and count to twenty, I''ll be in a dream. ...... ''......You''re in trouble, aren''t you? There''s something wrong with the people around me lately. It''s probably because of what I did at the end of the tournament. ............ No, Percy and Moormat were a little crazy before that. ''......Am I really that in-your-face? ......'' I can''t stop thinking about it, so I just say it out loud. It''s not that I want anyone to listen to me. It''s just that I felt that if I let it out, it would go away. ''Me ............''. I''m a fraud. ...... ''I''m a fraud ......'' I''m a fraud ...... and I''m about to go out of business ............ Maybe I''ll ......'' Quit being a fraud. ............ Forget about the past and the ...... past. ............ I''ll just stay ...... here ............ .................. Haha, no, no. It''s impossible. Let''s go to sleep. That''s what I thought, and I gave up thinking. Your consciousness fades away, and you feel as if ...... your body is sinking. Just as the expression "falling asleep" implies, my consciousness was plunged into a deep darkness. ............ A few hours later: ...... ''d*mn ......, I can''t sleep for some reason. I''ve been having trouble sleeping lately. My body is tired, my consciousness is slumbering, and I feel like I can sleep, but ...... when I try to sleep, unnecessary things run around in my brain, and my brain never stops spinning. There have even been days when I''ve tossed and turned and the wake-up bell has rung ....... I feel like that will happen again today. I''m tired, but I can''t sleep. ''Oh, shit. ......'' I picked myself up and left the room to get a cup of coffee. I''m not going to sleep today. I probably won''t be able to sleep no matter how hard I try after this. I wondered what time it was ...... when I walked down to the courtyard. ''Huh? ''Oh, good morning. Mr. Yashiro. ''Oh, you''re early. Good morning, Mr. Yashiro.'' There were Ginette and Assunto at the back door. ''...... I have to tell my imaginary wife that Assunto is there and she won''t budge. ''Wait a minute, Mr. Yashiro. I don''t have that kind of relationship with Jeannette, and my wife is real. And if you think it''s fictional, there''s no need to report it to ............, so can you please stop throwing so many things into one line? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. He''s been methodical since early morning. ''Today''s not the day for new arrivals, is it? The ingredients for the restaurant are basically purchased in bulk at the beginning and middle of the month. However, after that, we are flexible, or rather, we place an order with Assunto to buy more according to the situation, but in any case, Ginette has to inform us in advance. In either case, Ginette would inform me in advance, saying, ''Mr. Assunto will be here tomorrow. I try to wake up as early as possible on days when I am told so. The number of days I''ve woken up early just because I''m trying to is infinitely small. But I haven''t heard that Assunto is coming today. That''s why ...... ''I knew it was for my brain wife ......'' ''Yashiro-san. There she is, my wife. Because you never show me! ''Um, Yashiro-san. I didn''t inform you today because it''s my personal order.'' ''Personal?'' ...... Ginette to Assunto? ''She wanted to keep her delicious food all to herself without telling us. ......'' Oh, my God. I didn''t know Ginette was such a picky eater. ...... ''''Well, ............, why not? ''''What? Jeannette is a ...... tweaker! ''''Oh, um, I''m imitating Mr. Assunto ............ sorry, I''m not being rude ......'''' ''Um, what the hell are they looking at me like?'' Assunto gives him a complicated look. ''But that''s not the point! ''I thought Jeannette only went in for tits and pants.'' ''That''s not true! Ah, this kind of thing comes out easily, doesn''t it? After all, it''s not good to aim for a good comeback. You have to be natural. ............ What are you talking about? ''Oh, um... I''m sorry. Ginette is a bit flustered and tries to change the subject. I think she''s a little embarrassed to be played with. ''He brought me some coffee beans. ''Coffee beans? There''s still a lot of coffee beans left in the warehouse. I believe he said he could only buy in large quantities because of the low demand. That''s why they go bad every year without using them up. So, why this timing? ''That ...... today is the anniversary of my grandfather''s death.'' ''Oh ......''. It''s ...... today. ''So, every year on this day, I buy new coffee beans and decide to have the first cup of coffee with my grandfather.'' Ginette''s fluffy smile was like nothing I''d ever seen before, and I couldn''t say anything. Was it because it was a time I didn''t know? Of course, Jeannette has a past before she met me. She has memories of a time I don''t know. It''s a realm that no one else can penetrate, a realm that belongs only to Jeannette and not to me. There is no ............... ''If you''d like. If you''d like, you can have a drink with me, too.'' This is how Ginette invites me into her realm. ''It''s thanks to Yashiro that we have the sunny pavilion now, and I wanted to introduce you to your grandfather properly. ...... Oh, no, there''s no such deep meaning. ...... Well... ......... if you like. ''...... Hmm. I''ll take it. I''ll take it. ''Are you sure?Then I''ll go prepare it right away! He clasped his hands together and broke into a happy smile. ''Ah, Mr. Assunto. Thank you very much. ''No, no, thank you again. With a bow, Ginette walked into the kitchen carrying a large bag of coffee beans. I thought about helping her with that, but ...... I felt like the act of making the first cup of coffee was an inviolable sacred ritual, something that was very important to her... ...I was hesitant to touch it. ''I''ve never seen you look so happy,'' she said. Assunto sent me information I hadn''t heard. He said it in an implied way. ''I think he didn''t like you, until last year. ''Ho-ho-ho...... can''t deny that possibility.'' He laughed heartily and said in a somewhat suggestive way. ''But I think there''s a different reason,'' he said. ''......''. If I tried to understand what you''re saying out loud, I''m sure I could, but I''m sorry, I''m up all night and don''t want to use my head right now. I don''t want to think about it. ''...... You look terrible.'' Assunto says, staring at my profile as I turn away. ''...... Shut up. I was born with it.'' ''Oh, is that so?I thought your face was usually a bit more well-rounded, but ...... you may need to change your perception of it.'' ''Hmph.'' I''m not going to use my head to talk to you. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... d*mn it. You''re a meddler. You''re a lot brighter than you were last year, Ginette. There must have been something in the past year that changed your mind. I wonder what that is? I guess you''re trying to say. And ...... ''So why are you looking so terrible? ............ Shut up. ''Well, then, I''d better be off. ''Be careful on those dark, deserted streets. Don''t get stabbed by me.'' ''Hohoho...... that''s right. I''d like to enjoy the pleasant chats I''ve recently made with my close friends for a little longer. We get along well, you know. I used to hate him. ...... It''s strange, isn''t it? He chuckled and pushed his cart out the back door. Just before he closed the door, Assunto left these words behind. ''Perhaps there is nothing in this world that never changes. But ...... the heart that wishes for it to remain unchanged will ...... never change, I''m sure. Have a nice day. I''m going to say what I want to say and leave. What the hell, man? Nothing stays the same. ...... I''m sure that''s true. But you know what? ...... ''......There are people who can''t change, you know. For example,......, there''s one here. I locked the door to the backyard and went into the kitchen. The kitchen is filled with the aroma of coffee beans. Then I went to the dining room and sat down on a chair to wait for my coffee to be ready. On the empty, quiet floor, alone ...... I thought about the sunlit pavilion I never knew existed. There was an old man, a young Jeannette,...... and the regulars of that time were drinking coffee here,...... Thinking about these things, I surrendered myself to the relaxing time. ''Yashiro-san''. I wondered how long it had been ...... before I fell asleep. Ginette shook my shoulder to wake me up. ''Are you still sleepy? ''No, I''m fine. Sorry.'' ''No, I''m not. I made you some coffee.'' ''Oh, ......, sorry.'' Ginette places the coffees in front of me. And one next to me, and one across from me. ''Excuse me.'' With that, Ginette sits down next to me. The coffee across from her seems to be for her grandfather. ''It''s kind of close, isn''t it? Ginette shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. We had sat side by side at this table several times, but when we were facing each other, we felt closer than usual. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... d*mn. ''Am I allowed to drink?Or do I have to say a prayer or something?'' ''Huh?Oh, go ahead. Please eat it. It''ll get cold.'' ''I see. It''s .......'' Somehow, after lifting the cup, I bowed towards the old man''s seat. ''Ah, .......'' Ginette said, her voice faint. ''What is it?Did I do something wrong?'' ''No. ....... I thought Yashiro-san was a mysterious person. Strange? ''The Spirit Church believes that the souls of the deceased are summoned to the heavenly realm under the guidance of God the Spirits, and no longer exist in this world. Therefore, when we remember the deceased, we think of them as they were in our memories. There are no photographs in this world. After you die, the only place you can exist is in the minds of those closest to you. ''So, those who were not familiar with me don''t often pay me the same respect as they do now. ''You''re the one who built this sunny pavilion, aren''t you?Of course they would respect you. I''ve experienced so many things since I came to this town. ...... All of them started with this sunny pavilion. I think the founder of this place is kind of an amazing person. ''Thank you very much. He turned his body toward me and bowed politely. When he looked up, he began to chuckle, perhaps embarrassed. ''Yashiro-san, you''re afraid of ghosts, but you pay respect to the souls of the deceased, don''t you? ''Shut up! He wasn''t embarrassed, he was teasing. You son of a b*tc*. ''There we go. ......'' Ginette stood up from the chair, which had shifted due to her turning her body towards him, and returned it to its original position. And then he sat down again. ............ Aren''t you closer than before? You can almost touch your shoulders. The two of us are alone ...... in a quiet, still dark dining room, and I''m a little nervous, as expected. ''That ...... Yashiro-san''. Jeannette''s voice trembles slightly. I wonder if Jeannette is also nervous ....... ''It may be a little bit long, but ............ can you listen to the story of your grandfather? Without looking at me, he stares into his coffee cup and says something like that. It''s unusual for him to talk without looking at the other person. Is he nervous after all? ''Oh, let me hear it. It''s unusual for Jeannette to talk about her past. I also don''t remember her looking like she wanted to be heard. With a somewhat relieved expression on her face, Jeannette began to talk in small chunks. ''I''ve been coming here to help since I was nine years old. In the year of her ninth birthday, Ginette was nine years old ......, which means she was eight years old. ''I was still very young, and instead of helping out, I was always slowing him down and making ...... more work for him. It''s hard to imagine now, but ...... an eight-year-old child can''t help it. But my grandfather was always kind and always said, ''Just by you being here, the store will be brighter. Nevertheless, Jeannette did not take such things lightly and carefully learned her job one by one. ''The regular customers also said the same thing and loved me very much .......'' I can see that scene in my mind''s eye. ...... A store run by an old man is likely to attract old men and old women. In the midst of all this, there came an eight-year-old girl who was doing her best. The old men and the old women must have loved her very much. That must have been what Jeannette calls ''the sunny pavilion of those days. ''Then, I managed to learn the job, and in my twelfth year, I was officially welcomed into this house. I was eleven years old. You were one year younger than Magda is now. ''I was very happy, very, very happy. Ginette sips her coffee. The steam rising slowly melts into the air. ''I always hoped this happiness would last. ...... No, I thought it would last. But parting comes suddenly. It has been a little over a year since I became a child in this house. ...... That day, I went to the store as usual. It was nothing, nothing, nothing, just a normal shopping trip. A shadow falls over Jeannette''s face. She had cried so much that she couldn''t even cry anymore. I could see that she was exhausted. ''When I came back from shopping,......, I found my grandfather collapsed,.............'' The ...... coffee cup made a clinking sound. ''He was coughing up a lot of blood. ............ I didn''t know what to do. ...... In the end, I couldn''t do anything, and the grandfather Keep going ............'' Jeannette''s lips ...... knit together tightly. ............I know. I know how you''re feeling ............ at that moment. I spent my days thinking nothing of it, thinking that everyday life would go on as it should. Today, tomorrow, the day after ......, I thought it would never change. But suddenly it comes. I can''t tell you how much I regret the time I''ve spent randomly and without thinking. How many times you wish you had taken things more seriously and communicated more clearly. I know what I''m talking about. ''E...... Kya''. Without thinking ...... Yes, without thinking: ...... I was holding Jeannette close to me. The chair made a slamming sound, the body was bent over ...... cramped, but still, I couldn''t help but hug ...... her tightly. ''......Yashiro, sir?'' You can hear a confused voice in your ear. The slight trembling of his breath was warm and slightly ticklish. ''Because you were about to ...... cry.'' That''s the excuse he gives. Then he squeezes his arm tightly. ''I''m fine, okay? Ginette says, as if to warn him. But ...... ''Just a little more ...... like this'' Just a little bit more, okay? ...... ''......Yes.'' A quiet whisper caressed my ears. ...... Ginette''s hand gently moved to my back. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ............ Oh, no. It''s not Ginette who''s crying, it''s ............ me. Ginette''s story overlapped with ............ my own past, and I couldn''t ............ stand it. I couldn''t take it anymore. I bit my back teeth and held my breath ...... just barely, trying to hold in the breath that was about to leak out. My breathing is ...... erratic. ''It''s okay, .......'' A soft, whispering voice said. ''You''re not alone anymore. ......'' Is it you ............ or is it me ...... For the next few moments, I hugged Jeannette, unable to say a word. In the meantime, Ginette didn''t say a word either, just kept her body against mine. The early morning sunlit pavilion was very quiet. 165-144th episode: Sunrise-tei at that time Private room. It''s a private space where only I exist. No one is allowed to violate this sanctuary. ...... I''m not sure what to say.How long are you staying in here? Noise is intruding on my sanctuary. ...... But I will not be disturbed by that. As long as I''m in this sanctuary, I''m invincible. ...... The door to the sanctuary was opened. ...... Ah, is it open? The door to the sanctuary was opened. ''Don''t open the door when people are in the bathroom. ''Oh, no!The glare!It''s too bright, big brother! I was holed up in the bathroom for an hour, scrubbing the toilet bowl hard, when Loretta burst in. ''I thought you had a stomach ache and were holed up in there. ...... Were you cleaning? ''Oh!If you clean the toilet, you will become beautiful! ''............ I have no idea what you mean? ''Well, of course you don''t. ''No matter how busy the store is, I don''t want to be occupied in the bathroom for an hour. ''What, the toilet?You can go. I''m polishing the toilet bowl so as not to disturb you.'' ''You''re in my way!You''re in the way a lot, you know that? ''Are you trying to monopolize the toilet? ''That''s how toilets are usually used!And you''re the one who''s been occupying it until now. He really doesn''t know anything about anything. How important is the cleanliness of the water area in a restaurant? ...... How much do you think the cleanliness of that area will change the impression you give to customers? ...... I am. I want the toilet bowl to shine so brightly that my eyeballs are crushed the moment I walk in! ''Don''t do it, sir!I want you to stop with all your might! I was forcibly taken out by Loretta, who didn''t understand the importance of the water area. Ore, my mission ...... my dream ......! ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Have you finished cleaning?Thank you for your hard work. ''Hey, what!It''s no big deal!Oh, that''s right!Now let''s go weed the garden!Yeah, let''s do that!See you!'' I shook off Loretta''s arm and rushed out into the garden. ''............ Huh. No. ......'' After what happened this morning, I can''t look Ginette in the face properly: ...... After listening to the old man ...... talk about Ginette''s past, ...... I couldn''t help but hug her. ''Oh, ............ what have I done ......''. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. If he had made a witty joke, he would have been able to treat her normally. ...... ''Haaaaaa............ grass, I''d rather ......'' It''s no use thinking about it. Time will take care of this. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. A while ago, she would make a lonely face if I tried to go somewhere, but lately she hasn''t shown any anxiety about being alone. This is after the tournament. ............ Don''t tell me you found love at the tournament ............... ...? ''Yeah, no.'' No, no. It''s not possible. There''s no way. What makes you think that? ''Because I don''t approve of it, that''s why! Yashiro. You''re unusual. Are you working? I hear a familiar voice and look up. Old lady Mum was standing there with a wrinkled face like a dried plum. ''Seeing you makes me want to eat some freshly cooked white rice. ''Oh my God, is that so?Mm-hmm. No amount of sarcasm or cynicism will work with this old lady. In a sense, she is the most positive person. In other words, she is like a lump of good will that absorbs and sublimates any malice. ............ Buddha in the flesh? ''Can I worship him? ''Oh, no. I think it''s a little early to pick him up. ...... This old lady seems to turn every bad word into small talk. ''Jeannette''s in there.'' ''Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Hey, Yashiro.'' The old woman who was about to enter the dining room clapped her hands and turned around to look at me. ''Coffee jelly, can we get a ''take-out''? ''...... "takeout"?'' ''Yes, yes, that''s it. Can''t we? If it''s take-out, you''ll have to pack it in a lunch box. ...... ''I can''t do that at the moment. I''ll think about it in the future, but not now. We don''t have such a service. We don''t do that kind of service. Making exceptions can be tricky. You could lose quality, or worse, get food poisoning. ...... Oh, my God. ...... so ....... Well, it can''t be helped, can it? I''m sorry I asked you such a strange question. The old woman, who was depressed for a moment, regained her good mood as she breathed in and walked into the dining room in a happy mood. ...... Something is bothering me. I got up and at the right time I happened to say, ''Oh, Yashiro. I''m here to eat! I wiped the dirt from my hands with Umaro''s clothes and walked into the cafeteria. ''Hey!What are you doing all of a sudden? ''Hey, Umaro. Were you there? ''Unconscious?You''re unconsciously treating me like this? He''s screaming something, but I guess there''s no need to worry about it. Because it''s Umaro. ''Ginette. Hello. ''Oh, Grandma Mum!Hello! As usual, Jeannette looks happy when she sees the old lady. I wonder if it''s a blessing? ''Is it okay if I have the usual tea? ''Oh, it''s different today...'' ''Different? ''Actually, I came to get some medicine. ''M, M, Grandma, what''s wrong with you? Ginette''s face changed, and she ran up to the old lady. She puts her hand on her shoulder and looks at her face. ''Oh, no. It''s not me. It''s not me.'' ''Oh, ...... you''re not, ...... thank God.'' She let out a sigh of relief, but immediately asked the old lady with a worried expression. ''Is there anyone who is not feeling well? ''Yes. Ginette, do you remember Zelmar?You know, with the stern face? Zelmar. I''ve never heard that name before. ''Yes. I remember him. Your grandfather and I used to ...... have fights.'' ''Yes, yes. You were always arguing with Grandpa in the sun, that Zelmar.'' Apparently he knows him. Which means that Zelmar must be an old man too. ''That thing ...... has a fever, and it won''t ...... go down at all. ''Oh no,......? Jeannette''s face turns pale. Well, if he knew the old lady or the old man, he must be an important old man to Jeannette. He must be worried about him. ...... Or perhaps the number of old men and old women has increased so much that it''s hard to tell which one is which. ...... ''Is it so ...... bad that you can''t walk? ''Ummm . No, I''m not. Even this morning, he came all the way to my place to tell me to make him some porridge and to come and take care of him. I live across the street and he came all the way. I''m fine. ...... Then I guess it''s okay to leave him alone. Is the old man in love with this woman?I don''t want to see ............ a sagging love story. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on," he said. ......After the old man passed away, she became very stubborn and said she didn''t want to come here. ......'' ''......I see. ............'' ''Oh, ......Oh, ......I''m sorry. I''m ...... oh ......'' "I don''t want to come here. Those words must have stung Jeannette. It must be hard to be rejected by an old acquaintance of the old man. Well, I haven''t seen him since I''ve been here. I guess he''s been avoiding me for a long time. ''But I''m relieved to hear it''s not too bad. Please give her some medicine. Then go to ...................'' She starts to say something, then stops. Then he opened his mouth again and the words that came out were: ...... ''Tell him to take care of himself. ...... Perhaps it was something different from what he had initially tried to say. This is just a guess, but the first words Ginette tried to say were. "Please come back to the Sunlit Pavilion. That''s what she must have wanted to say. I can read that much just by looking at her face, as I have a qualification equivalent to the Ginette Test Level 1. d*mn it. I can''t help it. ''Old lady. That ......, what was it, ...... ''extinction''?'' ''Are you talking about Zelmar?Yashiro-chan.'' ''Oh, yeah, that dying old man.'' ''Yashiro-san: ......'' Ginette gives him a slightly angry look. ...... No, inappropriate gags, on the contrary?The effect of lightening the atmosphere was ...... bad. I won''t say it again. ''How''s Zelmar''s condition? ''His condition?...... Well, he said he had a fever. ''How high is it?'' ''Well ......, I didn''t hear that much.'' ''Hmm ......, that''s a problem.'' I crossed my arms. Of course, I''m not doing this to bully this old lady. I''m not doing this to bully the old lady, of course, but to check her appetite, her stomach, her headache, her nausea, her dehydration,......, and other things before I prescribe her medicine. I''m going to say something plausible. ''Is that so?Well, ...... I should have listened more carefully. ''No, no, no. Thanks to you informing me, I can take the next step. Good job, old lady! ''''Gojyonu''?What''s that? It''s hilarious. What''s hikara? ...... ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. Then, what will ...... happen to Zelmar-san?'' ''Hmm?Are you worried?'' ''Yes. That is, of course. He was a dear friend of ...... Grandfather''s.'' A former regular who no longer showed up at the store. It must have been hard for Jeannette to ask him to come, even though she was concerned about him. And now, as too much time has passed, he can''t even go to see her casually. Even though they live in the same 42nd district, Jeannette hasn''t seen this old man called Zelmar for a long time. You''re so worried about him just because you heard that he''s not feeling well. Then-- ''I see. Then get ready right away.'' ''What? ''We''re going to see that Zermatt. ''What? --I''ll force him out. Rather than worrying about it for the rest of your life and keeping an anxious look on your face, it''s better to make it clear, even if you have to bother them. Self-satisfaction?Yeah, that''s right! Kindness is only beneficial to the recipient. It''s okay for the doer to have a little merit too. If someone I didn''t want to meet did the same thing to me, I''d kick his ass without question. It''s a small kindness, a big deal. ''But, isn''t that ...... annoying?Maybe Mr. Zelmar doesn''t want to see me. ......'' ''That''s not true, Jeannette.'' As if to dispel Jeannette''s fears, the old lady patted Jeannette on the arm. ''You know, that thing always asks me about you, don''t you?She asks if the store is doing well, and she asks if you are working too hard. ''So it was ......, was it? The old lady''s words made Jeannette roll her eyes. From what I''ve heard, they kind of drifted apart and lost an excuse to see each other. Well, Ginette''s grandfather, and Zelmar''s friend, is gone now. I can understand why it''s hard to see him. ''Jeannette. It''s the responsibility of the Sunken Pavilion to take care of the medicine. If there are patients who can''t come here, we have to make house calls. Don''t you agree? Taking advantage of Jeannette''s inability to leave the weak alone, she poses a nasty question. It''s a question with consequences, not a ''no''. ''......, isn''t it? Jeannette nodded a little, but still looked up a little uneasy. ''Don''t worry. If Zelmar says to you, ''What are you doing here, go home! If Zelmar says to you, ''What are you doing here, go home!'' I will stop him immediately. ''No, please don''t do that. Why not?Even I can beat the old man, right? ''Oh, but ...... what about the store? ''Leave it to Magda and Loretta.'' I said, standing between the two grown up employees. I put my hand on their shoulders and say clearly. ''They''re already full-fledged. You can trust them.'' ''Hee-hee!My big brother has accepted me!This is a big deal! ''...... I''m certainly ...... a little bit happy''. Loretta and Magda are very happy and confident. ''Leave it to me, manager!I''ll take care of all the customers for you! ''...... Magda will maneuver Loretta and Umaro to get through this. ''Haaan!I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Hearing the reliable announcement and the pervert''s shout, he turned his gaze to Jeannette. ''That''s right, that''s right. ''...... everyone.'' Ginette looked ticklish, but very happy, and bowed deeply. ''Well, gentlemen. Please take care of me while I''m away.'' ''Yes, sir! ''Leave it to me at .......'' ''I''ll do my best, too! No, Umaro. I want you to finish the city gates and the city streets as soon as you can. See? ''Um, Yashiro-san. ''Hmm? ''Thank you, sir. Ginette bows her head. Come on, it''s early. ''Wait until I get the medicine to Zelmar. ''Oh, yes, of course. I''ll see you later.'' Ginette says happily, and heads for the medicine chest. ''Yashiro-chan.'' As Jeannette goes, the old lady calls out to me. ''Are you going to keep her with you all the time? ......A straightforward question that''s hard to answer. ............ ''...... God only knows, right? ''Oh, I see. ''Oh, yes. That''s a relief.'' Relieved by what, the old lady patted her chest, which had completely shriveled up. ''I''m glad to hear it on this day. The old lady smiles her usual smile. I can tell by her words and the faintly special atmosphere she gives off. Although she doesn''t dare to say it, she also remembers the date of Ginette''s grandfather''s death. ''Mr. Yashiro, I''m ready. ''Then let''s go. I wanted the old lady to come with me, but she couldn''t because she had work to do. Ginette seemed to know the place, so the two of them decided to go to Zelmar''s house. Zelmal''s house was a rickety wooden one-story building, single-story but long and horizontal, like a house and a workshop. The location was across the main street, much further away, near Regina''s house. ''So why don''t we just go to Regina''s? ''......Then maybe Regina-san is ......''. Ginette clammed up, as if she was about to say something very difficult to say. At that moment. ''Who the hell are you to barge into my house? A shrill voice came from behind him. ''Oh, .......'' ''Oh ......, you .......'' The ginette looked back at him and the old man in front of her, wrinkled like a dried grape, both rolled their eyes. ''Ginette . This guy is ......?'' ''Yes .......'' ''Are they dried grapes?'' ''No, sir!It''s Mr. Zelmar! He gave me a very surprised look. I thought it was nothing to be so surprised about. ''Oh, it''s ...... Mr. Zelmar. It''s been a while. ''Oh ...... Oh. You look good.'' ''Yes. Thanks to you.'' ''Well, ...... well, ............ well.'' The old man looks uncomfortable, his gaze wandering. ''It''s not cute at all when the old man squirms. ''What''s with you, you rude little shit? You yell at me all the time. Are you really sick? ''Hey, Mr. Zermatt. This is Mr. Obayashi, he''s working with me at the Sunken Pavilion. ''Oh, ............, you''re Oba. ......'' ...... I felt like I had been called a ''big idiot'', and I was a bit annoyed. ''You seem to be standing out in a lot of ways. ''As you can see, he''s very handsome. ''I was much more handsome in my youth! Handsome. ...... What''s with the old man? Do you hate to lose? ''You ...... didn''t do anything strange to that girl, did you? ''Who''s the girl?You should at least call her by her name, old man.'' ''Who''s the old man? ''You! ''I''m still young!I''m still too young for this ............ stuff! ''Mr. Zelmar! The old man was so excited that he started to choke, and Jeannette ran over to him and rubbed his back. ''Ah!It''s okay!I''m sorry to make you do that to Grandpa Sun''s grandson! But the old man quickly pulls away from the ginette. ''What are you so shy about, old man? You''re too old for this. ''''Baka, baka!It''s not right for a man and a woman who haven''t even tied the knot to touch each other! Is there such a thing as an engagement ...... in this world? ''You know, old man. In this day and age, it''s only natural for people to touch each other''s hands and tits. ''You can''t have boobs!...... ha!I don''t know what you''re talking about. The ''tits'' comment now would be self-destructive. ''Little shit ...... you! ''Wait a minute, don''t look at me like I''m a soldier in wartime, old man. He raises his fist and presses down on the old man''s trembling arm. And,......, it''s pretty hot. ''Old man, you''ve got a fever, why are you walking around? Go home and sleep. ''Hmph!If you stay indoors with a fever, the virus will lick you! There are not many people for whom the word ''virus'' is so unfitting. Please try not to use horizontal letters. It''s too uncomfortable. ''Grandma Mum sent me here to check on you today. Isn''t it unmanly of you to worry about the old lady and Jeannette, and still be pushy?'' ''What the hell? ''If you''re a man, you should hold on to this moment, quickly cure the disease, and give the women peace of mind. ''............ You little shit, you''re talking out of your ass. ............ All right. Come on. Up you go. This is exactly what I thought this type of old man would be unable to resist when told like this. It''s a good thing he''s so easy to deal with. The old man''s house was simple, with only the bare necessities. ''What do you do now, old man? ''I don''t have a job. ...... I''m long retired.'' I guess there is a retirement system in this town too. ...... I''m sure he can still work, this old man. ''Is Grandma Mum retiring late because she''s self-employed? ''Yes. My grandfather was in the store until the end of his life. The old man of Zelmar frowned at Ginette''s words. ''The last time'' seems to have stung a little. ''Oh ...... sorry''. ''Oh, no, ............ don''t worry about it.'' Jeannette also noticed this, and the air began to grow a little sad. ''Oh, I hate this atmosphere. ''Then let''s start the examination. Old man, stick out your tongue. ''Ba-ba, you idiot!You can''t expose your pants in front of a woman! It''s not ''down'', it''s ''tongue''!And don''t say ''pants''! I''m not sure if it''s the same here,......, or if it''s the same underwear and tongue,......, but it''s the forced translation magic. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. You can give him a fever reducer or something. If it gets worse, get Regina to help you. ...... Oh, I see. I know what Jeannette was about to say. If this old man comes as a guest, Regina might collapse. She''s going to get yelled at a lot. ''Well, if you have an appetite, can I make you something? ''No. I don''t care.'' The old man firmly refused Jeannette''s offer. ''I see. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to intrude.'' ''No, I''m not ...... asking a woman who hasn''t even paid her dues to cook for me.'' ''No, old man. You asked old lady Mum for porridge, didn''t you?'' ''What?How do you know about that? ''No, I asked Grandma Mum.'' ''No, no!No, no, no!There''s no deep meaning! The old man denied it, his face turning red, then pulled the covers over his head and hid. ...... Don''t be so pure-hearted, you wrinkled, scabby old man. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Actually, it''s ...... been a long time.'' The ginette paid attention to the old man wrapped in the futon and whispered in his ear. ''For a long time, my grandfather and I used to fight over Grandma Mum. ''Stop ...... this jibber-jabber romantic comedy, it''s not funny.'' ''In the end, it was never settled, and neither of them have been in a relationship until now.'' ''What? What,......, then what? ''Could it be that these guys are ............ unmarried?'' ''Yes. My grandfather was also unmarried. ......How many decades of crushes have you guys ...... been having? ''Ginette, make him some porridge or rice porridge. ''Yeah, ...... too.'' ''No, thanks. I''ll allow it.'' ''Yes, sir!'' Ginette replied happily, and ran to the kitchen. ''''...... You''re being selfish. In someone''s house. ......'' Like a specter that has taken up residence in an old house, the old man glared at us from the futon with only his face showing. ''If you have a problem with it, fix it with your mind. Get well and then come to the Sunken Pavilion. Then I''ll listen to you.'' ''Hmm ...... now ............'' The old man muttered. ''You can''t go to ...... now. I couldn''t go ...... for a long time since the old man in the sunshine died. Even when that girl was in trouble, I couldn''t ............ go to the sunny pavilion with my head down.'' Oh, that''s too much trouble. I''m a very troublesome old man. ''Old man. He stinks. ''Who stinks? ''Sorry, I didn''t say it right. You''re a pain in the ass.'' ''......! I haven''t been there in a long time, so it''s hard to go. It''s hard to call Ginette because she hasn''t come for a long time. In fact, the old man wants to go and the ginette wants him to come. However, the old man has twisted even that simple feeling into a theory and continues to stubbornly refuse. ''I''ll pay for that medicine at the Sunshine Pavilion. ''What the hell? ''I don''t have the fine stuff right now. ''...... is a smooth talker.'' Well, I hope you''ve given up now. ...... ''Oh, um, Mr. Zelmal.'' Ginette, who I thought was on her way to the kitchen, was standing right there. ''Mumm, I heard from your grandmother. She wants to try the coffee jelly.'' ''......U............ no, that''s ......''. ''Would you like to come and try it?Even if it''s just once, it''s fine. ''U......muh............'' ''We have a lot of coffee beans. We have a lot of coffee beans. Even though we put coffee on the menu, not many people drink it,......, and it would be a shame to have a surplus,....... Ginette has changed. She has gained the strength to carry out her will,......, even if she has to use some cowardly methods. When you move people, there is a responsibility that comes with it. Without fear of that responsibility, Ginette is trying to move people. ''............ Um, okay. If that''s the case,......, so be it. And they''ve done a great job of it. ''I''ll call Orkio, Bobba, and Frodo, and we''ll see each other soon. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting. ''....... I''m going to bed. When the porridge is ready, leave it with me. ''Yes, sir. Good night. Mr. Zelmar. The people the old man named must have been regular customers of the old Sun Moon Pavilion. They must have wanted to show their faces at ...... but couldn''t. I''m not sure. Don''t go down without permission and don''t step over the medicine bill. I''m sure you''re right.I''m sure you''ll be fine without me worrying about you. The old man swears and pulls the covers over his head. ''...... It''s only by chance that she came to see me on this day. ...... I''ll be there. That''s all he said, and the old man began to fall asleep early. The old man is fast asleep. We left that day and waited for the old man and his friends to come to the sunny pavilion. Two days later. Still no sign of the old men. ''Is your cold lingering? ''I think so. I''ve been so healthy that I don''t think I''ll be able to beat the virus. ''That''s true. The voice that replied was also somewhat weak. ''Could it be that ...... you don''t like me ............?'' ''No, I don''t.'' I can assure you of that. ''......You''ve made your point.'' ''Of course I did. What did old lady Mum and old man Zelmar call your grandfather? ''Well, ............ ''Sunny Grandpa'' .......'' ''They''re close in age, aren''t they? ''Yes. I heard that Mr. Zelmar and my grandfather were the same age. Then it''s confirmed. ''Do you know why Zelmar''s old man and Grandma Mum are calling him ''sunny old man'' when he''s the same age as you ......? ''Eh, ...... that ............ I''m sorry, I don''t know.'' ''It''s because you''re here. Even in ordinary families, when a child is born, people call each other ''Papa'' and ''Mama''. When you have a younger brother or sister, they call you ''big brother'' or ''big sister''. ''You were the center. This sunny pavilion. From your point of view, you''re the grandfather, so the name ''sunny old man'' has taken root, the old man here. ''...... I''m ............? ''Well, don''t worry, you''ll get ......''. Before I could finish, the door of the sunlit pavilion was opened and four old men with wrinkled faces like shriveled tangerines came into the store. ''Mr. Zelmar, Mr. Orkio, Mr. Bobba, and Mr. Frodo! ''I''m here too, little Jeannette.'' ''Grandma Mum! The four wrinkled old men were followed by a wrinkled old woman, raising the wrinkle rate in the store. The ginette was so happy to see the five of them that she was about to cry, and she led them to their seats. ''Oh, you''re looking good! ''What a waste of a place for a sunny old man. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve had a cup of coffee. I''m looking forward to it. ''That little girl has become such a great .............'' ''You idiot. What are you crying about? What are you crying about, old man? ''Well, gentlemen. Please make yourselves at home. The old men were a bit awkward at first, but gradually they settled down and began to reminisce. Ginette brought coffee. The old men were curious about the coffee jelly being served. Occasionally, a joke is made by an old man who does not understand the point at all. And they''re pretty funny. I thought, "Oh ...... this is it ............. I was alone, watching the circle of old men from a distance. The interior has changed, but this is exactly what Jeannette was talking about, the "sunlit pavilion" of those days. An old man with a loud voice spat out a swear word, and the people around him laughed it off. Ginette is also laughing happily. A place where people naturally gather, talk about stupid things, and smile together. That''s the Sundaari-tei. What you see in front of you now is ...... a sunny pavilion that I don''t know. The scenery that Jeannette saw every day when she was a child: ...... The sunny pavilion that Jeannette had hoped for in the past: ...... It took a long time, but ...... the scenery of that time has come back ............ I clutched the 20Rb in my pocket that I have been carrying around with me for some time now. That''s 20Rb for the stir-fried scraps of vegetables I ran away with. If I return this to Jeannette, ...... I''ll be ............ really ...... ...... ''Mr. Yashiro.'' Suddenly, Ginette calls out to me. And-- ''Would you like to join us, Mr. Yashiro, for some coffee jelly? She invites me into the circle. To the sunny pavilion of those days. ...... ''Ah, ......'' I gently let go of the 20Rb in my hand. ''I''m coming''. I was a little bit happy at this time,......, that I was invited into the world of Jeannette, which I didn''t know, and I was kind of happy. Maybe I was just being jealous like a kid, but ............ I guess I didn''t like the fact that there was no place for me to stand next to Jeannette, past or not. I joined the circle of old men with bad mouths, and I swore as much as they did. When they talked back, I would reply with quibbles. When they say this, I say that, and when they say that, I say that back. So I stood next to the ...... ginette. Ah, d*mn it ............, why do I feel so at home in ...... this place. 166-Episode 145. Their thoughts. ''Well, just take a look at our new product. Norma places a 50cm square box on the table. This is a ''refrigerator (for the 42nd district)'' that can be immersed in a well to cool its contents. Recently, the refrigerator has been modified so that when it is immersed in a well, cold water flows through thin tubes around the box, further cooling the contents. ''This improved version is amazing. What!The door can be opened from either side! ...... I wonder if the evolution of refrigerators follows the same route in other worlds. ''...... This is interesting. ''Why doesn''t it just pop off? Magda and Loretta are tilting their heads curiously as they open and close the refrigerator door from both sides. Having seen off all the lunch customers, the Sunlit Pavilion is now taking a short break. That''s when Norma arrived with this huge box: ...... ''What do you think?Interesting, isn''t it?'' ''Yeah, it is. I''m not sure if this refrigerator is technologically advanced or technologically backward. The way to cool it is as simple as soaking it in cold water in a well. ...... Double-sided door. ''What is it?That''s not a very good response. ''No, it''s just that ...... it''s getting more and more advanced.'' ''That''s you, .......'' Norma paused once as she tried to say something briskly. Then, after a short exhale, he regains his composure and speaks. ''It''s because you haven''t come up with any interesting new product ideas lately. Well, a while ago, I used to ask you to make molds for various things frequently. ''You''d better ask me for something interesting again. Otherwise, I''ll make a refrigerator that can cool things without being immersed in a well, you know. ''No, if you can do that, that would be super. The day when a real refrigerator is born may not be far off. ......? ''Mr. Yashiro!I have something to ask you, that I do! Shouting loudly, Bekko walked into the sunlit pavilion. And when he saw Norma, his face lit up. ''Oh!Isn''t that the cheerleader leader? Before Bekko could finish his sentence, Norma threw a smoke pipe at him with uncanny speed, causing severe damage to Bekko''s forehead. ''Gosh!............, my skull is dented, that it is. ......'' ''Don''t you dare mention that name. In fact, after the gluttony contest, an organization was born in this city. Its name is "Cheerleader Fan Club", or "CGL-FC". It seems to be an organization that mainly engages in heated discussions about Norma''s cleavage and raw legs. I''ve been a fan of flat-chested girls to the point of gouging ......, but I was so impressed by the passion and raging boobs of the cheerleaders who cheered that tense game that I decided to devote myself to the boobs camp, even though I''m still inexperienced, that I am. ......'' ''Don''t do it anywhere else!Don''t drag me into this! I''m not a fan of this kind of thing, but I think it''s a great idea. ''So, don''t call me by that name! He threw a cigarette from his pocket and did a lot of damage to the same point as before. Bekko falls on his back and hits the back of his head on the floor. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... Hey, Norma. How many cigarettes do you carry around with you? ....... I''m not sure if you''re a member of the ...... Yashiro fan club or not. I''m not in it. I''m not going to hang out with others in the boobies. I''m not going to hang out with others when it comes to boobs. Boobs are something to be enjoyed by stealing them alone. ''...... Why aren''t you in there? ''No, why not? ......'' I was really disappointed. I mean, they''re staring at me like I''m crazy. ...... What did I do? I''m not even in the fan club. ''So, that you are. What did you want me to ask you?'' ''Oh, that''s right! Because of Loretta''s unnecessary pass, Becco''s expression shines again. ''I!I''m going to try my hand at making stone statues, that I am! ''Heh...'' ''Not much response, that it is, Mr. Yashiro! But what else can I say? ...... I''m not terribly interested. ''I got my wish, that I got a stone for my statue!I''m excited about what I''m going to carve now, that I am!I''m excited about what I''m going to carve now! ...... So I''d like to talk to you about it. ......'' ''Rejected.'' ''You haven''t said anything yet, that you haven''t! ''You are not allowed to use me as a motif. If you carve a statue of me, I''ll go to the ...... lord and issue a ban on cleavage in all forty-two districts.'''' ''My brother has gone crazy! ''......Yashiro is in trouble.'' ''Do you even know what you''re talking about? Huh? Why am I being worried to the hilt? This is a sanction against Bekko. ...... ''If the ...... cleavage ban is issued, the ...... boob lover Yashiro will die, that he will!I''m going to change the motif with all my heart, that I am! Why not? I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Oh, it''s so crowded. ''Please excuse me. Theron and Wendy arrive at the Sunken Pavilion together. They''re together again today. ...... I wish they''d explode. ''Hero-sama. Please listen to me!Our glowing bricks have been installed along the streets, and orders are pouring in from all over the city! ''It''s all thanks to you, Hero-sama. Thank you once again. Theron and Wendy bowed together. The glowing bricks are placed at even intervals along the large road that runs from District 42 through District 41 to District 40. In the 41st district, where there have been no streetlights until now, they have become a very popular topic and orders are pouring in. ''And so, Mr. Hero!I''d really like to thank you for your help, and I''d like to ask you for a convenient date. Theron approached me nervously. ''Why are you thanking me?It''s none of your business.'' ''No!It''s thanks to you, Hero-sama, that these glowing bricks are complete!Without Hero-sama, we wouldn''t be here today! ''That''s right, Hero-sama. If it weren''t for Hero-sama, ...... we''d probably be separated by now. ......'' ''Oh, Wendy......, I''m so happy to be around you.'' ''Me too, Theron......'' The two of them stared at each other. They stare at each other for a full minute. They stared at each other for another thirty seconds, oblivious to the flames of jealousy, almost murderous, emanating from Norma behind them. ''Hero-sama! ''Please! ''Ours. ''''Our'''' ''''Please come to our thank you party! ''''Yes . No! Who would go to a party where they can see us making out like this! I firmly refuse! ''''This~day~......?What?Why are there so many people here? Surprised by the acquaintances hanging out near the entrance, Paula, who had just entered the store, shouted. ''What is it, Paula? What do you want too? ''Oh, yeah. I''ve been thinking about the new menu, and I''d like your opinion. ''Why don''t you ask your own father about that? ''We cooked together in the tournament, didn''t we? ''Then ask Jeannette. ''What?You''ve been cold lately! He''s getting angry, and is closing in on me. With a slightly tearful face and an air of impatience, ...... I''m not sure what to say. Have you been feeling a little strange lately?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... And then Norma covered Paula''s mouth and forcibly pulled her away from me. ''There''s a certain order to things, you know. It''s not polite to impose your own thoughts on others. ''But come on, ......! ''Look, if you''re done, I''m leaving. ''Hey, I''m still at ......!Hey!Don''t pull me! Norma half-heartedly dragged Paula out of the store. ...... Ahhh. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ............ Ahh, right. I don''t know. ''Jeannette~'' ''Oh, yes! I call out, and Jeannette comes out of the kitchen. ''I''m going to go to Regina''s to get some spices. ''Yes, sir. Take care.'' ''Hmm. Oh, Magda. I''m sorry, but can you take that fridge to Norma''s?'' ''...... Got it. I''ll return it after I''ve had some fun. ''Don''t break it. ''...... I''ll do my best.'' ''I''ll play with it too, hoping not to break it! I have a feeling I''m going to break a lot of things. ...... Well, they said it was a prototype, so I guess it''s okay. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. There was no one chasing me. Oh, no. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... makes it hard to breathe. It''s hard to be cared for. This is the best place to escape from reality. You open the door of a familiar, shady store. There''s a creaking sound, and at the same time the scent of chemicals wafts through the air. ''Hey, Dusty. You''re in my way.'' ''Wait a minute. Why are you greeting Dusty in the landlord''s house?'' Regina appears from behind the counter. The only difference is that it''s not ''from behind''. ''...... What were you doing in that damp shade that mushrooms like? ''You''re an idiot. I''m sure you''ll find it relaxing. Isn''t this thing actually a kind of mushroom? ''So, what''s going on today?Did you run out of spices? ''No, ......, just give me a cup of tea.'' ''What the hell. We''re not a coffee shop, are we?...... Well, okay. Just sit down.'' Regina disappears behind the counter. She grabs a chair from the side of the counter, goes to the wall, and puts it there. Nearby is a large table with a wooden bowl filled with powder and other ingredients. As I sat down on the chair, a sigh escaped my lips. It seems I''m pretty tired, I guess. Mainly on the mental side. ''Do you know yourself? Regina appears with tea. She places a fresh cup of tea by my side, smirks and says this. ''When you sigh, your tits shrink. ''Tell that to Estella. My boobs can''t shrink. ...... doesn''t have any tits. ''You''re tired, aren''t you? Regina leaves my side and sits in a chair in front of the counter. I can hear her voice, but not her whisper. That''s the perfect distance for my current state of mind. ''I''ve been getting a lot of visitors lately. ''Your business is booming. Isn''t that a good thing? ''No, it''s not. Lately, a lot of people have been coming to visit me. Yesterday, Umaro came to me with a proposal for the development of District 42 after the completion of the city gate. Before that, Yap Rock came to ask me about improving popcorn varieties, and Mo Mat came to discuss how to grow sweet tomatoes. Millie has also started to bring flowers from time to time, and Delia spends all her time in the sunny pavilion when she''s not fishing. ''So, I guess I''m getting tired. I found myself complaining to Regina. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. I know what they''re trying to say. ...... They always make up some random reason to come and see me. And then they''d look at me with that ''I have no intentions'' look, but with a strange anxious look in their eyes. "Yashiro. You''re not going anywhere, are you? That''s what I''m thinking. ...... Honestly, give me a break. They''re looking for the superhero Obayashi, the one who helps the weak and saves the day. That''s not me. I''m a swindler, a small-time crook who fled the city after arriving here on the wanted list, a cunning man who is trying to make a living in this city by taking advantage of the good-natured people,......, but I promised to pay back the money for the food I lost. ......That''s why I''m still here. .................. ''Seriously,............, you''ve got it all wrong. It''s quiet, it''s dark, there are signs of people, but they don''t talk to you for nothing. ...... There is a guy by your side who may or may not be listening. ...... So you''re not alone. ............ I''m not sure what it is, but I feel strangely relaxed when I''m at Regina''s. That''s probably why I''m letting my weaknesses slip out. It''s annoying. Sorry. I''m sorry ......, but I just want to say one more thing .................. ...... ''I''m not that great of a guy. ............ Realize that, you idiots. It''s foolish to be fooled. I was completely fooled into thinking that I was a good person. ...... I spent a lot of time desperately trying to ...... keep it together. ...... ......They''re all idiots, aren''t they? ............ Well, there''s no one as stupid as me anywhere. I''m not sure what to do with it. ...... bitter. But strangely enough, it didn''t make me uncomfortable. I thought to myself, "This is the perfect amount of bitterness for me right now,......," like an idiot. ''Hey, myself ......''. Sitting on a chair and leaning her elbows on the counter, Regina says in a relaxed tone. ''It''s one thing to just throw everything away and run away with your tail between your legs. Their gazes crossed. Regina was smiling, somewhat sadly. She seemed to have given up on everything, and her smile was ...... empty, as if she was in a panic. I''m not sure what to make of that. When I heard these words, ...... I was strangely convinced by the expression on Regina''s face. ...... It may be because I was convinced that the things that I had always been a little curious about but never asked were probably not that far off the mark. Regina had run away from Baokri Air. And she did it for a reason that she had to,......, otherwise she wouldn''t be able to be herself. If we take into account his way of life, his way of thinking, his skills, his knowledge, and his standard of living, and make an inference, ...... Regina is a powerful person or a member of Baocliere''s family, and a skilled pharmacist herself. Before I came, Regina had been confined to a house in a remote place like this, and she hadn''t done much business, but she wasn''t in need of any money. On top of that, she buys spices from Bao Kri Air through her own channels, and even gets spices that are used by the nobility in All Bloom. The money has to come from somewhere. Or maybe he''s already amassed a fortune that he can''t spend. ...... Either way, the teenage Regina is able to act like this because of her family background or because her skills have earned her a position. As a result, the current Regina must be in a good position in Baokri Air. And Regina accomplished some feats at a very young age, like ...... inventing an infectious disease potion that saved the church''s children, just to give you an idea. He may have set a record for being the youngest person ever to do so. Those who are in the spotlight will be swept up in a whirlpool of speculation. There are those who come after you, those who malign you, and those who try to take advantage of you. ...... This may be the reason why he was extremely shy, positive and negative thinking. I think he got fed up with those people and left Baokri Air and came to All Bloom. To a city where you can''t tell a lie. To keep those shallow, authoritarian bastards away from him. Because once you''re in the city, you can''t tell a lie. It''ll be hard to win Regina over. ''...... What do you want?'' I wobbled to my feet and Regina slowly approached me. She walks past me and around to the back. Then she gently ...... puts her hand on my shoulder. ''If you ...... feel lonely going by yourself, ............ I can come with you.'' The voice that shook my eardrums was like sweet honey, numbing my spine and tingling my ............ brain. I never thought I''d see the day when I''d be able to ...... think of Regina as a good woman, even if only for a moment. It must be easy to be with this guy. She''s very perceptive, but doesn''t ask any questions. And she never talks about herself. You can just look at what''s in front of you right now and enjoy the day and the day. If you have this guy,......, you will never feel lonely,............, but... ''......I''ll think about it. ''Hmm ............ I see.'' The hand on my shoulder left my hand and lightly slapped me on the head. ''You''re an idiot. You''ve wasted your chance,'' I thought he said. Regina walked back to the counter. As I stared at her back, I tried to imagine what was in her mind when she said, ''It''s one thing to run away. Maybe she still hasn''t forgiven herself for what she did. That he abandoned his home. Maybe even the fact that he''s smoking indoors right now. ...... You have no way of knowing Regina''s true intentions. Nor do I have the right to. But I''m sure I can do something to help Regina feel better. ''Regina. ''Hmm?Are you leaving? ''...... Oh. Yeah, I guess.'' That''s probably a ''should we go home now? That''s a concern. She''s trying not to worry me. You''re a great woman, you know that? ''Thanks for the tea. It was really bitter.'' ''Your cheeks fell all over the place, didn''t they?"Roll, roll, roll, roll! Yeah.'' ''My cheeks are rolling around so much. ......'' Omusubi Kororin. I put the cup on the counter and head for the exit. Regina follows me in a natural motion. I guess she''s seeing me off. Before I open the door and walk out ......, I look back. ''Regina. Thank you.'' I looked at her face and thanked her sincerely. Then Regina opened her eyes wide, as if a little surprised, then blew out a troubled face and smiled nastily. ''What''s with the change? It''s creepy. ...... You''re overreacting over tea. ''No, it''s not tea. ''I''ll listen to you complain all you want. You don''t have to thank me every time. You''re so watery. ''It''s not about complaining. ''Then what is it? There was a hint of embarrassment in her voice. Regina is smiling teasingly and speaking in a light tone. As I stared at her, I saw her dark brown eyes tremble slightly. You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how you''re going to get there. ''I''m glad I met you. Thank you for being here. Regina''s eyes flicker wide and then begin to moisten. ''E.............'' The smile fades from her face, and she turns serious, large droplets forming in the corners of her eyes. ''A............!'' He hurriedly turned around, showed his back to us, and wiped his face with his sleeve. She wiped her face twice, three times, and many times. I''m not sure if it''s ...... ...... or what, but it''s ......! On the way, his voice trembled several times and he choked up. ''I like it here. I don''t care what anyone says, I''m here. I don''t care what anyone says, I''m here. Dusty is here, too, and I have to be here. ......'' He shook his shoulders, looked up a little, and repeatedly took rough breaths in an attempt to calm his heart. Even so, his voice was cheerful and light-hearted, as usual. ''I''m really annoyed. I''m really bummed that I got caught up in this stupid prank. ...... Oh, my God, I think I''ll get even!That''s right, I''ll make a really funny face and make you laugh! He covered his face with his hands as he said this. Her fingertips wiped the corners of her eyes repeatedly and busily. ''If I see this face, I''ll get sick to my stomach and suffer!If you want to run away, now is the time to do it! He doesn''t want her to see his crying face, so he wants her to go back to ...... as soon as possible. ''Well, I guess I''ll just tuck my tail and run. It seems that even an uncool loser has the right to live. ''Oh, come on, come on. So, hurry up and run. I stare at the back of Regina''s head for a moment, and then I leave the store. ''Oh, no.'' I stopped and looked back at the voice that seemed to be remembering something. ''Well, I''m sure you have a lot on your mind, so you don''t have to answer. With my hand behind my back, I grab the doorknob and slowly close the door. All the while, Regina never looks at you. She didn''t turn her head, and finally said to me. ''Come again. The door slammed shut. After that, I stood in front of the store for a while. I didn''t hear a single sound from inside the store, as if I was not home. Come again ....... ''Well, I''ll hold off on ............ for now. I muttered to myself that no one could hear, and decided to return to the sunlit pavilion. ...... Ah, spices,.................., well, whatever. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. When I opened the door to the sunlit pavilion, I was greeted by Ginette. Norma''s refrigerator was missing, and Magda and Loretta were nowhere to be found. They must have gone to deliver it together. And Ginette didn''t say a word when she saw me back. She didn''t say anything to me when I came back empty-handed, saying I had to get some spices. Oh, ...... he''s being careful. This may be ...... the end of the line for me. You can''t stay here any longer. ............ ''Yashiro is at home, isn''t he? Suddenly, the door behind me was thrown open with great force, and my heart skipped a beat. My heart skipped a beat. ''Oh, you''re here. ''......, why don''t you come in a little more quietly? ''I don''t care about such trivial matters! No, it''s not trivial, and you don''t get to decide if it''s good or bad. ''Hey, Imelda!Don''t do anything too strange to Yashiro right now! Imelda was a few minutes behind. Estella also came to the sunlit pavilion. ...... I can already smell trouble. ............ ''Anyway, can you leave? ''That''s not going to happen!You know, manager! ''Huh?Uh, sir?I don''t know what''s going on. ...... ''Look!You''re talking so fast, Ginette must be confused!I''m sorry, both of you. Don''t worry about Imelda. I don''t care what you say, I can''t be bothered with Imelda. Just get rid of her and I''ll gather my thoughts and go to ...... ''''I measured you yesterday, and you''ve gone up one breast size. ''''I''m curious!What do you mean?Tell me more! ''''Oh, that ...... is not to say that Yashiro-san, but Estella-san is not allowed to say such a thing .......'''' Hey, Jeannette. I''m not sure what you mean by Yashiro-san, but what do you mean? I''ll only talk about boobs from now on, you bastard. What do you mean? ''Yashiro-san. That''s good news. ''Are they tits?'' ''No, sir. We''ve just completed a branch of the Lumberjack Guild.'' ''............, huh? ''Please be more pleased! No, I''m more interested in seeing if Imelda, with her big tits, will push the limits further and evolve into a bombshell. She''s an F-cup, so she''s a ......A,B,C............G-cup! I''m with Norma! And with ........................ Medora... ...Huh. ''Congratulations, G-cup! ''The Lumberjack Guild branch is complete! ''The ''G'' in guild is the ''G'' in G-cup! ''No, it''s not! But, there''s no particular benefit to me in having a branch of the Lumberjack Guild. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. ''So, please hold a party in five days to celebrate the completion of the lumberjack guild branch! ............ Hmm? ''You know what, Imelda? ''What is it? ''Don''t they usually say, "We''re throwing a party, so please come"? ''I want to be entertained, so please open it, Yashiro-san. ''Well, ............ are you an idiot? Why do I have to host the completion party of the Lumberjack Guild? ''Oh, I''d like a surprise gift! If you propose it yourself, you''ll never get a surprise, right? You know that, right? The surprise is when you don''t even know it''s there and you''re like, ''Wow, what a surprise! That''s what a surprise is, right? ''Please prepare the most wonderful present for me. I won''t accept anything half-hearted.'' ''Shall I wait a moment? ''No, thank you. So, please take care of the food, manager.'' ''What?Oh, yes. I''ll leave it to you. Wait, wait, wait!Wait, wait, wait!What are you just letting it go so smoothly! ''What is it? It''s not ''what is it''! Imelda crosses her arms with a slightly annoyed expression. Why does she have such a big attitude? ''First of all, why do we have to do that? ''Because it''s what I asked you to do. ...... This guy. ''No.'' ''Yashiro-san.'' A sharp gaze stares at me. What is it?Are you trying to put pressure on me? Go ahead. No matter what you do, do you think you can beat me in negotiations? Let''s see what you can do! ''I''m going to cry, aren''t I? ''What''s with the pressure?It''s not fair! ''.................. mii'' ''The way you''re crying, it''s so cute! Holding her eyes with both hands, Imelda began to cry bitterly. ''......Yashiro won''t congratulate me on my once-in-a-lifetime performance. ............Does he not like me? ............ ouch ouch ouch. Oh, God. ...... This is ............ ''Yashiro took away my first time, and my life is ruined!I''m going to go to ...... and tell them all about it! ''Wait here! She''s so scary! What is this girl! ''Yashiro ...... you ......'' ''Why do you have that look on your face, Estella?You''ve seen the whole thing, right? d*mn ......, this is completely away from home. What, I''m in the sunlit pavilion and I''m away? ''Um, Yashiro-san.'' Tugging at my clothes in a cute way, Jeannette asks me a question. ''I''ll help you as much as I can. ''I don''t want to spoil you too much, .......'' ''But it''s one of Imelda''s dreams come true. Besides, we''ll be part of the same ward. I''m sure Ginette will follow through with any denials. Oh, ......... I guess I''ll just have to do it. ...... ''All right. I''ll do my best.'' ''Are you sure? I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about this. ............ Oh, so that''s what it is. ''Imelda. ''What is it?'' I hurriedly put on my high-flying mask again. With a clear face, the selfish young lady stares at me with cool eyes. ''Look forward to five days from now. For a moment, Imelda''s expression brightens up, and then her clear face immediately returns. ''Then, I''ll make sure you''re on time. Saying this in a dignified manner, Imelda walked out of the Sunlit Pavilion. The open door slowly closes,......, but it is almost stopped. She then opened the door ???????????? quietly so as not to make a sound and peeked outside. ...... and. ''I was so nervous ...... that I was afraid of upsetting Mr. Yashiro .......... ...but this will keep Yashiro-san in place for five days. ............ Once this is done, the city gate will be complete... ...and then ..................''. I pulled my head back and gently closed the door. You''ve been trying to keep me in line with all this monkey business? ...... Well, if you''re going to do that, you might as well do it without being noticed. ......... I''m sure you''ve been thinking about it for a while. Oh, shit!You can''t say no to me now, getting ready for the party. Ginette and Estella are watching my every move. I declare to them. ''Imelda''s party. I''ll make sure it''s a success! ''Yes! ''Oh well, ...... I''ll help too. d*mn, these guys, Imelda, and ...... this city are ............ This city is so full of sycophants that it''s ridiculous. 167-Im in a hurry to get ready for episode 146. ''I''ll pay for everything!Please make it a big event! Imelda had said that she would pay for the whole thing, but then-- ''Don''t tell Imelda, but I''ll pay a little too. But then Estella said, ''I''ll give you a little, too, without telling Imelda. I''ll make the party more luxurious than Imelda imagined and surprise her. Estella gave me an additional budget. Honestly speaking, it was a great opportunity for me, as I had been worrying about the surprise plan that started from the obvious state. Moreover, Estella gave me a considerable amount of money from the profits from the sewage business and the tax revenue of the 42nd district, which had jumped up after the gluttony contest. Our budget has doubled. I think we can do a lot with this. It''s ....... ............ surprise. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. I''m sure you''ll be surprised. But I don''t think that''s the case. ...... In the meantime, I''ve decided to try everything I can. ''So, the reason I asked you guys to gather here is no other reason. Take a look at this proposal. As I said this, I handed the members of the group a sheet of paper on which I had written a lot of details, from the project''s intentions to the planned completion, dimensions, and so on. Since the work would be divided among the members, I handed each of them a piece of paper that had been carefully filled in to avoid any mistakes. ''Nice paper, hero. ''We have a large budget. I''ve made sure that all important documents are in order.'' Theron stroked the fine paper with his fingers and squinted happily. In this city, even paper can be expensive. This proposal is made of white paper, which is classified as high quality paper, but not as high quality paper. ''As well as the paper, ...... how dare you even make something like this ......''. Norma says as she knocks on the wall of the completion party organizing committee hall (a simple one-story building @ Umaro''s work). We rented Umaro for the night and built this building. There is a large meeting room of about 16 tatami mats, and two private rooms of about 6 tatami mats next to it. There are also two flush toilets, one for men and one for women. The hall is too splendid for a makeshift facility. The small rooms serve as waiting rooms for those who are not participating in the meeting. The place where the hall stands is near the 42nd district branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild, so that the things prepared here can be carried quickly. You can have surprise guests waiting for you. The door is locked, so there''s no need to worry about anyone prying into your secret plans. We don''t want Imelda to find us while we''re having a meeting in the sunlit pavilion. ''So, Mr. Yashiro. When should I finish this, that I should? ''You should have it done the day before the show. There are things I need to do with it.'' ''Hmm. ...... I understand, that I do.'' Sticking out his chest, Becko agreed. Surprise number one is now complete. ''A new mold. ...... I''m excited.'' ''I''ll make some more improvements to the old one, too. Naturally, I''ll make it big enough for this project. ''I am fully enthusiastic, that I am!I will definitely create something that far surpasses the finished model, that I will! The three of them left the hall in high spirits. No one had time for idle chatter here any longer. This is a big project involving the 42nd district ......, or rather, all those who have been involved with me! ''Are you sure you want to come in now, Yashiro-chan? Next in line was Ukrines. He is the most important person in the festival. ''What kind of clothes are you planning to make next? ''These! ''Well, so many ............''. ''We don''t have much time, can you make it in time?'' ''Yashiro-chan, ...... look at my hands, ............'' Ukrines'' hands were shaking and trembling. ''Are you under pressure?If that''s the case, you can reduce the variety: ......'' ''No, sir. No, Yashiro-chan.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''I''m looking forward to it!In the style of Yashiro-chan, ...... "I''m super excited! That''s right. ''Am I that kind of image? ''Oh, I can''t stay like this. I''m going to take this design drawing and the paper pattern! As if snatching a bundle of paper, Ukrines hurried out of the hall. Now, I''m looking forward to the completion. ''Ah, ...... ladybug. Come in ......?'' ''Oh, Millie!I''ve been waiting for you. Like this, people keep coming to this hall one after another. I''ve been having a meeting with someone all morning. But that''s it for today. ''Will you go with me to the Forty District? ''Hmm. What are you doing in the Forty District?'' ''I want you to gather flowers with the anteater brothers. I want to decorate that large area with beautiful flowers. If possible, I''d like to put flowers on both sides of the path that Imelda walks.'' ''Oh, ...... that''s so pretty, ...... you''ll leave it to Miri?'' ''Oh, yes. I''ll leave the placement and type of flowers to you. You can use the anteater brothers as assistants as you like. I don''t have ...... permission, but I won''t let you refuse.'' ''Hmmm. ...... Hmm. I''ll do my best. So I cleaned up the hall, locked the door tightly, and hurriedly headed for the 40th district. Four more days until the party. So much to do. ''Where are Jinetto and the others? ''The members of the Sunlight Pavilion and the lord''s team spent the whole day yesterday discussing this and that. From now until the last day, we''ll be separated. I''ll leave the cooking completely up to Ginette. ''Hmmm ...... Jeannette, you seem to be very excited. ''Oh, that''s great. It''s not every day you see Ginette breathing so hard. You should take a look at it next time. ''............ I don''t blow my nose, Jeannette.'' Millie giggles. From a large field on the other side of the field, Mormat waved at us. ''Yashiro!I''ve made some really sweet pumpkins!Please use it at the party! ''Even if you give it to me now, it''ll be a burden. Take it to the sunny pavilion and tell Jeannette.'' ''What, are you going out? ''I''m going to the forty-second ward. ''I see. Be careful.'' ''You''re a kid, I am.'' ''You''re still a kid in my eyes. He smiles with a big mouth and shows off his neatly lined fangs. ''Well, come home early. ...... This guy, again. ''Oh. I''ll be right back.'' ''Yuck. ............ Oh, yeah!I''ll be waiting for you! I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that," he said, laughing and waving his arms around as if he were about to cry. I''ll say that as much as I want. I can''t leave here until the ...... party. I don''t have time for lonely mormats right now. I''ve got a lot of work to do. After passing through the fields and the sunny pavilion, I stopped by Millie''s store to pick up a cart for loading flowers, and then went through the narrow mountain path that led from the central square to the fortieth district. He left Millie at the anteater brothers'' place and ordered them to ''help'' him, saying, ''HEY, HEY!I''ll help you!'''' They agreed, and I headed for my next destination. ''''Hey!Sorry to call you here, Demilly. ''Oba-kun, ......, you''re summoning a lord, you know this is war in this world, right? ''Don''t worry about it. I''m out.'' ''There''s nothing left to get out of! I met up with Demilly, the lord of the 40th district, on the main street and headed to the headquarters of the Woodcutter''s Guild. He had business with Imelda''s father, Stuart Javier. ''If you were going to Stuart''s, you could have told me first and I could have met you inside. ''I didn''t want to risk Imelda finding out if I wrote to you. That''s why I didn''t make an appointment today.'' ''...... to meet the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild without an appointment would be ...... the world''s .......'' ''The world isn''t the world, so there won''t be a war. ''But do you really think you can meet the busy Stuart without an appointment? ''That''s what you''re here for, isn''t it? ''......The lord has been used cheaply. ......Well, that''s fine.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. He seems to be enjoying himself. ''Hey, Oba, do you want to go eat cake with me later? ''A date? Why do I have to eat cake with a slippery old man? You should eat that abominable hot chicken and do a lot of damage to your hair follicles. Not long after, I arrived at the Lumberjack Guild headquarters, where Demilly''s face had a tremendous effect and I was able to meet Javier immediately. Thank goodness. There was something I needed to tell him about this party. ''Javier, we need to talk. ''No, that''s fine, but ......, Yashiro. No matter how bald you are, you''re still a lord.Don''t use your chin like that. ''Stuart. I feel bad, Stuart. Hey, Stuart. Look at me, Stuart.'' Demilly was annoying and dazzling, so I lightly ignored him. Today, I was ushered into a room that looked like a study, instead of the usual large office. It seemed to be Javier''s private room, with family portraits and the like adorning the walls. ...... Are you rich?............ No, I''m rich. ''I''m going to have a party next time, you come to the 42nd district to give me a shot. ''I''m also the guild leader of a big guild. Don''t use me as a joke.'' ''It''s your daughter''s fault, .......'' I''ll make sure Javier tells you everything he knows about Imelda''s request. ''This is the reason why I have to go to .......'' ''Oba-kun, isn''t there something wrong with the way you''re explaining this? The sun of the forty districts, Demily, is saying something, but I ignore it lightly. ''Well, Imelda''s not that reckless ......''. ''Hey, Stuart. Are you not going to answer my question?No, it''s fine. ''All right, I''m a man too. I''ll do it for the pretty girl.'' With a thump on his chest, Javier said yes. ''Ambrose and I are going to do some tricks! ''You''re being used as a joke!I just said it myself, but the guild leader here is trying to use me, the lord, as a joke!That''s strange, isn''t it? Javier persuaded Demilly, who was being very cagey, and the preparation for Surprise #2 was complete. I''ll get someone to imitate Javier and make an ''appearance of the man himself! I''ll give it a try. I left the Lumberjack Guild headquarters and headed back to District 42. But before that. I''ll head in the direction of the sugar factory and shout loudly. ''I can''t wait to see the Cheer Girls reunite in four days and perform in cute costumes! Well, maybe now we can use all the sugar we want at this party. Riding in the carriage that Javier had prepared for me, I headed back to the 42nd district. The preparations progressed steadily, and the time flew by. The next thing I knew, the party was just around the corner. The day before the event,......, many people describe the day as ............, "Shuraba,". ''Sorry, Jeannette!Hold it back a second! ''Oh, yes!I''ll be there as soon as Nephrite''s is finished, so please wait a moment! ''Mr. Manager!I''ll take care of Paula''s! Loretta-san! ''Wait a minute, Magda!I''ll take care of Paula''s! ''...... s*xy.'' ''Don''t be silly, come here!I''ll fix you up.'' ''Oh, Miss Delia. Your breasts look like they''re about to burst.'' ''Yes, it is. ...... I''m in some pain. ......'' ''This is the fourth line in the ranking of words that Estella-sama would like to say. ''Can you not decide on your own, Natalia? It''s really lively. ............ In the next room... The next room is.Why do I have to stay in this room with those ugly men? ''Of course you do! ''I heard that the walls of this building ...... are made especially strong to prevent Mr. Yashiro from peeping in, that they are. ''Umaro, you? ''That''s why it''s obvious! Umaro betrayed us. He should have made some kind of magic mirror that we can see in full but they can''t. ...... He''s so careless. You can''t see what''s going on. I''m not sure if I''d want to peek at a lady changing her clothes. I''m not sure what to make of that. I mean, ...... ''Why are you here? ''I don''t care if you''re here! ''It''s a party in the forty-second ward. ''It''s like you invited me!You contributed a lot of sugar! I''m really crying, so I''ll stop tormenting you now. Percy''s sugar came in handy as we had a standing party where we could eat all the cakes in the 42nd district along with the food. Cakes are instantly more gorgeous when they are gathered in large numbers. ''Yes, Mo-Mat. Done.'' ''Oh,oh,...... this is the first time I''ve ever worn clothes like this,...... hey,yashiro. Isn''t that weird?'' A tuxedo for a party, Mormat is tense and looking at me with caution. I had given him a tuxedo and suit pattern as formal wear for men. ...... ''That''s weird. ''Don''t say it so clearly! What is this strange feeling? Well, when a crocodile''s face grows out of a tuxedo, it''s not so strange. Incidentally, the girls wore cocktail dresses that looked like they could be worn to a small party, or casual dresses of a different shape. I have a feeling that they will look good no matter who wears them. I''m looking forward to the unveiling. ''Hey~, there''s a weird crease in my chest. ...... said Nephrite''s voice. Percy''s ears twitched. Percy''s ears twitched. ...... You dirty bastard. ''If that''s the case, a pad will give you a nice shape. ''Is that right? ''Yes. Ms. Ukrines told me that it is used for shaping clothes like this. If you use it correctly, it will look very beautiful. Ginette is sharing the knowledge she learned from Ukrines. Since Ukrines had to dress the men, Ginette and Loretta were teaching the women''s team how to dress themselves. For the past three days, they have been studying hard at Ukrines'' place. ''Should we include you, Pat? ''Delia, there''s no more room for ............ you, or what should I do ...... you really look like you''re about to burst.'' I want to see what''s going on with Delia now! ''Everyone, look at my chest!This is Estella-san''s direct teachings, a beautiful boob line with the correct padding! ''''''Ooooh! ''''As expected of Estella! ''''You''re a pro.'''' ''''Because the years are different.'''' ''''Master .......'''' ''''Shut up, guys!And Magda, don''t say Master! ''Hey, Estella!Teach me your secret putt-putt technique! ''I wish you''d teach me, too, expert technique! ''Paula, Nepheli ......, I''m sure you don''t mean any harm, but ......, you''re stabbing me.'' ''The years are different. ''Natalia, you''re so annoying! It''s really loud. ''Hey, Yashiro. Estella ...... is a lord, isn''t she?'' Mormat listened to the voice from next door with a worried expression. ''Is it okay for Paula and Nephrite to talk to each other like that? ''It''s fine . Estella is Estella. It would hurt her more if you were to distance yourself from her like you did earlier.'' ''Oh, is that so? ......'' ''Yes, that''s right. That''s why you should keep the same ............ ''Have I seen your face before? I''m sure you''ve heard of me. I''m not sure if I''m that much of a stranger, but I don''t think I am either. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. '''''''' Yes! '''''''' It seems that the girls have already changed their clothes. ''Oh my. You''re all so naive. Hey, Yashiro? ''Shut up.'' Uclines looks at me with a grin. He''s having fun with ....... By the way, Ukrines is a self admitted ''old lady'', ''I don''t care if I see your skin now. I''m a dressmaker,'' and so she dresses men. Well, even if you are embarrassed by Ukrines,......, it''s not like you''re going to be naked. ''Yashiro-san......'' The knock sounded hesitantly, and Ginette''s voice could be heard from behind the door. ''Hold on a minute. I''ll open it.'' I dismissed the men near the door and moved with Ukrines to the door. As the door is a push-open door, you open it slowly so as not to hit the person behind the door. ''Oh, ......''. The first thing that jumped out at me was the sight of Ginette, wearing a mature dress that exposed her broad shoulders. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Yes. Black is also good. ''Ya, Yashiro-san ......''. I was about to admire the dress, but then ...... I felt like I was being admired back. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''...... It''s lovely.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ............ You know, Ukrines is grinning too much next to me and it''s annoying, so let''s not do that. I''m not sure what you''re doing.Open up quickly, Yashiro.'' Estella said in an impatient voice and opened the half-open door with a jerk. On the other side of the door, there are a lot of beautiful girls dressed up in beautiful clothes. ...... This is a feast for the eyes. ...... ''''''''...... ohhh ohhh '''''''' ......There was a low voice that sounded like the earth was rumbling. ''Hey, what''s up, Yashiro? ...... You can do it too .............'' This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time and money. ''Ladybug, you''re a cool ...... guy.'' Millie gives me very honest feedback. But the rest of them just looked at me and didn''t seem to have any particular impression. ''Oh, big brother. You look like an aristocrat. Loretta says this because I''m wearing a tuxedo. I''m also playing with my hair a little. Well, when I was in Japan, I sometimes dressed like this, so I''m used to wearing it, but ...... the stares of people who aren''t used to seeing me are not so nice. ...... Don''t look too hard. I''m going to stare back at your tits. I''ll be back.I tried it on too!What do you think? ''............?Oh, yeah. It looks good.'' ''Yaaaaaay! No, Percy,...... that was clearly a flattery,...... or a reflexive reaction to being suddenly approached. It''s a social call,......, but it''s okay because he looks happy. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''ll take it!I''m sorry.You''re so beautiful!I was so surprised!You''re really something! Nepheli, whom Percy admired greatly, was wearing a pale green dress. The dress does not expose much skin, but it is form-fitting and clearly shows her body lines. She is slim and has long arms and legs, and when I look at her again, I realize that she has a model figure. Her breasts are neither too big nor too small, and she seems to be able to wear all kinds of clothes with style. Are there many stylish avian beastmen? ''Yashiro!What am I? Flapping her droopy golden retriever-like ears, Paula literally jumped out in front of me. Like this, "Poof! And. Paula''s dress is a girlish one with a big bow. The white and pink colors are bright, giving her a lively feeling. When she spins around, her skirt spreads out softly and her bushy tail wags happily, creating a very lovely finish. Millie, standing next to her, is wearing a one-piece dress with a light blue base, giving the impression of a princess in a picture book. At first glance, I thought she looked like Alice. The ruffles are fluffy and very cute. I''m not sure if it''s ...... or not. The slightly wide open back seemed to be embarrassing. ''Don''t look at me too much,......,'' she said, turning red and running away from my gaze. ''...... Magda is the strongest today.'' Magda is coming to me, proudly and with absolute confidence. It''s a so-called Gothic Lolita or Gothic Lolita dress, based on black, with lots of frills and lace. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. Cat Lolita.................. Magi Angel......... I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry.I almost got infected. ...... I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. ''...... Today''s Magda is using ...... Fallen Heaven'' I''m not sure what to say.Magda, you''re a real fallen angel! Don''t rephrase, every time. I''m not going to ...... be one of you. I''m not going to ...... be one of you! ''Hey, Yashiro, ...... are you sure this is what you want? It''s puffy, puffy, puffy! Oh, that. It''s puffy, it''s puffy! That''s it! That''s it, that''s it! That''s it! That''s it! That''s it, that''s it!That''s it, that''s it! That''s it! ......? I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ''Oh no, this is not safe without a little correction. Uclines walks over and puts his hand on Delia''s dress. She puts her finger between her breasts and the dress to check the lack of room. ............ I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll agree. You can''t do that, Yashiro-san! I don''t know why, but Jeannette stopped me. Will other sects suppress your faith? ...... ''I think I''ll ask you to take off your clothes once. If we don''t, if you stretch your chest even a little, it will go ''Biri! ''Hey, someone! ''Hey, someone!Is there anything ball-like around here?I''m in the mood to play volleyball with everyone! I don''t know what a volleyball is, but you can''t do that, Yashiro-san! The Spiritual Church ...... is a despicable oppression ............! Estella glared resentfully at her puffy breasts. Stop, don''t look. What if it gets smaller? Don''t hurl curses at me. What Estella is wearing is a dress that emphasizes Estella''s beautiful legs. It''s a dress that emphasizes her beautiful legs. The silky smooth fabric conforms to the lines of her body, revealing the shape of her thighs and toned calves. And this dress, which has a collar but leaves both shoulders exposed, does a good job of disguising Estella''s disappointment. ''............ What is the meaning of your gaze? She''s as perceptive as ever. ''I was just thinking that you have beautiful shoulders. ''What? As soon as I complimented her on her shoulders, she hugged her shoulders with the hand that was covering her breasts and hid them. ''I''ve never had anyone compliment me on my shoulder before. ............ Ya, Yashiro is interested in strange things, isn''t he? ''Don''t talk about me like I''m some kind of perverted fetishist. I think there are a lot of guys who like shoulders. ''I''d be happy to see your armpits, too. ''Absolutely not!I don''t like that! ...... Tsk. ''Yashiro-sama, then please enjoy my armpits. ''I won''t let you, Natalia!You should be ashamed of yourself!As the head maid of the Cremona family! Estella stops Natalia from raising her arms. ...... Tsk. I mean... ''Natalia ...... looks oddly good.'' ''Strange'' is an understatement. I was rather confident, is that strange?'' ''Not at all. It''s going to change the way you look at me.'' Natalia was wearing a dress that emphasized her beautiful legs. She was wearing a dress that accentuated her beautiful legs, and the dress fit her body perfectly, with a collar, but both shoulders were exposed. The dress fits her body perfectly and has a collar, but exposes a lot of her shoulders. It sounds like Estella''s halter-type silk dress, but ...... Natalia is wearing a Chinese dress. I''m glad I snuck it in there!I love the slits!I can''t believe a Chinese dress would look good on a maid from another world. ...... New... look! ''Oh, ......, I think this dress is a little too ...... flashy for me. One of the contributors to the gluttony contest. Sister Bertina, one of the contributors to the gluttony contest, raises her hand in confusion. Flashy?Not at all. It''s very ...... nice! ''That ...... shoulder is ...... exposed ......''. ''No, no, no. There''s fabric. ''But it''s ...... transparent and .......'' Bertina is wearing a see-through stole over a bare-top dress that fastens at the chest. The dress is somewhat reminiscent of the image of Cleopatra. Bertina is unusually shy. It''s probably inevitable, since she rarely exposes her skin, but I feel like I''ve seen something good. ''Big brother, my dress is pretty cute too! Perhaps it''s because the others are the focus of attention, but Loretta is jumping up and down and making a strong appeal. I''ve decided to wear pants instead of a skirt because I know Loretta will be running around in a dress. The dress she is wearing is based on the Vietnamese folk costume called the ao dai,......, and is long-sleeved, but with a hint of s*x appeal and a neat silhouette that will increase your girl power by 35% just by wearing it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Is this all of them? ......'' But there was one more person. Norma is getting smaller in the corner. ''What are you doing, Norma? Come here and show me.'' ''Hey ......, but ............ is this ...... really the right one?'' The clothes she was wearing didn''t seem to fit her, and her expression was dull. ''Norma. You look very pretty in that dress. ''Sure. It''s very different from the other dresses, but I like it too. I like the color scheme, and the red ribbon is a gorgeous accent. ''......So, is it ............? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. So. It''s called the ...... sailor suit! I''ve always wanted to see one of these, Norma''s sailor suits! ''......, isn''t that weird? ''What are you talking about Norma, ............ is the best.'' It''s like that kind of store. ''Sorry, can you cover your eyes with your palms facing me? ''This is how ...... it is?'' Wow, looks like a dating ad. ''I think there''s something wrong with .......'' ''Yeah. I''m starting to feel that way too, looking at Yashiro''s face.'' I don''t like it, Estella. ...... You''re so perceptive. ''I personally enjoyed it, and tomorrow I''ll prepare a proper dress for you, okay? ''Well, then, Yashiro-san ......, what is Norma-san wearing right now ......? ''No, no, Jeannette. That''s a good one.'''' They''re the old man''s favorite. ''I''m leaving now! ''Wait, wait, Norma!It''s true that it suits you! After that, Bertina was very angry with me, and I promised to treat Norma to something sweet to make her happy, and the situation was settled somehow. A little mischief caused a painful expense. Because I wanted to see a sailor suit with big tits! I''m not sure what to say. Please ...... repent.'' The day ended with a scolding from Ginette, whose cheeks were puffed up. And finally, the day of the lumberjack guild''s branch completion party arrived. 168-Episode 147: Everyones making a fool of themselve... ''Are we there yet?When am I going to be able to leave here? Imelda has been asking the same question over and over again, ''Why don''t we go to the venue as soon as possible? Imelda has been saying the same thing over and over again. Imelda is supposed to be picked up as soon as the venue is ready. So even though I told her to keep quiet until then, she seems to be eager to see the show. Despite the fact that the event was to be held at Imelda''s Woodcutter''s Guild branch, I had to give her a surprise, so I brought the half-asleep Imelda to the sunny pavilion early in the morning, and while she was there, I had all the hamsters prepare the venue. Umaro was in charge of the set-up, while Ginette was in charge of the cooking. Magda went to Becco to help prepare for the surprise, while Loretta and Nepheli entertained the guests. Well, the guests of honor are Javier and his friends, so it''s forgivable if they are a bit rude. That''s why it''s just me, Imelda, Estella and Natalia in the sunlit pavilion. Natalia has been invited to help Imelda dress. Ukrines will have to dress the participants over there. ''I''m getting tired of seeing Yashiro''s tuxedo and I''d like to head to the ...... venue as soon as possible. ''I''m sorry, I''m getting bored with your crappy outfits.'' d*mn. Yesterday, people were crowing about me, and I was thinking, ''Huh, I''m a guilty man too, baby,'' and then ...... Imelda... ...... I''m sure you''ve seen a lot of men dressed like this. ...... Well, that''s okay, I don''t mind. It''s not that I don''t like it. Imelda doesn''t praise you, so Yashiro is sulking. That''s disgusting, Estella. Who''s sulking? It''s just a little, ''This is boring!I think I''ll quit now! I''m just in the mood. ''It''s nonsense to compliment your clothes. A boring man is boring no matter how much he dresses up. I''m sorry, I''m a boring guy. ''Mr. Yashiro''s goodness is not affected by his clothes, and I have always seen it with my own eyes. It would be rude of me to praise you now. Hmm?What is it? In other words, ''You''re always so cool, Yashiro-san~! Is that what you''re saying?Is that what you''re saying? ''You''re a good judge of character, Imelda. ''You''re cheap, aren''t you? Shut up, Estella. Every human being likes to be praised. Wouldn''t you be happy if someone said, ''You''re the world''s best flattie''? ''Onii-chan! Then, the person Imelda has been waiting for appears. ''Here''s your outfit for the special day! It''s Hammaro, dressed neatly in a small tuxedo. He also seems to be tweaking his hair. ''Well then, let''s head out. ''I have a carriage waiting for you, you can take it. Hearing Estella''s words, Imelda finally seemed to be in a better mood. ''I hope you''ll make it a wonderful party for the extra time I''ve kept you waiting. While she was talking high and mighty, her face was shining with excitement like a schoolgirl on a field trip. I wonder if she''s going to keep up her selfish character. The plating has already peeled off quite a bit. ...... Ah, you see. I''m not sure what to do. ''Let''s go, quickly!Hurry up!Harry up! ''No, ......, just calm down.'' ''I''m calm...'' ''Then stop singing and dancing. I successfully guided Imelda, who was spinning around, out of the sunlit pavilion. There was a carriage with a fairy tale design that looked as if Cinderella would come in droves. It was the work of Jan Bold, the number two carpenter at Torbek''s construction company, whom Imelda liked very much. ''Oh my!It''s beautiful!I''ve never seen such a beautiful carriage before! In the past, no matter how fashionable the carriage was, the walls and ceiling were straight boxes, and the only thing that was done was to see how much beautiful work was done to them. This time, however, the walls of the carriage have a gentle curve, giving it a cute form, just like a pumpkin carriage. And the horse that pulls this cute carriage is no ordinary horse. We managed to arrange a special horse that Imelda would like very much, for today only, after a lot of negotiations. The horse that will pull this carriage, ...... that is! ''...... will lead you to the venue. I''ll pull the carriage! ''Hello, Mr. Yamboldo? Yes!''Yes, Mr. Yamboldo, of the tribe of the Ursaans, horse-faced, horse-like. ''Imelda seemed to like him, so I asked him to pull the carriage. ''You''re treating her wrong!I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. ''Hee hee! ''Mr. Yangbold is going to do it! Well, don''t worry about it. Yamboldo is a strong type of beastman who can carry a huge log several hundred years old with ease. A carriage with two humans in it is more than enough. And this guy loves this kind of nonsense. As escorts, Hammaro and I took our seats, with Imelda between us. ''Come on, let''s go, Yambold! ''Meaaah! Yamboldo neighs!I''m not neighing.It was ''meh'' though! Anyway, pulled by a very enthusiastic Yambordo, our carriage began to move slowly and we started to run towards the venue. Estella and Natalia were coming later on foot. This carriage was a stunt to bring Imelda, the star of the day, gracefully to the venue. ''Ya, Yashiro-san!You know what?You''re going too fast!The curve!I''m afraid of the curve! ''It''s going to be a beastly G! ''Yangboldo!Slow down!Just slow down! ''Vomit! ''You''ve got to be kidding me! ''Raging, the law of inertia! Imelda and Hammaro clung to my arms as the carriage sped by at a tremendous speed. Before I knew it, I was in the middle. Hammaro is so light that he flies away when G is applied. ...... After that, Yamboldo continued to run amok, passing the Woodcutter''s Guild and then turning back, and then turning back and then running past them again, each time making a U-turn while exerting tremendous gravity on us. ...... He was a complete bad ass. I''ve never seen a carriage drift before. I''m going to have to revise my rating of ...... for Mr. Yambold. ......'' Imelda says with a very pale face. He''s a good worker, but he''s also a guy who ...... has no idea what he''s thinking in the first place. A lot of craftsmen are like that, aren''t they? I''m sure you''ll be fine, Yashiro.So, I''m telling you, you shouldn''t go to Yamboldo. ......'' The carriage stopped suddenly in front of the venue and Umaro came running up to it and said with a frightened look on his face. You really should listen to the advice of someone who knows you well. ...... I was so focused on the surprise that I almost lost my life. I''m not sure what to say. ''......This is the surprise. ......'' I didn''t expect it to be this bad. ...... As my clothes got a little messy, I was asked to fix my clothes and makeup in the preparation committee hall. Uclines, who was waiting for me, did it quickly and dexterously. You can also use make-up. ...... You are a versatile dressmaker. I''ve never been in here before. I''ve never been in here before.'' This is where we were preparing for this party, so we couldn''t let you in. And don''t go into the other rooms. There are things in there I can''t show you yet.'' For example, your father. ''So there''s more. I''m looking forward to it. The carriage sickness was gone. Imelda''s excitement seemed to have peaked as the venue drew nearer. Estella walks into the hall. ''Then let''s head for the venue. ''How did you get there before us?It''s a surprise! ''No, ...... you guys have been going back and forth for quite some time. ......'' It turns out that walking was much faster. The surprises never cease. Led by Estella, we walked for about five minutes. I had missed it a few times before, but when I saw it again, I couldn''t help but gasp ......''oooh......''. The venue was beautifully decorated in a very glamorous and elegant way. Millie and the anteater brothers had prepared a carpet of flowers. The sweet scent of the colorful flowers that surrounded the aisles delighted not only my eyes but also my nose. ''It''s lovely. Imelda is getting a little pouty. Good, good, good. We follow the path surrounded by flowers and come to a large courtyard. This is the place where Ginette was acting suspiciously when she came to stay at Imelda''s house before. At that time, there was nothing but this house and it looked bleak, but now there are various buildings around it, and it looks like a little town. There are warehouses for storing wood, factories for processing wood, and facilities for lumberjacks to relax. It''s a very well-developed area. How did you manage to build all these things? ''Ms. Imelda, Mr. Yashiro. We''ve been waiting for you. In the courtyard, the residents of the forty-two districts gathered and greeted Imelda with loud applause. ''Gentlemen,......, what''s wrong with your clothes,............, you''re dressed up in an uncharacteristic way... ...Well, well, well, you''ll be seen! So many people, dressed in formal attire, gathered in good faith for a party of her own devising. Imelda must have been very happy. The thin film of water on her eyes glistened as it reflected the sun''s rays. In the courtyard, several long tables were set up with colorful dishes on them. Near where Delia was gazing with sparkling eyes was the cake corner, where all the cakes that existed in the 42nd district were lined up. There is a little stage set up in a position where you can stand with your back to the mansion. It is the kind of place where once you go up there, you will be noticed. ''So, shall we have a greeting from the host? ''All right. As expected, Imelda was unafraid to make a speech in such a place, and went up to the stage with her heart in her hands. ''Ladies and gentlemen: .................. ''Calm down, Imelda!Just be normal and say hello!'' Even Imelda seemed to get nervous as she stepped up to the stage and drew all the attention. After taking a deep breath, Imelda began to speak again. ''I would like to thank you all for gathering here today. I''m ...... happy to be able to hold such a wonderful party with the help of so many people. Thank you very much. Very honestly, Imelda bowed her head in gratitude. After raising her head, she glanced at me and gave me a smile. When I responded with a small wave, Imelda looked forward happily and continued talking. ''It''s impossible to have a party indoors with so many people gathered. There may be some inconveniences outdoors, but please enjoy yourself to your heart''s content. Imelda bowed, and the crowd applauded. And so, the party began. After the toast, all the guests crowded around the food. The cake is very popular. ...... No, let''s eat first. ''Hexenbiest sausage, please! ''Hey, Loretta!Don''t eat so much by yourself, okay? ''It''s all you can eat today! There''s enough for everyone else! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... How much do you like hexenbiest sausages? In the midst of all this, there was a group of people who secretly began to take action. ''Everyone, pay attention! ''Attention please! ''......Scrutinize! ''Hey, ......, ......, look at this! ''It''s okay if you eat while you eat~!Look at me! ''Did you guys eat the salmon? Norma, Loretta, Magda, Milly, Nephrite, and Delia appeared on the stage. Ginette and Paula had to prepare a meal, Natalia had to stay with Estella, and Estella and Bertina were asked to refrain from ...... their positions... ...Now, what are these guys going to do? ...... ''Now we''re going to put on a little show! Norma announced, and the ...... audience, mostly men, cheered. The people who had been picking at their food rushed to the front of the stage, and the standing party became as lively as an outdoor concert. ''First of all, the highlight of the show!Loretta!'' ''Yes, sir!Today, a branch of the Woodcutter Guild was officially established in District 42!Congratulations!Let''s have a round of applause! He waved his arms in the air, encouraging the audience to applaud. Satisfied with the applause, he now lowers his arms to quell the applause. If he wore sunglasses, he would look just like a certain presenter. Well, he didn''t close with a triple clap, though. ''So, to mark this happy day in history, the proud craftsmen of the 42nd district have prepared a special gift for you!That''s ...... over there!'''' Loretta pointed to the far end of the courtyard. A huge ''something'' was being carried in on a cart pulled by hamsters. The ''something'' was covered with a large cloth, so that we could not see inside. ''It''s very heavy, Magda, Delia, take it down and set it up in a good place. ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''What''s Delia-chu, Delia-chu!...... d*mn it.'' He weaves his way through the crowd of spectators, unloads a huge "something" from a cart, and sets it up in a prominent place in the courtyard. Magda looked into the cloth, checked the direction, and nodded her head. ''Well then!Imelda-san, the star of the show!I''ll come here where I can see you best!Here, here!And my brother and Estella, go over there and prepare for the unveiling! As Loretta said, Imelda went up on the stage, and Estella and I stood on either side of the ''something''. ''Do you know what this is? ''Yeah. It''s the one I ordered. ''Well, I''m looking forward to .......'' Then, when everyone was ready, Becko went up to the stage. Then Theron and Wendy went up to the stage, and the four of them, including Norma, lined up side by side. These are the four people who produced this ''something''. ''Now, I''d like to hear a word from the leader of the production team, Gozaru-san. ''Mmm, mmm...... nervous, that I am. E~...... this.'' Becko is very nervous. However, he opens his mouth and begins to speak in a dignified tone. ''This time, I challenged myself to carve stone for the first time, that I did. It was my first challenge, that it was an important sculpture that would serve as a memorial to a memorable day. I was almost crushed by the tremendous pressure, but thanks to my friends who helped me, I completed what I can call my masterpiece, that I did!I am very proud of it, that I am!As a matter of fact, I have often visited this house ......, or rather, I have been forcibly kidnapped and visited there, that I have. At the request of Imelda, who loves beautiful things, I made a lot of food samples, and sometimes I was scolded severely, but I had a very fulfilling time, that I did. It was because of that time that I was able to make this stone statue, that I was able to make it. That is why I dare to say this, that I do. Thank you, Mr. Imelda, for showing me a new world, that you did. Bekko bent his back 90 degrees in a deep salute. Imelda was surprised and covered her mouth. Her eyes are wide and ...... slightly moist as if they are about to fall out. ''Then you shall see, that you shall see!The title is "The Goddess Who Illuminates the Darkness"! Becco shouts, and Loretta gives the signal ''Go! At that signal, Estella and I pulled the huge cloth over the statue. The cloth fell, and from inside emerged ...... ''''''Oh, ......'''''' It was a statue of Imelda with a soft smile, so beautiful that it took my breath away. Her appearance is noble and dignified. The figure proudly and majestically thrusting its chest out and gazing at the heavens was very brave, and the expression with its enveloping smile was very ladylike. Combining two contradictory natures, stillness and motion, light and dark, her figure is as beautiful as a goddess and attracts the hearts of all who see her. The "Goddess Who Shines in the Darkness" is a wonderful stone statue worthy of its name. However, there is no explanation for the part of "illuminating the darkness". Well, we''ll find out when the darkness comes. ''Thank you very much for the wonderful ....... Thank you very much. Imelda bowed ...... ano,Imelda bowed deeply of her own volition. This guy is really growing up, isn''t he? Perhaps she''ll grow even more in the future. ''Well, well, well, everyone!We''re going to put on a fun and cute show for you!Ladies and gentlemen!Costume change! With Loretta''s line, Norma and the rest of the girls on the stage took off their dresses on the spot. ''''''Oooohhhh! Dozens of times more cheers than before came from the ...... mostly male crowd. What emerged from underneath the dress was a springy and fluffy matching costume that looked like something an idol would wear. ''Come on, guys!Let''s sing! ''''''Yes! With Norma at the center, the girls spread out across the stage, posing as if they were about to dance. Yes, they''re idols ......, and they''re also idols formed by professionals who have pushed their professions to the limit--meisters, that''s their name. --They are idols. I''m not sure what to say. Look at this uniqueness!This is not a copy of something else! This is an idol made by Meisters (first-class technicians)! Before the upcoming show, the hall was filled with an excited silence. And then the music starts... Zundoco, zundoco, zundoco, zundoco Zundoco zundoco zundoco zundoco Zundoco zundoco zundoco zundoco Zundoco zundoco zundoco zundoco ~ Haha~ A woman by the sea becomes a diver... ~~ Trumpet, trumpet, trumpet. Zundoco, zundoco, zundoco, zundoco Zundoco, zundoco, doko, doko. Zundoko, zundoko, zundoko, zundoko. Women in the mountains become Yamamba~... ...... Sorry. There''s no such thing as pop music in this world. ...... This is like a song the river fishing guild sings when they fish. ...... Living in the mountains doesn''t make you a Yamamba. ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the song is performed by Omero with the River Fishing Dancez. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Mr. Neffely!Over here!Look at me!Ooooh!We''re eye to eye! ''Mr. Cheerleader!Shake it, shake it more, that I do! ''Delia-san!Oh, Delia-san! Well, it seems that whatever the song is, it doesn''t matter to the fans. ...... Goozja, I didn''t know you were still a Delia fan. You''re the only one who doesn''t come to see me more than necessary, so I''ve been a little under the radar. No, you''re the sensible one, the fox and the raccoon are the crazy ones. ''I!I am!I''ve found a new self in the days I''ve been coming here, and it blossomed in the cleavage of the cheerleader leader at the competition, that it did!Shake it more, that I do! ...... Becco. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with the way you''ve handled this. You mean that?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Millie-chan! ''Miriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! I''m not sure what to say. ...... There''s some kind of weird fan attached to Miry. ...... If these guys get even 10 centimeters closer to Miry, I''ll forcibly remove them. ''''A,Sole Sole Sole Sole! ''''''FU-TSU-U!'''''' ''''Ah, do-shita-do-shita-do-shita! ''''''FU-TSU-U!'''''' Oh, this must be Loretta''s fan. ''''There are too many strange people only when it comes to me!I want to speak up! Well, don''t be so uptight, FU-TSU-U. The people who have been in the forty-two wards have always had fans. The cheerleaders at the last gluttony contest must have been the deciding factor. The popularity of the idol meisters was great. The members of Idol Meister sang six songs even though they were basically accompanied only by percussion instruments. Sweat glistening on their foreheads, they waved their hands to the fans who cheered them from the stage. ...... It''s not my fault that this kind of culture is taking root,......, is it? The idol meister gets off the stage and starts to get excited with his family. It would be a shame to let this excitement end here! ''All right, now, Umaro!Do some tricks! ''Huh?I didn''t hear you! ''I just said that!Come on, get up on stage. ''I don''t like it when you say things like that all of a sudden!...... Well, I''m going on stage anyway. This positive attitude is Umaro. I''ll give it a try anyway!That''s why he''s in the position he''s in now! He''s the best of the best! Umaro does as he''s told and takes the stage. But there''s not much you can do because you''re not prepared. We could smear a lot of lacquer or yams on his ears, let him get as much of a rash as he can, and when he''s all swollen up, have him say, ''My ears are so big! And then, when they''re puffed up, you can say, ''My ears got big!The big ears won''t return to their original size, though. Oh, right. ''Oumalo!How about an impersonation of Stuart Javier, the head of the Lumberjack Guild?You know him from watching him a lot.'' ''Yes, I know him, but ............ no. Since I don''t have a better idea, I think I should go with Yashiro.I''ll do it! Umaro stands in the middle of the stage with his eyebrows pulled up tightly. I casually make eye contact with Natalia. With a nod, Natalia quietly leaves the stage. ............ ''Now then, I would like to respond to the ultimate recklessness!I''m going to imitate Stuart Javier, the head of the Lumberjack Guild! Imelda chuckled, but looked at him with some interest. There were only a few people in the audience who knew Javier. Umaro posed like a bodybuilder and started to laugh. He began to laugh. ''I love my own daughter and flabby little girls! Pfft! I couldn''t help but burst out laughing. ...... d*mn, you''ve got a good point there, Umaro! But the best part is yet to come! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. What?What''s that voice? Umaro cowered on the stage, frightened by a voice that came from somewhere else. Yes, the owner of this voice is ...... ''That''s me! ''Stuart Javier! The audience went into a frenzy at the unexpected appearance of the man himself. Wow, it''s really exciting, isn''t it, the appearance of the man himself. Does it work in other worlds too? ''Hey, hey, hey, why are you here? ''What''s wrong with a father coming to his daughter''s party? ''You don''t have to come at a time like this!I thought my heart was going to stop! ''It''s because you were trying to make fun of people behind their backs! ''Mmmm ...... anyway!I''ll tell you this much! ''What the hell? ''I''m sorry! You''re so honest. It''s a good idea to apologize anyway, right? ''Father! ''Oh, Imelda!I''m here! ''You''re not invited. ''Of course not, Imelda! The audience erupted in laughter. Anyway, it was a surprise party packed with as many things as Imelda could think of that would surprise her. I hope Imelda will be surprised and the guests will be excited as well. ''Ohba. I''m so relieved to finally be outside. Demilly walks up with a smile on his face. He and his surprise guest, Javier, had been hiding out in the hall. Don''t let Imelda find you. ''It''s a great turnout. ''Yeah. Why don''t you go on stage and get some laughs? ''Oba-kun ......, I don''t think that''s something you should say to the lords of the other districts. No, I don''t care if it''s you or not. ......'' Demilly sighs, his head shining. But it''s a really nice glow. You look fresh for your age, like you''re glowing. ...... ''Are you a freshly cooked grain of rice! I''m not sure what you mean, Oba-kun! The party is going on in a lively manner, repeating such nonsense. It''s not a party, it''s a banquet. There is no such thing as class, it''s a big party. On this day, everyone present forgets everything they don''t like and everything they''re worried about, and makes a lot of noise. Before I knew it, it had become such a day. And before I knew it, the sky was completely dark. Finally, the finishing touches: ...... ''Come on, come on!Everyone!I''m sorry to interrupt your excitement, but I''d like you to pay attention to the stage once again! Loretta goes up on stage and attracts the attention of the guests. ''All right, big brother. I''m counting on you. ''Okay. Let''s go, Imelda.'' ''Do you want me to join you? ''The final touch.'' And then he gently holds out his hand. Like a gentleman. ''I understand. Imelda gently places her hand over mine. With all eyes on me, I escort Imelda up to the stage. Standing in the center of the stage, I began to speak, trying to keep my voice clear. ''The party is about to end. A ...... breeze blows through the air. There is a faintly sad atmosphere in the air. ''But first, I want you to take a look at the Statue of the Goddess Illuminating the Darkness! The darkness is spreading just fine. The guests shift their gaze from the stage to the statue. At the feet of the statue stood Norma, Theron and Wendy. ''This Statue of the Goddess of Darkness is not just a stone statue. Let''s take a look at it now. He raised one hand, signaling to Norma. He nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded nodded It looks like it''s ready, so I start the countdown. ''Five seconds to ......4......3......2......1... .........! At ''zero'', Norma pulls a lever attached to a metal plate. A part of the stone statue''s chest, specifically both nipples, snaps open, and the glowing bricks inside shoot out a blinding light. A bright beam of light shot straight out from the nipple. I screamed at the top of my lungs in time with it! ''s*xy biiiiiiiiim! ''What are you doing, Yashiro-san? The Statue of the Goddess Who Illuminates Darkness illuminates the darkness with her s*xy beam! The production team of Bekko, Norma, Theron and Wendy all have a look of satisfaction on their faces. ''No, you look like you''ve done it!Hey, guys!You''ve been poisoned by Yashiro-san too much! It seems that some of you are being too loud. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. ''............ It''s beautiful. ''Do you like it?It''s a stone statue that looks just like you, and it''s shooting rays from its nipples. Watch your mouth, Umaro! ''Moreover, this s*xy beam can change its angle. I look at Norma and she clicks a lever on a metal plate to change the angle of the s*xy beam. ''Something''s wrong with your nipples! The s*xy beam cut through the night sky in all directions, then shone like a pin spotlight on me and Imelda standing on the stage. ''Two people ...... floating on nipples, isn''t it funny, this scene! ''......Umaro,shh.'' ''Huh ...... Magda got mad at me ............, I guess I''m a little happy.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. However, it''s a standard, low-key one. ''Imelda. Welcome to the Forty-second Ward.'' ''Huh?Oh, yes. Thank you. ''From now on, as the head of this branch, as a member of District 42, you will work hard for this city and the people who live in this city. ''Yes. Of course I intend to. I''ll change the 42nd district for you. She proclaimed cheerfully on the stage, illuminated by the spotlight. Ah... That''s right. From now on, you guys will change the 42nd district. ...... ''To Imelda, I have a personal gift for you. It''s the only one in the world, and it''s made just for you. Will you accept it?'' ''Well. You were still hiding the present?I thought the stone statue was the end of it.'' ''Surprise, right? ''Yes, ...... indeed, it was a surprise. You''ve really ...... surprised me today.'' ''Well, that''s the last one.'' I handed her the present in a long, narrow wooden box. Imelda slowly opened the lid and took out what was inside. It''s a pendant I made. It is a simple and ordinary pendant that can be found anywhere. ...... ''............This is ......'' When Imelda sees the pendant, she is speechless. The tears pooled in her large eyes like a film and ...... flowed down without a sound. ''.................. Mother''. Imelda''s mother''s face was engraved on the pendant top. The family portrait in Javier''s study. Imelda''s mother, who was depicted there, was engraved on the pendant top. Her eyes filled with tenderness as she gazed at her child, still small in her arms. Her eyes seemed to be asking a question to her child, who was not yet old enough to understand. ''What kind of adult will you be when you grow up? ''Oh, ............, ............-sama...'' .........! Imelda held her mouth and let out a sob. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. From now on, she can be with her mother wherever she is. I made this pendant with the hope that it would be a ...... thing that would allow me to expose just a little bit of my weakness when I was on my own and had to step up to the plate. I made this pendant with the hope that it would be such a thing. Maybe that''s what I want most right now. ...... Imelda cried aloud, clutching the sculpture of her mother on the pendant top. Stoutly, she leaned on no one, but she did not hide her disgusting appearance. After crying for a while, Imelda handed me the pendant and turned her back. ''Please put it on .......'' She then scratched up her long, beautiful blonde hair. The nape of her white neck peeked out. Her skin was slightly steamy from crying, making her look very s*xy. I put my arm around her and gently place the pendant around Imelda''s neck. She lets her hair down, brushes it softly with her fingers, and turns around to look at me. ''...... Does it look good on me? Imelda asks with a slightly anxious, upturned look. There''s only one answer to that question. ''Yes. It looks very good on you.'' ''So ...... is it? ...... Hmm.'' Imelda smiled tantalizingly. Then, out of nowhere and from no one in particular, applause erupted. It must have been the applause of blessing. Imelda and her mother were both smiling serenely in the light that illuminated the darkness. In this ...... s*xy beam. ''I still think this light is a little bit strange, don''t you? ''...... Umaro. I''m in a good place.'' ''But, Magda!You''re in a good place, but you''re in a s*xy beam. ''.........'' ''Haaan!I''m angry again!But strangely, I don''t mind! Laughter leaked out from the voice of the unreasonable pervert, and the usual 42nd Ward style returned. Now, the party''s over. ''Imelda. ''Yes. I''m sorry to leave you, but ...... can''t help it. As I walk off the stage, Imelda begins the opening remarks. Words of thanks to those who had spent this day with us and celebrated with us were laid out. During the speech, Imelda''s voice was choked with tears several times, but she finished the speech with dignity. The ...... party ended with thunderous applause. Where there is a beginning, there is always an end. Yeah. Today was fun. It''s been a while since I''ve been able to be an a**h*le. It was really ...... great. After the party, I walked from the courtyard to the gate through a path surrounded by flowers. On the way, I heard light footsteps approaching from behind me. ''Hey, big brother!How was it?I''m a great host!I''m proud of it! ''Oh, yeah. It was a big deal.'' ''Whoa!I got a compliment!I''ve been getting more and more compliments from my brother lately! ''...... Don''t forget Magda''s unassuming but brilliant support. Magda appeared from the side of the excited Loretta, appealing to her as much as she could. ''That''s right. Magda''s presence makes you feel more secure, doesn''t it? ''It''s ...... hard to say something that''s not ............ casual, but Yashiro is good at it. Maybe it was the dimness of the surroundings, but for a moment, Magda seemed to be grinning. ''Mr. Yashiro. Thank you for your hard work.'' And here comes Ginette. By the way, I haven''t talked to Jeannette at all today. I''ve been really busy. ''You must be tired.'' ''No, sir. I like to cook. You''ve really grown up, guys. You''ll be fine now. Loretta will be able to get any job she wants, Magda will be able to get along on her own, she''ll be able to create a community and become its leader. And Jeannette won''t be cheated by someone, or cry lonely tears,...... or trust bad people to live in her house,...... anymore. If you make a mistake, there are plenty of people around you that you can rely on. That''s what I''ve learned today. Yashiro. Just as I was about to leave, Estella stopped me. I thought we wouldn''t have time to talk today since Demilly and the others were here. ...... ''Did you come running?'' ''Because you were about to leave.'' ''Nah, no need to panic, I''ll just go to the Sunken Pavilion ......'' ''What''s ''......''? ....... Well, I thought it was strictly forbidden to use careless words with this guy. I wonder if I''m losing my mind. So, what is it you want to talk to me about so badly?I don''t want to see you off at Demilly''s. I''m tired today.'' ''No, I''m not. It''s about the city gate. ''The city gates? ''............ Hey, do you want to take a little walk? Saying something like that at this moment is the equivalent of saying, ''Can someone who doesn''t belong here please leave the room? It''s very rare for Estella to say such a thing to Jeannette and the others. ''So, Mr. Yashiro. We''ll go help you with the cleanup. Sensing the atmosphere, Jeannette turned back to the courtyard with Magda and Loretta. ''Let''s go, then.'' ''Yes.'' I leave the gate with Estella. It''s about a fifteen minute walk from the Woodcutter''s Guild branch to the city gate. You can see the gate in the distance. It''s a big gate. It''s even more impressive when you look closer. ''It''s finally finished. ''You did? ''Yes, I did. What is it?You were so passionate about the city gate, and now you''ve lost interest in it? Rather, the reason I wanted to build a city gate was to make the road in front of the Sunken Pavilion into a city road. Now that I''ve done that, I don''t care about the city gate. ''Next week, we''re going to have a ceremony to open the gates and the road, so make sure you''re there. ''...... Why me? The muscles in his face twisted in a ''nyoroon'' as he grew somewhat fed up with the succession of formal events that had come his way. ''Don''t make such a face. You''re the one who brought this up, so you''re responsible for it until the end! ''Well, I''m certainly the one who started the ......, but ......''. ''Unless something goes wrong, the ceremony is in a week''s time. ''What''s with the ......, that''s a tricky thing to say. Is this guy trying to cause some kind of trouble? Or is the trap already set for ............ ''...... It''s a blink of an eye, a week.'' ''............'' Yeah. This is ...... ''The average number of steps a day for a mature woman is 6,000 to 8,000.'' ''......'' What?What''s wrong with you all of a sudden?'' ''That''s seven multiplied by a week, so ...... 42,000 to 56,000 times.'' ''So, what are you talking about? ''If you have a week, that''s how many times your tits will shake! ''I''m going to ............ stab you? Why? I just wanted to tell you that a week is a long time! That''s fifty-six thousand times!Fifty-six thousand plunge! You can do pretty much anything you want with a week, and that means there''s more than enough time for trouble to happen. ...... Am I looking for trouble, too? ............ If there is trouble, I''m still here... ......... Oh no. Estella has made up her mind. Whatever I decide, she''ll have no say in it. You''re a lord. She can''t keep her eyes only on me. So he wants me to make sure I''m there for the ceremony in a week. That''s what I''m saying. I''m hoping that something will happen during this week. ............ ''Hey, Yashiro: ............'' Estella mutters, turning her face away. ''I think I''m ...... cheating.'' I don''t have the words to answer that question. I''ve lived a cunning life, and I''m not qualified to tell others what to do. So, at least go to ...... ''I seem to like you a lot. ''Yes .......'' So, please listen to me as if I''m giving you an extremely favored opinion. I say this with the utmost tenderness I can muster right now to the back of Estella''s head, who doesn''t say anything. ''That''s not true, is it? That''s the best I can do right now. ''............ I see. Yeah. I get it. Thanks.'' After a series of short words, Estella looks up. She looked back at ...... me with a sad smile on her face. ''I guess my cheating is better than yours. She said, and walked off on her own. As she walked past me, she gave me a quick, weak punch in the stomach. Estella walked away, leaving me alone. Really ...... they''re all getting tougher. At first, I thought I had gotten mixed up in the wrong place. ............ ''Ohhhh ...... that was fun. Seriously.'' The words I muttered as I looked up at the night sky sounded surprisingly refreshing even to myself. 169-Episode 148 Unchangeable Daily Status ''It''s peaceful again today.'' ''Yes, it is. Early morning. As usual, we pull the big cart to the church. Loretta, who has been so energetic since early in the morning, and Magda, who is as calm as ever today. As we walked along the unchanging road, I muttered to myself, and Ginette chimed in. It''s peaceful. There is nothing. There are no seasons,...... although they do come and go like crazy,...... the weather is relatively unchanged throughout the year, so the morning and evening scenery doesn''t look all that different. There are few events that make you feel the passage of time, such as "It''s getting brighter earlier these days even though it''s the same time ....... That''s why I think. It''s peaceful. Six days have already passed since the party at the Lumberjack Guild branch. For the past six days, time has simply passed, nothing has happened, and I''ve been a little impatient with ...... the peace and quiet. Nothing is going to happen. Nothing is going to happen. ...... Nothing. If anything ...... happens, even nasty trouble, the reason I''m here will ............ ''Mr. Yashiro''. Ginette called my name and I came to my senses. ''You''re going too far. The next thing I know, I''m at the church. I almost passed it while I was in a daze. ''Oh, sorry. ''Hmm. Do you still want to sleep?'' A soft smile, staring at me. ''Well, yes. ......'' Maybe I''m just sleepwalking. I can''t help but think I''m crazy. I''m hoping for some kind of trouble, because I''m ...... thinking about it. ''Big brother!You and I are going to peel potatoes together!Let''s see who''s faster! ''Hmm~......, I think I''ll pass.'' ''Hmph, you''re afraid of losing, aren''t you? ''No, you''re normal. I''m super good. I feel like I''m ...... overwhelmed by the competition and it''s empty. ......'' ''No, that''s not true!If you''re going to go that far, then let''s have a fair and honest competition with a five point handicap!Of course, I''ll get the extra five! What''s fair and square with a handicap? ...... ''Oh well. Let''s get the ingredients to the kitchen. ''Yes!I''ll carry it! With all hands in the air, Loretta walked into the kitchen. ...... No, the ingredients! ''d*mn, he''s ......''. ''Looks like you''re having fun, Loretta.'' ''Yes, I am.'' Recently, Loretta has also started to accompany donations to the church. In the past, when the sunshine pavilion was subjected to harassment and malice, she was worried about the depressed Jeannette and followed her, but after that disappeared, she stopped coming ......, but after the gluttony contest, she started to participate again. I think he might be feeling something in his own way. The energy he showed earlier seemed to be overstressed in some way. ...... I''ll bully him lightly. I''m going to overwhelm him with my peeling.'' ''Please take it easy on him. Ginette smiles serenely as she holds a crate full of vegetables. Somehow, that smile was a little like ...... Bertina''s. ''...... And her tits surpassed even Bertina''s.'' ''Magda ......, can you stop reading my mind and adding your own monologue?'' ''............Why?'' ''Why''? I didn''t think you''d be questioning me about that! I can''t think of any reason other than ''because I don''t like it''! ''Big brother!I''ll come as soon as possible! Loretta waved at me from inside the church while I was still in the garden. No, no, no. You can see what''s going on, right? ''You, take the vegetables! ''...... Why? ''Loretta, you too? It''s hard to be around people who don''t do what you want. I understand Julius Caesar''s feelings a little better now. ''Mr. Yashiro. When I entered the church, complaining about Loretta''s lack of help, Bertina was there to greet me at the door. ''Thank you for everything. ''Tell that to Ginette. I''m just a chaperone.'' ''Mmmm ...... as usual.'' I don''t know what that is, but I''m sure she''s teasing me. Frowning, Bertina chuckled. I''m going to try and show her a very funny face that I''ve never missed in my life. And-- ''Pfft! That Bertina blew up. She''s holding her stomach and laughing. Oh, ......, that''s something new. ''Bertina, are you all right? He rubs Bertina''s back in a gentlemanly voice. But her face is still weird. ''...... Yes. I''m sorry to show you my unflattering ...... appearance, it was too shocking. As soon as she turned around, she saw the funny face right there, and Bertina blew up even more than before. ...... spit in her face ............ It''s also ...... a good idea to stop ............ kufufufu ...... ......Oh, my stomach hurts. ............Hmmmmmmmmmmmm! ''Sh, Sister!What the hell happened to you, Yashiro? Ginette comes out of the kitchen. She won''t be able to see my face from that angle, so I slowly turn around and show Ginette. ''There''s nothing here. ''Pfft! When I say this with a strange face and a fresh voice, Jeannette lets out a strange sound and blows out, then turns around in a panic. Both of his shoulders were shaking, and he seemed to be trying hard to hold back his laughter. Well, you''re still good, my strongest stare. That''s the kind of thing I learned a long time ago. ......Moreover, Yashiro-san, ......No, you can''t. ............ ............ If this kind of game becomes popular among children,......'' It''s not a good idea. Especially if it is done while you are eating, it is very troubling. Let''s not do that, Yashiro. ............Kufufu...... Sorry. Just looking at Yashiro-san is ...... interesting and ............ kufu...... kufu...... kufu '' Ginette rebuked me and Bertina nailed me. So funny faces are banned for now. Tsk~. ''Sister, are you alright? ''Yes, yes............ hmm...... it''s fine......... ...hmmm...'' Ginette is rubbing Bertina''s back and nursing her. Ginette is rubbing and nursing Bertina''s back. It looks like I''d better get the hell out of here. ''Then, let''s peel the potatoes. ''Yes, sir. Please do.'' Leaving Bertina and Ginette behind, I entered the kitchen and found Loretta waiting for me, looking like the last boss of a ...... dungeon. ''I''m glad you came!Now, you can see what I can do! That''s what Loretta was saying, but ...... The result was an overwhelming victory for me. Loretta''s peeling was, as most people expected, ...... ordinary. Some of the potatoes used in the game were used for the meal, and the rest were sliced thinly and made into potato chips after the meal. The crispy and crunchy texture of the potatoes was a hit with Bertina and the children, and even though we had peeled a lot of potatoes, they were quickly eaten. ''Oh my God, I can''t believe I just overlooked ...... such a simple method of cooking ...... sliced thin and fried. ......'' Ginette was in for a big shock. I guess it''s safe to assume that this is a ...... compliment. ''I want to serve these potato chips at the sunny-side up restaurant. This is the time of year when root vegetables are delicious. ''Oh, oh. But I think it''s more for a snack than a meal. Is there such a thing as a good time for root vegetables? ...... We have a similar climate all year round. ''If you cut them into small pieces instead of slices and fry them, you can call them French fries, which are also delicious. You should try it next time.'' ''Yes, sir. Then please teach me next time. ''Haha, it''s not worth teaching. ''No, but ......'' For a brief moment-- ''It''s fun to learn so many new things with you, Yashiro-san. I was about to say something, but I swallowed my words, and the smile that was directed at me instead was somewhat distorted. It''s like standing on thin ice. I''m sure ...... you''re being very careful. ''Yashiro-san''. When I finished eating and was about to clean up, Bertina came over to me. With a gentle smile on her face-- ''I have something to tell you. --She calls out to me in a quiet voice that I can''t disobey. ''............ All right.'' After leaving the cleanup to Jeannette and the others, Bertina and I headed for the chapel. It''s a confessional that I''ve been brought to several times in the past. It''s a small space, and when the door is closed, it becomes a completely closed room. You can talk about anything without hesitation. ''Mr. Yashiro. You will be called by name. It just makes me feel like I''m being watched, like my mind is being looked into. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''...... It''s about time, isn''t it? It''s about time. ...... I don''t need to tell you what I''m talking about. I think Bertina knows everything about me. I don''t know what or to what extent, but perhaps she knew everything about me and who I was from the moment we first met. That''s what he made me think. But ...... I''m not sure if I''ve spent enough time with him to be able to call it ''about time''. I''m not sure if I''ve spent enough time to call it ''about time'' or not. ...... I think those words would be more appropriate. Bertina''s arm is gently extended. Her thin, white fingers touch my cheek. ''As one who has been watching you since we met, I say this. The eyes that stare at me are filled with a kind of earnest ...... yet warm wish. I''m sure that no one will be able to turn away from these eyes. ''Yashiro-san--'' He took his hand away from my cheek and folded his hands in front of his chest. With a praying gesture, begging eyes, and a forgiving voice, ...... Bertina says. ''You can live for your own happiness now, can''t you? --For your own, happiness. ............ Quietly bowing her head, Bertina leaves the confessional. She didn''t even hear my reply. I guess she wants me to think about it. I leaned against the wall and looked up to see the emblem of the Church of the Spirits hanging on the wall looking down at me. It was as if a spirit god was looking down on me. ...... I won''t do you any penance. No matter what you say, I''m a fraud,............ and what I''ve done,......, the past will never go away. ''...... I''m not the only one who can''t be ............ forgiven,'' he said. I stared at the emblem of the Spiritual Church, but ...... looked away within seconds. In all honesty, ......''How long are you going to dwell on this? It would have been much better to have been shouted at. After all, Bertina is a stern sister, isn''t she? ...... I feel like I''ve been confronted with the fact that I''m the only one who can give an answer. I was in the confessional for a few minutes. But my mind is not clear and I can''t think straight. ...... In the end, I left the confessional and went back to ...... the sunlit pavilion without being able to think of anything. Today, as always, lunchtime was busy to the point of needing a cat''s paw, followed by another peak at tea time, after which things calmed down a bit. At this time of the day, old lady Mum, old man Zelmal, and other former regulars began to gather, and although the place was not busy, it was no longer idle. In the evening, the stalls of No. 2 and No. 7 were sold out! Oh, moooookay! and giggled at Ginette''s praise. This too has become a routine. Lately, it seems that her younger sisters are running the shop without Magda and Loretta''s help. They are learning to do the math and their customer service skills are improving rapidly. I guess they can open more stalls. It might be a good idea to open a chain of stalls in the forty districts. I''m sure they can run a successful business on their own. When the sun goes down, Umaro shows his face after finishing his work. Every day, at exactly the same time. Lately, I''ve come to know the time by looking at his face. Recently, Mormat, Yaplock, Norma, and Delia have also been frequent visitors. Familiar faces gather together, eat dinner, and talk about useless things like ''this and that'' and ''that and that'', and laugh about trivial things. Lately, the topic of conversation has been the city gate. ''What are you going to do at the ceremony?'', ''I want to wear a dress again'', ''I want to see the stage of Idolmeister again! Or, ''Shut up!Shut up, Becko!'' And so on. ...... When they''re full, they always end the day by saying. ''Oh, it''s been a good day''. All the familiar faces leave, and the business hours of the Sundaari-tei end. It was another peaceful day. There was no ...... trouble. ............ The Sunlit Pavilion after closing. In the empty, dimly lit dining room, I sat in my usual seat at the far end of the room with my cheekbones and my eyes wandering aimlessly through the air. The opening ceremony for the city gates and roads is tomorrow. The big project that I initiated will be completed ...... completely and completely. After the ceremony, ...... I will be released from my responsibility to the 42nd district. There will be no ............ reason for me to stay here. There will be no trouble, no serious problems. Ginette''s dream of the "sunny pavilion of those days" has returned. Her wish to make it a place where people can gather and have fun has been fulfilled. I have also gained the assurance that this restaurant will be able to do well even without me. Ginette used to say, "It''s hard to run a restaurant by yourself," but now I''m not alone anymore. There are so many people you can rely on, not just Magda and Loretta. It''s the same for me. I''ve learned a lot about this town. I''ve got a good amount of money saved up. I''ve already got a good foundation for life. All that was left was ....... I clutched the 20Rb in my pocket. So ...... all that''s left is this 20Rb. It''s the price of the first meal I ate, the garbage vegetable set meal that I ran away from and promised Jeannette I would pay. 20Rb-- That''s the only reason why I''m here right now, 20Rb--the price of the cheapest menu item at the Sunshine Pavilion. I can''t keep clinging to something like this forever. ............ At that moment, I suddenly felt a glance from right beside me. I reflexively turned my head and saw Loretta''s face, with her cheeks puffed up, a bit silly and charming, looming right in front of me. ''How about it!Big brother! Loretta lifted her eyebrows and asked me. Her tone of voice was a bit muffled and funny, as if she was imitating a sumo wrestler, probably because she was trying not to spill what she had stuffed in her cheek pouch. That alone would normally be enough to make me laugh, but ...... at the time, I couldn''t predict why Loretta was acting this way, and could only stare at her with a puzzled look on her face. ''How is ............ it? She tilted her head to the side and looked at me. ''How about ........................... ...'' Her big eyes stare at me. ''.................. ''Gosh.'' ''Gush? ''ugh ........................ ugh ugh ugh ugh! ''Lo,Loretta! Loretta suddenly started crying. She opened her mouth wide and cried like a child. She was crying like a child. As she cried, apples came pouring out of her mouth. Even though her cheek pouches have completely shrunk and her face has become slender, Loretta is still crying out loud. ''Hey ...... Loretta............ you,.......'' ''Gomen na nai de zuuuuuu ......'' Sorry? What? Why are you apologizing? ''Oh, you...... me............ because I''m normal......... ...I can''t do anything special ...... or anything ............ about my brother... I can''t do anything special ......... and I can''t do anything ......... about my brother... ......... about my brother ...... nothing, nothing ...... can help... I can''t do anything ......... about my brother. ...... So ............ this is the only thing ......... The ............... best thing about ...... me is that I''m ...... It''s a good thing that ...... my brother ...... gave me a good point ....... ......I can''t do that either ..................... I can''t ......... make him laugh or ............... .........! ''You ...... idiot, you ......! I quickly stood up and hugged Loretta, who was crying, her face twisted into a mess. But Loretta''s tears would not stop. ''I can''t ............ ...... do anything... ...............!My brother ............, my brother ............... I like ............ my brother ............. ...... and yet ............ I ......... ...together .................. with ...... I''m ...... sorry ............ you''re ......... ......... ......! In my arms, Loretta''s shoulders shake and she sobs. But what the hell am I doing ......? What am I doing, forcing Loretta to ............ go through all this, forcing her to ...... say all these things? I can''t believe I can''t just hug her and say something to her. ...... ''......Yashiro''. Magda came close to me without a sound, and called out my name. There was a quiet, deep look in his eyes that reminded me of the deep sea. ''...... I''ll take care of Loretta. Magda''s taking her home today, and ...... she''ll be by your side all night.'' ''...... I see.'' Magda even took care of me. ............ No, no. I''ve been cared for for a long time. I''ve been taking advantage of ............ their kindness. ''...... Come on, Loretta.'' ''......ma......gudda............'' Magda opened her arms and called out, and Loretta slipped out of my arms and jumped into Magda''s chest. Magda hugged Loretta tightly and rubbed her back gently. ''......Yashiro''. With Loretta''s body still in her embrace, Magda turns her face toward me. ''...... Magda doesn''t stop Yashiro.'' My heart leaps. For a brief moment, I forgot how to breathe. ...... ''......It was Yashiro who gave Magda a future. Magda will not deny Yashiro''s future. ...... No matter what that future is. ......'' The heart, which had stopped for a short time, no more than a blink of an eye, now raced busily. The ............ back of my throat seems to tighten. ''...... I want you to tell me when you''re going. Even at a time like this, Magda''s expression remains ...... as beautiful and serene as china, and ...... that''s why it makes me sad. ''It is ...... painful to be separated without knowing that you will ...... never see each other again. I think it goes without saying what those words imply. It is a very heavy word ....... When I was unable to reply, Magda gently lowered her eyes. And then he put his hand on Loretta''s shoulder and whispered to her. ''...... Loretta, let''s go.'' ''But ............''. Loretta looks at me with an anxious expression. If I take my eyes off her, she''ll ...... think I''m gone. ''......It''s okay.'' But Magda said this to drown out Loretta''s fears. ''......Yashiro may tell lies, but he will never ............ break his word.'' The eyes that stared straight at me seemed to appeal to me, "I believe in you. ............ I bit my back teeth. ''...... Let''s go.'' ''Yeah ............''. Despite her unsteady gait, Loretta walked away with Magda supporting her. Just before she opened the door and walked out, Loretta said with her back to me, her voice still trembling slightly. ''Big brother. Good night. I''ll see you tomorrow.'' ............ ''......Loretta......'' ''......Yashiro. See you tomorrow.'' Magda is putting words in my mouth. Will this ...... thing make you guys feel better? This ............ thing is the only thing that ...... ''Oh, ...... see you tomorrow.'' I say, and Loretta turns around with just her head, and ...... ''Ehehe. So I love you, big brother.'' She gave me a smile. Magda, being Magda, quietly raised her arm and stuck her thumb out at me. Then they both walked out ...... and the door closed. ............ Oh. .................. This is no good. I can''t ............ make up my mind anymore. I look towards the kitchen. By now, they''re probably upstairs calculating today''s sales. ...... ''......Ginette''. I was about to step out, but ...... ha ............ my knees were shaking. ''......Clearly, I''m not.'' I hit my knee once and managed to get to my feet. The world wobbles ...... and my vision becomes unstable ....... You can''t get your footing, even if you try to step on your heels, as if the earth is melting. It''s been a long time since I''ve had such a hard time breathing. ............ It''s just like that day ............ when you knew you couldn''t get it back, but your brain was denying the reality ...... with all its might. ...... But ...... here is ............ now I have ...... that guy ............ I put my hand on the counter and use the strength of my arm to propel myself forward. I am frustrated with my motionless legs, and at the same time I am frustrated enough to want to scream. I stare at my knee, but the shaking doesn''t stop. ...... d*mn it! I''m just about to go over the counter and into the kitchen when ...... ''Yashiro-san?'' Ginette came out of the kitchen. She looked surprised for a moment, then looked at me closely. ...... ''I''ll get you some hot tea. He gave me a gentle smile. ............ Yes, ...... that''s the kind of guy he is. ............ I can tell you this. I can talk to him properly. ............ ''Ginette''. I stopped Ginette as she was heading to the kitchen to make tea. Let''s ...... settle this. ''...... I need to talk to you.'' 170-Episode 149 Confession ''Ginette, ...... we need to talk.'' I stopped Ginette as she was heading for the kitchen. I''ll tell you everything. I''m not in a position to be thinking about ...... staying or going in the first place. If Jeannette knows everything about my past,...... If Jeannette knew all about my past, ...... I wouldn''t be able to stay here. Of course not. There is no one in the world who would want to keep such a scoundrel around. The only reason I''m here now is because ............ I''m the biggest liar of them all. I say nothing. I admit nothing. I pretend I don''t know. Because I''m taking advantage of their good intentions without reservation. Because, you know, ...... Who would want to hang out with these ............ criminals? ''Will you ...... listen to me? He held his gaze, ready to run away at any moment if he wasn''t careful, but he held it steady. He continued to stare at Jeannette''s face. ''...... Yes.'' After a long pause, Jeannette smiled softly. Her chest ...... creaked at the smile, which would normally have been a relief. ''So let''s make some tea, after all. It will be ready soon, so please sit and wait.'' ''Eh ......''. Before I could ...... say anything about tea or anything else, Jeannette had walked into the kitchen. ............ Oh, right. Anyway, I sat down at a random seat. I thought I had chosen a seat at random, but it turned out to be the one at the far end of the cafeteria, where I always like to sit. After all, this is where I feel most comfortable. ''............ phew''. My heart is still aching, but the tension in my heart has eased a bit. I need to catch my breath. ...... My heart is racing, and I can''t get a good rest. Let the oxygen flow into your head. Then I''ll think again, properly. About my future: ......From now on, I will ............ ''I''ll tell you everything about ...... ............ and leave it all to Jeannette. Honestly, I can''t decide for myself anymore. I''ve been underestimating me. No, that''s the attitude I''ve been trying to maintain. No one would be bothered by my absence. I was a little lonely at first, but then I went back to normal. ...... I tried to convince myself that that''s how the world works. Because it''s easier. But Loretta and Magda are denying it. At least there are ...... people who will be sad to see me go. And it''s not just one or two, but ...... many. But that doesn''t mean that I''m allowed to ...... pretend that the past doesn''t exist and settle down to a peaceful life here at ...... this sunny pavilion. I''m in a quandary. My thoughts are stuck and I''m going in circles. ''Yashiro-san. Come in.'' Ginette returns and places a cup of tea in front of me. She puts down her own tea and sits down across from me. This may be the last time we sit across from each other like this. ............ No, I''m sure it will be. If I tell you everything ...... I''ll have a cup of tea for now. The warm, fragrant tea warms my stomach. But it didn''t quell the buzz in my heart. ''............'' ''............'' Jeannette sits in front of me, not saying a word. She''s waiting for me to talk. She doesn''t urge me, doesn''t bore me, doesn''t rush me, doesn''t pressure me, but waits quietly for me to start talking. You can''t just sit back and let it happen. I have to finish ...... it. I take one more sip of tea and open my mouth. ''..................What if''? ...... Hello? What''s that?What am I saying? ''......What if someone you know ...... is very close ...... to you, for example, someone you work with, someone you have such a close relationship with. .......'' That''s crazy. ...... What''s wrong with my head? ''............ what if he''s done something wrong in the past ......'' What''s with the metaphor ......? What the hell am I talking about? ''Then .................. what would you do?'' My heart tightened and my stomach suddenly grew heavy. It''s as if I''ve been swallowed up in a muddy river, my body can''t free itself, I can''t breathe. The time is not moving ...... forward, and the atmosphere is so heavy that ...... you feel as if you are separated from the world. ''...... evil, is it? Ginette said quietly, without any surprise or distraction. However, the usual innocent cheerfulness was not there, and I could clearly understand that she was seriously thinking about it. ''Yes,......, for example,.............'' That''s not an example. ...... ''...... scammer, was ...... and so on''. It''s not, like, ............. If I could, I''d take me out right now and beat the shit out of me. I want to tell you to go f*ck yourself and call you out. I''m sure even Jeannette knows who you''re referring to with this stupid metaphor. He''s not that stupid. And yet, I''m so miserable to the very end that I''m going to make this ...... bad joke. It''s a shame, isn''t it? ''...... what if'' When you have sunk into self-loathing, nausea, and intense anger at yourself, and have begun to be deeply disappointed in yourself, Ginette opened her mouth. But what came out of her mouth was not an answer, but a question. ''What would you do, Yashiro-san, if the person who is by your side is not really the person you think he is? It''s very similar to a silly analogy I made: ...... ''......For example, what if the person who works with Yashiro had committed a sin in the past? But unlike my shallow parable, ...... ''...... What if he had committed the crime of eating away in the past? It was a shocking confession. Jeannette is a ...... eater? This ...... ginette seems to live in a world that is the opposite of malicious. I must have looked like a complete idiot. Ginette gives a small giggle. But the smile was immeasurably lonely. ''In the act of living, to varying degrees, sin is born within each of us. It would be a great blessing if we could live our lives free of such things, without committing any sin. Ginette preaches like a sermon. But there was a hint of guilt in it, as if she was talking to me and also to herself. Jeannette takes the cup and drinks the tea quietly. Then, holding the cup in her hands, she began to speak slowly. ''A girl was taken in by the church when she was three years old. She was three years old. We didn''t know where she was before that, what kind of environment she was born and raised in, ...... what kind of people her parents were, or what they thought when they gave her up. She had been abandoned in the swamp. Wetlands...... The marsh is a place where frogs live in abundance and no human being can get close. Abandoning a child there can be taken as a clear sign of ...... ''I don''t want this child anymore''. For that reason, he went all the way to the swampy .................. area, and didn''t throw the child off the top of the cliff in the 30th district... ......... I''m not sure what to do. But I don''t care about that now. I''m more interested in how the abandoned girl lived her life after ...... than how she was abandoned. Even though I was mildly confused, I composed myself and turned my attention to Jeannette. As if she was waiting for me, our eyes met, and Ginette opened her mouth again. ''In the Church, we do not hide things from our children. We tell them everything, no matter what the past. Of course, the timing of the story will be delayed a bit to take into account the child''s state of mind. ......'' Once again, sipping from the cup, Jeannette drinks the tea, just enough to moisten her lips. ''The girl had an ego and understood that she had been abandoned. But ...... she couldn''t remember her parents or her home. Perhaps the shock of being abandoned confused his memory, but ...... eventually, as time goes by, his past memories will disappear completely and he will probably never remember them again. ......'' This may be because the mind is unconsciously defending itself. Too painful a past can tear a man''s heart to shreds. In order to prevent mental breakdown, the human brain may prevent us from remembering what we do not want to remember. Memory loss is not an uncommon occurrence. ''Even though she couldn''t remember, the girl was aware that she had been abandoned, and for the next two years ...... she didn''t open up to anyone. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Not even to that Bertina. ...... I can''t imagine. I can''t imagine Ginette avoiding Bertina. ''In the year of turning five, ...... it is customary in the Church for the children to participate in community service. It was something as simple as pulling weeds together or cleaning up the streets, and all the kids had fun doing it together. However, the girl who didn''t want to get along with anyone couldn''t even do the service work well. ...... She was assigned to another service work with Sister Bertina. Adults manage children who don''t do well with other children individually. It''s common in elementary schools. Jeannette must have been treated as such a child. ''The church had an activity where they visited the homes of elderly people who lived alone and listened to their stories, and the girl was assigned to accompany them. The girl, who had been shut up since she was taken in by the church, was exposed to the outside world for the first time. That was the Sundaari Pavilion. This must have been the closest house to the church where the old people lived. The old man ran the place by himself. ''It smelled so good, and there were so many people smiling and talking. ...... The old man who lived there was so kind, even to the grumpy girl who was seeing him for the first time. ......... The old man who lived there was very kind, even to the grumpy little girl who was seeing him for the first time. ............ ... the place looked very bright to the little girl. ...... It was bright and bright and ............ she didn''t like it. '' Those who are trapped in darkness seek and crave for light. But those who shut themselves up in the dark abhor, hate and reject the light. Because they don''t want the light to shine on them as they shut themselves away in the darkness. ...... Because they believe that the light will expose their miserable selves. But ...... ''Even though she didn''t like the place so much, ...... at the same time, the girl began to long for it. Turning your back on ...... means you''re always aware of it. ...... It''s the other side of longing. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. And yet, as long as you turn away from it, you will always have it in your mind, and the more you avoid it, the more you will yearn for it. The more you avoid it, the more you yearn for it.'' Then one day, ......, the girl slipped out of the church and headed for the sunlit pavilion. In hindsight, it''s not much of a distance, but ...... for the girl at the time, going outside the church alone and heading to the sunlit pavilion uninvited seemed like a great adventure, as much as going around the world. escaping......I''m surprised that Jeannette was the kind of girl who would do something so drastic. Come to think of it, I don''t know anything about her. I just found out about it. ''At church, I couldn''t open up to adults or children, and I thought ...... this was no place for me,'' the girl said. ''............'' That''s why, I think, she was attracted to ...... a bright place. Anyway, the girl walked ...... and walked ...... to the sunny pavilion. Suddenly, Jeannette twisted her body and looked towards the entrance of the store. ...... Did she stand there and sneak a peek inside?That little ginette. But I couldn''t get in. Turning to face me again, the ginette smiles faintly. ''Because I didn''t have any money .......'' ''......n''. She lets out a short ...... sound that isn''t even a ''yes''. Even though it was such a short sound, ...... it made me feel like I was talking too much. I felt ...... uncomfortable, as if I had barged into the wrong place. So I kept my mouth shut and waited for the rest of the conversation. I was wondering where I should direct my gaze, but ...... anyway, I waited quietly for the next one. ''The sunlit pavilion was ...... a very bright place. And ............ it smelled so good.'' In the eyes of the girl who had lost her place, this place, crowded with regular customers, must have seemed dazzling. The good smell is ...... well, understandable. It''s not just the smell of food. When I first came here, there was a good smell coming from ...... the sunlit pavilion. ............ Yes, it was a very nostalgic smell. It was a warm, gentle, enveloping ...... smell, not just the smell of delicious food, but the smell of a ...... happy, home. ''I can''t go into the store, but I have nowhere to go back to. ......Hmm, you must have really thought so at the time. ......While I was wandering around the store with these thoughts, I found a small hole in the back of the store. I found a small hole behind the shop. There was a small hole in the decrepit fence that a child could squeeze through. The first time I visited, the sunken pavilion was quite shabby. It was no wonder that the walls were rotten and brittle, and that the boards were cracked and had holes in them. And children can spot such holes and walk through them. ''Someone might find me. I might get angry. Such fears were then relegated to the background. ...... The girl explored the courtyard ...... and found the pantry. Back then, the Church wasn''t as wealthy as it is now. Even when I first came here, it was deserted and so rundown that it looked like it was about to collapse. I don''t think the church at that time had the financial power to feed Jeannette to the hilt. In addition, Ginette had once said that ''abandoned children were too shy to eat''. That''s how poor he was financially. And Ginette, who says she never opened her heart to anyone, must have also refused to eat at ....... Then there''s the larder at the sunny pavilion: ...... ''I didn''t feel guilty. Just attracted by the food in front of her,......, the girl put her hand on it. As if possessed by something, she ate it like crazy. And ............''. Jeannette was found by her grandfather. ''......''I thought my heart would stop,'' she said. The girl panicked and couldn''t ...... really say anything, not even a single ...... word, and the next thing she knew, she was running. The place she ran to in desperation was the church. Even adults panic when they are caught doing something wrong. Even those who openly harm others do so as a result of their panic. At that time, the emotion that the criminal has is ...... fear. In order to escape that fear, people can be brutal to any extent. But the regret that follows is indescribable. ''I have regrets. I regretted leaving the church, going to the sunlit pavilion, sneaking into the courtyard, ...... and stealing food. ............ The girl was anxious. The girl was so anxious that she couldn''t sleep a wink that day. Even in the church she fled to, there was no one she could call an ally. ...... It must have been very hard for her. ''In the end, I couldn''t sleep at all and when dawn ...... broke and I went out of my bedroom to wash my face, ...... I found my grandfather in the church. And he was talking to the sisters. ............Then the girl thought: ......... ...Oh, now I''m going to be thrown away again .......'' In spite of her attitude of being out of the circle and in solitude, Ginette was probably more afraid of solitude than anyone else. And she knew exactly the weight of the crime she had committed. ''But ............ the girl''s intentions are off. And ......'' Ginette let out a laugh. ''Something unexpected happened. The next day, the old man started donating to the church. It was then that Jeannette began to donate the breakfast she was now serving. ''The girl didn''t understand, so one day ...... she boldly asked her grandfather. ''You know everything, so why don''t you tell me?'' ...... ''Why don''t you get angry with me? The old man replied, "I''m not angry with you. The old man replied, "I give good food to those who are hungry. That''s what a diner does. Not long after that, Jeannette began to help out at the Sunshine Pavilion, and was officially taken in when she turned twelve. By that time, she had opened her heart completely and became friendly with Bertina, her grandfather, and all the residents of the city. ''Mr. Yashiro. As long as we are alive, we will sin. And we regret it, and we are pained by it. That''s why the Church listens to people''s repentance. That''s why the Church listens to people''s repentance, because it can lead to salvation. ''But ......''. Yeah, that''s fine for a guy like you. You have the right to repent and live a new life. But ...... ''What if you''ve committed a crime that can''t be forgiven even with repentance?He has caused so much trouble to others, deprived them of happiness and peace, and been hated by so many people. ...... Who would accept that such a person would feel forgiven and start his life over just because he did penance? Who''s going to accept that? I''m not sure what to do. His tone of voice became harsher and harsher. You''re taking it out on me. ...... You''re disgusting. I found myself slamming my tightly clenched fists on the table. ''There are some ...... people who should not be allowed to be .........'' Ginette''s hand was gently placed on top of my ...... fist. It''s a ...... warm hand that gently wraps around my tightly clenched fist. ''No, Mr. Yashiro.'' The quiet voice spreads like it permeates the body. ''You are not doing penance to have your sins forgiven. He said the words slowly, as if he were carefully conveying each word. ''I do penance to remember ...... my sins, to face them, and to forgive myself one day. ''To remember ...... your sins, to ...... forgive yourself ............ ............'' ''Yes. People do penance in order to look straight into the future. Repentance always starts with telling yourself about the sins you have committed. Awareness of the sin. And deep reflection. ...... Forgiveness is not something that can be ............ given to others, is it? ''I still make a lot of mistakes. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of things you can learn from him. A hand wraps around my fist and squeezes. ''I, too, ...... that girl who once sinned are still immature, but we are living hard in the present. We are looking straight into the future. I turned away from the ...... future, turned away from the ...... past, turned away from the ............ past, and now You were trying to escape. ''If words could reach the people in Yashiro''s parable, ...... I would tell them this. Letting go of her hands, Ginette folded her hands in front of her chest. With her eyelids closed in a prayerful pose, Jeannette uttered the words she had heard so often. ''...... Please repent.'' In the end, Ginette did not give me a clear answer. As long as I can''t forgive my sins, my sins will last forever. ............ Forever. ...... There''s a ceremony tomorrow. I can''t let Jeannette stay up late any longer. He always falls asleep before nine o''clock, you know. ''Mr. Yashiro. Good night. After the inconclusive discussion, Ginette bowed to me and went to her room. And as she left, she left me with these words. ''See you tomorrow. Oh my god, ...... is it really this easy to understand when the position changes? ''Ah. See you tomorrow. These short words, less than ten words, eased my ............ anxiety. Ginette went back to her room and left me alone again. I can''t think anymore, I can''t find an answer. I can''t even leave it to Ginette. If something goes wrong at the ceremony tomorrow, ...... I can put my answer on hold without thinking about it. ............ I went back to bed, thinking about such useless things. And the next day. The ceremony went off without a hitch. 171-Episode 150 Cassilos Decision The ceremony celebrating the completion of the city gate and the city road went off without a hitch. The relationship with the 41st district, which had been so complicated by the installation of the city gate, was resolved, and there was a historic scene of the lords of the three districts cutting the ribbon together. The fact that I was somehow mixed up in it is a mystery to me, though. The construction of the city gate was delayed due to the swarm of hexenbiests, problems with the 41st district, and other factors, but in the end, thanks to the cooperation of the three districts, it was only about a month later than originally planned. Considering the fact that the extension of the street to the 40th district, which was not in the original plan, was also completed in this period, it can be said that the work done was more than enough. The ceremony took place on April 6th. I recall in my mind the flow of events from the beginning of the year until now. Oh, yeah, it''s already been a year since then. I pull out my watch. I try not to wear it in public because it is too over-technological. At times like this, I appreciate oscillating watches. You don''t have to change the battery, just shake it a certain number of times every day and it will never stop. And ...... ''Ten seconds to go............5......4......3... ...two...... one............ zero'' The date changed--April 7th. The anniversary of my death. And it''s been exactly one year since I came to this world. And it''s also my birthday. ''Well, when I first came here, I was made to walk a lot...'' I was left in the wilderness a long way from the city by an uncaring god, nearly died, was picked up by a corrupt merchant, and came to this city. ...... God is not a good guy, is he? Yeah. ''Let''s go for a walk. Maybe they were tired from the ceremony, but Jeannette and Magda both fell asleep early today. So I slipped out of the room ...... quietly so as not to wake them. As soon as I stepped out into the hallway, I suddenly felt a ...... stirring in my heart. It''s okay. I''m just going for a little walk. I''ll be back. The door to the shop was locked. The door to the store is locked. ...... I should go out the kitchen door. ............ No, there''s no one wandering around at this hour, is there? If there was, it would be me. So why don''t we go out the door like we did that time. I walked through the kitchen, past the counter, and out onto the floor, where I chose the chair with the strongest legs and sat down on it. None of the current chairs would wobble, though. Then he stood up and put his wallet in front of the counter. ...... ''I''m off then. I mutter to myself, then open the door and walk out. ''Oh yeah. At first there was a bathroom on the other side of this ...... and it was pitch black. ......'' The area in front of the sunlit pavilion is very bright, with the glowing bricks emitting a beautiful warm light. If it had been this bright from the start, the toilet outside would not have been so scary. ...... Well, it''s better to have the toilet indoors, though. Oh, yes. I cleared my throat and muttered to myself, making the worst face I''ve made in a long time. Towards the sunlit pavilion: ...... ''There are far more bad people in the world than there are good people. You''ve learned your lesson.'' ....... As I recall, I left the sunny pavilion with this line. I remember quite well. ''Well, ......, let''s go. I left the Sundaari-tei and started walking towards the main street, just as I did that day. The road to the main street was much wider and more beautifully transformed than it had been a year ago. After all, this is a big street that stretches from the 42nd district to the 40th district. There was still plenty of room for two carriages to pass each other. On both sides of the road, glowing bricks were placed to light the way safely at night. A year ago, the road was too rickety for a carriage to pass, and the width was much narrower. And above all, it was pitch black. ............ It was seriously pitch black, to the point that I had a phobia of the streets at night. If you think about it, we were at the bottom of a cliff adjacent to the 30th and 29th wards. It is a location where the moonlight does not penetrate well. It was dark. On the way, there is a corner that leads to New Town. It used to be called a slum, but now it''s an upscale residential area. I don''t feel the fear of the approaching darkness anymore. Then I went out to the main street and wandered around. In the middle of the night, I am frightened by the eyes of a cat, and at dawn, I am amazed by the sight of chickens harvesting chickens'' eggs when I see Nepheli. ...... After dawn, I go to Cantalucia and have some trouble with a scary man who collects debts... ... ''A lot of things happened. ......'' At the end of the main street is the Hardware Street, where Hamm and his friends built a flood prevention system when they were not yet recognized by the people. It was also the place where Magda escaped as a cat. Recently, it had become a place where Norma would get tangled up with a bunch of old men who used fancy words whenever she came to ask for help. ''Don''t like it, don''t like me, don''t like me. ''If you go this way, you''ll find the Graduates ...... and beyond that, the central square and further on, Becco''s house ......''. There was the hero statue fiasco, the Graduates food poisoning incident ...... and a big fight with Assunto on the main street. Popcorn vending is now a common sight, but we had a hard time in the beginning. ''Whoa!BBS''. A bulletin board at the intersection of the road leading to the Sunlit Pavilion near Ukrines'' store. It''s easy to miss if you''re coming from Sunlit Pavilion, but it''s very noticeable when you''re leaving. This is where my handbill was posted. I scribbled on it. Even now, it is clearly written that ''the curse of the spirit god will fall on those who remove the notice without permission. The spirit gods are always putting their energy into strange things like this, aren''t they? Why don''t you use your power to make it easier for people to live here? And we head for the lord''s mansion. It''s as big as ever. When I first saw it, I never thought I''d be invited to this house. I never thought I''d be invited to this house when I first saw it, much less to cut the ribbon in a ceremony alongside the lord. ..................... ...I guess ribbon-cutting is a thing in every world. There are some strange similarities. That''s why I sometimes forget about it. I''m in a different world now. No. ...... That I''m from another world. I''ll never be able to go back to my world. Then this is my world. Japan is a different world to me now. I guess that''s partly because I hadn''t settled that part of my life. I''ve always felt that while I''m in this world, I''m also a resident of the other world, and while I live in the 42nd district, I feel like a guest ......, so I can go and stay as I please. I thought this was a place I would leave someday. ''...... a year, huh? I think it''s about time. On the night before the ceremony, I thought too much and went around in circles, but during the ...... ceremony, I was able to think about it from a different perspective. All the people I''ve been involved with so far came to see the ceremony, and they all looked so happy with their stupid faces and were really happy about the development of their city. When I saw that, I thought. I thought, "Oh, my role is already over. Well, my role isn''t that important, but I realized that I didn''t need to worry about the part that had been stuck in my mind for a long time, ''Will they be okay without me? They''ll be fine. They won''t be beaten down by a little thing. They''re reliable people who''ve learned to stand on their own two feet. I''ve probably done all I can do. Anything more advanced than this is beyond the knowledge of an amateur. Professional skills will be needed. You''ve already taken care of all the work that needs to be done, haven''t you? The sunlit pavilion has returned to the lively dining room it once was, and you''ve made some reliable friends. The hamsters, who were having trouble working because of their many children, are now working busily, the tiger cub, who was all alone, has found a place for himself, and the ...... lord is now on his own. That''s enough. I forgive myself for my sins. ...... I don''t know if I can do that. I don''t know if I can do it. But I''m going to give it a try. But I have to reset ...... I''ve ''tricked'' all these people into staying here. That''s not fair. If you introduce yourself from the beginning as ''I was a fraud in the other world, nice to meet you! I''m sure they wouldn''t have welcomed me like this if I had introduced myself. That''s why I''m resetting myself here. Otherwise, I''ll never be able to forgive me. When I found out that Jeannette was at the sunny-side up with such determination, I honestly thought I couldn''t win. Her earnestness. Her determination. His unshakable faith. Compared to him, I''m like a shriveled sprout. I''m limp, sticking to someone else, trying to conform my form to theirs. No core. It made me realize that I''m living in a very uncool way. There is a saying that con artists often say. "The people who are fooled are the fools. And ...... The people who can''t be fooled are even more stupid than that. I can''t help it. A sycophantic con artist. There''s no reason for you to stay here as such a dilettante. I don''t have the courage to continue calling myself a con man, and I don''t have the courage to be a sycophant. ...... I''m not even sure I''m ready to do that, and there''s no way I can stay here like this. ...... So I''m leaving this town. I''m not sure what to do. Let''s leave the sunken pavilion as soon as the sun rises. Of course, I''ll greet them properly. That''s the best I can do for them right now. With that thought in mind, I walked towards the sunlit pavilion. It''s been a long walk. I''ve walked all over the forty-two districts, so it''s probably been a few hours already. Let''s go back now and get some rest. Tomorrow we may have to walk again. ''The rest can be found at ......''. I take out the 20Rb in my pocket. The dull copper coin clinks. ''Pay for your escape and ...... it''s all over.'' After all, I''ve been staying at the Sunken Pavilion to earn this money, haven''t I? I''ve kept you waiting a long time. I hope I didn''t get any interest. Walk down the street and you''ll see a brighter corner. The Sunken Pavilion. We''ve come back. I feel as if I''m watching the ending of a story. Open this door, go inside, and ...... that''s it. No matter whether you cry or laugh, that''s the end of the story. Then at least be positive. ...... I proudly opened the door with the intention of paying my respects to the sunshine pavilion that had taken care of me for a year. ''This is where Yashiro-san comes in! ''......What?'' When I opened the door, I found Jeannette. She stretched out her arms toward the door and froze in a pose that looked like ''Do it! She was frozen in a pose that looked like, ''Hello! ''........................What? Ginette said the same thing to me, and we both froze. ''......What are you doing? ''...... What are you doing? No, that''s my line. ...... Now, you''re frozen in a very funny outfit, aren''t you? I''m not sure what to say. What is this, prophecy magic? Or is it ...... I took my gaze off the ginette and looked around the room. On the wall, there is a piece of paper with something written on it. ............ Well, ............ "This place is I''m sure you''ve seen it.This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. There were lamps on the counter. And the position of the table has been greatly changed, and the center of the table is wide open. In the center of this open space, four desks are placed close together. On the desks are fluffy, cylindrical objects that look like ............ cake sponges? And next to the cake sponge, there was an unused, thin candle. I''m not sure if this is a ...... thing or a ............ thing, but it is a thing, isn''t it? ''Ginette''. I don''t know. I don''t know what it is, but he seems to be very tense. I''m not sure what it is, but he seems very nervous. (sweat)'' is written on his face. ''You, how do you know that? ''To ......? ''Today is my birthday.'' ''What?I didn''t know that! Ginette, who had been frozen with her arms outstretched, suddenly began to move, holding her mouth with both hands, jumping lightly, clapping her hands and muttering, ''Yes, get ready ......'', and was about to head for the kitchen, ''Oh, before that, clean up... But I still have a rehearsal to do ......'', he thought, ''Oh, but I can''t do that in front of Yashiro-san, and ......... ...Oh, that''s right, it''s my birthday!I can''t stay like this! I almost went to the kitchen again and said, ''Oh, but!No, but...'' But! No, just calm down. ''You didn''t know about this, did you? ''Yes. ............ I just found out about it. I''m sorry, I didn''t learn enough. ............ Oh, you celebrated your birthday. ...... Why didn''t I think of that? I''m sorry. ............ ''Oh, no, can we do this later? Ginette kneels on the floor and thrusts her folded hands toward the sky, stopping for now. But the cake, the candles, the ''decorations,'' and ''Yashiro-san is here,'' right? If it''s not a birthday party, what is this event? ''Oh, ......, because of me, I''m not going to be able to ............ face you all...'' .........'' To all of you, it seems that he was planning something with other people. ...... He probably doesn''t realize that he''s leaking information one after another. ''So, what''s this all about? ''No, it''s ............''. ''Huh ......,'' sighed Jeannette, and began to speak in hushed tones, as if she had given up. ''Tomorrow, it will be exactly one year since Yashiro-san came to the sunny pavilion. ......'' ''What ......? ''Oh, by the way, the day after tomorrow is when you became an employee of the Sun Goddess Pavilion, and I had a hard time deciding which day would be the anniversary, but when I asked everyone''s opinion, I thought it would be better to celebrate the day when we met ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s better to have it at the time you met. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s better to have it at the time you met. ............'' ''......'' In addition to that, I hope that ...... this will help Yashiro-san''s spirits, even if only a little. ......That''s what I was thinking. ......'' I''m sure he''s been trying his best to keep it a secret until now. I''m sure you''ve been doing your best to keep it a secret from me. ...... You''re an idiot. You''re not good at hiding things, scheming, or deceitful things like that. ...... Look at it, you''ve been straining and holding back all this time and you can''t stop, can you? The things that you''ve been keeping bottled up in your chest for so long, the words that you''ve been struggling to keep bottled up, are pouring out. It won''t stop until the guilt is gone. And so, when Jeannette''s stopping power finally failed,............ ''Oh,......, I know this is a bit of a rude thing to say,............, but I wanted Yashiro to always be smiling. I''m sure you''ll be glad you came here,......, and I''m sure you''ll be glad you came here,............, someday. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... ...But Yashiro has his own thoughts and circumstances,...... and it''s not for me to interfere with them,...... but still. ............ If I can, ...... I will ......... ...I want to be ............ with ...... Yashiro for ...... ever. I want to be ...... with you ...................'' Jeannette''s nose makes a ''swooshing'' sound. ''...... No matter how many times I tell myself that it can''t be helped,...... I''m still anxious,............ anxious. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... But because I''m like that, I''m causing Yashiro unnecessary worry. ...... And yet I''m not ...... sure that Yashiro will be kind to me. I''m ............ happy that ...... Yashiro is being so kind to me. ......... I''ve been so spoiled that ............ I''ve been so... ...as in the case of the "Let''s eat a lot of food" contest. ............ I forced myself to do it. ...... ......'' I''m not sure if it''s because I was thinking about that that my lonely mode suddenly ended. ...... Also, you can at least say the gluttony contest as it is, can''t you? ''I''ve always ............ been ...... spoiled by Yashiro''s ...... shop. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... I''ve been spoiled by that kindness ............ and ......... ...about Yashiro''s ...... nothing ............ to think about ...... ............The night before last, too ......more ...... if I could. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... But that''s not a word I''m allowed to say. ............ But still... ...But still! A large tear rolled down Ginette''s cheek as she pushed her eyelids closed tightly. She folded her hands as if in prayer, and whispered in a trembling voice, without effort. ''...... I want to be with ...... Yashiro-san and ............ be by his side forever. I''ve been thinking about how happy I''d be if I could ...... be with you ............ just for that ...... ............ I guess this is a confession. I''m sure Jeannette is filled with guilt right now. It''s ............ stupid, isn''t it? ''............''. Biting her lips tightly, Jeannette is trembling a little. The eyes that should be staring into the future have closed their eyelids in fear of the future that is soon to come. Really, I''m an idiot,....... ''Ginette. ''............? Ginette''s shoulders bounced as I called her name. Then, she slowly raised her head and looked up at me with big eyes moistened with tears. I silently took out 20Rb from my pocket and gently placed it in Ginette''s hand. Looking at the 20Rb in her palm,......, Jeannette''s eyes widened,............, and her shoulders slumped. Without a sound, tears fell down her cheeks. ''This is my closure. I was finally able to pay for the meal I had put on hold for so long. Now, there''s nothing left to tie me down. ''............ Yes''. Ginette seemed to accept it, though she looked fragile, as if she was about to disappear. She lifted her face and forced herself to smile. ''Thank you ............ every ...... time, thank you ....... ......''. As a shopkeeper, he does his job well. He is a true example of a shopkeeper. ...... You really are an idiot. I don''t know why I didn''t notice this simple thing. It''s my past, it''s my sins, it''s unforgivable, it''s better off without me, it''s not my place, I don''t deserve it, I''m, I''m, I''m, to me, to me, to me and ......... ... All I ever cared about was me. All I ever thought about was me. That''s why I''m an idiot. There''s a guy who''s been watching over me all this time, and I''ve never even thought about him. ...... "Jeannette will be happier without me." ...... Who said that? I did. "There''s no way someone like me can be around Jeannette." ...... That''s my opinion too. If you think I''m a fraud and have no right to be happy ......, then don''t be one!In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us.If you''re so worried about guilt and forgiveness, at least try to make the most important person in front of you happy by dying hard, spending your life, and doing it!If you can''t do that, what''s with the "I''m a fraud ......"? I''m sure you''ll be able to find an excuse in the future. Don''t think you''ll be forgiven. Your crimes will never be erased! But that doesn''t mean you can throw away the rest of your life! Don''t treat your life so shabbily while ruining other people''s lives! If you want forgiveness so badly, I''ll sentence you to a lifetime of service! Don''t do anything to make Jeannette cry any more. ......? ''Jeannette. ''...... yes ............'' ''Can you hire me in this store? ''..................What?'' ''Not to pay off my outstanding bills, but officially, authentically, as an employee here, please ............ hire me!Please!'''' She bent at the waist 90 degrees and bowed deeply. Jeannette''s breathing became erratic. Her confusion is palpable. And ...... ''............ is .......'' Hearing her reply, I look up. And there she is. There was a beautiful smile like a goddess. Ginette was staring at me with a gentle smile on her face. And again, this time she looked me in the eye and replied clearly. ''It''s nice to meet you too. Yashiro-san! He took my hand and squeezed it tightly. Her cheeks flushed red as if she was a little embarrassed, but she didn''t let go of my hand and we looked at each other for a while. --And then... You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''............ ah''. It was a dirty, blackened, thin ............ string, a promise ring that had been tied to my arm for years. Suddenly, all sorts of memories flooded into my head. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... ...... Everything I''ve ever seen, heard, and felt comes and goes in my mind at a dizzying pace. It was as if there was a movie screen in front of me and I was being shown a fast-moving image. ............ Finally, the image stopped. The sound disappeared and the world went blank. There was nothing ...... to feel ...... and I was standing alone in a strange world. In such a strange world, ...... ''Yashiro''. ''Yashiro''. Two voices call out to me. ............ ''............ ah'' Tears naturally well up in my eyes. Standing there was the ............ ''Master ............, landlady ......, .......'' It was the master and proprietress I had thought I would never see again. They were standing side by side, looking at me with the same kind smile they had back then. ''Oh, that ...... that, I ............! I wanted to apologize. For not recognizing you. For not being able to help you. For ignoring your feelings and becoming a fraud. ...... And for dying. ...... But I couldn''t find any words to say. ...... I couldn''t say anything. ...... When I looked at their faces, I knew that ...... wasn''t the word I needed to say. ...... So, I just told them what came to my mind honestly. ''Me ....... I''ll be happy. Then they nodded slowly with happy faces, and gave a small wave. The colors of the world are becoming fainter. Existence is fading. I''m going to disappear. When I was sure of this, I had one more thing I really wanted to say, and I shouted with all my might, praying that I would make it. ''I loved you so much!I was so lucky to be your child!Dad, Mom! The world went dark and I heard a gentle voice calling me to ....... ''Yashiro-san. Mr. Yashiro, ...... are you okay?'' There, in front of me, was Jeannette. She''s looking up at me with a worried look on her face. ''This ...... was important, wasn''t it?'' Ginette picks up the broken Promise Ring and holds it out to me. ''It''s okay. This one is fine.'' ''Is that so?'' ''Yeah. It''s supposed to snap like this. Wishes come true on ............ ...... and ......... ...Huh.'' ''......Yashiro-san?'' ''Wishes come true ............ for my ............ dad and mom. ...... wishes ............ me to live a happy life ...... ............ wish ............... .........'' ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro... ......? I couldn''t do it anymore. I crouched and sobbed. Even though I knew it was embarrassing, I couldn''t hold back the sound that escaped me. ''...... Yashiro-san''. There was something gently touching his back. The warmth of it slowly caressed my back. I can''t stop crying. I can''t control my emotions. I cried so hard that I felt like I was going to lose my ...... mind and let it all out. ...... I felt like I could finally ............ change ....... ''...... Manager?'' I heard Magda''s voice. Then a startled gasp ...... ''Mr. Magda. Could you please gather everyone together ASAP?It''s Yashiro''s birthday today.'' ''............ Got it. Leave it to Magda.'' In such a short conversation, he must have realized everything. The witty Jeannette and the perceptive Magda ...... have made me care for them again, haven''t they? ''......Yashiro''. Magda''s footsteps were approaching me. His footsteps pass by me without slowing down. The moment he passes, Magda mutters to herself. ''............ Thank you. His voice sounded just a little bit happier. The door opened and ...... closed, and the footsteps moved away. Silence returned to the dining room. My sobbing finally stopped, and the air in our private space became gentler. ''Yashiro-san......'' In such a calm air, I heard Jeannette''s voice whispering: ............ ''Welcome to the sunlit pavilion. I was convinced that this was where I belonged. 172-Epilogue April 7 When was the last time you stopped celebrating your birthday? a?? a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a??a?? In the early morning, people gathered at the sunny pavilion one after another. ''Yashiro!I heard it''s your birthday today!Why didn''t you tell me earlier?I''ve prepared a present for tomorrow, but there''s nothing for today! Estella comes at me with a knife in her hand. ''I''m sorry I forgot to tell you, but don''t try to stab me for this! ''What?I don''t like it. I couldn''t prepare anything, so I just wanted to offer you my eighth favorite knife from my collection. ''I guess the first through seventh are the ones you just can''t let go of. ''...... Well, well, ...... but if you must, ......''. ''I don''t want the eighth one either. Make sure you display it carefully.'' ''No, no, no. I''ll come to see it often, and I can enter Yashiro''s room without the owner''s permission.'' ''Don''t go in there! ''Master Yashiro. I have my favorite knife at .......'' ''You''re a knife too, Natalia! ''And I''m trespassing by shooting at Yashiro-sama when he''s in his room: ......'' ''You''re scaring me! I really wonder if the 42nd district is safe, leaving it in the hands of such a lord and his attendants. ...... After that, familiar faces came one after another, trying to force a delicate gift on me. ''Yashiro!I caught about a year''s worth of salmon first thing in the morning because it was so urgent!'' ''Delia, I appreciate the sentiment, but please don''t eat raw food. I can''t eat that much.'' ''Yes, Yashiro!It''s a newborn, a male! ''Living things are even worse! ''Then I''ll give you Dusty''s brother, Dusty. ''It''s neither alive nor a living thing, but I really don''t want it! ''Oh, ladybug, ...... Mirii, I made some pressed flowers out of forest flowers, ...... can I have them? ''Oh, Millie!You''re so cute, Miri!I''m so glad that there''s a Miri in the forty-second ward! ''Mmm!Yashiro, you''re cute too! ''I''m pretty too!Look, today''s tosaka is a little pinker than usual, you know? ''I look like this ...... but I''m cute when I take off my ............ clothes.'' Oh my god, the characters are so dense. ...... ''Yashiro. Take a look at this. I made a great screw yesterday. I''ll give you this.'' ''Hey, Norma ......, I don''t think Yashiro will be happy to receive something like that. Even my Piyoko (male) wouldn''t appreciate it. ......'' ''Oh, wow!That''s amazing!The pitch of the screw threads is perfect!I''m amazed that we can see such elaborate screws in this world! I''m not sure why you''re so excited!Hey, Yashiro!Why?Take a good look at my crest again.Aren''t they cute? Neffery won''t understand the precision of this screw. ...... Ah, I really like this kind of thing because of my father''s influence, don''t you? ''Hey!I heard that!I heard it''s your birthday today!You should have told me earlier, seriously! ''Hey Magda!How far have you been? ''...... I''ve covered forty-one and forty districts.'' ''You''re trying too hard, .......'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this today, but I''m going to be able to. I don''t know why he misses me so much,...... ''HEY, ladybug! Happy birthday, DA-ZE!Happy birthday, dah-ze! ''''Oh, you guys are here too...... uh, ...... Tic and B?'''' ''''HAHAHA! Who''s a nipple?'''' ''''Joke''s on me! The anteater brothers, Neck and Chick, came over with a lot of sugar. ''Oh, with this much sugar, we may not need any more for a while. So, what did Percy give you?'' ''Oh!Isn''t this order terrible?It feels contrived, doesn''t it, me? Well, I guess you''re getting sugar, as usual. Our stock of sugar is going through the roof, you know?I''ll sell it to the black market, you bastard. ''Yashiro!Cantaluchka and Lemon brought you some cake! ''Oh!Thank you! ''Oh, no!Please don''t make it my birthday all of a sudden! ''It''s not like it''s suddenly my birthday today. ......'' Paula smiles like a naughty child and grips my midriff. d*mn, she''s flapping her tail, isn''t she cute? ''Oh, hey!Yashiro!I''ve brought you plenty of vegetables! ''Oh, Mom. Leave it there. Hey, Bertina! Hey, that''s too much, Yashiro! I''m just kidding. You''re annoying. I''ll take care of you. Happy birthday, Mr. Yashiro. ''Thank you. ''...... You''ve got a nice face.'' He said that, so I made a ...... funny face. I''m not sure what to do. ''Sister!Hey, Yashiro!What did you do to the sisters?Are you okay? It seems that Bertina likes my funny face. I''m sure she''ll be laughing for a while, so I''ll leave it to Mormat. ''Yashiro-san!I''m here too! ''Oumalo. I want you to renovate the upstairs as a present. Make it bigger and add more rooms.'' ''You''re just being reckless! I don''t care if it''s a three-story house. No, look, I''ll make a lot of things too. A workshop or something? ''Mr. Yashiro~!I''ve gotten even better since I carved the stone statue of Imelda, that I have!Look at this, a series of nostalgic hero statues!The Hero''s s*xy Beam, that it is! ''Oi, someone please go bury that d*mned statue and its maker somewhere! ''I want you to wait, that I do!This statue has a crazy trick ...... at night! ''Don''t go messing with my nipples without my permission! Regina was taking notes at a very fast pace when she heard my comment, so I decided not to say anything more. Anyway, let''s get rid of Bekko! ''Yashiro-san!I''m here to celebrate with you! ''Oh, speak of the devil, s*xy Beam! ''Who''s s*xy Beam?Well, you''re s*xy, but...'' You have to admit it. ''So, Yashiro-san, for your present, would you prefer ...... ''Imelda''s residence accommodation tickets (10 tickets)'' or ''Date tickets with Imelda-sama (15 tickets)''? ''What, can that be resold? Then I''ll take the date tickets and sell them to the woodcutter. ''Hero-sama! ''Congratulations! ''Theron and Wendy. No flirting for the rest of the day.'''' ''''What? ''''At least on your birthday, don''t make me spit out my aura of darkness. ......'''' ''''Yashiro-sama!I''ve come to visit you with my whole family! ''Onii-chan! ''Congratulations! ''Congratulations! ''Oh!The Yap Lock family!You seem to have grown a lot. How old are you now?'' ''I ...... am ashamed to say that I will be thirty-eight ...... this year.'' ''Not you, Yap Lock!I asked Tot and Cheryl! I don''t know why I have to ask you how old you are!I''ll ask you how big your breasts are anyway!I mean, if it''s one or the other! ''Yashiro-san!I''ve brought the perfect birthday gift for you!Of course, I won''t sell it to you, so don''t worry. Hmm...'' ''Oh!I''m here just in case!Look, it''s me!I''m the one who captured Bonacon!Magda''s not the only one who can kill a Bonacon!Ha-ha-ha!Don''t be shy, eat up!Hey! ''Yashiro-chan!Why don''t you wear this outfit to the party today?I''m really proud of it! ''Oniichan! ''Congratulations! ''Congratulations! ''Congratulations on the big sale! Assunto, Ousse, Ukrines, a bunch of hamsters, a bunch of restaurant managers and clerks, and more people than could fit in the sunny pavilion came to congratulate us. And that''s how many people got to witness the ............ guy. ...... ''Daaaaalllllllyyyyyy! ''Everyone, don''t let that hexenbiest inside!Go! But of course, no one went towards Medora, and I was captured without a second thought. ''Look at this, darling!This ribbon! ''Oh, it''s ......, did you come all dressed up?'' ''Hmmmm!No, it''s not that... ............ The present is for you...'' ''Sorry, can I get a cooling off? My room is too small, I don''t have anywhere to put it, it''s a shame. ''Yashiro-kun~! I''m here too~'' ''Oh, Masha...'' ''Huh!What does a mermaid like you want with my darling? ''A birthday present for Yashiro-kun~'' ''Yes~, a used scallop~'' ''I want it!I want it so much!Rather, show me your scallops! ''Darling!I''ll never let you get close to this frivolous woman who flirts with everyone as long as my eyes are black! I''m not sure what to do.I''m not going to let you get away with it. I''m going to muscle train!I''m going to muscle train!I decided today!I just decided! ''Oh, there''s so many of you here! ''...... by Magda''s popularity.'' What, that''s not my popularity? ''Big brother, I, Magda, and the manager have a present for you! ''What? ''Mr. Manager! ''Bring it to me at .......'' ''Yes, sir! Medora reads the air and lets me down. Yeah, thanks. I''d appreciate it if you didn''t tie me up again. And then Ginette appears from the kitchen with something hidden behind her back. ''Oh, I see. The kind of person who comes in hiding something, falls down a step, and gets caught with the present before she can hand it over. ''No, I won''t make such a mistake! ''Oh, Jeannette, there''s a step there. Don''t fall down.Don''t fall down, okay? ''No, please don''t!You''re really going to fall! Very carefully, Jeannette crosses the counter and comes to me. ''...... haha ............ I was scared.'' Then he straightens his back and stretches his chest. Purrrrr. ''Thanks for the nice tits, guys!It''s the best present ever! ''No, no, no!The present is over here! Hiding her breasts, Ginette held out to me... ''Here ......''. It was a black apron. The apron was worn around the neck, covering the chest and below, with the name ''Oba Yashiro'' embroidered on the chest. ''Oh, well, Mr. Yashiro was the only one who didn''t have his own apron. ......'' That''s because I didn''t want to have one. There was a shared apron, and since I was the only male, it was treated as if it was for me only, but when I asked Umaro and Bekko to help me in the store, they wore it too. I thought it was enough to share. They would be gone someday anyway. ''...... my own apron''. ''Can I have it, please?'' Ginette asked, her face happy and a little anxious. ...... ''Jeannette. Then Magda ...... and ............ uh ......'' ''It''s Loretta!You''re going to cry! ''I''m just kidding . Loretta.'' I call out all three of their names, look them firmly in the eyes, and make it clear. ''Thank you. I''m so happy. The faces of the three of them light up and they start jumping up and down, holding hands with each other. ''Oh, um... Can you try it on for me? ''Now?'' ''Yes!Now.'' Well, it''s a gift. I put the apron around my neck and tie the strings. Then Ginette, Magda and Loretta line up in front of me, straightening their backs and adjusting their postures. ''Mr. Yashiro. Welcome to the Sunken Pavilion. ''I''d like to welcome our new employee! ''...... Listen to your seniors and be diligent every day.'' ''...... These guys. ''Oh. Nice to meet you.'' When I said that, there was a round of applause. I see. You don''t have to say anything anymore. You know I''m not thinking of going anywhere else. I''m going to stay at the sunny pavilion. ...... ...... I''m so embarrassed. .................. d*mn, I''m so pissed off! ''All right, then, may I ask one favor from the person being celebrated? ''Yes. Please say it. ''I''ll help you in any way I can.'' Very cooperative, Ginette and Estella. ''Okay, Estella, you stand here. And Ginette, this way.'' She stands Estella by the exit and leads Ginette to the far end of the dining room. ''Now, will you line up in the order I tell you to? Then I have Magda, Milly, Loretta, Paula, Nephrite, Regina, Natalia, Bertina, Masha, Imelda, Norma, Delia and Ginette line up next to Estella in that order. And then I''ll leave the sunlit pavilion. Oh, ............, they''re lined up in order. From this angle, you can see all of their tits in full view. ............ It''s a titty contest! In my hometown, there''s a thing called a ''high five'', where you hold your palms up high and slap them in turn. ...... I''d like to try that with my boobs this time! ''Then everyone, raise your hands high~'' ''Wait a minute, Estella!I''m suggesting a ''pie touch'' instead of a ''high five''. ......! ''Come on, Yashiro, hurry up. I think the only way to get a "pie touch" is with raw breasts. ......! ''Then, let''s hit Yashiro one by one, starting from here. ''Wait!I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''ve been kind enough to leave out the young Sheryl and her boyfriend Wendy. ......! ''''Well, I''m off~! In the end, as I stood in front of the door of the sunlit pavilion, the beautiful girls who came out of the store one after another lightly patted and stroked my head in the order of the size of their breasts, which turned into a mysterious ritual. The last one, Jeannette, stroked my messy hair and adjusted it, which felt good. ''We were actually going to have a party tomorrow, so it seems that everyone didn''t get their presents in time, but I think we were able to convey our ...... feelings without losing any of them. Ginette asks, stroking my hair. ''...... Well, I got more than enough feelings from you. I didn''t get a ''pie touch'', but ...... ''I''m glad to hear that. Next time, let''s have a party with better preparation. And then, when Ginette said that, Loretta threw out a suggestion with a firm raise of her hand. ''Manager, I have a suggestion! ''What is it, Loretta? ''Let''s have another party tomorrow!As planned, tomorrow my brother will come to the Sunken Pavilion and we''ll have a party to celebrate our first anniversary! ''Two days in a row, sir? ''I like that.I''m all for it.'' ''I agree with Miss Estella. ''I don''t have any objections either. ''It would be a bit of a hassle to make it an annual event...'' ''Oh, Miri, I want to celebrate, too! ''I''ll bring more food from my store, let''s do it, Yashiro! ''Yes, let''s do it, everyone!I''ll bring freshly squeezed poultry too! ''Oh, it''s a salmon stream here!Okay, I''ll bring it to you! ''So, we can eat a lot of delicious food tomorrow. ...... Mmmm, I''m so happy. ...... Juru'' ''......Majority in favor'' ''I''ll do it!Big brother! ''Yashiro-san.'' Finally, Ginette smiles and says. ''Don''t you think that holding the party here will help our sales? He threw a ...... pitch that he couldn''t ............ make. ''All right, all right!I''m going to have a party today and tomorrow! '''''''''' Yay! '''''''''' When was the last time you stopped celebrating your birthday? I still can''t remember. But... I''ll never forget that it was on this day that I started celebrating my birthday again. 173-Later Tan 1 Yodari-tei Consultation Center ''I want you to think seriously about marriage. A seat at the far end of the sunlit pavilion. It was at this table, my favorite seat, that he said those words to me. The guy sitting across from me had an unmistakably serious look in his eyes, and it was clear that his words contained no jokes, lies, or misleading elements. ...... I ............ It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure what to do.You''re hurting me, hero! A handsome man with silver hair rubbed his nose with tears in his eyes. The name is Theron. ''...... Why do I have to be proposed to by you? I can''t stop the goosebumps. What the hell were you thinking, you f*cking hottie? ...... What''s wrong with Wendy? I mean, why me? No, no, no, no!It''s about me and Wendy''s marriage! Theron denies it in a panic. Oh, you mean you want me to think seriously about you and Wendy''s marriage. What about ............?Why? ''Are you telling me that you were rejected by Wendy? ''No, no. Things are going very well, and I''m enjoying my happiness every day.'' ''If you''re just chillin'', leave! ''Hero-sama, your tone of voice is getting strange! What is it? Are you bragging? What''s up with that? ''Ginette!Throw some salt on him! ''Huh!What''s going on here? Ginette rushes over to me in a panic. Holding a jug in both hands. Just in time, splash cold water over the head of that handsome guy. ''Um, ......, is there a problem? ''Ask that perennial sycophant over there. ''Fawning for all time?'' Ginette turned her gaze to Theron. Theron bends his eyebrows in annoyance and smiles, ''...... haha''. ...... d*mn!What a mess. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s a walking deadly weapon. Even I, if I look in the mirror when I''m feeling really good, sometimes I''m that good looking. If you get the angle just right! So ......, for example, this is the angle. ''Theron. ''Yes, sir. What can I do for you?'' I called out to Theron, who was smiling wryly, and stared at him with the strongest combo of ''45 degrees'' and ''covering one eye with my bangs''. ''How do you like this angle? ''Huh?...... Ah, lovely, hero-sama.'' ''Hmm ...... I see.'' What? I''m pretty good myself. Well, I wouldn''t say that I''m winning. I''m a bit humble. I''m not saying I''m better than you. ''Ginette, it''s ......''. ''E...... ah, yes.'' ''Well, why don''t you fetch some ...... yes, some water.'' Huh?............ Oh, yes, of course! Jeannette is a little upset in the face of my strongest combo. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it. It''s quite useful, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to say. Can I get you some more water? ''Oh, yes. Thank you.'' ''No.'' Ginette smiles back at Theron''s refreshing smile. ....... That''s what I''m talking about. ''I''m Jeannette. ......'' ''Yes, yes. ''Can I have some ...... please .................. so,water,please.'' ''Uh, ............''. She covered her face with her right hand and looked at him sharply between her fingers. It''s a cool gesture that leaves Jeannette speechless. I understand. I understand, Jeannette. You''re too cool for your own good, aren''t you? ''Um, Yashiro-san.'' ''...... Huh, what is it? ''Is your head hurting? ''............ No?'' ''Then why are you dressed like you''re holding your head? ''.................. Yeah. It''s nothing.'' ''Why are you using such strange language?Your usual tone is more like Yashiro-san, isn''t it?'' ''............ Yeah. Really, it''s nothing.'''' ''Ah, your bangs have grown long, haven''t they? Shall I cut it?'' ''...... Sorry. Seriously, can we end this conversation once and for all?'' Apparently, my intentions were not understood. It seems that you''ve got the wrong impression of everything. ...... It''s kind of cold inside. ............ Well, well, it was a little difficult for Jeannette, I guess. What can I say?I''m not sure what to say.That kind of thing. ''So, what''s going on? Ginette said, as if she thought my cool pose was some kind of joke. ...... Who''s playing games with you? Excuse me. ''No ...... that ............'' Theron trailed off. But after looking at Ginette''s face, he looks as if he''s made up his mind and opens his mouth. ''I was asking you about marriage. ''Huh? Perhaps surprised by the word ''marriage'', Ginette opened her eyes and mouth wide and covered her mouth with her hands. And ...... my cup and jug full of water that I was holding in my hand was thrown on top of me. ''It''s cold! ''Nyaa!I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I''ll get you something to wipe with in a minute! Ginette left the jug and cup on the table and hurried back to the kitchen. ...... Ahhh. My stomach and lower body are soaked. I wanted you to pour it on the handsome man in front of you, not me. ............ No, wait. ...... Maybe this is a way of saying, "Mr. Yashiro is more handsome than you. Maybe this is a hidden message from Jeannette that Yashiro is more handsome than you. .................. No, I don''t think so. ''Are you okay, Mr. Hero? ''Oh, ...... you''re lucky it wasn''t boiling water. It''s the part of the body where a burn could be serious. Water would only be cold. ''I''m sorry, sir. I''m sorry I spoke so abruptly.'' ''Don''t worry about it. You need to change your habit of thinking everything is your fault.'' ''...... Yes. I''ll keep that in mind. Do you understand, this guy? ''Yashiro-san, take this! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. If you ...... wipe there, there''s no place for me to wipe, you know?I can''t help it, I''ll wipe the table or something. ''Isn''t it cold?Please don''t catch a cold or anything.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to get rid of it. ''I''m fine now. I''ll do the rest myself.'' ''But ......'' ''No, um, ............ it''s ...... embarrassing to be wiped around there.'' ''Huh?.................. What? And so, even though it was through a towel, Ginette''s face turned bright red as she realized where she was placing her hand. Well, it''s just below the navel. ...... Yeah, it''s a part that should not be touched lightly by a daughter before her wedding. ''It''s okay. Calm down. Okay? ''I''m back! ''"Excuse me", right!Can you keep that part in a negative sentence, please!'' What the hell are you going to smoke! Let''s just calm down! Ginette turns her back to me, perhaps to hide her embarrassment. Because of this, she''s facing Theron. Perhaps in an attempt to change the atmosphere, Ginette turned to Theron and said. ''So,......, are you going to get married? ''Yes....... Yes. I intend to.'' In response to Jeannette''s question, Theron nodded his head slowly but clearly. ''...... With Yashiro-san?'' ''No way, right!You know that, right? ''You know what I mean!You know what I mean!...... Thank God.'' What? Even if you know it, if you don''t deny it clearly, are you worried about the possibility of it happening? There is no such thing as a possibility! ''So, you''re saying that you''re with ...... Wendy? ''Yes, sir. Because Wendy is the only one for me.'' ''I see. Congratulations. And with that, Jeannette sits down next to me. You''re going to listen to ......, aren''t you? I know you love to talk about these things. But you don''t look good, do you?Is there a problem?'' Ginette tries to get to the heart of the matter like an entertainment reporter. Theron, perhaps more comfortable with such a response, said, ''Actually, ......,'' and hesitantly stated the reason. ''I want to make Wendy the ...... happiest person in the world. ''I''ll ask you to leave! ''Yashiro-san, please calm down!Isn''t this a good story? ''If you listen to any more sweet love stories, I''m going to become a metabolic syndrome!I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. ''Hero-sama!Please, please listen to me!I''m seriously worried about it! ''There''s nothing to be worried about. ''Marry me, I''m happy, okay? ''Sure, why not? That''s what I''m talking about. ''...... I''ve never used that tone of voice before. ......'' ''And congratulations, I guess.'' ''That''s what ......'' Theron''s expression clouded. The expression on his face was one of anxiety, akin to frustration. ''Please, can you listen to me?Please! ...... I can''t help it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about this. The city gate of the 42nd district was just completed the other day. During the festival that was held to have a road built from the city gate to the Sunken Pavilion, running east to west, Theron and Wendy invented glowing bricks to light the dark road. The glowing bricks were a big hit, and Theron''s brickworks, which had been on the verge of collapse, was revived, Wendy''s dream was fulfilled, and the two were soon to be married. ''Is your father saying something to you again? He was the father who wanted to give his son to a nobleman in order to rebuild the brickworks. It''s not impossible. ''''No. My father is ...... that ............ I''m ashamed to say that ...... shiny brick was a big hit. Ever since the ...... shiny brick became a big hit, he''s never let Wendy go. ...... He won''t accept any other wife but Wendy. ......'' ''You''re a cash cow, ......'' ''I''m embarrassed to say this,......Well, I''m glad that you approve of Wendy, but she''s gone a bit too far out of control,......and apparently she''s been going around telling people here and there that we''re about to get married. I''m glad you approve of Wendy. That father ...... ''What does that mean?Are you saying that you guys haven''t made any promises of marriage yet? ''Yes . Nothing definite has been done yet. And, that means that ...... ''Are you saying that Wendy is not open to marriage?'' ''No, sir. I''m sure Wendy would like to marry me, so I''m not worried about that. ''Then what do you want me to think about?You don''t even need to think about it, you''re going to get married soon, aren''t you? ''Yes, I think that in the not too distant future, Wendy and I will be married. ...... Ila. ''I feel that even when we are together, we are aware of each other''s intention to get married, even if we don''t say so. ...... irritated. ''I''m sure the two of you will make a happy family, I''m sure ...... and I''m sure Wendy will ...... too.'' ...... frustrated. ''I can''t imagine a world without Wendy anymore. ...... I mean that with all my heart.'' ...... frustrated frustrated. ''But ...... I really, really don''t think this is a good idea. ......'' ''It''s fine, it''s fine, it''s fine! What is this guy? What is it? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.You just want to show off! Or what?What is it? Marriage blues? I don''t care! I don''t know who to choose, because they''re all so nice! I don''t give a shit about your joke of a problem! You can do whatever you want!All I can think of is, ''Kaaaaahhhh ............ pfft! The only thing I can think of is that I''m not sure what to think! ''Ginette~...... the refreshingly handsome man in front of me is bullying me~'' ''What?Um, Yashiro-san ...... why are you crying ......?'' ''I''m not crying. ...... These are ............ tears from my heart!........................ Then you''re not crying! ''Oh, please calm down, Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it.It''s ......, okay? I''m confused about what to do, and Jeannette gently pats me on the head. Oh, ...... what''s that? This feels a little better ............ ''It kind of reminds me of the landlady a little bit. ......'' ''What?''The landlady''? ''Oh, the landlady is my mother. ......'' ''No, I know that, but ............ didn''t you start calling her ''mother''?'' ''U.............'' Well, it''s true that, for some reason or another, I''ve thought about calling the master and proprietress ''father'' and ''mother'', but ...... I''m a little embarrassed about it, or maybe it''s just too late... ... I''ve been calling you ''master'' and ''proprietress'' for so long that my mouth is used to it. ''Well, well, it doesn''t matter what you call me. It''s all about feelings.'' ''That''s true, too. I''m also a little embarrassed to call the sisters ''mother'' .......'' The whole time we were talking, Jeannette was stroking my head. It''s ticklish to have your hair tousled, but it''s really nice. Somehow, it makes me feel more energetic. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I think it''s more energizing if you pinch me. ''Why is that ......? ''Oh, you want to hear it?'' ''No, no. I''ll pass. ''I see. ...... Ginette is very reserved. ''Haha. You two always get along so well.'' ''Not as much as yours, though! ''......Oh, Hero-sama, ...... are you mad at me? I''m not angry! I don''t envy you at all! It''s not like I''m going to be able to do anything about it.Oh, I''m so jealous! ''So, what are you unhappy about? ''No, it''s not that I''m dissatisfied, it''s just that I''m not sure if ............ I can go on like this. ......'' Theron said anxiously, with a hint of frustration in his voice. It is as if he is asking himself a question. ''I don''t know how to put it, but I think it''s too ...... peaceful. ...... I think we need to get over our problems before we get married. ......'' ''Well, what?In other words, I''m supposed to interfere with your marriage as much as I can? ''Yes, yes!We need your help! ''If you want to make waves, why don''t you have an affair with a suitable woman? ''Women other than Wendy are not worth the sulfur-rich, high-contraction clay that I am! ''Don''t use clay as an analogy, it''s confusing!How many cups are you worth in terms of boobs?'' ''No, I''m not sure about ......? I can''t have a conversation with someone who uses boobs as a metaphor and says ''I don''t understand''! I''m going to ask you to leave! ''It''s okay. Only Yashiro-san can understand that. Huh, ...... Ginette is saying something terrible to me. ...... ''Then what the hell is it? ''Actually, ...... Wendy has a family, but ...... I''ve never met them yet. ......'' ''What?'' I nodded my head at Theron''s words. ''Does Wendy have a family?'' Wendy was alone in a lonely district of ruins, holed up in a rundown laboratory doing research. She must have been living alone when she met Theron, and ever since. ''Wendy''s family lives in the thirty-fifth district. ''Thirty-five Wards? The 35th district is the closest district to the sea, located on the opposite side of the 42nd district. Since Masha of the Sea Fishing Guild has been coming to District Forty-two using the city gate, it''s probably not too far to come, but they''ll probably be traveling by carriage along the way. But they would have traveled by horse-drawn carriage on the way. Considering the distance by children''s legs, the distance from the 35th district to the 42nd district might be a little too far. ''Why did you come from such a far place to the 42nd district by yourself? According to what Loretta had learned from Theron and Wendy in the past, Wendy had come to District 42 when she was still in the single digits, and she must have met Theron there. ''It''s because the plant that Wendy needs is living in District 42. ''Ah. Well, you said that the raw material for that glowing powder is a plant that lives in the forests of District 42. ''Yes. Wendy started researching at her parents'' house, and after finding out the ingredients, she took the plunge and ran away from home. That''s a bold move. ''Wasn''t she worried ...... that she would run away from home while she was still so young? For Jeannette, who had never left the church until she was nine years old and had been visiting her grandfather''s sunlit pavilion, Wendy''s decision might seem unbelievable. Coming to the Forty-second Ward without any kind of contact. ''Wendy herself hasn''t returned home, has she? ''No. Wendy seems to go back to her parents'' house several times a year,......, so I once told Wendy that I wanted to see her,.......'' ''Did you talk to Wendy about wanting to see her breasts?'' ''No, I said I wanted to meet Wendy''s parents.'' Oh, that''s right. ...... That''s confusing. ''So, if you haven''t met them, did they say no?'' ''Yes. My parents live too far away.'' ''You''ve been making bricks for years.'' I guess Wendy was being considerate. But when you''re getting married, you should at least go and say hello. ''It''s just that ...... I''m not sure. Theron''s expression clouded slightly. ''I''m thinking that Wendy might not be too happy about her family. ......'' ''Is that so?'' ''I don''t know, but ...... somewhat.'' If Theron, your lover, feels that way somehow, then it is highly likely. Words, if they try to deceive you, will be accompanied by a sense of discomfort. ''I''m a little curious ......''. Ginette leaks a little. This guy''s ''concern'' is not curiosity, but more of a concern that Wendy may be having problems with her family. He''s the kind of guy who gets involved in everything and worries about things on his own. However, Theron has also shown signs of being concerned about it. ...... ''Wendy rarely talks about her family. ''It''s my choice,'' she said. I chose my own path. The path I took to achieve my dreams. Wendy chose to be alone in order to follow that path. But I can''t help but feel that she is still somewhat lonely. ...... So, if possible, I would like to accept everything about her before I marry her. I want to make Wendy the happiest person in the world. ......'' These words were filled with kindness and an overly strong determination. This guy really wants to make Wendy happy. d*mn ......, that''s a little cool. ''I can''t help it. ......'' At my muttering, Theron and, for some reason, Ginette''s faces lit up. Don''t stare at me with such expectant eyes. It''s not like I can do anything about it. I don''t know much about marriage, either. ...... But well, I can at least give you some help ...... or ............. ''All right, Theron. I''ll help you.'' ''Are you sure? ''Yeah, ...... I''m a man, too. I know how you feel.'' ''Hero, .......'' That''s right. You don''t want the happiness of the person you marry to be lacking even a little. You want them to be 100% happy. That''s what a man is supposed to do. Even the smallest thorn in your side is uncomfortable when it bothers you. You can''t say you''re happy if you ignore her while she''s holding you back. I don''t want to say that. ''I, like you, want to fill my heart with a happy feeling when I play with ...... my big tits! ''Um, ...... I''m not from that faction. ......'' ''Are you in the faction that wants to fill your mind with a happy feeling when you play with poor breasts?'' ''No, still not. ......'' ''But well, you know what I mean, don''t you? ''No. ...... Sorry, but ......'' I don''t know why I can''t get it! You''re not a very understanding man, are you? Oh well. The point is. ''So I should make Wendy a happy bride. ''A happy bride'' ...... is a lovely phrase. Ginette gazed into the void with enraptured eyes. I wonder what he''s seeing in his eyes. ............ I''m curious. I''m curious, but I can''t ............ ask him, can I? So I''ll ask him something else. ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes.'' ''What''s the process of marriage in this city? ''Is it a flow ......?'' No, you see. There''s a lot of steps to getting married, right?''Give me your daughter,'' for example. ''First, I find someone I like.'' ''That''s too far from the starting point. ...... Why don''t we start with something a little more advanced? If I left it as it was, I would have gone on and on about how we ate lunch in the park on our first date, so I cut it short. Well, I''d like to hear about it, though. Ginette''s ideal date. ''You usually go to greet each other''s parents, right? ''Yes,......, basically, it is common for people who have been close to each other since childhood to get married, so I heard that people other than noblemen do not greet each other properly. I see. Is it common for ordinary people to marry within the same guild or between neighbors? If that''s the case, then since the parents and children are already acquainted with each other, it''s unlikely that they would greet each other in a formal manner. That means that the case of Theron and Wendy might be quite an unusual marriage in Allbloom. ''If that''s the case, it might be a good idea to go and say hello to them before they get married. ''I suppose so. If possible, I''d like many people to congratulate us. I''d like to go and greet her properly so that she''ll recognize that I''m a man who can make Wendy happy. ''If Wendy says it''s okay, right? ''......, yes.'' As of now, Wendy seems to be only softly rejecting the idea, so I don''t know what she really thinks about it. It''s not a good idea to force her if she really doesn''t want you to meet her parents. No matter how much you say it is for the sake of the other person, no matter how sure you are that deep down they don''t feel that way, it is just ego that makes you act without their understanding. Anyway, you should ask Wendy once and for all. ''Are you going to get engaged or something? ''It seems that the nobles do. They send you a ring.'' I guess it''s the same there. In short, only aristocrats do what we do in Japan. ''In the case of ordinary people, when they have decided to get married, they go to the lord and submit the documents. That''s how they''re recognized as married.'' ''And then?'' ''What?That''s the end of ......, though?'' ''I see. ......'' Apparently there is such a thing as a marriage certificate. But that''s it,....... It''s a city that never celebrated anything like birthdays. Maybe there is no such thing as a wedding ceremony for ordinary people. If you ask me, I haven''t seen anyone having a ceremony in a church in a year. Weddings, too, are probably held only by aristocrats and the like. In this city, you can send a bouquet of flowers to show your intention to propose. ...... In that case, will there be a marriage proposal? ''Hey, are you going to propose? ''Yes, we do. It may be unrelated to ordinary citizens like us, but it is said that aristocrats express their passionate feelings in words when they propose marriage. ...... It''s wonderful, isn''t it? The gynette is enraptured. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I wonder if it''s something like longing for a princess in a picture book. But the reality is that you submit the papers and that''s it. But in reality, you submit the paperwork and that''s it. ...... is kind of tasteless, isn''t it? But it seems to be less so these days. As if to correct Ginette''s words, Theron opens his mouth. In the event that you''re a little embarrassed ...... but somewhat happy, Theron loosens the edges of his mouth. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''...... under the influence of me? I have a very bad feeling about this. I was about to ask Theron what he meant, but a familiar face appeared from behind Theron and gave me an explanation about it. ''You were the one who encouraged the custom of giving flowers to each other, weren''t you?That''s the influence.'' ''Estella ......'' Estella popped up from behind Theron. She was looking at him with a happy expression. ''...... eavesdropping?That''s disgusting.'' ''I''ve been up here just fine!I could hear you all the way from the entrance!'' ''What? '' said Theron, looking around in a panic. Fortunately, there are no customers in the store. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. ...... Were you planning on having a secret conversation? You may not be aware of how unprotected you''ve been talking. ''So, if you''ve found out that marriage proposals are taking root, then of course you''re going to propose, right? I haven''t heard anything about an increase in the number of couples proposing, either. It''s impossible for Theron, who usually stays in his workshop making bricks or flirting with Wendy, to be sensitive to the latest trends. If he knows about it, he must have taken the trouble to look it up. Why did he look it up? ...... There''s only one answer. To do the same. And Theron proved my guess right with a nod of the head. ''Actually,............, I''m thinking of proposing to you tomorrow. ''Is that so? ''Oh! Jeannette was very excited. She was so excited that she couldn''t help letting out a squeal. Her eyes were shining so brightly. ''Yes. I''ve prepared a ...... bouquet of flowers, and I''ve attached the ...... promise.'' ''...... in detail.'' ''It''s very interesting! ''How long have you guys been there? Magda and Loretta peek out from behind Theron. ''They''re all biting! ''I hope you''ve thought of the right words to propose.It''s a once-in-a-lifetime moment that you won''t forget for the rest of your life, so you need to rehearse it well! Estella is advising Theron. It''s as if it''s you. Meddling. But it seems that Estella isn''t the only one who meddles. Surrounded by four beautiful girls, Ginette, Estella, Magda, and Loretta, Theron''s forehead is sweating, as if he were a suspect being interrogated. He must be under a lot of pressure. I don''t know why girls put so much pressure on the girl they know to make them happy or we won''t forgive you! You can''t say, ''You''re none of our business. ''Just in case, .......'' ''...... somewhat anxious''. ''I don''t feel like I''m ready to take on the biggest challenge of my life. Estella, Magda and Loretta frowned at Theron''s use of the word ''just in case''. Such a weak attitude seems to have a negative impact. ''If you don''t mind, I''d like to hear it. And Ginette, with her angelic smile, utters a devilish request. ...... A marriage proposal to an unrelated member of the opposite s*x? What kind of punishment is that? ...... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... Are you serious? ''I''m thinking of proposing in the recently fashionable ...... heroic style. ''Hmm?Can you give me a minute? Hero-sama style? What kind of hero are you talking about? ''You don''t mean my style ......, do you? ''No, sir. I mean manly, considerate, and kind words like hero-sama. ''Is something like that in fashion? ''Yes. There are a number of people I know who have succeeded in proposing in the Hero-sama style.'''' ''......Seriously? ............Well, what kind of ......does that sound like me?'' I have a bad feeling about this, but not knowing ...... it is even worse. ''It''s a little ...... embarrassing, but ............ I''ll give it a try.'' Standing up, Theron took a deep breath, stifling his heart, which was probably speeding up from nervousness. Then he turns his serious gaze toward the paper Loretta holds above his head that says, ''Wendy. ''Wendy ...... Oh, we don''t have it now, but we''ll give you a bouquet here in the show. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. And ...... I''m not buying this for you, you know! ''Wait a minute, what are you doing? I couldn''t help but stop him. How could I not? ''What''s with the tsundere? ''There''s more to it! ''No, that''s where it ends, isn''t it? ''Yes, there is! After assuring her, Theron turned to Wendy, raised his eyebrows, and continued. ''From now on, I''ll always be with you!It''s only for my own good! ''So you''re a tsundere?What''s with that tsundere? ''...... Hmm. That sounds like Yashiro.'' ''You''re lying!Tell me it''s not true, Estella! Do they think I''m such a tsundere?I want to die. ''...... This is ...... Wendy''s too.'' ''Seriously! ''It''s pretty destructive ......''. ''Are you okay, guys? ''............ ah ............ that...'' ''......... no comment.'' ''What do you mean, you''re red-faced, Jeannette? ''Dada, dada, dada, because ............ imagine if it was you ............'' ''How can you be happy about this!Hey, let''s chill out for once, guys! Magda, Loretta, and Jeannette are all crazy. In the first place, this doesn''t look like me at all! ''Oh, ............, that was embarrassing ......''. Theron''s face goes down, his ears flushed red. ''But you know what, ...... I''m even more embarrassed than you are, ............ because of you! ''Oh, saying "you" is a ...... hurdle.'' ''Oh, there you are! There were many more embarrassing parts! If you decide to get married like this, you''ll definitely regret it in a few years! ''So, that''s it!I want to get married, but I need your help to make ...... Wendy the happiest bride in the world!It''s not just a normal marriage, but a miraculous one like the one Hero has shown us over and over again. As soon as he said that, Theron bent his waist to 90 degrees and bowed his head. I''m sure you''ll like it. ............ No. ...... miraculous impressions or so they say. ...... ...... ''Maybe, but ............ this marriage is going to be ruined, isn''t it? ''What, why? ''Oh, you want to hear it? It''s because the words of the proposal are so cold! I can''t even bring myself to say it! If I were Wendy, I''d punch you in the jaw with a megaton punch that you''ve never shown me before and knock you unconscious for about three days. ''Hmm ...... I know exactly what you mean, Yashiro.'' Plucking at her slender chin with her fingers, Estella''s eyes sparkled. ''So you''re saying that a proposal in the style of Yashiro would be too difficult and would most likely fail?'' ''Wow ...... there''s an idiot here who looks smart.'' If it''s too difficult, it''s probably only because you''ll be overcome by shame. It''s sure to be black history. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... ''Hmm, I can''t control it. It''s just that my false image is running wild on its own. ''There are times when you are too embarrassed to speak when you are in front of the person, aren''t there? Ginette murmurs in a caring manner. But you know what, Jeannette? Even if you''re not there, it''s still embarrassing to death to be called a Yashiro. ''......, tomorrow. We''re all going to secretly watch over Theron''s proposal. ''No objections! ''I guess so. I''ll go with you. I''m curious about a lot of things. Hey, Ginette. ''What?Oh, um, ...... and ............, yes. I''m curious, too. Hello, are you the four of you? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''...... Are you sure about this, Theron? ''Eh?'' ''I heard you''re planning on going on a tour.'' ''Hahaha...... sure, it''s a bit embarrassing, but ............ thinking that Hero-sama will be watching over me gives me courage! What? ...... Am I going too? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ............ Give me a break. But well, ...... I said I''d help. ...... ''............ Okay. If the proposal goes well and you guys start moving towards marriage, then I''ll help you as much as I can. ''Yes!I''ll do my best! With a refreshing smile, Theron clenched his fists. This is the moment when a man makes up his mind. His appearance is brave, and I''m sure the girls see him as dignified and reliable. That''s why, you know, Theron ...... I''m not sure what to say. 174-Later, Ill tell you two flowers, words and love. ''Oh, ladybug. Welcome to .................. many......'' Millie''s expression brightened up when she saw me, and she looked puzzled when she saw the huge army coming behind me. Well, I guess it can''t be helped. Me, Theron, Jeannette, Magda, Loretta, Estella, Estella''s companion Natalia, before I knew it Imelda, and somehow Umaro, Bekko, and even Norma are casually following along. Eleven people in all. ''...... some kind of party today? ''No, well, I guess you could call it a ...... party, but ......''. Mostly just onlookers. The day after Theron approached me for advice. We came to Millie''s to buy a bouquet of flowers because he was going to propose to Wendy,......, but who knows where he heard about it, and a whole bunch of extra people came along. I''m going to use it as a reference in case of emergency. ''I''ll do the same. I wonder if that ''emergency'' will ever come for you. ''Hey, Theron. There''s been a huge increase in the number of people on ....... There were too many people in the gallery and it would get in the way, so I checked with Theron. ...... ''No, sir. I''m sure I can pull it off with this many people watching over me. He replied positively. Then, with a slightly annoyed smile, Theron pointed to his own foot. ''...... Honestly, I''m so anxious I''m about to run away. Theron''s leg was shaking and shaking in small increments. Oh, how cute. If I were a thirty-something year old lady, I wouldn''t hesitate to make you my pet. I''ll feed you. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''Yes. I''m going to tell him how I feel about him. ''Oh, dear ......!Nice ............, I''m sure you''ll be pleased! ''Well, I hope so. ''Absolutely!I''m sure.All right! She rolled up her sleeves and made bumps with her thin, white arms. ...... Well, I can''t make it at all. I''m not sure what to do. I''ll make a special bouquet for you! The florist''s soul is on fire. Miri''s spirit of craftsmanship seems to have been ignited. Her eyes shine even brighter. ''Millie-san. You''re really working hard. Ginette smiles at Millie as she moves about quickly and ponders in front of the flowers. She looks at her like an older sister watching over a younger sister who is doing her best. ''By the way, what kind of bouquet would make a girl happy? ''Huh? It was a question I had asked casually, but Jeannette made a short sound and then froze. Huh?Did it bug out? When the cat kicked the NES, the screen froze like this. ...... Was it kicked? I looked into the face of Jeannette, who suddenly stopped moving, and the moment our eyes met, Jeannette''s face flushed red. I felt a light explosion. ''......''s, wow, I''m ............ so whatever ...... I''m ............ happy ......, but ......!'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''............ If your thoughts are filled, then ......''. I see. A thought. ...... No, no, no. I know what he thought and what he misunderstood when he saw Jeannette''s attitude. But I dare not touch it! Don''t touch it! ...... Oh, shit. My face is hot. ''Why don''t you just tell him for reference?For Theron! ''C''mon, Theron!That''s right, isn''t it!It''s for Theron''s reference, isn''t it? His voice trailed off in places. But that''s okay, because Jeannette is the same. Fifty-fifty. This game is a draw! ''Oh, hey. Imelda. What kind of bouquet do you think I should get you?'' In times like this, it''s best to widen the target and go for the ''it didn''t mean anything special'' plan! I''m just a light-hearted guy who''s trying to make ends meet until Millie''s work is done. So, let''s get Imelda involved. ''What?Are you going to choose a bouquet of flowers for when Mr. Yashiro proposes to me? ''No, no. No, I''m not.'' Ah. This guy can easily deny it. ''You''re so boring.'' Imelda puffs out her cheeks jokingly. So, Imelda is used to receiving bouquets of flowers, isn''t she?If you ask her in this atmosphere, she will take it as a joke. I feel like I''ve just been shown the height of the lady''s social skills. ''Yes,......, I like white flowers, so I used white as the base color,......, with passionate red flowers,....... ......'' ''I like the way it looks like this. ''Wow!It''s beautiful, Imelda! ''Of course it is. ''The flowers''. ''............ Did you really need to emphasize that? ''Well, don''t worry about it. There''s nothing malicious in Jeannette''s words.'' ''...... I know that.'' Naturally, Imelda''s bouquet was beautiful, so Ginette hadn''t said anything wrong, but ...... she hadn''t said it in the right way or at the right time. Imelda seems to have been mildly shocked. ''Wow. It''s really beautiful.'' Estella noticed the bouquet Imelda had made and approached her with a smile. ''The flowers. ''Now that''s a lot of malice.'' ''I know, I know.'' Imelda''s hostility towards the smirking Estella is plain to see. You guys don''t get along well as usual. ''Estella-sama, why don''t you make a bouquet of flowers to suit yourself? Natalia, who probably had too much free time on her hands, made such a suggestion to Estella. If it were the usual Estella, she might have just said ''No'', but since Imelda had made a magnificent bouquet, she would not be able to back down now. ''Good. Then I''ll show you. I''ll show you my aesthetic sense. ''Oh, I''ll do it too! ''I''ll do the same. ''...... interesting, I''ll take it. ''Oh, you should get on that! In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you''ll want to take a look at the following. ...... You guys buy the flowers you use, right? ''What about Ginette and Norma? ''I''d rather not. ''I don''t think so either. If you want to decorate your home with flowers, it''s better to have Millie choose them for you. ............ So, if you want such flowers, you should ...... have the other man choose them for you. ............ and ....... I''m sure you''ll agree. Well, I guess that''s how she thinks. ''I thought Jeannette would like this kind of thing. ''Yes. I like to tinker with flowers. It''s .......'' She smiled shyly and scratched her cheek. She smiles shyly and flushes her cheeks, a gesture of a shy maiden with a hint of loneliness. ''...... When it comes to flowers that suit me,............, I don''t know myself very well. Ginette is still repenting for the mistakes of her childhood. Perhaps she is hesitant to express herself with beautiful flowers. Ginette has a habit of underestimating herself. If you''re interested in ......, please contact me sometime. I''ll make the perfect bouquet for Ginette. A bouquet to match her sunny smile. ''What? ''Yashiro-san! ''Nggoth!and head-butts her into the wall. What am I thinking about that''s so embarrassing? You''ve been a little too relaxed lately, haven''t you? What''s going on in your head, Peachy Typhoon? I''m not a fraud! I''m not sure I''ve ever forgiven myself completely for quitting a con artist. Not yet. ...... Not yet. ...... I will not allow myself to be happy until I can forgive me! There is still more I need to do. There are more ...... things to do. Until then, no! ''Um, Yashiro-san,......, are you okay?'' ''Ah!I''m completely awake now!I''m totally fine! ''But, my blood is ......''. ''Don''t worry about it!This stuff will go away if you spit on it!'' ''Huh?Do you want me to put some on your ............? ''No, you don''t have to! No, no, no, Mr. Ginette. You''re too dedicated. The day you get a forehead peck, I''ll peck the two big bulges you have in front of you. Bartering. ...... Both of these things benefit me, though. ''It''s done! Loretta was the first to speak up. ''You should see it!Look at the bouquet I''ve made!The theme is ''Burning Love''! It was a passionate bouquet of bright red roses. ''Oh, Loretta! ''How do you like it, big brother? ''It''s so normal! ''Why not? No, because ...... a bouquet of red roses for a proposal is ...... a bit of a clich??, isn''t it? ''Is it like having dinner at a restaurant with a beautiful night view and saying, "Here''s to your eyes"? ''Mwah!What''s that?That''s so romantic!It''s wonderful! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... ''......Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll agree. Magda pushes aside the writhing Loretta and comes in with a small bouquet of flowers. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. ''...... Please give Magda one like the one you just gave me. ''A thing like that? ''......''A toast to yolks and whites.'' ''Eggs, that is.'' That''s a pick-up line Neffery would love. I was going to make a joke about ......, but Magda was staring at me. These stubborn eyes of Magda will never break or give up,............, and there is no way around it. I took Magda''s bouquet, hid it behind my back, and grabbed her arm. ''You''re under arrest. Then I pulled Magda into a tight hug and thrust the bouquet in front of her face. ''...... You stole my heart.'' ''............'' ............ Yeah. It''s okay if you''re just doing it for the fun of it, but can you please stop saying nothing? I''m dying of embarrassment. ''............''. What? ''...... No one is telling you to go all out.'' A small arm pushed me, and Magda, her face hidden by a bouquet of flowers, trotted off to escape. ............ No, no, no. It''s not an all-out effort at all. It''s more like a prank. ...... ''I''m sorry,'' he said. ......Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that ......'' ''''I''m back, and Obayashi''s funny proposal show has ended. ''''''What the hell? The ones who raised their voices were Estella, Natalia, and Norma, who had said earlier that she wouldn''t make the bouquet. I mean, Norma. Why are you casually making a bouquet? Don''t play with me. If you don''t end this kind of thing early, you''ll have to do it to everyone. That''s a rule of thumb I''ve learned. ''............ Huh. I''m sorry.'' I looked over to see that Ginette was also clutching some flowers in her hands. ...... No, you see, ............ it''s not like it''s an early bird thing. ''That''s like a famous formula in my hometown,......, because if you do that seriously, it''s a laughable proposal.'' ''Is that so?I think it was a pretty cool line, though. Are you serious, Estella? Are you sure you want to do something like that? ''Then how about jumping in front of a speeding carriage and saying, "I''m not going to die! How about that?'' ''What?Even if you get run over, you won''t die?Are you bragging about your physical strength? ''No, I won''t get run over! ''Then of course you won''t die. ...... Yeah, this is not popular. ............ I don''t know. ''So, did you finish it, the bouquet? ''That''s the thing, ...... I''d like a little more red, but ...... ah''. Estella, who was holding an overall bluish bouquet of flowers, caught sight of the red leaves Natalia was holding. ''Natalia!What''s with the red flowers? ''It seems to be a leaf. ''Is it a leaf? ''Looks like it. It''s called ............ ''Poinsettia''.'' ''Is that really the name? ''That''s too bad, Estella. It looks like you can''t buy this plant.'' ''I''ve never heard of a plant that''s not allowed to be flattened!I''ve never heard of any plants that are not allowed to be flattened. ...... Who''s flattened? Big tits and small tits arguing over poinsettias. But as usual, this city has no sense of season. Speaking of poinsettias, in Japan we only see them at certain times of the year. That''s right, during the season of the ...... rear-facing masses! I don''t see the need for couples to make out with each other to celebrate the birthday of a celebrity from another country! I don''t know.I''ve done a good job, that I have! ''I''m proud of my work too! ''Miri~, are you almost done? ''Hmm!It''s done! Okay, let''s go check it out! ''I want you to be a little interested! ''I had a feeling this would happen, that I did! I''m not interested in two old men making a flower arrangement. ''I tried to express Magda-tan''s overflowing cuteness! Hmm, rejected. Not interested. ''I''m trying to express Norma''s raging boing ...... hot, that I am! Becko is sprawled out on the ground and Norma is twirling her flue. It''s a shame that the bouquet of flowers that represented Norma''s little interest was cruelly dismantled by Norma''s hands and returned to the pretty flowers one by one. ''...... You should ask Regina to look inside your head once. No, I don''t think ...... showing Regina would make it worse. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. Well, it seems to be a reward for certain people,......, good for you, Bekko. Lucky, lucky, lucky. ''Oh, ...... this is beautiful.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about this. ''Wow .......'' ''Heh......'' ''Well, ......'' A sigh of admiration escaped from here and there. Hmm...... indeed, this is ............ ''It''s beautiful .......'' Ginette muttered. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a bunch of flowers. The white, yellow and pale pink flowers are arranged in a lovely way, like butterflies fluttering in a field of flowers, beautifully expressing Wendy''s innocence and cheerfulness. If you look closely, you can see heart-shaped flowers here and there, giving a sense of overflowing love. Millie ......, you''ve done it! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. I''d like to have one of these. I''d like that too. No, you guys. You just made yourself an ideal bouquet. You''ve been defeated by a professional''s work. ''That''s what I wanted to make too! I''m the same way. What you wanted to make and what you can make are two different things. You can say whatever you want. ''I''m going to ask Milly to propose to me. I''ll do the same. No, you guys can''t do it. I won''t let you do it. I''ll do my best to interfere. ''What do you think, ......?'' ''Excellent, Millie!I''ve never seen a more beautiful bouquet of flowers in my life! I''ve never seen such a beautiful bouquet.'' ''Well, I''d be happy if it was .......'' A smile appeared on Millie''s anxious face. I wonder if she was a little worried. If there is anyone who complains about this bouquet, their sensitivity is wrong. You''d be better off as a pest or something. ''I''m sure Wendy will be pleased. ''Hmm. Good luck, Mr. Kerouac.'' ''Yes, sir! Millie pushed him, and Theron nodded briskly. Now that you have done a lot of unrelated things,......, it is time to propose. Theron. Decide exactly where you want to go. ''Okay, let''s go! ''Hey, Hero-sama! Theron stops me when I''m about to leave on a high note. You''re not going to say you''re not ready, are you? I''m not sure if I''m ready or not. ''Before we go to the meeting place, may I visit Mr. Nephrite''s house? ''Nephrite''s?'' ''Yes.'' ''Are there still not enough onlookers?'' ''Yes, no!It''s not that. ...... There''s something I want to get. ......'' As for what I want to get, the only thing Nephrite has is eggs,................... ''...... Theron. You''re not trying to ...... make a toast with the yolk and the white, are you? ''Doki!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ...... How did you ...... do that? I''m sure you''re right! What''s that?I''m not sure if this is a good idea. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure.Are you stupid? I mean, don''t try to do the "yolk and white" one! Even if you''re going to do a million things, choose "In Your Eyes"! Anyway, don''t do that. You''ll ...... get burned.'' ''Aren''t they raw eggs!Are you sure they''re freshly boiled? ''I don''t know what you''re surprised about, but don''t do it, you''ll get hurt! ''...... There''s a fee, isn''t there? ''No, that''s not what I meant by ''free''. ...... Oh, forget it. Anyway, don''t do it. Watch out, watch out. If I''m not careful, I could have broken up their marriage. ''Then let''s go to ............ and arrest you! ''Let''s not do that either! I have no intention of bringing trendy drama culture to the 42nd district! I''d welcome a body-con gal wiggling her hips on the stand! Anyway, forget about those two. Okay? ''Yes,......, there must be some deep reason why Hero-sama said that,......'' No, there isn''t. It''s just that it''s cold, so don''t do it. '' Then. I''m going to propose to you in another language. ''''Don''t do that, too. ......'''' ''.............................. What? ''You don''t have much to offer, do you? All you do is make bricks, that''s why you''re so clumsy! You don''t need to be cool, just do it normally! Yashiro, we''re in trouble. If we don''t get going soon, we''ll be late! ''How can you propose to someone and make them wait? ............ Okay, let''s hurry up and get to the meeting place. Theron will go to the meeting place and we will wait a little farther away from there. Of course, we don''t want Wendy to know we''re there. We''ll move quickly, but carefully. ''Listen, Theron. Think of something else to say before we get to the rendezvous point.'' ''Yes, sir, I''ll try .......'' I''m a little nervous, but ...... it''s not rhetoric that''s needed for a proposal, it''s a sincere heart. If your feelings are conveyed to the other person properly, it will work out. Believing that, we headed to the meeting place. The meeting place was on a small hill on the way to Bekko''s house. It was a romantic place with a good view of the flower garden where bees were playing in the distance. The only drawback was that Becko lived in the neighborhood. When I arrived at the rendezvous point, Wendy had not yet arrived. Apparently, she was just in time. ''Well, hang in there! ''Yes, sir! Leaving Theron behind, we hid ourselves in the grass nearby. ''Will it work? ......'' Ginette prays with an anxious look on her face. It''s as if she''s worried about herself. Let me ease your anxiety a little. ''You''ll be fine. I have a bouquet of flowers that Millie made for me.'' ''Yes, ......, isn''t it? Ginette''s face beamed as she looked at the wonderful bouquet. ''Shh!Everyone be quiet!I think Wendy''s here.'' Estella, who was watching the street, sent a message in a hushed voice. Just as she had said, Wendy walked lightly up the small hill. She is dressed in black again today, but thanks to her radiant expression, she does not give off a gloomy impression. Her large-brimmed hat gives her a ladylike femininity. ''Theron! ''Hey, hey!Wendy.'' ''I''m sorry. Did I keep you waiting?'' ''No. I just got here myself.'' ''(Okay, let''s all throw rocks at him!)'' '' (No, no, no, no!What are you trying to do? Estella quickly seizes me as I pick up a handy pebble. Hey, let me go!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience.No, I can''t! ''(You have to watch over them so that the proposal is successful! ''(...... I understand.)'' I''ll hold out for today. Theron and Wendy are standing there talking. They had met yesterday. ...... Are they so happy to see each other after a few hours? They both emit an aura of happiness in all directions. ''(O...... brother is exuding some kind of unhappy aura,......! '' (Loretta. Don''t look. The negative force will take you in. Estella is trying to lead the onlookers to quarantine me. Becko and Umaro were placed between me and the girls. It''s ............ unpleasant. ''So, Theron. What''s the story?'' With the Obayashiro petite quarantine operation complete, Theron and the others made their move. Wendy got right to the point. I''m sure you''re aware of this, but ...... I''m sure you want me to say it out loud. ...... Just say it and get it over with. ............ I''m really going to be swallowed up by the negative force. ...... ''Actually,............, I have something to give you and something to tell you.'' I''m not sure what to say," Theron said, a little at a loss for words. I''m going to say it now. Prepare yourself, Theron! ''This is it! ''Well, ............ clean ......''. As Theron held out the bouquet, Wendy gazed at it for a few moments, then smiled broadly as she accepted it. ''Thank you Theron. I''m very happy. It was the radiant smile of a maiden in love. ''So, ...............'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal web site to make sure you''re getting the most out of it. Let''s go! ''Wendy! In the grass, the girls all gasped in unison. They were all holding their mouths and staring at Theron and the others in front of them. In the midst of such heated stares, Theron jumped with a bang. ...... jump? Then, with his arms outstretched, he shouts to Wendy. ''I''m not going to die! ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ You idiot! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I chose that one over the others! Aaahhhh!I don''t know why I didn''t include it in my banned words back then! The first marriage proposal I witnessed after arriving in another world gave me a sense of d??j? vu! The theme song is starting to play in my brain by itself! I''m not sure what to do. This is not good. ...... I thought it was probably going to be a slippery slope and Wendy would be mortified ............. ...... ''Yeah. Wendy smiled warmly through the trees and nodded her head happily. Then ...... ''Live a long, long, long life with me. Theron.'' He wrapped his arms around Theron''s neck and kissed him gently on the cheek. ............ What? ...... Success? Yeah. ............ Is this what you want? ''(............I''m happy for you, ...... Theron)'' ''(......that''s strange......that''s a person, but ......why, I''m crying......)'' Yeah, ...... Ginette and Estella, they''re crying. ...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m going to use it as a reference. I''ll take a look at it and have a great time! ....... I''m not sure if this is a good idea, Theron''s proposal? Objectively speaking, it doesn''t look like they''ve communicated their intention to get married. ...... You might have to start all over again at some point. ............ By that time, the handsome man with few drawers will need to be educated in many ways. ............ A pleasant breeze blows through the air, flowers and sunshine envelop the couple as they smile happily. Maybe I''m the only one ...... who''s feeling a little gloomy. At any rate, ...... we have to do everything in our power to stop this from going viral. '' (......? He looked around, but could not find Magda. --At the same time, in the sunny pavilion, ............ ''.................. Mwah! There was a thumping sound from Magda''s room, and Magda''s satisfied breathing could be heard. 175-Later Story 3 Ossan Paradise ''That ...... hero-sama.'' ''What is it, Theron?'' ''Why am I being forced to sit on the floor at the Hunting Guild branch? The Hunting Guild''s branch in District Forty-two. Theron is sitting upright on the hard floor there. Surrounding him are a bunch of stern-looking bastards. Theron doesn''t seem to understand why he''s in this situation. You want to know why? Why not, just this once? ''You''ve made a very amusing proposal. ''What?I was feeling pretty done with myself, but ......?'' Theron looks shocked, and I''m shocked. Seriously, you? What''s with this sorry looking guy? ''Can I ask you a question too? Use interrupts our conversation with a scary look on his face. You have a scary face. ...... You''re a coward. ''I''ll allow you to ask a question. ''How dare you ............ ask me why you''re here? ''Because there''s a mountain there! ''No, there isn''t!It''s indoors! ''In that case, I''d like to ask you the same question: ...... Why was I called here? Assunto, the pigmen, asks with a cynical smile. ''Because that''s where the mountains are! ''...... Are you planning to push through with that today, Yashiro-san? In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. The elite are Use, Assunto, Mo Mat, Umaro, Becco and Percy. And then there''s me and Theron, who''s sitting on the floor, eight of us face to face in the office of the Hunting Guild''s District 42 branch. The Men''s Gathering. It''s a very masculine picture, but that''s okay for this time. We chose this lineup on purpose. ''We''d like you to be the men and make this unfortunate handsome man a ''man''. ''Does that ...... disappointing handsome guy mean me? Who else is there? If you''re a bastard and you''re cute with a natural side, you''re limited to high school. You can''t go the cute route when you''re in your mid-twenties. He should be cooler than that. ''If it were true, I wanted to invite Pompeo of Luxury or Stylish Xenobios, but ...... we can''t bother people in other wards with problems in the 42nd ward. In terms of dandyism, these two men possess a certain level of quality. I can clearly admit that they are outstanding. ''No, I mean... I''m a resident of another district. Percy, a sugar factory worker with perfect makeup, says something incomprehensible. What do you mean you live in another ward? ...... ''You live in the vacant lot by the chicken farm, right?You''ve been in there all day.'' ''Hey!What?Ah, An-chan!That''s ...... ''Shhh! right? No, no, no, I know all of you. I mean, your time in the Forty-second District completely surpasses your time in the Forty-second District, right? The sugar factory belongs to my sister without a doubt, right? ''If you want, I can give you a sheet to keep the wind out.I''ll give you a discount.'' ''Don''t try to sell me on it, Assunto. A sheet in a vacant lot is a ...... complete person without a home. ''............ Depends on the price.'' ''Don''t bother, Percy! Don''t stay here. Go home, okay? ''So, Mr. Yashiro. Why did you call us here? You saw it too, didn''t you?I''m sure you''ve seen the scene of his proposal. '''''''' proposal! '''''''' Use, Assunto, Momat, and Percy, who didn''t know about it, crowded Theron, their mouths full of praise. ''You''ve finally made up your mind! ''Congratulations, sir.'' ''You''ve done it!I''m impressed! ''Woohoo!I want to be a part of this!I''ll just touch it! ''Oh no, ......, that''s embarrassing.'' ''Don''t compliment me!And don''t be shy! Today''s meeting is not a heartwarming one! Today''s meeting is not a heartwarming one, it''s a strict, "man" meeting! ''That thing is totally wrong!In fact, it''s not clear to Wendy that it was a proposal! ''So is it ......?'' ''No, I''m sure she can sense it in the air, but it''s not ...... like this. I''m not sure. Is it ......?'' That''s right. A marriage proposal is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It should be the kind of thing that stays in your heart for decades. You can''t do that with a ''thump! The other girl will cry ............ if the proposal is decided! ''You''re crying? ''I''m moved to tears! And those tears shine with the ...... most beautiful brilliance in the world. ''I''m sure those tears are the most beautiful in the world. ''It''s kind of annoying when I disagree with you. ''Why is that? Poemer fox. I don''t know how you can spout off such stinky lines and be okay with it. I didn''t say it, so I''m safe! ''Hero-sama! Theron sits on the floor with his hands on the floor and gives me a serious look. ''What was wrong with me!Please tell me! No, what''s wrong with ...... ''Ah~...... first of all, don''t you think it''s kind of ...... inconsiderate to copy exactly what you hear from others? ''...... Certainly. I''ve been speaking in borrowed ...... words because I''ve been longing for beautiful words. I''m not sure if it''s a beautiful word or not, but -- well, you once tried to adopt ''a toast with yolk and white'', didn''t you?Beautiful or not, think about it once more, okay? --A proposal with borrowed words is still tasteless. You can''t go too far wrong with a standard text, but it lacks warmth. I want originality in my proposal. That''s why we''ve gathered a bunch of guys who can give us some reference opinions here. ''''Hey, Yashiro! Use grabs me by the collar with great force and pulls me closer. What''s with the face so close? And his face is scary. ''Are you ...... going to tell us how to pick up women? ''That''s what I''m talking about. You know exactly what I''m talking about. ''You''ve got to be kidding me!You can''t do that, it''s embarrassing! ''What kind of hunting guild are you if you can''t even make a move? ''What kind of place do you think the hunting guild is? That''s it, right?You''re hunting, right? ''You''re going to hunt cute girls as you hunt magical beasts, right? ''''No!'''' Uzse''s face turned bright red and he shouted at her as if he was blowing steam. There''s no need to get so worked up about it. ...... ''Theron is at a crossroads in his life. You should help him.'' ''What''s it to you, what''s it to us? ''What if Theron''s proposal isn''t good enough and the marriage falls through!Are you going to take responsibility and become Theron''s wife? ''''I won''t be!I''m sure you can teach him a thing or two! ''Because Yashiro is still sixteen. ''So what?And don''t call yourself by your name, it''s disgusting! ''...... Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry, you''re seventeen now. ''So, I told you I don''t care! As if to support the uncooperative Use, Umaro also opens his mouth with a puzzled expression. ''Um, Yashiro-san. In the first place, a proposal is only done when a nobleman is wooing a young lady, so we ordinary people don''t have to be so particular about it. ...... Come on! The other place is the other place!Ours is ours! If you don''t let them redo it properly, the wrong proposal culture will spread in the 42nd district. You can find a lot of different types of marriage proposals in the marketplace, including tundere style, trendy drama style, ...... and both of them will spread terrible rumors based on the misconception that they are yashiro style. ...... Whatever the case may be, it is necessary for someone other than me to come up with the idea and create a standard for the 42nd district. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to do it. We need to make it ''irrelevant to me''. ''Let''s say Magda was met by some nobleman and proposed to him. ''Hey, Javier!What would you do to Magda? ...... No, well... Javier the woodcutter is a severe pedophile, so he''s the most likely suspect, but ...... don''t frame him, okay? ''When that happens, are you going to watch with your fingers in your mouth?'' ''I''ll get out of your way!Of course! ''But what can you do? ''...... Ugh.'' ''Can you compete with a person who has properly expressed his or her love for you, with a casual view of love that leaves you to the flow, thinking that proposing is a noble thing to do? ''Yes, that''s ......''. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Listen up, you dumbasses out there, and listen up. No matter how much you like each other, ...... At my words, the people in the room let out a sigh of understanding, ''Huh~......''. This was the first time they had heard of such an obvious thing. The scales are falling from their eyes. ''When you get anxious, your mind wavers. ............ If you lose it, it''s too late to panic, isn''t it? ''Ousse!I want you to teach me your special pickup line! ''So, why are you telling me? ''You''re from the hunting guild, aren''t you? ''That''s why!The hunting guild is not a place for that! Use scratched his head irritably. This guy has such a scary face, but he''s not very good at romance. Even though he has a scary face. ''Percy''s good at that kind of thing, isn''t he?He''s so flirtatious! ''Huh?Why me?I''m not flirtatious!I''m really single-minded! I''m really single-minded!'' Percy replied in the most flirtatious way possible. I admit that I''m single-minded, but you''re so flaky in your very being that it''s no wonder you''re called flirtatious. You''re right. He''d have no problem being the first to do it and slipping up big time. It wouldn''t hurt anyone. ''All right, Percy. You show him how it''s done.'' ''Huh?That''s impossible!I really don''t get it! Even though he''s Percy, he''s trying to argue with me. He''s always talking about how to tell if a chick is male or female, but he never does what I tell him to do. That''s why the monthly make-up bill is putting pressure on my life. ''I mean, my pure love is not something to be made a spectacle of. He''s a make-believe tanuki. After stalking me so blatantly, it''s not worth sparing you now. I glanced over at Assunto. Our gazes meet, and Assunto''s eyes go down lightly. ''I don''t know what you''re doing, but I''m willing to help,'' he says. Well, it looks like our intentions have been conveyed. That''s Assunto. Well then, let''s have a big catch. ...... ''You mean that?Percy is saying that he''s too embarrassed to show off against Neffery? ''Hey!Hey, you!Don''t be silly! ''But you''re embarrassed, aren''t you? ''I''m not embarrassed!I''d rather show you!I want to show you the beautiful platonic love between me and Mr. Nefari!You''ll all shed tears of joy! And here, I make a sign to Assunto. Turn your palm upward and bend your fingers slightly. It''s a sign of ''turn it up. ''Surely, it will be a very dramatic story with a lovely woman like Ms. Nephrite as your partner. ''I know, right?Don''t you think so, too? ''Yes. There aren''t many women as lovely as her. Homey, mild, and very feminine. ......'' ''Well, that''s Assunto!You know exactly what I mean!You''re a good judge of character! Assunto did a good job of getting Percy excited. I think I should give him a push here. ''Assunto, if Nephrite made a pass at you, you''d be shocked, wouldn''t you? ''Huh?...... Ah, well, you can''t say that such a thing won''t happen. ...... He''s a wonderful person. I don''t know what''s going to happen,......, but she''s probably not going to take me seriously. Well, that''s a shame. ......'' Percy''s gaze sharpened, and Assunto hastened to repair it. It seems that pure love can make a person have the eyes of a murderer. I''m scared. ''But don''t you think that if you''re going to win over such a lovely woman, you''re going to need some sophisticated pick-up lines, don''t you, Mr. Percy? ''Hmm ............, if you ask me, I guess so ......'' ''Well, then, what do you think?How about we just practice here for once?'' ''............Yeah. Let''s try it. It works! Assunto did a good job of guiding Percy. Nice work, Assunto. ''Well, Use. You, play the role of Nephrite.'''' ''''Huh? Rebuttals came from both Use and Percy. ''''Why do I have to do that? ''Mr. Nephrite isn''t a stern-looking musclehead like this, you know! ''Just do it, it''s a waste of time. Obsessing over details is a sign of a small man. I persuaded the two noisy idiots to move on. Use will be the nepheline, and Percy will propose to him. ...... The picture is dirty. ............ What are the coarse men and the charlatans doing face to face? But this is also to prevent a strange culture from taking root in the 42nd ward,......, and by extension, to dispel the damage to my reputation. I have to force myself to do it. All right. All right, then. Just say something nefarious. Emotional involvement is pretty important.'' ''I don''t care what you say, .......'' ''Whatever you want. Just say something Nephrite would say.'' ''Hmm~............'' Crossing his arms and pondering with a sullen face, Use began to clap his hands. ''Hi, hi, hi, hi, it''s Nephrite. ''What''s with that funny move?Are you mocking me, Mr. Nephrite? ''Shut up!That chicken woman didn''t leave any impression on me! ''What''s a chicken lady?Call her the chicken lady! ''It''s almost the same thing, isn''t it? If left to their own devices, the day would end in stupid exchanges. I had no choice but to give Use a piece of paper with the word ''Nephrite'' written on it and start over. Use doesn''t say a word. Percy proposes to "Nephrite" written on the paper. ''Oh, Mr. Neffely, ............ it''s a beautiful day! ''Oh, don''t worry about that. Can you please get down to business? ''It''s important to create an atmosphere, isn''t it?You don''t understand! Just writing the word ''Nephrite'' on a piece of paper, I can see that he''s nervous as hell. I''m sure it''ll be a long, long time before he has anything to do with Nepheli. Unless Nephrite finds a man he likes first. And so, after much embarrassment and worry, Percy''s words of proposal were ............ this! ''Ne, Neffery! ............ Wow. ''I see!I''ll refer to it! ''Don''t do that! ''Don''t do that,'' nailed Theron, his eyes glittering. You don''t absorb any more strange knowledge. Listen and learn only the good stuff. If you tell Wendy that you have a home that''s ''warm enough for eggs to hatch,'' she''ll just scowl at you, okay? ''That''s all Percy is, isn''t it? ''Don''t say "only"!Why not?It''s nice to have a warm home where eggs can hatch! If you think it''s good, you should try it sometime. ''What? I can see you being told. I think I''ll listen to a married man''s opinion here. Assunto. You''re next.'' ''No, I''m not into this kind of thing ......''. He was probably expecting to be rejected by himself. Assunto dodged my suggestion without hesitation. ''All you have to do is recreate what you did when you got married.'' ''In my case,......, I''m afraid I''m being a bit glib,......, but my wife approached me very enthusiastically, and I have nothing ...... that can help you.'' I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. ...... Do you think you can get away with that? ''Conversation Record''. I''m not sure what to say. A semi-transparent panel appears in front of me, and Assunto rolls his eyes. ''What''s that?'' ...... ''Assunto would be flabbergasted if Nephrite made a pass at him, wouldn''t he? ''Huh?...... Ah, well, well, you can''t say that it doesn''t happen, can you? ''...... Um, Yashiro-san?What on earth are you doing ......? ''I''m sorry if I accidentally showed your wife this conversation? ''.............................. I''ve been trying to get this line .................. for a while now, but I guess I''ve lost my touch ....... I can''t believe I just noticed that. ......'' I''m sure Assunto was planning on fishing Percy out, but my quarry is all of you. I''m not letting anyone get away with this. ...... ''...... I understand. I''ll help you in any way I can. As you can see, Assunto is very good at this kind of situation. While moving to avoid the situation as much as possible, he must have prepared his cards for the worst case scenario. He responded to our request without much trouble and without hesitation. ''Well, don''t write ''piggy wife'' on the paper. ''No, ......, please write ''Ener''. He hands Use the paper with the word ''Energie'' written on it, and Assunto faces it. Then, in a calm voice, he said the words he had been thinking about. ''I have amassed enough wealth to support you. Please join me. ...... This guy. He''s made sure his words aren''t misappropriated. If you know Assunto''s money-grubbing ways, you can say ''for you'' or ''you are special''. ...... When other men say ''financial strength'', it sounds like a joke and has a negative impact. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ''A jerk. ''Hohoho......, shall I prepare a nice mirror for you?'' Assunto sits back down on the sofa, as if his role is done. From now on, I''ll just have to watch from on high. ''Well, now, Mormat. ''I''m not going to do it too? ''I was made to do it too, so if you don''t do it too, ............ the price of foodstuffs wholesale to the 42nd district might skyrocket, you know? I''m not sure if that''s a threat, Assunto! Well, now that Assunto is on our side, it''s going to be easier to get everyone to do it. Because of Assunto''s threats, Momat reluctantly stood in front of Use. Use seems to have given up, and has settled for the role of the other. ''So, what''s your name? Use asks Mo''amat, and Mo''amat chokes on his words. ''Oh ...... no ...... it''s ............''. ''''In ''Bertina''.'''' ''No, wait a minute!I don''t have any such feelings for the sisters, Yashiro! ''Then, ''Estella''. ''It was the ''lord''s daughter'' that I longed for, not Estella! ''......, you''re terrible.'' Now that you know that the lord''s daughter is Estella, have you stopped longing for her? Is Estella out of the question? ''Are you trying to tell me that the unfortunate tits that are gouged out all over the place are not even a love interest? ''I''m not saying that!Then please use ''Estella''! ''What, ...... is Momat in love with Estella? ''You made him do it, didn''t you? After all, Mormat, who is weak and dizzy with beautiful women, does not have a specific partner. I wonder if he''ll ever get married. ...... In spite of my worries, Mo''amat stands in front of Estella. ''Well, um, ............ I''m not sure why this is happening, but ......... I''m not sure why this is happening,......, but I''m wondering if you''d like to build a ...... carrot-boiling family with me? ''It''s hot, stupid crocodile! I''m not going to let you get away with this. ''But you know what?I can''t be serious with Estella. ......! Mo-Mat was upset when Percy and I protested. Well, I didn''t have high hopes for this guy. Still, I can''t find anything that would help Theron. I think the people in this town are taking marriage too lightly. ''Good. Umaro and Bekko, you two do it at the same time.'' ''How dare you treat me like this! ''How dare you at the same time, that you are! You''re annoying. I''m getting a little tired of this. I quickly write the name of the appropriate person on the paper Use is holding. ''''Magda with big tits. ''''It''s so messy! That it is! That''s so annoying! Umaro is Magda anyway, and Becko can be anything with big tits, right? Umaro and Bekko stare at the words written on the page. I''m sure you''ll be able to guess what I''m talking about. ...... ''''...... this is the way it is, that it is. They seemed to be convinced. Yeah, yeah. I love it when idiots are simple. ''''Well, let''s get together, ......! ''Magda, you''re a real angel even with big tits! ''Those big tits, Mr. Magda, are magnificent, that they are! ............ Just as I imagined it would be. ''Theron.'' ''Yes.'' ''''I''m going to pretend that didn''t just happen. ''''That''s terrible! That it is!'''' I take the paper and brush from Use with a sigh. It''s so disappointing. They''re all such bad men. ''So, here comes the real deal. Use, nice to meet you.'' ''I thought I''d be exempted from this!I thought I''d be exempted as a partner! The world isn''t so easy. Now, write down the name of the guy he likes at .................. ''I wonder who Use-san''s partner will be? ''Oh, you don''t know Assunto? ''Mr. Usset is a big-breasted man like me, and he has his favorites, that he does. ''Wait a minute, guys!I told you she''s not like that! ...... My writing stops. Yeah. Use has a crush on a certain woman who doesn''t know her own size. His face is always stern, but when he''s in front of her, he grins and .................. gets annoyed. ''Do you know her, Yashiro?I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''............ Well...'' I smoothly wrote down the name of the owner of the overwhelmingly large breasts. Then I show the paper to Use. The words written on it were: ...... ''Medora. ''Come on, propose to me. ''Can you do it? Uzse, who had struggled until the end, finally did not say the words to propose. In the end, the proposal study group (tentative name) came to an end without any success. Each of us went back home, and I dropped Theron off at the main street. For some reason, Assunto also went along with me. ''It''s been a wasted day, hasn''t it? ''No, my hero. It was a good time for me.'' I let out a sigh, and Theron gives me a refreshing smile. His face, shaded by the setting sun, looked just a little more dignified. ''I''ve been thinking about how to express my feelings in my own words today, everyone. I was so embarrassed that I ran away from thinking in my own words. I was reminded of that. Theron straightened his back and bowed deeply. ''Thank you very much for your time today. I can''t say for sure when, but I think I''ll tell Wendy how I feel in my own words. There was no hint of deceit in his eyes as he looked up at me. I''m sure he''ll do it. I have a feeling that he will show me a new way of marriage in the reborn 42nd district. ''Oh, and then. If you have any questions about Wendy''s family, let me know. I''ll help you.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll be counting on you.'' I''m going to ask Theron to talk to Wendy''s family about going to greet them when the time is right. There is a possibility that Wendy might not like it, so I can''t be too forceful. The timing is up to Theron. If Wendy doesn''t want to do it by any means, we''ll think about what to do afterwards. ''Well, let''s take it slow. ''Yes!Now, if you''ll excuse me. I waved lightly and left Theron there. As I turned to leave, I saw Assunto staring at me with a grim face. What''s ...... that?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''Yashiro-san. ''...... What the hell? ''............ It seems you''ve gotten yourself into trouble again.'' ''Troublesome?'' Well, it''s true that getting involved in someone else''s marriage can be troublesome in many ways. ...... ''There''s no small amount of connection between Theron and Wendy. We were the ones who made it possible for them to get together. ...... We also wanted to see them get married.'' ''Up to marriage is fine. But if you want to talk to me about Wendy''s family, please contact me at .............'' Assunto takes a step towards me, leaning closer. Then, in a whispered whisper, he asks me a question. ''Humans and beastmen......, please remember that marriages, especially with insects, are not so welcome.'' ''............What?'' My eyes were glued to Assunto as he gently moved away. He couldn''t trust what he heard so clearly. Maybe he wanted to think he heard wrong. ''There are many things in this city that you cannot see if you stay in the 42nd district,....... Assunto left such meaningful words behind and went away. I stared at his distant back and was dumbfounded for a while. I had assumed that the marriage of Theron and Wendy would not be unwelcome. I was a little depressed that something I had only been aware of had come to the surface so clearly. ...... That''s right. ......... ...I guess you''re right. ...... In the past, not a single lord or nobleman I''ve seen has been a beastman. 176-Later on, well talk about humans and the beasts. ''Can I tell you what I''ve noticed? The day after the hunting guild''s 42nd district branch held a gathering of ''Han'', I had come to a certain place alone. There''s someone I want to meet and talk to. In fact, I thought it would be a good idea to talk to him about this, but I don''t think I can keep pretending ...... that I didn''t see him. It''s hard to talk to Jeannette about it, and Magda and Loretta are beastmen,......, so it''s kind of a no-brainer. I thought about asking Estella,......, but she''s a lord,....... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Bertina is a sister, and Regina is originally a foreigner. That''s why I chose this one: ...... I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''ve heard that before. ...... Now, I''m starting to regret it. ''I''m serious.'' ''Seriously talking about boobs?...... Yashiro, can''t you ever think of anything but your boobs?'' ''You''re the one who started talking about boobs! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. ''I want to ask you a few questions about the nobles,...... or should I say,...... about humans and beastmen,...... ......'' ''...... of course.'' Imelda''s gaze sharpened a little, and a teacup was placed on the saucer with a quiet clink. Her back straightened, and her neck looked nicer. The line from her long, thin neck to her collarbone is truly beautiful. Together with her well-defined eyes and nose, she has a lustrous atmosphere like a flower in dignified bloom. It makes you feel as if you are looking at a painting with a delicate touch. Her lips are light red like a colored cherry blossom that shines against her translucent white skin and opens quietly. ''Whether you are a nobleman or a beastman is not a factor that will affect the size of your ...... tits.'' ''Enough with the boob talk! What''s with this girl?Why are you so stubborn? ''...... Oh, "Enough about boobs."'' ............ said ...... ......'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. Her feet kick the table as she wobbles, and the teacup falls. With a crisp, dry sound, the amber tea spreads to the floor. ''Yashiro-san ......, please don''t die! ''You can''t die! ''There''s something wrong with you, isn''t there?You must be seriously ill! ''I''ll give it right back to you! What was with the serious expression on your face just now? I''ve only been able to talk about boobs since I came here! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.In that case, we might have to stay here for three days or so. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. This time we are serious. ...... ''Imelda ......, will you take me seriously?'' ''Of course I will.'' ''To be honest, it''s not something I''d like to talk about too ...... much.'' ''Pfft! ''That''s not a pun!I''m not trying to make a pun.What kind of translation did you do? I''m not sure what kind of translation you''re using, but I''m pretty sure it''s a forced translation spell.Let me speak seriously! ''It''s something only you can ask. I thought I''d help you out, so tell me. ''Only you can ......? ''Yeah. The other guys are a little ...... and a little ............ angular.'' ''Yes, it''s .......'' Imelda then gently raises her right hand. The waiters, seeing this, all left the room at once. The nearly ten waiters quietly bowed one by one and left the room. ''...... Now, isn''t it somewhat easier for you to talk? ''Oh, yes. Thank you. I straighten up and begin to speak in a quiet voice. ''The nobles I''ve seen have all been human. Do you know what ...... that means?'' ''Yes, ...... of course.'' Imelda took a moment of silence as she sipped the tea that the waiters had brewed for her. She heard the clink of the cups. ''Oh, yes. ...... Yashiro-san came to this city from another country, didn''t he? ''Well, yes. ''Then I guess it''s understandable. ......'' A long, thin breath was exhaled, and Imelda looked a little cold. Imelda''s slitted eyes were filled with a serenity reminiscent of the depths of the ocean. ''First of all, let me preface this by saying that my family is not a noble family by birth. ''You made your fortune in the lumberjack guild and became a nobleman? ''Yes, sir. That''s what I meant. In a world ruled by a king, there are people who are promoted to nobility based on their achievements, fame, contributions to the kingdom, and ample wealth. They are given titles. The Woodcutter''s Guild is a very powerful guild that operates in all districts. The Javier family, who rose to the top of the guild, must have been recognized as worthy of nobility. Well, it''s an achievement and an irrefutable asset. But why did I preface it with this: ...... ''Are you saying that Estella and I are different in rank? ''Well, that''s true, but ...... I said that because I thought it would be easier to understand if we drew a line beforehand, rather than saying anything about it.'' ''Draw the line? ''Yes. There''s a clear difference between us and the old nobles, including the lords. This is a deep, deep gulf that cannot be filled no matter how hard we try. There is also a gap between royalty and nobility that cannot be bridged. In addition, there is a clear difference between genuine aristocrats and so-called ''adult'' aristocrats,....... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... ''Oh, ...... I see.'' Imelda knew what I wanted to say, and she dared to make a difference in a simple way. ''Yashiro is probably right in his thinking. There are only humans among the nobility. In other words, .......'' All expression disappeared from Imelda''s face. ''Beastmen can''t be noble. The expression on her face is as cold and blank as an ice sculpture. ...... It seemed to be a very noble behavior to be able to show no emotion when talking about this. There was no arrogance, no pity. It''s just a natural fact that he understands how the world works. He is not very fond of such discriminatory things in his nature, but ...... his position does not allow him to give a glimpse of his personal opinion about it. Because Imelda is a noblewoman. A nobleman cannot deny that the city is ruled by royalty. ''In other words, the lords and other nobles are only human, and the beastmen cannot enter the city. ''If you''re ...... a concubine, you''re not limited to that.'' A concubine ....... That''s what we call a mistress. A nobleman would have a mistress or two. In fact, they may even have them living in the same house. I''m sure there was discrimination against the beastmen,......, although nowadays the number of people who talk about it is infinitesimally small. This city is full of beastmen. All of them are living positive and decent lives. There is no shadow of discrimination there. ''......, but I don''t think it will ever ............ disappear completely, either. The idea, values, and systems that have been around for a long time, no matter how much time passes, are something that settles in the depths of the human mind like an ''ori''. They change with time and are passed down to the present in the form of ''unspoken rules''. Beastmen cannot become nobles. I am sure that this is a matter of course that is not even a matter of dispute for the people of this town. And it is surely not ...... justice to mix it back up. It is the result of the choices made by the inhabitants of this city. Everyone wanted a peaceful life, and that is now bearing fruit. Denying the system creates conflict and brings about many tragedies. That is why no one touches it. Besides, I don''t know how much time has passed since the time of discrimination, but the current situation has improved a lot. For proof, see ...... ''There are a lot of beastmen among the guild leaders, aren''t there? ''Yes, that''s true. It''s a question of their ability to organize the guild. It''s not a job for the faint of heart. ''Then it''s only natural that the hunting and fishing guilds that operate outside the city gates should be made up of beastmen. ''That''s right. There''s no way that we humans can compete with their power. If you want the strongest person in the guild to be the guild leader, it will naturally be the beastmen. This is purely because the physical ability of the beastmen surpasses that of humans. When you think about it, the greatness of the Javier family, which holds the position of guild leader despite the presence of beastmen such as Austin of the gorilla race and Xenobios of the pheasant race who fought in the gluttony contest, stands out. This proves that they were superior in every aspect, not just power. That''s why the king gave him a title. That makes sense. ''Your father''s achievements and bravery are countless, and he became the head of the guild and received a knighthood directly from the king. ...... We, the Javier family, have become nobles. ''In other words, Javier was an extraordinary monster. ''I''ll take that as a compliment. Imelda lets out a giggle. So if ...... Javier retires, he won''t be in the guild leader''s family anymore? ''By the way, the next guild leader has been decided to be me. It was unanimously decided by the Lumberjack Guild. ''Wow, that''s nice. The idiots love you.'' The guild leader is a strong man who can unite the guild. The stupid parents and the stupid guild members. Well, in terms of popularity, they''re probably the best. ''We, the Javier family, will never cease to be nobles, even if we are no longer guild leaders. The title you have been given is not something that can be revoked. ...... But that is why ......'' I''ve seen those strong-willed eyes looking at me one day. ''I want to continue to be the guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild. I don''t want to be a ''mere nobleman''. A mere nobleman with no ability. Imelda wouldn''t want to be one of those. That''s just like him. ''The other guild leaders can''t become nobles no matter how much they accomplish. In fact, Medora and Masha are not nobles. Even if they are the guild leaders of the hunting and fishing guilds, which boast such enormous power, the beastman race cannot become nobility. Although, those two would probably say that they have no interest in being nobles. The story up to this point was pretty much as I had imagined it would be. Here''s what I want to know. Namely-- ''Is the marriage of a human and a beastman a problem in this city? That''s what Assunto said. ''There are many things in this city that can''t be seen from within the 42nd district. ...... Isn''t that what it''s all about? If the nobles are full of humans, then the more you go to the center of the city, the fewer beastmen there will be and the more humans there will be. Then, the understanding of the beastmen will change. The discrimination will become more pronounced. Assunto was trying to gain a foothold in the Central District by accumulating achievements. Maybe ............ Assunto is being put in charge of the forty to forty-two district branches because he is a beastman. ...... It might be. If you ask me, I''ve never seen a human and a beastman couple. Estella''s parents are both human, and the Yaplok family of corn farmers are both Okojos. The couple of Theron and Wendy might be considered unique. ''There''s no problem. There is no problem. ...... If Imelda was right, and discrimination against beastmen is almost non-existent these days, then there would be no problem in a marriage between a human and a beastmen. But ...... ''You mean there are more than a few ...... who don''t like it, right?'' ''Yes, that''s right. I think there are. I''m not sure, but I''m not sure that there aren''t .......'' Maybe that''s why Wendy doesn''t talk to Theron about her family. Maybe Wendy''s parents are thinking that ...... they don''t want to give their beautiful daughter to the people who once discriminated against them. And I''m also curious about what Imelda said earlier. The aristocrats are taking the beastmen as their concubines. We can''t deny the possibility that Wendy''s parents think that Wendy will be taken as a concubine. Theron is not a nobleman, but if he believes that humans are like that, then it''s possible. ''Is bigamy ''allowed'' in this world? ''Are there any countries where there is no such thing? Oh, so that''s your understanding. ...... Well, in a world like this, it seems like they would hate to break up the family. That is to say, it is natural that they would do anything for their heir. ''Though, these days, only royalty and the high ranking nobles around them do such things. ''Is that so? ''It costs a lot of money to have multiple spouses. ''Well, so be it. But I''m sure Assunto and Pompeo can afford it. ''''Then, of course, ordinary people can have multiple marriages, right?'''' ''Yes. There''s no problem with the system. If you''re worthy enough, you can go to .......'' Imelda''s eyes instantly turned frosty cold. Rather than grumpiness,......, I felt something akin to murderous intent,............. I''m sure it''s not that big of a deal, but... ''Does Javier have a side room or concubine? ''If so ......''. Zulli ...... and a hand axe appeared from under the table. ''............I will finish you off with my own hands.'' ''......It''s probably not going to happen,......Javier, you seem like the type to take very good care of your wife,......haha. It was that big of a deal. ...... You''re wielding a lot of murderous intent. I''m not sure what to say. You''re showing it on your face without hiding it. I''ve never seen Imelda with a knife before. ...... It''s terrifying. As a lumberjack, she seems to be able to do well outside the city gates. From what I''ve heard, polygamy is allowed, but it doesn''t seem to give a good impression. In particular, I don''t think the issue of heirs is taken seriously. Imelda and Estella are both only daughters, but neither parent is trying to get a son,............, come to think of it. ''Can Estella also get more than one son-in-law?'' ''No, she can''t.'' I''m not sure what to make of that, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''With such gaped breasts, marriage itself is doubtful. ''No, it''s not her qualities, it''s the system, isn''t it? There''s a certain number of people who don''t mind having gouged tits. But that''s not the point. ...... ''That''s impossible, too. ''Is it possible for a man to have more than one wife, but not the other way around? ''A mistress with a loose sense of chastity is a good laugh. Besides, if there are more than one son-in-law, it is inevitable that there will be a flesh-and-bone fight over the heir ....... People everywhere want to live in peace. If there is a power struggle in the territory, we can''t even see it. ''As a system, bigamy is allowed, but how the public perceives it is a different story. ''So just because it''s not illegal doesn''t mean it''s something you should do willingly. ''Yes. Besides, don''t you think that the universal love of monogamy is beautiful? ''So that''s what the residents'' perceptions are changing to. ''I still think polygamy is a bit dishonest. ''Is that how it is? ''Oh?Do you want to have more than one wife, Yashiro-san? No way. One wife is too much for me. I don''t want more than one. It''ll be a pain in the ass. Just thinking about pecking order and jealousy and ...... is troublesome. I love and be loved by one woman,.................., what am I saying? I''m a little embarrassed by my own thoughts. There''s no way I''m getting married in the first place,....... It doesn''t suit you. You ...... don''t care about me. I''m not sure if it''s because I''ve been quiet or because Imelda''s gaze has grown sharper. It''s as if she''s trying to see through my brain. ...... Stop it. Don''t look at me like that. What if it makes a hole? ''Gosh! ...... d*mn it, Imelda''s guy. ...... d*mn it, d*mn it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to hear what you have to say. You have to be human to be a noble. Even if you are not an aristocrat, the human race is regarded slightly higher and is distinguished from the beast race in some ways. Bigamy is allowed in the system, and some nobles in the Central District may have side chambers or concubines. However, beastmen cannot be even a concubine, and are treated as concubines at best. It is also possible for ordinary people to have multiple marriages. However, it is ethically unacceptable to do so, according to ....... In other words, it is not surprising that Wendy''s family, who are beastmen, would think that their daughter would be treated as a human concubine or the equivalent in her marriage to Theron, a human. And perhaps Theron and Wendy are well aware of this. This might be a ...... pretty deep-seated problem. ............ It''s a little bit like being crushed by a heavy feeling deep in your chest. If they don''t leave the 42nd district, I''m sure Theron''s marriage will go well. They will be able to live a happy life without any problems. After all, the lord is Estella. Discrimination no longer existed in the 42nd district, which had overcome the slum problem, and Estella would not let that happen. But the problem is that Wendy''s parents, who live in the 35th district, ............ ''Hey, Imelda. It''s your idea. You don''t have to be sure of anything, just give me your thoughts. ......'' I don''t care if it''s just small talk. I just wanted to hear someone else''s opinion. ''Do you think that Theron and Wendy''s marriage will work? ''I think it will. Imelda replied simply. As if it were a matter of course. And then. ''Because Yashiro-san will work to make that happen, right? He looked at me expectantly. No, well, I''m going to try to make ...... it happen, but... That''s not what I''m talking about, I''m talking about an objective opinion. ............ I''m sure you can understand why I want to be with the person I love as much as I want to be with the person I love ...... and be fulfilled by the person I love ....... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. It''s no surprise that ...... Imelda is also a girl, I thought. ''I''m hoping for an ending that makes everyone happy. ''...... Don''t expect too much from me. I''m a novice.'' ''Mmmm ......, that''s a funny joke.'' Hmm. You don''t believe me. I was able to ask the questions I wanted to ask, and I could sort of see the outline of the problem. I left my seat and thanked Imelda. Imelda came to see me off at the door, and said this to me before we parted. Imelda came to see me off at the door and said to me as we parted, ''I''m glad that you relied on me. You can always come to me again. It was a refreshing smile that reflected well in the clear blue sky. You can''t help but feel bad when you''re pleased by something like this, but ...... I''m sure I''ll need your help again in some way, and I''ll be happy to indulge you when I do. I left Imelda''s house and came back to the sunny pavilion. When I entered the store, I saw ...... ''...... Magda likes this.'' ''Ah!That''s what I was after too!It''s faint, but it''s the biggest one! ''Well, you two. They''re all the same size. Right?Let''s split them up. Around one table, a group of ginettes were making some kind of noise. ''What are you doing? ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. Welcome back.'' Ginette smiles at me. But Magda and Loretta seemed to be preoccupied with something on the table. ''A cheese tart? ''Yes. The owner of Graduates brought us his new creation. It was a rare cheese tart with a hint of yellow. The cheese tart was about eight centimeters in diameter and was neatly divided into four equal portions. ''I thought we could all eat it together,'' she said. A small tart for one person, cut into small pieces with a knife. ...... You should have eaten this. It''s small enough to be consumed in two bites. You can eat it in two bites. ''...... These are chosen in order of cuteness, with Loretta coming later. I''m not sure what to say.I''m just as cute as Magda! ''Both of you. That''s enough, let''s all eat together. Distributing one cheese tart in front of everyone, Ginette clapped her hands together and said. ''It tastes better when everyone eats together. Seeing Ginette smile like a sunflower, without a speck of cloudiness, I was somewhat relieved. At least ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that there''s no room for petty discrimination here. 177-Later on, Wendys peculiarity? ''I had a conversation with Imelda yesterday about .......'' ''Who''s the one with the gouged tits? Estella, sitting across from me, slams the table. ...... Why are you only picking up on that? I told you everything. ''You''re talking nonsense in my absence, ......! ''I''m sorry. Next time, I''ll include you in the discussion about how to deal with gouged breasts. ''I don''t want you in the mix!I''m not ............ gouged! Estella was banging on the table as if she was a thug who had come to harass the sunshine pavilion. I''ll have you banned, Kola. I''m sure there are a few feelings between you and the beastmen, but they have nothing to do with ...... the 42nd district. I don''t like that kind of thing. ''That''s true. The people of District 42 are all good people, so I don''t think there''s any reason to discriminate against anyone. Next to me, Jeannette smiles warmly. After talking to Imelda yesterday, I decided that it would be a good idea to talk to them as well, so I decided to tell the members of the sunlit pavilion about the conflicts between the races. Ginette and Estella. And then there''s Magda and Loretta. It might not be a good idea, but I thought that the members of the Sun Goddess Pavilion would not cause any strange friction. They would understand if I told them, and they would be angry if I tried to hide or hold back. ''But you know, Jeannette. There used to be slum discrimination here too.'' ''Oh, ...... yes, there was .......'' ''Oh, sir!Don''t look at me like that, Mr. Manager!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that your brother and sisters are doing well and enjoying themselves, so you don''t have to worry about anything anymore! Ginette''s expression clouded, and Loretta, who was involved in the incident, followed up. They''ve already put it behind them, and they''re completely satisfied. Her younger siblings, too, are not affected by the darkness, thanks to their innate cheerfulness and positive thinking. They have come to understand each other, and the past has been cleared up. However, it seems that the discriminatory side is not so easy to deal with. ...... Norma, for example, still suddenly shows concern for Loretta and her siblings. It may not be sympathy, but it makes him feel like he can''t leave them alone. I think that this will eventually turn into the word "compassion". In that sense, Ginette may be a little too concerned. She cares for Loretta so much that she makes Loretta care for her. For better or worse, he is too close to the heart of the other person. ''Loretta''s right, Jeannette. The darker Jeannette looks, the heavier Loretta''s heart becomes. It could create a negative spiral. I have to get rid of the weight on Ginette''s mind. ''That past was definitely there. That fact doesn''t go away. But ......'' I turn to Ginette and give her my most refreshing smile. ''In Loretta''s opinion, it''s more ''delicious'' that way! ''I''m not looking for that kind of comedy, we''re brother and sister! ''Oh, why not? ''No, no, no!Please wait a minute! You like that kind of thing, don''t you? You really like to be played with. ''That''s right, Jeannette.'' I was just trying to help her, but she protested, ''Mm-hmm! Estella calls out to Ginette while Loretta protests. ''What is important is not what happened in the past, but how you will live in the future. ''The future is .......'' ''The Beastmen are all positive and pleasantly refreshing people, aren''t they? We can build a bright future together with them. I think that''s what we should be thinking about the most. Even though she said that, she doesn''t think she has to do anything, and Estella is generously investing in New Town. She is helping Loretta and the others as much as she can to make their lives easier. That''s not all. District 42 has a number of systems to create a comfortable environment for the Beastmen. I believe that all the beastmen in this city are alive and well because of the efforts of their lords. ''I believe in them, and I''m sure they do too. There''s no need to feel guilty about it, and it''s okay to be normal as usual. Humans and beastmen are different. We all know that. They look different, and their powers and other physical abilities are too different. But ...... ''Because we, Magda, Loretta, and all the other beastmen, are human beings. The same ningen. Residents of the same forty-two districts. That''s Estella''s idea of the 42nd district. I think it''s a very agreeable way of thinking. If I may say so, I rather like it. ''Yes. That''s right. We''re all the same.'' Jeannette''s stiff expression changes to her usual soft one. I think I should put in a word or two to set the mood. ''That''s right, Jeannette. In the forty-second district, breasts and gashes have equal rights to live! ''Yes, that''s right!It''s not limited to this ward! ''Oh, I''m sorry. If you''re hurting, can you please shut up? ''Don''t be racist!I''m not ............ gouged! Oh, great. Equal rights for all. What a peaceful world we live in. Hmm?"Four classes"? That''s right. You''re one of the four classes: bombed, big, poor, and poor. After that, there''s "nothing" and "gutted." But in the wonderful 42nd district, even those won''t be discriminated against. Wonderful, indeed. ''......,'' you say. After defining the problem and softening the atmosphere, I cut to the chase. ''I''d like to make Theron and Wendy''s marriage more exciting.'' ''I see. ...... So you want to remind people that marriage between humans and beastmen is a normal thing.'' The perceptive Estella fills in my words. There''s nothing wrong with marriage between humans and beastmen institutionally. But even in the 42nd district, where there is little discrimination, there are no couples of humans and beasts that I know of. Perhaps my subconscious mind is making a selfish assumption somewhere. Marriage between different species is wrong. Even in Japan, most people are hesitant about international marriages even if they have no intention to discriminate. It may be said that it is a habit to seek a spouse of the same species for some reason. My personal power is not so great. I know that, and I don''t bemoan it. I can only do what I can do. It''s natural. There''s nothing I can do to improve that subconscious that''s been ingrained for so long. I''m sure even a spirit god can''t overturn the values of every human in this country. The most I can do is to have a small effect on those who are within my reach. But I should be able to do something like that. Just as Loretta and her siblings were able to blend into the 42nd district. Like Assunto and Use and the rest of us can laugh about stupid things. If you''re desperate, you might be able to ...... make things right by taking care of a relationship that you''ve assumed to be incompatible. I''m willing to put in the effort to do that. If Magda or Loretta ever falls in love with someone for real, they won''t have to worry about such trivial things. And if I can get some extra profit out of it, that''s great. With a little work, I might be able to create a system that will bring customers back to the Sunken Pavilion. No, I''m sure you can. That''s why I''ve decided to hold another big event. ''I''m going to hold a big wedding. ''A wedding ...... is something that the nobility would do, is it not? From the reactions on the web, it seems that weddings, like marriage proposals, are something that only aristocrats do. It is necessary to confirm the current status of marriage for ordinary people. I asked Ginette about it before, but I want to know more specifically. ''Hey, Estella. How does marriage work in this town? ''Huh?It''s a matter of submitting the documents to the lord and making a vow to the spirit gods. ......'' ''Just the two of you?'' ''A priest or sister will be present. ''What about family? ''...... Why would my family be there?'' This is Estella''s reaction. It seems to me that in this world, marriage means little more than something between two people. When you come of age, you are on your own. It''s natural to leave home. Ordinary people who do not hold titles may not feel threatened by the breakup of their families. ''In my hometown, two people who are to be married take their marriage vows in front of the gods, and their families and friends are there. It''s quite a sacred and beautiful thing. The two people who are about to become husband and wife are dressed in immaculate white outfits,......, especially the bride''s wedding dress, which is beautiful and the object of women''s desire. ''Is that a pure white dress ......?'' Ginette''s big eyes sparkled. ''That''s a good bite. ''I imagine it''s ...... very ............ beautiful.'' With an enraptured look on her face, Jeannette lets out a sigh of ''hmm ......''. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this type of product. ''I like the red one better. I like the red one. ''What, Loretta? Are you going to move three times as fast? ''What?I''m not sure. ......? ''Are you the Red Comet? ''No, I''m not! The wedding dress should be white. ''But you''re nervous, aren''t you? Taking an oath in front of your family and friends. Estella''s cheeks tinted slightly, and she smiled shyly. ''Even though it''s going to be recorded in the Conversation Record,'' she said. ''What ...... Conversation Record? I see. When you get married here, your vows and such are recorded in the Conversation Record, right? ''That means ...... if you''re unfaithful or something ......'' ''I''ll be a frog in no time. Scary! Marriage, scary! More than anything, Estella''s smile right now is really scary! ''Hey, Yashiro. What you just said about ''infidelity'' is ............ for example? ''Scary, scary, scary!Don''t look at me with that smile!Don''t come near me!It''s just a metaphor! ''I hate men who still think that noblemen can have polygamy. ''That''s right!Love is beautiful because it''s single-minded, right?So can you please step away from me?That smile scares me so much! The perfect smile you''ve seen in your dreams is approaching you with such force that it''s almost as if it''s going to sink into your cheek. ...... This guy, if you make this your special move, you can easily drop him in the middle of the city, can''t you? In the meantime, what we know is that if you have an affair in ...... this city, you''re going to see blood. ............ Well, cheating or not, it''s none of my business. I don''t have a specific partner. ''So, big brother!What exactly is the wedding in your hometown? ''...... Magda would also like to hear a few details.'' The two girls are interested in the wedding and give us excited looks. I guess even they are longing for marriage. I''ll have to try my best to make the best wedding that won''t ruin their dreams. ''First of all, the friends who have gathered here are going to give us a lot of money for the celebration. ''Are you suddenly talking about money? Idiot, Estella! That''s the main purpose of the celebration! I''ll ask them to give me 50,000 or so and give me a commemorative phone card of the bride and groom as a gift. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of the wedding than you think. I''m sure you''ll be able to make a profit from it. ''I don''t know ...... why, but when I saw ...... your brother''s devious face, I lost interest in him. ''What are you talking about?This is where you can show off your skills! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ''I want to give them a wedding that will be blessed by a lot of friends. ''That''s wonderful!I''ll help too! ''...... Magda is willing to help. ''Yes, yes!I''ll help too! The Sunken Pavilion is unanimously in favor of the wedding. If they''re going to work hard, it might as well be for the reception. ''So they''re trying to make weddings more popular and bring in more customers to the Sunken Pavilion near the church, right? ''Estella ......, don''t say such nasty things.'' I know you''re having a hard time responding because you''re right. ''Recently, I''ve seen a lot of things around Theron. ...... Marriage in this city is too tasteless. It''s a once-in-a-lifetime event.It''s a crossroads in your life. Wouldn''t you like to make it more grand (...... and make money where you can) and memorable? ''Now, for a moment ...... you had a very indulgent look on your face, didn''t you? That''s why you''re so sharp, Estella. Don''t overlook something like that! ''Hero-sama! The door opens, and with a fresh breeze, two fresh-looking people arrive. Theron and Wendy come to the seat where we are sitting with smiles on their faces. ''Thank you very much for the other day. Theron bows his head deeply, and Wendy follows suit. ''I talked to Wendy last night, and we''ve decided to make our marriage official. ''Really? Ginette''s face lit up with joy at the news. Until now, they had only been in a state of ''probably getting married'', but now they seemed to have made a definite decision. Well, I guess you could say it''s a big step. ''Yes. That ...... Theron proposed to me ............ and ......''. Whoa! Did Theron propose to you properly after that? ''There''s a small hill beyond the main square, ...... with a good view, and a flower garden where bees are playing can be seen in the distance, it''s a somewhat romantic place ......''. Hmmm? I remember that place. Oh, come on, Wendy. You''re not talking about that no-death kind of proposal, are you? ''''Never, never leave me alone,'''' he said to ....... Wendy''s cheeks flush. Wow, ......, that''s a very positive brain transformation. ............ ''I''m sure there will be no one in the future that I will love more than Theron, and if that ...... Theron wants me, I''ll be happy to make a vow to the ...... spirit gods...'' ... ............! Yeah, yeah. Isn''t she cute and innocent? So I gave Theron a kick in the ass. ''Huh? ''Theron-kun~ ............, why do you make her say everything? ''Oh, well ......, I''m too ............ embarrassed to say it.'' ''Alright, alright. Let''s talk a little bit. ''Um, Hero-sama!It hurts, it hurts! He held Theron''s neck tightly and took him to the corner of the dining room. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''Are you trying to muddle the waters with a hazy proposal like that? ''But ...... Wendy was happy to see me, and if I ...... conveyed my feelings, then that''s good enough for me.'' This is ...... What happened to your enthusiasm when you left yesterday? I''m not sure what to say. ''Look, Theron. I''m giving you one more chance. This time, you''re going to tell Wendy how you feel, in your own words.'' ''In my words, .............'' I can still see a hint of hesitation in his expression. I''ll give her a little pep talk. ''Are you going to live off of Wendy''s care for the rest of your life? ''Pampered by ......? ''Are you going to make no moves, take no risks, and force the airheaded Wendy to guess everything? ''That''s .......'' ''Is that ......?'' ''............'' ''............ that''s. It must be very lonely for you, Wendy. She doesn''t even tell me she likes me.'' ''............ Yes, it is. Even after all this pushing, this handsome guy still doesn''t seem to be clear. That''s it. You need a rough treatment. Besides, ...... if we get it right, it might make a bit of a splash. ...... ''Okay, Theron!And Wendy! I release Theron from his hold and call out to Wendy. ''What is it, hero?'' Wendy, who was chatting happily without knowing anything, turns her gaze to me. The ladies of the sunlit pavilion and the gutters are standing around the back of her. Mm, the atmosphere is completely ours. ''''We''re having a wedding! ''''Wedding?'''' The ones who tilted their heads were naturally the two who didn''t know about the earlier conversation. ''''It''s a sacred ceremony with Wendy in a pure white dress and Theron welcoming her.'''' ''Wendy is wearing a ...... pure white dress ............''. Theron''s cheeks turned a hint of color as he imagined the sight. ''And we''ll have a wedding party. ''''''''''''Hirou-En?'''''''''''' This one has everyone tilting their heads in agreement. I see. I guess I didn''t explain earlier. ''It''s like a party to celebrate the beginning of a new marriage. We''re going to have a party to celebrate the bride and groom at this sunny pavilion near the church. We''re going to have a big cake, which we''re going to cut together for the first time, and we''re going to eat delicious food that will bring us good luck, and we''re going to talk about the beginning of our relationship, and we''re going to have entertainment by our friends, and we''re going to have a big party. ''That sounds like fun!Let''s do it! Ginette, who was already in the mood to cook, rolled up her sleeves. When I glanced at Wendy, she had the reddest face I''ve ever seen. ''Oh,......,'' she said,......, ''it''s not like we''re the stars of the show,......, and it''s not like we can throw a party like that. ...... is it okay to have such a party? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. The star of the party ...... is something that a girl deserves to aspire to. Wendy seems to like that kind of princessy glittery stuff. ''So, I''m going to ask Theron to propose to you again. ''So, that''s it? I give a serious look to Theron, who is a little reluctant. ''Prove it in front of all of us. Let''s see who loves Wendy the most in the world. ......'' Theron gulps down his gullet. But it was not with a look of fear, but with a ...... dignified expression of determination. ''If you''re still sluggish there, then ............''. ''At that time, ......?'' ''Consider Umaro lifeless.'' ''Why Mr. Umaro? ''...... Magda will intercede.'' ''Se, Theron!Mr. Umaro is a very nice man, good luck! ''Uh, yeah!I''ll do my best! No, Wendy. I''m going to confess my love to you. Do you understand that, these people? ''But the wedding and the reception, they both take time to prepare. ''I''ll help you too. Let''s make another big event a success with all the power of the Forty-Two Wards! ''Then a new culture will be born in District Forty-two! ''...... model case'' ''I''m sure everyone will like it. Yes. They''re right. Under Estella''s power, a new culture will take root in the entire 42nd district. Theron and Wendy will be the models for that. Weddings are so sacred, receptions are so glamorous, and brides are so beautiful. ...... And as more and more girls aspire to be brides, more and more couples will hold weddings. In proportion to this, there will be wedding receptions and after parties ...... All of them will be the trend of the first wedding party held at YODAMARI-TEI! No matter how many similar companies there are after this, being the first will be handed down forever, and just being the first will bring a premium. It raises the bar. The more weddings become popular,......, the more money YODAMARI-TEI will make! The more weddings become popular, the more money the ...... Sunshine Pavilion will make!I can smell the money! I''m not sure what to say.You have to make sure you succeed!Do you understand that, Theron? ''Ha, yes!............ ''So, what''s the ...... reason for this?'' Don''t worry about the details. You guys just have to show me a great wedding. ''We''ll take care of the preparations ...... Theron, you just make sure you take care of yourselves.'' ''What do you mean ...... about ourselves?'' ''All right, hero! Wendy raised her hand cheerfully in place of Theron, who seemed unsure. All right, then, Wendy. Answer the question. ''So you want me to deepen my love for you even more before then! ''Blast it! ''Why me? Wendy''s aura of happiness was so dazzling that she unintentionally slammed her goo into Theron''s side. ''Why me? Idiot!Of course it''s because you can''t hit Wendy! The punishment for a man is an iron fist!For women, it''s breast implants.No, butt-f*cking! But I''m afraid I can''t do that to a woman with a partner, so I''ll have the man take the blame! ''I don''t care about Bojek''s stupidity. ......'' ''Well, hero,...... I dare say, with the pain in my side,...... calling my father an idiot is ......'' ''Is that wrong?'' ''No, sir. Not even a little. But he''s been rounding up lately, so please be gentle with him. ......'' Theron holding his side. He''s also very handsome when he''s sweating. I''m sure this is what you mean when you say "a good man who can also gouge his sides". ............ There is no such word, but... It''s a good idea to go to Wendy''s parents instead of Theron''s parents to say hello. And right after I made a perfectly legitimate statement... Boom! --Wendy sparked. ''What''s going on? ''...... Oh. I''m so sorry. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... Did I step on a landmine? ''Oh, you know what? My family is ...... far away, so it''s not like I''m going to go out of my way to greet them. ......'' I see. It''s just like Theron said. ''What is it, Wendy? You don''t like my family?'' I avoided the word ''hate''. ''We don''t get along'' would have been met with ''Well, that''s not very nice. ''No, no, I don''t ...... hate ......, but ......''. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Then you should definitely ask your parents to come to the wedding ......''. Just as I was about to say this, Wendy sparked again, this time with a beehive. ............ Are you out of control? Is she starting to wake up with a fierce anger in her calm heart? ''This wedding is partly a demonstration to spread the new culture of the forty-two districts. Sorry to seem like I''m taking advantage of you, but in return, I''ll give you a wonderful ceremony with the lord''s money.'''' ''What, mine?...... Well, that''s fine. If more and more people want to have their weddings in the Forty-Two Wards, we can expect an economic effect. ......'' Yes. As for demonstrations, I don''t mind at all. Rather, I''m just happy that the heroes and lords are doing the ceremony for us. ......'' Thank you, Wendy. I don''t see any signs of anger. But ...... ''That''s why. In order to show that we are perfectly happy from every angle, we need to have both families together ......'' Crunch crunch! Wendy''s body glows fiercely and her hair stands on end. Wendy,......, are you still that thing?I''m not sure if it''s about Krillin or not. ''Wendy, Wendy!Calm down! ''What?I''m so sorry!...... me.'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Well, ............ unconscious? Let''s give it a try. ''Wendy. ''Yes.'' Wendy answers my call honestly. I can''t see any anger in her face. Now, ...... ''My parents.'' Buzz! ''Theron.'' Smiling. ''Me.'' ''Peco. ''Ginette. Smiling . ''Gouge-chan. ''Korra!'' Estella''s unnecessary intervention interrupted, once again: ...... ''Mother.'' ''Bumblebee! ''Father.'' Bumblebee! ''Daddy, mommy, daddy, mother, daddy mommy! ''Crunch, crunch, crunch! Wendy''s body flickered brightly, sparks flying all over her body. ...... This might be more serious than I thought. I''m not sure what to say.It''s not that! ''Wendy ...... is the type of person who argues a lot when she goes home, isn''t she? ''How did you know? I don''t know. ...... This couple is too easy to understand. ''But you don''t hate them, do you? ''That''s ............ yes. After all, we are a family .......'' Wendy looked forlorn as she said this. But there was a clear blue streak on her forehead. ............ What? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''No, I don''t hold a grudge'' (eyebrows, twitching ......) I''m sorry.I''m getting a little confused, aren''t I? ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Yes,......, it''s a bit serious,......''. What is this rejection ...... that is so deep-rooted? ''Well, ...... you''re going to do the ceremony, but ...... if my family is rude, ......'' Wendy''s expression clouded. Then she turned to me with a somewhat resigned look. ''I still think you shouldn''t invite my family ......''. ''I see.'' So I simply back off. ''Well, if Wendy doesn''t want to come, I guess I can''t help it. ''Oh, ............ yes. I''m sorry,...... for your concern,.......'' ''Then Theron. Let''s get married in secret, without telling Wendy''s family.'' ''Secretly. ......'' Theron''s brow creased. Seeing this, ...... Wendy held her chest. It was as if she was trying to hold back a tearing sensation. ''That look on your face is the answer, isn''t it? I say to the two of them, who look like they''re having a hard time. ''The truth is, I want to understand you. ...... And I don''t want Theron to see you like that. ............ That''s what you really want, isn''t it? Wendy.'' ''............'' Wendy doesn''t answer. ''Neither does Theron.'' Theron doesn''t want Wendy to see him like this, either. That''s why he came to me. Now I know. Theron was well aware of Wendy''s feelings. But he couldn''t step in on his own. He was afraid he''d hurt her. That''s why I stuck with her. ...... I don''t want you to get your hopes up too high,............, but I''ll make it special just this once. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s been thinking about getting married. Get a grip. He tore down Theron''s back as hard as he could. ''Ouch ......''. Theron''s face twisted in pain, but he quickly adjusted his expression and stared straight at Wendy. ''This may be selfish of me. But ......'' Gently, he places his hands on Wendy''s shoulders. With his arms on either side of her shoulders, they stare straight at each other, and Theron speaks to Wendy. ''I want you to be the happiest wife in the world, Wendy. I want her to be the happiest wife in the world, so perfect that there won''t be the slightest hint of hesitation. ''...... Theron.'' Wendy''s eyes quivered finely. ''But I might ............ cause trouble for the heroes. ...... No, I''m sure I will... .........If that happens, I ......'' ''Idiot. If you say that I will be inconvenienced, Theron will not be able to say, ''Don''t worry about it, it''s not like that! I don''t think I can say that. That''s why I have to make this clear to him. ''In the first place, is there even one person in this town who hasn''t bothered me? It''s too late to be bothered by a nuisance or two. That''s how I feel. Wendy looks like she''s about to cry, and Theron looks at me as if he''s moved. On the other side, Ginette is smiling happily. ''And by the way, there isn''t a territory that hasn''t been bothered by Yashiro. ''You''re annoying. Don''t break up the conversation at the right moment. I''ll complain to Estella, who looks so pleased. But perhaps that was a good backup shot, because Wendy smiled ...... and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers. ''Heroes, lords. And everyone. And ...... Theron.'' Wendy gently dropped Theron''s hand and straightened her back. Then she bowed slowly to us. ''Nice to meet you, sir. To put it bluntly, it''s nothing short of meddlesome. But I have a hunch. This wedding will be a meaningful one that will change the values of the 42nd district. You know. 178-Later, in the six-carriage story, The day after we talked about going to see Wendy''s parents. We are now riding in Estella''s carriage to the 40th district. The rattling carriage makes me feel a little sick. The performance of the carriage is not very good. In addition, the carriage that Estella has is small and has low horsepower. ''It''s too small! ''If you have a problem, why don''t you run and follow me? It seems that the horse that pulls this carriage is a horse that Estella is very attached to, having witnessed its birth and given it a name. She talks to him every day and takes good care of him. ''It is true that the carriage is small and the horse power is low. But this horse is filled with my love, dreams, and hopes! ''The Big Tits? ''I wouldn''t name it that! ''Yashiro-sama. It''s ''I want to be a big tit! ''I see, it''s full of dreams and hopes.'' ''It''s not even that kind of name! However, no matter how much love and care you put into raising a horse, a slow horse is a slow horse. So, he asked Javier to lend him a good carriage. Javier''s house has a three-horse carriage. ''I got Javier''s permission yesterday. Imelda has also kindly agreed to help us. I couldn''t help but feel resentful at Natalia''s explanation. ''Then, if you had rented a carriage yesterday, wouldn''t you have been able to leave in a good one from the beginning? ''If anything happens to the famous horse owned by Javier-sama, ............ the forty-two districts will go bankrupt, right?'' ''...... such an exaggeration.'' Natalia smiles at me with a fierce expression on her face, making me break out in a sweat. No, I understand that horses are expensive, but ...... do you have a horse that good?I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''Your father''s love for horses is more than a hobby, he''s a horse owner. He devotes his life to crossbreeding various breeds to create the best thoroughbred. Imelda, who is sitting next to me, says something like that. ''What?Isn''t a horse owner just a guy who pays money and says, ''Good luck making money. ''A horse owner is a person who owns a horse. Some people hire trainers, and some people train their own horses. I only have an image of horse owners, but it seems that horse owners here are those who raise horses for carriage and riding. I think they call them ''breeders'' or something like that. ...... I''ve never been involved in a horse owner scam, so I don''t have much knowledge about horses. I guess I should have done it. ''Mr. Javier''s horses have a good reputation among enthusiasts. But I can''t buy or sell them because I''m not a member of the Livestock Guild. It seems that lovers are shedding tears of blood every day. Estella talked about this following the horse owner''s explanation. I thought there was a livestock guild. I guess it''s milk and wool, but to what extent is it included? I guess meat is part of it. And horses for wagons, of course. ''If I don''t buy and sell, can I raise them myself? ''What are you talking about? There are chickens in the sunny pavilion, too. ''Oh, ......, you treat them the same way. Chickens and horses seem to be quite different, but ...... the rules say they''re the same. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It is possible to give it as a gift,......, though. ''I see. ...... So you''re getting the nobles and other powerful guilds to do you a favor?'' ''Well, I''m sure it''s not zero.'' ''That''s disgusting!He''s a nasty old man, that bearded man! ''Please don''t insult my parents!Even if he is indeed a disgusting old man! ''No, Imelda ......, you''ve affirmed it yourself .......'' ''And even if he is a pedophile and an unmitigated pervert! ''It''s getting worse, it''s getting worse! Imelda is heating up, and Estella is quieting her down. At the moment, this four-seater carriage is occupied by me, Estella, Natalia and Imelda. Estella is sitting in the upper seat facing the direction of travel, and Imelda is sitting across from her. Next to Estella is Natalia. And in the other carriage running just behind our carriage are Ginette, Theron and Wendy. These are the only two carriages Estella can provide, and she also has the business of the Sunshine Pavilion to attend to. "...... Loretta. You''re on your own now,......, and there''s nothing more to teach you. You have nothing more to teach me," she said, "but you want to leave me alone!You can''t do that, you have to stay with Magda! --After such an exchange, I asked Magda and Loretta to stay behind this time. This is all Estella''s fault, as she only has a poor carriage. ''...... d*mn it. If Estella had big tits, this wouldn''t be ...... happening.'' ''What does it matter?Even if I had big tits, the grade of my carriage wouldn''t go up! ''Then you''ll have poor breasts for the rest of your life! ''No thanks!............ Who''s got tits? Me, Natalia, and Imelda stare at Estella as she flails about in the cramped carriage with a ''......What the hell is wrong with her? ''What? I just realized that with this group of people, I''m really away from home, aren''t I? Or rather, to begin with, ...... If Javier has such a good horse, he should have used Imelda''s carriage. In Imelda''s house, there must have been a fancy carriage made by Yamboldo. She should have let the good horse that Javier raised pull it. ''My carriage is for my use only. ''Don''t be stingy. ''Besides, those carriages are designed to look good, not to travel fast. The wheels will come off if the speed exceeds that of a horse taking a leisurely stroll. ''Isn''t it defective? What a mess. You''ve sacrificed the most important thing, durability, in order to meet your customer''s unreasonable demands. ...... In a way, the idea of Umaro may be the exact opposite. I think Umaro would put function first and design second. ''I said I don''t mind that. I don''t have anything urgent to do anyway. If you need me, my carriage will pick you up from my parents'' house. What a lady''s way of thinking. ...... It''s like the guy who goes on vacation empty-handed and says, ''Why don''t I just buy something there? He''s as wild as the guy who goes on vacation empty-handed and says, ''Why don''t you just buy something there? He''s too manly. ''Can we make it as a branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild with such a meager carriage? ''We have a branch near the gate, so we don''t have any particular need for a carriage. Guests from far away can come in their own carriages.'' Well, I suppose that''s true, but ...... ''Imelda''s place doesn''t have many horses, does it? ''We don''t need them. Imelda replied to Estella''s words in a tone of voice as if it was obvious. No, no, no, you need them. ''If it''s a lumberjack guild, don''t they carry heavy logs or something? ''We don''t need someone who is no stronger than a horse in the lumberjack guild. In other words, don''t rely on a horse to carry you. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. The beastmen are really tough. ...... That''s why we couldn''t use Imelda''s carriage and we had to share Estella''s carriage to get to Javier''s house. Imelda had to go back to her parents'' house by chance, so she decided to accompany us. In return for letting her talk to Javier, she is letting him ride with her. He said it was just a matter of time, but I guess he wanted to enjoy a short trip while chatting with ...... me. He''s a lonely man, after all. After that, we continued chatting without much content, and the carriage was still rattling and shaking for more than ten minutes. Suddenly, Natalia, who was sitting closest to the door, opened her eyes. Her eyes widened. ''The sensor for beautiful girls is responding! ''You have such a sensor? Estella''s eyes widened at the hidden talent of her head maid. Ignoring her, Natalia suddenly opens the door. ''Capture! ''What ......?Aha! Then, with her arms outstretched, she ran out of the house. ''What the hell are you doing? ''Stop the carriage! He jumped out of the running carriage with a ''fly high! I couldn''t help but shout in surprise as Natalia jumped out of the carriage. Idiot!There was a fool! Estella instructed the guard to bring the carriage to a sudden stop. She got out of the carriage and walked back to the road, where Natalia had captured her lovely prey. ''......a......mi,miri,did I do something wrong?What''s this? I''m not sure what to do. Natalia loves her with a suspicious smile on her face. She is definitely a criminal. ''What are you doing, you pervert? ''I beg your pardon!Who''s Yashiro-sama''s kin? ''You''re the one who''s being rude! Of course I want to hold Milly in my arms and rub her fluffy hair!I''d love to hold her and rub her fluffy hair, but I''m trying so hard to hold back every day! I''m jealous of you!Give me a minute! ''....... I see there are no rude people here. ''...... Instead, you have two perverts.'' Estella and Imelda came in late and gave me a cold stare. ''...... I beg your pardon. Who is Natalia''s kin? ''Oh, ladybugs, are you ...... going out? The smile returned to Milly''s face, as if she was relieved to know that there was no hostility. She is still being held by Natalia, but she doesn''t seem to mind. ...... It''s okay if you''re not hostile. I see. ............ ''Hey, Yashiro. It''s not really a topic I need to talk about right now, but ...... I just bought a new knife. ''Oh, I''m glad you asked now. I''ll let you do the test cutting elsewhere. ''Um, Yashiro-san!What the hell happened? When this carriage suddenly stopped, the following carriage carrying Ginette and the others stopped as well. Ginette gets out of the carriage and comes running towards us. ''No, what. Millie caught a pervert.'' ''What?Millie? ''No, it''s more like Millie''s been caught by our pervert. ......'' When she finished explaining the situation, Jeannette giggled hilariously, and Millie protested, her cheeks puffed out a little, ''Don''t laugh at me! Theron and Wendy joined us and told Milly what we were up to. Then Millie''s eyes lit up with twinkling stars and she said, ''Nice!Nice! she repeated. Girls love this kind of story, don''t they? They are all talking about love. ...... Next to her, Theron, who is going to see her parents for the first time, has a tense expression on his face, as if he is about to die, but no one cares about that. ...... Well, that''s the way it is, isn''t it? ''Millie-san. Are you going out today? When I''m done talking, Ginette asks Millie. She''s not pulling the usual big cart, just a large basket hanging on her shoulder. ''Hmm. Today, I''m going to deliver flowers to the 40th district. ''Millie always travels far, doesn''t she?Isn''t there one in the Forty District, the Flower Arrangement Guild? ''Yes, there is. But there are people who say, ''Miri is good''. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''re not a bastard, are you? If some bastard from who knows where is appointing Millie to bring him flowers, I have to do everything in my power to defeat that undesirable bastard. ''The old lady of the Kotentou people of Himekame says that Miri''s flowers are the most beautiful. Milly giggles. I see. Grandma. I''m glad. Good, good, good. It almost turned into an all-out war between District 40 and District 42. ''It''s a bit far, so this is all I have for today. He shows us a large basket. The basket was big enough to hold an Akita dog. Of course, the contents were not dogs, but flowers. ''If that''s all you''re carrying, wouldn''t it be easier to use a carriage? I asked inadvertently. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Oh, you mean that. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s a good thing you''re going into business. It''s better to make a profit of at least 1Rb. It''s cheaper to walk than to ride in a carriage. ''Yeah, ......?Hmm. I guess so.'' I can''t shake the feeling that it''s too late, and Millie accepted my clumsy follow-up with a smile. I was really careless. ...... Millie is a bug person. Although there are few of them left, they used to be a discriminatory race. She might be thinking that she might offend someone by riding in a carriage,....... Maybe Millie herself has had a bad experience in the past,....... It''s probably very uncomfortable for Millie to ride in a carriage with a large number of people. ...... Ah. I''m going to be self-loathing for a while. It''s a beautiful color. What kind of flower is it?'' ''Oh, it''s lavender. It smells good.'' ''It really does. Ginette and Milly. Their smiling voices softened the turbulent air. I was patted on the back by Estella. I glanced at her face and she seemed to be consoling me, saying, ''Well, it happens sometimes. ''Miss Milly. If you are going to the forty districts, please use Estella''s carriage. ''Yes, ...... also .......'' At Natalia''s invitation, Milly gave a hesitant look. Wendy walked up to her and lifted up the large-brimmed hat she always wore. Then two antennae peeked out from there. ''Come ride in the same carriage with us. See? ''...... Miss Wendy.'' Wendy''s affectionate smile made Millie look a little happy, but also a little hesitant, a complicated expression. The antennae on her head twitch and shake. Hmm ...... ''If you''ve come up with something, isn''t this your chance to make up for it? Estella whispers, detecting the slightest movement of my facial muscles. ...... Shut up. Don''t look so hard. I''ll charge you a fee. Oh, I like that. Good. Estella, give me some money.'' ''How much do you want? ''...... stingy. ''I''m not sure why it''s so funny to hear you say that. The stingy Estella laughed at me as I held out my hand with a pure heart. Mmm ....... He''s a jerk. I don''t understand how you can ask for money to get an allowance. ...... I don''t understand it at all. It''s because you don''t spend money that I have to spend money. ...... At all. ''Miry. Can you sell me some of those flowers? ''Yeah, sure. There are many small flowers on the tip of a long thin stem. The flowers, which look like catnip from a distance, have a very familiar scent. ...... Ah, reminds me of a toilet. It''s the kind of scent that makes the water blue just by placing it there. So I buy two of these lavender plants. When you hold the lower part of the stem, the weight of the flower at the tip will cause it to flex naturally, and the stem will curve gently. The base of the stalk can be slightly modified to create a ...... ''Ginette''. ''Yes? ''A present.'' With that, I inserted two strands of lavender into the top of Ginette''s head and secured them with a hair clip. ''Ah ......'' ''Wow. ......'' Millie exclaimed in surprise, and Ginette looked somewhat pleased. On Ginette''s head, two lavender strands seem to be sprouting like antennae. ''You''re matching, Miss Milly. Miss Wendy.'' ''.................. Hmm.'' ''Mmmm, yes.'' The three girls with antennae look at each other and smile. ''Miss Milly. If you don''t mind, why don''t you join us for a chat to the 40th district? Ginette smiles at Milly as she gently reaches out her hand. After showing a slight sign of thinking, Millie nodded her head as if a little embarrassed. I''m not sure what to say. Can I join you? ''Oh, yeah. Of course. It''s a shame you can''t ride in the carriage with me. He asks Estella, the owner, and then bows to Ginette, Wendy, and Theron. ''So, ......, take care. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. ...... Honestly, I''m relieved. ''So, let''s get going. Estella took control of the situation with her hand. We don''t have much time to relax either. We need to borrow a carriage from Javier and head for the 35th district. After all, it''s the farthest district on the diagonal of the 42nd. ''See you later, Yashiro-san. ''See you, ladybug. See you later~'' Hand in hand, Ginette and Milly got into the carriage. They looked at each other and chuckled, like two sisters who are close. As I watched them, Wendy suddenly stood in front of me and quietly bowed her head. When she looked up, she had a soft smile on her face. Stop it. That''s not what I meant. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I looked away from Wendy and sought refuge in the face of Theron, who was standing nearby. The carefree, handsome man looked at me with a dumbfounded ''What is it? He tilted his head with a dumbfounded expression like, ''What is it? ''Hang in there. Out of the group.'' ''What?I''m the only one with no antennae, aren''t I?I''m starting to feel really lonely!What should I do, Hero-sama? Leaving Theron dazed and confused, I moved on and got into the carriage I was riding in. When Natalia finally got in and the door closed, a huge sigh escaped from me as if to let out a heavy feeling in my chest. ''Well, it can''t be helped, can it? Imelda said with a cool face in the seat next to me. When we looked at each other, I felt a little angry. I felt as if she was telling me that I was worrying too much. ''...... It''s a pretty deep-rooted problem, isn''t it? ''We are not in a position to say that we don''t care. Discrimination is invisible, but it leaves its fingerprints all over you. Loretta said that the person who discriminates is the one who will always care,......, but that''s not the only reason,......, in fact. I should have been more careful. I should have been more aware. I''ve seen Millie many times outside of District 42. We even went to the fortieth district together. At that time, I knew that she had never used a carriage. He knew that Millie had never used a carriage. ''The only people Millie lets in are saintly kind people like Ginette and Bertina, or perverts like Regina who are out of the human race. ......'' ''The only thing left is for me ...... to be a nice guy who is a reliable older brother .......'' ''You seem to be rather comfortable, Yashiro. I''m sorry for worrying you. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Whenever ...... people are talking about something serious, ...... ''And you''re about as gutted as a human being can be ......''. ''Natalia. Would you mind pushing that little mouth of yours out the door?'' Even if you don''t mean to, you''re somehow aware of it. There''s no way anyone else can do anything about such a nasty thing. ...... Just vaguely ...... I''m not sure if there''s anything I can do about it,......, but it was smoldering in the back of my mind. 179-Later Tan 735 District At the fortieth district, Javier rented a large carriage and we set out for the thirty-fifth district. ''Ugh ......, my head feels so lonely ......''. Ginette is holding the top of her own head and feeling sad. It''s not that it''s thinning. The lavender pseudo-tentacles that she had worn on her head just before changing to this carriage had shriveled and she had removed them. She must be feeling a little sad because the thing that was there just now is gone. ''Millie''s going to turn it into a dried flower, so don''t be so disappointed. ''That''s true, but ......''. ''It''s better than letting it die like that, right? Seeing the wilted lavender, Millie offered. She said she would make them into dried flowers and bring them to the Sunken Pavilion later. ''...... Yes. That''s right.'' After some thought, Ginette smiled sadly but firmly. ''I''m a little sad, but I can bear it if I think I''ve got something to look forward to first. The next time Millie brings me lavender, he''ll be overjoyed. Just like when I made him a pseudo-tentacle. ''Twice the joy in one flower. That''s a good deal.'' ''Indeed. If you put it that way, it is. Mmm-hmm.'' Ginette''s downcast expression completely disappeared and she turned her gaze out the window. She gazed happily at the drifting scenery. I looked not out the window but up at the ceiling. I slumped down and leaned against the backrest. ...... Ah, this feeling of weakness feels good. The seats in this carriage are very comfortable. Combined with the comfortable rocking, it induces drowsiness. Right now, it''s just me, Ginette, Estella, and Theron and Wendy in the carriage. Imelda had business at her parents'' house, and Milly went back to her work as soon as she arrived in the 40th district. Natalia stayed at Javier''s house to guard Estella''s carriage. Since she would be using the carriage on her return trip, she would be left there for a while. I can''t just leave her to look after the horses there, can I? So we changed to the big carriage and sat in the comfortable seats. Javier had lent us a large, very stable carriage that could hold eight people. It was a luxurious experience, as if we were renting out a carriage. As you would expect from the Lumberjack Guild, the beautiful wood-grained body of the carriage is refined to an artistic level, and the performance is perfect. This is how you want to use your money. ''Oh, ......, maybe I''ll start a lumberjack guild. ''What? I was so comfortable in the carriage that I was lounging around in the seat, and a lot of idle chatter fell out of my mouth. However, Ginette, who overheard it with a keen ear, grabbed my arm in a panic. ''Oh, um,......, Yashi, Yashiro-san,......, um,......, Yashiro-san has a sunny pavilion... ...um,......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I mean. I can''t help it. The big, half-crying eyes stare at me. ''No,......, I''m kidding, right? ''Are you sure?I''m ...... glad. If you really thought that I was going to quit the sunshine pavilion and become a lumberjack, Ginette looks relieved. No, of course not. ''I thought you and Imelda had talked about that in the carriage. ......'' I couldn''t help but tilt my head at the words that must have been uttered almost unconsciously. With Imelda? That kind of ............ is no way. Did you think that I was going to marry Imelda and take over the lumberjack guild? No!That''s impossible! Why would I join the nobility? The nobles are the dupes of the swindlers and should not be allowed to have any in their family!Rich people are always a target for crooks. It''s a pain in the ass. ...... scammers, huh. To tell you the truth, I''m not so sure about that part. For me, being an impostor is not just a "profession", it''s almost a "way of life". It''s impossible to pretend that all of that is not there, ...... no matter what you think. I don''t want to take the initiative in scamming anyone and everyone to line my pockets. But that doesn''t mean I''m not a scammer anymore. Because that would be irresponsible. I''ve been a cheater and probably always will be a rotten cheater at my core. Until I can face him and forgive myself one day, ............ I''m sure I''ll remain a cheater. So. That''s why. Well, you know, ...... I can''t quit the sunny pavilion or get another job. ...... There''s no one more gullible than Jeannette, and she''s still worth using. There''s no one more gullible than Jeannette, and she''s still worth using, so... I''m not going to leave Ginette''s side just yet. Just for my own good, that''s all. There''s no such thing as too firm a foundation. The more stable the ground, the bigger things you can build on it. Yeah, yeah. ''Let''s see, ....... Ginette. ''Yes.'' ''............ because that''s not how it works.'' ''To ......?Oh. ............Yes.'' The pause was too long, and the tempo of the conversation was slowing down. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... Is it my assumption that she looks just a little bit happy? I am somewhat embarrassed. But it''s even more embarrassing when people realize you''re embarrassed. So I chose to make a little joke, albeit a little self-deprecating, to make the situation disappear. ''You know. It doesn''t suit me to be a nobleman, does it?Right, Estella? ''I don''t think so...'' ............ Huh? ''Of course not. If you were to imitate a nobleman, it would be a gag!I was expecting a reaction like this. I was expecting a reaction like this: ...... Contrary to my expectations, Estella gave me a denial. It''s also an immediate answer. Just a little grumpy. Why not? What ......? I''m," "noble," "unsuitable," ...... "Hey, Estella," .................. ''There''s not a word in there that reminds me of poor breasts! I''m not sure what you''re complaining about, but I have no idea what you''re complaining about! That''s funny. The only time Estella gets cranky is when I tweak her tits. ...... ''If you''re a hero, I''m sure you''ll make a fine nobleman. ''Yes. I think so too.'' Wendy and Theron, who are sitting diagonally across from me, look at me and say something like that. They seem to think they''re giving me a compliment. ...... They don''t know how to deny others, and their brains are warm and fuzzy with high probability. Well, that''s not very helpful. ''Hero-sama has grace and dignity, and above all, his charisma that attracts many people is unrivaled. If you are like him, I''m sure your vassals will gladly devote their lives to you. ''It''s too much for me to offer my vassal''s life. Am I an evil god? It''s not a sacrifice. Theron''s exaggerated praise is disgusting. What you''re praising is the false dignity of an impostor to make himself look bigger. That''s what all scammers do. Really, all the people in this world will be scammed if you take them to ...... Japan. ''You say so, hero, but ......, I have a sudden thought. In the event that you''re in a position to make a purchase, you''ll be able to get the most out of it. I''m not sure. It''s also a big ...... deal. You can''t make a better city than the Central District, where you can use the authority of royalty to suck up unlimited wealth from all the districts. Nothing makes you feel more superior than spending other people''s money. If you eat at a sushi restaurant without a price tag, you''ll be cold and won''t know what it tastes like, but if it''s someone else''s treat, you can enjoy it to the fullest. That''s how it is. In other words, you can''t surpass the luxury of royalty through hard work. After all, royalty has money coming in even when they sleep. Oh, I envy you. ''Maybe I''ll start a royal family. ''You know, ...... that''s not something you can just start, right? Ginette reacts differently than she did at the Woodcutter''s Guild. She doesn''t seem to be in a hurry when it''s obvious that she''s joking. ''Well, that''s that! On the other hand. There''s a woman who screams at the top of her lungs. It''s Egrella, a.k.a. ....... ''Egrella. ''It''s Estella! In an instant, her somewhat buoyant expression is blown away. However, Estella soon became restless and fidgety again. She is looking at me with a faint smile, as if expecting something. ''In fact, what do you think? ''What''s what?'' ''So, if ...... Ya, Yashiro, becomes a lord ............, or rather, if he becomes a lord, then... ...that ............ so!If Yashiro is the lord, do you think the 42nd district will be a good city? This guy changed the question in the middle of something? It''s hard to answer ....... ............ There are also gynets. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to take a gag as a gag. I''m not sure what to say. ...... I''m not going to be a lord. ''What if it happens? ''Even if it does, you can''t do what you can''t do. ''............ I see.'' Estella''s buoyant expression disappears from her face. So, it''s not something you should take so seriously. ...... ''If I become a lord, ............ the whole family will have very poor breasts! ''Who are the poor breasts? ''In order to break the curse of the lord''s family, Estella, you must get a son-in-law with big tits! ''What''s a son-in-law with big tits? ''If you look for one, you might find one, right?A guy with I-cups? ''Even if there is, I don''t want it! Estella stubbornly refused. ...... This means that the curse of the gutted girl on the lord''s family will continue for a while yet. ...... Estella will have to give birth to a son, and he will have to marry a girl with huge breasts. ...... However, there is a possibility that the gouge gene will exceed the breasts gene. ......... ... ''For now, let''s hope for the grandchildren''s generation! I''m not sure what to make of that. When Estella''s indomitable spirit was shown, the carriage slowly slowed down. ''As if to deny all of Estella''s enthusiasm, the horse''s legs have slowed down. ''It''s none of my business!We''ve just arrived at our destination, right? As if to prove that Estella was right, the door of the stationary carriage was opened from the outside. The person who opened the door was not Javier''s cousin ......, but a woman in a neat uniform that I had never seen before. There was an emblem of some kind embroidered on her chest. Obviously, she was a member of the nobility. ''I''m an aide to Lucia Suarez, Lord of the Thirty-fifth District. Don''t be rude. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ...... If I''m the first to be warned, does that mean I''m the one most likely to make a mess?I don''t like that. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. Her brown skin is eye-catching. Unlike the oriental atmosphere of Osina, the cook of the 41st district, it is more healthy,......, or to put it simply, it gives the impression of strength. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. The tits were ...... so overhanging that I wanted to ...... say thank you. Probably F cups! ''I heard from Mr. Javier, the story. Welcome to the Thirty-fifth Ward. I hope you enjoy yourself to the fullest, I do.'' For a moment, I thought he was being formal, but he was just speaking slang. I''m glad you''re having so much fun. What do you mean by "having fun"? ...... ''Thanks for the welcome, Gilberta. ''Hmm. I''m glad to see you again after so long, I am. Now that I''m a lord, I''ll have more opportunities to meet you. I''m sure we''ll see more of each other in the future. ''I look forward to working with you in that capacity. ''Mmm. I''m sure you will, my master, and of course I will. The brown beauty who greeted me seemed to be named Gilberta. What a harsh name. Well, I guess it suits her. ...... However, listening to their conversation, I feel that it''s not quite the same. ''Hey, Estella. This katakana girl here is a part of the lord''s entourage, and you are the lord, right?Why isn''t the other side using honorifics?It looks like we''re equals, right? ''Gilberta is Lucia''s favorite. So it''s better not to make waves. Besides, I don''t care about such things. There''s a limit to how much you don''t care. ...... If you''re too frank with everyone, you''ll get licked. You need to tighten up where you can. ......But it''s better not to make waves. ''...... Are you afraid of this Lucia? ''As much as I''d like to force you to shut up right now, yes.'' It seems that the lord of the thirty-fifth district is such a scary person that he should not be allowed to say that he is scared. I''ll be careful not to say anything I don''t like. With that in mind, we got out of the carriage as we were urged. ''Anyway, let''s say hello. ''Don''t be rude. As we disembarked from the carriage, I muttered to myself, and Estella said to me as if she was giving me a nudge. I think you''re pushing it too far. ...... Am I that untrustworthy? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... what is it?'' I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s a pretty intimidating face. It''s like a ...... mass of caution, or rather, it''s radiating a deadly energy in all directions. As a protector of the lord, such an attitude may be the right one. Nevertheless, ...... ''Fearsome face''. ''That''s rough! Estella tugged roughly on my collar as I expressed my honest opinion. It strangled my neck and I stopped breathing. For about a second. I almost couldn''t say anything after that. ''...... (You don''t say ''oops'' to a woman you''ve never met before!Look at you!You''re lightly dented! When I looked at Gilberta, her thin lips were pouting and she was looking diagonally down. Oh, it''s true. It''s a little dented. ''...... (Follow me!(Follow me! Hurry!)'' Follow me at ...... ''You have magnificent tits. ''You''ve been a little rough around the edges! No, we''ve never met before. The only thing I could find to compliment her on at a glance was that. ''But you know, Estella. Isn''t it rude to meet a woman and immediately call her ''beautiful'' or ''nice''?It seems frivolous to me. So, don''t just say what you think is good about the person you''re talking to. ......'' ''There aren''t many things more rude than ''magnificent tits''! ''It''s true, you do have magnificent tits! ''Don''t point at my tits! Throughout this exchange with Estella, Gilberta stared at me with the sharp eyes of a soldier. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll do it. ...... Are you angry? ''Your tits are stunning, my ......? Gilberta said quietly, then clenched her fists. ''You did it, I think! ''Are you happy? At Gilberta''s reply, Estella couldn''t help but poke her head in. Come on, Estella. Don''t be rude. But he''s so elusive. He doesn''t have much of an expression, but that doesn''t mean he doesn''t change at all. ...... ''Hey, Estella. ''What is it?'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... I''ll tell Natalia exactly what you said.'' Oops. ...... I think I''ve unintentionally started a fire. I feel like I''m always pulling the wool over my eyes when it comes to lords. I''ll be careful with ....... ''Many of you here, it''s nice to meet you. Greetings, I am.'' Then Gilberta turned to us and gave us a polite bow. ''Gilberta Eckert, I am. I work for Lucia-sama as the head waiter. A head waiter is like Natalia in terms of position. It''s not as if the lords of this world ignore everything from family history and accomplishments to gender and take their favorites into their inner circle,......, but I''m sure they don''t choose people based on preference or drunkenness. I think he is trustworthy enough as a bodyguard. That''s what Natalia is. ''Gilberta. I would like to say a few words to Lucia, can you arrange a meeting?I would also like to thank you for taking care of the carriage. Estella offered a friendly smile, and Gilberta turned her sharp gaze to us. I''m not sure what to say. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''...... are you all human ......?'' We couldn''t utter a word in response to the sudden question. ''Humans'' - if such a word comes up, then ...... Unintentionally, my gaze fell on Wendy. Estella seemed to be trying not to look at her, but Ginette and Theron seemed to have ''caught'' her as I had. Wendy is wearing her usual hat. It''s not uncommon for people to take off their hats in District 42 and expose their antennae,......, but today they are wearing their hats straight and with a lot of care. I think he is consciously doing so because he is leaving the 42nd district. When I asked him if he wanted to say hello, he replied, ''Are you all ''human'' or ......? In other words, the beastmen and insects are not even allowed to meet? Not to the lord ...... of this district, the nobleman. ''I''m afraid I''m too busy to meet with you, Lucia. Don''t worry, the carriage. I''ll protect you when you ask me to, make sure you do.'' ''I see. ....... It''s been a long time since I''ve seen you,......, but, well, it can''t be helped. I''ll ask you to look after the carriage then.'' ''Please do. I''ll do it, I promise. I''ll take care of it. It''s the kind of posture that makes you look super strong in martial arts. However,......, I was refused a meeting. A faint feeling of discomfort settled in the pit of my stomach. I don''t know if the "busy" thing is true or not, but ...... it sounded like a message that said, "If you don''t meet certain conditions, we won''t allow you to see him. I''m not sure if this Lucia is the kind of person who can impose conditions on people. It''s ............ good. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. I thought it was ......... I''m sorry. --and. I''m not sure if Gilberta sensed my grumpiness, but she suddenly said she was sorry. Her sharp gaze never wavered as she stared at me. ''I know how you feel, my dear. But there''s no malice intended, Lady Lucia. Of course, neither do I.'' Gilberta''s eyes, which had turned slightly sad, told me that there was a reason why she couldn''t stop. And then her head was bowed quietly. ''Please, understand me, titty people. ''Who''s the titty man? I couldn''t help but poke my head in. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. What kind of recognition do you have for me? ''Eh, "who" is ...... Yashiro, you''re the only one, right? ''Shut up, titty man.'' I''ll give Estella a nice nickname for saying something she doesn''t need with a serious face. Keep your fists clenched against your careless comments. ''I have a secret meeting planned for today, Lucia-sama. I can''t let outsiders see that situation. ............ Hmm? ''No, I''m not allowed to talk to you? ''What are you talking about? ''Isn''t ''secret meeting'' something you''re not supposed to tell anyone about? ''.............................. Huh? You just noticed that!Gilberta stiffens with a look of --. ''...... Ah, here''s another one of those stupid girls. ''...... Guided Interrogation''. ''It''s totally your own fault.'' I didn''t say a word to you. ''Really, screw up, I''m ...... knackered.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. And then he swung his fist down ............ at my head. I''m not sure what to do. I pulled my head back as quickly as I could, and the fist flew right past my nose. A layer of compressed air caressed my face, momentarily choking me. There was a slight ringing in my ears, and after the arm had passed, I heard a terrifying ''...... Go! There was a terrible sound. ''...... knocking, don''t run away, titty man.'' ''Why me, why me!If you fail, you''ll be knocked on your head!It''s not just ''knocking'', you know!"Ngo gashisssss! It''s the power to make a sound that shouldn''t be made! ''If you shock the brain, ...... will disappear.'' ''What''s that? ''The memory? ''Don''t tilt your head in a cute way and say horrible things! What an outrage. He tried to pretend that his scandal didn''t exist by erasing the memories of the other party. She''s a horrible ......, horrible, stupid girl. You can''t see any malice in her face now. You''ll be able to see that she''s really thinking that this is the best way to go. ''Oh, um, ...... I''ll forget what you just said, so can you please stop being so rough with me? Ginette gently grabbed my arm and appealed to Gilberta. Her thin voice trembles slightly, and her hand is tightly gripping my arm. Perhaps she is a little scared. Even so,......, this is probably a sign that she''s trying to protect me. In fact, Gilberta''s gaze has shifted from me to Jeannette. The hawk-like sharpness of her eyes catches the rabbit-like softness of the ginette. That sharp gaze suddenly lowered. ''............ titty people.'' ''Nya! Gilberta muttered, staring at the huge breasts. Good job to both of them! ''There are two people with boobs ......''. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not one of them, you know? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... At that time, for some reason, I felt an unreasonable anger saying, ''It''s all Yashiro''s fault! I''m not convinced. ............ ''Hmm. I understand, I... I remember the names, all of you.'' Gilberta nodded, looking at each face in turn as if checking it out. Then she points to me and Ginette in that order. ''Yashiro the boob. Ginnette with tits. ''Can you please stop remembering it that way! Gilberta''s finger descends quickly, lightly ignoring Ginette''s teary-eyed plea. ''Ginette''s tits. ''Please don''t do that! I think this is exactly the kind of guy that ...... ''Estella the tit''. ''Is that a declaration of war, Gilberta? I''m not sure what to make of that. When the truth is pointed out to her, she turns pale. She''s a troublemaker who causes trouble wherever she goes. While she was talking with Gilberta, the rather strange head waiter, Javier''s carriage was being carried away by the attendants. Nearby stood a magnificent mansion, instantly recognizable as the residence of a lord. It is a building of dignity and dignity with a slightly hard image. Since the 35th district is a port town close to the sea, I thought the streets would be more cheerful, but ...... they give me the impression of strict discipline. The brick streets lined up in a neat and orderly fashion may give you that impression. It seems that the lord''s mansion is usually built in a place slightly off the main street. ...... Well, the lord''s mansion is not a tourist attraction, and if it were built along the main street, it would cause some problems, so it is only natural... ...The lord''s mansion in District 35, as usual, stands in a quiet place. Now we''re going to pass through the main street to get to Wendy''s parents'' house. Well, I''m a little curious to see what the streets look like. The calm bustle of the 42nd district is not bad, but there is something exciting about the hustle and bustle of a big city like this. Maybe it''s the blood of the Japanese people, the festival people, that makes me excited. Well, I hate crowds, but I have no problem looking at them from a distance. ''Well then, let''s get going. Estella, who had been confirming the delivery of the carriage with Gilberta, called out to us at the end of our conversation. It''s a day trip, so we can''t relax too much. Even though it''s only a few hours each way, we don''t want to stay up too late. It would affect us tomorrow. I''d like to meet Wendy''s parents and, if possible, get them to attend the wedding. If that goes well, I''d like to say hello to the lords of the thirty-five districts as well, but ...... the time is unpredictable. Anyway, it''s best to act quickly. ''Well, Wendy. Can you show me around?'' ''Yes, sir. I''m a little nervous about ......, but ......'' Wendy sparks lightly. Thinking of her family, she felt a little down. ...... Family relations are not so good. ............ ''This is an interesting phenomenon ...... I think it''s interesting, I'' The crackling Wendy seemed to have caught Gilberta''s attention. Her gaze, which had been sharp and pointed, widened into a round look. ''Oh,......, I''m sorry. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sorry. ''Boobs are usually you''. ''s ...... sorry, it''s kind of ...... normal. I''m not sure. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. In this case, the one who should apologize is Gilberta. ''You remind me of a person I saw this morning, I...'' Gilberta begins to describe the person she saw, using her hands. ''She was the first woman to arrive in the morning on the coach from the 42nd district, and she was a little bigger than ...... her, with upturned breasts that crackled. ''What?Regina is in this city? ''How can you identify someone just by their boobs? Estella shouts in surprise at my surprise. No, I just thought that Regina would be a little bigger than Wendy and more upturned. But it''s highly unlikely that my guess is correct. Because there''s no way that Regina, a severe recluse with a history of shyness, would come to a ward this far away. She must be someone else. ''The woman was dressed just like that, I remember. Gilberta points at Wendy, ''like that''. Wendy''s clothes are all black, as usual, to keep out the sun. A soft skirt and a simple shirt. On top of that, she wears a soft-looking stole. And a large-brimmed hat and parasol. That''s what Wendy is wearing now. ...... A woman who dresses like this? ''......Are you sure it''s Regina? ''No, no way. ......'' In response to Gilberta''s words, Ginette and Estella looked at each other. If you only connect the information, you will get a picture of a person who is as close to Regina as possible. However, it''s hard to believe that Regina would come to such a distant place all by herself. ...... In the end, we settled on the idea that it was a different person with a similar look and feel, and we started walking towards Wendy''s parents'' house. We parted ways with Gilberta and headed for the main road. Now, just one more alleyway and you''re on the main street. ...... ''It''s so bad ............ I don''t know these people. ...... I''m so nervous ...... ......I''m starting to feel sick. ............'' I found ...... Regina. ''I can''t believe this ......'' ''Totally, ...... really, it''s not ...... human technology to be able to identify a person just by their boobs.'' ''No, that''s not important!It''s just that anyone can do it. ''It''s impossible for anyone but you! Idiot! A motorcycle enthusiast can tell the make and model of a motorcycle just by the sound of the engine, and a sommelier can tell the origin of a wine just by its smell! If you watch your tits carefully, you can do this in a matter of minutes! You should be more surprised that Regina is out there! ''...... hmm?.............................. ...... Ahhhh!'' The five of us were frozen in place, and Regina sensed our presence and looked back at us. Then, her half-crying face turned into a dazzling smile, as if she had found hope. ''We''ve missed you so much, ourselves~! Regina came running at a great speed and jumped at me with the same momentum. The scent coming from her swaying hair was a distinctly chemical smell. ...... Yes, it was definitely Regina. I think she was really scared of being alone. Regina, trembling and half-crying, embraced Estella and me with a strength she had never shown before, and then continued to restrain us for more than ten minutes. 180-The Eighth Flame of Later Tales ''No.'' Regina''s first words after regaining her composure were. ''Going is good, returning is scary. ...... No, it''s ''I can''t go back, I''m scared. ''I don''t understand. ...... So you''re an idiot? ''Who says stupid girls are cute? That was a very positive response. He''s positively paranoid, isn''t he? We found Regina and ......, or rather Regina caught us and forced us to change our plans. She clung to us like a little girl who has found her mother, crying like a baby, and we soothed and quieted her, and said, ''Let''s just settle down somewhere and have a drink ...... on Regina''s tab. As soon as we reached the main street, we found a nice parlour and rushed into it, taking a corner of the open terrace to drink some fresh juice under the perfect conditions of warm sunshine and cool breeze. There was no coffee or tea, only liquor or juice. The atmosphere was like a coffee shop, but the selection was like a bar. ''This is a nice store. ''The streets are so beautiful, it would be nice to have a table outside. If you are not interested in Regina''s story, Ginette and Estella''s eyes were shining with the so-called "picturesque" atmosphere of the parlor''s store and the bustling boulevard. The area around the lord''s mansion gave the impression of an orderly and beautiful cityscape with a calm atmosphere, but the main street was crowded, chaotic, and lively in a good sense. Looking at the street from the open terrace, the billboards and modest flowerbeds were interesting accents, adding color to the bustle of the boulevard. It reminds me of the streets of Paris that I have seen in movies in the past. It has an old-fashioned elegance and grace. It is like a petit Champs-??lys??es. ''......, that''s why''. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I wasn''t listening.'' ''Wait!Jibu~n!Please, really. I was talking so much! It seems that Regina was talking on her own while I was distracted by the atmosphere of the main street. I didn''t hear her at all. ''So, why are you in the 35th district? ''That''s what I''m talking about!I can''t help it. ...... You''d better listen to me this time! In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. ......But that carrot juice ............ ''Actually, ......'' ''That''s a lot of sludge, that juice.'' ''Listen to me, I''m talking to you! ''It looks really bad.'' ''It''s definitely not good, though!I think it''s a drink that was developed just to make you think, ''I''m drinking this ......, isn''t that wonderful? ''Oh, but... But if my horse has a stomach ache, this might be good for him. ''Who''s the horse with the upset stomach?What the hell are you doing with me?It''s a fashionable drink for girls of my age!And I don''t care about that! ''You''re so cheerful. ''Whose fault is it? If you''re asking who''s fault it is, it''s Estella''s fault for interrupting the ...... conversation about an unrelated horse. ''You should apologize, Estella. ''Why is it me? I''ve been looking at Regina''s tits for a while now. ''What?I''m not looking that hard! ''You''re looking at me a little?What are you doing?Have you finally been infected? Hey, ''infected'' by what, Kola? ''No, it''s just that ...... is really ''pointy up'', isn''t it? ''What are you talking about? ''Once again, I realized how great Yashiro is. ......'' ''Huh~, that''s weird~?I don''t know why I don''t feel like I''m being praised at all. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Perhaps it''s not a compliment at all. ......'' This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. That''s why my belly button bends. ''Huh ......, talking about boobs as soon as you meet ............, the 42nd district may finally be at its end... ...'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I feel annoyed when she says that. I mean, why are you looking at me with such pity?It''s Estella who''s talking about her tits. ''Port town''s 35 wards...... woodcutter''s 40 wards, hunting''s 41 wards...... and boobs'' 42 wards......'' ''Will you stop doing that impression, Regina! ''No, wait, Estella!............ might be a ''yes''?'' ''No, it''s not! ''No! Just because you''re in the minority doesn''t mean you have to bend over. You''re too old to be bending over backwards!You''re not mature! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. While patting Estella on the shoulder to appease her, Ginette turns her gaze to Regina. In the meantime, Theron and Wendy are flirting with each other, saying ''this juice is delicious'' and ''would you like a sip of this one too? Meanwhile, Theron and Wendy were spreading their lovey-dovey miasma around. Yeah, ignore them!Get out of my sight, you''re disgusting! I turn my attention to Jeannette''s story. ''What kind of ''fire sparks'' were you talking about earlier? ''Oh, that?Do you want to see it?Do you want to see it?Wait a minute. Glad to be talked about, Regina began to rummage through her bag. ''What do you mean by ''firecracker''? ''Didn''t you really listen to yourself?It was the main part of the story! Regina''s eyes widen and she accuses me of not listening, but I can''t help what I didn''t hear. I think it''s good manners to give up and explain again. ''Haha ...... really ...... can''t help it ............ ......'' Regina let out a huge sigh and shook her head. ''Well, okay. I''ll talk to you one more time.'' She pulls a small cloth bag from her bag and places it on the table. It looks like it''s filled with some kind of powder. It''s like, ''Shawa......'' and gravity is pulling me down. ''Honestly, I didn''t want to come this far away from home either. But my favorite peddler,......, who is an outside merchant with a different organization than the peddler''s guild,......, told me that if I came to the 35th district to get it, he would give me the fire. I''ll give you the firecracker if you come to the 35th district to get it. ''So you came all this way to get it?You''re a recluse.'' ''Don''t talk to me like that!The ships stop in the 35th district, and there are many companies that would be willing to carry it there. ''If we go to Chuo Ward from there, do business, and return by boat, going to ...... 42 Wards would not only be a detour, it would be a complete detour. ''That''s right!That''s why, if you really want something, you have to come here to get it, even if you have to strain a bit. ...... It''s too much trouble. ......'' You can''t tell him that he should live in the 35th district ....... If you leave Regina in such a vibrant district, she''ll probably melt away in about three days. If there is such a thing as bio-energy, this city and Regina must have the exact opposite properties. You know. It''s like beech mushrooms not growing on a tropical beach. If not, it''s like ......, a date spot lit up on Christmas Eve, where a single man who wanders in accidentally will have his gas guzzling life cut short. The damage rate is so high that it makes a poisonous swamp seem like a luxury resort. Regina is the kind of creature that can establish her existence only by hugging her knees and talking with dust in a more humid place. ''I pity you. ''What the hell are you doing, you bastard? ''But it''s quite a feat just to have arrived here. ''Normally, I''d turn around at the carriage stop. ......'' Regina''s words were a little slurred and she looked embarrassed. In her line of sight, there is a small cloth bag on the table. ''So, in short, you were able to get through on the way there because you were excited about the ''firecracker'', but on the way back, you lost even that momentum and were at a loss. ''Well, to put it simply, that''s how it is. Regina scratched her head as if to deceive herself. Immediately after that, Regina stood up, leaned forward, took my hand sitting across from her, and grasped it tightly. Her expression was so serious that it exuded desperation. ''So, please. Take me back to ......! ''What were you going to do if you didn''t ...... see us? ''I''d probably be dead.'' What''s with this early NES shit? That''s a little too unplanned. ''To be honest, when I saw our faces, I was thanking the spirit gods, who I don''t usually believe in that much. ''Do you not believe in ......? ''I''m a foreigner. ''Well, that''s true. ''But from today, I''m going to start believing in the spirit gods, I''m going to believe in them so much, I''m going to believe in them so much, I''m going to believe in them so much! ''...... Maybe, but I don''t think that''s a good idea from the point of view of the ''spirit gods''. ...... In the event that you''ve got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Or rather, she seems to be curious about the contents of the firecracker. Actually, I''m interested in what it is too. Because it''s "fire dust", right? I just hope it''s not just a red powder, and that it doesn''t turn out to be, ''I opened the lid and found that it was powdered red pepper'' ....... ''Do you still care about it?Do I have to?If you want, I''ll show you a little bit of it in the ''special'' section. I''m not sure I should have asked ............. I''ve been waiting for you. Estella frowns at Regina''s smug face. Regina, too, seemed to be eager to show off her hard-earned firecracker to someone. Well, anyway. I''m sure it''s just a trivial thing that Regina wants. ''Oh, there''s just one thing to note before I show you. Hovering her finger over the string that fastens the mouth of the small cloth bag, Regina looks around at us with a serious face. It''s the professional look you get when you talk about handling drugs. This is the kind of thing you''ll regret if you don''t take it seriously. ''Anyway, everyone, be careful. With that, Regina untied the small cloth bag. ''You''re not explaining very well, are you? ''Um, Regina-san. What should we be careful about? ''Well, well. We''ll know when we see it. ''So tell me what to watch out for before I watch it! ''Look, look~, this red powder is ''fire dust''. ''Listen, what are you talking about? There are no good people who don''t listen to what others have to say. When someone is talking, you should stop thinking and concentrate on what they are saying!If you can say ''I wasn''t listening'' without hesitation, it''s no exaggeration to say that something important is missing in your head! ''It''s a beautiful red color. ''The grains are very small. But ...... not too silky, is it? I''m not sure how you can look into something that Regina told you to be careful with without being alarmed. In contrast to the two of them leaning forward on either side of me, I pull back my chair and take a half step. From a distance, they look like powder beads. If I put them in a bag and squeezed them, it would feel good. Maybe I''ll try it next time. You''ll see. Ginette and Estella, along with Theron and Wendy, all stood and stared at Regina. ''It''s kind of exciting, isn''t it? Ginette, standing next to me, says something like that. No, it''s not exciting,......, but I''m interested. Regina looked at all of them once and took out a small amount of fire dust from the bag. She dipped her forefinger in a little bit of the powder and showed it to us, as if she were snacking on sugar. Regina''s index finger, as white as enokidake mushroom, was stained red at the tip. ''If you rub it with ...... pressure like this,............,'' she said. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can contact us at our own web site. You''ll find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. ...... Boop! Suddenly, flames shot up from Regina''s fingertips. The force of the fire was so great that it almost made me fall off my chair. The only reason I didn''t fall down was because Ginette and Estella, who were also startled by the sudden flames, clung to me from both sides. I felt a slight jolt in my right elbow. On my left elbow, I felt .................. what?That ............ thing? ''Discrimination...... left elbow discrimination...... disparity with the right elbow is terrible......! I''m sure you''ll agree with me.It''s just that the right elbow is treated so well! ''Right elbow?...... What? Estella''s comment made Jeannette realize that she had been hit and she jumped back in a panic. Oh, ...... the right elbow was scuffed after the left ...... ''The left and right elbows are both scuffed. ......'' ''...... I haven''t jumped back yet, have I? Even if Estella is there, it doesn''t change the reality that the place is empty. It''s a sad thing. ...... ''How much do you like to talk about boobs when ...... people are showing you something interesting? ''Yashiro is the only one who likes boobs! ''......''Welcome!I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. ''I''m not going to adopt that kind of catchphrase, okay? Estella dismissed my nice catchphrase out of hand. I''m sure the number of tourists will increase. ''But it''s a dangerous object, that ''spark of fire''. It burns up violently with just a light pressure. Regina has a small cloth bag full of fire dust in her hand. ...... Even though it''s small, it''s still powder, so there''s probably a lot of it. About 500 grams. ...... If it all burns up at once, ...... a little bit of it on your fingertip could wipe out ............ the whole city. ''Are you going to make a weapon of mass destruction? ''Nah. I wouldn''t build such a thing. In the first place, these firebombs may look fancy, but they don''t have any firepower at all. ''Is that so? ''No. The temperature is at most a few tens of degrees ...... like a futon when you wake up from sleep.'' ''Wow, that sounds like a nice warmth. When Estella heard that there was no danger, she patted her chest and Ginette smiled happily. It''s just a flashy flame. Maybe it''s just ''something flame-like''. ''So you can''t burn anything with the flames you just saw? ''No, not really. If it''s flammable, it will ignite, and if you use the wrong amount, you''ll get burned. It''s dangerous after all. ''What the hell is this stuff for? ''You know, if you mix a little bit of this with your medicine, the moment you drink ............, flames will shoot out of your mouth. What are you doing? ''What are you going to do with it? ''What?Was that too spicy? People around you will be surprised, won''t they? ''So, what are you going to do? I''m an idiot. I was an idiot. Did he force himself to go out of his way for such a small story? In this city where you might lose your life if you''re not careful. ''Well, we''ve got things to do too, so let''s get going. Oh, Regina. Thanks for the food. ''Wait!You can''t do that!Don''t leave me here!You''re not taking me home with you, are you? ''No, I''m sorry ......, our carriage is for eight people ......'' ''You can ride it!You can ride it so much!There''s still room for more even if you include me! Today''s Regina seems to be in good spirits. I guess that''s how desperate she is. ''Yashiro-san. Ginette softly looked into my face. And-- ''......, right? That''s the shortest sound I''ve ever heard. It''s ....... You''re trying to control me with just one letter? That''s a very naive way of trying to control me. It''s ...... ''...... Just this once.'' ''Yes. d*mn it, ......, you''re really upsetting my pace. You need to take measures to prevent yourself from being swept away. ...... I shouldn''t have any weaknesses. That''s right. It''s not because Jeannette told me to. I''m willing to help people as long as it''s for my own good. As long as I''m paid for it. Or if it''s worth something. ''Regina. If you share some of that powder with me, I''ll carry it to District 42.'' ''Yeah, ...... but you can''t turn your back on me, can you ......? I''ll share some with you. If we run out, you can just ask for more.'' Okay. We have a deal. And I shake hands with Regina. Firecracker. If we use it right, we can use it to make something for the wedding. 181-Later Tan 9 Flower Garden Passing through the glamorous boulevard, you step further in. The scent of the tide gradually eases and you enter an area where the sweet scent of flowers drifts in instead. As you move away from the city gate, the city of District 35 gradually becomes quieter and calmer. Well, you could say that it''s getting desolate. Still, that''s the 35th district. Even though the streets are less crowded and desolate, they still look nicer than the 42nd district. There''s such a difference. ...... I guess the 42nd ward still has a long way to go. Yeah. ''There''s a big flower garden up ahead where the swallowtail butterfly people and many other insect people live. Wendy, who was walking ahead of us, explained to us like a travel agent. Her face looks brighter than ever. After all, the air of home must be soothing for some reason. ''The flowers that bloom in this garden store very sweet nectar, and it is the status of the young insects to drink it here. It''s like crepes in Harajuku. Wendy was pointing to a small hill, and the flower garden was not yet in sight. But the delicious scent of the flowers is already filling the air. It is so strong that I feel a little drunk. ''It smells so good. ''As a girl, you can''t help but be excited, can you? Ginette and Estella are chatting happily. From a girl''s point of view, this kind of scent is acceptable, I suppose. I think it''s a little too strong for me. ...... Well, people who like aromas and such love them. ''............''. You''re going to get a crooked nose. ''Yeah. I''m sure you do, Regina. Regina picks her nose with grace and dignity, without fear of anyone. I knew you''d be on our side. ''Have you been drinking nectar in the garden, Wendy? Ginette smiles at the scent of the flowers and the warmth of the sun. Wendy, who had taken off her stole in the slightly sweaty temperature, gave a small shake of her head in response to Ginette''s question. ''No, no. I left when I was much younger. And ......'' She then turned her gaze to Theron, who was standing next to her. ''It''s fashionable to drink honey ''as a couple'' here. ''Okay, Regina. I know what I''m going to do with the firehose.'' ''I know how you feel, but you need to control yourself. If we start a huge fire in the garden, we''ll be banned from importing firebrands.'' d*mn, ...... is no good. ''Well then, Wendy. This may be the first time you''ve had a drink.'' ''H......'' Ginette says in a congratulatory tone, clasping her hands together. She doesn''t seem to be meddling, but seems genuinely pleased by the fact. Wendy, too, breaks down at these words, looks at Theron, and mutters, ''...... Yes. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you may want to check out a few of these. ''Okay, Regina. I''ve decided what to do with the Fire Dust.'' ''That''s funny. I think I just heard that you came here to congratulate these two. Was it just my imagination? d*mn ...... this lovey-dovey couple ......, can''t we just burn the guy too? What a pity!Oh, it''s pathetic! ''Oh, I see it. It''s a flower garden! Estella is probably expecting a flower garden even more than Jeannette. She moves forward like a dog who likes to walk too much. If she were on a leash, she would have gone ''ping! If he were on a leash, he would have been willing to be strangled. ''Don''t piss yourself. ''No, I wouldn''t!Are you stupid?You''re an idiot! Estella is starting to look like a dog. Maybe I should teach her some tricks. ''Estella. ''What is it? ''Hand''. ''Aaahhhh! When I held out my hand, Estella let out a crazy scream and zipped away from me. She held her empty chest and her face turned bright red. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time and money. No, I''m trying to teach my dog some tricks,............, hmm?Hand in hand in the flower garden? This garden is a mecca for couples to drink nectar, so to speak, and to put your hand in front of it is .................. In addition to the message of ''Let''s hold hands like lovers and drink the nectar together ...... alone,'' ............ ''What?No!No, no, no, Estella!That''s not what I meant! ''So, what does that mean, what, what, what?What do you mean? ''That''s why I''m in love with you, ...... anyway!You''re a dog! ''Who''s a dog? Shut up! Don''t look at me with your red face! Don''t raise your eyebrows in anger, but don''t let a hint of anxiety show in your eyes!You look like you''re expecting something.I know it''s just my imagination, but!I know it''s just my imagination, but if it''s not my imagination, you know, ......, I''m in a lot of trouble! ''Anyway!When someone says ''hand'' with your palm facing up, put your hand here and say ''wan! That''s the rule!That''s how the trick works! ''So why am I being treated like a dog? ''It''s because you''re pissing yourself! ''No, I''m not! If you''re about to pee, that means you''re about to pee! You have to understand, that''s the point! ''Well, the red-haired one is obedient like a dog. I can''t understand why you would want to take care of him. ''Who''s obedient?I''m proud to say that there''s no one as innocent as me! ''No, that''s not something you should be proud of. ......'' Barking and howling, Estella was just like a puppy. ''I wonder what other tricks she has up her sleeve? Regina looks at me. ...... Wow, that''s a nasty grin on her face. ''If you don''t want to hold hands and you want to do tricks, what other tricks do you have?Why don''t you tell me? You look like you''re about to say that. Yeah, okay. Why don''t you tell him? ''Sit'', ''down''...'' ''Isn''t it a little difficult for a red-haired man? ''Yes, I can!...... No, I won''t though! What else was there to say about ......? ''Also, ...... ''p*n*s''.'' ''Are you going to post ......?'' ''No, I''m not! It''s not a derivative of anything you do! If you put your hands on it, I''ll kick your dog''s ass! ''Oh, God!I''m sorry I was such a jerk!So let''s get out of here! This is no time to be playing peachy typhoon. We don''t have time, we don''t have time! We''ve got Natalia waiting. That''s right!We''re in a hurry! It''s ....... I''m sorry. Give me a break. "Mr. Yashiro. As if to soothe my wispy heart, Ginette bounces forward in front of me with a smile like the sun. Ah, ......, my heart, shrouded in dark clouds, seems to be illuminated. Ginette, with a happy look on her face, slips her hand out to me. And then-- ''Hand''. --She said very, very happily. ............ Well... I''m not sure if it''s a lovey-dovey appeal of ''I want to hold your hand'' or an owner appeal of ''you''re my dog''. Either way, I''m having trouble responding. ''Oh, um, no!I don''t really have a deep meaning, but ...... I just wanted to try that ............... ...I''m sorry, it was a spur of the moment thing. He hurriedly withdrew his outstretched hand and clasped it tightly in front of his chest. I''m sorry my right hand has been such a bother,'' he said. ...... Yeah. It''s a horrible place, Hanazono. The usual flirting causes havoc. It''s more than just burns. ...... That''s why rear-fill hangouts ............ blow up!It''s all your fault! ''Couples in the flower garden, break up! ''What are you saying?I''m just kidding!I''m just kidding! Ginette hurriedly corrected him, even though no one was listening. It''s not a world where every word you say comes true. ''Hey, Theron. ''Yes, Wendy? ''Uh-huh. ...... "hand"''. ''Eh~......, I can''t help it. Here, take a hand. ''Uh-huh.'' ''Hahaha.'' ''Why don''t you just blow up? ''Myself. You don''t even try to hide your dark emotions, and I think that''s a manly thing to do, but you need to pull yourself together. I have no intention of advocating a lovemaking situation with a bunch of people, nor do I intend to introduce ''how about this kind of play''!Don''t copy me!...... I don''t want to do anything like that! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. Regina is smirking at me, rubbing up against me. ...... This black pharmacist ...... has a black belly too? Yraaah ...... ...... Huh. Okay, okay. ''Regina, the house! ''What the hell, I feel like I''ve been wronged! You go back to your nest right now!Alone! ''At ....... Come on, let''s go. ''Oh, .......'' As I tried to ignore the idiot and move on, I heard a faint, airy voice leak out from next door. When I turned my gaze, I saw Jeannette staring at me with a ''............ gee'' and a reserved look. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You can say "house"? I''m sure ...... Ginette will take it seriously and put a dent in it. But ''hand'' is not. ............ Oh, right. ''Okay, Jeannette! ''Yes, sir. ''Tits! ''Please repent! I offered my hand, but Jeannette''s tits never ...... appeared on it. ....... I''m not sure what to do. I''m sweating cold, and my throat is parched, ...... no, rattled. Just because a date spot is near you, it can have such a negative impact on your daily life. ...... ''Well, the bottom line is this. I guess Hanazono is a bad place. ''No, um, Hero-sama. If I may say so, it''s a more normal place to enjoy. What, you think I''m not normal? I''m not conscious of it or anything! I''m the type of person who doesn''t care about the people around me! The only thing is... The only thing is-- ''Be unhappy, all the people in the rear! I''m just kidding! I shouted with my hands on both sides of my mouth, while Jeannette corrected me in the exact same way. What are you joking about? I''m serious! ''You might enjoy entering the Garden, Hero-sama. It''s really a beautiful place. ''I''m not looking for beauty in my life. ''Don''t say that, I''ll join you. Come on.'' As if to calm me down, Wendy leads us into the garden. Wendy and Theron lead the way, followed by me. Ginette follows a little later, and then Estella comes up to me. ''I''m weirdly tired because of Yashiro: ......'' ''Why is it my fault? ''It''s Yashiro''s fault.'' He thumps his shoulder against my arm. What''s with that little defiance? The body touch makes you a little nervous. ''...... You''d better behave yourself.'' Finally, Estella punches me in the side of the head with a cat punch. It wasn''t much of a shock, but the unexpected attack on the side of the stomach made me stumble back a half step. ...... I was ticklish. And because of that half-stumble, I made contact with Jeannette who was standing to my left. ''Oh, I''m sorry, Jeannette.'' ''No, ............ I''m the one who''s ............ sorry. ......'' If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you might want to check out this website. Perhaps the air in this place is bad. The air here must have the effect of making people feel strange. Otherwise, there''s no way two people could drink nectar in public, like a public execution. Yeah, that''s right. There must be some kind of weird poison flying around in this place. ...... garden, I could really burn it down. For the world and the peace of mind of single men. ''It''s coming into view. That''s the flower garden! Wendy pointed to such a beautiful scene, which could be described as an example next to the word ''paradise'' in the dictionary. The vast expanse of land was filled with colorful flowers, swaying in the breeze and wafting their fragrant scent into the air. The world was dyed in happy colors by the lovely blooming flowers. In the midst of such a vast paradise-like flower garden, there was a tribe of insects drinking the nectar of the flowers together. ''......nnggggggggggg!Hmph!It''s so good! ''Juzozozozoooo!I can''t believe it!It stings! ''What''s with those sweaty hexenbiests? They were big guys with big horns on their heads, and they looked like old men to all intents and purposes. ''Oh, a couple of males?...... is making progress! ''That''s progress!Don''t be scribbling weird notes all over the place! No. If we don''t do something, another rotten story will be added to the 42nd district. Firecracker, do we use it here?If the note or Regina burn up, it''s over. ''They seem to be men of the beetle and stag races. Wendy''s words were probably right. After all, their faces were beetles and stag beetles no matter how you looked at them. ''Oh, ...... you guys are human? The old beetle man licked us from top to bottom and said. ...... You''re a rude one. ''Mr. Beetle. ...... these guys, their clothes are ......'' ''Ah, yes. Maybe they''re noblemen.'' I''ll tell you in private in an audible voice. ...... They''re rude, really. ''Hey, you guys. Look at us, what do you think? Excuse me. Sweaty. Not worth looking at. Because we''re old men. But, you know, we don''t have to fight. I''ll cut you some slack for being rude. I''m not here to fight today. I''ve overcome my past. I''ve grown up a lot. I''ll show you that I''ve got a lot of heart. ''Two old men happily drinking sugary drinks, what a creep. ''What are you doing picking a fight? No, no, no. I''m just expressing my honest opinion. I wasn''t trying to be racist or anything, I was just saying that you stink of sweat. ''Ha-ha-ha!Is it weird for two old men to eat sweet things together? Well, you got me there! I thought he might be a little annoyed, but the beetle, Mr. Turnip, started laughing out loud. The stag beetle next to him also chuckled. ''No, no, no. The nectar from this flower heals the tired body and gives you energy. Many of the men in the guild drink it. That''s what the stag beetle says to me. If the beetle is called Mr. Turnip, this one is called Mr. Mulberry. ''Kwa-kun, you have a nice body, but you''re short. ''Kwa-kun?Are you talking about me?It''s the first time I''ve been nicknamed by a racial name. ''Hmm?But this beetle here is Mr. Beetle, right? ''Hey, hey. I''m not called ''Turnip'' after the Beetle People.'' ''Then what is it? ''My name is Kaburiel.'' ''What''s missing? I thought it was Gabriel!Is it a patch? You mean like Louis Pitton? ''By the way, I''m Marx.'' ''Normal! Are you Loretta? You ain''t got no stag beetle on you at all! ''Huh, hahaha!You''re a funny guy!I like you. You want a drink too? Cabrill points to the flowers at his feet and asks me if I''m interested. Well, I''m interested, but ...... I just had a juice in the parlor. ''Wendy. Would you like something to drink?'' ''Yes...... then, I''ll have one with Theron......'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. We''re in a big hurry. We need to get out of here right now!I don''t think we''ll have time for even a sip of honey. Sorry, sorry, sorry! ''...... Yashiro. Do you want to support Theron and the others, or do you want to get in their way? Estella accuses me with a sigh. Cheer or hinder? It''s obvious. I''ll support you, but I won''t let you make love in front of me! ''I see. I can''t help it if you''re in a hurry. Kabriele smiled at me, not particularly concerned that I had turned down his offer. If I had a boss like him, I would want to follow him unconditionally. I guess he''s that type. ''But you guys...'' Kabriele, who looks like a good boss, says this in a low voice. ''If you''re going deeper than the Garden, you''d better be a little careful. ''Is there a dangerous place? I look at him and ask him for information. I want to get every bit of information I can get. The fact that he uses the phrase ''the depths of this garden'' suggests that this is the boundary. I don''t need to ask what kind of boundary it is. This garden is the boundary between where humans live and where the worm people live. ''This 35th district has been good to us subspecies. But there are still a few of us who have less than favorable feelings toward humans. ...... No, there are many more.'' ''............'' There was something in Kabriel''s words that bothered me, and my consciousness was caught there. ......''Subspecies''? ''Well, I''m sure there are a few things that might offend you, or that you might find rude, but ...... they''re good guys at heart. Please don''t take it personally. That''s right. He said, bowing vigorously. --But... ''Ow! The beetle''s magnificent horn struck me in the brain as it bowed its head. ............ Now, I''m offended and feel rude?Do I need to tolerate this too? I''m sorry!I''m sorry,......, or perhaps it was force majeure,......, but I''m sorry. He smiled bitterly and scratched his head. He really doesn''t seem to have any bad intentions. I don''t know how long you''ve been with that horn, but ...... you don''t seem to have complete control over it. A dangerous man. ''Mr. Yashiro, are you alright? ''Yeah. I really want to hit him back, but I''m pretty sure I''d lose if I did, so I''ll hold back. ''Oh, please ...... be gentle ......, I''ll give you some medicine later. See? I''ll make it easy on you. Marx alone could have won, but not ...... Kabriele. I don''t pick fights I can''t win!That''s adult etiquette! ''Well, I''m really sorry. If you need anything else, just let me know. I''ll help you.'' ''What do you mean, ''something''? ...... What can you do? ''We''re movers. So we''re good at moving things and getting them far away! ''...... move it far away?'' What''s a mover got to do to get far? ''If you''re moving a short distance, wouldn''t it be more efficient to just throw your stuff around? ''Handle your stuff with care, customer''s stuff! If a moving company throws away the luggage, they''ll go bankrupt in three days in Japan! There doesn''t seem to be anything we can ask these guys to do. That''s enough. It wasn''t a big blow to the head. It doesn''t hurt anymore. After that, I''ll ask Jeannette to give me some medicine (and I''ll ask her to kneecap me on the assumption that she will). I''m going to ask her to apply some medicine to me (assuming she''ll kneecap me). ...... I wonder if I can kneecap her? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I''m not sure what to make of it. Would it be safer to ask her in advance? But only casually. And make her think that it is natural. ...... ''Hey, Jeannette.'' ''Yes?'' ''Later, I want you to paint my kneecaps.'' ''............ yes?'' Oh, no! I think I got a little upset! Oh, God!If I say knee pillow here, it''ll be hard to say when we''re on stage! I can tell that''s what you''re looking for! Oh, God!You''re ruining it!I can''t do this! ''............ I want to start all over again. ''Do you want me to hit you with the horn again, Yashiro? I''m not sure what to say. ...... if you understand how frustrating this is for me! ...... d*mn. It''s all over the place. ''Thanks for the heads up. If you ask me first, I''ll be able to handle any unforeseen circumstances that may arise.'' ''I see. Thank you for saying so.'' The beetle peeps its white teeth. ...... beetles, teeth. I don''t know. It''s a little late for that, though. ''Well, I''d better get going. ''Oh!I hope to see you again. It''s ...... Yashiro, right? ''Yeah. And from here, dogs, rear couples, rotten perverts, and titty people.'' ''So, why am I a dog? ''Well, Hero-sama. Are we two as one?'' ''You often use the word "rear", but are we like that? ''Aside from perverts, I don''t understand rotten people.What''s rotten about me? ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san...'' I introduced them all together, and all my companions are complaining. There is no more accurate way to describe it. Cabriele and Markus laughed loudly, waved at each other, and we parted ways. There were still many other insects in the garden, but thanks to our happy conversation with Kabriel and the others, no one bothered us. They are very cautious, but if they see no harm in you, they will not attack you. ...... I''m not sure if that makes them friendly or not, though. I''ll ruminate on Kabriel''s words in my head. I suppose there is often friction between humans and insects. Kabriel''s words were imbued with the nuance of being tired of such troubles. If that is the case, the initial attitude of Kaburiel and the others is understandable. Humans had stepped into a flower garden that was the territory of the Bug People. You can''t blame them for being wary. ...... Is there no choice? ''Hey, Estella. ''What is it?You''re not going to treat me like a dog by saying ''hand'' again,.............'' ''What do you mean, "subspecies"?'' ''-Huh? Estella was about to make a light remark, but as soon as she mentioned the word, she choked on her words. That reaction alone may be enough to explain. In short, I guess it''s just a word. ...... Deeply rooted. I''m sure she''s thinking about what to say. ...... Estella crossed her arms and fell silent. The wrinkles between her eyes are etched. ''I''m sorry. If it''s something you don''t feel comfortable saying, we can do it later. But I want to hear what you have to say.'' ''............ Yeah. It''s not that it''s hard to say, but I''m ............ sorry.'' Then they continue walking for a dozen minutes without touching the subject. The sweet, intoxicating scent of the flower garden was fading away, and when it finally became less popular, Wendy said the words she had been waiting for. ''Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the long walk. We have arrived. The place was a quiet ghost town, as if hiding from the glamorous world. There was not a soul in sight. Despite this, there are signs of life in ...... such an uncanny plot. You can feel the eerie gaze of someone staring at you from the shadows. It''s a weird corner with abandoned buildings that make you wonder if you''re really in the 35th district. Pointing to the far end, Wendy said clearly, ''That''s where I am. ''That''s my parents'' house. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Wendy, you ............ are not going to say, ''I knew I was a ghost! I''m sure you''re not going to tell me that, are you? 182-Later, Tan 10... well, the disturbing atmosphere. ''This landscape............ this landscape, I''ve seen it before.'' ''What?Are you sure?'' An old abandoned house. The air around it is heavy, and the sky seems dim. No, ...... clearly, only the area around the building looks dimmer and duller than the rest. The wind rumbles, and the vibrations in your eardrums go straight to your spine, sending shivers down your spine. There should be nothing special about ...... the scenery ............, but it''s just eerie, and as I stare at it, I suddenly hear these words. --. --Did you catch that? ''In my hometown, stories about places like this are popular with some people,............, especially in the hot season. ''Yashiro. Isn''t that a ghost story? ''Um, Hero-sama. It''s true that the place is deserted, but there are no such stories here. It''s just a normal place for my family to live. Even if you say so, ...... This place is a haunted place no matter how you look at it, and if it were, you''d think you''d seen it on TV. That''s how ''likely'' the scenery is. For example, in the window of that abandoned house, there is a ............ ''............? I looked at the window, my whole body went rigid, and all the functions of my brain stopped. From the window, a woman with .................. long hair is staring at me with a ''...... ............ ''Yashiro-san!What''s wrong with you? ''Did you understand me? ''Hero-sama, please be careful! ''Yes, let go of me, Theron!There are demons living here! ''No, it''s my family that lives here, Hero-sama! ''But, oh, oh, look over there!There''s a woman in that window! I pointed and looked at ...... ''She''s gone, she''s gone, she''s gone! I knew it! I knew it was a ghost! Because it''s gone! I took my eyes off it for a moment, and while I was at it! ''Yashiro-san, please calm down. ''Oh, oh, oh, ochi, ochi, ochi, ochi, ochi! ''Please don''t say ''tits'', ''tits''! ''I can''t calm down!You''ve got milk, right? ''Your milk? ''Tits are always coming out, except for Estella! ''That''s too loud! ''Everyone, let''s calm down!Hero-sama, take a deep breath! Wendy raised her voice in an attempt to pacify the situation. ...... At that moment. ''How dare you come back, Wendy? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. There it is!--She almost shouted, but stopped. What the heck, she''s ...... still alive. The woman was quite old, with wrinkles clearly etched on her face that made me think that she was always looking solemn. She had two antennae on her head. ...... means that this is a bug man ............ or rather this is a ...... ''...... mom''. Wendy muttered in a low voice and slowly turned around. As you can imagine, this ghostly creature seems to be Wendy''s mother. ......''s, but... ''I don''t deserve to be called ''mother'' by someone who abandoned my home. You''re not my daughter anymore. You''re going to be some guy''s property, aren''t you?Don''t come here anymore, you disgrace of the family! ''............ again,............ like that.'' Wendy''s hair lifted softly, ...... and-- Bumblebee! -- and a violent spark erupts. ''Wendy, calm down!Take a deep breath! You''ll be able to take a look at your own personal life. ''Haha ......, I''m sorry. I got excited again. ............'' When she sees my face, Wendy calms down a bit and the spark stops. Thank God. She could have electrocuted her own mother with that thing. ''...... What the hell is wrong with you, you horrible girl!You''ll end up with such an awful constitution if you get involved with humans! ''What? Once again, Wendy''s body begins to glow. Then a small spark occurs, which grows larger and larger in proportion to the waves of emotion. ''That doesn''t matter, does it! ''Oh, it doesn''t matter!It''s none of my business if you''re used by the humans and eventually discarded!So please go home as soon as possible! ''That''s not what I''m saying. I''m saying that my constitution has nothing to do with humans. ''There''s no such thing as irrelevant!You''ve gone crazy since you started lusting after that guy named Nando!Mostly, you''ve been taken advantage of by a sweet talker! ''Theron is not that kind of person! A tremendous spark keeps occurring, as if lightning keeps striking the same point. If an imaginary being called Thunder-sama existed, it would probably be like this. ''Hmph!Do you know how many people have been deceived like that?And you''re one of them! Without taking a single step toward the golden Super Wendy, Wendy''s mother yells at her in a strong tone. Her gaze now turned to us. ''d*mn it!You brought all these people to ....... Did you think you could sway us with your numbers?That''s too bad!I''m not afraid of humans!I''m not afraid of people! I''m not afraid of humans! I''m not at their beck and call, I''m outnumbered, I''m not afraid of them. ...... This guy must have misunderstood something. No, I''m pretty sure he''s mistaken. ...... ...... ''Sub-strain''? I''m sure she''ll ask you. So, I won''t ask now. I''ll ask for a detailed explanation later. So this is what Cabriele was talking about when he said ''rude things that bother me''. ...... ''Hey.'' Wendy''s mother calls out to me with hostile eyes. ''Hey, you there, good-looking guy.'' ''What''s that? ''The guy who''s not you! ''I said the one with the good face! ''I said, the one not you! ''You''re even rude to the hero! Wendy''s spark became more intense. ''So you''re saying that the other one has a better face? ''............'' Wendy''s spark calms down. ''......'', oi! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ''That''s right, Yashiro. Individuality can also be an advantage. ''Well, well, well. Cheer up, yourself. You know what they say.''A handsome face gets bored in three days, but a funny face gets used to it in three days. ''You''re all out of your depth, you know! The last two are out of the question, but Ginette''s doesn''t negate the ''Theron is better looking than me'' theory. It''s just that if the playing field is different, there''s a chance you can win. That''s just an excuse for people who can''t win. It''s a loser''s howl. ...... Well, I have no intention of challenging Theron to a face-to-face match. ''Um, ....... So, what can I do for you? Modestly, the man with the better face stepped forward. ...... d*mn. ''Are you the one she''s marrying? ''Yes ......, yes!I''ve had a good relationship with Wendy.'' ''Hmm!I''m sure it''s a ''convenient'' relationship for you. ''Mother!'' Wendy''s spark intensifies. It''s more widespread than ever before, and it looks like it''s about to strike her mother. The lightning-like spark stretches out like a tentacle towards her mother. ...... Hmm? This is ...... ''If you say anything more bad about Theron, I really won''t forgive you! ''You don''t have to forgive me!A human being would never have a proper marriage with a subspecies!You''ll be treated like a slave, at best a concubine, at worst a slave!Even the subspecies of swallowtail butterflies were subjected to that kind of treatment!Even the subspecies of swallowtail butterfly people were subjected to that! ''The swallowtail butterfly tribe''s thing is ......, sure ............, but that has nothing to do with Theron! ''Humans are all the same!They look down on subhumans, they prey on subspecies, and they think of subspecies as slaves. ''Mother! ''Don''t call me "mother"!You''re someone else''s daughter now! Wendy''s spark was gaining momentum, painting the world in color. Across the way, something like mist is spewing from Wendy''s mother. Like a mushroom spitting out spores, something whitish is being scattered around. And when the mist-like substance touches Wendy''s spark, it sparks. ...... Hmm. I knew it. ''Okay, that''s enough!Calm down, both of you.'' I put my body in between Wendy and her mother, who are staring at each other at close range. ''Yes, Mr. Hero, it''s ...............'' ''Don''t worry. Just calm down. ''.............'' ''Theron. ''Yes, yes! ''Take Wendy and go make out with her out of my sight.'' ''Yes, sir!............ What?'' Flirting with Theron would be the most effective way to calm down the excited Wendy. But don''t do it where I can see it, okay?I''ll burn you.With fire sparks. ''Oh, um, Hero-sama ......, I''m not .......'' ''That''s okay. I''ll take care of this.'' ''............ Yes.'' A disgruntled Wendy. But you have nothing to complain about to me. I feel sorry for her, but she''s trying to be nice to me. I don''t remember doing anything to deserve it. ...... So, well, at least. I want to make things right this time at least. ''I don''t have any obligation to listen to people, though. She continues to express her displeasure, but her tone of voice is subdued. She doesn''t seem to want to say goodbye to her daughter. Probably, like Wendy, she wants to reconcile if she can. It''s just that she has no intention of changing her opinion or giving in. ''Anyway, why don''t we talk calmly? ''............ I won''t offer you tea. I won''t invite you in. If you''d like to stand here and talk, I''d be happy to spend a little time with you. ...... Well, well, ...... what can I say ............ ''You''re a good mother. ''I don''t want to be called "mother" by you!It scares the hell out of me! ''Well, then, old lady. ''I''m fifteen years old forever! Wow, this brings back memories. That''s what Wendy said to me when I first met her. ...... As expected of a gene. When I glanced at her, Wendy was trying hard to turn her face away. Yeah. She''s aware of it. ''So, can I have your name, please? ''You don''t have a name to call yourselves! What do you want me to do? You want me to call you ''ma''am''? ''My mother''s name is Valeria. ''Wendy!Don''t tell me what to do!I wanted you to call me ''Miss''! You wanted me to call you that. ...... I guessed right. I''ve got good instincts, you know. I''m not happy at all. ''My father''s name is Thibaut. ''Oh. Thanks for the tip. Now, why don''t you go talk to Theron and calm down a bit.'' ''............ Yes.'' I said, and Wendy obeyed, though she was not happy. Theron took me back the way we came. ............ Are you two going to go to the flower garden and drink honey together?...... Tsk. ''Well, now you know why Wendy didn''t want to invite us here. ''I guess she didn''t want us to meet these parents.'' That''s what Estella seems to have read, but perhaps it''s not quite right. It''s not that Wendy didn''t want us to see her parents, it''s that she didn''t want to see herself arguing with them. And she was reluctant because she was sure that if she met them, she would end up arguing with them. The proof is that they didn''t refuse to leave this place without us. That means he''s expecting just a little bit more. That means I''m hoping, just a little, that we can convince these hard-headed parents. ...... Assunto was right. We''ve gotten ourselves into a lot of trouble. ''Anyway, here''s a suggestion. In the future, when you talk to Wendy, you should try to be as calm as possible. Before we talk, I''ll give you some advice. If things get too heated, it could be dangerous. But ...... ''What do you mean, "calm down"?If you humans hadn''t gotten involved, none of this would have happened!You''ve made her have such a strange constitution, and you''re talking about someone else! ...... I think it''s wrong to blame me, since her constitution is a result of my research. ...... Well, thanks to that research, the night in District 42 is now brightly lit, and we''ve been saved a lot. I think it''s not someone else''s problem if you take into account that the research has helped us a lot. ''That''s why I''m advising you to calm down because of your constitution. ''I don''t need you to tell me that! ''If you don''t, you''ll lose everything. Your home, your life, your ...... daughter''s life. What?Huh, hmm. Are you threatening me?You''ve finally shown your true colors!That''s why people are ......! ''No, no, no. I''m giving you a heads up. This is a major problem that is inevitable due to your constitution, and a possible catastrophe is sure to occur in the not too distant future. In a serious tone, Wendy''s mother Valeria gasped. It seems that she is slowly beginning to feel the gravity of the situation. You may appreciate the fact that the timing of the change of color ...... was when the daughter''s life was at stake, even though he is a bit passionate and short-sighted. This proves that he doesn''t hate his daughter either. There seems to be room to do something about it. ''Well, evidence is better than argument. Regina, why don''t you share a little of the fire?'' ''Hmm?What the hell is ............ that about? As if she realized what I was trying to do, Regina nodded her head after showing some thought. She must have seen the situation and sensed it. Wendy''s luminescence sparked to an unusual degree, and the building looked much duller than its surroundings. And then there was Valeria, spewing out a kind of mist in a fit of emotion. I''m just guessing, but I think I''ve got it about right. If you''re wrong, just say ''I was wrong, heh''. It''s much better to be a little embarrassed than to leave the danger unattended. So, here''s the test. Leave the firepower to Regina. Please. Give me the right amount of flair and impact while avoiding anything crazy. Regina adds a little fire to my fingertips with a small wooden spoon. It''s about the amount of green laver you get on your fingertips after eating Nori Shio chips. Is this what you want? ''Stand back a bit. ''Hey, what are you doing? ''It''s okay, just stand back and watch. Unlike Estella and Jeannette who voluntarily stepped back to see what was going on, I warned Valeria who was not seeing the situation. And then, just as Regina did in the parlor, I put my fingers together and rubbed them, putting pressure on the sparks. And then-- BOOM!Bumblebee! --Hundreds of sparks scattered all over the area. ...... Regina, I think you''ve got the wrong firepower, don''t you? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit nervous about this. ...... You could have gone a little easier on me, though. ''............ I''m surprised. ............ I didn''t expect it to be so flashy. I don''t know. ''Isn''t that what you wanted? ''I''m scared. ......'' ''No, I''m scared of you for sending me a random amount without a chance of winning. If you hadn''t, I would have become an arsonist. Well, to be honest, when I saw the amount of powder, I thought, ''Oh, is that it?Shouldn''t there be a little more? But... If I had adjusted the amount by myself, the whole area would have been blown up. ''What the hell are you doing?You''re in danger! Valeria barked in a devilish manner. Yes, it''s dangerous. ''If you''d let the mother-daughter quarrel heat up like that, it would''ve been a bigger disaster than this. Inwardly, my heart was racing from the unimaginable firepower, but I made no pretense of it and explained the situation to Valeria. ''This is the result of simulating the inevitable accidents caused by the constitution of you and your child. If you don''t want this to happen to you, don''t lose your temper when you talk to my daughter in the future. ''Our constitution ......?What do you mean? Perhaps the sparks from earlier had scared her too much, Valeria asked in a hushed voice, trying to suppress her excitement. Yeah. I know what you mean. I was so scared I almost choked. I was almost on the same level as Estella. Careful, careful. ''That''s the one that sparked earlier.'' I point to the air. Valeria stares intently at the area I''m pointing at. However, she gives me a quizzical look, as if she can''t find anything. ''There''s nothing here! Do you think I''m an idiot? Valeria raises her voice. At the same time, a mist-like substance gushes out from Valeria''s body. ''That''s it, that''s it. ''That?'' I approach Valeria, whose eyebrows are twisted, and gently touch her shoulder with my finger. ''What the hell are you doing? Valeria, with her guard down, holds her shoulder as I touch her and backs away. She''s really scared of me. ''This is it. In an attempt to calm her down, I show her the glittering powder on my fingertips. The powder on my fingertips. It''s ...... ''It''s scales. The Yamamayuga people, Wendy and Valeria, have a constitution that causes their entire bodies to spew out scales when they are overcome with emotion. The reason why Wendy appeared to emit light was probably because the glowing powder on her body surface was separated from her body by the scales, expanding the range of light. Then, when the emotions became more intense, the light heated up and ignited the flammable scales, causing a spark. I don''t know if it was the powder or the rise in Wendy''s body temperature that caused the light to heat up, but seeing as how it reacted to the ...... fire dust and sparked, I can guess that it wasn''t wrong. At any rate, the temperature emitted by these sparks is about the same as that of a futon after waking up from sleep. And the dullness of this area is probably caused by the scales. This is the home of the angry Valeria. The scales that are spewed out every now and then must have accumulated and drifted into the air, eventually spreading to the point of blocking out the sunlight. If a mother and daughter quarrel in such a place,......, all the scales will eventually ignite and burn down the house and the two people in the middle. I warned her of that danger before it happened. Wendy might get overly concerned if I show her something like this, and if I''m not careful, she might turn to killing her feelings, so I''m going to be very careful and explain it to her later. The usual Wendy has proven that there is no problem as long as you behave normally. As long as you don''t get angry, there is no problem. In short, if we could just get them to make up, we wouldn''t have such a big problem. ''Will you listen to me, please? ''............ Hmm, hmm. That won''t be necessary. If I never see her again, there won''t be such a catastrophe, will there? ''Are you sure about that? ''.................. is none of your business.'' Valeria spat, turning her back on me. ''Please leave. You''re not welcome here.'' With that, she turns and heads for home. She''s got nothing to say to me. ''Are you coming back, Yashiro? Estella asks me in a whisper as she slips up behind me. A fresh start,...... It''s true that we should gather a lot of information before we talk. Especially when it comes to "subhumans", "subspecies", and "substrains". ''Valeria.'' When I called out to her distant back, Valeria stopped, and after a few seconds, only tilted her head slightly towards me. ''...... Who do you think you''re calling out to? You''re a rude man. A temperatureless voice replied. The tone of voice is angry, disgusted, ...... and hard to read. If you can''t call me that, ...... ''Valeria-chan. ''Why did you choose to call me that, Yashiro? Estella, who had nothing to do with this, butted in. Whenever I''m around her, she''s always poking me. Is he a bother?Isn''t he a bit of a dog? It''s normal to call him ''sir'' in this case. ''Valeria-tan''? ''San''! ''...... Are you making fun of me, guys?'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ........................ Ah, yes. It''s just as you planned. I''m not sure what to do. You can call me Valeria, right? ''...... d*mn, people are always so pushy. ............'' ''It''s more trustworthy than a makeshift hypocrite, right? ''How dare you say ............ you, what''s your name?'' ''Yashiro.'' ''Yashiro ............. I''ll keep that in mind, so don''t do anything too silly. I''m going to go around giving people a bad name for the rest of my life. ''Do what you want as long as it''s not fake. So, what should I call you? ''.................. whatever you want.'' Valeria broke. I''d say that''s a step in the right direction. Let''s just say that she didn''t reject all of them, and that this time she got something out of it. ''By the way, hag. ''Who''s an old lady? You told me I could call you whatever I wanted!How dare you lie to me!You had five seconds to change your mind! ''Valeria. We''re going to hold Wendy''s wedding in District 42. You can think of it as a ceremony and party to celebrate the start of our relationship.'' ''......'' He paused to reject the idea, but the fact that he didn''t leave indicated that he was interested in the story. A ceremony to celebrate the marriage of one''s own daughter seems unthinkable to the people of this world. ''I would like Wendy''s parents to be present at the wedding. To congratulate them, of course. I''ll tell them what we''re here for. The more clearly you state your purpose, the easier it will be to bring it up next time. If they see my face, they will think, ''You came here to talk about the wedding. At the very least, they will understand that I have no intention of pressuring them to harm the Bug People. ''I know you can''t do it right now, but I''ll keep coming back until you shake your head. ''Don''t do it. It''s a waste of time.'' ''I''ll decide if it''s a waste of time or not. ''Then I''ll tell you once and for all!No, thank you!It''s not worth celebrating. It''s just a slave contract .......'''' Valeria''s face twisted. I guess that''s what he really thinks. In other words, she hates it. She hates the idea of her lovely daughter being turned into a slave by someone she hates. Then the story is simple. Just get rid of her entrenched prejudices and beliefs. You''ll probably have to go back and forth a few times, though. ...... Should I rent a carriage or something? Javier, can you give me a horse? ...... ''Anyway, please go home. And if you can, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t come back. Valeria turned on her heel and waved sternly. ''Okay. I''ll come back. ''What do you mean, "I understand"?You don''t know what I''m talking about! Valeria raises her voice with her back turned. But there''s no scales spewing. That''s the answer. In our world, ''I''d be happy if you never came back'' is interpreted as ''I don''t want to admit it honestly, but I really want you to change your mind, even if you have to force me to''. ''............ There''s a selfish world out there, isn''t there? It''s a world full of selfish, ignorant people like you, I''m sure. ''Yes, it is. So I can save you too. ''I''m not ......! ''I''ll be back.'' He says it slowly and clearly in a calm voice. I guess my thoughts got through to her. Valeria was silent for a moment, then said with a sigh. ''.................. Do what you want. Valeria can be persuaded. I was sure of that when I heard her say it. ''Then we''ll come back. Valeria turned her back to me and refused to move. If I don''t walk away, she won''t be able to move. We know what''s going on. We got something. Then it''s time to come back. So I turned around and ............ there was the pervert. ''............'' ''............'' A moth. It was ....... There was a huge moth that was taller than I was. Its head was completely moth-like, and it had two pairs of four huge wings on its back. It had a distinctive large insect buttocks - or belly, to be more precise - and was a man who was, for all intents and purposes, a mountain cocoon moth. However, the arms, legs, waist, chest, and neck were human. The head of a moth was placed on top of the rather muscular upper body, and the buttocks were protruding in an insect-like manner, with muscular legs like those of a cyclist growing out of them. So far, I might have been able to accept that it was an insect race,......, but! Perhaps his wings and buttocks are in the way and he can''t wear clothes. ...... In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. The lower abdomen is integrated with the buttocks of the insect, so at least you can''t see the part that gets caught in the broadcasting cord. ............ No, no matter how you look at it, it''s almost a naked perverted tights man. I''m not sure what to say.Human! No, no, I want to scream! ''What? Seeing such a perverted tightsman (moth), Valeria came running at full speed and gave the perverted tightsman (moth) a flying kick, scattering scales in a big way. ''Ouch! '' (Scales ''blew!'') ''Where have you been roaming all this time! (Scales ''buzz!'') ''No, no, to the flower garden. ...... Ouch, ouch!Tentacles, don''t pull on them, Ka-chan! (Scales ''buzzing'') I''m not going to let you get away with this.I''m not sure how much ...... I''ll be able to do while you''re gone!Oh, God!I''m skipping dinner today. (Scales ''dab???'') ''Oh, no!Give me a break, Ka-chan! (scales and tears ''thud'') Valeria stomps mercilessly on the fallen perverted tightsman. A huge amount of scales spewed out from both of them, filling their vision with gray. Smog. ...... Judging by the conversation, that perverted tightsman (moth) is probably Wendy''s father, Thibault. You''re lucky, Wendy. Not like her father. I hope that gene died out in your parents'' generation. ''Now I''m thinking that if I use firecrackers, I can roast them both at the same time...'' ...... ''Be careful, Regina. As a lord, I''m asking you seriously. Estella smiles at the moths who are spreading scales without restraint. Well, I guess I don''t understand Regina''s feelings. I guess we both want to do that if we can. ''Yashiro-san......'' Ginette was troubled by the huge quarrel between the couple. She is flustered and asks me for my opinion on what to do. ''Leave him alone. That''s one form of marriage.'' ''Is that ...... it? You know, Jeannette. Take a good look. See how Valeria''s face is all red and a little teary-eyed? That shows her anger at her husband for not being there for her when she was anxious, but also her relief at seeing him. It''s a sign of deep trust. It''s like a joke. It''s like a joking match. It''s just that in the course of their long married life, the force of their quarrel has tended to be a little violent. ''No dog eats marital quarrels. Let us turn back. Let''s take everyone back to the garden. Let''s start over. With the hysterical cries of the woman and the desperate screams of the man in our ears, we turn back the way we came. When I could no longer hear the noise of the couple fighting, Jeannette approached me as if she had made up her mind. ''Oh, um, ......''. She turned her head slightly and looked up at me with anxious eyes. I slowed down to match Jeannette''s stride, and she hesitantly opened her mouth. ''...... Will the two of you be attending ............?'' That is, will Wendy and her parents be able to reconcile? That''s what concerns me the most, and that''s what we''re trying to accomplish. So, I don''t know what the future holds, but I say there''s only one solution. ''Of course. Otherwise, I''m in trouble, and if I''m in trouble, I''ll do whatever I can to remedy the situation. ''I''m going to ''make'' it so. From now on.'' ''............ Yes. That''s right. You don''t know what the future holds. Then you can guide fate or whatever to make it what you want it to be. That''s all there is to it. If you don''t know what will happen, you make it happen. That''s what I''ve always done. Of course I''m going to do it this time. ''Let''s make this a big wedding, huh? See?'' He smiles and looks at me. The smiles spread to the faces of the people who were walking in a line around me. ''Yeah. I''ll do my best to help. ''I see. I''d like to see something like a big wedding. Finally, he turned his gaze to Jeannette and said, ''What? I''d like to see a big wedding. That finally cleared the cloud of anxiety from Ginette''s face. ''Yes. Let''s do our best. Ginette''s face, smiling as usual, was still as warm as the sun. Soon after that, we returned to the flower garden. 183-Later Tan 11 Sweet honey tastes like love?...oh my... ''Wendy. Is it good?'' ''Yes. It''s very good. There was a couple in the flower garden, and I thought, ''I hope they blow up. And so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on. ...... even though I was a little worried about it. ''Now, let''s go back to the 42nd district. ''Huh!Yashiro-san, are you going to leave the two of us here? What, the two of you? I don''t see anything. ''''Oh, Hero-sama! Because Jeannette shouted loudly, the couple noticed her. ...... Tsk. ''Oh, no!Did your mother ...... do something rude? Wendy comes running over with a worried look on her face. But you know what, I''m even more annoyed by you two being a couple right now than my mother is. ''I''m sorry, sir. My mother is a bit of an uncommon person. ......'' ''Hahaha, what are you talking about, Wendy. You''re better than your father.'' It''s the father who roams the streets almost naked, wearing only black tights, who has no common sense, right? ''......You''ve met my father? ............I''m very sorry.'' Wendy bows her head deeply. Hey, this is Thibaut. It seems that your own daughter finds your very existence rude. ''Did you meet your father-in-law? Theron pounces on our conversation. He has a curious look in his eyes. I knew her father was curious. Oh well, I''ll at least give him some information. ''What kind of man was he? ''He was a pervert. ''I''m sorry ...... for the inconvenience ......! Even Estella and the others let out a chuckle, but only Theron, who didn''t know the perverted tights man, had a puzzled look on his face. I guess sometimes not knowing is a blessing in disguise. ''But, well, I felt like I could handle it. ''Are you sure? Wendy rolls her eyes at my words. Maybe she really thought there was nothing she could do. She seems to be quite surprised that there is even a clue. Well, it can be hard to be objective about a mother who is constantly arguing. Especially if it''s a father and son. From the side, it''s easy to see that both of them are just not honest. ''But for now, we''ll start over. We''ve got a lot of preparations to make. I''m starting to see the information I need to gather. We''ll need to examine them carefully and plan our strategy again. But first of all, ...... ''I''m going to make some clothes for the perverted tights man to wear. I don''t want to see any more of the old man''s absolute region.'' ''I''m sorry, .......'' I think it''s a pity that fathers are so apologetic. ............ Well, that''s just the way it is, isn''t it? Anyway, I want to go back to the 42nd district once. ...... I''m sure you can''t get anything out of these guys. You can''t talk about "variants" and "strains". If Estella doesn''t feel comfortable talking about it, maybe I should ask Imelda again. ...... In any case, there''s nothing more we can do in District 35. Not this time. I''d like to hear about the other bug people too. ...... You never know what kind of mines you''ll step on if you don''t have enough information. Yeah. Let''s go back. ''Okay, so you guys don''t want to ............ go home for a while, do you? When I turned around, I saw that Ginette and Estella were itching to go home. They are looking at you with sparkling eyes, as if appealing to you for something. ''...... Do you want a drink?'' ''Yes. I''d be very interested to know what it tastes like. ''I''m also interested in learning more about it. You''re both very studious, aren''t you? ...... You''re just a meeja. ''I can''t help it. Let''s take a break. ''Yes! ''Yes! ''Hmm ......, I''m still naive...'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. We''ve done a lot of talking at Valeria''s place. It would be good to quench our thirst. Besides, ...... you''ve already shown me your rear end. ''Hey, Wendy......, aren''t you getting a lot of stares?'' ''Oh no. The heroes ............ are staring at you, Theron. You''re being stared at. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. Take a look. There are many different kinds of flowers. Ginette intervenes in the frozen space between me and Theron and the others. The sun''s smile warms the absolute zero air. You''ve saved your life, you couple. I''ll let you off the hook this time. ''Does each flower have a different taste in nectar? ''Isn''t the nectar all the same? ''No, Hero-sama. They all taste different. Not only do they have different aromas and sweetness, but they also have different textures and throats, and they all taste different. I''m sure this guy has just made his debut in the flower garden, but Wendy says with pride. ''I''ve been admiring them for a long time, so I know all about them. She sticks her tongue out and smirks. The slightly embarrassed smile on her face was like that of a country girl longing for the city. When I was in junior high school, just going to a coffee shop in front of the station made me feel a little more grown up, and I remembered that painful past,......, and I felt embarrassed. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... Ah, ouch, ouch. ''Well, why don''t we compare? I picked up a nearby flower and found that it had about a mouthful of nectar in it. It was about the same amount as a wine tasting. It''s just the right amount to try it out. ''How am I supposed to drink this? Estella looks around at the flowers, as if her curiosity is uncontrollable. She looks like a child who has just arrived at a cake buffet. ''If you find a nectar you like, you pick four or five of them and collect the nectar in one flower and drink it. ''So the flower becomes a cup. ...... is wonderful.'' ''But the flowers that you pick and take the nectar from will end up in the garbage. When Wendy explained, Ginette let out a romantic comment, and Regina let out an unromantic comment. The environment in which they are raised can make such a difference. ...... I''m sure you''ve heard of it. No one mentions the most important thing, so I have no choice but to ask. I don''t want to drink it randomly and be charged for it when I leave. ''Yes, sir. The nectar in this garden is free. I''m relieved to hear Wendy''s words, but at the same time I''m wondering if that''s okay. You know, the maintenance costs. ''This is a flower garden that is managed by the lord of the 35th district, and he pays for all the flower management and security. ''So it''s ward-run? ''Yes. You can drink as much as you want as long as you don''t take it out of the garden.'''' I see. If we allow people to take it out, they can sell it elsewhere. That would be a huge loss. Anyone would jump at the chance to sell tasty drinks for next to nothing. That''s not the lord''s intention. This is a service available only in the 35th district. I''m sure that the lord of this place is also concerned about the "subspecies", as Kabriel said. It''s possible that they don''t want to meet anyone other than humans,............, but it''s also possible that they don''t want to meet anyone other than humans,....... I can''t say for sure until I see him in person. What kind of person is he? The name "Lucia" suggests that she is a woman. ...... A female lord who''s scary when she''s angry. ............ I can''t help but think of someone like Medora. ......... ...I don''t think I want to meet her. ...... Estella can''t take it anymore and plucks a blue flower from the garden. Then she puts her nose close to the edge of the flower and savors the fragrance. ...... Wine! ''Smells good ...... This is definitely delicious.'' I say confidently and sip gently. The straw seems to be sold separately, but if you''re drinking alone, you can just sip it like Estella. In fact, I''d recommend it! Straws for two people is a bad idea. Blow it up. Estella kissing the flower. Slowly lift the flower and gently pour the nectar into your mouth. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... It looks a little more s*xy than that. ''............ Hmm.'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. Perhaps it is the aristocratic elegance that Estella wears that makes her ...... look so connoisseur-like. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ''Yashiro''. I''m not sure if it''s because she''s been enjoying the nectar of the flowers, but her smile looks calmer than usual. She smiles at me, more mature than her age, and offers me the blue flower she just sipped. ''Would you like to have a sip? ''Huh? You''re asking me to ...... kiss you indirectly? No, no, no. It''s not a problem for indirect kissing,......, but I thought Estella was shy about such things, so I was surprised by that. If it were the other way around, I would have turned red and said, ''No way! What''s with all the leeway? I''m not sure if there''s alcohol in that nectar or not. Estella''s unusual atmosphere made my heart flutter involuntarily. ''Don''t be shy. Here.'' ''Oh, oh ......''. I unintentionally accepted the blue flower offered to me. And now that you''ve taken it,......, you have to drink it,......, right? This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re going to need a lot of help. ...... This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re going to need a lot of help. Just in case. It could be a trap. I''m wary of Estella''s uncharacteristically relaxed demeanor, but - it''s a warning, right?I put my mouth on the blue flower and gently poured the nectar into my mouth. The nectar flowed ...... into my mouth. And then-- And then... ''Boo-hoo! Mads! Or is it sour? ''Gosh!Mwah!''Geez! ''Ya, Yashiro-san, are you okay? ''Hmmm ...... you''re on the way too, palm ...... gobble gobble! ''''You, esthetician, go-ho!For this ...... reason, you should be able to cough.I''m going to have to put up with the coughing and coughing. What a guy. He drank such a strong sour drink just to hook me, and yet he had such a cool face? Oh, my God, that''s hard! I feel like I''ve just chugged down some real vinegar. ...... It''s not fruit vinegar or anything simple like that. It''s vinegar. It''s just plain vinegar! This ...... is too much for me not to choke on. ............ Estella''s mental strength is amazing... ...for such a stupid surprise ............... ''Gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh! ''Go-ho-ho-ho. Go-ho-ho-ho!'' ''Go-ho-ho, go-ho-ho-ho, go-ho-ho-ho! ''Stop coughing yourselves into a fight. The more you listen to it, the more it''s going to damage your trachea and your lungs.'' A ''coughing fit'' is like an asthmatic ''coughing fit'' in the trachea, an inexplicable, itchy, unpleasant feeling. This one''s more ''hashigai''! Ginette stands between Estella and me and rubs each of our backs with her left and right hands. Hey, Regina. If you have time to scratch your own throat, take a lesson from Ginette and rub your back. ''Sir, hero, lord.'' As Estella and I continue to choke, Wendy gives us a worried look. ''''Some of them are hard to drink, so please be careful, okay? ''''Gosh, gosh, gosh! Estella and I cough in unison. We probably feel the same way. That is, ''''You''re too late! ''''Hero, my lord. The nectar from this flower tastes good on the throat.'''' Theron hands me and Estella each a white flower. When we drink the nectar inside, a refreshing sourness and mild sweetness spreads in our mouths like honey lemon. It seemed to soothe my itchy throat. ''...... It''s gone. ''...... Me too.'' We both exhale. You know, Estella. You can''t complain even if you''re charged with injury, right? ''Remember that, Estella. ''What the hell. You''re a light-hearted tease.'' ''...... I''ll make a light-hearted prank too, someday, I promise. ''Well, you''re the one who made me sweat by saying ''hands'' first! ''Don''t bring it up again! That''s enough. I''ll cut you some slack this time!So don''t bring it up again! ''''I''m glad that the hero and the lord were not harmed. Wendy patted her chest, relieved. I guess he was worried about ...... if something happened to us at the place he recommended. If that was the case, I wish you would have warned us beforehand. Estella also smiled at Wendy''s words. But this one seemed to have a different reason than I did. ''Wendy. And Theron. Can you please stop calling me ''lord''?You said you want me to call you ''Estella'' as before.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I was just at .......'' ''I''ll try to be careful too, but ............ I just can''t help it. Until Estella''s declaration at the gluttony contest, there were very few people who knew that Estella was the daughter of the lord. And right after that, Estella announced that she was going to become a lord. It seems that she wants the people who have been close to her to treat her the same way they have been treating her,......, but it is difficult for clumsy people like Wendy and Theron to do so. It''s not easy to ...... keep up with them as usual without worrying. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I guess it''s like that. It may be impossible for me to care about it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ...... I can''t help it. I''ll take a stab at it. ''Theron, Wendy. If you are hesitant to call her ''Estella'', then call her ''Egrella''. ''I''m not gutted! ''That''s a terrible accusation. ...... I didn''t mean to call you ''Egrella'' after ''Gouge-chan''.'' ''Then what is it? ''It''s ''Egrella'' in her nasty underwear! ''I''m not wearing them today! I''m not wearing them today. ...... But that''s not to say I don''t have them! I have received information from Natalia before. I''ve been informed by Natalia that Estella has some pretty nasty underwear in the top two compartments of her wardrobe. .................. Hmm? ''She''s not wearing any today.'' ............? ''What? ''That''s not what I meant!I''m wearing them!'' ''I don''t trust you!Let me see! ''No, thank you! ''I''m not the only one who''s in the middle of it. ''Oh, Yashiro-san, please repent at .............'' I''m getting a lot of flak. I just suggested that if it''s hard to call her Estella, why don''t you call her by her nickname? ...... I guess I shouldn''t be so nice. It''s not good for you. ''I''m going to pluck everything but that blue flower! ''No, Hero-sama!You''ll be scolded by the lord of the 35th district! ''If I''m not careful, there might be a war. ...... Yashiro, ''House''! Estella. ...... She learns too much, too fast. If you were playing a dog in a breeding game, when you selected the command ''breast'', it would say, ''You can''t select that command. If you were playing a dog in a breeding game, you''d get an alert when you selected the command ''breastfeed'', saying ''that command is not available, please choose another trick''! ''But you know, ......, with so many different kinds of food, it''s hard to know which one is good. ''Even if I try one bite at a time, I''m sure I''ll be full soon. ''The white one was delicious. I think I''ll have some more of that. ''This yellow flower Theron picked out for me is also delicious. It has a refreshing aftertaste.'' ''The nectar from the peach-colored flowers that Wendy first mentioned was also delicious. ''Okay, let''s avoid the blue, yellow and peach ones. ''I don''t want to drink the nectar that Theron and Wendy drank. It''s probably only for couples anyway! ''Wow, those crepes look delicious!It''s cheap!Okay, I''ll have one! I stood in line, and when it was finally my turn, I said, ''Excuse me. I''m sorry, but this is for couples only.'' The loneliness of being alone when you''re refused the sale is ...... so many people around you are giggling! I''ll never be fooled by couples-only stuff again! ''Which flower do you think is the best, Yashiro-san? ''I don''t know. It''s almost impossible to get a winner in a grab bag like this. Then ...... The nectar in this garden is all you can drink. But you can''t take it out. It''s like a drink bar. There is only one thing to do in a drink bar! ''Make a mix of all kinds! Mix them all together to make your own special drink! It''s a staple of drink bars and shaved ice with unlimited syrup! ''Isn''t it ...... really impossible to get all kinds? ''Well, not when there''s this much. ''Well, if there are so many of them, the volume will be dozens of liters. ''Then I''ll just mix whatever I can find around here! I randomly select four different flowers from among those blooming at my feet and pour the nectar into one of them. I put the lid on it and shake it with the hand of a bartender. ...... Hmm. It''s done. Now that we''ve done that, let''s serve it to the others. Let each person hold an empty flower and pour a sip. This is the kind of thing you have to share. There''s a good chance that ...... will fail. ''Oh ............. I feel like the scent has gotten deeper.'' ''Do you think so? ''I don''t know, good morning.'' ''You see. It''s become a very deep fragrance. See? ''Yeah, ...... hmm...'' ''I don''t understand. ......'' Ginette was the only one who gave a positive impression. Then, before anyone else, Ginette took a sip of the Yashiro blend. ''What? Her eyes widened instantly. And her hands begin to tremble. ''Jeannette, Jeannette!What''s wrong with you?It doesn''t taste good! ''Don''t strain yourself!Spit it out!Spit it out! But Jeannette shakes her head and assures him with a smile on her face. ''It''s delicious! ''............? ''...... Are you sure? ''Yes!It''s such a delicious taste that I''d love to serve it to our customers at the Sunlit Pavilion! Ginette''s eyes sparkled as she spoke excitedly. Estella and Regina looked at each other, looked down at the nectar in the flower, looked at each other again, and dipped their mouths into the nectar almost simultaneously. ''Hmm! ''What the heck ......''. After gulping down the honey, Estella and Regina came at me with a sigh. ''Where did you get this recipe!How long have you known about it?I mean, why didn''t you tell us until now? ''That''s right, me!If you have something like this, you should''ve told me about it earlier!What''s the matter with you, you''ve been so generous with your information!You''re a bad person, really. ''No ...... recipe, no nothing, just a random mix of ...... things I saw. ......'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. as if to push Estella and Regina away. Her eyes are kind of serious. ...... ''Oh,......, I used to do this kind of thing when I was a kid. ''I''ve had this ...... talent since I was a kid. ......'' No, it''s not a talent. ...... Every kid does this at least once, it''s just ''all in'', you know? If it tasted good, then the ingredients were good, right? ''Hero-sama......'' When I turned around at the sound of Wendy''s thin voice, ...... Theron and Wendy were crying. ''What are you crying about! ''......I''ve never met a drink so delicious.'' ''And ...... that you can create such a wonderful thing with your ''senses'', ...... this can only be called a ''miracle''! ''You''re exaggerating! ''No, Hero-sama!This is a miracle caused by Hero-sama! ''We never thought of blending different flavors of honey. He did it effortlessly: ...... and now this: ............!That''s what I''m talking about, heroes! Can you please stop? I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. If you do this, wouldn''t it have tasted better if you had just one kind? Why not?It''s delicious!Hey, Jeannette? What?I was expecting something like, "Oh, ......, come on, ......, what do you think, ......? I was expecting something like that! I''m sure you''ll be able to imagine how good it tastes,....... Without any particular emotion or expectation, I put my mouth on the flower in my hand and drank the nectar inside. At that moment... The world was enveloped in a gentle light. The world was enveloped in a gentle light. I wondered if the human heart could become so calm when it sipped something delicious. ...... ''Estella, Regina......, I''m sorry for all the horrible things I''ve said to you. ''Yashiro became honest because of the deliciousness! ''What an effective drink! ''Theron, Wendy. You''re going to be happy! ''Yashiro has become generous with his rear! ''It''s so good it''s scary! Delicious . I''ve never had a drink like this before. And yet, I feel nostalgic. It''s frustrating, but it''s delicious. I think I might be hooked. Is this really nectar from a flower? I used to suck on azalea nectar like an idiot when I was a kid, but I never got such a deep taste. Apparently, the nectar of the flowers here is not just pure nectar. What a fantastic flower is blooming in District 35. ...... Well, there are insectivorous plants that attack humans. It would not be surprising if there were such a thing. ''Hey, Yashiro!Can you make another one? ''Well, ...... is there any individual difference in the amount of nectar in this flower?'' ''Well ...... I haven''t looked into it, but I think probably not. There are about four cups of nectar in a flower. ''If there''s no difference ......, I might be able to make one. If you pick the same flowers that Estella and the others have now and shake them, you can make ......''. ''So we can make the same thing as before!Okay, guys!Let''s split up and find it! With great enthusiasm, Estella begins her search for the flowers. Ginette, Theron and Wendy are also looking at the flowers with lively expressions. In the midst of all this, only Regina has a sullen look on her face. ''What''s wrong? ''No, that was definitely delicious, but I was wondering if you wanted another .......'' ''Not so much, you say? ''Well ......, it''s probably a little too sweet for us. I like it a little more bitter or ''crispy''. I prefer a more bitter or ''crisp'' taste. ......'' ''Oh, that''s true, I guess. I''m sure you''ll agree with Regina," said Estella, who had already gotten the flowers she wanted. ''Aside from the first bite, I''d like another taste ......''. ''Then you can add some sourness to it to make it more sharp. ''Oh, sourness!That might be a good idea. We like fruit vinegar. ''Sourness? ...... There''s such a thing in the garden ..................'' ''There is such a thing! ''There is! ''There it is! We all look at the ground at once and find a blue flower that is blooming in rather large clusters because no one is holding it. It''s that heavily sour flower that Estella failed to pick. ''Mr. Yashiro. The flowers are here. ''Can I try one before I make the other one? I mix the blue nectar with the nectar from the flowers that Jeannette and her friends collected and shake it. ...... Now, will it be good or bad? ............ ''Okay, ...... let''s give it a try.'' You may be reluctant to try it because it reminds you of the tragedy you just experienced. But ...... I''ll take my chances here! ''.................. Hmm! ''It''s delicious! ''This, this!I love this one! ''It changes the atmosphere completely. ''...... I''m happy.'' ''Miracle of the heroes, again: ......'' The mixture of blue flower nectar was a sharp, refreshing drink that was a complete change from the sweet drink I had just consumed. If you drink it by itself, it would be very undrinkable, but by blending it, it becomes a really nice accent. I expected it to be too sour if I simply mixed the same amount, but ...... was a pleasant miscalculation, and it turned out to be really easy to drink. Perhaps the nectar here eases the stinging sourness and intense sweetness when mixed together. ''I like this one better. ''I think I like the first one. ''Oh, me too. But I think this one is also delicious. ''I like the first one, too. ''I like this one better. ''I like the later one better, too. So, the younger three of us preferred the sweet one at the beginning, while the older three preferred the sharp one. This could be a drink that can cover all ages if both kinds of drinks are sold in stores. I''m not sure. Don''t you think you can grow this flower if you ask ...... Millie? ''Yes ....... I''m sure Millie-san ............ can do it. I''m sure she can. I agree with Jeannette. Even if this flower is a special kind of flower, I''m sure Millie can grow it well. If this flower blooms in the 42nd district, ...... we can make this drink a menu item at the Sunshine Pavilion! ''Okay!Let''s pull out a few plants and bring them home! ''No, Hero-sama!This is an area controlled by the lord. You can''t take the flowers out! ''''Don''t worry!If it comes to it, the lord of the forty-two districts will take full responsibility! ''''Wait!That''s absurd, no matter how much you say it is!What if there''s a serious war? ''You know what, Estella!I can''t be a lord if I''m afraid of war! ''Yes, I can, but...? ''What are you doing here? ''To meet Wendy''s parents! Yeah!You can''t argue with that!You can''t argue with that! ''If you insist, you can go to .......'' Wendy turned her gaze towards the outer wall of the 35th district, giving off an air of ''I don''t recommend it, but''. ''Why don''t you talk to your lord about it?If you''re good, he might be able to share some of it with you. ''...... Lords, huh?'' The scary lord Estella is afraid to offend. Do you want to see him? And ask him to give you this flower: ...... ''It might be worth a try to talk to him. If all goes well, ...... will have more merchandise to show off! That means more money for you! ...... giggles! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. What is it?Do you want to get drunk on the smell of gold with me? Fine. You can get drunk all you want! ''...... I haven''t forgotten about Wendy''s parents,......, have I? ''..................'' ''............'' ''............I''m sure the story of the conflict with the Bug People from the standpoint of the lord will be useful. ''I see. I see. You were thinking that far ahead. I''m sorry, I didn''t think of that. ''Ha-ha-ha. What are you talking about, Jeannette? There''s no way I could have thought of that, me. It''s just a feeling and momentum. ''You''re not thinking that far ahead, Yashiro.'' It''s all about momentum. Are you espers? You''re reading my mind with great accuracy! ''Anyway, let''s ask if we can see him one more time while we pick up the carriage. Let''s see, ......, you see, ............, to Chichibert.'' Gilberta? Yeah, yeah, that''s him. Anyway, we left the garden and headed for the lord''s mansion. 184-Later, Tan 12 The other person at the secret meeti... When I came back to the lord''s mansion, the sun was beginning to set. The calm atmosphere of the afternoon filled the area. ''You''re back, boys. Good, you''re safe. Gilberta, still speaking in broken English, greets me. I''m sure the head waiter has plenty of other work to do, but today he seems to be prioritizing us. ''Ah!I knew you, I saw you this morning. Gilberta rolls her eyes when she sees Regina. Oh, I thought I got information from this guy. ''What is it?Who''s this crazy talker?'' No, you don''t say. ''Force-translation magic'' is an interesting translation, really. ''Really.'' I stare at Regina with more sympathy than I can muster. I wonder why it''s been translated into Kansai dialect, too. ''By the way, Gilberta. Is it still difficult for you to see Lucia-san? ''I''m sorry, I... I''m still in a secret meeting with Lucia. I have a feeling it''s not going to be easy, visiting her, today. ''...... I see.'' Don''t back down there, Estella! If you don''t pay a visit to the lord here, you won''t get the flowers in the garden! Are you going to let that honey that smells so obviously of money slip through your fingers? ''I can wait until you finish your business. Can''t you do something about it? Not giving up, I''ll give it one more push. However, Gilberta repeated the same words without changing her expression. ''I have a feeling it''s not going to happen, not today. It''s getting more and more suspicious. I''m not sure if the reason we can''t see each other is not because we have something to do, but because ............ we don''t meet the conditions for the lord to see us. ''Estella, hey.'' I''ll call Estella and we''ll discuss this Lucia person. ''You''ve met this Lucia before, haven''t you? ''Hey, Yashiro ......!Don''t talk to me like that! Estella scolded me in a whispered, harsh tone. My eyes flickered to Gilberta. Oh, he''s going to be angry? Just like Natalia when she mocked Estella. ...... though Natalia has been taking the lead in tormenting Estella lately. ''I''ve met her. She''s a very dignified person. ''I mean, he''s scary.'' ''Yashiro ............, I really don''t want you to meet him. ......'' What''s that? Do you think I''m going to be rough with my lord?I don''t think so. I''m very good at getting to the top. I can''t tell you how many corporate leaders I''ve screwed over in the past. ...... But that''s not important. ''It''s not often we have a gathering of lords and ladies. ''Have you ever had a conversation with them? ''Yes. But it wasn''t really a conversation. Hmm. ...... Maybe he''s a difficult guy. ''Does he have any discriminatory intentions towards the beastman race? ''...... Hmm, I''m not sure about that.It''s impossible to guess his true intentions. But with the flower garden and the assessment of the people, I think he''s in a position to try to eliminate discrimination. The beetle man, Kaburiel, said that he was good to the subspecies. If that''s the case, it''s unlikely that the lord of this district is persecuting the beastman race. ...... But it''s also possible that this is an ostensible pose. There is a possibility that the lord of this district is making a distinction between humans and beastmen by establishing a flower garden. It is also a way to clearly let people know that humans and beastmen are different. You can''t know for sure until you actually meet him. ...... But in order to get him to meet you, you have to know him and plan your strategy. ......... ...hmmm.....................? ''...... food waste? ''Heh?'' As I turned my gaze towards the lord''s mansion, I spotted a slimy green object discarded on the ground in the distance. The thing ...... looks awfully familiar. ''Oh. Don''t worry about it, it''s... It happens all the time.'' Gilberta gives a contemptuous glance at the slimy green creature lying on the ground. She seems to be quite disgusted by it. Well, it can''t be helped. But then again, that look is more of a reward for him. ''So ...... the person Lucia is meeting with right now is Masha? ''Doh, doh ......!I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... This is not the type of person you want in your entourage, is it? ''Maybe you have the ability to read people''s minds, do you? ''Doh, doki ......?...... Why are you using it ............?'' ''No,......, all I can say is, "I''ll know it when I see it."'' If someone you know is lying on the ground, you''ll know it. Calvin is the deputy head of the Seafaring Guild and the one who carries Masha ashore. If he''s here, that means Masha''s here. So it''s not that he doesn''t want to meet the beastmen. ...... Is Masha special because she''s the head of the Sea Fishing Guild? ............ Hmmm. That''s a possibility. I''m not sure what to make of that. Let''s talk to him. ''Hey, Calvin. ''Oh, phew, your legs!...... Oh, it''s you, Yashiro. Goodbye, dear. I stepped on it unintentionally. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sorry.I''m not interested in men, but the mere mention of feet gets me a little excited. ...... I''m sorry about that,............, but I was a little flattered to be stepped on. I''m not interested in men, but I got a little excited just because of my feet,....... ''Don''t make people uncomfortable while apologizing. I want to disinfect the foot I stepped on right now. ''Nice stomping. Looks good, compatibility, you and Calvin.'' ''Will you please stop?I''m going to lose my mind.'' I step away from the disrespectful Gilberta for a moment, and I talk to Calvin. ...... d*mn. I''m not sure why I need to have a private conversation with him. ............ No, no, no, no, I''m trying to make money. I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ''Hey, you. Have you ever met the lord of this place?'' ''Yes. ...... I''ve met him, and I''m sorry about that.'' ''No need to apologize, every time.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ......'' No good. He''s a bad guy. It''s no use. Let''s just go through it. ''Marsha''s in the tate now, right? ''Yes. You''re Masha-sama, and you''re alone with the leggy Lucia-sama. ...... Sorry for being a cocky guild leader.'' ''No, ...... I''m rather wondering why you can be so disrespectful to Masha.'' ''Because Masha-sama?She''s half fish. ''You''re half fish, too. Because you''re even weirder, aren''t you? Because you''re half fish and all around perverted, right? ''So, why are you being thrown out? ''Our guild leader is ...... Masha-sama, but she''s ...... ''out of the way''!I''m not sure what to say. ''You''re deciding how much you like me based on whether I have nice legs or not. ......'' ''It''s so weird to be with you! ''I strongly agree with that. I guess even Masha can''t get used to how creepy he is. ''And then, when he came out, he was ...... beaten up by Gilberta .......'' ''Didn''t you do something to him? ''Not at all. I just wanted to rub my cheeks against her toned thighs. ......'' ''You should be grateful that I didn''t choke you out. Did this guy deserve to be harmed ......? ''Thank you......? ............ Yes, thank you, thank you...... ......Oh my feet...... hahaha............ thank you, sir ......Thank you, I''m sorry for something. ''...... Why didn''t they stop breathing, Gilberta''s guy? Who are you thanking, man? What kind of religion is that? ''I don''t mind your personal opinion, but ......, what kind of a man is the lord here? ''She''s an attractive woman with low muscle tone and slightly plump thighs. ...... Oohhhh!It''s a good idea.I''m not sure what to say. I''m going to twine the legs of the foot fetishist Calvin and give him a figure four lock. What do you think?You''d like that, wouldn''t you?Crack my kneecaps! ''Who asked you to give me information on my lord''s thighs?I''m asking about his personality! ''It''s widely rumored that he''s a wonderful man!He''s humane, tolerant, yet disciplined and strict. When I let go of his leg, Calvin rubbed his knee with tears in his eyes. As expected, this worked. ''Haha ............, I want to have this done by a beautiful girl with raw legs .........blah blah blah! ''Elaborate''. ''Oh, I don''t enjoy Iron Claw at all, so please don''t do it. ...... I''m sorry, but! I''m not going to entertain you any more than a daphne would. ......My hands are soaking wet. You can''t joke around forever, so I lowered my voice and asked Calvin a core question. ''Does Lucia have a harsh attitude towards the beastman race? I avoided using the blunt word ''discrimination''. There''s no guarantee that Calvin is completely on our side. It would be wise not to make accusations against him. ''I''m not very fond of ............ individuals who are hard on beastmen. I''m sorry, but I don''t think you''re a good person. ...... I''m sorry, but I don''t think you''re a good person. ...... Oh ...... Calvin''s face is etched with deep wrinkles. It seems that he is being treated in an unfavorable way. I guess I should just ask him straight out. ''Did you have a bad experience? ''I''ve been here many times, but ............ Lucia-sama, with her plump and wonderful thighs, has never, not even once, stepped on me. In other words, his complaint against Lucia is a very self-centered, almost criminal, complaint because she doesn''t satisfy his own distorted s*xual proclivities. All I can say is. I don''t give a shit, man! It''s Jeannette!You show me those big tits every day and you don''t let me squeeze them once!That''s the way the world is! ''Huh~?It seems like you''re having fun...'' As I was biting the iron claw with enough enthusiasm to cave in Calvin''s skull, a lazy voice came from the pavilion. ''Masha. ''Ah~, Estella~!Wow, the manager too~! The guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild. It''s Masha, the beautiful mermaid, dazzling in her scallop bra today. Today, three women I''ve never seen before are pushing the usual moving tank. They are dressed as waitresses, and on their aprons are the same emblems as those on Gilberta''s chest. They must be Lucia''s waiters. I observed the faces of the waiters, but my gaze never met theirs. Are they always this expressionless? It''s almost as if they are being ...... taught to be very strict. Don''t mess with the discipline. Don''t show your teeth, don''t mess around,....... I took my eyes off the waiter who was not looking at me and looked at Masha. And this one made perfect eye contact. ''Yashiro, you too, yahoo~! ''Yaho~ is ......''. ''Oh, that''s not good if you touch it with your bare hands, is it? ''That,'' he says, pointing at Calvin. ...... Oh, I''ve been doing the iron claw. I see. I''m not sure if this is a good idea. ''Marsha. Can you let me cleanse my dirty hands?'' I spread out my hands and wriggle them. There are two bulges right in front of me where my hands would fit. By all means, take them! It''s a shame, but Estella''s eyes scare me, so I don''t think I can do it. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... A sharp blade is pointed at my neck. ''...... To be able to completely eliminate the presence of ............ has raised your skills, Estella.'' ''Thank you for the compliment. Now, let''s get those big hands down, shall we? It''s funny. In a situation like this, I''m supposed to be told to put my hands up. I have no choice but to put my hands down. I pretend to be ...... and wipe it with Estella''s clothes. ''Ouch!Stop it, b*tc*! ''Hahaha ...... I''m so sorry! ''Oh, no, no, no, no, Estella~. Cursing makes me happy~'' In the usual moving tank, Masha is twisting her lower body in a seductive manner. The water in the tank shimmers, and light reflects off Masha''s scales. It shone like an iridescent jewel, and was very beautiful. Masha is truly beautiful when she is in the water. It made me think that she might be even more so when I saw her swimming. ''Ah!Oh no, Yashiro-kun. You''re staring at my tits again! ''You''re framed! ''I''m impressed, I think. I''m a tit person who never shakes. ''That''s why you''re framed! I was thinking more macroscopically about the shade of the water, the harmony with the sea, and even the benefits of world peace. ...... Enough!I''m going to stare at the cleavage! ''I don''t think there''s anything wrong with wetting yourself while gazing at your cleavage, do you? ''You idiot, Estella. You''ve got the order backwards!We just got there as a result! ''By the way, Masha. Did they do anything unpleasant to you? ''Like staring at my tits? ''Ha-ha-ha. That''s not unpleasant at all.'' ''You''re positive, aren''t you~, Yashiro-kun~a??'' Masha has a light smile on her face as usual. You can''t feel any discomfort or irritation. ...... Or rather, Masha is always like that. ''Are you and Lucia on good terms?''...... I want to ask, but the waiter pushing Masha''s moving tank is in the way, making it difficult to broach the subject. So I asked if there was anything unpleasant about the situation. ...... I guess I was left out of the loop. ...... If not, are Masha and Lucia, the lord of this place, really on friendly terms? ............ No. You can''t even guess because there is too little information. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. Lucia''s "sister". ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ...... Maybe she''s a bit scary after all. ''I guess so. I''d love to meet him.'' ''Hmmm. I wonder if he''ll meet me if I ask him to?Hey, Gilberta-chan?'' ''I don''t know, I don''t know. It was the day of the secret meeting with Masha-sama, today. I was told not to let anyone in. I didn''t want anyone to know about the secret meeting. So. Hmm. Maybe he''s leaking all the stuff he''s supposed to keep secret, this head waiter ...... is a good source. I''ll keep him close. ''Well, why don''t you go ask him? ''Well, if Masha-sama says so, things might change. I don''t mind if you ask her once, I will. ''Yes, yes. You''re very kind, Gilberta-chan. I think. I think. Did you think ''wow''? I don''t know, this rattling head waiter ...... is starting to look a little cute. ''Please take care of me too, sweet Gilberta. ''...... I think it''s rude to say that while looking at your tits, I''m not''. ''I''m not looking at them! I''m not looking at you!'' There''s another guy here spreading rumors. ''You should control yourself, titty people. ''You can''t! ''Yes, you can. No, you can. Or rather, you should, weigh yourself .......'' You''ve got a little bit of Gilberta in you, Estella. And I don''t know what weight is. I''m going to ask Lucia about it. I''ll wait here for a bit, I think, you guys. After telling them to wait here for a while, Gilberta went into the hall. It''s not the Crane''s voice ......, but when Masha says it, it''s easy to talk about. ''Masha is based in the 35th district, right?'' ''Yes. That''s right~. There''s also a port in the 37th district, and I often use that too. You''re using two wards as your base? ...... That sounds like a situation that could cause a war. ''The types of fish that are gathered are completely different, so we can''t be biased towards one or the other. ......'' Well, the lord would want the sea fishing guild to have its base in his district. I see. He might have been talking about how he wanted the sea fishing guild to be based in the 35th district. So it''s a secret meeting. He''s trying to get into Masha''s head and outsmart her so that the others won''t find out. ...... I think it''s wrong to divide the sea into small ports because it''s a big sea. A port in the 35th district may not be small, but ...... it is tiny in the eyes of the sea. For Masha, who travels freely across the ocean, the boundaries of the land may be nothing but a tight squeeze. ''It''s kind of hard, isn''t it? ''Yes, yes. It''s tough. Leaking out a smile that doesn''t seem to be hard at all, Masha splashes the water in the tank. ''Do different oceans attract different kinds of fish? ''Well, there are many kinds. Maybe it''s their territory. Such a conversation is going on behind me. Ginette, who doesn''t know much about the sea, is asking Estella, who does know a little about the sea. ...... Masha is making a bitter face. It''s not that there aren''t territorial disputes, but most fish territorial disputes occur between members of the same species. If it is a fight between other species, it becomes ''predation''. It does not mean that they live together by claiming their territories. ''Isn''t the difference in the types of fish we catch due to the influence of warm and cold currents?'' ''Danryu? ''Kanryu?'' Ginette and Estella both nodded their heads at my words. I see. They don''t know anything about that. They''ve never been out to sea. They won''t need to read the tide. ''Haha!You know a lot, Yashiro.'' Masha is the only one with a happy expression, clapping her hands. I suppose it is often difficult for people on land to understand when we talk about the sea. They are a little surprised and excited. So, I''ll show you a little of my knowledge. ''Well, to give you a rough explanation, there is a current in the ocean, and fish migrate around the wide ocean on that current. Depending on the temperature difference from the surrounding area, there are two types of currents: warm currents and cold currents, each of which attracts different kinds of fish. In a world with such a haphazard climate, the ocean currents must have a very haphazard distribution. ''Correct, correct!Hanamaru!Eighty points! ...... I guess it''s not a hundred points. Well, I guess that''s fair enough. ''As a reward, Yashiro-kun, let''s give him a good cuddle! Masha leans over the edge of the tank and stretches out her arms. Oh, I guess I''ll have to get closer. As I approached the tank, Masha grabbed my head with both hands as if she was going to jump on me, and started stroking me. You''re really excited about this. ...... I''ve been stroked around so much that my neck is cranking and my head is bobbing, but I''m plumping right in front of you, so that''s okay. ''You know a lot, even though you''re from the land. I wonder if your hometown is on the other side of the ocean. ''Beyond the sea, or ...... well, it was an island country. But I myself have never been on a ship to find out whether it is a warm current or a cold current. I just know about them. I don''t know what it''s like to look up at the sky on a ship and think, ''...... there''s a storm coming. ''I feel like I want to talk about the sea with Yashiro-kun sometime...'' ''That''s right. I''d especially like to discuss scallops at length. ''What Yashiro is wondering about is what''s inside the shells!Masha, be careful! Estella interrupts. You are so tactless. When you want to eat a turban shell, you eat the inside not the shell. ''Yes, yes, I''ll be careful, Estella. So, Yashiro. There''s a lot of cold water flowing around right now...'' Estella''s teasing is brushed aside lightly, and Masha begins to continue her story. She continues talking without pausing for breath. She doesn''t have the usual laid-back atmosphere of ''hey~'' with a long ending, and throws words at me in rapid succession. ''Rainbow trout, herring and pollock are very healthy! ''Well, that''s a lineup of eggs that looks delicious. ''What?............ eggs ......'' Huh? Don''t they eat them over here? Rainbow trout is a member of the salmon family, so it''s a salmon roe. ...... Well, it''s salmon roe. I''m sure you''ve heard of it.Have you ever eaten fish roe?I thought people on land didn''t eat such things! ''No, no. They''re delicious. I like cod roe and cod roe too.'' ''Yashiro-kun!Why don''t you come over to my house sometime?I''ll treat you to some delicious salmon roe! Masha got so excited that she wrapped her arms around my neck. Hota-teh! Yes!These scallops are good scallops! ''Are you so happy about it? ''I''m so happy!Because people on land don''t like to see salmon roe. Well, maybe if you''re not used to eating ....... Even though it''s delicious. ''Yashiro!If you don''t get away from Masha, I''ll stab you! ''Wait, Estella!I''m the one who''s stuck to you! ''Still, ...... I''ll stab Yashiro! ''What''s with that unwavering determination?I wonder if you''ll show that kind of determination somewhere else? The water in the tank is splashing and splashing. Marcia was beating the water with her tail fin. I wonder how happy she was. Are there so few people who can follow the conversation of fish? ............ Ah, that''s why Masha is so close to Delia. Delia is also talking about salmon. ...... I think Delia likes salmon roe too. I think I''ve caught a glimpse of why Masha is so fond of Delia. You can get salmon roe and roe roe roe at a reasonable price. I heard that people on land don''t have the habit of eating fish roe, but ...... I want to eat it. I want to eat mentaiko. I want to eat it with some freshly cooked rice. Hmmm, maybe I should accept Masha''s invitation. While I was thinking about that, I heard ...... I''m not sure what to do. I hear a dignified, cool voice. When I turned around, there was a stunningly beautiful ...... woman with blue hair who was looking at me sharply. The woman, whose good looks rivaled Bertina''s, looked at you with an icy cold stare. And ...... ''Hey, there, boy. ......'' He said this to me. ''Are you a human? So this is Lucia Suarez, Lord of the 35th ...... district. 185-Later on, Lucia Suarez. ''Are you human?'' he asked. That''s a statement more than enough to make someone uncomfortable. It''s not an exaggeration to say he''s picking a fight. It''s like stating publicly that you discriminate on the basis of race. ''Do I have to answer? ''Yashiro ......! Estella tugged on my sleeve. ...... but I ignore that. Lucia, the lord of the 35th district, was much younger and more beautiful than I had imagined. But what was just as much more than I imagined was ...... the coldness of the way he looked at others. He doesn''t respect them, he doesn''t even think of them as equals. I don''t have a head to bow or a smile to give to this guy. Miss Lucia. I''ve been away for a while. Estella greeted Lucia in a hurried manner, trying to dispel the atmosphere of the place that had instantly turned bad. ''Hmm?I believe you''re from the 42nd district of ......? ''Yes. I''m Estella. I''ve taken over from my father and have become the lord. ''I see. Congratulations. I''ll have her give you something to celebrate later. ''No... Oh, no. I''ll take it. ''Mm. Please accept it.'' Estella''s a little overwhelmed. She has a habit of being afraid of powerful people from other districts. Well, I guess he''s afraid of offending them and causing damage to the 42nd district, but ...... he''s already defeated from the first impression. You may need to give him a mental workout as well. ''Hey, hey, sister Lucia~'' As the water bounces in the tank, Masha turns her body to face Lucia. ...... This guy. Didn''t you just express your displeasure? Is it because Masha is a beastman ......? ''Yashiro?'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. When Gilberta said that, Lucia''s gaze turned to me ...... and then immediately to Gilberta. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. It''s just like, ''What are you talking about? It''s like, ''What are you talking about? Yeah ......, you''d think so. ''Is that you, Yashiro? Lucia''s gaze turns to me again. It''s getting a lot sharper. ''What did you teach Gilberta? ''What he started saying on his own. ''He complimented me on my tits, the tits man. ''You ...... are so insolent in your own territory.'' I''m sure you don''t mean any harm, Gilberta,......, but you, shut up. I''m sure you''re not ...... doing the same to the guild leader of the Mar ...... Sea Fishing Guild over there, are you? ...... Why did you just rephrase that? ''What''s the matter?You can''t answer?'' ''I couldn''t find the need to answer.'' ''Yashiro .......'' Don''t stop me every time, Estella. It''s probably too late for that. It seems that an adversarial relationship has been fully established between you and this guy. ''Hmm...... are you an insolent person who has no sense of decency...... Gilberta.'' ''Yes.'' ''Pick them out.'' ''Yes, sir. Obediently, Gilberta approached me without hesitation and plucked me by the collar. ...... as if she was holding something big. I''m not sure what to say. I''m going to pluck you out, like I''m holding something tight. Who''s got the big stuff? I put my hand on Gilberta''s arm to shake her off, but ............ what? It doesn''t freak me out. I''m not sure how much training this guy has. You can''t shake it off even if you use both hands, even though it''s just a thumb and forefinger. In addition to that, my body is being dragged towards the gate like a limpet. ...... Could this guy be...? No, if I''m reading this right, it makes a lot of sense. The fact that he didn''t call Masha by her name. What he meant when he asked if she was human. And that there was a discrepancy between the rumors of the lords and my impression. And the meaning of the too-obvious hostility directed at me. If that''s the case, ...... ''Lucia!I have something to ask you! ''There''s nothing to talk about with you. Now go home. And don''t ever show your face in front of me again. Lucia would certainly discriminate. Maybe that''s why Estella is more scared than she needs to be, why Gilberta trusts her, why Masha is so close to her. Then there is only one way out of this. ''That Wendy out there is a Yamamayuga! I say, pointing at Wendy as I''m dragged along. Wendy is startled by the sudden mention of her name, and her gaze shifts back and forth between me and Theron. ''And that''s .......'' And when I''ve said that much, I''m thrown out of the gate. So I shut my mouth. I''m not going to say anything until they let me in. I guess they got the message. Lucia turned to look at me and nodded to Gilberta. ''Gilberta. Bring him to me. ''Yes, I will.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Am I a child? And then Gilberta walked briskly towards Lucia, briskly briskly briskly briskly ...... and plopped me down on Lucia''s chest. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one. ............?What is this situation? ''...... you. What the hell do you think you''re doing? ''You''ll have to ask your head waiter. And explain it to me in a way I can understand. What''s with the pranks, Gilberta? ''They told me to bring him, I... I brought, so, the titty man. ''Who told you to deliver the titty man to my tits?'' No, I don''t know about that argument. I mean, can you please put me down?You''re as powerful as you look. And your breasts aren''t as big as I thought. Maybe a B. ''Put it down. ''No, let me down. ''Are you ordering me around? ''It''s not half as powerful when you''re holding me. I''m starting to feel so loved. Lucia lowered me to the ground and uncomfortably brushed her hands over the area I was touching. ''...... needs to be disinfected.'' ''I''m a fungus, aren''t I? ''Hmm. I don''t like people sticking on me.'' Well, I suppose you''re right. Why don''t you re-educate your head waiter? ''So, let''s hear the rest of the story, shall we? Lucia''s gaze catches mine again. This guy doesn''t think about the rudeness of his actions, or our feelings. He probably thinks that if he says something like this, the world will move like that. Well, what a nobleman he is. I looked at Wendy once and winked at her with a ''don''t worry'' thought. Wendy''s anxious expression softened somewhat, and she nodded slowly. ''Wendy is from the 35th district. ''Is that true?'' ''Yes. Isn''t that right, Wendy?'' Lucia''s question was thrown directly at Wendy. Wendy turns to Lucia, still tense, and bows deeply. ''Yes, sir. It''s as you said, Hero-sama. Even now, my parents are being taken care of in this ward. ''...... Hero?'' ''It''s a nickname. It doesn''t mean anything. So please don''t look at me like you''re looking at a grain of rice on my cuff. ''I''ve never seen your face before. ''Yes, I have. I left this district when I was very young. ......'' ''Is there anything you want to complain about? ''No, no!No, not at all!It''s just that I have a dream that I can''t give up. ...... So, ......'' ''Well ......, if you have a dream, then I guess you have no choice.'' Lucia looks a little lonely. For the first time, Lucia, who had only shown a stern expression, changed her expression. I suspected that she didn''t have the muscles to move her cheeks, but it seems that her facial muscles do move. However, it seems that ...... I was right about this. ''Wendy. Take off your hat.'' ''...... What?'' When I said this, Wendy looked puzzled for a moment, but then quickly said, ''Oh, yes, of course. I''m sorry,'' she said, hurriedly taking off her large, wide-brimmed hat. He probably thought that it would be impolite to leave his hat on in front of his lord. Well, that may be true, but ...... that''s not what I''m here for. ''...... This is''. When Wendy took off her hat, two antennae popped out. The two antennae shake together in a cute way. ''......No.'' Muttering, Lucia suddenly walks away. She approaches Wendy with a more serious gaze than ever before, and grabs her by the arm. ''Come here! ''What?Oh, Miss Lucia! Then, he forcefully pulled Wendy''s arm and walked toward the building. Wendy, who is being pulled, looks at Theron in confusion. She can''t say, ''Help me,'' but her eyes tell me that she wants to. ''Wendy! Unable to resist, Theron goes after her, but ...... ''Gilberta!'' With that one voice, Theron''s advance is blocked. Gilberta intervenes between us and Lucia and opens her arms to block the way. ''You are now forbidden to enter the building! ''Yes, sir.'' She closed the distance, but Gilberta took a perfect pause and blocked her movement. ...... It is a tremendous power. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. No trespassing, you guys. You can get hurt if you go too close. ...... While we were stranded, Wendy was taken inside the mansion by Lucia. ''What, Hero-sama!Wendy? Theron panicked. He would have liked to force his way through, but that would have been impossible against Gilberta. Even if you could, you should avoid doing anything that would cause you to defy your lord. ............ then! ''All of you, get down! At my command, Theron, Ginette, Estella and even Regina got down on the ground. I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that the dog tricks I taught you in the flower garden will come in handy here. ............ No, I didn''t teach you that, I didn''t teach you that. They''re so flippant. ''All right, keep going! ''I won''t let you, I won''t!You''re off-limits, you guys! ''That''s not fair, Gilberta!Look, there''s no one standing! We''re all crawling. We''re not ''entering''! ''......, Yashiro. How can this kind of nonsense be allowed to go on ......? ''Hmm. I don''t have a choice, then. There''s no reason to stop, for me. ''You''re going to let it go? Estella rolls her eyes at Gilberta''s honesty. No, but... I''m surprised ...... that such a crappy theory would work. I''m surprised too.Gilberta-chan!Please take me with you! Masha spreads her arms in the tank and lets the water splash around her. No, no, no. Gilberta''s not going to give you a hand. ''I''m not ''standing'', Masha-sama agreed to ......, I''m''. ''Anything is possible? No, it''s not for me to say! ''I''ve decided there''s no problem, I''ve decided''. I''m sure you have a problem with that decision,......, but I''d appreciate it if you''d let me in. We crawled into the building as fast as we could. Your clothes may be torn to shreds. ...... ''Now that we''re in, it won''t be a problem to stand up, will it? ''No, I don''t think so. ''Then lead me to Lucia! ''Yes, I''ll do it! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Maybe he''s a guy with a strong sense of syncretism. It''s also possible that you''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ''Hey, Gilberta. Do you have any friends? ''........................ never had a chance to make any, I...'' Oh ...... I knew you didn''t have any. It''s really depressing. It''s like I''m carrying the words ''......'' on my back. ''Well, if we succeed in this mission, we''ll be friends! ''Are you sure, what you''re saying? He''s really getting into it! What, you wanted it so badly, a friend? ''Oh, yeah. It''s true. I''ll come visit you from time to time, and you can come visit me too. Then you can give me some good news. ''All right, I will!I will succeed in this mission! Gilberta''s on fire. You can see the passionate fighting spirit in her expression that you thought was cold-hearted. This guy just didn''t know how to smile, did he? I''m going to make him laugh a lot. ''That''s what my mother said. ''You have to cherish your friends more than anything. Does your mother talk like that? What a troublesome family. ''''More important than anything, friends are ...... more important than lords to serve! ''''No, no, no.'''' Estella and Regina can''t help but make a comment. But it''s okay, since you''re going to take good care of me. Let''s have them take good care of us. ''This way, Lucia-sama''s private room! He''s really excited, but I wonder if it''s okay. ...... He''s going to be very angry later. ''Yashiro ......, you''re really involving the people around you ......''. ''Well, well, well, it''s better to have a lot of help .......'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''What? --and Wendy''s scream could be heard from Lucia''s private room. ''Wendy!I''m coming! ''Wait, Theron!That''s as ...... as it should be. ''Get out of the way Estella. It''s an emergency. We have no choice! Theron lost his cool at Wendy''s scream and almost ran ahead. Estella is reluctant because she''s worried about what Lucia will think of her. Taking the middle ground, I calmly storm into Lucia''s private chambers. ''Excuse me! I say no, and open the door to Lucia''s private room. --And there it is... ''Antennae!Antennae!It''s cute!It''s so cute! Lucia was rubbing her cheeks against Wendy''s antennae and giving her a squishy expression. 186-Is it 14 pure or stupid later? ''Oh, a sight not to be shown to others, this. I''d like to be blinded, please. ''I don''t know what you''re asking me to do. Gilberta is in a great deal of panic at the sight of Lucia''s lasciviousness. ''It won''t hurt, probably. ''Of course it''s going to hurt. I''m not sure how serious this is, but I''ll try to prevent Gilberta from going off the rails. ....... You''re right on the money, aren''t you? ''Oh, uh, ...... Yashiro-san. What the hell is this ......?'' While all the witnesses were dumbfounded by the lord''s excessive lasciviousness, Jeannette came next to me and asked me to explain the situation. ''We''ve been fundamentally mistaken, you know. ''A misunderstanding ......?'' Yes. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... ''It''s also ...... "moe" ......?'' Lucia was so preoccupied with Wendy''s antennae that she didn''t even notice our intrusion. Perhaps this is what the meeting with Masha is like. It''s ......, so no outsiders are allowed in. If you have a preconceived notion of her as a cool persona like Estella had, then ...... I''m not sure what to say.Tentacles!I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... You can''t be this lascivious. ''Is it always like this? ''Yes, that''s right~. It''s usually like this~a?? ''The scales, the scales~'' Scales. ...... They love animal features. If you bring a neffery or something, it might kill you. ''So, what was that ...... thing that Calvin-san was thrown out of? ''''Oh, I heard that Calvin is weird~'''' You can be creeped out by this kind of beast feature moe. ...... You''re a hardcore creep, Calvin. You''re a little bit awesome, dude. I''m sorry. Hey, "forced translation magic", can you please stop translating ......''cousin'' to mean ''very''. It''s making me uncomfortable. ''Cousin cute! Yeah, that''s it. Very unpleasant. ''Um, ...... you mean?'' Jeannette still doesn''t seem to understand the situation. So I''ll give you a straightforward, easy-to-understand explanation. ''In short, I''m not interested in humans, so don''t come bother me when I''m humping a beastman. You''re generally right, the titty man said. In the beginning, when Gilberta asked me if I was a human, I told her that Wendy was a Yamayuga, and she would have met me right away. I really want to question the ...... spirit gods. Are there no decent people living in this city? ''...... Hey, Lucia.'' ''Hmm?'' When we call out to her, Lucia turns her gaze towards us. ''Don''t be too rough with her. You''ll break Wendy''s antennae.'' ''What?That''s terrible. ............ Okay, I''ll be gentle. ......'' He stopped rubbing his cheeks and started to pucker the bulge of his antennae with his fingertips. ......No, let go of my hand once! ''Can you let go of my hand at least once?Look at that. Wendy''s about to cry.'' ''Nah, crying ............''. Lucia looks at Wendy with an impatient expression. And when she saw her big, moist eyes, she seemed to have finally realized that Wendy was about to cry. ''Oh, that ...... Lucia-sama......'' ''Yah, I''m sorry!I didn''t mean to make you cry. I just wanted to ............ make you my color and mess you up. ......'' ''Hi ......? I''m afraid! You''ve got an almost criminal grin on your face, you beautiful woman. ''Sister Lucia~. If you scare her too much, she won''t like you~? ''What?Do you think Ma-tan doesn''t like me? Who''s Ma-tan? That''s why you didn''t say Masha''s name earlier? That''s embarrassing, isn''t it?It''s Ma-tan, right? ''Hmmm . I don''t hate you~'' ''Good ............ I''m so relieved ......'' How much are you afraid of being hated? ...... ''At any rate, just now in the garden Ma-tan was making friends with a man who looked like an overdried anchovy. ......'' Who''s the overdried anchovy, you bastard. ''You don''t get to see a happy face like that when you''re with me. ......'' And then, suddenly, Lucia''s gaze collided with his. ''............'' ''............'' We stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. ...... ''Anchovy! ''Who''s the anchovy? Lucia started to panic wildly. ''You, how did you get here? ''Did you just notice that? What? Could it be that you''re an idiot? ''Gilberta! ''Yes. I''m here, I''m here. ''I thought I told you not to allow anyone to enter! ''Yes. I was listening, I was. ''Then why are these people here? ''They ''crawled'' in on their crawls. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. I''m sure you''ll get a kick out of ...... that excuse. ''............ then you have no choice but to ......''. ''Are you pure or are you an idiot? Are you okay, 35th Ward? ''...... blind spot ............'' Lucia bites her nails with a look of extreme frustration on her face. Gilberta stopped her with a dignified voice. ''It''s a trifle, biting your nails! No, no, no. You''ve been exposing yourself in a much more indecent manner before that. Stop that one, if nothing else. ''Gilberta, ...... are you telling me what to do?'' You''ve been pointed out, and you''re snapping back! ''If you don''t listen to me, ...... I won''t let you touch me again, antennae.'' I''m not sure if this guy was a bug man too! ''...... be careful from now on''. It''s broken! I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Gilberta''s antennae are cute.'' ''Do you think so, with these antennae?I''m a Gunthaiari, I''m a human. ''I''m a Gunthaiari ......, is that why I''m like that? ''Compared to Wendy, your antennae are much smaller. ''I guess that''s the beauty of it!You don''t know anything, but if you talk like you do, I''ll make it impossible for you to eat anchovies ever again!Human males! ''''There''s too much difference in the way you treat me! Lucia''s attitude towards me is too strong. I''ve never seen such blatant discrimination before. Besides, you''re a human too!You''re a noble! ''Oh, do you ...... not like humans, Lucia-sama?'' Ginette asks Lucia, fearfully. Lucia''s eyes catch Ginette''s and ...... arc softly. ''No, I don''t. I hate discrimination more than anything. I don''t base my likes and dislikes on race. I just find men like Calvin and those anchovies sickening and deeply unpleasant. ''I feel like I''m being grossly s*xist, though!First of all, don''t put me in the same category as Calvin! He said he hates discrimination, and then he started discriminating. What a jerk. I guess Estella was afraid because there was no one there that Lucia would like when they get together with the nobles. If someone like Masha is there, she''s in a good mood, but if not, she''ll be annoyed all the time. This is the type. She''s worse than Imelda. Lucia, who seems to have such a bad nature, crosses her arms and looks directly at me. She gives me a look full of hostility. ''So, ...... you barge into my private room, ............ what do you want, you? ''I''m here to help you because you took one of my people! What''s the point of barging in? ...... I looked at Wendy and ...... wondered why she was crying. ...... Yeah, ............ why? ''...... heroes came to ............ me, my friends and ......... ...has come to save ............ me and my friends, I''m thrilled! ''No, well, ...... it''s not that big of a deal. Don''t cry, okay? ''...... Yes.'' Wendy wipes away her tears and smiles gently. ...... but that smile is masked by the rage that emanates from next to Wendy. ''After Ma-tan, Wen-tan also gave me such a good look!I hate you!I''ll execute you! ''Wait a minute! Is this guy really the lord?Isn''t he some kind of schoolboy? I mean, Wentan?I can''t feel a shred of sense! ''Gilberta, get that person out of here! ''I am sorry, I am. I''m sorry, I''m. ...... Just, you have to cherish above all, your friends. ''No ............ to Gilberta .............'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Her knees begin to tremble. ''You ...... are trying to take everything away from me! ''No,......, Gilberta is not yours, but Wendy and Masha are not yours either. What''s with this possessiveness ......? ''Yashiro: ...... tone of voice.'' ''It''s fine, I don''t mind. He doesn''t seem to care much about it. ''It''s not a matter of whether he cares or not, is it?The other party is a nobleman, a lord! ''In other words, he''s your equal, right?Then you''re lower than me.'' ''Since when did I become lower than you? I helped you a lot, didn''t I? You should feel grateful and be my little brother. Go buy some fried noodle buns or something. ''''Estella! ''Yes, yes!What is it, Lucia-san ......?'' Estella turns to Lucia with a tense look on her face. She must be uncomfortable with her. She has an awkward, twitchy smile on her face. ''What''s that there?Is that your companion? ''Ts!No, no, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, ......? ''No, even if you dump me here, .......'' What? No. You should just deny that you''re not, it''ll complicate things. ''Oh, you see...'' Estella straightens her collar and begins to talk. ''First of all, I wanted to thank you for taking care of the carriage. ''Hmm?Oh, that''s easy enough. It''s only natural for two lords of the same house to lend each other money if there''s something that needs it. ......, but I don''t dislike your disciplined nature.'' ''Oh, thank you very much. At ......, sir. I have one favor to ask. ''A favor?What a coincidence. I have a favor to ask of you as well.'' ''What?You want me to go to ......? ''Hmm. What do you think?How about we both do each other a favor?'' ''Yes!By all means! Oh. Estella did a good job of organizing the conversation. Now we may be able to grow the flowers in the garden in District 42. Good job Estella. ''Then expel those anchovies from Allbloom. ''Why would I do that? He''s made a terrible request! ''Then erase them from the world. ''It''s getting worse, isn''t it? ''Turn to dust. ''That''s not a request anymore, it''s an order!I''m not going to listen to it! It seems that he hates me to no end. What did I do to deserve this? ...... ''Oh, uh, Miss Lucia. Yashiro-san is a very kind person,......, you know,......, so don''t be too harsh,......, you know.... ...'' Ginette appealed to Lucia in such a way as to summon up her courage. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ''Hmm ......, you seem to be a kind-hearted girl. ''No ......, I''m just .......'' ''You''ve been taken care of by such a nice girl!I regret it!A capital punishment! ''Did you hear what I said about Jeannette? What''s with you, you stupid lord? What kind of selfish girl are you? ''I''m sorry, I''m... I''m a little selfish, Lucia, you don''t have any friends. You don''t say that, Gilberta. It''s not because she doesn''t have any friends that she''s like this, it''s because she''s like this that she can''t make any friends. ''''Hey~, Lucia~?Please listen to what Yashiro and the others have to say! I''m begging you! ''Okay, I''ll listen. And by Yashiro, do you mean that anchovy there?Then tell me quickly. So who''s the anchovy? Well, since you''ve agreed to listen to me, it''s not a good idea to ruin it by resisting. Patience, patience. I tried my best to keep a calm and serious expression on my face as I negotiated. ''I want you to give me the flowers in the garden. ''No.'' ...... quickly. ''Is it a matter of profit ......?'' ''Profit is of no concern to me. In the first place, my territory does not currently receive any profit from the Garden.'''' ''Then why? ''Because you can''t keep those flowers.'' I thought you wanted to monopolize that delicious nectar. ...... This might be easier than I thought. ...... I''m not going to do you any favors, because I hate you. ...... I retract my previous statement. It might be a very difficult task. ...... ''Miss Lucia. We have a specialist in growing plants in our territory. If we leave it to her, I''m sure she can grow the flowers in the garden.'' Estella quickly followed up. But Lucia smiled wryly and said in an indifferent voice. ''How are you going to pay for it?It costs a lot of money to raise those flowers. If you''re thinking of doing business with the nectar, don''t. The deficit is obvious. You''ll just end up messing with the life of the plant. ''Does it cost that much to ......? ''Yes, it will. So much so that it will put pressure on our district''s finances.'' The blood drained from Estella''s face. Does it cost that much to maintain ...... If the cost of materials is too high, we won''t be able to serve it at the sunny pavilion. ...... ''Then, can''t we ask you to give us the nectar of the flowers on a regular basis ......?'' ''No.'' Another resounding denial came back. ''That''s something I''ve prepared for the subhumans ......, especially the subspecies. Your business is with humans, isn''t it?For that reason, I''m not going to do anything to burden the subspecies, nor will I let them. Then, a powerful and dignified gaze was directed at us, making us think that all of our previous antics had been an illusion. ''Absolutely. It was powerful enough to end a negotiation with just one word. It was clear from just one word. ''Oh, this is impossible. It''s not like ......, where there''s nothing you can do. It''s a clearer rejection than telling a devout believer to kick the statue of the god he believes in. It was an unparalleled rejection that reminded me of the ''impossible'' without even giving it a second thought. This lord, Lucia, has stronger feelings for the beastmen ...... than I thought, especially the insects. I don''t know if it''s a desire for protection, sympathy, a sense of mission or some other emotion,......, but his beliefs cannot be bent in the slightest. That much is clear to me. ''...... Let''s start over.'' ''Yes, I guess so. There''s no point in trying to negotiate for the flowers any longer. If that''s the case, it would be best to leave as soon as possible. ''It''s Estella. Lucia called out to us as we were about to leave the room. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''Unfortunately, neither of your wishes were fulfilled this time. ''Haha, ...... I guess so.'' I don''t want your wishes to come true. ''But I have no wish to oppose you in any way. If there''s anything I can do to help, I''m happy to. You can tell me anything.'' ''Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. It seems he''s not as terrible as we thought. If our interests coincide, he may be a good ally. ''The anchovy. ''Who''s the anchovy? How many times do I have to tell you? ''Let''s just say you''ve got a lot of guts. The lord of the 35th district, who everyone says is terrifying. I''m sure there aren''t many people who would be willing to go toe to toe with that guy over and over again. Perhaps Lucia was not only uncomfortable with my interaction. She seemed to be enjoying herself, didn''t she? ''Can I come visit you again? ''No, thank you. ''Then let me come visit you. ''Hmm ......, do as you please.'' Lucia smiles provocatively. After all, she doesn''t seem to mind this kind of confrontation. ''Can I ask you one last question? ''No.'' ''............ Then two.'' ''Make it one. Then just ask. You''re bothering me. ''Wendy and Theron are getting married. ...... What do you think? Wendy of the Yamamayuga and Theron of the humans. I wanted to ask Lucia ...... what she thought of their marriage. ''I disagree. The words were uttered without a moment''s hesitation. After all, outside of the ...... forty-two districts, is such an opinion the majority of people ............ ''Wentan should marry me. ''Don''t talk to me about your personal feelings! ''Oh, um, Lucia-sama!Since we''re both women, we can''t get married at .......'''' ''Wendy, you don''t have to answer properly! I''m asking for your opinion on interracial marriage! When I explained this, Lucia showed a slight pretense of thinking about it, and then gave me her answer in a clear voice. ''There are many who do not like interracial marriage. They are free to do as they please. I think they should be able to marry as they wish, but I don''t like the idea of forcibly twisting the ideas of those who oppose it, as you are trying to do. That''s ego, Lucia declared firmly. Ego...... Maybe so. The act of forcing someone to do something that they don''t want to do, because it''s better for them, can be called ego. But... This is ...... Wendy and her parents are different. They are both waiting for the moment when they can reconcile ....... So ego or not, I''m in. There''s a lot of people ...... I know who want that to happen. Theron, Wendy, ...... Estella, ...... Ginette. And then there''s all the members of the sunlit pavilion. Their opinions are more important to me than the majority of the public. I''ll do what I think is right. ''Thank you for your valuable opinion. ''Thank you for your valuable opinion.'' ''......,'' he says, but he doesn''t bend his beliefs. You have that look on your face.'' I see. You''re watching closely. ''Well...'' ''I don''t know what you think you''re doing, or why you''re interested in interracial marriage, but are you ready for ......? Prepared? ''Your actions will affect those around you, for better or worse. Isn''t that what''s already happened? The conflict between Wendy and her mother temporarily heated up because of our intrusion into Wendy''s family affairs. Our actions ...... influence the decisions I make around me. . ...... for better or worse. ''If ...... you scratch around halfway and break the relationship between subspecies and humans, trample on trust, and make Wentan cry, ......... ...I will not forgive you. I''ll do whatever it takes to stop you from breathing. It wasn''t a joking look in his eyes. ''Are you prepared to do that? Lucia''s words came straight at me, looking only at me. This guy must have seen through it. This time ...... no, when these members take action, I''m at the center of it. That''s why he asked me. That''s why he asked me. And that''s why he threatened me. He said, "Don''t mess with my territory. If you do, ...... you''ll be obligated to make it better than it is now. ...... You''re good. I''m not prepared to do that. I''ll shrug my shoulders and say. If you provoke me, I''ll do the same. ''It''s been decided that these guys will be happy. I don''t need to think about such an impossible ''what if''. So I''m not prepared to do that. If you fail, ...... don''t even think about it, but if you must, do what you will. If you fail,...... and these people are unhappy because of it,...... I''ll voluntarily disappear. ''I''ve decided from the start to make them happy. I can''t accept failure. I don''t want to live an easy life where I can keep an insurance policy of ''what if I fail''. Glory or death. That''s how con artists live. ''So don''t say a word and help me if something happens to you. For the sake of my favorite tribe, the Bug People. I say with a triumphant smile on my face. Estella was on edge next to me, but I didn''t interrupt her because I knew she felt the same way I did. It''s not just Estella, it''s everyone here ...... who isn''t here. No one thinks it''s okay to fail. We can''t accept any future but success. ''......The Bug People'' Lucia said many things, but the first thing she said was that word. ''You mean, the subspecies?'' ''Yeah. Probably. From what I''ve heard so far, the beastmen I''m talking about are ''subhumans'', and the insects are ''subspecies''. ...... I don''t know what a "sub-species" is. In any case, ''subhuman'' and ''subspecies'' give me a bad image and I don''t think I like them. ''............'' is an interesting name. I''m going to try to copy it. Since Lucia says so, I''m sure ''bug people'' sounds better than ''subspecies''. If you think it''s good, copy it. If that word spreads, ...... the worm people won''t have to belittle themselves as ''subspecies''. Spread it as much as you like. All right. I''ll watch over your actions for a while. If there is anything you need from me, you can come here.'' Lucia changed her mind. It seems that she is willing to help, even if not actively. ''...... But first, there''s someone I''d like you to meet.'' As if to punctuate our momentary joy, Lucia''s voice is quiet. Like water in a boiling pot, our emotions are instantly suppressed. The one you want me to meet? Lucia''s serious gaze told us that this was not a very favorable introduction. ''I want you to make time for me in two days. I''ll pick you up, but I need a small group.'' We looked at each other at the sudden offer. I wonder if this is some kind of test to get Lucia''s cooperation. ...... I looked at Estella and she gave me a clear nod, although her expression was a little uneasy. ''Well, we''ll just have to do it, won''t we? ''All right. Me and Estella, and then ......'' ''Wow, me too! When we were about to select the members, Ginette raised her hand and came forward. Because it was a rare occurrence, Estella and I were taken aback. ''............ Well, I hope I''m not intruding ............... ......... that ...... come on ......'' Because of our silence, she seemed to lose confidence and her voice became quieter and quieter. No, no, no. It''s okay, okay? It''s not a problem at all, but it''s just that it''s rare for me to be so aggressive. ''Well then, the three of us will come to you. Estella summarized the conversation and Lucia nodded her approval. At the lord''s mansion, where they went to get the nectar, the conversation took an unexpected turn. However, Lucia''s help will surely be necessary for Wendy and her parents to reconcile. That''s what I feel. Gilberta took me back to the carriage stop. I noticed that the sky had turned bright red. It seems that we have stayed too long. I can''t wait to go home and take a rest at the sunny pavilion. That''s what I thought. 187-Later Tan 15 Subhuman, Subspecies, Subline ''In short, the beastman race is the "subhuman", the insect race is the "subspecies", and among them, the Yamamayuga race is called the "sub-lineage" ......, is that correct? The day after I returned from District 35, I was talking with Estella. The place was the Sunlit Pavilion. Magda said it wasn''t something to be hidden and talked about in secret. Yesterday, I came back to the sunlit pavilion only after nightfall. I had praised Magda and Loretta for successfully guarding Ginette''s absence, and told them about what had happened in District 35. Because of this, Loretta ended up staying overnight, but she seemed to be enjoying herself, so that was good. So, in the flow of events, we inevitably ended up talking about "subhumans" and "subspecies". ...... ''......Yashiro cares too much'' I''m not sure what to say. The two beastmen said this matter-of-factly. I also thought that calling them beastmen or insects might make them feel uncomfortable. ...... ''...... distinction is natural''. ''Yes, it is. I''m not sure what to make of it. The extraordinary power, animal characteristics, and habits of the beastmen are different from those of humans. It is said that they are as different as foreigners using different languages. Their customs are like religions in Japan, and they think that those who want to do something should do it on their own. It cannot be said, ''Let''s get rid of religion so that there is no distinction! This is not the case. It is the same as the distinction between Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims does not cause offense. If there are people who cannot eat pork because of their religion, it is not right to ban it for them, nor is it right to require them to eat it secretly. It is fine for the person to do so at his or her own will. People around you should just act normally. That''s what Magda and Loretta were saying. If you pay attention to the following ......, you won''t feel uncomfortable. --So we decided to hold a meeting where everyone was present. At first, Estella was reluctant, but when I persuaded her that it would look more suspicious to hide the information, she agreed. So, we finally got her to share the information. ''Generally speaking, Yashiro is right. Everyone but me seemed to know the name ''subhuman'', and the gynets around me nodded their heads in agreement. But what do you mean by ''generally''? I''m sure they''ll understand if I tell them from the beginning. I''m sure you''ll understand if I tell you from the beginning how the word ''subhuman'' came into being. ''There was once a time when there were only humans in human cities. The world was a big place, and it wasn''t often that multiracial people met. Eventually, as civilization developed and life improved, humans sought to expand their territory. Adventurers set out on journeys to new continents, and new countries were born here and there. ''And so, at last, man encounters a race different from his own. Estella holds up three fingers and thrusts them in front of me. ''Three races with extraordinary powers, beyond the reach of humans. Were-dragons, werewolves, and mermaids.'' ''Were-dragons?Aren''t they dragon people? ''We call them ''Ryujin'', the Dragon Gods. I see. ''Dragon gods''. ''So there are other gods besides the spirit gods? ''That''s true. There are many people who worship other gods. But the Dragon God is more like a ...... ''creature that is too powerful to even approach'' than a god. ''Are you talking about the ...... dragons? ''Well, yes. Seeing the huge and powerful dragons, the old people must have defined them as ''gods''. When we see a being that is beyond human knowledge, we feel both awe and respect. Depending on which of the two is greater, we may be divided into fear or worship, but we all share the same perception that ''this thing is on a different level from me. ''Well, the human dragon is also a being beyond human knowledge. ''I''ve never seen one before. ''I don''t think there are any in All Bloom, are there?I mean, those three races don''t really like to live in harmony with humans. So the were-dragons, werewolves and mermaids live quietly in their own countries. ...... ''With one exception. Yesterday, when we parted at the city gate of the 35th district, there was a mermaid named Masha who waved her hand with a big smile and said, ''Let''s talk about the sea and fishes another time! She doesn''t like to live in symbiosis, but voluntarily gets involved with humans. She''s always willing to get involved in anything that looks interesting. ''Mermaids don''t care about details too much. Masha is one of the best.'' Estella smiled at her best friend''s denial of what she had just said. Well, it''s good that she''s harmless, isn''t it? A race that can swim freely in the ocean would be extremely troublesome to make enemies with. ''And starting with these three races, humans will meet people of various races. ''...... After that, humans began to call the races they met ''subhumans''. Magda explains this to Estella, who is reluctant to say the word ''subhuman''. You''re being watched out for, Estella. It proves that the one who was discriminating cares more. It''s not that Estella was discriminating, though. ''As a human being,'' I guess. ''In the meantime, there were wars and disputes between the races, and it was not until much later that they reconciled. ......'' ''...... The beastmen were at war with non-humans as well. They fought with dragons and werewolves. As humans expanded throughout the world, other races began to seek new lands. As a result, wars broke out all over the world. ''In the end, the humans, with their superior leadership and technology, were victorious, and the war ended with the beastmen being dominated by the humans. ''............ Yeah. Yeah, I guess.'' Estella''s expression falters as Loretta adds. It must be painful for her to have ''dominated''. Don''t worry about it, already. It''s not like you were in control. ''Well, it''s not that we won the war, it''s that we chose to discuss and live in harmony with other species. In fact, humans didn''t win against the first three races. So dragons, werewolves, and mermaids have not been defeated by humans. ...... Oh, I see. ''So they started calling the beastmen they met after the first three races ''subhumans''. In the value system immediately after the end of the war, dragons, werewolves, mermaids, and humans were equal, and these four races were the so-called ''human race''. The four races were the so-called "human race." They were distinguished from other beast races whose position was weakened by the war. By giving them special treatment, they wanted to prevent the war from spreading further. ''Yes. That''s why Masha and the other mermaids are not included in ...... that ...... ''subhuman''.'' Estella said the word ''subhuman'' with great difficulty. Once you''ve said it, it will come out a little more smoothly next time. It''s complicated, but what you have to understand is that beastmen do not equal subhuman. The term "beastmen" is a name I''ve taken the liberty of calling myself, and Masha is included in that category. But Masha and the other mermaids are not included in the "subhuman" category. Of course, neither is Calvin. ...... So does that mean Masha can be a nobleman? I didn''t know that when I talked to Imelda before. It''s possible. ''I''ve heard that the first ''subhumans'' were the Inu people. ''...... Magda too.'' ''Yes, they were. That''s what the history books say. Humans and Canids have worked together to create many large cities. I think of the huge outer wall that surrounds Allbloom. ...... I see. Humans can''t do it alone. ''Then the tiger people and the hamster people and so on poured into the city. ''We hamster people have always been powerless, so they let us into the human country as a kind of ''protection''. I guess there are people who longed for coexistence rather than conflict. Anyway, that''s how the current coexistence and co-prosperity was formed. ''And so, the first place that humans and beastmen worked together to create was here, Allbloom. It seems that Allbloom is a city with quite a long history in this world. But it''s not like ...... where the history lasts for thousands of years, it''s more like hundreds of decades. I guess you could say that the city has only recently become peaceful. ''Then, as the city grew, more and more diverse races came into the city, but the arrival of the ...... Triads changed the way people thought. ''The Tori people? What is it?I don''t think they''re very belligerent or cunning. ...... What is it about the Tori people that could upset the peace that has finally come?I don''t know. ''The first two Tori who came to Allbloom looked very much like they were not of the same race. They were what we now call ''Sparrows'' and ''Ostriches''. ...... That makes them look like something else, doesn''t it? ''From there, they came to be called by more detailed racial names. I see. So that''s why Paula is called the canine race and Nepheli the chicken race. They''re not Golden Retrievers, are they? The reason why the name ''Canis lupus'' is so popular is because the Canis lupus people had many interracial marriages between their own people. Paula''s father was a bulldog, but Paula has the characteristics of a golden retriever. In other words, her father is a bulldog and her mother is a golden retriever. That is what intermarriage between different species of the same family means. Since there are so many different kinds of people, it would be easier to call them "Canines" all together. Neffery''s parents are both chickens. Maybe there is a strong tendency to prefer consanguineous marriages or something like that depending on the race. ''...... Nowadays, interracial marriage is no longer a special thing. Magda says as she stares at me. ''...... Rather normal. It''s common. It''s something that should be encouraged. He stares at me ...... intently. You don''t mean anything else by that ...... stare, do you? ''............You can often be arrested for stealing a heart. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''ve got a clogged trachea. ...... It''s a thing, isn''t it?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. As soon as possible. I''m not sure if I''ll ever be able to call them that again. The younger generation is able to love more freely. Estella is a little embarrassed by her own words. In her case, it seems that being a nobleman is even harder than being a racial one. I wonder if it''s possible for Estella to get a son-in-law from a beastman race. ..................... I wonder if it''s ......... possible. I''m a bit annoyed ............ when I imagine such a thing. ''Don''t let the big tits gene fool you into thinking you''re a bad bovine. ''I''m not going to be ripped off! Well, if it''s ......, all the better. Somehow, the annoyance in the pit of my stomach has cleared up a bit with what you just said. I don''t know why. ............. ''Back to the topic at hand: ......'' ''After the Triads, the number of subdivided races increased, and the city developed further. The power of the beastmen is excellent in many fields. They were able to cultivate the deep forest, which had been inaccessible because of the hexenbiest''s territory. The beastmen have individual abilities. The humans who led them and developed the city. In this way, Allbloom grew greatly,'' he said. ''It''s just that the number of races has increased a little too much. ......'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''There was a clear sense of discrimination between humans and beastmen, even though they seem to be equal. ''So the beastmen started to feel uncomfortable about being called ''subhuman''? ''Yes ......, that''s right. If it was only the first members, they might have tacitly understood each other''s roles and positions. However, those who come in later will have that tacit understanding imposed on them unconditionally. With a single word, "You are a subhuman. This will, of course, cause some dissatisfaction. ''The beastmen were overwhelmingly superior in numbers and power. The humans of the time were upset and distressed, and came up with a ...... solution. ''So that''s the ...... "subspecies". How to lower the pent-up anger of the discriminated ...... It''s simple, just create a person of a lower status. Even in the Edo period, the dissatisfaction of those of lower status was ignored by creating those of even lower status. But that is not a solution to anything. ''And then, just like that, there was a race that finally came into contact with Allbloom: ......'' ''So, it was the Bug People.'' Estella nodded her head silently, but clearly. As you can see from Millie and Wendy, the Bug People are a bit timid. Probably, their racial characteristics and habits are more timid and gentle than other races. After making sure that they were safe enough, they repeated their thoughts and arguments, and finally ...... tried to contact humans. However, as with any thing, ...... those who ride behind after getting on track will be in a weaker position. The Bug People were used to divert the Beastmen''s discontent. The Bug People were used to divert the Beastmen''s discontent. ''Even so, the Bug People entered this city because they thought the benefits would be greater. ''Because it was an environment where conflict and hunger were infinitely less likely to occur. Outside the outer wall, there are terrible demonic beasts roaming around. It''s no wonder that a powerless race would come into the city to seek shelter. ''...... Still, the balance was maintained for a long time.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ve heard that even those who were called ''subspecies'' of the Bug People ...... were living a reasonably good life at the time. Magda and Loretta added. Humans had become the nobility, and the beastmen occupied the top positions in the large guilds, while the insects were treated like mere servants. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to help you. ...... There was a time when we were that desperate. In this city, there was another group of people under the subspecies, called the sub-lineage. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. So, rebellion ....... And that rebellion failed ...... and made their position even worse. ............ ''The Centipedes, Spiders, Slugs, and Mayflies colluded to invade the capital. Oh, ......, they''re all races that Japanese girls seem to hate. ''They were originally in a weak position among the subspecies. That''s why they couldn''t stand it,......, I''m sure.'' A lower status to deflect the frustration of the higher status. What does it feel like to be reduced to the lowest of the low ......? ............ ''......''s ''sub-strain'' is ''better than a frog'' level''. ''It''s not like I lied to you. ......'' What Estella may find difficult to say, Magda and Loretta can say for her. However, ...... they are oppressed by innocent people. ............ It''s a shame. ''But their courage had the power to change the world. At the time, it was only a small ripple, but ...... the ripple eventually became a big wave, a big vortex that turned the world upside down and engulfed this city. ''The abolition of the status system, right? ''Yes. As soon as the king of the time ascended to the throne, he abolished the status system that bound the beastman race. However, the status of royalty and nobility remained intact. ...... Still, there are not many leaders who can preach equality among citizens. It takes a lot of courage and determination. But thanks to the efforts of the kings of that era, equality and peace were brought to Allbloom. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he laid the foundation of Allbloom as we know it today. If you''re not sure, you might have been in a world where Millie and Wendy were oppressed. ...... I don''t want to see that. I don''t want to see Estella and Jeannette oppressing Magda and the beastmen, and Magda and Loretta oppressing Millie and the others,....... If it was a city like that, what would I have done? .................. Well, there''s no point in thinking about impossible "ifs". . The king of that time period created the opportunity to abolish discrimination, and over the years, the city has won equality. It was a path that the residents of this city chose for themselves. No wonder it''s so comfortable, isn''t it? ''...... By the way. The people who form the racketeers'' guild in this neighborhood are also descendants of those who were called ''sub-lineage''. ''Like the Iguana people in the food poisoning incident, or the Mantis people who attacked the store? ''A bit, there are a lot of bloodthirsty races. But I''ve heard that many of them got caught up in the ...... surroundings and joined the riots. Looking at Wendy, she doesn''t seem to be associated with the words riot or rebellion. ...... No, but her mother is. ......... ...Wendy also looks scary when she''s angry: ...... Anyway, it was decades ago. It''s definitely not something that people living today need to carry. ''It''s hard, ...... really.'' Estella crosses her arms and rests her body against the back of the chair. She leans back and looks up at the ceiling. ''It''s not ...... about losing something that shouldn''t be there anymore. There is no discrimination in this city. There is no discrimination in this city. There ...... should be none, but it''s definitely still there. So where the heck is that ......? It is something that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people who live there. It is very difficult to get rid of it. Millie doesn''t use the carriage, even though she doesn''t have to. The reason why she went all the way to the 40th district was because she received an order from an old lady of the Himekamenoko Tentou people who lived there. You can''t say that there isn''t a possibility. I was able to get along with them, but I don''t know what will happen with the ...... other bug people. Kaburiel says that many of the Bug People don''t seem to have a good impression of humans. And Lucia, the lord of the 35th district, said, "The one I want you to meet: ...... I''m sure he''s someone who''s going to have a lot to do with this problem. ............ It''s deep-rooted. Assunto''s advice is starting to sink in now. It seems that I''ve gotten myself into a lot of trouble. But ...... I''m not going to leave it at that, though, am I? Wendy''s marriage. And I can''t overlook the fact that Millie and Estella, even if it''s only once in a while, cast a shadow over my heart over something as trivial as this. You guys should be laughing all year round. Like idiots. I''m sure that would suit you better. ''If you can''t delete ......''. This is a very forceful move. ...... I''m going to stand up and say to the people who are staring at me with eyes that are filled with a certain amount of anticipation. ...... I mean, you guys are .................. always telling me not to look at you like that. You know, ...... Well, in this case, ...... you see, it''s also ............ my responsibility to incite Theron and Wendy... ...and also, you know, ...... that thing and .................. well.., I had no choice. Yeah. ''Let''s rewrite those old values. All you have to do is to overreact a little to what you originally intended to do. Since the birth of the glowing brick,......, or maybe even a little earlier,............, we''ve been thinking about it. I''ve been waiting for the right time to do this for a long time, and I was a little impatient with Theron, who said he was engaged but hadn''t actually proposed yet. Let''s go as far as involving the thirty-five wards and make a huge, unprecedented fuss! It''s going to take a lot more preparation than I thought, but ...... ''I have high hopes for your power. ''Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you.'' Until just now... When we were talking about "subhumans" and "quarrels", Ginette had a tearful expression on her face, but she finally smiled. Even if she doesn''t say what she''s going to do, she''s probably going to cooperate. And so are the others. ''...... The most advanced area that should be a model for Allbloom, District Forty-two should set an example. ''Yes, sir!If we all have fun together, we''ll all get along better! He instantly gained momentum and showed off his motivation without regret. Of course, this guy-- I''m not sure what they''re going to make me do this time,....... I''m not sure what I''m supposed to do, to be honest ......, but for now I''ll just get ready for the ''normal'' stuff. The ''normal'' here is the ''normal'' I know. In short, it is the preparation for a wedding ceremony and reception that I can be satisfied with. I want to make sure that I''ve done everything I can as a minimum. On top of that, I''m going to scratch and tweak this troublesome issue. I''d say the root of Wendy''s parents'' persuasion is the same problem. Then, we can make our move tomorrow after we see who Lucia wants us to meet. Today, we''ll spend the whole day recruiting people to help us in the 42nd district. ...... While I was thinking about this, there was a knock on the door of the Sunlit Pavilion. Not many people knock on the door of this place. When the shop is open for business, people usually open the door and come in by themselves without knocking. The only time they knock is when the store is closed. ............ ''Yes. I''m home! In contrast to me, who sensed a disturbing presence, Jeannette left her seat unprotected and ran to the door. This one didn''t seem to feel anything. Then, without hesitation, she opens the door. ''I''m here, I''m here. Standing there was Gilberta, the head waiter for the lord of the 35th district. So the unsettling premonition was right ....... ''Do you have a message for me from Lucia? ''No,'' I said, ''I deny it. Gilberta walked into the restaurant, passing Ginette who was holding the door. She walks up to the table where we are sitting and looks down at me. Then she slowly opens her mouth. Her lightly tinted lips change shape and she begins to speak. ''Play with me. ''You, what are you doing here? You''ve come from a place so far away that you''d have to spend an entire day traveling back and forth just to say something like that? ''I''m a friend, I''m a titty person. And he said, "Come visit me. ''No, that''s not the point, how did you get a day off from ...... yesterday, head waiter? ''..................? ''Hmm?'' Gilberta slowly moves her head and tilts it to the side. ''...... This guy, no way. ''I didn''t take it, did I? ''You''re AWOL! What are you doing? You''re the head waiter, right? You''ve got a lot of work to do!I thought the waiters couldn''t do their jobs without you! And yet, you''re AWOL! ''Are you alright with ...... that, guarding Lucia-san, you know? Estella asks Gilberta with an extremely tense face. That''s right!As I recall, Lucia''s escort was also your job, wasn''t it? ''Well?I don''t know, I don''t know. It''s my first time, this kind of thing. We''ll find out tomorrow, if it was okay or not.'' ''And when it turns out that it wasn''t okay, it''s going to be a mess. ......'' ''But the most important thing is your friends. ...... This girl ............ is saying this for real. Do you know the word "flexible"?You''re not even close to being inflexible, are you? You''re denying all flexibility. You''re the kind of guy who says, "I want curry," and you just take the curry and ignore the rice. Or, he''s the type of person who would say, ''There were many applicable items, so I brought all of them,'' and bring all the items with the name ''curry,'' including curry udon, dry curry, and curry rice crackers. ''I''m sure Lucia will be angry. ......'' ''And that anger will be directed at Yashiro: ......'' Don''t be scared, Estella. There''s more than an 80% chance it''s going to happen, so at least don''t say it. ''............ Am I bothering you, am I?'' Seeing our dismay, Gilberta nodded in agreement. Oh, my God. ...... You really are two extremes. ...... It is Lucia who has caused me trouble. You can''t help it this time, but next time you should consult Lucia first. You care about Lucia too, right?'' ''Of course. Don''t be afraid to affirm it. You do have a kind of loyalty, don''t you? ''Even now, I''m worried about Lady Lucia, I am. Today is the day of the meeting with the lords of the 25th and 15th districts. I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. ...... I''m sure that if you''re at the level of the 35th district, you''ll have some sort of contingency plan in place for this kind of situation. ............ .................. I want you to think that. If not, I''m going to have a pit in my stomach. ...... ''I was happy to ............ have a friend for the first time. I was a little too ............ excited. ............... ...home. ''Oh, wait, wait! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. You''ll make me want to pick you up and go home. ''Estella. What do you think Lucia''s place is like now? ''Well, she''s probably in a panic, but ...... Lucia is a thorough person, so I''m sure she''ll take some measures and get the job done without any problems.'' ''If anything should happen to me, the deputy head waiter will take the lead in my place. Is there such a thing as a deputy head waiter? Then it''s no problem. ''Just a human, the assistant head waiter. I guess ............ is. That''s all it is, but I feel like it''s a very big problem. ...... ''Lucia-san ......, it''s going to be rough.'' ''Haha ...... I can see it in your eyes.'' Lucia doesn''t discriminate against beastmen, but she does favor them tremendously. If Gilberta, her favorite, is not there, she will be incredibly unhappy. ...... assistant head waiter and the rest of the waitstaff. I''m sorry about that. Apologize when you get home. ''And then will you play with me, titty man? ''Oh. I can''t help it now that I''m here. When does the meeting start? ''It''s already started. ''Oh, ......''. I don''t know, this feeling of being able to turn around and say it''s completely too late is ...... I''m starting to think that it would be better to play with Gilberta for the rest of the day and warn her not to let this happen again. ''I''ll apologize with you tomorrow. I''ll apologize with you tomorrow. ...... It''s not like my words didn''t have a cause, either. If the other party has a normal thought process, my words and actions are not at all to blame. ''...... You''re so kind, titty man. ''And don''t call me a titty person.'' ''Because it''s too much? ''No,'' says Gilberta, pointing at Jeannette. ''I''m not wearing it!I''m not going to be able to do that. ''It''s Yashiro and Jeannette. ''Yashiro''s tits and Jeannette''s tits.'' ''You''re not doing it on purpose, are you? ''Is Yashiro and Jeannette ...... the only ones, what do you call them?'' ''Only. That''s what my friends call me.'' ''Okay. That''s what I''ll call you next time. Gilberta nodded her head in a small affirmative, with a look of mental happiness on her face. It''s hard to teach Gilberta what to call you when she''s too honest. ''......Yashiro''. And Magda tugs at my clothes a bit. ''...... Hard to read emotions. Hard to get involved with.'' Yeah, yeah. You don''t say? I''m not sure if I''d be able to read Magda''s emotions accurately. I''m the only one who can accurately read Magda''s emotions. ''You there, cat person. ''...... Magda is a tiger-people. I demand a correction.'' ''Request accepted and prompt apology, I am . Tiger people.'' ''...... forgive. At ............, what?'' ''It''s hard to read your emotions, you know.'' You don''t say, returns. Don''t you two ever think about yourselves? ''Um, Yashiro-san. What do you intend to do? Jeannette stares at me with a worried expression. When he says something like this, it''s when I want to ask him to ''please be generous''. ...... Even if I am lenient, Gilberta''s case is tricky. ''Estella. ''I know. I''ll tell Natalia and send a letter to Miss Lucia. I''ll use a fast horse and arrange for it to reach you right away.'' You are indeed a genius who takes on the hardships of others. He knows how to deal with scandals caused by troubled children. ''You''ve come a long way. I can''t just turn him away. Yashiro should take the responsibility of showing you around District 42.'' You''ve thrown all that trouble on us while trying to act like a generous lord. Well, ...... I had a sneaking suspicion that you would end up like that. ''Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your thoughtfulness,'' I said. ''Hey, it''s no big deal. Don''t worry about it.'' ''That''s very generous of you, titty man. ''Can you please stop calling me that? ''Anti-boob guy? ''I''m not anti-tits!I''m more of a welcomer, though!Anyway, just call me Estella!'' Do you really want to keep the ''titty person''? Just call me by my first name. ''Now all problems are solved. '''''''' No, no, no, no. ......'''''''' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Ginette also let out a troubled chuckle. It was just before noon. I guess we''d better prepare ourselves for some turbulence today and tomorrow. I thought as I looked up at the clear sky outside the window. 188-Later, Natalia and Loretta were modeled. ''I''ve just sent a letter to you on an early horse. ''I see. Thank you, Natalia.'' Natalia reports to me at the entrance of the sunlit pavilion. Estella also looks relieved. Since Gilberta had abandoned her duties to come and play, we, ...... or rather Estella mainly, had been in a bit of a tizzy. ''Unexpected events are always a part of a lord''s job, but ...... this was indeed too unexpected. ''I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you. ''If you feel that way, I hope you will reflect a little. Natalia''s tone was more stern than ever. Is she a little angry because she was run around ...... or maybe she can''t forgive her negligence as a head waiter. ''Well, Gilberta seems to be feeling sorry for herself, so let her off the hook this time. ''You think neglect of duty is acceptable? ''I didn''t mean to offend you. Just this once, okay? ''Then I''ll abandon my duties and go on a date with Master Yashiro. ''I won''t let you do that, Natalia! ''Don''t worry. I''ll take no offense. ''No offense and no offense are two very different things, you know. It seems that she was simply jealous of Gilberta''s uninhibited nature. ...... Natalia seems to be uninhibited enough. Well, she does have a sense of duty. ''When I see her tomorrow, I''ll explain it to her. ''I''m sure Yashiro will be the one to take the brunt of your anger. Take care of your life.'' ''...... Don''t be scared, Estella. It''s more than obvious that this is going to happen. ...... Lucia, I''m sure you''re going to be angry ............ with me for some reason. ''I''ll help you as an apology, I''m a friend of Yashiro''s. I want you to tell me anything you want.'' ''No, you don''t have to do that much for me. ''You can tell me anything. I''m confident in my strength. Gilberta, a Guntherian with few animal features, seems to have confidence in her power. It must be something tremendous. Incidentally, Gilberta''s antennae are hidden behind her forelock, but if you stare at her closely, you can confirm their existence. It seems that she can move them at will. I wonder if Wendy and Milly can move them too.I''ve never seen them move much. You can find a lot more information on this topic at ....... As I was staring at the antennae, they suddenly disappeared into my hair. When I looked down, Gilberta was looking at me with a slightly embarrassed expression. ''I''m a little embarrassed, if you stare at me too much, I''m ......''. ''Oh, I''m sorry. ''Master Yashiro. According to what I''ve heard, there are many people who find it quite embarrassing because of the individual differences in beast characteristics.'''' ''Is that so? ''''Yes. The size of Yashiro-sama''s favorite breasts varies from person to person, so wouldn''t you feel embarrassed?It''s similar to that. This may be the reason why mocking kemo ears is the same as rubbing boobs. In ......, was it necessary to say ''Yashiro-sama''s favorite''? ''...... Magda is more powerful''. Magda''s cat ears flick, and she turns on Gilberta. There aren''t many people who are more powerful than Magda. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. Loretta also has a rivalry that I don''t understand. ............ Are you proud of that? ''...... Goo''. ''I''m not even sure if I''m going to be able to do this,......, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to make of it. Estella, who has no chance of winning in the chest, is complaining about the unfair competition. Beside her, Natalia said, ''Pfft. It''s small in two ways,'' she smiles. ''''I believe that the size of the ...... tits is important in this store, I''''. ''''''You''re right.'''''' ''''That''s not true, sir!'''' The Queen of Boobs hurriedly came out of the kitchen . The two great mountains are swaying with full presence . ''You can''t convince me with that much bobbing. ''No, I''m not! ''Yes, you are, Ginette-chan. ......'' ''I can feel the ...... disparity.'' ''It''s the overwhelming power of boobs......'' ''It''s still a different order of magnitude, the chief executive.'' ''Oh my God!I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. The only one with any room to maneuver is Natalia. ''Oh. I have a certain amount of money, so I''m not like the others. He''s always going at his own pace. I envy him sometimes. ''By the way, would you like some tea? ''Oh, by the way, the lunch crowd has settled down a bit. ''...... is a good time to take a break. Ginette changes the atmosphere, trying to divert the conversation from her boobs. It''s just past the lunchtime peak and there are no more customers. It would be the perfect time for a cup of tea. ''Do you need help, I?Is there anything I can do, my friend Ginette? ''Then bring me the tea tray. ''Leave it to me, I''ll take care of it! With Gilberta in tow, Ginette turned back to the kitchen. ''Oh ...... average boob power halved''. ''Why do you say such superfluous things, Yashiro?'' ''Right now, I''m the number one in this place.'' ''Why do you have to say such unnecessary things, Natalia? Estella, who doesn''t shake even when she''s angry, flails but still doesn''t shake. It''s a shame, isn''t it? ''Do you want to take a break, Natalia? ''Well, I''ll take your word for it. ''...... Hey, can you say no to me, even if you''re lying?I''m the Lord, after all. The head waiter freely takes a break without the master''s permission. It''s a very white workplace. I take a seat and wait for Jeannette and the others. I can hear noises coming from the kitchen, so they''re cooking something. Maybe he''s making Gilberta a cup of tea. Somehow, he seems to want to do it, doesn''t he? ''Hello~. I''m sorry to bother you. Uclines came over as if he had been watching for the timing to finish up. Well, I guess he was watching me. He''s the kind of guy who always shows up when I''m free. ''Oh, thank goodness. Loretta, you''re here. ''Huh?Is that me? ''Oh, you''re here too, Natalia!You''ve been following me. ''Is there something I can do for you? Ucrine got excited when she saw Loretta and Natalia. They are jumping up and down. Judging from the fact that she was carrying a large bag of clothes on her back, she must have brought some kind of costume for them to wear. ''I''ve made a few dresses for Wendy, but I''d like you to try them on and show them to me. ''Dresses?I''ll do it!I''ll wear it! ''Me too, no problem. I was just having a little too much free time on my hands. ''I believe you are currently on duty, Natalia. ......'' Loretta''s surprise was normal, and Natalia''s continued disregard for the Lord''s presence. But why these two? ''Don''t we have one? ''The ...... model is Magda. Common sense in the Forty-Two Wards.'' ''Oh, sorry about that. This time, it''s really just a trial. I''m in the middle of making it, and I just want someone to wear it and show it to me. As she said that, Ukrines took out a beautiful pure white dress. But ......, if you ask me, it certainly doesn''t feel like a finished product. If it''s Ukrines'' dress, it should have the power to make you go ''Oh! I''m not sure what to make of it. ''I don''t know anyone who has a similar physique to Wendy''s. ...... It''s not easy. ''I see. It is true that I am almost the same height as Wendy,......, though my chest is overwhelming! ''Don''t be so proud, Natalia!I''m a little embarrassed for my family! Natalia bends over to emphasize her breasts to the fullest. You ...... really, really appreciate it! ''This dress has a lot of room in the chest, so you should be able to wear it. ''It''s loose in the chest area. ............ Let''s call it "Yashiro-sama Hoi Hoi". ''Don''t name it that! ''If there''s this much cleavage showing, you''re sure to get caught, aren''t you? ''Of course! ''Are you saying that with confidence? It''s true that if you wear this dress, you''ll be able to catch a glimpse of various parts of your chest. I can''t help but be tempted, in two ways! ''But why did you make it so big? ''I didn''t expect Natalia to be here. ......'' ......, Ukrines'' gaze turned to the kitchen. ''Oh, I see. Ginette-sized, huh?'' ''So much, huh?Do you really need this much cloth to hold your cock, Jeannette? ''...... This is a little painful for me, too. Even though it''s physically loose. The bust is made for a ginette. That''s a lot of fabric. However, since Natalia''s height and shape were closer to Wendy''s, we decided to pin down the bust and let Natalia wear it. ''I want you to see the whole silhouette, so don''t worry about the bust. If you think it might show, wear a shirt or something underneath. ''I dare you, nothing at all! ''Put it on properly, Natalia! ''Good luck, Natalia!I''m rooting for you! ''Shut up, Yasirlo! If you have a subordinate who has a big job to do, respect his wishes to the fullest extent, that''s how a boss should be, in my opinion! ''I''ll ask Loretta to match the chest part. ''Oh, ...... it''s true that I''m about the same size as Wendy. ............ but only breasts... ...it''s kind of sad.'' ''What are you talking about, Loretta?It''s a good thing that there is a demand for boobs! ''Shut up, big brother! Why? It''s a good thing that there is a demand for boobs! ''...... Loretta. In front of Estella, excuse me.'' ''You''re the rudest person I know right now, Magda! ''Yes, you are, Magda. Estella''s flat-chested body is in great demand by some enthusiasts.'' ''I can''t be happy about that, can I? No. They don''t understand how gratifying it is to be in demand. ...... How sad it is that no one needs you: ...... ''Anyway, Loretta. You need to help Uclines.'' ''Of course I will. It''s for Wendy''s wedding and, by extension, for your brother''s benefit. I''ll take off my skin. ''Well then, get naked and go for it, breast model! I''ve lost a bit of motivation because of what you just said. She''s at a difficult age. You should just be a titty model. And then, you can start your boob modeling career in earnest, and eventually, you can participate in the "PaiColle", the pinnacle of the boob modeling world. You, go ahead and do it. ''Well then, both of you. Can you come to the back a little?You''re in the kitchen, right, Ginette?I''ll get your approval~'' ''...... Our kitchen has been completely turned into a changing room.'' ''I''m sure you''ll go out to the courtyard to change, so it''s probably safe. I can''t stand it when people flop around in the kitchen. ...... I wonder why we are supposed to have a fashion show at the sunlit pavilion. ...... It''s a good idea to take a look at a few of the things that are available in the marketplace. Ukrines, you probably came all the way here to get some feedback and opinions. ''It''s quite rare for you to show us your unfinished work. I''ve been there for the prototype of the mouthpiece, but this is the first time for clothing. I wonder if this guy had me make a clasp during the festival. ''Mr. Yashiro. Is something interesting about to happen? ''A person I''ve never seen before came into the kitchen. Ginette and Gilberta come back with tea and pudding. Tea and pudding ......? Oh, I''ll have coffee. Good. ''It''s a prototype for a wedding dress. ''Oh, really?Wow, I''m looking forward to it.'' I hand out tea to everyone, and Ginette sits down next to me. It was next to a table for four. Magda and Gilberta, who had apparently targeted that seat, looked at me like ''What? They''re looking at me like ''What? ''...... Mmm. While I was looking around to see which pudding was the biggest, I lost my prime seat. ''I was a little careless and late, I was. After all, the best seats fill up fast. ''What?Oh, you know what?Is there something wrong with me? ''No, you can sit wherever you want, you know. It''s not that there''s anything good about sitting next to me. It''s just that Jeannette, who used to sit across from me, seems to be sitting next to me more often these days. When there are a lot of people, I may sit next to her more often than across from her. ''Oh, um... If you would like to see a prototype of the wedding dress, it would be better to be near Yashiro to hear what he has to say,............, but it was never my intention to do so. ............ ''No, no, no!Just sit there! If I''m forced to back away, you''ll be even more conscious of me, right? Just sit next to me. Don''t worry about it, just sit there. Then I''ll sit next to my friend Jeannette. Gilberta grabs an empty chair and sits down next to Ginette. Gilberta, Ginette, me, and Estella are sitting in the middle of the room. ''...... Magda, here.'' And then, with an obvious look on her face, Magda climbed into my lap. ...... Yeah, I kind of expected that. ''...... Hey. Can I come over and sit with you for a minute? Estella approaches me with her chair, probably feeling lonely sitting a little bit farther away from me. They''re all so lonely. It''s only the unveiling of a prototype, you''re overreacting. ''Yes, yes. Sorry to keep you waiting, but ............ is kind of a crowded place, isn''t it? ''Well, just think of me as a judge.'' They are sitting in a line facing the kitchen, just like the judges. They''re not very good judges, though. Not a trace of dignity. Above all, I''m the only one who knows anything about clothes. ...... No, you see. I''ve made a lot of stuff professionally. I''ve made a lot of things professionally. fake ............ of famous brands. well, what about the past? I love to sew, so I''m happy to see your prototypes. ''Are you trying to steal my skills? ''I''m not stealing, I''m just using ...... as a reference.'' I think it''s the same thing. ''...... Magda doesn''t sew, so I like the feeling of borrowing Uclines'' prototype and not returning it in a hazy state.'' ''That''s stealing in the truest sense of the word. We should do everything we can to stop that, for Magda''s sake. But Magda, he''s getting restless. Are you sure he''s feeling sorry for himself?That you were not chosen as a model. ''...... Loretta. Why don''t you stay here again today? ''Did you have that much fun last night? ''............ pouring a mouthful of pudding into your mouth while you were sleeping.'' ''Don''t do that to her. I pity Loretta. She won''t know if it''s torture or a reward. I think Loretta would be a little happy about it. She likes pudding. ''I''ll have to get Magda''s dress for her next time. ''............ wedding dress?'' ''Why not, .......? When we go to weddings, we dress up too.'' ''...... Yashiro too?'' ''Everyone.'' ''............ Yeah.'' Magda''s ears flicked up and her tail swished slowly to the side. He seemed to be in a better mood. ''...... then you and Loretta can wear matching dresses.'' ''You want them to match? ''............ is also acceptable.'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It may be a reflection of the fact that they were a little bit jealous, albeit unilaterally. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ''...... I''m sorry to hear about Loretta. ''Well, I''m sure she''ll be happy to hear that.'' ''...... Indeed. Loretta''s got a cute side.'' ''Don''t let the younger one tell you otherwise. ''......You may be younger, but you''re older. ''You can say that all you want, Loretta. I don''t know if he meant it or not, but if something were to happen to Loretta, I''m sure Magda would do whatever she could to protect her. As a friend. As a senior colleague. I''m sure it''s the same for Loretta. ''Ah, Yashiro. It''s coming out. It''s Natalia.'' Estella said and I looked over to see Natalia coming over the counter. Oh, ......, this is quite something. ''I''ve also cleaned up your chest. What do you think? I''m sure you''ll agree with me. The dress has a beautiful silhouette that clearly shows the lines of the body, and it suits Natalia, who has a good figure. ''It''s beautiful. Very nice.'' ''Thank you, Master Yashiro. But I was asking you what you thought of the dress?'' ''Yes. I also asked you what you thought of the dress? ''I''m sure you''d get the same feedback if you took off your dress and stood here completely naked. You''re always so positive. Anyway, can you please stop being completely naked in the cafeteria? ''It''s just a little difficult to move. ''That''s fine, that''s what wedding dresses are for. A bride is supposed to behave gracefully, not move around. The ideal is to look beautiful in appearance.'' ''So that''s how it is. I understand. Relaxing her shoulders and standing quietly, Natalia was graceful and beautiful. Her posture was good, and her manner was beautiful in every detail, down to the tips of her fingers. The dress, which was supposed to accentuate the bride, seemed to be accentuated by Natalia. The dress is cinched at the waist and the skirt spreads softly to form a beautiful line. I''d like to see a little more volume in the skirt. ''Shall I make the skirt more fluffy? ''Fluffy, yes. I understand. ''How about adding some lace or something? ''Then more fluffy ruffles. ''I''ll keep that in mind. Ukrines quickly took note of my points and Ginette and Estella''s ideas. She seemed to be thinking about it very seriously. Her notebook was completely black with a lot of writing. ''It''s my first attempt and I''m nervous, too. It was probably because he was looking through the notes. Uclines said something like that. ''But this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, Wendy. Don''t you want to give her the best dress? I''m serious, too. ''I trust your skill.'' That''s very kind of you to say. But please give me some advice, Yashiro-chan. Even if you trust me, you can''t do what I can''t do. I''ll give you all the advice I can. ''Are you going to give me a shoulder? ''No, sir. Wendy''s breasts aren''t that prominent, and given her personality, I''m going to be a little less revealing. A dress with bare shoulders and a wide opening at the chest is a good look, but it''s not a good look if you don''t have a certain amount of breasts. If you''re Ginette or Norma, you can probably pull it off. Ukrines gave the signal, and Loretta appeared from behind the counter. ''Oh, that''s nice. ''............ Mmm. Loretta, you''re good. ''It''s a dress, isn''t it? ''It''s simple and cute.'' ''Whoa!It''s a normal compliment!Didn''t anyone say, ''Wow, that''s normal''? Did you want to be told that? ...... I''m sure that''s normal in Loretta''s mind. ...... It could also be an occupational hazard in the broadest sense. You are too familiar with the position of being played. The dress that Loretta is wearing is very intricate, with detailed embroidery and lace around the bust. On the other hand, the rest of the dress is as simple as can be. The skirt, in particular, is voluminous but without any decoration. ''I wanted Loretta''s dress to draw attention to her bust, so I kept the rest simple. ''What?What did you say? ''I wanted people to pay attention to the bust, so I kept the rest of the dress simple. ......'' ''What?One more time. ''Focus on the chest: ......'' ''What?Louder.'' ''That''s enough, big brother!How many times do you want me to say ''look at my chest''? Loretta says, hiding her bosom that needs to be seen. You idiot!What are you hiding?Reveal it! ''Okay, everyone!Look at Loretta''s tits! ''Not her tits!It''s her chest!Look at the decorations on her chest! ''Yashiro-san . Hey! He pulled my sleeve and scolded me lightly. I mean, Jeannette. When you scold, it''s ''meh! I knew it. ''Isn''t Loretta''s dress pretty too? I like it.'' ''Are you sure?Estella, do you like me? ''No, the dress. I like Loretta too, but of course. Loretta, who is not used to being complimented, is greedy for compliments. ''I like you too, tits. ''Shut up for a second, big brother! Funny ...... reaction is too different. I''m giving you my heartfelt praise. ''The lines are more beautiful than I thought they would be. Yeah. Loretta, you have beautiful breasts.'' ''Whoa!Are you sure?I''ve never heard that before! ''Nice tits, Loretta! I''ve never been told that before. ...... I don''t get it. ''Hey, Jeannette. What''s the difference?'' ''It''s the attitude ......, isn''t it? ''Because you''re only complimenting her breasts.'' ''It''s because it''s ...... Yashiro.'' He was harshly criticized from both sides and on his knees. Gilberta looked at ...... her, and her eyes sparkled at the dress. I guess this kind of clothing is rare. ''It is a pity, I think, that I cannot see the finished product. It is said that the image of Loretta''s dress is to match the bust of Natalia''s dress, but it is difficult to imagine. ''There''s also the aspect that the finished product is something to look forward to on the day, so we purposely kept it separate. It seems that Ukrines wanted to give us a fresh surprise. Even if you show the finished product of the dress, I don''t think you need to hide it that much because the impression will change drastically when you wear it. ''That was very helpful. Thank you both very much. Thank you all. He bowed to the two models and to us. Uclines is beaming. He''s had a good day. ''Then you can take them off now. ''Then go to .......'' ''Go to the back and take it off, Natalia! You''re getting good at this, that squire comedy. Estella''s breasts may have been worn down by too much ...... tsukomi, and she''s going to burn a lot of calories. ''But, Estella-sama. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ...... ''Ginette. I need you to help Ukrines and take Natalia to the back right now.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir! I get excited when I wear something different. It''s very dangerous to leave Natalia in that state. So we must leave immediately! As Ukrines and Ginette dragged her away, Natalia disappeared into the kitchen. ...... Peace has returned to the world. I''m sure you''ll agree. Don''t get too s*xy with your eyes. ''What?I thought you had a sane mind until just now, was I wrong? When there''s no one to blabber to, you''ll blabber instantly. You greedy bastard. "Big brother. Loretta comes over to me with a ''hehe'' and clasps her heels together. She clasps her hands behind her back and looks at me as if she''s peering into my face. ''What do you think? ''If you want to know what I think, just go to .......'' ''I didn''t ask you. I didn''t ask you what you thought of my tits. If you were asking me what I thought of her tits, why not? That''s all that matters. ''To be honest, it''s hard to say because the dress is specially made.'' ''Mmmm ...... I see. I like it a lot, though.'' ''I think there are more suitable dresses for you.'' ''More?'' Loretta is standing across the table from me at a distance that allows me to see her entire body. She had no unnecessary flesh on her, and her body was still young and thin. However, the hair that had grown a little longer made Loretta look a little more mature than before. At the age when she was starting to change from a young girl to an adult, a brighter dress that was more gorgeous and pretty would suit Loretta. ''I''ll give you a generous compliment when you wear a dress that''s for you, not for Wendy. ''Ho, are you sure!That''s a promise!If you lie to me, I''ll make you drink a hundred frogs! ''''Ugh, what kind of torture is that ......'''' Uclines'' dress was indeed well made. But it''s still incomplete. It doesn''t have the power to take on my Loretta. ''You can''t bring out your best in that dress, you know. ''Honya! ''...... In other words, Loretta won this time because she outperformed the dress.'' ''Mochou! ''You''re right, that might be true.'' ''Even Estella-san?What''s wrong with you?Why are you all praising me?I feel a little uneasy when people keep praising me like this! Loretta, who was always saying that she wanted to be praised, but when she was praised, she didn''t seem to know what to look like, and just cringed. In the end, Loretta asked for help from Ginette, a run-in at the sunny pavilion. ''Hey, manager! Loretta ran into the kitchen over the counter. You hear a loud voice coming from the kitchen. ''Cuss me out! ''What?I think that''s a little hard for me. How unaccustomed are you to being complimented? ...... It''s like you''re seeking peace of mind and going to be tormented. ............ That''s sick. Well, Jeannette wouldn''t really say anything that would hurt your feelings. It''s a safe bet. ''I think the dress is beautiful, I do''. ''Doesn''t Gilberta ever get to wear dresses like that? ''Behind the scenes is what I do, serving. There''s no need to show off, not for me. I don''t need to show off. ''I don''t have anyone to show off to when I''m dressed up. His expression clouded a little, and the little antennae peeking out faintly twitched. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to dress up alone, but it''s lonely. ''If it''s ......, you can wear it now. She jumped off my lap with a ''pop! Magda jumped off my lap and landed with the grace of a gymnast. He stands in front of Gilberta and says with a crisp, blank expression. ''...... Here''s Yashiro, who looks at you properly and gives you his heartfelt praise, "Magda is the cutest thing in the world."'' ''What?Am I being forced to do something right now? My small protest is smoothly ignored, and Magda takes Gilberta''s hand with a feverish, expressionless half-lidded look. With the fervor of a passionate teacher. ''...... When do I get dressed up?Now.'' ''Hey, Magda, .................. no, I''m not going to say anything else. How long have you lived in Japan? You lived in Japan, right?Or what?Are there some people in this world who are very much like you? ''...... There are two dresses in this store right now.'' ''Can I borrow them, the dresses you just gave me? ''...... It''s not about good or bad. You can borrow them.'' ''Magda. That sounds like a great quote, but it''s just robbery, right?'' It''s called gianism. ''Are you sure?Your friend Yashiro? ''Well, why don''t you ask him?Maybe he''ll even let you wear it?'' Uclines likes to dress pretty girls. Gilberta is pretty in her own way. I''m sure she won''t refuse if you ask her. ''...... Now, when you make up your mind. ''I''d like to wear it,............, if I''m allowed. ''......The story is settled. Let''s go. ''I''m going, I''m going! Magda, who has been expressionless all year, and Gilberta, who has been expressionless all year, headed for the kitchen with crisp faces. You''ve always wanted to try it on, haven''t you, Magda? You used Gilberta as an excuse. ''Don''t you have to wear it? ''I have plenty of opportunities to wear dresses.'' ''I see. ''If Yashiro says that Estella is the prettiest girl in the world and praises her sincerely, I can wear it. ''You''ll be embarrassed if I tell you. ''Well, how about that? Just the two of us in the large dining room. I like this atmosphere that only exists when I''m alone with Estella. It''s not a bad feeling to probe each other in an attempt to catch the other in the act ....... I was thinking of playing with that to kill time until Magda and Gilberta finished changing clothes. ...... ''...... losing the battle''. ''We decided to give up, we''. Magda and Gilberta came back over the counter in their original clothes. What? Where''s the dress? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. They both have cloudy expressions. ...... What the hell is this? ''Master Yashiro. Estella-sama ............, I would like to apologize for my rash words and actions today. ''I also apologize for being overly excited. I''m sorry. ''What''s wrong, you two? What''s wrong? The two of you who were so excited about being called cute just a moment ago, are now being beaten down together. ......?I''m not sure. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. ...... is coming. It''s coming! ''Oh, that ............''. Slowly, through the doorway that leads from the kitchen to the dining room floor, Ginette emerges. She is wearing the dress that Natalia was wearing earlier, which was made with a lot of room in the chest area. ............ ''Tits, booboo! ''Yashiro!I understand how you feel, but can you please refrain from being too direct? ''No, but, bo-oh-oh! ''I''m just saying! ''Oh, please don''t, both of you!I''m not a boob! says Jeannette, thrusting out her boobs. That. That dress. When Natalia wore it, the excess fabric was pinned up. Now it''s absolutely untouched. It looks like it''s going to rip off without any work! ''Honestly. I was a little overzealous.'' ''I''m still not as good as the ...... manager.'' ''No, you''re not!Natalia was beautiful, and Loretta was pretty too.You know?Isn''t that right, Yashiro-san? ''Ah. But Ginette has the biggest boobs! I''m not talking about breasts. ''Aah!It''s okay to talk about breasts! ''You''re changing the meaning!Please repent already! Afterwards, when I had calmed down a bit, I went to the back to help Natalia change, and Ukrines, Natalia, and Loretta convinced me to wear the dress just to put on the sleeves. ...... I was persuaded by Ukrines, Natalia and Loretta to put on the dress with the intention of just putting on the sleeves,......, but ............, I am sorry for the strange atmosphere. In the end, Ginette also took off her dress soon after. I didn''t get a chance to look at her too closely. I was too busy looking at the ......bo-bo-bo-bo ............ But that''s okay. It''s all about the boobs. 189-Later, the order of 17th episode, "Importanthusias... ''I think it was a lot of fun, I got to see some good stuff. Gilberta says in a good mood after Ukrines has left. Gilberta wears pants like a soldier, but a long skirt like Natalia''s might also suit her. I''d like to try it on her. ''Master Yashiro. Please refrain from looking at a woman like ''I''d like to undress her once''.'' ''I was thinking one step ahead of that! ''...... "One step beyond that"? ''No, no, no!I want Gilberta to wear a waiter''s uniform like yours! ''And ...... you want me to take it off? ''No, I don''t! Natalia''s fantasies are spreading rumors about me everywhere I go, as she runs off in the wrong direction when I try to catch her. You''re a nuisance! ''Gentlemen. Would you like something sweet? ''Oh, cream puffs. Can I have some? ''Yes. It''s a reward for your hard work in trying on dresses. Ginette looked at me and said enthusiastically. Are you trying to make an excuse? I''ve been telling you not to give away ...... products for free, and you''ve been telling me ...... In addition, I want Gilberta to know about the cakes in the 42nd district,......, so that we can expand our customers in the future,......... ...That''s right!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who is interested in this. ''Okay, okay, okay. Reward, huh? ''Yes! Once my permission was granted, Ginette happily started handing out cream puffs. Since you''re the manager, you should be more dignified. ............ However, I''m not going to let you waste your money. This time is special. ''...... Yashiro. Coffee.'' ''Oh, Magda made you some?'' ''...... Mmm.'' Magda puffed out her chest and sniffed confidently. You seem pretty confident, but I''m a tough judge, okay? I''m very particular about my coffee. ''Which ......'' I take a sip of the coffee Magda has brought me. ''Hmmm!It''s delicious! The taste of Jeannette''s coffee has been properly inherited. If Magda, who couldn''t drink coffee, was able to recreate this taste, it''s quite a feat. ''When did you master it, Magda? It''s amazing, isn''t it? ''...... Hmm. Actually, .............'' Magda puts her hand to the side of her mouth and beckons. When I put my ear close to his, he secretly told me something like this. ''...... Master, I didn''t.'' ''............ Huh?'' ''...... This coffee was made by the manager.'' ''What was that smug look on your face just now? ''......I was wondering if Yashiro would like Magda''s smug face. Service.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I was really admiring it for a moment. ...... Give me back my "awesome". I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... d*mn, I was fooled. ''It''s so good, this!It''s my favorite flavor! Gilberta says with a little too much excitement. She stuffed her mouth full of cream puffs and ate them in one bite. The cream is all over her mouth. Don''t eat it in one bite. ...... ''Gilberta, ...... wipe it off.'' ''Hmm?''Huh. ......'' No, no, no. Who told you to blow sweet-smelling breath on me. ''Wipe it off! ''Oh, God. You''re a child, you know that?'' ''Oh, no, no, no? Gilberta smears her mouth like a three-year-old. I pointed it out to her, but she didn''t even seem to notice. In fact, if you teach her too much, she might even wipe it off with the sleeve of her dress. ...... Yeah, that''s what he''d do. So I''m going to wipe his mouth with a dry cloth. Make sure it''s a clean one, okay?That''s what I carry around with me instead of a handkerchief. ''Hey, what are you doing, my friend Yashiro! ''You''re creaming like a kid.'' ''Yeah, I can do that, I can do that myself.'' ''I don''t trust you. ''I''m still the head waiter of the lord''s mansion. ''Oh, did I say that? Well, anyway. Lucia''s taste in people must have been very strong in her choice. He''s the kind of guy who abandons his duties in favor of his feelings of ''I want to go out and play''. He can''t possibly be proper. ''Hey, are you a ...... playboy for suddenly touching a woman''s lips, or is your friend Yashiro ......? Women ......? Oh, I''m sorry. I forgot to look at you from that perspective. You''ve got big tits, but you don''t seem like a woman to me. ...... Rather than a woman, you''re ............... ...sister? ''...... Yashiro has a proclivity to take on the role of a big brother to certain women. ''Hey, don''t call it a proclivity, Magda! What''s with that twisted sister-moe characterization? I have no such attribute. ''I see, is it Yashiro-sama''s s*xuality? Onii-chan... Wipe my mouth too~'' ''Oh, this store doesn''t offer that kind of service. ''Don''t say that. ''Don''t insist. ''That''s good, that''s good. ''Estella. ''I''m sorry. It''s out of my hands now. Don''t give up, master. You''d better discipline your own head waiter. See? ''Not at all. Can''t you at least say, ''I''ll lick off your cream, Natalia, since the cloth got dirty just now? ''But if I said that, you would be attracted, right? ''Of course you would. ''You''re a scary guy. What is that nasty trap like an insectivorous plant? If you get close to something that looks good, you''ll get popped. Wipe your mouth, I don''t want you looking at me like I''m a criminal. ''...... Ah, the cream. ''Today''s cream puffs are very lively. ''Don''t play with your food, you two. Magda and Loretta come up to me with cream all over their mouths. Can''t you guys eat normally? ''Yes, both of you. You can''t be too careful with your food.'' Ginette scolds them in an admonishing tone. ...... with cream on her cheeks. ''...... a gag of abandonment.'' ''Manager, when did you reach that level of ......?'' ''Huh?What are you talking about? Ginette''s guy ...... is a natural, isn''t he? ''You''re not very convincing. ''Huh? I wiped the cream from my cheek with my thumb, and a crazy voice rose up. It''s amazing how ...... natural it is to be able to come up with such a goofy joke. ''...... manager was wiped''. ''It''s definitely discrimination against boobs. I''m sure it''s limited to tits over E.'' Hey, Loretta. Don''t give out false information. I''m not discriminating like that. ...... for now. And Gilbetchan... But it''s really hard. If you take a bite out of it, you''ll get cream sticking out of your butt. ''What?Right after you eat it? ''It''s not mine!It''s from the butt of the cream puff!...... Don''t look at my butt! I was staring at Estella''s little ass and she turned her body around. I was looking at Estella''s little ass and she turned her body around. ''In the town I was in, they say that if you eat it with the puffy side down, the cream won''t stick out. ''Is that so?I''ll try it. I''ve seen such information on the Internet. Estella bites into the cream puffs with the puffy side down as she is told. The cream overflows at the same time. ''But when I tested it, it wasn''t so bad. ''You should have told me that first! Estella''s voice rises as she dips her chin in the cream. The dough in the puffy area must have been thinner than it should have been. It must have been a thin layer of dough where it puffed up, and the force of it caused it to overflow. ''Don''t be so angry. The cream sticking out is one of the best parts of cream puffs. ''...... What''s the best part? ''Here, don''t move. ''What ............? I pinch Estella''s chin and wipe the cream off with my thumb. ''Ya, palm ......! ............ Yeah. It''s kind of like a chin scoop. ...... You know, that thing where you scoop up your chin before you kiss. ............ I never meant to do that. I never meant to do that. ...... ''I see. I''m not sure what to do.You''re not right, are you, Yashiro? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ...... Don''t be embarrassed, you''ll get sick. ''Ya, Yashiro just took responsibility for his comments and wiped the cream off his face! ''...... cheating.'' ''It''s not fair! Magda and Loretta crowded in on Estella like a corner fish. ''...... You don''t even have tits, you''re passing the buck. ''Estella is supposed to be on this side!You have no tits! ''You guys are going to be mad when you ...... end up here, aren''t you? ...... So, I ain''t doing it, titty discrimination. For now. ''Is it natural daughter preferential treatment? ''...... Magda is natural and cute in some ways.'' ''If Magda is a natural, then most people will be natural! ''Before that, ...... I''m not a natural.'' ''''Oh, um, I''m not either ......, okay? ''''''Shut up, you natural two-top'''''' ''''What the hell is wrong with you? ''''Oh my god, you guys are terrible! Estella has finally been identified as the same as Jeannette. When I first met her, I thought she was a smart guy who could be tricky. ............ I''m still not a good judge of people. But I just want to say this. ''You guys should only go natural with boobs. ''I refuse! ''...... Estella is so graceful.'' ''I wish I could farm them. ......'' ''There are a lot of impossible things in this world. ''Shut up, Magda, Natalia, Loretta! Howls Estella, who does not understand the preciousness of natural products. It''s a shame, really. How dare you disparage natural products? ...... ''May Estella be haunted by her boobs. ''Will you stop it, please! ''Yashiro-sama. As expected, this is too much.'' ''There''s a possibility that it''s already haunted! ''...... gouty flabby ............ horrible''. ''Shut up, Natalia, Loretta, Magda!''And Magda, there''s not much difference! Estella howled. No, that''s not Estella at all. It''s Petagon the Pendulum Monster! This guy''s a lord. ............ It''s so peaceful in the 42nd district. ''I think it''s great, the 42nd district.'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that,'' said Gilberta, staring at the bustling crowd. ''You''re always this excited about boobs, aren''t you? ''You''re misleading the people of other districts!Everyone, please behave yourselves! Ginette shouted with a sense of urgency. It might not be long before the Forty-second Ward is recognized as the ''City of Boobs''. ''By the way, Gilberta. ''What is it, Onii-chan''s yashiro?'' ''Can you stop ......, rather seriously?'' This guy absorbs too much of everything. You''re not a tofu, are you? ''Where''s the carriage parked? ''The carriage? ''We''ll have time to get home, shouldn''t we head for the carriage before it gets dark? Gilberta hadn''t once said ''I''m leaving'' since we''d arrived here. But it wouldn''t do to stay too late. It''s almost time for the sun to set. If we take a carriage now, we''ll reach the 35th district by nightfall. ''No, no carriage. ''............ hmm? ''I''ve been walking, today.'' ''On foot? ''I ran a bit, actually.'' ''No, I don''t care about that!What, what?You''re walking home? ''I''m planning on it, I am. I''m planning on it, I''m not. I mean, there''s nothing else I can do. ...... I''m walking back to the 35th district now. .................. Oh, no, I can''t. It''s not just the middle of the night, it could be the worst part of the night. ''By the way, ...... can you run very fast ......?'' ''More than a carriage?Haha, that''s funny, my friend Yashiro.'' Hahaha. This one''s not funny at all~. ''Then what is it?Are you planning to stay at ...... today?'' ''No way. I can''t bother you that much, not in this store. I''ll be fine. I have a bit of a taste for the martial arts. No, ...... I''m sure that''s true, but ...... I don''t like the idea of leaving her alone in the middle of the night. ...... You see, Gilberta is a bit on the small side. ...... What?Molly is the CEO, right? ''...... Yashiro is demonstrating his big brother attribute again.'' ''My brother can''t help but be a big brother. I know him well. ''What are you talking about, even Loretta''s in the mix. I don''t have that kind of nature or attribute. I''m just a little curious about that ....... I can''t help it. I''ll give you a lift. ''What?...... Are you okay with that, Yashiro? Estella peeked at me with a puzzled look on her face. ''When you leave the 42nd district, the streets will be dark.Besides, you''ll be alone on the way back. ......?'' ''............'' It''s easy to imagine. Impossible. I''ll cry if I don''t have someone very reliable with me. Magda ............ is sure to fall asleep halfway through. It''s not a good idea to take Estella and Natalia with you ....... Asking Delia to ............ get someone else involved is also a good idea. ...... ''Um, Yashiro-san. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if Ginette saw me freeze up or not, but she made a suggestion. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ....... ''I don''t think that''s possible. ''I think so too, Ginette. It''s not realistic. ''Gilberta is Lucia''s favorite head waiter, the lord of the 35th district, and she came here today without permission. You can''t just keep him here. I''m afraid Lucia might get angry if I don''t send her back quickly. I have a feeling that even if I''m not at fault at all, she''ll blame me completely and completely. I''m sure she will. I have to send it back today. ...... ''My friend Yashiro: ......'' I''ve been thinking about how to send Gilberta back, whether there''s such a thing as a bike delivery service in this world, and whether I could make a fortune by starting such a service.As I was thinking about this, Gilberta called out my name with a serious expression. ''If it comes to it, I''ll do .............'' You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''...... Lucia-sama.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out.No, it''s not! I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on, but I''m not sure you can. ''Gilberta. I''m your friend, and you value your friends above all else, don''t you? ''I think I do, I do.'' ''Then you''ll listen to me more than your mother, won''t you? ''I think so, I do.'' ''Well, then, a friend is second only to a lord. ''After the lord ...... Lucia-sama ......?'' ''Yes. This will allow you to remain on friendly terms with us while faithfully performing your duties. ''But then, ......''. I run my index finger over my lips and make a little pensive gesture. Then, with a raised eyebrow and a serious look on his face, he looks at you. ''I''ll have your friend Yashiro in a bloodbath in a day or two. ''...... Yeah. Maybe Lucia will give you such an order, but ...... you see, I''ll be flexible somehow. ......'' ''Yoo-zoo?'' ''No, you know that word, right?I mean, you do. Learn it now.'' ''Forced translation magic'' shouldn''t be an untranslatable word. There''s no way ''flexible'' is the same as ''paiotzu. ''So, how about this? With a snap of her hand, Ginette smiles broadly. She looks like she has a great idea. ...... Well, Ginette would probably say, ''How about we take care of you all equally? I''m sure Ginette would say, ''How about I value you all equally? But that would make it impossible to predict which direction Gilberta would go out of control. It is a dangerous instruction. If you don''t have such instructions, you can make a reasonably good choice without anyone telling you what to do. ...... In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. It''s a good idea to take care of them in the order you think they are important. ''...... important?I''d like to ask if it''s important to me, I-'' ''Yes. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You can decide for yourself the order of your loved ones. He had just realized such an obvious thing. ''That''s great, I think!Then you won''t have to put off your loved ones and suffer the heartache, me too!Genius, my friend, Jeannette! Gilberta grasps Ginette''s hands and shakes them up and down. Gilberta is so excited and happy that Ginette looks a little annoyed. ''I give the utmost priority to my friend Ginette''s opinion, I do! ''Oh, um, ...... yes. In moderation, please.'' ''Let''s sleep together today, my friend Jeannette!For me! ''Yes ............ what? As soon as Ginette understood Gilberta''s words and froze, my thoughts also stopped. ......What?Do you want to sleep with me? ''I''m excited, for my first sleepover, I am! ''No, wait, Gilberta! If you value your loved ones, shouldn''t you go back to the 35th district immediately? Isn''t it important, Lucia? ''The most important thing is me, for me. ''No, that''s true, but ......''. ''So, I make it a priority, I do!I want to do what I think I want to do! ''Think about what''s bothering the people around you, huh? ''Of course I''m thinking about it, I am.'' ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ''I''m sorry, I am. I''m still thinking about it. I''m sorry, I''m still thinking about it.'' ''Don''t just think about it, you know? I think I may have awakened something awful in ....... What''s with this low-key stubbornness? ...... I can''t say anything bad in front of him. It''s getting more and more troublesome to update. Moreover, it seems that once you upgrade, you can''t undo it. ''I want to sleep in the shape of a river, I do!My friend Yashiro, my friend Ginette, and the three of us! ''Aaaaah! Jeannette screams. But, if you only look at it that way, it seems like a great proposal. Ginette and Gilberta. Sandwiched between the two big tits, it''s like an all-around low-resilience mattress. ...... I''d like to sleep in the middle, I do! You''re in the middle? ''...... Gilberta. That''s not allowed.'' ''Yes, it is!'' Magda and Loretta shouted in protest. ''...... Magda should do it first.'' ''I''ve never done it before either!We''ll take our turn! No, you guys were aiming for ...... me anyway. ''Oh,......, well, I''m Alvistan,......, and I''m not going to do that,......'' And then he glances at me, Jeannette. As soon as our gazes collide, my ears turn bright red. ''Oh, ......, that ............, today is ...... no good! ............'' ''I''m sorry to hear that,.......'' This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. ...... No, more importantly, what do you mean by ''today''? ............ You''ll be expecting it. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to let loose or be happy about it. This guy is. He''s what we call an ''adult''. I''m not the kind of person who takes promises seriously. ''Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak. ''You''re easy to understand, Yashiro. ......'' I don''t know what''s so easy to understand at all. That was just a bite. It''s hard to say, Gilberta. It doesn''t come out right away. ''Hark, Gilberta! I''d never say that. It''s a phrase that''s hard to get into your mouth. So it''s no wonder you chewed it, right? ............ really. This is no time for that. If we don''t get Gilberta home soon, this could turn into a diplomatic incident. Let''s try to persuade her seriously. ''Look, Gilberta. Think about it calmly: ......'' ''............ are you mad at me, huh?My friend Yashiro is. ''......Uh, no, I''m not ............ angry. ......'' No, no, no. I don''t like this kind of atmosphere and this kind of expression. It makes me feel like I''m torturing them. But that doesn''t mean I can''t indulge her. ...... ''...... Yashiro. I''ll take care of this.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''...... I see. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m not sure what to say. ...... If Magda and Loretta can be persuaded, that would be great. The girls might work better together, so I''ll leave it to them. ''...... Gilberta''. ''Daughter of the tiger. ''I''d like you to listen to me for a moment.'' ''Oh, ............ uh, ......'' ''It''s Loretta, isn''t it?I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions, but I don''t care if it''s a hamster girl. As expected of Gilberta, who can absorb more than Koya-Tofu. She''s already learned the right way to deal with Loretta. She is to be reckoned with. ''...... Gilberta. I know what you mean about wanting to put the fun first.'' ''Yes, I do. I know exactly what you mean. If I could, I''d work every day with a hexenbiest sausage in my hand. I''d also like the right to throw away my work when I''m having a good conversation with a customer. ''...... Loretta, shut up.'' ''Huh!I''m pissed off! ''......And, get your work done.'' ''Huh?This one has a more serious tone than before!The way you''re looking at me is a little scary!It''s not like Paula is just yelling at me! Magda is very strict when it comes to work. However, Loretta never slacks off either. She just tends to get a little carried away on duty. She''s just a little overzealous when she''s on duty. ............ Yeah. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... I''m not denying that you want to have fun. But there are rules in the world that you have to follow. Yes. People have to work. If you give up what you have to do because of temporary pleasure, you will become useless. That''s what Magda is trying to teach us. ''...... Magda is the best character in the river. This is non-negotiable. ''That''s a good guess, isn''t it? What?What did you want to teach me about pecking order? ''And I want to sleep with the letter ''skin''! ''At any rate, it''s impossible for the three of us! What kind of translation are you using, ''forced translation magic''?What''s the original word for that? ''And after that, it was me who followed ......''. ''Natalia, you shut up. The owner took care of the selfish blabbermouth behind the wheel. Good job, Estella. Keep disciplining her like that. ''I think you should protect them, in that order, I do. ''...... I knew Gilberta would understand.'' ''Good for you, Gilbertas!Sometimes patience is important. ''Then we''ll stay three nights. ............ Hmm? ''............'' ''............'' Gilberta''s face was crisp and full of ''I said it! In contrast, Magda looked back at me with a face like, ''What should I do, I''ve gotten worse. ......? I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Gilberta. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. It''s ...... outside.'' Ginette came up to me gently and looked out the window. The sky was already very dark. ...... Ah, I can''t do this anymore. ''...... Estella.'' ''Well, ...... I kind of had a feeling about that.'' Estella and I slumped our shoulders almost simultaneously and exchanged glances with troubled expressions. Well, you know. I''m sure you''re the only one who can share this kind of emotion with me. District 42 is too tranquil for better or worse. It''s hard work for those of us who are hard workers. ...... ''Can you take care of her? ''In the meantime, I''ll ask Natalia to write to you again, and then we''ll see each other tomorrow. ............ ''Haha ......, there''s only about a 20% chance that I''ll be forgiven, isn''t there? ''Haha. Do you think you''ve got double digits? You can''t avoid suffering. But if we''ve come this far, there''s no way we can leave. It''s going to be a very late night. We can''t let that happen. No matter how strong Gilberta is. ''Well, it''s just for tonight. ''Thank you, my friend Yashiro!Yes!Permission granted, my friend Yashiro! ''I''m happy for you, Gilberta.'' ''I''m glad, I am!It was my friend Jeannette''s idea!Thank you, I am! I''m grateful, I am!'' Ginette and Gilberta jumped happily, hand in hand. ...... Ahhh. Tomorrow is going to be a tumultuous day. It''s the day Lucia called me, and I can''t just run away. ...... ''But no river.'' ''I understand that, I do. I''ll take care of it, I''ll take care of it. ''......, Magda will see you today. ''Another time, then.'' ''............ Mmm.'' I don''t see how the three of us can sit on the river together when Gilberta is staying here. ''Ginette. Get Gilberta a bed for her.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll take care of it.'' ''...... Is Gilberta going to use the spare room?'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll have her do that.'' ''At ......, Magda will be ready for you.'' ''Is that so?Then, please do.'' As soon as Gilberta''s stay was decided, Magda began to prepare the room, and Loretta stood next to her with a look of ''I like it, I think I''ll stay here today too. ''Please wait, my friend Ginette and her friends. But Gilberta stops Magda when she tries to move. She takes Ginette''s hand and stares at her. It''s as if she''s begging ...... I''d like to be with you, I''m with my friend Ginette. I''m a friend of Ginette''s.'' Or rather, she was begging for it. There is no way that Ginette can refuse such a look at her. ...... ''I understand. Then please use my bed. She replied without showing any particular sign of thinking. I''m going to beg ...... me to do it too,...... and that''s what I''m thinking about. ''............Ginette''s bed............ am I allowed to use it, am I?'' Gilberta looked passionately at Ginette''s chest. Ginette''s bed. ...... Yeah, it''s low-resilient and looks really comfortable. ''Huh!This is not a bed. ''It looks so good, so comfortable. ''No, it''s not! ''Jeannette!I want to use Jeannette''s bed too! ''Yashiro-san, please repent! Why only me? You''re being unreasonable!I''m going to cry!I''m going to cry! ''Yes, fine, let''s sleep in the same bed together. ''Okay, I will!I''ve wanted to do something like that since I was a little girl! I''ve wanted to do it too!Since puberty! ''Well, we''re leaving. I''ve got a letter to write. ''I''ll arrange for it to be delivered tonight. ''Oh. Good luck, both of you.'' He walked Estella and the others to the exit. ''You''re taking on a lot of work, aren''t you? ''I''ll just jump in from the other side on my own. I''m not the mascot of some Edo village. Don''t jump on me, d*mn it. ''In any case, I sincerely hope that no more trouble will come to you. ......'' Tomorrow, I''m heading to the 35th district first thing in the morning. ...... I hope you''ll let me rest in peace tonight. --And, God forbid that even such a modest wish should be heeded. ............ In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''I want Gilberta to go home! The one who opened the door with a devilish look was Lucia, the lord of ...... the 35th district. ...... You guys should have a little more sense of your position. I''m sure you''ll agree. 190-Later, Lucia and Gilberta.Sometimes chickens~ I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... What are you guys doing, emptying out the territory? I''m not sure what to say.You''re safe!'' ''I''m fine, I''m fine. There''s nothing wrong, no problem.'' Lucia ran into the store and rushed straight to Gilberta and gave her a fierce hug. It''s an embrace so powerful it makes your bones creak. It''s like a mackerel fold, if you look at it another way. ''But what brings you here, Lady Lucia? ''I received a letter from Estella''s messenger, informing me of the details.'' Lucia takes out from her pocket a letter with the emblem of Estella''s house on it. It was clearly marked with a mark where she had crushed it with great force. It was crushed. It must be the letter that Estella had sent with her fast horse. It looks like she delivered it really fast. I didn''t expect that it would cause her to come in later today. ...... ''Did I worry you, sir? ''Of course not!How heartbroken I was!'' Lucia hugged Gilberta, burying her face in her hair. The end of her words are scratchy, conveying her grief. ''I sincerely apologize, I... I realized only after you pointed out that I had made a mistake in the procedure of what I should have done, foolish me. ''Good. ...... It''s okay. As long as you''re safe like this. ''It seems that I have misjudged the order of what is important. ''Mm...... you''re straightforward and a little too straightforward at times. There are times when you may take a wrong turn. As if to make up for not seeing her, Lucia embraced Gilberta''s body and held her close. It''s a great way to make up for lost time. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Hey, pervert. While saying this, Lucia reaches out to touch Gilberta''s antennae. But Gilberta skillfully avoids it. After all, it seems that she would never let anyone touch her without permission. ''When I read that letter, I understood that ...... all that''s wrong is that anchovy! ''How can that be? No, I knew it would happen! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why Gilberta came to us.Did you read it properly? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Don''t declare the most disgusting things with impunity! Scary!This man is really scary! Scary in a completely different way from what Estella said! ''It''s not your fault, my friend Yashiro.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, you can contact us at our own web site. I''m not sure what to do. ''You''re ......? ''Yes. We''re friends, me and my friend Yashiro. So is my friend Ginette.'' A sharp, piercing stare pierces me. Don''t give me that ...... scary look. ''I don''t want you to say anything bad about my friend. ''............ I see.'' Lucia''s hands tightened and her fists clenched. If Gilberta''s straightforward words were directed at her, she would have to admit it. ''Then I''ll hit you silently. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''Then I think it''s fine, me too. ''I don''t think so! There''s so much wrong with you! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''It''s not my fault! ''Then who''s to blame? I don''t know. I hope you didn''t conveniently skip over it. ...... I can''t help it. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web. ''Are you saying that you are more important than me? ''''That''s why!I went to a lot of trouble to explain that to him!I don''t think you have such extreme ideas anymore.'''' We quieted Lucia, who was pressing us, and we all turned our gaze to Gilberta. As we stare at her, Gilberta nods her head clearly. ''Hmm. I understand exactly what you''re talking about, I do. I will not misjudge what is important, from now on, I will''. ''I see. ......'' Lucia let out a sigh of relief and distanced herself from me. Whatever the case may be, this should settle the matter. As long as Lucia brings Gilberta home, the sleepover will be put to rest. Peaceful nights would return to the Sunken Pavilion. ''I''m the best. Suddenly, Gilberta pressed her chest and said those words. As soon as ...... I wonder why ............ a nasty sweat began to trickle down my back. ''My friend Yashiro is number two. My friend Jeannette is number three. ......'' I pointed to myself, Jeannette, and finally Lucia. ''Fourth and most important, Lucia...'' ''Anchovies! ''Why are you angry with me? Lucia, who had just moved away, attacked me again. Oh, this is so annoying! ''But I''ll do my duty, I will!That''s the order of the heart. ''I don''t care about my duties, raise the rank of my heart! ''No, I don''t care about my duties. ......'' I don''t know, ......, but I''m getting really worried about the future of District 35, even though it has nothing to do with me. Estella. As a fellow lord, you should say something to her. ...... I gave her a look, but she immediately turned away. ''Good evening~. Hey, is Yashiro there? A new visitor shows up without even reading the atmosphere at the sunny pavilion, which has been swept up in chaos. It''s the chicken-face Nepheli, who''s active even at night. ''Wah...... beautiful people............'' In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. She then looks at Gilberta and says, ''Oh, big tits......''. ''Yashiro. I''m not sure what to make of that. The beauty and the big tits is the only thing that matters. It''s not a beautiful woman with big tits. ''After all,......, the residents of the forty-second district begin their conversation by talking about boobs. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. However, she seems to be losing confidence in herself. ''Anchovy. Who the hell are you, ......?'' Nepheli stares at Lucia with a frightened expression. An aura of dignity wells up from Lucia''s back. ''What about the immensely beautiful woman with all her beastly features! ''You don''t feel any hesitation at all when it comes to your hobby, do you? I respect you a little.'''' The aura that surrounded Lucia instantly turned slightly pink. I felt like ....... I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say. I told you not to do that. ''The girl I want as my wife, number one this season! ''What?I am? Apparently, I''ve risen to the top of Lucia''s ranking. Wow~, I can''t tell how great you are at all. ''What should I do, Yashiro?Hey, what should I do? ''No, you don''t have to ask me. ......'' Why don''t you just go to your wife? In that case, Percy will be able to give you a sultry love story. ''Can''t you give me a tosaka, tosaka, tosaka? ''No, no, no, no, this is not good! ''Don''t say that! ''Hey, hey, Yasuroku. What the hell is this guy doing? ''He''s the lord of the 35th district. ''What the hell? His beak opens with a ''pucker''. That''s surprising. The lord of a district much higher than the 42nd district would be surprised to see a pervert in a place like this. Anyone would be surprised, and if they felt threatened, they''d punch him three times. ''God!Why is Yashiro gathering all these amazing people like that? ''Don''t ask me that. ''What can I say, Yashiro was born under a star where great people gather around him one after another. ''Stop it, seriously, .......'' Don''t put that in words. I feel like I''m under a curse. A curse that troublesome things will come swarming from the other side. You know what they say about spirits, they''re not to be trifled with. ''It''s an anchovy. Lucia comes at me with a snort. ''How dare you call on a young maiden this late at night! ''I didn''t call her. ''What if I''m spotted by a pervert? I''m sure you''ve just been spotted, here. You''ve come to the wrong place at the wrong time, Neffery. Gilberta. Your lord is indulging in a lot of lasciviousness. Shouldn''t you stop him? You don''t because you''re not told. You''re a modern boy. ''Maiden of the turban. Do not come to this man at this hour. Mistakes must be made.'' ''No, no!There''s no way ............ Yashiro and I are going to do that, right? No, there isn''t. No, there isn''t. Blink, periodically. ''But, well, ......, be careful on the road at night. It''s true that Neffery is a weak maiden. ''H......?'' ...... You''re not really leaking, are you, air? ''Ya,......, Yashiro, did you ............ look at me like that? What''s that? What''s he talking about? You look like a chicken. Although he is a beastman, Nephrite is not a strong man. In terms of combat power, he''s not that different from me. In other words, he is the bottom of the 42nd district. ...... I''m sorry, bottom of the barrel?Who''s the bottom of the barrel,......? I''m not sure what you''re doing here.What do you want?'' ''Oh, yeah. I''m your bodyguard today. ''Bodyguard?'' I looked around, but there was no one with Nephrite. ''Who did you bring with you? ''Huh?He''s not here!Why?'' Nephrite scurried around. Did you think he was following you?You''re not functioning as a bodyguard, are you? ''That''s funny. When we were talking at the store earlier, you said you wanted to go to the Sunlit Pavilion. But isn''t it dangerous when it gets dark?Especially since she''s so little. They haven''t installed glowing bricks around there yet. Nephrite goes on, looking around. Tell me the subject, tell me the subject. But that''s all the information I need. Is that why you didn''t come in? I don''t even know who that is. ...... I''ll go get him. I walked past Nephrite and Lucia, past Estella and Natalia, who were sitting back in their chairs nearby now that they didn''t have to send letters, and opened the door. When I walked out into the garden, the sky was already dark and the bricks were beginning to glow brightly. ''Hey! ''Miiii! A small girl was hiding behind a tree in the garden of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Milly. I''m not scared, come on in.'''' ''Ah, ...... ladybug-san, ............ you startled me.'' The presence of a stranger must have scared her too much to come in. I guess she hadn''t gotten over her shyness yet. ''The people who were in the ...... of ......''. ''It''s not a big group. Just the lord of the 35th district and his head waiter. They''re like Estella and Natalia, you don''t need to worry about them.'' ''Oh, they''re all great people. ......'' Is that so? They''re all a bunch of perverts, aren''t they? ''Oi, anchovies! ''Hey, ladybug! Even though I''m talking softly to her and calming her down, ....... When Lucia, who can''t read the air, shouted and opened the door violently, Millie was startled and clung to me. I''m sure she''s on the verge of tears. ''Hmm?A ladybug?'' ''Huh?A snail or a sardine ......? No, I''m not either of those. ''What is it, Lucia? Don''t scare me.'' ''What are you doing leaving in the middle of a conversation?Go back! You went off on a big tangent there! ''By the way, who''s that little girl? ''Hmm?Ah, that''s .......'' ''Oh, Millie. There you are.'' Just as I was about to introduce Millie, who was hiding behind my back, Nepheli popped up from behind Lucia. Hearing Nepheli''s voice, Millie peeked her face over my shoulder. A large ladybug hair ornament sways on her head. Her two antennae swayed in time with it. ''You''re the number one girl I want as my wife this season! ''What?I''ve been ranked down! Nephrite, who had been number one until a moment ago, unexpectedly dropped down the rankings. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''Anchovies!Give me that pretty girl! '' I guess. I''m losing respect for you every second. ......'' Estella''s previous information is totally unreliable. I wonder if Lucia''s heart would burst in less than three days if she lived in the 42nd district? ''This girl is the flower specialist I told you about the other day. ''Oh, you''re the one. ...... Hmm. I understand. The pure heart that loves flowers seems to be expressed in her expression. It''s so cute! The last word ruined it for me. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can see it. He''s just trying to praise Millie. She has the judgment of Umaro in front of Magda. In other words, it doesn''t matter what it is, as long as it''s cute. ''Ah, ah''s ...... what, oh nothing? ''Ah. In the 35th district, there''s a flower garden where you can drink delicious honey.'' ''What the hell? Millie reacted more sensitively than ever to the word ''garden''. ''I like ...... I want to see ...... a flower garden ............''. She put her hands on her cheeks and stared at the sky with a puzzled expression. It''s rare for Millie to show this kind of expression. The garden with its various flowers may be a paradise for Miri. ''You should come and see it. ''Yeah, ......, but ......, the 35th district is a long way .......'' ''Tomorrow, these people will be coming to District 35. You can ride with them in the carriage. ''Yeah, ...... but ............'' Millie glanced at me. From the look in her eyes, I''m sure she''s thinking ''I want to go there'' and ''I want to see it''. ''Can you take tomorrow off work? ''Yeah, ............, hmm. You can ask someone from the guild to take over for you ......,......, but ......''. ''Then why don''t you come with me?Me, Jeannette, Estella, and the four of us.'' ''............ are you sure?'' ''Of course.'' I said, and Jeannette nodded softly. Next to her, Estella is smiling. Estella''s carriage can carry four people. Lucia has given us a condition this time, that it must be a small group. We''ll leave Natalia behind. There''ll be room for Millie. Worst case scenario, she can ride in my lap. I''m sure Miry will be fine. No, I''d rather be proactive about that. ...... I''ll get the carriage. You should sit as far away from the anchovy as possible. It''s a b*tc*.'' ''Who''s bossy, boy? I won''t let you get away with it just because you''re my lord. No, I didn''t from the start, but I won''t hold back one bit. I don''t care what you do, you can''t hurt me. ''So that''s why, anchovy. Lucia''s expression tightens, and she begins to exude the dignity of a lord. Her gaze is sharpened, and she turns to me. ''Bring Wentan with you! ''You''re ruining my dignity! How much do you like that, Wendy? ''I''d like you to meet the person I''ll be taking you to tomorrow. I want you to meet the person you''re going to meet tomorrow, the one who''s going to marry a human, a subspecies of ............, and a member of the Bug People. It seems that Lucia is voluntarily trying to avoid using the words ''sub-lineage'' and ''subspecies''. Such a change in consciousness will surely have a positive effect on the world in the future. He wants to change it, too, the annoying relic of a bygone era. The dark worldly feelings that lurk in his subconscious that he can''t do anything about. ''All right. I''ll go and talk to him now.'' ''Yes. Make sure you get it done.'' Well, I guess I''ll go see him now. The road to Theron''s is clear. But just in case. ''Estella, can I come with you? ''Can''t you say ''please'' honestly, can you? ''Magda and Loretta have work to do. ''I have a job too!...... I can''t help it, I''ll go with you. I can''t take Magda and the others out because I have to go to the store. The rush for dinner is about to begin. ''I''m sorry, but I can''t accompany you, I have to prepare for tomorrow. Natalia bows her head. The lord is going to another district, so there must be some preparations. Well, if it''s just to go to Theron, Estella and I will be fine. As long as you don''t find yourself alone on the streets at night, that''s fine. ''Well, Gilberta. We''re leaving.'' ''.......'' Lucia''s words made Gilberta''s eyes roll back in her head. Her surprise infected the people around her, and the air froze. ''What are you surprised about? I''ve come for you. Come on, there''s a carriage waiting. Get ready.'' ''No, ......, but you''re staying the night today. ...... I am.'' ''No.'' ''No,'' he declared, as if he had no choice. This is not an atmosphere that can be persuaded. In the first place, he has come here without permission, abandoning his duties. It would be impossible for him to be even more selfish in a situation where the lord himself has come for him. ''............'' I think he knows that. Gilberta turned her head and pursed her lips. ''I can''t argue with that. ''Gilberta has some work left to do. By the end of the day. It is also your responsibility.'' ''............ Yes.'' A heavy, very heavy voice. Even a hint of despair. Next to Gilberta, Ginette looks like she''s about to cry. Magda and Loretta could not say anything, but only looked worried. ''............ Yes''. Once again, Gilberta replies in a hoarse voice. Her second reply may be a signal that she has made up her mind. In other words, Gilberta has given up. An unpleasant atmosphere prevails. ''............ I''m sorry for the inconvenience, I... Let''s go to the carriage. ...... d*mn it. Why is it that I''m surrounded by such a handful of people? ............ ''Gilberta''. He stopped Gilberta as she walked off with her head down. She stops but doesn''t look back at you. Does she think that if she looks back, it will leave a lingering impression? Regardless, I talk to Gilberta''s back. ''I''ll make sure to invite you this time. Her head bounced slightly, and her bent back slowly straightened. ''Yes, that''s right!I''ll invite you properly, so please finish your work, don''t worry about your future, and come visit us. ''Will you ...... invite ............ me, my friend Yashiro, and my friend Ginette?'' Gilberta turns her head slightly towards me. You can''t see their expressions yet, but their voices are somewhat brighter. ''This is an invitation from me, Ginette, and the entire staff of the Sunlit Pavilion. We will not tolerate any rudeness that would cause us to refuse. ''...... my friend Yashiro''. Finally, Gilberta turned to look at me. Her eyes were shaking with anxiety, but her ...... mouth was relaxed with happiness. ''If you have trouble persuading your master, tell me. I''ll help you.'' ''Me too!...... I''ll help you in any way I can, okay?'' ''...... Magda''s got some skin, and Loretta''s got all her clothes off. I''m not sure why I''m naked.I''m not sure if I''m the only one. The employees of the Sundaily Pavilion lined up to see off the guests. Then, Ginette, representing Hidamari-tei, expressed their feelings on behalf of everyone. ''We are sincerely looking forward to seeing you again. A smile spread across Gilberta''s face, and she turned her gaze to Lucia. Looking directly at the big smile on Gilberta''s face, Lucia quickly turned her face away. You can take that as consent. You were smiling so happily that I couldn''t find anything to say in response. That''s why I let you out of my sight. As long as you get your work done, I''m sure you''ll get your permit. "Gilberta. The lord of the forty-second district spoke to Gilberta instead of the lord of the thirty-fifth district, who did not speak. ''A lord and a waiter are bound by trust, you know. Right, Natalia? ''Yes, it is. If there is something you wish to ask of the Lord, I think it would be best to show your sincerity by fulfilling your duties.'' ''Sincerity: ...... fulfilling duties: ............ Indeed, I think you''re right, I am.'' ''Besides, you know better than anyone how big Lucia-san''s capacity is, don''t you? Estella''s words may have had an effect on Lucia, who gave a small ''...... hmm'' snort. That''s like an affirmation already. ''Lucia-sama ......? ''I don''t know what the future holds. The ....... I trust you. More than anyone else.'' ''Yes, sir!I feel the same way, too! They must have a strong relationship of trust that cannot be measured by others. It may not be often that we have such conversations, but now that I have put them into words again, something has changed. Especially in Gilberta''s mind. The confidence in her eyes is evident. The head waiter, who has always been good at faithfully following orders from others, is now trying to take action on his own initiative and for his own sake. And the Lord is happy to see such growth. I felt that. ''I will definitely answer the invitation, I will. With proper permission, I will come again, to this place! ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting for you. ''Mm!I want you to wait for me, I think. The glittering eyes look at me. You look really happy. ''And when you do, will you sleep with me, my friend Yashiro? ''If I do that, I''m going to get murdered from all sides. ...... Can you please stop saying that, even if it''s a joke? It is inevitable that you will receive a severe scolding from Lucia as well as other people. Right now, at this moment, you''re getting a lot of stares. ''Come visit me like normal. Get your work done.'' ''All right!I''ll do my best, I will! He clenched his fists with both hands and nodded loudly. And then, with an uncharacteristically light gait, he walked off to lead Lucia. Just before we started walking, Lucia looked at me. There was a slight hint of resentment in her gaze,...... but it was the kind of gaze that says, ''You know what will happen ...... if you misbehave with Gilberta? That''s the look. In other words, ''take care of Gilberta''. He''s a pretty sweet lord, after all. ''I''ll be waiting for you tomorrow. With that, Lucia left. ''Well, I''ll go to Wendy''s for a while. ''Yes, sir. It''s getting dark, so please be careful. ''Don''t worry, I''ll be right behind you. ''...... Yashiro. Watch out for Estella.'' ''What do you mean, ...... Magda? ''Oh, are you going to attack me ......? ''Why would I do that? ''While Estella is playing with Magda and Loretta, I''ll talk to Nephrite and Milly. ''Sorry I can''t be there for you. Well, take your time.'' ''Yeah. Take care, Yashiro.'' ''Oh, ......, have a good day! Nephrite and Milly wave at me. ''I''ll leave you to your dinner time then. ''Yes, sir. I''m in charge. ''...... Magda will be fine.'' ''I''ll do my best too! All three of them looked like professionals. Aside from Ginette, the other two have also become more reliable. You don''t have to worry so much when you go out. After being seen off by these people, I left the sunny pavilion. I walked under the darkening sky, feeling the eyes of the crowd on my back. I part company with Natalia on the way and head for Theron''s brick workshop. When we entered a narrow alley from the main street, Estella muttered to me without looking at me. ''I wonder what will happen. ''You mean tomorrow?Or the coming forty-two districts?'' ''I guess both, .......'' ''Neither. Then it''s not ...... ''What will be will be.'' ''...... Yeah. I guess. I''m anxious. But I''m not afraid. If you keep moving forward, someday you''ll get somewhere. Life is like that. It''s not something you can predict. Even when you''re walking down a dark road, it''s reassuring to know that there''s someone nearby. Life is probably like that, too, I thought. 191-Later, the 19th story is a good boy and girl. ''...... Welcome back.'' ''............ Magda, did you bite me, now?'' ''......What are you talking about?'' ''Oh, ...... I did it on purpose.'' When Estella and I returned from Theron''s place, Magda greeted us with a beastly tone. The peak of the dinner time had passed and the night was getting late. There were no customers in the restaurant, and it was likely to be closed for the day. So, this must be some kind of a game. ''When did it start, the beast girl fair? ''It''s a service for Yashiro-san and Estella-san who worked hard. Ginette comes out of the kitchen. She holds a tray in her hand and walks over to us. ''I''ve prepared the dinner for you. Please eat. It was night. I was just about to get hungry. ''Estella-san, if you don''t mind. ''Is that okay?That would be great. I''m starving.'' Estella was ready to take him up on his offer. In that case, you should decline saying ''No, the time is also the time''. Around Kyoto, you''ll be served ''bubuzuke''. Well, in Ginette''s case, I''m sure there''s no such nuance at all. ''Have you guys eaten already? ''Yes. We''ve had it.'' ''...... Today''s pasta was excellent.'' ''Hmm, thank you very much.'' Ginette looks pleased at the praise for her cooking. Since we had been talking for about an hour at Theron''s place, it seemed that everyone else had already finished their meals. Well, it is the fate of those who work in restaurants that the number of customers increases during dinner time, so the time of eating is inevitably delayed. It is very difficult to have a meal together except for breakfast at church. ''Hey, big brother. The manager taught me how to make coffee. Try it. Hmmm... ...... Loretta still hasn''t mastered ''nya''? Change that ''nya'' to ''ja'' and you''ll sound like an old lady. Like ''desuja''. I take a seat and a cup of coffee is placed in front of me. Ginette puts a cup of tea in front of Estella. Estella prefers tea to coffee. ''I''d like to hear your honest opinion. In the morning, Magda brought me Ginette''s coffee, which she pretended to have made herself, but this time it seems that Loretta really made it. This time, it seems that Loretta really made the coffee. Loretta is looking at me with a nervous expression. ''Which......'' Sip on Loretta''s brewed coffee. ........................ Bitter! ''......You,what did you do?'' ''Huh?What?Um, well, I used the brewing method that the manager taught me as a base. ......'' ''''Based on'''' ......? ''J, make your own arrangement: ......'' ''Don''t do anything unnecessary! ''Nyahuhu!My brother''s mad at me! It''s not a ''nya'', it''s a ''nya''! First, stick to the basics!Arrangement comes after that!Don''t say ''arranged'' or ''original'' until you''ve been practicing for ten years! ''As punishment, drink it all. ''No, I can''t!Even the regular one is bitter! So you''re aware that it''s bitterer than normal, right? ...... ''You should learn to taste it before you brew it. Until then, it''s forbidden. It''s a waste of beans. The demand for coffee has been increasing recently, you know. Coffee jelly is now a popular menu item at the Sunlit Pavilion. We can''t waste coffee beans either. ''Is it so bitter that you can''t drink it? ''Not so much, but I don''t see the point in drinking it. ''Oh, I''ll do it this way then!Add lots of milk and honey to ......! ''That''s why you shouldn''t arrange it like that! I can''t drink more sweetened coffee. ''Yashiro-san. Shall I go make you some more coffee? Ginette asks, looking at Loretta''s failed attempt. Loretta''s coffee is not very drinkable at all. ............ ''No, I''m good with this. I can''t bear to waste the beans. ''Hey, big brother! Suddenly Loretta is hugging my neck. What''s with you all of a sudden? ''I''ll make it work this time!I''ll make sure you drink the good stuff! ''Ah, yes, yes. If you do as you''re told, you''ll be able to brew something reasonable.'' ''I''ll make a good one, not a mediocre one! That''s why you make mistakes when you put too much effort into it. ''I see you''ve found the meaning of drinking. Estella says knowingly with a cup of tea in her hand. What''s the point of drinking? It''s a waste of beans, that''s all. ''...... Yashiro is sweet. ''Oh, so that''s why you can drink bitter coffee.'' What''s that? You think you''ve said it well? ...... Don''t grin. If I throw away this coffee, Loretta will be very disappointed, that''s all I''m thinking about. It''s bad, but it''s not undrinkable. Of course she''ll drink it. And I''ll tell her how bad it is. Don''t make that mistake again. ''Hey, it''s bad.'' ''It''s terrible!Well, this coffee may not be good, but...!But I can make other things delicious! ''Get away from me while I drink my coffee. ''No!I''m not leaving until you say, ''It''s good! No, you''re Loretta. Are you sure you want to say ''oui-ita''? ...... ''What would you like to eat, both of you? I''m not sure. I had just finished a cup of coffee that made me feel like I couldn''t catch my breath, when I was asked what I wanted. I hadn''t decided what I was going to eat at all, but ...... ''Well, I''ll have the excellent pasta. ''Oh, I''ll have the same. ''Yes, sir. Please wait a moment. Ginette bowed and went into the kitchen. Estella is relaxing with a cup of tea, but I can''t relax at all because I''m obsessed with Loretta. We''re not going to stay like this until the food comes, are we? Magda is staring at me and Loretta, who is wrapped around my neck. ''...... Actually, the manager was eating the same thing as Magda.'' ''Pasta?'' ''......Yes.'' Recently, pasta has been gaining popularity. It''s heartbreaking to think that when it was first released, it was treated as a second-tier product. ''...... I mean.'' The corner of Magda''s expressionless mouth lifts in a ''grin''. ''......Loretta is the only one left out.'' ''Huh!I had an omelet today, by the way. ''What''s wrong with that? ''I don''t like it!Manager!Pasta for me too, please! As if she had remembered, Loretta ran into the kitchen with her beastly daughter. ...... Don''t eat dinner twice. ''Magda. You''re amusing yourself, aren''t you?'' ''...... Loretta is, pretty.'' Magda responds to Estella''s sigh with a satisfied ''mmm. ''Are you the type to tease your juniors or ...... your favorite girl? ''Loretta, don''t do that. I''ll give you a bite later.'' ''No, I''m getting hungry after ordering. I can eat one serving! ''...... Don''t eat two servings of bribes. I''ll take your money.'' ''Nyonyou!I''ll take care of closing the store, preparing the bath, and locking the door before going to bed!I''ll work to pay for the pasta! ''Loretta, you''re desperate. ......'' Estella and Magda are smiling at Loretta as she makes a strong argument. I don''t know if ...... Loretta is loved or tormented. I''m sure she''s a well-liked and tormented character. ''Yashiro. I''m not sure what to do. ''No, I mean, ......''. If you''re going to work, I don''t mind feeding you pasta. ...... Or, rather, I''m sure Jeannette will feed you whatever you want. ...... But I''m more concerned about something else. ''Loretta. Are you going to stay? ''Huh? ''No, I''m just saying I''m going to lock up and get ready for a bath.'' ''I was ready to stay the night when Gilbet-chan said he was staying the night, you know? ''No, no, no. Gilberta, you left.'''' Instantly, Loretta''s eyes became a size larger and moistened. ''''My heart is already in sleepover mode!It''s too sad to leave with this excited feeling! ''No, no, you can stay here!You can stay here, but I was just wondering why. ...... Oh, God!Magda, go get Loretta her nightgown! ''...... Got it.'' ''Aww!I love you and Magda! Huh, I''m surprised. ...... You don''t have to cry about anything: ...... ''Is it really that sad that you''re going to stay here and then it''s not going to happen? ''Of course it is!It''s enough to make your eyes go black for a moment.'' ''Is it like that? ''''That''s how it is! Loretta''s eyes are serious. She has the eyes of a puppy who knows she''s about to be abandoned. Oh, so it''s that bad. If that''s the case, Gilberta must have felt pretty lonely. ...... I''ll give him a little service tomorrow. I don''t know what would make him happy,......, but I''ll do something for him. ''Hmm. You''re nothing in front of a girl''s tears, aren''t you? ''No, you''re not. ''Maybe next time I''ll cry too. If it makes you feel better. ''Doesn''t crying falsely get you in trouble with the ''Judgment of Spirits''? ''Well, I''ve never tried it.'' I''m sure Estella has never used false crying as a weapon. She doesn''t use that kind of trickery. She''s a too straightforward and stupid lord. ''Then Miss Estella!I''m sure he''s never done anything like that before. ''Yes, ......, the meaning of ''without'' is different.'' ''Yes, but... But if you say ''meow'', you''ll be nicer to your brother. ''Yeah, what?Do people have that image of me? ''Yes, you do. ''That''s why you say yours is a bit like a grandmother''s.'' ''Are you serious? Hmm. She wasn''t aware of it. It''s not something I''d bother to teach. ...... "The proper way to speak feline is like this! "Is it like this? "Wrong!More cute!Put your heart into it! "Yes! ...... It''s a stupid scene, that one. I''m sure Magda can teach you if you need it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. .................. But, don''t you think?What is that, torture? As if to drown out the unpleasant thoughts, the bouncing voice of Jeannette can be heard. She brings in a pasta dish that is described as ''excellent'' with dancing steps from the kitchen. ''It''s Neapolitan. A red pasta dish is placed on the table. It is a Neapolitan with a tomato-based sauce, in the style of Yodamari-tei. Sliced sausage and a slightly large green pepper add a nice accent. ''We did it,'' Estella said, clapping her hands in delight. ''You look happy. ''Yeah. It''s a little sweet, but I like it a lot, this pasta. ''I''d put Tabasco on it. We make our own Tabasco. Soak the chili in hot water with a little lemon and salt, let it sit for a while, and then grind it with vinegar. When the mixture is thick, grind it to make it smooth to the tongue. It''s a simple and easy way to make Tabasco. ''I''m not a fan of that,......, it hurts my tongue. ''I don''t like it either,.......'' The adult stimulus, which children cannot understand, is generally well received by Torbek''s carpenters and other old men. It is no exaggeration to say that thanks to him, the supporters of pasta have increased. Sipping sweet and spicy Neapolitan in a sunny restaurant with no customers. ''Could you please not sip it noisily? The tomato sauce splashes and stains Estella''s clothes, and Ginette happily reports, ''Grandma Mum said that since we started serving pasta, the number of stain removal jobs has increased. They continued to eat, talking about nothing, and finished the meal in no time. ''So, Mr. Yashiro. What did Wendy say? When I had finished my meal and Estella had finished hers, Ginette asked me while making tea. She must have been waiting for us to eat. I like this kind of casual consideration, don''t you, Ginette? Learn from her, the women and children around you. ''Theron has to attend a meeting of the china guild tomorrow, so he can''t make it. ''And you, Wendy? ''No, I told him Lucia personally asked me to come along, and he said he''d come alone. ''I see. Now, I''m sure Lucia-sama won''t be upset. Lucia will be upset if Wendy isn''t here. ...... Well, I suppose that''s true, but I suppose this call has something to do with ''who I want you to meet''. Perhaps he decided that he should meet her. From this, we can expect that the person we will meet tomorrow will be a beastman ...... who has a deep connection with humans. Maybe it''s not a pleasant story. I don''t know if I can take Jeannette with me. ............ ''......?Is something wrong?'' ''No.'' I stared at him. Ginette tilted her head curiously. This guy has a tendency to be overly sensitive to people''s negative emotions. It''s unsettling. ''By the way, I was wondering...'' Estella asks Jeannette, wiping her mouth after eating. ''What did Millie want? She walked to the sunlit pavilion at night with Nepheli as her bodyguard. ...... Well, Nepheli was the one who volunteered to do it. He must have had some business to attend to. ''Actually, sir. A smile bloomed on Ginette''s face, as if she had been waiting for that question. ''Millie-san gave me something good. Then, Ginette put a small package on the table. It was about the size of a candy ball, covered with a paper wrapper - it was indeed a candy ball. ''Millie says she grew the flowers from Becco''s place and made them with the nectar from the flowers that are not honey. ''What about ..................? ''So, Millie-san is Becko-san''s ......''. ''......She got a plant from Becco''s house and is now growing it near her house. ''He said he was able to get a lot of nectar from the flowers. Magda and Loretta explained to supplement Ginette''s words. In other words, Millie made candy balls from the nectar of the flowers she grows at home. I didn''t need to tell you about Becco. These candy balls are the result of her hard work. It will taste better if you think so. Impurities like Becco should not be included in this story. ''Can I try it? ''Yes, sir. It''s very tasty.'' ''Have you tried it? ''...... It was delicious.'' ''It''s sweet enough to make your cheek pouches swell with happiness.'' They all ate it. d*mn it, while I was gone. Let''s open the package. It''s a little whiter than honey. It is about the size of the first joint of the little finger. There is no aroma and the surface is a little sticky. It feels very homemade. When I put it in my mouth, ...... mmm. It''s not too sweet. It''s not richly sweet like honey, but rather lightly sweet. I guess it tastes like this because they use nectar directly from the flowers, not honey. Honey contains enzymes secreted by bees, which gives it a more concentrated sweetness than nectar from flowers. It is also yellowish in color due to the pollen. Millie''s nectar candy does not contain any of these ingredients, but only pure nectar. This is a new taste. I wonder if the nectar I sucked as a child tasted like this. ''It''s delicious. ''Yeah. I think I like it too, this taste. Estella seems to like it too. ''If we can mass produce this, we could make a fortune. ''I don''t think Milly would think of that, though. ''That''s why we''ll have to back you up, ......! ''Millie said that it''s better to make it once in a while with what you can get. Oh, yeah, ...... that''s too bad. It''s a shame. But Millie loves flowers more than anything. She wouldn''t mishandle them for the sake of nectar. ''Besides, I heard that you can''t get much of it. ''Well, there''s only a little nectar in each flower. ''...... is a shame. ''It would be nice if there was a flower somewhere that produced more nectar than it needed. Magda and Loretta are frustrated. But ............ A flower that overflows with more nectar than it needs: ............ ''Can you use that? ''Oh, that thing!Yeah. That could be good.'' ''Yes, it would. If I can use it, I can make a lot of things. The flower gardens of District 35 are filled with flowers that produce a surprisingly large amount of nectar. If we can use them, mass production is not a dream. It tastes good, too. ...... It will sell! ......But Lucia won''t allow us to use it for business, so even if we could make it, it would probably be for gift-giving. I don''t eat candy anymore unless I have a sore throat, but when I was a kid, I used to eat it all the time. You can make them from sugar or fruits, so I might try to make some. If I can make colorful candies, I''m sure the kids will love them. Maybe I should try it. I was vaguely thinking about this as I rolled the crunchy, simple sweet candy around in my mouth. When the meal was over, Estella hurriedly left. I guess Estella has her own preparations for tomorrow. I''d better get some sleep too. I''m not good at waking up early. ''Mr. Yashiro. Hot water, after you.'' ''Is it okay? ''Yes. I''m going to finish preparing for tomorrow. Ginette is going to prepare the food for the whole day tomorrow. We have a donation to make to the church, so we won''t be able to finish in the morning. ''Do you want to help? ''No, I''m fine. Magda and Loretta are going to help me.'' ''...... indeed.'' ''I''ll leave it to you like I''m on a big ship! Magda and Loretta struck a pose together and held their heads high. You''re being very cooperative today. ''......Make a good impression, or better yet, ............'' ''......Muh-huh,sir.'' ...... I know you''re up to something. Ginette. Don''t give these guys too much work. They''ll be indebted to you. ''Well, I think I''ll go rest first. ''Oh, big brother!I''ll carry the hot water for you!I''m stronger than you! ''Is that so?Then, please.'' ''Yeah. Take care of Loretta, the good girl who can be trusted. ''...... What? ''It''s nothing. Just a little bit of ''I want to be with you'' is all I need.'' ''............ No, I''m not sure.'' ''...... Loretta. Sh~'' ''Huh!That''s right. My brother is a very cautious person, so it''s dangerous to talk too much. ...... It''s nothing! ''No, you can''t say ''nothing'' in this flow ......''. Well, if it''s nothing, then I don''t care. I''ve got it!I''m not sure.I''m not going to go through with it, even if I detect an aura of begging like that. ''...... Yashiro''. ''What is it?'' ''...... I''ll go wash up later.'' ''I refuse to do that! ''...... Magda''s body is ............ foamy.'' ''I don''t know!Why are you washing me? ''Yashiro-san, ...... eh, please repent.'' ''If you''re not sure, don''t tell me!You also thought for a moment, ''Hey, I can''t help but tell Yashiro-san about this ......''! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. You don''t have the option to warn Magda? ...... You spoil her. ''Just let Magda help Jeannette. And Loretta, take care of the hot water when you get it.'' ''...... Got it. Magda is a good girl to have by your side. ''I get it too! ............ Let''s see, through, through. I put a big tarai in my room and ask Loretta to fill it with hot water. After Loretta left the room, I slowly bathed in the hot water. I couldn''t soak my shoulders in it, but it was quite pleasant. I can almost guess what Magda and Loretta are thinking about. ...... Well, one of these days I''m going to take a day off from work and go play. ...... ...... How''s it going? "I''m not getting much of a reaction. ...... Yeah. You can hear the hushed conversation from behind the door. ...... It sounds so clear that I wonder if they''re doing it on purpose. ...... should practice how to subtly make him feel like it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. "...... I understand. ......''Big brother. I feel like I could be an E-cup if I went to the 35th district. ''...... Really? That''s awesome. Let''s go together. It''s perfect! ...... That''s fine for Yashiro. But there''s Estella in the carriage too. I''m not sure what to do.I''m sorry!I forgot that part! He''ll never forgive ...... Loretta for growing breasts. I''ll think of something else to do. I''ll think of something else. ...... It''ll be better if it''s more unstoppable. I''m not going to be able to stop it. ............''Big brother. I think I may have dropped a knife in the 35th district! ''...... I can''t cook without a knife. Let''s go get it together. It''s perfect once again! ''...... Hmm. I''m sure Yashiro will love this ....... Door, open. ''I''m not taking you with me, okay? ''What?My brother! ''...... Why are you here? No, no, no. It''s right in front of my room. I opened the door and stuck my head out into the hallway to find Magda and Loretta sitting in front of the door having a stupid strategy meeting. ...... I thought you were talking there on purpose to make me listen. ...... Why are you both so seriously surprised? ''No, you see, this is not ............ something that I was doing ......... ......... Oh, that''s right!It''s just a peek! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ''Huh?I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Magda is in charge of stopping Loretta. ''Muhaha!I''m not sure what to do.It''s not fair that I''m the only one trying to escape the damage! ''...... Yashiro, are you alright?Magda was worried. ''That''s not fair!It''s not fair! Oh, this is so annoying. After all, I''ve been soaking in hot water and I''m looking like crap on this side of the door, aren''t I? Of course, I''m hiding behind the door so that they can''t see me. ...... ''Anyway, I get it. Go help Jeannette. See? ''Mwah!Trust me, sir!I''m not!I''m not doing anything weird! ''Bha!Don''t hold the door!If you open the door now, we''re in trouble! ''Trust me, sir! ''All right!All right, get away from the door! ''...... kiping, sensing.'' ''Oh, Magda. You''ve been noticed, help .......'' ''...... Loretta, I''ll join you.'' ''Oh, no! Oh no! I''m holding a small towel around my waist with one hand, and I''m only using my right hand to close the door. If Magda gets serious, she''ll be pulled out of ...... the room! ''If you are a good girl who listens to me, you will get a day trip with Jeannette! ''...... Loretta. Don''t embarrass Yashiro. I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. ''Well, what the ...... hell, I can''t do it tomorrow.'' I know these guys are working hard. I''m sure Ginette will be flexible for them. It won''t be a problem if we make a promise here. ''Let''s all go out together again when we''re done with this and that. This time, let''s go a little farther.'' ''Hey, big brother! ''Hey!Don''t come over here!I''m naked now, okay? ''Hey!Hey, big brother, what were you doing hiding from us? ''I was taking a bath!I was using the hot water you brought me! ''Oh, that''s right. How quickly you forget! Finally realizing my condition, Loretta retreated very far away with a bright red face. It''s too late to be embarrassed! The smell of hot water is so fresh! I shouted as I evacuated to the corner of the hallway. It''s a great sense of smell! ...... No, you can at least smell the hot water, at this distance. ''...... yashiro''. In contrast to Loretta, Magda does not show any signs of impatience. She is standing in front of the door, looking straight up at you. ''......Thank you.'' It sounded a little embarrassed. Maybe she''s a little embarrassed that she was seen to be begging, and that her wish was so readily granted. ''............ The flanks are pretty good too. ''Where are you looking? I was embarrassed in a different way! I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... You don''t have to be far away.'' ''Hmm? ''There''s a store at .......'' Oh, it''s ....... So that was just a kind of embarrassment. You''re a spoiled brat, but you''re overreacting in a place like that. ...... Magda seems to be a little uncomfortable with the idea of being pampered in a way that would bother me or Jeannette. The usual pampering demands are things that can be done on the spot, things that I have time for and that won''t be a burden. But you know, Magda. I don''t find it annoying, and neither does Jeannette. ''...... more normal things,'' Magda said, ''......'' ''It''s okay, we''re going away.'' ''............ Are you sure?'' ''I''m the one who wants to go away and play with Magda and the others.'' ''............'' Magda would easily understand my feelings behind such phrases. Magda felt that I was trying not to worry about her. If Magda feels that way, she will ...... be even more careful to give you the answer you want. ''......So''. He smiled a little more happily than usual. ''...... then I''ll go out with you.'' ''Oh. Please.'' ''...... Mm. It''s Yashiro, it''s all right.'' He says, his ears twitching happily. If I had my clothes on, I''d be patting him on the head. ''...... Thank you, Yashiro. ''Oh.'' ''............ Nice flank.'' ''That''s it? With a satisfied look in his eyes, he pokes his tongue out. Magda walks to the stairs with a sense of accomplishment, as if the prank was a great success. ''...... I''m going to help the manager. Magda is a good girl.'' ''Oh. Good luck.'' ''...... Unlike that useless ham girl over there who''s writhing in erotic fantasies.'' ''What?I''m not having any erotic fantasies!I''m a good girl too! ''......, then run over here.'' ''Oni, I''ll go when you close the door! ''...... The sense of smell is enough for adolescent fantasies.'' ''Please stop!I''m getting more and more embarrassed! ''Just hurry up and get out, both of you. The water''s getting cold.'' I close the door so that Loretta can pass in front of it. ...... at all. ''Oh, uh, big brother...'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. I''m happy for you too! ...... side?Elotta. ...... No, no, no, no!I just wanted to say that I love you because you are so kind!............What do you want me to say, Magda? "...... self-destruct I''m sorry.I''m going back to help the manager as soon as possible!I''m going back to help the manager as soon as I can! ...... "Hmm, that''s possible. We should hurry. I''m going, then! In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. It''s so crowded. The water has gotten a little cold. But for some reason, ...... I feel more relaxed in such a lively atmosphere. ...... I wonder why. After the bath, I went to bed and was able to fall asleep very smoothly. I guess everyone has their own way of relaxing. ...... I think I slept better than usual that night. 192-Ill tell you later. Ill be nervous. ''Oh dear, ...... okey ............'' Millie looks up at the carriage parked in front of the sunlit pavilion, her mouth hanging open. It''s a beautiful circle that makes you want to throw popcorn into it. While we were finishing our donation to the church and having a meeting about today''s business, the carriage arrived. Lucia had sent us a luxurious six-seater carriage, pulled by two magnificent horses. The body of the carriage was decorated with gold to the extent that it was not obnoxious, giving it an air of elegance and dignity. I wish my lord would ride in a carriage like this. ''It''s great to be rich! ''Is that an insult to me? Estella, the poor lord of District 42, is twitching her temples. She must be jealous. After all, Estella only has a horse with a name like ''Petty Tits'' or something like that. That would make me jealous. ''...... Magda prefers the carriage at Estella''s house. ''Magda!What a lovely thing you say! Estella was so touched that she hugged Magda and rubbed her cheek. Magda gently pulls away in disgust. Their relationship will always be the same. It''s this subtle gulf. ...... ''...... Estella''s carriage is a four-seater, so when Yashiro, the manager, Estella, and Loretta get in, Magda inevitably ends up on Yashiro''s lap. ''My thighs are going to scream if I''m in there for too long. ''Then let''s take turns carrying me. ''No, that''s not what I meant. ......'' Are you sure you want to be on my lap? ...... ''......'' Millie will be riding on the manager''s lap. ''What?I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Together, Magda is happy, but? ''Oh, Miri''s happy too!So don''t make me flop my ears like that!I''m happy! ''If it''s ......, Millie can be on the manager''s lap or on her tits. You can''t do that on your tits!...... What do you want me to say? ''...... Yashiro, repent.'' ''You! ''...... No, it''s the usual flow.'' Don''t make such a flow. ...... Well, I can''t deny that I''m always the one being made to repent, but... I''ll sit on my brother''s lap then! ''Then I don''t understand what you mean, Loretta. I don''t care if it''s Magda or Milly, having you on my lap will surely make your legs numb and you won''t be able to walk by the time you reach your destination. You''ll be shuffling your feet more than a newborn fawn. ''In fairness to ....... Magda, Milly, and Loretta, in turn, circled on Yashiro and the manager''s lap.'' ''What''s with that uncomfortable car interior ......''. ''The ...... Miri also sit on the lap? ''You should look at ...... that, Yashiro''s expectant eyes.'' ''Pii! ''I don''t have those eyes! Millie shrinks back a little. I don''t know,......, but I feel like if I don''t shut these guys up, strange rumors will be born one after another. ''Oh, ............ Miry, I''m ............ sorry if I''m heavy, okay? ''Wait, Miry. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. Why are you deciding the seating order first? Why don''t you wait until you''ve decided on more things before you do that? ''...... By the way. What''s the point of me sitting on your lap if I''m not mentioned at all? ''...... Cushioning, the better.'' ''Yes, cushions!It''s quite pliable! ''...... One more time in front of the manager.'' ''Not this far, but still! ''M, please don''t point at my chest, Estella! ''...... hard seats are hard to ......''. ''What a cute thing to say, Magda! In a matter of minutes, we''ve become polar opposites. ''Good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning. Wendy came in with a strange greeting. She seemed to be taken aback by the sight of the carriage. ''Oh, is that ...... this carriage ......? ''Yes. It''s quite magnificent, isn''t it? ''It''s quite ............ the most amazing thing I''ve ever seen. ......'' It''s even more magnificent than Javier''s. But you can''t say you''ve never seen one before. After all, we''re about to board this thing. ...... Don''t take off your shoes or anything. You can wear shoes. ''Um, ...... am I really allowed to ride in this carriage?'' said Wendy, wearing a large-brimmed hat and looking reserved. Rather than being reserved, she is half frightened. ''To be in the same carriage as the Lord of District 42 in the carriage of the Lord of District 35,......, and even the heroes are here,......, I''m afraid. Hey, hey, hey. Don''t include me in that interesting group. The lord is Estella, after all. Lucia''s carriage, but that doesn''t mean she''s here. If you stay so tense, you''ll be exhausted before you reach the 35th district. Wendy is frozen in place. It''s almost suffocating to watch you. Let''s see if we can get you to relax. ''Wendy. ''Yes, yes. What can I do for you, hero? ''I''m not a lord. The one who has the most say in all of this is the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Huh?Why is it me? ''Oh, that''s true. I can''t go against Jeannette, either. ''No, please don''t, even Estella-san! Estella is willing to take advantage of this, and Jeannette is upset by her comment. In addition, those of us who can read the atmosphere follow suit. ''...... The manager''s seriousness surpasses even the guild leader of the hunting guild. ''He is very scary when he is angry. Even our naughty kids won''t defy the manager. ''No, that''s not true ......!That''s enough!Everyone, please stop! The troubled face that Jeannette showed stimulated everyone''s "S-ness" and aroused the urge to bully her. I want to tease her! Ginette''s face turns bright red as everyone teases her. ''d*mn it!It''s your fault, Yashiro-san! Ginette glares at me, her cheeks puffed out. It''s only recently that she''s started to say things like this. He''s changed a lot since the gluttony contest. Well, it''s partly because I''ve made him anxious about a lot of things,............, but I see this change in Ginette as a good trend. What''s more,......, it''s a bit cute. ''Before you get mad, ...... take a look at it.'' ''......What?'' I use my finger to guide the gaze of Jeannette, who raises her eyebrows adorably. At the point where I pointed, Wendy was smiling, covering her mouth. ''I''m sorry, manager,............, but I couldn''t ...... resist. ............ ugh.'' The smile that escaped her couldn''t hold back turned Wendy''s ears red and softened the air around her. ''Oh, no. If ...... you''ve relieved Wendy''s tension, that''s fine. Rather than being laughed at, she could be glad that it had lightened Wendy''s heart. That''s the kind of guy Jeannette is. Ginette smiles warmly at Wendy, who laughs hilariously. See?That was my plan, right? I''m sure I''ll get one of those rewards later. ...... As I was thinking this, Ginette suddenly turned her head toward me. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what to do. Huh?Why the hell not? I did a good thing, didn''t I? ''Please be prepared for that. She said this with a gentle smile. After all, Jeannette has changed a little. I''m sure she''s happy about that. Well then, it can''t be helped. I''ll at least be prepared. I''m curious to see what punishment Ginette has in store for me. ''Well then, should we get going? ''Yes, we should. Do you mind if we sit in the proper order? ''Yes, sir. I don''t mind where I sit.'' ''Miri, that''s fine too.'' Estella gets in first and lets Wendy and Miry, who are still a little nervous, get into the carriage first. I''ll be the last one to get in and close the door. ''Now, take care of the sunlit pavilion, will you? ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''With the two of us, you''re invincible! ''Delia-san and Umaro-san will be coming to help us later. ''...... Mm. I''ll use them. ''I''ll show you my seniority! ''No, ...... that''s not it. ......'' Perhaps it was because they had promised to go out last night, but Magda and Loretta were both full of energy and determined to protect the store. They are full of motivation. With Magda giving the orders, Delia and Umaro will be able to function properly. I''m sure you can handle the store. Jeannette''s a little confused. She''ll be fine. Delia doesn''t care about details, and Umaro can do whatever he wants. I''m the one who set the absolute rules for the sunlit pavilion. He pushed a slightly reluctant Ginette into the carriage and turned to Magda and Loretta one last time. ''Both of you, I''m counting on you. ''...... asked me to.'' ''I''ll leave it to you with a bang! I put a hand on each of their heads as they stood side by side. Magda''s eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she stroked them simultaneously, while Loretta''s eyes were black and white, as if she wasn''t used to it. ''Well, I''m off. ''Oh, sir! Loretta shouted as she turned around to get on the carriage. When I looked at her without changing my posture, I saw that Loretta was somewhat fidgeting. I stopped her, but she seemed to be hesitant about something. ''............, as much as possible, that ......''. ''......I''ll be happy ...... if you come back as soon as possible.'' This is a rare, understated and honest appeal for Loretta. It''s a destructive force that might make Jeannette cancel her trip to the 35th district if she sees it. She turns to Loretta and the others once more and pats them on the head with a firmer hand than before. ''I''ll take care of it. ''Yes, sir. ............ Thank you.'' ''............ Mwah!'' Seeing their radiant smiles, I climbed into the carriage. ''You''re a father now, aren''t you? ''Please don''t. I''m not ready for that. A child that big would be too much for me. Estella gives the signal to the master and the carriage begins to move slowly. I heard he works for Lucia. I hope you drive safely. As the carriage began to move, I looked again at the faces of the members heading for the 35th district. Ginette is a little nervous, but has a calm expression on her face. She seems to have enough time to pay attention to the people around her and is talking to Wendy and Milly who are nervous. Estella is looking at Ginette with a calm face. She seems to be trying to relieve the tension in the car by occasionally following up and smiling. Wendy is still nervous about the sudden call. I don''t know if it''s because of Lucia''s call or because of the fear that Lucia might puff her antennae again. ...... Well, I guess it''s the former. And Millie is showing a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. She is excited to go to the garden and nervous about the fact that it is the lord of the 35th district who has invited her, and she seems to have mixed emotions. He looked both happy and tearful. Estella''s seat is by the window facing the direction of travel. Next to her is me. Wendy in the opposite window. Millie in the middle. Millie in the middle, and Ginette on the far side of the door. ''Estella. I call out to Estella, who seems to be the calmest of the group. I lean closer to her and listen to her softly. ''...... Are you okay?'' Estella''s mental health is rather weak. She is aware of this weakness, which is why she has not been able to make up her mind to become a lord. Because of the obvious nervousness of the people around her, she might be forcing herself to act calm. That''s what I thought. When I looked into her face, Estella rolled her eyes and showed a slightly surprised expression. ''You look surprised. When I said that, Estella lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled a somewhat mean smile. ''When did you become such a gentle man? I guess that''s a roundabout way of saying don''t worry ....... Heck. I''ve always been nice. ''I''m nervous. But I''m not scared.'' He clenches his fist and thumps it against my chest. ''I''m not alone. The fist is slightly warm where it touches me. I can tell that he is counting on me. ...... I don''t want you to get your hopes up. ............ Well, it''s better if you''re not worried. ''But''. She lifted her hips gently, and this time Estella put her lips close to my ear. And in a whispered voice-- ''Thank you.'' --And then she murmured. ...... Ew, my ears are itching. When I stared at Estella to complain, she smiled at me with a grin and a good-humored smile. I don''t know what makes you so happy. It looks like there''s nothing to worry about for now. ''Um, Yashiro-san. As I finished my not-so-secret conversation with Estella, Ginette looked at me from her seat across from me. There was a slight hint of anxiety in her expression. ''Are you okay? ''Yeah, yeah. Will Jeannette notice? To tell the truth, I''m nervous too. I thought that worrying about other people would make me a little less nervous, so I asked Estella to talk to her. ...... Maybe Ginette is the most normal person in this group. She is very aware of the people around her. ''To be honest, I have no idea what this call is about. Perhaps they''re trying to get us to meet someone who was once called a ''subspecies''. ......'' Otherwise, there''s no reason for Lucia to create such an opportunity. Knowing our purpose - Theron and Wendy''s wedding, Lucia called us. She said, ''There''s someone I want you to meet. That person must be someone who has ''something'' to do with the marriage between the Bug People and humans. Well, I can almost guess what it is: ...... You can imagine that the person is probably a bug man who ...... might have been married to a human. I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t anxious ...... about what kind of things I''d have to face from that person. Lucia said what I''m trying to do is ego. And yet, this is the person I want you to meet as I try to live up to that ego. Is she trying to stop me, encourage me, ...... or is she going to send me a task that is too heavy for me to carry ......? This plan started out rather casually, but ...... it seems to have dipped its toe into the troublesome matter of the origins of this all-bloom. I''ve followed Assunto''s advice, haven''t I? ''I''ll tell you the truth--'' I''m going to tell the members present how I really feel. ''I don''t believe that I can do anything about the discriminatory attitudes and friction between races that nest in this city. In fact, I''m convinced that we never will. There''s not much we can do about it. There''s no way that I, a freshman, can manage such deep-seated feelings in a few days or so. Not even in Japan. It''s too much for me, a stranger to ............ and a stranger to come from elsewhere. ...... No, you see. When I describe myself as a "stranger", many people look at me delicately. ...... Ginette looks like she''s about to cry. That''s why I restrained myself. That''s why I''m probably no longer a stranger to this city, and despite my best efforts, it''s impossible to upset its centuries-old history. But since you''re no longer a stranger to the city,......, it doesn''t feel good to just leave it alone. It''s a good idea to keep it at least to the point where it''s a little better. I''m sure the discriminatory mindset will never go away. It will continue to smolder in the depths of our hearts even as the generations change. As long as we are human, it is inevitable. Especially in this city where there are nobles and royalty. But maybe we can change that sense of discrimination into something trivial. We may not be able to understand each other as different races, but we may be able to have fun together. The words, ''You''re not getting along with us because you''re a member of a certain race! If you want to make it so that you can''t say such words as ''I don''t want to get along with you because you''re a ______'', you can go to ...... Don''t do stupid things, let''s have fun together. If we can just create that kind of atmosphere, ...... I think we can do it, don''t you? ''Still--'' Ginette straightens up, stares straight at me, and says in a clear voice. ''If doing so increases the number of people who think it''s fun, even just a little more than it is now,......, then I think that''s a wonderful thing. I''m not sure I''m ready for that. Although she did not yet have a solid sense of confidence and stability,......, her words sounded as dignified as the sound of her voice coming from Bertina''s mouth. ''Let''s do it. We''ll do what we can. With all our might. With a pop, a hand was placed on my shoulder. Estella''s hand felt a little warmer. Maybe she''s excited, maybe she''s overheated. If there is anything that ...... you ............ can do for ...... Miri, please let me know. If there is anything ...... Miri can do to help, ......'' A very unassuming collaborator is looking at me with a hard look in his eyes. That''s right. I''m sure Millie will be able to help you. ''I''m counting on you. ''Haha, mmm! Next to Millie''s embarrassed smile, Wendy also had a slightly tearful expression on her face. Happily ...... quietly ...... with a faint smile on her face. ''Get a grip, Wendy. You seem to be completely involved in ...... this, but you''re the ones who started it in the first place. ''If your wedding is a success, this city will be filled with smiles. There''s no time to cry.'' ''............ Yes.'' I nodded and wiped the corners of my eyes with my thin fingers. Then, in a firm tone, Wendy says. ''I''ll do my best. I''m sure that Wendy doesn''t know what she should do. But it is important to have that mindset. What do I have to do? You''ll find out soon enough. The enemy is a nasty one, invisible. That''s why ...... ''Heh, ......, what''s that?Is there something wrong with my face? ''No.'' We have to remember that we have friends who are there for us, who are willing to work with us. 193-Later, the lords and people of the 2135 wards. The carriage stops and the door is opened from the outside. ''It''s good to see you again after yesterday, my friend Yashiro. It was Gilberta who opened the door for me. She had the eyes of an indoor dog who had come to pick me up at my door. ''Did you sleep well? ''I''m fine, I... I don''t need to sleep. In other words, you haven''t slept. Yesterday, you were brought home from a place where you were ready to stay, and you must have finished the work you left behind, and this morning you were busy preparing for today. He must not have been in an environment and state of mind that allowed him to sleep well. His eyes are a little red. ''You need to get some sleep. ''Hmm. I listen to my friends, I do. With that, he climbs into the carriage. He sits down on the empty seat next to me at the door, and leans in close to me, resting his head on my shoulder. ''Good night. ''No, no, no!Don''t fall asleep now! You''re getting off, now! He''s not joking about this, because he''s doing this ............ and you''re already breathing in your sleep! ''Mmmm. Yashiro-san gets along with everyone very easily.'' ''He''s just weirdly nostalgic. ......'' I slapped Gilberta on the cheek to wake her up. And then, suddenly, she grabbed me by the chest with all her might. ''............ my nemuri wo samatageru hada da''. You''re not sleeping well, are you? I''ve just fallen asleep, and now you''re doing that? I''m starting to get nervous about letting you stay here overnight. ''Gilberta. We were called here today by Lucia. Would you mind getting up and showing us around?'' ''Mu...... was right. I promised to do my job well, and I did, Lucia. You may have promised to get a day off on the condition that you perform your duties properly. He suddenly showed a crisp face. ''I''ll show you to Lady Lucia. He gets out of the carriage, opens the door and helps us get off. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... Well, that''s why she and Natalia are so similar in a weird way. When we got off the carriage, we were invited into the mansion to see Lucia. We were going to go out right after that, but it was unthinkable that the lord would be waiting outside, so we went out of our way to pick him up. It''s a hassle, but I guess that''s how it is for nobles. The only aristocrat who waits excitedly and anxiously in the garden every time something happens is Estella. In fact, Estella is more likely to come to you. You are ushered into a large reception room, not the private room where you barged in last time. It was a spacious room with high ceilings, not piled up with papers like the Oval Office. However, if you were to ask me if it was open, ...... I would say that it was too neat and tidy, and I felt as if I were suffocating. ''Welcome, Estella. And anchovies to the men of District 42. ''Don''t leave me out of this. You should include me in the 42nd district. ''Wen-tan, Milly-tan, hi~'' Don''t break it! You''ve ruined the dignity you wore. He''s going to be a real mess if he''s not in noble society. In fact, it might be a reaction to the oppression caused by being in an aristocratic society. The aristocracy is all human and they don''t seem to have much contact with the beastmen. ''Today, I''m going to ask you to meet someone a little difficult. ''What do you mean by difficult ......?'' At Lucia''s words, Estella asks on our behalf. When I think of difficult, I think of difficult and stubborn people,......, but really. ''She is a woman of the swallowtail butterfly tribe who once married a nobleman and was ...... badly hurt.'' All the invited guests gasped. An aristocrat--that is, a bug man who had been hurt by marriage to a human. It''s something I''ve imagined, but when you say it again, it''s kind of ...... heartbreaking. I guess it''s because I''m a human ....... ''anchovy''. If you only pick up the words, you might think that this guy is joking,......, but Lucia is looking at me with a very serious face. You can feel the tension, as if you are being tested. ''See with your own eyes the invisible spell that pervades this city. You''re asking me to look at something I can''t see, which is a bit absurd. It''s like a resting day being forced upon you by the shogun. You want me to meet people who have grudges against humans and see them with my own eyes. You want me to meet the people who hold grudges against humans and see with my own eyes the roots of those grudges that are digging deep into the hearts of the inhabitants of this city. ''...... Yashiro''. As I stare at Lucia in silence, Estella softly whispers in my ear. ''The swallowtail butterfly human race is ......''. Estella cut off her words there. But that was enough to jog my memory. Speaking of the swallowtail butterfly tribe, Wendy''s parents once blurted out the name. ''Even a subspecies of the swallowtail butterfly race was subjected to such an ordeal'' - it must be a famous story among the insect people. As a tragic heroine who was hurt by her marriage to a human, ...... ''So, let''s go. Gilberta. ''Yes.'' At Lucia''s signal, Gilberta took the lead and started walking. Lucia follows, and we follow her in a tight circle. ''We can''t use the carriage to get to the garden. So I hope you''ll bear with me, that we''ll head there on foot. The garden is full of insects. If a nobleman were to take a horse-drawn carriage to such a place, he would surely frighten the Bug People. That may be a little too much to think about, but ...... that kind of ''consideration'' may be what makes the Bug People feel safe. This town has its own rules. I think you''re being a little too cautious, though. Following the same path we took before, we came to a flower garden. ''Hee-hee! Millie''s eyes sparkled. She seemed to have reached the point where she was excited to see the flower garden. ''Wow, ...... so beautiful, ............'' He seemed to be so moved that he could not speak. She covered her mouth with her hands and tears welled up in her large eyes. ''It would be a great honor for the lord to be so moved. Why don''t you become one of our children? ''Don''t you dare say anything outrageous, kidnapper. Don''t try to take my Milly away. I won''t do it. In the flower garden, as usual, many insects are spending their time in their own way. ...... When people approach the flower garden, they all change their color. You can feel the tension in their faces. ''Hello, everyone. It''s a beautiful day.'' Lucia raises her hand and calls out, and an air of relief spreads through the Bug People. They love you, don''t they? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... I was afraid that as soon as I got to the flower garden, I''d go berserk and go around plucking tentacles at random. It seems she has some self-control. ''Whoa!You guys from back then? As we pushed our way through the flower garden, there was someone who called out to us. Two old men with magnificent horns on their heads. They were Beetleman Kabriele and Stagman Markus. It''s good to see you again. They asked me to shake their hands, so I did. Their hands are thick and burly, and they seem to be dependable. That''s what I''d expect from a man who works hard. ''You guys are always here. Don''t slack off and do your job.'' ''We''re here in between jobs. Right?'' ''That''s right. We''re not slacking off. It''s only mid-morning. If you''re taking a break before noon, we can''t help but suspect you of skipping work. ''My lord. Good day to you too ......'' ''Good. Don''t change. I''ve already told you that you have the upper hand here.'' ''Yes, sir. Thank you very much.'' Lucia tells Cabriele and Marcus to make themselves comfortable as they get down on one knee to show their respect. It seems that in the Garden, the Bug People have the highest priority. How dare they make such a bold rule. It''s not easy to give your people an advantage over you, even if it''s only for a limited time. ''Hola......, hola.......'' She gazed around the garden, looking like she was about to be lured away by a flower. I want to see this flower and that flower and all of them. It''s written on her face. ''I''m glad you''re happy, but you can take a walk later. ''Oh ...... I''m ............ sorry.'' When Lucia admonished her in a gentle tone, Millie shrank back and became quiet. ''You''re being too coy. I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that we''ll be here for a while longer. When you''re done, we''ll have a drink together. ''Don''t say that like it''s alcohol. Kabriele, dressed to the nines with a nectar in his hand, said happily: ...... But first, work, you guys. What do you do when you think about drinking all morning? ''That sounds like an interesting story. I''d like to be a part of it if I could.'' ''No, you don''t!I can''t believe I''m going to be sitting here with Lucia ....... ''Yes, yes, yes! ''Hey, hey, hey. I told you that you have the upper hand here.'' ''Yes, that''s still true .......'' ''Hmmm ...... I''m kidding. Don''t take it seriously. ''Ho............ are bad people, my lord.'' Kabriel patted his chest. Well, no matter how dominant you are in the garden, you can''t be rude to your lord. Even if the company''s year-end party was rude, there aren''t many people who can be rude to the president. I can understand why Cabriele and the others are twitching. But ...... I''m sure I saw a little bit of loneliness in Lucia''s face when she said, ''I''m just kidding. He really wants to get together and have dinner. With the people he loves. And with his beloved beastmen and insects. I''ll take care of him if you want. If you don''t mind being rude.'' Even a lord has to want to get off on the wrong foot once in a while. ''............'' Lucia is looking at me as if she wants to say something. Did you feel like saying thank you?For being so thoughtful. If that''s the case, I''d like you to soften your tone a bit. ''Have you ever been polite to me? ''All right, all right. You''re a jerk. I''ve been so polite to you, but you''ve been so polite to me!You should be thanking me, you lord!......! ...... hmm. What do you mean by "thank you"? ''Hmmm ...... well, I''ll have to think about it.'' ....... I''m not sure what to say. You''ll be able to''t be sure what kind of face you''re talking about. He''s so elusive. As was the case with Estella when we first met, it seems that lords don''t like to be found out for who they are. Show me ...... your true face. I''ll see through it all if you show me a little. ''Yashiro. Can you please not look at Lucia with your s*xy eyes? ''What''s so erotic about your eyes? ''What''s not erotic about your eyes? I''m going to give you a kissing chocolate game. I''ll give you a kissing chocolate game, you bastard. We left Cabriele and the others behind and went on our way through the garden. The person you''re going to meet seems to be on the other side of the garden, in the territory of the Bug People. When we reached the edge of the garden and were about to leave, a couple with wings like those of a white butterfly walked toward the garden from the other side. ...... They don''t fly. They fluttered their large wings and walked hand in hand in a friendly manner. ''Oh, it''s the lord. It''s true. You look beautiful again today. The couple were laughing happily,......, but as soon as Lucia stepped out of the flower garden, she dropped to one knee and bowed her head to the road. What? What''s with the change in attitude? ''Good. Don''t be so polite. ''No, sir. It''s a rule. ''It''s the natural attitude towards the lord. The tone and atmosphere of the earlier conversation disappeared in an instant, and the couple of butterflies showed their respect with the gestures of a new recruit brought before a superior. The Bug People have the upper hand in the flower garden. However, once they leave the garden, it''s the lord and the people ............ or perhaps the lord and the "subhuman" ....... In an instant, the air becomes tense. It''s as if Lucia has the right to kill or take away. I''m not sure what to make of it. But she''s definitely ............ lonely. She has such eyes. ''Lucia. Come here a minute.'' ''Mwah, what the hell? I pull Lucia''s arm and pull her into the flower garden once more. Suddenly pulled back, Lucia wobbled as if she lost her balance and stepped into the flower garden. Immediately, the human couple stood up and fluttered their large wings happily again. ''What color flower''s nectar did you come to drink today? I asked, to which the man replied with a gentle smile. ''She likes the nectar of the pale pink flowers. We eat it all the time at .......'' At this point, he pushes Lucia out of the garden. ''I''ve been drinking ......''. Wow ...... is so extreme and ............ is so funny . I pull Lucia into the garden. ''So, is the nectar of the flower sweet?'' ''Yes, it is. It''s more like fruity. Not too sweet. ......'' Extrude. ''The ...... mouthfeel is very mellow.'' In. ''I can drink something this good every day. ......'' OUT. ''I can''t thank you enough, my beautiful lord. ......'' IN. ''Thank you Poo! ''Ah, what?Monjirocho-san, what''s with the strange language? ''It''s a reaction. ''Don''t play with Lucia-san, Yashiro! Respect and friendship. It seems that the repetition of respect and a broken atmosphere has made the backlash greater and greater. It seems that the broken feeling also has a sense of duty, like ''the lord told me to do it, so I must do it that way no matter what. It''s a good thing that you''re a good friend of mine. ''...... though you seem to be disrespected.'' Lucia''s hair is a little disheveled from all the pushing and pulling. Well, that''s good, isn''t it? They say unruly hair is rather s*xy. Take it as a positive. ''However, ......'' Lucia opened her mouth, brushing up her messy hair and exuding the dignity characteristic of a lord. ''You should also learn to be a little more flexible. It''s a bit stifling to follow the rules so meticulously. Both of you. ''Ha. ...... I''m sorry, my lord.'' Lucia is currently in a flower garden, and a couple of the Monarchs are on one knee on the ground, hanging their heads. It seems that in situations like this, dominance is lifted. ''Good. Stand up. ''Ha! But ...... ''ha'' is not ............ the army. ''I guess this rule is still in effect even if the other side isn''t in the garden. ''When I''m in the garden,'' I explained. ...... It''s a problem that so many people are so honest. It''s an ironic, if not self-deprecating, way to talk about yourself at the time. It''s not that I''m not a good person. However, you are also aware that if you set up new rules, you will make them even harder to deal with. That''s why I won''t do anything more, and can''t do it now. You''re going through a lot of trouble, aren''t you? ''I''m sorry I stopped you. I hope you have a wonderful time.'' ''Yes, sir. ...... Oh, thank you.'' I''ve been in a bit of a rush, so the rules are a bit blurry. The couple of monarch butterflies were at a loss as to how to interact with Lucia. I think they''re too self-conscious. It''s better to use a lord as a joke. ''Hey, Estella. What is it?'' ''I''m tired, piggyback.'' ''...... stab you? What a rebellious bastard! You''re the lord of your people! I''ll stage a coup. I''ll stage a coup d''etat! ''Would you like me to do it for you, piggyback? ''Oh, no. I''m just kidding.'' Gilberta offers to take Estella''s place, but ...... I don''t want to be the only one who has to carry her through this. It''s a shame play. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... It''s not that fun. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you out.Don''t be so discouraged. The lord of the thirty-fifth district and the head waiter of the district have sunk to a low ebb. ...... Yeah, it''s damp! I''m not sure what to do.It''s so cute. The mushroom-loving Estella has a strange bite. You''re the only one who thinks so. Well, I''m lucky I don''t go to obscene ideas like Regina. ''From the head of ...... Bunashimeji?...... hmm?Is this some kind of joke, anchovy?'' I was asked with a very serious face. Don''t look for meaning in a random joke, it''s embarrassing. ''If a beech mushroom grows on Lucia''s head, it will be ......''. Gilberta raises her bangs and stares at Lucia. ''We''ll be matching, me and you.'' A short antennae flickers on Gilberta''s forehead. She looks vaguely happy. ''We''ll be matching ............? Lucia gazed lovingly at Gilberta, and ...... It''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. The cheeks turn red. Her cheeks are glowing red and shiny. ''All right, let''s grow some Bunashimeji!Bring in the anchovies and the moisture! ''Don''t be absurd. You''re getting carried away. They won''t grow, Bunashimeji! ''The only one who''ll be happy is you, Lucia, matching me. I think I like that about you, I do. ''...... Gilberta! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. However, she was flinched away. Gap! Flutter. Gap! Flutter. ''Why, Gilberta? ''I''m on duty. ''Why not, a little! ''I promised to do my duty, with Lady Lucia. ''Don''t mention the details! ''I''ll keep my word, no matter what.'' ''Mmm!Isn''t it good, isn''t it good! Isn''t that a bad cop? I''ll keep my word, no matter what. No matter how hard she tried to jump, Gilberta dodged Lucia''s arm by the skin of her teeth. I don''t know whether Gilberta is loyal or rebellious to Lucia. ''Anchovy!Plant a beech mushroom on my head right now!You''re the one who said that, so take responsibility! ''I''m not responsible for anything, I''m not! ''As long as you have Bunashimeji, Gilberta will understand!I''m sure he''ll let me do this and that even in public! ''Pull yourself together, you perverted lord! My nose is getting wider. ...... I don''t want to know what kind of outlandish fantasies ............ are going on in your brain, though. ''Oh, ......''. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Yes. I was very happy. The last time she came to District 35, Jeannette wore a lavender pseudo-tentacle in her hair. She seemed to be having a lot of fun with Millie and Wendy. ''Can you ...... grow beech mushrooms from your head? ''No, no!I don''t have such a skill, unfortunately. ......'' Gynet. Don''t take what that dangerous lady says seriously. Don''t listen to her. Don''t let her out of your sight. There''s nothing to be sorry about. Rather, what''s a skill that can make beech mushrooms grow out of your head? Isn''t that a ...... curse? ''Yashiro ............ what? ''It''s me! Don''t forget my name! You''re the only one who calls me anchovy! ''Aren''t you named Calvin? ''Don''t lump me in with those disgusting half-fish. What, in your mind, are me and Calvin stored together in a ''creepy guy'' holder?You can''t even name it, but you treat it like a new file (2)? I''m not sure what to make of that. ''So, anchovy. Make it.'' ''...... I''ll make you some anchovies, you bastard.'' What an arrogant lord. I''m a guest invited by the lord himself! The guest is God!They should be respected! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I mean, you can''t hit a girl, right?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... While I was seriously thinking about this, Gilberta grabbed me by the hem of my dress. It''s a very modest self-expression. ...... ''Are you happy that we''re matching, or is your friend Yashiro also ......?'' Her eyes are full of anticipation as she looks at me. The fact that I made a pseudo-tentacle seems to have tugged at Gilberta''s heartstrings. As if some kind of switch was flipped, Gilberta''s mood changed. It''s not like she''s a ...... spoiled brat. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. It''s probably due to the influence of ...... Magda that when you get a face like this, you tend to give the answer that the other person would want without hesitation. I feel that my resistance to silent begging has weakened. If it were Umaro, I''d kick his ass. ...... The next time you''re in the market for a new pair of shoes, you can wear them with me. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s trying to find a way to make this work. ...... I''m going to grow antennae on my head. ............ Wasn''t that kind of headband popular in the Showa era? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... Something with a star-shaped tip that shines. ............ Will I be wearing something like that?Yeah. ...... I''ll try to be as polite as possible in my refusal, so as not to hurt you. When I made up my mind to do so: ...... ''Yes. I''m sure you''ll all want to wear them together.'' Ginette promised with a big smile on her face. Hey, Jeannette. Have you ever heard of the Judgment of the Spirits? I''m sure you''ve heard of the "Judgment of the Spirits", but since you put the words "all of you together" in there, I''m going to have to do it too!I can''t open the Sunlit Pavilion without you! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can help you out. ...... Oh, no. I''m going to wear antennae too. ...... ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san,......, how can I help you?'' ''...... nothing''. You''re the one who''s crazy. ...... ''Thank you, my friend Ginette!I''m so happy for you, I am! Gilberta wrapped her arms around Ginette''s waist and hugged her tightly. Well, when you see her so happy and joyful, you might think that ............ the antennae are okay. ...... In addition, when Gilberta hugged Jeannette, she said, ''Aaah!I''ve been here before you!That''s not fair!That''s not fair! I''m going to pretend that I don''t see the bug fetish lord who was regretting his actions in the distance. That''s a race I shouldn''t get involved with. That''s it. Maybe we should have a tentacle party when Gilberta comes to stay. And bring Umaro and Bekko with us. With all this agonizing, ......, we crossed the flower garden and headed down a quiet, narrow path. We are going to the place where the person we should meet is. ...... to get a glimpse of the negativity that nests in this city. ............ ''Gilberta. Hands!Let''s at least hold hands!'' ''I''m on duty, sir.'' ''Oh, dear!Do something, anchovy! ''Shut up!Can''t you see that I''m creating a serious atmosphere right now?I''m not sure what to do. ...... Don''t go out to play. 194-Later Tan 22 Nostalgic scenery I have never experienced the period of rapid economic growth, but if I were to describe it based on the impressions I get from movies, this is exactly what I would expect to see in a town with such an atmosphere. Old wooden fences and rows of ramshackle houses. The streets were bare of earth and bumpy. It''s so nostalgic. ''What a coincidence, anchovies. ...... I think so too.'' You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m not sure if this is the kind of town that used to be the norm. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ...... Telegraph pole? There are no electric wires, but there are many wooden telegraph poles standing on the street. It''s a place for the flying insects to rest their wings. ...... There are people who can fly. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Lucia said, somewhat sadly. She looked as if to say, ''I''d fly around with you if I could. ''During the heat of summer, this pillar is filled with the beautiful glow of numerous Genji Fireflies. ''Oh, ...... fireflies.'' I thought honestly that it must be a beautiful sight. It reminded me of the countless fireflies I used to see by the riverside with my masters. The river in the neighborhood where the delicious gori lived was very beautiful. There were also many fireflies every year. ''Hmm, ......, that''s kind of annoying. I didn''t know you and I could talk. ''You really should be happy.'' ''Pull it.'' Lucia punched him in the shoulder. ...... Friends. I''m sure that the slow flow of time in this place makes it so. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It should not be, but ...... I suddenly feel as if I can hear a tofu maker''s trumpet coming from somewhere. ''Do you like this place, my friend Yashiro? Gilberta peeks out from the other side of Lucia and asks. Well, yes, I do. If you''re asking me if I like him, ...... ''I like it. It''s kind of relaxing.'' ''I see. I''m glad to hear it, I am. In fact, my birthplace is near here. I''m sure Gilberta is currently residing in Lucia''s mansion, but I see that her family home is around here. I''ve heard that there are a lot of insects living in this area, is that not strange? ''If you like, I''d like to invite you and your friend Yashiro to my birthplace. The house where Gilberta was born. I''m a little curious. If you''d like to invite me, I''d be happy to visit. ''I''d love to introduce you to my parents. They''ll be my friends forever. ...... Hmm? Hey, Gilberta, ...... isn''t that called a mate? ''......Yashiro. You are .............'' It''s Estella. Can you not look at me with such disdain as ''random, this guy ......''? I didn''t say anything. ''Anchovies...... you......''. No, that''s why, Lucia. Don''t look at me with that ''touch me and I''ll mince you'' look. I''m not saying anything. ''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san......'' Ginette...... you, too, ''Are you perhaps leaving the Sunlit Pavilion? ............ ''Gilberta. I''d love to come visit you. You and Ginette. He grabs Ginette by the elbow and pulls her towards him. As we lined up, Gilberta nodded broadly with an even happier smile on her face. ''Mm!I think we''re all happiest together, I do! This guy has no special intentions or hidden feelings behind his words. I want to cherish the first friend I made. That''s all I want. Don''t make a fuss about it. ''Well, that''s why you should take a vacation somewhere else. ''Yes, sir. I''m looking forward to it. The anxious look on her face earlier has disappeared, and she is now looking excited about the prospect of visiting her friend''s house. ''Oh ......, but if this keeps happening too much, it''s bad for Magda and the others. ......'' In fact, Magda and Loretta have been missing you a lot. After this case is over, you can give them as much attention as you want. I''m going to indulge them a little too. A little, yeah. ''Well, we''re going to have an adult lunch next time, right?We''ll set up a special facility in the central square.'' ''Yes, sir. It seems that the store on the main street has become vacant, and we''re going to use it for a limited time sale.'''' After the gluttony contest, and after the situation at the city gate had settled down, a special venue was set up on the main street in District 42 for the sale of the adult lunch for about a week. It is said that even now, Estella is receiving dozens of letters of request. Therefore, there is a plan to start selling lunches for adults again. ''If we start selling lunches for grown-ups, customers will go to that restaurant, and the lunches for grown-ups include the taste of the Sunshine Pavilion. I think it''s okay if you put up with that for a little while. ''Well, that means .......'' ''Why don''t we take that time off somewhere and go have some fun together? Ginette''s face lit up when she heard this suggestion. ''Yes!It would be fun, wouldn''t it? I''m sure Magda and Loretta would love it. If we give them advance notice, they''ll be satisfied. ''Then I''d really like you to see the Garden of the Thirty-fifth District. ''That''s right. Shall we let Magda and Loretta drink the nectar from the garden?'' ''Yes, sir. They both have a sweet tooth, so I''m sure they''ll love it. For Jeannette, Magda and Loretta are her colleagues, and they are like family to her. I want to make them happy. She is even willing to take time off from work to do so. Ginette''s heart, which was once tied down by the Sunshine Pavilion, has been freed in a good way. She must have come to realize that the time she spends with Magda and Loretta is an essential part of her life. That''s much better than running a diner out of a sense of duty. ''Hey, anchovy. ''Hey, anchovy.'' You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. ...... Her face is so close. I''m not sure what to make of it. That''s what you''re asking again. ...... You know, you need to work on that habit. It''s not nice. ''...... They''re both beastmen. The tiger people and the hamster people.'' ''Are you a girl?Are you pretty? More lousy questions! ''You were in the store when you came in. A small, expressionless girl and an extremely normal girl.'' ''Oh, those two!Okay!I''ll sit with you.'' ''Don''t come!You go work! No one with an ulterior motive, please! I mean, you''re biting off more than you can chew on your plans for fun, my lord and his head waiter! ''If you don''t want to sit with me, then don''t come with me, you anchovy! ''I''ve planned this! How self-centered can you be? ''If you want to keep me out of the way, I won''t introduce you to the swallowtail butterfly people! ''You''re the one who asked me to meet them in the first place!Let me meet them responsibly! No more, nobleman! Do you think that the world revolves around you? ''Don''t talk back to me!You may not know it, but the world must revolve around me! I thought so, seriously! I mean, does Lucia believe in the geocentric theory?Or is this just another mischievous translation of the ''forced translation magic''? ''Yashiro-san. If Lucia-sama is coming with us, we might have less problems. Everyone in District 35 respects you very much, Lucia-sama. Ginette, following Lucia''s selfishness. It''s ......, but... You know, Jeannette. If anything, this guy is going to take the lead in causing problems. I mean, I can see that happening for sure. ''That''s a good point. Lucia praised Ginette with a triumphant look. Ginette, in spite of such an arrogant praise, let out a sigh as if she was afraid. ''Unlike those anchovies over there, you seem to have a sense of decency. That''s the Jeannette with the tits. ''Has that name taken root? Ginette makes a full-blown protest at the name, which must have definitely come from Gilberta. I''m sorry, Ginette. It seems the lords here didn''t have the decency to do so. Incidentally, while they were having this chatty conversation, Millie and Wendy were eagerly discussing the nectar in the garden. Or rather, Millie was asking Wendy a lot of questions. It was like she was digging for answers, and I thought that she seemed to be bothered by it. Well, Wendy seemed to be enjoying herself, even though she was smiling a little, so I guess it was no problem. I guess Millie can get excited sometimes. And Estella walked quietly with an indifferent expression on her face, as if she was trying to avoid the troublesome conversations that were unfolding on all sides. ...... You heartless bastard. If you''re a lord, why don''t you take care of this troublesome lord? ''You have arrived at your destination, Lady Lucia. Gilberta sent such a report to me when we were walking down a narrow alley between wooden walls and about to reach a large street. The swallowtail butterfly tribe that we were looking for must be at the end of this alley. On the other side of the alley, we see a magnificent gate. As if protected by it, a large one-story house stands on the other side. Although it is a one-story house, it is wide. It reminded me of the luxurious Japanese houses of long ago. ''My people took pity on Sirach, a swallowtail butterfly, and donated this house to him. Lucia says to no one in particular, but to the whole group. It''s a big story, but it''s not a very pleasant one,....... It''s a method where sympathy becomes money and money heals the soul. But money can''t heal real wounds. In fact, if you have too much money, you may feel empty and lonely. Sometimes, it is easier to forget everything and concentrate on your work. If you are sent such a big house ...... I''m not sure what to say. ...... You may feel as if you are being told that. The reason for this thought may be that the area around the old but gorgeous mansion is so quiet. Because of its large size, the old appearance of the house looked ...... lonely. ''It''s a big house. ......'' Ginette muttered, staring at the house of Sirach, a member of the swallowtail butterfly tribe. Her voice sounded somewhat fragile and pitiful. Perhaps it was because Ginette had been living alone in a large house that she felt something. ''Hey, Gilberta. Does this Sirach guy live here alone?'' ''That''s right, on paper. But not really, in reality.'' ''What do you mean? ''Multiple visitors take turns, every day, from the Swallowtail tribe.'' This house is only inhabited by Sirach, but in order to ensure that Sirach is not left alone, her fellow swallowtail butterfly tribesmen are taking turns coming to take care of her. ...... ''Blissful, or rather ......''. It''s as if we''re being watched, I thought. ''Who is it? Suddenly a voice called out from above me. I looked up and saw a girl standing on the gate. On her back were the wings of a swallowtail butterfly. They were a bright yellow color with black lines forming a beautiful pattern. The two pairs of wings, large and delicate, were very magnificent. ''They''re magnificent. ''You ignored me when I appeared and talked about the gate! ''I didn''t say ''magnificent gate''!I was talking about you! The girl from the swallowtail butterfly tribe stomped on the gate in exasperation. Every time she stomps on the gate, her estimated E-cup bulge shakes and sways. ''Calm down, Nicca. We''re talking about tits, my friend Yashiro.'' ''No, you''re not! ''You!You''re an anchovy, how dare you insult the people of my district! ''I told you that''s not true! ''Yashiro. In this city, there is a thing called the ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ......'' ''I''m not lying!Trust me, Estella! ''But, Hero-sama. Her breasts are certainly magnificent, aren''t they? ''Yes, they are!They are magnificent!But I was talking about something else right now, wasn''t I? ''Oh, ...... ladybug, you''re always talking about your breasts, so ...... everyone, you''re mistaken ......'' ''What?Millie too?I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m shocked to hear that. I don''t know. This is the first time I''ve seen a beautiful feather and I''ve been beaten to a pulp for praising it. Is it okay if I cry? ''Um, everyone. Jeannette, who always follows me in times like this. This time, too, she intervened with a slightly troubled look on her face. You''re the only thing that''s kept me going, Jeannette. ''Mr. Yashiro sometimes talks about things other than breasts. This time was one of those precious times, I''m sure. ''That''s not a subtle follow-up! What do you mean ''precious one time''? I''m not talking about boobs all the time! ''...... indecent,desne''. ''Please don''t give me that kind of disdainful look when we first meet.'' The whole thing is a misunderstanding. It''s amazing that you''re surrounded by so many people you know and you don''t have a single ally. I''m impressed. Can I cry? ''It''s Nikka. These are the guests I told you about.'' ''These are the guests? The girl from the swallowtail butterfly tribe called Nikka stares at me with eyes bared in alarm. ''This overtly suspicious man is the anchovy.'' Oh, come on. Is that any way to introduce him? ''Aren''t you expecting sardines? ''Did you really tell him that anchovies are coming? What, are you stupid? You''re an idiot, right? Why are you an idiot! ''Hmm, ...... hearsay is something that is not accurately conveyed.'' ''It''s the way you say it, that''s the problem! ''Oi, anchovies! Nikka points at me and shouts in anger. It''s gotten so popular, you know. ...... ''I won''t forgive you if you''re rude to Lucia-sama! Nicca spreads her wings wide in a threatening manner. Then she flaps her wings quickly. ''I''ll make your eyes water with my scales! ''Stop it, you''re annoying! It was an annoying attack. ''Mm......, your eyes are squeezing.'' ''Yes, I do, too, my eyes. I don''t know what to say. Who''s the rude one? You most of all. You''re talking from on high. Nikka. These men are our guests. Let them meet Sirach.'' ''Shh, but desne......'' Nikka turns her gaze to me. Her gaze grows sharper, and even hatred appears to be in the air. ''These are humans, aren''t they?I would have allowed you to see them if they were anchovies, but not if they were humans! Their personal grudge against humans seems to be quite deep-rooted. ''Humans are cowardly, unfair, dirty and smelly! ''Your lord is also human, though...'' When I said a few words to the enraged Nikka, she closed her mouth and fell silent. The sweat on his forehead is soaked. ''............ le, except Lucia-sama, desuyo''. ''By the way, here is the lord of the 42nd district. He''s also human. He pushes Estella in front of Nicca. The word ''lord'' may have had an effect, but Nikka''s eyes swam. ''............ Lords are a separate category. ''By the way, the pretty girl over here is also human.'' ''Huh!Oh, no!What? When I introduced Jeannette like that, she began to make strange noises and get upset. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... No, I don''t want you to be embarrassed like that. ...... You see, the way the story goes, ......... ... ''......The embarrassment is kind of cute,............''. But such dismay seems to have worked, and Nikka''s venom has been completely drained. ''Nikka. There are many kinds of humans. Don''t lump them all together and hate them. ''............ and,but desne............... ...Yes, sir. I''ll be careful after that. Nicca nodded on the gate. She couldn''t argue with Lucia''s words and admitted her defeat. Well, I''m the one who brought it to that point. ''But anchovies are the only ones that stink! ''Hmm. I agree with that. ''Hey, come on, you guys! I''ll punch you in the face, my lord. And the swallowtail butterfly as well. And the swallowtail butterfly. ''Oh, sir. Mr. Yashiro doesn''t have a particular scent, so I don''t think you need to worry about it. Yeah. Ginette. When you gently comfort me there, it makes me look like someone who cares a lot, right? I appreciate it, but could you please stop?I know you''re trying to be nice. ''You''ve ruined my life!I''ll rub it in if you don''t stop! ''......Yashiro is still Yashiro when he''s angry. ......'' Ignoring Estella''s sigh, I point at Nikka. ''You''re a breast! Then I point at Lucia. ''You''re an ass! ''...... Why not my breasts?Hmm?If you have a reason, let me know. Hmm? ''Shut up. Estimated B cup. Ask your own breasts. Ask your estimated B-cup breasts! ''Very well!Estella, it''s war! ''Wait, Miss Lucia!Jashiro!Cancel this right now! ''Shut up. Certified A-cup! ''Alright, war! Estella and Lucia clasped hands tightly. This was the moment when the allied forces of District 42 and District 35 were born. ''Don''t do something stupid. Two lords together.'' ''You''re the cause of all this stupidity, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''That''s right. Don''t interrupt me, anchovy! I''ve wasted so much time on useless things. I hate waste and squandering more than anything. ''Hey, Nicca. I called out to Nikka, who was holding her plump E-cups above the gate and glaring at me. ''As you can see, I''m a harmless, good person. Let me pass.'' ''There''s nothing more untrustworthy than your words. Why?You''re such a gentleman! ''Sirach-sama''s mind and body have been damaged by humans!There''s no way I''m letting her meet someone as insensitive as you! ''Hey, Nikka!How dare you speak out against my lord? ''I''m talking about you, Yashiro! What kind of insensitivity do you think I have? I don''t understand. I''m so sensitive that I find a plush chair uncomfortable right after someone stands in it. ''There won''t be a problem, just like Nicca thinks. I assure you, I will.'' Gilberta steps forward and faces Nikka. She pounds her chest, thumps her chest. ''Believe me, I know my friend Yashiro. I believe my friend Yashiro, who called these breasts ''magnificent tits''! ''It''s not worth trusting! ...... No, no, no. I think it''s a foregone conclusion. I''m sure you''ll remember that. I''ll take full responsibility. Lucia says with the dignity of a lord in her tone. Even Nikka is momentarily frightened and chokes on her words. I mean, what kind of relationship does a lord have to have to say this much? How politely is this Siraha being treated? If you take too much care of things or anything, they become fragile. ''Wentan here is a Yamamayuga,'' said Lucia. Lucia said, referring to Wendy. ...... ''Wentan,'' stop it. Wendy stiffens her shoulders and looks up at Nikka with trepidation. ''This one has now taken up residence with a human. ''A sub-strain is desuka............ with humans?'' Nikka frowned, a look of honest surprise on her face. The look in her eyes was one of awe and disdain for the incomprehensible. ''It''s not a sub-lineage. It''s the Yamamayuga people.'' Lucia corrected her words. For a moment, Wendy''s expression relaxed, but the tension still seemed to be there. Wendy had once told me that she had begun researching glowing flowers so that the Yamamayuga people could play with them like butterflies. For the Yamamayuga people, the swallowtail butterflies may have been an object of admiration. At the very least, Wendy must have thought the sight of the swallowtail butterfly people playing with flowers was beautiful. That is why she wanted to be like them. The contemptuous gaze of such a person may be painful even if it is not. Perhaps you have been treated in a similar way in the past. Maybe they have been treated similarly in the past, like in "Don''t Come to Me, Subgenre," ....... ''I can''t let you meet anyone who has chosen to become a slave of humans, even more so, Death. The belief that marriage with a human is like that is firmly rooted in my mind. However, that statement was not a good idea. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''...... Theron is not that kind of person. ''You think so because you are ignorant. You don''t know the world, you don''t know history, and you can only see what''s right in front of you. You don''t know anything about the cruelty of human beings. ......'' ''That''s not true! A flash of lightning spreads across the area. Nikka, Lucia, and Gilberta rolled their eyes at the violent spark. It was because Nikka had scattered scales earlier that the lightning had spread more easily. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''I''m sorry for the ...... disturbance .......'' He bowed his head as if to make up for it. Wendy has a habit of shaking her emotional needle to the extreme when people say bad things about Theron. That''s something you need to work on. ''Ta, just ......''. Wendy looks down at Nikka from the top of the gate with a reserved gaze, but still not backing down, and declares her thoughts once and for all. ''I didn''t fall in love with Theron just because of his good qualities. A clear statement that she is not ignorant. This seemed to be Wendy''s way of expressing her affection to Theron so that he would not deny it. ''I''ve spent a lot of time with you, met a lot of people in a lot of different places, had a lot of contact with them, and I''ve made up my mind. ''Don''t use the word "ignorant," and don''t talk like you know something you don''t.'' That''s what Wendy was trying to say, I guess. Then why don''t you just say so? ''Hey, Nicca. Wendy would never say anything that would push someone away. That''s both kind and cruel at times. Look at Nicca''s face. She''s in a state of helplessness because she''s been completely denied, but she''s in a state of helplessness because she hasn''t been declared a clear loser. Your expression shows a lot of confusion. He''s in a position where he can''t just admit he''s wrong, you know. It''s kinder to talk him down. So I''ll say it for him. ''How many people do you know?Acquaintances, friends, acquaintances, it doesn''t matter. How many people have you spoken to?Have you seen their faces?'' ''No, there''s no need to ...... meet them!We are a race incompatible with humans,......! ''How many people do you know? ''............ Lucia-sama and a few others,............,'' he said. He frowned and turned away. That action is akin to raising the white flag. ''Locked up in a place like this, refusing to interact with anyone but certain people, refusing to meet new people, abandoning the idea of knowing ............''. With a flinch, Nicca stepped backwards. The fact that you can''t argue with it means that you accept it. How can you say that when you''re holed up in a secluded place like this where no one ever sets foot, blocking your eyes and ears? It''s like a closed country. Wendy, on the other hand, ran away from her parents'' home and moved to the 42nd district with no one to turn to, and immersed herself in research to pursue her dream. And there, she met people with whom she could share time, joy, anguish and excitement. Totally ...... ''Which one of us is the ignorant one? ''U ...... Shut up, Death Net!Ah, the subspecies has its own way of thinking! ''Oh, sorry. That argument won''t work. I''m not going to listen to that excuse. You know, ...... ''I''m the same person as you, aren''t I? There''s no reason to give you special treatment. ''You''re right, you look different. You have wings and antennae, and you can fly.That''s a feat I can''t match. But so what?'' The logic that we can''t understand each other''s minds because we look different is broken. It doesn''t work. It can''t be true. ''Of course we can''t understand each other''s minds. That''s impossible even among our own kind. We can only empathize at best. If it''s Jeannette or Estella or Magda or Loretta, you can at least tell what they''re thinking by looking at their faces. But that doesn''t mean that I understand their minds. Only the person himself can know what he is thinking. ''But isn''t it important to try to understand even though you don''t understand? If you think you can understand the other person''s mind without making any effort, that is just arrogance. The heart is not something that can be easily understood. It doesn''t matter whether you''re of the same race or a different race. Humans are such creatures. ''If someone like you rejects me with a lock on my heart from the start, there''s no way I can understand you. ''Shut up, Death!Humans are always like that, always ...... verbally .......'' ''Heh. You understand humans quite well, don''t you?'''' ''Huh? ''That''s your imagination, isn''t it? I''ll accuse you in a roundabout way. Nikka''s expression distorts in an obvious way. ''It''s Nikka. A beautiful, silky hand slips between Nikka and me as we stare at each other. Lucia steps in between us and calls out to Nikka. ''If you are opposed to this marriage, then let Sirach meet with you and persuade you. Let her tell you the story of how she was hurt by her marriage to a human. ''............'' How did she take Lucia''s words, Nikka closed her mouth and began to think silently. The bleak atmosphere that had covered her entire body had faded. I suppose that means he has reached a certain level of acceptance. As for me, I felt better knowing why Lucia had brought us here. Lucia''s attitude toward Wendy''s marriage was unclear, whether she was for it or against it. That''s why it''s been a mystery to me what he wants us to do by taking us to see Sirach. ...... He''s expecting it. He''s hoping that we - Wendy and Theron''s marriage - will break the ice. If you act as the lord of the 35th district, which has a sympathetic policy toward the former subspecies and subhumans, you will surely have sympathy for them for a long time to come. Like the couple of white butterflies I met in the flower garden, I can''t get rid of the feeling of ''I will obey my lord''s orders and take the upper hand'' because my lord''s ''sympathy'' is rooted at the bottom. Humans have done terrible things in the past. We must atone for that. There is no true happiness in things given with such a backward-looking mind. There is no such thing. Because the position has not changed a bit. Those who give and those who are given. The status system remains intact. I don''t know if Lucia is aware of this, but she certainly wants to do something about the current situation. Lucia''s interest in this marriage proposal may have been due to the fact that the situation had been prolonged. She was grasping at straws. Even if it fails, Lucia herself won''t be hurt at all. You are a strong lord. ''......, you should meet him. You should meet him and see for yourself. See the pain and sorrow that Lord Siraha has suffered. ......'' At last Nikka broke. She spread her wings wide and flew down from the gate. As if in a flutter, she lands in front of us. ''However, if you are rude to me, I will kick you out immediately! ''Do I look like the kind of person who would do that? ''Yes, you do! They don''t seem to trust me, but they''ll let me in anyway. One step forward, I guess. ''Prepare yourself ...... to accept the heartbreaking sorrow of .......'' Nikka said and walked through the gate. We followed her into the garden. The one-story house we saw nearby was unnecessarily large and seemed to ...... emphasize the sadness even more. 195-Talk about it later on. 23 Shiraha. We passed through a large gate and walked through a deserted garden. If you''ve been cooped up here for so long, you should at least keep the garden clean, I thought. When I looked at Millie, she seemed to be thinking the same thing as I was, looking at the deserted garden with a sad expression on her face. ''Don''t scurry around so much, Death. Nikka leads the way, speaking sternly only to me. Pulling open an old wooden door, I was led into a one-story house. Without taking off my shoes, I walk up the corridor. The floor creaks. The only sound is the creaking of the floor in the silence, as if time has stopped. You are led to the back of the building and made to stand in front of a large wooden door. ''This room is Sirach-sama''s room. Giving me a cold stare, Nikka puts her hand on the wooden door. The door slowly opens and there he is. An old woman with large swallowtail butterfly wings growing out of her back, her antennae swaying as she eats. ...... ''Haaaa...... lard is the best! The fat hag was gulping down a big gulp of soggy soup. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''No, no, no!You look so happy! I was imagining a wounded, weeping beauty in a dark room, but ...... I was disappointed! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if it''s open or closed, but the eyes buried in the cheek meat of Sirach are looking at me. ...... are probably facing you. If you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your wedding, you''ll want to look for a wedding dress. After staring at us for a while, Siraha moves her fleshy cheeks, which seem to waste extra energy opening and closing, and opens her mouth. ''Are you the one who wants another drink? ''No, I''m not! You''re still eating, you old hag! ''I''m not giving you another ......, okay? ''No, thank you! Who would want that liver-damaging oily soup? ''Who the hell are you? It was probably because I had raised my voice too loudly. The swallowtail butterfly man who was standing next to Sirach ran towards me. No, not the swallowtail butterfly mankind, but the ............ ''Are you a swallowtail butterfly larvae mankind? ''Who''s the larvae? The guy''s face was 100% unadulterated caterpillar. As proof of this, he thrust out a yellow branch-shaped stinky thing near his nose in anger. A stench like a rotten tangerine filled the room. ''Keep your stinky horn out, caterpillar! ''They''re swallowtail butterflies!Don''t treat me like a child! No, no, no. They''re children. You''re not even a chrysalis yet. ''Carl is a grown man who came of age this year!I''ll refrain from being rude, anchovy! ''Pfft. Anchovy is a funny name for a .......'' ''Shut up, caterpillar.'' It seems that the caterpillar holding its mouth and laughing is named Carl. If you''re coming of age, that means you''ll be 15 this year. He''s one year younger than ...... Loretta. I''m not sure if the bug people are larvae or pupa before becoming adults. I''ll ask Estella or Wendy about it later. ''So, this old lady of the Turtle Tribe is Sirach? ''She''s from the Swallowtail tribe! ''Who''s Tagame?That''s rude! That statement would be disrespectful to the Tagame people. I don''t know if you''re at ...... or not. But it''s wonderfully round. If you only look at its face, it looks like a pug. ''Anyway, take away the food. You''ll get into trouble if you let him eat any more. ''Don''t be silly, Death!Heartbreak is a horrible thing that makes you eat less and kills you.Sirach-sama needs to eat, even if he has to! ''Whose food is getting thinner? It''s a lot of food! ''Your sighing has been increasing lately! ''You''re probably eating too much and getting lethargy, what do you want? You were begging for a refill just now, too! You''re not getting any thinner, food, body, and nerves! ''I don''t know, I feel like I''m getting tired again. ......'' ''It''s just my imagination!That''s impossible! Your nerves must be weakened! I''m hallucinating! ''As you can see, Siraha-sama''s mind and body are full of scars! ''I''m sorry. I can''t find a single scratch. ......'' ''Look at the antennae! When I looked at Sirach''s antennae, the right one was shorter than the left. The right antenna was shorter than the left. It seemed to have been cut off about halfway through. ''Oh, I''m sorry to hear that, Sirach-sama. ............ Because I lost my antennae, I can''t even fly anymore. ......'' ''No, I think there are other reasons why you can''t fly. I''ve never seen a creature with that weight that can fly. ''What do you think?Just meeting you was heartbreaking, wasn''t it? ''Sorry. It''s more like a laugh. While we were talking, Siraha kept eating the fried buns on her plate, ''mocchimocchimocchimocchim''. What a happy face she has. ...... It makes me want to feed her. I like pugs more than you think. ''Shiraha. It''s been a while. Lucia approaches Siraha, who is sitting comfortably in a sturdy chair. Get up, old woman. You''ve got a lord coming to visit you. Get up, even if it takes a beating. ''..................?'' Sirach stared at Lucia, then held out the empty bowl of oil soup. ''You''re the one with the refill, aren''t you? ''No, Siraha. It''s Lucia, my lord.'' ''Oh, dear. Lucia, is that you?You''ve grown up so much! ''...... It hasn''t been that long since we''ve met. We met last month.'' Is this old lady starting to lose her mind?Or is she not interested in anything other than food? ............ Probably the latter. ''I''ve brought a guest with me today. He''s from another district. ...... Wentan.'' ''Yes, sir.'' When her name was called, Wendy ran awkwardly to Lucia''s side. ''This daughter of the Yamamayuga tribe has decided to marry a human. ''Oh, dear, ......''. Sirach stares at Wendy with his eyes wide open. She puts her marshmallow-like hands to her mouth - she''s not going to eat them, is she?You look like you''re about to eat it, so don''t get cold feet--you look surprised. ''You ......''. ''Yes, yes. My name is Wendy.'' ''You look just like me when I was younger.'' Siraha says with a big smile on her face. Wendy glows for a moment. ''I''m honored. Lie to me! Didn''t you just say, ''Oh, really? Didn''t you just get shocked?You were, weren''t you? ''And that made you a little nervous, didn''t it? She takes Wendy''s hand and wraps it gently in both of hers. Sirach''s actions were filled with a gentle, enveloping tenderness, as if he were caring for a young child. Wendy shook her head clearly when he looked at her with a caring gaze. ''No, no. I''m not worried. I believe in Theron ...... because I believe in him.'' ''Yes .......'' Inhale fully and exhale slowly. Sirach''s large belly expanded and contracted with it. ''............I see.'' I think the words that came out of her mouth sounded somewhat happy. ''Why did you bring Wendy here, Lucia? Lucia didn''t show any discomfort at being called ''chan'' by Sirach. This is in spite of the fact that ordinary people refer to the lord as "chan". Is this also a consideration for those who were once called subspecies? Or is it because they''ve known each other since they were children? ...... In front of Sirach, Lucia seemed to be just another girl. ''I want you to tell her a story. I want you to tell me what Siraha experienced and what she thought at that time. ......'' ''Let me ask you, what do you want? ''............'' In response to Sirach''s question, Lucia closed her mouth once. She then turns to Wendy with a serious look in her eyes. With Sirach''s hand in hers and Lucia''s gaze on her, Wendy can''t escape and looks back and forth. ''............ The rest will be for him to think about. I''d like you to give him a chance to think about it. ''Yes, ............ yes.'' Lucia and Sirach. The conversation seemed to be complete between the two of them. Sirach lifts his head to look at you. ''Nikka, Karl.'' ''Yes desu! ''Yes, Dazo! ''Can you give us a moment, please? ''What?De, de, de sked, Sirach-sama? ''No, no, no, no, that''s ............ not good! It seems that what Siraha saw was not me, but Nikka and Karl, who were standing on either side of me as if to warn me. Naturally, Nikka and the others were repulsed. ...... ''Please''. It''s not that I don''t like it, but it''s not that I don''t like it. I grudgingly agreed to Sirach''s offer. Don''t forget to glare at me when you do. ''Then, I''ll wait in front of the door. ''If anything happens, please call me immediately!I''ll run in and take this man down! ''Why are you assuming that I''m the one who''s going to do something? The caterpillar is glaring at me like a maniac. You''ll have to wait until you''re a pupa before you act like that. ''Don''t worry, just wait out front. Nicca and Carl alone.'' ''Huh? ''......?That''s right, we''ll wait together. ......? In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. Ah ...... nah. That''s how it is. I love you, but I can''t tell you how I feel about you. I love you, but I can''t tell you how I feel about you. I love you, but I can''t tell you how I feel about you. I tap the boiled caterpillar on the shoulder and say a few words as a senior in life. ''You''re such a kid. ''You''re annoying! Boiled caterpillar Carl sticks out his sense of smell. Stop it!It stinks! ''Mmmm. You''re a pretty girl. Ginette leaks her overrated opinion. Come to think of it, Jeannette is not afraid of insects or reptiles at all. In fact, she seems to think that they are ''small and cute''. Loretta, for example, makes a lot of noise when insects fly around, but Jeannette doesn''t do that at all. This is an aspect of Ginette that is somewhat unexpected from her appearance. ......, but I don''t think this caterpillar guy is cute. No, he''s not. ''Just go out and hold hands and wait for me. ''T-That''s not holding hands! ''Yes, we are!I''ll be armed and ready to respond at a moment''s notice, no matter what happens!I''ll keep that in mind! I''ll keep that in mind.'' Ahhhh, ......, the man is more naive than you, and you don''t even know it. Look at him. The curls are a little dented. And don''t mount the weapon. I''m afraid you''ll misfire. Even if you say, "I accidentally stabbed him," like a sweet chestnut, it''s no big deal. ''Hey, Carl. I put my hand on Carl''s shoulder as he retracts the stinky horn, and tell him with all my heart. ''Hold Nikka''s hand firmly. I don''t want to get stabbed. Especially don''t get stabbed for a crime you didn''t commit! ''Oh, you''re cheering for ............, aren''t you? No. Not even a little. Self-preservation, self-preservation. Everything you say is for your own good. ''Maybe he''s a good guy ............, dude.'' Hahaha, you''re imagining things. ''Oh, I''ll do my best! Carl declares to me with eyes blazing with motivation. His fists are clenched tightly. Well, yeah. Go for it. Nikka gives me a stern look, Carl gives me a heated ''I''m gonna do it! and then they both leave together. What a noisy bunch they were. ''Yashiro really gets along with ...... everyone right away, doesn''t he? ''We don''t get along. I''m just amazed at Estella''s dumbfounded face. I''m on the verge of being stabbed. ''Well... Well then, let''s have a talk. Everyone, come here and sit down. Siraha said in a calm voice, beckoning us. We stepped onto the wooden floor. Are you going to sit here? ''Gilberta. There''s a ''zabu'' over there, bring it to her. ''All right, I will.'' Sirach is giving instructions to Gilberta. It''s a good thing that Lucia doesn''t blame her for this. ...... Do you want me to help? Hmmm. They''re good kids. Wendy couldn''t move, apparently because Sirach was still holding her hand. A soft cushion was brought in and laid out in front of us. We sat in a circle with Sirach as the standard. I feel a little uncomfortable sitting on a cushion in a place where there are no shoes on the floor. ...... If we could make tatami mats, we might be able to take off our shoes. I''m not sure what to say. It''s so soft. ''Mmm...... soft ...... feels good''. Ginette and Milly seemed to like the soft cushions. They sat on the cushions again and again, enjoying the feeling of the softness. Well, I hope they''re enjoying it. It''s certainly a comfortable seat. ''Well. Now, let me tell you something. Sirach sits back deeply in his chair and lets out a long, deep breath. ...... and, before that... ''You should let Wendy go. ''What?Well, well, well.'' As if she had just realized it, Sirach let go of Wendy''s hands that were holding hers. What, what?Did you forget? It''s already started, old lady? I''m sorry. It was so smooth and comfortable that I couldn''t resist. ''No, no. It''s an honor. He looked annoyed, but not disgusted. If it had been an old man, Wendy might have started crying, but if it had been an old woman, she would have been fine. But if it was an old man, Wendy would have started crying. ............ I see! ''Hey, Jeannette. You look very comfortable .......'' ''Please repent.'' He was cut off by a smirk. ...... I see. You should have said ''I''m sorry'' after you rubbed her. ...... I made a mistake in the procedure. Wendy sits down next to Sirach, and everyone sits down. From Sirach, going right to left, Lucia, Gilberta, Estella, me, Jeannette, Milly, and Wendy. By some coincidence, I''m right in front of the old lady. ...... Sorry about the view, this seat. ''I met him when I was about ...... the age of that ladybug girl over there, I think. ......'' ''About nine years old? ''Oh, ladybug ...... Miri, you''ll be fifteen this year ......?'' ''Yeah, yeah. I was just nine years old.'' ''Oh ............ that''s awful ......'' Millie''s shoulders slumped. It can''t be helped. Your real age doesn''t show in your appearance. If you''re talking about ''about that age'', you''re usually referring to appearance, not actual age. Ginette is comforting Millie, who is nodding her head. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. Estella stumbled for a moment, but then asked the question. That''s the part I want to be clear about. ''Yes, that''s right. She wouldn''t reveal the name, but she acknowledged the fact. Who I''m marrying is rather unimportant at the moment. If Sirach doesn''t want to tell you, there''s no need to ask. Rather, the question is, ''What happened with that person? ''You know, I had a very fiery love affair with that guy. ......'' ''Siraha. Don''t talk about that. Why don''t you tell him about the antennae? ''But you know, Lucia. He''s the kind of guy who''d be ashamed of a flower if he saw me outside at ......'' ''Shiraha!There are ...... young girls, too. Please be considerate. When Siraha began to squirm, Lucia stopped her tightly, holding her reddened cheeks. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. I''m not even going to listen to ...... the old lady''s peachy talk. I want to talk to you. ''You can tell it to Nikka or Carl later. There''s gonna be vomit all over this place. ''No, you can''t. They''re ...... hmm. All of the swallowtail butterfly people, and maybe other subhumans as well ......, have decided that my past is ''sad'' and won''t let me talk about it. I''m not sure if it''s the other way around. I think she''s thinking that she shouldn''t talk about her past because it reminds her of her heartbreak ............. So, are you trying to cover up your past wounds with the pleasant things in front of you? If that''s the case,...... ''All right. I''ll listen to the old lady''s love story on an empty stomach.'' When there''s nothing to throw up. ''But for now, I want to know the conclusion first. Can you tell me about the antennae?'' ''Oh, yeah?Yeah, yeah. ...... Yeah, yeah.'' Siraha smiles weakly, looking a little unsatisfied. However, the next moment, she changed her expression to one of radiance. --And then she chuckles and laughs. I''m finally beginning to understand. The crux of this problem. And both Lucia and Sirach are aware of it, but they can''t do anything about it. They are at the mercy of the good intentions that keep pouring in at random. But it''s tasteless to just talk about the conclusion. Will you join me for a moment? Siraha looks at me and says. You want me to listen to you. Fine. I''ll listen. As long as your feelings are included in the story. ''He was a very peculiar man. He was very kind to me, a subspecies.'' ''Subspecies, is that what he told you?'' ''No. He never said anything like that. The whole town had already established an atmosphere of not doing that kind of thing. But the people, especially the nobles, must have kept that kind of intention in their hearts. According to the information I''ve gotten about Sirach so far, she married a nobleman. If "she" is a nobleman, the people around her must have been nagging her against her will. You''re an eccentric ....... It''s ironic to be treated as an oddball for doing a good deed. ''My family was poor. I went to work when I was nine. The Flower Arrangers Guild was a great help to me. ''Yeah, ......'' Milly''s antennae twitched when she heard that Sirach had once worked at the Flower Arrangement Guild. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. The expression on her face right now is just like that. ''That''s how I met her. ...... We were both still children, but we fell in love hard, and ............ one day she saw me outside ............''. One day, he told me about me outside .......'' ''You said we''d talk about this another time! Why not? You really want to talk about it? I have a bad feeling about the word ''outside''! ''Well then, we''ll talk about this next time when we''re alone. ''Can you stop saying things that make sense?We''ll get married after all, and then you can tell me about it! I scolded the old lady who was giving me a blank stare and urged her to move on. Ginette, Milly, and even Estella have red faces. Don''t talk about things you can''t let a girl hear. ''I''m sorry. I''m kind of embarrassed to ...... cover it up.'' No, what you''re about to tell me should be far more embarrassing. ''It''s a bit awkward for me to say this, but ......''. Sirach showed a little embarrassment and ...... smiled softly. A gentle smile, like a rape blossom swaying in the spring breeze. He took me in as his wife. ''Yeah, ......'' Millie shouts. Millie has a tendency to think so lowly of her subspecies'' position that she refrains from riding in the carriage. It is likely that she could not believe that the subspecies could become the full wife of a nobleman. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. I can feel such a margin. ''Didn''t the people around you ...... and your relatives object?'' It was Estella who asked the question. He''s a nobleman. He probably knows very well what the aristocracy is thinking and doing behind the scenes. From his experience and knowledge, he must have come to the conclusion that it is not acceptable for a nobleman to take a subspecies as his wife. ''You''ve done it, haven''t you? It''s been done. The choice of words shows the personality of the person. The time you have experienced and the emotions you have felt at that time affect your language. "Intense. That''s the word I chose, Sirach. I wonder what he was thinking at that time. ''But he''s stubborn, too. ...... ugh.'' In the midst of the fierce opposition, the two of them must have continued to fight it alone. The smile on his face was nostalgic for the past, but at the same time, I could feel his sadness. ''He was the eldest son, and he said he was abandoning the house. ............ and ............ ...... was burned to the ground.'' The sound of gasping breaths shook the air inside the room. The eldest son of a noble family decided to abandon his home and live with Sirach. I''m not sure what to make of that. The event, a commonplace, third-rate tragedy, must have left an indelible scar on the young couple. These wounds, even hearsay, choke the hearts of those around them. ''I was surrounded by a sea of fire, and I flew desperately. I carried her in my arms, looking blankly ahead,......, and as I ran for my life, my antennae were cut off and gone. The right antennae was cut in half. It was an honorable injury I suffered to save a loved one. ...... But the cost of that honor was great. ''In the end, that''s what separated us. ...... Well, I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that we both had lives. The smile that appeared on his face looked as sad as if he was crying. She did not mean what she said. But I can''t do without saying so. More than anything, he couldn''t stand it himself. ''Siraha......, you''re pretending to be a jerk in front of them, aren''t you? ''Hmm ......, I don''t mean to be .......'' He holds his mouth and smiles quietly. It''s impossible for this old lady to be a blur by answering so clearly and calling out the back of our ...... words. The old lady ...... who is confined to her room and eats what she is given with relish is just an act to blind the eyes of those around her. ''The reason you were separated is because the people around you made too much noise. ''Oh, ......, you''re so smart.'' Sirach stares at me in pure amazement. ''What do you ...... mean, Yashiro-san?'' Ginette asks me. We escaped from the burning, and that''s why we got separated. If that''s all there is to it, there could be a variety of reasons, such as injuries, the other party died, lost love, or a fight broke out......, but considering the fact that Siraha now continues to play the role of a dumb old lady, there is only one answer. ''After that incident, Siraha asked for help from her friends. Her husband, the eldest son of a noble family, was burned to the ground. That''s quite an incident. It would be impossible to live a normal life from that point on. He couldn''t live as a nobleman or he was injured. ...... The fact that Sirach flew with the man in his arms means that he was in no condition to escape on his own. Even after escaping from the fire, Siraha and the others were still trapped. The only people they could rely on in such a situation were their relatives and ...... friends. ''You''re right. Surprise. It''s like you''ve seen it all. ''I''m just combining the information I''ve been given and making inferences.'' ''I see. But it''s amazing.'' He claps his marshmallow hands and gives me a pat on the back. Stop it. I don''t want applause from a lonely face like that. ''She was badly burned defending me during the ...... explosion. He didn''t regain consciousness and ...... really chilled my heart. With her husband in such a state, Siraha ran away and came back to this place with nowhere to go. ''And then you went back to your friends and ...... got caught, didn''t you? By your friends.'' ''Yes. Yes.'' He lifted his chin and made a gesture as if he were looking through a wooden door. He was probably checking to see if Nikka or Carl had heard him. ''When my family saw me coming home with wounds, they were in an uproar. ''I was hurt by a human being.'' ...... They didn''t take me seriously.'' ''Why is it ......?If you had told them the truth, they would have understood. ......'' Ginette says, confused. ''But that question is a bit harsh. I can''t let Siraha answer. I''ll open my mouth instead. ''I imagine that no matter how much ...... Siraha told the truth, they wouldn''t take it as such, saying that she was being deceived or threatened into saying so. For example, even if Siraha claims that this person is not a bad person, her family cannot trust her words because they see Siraha with wounds all over her body. How can they trust a man who is a blood relative of the one who endangered their daughter''s life? The harder Siraha tries to appeal, the more she thinks that she is being told what to say and that she is being brainwashed. ''I wonder if it''s possible to be so ...... extreme in your beliefs that you ignore any of Sirach''s words. ......'' ''Wendy''s parents aren''t listening to what Wendy has to say either. ''Oh ......''. Jeannette must have seen it. No matter how many times I tried to persuade her, she refused to give up, saying, ''You''re being deceived. ''This is all because of the stupid status of ''subspecies'' and ''sub-lineage''. It''s because of the imprinting of ''humans deceive and discriminate against other races''. ''............'' Jeannette fell silent. The grief must have spread and weighed heavily on her heart. Maybe you haven''t had a chance to touch it much. Because you''ve been living in the sunny pavilion, protected by your grandfathers. That''s a very lucky thing. ''I''m sorry, Wendy. I didn''t mean to use you as an example. ''E......, oh, no. I hope you don''t mind. I apologize for using my parents as a poor analogy. I''m sure they don''t feel very good about it. Wendy and Millie both have complicated expressions on their faces. Perhaps these two have seen such conflicts before. They look as if they are remembering something. ''I''ve tried to get out of here a few times,......, but I couldn''t.'' And so, Sirach gave up ......, or compromised. The more you try to escape or resist, the tighter the interference and restraint from those around you will become. ''We worked hard for three years,...... and even consulted with the lord,...... but in the end, we chose to live apart. ''......I''m sorry I couldn''t help you.'' ''Oh. It was your grandfather''s time, Lucia.'' ''Still, ............ I''m .........'' ''Please don''t.'' Stroking Lucia''s furrowed brow, Sirach smiles gently, as if at a child. ''Thanks to you, I''m still able to exchange letters with that person. I''m happy for that. ''Do you have a correspondence? A faint glimmer of hope. Jeannette responded. ''Yes. Once a month. ''So ...... that''s ............ good.'' It''s a small thing, really, but ...... Siraha looks happy from the bottom of her heart. Perhaps this is what gives her the strength to live now. After three years of resistance, they became exhausted and decided to stop resisting, thinking that they would be separated from each other. They lived apart and exchanged letters through their lords. In this way, they have continued to comfort themselves by thinking that each other is alive and well. ''If I, a human being, were to intervene inappropriately, I might give the swallowtail butterfly people and other insect people an unpleasant misunderstanding. ''Is the lord still protecting the humans? I don''t want any conflicts between the two sides,......, which is why I haven''t been able to make a decision until now. Lucia bows her head deeply, lamenting her inability to do so. ''Sirach...... is sorry. Please let me apologize from the bottom of my heart. ''Oh my god. Stop it. It''s okay, it''s okay. I''m happy enough as it is.'' ''But your time is .......'' ''Time, you know, when it''s gone, you can never get it back. The same goes for the time that passes while you regret it. If you don''t live happily in the present, you''ll be regretting your regrets for years to come. Okay?Now, raise your head. The more time you waste on regrets, the more you''ll regret that waste someday. If you waste time on regrets, you will regret that waste someday. You should accept that there is nothing you can do about it and live happily in the present. ...... It may seem like a positive idea,...... but it is actually a very sad idea. It''s a very sad way of thinking. ''Those kids are really good to me. They are all thinking about me and working hard for me day in and day out. If I complain about this, it''s the same as saying bad things about them. I''m happy with my life now. The swallowtail butterfly people didn''t listen to Sirach''s words. But it was out of the purest of good intentions, and Siraha couldn''t blame them. Excessive meddling. Imposing good intentions. But if it''s all for your own good, it''s hard to reject ....... Conflict between humans and subspecies. Imprinted emotions. And then there''s the gossip that started when Sirach lost his antennae, that Sirach was hurt by humans. The combination of these factors has created a trend that says, "Look, humans are terrible after all. Young people like Nikka and Karl don''t even suspect it. A kind of resignation,......, Sirach is also not going to say anything about it now. ''But,......, yes. If you are ever reincarnated,...... then it would be great if we could be together. ''...... Gosh.'' Millie sniffs. In a panic, Ginette pats Milly on the back to calm her down. Two people who can''t be united: ...... It can''t be helped: ............ ...... but... ''Hey, old lady. I can''t leave this third-rate tragedy as a tragedy. ''Why are you giving up on me like that? Because of your injury, Wendy''s parents are stubbornly suspicious of human beings and fiercely opposed to Wendy''s marriage. ''You look like you''ve done all you can and there''s nothing you can do about it. ......'' Do you know how much profit this marriage is going to generate? Do you know how much profit this marriage will generate? ''You''re making a big mistake if you think you''ll gain insight as long as you''re old enough. It''s a pity if you have such a lukewarm idea that you can just live your life peacefully, without making waves, without hurting anyone. I''m sorry, but you''re already in it. I''ve made a fortune. Sirach. You said you were happy enough with your life?...... Did you mean it? Sure, you''re surrounded by kind friends, you''re cared for by everyone, and you can check on the safety of your beloved, even if it''s only by letter. I''m sure you''re living a reasonably happy life. But you know what? Don''t be satisfied with that. There are still many things in the world you don''t know. Don''t you want to see them?There really is the best scenery out there, but you don''t know it, and you''re satisfied with the easy happiness you''ve been given and turn away from it. ...... Are you okay with that? ''Yashiro......'' Keep your mouth shut, Estella. By looking at her, I block out Estella''s words. There''s no need to be polite or rude. That''s not the point. This is the only way to bring down this guy who''s been carried around for so long by so many people. ''You''ll have to help me. I''m sorry, but I can''t veto it. I stood up and walked up to Sirach. The eyes that looked up at me were completely withered, but with a hint of surprise and expectation in them. Take a good look with those narrow eyes of yours. This is the face of a man who would claw at your withered, wrinkled heart. That''s about right. Don''t give a guy who''s about to get married and be happy a sobering story. What if they get anxious about marriage? And if Wendy says she wants to call off the wedding because of it, I''ll demand compensation from you. Hey, Siraha. You''re aware of this, aren''t you? I prioritize not making waves and not hurting anyone. With that look on your face, ...... you''re the one who''s getting hurt all the time. Wendy looks really happy when she is with Theron. I''m sure you do too, don''t you? ''Let''s make a bet, Siraha.'' ''A ...... bet?'' ''Oh, yeah.'' ''Don''t want to make it too hard, do you? ''Nah, it''s easy. You''ve had your fill of life''s sweet and sour, let me show you. You''re still ignorant. ''You''ve eaten a lot of good food, haven''t you? ''Yes, I have. Everyone brings me a lot. I think I''ve eaten almost everything I can get around here. ''Almost everything you can get around here'' ......? That''s what I call ignorance. ''Then, I''m going to make you something very tasty from now on, something you''re familiar with that you can get around here. Probably something you''ve never even tasted before. ''Oh my. Is there such a thing? ''If there is, you can help me at ....... No matter what Nikka or any of her people say, you have my full support.'' ''Hmmm ...... interesting girl. What''s your name? ''Yashiro.'' ''Mm-hmm. You''re Yashiro. Okay. I''ll take your bet. Okay. Then let''s just win this bet. ''Jeannette. And millie. ''Yes, yes. ''Yeah, ............ crap............ what?'' Millie still has red eyes, and Ginette is comforting her. I''ve got to get these two to smile again. ''Help me. Help me out with a plan to make this old lady smile from the bottom of her heart. It''s not really my style, but I gave her a ...... wink, and it seemed to have an extraordinary effect. Ginette and Milly were at a loss for words for a moment, looked at each other, and then both broke out into a smile. ''Yes! ''Mmm! I instructed them and asked them to do a little errand for me. 196-Later, Tan 24th, thats not that selfish. ''Thank you for waiting. ''Oh, it was so beautiful! Ginette and Milly come back after their errand. Although they were a little excited, they seemed to have brought back the items they ordered. ''Thanks to Gilberta, everything went smoothly. ''Normally, this act is against the law. But, permission was granted, by Lady Lucia. I''m a witness to that. Taking the flowers out was against the rules, but I asked Lucia to make a special exception. When I told her it was for Sirach''s sake, she agreed, saying it was just for this one time, but her expression was somber. Initially, I had planned to ask Ginette and Milly to go alone, but Gilberta offered to go with me so that the insects in the garden would not make a fuss about humans looting the flowers. Thanks to her, the excursion seemed to have been completed without any major problems. ''Yes, ladybug. Is this the right ......?'' ''Yeah, it''s good. Millie presented me with four kinds of flowers. They were the nectar-filled flowers that bloomed in the flower garden. Each with brightly colored petals blooming proudly. They are full of nectar. They were feeling down after hearing Sirach''s story, so I asked them to escort me to the garden. I hoped that they would feel a little refreshed by going to the garden. ......, but it seems to have had an extraordinary effect. Millie''s tears have all but disappeared, and Ginette''s face is beaming with happiness. ''Oh, my. Nectar from the garden. Sirach''s cheeks relax at the sight of the beautiful flowers. ''I love the nectar of this flower, too. But ......'' She looks at me with a slightly disappointed, pitying look. ''I''ve already had every kind of nectar in the garden. ''I''ve already had all the nectar in the garden,'' I said, ''and I''d like to try something delicious from around here that Siraha doesn''t know about yet. Siraha''s expression clouded when she saw that the nectar that had appeared was from the garden. Rather than being disappointed, she said, ''I''m sorry you had to think of that. Lucia must have been thinking the same thing. She didn''t even try to hide her quizzical expression. ''That''s why you''re too quick to jump to conclusions, guys. I told you.I''m going to make you something delicious that you don''t know.'' Ginette, Estella, and Wendy, who have an idea of what I''m trying to do, are all smiling and looking good. ''So, Jeannette. Will you help me? ''Yes.'' With Ginette''s help, I blend the nectar. It''s the ''mix of all'' that was so highly praised in the garden that day. When I had mixed in another kind of nectar, Lucia sat up. Her face says, ''What the hell are you doing? Oh, come on, just watch. She seals the flowers together and shakes them like a shaker. I feel like a bartender. Now you have a special blend. ...... But, well, I''m a little nervous, so I''ll just taste it first. ............ Yeah. It tastes the same as it did then. It seems that the amount of nectar produced does not change from day to day. I use the empty flower as a cup and divide it into four equal parts. One is for Sirach, then Lucia, Gilberta, and finally Millie. ''......''s,ne......'' When I handed the cup of flowers to Millie, she began to squirm with an apologetic, embarrassed expression. ''Actually,......, I drank some nectar from a flower in the garden a while ago,............. '' ''I''m the one who recommended it. Millie was the only one in the group who didn''t know the original flavor. Millie seems to be feeling a bit embarrassed and guilty, as if she had snacked on it. But ...... ''Jeannette. Good job.'' ''Mmmm ......'' When I praised her, Ginette smiled shyly, somewhat proudly. She had realized what I was trying to do and had laid the groundwork for it beforehand. That''s right. It''s better to have tasted the standard stuff before the special stuff. As usual, he''s very thoughtful. I''ll tell Milly it''s no problem. In fact, I''m glad you had a chance to taste it. So we''re all set. ''Come on, have a drink. I suggested, and Sirach took a sip first. Then he said, ''Well, ......,'' and opened his eyes and held his mouth with his hand. This is not a gesture of vomiting. It''s the kind of thing you do when you''re shocked and you can''t help but cover your mouth. ''...... I''ve never had honey this good before. That''s all he muttered, and began to drink the remaining honey again. It''s a small amount, about the size of a wine tasting, and it''s drunk slowly and carefully. ''Which ......'' ''I''ll have a drink, me too.'' Lucia and Gilberta both sipped from their flower cups, their eyes wide. Then they look at each other and break their faces, and Lucia opens her arms and tries to hug Gilberta, but Gilberta easily dodges her. That''s Gilberta. There is no waste in her movements. ''This is delicious. I''m impressed. ''I''m a little sad for you, Gilberta. ......'' And Milly... ''Hahaha .................. amazing ...... amazing amazing!Ladybug, you''re amazing! ''No, it''s not that I''m amazing. I just found it by accident when we were all together. ''Yeah!Amazing!It''s amazing! He seems to like it so much that he''s unusually excited. She bounces up and down and squeezes the empty flower cup. Naturally, they did not crush the cup. The people who have enjoyed the new taste are showing different reactions. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... Hey, Lucia. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Yashiro-chan''. In the midst of all this, Siraha calls out to me in a quiet voice. She is calmer than anyone else, more majestic than anyone else, and more serene than anyone else. When our eyes met, she smiled at me. And then-- ''Another round. ''Don''t go back to your eating habits. You can have all the drinks you want later. There''s a flower garden nearby. ''More importantly, how was it?There are still things around here that you don''t know about, right? I''m going to show this stubborn, all-knowing, resigned person that there is a whole world out there that he has yet to see. ''Therefore, don''t be satisfied with the present. Take action. You have a wish that you really want to fulfill, a wish that you can''t give up, right?Then move forward with more vigor. He throws a few stingy but passionate words at Sirach. If you don''t make a move, this town will never change. The sense of discrimination that lurks behind the facade of friendship will not disappear. If you move, even if you can''t eliminate it, it will be much more fun than it is now. You can show a lot of people that it''s possible to get along more simply. ''If you don''t know how to proceed, I''ll teach you! None of you are satisfied with the status quo. You''ve got the color of resignation reflected in your eyes. The future you stare at with such eyes must be boring. ''Tell that to the good people who won''t listen. Tell them, to all the good people who won''t listen to you, to all the ignorant sycophants who care about you and are eager to heal your wounded heart. Tell them plainly, with your own mouth. ''There was nothing wrong with our marriage! Whether you cause trouble for others or not, you can think about it then. There''s no need to worry about it or be shy about it. ''I want to be near the person I love''--everyone has the right to be selfish like that. That level of selfishness is allowed. ''Yashiro,......'' Shiraha''s narrow eyes begin to tremble. A bead of water appears in the corner of her eye, and then overflows. ''Ya......Yashi............Ro,chan......... ...wow,me............'' In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''I ............ want a refill.'' ''I heard you, you''re talking about me! ''I want another ......! How much do you like it? Don''t make your stomach growl! Stop crying!I''ll have another one! I''m embarrassed to say that I''ve been rattling off some rather hot and stinky stuff. My ears are all red. I''m so embarrassed. ...pfft. ''Pfft. ......'' ''Shut up Estella!And Lucia, don''t you laugh either! The dumbass lords are shaking their shoulders loudly. ''I think it was cool, I... My friend Yashiro''s words touched me.'' In the meantime, Gilberta seemed to appreciate my efforts. Yeah, yeah. Gilberta''s a cute guy. ''But it''s not cool, that''s for sure, the way things are going now. ''You''re the enemy, too? You''re too honest, Gilberta! You''re too honest, Gilberta! We''re friends, let''s follow up!I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Oh, ...... ah''s ...... ladybug.'' ''Hero-sama''. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... Are you trying hard to hold back your laughter? No, it''s not. There is no way Millie and Wendy would do such a thing. They''re on our side. They''re on our side. ...... Hey, was that a word ......?Miry ...... is going to cry a little .......'' I''m sorry.I''m sorry.She''s a good girl. But please stop crying, it''s a bit embarrassing. ''Hero. I was also very moved. Everyone has ...... the right to be selfish and say, ''I want to be near the person I love. ''I''m sorry, Wendy!I''m not sure what to do.I''m so embarrassed! You''ll wonder if you''re an enemy pretending to be an ally! ''I''m also ...... impressed with ............ your words. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. ...... Maybe I should change my ways. ''...... Yashiro-san''. And finally, Jeannette. Oh, no. I''m desperate. Mock me, pity me, whatever you want! I turned my head and ...... shoved!...... and grabbed both my hands. Strongly and firmly. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............What? ''I was happy. ......'' Glad? What? What? ......What? ''Earlier, Yashiro-san said ...... ''I want to be by the side of the person I love,'' and that selfishness like that is ...... allowed. ......'' ''So, don''t repeat it over and over again......'' ''It''s allowed, isn''t it?'' Jeannette''s hand tightened, and mine squeezed even tighter. ...... I can''t take my eyes off ............ ''That day ...... when Yashiro-san decided to stay in the sunny pavilion, that day ...... I was actually ...... very happy. ............I was actually ......very happy that Yashiro would ignore all of his thoughts and way of life and ......stay by my side. ......I''m just so happy ......'' I don''t know what to do. ...... Tears are welling up in Jeannette''s eyes. ............I don''t know what to do. What,......, seriously, what should I do? ''My thoughts are shallow,'' he said. ......I think I''m the only one who''s happy. ............The truth is, I''m very annoyed with Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who is happy about this. ......I sometimes blamed myself for this. ............ "I want to be near the person I love. --That much selfishness can be ...... forgiven.'' I''m not sure what to say. Stop it! ''I was very happy to hear you say so in your voice and in your words, Yashiro-san''. In short... Ginette was really happy that I stayed in the sunlit pavilion, but there was a part of me that thought it was shallow. ...... But I was saved by the fact that I myself said, ''That''s just fine, isn''t it? ...... That''s what he said. So that means that ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who wants to ............ be there for Jeannette. ...... ............... ''Another ......''. ''Shut the f*ck up, old lady!I''m trying to think of something right now!You''ll see what I mean when you see it! ''You know what''s going on! ''Oh, God!Nikka!Carl!Come here! I don''t have time to be nervous because of some old lady who doesn''t read the air. ...... Well, to be honest, there''s a part of me that''s a little bit ''thankful''. I''m not sure what to say.You''ve got a lot of nerve calling me out! ''We don''t listen to humans! Nikka and Karl walk in, shoulders heaving. Oh, shut up! We''re not going to listen to you!I need you to run an errand for me. ''You''ve got to be kidding me!Also, it''s rude to call you an old lady!I stand corrected! ''Obaaa''. ''Mu............ a bit more polite, des...... kane?'' I''m sorry. She''s also a bit of an idiot. She smelled like that when she looked at me. ''Don''t be fooled, Nicca!Humans are creatures of deceit and manipulation. ''No. Yashiro doesn''t care if you''re human or noble, he''ll take advantage of you.'' ''d*mn it, Estella. Don''t come out here where you don''t belong, it''ll complicate things. I shut up Estella, who immediately wants to interfere, and start my strategy to round up this troublesome pair of swallowtail butterfly people. Well, that''s easy. Just motivate one of them and bring them to your side. It''s a good thing I''m doing this for Shiraha. ...... So I walked up to Carl and squared my shoulders forcibly. You''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about you. You and Nikka, will you go to the flower garden with me alone? ''What? The Flower Garden is a popular date spot for the Bug People. When I get a boyfriend or girlfriend, I''ll go to the Garden, too!That''s how it is. ''Sirach wants to drink nectar from the flowers. This is for Sirach''s sake. How can I refuse?'' ''Ta ............ sure ............ then... ...um,......, it can''t be helped ....... ''Since I have to, since I can''t help it, why don''t you come with me to the flower garden? A shy boy who can only watch while being close to the girl he loves needs this kind of coquettish arrangement. And such a shy boy is quick to jump at this kind of ''it can''t be helped'' reason. Now, you can dance to your heart''s content at my beck and call. ...... in the palm of my hand. ''Ni, niqqa!This is for you, Sirach. ...... Yes!It''s for Sirach!It''s our mission, you could say! ''What''s wrong with you?What''s the matter, Karl? Are you burning up today? ''Because it''s our mission!I can''t help it!I want you to ............ go to the flower garden with me. ...... if you want. Oh my god!I''m not going to let you get away with it! You''ve got a weak ending! ''What?If you want to go to the Hanazono, Carl can go there by himself. Look at that! That''s the kind of reply you get when you''re a wimp! You should''ve left it to the spirit and momentum and taken him out a little forcefully! Don''t look at me like you''re about to cry!I gave you a perfect pass, but you struck out. ''Um, Nikka-san. Actually, what Sirach-san wants to drink is a special kind of nectar, and it takes more than one flower to make it. ''That''s true. And since Sirach seems to want a lot of it, ...... Karl might not be able to hold it all by himself. Ginette and Estella gave a nice assist. I''m not sure what to say.That''s the girl! You''ve got a good point there. It''s hard to say no when you''re given a reason like that. ''U......m............ that''s it,......des,money? Okay, you thought about it for a moment, didn''t you?Then let''s finish it. I''ll bind Nikka''s wavering heart with the chains of my sense of duty. With this one word, Nikka has no choice but to go. ''I''m worried about Carl alone. It''s good to know I can count on you to be strong.'' ''I can''t help it. Good grief. Wow, they''re easy. What a bunch of easy pickings. They''ve been making assumptions and rumors about others for generations. They''re too easily influenced. Hey, human!Don''t treat me like a child!I''m an adult now! Shut up, larva. I''m assisting you in some ways. Then put away your stinking horn! ''Millie. Tell her what flowers to bring.'' ''Uh-huh. You know, this flower, this one, and this one: ......'' Millie shows him the empty flowers and begins to explain. Carl learns the flowers with a snort. ...... I''m sure you''ll be fine. You''ve got to remember that. I''ve already got it!It''s not a problem if you leave it to me! ''I''m very worried. I''ll keep that in mind. ''I said I''m fine! ''Well, Nikka. Take the empty flowers with you. Take care of it.'' ''Hey, human!I''m telling you to leave it to me! ''Another round of .......'' ''Look, he''s crying. Go on, get him out of here.'' I talk them out of it. Oh, man. I don''t know why I''m going through all this trouble. ...... Carl and Nikka walk out of the room. After watching their backs, Estella said to me. ''You use people from all walks of life as your jaw. I''d like you to teach me the secret. ''Don''t do that. You''ll fall under the curse of being favored by a strange race. The curse Nephrite was talking about, might be real. ''Hey, aa no karu-san is ......'' ''You might be right. ugh. Millie and Jeannette are talking secretly. ''What is it? ''Oh, no. I was wondering if Carl might like Nikka. He seemed to be very happy that we were going to the flower garden together. ......, no, no, no. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. I''m not sure what to say. What? ...... Super insensitive. It''s a good idea. ''You still say that? Just when I was about to nail Jeannette with the "enough is enough" question,......, Jeannette''s face exploded. In an instant, it turned bright red and a faint cloud of steam rose up. ''Wow, wow,...... me,............ just now.'' ''Ah, ano!It''s not like there was any deep meaning to ...... the one you just saw. I''m sure that what you just said... I''m sure you''re referring to the fact that you were happy with what I said, or the fact that you said afterwards that you thought it was a shallow thing to say. It''s not a statement that implies that you''re a good ............ person, but that you''re a good ...... person and an important employee. ...... that,favor.................. maaaahhh! The gynet is broken. That''s it. Now he finally realizes what he said. He thought it was shallow of him to wish for me to be near him, but he was happy to be told that he was allowed to be selfish in wanting to be near the person he loved. That statement was, in essence. --Isn''t that the same as saying, ''You like me? I realized that it might not be impossible to interpret it in that way, and that it might not be easy to deny it completely if you look at it from a different angle. Well, I guess not! Yes, yes. Yes, yes. I like it as a person, as an employee. ........................... ......... That''s what it''s like. ''All right!All right, all right, calm down! Don''t fidget! ...... It''s even more embarrassing. ''Huh .................. that ......... ...I''m sorry. ..................'' I covered my face with my hands and crouched down. If you put a kettle of water on Jeannette''s whiskers, it would boil water in a matter of minutes. That''s how much heat he''s giving off. Well, you''re right. If you put a kettle of water on my whiskers, it would boil in a minute. ............ Ginette. If that''s not intentional, it''s evil. ''Yashiro ........ Don''t pick on little Jeannette.'' ''What do you think you''re doing? ''Tell Natalia to take her to an ophthalmologist. Sighing a little unhappily, Estella puts her fist on my side. What''s that?If you want to touch me, I won''t hesitate to flatten you, you bastard. ''Refill ......''. Oh, God, shut up, you old hag! It''s your fault I got all messed up in the second half! ''Anchovy. Don''t pick on Sirach.'' ''You too, Lucia? What is it? Is there a rule that lords can''t stare reality straight in the face? What kind of creatures are nobles? ''As a result of giving her too much delicious food, Sirach''s selfishness is...'' That''s what Gilberta said. But it wasn''t a tone of voice that blamed me. I''m relieved to hear that she''s consoling me, telling me it can''t be helped. ''I''m sure you should be allowed to be selfish and want to eat what you want. ''Yes, that''s not true. Don''t mess with people''s shameful quotes and black history. You can''t just do whatever you want without malice, okay? It''s at ............. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it. ...... ''I''m going to put this guy in with my husband. Lucia, is there a problem?'' If I decide that the Bug People are going to use force against humans ......, I''ll reconsider. Otherwise, I''d like to let them see you. So, I''ll get permission from the person who will be most inconvenienced when I take action. ''What''s the point of letting them meet? Lucia says this in all seriousness. ''This tragedy has happened as a result of their marriage. Are you going to bring them back together and create a new tragedy? Is this the reason why Lucia couldn''t come up with a positive solution? I don''t think the current situation is good. But I know that taking action will have a huge repercussion. For fear of that, we have continued to maintain the status quo. ...... It''s like looking at the old 42nd district. Even though it is certain that the situation will become worse, they cannot come up with a solution. In such a case, you should destroy the delicate balance that is being maintained. Just like the 42nd district used to do. And like the 41st district during the gluttony contest. ''Do you think tragedy will happen? ''There''s no guarantee it won''t.'' That''s a lordly thing to say. But... But it''s not. Do you think tragedy will happen? I''m talking from a more microscopic perspective. You''re spreading yourself too thin and missing the point. You need to face yourself more. The only thing you need to look at now is your own mind. ''...... I think. I''m thinking. Facing her inner self for a few seconds, Lucia gives her answer. Well, I guess so. If I tell her now that I''m going to meet Sirach and her husband, there will be an uproar. We all know that. That''s why ...... ''If you think so, why don''t you take measures to prevent problems from occurring? The fact that a problem is certain to occur means that you can make all possible preparations before the problem occurs. As long as you don''t run away, you can take measures against any problem. ''Except when the food switch is turned on. ......'' It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see what you can find. That''s what it looks like to me.'' Before I met Sirach, I thought he was a swallowtail butterfly who''d been hurt by humans and was spewing out unquenchable resentment. It''s nothing like that. The problem is an overprotective environment. ''It''s the unshakable, absolute reality that destroys assumptions. If Sirach meets her husband and spreads an aura of happiness around, their fixed ideas will be loosened up like powder beads. ''There must be obstacles before we can get there. ''That''s why we''re going to have to deal with it. ''Is that even possible?If we fail, the worm people will be even more ...... against humans! ''Wait a minute, Lucia-san.'' Like a willow swaying in the wind, she has an expression that seems to carry away the storm that is blowing. With such a cool face, Estella pointed at me. ''When Yashiro makes this kind of face, it''s when he''s coming up with something. A bizarre solution to make everything go away. Isn''t that right, Yashiro?'' ''Who''s bizarre? ............ And don''t buy it. Well, there''s always a way. ''Oh, you know what? A few moments ago, Jeannette, who had been in agony over her own comments, raised her hand with a pale pink face that had not yet recovered from her fever. Her large eyes, which were puffy in their natural state, became as sharp as possible, and she looked at him seriously. To assert one''s opinion in such a situation,......, Jeannette is a little different after all. ''What is it, Ginette? Tell me.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Lucia gave me permission to speak. With her lowered hand on her chest and a light squeeze, Ginette opens her mouth. ''Please listen to Sirach''s opinion. The most important thing is whether you want to see her or not,....... That''s a fair point. But he still managed to express his opinion properly. His words must have reached Lucia. ''I guess so. Lucia put her hand on Ginette''s shoulder. Ginette''s shoulders shook, and Lucia looked at her with a gentle gaze. ''If Sirach wants to see you, ...... I will take responsibility for any problems that may arise. After asserting this, he turned his gaze to me with an overpowering look, as if he were threatening me. It was as if he was declaring war on me. ''This is good, isn''t it? But that declaration of war was somehow comforting. Lucia moved to our side. The lord who had been occupied with keeping the balance finally made a decision. Even if you have been thinking about it for a long time, it takes a lot of courage to take action. The person who triggered it was probably ...... ''Ginette''. ''What ......? ''Well done. It was probably the compassionate feelings of someone who could genuinely care for others without being contrary. ''No, no. No, I''m not. ......'' "Sirach''s feelings are the most important. He made her understand such an obvious thing clearly. That''s actually quite a big deal. That casual comment was important now. Credit where credit is due, my friend. ''I just ............ understand the feeling of wanting to be near the person you love. Ginette looks down and mutters shyly. ............ Yeah. I''m not sure if I''m rehashing anything. I had a bad feeling and tried to end the conversation quickly,......, but the devil moved faster than me. Yeah. The devil with the bright red hair. ''That''s right, Jeannette. Your feelings are important, and no one should interfere with them. Because ......'' Estella gently hugs Ginette''s shoulders and they both turn their bodies towards me. And then, with the most smug look on her face,...... and even her voice,...... she said. You can be forgiven for being selfish if you want to be near the person you love. ............You guys, remember this. If I could go back in time, I would kick the shit out of me, but that''s impossible, so I''ll just forget about it. Let it fade away, such an abominable word! 197-Lets talk about it later. ''I''ve got it, Dazo! ''Karl tried to take a bunch of flowers that didn''t matter, so it was more work. I should have gone alone.'' Nikka and the others return with a basket full of flowers. I guess Carl wasn''t good enough. I guess there was no obstacle for them to take out the flowers. The fact that Gilberta didn''t say he was going with them means that he didn''t think it was necessary. Maybe they can trust us just because we are a tribe of insects living in this land. ''Well, you guys. Get out once more.'' ''Huh!Don''t be silly! ''You''re treating me badly! ''Shut up. I''m still in the middle of my story. Come on, Siraha. You tell him too.'' ''Another .......'' Oh, God. They''re all ...... ''If you don''t do what I say, I won''t make that honey you were talking about. ''Get out of here. Both of you. ''''Sirach-sama is easily listening to the humans? Carl and Nikka squealed in surprise. They''re in perfect unison. They''re so close, aren''t they dating?I''m not sure. ...... I''m a little surprised too. I didn''t expect you to be so obedient. ''Yashiro ............ I''m getting a little scared of you.'' ''Don''t say it ......, it''s not my fault. I don''t know if I''d like it if you were this straightforward,....... The only way to control Shiraha is to feed her. It''s the only way. I quickly shake the honey and give it to Sirach. ''Well, well, well. That looks delicious.'' She takes the cup of flowers and sips lovingly, with an expression of great emotion on her face, as if she had just reunited with her lost child for the first time in over a decade. ''Hah ............, I''m living for this drink ......''. Beer after a hard day''s work. You''re overreacting. ''It''s so good, isn''t it? ''It''s not ...... strange to mix honey with it! ''If that''s what you think, why don''t you guys go drink it in the flower garden? ''If you think so, you can drink it too, in the flower garden.'' ''Everything here is for Sirach, so I can''t do it. I''ll explain that, and tell Carl to go drink the honey in the garden, just the two of us. ''Come on, let''s go, Nikka!This is also, uh, probably for Sirach-sama! ''Huh?Doesn''t matter, does it?Hey, Carl, ......!I don''t want you to pull me in! Forcibly, Carl pulls Nikka''s arm and leads her away. Yeah, yeah. It''s better for a man to be a little pushy. Yeah. Ah, now it''s quiet. ''I bet they''re going to the garden hand in hand, aren''t they? Wendy smiles as they walk away. No, ...... I don''t think they''ll be that sweet and sour. ...... But Wendy is tickled, as if she remembers something, perhaps because she has been there before. ''Blast it. Theron. ''Why isn''t Theron here right now?The hero? I''m jealous. Rearmament doesn''t need a reason to explode. All you have to do is blow up anytime, anywhere. ''Well... Are you done, Siraha?'' ''Yes. It was very good.'' The selfish mode ends, and Siraha''s calm expression returns. This guy, I guess. She''s the kind of person who cries out if she gets hungry in the middle of the night. It might be similar to Delia. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this on the web. ''So, what do you think? After Siraha calmed down, I returned to the subject. We need to find out what he''s really thinking. ''Do you want to see your husband? If he says yes, I can take care of it from there. If he says no, it will be difficult to get the cooperation of Lucia and Jeannette, since ...... he doesn''t want to. I''m sure those two will respect Sirach''s opinion, and the people in District 42 are ...... somewhat likely to listen to ...... Ginette''s opinion. So, Siraha. I''d like to meet ...... I don''t want to ............ meet with you, you know. .................. Seriously? The tense air loosened a little ...... and sank heavily. So you ...... don''t want to meet him. Maybe this guy doesn''t want to deny those around him who support ...... him in his current life. ''Cause, you know, ......''. Perhaps thirsty, Siraha dipped her mouth into the flower cup and poured the sweet nectar down her throat. ''Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! ...... No, no, no. It''s just enough to moisturize you, isn''t it? ''Cause ...... me ............''. After gulping, he clutched the flower cup and put his hand on his cheek shyly. He turned his head to stare diagonally down, and the flower let out an embarrassed sound. ''...... I''ve gained some weight.'' I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you don''t notice it, but it''s such an error! I''ve heard that you were as thin as my friend Jeannette, the old Sirach. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... No, maybe if the person believes deep down that it''s a little bit, it''s considered a little bit? If you think about it in terms of one ton, is 100 kilos in the range of "a little"? ''In other words, as long as you lose weight, I can meet you, is that correct, Sirach? Estella asks Siraha to clarify her ambiguous answer. You have to get confirmation from the person in question, right? ''Well, ............ I want to meet ...... you.'' She smiled happily, her wrinkled cheeks lightly tinted. The mere thought of her husband made her look so happy. I wish I could ...... let him see me, don''t you? If you force him to stop eating, it will help. You''re eating too much, anyhow. ''If I can''t eat, ...... I''ll die, you know?Murderer. ''Don''t you dare say such unkind words! Do you understand that this and that centered on you is making the race strained! ''So, if you eat healthily and lose weight appropriately, Sirach-san will meet your husband, is that correct? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us. I''m not sure if you can do a healthy diet ............ while eating? ...... ''Shiraha. Can you exercise or something?'' ''Yes. I''ve been exercising a lot lately. At the unexpected answer, I rolled my eyes uncharacteristically. To be honest, I was impressed. If I got this kind of shape, I''d be too lazy to move. ...... I guess women want to be beautiful no matter how old they are. ''What kind of exercise do you do? ''Turn away. ''Hey, Gilberta. Bring me something to hit you with.'' ''I''m sorry, but I can''t accept that, I... I''m afraid my life is in danger, Sirach. I don''t think so.'' What''s the point of exercise if you can''t look away? You can''t even burn the calories of a single boiled bean with that thing! I''m not sure what to do. At Sirach''s suggestion, I''m going to throw chokes. Sirach parries. I win. ''Turn away, Hoi''. I point to Sirach and he points to the right, and his face turns to the right as if he were following me. I won straight away. ''What the hell, Siraha. You''re so weak. ...... You''re sweating like crazy! Large drops of sweat were dripping from Siraha''s forehead like a waterfall. It''s as if a pot has been left on the fire, and sweat is dripping down one after another. ''hii...... hii............,oxygen......... ...'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You can''t even perform daily activities if you''re running out of oxygen. You can''t live on your own anymore. ...... ''This might be life-threatening if I don''t get her to lose weight before I see her husband. ''Yes, you''re right. If you don''t moderate a little more, it will be bad for your health. Jeannette. Don''t be shy about it, just tell her ''lose more weight or you''ll die, fatty''. ...... No, I''d actually be surprised if Jeannette said something like that. ''But, Yashiro. If you''re here, Nikka and the others are going to keep spoiling you. ...... Honestly, I don''t think you can lose weight.'' ''People are going to die because of their kindness?It''s a good thing I''m a good person. Excessive meddling is now evil. ''If I could take Siraha out, I could at least put her on a diet. ......'' If I could take her to the Sunlit Pavilion, Ginette could cook her a balanced meal, Magda and I could give her a moderate amount of exercise, and Loretta could work as usual--I think I could get her on a perfect diet. ''As a matter of fact, it would be impossible to take her out. Above all, I can''t give you permission. Lucia had a good point, if they were to take Sirach out, not only Nikka and the others, but also the Bug People who lived in this area would protest furiously. Especially when the reason is ''to meet the husband who hurt Sirach''. ''Oh, um... Yashiro-san.'' Ginette comes up to me, looking as if she has just thought of something. ''Would it be possible for me to stay here? ''Huh? What are you talking about, Jeannette? ''I''ll stay here and cook a meal for you, Sirach. ''No, you, what about the ...... store?And the donation to the church. ''The store is at .............'' For a moment. Ginette''s gaze wanders for a moment, and then she proposes something outrageous. ''How about if Yashiro-san becomes the head chef and only sells a limited time menu! ''Huh! I take the plunge and seal off the entire menu of the Sunlit Pavilion and offer different dishes for a limited time. If Jeannette is unable to come out to the restaurant for some reason, Jeannette proposed the exact same emergency measure that I was thinking of. To be honest, I was surprised. The fact that Jeannette thought the same thing as I did was one thing, but more importantly, the fact that she volunteered to take a day off from work was ...... ''Are you okay with that? ''Yes, I am. I''m sorry to inconvenience the ...... customers, but I can''t just leave ............ Sirach-san like this.'''' ''That''s true, but ...... you don''t know how many days it will take.'' ''Three days...... no, two days. During that time, Nikka-san will learn to cook. So, what do you think?'' ''You''re going to teach him? ''Yes, sir. I think it will be fine if you learn how to cook simple things. Surely, two days would be enough for that. ............ ''But, Yashiro. What do you think the people here will think?'' Estella says to me with a very worried look on her face. ...... If you want to persuade me, why don''t you just ask Jeannette? You''re trying to force me to be the hated one by letting me express my negative opinions through my own mouth. ''They''re all people with not-so-nice feelings about humans, you know?I''m not sure I want to leave Jeannette alone. I''m not going to be able to accompany you .......'' The lord can''t just leave the house for two days on a whim. ''Then I''ll go with you. It was Wendy who came forward. ''I''m sure Theron will understand if you tell him, Hero-sama. I''m sorry to say that I''m using Hero-sama, but ......'' ''No, I don''t mind if you give me a message. ......'' I mean, there''s even a man here. ...... ''Then I''ll take over as your companion and escort. Gilberta raises her hand. ''I''m going to ask that the two days be closed to men, by the authority of Lady Lucia and Lady Sirach. ''You can do that?'' ''Yes, I can. Circumstances are what they are. You can at least talk to them. Besides, unlike the anchovy, the ...... ginette seems to have been rather well-liked.'''' ''Oh, is that so? Lucia''s eyebrows drew together in a nasty smile. Well, certainly, judging from Nikka''s reaction, she probably doesn''t think badly of Jeannette. Lucia''s comment was unnecessary, though. ''Oh, ...... Miri wants to stay too, but ............ can''t take a day off from the store,...... ......'' ''It''s okay, Miri. You should prioritize your work.'' ''Ugh ............ sorry, okay? I''m sorry, but I can''t help it. I can''t make her do too much. I''m not sure if you''re serious,......, Ginette? I''m not sure what to make of it. Millie runs out of the room. It is essential that Nikka and the others agree with Siraha''s diet plan. Now, when they come back, there''ll be more trouble. ...... ''Um, Yashiro-san,............, can you do me a favor? I''m sure the anxiety is slowly growing, although I let my momentum get the better of me. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''It is the duty of the employees to protect the manager''s absence. ''Yashiro-san ......''. You''re the one who brought this up. You want to try it, right? Then go ahead and try it. ''If anything happens, call me right away. ''Yes, sir!Thank you very much! With a face like that, how could I object? ''Do you want me to send Natalia, just in case? ''No, it would be annoying to have too many people. Let''s leave it to Gilberta.'' ''Yes, .......'' Of all of them, Estella was probably the one who was most worried about Jeannette. You can trust her a little more, can''t you? These guys don''t seem so bad either, you know. And I have things to do in the meantime. ''Sirach. ''Yes. I''d love to, of course.'' Well. That''s good. But that''s not it. ''Do you know where your husband is?'' ''That''s the thing, .......'' Sirach glances at Lucia. ''Lucia? Does he know? ''Neither I nor Sirach know where that man is. But we could meet him if we wanted to.'' I don''t see him. You don''t know where he is, but you can meet him if you want? You mean there''s a way to call him? ''The man comes to my house to correspond with Sirach. He brings a letter he has written and leaves with a letter written by Sirach.'' ''What''s that?That''s a pain in the ass.'' ''It''s probably a way to prevent Sirach from knowing where he lives. So Lucia is acting as an intermediary between Sirach and her husband. That''s quite a service you''re providing. ''So, when will the husband come next? ''In a month or two.'' ''Is it that long? ''Actually, I just received a letter this morning. ''He was here this morning, the husband? ''Yes. Just twenty minutes before you arrived.'' What a coincidence. d*mn, that''s bad timing. It would have been nice if he''d come this evening at least. ...... Since I missed it today, I''ll be out of touch for at least a month. ''Didn''t he write his address on the letter? ''No.'' Of course not!Don''t say that so easily. Even if Siraha is ready to meet him, she doesn''t know if he feels the same way. If she waits for a month, she won''t know when she''ll see him. Moreover, Sirach and her husband need time to meet and clear up the misunderstandings of the people around her. If we keep doing that, Wendy''s wedding will be postponed. We don''t want that. Timing is everything when it comes to marriage. We can''t let this fever die down. ''Maybe there''s a clue in the letter. For example, talk about local specialties.'' ''I see. If there''s something distinctive about them, or a description of their unique culture, ......'' ''...... It might be possible to narrow down where the person is now, right? The information Estella had given him was useful. If she could narrow down where he lived, it might be possible to find him. ''Sirach. Can I see your letter?'' ''Yes. ...... I''m so embarrassed.'' She covered her face with her hands and shook her body, ''No, no, no! If you were a catfish, there''d be an earthquake right now. ''Don''t you want to see me?Show me the letter and I''ll take the responsibility of finding you.'' ''Oh, you''ve said it. Estella looks at me with wide eyes. Don''t be so surprised. ...... I''m a little surprised myself. Oh, I don''t know why I said it. I can''t believe I''m letting you see him. What if I can''t do it? ............ I think you''ve been caught off guard. ...... Ginette''s. .What is it?I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s Ginette, a veteran of inadvertent remarks and even a Hall of Famer. I''m sure it''s a piece of cake to infect others with it. ...... nasty. ''Um, Sirach. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. Hey, hey! ''Oh, is that so?I''ll worship her then. Look at that! The old lady started worshipping without even knowing what it meant! She''s just like the sun!There''s no benefit. What am I, a Buddha in the flesh? I''m not sure what to do. ''Yeah, hey ............, I get it. Your eyes are not deceitful. I trust you. It seems that you can judge people by their eyes, or should I say your age. Well, you''ve seen a lot of people. With those narrow eyes. And then Sirach''s narrow eyes turned to me. ''Yashiro-chan is a good girl too.'' Oh, I''m sorry. His eyes are all cloudy. ''Well, then, I''ll show you my letter ......, though it''s embarrassing.'' Siraha gropes at the foot of the chair she''s sitting on so heavily. There seemed to be a drawer there, though it was hidden by her thick legs. From a drawer under the chair, she pulls out a letter. The letter is written in thin ink on paper that feels good to the touch. There are beautiful, thoughtful letters on it. "To my beloved... They''ll even address it for you. It''s so stylishly done. ...... It''s just that this one word is enough to convey the feelings. The warmth of the thought of each other is ............ completely. You''ve done it. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. ............? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. You are my nesessary. "Bitter vegetables are celery and parsley. What have I done? I''m not sure what to make of it. I was reading a love letter that I didn''t know if it was a song from the 80s or a misunderstood rap song, and I had a migraine that made me think a woodpecker had taken up residence in my side of the head. They''re so in love, aren''t they? My heart is heavy. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. "from Shiraha ''Isn''t that the letter you wrote, old lady? ''Yes, because you want to read the letter ......! ''It''s a letter from the other side! They want information about your husband! Well, after reading this letter, I''m starting to think it''s not promising either! In between the sentences, I wanted to write ''Yo checkerra! between sentences. ''I''ve got it, if you want a letter from the other side. Gilberta pulls a letter out of her pocket, just before punching the meatball in the chair. ''Well, I thought you said earlier that you got a letter this morning. ''If you have ......, please tell me quickly. ''I was hesitant because of the circumstances, that is.'' ''Circumstances are ......''. ''What the hell is that? In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... Sirach stood up ............ and pushed me away ...... ...... baba...... ''It was easy to foresee, this would happen. ''...... Oh, I see.'' It was a known fact that Sirach would go berserk if shown the letter. If you want to ...... tell me first. I''ve taken unnecessary damage to my ribs. ''Amazing ...... Sirach, you can move so agilely.'' ''Yes, it''s amazing. '' Estella and Jeannette were so surprised that they were half in a daze. Wendy is slightly taken aback. ............ I mean, Wendy is lightly poisonous, I''ve noticed that recently. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... Shiraha, Shiawase''. He holds the letter to his chest and smiles wickedly with his reddened face. It''s a scary ...... smile, like an alien just before predation. ''......I''m so happy, I think I''m going to die. ............No, I''m going to die.'' I''m not going to let you die now. I don''t want you to die now, I do! ''Sirach, can I read that letter? ''............ love enemy ......? ''Who would want to take an old man away from me? We need to find out where he is.'' ''........................Love Enemy... ...? ''Did you hear what I said?Do you understand what I''m saying? I told you I don''t want the old man! I managed to persuade the reluctant Siraha,......, with Lucia and Ginette playing a major role,......, I received the letter. I''m not sure what it says. I''m thrilled. It''s the first time you''ve seen someone else''s love letter, Ginette told me a little excitedly. You can''t expect too much from ....... One of them was a rapper with a Showa-era flavor. All of us read the letter in turn. ......In the end, all of us are interested. ......At first, Ginette and I stood side by side and looked at the letter. ...... Our faces are close together. It smells a little better. ............ but it''s not hitting my arm. What''s that?That goes without saying. I wish you''d be more vulnerable. The letter was written in a manly, graceful hand. "To my beloved wife, Sirach-- ''Oh, ......, that makes me squeal.'' Ginette sighs next to me. She seems to be very susceptible to this kind of thing. She''s a girl. And the beginning of the letter went like this. "To the sweet angel who lives in my heart. Sweet Angel" written in manly, graceful letters. ...... So this one is like this, too. ............ I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure the content is decent ...... maybe decent ...... absolutely decent ...... if not decent tear it up.... ... It''s been too long since I''ve said goodbye. I''m going to be overwhelmed with words to say. Even if I used up all the paper in the world, I wouldn''t be able to convey my feelings for you. Still, let me write. I''d like to tell you how I''ve been living in this long time. ...... In the city where I live, a cold wind blows from time to time. When that happens, I suddenly think: ...... If only you were next to me, we could have kept each other warm. High in the sky, a migratory bird asks me. ''Are you really human? I asked it why it was asking me that, ''You only have half a heart in your body. So ...... half of my heart is in your heart. Even though we''re far apart, we''ll always be together. We''ll always be together. ''............'' ''............'' Aitaitaa: ...... It hurts: ...... It hurts: ...... It hurts even more because it''s written more seriously than Sirach''s letter: ...... It''s a string of words that sounds like something out of a 90''s trendy drama or a more twisted underground stage play. It''s a violence of rhetoric by an impersonated poet. What''s with the "migratory birds"? Don''t talk to me about ......, you bird! In addition, when you think that this is written by an old man around the same age as Sirach,......, it hurts even more. The ginette has been silent since a while ago. I''m sure he''s stressed out to the point of stomach ulcer by this cold string of text. ...... ''............ smolder'' ...... ''smolder''? ''............ sad,It''s a letter.'' ''What? I looked next to me and saw that Ginette was half crying. ''............ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ''But, ...... kusun ............, it''s a nice letter.'' Seriously? ''A letter, how should I put it,............, directly touches the heart,.......'' Yeah, yeah. The pain and coldness of this letter is really resonating with me. I''ve got a shiver down my spine, too cold. I''ve got a migraine and my stomach hurts. So why, Jeannette? Why do you look so warm-hearted and peaceful? ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ...... the next page, ......'' Urging! What!You want to read more, this letter! I''m almost at the end of my rope, and I want to stop here! ''It''s lovely ......, my heart is pounding.'' Yeah. ............ I don''t know what''s so great about this, but it seems to have struck a chord with Jeannette. It could be a difference in sensitivity,...... or it could be brainwashing. ............ Mm, that''s not good. In order to release the bad brainwashing on Jeannette, I bravely folded the ............ letter. ''What?No, Yashiro-san!Let''s read it to the end! ''Do you want me to read this stupid letter all the way through? ''What, why?It''s a beautiful letter. I''m looking forward to reading it to the end. ''Yes, .......'' ''Come on, Yashiro-san, join us. I''m looking forward to reading this letter to the end. ...... It''s a painful process. ....... Even the monks of Koyasan would run away from this. It''s mind-blowing. ''How about we pass it to Estella and ask her to look for clues?You know, the maiden Estella will be very interested in other people''s love letters.'' ''Wait!Stop it!That makes it sound like I''m some kind of careless person who likes debugging! ''I didn''t say that. I said it was flat.'' ''You didn''t say that either! Even if I didn''t say it, I always think it! But it''s impossible to finish reading this letter that''s going to turn my brain into melted pudding just by reading it. ............ It''s six pages long. ...... I''m sorry. Ginette will read it with Estella and the others later. I can''t do it. I didn''t read any of it, but I flipped through it page by page and skimmed it. It''s painful to even look through it. The best I can do is look at it from a bird''s eye view. And when I looked at the last one, ...... ''Oh, ......! Ginette let out. Then she pointed to the bottom of the letter. She pointed to the sender''s signature. The name on it was. "Orkio. --Well, I''ve heard that name before. ...... ''Mr. Orkio is a friend of your grandfather''s. ......'' ''Ah!Is he one of the ''Wrinkled Squadron Jibaba Five'' who are regulars at the old Sunlit Pavilion? ''There''s no such name attached to it, though! Thanks to Grandma Mum''s arrangement, some of them have started to gather at the Sunshine Pavilion again. All of them are friends of Ginette''s grandfather and used to be regular customers of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''But they might just have the same name. ''Let''s take a look at the letter. It might contain some clues! ''Yeah, .......'' You''re going to read this after all. ............ I can''t help it. Concentrate your nerves and read ............!No way! It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. The whole paper smells like the bubble era,......, and your eyes are more beautiful than diamonds.It''s impossible, right? I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll agree. As if to cover for me, Ginette, who had been reading the letter as if she were devouring it, called me excitedly. I think I''ve found something. I wonder if this is the kind of moment when an archaeologist uncovers a new fact from a stone slab. ...... ''Here''s the story about the coffee. Ginette deciphers the hazy, eye-causing string of letters and finds the key information in the letter. I managed to persuade my brain to reject the letter, saying, ''No! I don''t want to see it anymore!'' I held my aching head and heart and looked down at the poisonous text that was spreading miasma at ......, and sure enough, the word ''coffee'' was written there. ''What does it say on ......?'' ''Huh?No, you can read it here: ......'' ''Sorry, I can''t. Tell me what it says.'' ''Well, let''s see, ......, "In a world watched over by a thousand stars, I am ......."'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. Can you tell me after you translate it into modern Japanese?Can you translate it into modern language and then tell me? ''Eh, ...... and...'' Ha, yes. I''ll try .............'' My eardrums will melt if you read it aloud to me like that. What''s that, a world watched over by all the stars? ...... But recently, something exciting has happened, and it''s .'''' Ginette stopped speaking and let out a shaky breath. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''...... that I can now drink the coffee I used to drink in the store I used to frequent,......'' she said. He choked up a little, but tried his best to speak ...... The second generation''s coffee is ............ a solid ...... reproduction of the taste of its predecessor. The second generation of ...... ''s coffee is ...... a solid ...... reproduction of its predecessor. That was the best compliment Ginette could give him. This is the coffee that he remembers his grandfather making for him. For Jeannette, it is a very special and memorable coffee. A regular customer who knew him back then recognized the taste of Jeannette''s coffee as the same. That must have made him very happy. It''s irreplaceable. ''Gosh, ...... Oh, I''m sorry. ...... Yes, I''m fine now.'' Dabbing at her eyelids, wiping them, and exhaling, ...... Ginette smiled. She wasn''t crying anymore. The joy must have been well contained in Ginette''s heart. ''Haha ...... sorry. I still can''t get my face back to normal.'' ''That''s okay. You were happy, weren''t you? ''Yes. ...... Ah, but now your chances are much better.'' ''Oh. Now we can catch him for sure. ......'' ''And I want to fly back to the Forty-second Ward right now and shut the old man''s old age out right now. ''When I get back, don''t let me beat you up for it. ''Why not, sir?Please don''t do that!I''m not that sturdy! Why do you ask?Do you need a reason?He''s an old man who mass-produces these dangerous things that emit miasma! It is because he is not sturdy that he is allowed to stay. ...... Well, if Jeannette says so, I''ll stop. I think it''s best to nip the seeds of evil in the bud as soon as possible, as they continue to produce such harmful substances. ''Anyway, Mr. Assunto once told me that coffee is not drunk very often and is only enjoyed by a few connoisseurs. Oh, that''s right, there was such a story. Thanks to that, I thought that coffee didn''t exist in this city. ''So if Sirach''s husband has been drinking coffee lately, there''s a good chance that he''s a regular customer of Orkio''s.'' ''Well, I guess so. Let''s go home and talk to him. Even if we have the wrong person, we should be able to find out who ''Orkio the coffee drinker'' is soon. We could even ask Assunto to introduce us to the person who buys the coffee. ''............ ah...... sad''. ''Huh ............ that''s nice.'' Estella and Wendy let out a heated exhale. ...... You''re lying, right?Tell me it''s not true. ............ They''ve read Orkio''s letter that he got from me. ...... What is it about that thing that makes it so exciting? I still can''t get rid of my goosebumps. ...... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... ''Okay!Then you know what you have to do.'' I''ve had enough of poisonous text, so I''ll erase it from my memory and go to ....... I''ll move on to the positive. ''I''m going back to District 42 to see Orkio. ''Yes, sir. I''ll think of a diet that will please Sirach and teach it to Nikka. Ginette is going to stay for a couple of days and nights from today. ...... ''...... If you have any trouble, call me right away. ''Thank you very much. ...... but I''m sure you''ll be fine.'' ''I see.'' You''re getting tougher. ...... I need to grow up a bit too. ''What the hell is this?You''re too busy calling us and kicking us out! I''d like to complain about the way you''re treating us. A noisy voice comes into the room. Well, ......, I guess I''ll try to convince those two before I leave. 198-Later Tan 26 Sunset without Ginettei ''...... Hi, I''m Magda, the assistant manager.'' ''Haaan!Today''s Magda is even more of an angel! The sunlit pavilion is more chaotic than ever. No, it''s simply the density of idiots is high. Mainly because of Umaro. Last night... Magda and Loretta welcomed me back from District 35, and were very surprised to learn that Jeannette hadn''t returned. What was more surprising to me was Magda''s sulk. "A sunny day like this without the ...... manager is ...... poisonous. "Magda!I''m not sure what to make of it.Now is the time to show us how you''ve grown up! Loretta did her best to comfort me, and I was able to avoid the situation. ...... Magda once said. ...... It may be the most painful thing for Magda that she waited and waited for him to come back, but he didn''t come back. When Ginette comes back, I''ll spoil her big time. Until then, please visit ...... ''Acting Manager Magda. I''ve made a prototype of the limited time menu. Please give it a taste.'' ''...... Mm. You can have it. ''Yes, I''ll take it! I said to Magda in a gruff, vertical society style, and laid out the limited menu in front of her. This is how we''re going to pass the time. I''m sure Magda is thinking something like ...... ''I''ll just pretend to be on board since I know she''s concerned about me. ''Magda!Today''s Sunlit Pavilion is a little different from the usual!We''re going with a somewhat wild taste! Loretta told me that she would stay at the Sunken Pavilion until Ginette returned. And to help us get through Ginette''s absence, we''ve gathered some reassuring helpers. ''Nahhhh!It smells so good!I can''t wait to taste it too! ''I''ll settle down for a bit. You can eat as much as you want after the assistant manager.'' ''No, I don''t think you should eat as much as you like. ......'' Delia and Norma in their waitress outfits. And here''s Umaro wearing his newly made men''s apron. This apron, designed by me and sewn by Jeannette, is to be worn by Umaro and Bekko, who will be asking for ............ help in the future. I''m sure the apron and Oumalo will be very happy to have it. ''Accentuate the flavor of the garnish! Hammaro comes out of the kitchen, one behind the others. In his hand, he holds a tray with green laver, dried bonito flakes, and red ginger. ''Good. Leave it there, Hammaro.'' ''Hammaro? That''s you. ''Well, help me out here, Oumaro.'' ''Ooras? ''There''s no one else but you, Oumaroo! ''Don''t call me that, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? Leading a group of boisterous men, I begin preparing the teppan. ''...... Is this unfinished?'' Magda says, pointing at the food in front of her. ''No. That was made in the kitchen and it''s already finished. You can eat it. What I''m going to make is a demonstration of how to serve it to customers. The flat and wide griddle used during the festival and the one with many indentations made before and after the festival. These are used to make okonomiyaki and takoyaki. And yakisoba. ''Aaah!I can''t stand the smell of sauce!Yashiro!I haven''t eaten yet, but I''ll have another! Delia''s stomach is growling loudly. And she''s crying a little. ''I''ll cook it now, just wait a minute. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''Hmm? While I was thinking about how to keep Delia quiet for the next twenty minutes or so,......, Magda called my name. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''...... Are you going to grill it now? ''What?Oh. I''ll be teaching the members here how to cook and stuff.'' ''...... Delia.'' Now he calls for Delia, and slides the untouched plate across the table. ''...... to present to Delia.'' ''What?Is that okay? ''...... You should eat it before it gets cold.'' ''Yeah, that''s right!It''s a good opportunity! Delia glanced at me. You''re right, you''re right. I guess I''m running out of patience. ...... I can''t help it. ''You can eat it. ''Yes!I''ll eat it! Delia bites into the okonomiyaki. ...... Isn''t it hot? ''Was it good?'' ''As the ...... acting manager.'' A quiet gaze stares at me. ''......I''ve decided that I should properly taste the food, which is made using the same process as what I serve to my customers.'' ''Oh, that''s great.'' That''s a very impressive statement. As long as it''s not drooling out of the corners of your mouth. In short, it looks like you''re going to have fun baking now and you want to eat it. Along with everyone else. He''s so ...... lonely. ''Then wait a minute. I''ll cook you a nice one soon.'' ''...... Magda likes shrimp.'' ''Yes, yes.'' ''Oh, I''ll have another one too! ''Yes, yes. It seems that one serving at a time is not enough, so Delia raises her hand vigorously. This guy must have gotten his gluttony habit from the gluttony contest. You can''t help but think that this is a good idea. .................. No, no, no, no, Delia didn''t eat at all, the gluttony contest! It''s just a foodie thing. It''s not as bad as Siraha. ''Then I''ll have three servings too. ''...... Why are you here, Bertina? ''I was told Ginette was away.'' Yeah, I told her. This morning, when I went to donate. I thought okonomiyaki would be too heavy in the morning, so I made a variety of rice balls with different flavors. I left the soup to Magda, and Loretta and I just grabbed the rice balls. This is the moment when we both said, ''The manager is great. ...... Fifty servings is pretty tough. ............ profits are being swallowed up. And ...... ''You''ve eaten so much, and now you want me to feed you more? ''I was just wondering if I could help. Are you sure you want to help? Are you sure you''re going to do anything other than tasting? I''ve never had Bertina do waitressing, so ...... I''ll let her do it, she might be in demand. ...... I just don''t want the demand to increase on a day when Ginette isn''t around, though. ''I''m going to be helping out all day today. It''s the least I can do to repay you for all the help you''ve given me. ''At ......, I need to order a super mini maid outfit ASAP.'' ''Wait, Magda!For today only, please refrain from unnecessarily increasing the demand. There will be deaths. ''...... has a point. I''m going to operate quietly today.'' ''I don''t see how that''s possible. ''Well, it''s impossible. Whenever we start doing something special, there are always a lot of people who come to take a peek. ''Why don''t you just invite as many customers as you can?I''m up for any challenge! No, no, Delia. You''re always in a panic when there''s more customers and you can barely handle them, right? Anyway, let''s work on your habit of dashing as fast as you can, okay? Yashiro-san. May I ask you a question? ''What is it?'' With a calm expression, Bertina raises a small hand. As usual, she is modest in her assertions. But the words she says are very precise. ''I understand that you want to look at women in an unpleasant way, Yashiro-san, but I''m a sister, so please don''t expose yourself too much. ''I wonder if the first part is necessary! Maybe it''s not as accurate as it sounds! It was Magda who came up with the idea of a super mini maid outfit in the first place! ''That''s right, Magda. Bertina''s clothes should be modest. ''...... ''Bertina''s clothes are modest in fabric''?......Yashiro is an obscenity.'' ''Wait a minute . You added an extra word, now?'' ''......Yashiro-san''. ''Don''t look at me like I''m in trouble, Bertina! They''re playing with ...... me. ''Be a good girl, or I''ll burn your okonomiyaki. ''Excuse me. I''m going to put on something indecent.'' ''...... I''m sorry. I''ll dress you in obscene clothes.'' ''No!That''s not what I want!That''s not what I want, that''s what I want! ''Yashiro ......, you''re a man ...... who''s gone all out .......'' ''Norma, I''ve been watching you closely, up to this point! It''s my loss to be bothered with these guys. Let''s just do a test bake and open the store. Yeah, let''s do that. Hammaro. Grease the griddle. ''You''re going to ...... with your bare hands? ''No, no, no, no! With the speed of light, I stopped Hammaro from dipping his hands in oil and directly stroking the hot griddle. That''s dangerous! If I don''t explain properly, there''s no telling what he might do. ''You have to use the right tools to apply the oil. ''Tools? ''You''ve got tools around here you can use. ''............ Umaro? ''Who''s the tool?And don''t call me that! ''Well, oil''s dangerous, so just use Oumalo. ''Okay. ''Oumalo, do it.'' ''You don''t say! ''Wow, ...... is a blatantly disparate society...'' While Umaro is greasing the griddle, prepare the dough. Mix the dough with cabbage, shrimp and other ingredients. ''Okay, Hammaro. Pour this onto the griddle. Oh, and use the tools! ''Umaro, go ahead. ''You''ve got some nerve, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? The okonomiyaki was cooked and the tasting was over without a hitch. During this tasting, Umaro had mastered okonomiyaki. This will be useful for the real thing. Yeah, let''s leave the okonomiyaki to Umaro. ''Loretta, take care of the yakisoba, which requires a little more technique. ''I''ll leave it to you! If you use the wrong amount of sauce, you''ll get into trouble. I''ll ask someone who knows the basics. I''m sure Loretta can make it just fine. Just a normal yakisoba that tastes good. ''...... Where''s Magda? ''You have a special job.'' Then I''ll teach Magda how to cook octopus. Magda was lonely and sulking, so I let her learn something new and concentrate on that. In the meantime, Ginette returns. I''m sure it will all seem like a blink of an eye. ''...... This is ............ fun.'' ''Ooh!That sounds like fun!I want to do it too!I want to do it too! ''It requires a lot of technique, so it''s not for Delia. They were all glued to her as she twirled the tako-yaki with a thousand blades. It''s interesting, isn''t it, Takoyaki? The finished product is cute too. ''I''m sure ...... Magda has already mastered it. ''You''ve only seen it once. ''...... I''ll do it.'' ''Hah!''Magda is a real angel! ''Umaro, burn okonomiyaki! ''You''re annoying, Hammaro!And don''t call me that! ''An honest reprimand! After repeated failures, Magda has mastered the art of takoyaki, and it''s time to open the restaurant. It was time to open the Sunshine Pavilion without Ginette. ''It''s a little nerve-wracking to open the restaurant without even the manager preparing the food. ''Don''t worry, Loretta. We have an assistant manager we can rely on. ''...... You should feel like you''re on a big ship. We can make it today or tomorrow. Well, I''m here, so anything''s possible. I was nervous, but I wasn''t worried. I united with the employees who would be working with me for the rest of the day, and opened the door to the restaurant. A few people were already waiting in line, probably lured by the delicious aroma that had been wafting from the prototype stage. The queue at the Sunlit Pavilion...... again, no ginette was seen, or. ''Thank you for waiting!The Sunlit Pavilion is open! At the sound of Loretta''s voice, the customers smiled and entered the restaurant in order. That day, the Sunlit Pavilion had a good turnout from the start, and the importance of ...... Jeannette was sunk into my mind. ............I''m busy. I want to take a break. ............ In the meantime, the sun had passed the top of the mountain and afternoon tea time was upon us. ''Oh!You''ve finally shown your face, you crusty bastard! The one who came into the store with a shrill voice was the old man from Zelmar, who had been showing up at the Sunken Pavilion more and more frequently lately. ''Who''s the breadwinner, you retard? ''Shut up, you little shit. You don''t show your face at all!You''ve been playing around somewhere anyway! ''I''m sure Jeannette was away on the days I wasn''t.'' ''The grandson in the sunshine must have had some unavoidable business to attend to. He''s not like you. You old bastard. He''s not hiding his favoritism. ''Oh dear. Long time no see, Yashiro-chan.'' Grandma Mum comes in a little later. Or rather, Zelmar''s old man came to the store just in time for her arrival. You''re embarrassed if you don''t pretend to be a coincidence, like a junior high school student. You''re so wrinkled. ''Zelmar was lonely without you, Yashiro.'' ''Don''t be silly, Mum!Who''s going to ...... this little shit? ''Heh, ...... old man. He''s started to call the old lady ...... out. ...... Heh. ...... I wonder if there''s been any progress. ...... grin.'' ''Ba!I''m not sure.There''s nothing going on here!It''s not like I''m going to be able to do anything about it. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. You''re so pure-hearted. ...... You''re so wrinkly. I''m not sure. I''m sorry. Since you started talking to Yashiro, Zelmar has become more energetic, hasn''t he? ''That''s not true!Why do I have to go to ......? Because. You''ve been coming here and chatting all the time. ''No, that''s not it!This little brat doesn''t have any respect for his elders, so I''m teaching him! ''When I go home, all I do is talk about Yashiro. ''That''s not true! Ginette said, but Zelmar''s swearing seemed to have regained its former glory. ''It''s like when you were arguing with your grandfather, you were so lively and rude, and I was having a little fun,'' he said. It''s not that I can''t stand it when I''m being verbally abused. But more than that, you know. ''Hey, old man. What do you mean ''even if I go home''?Hmm?Did you finally take the old lady into your house, you old fart? ''Bofufufu!Gofufu!Gosh!Gefgaf!''''Gofogafu! ''...... old man,die''. ''Yes, sir. Soon, sir. ''Go-go-go!Who''s dying, girls?Don''t you dare say a word! ''...... I''m pissed at the old man.'' ''I''m scared of you, old man. ''What!I didn''t bring him in!I''m not taking you in!'' ''Mum, Mum, go to ...... without permission! ''Yes, yes. Don''t raise your blood pressure too much. The Grim Reaper is waiting in line behind you.'''' ''Crap!Whose fault is it? It''s your fault you''re bringing old lady Mum in here. It''s ''Mum''s own fault''. You probably said, ''Come and cook dinner'' like before. Didn''t you say that before?You spoiled old man. ''You spoiled brat general. ''Who''s the General?I''m just an ordinary citizen. Is that what you''re angry about? ''No~. It''s as lively as ever.'' ''Hahaha!This is what a sunny pavilion should be like!You know? Bobba and Frouft, regular customers from when old Ginette was here, show up together. Then, a little later, ...... ''Well, well, well. I''m the last one again. ...... Thanks, that''s not good, hahaha. Suspicious presence...... Orkio arrived. Orkio is smaller and thinner than the other old men. The other old men were all artisans, and in their youth they worked with their bodies to the fullest. That''s why even now, when they are wrinkled, their bodies are relatively crisp. Orkio, on the other hand, is an old man with an intellectual air, more intellectual than physical. If this guy is a former nobleman, it''s no wonder. He''s a dandy with neatly coiffed romance-gray hair and a mustache. He must have been a very handsome man in his youth. ............ Why did he choose such a ham-like old woman? ...... Maybe Siraha''s guy can take the place of an anchor if we keep him on the ship. It''s safe in a storm. ......, but... It is not yet determined that Orkio is the author of the poisonous text. Even if he is, there is a possibility that he is hiding his past for some reason. We don''t want to expose his past in front of Zelmar and the others and make the relationship between the old men strained. In the worst case scenario, Orkio would stop showing up at the Sunshine Pavilion, and if that happened, Ginette would be very sad. Be careful what you ask for. ............ ''Bobba, it''s been a long time. I didn''t know you were still alive.'' ''Aye, aye, aye. I''m a very stubborn man.'' ''Long time no see, Frodo. Aren''t you even hated by the Grim Reaper?'' ''Ha-ha-ha!You''re as insolent as ever, Onya! ''Orkio, it''s been too long since I''ve seen you...'' ''Buchoooooo! Orkio flipped over. He flipped over with a force that could have stopped the hearts of all the old men at once, and hit the back of his head hard on the floor. The old men and women around him were restraining their hearts as if they were in deep pain. ''What''s wrong, Orkio, suddenly! ''What, are you trying to kill us? ''Oh, ......, you startled me.'' ''Orkio. Are you okay?Oh, that''s not what I meant.'' Only Grandma Mum is worried about the fallen Orkio. ............ Are you? ''What''s wrong, Orkio?Do you feel like the words you want to say are overflowing? ''Ya, ya, ya, Yashiro-kun!I want to talk to you outside! Jumping to his feet, Orkio pulled my arm to go outside. But ...... ''What is it?Is this a secret from us, Orkio? ''What''s with the watery smell? ''Orkio!Orkio, if you''re a man, don''t hide anything from me, just tell me right here! The old men had made the first move and were making their way around the entrance. Zelmar, Bobba, and Frodo were lined up in front of the door. ''U...... oh, no...... I''m the ............'' Orkio turns around and asks Grandma Mum for help. ''Oh dear. I''d like to ask you a few questions too. I''m sorry. Looks like you had no one on your side, Orkio. Old people love small talk. ''...... If you want to hide your identity, I''ll take care of it, okay? ''Yashiro-kun, ............ no.'' Orkio shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, as if he had given up. He smiled a very soft and humane smile. Grandma Mum''s compassion and Orkio''s generosity must be the reason why the Jibaba-kai, made up of rough and twisted people, has not split internally. She has very deep pockets. That''s the image I have of Orkio. ''I''ve already told everyone that I''m a fallen nobleman. I''m not good at hiding things.'' Stroking his mustache with troubled eyebrows, Orkio says in a soft voice. Unlike the other old men, Orkio''s tone is pleasant and polite to the ear, as if he had never been rough with his words. I''m not good at hiding things,....... That may be true. At any rate, ...... ''You only have half a heart in your body,'' he said. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.If you''re smart, you''ll know what I''m talking about, right?Oh, so you do know what you''re doing?You''re a scary kid! What, you want to hide things even if you''re not good at it? Did you see that ...... that ............? Yeah. It''s your letter. ......'' I''ll call up the Conversation Record. ''I had Gilberta read it aloud to me, so it''s stored right here. ''Stop it!Don''t do it! I cover up the Conversation Record as if I''m hugging it. Well, that was painful. Time to listen to the poisonous text being read aloud. But somehow, ...... the other girls were entranced, though. ...... There''s something wrong with the senses, the girls in this town. ''What''s the matter, Orkio!I''m not sure what you''re trying to hide.You''re not a manly man! Zermatt is snarling at Orkio. Yes, yes. It''s not very manly to hide things. ''Zelmar. Is there someone you like?'' ''Gosh!What are you talking about?No, no, that''s not the point right now! ''What is it?Zelmar, is there such a person? ''Onya, you never said a word about that!Say it, say it. Who is it? ''''Hey, shut up!We''re talking about Orkio now! You''re doing your best to hide something... Smirk. ''You little shit, remember ......! Zelmar swears in a low voice. As expected, Grandma Mum didn''t get involved in this conversation. I guess she knows what she''s doing, she just doesn''t act on it. Zelmar, if you work hard, your wish will come true, won''t it? I''m not going to tell you. ''Well, so much for the harassment. ''Oh, ...... I knew it was harassment. ...... You''re a horrible kid, Yashiro-kun.'' Orkio sits down on an empty chair, looking as if he is about to collapse. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The average age of people in this store has gone up at once. ''Hey, old guys. What kind of salmon do you want? Delia comes over to the seated old men. Yeah. That''s zero customer service. It''s only salmon. ''Five Anmitsu! Fortunately, I can make dessert. I''ve prepared several kinds that will be available this afternoon. Of course, I''ve prepared anmitsu. Norma, who can cook, and Loretta will do the rest. So I''ll just concentrate on what I have to do. ''Actually, I met Orkio .............'' That must have been enough to get the message across. Orkio muttered briefly, ''...... I see''. He exhaled a deep breath with a complicated expression. I am the beloved one who cannot be met. I''m the one who went to see him. He must have some feelings about it. ''How were you ......?'' ''Oh. I''ve been fine. I''ve been incredibly unhealthy, though. ''Well, I''m ...... relieved. She''s sensitive and frail.'' You''re lying! There aren''t many women with that much brains! The second thing you say is ''another one, another one''. But when Orkio heard my words, he smiled happily. He smiled quietly and nodded happily, saying, ''Well, well, well, ...... how are you? Ah, you really like me. ...... ''Hey, Orkio......'' ''Hmm?What is it? ''Do you like ............ ham or something?'' ''Hmm?...... I don''t understand what you''re saying. No, I was just wondering if you have a ham craving. Boneless-like. Well, whatever it is, I won''t pry into it. But there''s one thing I need to make sure of. Does Orkio want to see Sirach? And does he want to be with her? Orkio is quietly biting his happiness with the calmness of a man of his age, but with the sparkling eyes of a boy absorbed in his first love. The two were forcibly separated, but ...... you can clearly see that their time together was filled with happiness. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''It may be against your rules, but ......''. Before I confirm, I''ll give you something that was entrusted to me. It''s a letter from Sirach. He asked to see the letter, and Siraha presented it to him. When I told him that I would deliver it to him if he had already written it, he nodded his head several times in delight. ''I''ve got a letter from Sirach for you. ''Oh, shit!Seriously?Yeeeeeeeeaaahhhhhh!I got Shirapin''s new letter!I''m so excited! I''m so excited! Who are you? You''re the same person? You''re possessed by something bad! You''ve changed too much! Let me read it!Give it to me!Give me Shirapin''s letter!Come on, hurry up!I''m going to crack your balls open and slurp up your brains, you little bastard! You''re scary!It''s like being possessed by an evil spirit!What''s with the "Shirapin"?You''re not that kind of a character, are you? ''Shut up!We''re a lovely couple who call each other ''Shirapin'' and ''Orkio''! Are you calling me ''Orkio-sama''? The glimpse of Orkio''s transformation and the lovey-doveyness of the old man and the old woman made my spine shiver. A year''s worth of chills must have hit me all at once. Orcio took the letter from me in a devilish manner, sealed it very carefully, pulled it out of the envelope, and carefully followed the words with his eyes. ...... A couple who look alike. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. Orkio is writhing in agony as he reads that idiotic, song-like rap. ...... loving it?I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. But you don''t need to ask any more questions. You can see it clearly in this situation. Orkio also wants to see Sirach. And he wants to live with her. Now we have the go-ahead for the mission. You''ll be useful. To bridge the deep-rooted rift between humans and insects. ''Yashiro. Thank you for delivering the letter. Orkio put the letter away carefully and bowed his head with a satisfied expression. ''Yashiro-kun, you are Tenderness, aren''t you? ''Don''t let yourself be influenced by that thing. What''s the Tenderness? ''Hey, you little shit. What the hell are you talking about?I have no idea.'' Zelmar, Grandma Mum, Bobba, Frodo, and Bertina are eating honey beans while watching us. ''Hey, hey, hey!What are you eating, Bertina? ''No, no. I was so engrossed in your letter that I thought you didn''t need it.'' ''Don''t you dare touch my customers'' stuff! ''No, no, no. It''s okay, Yashiro-kun. I''m too full to eat. Sister. Please eat my portion. It would be a shame to leave it behind. ''Then, I''ll take it gratefully. ''You''ve got the order backwards: ......'' Eat after you''ve eaten. ''So, what is it?Talk to me.'' Zelma and the others looked at me unhappily, as if they didn''t like being left out of the loop. Only Grandma Mum is smiling at me. Well, I''ll tell them. Orkio says he''s not good at hiding things. In the first place, it''ll all come out anyway. ''I think I''ll let Orkio meet my wife. ''What? It was Orkio who shouted in surprise. That would be a surprise. ''But, but, the swallowtail butterfly people are at .......'' ''I''ve already talked to them. Lucia will help us.'' ''The lord of the 35th district! There was a sudden buzz inside the Sunlit Pavilion. I give a summary explanation to Delia and the others who don''t know what''s going on. What happened in District 35. And what I''m going to do now. ''The wedding of Theron and Wendy will be a grand affair involving not only the neighborhood of District 42 but also District 35. It''s a grand plan to have a big parade from Wendy''s house. I''ll give you my full cooperation. ''For that, Orkio. I''m going to need your help and Sirach''s.'' ''...... ours?'' Yes, yes. After all, you''re the senior member of the Bug People and Human interracial marriage. ''I''ll let the world know about your marriage as a ''success story''. ''''...... ''Success story''?'''' Orkio and the others'' marriage was met with various obstacles, and as a result, it aroused the suspicion of the Bug People. But this marriage itself was not a mistake. Because... They seem to be so happy together. We''ll show that to the world and make it known. ''Help us, Orkio. ''Are you sure you''re okay with me ......?'' ''Yes. It has to be you. And if you help me, ......''. I''ll give you the best reward. ''We''ll do our best to support you. We''ll do our best to help you and Sirach ...... create an environment where the two of you can live together. The two of you can decide whether you want to live in District 35 or District 42. Whichever you choose, I will protect your lives with the backing of my lord. No one will interfere. You''ve lived apart, but now you''re going to live together. For the rest of their lives, forever. ''You''ll do it, won''t you, Orkio? ''............'' Orkio turned his head and shook his shoulders. But when he looked up, he raised his fist high in the air. ''Yee-hah! ............ Yeah. At any rate. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry. And don''t make me imagine ....... Don''t make me imagine a lovey-dovey old lady. Anyway... Orkio''s in the mood. I''ll have something good to report when I pick up Jeannette tomorrow afternoon. But first... I''ve got a few more things to take care of. In the 42nd precinct. 199-Later Tan 27 Clothing Shop and Half-Naked ''Yashiro-chan~! I''ve come to invite you...'' ''The sheep''s clothing store has arrived! I sent Hammaro on an errand and asked him to fetch Ukrines. The sun had already set, but it was still early in the evening. It was that time of day. ''Sorry to call you here, Uclines. Is everything all right in the store?'' ''Yes, sir. It''s fine. ''I know you''re working on the wedding dress, but I''d like some more time. ''What, you''ve changed your mind?That''s not like you, Yashiro.'' No, I don''t think you''re being too hard on ...... me. In addition,......, we''ve recently hired an employee. I''m concentrating on the production. So I''ve been able to make some time for it. ''Oh, finally. ''Mm-hmm. Thanks to you, I''m making a lot of money. I can''t sleep with my feet up to Yashiro-chan. ''...... Yashiro will be happy if you sleep with your boobs facing him.'' ''Well, are you okay with an old lady like me? ''Don''t take it seriously, Ukrines. And don''t interrupt me in the middle of something exquisite, Magda. I''m not happy to have my tits pointed at you. Uclines has been busy with the new clothes I''m bringing in and the increasing number of customers since the yukata boom, but it looks like they''ve finally decided to hire an employee. He could have done it sooner, but he was having a difficult time because he seemed to have a particular way of doing things. He once said that he didn''t want anyone who didn''t love clothes to handle his products. ''Did you find a good employee? ''I auditioned. ''Audition? You even had a selection committee? I guess being an employee of a clothing store is a high bar. ''Thankfully, there were many girls who wanted to work for us. Mmm-hmm. ''Did you decide on the knowledge or the love of clothes? ''Of course that was an important point, but I was also particular about the appearance. As is the case in Japan, sales increase when the shopkeepers are beautiful and wear the store''s products beautifully. Above all, this creates admiration and raises the quality of the store. I see. So Ukrines is trying to attract new customers by strengthening what he could not do himself. I guess I''m going to be the one to make it. ''But it was hard work. It''s hard to find young girls with good facial features and proportions. ''And those who want to work in a clothing store are limited, aren''t they? ''Yes, that''s right! His voice was raised, and his hardship was evident. ''My ideal is a girl like Nephrite. Nephrite? No, it''s true that her style is good, but ............ her face is like a chicken''s, you know? ''She''s popular among the girls, Nepheli. She''s a bit neutral-looking, isn''t she? ''Neutral, I mean. ......'' It''s hard to tell her gender because of her race. ...... ''But Nepheli doesn''t want to work outside of a poultry farm. ............ It''s a waste, isn''t it? Uclines said with deep regret. It''s a shame,'' says Ucrines, looking deeply disappointed. ...... But, well, I suppose Nepheli would. His love for the poultry farm is unparalleled. I don''t think he''s going to leave his job for a minute. First ...... ''Nepheli is at his best when he''s working at the poultry farm. He looks happy, lively, and good-looking. I meant to say something like ......... Conqueror conqueror conqueror conqueror conqueror conqueror conqueror ............ I was going to say something like: ...... Ah. What timing. ............ ''Oh, what?Huh?Oh, that ......? Nepheli came to the sunlit pavilion with seemingly impeccable timing. There was a bamboo basket lying at his feet. For a moment I was nervous, wondering if it contained eggs, but it seemed to be baby sponge cakes. The contents seemed to be safe, protected by the bamboo basket with a lid. ''Oh, um, Jeannette''s not here, so I was wondering if there''s anything I can do to help. ...... Um, I''m done with work!Also, I heard that Delia is here, so go bake some baby sponge cakes for her. ............ So, you know, ......... .........'' ''Oh, thanks. That''d be great, Neffery.'' ''Huh!Ya,palm............ that,......'' ''And I''m sorry. I didn''t mean anything serious. What you just said.'' ''What?I know, but...?Yeah, I totally understand! ''...... Even if you know what you''re doing, you''ll still fall in love with her. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... You see, Nepheli has become like a steamed chicken. ''Just what I needed, Mr. Neffely. Bertina approached the boiling Nephrite. It''s time to go home, isn''t it, Bertina? There''s supper for the kids. ''I was just about to leave, I''m full. ''You''re here to work, aren''t you? I wonder if this is what Loretta was like when she was in ............ Cantalucia, eating okonomiyaki with the customers. ''It would be great if you could take the floor for me. ''Uh, yeah!I''ll take care of it!''............ What''s that, a steel plate? ''...... that, Magda, the assistant manager, will explain. Wash your hands first. I''ll leave Nephrite to Magda, and return to my conversation with Ukrines. As an apology for calling you out, I''ll treat you to a boatload of takoyaki. ''Well!That''s so cute. Do you mind if we eat while we eat? ''Oh, no. I''m talking on my own, so enjoy it.'' ''Well... I''ll eat. Ukrines is working on Wendy''s wedding dress. I''m sure the load is great at the moment, but ...... there''s one more thing I need you to make. I''ve heard that they''re hiring more employees, so I''m going to take full advantage of that. I spread out the blueprint of the new thing I want you to make in front of Ukrines. ''...... What''s this? ''I''m going to use it for my upcoming wedding. I''ll need quite a few of them, do you think you can get them?'' ''If it''s as simple as this, I''m sure it''s ...... possible.'' It was a good time for Ukrines to focus on his work. Well, well, well. This should work. And then, at the worst possible time to ruin such good timing, an unbelievable person came to the sunny pavilion. ''Where''s my daughter?Is Wendy there? There she was, a giant moth, bigger than me. A half-naked man in tights with his muscular upper body on display. It was Wendy''s father, Thibault of the Yamamayuga tribe. I feel sick in my absolute domain today! ''...... pervert'' ''I''m a pervert! ''Yashiro, you''re a pervert! ''You''re just like a picture of a pervert. ''Oh, God!You''re disgusting, you pervert! ''Wow, ...... is a pervert, .......'' ''You''re a pervert like no other in history.'' Magda, Loretta, Delia, Norma, Nepheli, and Umaro and Hammaro. It seems they''ve all been unanimously declared perverts. ''Yashiro-san. Unlike the girls, who were distracted, Bertina said in her normal calm voice. ''You''ve made some strange friends again, haven''t you? ''No, we''re not friends. It seems that Tibor is classified as ''strange'' in Bertina''s eyes. Also, could you please not say ''again''?It hurts my feelings. ''How did you find this place? ''Cause I heard my daughter called you "Hero-sama". I asked around at the entrance to the city. What? ...... ''Hero-sama'' can lead you to me? ...... That''s scary. I mean, I hate it. ''So, what''s up, Tibor?What do you want? Do you have a daughter? ''No.'' ''You can''t hide her from me! Thibaut shouts, and the scales come flying out. Stop it. It''s unsanitary! ''Don''t spread scales in a restaurant! ''Then get my daughter out of here! ''I''m in District 35. It''s the residence of Sirach of the swallowtail butterfly tribe.'''' ''Sirach, ......? Scales, wow! ...... This guy, do you want me to seriously punch him? ''I mean, what do you want?What are you doing here? ''I''m here to bring back my daughter! ''Are you still talking like that? ''Listen to me, you!You''re trying to make a spectacle out of my daughter''s marriage, aren''t you? ''''A show, or rather, a ......, let''s all celebrate together, right? ''I heard that you asked me and Ka-chan to be in the show! ''Yeah. I did.'' When I affirmed, Tibor grabbed me tightly by the chest and twisted me up. I can''t breathe. ......! But more than that, I can''t stand the sight of Thibaut''s face so close to mine!It''s too disgusting! ''Stink!Your breath stinks! ''I don''t smell, you idiot! '' yells Tibor with his stinky breath. Is he angry because he thinks his daughter will be exposed? Not just his daughter, but himself and his beloved wife as well. ...... ''You''re asking me to go out in public dressed like this? ''Oh, I was aware of that. I mean, you''re mad at yourself? ''Are you trying to make us the laughing stock of the family? ''Don''t worry. You''re the only one who''s going to be laughed at.'' ''...... No. It''s not funny.'' ''Yes, sir. From behind me, I can hear people being even more scathing than I am. Magda and Loretta. Be careful, sometimes a good argument can hurt people. ''If that''s what you want to talk about, why don''t you leave it to me?I''ll make you some clothes. I heard a soft voice and felt Ukrines stand up. I turn around and see ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... He had a really pissed off look on his face. This is the first time Uclines has shown this expression. Honestly, it''s super scary. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''Oh, no, ...... this is because I don''t have any clothes to wear due to my ...... beastly features. ......'' ''If you don''t have any, why don''t you make some? ''No, but ............ I don''t have that kind of money ......'' ''Money?Are you throwing away your character because of money!Is such a thing allowed!No, it''s not allowed!It is not allowed! ''Oh, you''re right, ............, but, you know, ......? ''Oh, my God!The more I look at it, the more unpleasant it is!What is that, what is that, what is that outfit?Is this a challenge to me?I''ll take it! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. He''s not very good when he''s pushed too hard. ''Yashiro-chan!I''m going to borrow this pervert for a moment! ''Oh. It''d be great if you could take it home with you. ''No, wait!There''s still the wedding and all that ......! ''I''ll make you a gentleman''s dress that you won''t be ashamed to wear to the ceremony!You won''t have a problem with that, will you? ''Eh, no, ...... that''s the ............'' ''What is it? ''...... No, thank you very much.'' Winner, Ukrines~. Well, the question of whether it was okay to expose this perverted tightsman to the public was one of the concerns. I''m sure Ukrines will figure it out since he''s so motivated. All right, I''ll leave it to you. ''Now, please follow me. I''ll have your clothes made and on you as soon as possible. This kind of aesthetically unpleasing half-naked tights are only accepted by ............ Norma and Natalia! ''I''m not going to dress like that, am I? ''Oh my God!I want to see it! ''No, you wouldn''t! And then there''s ...... and eventually ............. Let''s hope for such a future. So, Yashiro-chan. I''ll take this document. I''ll have it ready by the deadline!So long! ''Excuse me!I still need to talk to you about ...... that! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. ...... Ahhh. The floor is covered in scales. I''m not sure what to do. She peeked out of the door and looked outside. ''Did you see the half-naked pervert that Ukrines just grabbed? ''That''s Wendy''s father. You''ve seen him before, haven''t you? ''Oh, I''m sorry. I try to forget the stains on my memory.'' What a convenient way to make a point. But, hey, keep your memories. ...... You don''t want to have to ''meet'' that pervert more than once, do you?It''s not half as hard on the heart as it sounds. Sometimes it''s important to memorize and build up a tolerance. ''Not at all. It''s always so noisy where you are, anchovy. ''Lucia! The one who appeared from behind Estella was Lucia. Why are you in the 42nd district? Gilberta is probably at Sirach''s mansion escorting Ginette and the others, did she come alone? ''Gilberta''s absence is boring, so I came to visit you. ''Do your job. Don''t abandon your duties when you''re in the mood, you, every single time. ...... ''''Besides, the pervert who was just now is a citizen of your territory, right? ''Pervert?...... That''s right in front of me right now, isn''t it? ''It''s not me!It''s the perverted half-naked tights man who just left! ''That''s because of his animal features. There''s nothing wrong with that. Your favoritism for the beastmen is unbelievable! You and Jeannette are the only ones who can say there''s nothing strange about that half-naked tights man. Even my own daughter, Wendy, was a little put off. ''Don''t compare me to that, I''m a fresh, handsome gentleman. ''Keep your jokes to your face! ''Whose face is the joke? ''Take off that joking face! ''Don''t be absurd! Why is it that Thibaut can tolerate it and I can''t? I can only assume that the brain that controls Lucia''s aesthetic sense has a serious error somewhere. ''Anyway, Yashiro. How was Orkio?'' ''It was a hit.'' ''Good. Then let''s execute the plan. I told Estella all about it on the way home yesterday. Well, in short, we''re going to have a big parade, but since it''s a multi-district project, there are some things that need to be adjusted. Perhaps Lucia is here to discuss these matters as well. I''d like to talk to the lords of the 36th to 39th districts as well. In that case, it would be better if Lucia from the 35th district talked to them rather than Estella from the 42nd district. Well, since we''re just passing through the districts on the way, there won''t be anything special. There''s no harm in laying the groundwork. Such is the nature of nobility. ''Yashiroo...... what was that strange man just now......'' Nephrite is twitching with a dustpan in his hand. Yeah. I guess you could be classified as weird enough. But you know what? I''m getting so used to seeing his chicken face, I''m starting to feel threatened. ''I was spraying a lot of weird powder all over the place... ......'' ''I was so excited. ...... Oh, so that''s scale.'' ''Yeah, ...... it''s kind of dirty. ......'' Hey, hey, hey. Wendy''s going to get it too, you know. Be careful what you say. ''Thibaut''s wary of humans. He must have been very excited. ''They thought they''d be made a spectacle of and a laughing stock of, so they came in. ''So they make a fuss and end up being looked at strangely by a lot of people. ...... Foolish. Lucia shrugs her shoulders, as if lamenting the ineptitude of the people of her district. ''If you saw a half-naked man in tights walking around with scales all over him, well, you''d see him. ''Most likely, he was seen with us humans. ''So, the humans are all trying to get Wendy to marry ......? ''Indeed, if they knew that Lucia-san, the lord of the 35th district, was cooperating with us, Wendy''s parents might get nervous. ''Hmm. Estella may be right. I may have aroused some distrust by my actions.'' If it was just us, we could have just brushed it off with a strategy of not listening, but that''s not going to work with a lord. If they really had seen us and Lucia together, they would have been very upset. ''You don''t have much faith in the nobility, do you? Lucia muttered to herself. One of the reasons why the Bug People became wary of humans was because of Sirach''s injury. I''m sure there are many who view the nobleman who injured Sirach as an enemy. ''Wendy''s parents are probably wary of nobles. ...... Originally, they became wary of humans because of Sirach-san.'' ''Hmm. I''m sure you''re right. Lucia replied to Estella, who muttered to no one in particular. ''It became known that Orkio''s relatives had set fire to the mansion. ''Was the culprit immediately identified?If it''s just circumstantial evidence, you can get away with anything. In fact, aristocrats and powerful people often cover up facts like that. Orkio''s relatives were aristocrats, too, so they would do that. He was so confident in his ability to cover up the fact that he would have done something so outrageous as arson. There was no way he could get away with it. There was a huge fire that burned down the whole area and caused a huge explosion that blew up the house and ...... caused a lot of trouble. ......Explosion? Arson, explosion? ''I heard that because of that, Orkio''s family was stripped of their noble rights by the king and reduced to commoners. ''That''s a harsh punishment. The victim, Orkio, was also stripped of his noble rights. ......'' ''It''s an old custom that both sides are defeated in a dispute between nobles. ''Well, setting off a fire that blows away the mansion is a bit much, isn''t it? It''s a pity about Orkio, but his relatives can''t help but be stripped of their rights. ''''No. Probably, the relatives didn''t intend for it to be that big of a deal.'''' ''''Huh?'''' According to what I heard at Sirach''s mansion, the relatives started to harass Orkio and Sirach in an attempt to have their marriage dissolved, and when they were rebuffed, they got angry. At that time, they must have been very angry, but they would not have tried to stop the couple from getting married. At best, he would have felt like ''I''m going to give them a hard time. But ...... ''There was one miscalculation on the part of Orkio''s relatives, who had only intended to threaten him with fire. ''Miscalculation? ''The mansion where Orkio and Sirach lived was covered with a large amount of Sirach''s scales.'' ''''Ah .......'''' Estella had once witnessed the scales burning in Wendy''s parents'' house. I''m sure you can guess how powerful it is. The joy of being with her. Resentment, sadness, and anguish at the harassment she receives from her relatives. ...... These changes in emotion were causing Sirach to spew out scales. And when her relatives, unaware of this, set fire to the house, ...... ''The scales ignited and exploded in a blaze of ...... fire. I guess that''s it. There is such a thing as a dust explosion. Its destructive power is unimaginable. Don''t underestimate a mere powder. It''s because they''re tiny particles that they fly in the air, are hard to see, and are easily burned. ''I see. I''m not going to let you get away with arson, but I think it''s credible that you didn''t think it would be that big of a deal.'''' ''Hmm. It''s a reasonable inference for an anchovy. Well, it''s only a theory. But if it''s proven, it might change the way the insects look at us. If they find out that the accident that caused Sirach to lose his antennae wasn''t completely intentional, they''ll at least look at me a little bit differently. ''Hmm?...... Oh, right! I look at the dustpan Neffery is holding. This could be useful. ''I''m going out for a bit!Nephrite. Nephrite, could you pack this scales in a bag for me? ''Hey, Yashiro, where are you going? ''To someone who can make use of this scale powder. ''Huh? ''Yashiro. You''ve come up with something. Do you mind if I follow you? ''Suit yourself.'' Next to Nepheli, who looked as if he didn''t understand, Estella smirked as if she had realized something. Estella''s face looks more like ''I don''t know what it is, but it looks interesting'' than ''I know what it is''. ''Yashiro. Are you going out? ''Yes, I am. It''s almost dinnertime, so there''ll be more customers. ''Well, we can run it on our own, but I''m not sure about .......'' Norma, Delia and Umaro gather around with anxious looks on their faces. These guys have mastered okonomiyaki and yakisoba in just one day. I''m sure you''ll have no problem leaving them to me. ...... ''If you work hard today, we''ll give you a special seat at the wedding to show you the good stuff. ''That''s what you''re going to make, isn''t it? ''I don''t know about that, but if that''s the case, I''ll leave it to you!I''ll take care of it no matter how many people show up!Umaro! The three of us were a little nervous. I''m a little worried about the three of us, but we''ll be fine with Magda and Loretta. ......... I feel like my position has changed. In the past, I was worried about Magda and Loretta, and thought that I would be fine with Jeannette. ''Don''t let me down, Oumaroo! ''You don''t say that!And don''t call me that, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? ''Okay, Oumalo. Follow Hammaro and make sure you serve him well.'' ''What?I''m under Hammaro? The fact that I''m even a little bit happy about such a change ...... has poisoned me a lot. ''Well then, Yashiro. Let''s go. ''Oh.'' ''What would you like to do, Lucia? ''Huh, huh............, there are so many beastmen in this shop............ It''s heaven! ''Okay, Estella. I''ll take you there even if I have to step on you.'' ''Yeah. I guess so.'' Estella was finally getting used to dealing with Lucia. Yes, yes. You can''t coddle this kind of thing. Take them by force. If they resist, we''ll deport them. ''You and Hammaro!Just once, let me pet you! ''Hammaro? ''Yes, yes. Even Lucia will sue you if you mess with the youth.'' ''Hammaro! ''The cry of a woman''s soul I''ve never seen before...'' It seems that Hammaro, with his beastly features on full display, was very much to her liking. I don''t think I''ve ever seen Lucia show this much interest in a man before. ...... Are you saying that Hammaro is your first love? No, no, no, no. ''Or else, let me fondle that fox girl''s tail! ''Then I''ll be in charge of the tits! ''Estella!Let''s get those two out of here.Hurry up! Norma points outside with her cigarette at the ready. What the hell... It''s not getting any better. It''s not going to get any worse. ...... It''s more likely to get better. ''Lucia''s too perverted to be warned. ......'' ''Don''t worry. We''re both more than perverted enough.'' ''You''ve come to say that, ......, Estella.'' Estella grabbed me by the neck and dragged me and Lucia out of the sunlit pavilion. When we went outside, Magda and Loretta came out to see us off. ''Big brother. Let me and Magda take care of the store!But when you''re done working, please hang out with us again! I''ve been running around a lot lately, so I haven''t had much time to spend with these guys. When I get some time, I''ll play with them as much as I can. ''......Yashiro''. And Magda, who is now the chief executive officer of the Sunlit Pavilion under the name of acting manager, stares at me with a reliable expressionless face. ''...... When you come back, Magda will treat you to the most delicious takoyaki.'' Well, honestly. I''ve been smelling the sauce all day, and ...... I''m getting a little tired of it. ''Oh!I''m looking forward to it! If Magda says it''s the best food, I can''t stop eating it. We''ll have takoyaki for supper. Magda and Loretta saw me off, and the two lords and I walked toward the main street. ''Where are we going? ''To Regina''s.'' We''re going to Regina''s apothecary. ''What are you going to do with the scales, anchovy? ''I thought you might be able to make something good out of it. ......'' He tapped the bag of scales he''d received from Nepheli, and his secret ambition flared. If this thing is completed, it will surely change the history of this city. It''s the ultimate item that can turn any event into a huge party in a single shot. I''ll make fireworks. Regina can do it. I have a feeling. 200-I wonder if Ill be able to talk about it later. ''Oh, wow!It''s beautiful. Regina''s eyes sparkle as the colorful flames explode in the steel vat. This is Regina''s store, as usual. She has moved her workbench and placed an iron vat on the floor, where she is experimenting with fireworks. Estella and Lucia, who are also looking into the vat, stare at the blazing flames, illuminated by the colored flames. ''That went better than I expected. ''I never thought I''d be able to use a spark of fire for something like this. You really think of interesting things, don''t you? ''It''s an application of the technology that was already there. It''s not that difficult. The great one is the one who created the culture of fireworks. He must have been a daredevil because he did this with gunpowder. When he ignited the scales with firecrackers, they burst into flames with tremendous force. It was just like the flames that spread when Wendy used the powder at her parents'' house. This scale is much more flammable than I imagined. The temperature seems to have risen quite a bit. The powder does not get so hot, but it seems that the temperature rises when the scales burn. ''The scales of the Yamamayuga people really do burn well, don''t they? Lucia''s face was a little tense. The thirty-fifth district, which was home to many of the Bug People. We''ve been letting this kind of danger go unchecked for too long. It would change their minds. ''If we mix these scales with Wendy''s light powder, it should spark or something. I think it would make it more beautiful.'' ''So, do you want to go get some of that light powder?'' ''No. I just dropped by Theron''s place and asked him to bring some for me.'' ''It''s not that I''m prepared, it''s that I''m rough with people. ...... Really, I''m so thorough.'' ''Theron misses Wendy, so I''m going to mix him up with some interesting experiments. It''s kind of you, right? ''I guess you could say that. Regina smiles a grimace of admiration, dismay, and teasing. When he makes this face, it''s when he''s excited. Don''t accuse people of having fun. You''re just as guilty now. ''Hey, Yashiro. Why does the flame change color?'' ''It''s a flame color reaction. ''Flame color ......? I borrowed some lithium and potassium from Regina''s house, mixed them with scales and burned them together, and they colored beautifully. Lithium is red. Copper is green. Calcium is orange. Potassium is purple. That''s about it. ''Regina, did you know? ''No. I''ve never done an experiment like this before.'' Well, Regina''s not a scientist. ''But, you know. But, you know, everything''s possible in this house. Isn''t that right? ''From the ingredients for curry to the ingredients for fireworks, ...... even the flour to soften cakes is made here, isn''t it? ''Well, there''s a part of me that feels like I''m being made to make things. Hey, yourself? ''It''s not like I''m forcing you to do it. I''m not forcing you to do anything.'' It''s just that it was originally here, and I''m telling you to prepare more. ............ Oh, am I forcing you? I''m sure it''s been a great help though. I''m grateful, Regina. ''What the hell is wrong with you?No, you''re kidding. You''re not taking me seriously, you creep. When I thanked her again, Regina twisted her body as if she was unsteady. She''s really not used to being praised. But not everything is here. We only have things related to medicine, and there are some things we don''t have, no matter how much they are called "medicine". For example, ...... has ''gunpowder''. ''And then there''s ...... how to set it off. In a fireworks display, gunpowder is placed inside a launch tube, a firework ball is placed on top of the tube, and the explosion of the gunpowder shoots the firework into the night sky. I substituted scales and firecrackers for the main body of the fireworks, but scales can''t produce enough explosive power to shoot this thing high into the sky. I''ve never made gunpowder before,......, so if Regina doesn''t have it, I can''t help you. ''What about asking Delia or Magda to throw it? ''Well, that''s one way to do it. ......'' ''Well, that''s one way to do it, but I''d like to show the people who are guarding the store today the fireworks as customers. I don''t want to do it behind the scenes. ''I wonder if there''s anyone out there ...... who''s a stout, macho, good-natured guy who throws heavy things around on a regular basis and will listen to what I have to say. ......... ..................... I''m not sure. I know a guy like that! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''All right!We''ve got the launcher figured out!Now all we have to do is experiment and produce beautiful fireworks! ''Even if we''ve got it figured out, we haven''t done anything at ......, have we?Don''t we have to negotiate or something? ''I think there''s someone out there who wouldn''t be hurt if you tried to talk them out of it. ...... You have a very vicious face, Yashiro. You''re right, Estella. But I''m sorry to say it''s a nasty face. Call it a hopeful, innocent smile. ''The anchovy.'' Lucia, who had been staring at the black smoke of the tepee as the flames burned out, turned her head toward you. Perhaps she was afraid of the flames, but her expression looked a little tense. ''Are you going to do the experiment now? ''Yes. Fireworks aren''t beautiful unless they spread out like this. If you''re using handheld fireworks, it''s fine to use them like this, but ......, I want them to be explosive.'' ''It''s just playing with fire. ......I find some of them a little scary. ............'' Fireworks are meant to be viewed from a distance. The flames at such close range are indeed a little scary. For those who do not understand the finished product, it may be an object of fear. ''Well, I''ll be very careful. Accidents with fireworks can be terrifying. ''Thank you for your patience, heroes and lords. Welcome. A handsome man who doesn''t greet his landlord in my house.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry about that!Sorry to keep you waiting, Regina-san.'' ''You''re so serious, aren''t you? ''Don''t tease him too much. Theron is not very immune to perverts like you.'' ''I guess so. If it were me, I''d say, ''Who are you talking to, let me rub your tits! If it were me, I''d be saying, ''Who are you talking to? ''What kind of pervert am I? ''Are all the anchovies around you like this? ''I guess we''re friends. Huh. Estella, who is one of the top five in terms of the length of our relationship, is saying something. Who are you talking to? I''ll rub your tits raw. ''So, um... I brought you some light powder. ......'' ''Oh, sorry. I''m going to do a little experiment. Can you help me?'' ''Yes, sir. If there''s anything I can do, anything at all.'' That''s good. Then you''ll be in charge of mixing the amount of light powder I gave you with the scales. Here, me. I don''t want to glow in the night. I don''t want to touch the glitter. ''Let''s start by mixing the scale powder with the light powder in a one-to-one ratio. Randomly, to my heart''s content, I put the scale powder into the steel vat. It''s the first time. Let''s see how it goes with the right amount. ''Yashiro. Don''t you need to measure it? ''It''s fine. I lit it once before and have a rough idea. You should trust my senses.'' ''That''s a completely unreliable basis.'' ''Lucia......, you did your best to pull it up today, didn''t you?The top is two millimeters higher than last time.'' ''You''re a monster, aren''t you?You can''t detect that kind of error with your eyes! ''I knew you were into this from the first glance.'' ''Don''t think so!I''m not! ''...... As expected, ............ Yashiro''s senses are so accurate that it''s weird. ''When it comes to boobs, though, ......'' When everyone is satisfied, I have Theron pour in the light powder. I''ll just eyeball it. ZabazabaZabazaba............Yes, stop! ''Now we just need the right amount of fire dust. ............ Okay, Regina. Ignite the fire. ''I''ll do it myself! ''No, I''m scared! ''I told you to trust your senses, didn''t I? You''re a pharmacist, but you''re a lousy one! Well, it''s not like I put in that much ...... It''s no use. Well, let''s light a fire. I set fire to the rough rope and throw it into the iron bucket. A moment later-- A huge explosion. ''What the hell are you doing, Jibooooooooooom! ''Fire!We have to put out the fire! ''You''ve got to know your limits, anchovy! Abusive language being hurled. The vituperation. I barely heard them all. I was scared. ............ I was scared. ...... ''Oh no!You''re not allowed to experiment indoors anymore!You''re doing it outside! ''I''m so glad we didn''t start a fire. ''Stop spreading misery, you anchovy!I don''t want to die in a place like this where there are no insects. You''d be happy with Millie and Wendy. You should be stronger. ''That was one hell of a pillar of fire. ...... Regina, are you okay with the medicine? ''Well, it was a bit of a mess, but no ...... damage.'' ''I see. I''m sorry.'' ''Well, ...... the explosion was far beyond our expectations, so ...... it can''t be helped.'' Yeah. It was exactly what we expected. We had decided the amount of scales and fire powder considering the size of the fire when we burned them, but when we mixed the light powder with the scales, the explosion was far beyond our expectation. Did it cause a chemical reaction? ''But ...... no one can imagine an explosion of this scale. ............ The nobleman who blew up Orkio''s mansion might have felt this way. I don''t know. I thought I''d lightly set a fire and ...... make a scene, and then there was a huge explosion. At that moment, the person who set the fire might have been the one who felt the coldest. Well, I don''t feel sorry for him. ''If people knew how powerful this is, they might look at the accident differently. ''Well, that''s true, too. ......'' I''m not doing this to show you how powerful it is. Nor do I do this to instill fear in you. I want you to understand it properly as knowledge. But more than that, ...... ''These fireworks have to be very nice. ''It''s to liven up the wedding, isn''t it? ''That''s true, too. That''s the point of using these scales instead of creating gunpowder. If you don''t use this well-burning scale powder to create something beautiful and wonderful, and have it recognized, you''ll be ...... ''If we don''t publicize the fact that it''s a good thing, it will spread the false perception that the ...... worm people are dangerous, won''t it? ''Ah, ......'' If such a rumor spreads that Orkio''s mansion was blown up because of the swallowtail butterfly''s scales ......, some people might unfairly discriminate against the Bug People. That would have the opposite effect. ''In fact, Wendy was more than a little shocked to find out that her own scales burned well. When I told her what had caused the spark in the quarrel between father and son, she was superficially mending her ways, but her face was very pale. That must have been scary. ''Fear is created because you don''t know who you are. Then you should reveal yourself to them. Teach them how to deal with it properly, show them how to use it effectively, and they won''t have to be afraid. In Japan, there are not many people who are more afraid of gasoline than necessary. This is because the correct way to handle gasoline is well known and many people know how useful it is. You want to tell them, ''Your scales can produce such wonderful things. If it hurts anyone in any way. I want to show Siraha and Wendy some beautiful fireworks. I think so. ''............ anchovy......'' ''Yeah. I think so. I want to show them beautiful fireworks. Hey, Lucia-san.'' ''E...... ah, ah, yes.'' Estella patted her on the back and Lucia looked up. And then, her face changes into a face that seems to have tickled her inner feelings of justice, mission, and other emotions that she is ashamed and hesitant to show. ''I''ll give you my full cooperation. You need more scales anyway, don''t you?I''ll gather them up for you.'' ''That would be great. Then you can go to ...... with the swallowtail butterflies and other butterfly people.'' I''ll settle the other pending matter here as well. ''Gather the moths and the cocoon moths and collect their scales. ''Gather butterflies and moths? ''Yeah. We''ll work well together and split the credit. Also, I''m sure I''ll be asking for favors from the other insect tribes soon, so please help me with that. Especially the beetles and stag beetles. Once, Wendy said she wanted to play with flowers the same way butterflies do. Wendy''s mother, Valeria, once said, "Even the subspecies of swallowtail butterflies. The Yamamayuga people are uncomfortable with the Swallowtail people and think that they are lower than them. If we do not break this belief, discrimination will never cease. Eliminate the belief that you are a person who is discriminated against. That is the first step. ''Let''s get together as a race of insects and make other races surprised. We want to make this a positive event. I hope it makes the Bug People proud. I don''t think anyone will take advantage of that. It''s not about who''s higher and who''s lower. People who have special skills are said to be great. It''s as simple as that. ''I''m going to wake up the people who think they''re not good enough. I want you to help me do that. ''You''re a big man, aren''t you? Anchovy ............ No.'' Lucia''s eyes change color. Maybe the way she looks at me has improved a bit. ''A marbled tern. ''I''m not sure if it''s upgraded or not! ''Aginohiraki''. ''Just call it anchovy already!It''s a little too familiar to me! Either way, it means you''ve got eyes like a dead fish, anyway! ''I''ve given it some thought, but ...... I don''t understand it. ''Your metaphors are more difficult to understand. ''Because, you see, Lucia-san is the lord of the 35th district, which prospered from sea fishing.'' I don''t need that follow-up!I don''t need it, Estella! ''Well, well. That''s fine. That''s a pretty cute nickname, ''Kataichishaburi''.'' ''It''s anchovy!Don''t take everything in an obscene direction!And Lucia, don''t give me that ''you''re ......'' look again!I''m the victim here! As I was getting fed up with the fact that there are only idiots here, Theron jumped out in front of me with an incredibly refreshing smile on his face. And then he grabbed both my hands tightly. ...... Stop it. I''m not happy with the way men are treating me. ''Hero-sama ......''. ''I''m .......'' ''I''m thrilled.'' ''...... So what?'' ''I can''t believe you thought so much about Wendy. ............ Once again, Hero-sama''s kindness makes me cry, I can''t stop crying! Stop it!Don''t cry! It''s just a punishment game to be cried by a man at this close distance! I mean, you''re getting more polite every day! You used to speak more frankly! Don''t respect me!You''re bothering me! ''For the sake of the heroes, I''ll be happy with Wendy!I''m going to make out with you more than ever, without regard for place! ''Alright, then I''ll ruin it for you. ''Don''t you want them to have a happy wedding? ''I''ll destroy it after the happiest wedding ever! ''What''s the point of ...... doing it twice? I don''t understand. Anyone who makes out in front of me is guilty as charged. Just blow it up. Only the men. ''I thought you had a big heart, but ...... you have a shallow bottom, anchovy. Hahahaha, I''ve been scorned again. I''ve been scorned again. Hmph! I''m sure the manager of the sunlit pavilion is the best when it comes to depth of pocket. ...... physically.'' It''s true that Jeannette''s cleavage is deeper than anyone else''s, but still!Just shut up, you disgraceful pharmacist. ''Whatever the case, when you want to change something, you need a trigger. And the more flashy the trigger, the more effective it will be. ''It''s like the sewers of District 42 and the gluttony contest in District 41. Estella has witnessed the city''s reforms many times. I''m sure she''s aware of the importance of this. Do something spectacular, get excited, and then carry on with the reform. That''s the easiest way to do it. ''So you want to use these fireworks to raise the status of the insect race? ''No, no. Not at all. We are not in a low position to improve our status. Right now, we are already equal, and there is no such thing as a low status that needs to be improved. What we need to do is to change our mindset. We need to break down the stereotypes of ''this is the way it should be'' and ''this is the way it has to be'', and instill the idea of ''it''s simpler than that''. Force it on them. Smear it all over your body. ''Then you''ll be able to have the lord pour you a drink in the flower garden. ''What? Lucia certainly looked lonely that day in the flower garden. She was sure that the wall between her and the Bug People would never be filled. The depth of the gulf that she thought would never be filled. Lucia was discouraged. Then I''ll fill the gap and tear down the wall. At a fancy event, we''ll get together and make a fool of ourselves, and all our reservations will disappear. It''s impossible to get to know each other when you''re talking in fancy words. You''ll get tired of worrying about others. ...... each other. ''That''s why we need to set off some big fireworks. ''Yeah, right. Okay!I''ll give you my full cooperation! ''No, no, Estella. You''ll be forced to participate from the start.'' ''What?Let me be cool! This is part of Wendy and Theron''s wedding. I''ll spare no effort to help you, my trusty lord. ''Here. We''re ready. Experiment''s back on. Outside, now.'' ''Hero, please direct.'' Theron carries out the heavy iron bucket, Theron carries out the heavy powder bag. ...... You haven''t done a thing, Regina. ''All right, let''s get started, Yashiro! I''ve been trying to tell you.I wanted to say it. ''Let''s get started, anchovy! ''No, no, no!I''m the one who planned it. I''ll take the lead on .......'' ''Hurry up and get started, Jibu~n! ''No, that''s not it. I''m the one who said, ''Okay, let''s do this! Like ......'' ''Hero!Let''s do it! ''You all want to show off, don''t you? In the end, the lost order could not be regained, and the experiment began in a flowing manner. ...... It''s so tight. After that, the experiment was repeated over and over again, taking plenty of time. When the setting sun has dyed the sky red, and it has become dim, and darkness has begun to fall all around, the Theron begins to shine very brightly,...... powder,....... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''I guess so. Well, I had some fun today. ...... I don''t mind, I''ll do it. Regina is unusually enthusiastic. Is this the first time Regina has voluntarily participated in an event? I also found out that if you use the light powder, the flames will dissipate. If we combine them well, we can make some fireworks. ''All that''s left is to go to District 35 and secure a launcher. ''If you''re going to District 35, I''ll give you a ride in my carriage. ''Are you staying here today? ''Oh. I''m going to stay at Estella''s or Milly''s.'' ''You''re staying at my place, aren''t you?That''s the plan, isn''t it? ''2:8, Millie''s.'' ''It''s kind of dangerous, so I''ll have you stay at my place! ''Miry wouldn''t harm me. ''I''m worried about my people! ''You''ve come to say ......, Estella.'' ''Thanks to you!It''s no use having a scary face and an intimidating aura like that! ''............ millie-tan''. ''If you''re too persistent, I''m going to start talking to you! ''At a hundred paces, Magda-tan.'' ''Yashiro. Come to my house in the morning. I''ll let you stay at my place even if I have to put you in chains. Lucia''s treatment is getting worse and worse. Estella is getting tougher. ''...... has been compromised, Magda is here. ''Ooooh!You scared the hell out of me!'' The next thing I know, Magda is standing right behind me, snuggled up to me. ...... Give me a sign. Please. It''s getting dark, and I''m actually starting to get a little scared. ''Whoa!Tiger ears!Tiger ears!I want to be muffled! ''...... You don''t have to force yourself to give up a hundred steps.'' ''Aah!You''re in a bit of a bad mood, Magda. I''m not sure what to say. It''s a phrase that''s very familiar to me. ...... What, you have the same disease? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea.Where''s the store? ''...... The store is run by Loretta. We have some reassuring employees, and we also have a foxman wingman who''s a bit seriously ill.'' ''If it weren''t for that last guy, I''d feel a lot safer. ......'' And the cause of that sickness is you, Magda. ''I''ve been worried about you because you''ve been coming home late ...... and so has ............ everyone else.'' ''Everyone'' too. Magda is an honest girl. Well, I''m sorry I worried you. ''...... Since you''re here, I''ll invite you to dinner.'' He turned to the people in the room and pointed to each one of them. ''...... this, that, and the other.'' ''You know, Magda, ...... just in case you''re wondering, we''re lords, so be careful how you talk to us. ...... No, I''m fine with that. ......'' ''......Let''s give to the lowly.'' ''Magda, do you know what a "lord" is?'' ''......The second highest position after Magda.'' ''Yeah, what position is Magda in?'' ''...... Angel?'' ''Mm!I have no objection, Magda-tan! ''Lucia-san, please don''t spoil her!It''s not good for your education! What can I say? Maybe Magda is a genius at getting powerful people like Umaro and Lucia on her side. ......They''re only for powerful people with ''weird'' in their name. ''......Let''s have a takoyaki parley.'' ''Yes, let''s. I''m hungry, let''s go eat together.'' ''Well, I guess we should invite you over sometime. ''I''ll go with you, Hero-sama. ''I''m starving too. ''That''s true!You''re flat from top to bottom, Estella.'' ''Shut up, Yashiro! ''...... pfft.'' ''You can''t laugh at people as much as you say you can, can you, Lucia? ''What? Oh, and if you look closely, this place has a low ...... average ...... I never thought I''d have to rely on Regina ...... ''''You guys need to grow some more.'''' ''''Shut up! ''''...... There''s still hope for Magda.'''' ''''And while you''re at it, raise Theron. ''''You can''t do that, hero! Nimbly, we made our way to the sunlit pavilion. And suddenly, I think about tomorrow. Tomorrow, ...... after I finish my business in the 35th district, ............ I''ll go pick up Jeannette. 201-Im happy to see you all at a later date. ''What''s wrong with you ......?'' ''I was dressed by Mr. Uclines.'' I''m not sure I''d call you ''sir''. ...... Were you that scared, Uclines? Early morning. I went to Estella''s house, planning to head to the 35th district. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. And there''s Thibaut. And he''s wearing clothes. ''You made these clothes in one night? ............ How much does he like to work? ''My outfit is an affront to the clothing industry ...... or something ............ that was scary...'' ...'' ''So, you couldn''t escape and were detained overnight. ''They made me wear a prototype ...... several times.'' ''You spent the night at a woman''s house ...... and went home in the morning.'' ''Huh!Please don''t tell Ka-chan about this!Please!Please! ''...... Ahh... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Yeah, you''re too right, I can''t argue with that. But it''s a well-made outfit. The processing of the wings and the belly (buttocks) is elaborate. It is not just a simple hole, but it can be opened and closed. The pants for the chibos can be opened up to enclose the large buttocks, pass through the legs, and finally fasten around the open waist. The waistband is constructed just like a baby''s diaper. The jacket is also worn in such a way as to avoid the wings, and the hem is fastened at the end. There is no need to force the feathers into the holes, and there is no need to worry about damaging the feathers. If this is commercialized well, it could be sold to the winged people. You don''t have to make a big hole in it to avoid damaging the feather. It would look neat and custom-made. ''You were a perverted tightsman, you cheeky bastard. ''I didn''t like it when you did it! No, no, no. When you were exposed, you seemed to be enjoying yourself. Speaking of clothes. Even though it''s early in the morning, Estella is dressed to the nines. She''s wearing the usual pants, but she''s chosen a nice outfit. She must have chosen clothes of a certain grade since she was going to be working with Lucia. ''By the way, what about Lucia? ''Lucia is in the carriage. ''She''s already in the carriage?You''re so quick. I thought she''d be indoors, saying that nobles don''t wait outside. I opened the door of the carriage, which was even more gorgeous than Demilly''s carriage, to say hello. --Inside, Lucia was asleep. ''You''ve got no dignity whatsoever! ''M...... anchovy!How dare you break into a lady''s bedroom? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s not like she woke up here, since she''s dressed completely differently. But Estella wouldn''t let her do that. ...... I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ''Were you peeping at me? ''I know that much when I see it! Then, ''Oh, I''d better stay up now. If I go to bed, I''ll sleep through the night.'' I stayed up, but I guess I was too sleepy to stay in the carriage. I''ve experienced this when I was a retiree. After an all-nighter, I left home early and took a nap on the train. ''This is, my lord!Good morning!This morning, you are in a good mood. ......'' ''Oh, ............?'' No, Lucia, "Hmm? ...... I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Don''t lose sleep over it, and don''t go crazy over the Bug People. ...... ''...... mmm''. ''You''re not responding well!I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''Master Yashiro''. From Estella''s mansion, Natalia emerged in a perfect appearance. What time do these guys wake up every day? I''ve been trying my best to wake Magda up so she can prepare the donation to the church. Should I have sent her to ...... help? ''You''re late.'' ''Oh, sorry. Magda didn''t wake me up. But we''re on time to leave, right?'' ''No, it''s not.'' Natalia said, her hands clasped like white fish and her eyes wide. ''I was just slowly changing my clothes in case someone came to take a peek! ''Why don''t you just get on with your work, instead of doing unnecessary things? ''What''s with the ''bang'' and the ''caw'' and the ''heh, heh, heh, heh, heh''? ''I''m not planning on it, that crap! ''I was wearing mismatched underwear to give the impression of carelessness! ''No thanks!I don''t need your concern or information! Oh, God. I''m having a hard time this morning. ...... Why do I have to go into this with all my might? ...... ''So, let''s get rid of those perverts and then get into the carriage. ''Wait!I''m just a harmless pervert! No, don''t admit to being a pervert, Thibodeau. You''ve got a weakness for strong women. ''Is Natalia with you today? ''Yes. It seems that Gilberta is not coming, so I, unknown, will be in charge of accompanying her and taking care of her. ''Are you okay with emptying the Forty-two Wards? ''Since the 42nd district is peaceful, I don''t think there will be any problems. ...... Well, if something serious were to happen and the Creamona family were to fall, ...... ...... Please take responsibility and make me your wife.'''' ''I don''t think I''m responsible for any of this, do you? ''I mean, can you please stop talking about bad luck, both of you? I don''t think it''s possible for the Cremona family to fall. ...... Well, Natalia has a lot of good people working for her. She''ll be fine. ''Oh, yeah. Have you guys eaten yet?'' ''Not yet, no.'' ''We''re going to stop in one of the districts on the way and get some. ''Then that''s just fine. While I was waking up Magda, who was very weak in the morning, Loretta and Delia cooked us some food and brought it to us. ''It''s a joint work by Loretta and Delia, ''ordinary salmon rice balls''. ''Loretta''s elements are being displayed without regret, aren''t they? When she''s involved, everything becomes normal, you know. ''Is it possible that Delia stayed here too? ''Yeah, she did. Magda was lonely.'' It was the second night without Ginette. Even if she didn''t show it, she must have been feeling lonely and anxious. At closing time, Magda started to be a spoiled brat and hugged Delia, who was very dependable, and wouldn''t leave her. I couldn''t sleep with her in my arms, so I forced Delia to stay the night. ''That''s why I want to go home as soon as possible today. ''I want to take Jeannette with me, you know. That way, Magda would not be so lonely. ...... After this matter is settled, it would be nice to spoil her to the fullest. ''Oh, it''s a rice ball. I love them.'' ''Well, since you started serving rice balls made of minor grains, you''ve been eating them quite often, haven''t you? ''It''s easy to eat, and I kind of like it. I don''t know, but it makes me ...... excited.'''' Children. Even children who leave rice uneaten will eat onigiri. If you ask me, there was a time when a customer''s kid left his rice before I made a children''s lunch. ...... He also ate the rice ball I made at that time. I''m sure you''ll like the salmon. ''Because Delia was there. If I had been in the kitchen, I could have made chicken soboro, okaka or kelp. ''Then, let''s have it in the car. ''Then I''ll leave it with you. We''ll leave it with Natalia and wait for the right moment to eat it in the carriage. I''ll take the money from Tibor. ...... No, you see. He''s not supposed to be here, he''s an old man,......, and he''s kind of creepy? I''m not sure how much I''d have to pay to get him to give it to me. ...... Oh, no. This guy doesn''t get this kind of joke. First of all, they need to improve their extremely sneaky nature. ...... ''Don''t say that, Thibaut. Let''s go back to the 35th district together. ''Lord Lucia ......, but a lowly man like me ......'' ''Tibor. Listen to me.'' Lucia interrupted his sneering remarks and stared at Tibor with a serious expression. He''s so dignified that it''s almost scary. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. And just as Lucia was about to open her mouth, a very cute voice came out. ''Ah ............ ah ...... good morning, good morning .......'' ''Peeeee! When Millie appeared, Lucia''s tension went up a notch. She completely ignores Thibaut. It''s already been forgotten. ...... Is this guy going to stop discrimination? ............ ''When I heard about the members riding in the carriage, I had a feeling that the rate of perverts would increase too much, so I negotiated with them yesterday to force them to accompany me. ''As a result, the number of perverts is increasing, isn''t it? ......'' ''Who''s the pervert, anchovy! ''Hey, Kozo!You just casually counted me as a pervert, didn''t you? Lucia and Thibaut are biting at me in unison. That''s annoying. You''re a pervert no matter how you look at it. Don''t bother with the scales, Thibault! ''It''s a six-passenger carriage, and I thought Millie-san could accompany me, so I asked her. ''Is that okay, Milly? ''Hmm!I want to see the flower garden again. She must have finished her work for the day yesterday. Did you ask someone from the Flower Arrangement Guild to take care of the flowers? ............ I have to give this back to the Flower Arrangement Guild. You''re causing too much trouble. Okay. We''ll decorate the aisle with flowers. And do a bouquet toss and fill the reception hall with flowers too. ...... If that becomes the standard, the flower guild will make a huge profit every time there''s a wedding. Let''s give them a break like that. ''Hee-hee!I''m suddenly having a lot of fun!Hey, anchovy!Come on, Milly!Come closer!Come closer! ''Ah, ah''s ...... ah''s ............'' ''Get away from him, you pervert! You''ll have to pay for this one separately. Don''t get too close to my Millie! Let Millie sit next to me. Hey, Thibodeau. Get your ass in the car. I''ll let you sit next to me.'' ''No, no, but!I don''t want to be in the same carriage as my lord. ............ And there are too many people. ............ I''m afraid,......, and I''m a little scared,......'' You''re the scariest of them all, right? There''s nothing scarier than a pervert wandering around outside in nothing but nude and black tights, right? ''I don''t think a guy like me should be in a carriage,......'' ''What is it then?Are you trying to tell me that your wife and daughter are worthless trifles? ''No, who said that?Wendy is our pride and joy, she''s too good for us! ''And the wife? ''She''s unbeatable! That''s for you, right? Well, she sure was an ugly old lady, though. Then, you''re no different. It''s not like you''re the only one scorned by your family, is it? ''..................'' He despises himself because he feels inferior to the race he was born into and has no control over. But he doesn''t want his family to feel that way, much less allow them to be insulted by a stranger for it. For themselves, they are despicable, saying, "I''m such a race ......," but when it comes to their family, they are pissed off, saying, "Race doesn''t matter. In short, it doesn''t matter what race you are. That''s the truth. It''s just that I''m a little unsure of myself. I guess Tibor understood that. He remained silent and pondered. Then, after a long period of silent consideration, he looked at me with pure eyes. ''I feel like I''m being specially despised by my .................. family.'' ''Get a grip, patriarch! You''re ruining my plans! You''re walking around in tights and they''re looking at you with contempt! Put some clothes on from now on!I''ll have Ukrines make you some clothes and you can come buy them! I''ll have Ukrines make you some clothes and you can go buy them.'' If you really don''t feel comfortable, how about the method Yashiro used before? Holding up a finger, Estella sets about solving the conundrum like a great detective. I''ve done it before. ......? ''Look, ...... in Jeannette''s hair.'' ''Oh, pseudo antennae.'' ''Yes, that! I put pseudo-tentacles on Ginette for Millie when she hesitated to ride in the carriage before. I''m going to do the same thing this time. ''I don''t mind if you put them on me!In a situation like this, I think I should be the one to do it! ''In other words, you were jealous of Jeannette and wanted to try it on too. ''No, that''s not why ......''. He''s always on the lookout for new things. ''Oh ......, I''m sorry ......, I didn''t bring you any flowers ...... today.'' ''Oh, well,......, then it''s impossible.'' ''I''m sorry ......, right?'' Estella''s obvious disappointment seemed to have made Milly feel guilty. They both nodded their heads in disappointment. ''Oh, by the way, ......''. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure what it is. It''s a familiar cloth bag. It''s from Uclines'' store. When you order a uniform or costume, it''s usually delivered in this familiar bag. ''This is for you, from Mr. Uclines.'' ''For me? ''I didn''t have much time, so I made three prototypes ...... and told him to tell you that. When I received the bag,............, I couldn''t help but grin. The Ukrines guy was reckless,....... I gave it to him yesterday and he''s already made a prototype. ...... He''s working too hard. ''Rejoice, Estella. ''......?'' ''You and Milly can be together.'' Inside the bag was a catsuit with a tentacle-like decoration. ''What''s that? ''I thought I''d give them out at the wedding. I ordered a lot of them from Ukrines. A marriage between a human and an insect. That in itself is unusual, and there are many who unconsciously resist. But if we can get everyone so excited that they don''t feel that way, ...... we can get people to genuinely celebrate their marriage. ...... That''s what I decided to have them make. You see, there it is. Even people who would never wear this kind of thing usually wear it when they go to the Dream Kingdom in Chiba, right? And when you try it on, you might be surprised at how excited you get. The joke that is allowed in this place now tickles people''s hearts and makes them open-minded and excited. If all the people attending the event wear this and match the insects, ...... The sense of unity that is created there will blow away any trivial sense of "discomfort". That''s what I thought. It was Miry who gave me the hint. ''...... Miri? ''That day. Miry smiled really happily at me. If that smile spreads to many people, it will work. That''s what I thought.'' ''Mirii ............ was really happy at that time. ...... Jinetto-san, Ladybug-san... ...I knew that everyone was thinking about me. ............'' I''m going to put a decoration on my head. That''s all I''m going to say. But I can imagine the process of making ''just that'' into, ''Okay, let''s try it! I can imagine the process that makes you say, "Okay, let''s do it! There is only one reason to go to the trouble of doing "just that". I want to make them happy. It is this desire that will dispel what cannot be dispelled, and move what cannot be moved. ''I''m telling you, it''s not like humans are going to ''fit in'' with the insects.It''s for both humans and insects to enjoy together. Right, Estella? ''Yes!I want to try it on!I want to wear it with Millie and Wendy, so we can have fun together. ''Ladybug-san............Estella-san............mm. It''s fun together, isn''t it? This is it. If a small feeling of happiness like the one that just happened here spreads throughout the town, I can say that my plan has succeeded. ''I''m going to make this work, Wendy''s wedding! ''............ you''re so much ............ about my daughter.'' I''m going to pretend that I didn''t hear what Tibor muttered behind me. I''m sure he wouldn''t want anyone else to hear the damp words coming out of his father''s face. ''But Yashiro. You only have three prototypes, right?'' ''I''m not giving up, anchovy.'' ''I also want to use these items to create cuteness and make hearts skip a beat with gap moe.'' ''I didn''t say I wanted to wear it. ...... You can wear it yourself.'' There are just three. Estella, Natalia and Lucia can do it. I''m not going to wear a catsuit in the first place. ...... Well, I promised Millie that I would wear it at some point, but ............ that doesn''t mean it has to be now. It''s just a matter of sneaking it on while a lot of people are getting excited about it, for me. But,......, the ladybug is the only one who doesn''t have a matching one,......, poor thing. Oh, that''s not true, Millie! Don''t worry about me, come on! You don''t have to worry about me! ''Oh, ...... speaking of which, ............'' In the midst of all this unrest, Thibaut remembered something. It''s not often a good thing to be remembered in this context. Forget it. Lose the memory now. Let a meteorite fall on the back of Thibaut''s head. ''There was one more thing Mr. Uclines left for me. I knew it. ...... If it''s not a tentacle catsuit, it''s probably a matching item of some kind, anyway. The Ukrines guy, he''s so careful about that kind of thing, he''s going out of his way to be extra careful. ...... ''If you wear this, you''ll be just like me. Yeah ...... matching with Chibo ............ yeah~...... But... But Millie is looking at me like, ''Good for you, ladybug,'' and I can''t not wear it. Even if I try to ask for help, ...... Estella wants to watch me struggle for fun, and Natalia is the one who pours oil on the fire. Lucia''s default setting is hostile,......, and she has no friends. ''...... All right, all right. The most effective way to minimize the damage is to give up quickly and wear it honestly. If you wear it only in the carriage and take it off when you arrive, you don''t have to worry about anyone other than the members here seeing it. In fact, if we make good on our promise here, we may not have to wear the antennae catsuit on the actual event. Yeah, that''s right. Let''s think positively. Oh, no. It''s not that I don''t like the idea of matching with the Bug People... it''s that wearing a tentacle catsuit would be too painful. I''m not the type to wear something like that even if it''s just for fun. ...... I''m not the type to wear something like that even if it''s just for fun. Let''s think about that. ''Then give it to me, Tibor. ''Mm. You can have it. Who the hell are you? Oh, no. In any case, it''s probably a fancy, cute, fashionable item that Ginette and Milly would love. ............ I stuck my hand into the bag and pulled it out, and what came out was --Black tights. You can wear them and I''ll match you! ''Who''d wear them, a**h*le! Why do I have to wear them with you? And it''s just the two of us! ''Anchovy. It''s the first step in eliminating discrimination,............. ''That''s right, Yashiro. We''re the same person. ............ Pssst.'' ''Come on, Master Yashiro. Put on your black tights, take off the rest of your clothes, and completely assimilate with the perverts over there!............ poo poo poo'' ''You guys have some nerve, seriously! Don''t look at me with a smirk on your face! ''Oh, ...... ladybug-san, ......'' Millie grabbed the sleeve of my dress, looking like she was about to cry. Her big eyes are shimmering and she looks like she''s about to cry. Oh, man. Did I hurt you because I didn''t want to wear matching clothes? ''I might not be able to ............ match you.'' ''Thank God, Millie is a girl with decent sensibilities!It''s a good thing that Millie is the only one on my side! Millie is the only one who can help me in this situation. Natalia. I''m glad you brought me here. I''ll give you credit for that. ...... I''ll never forgive you for laughing at me just now, though. The ladybug, let''s get together with Jinetto and Mirii some other time. ''E...... ah, ah............ that''s right, that''s right.'' I''m not sure if you''re a ...... ally ...... or not. I can''t help but feel that you''re driving me to my death with your smile. ...... ''Well then, let''s get going.'' ''Millie-tan. And then there''s Thibault. Don''t be shy, you two, get in the carriage. Okay? ''Yes, I''m sorry to disturb you at .............'' ''Yes, I also understand .............'' All right, gentlemen. Let''s get on. Natalia led the way, and they boarded in order, starting with Lucia. ''Now, Thibaut, when the carriage leaves, count to a hundred and follow it as fast as you can. ''I don''t see the point in doing that at all! I teased him a little, and he got pissed off and tried to get in before me. That''s good. You''re getting pretty brazen, aren''t you? It''ll be perfect if this brings Lucia and the people closer together. And if she''s more positive about Wendy''s wedding, we''ll be all set. It''s not a great piece of good fortune ...... that came my way unintentionally, but thanks to Ukrines stopping me, I had a chance to talk to Thibault at length. I also got to hear his thoughts on Wendy. ............ "I''m so proud of you," he said. I''m sure Wendy will be very happy to hear that. In the early morning, when the sun had not yet risen, a carriage drove through the streets. We''re headed for the Thirty-Fifth Precinct. I''ve got a lot to take care of. It''s time to get it over with. I''d like to bring Ginette home and have a nice cup of coffee. 202-Later Tan 30 Hanazono Tea Time (although its not ... When they arrived at the 35th district, Tibor got off the carriage as if he were running away and returned home at once. He had been tense the whole time in the carriage and must have reached his limit. As soon as he got out of the carriage and left Lucia''s mansion, he was sprinkling scales all over the place. ...... He must have been holding back a lot. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with your family. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. If he wanted to go home, let him. ''Well, let''s go. To pick up Gilberta.'' ''....... Don''t give me that kind of attention, anchovy.'' ''Well, I don''t know what you''re talking about. ''...... Let''s go, people.'' You''ve been depressed, but you can''t stop pretending that you''re not depressed, Lucia. The fact that you are being cared for is probably uncomfortable. She took the lead and walked off, looking a little unhappy. But you know, the reason you are sensitive to being cared for is because you are aware that you are in a situation where you are being cared for. In other words, it''s the same as admitting you''re depressed. When you are talking to a scammer, you should be careful not to take advantage of such trivial words. You''re leaking information. We followed Lucia as she walked at a brisk pace along a path that was beginning to feel familiar. The sweet scent of flowers gradually drifted into the air, and we stepped into the flower garden. ''Hey!You guys!Nice to see you again! ''This time!Today, this very day, I''m going to have a drink with you! ''You guys are always here at ......, aren''t you?Work.'''' ''''I''m here in between work. That''s right! When they arrived at the flower garden in District 35, they found Kaburiel and the others first. I wonder what''s going on with these guys. They''re always here. And they''re so conspicuous. ''Oh well. We have business with you today.'' ''Oh?You want to compare drinks with me?'' ''Mr. Turnip, it''s really strong in honey, you know?Don''t underestimate it or you''ll get hurt. ''What do you mean by ''honey strong''? ...... I can understand if you mean ''alcohol strong''.'' ''No matter how much I drink, I never get heartburn! ''Hey, come on. Don''t give me too many compliments. Is that a compliment? What are you, a ............ girl? ''Anyway, let''s have a drink! ''Yeah, sure. Then let''s get some too. ''Okay, I''ll go get them. Natalia, Millie, help me. ''Yes, sir. ''Hmm. I''ll leave it to you.'' Estella and Natalia, still wearing their antennae catsuits. And Milly spread out in the flower garden. She had gone to gather the ingredients to make the blended drink. Natalia is being taught by Millie. ''Oh, you have a favorite already?I''m glad you''ve settled into the garden. ''But you''re still a beginner, aren''t you? People like the flowers under their feet.'' ''No, I don''t want to be a connoisseur of flower nectar. I always want to eat good food. ''Anchovies. What do you want me to do? ''You wait there. I''ll make you another blended drink.'' ''Can I see Gilberta as soon as possible? ''So, are you going to Sirach''s first?'' ''You''re not going to let me drink the honey! ''Which is it, you? Lucia is shaking her antennae in anger. I don''t know, ...... I feel like I''m being tangled up with a very troublesome caring person. ''Hmm? ''Huh? Hearing our conversation, Kabriele and Marx distort their originally funny faces even funnier. ''............ Could it be that you''re a ............ lord, sir?'' ''''No matter what, it''s still Lucia, isn''t it? ''''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! No, didn''t you notice? Your face, your clothes, it''s just Lucia! ''Because, because, antennae!Tentacles! ''It''s an accessory! You''re wearing a tentacle catsuit and you didn''t know who it was? This is not that kind of surprise transformation goods. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out if you have a beard glasses or something. ...... I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. ............ ''Yes, yes, yes, that''s right!I don''t know what to say. I see. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we''re here to help. ...... That''s a hell of a lot of assumptions you''ve made. ''KABRIEL. Marx. ''''Yes, yes! ''''I''ve told you many times that you have the advantage here. Don''t be modest. ''''No, no, no!But you know what? ''No, that''s impossible, my lord!Because, suddenly, this ......'' ''Good!Just calm down. ''''......, haha.'''' Lucia''s face is scowling with difficulty. It looks like she''s hurt pretty bad. Even though we''re all wearing the same antennae, the local bug people are keeping their distance from us. I guess they''re afraid of their lords. Even Estella was kept at a distance after she found out who I was. You know. Someone needs to set a good example. Okay. ''Come on, Lucia. Don''t look so downhearted just because you got rejected. Smile, smile, smile, puff your cheeks~'' I grabbed Lucia''s tense cheeks with both hands and made her smile. It''s surprisingly soft. Now, this will warm up the atmosphere ...... ''Anchovy ............ I''m going to execute you, okay? ''...... and, well, ............ here''s a bad example of what it means to be on the edge.'' Gently remove the hand that was pinching your cheek. The eyes are super scary. ...... The atmosphere is frigid, man. ''Why do you always have to be so extreme ............? In the frozen space, Estella comes back with flowers. Good timing. Let''s get this out of the way. ''Come on, let''s drink! ''You''re too good at deception, bro.'' No, because you keep staring at me, Lucia. The lord here is scary! Seriously scary. ''Well, ...... that a**h*le is a bit much.'' Her angry gaze turns to disgust. Lucia crosses her arms and glares at me sullenly. Then she turned to Cabriele and the others. ''Although there is a difference between lords and lords,......, there is no difference between us humans and you insect people. Don''t ever forget that.'' ''The Bug People? ''Hmm ...... interesting name, isn''t it?It''s just a race. There is no higher or lower ...... ''subspecies''. You are.'' The word "sub" has the nuance of "inferior" or "confused". They''re not an inferior race. They''re just a race. ''We are born in the same world, look up at the same sky, feel the same wind, eat the same delicious food, and smile equally. I pick a flower blooming at my feet and sip its nectar. A petal touches my slightly wet lips, and they sway slightly. ''There is no difference. We are all born equal, we all live equal, and we all have the same precious time. ......'' The tranquil eyes turn to me. They are beautiful eyes, clear and unclouded. ''Equally higher than anchovies. ''Hey, you there, my lord!Who''s at the bottom of the human race? What do you say with your unclouded eyes? Do you think so with a pure heart? Your racism knows no bounds, my friend. ''Hmm ............, hahahaha''. She opens her mouth wide, revealing an honest smile that she has never shown before. It''s bold, open, and sarcastic. Such straightforward laughter echoed in the garden. ''You should be as brazen as that. That''s a good example of bad work. Is it good or bad, which is it? ''Huh?You look like you''re having fun. Did something good happen to you?'' Millie comes back with a lot of colorful flowers in both hands. It looks like she''s carrying a lot of flowers, but it''s only because she''s small, so it''s probably a normal amount. That''s probably why. Natalia is still picking flowers by herself. ''Rucia-sama, you seem to be very happy. ''Hmm?Do I look that way?'' ''Yes, I am ......, and my ............ smile is .......'' ''''The smile? ''Your ...... smile is very sparkling .......'' ''Kyun! Lucia crouched down holding her chest, apparently having been shot through the heart. I''m not sure what she was thinking, but she squeezed my arms tightly as she crouched down. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. I''m sorry.This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time and money. I''m not sure what to say. ''No, no, no. Not at all. ''Millie is my wife! ''No, no, no. Not at all. Lucia was in a state of excitement, as if she was about to spurt a nosebleed. Do you want me to punch her in the nose and make her bleed?It might be a good way to get rid of the excess blood that''s congested in your face, you know? ''Oh,hey,......, the lord is quite .......'' ''Yes, you''re right. It''s kind of ............'' ''You''re a pervert, aren''t you?'' ''No one said anything about that, anchovy! Even if you''re shouting at me while holding my hands,...... You''ve been proposed to (or mistakenly thought to be proposed to), and you''re limping. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''No, Yashiro. I think you should have a little more respect for your lord. What the hell, Estella. Just when I''m about to subvert the stereotype in a good way. Don''t say small things. ''Don''t talk about small breasts, Estella. ''That line, "breasts" was superfluous, I swear! ''Look, they''re small again. ''''You''re missing the ''saying''!Can you say it clearly? Yes, yes. You can argue, curse, whatever. It''s always nice to be able to really argue like this. Look at Estella''s face. It''s not like she''s having fun ............. Rather, she''s a little angry. Hey, what''s going on? It''s always the same. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Are you angry now because you''re always saying these things ......? Lucia stands up, shakily. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the following. ''I''ll make the difference in status clear to you. ......'' ''Wait, wait, wait. If we do that here and now, Cabriele and the others will shrink again. ......'' ''Shut up, fools! Oh, God. You''re ruining it. It was a good thing that Cabriele and the others'' fears were waning. ...... ''You''ve been consistently high-minded from the start!Once you crawl on the ground in front of me, carve your lowliness into your body! ''What kind of queen are you? ......'' ''Shut up!Now kneel down and lick my feet! ''You''re not a queen, are you? That''s the one for the night! ''Lucia-sama.'' A dignified voice pierced the intimidating aura Lucia was giving off. A slight breeze blows, and the air in the place cools the skin and replaces it. ''Please be careful what you say and do. Natalia returns, carrying the flowers that Millie taught her. With the expression of a reliable head waiter, she shows a strong spirit that is not intimidated even by a superior lord. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. He''s not going to be mad at me for ...... ''You''re just making Yashiro very happy! Yeah, I was wrong. ''Thigh rubbing, calf plumping, and foot stroking are Yashiro''s favorite things! ''Can you please stop spreading nonsense out loud? ''Yeah ............ no way ......''. ''Don''t pull the trigger, Lucia! ''...... raw feet pero list'' ''Don''t give me that weird title, Estella! ''I''m going to perforate your raw legs, b*tc*. ''So, Lady Lucia. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''I didn''t say that, head waiter of the Creamona family! ''I have a desire to have my lower half flattened by Master Yashiro''! ''The expression is getting worse!You''re not saying that on purpose, are you? What are you talking about? Of course it''s completely on purpose. ''Big brother, you ...... don''t mean to tell the lord .......'' ''Humans are amazing......'' ''No!No, you''re wrong!You''ve got it all wrong! In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Oh! You''re getting a little closer, aren''t you? Oh, I see. Was this what you had in mind, Natalia? Oh, well. ...... I''ll give you a severe spanking later. Somewhere between a reward and a tease. ...... ''Yes. Yashiro. I made you a drink.'' ''How dare you make a drink without regard to your head waiter when he''s doing something unnecessary, Estella? ''Well, it''s always the same. ''You''re getting thicker ...... even though you''re involving Lucia.'' After all, if you spend a night with Lucia, you''ll probably feel like, ''Oh, I don''t need to be reserved with this person. I can imagine. ''Ohh!What is this?It''s so good! ''I''ve never had anything like this before! Millie seemed to have recommended the blended drink to Kaburiel and the others, and the beetles and stag beetles went crazy over their first taste. ''My lord!Did you come up with this, my lord? ''Hm?No, this was started by that anchovy there. So if I had to give it a name, I''d say ...... ''Sardine Drink''.'''' ''Stop. It all started to look bad. It does not contain any sardine ingredients. ''Then how about ''Yashiro Juice'', named after Master Yashiro? ''No, Natalia. I''ll spit out everything I''ve ever drunk. I''m going to spit it out, including everything I''ve ever drunk, and splash it all over Yashiro. ''Hey, Natalia. You''ve brought this on yourself. Just apologize to me.'' I don''t care what you call it. It''s just a derivative of the whole mix. It''s nonsense to say what flavor a shaved ice with syrup on top of it is. It is impossible to know. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for in a drink. ...... ...... If only Miri and the insects and the ladybugs and the humans could get along together like this, ............ I''m sure they''d be very happy. ......I''m sure they''ll be very happy. ......'' It''s rare that Millie speaks her mind. She doesn''t like to be the center of attention, and she''s not the type to be outspoken. ...... This drink may have inspired ...... her to start thinking that she too needs to change. They are trying their best to express such determination with their red faces. That''s how I felt. ''I think so too, Milly. This drink might be a symbolic thing to make the world a place where different races cooperate with each other more than ever before. Hmm. This drink, just like this world,......,............, has a lot of... ...ah, ...... is full of ...... love .......'' I''m not sure if the word "love" was embarrassing or not, but Millie''s cheeks grew even redder. I''d like to take a dozen or so home with me. ...... I''d like to take home a dozen or so . If you''d like. ............ The name of this drink, "Love Juice ......".'' ''Stop, Millie! ...... hah,hah ............ Oh, I almost got Millie dirty. ............ Let''s not use that name. I don''t want to hear it from Millie''s mouth. It hurts my heart. ''This drink should be called "Flower Nectar". I think that''s how it''s called in English. That''s good enough for me. ''Nectar''. That''s kind of a cute name.'' No, Estella. Nectar is a drink made by grinding up fruit. ...... Oh, well, whatever, nectar. ''Nectar!Mmm. It''s a cute name, Miri, and I like it. I''m sure you''ll like it.'' ''You''re a good anchovy, aren''t you? It seems to have been generally well-received, and I''d like to leave it at that. But, but... Natalia is looking unhappy. ''...... Hmm...'' ''Is there something on your mind? ''No. ...... I can''t take it in an obscene direction no matter how deeply I read it.'' ''Don''t waste your effort. ......'' This is a beautiful garden, so let''s clean up our minds. Maybe you''ve got some stubborn dirt stuck on you. ''Haha!Nectar. You''ve taught me a good one. ''Let''s spread this around!I''m sure the people at work will love it! ''Yeah!Okay, bro? Kabriel and the others seemed to like the nectar a lot. Well, anyone can make it as long as they know what kind of flowers to mix, and since it''s not allowed to be taken out of the country, it''s ...... not a problem. ''Do what you want. ''I''m grateful for that one!I''ll work to repay your gratitude!If you ever need anything, just let me know!This is the second time I''ve said this to you, so I''ll listen even if it''s pretty crazy.'' ''Oh, I see!That''s great. Nectar''s story flowed nicely into the main topic. I had a favor to ask these guys. They were movers and muscular. And they said they could ''throw'' heavy things if they were moving short distances, so I asked these guys, who had a lot of strength. ''I want you to throw something high into the air. Much, much higher.'' ''What is it?That''s kind of an odd request. It''s ......, but it sounds interesting. Tell me more about it.'''' Kabriel''s face changes. The stern expression of a craftsman, mixed with the curiosity of a boy. You got a bite. Okay, I got a good feeling about this. ''What I''m going to ask you to throw is a ball that will cause a huge explosion within a dozen seconds of being set on fire. ''What? ''Explosion? The word "explosion" caused a stir in the garden. The Bug People who had come to the garden looked at me to see what was going on. ''Don''t worry. There is no danger as long as it is handled correctly. I''m sure Regina and Theron will make sure the fireworks are safe. I''ll explain the fireworks to Cabriele and the others. It''s a beautiful art of fire, perfect for a day of celebration. And that it can only be created by the Bug People. ''I need your help. For the happiness of a new couple. ''For the happiness of one new couple, I want humans and insects to work together to celebrate the marriage of a human and an insect. ...... If we can do that, maybe we can come closer together. Even the hard-headed ones. Of course, that''s what we''re trying to do. ''So, how high should we throw it? ''About a hundred and fifty meters above your head.'' ''Hyah!150............?'' ''I want it to reach there in a dozen seconds.'' ''So, ideally, I should throw it with the intention of sending it about 200 meters and have it explode around 150? ''Well, yes. The fireworks we make will have a diameter of about 60 meters when they explode. Fireworks with spherical flames must explode about twice as high as their diameter to be safe. They look more beautiful when they are high in the sky. ''Can you do it? ''I''m not sure until I try, ......, but!I want to try it. There was a fire in the craftsman''s eyes. A man with eyes like these will be fine. I''m sure he''ll succeed. After all, these guys must have been starving for work. They have a look similar to the master''s when he is faced with a difficult, challenging and rewarding job. ''It would be helpful if you could come to the 42nd district a few times and practice. ''I''ll leave it to you!I''ll stay with you for a few days! ''Turnip-san!Me too!I want to go too! ''Oh!Let''s find some people we can use and get into the 42nd district! ''Ooooh! It looks like he''s really motivated. ...... You guys aren''t working, are you? They immediately decided to go on an overnight expedition. Millie was running around trying to arrange things to give her a day off. ...... ''But I''m a little sad that I won''t be able to drink ...... the honey here for a while. ''Yes, ......, isn''t it? ''Ah, ah''s ............! As if she had been waiting for this topic, Millie raised her trembling voice. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. ...sir. "Candy? It''s a new hobby that Millie has taken up recently. She grows flowers from Becco''s house and makes candy from the nectar. The amount of nectar she can collect is so small that she said she would keep it as a hobby. ...... But after drinking the nectar, he changed his mind. I''d love to make candy with this flavor. ...... He''s become quite a businessman. I''ve been thinking about using the nectar from the garden to make candy too. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... Who''s cynical? I''m sorry. ''But I''m not going to let you use the nectar from my garden for business. ......'' ''Oh, I''m not selling it!I''m sure the nectar from ...... will be a gift for your loved ones. I''m sure you''ll be happy to receive it. ''For gift-giving ......? ''You can let them do that kind of business, can''t you? Even if it''s for a gift, if it becomes popular, there will be money involved. So, you can make it by appointment only and hire craftsmen for it if you want. ''The Flower Arrangement Guild and the Thirty-Five Wards should jointly develop this flavor, which the Bug People love, into a famous confectionary. You can use the proceeds to pay for the maintenance of the flower garden. Then, he gave Lucia, who still had a difficult look on her face, a friendly ear. ''You can give jobs to people who don''t have jobs. Wendy''s parents did not appear to be wealthy, to say the least. I''m sure there are no decent jobs for those who used to be called ''sub-strains''. The lord should find jobs for them. If Millie joins in the development, she can personally receive the honey from this place and return the rest of the profits, there will be no complaints. ''Haha...... you always want to make exceptions, but if you allow exceptions like that, you''ll ......''. ''If you do, you''ll be able to see Milly on a regular basis.'' ''I''ll make an exception!I''ll talk to the guild leader of the Flower Arrangement Guild and start developing it right away! Yeah. This lord is an a**h*le in a good way. In a good way. ''Alright!I don''t care if it''s candy or not, as long as I can taste the honey here!Let''s get into the Forty-second District! ''Yes, Turnip! With this, we''ve managed to find the fireworks. Now we just need to bring Sirach and Orkio together and change the consciousness of the insectoid race. ...... ''Yashiro-san! I heard a nostalgic voice on the wind. The voice was as soft and warm as spring sunlight. ...... It was like a sunny day. ...... When I turned around, I saw ...... ''......Ginette''. Ginette was running towards me, hard. She was shaking her large breasts, waving her hands widely, and running at full ............ speed in her own ...... way, walking at full speed? ''You''re running too slow! As usual, Ginette smells like a dope. But that''s just like Jeannette. ...... ''Yashiro-san! When he got to my front, Jeannette jumped at me with her arms outstretched. She went straight for my chest. I opened my arms to greet her. It''s only been two days, but I''m overreacting. ...... I hugged Jeannette as if I were rejoicing in an emotional reunion,......, but Natalia snatched me away. I''m not sure what to do.But I like it! ''Nyaaaaah! Just then, Natalia walked in and hugged Jeannette, rubbing her left breast with her right hand. ''Aah!You know what I was going to do? ''You were going to do this?Please repent!'' ''Why me? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ........................ As a result, you''re done, Natalia. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, it''s been a while. I''m a little distraught. ''No, I was distraught, too, because I''ve been on a bit of a bender. ''I wasn''t talking to you, that was Jeannette''s apology. Don''t take that away from me. Also, you should go do some proper repentance.'''' Jeannette seems to have come to her senses and is smiling shyly, as if to say, ''I''m relieved that it ended in an attempt. ''So, why did you go to the flower garden, Jin-net?Were you on your way back?'' ''Oh, no. We were just taking a little walk, just the two of us.'' The two of us. Gilberta? I followed Ginette''s gaze as she looked back and saw an elegant little old lady standing there. She is a little shorter than Ginette and has a thin line. She must be a swallowtail butterfly, for she has beautiful butterfly wings on her back. Her white hair was pulled back in a bun, giving her an air of dignity and serenity. She looks like the wife of a wealthy man. That''s the impression I get from this old lady. ''Oh, dear. Long time no see, Yashiro-chan. ''......? I turned over all the memories in my brain to look for her, but I don''t remember ever meeting such an elegant old lady. Near miss ......, or did I just see her somewhere? But the other person remembers my face and name. ............ "Yashiro-chan"? I look at the old lady''s head. The antennae swaying in front of her head were missing half of their tips on the right side. ''Shh, Shiraha! It was Sirach, who had lost a tremendous amount of weight, to the point where he was no longer the same person. Ginette, what kind of poison did you ............ give her? 203-Later Story 31 Power of Love ''Si............ laha?'' ''Yes~ . Huh?Could it be that Yashiro-chan didn''t recognize me because I''ve lost a little weight?I don''t know. ......''. In this city, there is something called the "Judgment of the Spirits," which can turn anyone who makes a false statement into a frog. ............ Shiraha: ...... What''s a "little" about that? I''ll turn you into a frog, you son of a b*tc*. ''Uh, ...... Ginette-chan ............, really, huh? ''What ......?Oh, yes, of course. You''d be surprised. ...... Hahaha ......'' Jeannette''s laugh dried up. ''I didn''t expect such a drastic change, either. ............'' ''You didn''t poison her, did you? ''Not at all. I just gave her a proper diet. ''Hey, Jeannette. Could that be something like ...... one meal a day?'''' ''No, Miss Estella. Yesterday she ate three meals and this morning she ate as usual. ''Why not ............? ''Is that something only ............ the spirit gods know about ......? Just by changing to a normal diet, can you see such a change? And that''s in just three days and two nights? That''s impossible. You''ve lost too much weight. ''Perhaps Sirach''s desire to see Orkio-san and her power to ''become beautiful'' overcame common sense. ''Such mentalism! ''Also, after eating my food, you said, "I feel like I''m losing weight every time I eat it," so perhaps the ''placebo effect'' that Regina-san once told me about is also at work. ''No, no, no. You''re assuming too much, if that''s what you mean. With that kind of power, an incurable disease can be cured completely with vitamins. ''It''s strange, isn''t it ......? The strangest creature in the 35th district said. ''I want to see him. ...... Just thinking about it has eased the pain in my chronic knee. ''That''s because I''ve lost a lot of weight. ''I''m sure your knee is very happy to be relieved of its undue pressure. ''And I''m not so hungry anymore. I guess it''s ...... love sickness. Mmm-hmm. ''No, I think it''s because I''ve changed my diet to one that doesn''t raise my blood sugar too much. When your blood sugar drops, you feel hungry. You can call it hunger. Only on days when you ate too much yesterday, do you feel hungry. Or, when you eat out occasionally, if you tend to eat a gourmet meal with no regard for nutrition, you may fall into the state of "I feel hungry even though my stomach is heavy" at night. This is caused by a drop in blood glucose levels. This is one of the reasons why people who overeat tend to eat more and more food. A sudden drop in blood glucose level is also caused by a sudden increase in blood glucose level. Specifically, when you eat carbohydrates, your blood glucose level rises. Therefore, if you eat carbohydrates or sweets on an empty stomach, fat will be added to your body and your blood glucose level will rise rapidly. Then your blood sugar drops immediately and you feel starved. To overcome this problem, chew vegetables and other foods rich in fiber first. Dietary fiber will slow down the rise in blood sugar. In addition, it cleanses the intestines of excess food. ''He liked the burdock salad, so I made him eat it first. Then there was the kenchin-jiru that Yashiro-san had taught me before. He also praised it as delicious. ''Yes, burdock root is good, burdock root is good. It''s a good idea to have a good meal, cut back on snacking, and get some moderate exercise. I also did some moderate exercise. ...... Although it was just a walk like this,......'' If you can lose this much weight with this kind of exercise, the women of the world will jump at it. The world will be rid of burdock. ''Didn''t you lose a few dozen kilos in a day? ''I was surprised at first. ...... You lost weight as quickly as a snowman melts. ......'' ''What, you could see it? It''s a metamorphosis! It''s a metamorphosis, like when an insect grows and changes into a completely different form! It''s like a chrysalis turning into an adult worm. ............ Is it possible for the insect race to fundamentally change their body structure? I''m not sure if this is also a difference in spirit,....... Sirach flaps his large wings in small increments. Then, Sirach''s body floated about 30 centimeters in the air. ''Look, I can fly now. ''Didn''t the antennae have anything to do with it? I thought you were too fat to fly! Well, maybe you couldn''t fly at first because of shock or something like that, but! The reason you haven''t been able to fly recently is obviously because of your weight! ''Well, now that you can fly, albeit a little bit, you might be able to fly like before with rehabilitation. ''......?That''s what I looked like in my prime.'' ''You can only fly so far! I thought you could fly much higher in the sky! After all, the human body is heavy, isn''t it? Isn''t that right? ''Now, if only I could get rid of my wrinkles, ...... I could go back to the way I was, ......''. Really, it''s an amazing recovery power. I thought I''d only lose a little weight to be a little more refreshed. ...... ''Hey, hey, Jeannette. Do you have a dish that can help me get rid of wrinkles?'' ''Let''s see: ......'' ''Stop it, Jeannette. If you feed her that kind of food, she might become immortal because she thinks she''s immortal. He''s going to trample all over the reasoning of the world with impunity. ...... Why did you lose weight and shrink in height? ............ Fat in the soles of your feet?Or did you get fat to the bone? ''Hey, Millie,......, the bug people? ''No ...... changes like this, Miri and the others don''t, right?'' ''Lucia......'' ''I can''t hide my surprise, either. ............ So this is the power of love.'' The power of love is not that universal. ...... But... I can''t explain it otherwise. At any rate, it''s a relief to know that Sirach is the only one who''s weird. ''You''re not going to drink the nectar and then rebound after one bite, are you? ''As expected, I don''t think my body will expand or contract that much. .................. I hope not... ...'' Jeannette wasn''t so sure either. ''Yashiro-chan. Can you make that honey mixture again? ''Good. I just decided to name him Flower Nectar. Well, you can call it ''nectar'' or something.'' ''Yeah, yeah. ''Nectar''. I wonder. It''s not wrong, but it''s pronounced like an old lady. Isn''t it possible that age shows up in such things in ............? Isn''t that all part of the "forced translation magic"?Don''t play with me. I''m not going to play with you. It''s a good idea to make a new nectar and serve it to Ginette and Sirach. Ginette, as well as Sirach, looked happy and smiled. ''After all, it''s fun to be with you, Yashiro. ''Eh? ''Oh, it''s not that I didn''t enjoy Sirach''s house. ......'' After hurriedly explaining herself, she grasped the cup of flowers with both hands and covered her mouth with a gesture as if she were sniffing the flowers. The faint peek of her mouth was loose and squishy. ''Actually, I''ve come to drink the nectar of the pale pink flower. I heard it''s Sirach''s favorite. I haven''t been taught the proper way to make this nectar, and I''m afraid to serve an incomplete product to others .......'' Gently place your mouth on the petal and sip the nectar. The cherry-red lips are slightly wet and shiny, bouncing back the light. ''This is how I met Yashiro-san and got the ''nectar'' that I had given up on. ......'' I was strangely moved by the way the tip of his tongue brushed my lips. ''Whenever I''m with Yashiro, unexpected things happen one after another, and I''m always nervous. ...... But at the same time, I can calm down somewhere. ......... ...So it''s a lot of fun to be with Yashiro. I felt that Ginette''s smile was like a firework opening, perhaps because I was thinking about fireworks all the time. It seemed much more powerful and much brighter than her usual smile, which was like the smile of a blossoming flower. ''I''m having ...... fun, too. I''m having a great time with you. ''...... Huh?'' Perhaps she didn''t expect to be asked back, but Jeannette''s eyes rolled back into her head and her cheeks tinted slightly. There are beautiful flowers blooming all around, a fragrant scent wafting through the air, and the early afternoon sun is warm and fuzzy. That''s right. It''s fun to be with Jeannette, isn''t it? ''Because my tits are shaking every now and then. ''Please repent! Hmm! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand how I feel. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to pull the covers over my head and cower right now! You should be a little embarrassed too! You should be a little embarrassed too!I''m sure you''ll agree. ''...... Hey, Yashiro.'' ''What''s wrong Estella? ''...... Are you having fun with me?'' ''You don''t have to shake them to have fun, don''t worry! ''Can you only think in terms of boobs? ''You''re the one who sent me that question! You looked like you were about to die, so I followed up with you! ''I''ll never get tired of being with you. ''He............ so, so, so, so...'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''So, Master Yashiro. Am I correct in interpreting that you have the most fun when you''re with me, the mysterious one who shakes just the right amount and never gets tired of being with me?'' ''Sorry. I need some healing too. I get very tired when I''m with Natalia. To be more specific, I''m tired of being talked down to. ''Yashiro-chan, Yashiro-chan. Sirach comes up to me, clutching a cup of flowers. She looks like she wants to ask me for something. ''Another refill?You''ve lost a lot of weight, so have a little patience. ......'' ''Nope. There''s a little left over. Can you drink it for me?'' ''.............................. What? ''I''m too full to drink.'' .............................. ''............ eh? ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ''What?Is it really that strange?'' ''Funny!Are you sick?Are you dying? ''You''re overreacting. It''s just a little too much.'' From Sirach''s mouth, ''too much''? Is this a sign of a natural disaster? What are you planning, Spirit God? ''Hmm... You have a funny face, Yashiro. ''No, it''s always been that way, but ...... it''s a surprise, isn''t it, Yashiro? ''Don''t be so rude, Estella. Who''s face has been funny before. ''After all, you don''t want to drink your grandmother''s drink. ''No, it''s not like that. ''You''re rather pleased with yourself, aren''t you?You, anchovy, you''re even targeting the elderly? ''Are you an idiot?No, I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m an idiot. Are you sure you''re alright, Lord of the Thirty-fifth District? ''''Miss Lucia. You''re right, that''s not true. ''Estella. Do you believe in anchovies? ''Rather than believing in them, ...... Yashiro is only interested in boobs that are D-cups or larger, so...'' ''Based on tits? Oh, that''s too bad. My lord was also an idiot. ''I''m saying I don''t even care because I''m not conscious of it. d*mn it, Siraha. Give me the rest. I''ll drink it.'' I''ll leave the stupid lord alone and take the rest of Sirach''s small meal. You can''t be too careful with food. That''s what I thought as I held out my hand, but ...... Sirach held the flower cup in his arms. ''Yashiro-chan, ...... I''m a married woman, so I''m not ...... that kind of thing.'' ''Don''t start getting weirdly conscious!I''m not!I''m not! The evil words of Lucia and the others made even Sirach go crazy. Why do we have to come to the 35th district to spread rumors? ...... ''Yashiro-sama tries to s*xually harass a married woman (a classy old lady) in the flower garden of the 35th district (a mecca for lovers), but is successfully rejected. He was rejected by ............. ''Ooh!You''re the head waiter with a penchant for spreading rumors!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. And don''t say ''old lady'' outright, okay?I don''t mind, but you''ll have to put up with it. You''re in a position, right?You know what I mean? Okay, Jeannette. Can I have the rest of your shirach?'' ''Uh, ......, I''m sorry. I was preparing lunch a while ago,......, and I''m not very hungry right now,.......'' Ginette is the type of person who feels like she has eaten when she cooks. That''s why she often eats first, even at bribes. It''s usually me and Magda who get hungry and eat first. Sometimes we don''t eat lunch until almost evening. Basically, Ginette is not a big eater. ''Well, Estella and Lucia ......''. ''I''m also a little ......, I just had a drink a while ago. ......'' ''I''ve had a bit too much to drink myself. ''Natalia is at .......'' ''I don''t want to be drinking from an old lady I''ve never met before. ''The way you say it!That''s a sensitive area. You need to be retrained!I''ll have Estella do it. But that''s for later. ''Well, how about Cabrille or Marx?...... Huh?What about them? ''They seem to have lost their minds when they saw Sirach''s skinny figure. ......'' Estella pointed with her chin to Cabriele and Markus, who were buried in the flowers, their soulless faces exposed. Surrounded by flowers, they look like they''re about to leave the coffin. Were you so startled that you fell down? ''Shiraha-sama just barely entered the upper strike zone ......? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. You''re a mature woman fanatic,......, and the upper limit is too high. ''By the way, kabriel, how far down can you go? ''Forty-eight. ''Too high!That''s too high! It''s still better than Javier, who''s too low!As long as it''s not a crime! ''What about Marx?'' ''He''s ...... nine years old, sir.'' ''Is anything possible, you? The upper limit is higher than that of Kabriel, and the lower limit is in the single digits. ...... The only people who fall outside that limit are those who can''t live on their own. ...... ''Oh no,...... I''m a married woman,............, talking like that is bad for my husband.'' ''Don''t give off the nuance that you''re not full of it! ''Three men are fighting ...... for me.'' ''Don''t put me in the middle of it! ''But he''s the best and the only one for me, so I''m sorry, all three of you.'' ''Yashiro-sama. Second heartbreak. ''It''s not a broken heart, Natalia! Why should I be treated like I''ve been rejected twice by Sirach? It''s outrageous! ''Well, don''t be so downhearted, anchovy .......'' ''Isn''t it strange that the first time you''re being nice to me is now? Don''t you dare pat me on the back! I''m not crying! ''Sirach is a married man, so I can''t give you what you want. ......'' ''I don''t want anything from Sirach. The only thing I want is for you to lose weight and quickly let the world know how close you and Orkio are. But if I help him, he can drink a little honey, and if he makes full use of his authority as a lord, he can ...... be sure of that. I can lend you a hand. You didn''t say that, did you? ''It''s not supposed to happen, but just this once, it''s special! ''You''re definitely having fun, aren''t you? ''grin...... what are you talking about?Smirk. ''You''re a bad lord, this lord! I don''t know, I don''t feel like we can get along at all. It''s rare to find people who are so incompatible with each other that they can''t seem to understand each other! ''Yashiro-chan ...... so much so that you can drink my drink ......''. ''At least one of you should listen to me properly! I asked Jeannette for help, but she and Milly just smiled at each other. That''s right. They''re just trying to be funny, aren''t they? ...... Except for Sirach. It''s bad enough that only Siraha is taking it seriously. ...... ''Anchovy!I''m not sure what you''re doing to me. A voice filled with anger echoed, and Nikka flew through the air at high speed. ...... Correction. It floats about 20 centimeters off the ground and lunges toward us. They really can''t fly that high, can they? ............ ''I will not accept it if you misbehave with the innocent Sirach-sama! ''It''s the people in power around me who were doing the wrong thing. ......'' I''m the victim. Well, I guess they won''t listen to me. ''They won''t listen to me. ''Yeah. That''s what I thought. I knew it. I knew it. ''I''ll stop thinking about how I want to suck Sirach-sama''s drink and bathe my whole body with it. ''You''re very sick too, aren''t you!I''ll introduce you to a good pharmacist! You''re the one with the creepy ideas. What do you want me to do after I''ve been ...... drunk?It''s beyond your imagination. ............ ''Come on, Sirach!I''m not sure what to do.Just being near him is enough to give you a stain! ''But, but ......, Yashiro-chan is a kind person who has thought a lot for me. And .......'' Siraha''s thinner arm grasped Ginette''s hand firmly. ''He''s also the one who brought me back to the way I was, Ginette-chan. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Jeannette raises a strange voice. She sounds like a flirtatious college student. ''Yeah! I said. ''Ssh, ssh, Siraha-san!What, what, what, what are you doing? ''Oh?You don''t want me, Yashiro? ''No!It''s very important!He''s very important!Yes, definitely! Ginette glanced at me. ''I didn''t mean anything by it,'' she says, as if desperately trying to make an excuse. I understand. I won''t make any weird mistakes. Just ...... don''t look at me for a second. It doesn''t mean anything. ''Pssst!The anchovy is an unwanted child. ''You''ve been denied that part!Listen to me, okay? ''Yes, Nikka. Yashiro is important to me. To me, too. So, ......''. Siraha follows me, and likes my enemies. Just when I thought she was on my side, a cup of flowers is offered to me. I''m not sure if you''ve ever seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ''It''s not a "pop"! When did you decide to bathe in it? Ah, it''s too much trouble, I''ll just throw it away. ...... ''Wait a minute! A line that reminded me of Japan''s bubble economy rang out loudly. Jeannette and I, both of us familiar with the voice, look at each other. And the other person who responded to the voice was ...... ''Oh ...... ah ............ that voice is ......''. When she was fat, her eyes were narrowed and buried in her flesh, but now they are wide open, exuding the innocent shame of a young girl. ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''............ orchio shan! ''Shirapin! Orkio rushes into the flower garden. The old man kicks the earth at full speed, making the onlookers nervous. Siraha, on the other hand, greets him with her whole body reflecting glittering light in slow motion, as if the delusion in her brain has materialized. The old man and the old woman approach each other with their arms outstretched. ''If they collide with each other with that kind of momentum, their wrinkles and creases will interlock and won''t be able to separate. ''That''s not true, sir!It''s a touching reunion scene. It''s not. It''s not a touching scene, Jeannette. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''Oh, it''s you,............, it''s really, really you,.......'' ''Oh, it''s me............, I''ve missed you.'' ''Me too. ............ I''ve missed you so much. ......'' ''You haven''t changed a bit: ......'' ''That''s not true......'' No, I haven''t. No, I haven''t. Because you''ve changed so much in the last few days. ''Oh, um, I''m sorry. Can you give me a minute? Um, ......, why is Orkio here?'' Orkio and Sirach were immersed in their own private world, but Estella interrupted them. She has a very surprised look on her face. That''s right. The meeting between Orkio and Sirach was supposed to take place after today''s discussion, at a later date. And yet, he had shown up before the meeting. I was surprised. ''I''m sorry, my lord. I heard about it from Yashiro-kun, and I knew what was going to happen. ......'' Are you saying that after hearing my story and knowing that we were going to see Sirach today, you couldn''t stop wanting to see him? Orkio, who had been holding back from seeing her for decades, only exchanging letters with her,...... ''Yashiro had a reputation for being quick to get his hands on pretty girls. ......'' ''You don''t trust me, do you? Who the hell is going around spouting such horseshit?What kind of pharmacist are you? ''Are you jealous of ...... me? ''Huh?Oh, no,...... that ............ is so ...... embarrassing for a year.'' ''No,...... not at all. I''m glad, I am. I''m glad you''re worried about me.'' ''Of course I care. Because I know better than anyone how wonderful you are.'' ''Well, ......'' ''Ginette ......, do you have a bucket?'' ''You''re going to throw up?It''s a touching scene! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a scene that will make the whole world go crazy,............. It''s not a scene that will make the whole world cry. And when I looked around, ............ I wondered why. Everyone but me was shedding tears. Hmm? No, there was only one guy with a wrinkled brow and a disgusted look on his face. ''Nikka!You''re one of us! ''Don''t be like that! ''You can''t cry, can you? ''No, I''m holding back because I''m about to cry! Huh? You''re from this side, the team with a dry, crumbly heart, aren''t you?Isn''t that right? ''Nikka. You, are you moved by this scene? ''Ugh!......So, that''s ............'' At Lucia''s point, Nikka turns her head away. ''...... anchovy, did you intentionally call out to me for this?............ is a man to be reckoned with. No, I was just genuinely looking for some company. ............ ''You ...... haven''t changed a bit. You''re the same as you were back then. No, no. You look so much better than you did back then.'' ''You haven''t changed at all. It''s as if time has stopped when you were sixteen.'' ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''No, Yashiro-san!Feelings!It''s just a feeling!I think Orkio-san wants to tell you that he loves you that much! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. d*mn ......, I''m away from home. ''It''s embarrassing, but it''s been a while, so let me say it out loud: ...... I love you.'' ''I ............ love you too, ............ Orkio.'' ''......Shirapin''. ''Who''s there!I''d like a blunt instrument, please! ''No, Yashiro-san!This is a very good moment! What''s so good about ''Shirapin'' and ''Orkio-sha''? They''re just waiting to be told off, you know!No matter what you think! Oh, shit!Why? It''s not a scene you want to look at like a girl in love, is it? It''s Nikka. Look closely at those two. Lucia pointed to Orkio and Sirach, who slowly stretched out their arms and hugged each other. The old man and the old woman embrace each other. In that moment, a congratulatory sigh escapes from all around. ...... Wow. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... What''s wrong with my sensibilities? ''Oh, ............ this is ............ Shira...'' .........! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to make use of it to your advantage. ''............ anchovy. Take care of the rest.'' ''Yeah, ............''. Is that worth crying about? It''s just that Shirapin and Orkio are linked together, wrinkle by wrinkle. If you pull them apart, you''ll hear a ''chirp chirp chirp'' sound like Velcro, right? But I''ll have to convince Nikka, that''s for sure. I''ll fulfill the role Lucia has entrusted to me. I changed my mind and started to persuade Nikka. ''Nikka. Do you see them, those two? ''I can see them ............, or rather, it''s obvious. They''re this close together. ......'' That''s not true. It''s about whether you''re facing them properly. But if you say it like that, then you''ve already admitted it, right? That they''re in love. That their marriage was not a mistake. ''It''s true that Sirach lost his antennae and was hurt by what the humans did. But Sirach has never held a grudge against Orkio for that. You don''t need proof, do you?I''ll show you. ''...... Indeed, ...... it seems so, ne''. ''I don''t know if what you''ve done was wrong or not. You have your own ideas and your own justice. But ......'' Orkio and Siraha are reunited and confirm each other''s warmth as if they were untied. At this moment, in this city, there are not many couples happier than these two. I stare at the two of them with such happy smiles on their faces, and say. ''Let them decide if they''re happy or not. It''s about time. It''s time to let them decide if they''re happy or not. It''s time to stop judging them because the people around them are ''pitiful'' or ''they must have been hurt'', and listen to their feelings. If you see the smiles on their faces, you''ll know that it''s a very small thing. ''It doesn''t matter if you''re human or insect, it doesn''t matter. Sirach likes Orkio, and Orkio likes Sirach. They fell in love with each other and with that person. They just happen to be of different races. Isn''t that a normal thing? ''I know you guys care about Sirach. That''s why I''m asking you to do this. In order to get the wobbling heart of Nikka to lean towards me at once, I sincerely and wholeheartedly ask you. ''Please let those two stay together, won''t you? In a way that represents the hearts of those two. ''............ I can''t make a decision based on my own opinion. We need to talk about it. He turns his head away and spits it out in a casual manner. But once the wings slowly fluttered, shaking the flowers in the garden, Nicca muttered another word. ''I''m sure everyone would be happy to accept .......'' You can''t disagree with the two of them. Nikka''s frustrated smile seemed to indicate this. In truth, she may have noticed it long ago. He had seen Siraha looking forward to the occasional letter. However, it is difficult to overturn what we have believed to be true for so many years, and what we have continued to believe to be correct. It takes a lot of strength at first to move a thing or a mind. But once it starts moving, it will go as far as it can go. I''m sure that the malicious shackles surrounding Sirach and the others will be removed. And if Sirach, who has been held up as a symbol of the friction between humans and insects, changes, the invisible sense of inferiority and hostility that prevails in the 35th district may be dispelled. At the very least, a major change would occur. Once that happens, Lucia will take care of the rest. I''ve been wanting to do that for a long time, and I''ve been trying to get her to do that. I won''t miss this opportunity. ''Anchovy''. Lucia''s expression was dignified, as if to affirm my thoughts. Without a word, she held out her right hand. I thought it was a handshake, and I held out my hand too, but ...... I noticed that Lucia had a cup of flowers in her hand. ...... What is it? ''So, do you still want to get it all over you?Siraha''s leftover drink.'' ''So, you never said you wanted to bathe in it! What is this guy saying while the corners of his eyes are wet with tears of joy? And then there are the stares from all over the garden, like ''wow ...... that guy sucks ......''. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. It''s a great way to make up for the time you''ve spent apart. And then-- --Never again will they be separated. The swallowtail butterfly people have yet to be persuaded, but ...... it will be impossible for any man to tear them apart. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. In the event you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. We decided to let them stay together, deciding on a new house and so on later. To begin with, we persuaded the swallowtail butterflies in Sirach''s house, and we set about overturning the stereotypes that lay at the heart of the Bug People. 204-Later Tan 32 Hanazono Theater ''I am Sirach . I am Sirach, a swallowtail butterfly of the human race. I''ve been separated from my beloved for so many years. ...... The sun is so bright and shiny, but my heart is so lonely. If I continue like this, my ...... heart will get lost. ......'' ''Sirahar! ''That voice is ......'' --hihihn!''Pakarang-pakarang! ''Orkioshan! ''I''ve come for you on a white horse, my little lost cat.'' ''You look wonderful, Orkio ......, like a prince ......'' ''This is what you deserve when I come for you. My own princess. ''Yikes! ...... What''s this uncomfortable feeling, like my back teeth are about to fall out. I want to clench my fists tightly and ''boom'' my temples. I want to give her a fist pump to the temple. ''That''s nice ......''. ''Yes ......''. The flower garden in District Thirty-Five. An old man and an old woman are putting on a little play in an open space near the garden. The play is about a beautiful girl who has been separated from the man she loves and is surrounded by beautiful flowers to cover up her loneliness, when the man she loves comes riding in on a white horse to pick her up. Well, in reality, it is not a beautiful girl who is unhappy but an old woman who is on the verge of fermentation. ...... It is not allowed to come to the flower garden by vehicle, but the lord has given a special permission as a way to attract the audience. That''s right. This is a play to show the insects in the garden. ''...... (Shirapin.) In front of everyone, I''m ''Orkio-san''. ''...... (Because Orkio-san is Orkio-san.)'' ''...... (You''re so cute, Shirapin!)'' They seem to be in a good mood. ''But will this really reduce the friction with the Bug People? Lucia asks me with a stern look on her face at a distance from Orkio and the others. But you know what, Lucia? Take a good look around you. ...... ''The insects in the flower garden, they''re all looking at the two of you with rapt attention. It seemed that Orkio and Silaha''s love play was more effective than I had imagined in attracting the love-struck girls in the flower garden. The eyes of the girls standing in line, glued to the play, were moistened without exception. And the members of my 42nd district also ...... ''Sirach, you look happy ....... ''I''m glad to have met you. ...... I''m weak in this kind of thing. ......'' ''Estella-sama. If you''d like to use a handkerchief soaked with my tears, please do. ...... Uruuuuu'' ''Ugh...... Shiraha-san, you''re so beautiful......'' ''Yes. You have a beautiful smile. ......'' ............ I''m crying. I don''t know where ...... I''m crying, this short comedy? ''Sure, it''ll work. ............ I''ve almost cried four times. ......'' ''So much! So, where should I cry, you short comic? By the way. I''ve been making other people do small plays for me, but I didn''t write the script this time. I came up with the idea, but the content was based on Siraha''s ideal, and the girls decided on it through lively discussions. It''s a love story filled with the dreams and ideals of young girls. Thanks to ......, we had to prepare a white horse in a hurry and allow the girls to ride to the flower garden, which was an unnecessary hassle. ............ ''Sirach-sama ...... is beautiful ......'' ''Oh, ...... we''ve been mistaken......'' ''Two people who love each other so much shouldn''t be separated. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I don''t think I understand the sensibilities of the people who live in this city. ............ Also, how can you recognize that as Sirach? It''s a different person, no matter how you look at it. No, it''s him, but he looks like him. But it''s simple. The Bug People seem to have an extremely straightforward and honest ethnicity. Kaburiel and the others who obey Lucia''s orders, and Nikka and the others who put Sirach first. Wendy and Milly are also good-natured people who don''t know how to be suspicious of others. And the swallowtail butterfly people who were taking care of Sirach, other than Nikka, were also like that, as usual. I went to Sirach''s house once for the script conference and persuaded the Swallowtail tribe, but they readily understood as Nikka had said. When they saw Orkio and Silaha stuck together, and saw Silaha''s happy face, they changed their minds. In the event that you''re not sure whether or not you''re going to be able to get the best out of it, you may want to take a look at the following. It''s just a matter of whether or not it fits the plan, you know, public opinion. We had a meeting for an hour, and another hour to prepare. Then, after having lunch, we had a small play in the afternoon sunshine. ''My friend Yashiro''. As I was watching Sirach and his friends perform, I heard a calm voice behind me. Gilberta was the only one who maintained her composure in the midst of all the girls who were making a fuss. It''s a relief to have such a guy around. They''re all overly empathetic. Too much, anyway. ''We''re in trouble. ''Is it the heat of the crowd?'' ''No, ...... my neck area.'' ''Your neck?'' I turned to see Gilberta sobbing. With a blank expression. ''What''s wrong? Her face was soaked with tears and snot, not to mention her neck and collar. ''I''m kind of nervous, I can''t ...... stop my heart, I''m crying and sniffling. ''Oh, God!You too? In the end, this guy is the same as the other maidens. He just can''t express it properly. ''Here, don''t move. I''ll wipe your tears and stuff! ''I feel sorry for you, I do. But I can''t stop the pounding.'' I''m highly sensitive, or maybe I''m just easily influenced. ...... ''Since you''re the head waiter, you should take a lesson from Natalia and train your mind to be normal. ''Master Yashiro. I''m grateful for your appreciation, but unfortunately, I''m not exactly normal either.'' ''Yeah, ...... you too, ......''. ''Yes. When I look at those two, I feel ...... horny in my chest .............'' ''You should take a look at Gilberta and get back a little more purity in your heart.'' No. ...... This guy is seriously ill. It''s too late. ''Come on, Siraha. I want you to come with me!Let''s live together! ''Yes, Mr. Orkio! The play reaches its climax, and the audience erupts as the two huddle together on the white horse. It is a scene that exudes the feeling that they are leaving this place and heading for a new world. ''This concludes the first performance of Orkio Sirach''s Theatre of Love. ''The second performance will be in two hours. Please invite your friends to come and see it. Hey!You ruined it. You ruined it! Don''t go back to normal! But the audience is applauding wildly. Curtain call? ...... The audience seemed to be enjoying the performance as if it were a play. What is the second performance?How many performances are you going to do? Orukio and his friends were coming toward us, pakarang pakarang, hissing. ''Well, that was embarrassing. ''Well, it''s embarrassing, isn''t it? ''Eh, you guys have always been like that. If you feel embarrassed by that, you should be a little more careful. ''But it''s not embarrassing. I''m ''Mr. Orkio'' during the performance. ''Hmm... I get nervous when I''m with Orkio, so I accidentally...'' ''Hahaha. You''re so cute, Shirapin~'' ''What, aren''t you embarrassed about that? I think that''s a much more embarrassing event. I mean, get off your horse! How long are you going to stay on your white horse? Don''t look down on me. ''I want to take you back to the 42nd district like this. ''Well, it''s a love escapade. ''No, we''re going home.'' For Orkio, it was just a way home. The white horse slowly walks towards the audience in the garden. Fan service?It''s a nice touch. ...... You just want to show off your wife, don''t you, Orkio? ''If only I had a white horse, I''d be ...... dazed.'' No~...... maybe it''s not the white horse you''re missing. ''Anchovies. Sirach-sama is going back to the mansion, so you guys can take a break. Nikka, also from the back, lands in front of me. Well, she was only about twenty centimeters above the ground, but... ''I''ll call you back when the second performance is near, so you can kill time wherever you want. ''We''ll go back to the pavilion and have a smoke, too. ''Then I''ll at least offer you some tea. Yours is just out.'' Nikka smiles coercively at me. This guy is ............ When I glared back at him, he stuck his tongue out at me. It seems that he still hates me, but he no longer rejects me. Rather, he started to talk to me about this and that. He respects our opinions on arrangements, and comes to check on every little thing. Even though everything is for Sirach''s sake ......, this is quite a change. ''Do you have any monks? ''No. It''s easy and helpful. ''Hmmm, ...... death.'' He looks unhappy, but he doesn''t seem to be too angry. ''......I''ve never seen such a happy face before. That is, of course, a reference to Sirach. Nikka and Karl are still young. They have been by Sirach''s side since he was a child, and they have been taught by their clan members how to treat Sirach, and they have done so without question. For many years, he has been the closest to Sirach and has lived for him. But I have never seen her smile from the bottom of her heart. ''Did we make a mistake in ......? ''It''s up to you to decide that for yourselves. There is no ''if'' in life. You can''t turn back the time that has passed, and you can''t erase what you''ve done there. If you turn away from reality by lamenting that your actions were ''wrong'', then the past was a waste. However, if the past is connected to the future, if we can think that the present exists because of ...... that time, then even if we have done something wrong, we cannot say that it was a mistake, can we? There is nothing you can do about the past, no matter how hard you try. You can''t erase it, you can''t cover it up. Then at least use it as sustenance for a positive future. If it helps, failure is not a waste. ''How did you feel when you couldn''t see Mr. Orkio, Sirach-sama? Now that their well-meaning actions have been overturned from the bottom up, their footing is wobbly and unstable. If they are not careful, they may never be able to stand up again. We can''t leave them with that kind of anxiety by Siraha''s side. When Siraha sees that these people are beginning to think that it would be better if they weren''t here, she feels guilty about her own happiness. That''s not good, you know. They all need to be happy as can be. We''re trying to make a wedding work. The people involved in this have to be happy from head to toe without exception. Weddings are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, that''s what they''re supposed to advertise. I''ll confiscate your unhappiness for my benefit. ''I don''t know the right answer, but I do know one thing. Nikka''s eyes blinked as if they were on the verge of breaking as she turned her head toward me, her antennae waving. ''The time I spent with you guys, Siraha was not unhappy. That''s for sure.'' ''Na ...... how can you say that?You''ve only met me for a short time, so don''t talk to me like you know what you''re talking about. ......'' ''Then let me ask you, has Siraha ever been hard on you guys?Have you ever been treated badly?Have you ever been shouted at?Have you ever been ignored? ''No, that''s not true, not once!Sirach-sama is not the kind of person who would do such a terrible thing!Sirach-sama is always kind to us and treats us very well! ''Then that''s the answer, isn''t it? ''H............? ''People can''t be kind to someone who makes them unhappy. Aren''t you doing this not only for your role, but also because you love Siraha?'' ''Yes, that''s right ....... We all love Siraha-sama ...... and want to be useful .......'' ''I know that, so Siraha was happy to have such people by her side. A drop falls from Nikka''s eyes. All day today, ever since she met us, Nikka has been busy running around. It was probably because she was forcing herself to move around so that her brain would not think of unnecessary things in order to protect her heart, which would otherwise be overwhelmed by anxiety. We may have made the people we love unhappy. I couldn''t get rid of that anxiety. ''That''s ...... it''s ............ I don''t know death ...... because I don''t know what Sirach really thinks. I don''t know what you really think ...................'' ''You''re too insensitive to the favors of others. ''Nah, why not?That''s not true! ''You don''t even notice the likes and dislikes beamed at you from this close up, do you? I glanced at Carl and saw that he was in a panic, crossing his arms with an ''X''. I won''t tell. I''m not going to tell you, and no matter how much you smell it, he''s not going to notice. I''m not sure if it''s a ...... or a ...... person liking me or ............ something like that. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you get through the day. ...... ''Then what is it?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not like I''m confessing to you. I''m just saying that you can feel it in the air. Haven''t you ever felt that kind of atmosphere that says, ''Oh, this person must like me? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''You can ............ do it,.............'' This guy is a pain in the ass. He has a personality that is a condensation of the troublesome nature of the Bug People. I have a feeling that if I can convince ...... this guy, I can overcome the prejudice they have against humans. So this is a model case. Let''s try it. The simplest way to communicate without words. Once he gets a feel for it, he''ll understand. That you don''t need words to convey your feelings. ''Siraha~! ''Yes. What is it?'' Sirach and Orkio are coming towards you on white horses. They''re not going to get off now, are they? Do you really hate it so much that we''re leaving for a bit? I don''t care if you''re on horseback. ''Nikka''s been working hard behind the scenes. ''Oh, my. Thank you, Nikka.'' ''No, no!I deserve this much ......,.......'' I''m not sure if my guilt is showing on my face, but Nikka has turned her head away from Siraha. Come on, eat up, Siraha. You can''t help but bite if you see this reaction right in front of you. ''Oh?What''s wrong, Nikka?'' Okay. So, Nikka. You make a humble statement. Wouldn''t you, given your personality? ''...... No, it''s nothing, Desuyo.'' Okay. Mm-hmm. Bugs, you''re so easy to deal with. ''I''m a little tired, you know. I''ve been running all day. See?'' I hugged Nikka''s shoulders and looked into her downcast face. She glared at me with a very scary face. ''What do you want, you? It''s written on his face. Everything is as it seems. What do I want? I''m trying to make you understand. Well, don''t think about it, just feel it. Just take it for what it is. Here it comes. 3......2......1............ Fusa...... ''......f......'' Siraha''s small hand is placed on Nikka''s prone head. She gently strokes the soft hair. Nikka''s antennae sway along with her hair. ''Don''t strain yourself too much. Thank you for everything, Nikka.'' ''............a............... ...ha, ha............, okay, Death......'' A film of water forms over the eyes that have been staring at me. I''m not sure if it was embarrassment that I was being watched, but Nikka pushed my face away with a taut hand. I can''t go over there, because Siraha is there. So she had to push me away. I understand. I get it. I just didn''t anticipate the power of the ...... stake. Learn to adjust. See? ''Oh, ......?Nicca?'' ''I''m fine.'' Sirach gives Nikka a worried look as she turns her head and shakes her shoulders. ''This guy just experienced his first time. ''First time? ''Yeah. Getting feelings from people.'' With that, Siraha felt something and seemed to understand everything. He''s not getting any older. This guy has been exposed to a lot of emotions for a long time. He''s probably had to stifle his feelings a lot. That''s why he''s so sensitive. ''Well, ...... well, ............ I''ve only ever been given things, haven''t I? I''m sorry. ''No, you''re not. ......? ''Thank you, Nicca. I love you guys.'' ''............! ?¡ã???????¨¨¦Ì¡¤?¡è¡ä????3a?¦Ì????¨¦?¡é???¨¨¡¥???????¨¨£¤????????o?¨¨?????????£¤1????????1¨¨???£¤1?? ¨¨¡§???£¤?¡¥1??? ''????1?¨¦??????????¡é?? ????¡ã??????? ''............???......'' ?¡ã???????¨¨¡ä¡¥????¡è????¨¨?¡§?????¡§?£¤1¨¦????¡ã???????3???£¤???¨¨¡¥?¨¨¡¥-????¡ä??o??o???? ?£¤1???¨¨o??????-??2????3a????¡ä¡¥?¡ä¡¥???¨¦??????¡§a?¦Ì??????¡§????? ???¨¦£¤¡ã???????? ???¨¦£¤¡ã??????¨¨?a??????????¡ê¡ã¨¦?3???¨¦????? ''?????£¤¨¦??????????£¤¨¦??! ????-??-????? ¡¤?¡è¡ì?¡ê¡ã??-????????¡ì?????¡ã?????????????3a??? ''?????£¤¨¦??!????????¡ä¨¦????£¤¨¦??! ????????£¤¨¦????? ?????¡¥????? ?-|????o?--¨¨????????????1????¨¨????¡¥????????¡ä??£¤??£¤???????????? ??????????????¡¥??? ?¡ã??????¡ã??¡§???¨¨¡¥???¡ã????£¤1?????¡ä¨¨¡é???¡À???????????¡ä¨¨¡é???¡À???????1??¡ã??????¡ä¨¨¡é???¡À?????? ''¨¨????a...... ?????????...... ??|??1???????????£¤¨¦??............ ?????£¤¨¦????? ............''. ??¡§????????????¨¨£¤????????????¡§?£¤1¨¨??¨¦???????????????¡ã??????¡ì??-????3¡ê?????-?3¡ê??? ¨¨£¤????????2???????¨¦????¡ä??? ???????2????¨¨¡é????¨¨¡ì???? ???????????????¨¦???????3???????????? ...... ?¡ã??????¡ã??¡§??????¨¦??????????¡ã?o??£¤1???¨¨?¡è??o¨¦?¡è¨¦??????oo???¨¨¡¥??£¤1?????|????£¤1?¡ã?¨¨???? ?3????¨¨¡ì¡ê??????¨¨£¤???? ¨¨¡§?¨¨¡¥-??¡¥¨¦a??-????????????¡¥¨¨¡¥?????????? ????¡ã????¨¨??? ¡¤?o¡¥?21????oo?o?¨¨¡¥£¤??????¨¨?a?¡¤¡À????????? ¨¨¡¥???¡¥??????¨¨??? ¡¤???¨¦a??-???¡§????????£¤???????????£¤?????????????????? ''??|??????????????????...... Orkio''??? 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''............'' ¨¦??¨¨??www.DeepL.com/Translator??????¨¨¡ä1?????????¨¨¡¥? Faintly, Jeannette sniffed. I guess she remembers too. The sound of his voice, his smile, the touch of his hand on her head. ''He''s never outspoken, but he''s always there, always welcoming. If it weren''t for ...... the Sunlit Pavilion, I''d probably be a mess. ......'' The deep wrinkles on Orkio''s cheeks curve into a figure. I can ...... relate to that feeling a little bit, me too. ''...... He was my one and only best friend. Zelmar and the others are good people, but he''s special.'' ''............Yes.'' Ginette tears up as she hears others talking about her grandfather. But she has a smile on her face and a satisfied look on her face, like a little girl who has just found out the ending of a storybook. ''So, Ginette, ............ I was, properly, happy.'' ''...... Yes. Thank you, .............'' ''Thank you for thinking so much of my grandfather. It was the kind of thank you that could be followed by words like that. ''Haha. ...... It''s kind of embarrassing, isn''t it? ''Yes ......, you''re right. They looked at each other and smiled shyly together. Orkio stroked his moustache, then moved his horse forward. He wanted to be alone for a while. We head for an empty place. Jeannette stands in front of me, her eyes following Orkio''s back. He turned his back to me and remained silent for a while. Perhaps she is having a conversation with the old man she sensed in Orkio''s memory. ''Yashiro-san......'' With her back turned, Ginette called out to me. ''Hmm?'' Short reply. I felt it would be unwise to say more than that. ''I like the sunny pavilion. ''Hmm......'' I''m not going to joke about the big-boobed waitresses now. ''I want to go home soon. To the Sunken Pavilion. I feel like I haven''t been back for a long time.'' ''That''s true. I want to go home soon, too. ''Magda''s waiting for you. ''Yes, he is. Magda-san is a ...... little spoiled brat, you know.'' ''A little, huh?'' ''Uh-huh. ...... add a little more.'' A little bit and a little bit more, maybe. Still, that''s a very lenient assessment. ''Yashiro-san is .......'' The sound of his voice changes. Slight tension ...... Slight anxiety ...... ''...... Are you happy? Ginette doesn''t look at me. But Ginette''s ears are bright red, a true indication of her heart. It''s easy to answer ......, but... ''Do you want to hear it? Sometimes it''s better not to say. ''............ No.'' Ginette turns, her long hair shaking. ''It''s fine, after all. The reddish, embarrassed smile on Ginette''s face was filled with a kindness that was somehow relieving. This is the face that symbolizes the present-day Sunlit Pavilion. Are you watching, old man? You should be happy. The Sunken Pavilion has been safely taken over by Jeannette. ''I like the Sunken Pavilion too. ''Are you sure about ............? ''Oh.'' A dazzling smile spread across Ginette''s face like the light of dawn. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. Rather than moving forward, she seems to be leaning forward uncontrollably. ''Oh, I''m so glad. I''m so glad that you said so, Yashiro-san! Come to think of it, I''ve never explicitly stated that I like her. ............ Hmm. I guess there are things that make you happy when you say them out loud, even if you can sense them in the air. ''It''s calming, the food is good......'' I say clearly to Jeannette, who is getting closer and closer to me, until she is right in front of me. ''There''s a waitress with big boobs. ''Mmm!Please repent.'' He punched me on the bridge of the nose. Not a painful punch at all, just a gentle breeze. But soon after, Jeannette laughed hilariously. That''s right, that''s it. That''s why I like you so much-- the sunlit pavilion. Well, I wouldn''t say that even if I had the nerve. 205-Later on, I did my best. ''...... Mwah!'' Magda is happy to be sitting on my lap. He''s in a very good mood, and his tail has been standing up She''s in a very good mood and her tail has been standing on end. She doesn''t mind that her skirt is up and her shorts are showing. She must be very happy. Magda is not on my lap ............. ''Permission to ...... pat her head.'' ''Huh?Eh .......'' I slowly nodded my head as anxious eyes looked at me. ''So, ...... excuse me.'' When the base of his ear was plucked, Magda squealed loudly, ''Mmm! Magda squealed. ''Oh, that ...... is kind of embarrassing, isn''t it? I''ve never done anything like this before. ''...... Today is special. ............ for two days.'' ''Yes, it is. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen you, and more importantly, while I was away, you worked hard as an assistant manager. ''...... praise is good.'' ''So. Good boy.'' ''...... Mwah.'' Magda has been acting like this since a while ago. After returning from the 35th district with Ginette, we arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion after the sun had set. The peak of the evening meal had passed and the restaurant was filled with a calm atmosphere. Delia and Norma, who had been helping out today, and Umaro, who had been working like a cart horse, were lounging at the table. In the midst of all this, Loretta cleaned up the store quickly, and Magda jumped on the ............ ginette. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. When her face was pressed against his lower abdomen, Jeannette looked troubled, but ...... Magda was probably crying. I felt a little bad for Jeannette, but I left her alone for a while. And ever since then, Magda has been attached to Ginette. She even tried to follow me to the bathroom, and I could feel her strong will that she would never leave me again. The vectors she''s facing are different from Orkio''s, though. ''What''s the matter, Magda? You''re such a spoiled brat, aren''t you? ''It''s a reaction to being lonely and overwhelmed. Let her do as she pleases now.'' ''Haaah ......, spoiled Magda, you''re a real angel! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. --and the usual critical patients. It''s true that it''s rare for Magda to indulge herself in public. And to Jeannette. I''ll just watch this rare sight for a while longer. ''Big brother, manager. Would you like something to drink?I''ll get you something.'' ''Oh, in that case, I''ll go to .......'' ''...... Loretta, a cold drink for the two of you.'' Jeannette tried to sit up, but Magda clung to her like a crying old man and wouldn''t let go. Jeannette. You should give up and become Magda''s personal valet for today. ...... Oh, you''re a hooker. ''Well, then, big brother. What would you like?What would you like to drink?'' ''Sure. Something other than coffee, then.'' ''Alright!I''ll go make some coffee! ''Wait!You don''t have the skills to make coffee yet!Get another one! ''Then I''ll have Loretta''s original blend coffee! ''That''s the worst choice! Enough!I''ll do it! It tastes better if I make it myself. ''You just sit there. ''But you''re tired from the long trip. ''You''re also tired after working all day, aren''t you?Get some rest.'' ''No, sir! With her chest heaving, Loretta puffed out her nose. ''It''s only natural for a shopkeeper to work all day!I''m not tired from this at all! It''s true. Compared to Delia and Norma, Loretta seems to have a lot more time on her hands. I guess it''s just a matter of getting used to it. ...... You''re right. You''re a full-fledged waitress now, aren''t you? ''Nyoho! When you praise him honestly, he makes a funny noise. That''s probably just a specification of this guy. You should get used to being complimented, you know. ...... I''m not that complimentary, am I?I''m sure you''ve seen it.No, ...... wait, ............ compliment ......... I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''No, not that much!That''s really an exaggeration, isn''t it? ''Yashiro, what''s wrong?Did you eat some kind of strange salmon? ''It''s a sign of a natural disaster. ......'' ''No, no!I''m pretty impressed with Loretta, aren''t I? Even Delia and Norma looked surprised. You''re not that uncomplimentary, are you?Not at all! ''There''s nothing to admire about Loretta, is there? ''That''s terrible, Norma!I have a lot to praise you for! ''That''s right. Loretta is just plain awesome.'' ''Don''t say "normal", Delia! Well, you know. It''s Loretta''s fault that she''s always in the teasing position with everyone. And you, Umaro, don''t take part in all this shouting and screaming. Are you only interested in Magda?Is that so?Well, I guess you''re right. ''Oh, come on!I''m going to make a nice cup of coffee and show everyone what I''m capable of!You can watch and review! ''Loretta: ......'' ''Look forward to it, big brother! ''......''If you waste even a single coffee bean, you will be under house arrest for a week. ''..................''Gentlemen, may I have some water? I''ll buy your effort. Your ambition is great, and your spirit of challenge is admirable. But not everything is good as long as you work hard. Especially in Loretta''s case, the effort is going full throttle in the direction of ''not that way! Especially in the case of Loretta, her efforts often go full throttle in the direction of ''not that way! I''m a man who values results the most. ''Totally ......''. ''Oh!Please sit down, big brother! I get up from my chair and Loretta rushes to press her hand against my chest. I think she''s trying to push me back to sit down. ...... ''Touchy-feely?'' I''m not sure what to say.No, no, no, no, no, no! I opened my hands and moved my fingers, and she moved away from me at a great speed. She guarded her breasts with both arms and puffed out her cheek pouches. Hmmm, I want to push her from both sides and make her ''puff! from both sides. ''There will be no more customers today. Everyone relax. ''Huh!Big brother''s in the kitchen! Loretta is getting impatient, as she wants to make her own coffee no matter what. It seems that her reason for making coffee is no longer to help me when I''m tired, but to prove that she''s a capable girl. ''Loretta. Follow me.'' ''Huh?'' ''I''ll teach you how to make coffee. ''Huh? Loretta froze, her voice an octave higher than usual. She looks like a pigeon that''s been hit by a pigeon gun. It hit her body with a ''thud! I looked at her and said, ''Oh, I wonder if that''s a bean ......'' and she said, ''What?A pigeon? What? It''s more surprising than a peashooter. ''It tastes a little different from Jeannette''s, but my coffee is pretty good, too. ''Can you tell me about ............, please? ''Only if you''re serious about learning. ''I will!I want you to teach me! ''Then follow me. ''Yes, sir! She runs happily, bouncing up and down. You''re really energetic. It''s almost the end of business hours. ''It tastes different from the manager''s. ............ This could be a big seller! ''Few customers order coffee, though. ''Still, it''s good to have one specialty dish! Cooking ......? I want to be a reliable waiter like Magdacho, who can be trusted to be the assistant manager. Loretta said these words as she entered the kitchen. It was a decision that she hadn''t told Magda or anyone else. She''s got a lot on her mind, doesn''t she? I''m not sure what to say,......, but I''ve grown up. I guess he always had a strong sense of responsibility. ''Okay!Then I''ll teach you in earnest. But be prepared for this.I''ll be tough on you, okay? ''Oh!Big brother''s got serious eyes. ''I''ll check the taste every day, and if the taste degrades even a little, we''ll start over. ''Mmmm, it''s tough .......'' ''Once the taste is stable, you''ll get your license. Will you do it? ''Yes, sir! He answered immediately. It was true that he wanted to be good at cooking. Magda has popcorn and takoyaki, but Loretta has nothing like them. Maybe she was a little lonely? If this gives her confidence, and if that confidence gives her motivation to work, then she should take good care of her. ''Okay. Let''s start with the grinding part. ''The mill, right!The manager who runs it is kind of cool, and I''ve always secretly admired him!I''ll do it! At the Sunken Pavilion, there is a mill that used to belong to my grandfather. It was quite old, but thanks to Norma''s maintenance, it is still in use. At that time, I showed him the structure of the mill, and he made a new mill for me. This time, I will use this new mill. I don''t like the idea of practicing with my grandfather''s mill. ''When I turn the handle like this, I feel like I''m getting smarter. ''Haha, that sounds like a dumb idea. ''Why not, d*mn it! Her cheeks puffed up, but she didn''t stop grinding beans. You seem to be enjoying it. Sometimes inspiration comes to me when I think while doing simple tasks like this. Perhaps Loretta''s fantasy is not so far off the mark. ''Yes, the middle grinder! ''Oh. You know that word too? ''That''s what the manager said.'' I see. ...... Ginette half-heartedly taught him, so he just followed her example and made a disastrous failure. ''Is there anything else that Ginette has taught you? ''Brew with love, and it will taste better! ''...... You only put love into it, so it failed. ''If you put your heart into it, it will taste better!No matter what it is! It''s not just anything. I''ll teach you the basics. Sunlit Tea House''s coffee is made by the flannel drip method using cloth filters. If I could get hold of some glass, I''d like to make a siphon. ...... Unfortunately, I don''t know any glassblowers. Well, that can wait for another time. ''Once you put the powder in the filter, soak the whole thing with hot water and let it steep for about 20 seconds. ''Why?Can''t I just make a quick brew? ''It''s to let the hot water and beans soak in. That''s how you get the best flavor out of it. ''Oh, I see. Now, slowly add hot water and extract the beans. Pour in more water before the bubbles settle down, and do it quickly, gently, and carefully so that no miscellaneous flavors are mixed in. Don''t pour hot water directly onto the filter. Also, don''t take too much time. ''M, it''s difficult ...... to do, I need you to be quiet.'' Loretta lifts the cloth filter so that the tip is not submerged in the coffee, and pours the hot water gently into the filter. It''s a great concentration. ...... You''ve got some really close eyes. She finishes brewing two cups of coffee with a sense of tension that chokes her. Loretta''s forehead was glistening with sweat. ''I''d like you to try it,'' she said. ''Which ......'' I''m going to taste it first before I serve it to Jeannette. ............ Hmm. ''Well, it''s not bad. If you get the basics right, you should be able to get a taste like this. It tastes like ....... It''s not bad. You can start with this taste and work your way up. ''Good job. I''ll have a drink.'' ''Yay ......, I did it!I''ve been accepted by my big brother! Loretta raises her hands in glee. Don''t go crazy in the kitchen. It''s dangerous. ''Take it to Jeannette. ''Yes, sir! Loretta puts the freshly brewed coffee on the tray and leaves the kitchen with a lively gait. ...... Don''t fall on the steps of the counter. ''Thank you for waiting! It looks like she made it. I grab my share and head back to the floor. ''Did you make this, Loretta-san? ''Yes, sir!I ground it right from the beans! ''Wow, that''s amazing. ''Now the only question is how it tastes. ''It''s delicious!My brother gave me a pass! Delia and Norma are also intrigued by Loretta''s coffee and approach her. So, Umaro. You''ve only been looking at Magda. I''m not going to say anything because I don''t think you''ll ever recover from that. ''So, let''s eat. ''Here you go, sir!'' Ginette reaches for her cup happily. Magda picked up the cup before she could. Magda, holding the coffee, stares at Ginette. And then, without hesitation-- ''...... Manager. Ahhhh.'' ''No, ......, that''s as good as .............'' You want to do something about it,......, but don''t. It''s dangerous. He took the hot coffee from Magda, blew off the steam twice, said ''Itadakimasu'' again, and Ginette sipped the coffee. ''.................. Yeah. It''s delicious. After tasting it slowly, Ginette smiles. Instantly, Loretta, who had been leaning forward to see Ginette''s reaction, pulls back her hands and makes a gutsy pose. ''I did it! I''m sure it''s a sweet assessment. Even so, Loretta is jumping around Jeannette happily. Ginette follows Loretta''s gaze and smiles at her funny. It''s not often that I''m asked to do something like this. Ah, so this is like ............ Mother''s Day. ''Good for you, Mom. ''What, what, all of a sudden?You''re freaking me out, aren''t you? She doesn''t seem to know she''s a mother. Well, maybe not. ''How good was it?Did it make you shout?The manager''s spirit of wasshoi wasshoi has been ignited! ''Well, ......, am I really that wasshoi wasshoi? Or rather, that''s all you''ve been saying. ''Well, ...... ''wai wai'', is it? Too bad. There didn''t seem to be as much excitement as ''wasshoi wasshoi''. ''Noooooooo ......, next time!It''s the next time! It''s good to be positive, but ...... it''s hard to be that impressed by coffee in the first place, you know? If Loretta is motivated, that''s fine. Magda, on the other hand, is ...... ''...... whimsy''. ''That''s not true!I''m already able to make a proper brew! She seems to have sulked a little at Loretta''s praise. She wanted to be pampered by Ginette today. She must have missed Ginette a lot the two nights she was away. ''Then, why don''t you cook him some takoyaki? Ginette hadn''t eaten any takoyaki this time. I''m sure he''ll be happy to have it. It''s ......, but... ''I''ve had enough of the ............ sauce smell. ''I don''t want to smell it for a while, either. ......'' ''I''m so full I haven''t even eaten. ............'' ''Oh, I''d ............ and eat myself to death if Magda Tan cooked it. ......'' In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. And Delia laments as if she were saying. ''I want to eat salmon! ''That''s a good idea!I want some too! ''For the first time, I can relate to Delia''s love for salmon. Isn''t it good, salmon? ''............ Delia. Adopted. ''If Magda says so, I''ll eat salmon too! Delia''s ''salmon is good'' comment, usually ignored, is being praised today. You guys ...... really don''t like powdered food. ...... I''m sorry, seriously. ''If that''s the case, I''ll go make a grilled salmon set meal .......'' ''The manager can sit down! ''But, but ......'' ''...... Magda is determined to stay on the manager''s lap. ''Oh, Magda-san, ......I''m glad you feel that way, but I have to get ready for the salmon ......''. Today is Pseudo Mother''s Day. It''s a pseudo-mother''s day. ...... I''ve been taking care of you too. That''s it. I''ll make you some chan chan yaki here.'' ''I agree, Yashiro!I want some!I want to eat chan chan! A bear was caught at great speed. When the sunny pavilion was being remodeled, we had a barbecue on the riverbank to get to know the river fishing guild, and I had made something there. Delia seemed to like it very much, and kept saying ''Let''s do it again! every time. Normally, the preparation and cleanup would be a hassle, but ...... The teppan for okonomiyaki is also available, so it''s good timing. ''But Yashiro-san just came back from the 35th district, so you must be tired. ......'' ''Don''t worry!Yashiro is invincible!What? ''No, he''s not invincible. Delia, who really wants to eat chan chan yaki, takes her place next to me, ready to crush any objections. ''If it''s ......, Magda will make it. ''Magda, stay on the manager''s lap!If the weight is lost, the manager will fly away! ''...... That''s not good. We can''t retreat here.'' ''I''m not that light, am I? Delia''s desperate for some salmon. She looks at the three men in the sunlit pavilion who are trying to get me to rest. It''s okay. It''s not that bad. ''Delia, Norma. I''m sorry, but can you help me?'' ''Yes!I''ll take care of it! ''I can''t do much more than cut up fish, can I? ''That''s all I can do. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san!What about me?Don''t I have to do anything? ''Hmm?What are you talking about? Of course you can''t. Work hard without being told.'' ''Oh, ...... I don''t get the feeling that I''m sorry, that''s why my name didn''t come up earlier. ...... It''s just like Yashiro-san. ...... '' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I headed back to the kitchen with Delia and Norma. Fillet the salmon, chop the cabbage, onions, peppers, and carrots, and trim the beans from the bean sprouts and the pith from the shimeji mushrooms. Mix miso paste with sake, soy sauce and sugar to make miso sauce. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. ''Okay, now all we have to do is grill. Thanks to Norma''s familiarity, the preparation went smoother than I expected. While I was chopping the vegetables and Norma was filleting the salmon, Delia was talking about how healthy the salmon was swimming in the river. ...... Help me with this. ''The griddle is heating up. ''Oh, thank you. Do you have a lid? ''Yes. It''s a good thing I ordered a lid of the same size when I made the teppan, because I thought I could use it for various purposes, such as keeping warm and avoiding dust. The chan chan is steamed and baked. ''It''s so exciting to have a meal prepared for you, isn''t it? With Magda on her lap, Ginette looked at us with a smile. I''m usually the one cooking. Today you''ll have a full meal. We won''t be full while we''re cooking, not today. ''Umaro. Oil on the griddle. ''Yes, sir! ''Then, Delia. Put the salmon, skin side up, in the middle of the griddle.'' ''Here we go! ''Be careful, the oil will splatter. ''Don''t worry!I''ll avoid it. No, you can''t. The salmon flesh is being burned with a buzzing sound. It''s a nice sound. You know it''s good just by listening to it. ''Norma. Turn the salmon over and put the vegetables around it. ''My job will be the most difficult. ''I don''t blame you. I''m the best cook in the group.'' Aside from Ginette, Norma is the best cook. She hasn''t been training to be a bride for very long. Norma is meticulous. She rarely makes mistakes in cooking. In addition, she''s very good at what she does, so you can count on her. ''Well, if it''s ............, I can''t help it. Norma hummed happily as she turned the salmon over. The vegetables are arranged around the salmon in a balanced manner. ''You know... It''s the simple things like this that show how good a cook you are. ''Why, even Delia. Praising her won''t get you anywhere.'' ''Why is there no one to marry me? ''Shut up!It''s not that there aren''t any.I''m just not here for a while. But you don''t have any plans yet, do you? The vegetables, which had been neatly laid out, were then thrown into the air. It''s good to be dynamic, though, isn''t it? ''Here, add this miso sauce .......'' There was the sound of water splashing, and the scent of burning miso permeated the floor. ''Aaah!I can''t stand it! ''Miso and sake have a nice aroma, don''t they? ''Oh, I''m getting hungry at .......'' The maker''s team is in agony, completely covered in steam. I want to enjoy the aroma a little more, but I''ll cover the griddle and steam it for a while. ''It looks delicious. I''m looking forward to it.'' ''I''ll feed it to you at .......'' ''Then I''ll let you eat it! ''Well, ...... let''s eat it ourselves, gentlemen.'' The team at the sunny pavilion seemed to be starting to get excited. Oh no,......, I should have cooked some rice. It''s okay if you don''t have it, but it''s even better if you do. ...... I regret that. I''m not sure what to do.Then I''d like to have a drink. I''ll take it out of your part-time pay. ''Then I''ll have the salmon! No, you''re eating salmon with salmon. ...... ''What do you say? It''s a little early, but it''s time to close the restaurant. I think we should ask for the opinion of the person in charge here. ''Yes, that''s right. ......'' Ginette clenched her jaw as she wrote on her face, ''Let''s close up now. He seems to be thinking about it. But. ''Jeannette. It''s not you.'' ''Huh?'' ''The one in charge today is the assistant manager there.'' Magda curled up on his lap. I told you yesterday and today Magda is in charge of this store. For today only, Magda''s opinion takes precedence over Ginette''s. ''Oh. You''re right. I was careless.'' Ginette sticks out her tongue happily, then looks into Magda''s face and asks again. ''How can I help you, Assistant Manager? ''......Hmm............'' He crossed his arms arrogantly and held his chin with his fingers as he pondered. ''...... You already know the answer. ''......I understand how you all feel. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... Is Magda''s internal clock incredibly accurate? Like some warlord, he tells Umaro to turn the "OPEN" on the table over to "CLOSED". Umaro goes out to the front in joy at Magda''s instruction. ''All right!Let''s eat it while we can! ''Wait a minute!I''ll be right back!I mean, I''m done! He turns back in a big hurry. This guy has a really good reaction that''s worth messing with. ''......I''m afraid that Yashiro-san is going to do it, and not just jokingly. You can''t eat this much in a second. When you open the lid, the aroma of slightly burnt miso spreads. Then, drop in the butter and melt it. ''Wow, the aroma is getting deeper. ''...... I can''t wait to eat it. ''I''ll go get a plate! While Loretta is waiting for her to return, I break up the salmon meat and mix it evenly with the vegetables. Every time I stirred, the aroma of miso came up, and my stomach growled with each stir. Then, let''s eat! '''''''''' ooohhhh! '''''''''' Delia, Norma, Umaro. And Magda and Loretta scream. ''Bon app??tit.'' Ginette clasps her hands together in a polite manner and prays to the spirit gods. I''ll put my hands together, too. I''m not going to pray. Each of us takes a portion as we please and begins to devour it at the appropriate table. Yeah. The miso sauce gives it a nice flavor. ''Another plate! Delia quickly picks up a plate and runs to the griddle. Eat as much as you like. There''s plenty. Magda and Loretta also walked over to the griddle and poured another plate. They must''ve been hungry. They''re disappearing fast. Ginette catches her breath as Magda steps back from her lap. She was a little nervous because she wasn''t used to this. ''Are you okay here? ''Yes. Please.'' With his permission, he sat down across from Ginette. He took the salmon and vegetables into his mouth at the same time, and writhed in agony, holding his cheeks, ''Mmm. Is it that good? You''re smiling so much. ''It''s been a long time since we''ve all had dinner together. ''Yes, it has. Apparently, that''s why he was smiling. Maybe we should make time to have dinner together like this even when we have a restaurant. Maybe not every day, but once a month or so. ''Yashiro!Can I stay here today? ''What? ''I ate salmon and don''t want to move anymore! What kind of feeling is that? ''I''m definitely staying at ...... today, too. ......'' ''Hey, Norma. Are you drunk?'' ''No, I''m not drunk. Oh, no. I''m out of order. Norma must''ve been very tired to get drunk so quickly. ''All right. You can stay here.'' ''I want to stay here too! ''Why not?Think about the number of rooms! ''No!I don''t want to walk anymore! ''Well, well, Yashiro-san. It''s fine. If you split up your stay between my room and an empty room, you can stay in ......'' ''...... stop the manager.'' Magda puckers Jeannette''s lips. Wow, that''s so soft! I want to pinch it. ''...... Magda will be sleeping with the manager today, so you can use Magda''s room.'' ''Huh?But is that okay?I''m more comfortable in my own room. ......'' ''............ together,sleep''. Magda clings to Jeannette with a muffled sigh. She buries her face in his big chest. Wow, they''re so soft! I want to cuddle~. ''Yes. I''ll join you.'' ''............ Mwah! I want to bury my face in Jeannette''s chest and say, ''Mmm! ...... ''Magda. Can I have Loretta with me?'' ''...... Loretta too?'' ''It would be a pity to let Delia and Norma sleep in the same bed, wouldn''t it?'' ''...... Hmm.'' Magda glanced at Delia, then at Norma, and nodded her head. ''...... It''s tight to sleep with big tits.'' I''m not sure what to do. If I had a bed that big, I''d want to sleep in it. In the middle, of course. ''...... Good. Permission granted. ''Yes!We''re all in this together! Loretta''s worked hard the last two days. You''re going to have to indulge her. And you like that, don''t you, Ginette? Okay. See you, Oumalo. ''Yes, sir. ''Have a safe trip home. ''...... Well, I don''t want to sleep in the same bed as Yashiro-san either, but ............ it''s a little hurtful to hear you say that. I know you''ve been working hard. But that doesn''t mean you can''t share a bed with me. Go home. We finished off the remaining chan-chan-yaki and called it a day. I feel like it was a long day. It started with Ukrines'' antennae catsuit, followed by the love theater in District 35, and then the chan chan. I''m already full. I have other things to do tomorrow. Let''s go to bed early today. Incidentally, the reason why Bertina didn''t show up at the party was because she thought that only okonomiyaki was available at the restaurant. Even Bertina gets tired of the smell of sauce after two whole days of smelling it. ...... It''s a new discovery. 206-Later, Tan 34 Launch Practice ''Hey, bro!I''m here! ''It''s my first time in District 42. The Beetleman, Kaburiel, and the Stagman, Markus, arrive together. This is in front of Regina''s store. We asked them to come here to practice throwing fireworks. In the actual event, they would be assisted by a larger group of movers, but it would be difficult to deal with them if they came all at once. I''m going to ask the two leaders to learn the job first, and then they can tell me what they know. ''What the ...... heck, those two were the guests? I''ve been frightened since this morning when I heard that there was a visitor from the 35th district. ...... No, you''re in the customer service business,......, after all. But when they found out that it was Kabriele and her friends who had come, they were a little relieved. Regina had met these two when she first went to District 35. I guess it''s better than not knowing each other at all. ''They''re a pair of guys who hang out in the Mecca of lovers. Don''t look at me like that. ''Tell me the taste of your honey, ......''! Okay, let''s shut up. Rotten pharmacist. ''Oh, hey, bro, ...... there''s that black woman looking at me weirdly, is she someone who doesn''t like ...... variants?'' ''No, no, no. In fact, you''re my favorite race. Also, .......'' I pop Cabriele''s horns like a deco-pin. ''You''re not a subspecies.'' ''Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. That''s right. Bug people.'' Don''t call yourself a subspecies when you''re trying to break that prejudice. From now on you will call yourself the Bug People without subspecies or sub-lineage. In District 35, Lucia is currently pushing for that to happen. However, my random ideas of "beastmen" and "insects" have become quite widespread. Well, if there are people who are happy with it, I''m willing to let them use it. ''''Show us your Bug People,'''' ''''Please don''t, if you do that, my Bug People will be ......'''' .......'''' ''Hey, hey. You corrupt pharmacist. That kind of usage is unacceptable. What''s with the ''my bug people'' ...... Can you please not give me a weird image? ''Well, anyway. There''s no one here who cares about race or anything like that. ''Well, it looks like you''re right. Kabriel said, looking around at the people gathered here. Magda, Delia, and Milly have joined us today. It''s a racially mixed group. ''Oh, there''s the ladybug boy. ''What?Mi......Miri......?'' ''Oh, oh!That''s right, that''s right!It''s you.'' ''Pii............'' A large beetle beckoned Miry to hide behind Regina. The beetle beckons her to hide behind Regina. RPG. Why are they lined up vertically? ''Can you please stop picking on me? ''No, I''m not!That''s not what I''m talking about!I''m into more mature women! By the way, Kabriele''s strike zone was 48 and up. ...... "mature women"?No, an adult is an adult. ...... ''I''ve got a package for you from Lucia-sama. ''What, do you guys do courier services too?'' ''Yes, we do!It''s our job to carry the packages! Kabriele unloads the package on his back, showing off his clenched fists. From a cloth bag shaped like a backpack, a wooden box the size of a tangerine box emerges. The box is branded with the emblem of Lucia''s house. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it.What is ...... it?'' ''Well, I wonder what ...... it is? ''What, what?A message game? Questions are being thrown at me from behind in turn. Is this it?Are you asking me to open it? ''If it''s this size, there''s no way he''s in it. ''Haha, don''t do that, Regina ......, he could do that.'' He comes out of a big box and says, ''I''m the present! or something like that. ......Wow, that sounds like something I would do. ...... But fortunately, this box is too big for even Magda to fit in. It''s not like it''s been compressed into a small package or anything. I open the lid with confidence. ''Whoa. ''What is it? ''Whoa! Regina peeked at the package over my shoulder, and Milly peeked over her shoulder. As soon as she saw what was inside, Millie jumped out from behind Regina behind me and jumped on the crate. ''This is the nectar of the garden: ......'' ''Is that right?'' Inside the crate were countless jars, all lined up tightly. ''How did you know? ''Hmm. It''s got my name on it, and this scent ...... soooo ...... soooo, I remember it.'' Millie''s right, the name of the flower is written on the lid. Perhaps they collected only the nectar and bottled it for us. But the scent ......? I sniffed and sniffed, but I couldn''t smell anything. It''s definitely a sweet smell, but it''s ...... impossible to tell. I''m not sure if this is a characteristic of the bug people or not. I''m not sure if this is a characteristic of the insects or the flower guild,....... I''m sure you''ll be able to make a lot of candy balls with this. Millie gazes at the bottled honey with sparkling eyes, as if looking at a treasure. Making candy canes seems to have become a hobby of hers. She must be having a lot of fun. ''I''m going to talk to Jinetto-san and Nepheli-san, and make the wrapping paper pretty. ''Nepheli? Aside from Jeannette, Nepheli is an unexpected ............, or maybe not. I''m sure you''ll love the cute stuff, Nephrite. Well... So, from Millie''s point of view, Nepheli is a fashionable older sister. If she has the slender, model-like figure that Ukrines praises and a good sense of style,............, the chicken face will finally seem like a pity. I''ll carry you home later if you want. Millie is a little scared when Kabriel talks to her. He quickly hides behind me. It''s so nostalgic. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''Well, I''ll take it for you.'' ''Really?Thank you, Dea-san! ''......Am I that scary?'' Cabriele''s shoulders drooped at the blatant difference. Well, don''t worry about it. Millie''s just shy. It''s not that she doesn''t like you. ''So, what are you going to do now? Leaving the nectar hauling aside for the moment, Delia turns to me. Delia had been staying at the Sunlight Pavilion since last night. I told her that I wanted her to help me first thing in the morning, and she agreed to come with me. ''...... Magda is also very motivated today. Magda, who''s been away from home a lot lately, seems to be getting into the spirit of things. Ginette and Loretta are the only ones working at the store today. I can''t keep Norma and Umaro for more than a few days. Though I''m sure they''d be willing to do it if I asked. Well, as long as Jeannette''s around, the store will run. Loretta''s here, and we''re not going to be gone the whole day. ''Then you don''t mind if we start as planned, do you? ''Yes. I''ll leave that to you.'' ''Okay. Millie-chan. Are you going to help me with this? ''Ah. Hmm. ...... What should I do?'' Regina beckoned to me, and I went to the store with Milly. As we were going to practice fireworks, we took a position a little far from Regina''s store, just in case. ...... I''ll try not to let anything happen to you, though. ''Hey, Yashiro. Millie is Regina''s helper?'' ''Well. There''s that too. ......'' ''...... It''s better to have the Bug People to welcome the Bug People.'' Magda is right, Miry is going to be the mascot for welcoming Cabriele and the others. It''s not so much entertainment, though. I''m also thinking that she''ll be a good companion for Regina, who is extremely shy. I''ve got a lot of work to do here, so I may not be able to give Regina much attention. The only person in the 42nd district who can have a private conversation with Regina is Millie. I''m sure you''ll agree. In the forty-two districts, the subspecies ...... oops, was it the bug people ...... and the humans seem to be getting along just fine. ''In the forty-two districts, this is the norm. ''Haha......, that''s right.......'' Marx couldn''t hide his surprise at the relationship between Regina and Milly. ''Well, at first, I suppose it can''t be helped. But by the end of the day, I don''t think you''ll be thinking about it anymore. ''What are you talking about, Marx? Kabriel smiles like a man and puts his arm around my shoulder. ''Wow, you''re burly. ''We''re good friends now, aren''t we? Hey, bro? ''...... The closer we are, the further apart our hearts are.'' I don''t care what race you are, I don''t want to get too close to a man. Get off me, muscle. They''re hard. ''That''s right, stag!I''m good friends with Yashiro too!That''s normal! Delia clasps her shoulders from the other side, perhaps in response to Kaburiel. Wow, you''re so soft!It''s taut and pliable~! ''Aah! ''d*mn it!Is there a difference between insects and beasts? ''...... different. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''''Ah, .......'''' ''''Hey, don''t convince me! ''''You''re right, but it''s a little embarrassing when you''re convinced! ''''Well, it''s when they start to droop that they really become attractive.'''' ''You have a point, Turnip!But the beginning of the bulge is also good! ''...... Ah. Yashiro has brought in another pervert with a boob connection: ......'' ''Wait, Magda. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Don''t lump me in with the MILF maniacs and the anything-goes maniac duo. I''m not with those who can''t see that defying gravity is a beautiful thing! ''''So. Let me get back to the point. ''...... Magda only brought some spare underwear from the hunting guild. ............ Do you want some?'' ''How far back did you go!That''s the conversation we had the first time we met, isn''t it? ''You''ve gone back too far, Magda! ''Brother ......, you''re talking to such a small girl ......, and you''re talking to her right after you met her .......... ...'' ''Don''t be a donkey, you mature maniac! It''s true that we had that conversation, but it wasn''t my fault. ''Today we''re going to practice setting off fireworks. And I''m going to need Magda and Delia to help me.'' ''...... launch?'' ''To be precise, ''throwing''.'' ''You want me to throw the fireworks? Magda tilted her head to the right and Delia tilted her head to the left. What''s with the two of you shaking your chemo ears? It''s so cute! We''re going to leave the real work to Kabriele and the others, but we don''t know how good they really are. We don''t want to invite them, but have them turn out to be a complete mess. That''s why we''ve prepared two of our "capable" men. Insurance, in short. ''Hey, Omaato-san! With strange words, Regina returns with a wooden box. Inside the box was a ball about the size of a cannonball. ''This is what fireworks are made of. But this time it''s just for practice, so we''ve kept the explosions to a minimum. ''What''s the explosion like? ''Even if it spreads, it''s only about 10 meters. It''s about a tenth of the real thing. You''re throwing it 150 meters into the air. We can''t see it unless it spreads some. ''How long until the explosion? ''Ten seconds. It takes exactly ten seconds from the time you ignite the powder in the fuse to ''boom! Yah. It takes ten seconds for the firework to reach 150 meters in the air, after it is ignited, set, and thrown with great force. That''s pretty tight. It''s ...... kind of scary. ............'' ''Oh,......, I don''t know what an explosion is like,......''. Marx freaked out, and Cabrille also had beads of sweat dripping from her cheeks. I''m not sure what to say. How can it be dangerous if it was made by Jashiro? Delia looks at the scared big guy with a dumbfounded expression. No, I didn''t make it, and even if I did, fireworks are pretty dangerous. ''Well, I''ll throw them first. With great enthusiasm, Delia takes out one of the fireworks from the crate. She plays with it in the palm of her hand and checks the weight of the firework. ...... scary scary. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that the fireworks ignite pretty quickly.Be careful with them. ''But I''ve never thrown anything straight up before, so I can''t ...... get a good feel for it. ''Then why don''t you try throwing it once without lighting it? ''Oh, is that okay?Then ......''. Delia changed her form several times as if she was trying to figure out the best way to throw. After experimenting with different forms, such as the cannonball throwing style, the top throw, and the bottom throw, she settled on the most standard form, where she leaned back and swung her arms down from above. ''ugh~.................. rya! An unignited firework is thrown into the sky. The fireworks roared and flew straight upward, quickly exceeding the limit of what I could see. It''s quiet because they don''t explode. I have no idea what happened to them or how far they flew. I kept looking up at the sky until my neck ached. ............ After a while, the fireworks started to fall. ''Whoa, that''s dangerous!Something''s falling! ''Oh, no!Pick it up, pick it up! The firework flew right above me and fell straight at Delia. ...... Delia avoided it and I had to catch it sliding. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... It was a bad idea. I''m not sure how you did it, really. It''s easier than you think. ''No, no, no, no. ......'' That was just a throw. From now on, you have to adjust the speed and angle of the throw, the time until the explosion, and how to keep throwing at the same altitude continuously. But first and foremost, you have to thoroughly teach them to be careful with ...... handling. ''...... Delia. It''s probably not good enough at its current speed. It won''t reach 150 meters before it explodes.'' ''Is that so?'' ''...... Then it''s too late to go into motion. Ten seconds will pass sooner than you think.'' ''Hmm~ ...... I see. I guess so.'' Magda seemed to have made a detailed analysis of Delia''s throw. As expected, he''s a smart guy who instantly understands what we''re looking for. ''Good!I''m going to throw it again before I forget the feeling I just got!I''ll make it explode properly this time! ''Okay, I''ll give these to the others. Regina hands out a card-like object to everyone. It''s just a card with a hole in the middle. ...... What is it? ''If the diameter of the firework that exploded is the same as this hole, it means that the firework exploded at exactly 150 meters. So you calculated how big the fireworks would appear based on their diameter and the distance of 150 meters. That''s convenient. ''It''s so small. Is it like this? ''The real one is ten times larger than this. It''s very powerful.'' ''I don''t know. ......'' Delia boredly bent her mouth into a crook as she popped the fireworks. So, how to handle it! This guy is a little too lacking in a sense of urgency. It''s really dangerous to mix fire dust, scale dust and light dust. I think I need to remind him of that. ''All right, I''ll throw it then!How do we light it?'' ''If you pick the fuse with your finger and rub it, it will catch fire. ''Haha, that''s easy. Well, let''s light it first. ......'' The fuse is lit. It doesn''t burst into flames, but the fuse slowly turns red and burns slowly. ''...... It''s kind of plain.'' ''Stupid, Delia!Throw it quickly! ''Hmm?Oh, I see. Okay, here we go! The fireworks are lit, and Delia takes a big swing. ...... Your form is different from before, are you okay! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. ............ right next to her. The fireworks shot out with such force that they hit the wall of Regina''s store a few dozen meters away and bounced back. The angle of the fireworks changed slightly upward at an angle, and they turned back in the direction from which they had come. In other words, the fireworks came back ''popping'' like a parabola toward the direction we were in. ''Everyone run! At my signal, the people who had been crowded together scattered and ran away. The people spread out in a doughnut shape, leaving a gaping hole in the center. As if aiming for that space, fireworks fall into it and explode ............. ''Oh, dear! With a tremendous bursting sound, the scales and firecrackers scattered flames, and the light particles sparked over a wide area. The dangerous sparks, up to ten meters in diameter, became a dazzling torrent of light that enveloped the entire area. Then, a moment of silence. Instead of the fireworks that had blown away without a trace, there was a black scorch on the ground. I stood up and shouted with all my might. ''You almost killed me! It seems that Delia was overexerting herself and let go of the fireworks at the wrong time. But the fireworks bounced well,......, though it''s lucky they didn''t explode near Regina''s store. ''Is everyone ...... safe?'' ''I''m surprised you''re okay,.......'' ''Hmm ...... Miry is fine too ............ even though it was scary.'' Magda is standing next to Millie and Regina. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. I''m glad I brought you along, seriously. ''......We''re not just going to throw this thing out there, we''re going to ......''. ''Oh, man, this is bad!I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Cabriele and Marx are sweating from the corners above their heads. I didn''t know that sweat could come out of such places. ...... Strange people. After looking around, it seems that no one was hurt. It''s a good thing I gathered a bunch of physical people. At ....... Delia, the very spark of this catastrophe, is ...... ''............ this is scary ...... fireworks scary ......... ...'' She was crouching on the ground holding her head. No, no, no. I''m scared of you. ''...... It''s just a little hard for Delia to do the math. I knew that from the start. Don''t worry about it.'' Magda pats Delia on the head, comforting her as she crouches. ''...... No, that''s not comforting, is it? ''...... This is where Magda comes in.'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Her eyes are downcast and look at you. ''...... Your arms are as soft as your tits.'' ''I don''t know where you heard that, but it''s not relevant right now. ''...... recommended to look at guns.'' ''Can you throw me a fast one? I''d like to get this over with as soon as possible. A little frustrated, Magda takes a firework out of the crate. He sucks his fingertip into his mouth and raises his damp forefinger above his head. He is looking at the wind direction. ''...... wind is good, ...... go.'' As soon as he says this, Magda picks up the fuse and rubs it. A spark ignites, and the tip of the fuse glows red. ''......10......9............'' He counted calmly and swung slowly in a large motion. ''......7............6'' Magda threw the firework with ''six''. The rapidity is fast, and the friction with the wind makes a high-pitched ''whirr......'' sound. Oh, that sounds like fireworks. ''......3............2......'' Magda continues to count even after the throw is over. And then-- ''......1............zero'' The fireworks exploded at the same time as ''zero''. The count was perfect. It seems that Magda''s internal clock is quite accurate. That''s amazing. ''Yeah. We''re good. This is the best height.'' Regina was measuring the height of the fireworks with a card she made. Apparently it was a perfect altitude. ''I saw ...... Delia''s first pitch and calculated the speed at which the firework flew and the time until it exploded on the second pitch. No, that''s really too much, Magda. ...... ''...... Delia''s failure was not in vain. It made it easier to fine-tune.'' ''Magda ......, did I help you?'' ''...... Of course.'' ''You''re a good guy! Delia jumped on Magda and hugged her. Delia''s large body drapes over Magda''s small body, and they both fall to the ground together, as most people expected. Not content with that, Delia presses her face into Magda''s bosom. It''s the kind of thing you get when you''re being nuzzled by an overly friendly golden retriever. ''...... Delia was there for Magda when she was lonely. For the two days that Jeannette was gone, and while Jeannette and I were in District 35, Delia was there at the Sunny Pavilion. That must have made Magda happy. Come to think of it, Magda was kind to Loretta too, wasn''t she? Maybe Magda has grown up a little. He was now able to spoil her and return the favor in a straightforward manner. ''Alright!I''ll do it again! Overcoming her failure and the fear of a misfire, Delia stood up again. ''Are you okay? ''Yeah!I saw Magda''s and I feel like I can do it!'' I hope I don''t overexert myself again and send her flying in the direction of the day after tomorrow. ...... However, it is quite common that once you see a successful example, you can do it easily. You can''t be fooled by a good example. ''Okay!Regina, give me the fireworks! ''Wait a minute. There''s no point in practicing only with the bear, you know.The real show will be the turnip/quava duo poking and prodding at your upper and lower corners. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to use the site. And don''t tie men together with an "X" without permission. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m not sure what you mean by ''stag beetle''. Marx got a funny nickname. Well, I guess it''s nothing to worry about. ''I''ll show you a good example now! ''No, if it''s an example, the daughter of the tiger tribe over there was just on .......'' ''I''ll show you now!You guys wait until you see my example!Do you understand? ''But hey, we''d like to try throwing one too. ......'' ''''Let''s wash up! ''''............ wash it?'''' Yeah, Delia. Only your raccoons would be scared of that. Look, Kabriele and Markus are puzzled, and they''re looking at me like, ''What''s going on? They''re looking at me like. ''That''s not good. Hey, it''s faster to just throw him over. ''Hmm ......, Ria, you hate to lose, don''t you? Regina gives up and hands over the fireworks. It takes a lot of time and effort to make one of these. I''m sure you don''t want to get shot for nothing. ...... I mean, please don''t make them explode on the ground. That''s what I''m worried about. Let''s go!Let''s go! Delia is the only one with a satisfied look on her face. She puts her arms around herself and sets off the fireworks. All the members present, including me, move away from Delia at once. ''Hey, what''s going on?Why are you running away? Because I''m scared! My hippocampus isn''t worn out enough to forget the tragedy that just happened. ''Hey, ............, I''ll do better this time. ''If it flies up properly, I''ll come by!Just throw it! I give Delia the go-ahead, keeping a good distance. With a look of disapproval on her face, Delia lights the fuse. She then holds up the firework in a similar motion to Magda. ''Ten, nine, eight, seven......'' Then, imitating Magda, she began to count. ...... Fast, fast!Obviously fast! Delia had always been a forward-thinking person, and this count really showed how she lived her life. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... If the count was accurate, you''d have a huge explosion on your hands, wouldn''t you?It''s a good thing I''ve lived a sluggish life. It saved your life. The fireworks that Delia shot off went straight up into the sky. They move away quickly and are out of sight in the blink of an eye. And ...... ................... A small sound rang out in the distance, far away in the sky. ''You''re flying too fast! ''What''s with the gutless fireworks?You''ve got to hold on a little! ''Don''t be reckless. ......'' After all, Delia might not be able to adjust or fine-tune things. ''Okay!This time! ''I can''t do this anymore!I can''t let her waste any more shots! ''What the hell!It''s okay, it''s not decreasing. ''It''s decreasing!You''re losing a lot! ''I have to set an example for them! ''That''s enough!I''m more than enough of a ''bad example''! ''What the hell?You should tell her that! I''m not sure what to do.What? I''ll be back. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ...... Oh. I never thought I''d be stuck in a place like this. ............ ''......Yashiro. You should successfully shut Delia up and start practicing for the show.'' ''I know, .......'' ''Magda''s probably worried about the store too. It implies that she should leave early and go home. Good grief. ...... ''Regina. How many fireworks did you see at Delia''s earlier?'' ''I don''t know. ...... Well, it was a rough estimate, but ............ it was about 600 meters high.'' 600 meters ............I''m genuinely impressed with your strength. 600......600 or .................. okay. ''So, that was the launch altitude of the three-shaku-dama. ''Sanshaku-dama?'' The bear''s ears fluttered. ''Yes, Delia, listen to me carefully. ''Sanshaku-dama is like the parent of the fireworks in my hometown. ''Oh, you''re the master?That looks strong! ''Yeah, it''s strong!After all, it''s ten times as big as the fireworks we''re about to set off. ''Ten times bigger?That''s awesome! ''In other words, that''s it. Delia set off a firework as big as ............''s.'' ''What, is that amazing ............? ''Of course it is. After all, it''s the master! ''Oh .................. I see. ......... ......... Haha!I see!I guess I''ve raised my master! ''Well, this time I went beyond the standard of ordinary people, so I ended up like this. ''Nah, it can''t be helped!I''m at the level of a master, after all! Delia laughs gaily. It seems she''s taken the bait well. In short, Delia just hates to lose, but she doesn''t really care. She was just frustrated by the fact that Magda had succeeded and she had failed. Then, let''s pretend that the success was even greater than Magda''s. In the first place, the fireworks were an exercise to measure height and speed. It is enough if they fly straight up and explode in the sky. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. But Delia is not like that. All that matters is that you leave feeling good. This simple and straightforward nature is one of Delia''s strong points. When she smiles and laughs happily, the people around her become cheerful. Delia should be in such a position. She''s not good at dividing things up. Her sense of responsibility is so great that she cries and chews on the spicy chicken, which she hates. ''Alright!Beetles and stag beetles!Try throwing them as well as I do! ''Oh, yeah, ............, I''ll do it in moderation. ''I''m starting to think I can do it easily. I''m not that clumsy. ......'' It''s a little too simple for my taste. Delia is in a good mood, Kabriele and Markus can start practicing early, and Regina doesn''t have to waste time shooting. It''s all good. It''s all in the use of words, isn''t it? Now that we''ve got that out of the way,............, I thought. ''...... Magda can fly even higher and farther than Delia''. ''No, Magda ......?'' ''...... earlier was the result of ''deliberately'' suppressing the force so that it would explode at just the right height. You can''t beat that for distance. ......'' I was careless. ...... There was another person here who was extremely competitive: ...... It was a bad idea to compliment Delia in such a nuanced way that she was the greatest ....... ''...... Regina. Bring all the fireworks you can. ''Yourself ...... responsible? Regina''s gaze stung me. I don''t know why it''s stinging me. Well, it''s hard to say, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ll agree. ............ Good grief. 207-What 35 Yashiro wants to make at a later date. ''Yashiro-san ...... that, how do you say ............ big .......'' ''Well...'' In the sunlit pavilion, a huge base towers above. The main body has not yet been made. ''Are you really going to make a cake this big? ''Oh, yes. Well, most of it is made to look big on the base, but ...... even so, we''ll be making something bigger than a normal cake.'' ''Oh ............''. The pedestal on which it was placed was well over Ginette''s height. ''This is the ...... wedding cake......'' ''Hammaro''s calling Bertina and Nephrite right now. They''ll be here soon.'' It''s a new cake that we''ve never made before, so we''re asking Bertina to decide if there''s a problem. Besides, a wedding cake is a big cake unlike any other. We should be more careful with unorthodox things. ''Eggs and sugar are also essential for the cake, and I thought I''d call the producers. ''Huh?Then shouldn''t you have gone to ...... call Percy-san too? ''Oh, no problem, no problem. ''Oh, that''s okay. ...... Percy, if you call Neffery, he''ll come with you. It''s an absolute accessory, more than a mail order forced present. ''Yashiro-san! The first to arrive was, as I suspected, ...... Bertina. When I heard that she was going to make a huge cake, I thought she would rush in, no matter what she had to throw away. ...... As expected, ............ ......What? ''What''s wrong with you, Bertina? ''......What''s wrong with you, Bertina?'' ''It''s not ...... what''s wrong with you. I was expecting her to come in with glittering eyes like a dog that has found a bait,......, but Bertina''s expression was hard and stern. What''s wrong with that? ''I''ve heard about you. I heard that you make unusual cakes. ''Oh ...... oh ....... I''m going to ...... ............ have a problem with that?'' ''Yes, there is. Isn''t it obvious? Bertina leaned in closer. The dignified tone of her voice was somewhat harsh, and I felt as if I were being scolded. What is it? If it''s too big, will the church take notice? Was there a rule about size? ''Surely. The food that Mr. Yashiro creates is all delicious, bizarre, and wonderful. But ......, as expected, I can''t overlook this cake.'' ''So, is that so...... the reason?'' ''Do I need to explain the reason ............? What? Is it really that impossible? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. When their eyes met, they shook their heads in panic. What is it? Even Jeannette doesn''t know the reason why wedding cakes are not allowed,......, and what it is,....... I''m not sure what to say.What are you trying to do? I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to say. What is it? These guys even have a grim face. ...... ''I am, Yashiro. I''m willing to support most things that Yashiro does. But not this one. You''ve crossed the line! ''Hey, hey, hey, ...... Neffery! Nephrite came at me, snorting. I''m forced to retreat under the pressure. But then Bertina joins in, and I''m trapped in the back of the store. ''You''re the manager too, you''re the manager! ''Huh?Is it me? ''Yes, it is!There''s nothing I can do about you being an ''ah''!But when it goes too far, you have to stop it, right?Isn''t that what friends are for? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Percy is snapping at Jeannette. What''s going on here? What the hell is going on? d*mn ....... If Magda and Loretta had been there to see what was going on at the stall, maybe they could have given us an objective view of the situation. ...... ''......Yashiro'' I''m not sure if my prayers were answered or not, but the guy I was hoping would be there--Magda--just came back. But ............ you''re lying, right? Even Magda had a difficult look on her face. ''...... Magda, you too? ''...... I heard from Hammaro.'' Hammaro...... That''s right. This situation only came about when Hammaro went to call these guys. ...... Remember. What happened then? What did I say? It took us until late afternoon to make the base for the wedding cake, and when we returned to the store, only Jeannette and Hammaro were there. Magda and Loretta were on their way to supply the stall. And when I brought the base into the store, ...... Ginette asked me, ''What''s that? She asked. ...... So I told her about the wedding cake. To Ginette and Hammaro. I made a huge cake, and the bride and groom cut it together for the first time. ............ Both Jeannette and Hammaro said, ''That''s wonderful,'' and their eyes sparkled. Then I asked Hammaro to gather the people involved and ............ There''s nothing strange about it. ............ What the hell is wrong with you? ''...... I''m sure Loretta will be back with Hammaro soon. I want you to explain it to me then. ''Theory ...... Ming? ''......What was Yashiro trying to make this time ............ and explain it to me.'' In Magda''s voice, Bertina, Nepheli, and even Percy nodded their heads in clear agreement, ''Yes, yes. What I was trying to make this time was ...... I just wanted to make a wedding cake ............ ''I''m back ......''. Magda''s ears twitched and she turned to look out the door. True to her word, she could hear tremendous footsteps coming from behind the door. Soon after, Loretta came running into the store, bloodied. --She shouted these words. ''Big brother!Is it true that you''re going to make nipple cakes? ''I''ll make it! '''''''' What?You''re not going to make it? ''''What? Magda, Bertina, Nephrite and Percy were all surprised, as were myself and Ginette. What is it then? You all thought I was going to make a nipple cake? ''Do you think I''d make something like that? '''''''''' think '''''''''' ''Oops!I''m not happy at all, trust me!'' Ginette seemed to have no choice but to let out a giggle at this. ''I''d like to complain about my migraine,'' she said. ''But how did you come up with that ......'' As if to interrupt Jeannette''s words, ''Bam! The door was thrown open,...... and the source of all evil returned home. ''You''re the cause of the cake! ''You''re the cause, Hammaro! ''Hammaro?'' Hammaro''s innocent face tilts to the left. Hammaro''s innocent face tilted to the left and he let out a sound like ''Oh? ''Look!That''s what Hammaro says!''My brother is going to make a teat cake! ''...... Speaking of "teats", that means "nipples"...'' ''What are you saying with your crisp face, Magda?It''s not a good idea for a girl to talk like that. ''......But when it comes to teats, that''s what ......say. ''''''I can''t ............ say that! Bertina, Nepheli and Percy were about to say it, but stopped just in time. ''''Oh, my God!Magda, ....... ''''Hey, don''t try to make me say something weird! ''...... Weird?What, is Neffery''s really that weird?'' ''No, it''s not weird!That''s rude! ''......, proof. ''I''m not showing you. ''......! ''Yashiro!You''re the one who made Magda go crazy! ''It''s not my fault. ......'' Magda has always had more than enough ''qualities''. You just don''t know it. ''So, Yashiro-san,......, what is that,............, exactly what is it?If it''s not something strange, I''d like you to explain it to me. Bertina slurred her words. You think it''s a complete teat. ...... ''It''s ''enter the sword'' for ''insert the sword''. We''re going to cut it, both of us.'' ''...... cut the teats?'' ''Let''s get off my tits, Magda! Hearing my words, Magda took a half step away from me. ...... Who are you treating like a tit, dude? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''ll just take a stab at it and then I''ll cut it up myself. ''Why do you have to do that?Why don''t you have Jeannette do it from the beginning? You don''t understand, Neffery. ...... ''It''s the first time two newlyweds have to work together as husband and wife. ''Oh ......'' He looked like a pigeon that had been hit by a peashooter,...... rather than a pigeon that had been hit by a peashooter,...... and Nepheli held his mouth, looking like a pigeon. ''Our ............ first time working together ...... at a wedding ......''. ''Yes. With your friends and relatives looking on.'' ''............ lovely.'' ''Here, here!Well, then, Mr. Neffery, I''m sure you''ll be able to do that ......someday,......something like that ......something like that,......something like that! ''Percy, shut up. If you can''t propose clearly, don''t talk. You''ll get burned badly if you do it half-heartedly. ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. May I?'' Bertina regained her composure after hearing what I had to say. She raises her hand in a reserved tone and asks for confirmation. ''In other words, you want to make a normal cake? ''Yes. It''s just a little bit bigger. Then he pats the pedestal on the table. Then, everyone''s gaze falls on the huge pedestal, and at the same time, their heads tilt back and they roll their eyes at the size of the pedestal. Everyone seems to be surprised at the size of the pedestal with their mouths hanging open. ''Because it''s a different size. Do you want me to check if there''s any problem in terms of the church? ......'' ''No problem, sir!Come on, let''s make it!Let''s make it now!And let''s eat! Bertina''s eyes widened in anticipation. The others are nodding their heads in anticipation. No, no, no. ...... ''I''m not cooking today, okay? '''''''''' What the hell? '''''''''' ''You can''t make a cake this big that many times!We''re meeting today to make a cake this size! ''............ I''ve lost the will to live.'' ''Be strong in your heart, church people! I thought your heart was in the spirit gods! You can''t put your fate in a cake! ''''Oh, sir!Then how about we all have a meeting over shortcake, even though the size is normal?'''' ''Ginette. ...... I''m so proud of you.'' ''Praise be!I feel like eating cake too. ''I agree with you, Neffery! ''...... If the manager says so, I have no objection. ''I like shortcake! ''It''s a unanimous favorite. ''...... you guys''. Not only Bertina, but also Nepheli, Percy, Magda, Loretta and Hammaro became the victims of the cake. And Ginette looked at me like, ''No? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ............ I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. ...... ''...... All right, all right. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''Yes, sir!'' Ginette nodded happily and walked lightly to the kitchen. ''Oh, and coffee for me. ''Yes, sir. I know, I know. ''Ah!Yes, yes!I''ll make coffee for you, big brother.I''ve already learned! ''At ......, Magda will be in charge of feeding the cake.'' ''Magda. That''s not part of our job description.'' ''In ......, I''ll serve you takoyaki.'' ''No, I''ll eat the cake. ......'' I''m sure Magda would like to do something,......, but for now, please be quiet. Ginette and Loretta entered the kitchen, and soon cake, tea, and two coffees made by Loretta were served. Jeannette also seems to be drinking Loretta''s coffee. ''Loretta''s coffee is also delicious, isn''t it? Well, I think I''ve learned to drink it. Not quite there yet, if you ask me. It''s quite a sight to see the cake spread out and all the faces in the line turn happy all at once. Waiting for everyone to take a bite or two, I give an overview of the wedding cake. It is said that it is the first time for a couple to work together and that it is meant to be a way to share happiness. It is often said that in some Greek mythology, two people in love shared a piece of bread and ate it together. ...... or something like that. I''m going to tell you a lot of stories that girls would love to hear. ''So, let''s make a big cake anyway. ''Challenge the limits of your stomach...'' ''Yeah. That''s not what I''m talking about, Hammaro. It''s not like I''m eating it alone. ''It''s a battle for the sweet treats! ''Don''t fight over it!I''ll give them away! ''Bribes are the way to go, backroom deals! ''We''ll share equally! I could tell that Hammaro didn''t understand what he was saying. He wants to eat a big cake, that''s what he''s thinking about. ...... Children. ''Yashiro-san,......, are you allowed to carry a weapon in the fight?'' ''What the hell are you talking about, Sister? ''I''m not very confident in my arm strength. ......'' ''I''ll hand them out!You can eat equally! ''How about we make twenty cakes of this size? ''They won''t fit in the hall!And if we make that many, the chickens will go on strike. How many eggs are you going to make me use? There''s a finite amount of wheat and sugar. ''Then go to a bigger ......! ''So, in short, there''s nothing wrong with making a big, substandard cake, is there, Church-wise? ''No, sir. Even if there were, I would crush it. In the name of the sisters! In the name of the sisters, don''t let any injustice go unnoticed. Well, I guess there''s no problem. I was just asking to make sure, since it seems there''s a rule about how much bread to make in a week. I''m sure there''s no problem in baking at the sunny pavilion. I''m not sure if it''s a longing for marriage, but Nepheli muttered with an enraptured expression. But ...... ''Can you put "cake" in front of "sword"?It sounds like you''re talking about nipples.'' ''Teats are nice,'' he says: ...... ''But there are nicer teats ...... that are yours,'' you''d think he''d want to be told. ''Hmm?What''s that, Percy? ''It''s nothing! ...... You''re a slacker. Don''t open your mouth if you can''t do it. ''But if it''s this big, my knife won''t be able to cut it. ''Oh, you''ll need a knife for that. ............ Oh, shoot.'' I didn''t order a long, straight knife for the cake. I don''t care how sharp it is, as long as it sticks in the cake. The most important thing is that it looks good. ''Maybe I''ll go ask Norma tomorrow. ''Onii-chan, old people''s information! ''...... Did you mean to say ''old people''s information'', Hammaro?'' I don''t even want old people''s information. ...... ''I''m going to make sure I get your message right! ''No, I''m not.'' Loretta chokes Hammaro, who is very enthusiastic. ''Whoa!My sister''s special skill, ''guessing''! ''I don''t have such a special skill!There''s no point in guessing for you! Then who can you find the meaning of guessing? ...... You can guess me anytime you want. ''You gave us a weird misunderstanding. I don''t know what to say. They nodded their heads in agreement with Loretta. But,......, wait a minute. I''m sure your hasty thinking is one of the reasons. ...... All right, that''s enough, you guys. Come on out. ''I can ............ do it right, ............? ''No, you can''t. It''ll only make things worse.'' ''I can ...... do ......, and you can ............? ''Ugh ......, you''re crying .....................'' ......... glimpse''. Don''t look at me, Loretta. If you can''t be hard on your brother, you shouldn''t have done it in the first place. ...... ''Oh ...... that ............ Yashiro-san ...... glimpse''. Ginette, you too. They''ve got a very soft spot for kids. ...... ''Okay, okay. I''ll explain it to you. So Hammaro. You go get Norma here.'' ''I''ll do it!I''m good at that kind of thing! Hammaro''s face lights up. So simple, really. And as Hammaro cheers up, Loretta and Jeannette''s faces light up as well. ...... You guys are simple, aren''t you? ''ugh. ......Yashilo-san has a soft spot for children, doesn''t he? Bertina says something misguided. It''s Jeannette and the others who are sweet, not me. If anything, I''m the one who doesn''t like kids. They''re noisy, they don''t understand language, they can''t think theoretically, they''re selfish, and they''re ............ always going to be listened to. ''Well, then, Mr. Hammaro. I''m looking forward to working with you. ''The manager''s salad is up to you! ''It''s not a ...... salad.'' Jeannette sends Hammaro off gently. ''My first time! ''No, you''ve been on many trips to the store, haven''t you? Does the previous one count? A free man unbound by the Spirit God. As Hammaro ran out of the sunlit pavilion, we decided to take a break. We ate some cake and talked about trivial things to pass the time. --Then, suddenly... ''Yashiro''s here, isn''t he? Norma bursts into the sunlit pavilion with a scary look on her face. ''Yashiro, you!How dare you ask me to make a knife for your nipples so that we can all watch our first joint work? ''What did you tell him, Hammaro? What did you tell him, Hammaro? Then I repeated the same explanation to Norma. What a waste of time. ...... It''s nothing but a waste of time. ...... But still... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m not saying I''m going to refrain. 208-Later, Tan 36 approaches other ward lords ''Yashiro . Can you take a look at this for me?'' ''Oh, ......, that''s a new fake pie. It''s two tenths of a millimeter thicker than the last one.'' ''What are you looking at?What I want you to look at is this document ............ how can you tell, it''s on my clothes! You idiot. I know that much! What I don''t understand is why you''re still planting fake pies. ''I was in the 35th district today. At Lucia''s call, the lords of the 35th to 42nd districts gathered together.'' ''You''ve just returned?'' ''Yes, I am. I wanted to let you know right away.'' ''''They didn''t find out?'''' ''I''m not talking about the fake pie! The sun had completely hidden its face and the room was lit by the soft glow of the lantern flame. I''m now in the small reception room that I was shown into when I first visited the lord''s mansion. It''s probably time for dinner to be served at the Sunlit Pavilion. ...... Sorry, I''ve been away again. ''You''re the one who asked for a parade from District 35 on the day of Wendy''s wedding, aren''t you?I''ve been trying to get permission for that. ''Oh!You got the permission? I want to take a carriage from Wendy''s house to the church in the forty-second district and have it move in a lively parade-like manner. That''s what I was talking to Estella and Lucia about. It would not be a private affair, but a public announcement. I told them that marriage between humans and insects was a normal thing, and that it was such a wonderful thing. It is difficult to reform the consciousness that has been ingrained deep in our minds. So you have to paint over it. Overwrite. Paint over the idea that interracial marriage is normal, that it''s nothing to worry about, that it''s a normal thing. By doing so, some of them will be saved. Fortunately, there''s no one in this town who''s bloodthirsty. I don''t know about the nobles. There aren''t any madams who say, ''You must have the right bloodline to be my boy''s wife! I can''t say there aren''t madams like that. Leaving such exceptions aside for the moment, let us ordinary people enjoy our lives in a more relaxed and carefree manner!--That''s what I''m going to do. ''Thanks to Lucia''s persuasion, the lords of the 34th to 39th districts have readily agreed. ''People in power are weak against their superiors. ''That''s the kind of society the nobles live in. She let out a self-mocking chuckle and loosened her neck as if she was having trouble breathing. Estella really doesn''t look like a noble except for her blood. In a good way. ''I''m glad you''re the lord of this place. ''Huh? I thought so honestly. For example, if the lords of the 42nd district were Lucia or Ricardo, ...... I might not have stayed in this town this long. The existence of the sunlit pavilion is also a big factor, but ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''ve been able to do a lot of things with you. ''What''s with you all of a sudden?It''s not like Yashiro to be so honest,............, isn''t there something more to it? ''I was just encouraging you to work hard, even planting fake pies. ''The fake pie has nothing to do with this! Estella barked, hiding the foreign object in her chest. d*mn it. Who do you think you''re showing your fake breasts to in the first place? Whose opinion do you care about? ''Is there anyone among the lords who would favor you based on the size of your breasts? ''You''re the only person I know who thinks like that. ''Then don''t bother with it! ''I have pride too! Get rid of that false pride! ''If you want to impress me with your breasts, just throw out your raw breasts. If you want to make a statement with your breasts, throw out your raw breasts, and even I will think, ''Oh, wow! ''...... If you go to the council of lords looking like that, you''ll be plucked out immediately. ''Plucking...... eh,tsk......'' ''It''s a war if they pick you up there! This is the later "Chick-Pick War". ...... No. This is something that should not be left in history. Yeah. War is not good, after all. ''It''s ...... unusually honest,'' I thought, and then I saw this: ......'' That''s what I''m talking about. This is the honest me, isn''t it? ''I don''t want you to only be honest about your breasts! ''I like your ass too. ''...... I''ll pick it out.'' Estella''s eyes are serious, so I hold her nipples in my clothes for now. At the same time, Estella pressed her temples and let out a long breath. What the hell, you tried to pick it up. ''...... Anyway, look at the materials. We need to decide on a route for the parade.'' ''Can we use the main street? ''It''s going to be difficult.'' ''What?Why?'' ''Because there are so many people. We can''t just shut it down, can we?'' ''Oh, ............ what a mess.'' Like in Shakespeare''s play, I hold my head over my head and look up to the sky. The lords of this city don''t know what they''re doing. ''It''s because there are so many people that we use the main street. Why do we have to choose the less crowded streets? Publicity is to be shown to people. It is only by publicizing that it becomes an opportunity to paint over the deep-rooted discrimination and victim consciousness. The bigger the publicity, the more people see it, the more effective it will be. If the majority of people think, ''Do you still care about that? the atmosphere of the city itself will change. ''Besides, using the boulevards is good for the lords of the districts. ''Is that so? Perhaps the lords are thinking, ''We''ll allow you to use our streets. But you should think this way. ''Please come through our boulevard. ''If we have a parade, people will gather to watch, right?If people come, there will be business there. ''You mean the people who set up store on the main street make a profit?In our case, it''s Cantalucia. ''You can''t watch the parade if you''re in a store. ''Then you can''t make a profit. You''re a very bad judge of character. ''See, don''t you remember?There was a parade down a long road, and a lot of people came to watch it. ''A procession? ''The people who came to see the procession were having a good time with food in their hands, right? ''Ah!A festival! Yes. It''s a festival of light to show gratitude to the spirit gods that used to be held in the forty-two districts. ''So Yashiro wants us to set up food stalls in the main streets of each district, just like at the festival. ''The boulevards will be lined with stores, so we''ll set up our stalls so that they face each other. It''s like creating a small road at both ends of a main street, sandwiched between existing stores and stalls. In Japan as well, places that hold fairs across a large roadway use such a method. If you leave a little space between the stalls, you can watch the parade from between them. You can also set up a wide space for spectators. ''The mere fact that the parade will pass by is not enough to keep people coming before and after it passes by. Don''t you think that''s a waste of time when people come here? ''...... Indeed. The parade is the only thing that keeps me there. ......'' ''Those who really want to see it might get there early to get a spot. ...... But then, if you have content that they can enjoy, they''re more likely to drop money, right? ''Eat something delicious while you wait. ...... Yeah. That''s a good idea. That''s good. It''s good for profits and good for the spectators. Two birds with one stone.'' ''And a portion of those profits will go right into the lords'' pockets. ''...... doesn''t sound like a good idea, does it? ''But it is, isn''t it? ''Isn''t it common knowledge that if you do occasional business on the main street, you will be charged a certain amount of tax? ''See, you''re lining your own pockets. ''It''s order, that''s what it is!...... Be careful how you say that. Well, being able to pay your taxes properly is proof that you''re a decent businessman. It''s necessary, isn''t it? ''Convince the lord along those lines and get him to allow you to pass through the main street at any cost. ''Me?'' ''I can talk him into it. ''Oh, wait!Some of the lords of the other districts are difficult people, so ...... Yashiro will definitely get into trouble. Thank you for your tremendous trust. I''d rather go wake them up, trouble? ''If you can, it would be nice if you could decorate the main street in a big way to create an ''extraordinary'' feeling. ''Unusual feeling''? ''When exposed to an unusual atmosphere, ............ people tend to loosen their purse strings.'' ''It''s true ...... that sometimes you scare me, I do. You''re so knowledgeable and accurate. ......'' I feel like I''ve been told something rude. This kind of thing should be common knowledge. I''m just reiterating what everyone has experienced and is familiar with. ''If Yashiro had been a saint with a volunteer spirit, this world would have been a better place to live. ''Ha-ha-ha!What are you talking about, Usagi? ''Usa......! I''m a volunteer? Not at all. In the first place, a world in which the majority of people think that they should be treated well by someone else cannot be a "wonderful world. --I was going to say something like that, but... For some reason, Estella froze with a bright red face. I''m not sure why Estella froze with a red face. No, I didn''t say ''chan''. ''Bo, I''m as cute as a bunny,'' ............, ''Yashiro, you''re acting strange today! You''re the one who''s weird. When did I say you were cute? I''m flattered by the compliment, though!Look, rabbit apples are cute. ............ What?I don''t think it was meant to be like a rabbit apple, like "I''m going to eat you." .................. Wow!I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Although there is not a trace of elegance. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... There''s still a lot of depth to this other world. ''Relax. It''s like a play on words in my hometown. I''m not going to eat you or make you smooth and floppy. ''A play on words?How is that a play on words?'' ''That''s you, .............'' ...... What''s with the play on words? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. What''s the origin of the word? Oh, shit!I wish I had the internet so I could look it up! d*mn it!I''m so confused! ''This is the one! There is a kind of unpleasantness ...... that seems to be stuck in my chest, sticking and clinging to me. In order to get rid of the unpleasantness that is accumulating around there, I try to rub my breasts with both hands. I wonder if rubbing them will bring them out? ''It''s bothering me, isn''t it, Yashiro!You''re not horny, are you? ''Yeah, d*mn it!I''m almost out of here! ''Where are you going to get it from?I don''t care how much I squeeze your breasts, nothing will come out! I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to stop trying to remember where the rabbit came from. ...... I think it was a nursery rhyme or something. ............ Oh!That''s right!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure.I feel so refreshed! ''You''re relieved!It''s too late for that, isn''t it, Yashiro? Hmm? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s Estella. Estella is an unfortunate girl and she often makes incomprehensible misunderstandings. It''s not the first time. Okay, let''s just let it go. ''Hey, Estella. Can we get back to the point instead of doing something stupid? ''I''m pretty sure you''re the one who''s been acting like an idiot. What are you talking about? You suddenly said, ''I''m as cute as a bunny!Oh no!I''m going to get eaten!'' That''s how it started. If you blame everything on others, you will become a narrow-minded person and your boobs will shrink as a result of your small-mindedness. ''So, what were we talking about? ''You''re talking about your boobs shrinking.'' ''I wasn''t talking about that, and my breasts aren''t going to shrink!They''ll only grow! You said it like a man. If they don''t grow, I won''t be able to complain even if I''m turned into a frog. ''Weren''t we talking about setting up stores on the main streets of each district and decorating them to create an extraordinary atmosphere? ''Oh, yeah, that''s right. That''s what I was talking about. ''But it sounds difficult to explain. The lords of the districts have never seen a festival stall before. I can explain what it is and what effect it can have. It is possible to explain, but seeing is believing,......, and it will be difficult to explain verbally. ''So you see, Estella... I''ve got a great idea...'' ''Wow, ...... you have a face that smells of money in plain sight. ............ What are you going to make me do now?'' The understanding Estella quickly gave up and prepared to listen to me. That''s good, Estella. I''m sure your honesty will bring you great benefits in time. ''Would you please speak to the lords of the districts so that we can have a demonstration?'' ''Demonstration?You''re actually going to set up a stall? That''s right. Seeing is believing. If you actually show it to them, it will be more convincing than anything else. ''But what about the exhibitors?Don''t tell me that all the people in the forty-two districts are going to go around to each district?Besides, it takes time to set up a store. ...... How many days will it take to visit all 35 wards? ............'' ''I don''t think we need to set up a full-scale stall. If you set up one or two stalls and tell them that the rest will be lined up in a row, they can imagine it, can''t they? ''Even if it''s just one or two stalls, it''s still going to be a ...... large group with large carriages to carry the stalls and materials, carpenters to assemble them on site, and of course vendors and cooks,'' he said. ''What are you talking about? There are ''good things'' in the 42nd district. ''Good things''? You don''t have to carry or assemble the materials for the stall, you can carry the materials along with you, and you can go and start selling right away. ...... ''Ah!Sunshine Pavilion No. 2 and No. 7! That''s right. That''s right. There are two stalls of the Sunlit Pavilion. If we load up those stalls with different dishes and pull them out, we can open a restaurant with just the members of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. If we make popcorn and okonomiyaki on the spot and show them, we can expect to get quite a few customers. After all, at one time it was the mainstay of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. ''............ means that''. She reacted as if she had come up with something unpleasant. ''You want me to go to the lords of each district and ask for permission to sell on the main street ......? ''Yes! ''...... ''Yeah! It''s not ...... an innocent face and another reckless request. ............ We just had a meeting today and finally got their approval to sell outside the main street. I''ve just had a meeting with them today and they finally agreed to do it ......''. ''Hey. They''ll jump on it if they know it''ll benefit them. The aristocrats are all nasty people who are sensitive to the smell of money, right? ''...... I''m an aristocrat too, you know? I know you''re not stingy with your money. I know you''re not mean about money, you''re only mean about the ''error'' on your chest. ''I''m a little fuller'' or ''I''m a little lower, so my cup must have gone up! Or . ''I''ll send a letter anyway, but ............ you won''t necessarily get a response right away. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I have negotiated with the 40th and 41st districts so far, and most of the time it has been a win-win situation. That''s why they responded quickly and it was relatively easy to meet with them. This time, however, it was a one-sided request from me, asking to be allowed to pass by the road. For the other party, it may be treated as a second or third request. ''Hmmm ...... is there a more efficient way to get them to comply with your request ......''. ''Don''t do anything too crazy, okay?If you''re not careful, you''ll lose the parade itself. I don''t mean to do anything crazy, but ...... the right way is not going to get us anywhere. ............ ''Yashiro-sama, Estella-sama. May I have a word with you?'' Following the sound of knocking, Natalia enters the room. ''Natalia, ...... I''m your master, but ...... why do you have to go first, Yashiro?'' ''In order of breasts.'' ''In order of size, of course! ''By the way, Yashiro-sama, may I have a word with you? ''Please don''t ignore me!It''s quite vain to experience loneliness through conversations like this! He left Estella alone and listened to Natalia''s story. ...... At all. When Estella opens her mouth, all she does is talk about her breasts. Yeah. I guess I''ll just go through it. ''To tell you the truth, there is someone here who would like to meet you, Master Yashiro. ''Me? Why would a guest of Yashiro come to my house? That''s true, but it''s also time. It''s night. There''s no one worth .................. visiting me at this hour. ''May I invite you in? ''No, send him away. ''I can''t do that, sir. It''s diplomatic. ''Diplomatically? ............ Oh. No way. ''I''m here to keep my word, I''m... My friend Yashiro.'' ''...... I knew it was you, Gilberta.'' I thought your promise was to come stay with us sometime. That''s strange. ...... I said ''invite''. ...... ''If he''s coming at this time, he must be planning to stay the night. Estella, too, analyzed the situation with some dismay. ...... Well... ............ I''m sure you''ve got the proper permissions this time. ......... I''m not sure if he''ll give you permission,................ ''Hmm?Wait, ............ could it be?'' If I''m a good judge of character, ............ this could be our chance. ''Estella. Maybe we''re on to something.'' ''Huh?Gilberta''s coming to stay with us, huh?'' ''Yeah. Gilberta brought someone with her.'' ''Yeah,............, no, no way,......, no matter how much you want to,.......'' Estella was on the verge of saying something, but when her eyes met mine, she stopped talking. I''m sure you''ll agree.You know what? You think so too, don''t you? You''re probably thinking, ''There''s no way he''s going to send Gilberta to me alone. ''So, Lucia. I have a favor to ask you. ''I don''t have the right to do what you''re asking, do I? I threw my voice over the door, and as expected, Lucia ...... came into the room with a look of obviousness. I knew you were following me,....... ''Yashiro...... I thought you were somewhat of an insane thinker,............, but it seems I''m in the minority here now. I think I''m in the minority here. ............ The idea of a lord staying out overnight on a whim is way beyond my comprehension. ......... ... hahaha''. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. In the event that things go according to my plan, the districts will make a lot of money, people will have a happy time, humans and insects will have a deeper bond, and Gilberta will be very happy. ...... I have an idea. ''I don''t think you can trust such a good story. ............'' ''In addition, Gilberta and I might be able to go on a walking date together. ''Tell me more, anchovy!Come on! Yeah. I got a bite. ''Yashiro ............, I''m still scared of you.'' What are you talking about, Estella? ...... It''s the thought process of the people in this town that scares me. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. Lucia, who I had caught on a date with Gilberta, was quite motivated and seemed to have high hopes for me. I''m sure she''ll go out of her way to get permission to sell the food. And so it was! A few days later, we decided to take a day off from the store and go on a tour with all the employees. 209-37 Excitement before departure Early morning. I wake up in a darkened room with the wooden door closed behind me. As I twist around in my bed of straw, I feel the warmth of a person next to me. I reach out my arm, light a candle, and see ...... Natalia lying next to me. ''Mmmm ...... that was lovely, Yashiro-sama.'' You can''t do that kind of heavy gag in the morning, can you? It''s making me sick to my stomach. Also, I''m frustrated that I can''t ignore you just because you smell good. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... Don''t you have the grace and education of a lady? ''I''m sorry you had to come so early in the morning. ''No, no. I came late at night.'' ''How long have you been hiding in here? ''Natalia, what are you doing? My shout was followed by Estella''s screams echoing through the early morning room. ...... You, too, should be quieter when you enter someone''s room. ............ Well, that''s enough of that. I think it''s Yashiro''s fault for exposing his cute sleeping face. ''What, why is it my fault?And I''m slightly embarrassed, can you stop saying things like that? Three days had passed since the day Lucia and Gilberta had come to stay at the sunny pavilion. It was thanks to the grand reception we had given Lucia and Gilberta that Lucia had approached each ward. As a result, we were given permission to sell in each district and time to explain about the stalls to the officials of the respective lords. So today, we will start early in the morning to go around each district with our stalls. We will demonstrate the stalls in each district, explain the stalls to the lords, and aim to reach the thirty-five districts by sundown today. We will stay overnight at Lucia''s house and return the following evening. As such, we will not be able to make donations to the Church today or tomorrow. I have asked Estella and Natalia to take their place. The breakfast for the next two days has already been prepared. The rest of the menu could be prepared quickly by the church matron and Natalia. It should be no problem. ''Get ready, Yashiro. The others are already waiting downstairs. ''......, huh?Magda too? ''He''s been fidgeting in the cafeteria with his eyes blazing. ''...... Like a schoolboy before a field trip.'' Magda doesn''t often go on excursions with us. Ever since we decided on this demonstration, he''s been excited and anxious. ''Anyway, you''d better change quickly. ''Yes, ma''am. Ma''am.'' ''I wasn''t talking to you, Natalia!I mean, why are you in your nightgown? ''You want me to sleep in my serving clothes? ''I''m telling you not to sleep, don''t you understand? Estella pulls Natalia to Magda''s room. She will change her clothes there. After they leave, I change my clothes too. It''s 3:30 in the morning. There''s still time before the wake-up bell. That''s when Jeannette usually wakes up. If we don''t get up at this time, we won''t make it to the 35th district by sunset. There will be food stalls along the way, too. ...... is a very hard schedule. I quickly changed my clothes and went out into the hallway, Estella and the others were just coming out. ''Take care of them while I''m gone. ''Yeah. I''ll leave it to you. ''Leave it to me. I''ll take care of Yashiro-sama''s bed. ''I''ll make sure he''s well taken care of so that no strange people like him can sneak in. ''Yes, I''ll leave it to you. Just make sure that''s it! Estella and I shake each other''s hands very strongly. It''s tough to have a dangerous person in your family, but... Estella has agreed to take care of the Sunlit Pavilion. But it''s in the 42nd district. I''m not too worried about it. What I''m afraid of is spontaneous combustion or a natural disaster, but I don''t think that will happen either. I''ll ask Estella to be on the safe side. I walked down the stairs and out into the courtyard, where Loretta was drawing water from the well. ''One gulp!One gulp!One gulp!One gulp! ''No, don''t!No matter how hard I try, I can''t get this tub full of water! ''Misogi! He didn''t even pretend to pour it over his head. What on earth is he doing? ''What are you doing? ''Heh?I''m fetching water to wash my face, sir?'' ''Ugh!That''s normal! ''No, it''s fine!It''s a normal, good thing! ''What does Yashiro want from Loretta? I''m not looking for anything. As long as Loretta continues to be played with by me like this, I don''t want anything more. ''The manager told me that my brother will wake up soon. ''Oh, is that water for me?'' ''Yes, it is. It''s very cold and wakes you up.'' ''I see. Thank you. ''If it''s for Yashiro-sama, then ...... the women in the sunlit pavilion will soak their bare feet in it once, right? ''......?I''m going to wash my face with this water now. ''That''s why, bare feet! ''Estella~'' ''I''m sorry. I don''t have a blunt instrument at hand. Just let me wash my face like normal. ''Natalia. No, sir.'' Moving the water into the wooden bucket, Loretta turns to face Natalia. ''My brother is the kind of person who prefers to go direct with his feet. ''I see.'' ''Good, Loretta. Now you can thank me for fetching the water. I shouldn''t have thanked you. I shouldn''t have thanked you. I''ll just splash my face with the chilled water. d*mn, ............ works. ...... ''Hey. Do you have anything to wipe with?'' ''Do you mind if I take my clothes off, Master Yashiro? ''...... Estella.'' ''Sorry ...... Natalia, I was actually up all night last night, and I''m at the height of my tension.'' I see. That makes sense ...... But if that''s the reason, I guess I''m somewhat responsible for calling you here so early in the morning. I''ll cut you some slack for today. ...... I''m still sleepy, too, and it''s too much trouble to get involved. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''No, well, it''s okay for today. Don''t worry about it. ''No. I was going to take them off, but I wasn''t wearing any.'' ''You''ve really got to cut the crap! You''re too dense. It''s the middle of the night! Oh, you''re in the middle of the night, aren''t you? This gap is fatal! ''...... you can use my bed, just go to sleep.'' ''But ......''. ''This tension in the church is not good. ...... Some kids are here. Please go to sleep.'' ''So I''m not sure if I''ll be able to sleep because I''m ............ so horny, but I''ll use ...... it.'' ''Estella. Go throw him in the spare room.'' ''Okay. Don''t make me take care of you ...... anymore.'' That''s why Natalia is leaving. Yeah. I guess sleep is important. I''ll make sure I get plenty of it next time. ''Hmmm...... that''s what you call adult s*xuality...... I''m not ready for that......'' ''If that thing starts to show, you''re fired.'' I''m sure you''ll agree. I can''t leave a waitress like that in the restaurant. You can''t leave a waitress like that in a restaurant. Natalia was at the end of her rope, both physically and mentally, and her true colors just came out a little bit. .................. is that what she is? ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''Yashiro-san. Good morning. In the kitchen, Ginette was chopping vegetables with a knife, as usual. He was preparing food to be sold at the stall. ''Your face is wet, isn''t it? ''Yeah, ...... this is.'' ''I just took it off and tried to wipe it off, but unfortunately I wasn''t wearing any.'' ''......?'' Ginette rolls her eyes in confusion. Yeah. You know, ......, it''s your head I''m sorry about, Loretta. ''Do you have a towel?'' ''Yes. One moment, please.'' He puts down the knife and runs off at a run. I''m so grateful. ...... It would be so much easier if everyone was like this. At the very least, it would be a lot easier if we didn''t have to rush into things for nothing. ............ ''Yes. Go ahead.'' ''Sorry.'' ''No.'' ''Speaking of which, where''s Magda?'' ''He''s out front. He''s keeping an eye on the weather to make sure it doesn''t break.'' Ginette giggles. I guess she finds Magda''s cheerfulness cute. I''m sure there are plenty of things I can do to help, but she seems to be letting me do whatever I want. ''No, I''ll just keep an eye on ...... you know? ''That''s fine. You''ve been looking forward to it for a long time. He takes my towel and looks in the direction of the dining ...... room, or perhaps in the direction of the garden where Magda is. Let''s see. I think I''ll go say my morning greetings. It only happens once a year that Magda is active in the early morning. I''ve got to get a good look at these images. ''Loretta. Can you check the popcorn for me?'' ''Yes, sir!Oh, big brother. Would you like some coffee?'' ''Hmm~...... then, please.'' ''Can I have some too? ''Yes, sir!I''ll make two coffees! Loretta is more enthusiastic than ever. She doesn''t go out very often either. If she''s so excited now, she won''t last the second half. After all, we''re going to go halfway around the perimeter of All Bloom. You''ll be standing and walking the whole way. ...... creeps me out. I''m going to see Magda''s face while I wait for my coffee to be ready. Go through the dining room, open the door, and step out into the yard. And ...... ''............Mufu......'' Magda was asleep, curled up in a ball on the cart. It seems he''s been working so hard that his batteries are already dead. He probably didn''t get much sleep last night either. Well, Magda has been to District 40 before, so I''ll let her sleep until then. After that, it''s going to be tough. ............ The problem is that I''ll have to pull a cart full of ingredients. I''ll leave one to Loretta, but I''ll probably have to pull the other one. ''Anyway, let''s get Magda inside. She''s going to catch a cold.'' ''...... Mwah.'' ''You''re breathing so happily in your sleep, ......'' ''You''re in a dream...'' ''Hmm? I peeked under the cart Magda was on and found Hammaro there. ''What are you doing, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? Hammaro had crawled out from under the stall and was holding what looked like a tool in his hand. ''I was reinforcing the stall at the request of the master! ''For Umaro? ''He said he had some business to attend to today that he couldn''t miss, so he declined to accompany Magda. ''...... No. I didn''t call you in the first place, Umaro. I know you wanted to go out with Magda, but ...... work, you. Of course, you''re a carpenter. ''Hmm?Does that mean that Hammaro will go with us? ''That''s the plan all along!I''m going to follow you even if you tell me not to! Okay! He''s a hamster with the power of a beastman! I''ll be more comfortable with Hammaro! ''Well, take care of him, Hammaro.'' ''Yes!Come aboard the great ship!.................. Hammaro? I can''t remember what I''m supposed to call it. ...... I wonder what his real name is? This is a name I''ve given myself. ...... ''Well, Hammaro. Can you help me set up the stall? We''re leaving soon, so I need it done by then.'' ''It''s already finished! But it goes by Hammaro. ...... I don''t know what''s going on in his mind. ''Magda. We''re leaving soon, so stay inside and sleep until then.'' ''............mf...... piggyback'' ''You know what ......'' ''I''m not leaving here without a ...... piggyback ride.'' ''I have to help Ginette and stuff.'' I can''t help or prepare anything if I''m carrying Magda. And once Magda is on her back, she will never get off until she wakes up, turning into a crying old man. ''Onii-chan!I''m here! ''Oh!You''ll do it for me? ''Yes!I''ll get a piggyback ride instead! ''What are you going to do if I take your place? ''Then I''ll be piggybacked with you! ''The load has doubled! I''m not sure if Hammaro is a useful person or not. He''s not a bad guy, but ...... ''Yashiro-san. I''m ready to go. ''The coffee is in... ...... Why is Hammaro here? ''Angel''s escort! ''Ah, Umaro-san asked me to help Magda-chou. We can understand each other, can''t we, sister and brother? Or is it that Umaro''s illness is well known? Well, either way, it''s unfortunate knowledge. ''Well, let''s get some coffee and get going. ''I suppose so. I think it would be good to have something light in your stomach. ''I want to eat something too! ''First thing in the morning, a feast! ''............ mnyu. Magda can have cake. ''No, I mean a light meal. ''Right. I''ll make some rice balls. You''ve already cooked rice, right?'' ''Yes, sir. For this morning''s donation.'' ''We can eat the food from the stalls later, but not the rice. Let''s eat it while we can.'' ''Right. We''ll have okonomiyaki or popcorn after this. ''Then I''ll help too!While the manager was away, I became a rice ball making machine! Yeah,......, the two of us. We made enough onigiri for fifty people to donate. Delia-san, you helped out too, didn''t you? Well, she used to bring them when she came to help out at the store. But, well, ...... let''s try something different today. ''We''ll use the kitchen. ''Yes, sir. I''ll help you.'' ''Oh!My brother and the manager can have their coffee.I''ll do it.'' ''I''ll take care of it.'' ''My sister works like a horse! ''...... Magda, just take the cheesecake.'' ''It''s a rice ball, Magda!And I''ll help Hammaro. ''Oh dear, ...... forced labor, .......'' Well, since Loretta''s up for it, let''s get her to do it. ''Okay, I''ll make the filling, you grab it. ''Yes, sir! After taking a sip of hot coffee, I went into the kitchen, chopped up the ribs into small pieces, and fried them sweet and spicy. It''s a kind of soboro. The aroma of this sweet and spicy sauce is very appetizing. ''Haha, ...... smells good, doesn''t it? Estella comes into the kitchen after putting the head waiter to bed. Wash your hands. No, I''m not saying Natalia''s too good for you, but this is a restaurant kitchen. ''Do you want some Estella? ''Yeah, sure. I''ll take it. I won''t be able to enjoy the taste of the Sunlit Pavilion for a while. ''A while? ...... I''ll be back tomorrow evening.'' ''But you''ll be closed for two days, right? It''s impossible for us to reopen right after we get back. No, it''s not impossible, but it''s pretty tough. I haven''t done any preparation yet, and I''m not physically strong enough. ''To tell you the truth, we were planning to close after the lunch for adults started. ''Well, we''ve announced it beforehand, and I''m sure they''re understanding. The day after Lucia and the others stayed overnight at the sunny pavilion, the announcement of the closure was made to the customers. There were some complaints, but they seemed to be generally understanding. The source of the dissatisfaction was mainly Torbek''s people ......, or rather the master of the building. Oh. Also, Imelda said, ''Where do you want me to drink tea? I remember Imelda saying. ...... Drink it at home. ''Here, Loretta. Make me some of this stuff.'' ''I''ll do it! ''I''ll help you. I''ve always wanted to try it.'' Estella rolls up her arms and stands next to Loretta. ...... Wash your hands. If you''ve touched your clothes. ''What''s with the heat? ''Muhaha. Beginners often do that.'' As Estella faints in agony over a hot bowl of rice, Loretta laughs at her. It''s a very triumphant look. ...... You''ve been doing the same thing for a while now. You never learn, no matter how many times I tell you. ''Wow, ...... Loretta, you''re good. They''re all the same size.'' ''No, sir!And this is the perfect size to make you want to eat another one while enjoying the satisfaction of eating it! --That''s the size I told you about. It''s amazing what you get used to. Loretta is making more and more rice balls of exactly the same size. As a product, you have to maintain a certain quality and quantity. Loretta. You''ve grown up. You used to be able to do nothing but carry. And I''m only in charge of chatting and funny NGs. ...... ''Hmmm ......, it''s hard to get a beautiful shape ......''. ''Hey, Estella. Don''t touch it too closely. It''s for other people to eat.'' ''But come on, ......'' ''This is a quick and easy way to grab it, Estella.'' As if to show Estella an example, Loretta grasps a beautiful triangular rice ball in about three times. She is very skillful. ...... playing with clay. ''Estella. Put it on the plate once.'' ''Ugh. ...... I messed up.'' A crumpled, misshapen rice ball is placed on the plate. There were grains of rice stuck between Estella''s fingers. ''Ooh, don''t lick it! ''......?'' She stops Estella, who was about to put the rice grains on her fingers in her mouth, in a panic. ...... That''s why onigiri are for others to eat. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''It''s ...... not that sticky, is it? You can''t have saliva all over or just a little. ''Wash it clean with water and make the next rice ball. Make it quick.'' ''All right, ......, you''re so finicky.'' You idiot. A restaurant must be extremely strict about hygiene. ''What''s with the heat? ''...... Don''t you have the ability to learn? Estella''s eyes tear up as she holds the hot rice in her hands. Onigiri is a rather difficult dish to make. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. ''Good work, everyone. In the cafeteria, Ginette, holding Magda in her lap, greeted us. Magda was sleeping peacefully. ''There are quite a few of them, so wrap them up and feed them to Magda and Natalia later. ''Yes . Let''s do that.'' ''...... I wonder if Natalia''s portion is needed.'' Estella, who had been forced to work so hard this morning, was in denial, but I told her to let her eat. I''m the biggest victim here, so let her eat. ''Then, let''s eat. ''Ah!I''ll eat this weird one myself. Everyone eat the normal Loretta''s.'' ''Why is it normal?It''s the beautiful and delicious-looking one! ''Ah, yes. Eat that beautiful and delicious-looking one. The failure seems to have taken quite a toll on her. You don''t have to worry about it. It''s your first time. ''Well, I think I''ll take the unique one with the delicious ingredients. ''Oh, Yashiro! Estella picks up the first one from the distorted onigiri that she has avoided in front of her. ...... Yeah. It''s hard. You will find a lot of things that you can do. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... But... ''It''s pretty good for a first time. ''Oh, ....... You don''t have to force yourself to eat it. ......'' ''ugh ......Yashiro-san, you always do that.'' Ginette also takes one of the distorted rice balls that Estella made, saying with a happy face. ''Oh, even you, Jeannette? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Yes. You''ve passed the first stage. ''So, the first stage ......?'' Ginette says, the first stage of cooking. It''s ...... ''It''s all about the feeling. It is to be made with thought and feeling for the person eating it. -- apparently. ''You''re scoring too low, .......'' Estella mutters, embarrassed. What are you talking about now? It''s a ginette.It''s the only organism that contains more sugar than sugar radishes, this one. ''I''m sure, Yashiro-san has been infected. ''Huh? Why me?That''s an accusation. ''Whenever someone tries something for the first time, Yashiro-san always eats it himself, checks it, and gives us confidence, right? Isn''t that right? The question was directed at Loretta. After a moment ...... of thought, Loretta nodded broadly. ''Yes, sir. Even if I make a terrible mistake, my brother will eat it. ''No, that''s because you shouldn''t eat badly. ......'' ''I''m very, very happy! ''............'' I don''t know what the hell they think they''re doing with ....... I''m not doing this to please you. ............ Oh my God!Don''t look at me like that! I''m sure you''ll agree....... The shape is bad, but the ingredients are delicious.'' ''Is that a compliment to yourself?Or are you hiding your embarrassment? You''re a jerk, Estella. You made these twisted rice balls. You little bastard. ''Since my brother eats it properly, I can think, "Okay, I''ll do better next time! I think.'' ''It makes me happy when people eat what I make.'' ''Yes. That''s true. ...... hehe.'' The three of them are looking at me with happy faces. Stop it. Let me at least feel good about my food. ...... Well, if Estella''s depressed face is back to smiling, that''s fine. ''I''ll eat too! Following our example, Hammaro also picked up the last of Estella''s distorted rice balls. Then he chews on it all at once. ''It''s the worst mouthfeel! ''You''re honest, aren''t you, Hammaro?No, it''s my fault for making this, but come on! ''I''m in trouble with my wife! ''No, that''s not true, that''s not true, that''s not true, that''s not true, that''s not true. ............ No, you don''t have to ask me. Anyway, can you stop looking at me, Estella? ''I''m the second fox sister! Hammaro. If Norma hears what you just said, she''ll give you a hard time, okay?Don''t ever say that again.See? ''Well then, Estella-san''s funny rice balls are gone and you should eat my rice balls! ''No, you''re right, but!You''re also very quick to spit venom, aren''t you, Loretta? Loretta thrusts her plate at me happily, and I take one of the rice balls and bring it to my mouth. Chew............ it. ''Normal.'' ''Yes. It''s just plain delicious.'' ''Sure, it''s normal. ''The best ever, normal! ''Why is that?It''s not normal!It''s super delicious! The ingredients are the same, so it''s not fresh, and above all, onigiri are just plain delicious. ''It''s not ordinary!It''s extra delicious! While listening to Loretta''s voice, we finished our breakfast as usual. 210-Later, the 38th tour of the temple will be held. ''O~ishii~! A boy with a face like a snake is munching on popcorn. Next to him, a little girl with drop-ear ears hanging down from both sides of her face is chewing a crepe. We are currently in the thirty-eighth district. It is almost time for the sun to rise. ''I''m glad to hear that the people of this district like it too. Ginette says happily as she cooks a thin crepe batter on the okonomiyaki griddle. In the 39th district, where we had stopped before this, the response from the customers had been good. They were intrigued by the food they had never seen before, their stomachs were gripped by the delicious smell, and they gathered together to enjoy the food outside. Thanks to this unusual atmosphere, the food stall at the sunny pavilion was very popular with customers and sales were brisk. Because they ate standing up, they sometimes looked a little ill-mannered, but that was a good thing. It must have been delicious to eat while chatting with acquaintances. ''......Yashiro. It''s time to open a space for okonomiyaki. ''The adults look like starving animals! There are two stalls. One is for popcorn and tacos, the other for okonomiyaki and takoyaki. By changing the teppan (griddle) and adjusting the dishes, we can increase the variety of items. At the moment, he is using a flat griddle to cook crepes and tortillas for tacos. ''......The children''s stomachs have been filled. ......Now it''s time for the adults. ''In short, you should sell not only sweets, but also food that can be eaten with gusto. What''s so ''adult'' about okonomiyaki? But Magda has a good point. Children are the first to jump at such unusual things. Children flock to it, and adults observe them from afar and approach them after careful examination. Therefore, when you start, it is better to make a big sweet smell and gather all the kids at once. And when the kids'' curiosity and hunger are satisfied, it is time to satisfy the adults'' hunger. Mmm. Magda, you''re watching closely. He was curled up asleep on the stall until he left the 40th district, but as soon as he entered the 39th district, "Eyes, Patty! "Back muscles, shaky! "Motivation, boom! The moment I entered the 39th district, my eyes lit up! Well, we''ve been to the fortieth district together, haven''t we? So, for Magda, the 39th district was the start of the race. Well, one of the factors was that it was morning time until the fortieth district. ''The lord''s people will be here later, so you''d better show them what you''ve got. Just two stalls, so many people, from adults to children, are crowded and excited. You can see how much profit can be expected if such stalls are lined up on the main street,......, unless you are too stupid to feel it firsthand. ''......I see. ......The time has come to show it. ............'' In a moment, Magda removes the wristband from her arm and drops it to the ground. --Zscene......! ''What?I''m not sure what to make of it. ''''...... I''ll get serious. ''''''Oh, ......'''''' The crowd let out a squeal of admiration. What kind of shonen manga is this? I don''t understand why you have to put so much stress on your customers. Well, you''re right. I guess it doesn''t make any difference to Magda if it''s that heavy or not. In short, it''s staged. The plan seems to have worked, and the children''s eyes are shining brightly. ''............ Uclines'' wristbands for children''s heroes (600Rb)'' ''You can make anything you want, Ukrines ......''. And it''s expensive. ...... No, I think I''ll get one for my training. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ...... No, you see. It''s the time of the year when you''re really affected by these things. ''...... Manager, change. ...... From here on, Magda will ............ burn. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s like a beast''s eyes just before it kills its prey. This guy ...... is serious! ''...... Loretta, get ready.'' I''ll leave it to you!I''ll make okonomiyaki and Magda-chou will make takoyaki!If the two of us work together, we can satisfy the hunger of everyone here in no time!It''s lunchtime, though! The teppan is replaced and heated to maximum heat. Ginette moves to the popcorn section, and the two talented waitresses stand side by side in Shop No. 7, equipped with the griddle. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the most effective ways to make sure that you''ll be able to get the most out of your time. ...... Anyway, run away from the hamster. I''m sure you''ll be fine. When the teppan is warm enough, the oil is poured into the teppan of both takoyaki and okonomiyaki. The oil pops and jumps with a loud noise, and at the same time, a unique aroma wafts into the air. ''...... batter is poured in all at once. ''I''m going to mix it! Magda poured in the batter for the takoyaki, and next to her, Loretta stirred in the okonomiyaki batter and ingredients. Jujah!Kasha kasha kasha!and a joyful sound began to echo. The kids gathered around the stall, looking patiently into Magda and Loretta''s hands. ''It''s dangerous, please don''t get too close. The second stall selling popcorn is empty as all eyes are on the seventh stall. Jeannette gently warns the children as they peer at the stall. She also reminds parents to be careful about splashing grease and contact with the steel plate. She''s a good girl. A few minutes after the dough for takoyaki and okonomiyaki started to be cooked ......, the time was almost up. That''s right, the main event of the powdered food - the turning over. ''Come on, let''s go! ''......The skills of a craftsman, you should see.'' They exchanged glances, and Magda and Loretta held up their trowels and pliers in a cool way. ''...... Now! ''''It''s time! ''''Let''s see what you can do.'''' I shouted. As soon as you shout, the two of you unleash your weapons. ''''Hoi, sir! ''''''Waaaah! When Loretta flipped the okonomiyaki upside down in the air, there were cheers and applause. ''''......~,lyalalalalalalalalalalalalalala'''' ''''''Oooohhhh! Every time Magda skillfully flipped the takoyaki around, the crowd''s voltage rose higher and higher. ''''Hmmm... ...... It''s still too early to be impressed. ............ The best part of okonomiyaki is... ...is the aroma! After both sides of the okonomiyaki are thoroughly cooked, Loretta uses a brush to spread the sweet and spicy okonomiyaki sauce. The sauce falls onto the griddle and pops. Then, the aroma of the thick sauce fills the air. ''Wow, this is unbelievable! ''Hey!Give me both of those! ''I''ll give you two each! ''Hey, line ''em up!That''s the order! ''I want some! It was a bite. Everyone in the room caught a fish. Of course they did. For these guys, it''s a rare dish that they may never be able to eat again. There was no way to miss this chance! ''Hammaro, prepare the plates! Hammaro, prepare the plate! As Magda and Loretta continued to cook at breakneck speed, Hammaro dexterously snatched the okonomiyaki and takoyaki from their hands and placed them on a plate. It seemed that Hammaro had somehow adapted to the restaurant, and he had no complaints about the presentation. In addition, he was lean and fast. ''For the first customer, let''s serve! Even without our help, Ginette and I were able to handle the crowds of customers. They''ve ...... grown up, haven''t they? ''You''re so cool, lady! ''We''re going to be like the okonomiyaki lady! ''Muhaa!How cute are these kids?I''ll make a special prawn platter for you! ''Don''t be so paranoid! Hmm. I guess we''ll have to keep an eye on them. Loretta...... still has a long way to go. ''The manager''s bad habits are infecting the employees. ''Huh?I''m not doing that? ''Whenever a blatantly hungry person comes to the store, I feel like the amount of side dishes is somehow increased. ''Yes, yes, yes, is that so?It''s possible that it''s just your imagination,....... Well. It''s not a detrimental increase in volume, and the other customers understand Ginette''s character, so it hasn''t been a problem so far. ...... ''I''ve got a bad habit. ......'' ''Ha, ha. ...... Oh, I''m going to go help! Seeking refuge, Jeannette heads off to help Hammaro. She left the baking to the two of them. ''Well, I''ll go to .......'' Beyond the crowd, I look at the strangely dressed people who are rolling their eyes at this scene. ''...... time to get to work.'' The inspection team sent by the lord of the thirty-eighth district consisted of four people. As I head towards them, their surprised faces tighten and they make a stern face as if to intimidate me. You can see through it that they don''t want to be licked by lower-ranked people. ...... You little bastard. The old men on the inspection team were trying to find fault with us, making this and that difficult. I guess they don''t want to block the main street of the district for a wedding of two strangers from another district. Even if they do give us a permit, they seem to be looking for any fault in us in order to get the most favorable conditions possible. It''s ....... You''ve got the wrong guy. The more you struggle, the more I''m going to add to the conditions in my favor. I wonder when you''ll realize ...... ''Oh, it''s best to end negotiations with this guy early''. The more you argue, the worse your position will become. I didn''t tell you this, but I hate people who try to get what they want. ''No, but if you restrict the traffic on the main street, the sales during that time will be ......''. ''How true. And if the stores lose sales, it means that the tax revenue of the district will also be affected. ......'' ''Oh, that''s terrible. We can''t let that happen. Don''t you think so? ''Yes, I do. Yeah, I think so, everybody does.'' ......, and the old men who gathered there conspired to say things like, ''We''re in a lot of trouble, so you''ll have to do something for us. That''s why-- ''Then, there will be no parade or stalls only in the 38th district. I said this in a slightly louder voice to the inspection team members who were being so insistent. Then, the people who had been exuding a happy atmosphere with okonomiyaki in their hands all raised their voices in dissatisfaction. Some of them were even getting angry. How about it? Doesn''t that hurt? To have such blatant antipathy from the people? And that animosity is not directed at you, but at the lord who sent you. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. In addition, what if these angry people say, ''Well, we''ll go to another district to open a store. The main street would be deserted for a day, and all the wealth in the district would be spewed out to the neighboring districts. That would be a big blow, wouldn''t it? That''s why. You should just shake your head now. You''d be wiser to switch your thinking and think about how to make money on this opportunity. Furthermore, I would like you to pay attention to the fact that the foods of the 42 wards have become so popular here, and to the fact that ''if we sell each other''s specialties in our respective wards, we may be able to attract new customers and make a profit in the future. It would be nice if they could copy each other''s ideas that they don''t have yet. ideas that we don''t have yet. If derivatives appear, the value of the original will increase. Food connoisseurs who think ''the real thing is good'' may come to other districts. What we should think about now is not how much we will be disadvantaged, but how much we can profit. Tell them this in a simple and straightforward manner, and tell them to ask their lord for his opinion again. Perhaps this will get us permission to use the main street. In fact, there is no reason not to. If he is still reluctant, I will fire up the children and make them cry in front of the lord''s house. As I thought when I asked Imelda about the public''s attitude toward polygamy, the people in this town tend to be very concerned about public opinion. If that''s the case, the fact that the lord is hated by children must be a very negative factor. Estella was very upset about the children''s lunch flag. ''I want to be a lord who is liked by children. It''s not hard to seduce them if you can form a certain amount of public opinion in our favor. The blockade of the main street would only last a dozen or so minutes when the carriages were passing. The rest of the time, it''s all festivities, sales are high, and profits are plentiful. In addition, you may have the image of ''How nice of the lord to do such fun things! You might even get the image of ''How nice of the lord to do such a fun thing! There''s no reason not to do it. --And if you whisper something like that in her ear, she''ll fall for you rather easily. ''Okay. I guess it''s time to go. The negotiations with the inspection team were over, and the goods had been sold reasonably well. After this, I have to go to the 37th and 36th districts. We can''t afford to lose time here. ''Then everyone, start cleaning up. Hearing my words, it was the kids who raised their voices. The adults also showed their regretful expressions. ''Hey, will you come again? Pure, innocent eyes that had not yet been touched by any dirt were looking up at me. Her large eyes are covered with a film of tears that seem to break at the slightest opportunity. And looking into the eyes of such a girl, even Ginette''s eyes begin to moisten. The girl''s eyes began to moisten, as if to say, ''Why don''t you let me work as a stall here for a day? She looks like she''s about to say something crazy. ''Oh, um, Mr. Yashiro!Since everyone is saying this, I''m going to set up a stall here at ...... for the day.'' ''Just as I imagined! How easy to understand your thought process. Don''t lose sight of your purpose. This is a means to an end to seduce the lord. Nothing good happens when the means becomes the end. ''To make Wendy''s wedding a success. I''ll make sure to do what I have to do. ''Huh!That''s right. Sorry.'' Ginette regained her senses just in time, but when she saw the bereft faces of the guests, she felt a pang of regret. At this point, it became difficult to say, ''Well, please come to District 42 next time. It''s simply too far. It would have been easy enough to take a horse-drawn carriage, but we want to eat cheap and delicious food as ''easily'' as possible. It''s not the kind of food that you would go out of your way to eat in a horse-drawn carriage, and people around here wouldn''t spend that kind of money. Knowing this, both parties are regretting their decision to leave. So. I''ll give these guys these words. ''If the lord of this district gives us permission, there will be many more stalls lining this main street. It''ll be a lot of fun. ''Dad!Let''s go ask the lord for permission! ''Let''s ask for it! When I said this to the kids'' eyes, they started to say ''Let''s ask the lord'' with a sense of mission. It''s a big chorus. It''s a nice sound. The sound smells like ...... gold. ''Good. I think this district will be fine now. ''Is it because the lord of this place is a wonderful, child-friendly person?'' ''No. ......'' Don''t praise a guy you''ve never seen before. Aristocrats are more or less cloaked in vanity and greed, you know. ''Simply because the advantages of holding the tournament outweigh the disadvantages of not holding it. It is not a good idea to displease the people. And it''s not an event that we should refuse at all costs. Unless you''re looking at us as your enemy, the 38th district doesn''t even care about the 42nd district. It would make sense for us to show our superiority and take the attitude of lending our support. There would no longer be any reason to refuse. ''Well then, I hope to see you again! After cleaning up, we left the main street of the 38th district with these words. The kids followed us to the end of the street, begging us to ''come back'' and ''yakusoku nae''. This seems to have pierced Jeannette''s heart. ...... I''ll definitely come back to this town again! I''m sure I''ll come back to this town again! ...... I wonder if he''s going to say the same thing about all the wards in the future? I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I thought she was talking about the cleanliness of the road. ''It''s not uphill. ''Oh. I see. District Forty-two is below the cliff of District Thirty. This means that there is a great difference in elevation between the 42nd and 40th wards. In District 42 alone, there is a hill where Becco''s house is located, and the terrain is very undulating. The road from there to the 41st district is narrow, undulating, and gently ascending, making it a mountain road. This gradual ascent continues until the 39th district, and the difference in elevation almost disappears when you enter the 38th district. You can see this clearly when you are towing a heavy object such as a food stall. Even though the slope is gradual, it is still a tough slope. ''Ah!Mr. Yashiro, look at this! As evidence that the road had leveled out, Ginette spotted something and shouted. I see. She hadn''t bothered to look when she was in District 35. ''It''s beautiful. ......'' ''Ah. Yes, it is.'' A spire that seemed to pierce the heavens rose in the distance where Jeannette was staring. It was All Bloom Castle in the central district, where the royal family lived. The name of the royal family is not "Allbloom," but because the castle is located in Allbloom. The name of the royal family is ............ What is it again?...... Well, whatever. ''It''s big. ...... You can see it from this far away. ''......I''ve never seen it like this before.'' ''There are almost no buildings between the wards. You can see it really beautifully from here, can''t you? This was the border between the 38th and 37th wards, and with no buildings around, the buildings of the other wards in the distance looked as beautiful as if they were a huge painting. The spire of Allbloom Castle, which could not be seen from District 42. A majestic structure that symbolizes this city. No wonder I couldn''t help but admire it. I haven''t seen it since I first came to this city from the huge boulevard in the 30th district. I always rode in a carriage when I passed through here. I couldn''t see it because of the roof. Or perhaps I hadn''t even been aware of it. We gazed at the towering spire for a while. In this world without cell phones and cameras, beautiful scenery is engraved in our minds. This kind of thing is also rather nice. ''At last, we''ve done something like a trip. ''Hmm. I guess so. Even though we went on a trip, we ended up working all the time. I wonder if they''re having a good time? ''How about we leave the stall next time and come without work? In full play mode. They''ll enjoy it more that way. That''s what I said. ''...... not permitted. ''That''s right, big brother!It''s definitely more fun to have a stall! ''Customers are angels! These guys are ...... They''re already part of the workforce. Well, in our case. The manager is taking the lead in showing the corporate animal side of things. I guess they''re influenced by him. ...... You poor bastards. ''Well, we''ll sell, sell, sell in the next district! ''''''''Oh! '''''''' There is a saying, "Dumplings before flowers. I think it''s pretty rare to find a guy who loves his job more than flowers or dumplings. Well, maybe I can''t speak for others either. ...... 211-Story 39 Everywhere I go, its going to be a big s... ''Yashiro-san!I''ve bought some cabbage~'' Ginette came running down the main street of District 36, holding up a large, round cabbage in both hands, just like the green Imomou would like. The sales at the stall were more than she had imagined, and she ran out of ingredients. That''s why I''m procuring locally. ''...... octopus, I got it! Magda popped up from a different alleyway from Jeannette''s, and in her hand was a large octopus that had been boiled to perfection. You can''t boil it in a stall. It looks like he got it boiled at a fish shop. ...... Or did they have it already boiled? ''...... Boiled seafood is the standard food in this city.'' ''Wow. As expected, it''s a neighbor of the 35th district of the sea city. One of the bases of the sea fishing guild, the 35th district. In the 36th district, not far from the city gate, seafood is sold here and there. I''ve only seen the main street, but I have a feeling that there''s a greater emphasis on seafood here than in the 35th district. ''Hey, guys!Hurry up and start cooking!We''re almost out of popcorn alone! While the ingredients were being replenished, Loretta, Hammaro and their siblings were handling the crowd of customers with just popcorn. However, there was an old man with a face like, ''What''s more filling than sweets! But the popcorn didn''t seem to satisfy the old men, who looked like they wanted something more than sweets.You''re going to do something with that griddle over there, aren''t you? They looked at us threateningly. I was in a state of needles as I waited for the grill to be ready. The stares stung. I could have cooked crepes and pancakes, but ...... I knew that if I offered any more sweets, it would be judged that this was a store that only served sweets, and people who were not interested in sweets would leave, so I held back even though it was time to sell. When the okonomiyaki is sold, I''ll sell the pancakes too! ''A bunch of hungry animals! On the other side of the kids gleefully chewing on popcorn, a group of males emitting the aura of starving beasts were staring at us. Well, it''s partly because I''ve been dropping sauce on the griddle every now and then and spreading a nice aroma around the place. ...... But the sweet smell alone is enough to drive away the customers, and it''s almost dinner time, so if I let them go now, they''ll eat somewhere else. It''s almost dinnertime, so if you let them go, they''ll eat somewhere else. ...... ''Ginette, cut the ingredients, please!Me and Magda will start cooking right away! ''Yes, sir! ''...... got it.'' The two griddles are heated to a sufficient temperature, oiled, and ready. For the takoyaki, the batter is poured in first. The okonomiyaki needs to be mixed, so we need to be patient. ''Yes!One serving at a time for now! Ginette cuts the cabbage and octopus into individual portions and places them in front of us. It means that we should cook one serving at a time. That''s the manager. There''s no waste. The okonomiyaki is cooked for one person first, and then Jeannette starts cutting the octopus. It''s easier to cook takoyaki all at once. He plans to finish cutting the octopus before the dough hardens. As the cooking of okonomiyaki and takoyaki began, a group of kids came up to us with popcorn in their hands. It''s interesting, isn''t it, the process of making them. Especially the takoyaki. But more than that, the pressure of the males approaching from behind the kids was tremendous. ''You know what I''m talking about, don''t you?We''ve kept you waiting this long. If you try to make something poorly made, there will be a brawl. That''s the look. They may be unloading cargo at the port, but it is ...... horrifying to see these men, their muscles swollen to the brim, inching closer and closer. It''s one step closer to a riot! ....... I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. Don''t start fighting over it. All right, I''ll take a firm and resolute stance here, and completely stop the unbridled looting! All right!Okonomiyaki number one!Who''s buying? ''Oh, here you go. After you.'' ''No, no, you too. ''I''m still okay, so who wants to go first? ''''Why don''t we line up in order for now, everyone? ''''''I agree'''''' The spirit of sharing! They were so generous! I''m sorry for judging them by their looks! I''m sorry for judging you by your appearance! ''There''s no okonomiyaki for you to eat! A woman in make-up and pressure paint slipped in between the two men. Take a firm stance! This old lady with her well-fitted clothes and ornaments must be a rich person, just like she looks. But I don''t know! Normally, I''d give priority to the rich and make them pay more than necessary, but ...... I''m fiercely impressed by the spirit of mutuality among these men! There is no room for those who do not have a pure heart! ''Okay!Then, you''re the one I''ve been waiting for since the very beginning!I''ll sell you the first one! ''Huh?Oh, is it okay if it''s me? I''m not sure what to say. ...... I almost regretted it for a moment, but I guess language is subject to the antics of the spirit gods. ............ I''m not sure what to say.I sold it to you! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. A strangely low-slung muscle man steps forward, bows to me, bows to Ginette, Magda, Loretta, and Hammaro, then turns and bows to the crowd. You''re so low!How low can you be? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. A thick voice leaked out. He stretched his low back and said, ''Bean! He stretched his low back and said, ''Hey, look at this!It''s really good! As if to appeal to the crowd, he held up a plate with okonomiyaki on it and pointed to it. The way he looks at the audience is like a veteran gourmet reporter. If a camera were nearby, he would be showing the cross-section of the okonomiyaki, saying, ''Hey, camera, look at this. ''This tastes like a delicious meal made even better! Too bad. The metaphor is so bad. It doesn''t convey anything to me. ''Hammaro. Eat the new okonomiyaki you just cooked and tell me what you think.'' While the old man was writhing in agony, he handed Hammaro the okonomiyaki he had cooked and let him taste it. Hammaro bites into the okonomiyaki without hesitation, his small mouth moving in a gurgling motion. Watch this, you mere gourmet reporter. This is what I call a food reporter! ''A concerto of umami and happiness! Give me some! ''Me too! ''I''ll have three! That''s Hammaro. It didn''t take long for the crowd''s patience to run out of steam. You''ll make a good living at it. ''...... Hammaro. Same here. ''Oh!Magda-tan''s ''Ahn''! Perhaps stimulated by the popularity of okonomiyaki, Magda lets Hammaro have one of her takoyaki. ''Oof, oof, oof, oof! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to have to. ...... You idiot. I can do that too. I''m as cute as Hammaro. I can do it too. ...... huff,huff,huff,hot!I''m sorry. It''s not even an opinion at this point. I''m not sure what you mean by "hot and delicious"? ''I''m buying! ''Me too! ''I''ll have three! Even the old lady from earlier? The girls are really popular! ...... I think I''ll cook okonomiyaki, too, while huffing and puffing. ''Oh, oh, takoyaki for me too! ''Me too! ''No, I''ll go first! The old men crowded in front of the takoyaki, pushing away the ladies who loved Hammaro. ...... No, they''re crowding in front of the Magda. And they all open their mouths as wide as they can. '''''''' Ahhh! '''''''' ''......We don''t offer that service.'' '''''''' What the hell? '''''''' You''re not jealous of the ''ahhh'' Hammaro got from me. The jealousy of males is so disgusting. ''...... However. ''Why me? '''''''' I bought it! '''''''' ''A huge number of men in unison! It''s so simple. ...... Are there only idiots in this ward? ''Ugh ......, it''s so harsh ......''. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... What is this play? I think I''ll get in line too. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ...... You son of a b*tc*. ''Ginette! ''Yes''. ''I''d like to offer you the service of serving okonomiyaki with a single pinch of ......''. ''Please repent! Oh, no! Well, it burns. I can''t help it. I''ll just have him do it to me another day. And so, the 36th District "Flour Festival" came to a successful conclusion. The sky was already dark. It would be impossible to sell any more in the 35th district. By the time we get there, it will be quite late. ''Shall we sell in District 35 in the morning? ''So, we''ll leave after noon? We talked about this as we cleaned up. That''s right. If we start at around eleven and work until thirteen, we can make a lot of money. Then we''ll head back to District 42. ''Then it''ll be night by the time we get to the Sunlit Pavilion. ''That might be the case,............,'' said the disappointed look on his face,......, ''you weren''t planning to open for business tomorrow, were you?'' ''What?No, no!I was thinking of ...... arriving early, but ......''. It''s a company animal. ...... There are company animals. Work after a long trip. ...... No, well... For Jeannette, working at the sunlit pavilion may be a way of life, a hobby, and a form of entertainment. ''Let''s take a rest tomorrow, as expected. ''That''s right. I can''t keep you all company. Let''s get some rest for the next day. The next day will be business as usual without question. He''s a tough guy. ''Let''s work hard tomorrow to make up for it. ''Yeah!I''ll earn it! ''Yes, sir. Let''s make everyone smile! The purpose of ...... and Jeannette are very different. But it doesn''t matter, because the result will be the same. ''...... Yashiro. I''m almost done cleaning up the second store.'' ''Good. Well, let''s get some food, shall we? We''ve cleaned up most of the mess, but the griddle at No. 7 is still hot. I''ll make some food for us. ''...... Magda refuses to eat okonomiyaki.'' ''I''ve been smelling it ...... all day, and it''s been hot too. ......'' ''Sweet and spicy scent, torture! ''Er, well ...... I don''t mind anything, but ...... if you can ......'' ''I know, I know. I''ve already thought of something that''s not okonomiyaki. The last time I saw the employees at the sunlit pavilion, they spent the whole day smelling the sauce. I could imagine it would be the same today. So I''m going to skip the powdered stuff and go for teppanyaki. We have pork, shrimp, and vegetables. It''ll be a good meal. ''Would you like me to help you? ''Then cut the vegetables into large pieces.'' ''Yes, sir. Ginette cuts the cabbage into pieces suitable for the teppanyaki. In the meantime, I''ll fry up some pancakes. Don''t sweeten them, but use them as bread. If you put vegetables and meat between them, it will be like a hamburger. And then, Magda and Loretta started fumbling around beside me. I peeked over to see what they were doing. ...... ''...... I made takoyaki for Yashiro.'' ''Please eat it! ''You ...... have been exposed to the aroma of the sauce for the same amount of time as I have been, haven''t you? You refused to eat it, but you want me to eat it? ...... Oh, God. You can''t refuse it after you''ve made it. ............ You look hot, again. I''m not sure what to say. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. Business use?What are you talking about? ''''So, this is the first time that ...... I''ve ever had a ''hoo hoo''! With that, he takes one of the takoyaki from Magda''s plate and blows on it with a ''whoof''. The dried bonito flakes shake with the steam. The takoyaki is so close to your lips that you think you are eating it yourself. Then, he holds out a sufficiently cooled takoyaki to you. ''Oh, it''s "Ahn"! So that''s it. The ''woo-woo'' you were doing to the customer earlier was for professional use, and you were actually just pretending to be blowing. In fact, he didn''t breathe so hard, and he only said ''phew~'' once, so it didn''t count as ''phew''. This is truly Loretta''s first ''woo-hoo''. --I guess you could say that. So, are you sure you want me to eat that ''first''? Hurry up. It''s falling! Loretta''s hand begins to shake. It''s true that if you leave it for even five more seconds, the takoyaki will be unable to resist gravity and will fall. That would be a waste. Then there is only one thing I should do: ............ This takoyaki was very close to Loretta''s lips just now. ...... ............ I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, oh!I know, I know! I''m not embarrassed. I''m not embarrassed. In the first place, because Loretta said something ostentatious, ............ I''m not! I''ll eat it! I''m going to eat it! I''m going to bite into the round object that''s offered to me. It''s definitely a takoyaki, and with the aroma of sweet and spicy sauce,......, the intense heat spreads into my mouth. ''Hot!Huff!Huff!You''re hot! The ''huffing'' wasn''t doing its job at all. It''s hot!It''s so hot! But I can''t spit it out. ...... But I can''t spit it out, because Loretta is looking at me with a slightly anxious, yet somewhat expectant look on her face. ''How is it? It''s hot! ''Is it good? I don''t know, it''s too hot! When I couldn''t answer with a ''hahaha'', Loretta''s eyes became filled with anxiety. Oh, wait, wait!I''ll tell you now!I''ll tell you what I think! It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information. ...... I think I''m going to cry. ''Ugh, that was good ...... Loretta.'' Her esophagus burned, and she couldn''t speak well. But even so, Loretta nodded her head in satisfaction and jumped up and down. ''Then I''m glad! ...... If you''re happy with this, it''s a small price to pay. .................. ''...... Ahhh...'' Magda held out a round object in front of me as I rubbed my burned esophagus. ''...... Magda, this is the real ''Ah~n''.'' ''No, it''s fine if it''s Hammaro, he''s like a family member. ......'' ''...... Magda''s, serious, "Ahhh"''. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand if Loretta wanted to prove that she wasn''t just going to give away something that she had to cherish to a customer. But, Magda. You''re good, right? And I''ve given you a ''uh-oh'' before, haven''t I? ''...... Now is the time for Magda''s real "uh-oh."'' You never know where the fire will ignite, Magda''s competitive spirit is ......, or rather, Magda''s. ''............''. Magda''s ears perked up. ''Oh, are you embarrassed? ''......'' ''Does Yashiro want it? ''Well, well, I guess I''d like to ......? It''s definitely hot. Even Loretta''s had a near-death experience. It''s gonna be tough. I mean, I can''t. ''............ is asking too much. Magda, who seemed to have had her heart lit by a girl''s desire, showed a rare display of blatant embarrassment and shoved a takoyaki into my mouth without question. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Magda. That''s the work of an ogre. ...... ''You should know that ...... Magda is not a woman you can easily have your way with. Then, in exchange, remember that shoving something too hot in your mouth will burn you. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... here''s some water, not too cold. ''Huff huff! ''Um, ......, "thank you", right?'' I was too hot to speak, but Ginette was able to read my appeal. I''m impressed. Oh ...... I thought I was going to die. Well, I know what you mean. It''s kind of like a girl''s heart, you know?I''m sure you''ve got some sensitive feelings swirling around, you know. I can kind of understand. ...... Anyway, I''ll tell you this for sure. ''From now on, no more ''ahhhhs'' and ''woof woofs'' for customers. I''ll be the one who suffers the consequences. ''...... Understood.'' ''I understand, too.'' ''I understand and I mean it! Yeah. Hammaro doesn''t get it, does he? But that''s okay. It''s Hammaro. ''...... You should eat it too. Magda''s takoyaki.'' ''It''s hot, so you should break it open and let the inside cool down before eating.'' ''That''s the kind of care I wish I had when I was ......''. I''m glad I didn''t get burned. But I''m in the mood to avoid hot food for a while. ''Um, Yashiro-san, are you okay? Ginette asks me after I''ve savored a nice cold takoyaki. ''If there''s anything you want me to do, just let me know, okay? ''Well, I''ll put some okonomiyaki between you and .......'' ''Please repent.'' ''I''ll take care of you, but I''m not sure I''m up for anything. Tch~...... After that, we all ate some kind of burger made of pancakes with shrimp and pork, and walked the rest of the way to District 35. The sky was covered with darkness, but the stars were very beautiful, probably because we were higher than the 42nd district. Looking up at them, we walked together at night, and strangely enough, we did not feel scared at all. 212-Later, Tan 4035 and 42 wards. ''Welcome, my friend. Let me welcome you.'''' When I arrived at the house of the lord of the 35th district, Lucia welcomed me with a smile. ...... me, except . ''Come on, all but the anchovy go inside.'' ''Hey, Cora.'' Lucia tried to use the obedient waiter to push me into the tent outside. If you have time to prepare something like this, it would be easier to open a normal room! ''d*mn it ......, I can''t help it. You have my permission to enter. ''Thank you for inviting me, shitlord. This guy, really, this guy is ......... ''My friend Yashiro. As I began to exercise my fingers to rub my breasts, which showed no signs of growing, Gilberta came out into the garden with a large tub. It''s a huge tub filled with hot water. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... You can take a footbath to relieve the fatigue of a long journey. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Ms. Gilberta. ''Of course, thank you, my friend. My friend, Ginette, is very important to me. ''...... Magda sends her thanks as well. ''I don''t think it''s necessary, I... It''s only natural, this much, for a good friend like Magda. What?What''s Magda''s grade? When did she become my best friend? ''Thank you, Gilbert! ''I hope you enjoy it, Loretta. ''Can you put something on me, too? ''A Loretta with tits.'' ''That''s for my brother and the manager! ''I''m not! No, I''m not either. But Gilberta, ......, you''re a quick learner. You''ve become good friends with Loretta, haven''t you? ''Unexpectedly, welcome! ''I hope you enjoy it, ham mayo.'' ''Hammayo? ''? ''? Oh, I don''t remember that part. Well, Hammaro''s reaction would be the same anyway, so I guess it''s okay. A large tub was set up in the garden, and chairs were placed around the tub. We sit around the tub and soak our bare feet in the hot water. ...... Ah, it''s so warm. There is still plenty of room even with five of us in the tub, it''s a big tub anyway. I think it could hold about ten people. I''m sorry to bother you, but I''m with you. You''ll be able to take off your boots and expose your bare feet to Gilberta. A perverted lord stares at ......''s bare feet like an animal. ...... Someone call the cops, for God''s sake. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''ll make a special effort to be there. Anchovies, you''re out. ''I''ll give you a mixed bath, Lucia.'' Who''s going? I''ve been walking and standing all day and my feet are sticks. ''...... at all. It''s the only time a lord will bathe with a man he''s not married to,............! No, I don''t want that. If you don''t like it, you can just put up with it. ''Don''t look at me, anchovy! Lucia reacted more sensitively than necessary, perhaps embarrassed to expose her bare feet. She''s not immune to men, is she?Well, that''s what happens when you don''t show your true colors to anyone but a beautiful beastman girl. She''s too innocent to attract men. ''...... I said don''t look at me. I''ll gouge your eyes out.'' It''s because you say things like that with a straight face that they won''t come to you. ...... ''I''m not counted as a man! ''Hammaro is a child, so don''t worry about it.'' ''Hammaro?'' You two sisters are so close. After all... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... What is this temperature difference? I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web to make sure you''re getting the most out of your internet site. Immediately, a thick voice leaked out. ''Mhhhhhh ...... extreme pleasure ......'' ''Old man smell! ''Who''s the stinky old man? ''Don''t do it backwards! ''Nice smelling old lady? ''That''s not what I meant, reverse it! I''m surprised this guy hasn''t been exposed as a natural until now. I guess she doesn''t socialize much. That''s probably why he''s never been exposed. He''s so lonely. ''So, what do you think? ''Hot water?Great.'' ''It''s not.'' ''Mixed baths?Great! ''I knew you''d leave!It''s indecent! What the hell?You asked me what I thought, and I just answered. Lucia, her cheeks slightly reddened from the footbath, asks again. ''Are the lords of the other districts willing to lend an ear? ''Those who don''t are disqualified from being lords. ''You''ve come out big. ''There''s no way we can lose. ''I see. ......'' With a satisfied expression on her face, Lucia lightly kicked the hot water. As if aimed, the splashed hot water soaked my knees. ...... You son of a b*tc*. ''Did you get it?You''re in the wrong place at the wrong time. ''It seems that there is no culture of apologizing in the 35th district. I''ll spread the word next time. You are a very irreverent lord. ...... No, maybe that''s what lords are supposed to do, but... I''m sure Gilberta was telling the truth when she said that. Lucia''s expression has become much softer than when we first met. Although her hostility towards me is still the same. ''Ahaha ...... tiger girl, ham girl and mixed bathing ............ nyufufufufu! ...... That kind of thing is still the same, though. ''Yashiro-san. Please take a look. While the perverted lord across from me is molesting me, Ginette sits next to me and pulls on my clothes. Then she raises her finger to the night sky. ''The stars are beautiful. I look up and see the sky full of stars. In the 35th district, which is higher than the 42nd district, the stars are more beautiful. The stars shine so brightly above your head that they seem to be falling, and you feel as if you are being sucked into them. A magnificent view. Is it too much to say that ...... is a reward from God that you can enjoy without doing anything special? But tonight''s starry sky was so magnificent that it made me think so. ''It''s amazing. I can see more stars than in the 42nd district. ''A huge emission of stars! ''Is it because the 35th district is closer to the sky? ''...... Yashiro. Make the forty-second district higher than here. ''Don''t be ridiculous. The starry sky seemed to have impressed each of them. Everyone is excited. After a day of walking, doing business in a strange land, ...... and what not, we all traveled together. I''m sure they had a good time. They all had nice smiles on their faces. ''You have a good face, my friend Yashiro. Gilberta says to me from across the street. Hmm. You''ve just realized how good-looking I am. ''Stagnant smile, usually. ''......? ''But a nice smile, now.'' Oh, yeah. That means I''m just like Jeannette and Magda and Loretta and Hammaro. I had a lot of fun, you know, on this trip. It''s a shame it''s over. Soaking our feet in the steamy water, we enjoyed the footbath at the stall for a while longer. ''Yashiro-san. Would you like to go out for a while? Jeannette and the others said this when we finished the footbath, put our luggage in the separate rooms for men and women, took a rest, and left the sleepy Hammaro in the bathroom. It was nineteen o''clock. Some of the stores were still open. ''...... Gilberta''s information says that many of the stores are open at night for travelers and fishermen.'' ''I heard they sell souvenirs and stuff! ''Would you like to go? I asked, but the three of them were already ready to go. How could I refuse such a request? ''Then, let''s be customers for a change. ''Yes! The members of Hidamari-tei are always on the ''selling'' side. Today, you can fully enjoy being on the ''buying side''. ''...... Phew phew phew. Magda''s savings are going to catch fire. ''Don''t waste too much money''. But it''s boring to save and save. ''In moderation. ''...... Hmm. I got it.'' Magda rolls up her arms with a smile on her face as if she''s about to go on a spending spree. ''Oh, ...... I don''t have that much money because I spend it all the time. ......'' ''Then come shopping with me.'' ''Yes, sir! Loretta usually spends a lot of money on her younger siblings. It would be nice to let her spend it on herself once in a while. Ginette also doesn''t buy anything for herself at all. She mostly buys flowers for her store or daily necessities. Saving money is not the same as being stingy. The economy runs better if you spend when you have to. ''All right!I''m going to have a big day too! ''Whaaaaat?Yashiro-san, what''s wrong with you? ''Big brother, are you sick?You can''t die! ''...... Yashiro, waste .................. the world, will be destroyed? ''......What kind of people do you think I am? ......'' You know, I''ve been thinking about buying you a drink. ''Anyway, let''s go to the main street. ''...... Jatoamomento'' ''That''s right!I want you to wait a minute! ''Um, ...... me too.'' What? I was about to go out, but the three girls stopped me. ''I have some preparations to make. ''Big brother, please wait for ten minutes!...... It might be 20 minutes after all! ''Yeah, ...... why? ''...... There''s a battle we can''t lose.'' Magda is on fire. Her small hands are clenched into fists and her ears are perked up, ready for battle. ''...... I will not be outdone by a city girl.'' Leaving behind a mysterious declaration of war, Ginette and the others returned to their rooms. Lucia had prepared four rooms, one for two men and one for each of the girls, but Ginette, Magda and Loretta asked to share one room. They felt uncomfortable being alone in a large room. Oh, man. They''re all poor. ............ What?Oh, shit. Couldn''t I have slept in the same room with everyone else if I''d asked to be in the same room? I''m sorry!I''m not sure why I didn''t think of this earlier. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you have. From the 35th district.'' I was nailed by Lucia as she passed by. How dare you walk by at such an inopportune time! All right, all right. I''ll be quiet. ...... d*mn. Let''s go back to the room and talk to Hammaro. ''Hammaro. What about you, .................. you''re sleeping.'' ''What about you, Hammaro? ''......What are you dreaming about?'' Hammaro is still a child. He''s probably tired. I''ll just let him sleep. I waited in the room for twenty minutes. The three girls came to my room at the exact time Loretta had announced. Unexpectedly dressed. ''You guys ...... what''s up with that? ''Well, ...... we actually brought it secretly.'' ''We''re going to show the ...... city girls what we''re made of.'' ''We''re serious! Ginette, Magda and Loretta were dressed in yukata. This is how they prepare: ...... This is the best they can do to dress up and not look inferior to the sleek city girls who might be on the main street. ............ ''Oh, um,......, what do you think? I''m not sure what to say. ...... No, thank you very much. ............ You guys are so cute. I''m not sure if you''ve been preparing for a while, but I''m sure you''ve been preparing for a while, and I''m sure you''ve been preparing for a while. I''m sure you''ll find it ...... fine.It''s a good look. No!No, I''m embarrassed! What''s with all the hair ornaments and stuff! You should have told me that!I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Yashiro called me an "exquisite beauty"''. No, I didn''t say that. ''I''m glad. Now, you don''t have to worry about your brother being blinded by other beautiful women. ''You were worried about that? ......'' ''Mm-hmm. Everyone was looking forward to going out with Yashiro-san.'''' Ginette smiled happily. ''Everyone''s at .......'' ''What about you?'' ''Yes?'' ''Weren''t you looking forward to it?'' I ask a little nastily. Maybe I''m getting a little carried away. But-- ''So, everyone was looking forward to it.'' --The ginette seems to be more excited than I am. ...... It''s embarrassing, when you say it like that. ''...... Now, Magda and her friends can''t be beaten unless they have big tits parading around with their tits out. What kind of pervert would appreciate that? ...... ''Oh, are you going out, my friends? Gilberta came over and said, ''I can''t accompany you, I have work to do,'' she said regretfully, and then gave me this warning. ''You''d better be careful. On the main street, there are sometimes big tits parading around with their tits hanging out. ''Are you there? Camomun!Hey, Camomun! The tits were thrown out! ''...... Manager, Loretta. Take down Yashiro.'' ''Yes, sir!Let''s hold hands and walk tightly! ''It''s dangerous to let them loose!The Thirty-Five Wards! The three girls firmly bound my arms and waist. Let go of me!My big tits!My big tits! ''Let''s all go shopping together. Hey! Ginette told me in a slightly stronger tone. ...... I know. It''s a great opportunity. I''ll make the most of it. Let''s go, then! ''Yes, sir! ''...... all set.'' ''I''ve been waiting for you! We promised Gilberta that we would buy her something to take home, and we went out into the main street. Torches were lit, and the big street was dyed red. The flickering shadows illuminated the buildings and people passing by, creating a fantastic world. Even at this hour, there were many people, and all the bars were crowded. ''I should have eaten a little less. I ate dinner in the 36th district and also ate a little at Lucia''s place. I saw some very tasty looking seafood on the menu. That''s welcome seafood, isn''t it? But because I ate so much of it, there was no room for anything else. My eyes and nose want it, but my stomach refuses. It''s poison for the eyes. ''You can use the ...... ''red shiny something'' ......''. ''That''s not fair, Magda!We''ll all eat here next time we come back! ''...... Mmm. You have a point.'' ''Then, let''s all come back together again. ''Let''s come again,'' Ginette concluded. It was an indication that she wanted to travel like this again. In Jeannette''s mind, things other than the sunny pavilion are becoming more and more important. They are opening up a new world, never neglecting the Sunlit Pavilion. That seemed to be a very good thing. ''There''s a general store over there. Would you like to take a look? ''...... looking for items to decorate Magda''s room in a cute way. ''I''m going to buy some souvenirs for my brothers and sisters! ''''Then I''ll go to .......'''' ''''''No looking for big tits'''''' ''''I didn''t say anything about .......'''' What is it with you guys and your sense of mutual understanding? It''s the perfect match. The two sides of my body were firmly secured and I was taken to the grocery store. I was going to look at groceries too. The three of us in our yukatas made the men in the street look back at us. They looked at the three of us with a mixture of curiosity, ulterior motives, and many other things. I can''t leave you guys alone in a dangerous place like this. I look around the store, my clogs echoing. A woman who seemed to be the owner of the store said, ''Your clothes are cute. Where did you get it? I told her about Ukrines'' store. Maybe she''ll come to the 42nd district to buy something. The three girls went around the stores on the main street, curiously asking this and that. They went into a clothing store and looked at jackets, they looked at lipsticks in clam jars, and they looked at ornaments that could be displayed in a store. Not showing the slightest sign of fatigue from their long trip, the Ginettes walked around and had a lot of fun. As for me, I got tired on the way and waited in front of the store. ...... The power of girls is amazing. I wonder if women''s love of shopping is the same all over the world. I can''t seem to imitate them,......, and then I saw a fierce bikini armor on display, and I thought, ''It''s a little expensive, but it''s an investment! I was about to take out my wallet when I was intercepted by three men. No, it looks good on you! The Sunlit Pavilion Bikini Armor Fair is going to be a hit!If not, how about a nightgown? While I was doing this, the torches on the main street were going out one by one. Before I knew it, it was time for the stores to close. They had been shopping for nearly two hours. Ginette and the others were carrying too much luggage in their hands. ''We were able to buy a lot of things thanks to the prosperity of the sunny pavilion. ''...... Prosperous business is a good thing.'' ''It was worth the effort. I thought I was buying too much, but ...... You can at least reward yourself for your daily hard work. ''Well, should we head back? ''Yes! ''...... Mm.'' ''Yes, sir! The four of us are heading back the way we came. According to what I heard, all four of them were individually buying souvenirs for Hammaro. We''re all thinking the same thing. Now Hammaro won''t be upset tomorrow morning. And just like that, our first company trip came to an end. The next day. We were very busy from morning. Like the other wards, we took in the kids first, then the adults with okonomiyaki. ...... It was good until ............ we took in a little too much. It was too much. The restaurant was unexpectedly busy, and we were all dizzyingly busy. Furthermore, when we told them that we were going to close the store in the afternoon due to time constraints, they started to pour in like the devil. If you look closely, you will see that Siraha and Nikka also came to eat. ...... I had Nikka and Carl help me. ''Why do I have to use you as my chin? ''That''s right!I don''t get it! ''Come on, come on!If you have time to move your mouth, move your hands! ''All right! ''I''ll do it! The food Lucia had prepared for us was sold out by midday. Even so, the customers did not stop coming, so we bought a little more and closed the store around fifteen o''clock. Because we were running behind schedule, we hurried back the way we had come and headed for the 42nd district. ......, but... ''You''re not selling today! ''When are you coming back next! ''Just one piece!Please!Just one! Everywhere I went, I was stopped by yesterday''s customers, and finally... ''My lord would like to see you at .......'' ''My lord would like to ask you a few questions about your stall: ......'' ''Why don''t you come to My Master''s house? And so on. Since the lords of each district tried to contact us, it consumed a lot of time. We simply told the lords that the lords of the forty-two districts would be holding a briefing session and that they should attend it for a detailed explanation. We hurried home as if we were running away. To be honest, I didn''t think there would be this much of a response. Whenever Jeannette saw children who looked sad because they couldn''t eat popcorn, she would turn around, stop, and call out my name, ''......, Mr. Yashiro. So you see, Jeannette. I persuaded him to have fun next time, and somehow managed to pull Ginette to escape to the 40th district. The forty wards I''m used to. It''s a strange thing, the sunlit pavilion is still a ways away, but coming here makes me feel relieved, like I''ve come home. The people around here have already experienced the cakes, popcorn, and festival stalls, so they don''t seem to be swarming us. By the time we were finally able to walk in peace, we were all exhausted. ''We''re almost to the 42nd district! ''There''s still the forty-first ward. ...... It''s in the way, the forty-first ward. ''......They''re in the way at a time like this because they''re ruled by a crappy lord.'' Loretta and Magda began to take it out on each other out of exhaustion. Well, you''re right, Ricardo is a jerk. Don''t say that. ''We''ll take a shortcut through the back roads to the 41st district. We take a shortcut that we''ve taken many times before with the sugar and the lumberjacks. It''s a mountain pass with some ups and downs, but it''s easier than taking the long way around. The sky has already passed the evening darkness and the night has begun to fall. ''......''. I can smell the forty-two districts.'' ''Kun Kun ...... Ah, it''s true!It''s a nostalgic smell! ''What?Huh?Do you smell like that?Kunka!I don''t know....... I don''t know.'''' The two beastmen seem to know the smell of the forty-two districts. I don''t know if it''s the same for me or Jeannette,......, but I do know that the air is somewhat comforting. Jeannette, too, had a smile on her face as soon as she entered the 42nd district. ''Oh, ......, it''s still good. This feeling is so relaxing. ''You''re not supposed to say things like that until you''ve arrived home, are you? ''Uh-huh...... that''s right. I was a little hasty, wasn''t I? We chuckled and walked along the familiar path. You''re right, though, it''s as good as home now that you''ve come this far. I think I could walk with my eyes closed. ''Scenes from the past! Hammaro, who had been asleep in the stall, woke up when he felt the air of the 42nd district. ''The statue of the hero, the square! ''Don''t remind me of anything else. It''s true that the square we''re walking through is where Becco used to build his stupid wax statues! ...... is starting to piss me off now that I remember. I''ll go there tomorrow and harass him. ''I''m really at my wits end today. ''...... Magda too. I''m going to sleep when I get home.'' ''That''s right. You''re all tired, aren''t you? I''m exhausted too. I''m sure I can fall asleep in two seconds on my bed. I need to get to bed early today and get ready for tomorrow. ...... ''Ah ......'' As we walked along the streets of District Forty-two, illuminated by the glowing bricks, Ginette suddenly let out a sound. It was just at the time when the sunlit pavilion came into view. ...... ''............ There''s a customer. It is also the timing when you see several figures hanging out in front of the sunny pavilion. ...... What the hell are they doing? I''ve got a bad feeling about this. I''m not sure what to do.You''re late! ''Welcome back~! ''We''ve been waiting for you! They''re all familiar customers, and they''re all looking excited and uncomfortable. ''Well, I heard you were coming back today. ''I really miss you when I''m away for a day. ''I''m starving... ......'' They''re all saying whatever they want to say. In other words, these people are customers, as ...... Jeannette said. ''...... you guys''. And there''s the usual Jeannette face. ''......This is the destructive power of the Yashiro killer. ''I just got my first glimpse of the manager''s true intentions. ......'' ''Rejection is impossible! Apparently the rest of us got it too. ''Oh, this is the kind of thing you can''t refuse. ''You all can take a break and go to the store ......''. ''...... is not allowed to take a day off when the manager is working. ''I can still work a little harder! ''I can still work a little harder!'' ''Working at the Sunshine Pavilion is a different story! That''s it. They''ve all been poisoned by Jeannette. ...... I scratched my head and let out a huge sigh of relief. ...... This is what I have to do to get by. I can''t help it!But you guys!Anyone who orders troublesome food will be banned for the next week! ''Then I''ll have pasta! ''I want a cake! ''Yaki-onigiri! ''Okonomiyaki, okonomiyaki!It''s popular now! ''I don''t care as long as Magda is here! I want to eat salmon! ''Well, everyone. Please wait a little longer!We''re getting ready to open! Ginette opens the door of the sunny pavilion, controlling the customers who are screaming selfishly. As soon as I opened the door, I smelled something nostalgic. This is a soothing smell that even I can clearly identify. ''...... Please enter and take your seats in order. ''I''ll bring you water in order, too! ''Oumalo, help me! ''Don''t call me that, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? Magda and Loretta are handling the crowds of customers. They hadn''t prepared anything at all, but it wasn''t enough to fill the room, so they could make it work. ''Well, everyone. Good day again. At the sound of Jeannette''s voice, all the employees lined up in a horizontal line and smiled at the customers. ''''Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion! Ah, the nostalgic, usual scene. It''s the usual scene with the company animal manager. ...... 213-How to use Imelda at a later date 41 ''Look at me, Mr. Yashiro! As soon as the night dawned, I immediately made a donation to the church. The sleeplessness and sleeplessness took away my strength without mercy, and I felt as if I could jump the Sanzu River if the wind blew. Imelda appeared in front of me. What should I do? a??I''ll shut her out. What do you want to do?Why are you throwing me out?Why are you closing the door? Slamming the door behind her, Imelda barks at the storefront. Oh, shut up. If I die now, the real killer will be you, okay? What the hell, man? We''re open for business.'' ''Then there''s no problem for you to come to the store!Please let me in! You''re an Imelda, but you''re a decent one. I had no choice but to let her in. ...... I opened the door, but... ''...... What the hell is this? ''Isn''t it wonderful?Don''t you think so?Don''t you think? In front of the store, there was an incredibly thick, ridiculously large log lying on the floor. ''............ disturbing''. ''How can you say that!Look at it!Look at how thick it is!This big!In addition, the quality is perfect, it''s the best wood you can get once in a hundred years! ''No, I don''t know much about such things. ''Please understand! ''Yes! I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... Well, it''s certainly a fine, straight tree. ...... is all I can say. ''This is the finest wood that Austin and Xenobios have ever worked together to obtain. ......'' ''What?Those two are the ones who were in the gluttony contest, right?'' ''Yes, that''s right. They''re very gutsy people, and they''ve been hiding in the woods for two weeks to find this tree. That''s quite a spirited thing to do. It''s an obsession. ''Obtaining the finest wood is a requirement for membership in the Lumberjacks Guild District Forty-two, so that much is to be expected. ''...... You''re not going to pull out all the skilled people from the headquarters, are you? ''Of course!The 42nd district branch is my branch, you know?We can''t afford to fall behind Headquarters! Like Headquarters? ...... Javier''s probably crying right now. After all, those woodcutters think that being near Imelda is the greatest happiness. ''Your father is getting to be a good old man. ............'' ''Hmm?'' ''It''s nothing.'' For a ...... moment, Imelda''s expression faded. I thought it was ....... However, Imelda immediately smiled her usual strong smile, which personified the word selfishness. ''However, they are indeed two of my favorites. With this kind of skill, I have no problem appointing them as the branch''s leaders. I''m sure that''s the highest praise they can give. ''Well, why don''t you go and have dinner with the two who worked so hard? It seems that both of them had asked Imelda out to dinner many times and had been rebuffed. At least once, huh? ''No, thank you. ''Consider it a reward. ''Work and private life are separate! ''...... That''s just like you, though, isn''t it? I''m sure he has his own way of doing things and his own way of thinking, so I won''t go into it too much. ''Anyway!I''ve got a wonderful piece of wood that''s rarely seen even in headquarters!With it, we can make a carriage suitable for the wedding parade! ''What, I can use it? ''Of course. It''s wood. ''No, you see. If it''s only once every hundred years or so, you can keep it on display or trade it with the right person. ''Wood is meant to be used, you know.Wood can only be valuable if it is used where it is most needed now. I wonder if that''s how it is. Well, even if you put it on display, it will only become an object that people will think ''wow''. ''Well then, let me use it. If I show this tree to Umaro, he''ll be so happy he''ll faint. ''Oh really!That would be fun! He''s very happy to make Umaro faint. Well, he''ll be surprised. He likes wood and stuff. ''That''s why I worked so hard for Yashiro-san''s plan. ''Well, yes. It''ll make a nice parade. Thank you. ''I''d like to be treated to a meal as a reward! ''Hey. Where''s your business and personal life? What a selfish girl. However, it''s a good idea to make the parade carriage more luxurious. I was so preoccupied with the route that I completely forgot about the appearance. Hmm. Imelda. You''ve made me think of a good point. I''ll buy you dinner. ''I don''t see why not. I''ll buy you a meal. But only if you eat at the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''Of course I''ll do that. And then he moved to the seat at the far end where I usually sit. Lately, that seat has become like a secret meeting place for people in charge. ''Lately, the manager has been absent,...... which has been quite good as it has brought out some interesting menu items,...... but I''m hungry for the real taste. ''Where''s the real place? ''So, I''d like to have the manager''s best work. ''Ginette is always at her best. So anything is fine with you? ''I''d like an elegant meal. There''s nothing elegant about coming to the ...... cafeteria. ''Do you have anything specific in mind?Pasta, hamburger steak...'' ''I''d like to eat a grilled rice ball! ''Hey, where''s your elegance? ''I''ll have a grilled rice ball, elegantly! ''It''s up to you, isn''t it? Well, if that''s what you want, that''s fine, but ...... when did this guy eat a grilled rice ball? ''Before, on the day of the Okonomiyaki Fair, Magda-san made grilled rice balls to ''...... change the smell of the store''. I didn''t know he was doing that. Is that an imitation?I''d like to see it again because it was kind of funny. But at that time, I had just finished eight pieces of okonomiyaki, and I drank ...... tears! How much do you love okonomiyaki? ...... So you got full and couldn''t eat because you could only smell the good stuff. Oh~oh~, you look so disappointed. That''s why!I want you to make a real yaki-onigiri that surpasses Magda''s! ''You''ve been looking for that all along. I guess you didn''t care about being elegant or buying me a drink. He probably wanted a good reason to ask for a dish not on the menu. ''Hmmm ......, I think the grilled rice balls that Jeannette makes will be the same as the ones Magda makes. This is the orthodox grilled rice ball with soy sauce that I taught Jeannette before. Magda must have learned it from Jeannette. ''I want to try it! How disappointed she was that she couldn''t eat it. ''But it''s a pity. If it wasn''t for the restriction of ''Ginette''s cooking'', I could make a new flavor for you. ''I don''t mind cooking for you at a later date, manager! This guy''s will is so weak. He''s squirming and squirming. ''Well, I''ll cook something a little different for you. ''And something orthodox, please! ''Yes, yes. Ginette~! ''Yes! I call out, and Jeannette comes out of the kitchen. That''s right. Since it''s a good opportunity, I''ll cook it in front of you. ''Can you bring out the shichirin?I''ll make grilled rice balls.'' ''You''re going to grill them in a shichirin?That sounds like a lot of fun!'''' Ginette''s eyes glittered . ''...... Hmph. I wonder if I can surpass Magda''s taste?'''' Magda, the one who started it all, smiles wryly ...... and comes close to me, though with her usual expressionless ...... face. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. Loretta comes on to me somehow. You''d better change your habit of jumping at anything that looks interesting. You''ll get hurt someday. So, in the end... The "Yaki Onigiri (grilled rice ball) Fair" was held on short notice. It''s really a very friendly place, isn''t it? Once that''s decided, let''s get moving. The first step is to make the onigiri. ...... The first step is to make the onigiri. The three girls who make the rice balls are Ginette, Magda, and Loretta, the pride and joy of Hidamari-tei. ''Give me that!You don''t have to cook it! ''If you want, just throw it directly into your mouth and please! ''Hah!The rice ball that Magda made!It''s a gift from the heavens! As the screams of the idiots indicated, it was a big hit. I guess home-cooked food is amazing. Hygiene may be a bit of a problem, but ...... is fair. It''s like a festival. I''ll cut them some slack. Besides, I''m sure those customers won''t mind if something goes wrong, in fact they''d be happy to have their stomachs broken by a beautiful girl''s rice ball. No problem. No problem. So, I''m in the kitchen alone making miso sauce. I''m mixing miso and sake together. ...... Hmmm, that smells good. Soy sauce and miso. These two go well with rice! And when you grill it, it gives off a fragrant, wonderful aroma. They are the two top ingredients in the world of grilled rice balls. You ignorant people who only know soy sauce, marvel! When I returned to the restaurant with the miso sauce, I was elated. ...... I''m not sure what to do.grilled rice balls!I can''t wait! I can''t wait!'' Imelda was doing a strange dance as she circled around the seven rings. ...... Hey, Cora. Miss Elegance. ''Wow, miso? Indeed, burnt miso is delicious.'' Ginette''s face beamed as she looked at the miso sauce. I''m sure she already has an idea of what it tastes like. If there were some yuzu here, I could make it even more flavorful. ''Yashiro!I''ve brought you salmon! ''Delia......, when and at whose request did you act?'' It seems that Delia was contacted without her knowledge. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''Would you like me to go make you some soup or miso soup? ''It''s a complete set meal. ''...... is going to be on the regular menu.'' ''It looks gorgeous and delicious! He coined a strange word, and Loretta seemed to be curious. Regular menu. ............ Hmm. ''Ginette. I''ll have the soup. Lightly flavored, but with a good amount of broth.'' ''Yes, ma''am. Grilled onigiri tend to be a little strong in flavor. I understand. There''s that too. Miso soup with miso sauce would be a little too much. But the aim is a little further. ''Let''s cook it anyway!Don''t mess with it, amateurs!You''ll get burned! ''Well, I''ll be watching! ''You''re a pro, aren''t you, Loretta? ''I got burned the other day and I almost cried! ''...... I was crying.'' What a douchebag. Now''s your chance, I''ll teach you. We ended up using all of the seven rings to cook a large number of grilled rice balls. ...... It''s hot. But it''s for a good meal. I''ll take my chances. The onigiri, which had been mixed with soy sauce and seasoned before they were made, were placed on a wire mesh. In the meantime, dip the rice ball into the miso sauce. Put the miso sauce on both sides of the rice ball so that the miso permeates the inside. ''Mwaaah! The aroma of burnt soy sauce spread through the restaurant, and customers screamed. Indeed, this is irresistible. But!Then I add a rice ball with miso sauce! ''Agh!My stomach, my stomach''s coming out!'' Don''t let it out, you''ll scare me. ''...... in a daze, Magda flips it over.'' ''Aaah!At this moment, the grilled rice ball has been sublimated into a sacred food! ''He''s so annoying, I think I''ll have him thrown out. ''I''ll turn it over as well! ''Oh, good, good, good.'' ''Your reaction is normal!More like, ''Oooohhh! I want more ''ohhhhh! I want more of that! Even the customers are now playing with Loretta. There are even some customers who keep coming back to see Loretta''s reactions. It may look unassuming, but Loretta''s popularity is steadily taking root. ''I can''t wait!My stomach is growling today! Are you okay, Imelda? Your stomach is acting weird. ''Then let''s have Imelda eat the first one. ''No, thank you! She refused! ''The manager who went to the kitchen earlier hasn''t come back yet!I don''t want something delicious to be added after I''m full! I see. So she''s learned her lesson, even if she is a stupid girl. ''Here you go, sir~. Here''s your soup~'' ''Come on, please!Hurry up!For me, first!If you don''t hurry, you''ll starve to death! ...... Yeah. I don''t think she''s learned. ''Loretta. I''m sorry, can you bring me a larger cup of tea? ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. The bowls are here. I was thinking of serving the soup in this bowl?'' Ginette brought a plate for the grilled rice balls and a small bowl for the soup. That''s not good enough. Even if it''s not a donburi, it has to be bigger than that. ...... It will spill. ''I''ll just go get it! Loretta runs off. In the meantime, she put the grilled rice balls on the plate that Ginette brought and served them to the customers. ''Geez!It''s so hot! In the meantime, the nasty and gutsy people were all baptized by the grilled rice balls and looked at coldly as if to say, ''It''s freshly baked, so that''s what it''s supposed to be ......''. The educated customers split the grilled rice balls in half, enjoyed the rising aroma to the fullest, and then bit into them. Then they bit into it. ''Mmmm! That was a good response. Then, with Ginette''s permission, Delia, who had been baking salmon in the kitchen, came back to the dining room. She came back with a tray full of freshly baked salmon. ''Oh, I can''t get enough of the rich aroma of this salmon. ...... It''s so appetizing. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... When did you join us? Give me a sign. ''Oh, brother. I''ve brought you a big bowl! And the only thing left to eat is Jeannette''s soup. ...... Hmmm... I split the grilled rice ball in half and put it in the bowl. And then I poured the soup stock on top of it. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not too much, and it''s easy on the tongue and the stomach! What''s that?It looks so delicious! ''...... Magda is also very interested. ''Ginette. Please give me a refill.'' Loretta and even Magda took a bite, and Bertina naturally asked for a second glass. Ginette responds to them, but ...... I''d like to try it too! Unusually, she is more inclined to the person being served than the one serving it. If you serve it to the customers, you can eat it to your heart''s content. ''I want some too!Oh, can I put some uncooked salmon in here? Oh, good idea, Delia!You''re right, there''s no one better than you when it comes to salmon! And so, those who ate it orthodoxly and those who put their own spin on it, enjoyed the grilled onigiri chazuke in their own way. Then, this guy''s patience finally reaches its limit. ''Oh, I want to eat it! ''I''ll take over for you, you can eat too. ''Are you sure?Thank you, Yashiro-san. With a smile of satisfaction, Ginette hands me the ladle. My first task is to serve the ladle to Ginette. ''Haa...... looks delicious. I can almost imagine it, but I can''t resist the urge to actually try it. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty about abandoning his duties in the middle of the day, but Ginette was talking too much. After talking about this and that as an excuse, she broke the grilled rice ball in half as if she had been waiting for it. He seemed to be restless and rushed. ''......The manager is turning into a sister. ''Don''t say horrible things, Magda. ......'' What if it comes true? It''s not ...... going to happen, is it?I hope not. ...... ............ Ah, I''m beginning to feel like I''m going to get closer and closer to Bertina if I wish the spirit gods! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Ah. That''s enough. Ginette is yapping and screaming. ''Mmm-hmm!We''ve had our fun today!I''m a winner because I didn''t get full before the hidden gem appeared!I''m a winner! Imelda sipped on her grilled rice ball and made a smug face that showed no trace of elegance. It''s too much, it''s only chazuke. ''Ladies and gentlemen!Please don''t forget that it was thanks to me that you were able to enjoy this wonderful dish today! I don''t know how he can be so arrogant about something like this, this guy. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Did he do something to you? Unsure of the meaning of Imelda''s confidence, Umaro asks me. When I thought, "Why don''t you ask him? ......," he answered. ''I was begging for it! ''How can you be so confident about something like that? I told you to ask him. I don''t know. ''But it''s true that thanks to Imelda''s begging, I was able to eat grilled rice ball chazuke. Imelda, you''re doing great! ''...... Mmm. A new way of eating that Magda didn''t even know about. ...... Imelda, it was a great cause.'' ''Ho ho ho!You should praise her more! ''I''m glad that Imelda-san is a nasty commoner even though she is a young lady! ''...... I''m impressed that you have the guts to do something that a person with normal sensibilities wouldn''t be able to imitate without embarrassment. ''I don''t feel like I''m being complimented! That''s because I''m not praising you. ''Imelda''s honest heart has given many people new encounters and joy. ''Imelda, you are amazing. I am also grateful to have found this taste. The gourmand sister and her daughter are smiling. ......They look more and more alike. ............I''m scared. ''Imelda!You''re the best! ''Thank you!Imelda''s daughter!'' ''Banzai, Imelda! ''Your big tits are shaking well today, that they are! ''Oh-ho-ho-ho!Thank you, everyone!Thank you, everyone except you, Becko! ''Oh dear!You were left out, that you were! Imelda is waving her hands in the air as the crowd cheers for her, ignoring Bekko who has somehow found his way into the room. ...... Idol. I feel very good!Good!I''ll pay for this place today! ''Good! ''The Lumberjack Guild is the best! ''Imelda is beautiful! ''Imelda, you are so generous! ''Imelda has big tits, that she does! ''Thank you, everyone except Bekko! ''Oh, dear!You''ve been left out again, that you have! It''s very generous of you, but ...... Imelda. Did you forget that I''m buying you a drink this time? I''m buying for you, and you''re buying for the rest of us. ...... What about that? I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m feeling very satisfied! Imelda''s face is extremely happy. If you''re okay with that, I have no problem with it. ''Then, while you are satisfied, can you help me with one thing? ''Yashiro-san to me?What is it? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ''I''m trying to beat a guy to make my wedding better. ''Hoho. Is he a bad guy who''s trying to ruin the wedding? No, no. I''m more of a supportive guy. ...... ''I just wanted to ask you for a favor. I think the quickest way to do that is to beat them to a pulp. That way, they''ll have an easier time coming up with a reason. It would be difficult to give them too much unconditional preferential treatment because of the eyes of others. Especially since they want to borrow something that is very popular among some people. ''So, who are you going to defeat? Imelda, who''s ready to be my chief of staff. With you, we''ll win ....... No, we''ll win. So... The one we''re going to beat is Javier. --Stay strong, Javier killer. 214-Later, at the 42 Woodman Guild, ''Ha~ebi~eru~'' ''Oh, no, ...... I think I''ve caught a cold. I''ve got the chills.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''m sorry. You''re so cute, but I... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. If that''s the case, can you please stop talking in that freaky way?My cold is getting worse and I''m getting an incurable disease. ''Incurable disease: ............ baldness? ''I''m fine!I''m not Ambrose! ''Ha-ha-ha, Stuart. I''m here, so be careful what you say. Demily smiles like a demon and closes in on Javier. ''Hey, Javier. Don''t be too harsh with him. ''You''re the one who started it, Oba-kun~. I''m going to impose economic sanctions on you. ''Demilly, do you hate ...... Estella that much? ''It''s you! A mature, old man stomping his feet. Stop it, you''ll get dust in the air. Yashiro-san. Why don''t you get to the point? ''No, Javier will say something awful if we don''t.'' ''...... Were you playing it down just now, Yashiro?I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... I guess it''s only a matter of time before he gets demoted. I''m at the woodcutter''s guild in the 40th district with Imelda. I came here for Javier, but for some reason Demilly was there too, so I thought I''d talk to him while I was at it. ''Actually, Javier. I need to borrow your horse. ''Horse, huh? ''Oh, don''t you know?It''s a long-necked creature that goes boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. ''Yes, I know!So, what''s the big deal?There''s more to it, like the horse''s qualities and characteristics! That''s a great horse owner. You seem to have an obsession with horses. Yes. The horses Javier raises are the best of the best, and are highly regarded by the nobility. I heard that they are not only powerful but also beautiful in appearance. I would like to use it in the parade. He came to me for advice. ''Even if I lend it to you, ......, how much do you need? ''Five two-horse carriages, that''s ...... twelve horses. ''That''s a lot! Demilly tilted his head next to Javier''s astonished face. ''If there are five two-horse cars, isn''t that ten horses? ''We''ll have one horse in front and one in back, unattached to the carriage. Ride as normal. The first horse leads. The horses in the back are bodyguards in case something goes wrong, or to fill in for a broken horse. ''Well, that''s quite a grand parade, isn''t it? Of course, Demilly, the lord of the forty districts, had heard about the parade. However, he didn''t seem to know the scale of the parade. ''Twelve cows,............, if you take out all the ones we have now, it won''t be enough,......... ...'' I''ve been told by Imelda that there are only about fifteen horses that Javier is currently raising that are grown and trained well enough to pull a carriage. In other words, he''s asking me to lend him as much as I can. Naturally, no matter what the parade would be like, Javier would have to keep the horses for his own carriage. It''s really an absurd request to release everything. ''That''s a bit difficult,'' he said. ''It''s the beginning of their marriage, you know?Don''t you want to make it gorgeous? ''I''m not close enough to them to put that much of a burden on them, me and them. Well, I guess you could say that. At any rate, Javier''s horse could be a bargaining chip that would allow him to compete on equal terms with the nobility. If he were to do something wrong and get hurt, he would lose a lot of money. He would be cautious. Nevertheless, Javier is a man with deep pockets. He would not hesitate to congratulate someone he knows, even if it is a stranger, and he would lend his support generously "if there is a chance". So, I came to ...... to create that ''opportunity'', or rather, to lure them. ''So, Javier!Would you like to play with me? ''Oh, ...... a match.'' Javier''s mouth twisted into a grin. Apparently, he was intrigued. ''I got beat up in the gluttony contest, so ...... this is a good opportunity for me to get some revenge. ''...... again, such a long time ago.'' ''Shut up!I can''t tell you how many times I''ve wet my pillow since that day. ...... ''Is that drool? ''It''s snot.'' ''It''s tears of frustration! Lie to me. Right after you lost, you looked refreshed, saying, ''I''ve been fed a lot of food. ...... Well, at that time, I was in a situation where I couldn''t talk for a long time. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. All right, I''ll take it! There''s an old man in front of me with a big smile on his face, his muscles more excited than usual. ...... scary scary. ''So, what''s the game, Oba-kun? Demilly, too, was intrigued and leaned forward. I exchange glances with Imelda, who knows what''s going on, and begin to negotiate with the two males. ''You know Imelda''s got some great wood that''s said to be once in a hundred years, right?'' ''U....... I''m sure Austin and Xenobios are very excited about it,......, but they''re so desperate when it comes to Imelda,......, and I can''t believe how much I''ve looked out for them. ...... mumble''. Apparently, they''re frustrated that the branch office took that wonderful wood instead of the headquarters. I guess he''s trying to tell me that I should get the best wood from the headquarters before transferring. ''The city gates of District Forty-two have only just been built. There''s a high possibility that there are still treasures lying in the forest outside. ''Oh, that''s right. That''s what I''m thinking too, and I''m actively sending woodcutters from headquarters to the gates of District 42. ''Thanks to that, the introductory tax of the forty districts has been reduced. ......'' ''''What are you talking about, Demiry? Instead, I heard that the overall tax revenue has doubled with the opening of the street and the enhancement of the food court.'''' ''Ha-ha-ha!That''s Oba-kun. You''ve got quick ears. No~, actually, you''re absolutely right! d*mn you, old raccoon. The city gate in District 42 is currently a bit of a hot topic. There are many people who come to try out the gate to see if they can use it for work, and the forty and forty-one wards that are transit points are also benefiting. The 41st district, which has become an inn town, is enjoying a booming business. I''ll let Ricardo buy me dinner next time. And... Back to the story. ''Go through the gate in the 42nd district and go to the forest outside. I need some wood for the wagon, and you can get it for me. Of course, the winner is the one who can get the better quality wood. I''m glad Demilly''s here. If we had to carry the lumberjacks'' guild to a contest, the finances of the forty districts would be affected in no small way. What''s more, the city gate of District Forty-two would be used this time. For the forty wards that have city gates, this is not something that we can welcome with open arms. When I glanced at Demilly, he gave me a gentle smile and nodded. I guess that means there is no problem. In fact, he even looked like he wanted to take a part in it. But... Javier was different. The smile on his face was ............ like a powerful demon. It was a professional look, with the sharp eyes of a warrior on the verge of battle. ''Oh, ......, you want to compete with me for the job of lumberjack? Guild leader of the Lumberjack Guild. He was called a legendary monster and the number one lumberjack, recognized by both himself and others as being on par with Medora. He challenges Javier to a game of lumberjack. It would be beyond reckless, it would even be rude. That''s why you can find a way out of it. ''Of course, I''ll take the handicap. You can''t win 100% of the time with a straightforward strategy. So we''ll use a subterfuge. ''In advance, I''ve obtained the full cooperation of the 42nd district branch of the Lumberjack Guild. ''Oh, ...... Imelda''s going to join you? ''Yes. There will be no mercy, father. ''Ha-ha-ha!That was a funny joke, Imelda! He laughed off Imelda''s provocative glare. As for Javier, even if he were to go easy on her, his victory would be unassailable. That''s how confident he is. ''Of course, I''ll use Austin and Xenobios. ...... What do you think, Javier?'' ''I''ve been lambasted. ............ Those two little bastards are no match for me, even if they came at me together! Still active. That is, the strongest. The man in front of me is the strongest lumberjack ever, despite his devastatingly unfortunate personality and s*xual proclivities. Javier''s aura of confidence is no mean feat. ''This one will take the entire 42nd district branch, but ...... what about you? ''I''ll be fine on my own!I''ll take some waiters with me, though. But I''ll take some waiters with me, because I can''t work if the food is bad. Javier versus the Woodcutter''s Guild, District 42. I don''t know who''s got the better handicap. The odds are going to be rough. If this were Medora vs. the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild, ...... Medora would end up winning hands down. The man who is Medora''s equal, Javier,...... ''So, the date is tomorrow at sundown. The rules are that you must go through the city gates of the 42nd district to the outer forest. And you must prepare wood to make the carriage. The winner is the one with the higher quality wood. ''Interesting!I''ll take that challenge!'' Javier stands up, spreads his thick, bear-like arms, closes them cross-legged, and slams them into his chest. The walls of the room vibrate with a loud crash that sounds like something you''d hear at a scrap factory. If I get caught between that arm and his chest, my spine will shatter, for sure. ''If you win, I''ll lend you my horse for as long as you want! Okay. Got a deal. ''In exchange, if I win ............''. Javier''s eyes glittered like a ferocious beast. ''Let my sister rub it! ''The moment you do, I''ll cut you off.'' Imelda stared into the eyes of the ferocious beast with a blizzard-blasted gaze of extreme cold. The beast ''cooed ......'' and grew smaller and rounder. ...... That''s what animals do when they''re exposed to a blizzard. ''Then,......, then,......, I want my sisters to say, "Uncle Javier is cool. ......"'' So, hey, old man,......, does it really have to be my sisters? ''You''ll just have to settle for Loretta. ''No!I''m not going to do it. I''m not sure what to do. He just can''t seem to tolerate double digits in age. ''All right. I''ll talk to my sisters! ''Yes!You said it!I heard you!If you ever go back on your promise, I''ll turn you into a frog even if you make enemies with all forty-two districts! ''Haha ......, that might make me an enemy too, Stuart.'' ''I''m going to win this game, no matter what!Even if I have to tear Yashiro to pieces!No matter what cowardly tricks I have to use!I''m going to win this one for sure!Imelda!You may have a new mother, so be prepared for that! Oh, no. There''s a strange man talking loudly. You''ve been cut off, Javier! You''ve been a little overexcited, haven''t you? ''............ something''. It''s not cute at all. It''s not cute.Well, well. ...... Javier glanced at me. In short, you want to secretly decide on a reward when Imelda is not around. ...... He''s not going to give up his sisters'' praise. Well, I''m going to do my best if Javier will bite. Of course, as long as it doesn''t overwhelm my sisters. If you rub it in, I''ll tell Imelda and every woman in the 42nd precinct. Then you''ll look like a mess in less than three days. I''m afraid of my women. Oh, no, no. ''Cause they''re reliable. Anyway, I''ll take that chance!If I should lose, I''ll let you use my horse as much as you want! After saying that, he said, ''In return, right?You know what I mean?Do you?Oh, you don''t have to say it out loud. You know what I mean?You understand, right?'' I''m sure you''ll understand. Stop ....... I don''t want any winks from old men. ''Hmmm ...... Oba, you thought of that.'' Demilly leans in towards me with a knowing look on his face. Then he gently puts his face close to my ear. ''...... You want to take advantage of this game to get some wood for your carriage, don''t you?I know. It''s an ''incidental'' game. There''s no way I can beat Stuart at lumberjacking. Oh, it''s okay. I''m not blaming you. It''s just, you know, I''ve gotten a little smarter since I''ve been seeing you. I''m smart enough to know what you''re thinking. ''Demily ......'' ''To Demily, who spoke at length in my ear, I have but one word to say. ''...... glare.'' ''You''re not that reflective, are you!Not to the point of being uncomfortable! Hmm. I''ve been listening to you whisper for a long time. You''ll have to tolerate this level of counterattack. I''ll take the wood for the wagon as a bonus. A prize for bravery or something. But Demilly''s idea is a different order. What Demilly is saying is that I offered him a contest ...... to get the wood for free. He said the game was ''incidental''. But it''s the wood that''s ''incidental''. My main goal is to win the game. To be honest, I don''t really care about the wood, as long as Umaro says, "Wow!That''s nice wood! To be honest, wood is only as good as the surprise of Umaro. The average customer has no idea how good or bad the processed wood is. But horses are different. The horses raised by Javier are different from the others in every way, from their hair to their muscles to their faces. Even the dignity they wear is different. A beautiful horse pulling a carriage carrying a bride and groom. That''s what makes a picture. That''s what this game is about. I''ll beat Javier and borrow his horse. This is an unshakeable decision. There can be no change. I have a secret plan for that. And Javier himself has given me permission to use it. ''Javier. I understand your power all too well. So feel free to use the power of the 42nd Precinct. It''s not fair in your eyes.'' I''m not going to ruin my relationship with Javier. This game is just a show to tickle Javier''s fancy. So I don''t want to give the impression that I''m going to cheat, set him up, and deceive him to win. ...... Well, we deceive, we set up, we deceive, and we win. I''m sure you''ll agree.You''re very auspicious, Yasilo. Are you really that stupid and honest? As long as you laugh at me like this, you will laugh at me even if I do something cowardly. That''s why you can ...... do all the cowardly things you want. I don''t care what cowardly move you make!If you can beat me, go ahead and beat me! ''Okay. Okay, Imelda. Please.'' ''Father...'' I pushed Imelda''s back and pushed her in front of Javier. Imelda''s face crisped up and she said in an unhurried voice. ''If you get serious, I''ll hate you. ''That''s not fair, is it, Yashiro? Javier''s killer exploded. Being hated by Imelda is what Javier fears the most. ''But, but!Imelda. If you were a member of the Woodcutter''s Guild, you would understand.Anyone who doesn''t show their true colors in front of the forest is not a lumberjack!I don''t care what Imelda says, I can''t bend that!I don''t care what Imelda says, I can''t bend it! If you bend it, I''ll quit being a lumberjack! ''Father, ............'' Imelda''s heart clenched at Javier''s unhesitating words. ''...... Father, you''re right. I don''t want to see my father cutting corners in the woods, either. My pride as a lumberjack outweighed my victory. Oh, this is no good. It''s impossible to talk these two out of this. They won''t give up their pride as lumberjacks no matter what. Well, I knew that was coming. This is just a jab. The real story is somewhere else. That''s it, Yashiro. I''m serious! ''Oh. ............ me too.'' Then I''ll show you, Javier. ...... I''ll show you how serious a con man can be. ''So, this is the game. I, Ambrose Demilly, will be your matchmaker. I hope you both fight fair and square. ''Ah!I''ll leave it to you! Demilly says, Javier agrees. And I''m like ...... ''Hmmm ...... fair and square ............ I''m not so sure about that ......''. I gave him a hard time. No, because,......, right? What is fair and square, huh? ''Oba-kun, ...... even if you''re lying about that, ...... you know?I''m not going to make you a frog for that. ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. 215-Later, Ill play 43 Woodman. ''Hey, hey, hey: ......'' The day after I spoke with Javier. On the day of the confrontation, in front of the gate of District Forty-two, I was stunned. ''Bastards!Don''t fall behind Austin and Xenobios! ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa! The lumberjacks of the forty districts roared, their hot muscles rising. ''''Hey, Javier. I thought you were supposed to be on your own?'''' ''No, that''s the thing.'' Javier is fiddling with his beard with a bitter expression on his face. Behind him, a beaming Demilly peeked out. ''I sent you, Oba. It seems that this head-banging maniac has done something. I don''t think he''d call himself a ''sentimentalist''. ''Since you''re going to do something interesting, I told all the lumberjacks about it. Ambrose is a ...... nuisance. It seems that Demilly had taken the liberty of firing up the woodcutters without asking Javier''s wishes. ''I was also frustrated that the forty-two districts took the once-in-a-century wood. He said with a face that didn''t look regretful at all. ''This time, with the help of the lumberjacks, I wanted to get more wood than that. I ask. I heard that the lord would give a gold envelope to the person who prepared the best quality wood this time. Moreover, a certificate will be issued to him for having obtained the best quality wood, and the whole district will honor him. Honor and money. I''m sure these hot and bothered old men will jump at the chance. ''Of course, we won''t interfere with your confrontation. As long as you can provide better quality wood than Stuart, even if it''s not as good as the other lumberjacks, you win. We''ll just take advantage of it. ''''Yes, Javier. They''ll think you''re the one who can get the least amount of wood.'' ''What do you mean, Ambrose? ''I didn''t say that!Oh, Oba, please don''t stir things up. Hmm. That''s your punishment for jumping on my bandwagon without asking my opinion. If the others take all the good quality wood, Javier and I won''t have a chance of finding it. If you don''t take that into account, you''re already in trouble. ......, but well. I''m not going to let that stop me. ''Imelda. ''I understand.'' I pushed Imelda''s back, and she stepped forward, her posture beautiful and her voice clear. ''Gentlemen. Please don''t take it too seriously. ''''It''s not fair, Obayashi-ro! Bark all you like, woodcutter. Cowardice is a word that was invented for me. ''''I told you, that trick won''t work on a professional lumberjack.'''' Javier is completely unfazed, smiling comfortably. So I''ll give him one more push. He pats Imelda on the back. ''I''m really going to hate you. ''What should I do?What am I going to do? ''Stuart, calm down. You''re playing right into Ooba''s hands. With Imelda here, I''m sure the woodcutter won''t be able to beat us. All right!Let''s declare victory while it''s still in the air. ''Come on, guys!Let''s fight fair and square! ''Yashiro, you. How can you say such a thing without shame just now, ......?'' ''I really want to learn from you as a lord, you have such a thick skin: ......'' The two males are admiring me. Hmm!You got me! ''So, Yashiro. Where''s Austin and Xenobios?'' Javier looks around, as if wanting to say hello. ''They''re already in the forest. ''What? ''No, no, no. We set a deadline, but we didn''t set a start time. The game has already started. ''You ......!You''re really cheating like that! Javier shakes his shoulders and grinds his feet on the ground like an annoyed kid. It''s not ...... cute. It''s not that bad.It''s a good thing I have that kind of handicap.I''ll go with you. At the sound of Javier''s loud cannonade, the waiters straightened up. Javier then walked toward the gate ahead of the other woodcutter. ''Look forward to the sunset, Yashiro!I''ll make you howl!'' With his right arm raised high in the air and a declaration of victory, he walked past the gate and into the forest. With Javier''s departure, the other lumberjacks were suddenly in high spirits. ''All right!This is a rare opportunity to challenge the guild leader!You guys!Don''t be sloppy! ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! ''''''Let''s give the guild leader a surprise! ''''''Heehaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Wielding muscles like blunt instruments and carrying axes and masakari that look like deadly weapons, the woodcutters rush into the gate. He looks like a small character who is instantly killed by the ...... hero. I''m sorry. ''Well, wait. We don''t have them yet. ''Who''s coming? ''...... Sorry to keep you waiting. As if in answer to Imelda''s question, my awaiter appeared in a flock. ''A good friend and a great sponsor.'' ''Well, ......''. There was Magda, fully armed and ready to go, and Loretta, wearing a work uniform shaped like a knickerbocker. And then there was Estella, dressed in a sporty outfit that made her look more mobile than usual. ''It was these people. Then, a little further away from the others, stood Ginette. She was carrying a large basket, looking like she was going on a field trip. ''...... And yet, your equipment is all over the place. ''Well, we don''t have any equipment for going out. The only equipment that seems to work outside the gate is what Magda and Imelda are wearing. As you would expect from a professional, Imelda is also wearing equipment that looks reasonably strong. He has the appearance of a lumberjack. I had expected him to walk gracefully into the forest with a parasol. So, I was a little surprised. ''The forest is a dangerous place where death is a constant companion. ''...... Hmm. In particular, the gates of the 42nd district go deep into the forest, so the level of magical beasts is also vicious. ''That''s right, big brother!You too, manager!You''re too careless! Loretta is giving me and Jeannette a hard time about our outfits. ...... No, you''re just as bad, aren''t you? ''I borrowed it from Umaro-san! ''Oh, so it''s Torbek''s work uniform.'' But what the heck,......, you look good as usual, man. Even if you get fired from the Sunlit Pavilion, you''ll be able to make a living that way. ''By the way!I''m not sure what to do with it. ''What the hell? I didn''t tell you anything. ''Even if I didn''t say anything, you gave me a look like ''even if I''m fired from the Sunshine Pavilion, I''ll be able to make a living in that field''!I''ll never quit, you know? Is this guy an esper? Or is my face that obvious? To try ...... Loretta''s lower left breast, lock on! I''m not sure what to say.You can''t just stare at the left lower tit! Hmm. I''ve heard that''s easy to spot, my face. I''ll be careful. ''Um, ......, is there a problem with my outfit?I''ve chosen the most comfortable clothes I have. ......'' Ginette asks with a worried look on her face. There was no way that Ginette had any weapons or armor, so she must have done her best. But what I''m curious about is the basket. ''Is it lunch? ''Yes!Let''s all enjoy it together. It''s a complete picnic. Well, I guess that''s fine with Jeannette. I don''t want to see her wielding a sword and slashing down demonic beasts, and I can''t even imagine it. ''The manager is probably not used to going out, let alone out of the forest, so ...... it can''t be helped. ''Huh?Oh, um... I''ve been going out ...... a lot lately, you know?I''ve been to the 35th district and so on!I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s not as if you can compare the safety of the 35th district with the forest outside,......, but for a gynecologist, you''re more active. ''...... okay. Magda will protect the manager and Yashiro. ''Please protect me too, Magda! ''.............................. What? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Teary-eyed Loretta. Well, don''t worry. Magda''s not going to put Loretta in danger. ''I''m not so sure I''m up to the task of dealing with a deep-seated hexenbiest either. ......'' Estella sometimes follows Masha out of the gate, but it seems that she usually only goes to the 35th district and rarely goes into the forest. She''s got a knife on her hip that''s even more impressive than usual, but I wonder how far it will go. ''I never thought the time would come when Imelda would be a part of the two tops. ''Oh-ho-ho!When it comes to forests, I''m light years ahead of you. Of course you are. It''s my day job. ''But, Estella...'' ''Hmm, what? ''I''ll give you credit for having a steel plate in your chest.'' ''I''m sorry, but I made it myself, here!...... Whose chest is the iron plate? I''m sorry, but... I don''t know if I can survive in the woods with such a noisy crew. ...... Yeah, I don''t need to think about it. It''s impossible. That''s why. I''ll choose not to try. ''Well, I guess I''ll just wander around the entrance to the forest, eat my lunch, and come back. ''What?Yashiro, aren''t you going to get some wood? ''...... Magda will be safe.'' ''I''m confident in my ability to run away! ''I''m looking forward to lunch. And so on. ...... ''There''s no way we can compete with Javier and the others, even if we try hard. There''s no need to risk it. ''Then what about the game? Estella said in an impatient tone, as if she wanted to win somehow. ''The game has already been won. ''What ......? The only ones who know the plan are me and Imelda. The rest of the team is in a daze. The only one, Ginette, looks like she''s having fun going out with everyone. ''But it doesn''t change the fact that we''re going out. We''re counting on you, Magda.'' ''I''ll leave it to you, .......'' ''And you, Loretta.'' ''Oh, you''re expecting me, too? ''You''ve got a good nose and ears and a good head on your shoulders. I''m counting on you. ''Wow, yes!I''m counting on you. ............ I''m starting to feel like ''good'' is a bad word! Oh, what? You''ve noticed. You''ve grown up, haven''t you? Let''s go then. Today''s entry tax is on the lord. You can go back and forth as many times as you like! ''Why are we going back and forth?One trip should be enough! You idiot. If it''s someone else''s money, don''t you feel like wasting it! ''Hey everyone!Don''t let Yashiro poison you! ''...... Magda might ''accidentally'' forget something a few times. ''I''ve always wanted to try jumping under a gate! ''Then I''ll claim my share from the lord''s house. ''Enemies!You''re all enemies, aren''t you? You''re all enemies! I''m sure they''ll take the fun side, these guys. ''Gentlemen. Don''t pick on them too much. Hey, Mr. Yashiro? Ginette asks me while patting Estella''s head. But the answer is ''NO! ''Estella. ...... You''re cute when you''re bullied.'' ''I''m not happy about it! I''m sorry. You''re not happy? It''s a good-looking guy, a good-looking guy. ''Then we''ll follow the rules and go to the forest. At Imelda''s command, we stepped outside the gate. ''I''m excited. ''I''m thrilled. The elation that Ginette and Loretta were feeling must have been of a different kind. Loretta''s nervousness is slightly tinged with fear. ''Ginette is so carefree. ''What''s with you all of a sudden?It''s kind of terrible! The depths of the forest outside. It''s a danger zone even the professional hunting guilds would be afraid of. If you''re going out there like a picnic, ...... you''re a big deal in a way. I''m not too nervous about it either. No matter how much of a beast it is, it doesn''t come out near the city gate that often. The gatekeepers are always there, and after a few conflicts, hexenbiests will avoid the gate. They probably want to live peacefully over there. Therefore, it is relatively safe to stay near the gate. The gatekeepers will be there when you need them. ''...... No goofing off from here. It could get you killed.'' Magda''s ears perked up as she stepped out of the gate. Magda''s ears perked up. Magda''s expression seemed to become more stern. The area in front of the gate had been cleared of trees and a good deal of land had been cleared. It''s not like you''re going to walk out of the gate and suddenly get zapped by a hexenbiest ...... that''s been lurking around. Well, we need to keep our heads up, don''t we? So... ''Estella, can you stop joking about your breasts? ''You''re the one who''s become a joke, not only with your face but also with your thought process.Can you please be respectful? ''No matter where you go, you''re always joking, aren''t you ......''. Estella was giving me the cold shoulder. That''s why Espeta''s ...... ''...... Espeta''. ''The other day I wrote ''Obayashiro'' and it turned out to be ''Obakashiro'', but I''m not going to correct it. It was a pretty important document, but I dare you.'' What''s with the sober harassment? I wonder if the letters Estella uses are also similar, ''ya'' and ''ka''. ''Both of you. Take it easy. Magda is sulking.'' ''...... Magda''s advice has been ignored: ......'' Magda kicked a pebble on the ground. ''Oh, sorry. Let''s keep it tense. It''s dangerous!'' ''Yes, out of fear, I did, I did!I''m deeply sorry and I''ll listen to you, okay?Get yourself in a better mood, Magda.'' ''............'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... There''s no sense of tension. ''The lumberjacks are now asking, "Do you want to go deeper? You can''t go too far into the woods, considering the time it takes to cut down the tree and transport it, but there might be better trees further in, and the more magnificent the tree, the longer it takes to cut it down! The more magnificent the tree, the more time it will take to cut it down!'' ''I''m sure they''re moving around here and there, thinking about ...... or something. ''Considering we have to be back by sundown, time is pretty tight. If you go deep into the forest, you might find some great trees that are more than just once-in-a-century wood. But it''s valuable because it''s not often found,......, and it''s not something you can just walk into the forest today and find. That''s why we have a chance to win. ''Magda, Imelda!Make sure the area is safe! ''...... I understand.'' ''It can''t be helped, can it? Two people who are familiar with the forest will go a little deeper into the woods to check if there are any hexenbiests. In the meantime, I spread out a sheet at a suitable point along the outer wall, a little far from the gatekeeper. ''Hey, Yashiro. Aren''t you going to go deeper into the forest?'' ''Hey, big brother. What are we doing here? ''A picnic, right? ''''Huh? Estella and Loretta both made funny noises. Only Ginette was happily starting to prepare her lunch . ''''Imelda is clearly on my team, you know . Now we have an alibi for entering the forest. In addition, all of the people from the 42nd district branch are on our team, and Austin and Xenobios are doing their best in the forest, so there is already no problem. ...... Well, I guess I should go too, just in case. ''...... There seems to be no magical beasts in the vicinity. ''There''s nothing that could be a threat here either.'' ''Oh, thank you. The outer walls of this city are made of stone that emits a magical power that hexenbiests hate. If you stay here, you won''t be in much danger. The gatekeepers are in sight. So, even though we''re outside the city gates, it''s safe to make some noise. ''Well, it''s still early for lunch, but let''s go to the ...... party! ''Utage?'' ''Oh!We''re celebrating.'' ''No, no, no!I have no idea what that means! Estella''s brows began to furrow. It''s about time I told you the truth ...... while we eat. So we had a picnic outside the city gates, Loretta got carried away and went for a walk in the forest, and as promised, we were almost attacked by a magical beast. The sun was setting, and the lumberjacks were coming home in droves. And when Javier was the last to return, the sun set as if he had timed it just right. Sunset. ''Ha-ha-ha!Jashiro!I''m sorry, but I''ve won this time! Javier smiles broadly as he holds a magnificent tree. It''s so thick. You could make two carriages out of this tree, it''s really a magnificent tree. This guy holding it with one arm must be a monster. ''It may not be as big as a once-in-a-century tree, but there aren''t many trees that can surpass this one!That''s the kind of tree this is! Javier was probably right. Before we left, the people who had been snarling "Down with Javier! before we went out, all of them have become small. Their "prey," which they brought back with full of confidence, looks so small. Javier''s ''prey'' must be a tree of that level. ''Well, as expected of Stuart. I was hoping the young guys would bite a little more, but ...... it''s not that easy. Demilly says, patting the young lumberjack''s shiny head. I''m sure this guy was trying to find a replacement for Javier. Javier is getting too old for this. Even if Imelda succeeds him, he''s probably waiting for someone to come along who can compete with Javier in terms of ability. After all, the Woodcutter''s Guild is the backbone of the Forty Wards. ''Come on, Yashiro!Let''s see what you''ve got!Hmm?What''s the matter?I can''t find it anywhere, couldn''t you even pick up a twig?Ha-ha-ha! Holding a large tree that looked like the sacred tree of some shrine, he laughed gaily, reminiscent of the drunkard who lived on Mt. If he were in Edo Japan, he would surely be exterminated. ...... if samurai swords would work on him, that is. ''Imelda''. ''Yes, sir.'' ''Yes, sir. But it''s time to think about disturbing the neighbors. I''ll shut her up a bit. ''Here''s the wood we''ve prepared! At Imelda''s signal, the lumberjacks from the Forty-second District branch of the Lumberjacks'' Guild brought in a beautiful piece of wood. The very familiar figure is the once-in-a-hundred-years wood that''s currently the talk of the town. ''Hey, hey, hey!What the hell is this? ''So, this is the wood we''ve prepared. ''Aren''t you going to the forest to get it? ''Hmm?Who said that? I chuckled and called up the Conversation Record. As soon as I call it up, Javier and Demilly give me a ''wow......'' look, but I don''t care. Ignore them all. ''The rules of this game were to pass through the gates of the forty-two districts and to prepare quality wood, right? ''...... Ah, that''s right.'' Javier, who was already in the mode of giving up completely, replied in a desperate manner. What the hell. I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. The Conversation Record proves that I''m right. But... ....... No one wants to confirm it. Hey, that''s not very exciting. ''Well, that''s true. You didn''t say anything about getting it from the woods, did you? Demilly adds with a wry smile. That''s what I meant. I told you. This game is already decided. There''s no way we can get more than this once-in-a-century wood. ''Ohhhh... ......... I knew it would be like that, but ...... I worked pretty hard on it. ............ I''m not sure what to do. The aura of negativity is very strong. Oh dear. I can''t help it. ...... ''Imelda''. ''What is it, sir?'' ''That''s enough.'' ''Yes? ''I said, the game is over, so you can go on with your normal life. ''I''m not sure what you mean. Oh, you''re so bland. You''re itching to jump in right now. ''Javier. ''Yes.'' He replies to my call in a sultry voice. Don''t give me that look. Look around you. ''You''re the guild leader, aren''t you? ''What, after all this time? ''No, what. I just thought, ''I can''t compete with you if I don''t do something this cowardly. When I said this without any offense, the woodcutter surrounding Javier showed a slight change. ''It''s ......, right? ''Yeah. That''s a lot of work in one day. ''No, I mean, where did you find such a big tree? ''Oh yeah!We went pretty deep into the forest, but we didn''t see such a tough tree, did we? ''No, how did you ...... cut down such a huge tree all by yourself in the first place? ......'' ''You''re a bakemon. ......'' ''What are you talking about, guys!The guild leader is a bakemon. '''''''''', right~! '''''''' ''I can hear you, guys! '''''''' Geez!The monster barked. '''''''' Javier barked at the young lumberjack, who seemed to have regained some of his energy. It suits you better that way. The point is. Javier''s accomplishments this time have been recognized by everyone here. It''s so amazing that we have to admit it. The lumberjacks'' guild was thrilled to get their hands on this once-in-a-century timber. Austin and Xenobios are certainly amazing for getting it. However, even if you threw Austin and the others into the forest for a whole day, they would not be able to get this level of wood. However, Javier would surely get something of this level every time he entered the forest. After all, he is not just a guild leader. Above all, he has the power to overwhelm the people around him. He has a charisma that draws you in. As Demilly said, Javier''s age may mean that it is time for him to consider a generational change. Perhaps Imelda was also thinking about such things. When he came to boast about the once-in-a-century wood, Imelda showed an indecisive expression for a moment, as if she had something on her mind. Now that the younger generation is getting stronger, I thought that the father''s time would be coming to an end. ...... But no matter. The monster is still alive and well. He has successfully proven that he can still play an active role at the forefront. If he takes his time and devises a plan, he may be able to get close to Javier. However, in such a limited and unique situation, Javier is still one step ahead of him. There is no one else you can rely on in a pinch. Well, you know. ''I can''t lose to the young guys yet'' or something like that. Ugh, you sound like an old man. But... But it''s far more impressive to create a masterpiece day after day for decades than a once-in-a-hundred-years masterpiece. I wish the head of an organization could be like that. ''Why don''t you praise him? The old man has worked as hard as he can. I say this to Imelda as she watches the woodcutters get excited. ''Hmm ......, your father should be able to do something like this. That''s the biggest compliment of all. You know how great it is to be taken for granted. ''But ...... you''re right.'' He turns his back to me and says in a cool voice. ''I don''t mind giving you a compliment once in a while. With that, she ran to Javier. I guess he didn''t want me to see his face, which was so relaxed with happiness. ''As expected of your father! ''Oh, no!What is it, Imelda?What''s wrong? As she ran, her emotions got the better of her and Imelda ended up jumping on Javier. Hanging on to his big, upright, bear-like body, he shouted happily. What the hell. You''ve got a daughterly side, too. ''I see. So this was one of your aims, Oba-kun. Demilly comes up next to me, saying in a soft voice. He looked at his friend, his face beaming. ''Is that ...... sunrise?'' ''Estella!Can you re-educate your people for me? Demilly pokes me with her same harmless face, showing off her dexterity in showing a vein on her forehead while smiling. ''You''re so hateful, you know that? ''You''re the one who''s been firing up the younger guys and blasting Javier. ''Oh, did you notice that? ''When an old man who doesn''t take the initiative to meddle so much spontaneously moves, there''s something behind it. Maybe Javier has noticed it too.'' ''Hmm... I bet.'' Demilly''s face at that moment was not that of a lord, but that of a man looking at an old friend. ''You can''t lose to the young ones yet, can you? Neither he nor I.'' ''When you start talking like that, you''re finally an old man, aren''t you? ''Ha-ha-ha!It''s okay, old man. It makes me feel big-hearted.'' Demilly patted himself on the stomach and then slapped me on the shoulder. ''Thank you. You can use the wood you got today as you like. I''ll pay for it. ''You did it!It''s a reward I never thought I''d get! ''Hmm... You''re not very good at jokes, are you, Oba-kun? ''Well then,'' Demilly waved his hand and left. The time is up. It''s time to call it a night. ''Whoa!It''s been a great day! The day came to an end as I listened to the cries of the muscle man who was in love with his daughter. At a later date, a beaming Javier offered us a large amount of wood, and because of the money saved from the wood, Demilly agreed to pay for the construction of the carriage, and Umaro said, ''Mwaaah!What good wood!It makes my arms sing! He started to work on it with great enthusiasm. Forty wards, they''re really working hard. Thus, the parade carriage was made quite gorgeous. And it was free of charge. In addition, the promised horses were generously lent to us by a very happy Javier. For free, of course. I guess it''s what you do every day~. Yeah. 216-44 Shrimp Buddy Come on People are creatures that are easily influenced by the atmosphere. No matter what kind of race you are or what kind of character you have, you are influenced by the atmosphere around you in no small way. A famous myth. Even the sullen Amaterasu could not sustain negative emotions such as anger, resentment, sadness and loneliness in a pleasant atmosphere, as described in the story of Amagiwato. So... ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD! ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD! ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD, ZUNDADOD! ''Oh ????????????yyyyyyy ????????????!Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ???????????????!'' I sang and danced to a cheerful rhythm. What''s going on, it''s so noisy in the morning! As we sang and danced to the cheerful rhythm, an angry Valeria appeared in front of us. ...... Funny. She''s having so much fun, but she''s not smiling at all. ''Yashiro-san. Aren''t you having enough fun?'' ''Okay, you guys!Speed it up! Zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod! Zundad zundad zundad zundad zundad zundad zundad zundad! Zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod zundadod! ''Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!Ohhhhhhhhhh! ''Don''t you dare!You''re disturbing the neighbors! ''Yashiro-san, aren''t you being too violent? ''Okay, you guys!Slow rhythm! Zun, da, dong, toto, zun, da, dong, toto. Zun-da-dot-tot, zun-da-dot-tot. Zun, da, dood, toto, zun, da, dood, toto. ''Enough!What is it!Are you here to harass me? Hmm. Apparently, the Cirque de Jassilontu entertainment group is not well received. Was it because they didn''t have acrobatic performances like the original? ''But, but. Ms. Valeria came out properly, didn''t she? It was a great success! ''No, Ginette-chan ......, great success is indeed an overstatement.'' Ginette is getting excited by the cheerful rhythm, and Estella is unable to be cheerful due to her original cynical nature. Estella. You need to be more honest. Dancing is good, right?Isn''t it fun? That''s it, folks. Let''s get Estella in the mood for some fun! Zundadood, zundadood, zundadood, zundadood! ''Oh, ????????????, oh, ????????????!Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ???????????????!'' ''Can you please not do this to me!I''m a little scared. It''s funny, because I''m having so much fun playing ....... ''...... Yashiro likes this kind of thing that makes others feel uncomfortable, doesn''t he? Estella is looking at me with a dumbfounded expression. ...... What the hell is he talking about?I don''t get it at all. ''Uma~ro''. ''Hi! Umaro, dressed in the native garb of the Americas, comes running towards me like a decorated hero of his people. He points to Estella and explains to me. ''Bongo, baba moru, eere oo''. ''What''s that?What''s that? Estella is confused, so I have no choice but to explain the situation to her. ''I''m an interpreter. ''You don''t need one!There''s forced translation magic! ''Atmosphere. ''I mean, you''re really speaking the language right now, aren''t you? You know. He doesn''t understand anything about "direction". By paying attention to details like this, Valeria will open the door of her closed mind and listen to us more openly. ''Yashiro-san, we''re in trouble!Valeria-san is going home! ''Wait!Wait, wait, wait!Uma~ro! ''BONGO!Ba-ra-bo, er-er-er-oh! ''Oomarot, we don''t need an interpreter!Are you guys going to be serious? Estella, who always complains about the nice combination of me and Oumarro. Hahaha~ ...... So you want to mix it up, huh? ''Hahaha ......, so you want to mix it up, huh? ''...... I''m going to stab you?'' ''Oumalo . No, of course not. Think about it for a second.'' ''Huh?I don''t know what it is, but I feel so betrayed! If someone flashed a knife at you, you''d turn. Oumalo. It''s your fault. Your fault. Every time you come here, you make a scene. ...... Do you have something against us? ''Why is that?We''re so friendly.'' ''What''s wrong with that?I''ll tell you when you get rid of that fancy feather first! Apparently, they don''t like the native costumes of the Americas. ''It can''t be helped. I don''t have any spare clothes, so let''s talk naked. ''Wait, wait, wait!Wait a minute!Did you come here dressed like this?You''re from District 42, aren''t you?Are you an idiot? You idiot. We didn''t have room to change so we just wore it from home. That''s just cosplay etiquette. ''Let me introduce our members. This is Umaro, Bekko and Use from the rhythm section.'' ''Don''t imprint unnecessary information on my brain!I don''t even want to remember them, they''re such a nasty group! ''Pfft!I''ve been told I''m in a nasty group! ''Hey, you''re a nasty leader. ''By all accounts, the leader of the band is Mr. Yashiro, that he is.'' ''I have no objection. Three beautiful people dressed like natives of the Americas saying terrible things. That''s disgusting. ''Hey, Use......, you''ve completely turned into one of them, haven''t you? ''Ugh, shut up!My ...... mom told me to cooperate with you. ............ Clench your fists.'' ''It''s tough being a guild member, huh? I feel sorry for you.'' ''I''m sorry, ...... I''m so lucky to have a good lord.'' Use and Estella are creating a kind of damp atmosphere. I don''t like it when they give me that kind of air this time. ''What happened to you, Car ............?The forty two districts! As usual, a half-naked Tibor in black tights comes out of the house. ''...... Ah, you didn''t like Ukrines clothes,...... hmmm...'' ''No, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no, no!It was a waste to wear it to bed!I don''t want it to get wrinkled, and I''m the one who drools in my sleep! Thibaut made a desperate excuse. He must be really scared of Uclines. ''Oh, by the way. I thought Ukrines was coming to District 35 today. ''I''ll go get dressed!I''m going to get dressed right now! Thibaut turned around and ran into the house. He''s been trained well. ''What are you up to this time? ''Scheming? ............ Do I look like I''m going to do that? ''I see you!That''s what it looks like to me. Oh, man. You''ll always be a hard ass. ''What are you going to do?This time, we''re going to have a fun atmosphere to get him to agree to our demands! You were saying that. The atmosphere is terrible. ''It''s difficult, isn''t it ......, you see, because I can only get along with big breasts. ''That''s probably some kind of sarcasm against me, but if I admit it, I''ll admit that I don''t have big tits, so I won''t admit it. ''Shut up about it!What the hell is this? It''s a little after five in the morning. The sky is dark, and the city is probably still in the midst of sleep. ''Don''t shout so loud. You''re a nuisance to the neighborhood. ''Whose fault is it? That would be you, your mother, who didn''t educate you properly, or else ...... ''...... Umaro? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''m sure he''s excited to wear a costume he doesn''t normally wear. Oumalo''s in a groove. ''If you don''t have anything to say, please leave. I don''t have anything to say to you. ''I have business. That''s why I''m here. ''I don''t see any here. ''What, I told you in advance I''d be back.''I''ll be back.'' If you don''t keep your word, you''ll be turned into a frog.'' ''Think of the time and the situation! ''Scales, you''re flying.'' ''............, you''re flying! That''s not how it works. You can''t just say that. ...... ''Well then, I guess I''ll formally invite you. ''What''s wrong with you, you ...... creepy.'' I acted like a gentleman and held out my hand to Valeria. ''There''s something I want you to follow me to. I''m sure you''ll find what you''re looking for.'' ''............'' Staring at my hand, Valeria remained silent. I don''t know what kind of emotion she was expressing, but her antennae were fluttering busily. ''Hmm,......, who''s going to lick your ...... advances, you little shit? You''re ten years too young to be asking me out. says the woman who has fallen for the perverted tights man. I''m sure this tsundere ...... is a little slippery. ''Don''t say that. ...... Will you go to the flower garden with me, young lady? When she consciously uttered a low, dandy voice, scales scattered from Valeria''s body. The scales scattered from Valeria''s body. Hey!Stop flying! ''Shh, shh, shh, I can''t help it, it''s only for a little while! My heart''s in turmoil! You''re going crazy! ''...... Yashiro. I''m afraid of you. ''I didn''t think you''d be this naive either, ......'' Really, I''m just a little worried. The honesty of the bug people. ''Wait, wait, wait! Tibor came running out of the house, wearing a custom-made dress. He''s angry, and his scales are flying all over the place. ''Don''t you dare touch Ka-chan, I won''t let you! ''You ......'' Tibor stood in front of me with Valeria at his back, protecting him. ''I''m not going to do anything to Valeria. I just want to show you something. You should come with me.'' ''No!How many sub-systems have shed tears because of your sweet talk like that? ............! He clenched his fist,......, and his fist shook, as if afraid of us,......, but Tibor dared him strongly. ''I''ll protect you, Ka-chan! ''You ............ haven''t been ...... cool ...... in over twenty years,'' he said. I''ve had enough of old people making out with each other. Can you please stop? I don''t know what to do. ''Chibo......'' ''What the hell?I don''t care what you say, I''m not backing down! ''......In the 42nd district, a mysterious overnight stay.'' ''Ka-chan!This guy looks like a gentleman. ...... No, he''s a gentleman!I guarantee it!Let''s go with him!It''ll be good!Even if it doesn''t, let''s go!What?Curtis?For God''s sake! Thibaut has fallen. ''......Yashiro''. Hey, Estella. Can you please stop calling my name with that sigh?This is for everyone, right?I''m doing my best, right? I mean, what''s the point of calling someone''s name and then not saying anything? ''Miss Valeria. If you''re not busy, could you spare a few minutes of your time today? ''Umm ............ mmm. But hey ......'' Ginette speaks to Valeria with a face devoid of hostility. Valeria also seems to be unable to come on strong with Ginette, and is slurring her words. Ginette. Isn''t your aura of warmth just too cool? I want one of those. ''...... Okay. I''ll follow you.'' ''Thanks for the ............ help, Kar-chan! I''m not sure why you''re the first to thank me.I don''t understand your husband, at all! Why? Because, depending on your reply, Tibor''s life will be buried in the dark by ...... you, of all people. ''So, where are you taking me this early in the morning? ''I think I told you before, the flower garden. ''...... What are you doing in the flower garden this early in the morning?'' ''Hmm?Oh, no. We''re still getting ready, so I guess ...... we''ll go out around ten o''clock.'' ''Then why are you here so early in the morning? No, because. If you came just in time and I wasn''t home, it would be a disaster, right? We''re trying to move a huge number of people, and we can''t just go to ...... and say ''Canceled! You can''t just say, ''I''m canceling! ''Book it! ''You''ve got to learn some common sense and civility! ''Are you telling Yashiro to ''die''? ''It''s impossible for Yashiro-san to do something so advanced! ''If you can do it, I can do it myself at ......! ''In this world, it''s important to give up, ma''am. ''All right, Estella, Umaro, Becco and Use. Come on, one by one, I''ll take you on. I have common sense and decency! I''ve got common sense and decency! ''Well then, I guess you''ve decided to join ...... Ginette, Estella.'' ''Yes! ''I''ve been waiting for you.'' Ginette and Estella pinned Valeria from both sides. In their hands is a large bag. In the bag is the coat of arms of Uclines'' store. ''What''s ...... this, you guys? Valeria steps aside as Ginette and Estella lean in close. Thibaut seems to have completely given up on helping his wife. He''s standing upright next to her. Come on, Valeria. Let''s give it up. Let''s get this over with! At my signal, Ginette and Estella pounced on Valeria. At ......, it''s about ten o''clock in the morning. It''s about time. ''What''s with all the ...... flouncy clothes? Valeria is grumbling and complaining. You can find a lot more information on the web at ............. I''m not sure what to do. ''Car ............ is beautiful''. ''What?What are you talking about?You''re an embarrassing husband in front of people................... But I''m happy. Thank you. Aah!I''ve had enough of your elderly lovemaking! Wendy!Theron!I don''t care if it''s you guys, just let me see some fresh lovemaking! I''m not sure if I like the sound of these shoes, but I think I do. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that suits you. ''It suits you well, that yukata''. As Ginette said, Valeria''s yukata was quite a sight to behold. It reminded her of the good old days of Japan, with its quaint finish. There was only one thing to do with it on. ''Ka, Ka-chan!Over there!You''re doing something! Thibaut notices something strange in the garden. Normally the garden is filled with the laughter of insects and the scent of sweet flowers, but today it is filled with the smell of savory sauce and the sound of drums. Yes! A festival in the 35th district! Let''s go to the 35th district carnival! ''...... What the hell is this? When we arrived at Hanazono, the atmosphere of the festival filled our vision at once. Stalls and stalls. And happily milling around them are the yukata-clad Bug People. These are the yukata for the winged people, prepared by Ukrines for today''s event. And-- ''You''re late, anchovy. Lucia and the other ''tentacled'' humans. ''My lord has antennae. ......'' Valeria peeled her eyes open and looked around at the humans in the area. The Bug People were dressed in yukata, and the humans dressed in the same clothes had tentacles growing from their heads like the Bug People. The sight was more than enough to shake the entrenched stereotypes of those who thought they were a subspecies or a sub-lineage. Currently here are Siraha''s tribe of swallowtail butterflies, and Kabriael''s group of movers. And their companions and those who agreed with our idea. The Bug People who came to the Garden later could borrow yukata if they wished. Humans will also be given antennae if they wish. I also wear a ...... antennae catsuit on my head, though it is hidden by a magnificent feathered headdress, like the heroes of the Native Americans. They made me ............ do it. I''ve been forced to wear a tentacle catsuit on my head by the silent pressure of Jeannette and Millie. ...... You''re looking at me with those sparkly eyes, d*mn it. ''Hey, hey, hey!Sound the drums, you bastards! ''''''Hey, master!'''''' ''''Don''t lose to the river fishing guild, you guys! ''''''Hey!Representative! The river fishing guild and the hunting guild are beating their drums in competition. ''''Delia, you''re really going all out. ''''Would you like some baby sponge cake? ''District 42''s specialty, hexenbiest sausage!It''s delicious! ''...... connoisseurs should eat takoyaki first. The specialties of the Forty-second District are lined up on the stalls. The cheerful voices of the sign girls arouse the appetite of the spectators. ''Limited-time, nectar-flavored popcorn! There''s also ...... nectar candy! Hammaro and Milly are serving food from their collaboration with the 35th district. No need to pay for it!We don''t use the nectar from the garden for business. Instead, all expenses are paid by the lord. Is this a routine, or was it the sound of noise that lured you here? The insects from the thirty-five districts gathered in the flower garden one after another. They are all gazing at the new dishes, amazed at the humans with sprouting antennae, and envious of the pretty yukata. There were no racial barriers there. Just a bunch of people with sparkling eyes trying to enjoy the moment. ''This is ......''. Valeria let out a breath as if she couldn''t believe what she was seeing. ''It''s possible.'' Valeria affirms the words she was about to deny. Don''t tell me that this is impossible. ''This is normal. No one is going to change. The insects enter the garden, fearful, but still curious. Guided by the staff we had prepared, some of them began to wear yukata. This is how we absorb and imitate each other''s good things. New cultures are born from such exchanges. ''Let''s not draw boring lines anymore. Quickly, I point with my chin to the middle of the flower garden. Valeria and Thibault both look at ...... ''Yes, Mr. Orkio. Ah~n.'' ''Ah~n ............, that''s so good, Shirapin.'' The old man and the old woman, wrapped in a peach-colored space, were making out. ''''Shiraha-sama! Siraha is flirting with a human. That must be a shocking sight for these guys. ...... But first, you should be surprised at how much weight Siraha has lost. How can you recognize it, seeing that drastic change? ''What the hell did you do to ............ this? ''It''s simple.'' Pointing at the people in the flower garden who were making a lot of noise, I said clearly. ''I''m just showing them that it''s definitely more fun if we all make a fool of ourselves together. The yukata-clad Bug People are telling the tentacled humans about the nectar of a recommended flower. We buy takoyaki from a stall, learn how to eat them, and share half of them. There was a scene that was natural for me, but shocking for them. ''Hey!It''s Yashiro''s brother! From outside the garden, Kabriel called out to me with a big wave. ''Can I try a shot? ''Oh!I''ll take care of it! Fireworks in the morning. They may not be the most beautiful, but the sound of them will blow the minds of everyone present. We''ll have to wait until the wedding day for the real thing. ''What the hell are you doing this time, ......? Before Valeria could say anything else, a flower of flame bloomed in the sky above the 35th district. There was an explosion that echoed down the bank, and everyone present looked up at the sky at once. White smoke was floating in the sky. ''That thing you see at night is so beautiful. ''............I can''t catch up with your understanding. ......'' Valeria''s brow furrowed as events beyond her comprehension continued to unfold. You''re a hard man to please. You should just enjoy the atmosphere. ''It''s called fireworks. We couldn''t have done it without your help. ''Ours? ''Yeah. I''ll show you the finished product at Wendy''s wedding, so help me out, okay?'' ''Who''s ............ to begin with, I haven''t approved anything like that yet ......'' ''Mother! Valeria averted her stern face. A voice calls out to Valeria. ''...... Wendy.'' Wendy and Theron are standing in the flower garden. They are standing side by side. Dressed in stylish formal wear. ''Hey, what''s ......, I don''t need you to call me mother. ......'' ''Mother.'' ''That''s why I''m ......! ''Mother-in-law! ''--!I don''t need you to call me mother any more than you need me to call you mother! Theron steps in front of Wendy. Not intimidated by Valeria, who was bared her fangs at him, he stood tall and approached her with firm steps, step by step. Standing in front of Valeria and Thibaut, he bowed to each of them. ''I apologize for the delay in greeting you. ''B, I don''t need you to greet me. Valeria turned away. But Theron is not intimidated. He looks straight at Wendy''s parents and says in an unhurried voice. ''This time, many real people, including Hero-sama, have taken action. I don''t think it''s all for us. But the trigger was definitely our marriage story. ''............'' Valeria doesn''t say anything. But when Thibaut silently placed his hand on her shoulder, Valeria silently placed hers on top of it. ''And yet, I have no way to repay this favor. But ...... no, that''s why.'' Theron clenched his fists. His eyes and tone are determined and strong, and he declares clearly. ''I swear to you that I will spend the rest of my life making Wendy happy!To all who are here now! If you break your vow, Frog-- That''s how determined Theron showed himself to be. ''I''ll definitely make you happy!No, I''ll make us both happy! Gently, Wendy stood next to Theron. Hand in hand, she huddles close and turns her serious gaze to her parents. ''Please approve our marriage! ''Dad. Mother. Please! Following Theron, Wendy bows her head. Her waist bent at a right angle in a deep, deep bow. In response, Valeria sniffed ....... As if sniffing, she breathed in a little roughly, ............ and with a stern face, she looked away to resist at least-- ''Suit yourself! --I said. ''Just do it! And from that point on, with both eyes dyed red and a face as if about to cry-- ''If you make my little girl cry, I''ll fly to the 42nd district, the ends of the earth, or anywhere else and knock you down!Prepare yourself! ''Yes! Theron''s crisp reply echoed across the blue sky. A round of applause erupted immediately afterwards. ''...... and ............, Mom! Wendy ran out and jumped into Valeria''s chest. Wendy cries out loudly, without fear of being seen. She repositions her arms several times and pulls herself closer to her mother, as if looking for the most snug position. ''Ba, you idiot,......, who cries,......! ''I''m sorry ............ I''m sorry ............ I''ve been thinking about your mother ............'' ''It''s okay. You''re an idiot. How many years do you think I''ve been your mother? ............ I know you, even if you don''t say anything.'' So now the stubborn father and son have finally made peace. The scales are flying all over the place. ............ Well, I guess I''ll tolerate it. In the meantime, shall we evacuate the takoyaki shop for a while? ''Wendy......'' ''Your father............'' Thibaut pats Wendy on the head as she hugs her mother. He seems to have approved of their marriage. He has a calm expression on his face. He even looks like a father. ''Live your life the way you want to. ''O............ father...... father......... ...'' Wendy''s shoulders shook slightly. And ...... ''Pfft!!!'' She blew out loud. ''Oh ...... God!Father, ......!He put on his clothes and ............ giggled. Oh!Oh, no!Don''t look so serious with your clothes on, dad. ............ Oh, my stomach hurts. ............ You''re laughing so hard! You''re laughing so hard! What?What?It''s not good for you?It looks good on you, doesn''t it? ''......Oh, only half-naked ...... looks good on your father.'' I don''t like my father like that. ''No, you''re not!Take a good look!You know what?You think so, don''t you? ''It doesn''t look good on you. ''Ka-chan! ''Mmmm ...... giggle giggle! ''Hahahaha! ''Wait!Both of you!Isn''t that too much?It''s not too bad! Although it is a bit perverted, from the outside it may look like a friendly family ....... It''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be fine. A handsome man is running briskly through the flower garden, waving his hand. Oh, no. I forgot to dig the pit. ''Thanks to you, hero! ''Is it because Thibaut got dressed?Then I''ll go to Uclines at .......'' ''No, no, we''re going to get married ............! Ah, yes. There you go. Yeah, yeah. It''s good, right? We''ve been running around like crazy for it. And all around us, the girls are getting all woozy watching this. I don''t know why Usse is frozen in place looking up at the sky. ...... Are you crying, old man? It''s a good thing. Everyone''s happy. Now you can have your wedding without worry. It''s a happy ending. Just sayin'', Theron. Blast it. ''Why not? Why? Do you really need a reason to blow up? You said you wanted to see a fresh take on your lovemaking since all you''ve seen is the lovemaking of old ladies, but if you saw it, you''d be annoyed! But if I saw it, I''d be like. ''Blast it! ''Twice! ''You''re the only one who can blow up! ''You''re wanted! Oh, I wonder if I''ll be able to ...... see the wedding through to the end. Anyway. And so, that day, Hanazono became an even noisier place than usual. 217-Ill tell you later that Ill be ready for the bri... ''Hey, you guys!Let''s get ready for the party! There are idiots. A huge crowd of idiots. ''''Shake your antennae!Shake your wings!Don''t hesitate to shake your big tits! ''''''Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! The one who is leading the charge and encouraging the people is ...... well, me. ''''That''s a lot of heat. ''''That''s because it''s the first festival in a long time! ''No, Mr. Umaro!It''s my first wedding! ''You should change your ...... mind.'' ''Yes, sir!I''m at Magda''s mercy! ''What?I said the same thing first!Hey, Mr. Umaro!Hey, look at me!Oh no! Everything in my way has been removed. All that''s left is to make it a big party! We''ve spent a lot of time running around since we started talking about having a wedding. From here on, we''ll roll up our sleeves and get ready at a rapid pace. ''Ukrines!How''s the dress and antennae catsuit coming along? ''They''re coming along without a hitch. The wedding dress has been made with a bit of flair, so please look forward to it. Uclines smiles quietly but reassuringly. Okay, the dress should be fine. ''There''s just one problem: ......'' ''There is!'' It was unusual for Ukrines to say something like that. All at once, my anxiety begins to rise. ''Half-naked tights man...... excuse me, it''s Mr. Thibault''s clothes.'' ''What ...... is Ukrines a person with a lot of back and forth?If so, I''ll be careful how I treat him in the future. ......'' ''Hmmm. If you love clothes, you''ll be fine. Thibaut is a clothes desecrator. ''No matter what kind of clothes I put on Mr. Thibaut, Wendy would burst out laughing. ......'' ''You can''t help it there. ''But if we don''t, the bride will be half-laughing the whole time. ......'' Oh my god!You''re dragging me down everywhere, that perverted tights man! ''It can''t be helped!Until the wedding, lock the clothed Tibor and Wendy in the same room and force them to get used to each other! ''What? Wendy screams out. What are you so surprised about?We''re family, right? ''''Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... Hero-sama!That''s right, if you do that, I ...... will probably ......'' ''Are you saying that your facial muscles will collapse and you''ll be left smiling? ''No, that .................. criminal record is ......'' ''What the hell are you doing? You''re freaking me out! I''ll try not to piss Wendy off. I''ll try not to. ''I''ll do my best!I will make a bloody effort not to laugh at my own father!So please be generous! ''...... That''s a hell of a thing to say about your father. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s going to get laughed at by your daughter for wearing clothes. ''Well, Wendy. Think of it as your bridal training, and work hard. ''Is this what bride training is like at ......, yes. I''ll do my best! It''s Wendy, anyway. I''m sure she''s already perfect at cooking and washing. That''s the type of person she is. ............, I thought. Theron''s acting weird. ''What''s wrong?'' ''No,......, I''d be happy if you could do the other bridal training as well,.......'' What''s with this guy? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Hero-sama, do you remember Medora-san? ''If you ever forget that thing, it''s probably when your brain delt all your memories. It''s the kind of thing that sticks in the hippocampus until the very end, his memory. ''Do you know what her cooking is like? ''Oh, you mean "Grilled Hexenbiest", right?She served it to me once before. I don''t think I''ll be eating it again. ''I''ve had the opportunity to eat with her before, but ............ Wendy''s cooking is very similar to that. ''Seriously? ''That''s not true!Oh my god, Theron. You''re overreacting. Even I''m not that devastated. Poison, poison! You''re spreading a little poison! ''By the way, what''s Wendy''s specialty? ''Yes, sir. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. You just tore off a piece of lettuce and put it on a plate, didn''t you? That''s not cooking. It''s not a dish. Theron says with a thin twitch of a smile. ''Fresh grilled fish sashimi wrapped in herbs, unbaked''. ''Something''s not right here! It''s already a ''unique dish''. It''s just sliced grilled fish wrapped in fresh herbs, isn''t it? I''ve heard of ....... I''ve heard a lot about it! I heard it all!Magda and Loretta suddenly appeared. I turned around and saw Ginette and Estella, as well as Delia and Norma. ''...... Wendy needs bride training.'' ''I need it!I''ll train her even now! ''Yes, but... Theron will do his best to eat my cooking.'' ''No, Wendy ......, make him a dish that he can eat without having to work hard.'' Estella made a good point. ''Besides, if you want something good to eat, Theron can make it for you! ''It would be nice to share the household chores. ''But you know what? But don''t you want him to have some delicious homemade salmon? What''s homemade salmon? ...... ''That''s because ...... if I could, I''d love to make them happy with my homemade food. ............ But I''ve never had anyone to teach me how to cook. ......'' I see. He''s been living alone since he was a kid, right? He never had a chance to learn to cook from his mother. Then it makes sense that he''s a terrible cook. ''Hey, Norma.'' Delia turns her pure eyes to Norma. ''You''re a professional bride trainer, right?You should teach her.'' ''I''m not a pro!I''m just good at housework in general, as a woman. Delia. Just because it''s the truth doesn''t mean you can say everything you want. ''I''ll never tell you!You''ll have to look elsewhere! ''That''s the kind of stingy thing you''ll get from .......'' ''It''s not that there aren''t any!It''s just that you''re not here right now! I don''t dare to ask how long this ''a little while now'' has been going on. ''...... question. How long has this ''little now'' been going on ......? ''Yes, Magda stop! I pick Magda up and instead of holding her mouth, I fluff her ears. I don''t want to see you cry, Norma, I do. I don''t want to see Norma cry. ............ She looks like such a pain in the ass. ''...... Mwah.'' ''Aiming for that, I deliberately made a dangerous statement. ............ Magda, you''ve improved your skills again! ''You''re steadily becoming able to control Yashiro, Magda. Loretta and Estella reveal their faces in fear. Who is being manipulated. No ............, right? ''...... That''s a good idea.'' ''Yes!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that we''ll be relatively free until the wedding. The preparations for the wedding will keep Umaro and the others from Torbeck''s store, Bertina and the other matrons from the church, and the dressmakers led by Ukrines very busy. Those in the food business had nothing to do but make prototypes of the menu. The day before is going to be a battlefield, though. ''So, if I may be so bold, let me teach you how to cook to the best of my knowledge. Ginette might be a good cooking teacher, since she had taught the people in Sirach''s house to cook. ''...... I''m willing to teach Magda while I''m at it. ''Ah!Yes, yes!Then I''ll do the same! ''I think I''ll learn too, ......, in case of emergency.'' ''Then I''ll do the same!I''ll be able to make more than just salmon and surprise Yashiro! ''That sounds like a lot of fun. I''m going to join you then. ''''''''What, you still need more bride training? '''''''' It''s a great idea!I want to become a better cook! Ginette is a pro at this. Well, she is a professional. ''''Then, we''re going to have a cooking lesson at the Sunlit Pavilion! Ginette announced the opening of the meeting with a rather happy face. Since it''s a good opportunity, I''d like to learn how to cook too. Then, we all went to the sunny pavilion. ''Come on, everyone. Let''s cook up a storm. The one who took charge of the place was, as expected, ...... Bertina. I think her sense of smell has reached the realm of the divine, don''t you?I think his sixth sense is really close to his sense of smell. ''...... Yashiro is positive.'' ''I think there''s something behind this .......'' That''s not true. I''ve already seen this coming. It''s not a good idea to waste time fighting against it, and the ingredients for the dish were bought in bulk at a reasonable price at the sunny pavilion. If you cook with these ingredients and leave Bertina satisfied, you can ............ then make a prototype of the food for the wedding. He uses first-class ingredients that are both tasty and expensive. I can''t compete with Bertina''s warriors. Let''s fill her up while we can and send her away. ''So, what are you cooking? Delia was more enthusiastic than Wendy. She has a prime seat next to Jeannette. ''......, come on. ''Delia. House. ''What''s that, Yashiro?I want to be a good cook too! ''...... If you''re a good boy, you''ll receive a carapace at the end of the day. I don''t care if I''m on the edge!I don''t mind being on the edge! Delia moves to the edge of the workbench with Magda''s help. Good job, Magda. At ......, does ''carapo'' mean caramel popcorn? I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. So, I guess Ginette''s plan is that if it''s a different day, we can focus on Delia or Magda. How sweet, Ginette. To anyone. ''So, Wendy. What kind of cooking would you like to learn?'' ''Anything''s fine. I''ll put any fresh vegetables on top! Why are you only allowed to serve it on top? Use the fire, use the fire! ''''Tell her what Ginette recommends.'''' ''What?I''m not sure what to do............. Well...'' Perhaps Ginette has too much of a repertoire to make such a decision. In the first place, I don''t think she understands the feelings of people who can''t cook. Only those who are not good at it can understand what is difficult and how to start learning. ''...... suggestions'' Magda offers a helping hand to the troubled Jeannette. ''...... I recommend takoyaki.'' ''That''s just because you want to look smug that you can do it better than the rest of us! ''...... Mmm. Yashiro is too sharp.'' No, no, I get it! ''Yes, yes!I think it would be good to have coffee then! ''Other than Magda, does anyone else have a request? ''Big brother, please stop ignoring me! Loretta, you. What kind of newlywed family serves coffee as a side dish for dinner? It doesn''t go well with rice, does it?I''ll make you coffee tea and feed you. ''Then may I make a request? Norma raises her hand with a slender, seductive hand. I see. Norma might be able to suggest a beginner''s dish or something easy to understand. After all, she''s a professional bride trainer. ''So, Norma-san. What would you like to learn? ''Yashiro''s favorite food.'' All eyes are on me. ......?My favorite food? ''Oh,...... Oh. You''re right, I''d like to learn that too. ''...... Hmm. That''s Norma. You''re a badass. ''She''s a bad girl.'' ''Shut up, will you?There''s nothing wrong with that....... I just want to feed you a good meal when you come to my house.'' ''...... You''re so clever! ''Very clever! ''Oh, come on. Don''t say that about Magda and Loretta. You''re just too old for that.'' ''You know, you''re the worst, Delia! The kitchen is getting crowded. ...... Well... What should I look like? ''You''re a popular guy, aren''t you, Yashiro? Estella gives me a cold stare as she fumbles with her knife. It''s ....... It''s kind of scary, the collaboration of the knife and that gaze. Pan!Ginette says in a cheerful voice, clapping her hands. What''s my favorite food? ...... What are you going to make? ''......Hmm, speaking of Yashiro''s favorite dish,......'' ''Oh, that.'' Magda and Loretta said with a look that said, ''I got the idea. ''...... boob pudding.'' ''That''s for sure! ''That hero-sama. Pudding for dinner is ......'' ''Be careful with your assumptions, they can hurt people sometimes, can''t they?'' If Jeannette starts making titty pudding here, I''m going to run away from home. It''s all ...... too much of an image, and it''s being misunderstood. I''ll just deny it. It''s not titty pudding that I like!It''s the raw boobs! ''Yes, everyone, wash your hands! Oh, Yashiro. Can you move out of the way? I''ve been solemnly removed by Estella in the corner of my kitchen. ...... Isn''t it awful? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to get a chair in the corner of the kitchen and sit there all alone. I''m not sure what to do. ''So, Mr. Manager!What are you going to teach me? ''...... I want something on a level that Magda can make.'' ''Do you want to post it?Mr. Manager?'' ''Salmon is good, but not salmon this time?What? ''If you can, I''d like you to tell me about the secret ingredient of this .......'' ''I don''t care what it is, why don''t you make it soon?I''ve been waiting for you for a long time. ''Um, everyone, please calm down!We''ll start right away!We''ll start right away! The members of the group who were closing in on Ginette, and Ginette who was being closed in on. It must be hard to deal with such a dense group of people. ''It''s really ...... very popular, isn''t it, Yashiro? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. '''''''''' Scrap vegetables? '''''''''' All the members except Estella and Bertina nodded their heads. They don''t know the days when the only thing the Sunlit Pavilion could serve was stir-fried scraps. Since the establishment of the Garbage Collection Guild and the start of receiving vegetables from Momat, the main dish has been stir-fried vegetables, and since the reconciliation with the Peddler''s Guild, they rarely serve scrap vegetables to customers. It still remains in the corner of the menu, but I rarely see it nowadays. ''As for me, this is a nostalgic menu. ''I liked it too, you know. The ''too'' in Bertina''s ''too'' tickled me strangely. ''Yashiro, do you like that? ''I''m surprised. ''...... Yashiro likes things that are surprisingly poor.'' ''I know that!The skin is nutritious, isn''t it? Well, if you say so... ............ That was the first time I ate Jeannette''s homemade food. ...... Ew. That tickles. That''s your favorite food. ............ Oh, that tickles. ''This dish may look simple, but it requires a lot of preparation and great care in cooking. I think it''s good for practice. And the ingredients are inexpensive, too. That''s true. If you don''t use the proper cooking method for each vegetable, you''ll end up with raw or burnt vegetables, making this a rather difficult dish to prepare. Hmm. I thought this was going to be a relaxed cooking class, but ...... I think Ginette might be pretty spartan. ''So, let''s start with the big ones and prepare them in order. With Ginette''s order, the bridal training of the forty-two district girls began. ''...... This is going to take quite a while,......, isn''t it? The only person next to me whining was a sister who had no intention of becoming a bride. ...... Well, let''s ignore that. ''Aaah!............Ugh, I cut my finger.'' ''...... Loretta is a screw-up.'' ''Huh. ...... I''m embarrassed.'' ''No, Loretta!That''s good!That''s an essential skill for a new wife!High points! ''What, did she just compliment me? Cut off your finger and suck your index finger into your mouth. ...... I like that! I''m not going to get into the details of saliva or hygiene at this point!I''m not going to get into that.I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Well, I''d kick your ass if you dribbled it all over my side dish. Ideally, the man would say, "You idiot. ...... Are you okay? The best thing to do is to lick your index finger while saying, ''Are you okay? ''Huh?Is that so ......? ''Well, that''s a promise. ''Hmm, ............, then ......, please! And then Loretta holds out a thinly sliced forefinger. The ...... tip of her finger is slightly wet. ...... Yeah. No, no, no. ''It''s just an example of what two newlyweds should do. ...... Now, no.'' ''Niyo!I''m sure you''re right.I''m not sure what to make of it. Don''t pick up on the ''now'' in ''not now''. It''ll make it more meaningful. ''Okay!I''ll cut it too! ''The food! Delia was about to cut her finger with all her might. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing, and how you''re going to do it. ...... You''re going to be completely cut off if you use that kind of power. ...... It''s not going to be a disaster if you use that kind of power. ''...... Medrama has broken knives before in situations like this .............'' ''The episode is as rich as ever, Medora! The finger and the knife made contact and the knife lost! It''s steel! ''I used to cut my fingers when I was inexperienced, too. ''You''re talking about when you were young? ''......''. Hey, Delia. Since Norma went to the trouble of saying ''while you were still young'', that''s fine. ''Well, well. Cutting your fingers is just the beginning. That wound will heal with some licking.'' ''So Norma used to lick herself? ''............''. Delia~. I don''t know if I needed to add the word ''by myself'' to that. Well, judging from Norma''s reaction, there probably wasn''t. ''Sorry,......, cooking is all about getting used to it. You''ll get better and better at it. ''So it''ll take a long time to get to Norma''s level. ''Delia, are you trying to fight with me? ''What?I''ll give you my honest opinion at ......! ''That''s why you''re so bad at honest opinions! ''It''s not safe to be violent in the kitchen! ''Both of you have knives! Ginette and Estella stopped the beastmen who were staring at each other. I can''t handle it if they get serious. I can''t help it: ...... ''Ah, I can''t wait to eat it. I can''t wait to try Norma''s soothing taste and Delia''s first attempt at rice. ''Come on, manager. Let''s make it quick and easy! ''That''s right. The palm ...... is waiting for you! ''...... Ah, yes. Then let''s hurry up. ''......You people are so ............ simple.'' Estella''s gaze turns to me. ....... You just made the two rampaging men quiet. You know, Yashiro-san. Bertina, who was sitting next to me and watching the whole mess, said in a calm voice. ''Could you please tell everyone to make it in forty seconds? '' "''Wait a little longer.'' ''Ugh ......Yashiro-san is very strict sometimes ......'' A gloomy foodie sister. You''re the one with the biggest problem here. Especially when it comes to food. ''If you don''t hurry, we won''t have time to eat the delicious food that Yashiro-san and Ginette will be making for the wedding later. ......'' Fidgeting. I can''t believe it. You''re going to eat it too, aren''t you? ''Ms. Wendy. Your work seems to be going well. ''Yes, sir. Cooking is fun when you try it.'''' ''Mm-hmm. It is, isn''t it?'' Jeannette is talking to Wendy. I''m glad to see that Wendy is enjoying herself. ''But you should use a knife when cutting vegetables. ''You''re tearing them up again, Wendy! ''If you''re going to say that cooking is fun to try, you should learn the basics first! ''I''m sorry, Hero-sama. I have a little bit of confidence in my grip strength. ......'' ''No, it''s fine that you''re confident, but ............ Jeannette, teach him.'' ''Yes, sir. Well, it''s a cooking class. This is probably a good place to start. Eventually, you should be able to make something reasonable. ''Hey, manager~'' ''Yes, sir. What is it, Ms. Delia? ''I''m out of vegetables. ''...... You cut them too finely.'' ''How finely did you cut them? ...... This is not the first time I''ve done this. Who said anything about turning vegetables into powder? ''...... Manager.'' ''Yes, sir. What can I do for you, Mr. Magda? ''...... It was delicious.'' ''Don''t eat it, man! What''s with the satisfied look on your face? ''Mr. Manager! ''Ha, yes. What''s the matter, Loretta-san! ''I want something to happen, but I can do it normally! ''That''s fine, Loretta! You''re too frightened of being ''normal''!It''s okay to be normal! There are times when normal is good! ''Hey, Jeannette! ''Ah, yes. ''This knife has a beautiful edge. ...... Where do you sell them?'' ''Don''t show any interest in knives, you knife freak! Somebody get serious about cooking! ''Mr. Store Manager. How about something like this? ''Wow!Norma, you''re very good!Your knife work is perfect! ''As expected of Norma.'' ''Hmm. It''s just like this in my hands. ''''With that, how did you get a wife from ......?'''' ''''Shut up, you three beastly girls! So, Norma. Don''t wield the knife. See? And so the cooking class went on for several hours. During the course of the class, we gave some of the prototypes to the guests (mainly Umaro and his associates) who came along, and by the time dusk was falling, Wendy was able to make something reasonable. ''It might be interesting to serve a dish made by the bride at the wedding reception. ''Oh, that''s a good idea. Let''s have them come a little early and mix one in with Theron''s meal.'' ''What?I wonder if I can do that? ''I''ll see what I can do. Ginette will. ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you! ''Then, please take care of .......'' The wedding was in a little over two weeks. The forty-second district was once again bustling with activity before the festival. By the way. According to what Theron told me later, Wendy treated Theron to a home-cooked meal after the cooking class. ''The stir-fried torn vegetables were very delicious! ......, she said. ............ Wendy. You don''t know how to use a knife yet. You need a refresher course. Oh, yeah. One more thing. Assunto''s been-- ''The last few days, more and more people have been asking for scraps instead of vegetables. ...... What did you do, Mr. Yashiro? -- or so he asked. ...... It''s not my fault. Maybe. 218-Later, 46 Reunited ''I absolutely hate you! .'' Norma cried out. ''Don''t be like that. You''re the leader, right? ''I didn''t become a leader because I wanted to! ''Oh, ......, but the new clothes are cute, right? ''Sure,...... sure it''s cute,...... but,.........'' ''If ...... Norma wears it, this cuteness will be transformed into obscenity.'' ''Is that supposed to be a compliment, Magda? ''The gap between her age and the rest of the world makes me swoon! ''Alright, Loretta!You said it well!Let''s talk with our fists! ''Stop it, both of you! Both of you! ''That''s right!We have to practice our singing too! ''We don''t like that song! Nephrite and Paula''s complaint about Norma''s rage seems to have no effect on ....... I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. These are the members of the Idle Meisters, who reunited after the completion of the Lumberjack Guild''s 42nd District branch. They are the idols of the Meisters (craftsmen with special skills), and are in no way a rip-off of anything. They are idols from the 42nd district, full of originality. So, what is the cause of all this? ...... That''s the grudge of an older single woman. Congratulate her. You''re one of us, right? ''But, you know, ...... this song was written by Ladybug, right?Well, he wrote ...... something like that. See? Millie looked at me for confirmation. That''s right! This song is produced by Oba Yashiro. The song that has been passed down from guild to guild is not suitable for the wedding I have in mind. So, I wrote a suitable song myself. ''......A song that I finally completed after stepping over a number of dead works. ''Really, ...... those dead works were terrible. Magda and Loretta have destroyed every song I''ve ever written. In addition to them, Ginette and Estella, who are no longer with us, also happily ruined songs I wrote. d*mn. They don''t even know how hard it is to make a song, they just interfere from the side. ............ ''What kind of song was it that you forfeited? ''...... "When you get married, you can rub them as much as you want", "Every night, have fun with boobs Rumba", "Room, shirt and boobs", etc.'' ''Ah ...... that''s not something you can sing at a wedding ......, is it?'' ''Even if it''s not a wedding, I wouldn''t want to sing it.'' ''Not at all. ...... Yashiro is ............'' Millie, Nepheli and Paula are giving me the cold shoulder. What the hell? The best thing about marriage is that you can rub it in all you want! You like unlimited cell phone calls, don''t you? It''s like a family discount. It''s a family-only benefit, yeah. It may be difficult for you to understand, but lyrics make use of excellent metaphors. In other words, the beauty of having a family through all the rubbing you can do. ......'' ''I don''t care about that, I''m going to convince Norma! Hey, Loretta. Don''t call my helpful commentary ''such a thing''. I''ll pour sweet sake into your cheek pouches until they''re full. The first kiss tastes like sweet sake. And give me a subtle look. .................. I''ll never forgive you for being such a prude. You can''t do that until you''re married. ''Loretta, you''re s*xy! ''Why?I''m not sure what to say. I''m not going to allow you to get married just because you''re an adult. At the very least, if you can''t convince me, you''re not allowed to have contact with me! By big brother''s authority! I''m not sure what to do. ''After all, he''s taken good care of, isn''t he, Loretta? The duo of Nefari and Paula are arguing about something I don''t understand. What are you talking about? Of course you can''t. Of course not. I can show you proof. ''Hey, Norma. What would you do if Loretta said, ''I''m getting married tomorrow too''? ''I''ll expose the embarrassing secret that I couldn''t tell the boys the other night when we stayed at the Sunshine Pavilion together, a secret that would make them fall in love with me for a hundred years, and crush them. ''Wait!What are you talking about?Forget about it!I''m not here!I don''t have a partner like that. Look at that. There are more people against it than just me. It''s no exaggeration to say that this has formed public opinion. ......, Loretta. What did you do? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. What''s that, Neffery?What do you mean by that?Let''s get this straight! ''Well, well, well. Don''t get so excited. If it were Paula, she''d give her blessing, right, Loretta''s marriage? ''I''ll crush her. ''Paula, your eyes are serious! ''It''s ten years too early for you to be happy before me, and I''ll never accept it. ...... If such a story comes up, I''ll post all of the lascivious things you did when you worked for me on the bulletin board on the main street that your family can''t hear. ''Wait a minute!What horrible thing are you saying?There''s no such thing!There''s no such person, not even a shadow! ''Oh, ...... Paula''s on that side, too. ......'' Nefari''s mouth twisted. He''s a handy guy for a beak. ......, Loretta. What have you done to deserve this, seriously? ''...... Magda''s got more secrets than any of them. ''Oh, dear! ...... So, Loretta. What the hell are you doing ............ ''Yeah. I don''t think I''m going to get a wife just yet.'' ''Yeah, yeah. That''s good.'' ''It''s all about order, isn''t it? ''What''s that satisfied look on your face, big brother, Paula, Norma? Loretta''s noble sacrifice seems to have restored Norma''s good mood somewhat. I won''t let your severe burns go to waste. ''''Norma. Even this Loretta is trying her best to celebrate Wendy.'''' ''Well, ......, if even this Loretta is doing her best, I can''t be selfish, can I? ''This Loretta is so helpful. ''This is terrible, you, Norma, and Paula! Thanks to Loretta, it looks like the idol meisters will be able to reunite. ''But this time, the costume is also ............ ukrines, you did a great job. ''I heard she was happy to make it in between wedding dresses. ''You know, Ukulines once said, "It''s fun to dress Noma-san."'' ''What''s that, Ukrinesu? I''m not a dress-up doll. ''...... And after that, Yashiro said, "I have more fun undressing you, though. I''m not sure what to do. ''I didn''t say "goofy goofy goofy", did I? ''...... did you say ''it''s more fun to get them off'' ............ at all, Yashiro''? It''s funny. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a shame to live in a world where the honest man is the fool. ''So, now that Norma seems to be motivated, let''s start practicing. Nefari summarized the conversation. This guy looks like he can''t wait to sing. He really likes this kind of thing. If he was in Japan, he might have at least auditioned for an idol. ............ I''m sure the judges would be astonished at the screening stage, though. "Chicken! I said. ''Okay, then, Norma. I''ll help you get dressed.'' ''Well, while I''m getting dressed, can someone hold Yashiro down? Why? People are so kind! ''Yashiro ......, don''t give me that ''why'' look. ''Of course not, ...... you idiot. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... d*mn!This world is so absurd,......! In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following webpage. ''By the way, where''s Ginette? While waiting for Norma, Nephrite made small talk with her. ''She''s practicing the food for the wedding reception. ''Did Jeannette come up with it?'' ''No. Me, Estella, Bertina, Lucia, Demilly and Ricardo have decided on a rough menu. ''What, that dense group ......'' The lords knew a lot about ceremonies and parties, so they were helpful. I didn''t invite Bertina, but she was there before I knew it. I proposed the general menu, and Ginette added her detailed ideas. Unusually, Ginette took the initiative in expressing her opinions. I wondered if she had felt something after spending time with the swallowtail butterfly people at Sirach''s place. Ginette has always been more passionate about cooking than others. It seems that she is also very passionate about this dish. ''It''s going to be a great dish, isn''t it? ''Yeah. You can count on it. It''s thanks to that dish that Bertina''s been in such a good mood lately. Bertina''s usual means of transportation is skipping instead of walking. You can see from that how delicious the food is. ''I''ve changed my clothes! ''Oh! I gasp at the sight of Norma emerging from the multi-purpose conference hall. ''It''s huge! ''Is there anything else you can think of? No, because that was the first thing that caught my eye, and I was glued to it. The image of the costumes this time is that of a ladybug blooming in love in a flower garden, lured by the spring weather. The colorful costume expresses the soft and warm atmosphere of spring, and at the same time, the short, fluttery skirt emphasizes the joy of happy and embarrassed love. Spring and love. It''s a great way to express the excitement and fun of both. Above all, the bosom!Her thighs are banging!I''m so happy to be alive! I''m so glad I''m alive! ''You''re exaggerating! No, no, no. It''s no exaggeration to say that this was a pure cry of the soul. ''Now, let''s practice singing! Norma''s voice is disguised as a grumpy one as she blasts the members. ''Norma, ...... is pretty cool, isn''t it? ''Yeah, yeah. I''m a little worried about you. ......'' The flowers bloom around Norma in such an obvious way that Nepheli and Paula are worried. ...... No, that''s a metaphor. Norma''s mood was visibly improving. I''ll give you all the praise I can if this will make you feel better. Praise is free. Let''s see. I''ll motivate the other members. Girls love to get compliments on their new outfits. ''Nefari. You''ve got style. You look good in everything. No wonder Ukrines put so much effort into making you. ''Heh!What, what, all of a sudden?What the hell!I''m going to practice now, so don''t say anything weird!Thank you, ....... I''m glad you''re here. ''Paula. You look good in all those colors. You should share your energy with the people watching. ''Yeah!I''m on it!It''s ......, so make sure you keep an eye on Yashiro!I''ll share my energy with you! ''Milly. ''Ha, ha, ......, what? ''Don''t worry, you''re cute. You just need to be confident and enjoy yourself. ''Oh, mmm!Thank you for ....... I was actually nervous, but now that ...... ladybug-san said so, I feel like I can enjoy myself. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... ''Loretta, is normal''. I thought it was. ''Just kidding. You look good. Come here. I''ll fix your ribbon.'' ''Oh, no!My brother is just being normal and kind!Is it because I''m normal, or is it because I''m normal? ''He''s not normal, he''s really cute.'' I''ll do my best!I''ll do my best!I''m going to show up where I don''t have to! ''No, ......, don''t do that. Do it right. ''I''ll do it right! ''Magda''. ''...... I''m here.'' ''Yeah . You''re invincible.'' ''...... Mwah. Naturally.'' ''............ You''re cute.'' ''.................. Wow, don''t bother telling me, I know .......'' ''I see.'' ''...... But I can say it one more time.'' ''You''re the cutest thing I''ve ever seen.'' ''...... Mwah!Magda will lead us all, and we will make it.'' ''Delia. ''Oh, are you going to say something to me too? ''You look lovely today.'' ''What do you mean, ''today'' too?Stop it!Stop it!Even if I were to give you a pass, it would be ''today'', right? ''Delia is always cute.'' ''...... Really?'' ''Yes.'' ''Hahaha!I''m starting to feel like I can do my best! ''And finally, ...... Bertina. There''s no food here, so go back to the sunlit pavilion. ''That''s terrible, Yashiro-san. I''m just here to support you.'''' You''re just asking for food when you''re next to me, you know. ''But you''re really good at making people happy, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''They''re so simple.'' ''No. It''s because Yashiro-san looks at you carefully and really cares about you, so he knows what words to say to make you happy, right? ''...... Hmmm. Don''t talk about people like they''re marriage fraudsters. ''If it''s Yashiro-san, many people might be fooled. But you can''t.'' I won''t do it. If you do that, you''ll lose your life in half a day. ''By the way, is it possible to please me? As if begging, Bertina tilted her head and looked up at me. ...... I can''t help it. ''I''ll put some jelly on your dinner. ''I''m so glad!...... But that wasn''t the point, was it? ''Then no jelly. ......'' ''No, no. I was very happy, so I''ll leave it.'' Oh, man. They''re all so simple. Don''t let the ...... scammers fool you. ''Alright!Let''s practice the new song then! Norma leads the band in practicing the new song. This time, Loretta''s sisters are in the backing band. I asked them to learn to play the lyre and the transverse flute. ...... They really absorb everything I ask them to do very quickly. They''ve reached the level of a professional orchestra. And when the light four-beat music began to flow, the idol meisters began to dance in unison, swaying their gorgeous costumes. Slow, slow, tot. Slow, slow, toot. It''s the rhythm of the Zilva. ''Mr. Yashiro, what is this song?'' ''It''s ''The Ladybird''s Jilba'', a song about a couple getting married and the insects in the forest celebrating and dancing with them! It''s not a samba! The lyrics and melody are nothing alike! It''s a completely new wedding song! ''It''s delightful music. It makes me happy to listen to it. Next to me, Bertina shakes her head and smiles innocently. Oh, I see. ''You''re nervous, aren''t you? ''Hmm. I''m no match for Yashiro-san. He''s also a little nervous because he''s been given an important role in his first wedding. It''s a wedding, not a regular marriage. Solemn, solemn. If I fail, I might tarnish the bride and groom''s beginning. They''re probably feeling that kind of pressure. ''Don''t worry. Just congratulate the bride and groom as you normally would, with your eyes as if you were watching over your own child. ''Yes ......, I know. But it''s very comforting to hear you put it into words like that. Then he quietly puts his head on my shoulder. ''May I indulge you just a little? ''It''s ...... an after-the-fact report, isn''t it? ''Mm-hmm. Yes, it is. Just a little more, then.'' As if leaning against me, Bertina leaned in close and gazed at the idol meister singing and dancing merrily. I can feel her trembling faintly. They''re all nervous, aren''t they? They''re practicing hard because they''re nervous, too. I''m sure Ginette is nervous too. She''s working hard on her cooking. Umaro and Imelda are also running around to make a carriage. Ukrines, too, has not slept well lately. Estella, on the other hand, has been meeting with the lords of other districts every day to discuss the opening of new stores on the main streets of each district. Or perhaps we should say that she is getting all the know-how she can. He said, ''I''m really tired of being asked for advice day after day. And. Theron and Wendy are caught in the middle of this tension. The more noise they make, the harder they try, the more pressure they are under. Maybe they are regretting their decision to accept the model case so casually. Well, I''ll make it a good ceremony for you, so be patient. ''Don''t you ever get nervous, Yashiro-san? Bertina asks, her forehead resting on my shoulder. Her subdued voice seemed to indicate that she did not need to answer. But it''s a simple answer. I''ll at least do this. ''Of course you will. I''m nervous. I''m always nervous, man. I''m a coward, you know. I''m always worried that people will think I shouldn''t have done it. But there are many things you don''t know until you try them, and in my case, more often than not, things turned out okay when I tried them. Above all, I''m not very good at taking chances without taking any action. If a bait is dangling in front of me, I can''t help biting it even if I know it''s a trap. ''If it gets hard, the ...... Church is always ready to receive you. While the Church says ......, Bertina is probably planning to do so herself. In other words, ''If you need anything, you can count on us. I''ll just take your sentiment. Because I don''t need it. Because I don''t need-- ''Oniichan!Don''t flirt with the sisters, watch me practice properly! ''...... Yashiro, Guilty.'' I''m watching you! And so it goes, lively, over and over again, practice after practice, and little by little we move forward. The sky is darkening, and the end of the day is approaching. The members of the idol-meister group don''t stop practicing even after the nightfall, asking for one more time, just one more time. Ahhhh. This is a dinner course. Some of us are going to be too hungry to go home. ''Hey!Practice until you''re satisfied, then stop by the sunny-side up restaurant on your way home!I''ll make you some dinner! ''Yay!It''s salmon! ''Hmm!Thank you. ''''Alright, I''ll try harder! ''''''Oh! I leave the idol meister, who still intends to work hard, behind. Bertina left before the sun went down. I walk alone through the night streets lit by glowing bricks. The widened path is flat and easy on the feet. As I walked further, past the church, past Momat''s field, ...... a very nice smell wafted into the air. It was the scent of the sunny pavilion. I walk into the garden and open the door. ''Welcome home, Mr. Yashiro. That''s how Ginette greets you. --Yeah, It''s okay to be nervous and tired. After all, I''m accompanied by Ginette ............''s sunlit pavilion. ''Huh?What''s wrong, Yashiro-san? ''It''s nothing. ''But your face is kind of red .......'' ''Maybe it''s because I''m hungry!Oh, yes!The members of the Idol Meister will be here later. ''Yes!Then I''ll prepare a lot of food for you! Yes, yes. It''s a nice place, the Sunken Pavilion! I love this place! I''m so at home at the Sundaari-tei! It''s not like I''m talking about anyone in particular or anything like that. ......? 219-Later Tan 47 Wedding Parade ''Buh-uh!Tuxedo......!'' Wendy . That was the first thing she said at the reunion with her parents. ''Wa............ won''t laugh...... won''t laugh either...... I''m not laughing ......I''m not laughing ......I''m not laughing ......I''m not laughing ......I''m not laughing ......... ...Pfft!It''s not fair. ......Oh, my father ......sa............ ............! My shoulders are shaking. ''Yes. So, Wendy''s carriage will be alone with Thibaut. ''Wait, Hero-sama!It''s okay!I''m not crazy at all anymore!That''s all!I want to be alone with Theron on my wedding day! ''No, but... If you don''t get used to it during the parade, you''ll be laughing the whole wedding day, right? ''Don''t worry!It''s not even funny anymore, you know, my father! ''...... Laughing without permission and being abusive without permission,...... I wonder what kind of person I am,......'' Wearing a neat, custom-made tuxedo made by Ukrines, Tibor is lamenting the absurdity of this world. ''It''s not your fault that you look so funny!Put on a serious face! ''This way, Ka-chan?I''m sorry! ''Pfft!My father''s ......!I''m sure you''ve got some sort of grudge ............ against me.I''m not sure what to say. They look like a very close family. I''m not sure what to do. ''Yashiro. You''ll have to leave soon or you''ll never make it. ''Oh. I know.'' Estella came to call us. It was forbidden to take a carriage to the garden, so Wendy and I came to call Valeria and Thibaut, but Wendy started laughing and we lost a lot of time. ''Miss Wendy. We''ll fix your makeup later, okay?Natalia will clean it up for you. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Manager. I''m sorry for the trouble. Ginette, who had been following Estella, was concerned about Wendy''s make-up, which had been ruined by too much laughter. Even if you fix your makeup, it''ll probably fall off soon. The makeup expert is Percy, the raccoon from the sugar factory,......, who refused my request. ''I wear makeup every day, so I must be a pro, right?I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I asked him to do it ...... in a happy mood. What''s wrong with that? In frustration, I separated Percy''s seat at the reception from Neffery''s as far as I could. ''Well, let''s go. With Estella in the lead, we crossed the flower garden and headed for Lucia''s house. There, we will find the carriage for the parade and Javier''s prized horses. In the garden, the Bugmen clapped us off. ''I''ll see you later! or, ''Thanks for the stall!We''re looking forward to it! and ''We''re so happy to be together! I''m looking forward to it! ...... Ah. I didn''t want to mention it because I don''t want to. ............ We''re wearing the antennae catsuits now. We''re going to be wearing them for the entire parade. ......Why me too? ''You''re the only one who doesn''t look pretty when you grow antennae, anchovy. ''I''ll tell you the same thing when you get big tits, remember that. ''There is no such possibility anymore! ''So graceful!And don''t cry a bit! When we arrived at Lucia''s mansion, she was waiting for us in the garden. She doesn''t seem to be a stickler for ''nobles don''t wait outside'' anymore. Maybe it''s just for today. ''Yashiro, everyone!The carriage is in good working order!I assure you it will be a comfortable journey! Umaro, who took care of the manufacture and maintenance of the carriage, said confidently. ''It''s amazing, isn''t it? No matter how many times I see it. ''Hey, we''re going to ride in such a gorgeous carriage, aren''t we ......? I''m going to be scared ............. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... I''m not going to do it.You''ll have to put up with it even if it kills you. ''Wendy! ''Theron! Theron, who has probably been waiting for you for some time, comes running up to see Wendy. He is also wearing a custom-made tuxedo made by Ukrines. ''Haha ...... You look great, Theron. You look like a prince.'' It''s funny ...... how similar clothes made by the same person can be so different when one is ''poo......'' and the other is ''poo poo'' ....... I wonder why there is such a difference. ''Wendy''s dress is lovely, too. ''Thank you, Theron. It really is a dream come true to be able to wear such a beautiful dress. ......'' Wendy put her hand on her cheek and looked enraptured. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your wedding. ''...... Sorry, Wendy. It''s just a little mistake. ''What, mistake? ''It''s not the dress that''s beautiful, it''s you in the dress, Wendy. ''Oi, Gilberta!Blunt instrument! ''No, Yashiro-san!Please hold back! Gilberta, who puts her friends before everything else, was about to bring me a Morning Star that looked just right, but Estella stopped her and I reluctantly went to return it to the building. d*mn it. Why are you interrupting me, Ginette and Estella? ''That dress is red, so even if Theron''s blood splatters a little, it won''t be noticed. I''m not sure what to do. Oh, ......, I didn''t account for that. ...... Oh, yeah. The parade, wedding, and reception each have different costumes. The parade is a light, relatively easy to wear red dress. Theron wears a black tuxedo. For the wedding, he will change into a pure white dress and tuxedo, and for the reception, he will change into another gorgeous outfit. It''s a big publicity parade for the wedding. It is a grand and gorgeous event. There are five carriages in total. Theron and Wendy are first. Then the parents of the two families and Lucia''s maid of honor. Next are Lucia and Gilberta, the lords of the 35th district, and their servants. Behind them are Estella and Natalia, the lords of the forty-second district. And then me and Ginette from the Sunken Pavilion. At the end are some soldiers from Torbek and Estella''s house in case of unforeseen circumstances. And the horses in front and behind the carriage, flanking it, are soldiers from Lucia''s family. The reason for the soldiers? Of course, it is partly for security, but the soldiers in front and behind the carriage are to carry a large flag. Flags with the emblems of the lords of the forty-second and thirty-fifth districts, respectively. This will make it widely known that the two districts are cooperating with each other, and make it clear to everyone that the two districts are fully backing the wedding of the Bug People and the Humans. Furthermore, by marching down the main street of each ward with the permission of the lord, it would be publicized that all the wards below the 35th ward were in support of this project. A parade of this magnitude will be held with the support of that many wards. There will be no room for petty jealousy or side-stepping. No one wants to go that far to humiliate the insect race. No one would want to go that far to demean themselves either. We controlled the atmosphere. A marriage between a human and an insect?What''s wrong with that? What''s the problem? I mean, what''s the problem with ...... What''s the problem with two people who love each other getting married? It''s as simple as that. No one is going to complain, right? ''Alright!Let''s start the big reveal! We climbed into the carriages, which were fully opened at the top like a convertible. Each carriage can hold about eight people. It''s a rather large carriage. ''Oh, ......! I thought I heard a strange voice, but Theron was pulling Wendy''s hand and escorting her to the carriage. ''You''re killing me, Theron,............, explode. ''It''s pretty obvious what he''s thinking. Estella taps me on the shoulder and pushes me back. You want me to get in the car now?I don''t need to be told. ...... When I got into the carriage, I saw Magda and Loretta hiding there. ''Whoa! ...... You scared me. ''...... Hmph. I''ve been waiting.'' ''Even if you tell me to get off, I''m definitely not going to retreat.'' The two of them clung to their seats with a strangely firm will. Originally, it was only going to be me and Ginette riding in the carriage as representatives of the Sunlit Pavilion. Magda and Loretta were supposed to stay at the store, but ...... ''Shop, what''s going on? ''...... I''ve left it in the hands of Norma With Hamko All-Stars.'' ''Hammaro is also there, so it''s probably fine.'' ''You guys... ......'' You''re a complete outsider now, Norma. Well, we''ve rented the place out for the day to prepare for the wedding reception, so there''s no need for you to be on duty. I''m really a stay-at-home mom. ...... But the person in charge is not here. ''...... That''s not good. There''s no smile on Yashiro''s face. ''Is this a pattern that will make me very angry later?I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Manager. I want you to call the manager. ''Manager~!Please come here!As soon as possible, please! ''What?Why are Magda-san and Loretta-san here? Ginette, who ran into the carriage after me, rolled her eyes when she saw them already in the carriage. Well, you''d be surprised. ''...... Now''s the time for the Yashiro killer. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ''Where''s the store? ''...... Norma''s there.'' ''Also, I packed a lot of our younger siblings into the ...... store.'' ''Oh well, I''ll have to thank ...... Norma properly next time. Ginette ...... has a troubled look on her face with her hands on her cheeks, but her eyes show a happy color. Yeah, I get it. I understand, Jeannette. You know you have to do your job properly, but you''re happy to parade with us, right?But you have to be angry with her for her selfish behavior, but you feel sorry for her if you get angry with her, don''t you? ...... See, you look at me like that again. ''Haha ......, I can''t help it. It''s a good day. I''ll give you a special treat. In exchange, you''re gonna make the parade a lot of fun. Really. I''ll have to reward Norma when we get back. ''You''re beastmen, but you''ll have to wear this .......'' With that, he attached the antennae catsuits to Magda and Loretta''s heads. All four members of the Sunlit Pavilion have antennae on their heads. In addition, Estella and Natalia have matching heads. ''Oh, so this is the tentacle catsuit they''re talking about?I''ve always wanted to try one on! ''...... Magda is kind of a lot. Ears and antennae. It''s true that the top of Magda''s head is a little messy. But... ''Cute, Magda.'' ''...... Mwah. Good.'' Her ears twitched, and she shook her antennae catsuit. ''Yashiro has become very sweet, hasn''t he? Estella gets into the carriage and pokes me in the side. Don''t you dare touch me. I''ll say ''payback'' and poke you. ''Magda and Loretta, you''ll be in charge of livening things up. ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you! ''...... Magda is good at that kind of thing.'' Really, this expressionless girl is ...... While we were fussing over the unexpected intruder, the other carriages seemed to have finished their preparations for departure. We hurriedly took our seats and finished our own preparations. ''Here we go! The soldier at the front of the carriage shouted vigorously, and the carriage began to move slowly. The five gorgeous carriages begin to move forward in unison. The parade has begun! ''Aaah! The crowd in front of the Lord of the Thirty-fifth District''s mansion erupted in cheers. From here, once they reached the main street of District 35, they would have to walk along the main street for the rest of the way. ''Why, I''m getting nervous. ''Aren''t you nervous?Let me see your breasts.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Ginette-chan stoop!You''re being s*xually harassed by Yashiro! The air inside the car became even hotter as it reached the main road. ''Aaahh!It''s amazing!Big brother, look!There are so many people here! ''...... is spectacular. ''Oh, there''s a girl from the Bug People tribe waving at us. I wonder what tribe she belongs to?She''s so cute. Both sides of the main street were packed with people. Insects, humans, and beastmen alike were all watching the parade, food from stalls in their hands. Children and adults alike waved their hands in the air with innocent faces. Ginette waved back in response. Magda followed suit with a firm but expressionless hand. Loretta stands up and waves her arms in the air. Estella gives a small, elegant wave. Natalia watched the scene quietly. ''Aren''t you going to wave, hands? ''I''m a waiter. I''m a waiter, I don''t do anything intrusive. ''The audience is always happy when you wave back, you know? ''You''re a waiter, sir? ''Oh. Give it a try.'' ''At .......'' Natalia waved discreetly at my prompting. Then the bug-people girl waving in the front row jumped up and down with joy. ''I just made eye contact. It''s her!That''s her!The bug-people girl with the black hair and antennae! ''All right. All right, calm down. It''s fun, isn''t it? Her cheeks flushed, and Natalia''s tension rose visibly. ''Thank you for doing this for me today. ''I didn''t gather here for you! ''Can you see me, behind you? ''Are you a rock singer? ''Second floor seats! What''s that? ''Yashiro-san. Are you sure you want to do this? Ginette said, her facial muscles relaxing with happiness. ''We''re just accompanying Theron-san and Wendy-san, and you''re letting us have so much fun. ''It''s fine, isn''t it?If this position looks fun, there will be people who want to do it, right? Then the nobles would say, ''When Maro gets married, we''ll have a parade! and spread the money to the city to pay for it. For us, it means more opportunities to make money. ''Enjoy it to the fullest. Theron and the others will be happy to see you.'' ''Yes, sir!Then I will.'' With a big smile on her face, Ginette begins to wave to the crowd again. Every time she does, the crowd cheers. Well, you know. In the parade of the Dream Kingdom in Chiba area, even if the main character is not a mouse, the audience is happy to be waved at. That''s how it is. ''Huh?What''s that? ''...... Mm. That''s food I''ve never seen before. Loretta and Magda were attracted by the food in the hands of the spectators. It was a bacon-wrapped potato on a skewer. ''Ah. That''s jagabey.'' ''Big brother, you know it! ''Oh. See, the 35th district is a seafood town, right?It''s weak in meat. That''s why I told Lucia to help facilitate the distribution of meat. Just wrap small potatoes with bacon and fry them. It''s easy enough to serve at a food stall, and not so difficult to eat. ''Why don''t you tell me about it? ''...... I haven''t even tasted it.'' ''I''m interested in ...... what it tastes like! ''Oh, I''d like to try it too.'' ''Hey, hey. We''re in the middle of a parade.I''ll make you some next time, just be patient for now.'''' You can''t just stop the carriage and say, ''I''ll go buy some. We''re just along for the ride. ''Gentleman, please stop. I''m going to buy something! ''Oh, Natalia!You can''t do that, can you? Don''t try to do something that I thought was impossible without hesitation! ''I''ll destroy this parade if I can''t eat that! ''Hey, someone!Take down this dangerous head waiter! In the end, we asked Lucia''s soldier on horseback to buy enough jagabeh for all of us, and we ate it on the carriage. ''''It''s Hoihii!This is quite something! ''Loretta. Don''t talk while you eat.'' ''...... delicious.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Yes. ''Upstairs! ''Don''t let the guests watching from upstairs in the inn see your jugabee, Natalia! This carriage is a complete picnic. ''Aah!You''re the only ones cheating, anchovies! ''I want some of that, too. From the carriage in front of us, Lucia and Gilberta are staring at us with huge eyes. ...... Then get them to buy it for you, too. I''d like you to stop the carriage, sir!I''m going to get some, I am! I''m not going to let you stop the parade! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ...... Do all waiters think the same way? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I want to eat it! As we ate deliciously on the carriage, the onlookers began to take an interest in the Jagabee. This stuff is going to sell like hotcakes later, jagabey. That''s good. If it does well, it might become the second most famous food after seafood. ''Aah!I''m thirsty! ''...... Such a large amount of potatoes, and the salty bacon ...... is taking away the water in my mouth.'' I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m not sure if it''s as good as it sounds,......, sales. ...... Don''t get in the way of business. I''m sure it would be great with a cold beer! I don''t know. Why am I following this ...... ''Doesn''t Master Yashiro like to drink? ''Shut up, it''s a follow-up, it''s a follow-up!It''s the kind of negative feedback that can hurt your sales. ''Do you really need to worry about that? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... These guys really don''t care about anything other than the 42nd district. ...... If Juggabee is a hit, we''ve been promised honey from the garden in exchange for incentives. Why don''t you cooperate a little? ''Hey, bro!You''ve got a good point! A beastman approaches the carriage with a large barrel in his hand. His neck is short, but his face is ...... giraffe-like? ''I''m just peddling beer around here!I''ll give you a pint! ''That''s very kind of you, but be careful approaching the wagons, it''s dangerous. The parade would be ruined if we were swarmed by merchants like this. I''ll have to tell them off nicely. ''I know what I''m doing!I''m not going to interfere with the parade!It''s just that ...... you see,............, I''m ......''. What is it?He suddenly started to squirm. ...... Then he glanced at Natalia and said, ...... ''I want that pretty lady over there to drink my beer! Yeah, yeah. You don''t want to get in the way of the parade or something. ...... You don''t get it at all, do you? When Natalia waved at you, you thought, ''Did I just make eye contact? I wonder if she fell in love at first sight. Well, if you''re going to give it to me for free, let''s have a drink and get out of here. ''What do you say, Natalia? Do you want one? ''But I''m on duty, sir. ''Duty doesn''t mean I have much to do today. Can''t we at least have a beer? ''I ...... feel like taking off my clothes when I drink, but if you''re okay with that, ......'' ''Sorry, old giraffe!I''d like to refrain from drinking during the parade!I''ll just take your word for it! ...... can''t give Natalia a drink. The parade will be destroyed in an instant. ............ Estella. You''d better make sure you''re disciplined. ...... d*mn, he looked away. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It was very lively. And they seemed to be enjoying themselves. I''m sorry to say this, but this is just a civilian wedding. You all don''t know Theron or Wendy, do you?Well, maybe you know who invented the glowing brick, but ...... that''s about it. You''re not a celebrity, you''re not a celebrity. Still, the crowd was very excited. ''It''s amazing. So many people, all smiling. Ginette said, a little overwhelmed. In fact, the amount of heat that was being transmitted to us was tremendous. It''s nothing special, just a marriage between a man and a woman. Many spectators are watching. ''These people here are seeing the same thing right now. But they''re not necessarily thinking the same ...... thing.'' I don''t know what they''re happy about, what they''re excited about, what they''re moved by. But. ''Still, when they remember today, they''ll probably have a similar smile on their face. From now on, forever. Today is the turning point. For these guys. And for this city. ''Yes, it is. ...... surely.'' I line up with Jeannette and wave to the crowd. I shake my body on purpose, my antennae waving in the air. And the little bugger kids start to frolic with glee. What is now spreading along this boulevard is an extraordinary world. Humans are wearing antennae headgear, and insects are wearing yukata and eating the same food in line at the stalls. This is the first time for them to experience everything, and they must be having so much fun that they are getting excited like idiots. I wonder who among us here would think that. Wendy marrying a human, ''Oh, she must be treated like a slave. What we''ve done is really simple and easy. We ran around and talked to people, but if you think about it ......, all we did was create a place where we could make noise together. If you don''t understand well, you should join us and make some noise. That''s all I''m telling you. From now on, they themselves will see, hear, and feel what they see, hear, and feel directly in their minds as memories and experiences. I digress, but con artists and salesmen have one thing in common. If you want to sell a product, you should not advertise the superiority of the product, but tell the story of the product. No matter how much you advertise the high performance of your product, it will not reach those who are not interested. People are moved by stories and are moved by them. When you want to sell a cookie, you can sell it by saying, "This is the taste of my grandmother''s memories when she used to make it for me when I was a child," rather than explaining how it was made with luxurious ingredients and advanced technology. People imagine a story and feel the need to touch that story. They loosen their purse strings to know the taste. ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro!It''s Shiraha and the others! Jeannette''s voice rose as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Sirach and Orki were watching the parade, and Nikka and Karl were dressed up and accompanying them. Nikka looks good in a yukata, doesn''t she? ''You look happy, Sirach. Orkio-san too. ''Ah... I guess so.'' A few decades ago... Sirach and Orkio worked hard to convince each other of how wonderful they were. They appealed with all their might that even different races could understand each other. Even so, those who could not feel it stubbornly refused to listen to them. No matter how high the performance of a product, it will not reach those who are not interested. What moves people''s hearts is an emotion that can''t be ignored. A story that moves the heart. It''s the kind of absolute love that leaves no room for interruptions, just as Sirach and Orkio have shown us with their own bodies. Those who saw Sirach and the others must have ''felt'' it without exception. That their marriage was not a mistake. ''I''m sure they''ll be thanked by many people in the future. ''Yes. I think so, too.'' Waving to Sirach and the others, Ginette murmured as if she were sure of it. Then she turned her gaze from Sirach to me and said with more confidence than before. ''I''m sure many people will be grateful to you, Yashiro-san. Then, without the slightest hint of doubt, he smiled broadly. ''Because I am grateful. ...... So, I didn''t do much of anything. ''Let''s definitely have a good wedding.'' ''Oh.'' This time, Ginette left the sunny pavilion and touched many people. Her feelings must have come to fruition on this day. After this, Ginette has a big performance ahead of her. She had a big job to do, to take charge of the food for the wedding reception. ''I''ll make it the best wedding ever. And you too will be a grateful man. For many years to come. ...... Every time I taste your food, I''ll remember you over and over again. Slowly but surely, the parade made its way down the main street. Towards the Forty-second Ward. 220-Later Tan 48 Wedding Ceremony ''Wow ......!'' I didn''t know who it was that let out such a breath. Or perhaps there is no one who did not let out such a breath. ''You look beautiful, Wendy. ''Thank you very much. ...... I''m a little embarrassed, though.'' Ginette and everyone else in the room sighs at Wendy, who is wearing a pure white dress. ''It''s so nice of you to let someone like me wear such a beautiful dress. ......'' ''That''s not true, Wendy. Look at it.'' Estella leads Wendy''s gaze to the full-length mirror. Even Wendy gasped at the sight of the beautiful bride in the mirror. ''Such a beautiful bride shouldn''t say such a thing. You''re definitely the star of the show today. ''That''s right, Miss Wendy. Today, in this place, Wendy is definitely the most beautiful. ''Well, thank you for that .............'' Wendy was grateful, but did not say a word of denial. I guess she thought that would be rude. I''m not sure what to say. This is the second floor of the Sunken Pavilion. Ginette''s room. There was no room in the church that could be used as a waiting room for the bride and groom, so they opened up the sunlit pavilion as a waiting room. Two hours had passed since the end of the parade. We had plenty of time to change clothes and prepare for the ceremony. In the meantime, Magda, Loretta and the others are preparing the ceremony site. The parents of the two families were currently being entertained in the lord''s mansion by Natalia and her waiters. The other guests have been told to arrive at the time of the ceremony. I''m here with Ginette and Estella. Ginette, Estella, Ukrines and the Hammies. And, rather unexpectedly, Nephrite, who has been getting to know Wendy very well lately, is also here. It seems that she has been giving and receiving advice on love. ''Wendy. Your dream is finally coming true. Congratulations. ''Thank you, Mr. Nefari. ''Thank you, Mr. Neffely.'' They laughed at each other. Wendy''s nerves seem to be easing up now that she''s exchanged a few words with Nepheli. So, why am I, a man, in the bride''s waiting room? ...... ''Have you stopped crying yet, Theron? ''I''m sure you''ll be fine,............ I''m sorry. ............ Because there''s Theron crying here. He said, ''Wendy is so beautiful, I can''t stop crying! So, ............ shall I smear some drying agent in her eyes? ''Come on, Theron. You need to stop crying. You can''t stand in front of everyone with that face. ''W...... wende............ weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!You look beautiful, Wende! You''re Wendy''s father. It''s not every groom who cries here. ''He was so nervous and clumsy, I thought showing him Wendy would get him back on track. ......'' ''It had the opposite effect, didn''t it? ''But you seem to be happy.'' I''m disappointed, Estella is dumbfounded, and Ginette giggles. ''Hey Theron!Don''t you think it''s unbecoming of a man to make his bride feel uncomfortable on her wedding day?You should be more dignified!Otherwise, I won''t forgive you! ''Yes, yes!I''m sorry! Theron straightens his back at Nephrite''s notice. Yeah, yeah. It''s times like this when your girlfriends do their best work. ''...... So, are you ready for the other side?'' While Nephrite was talking to Theron, I gave Ginette a quick earful. I was in charge of keeping Theron away from Wendy, so I was a little nervous. ''Yes, sir. Mr. Wendy, I''ve completed your prized product.'' ''I see. ............ You didn''t tear it or put it on top, did you? ''No, it''s fine. It''s been made into a proper and delicious dish. ''If it''s approved by Ginette, I''m sure it''s safe. It was a surprise plan that I had planned during Wendy''s bridal training, to have Theron eat Wendy''s homemade food at the wedding reception. I took more than enough time for this, and during that time, I was desperately trying to isolate Theron, saying, ''It takes time to prepare a bride. I''ve been through a lot, you know. --Knock, knock. There''s a knock at the door. It''s the bride''s waiting room. It''s forbidden to open the door without permission for any reason. Estella opens the door and there''s Magda standing there. ''...... is ready. Bride and groom, stand by.'' ''Yes, sir.'' The wedding hall is ready. I told Magda to call me after the guests entered the church. It would be a shame if they saw the dress on the way in. ''Theron. Can you make it?'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sorry for the inconvenience. I''m fine now.'' Theron''s eyes are red, but his expression is crisp. Yeah, yeah. You''re going to have a family now. Pull yourself together, pillar. ''Theron...... is cool......'' ''No, I''m not so sure about that.'' ''Well, well, Neffery. They say love is blind.'' Estella, you''re not following me. Nephrite and Estella looked coldly at the blind Wendy. It''s said that crying is a negative point for girls because it makes them look unreliable. The groom''s reputation is low compared to the bride''s. Well, that''s just the way weddings are. As long as the bride is beautiful, that''s all that matters. ''Mr. Theron''. In the midst of all this, Ginette walks up to Theron with a beautiful, centered posture. With her usual gentle smile, she says with a very serious look in her eyes. ''From this day forward, you will be Wendy''s companion. Everything you do will have an effect on Wendy. I know you are anxious. But right now, at this time, you must become a strong man who will not let others see your insecurities. If you love Wendy, you will do whatever it takes. That seemed like harsh words for Jeannette. They were strong words that did not allow her to cry, to whine, or even to express her anxiety. All of this would lead to the assessment that Wendy''s mate was a pathetic man. And that would undermine Wendy''s reputation as well. It''s like the unmerciful harshness the sisters sometimes show. ''I know you can do it, sir. --Warm words of compassion. ''Yes, sir. Thank you, .......'' Ginette''s words must have struck a deep chord in Theron''s heart. He bowed deeply, and when he was lifted up again, Theron''s face had changed. Theron''s skin has come off, hasn''t it? And Jeannette. He''s changed. For the better, of course. ''All right!Let''s go, you bastards! ''Yashiro. It''s a wedding, you should choose your words a little more carefully.'' I shouted in my usual way and Estella complained. That''s right. I can''t help it. ''Are you ready?I''m coming, sir. ''...... Sorry. It was stupid of me to get my hopes up for you.'' Estella is the first to leave the room, her shoulders slumping. I''m sure she''s going to open the door for Wendy to come through, but ...... what''s with that attitude? You''ll find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. ...... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m not sure what to do. ...... What the heck, even Magda. ''Theron, go ahead and escort Wendy.'' ''Yes, sir!Come on, Wendy. Give me your hand. ''Yes.'' They walk out of the room, hand in hand. Nephrite is following behind Wendy as she leaves. She lifts the hem of her dress to keep it from dragging. Her sisters follow closely behind, supporting her. So it was just me and Ginette left in the room. ''...... are you okay?'' ''H......?'' I ask Ginette, keeping my eyes on the door. ''It''s tiring doing something you''re not used to, isn''t it?'' ''Oh ...... hmm. That''s right. My heart is pounding a little.'' Jeannette scolded Theron. It was for Wendy''s sake, but also for Theron''s. I''m sure they''re not the only ones who find harsh words repugnant,......, but it''s still hard to be harsh with others. Especially for people like Jeannette. ''...... But. I don''t regret it.'' ''I see. Then good.'' Those were words that Jeannette didn''t need to say. But the fact that Jeannette said it must have changed something in those two. ''I''m hoping, too. I hope this day will be a great day. She murmurs and smiles at me. I caught it out of the corner of my eye and ...... couldn''t help but look at it. The smiling face of Ginette was more ...... dazzling than ever,............. ''Yes,......, shall we go? ''Yes.'' Then Ginette and I left the room together. In the kitchen, the dishes for the wedding party are being prepared. It is still in the preparation stage, though. ...... I shudder to think of what''s to come. When we left the sunlit pavilion, a large carriage was parked in front of the store. This is the carriage that will take us to the church. The passengers were the bride and groom, myself, Ginette and Estella. And Nephrite and his sisters. ''...... Magda is going to the church ahead of us.'' He said, and Magda ran as fast as she could. ''...... You''re fast, as usual. ''Haha ...... it''s finally here. I''m nervous.'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll be right next to you.'' Theron holds Wendy''s trembling hand. Blast it. ............ No, just for today. ...... Just for today, I''ll tolerate it. Hmm. The carriage begins to move at a slower pace, heading down the road to the church. Along the street, many people were crowded. A small church in the forty-second ward couldn''t accommodate everyone, of course. Those who couldn''t attend the ceremony crowded in to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom. When the carriages came into view, they cheered one after another. Well, they''re not going to attend the ceremony. It wouldn''t hurt to show them the dress. We slowed down the speed of the carriage and made an encore of the parade to show them off. It''s small, but it feels good. Voices of ''beautiful'' and ''lovely'' can be heard everywhere. That''s right, you guys. That''s how you long for a wedding dress! ''I want to wear a dress like that when I get married someday! Yes! The carriage slowly travels not too far and eventually reaches the church. ''Big brother, over here ............, wow, you''re so beautiful, Wendy! Loretta''s eyes widened as she greeted the carriage. Perhaps it''s because her dress is different from the one she wore in the parade, but she seems to be overwhelmed. ''It''s too good for Theron-san. ......'' ''Hey, don''t say anything rude. At a celebration like this.'' He''s really scary. Magda, who is standing next to Loretta, has calmed down since I just saw her. Maybe ...... was just overwhelmed by the blank look on her face. ''There are sisters in the ...... duty room. You three, go around there.'' The chapel has two entrances, one directly from the outside and the other from the common room. We will go through the entrance we usually use, meet Bertina in the duty room, and enter the chapel together through the door from the common room. After that, Bertina will go to the altar. Estella will go to the lord''s table. Ginette and I will go to the door and open the chapel door from the inside. And there stands the bride and groom, standing by, and the wedding begins. Such is the arrangement. Let the bride and groom stand by the door, and let Loretta and Magda take care of them. ''We''ve got enough guests to fill the chapel. ''Don''t call it a crowd. It''s not a business. I''ll say ''guests'' but... ''Yashiro. Let''s hurry up a bit. We can''t keep the guests waiting too long.'' ''You''re right. Ginette. ''Yes.'' Ginette and I put the veil on Wendy''s head. A thin, pure white veil with beautiful floral ornaments, carefully selected by Millie, elegantly hides Wendy''s face. ''Oh, ......, you look so beautiful now. ''...... 30% more attractive'' ''Thank you, ......, both of you.'' A little embarrassed, Wendy thanked Loretta and Magda. I''m not sure what to say. ''Then, take care of the rest, both of you. ''...... Leave it to me.'' ''I want you to think you''re on a big boat! And to these two as well. ''Now, don''t get nervous, okay? ''Yes, sir. ''I''ll be fine with Theron.'' I received a reply that made me feel completely confident. ''''Good luck, sisters. ''''Yes, sir!Leave it to me! Leaving these people at the door of the chapel, we headed for the duty room. In the office, Bertina was waiting for us with a gentle smile on her face. She was dressed in more luxurious clothes than usual, and radiated an aura of purity that seemed to emit negative ions. To be honest, if I were a zombie, I wouldn''t go near this person. That''s how holy the atmosphere surrounding Bertina was. ''Sister. You''re beautiful.'' ''Mm-hmm. Thank you, Ginette. But it doesn''t matter how beautiful I am, today. ''I see. I see. But you look lovely. ''Your dress is very pretty, too.'' A father and son complimenting each other. They''re very much alike. ...... I hope we don''t look alike only in our appetites, I hope we don''t look alike only in our appetites, I hope we don''t look alike only in our appetites. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I''ll skip the conventional suits, but I want to make it clear that Ginette''s cocktail dress and Estella''s gorgeous dress are wonderful in themselves, and their attractiveness is enhanced by the charm of the person wearing them. This is the understatement of the year so as not to eclipse the bride. ...... If these guys wore wedding dresses, it wouldn''t be surprising if a lot of people fainted. ...... Depending on who''s standing next to them, there might be a riot. ''You''re not nervous? ''Yes, I''m fine. I''m just going to do my duty as a sister as usual. Although Bertina was like that, it was not as if she wasn''t nervous. Her expression seems to be tense, though only faintly. She must be anxious about some things. ''However, if I''m not hiding my true feelings, I''m ...... a little worried about something. You know what? If it''s okay with you, I''ll at least listen to you.'' ''Yes, ...... actually, I think my stomach is going to rumble during the ceremony.'' ''Go eat a banana or something! ''Are you sure you want to do that during the ceremony? ''Now, now! Why are you trying to hold the wedding ceremony with a banana in your hand? You''re going to be standing in front of people, aren''t you? ''Well, I''ll go ahead and wish you both good luck. Estella, you ran away. Oh, my. Bertina is quite difficult to control. ''If you do it right, I''ll cut your wedding cake a little bigger. ''Yes, sir!Perfectly, without a single flaw! ...... This foodie sister is ............ Oh, my. She wouldn''t disrespect Theron''s wedding. I''m sure she''ll give us the best ceremony ever. ''Shall we go then? ''Yes.'' Ginette and I stand side by side and walk out with Bertina. We walk through the door into the chapel. ''Oh. ......'' ''Hola ......'' You''re surprised to see that there are more people than you can fit in there. How did they manage to gather so many people? A few familiar faces waved at us, but we ignored them. I lead Bertina to the altar, and Ginette and I walk down the aisle together. Just make sure you don''t step on the aisle before the bride. ''Are you ready? ''Yes.'' We whispered to each other, and Ginette and I opened the door at the same time. ''Wow. ......'' ''Oh, ......''. With that, a gasp of admiration escaped the chapel. All eyes of the guests were on Wendy. Normally, the groom would go to the altar first, wait for the bride, and then the bride would walk down the aisle with her father. Wendy would probably start laughing. So this time, the bride and groom would enter the aisle side by side and walk down the aisle as if they were changing colors at a wedding reception. As Theron and the others began to walk down the aisle, Magda and Loretta joined us. When everyone is in place, we close the door. I''ll let you watch the rest. The bride and groom walk slowly down the aisle. He walks up to Bertina, who is waiting in front of the altar, and stops. ''Welcome. Welcome to the presence of God the Spirits. Bertina''s crystalline voice echoed. ''Groom, Theron. ''Yes.'' ''Do you promise to love and live with your wife, Wendy, in health and in sickness? ''I do.'' After a pause, Theron speaks clearly. After confirming this, Bertina speaks to the bride. ''Bride, Wendy. ''Yes. ''Do you promise to help and care for Theron, your husband, in health and in sickness, and to walk with him all the days of his life? ''Yes. I swear it.'' This one''s voice was calm and soft. Then came the exchange of rings. This ring was made by a craftsman recommended by Assunto, and it was a very expensive piece of jewelry. Theron, you''ve done well. I would have been sick to my stomach for about a month, but the bricks were selling well, and Theron had purchased them in one lump sum. Bertina called the hamsters to bring the ring. They walked solemnly. ...... I didn''t know you could do this, Hammy. The bride and groom both receive the rings brought by the hamsters and place them on each other''s fingers. When the rings were exchanged, the guests let out sighs of admiration. It seems that the girls were struck by this. ...... Hmm. It''s a trendy thing to do. Normally, this would be where the vows would be kissed. ...... It would be too much for these two to kiss in public. Mostly, it''s a matter of getting around the heavy interference from me and others. ...... Well, I think the more open-minded bride and groom should be the pioneers in such things. I''m going to ask these two to pledge their love in a different way. That was Theron''s assignment, to propose. He once said, "I''m not going to die! but I didn''t accept it and asked him to propose again. You''re going to do it right here, right now, under the watchful eyes of all concerned. Now, make up your mind, Theron! ''Soo............ haha............'' In the silence of the chapel, Theron took a deep breath. The sound of it heightened the tension in the place. Theron gently reached out his arm and lifted the veil over Wendy''s face. Theron and Wendy look at each other in front of the altar. Bertina casually steps back out of the way. All eyes in the chapel are on Theron and Wendy. Then, with eyes full of determination, Theron opens his mouth. ''Wendy. ''...... Yes.'' ''I have a secret ...... to tell you.'' ''A secret ......?'' ''Yes.'' She scrunched her nose in an embarrassed pose. He looked away once, but then looked firmly at Wendy again, and Theron continued. ''The first time I met you, ...... you were crying. ''It''s lonely being alone.'' ''............You remember, don''t you?'' ''I''ll never forget. Ever. Never. Because .......'' With a slight shyness, Theron said clearly with his usual fresh smile. ''The moment I saw you for the first time, I fell in love with you. The look on Theron''s face at that moment was, to my chagrin, a good-looking one. ''Wendy. Ever since that day, I''ve loved you. I think I''ll probably always like you. Maybe I''ll like you even more. No, I think I probably will.'' ''............mm''. Wendy''s voice quivered with tears. Sniffling, Wendy still tried her best to look forward, to look at Theron. The sound of sniffling can be heard among the guests. ''I love you, Wendy. I hope you''ll let me love you forever and ever. Even more than you love me. ''............ hai. Nice to meet you ............, please.'' With a quick ......, Wendy ran half a step closer to Theron and placed herself in his arms. The two embrace each other tightly in front of the altar. The guests applaud loudly. It''s quite a lively scene, but it''s probably more appropriate for these guys. ...... You did well, Theron. I''ll give you a generous round of applause too. I looked next to me and saw Ginette clapping hard with both eyes dyed red and a sobbing smile on her face. Her face, her large eyes, widened in astonishment. I looked at Theron and the others to see what was going on. ...... ''............ ah'' Theron and Wendy were kissing. They ...... got excited on their own and kissed in a vow. I was sure of it when I saw it. I''m sure the kissing of vows will become a thing at weddings here too. But before that, I want to say this out loud. ''Ready! At my command, the invited guests, mostly men, let out a cry from the bottom of their stomachs. '''''''''' blast it! '''''''''' --Yeah. I hope this doesn''t become a standard. After the ceremony, the guests were escorted out of the chapel. This is where the bouquet toss will take place. As a thank you to the Flower Guild for borrowing Millie''s flowers over and over again, we have asked them to use the best flowers for the bouquet. Once it is established, sales should increase. ''Now, ladies, please come to the front as far as you can!I heard that the person who successfully catches it will have a much better chance of having a wedding next time! At the sound of Loretta''s voice, the women in dresses gathered in front of her with glazed eyes. There was a certain beautiful woman of the Fox tribe with bloodshot eyes, but ...... let''s not look at her. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one.It''s a good luck charm, so don''t take it too seriously. I''ll be sure to explain such a note to you to prevent the Judgment of the Spirits. It doesn''t matter if it''s lore or not!It''s always better to have a higher possibility or probability ......! I''ll pretend that I didn''t hear ...... the cry of some woman''s soul. Today is a happy day. ...... Tears don''t suit you, do they? I''m going to throw it, then! Wendy turns around and throws the bouquet over her head, just as she does in Japan. ''Get out of the way! ''I got it! ''Gyarbettsu goruberu ryaaaaaaa! ''Gars gars gars! Halfway through, a group of hungry women flocked to the bouquet flying in the air, shouting in a way that made it hard to believe that they were women, as if taking the bouquet with such a bare nature would delay their marriage. But ...... ''...... catch''. Magda, a light-weight woman, easily leaps over the heads of the other women and catches the bouquet. The women are stunned. And then, after landing with a flourish, Magda said something like this. ''...... We can''t all get married until Magda comes of age. ...... Suck.'' Immediately afterwards, there was a scream of despair. ............ Today is a happy day. I''ll keep the details to myself. After the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom boarded the carriage again. On the carriage are a number of iron tubes made by the hardware guild and strapped to the carriage. This carriage will take them to the city gate, where they will be asked to ''turn around'' and come to the Sunken Pavilion. This is not a ''U-turn''. It''s bad luck to go back. You have to go ''round and ''round. You know... The wedding in the TV drama where the bride and groom drive around in a car with empty cans strapped to them. It''s a recreation of that. I doubt very much if anyone is actually doing that, but since the wedding is to be held in the 42nd district, we should actively incorporate anything that looks interesting. ''I''m off then. Waving us off, Theron and Wendy headed towards the city gates in a horse-drawn carriage. The iron cylinders made of iron made a light sound and seemed to be enjoying themselves. ''All right!Gather the people from the Sunlit Pavilion! ''Yes! ''...... here.'' ''I''m here too! At my call, Ginette, Magda, Loretta, Delia, Norma, and even Nephrite had gathered. Yes. We''re in for a rough ride. ''Let''s dash back and get the food ready! ''''''''''''Oh! '''''''''''' The reason I sent Theron and the others towards the city gate was to buy time. They are supposed to take their time and come ''round the street'' in about thirty minutes. Nominally, it was to show off Wendy''s beautiful wedding dress to those who couldn''t see the wedding. But in reality, it''s just a way to buy time to prepare the food. ...... I couldn''t let Jeannette and the others see the wedding otherwise. ''We''ll start with drinks, followed by salad, soup, and hors d''oeuvres. In the meantime, Ginette, make up the main dish for the number of people, whatever it takes! ''Leave it to me!I''ll do my best! ''...... Loretta, you and Magda prepare the hors d''oeuvres. ''Yes, sir!I''ll do my best with you, Magda! ''Then you and Nepheli will be in charge of the salad and soup. We''ve already prepared the food, so we can handle it ourselves.'' ''Yeah. Leave it to me. I''m confident in my serving skills, you know. ''Yashiro!What do you want me to do? ''Do your best with lots of energy! ''Oh!Leave it to me!I''m good at it! With this division of labor complete, we headed back to the sunlit pavilion as fast as we could. Thirty minutes until the wedding party. We''ll make it on time and have the best wedding reception ever! The sky is turning Akaneiro, and this huge project is reaching its climax. 221-Later on, 49 Wedding Reception ''Natalia, Gilberta!Bring out the amuse-bouche!'' ''Leave it to me.'' ''I''ll make sure it''s done, perfectly, I''ll make sure it''s done. Natalia and Gilberta, dressed in their chic matching waiter''s uniforms, bring out the food. An amuse is, well, an appetizer, a kind of dish that precedes a course. This time, I prepared a carpaccio of sea bream that Masha had given me, served with salmon roe. Masha, who had tasted the dish, was confident that it would go well with wine. ''Ask her what she''d like to drink, too! ''I''ll take care of it. ''I already know if there''s alcohol or not, me too. It''s a little more luxurious with these two in the same outfit. It''s like the All-Stars. Incidentally, these serving uniforms were prepared for today and are worn by all the staff of the Sunlit Pavilion. There are some differences between the men and women, but it is a uniform uniform. Today''s uniforms are designed to be subdued so as not to interfere with the dresses of the bride and groom and their invited guests. ''It''s a good thing they''re here, Yashiro. Normally, Delia is in charge of the floor, but today she is helping Ginette in the kitchen, since the lord''s people are also in attendance. On the floor, Natalia and Gilberta are the top two, and Norma and Paula are following them. Loretta and Nepheli are in charge of hosting the wedding party. They''re really good at that kind of thing, aren''t they? I told them not to be rude, though. About thirty minutes ago, Theron and Wendy arrived at the Sunken Pavilion after their tour of the streets and immediately greeted the guests. Since it was impossible to let everyone in, the walls of the pavilion had been completely opened to create an open terrace. The tables placed in the garden were filled with guests. It was a big crowd. The sky is getting darker, but there is enough light thanks to the glowing bricks. Large candles the size of lanterns, made by Becko, were placed on the tables to create a calm atmosphere. ''Big brother, the drinks are ready! ''Good!Then have Estella and Lucia stand by! ''Yes, sir! Loretta rushes out of the kitchen. There was no time to go out on the floor because the kitchen had to prepare the food for the chat later. The drinks have been distributed, which means that there will be greetings from both Estella and Lucia, and then a toast. ''Yashiro-san. After the toast, we''ll have the cake ceremony, right? ''Ah. Are you ready, Delia? ''I''m all set!I''m itching to eat! No, what are you ready for? I mean, are you ready to carry that cake? To get from the kitchen to the floor, you have to climb over the steps of the counter. You can''t just put it on a cart and carry it safely. So, we decided to leave it to Delia to carry this huge cake. Despite her carelessness, Delia has an excellent sense of balance and will never fall down no matter how hard she stands in the rapids. Furthermore, Delia''s love for sweets is the strongest in District 42. I''m sure she won''t let the cake fall and ruin it. I''ll be there to support you in any way I can. ...... This is the part that makes me the most nervous. I''ve asked Estella and Lucia to delay their speeches as long as possible, but we''ll start chatting as soon as the cake is done. Please hurry up.'' ''Yes, sir!I understand. ''''...... Magda, in full operation. ''''''We''ll do our best too! Ginette finished serving the hors d''oeuvres and started to prepare the fish dish. Magda is preparing the main dish, a meat dish. The sisters dexterously move back and forth between Ginette and Magda, supporting their work. This is a very high quality kitchen, isn''t it? If Michelin were to travel to this world, it would surely be awarded a star. However, we still need more help. In fact, I wanted Norma in the kitchen, but the ...... floor was filled with an unprecedented tension. They can''t spare the manpower either. I''ll have to ask Ginette and the others to do their best. ''Master Yashiro''. Natalia returns to the kitchen, which is in a state of chaos. Now is not the right time for her to come back. ...... ''The amuse-bouche was very well received.'' ''Oh, I see. Then Masha must have been pleased.'' ''Yes, of course. Of course she was. She said it would give her more energy for her speech afterwards. ''Haha, ......, tell her ''in moderation''.'' I''ve invited Masha as a special guest this time. Masha provided us with free seafood to use in our cooking. ...... Oh, no. It was a conditional offer. Masha once told me sadly that people on land are not interested in the sea. He was even happy to hug me just because I knew about ikura. ...... I''ll never forget that hotate. So, in order to make this wedding party special, I''m going to explain a little bit of knowledge about fish in the sea to the attendees. How do fish cross the sea and how do they grow? The fish that have traveled the oceans are then served as food. I think this is quite an intriguing idea. In addition, salmon roe, an ingredient not often eaten by people on land, is used in the dish. A first time experience. A special experience. The memories of this evening will be vividly etched in the memories of those in attendance. So, in exchange for sharing her knowledge of the sea with the people on land, Masha generously provided us with a bountiful array of seafood. More than that. According to Estella''s story, she originally intended to offer it as a congratulatory gift. But I intervened and made it this way. Everyone''s happy. That''s what today is all about. ''My friend Yashiro. Lucia''s greeting is about to end.'' Gilberta walks into the kitchen. Estella greets her first, followed by Lucia''s greeting. Once that''s done, the two lords call out a toast - and then the cake. ''Delia, stand by! ''Yes! ''Whoa, wait a minute!Almost there!We''re almost ready for the main course!I want to see it too, the cake cutting! Unusually, Ginette was in a hurry. But it seems that she can''t skimp on the food and is in a hurry. ''...... Manager. In times like these, you should go into the "f*ck you" mode. ''What the hell is that mode? ''Okay, I''ll try it! I don''t know what he knows or what he''s going to do, but Jeannette clenched her fist and said, ''Mmm! She made a fist and said to the main beef. ''''I''ll show you how serious I am! ''When did you say that!When did I ever say that? ''There''s nothing impossible about me! ''Yes, you do!There are a lot of things you can''t do, you know? ''Well, ............, if you fall in love with me, I''ll turn you into pork, beefy! ''I don''t know what you mean anymore!What''s that?I don''t know what that means. ''............''. But her shoulders began to shake, and she finally erupted into a fit of giggles. ''Mmmm,......, please don''t make me laugh,............, Yashiro-san,......, I''m in a hurry,............,'' he said. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a complete self-destruct! It''s also the type that lightly cuts into my heart! ''Oh, big brother, we''re in trouble! Suddenly, Loretta jumps into the kitchen. What''s going on? ''Masha-san got so excited about the popularity of the amuse-bouche that she started talking about fish! ''Don''t skip the order!That''s what we do before we chat. ''He said something like, "In the first place, humans and the sea have a deep connection. ''I don''t need such a grand story!d*mn it!Delia, I''ll go out first and stop Masha!You go stand by for the cake!Be ready to leave as soon as I get back!'' ''Oh!You take care of Masha! ''Ah!Ginette, Magda, my sisters. You''ve got five minutes to get this done! ''Yes, sir! ''...... I know what I''m doing.'' ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' I gave a shout out to the members of the kitchen and headed for the mermaid, who seemed to be a little blind when it came to the sea. When I got to the floor, Masha was happily imitating a sea bream. ...... d*mn, that''s kind of funny. I was anxious to see how the audience would react, but ............ they were laughing. Well, as long as it''s popular, I guess. ''Hi, hi, hi, hi, everyone. The thing Masha was just mimicking is the sea bream, which is the ingredient of the amuse you just ate. He stood next to Masha. Then he groped Masha''s side so that the guests could not see. ''Hyah! ''Masha ............, we''ll talk about this later, okay? ''Sorry, sorry, okay?No, it''s just that, you know, everyone''s reaction was so good that ...... the salmon roe was said to be delicious, and I just couldn''t resist. ......... .........I''m sorry. Well, if you''re sorry, that''s fine. ''Estella. Have you made a toast?'' ''No, not yet.'' Estella lets out a chuckle at her old friend''s outburst. Lucia next to her is ...... Oh, I bet she''ll forgive anything Masha does. He''s got a big grin on his face. ''Well then, get yourself together! Estella shouts. And Lucia straightens her back. ''Thank you for spending this wonderful day with us. And congratulations on the start of your new family .......'' Estella and Lucia look at each other and raise their glasses together. ''''Cheers! The guests follow suit and raise their glasses. Now, let the party begin! I quickly returned to the kitchen and went out to the floor, this time accompanied by Delia. ''''Whoa! ''''Whoa! A huge cake as tall as a human being appeared, causing the audience to go wild. After climbing over the steps of the counter, the cake was placed on a dolly, and from there it was carried safely to the front of the bride and groom. Well done, Delia. You''ve overcome the most difficult obstacle of the day. ''Now, for the first time the bride and groom will be working together, we will have the cake. ''Here you go, ladies and gentlemen. Please move to a position where you can get a good look at it. At Nephrite and Loretta''s words, the guests approached the cake in unison. The women''s interest was tremendous. Wendy holds in both hands the long, round-tipped knife that Norma made for her. Theron gently places his right hand on top of hers. They stand side by side in front of the wedding cake and quietly and gently insert the ...... knife. At that moment, there was a round of applause. I felt that they had been recognized as husband and wife. That''s how I felt. When I looked toward the kitchen, I saw that Ginette and Magda were watching the scene as well. I looked at Ginette and she gave me a soft smile. ...... It''s kind of embarrassing when people do that now, isn''t it? Oh, shit. Maybe it''s because Theron and Wendy''s loving aura is filling the air around here. I might have to keep ventilating the whole day tomorrow. Now, let''s move on to the chatting. ...... First of all, a surprise for Theron is planned. A dish that Wendy prepared without telling Theron was served only to Theron. It was a very simple vegetable stew, and one could tell just by looking at it that it was delicious. Of course, the boiled vegetables were not torn into pieces. They were just ordinary boiled vegetables that had been cut with a knife. As soon as Loretta told him what had happened, he looked at her with coldness and jealousy. While being subjected to such itchy stares, Theron tastes Wendy''s homemade dish. ''...... Delicious. It''s delicious, Wendy! Theron, who has eaten Wendy''s cooking before, can clearly see that. He could see how much Wendy''s cooking skills had improved. ''Good ............, I''m so nervous! The audience laughed as Wendy breathed heavily in a cute way. I think it was a successful plan for the start of the show. After watching the mood in the hall become more relaxed, we went into the kitchen. Then the curtain came down on our battle. Once the cooking began, we had no time to rest. In a course meal, the next dish has to be served in a flowing manner. The food must be heated in a timely manner, and the hot food must be served warm, and the cold food must be served cool. This timing is really difficult. Or rather, it is a hassle. My nerves, which I don''t usually use in my work, have to work at full capacity, and the area between my eyebrows has been tingling. I hope you don''t get a fever tomorrow. Never mind. I don''t care about tomorrow. Right now, we just need to get through this! ''Yashiro-san, please add some heat to this sauce!But please don''t let it burn! ''I''ll leave it to you! ''Don''t let it boil either. ''Yes, sir! ''Magda, get the garnish!Your sisters, please arrange the plates! ''''...... understood.'''' ''''''Yes!'''''' ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' Ginette gave her instructions crisply. She''s starting to look like a manager, isn''t she? It''s not the attitude of doing everything by herself that she had until now. Trust and encourage others to create something together. It is surprisingly difficult to rely on others. In particular, it takes a lot of courage to entrust one''s specialty to the hands of others. Somewhere along the line, Ginette must have acquired that courage. ''Come on, we''ll get through to the end! ''Oh!'' ''...... Mm.'' ''''''Haaaaay!'''''' In contrast to the hellishly hectic kitchen, Natalia and the others on the floor were probably serving the guests gracefully, as if they were dancing. That''s fine. The place where the guests can see them should be elegant. ''Grapefruit gel??e, here we go. Natalia explained the situation outside as she lowered the plates. The grapefruit gel??e is a palate cleanser after the fish dish. After that, it was time for the main course. The roasted bonakon is made from the meat of the bonakon that Magda had hunted in the forest outside. The bonakon is surrounded by roasted beef. It is a luxurious dish where you can enjoy two kinds of meat. I thought of duck, but the bonakon was the best. ''Thanks to Mr. Magda, I was able to make a wonderful dish. ''...... Mwah. ''...... once-in-a-century Bonacon.'' ''No, don''t compete with the Lumberjack Guild''s wood. ......'' ''Sure, it''s a nice piece of meat, but I''d believe it if you said once in a hundred years. ''Five more minutes until the main course is served. After Natalia, Gilberta comes to the kitchen. The serving is finished. All that''s left is to pour the sauce I heated up. ''Ginette, you''re in charge. ''Yes!I''ll show you what I''m made of!......Hmmm,hmmm......'' ''Hey ......, is that really an imitation of me? I''ll show you how it''s done! ''It''s done! Ginette smiled as she poured the sauce on the last piece. What came out of her mouth was one of the most radiant voices in recent years. ''Please, Natalia, Gilberta. ''Yes, sir. ''I think I can handle it, I do! And so, the main dishes were served one after the other by the two talented head waiters. After finally getting over the hump, ...... ''Well, gentlemen. Only dessert remains. Let''s keep our heads up and do our best! Everyone there nodded with all their might, even though they must have been exhausted. It''s almost over. Mission complete. After the main dish, we''ll have dessert and coffee. Somehow, I''m almost sorry it''s over. Theron and Wendy cut the wedding cake into small pieces, with only one slice cut. A small, long, narrow plate is placed on the worktable. The cut wedding cake and baked goods are placed on the plate. The cake is served with macarons. Normally, I would have gone for ice cream, but it''s difficult in this world without ...... freezers. Instead, I decided to serve colorful macaroons. When I tried to make them, Ginette and Estella liked them very much, so I decided that they would be popular. Pink and yellow-green macaroons next to a plain white cake. Yes. The color scheme is nice. ''I love macaroons, don''t you? Oh, Delia''s a girl. Macaroons, Delia likes that kind of thing, doesn''t she? ''...... I think Magda could have served it with caramel popcorn.'' That''s what Magda might think, but ...... popcorn next to a cake is not ............ ''Then I''ll make some coffee. ''...... Magda will make tea.'' It''s about ten minutes until the main course is finished. ...... In a city without an electric kettle, inconveniences are the norm. To make a cup of coffee, you have to boil the water. It''s a pain in the ass. Nevertheless. ''Oh, ......, I can finally afford it. ''Mm-hmm. Thank you for your hard work. ''...... Yashiro is a bit weak. Magda will train him next time.'' ''Oh, I''ll go with you then.'' ''I''m going to die if I''m squeezed by you two. Even if it''s a joke, it''s a bad joke, and I''m afraid they''ll try to make it not a joke. Then, a few moments of quiet passed: ...... ''Main dish, almost done.'' ''I think it''s time for dessert. Natalia and Gilberta came into the kitchen to take down the plates. All right. Let''s do one last thing! Once the dessert was finished, the work of the Sunlit Pavilion was complete. ''Well, everyone. Let''s go. Ginette said, smiling meekly as she held the tray with the cake. At the end, everyone hands out the cake together. We want to feel close to our customers and see their smiles. This service is in accordance with Ginette''s management philosophy. In other words, we want to see them. It''s delicious! I want to see the faces of the customers. You go out to the floor with the cake. When the dessert appeared, the audience cheered and clapped for some reason. ''Yes!I''ve been waiting for you! There was an out-of-place shout. This is a drinking party! The women were interested in the colorful macarons and were chatting with each other. ''How cute! I''ve never seen anything like this before! I hear such comments. That''s good. That''s good. ''Aaah!Magda is so cute!Magda is wearing a different uniform than usual, she''s a real angel! ...... Yeah. I''ll just ignore that one. I''ll just ignore it.The bride and groom will be leaving for now! Color change. The bride and groom have been in their wedding dresses and tuxedos for the whole wedding party. We''ll have a change of attire here. Uclines will do the changing. We''re supposed to have dinner while we''re there. And Natalia and Gilberta will take the front for Loretta and Nephrite. The MCs also change. Loretta and Nepheli have the idolmeister. There was a brief period of chatting ......, during which Percy complained, ''My seat is so far away! During this time, Percy complained that the seats were too far away, but I ignored him because he left out ''with whom''. Magda and Delia also went to prepare for the idolmeister, and it was just me and Ginette at our table. ''It feels like it''s been a long time. Just the two of us. ''Yes, it has. It''s also been a long time since we''ve had dinner together like this. Feeling a special atmosphere, Ginette and I tucked into an exquisite course meal. I''m proud of myself, though. About fifteen minutes later, the hall erupted in cheers. ''You''re beautiful, Wendy. Next to me, Jeannette let out a sigh. Wendy and Theron, who had changed their colors, reappeared in the hall. Wendy wore a classy blue dress that looked like the blue sky. Theron also wore a slightly rough and friendly suit. They are both holding a long torch. They are going to hold a candlelight service at each guest''s table. But... But then they walk side-by-side to our table. Our table is set up in the corner as a resting place for the guests, and we are not going to have a candlelight service. ''Hero-sama. Mr. Manager. The food was very delicious.'' ''Thank you very much.'' Theron said, and Wendy bowed. They''re so ...... polite to come all the way here to say that. ''We''ve been talking about having the first candlelight service at your table. Hey, Wendy.'' ''Yes, sir. I mean, I''m sorry to have taken the liberty of changing the arrangements.'' ''That''s okay. Well, since you''re here, why don''t you go ahead and do it? ''Yes. I''m glad. Probably embracing Becko, candles were also set up on our table. Very well prepared, indeed. ''Now, if you''ll excuse me. Bowing together, Theron and the others headed for the candlelight service at the other table as planned. ''You must be surprised. ''Not at all. What are you doing surprising us? But it''s probably a good thing that Jeannette''s having so much fun. He''s been working so hard. It wouldn''t hurt to be rewarded a little. After we finished our desserts and watched Theron and Wendy go from table to table, the speeches by the representatives of our friends began. ''And now, Mr. Oba Yashiro, to whom Mr. Theron, the groom, has been very kind. Please give us your speech. ''I''m not listening to you! d*mn it, ......, I really don''t want this surprise! But I suppose I can''t refuse if you''re clapping for me. I have no choice. I''ll just say something safe. Like the story of the three bags. ...... What''s that?I''m not sure if it''s the nipple pouch, the .................. side boob, or the puffy boob. I''m not sure.I don''t know. Well, whatever. I''ll just say what comes to mind. ''Theron. Wendy. Congratulations on your wedding. You''ve finally made it this far. I know it''s been a lot of work, but it''s going to be a lot more work from now on, so I hope that you and your wife can work together to get through this.'' Hmmm... It''s safe. It''s not interesting at all. Well, I guess that''s what wedding speeches are for. ''Wendy. You have the blood of a half-naked man in your veins.'' He''s shaking his head as hard as he can. No, it''s flowing, okay?Definitely, 50%. ''I''m glad you''ve made peace with your family. You should come home a little more often from now on.'' ''...... Yes. I will.'' An embarrassed smile on Wendy''s face. Oh, shit. This is what it''s like to be a married woman from this day forward: ............ frustrating and hateful: ...... ''And Theron. ''Yes''. ''Blast it.'' ''Even here? That''s all I have to say to you. But, uh, specially. ''Stay strong.'' That''s all I''m gonna say. ''Yes!Thank you very much! Stand up and bow deeply. Don''t be so formal. I''m just me, you know? I''m not much of a guy. I''m so nervous. When I returned to the table, Ginette gave me a quick ''thank you'' for my hard work. That''s nice, I''m rewarded by that word. ''And now, Mr. Oba Yashiro, who has been a great help to the bride, Wendy. Please give us your speech.'' ''No, that''s enough! How many times are you going to make me do this? Let someone else speak! In lieu of a speech from a friend, we have a gift of song from some of Wendy''s closest friends. The Idolmeisters! At Natalia''s call, the Idolmeister members rushed from the kitchen to the floor. ''We''ve been waiting for you! ''Oh!How cute! ''Hey, let''s go to the front!I want to see them up close! ''Mr. Norma!Shake it!Shake it, that I do! ''Shut up, Becko! The men rise from their open seats and crowd into the floor. Thanks to the quick protection of Natalia and Gilberta, the contact with the idolmeister had been prevented. The space is about a meter wide. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that there are many different types of idols out there. ''Well then, to Theron and Wendy, I present you with a new song! The Hammies set up their instruments and the intro begins to play. The tune is light and fun to listen to, in four-fourths time. It''s "Ladybird''s Zilva". Oh, God. It''s not like a wedding reception at all, it''s more like a live music venue. But that''s all right as long as it''s ...... fun. I''m not sure what to make of it. When the entertainment is over, the wedding party will finally reach its climax. The bride''s letter to her parents. This is the highlight of the reception, and many people are moved to tears by its touching content. ''Oh, ............, Father, ............... ...'' Wendy''s voice was shaky from the start. Her shoulders shook slightly, and then ...... ''Pfft! She blew out loud. No, you''d better get used to it!We''re parents and children! The content of the letter was the usual ''thank you for raising me'' sort of thing, but ...... Wendy was smiling half-heartedly the whole time, so it didn''t register in my head at all. Ew, d*mn it. What have you done to me, Thibodeau? What are you gonna do? Just when I was thinking, "After such a big deal, it wouldn''t look good if it ended like this ......"... ''Anchovy! Nicca comes running in. This guy was also helping out, wasn''t he? ''It''s ready. I''m ready when you are.'' ''I see. Well then, let''s get started, shall we? Nikka nodded her head and quietly left the room. The sky was completely dark, and it was already night. ''Theron, Wendy.'' I stood up quietly and pointed my finger towards the night sky. ''Look at the sky. You''ll see something good.'' Almost as soon as I say this, there''s a loud explosion and the night sky bursts into flames. Fireworks. An original firework made from the scales of the Bug People, fire dust, and light dust. Not just one, but two or three shots, lighting up the night sky and filling it with a moment of art. Everyone looked up in silence at the fireworks being shot off one after another. Surprised and even more moved, no one could say a word. Just one word: ...... ''...... beautiful''. Looking up at the night sky, Ginette''s words seemed to represent the thoughts of everyone present. For about ten minutes, the fireworks continued to bloom in the night sky, mesmerizing the people, and they brought the wedding party to a splendid conclusion. At the end of the show, the biggest fireworks of all were set off, and when they were over, everyone broke into applause. It was as if they were welcoming the new technology that had been created by the cooperation of the Bug People and humans. Seeing that scene, I was convinced. We can do anything in this city. I can be anything. As long as we can look in the same direction and stare at the same things like we do now. That''s why I wanted to say it one last time, and say it clearly. ''Theron, Wendy. Congratulations on your marriage. And so the wedding ceremony and reception, which had involved so many people, came to a close. 222-Talk about it at a later date, 50 from tomorrow. The day after the wedding. We spent the morning cleaning up. We had more guests than we could handle. In addition, there were stalls all along the main street. There was a lot of festivity here and there, and the fireworks at night brought the tension to the max. The city was in a pretty bad state. ''I''ve finished washing the dishes! ''I''ve finished collecting the trash here too! Nikka and Carl, who had come to District 42 to escort Shiraha, were also helping to clean up the mess at the sunlit pavilion. To be honest, it was a great help, since the Ham kids led by Loretta had been sent to clean up the church. ''Well, Siraha was also present yesterday, right? ''What are you saying, Desuka?She was sitting at a table around here!I''ll make sure to remember that! ''Don''t be absurd. I had my hands full yesterday. I can''t keep track of everything. It seems that Sirach was sitting at the same table as Lucia and the others. Naturally, so was Orkio. ''I heard that Orkio was going to District 35 after all. ''That''s right. Originally, Orkio-sama was also from the 35th district, so they decided that it was appropriate. If that''s the case, Ginette might be a little lonely, but ...... well, she said she''d come visit often, so I''m sure she''ll be fine. That''s right. Nikka and the others began to use honorifics with Orkio. Now that Orkio is going to live with them in Sirach''s house, there will be more contact, but if they just see the past as the past, there won''t be any problems. At any rate, they are so straightforward and honest that it is ridiculous. ''From now on, please take care of Orkio, too. You can do it while you''re with Sirach. ''That''s impossible. He rejected me easily and decisively. Huh?Is there still a lump? ''I''m joining the Sea Fishing Guild, so I can''t take care of Sirach-sama anymore. ''Huh? The Sea Fishing Guild? ''Yesterday''s sea bream carpaccio ...... was the first time I''ve eaten something that delicious!I''d love to catch the fish used to make it with my own hands! I heard that he talked directly to Masha on the spot. Seeing Nikka''s interest in the sea and her passionate intentions, Masha would have said yes in a heartbeat. ''So, Karl, are you going to join the Sea Fishing Guild? ''I''m not joining. ''No, but you don''t mind, do you?You won''t be able to see ......?'' I''ll just give you a little secret advice. The Seafaring Guild sometimes goes fishing to distant seas. Sometimes we spend almost a month on the sea. Of course, that means you won''t see Nikka. I don''t think Carl could handle such a life. ...... ''I''m going to join a moving guild and become a firework maker! ''Anyway, there''s a lot of things I''d like to point out. ...... Somehow, that''s the right thing to do in this town. If you want to be a pyrotechnician, you have to go to a moving guild! That''s what I''ve come to believe. Kabriel says that just yesterday there was a rush of people wanting to join the guild. I guess that''s how big the impact of those fireworks was. ''Besides, I don''t mind if I don''t see you. ''Don''t be so tough, kid. You''ll get worried soon anyway. ......'' ''I trust Nikka. I''ve promised to marry her, so it''s only natural.'' ''Huh? What did he just say? Marriage? He couldn''t even get me to go to the flower garden, marriage? ''You probably don''t know that anchovy ...... Carl has been in love with me for ...... a long time. ''No, I knew it, but ...... how could you think of it? ...... ''''When I saw the wedding yesterday, I thought it was kind of cool. ''''You guys are too easily influenced, aren''t you? Are you sure about the future of these guys? ''Well then, it''s time for us to head back to Sirach-sama''s place. ''You anchovies need to settle down where you can. After punching me in the shoulder, Carl and the others left the sunlit pavilion. ...... Carl''s a big man, isn''t he? The last time I saw you, you couldn''t even go out alone without my support! ''Yashiro-san. ''Pooh-wooh! As I was staring at the doorway where Carl and the others had left, I suddenly heard Jeannette call out to me from behind, and I let out a Jacksonian cry. What a timing, you''re ...... ''Oh, um,......, did I do something wrong? ''Oh, no. It''s nothing. It''s ...... Carl''s fault. Totally.'' ''Mr. Carl is?'' Ginette nodded her head . Oh, my God!All those moves, oh my God! ''So, what''s the deal?Do you want me to teach you the moonwalk?'' ''Moon-walking? ''No, it''s nothing. Don''t worry about it. You don''t understand. You''ll be surprised when I show it to you. ''Well, I''ll ask you to do it later. He asked me to do it. ...... Can I do it now?I used to joke about it in junior high school. ............ I''ll practice a little later. ''I think I''m going to go to the sisters''. ''To the church? Loretta and the others are over there, so I don''t think I''ll need any help. ''Since we''ve already finished cleaning up the Sunlit Pavilion, I thought I''d prepare dinner for everyone who worked so hard at the church. She''s still working, isn''t she? ''Jeannette. Why don''t you get some rest too? ''Yes, sir. I''ll cook for you to relax. I wonder if you''re taking a break, that! So, Yashiro-san and Magda-san can take it easy in their rooms. I''ll take care of cleaning the floor tomorrow morning. No, no, no. ...... ''Magda. ''...... I know. It''s Magda''s job to support the manager. He carries the food and assists with the cooking.'' ''Well, I''ll sweep the floor and tables. Is that done?'' ''...... generally. Now all that''s left is to prepare the food for tomorrow.'' ''............ Work never goes away, does it? ''Oh, no!You must be tired. There are not many people who are more tired than you. ...... Rather than being tired, isn''t Jeannette more possessed? ''So, when you''re done, please come and have dinner with us. I''ll make you something to cheer you up. ''That would be fun.'' I can''t help but laugh at Jeannette''s unconsciousness of being a corporate animal, now. ''If there are any customers, I''m sorry, but please tell them to come to the church. ''Don''t you even want to take a break from the store, you ......''. Even though the whole city is cleaning up today. It''s not just the forty-second ward. It''s not just the 42nd ward, it''s all the way up to the 35th ward. ...... Take a break, once in a while. Take it easy. Sleep till noon or something. ''...... Masha said. The shark, a sea creature, will ...... die if it stops swimming. ''Don''t put Jeannette in the same category as that. It''s as close as we''re gonna get. I''m sure you''re right. It''s past noon at ......, and it''s almost 16:00. It''s been longer than I thought. If we cook food for dozens of people now, we won''t be able to eat until around 6pm. ''Then let''s invite Norma and Delia, and include yesterday''s party. ''Yes. That''s a good idea. ''At ......, Magda and Loretta will carefully select the invitees and call them together.'' ''Hmm. Nice to meet you.'' And so, Ginette and Magda headed for the church with a cart full of food. I''ll be the only one left in the sunlit pavilion. It''s quiet. It''s like yesterday''s commotion never happened. ...... I''m sure it''s not just a lie in this town. I look around the empty store. Yesterday, Theron and Wendy were sitting by the back wall, weren''t they? ''Marriage ......? ''Yeah. Are you interested in marriage, anchovy?'' ''Pow! Before I knew it, there was Lucia in the store. Don''t kill the signs!I screamed like an elephant! ''Hey, Yashiro.'' Estella peeks out from behind the door . She''s looking at the garden. ''I don''t see any stalls, are you doing business somewhere else again?'' ''Ah. That would be the church. Ginette''s having a party for the people involved, she''s really excited about it. ''Ginette, you''re ...... tough, aren''t you? Estella has also been running around for the past few days ......, well, more than a month at any rate. I think she''s tired. The smile on his face was tense. ''You should come eat with us. With Natalia.'' ''I''ll do that. I still have some work to do, so I''ll see you when I''m done. There was only one reason Estella would come here when she still had work to do. She probably came to eat Ginette''s cooking. ''That''s too bad. Ginette left by the skin of her teeth.'' ''What?Oh, no, no, no. I didn''t come here to see you, Jeannette.'' ''What, you didn''t? ''I wanted to see you. --Miss Lucia wanted to see you.'' Me?Lucia? I looked at her, and she took a step toward me. ...... There''s something powerful about her, isn''t there? I''m not sure what to make of it. ''For now, let me say thank you. ''......? ''Your ............, no, your work was great enough to deserve recognition. This is a fact that cannot be denied. What''s that? Lucia is praising me? ''What''s the matter, Lucia......, are you suffering from a serious illness? I''m not going to give you any credit for the work you''ve done, but I''m going to give you credit for the work you''ve done. Guess what, lowlife.'' I''ve never heard you say that before. That''s the first time I''ve ever been called a ''lowlife''. But I don''t know why I''m so calm about this conversation. ''That was brilliant. The parade on Main Street, and getting rid of the old smoldering sore. ''I didn''t do it alone. In the first place, it was done because their temperament is made up of fifty percent sycophancy, thirty percent curiosity, and twenty percent simplicity. If you''re going to praise them, you should praise the residents of your ward. ''Hmph. That''s quite auspicious for you. ''When you praise me, I can''t help but think that there''s more to it than meets the eye. In the end, I settled on ''you'' as the second person. Lucia gave me a fearless ...... but happy smile. Oh, ...... right. I''m not sure what to make of it. At the very least, the chances of us standing around talking for no reason like this will be greatly reduced. It may never happen again. After all, Lucia is the lord of District 35. She has no reason or time to meet with an ordinary person from District 42 like me. ''Well, don''t look so lonely, anchovy. ''Which one is it? Lucia sniffed, ....... You''re lonely too, aren''t you?You don''t have anyone around you who''s as outspoken as I am. ''I''ll make you an excellent offer. Lucia spreads her arms out in triumph. I don''t know what you''re trying to say, but your smug ............ face is already oozing condescension. You can adopt me if you want to. ''''Huh? An unexpectedly high-pitched voice leaked out. And next to me, the one who raised an equally high-pitched voice was Estella. ''Oh, um, Lucia-san, is that ...... adoption of a son-in-law? ''Is that a declaration of war, Estella? Hey, come on. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''I''m only going to have that kind of relationship with someone I''ve decided on. But ......'' Lucia''s eyes look at me. Like the eyes of a mad scientist who has accidentally discovered a mysterious creature. ''This man is very interesting. Very interesting indeed. So interesting that it''s not a bad idea to observe him.'' That''s probably a compliment. I''m sorry. ''So, yes, ......, you can be my brother. You can have the honor of respecting your sister and serving her like a servant. ''I''ll slap you back in the face with a noshi. Who''s the servant? ''I see. You''re not happy. ......'' Then Lucia''s face twisted into a grin. It''s the meanest grin I''ve ever seen. ''Being my brother means you''ll be a nobleman, you know? ''Other men might be happy with that, but unfortunately I''m not interested in nobility. I don''t even want to be one. ''Is that so?If you become a nobleman, ......'' And then he uttered the most ridiculous words. ''''...... Since your family background is balanced, you can even take Estella as your wife. ''''Phooey! Another strange sound came out of my nose and Estella''s mouth. ''''What, what, what are you saying, Lucia-san? ''What is it Estella? You''re not satisfied with anchovies? ''No, I''m not dissatisfied with ...... or ............!Why are you suddenly talking like that! ''Nah, it''s simple. At this point, Lucia showed a very aristocratic expression. ''I felt that keeping close ties with the 42nd district would be beneficial for the 35th district in the future. Especially, Estella. Especially you and these two anchovies.'''' ''Even if that''s the case,............, you can''t be so forceful,.......'' If I become Lucia''s brother and marry Estella, I can make the connection between the two that Lucia wants. I''m sure that''s what you mean,............, but it''s an outlandish idea, dude. I''m sure Gilberta would be happy to have an anchovy come to her home. Speaking of which, Gilberta is nowhere to be seen. Just as I was wondering where she had gone ...... after leaving Lucia''s side, Lucia called out to the garden. ''Come on in, Gilberta. ''Yes, I am.'' And so Gilberta came into the sunlit pavilion, wearing a lovely fluffy dress. ''I wanted to show you,'' she said. I couldn''t wear the dress yesterday because I had to work as a waiter. ''Isn''t that strange, my dress?'' Gilberta asks with a slightly frightened expression. This guy is ...... really. ''Gilberta. It''s a good idea to ask, ''Does it look good on me? I''m not sure. ''Oh, really?All right, I''ll do as you say, my friend Yashiro.'' And then he asks again, full of a sense of being unaccustomed to saying. ''Do you look good in ...... my, dress? ''Oh. It looks good on you. You look lovely.'' ''Aha! She gave a small gut-punch and spun around on the spot. Her skirt flew softly, making the petite Gilberta look like a dancing fairy. ''If you are ready to adopt me, you can always ask. I won''t give you Gilberta, but I''ll at least give you the right to admire her. ''That would be a privilege of the highest order. ''Isn''t it?'' With a grin, Lucia glanced towards Estella. ''Oh, .........'' I heard her say that, but I couldn''t tell what she looked like. I''m not going to look back, even if I have to. ...... If you show me your face like that, I''ll be strangely conscious of you. You can always come and talk to me if you need any advice, Estella. ''But, God!Lucia-san, you''re teasing me, aren''t you! ''Hmph. That''s good. You''re the first casual friend I''ve made.'''' Huh. I never thought Lucia would say such a thing. Estella''s gotten better at diplomacy. But maybe it''s just because she''s been giving Lucia a hard time. ''Lucia, Gilberta. Do you guys want to have dinner?'' I invited her to dinner at the church, but Lucia quietly shook her head. ''As much as I''d like to, I can''t be away from the 35th district any longer. I want to be back by the end of the day. We''ll have supper and stay another night. The forty-second and thirty-fifth districts are on the diagonal of the outer districts of All Bloom. If we leave now, we won''t arrive until midnight. ''Don''t worry, my friend Yashiro. We''ll be back to see you, me and Lady Lucia.'' ''Mmm. The food Ginette makes is delicious. I promise I''ll come back for it.'' ''Well, I''ll tell her that. I felt that we had shared a very intense time together, but ...... parting was easy. Lucia and Gilberta left the sunlit pavilion after a brief bow. There was a carriage parked in the garden. The sound of hoofbeats faded into the distance. ''Truly ......, don''t take it. Estella says next to me, looking in the opposite direction. ............ I know. ''I don''t really care about my family background. My parents are fine with it. ......'' Estella is talking about some sort of excuse. But ...... that''s not really an excuse, is it? Well, I won''t go into it too much. ''And ......''. As if that wasn''t enough of an excuse, Estella went on to say more. The only difference is that her voice had a somewhat sullen tinge to it. ''......Yashiro doesn''t even want to be a nobleman, right? ...... What''s with this prickly tone? That''s because you, you see, are trying to smoke Lucia out, or something. ............ Oh, God. ''Estella''. I make a conscious effort to keep my voice as neutral as possible. ''Let''s go get some food. We''ll hold off on this. I''m not ready to get married yet. ...... We are, all of us. ''...... Yeah. I guess.'' I''m sure Estella thought about it for a moment and came to the same answer I did. There''s nothing to be gained by mulling it over here and now. Right now, I''m just cleaning up the events that have passed and looking forward to the launch that awaits me after I''ve finished even that. That''s enough. ''Come on!Now I can finally take a break. I want to talk to Ginette slowly. ''Then I''ll sit next to her and meditate on the inequalities and absurdities of this world, being very careful not to interrupt your conversation. ''Haha, I''ll stab you once every two minutes, okay? Do you even have a knife in your pocket at a time like this? You''re a dangerous guy. I also have a knife hidden in my cuff in case of emergency. ...... I wonder how long I''ll keep it. In this peaceful town. ''Let''s go. Jashiro. ''Oh.'' I was somewhat relieved to see Estella''s usual fresh face as she turned to me and called out my name. Dinner at the church was a real battlefield. ''I can eat more than you! ''I''m better than you! ''I''m a contestant in a gluttony contest! ''Me too! Two people who both lost in the competition are arguing over trivial matters. According to them, it''s a game of ''who can eat the most takoyaki''. ...... This is stupid. No matter how hard you guys try, it''s obvious that Bertina will be number one. A useless fight will only consume you. ''''I want to make takoyaki! ''''...... Unfortunately, this job can only be licensed after passing a rigorous practical test. I can''t give it up easily.'''' It seems that the takoyaki gluttony contest has already been decided, and Magda is burning with the will to fight as a takoyaki chef. His sisters are hovering around Magda as if begging him. It''s not a product, so why don''t we let him try? The ones that fail can be fed to Umaro. ''The way to win is simple!The one who eats the most takoyaki wins! ''Oh!Don''t make excuses later, like it was too hot! ''That''s my line! ''This one''s ............ "It was hot" excuse is Loretta''s line, which means ......... ...Don''t make excuses afterwards like it was hot! I don''t know.The situation has not changed, Delia! ''Hmm? ...... I wonder if these guys are okay. I''m not sure what to say.The winner will get a one-day date with my brother! Wait a minute, Loretta. What are you doing ...... on your own? ''Yes!I''m going to work really hard! ...... Oh, no. You can''t tell Delia that you were joking. Delia, that kind of thing makes her really depressed. ............ I can''t help it. ''All right. Then I''ll take you somewhere for the day.'' ''Yes, sir!I''ve got his permission! ''I''m suddenly feeling more motivated. ......'' ''I think I might be a little interested in ...... No, no!No, no, no!I''ve always wanted to try a lot of them.I''ve been wanting to try it for a while. I''ve been wanting to eat a lot of takoyaki for a long time. I''ve been wanting to try it for a long time, but I''ve never been able to do it. ''You can also have a home date, if you do, I''ll be there too. '''''''' home date?I''m not sure what to make of that. '''''''' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''I''m naked at home, but in that case, ......''. ''Hey guys, Natalia wants to go home already! ''I''m just kidding!I''ll keep my clothes on!So please give me the right to participate! Natalia, who''s been flying around a lot lately, might need some hot moxa. Anyway, I guess we have all the participants now. ...... ''...... Sisters. You''re on your own now. I''m sure you can make great takoyaki. Hey. Are you going to join us, Magda?'' ''...... I decided that Magda''s participation would be the best way to show the true essence of takoyaki to those who are in a hurry. ''Oh, I see. ''...... By the way, when we have a date at home, I want to sit in the sun. ''Only if we win.'' Magda''s eyes are sparkling. I''m getting pretty good at reading his expression, too. ''Oh dear. That sounds interesting. I''ll go with .......'' '''''''''' No sisters! '''''''''' ''Yeah, ...... why not?'' Well, ...... why not because you''re a ............ pro, right? The participants vetoed the proposal unanimously. Bertina will not be able to participate. I''m not sure what to say.I want to participate too! ''What?Ginette-chan? ''It''s rare for a manager to participate in something like this! ''...... dark horse''. When Jeannette announced her participation, everyone in the room rolled their eyes. Ginette doesn''t often participate in such events, but perhaps she was caught up in the atmosphere of the wedding and the festival. ''If I win, I want to play with Yashiro-san and his dolls! What the hell? ''All day, all the time! ''I''m in too! Even your brother? Of course, Loretta. ...... You can''t stand to play with dolls all day. ''......If Yashiro wins, he''ll spend the whole day ...... in Yashiro''s room.'' It''s not just a recluse, is it?I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Who''s on Regina''s level? I''m going to win the championship and crush every one of your plans! ''Yashiro-san ......, if you allow me to participate, Ginette''s plan will vanish into thin air, right? ''If Bertina wins, she''s going to make me cook all day, right?I don''t want a high-calorie holiday like that. You, you stay out of the game and eat whatever you want. I''m sure my sisters will continue to bake without complaint. '''''''' Then, we''ll cook more and more! '''''''' My sister''s voice made our faces tighten. The rules are simple. You eat them one at a time, and when you can''t eat any more, you''re out. The winner is the one who stays until the end. Unlike gluttony, where you can continue eating at your own pace, this is a terrible rule where the waiting time after eating induces satiety! ''Now, let''s start the gluttony (game). And so the Takoyaki Royale began. ...... After a two-hour battle to the death, Norma emerged victorious. Well, it''s too plain to talk about,...... but I don''t want to see takoyaki for a while anyway. Well, ......, if I''m going to Norma''s house, I might as well get her to feed me something good. ''Oniichan, the powder is gone. ''Sister, they still want to eat! ''Put it in the wheat field, d*mn it! Bertina would have enjoyed it even if it hadn''t been ground into flour. The flour and octopus occupied most of my stomach, even though Ginette had made it for me. ...... I don''t know what I''m doing, really. After that, after a long, long meal break, we all went back to where we belong. I, of course, went to the sunlit pavilion. ''Magda, I''ve fallen asleep. Night has fallen, and quiet has returned to the Sunken Pavilion. It''s been a while since I''ve felt this kind of atmosphere. I''m sitting at a table in the dining room, drinking coffee across from Ginette. Ginette had invited me to have coffee with her as soon as I returned to the sunny pavilion. ''Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me? I thought I was full from dinner, but now I felt strangely hungry, probably because I had only eaten takoyaki. Ginette said she would make me something light, so I went back to my room and came down to the dining room. I heard that Ginette was carrying Magda, who had been running around yesterday and today, to her room. When she was with me, she said ''...... is still fine'', but her battery must have run out soon after that. If he had told me, I would have carried him to his room. So now it''s just the two of us in the big dining room. I wonder why. There are so many seats, but we always end up sitting in this corner at the far end. I guess we''re both poor, me and Jeannette. ''That was amazing. That was the first thing she said to me when I took a break from my coffee. Today Ginette''s coffee has a lot of milk in it. She must be tired. Or maybe she''s just trying to take care of her stomach. ''I didn''t think Norma had the guts to do that. ''Huh?'' ''I guess in a chicken race like this, guts can overpower the capacity of the stomach. To be honest, I was expecting Delia to win, but I saw Norma''s persistence in her eating.'''' The final was between Delia and Norma, and in what could be called a battle of wits, Norma probably had the advantage because of her skill at bargaining. Delia was very disappointed. Incidentally, Loretta, who had been eager to fight Delia in the first place, was fourth from the bottom. ...... is such a humble position. The order was Norma, Delia, Magda, me, Natalia, Estella, Loretta, Milly, Ginette, and Regina. Because of her Kansai dialect, I had high hopes for Regina, but she retired after about three bites, saying, ''I''m full. Show some guts!Don''t you have any pride as a Kansai person? Regina is neither a Kansai person nor a Kansai person. ''Ginette didn''t do much either, even though she came forward. ''Oh, no, ...... I got full sooner than I thought I would. I''m sure you''ll be full soon. ''That''s why it goes down so quickly, though. ''Shall I make more? ''No, this is enough. Jeannette served us boiled leafy vegetables and grilled fish. They were leftovers from the supper we made at church. It''s good enough to poke around with. ''Oh, and ...... that''s not it, is it? ''Hmm?'' ''When I said it was great, I meant the wedding.'' ''Oh, that one. It''s true that it was a big event with a lot of people in attendance. This time, the event had a lot of publicity implications, which is why it turned out like this, but I can say that it was worth the splash. ''It''s not easy for so many people to be moved by the same thing, isn''t it ......? ''Well, this time I took advantage of the many emotions behind it. You can''t do that very often. The tragic love affair between humans and insects ...... is the result of such an unlikely feud. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. It was a difficult problem that everyone wanted to eliminate, but no one could do anything about it. However, if the majority of people want to eliminate them, then instead of someone taking action, everyone should do it together. That''s how the current fiasco came about. A troublesome thing that we wanted to do something about is involved in such a big movement that makes us think that we can do something about it, and forcibly changes our consciousness. If the result is to go in the direction that everyone wanted, then it will be exciting. ''It''s not just about the words, it''s really about the people of this city becoming one. ...... I felt like that. It''s not just a word, but it really brought the people of this city together. If we no longer think that we are sub-species because ...... we are the same people living in the same city, we will lose the unnecessary disparity that was created during the conflicts of the past. ''At last, in the true sense of the word, the Bug People may have become a part of this city. There won''t be any need to draw a stupid line between who moved here first and who moved there later. Yes, sir. I think so. And .......'' -- and Ginette touched my hand gently. She grasps my right hand gently, as if wrapping it in both of hers. ''There''s no such thing as a "stranger" in this town,......, I''m sure of it. Ginette''s fingertips move slightly. It seemed like a small movement to gather just a little ...... courage. ''Because this is such a wonderful city that welcomes everyone who comes. This guy ...... Suddenly, the story of this and that replayed in my brain in sequence. In the midst of it all, Ginette had shown many glimpses of an aggressiveness that she did not usually show. She came forward and went to other wards, stayed overnight there, and actively made contact with strangers. ...... These actions may be ...... I''m not a stranger in this town. Perhaps those actions were to prove that "there are no strangers in this town. That''s all I can say, and I can say it in a few seconds. ...... In order to convey my feelings that I can''t express in words. Because I said that I was a stranger,...... You''re an idiot. You can''t keep worrying about it. I''m going to make up my mind, become an employee here, and stay here. ............ ''Jeannette. ''Yes''. ...... But I''m sure there are some things that can''t be conveyed without words. ''Thank you.'' ''............ yes'' In a situation where I would normally say ''no'', Jeannette said ''yes'' firmly. I guess she got my thanks. Does this alleviate some of your anxiety? Your anxiety. If not, will it make you feel a little better? Time you can spend in peace. Nights when you can sleep peacefully without anxiety. Hey, Jeannette. You don''t mind if I stay here, do you? In your precious sunny pavilion. Grandfather, Bertina. Zelmar and the other old regulars, and the current regulars that I know so well. I''m sure there''s a seat for me in this place filled with memories of those people, right? I was about to ask that question, but decided not to say it. I felt the warmth of Jeannette''s hand was answering me properly. Instead, I''ll say something like this. ''I''ll make this my special seat. At the far end, the place where I always sit. For some reason, this is where I feel most comfortable. It''s the best position for a poor man. Ginette chuckles when she hears my words. ''It''s long overdue,'' she says. She giggles and slowly pulls her hand away. I see. I guess I''ve earned your trust enough that you won''t disappear even if I let go. Ah, d*mn it. ...... I''m getting a warm fuzzy feeling in the middle of my chest. Tomorrow it''s business as usual again. This world''s calmest black company, YODAMARI-TEI, is in full operation every day and every night. That''s why we have to go to sleep early at night. Your body can''t take it. But just for today, I feel like staying up a little later. I just can''t seem to sleep. ''Yashiro-san. Would you like another cup of coffee?'' Apparently, Jeannette feels the same way. ''I''ll have one. ''Yes. Thank you very much.'' Thank you for what, ''keeping me company''? ''Yes, always, always, always. He runs happily to the kitchen. As I stared at his back, a word suddenly crossed my mind. --Marriage. ........................ What? No, no, no, no! No, no, no! I''m sure you''re right. You''re jumping the gun. I know. If you''re getting ahead of yourself because Theron and the others had a wedding, then you''re no better than Nikka and Carl. My pride won''t allow me to do that. So, well, you know,............, as an option,............, well, It''s a good option,......, but there is room for consideration,......, maybe?That''s about it at best. In any case, it''s all about timing. When the time comes, you will naturally take action. Someday, when that time comes. Yashiro-san. Thank you for waiting. ''You''re here already! ''H............?Yes, yes. Coffee, sir.'' ''Oh ............ Oh, coffee.'' Oh my God! I''m so embarrassed! I want to smack Umaro upside the head and take it out on him right now! ''Uh-huh. Do you have something on your mind?'' ''No, ...... don''t talk about me right now, just talk about ............ something else.'' I''m a little embarrassed right now, and I''m itching all over. Just give me some air. ''Something else to talk about? ......Yes, that''s right. ............'' Sitting across from me again, Jeannette put a finger to her chin. It''s a habit of his when he''s thinking, and he often does this pose. ''Oh, by the way. I heard that Mr. Theron''s proposal was well received. ''Oh, it seems so.'' That''s right. Wendy''s words to her parents and her proposal at the wedding in the Garden of the Thirty-fifth District had spread like wildfire among the girls. Even though it was yesterday, the whole town was talking about it. ''I heard from Estella that it''s rumored that ''Theron''s style'' is good for a proposal. ''Well done, Theron! ''Huh?I''m sorry for startling you! I''m sorry for startling you! But I had no choice! Yes! That''s the point! That''s why I''ve been putting so much effort into the wedding this time! When a person is greatly moved, he or she keeps that time in his or her mind. We keep it in our memories, along with the sights, smells, and everything we felt at that time. That''s why, in a scene like this one, when the words of a touching proposal are born,...... I was sure that such a joke of a proposal as "Yashiro style" would be overwritten in an instant. I wanted to erase it at all costs! I wanted to get rid of all the "my kind of proposal words" that I hadn''t even said! Goal achieved! I think I''ve won another great victory! There are two major types of proposals going around: the Theron style proposal and the Orkio style proposal. They''re two of the most talked about proposals in the world. Not a single "Y" in "Yashiro style"!What do you think!You got me!Suck it! From now on, I want Theron to say, "I proposed to you in Theron''s style! You''ll be in agony when he says that. Hahahahaha! Coffee tastes so good when you''re soaked in the afterglow of victory. I inhaled the rich aroma into my lungs and sipped the bitter coffee. But I still prefer ...... the ''Yashiro-san style''. If I''m going to be proposed to. ''Phew!'' --And then he spewed out all the coffee he had taken in. ''Yashiro-san!Are you okay? ''Gosh!Gosh! Jeannette, even if you ............ don''t have any deep meaning, what you just said is a bit wrong. It''s like a-- It''s like a distant request for a marriage proposal. What a careless manager. ............ I''m sure you''re right.That''s right! Ginette clapped her hands and her face lit up. Then-- ''Can you wait a moment?I''ll be right back. With that, she runs off to the kitchen. Her footsteps pass through the kitchen and up the courtyard ...... stairs. He seems to have returned to his room. ''.................. huh~'' What the hell. Let''s try to keep the atmosphere calm and soothing after this. We''ll talk a little more, go back to our rooms, sleep in our beds, and tomorrow we''ll open the Sunshine Pavilion as usual. Nothing will change, every day will come. ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san.'' That''s what I was thinking. ...... I stood up and gulped. ''Actually, Wendy gave me this,......, and she was going to give me the bouquet, but I couldn''t get it,......, so she gave it to me instead. ......'' What came in front of me was an extraordinary ...... ''It''s just a veil, but ............'' It was Ginette, wearing a wedding dress veil on her head. ''......That ............How about ......... ...that......'' She turned her head shyly and twirled her fingertips in front of her chest. I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... ''............ does it look good on me? I couldn''t find any other option than yes. I''m not sure if this is ...... too cowardly, but it''s a surprise. It seems that the heart is holding a late-night athletic meet on its own. It''s kind of frolicking around. In order to quell this pulsating heart, ............ ''............ Huh? I stretch out my arm, and Jeannette lets out a short gasp. Without a second thought, I gently grab the veil over Ginette''s face with both hands. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, but it''s not always possible. ............ ''Ginette. ''Ha ............ hai''. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ ''Let''s work hard from tomorrow, too. The work of the sunny pavilion. ''..................? I fled to such unimportant words. You can''t! It''s impossible! If I say anything even a little bit rude here, my heart will turn into a smoothie and come out of my nostrils.I''m confident I can do it! So, let''s go to bed! I''m having a bad day. No! It''s probably because Theron and the others are giving off such a sweet aura here. There''s not enough ventilation! So now I''m wondering if he''s going to say something rude. ............ What the hell? Let''s just put on a light air and go to bed today. You know what?You think so too, don''t you, Jeannette? ............ Hmm? ''Oh ............ that .............'' Then Ginette cradled her head in her hands and let her rolled-up veil fall in front of her face again. She then turns her back to you and makes a sound like a deaf parrot. ''Yes, yes, of course! And then he takes a slow step away from me, moving awkwardly like an automaton that has run out of oil. ............ Hola? Why is the girl so pointy? Why is her hair coming out of her whiskers? And why do you add just one word to my words, to make them so meaningful? ''Let''s continue to work together from tomorrow. Like the work of the sunny pavilion.'' With the speed of a karakuri doll whose spring has run out, Ginette ran into the kitchen. All that was left was me, a cup of coffee, and ...... ''What kind of face should I make from tomorrow? ......'' These were the only difficult questions that I could not answer. But I wonder why. Maybe I''m quite ill, because I feel that even such feelings are somewhat comfortable and soothing. I realized that this was the best proof that I had admitted to myself that my place was here, in the sunny pavilion. 223-Remembrance Part 1 Yashiro When I woke up this morning, I felt a slight discomfort in my body. A little feverish. And my joints hurt. But I''ve always felt that way when I''m tired. Lately, he''s become more and more of a workaholic. ...... I think of a certain girl''s face and let out a bitter laugh. Well, well. Let''s work hard for another day, shall we? --And up to this point, it was just a normal day. ''Good morning, Yashiro-san''. ''............'' ''Yashiro-san? ''Ah, ah. Good morning, ......'' Funny ...... What is it? What''s going on ......? This is the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion. I walked out of my room as usual, down the stairs, through the courtyard, and into this kitchen. There, I saw the scene I had always seen. A fire in the fireplace. A good smell. Food being prepared. A warm smile like the sun greeting me with a smile. I "know" all of them. ''Um, Yashiro-san? Of course, I know this guy, too. I know him well. He''s the manager of the sunny pavilion, he''s a softie who knows no bounds, he''s got the biggest tits in town, he likes Imagawa-yaki, he puts a lot of milk in his coffee when he''s tired, and he always says ''please repent'' when he says something naughty. I can''t remember this guy''s name. I can''t remember this guy''s name. ''...... Ugh! ''Yashiro-san! A violent nausea rose from the pit of my stomach. I couldn''t take it anymore, so I went down to the floor. The world spins. ............ What the hell is this?What is it? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. The girl is calling for someone. But I don''t know who she''s calling. I can''t make out the name. ...... ''...... What''s going on? The always expressionless tiger-eared girl''s half-lidded eyes widen slightly. Yes ...... I know. I''m the only one who can clearly read the emotions hidden behind this blank expression. ...... but I don''t know the name. ''Oh, dear!What''s wrong with you, big brother? I also recognize this one who''s always making noise. He has a lot of younger siblings, and although he''s a bit of a tease, he''s really more caring than anyone. ...... Yesterday, he said, ''I feel like staying over today! I don''t know why I''m staying here,............, but I don''t know what''s wrong with my name. ...... ...... What the hell? What the hell? I''m so mad. ............ I feel so bad. ............ d*mn.... ... I lost consciousness as I heard a voice that sounded like a scream calling my name and footsteps rushing towards me. When I woke up, I found myself lying on Wara''s bed, covered with a futon. This was probably my room. ''Yashiro. You seem to have noticed me.'' The red-haired girl who had been peering at me let out a sigh of relief. She has a neutral face, but lately she''s been wearing a cute expression most of the time. ''How are you feeling?Oh, you don''t have to get up. A bewitching beauty with fox ears supports my body as I try to get up. This faintly sweet, unique scent must be from leaf tobacco. This guy always carries a smoking pipe in his pocket. ''Oh, ...... ladybug, ...... are you alright? A small girl with a large ladybug hair ornament on her head is looking at me in a reserved manner. I made that hairpiece and gave it to her as a gift. She used to be extremely shy, but now she behaves normally in front of me. ''I''ll go get the manager. A young lady with a beautiful blonde face leaves the room. ''He''s probably busy with the branch right now, is it okay for him to be here? ''How are you feeling? A girl with green hair and glasses appears, weaving in and out of the girls around me. Her unique way of speaking is a little nostalgic for me. ''Hey, you look a little dazed. Do you know where we are? ''............ is my room.'' ''So, what''s your name?'' ''...... Oba, Yashiro.'' ''Hora, what is our name?'' ''..................'' ''What''s wrong with you?What''s my name?You want to tell me? ''..................! My head hurts again. It''s funny. I''m supposed to know it. I know his name, I know the names of everyone here, I know we''ve spent time together, I know ......, but somehow I just can''t remember his name. ''Hey. Could it be that Yashiro has ...... amnesia?'' The red-haired girl asks the green-haired girl. Her face was pale. ''I don''t know ......, but I think I know my name and that this is my room .............'' ''But ...... there''s something wrong with you. You''re kind of fuzzy. ......'' ''Hmm...... doesn''t look like a ladybug......, does it? And then... I heard a panicked noise in my eardrums. --It was the sound of my heartbeat. ''Shh!My big tits are coming closer!I can hear them shaking! At the same time I shouted this, the door of the room was opened and the girl with the big boobs I saw this morning came running into the room. I''m so glad you''re here, Yashiro!...... Thank God. You''ve been noticed. ......'' A very relieved, but still uneasy, fragile smile appears on her face. ''............ Hey, Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Yes, I think so. It seems that your special ability is still alive and well. ''Yeah, well, ...... might be very, very Ladybug-like ......?'' I wonder. The expressions of the people who had been here from the beginning became ''pale''. The anxious air of earlier is nowhere to be found. No, only the green-haired girl has a more serious expression than before. ''...... This might be serious. ......'' ''Yashiro''s love of tits has always been serious.'' ''No, it''s not.'' The green-haired girl gives the dumbfounded red-haired girl a serious look. The green-haired girl, whose normal thinking seems to have degenerated due to her constant joking around, is the only one who has the power to look at her seriously. The red-haired girl was momentarily frightened. ''I''m going to have to talk to you about something serious. Someone''s throat rumbled ....... It could be ...... me. The green-haired girl, wearing a pharmacist-like atmosphere, looked at me. ''Myself, can I have a word? ''Hey,......, what''s up? ''I''m sorry, but are you showing me your ...... nipples? Green hair flies in the air. The red-haired girl and the fox-eared beauty hit the back of the green-haired girl''s head at the exact same time. The green-haired pervert crawls towards me. Feeling threatened, I move away a little. ''No, no!You''ve got to be kidding me!I''m serious, I want to see your nipples! ''That''s even more serious! ''There''s nothing you can do about it! ''That''s not why I''m here!Hey, if it were you, you''d understand, wouldn''t you?You know how desperate I am! ''Oh, ...... you''re so desperate to see my nipples, ............ honestly, it''s disgusting. It''s not that! Green woman scratching her head. No, it''s more like a nipple girl, this one. ...... Hmm? I don''t know. ''We can show each other as much as we want ......! ...... My hair flew in the air. The fox-eared beauty''s flue hit cleanly in the center of my deco, and as my head tilted backwards, the red-haired girl''s knife danced. The red-haired girl''s knife danced as she sliced through the air near where my nose had been a moment ago, and cut off several strands of my bangs as well. You were definitely coming to get me, weren''t you?Seriously scary! ''So, what were we talking about? Chikubina?'' ''Who''s Chikubina?''The surprisingly cute Chicxbina! ''...... isn''t that kind of a name for you, is it? This red-haired girl, Chicxulubina and the fox-eared beauty will be like this for a long time to come. ...... Poor thing. I''ll try to stay out of it. ''Myself. You don''t know our names, but you know who we are, right?'' ''Huh?Oh, no, I''m not sure. ......'' ''You''re lying!That look in your eyes is like, ''I know you, but I don''t want you to think I know you, so I''ll just keep my mouth shut.I know what I''m doing! d*mn. ...... You''re a sharp pervert. You''re a pervert. ''Oh, that ....... I''m not sure what happened to Yashiro-san. ''That''s the thing. ...... If my prediction is correct, we''re in for some trouble. ''Troublesome............Oh,......of course, it can be cured, right?There are medicines for this, aren''t there? ''Well, well, well, calm down, manager! The green pervert Chikubina stopped the big-boobed manager from pressing too hard. ''Hey, myself. Do you know the name of this store? I thought for a moment and answered. ''............ sunshine pavilion''. I don''t know what it is. ...... It''s a name I know for a fact, but it stuck with me for a moment. I felt as if I were struggling to read the words on the faded ...... pages of a weathered book. ''What''s this, then? Cicubina pointed to her breasts. ''Big tits. ''Then what''s this? Then she pointed to the big-boobed manager''s breasts. ''Big tits. ''So, what about those? He points to the red-haired girl''s breasts. ''............ error?'' ''Whose breasts are the error? ''Fake tits.'' ''I didn''t put them in today! ''...... Good luck.'' ''Don''t encourage me!I''m doing my best! ''I''m doing my best!'' ''......, that''s why'' ''Oh, I don''t understand what ...... you mean at all? The big breasted manager''s confusion seems to have reached its peak. Then the green-haired pharmacist, Chikubina, spoke up with a crisp face. ''I haven''t lost my memory. But there is a part missing. My guess is probably right. The proof is at .......'' Cicubina comes up to me. Suddenly, she grabbed my clothes and pulled them up with great force. The skin from my stomach to my chest is exposed. ''What the f*ck? The big-boobed manager holds her face in her hands, her cheeks lightly stained. In contrast, the absolute god of perversion, Chikubina Z, pinched her chin and poured her serious gaze on my chest. ''I knew it,.............'' Chikubina seemed to have realized something when she looked at my chest. ''Hey, take a look at this. With my clothes rolled up, I show my skin to the girls in the room. ''............ Hmm. It''s a beautiful pink.'' ''It''s true ......, it''s even more beautiful pink than I imagined.'' ''I''m not looking at your nipples!It''s a little higher up. ''Up there is ............? The tiger-eared girl and the tiger-eared girl are scolded by Chikubina. Then the red-haired girl discovered something and shouted. With a startled expression, she points to my chest with a trembling finger. ''There''s something on ......! At the words of the red-haired girl, the other girls in the room all peer at my chest. And at the same time, they gasped. ''...... That''s the cause of this. The green-haired girl said this, and the air became heavy at once. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I walked through the courtyard to the cafeteria. The sky is still dark. I woke up just before four o''clock, and it is now past five. Despite the early hour, there were many people gathered there. There was a beautiful silver-haired sister, a gentle mermaid, a beautiful bear-eared woman with a healthy body, a beautiful woman with dark hair and glasses in a serving uniform, and a girl with ears like a golden retriever on her head. And then there were the chickens. There were many familiar faces in the crowd. ...... but I couldn''t recall any of them by name. And the green-haired girl said clearly to them. ''This is the work of a parasitic demon plant. Parasitic demon grass. I''ve never heard that name before, but ...... I can kind of imagine it. It''s a very unpleasant imagination. ''That thing attached to my chest is a seed. The green-haired girl says, pointing to the seeds attached to my chest. There were 14 seeds in total. I''m a little embarrassed that I''m letting my breasts hang out in front of all these beautiful girls ....... ''The memories .......'' There was a buzz in the dining hall. The manager of the Sunlit Pavilion looked pale, as if he was about to collapse. ''It''s a nasty plant that likes to eat the memories that are important to the person. ...... The fact that the name of someone close to you is completely missing, even though you haven''t lost your memory, is an early sign of this. ''So they recognize us, but they can''t say our names. ......'' ''No. It''s a plant that grows by feeding on the memories of magical beasts, and is usually found in deep forests where magical beasts roam. ......'' ''...... Probably, when we went through the city gate to the deep forest outside. ''That''s when I played against the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild. But there was nothing wrong with my brother at that time. ''The incubation period is long. It''s a nasty plant that grows little by little so that the host doesn''t notice it. It seems I''ve been parasitized by something terrible. ''Then, why don''t you just take the seeds? The bear-eared beauty says with a slightly impatient expression. I want to solve this problem as soon as possible. You can see the emotion on her face. ''That''s not good. If the initial symptoms have begun to appear, it means that this species has taken root in your memory. If you take it out or crush it by force, you might lose the entire ............ memory.'' ''Then what should we do? The other girls flocked to the green-haired girl who was the only one who knew what was going on. The manager of the sunny pavilion and the silver-haired sister were the only ones who stayed where they were, staring at me with stunned expressions. ''We have to wait. ''Wait ............ for what?'' The red-haired girl asks, representing the crowd of beautiful girls. ''Memory is not physically there. They''re vague, invisible to the eye. Therefore, if you can firmly imprint those vague things in your mind, the parasitic demon plant won''t be able to eat your memories. ''Memory retention? ''Yes. When you regain the memories that the parasitic weed made you forget with your own power, the parasitic weed will wither and be removed from your body naturally. ''The memories that were made to be forgotten are ...... our names, right? ''Yes. When someone calls you by your name, it''s a sign that ...... your memory has taken root in his mind. If I can remember these guys'' names, ...... ''Well then!Why don''t you write my name on a piece of paper and call me by it? ''That''s not good enough. ''Why not? ''It takes a lot of strength to recall a lost memory. If you try to interfere by forcibly opening the memory, you''ll fall down and faint again like before. At the word ''faint'', everyone in the room fell silent. These were the members who had gathered here when they heard that I had fallen and fainted. Perhaps they were trying to prevent me from making the same mistake. ''So you''re saying that ...... we can''t do anything about it ............?'' ''No. But there is something we can do. ''What?Tell me!I''ll do anything you want! ''I''m willing to help. ''...... That goes for everyone in this room. The tiger-eared girl''s words had everyone nodding their heads in agreement. All eyes are on the green-haired girl. ''The only thing we can do is .......'' Then, the green-haired girl tells them. ''We can do what we normally do. The people around her, who had been eager to do something, were completely taken aback and showed a dumbfounded expression. ''Memory is a delicate thing, you know. There are things you don''t want to forget, things you don''t want to remember.It''s not right for those around you to just say, ''Don''t forget that'' or ''Remember this. Your memories should be your own. There was no one who could argue with those words. There was a strange persuasiveness that I couldn''t fully digest, but I couldn''t help but agree. Then, the green-haired girl gave me a gentle smile. ''That''s why, myself. I''ll act as I see fit. I''m sure your unconscious mind, your instincts, will remind you of things you don''t want to forget. ''Do what I want? That''s it. Once the memory takes hold, the evil plant will wither and the seeds will come out of your body by themselves. But if a flower blooms from that seed, ......'' If a flower blooms from a seed, ...... ''I''ll never get my memories back again. You mean ...... proof that the parasitic demon plant has eaten your memories. ''Oh, um...'' The manager raises his voice with a worried look. He raises his eyebrows as if to shake off the fear that is coming over him. ''...... If you lose your memory, ............ what will happen to that ......? What will happen? ''You''ll have to start all over again. ''......Do it again............? ''No. We meet again, become friends again, make new memories again...... and start over.'' ''............I see.'' A heavy silence falls over the cafeteria. ...... A do-over, huh. That''s all I''m saying. It doesn''t mean you''ll lose your life. If you forget something, you can remember it again. Though, as a result of redoing, you may not be able to get back to normal. ''Don''t look so ''dumb''. The green-haired girl says in a strangely cheerful voice. I guess she''s trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere. ''This parasitic evil plant attaches itself to important memories. In other words, it means that you were thought of as important, right? ''...... That may be so, but...'' The red-haired girl tries to argue, but stops. Instead, she glanced over at me. ''And...'' This guy is .......'' He puts his hand on my shoulder. ''You remembered about the boobs, didn''t you?That means that everyone here is considered ''more important than tits''. You should be confident. She said such a subtle thing that I don''t know whether she was encouraging or joking. Where can I find someone who would be happy to be called ''more important than boobs'' ...... ''...... What is more than boobs to Yashiro? ''It''s a national treasure! ............ What? I''m not sure what to say. ''Take a good look. You should see how much you are valued. ............'' I could see the anxious faces of those who cared for me. I force myself to smile, but it''s a clumsy smile that doesn''t take away the awkwardness. ''My memories are my own, but ...... memories are not just for one person. ''Then, everyone go back to your work. Don''t think about making bad plans or forcibly digging up memories, just go about your normal lives. The usual scenery is the most effective way to bring back memories. The feeling of nostalgia is a sign that you don''t want to forget it. With that, I open the door to the cafeteria. ''Well, good luck to you. With one last look at me, the green-haired girl exits the cafeteria. I think ''good luck'' means something like ''good feeling''. ''...... I''ve got to get some chicken eggs, too. ''Me too. I have to go home and make sausage for the hexenbiest.'' ''I''ll go to ............ and .......'' ''Come on, come on, you''re going home to fish. You''ve got to trust Yashiro.'' Saying these words, one by one, they left the restaurant. They all look at me as they leave, and walk out the door. And finally, the three of us from the sunlit pavilion who remained in this place also ...... ''So let''s get ready to open the store. ''...... Mm. I''ll help with the prep work. ''Then I''ll do the cleaning! They set to work. ''Yashiro-san, please take the day off. Of course, you can work when you want to, so please do what you want. The smile the manager gave me was very soft and ............ ''Well, I''m going to go for a walk to clear my head. ''Yes, sir. It''s still dark, so please be careful. ...... made it clear to me that I must not forget. I have to take action. ...... I''ve got to make sure that none of these people-- I don''t want to forget. I was sure of it. 224-Remembrance Part 2 Bertina ''Sister, I''ll go water the flowers! ''Hey, you guys are ''coming''! ''I''ll say that next time! ''Hey!Wait for me! The children are running around energetically today. All the children here are really good, and they are growing up pure and straight. It is always me who is encouraged by them. ''...... I shouldn''t. I can''t look at them like this, I''ll make them feel uneasy. I say to myself in the empty common room. ............ Will Yashiro''s memory ever really return? ''Sister!Onigiri no tsukemono! ''Sister, I haven''t eaten breakfast...'' Two of Loretta''s brothers brought me rice balls. These kids are really thoughtful and they got along well with the kids who were in the church before. They are really kind, cheerful, and well-behaved children. ''Thank you very much. But I don''t think I can eat at ...... right now. If you want, you can share it with us. ''It''s a gift from the sisters! I feel like I''m getting something! The two of them split one rice ball in half and chewed it together. It was so cute that I was soothed by it. Although they may be a little too simple, I sincerely hope that they will grow up straight like this. ''''Well, I''ll be in the chapel, so please call me if you need anything. ''''Yes! ''''Please go play with the others.'''' ''''I''m all yours! ''''I''m good at that kind of thing! I couldn''t help but feel my cheeks relax as I watched their backs as they cheerfully ran off. ......, but they soon stiffen up again. It''s true. When will I ever get over my worrying nature? Ginette is often amazed at me. ''You worry too much, Sister. I don''t think Ginette can speak for others, either. When I entered the chapel, I went to the confessional. And ............ ''just one more time,'' I promised myself. ...... ''............ Huh.'' I let out a sigh. No matter how much I sigh, the heavy feeling in my chest will not go away. I know that, so I try not to sigh. ...... ''God of Spirit......'' I kneel before the Goddess of Spirit and fold my hands in prayer. But what should I pray? I pray that his memory will return. ...... Or is it ...... that he will not be overwhelmed and in pain? Regina said that if he loses his memory, he will have to start all over again. It''s not as if he''s going to disappear, so maybe that''s okay. He is a good-natured man, a little twisted and mean, but he is a man who walks around in clothes of kindness. I''m sure he''ll show that kind face again soon. Regina also said that it takes a lot of strength to recover memories ....... He said he fainted when he tried to force his memory back. ...... I don''t want to put that kind of burden on him. All I can do is ............ ''Please ...... let his mind be at peace''. The only thing I can do is to say a sincere prayer. ''Hahahaha! Suddenly, there was a buzz out front. Children seemed to be making noise in the garden. The breakfast that Ginette always comes to make is always early in the morning because she has to prepare her store. The children go to bed early and wake up early to accommodate this. So they are always full of energy even at this time of the day. However, I always remind them to avoid running around with loud voices until the sun comes out. I know that some people want to sleep well in the morning. The children always obey these instructions and spend their time until sunrise watering the fields and repairing daily necessities in the common room. It''s been a long time since these children have been this excited,............, since that day when he first visited here, hasn''t it? ''......No way.'' I left the confessional, feeling my heart beat unconsciously faster. I went around to the entrance and went out to the garden. ...... ''I told you, one at a time! ''Hahahaha!That''s scary! ''Ooooh, scary!Yay, yay, yay, yay! Mr. Yashiro was spinning around with the children on his arms. ...... just like that day. ''Haha...... haha............ you guys, you''re growing in number, you''re growing and getting heavier...... But your softness is still immature. ............ You''re a mess! ''''Yes!I''m not sure what to say. ''I don''t know what you''re so happy about! Yashiro sets the children down and breathes on their shoulders. His words may be rough, but they contain an immeasurable amount of kindness. ...... ''Hah~......I''m tired of this. It''s a good idea to take it easy on yourself, since you''re already an old man. '''''''' old man! '''''''' ''It''s okay to say it to yourself, but it''s annoying when people say it to you! '''''''' Yikes!I''m angry. '''''''' ''''''''Turn me around! '''''''' I''m angry. '''''''' '''''''' ''I told you, no more than one per person!Don''t get in line!'' ...... giggle. ''Hmmm... ............ hmmm...'' It''s strange. As soon as I saw his ......Yashiro-san face, the anxious feeling that had weighed me down earlier disappeared in an instant. I don''t care if it stays like this. If Yashiro-san can show me a peaceful expression like this,...... even if he forgets about me,............ ''Can I have a moment? Pulling away from the crowd of children, Yashiro came in front of me. He turned his usual quiet gaze to me. No matter what time of day it is, his eyes are always a mixture of the quietness of the dawn sky and the sadness of the dusk sky. ...... ...... It seems that way to me. I''d like to get a glimpse into the depths of his heart. ...... I can''t say that I don''t have such a petty ...... desire. But Yashiro''s heart is Yashiro''s own. I can only stay by his side and watch over him gently. So, the answer to your question is always the same. ''Yes. That''s fine.'' I''ll do whatever I can. I want to do it. I move away from the children to a place where we can talk alone, and the silence between us is strangely soothing now. She''s a strange one, isn''t she? Just being there makes me feel safe. ''To tell you the truth, ......''. As they walked, Yashiro began to speak. I guess he thought it would be smoother than talking to me face to face. I look at him casually and fluidly. ''I''ve been thinking about hiding somewhere for a while - specifically, until this seed blooms. For a moment, the world went dark. It was only for a moment, but it felt like I had been hit in the back of the head with a blunt object. Mr. Yashiro must have sensed my slight agitation for just a moment. Suddenly, his tone of voice changed to a gentle one. ''I thought I would be able to do well. To forget everything and then pretend that I hadn''t forgotten and start all over again. Because I''m a liar. Perhaps Mr. Yashiro could pull off something like that. It''s ...... without even letting me or Jeannette notice, but it''s ............ ''Isn''t it hard? To continue to deceive people for a long time is, perhaps, ...... a burden that exceeds the capacity of the human mind. I don''t want to ............ burden Mr. Yashiro with that kind of work. ''I want you to do what you think is best for you. But there is only one thing ......''. That may be a selfish wish. Even though I knew that, I couldn''t help but say it. ''If you forget about me, please ...... honestly tell me so. I want to make our memories together again from there. I don''t want to continue to torment you without you knowing it. I''m not going to let Yashiro take over the pain and loneliness that I was supposed to bear. ...... I''m sure everyone is feeling the same way. Suddenly, Yashiro said something like that. I felt like it was an unexpectedly leaked ...... true feeling. ...... ''I think you''re right. I replied. This is just my guess, but I''m sure you all feel the same way. ''Because ...... everyone loves you, Yashiro-san. ...... Including me, of course.'' You can''t let him suffer alone again. That''s what I thought on the day of the gluttony contest. ''''Yeah. I think so too. ...... I think everyone is thinking the same thing. ............ So.'' ''......ah''. The look in Yashiro''s eyes at that time was very lonely. ............ ''......I think it would have been fine even if the memories of me were gone. You can do it all over again. ...... You can do it all over again. I ...... regretted it intensely. That''s not true. ...... ''No, you don''t! I let my emotions get the better of me and I shouted out in a way that would have earned me a failing grade as a parent guiding children. This frustration is an irritation to myself. How careless I have been. It was not the right thing for anyone around me to do, to think of ''starting over'' and even to say something like that. ...... ''...... I''m sorry. I''m sorry I raised my voice. ............ I''m sorry.'' My second apology is for being ashamed of my carelessness. ''Crap ............''. ''......?'' As I was struggling with how to apologize for my rudeness and insensitivity, Yashiro suddenly began to shake his shoulders and laugh. I couldn''t understand what was going on and could only open my mouth in a daze. ''...... bad ............ joke''. ''It''s ............ a joke? What exactly is a joke? ''I don''t think so, man. Even though my memory is confused, the only thing I can''t remember is the name. It doesn''t mean I''ve forgotten the time we''ve spent together. So ......'' ''--Hmmm! My ears were suddenly pinched and a voice leaked out that I couldn''t understand. What is this? What is this? ............ I thought I had lived long enough to have gained a lot of composure, but ...... ......When I''m with Yashiro, he makes me discover things about myself that I didn''t even know I had. ''Oh, that ...... thing about puffing women''s ears without permission is ............ that ......''. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. But if someone were to see me like this,............ It''s funny. In my memory, if you fluffed his ears, he would have been happy with a ''mwah''. ......'' ''Isn''t that the memory of another person, Mag ......? Regina said that Yashiro is having trouble remembering our names right now and will experience pain if we try to force him to remember. Even if it''s someone else, let''s refrain from mentioning their names. ''Hmmm ...... I wonder if that''s true...'' ''Hmm ......, you''re joking again. You know what you''re doing, don''t you, Yashiro-san? ''Did they find out? ''I know. ......I also know that you''re doing it so that people will find out. I''m sure Yashiro-san can fool us all. He has the brains, the guts, and the kindness to do so. That''s how much power ...... he has to fool us, for us. That''s why he''s making such a transparent joke on purpose. It''s a joke that Yashiro likes to play. Mostly ...... ''Actually, I''ve always wanted to try plucking one of these. Those pointy ears. ...... I figured it would be something like that. ''No, you can''t. To have such a desire to touch a woman''s skin, and then to do it without permission. ''I''m sorry, Spirit God. ''...... Is that supposed to be a penance?'' ''Hmm?Isn''t that enough? What a ...... person you are. If you say it with such an innocent face, how can I be angry with ...... you? ''Now, please take your hands off me. You''ll ...... lose your ears.'' I can tell such a joke that could be considered a lie to Mr. Yashiro. He is a valuable person. ...... In truth, I''m just embarrassed to have my ears touched when they''re hot with embarrassment. ''Yashiro-san. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. ''Do you want to have the wedding cake all to yourself? ''That''s tempting, but it''s something else. ''Do you want me to hold it under my arm and twirl it around? ''I believe that''s an extra charge for adults ......?Hmmm. I might be able to pay for it now. I''ve got some extra income. I was paid by the lord for this and that before and after the wedding. I offered that I didn''t need the money because all the activities associated with the wedding were done out of service, but Mr. Yashiro told me that I needed to draw a line because without it, the wedding itself would fall apart in the future, and that if I felt that way, I should save it instead of spending it and use it as a reward for my children. So I accepted the payment, though it was presumptuous of me. Finally, Mr. Yashiro said one more thing. ''Even so, this is your money, and you should spend it as you see fit. I''m tickled by the idea of ''my money''. When I''m told I can spend it freely, I wonder what I should spend it on. That''s right. It might be a good idea to let me use it in this kind of situation. ''Yashiro-san. Can I ask you a favor?'' ''''Hmm?'''' ''I''d like to go around in circles.'' ''Hey, hey, ...... that was supposed to be a joke. ......'' ''Yes, I know. But just now, I really wanted to go around.'' ''Oh, ...... that was a bushwhacker ......''. Mr. Yashiro covered his eyes with his hands and looked up at the sky. Like this. When he shows this kind of attitude, he says, ''I can''t help it,'' and grants our wish. ...... What should I do? I''m starting to get a little nervous. What if I scream as loud as the kids? Isn''t it a bit of a shame? I can''t help it. ...... You see, I knew it. ''Then it will be 20Rb a time. ''Oh?That''s a surprisingly low price. ''First time only. I''ll take 500Rb next time.'' ''Well, that''s a good deal. Then I''ll definitely ask for it. Mmm-hmm. The more I talk, the lighter my heart becomes. ...... You really are a strange person, aren''t you, Yashiro? The more you talk, the lighter your heart becomes. ''Yes, that''s fine. As long as you don''t hug me face to face, I''m sure you won''t be embarrassed. ''In that case, you will be forced by force majeure to resist, and you will be grabbing both breasts. ......'' ''Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the penitentiary has just been opened. He smiled, and Yashiro''s mouth stopped moving. I don''t mean to look so scary, but Yashiro always shuts up when I do this. Is he that scared? But it''s Yashiro''s fault. ''Well, then, let''s hold her legs and swing her around. In that case, the centrifugal force will cause your skirt to rise up and expose your pants. ......'' ''Yashiro-san.'' Mr. Yashiro''s expression became even more tense. I wonder why he is so disciplined in doing something that he knows the outcome of. If we don''t talk about s*x, will it shorten our lifespan? ''So ...... this is it, okay? You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. ...... Ah, after all, if you''re going to be swinging an adult around, you''ll need to hold them firmly in place, I suppose. We hugged facing each other, I put my arms around Yashiro''s neck ...... and Yashiro put his arms around my waist ............. I think. I''m sure that Yashiro was hiding his embarrassment because he was embarrassed in this position. Then you''re safe. I wasn''t the only one who was embarrassed. ''Excuse me. ''......''. Feeling a little nervous, I gently leaned my body against Yashiro''s chest and put my arms around his neck. ............ It''s quite embarrassing. ''Then I''ll turn you. ''Yes, ............''. I heard Yashiro''s voice in my ear,......, and I couldn''t see his face anymore. I clung to his neck and stiffened. --and. ''Hmph! ''Yes ............! Suddenly, my body lifted into the air. No, it wasn''t sudden, because you told me to turn it, but my understanding couldn''t catch up with the feeling of floating and running that I had never experienced before. ''Kya!A little ............ palm ............ yaaaaaah! My legs lifted up, and I was enveloped in a floating sensation that made me think that my body was level with the ground. I''m scared. Why do children want me to do such scary things over and over again? ''Ouch!Aaaaah!Aaaaaaahhhh! I can''t keep my voice down. Loud voices naturally escape from my mouth. It''s really scary. And yet,......, I can feel Yashiro''s warmth right there,............, which makes me feel strangely calm. ............ Ah, I think I understand a little bit why the children are so fascinated. They just want to be pampered by you, don''t they? Just like me right now. ''Oh, dear!Oshimai!'' I''m no longer floating, my feet are on the ground. But ...... ''Oh, ......! ''Hey, are you okay? My knees were weak and I was leaning on Yashiro. My legs are shaking uncontrollably. ''I''m sorry, ............, can I stay like this for a bit? ''...... How can I refuse in this situation? ............'' It was a voice with an air of ''I can''t help it''. ''......Hah............ was scary.'' ''It''s pretty tough for adults, isn''t it? ''But it was ...... fun.'' ''............ Next time, it''ll be 500Rb.'' ''Then I''ll do my best to save up.'' We joked with each other, hiding our embarrassment. ............ Suddenly, an inexplicable feeling of loneliness came over me. I really wanted to say the ''ridiculous selfishness'' that I had almost said earlier, but didn''t. ...... It was probably a selfish thought that drove Yashiro into a corner and made him suffer. ............ ''Yashiro-san: ............'' It is a feeling that I, as a Sister, may not be allowed to have. ............ ''Please don''t forget me ......'' And yet, such childish selfishness ............ has been spoken out of my mouth. ''............n''. My head was cradled in a hug and pressed against Yashiro''s chest. I could smell his scent in my nose and hear his heartbeat in my ears. ''...... ago. You once did this to me when I was very anxious before a big eating contest, right?You were so calm. His voice was so warm that it seemed to be coming from Yashiro''s heart, shaking my eardrums and penetrating my heart. ''That''s why I decided that someday, when Bertina gets anxious, I''ll do this for her. ''............What? I couldn''t help but think that I really wanted to be wrapped in that warmth a little longer,......, but I pulled my body away and looked into Yashiro''s face. ''Yes, now............''. Yashiro said, "Bertina," ...... ''I''ll listen to your selfishness. I''ll never forget Bertina.'' ''Yashiro, ............'' I''m so happy ...... That one word made me so happy ...... Something hot was rising in the back of my eyes. ...... But you mustn''t cry. There are still a lot of people who are anxious, so we should not think only about ourselves and be happy. ............ I''m not sure what to say. I turned to him with all the strength I could muster. ''Haha. That''s fine. It''s not like we''ve never met before. It''s just me and Bertina, right? Yeah. He''s not fair. ...... You can''t be mad at ...... him if he shows you such an innocent face. You can''t be mad at him. ...... is the only one who can call me that. I didn''t say the part that said. ''Oh ......'' Suddenly, a seed fell from inside Yashiro''s clothes. This is the seed of a parasitic demon plant: ...... ''Whoosh!That''s the first step! Yashiro clenched his fists in a spirited voice. The first step...... meant that Yashiro hadn''t given up from the start. He must have planned to remember everyone''s name from the beginning. That''s right. Because it''s you, Yashiro. Mr. Yashiro would never do anything ...... that would make us even a little sad. It was obvious, but ............ I''m not ready yet. ''Yashiro-san''. From now on, Yashiro will be fighting a battle with himself. With a strong heart, not defeated by the demon plant. I think you should give him some words of encouragement, but you shouldn''t. Once you''ve been spoiled, you tend to be spoiled. ...... I decided to tell him how I really feel. I''m glad that you came here first. It''s the first place you can turn to when you''re in trouble. I want to continue being such a place. That''s what I''ve always wanted to be. ''If you need anything, you can always count on me. ''Oh. I know. I see. So you do understand. ''Well, I''ll be back in a bit. ''Okay. Good luck.'' Yashiro-san raised his arms and ran. I watched him go until his back was out of sight. Mr. Yashiro. Please don''t forget me. I''ll always, always, always be watching over you. 225-Remembrance Part 3 Delia ''Omero, he''s coming your way!Finish him off! ''Yes, sir! ''If you miss, you''ll be punished! ''What? Immediately after I said that, Omero stiffened up somehow. Oh, my God, you idiot! Why are you stopping now? When the prey is right in front of you, no matter what, no matter what happens, you must kill it! That''s the ironclad rule of the river fishing guild, isn''t it? Sure enough, the prey ducked under Omero''s feet and fled to deeper water. You can''t beat a fish in the water. If I had scales and fins like Masha''s, I would have never let my current prey escape. ...... ''d*mn ......''. I slam my fist into my palm in frustration. At the same time, the surface of the river rippled, and Omero''s entire body hair stood on end. ...... What is it?Is that a threat? ''Huh?'' What the hell is this guy talking about that''s so stupid? Did he think he could lower his salary just because he missed one?I won''t be so reluctant to pay you that you''ll starve to death. Our river fishing guild is making a profit because the demand for salmon is exploding. And it''s all thanks to Yashiro. ............ ''......! Suddenly, my heart starts to hurt. No. Actually, it''s been hurting all morning. I''m trying to cover it up. ............ ''Omero ......''. ''Yes, yes! ''You can go home for the day. Tell the others to do the same.'' ''Yeah......'' ''Oh, yeah. We''ve caught enough for today. When Omero said this, I looked into the fish basket and saw that the salmon were crowded together. I don''t know if I''ve caught this many ...... ''Oyakata. What''s going on? ''What? ''Today, your spirit or ...... aura is tremendous. If you''re worried about something, please go to .......'' ''There''s nothing here! I bared my fangs and yelled at him. ...... No. This is not ''business as usual''. ''...... bad''. ''Oh, ............ no, ......'' Omero cowered. He''s always so jumpy and unreliable. He''s good at what he does, though. ...... ''Omero. Go back to the guild with your catch. I''ll take care of the fish.'' ''Ha, ha............ eh, master''s not coming back?'' ''I''m .......'' No. Even if I go back to the guild now, I won''t be able to be ''normal''. ''I''ll keep fishing a little longer. ''But, but ......, I''ve already ...... for today.'' ''I have to stay as usual! Otherwise, ............ Yashiro will forget about you. ............ I''m sorry. Regina said. Regina said that we should not do anything wrong and just do what we always do. But what''s "business as usual"? What am I always doing? The more I think about it, the less I understand. I''m in a hurry. ...... If you don''t do the ''usual'' thing, Yashiro will think you''re ............ ''Anyway, I''m going to catch a salmon! It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. Omero rises from the river with a reserved smile. He transferred the salmon in the fish basket to a barrel and left the riverbank with the large barrel. Again and again, looking back at us, but without saying a word, Omero leaves. The others followed Omero. I was the only one left on the riverbank. The fish basket is empty. If there''s an empty basket there, fill it with fish before nightfall. That''s what the river fishing guild has been doing for generations. So I''m going to ............ ''as usual''. ''Oh, shit! Scratch the surface of the river and you''ll get a splash. I feel like a fool even to myself. Fishing like this is just taking it out on me. ...... This is not ''business as usual'' at all. ............ But I don''t have any other choice... ......... ''Oh, you''re so energetic! ''What? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It was as if electricity ran through my body. ...... It was a shock like when I was hit by an electric eel. I turned around and saw Yashiro standing on the bank, waving at me. Before I knew it, the sun had risen, and the morning sun was casting a shadow over Yashiro. Yashiro is there. ''............ Guffaw! In an instant, the scene in front of me blurs. It''s squishy and hazy. But don''t cry. I don''t always cry. I have to be "the same as always. ...... I try to hold back my tears and pretend to wipe away the splashes. Once you''ve got it down your throat, ............ sigh ...... haha ...... ......Okay. ''Yashiroo~! I wave to Yashiro in my usual voice, as usual. I climb out of the river and run towards Yashiro. Hahaha. That''s weird. I''m just running, but I''m having fun. Yashiro is getting closer and closer to ............ right in front of me. ''What''s wrong?Are you hungry for salmon?'' ''Then I''ll go to the sunlit pavilion. ''Why not? It''s fresher here, you know.It''s still alive. ''Even if it''s too fresh, it''s ideal if it''s ...... grilled.'' ''Grilled salmon!It''s delicious!I love it too! ''Yeah, ...... I feel like we''re getting off track, but ...... that''s okay. ''Oh!Good!It''s good, isn''t it, grilled salmon? I''m glad. I don''t know. Talking with Yashiro makes me forget all the bad things and worries I have. ''By the way, you''re a big guy. ''Huh?'' I followed Yashiro''s gaze and found a salmon in my right hand. ''Why is it here? ''No, you caught it, didn''t you? Did I? Well, yeah. But... ...... ''It''s not a big fish at all, is it? ''Is it?With this much, you could make a grilled salmon set meal for ten people, right? ''I can eat that much by myself! ''Where do you think you''re competing with, ......? Because, you know, this is not really a big fish. ''I just chased down a much bigger salmon. But Omero suddenly stiffened up and ...... missed it.'' ''Stiffness?What''s going on? ''I don''t know, but when I said, "If you let him go, I''ll punish you," he suddenly said. ''It''s because it''s .............'' ''Hmm?'' I feel like Yashiro is making a face like ''ouch ouch ......''. What is it?Do you know how Omero feels? You''re so cocky, Omero. ''Anyway, I''ll wash it next time. ''Don''t do it. That''s too unreasonable.'' ''But you know, ...... it was really big.'' When I think of the fish''s shadow running away, I can only sigh. ''I wish I could have caught it and shown it to Yashiro. ......'' I''m sure Yashiro would have been surprised to see that big fish, and he might have complimented me with ............ ''That''s great, Delia! I''m sure Yashiro would have been surprised to see that big one and praised it. Then .................. he might not forget about me... ......... I thought. ............ Ouch. ''Splash! ''What''s wrong, suddenly? I pretend to wipe the splash and wipe my tears. Oh, man. You''ll be wet all the time in the river. I''m stuck on ......, I swear. ''Hey. Is the fishing over yet?I don''t see anyone else. Yashiro scurries along the river. Sometimes, when he comes to take a peek, our fishermen are catching fish here and there. He''s probably comparing it to that. ''The others are done. But I''m going to ...... some more .......'' I don''t know. I don''t know if I should say, "I''m continuing to fish because I don''t want to be forgotten by Yashiro. That''s not "business as usual," is it? What should I say then? Let''s see: ...... Let''s see: ............ ''Well, you''re trying to catch that big fish you missed, aren''t you? ''Huh?...... Oh, yeah!Yeah!That''s right! I didn''t know what to say, so Yashiro gave me a reason. I really like Yashiro. He always helps me when I''m in trouble. No matter how small it is. Even though he''s so thin and small, he''s more dependable than anyone else. ............ He''s a great guy, Yashiro. ''Do you mind if I observe for a moment? ''Observe? ''I want to see how they fish. ''I want to see it too!Let''s watch it together! ''No, I want to see you catch it! ''Then let''s catch it together! ''Huh? That''s a good idea! That''s a good idea! I want to catch the big one I just missed with Yashiro. I''m sure I can catch it with you. ...... I wonder... When I''m with Yashiro, I feel like I can do anything. I feel that there is nothing impossible in this world. ''What?Let''s do it together.What?What? ''I''m just here for a ...... visit and I don''t have a ............ change of clothes or anything, so please go easy on me.'' ''Yes! I pulled Yashiro''s hand and returned to the riverbank. ...... Yashiro''s hands are warm. ''Alright!I''m going to catch a big one! But first, do something about the salmon in your right hand. When I looked at my right hand, I found a salmon still there. How long are you going to stay there?...... This salmon is... ''Yashiro, put it in the fish basket. ''Hey!You threw it out of nowhere! When the salmon was thrown, Yashiro failed to catch it and was hit in the face. I''ll be back. ...... Pfft! I''m not sure what to do.What are you doing, Yashiro? I''m not sure what you''re talking about....... What''s that fishy smell? ''Hahahaha! I wiped my face with the sleeve of my dress and said, ''Smell! I''m sure you''ll agree that this is a great idea. It''s fun. I''m having fun. I always feel like this when I''m with Yashiro. After all, Yashiro is good. ''Yashiro. It''s okay. When I call his name, he responds properly and looks at me. ''Hee hee. I''m just calling you! ''What''s that, ......'' It''s a gesture that makes your lips pout and turn away. ...... Magda says it''s a habit of hers when she''s embarrassed. So, Yashiro was embarrassed now? Hahaha. That''s cute. ''Yashiro is so cute! ''You too.'' ''What? Suddenly, he said that and my heart squeezed. My heart squeezed so hard that blood rushed to my face. In an instant, my face became hot. ...... What is it? ............ Don''t say things like that all of a sudden. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ............. I''m doing the same thing as Yashiro. ''Hmmm ............ kuku kuku ...... hahahaha''. What? What? We''re the same. I guess we''re similar, me and Yashiro. I''m kind of happy. ''How long are you laughing? Yashiro crunches my hair and pats me on the head. ............. It''s embarrassing, so please don''t do it out of the blue. ............ No, please don''t do it out of the blue. But not too suddenly. ............ ''Let''s go for the big one.'' He gives me a thumbs up and sticks it out at me. I don''t know, that''s... That''s very motivating. ''Yeah!Don''t think you can get away from me, river master! ''Now you''ve shut yourself in, haven''t you, Lord? The river master wouldn''t be scared of that. He''s the River Lord, right?He''s the strongest. Yashiro is a funny guy. The water is cold. ......'' With his pants rolled up to his knees, Yashiro enters the river. He walks unsteadily to the middle of the river. ''Yashiro. Be careful, because it gets deeper suddenly over there! ''Oops!It''s ...... true. It''s really deep from there. ''That''s where the Lord is.'' ''Wow, looks like he''s there .......'' ''That''s why he''s there. I enter the river and go next to Yashiro. Yashiro can swim, but the river is dangerous. A little carelessness can be fatal. I''ll always be within reach, and I''ll protect him. Always be within ...... reach. .................. Gosh. ''Hmm?What''s wrong?'' ''Splash! Turn your back and wipe your tears. Pretending to wipe away the spray, of course. I''m not crying. I''m going to catch fish ''as usual''! ''Then don''t teach me how to catch fish. ''A professional lecture. I''ll be sure to listen. Yashiro is always positive in these situations. He never says you can''t do it or that it''s impossible. If he came to the river fishing guild, I''d make him vice guild leader in a heartbeat. The other fishermen agree with me on this point. Omero said, ''I really wish you''d come, bro! he said. Teach him the technique, and he''ll get good at it. Yashiro can do it. ''First, find a fish. A good one.'' ''And how do you know which one it is? ''A good salmon is one that makes you drool the moment you see it. ''...... You''re the only one who can tell.'' Why is that? When you see a good salmon, you drool, right? Even the guests at the sunlit pavilion were drooling. ''So, when you find a fish, what do you do next? ''I''ll catch it! ''So, tell me how to do that! ''With a mighty ''bang! I''ll do it! ''That''s so out of order! ''Really?Then, go to ...... and say, ''Goon'' and then ''bash! ''You''re not increasing the amount of information! What the hell! I''m not sure why you don''t get it! ''Well, okay. Anyway, one of us should drive the fish into the shallows, and the other one should kill it.'' ''Yes!That''s Yashiro!You''ve understood my explanation perfectly! ''...... I don''t mean I understood your explanation. It''s Yashiro after all. It looks like he''s learned how to catch fish. ''Then, I''ll dive down deep once and lure the Lord out. ''What do you mean, "lure him out"? ''I''ll go on a rampage around the nest! ''...... That''s not ''lure out'', that''s ''drive out''. ......'' What''s the difference? What''s the difference? As long as the Lord comes out, that''s all that matters. You''re a stickler for the weirdest things. ''Well, I''ll be back in a bit! ''Wait a minute! As I began my preparations for diving, Yashiro stopped me with a panicked look. What is it? You don''t need to worry. I''m a good swimmer. ''No, I mean, ............ you, you know, ......''. Yashiro averted his gaze and stammered. I feel like my face is red. ''......When you swim, you''re completely naked, right?'' ''Huh! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... But that''s because the people around me were all old men around my dad''s age, and they all knew my dad, and I was much smaller. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... ...But! After I met Yashiro, ...... I started to pay more attention to such things. ............ I felt embarrassed to be seen, I''ve been thinking about it for a while now,...... and I''ve become more careful about my clothes,............ and when I swim, I wear the swimsuit that Yashiro gave me. ......When I go fishing, I keep my clothes on. ...... So, so, so! ''No, you can''t be! ''No, because Omero once told me ......'' ''That was when I was a kid! ''It''s from ...... last year, isn''t it? ''I''ll delete Omero for now! ''No, wait!When I was a kid!It''s okay, it''s from when I was a kid!Don''t delete anyone! d*mn it, ......, I''m gonna wash that Omero guy, ............. I swear I''m gonna wash it!I''ll bleach it! ''I''m going under with my clothes on, so don''t ...... look at me like I''m crazy! I''m not looking at you. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at .................., but you don''t have to say it outright at ......, You''re not interested in me? ............ I''m not going to ask you why your ears are flattened. ......'' Yashiro is approaching me, licking his lips. Then, suddenly, he crinkled my hair again, this time twice, and stroked me. ''Be careful if you go. I''m sure you''ll be fine, but the river can be dangerous.'' ''Yes!All right! Oh, ...... I love Yashiro. He''s the only one who cares about me like this. He''s so kind. Then, I''m off!If the Lord comes out, drive him to the shallows over there. ''Yes!I''ll leave it to you.'' We exchanged glances, and I jumped into the deeper water. All I can hear is the sound of water, and the water pressure tightens my body slightly. I can no longer hear Yashiro''s voice. ............ Let''s lure the Lord out and return quickly. This is the only place where the water is almost three meters deep, and the Lord is roosting on the bottom of the river in the deepest part. Usually you can''t kill him because you''re alone, but if you''re ...... alone, you can ............ kill him with Yashiro... ... ''......GaboGabo (Come out, Lord!I''m going to kill you today! I''m not going to be able to do it. A large number of air bubbles are generated on the riverbed and swirl upward. The turbulent current that was forcibly created flowed into the Lord''s roost and ...... the Lord appeared from the hole in the river. The Lord is fleeing upward from the bottom of the river at great speed. The Lord is running away from the bottom of the river at great speed. But there''s Yashiro up there. There''s nowhere for you to run, Lord! He swims as fast as he can, lagging behind the Lord by more than ten seconds. ...... ''Aha!Yashiro, where''s the Lord? ''Ah!I''ve got him cornered now,......, and he''s sticking around. What''s that? What''s that? Yashiro let out a strange cry. Is that it?I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. ''Crabby and boisterous! ''You don''t have to copy me!And anyway, help me. He''s so fast, it''s hard to push him! ''Oh!I''ll take care of it! He kicks the bottom of the river and rushes to Yashiro. He was dexterously guiding the Lord into the shallows, using a wide wooden plank that he had brought with him. He''s so smart. ...... I''ll copy him next time. ''You, go around the other side!I''ll drive him over there! ''All right!Don''t let him get away! I''ll do my best! I''ll hunt down the Lord who has eluded me so many times. I''m sure you and Yashiro can do it. It''s strange. I have a feeling it''ll work out with Yashiro. You''re so confident now. ''Yashiro!I''m ready! ''Wait a minute, this guy''s too fast for ............, don''t go that way! ''What are you doing, Yashiro?It''s not that way!This way, this way! I know what I''m doing!I know! But, ............, come on, come on! ''Guard it with a board!Yeah!Then kick the water to disrupt the current!Yes!And finally, stretch your arms out!About two meters! You can do it! I''m so close to ....... ''Do you want me to help you? ''Sure!You stay where you are! ''But come on, .......'' ''I''ll definitely lure you there!Trust me, you''ll be waiting there! .................. My heart clutched at my chest. ''Trust me.'' ...... Yeah. I believe in you, Yashiro. I''ll always believe in you. ''I believe in you, Yashiro!Hang in there! ''Oh!Watch me! Yeah. I''ll watch. I''ll always be watching you. ''All right!He''s going your way, Delia! ''What? Electricity shot through my body. My mind went blank, and my body went rigid. When the prey is right in front of you, no matter what, no matter what happens, you will get it! ......, but it was impossible. Yashiro is ...... Yashiro''s ............ ''Hey, what are you doing, Delia? Yashiro shouted, and a huge salmon ran past my legs. ''Oh no, it''s gone! Yashiro comes up to me, lapping at my feet. He lets out a breath of disappointment and looks at me. ''What''s wrong with you, Delia? ''............ languid! Yashiro said ...... ''Delia''. ...... He called my name! ''ugh ............ eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''Hey!Delia! ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ''You''re crying, aren''t you? She sank to her knees and sat there, splashing water from the river. No, I can''t stand up anymore. ...... ''Are you that frustrated?Don''t worry, you can try again next time. See? No, it''s not. It''s not. ...... I don''t care about the Lord, Yashiro. I''m ...... I''m ............ ''Yajidoooooooo! ''Oh, God. Yes, yes. I''m sorry, I''m sorry. No, no, no! I''m happy! ''Yashiro...... Yashiro............ Yashiro-oh! She clung to his waist and buried her face in his stomach. I hate this. I absolutely hate this. I''ll make sure to put my scent on him so he doesn''t forget! He crinkles and crunches, and now he strokes me over and over again. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... It''s strange ...... that when you''re with Yashiro, all the things that make you anxious, lonely, sad, and uncomfortable turn into things that make you happy. ............ But it''s still strange. ...... I''m so happy, but I can''t stop crying. ...... Suddenly, something touches my face, There is something strange in Yashiro''s clothes. ............ When I took my face away for a moment, a seed tumbled from the hem of Yashiro''s clothing. This is the one that''s going to ............ store Yashiro''s memories. I was going to crush it right away, but I''m not going to do that now. I think it would be better to give it to Regina and have her check things out. I''d rather feel the warmth and smell of ............ Yashiro just for now. I want you to stroke my head more. So I buried my face in Yashiro''s stomach once more and cried in the river. I may sound like a child, but it''s okay, right? you like kids, right? Yeah. Just for now, it''s okay. ''Gosh, ............ hey, Yashiro, ...... what''s your name? ''What?Did you forget your name?...... are you okay, Delia?'' ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!Yashiro-oh! ''Oh, my God, ...... yes, yes. Okay, okay.'' Oh ...... it''s strange ............ I''m always happy when I''m with Yashiro. It''s strange. ...... I wonder why. ............ 226-Remembrance Part 4 Marsha The city gate of District 42. I always think, "I''ve really made it. You did a great job, didn''t you? ''Well then, Masha-sama. If you need to move, please signal the gatekeeper, and I''ll send someone to help you. ''Yesa?? Thank you~. Oh, tell Estella thank you too~'' ''All right, sir. Then, I''ll go back to work. The young insectoid soldier saluted and went back to his post. He looks so fresh! He seems to have been hired when this gate was first built, so he''s still a novice. Estella lent him to me to push my cart. Now, I want to be alone for a while, so I asked him to leave me here. ...... I''m not really good at spending a lot of time with people I don''t know. Everyone says that I don''t look like that, but I still take a lot of care. That''s why, when I''m alone like this,......, I feel relieved. ''Hmm, I''m sorry about the soldier, but...'' I watch the soldier go away, and then look at the people passing by. I heard that until last year, this place was just a deserted field where no one would come. I''ve never been to this place in those days either. I''m not sure I''ve ever been to this place in my life, but I''ve changed it to this extent. ...... You''re amazing, Yashiro. I''m not sure I''ve ever been to this place before. And it''s all for the better. ...... may have been changed, but... ''......I can''t believe that Delia-chan, who was never interested in boys at all, has such a face. ......'' It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. It might eventually eat your memories and make you forget about us,....... When you are told that, Delia-chan ...... looked as if it was the end of the world. I''m not sure. It''s not just Delia. Estella and everyone else. I wonder if you understand, Yashiro? Do you know how much you mean to me, how much you mean to so many people? ...... I also have a little ...... The water splashes ....... I change my position and turn over to look up at the city gate. The Big Gate...... The gate is mainly used by the lumberjacks and hunters guilds to improve the lives of the forty-two districts, bringing benefits to both sides. Yashiro is always thinking of his own interests. He''s a genius at it. Sometimes even devilishly so. ....... But he will never monopolize profits. Yashiro''s idea of making money has always been to help others. You''ve turned someone''s tears into smiles. ''You''re amazing, aren''t you ......''. Turning my head to the west, I saw a large cliff rising between us and the 30th district. Yashiro once said, ''There''s a waterway leading to the sea under this cliff. He said he figured it out from the return of salmon to the river in District 42. I don''t know where you learned this, but you know a lot about fish. I''d like to have a long talk with him sometime. ''If we cut down the cliff here, reinforce it, and secure the channel, ......'' ......, right? He once told me happily that if we did that, the ships of the Sea Fishing Guild would be able to come right underneath this 42nd district. Of course, Yashiro was probably thinking of his own interests when he said that. ...... I''d be happy too if that happened. If that happens, I''ll be able to come here more often. You can meet a lot more people. And as I thought of Yashiro''s face... ''Whoa, there you are. --I heard him muttering. Actually, you probably don''t know this, but I have good hearing. Maybe it''s because I was born and raised in a big ocean?I was born and raised in a big ocean, and I can hear small noises in the distance. That''s why I can hear and understand voices murmuring in the distance. That means Jashiro is walking toward me. He flips his body from lying on his back in the tank and rests his body on the edge of the tank. ''Hey~a?? Yashiro-kun~! ''Oh! He raises one hand and walks towards me with a light step. Hmm... You look so innocent. ............ Oh, I just saw your breasts. I''m so sorry, Yashiro. ''Eeee! As punishment for suddenly glancing at my breasts, I''m going to pour seawater from the tank up your nose. ''Whoops!What are you doing? ...... Ugh, you''re so petty! ''ugh a?? Are you sorry? ''What the hell, ...... I was just glancing at your tits?'' ''You know what I''m talking abouta??'' You know what I mean. Yashiro-kun is a bit naughty, but he never does anything unpleasant. He has the innocence of an adolescent child, and he''s just a little bit cute. I don''t like it when he''s naughty, though. ''Ahh, even my clothes got wet. ...... Do you have any scallops to wipe wet clothes with? ''Hmm, I do, but I can''t lend it to you...'' ''...... Tsk.'' She makes jokes like this in an easy-to-understand way. But she''s still naughty, so I''m going to punish her a little. ''Eeeh*'' ''Oh, no!Oh, my God!What the hell? ''You know why, don''t you? ''Well, I''m not mad at you if you think of it as water that once touched your boobs. ''You'',............, you really can''t remember my name,....... I''m sure you''re aware of that, but when you''re confronted with the reality, it''s hard not to be impressed. ...... ...... I also don''t like the idea of ............ being forgotten by Yashiro-kun. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''I asked Delia.'' ''............ Oh, I see.'' I''m surprised. ''Delia'' is the name ...... I remembered. Good for you, Delia. You don''t want to forget Delia, do you, Yashiro? ............ I envy you. ''............'' ''What''s up?'' ''Hmm?I was just thinking.'' ''You''re thinking about your tits again, aren''t you? ''That''s you, isn''t it, Yashiro? Watch out. When Yashiro-kun talks to you like this, he''s trying to find out what you''re thinking about. I''ve seen a lot of Yashiro-kun, haven''t I? I know that much. Yashiro never misses a sullen expression that someone unexpectedly shows. He will pretend not to notice and try to find out the reason for it. ............ He will gently pull out the tiny little thorn that is stuck in the back of your heart. ...... But not now. Because I don''t want ...... anyone to know that I''m jealous of Delia. So I''ll fake it too. ''Aaaha?? Can''t your boobs get any bigger? ''Oh come on. If they get any bigger, you''ll have to wear a giant clam shell. Heh. ...... Surprise. I can''t believe he even knows about giant clams, which are rarely seen at the bottom of the sea. ''Yashiro-kun''s knowledge never ceases to amaze me~'' ''Oh, come on!There''s nothing I don''t know about boobs! ''Oh, ......, is that you? I wish you would have said ''knowledge of the sea''. Well, Yashiro-kun is from the 42nd district. It''s not like you''re going to be going out to sea. ............ I feel like I''m losing it. Let''s change the subject. ''So, did Delia look good? ''Oh, ...... that''s the thing. ............'' Yashiro scratches his cheek, looking unhappy. I''m not sure.Did I do something wrong? ''It seems that he was very frustrated that he missed the river owner and cried. ''Oh, ...... Delia-chan, you cried? ''Oh ......, I had a hard time getting her to stop crying. I told her I''d treat her to something sweet next time, and she seemed happy to go home. ............ I''m sure that''s not true, Yashiro. It''s not like you to not notice. ...... I see. I like ............. ............ Oh, no. The bad me comes out in my mind. ...... The troubling feeling of envy and jealousy that makes you want to do things you know you shouldn''t. ............ But don''t let it come out now. ...... ...... I''m not sure what to say. Don''t say anything that might bother Yashiro right now ...... ...... ''If I''m crying, will you comfort me?'' ''I don''t want to.'' ............ Eh. Quick answer: ......? It''s ...... indeed a bit ............ lonely, you know. I''m not going to look at your crying face. But instead--'' While saying that, Yashiro stroked my hair like this ...... and crinkled ............ it. ''When you''re happy, tell me lots of stories. About fish, about the sea, about anything. I''ll keep you company as long as you like.'' ''............ heh,...... I see. Yeah, yeah. Any amount you want. ............ I''m surprised. ...... Why? Why am I so nervous? "I want Masha to always be smiling. I felt like someone said that to me. The satisfaction of having ............ been told something that wasn''t said makes ...... the muscles in my face relax.... ... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''Give me some time to sleep. I''m working hard from morning till night, that diner. ...... "That diner"? ............ Don''t tell me you''ve got a memory deficit ...... going on? ''Ya, Yashiroku......'' ''But, yes.'' I think I had a dumb look on my face then. ''You should come stay with us sometime.'' ''..................?'' I''m staying at ............ what?In Yashiro-kun''s room............What, what, what, what is that............ ''You''ve never been here when everyone else is staying over, have you? It''s pretty fun, playing games and stuff.'' ''Heh, ...... I see. Wow, that''s nice. Maybe I''ll join you next time. I''m so surprised! That''s right!You''re right! There''s no way Yashiro would say something like that. I''m sure you''re right. ............ You''re so careless. You''re so careless with your words. If it weren''t for me, you''d be looking at me in black and white and freaking out. If you''re not careful, you''ll be misunderstood. ''For that reason, I''ll definitely remember you, you know. ''............'' That''s ...... not fair. Because that''s ............ going to make a mistake, you know. ''..................Muh'' ''Why are you sulking? ''......The truth is, Yashiro, you know a lot, don''t you?About me. ''F-cups.'' ''That''s not what I meant.'' I''m not going to let you fool me today. I''m not sure what to say. I''ve just decided that. ''Or do you mean you''re really lonely? ''To ......'' I was at a loss for words. I''m ...... not really lonely. ...... ''You really wanted to play in the river during the hot season, or in a kamakura during the snowy season, didn''t you? ''What, why ...... did you hear that from Delia? ''Oh, no. I can see that. No, no, no. No, no, no, no. Because until now, no one knew what I was really thinking. ''Also, you''re pretty jealous.'' ''Wha......? ''I sometimes make my cheeks puff up when I hear other people talking happily.'' ''I''m not making you do that! I do. I''m not making you pucker your cheeks! ''I''m not!I''m not! ''Haha, you look pretty cute when you do that.'' ''Mmm ......'' It''s hard to be happy about being called cute in a place like that,............. ''It''s amazing, isn''t the world? ''The world?'' ''No, you see. The ocean is big and deep, right?You can''t see it all in a few decades.'' ''No.'' ''''On the other hand, in a city surrounded by walls like this, in a small city called District 42, the world is changing rapidly. Things that didn''t exist yesterday can be made today, and things that can''t be done now can be done someday. ''Yes. ''It''s hard to know where to look, isn''t it? ''Yeah, yeah!Yeah!That''s right! Mermaids can''t leave the sea. At first, everyone said it was dangerous and reckless to go to a human city on land. But I wanted to see it. A human city. Life on land. And once I saw it, I was hooked. There were so many interesting things on land. I was so jealous and I wondered why I didn''t have legs. If I had legs, I could go to town whenever I wanted. ...... I envied and envied, but it wasn''t enough. I wanted to see more of the city on land. That''s when I met Delia and Estella. ...... I went on a crazy tour of the city. I got to know her well and saw a lot of fun things--I was beginning to think that I had seen ...... all there was to see in the small city of Riku, I met Mr. Yashiro. I was shocked. Constantion--I was astonished. The city was growing by the minute. Everyone in the city became brighter and more lively, and it became so beautiful that it was hard to believe it was the same city. ...... Yashiro was always at the center of these changes. He is outlandish and fearless. You can find a lot of things that you can do and say that are out of your mind. But it''s because of ...... that everyone fell in love with him. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. She always said, "Yashiro said this," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that ......," with sparkling eyes. Estella is the same. Even though she doesn''t say it out loud, she always cares about him. And finally, even Lucia and Gilberta are ...... I love it ...... I''m so jealous ...... I wish I had legs too ...... so I could live on land ............ and then I would. More ............, right? There''s no one else I admire as much as I do. I wonder if you understand that. I''m a little embarrassed that you know ....... Because it''s shallow, you know. ''It''s nice to be envious, isn''t it? ''............?'' A good thing? Envy, that''s jealousy, isn''t it? That''s,...... a good thing? ''Cause it''s not. Because someone was jealous of something, this city was able to change so much, right? ''Yeah,......, is that right? ''Yes. If you don''t envy something, who would do such a troublesome thing? That''s what ...... is for. We''re all jealous. ...... ''That''s why.'' Yashiro''s finger quickly pointed towards the city gate. No, ...... it''s pointed at the cliffs that rise up between us and the thirtieth district. ''I''m going to make this happen, waterway. ''--Huh? ''Remember me?We talked about this before. You said you wanted to build a channel under that cliff so we could get the ships around here. ...... Yeah. I remember. ''I''ll definitely make that happen in the near future.'' ...... Really? ''That way, you''ll be able to come to District 42 more easily.'' Will it be ............? ''...... Hey, Yashiro-kun. Why do you need that channel? I know the answer. I''m sure Yashiro will tell you. ''It''s for my own good''. But I''d like to hear ....... I want to hear the answer that isn''t. So I couldn''t help but ask. ''Of course it''s for my own good. See? You say. ''You can get fish from the sea cheaply, eggs taste good if you get good shells, and seaweed entangled in nets is pretty popular right now.Nori''s tsukudani is a big hit. It''s a good idea to get acquainted with the Sea Fishing Guild......., right? ''...... Yeah. That''s right. Yeah. That''s right. It''s not gonna happen. Not yet. If I lived in the 42nd district, I wouldn''t know. I''m not. ...... If I''d had a little more time to ...... get to know Yashiro so well that I was able to get him to change his mind, ...... I''m not sure if I could have gotten more out of it. I wonder if he would have remembered my name properly like Delia did. ...... I love ...... you, Delia. I envy you. ...... And--'' It''s like a light--a blinding light that shines into the deep, deep, deep sea. ...... ''Because then we''ll be able to see each other more.'' Like a sunbeam that shines down on me, even when I was shut up in the depths of the dark sea, hugging my knees and sulking: ...... ''I want to talk to you about more things, Masha. I am.'' She pulls me out of the dark depths of the ocean, where I''ve been tormented by the idea that I''m unfair because I''m on the outside. There''s no difference. There''s no need to be envious. I too was being seen by ............. It makes it clear to me. He smiles like a blinding light. Oh ...... you''re still amazing, Yashiro. I thought there was nothing that could change, but-- ''Yashiro, do you have a minute?Come here for a minute.'' ''Hmm?'' --I never thought that I would be changed too. The moment when you are changed is a little ticklish, a strange elation, a ...... little daring. You''ll be able to be a little more daring. I put my hands on his shoulders and chest, and leaned out of the tank with a giggle. ...... ''......What?'' ...... I gently kissed her cheek. ''......I was thinking the same thing, tooa??'' I wanted to come here more, be with you more, and talk to you more. I''ve been thinking the same thing. I''m thanking you for remembering my name. I tried to hold back my blushing with such excuses. ''It''s ....... You''ll be surprised by the suddenness, right? ''Yashiro, you''re so cute~'' Because I can never do it unless it''s sudden. It can''t be helped, can it? ''Ah, ......'' Muttering, Yashiro put his hand into the hem of his dress. And in the hand that he pulled out, he held a small seed. ...... You got the seed. Good. Now you won''t forget me, will you? If you forget, ...... I''ll kiss you somewhere else this time. ''What? ...... What am I thinking, I...? I''ve put up with you for so long. ...... Your face is all red. Yashiro-kun. Are you sure it''s time to go? ''Hmm?Yeah, I guess so. I wanted to talk to you slowly, but we should go now.'' ''Yeah. Let''s talk again sometime. ''Okay. I''m off then. ''See you later! I waved him off as he walked away. ............ It''s impossible. If I stay with you any longer, I''m sure I''ll say something strange. Something that might annoy you. You can''t do that now, not at all. I''ll just stare at his back as he moves away. That alone warms my heart. A truly mysterious person: ...... ''............ Huh?'' About 200 meters away, Yashiro glanced back at me. Then ...... ''I''ll never forget you, so don''t make that sad face again. He murmured. Then he smiled and started walking again. ...... Ah. ''............ No, you can''t. That''s not fair.'' He flips his body around and dives into the water with a thud. My face is hot. ...... I can''t breathe. ............ I''m so embarrassed. Everyone knew. I''ve been jealous of you, Delia. And that I''ve been lonely. They knew that my ears were actually very good. ......They knew everything. ............ ''Blub blub ......''. My exhaled breath turned into air bubbles and shook the water. Yashiro-kun is a ......Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ......Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun You don''t need to be envious at all. ''Pfft! I peeked out of the water and waved my hand at the gate. ''Gatekeeper!Take me to Delia-chan right now! My heart hurts like it''s about to burst. And yet, I can''t stop the smirk on my face. That''s why I want to see Delia right now. Meet her and show her off. Make her jealous. We''ll talk a lot. Tell her about my first love. 227-Remembrance Part 5 Imelda I feel unsettled. ''My Lady. Would you like some tea?'' ''No, thank you. ''Well, cakes and such are available at .......'' ''No need for that either. I was a little hard on the waiter for calling out to me, and I immediately felt self loathing. ...... What am I doing, I wonder? ...... But I appreciate your concern. Thank you. ''Miss ...... is a waste of words.'' There are many things that I have learned from Yashiro, but this one, "expressing gratitude in words," was a very meaningful lesson. I was taught that the things that I took for granted were actually the result of someone else''s labor, and when I looked back on it, I realized how blessed I was. I felt it in my heart, not in words. I knew this when I saw him ...... running around more than anyone else, sometimes up close, sometimes from afar. To do something for someone else. You don''t even know that. ...... I didn''t even know how stupid and petty I was, just giving and not knowing how to be grateful. Since then, I''ve been trying to appreciate the hardships of those around me, one by one. Since I started doing so,......, I''ve felt as if I''ve risen in the ranks of the waiters. The level of care, the politeness of the work, and above all, the cheerful atmosphere with a smile on their faces. By changing myself, I was able to change the people around me. I felt so fulfilled. It''s like a soft air that Yashiro creates by involving those around him. ...... It''s very comfortable. ''You are a strange person,......, really. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. He is always pretending to be unmotivated,...... but behind the scenes, he is more active than anyone else. If you don''t know him, you probably underestimate him. I thought he was rude at first too. He is blunt, verbally abusive, and extremely rude in his manner and speech. He has a nasty way of talking that pinpoints the places you don''t want him to hit the hardest. If you make him your enemy, there is no one more annoying than him. But if you become an ally, ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. Of course,......, so have I.'' I''ve been told that there are a hundred or two men who can woo me, but I can''t believe that something like this would make me restless and distraught. ...... The only thing I can think of is that Yashiro might forget about me ............. ''...... I don''t like that. I don''t like that. I went out on the balcony to get some ...... wind and ...... ''Oh!I''m here to play! Yashiro was waving at me, his face unchanged, as usual. He was standing in the garden, looking up at the balcony, smiling and happy. You ...... don''t even know what people are thinking, you''re so fluent. ''Please let Mr. Yashiro through! I went back to my room, told the waiter, and sat down in front of the mirror. Since I was going to meet him, I had to at least brush through. ''It''s as if he''s seen me in my nightgown. ...... Hmm...'' I couldn''t help but laugh as I felt my heart beating fast and furious. The anxiety I had just experienced is gone,......, and I can brush through it with such glee. I''ve changed after all. It''s a good idea to keep your man waiting. ...... But my feet are kicking the floor more quickly and busily than usual. It''s like a loyal dog waiting for its owner to return. ...... I don''t like it, it''s disgraceful. I was hoping for a moment to calm down and put some red on my lips. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you can call us at the web site. Perhaps being too good is a bad thing. ''You didn''t have to be in such a hurry. ''I''m in no hurry. Yashiro sits down on the living room sofa and looks up at me. At least, I can resist,'' I say with a generous smile. ''It''s business as usual. ''Then you''d better calm down a bit. At least in your own home. See? ...... I''m afraid I''m starting to worry you. I''m usually more graceful, you know? Today, it just so happens that ............ Ah, why did you say ''as usual'', I ...... ''Ugh~............ wow''. I''m not sure what to make of it.It''s a bit cute, isn''t it? Hmm. It''s just a small resistance. I''m ............ glad you called my protest cute. I''m glad I''m not a canine. I''m sure if I had a tail like Paula''s, I''d be wagging it right now. It is unbecoming of a lady to reveal her innermost thoughts to her partner. You have a face that is easy to understand, don''t you? ...... It''s funny. I don''t know, everything''s going wrong. ''So, what can I do for you?Or do you just want to see my beautiful face? ''I''m thirsty, so I''ve come for a cup of tea. ...... tea. ''Did you want to drink tea while looking at my beautiful face? ''Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah. Something like that.'' How nice. ...... ''U~...... wan.'' ''So, what is it? That''s it. ...... That''s weird. You said it was cute earlier. ...... ''Well, that''s fine. I''ll have the tea ready in a minute.'' ''Oh, wait a minute. Yashiro stopped me from calling the waiter and looked as if he had an idea. What are you going to do? ''Why don''t the two of us cook together sometime? ''The two of us?............ What is it?'' ''Tea.'' ''Tea? ''And some tea.'' ''...... Watakusi and Yashiro-san together, sir?'' ''Oh. What do you think? I think he told me to behave as usual. ...... ''That sounds interesting. I wouldn''t be so foolish as to turn down an offer from Mr. Yashiro. The two of us will make it. Doesn''t that sound like a lot of fun? ''Head waiter. Send all the waiters back to their dormitories. You''re not allowed in this house until I give you permission! ''No, ...... you don''t have to be that thorough alone with me. ......'' ''If I''m going to do this, I''m going to go all the way! ''......Well, that''s fine.'' ...... I''ve never thought of cooking ...... before. But I''m a talented person. I''m sure you''ll be able to cook to the manager''s level with no trouble. ''Well, head waiter. Sorry, but you can''t use the kitchen. Mr. Yashiro calls out to the head waiter, and the head waiter bows in return. How smart of him. That''s the head waiter. She''s a smart woman who doesn''t say unnecessary things. ''I''m sure the young lady will make a mess, so I''ve prepared some hot water and a change of clothes. If there are any more unforeseen circumstances, I''m sorry, but you''ll have to deal with them. As long as it belongs to the house, I don''t care what you do with it. ''Don''t talk about unnecessary things!Cut the crap, head waiter! ''Well, you''re a very good waiter. Don''t praise him too much, Mr. Yashiro. The head waiter will get carried away. It''s not like I''m going to ...... let him get away with it. ''Hey~. You are saying unnecessary things, but you don''t have to be angry? There is such a thing as necessary information. I think it''s up to ...... you to make the most of the information you get. Think it over carefully. Then, after about ten minutes of preparation, the servants left the house. Then, I and Yashiro stood side by side in the kitchen, wearing matching aprons. ''...... Why are you fluttering like this? ''Oh?It looks good on you, Yashiro.'' A lovely pure white apron with ruffles around the shoulders and waist. It''s the latest model designed by Mr. Ukrines. It looks good on you, Mr. Yashiro. I''ll have them prepare a ribbon for you next time. Somehow, it seems to suit you, Mr. Yashiro. Well, let''s get started. Yashiro-san showed a brave expression in front of the food. ...... ''...... pfft, I''m wearing a frill and I''m giggling ............'' ''You made me prepare this frilly apron, didn''t you? It''s not a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Is there anything you''d like to make?I''d rather you didn''t make anything too difficult.'' ''Yes, that''s true. ......'' So far, Yashiro-san has made and spread a number of dishes. Cakes and pasta. Yaki Onigiri and Okonomiyaki...... All of them were delicious and made me want to eat them again and again. ''Okonomiyaki............No, Neapolitan is also very hard to beat......'' ''Hey, here''s some tea for you! What? I''m fine with tea and okonomiyaki. But yes, that''s true. ...... ''Do you have any memorable tastes, Yashiro-san? I thought it would be nice to have something that I could eat today, just for this occasion. I wanted to get to know Mr. Yashiro better,....... ''Well, ............ apple pie, I guess. ''Apple pie?Is it apple pie? ''Oh, yeah. That''s the apple pie.'' ''Whole apples dipped in batter and fried in oil? ''That''s an apple cutlet, isn''t it? ''That''s what we call apple pie in the Forty-second Ward, you know? ''Apple pie in the Forty-second Ward!The one with apple in the pie! ''Nipples in my tits? ''You''ve gone crazy since you came to the 42nd district, that''s for sure! That''s disheartening. If that''s the case, the cause is definitely Yashiro. It''s not often that someone other than ...... Yashiro can move your heart. It''s a very simple thing to do. I thought that shortcakes and the like had a stronger emotional impact on you. ''No, ......''. Then, unusually, Mr. Yashiro made an embarrassed expression. He looked embarrassed, but happy. ...... He had the carefree expression of a child. ''The landlady once made this for me for my birthday. It was, well, ............ very, very good. The landlady. I''m talking about Yashiro''s mother. The ...... mother''s memorable ...... taste. ''...... I envy you.'' Speaking of my memories,...... ''I''ve ruined the taste of your mother''s.'' It was a dish that her mother, who was lying on her sickbed, forced her to make for me to eat in the end. ...... It was a very simple, yet heartfelt dish. ...... ''I couldn''t eat the last dish your mother made for me ......'' If you eat it, your mother''s cooking will be gone. She will never cook for you again, her last dish. ...... ''When I think of it, I can''t eat it. ......'' And then, cruelly, it rotted away. ............ Your mother''s cooking can never be ...... eaten again. ...... ''I wish now that I had eaten it ...... properly instead of just looking at it.'' It will be just a complaint,......, but in front of Yashiro, it can be forgiven. But it''s no use telling this to Yashiro. ...... ''It must have been delicious. It must have been the best in the world. ............ It was a shame, wasn''t it? I was a little girl. If only Yashiro had been there at that time...... I''ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I''ve been thinking about it a lot lately, hypothetically imagining things that could never happen. If I could do it all over again,...... surely I would ...... ''Then you can imagine as much as you want. ''......?'' While peeling an apple, Yashiro looked at me. Then he smiled and said, ...... ''It''s the best in the world, right?Even if you encounter a great tasting food in the future, you will think it is better than that. Isn''t that great? ''No, that''s just what ...... I''m saying. ......'' ''No, no. I''m sure it was delicious. He assured her proudly, and then-- You can''t beat the food that a mother cooks with all her heart for her child. --He said this with ...... absolute confidence in his own words. ''No one has ever surpassed the landlady''s apple pie yet. ''No one?Can''t even ...... Mr. Yashiro reproduce it? ''I think I''m getting close,......, but I''m not there yet. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''It''s not even close to that.'' ''...... manager,but? ''I guess so. ............ Yeah. I think the landlady is still a bit better than me. ''Yes, it''s ...... .............'' Even the manager can''t surpass the taste. ...... ''Mothers are great, aren''t they? ''That''s because you''re a mother. You haven''t raised any children.'' That''s true. Your mother knew everything about me, didn''t she? From your favorite foods to your favorite colors, creatures you hate, places you''re afraid of, and even why you''re sulking and crying. ...... ''No matter what kind of food you encounter, it''s always better than that. It''s amazing.'' ''Mmmm ...... I feel like I''m overreacting a little when you say that much, but ............ I''m starting to feel that way.'' My mother was not that good of a cook. Most of the food was prepared by the waitresses. But sometimes she would stand in the kitchen herself just to make me happy. ............ Oh, that''s right. I loved ...... your mother''s cooking. Yes,......, much more than any chef''s cooking. ''The food was so delicious that it instantly made me stop crying when I would unreasonably bend my stomach and cry. ''That''s amazing. If we could recreate that taste, there would be no more wars in the world. ''Is my tantrum really that important? ''Because I can''t help you.'' Yashiro raises his hands jokingly. The cut apples are now simmering in the pot, giving off a very sweet aroma. The pie crust seems to be made from the one that the waiter had made before, so it should be ready in no time. ''It smells delicious, doesn''t it? ''Because it''s delicious. Of course it is.'' ''You''re very confident, aren''t you? ''That''s because the ...... dough isn''t mine. ''Then please treat me to a perfect apple pie next time. ''You''re so selfish like that, aren''t you? ''Of course. Who do you think I am? ''No, it''s nothing to brag about. You can help me too,'' said Yashiro, who didn''t know what he was talking about. But just because I''m next to you, I''m sure I''m helping a lot, so I''m definitely not helping. Line up the apples, cover them with dough, and put them in the ...... oven. After the work was done, we stayed in the kitchen and talked while standing. We talked as usual. All the while the pies were baking. In the quiet of the house, all that could be heard were the voices of Watakusi and Mr. Yashiro. Come to think of it, there''s been a time like that before. ''If it''s bright, we won''t be afraid even if we''re alone. ''What?...... Ah, the deserted house late at night. It''s pretty rare for a new house to be that scary.'' ''It was scary because it was a new house. When people live in a house, memories are created and imprinted in every corner of the house. Then I pointed to the kitchen floor and told her the story of the birth of the scar on it. ''This scar was made when I overturned the cauldron while trying to sneak a bite. ''What are you doing? ''...... I''m so angry. ............'' ''That''s right.'' ''''Why can''t you wait ten more minutes?'''' ...... ''I can''t argue with that. Good memories and bad memories, all included. ...... ''There are already so many memories etched in this house. Now, even late at night, you won''t be afraid. Even walking through the dark corridors, the fear will disappear when you remember what happened there in the daytime. There is nothing to be afraid of when you feel that this is your place. ............ ''So, Mr. Yashiro. Please, ...... ''Please don''t lose your memories. The days you spent with me. Please don''t lose the memories. ''If I see you in the dark, I might cry out of fear. Would it bother you if I cried? After all, the only person who can stop my tears is you, Yashiro-san, besides your mother. ''......'' at all. Sighing, Yashiro opened the lid of the oven. Using a pair of mittens, he took out the apple pie. The browned apple pie was pleasing to the eye and looked delicious. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ...... For a moment, I almost missed those words. ''............What?'' ''Come on, let''s cut it up and eat it.'' ''Now!............What''s your name, ......?'' ''Hmm?Yeah, ............ is a funny thing when you think about it.'' In the hand he pulls out is a small seed: ............ ''How could I forget a strong character like Imelda?'' --! ''Yes,......, yes,......, yes!It would be a mortal sin to forget my beautiful name, even for a moment. I''m glad ...... I never thought I''d be so happy to hear my name called. ...... ''Well, then, I guess I''ll be punished for my crime. Here, atone for your sins.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s not afraid to ask for help. And with such a carefree smile on his face, ............ you are the only person who can get away with this level of disrespect to me. I''ll take it. The freshly baked apple pie was very hot, crispy and crunchy, with just the right amount of sweetness and just the right amount of sourness,......, it was very delicious. It was so good that I didn''t hesitate to give it my honest praise. ''......It''s delicious. ''Hmm!But the landlady''s is even better, isn''t it? ''I can''t imagine a better apple pie than this. Perhaps it''s because it''s freshly baked, but it tastes even better than the apple pie at the Sunshine Pavilion. It''s definitely the best apple pie I''ve ever had. I don''t think there''s anything better than that. ...... ''Let''s call it number three. ''......Three? ''Number two is the landlady''s apple pie.'' ''What''s number one? A question asked casually. Mr. Yashiro silently pointed his index finger at me, thinking that I was going to play with words again. When I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant, these words came from his lips ''Maybe the food your mother cooked for you is better than that. For you.'' --My heart is in my throat. I''m not going to cry, but ............ still ...... ''To surpass two of the best cooks I''ve ever known: ...... Your mother must have cared a lot about Imelda. She said this as if it were a matter of course. ...... I''m not going to be able to cook like that unless I put my heart and soul into it, thinking about you. The words I wish someone had said to me were so easy to ...... ''Imelda. You were loved. ............ How far will you go ......! ''Mr. Yashiro. I have two requests for you. I can''t feel my chest. But I manage to swallow my apple pie and speak quickly. I can''t see your face, but ...... try not to let your voice tremble. ...... ''There''s nothing like a mother''s heartfelt cooking for her child.'' ...... You said that, didn''t you? ''Yes.'' If so, please continue to make more delicious food for us to eat. I feel like I can touch your mother''s thoughts every time I do. ''...... I can''t help it. If only it was in moderation. ''It''s from .............'' My voice is ...... shaky. ............ No, you can''t. A little more, a little more patience, my dear. ''Your mouth is hot. There is no denying the possibility of burns, so please call the waiter immediately. ''Hey, hey. Are you all right? ''Get the waiter!It''s ....... ............. ''Oh, ........ Yeah. Okay, okay. I''ll go get him then.'' You''re a very perceptive person, really. ...... would be very helpful. ''Yashiro-san. ''Hmm?'' Just a word to the sound of distant footsteps. ''Thank you, .......'' ''...... Hmm. It''s mutual.'' The footsteps moving away were light and ...... a little sad, but somehow relieved ............ ''Ugh ............, ughhhh! I couldn''t hold back my tears and they started to fall. Yashiro-san ......, you may think that I am crying for your mother. You''re half right. But, Mr. Yashiro. The other half is ...... ''I still think ...... that you are the one who .................. ......''. I feel safe just being around you. It takes away the pain and suffering. It always shows me a new world. I''m aware that I''m so dependent on you, and I''m trying my best to stand on my own, but ............ I''m still satisfied when I''m with you. It''s a good idea. Half of my tears are because ...... you are kind. Please take responsibility for that. Please take responsibility and ...... keep me in your thoughts forever. 228-Remembrance Part 6 Nefelly Yashiro will forget me. ...... ''Cokey! My boys will muffle my sighs. I like the chicken coop. It calms me down. I can forget all the bad things. ............ Not the bad things ......!What''s important! ''No, me. Don''t turn your back on it.'' I hit myself on the cheek and brace myself. It''s not yet decided that Yashiro will forget me. In fact, I have to work on him like ''I''m not going to let him forget me! I''m not going to let him forget me! ...... But Regina told me to go on with my life as usual. ............ ''Coke! I had to fake a sigh again. Really, they''re good kids. They''re growing well and laying lots of eggs. The chick that was born last time was the cutest thing in the world. All of this is thanks to Yashiro. It was really hard for me when I had to slaughter a lot of chickens because they stopped laying eggs after a few years. My heart was torn every day. ...... I used to cry a lot back then. That''s when I met Yashiro. He gave me a hundred chickens that were going to be slaughtered and opened up a future for them that I had thought was closed. Now, they are all laying eggs in good health. ...... ''I''ve been told that I''ve started to smile a lot too. ...... Hmm'' But the chickens aren''t the only reason I''m smiling more often. ............ What a surprise!Oh my God!Oh, my God!What am I thinking? Why does Yashiro''s smile come to mind?I''m sorry.I can''t take it anymore! ''.................. Oh no.'' The Yashiro in my memory is all smiles. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. The ...... smile can be wonderful, too. So ...... no. ''I hate ............ that Yashiro will forget me. I can''t believe I''ll never see that smile again. ...... I can''t believe that all the smiles I''ve ever had will be gone. ...... I don''t want that. ...... ''KOKEY! ''Cokey cokey! Suddenly the chickens started screaming. What?I''m not sighing so much, am I? ''Whoa!What the hell!Don''t threaten me, chicken! ...... What? I turned around at the sound of a familiar voice and saw Yashiro at the entrance of the chicken coop. ''Hey. You''re working hard today. ''Yashiro.'' When I see Yashiro, I naturally feel a smile on my face. It''s like the chickens when they see a bucket of fermented feed. ''What''s the matter?Do you need more eggs? ''Oh, no. I just kind of did. ......'' ''Sort of? ''I was just wondering what you were doing right now.'' --What? What, is that ...... ''Did you come to see me at ......?'' ''Oh, well. Are you busy at work? ''No!I''m fine!I''ve finished all my work for the day! Oh, my God! That''s amazing! I''m so happy! My mind starts to freak out on its own, and my head starts to float. ...... But wait. ''Yashiro ...... its ............ okay? Yashiro is now being parasitized by a nasty parasitic demon plant. If you stimulate his memory too much, it will take away his energy and he might pass out. I shouldn''t be a burden to Yashiro because I''m alone in my excitement. I''m glad. But I''m so glad you came to see me!That''s why I have to be a comfort to him. ''Do you want to go somewhere for tea or something?We can go to the sunny pavilion.'' ''No, no. I''m fine, just let me stay here.'' --Oh! ............K, ...... What a cute word ...... I want you to stay. Always and forever. ''Well, let''s talk here.'' ''Oh. Yeah, sure. A private conversation with a boy in a chicken coop. ...... Hmm. If it were any other girl, I''d say, ''I''m not in the mood''. I''m sorry though. For me, it''s always been a dream to chat with a boy in a chicken coop. It shows they understand my work. ''Well, I''ve never seen a chicken coop properly, have I? I just did my business at the entrance of the chicken farm.'' ''That''s true. That''s where the office is. The office is usually where the parents are, and they do all the egg trading. Naturally, they do their business with Yashiro and the others at the office or at the entrance. It''s like the peddlers'' guild. Though I''ve told her to call me if Yashiro comes. See, we know each other, right?It''s easier to get things done with me. That''s what I said. ''To tell you the truth, when I first came here, the smell of the chicken coop was so strong. ''Oh, it used to be bad. Especially for people who aren''t used to it. Chicken manure smells bad. When I was feeding them rice, the smell was so bad that even I couldn''t stand it sometimes depending on my condition. But recently, I don''t mind it at all. The smell doesn''t bother me anymore. Of course, it''s not that I''ve gotten used to it. ............ It''s thanks to Yashiro. ''Since I changed the chickens'' food to the fermented feed that Yashiro mentioned, the smell has become much better. ''You put fallen leaves and humus under their feet, too. ''Yes. Then that strong smell almost disappeared. Fermentation eased the harsh smell of the feces, and changing the soil made it less bothersome. Now, I don''t mind being in it for a whole day. The smell is so small that even people who are not used to it can enter without any resistance. ''Because the smell is caused by rotting protein. You can ferment it. There''s a difference between rotting and fermenting, like the difference between garbage and bread. This is what Yashiro taught me to feed my chickens when they stopped laying eggs. He said that the rice bran mixed with it ferments the scraps of vegetables and fish. They start laying eggs, and the smell goes away. It''s really amazing. I''m so glad I found Yashiro. Yeah. Since we''re here, why don''t we take a look around the chicken coop?I''ll show you around.'' ''Sure. Then let''s have a look. ''Yes! I''ll show Yashiro where I work. I''m a little embarrassed, but ...... I''m kind of happy. ''This is the newborn chick''s room, look at it, isn''t it cute? ''They''re all waddling around, get a grip! ''I can''t!I can''t! The chick walks, waving her butt. Yashiro joked, but looked at the chick with serious eyes. You''ll see ....... It''s so cute. You know the feeling. ''Do you want to touch it? ''Well, I''ve cooked ...... eggs and chicken before, but chicks are out of my jurisdiction.'' ''What''s that?That''s weird. I laughed at the funny joke and plucked up a little courage to tap Yashiro on the shoulder. ...... I touched your shoulder. I''m sorry. I''m always nervous when I do this. I hope you don''t think I''m too familiar with you. ...... Please don''t think that, okay? The next one is the young bird''s room. The hand that touched Yashiro was faintly hot. You can''t be too upset over a ...... touch. Calm down. It''s not every day a yarrow comes to the henhouse. You''ve always wanted to. ''...... Hang in there, me.'' I whispered to myself, giving myself courage. All right, I''ll do my best! ''Are these the guys who make the money?'' ''Yes, they are. I think they''re the ones laying the most eggs right now. ''Huh~, these are the ones~'' ''Hey, Yashiro. Don''t look at my chickens like that.'' ''I''m not looking at ......, or rather, you can''t look at .......'' ''What the hell? Boys are so naughty. Especially Yashiro. ''So, there''s a place over here that cleans the eggs, and it''s a lot of hard work. ''Which is it, making bait? ''The ............ bait, I guess.'' Cracking shells and mixing rice bran. There''s a lot of work on your back, actually. ''Oh. What''s that? ''Oh, that''s ......''. And so on, I showed her around the not-so-large chicken coop to every corner. In the place where I usually am, there is now Yashiro. ...... I like that. It''s as if my world is being painted with the color Yashiro. I''m a little embarrassed to show you the chicken coop, because it''s like letting people know who I am. But I''m happy when people know me. It''s weird. I''m happy and embarrassed. A chicken coop is like love. Yeah. It''s so much easier to live without the smell. ''Isn''t it?Do you want to come help me next time? ''I''m expensive, you know. ''Well, I''ll give you a friend''s discount. ''Oh, we don''t have a campaign like that right now. ''Well, let me know when it starts, okay? ...... is fun. The casual conversation with Yashiro is very enjoyable. I wish this could go on every day. ''Oh, ...... I''ve already shown you everything''. It''s a lot of work, but the equipment isn''t that complicated. Too bad. I guess that''s it. ''I wish I could have shown you more. ''Well, maybe I''ll show you your room. ''Oh, no! Hey!What did you just say? ''No, that''s impossible! ''Why not?Oh, I see. ......'' Yashiro nodded his head, sensing something. ''You know, there''s this thing called fermented feed. ......'' ''It doesn''t smell, my room! Sh, that''s rude! That''s just too much, Yashiro! Oh no!I''ll get angry!I''ll get angry! ''Only special boys are allowed in my room! ''Does he have to be two meters above his forehead or can he breathe fire out of his mouth? ''I''m not a special boy!I''m a special boy! You idiot! Yashiro''s an idiot! ...... You could''ve ............ noticed who the special one was. ''Okay, let''s make a prediction. ''Predict?My room?'' ''Oh. If you''re right, be honest and tell me you''re right.'' ''Oh, that sounds interesting. Yeah. Okay.'' With that, Yashiro used the handle of the broom to draw a picture on the ground. He drew a square, and then drew a small break in the square. ...... He drew a water fountain and a feeding box. ...... That''s not here!That''s the layout of the chicken coop, isn''t it? ''What?You don''t live here, do you?'' ''No, I don''t live here!I have my own room. It''s still a pretty, girlish room! ''First of all, there''s a bed here. And there''s a stuffed chick on the pillow. ''A stuffed chick? ''Yes. It''s really cute. It''s my favorite. I always hold it when I sleep. I cherish it very much. ''Did you make it yourself? ''No, I didn''t. I''m not very good at sewing, actually. ''No, actually, you don''t look like you''re very good at ...... anything.'' ''Oh, that''s terrible. I''m pretty good with my hands even though I look like this. ''What about sewing? ''I''m not very good at it, but I can do ...... other things!For example, ............ and .......'' Can you show off your dexterity with something like ............? ''I can tell the male and female chicks apart! ''What does it have to do with dexterity? Ugh ....... ''Then what''s wrong with that stuffed animal? ''Oh, I had Jeannette make it for me.'' ''...... Ugh! ''Yashiro! Suddenly, Yashiro crouched down, holding his head. ''What''s wrong with you! ''Oh, ...... I''m sorry. I''m fine. So, ...... who made it for you?'' Oh ............ I see. Now Yashiro can''t recognize our names. And yet, you gave him the name ''Jeannette''. ...... ''Um, ...... friend. Yeah. I got it made by a friend who''s good at sewing.'' ''I see.'' ''Yeah. Yeah.'' I wonder if I''m smiling ...... well now? ......I''m sure I''m going to forget about it when I''m talking like this,......Yashiro, but my memory is still ...... ...... scary. I''m sure I''m not the only one who can''t remember ....... I''m sure I''ll ............ be able to. ............ Gosh. No. ...... Don''t cry, don''t cry, don''t cry. If you do that, Yashiro will ...... I''m sorry. I''m sorry I worried you. No, you''re not! I screamed so loud that the chickens started screaming. But I have to tell them. I have to tell them. ''Yashiro did nothing wrong!It''s definitely not your fault! What''s wrong is the demon plant that''s trying to eat Yashiro''s memories without permission! Yashiro is the victim! ''You''re so kind. ''......''. ''Thank you.'' ''............U,yes''. I think this might be the first time I''ve ever seen Yashiro be this honest. ...... It''s a little weird. It tickles. ............ honest palms. I think I''ll try to be honest for a bit too. Take courage. ...... ''Hey, hey, Yashiro. What kind of girl do you like ......? ''More than a G, I guess. ......'' ''Why are you talking about boobs without any hesitation? ''Well, you see, I''m a straightforward guy.'' You''re too honest! You''re too honest! A D is pretty big too! ...... I knew Yashiro was ............ a ginette ...... ......Do you like ......? You have big breasts. ...... ......Do you want to ask her? But if you''re told that she is, ............ you may or may not want to ask her. ......... ... ''Hey, hey, ...... does Yashiro have a ...... favorite ............ significant other?'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Yes. I do. My heart thumped ....... ''...... who is it? Throbbing ...... ''You .......'' What ............... ''...... La, I think.'' ''............ "La"?'' And Yashiro slaps himself on the chest with a ''DONG! And then Yashiro slaps himself on the chest. ...... near the area where the seeds of that parasitic demon plant are attached. In the event that you''re in the market for a brand-new pair of shoes or boots, then you''re in the right place. ''...... Yashiro''. Oh ...... my idiot. What a selfish and selfish thing to think. I don''t want you to forget who you are,...... ''Yes, I do. You have a lot of important people in your life, Jashiro. Show me some guts. ''Oh! Of course you don''t want to see me, but ...... you don''t want to see Yashiro who has forgotten about Jeannette and the others. I can''t believe I completely forgot about such an obvious thing. ...... I''m no good. I''m sorry. ...... forehead. I''m sure you''ll be fine.I''ll make a delicious egg dish for you so that you can do your best, Yashiro! I''ll make you a nice egg dish so you can work hard! ''Oh, you''re being mean again!No, you can''t be like that. You''ll never be popular with girls. You''ll get in trouble if you''re too popular. Wait for me. I''ll choose the best eggs for you right now! ''Do you know that? ''Who do you think I am?It''s easy. Look at this. The surface of the shell is .......'' I''m done worrying about selfishness. I''m rooting for Yashiro. ''Yes!This is it!This is the best egg!You can''t go wrong. Out of nearly a hundred eggs, I find the best one of the day. The color, the gloss, the shape, the size, and the roughness of the surface of the shell. I can tell you. This egg is absolutely delicious. ''What''s the best way to eat them?A simple boiled egg?But an omelet would be even better. Hmmm ...... Yashiro, do you have any requests? ''Hmm ...... giggle giggle'' ''Huh?What?Did I say something weird? ''Oh, no. I''m sorry. No, no, no. I just thought you were a professional.'' ''Yes, you are. I''m a professional. What''s so funny about ......?'' Yashiro looks at me with a look of innocence on his face. His eyes are clear and beautiful. And there''s my reflection. ''You really shine the brightest when you''re doing this job, don''t you, Neffery? You''re shining! You''re shining! No way!I''m sure Yashiro said something like that on ............, but he sure did! I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Ne-Ne-Ne-Ne-Ne-Ne-Ne-Ferry............? ''Hmm?That''s your name, isn''t it?Did you forget it?'' ''No, not that!I was thinking,......? ''............ Oh, by the way...'' ''Oh, by the way,............, you''re so fluent, Yashiro! I don''t know how worried I was ............, but I''m glad you remembered. Good. I''ll be the one cheering you on now. I''ll try to remember you all properly. Because I''m a cheerleader for Yashiro''s ...... cheerleading squad. ''Huray huray, Yashiro! ''What''s with you all of a sudden? ''How are you?Are you feeling better?'' ''You''re a cheerleader, aren''t you? ''Yeah. Doesn''t it bring back memories? That''s what Yashiro taught me, right? Cheering like this will cheer you up and make you work harder. You really like that kind of thing, don''t you? Acting too. That''s true. I''ve been invited by Yashiro to perform a few times, and I think I like it a lot. It''s kind of fun. I wonder if I''ll be an actress or a model in the future. Uclines wanted to be a model too. Actresses...... models...... certainly have an attraction to them, but...... ''I think I''ll pass on both of them. ''You''re not interested?'' I''m interested in ...... them, to be honest. ''Because I want to be working here. All these years too.'' ''Haha. You really love chickens, don''t you, Neffery?'' Yashiro chuckles. Yeah, I guess so. There''s that too. But ...... the best reason is-- The best reason is because it''s the job where the people I love say I''m the brightest. You should at least be aware of that. You are really ...... insensitive, Yashiro. 229-Remembrance 7mm ''Thank you, thank you, thank you ......! Yeah. Lots of customers today too. I''m glad. ...... But sometimes I still get a little nervous and can''t speak properly. I''m sorry. ...... ''Milly. Thank you for your time. ''a...... guild leader''. The guild leader of the 42nd district flower arrangement guild is a very gentle and kind old lady. She is a very nice person who is well-liked by everyone. ''You''re all right for today, take it easy. ''Yeah, but ...... Miri, can you take care of your own store, right? ''Miry-chan ......, something happened to you, didn''t it? ''......! Great. The guild leader knows everything. He says he''s just been alive a long time. ...... You''re like a ladybug. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out everything about Miri. ............ Oh, no, not at all. It''s not that the ladybug knows a lot about you, or that she''s watching you closely, but that she''s kind to everyone, and that''s why she''s kind to you. ''Oh?Your face is kind of red. ''Huh, ......!That''s not ...... true.'' ''Hmmm. Millie, you seem to be having fun lately. You must have met someone wonderful.'' ''Huh? ''Was it ...... Jeannette from the sunny pavilion?And Norma from the hardware store. The pharmacist, ......, or whatever you call her, the beautiful lady. You''ve met a lot of wonderful people, haven''t you? ''Ah, ............, yes. They are all very nice people. ...... I''m surprised. When you say "nice people", I thought you meant ...... people you like. ...... But, Miri, I don''t know about that kind of thing yet... It''s a lovely sound. It''s as if the wind blew and shook the plate that Noma gave you. ''Oh, what''s this?It''s very nice. ''Oh, this was given to me by Mr. Noma. Miri''s flowers were used for the bouquet at the wedding of the ladies. The nectar-flavored candy balls were also said to be ''delicious'' by many people. Then, someone said, "Mirii''s flowers will be a good luck charm to make your love come true. Since then, many people have come to buy flowers from me. Everyone leaves with a happy flower in their arms. Are they giving them to someone they love? When I imagine such a thing, it makes me feel happy too. That''s why Noma-san made this plate for me, saying, ''I''ll make a plate that symbolizes love. The plate is displayed in the most conspicuous place in the store. Two birds are facing each other, each holding in its mouth two cherries connected by a branch. It is too early to kiss, but you want to feel closer to the one you love. Mr. Noma said that he tried to express such an innocent couple. It was well received by the audience, and Miri thinks it''s very nice. I thought that Noma-san has a very, very girlish heart. Surrounded by nice people, working hard at the job you love, and being able to support someone''s happiness just a little bit. There is no such thing as happiness. The happiness that I''m feeling right now is all thanks to you, ladybug. Ever since I met the ladybug, I''ve been so happy, so tranquil and so joyful every day. ...... ......, and yet, Miri can''t do anything for Ladybug-san. Now that the ladybug is in trouble and suffering, Miri is ............ ''Miry-chan. A soft, warm hand stroked her hair. ''Please go somewhere and take a good rest. I''m sure your heart will feel lighter after that.'' ''............ Hmm. I''m sorry. Thank you for ......, okay?'' ''You''re welcome.'' I''m going to take off my apron and leave it in my room. Where do you mean, ......where should we go? I know where I want to go. But ...... Miri can''t go there by herself. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. She slung her pochette over her shoulder, put her ladybug hairpiece back on, and left the house. I''ll leave the store to the guild leader. Thank you, guild leader. The weather is fine. There''s a nice breeze blowing and it makes me feel a little better. As I was thinking, "Well, it hasn''t rained this year. ......," I heard a voice... ''Huh?Are you going out? --The voice that Miri wanted to hear the most right now. ''Ladybug-san. ''Hey!I was thinking of going to the flower shop now. ...... Looks like you''re busy.'' ''Ummm!No, I''m not!I''m free!I''m so free right now!'' I shouted out loud. Because, ''If you''re busy, I''ll see you next time,'' said Ladybug, who seemed to be going away. ............ And then, just like that... ...I was afraid that I would forget about Mirii. ............ ''Hey, how are you today? ''Oh, ......, I''m sorry, okay?I shouted too loud.'' ''No, no, no. I''m just lucky to see something so rare.'' ''Oh, ......, don''t be embarrassed, don''t be like that, .......'' I know it''s rare, I know it''s rare,......, and I''m feeling a little sorry for myself right now. ''If you''re not busy, then you''re done with work, right? ''Hmm.'' The guild leader took care of it, so Miri''s work is done for today. ''You''re heavily equipped for ......, aren''t you? ''Huh?...... Really?I''m wearing light clothing. I''m wearing normal clothes and a pochette. I''m dressed for a little outing. ...... Why are you so twitchy, ladybug? ''That Boston bag ...... is a pochette, right?That''s what you wear when you go to the forest, right? ''Mm-hmm. Heh heh. You remembered me, the last time we went to the forest together. I''m glad. ...... But why are you looking at your pochette with a wrinkle between your eyes? ''If you''re not working, can I come with you? ''Really? I''m so happy! Actually, Miri, I''ve always wanted to go to the forest with Ladybug. I''ve been thinking about it ever since the last time we went. When the guild leader told us to ''relax somewhere'', the first thing that came to mind was the forest. ...... And, if possible, with the ladybug. Oh, ...... you''re really amazing, ladybug. It''s like he can see everything you''re thinking. He can make all the things that I want to happen to me come true. You''re like a wonderful wizard. ''I wonder if I''ll be okay in the forest dressed like this? ''Yes. I''m fine. I''ll protect you. I''ve got a pair of branch scissors in my pochette, so I can protect you. ''Then, I''ll ask you. ''Hmm!............? ''Hmm?'' ''...... Hmm. It''s nothing.'' I start to say it, then stop. It would be patronizing to say ...... instead. Just being able to go to the forest with the ladybug makes Miri happy, but asking her to do a favor for her instead of protecting her is ...... ''Then let''s hold hands as a thank you. ''What? ............ Amazing. How did you know? How do you know what I want you to do? ...... You know what I want you to do. ''Well, I''m not sure if it''s a thank you...'' ''Yes!That''s right!............? Oh, ............ I may have ruffled a few feathers, ...... but I don''t think Miri... .........About the ladybug............ ''Haha. You''re a spoiled brat.'' ''......Huh.'' ...... even though you''re not. But, ...... yeah. It''s better to think that way, isn''t it?For now. ''Well, hey. ''Mmm............hoy''. Why not, ''yes''? Ladybug''s words were a little strange, and ...... a little ticklish to imitate. The hands we held were warm, and the ...... heat seemed to have penetrated to my chest. ''Oh, you know...'' I''m going to go out on a limb here and say it. What you want to do today, Miri. What I wanted to do with the ladybug. ''I want to eat an apple.'' ''An apple?'' ''Hmm. You know, when we went to the forest before, we ate them, right?Apples. ......'' Do you remember? I''ve already forgotten ......, haven''t I? ''That was delicious, wasn''t it? Hmm! Oh, yeah. You remembered me. I''m so happy about that. ''So, I want to eat an apple with you again, just the two of us. ...... No, huh?'' ''No, no. Let''s eat together.'' ''Oh, ...... that, you know, ............ again, the two of us, one apple, bite ...... ............'' Huh! It''s embarrassing! No, it''s not like that, okay? It''s not that I''m planning to do something indirect ............, you know? I was a little nervous because I''d never eaten it the way I did before. ...... But I felt like it was really good. ...... Actually, when I went to the forest alone after that, I bit into an apple in the same way. ............ It didn''t taste very good. It was tasty, but it was ordinary. I want to eat that delicious apple again. Maybe it''s because I feel like I can eat it with ...... Ladybug. ''Did you like the way he ate it? ''Oh,...... I feel like I''m doing something bad,...... I''m a little nervous, aren''t I? ''For God''s sake, don''t become a delinquent because of me. ...... A lot of people are going to be mad at me.'' I''ve been thinking about the ladybug being pissed off by ...... Jinetto-san and Estella-san, and it''s starting to make me crazy. ''......''. It was sudden. Ladybug-san held her head and let out a short moan. ''Ladybug-san! ''...... No, I''m fine.'' ''But ......''. ''Hey, think of all the angry people you''re going to ...... have to deal with.'' Oh ............ I felt like I was being confronted with reality. The ladybug was fighting hard next to Miri, who was getting carried away on her own. ...... ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ...... I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ............ ''It''s okay, don''t look at me like that. See?'' The ladybug''s hand gently stroked Miri''s hair. The big ladybug''s hair ornament sways. ''I''ll remember you. I''ll remember you all. said the ladybug softly. It was probably for Miri and the others, for everyone around them. ''Hmm......, I believe ...... that it''s going to be alright. Ladybug-san doesn''t know Mirii''s name now. If he can''t remember, he''ll ...... forget about Mirii. I couldn''t help but squeeze my hand. And then-- ''It''s okay.'' --That''s all she said, and squeezed ...... my hand back. That was enough to make me feel ...... okay. After that, Miri and I walked without saying a word until we reached the forest. We didn''t say a word, but I was thinking a lot about ...... ladybug. When we reached the forest, the ladybug was still trapped in the insectivorous plant. ''d*mn it, that thing!Why is he always after me?What the hell did I do? ''Oh, you know, ...... ladybug, you have a habit of touching things near you when you walk, ......'' ''No, that''s because. If there was ivy in front of you, you''d move away, right?'' ''If you move away, it will be eaten. ''It''s a trap! ''It''s a trap! Oh, ......, you didn''t notice? That''s how they prey on you. ''If I''m born again, I''ll be a creature that eats insectivorous plants! ''Well, ...... you don''t have to be born again to eat them, right?Do you want to eat it? ''I don''t want this sickening stuff! Aww ...... ladybug contradicts herself ...... Kusu...... But the sulking ladybug is kinda cute. If I had a younger brother, would he be like this? ''Oh, I feel like I''ve got a sister I can rely on. ''Mmm ......, aren''t you a big sister? ''Most of the people I know, the younger they are, the more solid they tend to be. ''Umm...... that may be true, but ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. On the other hand,......, Rejina and others should be a little more ...... robust,......, right?I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. For Miri, it was a familiar forest path. This is the third time for the ladybug. But the ladybug had noticed something strange before her. ''Ringo ......, you''re not growing. ''Yeah, ......'' We arrived at a little open place where apple trees were growing in clusters - the place Miri and her friends called apple square, but ...... Ladybug was right, not a single apple was growing on the trees. But as Ladybug said, there was no apple on the tree. ''Oh, ......'' ''Is it because of the climate?It was raining this time last year, wasn''t it? ''Yeah, maybe .......'' There''s not much rain this year. The guild leader said that although Allbloom has a climate that doesn''t change much, it has a delicate balance that helps food grow, and if there''s not enough rain like this year, there will be a crop failure. But ...... I was shocked ............ to see that none of them were growing. I came here with the ladybug, but ...... If I could have let him eat that apple, ............ I would have thought that Ladybug would have remembered Mirii. ...... Because it was so delicious. ............ ....... It''s getting dark in front of my eyes. ............ I wanted to cheer up Ladybug, but ...... I wanted to cheer her up, but ............ I guess Miri is ............ useless no matter what she does. ...... ''Okay, I accept your challenge! ''............What?'' Suddenly, the ladybug pointed to an empty space ............ and said, "Are you pointing at the forest?I''m going to be loud in that outfit. What is the challenge ......? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. So this must be a challenge from the forest, "Don''t be satisfied with the same thing as last time. ''From the forest ......? ...... Interesting. Miri, I never thought of it like that. I wonder how Ladybug can think like that? If I could think like Ladybug and see the world from the same perspective as her, ...... I''m sure I''d see a much, much more vivid view. Hmm. I''ll take the challenge. I''m going to imitate the ladybug again and say it. ...... I feel a little stronger now. ''So, what are you going to do? ''We''re going to find it!If we can find something that tastes better than an apple, and we can eat it together, mission accomplished! ''Wow,......, that sounds fun! It''s like a treasure hunt, it''s so exciting. Let''s go look for it. ''Yeah!Let''s race to see who can find it first! ''What?A race?'' I''ve never heard of such a thing. And yet, the ladybug was already running. Oh, ......, that''s not fair! ''Wait, ladybug! I rushed after him. ............ ''Ha-ha-ha!I''ll try to catch up if I can. Right in front of me, Ladybug-san was preyed upon by ............. ''d*mn it!Why is it only me? ''That''s why, ...... ladybug, you''re touching plants all over the place, ......'' ''...... Um, please help me ............ sis.'' ''Hmm. I got it, little brother. The ladybug is still a little cute when she''s ''shun ......'' with remorse. I can''t help it, I''ll help you. ...... Mmm. Then we walked a little further into the forest and finally found a cherry tree. ''Cherries? ''They''re very different from apples, aren''t they? ''No, no, they''re both in the rose family. In a broader sense, they''re related.'' ''You know your stuff, ladybug. ''Hmm! ''...... but it''s a lot different from an apple, isn''t it?'' ''...... Well.'' What I found were two cherries. They were hanging together, connected by a thin branch. They looked like ...... ''Oh, ......''. ''Hmm?What''s up?'' ''Uh, yeah. It''s nothing.'' The sight of the cherries reminded me of the plate that Noma-san made for me. Two birds eat the cherries that are still connected to each other. ...... ''Well, let''s split them in half. So said the ladybug as she tried to pick the cherries. ''Wait! --I couldn''t help but stop him. ''What is it?Can''t you eat these? ''Yeah, ......, no, I mean, ............'' Oh, ......, what should I do. I''m so embarrassed. But ...... ''Well, it''s a challenge to eat together, so ......'' ''Eh......, like this?'' Knowing what Millie was trying to say, the ladybug picked the cherries off the branch. ''And ...... this way? Then he lifted up the connected branch and brought the cherries between himself and Mirii. ............ Huh. ...... I''m nervous. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m so nervous that my face is red, ...... and my voice is so strained that I can''t speak at all, ...... but... It''s not too early to start kissing, but you want to feel closer to the person you love. It''s still too early for that, but ............ I''m sure it will be very delicious when we eat together. I promise you, it''s delicious. Don''t forget about today. Please don''t forget about Mirii ...... and don''t forget about ............. ''I''m ...... just coming .............'' Put your face close to the cherries. Then, the ladybug''s face will come closer from the other side. Piiiiiii! I try to hold back the urge to run away. No! It''s a challenge. Before Mirii could hesitate, the ladybug put her mouth on the cherry. One step closer to nibbling. He''s looking at me like he''s kissing a cherry. I''m going to approach this,............, aren''t I? I''m going to ...... be choking. Calm down ...... soo ...... haha ............ Slowly approaching. It''s like kissing, face to face ............. Ladybug''s face is ............ red, huh? What''s that? ...... Ladybug is embarrassed, too. When I thought that, Ladybug suddenly looked so cute. ...... ''Yeah! I made up my mind to bite into the cherries. I ate the connected cherries together, just like the bird on Noma''s plate. I was ...... much, much more nervous than an apple. ............ I was so nervous I didn''t know what it tasted like. As soon as she put the cherries in her mouth, her embarrassment overtook her and she jumped back. I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... My heart hurts. ............ A few hard cherries roll around in your mouth. I can''t ............ see the ladybug''s face. ...... ''Oh no, ...... this is indeed ............ nerve-wracking.'' The ladybug''s voice made my ears turn bright red. Did I ...... overdo it a little? I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. I''m not. I''m not. ............ Because this is ............ a way for the ladybug not to forget about Miri,......... ... I''m not going to forget you now. I''ll never forget about Miry. ............. I turn my head. Then I saw a slightly red-faced ladybug with a shy smile on her face. ...... ''Well, I was so nervous about the cherries themselves that I didn''t know what they tasted like at all.'' Says the same thing that Miri was thinking. ''Hmm ...... Mirii too''. I was told not to say my name in front of Ladybug-san, but ............ it''s okay now, isn''t it? I''ll say it as many times as I can so that I never, ever forget it. I''ve been told to keep my life as normal, but it was still difficult. Because the ladybug is already in Miri''s daily life, and that''s the norm. She''s finally back to normal. But now... ''Well, I didn''t get a good taste, so I guess I''ll come back for something else. ''What? Next time: ...... I''ve made a promise for next time. ''Hmm!I''ll come with you next time. Really, Ladybug, you''re always making what I want to happen happen ...... That kind of ladybug, Miri, is ...... ''Oh, seed ......''. Then the ladybug groped her breasts. Did you ...... drink them?Cherry seeds. Miri''s are still in her mouth, but it''s ...... embarrassing to peck at them in front of the ladybug. ''See? ''......What?'' The ladybug holds out her palm upwards. Oh, yeah, ...... ''peck''? ugh...... ugh............ challenge. Today is challenge day. ......! Yeah! ''...... peck''. Place the seed in the ladybug''s palm, trying not to drool on it. ............ and. There was a different seed on the palm of my hand than the one Miri had released. A seed I''ve never seen before. .................. What?Is this the seed of a parasitic demon plant? ''Oh, no, ...... I got the seeds of the demon grass, so I thought I''d show them to you. ......'' ''Sneeze!I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I removed the cherry seeds and rubbed the ladybug''s palm. I''m sorry for making you dirty, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! I don''t want the seeds to germinate here, so I''ll just take them back to ............. I have to wipe off all the drool! ''Millie.'' ''...... Huh? ''I''ll never forget what happened today. ''Forget it! Not only my face, but my whole body turned red. My face and heart were so warm and hot. The sound of the ladybug''s voice laughing, ''Hahaha'', was both pleasant and embarrassing to my ears. ...... Eat cherries and feel closer to ............ me too much. ...... But thank you for remembering me, ladybug. I still don''t know much about love or romance or anything like that. ............ But you know what, ladybug? I thought that I love you very, very much, ladybug. 230-Memorandum 8 Norma The sound of metal hitting metal. It''s loud enough to drown out all the sounds of the world. I wish it would drown out everything, the sounds of the world. ''......, Norma!You''re Norma! A voice interrupted the hard sound of metal. I''m grabbed by the shoulder. I turned around and saw the familiar face of a workmate. ''What is it?Don''t talk to me when I''m working!It''s common sense, right? ''No, no. Not at all. That iron''s already dead.'' When I looked back at him, I saw a bent piece of iron lying in front of me. It''s a rough, distorted, dull, blackened scrap of iron. ...... Did I make this? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... A bearded man with a tearful expression on his face. He raises the muscles in his arms and wipes the corners of his eyes. Don''t cry, you big man. ...... You''re such a pussy. ''And I''m ...... about to leave.'' ''Hmm?'' ''Oh, my God.'' He pointed at my chest. When I looked down, the top half of her breasts were exposed. I looked down and saw that the upper half of her breasts were exposed, but they were ''barely hidden'' and in a very delicate state. ''Well, I guess it''s inevitable that you lose your clothes while working! ''You''re too loose. We''re here too, so you have to be careful. Norma, you''re about to get married.'' ''You''re so annoying!You don''t count as a thing! ''A word of advice from a fellow maiden. ''What kind of a girl are you? I''m not going to be lumped in with this bearded muscle, I''m going to ...... cry. ''If you don''t put it away soon, someone will be attracted by your breasts and come to take a peek. ''What? In an instant, the blood in my body boiled. ''Don''t say unnecessary things! ''Yea~n! I couldn''t help but raise my voice. ...... What are you doing, I''m... ''...... I''m sorry.'' ''No, I''m fine. But ...... I think you should go home for the day.'' ''But ......'' Even if I go home, ...... I can''t stop thinking about it. About Jashiro. He''ll forget about me. I can''t! My heart is going to tear ............ apart. After the gluttony contest... I thought it was inevitable that he was going to leave the city. If it was his own decision, we had no right to interfere. We had to accept it. Even if we are far away, if he remembers me once a year or once a decade, I can live with that. But ...... It''s not like Yashiro wanted it to happen this time. I can''t stand the thought of ...... the demon plant eating my memories and making me forget all about you. You can''t bear it! ''Norma-chan......'' ''...... I''ll get some rest and get back to work. ''Norma-chan! ''What?I just want to work! ''Not that, .......'' ''......? ''If you don''t put your breasts away soon, ............ someone''s going to see them.'' ''What ......? I looked at the entrance and saw ...... ''Jeez, ......''. Yashiro was peeking at me with very serious eyes. ''Yashiro!What are you looking at? ''Your boobs. ''Don''t be so sure!Or rather, don''t look at them! She hurriedly straightened her bosom and ran in front of Yashiro. Who would really be attracted by breasts? You know, Yashiro. He''ll never change. It''s not going to change. ...... I''m not sure what to say. The ...... face twists involuntarily. I''m not sure what to say. ...... I''m not sure what I''m doing. I really don''t know what I''m doing. ...... ''...... I feel like my chest is going to burst. ''I feel like I''m going to burst! I''ve always felt like I was going to burst! That''s why I always wear loose-fitting clothes! Enough. I''m calling it a day. ''Excuse me!I''m going to leave you alone for now! ''Yes, sir!I''ll take care of the rest...'' Your colleagues wave at you smilingly. You''re a real softy. And you''re a meddler. ''Are you sure you want to do this? ''I don''t care. I couldn''t be bothered with you anyway.'' I gulped as I said it. ''I, what are you talking about, ......? ''No, you''re not!You see, that''s not what ...... is for. I know there is no point in trying to make a lame excuse to Yashiro. I know, but you can''t just sit here and not mend your ways,......, it''s embarrassing. ''Oh, you always come here for the tits,......, and you''re worried about that disease! ...... This is not happening. It''s too much, I''m ...... ''Then you may need to recuperate. ............ I want to lie down with a breast pillow! ''It''ll get worse, that''s for sure! But Yashiro always does this to cover up his mistakes. He makes ...... a comfortable place to be. That''s why I''m ............ I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do.What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? ''Nothing, nothing, nothing. No, no, no, no. What are you thinking?Right in front of him. ''Oh, by the way, it''s almost lunchtime! As I said that, the noon bell rang over the city as if I had timed it just right. ''Oh, ......, that''s great, your stomach clock. ''Ha, it''s not a stomach clock!I know it by feel, when I''m working! I''m not trying to be a picky eater. ...... I''m not that kind of woman. ''Do you have any plans for lunch? ''Well, ............ it would be nice if there was a good cook somewhere who could make me lunch. ...... Gee~'' ''Kufu ......, if you''re begging, do it a little better.'' I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. I''m not sure what to do with it. He pretends to spoil me, but he always lets me spoil him. That''s why I love Yashiro. ............ I''m not sure what to do. I bang my head against the wall to shake off the evil thoughts. ...... I think something''s wrong with my head. I''m not sure if the heat from the furnace has damaged my brain or not. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to eat. ''...... But first, I''d like to put a bandage on your forehead. ''This will go away if you spit on it.'' ''Right. Well then, .......'' ''Wait! Yashiro sticks out his tongue and approaches me. ''I''ll put it on myself!Don''t lick me, not here! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ......, Yashiro... You''re joking too much! ''............ "here"? ''--?You''re wrong about ''here''. Oh, no, no, no, no, no! What''s wrong with me?I''m sorry! ''Anyway, you should come to my place!I''ll make you something.'' ''Oh!I''m looking forward to it...'' Yashiro said in a light tone and followed me. Is all this casual atmosphere going to disappear?If you forget me, ...... Yashiro...... don''t forget me,....... I''m not sure what to do. As soon as we arrived at the house, Yashiro lay down on the floor in the living room. I''m glad you''re relaxing,............, but that statement is a little ...... embarrassing. ''...... s*x''. ''No, that''s not what I meant! No!Yashiro, you''re such a jerk! Why would I do that ......? I''m not sure what you mean. I''m not sure what to do. ...... No, this is more like ............ I''ll be back. You''ll have to wait a little while. ''Oh, I''ll be waiting patiently.'' After saying no, I began to prepare lunch ...... while I began to change my clothes. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, Yashiro. ''Oh, it''s ready,............, what are you doing? When he went to the living room with the food, Yashiro''s eyes widened. I went to the living room with the food and Yashiro''s eyes widened. ''That''s a cheerleader! That''s the outfit I wore for the big eating contest and it was well received. It''s a costume that I''m proud of and that Yashiro praised. He gave me a lot of clothes. I''m sure he likes this kind of stuff. He wants me to wear all kinds of clothes. I''ll wear anything if I want. I''ll wear it and show it to Yashiro. ...... So, I want you to remember my name, ....... Come on, Yashiro. Eat well. There''s plenty more where that came from. ''Oh, ...... no, I''ll eat, but ...... why the cheerleader? ''I''ll cheer for you! The choreography we came up with together is still etched in my body. The cheerleader cheer that Yashiro was so happy to see ...... will be performed now, just for Yashiro! ''GO! GO! GOa??FIGHTa??WIN! Put your arms around your body, raise your legs high, put your feet together and jump high! After ......, the bowl of soup fell over. ''Oh hey!Don''t go crazy at dinner time! ''Aah!I''m sorry! I hurriedly wiped up the spilled miso soup with a cloth. It''s hard for a cheerleader to show her true colors in a small place like this, if it''s ......! ''I''m going to go wash the rag! '' and leaves the living room. Cheerleaders don''t belong at dinner. So now ...... ''Sailor suit! When I returned to the living room to change my clothes, Yashiro surprised me with a ''puff! I was surprised to see Yashiro flicking pickles at me. Hmmm. In terms of impact, it''s a success. ''...... Why the sailor suit? ''You wanted me to wear this, didn''t you? ''No, well, ......''. It''s the dress Yashiro gave me as formal wear when the Lumberjack Guild branch was completed. I wore a different dress to the party, so I''ve only shown you a little of it. I''m sure you must feel like you''re getting a bargain with the premium. ''Come on, Yashiro. I''ll feed you.'' I sit down next to him and pick up his chopsticks. Cut the boiled fish into small pieces and bring them to Yashiro''s mouth. ''Here, it''s ''aun''. ''Oh, hey, .......'' ''Don''t be shy. It''s okay, once in a while. See?'' I lean in closer and try to be a little sweet. I''m sure Yashiro will indulge me like this. I know it''s not fair. You''re taking advantage of Yashiro''s kindness and selling him our favor. I know. ...... I know, but ...... this is all I can do. I know, I know. ...... I know, but ............ this is all I can do. ''Come on, I''ll give you a quick ''ahhhh''. ''No,......, just be normal. ''This is normal for me. ''If it''s ......, you''re stepping into some dangerous territory, aren''t you? Excuse me? I''m not in any more of a hurry than I was before just because I saw Wendy''s wedding! That''s not what this is about! Oh! The word ...... marriage flashed through my mind for just a moment, and I ...... got upset, and the boiled fish fell off my chopsticks. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I''m not sure what to say.Hurry up and take it off. You''ll get a stain.'' ''Yeah, I guess so! I can''t believe I''m staining the clothes Yashiro gave me. ...... I hurriedly took off my clothes before ...... I was stopped. I''m not sure what to do.Don''t take your clothes off here! I''m sure you''re right. She panicked, flailed, and rolled out of the living room. It was a close call,......, and I almost did it myself,....... It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... You''re a little different from other men. Okay. I''ll dress up in something more striking to please Yashiro! I''ll change my costume again. ...... to the secret "thing"! This is the strongest impact! The first time I wore it, Yashiro was so happy. ............ I''m not sure. As soon as I entered the living room, I felt a piercing gaze on me. That''s right, that''s right, you''re not going to look, are you? You love swimsuits, don''t you, Yashiro? I''m going to wear the monokini swimsuit that I got when I was playing in the river and strike a pose that will make men swoon. This will make Yashiro very excited. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this at ............. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... Oh, what? ''I''m sorry, I''ll say it one more time, ...... just be normal.'' ''Yeah, but... You don''t like it, do you?Like this?'' ''No, I like it, but!But in my heart, I''m so excited! in my heart! Hmm... You are? That''s right, that''s right. ''But if you dress like that when we''re alone, ............ things will be awkward. I''m a guy too. ......'' ''--? That''s right,......, that''s right. If Yashiro were to get into that ...... kind of mood, .................. yeah, It''s certainly ...... not good ............. I''m suddenly embarrassed,............, what am I doing in my own living room? ''Oh, ...... no, that ............''. But I want Yashiro to be happy. ............ ''Hey, do you want me to give you a lap pillow or something? ''You''re going to kill my self-control! Aah! What a shabby outfit, if you look closely! ''Huh,............,......, it''s normal, isn''t it? ''If that''s the case,......, then you have a very disappointing personal life. Oh, ...... why can''t things go the way I want them to ...... If I could get around like Yashiro, ...... Yashiro wouldn''t forget about me. ............ ''Well, you know. Let''s get some food. I understand how you feel.'' ...... You understand how I feel? Hey, Yashiro. I''m not sure if you''re really going to say something like that. You call me ...... "you", but ...... Not once did you call me ............ by my name. ............! ''............ hmm ............ hmm... ...'' I don''t know what to do. ...... I don''t know what to do. ...... There''s nothing I can do. ............ My heart is heavy, and I can''t find my footing. ...... My knees relaxed and I slumped down. My buttocks flattened against the floor, and I felt a cool ............ sensation that pushed me over the edge. ''...... Huh! I can''t stop crying. What am I doing? I''m dressed like an idiot, spinning around on my own, ...... even Yashiro is disgusted with me. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to get rid of it. ............ ...... There will be no place for me in Yashiro''s life! That thought made me even ...... more scared. ............ ''......Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! It''s a shameful, disgusting thing to do. ''......Yasane............Yashiro......Forget it... .........'' I don''t know when I became so weak. We met occasionally, worked together, and talked about trivial things. We used to have such a common relationship. Since when did Yashiro become such a big part of my life? ...... I don''t want to be liked by Yashiro. I don''t want that. It''s just. I just want to like him. I want to feel for him. That''s all I want. That''s all I want. ............ Please don''t deprive me of that right. ...... No matter what you think, it''s ...... too sad that I''m not in Yashiro''s heart! I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what to do. ......... demon grasses and ............ memories ...... ......'' I was anxious, scared, ...... and lonely. After crying so miserably, I hit Yashiro and ............ felt so miserable. But I couldn''t help it, my heart was worn out. ............ I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you.The Obeyashiro I know is a great man, he can do that easily! I couldn''t help shouting. All the anxiety and loneliness that I''d been suppressing in my heart and ignoring, all because of my vanity, came pouring out in a torrent of tears and I couldn''t stop them. I heard the sound of Yashiro softly approaching me. If you don''t cover your tears, they''ll flow incessantly. I wiped my eyes again and again and listened to the rustling of his clothes. Softly, a hand on my head combed my hair with the gentleness of handling a broken object. The palm of my hand touches my ear, and for a moment my body reacts ...... with a jolt of embarrassment, and my cheeks grow hotter and hotter. ''Don''t worry, .......'' I hear a quiet voice in my ear. ''I''ve remembered everything. Yashiro''s voice flowed into my ears, spreading through my veins and into my entire body. The gentleness fills my brain and travels down to my arms, legs, and every corner of my body. ''...... Don''t cry anymore, Norma. Now--my whole body is filled with yashiro. ''............Oh, that''s ...... it! Yashiro crouched behind me and stroked my head. I turned around and there was Yashiro. I can''t stand the thought of it. ...... ''Yashiro! I turned around and jumped on him. Yashiro called my name. I hadn''t realized how happy that made me. I''m so overwhelmed that I fall down, but I don''t care. I cling to Yashiro''s chest and press my face against his chest. The smell of him fills my lungs. ''You''re late, how long do I have to wait?Idiot!You idiot!You idiot! ''I''m sorry, .......'' ''You don''t look like you''re sorry. Yashiro called me by name. He''ll never forget me. I can''t let him forget me. Ah, ......, Yashiro wasn''t defeated by the demon plant after all. That''s right. That''s the kind of man I know, Obayashi. It''s okay. See?I''ve got the seeds. So it''s time to go to .......'' ''Just a little longer! Once I knew I was okay, ...... it was strange ............ that I wanted to spoil him even more than before. I wanted to spoil Yashiro as much as I could now. I''m not letting you go. I''m not going to let go of this warmth, not even for a second. For now, just for now, ...... Yashiro is for me only! ''I won''t let you go until you call me ''Norma'' a hundred times! ''Yes, .......'' ''Don''t complain! ''Well, ............ tits, tits, tits ......'' ''You''re calling my name! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. So, call me by my name. .................. ''......''s swimsuit is hitting my tits so hard, Norma, is that okay?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ............ I look back at my figure. It''s a great way to get a feel for what''s going on in your life. ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do with it. ''Don''t look at me! ''That''s why I was so kind to tell you! ''Ahhhh, no!I can''t get married! ''...... No, it''s probably my fault. ......'' ''Did you say something? ''...... No, it''s nothing.'' Oh, God!Yashiro, already! ''I''m going to go change, I''ll have some food! He stood up hurriedly, checked his ...... buttocks with his fingers to make sure they were well hidden, and hurried ...... out of the living room. After you leave, stretch your neck again and look into the living room. ''...... I''ve got plenty of refills,'' he said. ''Oh. I''ll take my time.'' Seeing Yashiro raise one hand makes my heart feel warm. This is a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. And ............ I''m sure you''re hoping to monopolize him one day. I don''t want to be an understanding, mature woman anymore. ...... You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. 231-Remembrance Part 9 Regina ''Ho, ho, ho. Take care. Take care of yourself. He sees the goatman''s wife off to the store and bows his head in a faltering manner. ...... really. Business is not really my thing. Recently, the number of customers is gradually increasing. I don''t need to tell you why. ...... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... Why don''t you just buy the medicine? Well, I suppose this is an extravagant concern. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask your doctor. ...... It''s also difficult to hire someone to be a salesperson. You need a person who is knowledgeable about medicines, who can react flexibly based on their own judgment, and most importantly, who we can care for. ............ ''There''s only one such person in the world ......''. But that one person is never going to be my salesman. Well, ...... if that person were to come to my store, I would ask him to become the owner instead of a vendor. ...... ''Hahaha ...... that''s impossible''. He''s not going to choose us. On the contrary, ............ ''He might forget about us ...... even today.'' My chest tightened up ....... ...... Haha. It''s really funny ............ that we still have such maidenly feelings. ...... It''s funny, really. ...... ''............I hate it''. I looked around for my friend Dusty, but I couldn''t find her anywhere. ...... Oh, maybe it''s because I had a customer earlier. ...... I took off my glasses and plopped down on the counter. I can''t ............ do anything ...... wrong today. ''I''m closing up for the day. When I muttered this, the voice of that man replayed in my brain, "No, you''re closed every day. You''re very sick,......, and even your imagination is focused on him,............. ''Stupid ......, it''s doing great business. I''ve had two customers come in today and I''m at the end of my rope. ''You''re not strong enough. ...... He sounds just like him in his little snarky way. You''re a great reenactor, my imagination. ''Oh, I wish someone good-natured and dependable would marry me off~'' In my hometown, the act of forcing such a bad debt on someone can be charged with fraud. ''Who''s a bad debt? Who''s the bad debtor? If you do your job right, it''s not hard to see. ''You only spend about six minutes a year doing it right. ''Six minutes?Are you trying to make me die of overwork? ''...... Can''t you even last six minutes? And don''t die, just for doing your job. You''re right. ...... Oh ...... that''s nice. It''s always fun to talk to him, delusional or not. ...... If we can talk like this, fantasy or not, ............ we might be okay. Even if he forgets me, ...... Yeah. Even if he doesn''t come to this store anymore, it''s just ...... back to the old days. There''s nothing wrong with that. "Hey, ......, you delusional person. ''Who''s the one with the daily delusions? ''I am! ''I''m the one!'' ''You can''t say that with confidence, .......'' ...... You''re thinking of something stupid, I am. What is this conversation? You can''t do this with anyone else. I guess I''m ...... special. ...... I guess so. ...... So, at least ...... ''I''m a little depressed right now. ...... Are you trying to comfort me? It wouldn''t hurt to indulge in a little delusion. Since he''s not here anyway, ............ he may never come here again, ...... ''............. It''s ...... really ............ a little hard .......'' I hope you''re lying. I''ve become so weak myself. And the reality that he''ll soon forget me. I may not be able to say this as someone who abandoned my home and ran away from everyone, but ...... I''m afraid that I''m going to lose my place in the world. ............ I''m really scared. ''Ahoy......Makusa''s Ahoy......Our Ahoy............'' But the stupidest one is ...... him, who is almost losing his memory of us because of the parasite of demon grass. ''Ahoy ............ big ahoy ............ ahoy tits... ...'' ''That''s the first rant I''ve ever heard, isn''t it? He sounded dumbfounded, annoyed-- ''...... eh''. A soft, gentle touch falls on my head. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. ............ delusional ......? Look up and look around you. There is no one in the store,....... I can''t see anyone. ''What the ............ heck, there''s no one there after all. That''s great, my imagination. I thought it would only affect my hearing. I thought it was just hearing. When I was thinking that, the hand that was stroking my head was getting stronger and ...... started to squeeze my skull as hard as it could. I''ll be back. ''Put on your glasses. What? ''What the hell!What the hell?You''re affecting my sense of touch too much, delusional man! I''m sure you''re not the only one with a headache from too much paranoia. ...... I''m finally at the end of my rope. ............ I''ve always been at the end of my rope! ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. Suddenly, the world becomes clear. The glasses jumped on my face by themselves. What the hell? Is my imagination starting to exert physical influence? "Now, turn around. I followed the voice of my delusion and turned around to find ...... him standing there. ''............''. ''Do you understand? ''......My delusion finally reached my vision. ............'' ''Accept reality.'' ''Ahh!'' A smack on the forehead. The one who was there was definitely not ...... supposed to be here, it was ...... him. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing.How long have you been ...... in this place? ''No, we''ve been having a conversation! ''I was having a conversation with you and my imagination!Don''t you dare interrupt my conversation! ''Wow, ......, you''re getting really unreasonably angry with me right now. Did you hear that? I''m not sure what to do. Aah! Oh, no! ''Come on, you!You''re tired, right?There''s a drug that can seriously damage your brain right now, take it. ''Who would take such a poison? There are things you want to forget, after all, you''re human! ............ No, there are more things I don''t want you to forget. Well, you know, ......''. He taps me on the head and sits down in the chair behind the counter. ''It''s because of this that people supplement their fantasies. And then, with that ...... cheating face that you sometimes see, the one that is so indescribably gentle and ...... all-encompassing, you say something like this. It''s probably not going to happen. ............ Idiot. I''m sure you''ll be able to take responsibility if I cry ...... for saying that. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had this problem. ......The truth is, I''ve had fantasies of having myself come to my home, so I''m not too happy to hear that it''s not going to happen. ......... ...I''ll just thank you for your thoughtfulness in trying to cheer me up. ''Then, as I was fantasizing earlier, "I''m horny as hell and I''m thinking, ''Hey, you''ve got great tits, let me squeeze them! You''re not going to be able to make that happen, are you? ''I''m already horny from the very first ''horny''! ''Show me your round-bottomed flask! ''I won''t!What kind of old man are you? ''My Yakken is drawing powder! ''I don''t have a part of me that moves that fast! ''I''m going to all bloom you tonight! ''Shut up already, you! ...... hahaha. Oh, that''s so cool. ...... I wonder... Why does it make me feel so calm? ''I don''t know, let me make you some tea. ''Oh, do me a favor and leave the weird medicine in your hand here, will you? ''Don''t worry. It''s not like it''s any kind of weird medicine. ''What kind of medicine? ''The kind that puts you into a deep sleep for about three days. ''Isn''t that a strange medicine? ''It''s just a drug that will put you into a deep sleep where you''ll never wake up no matter what they do to you, no matter how much and how wet they make you. ''What are you doing, man? ...... what do you do ......? It''s obvious. Even if you forget me, you have to make sure that I never forget you. Sleep with your warmth in ............ your bed. You can use your arm pillow or something. It''s ...... stupid, isn''t it, me? I''ve been thinking about doing that. Well, I don''t think you know that. ''...... Oh no. I''m getting horny. I''ll go make some tea. ''Don''t leave any disturbing remarks, .......'' Leaving him with a twitching face, we entered the back ...... of the store, a residential space that no one was allowed to enter. From here on out, no one but me is allowed in. ''......The smell of spices. For what it''s worth, the smell of home is comforting. I doubt I''ll ever return to that town again. I was so immersed, so immersed, so immersed in my drug research that I ...... failed. Because of my inherent shyness and tediousness, I neglected to do my due diligence. We''ve been surrounded by enemies. Enemies who want to destroy us. Enemies who want to use us. Enemies who deny our very existence. There was no place for us in a city full of enemies. We were hailed as the geniuses of the century, we were feted, we were used ...... and we were used ............ But still. But even in a town like that, you still miss it. The reason why I buy spices like this that have nothing to do with medicine is ...... probably because of the Baokurian blood that flows through my body. I can''t let anyone see me like this. The truth is, ...... is a weak woman who doesn''t know where she belongs and is desperately clinging to her past and present, using them interchangeably. I don''t want anyone to know that. And they also don''t want to know that you''re a woman who can''t clean. The deeper we go, the more we lose our footing. And he''ll take it home with him. ...... Hmm. ''No, that''s not true. I can''t help but laugh at my own stupid imagination. The genius of the century must be defective as a woman. She can''t clean. She can''t cook. I can''t dress up nicely, I can''t be kind to my husband, I can''t do anything. The only thing I can do is to have stupid conversations with him so that he doesn''t get bored every day. ''...... Who would choose such a woman? I''ll be tired in five minutes. You''ll be tired in five minutes. What man can stand ...... a lifetime of that? I wouldn''t. I''d probably run away ............ and never come back. That''s ...... true. No one would come to a place like this ...... if they didn''t have something to do. ''Oh no. I''m sighing. He threw away the tea he had made with a sigh and made it again. They''ll think I can''t even make a good cup of tea. I can do this much. I don''t know. I''m done wallowing in my own stupid fantasies. Let''s enjoy this special time, which may be our last. ...... is a powerful plant that is imbued with magical powers. It''s not something that people can just psychologically control. I''m a pharmacist. I know there''s no such thing as miracles. When you''re in a bad place, you can''t do anything. ''Even if I forget, ...... I''ll never forget. I''m not going to forget. ......'' For the first time in my life, it was me who thought, ''I don''t want to lose it. My hometown, my family, my memorabilia, my nostalgic scenery, all my money and goods, my familiar tools of business, they will all be gone when they are gone, and I can''t help losing them. But ............ I just can''t ............ I don''t want to lose the only one who is special to me. ...... ''............, Akan''. I let go of the tray with the tea once. The pungent taste is transferred. ''What the hell,......,'' he said. Lately, my tear glands seem to be getting clogged up. You need to get a grip. You''ll be thought of as a badly behaved woman. ............ What the hell? I said this lousy gag, so don''t laugh at me. ...... You should be laughing like an idiot. ............ Why are you almost crying? ''............ I can''t. You can''t show your face like this.'' If they see you like this, they''ll really get tired of you and think you''re a pain in the ass, and never come back. ............ What? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. What the hell. I don''t know. ...... I don''t understand. ...... ''...... You''re an idiot. You know what I mean. When I denied myself, when I denied myself and I didn''t know myself anymore,......, my mouth spilled out the words that I thought were probably my true feelings. ''I don''t want to be forgotten. ...... From now on, we can continue to talk ...... together like we have in the past, and talk ......... about stupid things. ...I want to have a crush on you ............ on my own, of course. What the hell is this? ...... I''m not sure if that means I''m a woman too. I thought I had nothing to do with love and romance. ...... Oh, God!I''m so angry! I put a love-love aura in your tea! ''I love you so much, ahoy! ...... There we go. All right, let''s go! You leave the kitchen, walk through the spice lined hallway, and come to the store. --and. ''After you eat, drink the water cold. Take your time, okay?'' He''s serving a customer. He carefully teaches some little kid how to take his medicine, pats him on the head, and sends him on his way. ''Oh. You''re late. I had a customer, so I sold him some medicine.'' ''You''re looking good. I wish you worked here.'' I joke about it, with a hint of wishful thinking. ''I''m expensive. ''Well, I guess I''ll just have to pay with my body. ''......, you''re going to have a lot of debt, aren''t you? ''Oh, I''m the one who''s getting paid, huh? It''s a hard world we live in. Well, no man would be happy to have that kind of relationship with me. ''Here, manager, let''s have some tea. ''When I become the manager of this store, I''ll make it mandatory for all employees to wear mini-skirts and bikinis on top. ''Yeah, I''ve never seen ...... my own mini-skirt bikini.'' ''Am I going to have to wear that too? ''The manager is one of your employees, isn''t he? ''...... You''re an a**h*le. That''s why they''re so smart. He grumbles and sits down on a chair in front of the counter. I put the tea on the table that doubles as a workbench and sit on the chair behind the counter. The distance between us is less than two meters. It''s a good distance. ''Hmm, this tea is really good. ''Phew! You say after taking a sip. That''s why I''m so horny. Because ......, you know? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you get through the day. ............ Well, I guess it doesn''t matter, but ...... ...... I''m a little embarrassed. ''Have you ...... lost the strength to drink tea? ''No, a**h*le!I''ve just been in a bit of a weird, no, erotic, ...... place.'' ''Why did you rephrase that?Why did you rephrase that? I''m embarrassed. I''m embarrassed. Oh, God! Why should I be so excited just because someone said the tea was good? You really should get over yourself. Tea, tea. Just put the leaves in and pour hot water! A monkey can do that. I don''t want any praise for that. ...... I always wonder how your tea tastes. It''s smoky and crisp.'' Maybe it''s because of the large amount of spices on display. The air in the place must be like that already, I guess. ''I like it, I like it. Your tea. ''What? ...... This man is ............ You don''t know how much that one word can kill. ............ He turns his head away, turns his head away, and says a series of words to diffuse the enemy''s attack. ''Well, well, I guess we all have at least one skill. But other than that, I''m like a defective woman who can''t do anything~ hahaha. What would you do?What would you do if you ate only tea for dinner every day?Your stomach would be full and you''d be masturbating every night.Oh, I see. I guess I like that kind of play too... I guess my mania is hair removal... Who''s the girl with all the hair?My hat is off to you, my hat is off to you! If you say stupid words and diminish their killing power even a little, they will shoot you in an instant. Well, it''s really tiring to deal with an unaware man. ''What''s wrong with you? Go to ............? ''It doesn''t matter if you can''t cook or clean, it''s nothing to worry about. It''s just a matter of being able to do it. If you treat people as defective because of that, then you are the one with a defective brain or heart. What ...... are you doing? Why are you a little angry? ''Well, I''m just saying that ...... men want that from women, don''t they? ''So I''m a defective man?I don''t have any muscles, my strength is weak, and I''m afraid of the streets at night. ''That''s not true. No one is looking for that kind of thing in me. ......'' ''Neither do you.'' ''............What?'' He still stares at me with a slightly unhappy look in his eyes. But the tone of his voice is somewhat caring and ticklish, tickling my eardrums. ''It''s okay for you to be you. No one is going to ask you to cook or clean anything. ''......, that''s right. I''m not needed by anyone. ......'' ''You''re going to be angry.'' ''............''. It was a rather serious ...... I couldn''t say anything anymore. He slowly stood up and approached me. His face is ...... a little scary ............. He put his hand on the counter and leaned forward to look into my face. Surrounded by the wall, the counter, and him,......, there is no escape. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, ignoring my need for you. You need me. ......? ''I hate it when people say bad things about things I like. Even if it''s you.'' Do you like ...... us, ......? ''You''re fine the way you are. Don''t make me say it again. My ............ are you sure you want to do this? Slowly, his face slips away, and he turns his back to me and returns to his chair behind the counter. ''...... I''m grateful, you know. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the market. ...... ...... You''re not good. It''s really bad. It''s evil. ............My heart has been completely pierced. ...... I''m about to cry. I''m not sure what to say.You''re in love with me, aren''t you!You''re in love with me!I know, I know!I can''t complain about your looks and style, so I guess I can''t help it. If you want, I''ll go out with you! Oh no! What are you talking about? What are you talking about? You''re too busy for that! ''...... No, that''s fine. ......'' ''What''s with that pissy face?I''m not sure what to do. Thank God! That turned out to be a good laugh. But that''s annoying, isn''t it? ''I think I want to stay like this for a while longer. You lie down on the table, relax your body, and say something like that. Stay as you are: ............ That''s true. I like this distance from myself a lot too. You can talk about anything you want, you don''t have to talk about anything you don''t want, it''s just you and me. ''Oh, ......, I like it here. It''s so relaxing. ......'' ''............'' You don''t even look at me, you''re all covered up and you say things like that. Stupid ...... thing you just said was a critical hit. ''Tea''s gone. I''ll get you another cup.'' ''Hmm~. Please...'' Maybe it''s because you''ve been rushing around all morning, but you seem to have gone into full relaxation mode. Just as well. ...... I can''t look at his face right now. I took his teacup and headed back to the living space. I want to stay in the present. ...... So don''t forget about ...... me. It''s pretty hard not to be called by your ............ name, even if you''ve said so many things. Oh, ...... that reminds me, I haven''t called you by your name. I''m not sure what to do. But ...... now, I kind of feel like calling you ............. ''............Yashiro''. What a name! I''m too embarrassed to call you by your name now! The best I can do is whisper it in a low voice that you can''t hear at all! Now, stop being an idiot and let''s go make some tea! And when I stepped out... ''Hmm?What''s up, Regina?'' --What the hell? Why did you hear that? And ...... why are you remembering my name at this time! ''............! Oh no. I thought it was a lie that you cry when you''re happy, but ............ it''s true! ...... I can''t let you see my face like this! I don''t want to do this today!I don''t think I can make a good cup of tea anymore! Putting the teacup on the counter, the relaxed palm ............ forced him to stand and pushed him out the door. ''Hey!I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''We''re closed for the day! ''It''s still early afternoon! ''It''s always midnight in my heart! ''It sounds like it''s obscene time all year round, when you say that! ''Ah, let''s close the store and do something indecent! ''You should learn to be a girl! Hmph. What are you talking about! ''I''m sorry. I have someone who says, ''You''re fine just the way you are! and pushes him out and shuts the door quickly. "Hey, Regina! Leaning against the door, you listen to his voice. "Regina! ...... one more time. Did you call me by my name just one more time? "...... d*mn. Then the voice trails off. ...... I guess it''s not enough to just think it. "Regina. I''ll be back. I''ll be back. ''............ Hello, there.'' The sound of footsteps fading away. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It''s ...... not good. I''m really ...... too evil. The last thing you want to do is whisper your name. ............ You''re going to fall in love with her. ''...... This is not good. I can''t look at you for a while. ............'' I hid my red hot face with my hands and crouched down alone in the store where his scent lingered faintly. Oh, ...... God. I''m on my last legs. 232-Remembrance 10 Paula ''Hey, Dad!Six more hexenbiest sausages! Even though it was past noon, there were still many customers in the restaurant. Even after the dizzying busyness, there was still not enough time to take a break. ''Welcome!Please take an empty seat! This ''Irasshai-mase'' is what Yashiro told me to say. In the past, customers sat at their seats without permission and asked for their orders when called. But when you say "Welcome", the customers look a little happy. I think such small impressions are very important. Yashiro is well aware of such things. ''Hey!Beer! Yes, thank you! He takes the money, returns to the counter and pours the beer. In the meantime, the hexenbiest sausages are cooked and placed on the counter. Carrying all the sausages, you run through the crowded restaurant. On the way, he uses his tail to intimidate the hands of an insolent drunk who tries to touch his buttocks. I wonder if all ...... men are like that at all? ...... By the way, Yashiro was also very interested in my tail at first. ...... You''re so naughty. I''m going to forget about all of that ......,......, aren''t I? ''Hey, nechan!This is not right! ''What?...... Oh!I''m sorry!You had beer, didn''t you? Hahaha. Don''t, don''t! Don''t be absent-minded at work. ''Yes, six hexenbiest sausages are waiting for you! ''No, no, no!Two hexenbiest sausages over here! ''Oh, no!I''m sorry! The customers laughed. ...... Ugh. I can''t do this today. ''It''s unusual for you to make such a mistake, Paula. ''Well, this is going to be a special day. I get such teasing words and smile fondly at them. The truth is, I''m so anxious I feel like crying. I want to see Yashiro: ...... I want to see him, be near him all the time, and talk to him all the time until he remembers me properly. I don''t want ...... to be forgotten like this. ............ That''s not ............ good. ''.................. I can''t. I have to take down the plate.'' I''m feeling down again. I can''t be like this. I''ve got to get my work done. When I went to take down the empty plate, ...... my hand came up to my butt again. I''m trying to do my best, even though ...... people are feeling blue, but ......! I''m telling you, no! I smacked the outstretched hand with my tail as hard as I could. How''s that?You''ve learned your lesson. ...... ''Hmph!You got it, didn''t you?I was actually aiming for the tail! Suddenly, he grabbed me by the tail and gave me a ''Fluffy Fluffy Fluffy! He grabbed me by the tail and gave me a ''fluff! ''Aaaaah! You chikan! Defeated! ''What? I hit him in the brain with the tray I was carrying. With full power, without hesitation! ''............ ouch''. ''Of course you do!Pervert! ''What the ...... hell, I''m just kidding.'' ''......What?'' The pervert who was sitting there was ............ Yashiro. ''What ...... are you doing to ...... me?'' ''Hmm?It''s a chikan, though? ''Don''t be so quick to affirm a criminal act. ''Well, I thought you might let me off the hook if you''re so busy. ''Of course not! God! God!God!Oh my God! I was so worried that I was going to cry. ...... Why are you here for a chikan? ''Yashiro likes the tail too much! ''No, because... It''s just that your tail is so cute. ''What? ''-Huh! ...... and the hairs on my tail stood up. It''s cute. ............ What,......, did you think that way? I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. If you''re a ......, you can let him pet you for a bit. .................. What? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine.You can''t do that! ''Yeah. I''ll be careful next year.'' ''I''ll start taking care of it now! ''I''ll be careful tomorrow. ''From now on! ''I''m going to start taking it seriously tomorrow.'' ''Of what!Chikan''s!'' He readied his tray. And Yashiro guarded his head with his arms. I''m aware that I''m saying things that will make you angry. ''Well, more importantly, what''s wrong?Are you hungry? ''No, I''ve already eaten. ''............, you can eat at my place. ''I can''t afford to lose money to a rival restaurant so easily. ''I go out for cake sometimes too, don''t I? You know, Yashiro. He''s a bit of a cheapskate in places like this. Can''t you say something like, ''I''ll order ten hexenbiest sausages to see Paula? ''I didn''t come here for food today, I came here to see you. ''What? ...... me? .................. wassup. Woof woof. Oh, my tail is acting up again ......! ''Oh, um, but I have ...... work to do. ......'' ''Hey!Are you ready to order? ''Yes, sir!I''m here! Why are you ordering at a time like this ......! ......Mmmm, it''s a bar, of course. ''Oh, um, ......Yashiro......'' ''Okay. Go ahead. Customers are the treasure of a restaurant, right?'' ''But ......'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll be watching you work.'' Can you watch and ...... me? ...... Wassup, wassup, wassup. ''Tail. You''re shaking so much.'' ''Shh, it''s because I love my job!God! Why do you say such insensitive things? The tail moves on its own, so the gentleman''s manner is to pretend not to see it! d*mn it!d*mn it! ''I''ll be back soon, so you''d better reflect on your behavior before then! He said sternly and headed for the customer. He glanced back and saw Yashiro waving at him. ...... He said he''d watch me. ...... wander around. All right, let''s go for it! ...... Wassup, wassup, wassup. I took the customer''s order, took down the empty plate, and took the sausage that my dad cooked. ...... Okay. All done. I hurry to Yashiro''s place. ''So, how''s it going? ''Hmm?Hungry?I think I''m a little ...... hungry.I was just smelling this.'' ''No, not that. ......'' ''Aye!I''ll have another beer!'' ''............'' ''I''m calling you.'' ''I can hear you! Oh, God! I wanted to ask you about your memories of Yashiro, why are you ordering now? Do you really need that much beer right now? ...... Well, we''re here to drink beer, so we need it, don''t we? I''m sure you need it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. On the way, two more beers were added, and an order for hexenbiest sausage and big bacon was placed. ''Dad, two hexenbiests and one big bacon! The quiet father nodded humbly and started to cook. ''Oh, and!And a new hexenbiest sausage! Dad raises his hand as if to say, ''Okay. It''s not ordered, but it''s ......, right? It''s on me. While my dad is cooking the sausages, I''m running around the restaurant getting orders for drinks. When the sausages were cooked and the orders were delivered to the customers, I had a little more time. ''Yashiro, here! ''Hmm?I didn''t order that.'' Yashiro rolls his eyes, and I give him an earful. ''It''s on me. This time, Yashiro puts his mouth close to my ear and murmurs quietly. ''Is that okay? --I''m sorry. ...... whispering. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. Ugh. ...... ''Oh, um. You know, you taught me that before, right?Apple chips. It''s a sausage made from them.'' Before. When there was a bug riot in Cantalucia, Yashiro told me about a new kind of smoking. He said beech and apple chips would change the flavor. I''ve been experimenting with it and just the other day I finally finished a new product. I haven''t served it to customers yet, but I plan to do so tomorrow. ''Because Yashiro is the first customer. Eat it.'' After saying that, I let go of his face and Yashiro beckoned me to come over. Ugh ...... one more time? When I brought my face closer to his, Yashiro whispered more clearly than before. ''Thank you. Thank you. ...... wassup wassup wassup! Phew ............! ''Don''t worry about it!It''s, you know, it''s a thing!Yes!Thank you! I couldn''t bear to look away. What is it? I don''t know why Yashiro''s voice gives me the creeps. Even now, something is tingling down my spine. ......! ......! ''Hmmm!I''m sorry, but it''s really good! Yashiro groans as he eats the new hexenbiest''s sausage. Isn''t that right?Isn''t it delicious? What''s it like? I''ve done a lot of research! ''There''s a slight scent of apple. ''Faintly. I think only the Inu and Yashiro will notice it.'' ''No, don''t put me in that category. Because Yashiro is more sensitive to taste and smell than my father. The Inu people want to make sure that Yashiro is a special case. ''But we haven''t decided on a name yet. ''Shouldn''t it be called a hexenbiest sausage (apple) or something? ''No, you can''t do that!It''s a trade secret that we use ...... apple chips.'' ''...... Don''t tell me, then.'' ''Don''t worry about Yashiro! Yashiro told me, and I''m sure he''ll guess after one bite anyway. ''But I want to sell this apple-like aroma. ''Well, how about we just hide the fact that it''s an apple and call it a fruity sausage? What the...?I like that!Hey, can I use that name! ''Yeah. All right.'' ''Yes! We''ll keep the apple a secret, but I can explain the new sausage. Yashiro, great!I knew it! Oh, my God!I really want you in my house! If Yashiro were to come to my house, ............ me and Yashiro would ............ ...... wassafubu wassafubu wassafubu wassafubu! I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry.You''re tail is going to be a big deal! ''What? I panicked and held my butt. ...... Why are you moving so honestly, my tail? ''Do you like it that much, fruity sausage? ''Huh?Oh, yeah. That''s a great name! ...... Good. You didn''t find out, did you? ...... but. I really hope you''ll think twice about ...... coming to my house. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro ............, are you interested in ...... a restaurant?'' ''Oh, what?Do you want me to go into it? That''s ...... right. That''s how you''d react. There''s the sunny pavilion. ...... Ahhh ...... I envy you Jeannette. I also wish I had ...... treated Yashiro to grapefruit juice when he asked for it ......... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ...... shun. I''m not sure what to do. I ...... don''t know what I''m thinking. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Hey!Another beer! I''ll have another beer! ''Hey!I''m back! Another order came in, ...... and this time, I thought I was being a bit helpful. ''Well, I''ll be back. ''Okay. Oh, and if you''re free, get me a drink too. ''What would you like? ''I''ll get one later. You guys don''t want to keep me waiting, do you? ''Mmm-hmm. Okay. I''ll see you later. I give them a small wave and run off. I''m really busy. In the past few months, we''ve had a sudden increase in customers. There''s the collaboration with the seventh branch of the Sunda-mari-tei, the food court in the 41st district, and the lunch for adults. More and more people got to know the taste of our sausages and came to eat them. In addition, with the construction of the city gate, many people from the hunting guild and lumberjack guild have come and gone. ...... At one point, I really thought about shutting down the store. Just about a year ago. The heavy rains ruined the vegetables in the 42nd district. ...... Food prices skyrocketed to unbelievable levels, and all of our restaurants were badly damaged. Ten or twenty restaurants were not enough to consider closing. I was ............ prepared to sacrifice myself if it came to it. ......... ... Yashiro stopped me, though. He told me to take better care of myself. ............ That made me happy. And it was also Yashiro who saved us from the depths of despair. At that time, we were just customers and waitresses who didn''t even remember each other''s names. ...... Yashiro took us seriously. In order not to raise the price of the restaurant''s food, they held back their own food and sent all the food to the restaurant. ............ I was so hungry I felt like I was going to collapse... ......... That''s when Yashiro gave me a taco. I''ll never forget the taste of those tacos. I''ll never forget the taste of those tacos. ...... After Yashiro brought everyone together and made the peddlers'' guild stop cheating, the 42nd district changed a lot. After the sewage system was built, the main street was freed from unpleasant smells. I really wonder what Yashiro is. The old folks in the neighborhood say he''s a messenger of the spirit god. Theron and others call him "Hero-sama". But ....... I''m sorry, but Yashiro is not like that. He''s got a bad eye, he''s sometimes unfair, he''s basically a cheapskate, and he''s very naughty. And yet, he''s smart, he knows everything, he notices every little thing, he''s ...... kind, and he''s ............ a little bit weak. Yashiro is Yashiro. He is not a messenger of the spirit gods or a hero. Yashiro is a special boy named Yashiro, more amazing than any other. I''m so in love with ....... Yashiro is a kind boy who''s always close by. He''s not that special. So it''s ...... okay if I like him, right? Right, Yashiro? He''s always been there for me when I''ve been in trouble. Like during the bug riot. Other than that, he''s always, always, always ...... When I glanced at Yashiro, he was looking at me. I''m not sure what to make of that, but it makes me feel a little happier. ...... Wander around. I''m sure he''s watching me. He''s watching me work. I think I''m the cutest when I''m working. Because it''s challenging and fun. A girl who works hard at something like that is definitely cute. That''s why I''m happy. I''m glad that you''re looking at my cutest part. Aaaaah ......, I hope you''ll like me somehow. As I was taking down my empty plate, I looked at Yashiro again and he was making some kind of gesture. What''s that? I want to rub my cheek against your tail ...... wagging ...... cute ............? Oh my God! f*ck! Oh, no!I''ll stick my tongue out and cover my tail with a tray. That''s it. I wonder why Yashiro is so naughty. I''m sure he''ll touch your tail all the time if you get married. When you go to bed at night, or when you wake up in the morning, he will ............ touch your tail. ............ ...... I''m sorry. The hair on my tail stood up like never before. --The hairs on my tail stood up like never before...waggle, waggle, waggle! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. That''s right, I''d be happy if that happened. ......, I''d be happy. ............, but ...... He forgot my name. Oh ...... no. You can''t look like this ...... when Jashiro is looking at you, you can''t look like this. You have to be strong. ...... I finished my work and went back to Yashiro. I have to get rid of my gloomy face and be my usual cheerful and cute Paula-chan! ''Do you know what you want to drink? I couldn''t ask her what she wanted earlier, so I asked her. Well, if it''s Yashiro, it''s definitely fresh juice. ...... ''What do you have to drink? What? Liquor? Because, Yashiro. You don''t drink alcohol. You don''t drink. ...... You want something unusual? ''We have wine, ale and beer. And Yashiro gives a little thought. ...... Huh? This scene ...... somewhere ...... ''Do you have any soft drinks? Oh! Yes, this ...... ''Grapefruit juice or grape juice?'' With the help of my memory, I say the same words I said then. ''Grapefruit juice, then. And the words came back just as I remembered them. That''s right. This ...... was the first conversation I had with Yashiro. I remember it because I read it back in the Conversation Record every once in a while, but ...... Yashiro remembered it too. ...... Oh ...... I''m glad to hear that. ...... I''m kind of glad ....... ....... I like this kind of joke, don''t you, Yashiro? Then ...... let me remind you a little further. I held out my hand with my palm up. ''20Rb! ''............What?'' Yashiro''s face turns serious. ''Grapefruit juice is 20Rb! ''E............'' Yes, yes. Yashiro, you made this crazy face here before. That''s when it hit me. ''Sir. If you come to my house with the intention of running away for food, my father won''t shut up about it, okay? He flashed his canine teeth and smiled at Yashiro. This is the kind of smile that repels bad customers, right? I came up with it and practiced it a lot. If you make this face, most of the cunning customers will run away. But Yashiro... ''I''d rather be bitten by you anyway. ''Huh? ...... No, you didn''t say that at the time, did you? ''Come on, where would you like to be bitten?Your arm?Or your leg?'' ''Eh, no. ...... Wait, wait, ......'' ''Or .......'' As he says this, Yashiro pulls down his collar to expose his collarbone. ''...... your neck?'' ''--Huh! Pfft!And his face turned bright red. There''s no way I could ............ bite her neck. ''Oh, my God!Don''t make fun of me!If you don''t have the money, I won''t give you the product! ''Then buy me another drink, like you did that time. ''I don''t want to! ''Well, what do you want to bet on? Bet: ...... That time I made a bet with Yashiro. And he made me eat a bowl of mango and a glass of grapefruit juice. ''............ fine''. I''ll take your bet. In return, ............ ''If you can say my name, I''ll buy you a drink. In return, ...... don''t forget me. I remember so much. I remember so, so, so much about you, Yashiro. You know what? Every day before I go to bed, I think about you, you know? I wonder if I''ll see him tomorrow, if I''ll be able to talk to him. My mind is filled with thoughts of Yashiro, you know? I''m the only one who remembers so much ............ and Yashiro forgets it all ......... It''s just too sad. ......! So, hey ............, call my name. I want to hear it in Yashiro''s voice. ...... ''...... Come on, say my name.'' Yashiro is looking up at me with a look of difficulty on his face. ............ You really don''t know, do you? ...... Yashiro. ''......If you don''t understand, ............just go home, ......''. I''m sure I''ll ...... cry. ......I don''t want you to see me cry. ............ ''......Okay.'' Yashiro said quietly and stood up. .................. I see. I don''t have my name ...... for a minute. ............ Your gaze naturally lowers. My shoulders and head are heavy ...... and I nod off in place. The world is being filled with darkness. ............ ''......this bet''. A voice close by ...... breathed in my ear. ''I guess I win, Paula.'' ''--Huh?'' I looked up and saw Yashiro''s face right in front of me, ''What? I''m not sure what to do.What are you panicking about, me! I leaned against Yashiro''s chest as if I was going to fall on him. ''Oops. Are you okay, Paula? ''Did you remember your name ......?'' ''Yeah. Just a minute ago.'' ''............ What? If you remember, tell me right now. ......, you idiot.'' In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ...... idiot. Stupid Yashiro. I was very anxious ...... and very, very ...... scared! ''I''m sorry. But it''s okay now.'' On the back of my head, a gentle touch ...... of Yashiro''s hand caresses my head. And in the palm of the other hand is a small seed ............ of a magic plant? ''s?This will never ...... happen again.'' And then, when I''m completely off guard, ...... ''I''ll never forget Paula.'' He whispered that in my ear. Phew! The hair on my tail swelled to the largest size in my history. ...... wassup, wassup, wassup!I''ll be back! Oh, my God!I can''t stop wagging my tail! I''m so embarrassed ...... embarrassed ............ but I''m so happy ......! But only for now. ...... Only for now! I''ll be back. I jumped on her neck and hugged her as hard as I could. I don''t care if my tail is wagging! It''s only for now! ''Paula, ......, your tail''s in trouble! ''Oh my god!I told you not to say anything, but ............ it''s okay, for now! ''No, but ......'' It''s okay! It''s my punishment for making you worry! Just shut up and let them do this to you for a while! ''...... Your tail is wagging so much that your tail-hole is expanding. ............ You''re panting.'' ''What? I jumped back in panic and covered my tail with my hands. It''s also ............ too~! ''Don''t you dare say something like that!Yashiro''s an idiot! I''m sorry. I''m going to serve you grapefruit juice, the most sour kind! You''d better brace yourself! Thank you for remembering me at ....... Yashiro. 233-Remembrance Part 11 Natalia Miss Estella has been holed up in her office all morning. She is absorbed in her work as if she is possessed by something. ...... It must be hard for her if she doesn''t do that. It must be hard for you if you don''t. It must be heartbreaking to think about that. I understand. ...... I feel the same way about ....... ''Head waiter. We found a leak in the bathroom and a missing part.'' ''Then repair it immediately. ''Do you want us to call the Torbek construction company? ''We can do that ourselves. Our money is the people''s money. We will not allow it to be wasted.'' ''Yes, sir!Then I would like to borrow about six waiters. Six. ...... That''s a lot. Can''t we do something about it? ''All right. Take the gatekeeper with you. I''ll stand at the gate instead. ''Yes, sir! In the past year, the finances of the Forty-Two Wards have grown by leaps and bounds. We no longer have to struggle for money, endure hunger, or wallow in the shame of not being able to show off as before. But still. My life has become easier because of you, Master Yashiro. I can''t waste money. I want to repay the favor. To do that, I must be able to work when Yashiro needs me. Money, people, ......, and me personally. I will always be ready to help and provide whatever you have in mind. That is my way of returning the favor. ''Hmm ......, before you know it, it looks like there are now two masters. Standing at the empty main gate, I let my cheeks relax. I feel embarrassed for myself, and my cheeks relax again. If only Yashiro were to become the head of this family, then everything would be all right. ............ It''s probably ....... It''s unpleasant. What is it? What is it? What should I do with this feeling? ...... ''.................. flattened''. It''s probably ....... I''m a little relieved. It''s a strange word, ''flattened''. Let''s use it in the future. Hmmm... ...... I never thought I''d think this about Estella, or even say it to her face. ...... I have been in the service of the Creamona family since my great-grandfather''s time, and followed my mother to the service of the previous lords: ...... I met Estella when she was so young that she couldn''t even speak ...... I was convinced that ''my life is to protect her''. Even though I was still inexperienced, I learned the job, and while I was protecting Estella, I was also healing her. ...... I felt that I was in a blessed environment. However, right after my mother passed away, ......, I honestly thought that I would never make it. My mother, who had been organizing the waiters, was gone, and the ...... deputy head waiter at the time, who was good at his job but had no ability to motivate people, collapsed the ...... control of the museum. It was said to be the most serious crisis in the history of the Cremona family, and it was a terrible situation. At the same time, his predecessor''s health deteriorated. ...... The one who took on the heavy responsibility was ...... Estella. She acted stoutly, encouraging everyone by saying, "It''s going to be all right. ...... And then she selected me, who had been by her side since I was a child, to be her right-hand man as head waiter. I had to protect Estella-sama, who worked so hard with such a small body, at all costs. ...... I took a somewhat forceful approach, but managed to organize the servants. Even so,...... the 42nd district has always been on the brink of ...... collapse,...... ''I''m surprised ...... you''ve been able to change so much. ......'' The road in front of the museum has been beautifully redesigned as a street leading to District 41 and beyond. Glowing bricks are placed on both sides of the road to light up the darkness of the night. Sometimes, I suddenly think. ''Is this really the Forty-second District? ''Could it be that all of this is just a dream I''m having?'' ...... It''s a dream of escaping reality,......, where I''ve worn out my physical strength through overwork, worn out my mind through heartache, and finally collapsed from the fever. But. The history leading up to this point denies it. Nothing has suddenly changed. I understand that the changes were sudden, but they were the result of a steady, step-by-step process. It was last year, around the time of heavy rains, that Estella started to change: ...... She started a new guild called "Garbage Collection Guild" which makes no sense.Delicious!It''s cute! They also negotiated with the sea fishing guild to take care of nets entangled in seaweed. ...... At first glance, you might think that he had become desperate, but his outlandish behavior increased ......, and one day, I finally learned the reason. ''How dare you keep secrets from me for so long, that flat-chested ......''. Feeling a little annoyed, he turned his head towards Estella''s office. ''Petanko! I send her a reminder of my exasperation in a voice that will barely be heard. I hope this will shorten the distance even a little. ''...... Get along, you guys.'' Suddenly, I heard such a voice, and when I looked back in surprise, I saw ...... Master Yashiro standing there. With a half-amused look on his face. ''We are on good terms. It''s as good as it''s ever been in recent years. ''And you''re ''Petanko''?'' ''We''ve become so close that we call each other by our real names.'' ''...... Since when did his real name become ''Petanko''? ...... ''That guy'', huh. It was hard to believe, but ......I knew that Yashiro-sama had forgotten Estella-sama''s name, ............and my name, And my name too. ''Please wait a moment. I''ll be right with you. Estella is currently at work. But I''m sure Master Yashiro''s business will take precedence over anything else. Matters concerning Mr. Yashiro are of the highest priority to you. Let''s make the arrangements quickly and finish the matter quickly. Mr. Yashiro''s business ...... is probably trying to fix his memory so that he will not forget you. I don''t know how long it will take, but ...... I don''t know how long it will take, but if you don''t hurry, it won''t be my turn. ...... I believe you. No matter the strain on your body, no matter the pain you experience,...... you will be remembered. As you have always done in the past. ...... You''ll show us the future we want. I believe so. We can take our turn much, much later, if you like. I bowed and was about to leave the room when... ''Oh, no, it''s okay. --Mr. Yashiro stopped me. When I looked back at him, he looked a little embarrassed,...... no, somewhat embarrassed. ............ No way. No, no, no, no, no, no. But ...... I''m expecting it. I''m hoping, but I can''t ...... say that out loud. I''m just going to take my position and follow in Yashiro''s footsteps. ...... ''......What do you mean by "good"?'' I ask in a calm voice, straightforwardly. That''s the response Yashiro wants. He shows no expectation or anxiety, just a simple, matter-of-fact response. ''Now, I''m here to see you. ''So ...... is it? ...... I shouldn''t. We can''t be happy here. Lady Estella''s memory hasn''t come back yet. I''m sure there are others who are worried that her memory hasn''t come back yet. You can find them at ...... I''m sure that there are other people who are worried about the fact that you haven''t regained your memory yet. ............ because your turn came early, and ......... because you came before the Lord. ...Isn''t that the order in which Yashiro-sama cares for you?I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ............ I''m not sure what to say. ''Yes, ...... I don''t mind that kind of honesty in you, but ...... you should know your place.'' What? I was so upset. I shouldn''t have done that. Ever since I met Yashiro-sama, ...... I''ve been envious of his free way of life, ...... and I''ve been dazzled by it ....... I''ve always admired him. ...... ............It''s contagious, isn''t it? ''I''m sorry. The bacillus has spread throughout my body and it may be too late.'' ''Don''t blame the people. And don''t say ''fungus''.'' I never thought ...... that there would be people who could talk to each other like this. ''Do you still not remember my name? I ask, straight to the point. Apparently, he doesn''t like to take the long way around. Ever since I met Master Yashiro, I''ve been discovering new things about myself, and I''m constantly confused. ...... ''You''re so straightforward. ''Are they tits?I beg your pardon. Can''t you see these magnificent curves?'' ''I don''t know how I got that way ...... in the past year.'' Mr. Yashiro seems to think I''ve changed, too. Is it that obvious that I have changed? ''You''ve always been rather large, haven''t you? ''Yes. That''s not the point, that''s the point of the conversation. You''re wrong! ''I don''t ...... believe it was that serious .......'' ''Can you please stop using your boobs as a barometer of your health?Because there are times when we''re not talking about boobs.'' ''The genie''s ......! ''I''m going to squeeze you, you bastard! ''Ah, so it is Yashiro-sama. I''m a little relieved.'' ''I''m starting to get worried about your future .......'' This kind of conversation would probably be considered ''trivial'' by others. But for me, ...... ''Hmm ......'' It is a very enjoyable time for me. While I''m doing this, I can monopolize Master Yashiro''s heart - that''s what I think. More than anything, it''s proof that Yashiro hasn''t forgotten me. ''You mean Yashiro-sama has something to do with me, don''t you? ''Ah. Well, it''s not that I''m here for business, I''m just here to chat. ''Really? ''Yeah, ...... your thoughts go very far away, snatching what I''m looking for. I''m sure you''ll never get tired of being with me. Just as I feel that way about you. ''So, do you mind if I give you a topic? ''Oh. Did something interesting happen?'' ''Actually, my master heard a rumor that ''if you rub it with baking soda, it will get bigger! As a matter of fact, my master heard a rumor that ''if you rub with baking soda, you''ll get bigger!'' and brought a quantity of baking soda into the bathroom that was obviously not right, and as expected, it clogged the drainpipe. I don''t care about this annoying episode. ......'' ''Is there anything you want to mention about your Lord being embarrassed by something that doesn''t matter? ''Not really.'' ''No. ......'' I don''t care about that kind of everyday stuff. I just wanted to tell you. It''s more like ...... ''Do you remember?Do you remember the day that Yashiro-sama and I first met? ''Ah. I''m pretty sure it was at ...... this place.'''' The main gate of the Cremona family. Yes. This is where I first met Master Yashiro. I was wary of Master Yashiro at first, visiting after dark. Of the highest order. Later, I saw him meeting with Estella. ............ ''Twice I thought about seriously stabbing him. ''Oh, that''s funny. I thought I might be killed four times.'' ''Don''t worry. I believe Master Yashiro will not be killed by poisoned rainwater. ''There''s no causal relationship between your trust and my cardiopulmonary arrest, okay?In addition, was there even poison in that rainwater? ''Ah, "poison" sounds bad, like ...... "forced termination drink".'' ''Yes, it''s poison. And it''s probably poisonous. ''But I''m still the head waiter protecting my lord. ''At that time, you simply didn''t like the man who approached him. ''No way!I was just genuinely trying to get rid of a suspicious man with fishy eyes! ''You''re going to cut my heart out once and for all, aren''t you? ...... Ah, what fun. When I''m face to face with Master Yashiro, words are born one after another and slip from my lips. Every time I do, my heart pounds and the world seems to be filled with happiness. It is truly a mysterious thing. At the time, I just looked at her as an enemy, as a bad insect that would get close to Estella-sama. ...... When did this happen? ...... The reason why I started to open up to Yashiro-sama instead of seeing him as an enemy is ............ ''--! My face got hot as I remembered. Yes,......, it had been raining heavily and I had been overworked,...... and I had fallen ill. And he saw through it and ............ put his hand on my forehead. ...... ''--Huh? ...... after a short pause. ...... ''--Huh? ''What are you freaking out about? It can''t be helped. You can''t help but feel an unspeakable, never-before-seen emotion welling up from the depths of your body. I don''t know what ...... it is, this feeling. Your cheeks naturally relax, but your eyebrows drop in anxiety. ...... I''m too embarrassed to look at you, but I really want to see your face ............. No, no, no!I can''t. I just can''t right now. Master Yashiro. Please remove the face and bury it. ''I wonder, your tirade is coming from an unexpected angle...'' You throw a word and it comes back. How ''special'' is that? For me, ...... As the head waiter, I wait and wait until I am called upon, I do not waste words, I only respond to what is asked of me. ...... That''s why you''re ...... You always give me what I want. If I talk to you, you answer me. Somewhere along the line, I began to search for the words to make you smile. What can I say to make you smile? What can I say to make you happy? What can I say to ...... make you look at me? Searching for such words has become a part of my daily life. ...... More than that, I have more time to think about the words you gave me. I don''t need a Conversation Record. I don''t need a "Conversation Record" to remember what you said to me. ...... Your words are always there in my heart, speaking to me over and over again. ''I''m sorry'', as if caring. ''Thank you,'' he says, beaming. ''Take care of it,'' with trust. Behind the scenes to help someone. Support. That''s what I do. Nothing makes me happier than to be counted on. ...... Even if it''s hidden behind something else. Even if they can''t look at me. ...... I''m ............ ''Hey. Are you blushing?'' ''What? There was Yashiro-sama''s face in front of me. I guess I was being uncharacteristically sentimental and didn''t notice ...... the approach. This is a great way to make sure that you do not get caught off guard. ...... I guess I let my guard down because I am Yashiro-sama. ............ It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. With a worried look on his face, Yashiro-sama put his hand on my forehead ....... ''--? ...... Ah, I must have let my guard down. This is ...... an emergency. I feel my pupils dilate. My whole body is sweating, my heart is contracting like crazy, and my breathing is ...... labored. The same ...... as that time. That time ...... when I opened my heart to Yashiro-sama, even if only a little, and ...... ''Don''t move a bit''. Then, just like that time, I put my hands on my cheeks and pulled down my lower eyelids. ...... He looks into my eyes and stares. Master Yashiro. I''ve said it before, haven''t I? I thought you were going to kiss me because you touched my cheek and stuff. Why are you doing it again now? And why do you make me think the same thing again now? ...... to me, who has opened up his heart far more than he did then. ''You''ve got a bit of a fever, after all. Do you want me to bring you some antipyretics? ''I don''t need antipyretics, just some disinfectant, please. ''......, didn''t you say something like that before? I don''t have a choice. If I don''t say so, you''ll be nice to me all the time, right? Wouldn''t you be worried about me and look at me like you''re protecting me? If you did that, I''d want to spoil you. I''m not as strong as you think I am. I want to jump into your chest right now and be selfish. ''Please remember me. Call me by my name. And-- ''If I''ve made you feel that way, please take responsibility and ...... kiss me. My carelessness may have come from wishful thinking. I did not allow him to approach me because I was careless,......, but because I did not allow him to contact me,....... You may have let your guard down because you wanted to. It can be a little forceful. It can be gentlemanly and smart. Or awkwardly, like a boy who doesn''t even know what love is. I want you to hug me. But you can''t say that, can you? That''s why I say joking things, you know. I look for words that will make you dumb, I do. I''m the head waiter. I''m the head waiter. I''m the one who supports and sustains. If I''m supported, I''m a laughing stock. ''Your fever is fine. ''Are you sure? ''Will you be using the Judgment of the Spirits? ''Haha. No.'' It is because I faithfully perform my duties as a waiter that he trusts me like this. What Master Yashiro wants from me is ...... the skill and consideration to do my job properly. Other than that, ...... ''You should take a break once in a while. I''ll go out with you if you like.'' ''............'' Do you really want to ...... ''...... Do you want to ruin me? Why are you being so nice to me? I don''t understand you. ''I can only find meaning in my existence by doing my job faithfully. Playing .......'' ''There are plenty of reasons to exist, you know. Interrupting my attempt to deny him, Master Yashiro gave me these words: ...... ''I enjoy being with you. That''s enough to make it worthwhile. ...... Ah, it''s ruined. No matter how hard you push on the brink, you''ll never be as good as this guy. Are you sure about that? I don''t know much about pampering, so I''m sure I''m not very good at it. You won''t know when to stop and you''ll be spoiled endlessly. ''Please don''t be too gentle. ...... makes me want to spoil you.'' See, it''s already getting out of control. He wants you to care for him. You want me to care about you, and that kind of obvious ulterior motive is evident in every word you say. And you, the perceptive one, noticed it and said ...... I''m not sure what to say. ...... You say that to me. You can accept me. ............ It''s a good thing you''re aware of that. So, I''m screwed. If I indulge now, ............ I''ll never be able to go back. I''m going to put my ...... head on Yashiro''s shoulder. Oh ......, I can feel the warmth of Yashiro''s body through my forehead. Slowly, you are patted on the back of the head twice. ...... overflows. You can''t stop it, ...... even if it ends up being ridiculous, ...... as if the supporters who should be in the shadows are stepping up to the center of the stage. Yashiro-sama ......, look at me, please. ''Remember me, ......''. Speak any words ............ to me alone, speak to me. ''Call my name ......''. And ...... if you can, ...... If you make me feel like it, take full responsibility and ...... kiss me ............ ''...... Natalia.'' ''--Huh? Remember me and ...... call me names. ...... ''I''m sorry for making you uncomfortable. Don''t worry, I remembered you. ...... Ah. I''m still no match for you. I always get results when I need them. ...... You remembered me. ...... You called my name ...... again, didn''t you? Just as I wanted you to ...... I was uncharacteristically elated and ...... a little bolder. I put my lips on ...... yours and ......... my lips on ............ yours. ... Bam! ''Hot! You wouldn''t believe it. Master Yashiro brushed my head away. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Not ............. That''s not possible, I. I can''t. I can''t. Just thinking about it makes my body temperature soar ten degrees. If you kiss me, ............ ''Mhhhhh! ''What''s the matter, Natalia? You can''t help it!This is unavoidable. You''ve skipped too many steps. I was just a shadow and you brought me out into the sunlight. He was watching me too. That''s all that matters. You can''t monopolize that. ............ There''s an order to things. There should be a procedure. ...... So ...... ''Master Yashiro: ......'' ''What is it? ''Let''s have an exchange diary! ''...... Well, that''s too much work, so I''ll pass.'' Oh, ...... that dumbfounded look on your face ............ is frustrating, but it calms me down. You''ll find a small seed lying at Yashiro''s feet. Are they the seeds of a demon plant? ...... Hmm. Now you''ll never forget me. That''s right. Let''s be content with that for now. So, just one last thing. ''Flattened! ''So, why are you agitated? ...... I turned my frustration at my inadequacy into an excuse to take it out on her, and slammed her into Estella-sama''s office. If that makes Yashiro-sama smile as usual,......, I''m satisfied with that for now. For now-- 234-Remembrance 12 Loretta It flies! They''re flying! The tacos are selling like hotcakes! ''Loretta-chan!I''ll take four tacos! ''Then I''ll take five!Loretta, hurry up! ''Ha-ha-ha!Stingy, stingy, stingy!Loretta!I''ll take ten! ''Hey, guys. Can you eat that many? ''''''Eat, eat, eat!As long as it''s made by Loretta-chan, there''s no limit! ''''It''s so uncomfortable that it''s all here! The main street of District Forty-two. Three incredibly strong men are writhing around, pretending to be cute. Frankly, I''m scared. ''They always buy only one thing...'' ''Today we''re buying a lot because my sister is here. ''Sis, you''re irresistible. ''Hey, sisters!What are you talking about?We''re just really hungry today, ......? ''Oh, oh!Yeah, yeah!I''m starving. ''It''s not like I want to eat the tacos Loretta made me while I''m munching on them! The men are embarrassed. Mumu...... is a bit cute. ''Then I''ll do my best to make them! ''Loretta!We lumberjacks, when we say, ''Let''s work hard! We lumberjacks, when we want to do our best, we put our palms on our hands and say, ''Pep!Pfft! When we say, ''Let''s do our best,'' we spit on our palms and sob! ''Hey, hey, hey!You''re not supposed to do that! ''No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ''Right?Right? ''''No, no, no! ''''Spitting is absolutely not allowed for hygiene reasons. ''''''I know, right~'''''' These old men are very cheerful. They once said to me, ''The reason you use the gate of District 42 is because you want to see me. That tickles me. It''s ............ itchy to be liked by people. Of course, it''s not that I don''t like it or anything like that, but it''s not that I''m trying to make a sale by playing into their hands, or that I''m getting carried away by their affection. ............ I''m not sure what to say. ''Ah, the neighborhood lady! ''Hi! ''Hello! It makes me happy to hear people smile at me like this. Because we are ...... We are originally from the slums. In the past, everyone looked away from us, even if we talked to them, they looked at us unhappily, and we didn''t have jobs. I did my best to put on a smile so that my younger brothers and sisters would not be treated unfairly when they grew up. I thought that if I worked hard, people would think that the hamster people were useful. But it didn''t work at all. ...... ''Yes, old men, tacos! ''Aaah!Sister, ahhh! ''Extra charge! ''Oh, no!You''re so clever! ''Of course!Hey, little sister? ''Yes!You''re right. ...... The reason why my sisters are laughing like this now, and why my brothers are being allowed to participate in a rather big job-- ''Hey. You''re doing a great job. ''Oh, ......! --''It''s all thanks to you, big brother. ''It''s me, big brother! ''Hey, big brother! ''I''m working hard, praise me! My sisters flock to their big brother. My girls love their big brother, regardless of gender. ...... of course. I''m the eldest, too. ''Come on, come on. Don''t keep the customers waiting. Customer service! ''Yes, sir! ''Let''s see how hard you work! ''I''m suddenly very motivated...'' ''It''s coming out, it''s coming out! My sisters start making tacos with great enthusiasm. Huh?I''ve got to do my best too! The males said they wanted to eat my tacos. ...... But since my brother is here,......, I glanced at him. When I looked at him, he must have sensed something, because he closed his eyelids for a moment and ...... his eyes widened.This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your money. ''Let''s see what you can do. It was a bit ...... strange to hear him say it with the air of a martial arts master. Then! I''ll show you!I''m a master of tacos, and I''ll show you my brilliant ......! When I tried to remove the seasoned meat from the taco, my chopsticks slipped and the meat fell out ....... I''m not sure what to do. ......You can''t serve something you''ve touched with your bare hands to customers. ''Ooh! I''m not sure what to do. ''You''re amazing, lady! ''You''ve got some nerve in front of your sister! Huh? ''No, no, no, no!This was an accident, I had no choice but to go to ......, ouch!I''m not going to let you pinch my cheek without saying a word!I''m sorry!I''m not a fan of this kind of thing. I''m not sure what to make of it. The ...... face is scary. And then there are the old men who stare at him as if to say, ''grin, Loretta''s half-crying face is soothing~'' ...... The face is scary in a different way. After that, I made the tacos that were ordered and left the rest of the customer service to my sisters, giving them a little time to talk with my brother. That''s my sister''s authority. It''s a privilege. It''s ...... time to play. ''Big brother,......, what do you think? Did you remember me? I wanted to ask you that, but I was afraid and I didn''t say anything. ''Oh. So-so.'' ''......?So-so?'' ''The quality of the finished product is fine, but it''s a little tricky. There''s still a lot of waste, you know.'' ...... What? Are you answering my question about my work? It''s not that, I asked you how you are! I don''t know. I didn''t know there were customers who came for you.'' ''Yes, I do!I have quite a few fans! ''A secret fan. ''Why are you hiding?Why are you hiding? I''d like you to declare yourself a fan! ''Idiot, you!What if I get bullied? ''I won''t be bullied! She''s everyone''s little Loretta! That''s not what I meant! ''''So, that ......, that ............ name, or .......'''' ''My sisters''?Don''t be absurd. You can make a list.'' ''Don''t be absurd! If I wrote a list of names of my siblings, it would be a book as thick as a blunt instrument. And before it''s finished, there will be more and more! ....... The fact that my brother is dangling the story means that ...... I''m sure he hasn''t remembered yet. I''m sure he''s doing it on purpose so as not to hurt me. He is a kind brother. ...... I''m a little sad, though. ''Hey ......''. I heard a gentle voice and turned my gaze ...... to see my brother looking at me. I think he might have seen my sorrowful face. ...... ''Don''t look at me like that, prickbearer. ''That''s not me!That''s defamation!I don''t have a nipple image! ''Osirina. ''It''s not my butt either! ''Osirina (ointment). ''What kind of medicine is this?It''s definitely a hemorrhoid remedy, isn''t it? ''That''s you.'' ''No, it''s not!All I''ve been doing is denying it! It''s starting to look like you''re playing this game on purpose to hurt me! You''re a terrible big brother! ''Puku~! ''Oh, that''s a cheek pouch. They''re really puffy. My brother is stabbing my puffy cheeks. It''s a puff. They''re not cheek pouches. It''s just a cheek. That kind of pecking won''t put me in a good mood. ...... Mmm. ...... This kind of touching makes me a little happy. ''Why don''t we have a little old talk? Old stories: ...... Talk about the past: ...... Talk about all the memories you have of me: ...... Will you try to remember me?Big brother...... ''There once was a Jizo called Kasajizo. ''Mwah!That''s the kind that makes you cry!I''m not going to listen to it today! When I hear the story of Kasa Jizo, my eyes swell up red for half a day. I cry. I''m at work, I can''t have that! ''I want you to tell me another story. ''Another story: ............'' ''You know, something you experienced with me, a memory, a memorable scene! ''.................. in particular.'' ''There must be something!I''m desperate to find it! ''Ah!Those rice balls were delicious. ''I don''t know when it was!I''ve eaten a lot of onigiri. Oh, no! That''s what my brother is always saying to me! He must have been amused by my reaction, because he laughed with his stomach in his hands. Mmm. He''s so mean. It''s ......, but it''s the same as usual, so I''m relieved. ''Maido-ari! ''Maidori! ''Madori! My sisters seem to be enjoying serving customers. They won''t be allowed to work until they turn nine. The younger children, who are all in the single digits, want to be nine years old as soon as possible. Until then, they will only be allowed to help out at the church or the Sunken Pavilion. That is, cleaning, weeding, and so on. So, when they turn nine and get a job, they work hard. And at the age of twelve, they can get a more advanced "technical job". When they reach this age, they are looked up to with respect. You are the object of admiration. You are a senior citizen. This is even more so because the number of people over twelve is still small. And I, the eldest, who will turn sixteen this year, am a full-time waitress at the Sunshine Pavilion! I''m the main member! I''m at the level where Magda and I can run the store together! It''s amazing! I''m ......, but I''m not respected much. I''m sure it''s because my older brothers and sisters pick on me and my younger siblings copy them. ...... Mmm. ''You seem to enjoy working. That''s all I''m good for. My brother is staring at my sisters with narrowed eyes. Really, he''s like a real big brother, with overprotective eyes. ''We didn''t even have a job until a year ago. It wasn''t just the lack of work. We had no money, no hope for the future, nothing. My brothers and sisters didn''t look so happy and smiling. To protect their home, they dug pits, strengthened their bodies, and carried noisy weapons to "eliminate the enemy. ...... But now, they are working for the people, holding sticks and carpentry tools in their hands. As an elder, I am very happy to see this change in my younger siblings. It''s all thanks to you, big brother. Because my brother called out to me, ...... because he saved my brothers and sisters, ...... because he protected us, we are here now. Because of the present, the future is open. That''s why my future is all about my brother. Even if my brother forgets me, ...... I''m ready to live for him. I''ve already decided. My brother has given me an unbelievable, unbearable, and immeasurable amount of happiness. Now I''m going to return the happiness to my brother. No matter how many times I have to start over from scratch. No matter how many times I have to start over from scratch. Even if I become a worthless person to you. ...... ''Hmm?What''s up? ''Nya,....... In fact, Pau ......, the sign girl of the store there is in a strange good mood, and she is staring at you, thinking that something good must have happened. I''m a liar. My heart and my mouth say different things. ''Oh. Then you''re talking about fruity hexenbiest sausages. ''Fruity?That''s interesting! We''d talk about trivial things like this. As long as you keep smiling and laughing, you can be the ''Loretta-chan'' everyone thinks you are. ''Hmph!I feel like eating it after hearing about it!I''m going to get some right now! ''You''re still at work! ''I''ll be done in a minute! ''It''s not on sale yet. ''Just ask the master for it and you''ll get it! ''...... You''ll get pissed again, not the Master.'' ''Huh. ............ That''s a little scary.'' Pretend to cover your ears and close your eyelids once. Hide in your arms. If I feel like crying, I can fake it like this and not cry. No matter how much you''re crying inside, no one will know if you''re smiling. That''s right. It''s better to keep this dark me locked up inside. I''m sure my brother won''t like me if he finds out. Being hated is worse than being forgotten. ...... In my case. Being hated is ............ really hard for me. Even so, I had to force myself to smile. ............ Actually, it was quite ...... hard. I felt my shoulders relax ...... and I bowed my head. ...... and at that moment. ''Oh, there''s dust on you. ''What?Where is it? Suddenly, my brother pointed to my head and said. Garbage shouldn''t be on the head of an idle waitress at a restaurant. I have to get rid of it right away. ...... ''Don''t move. I''ll get it for you.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Keep your head down a little and do as you''re told. It''s a bit of a painful position, but you just have to be patient. My brother took a step closer to me and stroked my ...... hair. ''Are you thinking about something else around here? As she said this, she stroked my head, ''Hey, ......, uh, ......, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. ''Hmmm ...... around here? He stroked my head, stroked my cheek, ...... gently touched the back of my head and ............ hugged me. ''Ho, Honyo! ''Don''t force yourself to make a weird sound. ''No, I''m not forcing myself ...... ''I can almost always tell what you''re thinking.'' ''What ......? You know ......? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I''m the master of smiles. No one can read my true heart. ...... ''You''ve done well, my friend. You''re all alone, hiding your true self from the ...... hamster people so they don''t know you''re one of them. You can''t let people know what you''re really thinking. ......'' I can hear my brother''s heart beating,....... Mixed in with that is ...... ''That''s how hard I worked, and that''s why I''m here now. So you don''t have to smile anymore. That''s what I said. ............ I was exposed,............. And that I was forcing myself to smile for ...... all of it? You can''t sacrifice yourself for me. You should live for yourself. ''But ......''. What''s more,......, big brother is cheating. At a time like this, dressed like this,...... he hugged me, warmly,...... and I was spoiled. I''m the eldest, so you know I''m not used to this kind of thing,......, but it''s not fair. ''We are able to do this ...... and laugh ...... and live ...... because of you. It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one. I don''t know if I was frustrated or sulking ....... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. It''s not enough for me to pay her back. So, I want to be useful for my brother no matter what. I want to think of you. I''ll take good care of him. What''s wrong with that? You''re taking it out on me. It''s disgraceful. And on top of that, I don''t know what to do to make myself feel better, and I have a bad habit of bending over. I don''t like it. I feel sick! It''s my brother''s fault. I was smiling and laughing, and you took that away from me. ...... It''s because you''re being nice to me in this position. ...... ''I want to repay you!I''ll do whatever it takes to live for you! ...... I''m so pissed off. ''My brother is the reason why we are here today!We are happy now because of you!So if it''s for my brother, I''m .......'' --I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ............ The middle of my head began to heat up ...... and I began to feel a little like crying. ''Because ...... because ............ my brother was there ......''. I''m not sure what to make of that. Those words don''t resonate with me. Because I can say with firm confidence. ''My brother is the one who gave me a place to work hard. ''That''s not true.'' ''No, it''s not.'' He immediately pretends that he didn''t get the credit. ''It was just a coincidence. ''It was an accident. ''It''s no big deal. ''I didn''t do anything,'' he said. ...... But this is the one thing I can''t compromise. If it weren''t for my brother, we wouldn''t be able to laugh every day like we do now. That''s the one thing I''ll never give up! ''It''s all thanks to you, big brother!That''s for sure! ''Ah. That''s why.'' To ............? That''s why what''s ......? ''I worked pretty hard, didn''t I?I ran around in the heavy rain, I twisted some heads. I even dragged the lord out to give you guys a job.'' Yes, that''s ......, That''s exactly what I did. ''That''s your achievement, you know.'' ''......?I don''t know, do you? When I looked up, my brother had a confident smile on his face. How can it be my achievement that my brother worked so hard? You did the hard work ...... and I did the hard work ............. ''You''re the reason I worked so hard. ''.............................. Yeah? I ...... ''So''? ''Because it was you and your brothers and sisters, I wanted to do something about it.'' I was pinched on the cheek. Even so, there were still many questions in my head. are still flying around in my head. I''m the kind of guy who doesn''t care if someone else is unhappy, and can ignore a stranger even if they''re starving in front of me. That''s ...... true or false ............ ''But you guys couldn''t leave it alone. ''............'' My mind went blank. I knew that my brother was kind, I knew that more than enough. And yet, ............ I almost cried ............ when you said that in such honest words. ''The one who made me think this much and moved me to do something about it is undoubtedly ......''. He put his hand on my head and looked into my face with his eyes ...... My brother''s face was right in front of me ...... and that''s where the kind words came from: ............ ''It''s you, Loretta. A large teardrop fell from my eye. A drop big enough to be clearly visible: ...... ''You should be more proud of yourself. There aren''t many people who can make me say this much. There are about five people in the world. ''Oh, ...... gus......, that''s ............ awesome! ...... I try to be funny, but it just doesn''t work. The tears choke my voice, the snot stops my breathing, and the front of my eyes distorts. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m one of your top five. ............I''m so happy.'' ''...... Oh, I''m sorry. I counted again and it was number seven. ''I don''t like it!Somebody drop two people!I don''t want to be in the top five, but I want to be in the top five! ''Oh, look, look. I got the seed.'' ''That''s a relief, though!Now we''re talking about downgrading! I can''t accept such a downgrade! ''You. Even if I forget about you, you still want to be by my side, don''t you? Ugh, how sharp can you be, big brother? ...... ''Don''t give up so easily. ''But, I don''t want to ...... bother my brother. ''You can do that. In fact, do it. It came so suddenly that there was no time to say ...... ''I''m trying to protect you, you know. --It forced my brain to shut down. What''s ...... that? ............ that''s not ......... It''s too unfair. I''m trying to be a good sister to you ...... but ............ I''m going to fall in love with you. ............ ''Mwah!I''m sure my brother will ruin all my plans! ''Hahahaha!It''s your fault that you can only make plans that can be ruined! Yes. That''s right. It''s so much fun to argue like this. That''s why I want to be with you forever and ever. With my brother. ............ and Yashiro-san. I''m not sure what to say. That''s not good! You can''t imagine that! I''ve got a nosebleed coming on! It''s too embarrassing! ''Onee-chan! ''Onee-chan! ''Onee-chan! ''Nee-chan! ''What the hell, you guys? I turned around at the sound of my sisters'' voices and saw that they were standing in a line. ''Hold me! ''Your turn! ''Hurry up and take over! ''You''re holding up the rest of us! I''m ............ carrying you ............... ...! ''Oh, were you guys watching? ''Yes, we saw it! ''The old men were watching too! ''This is the main street! ''Full of people! ''What the hell? This is, indeed, embarrassing! I''ve been spoiled in front of the public!I''ve lost all respect for my eldest daughter! ''Oh, me!I''m going to go back to the sunny pavilion and help the manager! It''s not as if you can run away from it. ............ Was it about twenty-eight?Thirty ............? Anyway, I''m running away! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Now, if someone said something kind to me, I would blush in front of my sisters! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.I mean, I can''t show them!It''s embarrassing! My sister''s female parts are a top secret! I left the place and ran down the main street as if to escape. ''Loretta! I hear a voice behind me calling me. The owner of the voice was my brother, and he said to me with his usual, unchanging smile. ''Hang in there! Those were kind words. And comforting words. ''Yes, sir!Of course I''ll do my best! I like you, big brother. But for now, I still want to work as hard as I can. So, if I become more mature and have boobs as big as your manager''s, I''d like to go to ...... At that time, I''ll take your brother without hesitation. I''m sure I''ll be even cuter than I am now when I grow up! 235-Remembrance Part 13 Magda ''...... Magda, let''s go. We left the sunlit pavilion and walked along the street. Our destination was the square in front of the reservoir on the street beyond the main road. The reservoir was built by the younger siblings of Yashiro and Loretta to release the water that flooded the street during the heavy rains last year. The residents of that neighborhood are very friendly to the sisters, and it has become one of the main points for their mobile sales. Recently, under the influence of the growing takoyaki boom, the second store started to sell takoyaki. After Wendy and her family''s wedding, the sisters practiced takoyaki at the launch. They had grown to the point where they could now make takoyaki that could be used as a product. However, they still can''t handle a large number of customers, and sometimes Magda is called upon to help. I''m not quite ready for ...... yet. I don''t think I''ll ever be able to catch up with Magda, who was even called the goddess of takoyaki (by Umaro). That being said, there is also the problem of the current decline in popcorn sales. Magda, who was called the "Popcorn Warrior Maiden" (by Umaro), is determined to sell popcorn as well. The Sunlit Pavilion has changed. But there is still room for improvement. There are still many things Magda needs to do. ''...... Magda will do it! ''Haaan!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. I saw Umaro by chance on the street, so I tried to communicate with him. Umaro is still the same today. He''s a little cute. ''Huh?Magda-tan, are you a little tired? Magda''s ears must have perked up at ....... Mmm. I can''t believe someone other than Yashiro can read Magda''s mind. ...... Umaro, you''ve improved your skills. ''...... An ennui woman is s*xy.'' I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry. I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to do with it. ...... I''ll show you the proof. ''...... ah-ha! ''Huh!My heart!My heart stopped twice! My heart stopped once. And then it stopped once, and then it stopped twice with ''Oh, maybe I''m wrong ............ I guess that means it stopped twice. ...... Magda can also be a little devil. ''...... Umaro. Keep up the good work today.'' ''Haaaaan!I''ve been cheered on just as the sun is about to set!If you want, I''ll go do some more work from here! Umaro salutes like a sentry and runs down the street at full speed. Hmm. Magda did a good thing today. ''...... He''s as lively as ever, Umaro ......''. His ears twitched ....... When I hear this voice, my ears naturally turn towards it. It''s like a conditioned reflex. ...... And then, following your ears, your gaze will turn towards it. The whole body. ''...... yashiro''. ''Hello. You''re running an errand. It''s been a while since I left this morning. About half a day. It''s not uncommon for Yashiro to be absent from the Sunken Pavilion. It''s not uncommon to miss him for longer. And yet, ...... I feel like I haven''t seen him in a long time. It''s been a long time. That''s the feeling that comes over me. And from the bottom of my heart, I feel relieved. ''Are you going back to ...... the sunny pavilion? ''No. I''m taking a walk.'' ''...... Yes. I''m on my way to support my sisters.'' ''Magda'' is not a word that can be said to Yashiro right now. I''ve heard it can do a lot of damage to his mind. ............ I miss you. ''I don''t mind if you follow me to .......'' ''I guess so. Then I''ll follow you.'' Mufu ...... Yashiro has a soft spot for Magda. He''s been nice to a lot of women lately, but he''s been sweet to Magda from the start. This is proof that Magda is special. Probably because I was too lenient with Magda, her lenience spread to various fields. Therefore, all the girls in the vicinity of Yashiro should be grateful to Magda. ''...... charisma is exhausting.'' ''What''s that?Takoyaki?'' ''...... charisma for girls.'' ''Huh, that''s a new one on me. After all, boys are not up to date with the latest information. There are a lot of Magda girls who want to be like Magda. The sisters of the second store are a good example. They all want to imitate Magda. ''...... is also the spark that started the popularity of takoyaki. ''That''s right. That''s how it all started. Because Magda is so cute when she knocks over takoyaki. The boys crush on her and the girls adore her. ...... is a sinful woman. ''...... Do you like Yashiro? ''Takoyaki?Oh, I like it.'' Oh! I asked you if you like Magda cooking takoyaki. If you like takoyaki so much, I''ll stuff your mouth full of hot ones. Just say it. ''...... Speaking of which, do you remember me?'' ''Hmm?'' ''...... Oumalo.'' ''Oh, the name.'' Earlier, Yashiro said, ''You''re still a lively fellow, Oumalo. I remember Umaro''s name. ''He''s not as important as his tits, you know. ''...... I see.'' As I recall, Regina told me that the parasitic weed parasitizes important memories. ''...... Umaro will no longer be allowed to eat large portions of rice. Magda is very important to Yashiro. That''s why he was the first to go after the parasitic demon plant. It''s very difficult to remind him of Magda''s name. ...... ''...... remember''. ''That''s a hell of a commanding tone, dude. ''...... You can forget Umaro instead.'' ''I have to agree with you there, but ...... well, relax.'' ''......You''re too cocky for Oumalo.'' ''Your hostility is taking a funny turn.'' Normally, I''d be called names by now. Yashiro cares about Magda and calls her name every now and then. Every time he does, Magda feels reassured and ...... ...... and squeezes Yashiro''s hand. This is Magda''s privilege. He has no right to refuse. Magda is the only one who can spoil Yashiro whenever he gets lonely. Yashiro will allow it. And if Magda does this, ...... ''Don''t worry. I''ll remember soon.'' And he''ll make sure Magda''s fears are taken care of. That''s the man, Yashiro. He''s the only man Magda can trust. I think he likes boobs too much. ...... Well, it''s Yashiro, so it can''t be helped. In the next two years, Magda''s breasts will be as big as the manager''s,......, or at least as big as Norma''s. There''s nothing to worry about. As long as Yashiro is by his side, Magda''s life will not be disrupted. As long as ...... Yashiro stays by Magda''s side. --I''ll be back soon, just be a good boy and wait for me! Suddenly I remembered ...... a familiar voice. The feeling of a big, strong hand stroking her head and the warm, ticklish sensation of gentle eyes looking into her eyes. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. Their skills must have been pretty good, but they were too kind and their results were not so good. He once protected a magical beast with its child from a member of the hunting guild. Of course, there would be a substantial penalty for doing so, but ...... both mom and dad proudly accepted such a penalty. Magda couldn''t help but love her parents. ''......Yashiro''. ''Hmm?'' ''.................. Just calling you.'' ''What''s that?'' Yashiro chuckled. Faintly, I can feel the vibration. If you call out, you will get an answer. It''s never something you take for granted. That day, Magda screamed desperately. I called desperately for my mom and dad. Magda was too young to be allowed to leave the city gates or even to go looking for them. So she screamed. Beyond the thick gates. Far, far away, towards Bao Kri Air. Magda''s parents disappeared in Baocli Air. They were escorting an important man, I remember. They were involved in a bit of trouble, and they were to take the dignitary back to Baocli Air. A few skilled men from each of the guilds were recruited to form an escort team. Baokri Air is located far to the south. Mom and Dad were chosen because they would have to pass through many areas inhabited by magical beasts to get there. During the heavy snowfall season, Mom and Dad left the house in the blizzard-like weather that continued day after day. The dark sky and the cold white crystals were taking them away. --I''ll be right back. Mom and Dad said that just before they left and bit Magda''s nose. They promised that if I was good, they''d be back soon. But no matter how long we waited, Mom and Dad never came back. The only person from the guild who had gone with them to Baocliere returned to Allbloom with wounds. The guild member said he had been caught in the fray. The guild member said he had been caught in the crossfire and that all the members who had gone with him to Baokri Air had disappeared. A new team was immediately formed and went to check on the situation. ...... In the end, the whereabouts of Mom and Dad were unknown. None of the team members who had been working together were able to find them. In the meantime, the season had come full circle and ...... the city was covered in snow again. The black terror that Mom and Dad had chased away a year ago was back with the snow. Magda kept screaming in front of the city gate. Shouting as loud as the falling snow. Again and again, she fought against the snow that was trying to fill everything. ...... But no matter how hard I resisted, the snow had engulfed Magda and ...... filled everything. The promise to return soon became a ...... lie. Use Damare''s father was also a member of the chapter, and on the day it became clear that ...... survival was hopeless, Use Damare became the head of the chapter. He still does not use the title of chapter president. Use may be waiting for his father''s return. For his father''s return. Magda thinks he''s keeping the position open so he can return to it when the time comes. Of course, Magda is not despairing. She''s not giving up. Mom and Dad are probably still out there somewhere, getting into trouble, but they are alive. And they remember Magda every night before they go to bed. Just like Magda does. ''............Yashiro, have you ever been told a lie that you just can''t forgive? ''Lies?'' ''...... Yes.'' It was a lie that I would be back soon. ''Yes, I have. ......'' Yashiro''s expression faded slightly. ''Yes, he has, too. ''...... What did you do when you couldn''t forgive?Did you do it to a frog?'' I wanted to ask. What is the right thing to do when someone you love so much lies to you? How do I get rid of this painful vexation? I can''t forgive him. But I can''t get angry. In such cases, please visit ...... ''My opinion is not helpful. It''s from back home, and I''ve been going in the wrong direction as fast as I can.'' ''...... wrong, direction?'' ''Yeah. That''s a bit of a misnomer. Then, Yashiro thought for a moment, and ...... ''I don''t think I''m wrong, and I don''t regret my choices. ...... but I''m sure my parents wouldn''t have wanted me to.'' Parents ...... Yashiro was also told unforgivable lies by his parents: ......? ''But I did what I had to do and said what I wanted to say in the end. ...... I feel better now. ''...... because you were able to say what you wanted to say?'' It''s rare for Yashiro to show an embarrassed expression. It''s not the kind of embarrassment that you get when the manager or Estella uses unintentional, unconscious s*xual terrorism, but an embarrassed embarrassment, as if you were peeking into a deeper ...... heart. ''I''ve been meaning to complain to you. I saw the look on your face and I knew.'' ''...... Did you understand? ''I knew you were thinking about me. A childlike, innocent smile comes to his face. ''It was a terrible lie, but ...... well, since he loved me so much, I thought it was okay .......'' I could forgive ............ him because he loved me so much. ''You''ll understand one day. They put their hands on my head. ''I don''t know what kind of lie you''re telling me, but ...... I''m sure there was a reason for it. Circumstances: ...... ''I hope one day we can talk properly.'' ''I will ............. No matter what. No matter what. I''ll talk to you ...... no matter what.'' ''Oh. Do it.'' Someday, Magda will see Mom and Dad again. And he''ll ask them. "How much do you love Magda? You have to be as good as Magda, or better, or you won''t be allowed to ....... ''Until then, I''ll be there for you. ''............'' ...... Oh. I don''t know. I think I''m going to ...... cry a little. What you just said ............ made me very, very happy. ''...... I got your word. If you''re lying, I''ll give you a hundred spanks. ''You''re going to spank me?I''m going to lose my ass.'' ''...... the manager''s ass.'' ''Why? ''...... raw ass.'' ''Eros has been added! ''...... in front of Yashiro''s eyes.'' ''d*mn, I hate myself for wanting to take a look at that! ...... If you joke around like this, the tears will naturally recede. ''......Yashiro.'' ''Hmm? ''...... Don''t do anything sad anymore. Don''t ever, ever, ...... worry alone, decide alone, and leave alone again. You can''t do anything to make Magda sad again. This is more than a promise-- it''s your duty. He can''t be allowed to break it. ...... So, remember Magda''s name quickly. ''...... Ah'' We are now in front of the main road, the Hardware Road. ''...... This is where Yashiro used to say, "I want to see a naked little girl!I''d like to flatten you! I want to see naked little girls! I''m not sure what to make of that. That time when Magda was trying too hard to be accepted and needed by the Sunlit Pavilion and made a mistake. Magda was badly injured and turned into an infant, but Yashiro protected her all the way. He was by my side and called me by name. I was an infant, and I didn''t understand him properly, but I knew him clearly. Even though my ignorance made everything around me seem like a terrible enemy, every time Yashiro called my name, I felt calmer. Yashiro''s voice has been imprinted in Magda''s mind as much as her mom and dad''s ....... When he hears that voice call his name, all his fears are instantly lifted. Even the scary memories of snow were overcome by Yashiro''s presence. I like Yashiro''s voice because it is soothing ....... Isn''t it possible to suddenly remember these things in the past? There are some ...... strong memories that can shake up your memories of Yashiro. ...... ''......Yashiro'' ''Hmm? ''...... I want you to arrest me for taking your mind away.'' ''Buf! Magda has a criminal record, having been arrested for stealing Yashiro''s heart. ''...... Forget about that. Please. I''m going to ...... remind you, but you''re going to ask me to forget. ...... I''m not going to forget. And I won''t let you forget. But hmm...... other than that, ............ ah. Oh, that. I can''t tell you the name, so I''ll have to make some changes. ...... ''......Yashiro''. ''Hmm? ''...... pants, are you there?'' ''Nostalgia!I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. ''......The Memory of Two'' ''Do you only have such a crappy memory,......? The conversation we had when Magda decided to go to the sunlit pavilion. Magda never forgets. And I won''t let him forget. I''ll be happy to give it to you whenever you want, Yashiro. ''...... hmm'' Even though they wanted to talk slowly, their destination was getting closer as they walked. I''m sure Yashiro is aware of this, and he''s looking at me. If you turn that corner, you can see the plaza where the second store of the Sunlight Pavilion will open. I want to talk to Yashiro more. But Magda is a shopkeeper at the Sunshine Pavilion. I can''t keep the customers waiting. ''...... Hmm. The battlefield will be here soon. ''Make sure you handle it well.'' ''...... of course. He squeezes my hand. It''s a signal to work hard - or a sign that you love them. ...... Probably the latter. I''ll give you a hot, seductive stare. ...... Now Yashiro is madly in love with Magda. ...... What is it?You''re hungry?I can''t help it. You can have a bite to eat in between. I''ll buy you a drink.'' ............ Funny. You''re not getting the message. Well, I''ll eat takoyaki for the occasion. ''But you''re all on your own now. ''...... full-fledged? ''You''ve become a dependable member of the sunny side up. That''s great. He pats me on the head. You''re on your own: ...... Magda worked hard every day to become one as soon as possible. So you should be happy to be called a full-fledged man. You should be happy,......, but... ''...... still more''. For some reason, my heart fills with sadness, anxiety, and ............ loneliness. I get a little grumpy. I feel like taking it out on Yashiro. ''......Yashiro has a tendency to be a little blind to people. I''m not sure that''s true. ''...... often do not understand the heart of a maiden''. ''That one is ...... well, I''m not too sure about that one. ''You should also be familiar with the ...... heart of a young girl. ''That''s going to be a different problem ......?'' Yashiro should be more attentive to Magda. He should not shun him, saying that he was on his own. Even if Magda is a perfect, unrivaled individual. ''...... looks like this, but he''s just a kid. ''No, he looks like a child to all intents and purposes. ......'' ''......I look like a child, but I''m a child inside.'' ''That''s it, you''re a perfect child.'' ''......But when you take it off, it''s adulthood. ''Please be a child too. Not yet.'' Hmm, ...... not yet, huh? Well, good. I''ll save that for another day. ...... ''...... I''m at the age where I want to be pampered a little more.'' I rub my head against Yashiro''s stomach. Yashiro twists around to see if that tickles him. Yashiro should be more understanding of Magda. ''...... Jii~'' ''What the hell? ''...... Jii~'' He prompts silently. This is a punishment. He wanted to abdicate his duty to pamper Magda, to be on his own. Yashiro still had to pamper Magda. Yes, because Magda is not yet an adult. However, Magda is also an adult woman and a waitress, which is a very difficult age to be at. You have to accurately read Magda''s silent urging and say what she needs most right now. If you can''t do that, Magda will ............ sulk. ''............ Pukuuuuuu''. ''Ah, yes, yes. I know what I want to say, so don''t sulk, don''t sulk. He shrugs his shoulders and puts his hand on Magda''s head. Hmm. I''m not the kind of Magda who can be fooled by that. ''...... I''d like to give a word of encouragement to the hard-working girl who is going to work hard to make takoyaki. If you call her ''one of a kind'', you''re disrespecting Magda and you''re guilty. If you say ''child'', you are underestimating Magda and are guilty. Now, Yashiro. How do you encourage Magda? ''Well, good luck to you. Hmm. That''s all the encouragement I need. ...... ''I''m counting on you, Magda.'' Pics: ...... ''Magda''s a full-fledged kid.'' ...... mmm,mmm............ I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It is good to be called by name by Yashiro. It''s addictive. ''Oh, you got the seeds. It seems that the seeds of the magic plant have been removed. Yashiro proudly shows the seed to Magda. I don''t care about that. I knew Yashiro would remember sooner or later. He knew that Yashiro would never forget Magda. What''s more, isn''t he forgetting something? Take a good look. Magda''s ears are twitching. Magda sincerely hopes that he will be a man who doesn''t miss these little reactions. ''Yes, yes. All right. Saying this, Yashiro rubs Magda''s ears softly. Mwah! That''s Yashiro. You know exactly what I mean. You know everything about Magda. I may have to retract my previous statement. I''d say you''re a good judge of character. He also seems to know a girl''s heart. And-- ''...... Yashiro is familiar with young girls. So, please stop spreading rumors like that. He rubs Magda''s ears with the perfect amount of fluff while saying this. This is Magda''s reward for enduring anxiety and loneliness all day. At last, Magda''s daily life has returned. I''m sure the others will be fine. I''m sure Yashiro will be fine. So Magda thinks only of herself and rejoices with a simple ''Mwah! Magda thinks only of herself and decides to be happy. 236-Remembrance 14 Estella All the work that had been piling up has disappeared. Well, maybe ''gone'' is not the right word. The problem was that I had been accumulating them. ...... ''...... Is it that time already? I''ve been in my room all day, immersed in my work since morning. ...... No, in the middle of the day, for no reason at all, I shouted, ''Petanko! But other than that, I''ve been working in this room all day, although I did go in to complain to Natalia, who started a fight with me by shouting, "Flat! As I stretched my arms above my head, my spine made a cracking sound. The final bell had rung two hours ago. It was now eighteen o''clock. That means I''m hungry. I haven''t eaten breakfast or lunch today. ''...... You''re hungry even at a time like this, aren''t you? Yashiro forgot my name. That''s not all. ...... Maybe he knows my name. ...... ''That''s not possible.'' I drowned out the words that had just popped into my head. It can''t be true only for Yashiro. I''m not sure what to do. But ...... Regina said it was a ''nasty evil plant''. Regina had a difficult expression on her face. ............ ''......Are you sure you''re okay ............? While I was immersed in my work, I was also making preparations. If Jashiro came to see me, I would always stop working and meet him. I was sure that he would come to see me, to fix my memory. ...... But Yashiro never came to see me. The sun will be setting soon. Maybe ............Yashiro already knows about me. ............ ...... ''............! I raise my chin, chalking up my rapidly sinking feelings to hunger. I''m not going to cry. I''m not going to cry. I made a vow that day. I would be strong. I''m not going to let Yashiro carry the load alone. The gluttony contest. My negligence had caused a rift with District 41, and Yashiro had fixed it. It''s not only that, but it has created a stronger connection than ever before. ...... at the cost of his own life. In a way that makes you bear all the malice alone. My tears ran ...... dry then. There''s no more tears for me to shed. There''s no time for tears. I''m a lord. I''m the lord. I made the decision and I did it. All right!Let''s go have dinner! ...... Maybe Yashiro will be there. With such a faint hope in my heart. I decide to head to the sunlit pavilion. The only thing I''m afraid of is ...... What if I''m the only one who''s been forgotten? What if everyone is back to normal and I''m the only one ...... forgotten? I''m not sure if I should have been so absorbed in my work. Maybe I should have been more proactive in going to see Yashiro! Maybe that''s how everyone else is remembered by now. ......! ......Maybe Yashiro didn''t want me. ............ ''......!What are you talking about? I''ll put my own cheek on it. Don''t spoil it. That''s not what I''m saying. ...... What you should be most afraid of is ...... that Yashiro will suffer alone. The most important thing you should fear is that Yashiro will suffer alone, that he will bear the burden alone, that he will strain for us. I''m not going to let you make the same mistake over and over again. ...... I''m so angry!I''m really pissed off at myself for being so bad. ............ I''m really pissed off. ...... I''m not sure what I''m doing,......, but it''s really ...... disgusting. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time in the office. If I were to disappear into the darkness like this,...... would Yashiro be worried about me,......, I thought to myself again, stupidly. ''Estella-sama. Are you going out? As I left the room, Natalia called out to me. ''Oh, yes. I''m going to the Sunken Pavilion. ''I see. The sun is going down, so please be careful. I can''t accompany you because I have a report on the water leak repair.'' So you were able to fix the leak. ...... I''m glad. ''Don''t worry. The streets are bright.'' I''m not a weak woman who needs protection. And the bricks of light that illuminate the streets are one of the benefits that Yashiro has brought to this city. The beautifully landscaped streets and the sewers that run through the city are all part of ...... So when I walk along the streets, I feel as if ...... Yashiro is protecting me. Even if he is not there, you know. With Yashiro, I can be as strong as I want to be. Walking the streets at night is no problem for me now. I''m not afraid of anything. What I''m really afraid of is ...... disappearing. ''Estella, this way. Gently, Natalia holds out a handkerchief. I wonder if she''s noticed the ...... swelling on my cheek. Natalia really is ...... a very attentive and dependable head waiter. ''Thank you. I''ll use it.'' I bite down on my embarrassment and take the handkerchief offered to me. It is a little thick and large. It is a manly handkerchief that does not fit Natalia''s image. Natalia, do you have a handkerchief like this? ''It''s Master Yashiro''s handkerchief. ''What? ''Please, feel free to smother it. ''No, I won''t! ''No, sir. Since you said earlier that you would let me use it, it would be a lie if you didn''t use it properly! ''No, in the first place!Why does Natalia have Yashiro''s handkerchief? ''It''s for kunkunkanka, what is it? ''What is it? No, it''s not!We have a problem! I''d like to think that you didn''t steal it. ...... ''It''s something I got from my pocket when we bumped into each other before. ''You''re stealing from me!It''s a pickpocket, pickpocket! ''I gave it to you instead, so you can say it''s an equivalent exchange. ''You can''t say that! What should I do? My head waiter is on his last legs. ...... I shouldn''t have called him the witty, reliable head waiter! ''Was it wrong? ''Of course I shouldn''t! ''Then go give it back to Master Yashiro. ''Eh, .......'' ''I still have paperwork to repair the leak, so I can''t leave here.'' ''...... Natalia.'' You can ...... give me an excuse to go see Yashiro. ............ I''m sure she''s very concerned about me,......, isn''t she? Haha. I can''t compete with that. ............ d*mn, I''m going to cry. ''I''m busy, so please go poke around. ''I think you need to re-educate yourself on your attitude towards your lord! I know. I don''t know how much of this is a joke because you say it with a straight face. ...... Ever since she met Yashiro, Natalia has been going in strange directions. ...... I think we might need to hold her accountable for this. Yes!That''s right! ...... Let''s talk to Yashiro. I want to hear his voice ....... ''......I''ll be there.'' My cheeks heat up at the pure wish that just popped into my brain. What are you thinking about? You''re not a girl in love. ...... I walked quickly down the corridor and exited the building. You walk with your feet in the garden, call out to the gatekeeper, and leave the grounds. As you walk down the street, just before you reach the main road, you suddenly stop in your tracks. ............ I wonder if anyone will see me here? He squeezes the thick handkerchief in his hand. ............ just a little ...... just a little ...... ...... kun kun kun ...... ''Yo, I knew you''d come out. I''m not sure what to say. My heart screamed as someone called out to me from behind. When I turned around, there was the person who should not be seen in the act I was about to perform. ''Yah, yah, yah, yah, yah!What, why are you here? ''No, no. It''s almost dinner time. I thought you might be going to the cafeteria, but I guess you ...... hit the nail on the head.'' You were waiting for me at ......, weren''t you? ''So, what were you going to do with the handkerchief? ''Oh, my God! Yashiro is looking at me with a grin. ............ d*mn it. You look like you know everything! ''Hey, here!Natalia told me to give it back to you, so I did! ''Oh, yeah...'' ''Yes, really!I don''t care if you cast the Judgment of the Spirits on me. I''m not lying about anything. I''m not lying about anything. ...... Attempted kunkanka is safe because it''s not a lie! I''m not going to put a judgment of the spirit on you. I''m not sure what to say. I know this feeling ....... ............ I don''t want to lose it, I don''t want to lose it. I don''t want to lose this time with Yashiro, ...... this look he gives me. I''m afraid of losing it. That''s it. You called me many times when we first met. That''s why he swears and sulks like that. In this way, I hide my shallow expectation that Yashiro will be kind to me. ''At the time, I didn''t really understand the Judgment of the Spirits. You know what I mean. When you''ve just learned something, you just want to try it, right?It was like that. ''It was unbearable for me to have to deal with such things. Even when you know it''s going to be okay, it''s still pretty scary, the Judgment of the Spirits. I''m sorry. But you put it on me too, so we''re even, right? ''Yashiro had one more than me! I''m not sure what to do. ...... What is this? I''m not sure how long I''ve been like this. ...... Is that a given? I''ve been like this since I met Yashiro. ''Well, I''ll do you a favor. And that''s it? ''One favor?Anything at all?'' ''No. I''ll decide what you ask for. ''What''s that? I''ve never heard of the person asking for a favor deciding what to ask for. ''I''ll do it. I already have a new one.'' He pointed at the handkerchief I was holding. ''I want you to smother it. ''No, I won''t! ''You wanted to, didn''t you? ''No, of course not! ''Well, am I allowed to play "Judgment of the Spirits"? ''Oh, dear!No, not now! ...maaaahhh!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this.I''m not sure what to say. That''s it!That''s why ...... you''re such a jerk! I''m not sure what to do. I''ve got a handkerchief in my hand, and when I look up at my face, I can smell the faint scent of Yashiro. ...... Mwah!I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that.You mean when you were soaking wet and I borrowed your bed for a bit so you wouldn''t catch a cold! ''Yes, yes. That''s when you said ''kunkunka'' .......'' ''Don''t say kunkunka! That''s outrageous! Why do you remember so many unimportant things? If you can remember so many unimportant things so vividly, why can''t you remember ............ my name? ''...... Hey. What you asked me to do. Can''t you just let me decide? There''s something I really need you to do for me. And yet ...... ''No.'' Yashiro rejects it out of hand. ...... What the ............ hell, why don''t you just listen to me for once in your life? You''re always joking, always hiding your true feelings,......, and always doing things to make me feel better,............. What do you want me to do? ............ He told me to be strong. ...... He told me not to cry. ............ He told me not to bother you... ...when I''m working so hard. ............ ''No. ...... I''m going to ask you to do what I want you to do. ...... ''No.'' ''Why not? I couldn''t take it anymore, and when I tried to get at Yashiro, he ...... hugged me. It was not the usual light skinship of a pat on the head, but a ...... firm, hot, embrace, like that of two lovers.... ... You can hear Yashiro''s breathing in your ear. ...... His arms are naturally trying to lift up ...... and he wants to hug Yashiro ...... It''s not just a one-way hug, but a hug from me as well...... But I don''t have the courage to do that. ............ I don''t know if I can do that. ......... ... You don''t do me any favors,......, so why are you doing this? I don''t understand ...... anymore. ............ ''I don''t ...... understand why ...... I don''t ......,......... ...ugh! The words I thought were crushed in my throat and wouldn''t come out right. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. My heart was in pain, and when I breathed in, a high-pitched, scratchy sound like a scream escaped. ''What you''re asking me to do...'' I hear a quiet voice in my ear. Slowly, accurately, not a single word leaks out, carefully ...... Yashiro''s voice pours into my heart to deliver it to my heart. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. So ...... don''t ask me to do that. ......? ''I have a favor to ask you to fulfill. It''s more profitable to ask for a different one than the one you''ve already committed to.'' ''What''s ............, that''s ......''. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to get the most out of it. ............ Are you sure you can''t ...... think of things in terms of profit and loss? That''s what I''m talking about. ...... That''s what I''m talking about. ............ You''re really a yeshiva, you know that? ''Hey ......''. It''s so frustrating ...... It''s a simple thing that makes me ...... truly happy. ............ I can''t believe how soothing the warmth of Yashiro is. ...... I''m so frustrated. I''m so frustrated that I want to spoil Yashiro and annoy him too. ...... ''How do I get you to remember my name? Wow, ...... I can make such a sweet voice. ...... It''s so weird. ''If you reminisce about the past, maybe you can remember. For example, ...... you could tell me the color of your nipples?'' ''I''ve never taught you that, have I?'' ''Or bury your face in your cleavage.'' ''I''ve never had cleavage, I''m afraid. ......'' ''Where I come from, we have a culture of "guessing", and even if you''re flat, if you''re bare skin to bare skin, it''s still a good time. ......'' ''Yashiro ............ stab you? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a joker. ...... You''re always joking, even at times like this. .................. I''m joking, right? ''Don''t you just love ...... big breasts?Mine are ......'' ''You idiot!There''s no such thing as high or low breasts! ''...... Did you think you said something nice? I''m starting to feel like a fool for sticking around. I think it''s time for you to let go. ...... ''I like your breasts. ''Huh? What are you doing?What''s the matter with you, you''re just a little bit too happy with this kind of s*xual harassment. ...... ...... d*mn. I''m glad you''re happy, d*mn it! ''Easy to play with. I''m glad you''re not too happy about it. I swear I''m gonna stab you. ''It''s fun to talk to you, you know.'' ''Go to .............'' Yashiro''s arms tighten. It''s a bit ...... painful, as if Yashiro, who is bigger than me, is covering me. But it''s not ............ unpleasant. It was as if Yashiro was holding on to me. ...... I could feel him trembling a little, and I wondered ............ why. ............ I can''t stand it, I love it. ''....... Can you just listen to me for a minute? ''............ Hmm. Okay.'' I reply to the voice in my ear. I can''t see his face. All I can make out is a voice a little more unreliable than usual, Yashiro''s scent, and ...... his body heat. I gently close my eyelids and surrender to all that Yashiro has to offer. My arm naturally lifted up and I was ...... stroking Yashiro''s back. ''When I talk about my breasts, you always get pissed off. ''I''m not pissed off. I''m just correcting a factual error.'' ''And then you get angry and sulk, and sometimes you let your guard down and laugh at me. ......'' ''It''s really tiring. Being with you.'' ''That''s what I like about ...... you, I guess.'' ''..................I see.'' ''...... Oh. I don''t know why I''m crying. ...... I don''t know why I''m so happy. ...... I''m supposed to be saying the dumbest things right now. ''I don''t want to forget you: ......'' ''Yeah......'' ''............ deep down, that''s what I thought.'' ''..................mm'' My heart is racing. ...... The world shimmers ...... Everything but Yashiro was disappearing from the world: ............ ''I was scared ...... to see you, to talk to you, ...... if I couldn''t remember ......... ...I couldn''t go and see you. ''............''. Yashiro............ No, Yashiro. ............ Don''t make me cry. ...... I won''t be able to answer you properly. ''Did I keep you waiting? ''......! I wanted to say that I didn''t, but the words were stuck in my chest and wouldn''t come out. So I shook my head as best I could. I''m not sure what to do. ''.................. good''. I let out a long, very long ...... breath. How anxious were you, ............Yashiro............? ''I won''t get ...... mad at you, ............ just in turn. ...... You''re an idiot, you know that? ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''N...... that''s not what I meant.'' ''N......?'' I''ve never thought it would be so difficult to say a word. Right now, I was doing my best to make the least amount of noise possible. My ears, my mind, my ...... heart are all waiting for Yashiro''s words. The next thing I know, I''ll be hearing Yashiro''s voice. ............ ''Estella''. ...... No. I can''t hold this back. ''I remembered your name ............ properly, thank God.'' ......tears............! ''......a............! ...... spills. ''Yashiroo!'' The arm that was grabbing his clothes is now firmly embedded in Yashiro''s body. Closer. So that I can feel Yashiro even closer! ''Too late, ......!You''re late, Yashiro!How long are you going to keep me waiting? ''Bad .......'' ''I''ll never forgive you! ''Then how can you forgive me? ''You''ll have to do me one favor, anything I ask! ''Oh, a handkerchief?I''ll do it. You can smolder all you want.'' ''What?No, I won''t! ''Oh, yeah? ''Yes, I do! ''Because you''re ............ making a lot of sniffing noises right now. When I was told that my nose was ...... twitching, ...... I finally realized what I was wearing. Burying my face in Yashiro''s neck, ...... I''m sure I''m sniffing him. ............ No, because... ...because Yashiro''s scent is soothing: ........................ I''m not sure what to say. Ha, get off me!Ecchi!'' ''Huh!You''re the one who''s clinging to me! You''re the one who''s clinging to me! ''I''m not clinging to you! He stretches out his arms and moves away from Yashiro at once. You can still smell Yashiro''s scent all over your body even when your body is separated. ...... Muaaah!My face is hot! ''...... You''ve got a bright red face.'' ''No, you don''t!The one with the red face is Yashiro, right? ''Ha, ha!I''m...!That''s it!The herb!Yes!I was a little nervous because the herb was messing with my memories!I''m not sure what to do....... Oh, look!It''s a seed!It''s all his fault!It''s not like I wanted to hug him! And show me a tiny, tiny seed. It''s not manly to blame such a small thing! ''I was only comforting you because you were crying! ''You''re the one who was crying, aren''t you? ''I wasn''t crying! ''You were!I''m going to apply the Spirit''s Judgment! ''Go ahead, try it! We stared at each other ....... We stare at each other with , but I instantly feel embarrassed. What are we doing? ''......More............ this time, it''s because of the demon grass,......I mean, forget it. I''ll let you forget about it, but ...... next time, don''t hug a woman so carelessly! I know, I know! He let out a ...... sigh. I''m sure we''ll be able to have a normal conversation again like before. I''m a nobleman, a lord. I can''t ...... think about those things right now. ''Well, I think I''ll go home. ''Hey. Aren''t you going to the cafeteria?'' ''I''m done for the day. I don''t think I''ll be able to finish my meal. ''I''ll walk you home if you want. ''No, thanks. It''s light on the street. ''I don''t think that''s the point. ''Besides, I''m stronger than you.'' ''That''s not the point. I start walking, and Yashiro follows me. You''re the one who''s afraid of the streets at night. I''m fine. At least at night. But Yashiro keeps following me. ''I''m fine! He doesn''t like me! ''You''re selfish! ''Yes, you are.'' He''s got a point. What a guy. ''Girls don''t like pushy guys, you know?What are you going to do, you''re not even popular.'' ''Shut up. Then he lined up next to me and said this without looking at me. I''d rather be hated by other women than let you go home alone. ............ That''s a bit ............ unfair, isn''t it? At a time like this, ...... at a time like this, ............ such words ...... ...... I''m not sure what to do. ...... I can''t look at you anymore. What the heck is that? ...... What the heck is Yashiro doing? ............ In the end, Yashiro followed me all the way to the gate, and when I passed through the gate, he said, "See you later," and left. ............ Yashiro. I''ll come see you the day after tomorrow. Let''s have a more normal conversation then. ...... Tomorrow, I can''t. I''m too embarrassed and I''m not sure I can look him in the face. ............ After returning to my room, I remembered that I had Yashiro''s handkerchief in my hand. ...... I had to struggle with my inner desires all night. 237-Remembrance 15 Jeanette Turn the sign on the door to ''Close'' and we''re done for the day. ''Thank you for your time. I gently stroke the door. The door, having been exposed to the outside air, is a little cold, but it gives me a solid sense of security. Our place. The Sunken Pavilion. It''s been here since my grandfather''s generation, and since Yashiro''s arrival, it''s been renovated and the road in front of it has been turned into a big street. There have been many small and big changes ......, but it is still here as it has always been. The sunny pavilion will always be here, in this place, waiting for you. For visitors. And for those who come back to ....... There were more customers than usual today, and we had to clean up a lot, so the end time was much later than usual. Loretta went home first, and Magda, who had been helping with the cleanup until just now, went back to her room. ...... I''m sure she''s resting now. I look back behind me once. The road to the main street is brighter now, and the visibility is much better than before. I''m no longer afraid to be outside alone. This is all because of ...... ''............'' My heart hurts a little. But this is a pain that should not be expressed in words. I don''t want to worry that person who is more kind than anyone else. ''After all, ...... just a little more. Muttering, I turn over the "Closed" card and set it to "Open" again. Let''s stay open a little longer today. Just a little longer. I go into the cafeteria and close the door. Now, what shall we do? We''ve already cleaned up and there''s still tomorrow morning to prepare. I don''t have anyone to cook for, and I don''t have anyone to eat for. ...... Oh, that''s right. ''If you want to prepare scrap vegetables, you might be able to do it now. Although it is rarely ordered nowadays, stir-fried scraggly vegetables are still on the menu at the Sunda-mari-tei. It would not be a problem to cut up the scraps now. Before Wendy''s marriage, we had a cooking class together. I hadn''t made stir-fried scraps in a long time, and I thought it was kind of fun. It takes a lot of time and effort to make, but apparently I like the effort. I wonder if anyone will order it again. With a thought that can''t be described as hope or expectation, I went into the kitchen and spread out the scrap vegetables that Mr. Assunto had given me at an unbelievable price. Now, where should I start? The tough carrot stems? Or should I chop up some leafy greens first to get my hands used to them? ...... I''m sorry. Cooking is fun, after all. After that, I mindlessly enjoyed cooking for a while. How much time had passed? Suddenly, I heard the sound of the door opening. Before, the door used to shake, make noise and creak in the wind, but after the renovation, there was no such noise, and the only one who heard the door was the customer. By the way, I had just changed the sign in front of the store to ''Open''. So it must be a customer. I hurriedly wiped my hands and ran to the floor. ''...... ah'' It was Mr. Yashiro who was standing there. ''Hey. Are you still at it? The way he asked me was ...... very similar to the day we first met. ...... My heart began to heat up. ''Yes. We''re still open. Would you like to have dinner?'' ''Yes. ......'' At this point, Mr. Yashiro lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile. That face is that of a child who likes to play pranks. It''s the face of a child who wants to start a joke. ''Sorry to bother you at this hour. That''s exactly what I remember. Mr. Yashiro says the words from that day. So do I. ...... ''No, I don''t. We have a huge surplus of ingredients, so we''re totally fine. I say the same thing I said that day. Then Mr. Yashiro looked happy, and I smiled too. ''Then, I''ll get ready right away. Please wait at your favorite seat. With that, I entered the kitchen. As soon as I entered the kitchen and realized that I was no longer being watched, my steps started to lightly bounce. I skip ahead to the work table. I''m glad ...... That was the first emotion I felt when I saw Yashiro''s face. The whole day, even while I was working, I was actually worried ...... that he would leave and forget about me and the sunny pavilion, and never come back ....... I was thinking about that for a little while. But my fears were unfounded. ......Yashiro came back to us. I can''t tell you how happy that makes me ....... Cooking is also very fun when you think there are people who will eat it. No matter how time-consuming or difficult it is, it becomes fun when you think that there will be people who will eat it. Feeling like I''m about to sing, I add heat to the scrap vegetables. But... I don''t sing. Mr. Yashiro once laughed at me for my ''unique melody''. ...... That was very embarrassing, so I don''t sing anymore. ...... Heat the hardest and hardest to cook first. I''m not sure if you''ll find it tasty. I''m anxious, but also excited. ............ Oh. I forgot an important thing. I took the frying pan off the heat and rushed back to the floor. When I got to the floor, I found Yashiro sitting at his usual seat. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed. ...... This is definitely a tease, isn''t it? ''Um, Yashiro-san.'' ''Hmm?What is it? ''That .............'' Anyway... Continue with the joke from earlier: ...... ''Do you have an order in mind? ''No, you''ve already ...... started making something, haven''t you?'' ''Yes, accidentally. Then, when it was almost finished, I realized, ''Oh, I didn''t get your order! And then I realized, ''Oh, I didn''t get your order! I remember the same line from that time and say it while sweating. But from the smile on Yashiro''s face, it seems that he knows that I really forgot to ask him. ''Then, the one that is almost finished is fine. Make it that one.'' ''Yes, sir. Um, .......'' Mr. Yashiro does not take offense at failure. No matter what words he utters, he never sincerely blames others. ''You are kind. I knew it.'' The feeling I had that first day was not wrong. When I returned to the kitchen and looked at the floor again, Mr. Yashiro waved his hand as if to say, ''Hurry up and go. One thing has changed, hasn''t it? At first, Mr. Yashiro used to sit at that table with his back to me, but now he sits facing me. When I go in and out of the kitchen, our eyes often meet. That makes me very happy. ''......Myu''. I feel a little embarrassed when I think about it. I made a stir-fry of scraggly vegetables, put it on a platter, and served it to Mr. Yashiro with a little extra rice. ''Thank you for waiting. ''Aren''t you going to eat?'' Mr. Yashiro says, pointing to the seat across from him. I wonder if that finger is permission to sit down. I guess he knows that I like to watch people eat, so he''s doing that for me. I''ll take your word for it. ''If you''ll excuse me. ''Nn...... bad.'' ''Bad?'' ''...... eating alone is a bit, well, ...... lonely.'' Yashiro showed a bit of embarrassment when he said he was lonely. It seems that I misunderstood you. It seems that you did not mean what you said for me. I''m embarrassed that I was a little too self-conscious. But... I''m sorry that I was a little too self-conscious about it. Oh, but there are many times when Yashiro-san would do something for us "just like that". ...... It''s hard to judge in general. ''So, where''s the food? ''No, I haven''t.'' I haven''t eaten, but I''m not hungry. Cooking makes me feel like I''ve eaten. And ...... just a little, but ............ my chest is in pain. It''s no good. Even when I look at Yashiro''s face, my heart is still tight. If I don''t smile properly, I''ll cause trouble for Yashiro again. I smiled ............ properly, and chopsticks were held out in front of me. ''......? ''You should at least eat a little.'' So says Yashiro, offering me his own stir-fried vegetables. One bite - a well-balanced mix of leafy greens and root vegetables, a bite that looks delicious. I think I should take advantage of his kindness. ...... I''m a little embarrassed, though. ''Ah,......, ahhhh. When I opened my mouth, Yashiro''s chopsticks carried the stir-fried vegetables into my mouth. It is very delicious. But ...... I''m still a little embarrassed. The chopsticks that I put my mouth on ended up in Yashiro''s mouth. ............ This is something I can never tell anyone, though. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ...... ...... It''s a little hot, isn''t it? ''Well, Yashiro-san, ...... when you''re done eating, that''s fine.'' ''Hmm?'' ''Would you like to join me for a short walk? A night walk. I had done it before, after the festival, and I really enjoyed walking with Yashiro along the beautiful lighted path, and I felt that it was a pity that ...... it was over. That may have been the first time. I felt that I didn''t want to go back to ...... the sunny pavilion for a little while longer. ''A walk. Nice.'' I put my chopsticks together and Yashiro nodded. ''Let''s go, it''s been a while. ''Yes.'' It may be bad manners, but ...... we decided to put off the washing up for later, and Yashiro and I went for a night walk. The night breeze was a little chilly and made me shrug my shoulders slightly. ''Are you cold? ''No.'' ...... Oh, it''s cold, after all.'' If I say I''m fine here, Yashiro will surely be concerned about it for a long time. Let''s not be a burden, let''s just bring a jacket. ''Please wait for a moment. With that, I walked quickly to get my jacket. I quietly walk up the stairs to my room so as not to wake Ms. Magda. As I picked up my jacket on the wall, I noticed a shelf near the ...... wall. On this shelf are some of my treasures. On this shelf, I have some of my treasures: a cute 2.5-headed doll called "Fiyugia", given to me by Mr. Yashiro. A portrait of me drawn by the children of the church. A pendant with the coat of arms of the Church of the Holy Spirit, given to me by the sisters when I left the church. An old, battered kitchen knife that belonged to my grandfather. ''A......''. And the first ''birthday present'' I ever received - Soleil''s hair ornament. I''ve never worn it out before because I''m afraid of scratching it. ...... ''Now, ......''. Yashiro is with me. I''m sure it won''t get lost in the crowd. ...... And it''s a special day, too. With a careful hand, I fasten the hairpiece to my hair. I look in the mirror and see the angle at which the hair ornament looks best. ............ This is about right, right? ''Will ...... Yashiro remember me when he sees this hair ornament? I don''t want to overwhelm you, Mr. Yashiro. If he forgets me, I want to be by his side as usual at least until the ...... moment. However, if it is possible, ...... ''...... Spirit God. Please ............'' I know this is a very selfish request, but ...... ''......Forever and ever............'' May you and Yashiro-san be together ............ Then I prayed for a few minutes and hurried back to Mr. Yashiro. ''I''m sorry to keep you waiting. I apologized for keeping him waiting so long and bowed my head. Then, Mr. Yashiro showed an expression of ''Huh? Then, Mr. Yashiro showed an expression of ''Huh? Oh, did he notice the hair ornament? ...... ''Hey, ......, can I talk to you for a minute? ''Huh?Oh, yes.'' Yashiro is peeking at me with a serious expression on his face. The closeness of his face ...... makes me nervous. In addition, such a crisp expression is ............ that ...... wonderful and ...... ......That ....... I''m not sure. It''s different. As soon as he said that, Yashiro touched my head. He removed my hair ornaments, combed my bangs with his hand, and stroked the back of my head. ...... While he was doing this, my heart rate was going up and up, but I couldn''t interrupt him because he had a very serious expression on his face. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Here we go. He pulled his body back, looked at me, and nodded in satisfaction. After staring at me for a while, he said something like this. ''Because your face was hidden in the previous one. This one is better. He seemed to have adjusted Soleil''s hair ornament by moving it backward a little so that he could see my face better. ''Oh, is that so?I think Soleil''s hair ornament is very beautiful, so I thought it would be better for you to look at it. ......'' ''What are you talking about? The hair ornament is just a complement. They are not meant to be the main attraction. Even so, it''s such a beautiful hair ornament that ...... it''s shallow, but I want to show it off and ...... ''Besides, you''re more beautiful than your hair ornament. ''What ......? ''Ah! In a panic, Yashiro turned his back on me. My heart beats in my chest with a thud thud thud thud ............. It strikes. I''m not sure if that was a ...... gaffe or not. Is it a misstatement? I''m not sure. Thud thud thud thud thud............ blood is flowing through my body like never before. It''s a torrent. It''s like a river after a heavy rain, roaring and rumbling. ...... Would it be disgraceful to have a nosebleed?I''ll be careful. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it.It''s natural to look beautiful when you wear accessories! ''That''s right, isn''t it? I know!I understand! My heart ached, and a strange voice came out. In addition, I can''t think clearly, so my thoughts ...... are spilling out of my mouth without my permission, even things that I haven''t thought of. I''ve never known that before! It was right after I said that that I felt the atmosphere had changed. Mr. Yashiro turned to me and looked at me with a very calm ...... and slightly unhappy look in his eyes. ''It''s true that accessories can make a woman beautiful, though. ''......Yes.'' You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. Maybe I''m making Mr. Yashiro uncomfortable. ...... It is also true that you are beautiful. ''............'' .................. .................. .................. ''To ..................?'' ''Come on, come on, let''s go for a walk! ''Oh ......, yes! I followed Yashiro, who had already started walking, and lined up next to him, keeping pace with him ...... and following a little behind. dodd dodd dodd ...... doddle doddle doddle ...... Mr. Yashiro............ I''m going to fall over. I''ve not had much experience with this kind of ...... thing, so I''m not sure how to react. I''m not sure how to react to that, but if I''m honest, I''m just happy. To be able to hear Mr. Yashiro say that you are beautiful, ...... even once in a lifetime, I am so happy to hear those words in my ears. I am very happy. But ............ I am very embarrassed. When you gently look up at the back of Yashiro''s head,......, the tips of his ears are faintly tinted red. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Yashiro is ............ cute. We walked slowly along the quiet street, illuminated by the light. The sound of the wind was pure and the scent of the night was clear. It is a very pleasant weather for a walk. ''Yashiro-san. ''......Hmm?'' ''............ I''m having fun right now.'' ''I see.'' ''Yes. Yes.'' ''Yeah. ......'' We had a casual conversation and walked at the same pace. I''m a bit stinky and slow, so Mr. Yashiro has to keep up with me. I feel sorry for him, but on the other hand, ...... I feel that he cares about me and I am happy. Is it shallow of me? Is it shallow of me to feel fulfilled by something like this? ''What do you say?Shall we go to the gate?'' Yashiro asked me as we walked down the street. I think it would be fun to walk along the street like this, but ...... ''Do you mind if we go towards the ...... wetlands? I begged, pointing to a path I don''t usually take. I really wanted to see the wetlands with Yashiro. ''It''s dark, so be careful. ''Yes, sir. We turned off the road and walked for a while until we came to a path between baby steps. In the old days, all the roads were uneven like this, and it was normal to walk on the gravel, but nowadays, we were told to watch our step. Since Mr. Yashiro''s arrival, everything has really changed. And for the better. I am truly proud of you, Mr. Yashiro. And I admire you for remaining humble even after accomplishing so many great things. The sisters and grandfathers that I have admired the most in my life. Perhaps Mr. Yashiro may surpass them both. Maybe you have already surpassed them. I am alive today because of my sisters and grandfather. But ...... In order for me to live in the future, I need ...... you, Yashiro. I can''t live without you. You are a very special person to me. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''...... Yashiro-san''. If you can, ...... ''Please always be by my side ......''. My voice, lost in the wind, probably never reached Yashiro-san. That''s okay. It''s just self-satisfaction. Then, we crossed the river and continued on, and when the road became even more bumpy, we stopped. ''It''s still the same grimy place. Before entering the swampy area. Mr. Yashiro said this as we looked out over the thick virgin forest. Indeed, it was damp and stale. If you look at it at night, you might even feel fear. But ...... ''This is the place where I started. I was abandoned in a swampy area when I was a child. Sister said that I was probably thrown from the top of a cliff in the 30th district. If we dump them there, there will be no more unwanted children. ...... ''......'' Suddenly, Mr. Yashiro grabbed my hand. I''m not sure what to do with it. ...... Ah. I''m sure he saw the sorrow on my face. I apologize again for making you feel uncomfortable. ''...... It''s okay. I''m ...... very happy right now.'' If I talk about my origins, it is true that I may be unhappy. But because of that, ...... I''m surrounded by wonderful people and I''m living a very happy life. To the spirit gods, sisters, grandfathers, everyone who has ever been involved with me, ...... Estella and her friends, ...... and Yashiro... ... I can''t thank you enough for all the happiness you''ve given me. ...... I''m a happy person. I squeeze Mr. Yashiro''s hand, which is holding mine, back tightly. Don''t ever let go of my hand again. I don''t want it to just slip away from my hands. ''Do you know?This marshland is enchanted by the Spirit God''s mercy, you know? ''Oh, is that so? ''Yes.'' The stern expression on his face cleared and the usual cheerful expression of Yashiro-san returned. ''The cliff between here and the 30th district is said to be 37 meters long. ''It''s that big? ......'' ''The sisters said that if you drop a baby from there, it usually won''t survive. ''Well, ...... no matter how swampy the bottom is, ...... it''s not going to happen.'' ''But babies who are abandoned here are found by someone in a very healthy condition. Even if they fall off a cliff, they don''t get hurt. Not only that, but the day the babies were dumped in the swamp, the sisters said they felt something. And on the day she went out, a new baby brother or sister was born in the church. I''m sure that God the Spirit is informing the kind-hearted sisters. ''Well, ......, so am I. ......'' She stroked his face and mumbled something to him. I talk to his profile. As if enjoying a chat. ''I''ve been coming here much less often in the past year, but I used to come here ...... and look at this view. Whenever I was going through a tough time, or when I felt unbearably lonely, ...... I used to come here and stare at this view alone. This is the place where I started. When I think of it, I feel as if my heart is becoming calm. This is such a special place, this scenery. And now I''m gazing at it with Yashiro. The more time I spend with Yashiro, the more the memories in my mind are painted with happy colors. It''s filled with happy, warm, and kind ...... memories. I''m glad I got to see it with you. ''Thank you very much. I''m satisfied.'' I bow my head in thanks. I may have asked for a lot of trouble. Making you walk down a dark path. But Mr. Yashiro neither blamed nor criticized me for it. ...... I''m not sure what to do. It''s getting a little cold, as expected. He forgave me with such words. ''Yes. That''s right. Let''s go home. We''re still holding hands. I can feel his warmth. Rubbing his own arm with his free hand, Mr. Yashiro makes a cold gesture. He seems to be enjoying it. A...... Yeah. Yes, it is. If you''re cold, go to ...... ''Then make sure you keep your hands to yourself. ''Huh? ''Just like we did after the festival, let''s hold hands and keep each other warm as we go home. Hands that are held together are very warm. At times like this, Yashiro smiles embarrassedly. When I see that expression, I want to hug him. It''s always hard for me to resist that urge. We hold hands firmly and head back the way we came. The way back is always faster than the way forward. I''m sure this walk will soon be over. When you return home, today is over, and tomorrow will be another unchanging day. ............ The same old days will continue. My heart is in pain again, and the back of my throat is constricted. I want to talk, but the words won''t come out. ...... The walk is almost over. As we walked in silence for a while, Yashiro began to talk quietly. It was about the time he came to this city. ...... ''I also fell off the cliff over there ...... and thought I was going to die, but I managed to live. I didn''t know that was possible. ...... You have to be thankful to God the Spirit. If it weren''t for the Spirit God, ...... I don''t know what would have happened to Yashiro. ''I ran and ran and ran ...... through the swampy area because it was really dark around here ...... and I ran as fast as I could.'' The episode, which was typical of Yashiro''s fear of the dark, made me chuckle ...... a little, though it was a little bad. And when you''re hungry and can''t run anymore! ...... For a moment, Yashiro''s brow wrinkled, and then his expression changed to a somewhat radiant one. ''......So. The sunny pavilion. Perhaps he was about to lose his memory of the sunlit pavilion as well. It was a close call, and I''m glad you remembered. And that is proof that ...... Yashiro-san cares so much about the sunlit pavilion. ...... I am a little bit happy. After that, Yashiro and I walked down the street, chatting about trivial things that were just a little bit nostalgic. Hand in hand. It was really a fun time. ''It''s coming into view. As Mr. Yashiro said. The sunlit pavilion came into view ahead of us. That''s it for the walk. Another time. ...... If Yashiro-san remembers me when that ''next time'' comes... ''Ah, ......''. Suddenly, an idea popped into my mind, and I had the desire to carry it out. A little prank. Just for fun. Really, it may be trivial, but I really want to do it. With this little idea in my heart, I returned to the sunny pavilion alongside Yashiro. The moment Mr. Yashiro opened the door, I ran out and entered the store first. Surprised by my sudden rush, Yashiro stood still at the entrance. I bowed to him in a deep, cute and polite manner. ''Welcome to the Sunken Pavilion. I couldn''t do it when Yashiro-san came back earlier, so I really wanted to do it now. It''s a ...... silly joke, isn''t it? ''It''s ....... You scared the hell out of me.'' ''Uh-huh. I''m sorry. I just had to try it.'' They chuckle and look at the clock. It''s time to go to bed, isn''t it? ...... After all, he didn''t call me by name. ''Yashiro-san''. Maybe tomorrow when you wake up, you won''t remember me. Still, I am ...... ''Let''s have dinner together again tomorrow. I want to be with you. Here, in the sunny pavilion. ''...... Good night.'' I won''t shed a tear. It''s not your fault, Mr. Yashiro. The hardest one is you, Yashiro. I bowed my head and headed for the kitchen. Over the steps of the counter and through the entrance of the kitchen: ............ I''m sorry, I forgot to mention one thing. ....... When I turned around, I saw Mr. Yashiro smiling in front of the counter. He looked apologetic and then smiled. ''I''m back, Jeannette. The moment he called my name, I couldn''t think of anything else, I ran out, slammed my back against the counter, let a bunch of bottles fall, ignored them all and ...... I jumped into Mr. Yashiro''s chest. I stretched out my arms as far as they would go and caught Yashiro, then I shrunk my arms as far as they would go and hugged him. ''............ Welcome back, Mr. Yashiro. Mr. Yashiro. The moment I said "Welcome home", I felt a sense of relief. ...... I feel that the happiness of human beings can be summed up in this one word. It is a proof that your loved one has come back to you. ''............Welcome home......Yashiro-san......... ...welcome back......nasa......'' ''I''m back, Jeannette. I''m sorry I''m late.'' ''No, ...... it''s fine.'' I''ll always be here. I''ll always be waiting for your return here at the sunny pavilion. ''Yashiro-san: ......'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the web site, you can contact us at the following web site: ...... ............ ''Yashiro-saaaan............'' I started to cry. Like a child. I clung to Yashiro-san. ''I''ve worried you, haven''t I? ''............ Yes. I was worried about you.'' I was scared. That you''d forget me. I was lonely. All the time you were gone. I was in pain. I was in pain for a long time. ''I''m sorry.'' ''No. ............ No.'' I''m not sorry. ''If you''re worried about me, I''ll worry all you want. ............ Instead, I''ll just ......'' I looked up at Yashiro''s face, which was probably disgusting from all the tears and snot, but I really wanted to see his face, so I just prayed that he wouldn''t laugh at me. I smiled at him as best I could with all my heart. ''Please be sure to come back. Come here. To this sunlit pavilion: ............'' I''ll always be waiting for you here at ....... ''...... Ah.'' The short voice could be taken as either an affirmation or a hesitation, but at least it didn''t seem to be a ...... denial, so I was ...... relieved. After crying for a while, I took advantage of Yashiro until he calmed down,...... and immediately after he stopped crying, I felt embarrassed. This is ............ embarrassing. I''m not sure what to do. ''............ Ginette. ''Yes, yes! Standing at the entrance of the kitchen, with his back to us, Yashiro said in a small voice. ''I''ll try to make your wish ...... that you were talking about earlier come true as much as possible. ......'' ''To .......'' ''Well then, good night. After saying that, Yashiro walked quickly into the kitchen. The sound of footsteps moving away. What is the ............ thing that I said earlier about my wish? If you have any idea what I''m talking about,......, I muttered to myself so that Yashiro could not hear me,....... But I don''t think ...... he can hear such a small voice. ............ But if that''s what you mean,............ Oh ...... what should I do, my face is going to melt like chocolate. It''s not a given, but ...... just think how happy you''ll be if it is. ............ ''The details are fine.'' You don''t need to know what Yashiro meant when he said that. Even so, I''m sure that Yashiro-san will be able to ...... ''Yashiro-san. Let''s work hard again tomorrow. I bowed my head towards Yashiro''s room and decided to go to sleep. I''m sure I''ll have a wonderful dream today. 238-chatter tomorrows weather Caracara Caracara ...... Gacon ............ Pasha~...... Caracara Caracara...... Gacon............ Pasha~...... Caracara Caracara............ ''Duh!Already!It''s a pain in the ass!'' I let go of the rope used to pull up the tub and crossed my arms to show my displeasure. ''Pfft!Pfft! The bucket fell with great force, making a noise at the bottom of the well. ''...... Yashiro. You have to pump three more cups before you can use the toilet.'' ''That said, yo .......'' ''...... night, use the old toilet?'' ''............ water, I''ll get it.'' I go back to rattling and pulling the tub of water from the well. It''s heavy. I''ve never held anything heavier than chopsticks before. ''...... Yashiro. The water is spilling again. Pull the rope straight down. Water can''t be wasted. Since Magda is here in the first place, why don''t you let her do this ............ As a result, Magda pointed out that ''...... Yashiro is not good at fetching water'' and he is currently being forced to ''practice''. ''...... Magda and Loretta can''t always be at the store. The only person who can move in such a situation is Yashiro. You should master it properly. ''Hey, hey. I understand. My training continues under the guidance of Magda, who is very spartan when it comes to education. To begin with, why do I have to fetch water for the flush toilet? ...... ''It''s not raining, it''s raining'' It''s not raining at all. I looked up at the sky, which was clear blue and cloudless. The season is June. A year ago, we were plagued by heavy rains and flooding, but the moment we ...... built a sewage system, it stopped raining. ...... This is proof of the twisted nature of the spirit gods. I''m not sure what to say.This is the last one!That''s it! I fill up the tank of the flush toilet, and I''m finally free from hard labor. I mean, how many cups of water do you want me to pump? ...... ''...... Magda can finish in a third of the time of Yashiro. Yashiro only fills the tub a third of the way with water.'' ''Because it''s ...... so heavy.'' ''Because ...... it spills a lot.'' ''Because ...... my arm hurts.'' ''...... Hang in there, boy.'' I don''t think there are any men or women who do this. After all, the women I know are all powerful. Even Millie has more strength than I do. The only ones I can beat are Ginette and Regina. ''...... You should practice properly so you can do it well. ''That''s okay. I''ll be living with Magda for the rest of my life. I''ll leave the heavy lifting to you. I''m in charge of the brain. ''............'' ''Oh, no! Magda''s tail hit me on the cheek. What the hell are you doing? ''...... It''s not fair to say things like that. You can''t scold me properly. ......'' Magda''s ears are twitching. I''m sure she''s embarrassed, but ............ her bruised cheek really hurts. ...... I think she''s going to cry a little. ''...... As long as there is no rain, this work must be done every day, three times a day, morning, noon and evening, at regular intervals, and then flexibly depending on the number of customers coming in. If he spilled water every time, the well would be in danger of dying, so Yashiro needed to master drawing water as soon as possible. If the sun continues to shine, there will be no water left for the cafeteria. ''...... From today on, it''s all ''training''. That''s an upgrade from ''practice''. ...... ''......I''m not letting you sleep tonight. ''Don''t mutter any meaningful words. ......'' I mean, at night?You''re going to train all night? ......I might lose an arm. ............ ''......The peak of lunch has passed, so you can take a break for a while. But ............ I''m not letting you sleep tonight.'' ''You''re just saying that, aren''t you? Laughing, Magda walked into the kitchen. Left alone in the courtyard, I rub my arms, muscles taut, and think. This is not good. If I keep doing this, I''m going to die for real. We have to do something about it. ............ In short, if it rains, the problem is solved. ............ Okay! I took immediate action. What''s that?What''s that, Mr. Yashiro?It''s so cute! I''m not going to do it. I''m not going to ...... do it, okay?You''re going to use this now. ''It reminds me of snowmen for some reason. He looked up at an angle as if nostalgic for a distant day. Ginette really likes this kind of modeling. ...... ''This is called a teru teru bozu. ''A teru teru bozu? ''It''s a spell from my hometown, if you hang this on the windowsill, it will make the weather clear tomorrow. ''Really? I didn''t know there was such a cute spell. He said happily, and poked Telltale Boy''s face with his finger. ''But we''ve been having a lot of sunshine lately, so I don''t feel like welcoming the sunshine. My laundry dries well, though. ......'' ''Of course, I don''t want sunshine either. I just want a storm to come in now. ''So, why Telltale Monk? For some reason, Ginette calls the teru teru monk ''san''. She took the teru teru monk she had just made from his hand-- ''This is how you do it! --She slams it to the floor with all her might! I''m not sure what to do.What did you do, Yashiro-san? ''That''s the incarnation of fine!If you hurt him and he dies, there will be a heavy rain!Now, get out of there, Jeannette! ''No, I don''t want to! The teru-teru monk is lying on the floor, but Jeannette stands in the way to stop him. ''If you''re going to torment Telltale Monk, please torment me! ''Even if I bully you, it won''t rain!It''s for the sake of making it rain ......, that is, for the sake of all the people living in this 42nd district!Get out of there! ''I can''t hear you!God the Spirit does not approve of peace that is based on someone else''s sacrifice! ''Get out of the way, Jeannette!Or I''ll ...... rub you! ''If you promise not to bully Telltale Monk, then please rub me! ''No, you can''t admit that! ''''That''s fine!As long as it will save the teru teru monk, if I can take his place, ...... come on, Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Hey, Jeannette!What are you talking about? I don''t know, I''m getting a little too excited and Jeannette''s saying something terrible! --And at that moment. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ''Yashiro ...... are you ready to make your will?'' ''You''re so dumb, I can''t even tell you. ......'' ''Yashiro ......, I''m sad! ''Master Yashiro. I will intercede.'' Estella, Norma, Delia, and Natalia were standing at the entrance. ''What''s going on?What''s with this evil aura? ...... Huh?This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. ...... Stop approaching me with no sign of me, you''ll scare me. ''...... Yashiro.'' Magda looked up at me with colorless eyes. ''...... It''s been fun so far.'' ''Don''t you dare make any disturbing statements!Just listen to me! I carefully explained how Jeannette had gotten out of control. I risked my life. ''What the hell!You''re really exaggerating, manager! ''But, but!She''s so cute!I feel so sorry for you! After the misunderstanding was cleared up, we sat around the table drinking tea. ...... I didn''t feel like living. In the end, the telltale monk was confiscated and is currently being held tightly in Jeannette''s chest. ............ You telltale monk!I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do that this time. ''But, little Jeannette. I''m not impressed with your careless remarks.'' ''Huh. ...... I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I thought it was okay since I''m dealing with Yashiro-san. ......'' ''''''''''''--! '''''''''''' Everyone''s expression turns serious at once. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not!It''s not that I''m hoping that Yashiro will do such an act, but that I trust that he will not abuse such a statement!It''s true! ''Duh~......'', a wild sigh escaped. ...... You really should watch what you say, Ginette. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''The lack of rain is definitely a problem. We also have to go back and forth to the reservoir to fetch water. ...... We''re having a hard time. ''I''m in trouble too. The water level in the river is dropping and the fish in the river are getting weaker. I can''t fish unnecessarily with that. ''Me too. I''m troubled because I can''t look at the wet Estella-sama and huff and puff.'' ''I''m sorry Yashiro. Can I go denounce the scandals of my people right now? ''If you want, you can take me back right now.'' I''m having a serious problem. Natalia is always going at her own pace. ''''Last year, Estella-sama came back to the mansion wearing Yashiro-sama''s clothes. ''''''--! ''''No, it wasn''t!I only borrowed it because my clothes got wet from the heavy rain!That''s all! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. ............ Natalia. You really should go home. ''Oh my God! She scolded Natalia and Estella sipped her tea. She puts down her cup, looks at you, and says this in a tone as if she were making small talk. ''Hey, Yashiro. Make it rain. ''Do you think I''m a god or something? If I had that kind of power, I''d use it to make more money! ''Don''t you think Yashiro knows something?How to make it rain. You know, when it rained hard, he came up with a solution.Just like that.'' ''No matter how handsome I am, I can''t control the weather. I''m sorry, but I''m talking about something serious, so can you not interrupt me with your silly jokes? What''s with the jokes? He''s handsome! ''But, your hometown has developed a magic-like power that makes the impossible possible, right? ''No, it doesn''t! It''s all about science and technology! Magic is only used by a few self-proclaimed magicians on TV. ''There''s nothing there, is there?Anything that can make it rain, whether it''s a legend or not. ''If it''s a legend, you can ...... beat the hell out of him and kill him half to death. ''I''m not going to let you do that, okay?It''s the manager''s authority! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it............. I think I''ll shave my head! ''It''s kind of unusual for you to take such a hard line, Jeannette. Estella looks at Jeannette and lets out a chuckle. So ...... in times like this, people often say ............ ''...... It might rain tomorrow. ''That''s it!That''s it, Yashiro! ''That''s right!That''s what the old saying goes! ''Salmon is delicious! ''No, it''s not!''Do something unusual and it will rain! ''At my house, it rains blood. ......'' ''That''s only in your house, Natalia: ......'' The tension in the room rose sharply. Magda, who was always calm, and Loretta, who seemed to have missed out on the fun, didn''t seem to be able to get over it. ''Well, it''s a superstition. ''Still, considering our situation, it''s better than not doing it! ''What?Should we do something unusual? I''ll let him take the lead. Okay, let''s let this guy take the lead. ''Loretta. Do something out of the ordinary! ''Huh?Huh, what''s something out of the ordinary? ''You''ll have to figure that out for yourself!You''re a very unusual guy! ''Yeah, yeah!What should I do?Let''s see, let''s see, let''s see... ............ Then I''ll imitate you!I''ll imitate you! "Tits, awesome! ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''Da, someone please say something! ''Normal. ''Don''t be normal!I''m sure you look like her in your own way! Loretta desperately pleads. However, the atmosphere in the cafeteria is getting more and more turbulent. ''You don''t even sound like him, and you can''t even imitate Yashiro''s tone of voice. ''Was that an imitation of Yashiro?I didn''t really understand it. ''...... You did well for a Loretta.'' ''But if you look at the results, you can say that it was a situation where a ''normal'' person slipped up in a ''normal'' way.'' ''You can be told all you want! Loretta performed a ''normal'' imitation that didn''t even look like her and slipped up. There''s nothing unusual about it, so we can''t expect any rain. ''...... Loretta is the weakest of the "Four Heavenly Kings of Normal". I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the following. ''...... Magda speaks quickly. ''What? It was Estella who raised her voice. I, too, am slightly surprised to hear a word that is the furthest thing from Magda''s mind. Fast speech?Magda? ''...... You''ll see.'' Soooo~......, Magda takes a deep breath and opens her mouth. ''......Namu............'' And then he seems to bite his tongue loudly and crouches down, holding his mouth. He probably wanted to say ''raw barley, raw rice, raw egg''. ''............te-gowahi......'' He held his mouth and flattened his ears. Magda, you look like a retiree. I wonder what he wanted, this guy. He''s got his tongue lolling out of his mouth and tears in the corners of his eyes. It''s a lovely thing that would kill Umaro if he were here. ...... Ah, I went to spoil Jeannette. Yeah. Same as always. Nothing unusual about that. ''All right, Delia! ''What the hell? ''Tell me something other than salmon! ''I can''t! You''re so graceful! ''I''m sure you''ve got something! ''The salmon roe the other day, you know! ''You''re talking about the ones that will turn into salmon in the future!Isn''t there anything more unusual or surprising? ''Hmmm ............''. After crossing her arms and pondering a lot, Delia said forcefully. ''No! The usual. There may be few people who can recreate everyday scenes as well as this. Yeah, this is getting us nowhere! It''s times like this that the ever-reliable Norma comes into play! ''Norma, go and get yourself a girl! ''What do you mean? ''Go tell them, ''I''m in trouble, Norma! ''I''m afraid not! Why not? If Norma was so popular, it would be raining hard tomorrow!I was about to say ......, but then I stopped. Norma''s eyes are ...... serious. ............ I''ll be hunted! ''Master Yashiro. I have a suggestion for you. ''What is it? ''How about Estella-sama becoming a big titted woman?'' ''If I could, I would have done it by now! ''Wait, Natalia. We need the rain, but too much of it could cause the sewers to collapse. ''''You think it''s going to rain that much, and I''m going to have big tits? ''''Forty-two districts are sinking .......'''' ''''You guys are just perfect together, aren''t you? Oh, no. This whole thing has been pretty much business as usual. I''ve seen so many familiar scenes that I didn''t think I''d ever see anything like this again. ''Okay!Let''s mess with Natalia! ''Yes, of course!Natalia doesn''t get played with very often, so it might be something unusual! ''You''re really into it, Estella-sama. ............ I wish I could gouge you.'' ''You can''t gouge me! ''Natalia. There''s a limit to what you can do. ''You''re not following me, Norma!You don''t want to follow me, do you?Okay, you''re an enemy too! Oh, no. I was supposed to be playing with Natalia, but then I realized I was playing with Estella. ''Natalia. Why don''t you take the role of spoiler for a change? Natalia is surprisingly weak on the offensive. If you make her blush once, you''ll get some interesting chemistry out of all these people who want to play with her. ...... ''Yashiro-sama''. Natalia calls out to me in a slightly stronger tone, What the hell. No amount of excuses will stop me from playing with you, okay? ''Lately, when I''m spoiled by others, I feel like I''m at home, and I can''t help but dress like I''m at home. ......'' ''Yes, stop!Don''t play with Natalia! Natalia has said before that she spends most of her time naked at home. Naked in the cafeteria is bad. No, it''s bad everywhere. ''So that leaves ...... Jeannette.'' ''What ......? Ginette''s face tightened as all eyes were on her. She stood up from her chair and slowly retreated. ''Why don''t I make her do something she wouldn''t normally do? ''What''s the one thing a manager doesn''t do, like ...... violence? ''That''s a no-no. Violence is unacceptable. ...... So, how about ...... ''cosplay''? ''That''s a good idea!It''s a good idea to have the manager''s selfish body cooked according to the desires of Yashiro-sama. ''...... That''s interesting. ''I want to see it too! ''Oh, um, ...... are you all ......?'' Ginette was slowly being cornered. Her eyes were fixed on me and Estella, who had not yet spoken, and she looked at us as if she were clinging to us. But ...... ''I''m sorry, Ginette. I just want to take a look.'' ''Okay!I think it''s unanimous that we should put her in a string bikini! ''No one said anything about that! Normally, this would end with me being told to ''repent'', but ...... now, everyone here is on my side, except for Jeannette. Everyone wants to see it. Yes, Jeannette''s selfish body! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a joker,.......Right?I''m sorry. Ginette is driven to the wall. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. She hugs it tightly. The only ally she has now is the monk! What can you do? I''m not sure what to do. ''Come on, ......Ginette............ be prepared ......'' ''No, no, no, no, no, no! ''Gimme, gimme, gimme! And then the teru teru monk plunged into Jeannette''s cleavage. d*mn, I envy you! And just as she clenched her fists... Boom! --With a sound, the head of the teru teru monk tumbled down. and the head of the teru-teru-boujin tumbled down. ''Aaaaah! screamed Jeannette. Jeannette picks up the tumbled down head of the teru teru monk and tearfully appeals. ''Telltale Monk!Please pull yourself together!The wound isn''t serious! No, no, no. It''s a fatal wound. His neck''s been removed. ''Oh, um, ...... can someone please help Telltale Monk ...... and ............ The people surrounding Jeannette were all looking dazed and confused. I''ll speak for all of them and give you my impressions. ''Ginette. ''Yes, ......? ''That''s tremendous, your milk pressure! ''d*mn ............!Please repent! I was the only one who was unreasonably angry, and the day was dismissed. --The next day. ''......I feel a wall between me and Jeannette. ......'' Estella is looking out the window of the sunny pavilion. It''s pouring outside. It had been raining hard since this morning. ''Yes!It''s because Jeannette used her milk pressure to fight off the Telltale Monk!'' ''No, that''s not true!It was just a coincidence! Ginette''s cheeks puffed up as she hugged the teru teru monk that I had repaired with great care. 239-Episode 151 Unusual Sunsettei ??¡§¨¨?????????? ?¡è?¨¦?????????????1¨¨?¡À??¡§????a??¡è???????¨¦?¡ä¨¨????£¤¨¨???¡è???? ¨¨??????a???¡¤??¡§?¡è¡ì??????¨¨??¨¨???o??????¡ã?????¡¥??£¤?????¡ã¨¨??¨¦?????¨¨???£¤1??¡¥??£¤¨¨¡ì??¡¥?¨¨¡¤¡¥¨¨??????oo?????? ?????¡¥??£¤???????oo?¦Ì???? ''??????......'' --?????????????????o????¡ê¡ã??1??¡¥??? ''...... ???????????¡§???¨¨?¡é????¡¤2?????¡ã¨¨????? ''............'' ''...... ????????? ''............'' ????2????????o????? ?¨¨???????¦Ì¨¨¡¥???? ?? ??¡ã?o???¡¥????1??o????????????1??? ''...... Hexenbiest Chichiprune??? ''¨¦?¡ê?????¡¥??????????-?! ??|????????¡§????o???? ''...... ??????????? ?o?¨¨¡¥£¤??¡§?¡¤£¤?????-????????¡¤¨¦??''??? 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When I heard her mumbling to herself, it made me smile. I just wanted to rub it in. ...... Oh, is that always the case? Yeah, yeah. My self-control is very strong. ''Big brother, ...... what are you grinning about by yourself?'' ''No, nothing. I just thought my self-control was strong.'' ''Self-control is a madman......?You mean you''re a runaway who can''t hold back at all? ''Who''s the madman? I''ll rub it, your normal bulge! ''More importantly, it''s the manager. Loretta leans closer to me, careful not to spill her coffee. ''I think there''s something wrong with me lately. ''You too? ''I''m not crazy! ''No, you''re not!All of humanity knows that you''re normal. ''I''m not normal!I''m not normal! ...... I mean, you''re so well known that I''m confused! Her expression changes frequently. I never get tired of looking at it. It''s much more varied than a kaleidoscope. And... That''s not what I was trying to say. ...... ''You noticed it too, didn''t you? ''Yes. I''ve been in a bit of a daze lately.'' ''...... Yashiro is also lazy lately.'' ''Hey, is my self-control really that unreliable?I''m not sure what to do. ''...... often feel the gaze''. Magda presses her hand to her own modest bulge. Hahahaha, it''s Magda, ............ you''ve noticed. That''s what I''m talking about. ''Um, big brother ......, I''ve never felt your eyes on me at all. ''Hmm?Isn''t that a good thing? ''I feel so lonely! ''Do you really want to be seen that much? ''How can you say that in front of an audience?It''s not like that!Moderation is good. Moderation is good. She''s at a difficult age, Loretta. ''And how is it that Jeannette is so absent-minded? ''It''s hard to explain, but ......'' At about the same time as Loretta tilted her head with a difficult expression, Ginette came out from the kitchen with the food. ''Thank you for waiting~!Spaghetti Napolita~na! ''Oh, it''s like this. ''I see.'' ''Huh!What is it?What''s that? ''...... Manager. Carbonara.'' ''Huh!I''m sorry, I''m sorry! Ginette returned to the kitchen in a panic. I don''t know what to do, that spaghetti Napolita~na. ''That''s fine for my meal. ''Well, let''s eat together. Mine''s probably ready too.'' ''Yes, sir! ''Well, Loretta...'' ''What is it? ''Coffee. It''s getting cold.'' ''What?Oh, no! You''re in a daze, too! Pull yourself together, seriously. After that, I waited for Loretta to refill the coffee, and decided to have a late lunch. Facing Loretta, I ate my bribe at the back of the room. ''Have you been saying anything lately? ''Is it the manager? ''Yes. As you eat, get some information from Loretta. Anything. Ask her if there''s anything that''s bothering her, no matter how trivial. The cause of the problem is usually hidden in the things you say, you know. ''Hmmm... ...... "It''s not raining this year..."'' This time last year was the time when we were troubled by the terrible damage caused by the continuous heavy rain. The kids in the church were getting sick from the sewage, so we built a sewer. A year ago, it was raining like crazy. But this year it hasn''t rained at all. When it rains, of course, it rains, but it never rains as long as it did last year. According to the story, this city has the same climate and weather at basically the same time of the year, although there are some differences. There are no four seasons, but the weather changes in the same span of time. In other words, this year''s weather is abnormal. ''But I haven''t heard that the manager is particularly fond of rain. Rather, he was happy that the laundry dries easily when the weather is good. ''I guess so. It''s not because it''s not raining that he''s not cheerful. Maybe. ''Big brother, did you do something? ''What do you mean, what did you do? ''I peeped into your bath, or I peeped into your clothes, or I forced myself up your skirt. ''Hahahaha. Loretta, you''ve got ketchup on your mouth and eyebrows above your eyes. I''ll take it off.'' ''I don''t want you to take off my eyebrows! As she hurriedly held her eyebrows with both hands, the pasta entangled in the fork of her right hand stuck to her face, staining Loretta''s face red. ...... It''s a catastrophe. ''Huh. ...... Big brother, that''s terrible.'' ''Is it my fault? ......'' I can''t help it, so I wipe it off with my handkerchief. Oh, no. I''ll have to ask Grandma Mum again, you know. ''Mmmm ......, that tickles...'' ''Don''t make any sweet noises. You look like you''re flirting with me. ''...... Loretta is lucky.'' Magda, who has been standing next to us for some time, says to Loretta, who still has a little ketchup on her. ''...... If this had been carbonara, Loretta''s face would have been stuck with the smell of cheese - rotten milk, and she would have been called "rotten milk girl". ''Was there such a danger?That was a close call, wasn''t it? ''...... Loretta was fortunate enough to fail to become a rotten milk girl.'' ''I hate it when you say that, it''s like I wanted to be one but couldn''t! ''Magda is sulking because she''s working alone. ''Magda. Do you want a bite? ''............'' I picked up the stir-fried vegetables with my chopsticks, and Magda''s movements stopped for a moment. After a few moments of thought, ...... ''...... I''m at work.'' ''Well, don''t say that. Just one sip.'' ''............ if that''s what Yashiro wants.'' Magda opens her mouth, and I feed her some stir-fried vegetables. He chews quietly and swallows slowly. ''...... oto taste''. ''Where do you learn these expressions? ''Magda!Would you like some of mine?It''s very tasty.'' ''...... I''m at work right now.'' ''Don''t say that, you can have mine too. ''...... No, I''m working.'' ''You''re getting more impolite!I''m feeling a huge wall! ''......Back to work.'' ''Magda!Eat it!It''s delicious! I couldn''t help but laugh at the exchange between the two. They seemed to be very disappointed that they couldn''t eat together. It was a cute revenge. It''s a reaction like a young child who has bent his navel. I think Magda has become much more emotional since she came to the Sunlit Pavilion. He was really expressionless at first. Ginette seemed to be pleased with this change, and began to report to me that ''Magda-san laughed'' and ''Magda-san sulked'' at every opportunity. She seemed to be very happy about it. That''s why Jeannette hasn''t been well lately. ...... Specifically, the past week or so. What the hell happened to her? Did she show any signs of ...... remember ...... anything ......? ...... ''Yashiro''. As I was diving into a sea of thoughts, confronting my own memories, a voice called out to me from behind. When I turned around, my flat chest was at eye level, and when I looked up, a beautiful girl with bright red hair was standing there. ''Hey, titty girl. ''Who''s a rotten tits girl?What''s a rotten tits girl? ''It''s about Loretta.'' ''No, it''s not!I want you to refrain from spreading misinformation! Without asking my permission, Estella sits down next to me with a dumbfounded look on her face. ''Give me a bite. ''Sorry, I''m at work. ''I don''t understand what you mean by that refusal. You don''t need to know what it means. Order your own food. Pay for it. ''You seem to be busy lately. You haven''t shown up at the sunny-side up restaurant very often. ''Huh?Have you been lonely?'' ''No, not really. ...... Oh, that''s right. I was looking for a new tool. I''ve missed you so much, Estella.'' ''That prick of a personality of yours is not improving at all. In fact, it''s only getting better.'' No, I''m not. The new product Norma''s selling is pretty high quality and well made. With it, you can do fine craftsmanship, make cheap products look like luxury products, and sell them at a rip-off price. ...... Oops, I don''t need to tell you all that, I''ll keep quiet. ''Ah!Estella! There was a short sound, followed by a loud ''thud! And then, with a loud thud, Jeannette fell to the floor. ''Ugh ............, it hurts. ''Hey, are you okay?Jeannette-chan.'' ''Yes......, I fell.'' ''Uh, yeah. I was watching .......'' I''d like to know how she could fall so spectacularly on an empty floor. ''Manager, are you okay? ''Oh, yes. I''m sorry for worrying you, Loretta-san. ''Here''s your Neapolitan, please pour it over! ''''What? ''It''s delicious and energizing! ''Loretta. I know you want to do it, but it''s too fast. Feel the subtlety of the air around here, okay?'''' ''Huh. ...... I want to do it too. ......'' I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You can''t say ''Thank you! ''Excuse me, Estella-san. Would you like something to eat? ''I guess so. ......'' ''...... I recommend takoyaki.'' ''Whoa!...... I''m so surprised. Oh, Magda. Don''t stand behind me with no sign of me.'' ''......The takoyaki at the Sunshine Pavilion are top-notch.'' ''I know that, but ...... I''m in the mood for rice today.'' ''...... recommends popcorn.'' ''I heard that, you''re talking about me! ''...... Don''t worry. I''ll add rice. ''It doesn''t match! For some reason, Magda tried to get Estella to eat her own specialties. ...... Oh, so that''s what it is. I''ll go make it for you. I''ll go and make it for you, so you can eat whatever you like. ''No, Jeannette. You stay here.'' ''Huh?'' Taking Magda''s intentions into consideration, I left my seat. I''ve just finished stir-frying the vegetables. ''I''ll go make it for you. In exchange, the menu will be ''Chef''s Whimsical Lunch''. ''I''m really nervous about what''s going to be on .......'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll be serious today. ''...... I think we would have a much friendlier relationship if you had stayed serious on a regular basis.'' It''s still good enough. I took my empty plate and left the table. There''s no point in me staying at ......, though, so ............ ''Loretta, come to the kitchen after you clear the table. I need your help with something.'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll take care of it!I''m probably good at that!'' Another random thing: ...... Well, it''s easy enough for Loretta to help. It shouldn''t be a problem. ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. I can cook for you at .......'' ''It''s been a while since you''ve seen Estella, hasn''t it? ''Huh?......, yes. Yes, it has. She seems to be very busy these days.'' ''Then have a little talk with her. Taking a break is necessary to do a good job.'' ''Relax: ......'' She ruminated on the words, thought for a moment, and then smiled as if her buds were bursting at the seams. ''Yes. Then I will take your word for it and take a break. She bows her head and sits down on the seat opposite Estella. And then Magda came in with a cup of tea. It''s funny ......, I thought you were here just a few minutes ago, when did you get the tea? ''Magda. You were here a while ago, weren''t you?'' ''......Yashiro. On the pillow of Magda''s bed, there are these words: ............ ''It''s an afterimage ......''.'' ''I''m really curious as to why you wrote that on your pillow. ...... It wasn''t an afterimage, was it? ''...... Mysterious woman. The name is Magda. ''The Mysterious Woman I know doesn''t use her superhuman physical powers to create mysteries. ......'' Well, okay. Ginette is happy the tea is here. I said a few words to Ginette and Estella, then went into the kitchen. ''I''ll make you something easy to eat. ''Yes, sir! With Loretta in tow, I laid out the ingredients on the cooking table. ''There are a lot of ingredients. ...... What are you going to make? ''I''m not going to make it, I''m just going to ...... cut it up.'' ''Huh? The food culture of this world is very skewed. If you have never heard of popcorn, you may have heard of miso (soybean paste), and if you have heard of lemon, you may have heard of vinegar. ...... Miso and vinegar are probably more difficult than lemon. In the end, the degree of development of the field depends on how much research and enthusiasm the guild handling them has for cultivating, breeding, fishing, and hunting. It is inevitable that the sales of soybeans will explode if miso and soy sauce are produced. On the other hand, the Yaploks, who could not find a use for popcorn or flint corn, were living in poverty. In other words, each foodstuff developed at a different rate as a result of the tremendous research being conducted to increase their own profits. In other words, each foodstuff developed at a different pace as a result of the tremendous research conducted to increase their own profits. However, the feeling of "unevenness" is based on the sense of Japan, so we can only accept it if we are told that this is normal. ''Agh!It stung my nose!I don''t like that sour stuff! ''Then, I''ll like you from today. ''I''m not that simple!Tell me today and I''ll start liking you from today. ......'' ''Just cut those into long, thin strips for me. ''Mmm ...... I got it.'' While Loretta cuts the cucumber into long strips, I mix vinegar with sugar and salt. I pour the mixture over the white rice and mix it with the vinegar as if I were cutting the rice while blowing air through a fan that I kept in my Assunto during the heat wave. It''s sushi rice. That''s why I''m going to make a hand-rolled sushi. For the seaweed, we will use the seaweed that Hamko and his friends collected while repairing the nets of the Sea Fishing Guild. I''ll be sure to lightly roast it over an open flame to accentuate its aroma and crispy texture. Since I had some sea fish, I used them as well. Masha had come to the 42nd district because Delia was not doing well lately. She came to see me this morning and left some sea fish as a souvenir. I''m going to make thick eggs from Nepheli''s eggs, and Delia''s salmon will be fillets and flakes. The lettuce is from Momat''s place. The lettuce is from Mormat''s farm, which I negotiated with him to set up a "ham kid field" to produce lettuce with good taste and texture. The original agreement that "the vegetables grown by Hamko will be given priority to the Sunshine Pavilion" is still in effect, and the vegetables delivered to the Sunshine Pavilion are of very high quality. This past year. It''s an exaggeration to say that ...... is based on all the things I''ve done with the people I''ve met in the past year, but I''ve created a dish that fully utilizes all the contacts I''ve made. ''Okay, I''ll take it with me. ''Is this the end?Are you sure about this? Loretta followed me with a half-confident ...... or perhaps two-confused look. ''Here you go. Let''s cook and eat together. I lay out the sushi rice, nori, and other ingredients on a table for four. I put soy sauce on a small plate,...... no, it''s sushi, so I''ll call it ''murasaki'',...... and prepare it. ''Yashiro-san. What is this?I have a feeling this is going to be a lot of fun! Ginette''s big eyes glittered. On the other side of the room, Estella''s cheeks relax with a grin. This guy ...... seriously didn''t expect that, did he?You''ll be able to find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''This is called Temakizushi, where you roll up whatever ingredients you want and eat them. Well, watch this for now. I''ll show you how it''s done. I put a piece of seaweed larger than the palm of my hand on top of the seaweed, put a good amount of sushi rice on it, spread it out, put lettuce, thick sliced egg, cucumber, and salmon flake mayonnaise on it, and rolled it up. Although I used salmon flakes instead of tuna, it was a kind of salad roll. Then dip it in ''Murasaki'' and eat it at ......! The fire-roasted seaweed makes a crispy sound. The nori makes a crispy sound. And the taste that spreads in your mouth is ...... just like sushi rolls. It''s so nostalgic. ...... And then, each of you can add your favorite ingredients like this: ......'' ''I''ll try it too! ''Let me try too! ''Oh, I want to try it too!I want to try it too! Halfway through the ...... explanation, the pariahs swarmed the bait. Listen to me, hear me out. I don''t care. ''...... This is no time to be working. Oh, come on. No, you can eat it, but you can''t say it''s ''not a good time to be working. You know what?You''re a professional. Fortunately, all the customers seemed to have gone, and the only people at the restaurant were the people concerned. Although there are more customers than before, it''s still a restaurant. Depending on the time of day, the restaurant may become unoccupied. I guess this will always be the case no matter how popular the restaurant becomes. ''Big brother!I can''t reach the seaweed! ''You put in too much. ''Yashiro, what should I do?I can''t reach the seaweed! ''You too, Estella? ''...... The seaweed is too small.'' ''It''s too much, Magda!You can''t have all kinds! ''That ...... Yashiro-san ............ seaweed...'' ''Even Jeannette? That''s what happens when you overdo it. If you try too hard to put it on and roll it up, it won''t reach ....... Yeah. That''s true. ''Reduce the number of ingredients. Just one or two.'' ''But I want them all together! ''The result is ''unrolled sushi rolls''! ''But, but!The ingredients you see here are like a bond with the people you''ve met so far!I want to cherish those bonds! I want to cherish those bonds.'''' ''You''re just being greedy while saying something plausible! ''Yes, sir! ''''I''ve already admitted it! Behind the stupid speech of the stupid Loretta, Ginette stares at the food on the table and mutters in a whisper. ''...... Kizuna''. That''s what Loretta said, but ...... it may have touched something in Jeannette. It''s a very good idea to have a little bit of time to think about it. ''Jeannette. Estella, who hadn''t seen her face recently, would have recognized her clearly now. There was something wrong with Jeannette after all. ''What''s going on?I''ll at least listen to you. ''H......'' When she realized that all of us were staring at her, she looked down in embarrassment and then looked up as if she had made up her mind. ''That ....... What would you do if the people you love and who are very important to you were having a fight?What do you think I should do? When she said this, Jeannette''s face looked as if she was about to start crying, and I could easily imagine that she had been struggling with her feelings, unable to tell anyone. But ...... people who love each other fight? Perhaps this is not a parable, but a fact that Jeannette herself has witnessed. Who in the world is fighting with who in ...... When I looked at Magda and Loretta for some reason, they sensed that I was watching them and moved almost simultaneously and hugged each other. It''s a show of friendship. ''...... I''m sorry. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... But I''ll take care of it myself ......, okay? And ......''. Hmm? That tone of voice: ......What?No way. ...... I looked at Jeannette''s face, unable to believe the conclusion my brain had come to. I looked at Jeannette''s face, hoping she would bring me a name other than the one I had guessed: ...... ''Actually, about a week ago, I ...... stumbled upon it. ......'' As we stared, Ginette mentioned both names with a somber expression on her face. It was just as I had expected,....... ''I saw Delia-san and Millie-san arguing. Even after hearing that, I was still having trouble understanding the situation. Why are those two people ............? The sun''s rays are shining through the large windows in the quiet cafeteria. The sun was shining brightly, even though it was the rainy season. 240-Episode 152 Jeanettes Worries Jeannette''s story was hard to believe. ''Delia and Milly arguing? ''Oh, no. I''d call it an argument. ......'' Ginette made a panicked correction, and then began to talk about the situation in a rather depressed manner. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... But that was not the case. That''s probably why Ginette is showing such a downcast expression now. ''Then one day - about two weeks ago ...... ago, on my way home from church, I happened to see Millie.'' Ginette''s expression clouded further. Her eyebrows furrowed and a hint of sadness drifted over her face. ''Ms. Milly ...... seemed to have lost a lot of weight. The usual cute smile has disappeared and she looks like she is ...... trying to force a smile. As if her heart ached with every word she said, Jeannette pressed her chest. She clasped her hands and looked as if she was praying. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... Millie and her guild of flower arrangers are in charge of the forests in the 42nd district. They must be taking special care of the flowers there and elsewhere because it never rains. Neither too much rain nor too little. It''s hard to grow plants. ''So I told her that she should come to the Sunlit Pavilion next time for a delicious meal. We''ll secretly serve you a big bowl of soup. ............ Wow!It''s not that I''m being patronizing or anything, it''s just that Millie was looking so skinny that I couldn''t help but ...... I''m sure you''ve heard of it. So you are trying hard to make excuses. ...... You don''t have to try so hard to excuse yourself for that. You''ll still be doing your service even if I warn you. ''So, what did Millie say to you? From two weeks ago, when Jeannette said she talked to Millie, to today, Millie has not come to the sunny pavilion. ''Yes, she said ......, "When I have time."'' In other words, Millie has been in a "no time" situation for the past two weeks. I see. That''s why Jeannette has been looking out the window and letting out a sigh. Looking for the person who never came. ''So, I can see why you''re worried, Jeannette. Estella says, crossing her arms and looking as if she''s worried too. ''But it doesn''t seem right that you were arguing with Delia. ''Oh, um... That may be a problem with my expression. When I say that they were arguing, they were not arguing with each other, and when I say that Delia-san was very fierce in ......, it may sound like Delia-san was in the wrong, but that is not the case... ...Um, I mean, ......''. ''Just calm down. It''s okay. We know both sides of the story. We''re not going to deny Delia''s or Milly''s character based on one-sided information. ''Anyway, why don''t you just tell me what you saw? ''Yes. ...... I''m sorry if I''m misquoting you. ......'' With that preamble, Ginette begins to speak again. ''This was on a different day than when I met with Millie-san, about a week or so after ......''. That means it was about a week ago now. ''On my way back from visiting a church, I heard someone shouting, and I walked towards the river. That''s when I saw ...... that ............ Delia was very angry with Millie... ...Millie was trying very hard to argue with her. ......'' ''Millie''s rebuttal? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ............. It''s a little hard to get the point across through the internet, which emphasizes more than necessary that neither side is at fault. ''Do you want to go and see them in person?'' ''Yes.'' I agree with Estella''s opinion. It''s hard to say for sure at this point. Besides, I haven''t seen either of them in a while. I''ve heard that there hasn''t been much rain since Theron''s wedding. ...... After that, there was one time when it rained a lot, but it hasn''t rained again since then. So, the current water shortage must be quite serious. I wonder if they are busy with the countermeasures. ''...... Delia bought a lot of popcorn about a week ago. ''Did she stock up on sweets? ''......Yes. I''m going to be out of time for a while.'' If you buy popcorn that doesn''t have a long shelf life, ...... it won''t taste as good. If you bring him something sweet, he might be willing to listen to you. But I''m also worried about Millie, who was said to have lost weight. ...... ''Um, Yashiro-san: ......'' Ginette presses her chest to suppress the anxiety that is rising in her. Her eyes are wavering. ''I''ve thought about going to see her many times,......, but I hesitated because I thought that if I interrupted her when she was busy,......, it might bother her. ......'' I''m sure Millie will take care of you and make time for you even if she is busy. And even if she has to cut back on her own sleep and rest time to make up for it. That''s probably why Ginette chose to wait patiently. In this sunny pavilion. ''But if he collapses, it might be hard for me to call for help and be alone. ''--! Ginette gasped at Loretta''s words. She hadn''t thought of that possibility. ...... ''What should I do ...... when I knew ............ that you would abandon me like this, what a terrible thing! ...... ''Wait, wait, wait!I''m not sure that''s the case yet! ''But .......'' ''Okay, okay, Ginette!Then let''s go to Millie''s place first. As if to appease Ginette who was about to start crying, Estella looked into her big eyes and spoke to her. ''Is that okay, little Ginette? ''...... Yes.'' Millie is the one who is worried about falling. Delia doesn''t have to worry about that. It would be better to reassure Ginette, who is overflowing with anxiety that she has been storing up alone without telling anyone. ''...... You should have consulted me earlier.'' ''That''s right, manager. We''re friends, aren''t we? ''I''m sorry ...... that this is caused by the lack of rain, and I''m afraid it will only cause you unnecessary anxiety. ......'' There''s nothing you can do when you''re dealing with a natural disaster. That''s what he thought, so he kept quiet. He didn''t want to make them nervous. ''But ...... you''re right. I should have told you sooner. ...... I''m sorry.'' Ginette bowed deeply. ''Oh, no, I didn''t mean to ......, I''m not accusing you of anything! ''Yes. I''m well aware of that. Ginette smiles slightly. Perhaps she felt a little lighter for having spoken. When the smile returned to Ginette''s face, the atmosphere in the cafeteria softened a little. After all, it''s hard to get things in order when there''s nothing where they should be. ''...... has renewed my awareness of the need for urgent action.'' Magda looks over at us with her tiger ears pinned up. ''...... A smile is the best condiment.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. He thinks he said it well. When he sees that the reaction of the people around him is not so good, he shakes his tiger ears and ...... ''...... something''. ''No, you''re right. ''No, you''re right, Magdacho!I said Magdacho was good!Let''s give it up for Magdacho! Loretta began to clap her hands. Estella started clapping along with her, and I sort of followed suit, and eventually even Ginette joined in. ''...... Loretta. You''re getting too excited. ''I followed you and you chided me! The follow-up must have been a bit forced and embarrassing. Magda took the initiative to stop the clapping. But Magda was not wrong. Ginette''s smile is definitely one of the selling points of the Sunlit Pavilion. There are many customers who come to see Ginette''s smile. Old lady Mum and the old men around her. The woodcutters who come to see the gates of the 42nd district also come here in the evening to be soothed by Ginette''s smile. He tries his best to smile when he''s working, but his smoldering anxiety still shows on his face at a moment''s notice. It is easy to see through a forced smile. Especially if you''re as simple as Jeannette. That''s why Magda is right, we need to solve Jeannette''s problem right away. I also prefer to see a cheerful smile anyway. I don''t know what I''m talking about,....... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. This is a serious situation. Yeah, this guy''s in it for the profits, yeah. It''s in my best interest to relieve Jeannette''s anxiety, from a broader perspective. After all, ...... ''The sight of Jeannette gives me an appetite.'' It''s like a conditioned reflex. When I see Jeannette''s smile, I want to eat something delicious. There must be many customers like that. For the sake of those customers, Ginette needs to smile more naturally. ''......Yashiro'' ''Big brother''. ''Yashiro''. Magda, Loretta, and Estella stare at me. Come on. I''ve got something good to say once in a while. Don''t be impressed. ''''Don''t talk about boobs at a time like this.'''' ''''Who would have an appetite for Jeannette''s tits! Are you saying that boobs are a side dish? Stupid thing!Staple food! No, that''s not what I meant. ...... I''m not sure how to get rid of this image of mine. ''Um, Yashiro-san: ......'' A little anxious, Jeannette looks into my face. ''...... were you different? ''You too, Jeannette?'' I''m going to eat a handful of rice while staring at your cleavage, you son of a b*tc*. ''Smh ...... ugh.'' Ginette erupted in a fit of giggles, her shoulders shaking slightly. Then, unintentionally, tears spilled from the corners of her ...... eyes. ''What ...... is that? The person who spilled the tears seemed to be the most surprised and hurriedly held the corners of his eyes, but once he became aware of it, he couldn''t stop crying. ...... ''I''m sorry ......, but ............ that''s not what ...... this is, it''s not that. ......'' Estella gently cradles Ginette''s head as she desperately tries to smile. She pats him gently on the head and says, ''It''s going to be okay. ''...... Sorry .................. Ugh... ...ugh.'' A small moan escapes from Ginette, and she shakes herself. She buries her face in Estella''s chest, trying hard to keep her voice down so that no one can see her crying face. ...... She was so busy that she might have broken down and collapsed without her knowledge. That would be the hardest and most terrible thing for Jeannette. She must have remembered what happened to her grandfather. He was quite distraught when Magda was badly injured. It''s impossible to know now whether or not it was overwork that caused his grandfather''s collapse, but it wouldn''t be surprising if Ginette thought that he was there to push him too hard. His recklessness may have come from such a point of view. In order not to burden others as much as possible, ...... This means that we are running out of time. We must take immediate action. It will take some time for Jeannette to calm down. But we can''t just wait for that to happen. We can''t waste this afternoon, when there are relatively few customers. When you decide to take action, do it immediately. The more inefficiently you procrastinate, the slower the solution will be. ''Estella. Is the lack of rain that serious?'' The water we use at the Sunlit Pavilion is groundwater pumped from wells, so we don''t feel the water shortage that much. In some places, there are shallow wells that use underground water, but since the well at the Sunlit Pavilion draws water from deeper underground, we don''t feel much of a water shortage. It may be just a matter of time, though. ''Well, it looks like the water level in the ...... river is dropping quite a bit. ''Oh, that''s what I was thinking too. Loretta raised her hand and added to Estella''s story. ''My brothers told me that the water level in the river near our house has dropped so much that it''s no longer possible to jump in. In the new town where Loretta lives, there is a river that connects to the 29th district. The river swells several times and leads to the river where Delia and the river fishing guild fishes. It is said that the water level there is dropping. ''So, are you and your siblings still bathing in the river?'' ''Huh!No, you see, the ...... little ones don''t like to be in a small space like a tarai, so they ...... take a bath while playing in the river. '' In the past, when New Town was called a slum, these people had no money and were forced to bathe in the river. ...... You''re making a lot of money now. Get in at home. ''You''re not poaching, are you? ''No, I''m not!I swear!'' Estella pointed out, and Loretta waved her arms wide with all her might. ''My brothers, who went to help the river fishing guild, discipline them very strictly! Ah, I see, ...... those who were directly exposed to Delia''s fear are risking their lives to teach her a lesson. It''s not that I''m not a good person, but I''m not a good person. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand. Delia is always at full power. And that''s just my standards. There are many things that ordinary people can''t stand. At such times, Omero is the one who takes their place. ...... Good for you, Omero. You seem to be well-liked by the people below you. I don''t envy you in the slightest. ''Before, ''waterfall washing'' was popular, saying ''hitting the waterfall will clean you in an instant''. ......'' ''Are you doing such dangerous things, your brothers ......'' ''My sister does it too. You can go through a waterfall in a skirt and get clean.'' ...... Keep your eyes peeled for Javier or anyone else around. ''Are you doing this, Loretta? ''No, I''m not!I''m taking a bath at home. Oh, I see. I feel relieved. I''m so relieved. Loretta clears her throat, her cheeks pale. She glances at me lightly. What the hell. You brought this up yourself. ''According to my brothers, the power of the waterfall has been weakened. ''Perhaps there''s a shortage of water in the twenty-ninth district. Estella adds her reasoning. Well, sunshine is the same everywhere. When the upstream dries up, the downstream dries up. It''s natural. ''That''s why I was saying we should break down the cliffs and let the water flow more.'' ''No, you can''t!You''ve got to stop them at all costs!If you do that without permission, there will be a war! There must be river fishing guilds in the twenty-nine districts, and if they changed the shape of the river, they would be in big trouble. Loretta''s brothers were also digging holes in the cliffs to make huge caves. It was used as a shelter for Loretta''s family and as a workshop for Umaro and his friends during the heavy rains last year. ...... ''What''s going on with that cave now? ''It''s an emergency shelter now. Since the new house that Umaro and his friends had built for her didn''t leak or lose its floor, Loretta''s family rarely had to evacuate anymore. Therefore, it is said to be a place where the residents of the New Town can evacuate in case of a disaster. In short, it''s not in use anymore. ''Children in the neighborhood use it as a playground. They can run around even on rainy days. Well, I''m talking about the lack of rain. ''That ...... sucks.'' Sniffling, Jeannette slowly looks up. ''Jeannette. Are you alright now?'' ''Yes. ...... I''m sorry. I messed up your clothes.'' ''It''s okay.'' Estella stroked Ginette, whose eyes were red and swollen. It''s refreshing to see Jeannette being comforted. It''s not something I want to see too often, though. ''Um, ......, if you''re going to Millie''s place, can you take me with you? I''m worried about Millie. It''s written on her face. ''That''s always been my intention. I''m sure she''ll feel better with you around.'' ''...... I hope you''re right.'' ''Of course I hope so. You are one of the few friends that Miri, who was extremely shy, opened up to from the beginning. ''''She might be feeling a little uncomfortable that I''m worrying about her. She may also feel uncomfortable that she can''t show up at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Then why don''t I make something to keep you energized and bring it to you? Delivering the taste of the Sunken Pavilion? As long as I don''t have to pay for it, it won''t be a problem. ''Can you make it quickly? ''Yes. There''s a consomm?? soup with lots of vegetables. I''ll go warm it up! Perhaps it was a reaction from earlier, but Ginette said with more energy than usual and ran into the kitchen. ''Do you think cooking will make me feel a little better? ''Well, I''m sure he''ll be fine. Ginette is not that weak. At least, that''s what I think. ''...... Yashiro.'' Magda, who had followed Jeannette into the kitchen, came back quickly, alone. In her hands she held two bags. ''...... for Millie and Delia. Honey popcorn for Millie and Delia.'' ''We''re protecting the store, so you guys should go listen to what Miriri and the others have to say. If Jeannette is leaving, it''s their job to protect the store, and they may have come to realize that. They''ve grown up to be very reliable. So this honey popcorn is their way of showing their concern for not being able to go with us. ''All right. I''ll make sure to tell them that you guys were worried about them. ''I''ll leave it to .......'' ''So you can leave this to us too.'' Yeah. Keep it together, both of you. ''Excuse me. Sorry to keep you waiting.'' Ginette comes out of the kitchen with a slightly larger basket. It looks like she made it in a hurry. Is it a sign that she wants to get to Millie as soon as possible? ''I''ve only prepared it and brought it. If you need me, I''ll cook in the kitchen of Millie''s house. I see. You can serve hot food there. ''Then, it''s just me, Ginette and Yashiro going, right? ''It would be too much pressure to go with so many people. ''Yes. I think so too. First, let''s listen to Millie''s story, and then we''ll go to Delia''s.'''' Ginette actively voiced her opinion. I knew it. He''s changed a bit. He''s no longer just a person who waits. ''Yashiro-san ......, if I try to do something wrong, please stop me like you always do. He said this with a slightly nervous look on his face. As always: ...... I''m not sure how many times I''ve had to stop this guy when he was about to make a careless comment. He seems to regret that he didn''t talk to anyone about it because he thought it might be a burden on Millie. That''s why she''s feeling a little preoccupied, I guess. And Ginette herself is aware of this. Stop me if I try to do something wrong. ....... You''ve got a lot of faith in me, don''t you? ''...... Estella''. ''Estella-san.'' ''Hmm?What''s going on, you two?'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''...... Magda believes in Estella.'' ''The only person we can rely on is Estella.'' ''Yeah, is that so?If you say so, I''m going to work hard too. ''...... Recently, the manager has been too absent-minded to notice Yashiro''s s*xual harassment.'' ''But I believe that Estella will be able to stop her brother properly! ''Oh, so that''s where ...... I''m trusted? I mean, they don''t trust me. ............ Remember that, guys. I''ll think about punishing you both when I get home. ...... We left the sunny pavilion for Millie''s house. 241-Episode 153 Tired Millie They arrived at Millie''s house, but the flower shop was closed, which was unusual. The blood drained from Jeannette''s face, but she was able to get one piece of information that reassured her. It seemed that Milly had not collapsed. There was a sign on the door of the store. "To all customers who have visited our store We are sorry to inform you that the store will be closed for a while to manage the forest. ''Ms. Milly, I hope you''re not overworking yourself. ......'' I don''t know about that. If it''s to protect the forest, Miri will push herself as hard as she can. The situation in the forest must be so severe that the store has to be closed. Normally, someone from the Flower Arrangement Guild would take over the store, but this time they couldn''t spare the manpower. It can be said that the entire Flower Arrangement Guild is protecting the forest. ''At any rate, they don''t seem to be in the store.'' ''It seems that way. ......Can we meet if we go to the forest? ............But that might be too much trouble for you. ......'' ''But you know, Jeannette. If you listen to me, I might be able to help you in some way. ''Yes, that''s true. If we all work hard, the situation will be a little better than it is now! He probably didn''t know what exactly he should do, even if he said he would work hard. Somehow, his mind is spinning with the idea that he needs to work harder. That''s dangerous. ''...... ah''. At that moment, I heard a voice that seemed to fade away. The owner of the voice, who I felt nostalgic for, looked at us talking in front of the store, and his eyes were wide and fixed. ''Millie-san! When Jeannette saw Millie, she ran over to her. ''...... Jeannette,...... Ladybug and Estella too,...... what''s wrong? Millie seemed surprised that we had all come over. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to have to. ''Did I ...... worry you? ''No,......, it''s fine,......, it''s fine.'' Choking up, Jeannette takes Milly''s hand. Your whole body is telling me that you were worried, Jeannette. I''m sure you''ll be relieved to see her face,......, but this will make her cry when she''s uptight. ''My employees were worried about you, too. Relax and talk lightly. ''Magda and,......, what''s that?See, that ...... something normal .......'' ''...... giggle. Ladybug, it would be a pity if you forgot Roretta''s name, wouldn''t it? Her little shoulders shook as she giggled. Yeah. Millie is better when she''s smiling. But hey, Loretta. You''re awesome. I guess the word ''normal'' is enough to get through to anyone. ''Hey, Milly.'' Estella speaks to Milly in a gentle voice. She walked up to her and looked into the small face of Milly. ''If you have a problem, you need to talk to me right away. ''But ...... it''s Mirii''s problem, so ......''. ''What are you talking about? I''m a lord, remember?Miry''s problems are my problems. Estella smiles confidently, as if to say that she has the capacity to take care of the problems of everyone living in this city. ''And besides...'' At some point, Estella''s smile changes from a lord''s smile to her usual crisp and cheerful one, and she begins to give off an air of enjoying a play on words. ''Aren''t these all people you could be more lenient with? He patted himself on the chest first. ''A lord you can count on. Then he pats Jeannette on the shoulder. ''Your kind-hearted friend.'' Finally, he smiled at me in a very annoying way. ''You''re the most good-natured man in town. Who''s the biggest softie in town? That would be Jeannette for sure. But still, it''s hard to deny ...... since Millie is giggling so funny. ''There''s an extra charge for my ''sycophant mode'', should I bill the lord for that? ''No, I think I''ll ask the Flower Arrangement Guild to charge it this time. ''What? At Estella''s words, Milly shouted in surprise, and then turned her anxious eyes to me. d*mn you, Estella. ...... I know it''s hard to charge Millie for this, and I can''t ............ help it. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''d like you to keep that kind of shenanigans to yourself and not say it out loud. She must have heard our exchange and thought it was a ''joke''. Millie started giggling again. Hmm, Millie ............, I''m serious, okay?I will charge you. To Estella. ''Miss Milly.'' Ginette said in a serious voice as she squatted down in front of Millie and looked up into her big eyes. ''I want to help you, Millie-san. ''......Jinette-san............'' ''I''ve been wondering what I should do. I''ve been wondering, worrying, and feeling really bad that I couldn''t do anything about it. ............ But Yashiro-san and all of you pushed me back.'' Millie''s eyes looked at me for a moment and then back to Ginette. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own webpage. ''I''m worried about you, Millie. If you''re in trouble, let me help you. You''re the first to rush to the rescue when someone you know is in trouble, but you''re always worried that you''re being unreasonable, and you always wear your heart out more than anyone else. It''s a very bad trait to have. He willingly takes on the role of a loser that is rarely rewarded. That''s what Jeannette is. ''But,......, this is a matter for the flower arrangement guild, so don''t bother ............''. ''Hey, Millie. As much as Ginette, Millie was hesitant to bother others, so I gave her what I thought would be the most effective advice. ''Can you please help Ginette? ''...... Jeannette, okay?'' ''Oh. I''ve been so worried about Millie that I haven''t been able to get any work done. Can''t you just let Jeannette take care of her for once? Millie couldn''t deny it now that he said that. Besides, the negative word ''meddling'' would be a relief to Ginette, who was worried that she was being unreasonable. There are times when a little blame is all that is needed. ''............ Hmm. Okay. ............ Sorry, okay?'' ''No, no. I''m sorry too.'' Two tearful smiles stare into each other''s faces. As I watched them, Estella gave me a small V sign. Hmph, you''re being annoying. I''ll charge you extra for this too. ''''Oh, ......, then, would you like to go up to my house? ''Are you sure? ''Mmm...... miri, I''m going to take a break now.'' They are probably tending to the forest morning and night. They take turns resting and protecting the forest. ''Are you sure you haven''t slept? ''Huh?Then you need to get a good rest. ......'' ''Hehe. Miri, I don''t want to sleep at all. ...... Besides, I want to talk to everyone. ...... Then I''ll feel better.'''' Ginette panicked, but Milly quieted her down. She seemed to be telling the truth. I don''t know if it''s true that she doesn''t want to sleep, but I think she really wants to talk to you. You''ve been so busy that you haven''t been able to relax, and talking with a friend you don''t mind would be a refreshing change. When you''re really tired, such a change can be more powerful than anything else. There are times like that. ''That''s just fine. Ginette, why don''t you make him some food? ''Oh, that''s right!Miss Milly. Are you hungry?I''ve brought the ingredients. ''Oh, ...... I''m so glad!Actually, I''ve only been eating nuts for a while now. ...... Millie is starving.'' Milly smiled. I''ve only been eating nuts, huh? I guess it''s not the money that''s missing, but the time. ''Well then, I''ll borrow the kitchen. ''Hmm. This way. Ladybug and Estella, please wait for a moment at ...... your ............ room is a mess... ...'' He glanced at me and then quickly looked away. ...... Well, you have to be prepared to let a man into your room. ''So, why don''t I pass? ''No!No!...... ah ...... ah ......'' She shouted out loudly, startled herself, and began to squirm on her face, as if she was suddenly embarrassed. ''I want to talk to ...... ladybug-san too, from ............''. I want to take her home with me if she looks up at me and says something like that. ...... ''Estella. I''d like to take Millie out. ''At that moment, I''ll have you expelled from the Forty-two districts by the authority of the lord. ''You and Millie are on the run. ......'' ''Leave Miry behind. She''s one of my most important people.'' Do you think I''m not important, you tyrannical lord? However, Millie and Ginette, whose faces were stained with anxiety, are both giggling, so ...... I''ll tolerate them for once. ''Well then, please wait for a moment at ......, Jinetto-san.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll leave you to it. After bowing to Estella and me, Jeannette walked into the store. Not long after that, Millie came running back, staring at me through the store door. ''...... Don''t peek, okay? ''Wow, they don''t trust me. ''Don''t worry, Millie. We''ll get him. ''He doesn''t trust me either, does he? She smiled again and walked into the back of the store. She and Estella were left alone in front of the store. ''...... Can I be honest with you?'' As soon as the two anxious people were gone, Estella approached me in such a way. The fact that Estella is giving such consideration means that we have reached a dangerous level. I looked at her and urged her to continue, and she nodded silently. Then she lowered her voice somewhat and began to speak. ''I''ve been asked for advice from various quarters,......, on various matters.'' ''Various, ......''. What a nasty sounding word. No major problems have arisen yet, but there are smoldering issues here and there that could develop into major problems. That''s what it sounds like. ''The water level in the river has gone down a lot. ''Loretta said something about that. ''If you can feel it upstream, it means it''s more serious downstream. ''Well, that''s true. The closer you are to the source, the more water there is. While flowing through the river, the water is exposed to the open air, exposed to the sun, and evaporates. Then it seeps into the ground. Anyway, the further downstream you go, the lower the water level becomes. If that''s the case, Delia might have a lot of work to do, you know. ''Mo-Mat''s been crying to me. ''Mo-Mat?'' ''The water in the river is ...... why,'' I thought, and then I got the point. ''The water stopped flowing in the canal?'' ''That''s what I mean. There is a canal that draws water from the river that runs beside Momat''s field. So last year, the water there rose and submerged the field. ...... ''What happened to the reservoir we built last year?There must have been a lot of water stored there, right?'' To drain the water from the submerged fields, there is a reservoir dug by the Hamkids, the residents of the area that was still called a slum at the time. It''s located near Momat''s field, so we should be able to make use of it. ''It''s all gone,'' he said. ''Well, ...... is completely empty.'' ''It''s completely empty! What the hell. I''m just trying to lighten the air because it''s getting heavy. ...... ''When you carry on a conversation in a heavy atmosphere, you will inevitably come to more negative conclusions. You don''t know the weight of it, but you might not understand. ......'' ''Don''t be rude while staring at someone''s chest! ''............ completely empty'' ''Don''t be rude while staring at someone''s chest! Estella hides her empty breasts and turns her body to the other side. Even if you hide it now, it''s no secret that you''re flat. ''Hasn''t Delia said anything to you? ''Nothing from the river fishing guild. I''d be surprised if they didn''t talk to us first. ......'' No word from Delia? ...... ''If that''s the case, then Delia might be nearing her limit.'' ''Huh?Isn''t she not coming to you for advice because she still has room?'' ''From an optimistic point of view, it would seem so, but probably not. Maybe Delia is .......'' And just as I was about to say this, the door of the store opened and Milly peeked out from inside. ''Oh, ......, sorry to keep you waiting. You can come in now, okay? When you invite someone you know into your home for the first time, you get more or less nervous. I''m sure Millie is embarrassed to the point of fire in her face, since even I am nervous. Her soft cheeks turned bright red and looked like strawberry daifuku. ''I''d like to ''hump'' her. ''I agree with that, but if you do, you''ll be banned.'' ''Estella. There''s a spell in this town called ''Judgment of the Spirits'' .......'' ''Too bad. I''m serious.'' ...... d*mn it. This means I can''t even ''peel'' Estella''s eyes off. Oh, I want to peel off. ''Ah, ah ...... what''s the story? ''Oh, it''s okay, don''t worry about it. It''s just the usual nonsense. Do you think I''m always talking nonsense? There aren''t many people as educated as me. You''re rude. ''Well then, please go to ............''s narrow but .......'' ''I''m sorry to bother you. Millie stands at the entrance of the store and invites us in, embarrassed. Estella enters the store happily, and I follow her. ''Oh, my God, Ladybug-san .........'' Just before I stepped into the store, Millie stopped me. She was looking up at me with a somewhat desperate expression. ''Well, lately, I''ve been ...... so ...... busy.'' What? I know that because I heard it earlier,....... ''That''s why I didn''t have much time ............,......, and I didn''t want to make you wait too long... ...So......... You know..................... It''s a bit of a mess,......, but I usually keep it ...... cleaner than that,......, don''t you think? In short, he was unhappy with the tidy-up and said that if he had known about it beforehand, he would have been able to welcome her in a more perfect state. ...... ''Okay. Take that into consideration and don''t ask to see the room. ''Oh, ............ I''d be happy if you didn''t look at it too much,............ It''s embarrassing. Hahahaha. Humiliating girls is an instinct that is ingrained in the DNA of men. It''s better not to ...... cause unnecessary shame. ''Yes, yes. I''m going to come up then. ''Oh,............ ah,............ welcome,please.'' Miry bowed reverently as if welcoming an important guest. Maybe she''s longing for a home party or something like that. That''s how she behaves. ''Well, please go to .............'' With that, Millie walks in front of me. It seems that Estella is letting me go ahead of her but not letting me go ahead of her. I guess she doesn''t want me to accidentally show something strange when I''m not careful. It''s a very endearing sentiment. ............ Maybe they just don''t trust me. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure how to describe it. I''m sorry, but can you help me serve the food? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Oh, if it''s that much, Miri will do it? ''No, no. Please take a rest, Miri-san. Ginette, caring for the hard-working Millie, said firmly. It seems that Ginette is going to work hard for Millie. ''I can''t help it if it''s the manager''s order. Millie, do you have a tray? ''Uh-huh. It''s in the cupboard next to .......'' ''Okay. I''ll bring it in, so you go ahead and open the door. ''Uh-huh. Thanks for the ............, okay?'' With an apologetic look on her face, Millie ran ahead. ''Well, Jeannette. Give me a tray .......'' ''Yashiro-san.'' Seeing that Millie was gone, Ginette leaned in closer. Then she quickly puts her lips to my ear and says in a whispered voice. ''Please save her, Milly. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about the whole thing. ''...... There''s nothing I can do to help you. ''Please do. I''m sure Yashiro will be able to come up with something that will take away the hardships of Milly. Even if you think such a thing on your own, ...... I''m sure you''re aware of the inconvenience and hardship this may cause. Please listen to my selfishness. It''s just like Ginette to describe her wish as ''my selfishness''. ...... ''If there is anything I can do, I will do it. Please .......'' ...... Really, this guy. Has he changed or not? ...... ''I think I''ve said this before, but don''t use the word "do anything" lightly. What will they demand of you if they get your word......'' ''Yes, sir. I understand. If you do understand, why are you so casual about it ...... ''I understand, and I said I''ll do whatever it takes.'' ''To ............? ''That''s because what I''m saying is so outrageous ......'' In other words, Jeannette is saying that she understands the danger that ...... I might do this or that to her, and she is saying that she will do anything. ......... ...Which means that .................. ''You''re an idiot. ''Hiya! I''m going to give Jeannette a decapitation shot. ''You''re so ostentatious every time. Ginette rubs her slightly reddened forehead, tears in her eyes. I''ll forgive you for that stupid comment, and don''t ever say anything like that again. With that in mind, ...... I''m unwilling to say this, but ...... I will say this. If there is anything I can do, I will do it to the best of my ability. ''......Yashiro-san............Yes. Please.'' I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''However!If there''s anything lying around that could be worth money, I''ll take it all for myself! ''Xu ...... Yes. I''ll help you pick it up. It''s not really lying around. What the hell is this? ............ ''Then let''s carry it away.'' ''Yes, sir. I put Ginette''s special meal on a tray and headed for the room where Milly was waiting. All the while, I kept silent. I couldn''t help the conversation that had just ended running through my mind. Well, I mean, ...... The "anything" in "I''ll do anything" is either mixed bathing or sleeping with you. d*mn it!I feel strangely frustrated to think that neither of these things will ever happen! I feel like I''m losing money!d*mn it!d*mn it! ''Um, Mr. Yashiro?What''s wrong? ''Nothing, nothing at all. If you''re worried, don''t mess with my mind! Anyway, from now on, don''t talk about dangerous things on ....... 242-Episode 154 Millies Room Millie''s room was neat and tidy, with a very girlish decor. There were dried flowers hanging on the pillars and potpourri on the shelves. Small bottles of oil filled with something were lined up on the shelf, very colorful. Is it aromatic oil? ''Oh ......, don''t look too ...... much, okay? ''Kun Kun Kun!Kun Kun Kun Kun!I''m not sure. ''Nyaaah!Don''t sniff me! Millie pushes my abdomen ''yeah''. Oh, you''re leaving?I won''t let you. I''m staying. Enough joking around. It''s a pretty room. ''H............ that so? ''Oh. It''s like ''Miry''s room''.'' ''......Miri''s room, right? That''s true, but the room is just as I imagined it would be, and it doesn''t disappoint. It seems to be the embodiment of the ''girl''s room'' that junior high school boys with no female siblings might fantasize about. ''Milly''s hobby is making sweets, right? ''Yeah?Yes, I do. What? Millie never disappoints. Oh, here you are, a real idol. It''s not a fake profile written by the agency for business, but a real girl who is a real girl. I''m not sure what to say. ''...... Miri, you''re a girl? I''m not sure about that. It''s okay, it''s okay. Just let her be. ''Yashiro. I''ll pick it out of you if you don''t.'' While Jeannette is arranging the food on the table, Estella is giving me a cold stare. Hmph, you look like you can''t even pick it. ''I''m going to pick it back at you. ''Why do you keep saying that when you open your mouth? Because you''re just pretending, right? See, I''m rather polite, you know? ''It''s ready. Now, please eat first. I put my heart and soul into making it for you.'' ''Oh, it smells so ...... good. ............ Thank you. Sitting down politely and not forgetting to pray to the spirit gods, Millie brings Ginette''s special soup to her mouth. ''N????????????............ is the taste of the sunny pavilion...... oishii......'' Millie sniffs it, as if impressed by the taste. ''Are you okay?There''s still plenty left, so please eat slowly. ''Thank you for the ......, Jinetto-san. Thank you, Jinetto-san. Ladybug-san and Estella-san, too. ''Just eat. You''re busy after this, aren''t you? ''Hmm. I''ll eat then. We drank the soup, and picked up some fried chicken and salmon flake rice balls in between. Ginette seems to have brought quite a lot of food with her. We were watching Millie as she ate. Let''s wait until Millie finishes her meal. ''Oh, yes. This is from Magda. ''Yeah, what? I''ll give you something Magda gave me before we left the sunlit pavilion. ''Oh, popcorn. ''Honey popcorn.'' ''Mmm. Miri, honey popcorn is my favorite. Salt and caramel are good, but honey is the best. I think Miry would agree. It''s like a relative of the flower fairy. Open the bag and breathe in the sweet aroma. She lets out a sigh and smiles happily. But it suddenly becomes cloudy. She grabs a bag of popcorn, turns her head ...... down, and spits out a few words. ''Derria-san, ...... are you angry, ............? It''s not directed at us, it''s not directed at anyone. The popcorn must have reminded him of it suddenly. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the web site and find out more about it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. I thought about waiting until Millie finished her dinner, but ...... it''s different if Millie can''t eat because of anxiety. And it seems that Estella had the same idea as me. ''Hey, Milly. When Estella called out to her, her shoulders tightened. ''Can you talk to me? What happened with Delia?'' ''Oh, ............'' Millie must have understood that we knew about the argument between Delia and Millie. In a muffled voice, Millie let out a word of affirmation. ''...... Hmm. Listen .......'' Ginette says she witnessed an argument between Millie and Delia. Millie seems to regret it, even though she seems to be worried about Delia. ''There''s a big pond near the forest. ............'' ''It''s a large pond used for forest management. It''s deep in the forest, so Yashiro might not have seen it.'' ''Hmm ......, the water there is already very low ......'' ''There''s a canal that leads to the river in the big pond, but the water level in the river has dropped, so the water can no longer flow into the canal. Mormat was complaining about the same thing. Estella added a few notes to Millie''s story. As I listened, I sorted out the information I had, and Ginette just watched anxiously as things unfolded. ''So, ...... Miri and her friends go to the river to fetch water every day instead of every other day, ...... carrying large water bottles, going back and forth between the river and the forest, watering the flowers in the forest...'' ...'' The river and the forest are quite a distance apart. He must have been so busy that he didn''t even have time to relax. ...... ''It''s not all the plants in the forest, so I''m getting by. ...... If this keeps up, the guild leader might collapse. ......... ...............'' Millie''s hands tightened, and the popcorn let out a dry sound. ''Well, I''ve never seen the guild leader of the flower arrangement guild before. ''He''s a very kind man. She''s human, an old lady, but she''s smart and understands the feelings of others. Rave reviews. She''s the one Millie trusts the most. The old lady must be a picture of good-naturedness. ''I''d like to meet her, maybe. ''Oh, ......? What is it? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for me to meet her, but she''s starting to get visibly upset. ''Oh,......, I don''t mean that in a weird way at all,............, but when Miry introduces you to a boy... ...that ............ might make a big deal out of it. ......... ...Mirii, I''ve never had a boyfriend before... ............ Boyfriend? That''s a very ...... old-fashioned name for a boyfriend. I guess it just means a normal friend, but it''s a little ...... uncomfortable when people use the term boyfriend. ''Speaking of boyfriends, didn''t you have anteater brothers? ''Oh,......, Neck and Tic are ......, well, childhood friends,.......'' Isn''t that right? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ''Neck and tic, all of us in the flower arrangement guild know each other well,......, so I don''t think there will be any strange disturbances,.......'' I''m not sure if I''m going to cause a fuss,....... ''Oh, but someday,............, I''ll introduce you properly,......, okay? ''Ah, ah. That''s right,......, one of these days. I don''t know what''s going on here. I don''t know, am I going to be introduced to Millie''s parents?It''s the boss at work, right?I wonder if it''s that ostentatious. ...... I''d like to meet you once too. ''Hmm. I''m sure we''ll get along just fine. The guild leader said that you are a good person. What about ...... me? You don''t think we''ll get along?Because you''re not a nice person? Well, you''re not a nice person, but... ''Oh, I''m sorry ............, so I went to ...... to ask Ria-san for a favor.'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I went to Delia for advice because fetching water had become too much work and I was beginning to feel overwhelmed. ...... Perhaps it was something to do with the waterway. ''She wants the surface of the river to be higher than the canal. ......'' ''That ......''. In the middle of the conversation, Jeannette raises her hand fearfully. ''Maybe it''s uncommon sense to ask this, but ...... are the waterways built in such a way that the river water doesn''t flow into them?'' He questioned the point that the surface of the river was lower than the channel. He wondered why the water was not allowed to flow in at all times. ''The channel is directly connected to the river. However, the inlet for the water to flow into is located much higher than the river bottom. ''Why is that?Wouldn''t keeping it at the same level as the bottom of the river prevent this kind of situation in case of water shortage? Ginette''s question is reasonable. But Ginette is overlooking something very simple and very important. ''Ginette. How many times have you ever had a water shortage?'' ''Huh?Well, ............ as far as I know, this year is the first. ............ Ah.'' ''Yes. That''s what I''m talking about, Jeannette. District Forty-two had been plagued by flooding every year until last year. Every year during the rainy season, a disgusting amount of water would fall from District 29, and combined with the rain, it would submerge everything. ''If the entrance to the river is set at the level of the riverbed, the annual flooding will be much worse. Digging up soil is easy, but burying a channel once dug is difficult. Once the soil is dug up and reburied, it becomes softer than before. If it is exposed to a fast-flowing river like the one here, it will collapse. There are ways to do this, such as installing simple sluice gates, but ...... the sudden water shortage this year has prevented us from making such drastic changes. In addition, we are currently in the rainy season, and we don''t know when we will have another heavy rain like last year. It would not be a joke if we tried to deepen the channel and it resulted in serious flooding. ''Besides, the deeper the channel, the more water will flow out of the river, so we have to be very careful. If the river level drops, it will have a negative impact on the river fish. It is extremely difficult to restore an ecosystem once it has been damaged. It''s best to avoid making any unnecessary changes as much as possible. ''I see. ...... I''m sorry for my short-sighted opinion.'' ''No, that''s the first thing everyone thinks about, so don''t worry about it. That''s what Natalia pointed out to me when I suggested it. Estella and Jeannette are not that far apart in age. Then, this is the first year for Estella to experience water shortage. Lack of knowledge is nothing to be ashamed of. If you don''t know something, you can learn it. It is much more shameful for those who let ignorance remain ignorant, and even for those who are unaware of their ignorance. ''So maybe you''re doing the same thing, Millie? ''''No,......, but Miry and the others don''t want the channel to be deeper,.......'''' Then, Miry''s eyes wavered. Her small, cherry-like lips curled into a tight line. She looked as if she was about to start crying, as if she remembered what Delia had told her. She managed to hold back her tears and slowly put into words what had happened. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... I''m afraid the guild leader is going to collapse. ...... I''m afraid the guild leader is going to collapse. ......'' I''m sure Miry acted on her own. And she regrets it. ''Miri ...... thought that Derria-san would be very kind and would understand if I asked her sincerely ............''. I''m sure you''ll understand. It seems to be easy to use, but it''s actually a double-edged sword. Because we are acquaintances, we have to be able to draw a clearer line than other people. If you''re both professionals, you can''t just take it easy. That''s more often the case than not. Ginette would be happy to make Millie a meal if she was asked to do so. Then, ''please eat three meals a day with the guild members. It''s a good idea. What would you think? Even Jeannette would probably have no choice but to refuse. In fact, you would have to refuse. If you accept our "kindness" as your "right," your profit will be eaten up unilaterally. It is important to understand that other people''s "generosity" is not free. You must never forget that you are being given something for free that is not free. ''......Miri,'' she told Derria,......, ''I''m having trouble getting water to flow in the canal, so I need you to raise the water level.'' Miry clenches her fists. She clenched her fists as if to condemn herself for not forgiving herself at that moment. ''......I want you to temporarily dam the river to raise the water level,......'' she said. ''Are you ...... damming it up?'' Jeannette looked at me and Estella alternately. It was Estella who answered her gaze. ''Actually, that''s what Mormat was complaining about too ......, "I don''t want to block it completely, but I want you to pile up rocks at the bottom of the river and temporarily restrain the flow of the river."'' Pile up rocks at the bottom of the river to narrow its width. This will reduce the amount of water flowing out to the sea and temporarily raise the water level in the middle of the river,......, the proposal said. But it''s the idea that angers Delia the most. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ......... scarier than I''ve ever seen her ............... ...'' ''Well, ......, but it''s not completely blocked, is it?It''s also temporary, which means you''ll have to put it back in at some point, right?...... Is there something wrong with that? Well, Jeannette might not know. Millie and maybe even Estella might not know. Damming the flow of the river means that ...... ''The salmon won''t be able to come back''. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Her reaction was ...... did Millie know about it?Or maybe she talked about it with Delia. In any case, to make the situation easier to understand, I''ll give you an explanation. Ginette is looking at me with eager eyes, wanting to know more. ''As I may have told you before, salmon are fish that go out to sea once and come back to the river. If you block the mouth of the river where they go, they can''t come back. The salmon in this town seem to come up all the year round, and there must be many of them still coming up the river. ''The fewer the number of returning salmon, the fewer the number of eggs they lay in the river. The fewer eggs there are, the fewer salmon there will be. ...... Well, that''s the way it is. The salmon will return to the river where they were born. If fewer salmon are born in the rivers of District 42, fewer will return to District 42. In the worst case, they may disappear. ''We can''t block the mouth of the river without a clear promise of how long it will last. I''m sure Delia would agree. ''...... Every day, every day, it''s painful to think, "There''s another salmon that didn''t make it home today."'' Ginette imagines Delia''s feelings and shares her pain. Delia is fond of salmon, but her fondness goes beyond just being a "favorite" and reaches the level of being a special person who has grown up with her since she was a child in this river. There are many aspects of Delia that make me think so. She sometimes swims with salmon. ''Salmon are single-minded fish. Even if the mouth of the river is blocked for some reason, they will try their best to come back to their home. Even if the water level is so low that they hit the bottom of the river and are covered with scars, even if the water runs out and they are washed up on land, they will continue to migrate back to the river where they were born. It has often happened in the past that unplanned weirs have reduced the number of river creatures ....... As you can see, this is no longer the case in modern Japan. ...... The same thing can happen if the mouth of the river is blocked without planning in the 42nd district. ''It would be easier if the salmon were smart enough to come up the narrow estuary in a well-behaved line. Nature''s creatures don''t work that way. ''Millie and her friends work hard to take care of the flowers and trees in the forest, watch over them with trepidation, and take action whenever something goes wrong. ...... The same thing is happening in the river. ''............mm''. Millie''s voice was choked with tears. I don''t mean to blame you, but ...... it might not be a good idea to let the story go unanswered here. ''People can survive disasters because they have wisdom. Those who don''t have it need to be protected by humans. You know that, right? ''Hmm ...... Miri, maybe I was so desperate that I could only see myself .......'' ''It''s okay, Miry. We all get desperate at times like this. Estella touched Millie''s nodding hair. The little antennae sway and hang down gently. ''It''s my job as a lord to guide people who are so desperate that they can''t see anything but what''s in front of them, so that they don''t run into each other. Can you leave it to us from here? Huh? I think I was just included in the "we" part of the sentence. ''Besides, Yashiro didn''t mean to blame Milly. ''Hmm. I know that. ...... Ladybug, you''re so kind. ......'' Still slightly downcast, Milly turns her face towards me. The large ladybug hair ornament on her head is swaying. ''I think he gave me the courage to apologize to you. ...... I''ve always wanted to go and apologize to you, too, ...... but I haven''t been able to... ...'' It takes a lot of courage to apologize to someone. It''s not good for your mental health to drag it out without getting a chance to do so. Millie''s exhaustion may have been caused by such mental fatigue. ''One of our best employees even prepared popcorn for Delia. ''...... Magda-chan?'' ''Haha. Loretta, you''re excluded from the ''excellent'' part.'' ''Huh?No, no, no.I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. I don''t know. Yeah. I guess this is a little better than being depressed. ''We''ll go with you. ''......? ''Yes, we will. I was going to talk to Delia-san as well, so why don''t you go with us, Millie-san?'' ''I think you''ll have more courage to meet her if you''re with us. I''ll ask them to extend the break a little longer, and if necessary, we can stop by the forest first, and I''ll take Millie to see Delia. I have a hunch that ...... Delia would be interested in that. When I first met her, she seemed to be the lone female guild leader of the river fishermen''s guild, but recently she has become much more rounded and is always playing with someone. It seems that he often appears at the Sunlit Pavilion, or goes to New Town to play with the hamsters. According to Bertina, she also comes to the church to help with the hard work. Delia is talking more to people about herself than before. She is able to help others and be kind to others. She''s getting better at that. But this time, she hasn''t talked to ...... me or Estella about it. So maybe Delia is feeling sorry for herself now. She can''t come to me for advice because she feels guilty. Probably, Delia was also too occupied to say anything harsh to Milly. ''Delia''s probably pretty depressed. ''What?You''re not angry? You''re still reading too much into this, Estella. Delia loves salmon, but ...... she loves the residents of District 42 even more, especially us. So, Yashiro-san. I''ll bring you some sweet treats to comfort you.'' Perhaps Ginette is more sensitive to these things. Estella, perhaps because of her position as a lord, tends to judge things based on the interests of the guild and the thoughts of the person in charge. Ginette, on the other hand, simply judges things based on ''good or bad'', ''fun or painful'', ''like or dislike''. He is a bit optimistic, but he judges things by focusing on the other person''s mind and emotions, saying, ''If I do this, they will be happy. I can do both. I can do both. I can make my target buy a product, and I can give him the satisfaction of having bought a product. A con man must have the skill to provide both. Profit and emotion cannot be separated. Mr. Yashiro. An emotional supremacist who doesn''t care about profit smiles at me. ''I want to meddle again. ...... The scary thing about this guy is that he unintentionally and maliciously takes advantage of the fact that it''s hard for us to say no. ............ ............ It''s a little bit cute, just like ''imitation''. It''s a little cute. He said, holding up a bag of honey popcorn. ''Yes. To deliver the ''element of energy''. Ginette lifts her cheeks with both index fingers. You say the ''source of energy'' is a smile, right? ''Seeing your friends will make you feel better, Delia. ............ d*mn it. I used popcorn as bait to avoid saying anything. That''s right. Delia will probably get better when she sees us. I mean, she''s just thinking ''it''s hard to see you'', not ''I don''t want to see you''. In fact, they must be thinking that it is difficult for them to go and see us even though they want to. Therefore, if you go to them, you will be saved. It will make it easier for them to talk about their pent-up feelings. That''s why we''re going to go to them to deliver the "element of vitality," in other words, we''re going to go to them. I was so embarrassed that I was included in the element of vitality that I wanted to cover it up with popcorn, but you saw right through me. This is why natural unawareness is ...... ''Oh, oh, no, ladybug! Just as the conversation was coming to a conclusion, Millie shouted loudly. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ''Miri, can I chase after you? ''Aren''t you going with me? ''If it''s us, we can wait for you, right? Shaking her head at Estella and Ginette''s words, Miri took a deep breath and said with an unwavering heart. ''Miri, I want to apologize to Derria-san properly, so I want to ...... get something for her.'' He said it would take some time to prepare it. ''Then I''ll go ahead. ''I want you to hurry up and help ...... Daria-san, too, just like ...... Miri.'' ''We haven''t done anything yet. ''Yeah. Just by coming to see me like this, ......Miri, you''ve helped me a lot, ...... so''. I''m sure Delia is still suffering from ongoing anxiety. I''m not sure what to do. That''s what she said. ''Well, I''ll see you later. ''Hmm. ...... Thank you. Ladybug, ......Jinetto and Estella too. ''You can do that when you''re all done. ''I''m just meddling.'' The three girls giggled and smiled at each other. Suddenly, Miri claps her hands together. ''And then, Miri, I''m going to stop by the forest once and then I''m going to ...... be late, maybe ......''. ''I''ll be waiting for you until Milly gets here. Hey, Yashiro.'' ''Ah. ''Then we should also stop by the sunny pavilion once. If we''re late, we''ll worry Magda-san and Loretta-san. ''Then let''s hurry up and leave. Millie, I''m sorry I couldn''t spend more time with you. ''No, it''s fine. There was still some of Ginette''s cooking left, but it was decided to offer it free of charge, saying, ''There''s still plenty left, so if you''d like, you can share it with everyone working hard in the forest. The container will be delivered later. With ......, Millie was given an excuse to come to the Sunlit Pavilion. I guess they want her to have a proper meal. So, each of us made preparations quickly and we left Miry''s room. Millie came to see us off at the front of the restaurant and gave me a last word. ''Come and visit me again at ......, okay? -- ...... My back itches as I stare at the back of the car as it turns away and runs away, embarrassed. I want to ...... take it home with me. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. It was a design that reminded me of the sweetness and sourness of first love, with two birds facing each other, eating cherries one by one that were still connected to the branch, a plate that was perfect for Millie''s store. At the same time, I thought that the person who made this plate must be an unspoiled, in love maiden. ''Yashiro, I''m coming~'' ''Yashiro-san~. I''m coming~'' ''Yes? The sky I looked up at was cloudless, and the sunshine that illuminated the ...... world was too bright. 243-155. Trouble-causing constitution Estella and I head for the river side by side. Ginette will go back to the sunlit pavilion, tell Magda and the others what happened, and then come after them. I''m sure Magda and the others are wondering what''s going on. We crossed the church and continued on our way. ''You''re really looking good, aren''t you? ''Is that me?Thanks.'' ''Of course not, it''s the ...... road.'' ''Are you still saying that?It''s been a long time since the road was built, hasn''t it? ''But I''m still happy about it. A wide road with shining bricks on both sides. There are many wheel marks, but they are not ruts and remain flat. Thanks to the hard work of the ham kids under the leadership of Umaro, no matter how heavy the wagon is, the road will never be rough. Although the road is ......, it is periodically repaired. Incidentally, the lumberjacks'' guild and the hunters'' guild have donated a small amount of money for the road maintenance. The heads of these guilds personally offered to help us because they use the roads frequently. ''In the past, this road was muddy when it rained and cracked when it was sunny. And it was so bumpy, you fell down a lot. ''No, ...... I didn''t fall that much. As far as I know, you''ve fallen a few times and gotten all wet. ''Do you remember that?The road to Yap Rock''s house was in a bad state of disrepair. ''Oh. The lord was negligent. ...... I''m sorry to hear that.'' ''...... I''m really impressed with your memory and stubbornness.'' The weight of the Yaploks and the rest of the Okojos was too much for the ground to bear, and the weeds were growing wildly. It was raining hard at the time, and our feet were soaked. ''Omero helped you then, didn''t he? ''No, that''s not true. I did what Omero asked me to do, and in return, he gave me back my labor. It''s like a commission, so there''s no need to thank him at all. When Delia was about to drown Omero in the river because she was worried about running out of money and couldn''t fish anymore due to the continuous rains - I didn''t say anything wrong at all - I got Delia a part-time job at the Sunshine Pavilion. I got Delia a job at the Sunshine Pavilion. Omero, whose life was saved at that time, thanked me and went to work. ''Well, I guess it won''t be like last year this year. It hasn''t been raining, and Delia has more reserves than last year. The forty-two districts have become wealthier overall in the past year. It''s ....... In the middle of the road leading from the street to the river, dozens of men from the river fishing guild, including Omero, were hanging out with serious expressions on their faces. Even from a distance, there was a palpable air of ''there''s some kind of trouble''. ''They seem to have some kind of trouble whether it rains too much or too little,'' he said. ''I feel like I''m always getting into this kind of trouble with ...... you.'' ''I''m going to repeat exactly what you just said. It''s common knowledge in the 42nd district that there''s trouble wherever Yashiro goes. No, no, I''m sure you''ve brought more trouble than I have. I''m always the poor victim. ''Ah!Ah ............ ah ............!'' As we approached, the river fishing guild members all looked at us, and Omero began to make strange noises. What ...... are you doing with your pungent face? They''re creepy as hell. ''Hey, bro! ''Ugh, it''s coming over here! Omero rushed at me, tears spraying from the corners of his eyes like a broken sprinkler. The other males followed suit. The density of the males was so excessive that I could not escape, and I was caught by Omero. I was caught by Omero. ...... Or rather, Omero was sitting on the ground sliding from about two meters in front of me, and rushed into me with all his might. Scary! And he caught me firmly by the waist. I told you I''m scared! It''s too late!It''s too late, big brother!You know how long we''ve been waiting for you! What the hell?What''s wrong with you? ''Come and see me sooner! ''Don''t cry and spit out words that don''t make you happy at all when said by an old man! ''Uu............, but I''m glad to see you, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''That''s why!I''m not happy to hear it from an old man, you know!And don''t cry! Omero clings to me and cries. The old men of the river fishing guild that surrounded it were all burying their faces in their arms and crying. What''s with this strange, hot and bitter scene? ''Yashiro! Estella called out my name in a plaintive voice, mixed in with the sobs of the thick-skinned old man. I turned around, and with a light wink, she sent me a short ''hey? With a light wink, she sent me a short note. And then. ''You''re always the one in the middle of trouble, aren''t you? He said it with a happy smile. ...... No. I''m the victim, and it''s not me who''s inviting the trouble, but it''s always me who ends up getting pushed around. I''m not sure why ...... I''m not sure why ......... I''m not sure when I became so favored that these old men cried to me. ''............From the bottom of my heart, I really don''t want to hear ............ what happened? What happened? ''The master''s mood is at its worst,....... ''You should take care of it yourselves. ''If you can do that, you won''t have any trouble! You have to be able to do that, you know. ''Is the fishing affected by the lowering of the river level? Estella asks Omero from a safe distance. ...... You should come over here too. Step into this old man''s circle. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ............ I''ve been grumpy all ...... day. ...... Do you guys know the word ''spirit''? ''It''s dangerous to meet the master now, so I stayed here and persuaded anyone who was going to the river to leave. ''So you were in front of the road that leads to the highway. The fact that Omero and the others were able to hang out here meant that there was no river fishing going on. She''s probably just letting her frustrations build up with no place to vent them, Delia. ''If you were so upset, why didn''t you go see Yashiro? ''Hey, wait, Estella. If there''s trouble, you should go to the lord first. ''Isn''t the sunny pavilion closer? ''The Sunny Pavilion is a place to eat!It''s not a place to consult on various problems. ''But you know, ......, there was a reason why I couldn''t go to either of them. Omero let out a deep sigh and dropped his shoulders. ''He''s burnt out, this guy always is. ''The master said, ...... don''t go to see brother and lord, ......''. ''What kind of feudal society is this, your guild ......''. Is the king''s word absolute? Are you saying that if you disobey, you will be sentenced to death? ''''If you break the master''s orders,......'''' ''''''You will be washed ............'''''' ''''No, it''s not just Omero! The old men of the river fishing guild are all frightened. What exactly does the river fishing guild mean by ''washed''? ...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. "Please come, brother! You know. I''m so sorry. I didn''t get your message at all, you know. If anything, he still doesn''t get it. ''You don''t understand, Omero. If you wanted to call Yashiro, you could have just shaken your big tits right here.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. You can''t say it''s not possible with this guy! I''m not sure. No. ''Anyway, bro. Take care of the rest! ''''No, even if you say so, ......'''' ''''''Please take care of me! ''''Hey, hey ......'''' What is this unavoidable mental attack? If I refuse here, won''t these guys stand on my dream pillow soaking wet every night and night? And then they''ll slouch down from both wrists like willow leaves and say, ''A~ra~war~ta~......''. So every morning when I woke up, my pillow was soaking wet,......, and I couldn''t be bothered to clean it. ''...... I get it. You''re here to see Delia anyway, so I''ll listen to what you have to say. ''I love you, bro!I love you! ''''I''m not happy at all! ''''''I love you! ''''That''s why I''m not happy! I can''t feel anything but fear and discomfort when I''m surrounded by such hot and bitter old men! ''Well, we''re going to evacuate as far away as possible from here to ????????????. If possible, do something about it by the end of the day. ''...... You know what? ''If you can''t, I''ll be holed up in my house, so call me when the master is in a better mood. ''You''re too scared! ''Isn''t it natural to lock yourself up in the house when a storm comes? ''Is Delia a natural disaster? ......'' The initial somber expression of the wake was gone, and the river fishing guild members disbanded, looking quite radiant. ...... Why do they look like they''ve already solved the problem, those guys? ''They trust you, don''t they? ''Oh ......, I''d love to charge you for that. ''I think I could make a fortune if I started Delia Insurance or something. ''Anyway, let''s go see Delia at .......'' ''What are you going to do if you''re tired before you go? ''What the hell is a bystander talking about, ...... you heartless bastard.'' ''Hahaha . I just thought it would be a bad idea to interrupt the fun of good friends. ''What a heartless person! ''...... What else is thin-skinned about me?Hmm?Why don''t you tell me? Hmm. No matter how much you stare at me, it''s nothing compared to the old man''s rays from Omero and the others earlier. Just keep staring! Stare harder! It''s a hundred times better than the old man! Estella is like an angel compared to the males! NO Ossan!YES Estella! ''Ah, Estella is so cute. ......'' ''Huh?What''s with you all of a sudden?......Because you don''t have to use that kind of sycophancy, it''s not like I''m that angry. ......Yashiro is a little too concerned. ......Huh. '' ''Estella is prettier than the old man.'' ''Would you care a little more about my feelings and such? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I think he should see a psychotherapist or something. He''s probably under a lot of stress. He''s a modern man. ''Estella. It''s not good to let stress build up. ''If you would just learn to think with some common sense, my stress would be relieved a lot. Letting out a deep and heavy sigh, Estella begins to walk towards the river. I followed her back and spotted Delia upstream, at the perfect salmon fishing spot where I had first met her. I guess Delia likes this place. She usually stays here. ''Hey, Delia! '' I call out from about 50 meters away, waving my hand. -- and Delia''s body jumps. Delia''s body jumped, and even from a distance I could see that she was upset. ''What''s ......? ''Let''s just go there.'' ''Oh.'' While wondering about Delia''s suspicious behavior, Estella and I quickened our pace to get to her. After noticing us, Delia looked as if she was going to run away for a moment, but stopped, looked at us alternately, looked for someone behind her, and when she saw that we were the only ones there, she dropped her shoulders in a big way. From then on, she kept her head down and averted her face until we reached Delia. ''Delia, what''s wrong? ''Oh ...... Oh .................. I... .........that......'' Something was obviously wrong. It was very rare to see Delia with her bear ears hanging down without energy. ''Hey Delia. Can I talk to you for a minute?'' At Estella''s words, Delia''s tail grew larger than before. Then her fists clenched tightly. ''............ Have you come here in anger? ''Huh?'' Estella raises her voice in an absurd manner. Then, slowly, she turned her gaze towards me ................... She stops in the middle and doesn''t look at me. But her lips are tightly knit. It''s like ...... It''s like a girl trying to hold back tears. It''s as if she''s frustrated that the adults don''t understand her, even though it''s not her fault. ''Delia. ''--! When I called out to her, Delia bounced her shoulders and took two small steps away from me. ...... So I was right. ''I''m sorry you had to go through that. ''.................. What?'' It may have taken her a while to understand the meaning of my words, but after a long pause, Delia slowly turned to me. ''Are you okay?You weren''t crying, were you? The muscles around her shoulders, which had been stiffened by the effort, slowly relaxed, and the sternness faded from her expression. ''Don''t look at me like that. You''re not doing anything wrong.'' ''...... and .................. Yashiro! Delia jumps on my neck. . ...... with all her might . ''d*mn it!I''m in pain!Relax!I''ll snap!My neck''s gonna fall off! ''No! I''m gonna die! ''No!Be strong! ''You have to go easy on me! In the event you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with me, you can call me at the web site. ...... How many times have I been strangled by Delia in this place? It''s a good idea to take a look at a few of the most common types of shoes that you can find. She sobbed like a little girl. ''...... Yashiro. What''s the meaning of this? ''We were scared, we were scared.'' ''You were scared?......, is that right, Delia?'' Delia answered the question with a nod of her head. She can''t speak because she''s crying. ''Why ...... again? ''You said it yourself just now, didn''t you? Before you came to the river, when you were talking with Omero and the others, and before that when you were talking with Milly. ''Who do the people of District Forty-two turn to when they are in trouble? ''Yashiro. ''You''re the lord of .......'' Well, I''m sure I''m on the side of being relied on too. ...... Or maybe that''s how Delia and the others see me. I''m sure I''m one of the people they rely on. ''I''m going to be pissed,'' she thought. ''There''s no reason for us to be angry with Delia. ''Even if we weren''t, Delia had ...... something to be worried about that would make her angry. You know what Omero said?There''s a no contact order between you and me. ''Oh, ......, you mean, because you might get angry if you contact us? ''Delia must have thought so.'' For example, Omero would report the current situation to me and Estella. Then me and Estella will come together and say, ''What are you doing, Delia? Delia thought that ...... would come to her in anger. ''Why did I feel that way again? ......'' ''You said that too, didn''t you? ''Hmm? Estella tilted her head as if she didn''t know what I was talking about. It''s easy to see what''s happening if you look at it from a different point of view instead of from the front. Besides, I''m sure you''ve experienced these feelings before. ''You''ve received a lot of advice from the farming guild and others, haven''t you? ''Huh?Yeah, yeah. They want me to do something about the canal.'' ''What do you think they''re going to do before they come to you? ''Before they come to me?............ First, come and see the river, and tell Delia ...... ah.'' She thought of the situation and got an idea of what to do. Estella looks at Delia. She gave her a sad, pitying look. ''Even if you have faith in yourself, even if you''re confident that you''re not wrong, ......'' ''...... Yeah. If a lot of people disagree with you, you''re going to be very worried that you''re wrong. Delia took the obvious step to protect the river and the fish that lived there. As the head of the river fishermen''s guild, it was an essential action that she could not compromise. But... If many guilds and people keep asking you ''why don''t you dam the river'', you will be overwhelmed by the anxiety that you are wrong ...... for not damming the river. No matter how strong you are, your mind will be shaken if many people disagree with you. Besides, the people who come here are ''the only ones'' who want the river to be dammed and the water to flow into the canal. Those who don''t need the waterway, like the sunny pavilion, don''t come to the river in the first place. If you keep meeting people who disagree with you, over and over again, and you are denied your way of doing things, ...... the whole world will see you as a bad person. ......... ...It''s no wonder that we fall into such an illusion. ''So, when they see us, they might be ''offended'' ......?'' ''Oh. Maybe he thought that Mo-Mat or Millie asked him to come and persuade Delia.'' ''............Yes............ I thought you were going to scold me and make me dam up the river. I ...... thought.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''If ...... Yashiro and Estella come, ............ the river will definitely be dammed...'' I was ......... scared and ............ sad.'' So far, Estella and I have reformed many things. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. That''s why Delia was afraid that if we came, her opinions would be overwhelmed and the river would be dammed. That''s probably why she imposed the "no contact with Yashiro and Estella" order on Omero and the others. The popcorn hoarding was not because she was too busy to come and buy it, but because she did not want to see me. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ............. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ ''Haha ...... are the two of us really that scary? ''It''s because the situation is the situation.'' ''By the way, Ginette-chan is amazing. Just by being here, you can take away people''s anxiety. She seems to be mildly shocked and is doing her best to show that she''s not afraid of me. Your smile is twitching. But the smile doesn''t return to Delia, who has been worn out and frightened for the past few days, and is exhausted. Even though she knows there''s no hostile intent, she still doesn''t seem to be at ease from the bottom of her heart. ''Delia. It''s Magda and Loretta.'' ''......What?'' For now, you need to cheer up, because we can''t even talk about it. I handed her the bag of honey popcorn that Magda had given me. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you can call us at our own web site. ''............a............ sweet smell... ......'' She began to cry. ...... ''Maybe the popcorn you stocked up on is already gone?'' ''............ Yeah. That''s why I didn''t sleep last night. ............'' Oh, no. If you didn''t sleep last night, then you must have hit bottom the day before yesterday. It must have been hard for you not to be able to go buy it. ''You could have asked Omero or something, couldn''t you? ''No!He cries when he sees Yashiro, and everyone talks. ......'' That''s Delia. You''re so right. You were right on the money. ''Well, that must have been pretty hard for you. I said, and Delia nodded her head, ...... and started crying again. ''Ugh ............ eat ......''. As she cried, she took a mouthful of honey popcorn and cried out loud again at the taste. ''Oishii~yooohhhh ......!I''m not ............ shivering! It seems that the popcorn he had stocked up on had gone stale. I''m sure it didn''t taste good. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the best results. The illusion that she was the only bad person in the 42nd district must have been very hard on the whiny Delia. ''I''m sorry. I should have come sooner.'' ''No!You ...... got the courage to go see ...... Yashiro and ............ meet him. I''ve ............ missed you, Yashiro! Sitting on the riverbank, holding a bag of popcorn in his left hand, he picks it with his right hand, fills his mouth with popcorn, and buries his face in ...... my stomach, tears flying. He presses his face against mine and sniffles. ''............ head, ............''. And then, really unusually, ............ ''Pet me ......'' He was sweet on me. Unlike Magda, Delia doesn''t take kindly to being pampered. Even though she''s big, she''s like a child when she cries. ...... I gently stroked her hair, trying not to touch her ears. I stroked her hair gently, not touching her ears, until she stopped crying, over and over again. ...... ''I''m not ready for this ......''. She must have regretted not noticing her. Estella mutters, her mouth twisted in regret. ''Don''t be silly. You don''t have to look like you''re about to cry too. The only people who seem to be crying in this situation are Ginette and Millie. ...... Really, I''m glad those two weren''t there this time. I''d have been in over my head if the three of them had cried. So Estella, don''t cry. It''s not good for my mental health. ''There''s no such thing as a perfect person. If you think you can do everything right, you''re an ego. You''re a dangerous person with dictatorial tendencies.'' Everyone makes mistakes, and when they don''t, they don''t, and when they lose, they lose, and when they cry, they cry. It''s natural to have shortcomings. It would be rather creepy if they weren''t, wouldn''t it? Someone who''s perfect in every way is probably not human. He''s an incarnation of a spirit god or some such uncanny creature from another dimension. ''You should only do what you can, human creature. But as a lord, I want to protect as many of my people as possible,......! I''m not sure what to say. It''s too early to argue. Just hear me out. ''Since you are a lord and a sycophant who wants to help people, you should do more than others can do, make an effort that others can''t imitate so that those who are crying in trouble can laugh from the bottom of their hearts, and ''help'' them. ''......''Do what you can''............''The scope of that is limitless......, isn''t it? What do you mean? You can do as much as you want. I''m not stopping you. Whatever hardships you take on to convince yourself, it''s up to you. ''After all, people can only do what they can do. If you feel dissatisfied with that, why don''t you at least do ''the best you can''? Then, I looked down at Delia who was crying with her face buried in my stomach. Estella''s eyes follow my gaze and focus on Delia. You should help people who need help like this. With the open mind of a lord. ''All right. Thanks for the ......, Yashiro.'' When I looked at Estella''s face, her downcast expression had disappeared and she was smiling with a hidden sense of mission, embarrassment and joy. Hmmm, she must be a bit of a M. She''s smiling with joy at being made to take on so much trouble. I can''t emulate that. ''Well then, I''ll do the best I can. ''Oh. Good luck.'' ''Yeah. I''ll do my best. With Yashiro.'' ''Hey! Why are you dragging me into this? I''ve told you over and over again that it''s the lord''s job to work hard . ''Because, you see...'' He points a little at my abdomen. There was Delia, snuggling up to me. ...... You can''t just abandon her when she''s depending on you so much, can you? ............ d*mn. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m not sure what to say. ...... I''m not sure what to do. That was the original plan. Besides, if I abandon Delia here, I''ll have nightmares every night about the old men of the river fishing guild. I don''t even want to dream about them. ''Mmmm ......, then I''ll have you work hard ''this time''. ''I''ll charge the cost to the lord. ''There''s no guarantee your application will be approved, though. You ...... ''Good for you, Delia. Yashiro is going to solve Delia''s problems.'''' ''Hey, I didn''t say that much!Don''t take a chance on something you don''t even know if you can do. ......'' ''Yashiro!Thank you!I still love you, Yashiro! ''..................'' Delia spread her arms wide and clung tightly to my waist. She presses her face into my stomach. The bear''s ears are twitching. Ah~............ that thing. This kind of exaggerated emotional expression must be popular in the river fishing guild. I''ve been told the same thing by Omero and other old men. .................. d*mn. I don''t even know what''s going on yet. I can''t say no now. ''The cause and effect of trouble is deeply rooted, isn''t it? Oh, God! d*mn it! ''Delia''s distress, Millie''s depression, Ginette''s lack of energy because of it ...... has had a negative impact on the sales of the sunny pavilion lately. You should not overlook a drop in profits, even if it is only a slight decrease. If you underestimate ''this much'', your profit will drop in no time, and it will be difficult to recover once it happens. Rather, we must take action while there is a slight decline. In order to protect profits, I''m going to take a stab at it. ...... I can''t help it. Yes, yes. This is not about helping people. Volunteering?No way. You''ll be paid handsomely. Even if there''s no one to help, I''ll make sure there''s profit for me in the end. Just like I''ve always done. ''Yashiro ......, that''s enough. ''Shut up!I have my own non-negotiable line! I''m not a softie! I''m not like you or Jeannette! I love money!I love money. I love cheating people. .................. I think you need to leave the sunny pavilion for a year or so to completely remove the aura of Ginette''s sycophancy that is stuck in your body. ...... I don''t smell any money yet,......, but I''ll listen to what Delia has to say anyway. 244-Episode 156 Delias thoughts ''This is the entrance to the canal. In the middle of the long river running through the 42nd district, there was an entrance to the waterway. It was a rather large entrance, firmly reinforced with bricks. ''I guess the current is calm in this area. The water looks rather deep, though.'' ''Ah. The slope here is gentle and almost flat. Sometimes the water comes flowing down from above at great speed, and my father built this entrance here so that it wouldn''t break. ''Delia''s father was the previous guild leader, wasn''t he? ''Oh, yeah. He was a cool dad. ...... ''Was''. Well, let''s not get too deep into it. ''I''m glad my dad made it. I would have just made something random.'' ''Random is ...... annoying, isn''t it? Estella''s smile twitches. ''It''s a good thing we got this done in our parents'' time, both of us. ''This is the entrance that my father built with a lot of thought. We can''t destroy it. Delia seems to think that the current entrance is the best, even without the danger of flooding and the difficulty of construction. It''s not good to become inflexible by sticking to one thing, but that''s not the case in this case. I, too, think this inlet is the best for the current situation. The location, the strength, and the shape. If we have to do something, we can make a new inlet temporarily and bury it as soon as the water shortage is solved. ......, but I''m not sure about that either. I wonder if that''s a good idea. The area around here has been beautified with the opening of the road. It might be difficult to dig them up and bury them again. Last year, all the roads were bare of dirt. We could dig it up without hesitation. ''I''m not sure I can make a better entrance than this one. Unless, of course, Yashiro helps me.'' ''No, you should talk to Umaro about that. ''Cause he can''t even talk properly. ...... Well, I guess that''s true. ''We should leave the entrance to Yashiro. ......'' ''Delia. ''The entrance to the water? ''Nyu-shuiko? ''...... No, it''s nothing. It''s a nice entrance.'' ''Right?People who know what they''re talking about will know what they''re talking about. ''...... Yashiro. It''s broken. No, it doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter if it''s the inlet or the entrance. I''m just a little curious. Nevertheless, Delia''s attachment to it is quite strong. This is getting harder and harder to destroy. ''But the water level is really dropping, isn''t it? Estella looks down at the water. The side of the river where the inlet is located is discolored to show the former water level. It looks like the inlet used to be half submerged. However, the water surface is now about 20 centimeters lower than the bottom of the inlet. ''How deep is the water around here? ''It''s enough to sink an Omero. ''Have you ever sunk the ......?'' ''It sinks on its own, that''s all. I heard the current is calm here, so it might be a good place to wash something. And then it slips and falls into the river on its own? Well, that''s all right. If the Omero sinks, it must be more than two meters high. Even if the water level drops, there will still be plenty of water. ''The other day I had Omero pump water out of the canal because the mormats were so noisy. ''In the canal? ''Yeah. I thought they wouldn''t complain as long as the water flowed. ...... But no matter how hard I tried with the tub, the water didn''t flow at all. ''Another reckless .......'' ''Omero''s got no guts.'' ''No, no, no. ......'' Estella''s smile twitched. She usually has this look on her face when Delia tells her about the river fishing guild. Estella. You can''t deal with these people if you''re bound by common sense. There are 50,000 people who can''t be reasoned with. ''But that doesn''t mean you can''t dam up the river. ......'' His eyebrows furrowed, he turned his head down and made an ''uncharacteristic'' expression. The usual boldness of Delia, like splitting bamboo, is overshadowed by the stubbornness of a child trying to be selfish, the guilt of feeling that it might be a bad thing, and the vulnerability of crying over such vague feelings,....... It''s a mixture of all of these things, with a dark expression. ''............ I think I might have said something terrible to Millie. ...... ''You know, ...... Mormat, Homer the rice farmer, the poultry farmers, ...... and a little bit of old Mum... ...asked me if I could raise the water level. They''re all using water far from the river. ''But I care about the river and the fish. ...... I couldn''t be convinced so easily. So, whenever people came, I turned them away, and I thought, ''I''m wrong, I''m selfish, I''m a bad person......''. ''Mum, your grandmother was here too, wasn''t she? ''Oh, yes. She''s old, she''s not a beastman, and it''s pretty hard for her to fetch and carry water. ...... So I was wondering if there was anything I could do. ......'' ''I never came to me for advice. ''Maybe it''s because you''re letting Omero carry the water.'' ''...... Omero, you''re really loyal to the guild leader, aren''t you? No, Estella. That''s not ''to the guild leader'', that''s ''to Delia''. But it''s Omero who''s willing to do manual labor rather than offend Delia. ''I''m sure Delia was thinking of her own countermeasures. Even if it was only old lady Mum, there are people who were saved thanks to you. That''s good. ''But come on!The other guys keep coming back to ......, and every time they come back, it''s like they''re on edge. ............'' That''s a matter of life and death for them. Without water, they can''t do any work. ''We can''t dam it up, but there''s still water, so I told them to fetch it and take it on their own. ''But there''s only so much water you can carry at a time. ''They''re not very strong, you know. ''...... No, it''s really pathetic to blame Delia for being the standard. Estella. Delia is the one who always thinks in terms of herself. You''d better get used to it. ''So, ...... you''re so persistent, ............ you know, we have water, why don''t we fetch it?I think it''s wrong to dam up the river just because it''s too hard to carry it.The hardships and troubles are nothing compared to the loss of fish, right?The fish are more important!Even if it''s a hassle, they''re not going to die!But the fish are going to die! You have a point. The other guilds are forcing the river fishermen''s guild to compromise in order for them to conduct their ''normal business''. It is understandable that the river fishing guilds feel that they are being burdened with a ''burden'' that they do not need to pursue. However, it is foolish to destroy stability in the pursuit of comfort. Damming up a river is, to put it in a very extreme way, akin to environmental destruction. It is nothing but an act of breaking the natural cycle that has been taking place there by human hands. Some ecosystems may be lost because of this. From that perspective, Delia is right. You may feel annoyed with the other guilds who want to "have it easy" by destroying the ecosystem. But... The situation changes dramatically when you look at it from the other side. What Delia calls "tedious" work continues to put pressure on normal work, forcing the workers to work harder. It is tolerable for a day or two, but if the work continues for a week or two, and we do not know when it will be finished, the frustration will build up considerably. In fact, Grandma Mum is unable to do that ''troublesome'' work. Without Omero''s help, Grandma Mum''s laundry store will have to close. However, there are not many people in the 42nd district who are wealthy enough to enjoy a leisurely vacation. They work very hard. They work hard, doing the ''tedious'' hard work of fetching water, which is added to their regular work, every day. It''s a lot of pain. In fact, Milly was so wobbly that she almost collapsed. So I was kind of stubborn ...... and frustrated ...... and my tone became rough .......... ...'' ''So that''s when Millie came to visit you.'' ''...... Yes.'' ''Once before, when the guild leader of the flower arrangement guild came, I told him to fetch water from the river and take it with him. After that, he didn''t come for a long time. ...... The next time he came was Millie. The guild leader was too tired to come, so Millie, the youngest, came here. I remember you said the head of the Flower Arrangement Guild was an old lady. She must have been overworked with all the work of managing the forest. And then, Millie said, "We''re all at the end of our rope, so we''d like you to dam up the river for a little while to raise the water level. ............ I thought, ''Oh, he''s going to say the same thing. I thought, "Oh, he''s going to say the same thing." ............ Then, something happened: ............'' Delia must have been exhausted. I''m sure she wouldn''t have done that under normal circumstances. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The fact that Millie said, "I''m at my limit," means that she was under a lot of pressure. If two people in a state of extremes clash, they will try to push their own opinions even if they have to argue with the other person. There is no room for consideration for the other person anymore. You probably don''t have the time to make calm judgments, either. ''............ and I ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''I said to Millie ......, "Do you think I don''t care what happens to the salmon?" ......''. I said something that no one who had ever visited me had ever said to me before. I guess I thought it was the only way to emphasize my legitimacy. ''Then Millie said ......, "So, what do you want to happen to the flowers in the forest? ......''. If we could stand in the same position and reflect on ourselves from each other''s point of view, such friction would not have occurred. However,......, the number of people who can do that is infinitely small. ''Hey ......, did I say something ............ terrible?Did you think that in order to protect the fish, the flowers in the forest, the vegetables, the rice, the chickens, and everything else ...... would go to hell? The inhale made a snapping sound in Delia''s throat. ''Do we have to sacrifice ...... the salmon and the river to protect everyone else ......?'' ''Delia . That''s not true.'' Estella clearly denies Delia''s words as she speaks in a tearful voice. ''There is no such thing as peace that is built on someone else''s sacrifice. Such a thing cannot be called peace. ''............ Estella''s story is difficult and I don''t understand it. Please ...... make it clearer.'' ''Let''s see, .......'' Estella glances at me. Then she twists her mouth in an embarrassed manner and bows her eyes. I don''t know,......, but I felt like she said, ''I''m sorry.'' ............ I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... Oh. That''s what I meant. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a little bit of fun. ...... Well, do what you want. I don''t regret my actions. I try to live responsibly in the present so that I don''t. Use it. Use it as a parable. Use it as a lesson. ''At that time, when Yashiro was sacrificed, he said, "It was all Yashiro''s fault. If Yashiro had disappeared from this town, do you think ...... everyone would have been happy? ''No, of course not!If he does something like that again and disappears from our sight without permission, I''ll definitely find him and kick his ass as hard as I can! Oh, ......, there''s a death flag for me. Delia is the type of person who never cares about her own specs. She''s always going all out, hence the overkill. ...... Let''s try not to piss her off. If you''re not convinced that you''ve dammed the river for the sake of everyone else,...... even if everyone else is saved,...... then Delia''s spirits will be lifted when she sees the river devoid of salmon. ...... I can''t think of that as ''peace''. I can''t say I''m glad. I''m not going to say that I''m glad." Estella approached the nodding Delia and forcefully grabbed her hand. She grasps her hand forcefully and pours a straight, thought-filled gaze into Delia''s eyes. ''Delia is an important friend of District 42. When Delia is sad, I''m sad too. I will never sacrifice you.'' ''Estella ............'' Delia''s face twisted into a slightly tearful expression. ''......Sorry, that was a bit difficult, I only understood about half of it.'' ''You''re lying! Oh, ...... Delia, if you talk too long at once, your brain freezes up in the middle of it. ...... I tend to let my emotions take over and talk too long. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to have to. ''Estella, you mean you like me, right? ''Umm, yes......, but ............ my hand, my hand hurts...... a little more. Gently .......'' ''I like you too Estella! ''Uh, yeah!Thank you!So, hands!My hand, the bones in my hand!They creak! ''Estella, I love you! ''Thank you, thank you, thank you!Jashiro!Stop Delia!Hurry up! ''Delia, shake my hand too.'' ''Yes! When I held out my hand, Delia quickly let go of Estella''s hand and turned her body toward me. The moment she was released, the look of relief on Estella''s face said: ...... You owe me as much as you can. ''Shake hands with Yashiro too! ''And, before that! If I were to shake his hand while he was excited, the bones in my hand, which are even more delicate than Estella''s, would shatter like sprinkles in an instant. This is not the time to say, "You''re full of calcium. I need to stop Delia from turning towards me and bring her tension back to normal. ''This is a continuation of Estella''s story. It''s not difficult, so please listen to me carefully.'' ''Yeah?Yeah. I''ll listen. ''Estella said that Delia was one of you, right? ''Oh, yes!That was nice of you, Estella!'' ''Hahaha ...... that''s good to hear.'' Estella is starting to have a bit of a hard time with Delia. They''re complete opposites, you know. ''But to Estella, Miry, Mormat and the others are just as important as her friends. ''And Omero? And then, ''No, not Omero! I''d feel sorry for Omero, too. ''Omero too. ''Estella is a really nice guy! ''Hahaha ...... thanks a lot.'' I''m not sure what Delia sees in Omero,......, though I''m afraid to ask. ''So, you see, Estella wants to help everyone.'' ''Everyone, you mean ...... everyone?'' ''Yeah. Everyone.'' Even if it''s reckless, this guy will keep struggling to make it so. He''s a lord with a bad temperament like that, you know. ''Well, then, go to .......'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it. I knew that was what was bothering you the most. ''I thought about kicking Mo-Matt and the others out of the room because of the way they talked to me. Mormat. There''s a death sentence out for you . I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. ......... She probably doesn''t like me anymore and won''t see me. ......'' I was a little surprised. I''m surprised that even Delia would think such negative things. If you think about it a little, you''ll realize that Millie would never do such a thing. ...... Self-loathing and guilt can make ordinary things seem the worst. I''m sure Delia had such a weakness in her heart. ''If there''s a way to save Millie without damming the river, will you help her?I''ll do whatever I can! There you are again, a softie who would say such dangerous words as ''do anything''. ''...... And while you''re at it, ............ if you can, tell Millie I''m sorry... I''m sure you''ll be fine. Delia is scared of Millie. I think she''s afraid of being cold when she sees you. I feel like I''m watching a very precious image. ''I''m not sure I can do that. Estella says this in a different tone of voice. Ah, so that''s it. The timing is wonderfully good. But you know, Estella, ...... you should look at your partner when you play with words like that. Or else ...... ''Why not?You said you like me!Don''t be mean to me! ''Hey!Delia!Wait, wait. ............ Oh, dear! Delia grabbed Estella by the collar. She looks like she''s about to throw her off her back. ''No!Just hear me out!Just hear me out! ''I''ll listen to you if you swear not to be mean to me! ''I''m not trying to be mean!I''m just saying that you don''t need us to tell you every single message! ''Estella''s story is hard to understand! ''Look at the embankment!The path above the riverbank! I shouted, pointing to the path on the riverbank. On a slightly steep slope. He looked up at the path leading from the road and saw-- ''Oh, my ......! Millie was standing there. ''Miry? Delia''s shoulders jumped. I released Estella and hurried to hide behind my back. ...... It''s sticking out, it''s sticking out. ''Oh, did you come here to be angry?'' Not at all. ''What if he hits me?'' No, no, no, no, that''s not gonna happen. ''How hard should I hit back? ''Don''t do that, she''ll fly away. ......'' You fight back when you''re hit, right? ''Well, then ...... I''ll just have to be patient and take it. ......'' No, that''s why ...... ''It''s okay, just listen to Milly.'' ''But ......'' ''Delia. Listen to me, okay? I''ve never seen Delia so scared. She''s really scared of being hated. So I''m going to give her a little courage. Special offer? Just this once, I''ll make sure the ...... bill goes to Estella. ''I said it''s okay, so it''s definitely okay. I looked into her eyes through her bangs and nodded vigorously. Millie is not angry. Rather, she feels the same as you. ''''You''re not mad at me? I don''t want her to hate me.'''' As proof, look at Milly''s hands. That cute little bag she''s holding so tightly in both hands. I assure you. Within five minutes, you''ll have made up for it. .................. No, I''ll do it within ten minutes. Yeah, you need a little leeway. ''Umm ...... yeah. If Yashiro says so, I believe ............ it.'' Pull yourself away from my back and straighten your back. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. The crisp expression on her face gives her the air of a representative of the guild, and makes her neat face look even more beautiful. In the midst of all this, the lips trembling with the faint anxiety that still lingers adds a touch of cuteness. ...... It''s okay. Delia can get through this kind of anxiety. I believe in you. ''Hey, Yashiro...... didn''t you think of something funny for once while you were cheering Delia up?'' ''What are you talking about?'' Estella. ...... She''s a sharp one. Well, I don''t care about Estella. ''Here, Delia. Go ahead and do it.'' ''Oh, yeah, I know ......, I know .......'' Delia didn''t move. Back straight, chest out, eyes averted. ...... wayward. ''Hey, Milly!Come over here. Delia wants to talk to you! ''Hey!Yashiro!I''m not ready for ......! Delia panicked. However, Millie is approaching us step by step with small strides. As Millie approached, Delia''s agitation grew, and when she got close enough to hear Millie''s tense breathing, her tension seemed to reach its peak and she ............ froze. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ''Ah...... ah,ne...... Delia,san''. ''Hoo, oh, oh!I''m not sure what to say.What a coincidence, here we are! It''s not a coincidence. ...... Calm down, Delia. It''s not a coincidence. You don''t need to get on my case. You don''t have to worry about it, Millie. And then they look at each other''s faces and squirm. ...... A delicate air envelops the area. ''...... Yashiro''. Estella comes up behind me and pokes me in the side with her elbow. ''......You brought this situation on yourself, so take responsibility.'' ''I didn''t have to tell you, it wouldn''t have started or ended like this. ''...... Just do it. I''ll leave it to you.'' I don''t know what''s good about ....... ''Milly. ''What, what?What ...... are you, ladybug?'' I''m sure Millie has something to say. But it takes a lot of courage to say the first thing. It would be easier if there was a trigger. So, I''ll give you that chance. ''You have something for Delia, don''t you? That cute little bag you''re holding so tightly in both hands. Give it to her, she''ll be thrilled. ''Oh, .........'' He looks down, bites his lip and ...... looks up as if he''s made up his mind. ''Oh, Derria-san .......'' ''What the hell? ''If you''re bothered by ...... that ...... I''m sorry, but ...... my ...... ...... this,...... if you like.'' ''......What?'' She stretched out her arms and held out a cute little bag. Delia, unable to grasp the situation, looked over at me. I nodded, and reached into the bag, fearfully. ''Open it. You''ll be glad you did.'' ''......, yeah.'' I pushed her back and she opened the bag slowly and easily. ''........................ Ah! And when she found out what was inside, she thrust her hand into the bag and plucked out a piece. ''It''s a nectar candy! That''s Delia''s favorite food. It was sweet, sweet, sweet nectar candy. The taste of very sweet honey blended with the nectar of the most delicious flowers in the flower gardens of the 35th district. By making it into candy, you can enjoy its sweetness for a long time. It''s a candy that a sweet tooth like Delia''s can''t resist. ''This, this, this, this is for me? ''Hmmm. I''m ...... glad ...... you''re happy ......?'' ''I''m happy!I''m happy!Yay!I like this!It''s so good! ''Yeah, hehehe......, thank you for saying it''s delicious, okay? ''Thanks to you too, Milly! Delia took Millie''s hand with a surge of tension after seeing the nectar candy. And then she came back to herself and froze. The person you thought was difficult to face, the person you thought you didn''t want to be disliked, the person you thought you had to apologize to, was now right in front of you. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. ''Ah ............ no,...... that ......''. I''m not sure what to say. What she wanted to say was stuck in the back of her throat and wouldn''t come out. She was impatient and frustrated with herself and ...... cried slightly. I know what you''re feeling right now, Delia. I''m sure we''ve all experienced it before. And that feeling is-- ''Oh, you know, ............ Miri, I''ve been wanting to apologize to you.'' ''............ Heh? ''I''m sorry ...... for ignoring your feelings and talking about ourselves all the time. ''......? --touched by kindness, she would instantly fall apart. ''Oh, I''m ............ sorry too!I''m sorry that I said such horrible things to you, Millie,............! ''No, no, no, no, it''s not your fault, Derria.It''s not your fault, it''s not your fault, it''s not your fault. ...'' ''It''s not Miri''s fault either! ''Yes, yes. Neither of us are bad. Right? We both kept blaming ourselves and were afraid that the other would hate us. But when they actually talked to each other, instead of blaming each other, they apologized and said kind words to each other. ...... That would make me cry. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Come on, you two. It''s okay now. We''ve made up now, haven''t we?You don''t have to cry anymore.'' Estella comforts the two girls as they shed tears after being released from the tension. The two "girls" bury their faces in Estella''s flat chest and sob. ''...... Yashiro. What were you just thinking? ''I''m glad you''re here. I can''t imitate that. ''............ You were definitely thinking something else.'' Why would you guess wrong in such a touching scene? ...... I just thought it was a bit flabby. ............ ......You''re a sharp guy. I''m not sure what to say.I''ve been wondering if there''s anything I can do to help Millie''s place!Sometimes I see Millie at the river, and ...... she looks tired, so ...... I thought I could do something for her.'' ''Hmm, thanks for the .......'' ''But I don''t know much about that kind of thing. ......'' ''I''m not sure about that either. I''m always wondering what I should do. ...... We''re the same, aren''t we? ''Oh. We''re the same.'' We put our faces close to each other, our eyes reddened with tears, and smile at each other. I''m glad you were able to reconcile. Well, I thought it would be easy to reconcile after hearing your story. In times like these, you just have to take the plunge and come face to face with each other to make things work out. Especially in the case of people like Delia and Milly, who are ''ginette-leaning''. People like me and Estella might not be so straightforward. ''But you''re safe now! Delia slapped her chest, ''Den! Delia slaps her chest and shakes it with a big ''pop! and shakes it. Nice! ''...... Yashiro. Shut up. It''s funny. I didn''t utter a single word. ...... Estella, you''re awakening some strange ability, aren''t you? ''Did you come up with something better? ''No. I have no idea.'' ''But, ......, are you okay? ''Yeah! And Delia pointed at me confidently. ''Yashiro said he''ll take care of it! ''Hmph! What''s with all this throwing around and recklessness? ''He just told me. ''I said it''ll be fine, so it''ll be fine''! No, I said that! That''s about reconciliation with Milly, not about the water shortage! ''He said he''ll come up with something great that won''t dam up the river and will solve the hardships of Millie and the others!Hey, Yashiro!I''m sure you''re right. ............ No, no, no, no. ''Ah~ ...... Delia, you must be suffering from a discrepancy in your memory due to extreme stress and strain. The fact that you were listening to Estella''s tricky talk just before that may have had an effect. Listen, when I said ''it''s going to be fine'', I meant ......''. ''............Not, huh?'' I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. ...... It''s not fair. ............ That face, it''s not fair. ...... It''s not fair to Jeannette. I''m not sure what to do. What''s that? Oh my god, ..................! ''............ We''ll take care of it. ''Yes! ''Thank you, ladybug! You''re acting like you''ve already solved the problem. ...... ''Well, I can''t wait to see how this will benefit you. Shut up, Estella. Don''t look at me with that smirk on your face. d*mn it. Isn''t this town getting more and more of my natural enemies? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''ll come to this. ............ But well, I''ve got an idea how to use him and him to ...... make it work. Now, how in the world can I .................. force them to deal with this hassle that has been brought to me? ...... When I was thinking about it... ''Yashiro-san!Minna-san! I heard Jeannette''s voice from the bank. Magda and Loretta, towing the seventh store of the sunlit pavilion. And Umaro and Hamko, and even Mormat and Imelda, who knows where they picked them up. ''Hey ...... Yashiro. What are you going to do now? Delia''s mouth twitched at the sudden arrival of such a large group. You''re probably worried because there''s friction on all sides right now, but ...... there''s also Mo-Mat, ...... but, well, don''t worry. What do you mean, what do you mean? The time is almost evening. I''ve been out of the store for quite a while,...... but I''ll let you off the hook for today. There are not many things to do in the evening. I''m going to have a meal. Eat a good meal and then talk calmly. Besides, Delia. You''re a lucky man. You can thank Jeannette. She''s got some good people on her side. It''s like this whole thing is over. 245-Episode 157 Gathering on the riverside ''We''ve all come together. On the way to the upper reaches of the river again with Delia and Milly, Ginette said with a ''hehe'' laugh. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''...... I''m sorry, Yashiro. I just couldn''t get ...... Loretta to agree to go. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do this, but I''d like to. ''...... I''m a girl who can''t read the air. ......'' I''m not going to read the air, you know. As usual, the group at the Sunlit Pavilion was lively and reasonably noisy. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. I''m glad to hear that the two of you are feeling better. ''You can''t read the air, sister! ''You''re being annoying!I know exactly what I''m doing! ''I hate bathing, sister! ''Don''t mislead me!I bathe properly at home!I just don''t bathe outside like you do!I''m a maiden! I''m just a maiden!'' ''You don''t like sunbathing, sister! ''That''s true of everyone here! ''Idiot, Loretta!I''m a supponpon lover! ''Yashiro. The ''love'' you''re talking about has a different meaning. There''s no such thing as a ''sumpin''! Imelda looks at the fussing hamster sisters as if she''s looking at a creature she doesn''t understand. Today, she''s still twirling her parasol. ''Miss Loretta. Do you have a hobby of exposing your skin outside?'' ''No, I don''t!It''s a terrible misunderstanding! ''''''My family is all skinny-dipping! ''''''You can''t include me! ''''''My father and mother too! ''''Don''t say unnecessary things! After scolding her siblings, Loretta begins to make desperate excuses to Imelda. As if she was defending something inside her that she could not compromise. ''Oh, you know, there is a river nearby. That''s where my brothers are bathing and playing in the water! Her sister also seems to be doing it, but she doesn''t want to mention it. She''s a girl, after all. ''Be careful, sir. There is a ...... pedophile fox carpenter living in that area. ''Wait a minute!I''m not a pedophile! I''m not a pedophile,'' he replied, looking in the opposite direction. ...... You still can''t look Imelda in the face? After that, Umaro was talking about ''how he is devoted to Magda-tan'' in the opposite direction, but it''s not a big deal, so I''ll just ignore it. Imelda also completely ignored him, taking advantage of the fact that Umaro was looking in the opposite direction. But. Imelda used to say that she envied Umaro and that he was her rival, but I wonder how she feels about him now. It may be quite rare for Imelda to be in the same place with Umaro like this. Especially since they''re having dinner together later. Well, it''s not that they don''t like each other, and there''s nothing strange about it. ''I''m going to have more fun than you today, Umaro! ...... Oh, they''re competing. It''s just a stupid thing. ''So, why is Imelda and one other person following us? ''Umaros!I don''t see the point in omitting them! The other one is annoying. They only look at me when they want to complain. ''...... After Yashiro and the others left, Imelda came to drink tea. ''And when she heard that I was there, Umaro came running. Out of defiance! ''It doesn''t matter!I''m always going to the Sunken Pavilion just for Magda-tan! ''Then Mr. Mo-Matt came. I think he wanted to see my brother. ......'' Loretta looked at Mo-Matt. With that, everyone''s gaze turns to Mormat. ''............'' ''............'' In the direction of our gaze, Mormat and Delia are walking in silence, maintaining a delicate distance. They are aware of each other, but try to keep each other out of sight. Delia''s expression is stiff. She doesn''t care what kind of silly conversation we have here. Mormat glances at Delia and then drops his gaze, occasionally letting out a sigh. It''s ......, it''s depressing. It''s not like you''re the first guy in love who can''t tell you what''s on his mind. ''Mo-mat''. I''m just saying.What''s up? Perhaps he was startled by the sudden call, but Mo-Mat was acting unnecessarily suspicious and flustered. If he appears in the vicinity of the elementary school, he''ll be reported at once, this guy. He''s in a hurry, he''s in a hurry, he''s trying to hide it, he''s forcing a thin smile, his mouth is twitching. He''s a complete pervert. ''How much do you keep glancing at Delia, you''. ''Oh, oh, oh, you, you idiot,......, I''m not,......! ''You saw that, right? ''M............n...... well, well......'' ''Delia''s side boobies are paid for, remember? ''Oh, you''re an idiot!Who''s going to watch that? ''...... such a thing, huh?'' ''Duh!No, no!No, no, no, Delia!Delia''s is not bad!It''s rather good! ''Ugh ...... momat, pervert.'' ''What the hell?That''s not what I meant, Yashiro!I mean, you''re doing this on purpose, right? Of course I did. It''s worse that you''re exposing your sour face. ''If you have something to say, say it clearly. It''s the crocodile, right? ''Crocodiles have nothing to do with this! ''You''re a man. ''............ Mmm. Well, ......'' ''Hey, you clammed up.'' ''...... There''s a slight chance it''s a woman.'' ''Of course not! Magda, nice assist. But, ...... where did you learn that word? Also, you can get through. You''re trying too hard with that ''forced translation magic''. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. If you know Mormat''s character, this kind of behavior, which is not important, can be a cause of fear for those who are skeptical that they might be wrong or that they might be hated. ''If you have a problem with Delia, speak with your fists! ''Don''t be absurd! ''You''re a man, aren''t you?Fight fight fight!'' ''She''ll kill you in an instant!I''m pretty sure she will! ''No, but... Delia said earlier that Mormat''s speech is annoying, so I''m going to kick his ass.'''' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!You''re kidding!Hey, Delia!You''re lying, right? ''............'' ''There''s no answer! Mormat, the moment he received his death sentence. ''No, no, no, no!I''ve been ...... very busy lately, and my friends have been complaining, too, you know?So I''ve been ...... frustrated. ......'' ''I picked a fight with Delia,......,'' he said. ''I didn''t pick a fight with you! ''Did you want to escape from the ...... painful reality?'' ''Margooder!I''m not going to say anything about it.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.Watch out for it! ''Ah, ah, then you got frustrated and decided to take it out on me, didn''t you? ''Oh, oh, ...... well, ............ that''s about it.'' ''Muhaa!I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. ''It can''t be helped that it''s ...... Loretta.'' ''Huh!It''s an idiom that only applies to you, isn''t it? ''Don''t you guys play with ...... me.'' Mormat lets out a heavy sigh. It''s such a heavy sigh that if it were in a vending machine, it would be written as ''Omotatoi''. ''But, well, I just asked Jeannette about that ......, you know, .......'' ''Oh, yes. Just before I came back, Mr. Mormat came to the store, and he seemed to be troubled. So you told him about your conversation with us. You said that Delia was in a difficult position. My prediction was largely correct, and Mo''amat learned the truth through Jeannette. I also thought that we were only thinking about ourselves and not about Delia and the other river fishermen,......, and I reflected on that,......, too!So!Delia, look at this!It''s a vegetable! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Wabi'' is a bit of a word, but ............ is a sign of reconciliation. ............ Can''t you ......?'' Mormat smiles, albeit awkwardly. ............ Wow. Crocodile smile, scary! '' ...... the pervert smirks and stares at the thinly clad Delia.'' ''Magda!You''re supposed to be a nicer, gentler girl!Be considerate of me, will you? ''Give it up, Mormat. You''re the easiest character to play after Umaro, Becco and Percy. After giving Magda a glare, Mo-Matt looked into Delia''s face as if to see if she was in a good mood. ''Hey, Delia, how''s ...... it going? ''Mo-Mat.'' Delia looks up quietly and stares at Mormat. And--'' ''It''s a long story. What did you mean?'' ''Yeah, yeah, yeah!You want me to say that again?It''s a very difficult thing to say, which is why I''m talking more, and you''re saying it in a nutshell! It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to say. ''So, hey, what''s the point? ''......! He clenched his fists and bit his teeth. And then,......, as he could only do so because he had properly admitted his fault,......, he said to Delia again: ''I was not mature enough. I''m sorry, I wasn''t mature enough!I''m sorry!I''m sorry, but you need to eat a lot of these vegetables and let the grudge go away.Please! ''You''re giving me vegetables?Why? ''No, that''s why ............ Yashiro.'' Don''t give up, you insufferable ...... You know, you and Estella, you''re always throwing things at me when you''re in trouble. ''Delia. Mormat said he got frustrated and took it out on you. ''Are you imitating me? ''Not imitating, but he felt the same way as Delia. She''s having a hard time over there.'' ''Well, it''s tough. It''s hard for us, too.'' ''So, since it turned into a fight, we''re going to have a nice meal together to make up for it.'' ''Oh, so that''s what you''re saying! I don''t think it sounded like anything other than that. ...... ''Then don''t worry about it. I''m sorry too. ............ Momma, are you mad at me? ''No, not at all!I''m sorry I was so reckless.'' ''Then I guess we''re even! ''Oh, yeah!I guess so! ''Then I''ll let you eat salmon too!It''s really good, the salmon! ''Haha, I''m looking forward to it! Talk and you''ll understand. I guess they''re all sycophants at heart. ''So, when are we going to get into a fistfight? ''We don''t! ''What?I thought we were going to talk with our fists? ''That''s Yashiro''s joke!Don''t take it seriously! ''What the hell ......, I was thinking of how to attack you ......'' ''And you didn''t tell me about it just now?I''m not sure what to do.This guy is really scary! Well, Delia would probably win by KO in a single blow even if she didn''t have a plan. ''...... Delia. I''ll be there when you need me. ''Even Delia alone is overkill, and if Magda joins in, there won''t be any cells left for me! ''...... I''m fine. I''ll lend you Umaro, Bekko, and Percy. ''Don''t mix me in with their group! ''What do you mean, you crocodile?I don''t want you here! ''d*mn it, don''t get into a fight with the old man. Delia will beat you up.'' ''Let''s make up, Oumalo! ''Right, Mo-Mat! Mo-Matt and Oumalo shake hands with a fresh smile. A precious handshake to save a life. ''I''m so sorry ...... that Ria was able to make up with you. Millie mutters in a small voice. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. Both Delia and Millie, who is staring at her, no longer have dim shadows on their faces. They had regained their usual, typical expressions. ''Oh, speaking of fisticuffs, ......'' Loretta held up her index finger and said as if she remembered. ''''Norma-san was also at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Why did you remember that from a fistfight? I don''t have that image of Norma at all! ''Oh, no. The other day, Norma-san and I tried to have a good time talking about where would be the best place to have a fistfight, but we failed. ''You failed? ''Norma-san didn''t get into it at all. ......'' You should be more selective about what you talk about. ...... ''It seems like she was meeting up with Masha. ''Norma with Masha? ''She ordered some anchors for the ship.'' Ah, so it''s Norma. She came to cheer up Delia and take care of some business. ...... At least, you can do your personal activities after Delia''s recovery. ''I''ll come back later. I said I''ll definitely be there.'' ''Ginette invited you, didn''t she?'' ''How did you know? No, I know. Because it''s Jeannette. ''Oh, I was wondering if Masha''s ...... presence would cheer up Delia''s ...... spirits.'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. You can''t be mad at me, and neither can Delia. ''Thank you, manager. Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable.'' ''No, sir. I''m just trying to help. I''m not sure if he likes me or not. ...... "meddling". You say it so happily. ''Besides, it tastes better when eaten by a crowd. ''Yes, it does. And we can charge the lord for it. ''Nice try, Yashiro. You can''t set up a stall on the riverbank because you don''t have permission this time, so you have to keep it to ''serving'' or it will be a violation. I know what you mean. You''ve been giving it away for free for a long time now!...... You''re a pain in the ass. I''m not sure if you can get a permit to move around within the forty-two wards freely. ...... In the middle of this conversation, we arrived at our usual spot to play in the river. The difference between the riverbank and the embankment is relatively low, making it easy to unload carts and stalls. The riverbank is wide enough to be flat and easy to cook. The flow of the river is a little fast but not dangerous, and the water is shallow and deep, making it an ideal place for all kinds of water sports. So, let''s get ready! Ginette clapped her hands as soon as we got down to the riverbed. That was the signal to open the storage of the seventh restaurant, the Sunlit Pavilion. There is a large storage compartment built into the main body that can hold ingredients and cooking utensils, and ingredients are being brought out of it. Today, Restaurant No. 7 is in teppan mode. I wonder if they''re going to do chan chan yaki. ''Ms. Delia, I''d like to borrow your table. ''Oh. Do you want me to bring the board? ''Yes, please. ''I''ll leave it to you! This area is used by Delia and the river fishing guild for resting, and there is a small hut on the riverbank where the guild keeps its equipment. Normally, they use a large flat rock, known as a "table", to eat, but when there are many people like this time, they make a simple table by passing a board over a rock of similar size. This makes a very big table. Loretta and Magda are washing food in the river and preparing it for cooking. I was going to help, but ...... ''...... No help needed. We have enough hands.'' ''You''ll have to take care of those dense people over there, brother. ''That''s more annoying than helping. ......'' With the Hammies helping out so briskly, I was out of my element. Millie is standing next to Jeannette, and she doesn''t seem to need me there either. I guess I''ll just have to play with Umaro. ''Mr. Yashiro. Sitting on a rock hurts my butt!Do you have any soft rocks?'' ''No, of course not. ......'' It''s rare to find someone as unsuited to the outdoors as Imelda. Although not as good as Regina. ''Hey, hey, hey! I hear a carefree voice from afar. I looked and saw Norma pushing a large tank and Masha waving cheerfully inside the tank. It''s been a long day, hasn''t it, you two? ''Yashiro-san has good eyesight, doesn''t he? ''Why is that? ''At this distance, your face is already smiling.'' Seriously? Well, I can enjoy it from this distance, though! And so, after a few dozen more shakes, Norma and Masha came over to us. ''Yashiro, ...... I saw you. I''ll pull my weight a little.'' ''I saw it too! ''That''s what you''re telling me to do, isn''t it? A light poke to the forehead with a flue. Hmm. I know. Norma isn''t too mad at me for reacting this way. You can still stare at ......, but your eyes are getting a little serious. I''ll stop now. I''m not going to do it again. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro. I heard you''re going to feed me something delicious. ''Well... You''ll have to ask Jeannette if it''s good or not.'' ''If it''s the manager''s food, it''s definitely delicious~'' Masha had never been to such a party before. Perhaps because of this, she seems to be enjoying herself more than usual. ''Oh, Delia!You look like you''ve got some energy. ''Masha......, well, you know. I''m sorry for making you worry.'' ''What are you talking about?You stink of water~a?? ...... Ah, I''m the one who stinks of water~ ............ Do I stink? ''You don''t stink!I don''t smell, so stop asking me that. I guess it was a gag that I was soaked in water~......, but I must have suddenly felt uneasy. Don''t ask me with a straight face. And to me, a man. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. So it''s okay,....... ''I heard you ordered an anchor? ''Yes, I''m going to go on a little trip next time. I''m going to have a big one made. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve made such a big one myself. I''m sure my skills will come into play. The craftsmen of the Forty-Two Wards are quite skilled, aren''t they? They''re poor but highly skilled. Maybe they were too poor to afford the tools, so they had to work on their skills. ...... ''Is it going to take much? ''Yes. ...... Well, that''s about right.'' ''I see. Well, the one I''m making this time I can get by without Norma, so it''s not a problem. ''Are you going to make something else? ''Yeah, kind of. ''What?What are you making? Masha is very curious. It''s a little early, but I''ll give you a brief explanation. ...... When I looked at Masha, she was looking in a completely different direction. You''re not talking to me, are you ......? ...... No, that glossy thing is ...... sushi rice! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''ve had that for lunch! You''re already practicing what I taught you today? That''s day and night in a row! ''It was so delicious and so much fun that I wanted to share it with everyone! He''s so enthusiastic. When I looked at Magda and Loretta to see if that was okay,......, they were on the other side, exuding an aura of comfort, as if to say, ''I know what I''m talking about. And as for Estella, ...... ''I''m glad you''re here. I''m happy. I''m happy. ...... Not that I''m complaining either, but ............ I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. Then she straightens her back and opens her mouth quietly. ''Besides, this hand-rolled sushi is a dish that I want to eat now and then. Ginette says with a serious face. She looks around at everyone in the room, takes a deep breath, and then begins to speak quietly. ''The ingredients you see here have been grown, nurtured, and cultivated by the people we have come to know and share with over the past year. It is because of the memories, bonds, trust, and friendship we have with these people that this dish is complete. The seaweed, rice, fish, eggs, vegetables, and ...... all came from our direct talks and negotiations. It is a simple dish, but because it is simple, it depends greatly on the ingredients. In order to obtain satisfactory ingredients, it did not happen overnight. After meeting various people, sometimes clashing, suffering, crying, getting angry, and overcoming various hardships ......, I finally completed this Temakizushi. This is the culmination of the past year. ''Due to the abnormal weather, many people are struggling, and I think everyone is having their own worries and anxieties. However, I would like you not to forget this. I want you to remember that none of us is alone. Please don''t forget that we have wonderful friends. Ginette says with her arms folded in front of her chest and a smile like an angel that has come down to earth. ''I wanted to eat this hand-rolled sushi with all of you because we are in such a difficult time due to the abnormal weather. She wore a dignified air, like Sister Bertina. I have a feeling that Ginette will do well as a sister. ''That''s right, Jeannette. We are all connected to someone somewhere, helping each other and supporting each other in our lives. Let''s enjoy this dish, born from such warm ties, together and with gratitude. ''You''ve suddenly appeared and breezed in, you sister! Before I knew it, Bertina was standing next to Ginette. Well, I knew she''d come by if we were eating at the riverbank, but ...... ''Sister''. Ginette seemed to have anticipated this as well: ...... ''We''ve got a lot to do today, so bring the kids. ''Yes. They''ll love it. Thank you very much. ...... He was going to do that. ''I''ll go get them then! ''I don''t feel safe alone, I''ll go with you! ''''I''m not sure if it''s just the two of us, I''ll come along! ''''''Haseji! The hamsters are running at a tremendous speed. ...... is the wrong way to use the word ''''haseji''''. ''''Then, let''s all eat first. We''ve saved some for the kids. ''Yay!Food! Delia threw her arms up in the air and barked. I feel like it''s been a long time. It''s been a long time since I''ve heard such a cheerful voice from Delia. ''I''ve been worried about ...... something, and I''m weirdly hungry.'' Delia scratches her cheek in embarrassment. If you push yourself a little harder now to cheer up, you''ll be able to smile more naturally tomorrow. ''Oh, look, look, look, Delia-chan. That beautiful colored fillet, it''s yellowtail, yellowtail. It''s really delicious, you should try it! ''What are you talking about, Marsha? Eat salmon if you don''t have time for that. ''You should eat sea fish too! ''Yes, yes. Next to salmon. We sat down around the big table Delia had brought with her. We find a rock of the right size and use it as a chair. First, Ginette explained how to make the sushi rolls, and then each of us followed her example and made our own sushi rolls. ''Yashiro-san. Please make it for me. ''You can make it yourself. It''s fun.'' ''I can''t help it. ......'' Imelda''s eyes changed color the moment she put the seaweed on her hand. She''s the type of person who''s obsessed with making things. ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san!The seaweed hasn''t arrived! ''You too? ''Yashiro~, the seaweed is too small. ''Me too...'' ''Are you all together, you guys? ''Yashiro-san. I don''t think there''s enough rice. ''You say that while staring into a wooden vat, that''s it!Pull yourself together, Bertina! ''...... Yes, Umaro.'' ''Matt, did Magda make this for you?I''m so excited!I''m very impressed. ''...... Temakizushi (plain)'' ''Isn''t that just plain rice? ''It tastes so good! ''Is that what you want, Umaro? As the table became crowded with people, a man suddenly noticed something and stood up. As he approached the seventh restaurant, he saw the vegetables piled up on the stall and shouted. I''m not sure what to do with it. ''...... You''ve been noticed.'' ''I don''t use cabbage for hand-rolled sushi. ''Eat it!You''ve got it!You can make something, can''t you, Yashiro?Come on!I have a teppan! ''Yeah, ...... is a pain in the ass. ......'' ''Oh, Miri, do you want to help? ''Well, why don''t you go and get Masha''s scallops? ''Scallops, hmm, I know. ............ Oh no!No, ladybug! ''Yashiro-kun, you can''t use Milly to indirectly s*xually harass me...'' Masha held the scallop on her chest and peeked her tongue adorably. The devilish smile tickles near the heart. ''So, Yashiro. Why don''t we have some chan chan yaki?I''ll prepare the salmon. ''Sounds good, Yashiro!Let''s do it, chan-chan-yaki! ''Sister, calm down. ''Sister. Please sit down and be polite while eating. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... He''s here, you know. I''m not sure what to do with it. ''I can''t help it. I''ll be sure to bill the lord for all the work we do here. The payment method will be ...... to cover the cost of the water shortage measures, I guess. After that, the church kids and the ham kids joined us, and we ate a lot of dinner at the riverbank. 246-Episode 158 Understanding the Current Situation an... After enjoying the hand-rolled sushi and devouring all of Momat''s vegetable-filled chan-chan-yaki, I look around the riverbank. I look around the riverbank and see a lot of familiar faces chatting here and there as they take a break from eating. Ginette and Millie are laughing at each other, the ham kids are ganging up on Norma and Loretta is scolding her, but Norma doesn''t seem too happy about it, Delia and Masha are discussing fish from the river vs. the sea, and Bertina is enjoying her after-dinner meal while looking at the kids in the church. ...... Is he still eating? I''m not sure what to make of it. She loves kids. Is he sympathetic because they''re so close in development?I''m sure he does, yeah. On the other side, Oumarro and Moormat are taking a break from eating in a very old-fashioned atmosphere, and Oumarro''s tension rises every time Magda passes by. It looks like the usual scene. However, many of the people here have lost sight of this ''normalcy''. ''Hey, Milly. "What? Millie comes running up to me. I just wanted to ask her something, so I could have done it right there. Even Jeannette came in front of me with Millie. ''Are you happy today?I''ve been keeping you company since you said you were taking a break.'' ''Yeah. I don''t think I''ve been keeping you company. ...... You''ve been keeping me company more than I''ve been keeping you. I got a lot of energy from you. It''s good that you''re feeling better. But still, the flower guild must be busy taking care of the forest right now. It would be a blow to lose young Millie in such a situation. ''A while ago, when I went to the forest with Jinetto''s soup, I told her about Ladybug. ''You came because you were worried about me~''. No, it was Jeannette, Estella and the others who were worried. ''Then, the guild leader told me to take it easy today,'' he said. ''I''m sorry if I pushed you too hard.'' ''Yeah. Everyone was happy. They said, ''The ladybug''s on the move! ''Where am I on the side of justice? Just because I make a move, doesn''t mean the situation will get better. ''giggle...... too. I think I was happy that Ladybug, Jinetto, Estella and everyone at the Sunlit Pavilion ...... were worried about me. It''s been a lonely battle so far. A battle. ....... That''s a disturbing expression for Millie. .........'' Fidgeting, Millie says a long preamble. I''m sure you''re ready to say something hard to say,......, but a "big sister" is ............, in short, an old lady, right? I''m not sure what you mean by that.I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. .............'' After saying it yourself, your neck will turn red. I''m sure he''ll be able to say it right down to the emphasis. I''m sure you''ve been told to emphasize the "a! Millie is a serious person, so don''t do that to her. Well, I guess she''s well taken care of. The work environment does not seem to be bad. ...... I don''t like that type of meddlesome b*tc*, though. You can''t help it. Then I''ll keep an eye on Millie to make sure she doesn''t get any bad bugs. ''Hmm!...... hehehe. I''m kind of sorry, aren''t I? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''It seems like the master of bad insects is saying something. ''Who''s an arthropod polypod?'' ''What, you mean ''bad bugs'' aren''t insects? Polyploidy sounds worse than insects. Like millipedes and centipedes. Perhaps imagining such insects, Estella frowned for a moment and rubbed her own arms. ''Well, there''s a saying that you can control poison with poison. You can''t deny the possibility that bad bugs won''t come close to you if you have your master by your side. I''m not going to let that happen to you, Miri. Miri chuckles and denies it. I''d like you to deny that I''m not the master first, in my opinion. ''But ......''. Millie''s smile is suddenly shadowed. ''Tomorrow, I''ll have to work as hard as I did today. I make a fist with my small hand and squeeze it tightly. I don''t know how long it will last, but it''s a dizzying task. But now that you''ve made up, you can do it again. ...... That''s about it. Hmm. Tomorrow. ...... ''Hey, Norma. ''What is it?'' Whenever the naughty boy on the side flails, his melting breasts plump and plump. ...... ''How long have you been waiting for that attraction? ''It''s not an attraction! ''Mr. Yashiro. ...... Children don''t look at you that way, so don''t try to be one of them.'' Ginette puffs up her cheeks and stares at me. Wow, that''s cute. What kind of yurukyara are you? ...... and, no, it''s not. ''What about the hardware guild?Are they struggling with the water shortage?'' ''That''s right. Whether it''s sheet metal, casting, forging ...... or whatever, we use a lot of water. Also, you sweat a lot while working, so you drink a lot of water. In the case of forging, you dip the hot iron in water to cool it down rapidly, right? ''Our young men come to the river every morning to fetch water. ''Where do you usually get your water from? ''There''s a reservoir on the back street. You see the canal that runs through Momat''s field?That''s where the reservoir goes.'' So, if the waterway there is restored, it''ll be all right. ...... Even though it''s not as big as the farming guild or the flower arrangement guild, the labor of fetching water is still considerable. If it could be eliminated, it would be. ''What about Umaro? ''We use it quite a bit too. We use it to wash wood, to dissolve glue ...... and to knead mud. Carpenters use water, too. ''Well, I have a river in the new town, so I''m not in trouble. ''Ah. Loretta''s sister is bathing in the river that Umaro goes to. ''Those two events may be true, but there''s no causal relationship between them! ''Sometimes Loretta comes out too.'' ''No, she doesn''t! The carpenter didn''t seem to be in any trouble. Incidentally, what about the other three? These guys are all working outside the gates. ...... ''Imelda. What about the Lumberjack Guild?'' ''The water we use in the branch is from the well, and we get the rest from the lake outside the gates.'' ''Is there a lake? ''There is ....... Magda uses it occasionally. The hunting guild also uses it. But a lake. ...... ''It would be nice if we could bring water from there. ''...... It''s very difficult to transport water in a forest overrun by magical beasts.'' ''That''s true. It would be a different story if the head of the Medora hunting guild were here. Outside the Forty-Twoth District is the deepest part of the forest. The level of magical beasts living there is high. Carrying water there might be difficult, unless you''re ...... Medora. ''What about Masha? ''Oh, I''m fine with seawater~a??'' ''............ Ah, yes.'' Can mermaids live in seawater? On the other hand, would they suffer if immersed in fresh water? ''Not to mention Mo-Mat and Milly... ......? ''Well, yeah.'' ''Hmm. I use a lot of them. I think we need to revive the waterways. When I was thinking about it ...... ''Marsha, Yashiro won''t listen to me! ''Hmmm, Delia''s place is at a level where you don''t need to ask her. No, no, no. Delia needs water, but she can''t start without it. ''Yashiro-san. Why don''t you listen to her for now? ''Yes. ......'' Jeannette''s ear tickles ...... my ear, and I turn to Delia with a slightly more forgiving heart. ''Delia''s place, water, do you want some?'' ''Yes!I use it a lot!I use it the most! ''......, of course. ''...... is useless.'' ''Well, well, well, Yashiro. It''s okay to indulge him a little today, isn''t it? You''re right, Estella. When people are pampered, they expect more of it the next time, you know? Every time something happens, they''ll look at you like you''re appealing to them. Just like Jeannette, who stares at me whenever she has a problem. ...... Maybe I need to give this guy a hard time, too. ''Jeannette. I''m not a good person with a volunteer spirit. So I don''t always help people. Or rather, I don''t always intend to. It just so happens that there are people out there who can help.'' So don''t give me your expectations every time something happens. ''I''m only going to put my effort into what I truly care about. Don''t forget that.'' I nailed him a little harder. I was going to ......, but for some reason Ginette chuckled. ''That''s like saying you''re going to help everyone. ''No, what''s that? ''Because ......, Yashiro-san, cares about you all very much. That''s a terrible misunderstanding. There are many people who are not important. Or rather, most of them are. For example, ........................... For example, ... many of them don''t even have names because they''re not important. It''s not that they didn''t think of it. It''s not that I didn''t think of them. There are plenty of people who aren''t important. ...... but this time is special. ''I''m going to skip the Mo-Mat part and see if I can''t get the channel back up. ''Take care of me too, Yasilo! ......, you annoying crocodile. I''m kidding. I''m kidding. It''s more trouble than it''s worth to think of a waterway that doesn''t go through you. But what are you going to do?We''ve been denied any effective means. What Estella means by ''effective means'' is probably damming the river, digging a deeper entrance, or something like that. ''We still have water, we can pump it up from the river into the canal. ''Ah, but, Yashiro. I was thinking the same thing, but Omero''s not as useful as Yashiro thinks he is.'' ''...... I''m not going to use Omero.'' I''m not going to use Omero. ''''Ham kids, kids.'''' ''''''Yes!'''''' ''''''Yes!'''''' The ham kids raise their hands and cheerfully reply, and the kids reply even more cheerfully. ''''These guys will be our labor force. ''''Yashiro!Are you trying to abuse these young children? ''In that case, I''ll take care of it. If you''d rather force the children to work hard, ...... as long as you can provide them with three proper meals while they work! ''No, Bertina, ...... that''s probably more expensive than hiring someone. ......'' I don''t even want to imagine how much food the Bertina who does the physical labor would really eat....... ''The idea is the opposite. ''The opposite ......?'' Jeannette looked at the kids and cocked her head. ''Don''t make the kids do the hard stuff. Pump the water in a way that''s easy enough for a kid to do.'' It''s a method I''d never want to do, though. ...... I hate that kind of hassle. ''Even children can do it. ............ Ah!I understand! ''If all the children go into the river together, the water level will rise!Children love to play in the water, so the more they play, the more water will flow into the channel, right? ''Not exactly, no.'' ''Huh? How many days are you going to leave the kid in the river? The waterway will dry up again when the flow stops. Well, I guess we can stop the flow at night and pump up the water only during the day. Still, it will be a little easier if the reservoir is filled with water. ''So, Umaro. There''s something I want you to make. ''Yes, sir!The forty-second district is in great trouble. I''ll help you whether I can or not! Umaro responds without hesitation, just as he should. This guy must be paralyzed by some kind of sensory deprivation.Well, it''s convenient for me. Oh, I guess this is it too. Maybe it''s the result of being consumed by the sycophantic aura of Jeannette that pervades the sunlit pavilion. ''Ginette, you''re scary~......'' ''Eh!Why, why?Did I do something wrong? ''Umaro has become the ''do-everything-for-free man''.'' ''That''s not my fault, is it! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san!It''s not free, you know.I''m getting the construction cost from Estella-san, right? What the hell? ''Looks like you''re still lacking in the sycophantic aura!Magda, Loretta!Pour Ginette''s sycophantic aura on Umaro! ''...... Copy that.'' ''I''ll leave it to you! Magda and Loretta send a breeze through Jeannette, holding the fan used for hand-rolled sushi. ''Um, both of you, please stop!It''s not going to change anything! Ginette appealed to Magda and the others, showing an embarrassed impatience. No, no, no. Your aura should turn most people into sycophants. ''If it makes you a softy, shouldn''t that wind be directed at Yashiro? ''...... So be it.'' ''You have a point.'' Estella says something I don''t want to hear, and Magda and Loretta turn their bodies to send me a ginette of wind. ''Yeah, stop it!You''re making me sore! ''I''m not going to get sick! Ginette''s cheeks puff out, her face even redder than before. It''s more like ....... ''There''s a sour smell in here. ......'' ''Hmph!It''s the smell of sushi!It''s not that I''m sour.It''s not that I''m sour, you know! Jeannette appealed to me with an even more desperate look. You''re desperate because it''s a matter of honor. There''s a guy who''s looking at us with a kind of unhappy look in his eyes. It''s not us, it''s ...... Umaro, I guess. ''Imelda. What is it?I''m not sour. ''I''m not sour either! Jeannette is desperate. But now is not the time. Back to the topic at hand. ''Can you help me? ''What ......?'' Imelda froze for a moment, her eyes wide. Then-- ''......Does your sourness help you in any way, manager?'' ''It''s not sour!It''s not sour! Jeannette''s eyes are tearing up. Well, that''s a rare sight. ...... But that''s not it. ''I need your help, Imelda. ''...... Watashi''s? It''s not an exaggeration to say that it depends on your hard work. It might be a bit of work, but will you take on ...... it?'' ''Yashiro-san needs you .............'' Unconsciously, he covers his mouth with his hand and presses his chest with the other hand. Don''t be so upset. Imelda once said that she envied Umaro. She wanted to be the kind of person that Umaro could count on every time he needed something. This time, too, you will need the help of Umaro,......, but before that, you will need the help of Imelda. In some cases, you may be asked to do something quite absurd. In some cases, yes. ''I''ll do it. Please do whatever you want. Now that you''ve given me a reliable answer, I''ll tell you the whole story of this project. In order: ...... ''Okay. Okay, Imelda. I need you to get me some cypress lumber.'' ''Hiba: ......?If so, we have some of that already dried. ''If possible, I''d like a piece with as many annual rings as possible to prevent warping. I don''t want it to get deformed in the process. Besides, the tighter the rings, the more resistant to water. ''All the wood we deal in is of high quality. You don''t need to tell me that. Imelda turns away, feigning a grimace. But her nose twitches with pleasure. ''Do you mind if I go and have a look now?It''s urgent, after all.'' ''No problem, sir. If you don''t find anything you like, we can ask your father to lend us some of his wood. The Lumberjack Guild is cooperating fully. Then materials should be no problem. ''Umaro. Have you ever made a waterwheel before?'' ''Yes, I have. I was once commissioned by a nobleman in the 29th district to make a large waterwheel for pounding flour.'''' Umaro proudly talks about his past achievements. If you have experience with waterwheels, it''s easy to talk about. ''I want to build a waterwheel in District 42, too. I want to build a waterwheel in the 42nd district, too, a rowing waterwheel. ''A rowing ...... waterwheel, huh? ''What''s that? It seemed to be unfamiliar to him, and it seemed to have caught Jeannette''s interest. ''As the name implies, it''s a waterwheel that is operated by rowing with your feet. ''Is it a waterwheel? Well, sure. A waterwheel is something that''s powered by water. ''Hmmm~......, to explain it simply, it''s a waterwheel that''s installed at the entrance of a waterway to pump up water by rowing it with your feet. A box-shaped part is attached to the side of the waterwheel, which is used to pump water out of the river. When the waterwheel rotates, the box sinks into the water, pumping up water as it rotates, and dropping all the water near the top. The water is then drawn into the canal. ''By reversing the direction of the blades of the waterwheel, the current of the river will not cause the waterwheel to turn by itself, and the water can be pumped up only when necessary. This will prevent unnecessary water from being drawn into the waterway when the volume of water increases. ''If you have the technology for a waterwheel, you can make it work with a few improvements. ''That sounds interesting!I''d like to see it built! ''So it''s cypress because it''s used for water wheels. It''s a wood that''s resistant to decay. The two men in charge of the wood seemed to agree with each other. So, now we need this. ''Are you going to let the kids do that rowing waterwheel? Estella, on Bertina''s behalf, expressed her concerns. Don''t worry about it. It''s just a springboard, and I''ll tell Umaro to make sure everything is in place to prevent us from falling. Best of all, ......'' So I smile provocatively at the kids. ''You guys like it, don''t you?Running as fast as you can?'' I like ''''''''''! '''''''''' In Japan, foot-operated waterwheels are sometimes placed in tourist spots. At such places, kids used to crowd around and row the waterwheel. It would be a fun toy for the kids. I don''t like it, though, because the resistance of the water is hard on my legs and feet. ''It''ll be fun. ...... Put them on duty and play with them all day long. '''''''''''' Yeah! '''''''''''' This will keep the canals supplied with water only during the day. ''It''s nothing but hard work to pump water with two arms, but it''s much easier if you just paddle with your legs. Besides, with the power of these guys, it could even be fun. Once the water is pumped up and stored in the reservoir, it''s all over. ''Also, I want you to prepare a large sheet of ...... cloth that can cover the whole reservoir, but not a water-impermeable one like animal skin. ''Are you going to cover the reservoir? ''Oh. Water is evaporating every second. If we seal it up, the water vapor will stay in it and be returned to the reservoir as water droplets. In fact, when the U.S. experienced a major water shortage, a measure was taken to cover the entire surface of a huge lake with plastic balls. Because they are balls, they only float, and if a ship passes by, they will avoid the ship. Since the balls do not block the sunlight, they do not have any adverse effect on the creatures in the lake. There was no danger of accidental ingestion, and they were easy to collect, so there was no environmental problem. Such a drastic measure succeeded in saving several tens of tons of water per day. This is a reservoir, not inhabited by living creatures, and not as large as the surface of a lake, so it can be covered with a sheet. Naturally, no boats would pass by. Even if it is small, water evaporates rapidly from the surface. We can save a lot of water just by preventing that. ''All that''s left is for each guild and neighborhood to try to conserve water. We need to encourage people to reduce the number of times they wash their clothes, and to use water that can be reused. It may be inconvenient, but it''s only until the water shortage is resolved, so let''s make it bearable. ''So, we don''t have to dam up the river? ''Well, there''s a lot we don''t know until we try, but it''ll be better than the current situation. ''Well, we don''t know what the waterwheel will do yet. ''Mr. Yashiro. I''m going to go back now and prepare the hiba. So, Yashiro-san, please finish talking with Umaro-san about the blueprints. It seems that he is planning to prepare the wood while we are talking here. It''s less wasteful that way. ''Then, we''ll start the design assuming that you can prepare the best wood. ''Of course. As long as I''m involved, there''s no need to worry about materials. So, ......''. Pointing at Umaro, Imelda said in a tone of voice that sounded like a declaration of war. ''Make the best of it!If you use our wood and your work is of less than mediocre quality, I will not accept it. You can''t look directly at Imelda''s face. Although he can''t look Imelda directly in the face, Umaro, as a professional carpenter, says it back. Yeah. It looks like it''s starting to work. Imelda turns on her heel and walks with dignity and pride. Her back was as dependable as the guild leader, Javier. ''Imelda. I''m counting on you! When I called out to her, Imelda''s shoulders shook with fear and she paused. Then she slowly looked back at me, her slightly vermilion cheeks puffed up with joy, and said with her usual arrogance. ''Of course. With that said, Imelda walked away gracefully,......, or perhaps a little bit faster,......, occasionally jumping up and down with a ''whoosh'' as she went. A fun guy. ''Well, Umaro. Can you give me a minute? ''Yes, sir!I want you to tell me more about it back at the Sunken Pavilion! ''Then I''ll come with you. I want to understand what this is all about. ''Then leave the cleanup to us, and go back first. ''...... Magda will protect the children.'' ''Come on, come on, you guys can help clean up too! Each of them was assigned a role. ''Millie. ''What is it, ladybug? ''Tell those meddling ''big sisters''. Just a little more patience.'' ''Hmm!I''ll tell them. I''m sure they''ll be happy to hear that.'' We thought we should just go home and tell them, but Millie said she was going to help Jeannette and the others before she left. So we decided to leave the riverbank first. ''Yashiro''. Before going up the embankment, Delia called out to me. She seems to have calmed down a bit after eating a good meal and talking with her good friends, and her expression is back to the Delia look I know so well. ''Thanks a lot! ''I haven''t done anything yet. You''ll have to wait until things go well. ''All right!Then I''ll tell you then! Such a clear and graceful character. ''Yashiro-kun. Thank you for solving Delia-chan''s problems. ''No, that''s why I haven''t done anything yet ......'' ''You know what? Delia seems to be having a great time right now. It''s very different from this morning. That''s why I''m saying thank you right now. To Masha, the water shortage in the 42nd district was probably not so important. What is important to Masha is the fact that her friend was having a hard time. ''Hey, Yashiro. And Norma, who is pushing Masha''s tank, looks at me as if she''s trying to tell me something. ''......Ata, is there anything I can help you with?I feel like ...... I''m completely out of breath this time. ...... Is there anything you want me to make for you?You can tell me anything you want, right? ''No, well, ......, make him some good anchovies.'' Don''t get lonely, you know. Get on with your work. Thus, we each took a step toward what we should do. 247-Episode 159 Solving, Rewarding, and... ''Hahaha! The waterwheel rotates with a splash, creaking but powerfully. ''Take over!Hurry up! ''A little more!''Ha-ha-ha! ''Take over! ''Hurry up! A bunch of kids are crowding around the waterwheel. It''s hard to tell if they''re waiting for their turn or just playing with the splashing water. ''Hey, you guys!Don''t peek too closely!What are you going to do if you fall into the river? ''''''Swim!'''''' ''''Mm, ............ is good! Delia, while fishing, also serves as a chaperone for the kids. ...... is not ''good''. Keep an eye on her, keep an eye on her. ''''Don''t fall! ''''''Yes!'''''' At first I wondered what would happen, but I was relieved to see that Delia seemed to be getting along well with the kids. Since the completion of the rowing water mill, this place has become a new playground for the kids. From early in the morning when Delia starts fishing to late in the evening, water is pumped into the canal incessantly. The rate of operation is astonishing. There is a rule that the water is only to be used when adults are watching, and the kids are obeying it. The waterwheel was completed within a few days from the day when we made hand-rolled sushi on the riverbank, and from that day on, the children became absorbed in this new game and the waterway was revived. The water level in the reservoir is steadily increasing. So far, there is no sign that the river is running out of water. Once again, I am impressed by the fact that this is a big river with a lot of water. ''Oh!Yashiro~! Since that day, Delia has regained her old vigor, and Omero has regained his daily peace. You really ...... looked like you were about to die, Omero. I''m not sure what to say.It''s very popular! I''m not sure why you''re so proud of yourself, Delia. ...... It''s not even your fault. It''s more like me. ''Are you getting along with the kids? ''Oh, yeah!I''m getting them to listen to me.'' ''Whoa! ''I fell! ''''Squeak, squeak, squeak!'''' ''''Hey, you''re falling, kid.'''' ''''Oh, my God!Get a grip, you guys! Even though the water level has dropped, the depth is still over a meter. If adults don''t keep a watchful eye on them, you never know what kind of accident might happen. You may think that you don''t need to worry about it when you see those kids, but ...... accidents are scary because they are unpredictable. You have to keep an eye on them, even if they are like that. '''''''' squeal squeal squeal squeal squeal! '''''''' ...... looks like a lot of fun. If the water level of the river falls below one meter, the waterwheel will not reach the surface. The water level of the river is not infinite, so when the water level drops to that level, the priority is to keep the river alive. ''Hey, this is fun. Do you want to try it too, Yashiro? ''No, I''m too lazy to do it. I mean, Delia, did you try ......?'' ''Yes!I was able to spin it really fast! It''s not a speed contest,......, but don''t break it, okay? The foot-operated waterwheel seems to have become popular among children as a kind of athletic activity. Athletic, ......, if you build it for them, they''ll go crazy for it. Well, I don''t have any obligation to go that far, though. ''Ladybug~san, Derria~san. I hear Milly''s voice from afar. I looked at her and saw her jumping up and down, trying to make her small body look as big as possible. ''Wow, she''s so cute. I want to take it home with me. ''Oh, then I''ll follow you! No, no, no, no, no, no. ...... ''Hello~'' Millie walks down to the riverbank, waving her hands in the air. She has a large basket in her hand. ''Oh, you know, the guild leader and the big sisters are here for Derria and Ladybug. Inside the basket was a pale orange drop-shaped fruit. ''Loquat, huh? I didn''t know we could pick this kind of thing in that forest. ''Wow, you know your stuff, ladybug. This isn''t very famous.'' ''We had them in my hometown.'' ''How do you eat them?Bite the whole thing?'' ''Well, wait. I''ll show you how it''s done. When I was a kid, an old woman who lived nearby grew loquat, and sometimes the landlady would give us some. Pick the stalk and peel it off. The skin is so thin that it peels off easily without effort. As soon as the skin is peeled, the fresh juice overflows and drips onto your fingers. Once the skin is removed, turn the fruit on its side and bite into it at once. Yes!Sweet! ''Oh, that looks delicious!Me too! Delia picks up the stems and bites into the whole fruit, following her example. ''Did you see my example? ''Biting, biting, biting! ''Seeds!Get the seeds out! ''............ sweet but ...... bitter.'' ''Yeah!That''s because you don''t eat them properly!Here, I''ll peel them off for you, so eat them properly!Be gentle and don''t bite the seeds! I quickly peeled the loquat and handed it to Delia. ''...... gently ............ mmm''. With the gentleness of a small bear''s sweet bite, Delia ate the loquat and ...... bristled all over. ''Oh ............ oh my goodness! ''Right?When eaten properly, loquat is delicious. ''Mi, mm!Can I have all of this? ''Hey!Half of it is mine! ''I''ll bring you some more, and you and Ladybug can have half today, okay? ''Really?Millie is a good guy! ''Nya! Delia hugged Millie and lifted the little girl up. ''And, Derria-san, you''re scaring me!I''m scared! Millie''s eyes are black and white as she''s twirled around. And the kids are staring at the new attraction with envious eyes. ...... Delia, you''ll definitely be begging for it later. Be prepared for that. ''Then I''ll take some home and feed it to Magda and the others. I''ll take it back and feed it to Magda and the others. Millie, who had returned to the surface, looked unsteady and unsteady on her feet. Was she that scared? ''What''s the matter, Milly?What''s wrong with you?You''re not straining yourself again, are you? ''No, no, no, no! You don''t even know it! I''m not sure if you''re aware of what you just did to Miri, or if you even remember! ''No, Miri is a small girl, don''t push yourself! ''Huh?I''m not small! ''Tell me if you need help!I''ll be there to help you! ''Yeah, ............. I''m counting on you, Derya-san.'' ''Yeah!I''ll leave it to you! After the argument over the water, the two of them rapidly became close. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. ......The danger that just struck Millie was caused by Delia, though. I''ve just been wanting to give Magda some kind of reward, so I''ll use it. ''Hmm. You did a great job, Magda.'''' ''Hmm?Did Magda do something to you?I don''t know.'' Magda went out to the lake in the forest the other day and brought back some water. Thanks to this, he was able to ask Regina to do a water quality survey. The results showed that the water was clean enough to be used for almost all domestic purposes. It can be used for drinking water, and no microorganisms were detected that would have an adverse effect even if taken in large quantities. Well, lumberjacks and hunters use it on a regular basis, so I thought there would be no problem. ...... You see, their bodies are built differently from "normal" people. ...... But now you have my seal of approval. In the worst case scenario, Estella and the other lords will jointly request the hunting guild to bring water to them. Forty districts and forty-one districts are both suffering from the same shortage of water. Magda voluntarily took the first step toward that end. He said, ''I took it while hunting for ......,'' but I guess that was his main goal with the water. Ginette and the others were breaking down, and many others were worrying, so he did what he could. That''s Magda''s way of caring. So I was thinking that I should reward him with something. This loquat should do the trick. ''Oh, that''s right. Doria-san. Tell Masha-san thank you. He said the sea animal skins are very useful. The sheet that covers the reservoir is made of a giant sea beast skin that Marsha provided. This was the perfect skin: waterproof, light, soft, and strong. I thought it was a whale or something, but it was a hexenbiest. A creature I didn''t know. ''Oh, I should thank Masha properly, too. ''Hmm?'' When I turned to look at her, Delia scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed. ''When I was troubled, you told me many times to consult with Yashiro, right? That day. Masha had come to District 42 to worry about Delia. ''But I was afraid that Yashiro might get angry if I met him, so I couldn''t listen to him. ''Well, I think you knew that, that''s why you came all the way to the sunlit pavilion. On the morning of the day we visited Delia, Masha visited the sunny pavilion and brought us some sea fish. That''s why I decided to make hand-rolled sushi. She took the trouble to bring the sea fish and told me that she came to check on Delia because she was worried about her, and then she went to Norma''s to order anchor. When you think about it, it''s a very inconsistent action. In hindsight, that was probably a sign from Masha. "I want you to notice her. I''m sorry I didn''t see it then. Well, it was resolved that day, and Masha seemed satisfied. Maybe the kaiju skin was just a thank you. ''Then use this bag, Biwa, and share half of it with me. Millie held out a slightly larger bag. That''s very thoughtful. I take it and put the loquat into the bag. I''ll give a little more to Magda, but if we divide it among the four of us, we''ll eat it up in no time. ''Isn''t loquat in the market? ''Hmm. There aren''t many people who eat them. ''They''re so delicious.'' ''That''s true. Everyone in the flower arrangement guild likes it, but it''s not very well known, so it''s a hidden treat. I think there are too many delicious foods like salmon and loquat that are only known by those in the know. If you look hard enough, you can find anything in this city. Apples, cherries, and loquat are all picked in the forest by the flower guild, so there may not be any orchards. There was a place that was growing lemons,....... ''If I had a little more, I''d make a tart out of it,......, but this is a bit sad. If you want to make a tart, you need a lot of fruit. I guess I''ll give up this time. ...... I thought... ''......Tart?'' Delia''s eyes glittered. ''You''re making a tart out of loquat? ''Oh, yes. But there aren''t enough this time, so we''ll have to do it next time. ......'' ''Is it good? That''s a lot of bite. ............ I don''t think they''ll bite you. ...... ''You can make a compote of loquat and make it into a tart, it''s pretty good. ''If I give this away, will you let me eat it! In short, he wants to eat it. ''I haven''t been able to leave the river lately, so I haven''t eaten any of those elaborate sweet things. I like popcorn and nectar candy because they''re delicious, but cake is something else, isn''t it? The passionate speech began. No, why don''t you make some time to come and eat? ''Omero can''t swim, so he can''t save the kids when they fall into the river, and the others don''t have any positions, so they don''t seem reliable or trustworthy, or like they''re guardians or in charge. ...... Omero is more likely to drown. '' Heh. He''s also quite overprotective. It''s easy to forget that he''s the guild leader of a guild. He''s got a great sense of responsibility, doesn''t he? ''But the kids are probably used to it by now, if you''ll make tarts, we''ll go eat them! ''Hey, sense of responsibility! I didn''t expect you to flip me off the moment you saw me again! ''I want to eat a lot of these, but I''m going to ...... give them all to Yashiro!I''m not sure what to do. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the way you live it. ''I want to eat...... eat...... but!I want to eat more tarts............! ''Oh, um, Derria-san. I''ll bring you more loquat, okay?Don''t look like you''re about to cry. ......, okay? ''Are you sure!Are you sure! ''Hmm. I''ve been taking good care of the forest, so we''ll have a good harvest this year.'' ''Yay!Okay, Yashiro. Here you go!Take care! As soon as he found out that he could get ......, he easily pushed the basket at me. I''d like to share your toughness with you. ...... But how could you take care of them properly in this water shortage? Isn''t a good harvest a great thing? Even though the situation is more severe than usual. ''Well, I''m going to go make some food, so please come to the sunny pavilion in about two hours. ''Alright!Don''t let the kids get tired and leave before then! ''No, I''m fine with that, as long as you put someone else in charge of watching them. ''Omero and someone who can swim well should be fine, right? ''Right!I''ll just have the two of them work together!I''m sure Yashiro is very smart! I should have thought of something like that. Well, Delia is the type of person who always does her best in everything. That''s the type of person she is. ''Yes!Cake! Cake!I''ll eat it with all my might! ...... Don''t show your ''I''m all in'' there. Don''t show it. You''ll get into a fight. ''Why don''t you join us, Millie? ''Oh, you don''t mind? ''Of course not. Millie''s done a lot of work.'' ''Hmm!Then I''ll go with Derria-san.'' ''Okay. If we go back to the sunlit pavilion and start cooking now, it will be ready by midday. I''ll let you use a corner of the kitchen. After talking to Delia, Milly, and the kids, I went back to the restaurant. ''It''s delicious. ''...... delicious''. ''I''ve never had it before! The people at the Sunda-mari-tei were enjoying the fresh loquat with expressions of happiness on their faces. I gave them to them one by one so that they could get a taste of the ingredients before the cake. If you like them, you may get them from Milly periodically in the future. You can also buy them from Assunto if you want. ''Are you going to make this into a tart? ''Oh. I''m going to make a compote of loquat and put it on top. It''s delicious when eaten raw, but the sweetness is more convincing and powerful when made into a compote. ''Then I''ll start preparing it now. ......, Ginette, please help me. ''Yes, sir. ''And Magda and Loretta. ''...... what? ''Anything you want, sir! ''I have a very important mission for you two. Pointing to the audience-- ''Yashiro!Is it ready yet, cake?Is it ready yet?Is it ready? ''Uh-huh. I''m looking forward to it, the new tart. Ufufufu............ juruuri'' ''Keep an eye on Delia and Bertina. Delia is coming right after that, and for some reason Bertina is following behind her. ...... If we give them the loquat, they''ll eat it up in an instant. We have to hold them off at all costs! ''Well, nice to meet you. ''Mmmm ......, this is a very difficult mission. If we''re not careful, our lives could be in danger. ''......In the worst case, I''ll let you know with my fist.'' That''s loud, man. I handed Loretta some freshly popped popcorn, pushed her back and presented it to the ...... hungry beasts (Delia and Bertina). I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what you''re talking about.The beast, the hungry beast, it''s attacking me! ''''Sweet!'''' ''''Sweet! As I watched Loretta being mauled by the hungry beast, I gently handed Magda a loquat. ''''...... What''s this?'''' ''''You worked hard, so here''s an extra one.'''' ''............ Special treatment.'' ''Oh . I did my best.'' ''I''ll try again at .......'' Magda''s tail wrapped around my leg and slithered away. ''I''m glad you''re pleased. ''Well, shall we hurry up and make it? ''Yes, sir. I''m looking forward to it too. I took the loquat and went into the kitchen. Ginette has already mastered the tart, so I leave the dough and custard cream to her. In the meantime, I make the loquat compote. Cut the loquat in half and peel off the skin from the swollen side, and it will come off easily. Then remove the seeds and the surrounding astringent skin. Using a spoon, the astringent skin can be easily removed. ''That sounds fun. ''Do you want to try it? ''Yes! I show her how to do it and a few tricks, and hand the loquat to Ginette. The loquat oxidizes and changes color quickly, so we start with the peeled loquat and add it to the lemon water. Ginette quickly got the hang of it and was able to peel all the loquat in no time. From here on, it''s division of labor. We''d better hurry, there''s a beast out there. Make a loquat compote with water, sugar and a little white wine. ''Water. I''m glad you can manage that.'' Ginette mutters to herself as she works. ''You can''t make compote without water. ''You''re right, there''s no time to make compote when there''s no water. If we start making compote when we don''t have enough water to drink, we''ll have a riot on our hands. No, if Delia and Bertina were here, the compote group might win. While imagining such trivial things, the work progressed and the ...... tart was baked. The loquat tart was a feast for the eyes, with its beautiful, glossy loquat fruit arranged in an orderly fashion. I cut it into pieces and brought it to him. ''Haha...... haha...... you''re pretty good, Loretta......'' ''De ...... Delia, you''re the one who ...... was tough as nails. ......'' Delia and Loretta were slumped on the floor. ''......What the hell were you guys doing? ''Hello~'' ''Welcome, Millie. Millie arrived at the right time, and a tea party was held to taste the loquat tart. The loquat tart was so sweet that it was eaten up in no time, as if to express gratitude for the hardships and sufferings of the past few days. It''s only a matter of time before they''re lined up in the sunny pavilion. ''Yashiro, another one! ''No, I don''t.'' ''Do something about that! ''Don''t be absurd! ''Yashiro-san ......, nothing is impossible for humans.'' ''Even if you say something plausible, nothing is impossible! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. When Millie appeased Delia and Bertina, Magda and Loretta began to clean up the empty dishes, and Ginette brought more tea,......, there was a tapping on the window. It was a small, popping sound. ''Ah ......''. With the teapot in her hand, Ginette walked to the window. ''It''s starting to rain. Her voice sounded a little happy. And the smile on her face was happy. Somehow, I felt things were coming to a head. As long as it rained, the 42nd district would return to its normal state. I was thinking about this as I listened to the sound of the rain gradually intensifying. The rain continued to fall for two days after that. The amount of rainfall was quite heavy, and for the first time in a long time, the sunny pavilion was bored. The world was soaking wet as the rain poured down in torrents. The sky was raging as if to make up for all the time that had gone by, but the smile on my face was probably due to the thought that the water shortage would be resolved. This is still not enough. But it''s better than no rain at all. The sound of the pounding rain is noisy, but it envelops the world quietly. It makes me feel that way. We were spending a leisurely time in the sunny pavilion, where there were few people. We were unaware of the commotion that was to come the next day. Early in the morning of the day, when the torrential rains had passed and the sun was shining in the sky for the first time in a long time, Delia came running into the sunny pavilion. ''Oh my God, Yashiro!The river is ......'' ''What''s wrong?Did the heavy rains cause it to overflow this time?'' ''No!No, it''s not! I didn''t immediately understand the words that followed. ''The river is not flowing at all! What about ............? 248-Episode 160 Unusual Changes in the River Delia took me to the river. After two days of torrential rains, the water was a bit higher than before. The muddy river is flowing with increasing force. But. ''There''s not much water in the river. There''s less water than I thought. Normally, the water level should be a little higher. The reservoirs scattered around the area had recovered their water levels to a certain extent after this rain. It is not yet safe to say that we are safe, but for the time being, we have overcome the critical situation and the water level has reached the level of storage. It is about 30%. In order to stabilize the water level in the reservoir, we need to release water from the river. ''I think we''d better call Estella. The forty-second district is an area of high rainfall as well. Combined with the fact that it is the lowest part of the city, a considerable amount of water flows into the city every year at this time. For this reason, the capacity of each reservoir is quite large. In extreme cases, if the reservoirs contain about 40% of water, there is no need for daily life. The remaining 60% is a "flood prevention measure" to prevent too much water from overflowing. Therefore, even if the river seems small at a glance, it does not interfere with our daily life. ...... I feel that the current river is much more than that ''little bit small. ''That''s why the river is not flowing. Delia points upstream and complains. Ever since she came to the Sunlit Pavilion, Delia has been complaining about the same thing, without hiding her impatience. Since she doesn''t have a clue what''s going on, we''ve come to do a field survey. ...... I''m not sure what you mean by ''the river won''t flow'', but doesn''t that mean ''the water level won''t return''? ''With all that rain, the water in the river should have doubled. ''It means the water level didn''t increase as much as expected because of the drought this year, right? ''That''s not true!If it rained in District 42, it must mean it rained in the upper river, right? Does the upper river ...... mean the 29th district? ''The water from the two rivers, the one above and the one here, should be flowing here! It may not be simply twice as much, but it certainly seems less than the amount of rainfall. What happened to the river above ...... the twenty-ninth district? ''Let''s go to the New Town. ''That''s upstream!All right, let''s cut through the forest! ''Wait a minute!It''ll be faster if we take the city road! Delia runs upstream across the riverbed. The upper reaches of this river lead into a deep forest, a dangerous and rugged petit jungle inhabited by wild beasts. The forest over here extends to the cliff side of the 42nd district and leads to a swampy area. It is an unspoiled wild forest, untouched by the Shoka Guild. If you are not a Delia, you will have a hard time cutting through it. Fortunately, the upper reaches of the river go through the forest and out to the New Town. It''s faster to take the well-maintained road. Especially if I''m with you. I''m a city girl. ''Well, Loretta''s damming it up. ...... He''s so mean to me. ......! ''No, wait, wait. How can that be? ''If Loretta is being mean to me, I''m going to spank her! That sounds painful, Delia''s butt spanking. ''What if it''s Umaro who''s damming it up? ''I''m going to crush her ...... ass! No pressure at all. I''m sure it''s the same thing. ''Well, they have no reason to dam up the river. There must be some other problem.'' ''Hey, Yasilo, ......'' Delia''s expression instantly became anxious. ......? I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one. In the first place, if I was not in the 42nd district, this problem would have been a problem that had to be solved by the lord and Delia, the guild leader. You have to be a little more firm with Delia. So ...... ''I''ll figure it out with you, so don''t look at me like that. ''...... Yeah.'' ...... Let''s teach Delia how to deal with situations like this. I''ll teach her how to deal with these situations so that she can do it properly on her own. It will save you a lot of trouble in the future, and it will also be beneficial to Sunlit Pavilion if the river fishing goes smoothly. This time, I''ll give you a lecture on how to do it. That''s all. Hehe, ...... thanks, man. Yashiro. I don''t know what you''re so happy about. Delia shrugged her shoulders, her mouth slackening into a grimace. ''Yashiro is kind to those he cares about, isn''t he? I''ve forgotten that conversation. I''m not going to say anything about it because it would be a violation of the ...... "Judgment of the Spirits". ''Heh heh ............ kuhii''. ''I know it''s a big deal for the river. ...... Let''s get a move on. ''Oh! ...... You look so happy. Even at a time like this. We left the riverbank, calling out to Delia, who couldn''t stop smiling. When we left the riverbank and entered the street, we saw someone running towards us. ''Oniichan! ........................ Nnnnnggggg! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... Fast, fast Hammaro. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ...... You yourself can''t handle the speed of your own feet, can you? I''m not sure what to do.Just come back here! I''ll be back. He noticed me and came back at a more moderate speed than before. ...... So, how did I recognize this guy as Hammaro at first glance? ...... What can I say? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''...... Hammaro? ''Oh, thank God. I guess I didn''t get the wrong guy. Only Hammaro would react like this. It''s definitely Hammaro. I''m scared. If I can tell these guys apart, they''ll think I''m part of the Loretta family. ''Hey, man. This is a big deal for our family! ''What''s going on? ''Well, you know...'' ''Wait a minute, Hammaro! ''Ah!Master! As if he had just noticed, Hammaro spread his arms toward Delia. He seems to be pining for her. ...... The other brothers seemed to be frightened, though. ''Hammaro!You can''t do that! ''Hammaro? ''Hmm?No?'' ''No?'' ''Hmm? ''Hmm?'' ''Don''t talk on the same level, guys. You''re leaving me behind.'' He''s Hammaro, so let''s move on, Delia. What are you trying to say? ''Yashiro will do me a favor. You come later.'' ''What number?'' ''What?''......, yo, fourth! ''Two more, whose favor do I have to do ......? Don''t add more, just do it. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''So, what''s going on? ''The river water refused to come to work! Delia''s eyes widened at Hammaro''s words. She turns her face towards me, a mixture of surprise and anxiety. ''Yashiro......, hurry, hurry, let''s go! ''Well, calm down!We''ll listen to what Hammaro has to say first. ''Why don''t we listen as we go!Hammaro!Come on, come on! ''It''s no use being in such a hurry. If you lose your equilibrium, you might make an unexpected and painful mistake. Just calm down.'' ''But come on, ......! Concerned about the river, Delia was now in a great hurry. She''s almost overwhelmed with anxiety. In such a situation, if you see a shocking sight ...... such as the water level of the river dropping or the waterfall thinning, ...... you don''t know what kind of outburst you will get. They might say, ''Let''s collapse the cliff! And if Delia gets serious, she might be able to destroy it. At this point, it would be better to listen to Hammaro here and let him cool down. ''Hammaro. Calm down and tell me the story step by step. What happened in Newtown. What did you see? And what''s the big deal for the family? Answer them one at a time. ''Yeah! ''Oh, it''s ............ so frustrating.'' Delia looks at the carefree Hammaro with a pained expression on her face. Delia should learn to be patient in such situations. In order for her to grow up to be able to solve these kinds of problems on her own in the future. ''I was forbidden to go to the river until it rains! That''s what Loretta said. ''I''m forbidding my younger siblings to play in the river because the water is getting too strong and dangerous. She said on a day when it was raining heavily that she had banned all her siblings from playing in the river because small children would imitate her. ''It stopped raining, so we all went to play in the river this morning! ''So!What happened to the river? ''Delia. Don''t rush me. Let Hammaro talk at his own pace.'' ''Mmm~............! Delia, hold on. It''s for your own good. ''Waterfall, it''s almost gone! ''What? Delia was the one who let her voice leak out, but as expected, I was also surprised. The waterfall was ...... gone? I''m not sure what to do. Hammaro made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and squeezed them together. Even if that is too much, it is true that the appearance of the waterfall has changed drastically. Choro-choro-ka ...... In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it for a lot of things. ''Yashiro!Let''s go!Let''s go!I can''t take it anymore! ''Wait!One last thing! We still haven''t heard what Hammaro wanted to talk about the most. ''What''s the big deal in your family? ''I can''t bathe! What a joke! ''Take a bath in the river. ......'' ''There''s not much water in the river, so I''m wondering if I can go in! You''re worried? I thought you said you were worried. Are you saying you''re still wondering at the waterfall? ''Onee-chan''s in distress! ''Delia, hurry up!Come on, Hammaro! Carrying Hammaro by my side, I whip my motor skills into shape and start running at full speed. ''Wait!Yashiro!What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? Loretta''s having trouble with her suds!What if I don''t peep ...... and go help her! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''The situation is changing every second while we are standing still like this!Time is money!Time is money! We don''t have time to stand still, do we? I''m turning into the wind now! With a runaway locomotive''s worth of speed, I reached New Town in no time at all. ''Aaah!Onii-chan! I went straight to the waterfall without a second thought, and was greeted by my younger sister, wearing only a bath towel wrapped around her body. ''Onee-chan!I''ve called your sister! ''You''re good!I''ll praise you! ''Isn''t that your sister? ''Hmm?That''s my nee-chan! ''That''s my husband! ''No, she might be my sister from Hammaro''s point of view, but come on! When you say ''nee-chan'', you might think it''s Loretta, but usually! ''Hey, lady, you''re not dressed well...'' ''This is the moment I can''t get married! ''Go, go, go!A naked child doesn''t count as a thing! And you''re wearing a bath towel.No, no, no, no. I''m sure Javier is the only one who would be happy with this. ''............ I''m tired.'' I''m not sure what to do. ...... Oh, my heart. It''s going to burst. I''m going to throw up. ...... ''Oi!Hey, Yashiro!Don''t leave me here. What''s up with ............? ''I''m about to face the sad reality! ''Hmm?What?That''s my sister. Where''s Loretta? ''Hey, sunny side up! That''s right! Because Delia came right after we came back from the church''s dinner, and since we''ve been doing various things since then, it''s almost time for Loretta to go to work at the Sunken Pavilion. She can''t be here! I could have figured that out with a little thought, d*mn it! ''Oh, dear! Delia screams from the bottom of her stomach as I stare at the ground, feeling a bit weak and unable to recover. It''s a scream that, if Omero were to hear it, he would have his soul pulled out ten times more likely than Mandragora. ''Yah, yah, yah!Oh, look!Look at that, look at that! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''............What?'' There was a scene there that was a bit hard to believe. ''......Seriously, there''s no waterfall.'' Hammaro''s story was neither exaggerated nor exaggerated, and the waterfall had really disappeared. I thought there would be a thinner waterfall where the water volume would have fallen. ...... The waterfall had completely stopped. ''Yashiro ......, what is this, what is this, what is this, what is this, what is this?Explain it to me in a way I can understand.'' I don''t understand the situation either. There''s no way I can explain it. ...... ''Yashiroo! Estella''s voice echoed through the New Town. An urgent, serious voice. ''It''s Estella, Yashiro. What''s going on? ''......, I guess.'' In Estella''s hand, she is running towards me, holding a luxurious-looking piece of parchment. I stand up and Delia straightens her back. She must have sensed something unusual in the air. The expression on Estella''s face was so grim that Hammaro and her sister in a bath towel were clinging to my waist. I''m not sure what to do. Estella said, almost without blinking, her breathing uneven. On the letter in her hand was an emblem that she had never seen before. ''To tell you the truth, I was planning to get through the troubles between the lords on my own, without relying on Yashiro. ......'' With that preamble, I looked down at the letter that was presented to me. Delia also peeked at me, but her eyes slipped and she quickly looked up and seemed to be focused on staring at my profile. ''............ What''s this? I don''t know where to point it, anger, dismay, surprise, or some other emotion gushes out like sludge and chokes in my throat. I can''t get the words out. What is this? What''s going on? ''Hey, hey!Yashiro, Estella!What''s going on? Delia rushed me, but I couldn''t understand the situation myself. I couldn''t believe what was written here and couldn''t explain it right away. ''You know what, Estella!Right now, Yashiro is listening to me and Hammaro''s request and trying to do something about the missing waterfall!It''s very important and it''s very urgent!Can you please wait until later to bring trouble? ''Don''t worry about that, Delia. ......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The mouth is trembling slightly, and a dry smile is on her face. ''The trouble I''ve brought you is also because of this waterfall. ......'' ''Huh?Does it have anything to do with the fact that the waterfall is gone? ''It has nothing to do with ......''. Sometimes when something doesn''t make much sense and there''s no clue to the solution, people let out a laugh. Now is just such a time. ''I got a notice from the 29th district. Well, to be precise, it''s the joint name of the lords including the 29th district. ......'' Estella''s voice trembled distortedly. I think I''m going to laugh, too. ...... ''They said they dammed up the river in the 29th district with a sluice. ''Huh?Why? The reason they dammed it up is... The reason why they dammed it up is because of the abnormal weather in the 42nd district, causing a water shortage. --It''s a reason that makes no sense. ''......, huh?What do you mean? Delia''s gaze turned from Estella to me. So, I''m going to read to you what''s written here, ''the foolishness that caused the abnormal weather in District Forty-two''. ''The 42nd district used a weapon called "fireworks" and concentrated fire in the sky, causing the clouds to disappear and the current drought to occur. ''Fireworks...... are, uh, fireworks?'' The fireworks we shot off at Wendy''s wedding. They say it burned away the clouds. As a result, this drought was caused. ...... They want us to compensate for it: ...... They even closed the floodgates and dammed up the river to prove that they weren''t threatening. ...... ''............ Are you an idiot, District 29? It was a rare thing for me to hear those words leaking out of my heart. Exposing one''s true emotions to others is something that no con artist should ever do. ...... ''They''re telling me to come to the 29th district tomorrow afternoon to talk to them. ''Well, even if they don''t tell me, I''d like to punch them in the face. ......'' ''Yashiro: ......'' Estella gives him an apologetic look. She looks somewhat frustrated, and even a little tearful. ''I need your help, please. This one is a real pain in the ass. On the letter, along with the names of the seven men, the symbol ''BU'' was stamped. ''BU''? Earlier Estella said it was ''the name of a federation of lords, including the 29th district''. A federation of ............? I''m sure you''ll be able to tell me more about the fireworks than I can, and I''m sure you''ll be able to tell me more about the fireworks than I can, and I''m sure you''ll be able to tell me more about the fireworks than I can. It''s a negotiation that can''t fail. ...... So, ......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... Idiots. ''It''s too late for that. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Estella has rarely relied on me for negotiations between lords since she assumed the position of lord. I''ve heard from Natalia that she is facing her duties head on now that she is a lord. When he calls on me, it''s when he really can''t help himself. It''s only when I decide that it''s best to put the people of District 42 first, rather than my own selfishness. Perhaps Estella had at least thought of a rowing water mill. Umaro had said that there was a water mill in the 29th district. It''s no wonder Estella has seen one. And then she brought me in to help the people in District 42 who were in trouble. As usual, I''ll show you how it''s done. ...... I know exactly what he''s up to. I''m sure you''re one of them, aren''t you? If I help the residents of the 42nd district, my stock will rise. In other words, they''ll like me. If the people like me, I won''t be able to leave District Forty-two on my own. The more people I care about, not just Jeannette and the others, the harder it will be for me to leave ....... I guess that''s what I''m thinking. That''s how you care about people,...... how you care about me,...... how you push yourself to the limit and always get wobbly, right? Idiots. ''You deserve credit for asking for help before it was too late. ''What ...... are you talking about, ......''. Just take it easy. You new lord. Don''t think that everything will be fine from the start. I''ll listen to a little recklessness until you get it right. If the 42nd district is threatened, my business will suffer and my profits will decrease. Besides, ...... Well, you''re a pretty important guy too, aren''t you? ''I got a bad feeling about this letter just reading it. ......'' I shook the letter in my hand and warned him. ''They''re going to exploit us. With all kinds of threats.'' ''...... Yeah. I guess.'' Then I''m not sure Estella can do it alone. This one, unlike the other lords, is not good at messing around. She''s a naive girl who can only deal with straightforwardness, sincerity and honesty. You''re as much of a sucker as Jeannette, you know. ''I don''t know what kind of people you are, but ......'' He glared beyond the dammed up waterfall. With his chest outstretched, he stretches out his arm and points to the twenty-ninth district and declares. ''I''ll buy you this fight. I''ll make you regret making an enemy of me! For the first time in a long time, let''s ...... suck up to these suckers, right down to the bone. ''...... Yashiro, your face looks like the master of evil. ''I''m sorry. ''I was just stating a fact. ''But ......''. He smiles at me, still hard. ''I''m relieved to see such a face, even though I''m pretty much the same. Estella shrugs her shoulders and laughs. It seems to have cleared up some of your worries. Now, ......, what should I do? This case. ''Hey, Yashiro ......, I didn''t understand a thing you just said. But I do know that something happened that I need to brace myself for.'' ''Oh, ...... I''ll break it down for you later so you can understand.'' Delia''s expression tightened. When it comes to the river, Delia is no stranger to it. The expression on Delia''s face right now gives me the impression that she is on edge. In spite of this, I can hear a tense voice around my waist. ''Oniichan, I''m still all tucked in! ''Get dressed, you''ll catch a cold. ''I''m dressed!I like your clothes! ''No, I''m not talking about you, Hammaro. ''Hammaro? ''...... By the way, Yashiro. What''s your choice for this chaotic member? I didn''t choose them. At any rate, I decided to let my sister go back home with Hammaro and return to the sunlit pavilion with Estella and Delia in tow. I''m in the mood to have a bite to eat and get things in order. After taking another look at the dammed up waterfall, we left New Town. 249-Episode 161 Reunion When I returned to the Sunken Pavilion with Estella and Delia, I was greeted by an unexpected person in front of the store. ''I''ve been waiting for your return, I''m the Lord of District 42 and my friend Yashiro. Gilberta, the head waiter of the 35th district lord''s mansion, was standing in front of the store, looking as dignified as ever. ''Gilberta!Why are you here?'' Estella shouted in surprise. It seems that their visit was not planned. These guys: ...... Yes. If Gilberta''s here, then of course he''s here. ''Lucia is coming too? ''Affirmative, I am. Lucia is waiting in the store for you two.'' I have a bad feeling about this. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. However, Lucia had come all the way to see me. In the middle of this mess caused by the water shortage. On the same day that I received a letter that could be considered a declaration of war from the BUs, including the 29th District. ''Anyway, let''s meet and hear what they have to say. ''I don''t want to hear it...'' Estella''s face is tense. I must have a very tense face too. ''Hey, can I talk to you too? Delia asks with an unusually serious expression. She seems to have sensed something too. Her expression shows that she is worried about the river. ''Maybe it''s difficult, maybe I don''t know, maybe I''ll get in trouble, but I''m ......''. ''It''s okay, Delia. You can''t stand still. It''s the river that''s important. Lucia''s story is probably related to this water shortage. Delia looks a little uneasy. But she doesn''t seem to want to back down. As expected of a guild leader. ''If there''s anything you don''t understand, I''ll explain it to you in detail. So listen carefully.'' ''Yeah, thanks for the ......, Yashiro. Delia is growing up little by little. I think her instincts are starting to tell her that she can''t go on like this. Even if it''s slow going, he''s making progress. He might make a good guild leader. Maybe even a guild leader who can compete with the lumberjacks'' and hunters'' guilds. ''Come on in anyway. There''s not much time for slowing down. The urgency of the situation. That''s what I''m aware of, Lady Lucia. Of course, so do I. Gilberta''s expression, with its few ups and downs, grew grim. She puts her hand on the door and opens it as if to invite us in. I looked at Estella once, nodded lightly at each other, and stepped into the sunlit pavilion. ''Ah, Yashiro-san, welcome back. Oh, Estella was also with you, wasn''t she? Ginette came running up to us when she saw our faces. With a slight whispered nuance, she told us, ''Lady Lucia was waiting for you. Lucia was sitting in a seat near the center of the floor. She was staring at me with a dignified aura of a lord that she didn''t hide, and with a posture that left no room for error. ''I''ve been waiting for you. He said quickly, and stood up so quietly that not even a candle flickered. His gaze is as sharp as ever, and he walks up to me without blinking. Her back is straight, her stride is wide, her face never wavers in height, and her expression is unreadable and brave as she comes closer and closer. ''...... glad to see you''. That''s why I couldn''t believe my ears for a second when she whispered: ...... ''Bear-eared beauty! ''Don''t walk right past me! ''So cute!So cute! ''Ya, Yashiro!What am I supposed to do with this? Just hit him. I''ll allow it. He''s Lucia under all circumstances, isn''t he? ''I know you have something to tell me. I want to hear it.'' ''If you want to hear what I have to say, bring Wen and Milly! ''You don''t have much time, do you!Talk quickly!I''ll take Gilberta, you bastard! ''I think that''s a good idea, I do. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''You''re declaring war, anchovy! ''Get on with it,......, we''ve got a lot of problems of our own.'' I ignore the idiot and quickly take a seat. Estella sits down next to me. Yeah. Apparently she''s going to ignore Lucia''s odd behavior too. ''Hmm. You''re still being disrespectful, anchovy.'' ''Shut up. Sit down so I can listen to you.'' Pointing with her chin to the seat opposite her, Lucia returned with a graceful gait and sat down. As soon as she sits down, she raises one hand and calls out for Ginette. ''Ginette, let''s have some fresh tea. Get some for these two.'' ''Yes, sir. Please wait a moment.'' Ginette bows and heads back to the kitchen. ''...... Who''s Jinepu. Don''t give me a funny nickname.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. What do you approve of, Ginette? ...... ''I like her best among the humans. ''...... You''re a big-breasted man. ''Are you a pervert who can only evaluate a woman by the size of her breasts? ''Who''s a pervert? ''What''s most important to a woman is whether she''ll let you hug her, or whether she''ll let you puff on her various parts! ''You''re much more perverted than I am! ''Shut up, you two perverts. Can you please shut up for a minute until the tea comes? Estella is no longer taking it easy on Lucia in pervert mode. I''m having a hard time deciding if this is progress or a regression as a lord. ''...... Yashiro''. Magda appeared from behind me without a sound. ''...... Magda and the others wish to be present.'' ''Hmm, no, but what about work?'' ''...... There are no guests, so Magda and Loretta have taken care of everything.'' ''There are no customers ......?'' I looked around the store when I was told, ...... indeed there were no customers. ''We''ve rented the place out, and while Lucia is here, we''ll be taking over. Gilberta appears noiselessly next to Magda. ''Are you burglars? ''I don''t want to be overheard, what Lady Lucia is trying to do. I don''t want it to be a rumor. It''ll be a problem, even if the word gets out that Lucia-sama is here.'' The only thing that would be that serious would be that. ''It''s something to do with BU, isn''t it? ''As I thought, a letter from BU came to us too? ''Yes, sir. Would you like to see it? ''Are you sure, Estella? It''s not usual to show a letter addressed to a lord to another lord. Well, I''m not a lord or anything, but I''m sure there''s a problem when I''m looking at it. ...... It''s fine. It''s not that different from the one that came to Lucia''s place anyway. ''Hmm. Then let''s take a look. Lucia unfolded the letter and glanced at the contents. Within a few minutes, she raised her gaze and lifted the corners of her mouth meaningfully. ''It''s all pretty much the same, isn''t it? Our hunch was right. The league of lords called BU argued that the joint wedding of the Forty-second and Thirty-fifth districts was responsible for the current drought, They are trying to claim compensation from both the 42nd and 35th districts for the damage. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Ginette brings eight cups of tea. ''For all of ......? ''Delia, you can sit at the same table as us. Following Ginette, Loretta comes out of the kitchen with a tray. The tray is lined with fruit tarts. ''Loretta, Loretta!What''s that cake?Can you give it to me? Loretta replies to Delia''s biting question as if it were a matter of course. ''Yes, sir. It''s on the house. I''ll listen to a difficult story while we eat, together! ''Okay!I think I can understand any difficult talk if there''s cake! No, I don''t think so. No matter how much sugar is the brain''s nourishment,............. ''...... Loretta. You''ve come a long way, haven''t you? Hmm?'' ''Hahahaha!I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it.It''s true!I didn''t do it by myself! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Do you think you can cover it up with a face like that, this guy. I''ll take it. I''ll buy you a drink. You can eat to your heart''s content. I was about to say something to Jeannette, but Lucia interrupted me. It''s bold of you to buy yourself a drink. ''All right, I''ll go to ...... for the sunlit pavilion kaiseki.'' ''I don''t want your share. The girls can eat and drink as they please. ...... He''s still the same. ''Then I''ll take care of Yashiro''s portion. ...... You''re on a roll. The tea and cake are distributed to everyone, and they take their seats. Magda, Loretta and Delia are seated to the left of us. Gilberta sits behind Lucia. ''Gilberta, you are welcome to join us. It''s delicious.'' ''At work, I am. We decided a long time ago to keep our private and public lives separate.'' ''Good.'' ''...... agreed, I am.'' ''So, why don''t you sit with me? ''I do, I do.'' I bowed to Lucia, stepped back, and sat down with Ginette at the table to our right. ''Now, that''s a rather unpleasant story. Let''s talk about it over a meal. With a look of utter disgust, Lucia unfolds a sheet of paper. Avoiding the dishes, she makes room on the table. ''This is .......'' ''It''s a map of Allbloom. Lucia was right, it was a general map of Allbloom. It was a smaller version of the map we had seen in the thirtieth district when we first came to this city. The lines were neatly drawn and each district was assigned a number. ''You must be from outside, anchovy. ''You are now a respectable resident of District 42. Ginette replied to Lucia''s words with a biting tone. Lucia, too, seemed surprised to hear the words come from an unexpected source. However, after a slight coughing fit, she smiled softly and turned her words to Ginette. ''Of course you''re right. But you may not be as familiar with the geography of this city as we are. That''s why I''m checking. Don''t be offended. ''No, no!I didn''t mean to. ............ I''m sorry. He shrugged his shoulders and looked down. I think that was an unusually emotional statement for Jeannette. It seems that Jeannette herself is embarrassed by her uncharacteristic behavior. Her face turned red. ''Well, sure. I can only vaguely remember the details of the layout. I have a rough idea, but it''s easier to understand if you show it to me like this. Let''s take a bird''s eye view of All Bloom. There is one district in the center, the so-called central district. Around it, other wards spread out in a radial pattern. Rather than radiating, we might say that the wards continue in a spiral pattern. Wards 2 to 5 surround the central ward in a circle. Five more wards, from six to ten, surround it. The territory of these wards 1 to 10 is much smaller than that of the other wards. Compared to the forty-two wards, they are about one-fifth to one-sixth the size. ''As you may know, the central district and the districts from 2 to 5 are the domain of the royal family. The second class of nobles live around there.'' ''Second class? Lucia''s words contained another unfamiliar word. It''s probably a status system that''s been used in this city since ancient times, like subhumans and subspecies. ''The people living in the central district are the Shouou family, who rule this country. And living in the four neighboring wards are the nobles who are the bloodline of the Shogunate. We call such people ''royalty''. Lucia is using honorifics. To a guy who doesn''t even exist here. So that''s the kind of family you''re talking about, royalty. I could lose my head with a single word. Let''s just listen quietly this time. ''Even though the word "royalty" is used in a nutshell, there is still a clear distinction between the legitimate bloodline and the royalty, and we call the royalty other than the regular royal family "first class nobility."'' ''I see. That means that the second class of nobles are not royalty, but are the next highest. ''Hmm. Mainly, those involved in administration ...... include ministers and viziers.'''' Lucia explains after Estella. With the king at the top, his bloodline is first, and the royal caretakers are second. ''So I''d say there are three grades of nobles who have strong ties to the royal family but don''t hold important positions. ''You have a good idea, anchovy. Royal dressmakers, artisans, and employees of the royal family are called the third class nobles. ''The nobles are called the great merchants and the wealthy. Estella added more to her own words. ''The guild leader of the peddlers'' guild is also included in this third class of nobles. ''Heh, ......, that must be a very domineering status.'' ''That''s it. A fifth-grade noble like me would have no problem with that. Estella is a fifth class? Lucia is smiling slightly at what she just said. A slight self-mockery, but a pleasant smile. I wonder if Lucia is also a 5th class noble. From the atmosphere, she seems to be of a higher rank than Estella, Ricardo, Demilly and the others. ''Oh, could it be? I looked at the map of All Bloom and got an idea. In the center of the city is the Shogunate. The first class nobles are in the 2nd to 5th districts around it. Around it, from the 6th to the 10th wards, are the 2nd class nobles. And the third class nobles live in the twelve wards from the eleventh to the twenty-second, which have a slightly larger territory than the above ten wards. ''You mean that the grade is higher inside the circle centered on the central district? ''That''s right. The wards of this city are connected to the outer wards in a circle that surrounds the middle ward. The further out in the circle you go, the lower your status and grade as a nobleman becomes. Therefore, the nobles in the outermost districts, the 30 to 42 districts called the outer districts, are the lowest grade of nobility, the 5th grade. If you divide them that way, Lucia is definitely a fifth-grade noble. ''There''s a big difference between the thirty outer districts and the twenty-nine inner districts. ''The status, you know.'' Lucia says with an implied tone. ''And this time...'' Estella taps her index finger on the map and tells me. ''The BU that claimed us is the one that includes the 29th district. As he says this, he traces with his finger the area from the 23rd to the 29th district, where the 4th class nobles live. The territory there is long and narrow compared to the inner districts 11 to 22, not to mention the outer districts. The seven wards that exist on the second perimeter from the outside are like a belt, narrow and circling All Bloom. It''s not the BU of the belt ............, is it? I''m sure the "U" stands for "United". ''So you''re in a messy situation where a higher-ranking nobleman has a problem with you. ''If that''s your style. You''re right about that. ...... A person of high status shouldn''t be bothered by every little thing a person of low status does. In addition, the argument is nothing more than a quarrel ............ with those with small intestines. This is why the nobles ............ can''t say that in front of Estella and Lucia, who are nobles ...... ''Not at all. This is why nobles are so troublesome. Hey, Estella.'' ''Eh?Ah, haha. It''s hard for me to say because of my position, but ............ you''re right. The two aristocrats said something that I didn''t expect, and Ginette and I were more shocked than they were. Estella rarely acts like an aristocrat, so it''s understandable. ...... Still, it must have been difficult to say in front of Lucia. ''Hahahaha. You have a funny face, anchovy. I''ll gouge your eyes out.'' ''Don''t say scary things with a smile! Especially when you have a fork or something in your hand! ''I, of course, don''t get along with the nobles. I''m more comfortable talking with guild leaders. ''There''s a lot of beastmen here. ''Ma-tan is the best. It was just a perverted remark, but ...... now I felt something like kindness. ''This is why people say that the outer districts are barbaric and full of freaks. ''The Forty-second District has been called all sorts of things, even by the same Fifth Grade nobles. That''s just a complaint. The aristocrats are not afraid to speak out their frank complaints, which they would never let others - even ordinary people like Jeannette and me - hear. Are you guys okay with that? ''That''s why we let you rent the place out, today. We decided that it was impossible to talk about this without this kind of atmosphere. From the next table, Gilberta sends such a supplement. While carrying a small, small tart in her mouth. ''The BU guys are a pain in the ass. A frank and honest comment comes straight at me. Sticking her fork in my eye, Lucia gives me a fierce smile. ''Look at that bizarre territory. Do you notice anything?'' ''The territory is so small.'' ''Not only that, it''s long and narrow. Long and narrow territories are difficult to utilize. It is easier to live in a wide rectangle than in a narrow narrow house. ''Each district is long and narrow, and is adjacent to two or three other districts. Lucia is right, each of the wards in BU is adjacent to two or three other wards on one side only. The longer it is, the more neighboring districts there are. ''They are taking advantage of such territories to charge ''toll tax''. You have to pay to pass through your district. ...... This is what the 41 districts were trying to do before. If these wards form a coalition called BU and collect tolls as a whole, many people from outside will drop money to BU. Because those who come from outside to do business would want to do business in Chuo City, no matter what. It''s the most elegant and prosperous city in all of Broome. And in order to get from the outer districts to the central districts, you must pass through the BU. It''s a shameful business. ...... Huh? I went through the BU once and they didn''t take any money from me. ''They don''t tax people. Only on goods.'' ''Is that so? ''Because if we don''t, we''ll have to take money from the royals, too. ''Why don''t you just take it? ''Hmm. Anchovy. You look like a representative of obscene creatures, but your heart is rather pure. ''Who is the representative of obscene creatures? Lucia smiles teasingly at me. ''What do you mean, pure? ''That some noblemen like to play with fire with women of different status. Estella whispers in my ear. Obviously, in a tone of voice with consideration for Jeannette and the others. ''...... Ah. So that''s what it means. In short, the royal family and the higher nobility secretly hook up with low-class women at night to play adult games, and return to the mansion before dawn. In such a case, if they had to charge money for each way to and from the house, they might be noticed by the royal family or higher nobles who wanted to act secretly. So they keep the tax on products that don''t require such travel. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the future. ...... Just because I didn''t come up with such a silly idea doesn''t mean I''m pure or anything. Beastmaniac!You''re a moral turncoat! ....... ''Anyway, we have no choice but to go talk to them. But I don''t like the idea of just going there and having them say whatever they want. It is very likely that you will be asked a lot of difficult questions. It seems that Lucia and Estella''s intentions were aligned. In other words-- ''Let''s form a joint front, shall we? ''Yes. That''s what I want. Once again, the lords of the forty-second and thirty-fifth districts shook hands firmly. ''So now we can use those anchovies again, huh? ''Yes. If you can control them.'''' We both look at each other. You''ve got a nasty smile on your face. ''...... will cost you a fortune.'' It''s the fireworks I suggested that they claim are the cause. You can''t escape some responsibility. Then at least let me have a good time. Well, anyway. I''ve been wanting to give the BU guys a run for their money, so I''ll take it this time. I look at the map again. The BU''s are circling All Bloom, dividing the outer wards where we live from the inner wards where the royalty and higher nobility live. It''s as if it''s saying, ''You can''t come in here. Fine. I''ll go as you wish. I''m going to devour your insides. 250-Episode 162 Delias impatience ''Our departure is tomorrow morning. Meet me at Estella''s house.'' We''ll take Lucia''s carriage to the 29th district. She has prepared a luxurious two-horse carriage for us. ''Does that mean we''ll stay at Estella''s place today? ''No. I''m thinking of staying at the New Town. I thought that Estella''s mansion was the only place in the 42nd district where a person of Lucia''s level of importance could stay, but Lucia herself said that she wanted to stay in New Town. It is true that there are several lodging facilities in New Town where Umaro and the others used to stay temporarily, but they are a little low grade to accommodate Lucia. Is such a place enough for you? ''If I could, I would stay at Magu Magu''s or Derririn''s house and spend the whole night splashing around. ......'' ''Estella. The forty-second district is in danger. Get this pervert out of here right now.'' ''Well, wait. I''m holding off for now, so let''s just overlook this with a warning. Who are Magu and Delilyn? I told you not to give them funny nicknames. ''If the manager is ''Ginepu'', Magdacho is ''Magmag'', and Delia-san is ''Delirin'', then I''m ''Lorepi'', right? Loretta''s eyes sparkled as she imagined her new nickname. Don''t be happy, such an ugly nickname. ''No. You have a more appropriate nickname. ''Huh?What is it?What''s that?I''d like to know! Lucia smiles softly, and Loretta jumps up to her. I wonder if Lucia''s love for the beastman tribe is apparent even when her beastly features aren''t showing. Or is it that, like Ginette, the members of the Sunlit Pavilion are her favorites? In any case, she seems to have accepted Loretta in a very friendly mood. Lucia calls out to Loretta with a gentle gaze, as if she were an older sister looking at her younger sister. ''Sister-in-law. I''ll take care of you for the night.'' ''Loretta!Go home right now and get Hammaro to a safe place!'' She didn''t look at him the way she looked at her sister! They were eyes that were trying to turn her into my sister-in-law! ''Hey, anchovy!Are you trying to ruin my first love? ''Don''t be so serious, you''re not coming for me! I think this city urgently needs an ordinance to protect and nurture youth. There are too many unreasonable perverts in the positions of power, such as lords and guild leaders. As if her instincts sensed danger, Loretta was hiding behind Ginette''s back. He''s a lord and a nobleman, but you can''t invite a man like that into your family. Loretta, it looks like your instincts made the right call. You''re right. ''Miss Lucia. Let''s take a look at the river. In case we need to talk to the BU.'' Lucia is running at full speed down the perverted path, and Estella offers her honest opinion. Although she is lightly glared at and frightened for a moment, the lord confronts Lucia with a resolute attitude. ''Hmm. We need to grasp the current situation of the 42nd district and appeal how inhumane the measures taken by the 29th district are. It''s inhumane and unacceptable. Water is a lifeline. To dam it up is an outrage that could be taken as a declaration of war. However, the lords and people of the forty-two districts would never want a war, so they would probably just condemn it. ''Hey, hey! Delia stood up and raised her voice. She puts her hands on the table and gives us a stern look as she leans forward. ''Can''t we appeal to the General Court?Because the guy in the 29th district is doing something wrong, right? I suppose you''re saying that blocking the floodgates is outrageous, and that we should sue them. But Estella and Lucia did not take kindly to that idea. ''The criteria for judging bad are not clear. We have to be a little more cautious. ''Why the hell not?You''re being mean to me, aren''t you, District 29? Mean. In simple terms, the actions of BU, including those of the 29th Ward, are just plain mean. But ...... ''A trial is not that simple. ''I mean, come on!If you do something wrong, you get angry!You''ll be angry if they do! ''Hmmm ...... that''s true, but ......'' Estella is really bad at convincing people with honest sensibilities like Delia. Estella, who has a habit of slurring her words because she is a lord, and Delia, who is not good at understanding the intentions behind other people''s words. It''s not easy for these two to converse with each other. ...... Well, we don''t have much time. ''Delia, can I have a word? I''ll at least help you convince Delia. ''The thing about being bad is that your perspective changes 180 degrees when you change your position.'' ''Is that so?Isn''t it true that bad things are bad no matter who sees them? ''For example, I want to touch my tits, no, I want to squeeze them!But Jeannette won''t let me touch them.'' ''Oh, of course you don''t! ''You know what?Jeannette is a horrible person, isn''t she?'' ''No, that would be Yashiro''s fault.'' ''I''m with Delia on this one. ''...... without a shadow of a doubt.'' ''I can''t defend my brother. ''Perish the anchovy. ''I think it''s inevitable, in this case, objectively speaking. ...... This is why a world where the majority rules is so poisonous. This proves Delia''s point that ''what is wrong is wrong no matter who sees it''. It would be better to use a more Delia-like parable. ''Delia. Have you ever had Jeannette''s beef cutlet?'' ''No?I always eat salmon.'' ''What a waste! ''Huh?'' The best way to convince Delia would be to let her taste the unreasonableness. It''s going to make you a little uncomfortable, but ...... please bear with me. ''Ginette''s beef cutlets are the best you''ll ever taste!It''s so good, you''ll be thanking your lucky stars you were born. ''Huh!You''re overreacting. ...... In the background, Jeannette is writhing,......, but I''ll ignore her for now. I''m just exaggerating a bit because it''s a parable to persuade Delia. ''So, Delia. From now on, you should stop eating salmon and start eating beef cutlets.'' ''Huh?Why not? I''m eating salmon because I like it.'' ''Beef cutlet is very good. You''d better eat it!I''m not eating salmon!It''s for your own good! ''I like salmon! And now that the conversation has reached a parallel, the next element is introduced. ''Hey, Estella. Beef cutlet is good, right? When I asked her about it, Estella understood my intentions and agreed with me with exaggerated hand gestures. ''Of course. It''s my favorite food, after all. When I eat Jeannette''s beef cutlet, I feel happy. It''s that good.'' ''E, even Estella-san ...... is praising you too much ............ hehehe''. Ginette shakes her body, holding her cheeks and mouth with both hands. She''s happy, even her ears are dyed red. ''That''s why, Delia. You should eat a beef cutlet instead of a salmon cutlet. I recommend it.'' ''That''s why I''m ......! ''Delirin, calm down. It''s important in life to listen to the opinions of others. Lucia interrupted Delia''s rebuttal. Magda and Loretta are standing beside her. They must have understood my intentions. They''re going to help me. ''I''ve never had Ginepu''s beef cutlet, but it''s quite tasty. If it''s made by Ginepoo, it must be worthy of being called a gem. ''......The manager''s beef cutlet is one of the best. ''The juices that ooze out of the meat trapped in the crispy batter are intertwined with the sweet and spicy sauce to create a superb taste. The meat tends to become tough when fried, but that''s where the head chef of Hidamari-tei, Mr. Manager, comes in.I am convinced that there is no one in this world who does not know how delicious it is!That''s how good your beef cutlet is! ''I understand, I... I''ve never had it, but I can only imagine what my friend Ginette''s food tastes like. Finally, even Gilberta joined in, and they all spoke of the deliciousness of the beef cutlet. So, here''s the deal. ''So, Delia. You''re not allowed to eat salmon from today. ''What?Why would you do that? ''Otherwise, you wouldn''t eat beef cutlet, would you?I want you to eat what everyone else is saying is delicious, for good. Because this is for your own good.'''' ''I''m ......! ''I''m the one who thinks you should eat a beef cutlet! As I say this, I stretch out my arm and raise it. As if following my lead, the others raise their hands as well. ''You know what?They''re saying it out of kindness. It''s for your own good.'' This isn''t a mean thing to say. This is not a mean thing to say. I''m saying this with the best of intentions, I promise you. ...... Well, it''s mean, though. Then Estella opens her mouth. I''ll leave it to her to finish. ''Delia, this is what a trial is all about. ......, though it''s very simplified and extreme. Estella lets out a chuckle and shrugs her shoulders at the overly obvious flow. However, with a soft but serious expression, she tells Delia. ''From Delia''s point of view, our actions must have seemed mean, right?But we recommended the beef cutlet for Delia''s sake. ''It''s delicious, you should try it. ''But that doesn''t mean you can''t have salmon .......'' ''That''s just one way of doing it. It doesn''t prove malice. ''Banning salmon does not negate the good intention of wanting Delia to know how delicious beef cutlets are. If the point of contention is ''whether or not there is good intention'', we are the ones who will win the case. If the issue is whether the salmon ban is too much, the result may be the opposite. ''The Court of Appeals is not a fair and impartial body. That''s a bold thing to say. After saying that, Estella glanced at Lucia, but Lucia did not say anything in particular. ''Blocking the floodgates and damming the water is a terrible act. I think it is a disgusting act that can be called bullying or mean. But that doesn''t mean you''ll win in court. As for the beef cutlet, if a third party were to see it, they would think, ''Let Delia eat what she wants. However, at this moment, the atmosphere is such that ''banning Delia''s salmon'' is unavoidable. And in a trial, what is decided at the moment is all that matters. In order to overturn the decision, the case has to be tried again. After the trial is over, it is not possible to say, "Let''s just leave it as it is. Especially, it is very difficult to overturn a majority decision like the current one. ''Filing a complaint with the General Court would be a clear statement of hostilities. It is not advisable to do so at this stage. First of all, we should listen to them, discuss with them, and carefully formulate a plan. If there is a way to resolve this peacefully, I want to give it top priority. Do you understand? ''............ Yes.'' Delia nods her head in agreement to Estella''s persuasion. She lets out a sigh of relief that she understands. Maybe she''s relieved that she doesn''t have to tell the other side of the story that Estella didn''t tell her. ''The High Court is not an impartial body,'' Estella said. In other words, ''when a lower-ranking noble or guild leader sues a higher-ranking person, the decision is often unfavorable'', I guess. It''s an institution run by nobles. It is not difficult to imagine that the system is designed to favor the aristocracy. In fact, it would be strange if it were otherwise. It would be foolish for us to initiate it. ''Anyway, it is important now to keep calm and have a discussion. And fortunately, they''re willing to set up that meeting. Estella says, with a look that says she doesn''t think it''s a blessing. ''We''ll go talk to them, but you''ll have to wait until then. And with that, we''ll end this conversation. Finally, Estella gave me a ''thank you'' look, but if she was grateful, she should have given me one of her cute winks. ''Well, Lucia-san. Look at the river first, then the canals and reservoirs. ''Hmm. I''d like to see the fields, forests, and crops if possible.'' ''I''ll show you around. ''Please do. Estella and Lucia exchanged a few words and were about to leave. ''Wait, wait! Then, Delia runs up to them. ''Can you take me along with you to that discussion?Oh, is it ......? It seems that she had the will to use honorifics in front of Lucia. As if to restrain the urge to jump at her, Delia said with a frustrated expression. She looked frustrated, but tried her best. ''I want to get the floodgates open at all costs!It''s ......!I don''t know what I can do, but I just can''t sit still!It''s ......!Please, take me with you!It''s ......! ''Delia, calm down. I''m satisfied with the court case, but I can''t shake the sense of urgency about the floodgates. So I want to do something about it. I''m filled with such thoughts. The pupils of Delia''s eyes are still dilated, and Estella appeases her. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. I''m sure I''m in the wrong place,......, but I guess I''m an exception because I''m a party to it. I know exactly how Delia feels. But this time, I want you to leave it to us. ''But ......''. ''Don''t worry. We''ll get the floodgates open for you. I promise.'' ''Are you sure ......? ''If you''re wrong, you can turn me into a frog.'' Using the word promise, Estella gave Delia a sense of security. Of course, Delia had no intention of doing that, but it was a very dangerous act. ''The water in the river is important, threatening the economy of the Forty-two districts and the lives of the people living there. The sluice gates that block it must be released at all costs. And that too, with the highest priority. Placing her hand on Delia''s shoulder, Estella declared with a strong yet refreshing smile. ''I''m going to tell you that if you don''t open the floodgates, I won''t agree to a discussion. ''...... So, yeah. ............ Yeah. Then I believe Estella. With that, Delia''s shoulders finally relaxed. Even so, the uneasiness is still there. ''But, big brother. Can you open the floodgates so easily?'' Loretta was the one who raised such a question. She must be the one who wants to restore the river where her younger siblings bathe as soon as possible. ''The 29th district is also suffering from a water shortage, isn''t it?If that''s the case, I have a feeling they''ll be reluctant to open the floodgates. Or rather, if I were the lord of the 29th district, I would be reluctant. ''You''re honest, Loretta. Well, everyone wants to keep their concerns to themselves. If there is a concern about water shortage, you would want to take safety measures until the concern is resolved. But... ''The floodgates will open. By the end of the day tomorrow.'' I can assure you of that. Because this is a common trick of con men. ''Yashiro. Do you have enough certainty to say that? Estella placed the opening of the floodgates as the first condition. She must have been prepared for the hardship and her eyes are serious. If there''s anything that gives you confidence in opening the floodgates, I''d love to hear it. ''This letter will prove that it will be easy to open the floodgates. And he holds out the letter that came to Estella. Everything is written in this letter, their shallow intentions. ''Didn''t you think it was strange?This letter. ''Huh?'' Estella took the letter and looked at the contents. Lucia leans in close and reads it silently as well. ''Closing the floodgates because of the water shortage...... is not a strange action, whether it is humane or not, don''t you think? There is no contradiction in the act itself. There is nothing contradictory about that action itself. Then why now? The water shortage has been caused by more than a month of sunshine. The past few weeks have been particularly bad, with some people in the 42nd district collapsing as a result of the water shortage. But the ...... floodgates were only closed this morning, just after the heavy rains. ''If this was done out of concern for water shortages, wouldn''t it have been strange if it hadn''t been before the heavy rains when the water level in the river was falling? ''But now that it''s raining, we don''t want to run out of water again. ......'' ''It''s not that, Estella. Instead of looking at things in terms of results, try to look at things in chronological order, in terms of human psychology. ''The rain came suddenly. There were no signs. Isn''t that right?'' ''...... Yes, it did.'' Firmly recall and clearly affirm. ''I mean, until the rains came, a lot of people were thinking, ''How long is this water shortage going to last? ''If the sunshine continues, we''ll be in danger. Endless hardships can wear down the human mind and drive us to violence. It would be understandable if the decision to close the floodgates was made with the understanding that it was inhumane to do so under such difficult circumstances. However, the floodgates were closed only after heavy rains had fallen and the water level had recovered to some extent. ''Closing the floodgates when the water level has recovered after the heavy rains and the water level is expected to be fine for a while is, no matter how you look at it, odd timing. There are plenty of things we can do before closing the floodgates, even at the risk of attracting blame. If there are other means, the rule of thumb is to implement the one with the least opposition first. But District 29 went against the grain. It took what it considered to be the worst course of action first. There is no other explanation for this action than provocation. ''...... Yashiro. Are you suggesting that this is a declaration of war?'' ''No, I think it''s a ''threat'' to keep things from getting that serious. It''s a common tactic of unscrupulous collectors. ''You know what will happen to you if you don''t do as I say? You know what will happen if you don''t listen to me. ''Thanks to the heavy rains, the water storage in District 42 has recovered to a level that will allow us to live for a few days. They probably sealed the floodgates in anticipation of that.'' ''I see.'' Lucia caught the end of my words with a grim expression and sent me a supplement. ''Because the person you''re blackmailing needs to be ''alive''. In fact. Until just before the heavy rain, District 42 was quite exhausted. If the floodgates had been sealed at that time, there was a good chance that ...... one or more people would have died. If that had been the case, there would have been no gentle means of discussion, and there would have been a dispute ...... involving the General Court, which would have likely resulted in war. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us. The 29th district knew that. That was why they sealed the floodgates at this time and sent a letter. ''If you want us to open the floodgates, come and listen to our side of the story,'' that''s the message of the letter. I pointed to the letter in Estella''s hand, and her fingers tightened slightly. As expected, she didn''t crush the letter, but her heart must have wanted to do so. ''So, well, the floodgates are open. Tomorrow, I promise.'' I say this with certainty. The demands of the BU, including the 29th district, are not in that area. ''That sounds fishy. ''Nah, BU''s are always like that. Lucia reacts to Estella''s words to me, and Estella lets out a little chuckle. Perhaps it was because she felt as if she was talking to Lucia, or perhaps she was thinking about the reputation of the BU guys. With a wry smile on his face, he puts the letter away in his pocket. ''Anyway, we have to understand a trap as a trap and jump into it. ''That''s what I mean. Estella lets out a sigh of surprise. ''Anyway, let''s inspect the situation in District 42. What? I''m coming with you. I won''t let them do whatever they want. ''Yes, sir. I''m counting on you. She''s just a pervert, but Lucia is strangely reliable at times like this. ''Then, I''ll go with Lucia-san to inspect. ''Oh, please wait! When Estella and the others put their hands on the door to leave, Ginette came out of the kitchen, as if she had been there for some time. She stops Estella and the others with her hands white and a plate of powdered beef in her hands. ''Um, if you don''t mind, please come and have dinner with us. We''ve prepared a delicious meal and are waiting for you! In the hands of Ginette, who was holding a beef cutlet that was apparently going to be made into a beef cutlet. ...... How happy was she? ''Yeah. I''ll come back when I''m done. ''I''ll be back to interrupt you. ''Yes!I''ll be waiting for you.'' He bowed deeply, not caring that his hands were covered in powder. After seeing Ginette like that, Estella and Lucia left the sunlit pavilion. ''Please, you are the head of the river fishing guild, guide us to the river. ''Oh, I''ll leave it to you! Slapping her chest, Delia leaves after Estella and the others, and Gilberta follows her. After all the guests had disappeared, Ginette turned to us and said with a smile on her face. ''Then I''ll go make a delicious meal! With an expression so sparkling that you''d think she was a reincarnation of the Milky Way, Ginette walked back into the kitchen. ...... Are you going to cook now?We''re talking about dinner, right? It''s only mid-morning, remember? ''......Yashiro. Emergency.'' Again, I don''t know how long I''ve been on the move, but Magda comes out of the kitchen, scuttling over to me. ''............ Beef Cutlet Ran''. ''Ran?'' ''Nyoho~!What''s this? Again, I hear Loretta''s voice from the kitchen, apparently having been on the move for some time. You can find a lot more information on this at ....... ''............ There was a group of beef cutlets submerged in the hot oil.'' ''We''re a cutlet shop? ......'' ''......Including those that had been prepped, there were well over twenty of them.'' ''Ooh ......'' Ginette''s food is delicious. I always tell people it''s good, and other people say it''s good too. But today''s praise seems to have gone a little too far. Ginette''s culinary spirit has been engulfed in the fires of ............. He''s the kind of guy who gets into things. If you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends, you''re in the right place, Ginette. I''m not sure what to say. That ''incantation'' was probably humming. Ginette has a unique sense of rhythm. ...... ''......Yashiro. Needs to be addressed.'' ''I can only offer beef cutlets today.'' What a surprise. ...... Is that what this is? Is this what you call a ''bush snake''?Or is it ''gourd to pawn''?Or is it the fruit of a lie? Anyway, I''ve got to do something. ''Lucia is coming for dinner, so we''ll have the whole place to ourselves. Lucia''s true nature must be kept out of sight as much as possible. ''So let''s put the second and seventh stores in front of the store and serve beef cutlet sandwiches there. We can''t use bread because of the price, so let''s sandwich it between tortillas. A beef cutlet with shredded cabbage and a generous amount of honey mustard would be something like that. If you set up a table in front of the restaurant and make it look like a beer garden, it will look pretty good. ''...... Understood. I''ll arrange it right away. ''Then I''ll mobilize some of my younger siblings!I''m also going to make an announcement on the main street!''Today is the Beef Cutlet Festival''! The reliable employees split into two groups and started to act. After watching their backs as they ran out of the restaurant, I got down to my work. For now, ...... I''m not sure what to do. No matter how many measures you take, you''ll be in the red if they make more than you can handle. 251-Episode 163 Departure Early in the Morning ''Mr. Yashiro. Please eat this in the carriage.'' Early in the morning. Ginette handed me a large basket. ''...... a beef cutlet sandwich?'' ''No, no!I''m ...... sorry I got a little ...... carried away yesterday.'' After a night of sleep, Jeannette had finally regained her composure enough to make a normal decision. The mass-produced beef cutlets were poured into the stomachs of the residents of District 42 as beef cutlet sandwiches. It was truly a process. The beef cutlet sandwiches were sold somewhat aggressively and then sold out. At times like this, Loretta''s advertising power is useful. If she advertises on the main street, a lot of customers will come to the restaurant. Loretta''s words, which stimulate people''s stomachs directly, and the trust and track record that the restaurant has earned so far, will make people go to the restaurant. Loretta''s "rice lipo" is a critical hit to the stomach after work. ''I''m sorry for the inconvenience to Paura-san. ...... I''m sorry for the inconvenience to Paura-san. ......'' I asked Paula to provide me with a cold beer because it had become a fried food festival. The adult lunches and food courts at the gluttony contest led the food and beverage guilds in the 42nd district to lift the ban on mutual aid. In other words, we have created a system that allows us to go to other stores and offer our products. This has made it easier to provide help when there is a shortage of foodstuffs and to plan collaborations. I heard that this is not common in other wards, but it is in the 42nd ward. So far, things are going well. However, emergency measures like this do not happen very often. No wonder Jeannette is nodding her head in agreement. I may have pushed Paula a little too hard. I''ll have to make it up to her next time. So Ginette, feeling more than a little remorseful, has been squirming and embarrassed since a while ago. The time is early morning. I''m in the middle of preparing a donation to the church. But I can''t eat this food. I have to leave now. ''The 29th district is far away, so please be careful. ''It''s right there, though.'' Unintentionally, your gaze turns to the north. The twenty-ninth district is located just north of the forty-second district. It is adjacent to the New Town, and if you shout loudly, your voice might reach it. However, it is blocked by a high cliff about 30 meters high. Therefore, to get to the 29th district, you have to go around the outer district. Only when you reach the 38th district will you finally be at the same height as the other districts. So, at the very least, you have to go north to the 38th district. It''s really troublesome. ''Spirit God ......, please protect Yashiro and everyone else from harm. Ginette folded her hands in front of her chest and prayed to the spirit god. She''s worried because she''ll be away from home this time. Come to think of it, Magda and Loretta also wanted to come with us, but considering the situation, they didn''t insist. ''Yashiro-san. ''Hmm?'' ''...... Please don''t be reckless.'' He gently admonished me. Do you think I look like I''m reckless all the time? ............ Well, I''m pretty reckless. But, you know, those times usually come from the other side. No, seriously. ''...... We''ll take care of it.'' ''Yes, sir. Then you''re safe.'' He smiles at you. ...... Don''t put too much faith in what I say. You''ll get out of tune. I have no intention of making a scene, though. ''Speaking of which, where did Lucia-san end up staying? ''I told Estella and Gilberta and had her locked up in the lord''s mansion. For the sake of the peace of the entire beast race.'''' ''''That''s ...... indeed an exaggeration, but...'''' What do you mean? I''m not sure locking them up is enough. It''s not until you put a collar and shackles on him that he''ll feel safe. ''...... Yashiro''. Magda woke up just as we were about to leave. Normally he would be sleeping a little longer, but maybe he was trying to see me off. ''...... We''re going to have Magda''s special deluxe okonomiyaki for dinner. ''What''s deluxe? ''I played a game with Masha the other day and won a big shrimp.'' ''I didn''t know you did that. ...... Why did you play?'' ''Magda won, so maybe arm wrestling? I heard Masha has a lot of power, but she''s no match for Magda. ''...... s*xy pose showdown'' ''You won, then! ''...... overwhelming victory'' ''Seriously? The judging results are such that you can only assume that the judges were Umaro. ''......By the way, the judge is Masha.'' ''You were just having fun, weren''t you? Masha simply wanted to play with Magda. The large shrimp is a thank you for that. ''It''s ......, so you can count on it.'' Magda says, staring me in the eye. In short, he''s saying, ''I''ll be waiting for you with a delicious meal, so come home early. ''All right, then. Well then, you''d better hurry up and come home. I pat him on the head and he sniffs, ''...... mmm''. Magda seems to be worried about me in her own way. ''......I hear there are a lot of big breasts in BU. Make sure you don''t stop off and come back.'' I''m not sure what to say.Where''s the information on that? ''Oh, Yashiro. You can''t say that in the first time you go there. Even though I had gotten some very interesting information, I couldn''t get the details. d*mn, now that I''ve said I''m leaving early, I can''t spend any time investigating the area. ............ Magda, you''re a schemer. ''I''m off then. ''Yes, sir. Have a safe trip.'' ''...... Good luck.'' I leave the store with a big basket hanging from my shoulder. Ginette and Magda come to the door and see me off. I''ve become a bit of a family man. I''ve got to get into the swing of things here. We''re about to enter the enemy''s main camp. Exhaling a short breath, I headed for the lord''s mansion where we were to meet. ''If you don''t want hard bread, or if you don''t want to ride without Milly, please wait until you''re a D-cup before you start being so selfish. ''Breasts have nothing to do with it, Natalia! ''Yes, it does!Don''t get carried away just because you''re a little big, head waiter! ''They''re not a little, they''re a lot. Do you understand, milkless child? ''''Yes! ''''Get along, you guys. ......'''' When I arrived at the lord''s mansion, there were two sets of the lord and the head waiter in the garden, making an amusing noise. They are very energetic in the morning, aren''t they? ''Oh, Master Yashiro. Good morning, sir. Your milkless children are ready for you. ''Don''t talk to me like I''m a homeless child. Well, I can imagine what happened to them, sadly, without being told. ''There are many selfish people, lords. I think it''s great, I want to learn from Natalia''s resolute attitude. As head waiter, I''d like to learn from her. ''Gilberta, stop. The more Natalia there is, the harder it will be for me to deal with her. If only she would shut up and do her job, I would have no complaints. ...... I can''t shut up about this guy. ''Hey Yashiro, listen to me. Natalia says this hard bread is her breakfast.She wants us to eat this in the carriage.'' ''You should be thankful that you can eat bread. Lady Estella is too extravagant these days.'' ''I''m a lord, I should be able to afford to eat well! ''Please get fat, Estella-sama! ''I''m all for a bosom! ...... Are these guys this excited every morning? ''Ginette''s got something for you. That should put you in a good mood.'' ''Really?Yeah! When I showed her the big basket, Estella approached me at a speed that left an afterimage. It''s not beyond human comprehension, lightly. ''...... beef cutlet, huh? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m sure you''re not going to want to eat the beef cutlet that you ate so much of yesterday. ''Since you were feeling sorry for yourself in the morning, I''m sure it''s just a normal lunch. ''Well done, Yashiro! Estella grabbed my hand holding the basket with both hands and leaned in closer. What did you do? How dare you. ''Please don''t use breakfast as an excuse to flirt with me. ''No, I didn''t mean it like that! Natalia pointed out and Estella''s face instantly boiled. She took her hands away and distanced herself from me more than necessary. ''However, if the manager has a lunch box, it would be better to leave the bread behind. With that, Natalia brings out a basket from the carriage. The crunchy bread clinked in the basket. ''Don''t bother to unload it, just leave it. They might eat it on the way.'' ''No, sir. Since we''re going by carriage, I think it would be wise not to bring anything suspicious.'' ''Suspicious things? What is it?Does bread look like a bomb to you? ''Have you forgotten, anchovy? The source of BU''s income.'' Now that you mention it, I finally remember. Oh, I see. ''So if we bring in a lot of bread, we might get tariffed. ''Yes. Especially when you''re being watched like this, you never know what kind of harassment you''re going to get. They''re the ones who called us in here to mess with us. They might even go so far as to check the cargo in our wagons and impose tariffs on us. ''It would be cute if they could just impose tariffs on us, but it would be troublesome if they didn''t dare to impose tariffs on us and later made a fuss about ''tax evasion. ''Tax evasion? ''If you buy and sell goods that have passed through the BU but have not been subjected to the BU tariff, it is considered tax evasion and you will be charged a hefty fine. Estella''s explanation sent a chill down my spine. I ...... once tried to sell spices brought in from outside the city in the 29th district and the surrounding districts. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a great deal of information on the web. ...... ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. Thank goodness no one bought it. You''ve been unexpectedly saved by the spirit gods. ...... It''s kind of frustrating, d*mn it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do. As the lord of the city, he must be involved with BU in some way. Her face was tinged with annoyance at BU. ''Anyway, now that everyone is here, let''s get going. Lady Lucia, thank you for letting Estella and the rest of us ride with you today. I would like to express my sincere gratitude. With a condescending attitude, Natalia bowed deeply. Wow. It''s like she''s in charge of serving a great man. ...... Yeah, I''m the head waiter at the lord''s place. Lucia also understands this feeling, but her well-formed face is lightly distorted. ''No, head waiter. I don''t want any formal relationship with you now. Just be normal. ''Lucia-sama: ......'' Lucia looks broken-hearted, and Natalia looks on. The forty-second and thirty-fifth districts must have gotten closer in a good way. ''I''m usually completely naked when I''m at home. ......'' ''Come on, let''s get in the carriage! I walked between Natalia and Lucia and got into the carriage. This conversation ends here!Forcibly terminated! Who said I had to be so normal! ''Hey, anchovy!You''d better behave properly!I''m a lord! Then I suggest you behave like a lord. You''ve only been behaving lasciviously in front of me these days. ''All right, I''ll take the top seat. ''You!You''re putting my lord down! ''Yashiro, I''m a lord too, you know. How about sitting on the top seat without saying a word? ''''Shut up, it''s breast order! ''''I''m not losing! The two idiot lords and I rush to the entrance of the narrow carriage and grab each other. ''''d*mn, what a bunch of undignified nobles!They''re just as bad as the church kids! I''ll sit on the top seat if I have to! At the far end, facing the direction we''re going, by the window! ''Gilberta-san. ''What is it, I ask? To Natalia. ''Pull me out. ''Yes, sir, I will. ''Strongly.'' ''I know what I''m doing, I''. ''''''Ooohhh! Our clothes are pulled rather tightly. There''s no restraint or restraint. I''m knocked to the ground and Estella and Lucia are on top of me. Move!It''s too heavy! ''It''s really ...... a pity, gentlemen.'' ''I think so''. The two head waiters look down at us as we fall. ''Why isn''t your face buried in your boobs when a man and a woman tangle and fall over! ''Is that the point you''re lamenting! ''''I can''t help it. I think it''s inevitable. The size of the two lords doesn''t allow the phenomenon of ''buried'' to happen. ''Shut up, Gilberta! The lord yells at each head waiter. This is what happens when you don''t discipline people properly. ...... d*mn it, neither of them is decent. There''s not a single decent person here. ''If I don''t get my act together, I''m going to have a terrible time negotiating with the BU. ......! ''You''re the one who screwed up!This is the result, anchovy! ''I can''t imagine what''s going to happen ...... before we even leave.'' He stood up, brushed the sand off his clothes, and climbed back into the carriage. Oh, dear. We''re finally leaving. Taking care of the owner of the carriage, we sat down with Lucia in the first place, Estella in the second, and me in that order. Natalia and Gilberta sat down opposite us, facing the opposite direction. They always sit at the bottom. Gilberta sits in the lower seat, probably because Lucia is in the upper seat. ''I open and close the doors, I do. As the owner''s servant. There seems to be a kind of pride in that. The head waiter in this world is not pompous. They''re very loyal. ''I''m afraid you''ve created a teat gap between the top and bottom. ''''I''m sorry for taking advantage, I...'''' ''''You don''t need to say anything else! Well, ...... it seems that the kind of ''loyalty'' I have in mind is a bit different. ''''Even so, you''re leaving very early. I''m not sure if it was necessary to leave so early, no matter how far away the 29th district is. I thought the call was for this afternoon. ''''The word ''afternoon'' is really ambiguous. The moment it''s past noon, they may be ready to make a fuss about being late or rude. ''In the worst case, they may unilaterally decide to break off negotiations because you were late. ''...... This is childish harassment.'' ''Aristocrats ......, that''s why.'' Estella shrugs, a hint of self-mockery in her voice. I wonder how this guy accepts the fact that he is a nobleman. He seems to think that he won''t behave like a lot of other disgusting nobles. I guess only aristocrats can understand how to deal with aristocrats. Since they earn money without doing any work, they must be thinking about such nasty things in their spare time. I wish they''d learn from Estella a little. ''Anyway, Yashiro!I''m hungry!Let''s eat dinner, let''s eat dinner, let''s eat dinner! ''...... You''re a church kid, aren''t you? When they see Jeannette''s face, they chant ''I''m hungry, I''m hungry''. ...... For better or worse, Estella doesn''t look like an aristocrat. ''So, let''s eat what the manager has to offer. I''ve given the basket to Natalia, so she will take the lead in preparing the meal. There are fried chicken, rice balls mixed with salmon flakes, thick fried eggs, and white fish fritters. There was no ...... beef cutlet. I''m sure they''ve refrained from doing that. ''Natalia. You can share it with the others.'' Estella tells her. She must have grown up a bit to put other people first. In the past, when Ginette cooked, he would always say ''I''m the one, I''m the one''. ''I''ll share, and then you can give me the rest! Oh, you haven''t grown up at all! You like Jeannette''s cooking too much! ''d*mn it, ......, you never grow up, do you? ''What''s this got to do with my breasts? ''I''m not talking about your breasts! '''''''' ''...... of the genie'' '''''''' ''You don''t trust everyone! Everyone but me is pointing straight at me with their arms outstretched. What, do they think I only talk about my breasts? That''s outrageous!I''m going to talk about my breasts all the time! ''You''re always talking about breasts, aren''t you ......? ''Ahhh, I wonder if I can find it anywhere! ''Are you talking about breasts? It''s a different world, you idiot. Anything can happen, you know! ''Speaking of which, aren''t there any boob people? ''Of course there aren''t! d*mn it!You''re boring. You''re all so small! ''Head waiter, you don''t have to share the anchovies. Let him graze on the roadside and he''ll be fine. Lucia said rudely. Natalia, please be careful not to speak out of turn too often. ''Lady Lucia. If you do that, you might actually find a fallen tit. That''s the kind of person Yashiro-sama is.'''' ''You''re the rudest person I''ve ever met, come to think of it!I''m sorry, I''m sorry! We ate breakfast in a lively atmosphere that did not seem like a dinner with a lord. Ginette''s cooking was as popular as ever, and even Lucia was impressed. In the 42nd district, "bento" is becoming the norm, but in other districts, there still seems to be a strong preconception that "cold food is not tasty", and Lucia and Gilberta could not hide their surprise at the taste of the bento. It seems that portable food that doesn''t consider preservation is a rare thing in this world. If the concept of bento becomes widespread, it might bring about a little revolution. ''First of all, I will go to the mansion of the lord of the 29th district in the morning and tell him that I have arrived. Lucia explains her plans for the rest of the day as she picks at her lunch. ...... You''ve got grains of rice on your cheeks. I''m sure you''ll be told that you''re too early and that you can''t be on time, but do your best to ignore it. That sounds like a warning to me. I guess it''s common knowledge among the aristocrats. What a pain in the ass. ...... ''Then, I think I''ll leave the carriage and have a little look around the city. ''We''ll actually see what''s going on in the city and find out how serious the water shortage is.'' Following Lucia''s words, Estella added. ''I think the water shortage is paused and the city is quite calm. It makes sense to actually see it. There is a big difference between ''probably so'' and ''actually so'' in persuasiveness. ''By the way, should we take a look at the sluice gate? ''Yes, of course. ''And then we''ll have lunch. Since we don''t know exactly when ''afternoon'' is, it''s better to eat when we can.'' ''I agree with you, Natalia. The worst that can happen is that you might be detained from noon until midnight, and if that happens, you''d better eat. It''s a real hassle to have to take precautions every time. ''...... "BU" for dinner, huh? ''Well, don''t look so glum, Estella. If you give up on it as such, it''s not something you can''t eat. ''What is it?Is the food at BU that bad?'' Estella''s shoulders slumped openly, and she made no secret of her disappointment. As a self-proclaimed foodie and a mere fan of Ginette, Estella is a bit picky about the taste of food. She even appreciated the "cakes" that were on the level of the 41st district''s brown sugar bread, but she is a foodie in her own right. Pfft. A foodie (lol). ''Yashiro ......, can you please stop blaming me silently? ''How would you know? ''If you look at me with that grin on your face, I''ll know even if I don''t want to! Well, even if I''m a foodie, I''m still Estella. Just by putting a fried egg on a hamburger, she would have fussed, ''...... or a revolution has happened! It''s good that she is easy to handle. And the fact that Estella is so blatantly uncomfortable with it means that the dish has an irredeemable taste. BU: ...... You have a higher status than the outer districts, but your food is not good. ...... Well, the 41st district and the 40th district both had food that was far below the taste of the Sunshine Pavilion until a while ago. ''Well, ...... you''ll understand if you try it. That''s why I look like this. Leaning back in her seat, Estella relaxes as if her soul has slipped away. It''s really childish to know exactly what you like and dislike. And speaking of childish... ...... How long are you going to have grains of rice on your cheeks, Lucia? I''m going to try to give them as little opportunity as possible to take advantage of me. Nice, anchovy. Just don''t step on the tiger''s tail. It seems that the explanation was made to nail me, ''Don''t do anything unnecessary''. ...... If you don''t want to give me any room to maneuver, just take that grain of rice out of my hand. ............ d*mn it. It''s not as if you can convince them with a face like that. I''m not sure what to say. I can''t help it, so I stretch out my arm and remove the grain of rice from her cheek. Lucia rolls her eyes at the sudden touch on her cheek, but it''s better than leaving a grain of rice on her cheek. Be patient. Then again, I''m the kind of person who takes great care of my food. Therefore, it is outrageous to throw away grains of rice that you have picked up with your fingers. But there''s no way I can just ''ooh'' and ahh'' over this, so by process of elimination, I throw the grain of rice into my mouth. ''What? As if she had seen a shocking video, Lucia''s face turned a shocked color. The color of the shock ......, rather than turning bright red. ''or ............ or ............... ...'' He pointed at me with a trembling finger, trying to get as far away from me as possible as he pressed his back against the wall of the carriage. ''Or ............ an indirect kiss! ''What''s that? Indirect kissing is the act of bringing something from your mouth to your mouth! You can''t put a little ''t'' in ''kiss''!It''s even more embarrassing! It''s an indirect ''cheek kiss''! ''So it''s the other way around, too! If you''d taken what was on my mouth and put it on Lucia''s cheek, you''d still be here! ''I''ve been defiled! ''You''re not a good listener, are you? ''You''re a bad person, you know that?You evil man!How dare you commit such an insolent act against my lord? ''I was just trying to be nice! ''''Are you saying that you flirted with me out of kindness because I''m not popular? ''No, that''s not it! ''I''m a little nervous!Thanks a lot! ''Relax, Lucia!I''m already thanking you! ''Mwah!Don''t look at me!Keep your eyes on the other side! Finally, covering her face with both hands and throwing the plate at me, Lucia turned her back on me. The cold glare from Estella, who was sitting next to her,......, was cold. ...... I didn''t do anything wrong, did I? ''I''ve got a grain of rice on my cheek, too. ''No, they''re huge, ...... Gilberta.'' ''Again with the boobs, my friend Yashiro.'' ''No, they''re big, but!It''s not that! ''Yashiro-sama. You''re going full throttle again today. ''I don''t even mean that! Natalia, what does ''full throttle'' translate to? You don''t mean a car or a vehicle? As usual, I spent the long, long walk to the 29th district feeling uncomfortable as I sighed at the "forced translation magic" that chose words that were easy to understand. 252-Episode 164 Walking in District 29 ''It''s too small! Leave the carriage at the stables owned by the lord and walk through the 29th district. The road is too narrow! ''This road is not meant for carriages. ''Only a few main streets are open to carriages. ''It''s a measure to impose a tariff. Most merchants use horse-drawn carriages to transport large quantities of goods. ''Do you understand, my friend Yashiro? ''Don''t explain them in order, you fool.'' I glared at them all, who were making smug faces at each other in turn. I can almost understand that. We arrived at the mansion of the lord of the 29th district in the early hours of the morning, and were greeted as we had imagined - specifically, ''You must have no common sense to come so early,'' ''The nobles outside may have a different concept of time than we do,'' and ''You are a country bumpkin. I had nothing to write about it, it was just something that pissed me off, so I decided to ignore it. And then, as originally planned, he went to inspect the city. Although the lord''s heart is dirty, the streets are small but beautiful. In the twenty-ninth district, the main street leading from the thirtieth district was the largest, and there were several other streets where horse-drawn carriages could pass. However, the rest of the streets are extremely narrow, making it difficult for carriages or even wagons to pass through. It may be intentional, but there are many steps and ups and downs. ...... It''s a pain in the ass to walk. Even though it''s near the center of the city, just one turn off the main street and the whole area becomes a complicated street full of "back alley" feeling. Walls that exceed the height of your head, buildings that are close to each other, walls of buildings that are densely packed as if to drown out the bustle of the main street - even the sunlight is blocked by them, and the sense of oppression is tremendous. It is like a huge maze on a city scale. The residential and commercial areas are generally structured like this. If you go a little further, you can go into the agricultural area and the road will become wider. Lucia pointed to the east and gave us this explanation. In short, if the main street is surrounded by such a road, wagons and carts can only pass through the main street. Most of the outside merchants travel by carriage, so they can''t evade customs by taking the back roads. But even the people who live here use carts. That''s why the further you go into the city, the wider the streets are, and the more carts can be used. In other words, there are two sides to the city of the 29th district, one as seen by the visitors from the outside and the other as seen by the residents living there. The stage and the backstage. So these two worlds exist side by side in this city. ''But I guess I can carry my stuff on my back and go through. There are no walls between the districts, so it would be possible to pass through without being seen. ''Any place where you can pass through will be monitored. ''You''re serious! ''Of course. You''re in a city where most of the income comes from tolls.What if we don''t focus on that?'''' ''Lure them in and net them. ...... That''s a nasty way to go about it. If you''re new to the city, you''ll probably fall for it without even knowing it. No, the dupes are the small-time crooks who take the regular route at first, but use their wits to see if there''s a loophole somewhere. I''m right on target. A strange chill runs down my spine. But then again, I wasn''t carrying a lot of baggage, so it''s not like I was being watched. Yeah, it''s okay, it''s okay. ''By the way, if you pay the tax here, you can get a permit, but if you want to do business inside this area, you need that permit. ''......What?'' Suddenly, Estella begins to speak disturbingly. ''Because merchants from the outside will definitely pass through the BU, so they should definitely have a permit, right?If not, you must be a member of the city''s guild or have received an edict from the lord. ...... Anyway, doing business inside the BU is quite restrictive. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to ask for help. ...... Speaking of which, I think I''ve been asked to show proof of guild membership and permission from my lord. ''There are many merchants who pretend to buy and sell and report lawbreakers because they can get a reward for turning them in to the lord. Well, the end of a wrongdoer is never good, is it? Estella winked at me, and I could only laugh dryly. She knows what she''s talking about, she''s a jerk. ''If you don''t care much about the outer perimeter, does that mean that those who go from the inside to the outside through the BU to do business are free to evade taxes?Isn''t that unfair? I''m going to make such a complaint to make up for it. ....... ''Of course it''s unfair. Isn''t it?'' ''Well, ...... that''s true, isn''t it? The people who go from the inside to the outside are nobles of higher rank than the BU nobles, or their relations. I''m sure you''ll find plenty of favoritism. That''s why the aristocrats are all ...... ''So-called "aristocratic sugar" is made inside the BU, right? ''Yes, that''s right. As for the refining, it seems that they are giving it to the outer districts to show off their power. Is it an honor to get a job from a great nobleman?I don''t think so. I feel bad. ''The inside of this place will be a stifling place for you, anchovy. How''s that?Are you breathing properly?'' ''The air gives me heartburn every time I breathe it in. I feel like I''m being ripped off, even for the oxygen. I hope they won''t charge me later. ''Everyone, please watch your step. Natalia, the leader of the group, says without looking back at me. We begin to climb the long, narrow staircase that joins the wall of the huge building. The stairs, made of bricks, level off about two meters from the ground and turn into a narrow bridge. There was a narrow channel under the bridge, and clear water was flowing through it. ''There''s water, isn''t there? ''Yes, it does. At this rate, there won''t be a shortage of water in the agricultural area ahead. Looking down on the waterway from the bridge, Estella and I had almost the same impression. I knew it, but it''s unlikely that the sluice gates were closed in the 29th district because of the water shortage. ''What should we do, sir?Do you want to go to the Agricultural District?Or would you like to take a break at the caf?? just around the corner? ''A cafe! Estella answered immediately. ...... You. ''Because we''ve been walking on a road with many ups and downs.You''ll get thirsty, of course. ''Well, you''re right. I''m sweating, too. Because it was after the rain, the air was stagnant in this tightly sealed alleyway, and it was filled with terrible humidity. My throat is parched from the sweat. If there''s a caf??, I''d like to get some cold tea. ''But then again, I can''t expect anything but ...... drinks.'' Estella''s cheeks twitch. I hear the food here is pretty bad. From the look on Estella''s face, I''d say it''s pretty bad. I wouldn''t get my hopes up either. ''By the way, anchovy. What are you going to drink?'' Lucia asks me as we walk. Why should I tell you such a thing when we haven''t even reached the store yet? I''d say we''ll decide when we get there. ...... ''Well, maybe an iced tea. I''m thirsty and it''s a little humid. ''Yashiro......, they don''t serve iced tea outside of the sunny pavilion.'' ''Oh ...... I see.'' There is no ice in this world. Some places do have it, but it''s a very expensive item. At the Sunlit Pavilion, bottles of brewed tea are kept in a well to cool them down. The idea of iced tea is unfamiliar to people in this town. It is treated as "cold tea. It is said that tea is generally served hot. ''Well, I''ll have a fruit-based soft drink. ''I think I''ll do the same. ''I''ll have black tea. ''I''ll have the same as Natalia, me too. ''Hmm, ...... will be fine.'' Hearing all of their answers, Lucia gave a small nod. Problem? What, is there a rule against alcoholic beverages or something like that? ''What are you going to have, Lucia-san? ''I''ll have an apple ale. Is alcohol allowed? It''s not a caf??, is it? If they serve alcohol, it''s probably a place like Cantalucia. ''The fact that I made you answer all the way like this, is it perhaps a prelude to the fact that the lord will treat us?Hmm? When I made a casual and smart request, Lucia stopped walking and turned around with a very troublesome look on her face. ''Can''t you give me a more decent request, anchovy? You''ll lose the will to buy me a drink if you talk like that. ''Do you want me to beg more s*xily, with my breath?Like this? ''Stop it, I''ll ...... puke.'' Lucia turns pale and presses her temples. If you feel like throwing up, you should hold your mouth. ...... Does something leak from your temples when you feel sick?I''m not sure what that is. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. Lucia smirked at me and gave me a coercive look. She lifted the corner of her mouth and said, ''What''s wrong?I''m not going to be able to do it. You''re not going to ...... get away with this. With my right foot on the axis, I made three beautiful turns at high speed that would make a genius ballerina blush, and shouted loudly into the waterway. ''Lucia is so beautiful! ''...... Don''t you have any pride, ......? ''I didn''t feel any hesitation, my friend Yashiro''s actions were ...... graceful.'' Lucia and Gilberta looked at each other in confusion. ''Lucia, ...... you underestimate me. I''m not going to let you get away with it.That''s who I am! ''Is that what you want from him, Estella? ''I don''t know if you''re asking me this, but that''s the kind of person Yashiro is. And it''s true that Lucia is beautiful, so it can''t be a lie. If I had said something that might be traced to the Judgment of the Spirits, I would have refused the drink even if I had to kick it, but if it''s true, it''s a small price to pay for a compliment. ''On the other hand, I would never have said anything that would have disparaged Lucia''s appearance. ''--Huh? Lucia''s eyes open . Hmm... She must have realized now that she made a tactical error. But it''s too late now. The treat is fixed!You can''t turn it around! ''...... to you. ......'' He glared at me and let out a strangled voice through his clenched teeth. ''I''m not going to be hurt ...... by you calling me ugly or ugly! ''Hmph! Lucia turns away and walks away. She left us alone and went on her way. I don''t know if it was my imagination,......, but my ears seemed to be a little red,......? ''Yashiro............ are you trying to powder Lucia-san too?'' ''Wait, wait, wait!I''m not a fan. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money to spend, you''ll be able to take advantage of it. ''This is a serious situation. ......'' Natalia said in a quiet voice. ''I didn''t know that Yashiro-sama''s strike zone had dropped to B cups. ......'' ''I haven''t lowered it! ''Why wouldn''t it be lowered!I don''t think it''s a good idea to draw a line like that because it creates discrimination! ''Why are you so angry? ''I''m not angry at all! ''In any case, Estella-sama is out of range, so there''s no need to worry about it. ''Shut up, Natalia! Whether they are close or not, Estella and Natalia are bickering in perfect harmony. I''m not trying to seduce Lucia!It''s just a misunderstanding on his part! ''I''m sorry, I am''. As if to interrupt the noise of Estella and the others, Gilberta quickly raises her hand. ''I want you to pay attention to me. I want you to hurry up and chase after her, Lucia-sama. I''ve been watching you, Lucia, from a little way over there. ...... bad. It was good manners to chase after her as soon as she walked away. I''m sorry I can''t read the air. So don''t get so puffed up. You''ll burst your cheeks. ''Wait, Lucia~! After saying those words, I pretend to chase after Lucia. Is this kind of thing called entertainment? I wandered down the narrow street, caught up with Lucia, and left the alleyway with a slightly unhappy Lucia. There was a caf?? near by, facing a big street, and we walked into it. Inside, it was more like a cafe than a bar, with a somewhat fairy-tale interior. The interior was decorated with furniture and furnishings that looked like they could have been used by a ravenous clock rabbit. As Natalia had said, this place was like a caf??. ''One ale, two fruit juices, and two teas, please, I''ll have''. Gilberta placed the order in bulk. I didn''t even look at the menu because it was already decided. So I opened the menu with a sense of duty as a person who has been in the restaurant business for more than a year to check out the products of another restaurant. ''Ah! I couldn''t help but exclaim at the first words that jumped out at me when I opened the menu. ''Order, wait a minute!I want to change it! I stopped the waiter who was about to leave, and pointed to the menu. Where my finger was pointing, the word ''coffee'' was written on it. ''Change one fruit juice to coffee, please. I hadn''t expected to find coffee in any other store. I never thought I''d see it here. I remember Ginette telling me once that some stores carry it. She said she heard it from Assunto. Oh, so this is the store that sells it. Maybe they have a custom of drinking coffee here. When I asked for a change in the order, the clerk smiled happily and bowed cutely, saying, ''Yes, sir. I wondered if he had confidence in his coffee. He looked very happy. Meanwhile, ...... ''What kind of face is that, Lucia? Lucia''s expression became visibly cloudy, distorted, and stern. It''s not that expensive, is it?...... and looked at the menu, ''hot coffee, 20Rb per cup''. Seeing that ale was 50Rb, it was not that outrageous. I don''t know what he''s so reluctant about. ''Anchovies, don''t leave ...... behind, okay? A look of contempt, even disappointment, was directed at me. What''s with the exaggeration over a cup of coffee? I''m not leaving it. It''s not like it comes in a pitcher,............, or is it so bad that you can''t even finish a cup? ''Sorry to keep you waiting. The waitress said with a smiling salesman. The first thing to arrive was the ale that Lucia had ordered. The ale was accompanied by a small plate of peanuts, perhaps as a service. ''Do you want some? Suddenly, Lucia held out a small plate with peanuts on it. ''Oh, what''s wrong?That''s very generous of you, beautiful Lucia. ''Stop it, I''ll throw it! Lucia grabs the peanut and shakes it. I''m not a demon!I''m not a demon!I''m not a demon! ...... It''s not peanuts I''d throw at a demon. I''m not going to be able to do that. Yes, it''s good. It''s just peanuts. Not long after that, Estella''s fruit juice arrived. By her side, peanuts. ...... hmm? A little later, tea is brought to Natalia and Gilberta. Along with a small plate of peanuts. ''............'' The air at the table is dead. A few minutes pass without anyone saying anything, and finally my coffee arrives. With peanuts, of course. ''Peanuts, that''s a lot! How much are you pushing it, peanuts! ''Are peanuts a specialty of this district? ''No, the most popular crop in this district is the sole bean. ''Then promote soramame! ''What? Are you in the soramame camp?'' ''I don''t remember joining any such faction! What? Is there a bean war going on?What''s with the sycamores? If it''s a beer companion, I can understand. So I could understand why they would be a good accompaniment to ale. But peanuts in fruit juice, tea, or coffee is strange. And if it''s not a local product, it''s probably just a service. ...... Think about the compatibility. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. ...... It''s not something you want to eat in such large quantities, though, is it, peanuts? ''By the way, Yashiro. While cracking the shells of peanuts, Estella directs only her voice at me. Her eyes are fixed on the peanuts. Rather than seriously cracking ...... the shells, she seems to be too tired to move ...... ''You will be fined if you leave any food behind. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ''...... You can''t say that after pushing me like this! Oh, my God. ...... It''s forbidden to eat leftovers, but they keep coming back with their own food. That''s an excellent rip-off. Isn''t it too vicious to put on a lot of food you didn''t ask for and say ''don''t leave any behind''? ''I doubt your decency, at all. ''If you say so, it must be pretty bad. Lucia says, crunching her peanuts. Lucia''s face also has a hint of disgust on it. Somehow, Lucia doesn''t seem to like being forced to follow the rules set by others. I left the peanuts, which I had already eaten four times and was beginning to get tired of, and sipped my coffee. ''Mads! The coffee in my mouth tasted bad, with a lot of miscellaneous flavors and an unusually thick taste that gave me a migraine. The way the beans were ground, the hot water brewed, the extraction method, and the straining method were all messy, and it was easy to imagine that the taste was a failure. It''s ...... hell if I have to eat peanuts with this bad coffee in my hand. I was fed up and wanted to leave the store. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a cup of coffee. There''s a lot of powder in the bottom of the ...... cup. What is this drip coffee? After overcoming the hardships, I placed the empty cup on the saucer. At that moment-- ''I''ll pour you a refill. ''Huh? Before I knew it, the waitress standing behind me poured another cup of coffee into my cup with a smiling salesman. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s ...... wanko soba. I''m not sure what to make of it. Lucia, with a hard expression, explained plainly. ''Only the coffee is free for refills. ...... No, it''s not ''free'', it''s ...... mandatory.'' ''What''s with that annoying system? And the coffee tastes bad. Furthermore, leftovers are fined ...... ''Hey. Let''s shut this place down.'' ''Hmm, too bad, anchovy. ...... Most of the stores in this district are like this.'' What a surprise. ...... The whole city is being ripped off: ...... This city is rotten! ''That''s why I checked ahead of time. What are you going to order here?'' I see. If I had said ''coffee,'' you would have stopped me at that point. Somehow, it seems that only coffee is free refillable ...... or compulsory. In Japan, there are many stores that offer free refills on coffee, so it might be like that. ...... Although it seems to be the style of this town to completely ignore the opinions and intentions of the customers. ''When you have finished your drink, turn it over and put it back in the saucer. When you finish eating peanuts, you should turn the plate upside down. ''I''m sure it''s going to get really dirty, but the table...'' It doesn''t matter. It was the restaurant that made that rule. I''ll be responsible for cleaning it up. With that, he flattened all the peanuts in his hand and quickly turned the small plate upside down. Peanut shells and flakes littered the table. Lucia didn''t seem to care, however, and poured the peanuts into her mouth with ale. ''If you don''t do this, they''ll bring you endless refills. The fines for leftovers are high.You''d better be good at it.'' Apparently, the fine will be on your own account. ...... I''ll stop them at all costs. I gulped down a cup of coffee that tasted so bad it almost gave me a migraine again, ate all the peanuts, and quickly turned the cup and small plate upside down. It''s a great way to get the most out of your day. ............ What''s with the rules? No one benefits from this. ''Hey Yashiro,......, do you like peanuts?'' Estella says this as she holds out six peanuts to me. I understand why Estella''s expression was cloudy when we were talking about food in the 29th district on the way to the carriage. I guess it''s like this everywhere in this district. Are they increasing their sales with such a ''small'' business?Or is there some other reason? ............ Whatever the reason, we should be very careful about eating and drinking in this district. ''You owe me. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the following article. ...... The water in your mouth is being taken away rapidly. At the same time, Estella turns the small plate upside down. Natalia and Gilberta followed suit, turning over their plates. There were no refills of juice or tea. Now we can finally relax. ............ I mean, me. I haven''t been able to relax at all. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. ...... 29th Ward, it''s a pain in the ass. 253-Origin of episode 165 BU ''I''ve had a bad day''. The heavy belly, the aftertaste of the coffee in the back of my throat, and the annoying nutty smell in my mouth were all making me feel worse than ever. It''s not the aftertaste of coming home from a cafe. ''I''ve heard rumors, too, but I didn''t think they were this thorough,'' he said. Estella, who had wanted to go to the caf??, regretted her decision. This is the first time she''s experienced such a horrible treatment. ''I''ve rarely been invited to BU, and when I have, it''s only been for dinner at the lord''s mansion or at a particular restaurant. My father has been here a few times, though. ''I''ve been to this district many times in the company of my predecessor. Well, in general, it''s just a bunch of shitty stores.'' ''Hey, Natalia!Watch your language! You can''t call a restaurant in another district a shithole. Considering Natalia''s position, it could be a diplomatic issue. Besides, a girl shouldn''t use such language. ''They''re all like excrement. ''You think you''ve mellowed it down?It''s not at all! Don''t call the restaurant where you just ate nuts excrement. ...... makes you feel bad. ''Natalia. I don''t like what you just said either. ''Are you saying that you don''t eat excrement, Estella? ''I don''t know anyone who does, do you? Oh, Natalia. Do you think that staring at me there is a declaration of war?I''ll blow you away, you son of a b*tc*. ''As head waiter of the Cremona household, I need you to behave like a lady. What you say, how you act, how you behave. ''............'' Natalia turned her head down, held her thin chin with her fingers, and thought deeply. Perhaps she is reflecting on her words and deeds thus far. ''............ The style of the Lord I serve is not top-notch, but that''s ......''. ''Shut up! ...... I don''t feel any remorse. ''However, what I said earlier was too much. I deeply regret it and vow never to speak like that again. As a knight would do, she bent her right arm to hold her chest and gave a deep salute to Estella. Natalia is very good at this kind of gesture. Honestly speaking, she is very cool. Estella, who is being bowed to, is also exuding an elegance that is a bit overwhelming. Natalia......, you are really a good woman if you don''t open your mouth. The best of the best. ...... A shame of the highest order. ''The head waiter is the mirror of the lord of the house. Estella is a unique head waiter, which suits her well. Lucia laughs gaily. Hmm. Lucia seems to have lost sight of the fact that her head waiter is a rather disappointing girl. Gilberta''s a disappointment, too. ''I''ll be even more careful now, if I''m to be a mirror for you, Lucia-sama. ''Hmph, how about that!I''ll behave myself so as not to embarrass the Lord. That''s what a head waiter is supposed to do.'' ''A mirror is a reflection of each other. If I am Lucia''s mirror, then I am also her mirror. If Gilberta is a mirror of Lucia, then Lucia is also a mirror of Gilberta. ''...... There are aspects that are a little too perverse, even for me. I am disciplined, I am disciplined. ''Hey, Gilberta!That means I''m too perverse! ''I affirm, I am.'' ''I affirm, I am.'' ''In that case, you''d better stand up for the Lord, Gilberta! ''Very much affirmed, I am.'' ''No, you''re not! Gilberta affirmed with tremendous force that Lucia was perverse. Yeah. The head waiter is a mirror of the lord. All the duo''s comedy and comedy are well-matched. I''m impressed. ''Did Lucia know about the abnormality of this town? ''Did she know about the excessive service at the store earlier? You call that harassing refill attack ''service''?It''s harassment, that''s what it is. ''I didn''t think that a common restaurant would have such excessive service, but ...... well, I can imagine. ''So this city is like that, from the common people''s level to the aristocrats'' stores. ''I guess they are very service oriented.'' He said something that sounded like a sarcastic remark and let out a dry laugh. I guess all the restaurants in this town are dangerous. Let''s be careful. ''Ladies and gentlemen. We''ll be leaving for the agricultural district shortly. After leaving the cafe, we walked through the narrow back alleys again, and finally reached the agricultural district. The distance was not so great, but we were detoured many times, forced to climb up and down each time, and we were exhausted. My stomach was heavy. Once we reached the agricultural area, the road became wider and flatter. It''s good that the road is stable. It makes me feel safe. I imagined Mo''amat''s fields and felt a sense of grandeur. After all, I have the blood of the agrarian Japanese in me, don''t I? Seeing the countryside makes me feel at ease. ''Beyond these stairs is the agricultural area. Please watch your step. We followed Natalia as she led us down the long, narrow stairs. The earth''s resilience eased a little as the bricks gave way to soil. The smell of dug-up earth, compost, and plants wafted in from around the corner. Picking up speed, I turned the corner and exited the alleyway. ''It''s too small! What appeared in front of me was a field so small that I thought it was a vegetable garden. ''The land in the twenty-ninth district is so small. You can only grow plants on a limited amount of land. Estella, who had said that she didn''t know much about plants herself, was showing off her knowledge with a knowing look on her face. She''s got a smug look on her face. It was a tightly packed field that seemed to ooze the desire to make the most of the limited space. Even the steps and slopes seemed to be used as fields. There were many fields lined up in a row, separated by small bricks. It looks like an elementary school class vegetable garden. Each class has its own flower bed, and they grow bulbs and other plants in a limited area. It reminds me of such a nostalgic scene. But this is "farming" for a living, isn''t it? If so, isn''t it a bit disheartening? ''This is the closest field to the street, so there''s a lot of competition. Natalia''s line brought to mind the image of a Japanese businessman eager to build a house in a prime location in the city. In other words, the fields here, which are easily transported, are very popular, and that''s why they have been divided into small sections, resulting in this situation. We looked at the plants buried in the field. It seems that the same plants are grown in each field, and the same leaves are lined up in a row. Are these the leaves of ............ beans? I don''t know much about beans, but I have an image that beans are strong plants that can be easily grown in any land. In such a dense field, only beans can be grown, I suppose. ''There are other fields besides this one, aren''t there? ''Yes. But due to the small size of the territory, I''ve heard that the situation is similar to here. So they''re farming and competing for the limited space. I guess it''s not easy being small. The fields in Mormat are too big to utilize some of them, but this one seems to have no time to rest. In Allbloom, where crops can be grown all year round, do they ever rest their fields?I''ve heard that it''s not good to keep growing the same plants in the same place. ''I''ve never actually seen anything like it from here. I only have the information that I heard from my mother, the previous head waiter .......'' By the way, the head waiter of the previous lord was Natalia''s mother. Natalia''s familiarity with the area was due to the knowledge she had acquired from her mother. The fact that Natalia looks so confident and confident in her mother''s knowledge is a sign of her absolute trust and confidence. ...... You can count on her. I''m not sure if you''re familiar with this area, Gilberta? Lucia said she has been called here many times, more than Estella. Maybe the head waiter has some knowledge from what he has seen. I thought so, but... ''I don''t have, I don''t know any more than Natalia. Not so much, apparently. "Every time I come here, instead of saying, ''I''m bored, I want to go home,'' Lucia says, ''You ''You ...... should be more interested in inspecting other districts and gathering information.'' ''I''m gathering information. There''s a pretty Aphidian girl living just up ahead. ''You have the information level of a charlatan, don''t you? What kind of support character in a gal game only collects information on beautiful girls? ''There''s still some time before noon, right? Let''s continue our inspection. There are a few things I want to see with my own eyes.'' ''You''re an Aphidian girl?I know the feeling! ''Gilberta. ''All right, I''ll...'' Lucia-sama, meh! ''Gee, Gilberta listened to Estella? Maybe they''re forming an anti-variant alliance or something. Maybe I should join too. ''Then let''s move on. The bricks are said to be passable, so feel free to pass over someone else''s field. It seems that the only way to get to the other field from here is to go around the back alley again, or pass over someone else''s field. ...... You can never use a cart like this. We cut through the bean field, which was spreading its leaves everywhere, and aimed for a field further in. After walking for about ten minutes, we came to a slightly wider road. It''s not a road, it''s just a patch of dirt that isn''t a field. Anyway, we came to a place where we could walk without hesitation. ''This one seems to be relatively spacious. Compared to the field that looked like a small house, the field around here was a bit more spacious. However, it is only a little larger than the size of a home vegetable garden. It''s a bit difficult for one person to take care of them all by himself, but they are all lined up in a row. ''It''s like we''ve moved up from a vegetable garden in the garden to a vegetable garden on land that we bought. ''So you''re saying it''s not much more than a vegetable garden after all? I suppose so. If I were a farmer and was asked to make a living from this garden, I might grow plants that would produce the second most dubious drugs. Otherwise, I can''t think of any way to make a profit in such a small field. ''How can the farmers in this town stay alive? ''Well, there''s the benefit of community. ''Community?'' ''BU, BU.'' Estella says that the farmers here are protected by the BU. They''re not likely to survive without that kind of support from the top. In a way, I was strangely convinced. I don''t know if there are subsidies, or if the purchase price is guaranteed, or what kind of system it is, but these farmers seem to be able to survive on such a small field thanks to it. If they have a system that helps the poor, then maybe the BU is not such a bad organization. But for non-members, it is only harmful. --That seems to be the case a lot. Even sending us the letter and closing the floodgates seems to have been done in the name of the BU. As I was wandering around, looking at the fields, a girl came running at me from afar with great speed. ''Oh, hey! A petite girl with long, thin antennae growing on her head and big eyes looking up at us. Cheerful, innocent, brilliant. She is a cheerful girl for whom such words fit well. She is about fourteen or five years old. ''Oh, oh!You''re not the Aphids, are you? ''What?That''s great, how did you know? The girl who said she was an aphid was surprised by Lucia''s words. ...... Oh no. Run, girl! ''Who do you think you''re talking to, beautiful girl? You''re Dr. Bugman! No, you''re a lord. ''What do you mean, "Insects"? ''A pretty girl, like you.'' No, no! Beetle-bearer Beetle-El and the males at your place are part of the Insect People. The antennae that grow from the top of the head, snap off and hang backward, are exactly the antennae of aphids. ...... What about aphids growing plants? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ...... You have a distinctive way of speaking again. His innocent eyes, completely devoid of malice, gleam as he stares at us. ''We''re just taking a look around the city. Do you mind if we take a look at your farm?'' ''Of course you may!Look around until you get bored! The girl''s antennae jumped up and down. She seems to be pleased. ''Then I''m going to take my time with you, ......! I hope you don''t get too rowdy in the other districts, I''m Lucia-sama! I''m not a fan. A rather strong slap hits Lucia''s ass. I''m not going to be able to do that. ''...... Gilberta ............ How dare you humiliate the Lord like this ......'' ''Even before that, I was thoroughly embarrassed, Lucia. ''That''s a d*mn good argument, Lucia.'' ''Shut up, anchovy!If you''re a man, why don''t you show some kindness by gently caressing the sore spot and healing it! ''What?You don''t mind? ''I''ll have you beheaded if you touch even a finger. What the hell!You ask me to pet it and I refuse! Lucia glared at me resentfully as she rubbed her own buttocks, which seemed to be comfortable to stroke. Why me? ...... ''So, may I ask you a few questions? ''Whoo-hoo!You''re a pretty lady, aren''t you!It would be my pleasure! The aphid girl rolls her eyes at Natalia. It seems that she likes Natalia more than Lucia. I''m sorry, ...... but no matter who you pick, you''re bound to get a pervert in this group. Except for ...... me. I''m Natalia, a servant of Estella Claremona here. May I ask your name?'' ''Oh, yes!I''m Mokoka of the Aphid People. It''s nice to meet you! The girl who called herself Mokoka followed Natalia''s lead and began to show us some affection. She''s the kind of girl you can''t hate. ''Oh, no!Hold on a second! Suddenly, Mokoka looks at the field and opens her mouth wide. She takes out a kind of mist spray from a bag hanging on her waist and holds it up. ''There are aphids on those leaves, so I''m going to get rid of them!Go f*ck yourself! He shouts in anger. As soon as he shouts, Mokoka sprays the liquid in the mist spray all over the leaves without mercy. Hey, are you sure?You''re an aphid, aren''t you?I''m getting a little nervous about this scene! No, I know it''s not a problem because Nepheli eats chicken, but... You just said ''control aphids''! ''Is that a pesticide you just sprayed? I don''t know if there are any pesticides or insecticides in this town, but... I don''t know if there are any pesticides or insecticides in this city, but the medicines of the Medicine Man''s Guild work well on insects, but they also have a bad effect on plants, so we don''t use them. I heard there''s some kind of pesticide. They seem to be bad for you. ''This is milk, sir. ''Oh, milk. As an old farmer once told me. ''Milk forms a film when it dries, so if you spray it on the leaves and stems, it will trap the insects and suffocate them. He said that the milk would not harm the human body and would not affect the plants as long as they were watered down afterwards. ......?Yeah, it''s fine. The farmer who took care of me didn''t cheat me. He just gave me his knowledge. Well, they gave me a lot of peaches that fell on the ground. ...... I miss that. ''You can get rid of pests with milk, can''t you? ''That''s right, sir. I''m sure the aristocrats don''t understand such things. Estella is looking at the underside of a leaf and is impressed. Oh, he doesn''t mind bugs, does he? Well, he''s a country boy. ''We''ll trap them in a film of milk and slowly suffocate them to death, you insectoid! Black, black, black! The way you say it!And don''t make that face! It makes ordinary pest control look like animal cruelty. ''...... You have a lovely smile.'' ''What''s that? That''s the face of someone who''s gone completely dark, that smile of delight! I''m sure ...... is fine, Lucia. ''I make a living exterminating pests in the fields around here. ''You''re not a farmer? ''I''ve got my own farm, too!But it''s a little hard to make a living on that alone. ...... hehehe'' Mokoka scratches his head with the hand that holds the atomizer. Maybe there''s some kind of discrimination against subhumans. ''But my farm is small, so I have a second job that''s not so bad. I love my job because it''s fun! ''Okay, I''ll take her in! ''I want you to calm down, I...'' ''I understand that you are struck by Lucia-san, but please calm down! ''If you don''t listen to me, even if you are a lord of another district, I will not tolerate you, and I will let Yashiro-sama fondle your butt! ''Your insolence knows no bounds, anchovy! ''So, why are you telling me this? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s ...... unreasonable. ''Leave the milk in there for an hour or so, and then wash it off with water later. ''With water ......? ''That''s right! Mokoka replied cheerfully to Estella''s question. Then, pointing to a field some distance away, she said with pride. ''Those fields are just about to be washed, so I can take you there if you want. ''Yes, I would. I''ll take the opportunity to take a look. ''All right!Wait there for a minute! With a thumbs-up, Mokoka proudly ran off. He ran into a stone building near the field and came back in a few minutes with a huge barrel. The barrel was filled to the brim with water. ''Aaaaah!You''ll drown after you suffocate! Using a ladle, Mokoka sprayed water on the field. The power of the water was so great that it would have attracted firefighters from all over Japan. Even the fire department''s water truck was so powerful that it looked like a cannon. Every time a lump of water shot from a ladle touched a leaf, it splashed vigorously. The slapping masses of water did not seem to damage the plants, however, and washed away only the cloudy milk scum and insects from their leaves. The plants that had been bathed in the water seemed cleaner and more alive than before. ''This is the secret technique of the aphid people, the ''Aphid Eradication Watering Technique''! It''s a great technique ......, but wouldn''t it be better to get together and rethink the naming of it? ''Where did you get that water from? ''From the canal, of course. Mokoka beckoned and led us to the stone building we had seen earlier. The inside of the building was cool and filled with the smell of water. We could hear the murmuring of the water. ''There''s a waterway running underneath here, so the water is pumped up here. There was a large hole in the floor and a wooden bucket connected to a pulley was placed next to it. It seems that the water is pumped up by this. ''If they can use this kind of bucket, the water in the canal must be rather deep. ''Yes, sir!The water is always about 80 centimeters to 1.5 meters deep. It''s the same with wells, but if the water isn''t deep enough, the bucket dropped from the top of the hole will hit the bottom of the channel and won''t be able to draw water properly. That''s why Estella asked that question. If the water level is always more than 80 centimeters deep, it will be able to fulfill its role as a waterway and a well. It seems that this city has never had a serious water shortage. ''Has the recent water shortage been difficult for you? Estella pressed further. A more in-depth question. ''Oh, it''s been a bit difficult, indeed. The water level in the canal dropped, and when I threw the tub in as usual, it broke. ''It must have hit the bottom. ''I was so annoyed that I threw in a spare tub and it broke too. ''...... That''s what you deserve.'' ''I''ve heard that mokokas have a temperament that belies their appearance. ''I was a little worried about the legumes because they are prone to drying out, but I''m relieved that they turned out okay. ''Is the crop out front legumes? ''Of course they''re all legumes in this town. Lucia told me they were a specialty. ''If we don''t meet our quota, we won''t get paid, so everyone is working hard to grow them. ''Is there a quota?'' I couldn''t help but interrupt him. It''s absurd to impose a quota on crops. Depending on the weather, there could be crop failures. It would be better if there were no quotas for crops, just like tribute. ''Isn''t it true that lentils are susceptible to multiple cropping? ''Crop rotation disorder? Mokoka tilted her head. Oh, my God. Don''t they have a concept of continuous crop failure in this town? All blooms are in season all year round, and every day is harvest time. Are the fields in this city invincible? ''Is it okay if we don''t rest the fields? ''Ah, it''s true that the taste will diminish, but it won''t stop growing, so we''ll force it to grow.'' It only loses its taste, but it still grows. It''s really invincible. ''If it''s going to lose its flavor, shouldn''t you let it rest a bit and try to make something better? ''If you do that, you won''t be able to meet your quota! What?Quotas aren''t good for anything. If you keep serving food that doesn''t taste good, the customers will eventually leave. If you continue to serve poor-tasting food, your customers will eventually leave you, and no amount of struggling will bring them back. There is no point in insisting on quantity at the expense of trust. If you continue to do so, it is obvious that you will not be able to sell any more and you will have a mountain of inventory. When you have no one to sell to, you can''t talk about quotas. ''I don''t care about the taste. They''ll buy the same amount at the same price, whether it''s good or bad. This shows the negative effects of "BU," where income is guaranteed regardless of the quality of the product. A system that does not properly evaluate efforts and results will severely discourage the motivation of those who are involved in it. If it is the same whether you do it or not, it is human nature to take the easy way out. With the combination of quotas and compensation, the motivation of farmers here seems to be directed only toward ''increasing the number. ''If I use the fields to the fullest, I can usually meet my harvest quota, so it''s not a problem, but there''s another quota that''s tough,'' he said. ''Another quota? I''m sure that''s also a duty imposed on those who are members of the BU, but what exactly is the quota other than the amount of harvest? ''That''s why I''m really glad you guys are here today! Mokoka took our hands with an innocent look on his face and we shook hands too enthusiastically. He grasps our hands tightly with both hands, shakes them up and down, and then puts a bag in his hands. He does this to all of us. ...... What''s with the bag?I have a bad feeling about this. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. The hospitality quota is ......? I opened the bag I received from Mokoka at the unpleasant sound of that. ''Welcome, guests!We''ll treat you with our heartfelt hospitality!Don''t hesitate to take it! The bag was stuffed full of peanuts. ''............ What kind of harassment is this? ''In this city, there is a rule that each ward must produce a certain amount of beans every month, and each ward must be responsible for consuming the beans they produce. With a large amount of peanuts in her hand and a slightly tense face, Lucia explained. You make a lot of beans and consume them all? Do you make so many that you can''t consume them without pushing them like this? ''It''s a measure to help farmers who can only use a small amount of land, and it''s the top priority rule that led to the formation of the BU. ''Hey ......, wait a minute, Lucia.'' I suddenly thought of ...... something stupid, and I don''t want it to be, but I said one guess that ...... came to mind. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''The "B" in "BU" could be ......''. ''Ah. Perhaps that''s what you had in mind.'' ''Beans-United''? An organization for beans that produces more beans than it can eat and pushes them on each other. ...... ''BU'' means ............ a bunch of idiots. I don''t think I can eat them. With a handful of peanuts that I couldn''t seem to finish, I was thinking about that. 254-Episode 166 Lordship Conference ''...... What should I do, this?'' Estella has a puzzled look on her face. She is holding a bag of peanuts tightly in her hand. ''Well, you can serve them to the neighbors when you get home. I''m not sure if Lucia is used to this or not, but her expression isn''t too tense. It''s ...... slightly twitchy, though. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. You can''t eat all of these gifts,......, and it''s nothing but a nuisance to be forced to buy them. ''Even if you have a quota for these peanuts, can you give them away for free? ''They''re not free. ''What? ''Did you forget, anchovies. Any goods passing through the BU will be subject to customs duties.'' ''No, they''re not passing through! What kind of people are they? They''re just going to force their way in and then tax us if we try to take it home! ''If you don''t like it, you can just eat it here and go home. ''You''ll get pimples all over your face. ''Don''t lick the oil off the nuts. ''In other words, you''re selling a product you''ve bought more than you can handle. ''It''s not a sale. It''s a gift and a tariff. ''It''s the same thing, isn''t it? In any case, the beans produced in the BU are probably bought up by the member wards of the BU and consumed by their own people under the guise of quota. The districts apply tariffs to the beans they buy, and the districts receive the taxes. In the end, it is the visitors who are forced to pay for the beans. See? It''s a forced sale. ''Hey, Yashiro ......, didn''t you once say, "I love nuts! Didn''t you say that? ''Shall I show you the Conversation Record?I didn''t say that. The actual weight of the sachet was not much, but it must have weighed heavily on her mentally. Estella''s steps are very heavy. ''Is it possible to serve this at the Sunken Pavilion?Of course, you have to pay for it. ''I don''t have a problem with offering something I received as a commodity. ''Then I''ll take your peanuts too. ''Yes, of course. It''s better for us if you do. Serve it with a pile of peanuts next to the set meal. ''That''s the same as in the 29th district, isn''t it? We don''t force our customers to feel uncomfortable. ''I''ll make some peanut butter. Or maybe honey-roasted peanuts or honey-soaked nuts. ''What''s that?I have a feeling it''s going to be really good. He was very interested in it. I used to hate even looking at them. Well, when the food served in a district with such a large surplus of peanuts was peanuts in their raw form, I knew that there were probably no processed products. All of them are easy to make, so I''ll bring them home and try to make them. We should offer them as products and get back at least the tariff. ''Natalia. Would you be willing to give yours to Yashiro?'' ''Yes. Of course. However, I would like to be invited to the tasting of the finished product.'' ''Of course, of course!Right, Yashiro? ''No, what do you mean by "tasting party", ......? It''s not that over the top, peanut butter. It''s a processed product that can''t even be called cooking because we don''t have a food processor, so it''s a bit of a hassle. ''In that case, we''ll give you ours. Accept it gratefully and invite us, Millie, Wen, and Hammaro. ''I''d like to stay the night, and if I''m running late, I''ll...'' I''ll be looking at you excitedly. I thought you were going to say ....... I should have brought it home secretly and made it secretly. ''Oh, by the way, ......''. Suddenly Estella turns her gaze to the other side of the alleyway - the south side of the city. ''This is the 42nd district, isn''t it? ............ The sisters may have overheard our conversation. ''Haha, don''t worry about it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... In any case, the sisters will be able to smell it and blend in with the tasting. I''m not going to be so reckless as to hide food from Bertina anymore. It''s better to make sure you have enough for him, so that he doesn''t get damaged. It would take a lot of work to undo Bertina''s crooked belly button. ''Hmm ......, you seem to be indulging everyone, anchovy. ''Who''s that? I''ve been paid well. In one way or another. I don''t work for free, or serve, or anything like that. I''ll return it to my benefit in some way. No matter what it takes! ''By the way, Miss Estella. Natalia pauses in front of the bend. She looks at you with a cool face. ''I''ve accidentally run out of ink, and I''d like to purchase a new one from ......, if that''s okay.'' ''Oh, yeah. That''s fine. Let''s go to the brush shop then. ''In that case, it''s just up ahead. Lady Lucia, please forgive the detour.'' ''Don''t worry about it. We''ve got a little more time. The sun is nearing the top of the sky. It''s almost noon. It would be a good time to stop at the brush shop and then head for the lord''s house. We turned the corner where Natalia had stopped and walked through the winding streets to a dull-colored building with a plaque in the shape of a brush hanging at the entrance. The interior of the brush shop was small, but well organized, and I did not feel cramped. The store was filled with the pungent smell of ink, giving the impression of a newspaper shop rather than a stationery shop. ''Welcome. Do you want a brush?Ink? A bent-waisted old woman appears from behind the counter with the speed of a spinning doll. She''s a broken-down manager. ''I''d like to have some ink. ''Are you from somewhere else? The old woman stops to pick up a nearby bottle of ink and looks up into Natalia''s face. ''Wait a minute, then. She leaves the counter and retreats to the back. A few minutes later, the old woman returned with a small, portable tube of ink. ''It''s easy to carry, and it won''t spill in an accident. ''Thank you for your concern, sir. ''You know. When I see a beautiful woman, I''m reminded of myself in the past. I can''t help but be nice to them. Hee hee hee ......'' ''''Genie''s ......'''' ''Yashiro. Meh. What the hell, Estella. Are you imitating Ginette with your adorable scolding? In any case, it''s a relief to know that this is a good store that provides the best products to meet the needs of its customers. Although, they may be recommending something a little more expensive. Well, Natalia seems to be convinced, so that''s good. ''Well, we''ll be on our way. ''Oh, one moment, please. We pay the bill and are about to leave when the old lady stops us. She comes to the entrance of the store. Is she seeing us off?......, I thought, but... ''This one''s for service. Take it.'' --He hands each of them a bag of potato chips, about the size of a large potato chip. ...... No way, this is ............ ''Beans''. ''That was the worst store ever! What''s a good store? You''re a pushy salesman! ''I''ve got more .................. hahahahaha......'' With a bag of beans in each hand, Estella continues to let out a dry laugh with a face like a noh mask. d*mn ...... it''s so heavy! ''Why do I have to buy ink and it comes with beans!And now peas! I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I wonder how I''ll consume the peas. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''How many kinds of beans are there? ''Seven kinds, of course. Lucia, who doesn''t have any luggage of her own, says with a cool face. There are seven kinds ......, and the seven wards of BU are from 23 to 29, so ...... each ward produces a stupid amount of one kind of bean. Just like the lentils here: ...... ''Why do you set quotas on the amount of beans to be harvested and then sell them to us like this? If you don''t have enough, you don''t have to produce. ''Well, there''s a reason for that, too. If you''re curious, just ask. Lucia, who seemed to know what was going on, pointed forward with her chin. ''They''re gathering over there, the heart of the BU. When I turned my gaze, I saw that it was the lord''s mansion I had visited in the morning. The time was noon. It''s time to move in, to the enemy''s main camp. At the lord''s mansion, a number of luxurious carriages that had not been there in the morning were parked. They must have only just gathered there. They were about to be moved to the stables. ''First of all, let''s go and leave this unwanted baggage in the carriage. Lucia, empty-handed, says, pointing to the beanbag Gilberta is holding. I''m with you. There''s no way we''re going to have a meeting with these things. When we went to the stables to drop off the beans, the old horse keeper who had taken care of us that morning smiled and led us to the carriage. Our carriage had been taken off the horses and moved to the far end of the garage. ...... I guess they''re not letting us out until all the other lords have left. ''Your carriage will be over there, sir. Pointing to the far end with his hand, the old man bowed his head. Then, he threw a curse word at our backs as we tried to get to the carriage. ''I''ve put a gift for you in the carriage. It''s a thoughtful gesture. Please accept it. At those words, a nasty sweat broke out on my back. Estella and I ran out together and opened the door of Lucia''s carriage. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ...... Here comes the specialty of my district: ............ ''I''m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. At ......'' With a grin and a chuckle, the old man ...... no, the old man left the scene. I should have locked the ...... carriage. It might be worse than having your things stolen. ''......Yashiro. How many different ways do you know of to eat sole? ''............Just ask Jeannette.'' I don''t know how I used to eat solanaceous legumes ....... ............ I can only think of boiling them in salt. No, there must be something. Remember ............ I''m sure there''s some good information in the landlady''s bag of wisdom. ......... ...Remember, me! ''Enough about the beans, let''s go see the lords. The problem is that the sluice and the compensation ...... are both non-negotiable issues. Pull yourselves together, both of you.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir.'' Estella''s expression tightened. As I watch her... ''The anchovy. --Lucia called her name. ''Don''t look at her with that ''I tightened up my chest while I was tightening up'' look, it''s a pity. ''I''m not looking at you! ''......Yashiro......, you''re a ...... man.'' ''So, I''m not looking at you! ''Estella-sama. More importantly, please notice that Lucia-sama gave me a pretty bad rant.'''' ''Huh?...... Ah, I see! ''Now, now is the time to say, "Can you talk about other people''s breasts, you lazy tits? You can''t tell me what to do until you can pinch a coin. ''You''ve got some nerve, Estella! ''I wish you would calm down, Lady Lucia. Natalia''s, what she just said. And I''m thinking ''fifty steps'', everyone here. ''''Who''s got fifty steps? ''''Anyway, you ...... are all terrible.'''' Someone should notice that I''m disgusted. What are you guys talking about in the lord''s mansion? I mean, brace yourselves. ''If it''s locked, make sure it''s locked. We can''t handle any more of them.'' ''All right, I''ll... I''ll make sure it''s locked. ''Also, it looks like the BU guys are gathering at ......, but won''t they each give you some beans as a ''souvenir''? ''That''s okay. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... These rules sound like they were set by kids. It''s not like the system is immature. ''Well, let''s go. ''I guess so. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Clenching her fists, Estella says firmly. ''We should also brace ourselves so that we don''t make a profit or loss due to petty jealousy. ''I understand, I do.'' Lucia and Gilberta are also in high spirits. ''Then, let''s go. If I may be so bold, I would like to escort you to the entrance. Straightening her posture, Natalia, in battle mode, walks out to lead us. The people on the grounds are glancing at us, but they seem to be intimidated by Natalia''s resolute advance. Lucia is also behind her, and it is quite scary when they all show their serious aura. If I didn''t know these people and they were suddenly bombarded with this aura, I would choose to retreat temporarily. That''s how seamless they are. They''re really something, aren''t they? --And Estella, staring at the back of the two, looks a little disappointed. ''I''d like to ...... be able to have that kind of dignity one day, too. ......'' ''Don''t push it. That kind of thing is a kind of talent.'' ''But I''m a lord, too. ...... someday! ''You just have to develop your good points. I can''t imagine Estella spreading an aura that keeps others at bay. She should be the kind of lord who stands closer to others and solves their problems with them. ''Natalia won''t betray you. So, why don''t we share the responsibility? ''......, is that right?'' ''Yes.'' ''...... Yeah. Yes, we do.'' Estella has a weapon that only Estella can use. And that weapon is far more powerful and formidable than their aura, which can only make me retreat temporarily at first sight. You can be confident. You should be confident in your ability to drag me to this point. ...... I''m not gonna tell you. ''Welcome, Lucia Suarez, Lord of District 35. Estella Creamona, Lord of District 42. We''ve been expecting you. A beautiful woman with dazzling silver hair was standing at the entrance of the mansion. She had a straight back, a clear voice that reached my ears even though she was not big, and a clear presence that was not too assertive. She was probably the head waiter of this establishment. It seemed as if Natalia and Gilberta were fighting with each other. ''Let me take you to my master. This way, .......'' The silver-haired head waiter invited us into the hall. The waitresses on either side of the entrance, holding the large doors open, have lost their presence, as if they were inorganic objects, and remain in the shadows. When I peeked at Natalia''s face, I saw that she was quickly checking out all the gestures and behavior of the waiters. She must have a sense of rivalry. ''Master Yashiro......'' Perhaps noticing my gaze, Natalia spoke in a quiet voice that only I could hear, keeping her posture steady. ''The head waiter is number one and he has E-cups.'' ''Where were you looking, you? ''The same place as Master Yashiro, sir. You can''t just decide where people''s eyes are going. If you''re at my level, you can tell by the sound of your walk without even bothering to look. We walked down a long corridor and arrived in front of an ostentatious door. The door is so big that I wonder if it is necessary to make the entrance so big, and it stands there with a sense of intimidation. ''The Lord is waiting for you here. Please come in. In response to the head waiter''s bow, the waiters on either side of the door moved noiselessly and opened the door quietly. On the other side of the open door, there was a large, long table with seven high-ranking people sitting in a row. It''s as if we''re the accused brought before a judge and jury, aren''t we? ''Welcome to the 29th Precinct. Please take your seats. In front of the lords, there is a table more than two sizes smaller. There are two chairs. The seating suggests that we are the inferiors. He''s probably trying to pressure us by putting us face to face. ''Excuse me.'' Lucia says briefly, and Estella bows lightly in sympathy, then sits back in her chair. Even though she is a fourth class noblewoman, it seems that there is no need for us to be more obsequious than necessary. You can find a lot of people who have been in the same situation for a long time. Some of the seven lords frowned overtly, as if they didn''t like it. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use it, you can contact us at the web site. Gilberta stands diagonally behind Lucia on the left, and Natalia stands diagonally behind Estella on the right. I naturally took the position of standing in the center between the two head waiters. The lords in front of me each had what appeared to be a head waiter by their side. The silver-haired beauty who had just walked up behind the man sitting in the middle of the seven lords and stopped. So that''s the lord of the 29th district. He looks a little young to be called old, in his mid-twenties. The man speaks in a firm and intimidating voice. ''Well. The reason I''ve asked you to come all the way here today is none other than .......'' The man with his elbows on the table and his fingers crossed in front of his chest glared at me in the manner of a company executive and made his demands in clear terms. ''You will be compensated for the water shortage caused by your negligence. You must bear in mind that this has already been decided and there is no room for any objection. The high-handed words continued. ''If you promptly arrange for the compensation we seek and pay it based on your deep regret, we will be able to continue our good relationship in the future. After taking the trouble to call him, he said, ''This is a decision. This is a decision that has been made, and you must accept it without complaint.'' This is more than a lack of courtesy. Depending on the situation, it could be taken as a declaration of war. ''The contents of the compensation demanded by us have been compiled in documents for each district. I hope you will take a look at it and respond as soon as possible. ''Excuse me, may I have a moment? Estella raises a small hand and asks for the right to speak. Then, the lord of the 29th district did not change his expression, but spoke plainly as if he were a machine that had responded to a sensor. ''All those who are willing to allow this person to speak, please raise your hands. With these words, two of the seven raise their hands. The majority vote suddenly began to ...... What the hell are they doing? Then, for the first time, the lord of the twenty-ninth district turned his head. ''May I ask why? The lord of the 29th district is looking at one of the women who raised her hand. Incidentally, the Lord of District 29 did not raise his hand. ''She is the Lord of District 42, and I presume that the content of her statement is about the Water Gate. Since the sluice gate is a matter of life and death for the Forty-Two Wards, we thought it would be unwise to silence her opinion here.'''' ''Hm. ......'' Holding his chin, the Lord of the 29th district pondered silently for a few seconds. ''Are there any objections? No one answered that question. ''Then, once again. All those who are willing to allow him to speak, raise your hands. This time, six of the seven raised their hands. The lord of the 29th district also raised his hand. ''All in favor. Therefore, you are permitted to speak. After declaring so, the lord of the 29th district turned to Estella. ''I give you permission to speak. ''...... Thank you. It seems that Estella can''t hide her confusion at this. She ignores us completely, starts a discussion on her own, and then gives us permission to speak by majority vote. It''s as if she''s been programmed like a mechanical doll, with optimized, lean movements. ...... If you look at it in a perverse way, it is like a routine, simplified, rush job. This is evidence that these guys do this sort of thing on a daily basis. They are indescribably ...... creepy. There are no smiles, no private conversations, no slouching. All of them are standing up straight and looking at you with no expression. It''s a horror story, isn''t it? ''I''m naturally curious about the sluice ......''. ''The floodgates have already been opened.'' ''What ......? In the middle of Estella''s story, the lord of the twenty-ninth district announces the result with words as sharp as a razor. It seems the floodgates are already open. ''I heard about your visit beforehand. The floodgates are only a measure to get you to attend this meeting, not its true purpose. Therefore, we opened the gates as soon as your visit was confirmed. You can rest assured. ''...... Well, thank you. I don''t know what to say. Estella has that look on her face. I don''t know what to say. I guess that means they don''t listen to our opinions. ''If the floodgates are open, we are safe. ''Then, the meeting is adjourned at .......'' ''No, wait!One more thing!That''s the main thing I want to talk about! Estella bites the lord of the 29th district, who is trying to close the meeting quickly. She stood up and leaned forward with her hands on the table. ''We are .......'' ''Raise your hands if you are willing to continue allowing this person to speak! With a force and volume that drowned out Estella''s words, the lord of the 29th district asked for another show of hands. This time, five people raised their hands, and the motion passed. ...... Do you have to do it every time, majority rule? In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. It''s a good thing that you''ve got a good idea of what you''re doing. We ask you to reconsider your response to us, including compensation. While Estella was talking, Lucia was just silently staring at the lord she was facing. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Then I demand to see the evidence.'' ''Go to ............?'' Perhaps it had been decided beforehand, but without a majority vote or discussion among his peers, the lord of the twenty-ninth district came to us with a counterargument. ''We''re asking you to show us proof that your ''fireworks'' did not cause this water shortage. It''s almost impossible to prove that. Even if the fireworks were set off again and it rained the next day, they would say, ''It rained this time, but that doesn''t prove that it didn''t cause the previous water shortage. Considering the fact that he deliberately limited it to ''this time''s water shortage,'' he must be planning to make such a complaint. Estella''s mouth stopped moving. Either way, I can''t give you that kind of evidence right now. I put my hand on Estella''s shoulder. Estella''s shoulders jumped the moment I touched her, probably because she was so nervous. She slowly turned her head toward me. ''...... Let''s bring it back once.'' ''......Yes, that''s a good idea.'' The floodgates seem to be open, and we''ve made contact with the BU''s. I''ve also been able to feel some of the BU''s warped forms. It''s a good time to rethink our strategy. I originally rushed over to help with the floodgates, and I was hoping to gather a little more information. ''Then, I''ll bring back the evidence, meet the demands, and discuss what kind of response we should take.'' Lucia said in an icy voice and stood up noiselessly. As she stood up, Gilberta pulled out a chair at the perfect time. That''s awesome, Gilberta. ''You must understand that you do not have much time. If you keep us waiting too long, we''ll have to close the floodgates again. ''............'' Estella''s lips pursed together. ''You must understand correctly that we can dam the river at any time. You should also be aware of the fact that it is easy to raise the tariffs of the Sea Fishing Guild as well. That''s all I have to say. I''ll leave you to it. With the words of the lord of the 29th district as a signal, the exit door was opened. In the end, he didn''t even give his name. It''s been a long time since I''ve had a guy who''s been this straightforward with me. ''Let''s go. Lucia whispered in a voice that only we could hear. Estella and I nodded our heads at the same time and followed her. Before we leave the room, I''ll take one more look at the faces of the BU guys. We''ll probably see each other again, but ............ for now, I''ve memorized your faces. As soon as we left the room, the door was quickly closed, separating us from the lords of BU. It would be cute if they were saying, ''Huh, I''m nervous,'' behind the door right now, but ...... that doesn''t seem to be the case. The other side of the door was silent, as if everything had been frozen, and there was no sign of anything. ''Master Yashiro......'' Natalia, who had been silent the entire time in the room, came over to stand next to me and whispered in my ear. ''Did you see the woman at the other table? There was only one woman among the lords. The one who raised her hand and asked that Estella be allowed to speak. ''That''s her. ............ She was an A cup, wasn''t she? ''You, what were you looking at, so! ''The theory that all female lords have small breasts has become more convincing! ''Shut up, Natalia! ''You''re being rude, head waiter! Natalia was immediately bitten by Estella and Lucia. ''Lucia-sama is a big-breasted woman in the lord''s world, isn''t she? ''Mu...... um, that might be the case.'' But Lucia was easily turned. No, it''s fallen. ''...... You''re cheap, your pride. ''Anyway, let''s go back to our respective districts.'' ''Right. Let''s discuss it later.'' They decided to stop at the 35th district and then take a carriage to the 42nd district. It would be a bit of a detour, but Lucia''s carriage was fast, so it would be more convenient. ''I''ll go to the Forty-second District again tomorrow. ''Oh, no. I''m sorry if I''m only putting a burden on you, Lucia. I''ll go myself this time.'' ''I want to go to the Sunken Pavilion! Lucia, shouted with all her might. And, ''You know what you''re doing, anchovy!Make some peanut butter! I''m sure you''ll get the message. ...... I know. ''If you go to the Sunshine Pavilion, you''ll be able to eat delicious food while puffing on the antennae of cute insects. Basically, I''ll make my way over there.'' ''Sorry. We don''t offer that kind of service. You''ll be banned, you perverted lord.'' And so we left the 29th district. Before that, we had to do the very tedious work of getting the carriages of the lords of the districts parked in front of us out of the way and getting Lucia''s carriage out of the way, and the contractor who did the work gave us ...... beans as a ''service'', and we finally left. We were finally able to leave the 29th district. ...... Seriously, what do you want me to do with all these beans? ............ 255-Episode 167 Return to Yodari-tei It was long after dark when we returned to District 42. ''Magda~, I need your help~! ''...... What?'' He opened the door and summoned Magda. Lucia''s carriage was parked in the garden of the Sunken Pavilion. I want you to take the beans out of here. ''I''m sorry, but I need you to carry this ...... I don''t even want to look at it anymore. d*mn those beans. ...... They smell like beans every time the wagon shakes. ............ ''......Buying?'' ''It''s a forced sale.'' ''......Yes.'' Without asking too many questions, he hefted a wooden box branded ''District 29''. It''s very light. ...... As a matter of course, these beans that were tariffed in the 29th district would not be tariffed if they passed through any other district in the BU. Apparently, they could pass through if they were branded. Then, I thought, I could just use that crate ......, but the branding had the date on it. The branded seal was made just like the data stamps seen in Japan. This one, however, was made of metal fittings and heated to a high temperature. ''Hey, big brother, welcome back. ''Hey, Loretta. You''re still here? ''I''m staying over today. Normally, Loretta would have finished closing the store and gone home by now. ''I thought I should protect the store manager and Magda-chou if you happen to be late! Your breasts look bigger after being around Estella and Lucia for so long. Oh, no, but Natalia and Gilberta have been with me for the same amount of time, so they''re small compared to them. ''Well, it''s normal in between. ''What is it?You just came home and you''re bad-mouthing me?I''m not normal! I give a small bag of peanuts to the screaming Loretta. Loretta carries the peanuts into the store, complaining about them. ''Well, that''s it for us. When all the beans have been unloaded, the two gentlemen bow together. In order to move a large carriage for a long distance without causing an accident, a replacement is needed. We don''t want the guard to be down and unable to move the carriage by any chance. So, as I was about to leave the carriage and enter the shop-- ''Welcome back. Mr. Yashiro. Ginette came out to greet me. Her hands were wet, clearly indicating that she had been working in the kitchen until just now. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry I''m late.'' ''No, you don''t have to pick me up or anything, okay?I''m working.'' ''But... But I still want to see you come home safely. He smiled and said that happily. ...... What are you doing to make me embarrassed? You''re not going to get anything by flattering me. You''ve got a lot of souvenirs today. In contrast to Ginette, who has a big smile on her face, the expression is fading from my face. ...... Don''t remind me of that. ''It seems that every time I go to BU, this is what happens to me. ''Is that so?That''s amazing.'' ''It''s not a gift, it''s a hard sell. You don''t have to be happy about it.'' ''No, sir. It''s still nice to get something from a distant city. This guy ...... corrects all my negatives into positives. I don''t know what makes him so happy. Beans, beans. I''m sure Ginette would say ....... I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. I''m going to try to make some processed food.'' ''A new dish? They''re really into it! I think they think the food I make is special. In Japan, I can''t make anything more than common things you can get at the supermarket. ''It''s not a dish, it''s like a seasoning. ''Seasoning? He tilted his head, and then his face suddenly lit up with ''Paaa......! His face lit up. And then he beckoned me with an excited expression, as if he was about to tell me a very special secret. ''To tell you the truth, I received a very delicious seasoning today. ''You received it?Who gave it to? ''Mr. Assunto. ''He sold it to me. ''Yes . I''ve paid the bill.'' I wouldn''t say you paid for it. It''s a seasoning that I''ve never had before, so I''d really like you to try it too, Yashiro-san! In the event you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. She smiles like a child hurrying to eat. I''m sure you''ve had a great time. ............ No, this face is the ''prank face'' that has been peeking out at me every now and then lately. I''m not sure what you mean. But it''s probably just a silly scheme. It''s probably something like ...... spicy seasoning or something like that. When you enter the store, you will see crates of beans stacked up and small bags on top of them. Estella and Natalia, Lucia and Gilberta, and me. In short, I took back all the beans that were forced on me at BU. ............ Huh. Just looking at it makes my stomach churn. ''Yashiro-san. Here it is!'' Ginette, who left me on the floor and ran to the kitchen, returns with a medium bottle of seasoning. Inside the tightly sealed bottle was a thick, olive-colored liquid that looked like olive oil with red shishito peppers in it. ''Picante oil, huh? ''--Huh! Ginette''s shoulders jumped as she held the bottle. ''......, did you know about this?'' ''No, well, I''ve seen it in my hometown. It''s the stuff they serve at Italian restaurants. I used it just like Tabasco. ''I''m sorry, I just wanted to see Yashiro-san''s surprise at the spiciness, so I made this prank ......! ''No, it''s fine!It''s okay. It''s nothing to be sorry about. In fact, I think it''s a good trend that Jeannette is planning this kind of prank, because it''s a sign that she''s comfortable with her current life. ''I''d rather welcome that kind of mischief. ''Is that so? ''Oh, yeah. That''s right.'' The atmosphere in the cafeteria was very different, when Ginette was smiling and when she wasn''t. A smile clouded by worries, like a few days ago, was not very desirable. It makes me feel more comfortable when she is smiling. I''m sure all the customers feel the same way. ''Seeing Ginette''s smile makes me feel happy. ''Huh? I shouted, dropping the medium bottle of picante oil in my hand. --That''s dangerous!...... I''m surprised. ...... How did you catch that, me? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Hmm? No, it''s not ''me'', it''s ''everyone''. ...... ''So, then, I''ll do my best to keep smiling from now on!I''ll play lots of pranks too! ''No, you don''t have to play lots of pranks! ''You''re very welcome, so I''ll think of lots! Ginette said cheerfully, and ran to the kitchen. I''ll think of plenty! ...... I wonder where he''s going. I mean, I wanted to make some processed bean products from now on. ...... ''......Yashiro''. ''Big brother''. Magda and Loretta step noiselessly up behind me. ''...... That sauce is good stuff. You should definitely try it.'' ''Yes, yes, yes. You should slather it on and eat it.'' ''...... They''ve fallen for Jeannette''s prank, haven''t they? ''Yes, they did. Then get me some pasta. We had been on the move for a long time ...... and were sick of beans, so we hadn''t eaten ...... dinner. It''s amazing how hungry you get when you enter the Sunken Pavilion. Loretta is holding a loaf of bread that looks hard enough to pour over it, but I don''t really like the bread in this town. I don''t like the bread in this city, not only because it tastes bad, but also because it makes me angry at the thought of money going to the money-grubbing priests of the church. ''...... Okay. Magda will bring you the pasta she recently mastered.'' ''Oh, you''ve been taught?'' ''...... wee,mssss''. ............ I wonder where he learns it, that sort of thing. With an expression of triumphant indifference, Magda entered the kitchen. I''m sure he''s got a handy face. ''Well, ......, what should I do with me and this bread? Loretta and Pan are left behind. Put the bread back in the kitchen for now. You can serve it to the customers because they haven''t eaten it yet. Loretta is touching it, but ...... if you serve it to Loretta''s fans, they will be rather pleased. Though if your hands aren''t clean, I''ll make sure Loretta takes responsibility for disposing of them. ''Loretta. Are you dirty now?'' ''I think there''s a better way to ask!It''s clean!It''s so clean that fairies and spirits are surprised! Then there''s no problem. ''Help me with the bread after you put it down. Peel the peanut shells.'' ''Yes, sir!That''s a lot of .............'' ''Just make a prototype today and let your siblings help you tomorrow.'' ''All right!I''ll leave it to you! Loretta rushed back to the kitchen, a bowl in her hand. She glanced back at the kitchen. ''What''s wrong? ''The manager was cooing in the corner of the kitchen. ''...... What''s that guy doing? ''It was like a cat washing its face. If you stroke his head or back, he''ll turn over and let you stroke his belly. I remember a cat that was overly friendly would sometimes do that. I''ll let you pet my belly, too. I''ll peel it off for now!Manager, I''m sure you''ll come to your senses and come help me. ''Well then, let''s close up for the day, acting manager''s deputy. ''Oh, really?I''m the assistant manager''s assistant?Is that okay? Magda is the acting manager. Since Magda is out of the office, Loretta is the only one who can be trusted to be the chief manager of this place. ''''Permission, please. ''Muhaa!I''ve finally risen to this level?Can you give me permission to close the store? ''Yes. So give me permission quickly. ''Hmm~...... I wonder what I should do~'' This guy ...... is trying to stay in the position of chief executive for as long as possible. ''Hurry up, or the assistant manager will come back and close the store quickly. ''Nooo!I can''t have that!It only happens once a year that I have to give permission to close the store!I can''t give it up!Big brother, go close the store! ''Hey, hey. And so, the plate on the front was turned over to ''Close'', and the Sunlit Pavilion was closed. Now, it''s time to make a prototype. ''What would you like to make? ''Well, we''ve already decided on peanut butter and honey roasted peanuts, right? ''That looks really good! Loretta''s got a big appetite. ''Anything with the word ''honey'' in it is usually delicious! ''What?That one? I thought she was biting into the peanut butter. ''Neither peanuts nor butter are sweet. I''m more interested in honey roasted peanuts, as a girl! Maybe that''s what Estella and the others were reacting to. That''s right. If you don''t know what peanut butter is, you might not be able to imagine the sweet taste. ''Well, let''s peel it. ''...... jastoamoment'' Magda returned just as I took out the peanuts. He had a freshly made Neapolitan in his hand. ...... There''s no such thing as ''Napoli'' in another world, though. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... Serve it hot. ''Oh, that smells good.'' ''...... Yashiro has a sweat fetish.'' ''I''m not talking about the smell of your sweat!It''s the smell of pasta! I''ll get caught if I tell a sweaty Magda that she smells nice! When I sat down at my usual seat, Magda brought the pasta to me. He places the pasta in front of me and prepares a fork and spoon. ''...... Bon app??tit. ''Okay, now I''m going to pour some picante oil on it. ......'' When I lifted the bottle of picante oil, Magda grabbed my arm tightly. ...... He didn''t move a muscle. ''Hey. ...... what the hell are you doing?'' ''...... Magda''s first pasta . It will be delicious.'' ''Oh . So let me have it while it''s still warm.'' ''...... It''s unacceptable to ruin the taste with that crap.'' I said ''joke''! What happened to your original plan?You wanted me to say ''spicy''? Well, I''m not gonna say it. ''It''s okay. I know about this oil. I didn''t get stuck on it in the first place.'' ''...... so? ''Yeah. I''m fine, just let me try it.'' ''............ Okay.'' Free of Magda''s hand, I grab my fork. I don''t make any changes at first, just enjoy Magda''s seasoning. I put a generous amount of sauce on it and bring it to my mouth. ''N......, delicious! ''............ho. ...... naturally.'' Magda breathed an honest sigh of relief as soon as the tension was loosened. But after that, Magda is as strong as ever. The noodles are overcooked, so they''re not very crunchy, but they taste fine. I can''t serve it to customers yet, but I think it''s good enough. ''You spent too much time seasoning the noodles after boiling them. ''...... I''m not sure how to move the pan. ''You can teach me that next time, too. ''...... I''ll master it.'' Magda is eager. It''s only a matter of time before he masters it. I wonder if cooking will become a two-step process someday. ''That''s why I''m going to use picante oil. ''...... will ruin the taste.'' ''Don''t worry about it. Just pour it over the top of the .............'' A thin drizzle of oil is poured round and round. I like to put a little more oil than usual because I can handle spicy food. Mix it well and put it in your mouth. ...... Yes!It''s good! It''s a good spiciness. The tangy stimulus is very appetizing. ''...... funny.'' ''It doesn''t make you squirm. ......'' Magda and Loretta stare at me. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... Did you guys take so much that you''re squirming? I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... Are you okay? ''I''m an adult.'' ''I''m fine with ......, Magda.'' ''Oh, then I''m fine too! In a strange rivalry, Magda and Loretta took a bite of pasta each. They frown for a moment, but then their big eyes widen. ''...... just right.'' ''Yes, sir. It''s a taste that lingers! Magda savored the aftertaste that lingered in her mouth, and Loretta quickly took two or three bites of pasta. ...... Hey, that''s mine. ''Oh, um... Gentlemen. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. I feel like I''m consciously averting my gaze. I''m not sure what to do. When you stare at her, your gaze suddenly meets, and at that moment, Jeannette''s face turns red. I''m not sure what to say. ............ Stop it, seriously. It''s embarrassing. ''...... Manager. This is the right amount. ''Yes, it is!I''m not sure what to do. Magda and Loretta approached the red-cheeked, pouting Ginette with plates of Neapolitan in their hands. ...... Really, how much did you use? ''Hmm!It''s delicious. The spiciness accentuates the flavor of the tomato sauce! ''If you use the right amount, the spiciness can make your food taste better. ''Yes, it does. This is a spiciness that you will never get tired of. Ginette nodded admiringly as she wiped the sauce from her mouth. She seemed no longer embarrassed. ''So, how much did you put on? These guys were very reactive, you know?'' ''No, like ...... Assunto told me, put a lot of this ...... on the bread.'' ''...... When you bite into it, the spicy juice overflows from inside.'' ''That was more painful than spicy,.......'' ''So, was it that spicy?I liked it a lot. It was definitely a little spicy, though. Perhaps Ginette''s cooking skills have given her a wider range of taste tolerance than the others. By the way, when I ate the stinky spinach I bought in the Forty District, I swallowed it with all my might. ''Spicy food is for some people, but those who love it love it all the same. ''That''s true. I also basically like calm tastes, but sometimes I want to eat spicy food. ''......The 40th Ward''s Hot and Spicy Chicken......'' ''Oh, ......, that''s not something for humans to eat. This spicy chicken appeared as the dish of the Forty Wards in a gluttony contest. Magda and Loretta had eaten it once and never looked at it again. They said it was very spicy. However, it is true that the spicy chicken has its fans, and it is certain that spicy food has a certain level of popularity. ...... spicy food............ chili......... ... And then you see a pile of crates. ............ Solanaceous beans. ''Yes!Let''s make bean sauce! ''Toubanjan, is it? ''Oh. It''s a spicy seasoning, used in stir-fries. That sounds delicious! Bean-paste is made by adding koji and chili to sole beans. Fermentation is difficult but not impossible. The bean-paste made with the proprietress''s homemade bean-paste was excellent. ...... But it takes about six months to mature. I don''t know if you can make it right away or not. ''It can''t be made right away? ......'' ''Even if it takes a while, if it''s something new, I think it''s worth a try. Ginette, the cooking nerd, has a twinkle in her eye. Although the vectors are different, he reminds me a little of Bertina, doesn''t he? ''Do you know what koji is? ''Speaking of koji, it''s the kind used to make miso. I at least know the name.'' If Jeannette knows about it, it means it exists in this city. Then you can always get it by using Assunto. ......, or if you ask Assunto. You should always be friendly when you make a deal like this. As soon as you get the koji, start making it. Divide it into small portions so that it can mature as quickly as possible and add it to the menu at the Sunda-mari-tei. That way, you''ll be able to attract a different kind of customer. ''By the way, have you ever heard of shio koji? ''Shio koji, sir?I don''t know, that''s new to me. Hmmm... ...... Well, it''s not something you hear about very often. But if there''s koji, there''s a good chance it exists. Or rice malt. ''Well, I''ll ask Assunto to do his best to find it. ''Big brother is ready to use Mr. Assunto as a jaw! ''''...... Assunto is a good example of a former strong opponent who becomes a third-rate once he is on our side.'''' ''No, I don''t think that''s true. ...... Yashiro-san doesn''t think that way either. You know? ''What?No? ''Isn''t that the Yamcha frame, that guy? ''Oh, no. No, Yashiro-san. You can''t talk about your friend like that.'' ''Are ...... me and Assunto your friends? I don''t know, I''m in a really bad mood. ...... ''Umaro-san, Becko-san, Use-san, Percy-san, you''re all friends.'' ''Wow ...... all the members are so dense ...... I''m getting heartburn just hearing their names.'' ''...... Mormat and Omero have been excluded.'' ''Theron, too.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that.What?Mr. Yashiro? I don''t like to admit that they''re my friends. ''...... But it takes a certain amount of persuasion to move Assunto. Especially when there is no guarantee of success. Magda''s ears perked up and she made a good point. You know exactly what I''m talking about. ''That''s why I''m going to show him the appeal of the Unknown Seasoning. ''That''s why I''m going to show him the appeal of ''unknown seasonings''.'' ''What he thought would taste like nothing actually tasted really good. --If we can give him such an experience, he''ll be more willing to try soybean paste, which we can''t show him. ''For that, Loretta! ''Yes, sir! ''Peel the peanuts! ''You''ve been peeling them a lot since just now!You''ve been peeling them while your brother was eating, and if you want, you''ve been peeling them during this conversation! Thanks to Loretta''s diligent efforts, there was a little bit of peanuts in the bowl. An ordinary achievement. I don''t think it''s going to be more like, ''What, this much already? It''s Loretta, isn''t it? ...... ''You''re really normal. I''m not normal!I''m trying very hard! I''m trying my best and this is why I say I''m normal. ''Let Jeannette try. You''ll have it all off in two seconds.'' ''That''s not true, sir!It''s impossible!'' ''And you''re saying~?'' ''You can''t!Look, it''s already been two seconds!'' I tried to get my hopes up, but all I could do was fidget and not make any progress. I had no choice. Let''s just peel it normally. ''Well then, let''s all take 20 peanuts each. I handed out a mountain of peanuts, 20 to each of us. Four people gather around a table and hold the peanuts in their hands. ''The first one to peel all the peanuts wins. ''Wow!That sounds kind of interesting. ''...... Hmmmmmm. Actually, Magda is good at peeling peanuts. ''Do you think you can compete with me, an experienced peeler who''s already peeled over a dozen peanuts?I''ll show you the power of experience! He seemed to be getting on well with me. Well, as long as we have enough peanut butter, we should be fine for now. ''Well then, Lady ......, go! At my signal, everyone starts peeling peanuts at once. Sweet ...... sweet, you guys! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''ll show you what a prince really is! ''Muki muki muki muki! ''Oh, my brother is so fast it''s uncomfortable! ''...... Haaaaah! ''Mwah!Magda-chou!You can''t have ''red moya''!What are you trying to do? ''Alright, ...... alright, ......'' ''Manager, you''re late!I''m surprised you''re so slow! ''Mukimuu!Mukimuu!...... done!'' ''Even though it''s a weird call, it''s really fast, big brother!I''m not sure why it always ends with "Moo". ''...... If not for Loretta''s interference, Magda would have won.'' ''I didn''t do anything that bad!I was just saying something normal!Mwah!I said it was normal myself! ''Yes. I''m done too. ''While I was giving everyone a hard time, the manager even passed me! Loretta was screaming all by herself, and her hands were not moving at all. He''s always like that, isn''t he? ''The loser cleans the shell. ''Was there a punishment game?One more time!I''ll concentrate better this time! ''...... Hmm. Unusually, Loretta and I had an agreement. A once-in-four-years miracle.'' ''We don''t disagree that much, do we? ''...... I want a rematch.'' ''I want to do it too. It was fun.'' ''It can''t be helped. ...... Well, I can lend you my chest.'' ''My brother has become very arrogant after only one victory! ''Or, I''d be happy to lend you my breasts for a day. ''Oh, it''s the usual big brother. I feel relieved. And so, the peanut-peeling contest went on until the sixth round, where Ginette, who had gotten the hang of it in the first round, showed tremendous improvement and ended up winning four times in a row with a speed that no one could compete with after the third round. No one can match the awakening Jeannette. ...... It''s like magic at the end. So, when I had a lot of peanuts, I used them to make peanut butter. I crushed the peanuts with a pestle and mortar, ground them into a paste, and mixed them with sugar, butter, and a little olive oil. I finished it just before midnight, reminded of the greatness of the food processor. Magda and Loretta were already asleep, and only Ginette was helping me. The tasting would be tomorrow. I''m tired, as expected. Tomorrow we''ll negotiate with Assunto with this. Well, we''ll make it work. I fell asleep rubbing my arms, which had been stretched by the shelling and scraping. 256-Episode 168 Negotiations and Reports ''This is a very interesting condiment! ''It''s not really a condiment, it''s more like butter. ''What is peanut butter really classified as? ''Well, it''s a shame that something like this has gone undiscovered .......'' Assunto''s eyes sparkle like pearls. Pearls for pigs. Assunto smears a generous amount of the peanut butter I made last night on a freshly baked crepe and savors it. I would have eaten it on bread, but ...... is not bread. It''s a blunt instrument. The bread''s potential is so low that it would be a drag on the peanut butter, so they bothered to make crepes. ''Really, if I had met you earlier, I would have had three times as many wonderful memories as I do now, it''s a shame ...... moxie moxie''. And of course, Bertina is participating in the tasting. ...... I''m going to donate to the church later. ''You''re amazing, manager!How do you cook it so thin? ''...... Loretta''s is a pancake.'' ''It''s a crepe! Loretta barks, holding an object that looks like a pancake. ''...... is a pancake, it is. Well, they''re good with peanut butter, too. ''When you''re done with the church donations, gather up the younger ham kids. I want them to peel peanuts.'' ''I''ll take the younger ones, please! The younger ones are too young to be trusted with tasks yet. It seems that Loretta is always pestering them to work, and it''s hard to appease them. So, let her relieve her frustration by giving her this kind of ''help''. Simple work consumes a lot of time, energy, and mental cheerfulness, so it would be a great help to us if you could help us. Best of all!-young people don''t need to be paid. Giving them a job is already like a reward. There is no way to avoid using ....... Hmmm... ...... ''Huh!Your brother is looking kind of nasty, isn''t he? ''No, no. That''s the face you make when you''re thinking of something for someone else. ''...... Loretta is still naive.'' ''What?Is that so? ''Even to my eyes, it looks like a very bad face. ......'' At the words of Ginette and Magda, Loretta and Assunto stare at my face. Stop it. I''ll charge you a fee. When have I ever done anything for anyone? You''re buying too much. ''So. Lately, there''s been a lot of talk about sweets here at the sunny pavilion. ......'' ''Yes, yes. Following the cake, I''m sure this peanut butter will be a big hit. Assunto''s smiling face knows no bounds. Isn''t he going to turn into an Ebisu face soon?The villainous face he had when I first met him is nowhere to be seen. ''Actually, I wanted to make a new seasoning. ''Can you tell me more about it? In an instant, his pimply face transformed into a predator''s glare. He''s biting more than I thought he would! The peanut butter is working wonders. If you make them eat an unknown delicious food first, and then propose a new unknown food, they will be excited to see what kind of great food you have next. If this happens, the business meeting will go smoothly. They will be willing to accept a little difficulty. ''Can you introduce me to someone who deals in koji? ''Koji......? ''Yeah. It''s essential for what I''m going to make. ''If it''s koji, I''m sure you can get a lot of it by talking to the people who make miso. ''Various? ''Yes. There''s also shio koji, rice koji, and seed koji. That''s Assunto. He''s got exactly what I want. ''Is what you''re trying to make, miso? ''Well, it''s not really miso, it''s more like ...... bean sauce.'' ''Toubanjan...... is a name I''ve never heard before. It didn''t even get translated.'' I wonder if Assunto is even aware of the difference in the way the ''forced translation magic'' sounds when he speaks. He''s using his brain a little differently than the rest of us. I''m glad you''re on my side. If he''d remained an enemy, he''d have become a nuisance. Making money is great. The bond formed by money is stronger than anything else. After all, making money is the single greatest justice in this world. --and this is not the time to reconfirm such things. ''It''s a spicy seasoning that makes a simple stir-fry vegetable dramatically more delicious, and the dish it creates is a sure-fire hit. ''Hoho...... is it such a great seasoning? I''m sure it''s going to be a hit. ...... But if Yashiro-san can say it so clearly, then I''m sure he can make some great dishes. Oyo. The most famous dish using bean-paste is Mapo Tofu. You can''t go wrong with that. ''Using koji means you need to ferment it, right? ''Oh, yes. About six months at room temperature. ''That''s a long time. ''It''s spicy, anyway. It takes a long time to bring out the roundness of the flavor. But this time, I''m trying to shorten the maturation time by dividing it into small portions. ''In that case, I''ll introduce you to a miso craftsman who can handle the fermentation. If you leave it to him, I''m sure he''ll make a perfect fermentation. I see. I don''t have to make it myself, I can leave it to the professionals to manage the koji well. ''But in that case, you''ll have to teach me how to make it .......'' ...... Hmm. ''I know. I''ll give you a piece of my mind if you succeed. ''Then let''s make it a success at all costs! Assunto''s on board. He''s already convinced. ''This will be profitable. ''Well, I''ve stir-fried some vegetables with the bean-paste that Yashiro-san made. Ginette gently presents me with a small plate of stir-fried vegetables. It''s a kind of bean-paste, seasoned with miso, raayu, salt and soy sauce. Incidentally, the chili oil is also homemade. Regina had some chili peppers and octagon, so I made it before, but I didn''t expect it to come in handy here. I guess you have to try everything. ''Hmmm!Is this the taste of bean-paste? ''It''s not. ''It''s spicy and appetizing! ''I just changed the seasoning I usually use for seasoning to this, so I think anyone can easily get this taste. ''I see. You don''t need to be as skilled as Ginette to get this taste. ............'' I can hear the sound of an abacus being played from inside Assunto''s skull. ...... He''s doing the math in his brain so clearly that I feel like I can hear it. It''s a little tougher than you might think, but let me introduce you to a pro among pros!I''ll try to seduce the legend of the miso craftsman world! He seemed to have switched to someone a rank higher than the person he had said he would introduce earlier. He must have seen the taste and decided to make a full-scale success of it. However, there are legends in the world of miso craftsmen ......, and there are famous people like that everywhere. ''I can''t stay like this!I''ll go talk to him right away!I''m going to talk to him right away. Um, can I borrow some of that ''bean paste''?I think it''ll be a good weapon to persuade him. Yes, yes!Please take it with you. It''s also delicious dipped in celery, so please give it a try. ''Thank you very much! Preparations proceeded briskly. It would be no problem to leave the negotiations to Assunto. So I''ll just give him the recipe for the bean sauce verbally. If you''re going to entrust me with the job, I''d like you to consider whether it''s even possible. Well, it should be easier than making miso, so that shouldn''t be a problem, but not many people are willing to make something they don''t know the identity of. ''You''re using soramame? ...... I hadn''t thought of that.'' Assunto looks at me with a look of admiration. Stop it. It wasn''t my idea. It''s a recipe that some old cook or other came up with, and my landlady adapted it to make it easier. I just knew that information. ''Actually, there is an oversupply of soya beans compared to the demand,......, and we''ve been having trouble processing them. ''I''m sure ......''. In any case, it''s the kind of thing that gets pushed around so much in famous production areas. If there''s a surplus, you should save your production. Don''t talk about quotas. ''Anyway, I''ll be sure to get a colorful response, so please keep your eyes open. ''Oh, come on. Are you sure you want me to say ''sure''? If things don''t go well, you might be turned into a frog, you know? ''Ho-ho-ho. Yashiro-san is a trustworthy person, so I''m fine.'''' ''Huh. That''s good to know. I''m glad you''re available. ''Mm-hmm ...... and. It''s more profitable for you to keep me alive than to turn me into a frog, isn''t it, Yashiro-san? Well, that''s true. There''s no benefit to turning Assunto into a frog. ''It''s better to have this kind of stimulation so that a good relationship can last longer. Friendships are. ''Yeah, ...... when did we become friends, we ......''. ''By the time you realize it, it''s ....... Mm-hmm.'' Don''t look so happy, you creepy bastard. With his heart full of new business, Assunto left in a good mood. ''...... d*mn it. It''s a pain in the ass to ask him for favors. I exhaled loudly, and Ginette shook her shoulders with a giggle next to me. ''But he looked like he was having a great time. Both of you.'' ''They both love to make money, you know. ''I see you two are good friends.'' Stop it. My chills are getting worse and I think I''m going to fall asleep. ...... You guys are going to be eating breakfast after this.That''s enough. ''Bertina. That''s enough. You won''t be able to eat breakfast.'' ''I''m fine. I have a separate stomach for sweets.'' ''...... Is it possible to have another stomach even if you fill it first? Isn''t that the kind of thing where you can still eat even if you''re full? ''Anyway, I''m done. I''m confiscating it. ''Aaahhh! Ginette confiscated the pancakes from Bertina who wouldn''t stop. Ginette is able to show her sternness in this kind of situation. I''m sure she''s an amateur, but she''s got some discipline. ...... though the positions are reversed. Get a grip, mother dear. ''This peanut butter is amazing. I can eat as much as I want.'' ''You''ll get fat if you eat too much, though. ''Isn''t it much better than starving? That may be true in this world, especially in the impoverished 42nd district. But if we continue to eat at the level of Bertina, all the kids in the church will become obese. That cannot be overlooked. ''We need to limit the amount we use. ''Yes, we do. It''s not good to eat too much. I wish your mother had taught you those words earlier. Well, the fact that I can think like that is proof that the food situation in the 42nd district is getting better. It''s complicated whether I should be happy or sad. ''Well, let''s head for the church soon. We loaded the food we had prepared onto the cart, grabbed some bean paste and peanut butter, and headed for the church. ''Yashiro, we''ve been waiting for you! ''Yashiro, we''ve been waiting for you! When we left the sunlit pavilion, Delia and Norma were waiting for us. ''Come to the river right now!I have something to show you! ''Come to the river now, please!There''s something you need to see!'' The same words are being hurled at me from the left and right at the same time. What''s the matter with you two? ''Manager, I''ll borrow Yashiro! ''Mr. Manager, I''m going to borrow some palm oil! I was grabbed firmly by both arms and carried away by two beautiful beasts with big tits. Then, we''ll be waiting for you at the church~'' came the misguided words from the distant Jeannette. came from a distant Ginette. No, no, no, just stop them, they''re getting out of control. Delia and Norma twine their arms around each other like a couple. The only thing that''s not like a couple is that Delia and Norma''s faces are very desperate, their arms are restrained with great force, and their bodies are facing in opposite directions, so I''m going backwards. ''I mean, it''s fast!I''m scared!Slow down!I''m not on my feet!I''m still floating! That''s right, they''re picking me up and taking me to the river. ''Look, Yashiro!The river''s flowing again!That''s Yashiro!You''ve opened the floodgates for me! In a few minutes, I arrived at the riverbank, where I crouched with my limbs on the riverbank, while Delia was excited. ...... It was scary. A roller coaster without safety bars is no fun at all. ''The water flowed back to normal yesterday afternoon!I''ve been to Newtown, and there''s a waterfall, and Loretta''s sisters are bathing under it!Naked! No, I don''t want the ''naked! I don''t need that information. ...... I don''t have the kind of s*xuality to be interested in that. I managed to regain my composure and looked up to see that the river had indeed regained its momentum. The volume of water was still low, but it was flowing properly. With this much water, the water would flow into the canal without the need to use the waterwheel. ''If you''re done, then it''s my turn! I can understand why Delia would be so happy to see the floodgates open, but I don''t understand why Norma dragged me along with her. I''m not sure what you''re looking for. I''m not sure. No, it''s not!I didn''t bring any swimwear! ''Then what are you going to swim in? ''No, I''m not! I don''t care if you go into the water with your shirt on! That''s just so adolescent! ''I heard that the kids are playing with the water wheel. Norma took out her cigarette and smoked with pride. She moves to the front of the waterwheel and puts her hand on something that wasn''t there before. ''I made you a handrail!Now there''s no danger of falling!The children can play to their heart''s content! Metal fences and handrails were installed around the waterwheel. ...... Did he really want to be a part of it? You didn''t want to be left out. ''Make him an anchor, ......''. ''Yeah, we''re working on that!I mean, it''s not like you can build something that big in a day or so, so I don''t mind doing something else in between! ''I mean, the kids are jumping in by themselves. There''s a difference between jumping and falling! Norma is desperate. He''s a bit like Imelda, ...... with his rivalry with Umaro. It''s all ...... ''I''m in trouble if you don''t finish the Ikari quickly. ''Why is Yashiro in trouble?Masha said that the next voyage is a month away, so as long as it''s delivered by then, there''s no problem. ''What, are you imitating Masha now?Do it again! ''No, I don''t want to!I didn''t mean to imitate you at all! ''Well, it was kind of cute. I want to see it again. ...... ''I''m not ............ saying it''s cute, I''m saying it''s ............ not that cute. ......'' If you have any questions regarding where and how to get the best results, please contact us. But still, still, still ...... ''Hey, let''s practice ...... first, okay? Norma broke. I mean, are you going to practice imitating Masha? ...... I''d like to see you practice that. ''And anyway!You don''t have to worry about the anchor, because I''ve got it all planned out. ''No, that''s not what I meant. It''s not that I want to rush the completion of the anchor. If I don''t give him a reasonable amount of work, he might say ''for the sake of the children'' and put safety bars all over the riverbed. I''ve got just the thing I want, so I''ll ask him for it. ''I''d like to ask you for something. ''I''ll make it! Oh, ......, you''re as quick on the uptake as Umaro. What?Isn''t there any work in the forty-second ward now?There is, isn''t there?In fact, it should be busier than before, right? I''m sure Norma''s team is working on reinforcing parts for the city gates, armor for the soldiers, and many other things. ...... ''So, what should I make? It''s coming at me really hard. I wish it would just push against my boobs, but it stops just short of that. I can''t ...... go on! ''Didn''t you have me make you a mill before? ''A mill ......, you know, the kind that grinds coffee beans into powder.'' ''I''d like you to modify it a bit so that it can grind other things. I''d like to be able to adjust the coarseness if possible. ''If the base is a mill, I''m sure it''s pretty easy to make. ...... What are you going to make now? I''ve got a lot of peanuts on hand. I just wanted to try to recreate something I liked in Japan. I thought I''d make doughnuts. The fact that I couldn''t make bread had turned my attention away from wheat and towards corn flour and rice, but when I saw Loretta making pancakes this morning, it hit me. Doughnuts are not baked in a stone oven, so they do not fall under the category of bread. They are not so difficult to make and they are filling. I thought, "Why don''t we serve them at the sunny-side up restaurant? My favorite doughnuts were those coated with chocolate and covered with crushed peanuts. If we prepared plain doughnuts and several other flavors, the girls would love them. ''''What kind of food is that!Is it sweets! ''If I make the tools, will you let me taste them again? ...... like this. I wonder. Are the people in this town hypnotized to get excited when I make something?It''s not like Pavlov''s dog. ...... Conditioned reflexes are scary. ''It''s a sweet treat. It''s pretty good.'' ''Norma!I''ll help you make it right now! ''It''ll take even longer if you help me!I''ll stay up all night to finish it. ...... I''m sorry, Norma, but ...... you''re on fire. ''Just make sure you get the anchor right, okay? ''I''ll be fine!It''s my policy to always meet deadlines. ''That''s right, Yashiro!There''s still a month to go!I''m sure Norma can make it!So let''s get the donuts first! I wonder if Delia is rooting for Norma or if she''s trying to abuse her. ''Are you sure you don''t want the anchovies later? ''No problem!We''ll get it done in time! ''So, what did Masha say? ''''The next voyage is a month away~'''' ......, don''t make me say it! ''Hey, Norma ......, you don''t look like Masha at all! ''You''re so annoying!I''m still practicing! I''m trying to master it, Norma. ''Haha...... river is back to normal, I can eat donuts...... good day, today''. ''Wait, wait, wait. I''m not doing donuts today, okay?'' ''Why the hell not? ''I haven''t prepared anything yet! I can''t make that many in a day. We still have beans left over. We''ve got to take care of that now. ''''I also have to make peanut butter, so that''s my priority today. ''''Peanut butter? I''m getting a huge bite! ''''I''ll help!I''m not fishing in the river for a while!I''ll help you! ''''I''ll help too! ''Norma, you should make mills and anchovies! ''What?Maybe if we go to the church now, we''ll find ......? ''That''s right, Delia!I bet they''re having a tasting at the sisters'' right now! ''Yes!Let''s go! ''Come on, let''s go! ''Hey, you guys! The two who had forcefully dragged me here were now leaving the riverbank at great speed, leaving me behind. d*mn it! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... Norma will probably just eat normally, so don''t worry about it. She''s a relatively small eater. Anyway, it''ll be a problem if it spreads any further. I haven''t even made peanut butter yet. I was going to shell it and make it slowly with the ham kids, but ...... I''m going to get very impatient. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I put all my strength into my right foot and take a big step forward. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you can''t get out of the house.I don''t remember them being that fast! This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... It''s getting really exciting. I''m not sure what to make of that. Half resigned, I walked into the church. The person who greeted me at the door was ...... ''You''re late, anchovy. ''You''re early, you''re here! It was Lucia and Gilberta. ...... I thought these guys would be here in the afternoon. How much were you looking forward to it? ''Come on, let''s see what they''ve got! ''You''re a debt collector. Even if you say it now, it won''t come out right away. ''Oh, Yashiro-san!We''ve run out of peanut butter! ''...... needs to be added ASAP'' ''I''m calling up all my brothers and sisters who are available!I''m sure they''ll be here soon! The three girls of the Sunlit Pavilion emerge from the kitchen, and Delia and Norma appear behind them with smiles on their faces. ''I''ve only had a bite, but it''s delicious, peanut butter!I love that stuff! ''I didn''t want to take a bite for the kids, so I refrained. ...... I''d like to have some more. Following them, the church kids and the ham kids appear in droves. ''Oniichan!It was delicious! ''Another one! ''Yachiro!More! ''Begging! They crowded around me. Are you ants?Do you have a habit of flocking to sweet things? ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ...... what should I do? ''What should I do ............?'' Do you want me to hit the kids one by one to shut them up? ...... No, we can''t beat Delia and Norma. ...... I need to get them to calm down somehow. ............ I''m not sure what to make of that. It was Bertina, surprisingly, who clapped her hands and sank the kids. ''Hmmm. Sweets are tempting, but when it comes to nutrition, a proper meal is best. She was right. She''s a strict disciplinarian, like a mother. Any parent would scold their child if they put snacks before food. ...... But why can''t you tell yourself that? ............ Oh, because he eats his food too. It''s not like the kids are going to say, ''I''m full of snacks, I don''t want to eat. ''I haven''t eaten yet, so make it soon, anchovies. ''I''m excited, too, since yesterday. And I understand the pressure ...... from the grown-ups. ''Eat your dinner and get to work.'' ''Yes! ''...... arms ringing.'' ''It''s a big gathering of our brothers and sisters! The sunny pavilion is in full force from early in the morning. It''s just peanut butter,............, but from the looks of it, it''s going to sell like hotcakes if we can just get it into circulation. That''s a relief at least, I guess. 257-Episode 169 New boom, and... ''All brothers and sisters, help! ''Peel the shell! ''Peel! ''''Peel the shells, but...'''' ''''Don''t get peeled! In the courtyard of the sunny pavilion, many hamsters are gathered together. The shelled ones are sent to the kitchen in order to be processed into peanut butter and honey roasted peanuts. Some of the peanuts are soaked in honey. They can be eaten after about a week of soaking. Don''t forget to dry roast and sterilize the jar before soaking. ''It smells so good ......''. In the kitchen is Estella, who arrived late. She was thinking about how to deal with District 29 and was late for breakfast. ''Do you want me to help you? ''Nah, I''m rooting for you. ''...... You son of a b*tc*. ''Mr. Yashiro. Peanuts, they''re here! ''Well, let''s roast them.'' Ginette brings me a large colander full of peanuts. The peanuts, peeled to the skin, are roasted in a frying pan so as not to burn. ''Oh, by the way, peanuts can be eaten raw, can''t they?I was so surprised. Ginette picks up a peanut in its shell with her fingers and peers at my work. Raw?...... Oh, that''s not right. Ginette peels back the shell and puts a peanut in her mouth. It''s wrong to describe it as ''raw''. ''They''ve already been dry-roasted once when they''re served. ''Huh?Is that so? ''Heh, I see.'' Next to Ginette, Estella also rolled her eyes. ...... No, I can''t eat raw beans, they''re too bitter. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website to see if there''s anything you need to know. This is probably because the place that ships the peanuts dries and roasts the shells first. Peanuts have to be dried in the sun and then dry-roasted. If you dry-roast peanuts after shelling them, you can reduce the bulk and roast them at once, but it is difficult to store them afterwards. If you put the peanuts in a bag, they may become infected with germs. Then, you can dry roast the whole shell and keep them in the shell. It is because they are meant to be carried around that they go to such trouble. ''It''s a corporate effort to get as many customers as possible by making it ready to eat. As Estella said, the guilds in this city are doing all kinds of research and development to make their products sell better. Miso and soy sauce have been invented, sugar refining methods have been established, and so on. On the other hand, those who are not able to do so will live in poverty. Like the corn of the Yap locks and the sugar beets of the anteater brothers. ''So, why are you dry roasting now? ''It''s partly for sterilization, but dry-roasting increases the aroma and makes it crispy. That''s the kind of crispiness I want for the ones I''m making now. When the fragrant smell of the peanuts begins to rise, remove them from the bowl and let them cool. When the heat is off, heat the honey in a frying pan. Do not let it burn. ...... Toss the peanuts with the honey, sprinkle with sugar and salt, let cool, and you''ve got crispy, sweet honey-roasted peanuts. ''Can I eat it now? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to wait for the peanuts to cool down. ............ No, you''ve got your eyes glued to the peanuts. ''Estella. ''What?'' ''Your hand.'' I held out my hand, and Estella put her hand on it. But she immediately shakes it off. ''What do you want me to do? ''Didn''t you get stuck in the flower garden, too? ''Can you please not make me do this again and again? Estella is like a dog. I mean, the atmosphere... So... ''Estella. ''What now? ''Raising her. ''If I could do that, I would have done it already! ''If I could do that, I would have done it already! ''It''s still hot, so be careful.'' ''Yes! She picks up a honey roasted peanut with sparkling eyes. Ginette follows suit and takes a piece into her mouth. ''Mmm~!It''s so sweet! ''I like the faint taste of salt. ''But it''s quite high in calories, so don''t eat too much. If you eat like an idiot, you''ll get obese and might even get sick to your stomach. ''...... Yashiro. Peanut paste is ready. ''This one too ...... managed to finish ......''. Magda and Loretta, who were in charge of the peanut butter, bring the peanuts into a nice paste. Loretta''s arms are shaking. It''s hard work, isn''t it? All you have to do is mix it with honey and other ingredients, and it''s ready. ''Yes, yes!I''ll mix it myself! Delia raises her hand vigorously, appealing to me. All right! ''Norma, please. ''Yes, yes. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''Why is it Norma?I like sweets better than you! ''That''s why.'' If we leave it to Delia, it might be too sweet. I''m sure Norma will take care of that. ''So, Jeannette. Where are the crepes? ''Yes, already. Ginette, who was in charge of crepes, had already cooked more than enough crepes. You''re too good at this, you know. ''Yashiro-san, may I have a word? Bertina had borrowed some ham kids from the church, and had come to the sunny pavilion as their guardian. I guess she really wants to eat a little more. Such Bertina makes me this proposal. ''Crepes are delicious, but children might prefer something crunchier. Something like the pancakes that Loretta-san made for us at dawn.'' ''That''s a crepe, sir! protested Loretta, who had created several pancakes at dawn. ''Well, sure. It would be nice to have pancakes. But if I''m going to do it, I''ll make it properly as a pancake, not as a failed crepe. ''Yes, Yashiro!Why don''t you make those doughnuts you were talking about anyway?There are lots of kids here. ''Hey!Delia! You know what? Don''t mention the name of the new food in front of Bertina! I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t tell what it is, but you have the special ability to intuitively know it''s good. Yashiro-san! Look. When I tell you that... ''What kind of dish is that donut?It''s very interesting!'' --because they''re very interested like this: ...... ''Let''s make them!By all means! ''You know what, just calm down, Bertie. ...... Ginette! ''I want to make one! Oh, my God. ...... I thought it was Bertina who was pestering me, of all people. ...... You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. Bertina was behind her, looking at me with the same curious eyes. I didn''t know that Ginette was coming before Bertina. ............ Oh no ...... Ginette is becoming Bertina. I''m not sure if it''s the food provider or the consumer, but Ginette has inherited the DNA that makes us overly excited when we get information about delicious food. ''Oh, sir!I''ll do my best!I''ll do my best! I''ll do my job well!If it''s okay with you, Yashiro-san, then by all means! The glitter from her eyes covered her entire body, making Ginette look like she was glowing slightly. ''I want to learn a new dish! It''s written on her face. ...... I can''t help it. ''When the peanuts are done, get the kids out of the kitchen. ''Out of the kitchen, sir? ''Donuts are made by frying wheat in oil. It''s not safe to have kids hanging around. ''Yes, sir. Okay, everyone. Yashiro-san is going to cook a delicious meal for us, so let''s be good. '''''''' Yes! '''''''' At the sound of Jeannette''s voice, all the ham kids came out of the backyard. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I turned around and saw Bertina dressed the same way and smiling. ...... Ah, Delia and Norma joined in. And, well... This is what happens in the end: ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. This is the first time I''ve ever been to a restaurant in Japan.What''s with all the people? Umaro, who had come to eat breakfast as usual, was surprised to see the kitchen full of people instead of the seating area. In the hall, the kids from the church were peeling peas and beans. Although they were not as fast as the ham kids, the kids, who had been thoroughly taught by Bertina to treat food with care, were working carefully. I think I''ll just consume these beans as tempura or beans and rice until I can find the time to make bean sauce. The beans that were thrust upon us in the 29th district were steadily consumed in this way. And when the sun rises in the sky: ...... ''Donuts, Ohiirefu~! Ginette, who had finally been released from cooking, was chomping down on a donut. ''......The manager is happily wagging his tail. ''It''s true. This is quite a lot of wishing and wishing. ''What, what?What''s "wasshoi wasshoi"?What is the situation? That''s what we''ve been wanting to ask for a long time. It''s the peak of the lunch hour, and it seems that many of the customers at the Sunlit Pavilion like new things--'' ''One peanut butter pancake! I''ll have a peanut donut! --And so it goes. It''s rare that Ginette takes a break during the peak hours, because she orders only what she doesn''t have to. However, he does go back to the kitchen every now and then to order the occasional sole tempura. ''Huh. ...... There are many beastmen in the 42nd district, it''s fun. ......'' ''I won''t be renting the place out today, so you''ll have to be quiet. ...... It looks so sweet. ''I don''t think we can just rent the place out and kick people out if the word gets out to so many people. Estella watches the faces of her customers as she crunches on a honey roasted peanut. Now,'' she said, ''it''s a private party today, you guys get out. We won''t even sell doughnuts,'' because that would definitely make Lucia look bad. Let''s keep her quiet for now. But if the lord of the 35th district is in the dining hall, the other customers will be reluctant. That''s why I''m seating him at the far end of the room as a show of resistance. In addition, Lucia is wearing a pseudo-tentacle on her head that she brought with her. It''s the one she made for the wedding parade. I don''t know what she thought she was getting into,............, but she was probably just trying to score some points when she met Millie, anyway. ''The people of this city are good. Even before I became a lord, I''ve never been in such a casual environment. It''s a bit of fun, even if it''s only because they don''t know it. ''Well, everyone knows that I''m a lord, don''t they? There is absolutely no respect for the lord of the forty-two districts. But it was Estella, of all people, who encouraged her to do so. You want to do this, but you''re acting badly. ''Donuts. They''ll definitely be popular. Estella''s words contained a bit of warning. The Sunlit Pavilion is a diner. It''s hard to overlook a situation where only donuts are sold. I''m sure Ginette would like to cook too. ...... After all, a moderate level of popularity is ideal. ''Well, I''ll tell the stores again. Just like we did with the cake. ''Yes!I want to learn!Teach me, Yashiro! Suddenly, Paula''s face stretched out from behind me. She''s clinging to my back, her chin resting on my shoulder. ''Onegai~'' ''Where did you learn that kind of disgusting begging ......''. Don''t spoil it. Your face will be smiling. ............ smiling. What''s ......?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''............''. ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' I wonder what ...... is . The silence hurts. Bad for the heart. ''Paula ...... I''ll tell you next time, can you leave for now?'' ''Yes!I''ll tell you what. No, ......, that''s some kind of blackmail. ''Aren''t they delicious, donuts! It seems that she has already eaten them and knows enough about donuts to be able to smile when she remembers their taste. ''I asked Neffely out before I came, but she seemed to be busy. It seems that Paula and Nephrite often go out together, as if they are kindred spirits among modern girls. It seems that they go to the hottest spots together. Well, most of the time they come to the sunny pavilion together. There aren''t many other hot spots, are there? ''Nepheli,'' she cried, ''I want to go out to eat, but we have a poultry farm meeting today! She was crying.'' ''Is he even meddling in the management? I thought your parents were still alive. Well, he loves eggs more than anyone else, you know. ''He''s coming to eat tomorrow. ''Then Percy''s coming tomorrow too. ''Mm-hmm. I''m sure he will.'' Ginette laughed, and Paula laughed as well. But there''s something that''s bugging me. The way Paula said it earlier, it seemed like she was inviting him to go eat doughnuts at the Sunlit Pavilion. However, the doughnuts were born for the first time this morning at the Sunlit Pavilion. Even Ginette, Bertina, Estella and Lucia didn''t know about this food, so it was strange that Paula and Nephrite knew about it. ''Where did you get the information about the donuts?'' ''Oh, that''s right, Hammaro was running around the main street saying, "Sunshine Pavilion''s new menu! He was running around the main street. ''...... Didn''t he participate in the shelling?When did he go to the main street? I didn''t tell him to advertise. ...... No wonder he had a good turnout. The Loretta siblings really are geniuses at publicity, aren''t they? ''It''s getting more and more impossible to rent out the room. ''After all the publicity, you never know what they''ll do to you if you don''t feed them. Estella gave me a teasing smile, but I could only smile back. Well, I guess I''ll just have a cup of coffee and be quiet today. I also need to think about how to deal with BU. ''...... Manager. Do you want another donut?'' ''Thank you, Mr. Magda. Magda, who is in charge of the site instead of Jeannette, comes in with a donut. Jeannette reaches for it, but is slightly confused. ''What should I do? I''d like to eat it, but I don''t think I can eat one by myself. ......'' ''Then why don''t you share half with me? ''Wow!That''s a good idea! It''s called ''eating together''. Ginette and Estella smiled happily at each other and neatly split the doughnut in half and shared it. Don''t be fooled, Ginette!Estella is planning to rob the ''manager''s tasting doughnuts'' to save money on the doughnuts! ''...... saving money?'' ''No, Magda!If you want, I can pay you, half! ''No, no!It''s okay, Estella!I''ll take care of this! Mmmmmmm. Magda is learning to think like me. If you master both Jeannette''s skills and my business methods ......, you will surely be able to create the best restaurant in all of Broome. ''Magda. ...... Please, don''t be any more like Yashiro.'' Estella said rudely. She put her hands on Magda''s shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes, expressing her deepest feelings. ''You''re very serious, those eyes of yours. ''............ I''ll keep that in mind. And Magda, you don''t deny it outright, do you? ...... I guess he''s a little ''I don''t want to be'' kind of guy. ''Hey, Magda!Stop talking and go back to the kitchen! We can''t run it alone! ''......, my men are calling for you. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Magda ran back to the kitchen with a bossy air. Delia and Norma are helping out somehow, as they have been doing since this morning. I''m not sure if this is a good idea,......, but. Norma ............ are you sure you want to do this, work? ''Hmmm ....... It''s really hilarious. I think I''ll move in.'' ''Hey, there, lord. You''re making an outrageous statement. There''s no way a lord can just move out on his own. ''So, have you thought of any countermeasures, anchovy? ''I''ve been too busy with the beans. To be honest, I was too busy thinking about how to use the beans. Or rather, there is too little information. Yesterday, I left quickly because I didn''t want to get any more beans, but perhaps I should have stayed longer to investigate the area. Perhaps I should have been more persistent in investigating the area. There were too few clues. Above all, that majority voting system. --Because of that, none of the features of the seven lords were remembered at all. I can''t even think of what to discuss. If you have a clue, ...... you can even find a strategy to break down the BU: ............ ''Hero!My lord! Just then, Theron and Wendy came running in, both looking very pale. Both of them looked very pale. The two of them bowed their heads together, their breathing unsteady. ''''We''re sorry! The air in the cafeteria froze, and only Theron and the others'' sorrowful breathing reached my ears. When I saw the two of them in a state of crisis, I sensed that something was about to go wrong. 258-Episode 170 Unexpected Contact Suddenly, Theron and Wendy rushed into the sunlit pavilion, apologized to us, and then fell silent for a moment, breathing on their shoulders to regulate their breathing. But even that moment is frustrating, and they are swallowing spit wildly. How hurriedly did these guys get here? I''ve been listening to you ......! The tone of his voice was intense. He''s not talking about donuts. ''I''m really sorry, sir! ''I''m sorry, sir. Theron bows his head vigorously once more. Wendy bows her head in response. Everyone present is speechless, gazing breathlessly at the two. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help.I''m so sorry. I finally got the point. Theron seems to have heard about it from somewhere. The reason why the sluice was closed this time and the BU was looking at us was because of the ''fireworks at Theron and Wendy''s wedding''. But in the end, it was just a complication, and sooner or later, they would have made it difficult for us. ''Don''t worry about it. They said it was because of the fireworks, but that''s just a complication. ''That''s right, both of you. There''s no way that fireworks can stop rain. Isn''t that right, Yashiro?'' ''Ah. According to the ranks of the nobles in this city I heard before, the nobles of the outer districts are of the fifth rank, and those of the BU are of the fourth rank. They don''t like the fact that the lower-ranked Forty-two districts did something conspicuous like fireworks, cakes, and weddings. They just can''t tolerate anything that would shake their self-esteem that they are superior. The fireworks were just a highlight. Let me tell you my theory. Estella and Lucia didn''t argue with me. I guess they''re thinking the same way. ''So, don''t worry about it. ''But ......''. I don''t care. There are many types of people who can''t do that. Theron and Wendy are just such types of people. ''Um, Theron. Ms. Wendy. Would you like to sit down?'' ''...... No. I''m at .......'' ''I''d appreciate it, sir. Mr. Manager.'' Ginette suggested a chair, but Theron and Wendy were adamant about it. But Theron and Wendy were adamant, so Ginette didn''t push too hard. She quietly pulled out the chair and walked to the kitchen with the empty dishes. He may have been acting out of concern for Theron and the others. Perhaps he thought it would be a pity to have so many people listening to his difficult conversation. Now that Jeannette was gone, it was just me and Estella. Lucia and Gilberta. And Theron and Wendy. Estella glanced around at the audience and silently appealed to the other patrons not to worry about it. Sensing this, the audience turns their bodies back around and starts talking to each other. However, I guess they can''t concentrate on the conversation because their consciousness is completely turned to me. Her eyes are filled with determination, and she stares at me. ''Do you remember the nobleman who took a liking to Theron''s arm and took him in before? Theron''s expression twists slightly. Wendy is not looking at him at all, she is only looking at me. That was before Wendy and Theron''s relationship became public knowledge. There was a nobleman who wanted to marry Theron so that his father, Bojek, could keep the brickworks going. The nobleman was so enamored with Theron''s skills that he asked him to be his son-in-law. It''s probably one of the things Theron doesn''t want to have to deal with again. Especially to Wendy. But Wendy brought it up. I''m sure it''s uncomfortable for Theron, but there must be a reason he''s bringing it up now. Well. To bring it up now would mean-- ''Does this nobleman live in a BU member district?'' --That would be a way out of this situation. That''s what you''re thinking. ''Yes.'' Wendy nodded her head clearly and made eye contact with Theron for the first time. She smiles slightly, as if to tell Theron that she doesn''t mind. From there, Theron continued to speak. ''The nobleman who was honored to recognize my skills lives in the 29th district. ''In the 29th district? The district adjacent to the forty-second. However, there''s a considerable difference in elevation, so there''s no such thing as exchange. --That''s what I thought. But apparently, the 29th district knows the 42nd district very well. Maybe they''re being watched relentlessly, not wanting to lose to the poorest country next door. They check every little thing about the obvious underdog and are relieved that they are not losing. There are more than a few people like that. ''I''ve contacted the person and obtained permission to see him. ''What?When did you get permission from ......?'' Estella floats down and asks Theron. Her body must have moved involuntarily to find a clue to break through the troublesome situation that District 42 was in. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... with Wendy.'' It must have been quite uncomfortable to go and see the nobleman who had once offered you as his son-in-law, but you had turned down the offer. And with Wendy in tow. I''m surprised he agreed to meet her. Oh, I remember, when I told him about the marriage, he honestly congratulated me and said ''I wish you happiness''. There are such open-minded nobles. I thought aristocrats were all narrow-minded people who could only look down on others, ridicule them, and abuse them in a bad way. ''I talked to him, and he promised to meet me any day that is convenient for me. ''I didn''t expect him to agree so willingly, so ...... I''m sorry for taking such a selfish action without any consultation with the heroes or the lord. They take everything too seriously, don''t they? You should be more proud of them if they made an appointment. They acted because they thought it would be good for us. ''Now that Theron and Wendy have arranged it. Why don''t we go see them, Yashiro? ''Yes, we should. ...... But if we go to see them, they''ll probably force the beans on us again.'' ''If that''s the case, why don''t we just cook at the Sunshine Pavilion again? Crunching on a honey-roasted peanut, Estella winks at me. You''re a foodie. Well, Estella will pay the tariffs, and I''ll feel a little better if I think of it as a ...... win-win. ''Good. I''ll sit with you. If you''re going to meet the nobles of the 29th district, it might be to your advantage. Lucia says, her pseudo-tentacles twitching, peanut butter on the edge of her mouth. ...... You don''t have a shred of dignity. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money to spend, you''ll be able to get a lot more. If there are two nobles, they might be able to compete with the higher class. ''...... What?You can''t be ......,Lucia? I''m not sure if you''re aware of this.I''m sorry for the delay in greeting you! He must have been preoccupied with the idea of talking to us. Lucia sits behind us, and Theron and Wendy, who have just noticed her, stand and bow their heads as if they''re about to hit the floor. ''Good. Don''t be so formal. It''s just me and Wentan, isn''t it? ''Both of you, be sure to pay your respects to the ''other lord''. ''Yes, don''t you dare interrupt me, anchovy! There''s a lot of problems that might arise if you and Wendy get along. I''m going to destroy it. ''E...... Lucia-sama is ......'' ''Don''t tell me you''re the ...... of the 35th district! ''What?Lucia-sama is here? When I heard Theron''s words, the dining room suddenly became noisy. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s just a tentacle. ...... They''re such carefree people, really. ''Whoa!How dare we behave so freely in front of our lord? ''It''s ...... embarrassing that we''re dressed so dirty in front of the lord! ''I''m ...... afraid that we''ve been making too much noise in the presence of the lord! ''Ah~......, yeah. You guys. I''m a lord too, after all.'' ''In front of the lord'', Estella felt a bit like complaining to the people. Shut your mouth. You chose this path because you wanted to. You''re not a lord, you''re better known as the town''s nine-chan. ''Yes!Miss Petanko of District Forty-two! ''I''ll smear peanut butter on your face! What''s with the threat? You''re welcome to lick it off afterwards. ''Good. All of you, behave as you normally would. I''ll be happier if you do.'' ''Because...'' ''Oh, so you''re fine with business as usual? ''I''m sorry I''m so afraid. ''Magda~n!I''ll have another donut, please! ''I think the people here are a little too naive, anchovy! ''No, don''t get mad at me, ......''. That''s what you want, too. You want to be treated as normal, but you also want to be respected. Unfortunately, it''s impossible for the people of District 42 to be so subtle, you know? If they''re friendly, they''re friendly all the way. It''s the result of their lord''s education. ''You''re a big-hearted lord! ''As expected of a big man! ''Huh!I''ve been praised by Hammaro''s younger brothers!Does this mean we''re about to get married? ''Hey, Hammaro. If you see him, run away right now! I''ll never give you to Lucia. It''s for the good of the youth! ''Hammaro? ''Nuh-uh!Hammarot, come on! d*mn it!Hammaro was here? And Gilberta!I''m not sure what to do.Stop it, stop it! ''Open-minded, my lord! Stop it!I''m going to ............ die. ............ I love you so much... ...die.'' ''Then I''ll help you, I will.'' ''No, no, no!Don''t do it here, do it somewhere else! ''Don''t do it here, do it somewhere else! Estella''s misguided comment came in. As long as the cafeteria is clean, there won''t be any problems. ''As expected of a hidden flat-chested girl! ''I''ve been praised! ''That''s not a compliment, no matter how you look at it. And Hammaro ...... isn''t hiding, Lucia''s flat-chested girl. ''Oh, that ...... hero-sama .......'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the most effective way to get the most out of your time. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Can we get back to that? ''Yes, sir. Even though Lucia''s true identity was revealed, the atmosphere in the sunny pavilion remained friendly as usual. That''s good. ...... The point at which Lucia''s ''true'' identity in the sense of ''s*xuality'' was exposed is ............ well, it''s none of my business. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you. ''No, I''m just glad you made the appointment. ''So ...... is it? Theron and Wendy''s expressions softened somewhat. Even if it was just a complication, they were thinking that they wanted to help solve the problem, even if it was only a small part of it, since it had originated from their own wedding. ''I''ll come see you. Right after this, right away. You''ll be okay, right, Estella?'' ''Of course I''ll be fine. Estella clenched her fists with eyes that had regained some of their strength. This guy must have found a clue, too, with that nobleman. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a chance for him to tell us something we don''t know yet. About the overabundance of beans they produce, and the strange way they vote. There are too many mysteries about the BU organization. Maybe we can talk about it. The fact that he took the trouble to meet you suggests that he is not hostile. Whether they''re friendly or not remains to be seen, though. ''Lucia, is everything alright? ''I''m sorry. I have a meeting with Hammarotan after this, so I can''t come right away.'' ''Just come. I''ll have you banned, you bastard. And I''ll never lend you Hammaro. ''So, Mr. Theron.'' Natalia appears from behind Theron. Natalia was preparing to greet Lucia and the others who would be arriving around this afternoon,......, unfortunately. Lucia and the others have been here since early morning. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more. ...... Estella. You''re looking at me like, ''Oh, I forgot to tell Natalia. Why don''t you go and tell her? Don''t get carried away eating doughnuts. ''I have a question about this nobleman, ......, but first I''d like to have a donut, me ''too''! ''Magda!Bring Natalia a donut ASAP!'' Estella started to follow up seriously. Natalia seems to be very angry. Not only did all the preparation go to waste, but Estella was the only one who ate something delicious while she was preparing. ...... You''d better be in a good mood today, Estella. ''The bill will come from Estella-sama''s personal allowance! ''What?You can''t drop it off as an expense? ''No, it won''t! I''m not sure if there is such a thing as an expense,......, or if this is also being translated by the ''forced translation magic'' to make it easier for me to understand? ''...... Hey, wait.'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s not the same thing as the words and the product. The corners of Natalia''s mouth lifted as she took a bite of the doughnut that had been brought to her. ''It''s delicious. I like the taste. She said honestly. Natalia likes this kind of food that is popular with girls. Not only does she like the taste, but she also seems to like the atmosphere of eating such fashionable sweets. ''It tastes even better when you put peanut butter on it. Regretting her neglect of Natalia, Estella puts the peanut butter in front of Natalia. The master-slave relationship is reversed, you guys. ''Estella-sama ......'' ''Oh, no thanks. Don''t thank me. I''m sorry for what I''ve done, so I''m just apologizing, okay?'' ''Donuts can only be appreciated when eaten plain. It''s not right to eat this slightly sweet doughnut with something overtly sweet on it. You don''t understand the essence of doughnuts, that''s for sure. What are you talking about with your own face, donut newbie? You just had your first. You''ve only had one bite. ''However, it is also foolish to refuse without trying. ...... Let me use it. Natalia uses a butter knife to spread a generous amount of peanut butter on the doughnut. It takes a lot of trial and error to knead and coat the dough, so today we''re letting everyone spread their own peanut butter on the plain doughnuts. Eventually, I plan to offer them with a coating of chocolate, peanut butter, or honey. ''What do you think, Natalia? Natalia chews her doughnut in silence. She does not answer Estella''s question immediately, but looks at her and stares silently for a while. She swallows slowly, savoring the aftertaste that lingers in her mouth, before finally opening her mouth. ''Peanut butter is the true essence of a donut. You''ve completely changed what you''re saying! Well, let''s just take it as a sign of good taste. Natalia flattened one of the doughnuts and licked the oil off her fingers. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ............ You''re Natalia! ''Natalia. You shouldn''t lick your fingers.'' ''Is that so?...... So, Master Yashiro. ''Ahhhh.'' ''You''ve upgraded your petulance! Estella forcefully wipes Natalia''s finger with her own handkerchief. ''I told you, the master-slave relationship is reversed, you guys. ''So, this, uh, nobleman...'' Satisfied with her doughnut, Natalia turns to Theron again. You should thank Theron for waiting so patiently for you, guys. If I were you, I''d have left by now. ''May I ask your name? ''Yes.'' Once he exchanged a glance with Wendy, Theron slowly spoke the name. ''That person''s name is Ma''ru Erin-sama. Marle Erin? I''m not sure if I''ve ever heard of ............ or not. ...... No, I don''t think I know any nobles besides Estella and the others. ............ Is it my imagination? I''m sure you''re right. You''re sure about that? ''Yes, sir.'' At Natalia''s sharp voice, Theron was momentarily at a loss for words. ''Could it be that Erin ...... is...'' Next to me, Estella leaks her voice. Does this sound familiar to you too, this Erin? ''Yes. I''m sure of it. ''It''s also ...... kind of ............ awesome.'' Awesome? Is he such a big shot aristocrat? ...... No, I don''t think that''s what she meant. Estella''s expression is ...... ''Is she someone who is involved with the BU? From the look on Estella''s face, I''m guessing she''s trying to say it''s a great coincidence. Someone we should meet now. That must be the nobleman, Mahr Ayrin. ''That''s right. It''s not something to do with BU, but something more directly related. ''I remember that Gerasie Erlin''s sister''s name is Ma''ru. ''Oh, ...... Gerasie''s.'' ''That''s how I remember it, too. I''m sure of it.'' Natalia''s words came as a complement to Estella''s words. Lucia and Gilberta were the ones who reacted. I''m the only one who doesn''t understand. But I can guess most of it. You can see it on their faces at ......, but I need proof. Let''s see if you can put it into words. ''Who is this Gellarcy guy? I ask, with a hint of malice, about a person I probably know. Estella shook her shoulder lightly, as if she sensed my thoughts. ''Hmm ......, you guessed it. But you''re right. It''s not bad to dare to put it into words. After an unnecessarily long preamble, Estella clarified. ''Gerasie Erin is the name of the lord of the 29th district. Really. What a coincidence. I never thought I''d meet one of the enemy''s generals. ''Well then, since Theron and the others have given us this opportunity. Shall we go see him? ''Yes, we should. I''ll take advantage of this opportunity.'''' Estella and I stand up together. Now, let''s get ready to go. ''Would you like us to join you? Theron and Wendy ask with a mysterious look on their faces. It might make things go more smoothly if we bring them with us. ''You''re more than welcome, Wentan! ...... I think I''ll just leave Theron alone. ............ Seeing the excited Lucia, my mood suddenly became heavy. And then... ''If you are going out, please take this with you. Ginette came back and handed me a small package. ''Please eat it in the carriage. You too, Theron and Wendy. In the bag was a donut. We had already eaten lunch, but Theron and Wendy were probably running around and hadn''t eaten. It must have been a thoughtful gift. The doughnuts were a moderate amount, enough for the two of us plus more. ''I''m sorry. ''Not at all. Ginette smiled at him. She slunk closer and muttered in a voice that only I could hear. ''Please come back soon. Then, she pulled away and said in a cheerful voice to everyone. ''Take care, everyone. I''m sure you''ll be a little nervous. It makes me a little nervous. You''re not a newlywed businessman. ...... d*mn. ''Maybe I shouldn''t go. ''No, I''m going!Come on, come on!'' Estella pulls me by the arm and takes me outside. When I glanced at Jeannette, she was smiling at our exchange. I was relieved to see such a smile. Thus, having unexpectedly acquired a powerful connection, we headed back to the 29th district. 259-Episode 171. Its noisy inside and outside the car... ''Um, may I buy some flowers? Why are you telling me this, Wendy? Lucia''s carriage is traveling along the street she just passed the day before. It''s in the twenty-ninth district. ''...... Can you ask Milly to do that for me when we get back? ''No, I just wanted to give it to Ma''am. ''Then you should have asked Milly to sell it to you before you came out! ''I thought the flowers would lose their energy on the long carriage ride. ''Millie''s place has the best service, you know!The staff is cute, and they don''t push beans on you. What a mess. Once again, Millie''s is the best! All right, I''ll give you a good game next time I see you! ''I''m sorry, sir. We''ll take full responsibility for disposing of any miscellaneous items, so please bear with us. Wendy bows her head. ''Don''t bother Wentan. Get down, anchovy. And follow me in the triangle.'' ''No, I can''t! How am I supposed to get around sitting in a triangle? If I go as fast as a horse-drawn carriage while sitting in a triangular position, you''ll probably reject that as creepy, anyway! ''Don''t worry, I want you to be at ease, my friend Yashiro. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you can do it, my friend. ''I''m sure you can do it, my friend Yashiro! ''It''s impossible! ''I think I can master it, if it''s my friend Yashiro! ''I don''t want to, nor do I plan to! ''Yashiro. If I do master it, I''ll just keep my distance as a friend. Estella, sitting next to me, moves away from me by one fist. Do you want me to throw you out? ''But I don''t like this seating arrangement! Despite the presence of Gilberta and Wendy, Lucia is plainly annoyed. The reason for this was the seating order in the carriage. ''Why am I next to the anchovy!Get off, anchovy!And follow me in the anchovy! And follow me in the ''Fushigi''!'' ''How can you ''Fushigi'' without water? And as usual, there''s no propulsion! Originally, Lucia''s carriage was meant to hold six people, but now it holds seven. It''s not impossible to fit them in, but the seats that seat four people are a bit cramped. I can''t let my lord feel so cramped. You can find a lot more information at ....... In the upper seat-- Estella, me, Lucia. In the lower seat--Natalia, Theron, Wendy, Gilberta. We are sitting in this order. I placed Wendy and Gilberta in front of Lucia, but Lucia''s grumpiness did not subside. ''I wanted to be sandwiched between Gilberta and Wendy and have a flower in each hand! ''Then you''d have to sit on the bottom seat or on the four-seater, Estella-sama.'' ''Estella is not the type to worry about such things! ''Why are you being so selfish, Lucia? ''It''s thin around the chest, and it saves space! ''You too! ''Excuse me for leaving my large breasts dangling--. Please calm down a bit, both of you.'''' ''''Shut up, Natalia! It seems that the relationship between the lords here is rapidly improving. At some point, Lucia stopped calling Natalia ''head waiter'', and Gilberta started calling her by her first name, ''Estella-sama''. I wonder if there is a spell that makes people friendly when they come into contact with the 42nd district. It''s like a curse to me. ''How about you, Yashiro-sama?Do you have any discomfort?'' Natalia asks me. Discomfort: ...... ''I''m comfortable. The space is empty.'' ''Shut up, Yashiro! ''I''m taking you down, you anchovy! Angry lords and gloating Natalia. ...... Don''t make me your plaything. I''m not going to be your toy. Wouldn''t it have been better if there were three women? ''We, the waiters, cannot sit on top of the guests. ''Agreed, me too. ''So, Wendy ...... would like to be next to Theron, right? ''Ha, yes. I''m embarrassed to say so.'' Wendy glances at Theron, her cheeks pale. Their eyes meet and they smile at each other. We''re going to smash it, freshlyweds! ''Hey, man!Don''t be so goofy with my Wen Tan!What authority do you have to sit next to him? ''He''s Wendy''s husband, Lady Lucia. ''And he''s not Lucia''s, Wendy. ''Shut up, both serving masters!I don''t want to hear any good arguments! ''No, you don''t, if that''s what you want. '' Would you say that? I''m not going to give up my special seat where I can sit next to Yashiro-sama and pretend not to care, but look directly at Estella-sama, who is smiling a little every time the carriage shakes and our shoulders touch. ''''Wait a minute!Who''s smiling at me? ''Ask your own chest ............, or rather, ask your own faint chest. ''Why did you say that again? Don''t get upset in the carriage. Natalia has the best tits in the world. ''You''ve been smiling, Lucia, for a while now. ''Huh?Don''t talk nonsense to me, Gilberta! ''You''re talking more than usual, Lucia, when you''re with your friend Yashiro. ''I''m only complaining because he does a lot of stupid things with a stupid face, it''s called force majeure! ''''I''m practicing on paper, Lucia-sama, the ''Shut Up, Anchovy'' series. ''Hey, how did you know that? No, I admitted it to her. ...... I mean, what''s the "Shut up, anchovy" series? ''Shut up, you two. I''m not sure what to say.I''m going to let you sleep with your wet hair half-dried, and you''re going to get some crazy sleeping habits! ''...... wrote down a few patterns, and that''s the one that was adopted?'' That situation, I''m taking a bath at your place and staying overnight anyway. That''s impossible. You know that, right? ''''As expected of a hero. He''s on equal footing with the lords of every district, and if anything, he has the upper hand. ......'' ''Hey, Theron. I just want to make sure that ......, you don''t like me? The way you lifted me up was subtle and very unpleasant. I''m not very happy to be equal to these guys. ''More importantly, Natalia. ''What is it? ''Is there a flower shop along this road? ''Hero-sama!'' Wendy clasped her hands together and her expression lit up. Don''t look so happy about it, it''s just a little thing like this. I''m just saying you can come by. ''Listen, Theron. Hero-sama remembered my story! ''As expected of you, Hero-sama, you have an excellent memory due to your intelligence. ''And he helped me find a flower shop! ''You are a warm-hearted and compassionate person. ''I''m glad I consulted you, Hero! ''You have the ability to lead people, so you can''t go wrong! ''All right, you guys, jump down and walk home right now! I''m getting goosebumps so badly I''m going to end my sentence with ''Kokay! I''m getting goosebumps. ''The praise is so excessive that it''s almost sickening!You should be more normal like you used to be! ''Yashiro......''s ending has become stupid and very Yashiro-like.'' ''Coke! I''ll intimidate the rude Estella. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out why Estella is repeatedly asking you to treat her like a normal person. I think I understand a little better why Estella has repeatedly asked me to treat her normally. This is ............ hard. ''Oh, by the way, how is that beautiful chicken man, Nepheli-tan? ''Oh, well, he said he''d come over tomorrow to eat doughnuts.'' ''Crap~...... are you staying over today too......'' ''Go home, man!I mean, get a job! ''Work, work, and ...... me or work, which is more important! ''Work!And you''re the one who has to do the work! I thought abandoning duties was Gilberta''s patent, but Lucia''s is getting worse. ...... ''Yashiro-sama. I confirmed with you that there is a flower shop just ahead. ''Then have them stop there.'' ''Theron, did you hear that? ''''Yeah, I heard, Wendy! ''''As expected of a hero, you have a kind heart. ......'''' ''''Cokey!'''' He pulled Wendy and Theron apart menacingly. They''re no good. If you leave them next to each other, they''ll set up their own world and never come back. I twist my body next to Theron''s and push Wendy to the seat I was sitting in instead. ''Eh, hero-sama, I''m afraid I''ll have to sit on top alongside my lord. ......'' ''Hero-sama command. ''Aaah!I''m in trouble! ''Wendy, hang in there!I''ll be watching you! Wendy with her head in her hands and Theron clenching his fists in support. ...... These guys used to be more decent people. ............ Is that the magic of the sunlit pavilion?...... They are becoming more and more disappointing, a curse, you might say. I''m not sure what to say. You''ll be replaced by me. I''m not sure what to say.No way, I''m not going to sit on top of my lord. ......'' ''Lord''s orders. ''Oh, no!It''s annoying! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... This guy is a demon. ''Lucia-san is happy to be next to Wendy, and Wendy is happy to be next to Theron, right? ''Mmm!I feel good! ''Huh, ...... sitting on top is uncomfortable, but ...... with Theron there, ......'' ''Me too, with Wendy.'' ''There, it''s all settled.'' Estella puffs out her thin chest. ''And ......''. Natalia murmurs behind Estella''s back. ''Estella, who continues to casually keep her place next to Yashiro-sama, is also very happy. ''Aha!No, no, no, no!I''m just trying to make sure that all goes well at ......! ''The four of us are seated more closely together, and I''m swooning .......'' ''I don''t think I''m a sissy!It''s true!If you want, you can switch.I don''t mind being on the door side if you want. Estella. Hey, Estella. The more desperate you get, the more it smells like a lie, so can we stop now? Eventually, the carriage begins to slow down and stops. It''s in front of a big flower shop. It''s huge. It''s like a whole family restaurant turned into a flower shop. It''s going to be hard just to go around it. ''Well then, let me have a look. Theron and Wendy bowed reverently, got off the carriage, and entered the flower shop. ''Would you like to have a look? ''No, thank you. No beans.'' ''Neither do I.'' Lucia and Estella were both interested in the flowers, but they didn''t want to enter the store because of the beans. It''s true that the moment they enter the shop, they''ll be recognized as ''customers'' and will be given a lot of beans. ''Oh, no, thank you. No, thank you. ''Well, well, don''t say that! There''s a commotion in front of the carriage. Natalia, who was the first to get out of the carriage to drop off Theron and the others, and who was in charge of opening and closing the door, is apparently being approached by a shopkeeper outside the carriage. ...... Are you being beaned just for standing in front of the store? I sat up to give him a helping hand. ...... ''...... I see. Well, be my guest.'' It seems to have been settled. Ah ...... another bean hell. The carriage smells like beans. ...... ''Hey, Natalia. What beans did you get this time?'' I looked out of the carriage, half fed up. ''Ah, Master Yashiro. Look at this. I''ve been given so many. Natalia was buried in brightly colored flowers. Roses, phalaenopsis. Lilies, gerberas, marigolds. She was surrounded by a wide variety of flowers, some she had seen before, some she had never seen before, and some she had seen before but did not know the name of. ''I refused to accept such a gift because I couldn''t hold on to it. ......'' Natalia looked down at the pile of flowers with a calm but slightly dismayed expression on her face. ''......Eh, what''s wrong with that?'' ''I got it.'' ''...... For whom?'' ''Over there, .......'' Natalia points with her hand to the front of a large flower shop. There were about twenty men in green aprons looking at ...... Natalia from inside the store. Any of them? ''From all the employees, sir.'' ''From all of them? Oh, come on, Natalia. What''s with the sudden onset of popularity? As I was thinking about this, an old man and a mustachioed man were trying to come out of the butcher shop next to the flower shop with a huge ham in their hands, got stuck at the entrance, and started a big fight hitting each other with the ham. What is ...... this?What''s going on? A number of people from the city walked past behind me, confused. You''ll find a lot of people in the city passing by.You''re so beautiful! ''Well, what a beauty. ......'' ''You''re really beautiful! ''Oh, ...... sister.'' ''You''re seventy-four times more beautiful than my grandma was when she was young. ......'' And so on. Over there, ''hah~......'' and over here, ''hoh~......'', everyone is praising, admiring and sighing over Natalia. What''s that?I''m scared, scared, scared! ''Sister!Please give us some of your meat! ''No, just our freshly caught fish! Give me the paulownia chest I made! People of all ages, men and women, gathered here with gifts in their hands. ''Oh, no!Natalia, get in! ''Yeah, but ......''. ''Forget it! If we leave her like this, she''ll panic. I forcefully pull Natalia''s hand and pull her towards the carriage. I closed the door of the carriage forcefully to shut out the crowds. .................. hah, hah, hah....... ''...... Natalia. Do you have any idea what''s going on?'' ''Well, ......'' Natalia herself had no idea why she had caused such a commotion. ''But, well, ......'' Natalia said, tilting her head unsurely. ''I am aware that I am a very beautiful woman. ......It''s hard to deny that, judging by the reaction of the people on the street! ''Maybe it''s because you''re beautiful, Natalia, but why did you get the gift? I don''t know. I think ...... might be it. I don''t want to admit it, but ...... I don''t want to admit it as much as possible because it''s so frustrating, but ............ I can''t deny the possibility that it might be true. I don''t know. ............! I don''t know, this frustration. Natalia is certainly a beautiful woman and has good qualities. It''s no wonder men are drawn to her, as long as she keeps her mouth shut. As long as she keeps her mouth shut. But! ''I don''t want to admit it because that smug look on your face is really annoying! ''I''m sorry, but even your smug face is beautiful.'' d*mn it!Why?Why is this guy so popular? If it was Millie or Jeannette, it would have been easy to accept! I don''t want Natalia and Regina to be popular for some reason!For some reason, it frustrates me! ''Estella-sama, would you like to stand outside for a while? ''...... I''ll stop. I''m aware that I''m not very good at being seen as such. Estella refuses to make eye contact with Natalia. The way she turned her face away showed the sadness of someone who had already admitted she was a loser. ''But if that''s the case, I''m worried about Wentan. Lucia muttered with a grim expression. Indeed. Wendy is a beautiful girl with a fragile impression. Throw her into a hungry beast and she''ll be attacked and preyed upon in an instant. I think it''s safe to say that she has a Theron attached to her. ...... ''I''m going to take a look around.'' As soon as she said that, Lucia stood up and opened the carriage door. Fortunately, the people who had swarmed her earlier had disappeared. Lucia steps out of the carriage, her long, beautiful hair flowing softly in the air. In the sunshine, Lucia''s picturesque beauty stands out even more. ....... ''Oh, hello. ''Are you sightseeing?Take your time. She was only greeted with a smile by two friendly-looking old ladies. The men working at the flower shop, the old man and the old man at the butcher shop, and the long-lived man at the paulownia chest shop all went back to their normal duties without paying any attention to Lucia. Lucia............ this is embarrassing! ''............'' Lucia turns over silently and walks quickly back to the carriage. As she closes the door behind her, a dark aura erupts from her body. ''Estella ......, how was I supposed to apply for a declaration of war?'' ''Lucia-san, calm down!It''s okay!We all have our preferences!'' Estella desperately appeases Lucia. Gilberta pats Lucia''s head, but her irritation doesn''t seem to subside. ''I''m sorry to keep you waiting. I just got back from ............ what happened? Wendy opened the door and her eyes widened at the chaotic atmosphere inside the car. ''Wendy. Is everything alright? ''What?What are you talking about?'' Wendy tilts her head at Estella''s question. From the looks of it, it seems that she wasn''t mistreated by the men. ''By the way, Theron, have you noticed anything unusual? Estella asks the same question to Theron, the handsome representative. Estella asks the same question to Theron, the representative of good looking people, but Theron also says that there was nothing unusual. ''............Natalia is the only one in town who is unusually popular. ......'' Estella shudders at her own statement. What the hell is going on in this city? ...... There are too many mysteries. ''Anyway, let''s head to Mahr-sama''s house............Hmm! Natalia suggested with a very triumphant look on her face, and we had no choice but to follow ...... her lead. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to ask your doctor. ...... What''s 42 carats? You''re a sole. 260-172. The House of Marle Aileen Mahr Ayrin''s mansion stood on a small hill overlooking the river, slightly off the main street of the 29th district. It seemed a little inconvenient for a nobleman to live there, and Lucia raised an eyebrow. ''It''s not that you don''t like people, is it? ''Yes. He is very friendly and kind. In Lucia''s mind, aristocrats who lived in inconvenient places were misanthropic, averse to contact with others. ''Maybe he likes the view. It''s peaceful, a nice view.'' Estella squinted at the view from the front of the house. She feels the wind blowing comfortably. The river is visible from the building, and there are many trees and flowers. Indeed, the scenery is nice. ''Anyway, let''s meet. I looked at Natalia. Seemingly understanding exactly what I meant, Natalia nodded her head and struck a s*xy pose. ''I said, ring the doorbell! This guy doesn''t understand my intentions at all!No, he doesn''t seem to want to! ''Every second, Natalia, you''re becoming more and more of a star. ''She''s on a roll, that''s what she is. Don''t give her too much credit, Gilberta. They''ll think you''re related. Gilberta pushes the doorbell on Natalia''s behalf. The sound of metal bells being struck in rapid succession is a bit deafening. I think I''ll ask Norma to make a doorbell for me. ''Yes, yes! Hearing the doorbell, an old lady emerged from the building. She looked like a refined madam, baking herring pies and the like. She was about forty ...... years old, not quite fifty. Her gray hair is neatly coiffed, and her plump body is bouncing as she runs by,....... I''m not sure where I''ve met her before, but I have a sense of d??j? vu or ...... familiarity with her. ............ ''''Ma''ru-sama! ''''Huh! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit nervous about this. Ma''ru is the master of this place, right? ''Oh, no, no. Theron and Wendy. I''m glad you''re here. Why is the Lord himself rushing out? It seems that he didn''t even realize that the visitors were us who had an appointment with him. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree. So these are the people you''ve been hearing about? He looked at us with sparkling eyes like a country girl who had never seen a celebrity in person before. ''Well, well, well! He spun us around and got excited. ''Who''s the hero?I''d like to say hello. Why me? Why don''t you greet the lord first? ''Ma''ru-sama. This is our hero, Lord Obeyashiro.'' Wait, Theron. Don''t make such an ostentatious introduction! I''m not a hero in the first place! ''Well, you are''. I''m not sure what kind of story Theron told you, but Mael is looking at me like an old lady looking at a wolverine when it first came to Japan. I''m not sure what ...... it is, but it''s very uncomfortable. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up with a lot of problems. ''........................ Oh? It was as if he was peering into a distant memory, quiet and cautious. ...... After staring straight at my face for a few minutes, his face lit up and he clapped his hands happily. ''Hey you!You''re the one who was raising money for young children at the church! ''Fundraising? Oh, come on. Donation is the furthest thing from my mind, you know. After all, I hate charity and volunteer activities the most. There''s no way I''m going to do any fundraising ..................! A completely forgotten memory surfaced in my mind like a ten-yen coin that came out of nowhere when I was cleaning. It was as casual as, "Oh, yeah, there was something like this. There was a time when I was very troubled, thinking that I had been hit by the poison of the kindness and good-naturedness of Jeannette and the others in the 42nd district, and that my skills as a con artist had been dulled. At that time, I was trying out some basic scamming techniques on people in my neighborhood. ............ I once applied the low-ball technique to a scam to extort money from tourists passing by a church. He showed them a ramshackle church and a bunch of kids living there, asked them to write their names as ''signatures appealing for the repair of the church'', and then tried to extort donations from them. ............ As I recall, the name written at that time was. The name that was written at that time was... ''Ma''ru Erin. Are you the madam from that time? ''Yes~. I''m so glad you remembered me. I''m so glad. Of course I remember you! She said it was a donation and handed me 50,000Rb with a pop. The people around us who saw this action also offered donations, saying ''Well, I''ll donate too'' and ''I''ll donate too''. ...... In the end, the church was partially renovated with the money. As expected, we could not raise enough money to renovate the whole church, but it was still more than enough to secure a safe place for the kids to sleep. The other day, when I went to see the house, it had been cleaned up so well that I was kind of happy too. ...... In fact, the subsequent renovation had nothing to do with the donation at that time. As a matter of fact, the Ham kids, who honed their skills at Umaro''s place, have been visiting the church where the younger group is being taken care of, and have been repairing and renovating it as often as they can. Therefore, the church has been transformed into a wonderful building filled with the technology of Torbeck Engineering. And it will continue to evolve in the future. Free of charge. ...... No, not really. Thanks to the generous donations of the Hammies. ''The heroes have done many wonderful things. I''ve been very excited to hear from you, Theron. But, ......, yes. It was you. That makes sense. I don''t know what convinced you, but it''s very annoying. You can''t be too hard on someone who tried to scam you once, ...... though. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. Clapping her round hands, Ma''ru hurriedly opened the gate. ''Come on, please come in. It''s just a large house with a nice view, but I''m sure it''ll pass the time. He smiles and invites us into the house he''s so proud of, not to brag, but it''s probably true. Gilberta leads the way, followed by Lucia, Natalia, Estella, and then me, Theron, and Wendy stepping into the grounds. ''Um, I''ll take care of the door. ''Oh, you don''t mind, do you, Wendy?I''m sorry. Wendy closes the gate in place of Mahr, who had been waiting at the gate all along. Isn''t there a waiter in this house? ''Huh~, you''re a really good girl, Wendy. You must take good care of her, Mr. Theron. ''Yes, yes. I mean to.'' Theron scratches his head in fear. It was a difficult question to answer for Theron, who had chosen Wendy over Mael. ''Oh dear, ......'' I''m not sure what you mean by that. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''Don''t worry about the marriage proposal anymore. I''m satisfied with it.'' ''Yes, yes ............, no ......, well .......'' You''re piling on a topic that''s hard to answer: ...... I''m sure you don''t care anymore, but it''s not so easy for the one who refused. At the very least, I think you should avoid talking about it. I mean, well, ...... you are not in proportion to your age. What Mael proposed was a marriage proposal that was more like a loan, to give his own assets to Theron. It''s not really a love affair, so maybe it''s just a refreshing thing. According to the information of Bojek, Theron''s father, she is a beautiful woman with a deep window who lives surrounded by flowers and has decided to spend her whole life as a bachelor. ...... But she is not the image of a beautiful woman with a deep window, I don''t know. I''m sure she was beautiful when she was young, though. Mahrul was probably trying to do Theron a favor by letting him devote himself to making bricks on this large site. ''Um, Ma''ru-sama. Wendy, perhaps unable to see Theron''s distress, offered a helping hand. ''Is Cindy not at home? ''Oh, Cindy. No, she''s here. ''Cindy? '' I wondered, but just as I was about to, Mael turned a round, mild-mannered smile toward me and explained, answering my question. ''Cindy, she''s the one who''s in charge of serving us. She''s a little busy at the moment, so I''m here to take her place. No, no, no. Don''t use the Lord. I don''t know why you''re busy, but you''ve got priorities. ''I''m sorry. I''ve never done anything like this before. I can''t do it as well as Cindy.'' ''No, Ms. Erin. I''m honored enough to be greeted by you in person. ''My, what a beautiful girl. Are you Estella-sama?'' Whether she heard Estella''s words or not, Mahr looked into Estella''s face, gently touched her red hair, and finally pecked her cheek. ''Men in the world won''t leave a girl this cute alone. ''No,......, I''m not ready to talk about that yet,......''. ''''My breasts haven''t grown yet either......'''' ''Will you stop making things up, Yashiro?I didn''t say it, and I won''t say it! Hmm. You look so happy just because you got a little praise after the mysterious Natalia bombing incident. Ask yourself if you''re irresistible! ...... Hmm. The idiomatic use of the phrase is wrong, but the usage should be correct. ''So, this is Miss Lucia. Well, well, well. You''re as beautiful as they say you are. ''Isn''t Ms. Erin the young and beautiful one? ''Oh my. You''re very flattering, aren''t you? I don''t know what it is,......, but the atmosphere is strangely social,......, can''t wait to take me home? ''You are all welcome. But first,......, I''d like to be called by my name. Hey, everyone, do that. Please.'' Estella and Lucia let out a wry smile at the Obaachan''s strong request, but showed their approval. In return, they agreed not to address Estella and the others with ''sama''. ''Then let me show you around, Lucia-san, Estella-san. ''Thank you, Mr. Merle. ''You''re in my way, Ma''uld. ''Well, then, come in, hero-sama.'' ''You haven''t changed my name, old lady.'' ''Yashiro! ''Anchovy! Estella and Lucia kidnapped me at great speed and took me away to a corner of the garden. What the hell?That''s what they call a three-step punchline, isn''t it?Isn''t that a tsukkomi? ''You''re too rude, no matter what! ''Is your head in a glove compartment or something?Is it empty? ''Okay, okay. You want me to call you by your name?'' Estella and Lucia are getting really angry, so I''ll just say I''m sorry. Well, if they turn me away, I won''t get any information. Let''s be humble. I thought... ''Hmm. I''ve never been called an ''old lady'' before. It''s refreshing, isn''t it? Yeah, but it''s not very nice. What a discovery. Mahr was a little happy for some reason. Only the current lord''s younger brother would be able to say ''hag'' to a nobleman who is the lord''s sister. But the lord would never use such a word. In other words, I''m the only one in this world who can call Mauru ''hag''. ...... ''I''m glad you had such a valuable experience. ''No remorse at all? Estella is pissed off. ''If Mahr is having fun, that''s fine. ''Hey, hey... Hero-sama. ...... Ah, should I call you Yashiro-chan? ''Don''t call me chan, .......'' ''Then ...... ''Ya-chan''.'' ''There''s still a ''chan'' in there. What''s the matter, have you lost your mind?You''re still young, I''m sorry to hear that. ''So it''s ''Yashippi'' then. ''Where did you come up with that strange word? ''So, Yashippi.'' ''You''ve already decided? I don''t know. ...... More and more unwanted names are being called. ...... ''Isn''t this a joke name that suits you, anchovy? I''m not sure what to call it. I ignored the words of Lucia, who loved my misfortune, and concentrated on the Mahr in front of me. What are you going to say now? I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know. ''Yashippi, you have my permission to use harsh words on me. Mahrul says to me, suddenly changing. It seems that the nobles have a tendency to want to rebel against the respect they are continually given. In other words, they want me to be friendly with them by giving them a ''tsukomi''. ''Hey, hey, Yashippi! Mahr seemed to be that type of aristocrat, and he happily sent me words of encouragement. ''Can you say "you b*tc*"? ''That''s because you''re stepping into a new world, beyond the chic of harsh words! In the event that you are not happy with the praise from Gilberta, you can look at Mahr, who is also not happy, but has a very satisfied expression on his face. ''I really like you, Yashippi. I''m going to fall in love with you. ''You don''t care who''s handsome, do you? ''You''re so brazen, Yashiro. ''It''s a shame you don''t know what you''re doing, anchovy. ...... How can these people spit venom so naturally? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you have. ''I love strange things. ''What?And Yashiro? ''Who''s the odd one out, you bastard? Would you like me to invent a protractor in this world, using your flabby breasts as the world standard? ''Ma''am, you are very particular about gardening, and you once walked around the district to find a brick that you liked, and checked each one with your own eyes. Theron happily talked about bricks. How can there be such a difference between bricks? ''Most of the bricks produced in Allbloom today are made according to the standards set by the royal bricklayers. The soil used, the temperature at which they are heated, the size, shape and color of the bricks are all imitations of the royal bricks. ''If you imitate the royal bricks, the nobles will buy them all the time. Mahr murmurs with a hint of sadness. ''Make them like the royal bricks. It seems to make sense in terms of standardization. When one brick breaks, any other brick will fit. However, it seems that the nobleman, Ma''ru, feels that this is not enough. ''All the bricks were uninteresting, and none of them were what I wanted. ''So, you drifted all the way to the Forty-second Ward at last?'' Estella asks, a little reluctantly. Normally, when you''re looking for something good, you''d look in a store of a higher rank. But it was obvious that the higher the rank, the closer the bricks would be to the royal bricks, and it would have been difficult to find bricks that would satisfy Mahr. So, would they come to District 42? It was normal to think that if you lowered the rank, the quality would also decrease. ''I was about to give up when I came across Mr. Theron''s bricks. I was hooked at first sight. Ingenious, gentle, polite, ......'' Ma''am, enraptured, gazing blankly at the sky above and letting out a sigh. It''s kind of funny to think of the bricks floating around in his head right now. ''Oh, no!I''ve been talking too long here again. I''m no good. I love stories, and I can''t ...... do anything at all without Cindy. ''My Lord! Ma-ru sighs at the gate. There was a voice calling out to the landlord, and an old woman emerged from the house. Is this Cindy? ''Well, Cindy. Are you done with your business? ''Yes. I''ve removed the slime from your bathroom. ''What were you doing, head waiter? Did you leave it mainly to the visitors to clean the bathrooms? ''Think about your priorities!You''re the head waiter! ''Hey, ......, Lord. Who is this gentleman? ''This is the rumored hero, Yashippee.'' Wow, ...... nothing about me is included in ...... ''Yashippi ............ is beautiful.'' ''What?I don''t know, stop it! The old lady squinted at the mysterious name. Then she looks me up and down, her cheeks flushing. ''I''ve been in this business for forty-five years. Yashippi is the second person to scold me in thirty years.'' ''What''s that, like when you set a new record, but you''re never happy to report it ......''. ''The one who scolded me before was also my teacher, the head waiter of the mansion where I used to work,......, and Yashippi was the first. ''Estella, knife! ''What are you doing? ''How can you say such a cruel thing! ''Then don''t even try to act on it! I''ve had enough of being liked by old ladies! I don''t want her to like me everywhere I go! ''Well, I''m already this old. ......'' You''re right. The days of being liked and loved are over, aren''t they? Oh, thank goodness. ''If you don''t at least keep your tone young, you won''t be taken seriously. ''Even if you just change your tone, I won''t take you seriously! ''If Yashippi becomes him, Cindy will be mammoth happy. And by the way, I don''t know how many times I''ve said this already, but ...... "forced translation magic", don''t play! ''Come on, Cindy. Let''s get you all to the pavilion. ''Yes, my Lord. Yes, my Lord. Come on, ladies and gentlemen. With the arrival of the head waiter, Cindy, we were finally allowed to enter the mansion. But Wendy stopped her. ''I''m sorry, Miss Cindy. Can you give us a moment, please? ''Oh, Miss Wendy, what''s wrong? ''I brought flowers for Ma''am. ''Oh, really?That''s so nice of you. Come on, Cindy. Please take it.'' ''Yes, yes, I''m home. Normally, the head waiter would have come out first, but he was so surprised to be greeted by the owner of the house himself that he had forgotten about it until now. The carriage was filled with the flowers that Natalia had bought even though she had been forced to pay for them with beans, and the flowers that Natalia had gotten so many times. We talked in the carriage and decided to give all the flowers as a gift to Mahr. We''ll have to pay another tax for taking the flowers. That''s why Wendy went to the flower shop after she entered the 29th district. ''Well, well, well!There''s so much here. I''m so happy! ''Most of it was a gift from Natalia. ''Natalia, is ...... the one you''re talking about? Mahrul was happy to be surrounded by so many flowers. Standing beside her, Natalia bows her head reverently. ''Nice to meet you. I''m Natalia, head waiter for the Cremona family. ''Oh, you''re so beautiful. ''Yes, she is. Yes, she is. ''Natalia. Pull yourself together.'' Natalia is still very confident. But Mahr and Cindy did not show any unusual interest in Natalia. In front of the florist''s shop, even the passerby women were sighing with fascination. ''You must have been very popular on the street, huh? ''Yes, very much so. ''Natalia, don''t make me repeat it.I mean it! This is something. ...... Mahr''s smile gave me a hunch about that. He seemed to have an idea why Natalia was the only one who was unusually popular. ''You want to know?Yashippi.'' Once again, Mahrul came to me with an answer to my question. Perhaps it was his age, but he seemed to know exactly what I wanted to ask. But if that''s the kind of technology you''re looking for, I''ve got it too: ...... ''So the reason why Natalia is unusually popular has something to do with ...... some of the information we want, or something important? ''Mmmm ...... you''re a clever one, Yashippi.'' It''s a good thing I told me at this time. This guy put aside his lord and approached me. If he is trying to tell me something about the series of disturbances that have occurred this time, and not Estella or Lucia,......, then this old lady Mael may be a bit unusual. It''s almost as if she''s figured out that I''m the one who''s going to be in the middle of all the business meetings,....... ''Actually. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I have. He opens and closes his mouth as he pleases, as if speaking to the whole world. ''Cindy here is the only waiter in my house. There are many people who don''t get along with me. ''It''s hard to adapt to the Lord''s taste, I have a hard time with that. I''m having a hard time adjusting to the Lord''s taste. He glared lightly at Cindy, who made an unnecessary comment, and lightly clenched his fist and raised it. It was as if they were joking around. Maybe it''s true that Cindy wasn''t mad at me. ''So, I''m going to be interviewing a new waiter later today. Let''s move that up a bit. An interview for a new waiter: ......? ''I''ve invited four people, so Yashippi and the others can observe.'' I see. If you''re recruiting new workers, then many of the people you''re interviewing are young people who are about to get a job ....... If we can understand the behavior and hobbies of the young people in this town, we may be able to see the reality of BU, which has grown distorted. Are you anticipating that much, Mael? ...... Well, maybe it''s just a coincidence. ''Yashiro. Let''s see it.'' ''Yes, we will. But I can''t help but feel sorry for the new guy who gets surrounded by three head waiters at the interview. I hope it doesn''t turn into an oppressive interview. ''Then, let''s head to the interview room. With that, Mahrul walked into a small hut next to the main building. It seemed to be an annex built separately from the main building. I see. You can''t just let a guy who hasn''t even been hired into the building. And so, in order to find out what problems lurked in the 29th district and, by extension, in BU, we decided to attend an interview at the Mahr Erin residence. ...... But in the end, you couldn''t get in. 261-Young People in Episode 173 BU There were already four waiters sitting in the annex. All of them were dressed in matching clothes, with beautiful postures and straight backs, with the dignity of a waiter. The ...... standby is already in place, but you didn''t even start the interview, you were just cleaning the slime out of the bathroom? How long were you planning to start the interview? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Mael secretly whispered to me. He''s watching people''s faces very closely. Should I be happy that I don''t have to ask questions or should I shun him for being creepy? But it''s just before noon, so he was planning to keep us waiting for at least five hours. I wondered what she was thinking about ...... and looked at Natalia casually. ''............'' She was staring at a corner of the room. ...... Cat, are you? What the hell is wrong with you staring at nothing? ...... I looked at Gilberta and she was staring at the same place. I''m not sure what to make of that. ............ What?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ ''Oh ......''. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life. ...... Did these guys find it as soon as they entered? It''s an occupational hazard,......, and when I looked at Natalia again, she was staring at a different place this time. Or rather, she was looking around the room. Gilberta was doing the same, looking around the room and starting to get nervous. The ...... eyesight. I''m not sure what kind of vision these guys usually have of the world. ''...... I''m afraid those four will not be hired.'' ''I agree, me too.'' That''s what the head waiter said. I see. If you''re in this room for a long time and don''t clean the mess ...... or even notice it, you won''t be hired. ...... It''s a tough world, even for a waiter. ''Gentlemen. I''m sorry to keep you waiting. Let''s start the interview. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. '''''''' I look forward to working with you. '''''''' It''s just too much to take in. ''Well, have a seat.'' Ma''ru said, and the candidates sat down on the chairs again. ''''...... points deducted'''' Natalia and Gilberta muttered next to me. ''''...... I mean, you guys. It''s not me, you guys should be following your respective lords. ''Don''t sit down before Lord Mael. ''I agree, I do. We should wait properly, if Lord Ma''uld shows any signs of sitting.'' ''No, isn''t it rude not to sit down when offered?'' ''I mean, just wait a breath. To sit or not to sit, it is important to stand up for the Lord first. Sit with the Lord. Sit with the Lord, don''t sit with the Lord. ...... It''s a difficult world of serving. Marle sat in front of the candidates, and we sat down in the chairs that Cindy, the head waiter, had given us. The room is rather large, reminiscent of a corporate conference room, and there is a long table. Mahr, Lucia, and Estella sat at the table in that order, and I sat next to Estella. Behind them stood the head waiters, and a little further away from us sat Theron and Wendy. On the other side of the table, there were candidates sitting on four chairs, still looking at us with their backs straight. ...... I have an objection to my seat. I''m an outsider, though. ''So, in order, can you tell me why you want to work here?Oh, names are fine. I''ll only tell you if you''re hired.'' There''s no point in remembering the names of the rejects. That''s a reasonable, if somewhat bizarre, suggestion. There are four candidates. Three are women and one is a man. They''re looking at each other, trying to figure out who''s going to speak first. ...... I don''t care which one you start with, just say it. ''Hey ......''. It seemed to take a while, so I called out to Estella. ''I wonder at what stage those serving clothes were given to you? ''Huh? ''No, you see. They''re all wearing the same one, right?The men''s ones are similar. The candidates are all wearing chic, black-based serving uniforms. Although there are some differences between men and women, there is a sense of unity that clearly shows that they are wearing the same uniform. I thought that this kind of uniform was provided after the hiring process was decided, but it seems that here they have the employees wear the uniforms from the time of the interview. I thought it was ....... ''We don''t provide serving clothes, Yashippi. Cindy answers me softly from behind. Before I knew it, she was standing behind me without a sound. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... I wonder if he''s a martial arts expert as well. ...... I didn''t feel any sign of him at all. ...... To be honest, I was a little surprised. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''No, because ...... we''re matching. ''All the young people who come to our company for interviews come dressed like that. Even if we don''t say anything. Is it like a recruiting suit? It''s like, ''Just wear this. It''s a characteristic of this town. ...... I don''t really like it, though. ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can call us at the web site. But none of the candidates have started talking yet. They keep checking each other out. It''s like they''re ...... at a loss as to what to do. ''Hey, get on with it. ...... Are you guys somehow connected by nerves or something? ''So, Yashippi. Who do you think should start?'' Mael asked me, seemingly happy. I don''t see why I should be the one to decide, but I can''t get anywhere watching the candidates matchmaking. I say to the only man sitting on the left side of the room. I say to the only man sitting to my left, ''You go first. In a situation like this, it is the role of men to take the lead and do the hard work. Or rather, if there is a man and a woman, I will take the initiative to sacrifice the man. There''s no reason to be nice to him. When I nominated the man, he stood up and with a posture as straight as a tin toy, began to explain why he wanted to work here. ''Ma''am, your virtue and character have been echoing in my ears in the form of praise, and I have decided since I was a child that if I were to devote my life to a person like you, it would be to a wonderful person like Ma''am. When I saw that there was a job opening for a waiter, I trembled with joy and applied for it without any choice. The man made a bow that sounded like a ''snap'' and sat down. What a stiff explanation. In short, he just said, "Mahr is famous and I want to work there. That''s not a very interesting reason. I''d be a prime candidate for rejection. And the woman to my right stands up. This one keeps her posture too straight, like a doll with a wire in it. ''I, too, have heard of Ma''ru''s virtue and character in the form of praise, even from an unspecified person, and have decided since I was a child that if I were to devote my life to a person like Ma''ru, it would be to a wonderful person like him. When I saw that there was a job opening for a waiter, I trembled with joy and applied for it without any choice. What? I couldn''t help but look at Estella and her face. Estella and even Lucia on the other side of the room had blank faces. Of course they were. This woman said the same thing as the man before. Mael is looking at me. ''Right?Isn''t that troubling? She gave me a mischievous frown, as if to say, ''Isn''t it annoying? These guys must have gone to some training school or something. They must have been taught ''how to say this in an interview'' there. The woman who just spoke to me first said "me too" and then used the first person "watashi". Probably, she used the first person ''I'' as she usually does, even though the standard sentence she was taught was ''watashi''. ''Then, the next person should say something different from the first two. When Ma''ru said this with a gentle smile, the third candidate was clearly upset and his expression became tense. He looked around nervously and stood up as if he had no choice. Unlike the previous two, his back was bent and he was restless. His whole body exuded a lack of self-confidence. ''E............ and that .......'' ''It doesn''t matter what it is. Just tell me what you think.'' ''Huh...... then......'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re not going to be able to afford to buy a new car. ...What? The woman''s head twisted restlessly as she opened her mouth hesitantly. I think the environment ...... is a big part of it. ......'' ............ ............ ............The end? What''s with the ''but''?Say the end! ''So, the end, please.'' ''Oh, yes. I feel the same way. Or rather, I think everyone here feels the same. Right?Right, guys? ''Oh, yeah. ''Yeah, I guess so.'' ''Yeah, I think so. After the other three replied, the last candidate turned a satisfied expression to Ma''ru and said briefly, ''''Right? And then he sat down. ...... Where''s the honorific? ''Yes, this is the end of the interview. Then, everyone, please eat some sweet baked goods and relax a little. Mael quickly announced the end of the interview, and the candidates all looked surprised. ...... No, no, no. That''s enough. This is a big problem. The youth of this district. At the same time as Mahrul announces the end, Cindy gets up and starts preparing tea. She says a few words to Cindy, and Natalia and Gilberta start moving at the same time. I thought they were going to help with the tea, but ...... they started picking up trash in the corner of the room and wiping the dirt off the walls. ...... How curious were they? ''Servants don''t like to keep their masters in dirty rooms,'' he said. Estella told me this as I followed Natalia''s actions with my eyes. ''If it were true, cleaning someone else''s house would be considered disrespectful to the owner of the house. ...... In this case, it seems that Mahrul instructed them to clean up the mess on purpose, so they asked for permission and started cleaning up. Ma''ru smiled, as if Estella''s prediction had been correct. ''The drawing room is the face of the house. If it''s dirty, it''s like mud on the face of the master of the house. ''Also, if your master invites you to a dirty place, it can be taken as an insult that you are fit for such a place. That''s why Gilberta hates the dirt in the other party''s reception room. ...... Cute guy. ...... Please stop. It''s as if they''re trying to drag me into their world, which is a little scary. As Natalia and Gilberta quickly cleaned up the room, Cindy finished distributing baked goods and tea to everyone. You will find a small table in front of the candidates before you know it. ...... I mean, those candidates didn''t move at all. They were watching Natalia and the others cleaning up. ''They probably think they''re guests of the house. ''Or maybe they''re our equals, like they''re our lords. Although the volume of their voices was inaudible to the candidates, Estella and Lucia spoke harshly. Or rather, Lucia. If you say it like that, I''ll be in the position of a lord. Or do you want to accuse me of being rude as well? ''Come on, eat up. Ma''ru says with a happy and embarrassed expression. Did Ma''ulu bake this?............ Isn''t this wheat baked in an oven? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Estella tells me quietly. Taxing personal hobbies,......, is a shabby way to do business. You''ll be able to put in your mouth a baked good that has been created with such a troublesome procedure. The taste is not worth the .................. effort. ...... But ...... I''m sure you''ll agree. Isn''t it really good?'' ''I think it''s delicious, too. I think it''s good.Isn''t it? ''I totally agree. The candidates all raved about this delicate baked good. ...... praise, right? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It seems that it was not to your taste. ''What''s that ...... elegant taste ...... like? ''Oh, yeah, that. I was just thinking the same thing.'' ''Oh, no!What a coincidence! ''Well, you know, like ......? What''s going on here, candidates? It''s ....... ''No, this isn''t good. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''It''s not sweet enough, it''s not crunchy enough, and it''s very powdery and rough on the tongue. ''Yashiro ......, you''re really honest.'' ''Estella. You''ve got to agree with me. The two lords looked happy as they said this. But there were people who didn''t like what I was saying. The candidates. ''I think that''s too rude an opinion! ''Yes, it is!I think you''re talking too much! ''Don''t you think there''s a better way to say it? ''I think so. I mean, aren''t you pretending to be a gourmet? ''''Ahh, there are people like that. I''ve been called all kinds of things. Still, their tone is annoying. I''m not saying that you should use beautiful words, but you should at least keep in mind a tone of voice that doesn''t make you feel stressed. ''Yashippi''. Mahr smiled happily and even applauded as I was met with the swarthy gaze of the candidates. ''If Yashippi had been a candidate, I would have hired her immediately, what a pity. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that, but you can''t help but feel a little sad as you stare at me. ...... I''m hired?I''m sure you''ll agree. ''These baked goods are a failure. The portions are all messed up.'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... I wish you had done that thirty years ago, you know. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about this. ''I don''t have the same taste buds as someone who finds this delicious. Eating is a very important thing. ......?I''m sorry. With these words, all the candidates were rejected. After the candidates left, we moved to the reception room of the main building, where we ate some decent tasting baked goods. ''This is delicious. I like this kind of thing. Estella, who earlier had been silent and had eyes like a dead fish, was happily munching on the baked goods. You''re a squirrel, aren''t you? Your cheeks are all puffy. ''How was it, Yashippi? With a cup of tea in his hand, Mael looks at me with a curious look. ''It''s a wonderfully synchronized phenomenon. I wonder if they''re obsessed with the idea that minorities are evil. ''Twenty-nine Wards ...... Unh. Most of the young people in BU are like that.'' Mahr sighs into his cup of tea. As he stares at his reflection in the tea, he mutters sadly. ''It''s boring, isn''t it, that we''re all the same ......? It sounded more like a criticism of the ''should-be'' atmosphere surrounding the 29th district than a criticism of the youth. ''Those who create their own small frameworks and enter into them are more likely to do so. For example, the so-called gyaru/gyaru-o, who like to use eccentric fashions and unique languages, often implicitly enforce their own rules on others. If you don''t dress like this, you are lame. If you don''t know this model, you''re not cool. If you don''t know this model, you''re not cool. If you don''t belong here, you''re not worth talking about. If you don''t know this word, you''re behind, etc. ...... Words such as "lame" are sometimes used as if they were a sin. The person who commits such a sin cannot exist in the group. Because of this unspoken rule, they are desperate to pursue a fad. Even if that trend is only for their own narrow world. Those who live in a world where such strict restrictions are forced upon them show a particular tendency. That is the synchronization phenomenon. A simple example is the way of speaking without saying the conclusion. It is a way of speaking that does not allow the other person to criticize or oppose by making the conclusion unclear and not giving a clear conclusion. If the other person refutes you, you say, ''That''s not the point,'' and quickly run away. The phrase ''It''s so dull, but...'' can be followed by either ''So I won''t work hard'' or ''But I will work hard,'' so you can turn your hand the moment the other person is displeased. In addition, the phrase, ''You''re not...? is also frequently used. This is a more straightforward way of talking to make the other person sympathize with you, i.e., draw them into ''thinking like you'' or ''being on your side. The correct answer to ''Isn''t it? The correct answer to ''Isn''t it? It is not acceptable to reply ''Isn''t that right? That is what they call ''sin''. Such a response would be considered ''impossible,'' ''unpredictable,'' or ''unsatisfactory,'' and they would be excluded from the group. So, they try their best to keep up appearances. They wear masks that say, "I''m on your side. However, the "self" that they force themselves to put up is easily dismantled and soon comes to pieces. The candidate from earlier is a typical example. He couldn''t even use honorifics properly the moment he was banned from using regular expressions. ''I think that''s an extreme example, though. ''That''s not really the case...'' Mahrul shakes his head in annoyance at Estella, who lets out a bitter laugh. Unless Mahr has gone out of his way to gather a particularly bad group of young people, the result of a random group of young people is ...... a pretty serious situation. What is more serious is that the phenomenon of syncretism has begun to extend from ''coercion of syncretism'' to ''exclusion of dissenters''. If this tendency becomes stronger, it may eventually evolve into ''self-appointed bouncers''. The term "self-recommending bouncer" means, in simple terms, a person who shuts down opposition in advance, and it refers to the psychology of eliminating the existence of people who are likely to oppose in advance by developing a negative campaign such as "don''t listen to him because he is a horrible person" or "don''t get involved with him because he says a lot of lies. It refers to the psychology of trying to eliminate in advance those who are likely to object. When a country is not in a state of war, but expresses its will to ''not welcome enemy countries and exclude them'', all the people of the country become antagonistic to the particular country and view it as an enemy. There are many people who try to unite the people with such a policy, and in fact there are such countries. If the 29th district does that, this negotiation is sure to collapse. ''That black dress was also not worn by anyone until a while ago,.......'' Ma''ru holds out a piece of paper. The paper was filled with articles about popular fashions and foods in the BU. Apparently, it is a kind of magazine. It''s a single sheet of paper, so it''s not a magazine, but an information paper. Since the words are automatically translated, it may be relatively easy to make a kawara-ban if there is someone who has a language suitable for it. A Japanese typewriter is complicated, but an alphabet can be made into a simple structure. ''Oh, this is ......''. ''Ah, ......''. Wendy finds something, and Theron lets out a sound when he sees it. Mahrul looks at what they''re looking at and annotates in a boring way. ''Nowadays, people like this are in fashion. Ma''ru pointed to a simple but tasteful illustration of a woman, a beauty painting,......, but.... ''This ...... is Natalia, no matter how you look at it. The clothes, the atmosphere, the hairstyle, it was Natalia herself, no matter how you looked at it. ''Every few months, they write an article like this, "These people are beautiful."'' ''So, this is a coincidence ......? Estella is staring at Natalia in the paper. Illustration of a woman with black hair cut short, wearing intelligent glasses and a chic, mature black outfit. Because it is an illustration, her face does not resemble Natalia''s, but the atmosphere is very much like Natalia. She looks like Natalia. The more you look at her, the more she looks like Natalia. The more you look at it, the more it''s Natalia. ''That''s why Natalia was unusually popular ......''. Estella murmurs with a ''gut feeling face'', a model of the word ''gut feeling''. ''Is the influence of this information paper great? ''To the extent that everyone believes what is written in it. Especially since this one just came out yesterday. That''s especially true when it''s just been published. ''Yesterday, today, all the people in the city became like that. ......? Lucia''s expression tightened. She seems to be feeling a bit of awe. It''s true that, looking at the people in the city, it looked like an act of aesthetic sense ...... that they had shared for a long time. If this is the reaction of someone who has just seen the paper, then the influence of this paper is considerable. Together with the enthusiasm of the people in the city to keep up with the latest trends, it''s quite a feat. ''That black waiter''s uniform, too, suddenly came into fashion one day. As soon as it appeared in the news paper a few months ago. ''If it''s that influential, I''m sure a clothing store would think of sponsoring it and pushing a color that''s not selling well. ''Certainly, if it works well, the information paper will get money and the clothing store will make a profit ............, but how can you even think of such a thing in this moment, Yashiro? It''s common knowledge that money flows to those with influence. If the current state of this city was like that for a long time, the businessmen would have sniffed it out by now. ''So, I painted a picture of a beautiful woman in black, which is in fashion right now, and it turned out like this .......'' Estella smiles dryly as she looks at the painting of the Natalia-like beauty. And when the people of the city saw Natalia in her so-called "fashionable" clothes, which looked just like the beautiful painting, the result was ...... that. When I glanced at Natalia, I saw that she had a complicated expression on her face as she looked at the information paper. She must be thinking about it because she knows that her popularity was created by a boom. ''So you''re saying that the ...... world has finally caught up with me. ''Your positivity makes me jealous sometimes! What a strong heart you have, my friend. You never give up on the idea that your popularity comes from your own beauty. ''Is this information paper something that can be found in addition to being posted on the bulletin board? ''You can go to a store and they''ll sell you one. But this one is a gift. They give them to us every issue.'' Estella''s question was met with a bitter look from Mahrul. He''s probably trying to win over the nobles and get them to sponsor him. The publisher of this information paper seems to be very confident. Well, if you''re a nobleman, you might want to be the first to adopt the latest trends and make yourself look good, so it might not be a wrong strategy. ''Well, I''m sure people who are happy with this kind of thing are happy with it. I don''t know what the young people think. With his arms outstretched, Mahr was not pleased with the situation. In Japan, too, there are many examples of fashion magazines setting up fads, or people admiring and imitating celebrities they see on TV or in magazines, triggering the phenomenon of syncretism. In other words, the illustration of Natalia''s likeness in this information paper, which has a strong influence in BU, is the most advanced in BU at the moment, and is a kind of charismatic reader model that girls admire and boys are in love with. ''Ah. Look, Yashiro. Here.'' Estella pointed to the article and said, ''This will work for sure!In the article, there is a headline that reads, "The perfect guide to interviewing at a nobleman''s home." In the article, there is a model answer to the question that the candidate said earlier, "Your virtue and character are unknown to me. ...... If you have time to memorize something like this, you should practice to be able to answer properly. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do. ''I suppose it''s better to share information in moderation. Listening to his lord''s conversation, Ma''ru nodded in an understandable manner. ''I love unusual things. I also like people who are different and unique. Ma''ru says, looking away from the information paper and up at the ceiling. ''...... By nature, each human being is completely different, and everyone should be unique. No two people are exactly alike. Even if you witness the same thing at the same time in the same place, your impressions will be different. That''s called individuality. You don''t need to look for a unique person to be unique. ...... Mahr seems to think that everyone should be unique. It''s a good idea to have a person with a strong sense of self as a waiter. ...... But it''s difficult to find the right person. At present, the head waiter, Cindy, is the only waiter in Mahrul''s house. She is said to be the only one who manages this large house. ''I''m old, too, so I don''t want you to do anything too grand. I''m just happy if you can help me spend my days peacefully. He just wants to be next to him when he eats, to say ''good night'' to each other before he goes to bed and ''good morning'' when he wakes up, to help him take care of the flowers in his garden, and things like that. ''That''s why I''m making the interview very easy. As long as you are yourself and tell me a story that excites me, you will be hired immediately. ............ But it''s hard to find a young girl who can meet that ''be yourself'' ......''. ''Um, ......, what was the deal with that room? Estella asks Mahr. As soon as they entered, Natalia and Gilberta frowned at the uncomfortable reception room. Of course, there must be a meaning to that, too. ''That''s something we do every time,'' she said. ''I''m embarrassed and I wish you wouldn''t.'' I''d rather you didn''t.'' Cindy frowned and complained to Mahr, who looked pleased. She is ...... rather embarrassed. ''When I first came to live in this house after being evicted from my home, you recruited a waiter. The one who came then was Cindy. ...... ugh.'' She smiled, remembering those days. She holds her mouth with her hands and tells me nostalgically, unraveling the important things in her memory. ''I was so desperate at the time that I didn''t even want to do the interview. So I made them wait for about two hours. So I kept him waiting for about two hours, and when I peeked in to see if he''d gone home, he was cleaning the reception room to make it sparkle. ''I had just moved in and hadn''t cleaned every nook and cranny yet, so I just ......''. Cindy looked troubled and a little embarrassed, as if she had just been exposed to a past mistake. A candidate for a waitress who starts cleaning without the permission of the owner of the mansion ...... Certainly, there is a difference of opinion as to whether this is acceptable or disrespectful. But Mahrul must have liked it very much. ''I''ve decided that if anyone enters that room and starts cleaning voluntarily, I''ll hire them immediately. ''The screening process is really lax for jobs here. Even so, no one was hired, and Cindy was currently the only waiter in the building. ''Hmm... I''ll tell you everything you want to know as an apology for making you sit through this boring interview. With that, Mahrul winked at Theron and Wendy. He was probably listening to what Theron and Wendy had to say. Mael is going to help us. ...... Maybe he''s thinking that if we can stir up the BU, we''ll be able to do something about this city-wide synchronization phenomenon that Mahr hates,....... If that is the case, then our interests may be aligned. So, for starters, I posed the following question. ''First of all, I''d like to know why the lord''s sister would side with us, who could be the lord''s enemy. Let''s see if we can trust Mahrul. His cooperation itself could be a trap set by the lord. ''It''s going to be a bit long, but it might be best if you tell him about my situation. The tea is drunk and the empty cup is placed on the saucer. After a short interval before Cindy finished pouring a new cup of tea, Mahrul spoke slowly. ''I was abandoned when I was twenty. With my family, in this city. The story began with such shocking words. 262-Episode 174 Born as the next lord... ''It might be a bit of a long story, so let''s have a meal together. Ma''ru said happily to us just after we had eaten the baked goods. He told us that Mahrul rarely invited people to his mansion, and that aside from the merchants who frequented the mansion, Theron and his friends were the only ones who did. His relatives did not stop by often, and he had no one close to him in the same ward. However, he is not a misanthrope and would like to invite guests and talk with them every day if he could. ...... I know a shy and lonely pharmacist like that. You''re like him. The only difference is that Mahr is a very active person. He''ll come to the 42nd district in search of bricks, and he''ll search for flowers in the garden until he finds one he likes. And he loves new things, and unusual things even more. ''It''s a beautiful garden. ''Oh, really?Thank you. There were countless flowers planted in the garden of the mansion, but there was an even larger garden behind the mansion. The garden was so huge that you could make a fortune if you built a giant maze, spreading out as far as the eye could see. I thought it was a small hill overlooking the river. Before entering the mansion, Estella had been excited about the view of the river from the garden, but that was just a bonus. But that was a bonus. The river made a big curve and extended to the garden in the backyard. More to the point, it led to the cliffs beyond. In other words, the garden behind Mahrul''s mansion stretched out over the cliffs that bordered the Forty-Two District. ''All the land you can see from here is our land. When we left our house, we asked for it. Originally, it seemed that the lord controlled all the rivers and waterfalls that could create a right, and the watermills along the river were all his property. There was a proposal to build a waterwheel at the waterfall, but if it were to be installed there, it would overhang the forty-two districts somewhat, and there was a possibility that a territorial dispute would break out. Moreover, the population of the 29th district, with its small territory, was naturally small, and it was judged that a waterwheel for milling wheat and other products was not so necessary, so nothing was installed at the waterfall. Therefore, even though the land was left idle, the previous lord gave it to him on the condition that he would build a house on the troublesome land, which was an important place that could not be encroached upon by others, and that Mauru would manage it. However, it seems that there is a good chance that the land will be confiscated immediately if the lord asks for it. Mahrul was resigned to the fact that if he could find a way to use the waterfall, it would be taken from him with or without his permission. --And... The only reason Estella is so focused on the beautiful scenery and I''m so focused on the money and interests is because I want to escape reality by looking away from the food on the ...... table. ''You. You''ve got to face reality. ...... No, I don''t.'' Lucia calls out to our backs as we gaze out the large opening in the window into the backyard. She is knocking on the table, trying to get us to turn our attention to it. I can''t help it, so I turn around and see ...... ''You''re going to have to deal with a lot of beans. The large amount of beans on the table, about 60 percent of the food, was burned into my retina. ...... I''m going to dream about this scene for a while. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but there''s a rule that says when you''re serving a meal to invited guests, at least 60 percent of the food must be beans. ''...... Who decided that, anyway? ''The lords of the districts, of course. ''Of course, it''s the lords of the districts, or BU, if you prefer. Rules set by the BU. Rules to push beans on others. Review ....... ''You can keep this one. There''s no way I can eat this much anyway. It seemed that Mahrul wanted to give us a proper welcome in accordance with the rules, and the amount of food served was much larger than usual. In short, he said, "Sixty percent of the food is beans, but ignore the beans and enjoy the other dishes. The 40% of the dish, excluding the beans, is enough for a normal serving. In order to make a single serving with only regular rice, extra beans must be placed on the table, which means that beans are wasted unnecessarily. One and a half times as many beans as normal rice are ''piled up'' on the table - that''s how I would like to describe it. Some of them seem to be boiled, but ...... most of them are raw lentils. ''I see. So if you don''t cook them, you can use them next time. They put the raw beans on the table as a ''salad'' and leave them untouched as ''leftovers''. Of course, since they are untouched, they are just beans and not leftovers. You can eat them later or sell them somewhere else. ''Well, even if I do that, there''s no one who''ll take this large inventory. Ma''ru muttered sadly. This may be a way to avoid wasting as much food as possible, but it won''t reduce the inventory. If the warehouse is overflowing with beans, they will eventually get damaged and have to be discarded. Mahrul, who has few friends, probably has no way to deal with such a large amount of beans. It is inevitable that food will be wasted. He looks as if he is heartbroken by this. ...... It was a little like the helpless look Ginette had once shown me. You can take it back for free if you don''t want it. The next thing you know, you''re talking about something outrageous. ...... d*mn. Even when he''s not there, he still manages to stimulate the little sycophant inside me. Maybe the cliffs are close enough to let a little of the 42nd district air in. ''But you know, unlike other places, we only have lentils. I''ve heard that sorghum is the specialty of the 29th district. The coffee shop and other stores were serving peanuts and edamame, but I guess they were bound to serve the local specialty, sorghum, because of their position as blood relatives of the lord. Come to think of it, the only person who sent us soramame in this district was the lord. ''The only way to eat sycamores is to boil them, so it''s a problem for both the recipient and the cook. ''In a coffee shop, you don''t want your customers to leave anything behind, so they probably prefer something they can eat up. ''I''ve heard that the rule at BU is to serve beans to the customers. I guess beans that can be handled well are more popular. Listening to Mahr, Estella and Lucia guessed the situation in this district. Perhaps I''m not so far off. ''The percentage of beans served in the store, the percentage of beans served to invited guests by the lord and his blood relatives, and the percentage of beans served to other guests varies depending on various circumstances. In the meantime, we are trying to keep it reasonable. ...... It''s strange when you say ''serve beans to the customers'', isn''t it? Mahrul self-deprecatingly complains about the distorted situation they are in. It''s not so much a complaint about the strange rules that bind the residents as it is a ...... So, you know. You don''t have to be so hard on yourself, Yashippi. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... at all. You think I''m saying that out of the kindness of my heart? Even if Jeannette''s sycophantic aura has had some negative effects, I do not have the idea of helping or reaching out to those in need with goodness in my heart. If I appear to be kind, it''s when there''s a hidden profit in it. ''I''ll tell you two things. So I''ll tell Mahr to mind his own business. ''I don''t like to spoil my food. Then ...... give me this and I''ll be good to go.'' Of course, I''m not talking about eating lentils and saying, ''Delicious! That''s not what I meant. Lentils are an ingredient that is being steadily prepared to become bean sauce. It''s more efficient to stock up on what you can get in advance and have it ready for use, rather than scrounging up what you need once the plan is in motion. That''s all. ''As long as we can manage the tax measures, we''ll make a lot of money. ''Oh, in that case. You might want to take this with you.'' Mael instructed Cindy to bring a piece of paper. It was a kind of certificate with the words, ''This is a gift from the lord to exempt you from taxes. With this certificate, there is no tax when you take the beans out of the house. It is natural, if you think about it. Not only beans, but also lords would give gifts to those they are close to. Sometimes, they even pay tribute to their superiors. If such gifts are taxed, the gift will become a vengeance, and the relationship with the recipient will be damaged. Tax exemption is a system that should be in place. The tax revenue will go into the lord''s pocket anyway, and if he just ''doesn''t take it'', it won''t hurt or hurt him. ''Hmm. You''ve become quite gentle, haven''t you, Yashiro? Estella strokes my forelock in a teasing manner. That''s disgusting. Don''t touch my bangs. You''re making me nervous. ''Assunto said he''s getting serious. The bean sauce production is as good as decided. Then let''s just gather the materials so we can start production right away. If we can get it for free, we''ll be all set. ''Huh. I didn''t know you trusted Assunto that much. ...... I''ll tell you what. ''When it comes to money, there''s no one you can trust more than him. Like it or not.'' ''Hmm, yeah. Mm-hmm. If you don''t quit that know-it-all face right now, you''ll be screaming like a climber from a cliff into the 42nd district. I''ll scream like a mountain climber. Would you like to be ''flattened'' or ''flattened'' by Yamabiko? ''What''s that, Toobanjan? ''Oh, ...... it''s hard to explain, but it''s a kind of seasoning. ...... I''ll treat you to it when I get a chance. ''Oh, that would be fun. You''re giving me such a large amount of lentils. I''d be happy to do that for you. If you''ll also take care of the tax exemption for bringing them to ....... Otherwise, come eat at the Sunshine Pavilion. ''Come on, we''re ready. Cindy, who had been preparing the food with Natalia and Gilberta in tow, called out to us. She grabbed Theron and Wendy, who were happily gazing at the garden, completely ignoring us, immersing themselves in their own private world, and flirting and giggling, by the scruff of the neck and made them sit down, and we sat down too. ''Oh, um, Hero-sama...... we''re not flirting with each other......'' ''What? ''Any newlywed would do that! ''You''ve been doing that!I wish you would have denied it, you know! I was expecting you to say, ''I didn''t do that! I swore to myself that I would never bring him back next time, and started to eat the food that was served. The taste was quite good, and even though I had just eaten some baked goods, my chopsticks kept moving. ...... Well, I was using a fork and a knife, though. It was not the pretentious cuisine of the aristocracy, but an exotic, home-cooked meal with an unusual yet nostalgic flavor that I liked a lot. ''I wonder what I should start with to make it easier to understand. Meanwhile, Mael let out a sigh as he tore into the bread. The BU is bound by strange rules, and the 29th district is unable to defy them. It may be that he was also thinking about the people who were accepting such a situation, but his sigh was heavy, as if he was worried about them. Then, after thinking for a while, he glanced at me and nodded as if he was satisfied. ''Right. I think we should answer Yashippi''s question first. As we ate, Mahrul spoke quietly. She was born the daughter of a lord,......, and came to live in this house. ''I was born as the daughter of a lord, and I was taught and taught and taught everything I could to rule this ward,......, and at the same time, everything else was taken from me. I''ve never been accused of anything, but I''ve just taken for granted the facts that were there and turned them into words in a simple tone. ''My mother wasn''t a very strong person, so she couldn''t have any other children. They said it was a miracle that I was even born safely. Estella once told me that in this city, even among the nobility, there are few people who approve of bigamy. The same is true in the 29th district, where the lord remains in love with one person for life. Theron and Wendy were listening to the story with blank stares. ...... Blast off later. ''From the time I was six years old, my prospective son-in-law visited the house constantly and gave me many gifts. But none of them ever reached me. If I accept them, they will be conveyed to the other party as a false reply. ''So there were a lot of people who wanted to be the son-in-law of a lord, even if they had to make up the facts .......'' ''Yes. They must have been desperate. But that desperation was frightening to me when I was still young. I was beginning to think men were scary. Everyone listened quietly to Ma''ru''s words, trying not to interrupt him. Occasionally, he would ask a question in return, but basically, he was a listener. ''By the time I reached adulthood, I had made up my mind to be single for the rest of my life. I would protect this land with my whole life - that''s all I was thinking about. ...... You were young. I didn''t think about what came after. I didn''t even know what to do. If Ma''ru remains single for the rest of his life, the blood of the Erin family, the lords of the 29th district, will be cut off. If you''ve been in an environment that makes you phobic of men since you were six years old, you can''t help but have a distorted view of love, and there''s no way you can have the right knowledge. Without some kind of positive interest, people do not want to learn about the unknown. It is highly likely that Mahrul did not even know how to make a child, let alone the meaning and importance of procreation. It''s not like he was in a box. She''s an iron-fisted young lady who locked herself in an iron prison. That was the impression of Mahrul given by Bojek, Theron''s father. "A young woman of deepest learning who has decided to remain single for the rest of her life. Ma''ru must have been well known both inside and outside the palace. ''Father was in a hurry, wasn''t he? The family is in danger of being cut off. ...... But I had no intention of taking a son-in-law. If things continue like this, the Erin family will die out. Everyone thought so, and when the nobles around me started to make noise, the situation suddenly changed. Perhaps the previous lord - Mahr''s father - was in a great hurry. Considering his age and the state of the world, he acted quite recklessly. ''I''ve got a baby brother. That must have been quite a shock and despair to the nobles in this area. If you can get Ma''ru - for lack of a better word - down, you can become a blood relative of the lord. Even if not, if Mahrul succeeded to the throne, the House of Erin would eventually cease to exist and another noble would take over the throne. The nobles must have spent a great deal of time and money preparing for either of these events. And then, unexpectedly, a son was born. The Erins had gotten an heir on their own. ''It was when I was 20. My parents were reasonably old,...... and my selfishness must have pushed them too far. ...... My mother passed away shortly after my brother was born. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I have. She gave birth again twenty years after Ma''ru''s birth. The burden on her body was immeasurable. ''Since the birth of my heir, my world has changed completely. All the people who had been suffocating me disappeared at once, the expectations, the responsibilities, the pressure, everything disappeared in an instant. My place in the world, even the mission that I had believed I should devote my life to, was gone. At the age of twenty, Ma''ru was ''used up'' the moment the heir was born. Perhaps his mother''s death had something to do with it,......, but Ma''ru was kicked out of the house. ''It was so easy. Everything that had been mine, or at least what I thought was mine, was gone. All that''s left is this body. There was no one I could trust, no one I could ...... trust. But the education he had received to become a lord and the courage he possessed remained as weapons in Mahrul''s hands. ''This land had been untouched for a long time because of the heir problem, and I made a place for myself on the condition that I would manage it. This is my castle. The daughter negotiates with her father. As a nobleman, that might be considered cheeky or rude. But the previous lords accepted it. He may have decided that it was better than letting things get out of hand and ending up with a strange man. If he cornered Mahrul and she married a lord of a neighboring district, and territorial disputes or succession problems arose, he would be out of his depth. It was probably the most convenient decision for the lord to let her do as she pleased to some extent and keep her there. ''When I was a child, thinking only of becoming a lord, there was one thing I liked and envied. ''Is that the garden? ''Yes. The lord''s manor had a well-kept garden. That garden was probably the only thing that comforted Mahr, who couldn''t do anything girlish. ''I was very determined to make a garden more beautiful than that one. It was then that I met Cindy. Cindy frowned in embarrassment at the mention of her story. ''It was a lot of fun building the garden with Cindy, and from that day on, building the garden became my reason for living. I didn''t need anything else. The garden he created was incomparable in size, incomparable in beauty, and incomparable in splendor to the one in his lord''s mansion. ''Maybe it''s because my family was like that. I was very attracted to the bricks of Mr. Theron, who believed in his own skills and went his own way without hesitation. ''Hi,......, I''m sorry.'' Theron shrugged his shoulders and bowed his head impatiently. You can feel the distance between them,......, so you should be more grandiose in your response. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I can''t even imagine Theron playing with girls. ''Excuse me, Mr. Marle.'' Estella leans forward and opens her mouth reservedly. ''When you say that your parents'' house was like that, do you mean that they didn''t have ...... freedom? Mahrul had no right to decide, no right to veto, everything was decided by the previous lord and those around him. They took away his freedom, toyed with him, and then simply abandoned him. It is no wonder that such a family is spat upon as being "just like that. ...... The meaning of the word "like that" in Ma''ru''s words refers to such cold-hearted self-righteousness. That''s what most people would think. However, Estella''s expression was clouded because if she was talking about cold-heartedness, the words "original line" would be floating in the air, or rather, unnatural. It seems that he was right, and Mahrul shifted the conversation to the other issue. ''It''s not that,......, it''s not that, it''s the lack of humanity, those people,......, no, all the people in this city. I''m sure that Mael spent his childhood believing that he would eventually become a lord, and he has continued to look at this district with his young eyes. ''In this city, majority rule is everything. I want to destroy that system. Maybe that''s what he was thinking. Mael''s story then shifts to the reality of the BU that created this abnormal rule. 263-Episode 175 Equally and impartially Majority rule is everything. That''s what Mahrul assured me about District 29. Mahrul, who has been watching this city since he was a child as the next lord, told me about the distorted reality of the city. ''As Yashippi said, there''s too much peer pressure in this city. Minorities are silenced as if they are evil. ...... This is a bad habit that has been created since the inception of the BU community and has yet to be improved. The BU, Mahr says, is responsible for this extraordinary synchronization phenomenon. ''As you know, the districts that are members of the BU have small territories, no industry, and little power. However, they are proud and don''t want to lose to the outer districts. ...... I''m sorry, it''s not polite to talk like this.'''' ''No, no. Please continue. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to make the most of it. There''s no need to make up for it now. Let''s just talk about the facts. It''s quicker that way. ''That''s why I wanted to form a community of seven districts to create mutual benefit and maintain power. In order to do that, each district needed to be equal and co-equal. In order to do this, each district needed to be equal and equal. ...... So, there is a standoff between the districts to keep an eye on each other to make sure that no one is left out. In order to maintain the community, each ward must be equal. Therefore, anyone who tries to outdo them will be thoroughly denounced, and if they are isolated, the district will be intensively attacked and collapse in no time. Because of the creation of such a system, all the wards in all the districts have come to look at each other and keep each other in check. ''So that''s why we have peer pressure and the symbol of it, majority rule .......'' ''That''s right. Today''s BUs have a hard time even expressing their own opinions. If they don''t get support when they call for ''sanctions against the 42nd district,'' as they did this time, they may be isolated. If that happens, you will be denounced as ''going too far'', and you may be excluded and ostracized by unusually strong peer pressure. So, majority rule. It''s also a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. It might be a good idea,....... It''s sad to say that I don''t think it''s wrong. ''''The majority vote we saw in the lord''s mansion was definitely a bit stuffy, wasn''t it? Estella must be thinking of the overbearing majority vote she saw the day she met with the BU people. The majority vote was enforced as if it were absolute justice, without regard for our opinions. That decision is inviolable and impossible to overturn. ...... ''So it''s because of the nature of the city that Mahrul was turned away by his own people. ''Yes, that''s right. The reason why they made me the next lord, and the reason why they took away my authority and banished me, might have been all due to peer pressure. None of them took my side. ''If you can''t go along with the lord''s opinion and go against the majority, even reaching out to the weak can be a crime. ...... It''s pathetic, the people of this district. This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. Lucia has initiated and implemented a number of policies that are more accommodating to the vulnerable. She may not want to admit that she understands the psychology of those who forced Ma''ru out. ''It may be true that deciding everything by majority vote is equal, but ......''. Estella''s expression also clouded. Majority rule is equality......? I guess that''s the perception of the people in this ward and the BU. That''s just an excuse to shut down the opinions of the minority. ...... ''As a result, BU has become very distorted. So has this bean. This is a symbol of the district''s ''distortion'', the system of imposing beans. This is another rule decided by the BU majority. ''Each of the seven districts of the BU must specialize in the production of a single bean and divide it equally among the BU and use it equally. ............ According to Mahr, each district is responsible for the production of the following beans. District 23: Peas District 24: Soybeans District 25, peanuts District 26: Cacao beans Ward 27: Coffee beans Ward 28: Red beans District 29, "Solanaceous Beans And surprisingly, ...... is producing the same amount of these beans. ''It all started with a toll tax''. Within the BU, the 23 wards adjacent to the 30 wards with the city gates and the 25 wards adjacent to the 35 wards with the port were well off on tolls alone. However, the community must be equal. Therefore, the tolls that had been collected until now were apparently distributed to each district under the pretense that they had passed through the BU. ''So, did you get any complaints? ''Yes, there were. That''s why they decided to make beans. ''The tolls caused you to make beans ......?'' Seeing Estella''s difficult face, Mahrul smiled a little. ''Normally, I wouldn''t be able to understand it,'' she says, letting out a self-mocking laugh. ''The districts that are members of BU used to produce beans. But the sales and production were different. Solanaceous beans don''t sell that well, and peanuts and peas are not very popular. ...... ''So there was one bean that was selling like hotcakes. ''Yes, that''s right. Among the beans produced in BU, the one that is diverse and has processed products made from it is ...... ''Soybeans, right? ''Yes. Soybeans are exceptional. It was enough to overtake the sales of the other six districts. In this city, there are soy sauce and miso. At first I was surprised at their existence, but when I was told that the inventions of processed products were created by farmers and guilds with the sole intention of selling their crops, I was somewhat convinced. If they had not been able to find a use for the soybeans other than just boiling and eating them, the sales of soybeans would have been less than one tenth of what they are now. He must have put his heart and soul into the development of the product in a desperate attempt. ''Although inferior to soybeans, red beans and cocoa were also popular beans in their own right. ''But there was inequality there. So you eliminated the inequality, offsetting it with a toll tax. Ma''ru nodded silently at Lucia''s words. I will distribute the toll tax. In return, we''ll share the profits from the blockbuster soybeans. But that won''t solve the inequity. For example, the twenty-nine districts have only benefited so far. ''The 29th district, which has no special products, is just a head count of the BU. ''You could say that numbers are power. You can''t say it''s unnecessary. ''You''re right. If you''re going to negotiate a toll tax with Lucia''s 35 districts, you''ll have a better chance of making a deal with the seven BU districts than with the 25 districts alone. ''...... Hmm. They''re giving us a hard time. The wards that are benefiting from it are playing the role of mutual support as a force of numbers. That''s how they balance it out. ''In BU, equality and fairness are respected anyway. Therefore, it is unacceptable for the burden or the profit to go only to the soybean farmers. That''s why a rule was established to ensure that all beans in the BU are produced at the same rate. ''............ Are you an idiot? ''You can''t deny it, can you? Estella and Lucia looked at me for a moment, but did not admonish me. They must have sympathized with me, I''m sure. Because it''s a stupid rule. ''So you''ve reduced the production of soybeans that sell too well, and increased the production of other beans that don''t sell as well as soybeans?'' ''Yes. And as a result, in order to dispose of the large amount of stock that was generated, a rule was made that ''each district should consume this amount of beans every month'', and a strange rule was made to go along with it, such as ''60% of the food served to customers must be beans''. In order to achieve equality, they unnecessarily increase the production of beans and impose the surplus by force in the name of ''rules. ''For the sake of equality, this city was forced to accept a distorted system. If I had to summarize, I''d say BU is... The lords of the Seven Wards colluded to show off their power in order not to be outdone by the outer wards, and thus created a system that forced equality on each other. In order to equalize wealth and labor, they completely ignored the sales volume and set the production volume, and even set the consumption volume in order to consume the surplus. Furthermore, in order to produce as much soybeans as possible, which are selling well, the production of other beans is also raised, resulting in a situation where there is a laughable surplus of beans ....... I see. That''s why we are forced to use only useless beans such as peanuts and beans. They want to force outsiders to use the beans they can''t use internally. ''Even if the system is so distorted, can''t you think of getting out of the BU? ''That''s impossible. Because our district is weak. We have no specialties, no industries, and a small territory. If the twenty-nine districts were to leave the BU because they didn''t like the distorted rules, they would become enemies with the other six districts, and the economy would collapse in no time. The people would flee to other districts, and in a real sense, they would disappear. ''It''s true, there are benefits. But more than that, you can''t ...... isolate yourself. It''s the only way to survive in this world. The reason for staying in BU, it seems, is ''to live''. The food was gone, leaving only the beans. As I bit into a boiled lentil, I pondered how to deal with this twisted but tight-knit community of BU. The only thing that works in this town is majority rule. But there are seven enemies out there. The easiest way to win would be to have more than eight people on our side and have a majority vote, but I don''t think outsiders can interfere with the decisions made within the ...... BU. If you take eight people and ask them to participate in the majority vote, they will say, ''Who wants to participate in the majority vote? The majority vote would be taken, and the vote would be rejected in an instant. The most realistic thing to do would be to turn four of the seven over to our side. ...... "Master Yashiro. Gently, Natalia approaches you. Natalia, who had listened quietly and refrained from speaking, said, "Do you have something to say to me? She seems to have something to say to me. ''If you would like to go to another district in BU, I would be happy to accompany you. Apparently, Natalia was thinking the same thing. To overturn the majority vote, she would have to draw more than four people to her side. ''There''s a pretty extreme synchronization phenomenon going on in BU,'' she said. So, if that''s the case, ...... I''ll be irresistible wherever I go! ''Just for now! Estella''s comment pierced Natalia''s smug face as she ruffled her black hair with all her might. ''It''s just a passing fad. In a few more weeks, there will be another fad. ''That''s why I think I should go to the other districts and negotiate with the lords while I''m still popular. After all, I''m very popular! ''Yashiro!I''m against the use of this trump card!It may be effective, but it''s extremely unpleasant! ''Haha, what a coincidence Estella. ...... me too. It''s true that bringing a high-profile person with you might make them feel better about you. But ............ I don''t want to negotiate with a guy who''s looking down his nose at Natalia. He might hit you with a gouge, you know. ''I''ll go with a more conventional approach. ''Huh, I didn''t know Yashiro recommended a straightforward approach.'' ''What are you talking about, Estella? You really don''t understand me, do you? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''...... What should I do? I want to stop you at all costs.'' Estella. Point your clenched fist at the BU lords, not at me. I haven''t said anything wrong. ''Did my story help you in any way? ''Oh. At any rate, it was a good thing that I was able to get a vague idea of what the mysterious BU really is. ''Oh, really?I''m glad to hear it. He rubbed his round hands together, grasped them, and placed them on his belly, and looked out the large window at the garden. There are forty-two districts under the sky beyond the splendid garden. ''I definitely don''t like the idea of not being able to see such a beautiful thing anymore because of such a trivial thing .......'' At first, I couldn''t understand what Ma''ru was talking about. However, when I saw the gentle smile that Ma''ru gave to Theron and Wendy right after that, it finally made sense to me. ''You''ve seen the fireworks, haven''t you? Estella said before I could say anything. From here, you might have been able to see the fireworks beautifully that day. ''Yes. It was so beautiful. There was a sudden loud noise, and at first I thought something was wrong. ''I''m sorry. I wasn''t very considerate.'' ''No. It''s a festival in your district, it''s better to have a big one. I''m a big fan of that kind of thing. I thought I had already made my rounds to the neighboring wards, but I hadn''t paid attention to the BU. But I hadn''t paid attention to BU. They would have been surprised to see fireworks from this distance. I guess that''s why I was spotted. ''Your wife really likes festivals. The meal is over and tea is being served. We set the wagon down next to Ma''ru, and as we poured tea into stylish teacups, Cindy told us. ''You even went to sneak a peek at the Spirit God''s festival, didn''t you? ''Oh, Cindy. Don''t say anything you don''t want to. I''m embarrassed. She patted Cindy''s shoulder with an old lady-like hand and pressed her cheek to hide the slight reddening of her cheek. ''Theron and Wendy''s glowing bricks ...... were really beautiful ...... and the light march ...... was the most beautiful festival I''ve ever seen in my life. It''s the first time in my life that I''ve seen such a beautiful festival. I''m not sure if he''s thinking about the scenes of that day, but Mael closed his eyelids and showed an enraptured expression. The festival of the spirit gods that was planned to attract people to the city. Even now, I can clearly remember the scene of that time. Was Ma''ru here to see that? ''I went to the church in District 42 many times after that to see the glowing bricks. The glowing bricks, even in bright light, were very nice.'' Ma''ru says shyly. So you were wandering around the church when you met me. ''Oh, I''m so embarrassed. I thought I''d keep this to myself.'' Even though there was no longer any talk of marrying Theron, Mahrul was probably still a fan of Theron''s bricks. It would certainly be a bit embarrassing for him to know that he admired her. ''Wendy-chan. ''Yes, sir. When her name is called, Wendy walks quickly over to Mahr. She stood in front of Mahr, sitting on a chair, and waited for Mahr''s words with a nervous look on her face. ''I love you, too. You''re the best among the Bug People. ''Ma''ru......-sama......'' He gulped and held his mouth. She looks as if she''s about to cry, and her eyes water. ''I like Wen Tan more than you do, though! ''Don''t ruin the good mood! Lucia gets angry, and Wendy smiles at her. Tears just barely escaped her eyes. ''Mr. Merle, you know the term ''bug people'', don''t you? ''Yes. I was there for Theron and Wendy''s wedding.'' ''What? Estella rolls her eyes at the unexpected fact. When she turned her gaze to Theron, he embarrassedly explained what had happened. ''Actually, I thought it might be a nuisance, but I thought it would make sense to contact you and give you an invitation, Mahr-sama. ''I wasn''t able to attend the reception, but I did get to see the parade. You looked beautiful, Wendy. ''If that''s the case, you should have told me. If you had, I could have handled it in a certain way. ''I''m sorry, Estella-san. I asked you not to do that. ''Don''t tell anyone.'' It was Mahr who appeased the disgruntled Estella, and I somehow understood his feelings. He probably didn''t want her to entertain him without the two main guests. Lucia was also the guest of honor at that time. With Mahr''s character, it would have been more fun to watch him from the corner of the world. Somehow, I think so. ''But it''s a nice word, "bug people". ''Beastmen'' is also nice. ''Beastmen'' is also nice. It''s much better than the words we''ve been using. Mahrul didn''t like the names ''subhuman'' and ''subspecies'' either. ''Isn''t it Yashippi who revolted against the old names and made the new ones stick? ''It just happened. I just gave it a name based on its appearance. I had no intention of revolting against it or establishing a new name for it. It just happened. It was just a coincidence. ''Yes, Yashippi. If there''s anyone out there who''s unusual or interesting, would you mind introducing them to me?Someone we could hire to be our waiter. You don''t have to be skilled to know someone like Yashippi. ''No, well, ...... it''s true that my acquaintances are all weird, but ......''. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Estella, Lucia. How about a part-time job? ''Why are you trying to recommend us? ''You''re going to work here. And get out of District 42. I''ll take care of Hammaro-tan and Miry-tan! ''Okay, Lucia is banned from the Forty-second Ward for a while. It''s true that there are a lot of strange acquaintances, but none of them can meet the requirement of being able to work as a waiter. All of them have jobs and take pride in their work. Also, if you are going to be a waiter here, you will be living in the 29th district,......, so there are none. ''Sorry, I don''t have any idea. ''Really?Too bad. That''s okay. If there''s someone out there you like, give them a shout. ''If he''s lying around somewhere.'' ''Yeah. I''d like to meet someone unusual, someone who''s really ''lying around'' in the street somewhere. It would be interesting. I don''t think you should go for someone who''s really lying on the side of the road. Unless he''s a dung beetle or something. ''Yeah. I have a favor to ask you. ''Is this an appointment for my brother? ...... is spot on. It''s beyond just being perceptive, it makes me wonder if this guy really knows how to read minds. If his brother had not been born, Mauryu would have become the lord. If he hadn''t been born, he probably wouldn''t have acted as wildly as he does now, and he probably wouldn''t have had such a calm demeanor. ...... Perhaps a more formidable lord than Lucia might have been born. ...... crunchy crunchy. I don''t know. If Mahr was the lord, I would have been taken into custody when I tried to sell the stolen spices in this 29th district. I have a feeling. In the event that your brother confronts Yashippi one-on-one,......, he will probably be easily outdone. He smiled at me, as if he could see what I was thinking. I''m glad we''re not ...... enemies. At least for now. But I''m sorry. I can''t set up an appointment with my brother.'' ''Why not?'' Estella was probably hoping to get an appointment with her lord. She pressed Mahr, who said she couldn''t. ''Because I''m easy to give. What about ............? ''You see, I''m a light-hearted, carefree, calm person, aren''t I?I''m not going to be able to do anything about it.That''s why I can''t interfere with the lord. Even if I voiced my opinion, it would be rejected by majority vote. That''s the way it is, my family. ............ The lord here is an idiot. ''Thank you, Merle. That was a great tip.'' ''Oh, yeah?Mm-hmm.'' Is Ma''uld too soft and easy to give? He''ll cooperate with you where it''s in his interest to do so, but he''ll resist if he thinks it''s to his detriment. You''ll know that when you talk to him. After all, Ma''ru has gotten everything he wanted in his life. I wonder if the lord of this place thinks he''s driven Ma''ru away by building a mansion in this remote place. He was talking about monitoring the waterfall as if he didn''t have the right to make decisions, but that''s not true. The waterfall here is completely under Mahrul''s control. A vast garden stretching from the back garden of the mansion to the cliff. It''s such a magnificent garden. I''m sure the florists and landscapers know about it. The neighbors must know of its existence. If they wanted to use the waterfall for something, Mahr''s mansion would certainly be in the way. The garden would have to be destroyed. What will the people think if we do that? ''The lord kicked out my sister and destroyed the beautiful garden for his own interest. If such a rumor were to be started, it would be a fatal blow to the reputation of the city, where peer pressure is unusually strong, and at worst, he might not be able to continue as lord. It''s the same with Theron. It wasn''t Theron that Mahrul wanted. What Mahr wanted was Theron''s bricks, or more specifically, an environment where Theron could make bricks to his heart''s content. And this was protected by the appearance of Wendy, who gave us a further byproduct. Perhaps the reason why she donated to the Spirit Church was because she wanted to prevent the decline of the 42nd district by preventing the church from surviving. Theron and Wendy...... to protect the shiny bricks. ''But I''m sure I''ll see my brother again someday. It won''t be long now, I promise. With these prophetic words, Mahrul sipped his tea. That was the end of the story. Ma''ru wants to change. The 29th Ward. This crippled city, bound by the community of BU. And he wants to use us to do it. Show them, tell them, and smell what this city is really like. ...... One on one, the current lord is not my enemy. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. Mahr is asking me to do it. ''The rewards will be high. ''Oh?What are you talking about? ...... this guy. Hearing such a cocky reply, I''m convinced. Ma''ru is a woman not to be underestimated. ''Yashippi is a smart girl and will probably think of a lot of things, but don''t forget this. Mahrul, who had been sitting on a chair and calling people around him, stood up and approached me on his feet. As soon as he is in front of me, he gently grasps my right hand with both hands. I love you, Yashippi. ...... I''ll take your word for it for now. ''I''ll take care of the BU boss later, but if there are any other lords I can meet, I''ll go see them. Turning to Estella, Mahrul''s hand slipped away. That handshake was a tentative contract, I guess. If you can do it, good. If you can''t, so be it. But I want you to do your best. I guess that''s about it. ''So, as soon as we have an appointment, we''ll go see the other lords. Estella gives Natalia a look. Estella gives Natalia a look, which may be a sign that she wants to make an appointment, but Mahrul interrupts her. ''Then I think you should meet the Lord of District 27 first. The twenty-seventh district is the one we must pass through on our way here. The height difference between the outer perimeter and the BU is great. The height of the two is the same at the point where the thirty-eighth and twenty-seventh wards meet. ''If it''s her, it''s easier for me to get an appointment, so I''ll write her a letter of introduction. ''You''re acquainted with the lord of the twenty-seventh district? ''Yes. Sort of. She and I have similar interests.'''' Mahrul smiles and lets Cindy prepare the letter. Estella is watching Mahrul as he writes the letter. So, I ask Lucia. ''What kind of person is the Lord of the 27th district?I''m guessing she''s the only female lord who was there at the time. When I met with the BU members, there was one female lord among them. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ''The lord of the twenty-seventh district is a young girl named Tracy McCurry. She just became a lord two years ago when she was seventeen, and she has continued to adopt quite forceful policies in order to dispel the image of the "new lord" around her. Young woman. That alone is likely to bring a lot of heat. If she is working selflessly to suppress the opinions of those around her, she may be a bit of a nuisance. Self-motivation and stubbornness can sometimes be misunderstood. In the interest of not being licked, they may turn a deaf ear to even the most useful talk. However, it is precisely because he is such a person that it is easy to draw him into the group. He''s the one Ma''ru went to the trouble of recommending. There''s something. Is there a chance for me to take advantage of him? ...... Is he the most troublesome opponent? ...... Anyway, he should be the first to be conquered. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask for help. Then I''ll play right into his hands. ''You can''t go with me to District 27. Suddenly, Lucia said that. ''I don''t have a lot of time on my hands either. The expression on his face, as he said the most obvious thing, seemed to be one of concern, depending on how you looked at it. ''Don''t be so lonely, Lucia. ''Come on. You are, aren''t you? We both smiled fearlessly at each other and tried to ignore the truth. It''s not the kind of relationship you get used to, is it? ...... Well, don''t worry about it. I''ll be fine. ''Yashiro. I got a letter of introduction.'' And he''s got a very motivated look on his face. Estella is a smart woman, but she still lacks the experience of Lucia and Mauryu. She''ll make up for it when she gets to know the various lords in this case. ...... It''s like raising the most troublesome ''enemy''. The sharper Estella gets, the harder it is for me to do evil. ''What''s the matter with you, funny face?I''m from .......'' ''Shut up. If you''re done, let''s get the hell out of here. ''Ah, yes.'' We thanked Mael once again and left the 29th district. But before that, I made a small request. This would make things easier for us. After a few hours of riding in the carriage, we reached the 42nd district. By the time we reached the 42nd district, the sun had long since set. 264-Episode 176 Welcome and Soramame ''Anchovies, I''ll send them to you. We have a lot of sorghum, everyone is probably tired, and I want to spend a little more time with Wentan.'' ''That''s the last thing you really want, isn''t it, boy? In the rattling carriage, Lucia puffed up her nose and said condescendingly. She''s probably thinking that she won''t be able to see Wendy and the others for a while after this, and is planning to stick it out until the last minute. Well, I''m grateful that it''s easier for me. We''ll head to the Sunlight Pavilion first, then send Theron and Wendy off, and Lucia and the others will return to District 35. They''re not going to stop at the Sunken Pavilion. Well, if we don''t leave soon, it''ll be midnight. ''I''ll help you unload the soramame. Estella, on the other hand, is ready to stop by the sunny pavilion. She''s probably hungry. I, too, am hungry despite the fact that I ate so much at Mahr''s house. When I eat at home, I often feel hungry after coming home, probably because of the difference in the sense of security. Now I can understand why Japanese men want to eat ochazuke at home after a night of drinking. ''Do you want to come by, Natalia? ''Yes, .......'' Even when Estella is free, Natalia often has a lot of work to do. So I asked her just in case. ...... ''I don''t see the point of going to the 42nd district, since it''s not affected by that newspaper, and I''m not a popular person. ............ ''You think you''re a celebrity? I''m not going to go to the gym unless I''m going to be pampered. ''But I''m a little tired today, both mentally and physically. I''d like to meet the manager and be healed. I''m following Estella on an expedition. And she''s dealing with a nobleman, the sister of the lord. Natalia must have been on her toes the whole time. She did not want to embarrass her lord. To keep her lord out of harm''s way. After all, Natalia is a reliable head waiter. ''I''d like to meet the manager and sleep on that pointy pillow. ''Those pointy things are not pillows!But lend it to me sometime! ''Okay, in that order. ''You''re all banned from the Sunken Pavilion.By my lord''s authority. What kind of sabotage is this, when people are trying to heal their mental fatigue?What kind of lord would do such a thing? In the meantime, a familiar scene passed by outside the window, and the carriage arrived at the Sunken Pavilion. ''Welcome back. Good work, everyone. Perhaps having heard the sound of the carriage, Ginette and the other employees were lined up in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. Magda, Loretta, Delia, Norma, and Umaro. ''...... you guys, get to work.'' ''No, no, no, Yashilo!The donuts were selling like hotcakes and we couldn''t leave!You know, Norma? ''It was really tough. Norma thumps her hip. ''You look heavy. Do you want me to rub it for you? ''The part that looks heavy and the part that needs to be rubbed seem to be two different things. You idiot. The heavy part and the part you want to be rubbed are the same. However, these guys had dutifully stayed at the sunlit pavilion to help. I should at least show them some appreciation. ''So, Umaro. Take the soramame to the pantry for me.'' ''Why not? ''I can''t overwork these guys for helping me! ''I''m a customer, you know! ''What are you talking about, Umaro? Even if you''re a customer, you''re still on the side of being used. ''I don''t remember being on that side, though! I let Umaro carry the sorghum, which he tries to skip for whatever reason. In the meantime, I call Magda over. ''Magda. I''m sorry, but can you get me some honey popcorn?'' ''...... I''ve got some in stock for that.'' ''Then give it to me.'' ''...... will do.'' They received the neatly packaged honey popcorn and returned to the carriage. If Natalia was so tired, he must be tired too. ''Gilberta. I''ll give you this. ''Is it for me, your friend Yashiro? ''It''s a reward for your hard work. When you''re tired, sweets are good for you. You can pick some up on the way home. ''............ I''m glad.'' Gilberta muttered, staring at the bag of popcorn. Maybe it''s not every day that someone gives you something. Gilberta stares at the bag of popcorn in silence. It''s hard to tell because of her lack of facial expression, but I''m sure she''s happy. ''I''m going to be a child here, I am! ''Yeah, I know you''re happy, so just calm down. See? I think I made her a little too happy. ...... scary scary. ''I''ll definitely be back, I''ll be here. I want you to play with me again, I''m your friend, Yashiro! ''Oh, what. Was that part of the game, today''s expedition ......?'' If you''re going to play, pick the right time to do it. ''Well then, heroes and lords. Excuse me. ''Thank you for everything you did for me today. Theron and Wendy bow to each other in the carriage. I wonder if they don''t get tired, with such bitter personalities. ''The anchovy''. Just as the carriage was leaving, Lucia poked her head out the window and called out to me. ''Cry over your scary dreams. That''s all she said, and the carriage drove away. ...... What the hell did he want? I wonder if he also cries when he has scary dreams. If he cries, it means that he has experienced something like that and recognizes it as painful. When the carriage disappeared from sight, I felt that the day''s work was finally over. ''Well, we''re going home, too. ''I''m sure you''ll sleep well today. ''Yeah, you had a good night. I''ll treat you to some cake next time. ''Oh!Another date? ''I''m looking forward to it. No, ...... I didn''t mean for it to be just the two of us. ...... Rather, you two should eat together. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''ll make sure she eats the cake from the restaurant. ''Okay, I''ll go to ...... too.'' ''Oh, Norma, wait a minute. I stopped Norma as she was about to leave and waited for Umaro to finish carrying the sycamores. ''It''s done~'' ''You''re late! ''I''d like a few more words of appreciation! How extravagant. I can''t give you words of encouragement, but I can give you a good story instead. ''Umaro, Norma. Can you come here tomorrow with Imelda?I have a favor to ask you.'' ''I''ll do it! ''I''ll leave it to you! Quick!It''s too early to make a decision. Are you guys okay?Don''t you remember that there''s the Judgment of the Spirits? If you say ''I''ll do it'' and then say ''I don''t want to do it'', you''ll be turned into a frog. How much are you willing to accept? ''I''ll tell you what I''m going to make tomorrow. ''I''m starting to get excited. ''If you''re working with a carpenter, you must be building something pretty big. It''s going to be a real challenge.'' They''ve become such convenient craftsmen that it makes me nervous. ...... It''s definitely Jeannette''s fault. The sycophants must have been infected, yes. The two terminal patients of the sycophants were sent off, and the sunlit pavilion was closed. But Estella and Natalia are still in the store. Loretta is also still there. ''As a matter of fact, the manager has made something amazing! Loretta said with a smug look on her face as soon as she invited us into the store. Magda was also somewhat nervous, and Ginette was smiling shyly, but with a hint of confidence. What is it?What is it that you have made? I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I taught Jeannette how to make consomm?? when the distribution in the 42nd district had normalized and prices had stabilized. She had already been able to make bouillon, so I asked her to go one step further and make an elaborate soup. Consomm?? is delicious. ''I''ve been thinking of a new way to cook sole with it. As Ginette said this, Magda and Loretta brought a plate in front of us. A deep dish filled with a bright light green soup. This is ...... ''Potage soup with sole? ''Yes. I wanted you to eat it when you are tired and feel better. I think it is delicious, so please enjoy it. I scoop it up with a spoon and bring it to my mouth. It was unmistakably a potage of sole, and I felt its sweetness and warmth spreading to my tired body. This is the kind of deliciousness that makes your fatigue disappear. It''s a great achievement if you''ve made it on your own. The texture was mild, and it could be seen that it must have been prepared many times over. Did Jeannette make time to make this doughnut during the day when Delia and the others were so busy that they were exhausted? Even though Jeannette was responsible for making all the donuts. ''It''s good, Jeannette. You''re the best.'' Ginette''s expression brightened when I praised her honestly. ''It''s really very good. ''It''s a taste I''m going to have again and again. Both Estella and Natalia seemed to like it and did not slow down at all. Seeing this, Ginette wriggled her body. She was smiling so much that she could hardly hide it, and every muscle in her face was squishy. Ginette, without knowing it, loves to be praised for her cooking. She is still the same as she was when she was praised by her grandfather. This soup, Ginette''s original, may be a little different from the potage I had in Japan. However, the taste is not inferior, in fact, it is superior. Even though we had eaten so much at Ma-ru''s house, we were able to finish the whole bowl of soup. ''This way, no matter how many legumes we have, we''ll be able to use them up in no time at all. Estella said with conviction at the taste of the sole potage. I feel the same way. I''m sure this will be a hit. ...... I was thinking that this, along with the bean sauce, might lead to a serious shortage of lentils. ............ But Ginette''s expression was gloomy. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... A little troubled? I''m not sure what''s wrong with you, Ginette.What''s wrong with your face and your big boobs? It''s not about the breasts! I don''t know,......, maybe it''s because I''m tired. The words are spilling out of my mouth without passing through my brain''s checkpoints. Yeah, it''s because I''m tired. It''s not my fault. ''Actually, you know, ......'' ''...... Solanaceous potage is not that much of a hit.'' As if to interrupt Jeannette, who was about to explain the reason for her unhappy expression, Magda stepped forward with her chest out. ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' The standoff between Magda and I continued: ...... ''...... "Do big tits", you don''t ask?'' ''Yeah, I don''t think so. And I didn''t. Hmm, I have no idea why you look so unhappy about it. Anyway, can you tell me why you''re so sure that soramame potage is not a hit? ''I agree with Magda. Loretta stood next to Magda with her chest out, just like Magda. ''What''s the matter, Loretta? You have normal tits.'' ''Don''t say "normal"! ''You''re copying Magda. ''I''m sure I did, but you''re not listening to me! ''...... is a degraded version of Magda.'' ''That''s just plain bad, isn''t it, Magda? The mannequin Loretta ran into the kitchen with Magda. ............ What did he do to you? I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Scrutinize.'' They came back with their noses puffed up, each holding a tray. There were three plates on each tray, Loretta''s plate was filled with a creamy soup with a slight yellowish tinge, and Magda''s plate was filled with an orange soup. ''This is the sweet potato potage! ''''...... Here, pumpkin potage.'''' ''''Bon app??tit! Spooning the offered soup, Estella sipped the pumpkin potage and Natalia the sweet potato potage. And then, at the same time, their eyes widen. and their eyes widen. ''''This is delicious! And then Ginette''s shoulders slumped. ''''It''s so good! ''''With its natural sweetness and deep flavor, ...... is a soup of soups that deserves to be called a revolutionary in the world of soup! Even Natalia was excited. Loretta and Magda nodded their heads in satisfaction, while only Ginette turned her face away apologetically. Well, it was no doubt Ginette who created these two, but the reason for her turning her face away was probably ............ The reason why he is turning his face away is probably because of the following story: ''The sycamore was so well received that I tried to make it with other ingredients, and as a result, I came up with something that was so delicious that I was overjoyed when I fed it to Magda and Loretta. And as they gazed contentedly at the scene, one moment they suddenly realized that ............ would overshadow the sole potage... ... and''. ''.................. yes''. ''In fact, with everyone going crazy for pumpkins and sweet potatoes, sales of sole pottage have dropped, or rather, stopped completely. ......?'' ''You guessed it, .......'' I''m not sure if I''ve gotten a little carried away, Ginette? I love it when people say it tastes good. You wanted to make it more delicious and make people more happy. And your plan worked. But you know what? ''The consumption of lentils is falling! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I''ve completely lost sight of my original goal! What are you going to do? The sole pottage is indeed delicious!It''s so good! But pumpkin and sweet potatoes are not fair!That''s the kind of sweetness that everyone loves, young and old, you can''t beat it! Just a moment ago, Natalia, who said it tasted like something she''d want to eat again and again, refilled the pumpkin! ''I can''t get enough of this potage .......'' Ginette wept profusely. ...... What a waste of money, those beautiful tears. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''Gentlemen, the sole!Why don''t you have a potage of lentils? ''Little Jeannette.'' Seeing the tears in Jeannette''s eyes, Estella offered her empty plate. ............ averting her gaze. ''......sa, sweet potato potage.'' ''Nyaaaa! I don''t know what kind of emotion exploded in me and I made some kind of strange noise. This is an elementary mistake that is easy to make in the restaurant industry. If you have a product A and a product B with full service, the product A will not sell at all. If you want to do this, you need to make an effort to use the same materials used for A for B so as not to leave any inventory. For example, in the case of shaved ice, if you offer an upgraded version of the original product, such as "matcha green tea a?? matcha red beans a?? white egg matcha red beans a?? white egg matcha red beans with condensed milk," you will not waste any ingredients regardless of how well it sells. However, in a case like this, there will be a large surplus of materials for products that remain unsold. If we manipulate the price and set a low price for the potage of sole, which is likely to sell poorly, the image of ''sole is cheap'' will be created and the product will not sell well. In spite of the fact that potage soup is a fashionable dish, it is necessary to avoid the image of ''poor food''. So, if you make pumpkin and sweet potato more expensive, ............ they simply won''t sell as well. Or rather, the image of ''you have to pay a lot of money to get a decent meal'' will be attached. This is similar to the image you have of a curry shop where the only normal items are roux and rice, and the rest are toppings. It''s like the image you have of a curry shop where the only normal ingredients are the roux and rice, and the rest are toppings. You have to spend thousands of yen to get a satisfactory meal. That''s the image I have. This is a problem, because cheap or plain food is less likely to be ordered. The reason is that people think, ''If I eat that, I''ll eat something else for the same price. If it is a dish that is addictive, such as curry, there is little reason to order soup that does not interfere with other dishes. Because of the good junior staff, the pioneer becomes hazy. This is the trap that the first rival of a battle manga that is inflating, or the main heroine of a harem manga that has a large number of characters with different attributes tend to fall into. It has become difficult to find demand for ....... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... The new menu that you have developed with the best of intentions gets in the way of the product you really want to sell. ......Ginette. Just give up. ''You can use the sweet corn that Umaro used to bring, it''s delicious. ''Corn potage soup!That sounds delicious, that is!'' ''I''d be interested in that too!Estella-sama, why don''t you support us as the lord of the 42nd district?'''' ''I''d like to try some of that! ''...... Manager, make a prototype. ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san!Why are you trying to push me? If you''ve come this far, you''d better get rid of the idea that you''re going to consume a lot of lentils in a potage, and just make it one of the many potages. This is a diner. Serve good food to the customers. What? A lot of people like the sweetness of peas. Who prefer peas to pumpkins and sweet potatoes. But it may not be an explosive hit. ''...... Magda, I''m begging Umaro. ''Magda, good luck! ''No, wait!If Magda says so, Umaro might buy up all the corn in the 30th district. ...... He''s a pervert who doesn''t know the upper limit. Ask Assunto.'' ''......But begging won''t work with Assunto.'' ''I''ll pay you!He seems to be taking it all! What is it?Is cuteness justice? Are you allowed to be selfish?Beautiful girls are scary! ''Um, Yashiro-san: ......'' ''I''m sorry. I came up with an idea to use a lot of soramame, but it was my fault. ......'' ''What are you talking about? It''s not that depressing. Well, sure. If the sole pottage had sold well, we could have consumed a lot of it. ...... ''Thanks to you, the possibilities of sole pea have expanded. You should be more proud of yourself.'' ''Yashiro-san, ...... yes.'' In fact, Jeannette''s potage is delicious. There is no reason for you to look so downhearted. So stick out your chest. ''And ...... your boobs! ''Please repent. Why don''t you just stick it out?Like this.Like this, with a bang! You''ll be able to find out more about it at ...... ''Is Yashiro-san here? The door of the sunlit pavilion opened roughly, and Assunto jumped in. ''Sorry, we''re closed. ''Oh, no!Yashiro-san!Thank God! d*mn. The ''go home'' gag went unanswered. Assunto is rubbing up against me, looking very happy. ''Solanaceous!Is there a place where we can get large quantities of sole beans on a regular basis!Do you have any idea?Do you know anyone who''s involved? ''Hot, hot, hot!Calm down a bit! He came at me with bloodshot eyes, spitting all over the place. It''s hard to be this hot at this time of night. I want to pinch him out. ''Excuse me. I have some good news! ''You''re divorced? ''What''s the good news about that?We''re still happily married! Tsk. ...... ''The God of Koji has agreed to the soybean paste! ''Oh, the great craftsman you were talking about before? ''Yes!He''s a descendant of the family that invented the method of making miso, and he''s said to be the best in all of bloom! He must be quite an amazing person, since Assunto has raised him so much. Miso and soy sauce are indispensable to a rich diet. The peddlers'' guild must be treating them with respect. ''Normally, you need to be a senior member of the peddler''s guild to get an appointment, but ...... I screwed it up! ''...... You''ve been adventurous, haven''t you? Assunto, who is the type of person who relatively avoids risky gambles, seems to have been quite reckless. That''s why he''s so excited. ''He''s interested in the bean sauce and wants to make a trial, so he wants me to arrange for a large quantity of sole beans!But sole beans are not a common ingredient in the market. ...... So, Yashiro!Do you know of any person or organization that has a large quantity of soramame? ''Yes, I know of one. ''Are you sure? They don''t distribute them, or rather, they can''t sell them, so they dispose of the gas themselves. ...... I''m sure if you talk to Mahr, he''ll be able to provide you with a large quantity. ...... There are some things I want Umaro and the others to make. ...... We may have to hurry up and take care of some things. You can take some of the things that you have at home with you for now. You can take some of the things we have. We''ve just gained so much that we''ve lost the means for mass consumption. Let''s have them take it. ''Bean-paste!Let''s make sure we succeed! Assunto''s on fire. It''s a roast pig. ''Pull it together, pork chop! ''Who''s the char siu? Assunto sniffs. But he looked relieved. ''He''s a difficult person, he throws away his work if he doesn''t like it even a little. ''Is he a child? ''Please don''t say anything rash!The future of bean sauce is at stake! ...... Has this guy joined the bean sauce cult?He''s so serious. ''Anyway, this is a relief. If we can find a way to get a large amount of it, we''ll do it. Assunto is this motivated. I think it''s safe to say that we''re on the verge of mass consumption of soramame. ''...... Assunto''. Magda stands in front of Assunto when we have finished our conversation. ''...... Magda, I want some sweetcorn, nyan. ''Eh ............, what is this?'' ''Magda, you''re a challenger! I didn''t expect you to ask Assunto for it. I''m not sure what to do. ''............? You''re so persistent! Do you want sweetcorn that badly? ''Mr. Assunto. Here, if you''d like.'' Ginette brought out a bowl of warm sole potage and placed it on the table beside Assunto. She seems to be happy to know that the story of the bean sauce is improving. Maybe it''s because we''re on the verge of consuming a lot of beans. ''Oh, ......, this is delicious. What kind of soup is this? ''Yes. It''s a lentil potage. ''Solanaceous? The table rattled, and Assunto peered into the dish. ''Oh, what a waste!As of now, I want to turn every single bean into bean sauce. ............ Ginette!Can''t you just stop making this soup?I''ll make up for the damage! ''Oh, no, no, no, no damage. ......'' ''Let''s have you make it up to me! ''Yes, Yashiro-san, but ......'' ''......Yashiro''s opinion, Magda agrees.'' ''Magda-san too? Magda and I silenced the reluctant Jeannette. It''s a dish that won''t sell well anyway. Wouldn''t it be more profitable to have Assunto make up for it? But Magda seemed to have a different idea and acted on it. ...... ''...... Assunto. In order to stop the potage of solanace, an alternative is essential. ''So, what is it! ''...... sweetcorn''. ''Surely if you make this soup with ...... sweet corn, it could be delicious. ............ Okay!I''ll be responsible for getting the sweetcorn for you!I''ll be responsible for getting the sweet corn for you, so please give me all the legumes you have here instead! ...... Magda''s plan was a success. ''...... yay''. Magda gives the V sign in satisfaction. ...... You''re getting tougher, aren''t you? And so, the potage of soramame was temporarily discontinued, and the potage soup of corn, pumpkin and sweet potato was born as the new menu of the sunny pavilion. Needless to say, the ...... corn potage soup became extremely popular. 265-Episode 177 Cooperation System ''Delicious! ''...... Magda has negotiated with Assunto.'' ''Great job, Magda!You''re the best! Umaro is impressed by the corn potage soup. ...... Or maybe it''s "to Magda for creating corn pottage soup. Magda was just begging Assunto for some. ''But it''s selling like hotcakes, the three kinds of potage. ''Yes, sir. I''m glad to hear that. Ginette, the true creator of the pottage, seems to be very pleased with the situation. This dish, which required a good consomm??, could not be imitated in any other restaurant. ''Well, I''m going to go make something sweet for the meeting. ''Not too much, please. Ginette hurried back to the kitchen. With a new menu on the horizon, she was feeling the urge to cook. He tries to make it whenever he can. And by sweet, I mean donuts, probably. Magda and Loretta have also started to stay in the kitchen recently. They seem to have learned the joy of learning new dishes, and ...... are becoming more and more genetically modified. It''s okay that we''re the only ones in the kitchen now, but we have to make sure they serve the customers when they come. --And by "we," I mean Umaro, Imelda, and Norma. ''Go get Mr. Bekko, please! Imelda, who had been quietly sipping her corn potage soup until a moment ago, widened her eyes and said, ''Aah! Imelda, who had been quietly sipping corn potage soup until a moment ago, stood up with both eyes wide open. She clenched her fists tightly. ...... You can get a food sample of corn potage soup or something later. Something so humble. ''Huh. ...... I''m surprised anything could top pumpkin potage.'' Norma licked her lips and squinted her eyes seductively. The fox-like gesture is strangely s*xy. Hey, somebody!I''m not sure what to say....... Oh, no, no, no. I wanted to talk to these guys today. This is not the time for hobbies. ''Actually, there''s something I want you guys to make. Estella will pay for it, so I want you to make sure it''s good.'' This is a big project for the whole forty-two districts. I spread out on the table the blueprints I had drawn up last night. It shows an incredibly long and sturdy pillar. People get up from their seats and gather around the table to look at the blueprint. ''Yashiro-san, what the hell is this? ''This is the "Express Delivery Machine, Domoke-Ru No. 1"! ''That''s a terrible naming sense. ......'' At the same time, Estella walked into the sunlit pavilion. It was morning. It''s late for Estella, who usually joins us at the church in the early morning. ''Have you covered up the oneshot yet? ''No, I haven''t! ''Well, Estella. Did you leave it out in the open?'' ''I didn''t masturbate, I didn''t!I was writing a letter to Lucia! She glances at Imelda and comes over to stand next to me. ''You''ve been saying a lot of unnecessary things this morning, haven''t you? Estella glares at me, her cheeks puffed out. But the cheeks are slightly reddish, so her face is more cute than powerful. ''Is this your communication tool with Mahr? Yes. This is what I thought of in order to communicate with Ma''ul quickly. Before I left Ma''ul''s house, I asked him directly for permission to install it. ''What the hell is this thing?Explain it to me. Norma is looking at me with a somewhat excited expression. Her tail is puffed up, indicating that she is in a somewhat excited state. ''We''re going to set up a huge pillar on the cliff between District 42 and District 29. We''ll attach pulleys to the pillar so that we can carry simple cargo. Just above the waterfall in New Town is the site of Mahrul''s residence. When this is completed, we can always contact Ma''ul by super express. ''You''re going to use the fishing bottle principle to carry the luggage up there. ''Yes. But it''s going to be quite high, so we want to make sure it won''t fall down. ''That''s what the gears in the pulley are for, isn''t it? The pulley part is made of metal to avoid damage by wear. A stopper to prevent reverse rotation is built into the gear inside, and the stopper can be released with a single switch. By applying the principle that the blade of a cutter knife can only move in one direction, the mechanism is designed to prevent the cargo from falling when it is lifted from below and to slowly descend when it is lowered from above. ''You put things into the box-like cargo bed and lift it up in the manner of a fishing bottle. Then, a hook with the same structure as a ''carabiner'' is attached to the top to prevent it from falling once it reaches the top. A carabiner is a kind of hook used in mountaineering, with a lid-like mechanism that opens only in one direction, making it easy to hook and keep it in place. This is a kind of hook used in mountain climbing. It will be shaped like a large fish hook. ''And one more thing . I want you to make a bell that will ring when something is on the hook. The structure of the bell is based on the cycle bell, commonly known as the ''chirping chirping'' bell. When the luggage reaches the top, the rope of the luggage is attached to the carabiner, which moves the gears, and the two rotating metal plates inside the bell strike the bell itself. The bell is a large bell, so the sound is likely to be quite loud. By listening to the sound of the bell, you will know when a package arrives, whether above or below you. I came up with this idea because the doorbell at Mael''s house was a bell. And if I tell Norma about this structure, there will soon be a doorbell in the 42nd district. ''But it''s pretty big ......''. ''That''s the thing, that''s the problem. At any rate, it will be a huge structure with a height of over 20 meters, and it will take a lot of effort just to build it, and another lot of effort to maintain it so that it does not fall down. That''s why we''ve asked you three to help us. Imelda of the Lumberjack Guild will provide the materials, Umaro of the Torbeck Engineering Shop will build it, and Norma of the Hardware Guild will be in charge of the internal structure and construction assistance. Without the combined strength of all three organizations, this thing will never be complete. The design itself is no problem. Despite my appearance, I have spent several years in the past thoroughly drilling the basics of construction into my brain and honing my skills. And after that, I used a variety of disguises to avoid being exposed. ............ Well, what''s wrong with the past? However, this city has almost none of the materials that Japan used to have. No steel, no concrete, no fiberglass. So we don''t know for sure how much strength we can maintain. It would be better to ask the specialists in this city about that. So, here are the members. ''They usually look like idiots and do nothing but look like idiots, but I believe they''ll do it when they have to! ''You can hear it in my voice, something you should probably keep in mind! ''Yashiro is the one doing the stupidest things. ''Your face is also quite unique, isn''t it? I''ve been told all I can say from three different directions. These people look like ...... idiots. ''If your average bust wasn''t an E cup, I''d be lecturing you. I''m not sure why you included me.If you don''t count me, I''m a G-cup, aren''t I? Imelda, who has grown from an F, is now a G cup like Norma. Brilliant, both of you. Umaro, by the way, is an A cup. I''m not sure if it''s strictly speaking an A cup, but ...... that''s what Estella is ............ Estella is... .........! ''Leaving you out is the same as stripping Estella of her human rights. ......! ''It''s not synonymous, can you please stop crying?It''s incredibly uncomfortable. Estella annoyingly flicked away my tears with her hand. You still have amazing eyesight. Just don''t wipe your hands with my clothes just because they''re wet. ''Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting...'' Ginette comes out of the kitchen with a plate of donuts. Then, she found Estella, who had increased in number without her knowledge, and smiled happily. ''Estella, good morning. ''Good morning, little Jeannette. Can you get me some of this corn potage later? Estella says, pointing to Imelda''s food. Estella points at Imelda''s food and says, ''I heard you talking about it yesterday, so I guess you''re eager to eat it. ...... Natalia is going to complain about you again, saying that you''re cheating. ''Magda-san, one corn potage soup please! Ginette called out to the kitchen. Magda is probably warming up the soup. It seems that the positions are reversed. Ginette is taking orders and Magda is cooking. Well, it''s just heating up. Or rather, it''s already warm, so he just puts it on the plate. After passing the order, Jeannette stayed here and stood next to me. Does she want to join us? It''s okay to ask. ''Wow, so this is Tohke-Ru-1''s blueprint. said Ginette, peering at the blueprints. She didn''t expect to be addressed by the name of the building. ''If you build something this big, won''t it fall down? ''That''s what I''m worried about, isn''t it? In Japan, we use wires for reinforcement and piles driven deep into the ground for stability, but both of these methods seem to be difficult in this city. Reinforcing with wires is like the "pole support wires" that are stretched diagonally across the side of the poles, and they have the role of distributing the force on the poles in two directions, downward and diagonally. However, since it requires strong wires, it would be difficult to reproduce it in this city. Also, we don''t have a boring machine to drive piles deep into the ground. How can we make up for that? ...... ''We''ll use support wires to distribute the force, so it won''t be a problem. ''If we drive the piles deep into the ground, they will be stable. ''Oh, you have that technology?That kind of technology? ''Of course. The outer walls of this city are made with quite advanced technology, you know? Oh, I see. In order to build a huge outer wall to prevent demonic beasts, the construction technology is quite advanced. If that''s the case, then the buildings in the city should be a bit more modernized as well. ...... ''My Yangbold is a master pile-driver. He''s good with his hands, but the Humans have a lot of power. I''ve been looking at you and talking to you. It was Ginette who asked the ...... question, wasn''t it? ''I want you to tell Ms. Ginette that .......'' ''It''s okay. I think she can hear you.'' Ginette giggles. She seems to have gotten used to dealing with Umaro by now, and doesn''t waste time talking to him. She knows how to treat each of the regulars individually. This is a very important skill. ''Enough, look me in the eye and talk to me, Mr. Umaro! ''What?I don''t want you to be in my sight! ''How rude of you to look away from me!You''re the only one who would take such an attitude! ''That''s why I don''t want you to go around and try to interrupt my view! But there are some people who don''t care about such personal circumstances, and Imelda is unhappily involved with Oumalo. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... That''s enough, boys. Don''t get excited like a child. Norma plays with her cigarette with a relaxed expression. Since smoking is not allowed in the cafeteria, he seems to have limited himself to fiddling with his fingers. ''Well, that''s just like you, Norma. That''s a very mature opinion. ''I''m not withered in any way! Norma, who is trying to fill her pipe with tobacco to give Imelda a hot ash attack, is holding her arm. You''re not allowed to smoke. When Estella sees these three unique people, she spreads her arms and shrugs her shoulders. ''Oh dear,......, can we get along with this group?'' ''Hey, Estella. Don''t say ''oh dear ......'' with your handsome face. You look like the protagonist.'' ''''It''s been a long time since I''ve heard that unpleasant word ''handsome'' .......'''' By the way, Natalia told me that the number of people mistaking Estella for a man has been rapidly decreasing lately. It seems that ''Estella has become very feminine lately ............ and she admires me'' ....... I''m sure that ''admire me'' is just his selfish assumption. ''Well, Estella doesn''t make manly gestures like she used to. ''Eh, is that so? ''It''s true that you''re making more cute expressions than before. ''Hey, don''t do that, Ginette-chan. ............ I don''t think it''s ...... cute.'' ''Hmmm. That part of you is also cute. Estella is embarrassed by Ginette''s teasing. Mmm ...... certainly looks like a girl. In the past, this guy''s behavior was more like a rude man. ''I mean, did I ever do anything so manly? ''Yes, you did. I stared at your big tits.'' ''That''s just you, Yashiro! ''No, Estella ......, I can feel your eyes on me too.'' ''What?You''re kidding! ''I''m afraid it''s true, .......'' ''I feel it too, sometimes. ''Well, ............ me too, sometimes. ''Even Ginette? Estella also seems to have her eyes on big tits quite often. ...... but with different thoughts than mine. Norma and Imelda stare at me and Estella with dumbfounded faces. ...... I mean, come on. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ''Yes, of course, Yashiro!You''ll look at them, right? ''...... Estella. You can''t just agree with Yashiro there. ......? Norma is distracted by Estella. To Estella. Not at me, at Estella. ''You''ve got her pissed off, Estella.'' ''It''s for you! ''Don''t blame the others, you titty freak! ''You''re the only one I don''t want to hear it from, that line! ''I don''t want to be the only one to tell you that,'' said Estella. ''It''s a terrible mistake, Imelda!I''m not sure what to do. Imelda with her smug face and Estella with her stern face. Wow, ...... what a low-level standoff. ''If you have the budget, we can prepare a special wood for you. ''Can you afford ............ how much is that wood, by the way?'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the best value for your money. ...... You must have been told a considerable amount of money. And it''s not like you can''t afford it. ''............ Let me think about it. ''Then I will prepare it for you! ''Oh, my God!I know that''s what you''ll end up doing, but let me take it home! No matter how much of a lord he was, he couldn''t just spend a lot of money at will. At the very least, he wants to have a talk with Natalia. ............ Doesn''t the head waiter have too much authority in this town? ''Well, this time Mahrul is willing to pay for it. I''m sure you can handle it. ''Even if you rely on that money, it was a hesitant amount! Imelda...... you, how much did you blow? ''There was a wood that was perfect for this building, resistant to rain and wind, unbending, unbreakable, and yet not flammable. ...... It''s no use, I''ll have someone prepare a lower grade wood.'' ''Wait!This is a joint venture with Ma''ru, we can''t make anything halfway decent. ''I beg your pardon. The wood we use is top-notch wood, even if it''s a grade lower.'' ''Still, if there''s a top-notch one, I''d rather use that one. ''In short, you''re asking me to lose, Imelda. ''No, I''m not, Yashiro!I''m not trying to be a jerk,............, but I''d be happy to lose to you,.......'' ''Please don''t ...... show me Estella''s upturned eyes, it will only scare me ......''. Imelda cradles her arms in Estella''s begging rays. She seems to be getting chills. I guess you have to choose the right person to spoil. ''...... Estella''s begging is not good''. Suddenly, Magda appeared behind us. ...... Why is this guy who was supposed to be in the kitchen appearing from behind us? ...... He''s as unassuming as ever. ''...... Estella''s begging is far from Magda-level begging.'' ''Can you ............ do Magda level begging?'' Well, Magda is basically expressionless. The word ''begging'' doesn''t ring a bell. ...... I don''t get it either. ''...... Actually, I made an extra bowl of corn soup for Estella while I was serving her.'' Magda snapped her fingers, and Loretta came out of the kitchen with a tray. There were two plates on the tray. And Loretta has a deliberately annoyed look on her face. ''Oh, I served extra. ...... If I don''t, I''m going to waste a serving of soup. It''s going to put pressure on our business, and we''ll be in big trouble! ...... What''s this monkey business? ''......In times like this, you can use Magda''s level of begging. ......'' And then Magda slowly turns her body around and turns her back on us. And then he sagged down. ''............Shun............... .............................. ......... chirac'' ''I''ll take it! ''...... Like this.'' ''It only works on Umaro, that begging! ''...... It worked on Assunto, too. Estella turns to look at me to see if I''m telling the truth. ...... That wasn''t a successful begging, but ............ well, I''ll nod. ''Are you sure about this, ......? ''...... Magda is a ...... little devil.'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. ''...... aha''. I''m not sure what to make of it. But right beside me, a terminally ill fox was shot through the chest and sank to the floor. ...... Of course, that fox was Umaro. ''............ Funny. That was aimed at Yashiro.'' ''Oh, my bad. It''s just that I have to pull my chest in and aim with my cleavage in order to hit the target. ''............ Mmm, tough.'' I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... So, what''s the red-haired cleavage-nothing girl over there seriously worried about? ''............All right!Imelda!'' Estella twists her body towards Imelda, looking determined to do something. ''Aha!'' ''You''re a stick figure like Magda-san. Aside from that, you''re killing me. ''Is it still cleavage? ''No, Estella. That''s Yashiro''s method of attack. Yeah. At any rate, I could see that Estella was in a panic. Money is tight, but she wants the top-notch wood that Imelda suggested. ...... He can''t think straight at the most critical moment, you know. ''What are you talking about? ''Oh, actually, ......''. Loretta put a bowl of corn potage soup in front of Estella and Umaro,......, and really let Umaro eat it. Well, it''s okay, it''s Umaro,......, and he moves to stand next to Ginette, holding the tray in his arms. Ginette offered Loretta a donut and explained to her what had happened so far. ''Well, then, we can all contribute a little to the shortage. Loretta said, with a look of having come up with a great idea. Her voice was clear. But ...... money, huh? ''No, thank you! ''Well, I figured Yashiro would say that. Estella smiles hatefully as she sips her corn potage soup. What''s with that face?I didn''t expect it from the start, you look like. But since it''s used to communicate with Mr. Merle, it''s not desirable to have too many people involved. I paid for it, so let me use it! --I don''t want people like that coming out of the woodwork. There''s only one place to go, the House of Maul. It is preferable that the money be raised only by those concerned. ''Besides, we can''t just spend money on materials. Umaro and Norma will also be required to have quite advanced skills, so they should be paid accordingly. Yes. In addition to the cost of materials, there is the cost of construction. ''Umaro will pay for Magda''s ''Fu~fu~'' four times .......'' ''That''s very tempting, though!We need to use some of our carpenters, so we want to make sure we get paid! ''......''Also add ''ahhh''.'' ''Aah!My heart is in turmoil!The angel and the devil in me, ......! Maybe it''s not ''angels and demons'' in Umaro, but ''carpenters and perverts''. ''Well then, I guess we''ll have to keep the material costs low. ''U......un............'' ''Even if we lower the grade by two or so, I''m sure the durability will be maintained. ''Huh, two grades down? ''But it''s still top-notch wood!Don''t worry! ''Wait a minute!I''ll calculate it right now at .......'' Estella holds her temples and stares at the table. She''s probably pulling out various documents from her memory and doing mental arithmetic. This guy is really good at calculations. He probably can''t beat me in the speed of mental calculation. He also has a very good memory. He''s trying to figure out a way to use the top-notch wood. Well, when I can''t help it, I can do something about it. ............ While I was thinking about it, an unexpected savior appeared. ''Can''t you let us pay that money too? Opening the door of the sunlit pavilion, Theron and Wendy walked in. ''Theron...... and Wendy too.'' ''My lord. Please let us help you. As soon as he entered the dining room, Theron approached Estella without looking aside and appealed to her. He suddenly appeared and acted as if he had a perfect grasp of the situation. ...... ''Did you get any word from Mahr? ''Yes, just now. I received a letter from him saying that the heroes and the lord are planning to build a big tower. Ma''ru. He wanted to finish this thing so badly he took out an insurance policy. Theron and his team are making a lot of money off the glowing brick. It would be very helpful if these guys would sponsor it. ''It''s not a tower, but it would be great if you could help us. ''Hear that, Theron?The heroes have given us permission! ''Oh, Wendy!The hero''s generosity always makes my heart sing! I forced two doughnuts into Theron''s mouth as he complimented me on my goosebumps. ...... Are you trying to make me a nefari?That gave me goosebumps. ''All right, I''ll change my tune. You''re close to the people involved, so give me the money you''re making. ''''Yes, sir!I''ll be happy to. ...... I don''t know why they''re happy about it. ............ They''ve got some kind of new virus, don''t they? ............, Theron. I''m not sure what to do.I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m not sure what to do. ''Is that okay ......''? ''It''s fine, they''re happy with it.'' I reassure the anxious Estella. In any case, this was Merle''s idea. All we have to do is let ourselves be taken in by it. ''Perhaps Theron would like to do something for Ma''ul. Maybe Theron would like to do something for Mahrul, for the noblemen of the other districts who recognize him and still have high hopes for him.'' ''...... Yeah. Maybe so. ''And I''m sure they''re worried about the fact that this whole mess was set in motion by their wedding. It was a quarrel, and Theron and the others were just the target of it. But more than the facts, I think that these guys have always had something bothering them as a problem in their hearts. Not in terms of logic, but in terms of emotion. ''If this is an exemption, then let them go, and if it brings them some benefit, then give it back to them. ''I suppose so. Then I''ll ask for your cooperation. With this, the joint investment of 42 wards, Renga Kobo, and Mauru was decided, and the production of "Totoke-Ru No. 1" was able to start. If all goes well, we will be able to use this "Toroke-Ru No. 1" to obtain soramame through Mahrul. However, it will take some time to complete, so I plan to go to District 27 before that. We''ll have to break down the BU''s who seem to be on the same page. ''Well, everyone. I''ll be counting on you! ''I want you to leave this to me! ''I''ll make something good for you. ''I''ll make sure it''s better than you expect. As I watched them show their enthusiasm, I popped a donut into my mouth. 266-Episode 178 The Pile and the Carriage After discussing the blueprints and some other details, the contract was signed that day. The contract was signed on the same day, and each of us started to act as if we were in a hurry. A few hours later. When the sun had passed the top and was shining very low in the sky, and the sky would soon turn red, a huge pile was brought into the New Town. ''It''s a top-grade larch stake log. You can drive it in as hard as you like. It''s a huge log made from a very thick pine tree that was growing in the forest outside. They''re going to drive it into the ground now. If this is the foundation, it will be able to support a huge structure. But it''s huge. It looks like a steel pile for a boring car I saw in Japan. ''...... me, pile, drive! Yamboldo, the second in command of Torbek''s construction company, carried a huge wooden hammer and neighed, ''Brrrrrrr! He neighs. ''Only at times like this do you produce a horse character, don''t you, Yangboldo? ......'' Goozja is looking at Yangbold with a blank look on her face. Is it a stunt? ...... ''I mean, Umaro. How are you going to drive a stake that''s over five meters long?'' ''Jump and ''Don! I''m not sure. ''...... Thanks for the easy-to-understand explanation.'' It seems like anything is possible for the residents of this city. I think I understand why heavy machinery has not been developed. We don''t need them if we have the beastmen. ''.................., haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Inhaling a short breath, Yamboldo lets out a cry of enthusiasm. He looks like he''s about to transform into a "Super Yambordo". The earth is vibrating slightly from the tremendous power. The power is unimaginable for Yangboldo, who has a long face and round eyes. Yangboldo lifts his head and stares up at the tip of the huge pile log that stands tall. Yangboldo lunges toward the stake, which is supported by four muscle-bound carpenters. After a run of more than ten meters, he kicks the ground and makes a huge jump. The huge Yangboldo soars through the air, his arm muscles heaving with excitement as he swings his giant wooden hammer. Then, with a roar that seemed to roar through the city, he slammed the mallet into a giant stake log. ''N...... meeeeeee! With a sound like an explosion, the huge stake log plunged into the ground. With just one blow, the pile that was nearly five meters long was buried more than three quarters of the way down. Seeing such a terrifying power, we, the spectators, shouted in unison. '''''''''' Why are you a sheep? I don''t know what to say.It''s hard to be honestly impressed! I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions. ''No, we''ll remove that right away. ''What? ''We need a geological survey first. We need to find out if the ground can withstand building something so big. ''...... So, at worst, there''s a possibility that it can''t be built? ''Well, we''ll do our best to manage that with .......'' Well, they''re investigating the geology, aren''t they? I thought they were just building the top of the line stuff like idiots. ......''Top of the line stuff'' only ''wow'' ...... ''Is that a pun? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like you to stop being unreasonably angry. Because the site is near a waterfall, the geological survey is done carefully. Well, the ground can be loose near water. ............ Wouldn''t it make a fortune if a hot spring were to appear ......? ''Yashiro, Umaro''. She twirled her parasol. ''The wood for the scaffolding has arrived. Would you mind storing them here? ''Of course. Tell her I''ll take care of it at .......'' ''......, yes.'' ''Mr. Umaro!Look at my face! ''Oh, I have some business with Yamboldo!I''ll see you later! Umaro, who was about to be looked into by Imelda, ran away at once, sensing that he was in danger. He''s already ...... sick. You can''t get used to it. It''s a ...... shame that you can''t see the face of such a beautiful woman.'' ''Oh. You long and slender carpenters have a general sense of beauty. What''s your name? ''Ha, yes!My name is Gooziya! ''That''s a long one. I don''t think I can remember it. ''I''m honored! You''re flattered? ''Goozuya is a former Ginette fan, currently obsessed with Delia, and just a big-breasted maniac.'' ''That would be Yashiro-san, wouldn''t it! ''That''s ...... disgusting.'' ''Haaaa...... scorned me......! Gooziya, unlike Oumarro and Yambold, seems to be the type of person who wants to be close to beautiful women. ............ Yeah, he''s not the popular type, this guy. It''s a good thing. Mr. Hosoija. Please tell Mr. Umaro that I will do my job well. ''Yes, I will!It''s Gooziya! ''Then go on, Mr. Nagaeeya. ''Yes, I will!I''m Gooziya! Goozooja replied cheerfully and ran to Oumalo and Yambold. I''ll tell Delia. ............ Oh, no. Delia wouldn''t be mad at me for that. ''Huh. So? It''s no fun to see her react like that, so I''ll stop. ''By the way, Yashiro-san. You''re going to District 27, aren''t you? ''Yeah. I''m going to see my lord. ''When are you leaving? ''Estella is making an appointment for me right now, but as soon as she gets it. I''m guessing it''ll take about three days. I have a letter of introduction from Mahr, so I don''t think I''ll be turned away, but if it''s an appointment with a lower-ranked lord, I''m afraid I''ll be treated with a great deal of disdain. Well, I''ll just wait and see. --Just when I was thinking that... ''Yashiro! Estella came running in clutching a letter of some sort. ...... It''s like deja vu. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I remember that the place was also by this waterfall. ...... In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site, I''ve got an appointment. ''I''ve got an appointment! ''What? You got an appointment? ...... ''You sent the letter this morning, didn''t you? ''It looks like they sent it back on a fast horse. He said he''d love to meet you.'' The lord of the 27th district wants to meet the lord of the 42nd district? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ...... Something is wrong. The most likely candidate is ............ Mael. It''s also possible that Ma''ulu had a hand in this,......, or that the lord of the 27th district has a weakness for Ma''ulu,............. ''...... Mahr, what did you do?'' Estella thought the same thing. ...... Something tells me that Estella and I are on the same page these days. ............ It''s unpleasant. ''So, when can we meet? ''Tomorrow at noon. I''ve been invited to lunch.'' ''...... Beans again.'' ''Well, I''m sure there will be beans. ...... Oh, but . I got a certificate of exemption along with a letter of introduction from Ma''ru.'''' ''Can we use Ma''ru''s certificate to get tax exemption for the beans we get from the lord of the 27th district? ''According to the BU regulations, there is no problem. You know, so that you can protect yourself if someone you are close to attacks you. For example, if there is an important person who is friendly with one district but not with the other, it may be a remedy to prevent the important person from leaving BU due to harassing taxation by the other district. It seems that in BU, for better or worse, it is difficult to take action based on personal feelings. It is easier to protect the status quo because the status quo does not cause any disturbance. It is often the case that ''the fish that got away is bigger than the one that got away''. No matter what kind of person you are dealing with, you need to have a good reason and a decision to cut him/her off. Once a relationship is broken, it cannot be regained. That''s why, thanks to Ma''ul''s kindness, we are now less vulnerable to attacks from BU. However, it''s doubtful that Ma''ul will continue to protect us for free forever. For now, let''s just take this as a bonus stage and take advantage of his generosity. ''We could have called him at a reasonable time and just talked in the reception room. Estella says, staring at the letter that came from District 27. She looks at me as if she''s trying to get my opinion, with a gaze that exudes caution. ''How dare you invite me out to lunch? ...... Do you think Mahr is actually a scary person?I''m not sure what to make of that. He was acting suspiciously, like a lonely boy being treated kindly by a cute girl in his class. I can feel Estella''s heart rate rising every second. Her heart is aching and she''s sweating. It is true that there is no reason for the lord of the 27th district to entertain the lord of the 42nd district,......, which was once said to be the bottom of the barrel. Inviting him to lunch, if not dinner, is also a very generous gesture. If the invitation to dinner is an expression of the will of the whole district to get to know each other better, the invitation to lunch is an expression of the will to establish a more casual and frank relationship. Even though the current 42 wards have made dramatic progress, they are still members of the BU, where people still care about appearances and are attached to hierarchical relationships. It seems unnatural to treat them as equals. --Except for the fact that Mahrul is in the dark. ''Well, I suppose we''d better be careful.'' ''That''s right .......'' Perhaps her heart was aching, but Estella was holding her chest the whole time. ''What''s wrong Estella. Are you holding it down because you''re sick of your breasts not growing any more?'' ''I''m holding them because my heart hurts! Oh, no. I was thinking that in my head, but my mouth gave priority to the information from my vision and said something selfish ...... But Estella''s heartache seems to have been forgotten by her current anger, and she is back to her usual full of anger expression. So, you see. I''m a nice guy, that''s what I''m saying. ''Yashiro-san, Estella-san. So you''re going to the 27th district tomorrow? Imelda, who was silently listening to our conversation, asks again. By the way, weren''t you wondering earlier when we were going? ''Don''t tell me you want to come with me? ''I''m afraid I can''t accompany you, I have to sort the wood. The average number of cups in the carriage will be disastrous, but please bear with me. ''Shut up, Imelda. ''I''m sure it will be difficult for Natalia alone to face the hopeless negative. ''Didn''t you hear me?I said I''m jealous. Curses are exchanged in an indifferent tone. You guys are so quick with your words. You guys seem to be getting along just fine. ''Your father wants to provide you with a carriage and horses. ''Javier?'' ''Yes. Some of the BU are fans of your father''s horses, and he said it would be a good way to get in.'' Javier is not only the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild, but he is also a famous horse owner who has raised many famous horses. Javier''s horses are so popular with the nobility that they are used as bargaining chips, or so I heard him say before. ''If you''re leaving tomorrow morning, we can make arrangements now and be there in time. ''I''m sure Mr. Javier''s carriage will get us there faster than our own. ''You should buy a better carriage too. You''re always borrowing other people''s carriages. ''I''m spending my money on the city, not on my belongings....... Besides, she''s my favorite horse. ......'' Estella is very fond of the horse she raised, a horse with a long name like Nantoka Nantoka. She loves it so much. She''s a little obsessed with it. ...... He''s just too weak, you know. That''s why the carriage at Estella''s house is slow. You should at least have a two horse carriage. ...... ''The Hingyu Peta Peta, right? ''I wouldn''t name it that!For your lovely beloved horse!'''' ''It''s the Kyounyuu Narisokonai, isn''t it? ''I didn''t fail to become one!That girl''s name is--'' It''s a long, philosophical name that my brain can''t accept at all. At any rate, Estella''s smug face is ridiculous. ''Anyway, you should at least train the Sole a little more. ''You don''t want to remember any names, do you? At least we get to borrow a horse and carriage from Javier. Knowing that it''s Javier''s horse might intimidate him a little. If you mess with Javier''s horse and injure it, the nobleman will not be able to get Javier''s horse for the rest of his life. Even if you are not a nobleman, if there is any accident, you can threaten to hold the lord responsible for any problems with the security of the district. ...... ''So, take care of it, Imelda. However, the fact that the lord is renting a carriage to the guild leader of a guild will be widely publicized. ............ Well, Estella will not care about that. In fact, it would be better for the "Lords of the Forty-Two Wards" to show that they are in good terms with the Woodcutter''s Guild. ''Yashiro-san!Do you have a minute? Umaro, who was on his way to the stake log, waved his hand at me and called me. I wonder if there''s a problem. Once he exchanged a glance with Estella, we headed over there. ''I want you to take a look at this. When we reached Umaro, we found that the stake logs that had been driven deep into the ground had been pulled out before we knew it. It must have been very difficult to pull this thing out, let alone drive it in, but it was so easy. The tip of the pile was dirty and covered with soil of different textures depending on the depth. ''The ground is a little loose after all. The soil here seemed to contain a little too much water, and Umaro made a grim face. He traced the soil with his finger and sniffed it. ''How can you tell the quality of the soil like that? ''I have a good nose, even though I look like this. No, I can''t tell if you have a good nose or not by looking at you. If anything, you look like you have a good nose, you fox face. ''So, do you think it''s impossible? ''No. As long as we lay crushed stone and build a solid foundation, we''ll be fine. However, it might be a little dangerous if it''s a building where a lot of people get on and off. The idea of ...... a lot of people came from the idea of building a tower here and constructing a pathway to the 29th district. But it doesn''t matter because we can''t build that anyway. ''The only thing we''re building here is a pillar to carry letters. If it can be built, it won''t be a problem. ''Then I think I can manage. Umaro looked relieved. However, Goozuya looks as if she is not quite convinced. ''Why is it ''letter carrier''? Perhaps this is a question that Oumarro and the other carpenters are feeling as well. In short, the question is, ''If you have a use for Mahr, why don''t you build a tower or a road that people can climb up and down? ''The Hammies once said that they were going to break down the cliffs here to improve the flow of the river. ......'' Loretta told me that they said this when the waterfall became too narrow due to lack of water. At the time, Estella was doing everything she could to stop it. --because it would start a war. ''The top of this cliff is the territory of District 29. The act of transforming another district''s land without permission could be taken as an invasion of that district. It would be taking away our territory. So, it is not up to the forty-two wards to make any changes to the cliff. ...... Well, the cave under the cliff has not affected the 29th District, so let''s consider it a gray zone ...... that is just barely safe. ...... If they find out, it could be a problem, though. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the subject in the following paragraphs. It would be a different story if we were to erect a hundred-story skyscraper here, but it would be a trivial structure the size of a single pillar. They will be hidden in Mahrul''s land and will not be seen by anyone. If Ma''uld help us, we can avoid trouble. ''But what do you think ...... would happen if it was a ''human-accessible structure''? ''Well, ...... what about ............ convenient, isn''t it ...... going to be?'' ''Yes, it would. It''s going to be very convenient. Estella showed a certain understanding of Gusuya''s answer. Then, she began to explain in an easy-to-understand manner. ''That''s why you can''t build such structures. It would be ''convenient''. The 29th district is a district that profits from the ''toll tax. If you build such a ''loophole'' in the 29th district, which has changed the width of the roads and even restricted the passage of horse-drawn carriages in order to collect the tax, the worst that can happen is a war. There is a danger that the situation will develop into a matter of life and death for the 29th district, and the possibility of that happening is extremely high. ''Even if we didn''t intend to interfere with the interests of the 29th district, the fact that we created a possible loophole is more than enough provocation, and will jeopardize the position of Ma''ru who cooperated with us. I''m not sure if you''re going to be able to find a way to get your hands on one, but I''m sure you can. ''That''s ...... not good, is it? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. His lips are also chapped. Her lips are chapped. That''s probably how he feels. ''Oh, but... Is your luggage okay? The Todokeiru No. 1 we''re going to build will also carry sorame. ''You see, Ma''ru has the right to issue a tax exemption certificate. The only difference is whether you go to the 29th district to get a tax exemption certificate or send the sorghum with the tax exemption certificate to the 42nd district. If the result is the same, it would be better to save time. ''Well, it''s a gray area as far as I''m concerned. Estella is not so much in favor of carrying the sole. But Ma''ul and I pushed her to agree. Ma''ul wants to get rid of the sycamores, and I want them. It''s a win-win situation. No one loses. See, everybody''s happy. ''So, please make sure the strength and quality is such that people can''t ride it. ''Okay. I''ll build it as soon as Norma''s parts arrive. Norma is the one that will take the longest this time. He seemed a little happy to be assigned a difficult part, so I''m sure he''ll be fine. I''ll treat her to a cake when she''s done. Then we talked a little about geology and wood, and we left the New Town. Clouds began to spread again in the sky, turning the evening into a darker color. Imelda''s carriage would be coming to the sunny pavilion tomorrow morning, so we decided to wait for it and go to District 27. I got to know Mahr, but he''s not a lord. The next person I''m going to meet is a lord who is part of the BU. There are some things about him that I don''t understand. ...... Let''s keep our heads up. After all, this whole affair with BU smells of money everywhere. It''s okay to be a little overzealous. 267-Episode 179 The House of the 27th Ward Lords The specialty of the 27th district is coffee beans. I used to be under the misapprehension that there was no coffee in this city, but I was told quite a while later that there actually was coffee in some places. That ''some place'' was this 27th district. Thanks to Javier''s lending us a carriage, we arrived at the 27th district much earlier than planned. The rendezvous with the lord is at noon. We still have about an hour. That''s why we visited a coffee shop in District 27. We wanted to try a cup of real coffee. We have our duty free certificate, and we don''t have to worry about being forced to buy extra beans every time we enter the store. There is nothing to be afraid of. If it is a famous coffee producing area, they must be very passionate about coffee. I''m looking forward to it. --I was thinking... ''Gubuh! ''Aah! ''............I can taste the gravel......'' ''Oh, Yashiro. You''re filthy.'' The moment I put it in my mouth, it smelled like mud and had a rough, unpleasant texture that filled my mouth, and I spit it out. Obviously, there were too many beans. In addition, the roasting was uneven, and the coffee smelled burnt, and the sourness of the green beans was on full display. A messy coffee is like muddy water. ''...... Just because it''s a famous production area doesn''t mean it''s a waste of time. ''It is probably the result of trying to use up the large amount of surplus coffee beans. ''Maybe it''s simply because there are so many of them that the coffee beans are being handled too roughly. Estella and Natalia reasoned as they wiped up my spit coffee. ''Here, wipe your mouth with this. Estella hands me a rag as she says this. That''s a shame. If you had handed it to me before I wiped the table, your reputation would have been raised. ''Even the tea tray is coffee beans, isn''t it? Natalia picks up a small plate of coffee beans with her finger. They are more than roasted and sweetly coated with honey. Even though they are ......, they are bitter. You can''t accept bitter tea with bitter food. Well, I''m drinking coffee, so I''m not sure if "tea accepting" is the right word. ''...... Let''s get out of here. No matter what you order, the beans will come out. When the coffee is bad, there is no point in staying at this coffee shop. Outside of the 42nd district, there is no coffee jelly or iced coffee. If that''s the case, I hope they at least put their heart and soul into the blend. If the original coffee is of this quality, no wonder it has not spread to other wards. When I left the store, I was given a box of coffee beans. I''ll take them home and give them to Loretta for practice. Loretta makes a much better coffee than the master of this store. She''s not even on a level playing field with Jeannette. If Ginette had been in town, the status of coffee would have been somewhat higher. ''Could it be that Ginette''s grandfather was from the 27th district? I wondered as we got into the carriage. ''Well, I don''t know. I haven''t heard much about my grandfather either. When her grandfather was alive, Estella was probably still a child and did not get involved in the lord''s business. She probably wasn''t even interested in the origins of the people. Playing is what life is all about, isn''t it, kids? ''I can''t help it. You were probably still small then.'' ''That''s true. That was when Estella-sama was still small. ''Yashiro, Natalia. Why are both of you holding your breasts while talking?You were small at your age, right?'' Estella, alone in the carriage, cringes. What a ...... small guy to get angry over something like this. I''m not sure what to say. ''Can you please stop looking at me and silently pressing your own chest? He glared at me, and I had no choice but to turn around and face the direction of travel. And then I saw Natalia sitting across from me. ...... Before I knew it, I had received three bouquets of flowers. It seems that Natalia fever is still alive and well in District 27. But she doesn''t look too happy, and she has a troubled look on her face. She is not the type of person to be outspoken, so she must be at a loss. There are not many people who are used to being favored by strangers. ''Oh, ...... I''m the only one who can''t ...... be bothered with Estella-sama.'' ''Shut up. It''s only for now, the boom. ......, though he never forgets to insert such an unnecessary comment. But it seems to me that there''s more than a hint of embarrassment in it. So, Natalia is embarrassed, huh? ''You''re very popular, Natalia. ''...... Yeah, well. It would seem so. When I attacked him, he was at a loss for words for a moment, and then he glared at me lightly and hatefully. ''Why don''t you send a bouquet of flowers, Yashiro-sama? ''I can''t invest in something that has no return. ''There might be, a big return. The return on the gift of a bouquet of flowers is a bit too much for me, and I feel like refraining from it. However, what about the fact that Estella looks a little happy when Natalia has a subtle expression on her face? Get along, you two. ''Then I''ll send you a bouquet of flowers instead. ''No, thank you. I''m afraid my flatulence is contagious. ''It''s not contagious!...... Who''s flat-chested? Oh, this is getting to be a thing, isn''t it? You should make a gag of it and go on a tour of the districts. Go earn some foreign currency with the lord and the head waiter. ''I''ve instructed the gentleman to proceed to the pavilion as slowly as possible. Because we didn''t kill time at the coffee shop, we still have a lot of time to spare. So, I''m trying to buy some time here. ...... because that coffee shop was uncomfortable. ''By the way, do you have any information about the lord of this district? It is a basic negotiation technique to get information before meeting. Even if you don''t know him very well, there are probably some rumors about him because of his position as a lord. ''It''s only a rumor, though. And then Estella said, her expression clouded. ''It seems that the lord of this place is ridiculed as the ''tantrum princess'' by some nobles. ''''The ''tantrum princess'' ............? We''ve seen the Lord of District 27 once before, when we were summoned by the Lord of District 29. At that time, he gave the impression of being calm and quiet,......, but a ''tantrum princess''? ''Is she that hysterical? ''Rumor has it, yes. It''s hard to negotiate with tantrums. ...... It''s easy to talk them into saying ''yes'', but most of the time they''ll throw a tantrum later and say ''that''s not true! But most of those people have a tantrum later. It''s hard to get them to say ''no'' because there''s the Judgment of the Spirits, but ...... whatever it is, I can''t help but feel that it''s going to be a negotiation with a bad aftertaste. ''Isn''t there any decent lord? ......'' ''Yashiro. Look next to you.'' ''............ window,right?'' ''It''s the other way around. Look at me!'' ''............Wall, huh?'' ''Who''s a wall!There''s a decent lord this close by!Look, you should look more closely! Estella is a good lord, but I''m not sure she''s a decent lord. She''s ...... always pointing knives at people. Well, I''m the one who''s getting knifed. There''s a nasty lady lord called The Temper Tantrum Princess. He went to the trouble of inviting Estella to lunch. As a bonus, it said ''your companion is welcome to join you''. ............ I can''t help but think there''s something behind it. Are they planning something with Estella in mind? ...... Or is it even something that BU is telling them to do? ...... ''She''s new, and she''s a woman. You can''t help but wonder if she''s just trying to force herself to look dignified. It''s the end of the road for a lord. That''s why Estella wears masculine clothes and calls herself ''I''. Recently, though, she seems to be paying less attention to it. In the same way, it wouldn''t be surprising if the lord of the twenty-seventh district thought that he didn''t want to lose to a man. If she had an aura like Lucia''s, she would be able to compete with anyone on equal terms regardless of gender, but I don''t think there are many women who have that kind of aura. Or rather, I don''t want them to be. She''s too scary. The only ones at that level are Mael, the sister of the ...... lord, Sirach, who is the symbol of the bug people of the 35th district, and Medora, who holds the hunting guild together with her single arm. Oh, and Bertina has a similar aura. All of them are troublesome opponents who are not easy to deal with. It seems to have arrived at the lord''s mansion. It''s still too early for the appointment. ''What should we do?If we arrive early, we''ll have to listen to one more complaint, right? ''But well, we can''t just leave this big carriage parked in front of the mansion. With a somewhat sullen expression, Estella raised her eyebrows and put on her diplomatic face. At the same time as Estella starts to move, Natalia also goes into head waiter mode and quickly opens the carriage door. This is so that she can get off first and help Estella get off. ......... ''We''ve been expecting you, Miss Claremona and your companions. I opened the door of the carriage and saw a girl standing there. She bowed deeply, then straightened up and looked straight at you. The girl, looking at me with a quiet appearance, had a slightly nervous look on her face and a faint smile on her young face. The girl, who seemed somewhat unreliable, looked to be about my age. I wondered if she was a new waiter. ''Thank you for welcoming me. On behalf of everyone, I''d like to say thank you. Estella said, and Natalia got out of the carriage in silence. The waiter opens up a space for us, and we disembark into the empty space, me and Estella in that order. As we disembark, Natalia gives us a little support. In this way, she makes it clear to us who is above us. I am higher than Natalia, who is supporting me, and Estella, who is the last one down, is the highest. Well, it''s an annoying rule, but it''s the kind of thing that needs to be done right. As we disembarked, the waiter once again bowed deeply. ''Once again, welcome to the party. I''m Nene Granata, head waiter to the Lord of the Twenty-Seventh District, Tracy McCurry. This is the head waiter? I was rendered speechless. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''re surprised.It is true that a person like me being in charge of the head waiter ...... could damage Tracy''s name .......'' The surprise must have been obvious on her face. Nene turned her head down, tears welling up in her eyes, and spoke quickly, as if to make excuses. No, you don''t have to be so sneaky. ...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''No, you''re being too sneaky! I''m sorry, but I''m really pissed. Where in the world would someone call a lord''s head waiter a ''rag''? ''By the way, Mr. Rags. ''Don''t call me that! No, I knew Natalia would call him that! See, Nene''s pretty shocked she didn''t expect to be called that. You''re the type who can''t take a joke, no matter how you look at it. If you''re going to spit venom, pick the right person. ''Even if it''s just a formality, I''m aware that I''ve been invited. ''Yes, sir!I''ve invited you to have lunch with me.'' ''So, if that is the case, I would expect a minimum of hospitality. ''Of course, of course!You are welcome.'' ''Then you should show more pride. ''...... What?'' Natalia says to Nene, her posture straight and undisturbed, like a beautiful sculpture. She lifts her arm and points to Nene''s chest. ''With your beautiful posture, your chest outstretched proudly, and a proud smile on your face, please show Lady Estella around. I know you can do it. Isn''t that right, head waiter? ''............'' Nene rolls her eyes and mouth. Natalia''s words were harsh, but they taught Nene what she lacked. Perhaps, as the same head waiter, she wanted to encourage this unreliable Nene. Hearing Natalia''s words, Nene''s cheeks began to turn red. Her face, which had been frozen in surprise, slowly softened and she smiled lovingly like a flower blooming after the snow melted. ''............ Yes!I''ll show you around. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this at ............. B? ''You have the smallest tits in the history of the head waiter. I''m not sure what to say. Nene bends her back again to hide her taut breasts. She hugs herself with both arms to cover her breasts. ''''Yashiro ............, can you please stop s*xually harassing other people''s head waiters with impunity?If this turns into a diplomatic incident, I''ll make you take full responsibility, okay?'' ''I''m sorry. The Judgment of the Spirits has made me an honest man.'' ''Just because you can''t tell a lie, doesn''t mean you have to say what you think! ''But I''m bigger than you. ''I''m telling you, don''t say unnecessary things! Estella is defending the head waiter of District 27. This might be a good opportunity for District 42 and District 27 to build a friendly relationship. Oh! I''m being very helpful. I''m sorry. Don''t worry about what he says.'' ''No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ''...... Yeah. I don''t know why it hurts my heart to hear you say that, so can you please leave it at that? ''I''m sorry for such a small bulge! ''Stop it, ......, you''ll cry. Nene demeaning B in front of A. This could be the moment when a major diplomatic rift was born. ''Mr. Nene.'' Natalia stands in front of Estella, who is holding her chest as if in pain, and confronts Nene. Will she say something to Nene in order to ease her lord''s suffering? ''Interesting! ''Back off, Natalia! ......, of course not. Only for Natalia. So, although I''ve already forgotten what the cause was, we were led back to the mansion after Estella had been needlessly damaged. The carriage was politely taken to the stables under Nene''s direction. This feeling is similar to the one I had when I went to the 35th district. Can we assume that we are being welcomed? But there was no reason to be welcomed. We passed through a large, solidly built door and proceeded down a long corridor. The high ceiling and the thick pillars supporting it were so impressive that I couldn''t help but look up. The white walls and red carpets are so vivid to the eye that they make the interior look different from the surrounding areas. ...... Well, I''m sure there''s a point where they''re forcing themselves to make it gorgeous. ''Estella. You should rebuild your house into something as luxurious as this.'' ''I don''t feel comfortable in this house. ......'' Poverty must be ingrained in her. I''m sure Estella will sit in the corner even if the room gets bigger. She will probably say, ''I feel at home in the corner,'' and start living in the corner. ''Maybe it''s one of your talents to be able to live in a house like this. ''Maybe so. Estella chuckles at my joke. You''re right, I don''t want to live in a big house like this either. I don''t feel comfortable at all. A house should be a calm space where you can feel relieved that you''ve come home. There''s a lot of serving. While Estella and I were focused on the size of the house, Natalia''s attention was focused on something else. The number of waiters. Indeed, there were waiters all along the long corridor, bowing to us as we passed. But is it really that many? ''A corridor of this size is kept clean. It must be a sign that there are enough people to clean it. ''Oh, I see. Even if he wasn''t here at the moment, the head waiter would be able to tell by looking at the building how much manpower was needed and whether it was being maintained to a satisfactory level. ''Although I can''t deny the possibility that they are pushing themselves too hard to look good. He only gathers people to clean up when he invites someone. That''s a possibility, too. ...... is all you have. Whenever I come to someone''s house, I have a habit of looking at every room and guessing their financial situation. I want to know every little thing about the people I am negotiating with. The difference is whether the reason is to make money or to protect the Lord''s dignity. ''This way, sir. At the end of the corridor, you can see a door that is more opulent and solid than the others. The door in front of it is opened and you are invited in. It was a large reception room with calm furnishings that gave the impression of a comfortable place to relax. ''The door on the other side is probably the dining room, and this is the waiting room. Natalia whispered to me. That''s the hall and this is the waiting room. This is what a hotel would look like for a wedding reception. So this is where we wait for the lord. ''Then, please wait a moment. We''ll be ready soon. Nene bows her head and turns on her heel. Her back is straighter and her face, which had been on the verge of tears, has softened considerably. She must have been relieved that Estella was more approachable than she had expected. The strange tension seems to have dissipated and the dinner table will be in a friendly mood. I was thinking this as I stared at Nene''s back as she walked away. ...... ''Nene!Where the hell have you been?Didn''t you hear my doorbell? My shoulders jumped as an angry voice roared through the building. ''...... What was that?'' Estella looked worried. ''That was probably ...... ''''The tantrum princess, .......'''' ''I''m sure it is.'' Natalia agrees with me. This is not a ...... friendly mood. Tensions rose quickly and we looked at each other. Before we could even think about how we should feel, the hallway became noisy. Boom!......, the sound of the door opening and closing like a cannon, and then, boom, boom, boom!...... and footsteps that sounded like whale sharks roosting in a gymnasium approached and stopped ............ in front of the door. What the hell is ...... going on? What''s going to happen now? My heart creaked in the strange silence. I heard someone gulp ...... and swallow a spit. As the three of us stared breathlessly, the door slowly opened. ''Welcome to my house--'' Before the door could fully open, a beautiful woman standing in front of it spoke words of welcome in a voice like a clear stream. She is wearing a sparkling dress and has a mature smile on her face. So this is Tracy McCurry, the lord of the twenty-seventh district. It''s true, he was one of the BU guys. ''Thank you for accepting my invitation, Miss Estella Claremona. And your companions. You''re welcome.'' You can find a lot of people who are interested in this. It''s ......, but there''s a huge wrinkle between his eyes. You''ll be surprised at the frown on his face. That''s not very welcoming at all, is it? Tracy gives Estella a sharp look like a hunter and then quickly turns away. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''re planning to blatantly ignore her. I''m not sure what to say. The smile on Estella''s face tightened at the ''unwelcome aura'' that was clearly being created. This is what she got when she was invited. It''s understandable that she''s confused. But as long as you are invited, it is the attitude of a sensible person to treat people with courtesy. Estella straightened her back, smiled again, and greeted Tracy. ''Thank you for inviting me ......''. ''Haaaa............'' She sighed! She interrupted Estella''s greeting and sighed very loudly. And he crossed his arms and turned his body away. Her arms are crossed, and her brow is furrowed more deeply than before. He bites his lip as if he were about to bite it off, and his expression is so bitter that the word "bitterness" seems to come to mind. Are you really that uncomfortable talking to Estella? Natalia''s breathing changes. She will never forgive you for your disrespect to Estella. ............ Well, he''s been rude himself, but only to the extent that he can be forgiven for laughing. The head waiter of the Cremona family is not kind enough to overlook such blatant disrespect. ...... And I''m feeling pretty bad about it, too. Me and Natalia. We both breathe in together. Which one of us opens his mouth first depends on the atmosphere. --Estella gives us a look, as if she knows we''re thinking. I''m not sure if you''re thinking that, but Estella is giving us a look, as if to say, ''Just be quiet. When Tracy shows her whole body in rejection, Estella smiles cheerfully once more and says. ''Thank you for inviting me. It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Tracy McCurry. The moment - the world rang. ......Dokun......Dokun............ Tracy''s eyes snapped open. Tracy''s eyes open and her body begins to shake and vibrate. And then a trembling hand was brought to Tracy''s mouth. ...... That''s when! ''......Goof! Tracy threw up a lot of blood. ''Hee! Estella let out a short scream. But the next moment, she rushed to Tracy and called out to her with concern. ''Are you okay, Miss Tracy? ''............m,muri.......'' Her reddened hands slowly pulled away from Tracy''s mouth. The red blood ............ that was also sticky around her mouth is still flowing ...... ''Estella-sama is so wonderful, I think I''m going to die. ''........................What?'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''Estella-sama .................. moe''. I saw a chill run from Estella''s feet to her nape. And even now, the blood that stained Tracy red continues to flow ............ from her nose ......... ...That''s a nosebleed. This lord, when Estella called his name, blew his nose. In short, that''s it. Tracy McCurry, the lord of the 27th district, loves Estella. To the point of morbidity. 268-Episode 180 Tracy McCurry ''...... Excuse me.'' Tracy sits down in front of us and bows her head in shame. She''s changed her dirty dress, re-done her hair, fixed her makeup, and stuffed her nose with cotton. ............ Hey! ''What a disappointing finish. ......'' ''...... You''re beautiful.'' I sneakily exchange opinions with Estella. She seems to agree with me. We are still waiting in the reception room as they are preparing the meal. We''ve been here for quite a while now, as Tracy is getting dressed. It''s long past noon. Even though we arrived earlier than expected. Incidentally, in the reception room, there is a four-seater sofa facing each other across a low table, and a very luxurious one-seater sofa on the top seat. I thought Tracy was going to sit there, but she took the upper four-seater sofa. ''Come on, everyone, have a seat. And please forgive me for being a little anemic and sitting down first. ''No, ...... yeah. You should get some rest. Anemia can be scary. ''Gosh! ''Whoa!Another nosebleed, you lord! ''Estella-sama, please behave yourself.'' ''What, me?It''s my fault? I''m surprised by the nosebleed, and Estella is confused by Natalia''s scolding. Nene is hurriedly wiping away the red spray on the table, despite the messy atmosphere between us. No, no, wipe Tracy first. You''ll get your dress dirty again. But she doesn''t seem to care, and smiles weakly at Tracy with a glistening, gloomy face. ''I''m also ...... sorry ............ for the kind words... .........Tsuki......'' Don''t blow your nose at ''just because''. As I suspected, the lord here also seems to belong to the pervert category. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... They also have flat chests. ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. But ............ now it is difficult to sit down for different reasons. I don''t want my ...... clothes to get dirty. However,...... ''Huh, ............ it''s real, isn''t it ......''. You can''t help but notice Tracy''s eyes staring at Estella. They are the eyes of a girl in love. I hope this guy doesn''t think Estella is a man. Estella''s expression is a little tense as she is being gazed at with so much passion. It''s not your first time, is it?I think it was more ...... normal when we met before at the lord''s mansion in the 29th district, right? It''s Estella. You may think you''ve chosen your words carefully, but that''s like saying, ''You''re acting really weird right now''.Well, it is weird. However, Tracy did not show any displeasure at the nuance of such words, and smiled shyly. ''At that time, there were other lords present, and I''m not afraid to reveal my personal feelings in such a situation. ''Well, that''s true, isn''t it ...... haha? You can''t say ''Estella-sama, moe~'' in that heavy place. Well, that makes sense. ''Oh, Miss Estella. Please have a seat.'' Nervously, Tracy points to the sofa. You''re all tense. I don''t know how she could keep a straight face like this. Does the peer pressure of BU outweigh even this kind of emotion? ......? If so, BU is quite a suffocating organization. Anyway, we can''t just stand there forever, so we head for the couch. For the moment, we pass by the most luxurious chair and sit down side by side on the four-seater sofa across from Tracy. We sit down on the four-seater sofa opposite Tracy, so that Estella is between us and Natalia. ''Nice to meet you, Miss Tracy. ''Yes, sir! Just as Estella called her name, countless stars sparkled in her eyes and hearts popped out of her whiskers one after another. I had a vision of a scene like ....... This guy really likes Estella, doesn''t he? I don''t know where the vector of that love is pointing, but at the moment. ''Ho, thank you for inviting me here today. Please thank me again at .......'' ''Thank you is out of the question! Estella''s shoulders trembled as her thin voice came out loud and clear at that moment. Tracy shrinks back on the sofa, her face turning red at the sound of her own loud voice. ''I''m sorry, I ...... shouted too loudly.'' ''Oh, no. Don''t worry about it.'' ''Huh. ...... You''re so kind. Miss Estella.'' Estella''s words made Tracy look at her enraptured. No matter what she does, Estella seems to be just fine with it. Estella glances at me as if she is asking for help. But I''m sorry. It''s out of my hands. Apparently, this one is under Estella''s jurisdiction, so I''ve decided to leave it to her. ''Miss Tracy. I know it''s early in the meal, but would you like me to make you some coffee? When Nene, who had just finished wiping the blood off the table, suggested this to Tracy, her eyes, which had been melting until a moment ago, instantly lifted sharply. ''Nene!What are you doing interrupting our conversation?You know what you''re doing! ''I''m sorry, sir! The three of us all shuddered at the sudden loud voice. We all shivered. It''s a change. What''s with this change?I''m beginning to wonder if it''s really the same person. While we were confused, Tracy continued to reprimand Nene. ''In the first place, coffee is supposed to be served after a meal!You don''t have any common sense, do you? ''I''m sorry again and again! ''That''s enough!Get back! ''Yes, sir!I beg your pardon! Nene bowed hurriedly and hurried to the door at a speed that was fast enough to keep her from running. Nene turns to face you at the door, bows deeply once more, and tries to leave. Tracy shouts at Nene again. ''Nene!What kind of head waiter leaves a guest in a room!I didn''t tell you to back off that far! ''I''m sorry, sir! After bowing her head with such force that you can almost hear the sound of wind, and looking around the room, Nene moved to a corner of the room, as far away from the table we were at as possible, and stood in the corner of the room, looking uncomfortable. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ...... Wow, you look terrified. ''............ I''m sorry, gentlemen.'' After a brief moment of deep wrinkles between the eyebrows, Tracy smiled weakly and said she was sorry. It was hard to tell what she was apologizing for. Is it, ''Our head waiter is a bit of a jerk,'' or ''I''m sorry for yelling at you? ''By the way, there is a custom of drinking coffee in District 42, isn''t there?I was very happy to hear that. As if to change the subject, Tracy began to talk in a different tone of voice. The fact that she has information about the 42nd district may mean that she was asked to look into it as a BU, or that she was personally interested in it and had it looked into. ...... Or it may be that her love of Estella has grown so strong that she has come to visit. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m not sure how a person with such a pure smile could possibly-- ''Estella-sama,......, do you like that,...... coffee? ''Yes, I do. I''ve been drinking a lot of it lately. These two also like coffee, and he is a very picky man. ''''Oh, I see. Well, I''d like you to try some of our coffee. ''............'' ''............'' ''............ Nene! ''Yes, yes! ''I said, "I''d like to taste it"!Why don''t you get me a coffee right away? ''I''m sorry, sir! ''No need to apologize!Take action now! ''Yes, I''m back! --I don''t know why I''m so tough with the head waiter. And ...... ''............''. Why does he always have such a sorrowful expression on his face after he yells? ''I''m sorry, sir. Often ......'' ''Oh, no,......, don''t worry about it.'' The atmosphere becomes more awkward each time. And each time, Tracy would smile as if to make up for it and start talking in a cheerful voice to change the atmosphere. ''By the way, Estella-sama, have you ever had coffee in our ward? ''Oh, ...... well. Just in case ....... I''ve had it at a coffee shop in town. ''No, you can''t! Leaning forward, Tracy gave me a desperate look. ''The coffee at the coffee shop in town is not real coffee! Tracy looks sad again as she utters the line that some gourmet would say. ''The taste of coffee changes dramatically depending on how it is brewed. The aroma can also be completely different. That''s why you have to be very careful in order to make a good cup of coffee. ...... But in this city, there is a set amount of beans to be consumed, and if you don''t force yourself to consume beans that are in low demand, like coffee, you won''t be able to use them up. ......'' ''So the result is ......, where the priority is to increase usage over taste.'' ''............ is, yes. It''s very, very sad.'' There was no sign of anger at my use of the term. I thought that the lord, who is known as the "tantrum princess," would be more likely to lash out at this kind of rudeness, but ...... he did not. In fact, I even feel that he is somewhat avoiding me. ''You can''t put it in there like that if you''re thinking about the people who are going to drink it,......,'' she said. Tracy''s face shows her unhappy feelings. He himself wants the coffee to taste good. It''s a good thing that the demand for coffee is increasing, because he is the lord of the 27th district, where coffee beans are grown. Also, more than anything else, people who grow crops tend to put a lot of love into them. It''s like when Momat says, "Our vegetables are the best in the world! The more love you put into your crops, the more love you will have for them and the products they are made from. --So it seems that the coffee Nene is making me now is something to look forward to. Probably, the coffee at the coffee shop was either properly roasted and ground, or it was messed up. Anyway, consume the beans. That was the primary goal. There was no way it could taste good. But Tracy seems to want his coffee to taste good, so he wouldn''t make it in a strange way. I''m glad he''s a sane person. ''Coffee is all about taste, using the best amount and in the best way - and pushing the excess coffee beans on the beans ......''. Oh, come on! I''m not sure how you can pull that off with a straight face, this lord. It seems that this was not a proper idea at all. Coffee is an unfamiliar drink and demand for it is low. That''s why the coffee shops that sold coffee didn''t have many customers. Since there were no customers, they could not push coffee beans to customers. So, they had no choice but to use the coffee beans roughly. As a result, the coffee tasted awful, and it seems that they are stuck in a negative spiral: ............ It''s stupid. Customers who leave because they don''t like the taste will never come back. No one wants to eat something that tastes bad. There is such a word as "aversion to food" that people avoid food they don''t like. It''s the same with drinks. Trust, based on past experience, plays a major role in the criteria for choosing food. If your first impression of a food is ''It tastes bad! you won''t get a second chance. Even if a good coffee exists elsewhere. ''Oh, sorry to keep you waiting, but your ...... coffee is ready.'' Nene comes in with a cup in her cart. Tracy''s face tenses for a moment, but this time she seems to swallow her anger. What does ''coffee'' mean? He may have been trying to make a point in the manner of a man who is strict with a shopkeeper''s customer service. He didn''t shout, but he must have felt Tracy''s sharp eyes on him. Nene seemed to be tense. The cups and saucers clinked against each other as the coffee was passed out to us. Calm down a little more. Now, ......, I look at the coffee that has been handed out. The aroma is good and the color is beautiful. It looks promising this time. ''Well, gentlemen. Please enjoy your coffee. He says, "Coffee is always served after dinner," and offers us coffee before dinner. I can''t help but feel that his personality is unnatural and distorted. She looks at Estella and picks up the cup at the same time. Natalia won''t touch it until after we''ve drunk it, so Estella and I will take it first. Even though she is a coffee drinker, Estella only knows Ginette''s coffee. If I let her drink it alone and ask her what she thinks, she might be at a loss for words. That''s why I''m going to taste it at the same time. Since I had made a mistake in the coffee shop, I sipped it fearfully this time. At worst, I have to be careful not to spit it out even if it tastes like shit. When I put the coffee in my mouth, I felt a very strong sour taste. Estella''s shoulders bounced next to me. ...... Oh, come to think of it, he''s never had coffee with a strong acidic taste before. She looked at me with a look that showed she was confused. He''s probably trying not to show it, but if he''s glancing at me sideways, he''s going to look suspicious. ''It has a strong habit, but it has a good taste. It has a sharp and impressive taste. Ginette''s coffee is rather rich and addictive, but it has a refreshing aftertaste that does not interfere with the meal. This coffee, on the other hand, is a coffee to enjoy, with a very strong impact. It has a taste that connoisseurs would like. Therefore, Estella, who is a coffee beginner, may not be able to appreciate it. That''s why I gave her a helping hand. ...... So, ...... I see. ............ If it suits your taste, I''m honored... I''m honored...'' Tracy began to look strangely frightened. It''s clearly different from the embarrassment she felt towards Estella. ...... She''s frightened in a way that makes you think she''s not good with men. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Indeed, it tastes completely different from the coffee I''ve been drinking. ''Are you sure?I''m glad .......'' Tracy''s expression brightened as she must have interpreted Estella''s words to mean that the coffee tasted different from the others. I guess Estella really meant, ''This is not the coffee I know ...... and it''s hard to drink''. But then again, ...... Tracy is a person whose expression changes frequently. You could even say that she changes too much. I''m not sure what to make of it. I can''t seem to get it together. I can''t seem to put together the person Tracy in my mind. ''Um, I''m sorry. Can I ask you something? Natalia raises her hand in a posture. She is not stretching her arms out like a schoolgirl, but rather she is raising her hands in a small, gentle motion near her face. He is looking at Estella as he raises his hand modestly. She seems to have sipped her coffee, and the rim of her cup is slightly damp. She asks Estella for permission to speak, because she will be held accountable for Natalia''s words. When Estella looks at Tracy, Tracy nods her head. After having obtained permission to speak in this roundabout way, Natalia turns to Nene. ''Milk and sugar, if possible? ''Milk and sugar ......? ''Yes, sir. In the 42nd district, we have milk and sugar in our coffee. So if it''s possible, I''d like to do the same here, if that''s okay. Oh, I see. I''ve just realized that. Aside from Natalia, Estella, who doesn''t like bitterness, always drinks her coffee with a lot of milk. I didn''t mind because I always drink it black. So you asked for milk and sugar for Estella, under the pretense that you wanted it so that she would not be embarrassed. You''re very considerate, head waiter. ''In the 42nd district, do you add milk and sugar to your coffee? ''Yes, ......''. Tracy asks Estella after hearing Natalia''s words. This is a complicated area, but it is said that there are many nobles who do not talk to other servants. They say that only those of equal status have the right to talk to them. Tracy may be one of them. So, when Estella was asked a question, she said: ...... ''Yes, yes, well. I''m not sure.I''ve made it that way so that a wide range of people, from adults to children, can enjoy the taste of coffee. ''That''s a wonderful idea, Estella-sama! ''I can''t drink coffee because it''s too bitter,'' she said, hiding her true intentions well. I''m sure her heart is screaming right now. ...... I can almost hear it, the outer wall is so thin. ''Nene. Get some milk and sugar now. I''d like to have a drink too. ''Ha, yes......, but sugar is that...... very expensive, and we don''t have much in stock...... in the museum.'' ''Neneh! ''Yes, yes! Then Tracy''s expression changed again. This change of expression may have given rise to the name ''tantrum princess''. ''How dare you refuse to invest in me when I''m entertaining guests!Are you trying to humiliate me? ''I''m sorry, .......'' ''I''m tired of hearing that line!Go to the kitchen immediately and bring milk and sugar! ''But, sir, we''re preparing lunch now, so you can''t take the sugar out ......''. ''If you don''t have enough, go and buy some!Don''t keep the customers waiting!Run, Nene! ''Yes, sir!I''ll get it right away! Nene bows her head half-crying and runs out of the room. It seems she''s really going to buy it. The sugar that is sold in the vicinity of the 42nd district is called "sugar for the poor" by some nobles. Therefore, it is probably the so-called "noble sugar" that Nene has just gone to buy. It is said to be quite expensive and rare. ...... I wonder if we can get it. ''.................. haha''. The door closes, the footsteps move away, and when they are no longer heard, Traci lets out a pained sigh. It was a painful sigh, as if there were spikes in the air, scratching at his throat as he spat it out. ''One thing, may I? Estella asks Tracy, running her finger over the cup of bitter coffee she can''t drink. She doesn''t make eye contact at first, but gently turns her gaze when she is sure that Tracy is looking at her. This movement has the effect of silently telling the other person, ''I know everything. When your opponent looks into your eyes, it is more intimidating than if your gazes collide at the same time. This is because your brain interprets it as ''the opponent is undaunted because he is sure of victory. ''We are the only ones here now. Isn''t ...... the perfect place to talk in private?'' ''Yes. ............ No, but that''s not...'' ''I''m hoping to get to know you better after today. Tracy ''mister''.'' ''............ Miss Estella ......'' She smiles lightly and unpretentiously. It eases the other person''s guard. Estella is really good at this kind of thing. She is not good at psychological warfare where she pushes the other person down, but she is good at psychological warfare where she draws out the other person''s hidden problems and weaknesses and puts them in a position to reach out to her. In short, he''s a sycophant who specializes in psychological warfare and is willing to go to bat for you. ''............ haha''. A heavy sigh fell from Tracy, and she sagged down. She spreads her hands to cover her face and grabs her bangs with both hands. Even if you''ve decided to talk to someone, you''re always nervous before you open your mouth. Especially when you''re about to reveal a glimpse of a secret you''ve been holding back from telling anyone. Apparently, the Temper Tantrum Princess has secrets she can''t tell anyone. We watched in silence as Tracy got ready. ''Actually, this was supposed to be a more fun lunch. ......'' ''It''s a reversal of ideas, Tracey. We''re here to let out the weight of our minds to make lunch more enjoyable.'' ''Estella-sama ............ Hmm, that''s a lovely way to think of it.'' Probably trying to ease Tracy''s tension by appealing to her intimacy, Estella dropped the honorific. It''s a pretty brave thing to do, and if you''re not good at it, you could be kicked out of the house for disrespecting you. ...... Fortunately, Tracy didn''t seem uncomfortable, but rather pleased with the broken tone. Fortunately, Tracy seemed pleased with the broken tone rather than offended. ''I know I''ve been called a "tantrum princess" and all that. And it''s true. ''But ...... you don''t really want to be angry with Nene like that, do you? Estella asks Tracy, bluntly. Tracy has a lot of ups and downs. At times, it''s almost as if she has more than one personality inside her. If he is not a dual personality, then there is only one reason for that: ...... ''You''ve been forcing yourself to be angry and it''s become a habit? Tracy''s shoulders shake at my words. She turned her head, let out a shaky breath, and quietly and weakly affirmed, ''...... Yes. If you have a bad habit that has escalated too far, you will lose sight of the time to stop it and go off in an unexpected direction, leaving your original goal behind. For example. When you are confronted with a righteous argument by someone you don''t like, it is similar to the feeling of ranting and raving, trying to find fault with the other party even if you have to poke at a corner. However, when we lose sight of the time to stop, it often produces only tragedy. People are creatures that don''t realize how much they appreciate something until they lose it. ''...... I don''t know if I can tell you this ...... shame on me ...... no, it may be rude before that, but ......'' It''s fine. I''d rather hear it from you.'' ''Then I''ll do my best to tell you about it.'' With an embarrassed look on her face, Tracy looked at Estella and smirked. Are you so happy to please Estella? It''s just that, ''I''m happy when you talk to me'' doesn''t mean ''I love to listen to people! It doesn''t mean that I love to listen to people, does it?It means, ''Come and talk to me. Well, I''ll listen if you''ll talk to me. ''Nene has been like a sister to me since I was a little girl, but she has always been somewhat unreliable, pessimistic, and unsure of herself. ...... Oh, I forgot to mention that I am now nineteen and Nene is sixteen. So, since childhood, we have grown up as if we were sisters. She''s really trying hard to speak. Is this because you want to please Estella? You''re very popular, Estella. ...... to women. ''I am an only daughter and have been educated to be a lord since I was a child. It was my father''s policy to let those in his direct line succeed him. ....... I was obliged to become a lord from birth. However, ...... I was not a strong person to begin with, so I was worried ...... and burdened ......''. I''m sure that''s why Tracy is so white. I''m sure she''s never been able to play out in the open. ''So, Nene was the one who was with you at that time, right? ''Yes, that''s right.'' When Estella spoke to her in a non-respectful way, Tracy broke off and smiled clearly, as if she was happy about that. The smile that appeared on her face, though dented, was lighter and more charming than before. ''I believe that the head waiter can be no other than Nene. But although Nene is ...... healthy, she is weak-minded, whiny, shy, and uncommunicative. ............ The lord is sickly and weak, and the head waiter is not. The lord is sickly and weak, and even the head waiter is in such a state. ......'' In between these conversations, Natalia softly whispered to me. ''It is customary for the head waiter to act as a proxy for the lord when there is concern about his health or when he is too young to speak up, to influence people and sometimes to tighten the screws. He is quick to give us information that is probably common knowledge among the lords. In short, he seems to be saying that an unreliable lord should be assigned a fearsome head waiter to give him a glare instead. But... Neither Tracy nor Nene were the type to step forward in District 27. That''s why. So, in an effort to make Nene stronger, I''ve been giving her a lot of attention when she''s feeling weak or on the verge of tears. ............ As a result... ...'' He said that she had become too escalated and even started to abuse him for being unreasonable. And then there''s Nene''s reaction: ...... It seems that that one has developed a habit of being yelled at. In other words, they are ''looking at each other''s face to avoid being yelled at''. This tends to be perceived as ''caring'', but in reality it is the exact opposite. It simply means that they are not acting of their own will. They always look at each other and say, ''Is this OK?'' or ''Is this not OK?'' and end up putting up a ''precautionary line'' to avoid getting angry. By doing so, they become unable to take ''responsibility'' for their own words and actions. Nothing makes others uncomfortable, disadvantageous, or brings misfortune like irresponsible words and actions. And Tracy must have yelled at him again for such irresponsible behavior. Those who saw her do so began to call her the "tantrum princess. That''s right. Her reason for yelling is a vice that even she can''t stop. If it''s not a legitimate reprimand, it''s just a tantrum. ''I''m aware of it, too. My reprimands are unreasonable. ...... But I just can''t stop myself. ............ I yell at him. ............'' And later, I feel deeply depressed. Self-loathing sometimes kills the heart. ...... dangerous, both of these guys. ''That''s why ...... that''s why I''m ............''. Tracy leans forward, her hands on the table. She puts her face close to Estella''s and makes a desperate appeal. ''I wanted to be like you, Estella-sama! ''Bo...... like me, huh?'' After a few seconds of staring at each other, Tracy noticed her own outfit and said, ''What?She sat back down on the couch, shifted her body, and started playing with her hair to hide her embarrassment. Then, while playing with her hair, she took a breath and slowly opened her mouth. ''I was actually watching the gluttony contest held in the 41st district. ''What? That''s a surprising thing to say. Estella seemed to be surprised and froze with her mouth open. When we had a dispute with the neighboring District 41 over the construction of a city gate in District 42, we held a gluttony contest involving all of District 40. The competition was held on two separate days, with many spectators watching, and in the end, District Forty-two won. Just before the close of ......, there was a dispute. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''I know Mr. Ricardo,'' he said. ...... Ah, of course, there was nothing ridiculous or despicable about it, and as a young lord who had taken the position of lord a little before me, I asked him for advice and advice on various matters. If a young man becomes a lord, he will be lambasted without exception. In order to prevent this from happening, they sometimes take bold measures, or pursue their achievements selflessly, and often act out their youthful antics. As a young lord, Tracy seemed to have sought the help of Ricardo, his immediate predecessor, as someone in a similar position. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ...... So this guy was sitting in the 41st district''s cheering section. ............ After the final match, I started to fight with all the people in the 41st district''s seats. After the final game, I picked a fight with all the people in the audience of District 41. ............ ''Mr. Obayashi. ...... I thought you were a very scary person. ''Ha,ha,ha,............, is that so? Ah, ...... I see. That''s why they were scared when I talked to them earlier. ...... I don''t know why, but I''m sweating like crazy. I didn''t think there was a lord of the 27th district in that crowd. ............ I''ve been trying to avoid picking a fight with lords, nobles, and other powerful people. ............ Why didn''t you just tell me that first? ''I still remember it clearly. I can still clearly remember the heavy atmosphere that filled the venue. And the ...... fear that was instilled in everyone in the audience.'' Yeah,......, well, that''s what I set out to do,............, and I''ve reconfirmed that the operation was a great success. ''...... I made up my mind at that time and place that ............ I was going to die here.'' He''s a bit over the top, isn''t he? That''s funny. .................. That''s not funny. Was I that scared? ''Then an angel fell on me. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. The angel that landed in the heavy venue. The name is-- It''s you, Estella-sama! --I heard her name was Estella. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... My plan to get rid of the villain and boost her popularity was a success. You should be happy about it. ...... Though I''m not quite sure what to make of it. In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please feel free to contact us. ''No, no,......, I think that''s too much,.............'' ''With a dignified appearance, he gave a gentle smile to those who were trapped on the edge of hell. ''......That''s it, Tracy. ......That''s it. ......'' ''The beautiful smile at that time, I was shot through the heart ...... and ever since then, no matter what I do, Estella-sama is all that comes to mind ...... whether I sleep or wake up, Estella-sama!I''m not sure what to do. I''ll be back.That''s enough!That''s enough! In an attempt to calm the feverishly talking Tracy, Estella floated her hips and waved her arms as hard as she could. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get there. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. He asked me to tell him about that beautiful lord! Hearing such information, Estella''s expression became distorted. She looked very uncomfortable, and fearfully asked the question that she didn''t want to ask, but it was even worse not to ask. ''So ............ what did Ricardo say? ''Yes. Mr. Ricardo said. ''He''s a ...... lord of smiles.'' ''Hmph! I don''t know what kind of juice came out of Estella''s mouth. What a smart guy. The outpouring of Estella''s juices seemed to be tormenting her inside her body as well, and it must have gotten stuck in her windpipe, causing her to choke wildly. Natalia is rubbing Estella''s back, but her face is full of half-smiles. It''s a full-body, full-strength half-smile. Well, it''s been a few weeks since the gluttony contest, which means that the main points of the discussion about joint development have been decided, and Ricardo''s prejudice against Estella has just disappeared. Maybe it''s a reaction to the past, or maybe it''s a result of his high evaluation of Estella''s words and actions in the tournament, but that''s a very high evaluation. The Lords of Smiles: ...... Pfft! ''Don''t laugh, Yashiro!Natalia! ''Hey, hey, don''t yell at me, ''Lord of the Smiles'' ...... pfft! ''Yes, Lord of Smiles. Please try to smile. ...... Pfft! ''Mwah!Remember that, both of you! The Lords of Smiles is crying. The fact that Ricardo said it to him is the most disgusting part. What face did you say, "He''s ...... the lord of smiles"? ............ Pfft! ''Yashiro ......''. Estella''s face turned bright red, but her eyes were as cloudy as a fish that has been dead for half a year, and she spat out the words with her soul from her mouth. ''I''ve been watching Yap Rock and Bekko worshipping Yashiro, thinking it was the best entertainment, but ............ I''m sorry. It''s hard, this ......''. Estella apologizes, sobbing. You''ve been looking at me like that? ............ I guess I deserve it. A half-smiling head waiter is caring for the half-crying lord. ...... What''s this picture? ''If only I could be as kind as ...... Estella, ............ if only I could be a lord who always smiles and cares for others. ...... and the longing was growing day by day. ''No,......, I''m not such a big lord,.......'' ''I''m ............!...... I don''t want to be angry with Nene anymore. ............ She''s an important childhood friend... ...'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''Please, Estella-sama!Please, Estella-sama! Can you help me fix my ''tantrum''?With the power of the Lords of Smiles! She gets off the couch, kneels down on the floor, and strikes a pose as if praying to God. Estella, who was suddenly worshipped, had a troubled look on her face, but said ............ these words. ''If you can do it, ......''. Well, I suppose so. It''s impossible to say no to a request like this, I suppose, for this guy. But as the lord of smiles, I''m going to refuse!As a new, young, female lord, I will help you! ''Thank you, Lord of Smiles! ''So don''t do that! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. If done well, it might be a move to break the BU. ...... ''Estella''. So, I can''t let this ''chance'' pass me by. I''m going to help you get over your ''vice''. So...'' And there''s a price to be paid for my help. ''Tracy, you''re on our side. Give us information about the BU, sometimes we''ll approach you, and sometimes you''ll raise your hand in the event of a majority vote. ''I''ll consider ...... if my ''bad habits'' are cured and I can be of help to Estella-sama.'' I''m sure you can''t just say ''okay''. That''s fine for now. I''ll let the results speak for themselves. ''And Estella. You''re the one who said this ''helping people'' thing, so of course you''re the one who''s responsible for this. So, ...... ''If you solve it successfully, give me your money. ''............ Why don''t you try working with only pure good intentions for a change? That''s like telling a freshwater fish to live in the ocean. ''That''s exactly what ....... I''m sure you''ll give me some extra money. ''It''s your choice to believe. ''...... again.'' He puffed out his cheeks and punched me on the arm with a soft cat punch. It''s a small resistance. It''s also called taking it out on me. Well, if it''s that much of an affront, I''m willing to take it. 269-Episode 181. In Tracys heart I''ll fix Tracy''s tantrum, and in exchange, I''ll get information about BU and a majority vote. Not a bad deal. It''s a win-win. But that''s only if Tracy can get around the BU. ''You''re too scared!Also, if you end up there, you''ll become Obayashi!You''re not the same person anymore! It seems that my image in the gluttony contest was the worst, and Tracy is completely scared of me. If you ask me, she hasn''t made eye contact with me once since I came here. And when I yell at her that she''s too scared, she looks like she''s about to cry. ...... I mean, she''s crying a little! ''I''m fine. I''m not going to take it and eat it.'' ''I''m not going to take it and eat it.'' ...... ''The ...... of the spirits.'' ''Trust me! Tracy cried, ''Peee! Tracey cried and ducked over the back of the couch. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. If I were a person of proper rank, I''d go to war immediately. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ''......You watched the fourth round too? I''m sure you''ve seen the final game. ''I watched the final game as well. ......'' Well, at any rate, you went home after witnessing all the scenes that made my image worst. ...... I didn''t think that the incident was still lingering. But how can you be a lord with such a frightened personality? I think it''s easy to give in if threatened a little. ...... Tracy hides herself on the couch to avoid my gaze. You look like a scared recruit on her first day of battle. As I watched her shivering like a small animal, the door to the waiting room opened and Nene walked in. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. I''ve brought you some milk and sugar.'' ''Nene!How long are you going to take?The coffee''s already gone cold! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry! ...... And look at this change. And now he''s standing on his knees reprimanding Nene. He has a face like a hanyaka. ''Well, well, Tracy-san. It''s my fault for asking you so suddenly, so don''t be so hard on her. ''Yes, Miss Estella. ......, you''re so kind .............'' At ......, she now leaks a feverish sigh with a throbbing expression. I think she''s sick. What''s more, when the BU members get together, even this ''Estella-loving disease'' doesn''t bother him, and he stands shoulder to shoulder with the other lords with a clear face. Does he have countless personalities inside him? ............ No, no. No, he is just being influenced by the atmosphere around him at each moment. He seems to have an overactive sense of ''this is what I must do in such and such a situation'' and ''this is what I should do in such and such a situation'', which overrides his emotions and impulses. And perhaps they are right. The people of BU are ruled by a phenomenon of syncretism that is almost abnormal. In such a situation, Tracy, who was forced to live a hard life as a lord, is presumed to have been mentally suppressed to a great extent from her childhood. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, and how you can get it. Let''s give it a try. ''Estella, Natalia. Do you have a minute? ''Yes, what? ''Let me ask you something. I beckoned Estella and Natalia to come closer and start a secret conversation. Tracy is still unfairly reprimanding Nene, so she won''t be asked. ''...... So, I''ve got a few things to try. I''ll give you a quick rundown of my thoughts and ask for your cooperation. If I''m right, Tracy should fish well. And if it works, it might be easier to improve Tracy''s ''tantrum'' habit. ''So, what do you want us to do? I tell Estella, who looks at me with serious eyes, the mission in simple terms. ''Take care of me. ''What about ........................?'' Estella stiffens with a dazed look on her face. Was that too hard to understand?Then let me be more specific. ''Love me with all your heart and soul, like you would a newborn kitten. ''Yashiro............, there is a word in the world called ''impossible''. ......'' ''What''s impossible?You just need to praise the cute parts of me that you can catch a glimpse of, praise them a little too much, admire them, and sometimes even rub their cheeks. ''The hurdle for that is too high!It would be easier to build another city gate in the forty-two districts! ''''Why the hell not!I''m kind of cute, aren''t I? ''Where''s your confidence coming from? ''.................. Myuu'' ''Sorry, Yashiro. I want to hit you with the goo.'' Why? If it''s so cute, why doesn''t he get it? ''...... That''s why you''re so insensitive. ''Can you please not blame me for this ......'' ''So, Master Yashiro. What benefit do we get from doing this suffering?'' ''Don''t say ''suffering'' so casually, Natalia. ...... Well, yes. It''s not a benefit, it''s more of a minimum requirement. If you love me, it''s not an act of entitlement, it''s an obligation. It''s an inevitable part of the mission to fix Tracy''s temper tantrums and get a trump card to use against the BU. ''...... I see. Yes, sir.'' ''What, ...... you get it, Natalia? ''Please puff out your chest, Estella-sama.'' ''Did you want to say, "Make up your mind"?If I could do anything about it, I would have done it by now! Natalia persuaded Estella, who was hesitant and reluctant to take on the very simple mission of ''loving me''. She glanced at Estella, whose pale cheeks were slightly pink. ''I''ll never ...... rub your cheeks, you know. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. All right, then, let''s get to work! ''Tracy! Tracy, who had been reprimanding Nene for a long time, shook her shoulders when I called her name, shrank back, and turned her gaze to me. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... He''s really rude, isn''t he? But!That''s as far as it goes! In a few more minutes, you''ll be thinking I''m cute! I clasped my hands lightly in an adorable kitten pose and purred lovingly at Tracy. ''Nya~n! ''Piiii! ...... Tracy mewed, too. No, she cried. But that''s to be expected! Come on, come on!Estella, Natalia, you''re up! ''.................. wow......'' ''That''s a lot tougher than I thought it would be. ......'' ''Oh, come on! Don''t be such a wimp!I''m just trying to be cute!I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''ve stumbled into an unexpected betrayal, but I can still make up for it! I''m going to give you two a look and urge you to go ahead with the plan. ''............ haha''. Stop sighing, Estella! You''re so cute!Take a good look! ''Wow, wow~, Yashiro is really ...... cute .......'' Who the hell are you calling cute?You can''t just say ''cute'' like that! ''Estella......'' ''What''s up ......? ''............ can I pet you, okay? ''............ Gu,...... Goo?'' That''s not ''petting''. Estella''s not getting involved at all. This is ruining the whole plan. I don''t have a choice. If they won''t come, then we''ll have to go! ''Nya~n! What? !Whoa, whoa, whoa! I jumped at Estella and rubbed my head against her. ''Whaaa!Wait, Yashi, Yashiro!All right!You''re so cute!It''s so cute! ''Nyannya~n! I can''t believe it.Tickle ............, tickle ......! Estella seemed to have a weakness in her armpit and started laughing when I tickled her head. ''Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya! ''Mofumu~! ''Why did you change your voice?Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it! It''s starting to get interesting. All right, Estella!I''ll make you limp! ''Na, Natalia! ''Yes, sir! But Estella, realizing that she was outnumbered, immediately called for reinforcements. The single combatant, Natalia, was brought in. I was bound by the neck and shoulders in no time at all. I can''t move ......! ''Haha ............ haha ...... well done ...... ......Come on, Yashiro,............, let''s give her a lot of love,.......'' ''Wait, wait, Estella!It''s not the eyes of an adore!It''s a predator''s eyes!Calm down! ''No ............ questions, no answers! Estella opened her arms and jumped at me with her ten fingers flailing. A chill runs through my whole body in every direction. ...... danger to myself! I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, hey, Estella!Where does a daughter-in-law touch ......?Hahahahaha! ''Natalia!You should take good care of her too! ''Well, I''ll take your word for it, ....... ''No, no, no, no, no!I''m not sure what to do.It''s a bit ...... tense! ''Alright, alright, alright, alright! ''All right, all right, all right! ''What the hell are you, Mr. Nanigoro?I''m going to die!I''ll die! I''ll be honest with you, ...... I''m not very good at tickling. ''I''m sorry!I just got a little carried away earlier!So, no more ......! ''Yashiro is so cute, isn''t he, Natalia? ''Yeah. She''s very pretty.'' ''That''s enough!That''s enough! ''Cute, cute, cute. ''It''s so cute, oh, it''s so cute! Two demons with big smiles on their faces were looking at me. It''s not good,......, and it''s not good,............, and it''s not good. When I began to feel that my life was in danger,......, he finally took a bite. I''m not sure what to say. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family. She was restless and fidgety, revealing her uncontrollable urges. ''''Wow, can''t you let me pet that cute little creature too? ''''..................What?'''' The ones who were speechless were the two who were restraining me between them. As I thought, I was right--Tracy is a person whose emotions are greatly affected by the situation. Both Estella and Natalia seemed surprised by Tracey''s transformation, but I smiled inwardly. Now I''m sure of it. Tracy''s temper tantrums can be fixed. And we can get her on our side. ...... But I can''t move a finger because I''m laughing so hard I''m running out of energy. ...... Estella, Natalia...... too much. I''d like to pet it!It''s so cute! ''What,...... and ............ are you serious?'' ''Yes. It''s adorable.'' Estella and Natalia stared at Tracy as if they were looking at something impossible. ''No, pretty is pretty, but...'' ''Well, then, go to ....... Try not to get bit.'' Who''s going to bite me? I mean, what the hell are you doing giving me permission? I don''t have the strength anymore, okay?I''m done with my verification and I don''t need to keep up my cute character any longer. Do you understand?I explained it to you, didn''t I? ''So, Mr. Obayashi. Excuse me. Tracy approaches, wagging her ten fingers as if she''s imitating Estella. Hey, ...... stop it, ............ stop it, that''s enough, ...... stop it. ......! ''Eek! I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, it''s cute. Very cute, very cute. ''Hey, you!You were so scared you couldn''t even look me in the eye just now. ...... Hahahaha! ''I just realized how cute Mr. Obayashi is! ''I didn''t notice, I was just swept away! ''Pet, pet, pet! ''Stop it!Huh, hahahaha ...... d*mn, I''ll remind you of your fears if you do this ......!I''ll turn you into a frog!I''m going to bite the rabbit in the head! I''ll be back. You''re so ...... cute. Pet, pet, pet.'' ''You''ve changed too much, haven''t you? This guy is terrifying in a way. He''s terrifyingly unselfish. If he''s a lord, it would be easy for him to take over the district with just a little effort, wouldn''t it? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ......... scary ...... majority rule, scary. Synchronization, super scary. ...... ''Oh, uh, Tracy... ......'' Nene calls out to Tracy, who is stroking me madly. She stands behind Tracy and advises her with a tearful face. ...so... ''Neneh! ''What? ''How dare you criticize the kindness of a customer who asked me to do the same? No, wait, Tracy!Nene is 100% right about that! It''s not socially acceptable for a young girl to fondle a man''s flank or abdomen before marriage. And don''t throw a tantrum while fondling him! ''You''re just a ......! ''Hey, come on!Either pet it or get angry! When Tracy''s hands were approaching the Dangerous Zone, I briskly brushed them away to honor her. Tracy''s thin, white arms, as weak and lacking in muscle tone as they appeared to be, lifted and spread as I shook them off. She opened them to the left and right and lifted them above her head. Tracy''s arms were stretched out so far that she could feel them twitching. As her arms stretched out, her chest heaved, and when her chest was stretched to the limit, there was a ...... snap............ sound. A moment later, the sound changed from a ''snap'' to a ''chatter'' and finally to a loud ''bang! a loud sound. At the same time, two large mountains appeared in Tracy''s chest, which was supposed to be a barren land, as if a tectonic shift had occurred. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh,......, my boobs have grown! It''s not clear whether the voice was mine or Estella''s. But we were all equally amazed. We all marveled at the sudden appearance of Tracy''s big, estimated G-cup breasts! ''Yasirot!Have you finally acquired the magic to make your tits grow? I''m not sure I''ve got that magic. If I did, I''d be using it all the time from that moment on! Estella panicked at the suddenness of the situation. Estella panics at the suddenness of the situation, and Natalia calmly observes the two bulges and frowns bitterly. ''...... You''re just one step away from losing,......? It seems that she has admitted defeat. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. With healthy eyes! In the event you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the particulars of the particulars. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re not the only one. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. ''......?I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m sure those tits are real! ''What the ...... hell is ...... why? ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. You can find a lot more information on the web. ''E, it''s ...... embarrassing to show Estella such a waste of meat!Please don''t look at it, Estella-sama! ''Alright, then I''ll look at it for you! ''Stand back two meters, Yashiro. I''ll stab you with ......? ''What right do you have, Estella? ''It''s my lord''s authority to keep this from turning into a diplomatic issue! You can''t help it if it''s ....... I''ll just have to endure watching from afar. ''Oh, uh, this is not the ............ same thing! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ...So, I thought I''d start with the outfit ......! ''............ Hey, are you going to cry? This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. ''Swoon! ''Shut up!'' Estella glared at me with tears in her eyes in a different way than Tracy. It''s so powerful that any hexenbiest would run away with its tail between its legs. ''I didn''t want Estella-sama to see me like this ............ ......'' ''Alright, then I''ll take over ......! ''Yashiro. Get 100 meters away from me. You''re leaving the building. I''m just leaving? ''I want to be a stylish, good-looking lord like Estella-sama. ............ Ugh, Nene!What are you doing?I''m not sure what to do. I''m back!I''m home! Nene runs out of the room in a fit of rage. ...... Did you hold these big tits in place with a sarashi in order to imitate Estella? It must have been very painful. ...... It''s possible that''s why she''s so angry. ''Estella. Chant ''big tits are the best'' ten times. ''I''ll bite my tongue off and close my life rather than do that.'' Idiot. No, I''m not. In order to cure Tracy''s temper tantrums, we need to eliminate as much unnecessary stress as possible, right? ''He''ll stay irritable if he wears that thing. You know that, don''t you?You know how painful it is to have your chest constricted when your big tits are forced down. ...... Oh, I''m sorry. I''m not sure if you know what I mean. ''I''m experiencing a different kind of chest tightening agony, now! Even if you don''t understand the physical pain, you can imagine how hard it is to force your body. ''If you affirm that you have big tits, Tracy won''t want to wear a ''sarashi''!That way, ......'' ''You think Nene will be reprimanded less often ......?'' ''No. That way, I''ll have one less thing to look forward to!'' ''It looks like the talks have broken down! Because of Estella''s uncooperative attitude, she couldn''t stop the use of the item that would create tragedy in the world. I can''t believe I''m stepping into the same world as Estella, ............ even though I have G-cups! ''Oh, sorry to keep you waiting! ''You''re late, Nene!You''re late, Nene! ''Yes, sir!Right away! I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. It''s okay to use ......, but... ''Hey ......, are you going to re-wrap the sarashi here? In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to take off your dress, expose your bra-less breasts, and then wrap them around your dress to your heart''s content. ''What?What? ''Oh, Obeyashiro-sama!How long have you been there? ''No, you''ve been here all along. The lord and the head waiter are both very upset. ...... How careless can you people be? I''ll call you "eight-beans" and "nine-beans. I''m sorry, sir!I''m sorry to show you this unsightly piece of meat!Please, don''t look at it.'' ''No, no, no. I don''t mind.'' ''Yashiro. Two kilometers away.'' Estella stands in front of me as if she''s hiding behind Tracy. I mean, I can''t even see the building from two kilometers away. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to go back to my office ...... and lunch will be ready soon, so please wait for me in the cafeteria, okay? I guess she couldn''t stand the shame of exposing what Tracy called her "bad meat". Tracy ran out of the waiting room with a bright red face. Her unbounded bulge was swaying wildly with the vibrations of running. Tracy...... good job! ''Good. Well then, while Tracy finishes her preparations--'' Estella, who had been staring at the door through which Tracy and Nene had left, turned back to us with a big smile on her face. ''--Should I give Yashiro a lecture? ''Why the hell not! ''Put your hand on your chest and listen to me! ''Tracy!I''m sorry, but I need to borrow something from .......'' ''It''s my breast! After that, until Tracy came back, Estella lectured me a lot and talked to me a lot about diplomatic etiquette. She made me sit upright on the ...... couch. Then, I left the waiting room with Tracy, who was once again equipped with a sarashi and had her breasts made flat, and headed for the cafeteria. Finally, it was time for lunch. 270-Episode 182. Tracy and Nene ''Well, gentlemen. Let me show you around. With Nene in the lead, we headed for the cafeteria. Tracy and Estella walk behind Nene, and Natalia and I follow behind them. Natalia is slightly ahead of Nene because she is attached to Estella. Two other waiters are waiting in front of the large doors of the cafeteria, and when Nene gives the signal, they open the doors on either side at the same time. On the other side of the completely open door, there was a long table that looked like something from a movie, with a pure white tablecloth on it and beautiful flowers. I don''t think I can pull the tablecloth, with this length. Thinking about such unimportant things, we stepped into the dining room. In order. When Nene and Tracy entered the dining room first, the waiters on both sides of the long, narrow room, lined up in front of the wall, bowed in unison. The sound of clothes being brushed together without a moment''s disruption. They were so well organized that it seemed like an army. It''s overwhelming when thirty or so people act exactly the same. All of them are well-trained, even though they are still very young girls. I wonder if they have a very strict discipline. It''s impressive. And when Estella entered the dining room a little later, ...... the atmosphere changed completely. ''Aha! !", "Wow! There were yellow voices coming from everywhere. I looked over and saw a man tapping his neighbor on the shoulder and saying, ''Hey, look, look!Estella-sama, you''re really beautiful! This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time. ...... Discipline, what''s wrong? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''It''s definitely Tracy''s influence on Estella''s popularity. ''I''m sure.'' That was the conversation Natalia had with me, with a smug look on her face. ...... The moment Natalia took a step into the dining room... '''''''''' The moment Natalia stepped into the cafeteria, the crowd cheered like a national idol at a live concert. Some of the girls were even holding their mouths in tears. ''............'' Natalia stopped in her tracks at the sudden outpouring of cheers, thought for a moment, and then quietly raised one hand. '''''''''' Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! No matter what you do, you''ll always get a big cheer. ...... I see. I''m sure the information is shared among the wards that are members of BU. ...... Is Natalia''s popularity still alive and well in Ward 27? Natalia is now a real idol in this limited space. At the coffee shop we stopped at on the way, she gave me a bouquet of flowers before I knew it. ''Natalia-sama! Please look at me! Some girls are spreading and waving colorful embroidered handkerchiefs. ...... I wonder if those are like Japanese fans cheering for idols. ...... I''m not sure how long it''s been since I''ve heard of her. ...... Maybe it''s because she''s made too much noise in the 29th district. ...... You can find out who Natalia is by looking her up. Estella and Natalia. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. The cackling yellow voices never cease. The moment I stepped into the cafeteria... ''''''''''No! A scream rang out. The yellow voices were painted with fear, and the place was filled with screaming. Many of them began to cry in a way that was clearly different from that of Natalia. ''Oh, ...... what a horrible face ......''. ''YEAH!I saw you looking at me! ''I want my rabbit back! Oh ...... yeah. Now I understand why. It''s unlikely that all of these people were there to see the gluttony contest, so perhaps Tracy witnessed it, and the story spread with a big twist. In combination with the synchronization phenomenon, my reputation has gone from worst to worst,................... ''...... Nene''. ''Yes, yes!What can I do for you, Oba-sama? ''Rabbit, can you get me an apple? ''You''re angry, aren''t you?On behalf of the waitresses, I sincerely apologize!So, how about that look that says, ''Do you want me to actually show it to you so you can traumatize the servants? I''m sure you''ll understand.I''m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. I''m sure that the negativity that he possesses has sublimated his crisis management abilities to an explosive level, but he accurately read my complexion and gave me a full-body bow as if he was carrying the rudeness of thirty people on his shoulders. It was as if he was about to get down on his knees. I mean, with all this noise, isn''t Tracy''s ''temper tantrum habit'' going to kick in again? ''Calm down. You must watch your mouth. You''re being disrespectful to the guests I''ve invited. Contrary to my expectations, however, Tracy scolded the waiters in a calm, rather gentle, soft manner. The waitresses also listen to Tracy''s words and give me a bow, apologizing for my rudeness. You''ll be able to pinch the hem of your skirt and bail in a cute way. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... The expression on their faces is frozen with fear, but they all look the same. ''And look closely. You''re a very pretty girl, ....... No, you don''t have to declare it with such pride. ...... You''ll tear up the "Sarashi" again. I hope so. ''Can I have a cute ......?'' ''Well, ......to,......if Lady Tracy says so,......'' ''Well, yes, if ...... Tracy says it''s cute, it must be ............'' ''Can you ............? Oh, it''s not so easy there. I guess even the people here don''t get caught unless the whole atmosphere is in that direction. Just because someone says something, it doesn''t mean that they agree with it. In particular, the case of Tracy, whose sensibility is completely changed, must be rare. However, it may not be convincing because Tracy herself, who says I''m ''cute'', has a rather distant attitude toward me. Well, you see, ......, it''s because of her affection for me that the ''sarashi'' was destroyed. There must be some awkwardness. But to be so frightened that some people start crying just because of a rumor,...... It''s an uncomfortable atmosphere. The waiters are all nervous, and they look at me as if they''re watching a ravenous animal. ''Estella. Would you like to take care of me again? ''No, thank you! As if on guard, she tightens her arms and distances herself from me. Well, sure. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bit of trouble with the whole thing. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree with me. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... Estella is also pre-wedding. Maybe I should pay a little attention to her. ''Come on, Miss Estella. Take this seat.'' Tracy herself is escorting Estella with a smile on her face. This has nothing to do with a token of friendship or diplomacy, it''s just an abuse of authority and a perk, I guess. Tracy looks very happy as she talks to Estella. ''Come on, Miss Natalia!This way, please! ''''Thank you very much. ''''''Kyaaaah!'''''' Most of the waitresses crowded around Natalia, taking care of her as much as they could. That one''s a little rude. For a moment Natalia looked at me. I could see that she wanted to ask for help,......, but she seemed to have given up and sat quietly in her chair. The more you stay put, the calmer the situation will be. And. ''Oh, ......Oh, Oba, you may be unhappy with me because I ............ But ......''. Nene was standing in front of me. She was as negative as ever, and her gaze swept over me as if she were afraid of me. ''Are you that scared?You weren''t so scared when we talked in the garden, were you?'' ''I''m not afraid of you at all, sir. However, since ...... Oba is the one that Tracy praised as cute, ............ I didn''t want to be rude. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. I''m not sure what to say. I''m nervous as hell. This guy isn''t afraid of what I did in the gluttony contest, he''s afraid of being scolded by Tracy for being rude to me. But most ...... of all, I watched the gluttony contest next to Tracy, so ............ I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t completely terrified of Oba-sama. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have a fear of ......''. I''m starting to shake. I guess fear is fear. I just don''t show it in my work. ''I still dream about it sometimes. ..................'' A beautiful girl saying ''I still see you in my dreams'' may be a situation that would normally make you happy, but ............ all you get is a bitter smile. ''...... I made up my mind at that time, in that place, that ............ I was going to die here. He''s saying the exact same thing as Tracy. ''You and Tracy are close, aren''t you? ''......? Seeing the same thing and feeling the same way means you''re close in your senses. It''s possible for two people who have lived in the same space and the same time to do that. In fact, the probability of that happening is high. ''We''re childhood friends, aren''t we? ''Osana............, um... Where did you get that? ''Where, Tracy told me that.'' ''Tracy-sama said ......? She looked surprised and stepped aside. I was so surprised that I even hit the unoccupied chair. Where is the element of surprise in that?What else could it be? ''I see you remembered ...... ............''. ''No, you remember, normally! I''ve been with you since I was a kid, and no one would forget that we were childhood friends! Unless you''ve lost your memory somewhere. ''He said that you are the only one who can be the head waiter to serve him. ''Bohhhh! ''What''s that sound you''re making? ''B.................. Boh......... ...I''m ...... glad .......'' I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. Countless chairs lined up in front of an absurdly long table . Nene crouched between me and the chair next to me, curling up and whimpering. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... I''d like her to cry a little more cutely, for a beautiful girl. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at .......... ...'' There is no lie in those words. Even though she is constantly yelled at, Nene seems to adore Tracy. ''If it weren''t for you, Tracey, I''d ............ have no reason to live. If it weren''t for Tracy, I''d be .................. as worthless as a glove on the street on a rainy day. ......'' ''I told you to stop thinking negatively! What are you comparing it to? And there''s a mysterious glove (one side only) in the middle of the road in this world, too!In Japan, we have a high rate of military gloves. ''I can''t believe that you ...... thought that way about me, a useless person who is always getting yelled at. ............ ......I have no regrets about dying right now! I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good thing you''re still alive!I don''t want anyone else to be the head waiter. ''Ugh ...... I''m so happy ...... I don''t think I''ll be able to sleep tonight ............''. ''I don''t know about that feeling,......, but don''t you ever get sick of it?I don''t know about that feeling, but don''t you get sick of being yelled at every day, every time? ''Disgusted?...... me, Miss Tracy?'' Nene''s tear-red eyes widened in surprise, as if she was seeing something so impossible that the Great Buddha of Nara would stand up and moonwalk. Then, a feeling similar to anger spread across his face. ''No way!I''ve never once in my life disliked Master Tracy!I''m just grateful that you''ve kept me around for so long. ...... Disgusting has never crossed my mind or been on my mind! That''s a lot of spirit. The eyes that are too serious are uncanny and full of power as if to say, ''I''ll kill you if you don''t take this seriously. Denial with all your might. Nene adores Tracy with all her heart. I''m sure of it. ''But, isn''t it hard to be yelled at? ''If it''s hard, it''s because I''m not worthy of letting Tracy do that to me. ''But there are also unreasonable reprimands, aren''t there? ''Unreasonable means acting in a way that is unreasonable. Tracy is thinking of me, and with her words and voice, she is pointing out my inadequacies. In other words, he has never given me an unreasonable reprimand. ...... Is this guy serious? If this was Japan and I was a consultant sent to eradicate power harassment in a certain company and Nene was a member of that company, I might have thought he was defending himself by making such a statement due to his position. ......, but this guy''s eyes are serious. He may have thought that the environment in which he has been placed is "normal" and abandoned the idea of questioning. ...... No, he may have lived his life without even thinking about it. Having lived in an abnormal synchronization phenomenon since childhood, they seem to have abandoned the idea of ''having their own opinions'' or ''questioning others''. Is that what they call "normal"? ...... They are as pure as elementary school children. They don''t do what the teacher tells them not to do. Those who break the rules are denounced as ''bad guys'', and they don''t question such treatment. It is important to teach children the rules of the group before they develop their individuality, otherwise they will become people with poor moral values. On the other hand, if we kill the individual and force them to be part of a group too much, there is a danger that they will lose the important ability to think for themselves. This is what happened to the candidates I met at Mahr''s mansion in District 29. They can only give manual answers and can''t handle irregularities. I suppose Nene is one of those BU youths. ''Nene. Do you ever think about not wanting Tracy to yell at you?'' ''I think about it every day. ''I want to be the perfect head waiter so that I don''t have to be warned by Tracy. ...... Yeah. Your reasons for not wanting to be yelled at are completely different from what I''m saying. I didn''t know we were this far apart. But you do want to be able to avoid being yelled at. Then it''s safe to say that Tracy''s wishes and Nene''s wishes are aligned. Well, both of them need to change their mindset in order to make that wish come true. Tracy needs to change her habit of yelling at people when she doesn''t need to. Nene has a habit of putting the highest priority on not getting angry and looking at the other person''s face. If we can utilize their body''s ingrained tendency to hyper-synchronize, we might be able to manage that. If you can put them in an environment where there is no room for their vices to peek out, ...... if you can make them realize that an environment where their vices don''t appear is normal, ...... their vices may disappear from the bottom up. It''s worth a try. I''ve succeeded in making them think I''m ''cute'' when I was an object of fear. If the environment is right, I''m sure ...... ''Shall I give you what you want? ''What ......?'' To avoid being shouted at by Tracy - to correct the irresponsible naysayers who are always looking at other people''s faces and making them look bad. I know just the place to do it. ''I''ll help you. But I''m going to do you a favor and give you what you want. You''ll have to be prepared to pay a fair price. ''I''m sorry, sir!I''m ...... glad you feel that way, but'' ''What ...... are you going to say no to?'' ''Ha, yes...... to tell you the truth, I would very much like to cooperate with you and be reborn as someone who is not a burden to Tracy-sama right now. ......... ...When it comes to asking for Oba''s help,............'' Is it because you don''t trust me? Is it because they don''t trust you? Is it because of the bad impression you made in the gluttony contest? Unusually, when I reached out my hand to him, he brushed me off. What is the reason for this? ...... I''ve heard from Ricardo, the lord of the 41st district. Ooba-sama does not treat anyone with an E-cup or smaller as a human being, and will not accept any compensation unless it is for services derived from breasts! ''Hey, Estella~. Can you drop by the 41st district on your way home?I''ve got to go beat up that a**h*le lord over there. ''Wow, what a coincidence. I''ve been wanting to punch that guy in the face too. ''I''ll accompany you, Master Yashiro, Master Estella. ''Oh, um, ......, does anyone need to stop me? I, Estella, and Natalia''s intentions coincided, and Tracy looked dazed and confused. Stop?Why? The stupid lord over there doesn''t seem to understand unless you give him a good thrashing. That''s kind, in a way. But, hey, I can always go beat up Ricardo later: ...... ''Tracy. Can we make some time sometime?'' ''Time, is it ......? ''Oh, yeah. I''m thinking about a night or two, but can you spare the 27th district?'' ''Two nights ......, what on earth are you planning to do?'' We''re going to take the lord out. And take the head waiter with you. I know I''m talking out of my ass. But they shouldn''t be here. In order to cure their vices, we have to take them to that place. ...... ''I want you to come to the 42nd district. I think we''ll be staying at Estella''s mansion. ......'' ''I''ll make it!Nene, make the necessary adjustments immediately! ''Yes, sir!I''m home! I''m home! You made a quick decision. ...... It''s like I asked him if he could make time, and he said, ''You have to make time. But if we can get these guys out, we''re in control. ''You don''t just need to come to District 42, you need to be trained to cure your vices. This is not a sightseeing trip.'' ''Oh, um ...... what exactly ......?'' Tracy and Nene exchanged glances and then looked at me again. Well, don''t look so anxious. I''m not trying to make you do anything difficult. It''s just that ...... I''m just trying to get you to do a little part-time work. In a place where there are always smiling faces, a place where it is difficult to form an atmosphere of anger, a place where you move around so much that you don''t have time to get angry, a place where you use your head, a place full of smiling faces and happy chatter, a place where you have to find what you need to do on your own initiative and do it accurately and to the point. You should get a part-time job in such a place for a while. ''Yashiro, could that be ......''? Estella, who sensed what I was trying to do, asked me with a look of half impatience and half confusion. Yeah, that''s right. Maybe what you''re thinking is right. ''I think I''ll put Tracy and Nene to work at the Sunlit Pavilion. That place of work, headed by the strongest corporate animal that''s harmless to humans. ''But, but, ...... to let the lord of another district work, ...... besides, it''s doubtful that such a thing will cure Tracy-san''s habit, ......''. ''What are you talking about, Estella? You know that. I''m sure you''ll be able to get rid of your temper tantrums in no time with a little work at the Sunshine Pavilion. After all... ''Ginette''s good-naturedness is contagious, you know? I gave Estella one of my confident winks. Well, you''ll see. After that, Nene, urged by Tracy, worked hard to ...... After lunch, that is, after today, we will head to the 42nd district. 271-Episode 183 On the Way Home The fact that Imelda had borrowed the carriage had paid off in the end. ''In the forty-second district, you will not be known as the lord and the head waiter. I announced to everyone in the carriage, which was smaller than the one before. There are five of us in the six-seater carriage, including the three of us, Tracy and Nene. We didn''t want to use the carriage at Tracy''s house to hide our identities. The reason for the concealment ...... is to dare to induce a synchronization phenomenon. In an atmosphere where Tracy is treated as a lord, he has no choice but to remain a lord wherever he is. This is because they unconsciously choose to behave the way they think others will. By hiding her true identity and letting her work at the Sunshine Pavilion, she can give them a taste of what it means to feel normal. In other words, we''ll put Tracy in a position where she doesn''t have to reprimand Nene when she makes a mistake. The head waiter has to be perfect. With this in mind, he frees Tracy from the stereotype that he, as the lord, must scold and correct Nene before others can warn her. She also tells Nene to stop "saying and doing things just to avoid getting angry with Tracy. If Nene can get her into the habit of taking what she thinks is the best course of action, she won''t have the stupid inconsistency of looking too closely at Tracy''s face before taking action and not being able to take any action. In order for Nene to remain the head waiter, it is essential for her to build a thought process that allows her to act one step ahead of Tracy. He can''t do that if he''s just looking to Tracy''s opinion like he is now. Both of these people are too extreme. Before they can be cured of their vices, their one-sided thinking needs to be flattened out. ''--So make an effort not to reveal your identity. ''Yashiro......, how can you talk like that to the lord of another district with an unconcerned face......, well, it''s a little late now.'' Estella sighs, her face turning pale. I''m not going to get into it. Neither Tracy nor Nene are offended by my words or actions. What''s more, I''m trying to help you, okay?Why are you complaining about such a small thing?You should be grateful, revere me, and just obey my orders. ''You''ll wear yourself out if you worry too much about it. ''I don''t dare ask where you''re talking about, but ...... when your scalp starts to show, I''m going to do it all over again. ......'' It''s hard to deny that this is a horrible thing to do,......, but it''s not. I like seaweed, so I''m sure I''ll be fine.I''m sure! ''Are you going to keep this a secret from Jeannette and the others? ''No, I think it''s better to tell them what''s going on. It''s wiser to ask for their help than to hide it. What you hide will come out. Well, it''s not a particularly important secret, but the consciousness of trying to hide something can create a sense of discomfort in our daily activities, and it''s not uncommon for such a change to cause an irreversible situation. Then you''d better trust your friends and tell them everything! ...... is a cold word that gives me goosebumps all over my body as a con man. ............ Well, with that group of people, there is no problem trusting them. I''m sure you''ll have no problem trusting them. ''Ginette, like me, doesn''t change her attitude just because she''s a lord, good or bad. ''Can you please not lump her in with you?I want you to be aware that you''re on both ends of the spectrum, like a good example who doesn''t change his attitude and a bad example. You''re interrupting my conversation. Who''s the bad example? I''m always honest. I''m pure of heart. I''m a pure fraud, I am. ''Besides, Magda''s good at what she does and she''ll do what I want, and no one will notice anything because no one can read Magda''s face accurately. The risk of Magda leaking the secret is extremely low. ''But Loretta is just a normal girl, right? ''She''s fine, Loretta is.'' ''You trust her, don''t you? ''No, Loretta is just a stupid girl. Maybe she doesn''t know what it''s like to be a lord.'''' ''No. ...... I don''t think that''s true. ......'' Estella''s expression twitched, probably because she overestimated Loretta. After all, she''s always been a bit of a dick to me. He can''t even be polite to the absolute top person in his life. I can''t help but think that he doesn''t understand anything about status and class. At best, he understands the hierarchy within his siblings. We are at the stage where we need to teach him about hierarchy in the workplace. ''He''s not just friendly, he''s condescending at times. ''Well, I think he misunderstands the meaning of the word ''friendly'' a little bit. ......'' Estella lets out a dry laugh. I''m sure she knows what she''s talking about. The fingers of both hands are not enough. ''I don''t think it will be a problem for the members of the Sunken Pavilion either. Natalia agrees with me. ''Even when I showed her the information paper I secretly purchased, not a single person praised my greatness, even including a few ...... regular customers.'' ''''What are you doing! Natalia, who seemed to have casually obtained an information paper in the twenty-ninth district . You''re acting like a reader''s egg showing off a magazine in which you''ve been featured. ...... I mean, the person on that information paper is probably a fictional character with similar characteristics to Natalia. ''I have an agreement with you to send me DOKE-ru No. 1 on a regular basis once it is completed. ''Why are you negotiating with Mr. Ma''ru without consulting me?What do I get in return? ''Estella, ............ has requested a record of my observations of the interesting and eccentric people in District 42. ''You just said my name, didn''t you?You''re selling my information, aren''t you? ''I didn''t mean to say ''Estella-sama''s''. It''s just that Estella-sama is the first one. ''Who''s the first of the ''funny and odd'' ones?Can you please stop selling out my private life? ''Don''t worry. Of course, I will not divulge anything related to diplomacy. I''m just thinking of telling you about some stupid, unimportant failure episodes in an interesting way. ''That''s what I don''t want you to know! ''That kind of thing'' is, on the night when I visited Mahr-sama''s mansion the other day, when I was changing in my room, it was discovered that I was wearing my underwear backwards and forwards? ''I wonder why I''m revealing it here! '' ''How can I dress in front of Ma''ru-san ...... if it''s not considered rude! But I don''t think Mael-sama cares about Estella-sama''s underwear. ''So why am I answering here and now? Estella''s secret, which she doesn''t want the nobles of the other districts to know, is revealed nakedly in front of the lords of the other districts and the head waiter. ...... Natalia. It''s funny, but stop it. No, it''s funny, but... ''Estella-sama is beautiful, inside and out .............'' What? I mean, Tracy. You don''t care about anything Estella, do you? ''Yashiro. It''s fine to take Tracy and the others to the sunlit pavilion, but let''s send Natalia away right away!As soon as we reach the 42nd district! For Estella, the fear of having her secret exposed was more important than the fear of harming the lords of the other districts. Estella and Natalia stare at each other in a narrow carriage. ...... If you ask me if these guys have a proper master-slave relationship, I can only wonder. I''m not sure. So, ...... will my bad habits be cured if I help out at that store called ''Sunlight Pavilion''?'' ''I can''t say for sure if it will, but it will improve. ''So ....... I''m glad .......'' Until now, Tracy had been convinced that Nene''s naivety, indecision and weakness would not go away if she showed her sweet face even for a moment, and she had never shown Nene the kind of anxiety she was feeling now. In particular, she had never told Nene that she wanted to cure her bad habits. When I told Nene at lunch that I had told her about it and that she didn''t need to hide it now, she looked as if a curse had fallen on her. She must have been relieved that she didn''t have to hide anymore. It would have been easier if his brain had learned that he didn''t need to be angry anymore. ...... ''Neneh!You''ve done so much for us!Why can''t you even say thank you? ''I''m sorry, sir!I thank you from the bottom of my heart! ''Your words are so light! ''I''m sorry! ...... Vices are tricky because they''re hard to get rid of. It''s ingrained in your body. In Tracy''s mind-- ''I''m worried about Nene''s behavior'', ''I''m angry'', ''I yell''. --The process seems to kick in faster than the thought. Therefore, we need a mechanism to block this process. The secret is ...... ''Tracy. From now on, you call Nene ''san''. '' "''Sanshi'' ......? Yes. ''San-names''. This is a technique that has been adopted as a countermeasure against power harassment in general companies, and is sometimes used against bosses who unknowingly abuse others. There are many bosses who believe that their superiors are absolute and that they are allowed to behave in any way they like toward their inferiors, and they sometimes shout at their subordinates even when they do not need to, or use abusive language that constitutes power harassment. They may yell at their subordinates even when it is not necessary, or use abusive language that is equivalent to power harassment. It is mandatory to address such people with "sir" and "honorific. Of course, there are those who reprimand others with "sir" and "honorific. However, those who reprimand others like an instantaneous water heater do not have the thought of cornering others by theoretically constructing words. For those who think that they can silence others with a loud and powerful voice, this ''san'' is effective. In most cases, such people value their pride and honor more than anything else, and shouting is an appeal to others. In other words, they think that they are cool because they are strong enough to reprimand others. In addition to this, many arrogant people who shout at others without hesitation often call others by their names. It is ingrained in their bodies that ''sanke'' is for people of equal or higher rank. That is why we call down those who are inferior to us. However, calling someone by name tends to provoke the next outburst. ''Yoshimura, you son of a b*tc*! but ''Yoshimura-san, you son of a b*tc*! but not so many people say ''Mr. Yoshimura, you son of a b*tc*! Because it''s ridiculous. You are above others. For people who are intoxicated by such things, it is a high hurdle to address those below you as ''san'', and you may even think it humiliating. However, if the company or society evaluates you negatively as someone who can''t even do such a thing, the boss who values his reputation will have no choice but to accept the ''sanke''. There are too many people who cannot accept that ...... is just that. That''s why more and more companies nowadays require employees to take a course to prevent power harassment. But Tracy is different. She''s not yelling at Nene to make herself look superior. If that''s the case, just addressing her as "sir" will curb her bad habits. Addressing someone as "sir" is also a word of respect for others. If respect and reprimand occur at the same time, your brain will feel confused for a moment. That moment should cool down the brain like an instantaneous water heater. ''Nene, please call Tracy ''san''. ''What, what?I''m calling you Tracy-sama? Nene looks at Tracy in dismay. Call the master you serve ''sir''. Different positions have different meanings. Although ''sanke'' has the aspect of respecting others, from Nene''s point of view, it also means lowering Tracy''s status. It''s a downgrade from ''sama'' to ''san''. You can''t hide your confusion. However, the reason why Nene looks too much into Tracy''s face is because she only sees Tracy as a lord and also thinks less of herself than she should. She thinks that all her opinions are wrong and all the opinions of Tracy, her lord, are right. You can''t correct Nene''s bad habits with such a distorted thought process. You should try standing in the same position. You can stand in the same position as the new worker at the Sunlit Pavilion. Just as you did when you were both young and neither of you had a title yet. San''tsukashi'' is a kind of basic communication that removes the unnecessary gap between us. It removes the difference in assets, power, and skills to some extent, and puts them on the same level. The reason why people who meet each other for the first time address each other as ''san'' is because it is the preliminary stage of building a human relationship. If the relationship develops from there, the "sanshi" will disappear and each person will form his or her own community. However, there are many people like Jeannette who use ''sanke'' for everyone, so it is not possible to say that people do not develop relationships while using ''sanke''. I''m sure it will. It''s just a matter of personality. The master-servant relationship, which had been formed in a strange direction, was to be removed and rebuilt once again. ''Okay, let''s practice. First, Tracy. ''Yeah, ......, that .......'' Tracy rolls her eyes at the sudden rejection. But then, looking a little embarrassed... ''N...... Nene, sir.'' --responded firmly to our request. I''m sure she really wants to get rid of her bad habits. Nene, on the other hand-- ''Tomi, Tracy......-san'' -- and muttered as she got down on the floor. Hey, hey. ''Raise your head! ''But, you can''t call Tracy ''sir'' ......! ''Neneh!You can''t even listen to what you''re saying?......! I''m not sure what you mean.I''m not even sure if it''s worth it. I''m going to make you call each other ''san'' no matter what before we reach the Sunlit Pavilion. ''All right, boys. Take off your shoes. ''''...... yes?'''' I say with a smile, and Tracy and Nene give me a twitchy look. As I continued to stare at them with smiles on my face, they stripped down to their bare feet with tearful faces and held out their bare feet to me. ''From now on, when we can''t call each other by ''san'', we''ll press the soles of our feet a little harder. ''Oh, the ...... soles of your feet? ''Oh, that Oba-sama. I don''t care what you do to me, but don''t do it to Tracy! ''Foot pressure points, execution. ''Ouch!It hurts, Oba-sama! ''Nene?It''s okay. It''s okay.Ow, Ow, that hurts, Mr. Obayashi! ''Miss Tracy!I''m okay. I''m okay. ''Nene, it''s ''san''!Come on! ''Miss Tracy!I''m Ms. Tracy!I''m Mr. Tracy!Tracy-san! ''Nene......, Nene!''Nene-san!Nene-san! At any rate, now that we''ve got the "sir" in place, we release her legs. Tracy and Nene are slumped over, looking like they''re about to fall out of their chairs. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be fine. It''s a pity that ...... her face looks as if her soul has been drained. ''Ya, after all, you''re a terrible ...... person, aren''t you ......, Obayashi? ''Yes, that seems to be the case,......, Tracy,............, too!I''m not sure.I''m not sure.It''s you!Mr. Tracy! If you say it wrong, we''ll stimulate your feet mercilessly. The sentence will be carried out swiftly, without delay, and without mercy. Nene is already in tears, but I don''t care. It''s a good idea to keep your identity a secret, but you''re still the lord of the 27th district. ''So you want to take my place?If Tracy makes a mistake, Estella will take the place of her, and if Nene makes a mistake, Natalia will take the place of her. ...... ''Good luck, Tracey!I''m sure you can master this! ''Show us what a head waiter is capable of, Nene! Estella and Natalia abandoned the other lords and the head waiter. ''Well, if you take their place, they won''t be able to learn from you. ''But I think I''ll be fine. I think the problem is Nene''s habit of addressing me as ''sama''. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... Don''t these people have the ability to learn? And so on for an hour. ''......You''ve arrived, Nene. ......'' ''Yes...... we''re alive, aren''t we, Tracy......'' Tracy and Nene get out of the carriage and hold each other''s hands. They''re a bit over the top, really. ''Natalia. Please don''t tell anyone what happened in the carriage. ......'' ''No, I won''t. ...... It''ll be more than a diplomatic incident.'' They''re having a big secret conversation over here. We were just punishing and educating a poor student. ''Oh, it was you after all, wasn''t it, Yashiro? Hearing the sound of a carriage, Ginette came out of the sunlit pavilion. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. She straightens her posture and smiles at me. She then rolls her eyes when she sees Tracy and Nene crouched on the ground, holding each other''s hands and crying. ''Um, ...... who''s this? ''There''s a bit of a situation. I''d like you to help me with the work at the Sunlit Pavilion today and tomorrow, is that okay?'' ''Yes, sir. Of course. If you can help me, I''d be happy to.'''' Without a doubt, Ginette agreed. I knew that would happen, but ...... doesn''t this guy have any suspicion? ''Um, Mr. Obayashi,......, is this the manager? ''Yeah. That''s the manager, Jeannette.'' ''Well, well, well. ...... Nene. Let''s get up.'' ''Yes, sir. Let''s stand up and say hello properly, Miss Tracy.'' ''............I just have a sore sole. ......'' ''...... Patience, sir. If I don''t greet you properly, you''ll ...... be in trouble. Tracy and Nene stand up, supporting each other, their legs shaking like newborn fawns. ''Nice to meet you. I''m Tracy. I''m from District 27. ''I''m Nene as well. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I look forward to working with you. ''Yes. I''m Ginette, the manager of the Sun-darkness Pavilion. It''s nice to meet you too. The three of us each bowed deeply. ''By the way, our manager, ......, is very good at foot acupressure. ''Please be gentle with us. ''I''m sure I''ll cause you trouble, but please be gentle! ''Ohhhh! The moment they heard my information, Tracy and Nene got down on their knees. It seems that they have been traumatized by the foot pressure points. ''Oh, by the way, Jeannette. These two are the lord and the head waiter there.'' ''Ohhhhhh! Ginette''s in a constant state of surprise. You''re like a reactionary comedian, you know that? ''Oh, um, please raise your face for now!You''ll get your clothes dirty! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. At all ...... ''You''re making a lot of noise. ''Don''t you realize that you''re the source? ''The source?Me? The reason they''re so noisy is because they''re born with it. I don''t like that at all. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... what did you talk about in the carriage?You seem to be unusually frightened,......?'' ''I didn''t do anything unusual with the story itself. ''When you forgot to say ''sanke'', I just stimulated your feet again, and the content of the conversation was common and bland. ''Ginette has breasts that transcend the standards of humanity, Magda is a guy whose expression never changes to the extent that it looks like a painting, Loretta is the strongest normal who has mastered normal, and so on. I''m not transcending the standards of humanity! Mmmm...'' said Jeannette, waving her arms around and patting me on the back. There, there, it shakes when you do that. ......, good, do it more. ''Manager~san. What''s going on?You''re making a lot of noise. ...... Oh, big brother!You''re back! Loretta came out of the store with a happy look on her face when she spotted us. ''Mmm?Who the hell are these two beautiful people? ''''Ah, you must be Loretta-san.'''' ''''How do you know them!Who are these two people? Hmm. It seems that Loretta''s characteristics were well communicated. They could tell at a glance how normal Loretta was. As expected of the world''s most ''normal'' person. ''These two are temporary workers at the Sunshine Pavilion. ''Oh, wow!You''re new here?We welcome you! ''However, Tracy is the lord of the twenty-seventh district, and Nene is the head waiter there.'' ''What the hell?Aren''t they great people? After a moment of surprise with a somewhat overactive reaction, Loretta said with a calm face. ''But I''m the older one here, so you have to listen to what I say. Yes. Loretta is still Loretta, isn''t she? Yeah. And so, from that evening, two new part-timers with ''reasons'' joined us at the Sunlit Pavilion. 272-Episode 184 Newcomer Part-time Job ''It looks good on you, both of you. Ginette looks at Tracy and Nene with a big smile on her face as they change into their waitress outfits. I see, Tracy certainly looks good too. Nene is the head waiter, so it may be natural that she looks good in an apron, but the apron of a head waiter is different from the apron of a waitress. Her embarrassment at her outfit, which emphasized her cuteness more than usual, made me smile. Tracy looks pretty good too. She doesn''t look like someone who''s been called the ''tantrum princess''. ''...... Magda will teach her. Listen up, recruits.'' ''Yes, sir. Senior Magda.'' ''Thank you, senior Magda.'' ''...... Mm.'' Magda knew that these two were the lord and the head waiter, and this was her attitude. ...... Your liver is too strong, isn''t it? Magda senior is ...... well, Tracy and the others seem to be enjoying themselves. ''...... The basis of customer service is a smile. You should always be smiling. ''''Yes, sir.'''' ''''No, you''re about to get into it, both of you.'''' You''re the one who said that. ''''Mm-hmm. I''m kind of excited. It''s my first time working like this.'' Tracy''s excitement is rising. She picks at her apron, spins around, and scurries around the cafeteria. ''Nene. Let''s do our best.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll do my best to support you. ''Oh, no. We''re equals here. We''re both ''new part-timers''. We''re equal in our work, and we''re going to have a friendly competition. ...... No, we need to kick each other down! ''No, don''t kick me down!Just cooperate with them. Tracy is very enthusiastic about her first part-time job. Or rather, she''s enjoying it. It''s not uncommon to hear that rich people are happy to experience the life of ordinary people. I guess Tracy is one of those types. ''So, but ...... if something should happen, ......'' ''Nene, .............'' For a moment, his temper tantrum was about to kick in, but he managed to put the brakes on it by using ''san''. ''I''ll do my best to carry out the work I''ve been given, so as not to cause trouble to those who have given us space and opportunity. Isn''t that what we should be thinking about right now? ''Yes, that''s right. ...... You''re right. Mr. Tracy ........................ ah! After saying this, Nene realizes her mistake and looks pale. But it''s too late now. You have to take the penalty properly. ...... ''Jeannette. Nice to meet you.'' ''What?Are you sure it''s me? Oh, you look so happy. You''ve been holding out for a long time, haven''t you?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s been holding back. ............ I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s been holding back. I''m sorry for your loss. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, um, Mr. Manager,......, your face is kind of glowing,............, please be gentle. ......Oh,......! I''m sure you''ll agree. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, please contact us. Tracy watches her go. The expression on her face is ''mmmm. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I didn''t make a mistake. ......, but you can''t afford to be like that now. Loretta and Magda walked away from the entrance to the kitchen, turned away, and covered their ears. At that moment-- ''Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! A piercing scream rang out in the sky. The diners looked horrified, and the whole place was in an uproar. Tracy, with the same expression of composure she had just displayed, froze, cold sweat dripping down her face. ''Jeannette, you seem to be very excited ......''. Estella, who had once been hit by Jeannette''s footstool, tried her best to smile, but failed miserably. ...... It''s a berserker, isn''t it? "What? ''Tracy, you haven''t thrown a tantrum since you got here, have you? ''Ho-ho ......, ''big deal'', you''re looking down on me again. ''No, I don''t mean that!I said ''big deal'' for the fact that your strategy is working! What does that mean?That you''re okay with me being on top of you?Cheeky. Well, actually, I''d say the ''sanke'' effect is quite impressive. As Estella said, Tracy hasn''t yelled at Nene once since they arrived at the Sunshine Pavilion. This is despite the fact that they have been talking more than when they were in their own house. ''I was afraid that the change in environment would worsen my tantrum habit. Stress from a change in environment. For Tracy, she no longer had a waiter who could come to her when she called, and Nene was the only person she could confide in. She must be very worried. In such a situation, there was a good chance that the excessive stress would worsen her tantrum. ''Why can''t I yell at people just by calling them "sir"? ''I explained it to you in the carriage, didn''t I? ''You see?The brain puts on the brakes, the sense of discomfort...'' You''ve got a rough memory. ...... ''For example, Estella. Let''s say you discovered Natalia snacking. Would you scold her?'' ''Of course I would.'' ''But what if the only reason you were able to witness the snacking was because you were snacking yourself ......?'' ''U......, that''s hard to scold......, or rather, too awkward to scold.......'' If you are a person who yells at others, there is a part of you that wants to satisfy your self-esteem. If they didn''t, they wouldn''t have to use calorie-consuming methods such as ''yelling'', they would just ''pay attention''. There is a good reason why you choose to yell at them. For example, you want to beat the other person to a pulp, or you want to prove your own righteousness. ...... In short, you want to satisfy your self-esteem, as I said earlier. So, what happens if you are forced into a situation where yelling at someone else will damage your self-esteem? ...... People will not yell at others if they know in advance that this will happen. They don''t want to go to the trouble of embarrassing themselves. ''If someone yells at someone else while putting himself on the shelf, the people around him will look at him warmly without exception, right? ''Well, I guess so. ''I know that, so my brain puts on the brakes in such situations. ''You mean you can''t yell at someone if you''ve broken the ''sanke'' rule ......, right? ''Yes. And if you try to follow the rules to prevent that from happening, you''ll have to use ''sanke'' .......'' ''So, if you remember why you''re under the ''sanke'' rule now, you won''t yell at people out of emotion ....... I see. I''m sure you''re aware of that, but I''m not. And ...... if you break the rules, there''s a hell of a footstool waiting for you. ...... Tracy won''t be able to break the rules so easily. ''............Uh, I''m back now. ......'' A teary-faced Nene stumbles back. ''I''m sorry ...... I won''t break the rules again ...... I''m really ...... really sorry ............'' The words are uttered weakly, as if the soul were vaporizing and leaking out. ...... Ginette. What kind of foot pressure points did you give her? ............ ''Oh, um,......, did it hurt a little? ''No way, sir!I''m sorry for the trouble I caused you!In fact, I''m the one who''s sorry! ''Eh, that ......? It was rare to see Ginette so frightened. Incidentally, Magda and Loretta are still keeping their distance. If you get involved with them, ...... ''Don''t worry, Jeannette. It''s just that Nene has never seen you before, so she''s a little surprised. ''Yes, you''re right. I''m sure Estella and the others who have been through this a few times will be fine with it. ''............Hmm, I''m not so sure about that. ......'' ''Um, ...... I''m sorry if I''m overdoing it, so ...... Estella-san. Could you please help us! ''Heh! ''I''m trying to learn how to control the force!How much is the best level for this punishment? ...... Can you find that out with me? ''Eh......, that''s ......'' ''Estella-san!Please lend me the soles of your feet for a moment! Estella turned towards me with great vigor. So I turn my face away even more vigorously. Yes. If you get involved now, you''ll get caught up in secondary damage like this. For what it''s worth, Jeannette likes foot pressure points. And because she has a strong sense of responsibility, she can be inflexible at times. Give it up Estella ......, we can''t save you. ''Then, Estella-san, come here! ''What?Really?Are you kidding me? ''If you cooperate with us, I''ll buy you a donut later. ''I''ll buy them!I''ll buy them myself! ''All kinds. They''re gorgeous. It''s a little party. ''Ginette, your smile is kind of scary!Hey, Ginette-chan! And so, Estella was abducted by the Demon Lord of Footstools ............ I''m not sure what to say. The tragedy was repeated: ...... ''But let''s do our best, Nene! ''Yes, Tracy, ......! I''m sure you''ve got a lot of enthusiasm,......, but I''m sure Nene will get hit five or six more times. ''...... While the sacrifice, Estella, is being preyed upon by the demon king, I''m going to teach you the basics of customer service. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I want you to listen carefully.'' ''Yes, sir. I understand.'' ''Thank you very much. You begin to explain the details of your work in a hushed, confidential manner. If the Demon Lord finds out, he''ll say, ''How do others feel about this? If the Demon Lord finds out, he''s sure to get involved. Natalia has been blending into the background and disappearing from all sight since a while ago. That''s the head waiter. She is a pro at keeping herself outside of people''s consciousness. ...... He is very good at running away from the fire so that it doesn''t fall on him, isn''t he? ''...... When guests arrive, be sure to treat them well. ''You''re giving away coffee beans, aren''t you? ''Tracy. We''re in the 42nd district. We don''t make a habit of forcing beans on our guests.'' Well, lords don''t greet their guests with a ''welcome''. You''ll have to teach him from scratch, assuming he doesn''t know anything. ''Let me show you how it''s done. ''Yes, sir!Then watch me carefully! The door of the store opens at the right moment, and a new customer enters. They are the regular carpenters. They must be the ones who were sent out by Umaro to build the first Domoke-uru. ''Irasshaimase sir! Loretta runs quickly and smiles at the carpenters. ''How''s your work going? ''It''s going well. Look at me, I''m going to build something amazing in New Town! ''''I''m looking forward to it then. ''''''Muhaa!I''ll do my best! The carpenters are kind of creepy. Or rather. The carpenters are really creepy. ''''Huh?You''re scraping your elbow.'''' ''Hmm?Oh, it''s just a scratch. Just spit on it and it''ll heal.'' ''No, you have to treat it properly!I''ll disinfect it for you. ''''''Loretta-chan''s spit? ''''There''s some medicine at the Sunny Pavilion, I''ll use it to disinfect.'''' ''''''Right~'''''' You carpenters are so close it''s uncomfortable. Or rather. They''re so close it''s uncomfortable, carpenters. ''''Well then, I''ll show you to your seats. You all eat a lot, so I''m going to assign you to eat a lot by the window and make the customers passing by outside think, ''Oh, that looks delicious! ''''''Oh, yes!I''ve been casually taken advantage of! Don''t sound so creepy, carpenters. Or rather. Don''t sound so creepy, you stupid carpenters. ''...... like that.'' ''No, wait, Magda. That''s too special a case to be useful.'' Loretta''s storytelling and the carpenters'' disease are too far removed from the general case. It would be impossible to do them all at once. ''...... There''s a saying that it''s better to be familiar than to learn. ''No, if you throw it in with zero knowledge, the customers will be annoyed. ''...... They say a lion thrusts his cub into the valley of a thousand flies. ''Because I don''t plan to raise them to be that strong.'' ''......They say that you have to get used to substandard big breasts by rubbing them. ''That''s right! ''Big brother, you''re making too much noise!Please be quiet in the store! I was scolded from afar by Loretta, who was serving a customer. ...... Why only me. It''s unreasonable. ''...... Anyway, you should try it once. You''ll be fine. Most of the customers who come at this time are regulars who know each other well. Besides, Magda will be there for you. He patted Tracy on the back and moved to the door. After all, Magda is eager to train new recruits and takes good care of them. I''m sure you''ll have no problem leaving him in charge. Besides, as Magda said, ...... ''''The people who will be here at this time are probably from Torbeck Engineering, so there''s no problem if they''re rude. ''''Hey, hey, Yashiro-san!I can hear you! The carpenters who had finished their orders stood up and protested at once like a dancer. Okay, we''re through. ''''At ......, try to greet the next customer like Loretta just did. ''Ha, yes!I''ll do my best!'' Tracy lifted her anxious face with energy and stared at the door with a strong gaze. And Nene looks at Tracey with even more anxious eyes than Tracey. I''m sure I''ve always taken over for her in situations like this. But not this time. For Nene, it was also important to keep a close eye on Tracy''s movements. ''By the way, Loretta. Who are those pretty girls? ''Are they newcomers? ''If so, I think I''ll go more often! The carpenters are starting to freak out when they see Tracy and the others. Don''t look. They''re too good for you. ''Those two are part-timers only for today and tomorrow. ''Oh, so it''s only until tomorrow!What a pity. ''But they''re such beautiful women. Even if they make some mistakes, it''s forgivable.'' ''I know!I''m just happy to be greeted by her! The old carpenters seemed to like Tracy and Nene very much. Tracy, without her dignity, looks like a fragile, well-bred young lady. I don''t know. The same goes for Nene. She looks like a well educated daughter of a good family. ...... No, I mean, she does look that way, but... ''...... Mm. Come.'' Magda''s ears perked up. He must have heard the footsteps of a guest behind the door. Tracy gasps, and there is tension in the dining room. Everyone''s eyes move back and forth between the door and Tracy. Tracy folded her hands in front of her chest and stared at the door with an anxious expression. In the midst of this tense atmosphere, the door opened quietly. ''Hello, Susu!I''ve come to have dinner~! ''Come in! ''Whoa!Who is this, who is this, who is this, who is this beautiful woman? What bad timing ....... It was Umaro who walked into the store. He''s the only regular customer that even Loretta and Jeannette can''t treat properly because he''s too nervous around women, even though he has no problem being rude. The difficulty is quite high. ...... You''ve got an unusual bite, Tracy. I''m not sure what you''re doing here. ''Heh!You know what?No, I''m ......! ''Do you want me to take you? ''I heard some words that shouldn''t come out of a beautiful woman''s mouth! ''Hee, elbow!Shall I slide my elbow down? ''I''m scared!This beautiful woman is really scary! I think she was trying to imitate Loretta, trying to follow the conversation she just heard. ...... When did anyone slide down her elbow? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what to do.What is this? It''s a mess. ...... We don''t offer spitting play. So, carpenters. Don''t try to get in line behind Oumalo. I''ll ban you all. ''Nene. In the meantime, can you take Tracy to Jeannette''s?'' ''Yeah, ...... to the manager''s place, huh?'' ''Oh ...... ''Shall I spit on you?'' needs to be punished.'' ''Oh ......Ouch......Tracy............ ...... "Hmm"! Nene, just in time. In the meantime, as a way to cool your head down, you can have some acupuncture points pressed on your head to make it clearer. Nene walked up to Tracy and gave her an earful. At that moment, Tracy collapsed from her knees to the floor. ......Shock, that''s a big one. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''...... Estella-sama. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that the life of a lord is very hard,.......'' ''Haha...... today is a special day......'' ''I''ll work even harder to become a lord who is kind to his people.'' ''Yes. I think that''s a good thing,......, though the reason I came to think that way is a bit of a mystery. It seems that the bond between the lords has become stronger. Ginette. You seem to have been useful in diplomacy. I''m sure you''ll be appointed ''Minister of Footstools'' or something. ''......Yashiro''. Magda, who had been serving Umaro on behalf of Tracy, comes to me. ''...... I''m going to start by making sure you learn the basics. ''Yeah, do that. I mean, didn''t I say so at the beginning? ''...... Tracy is not a lioness.'' ''I knew that, too.'' Magda''s education policy had changed, and the day was spent teaching her the basics of customer service. How to greet people. How to take an order. How to put away dishes and make up tables. As the regulars looked on, the two of them tried their best to learn the job, and with their appearance, they quickly became popular. They were applauded when they wiped the table, cheered when they took down the dishes, and many of them ordered desserts, which they usually don''t order, because they wanted to talk. ...... You old men are so easy to understand. By the time the sun went down, both of them were able to perform their duties reasonably well, albeit poorly. I don''t know who started the rumor, but it seems that word got out that the new part-timer was struggling, and male customers came pouring in. When the number of customers increases and the workload increases, even veterans sometimes get overwhelmed. If you''re a rookie, you panic. However, such an overwhelmed appearance was well received by the customers, and the service, which was several steps lower than usual, was well received. At best, the newcomers worked hard, surrounded by a calm, watchful atmosphere. ...... At worst, though, it would be ''under the grinning gaze of old men. ''Hmm. This is kind of fun, isn''t it, Nene?'' ''Yes, it is. It''s a very nice place, isn''t it, Tracey-sama? ''Yes, Nene, you''re out! ''No!No, that was an accidental ......, no!No, not that one! ''Manager, Nene''s on the phone right now...'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ The two of them, freed from the titles of lord and head waiter, have returned to being close childhood friends and are happily talking to each other. They must have laughed a lot like this in the past. ''Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaah! While Nene''s screams were heard regularly, Tracy ended the day without throwing a single tantrum. The calm atmosphere of the place must have calmed her mind due to the synchronization phenomenon. Now we just have to see if she can keep it up when she returns to District 27. But still... Seeing Nene being punished with a smile on her face like a child who''s successfully pulled a prank, I think she''ll be fine. ''Nene~. You need to reflect on your actions~'' ''Ah!Ahh!Now!You just called me ''Nene''!I did, manager! ''No, that was a good call!It was a loving call, so it''s a safe call! ''No, the rules are the rules!Come on, manager, punish me! ''Neneh!Why are you being so inflexible?In this kind of situation, you have to be flexible. ............ Ahh, the manager beckons with a smile! ''Tracy. Good luck. ''Remember that, Neneh! Well... I''m sure she''ll be fine after all this fun. After that, Tracy''s scream rang out three times, and the cafeteria erupted in laughter. You''re treated like a reactionary comedian, the lord of District 27 and the head waiter. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. And then until the end of business hours, Ginette was in a better mood than ever. 273-185th episode, comrades. The next morning, on the way home from donating to the church, Ginette nodded and asked me if I had done too much ...... yesterday. The next morning, on the way home after making a donation to the church, Ginette nodded her head and asked me that question. ''What, you weren''t aware of it? ''Yes, .......'' I''m not sure if it''s something that comes to mind, but I''m not sure what it is. ''Actually,......, Magda and Loretta have not come close to me since this morning,......, and the distance between us is slightly,.......'' I''ve been listening to Tracy and Nene''s screaming about yesterday''s footstool penalty, and I guess that''s understandable. After all, once you''re caught, there''s no getting out of foot pressure hell. Ginette is usually reserved, but when she gets carried away, she turns into a ghost who keeps saying ''one more time, one more time''. Therefore, Magda and Loretta keep a distance from each other to keep the fire away from them. By the way, Loretta said, "If Tracy and Nene are staying at Estella''s place, I''ll stay at the Sunshine Pavilion! She had been staying there with a mysterious theory. He''s been coming to stay with us a lot lately. I think he''ll move in soon. There''s an extra room. Well, that''s just a ''guest room'' that''s left open. ''Um, ......, I''ll try to behave myself today, so if that ............ is about to get out of control, could you please stop it! ''No, Ginette, ...... weigh yourself, okay?I''m sorry. ''In my feelings, I was doing it yesterday,.......'' ''......Weigh yourself,.......'' Ginette might actually be a little bit of a sassy girl ...... just because she''s not aware of it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to do it. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Oh my god. ''I think I''ll get a foot massage when I get home. I''ve been walking a lot lately, and my feet are all swollen. ''......What?You mean for me? ''Oh, yeah. Ginette''s is good for you. It''s just right for me. The reason why you feel pain from foot pressure points depends on your constitution as well as your unhealthiness. I''m not that healthy, but I''ve never felt pain from foot pressure points. If I were to be hit by Magda with all my might, I''d probably lose a couple of bones and scream, but as long as it doesn''t go beyond the scope of the acupuncture points, there''s no problem. Ginette''s foot acupuncture is rather pleasant. The only problem is ...... that once Jeannette starts doing the foot pressure points, she wants to keep doing them forever, so I can''t let her do them so often. We both have jobs to do, and I''ve had a few complaints about the damage it does to other people when I''m not around. ''Don''t irresponsibly set fire to Jeannette''s footstool spirit! I said. In this area, Magda and I are the only ones who don''t feel pain from foot pressure points. Magda, however, finds the soles of her feet ticklish and hates foot pressure points in a different way. ...... I know what you mean. Tickling is annoying. Especially when they tickle you with a happy face and voice. ...... ''Yashilo~! When I arrived at the sunlit pavilion, Estella appeared as if she had timed it just right. She came running towards me from the main street, waving her hand. With a full face, ''clearly plotting something''. ''Oh~ha~............! Estella jumps on my side, dexterously waggling her ten fingers and tickling my side and stomach area. ''Yeah, yeah!How do you like that, Yashiro? Look at you, you happy face. ...... ''Estella. ''Do you give up?Are you ready to apologize for all the times you''ve been rude to me? ''Hey, Estella.'' ''............ Ah, what?'' Estella finally noticed that I wasn''t smiling at all and made a dumb face. She clings to my waist, rubbing my abdomen and looking up at me from below. It''s not a good look for a young girl who''s about to get married,............. I''m not sure what to say.No, no, no, this is .......'' ''...... Estella is a lascivious woman.'' ''Estella-san ...... is very aggressive.'' ''No!It''s not like that. After me, Magda and Loretta pointed it out to her, and she realized how shamelessly she was dressing and doing shameless things. Estella jumped away from me and folded her hands behind her back to hide her fingers that she had been moving so wildly. ''I mean, what, why? ''What do you mean, ''why''?Let''s just go into the store instead of doing something stupid. ''But, what about yesterday? ''...... Estella was allegedly rubbing Yashiro''s lower abdomen yesterday as well.'' ''You were a lower abdomen fanatic, weren''t you, Estella? ''That''s not it! I left the noisy Estella and her friends behind and quickly entered the sunshine pavilion by myself. I know exactly what you''re thinking. ...... The best time to carry out the operation was right after the church''s donation, when it would not interfere with the business of the sunny pavilion. ...... was right. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. It''s just a thin piece of tanned leather wrapped tightly around your body, but thanks to the elasticity of the leather, the slightest hint of tickling doesn''t penetrate your skin! Then there is no tickling! I don''t want to tickle you. ...... It would be awkward if these people knew that I don''t like tickling. Especially if the haunted Jeannette gets into tickling again. ............ The thought of it is terrifying. That''s why I had to do everything in my power to make her fail in front of Jeannette and the others, and humiliate her by treating her like a lascivious woman. Don''t you dare attempt this nonsense again! ''I can''t agree with you, God! ''...... Manager, a pervert has entered the store.'' ''It''s true. There are two of them in the store! ''Who''s the pervert, Magda? ''Hey, Loretta. You just counted me as a pervert, didn''t you? As she entered the store, I poked Loretta in the temple with just the right amount of force. ''Huh, heh! Loretta leaks out a strange voice, but she seems to be a pervert enough, doesn''t she? At all. ''Oh. Good morning. Such a voice can be heard from outside the store. Ginette''s cheerful voice comes out when she meets someone she knows, and there are only a few people who come to the sunny pavilion before it opens. ...... In short, Tracy and the others must have arrived. I''m sure they left the building at the same time as Estella, and considering that Estella attacked me because she was alone and excited, they would have come by this much of a gap. ''Good morning, Mr. Obayashi. ''Good morning, Mr. Oba, ladies and gentlemen. As expected, Tracy and Nene bowed at the entrance before entering the store. My skin looks better than ever. I wonder if they slept well last night. ''Yashiro-san!Please listen to me!You know, you know! I was about to ask her how Estella''s house was, but before I could, Jeannette jumped on me. She was like a big dog greeting its master when he returns from a business trip. ''Your foot pressure points have been approved!It''s still great, foot pressure points! ''............?'' Where was the dull expression on her face just now? Ginette''s face had a dazzling smile on it, like the first sunrise of the year. I, Magda, and Loretta''s eyes focused on Tracy and Nene. What did you guys say to ...... Jeannette? ''Eh, um,......, actually, sir.'' I''m not sure what to say. In place of the Lord, Nene sends us an explanation. ''We were prepared to have sore muscles last night and the next morning. The work here has been great, fun and fulfilling, but it has been physically demanding, and even I have had my arms and legs stretched to the bone, not to mention Tracy. However, when I woke up this morning, I felt more refreshed than I had ever experienced before, not only because of the muscle pain, but also because there was no fatigue left from yesterday. This is because of the foot acupressure that the manager gave me,......, or was it "Detokkusu"?I can only assume that it was because of the effects of the .......'' ''...... And when I told Jeannette that, ...... this is what happened. ''I''m so happy for you, Yashiro!It''s not every day you get to hear about the benefits of foot pressure points like this. No, you''re the only one who''s happy, and that includes me. So far, foot pressure points have stopped at ''painful and agonizing'', but these guys may be the first to tell us how well they work. I was expressing that I felt good. ...... Well, it was the opinion of the originator. I guess they were just passing it off as a story. ''I think I''ll start practicing foot acupuncture again! Hearing Ginette''s declaration, the air in the dining room became tense. Magda, Loretta, and even Estella lifted their eyes and looked at Tracy and Nene like, ''Take responsibility, will you? Magda, Loretta, and even Estella lifted their eyes and gave Tracy and Nene a ''take responsibility'' look. Tracy and Nene, perhaps sensing the situation they''ve brought upon themselves, are cowering like herbivores stared at by a hungry beast. ''So, Nene. Would you please come to the kitchen immediately? ''Yes, yes. You''re here to help me prepare the food. Yes, sir. ''No, you''re not.'' Jeannette grabs Nene''s arm firmly with a big smile on her face. Sweat the size of candy balls drips down from Nene''s forehead. ''You said "Miss Tracy" once before, so...'' ''What?...... When was that? ''I''d like to apply for a Conversation Record. Jeannette made sure that Nene''s path of retreat was crushed. Bringing up the Conversation Record, ......, you''re really something. I''m going to press the ''wake-up point'' that Yashiro taught me before. ''Oba-sama!Is that a painful pressure point?How much does it hurt?Hey, Oba-sama! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Nanmu San. ''Good morning.'' We were a few minutes behind Tracy and the others. Natalia was the last to arrive at the sunlit pavilion. ''Please don''t go ahead by yourself, Lady Cijotela. ''Who is this Chijotella? ''Jumping on a man in the morning and groping his lower abdomen is an act that is only allowed a few times a ...... year! ''It''s not allowed even a few times a year! What are you doing leaving room for ''me too if I get the chance''? No. While I was glaring at Natalia, Jeannette peeked out from the kitchen. ''Miss Tracy! Please come to the kitchen when you''re ready~'' ''Huh!I''m not calling Nene-san by her name!Please check the Conversation Record for confirmation! ''Oh, no. I was hoping you could help me with the food prep. ''.................. Thank goodness.'' How traumatized do you think I am? The second day of Tracy''s part-time job began with a face that seemed to have lost its soul from the first morning. Nene will be ...... a little later. There was a horrible scream earlier, and ...... I passed it up. ''So, what about Tracy''s ''tantrum habit''? ''She''s never had one. Apparently Tracy''s temper tantrums didn''t show up in Estella''s house after she left us. I guess it''s not so much the effect of ''san'' ...... as it is the fact that Tracy is so easily influenced. In the same workplace, we see the same scenery, experience the same things, and fear the same things. Even if they''ve never met before, they''re likely to develop a sense of camaraderie after all this. And Tracy and Nene are childhood friends. In an instant, they''d be back to the way they were. The two of them, before they became lord and master of the household, when there was no need to scold or be scolded. ''Now, Tracy-san will be able to help us. ''Well, if he''s reluctant to do so, we can threaten him with the Judgment of the Spirits. He said he''d help us, after all. He''ll cooperate with us in return for curing his vices. That''s the deal. Now that you''ve been cured of your vices, even if you experience irresistible syncretism, you must vote for us. Or you''re a frog. ''Perhaps you don''t need to threaten me with that. Not to you, Tracey.'' ''I hope so.'' I''ve never been one to think exactly like a BU. He was merely following the BU way of thinking as a lord to protect his district. As long as we don''t make a proposal that would be blatantly disadvantageous to them, they''ll go along with us. We are not in a position to cheat BU this time. We''re fighting to avoid the fire that''s been thrown at us. Even if it is only one vote, it is significant that we were able to make them listen to us. No matter what we proposed, it would be useless if the proposal was unanimously rejected. We were able to drive a wedge in that iron wall. This vote is a big one. However, ......, the key to the next round will be whether or not "our proposal" will be accepted. If it''s just a one-sided discussion like last time, we won''t even have a chance to intervene. We need to take one or two more steps. ...... ''...... So, Magda and the others are going to change their clothes. ''I''m going to work hard all day! Magda and Loretta head upstairs to change clothes as Ginette finishes her foot massage time. That left me, Estella, and Natalia in the cafeteria. Estella and Natalia seem to be planning to eat breakfast here. ...... means that Tracy and the others haven''t eaten either? Maybe I should tell Ginette to get them something to eat. Before the guests arrive. ''So, how did it go?Tracy and the others. Did they have any objections to staying in a lower-ranked ward?'' ''Not at all. They enjoyed it. They even made ............ a puddle of blood in places.'' ''Did he blow his nose again, he''s ......''. ''But Nene cleaned it up, so it wasn''t too much of a burden for us. ''Heh. So Nene is able to move on her own now? It seems so. Natalia says she''s not ready yet, though. ''If it were me, I''d stick my fingers in my nostrils to prevent the blood from falling. ''No, I''m not asking for that much, I''m asking you to stop .......'' Holding her nose, Estella moved away from Natalia. Behind her, the door opened. It was still early, but it seemed that a customer had arrived. ''Oh. I knew you were here.'' ''Eh ...... Ricardo?'' It was Ricardo who walked into the store. He stood in front of the door and looked at Estella, then at me. ''Looks like you''re all here. Then let''s talk. It looks like he came all the way here because he had something he wanted to say to me and Estella. ''There''s something I want to say to you guys. ''Ricardo, ...... sorry. It''s not open yet, so can you please leave?'' ''Wait, you''re not going to say something like that in this situation, are you? I''m a guy who doesn''t get caught up in the small confines of common sense. ''It''s not that you''re not bound by common sense, it''s just that you don''t know common sense! You''re an idiot, Ricardo. I know what common sense is, and I dare you to be insane about it. ...... Who''s a man who won''t accept service unless it comes from his tits. ''Welcome, Mr. Ricardo. In a good way, Ginette, who treats everyone with an open mind, gives Ricardo a sales smile. You can find a lot more information on the web. ...... They''re quick to change clothes. I''m not sure what to say. And then Ricardo, taking advantage of the situation, started talking to Jeannette. ''Your shopkeepers should be well disciplined!Especially this guy! ''You mean Yashiro-san? ''...... Magda will hear about it.'' ''I''m listening too! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following. As if to protect Jeannette on their backs. ''I''d like to ask you ...... for more information, but it''s not open yet, so go home.'' ''Are you the same type of person as Oba!I hope that woman over there can talk to you properly! ''Of course I can!However, it''s not open yet, so go home! ''Are you all on the same level?And stop saying ''go home''!At least say ''please leave''! ''''...... Great!'''' ''''I''m the lord of the forty-first district!I''m a lot better than you! You''re the lord of the 41st district, I''m better than you! ''Hey, Ricardo. ''What?'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it. There''s something I need to say to this guy. ''Your head is too high. You''re holding back! ''Who the hell are you, Obeyashiro? ''Without the cafeteria workers, the customers can''t eat. Therefore, customers like you are of lower status than the employees! ''How can you be so cynical? ''...... You''re too smart, go home. ''I''m afraid of your face, go home. ''It seems to be accepted, in this diner! Ricardo, energetic since early morning, barks at Magda and Loretta. Then, Tracy and Nene came in, apologizing in a calm tone. ''Thank you for waiting~. I''m not used to wearing this yet, so it took me a while. ''What?Tracy? ''Oh, Ricardo-san. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''I have nothing to say to anyone but my guests!Go home!'' ''...... Your face scares me. Go home.'' ''You have a big attitude!Go home! ''You don''t know anything about customer service, do you?No, you don''t know me!You''re right! ''Well, well, Mr. Ricardo. That''s enough, go home.'' ''Don''t get carried away, you too! Don''t you know Tracy''s personality? When she says ''go home'' like this, of course she''s gonna say ''go home''. I think it''s interesting that Ricardo is talking in a reserved tone. ''Ano matter ......?What are you talking about? ''No, that''s why! ''Well, wait a minute, Ricardo. You can''t make such a loud noise in front of the Lords of Smiles. ''It''s about that! ''Ah, yes. If it''s about that, I''ve told you.'' ''''No! Ricardo falls to his knees on the floor, his head in his hands and turns over. Don''t bark at the heavens, indoors. ''es...... Estella...... did you hear that too......?'' ''Yes, I heard ...... the goosebumps, it''s not normal.'' ''Forget it! I''m not sure if I''m embarrassed to have praised Estella or if I''m embarrassed to have named her "Lord of Smiles," but Ricardo''s face turned bright red. ...... Even if it turns red, it''s not cute at all. ''...... Don''t make a fuss in front of the ''Lord of Smiles'', go home. ''You''re rude to the Lord of Smiles, go home! ''Shut up, you pussies!You petitiole! You call Magda and Loretta like they''re cherry tomatoes. How rude. I gently pushed Tracy and Nene back. ''You''re in the presence of the Lord of Smiles, go home. ''Master Ricardo. You''re in the presence of the Lord of Smiles, go home.'' ''You''re just like them, aren''t you? How does it feel to be played by the superior and the inferior alike, Ricardo? ''So what are you doing here, frowning lord? ''Shut up!'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... That''s what I came to tell you.'''' He looked at Estella for a moment and then quickly looked away. To hide her embarrassment, she shuffled her feet and walked to a nearby table and sat down on a chair. Then, with her back to Estella, she thrusts her cheekbones into the air and spits out. ''...... We three neighboring districts are like an alliance,......,'' he said. I''m sure you''ve heard that the 42nd district is being put in a disadvantageous position and this guy came all the way here to tell you that. He said he would be on your side no matter what. If you have any problems, you can count on him. ...... ''Ricardo''. In the quiet of the cafeteria, I spoke quietly. I walk up to Ricardo, who turns away, and say clearly and distinctly to his head. ''It''s not open yet. If you''re done, go home. ''You, you dare to say that in this flow!You should at least be grateful!I''m impressed! ''Ha-ha-ha, tell that to the Lord of Smiles. ''No, I''m not particularly impressed either ......''. ''I rushed in first thing in the morning, I did! ''Even so, the information was late. ''I shouldn''t have rushed in!I mean, you''ve been looking at me like I''m a jerk all day, Estella! ''Hahaha ......, don''t talk to her too much. They''ll think you''re related. ''I told you we''re in an alliance! I wonder. Ricardo''s been spinning out of control ever since they made up after the gluttony contest. He must have never had any friends before. ...... It''s hard to make even male friends, but he''s spinning his wheels trying to make female friends. I''m not going to give you any advice because it''s fun to watch. ''I''m so mad!We''ll eat here today!Open the restaurant! ''Are you declaring war on ...... by exercising power in another district? ''At least let me eat! ''Well, then, it''s on you.'' ''Huh! ''Ginette. I''m sorry, but can you open the restaurant a little earlier? ''Yes, sir. ''Wait a minute!What do you mean I''m buying?Am I paying for yours? ''No... It''s for everyone here. ''Huh? ''Okay, everyone, let''s go. Let''s go. ''''''''''Thank you for the food. '''''''''' ''Oba and his merry men!You''re too tight for me, you guys! Ricardo had paid for all the people in his party while he was screaming. He made sure to collect the ''charge fee'' for opening the restaurant earlier than usual. ''...... what a day. Ricardo grumbles and sits alone in a corner eating his meat. I''ve been told that in the 41st district they eat meat in the morning, and I''m eating a rather heavy beefsteak. Just looking at ...... makes my stomach churn. But since it''s on the house, I''ll have a bite to eat too. ''Ginette, it''s a donut party. ''Cut the man some slack, Obayashi! I served them to Tracy and the others who hadn''t had a chance to properly enjoy the flavors of the sunny pavilion due to their foot cramps and part-time jobs. Nene, in particular, seemed to like the doughnuts, her eyes twinkling as she gobbled them up. The morning hours passed peacefully without any guests, despite the bustle. I thought I could relax a little more, but ...... ''Yashiro-san, are you there? Umaro barged in noisily. Have you come to eat yet?I thought it was ......, but there was something different about him. ''It''s finished! ''Finished? ...... No way.'' ''Yes!I''ve just finished the "DOKE-ru No. 1"! ...... No, it''s just before eight in the morning. What''s going on with your working hours? This is the type of guy who doesn''t care if he has to stay up all night or take sleepless nights when he gets excited. ...... However, my cheeks naturally relaxed at the news of the earlier-than-expected completion. With a confident expression on my face, I decided to go to New Town to see how it turned out. 274-186th episode fox vs Fox In the new town, there was a magnificent pillar standing tall. It was as thick as a telephone pole, but with a sense of stability. You can clearly see that it is not a single log thrust into the ground, but a combination of several parts to maintain its strength. It is truly a structure. If you put it on an athletic field, all the little kids will start climbing it. ''It''s even better than I imagined. ''Are you sure?I''m confident when you say so, Yashiro-san! No, don''t be swayed by my words if you have more skill than me. I''m just an amateur with some knowledge about architecture. ''Don''t just look at the appearance, look at the performance. As the early morning light reflected off the dew and the moisture-laden morning air glistened, Norma emerged from behind a pillar with a leisurely gait. Her bewitching costume and languid expression reminded me of a lady of the night after a long day at work. ''Thank you for your hard work. I''m not sure what you mean by ''......'', but I think it has a different meaning. In fact, Norma was probably working with him on the installation of the pulley, checking its operation, and maintenance. If you look closely, you can see the macho men of the carpenters and hardware guild lying around here and there. Dead and dying. I feel like I''ve wandered into a harem of sea lions. ''All but the two generals are dead? ''It''s because this woman made them reckless. ''Huh?Don''t be ridiculous!You''re the one who rushed us! ''We had at least three more days of construction time to spare!We had about three more days to complete the work. Hurry up and hurry up. ......'' ''I don''t like your spirit of hurrying our hardware and taking it easy on yourselves! ''I''m not rushing you!I''m not rushing you! ...... You get more excited than necessary when Yashiro-san is involved. ''Ha, ha!I''m not sure what you''re talking about, this fox!I''m not sure what to say.I''m not looking for praise from Yashiro. ...... I''m looking for praise from Yashiro. ............ You''re the one who''s trying to look good by making designs here and there that aren''t on the blueprints. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''Design is necessary for architecture! ''Yes, that''s enough!Don''t fight, guys. ''''In the first place, it''s wrong that these guys and their subordinates are too weak! I''m sorry. ...... Ah, yes. I understand now that you two have made me reckless, by what you just said. Take it easy on yourself. You two are the only highly skilled dominant craftsmen I know of. The rest are just gynets. ''I''m really glad I don''t work for you guys. ''Why is that?If you come to my house, I''ll give you the best treatment. ''I''ll give you a position at my place. ''That''s not fair, carpenter fox!In that case, I''ll recommend you for guild leader. ''Which one of us is the coward? ''Stop fighting! I''m not going either way.I''m not going to go either way! ...... I''m a guy who likes to rest in moderation. I can''t keep up with your vitality. But why do these people not get along so well? ...... Is it homophobia? Umaro is the only girl I can talk to face to face outside of Magda. I''m sure you''re not interested in her at all, even though she''s beautiful and pretty. She''s beautiful and pretty, but she''s obsessed with ...... underdevelopment. ''You criminal. ''Suddenly I''ve been labeled terrible! ''A normal man would expect to see a glimpse of Norma''s breasts when he''s distracted after an all-nighter.'' ''Yashiro ......, you''re a criminal enough.'' He quickly straightens his chest and Norma takes out a cigarette. ...... d*mn. I was almost ready to say hello to something. With two of the foxmen craftsmen in tow, she moves to the front of the DOKERU No. 1. Looking up at it again, it''s quite big. Pushing it with your hand doesn''t even faze it. Even a kick with all his might would be repelled. ''Can Magda defeat it if she really tries? ......'' ''Why are you trying to defeat it?If Magda or Delia-san wanted to, they could beat him, so please don''t say that even if you''re joking! Yeah, that''s true. Delia would probably say, ''Well, let''s give it a try. That''s what she''d say. ''You''ve moved away from the waterfall a bit, haven''t you? ''Yes. Mr. Ma''ul asked me to do that. ''Mr. Ma''ulu?Did he come? ''No, I sent Yangboldo and Goozuya to Mahrul''s place yesterday. After that, we exchanged letters using the same idea as we did with Dokkeru No. 1. It is said that a long rope was hung from the top, to which a tub was tied, and the information was transmitted by letter. The reason why Mahrul requested to shift his position is because he either changed his ............ location to a place where it is easier to pick up the letter, ...... to a place that is harder to find, or ............ to a place that is out of the way when using the waterfall. ...... to a place that would not interfere with the use of the waterfall, or ............ a third. In short, they are planning to build a waterwheel at the waterfall eventually. It''s a Mahr-like idea of getting everything you want. No houses have been built on the cliff side of the new town because of the fear of falling rocks. This area is left in its natural state. Of course, it is tended to. So, there was no problem in shifting it to the side. On the cliff side is a large cave dug by the hamsters, a waterfall, and DOKERU No. 1. ...... It''s as if the 42nd district is encroaching on the 29th district. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. They''re testing to see if the Todoroki-1 can deliver the package properly. But ...... ''We just did a geological survey the day before yesterday. ...... How come it''s already done? ''No, that''s why, you fox b*tc*. ......'' ''You''re the carpenters who were so excited about competing with me. In other words, the two top guys were competing against each other, and that''s why the work was getting done. It''s probably something like this: ...... ''All we have to do is wait for the fox lady''s parts to be made...'' ''The pulley is already in place. Hurry up and build the pillar and let me test it. ''The pillar will be up soon!Look, it''s already up!We''re already waiting for the pulleys! ''It won''t take long to install the pulleys!I wonder if this pillar is durable enough for such a rush job. ''It''s not a rush job!Our guys can do this with ease! Our men can work harder than this! ''We can! ''We are the ones! ....... Probably not too far off the mark. The carpenter and the hardware store ...... did a good job. Next time I''ll serve you a big bowl of rice at the sunny pavilion. ''Yambold and Goozuya are going to Mael''s place, right?Who''s going to take care of the problems with the pulley?'' ''Don''t worry. We''re sending Gonsuke too. We can''t rely on the carpenters alone. ''............ Who''s that, Gonsuke? I''ve never heard of you.'' ''You''ve met him many times. Like when we kicked out the ruffians who occupied the sunlit pavilion.'' ''There were so many of them back then. ......'' ''See, that''s him. The guy with the ass jaw, the blue beard on the lower half of his face, and the wispy speech despite his size. ''Your place is full of guys like that!That''s what most of them are like! At any rate, there''s no need to bother remembering his name, so I''ll stop using my brain for useless things. ''So, is this Agoske reliable? ''That''s Gonsuke! I don''t care what he''s called. It''s just Mukimukione One, after all. ''Gonsuke is the best at what he does. And he''s a good judge of character. You can trust him. I''ll give you my seal of approval.'' ''You trust him a lot, don''t you? ''I often ask him to give me a talking-to when I have important work to do. ''So you''re Norma''s right tit. ''Right-hand man.No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Well, that''s true. ''Well, let''s give it a try. ''I''ve prepared a letter for you, and I''ll carry it upstairs. Umaro takes out a piece of paper with several checkpoints on it. Operability, durability, shaking of the tip, presence of unusual noise, etc. ...... It looks like he''s going to have his superiors check for any irregularities when he sends the package. ''Just in case, I''ll send a signal to my superiors. Umaro whistles his finger. There is a high-pitched sound that stimulates the eardrums. ''You''re good. ''Huh?You''re going to praise me for this?I''ll teach you if you want! ''No, I don''t want that. I wonder. Is it so unusual for me to give a compliment? Umaro is smiling uncomfortably, and Norma is looking at him with annoyance. Soon, a wild sound like a horn came back from far above. Oh ......, it sounds like something Yambold would make. I wonder if these guys usually send signals to each other like this. It''s oddly familiar. ''Come on, Yashiro-san. Just give it a try.'' ''Yeah, ...... me?'' I put the letter in the crate that serves as the back of the truck, and Umaro waves it at me. But once you see how high it is, it''s ............ honestly a pain in the ass. After all, you have to pull a rope and lift a load over 20 meters. My arms are going to be sore. ''With four pulleys and weights, it should be easy to move. Just try it.'' Norma looks strangely confident. Well, I''ll try. I''ll let you take over if you get tired. And when I pulled on the rope, ...... ''It''s so light! It was much lighter than I had imagined, and with just a little tug, the crate went up very quickly. No wonder Norma is so confident. This is the kind of technology you want to show off to someone. ''I''d even like to have this device used for the well at the Sunken Pavilion. Every day, water for the toilet is pumped up to the tank on the roof. That thing is pretty heavy, and it''s pretty hard. ...... I''m being asked to do it more and more often these days. Magda should have done the heavy lifting. ...... You put a weak man like me to do the heavy lifting. ............ d*mn. ''Try letting go of my hand once on purpose. Norma says, also proudly. I let go of the rope, but the load doesn''t fall, and the brakes are still firmly in place. I pulled the rope vigorously, and when I let go of the rope while the load was rising, the brake was firmly applied and the load stayed there. There was very little swaying, and it seemed to be able to carry even liquid without spilling. ''That''s quite a feat. ''With metal gears, there''s always a shock when they mesh. That''s why I used a hexenbiest''s Achilles tendon to make it flexible!The grooves of the pulleys are lined with hexenbiest leather to increase friction and prevent wear. ......'' Norma''s face overflowed with words one after another. I want you to listen to all the gimmicks we have incorporated into this device. I want you to hear all about the gimmicks we have incorporated into this device. It is said that there are many fine considerations here and there that will make sense to you if you listen to what he has to say. ...... Just don''t show your smug face to too many people. It looks a bit stupid. ''...... So, this thing can carry a woman, a child, or a dying old man upstairs with ease!If you think I''m lying, bring a dying old man along to try it out! ''No, I wouldn''t want him to live out his days here. Norma is a bit of a disappointment for a girl with her skills. She wants to be praised. Her ears and tail are wagging, and her emotions are unusually apparent. You can''t imagine the expression on her face from her usual calm expression. ''That''s Norma. I''m glad I asked you to do this. Thanks to you, it''s much easier for me to carry.'' ''Muhaa~..................!It''s not that bad. That''s about it. Hmm~............ mmm! You look very happy. You''re trying to make a smug face and failing spectacularly, and you''re squirming. I guess he''s not used to being praised. ''Well, it''s only because we have a solid foundation that we were able to pull this off! ''Don''t compete with us, ......, you''re great enough. I''m sure that if you keep working with them, they''ll create more and more advanced technology. Yeah, I have a feeling about that. If you put people who have a strong sense of rivalry together, the friendly rivalry may not stop. ''Thanks to our technology, we were able to do a good job, thank you. ''How dare you say that when you were so particular about the device that you overweighted it!We wouldn''t have even been able to mount it if we hadn''t changed the design! ''Yes, yes. Just leave it at that. They''re both great.'' ''Ah, it''s getting a little hotter when the sun comes out. ......'' ''!I''m not going to let you casually peel off my clothes to emphasize my breasts! ''Thanks to Norma, I''ve created something wonderful! You idiot, Umaro. Customer satisfaction is greatly influenced by the service aspect. Norma''s bound to win. No, rather, the valley wins! ''Now, let''s continue the test of Tanima-1. ''Let''s continue with the test of Tanima-1. I guess they''re both the same, aren''t they? In fact, I''m more attached to Tanima No. 1. I think I''ll consider changing my name. ...... With such a serious proposal in my mind, I pulled down the rope again. With almost no effort, the wooden box went up easily and smoothly. The huge wooden box, one meter square on each side, must have weighed quite a lot by itself. It was quite an exaggerated container to send a single letter, but considering the fact that it would be dropped while empty, it must have a certain weight. I hadn''t made such a detailed calculation, but it must have been quite complicated to lift it with so little force. The fox race may be more intelligent than we think. While I was thinking about this, I heard a bell ringing on the cliff. A bell sounded on the cliff, and the rope stopped moving as if it was locked. ''It''s going to take longer than I thought, isn''t it? ''Yes, it is. If it takes this long with Yashiro, it might be too much for the hamsters. No, no, it''s enough. It was not even a tenth of the effort I had expected. I mean. ''Are you going to let the hamsters do it? ''Hmm?Isn''t that what you''re planning to do? ''No, well, I was planning to .......'' I was going to put them on duty and have them send packages and deliver the packages that were sent to them. I''ve already gotten Estella''s approval, of course. ...... said. ''Do I look like I''m working with the ham kids? I haven''t told Umaro and Norma how to run the site. Despite this, they seemed to think that if I started something new, I''d be using the hamsters for labor. Not good. Maybe I''m using them too cheaply because they do everything without complaining. ''No, I mean, ......''. Umaro silently slides his outstretched finger to the side. --There was an army of hamsters waiting for him, staring at him with sparkling eyes. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that they''re already very motivated. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it. They look like they''re having a great time, so it''s okay. ''So, how do you feel about using it? ''We''ll be improving it as we go along, so we''d like to hear your honest opinions. ''No, this is good enough. I''d like to hear the opinions of those who have used it. In the first place, it''s only to be used for communication with Ma''ul. If it''s good enough, it''s good enough. ''Oh, I got your reply. When I looked up at Umaro''s words, I saw a wooden box descending with a smooth, almost electric movement. No, I''m afraid of this smooth movement. But then, just as it was about to land, the crate exploded with a ''clunk, clunk! Just as I was about to land, the crate began to flail violently. ''What are you doing? ''Oh, that''s not right!This can''t be ......! Norma and Umaro rushed over to catch the crate. Norma immediately went behind the pillar and was inspecting something like a control panel. When I peeked in, I saw gears of various sizes meshing tightly together. It seems to be quite a complicated structure. ''Aren''t the gears inaccurate? ''No, of course not!This gear was even praised by Yashiro! Norma comes to me, asking me to check the precision of the hardware. At first it was something simple like a pair of scissors, but difficult to make precise, and recently it had evolved into a gear like this. A gear is a very difficult part to make, as it is useless unless the teeth are evenly shaped and spaced. Recently, Norma''s gears have become quite accurate, and I''ve been paying attention to them. I''m sure there are some failures, though. ...... ''Didn''t you get carried away and neglect the work? ''No, of course not! ''Well, gears are hard. It happens once in a while.'' ''You see!That''s what Yashiro says! ''If that''s what Yashiro-san says, then that''s what ...... is. No, so what is this trust you have in me? Do you think you''re a god of mechanical engineering or something? ''Onii-chan!There''s a letter in here! While I was talking about maintenance, the ham kids opened the crate without permission and brought out the contents. ...... They already think they''re doing their job, don''t they? They are fastidious children. ''We''ll send something back! ''Get one or two people on board and send it with you! ''You can''t take people on board. BU has a system called a toll tax. Even if you don''t have any cargo, if you enter the district through a route other than the authorized one, it will look bad. In the worst case, you can''t complain if you are suspected of smuggling. People should refrain from coming and going until there is an agreement between the lords. ''No people allowed! ''Too bad! ''I wanted to ride! ''Human rights holders are not allowed! ''Then I''ll give up my human rights! ''From today on, I''m a burden in both name and reality! ''''''Aww~y!That''s a good idea! ''''Hey, hey, hey, hey! Don''t give up your human rights just because you want to play with a new toy! ...... is not a toy! I''m not sure what to do with it. ''''''I''ll fix it as soon as I can! ''''''Yeah!Buh-buh! ''''''Don''t be such a b*tc*! ''''''Meeeeeeeee! ''''Why the sheep? Oh, ...... Yamboldo''s pranks are infecting the hamsters. ...... No, is it folklore? The ''why sheep'' bit is giving me a very deja vu feeling, I''m afraid. I''ve got a letter back from the top, so I''m going to look through it. ''Huh? There were two letters. One contained the checklist that Umaro had sent me. And the other was from ...... ''That''s a poisonous heart-shaped envelope. ......'' ''I hope it''s not for me, I hope it''s not for me, I hope it''s not for me, I hope it''s not for me ......'' ''Too bad. It''s got ''To Yashippi'' written all over it. ''Oh, Umaro, you are sometimes called ''Yashippippi''? ''I''m sure you mean Yashiro-san, right? ....... It was a letter from Mahr to me. I''m sure this heart-fluttering envelope is some kind of joke. It''s ...... a form of harassment in my book. I managed to suppress my aching heart and cut the seal. Inside, there was another poisonously cute letterhead, with a handwriting that made up for the cuteness of the letter. "Yashippi. I hope you met Tracy safely.How is she?Isn''t she nice?She and I have similar interests, so I''m sure she''ll be a good match for you. She''s a little difficult, but she''s a very nice girl. Take good care of her. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at .......I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s true that both of them seem to like watching the Forty-two districts. It''s the purpose that''s different, though. They also said that we''re easy to get in touch with, so I guess that''s what it is. And thanks for the nice meeting. This, Mr. Assunto. He''s a very smart boy who knows what he''s talking about. Could make a big difference in sycamore distribution. I''ll be sure to thank you generously for that. ...... Mr. Assunto. If Assunto is treated as a ''good boy'', ...... how big is that woman''s capacity? It''s a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''m jealous that you have such wonderful friends, Yashippi. I envy you. Ha-ha-ha, that''s a funny joke. Me and Assunto are friends, hahahaha ....... If you''re interested in meeting the Koji maker, I''ll write a letter to the lord of the 24th district. Just let me know when. Oh, but don''t worry, I don''t mean to ingratiate myself with you. This is in return for the bean paste. Once it''s finished, the demand for beans in the 29th district will go through the roof. I can write all the letters I want. I''m grateful. I really do. I don''t know why. ...... When Ma''ru says it, it smells so fishy. A dry chuckle escaped my lips as I continued reading... I''ll take care of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to get a little bit of help. --I''m sure you''ll be able to get away with a little selfishness. ...... What''s going on? I don''t even want to ask. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you out. Lord of the 24th district. And the Koji maker. I''ll go see these two. Judging from Mael''s letter, the malted rice maker is probably in the 24th district. As I recall, the 24th district is a district that makes money from soybeans. ...... I see, so it''s the district that produced miso. ''Hey!You guys!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. A shout rang out, and I looked over to see ...... ''''I''m coming up! ''''Mairare yo! A few ham kids climbed into the crate and revealed their excited faces. ...... Don''t play. ''Hey, Yashiro! When it was time to go back, Estella arrived with Tracy. What''s that guy doing?You stayed at the sunny pavilion because you couldn''t keep an eye on Tracy. ''Huh!So, this is Torukeru No. 1?It''s a magnificent thing! Estella''s eyes sparkled at the new facility in District 42. Next to her, Tracy is also looking up at her with her mouth wide open. ''Is there some kind of trouble?Norma seems to be in a great hurry. ''Yeah, he''s a little unsteady on the landing. ''Well. I''ll take a look at it for you! Estella rolls up her sleeves and steps out. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... No, it''s not like you''re getting involved in something that Norma is struggling with. ...... But I''ll take this opportunity to check with Tracy. ''Estella. Did you have an aura of ''I want to go see it'' all over you?'' ''Yes. That''s it.'' Tracy gazed at Estella lovingly, her cheeks slightly tinted as if she was remembering that moment. The journey here must have felt a bit like a date. ''I thought Estella-sama couldn''t keep her eyes off me, so I gathered up my courage and asked her to join me! ''Oh no, you''re not asking me out on a ...... date, are you? ''What?I was on a date. I''m scared!Your face is so scary! I can feel the murderous intent of someone who has had their memories trampled upon. ''The road to the church where the wedding ceremony took place is the number one date spot for couples. He smiles again and gives me some information that I''m not sure where he got it from. I''m having trouble with your ''bu'' about that wedding. ''Oh ...... I had a wonderful time ............ on our first date before marriage''. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if I''ve ever been on a date before. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. It''s not every day you get to see such an unpleasant sight. It must be taking a toll on your mind, poor thing. ''Well, they won''t suddenly start moving, so just be careful not to step on them. If you step on them, you''ll get your shoes dirty, and some of them will be happy to see you. ''Yashiro, can you come here for a minute? Estella waved her hand toward her next to Norma. It''s ...... so I don''t have to tell you. Don''t get involved in things you don''t understand and don''t get other people involved. I don''t know either, maybe. I don''t know, maybe....... Gof! ''No,......, she''s waving at me.'' ''Even a drop is enough for me,.......'' ''If you''re spilling nosebleeds in the spill, you''ll run out of blood fast. ...... Just wipe it off. What? It''s a good idea to use a handkerchief to hold your nose while you go to Estella, accompanied by Tracy, who seems happy for some reason. The crate has been lifted about two meters. She must be examining its movement. ''Hey, what''s wrong with the gears? ''You can''t tell that just by looking at it. I''m not the kind of surprised person who can tell a few microns of distortion at a glance. A legendary sword smith who''s lived for hundreds of years might be able to pull off such a feat, though. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. If you replace one cog at a time, one day you''ll hit a bad one. But to do that, you have to make all the gears one by one. Norma''s shoulders will naturally fall. ...... tits, plump. ''Where do you look when someone''s down?...... Let me help you, okay?'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. Such a sultry reaction is rare. It''s a destructive force that makes you want to reach out to her. ''Well, I''ll at least help you. ''Are you sure?I promise!A man''s word is his word. Something about ...... made me very happy. ''Well, I guess I''ll just take the crate down once. With that, he operates the lever directly connected to the gears. ......, and the crate descends smoothly. Estella and Tracy watch with interest as the crate slowly descends. But when the crate is about to hit the ground, it goes into a violent rage. But when they were about to hit the ground, the crate went into a violent frenzy, and they both shook their shoulders. and they all shook their shoulders. Tracy was so startled by the sudden outburst that she let out a cute scream of ''Aaah! Tracey was so startled by the sudden outburst that she let out a cute little scream and flinched away. And if she made such a movement, it would put more load than necessary on the cloth that was forcibly holding the too-large object in place. Baiiiiiiing! and two bulges appeared as if the dragon had awakened through the sarashi and leaned its head back. The two bulges appeared as if the dragon had awakened through the sarashi and leaned its head back. The two bulges appeared as if to say, "I''m not going to be able to do this. '''''''''' I''m going to be able to do this. '''''''''' They raised their bodies in unison. It was as if all the zombies under the graveyard had crawled to the surface on Halloween. So what, Tracy is the Necromancer and those tits are the Necronomicon? I guess big boobs have magic in them! ''Come on, Tracy, you''re a part-timer at the Sunlit Pavilion. Get back to work.'' '''''''''' beams!We''re starving, so we''re going to the Sun Goddess Pavilion. '''''''''' Hmm. I guess we can make another profit now. But it''s a big deal. ...... The muscles in the hardware store didn''t react at all to the Necronomicon. ''Ugh ......, Mr. Obayashiro ......, I told you it wouldn''t suddenly start moving ......''. No, that''s because things have changed, you see. The men''s HP has been restored because you used magic. A magic Estella will never be able to use. Despite the many problems, Todoroki-1 was completed. Assunto seems to have met Mahrul safely and the distribution of the sycamores will be smoother. I was a little relieved to read the P.S. written at the end of Ma''ul''s letter. "P.S. There''s been some talk about the distribution of sycamores, and I''m sure the lords of the 29th district will be busy dealing with that for a little while. That bought us a little time. The day when they will have to decide whether to pay the damages to BU or just sit it out ...... is just a few days away. In the meantime, go see the lord of the 24th district and the koji maker, I suppose. There are too many things to do, but on the other hand, there is too little time. For now, I''ll just take Mael''s kindness in stride. ...... even if it''s a situation where I''m dancing on Mael''s hands. 275-Episode 187 Signs of Improvement ''Me, pudding a la mode! ''I''ll have another pudding here! ''One pudding! ''You guys, eat your food! The carpenters who came to ...... the sunlit pavilion with us are staring at Tracy with their nostrils wide open. I''m sure you''ve already seen Tracy yesterday, but today''s bite ...... How much do these people love boobs? You''re a tit supremacist! You''re the one! I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what I''m going to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m sure I understand the benefits of hips and thighs as well! I''m sure you''ll agree that Loretta''s thighs are quite erotic. I''m sure you''ll agree.What, out of the blue?Big brother, have you developed a new disease? Covering her thighs with a tray, Loretta glared at me with an angry, slightly pleased look. It''s a shame that you have to hide your praise. ''...... Lolita is justice''. I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Well, let''s leave them alone. It''s always the same. ''''d*mn, it''s the end of the line. ''''So, you''re the one! What the hell, you''re defiant!That''s why young carpenters these days are so ....... ''''Oh,...... thank you for waiting,...... ah,...... please don''t look so much.... ...'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. She says she didn''t bring a replacement for her sarashi, and her boin is still ''bent''. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... I''ve had to stuff it with some stuffing to keep it from falling off, though. ''Once again, ...... Ginette, you''re a panacea.'' ''What are you talking about?Please repent already! ''And answer my question, Mr. Obeyashiro! I''m accosted by two boobies. No, the four bulges are to blame. Oh, when you think about it, that''s kind of what you want! ''Cause, Tracey. That''s the kind of offensive force that destroys the Sarashi.If you keep wearing tight clothes, the slightest movement will tear your clothes and your boobs will fall out. I''m sure you''ll agree............., ......, that''s a problem. ''''''Why did you make me change my clothes, Yashiro-san? ''''Shut up, muscle. I''ll have you banned. Boobs are something to be enjoyed with the mind! The Sunken Pavilion is not that kind of store. Don''t get your hopes up. ''Sunshine Pavilion is a store where you can enjoy tits with your heart! ''No, it''s not!It''s a restaurant where you can enjoy your meal. Ginette, who is a signboard tit, disagrees. I see. That''s one way to look at it. ...... Hmm. ''Ms. Tracy. I''ll take care of this. ''Ugh. ...... I''m sorry, Nene. ...... I''m sorry. Thank you for your help. Tracy is too scared of the muscle crowd to go near them, so Nene takes the pudding a la mode for her. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. I''m sorry to bring this to you by a scamp! Nene''s negativity is kicking in a bit. Is it anger over her disrespect for Tracy? Or is it anger over a space full of ...... big-boobed people? ...... ''It''s a very unpleasant space, this place. ''You''re definitely the latter, Estella.'' Crossing her arms, Estella, who doesn''t even try to hide her grumpy face, glares hatefully at the heaving muscles. ''If you''re skunked on B, you''re skunked on ......B, you''re skunked on ......B, you''re skunked on ......! ''You''re not mad at ...... Nene, are you? I''m not sure if you''re the type of person who sees everything you see as an enemy, or if you''re the type of person who sees everything you see as an enemy. But the carpenters'' frolic might ............ have to be dealt with. The store''s morals are disturbed. It''s a good thing that Nene is Nene! You''re simple and cute! ''I like you when you''re unpretentious! ''What? ''Nene!Run away! Not only do you love tits, you also love beautiful girls, don''t you muscles ...... care about anything, after all. I''m not going to let you guys get away with this!You''re not going to be able to ...... bother Magda at the sunlit pavilion! ''Why did you rephrase that? Why did you change it? That''s why carpenters are ...... ''Yashiro ...... may be a little too excited about this.'' ''Yeah, ......''. Estella seems to be feeling threatened by this atmosphere. If you give them a scary feeling, they might fall into a highly conjectural phobia of the 42nd ...... district, which is overrun with terrifying ''predators''. If Norma were here, she might be able to scold the useless men, but ...... she left after saying she was worried about the gears. ...... I looked around ...... for someone who could take his place. I''m not sure what to make of that. Magda''s character will probably develop a weird disease that says ''I''d rather be scolded than the other way around'', Loretta''s character is normal, and Estella''s character is just ''jealous! And somehow, I don''t know. And, somehow, even if I say, ''Don''t make a fuss about my tits! I don''t know why, but I''m not persuaded. I''m not convinced. ...... If only Ricardo were here, with his strong face, he could say, ''Shut up, I''ll bury you! ......''. ''Are you sure you''re not mistaking Ricardo for someone from a ragtag guild? It''s a similar thing. Anyway, there''s no one in this place who can give a straight talk to those floating idiot muscles. If it''s ............, so be it. ''Hey, carpenters. Listen up.'' I walk up to Tracy and Nene, who are cowering under the stares of their muscles, and say in a clear voice. ''''Boyne here is the lord of District 27, and Rustic here is the head waiter there. ''''''Excuse me, sir! The beautiful knees are lined up in front of you. That kind of understanding is rather pleasing to me, carpenters. ''Oh, um, Mr. Obayashi, are you sure you want to go to ............? ''Well, it can''t be helped. We can''t work without him. It''s only a few hours away, after all. And these two have already experienced a lot of ''normal senses''. They can call each other by ''san'' naturally, and Tracy''s ''tantrums'' have not appeared. Nene is also able to think and act on her own. Her follow-up was very good. As long as you remember how you feel now, you''ll be able to maintain a good relationship with her when you return to District 27. ...... It''s sad that I can''t say that I won''t be swallowed up by the atmosphere around me as soon as I return. ''Miss Tracy, Miss Nene. Please get some rest and eat.'' Ginette says smilingly as the kneeling carpenters take their seats. But Tracy and Nene both rolled their eyes. ''What?Are you sure?Because ......'' ''Yes, it is. There are so many customers here. ......'' ''It''s fine.'' ''The ...... carpenters'' ''''They''re not counted as customers! ''''''Hey, hey, hey!Manager-san, Magda-tan, Loretta-chan, that''s a bad idea! ''''Huh?You see, I didn''t mean it like that. ......? Jeannette panicked. But ...... don''t worry. Look at those happy faces of those carpenters. They''re happy to be messed with, that''s what they are. ''Oh, um... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can''t wait to get back to work. Ginette tried desperately to explain and clear up the misunderstanding. Hey, Jeannette. You''re being watched with a big grin on your face right now. That kind of panicked look is really cute to old men. ''''Entrance fee, 500Rb. ''''''That''s too much!I''ve been ripped off so easily! ''''...... magda as well.'''' ''''You guys!I''ll pay 1000Rb per person right now! ''''''The price has been raised! It''s the same system that makes the first limited edition more expensive. Although it was Oumalo who raised the price. ''''Anyway, please have a meal. We can make anything on the menu, or if you prefer, we can make something off the menu. ''It''s very uncomfortable to eat at a restaurant and not pay for it, isn''t it? ''It''s called "bribery food", Tracy. As part-timers, the two of them were naturally served bribery food. It''s not something she''s used to, and Tracy looks uncomfortable. ''Estella''s going to ask for a bribe just for helping out a little. ''Estella-sama? ''...... So. My lord has no restraint.'' ''Hey, Yashiro, Magda!You''re making it sound like I''m mean! ''That''s right, both of you. Estella-san is just wielding her power!Am I right? ''No, I''m not!Loretta''s opinion is the most different!You''re not a good lord then! ''Estella-san is a lonely person, so it''s good for her to be with everyone. Right, Estella-san? ''''Eh~n!I like you, Jeannette! Estella hugged Jeannette and nuzzled her face into the natural cushion. ''''Aah!That''s not fair! Coincidentally, my voice and Tracy''s were the same. Although the meaning and the point of contradiction are the exact opposite. ''E, Estella-sama!I''m a lonely person too, so I''d like to be with you at ......! ''Ginette!I love tits too, so I want to have a good time with you! ''Please repent! ''That''s right, Tracy.'' ''It''s Yashiro-san! Why? Why is it always just me? Well, that''s why the lonely Estella and Tracy ended up sitting in the corner eating bribery food together. When Estella and I took our usual seats, Tracy sat down next to Estella. At that time, Nene casually pulled out her chair to follow Tracy. It''s a natural way to follow up. ...... Although Tracy''s illness is still the same. Oh, I mean the disease of Estella''s love. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... What a disappointing big-breasted beauty. You''re not going to get yelled at anymore, are you? Estella said, looking at Nene pulling Tracy''s chair. ''You''ve been able to follow up, and now that you''re less reserved with Tracy, you seem to be thinking and acting on your own. ''If you say so, ...... you might be right. In the event that you are not aware of the change in your movements, Nene looks at her hands and shows a surprised expression. She looks as if she''s been pinched by a fox. ''Tracy, you''ve had a calm face ever since you got here. ''I don''t think ...... you''re that calm. ...... Estella-sama is much more beautiful than you.'' What?It''s funny, is there something stuck in my ear? I feel like we''re not having a conversation, did I miss something?You didn''t miss anything. What''s he doing in his brain? ''Mr. Obayashi is a terrible man. Tracy says this with a smile on her face. She doesn''t seem to be afraid. ''I can''t believe you changed me and Nene in such a short time. ......'' No. It''s true that it''s a measure that can be expected to have some effect, but it''s only an ''attempt''. The only reason why it has had such an extraordinary effect on you is because you are more easily influenced by the atmosphere around you than you imagine. You might want to think about improving the way you are influenced. ''I can''t stop shaking when I think that this is the person who is planning to make us sign an unequal treaty. ''They might make you sign one now. ''If that happens, let''s seek help from Estella-sama. ''Yeah, ...... I''m not so sure about ...... Yashiro, either. ...... Even if he doesn''t lose, he''s a very troublesome opponent. I don''t know where the confidence in not losing came from. I''m confident that I''ll be able to scam her to perfection. But Tracy said confidently to Estella, who was reluctant. ''No, sir. Mr. Obayashi is no match for Estella. That''s an unhelpful opinion in favor of Estella. If you have a reason, I''d like to hear it. ''Because you''re just like me, Obayashi. ...... Big tits? What, me? ''Mr. Obayashi is definitely no match for Estella. It''s called love and weakness. ''''Huh! A crazy voice leaked out of both Estella and I''s mouths at the same time. ''''Who''s in love with whom? ''''Wow,......, I''m in love with Estella-sama,............, yikes! ''No, I know that!I mean, ......! ''Oh?You''re not?I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the future. ''Where does it look like that! Is this guy''s eyes knotty!He''s a knothole!The more her tits protrude, the more her eyes are knotty. I must have misallocated her volume a bit. ''Hey, Nene. Didn''t you think so too, Nene? ''Yes.'' Nene too? ''But, in my case, it was a result of reasoning from a logical perspective. ''I''d love to hear what kind of logical point of view you''re talking about. ''It''s simple. Standing behind Tracy, in order to fully affirm her, Nene threw her chest out in a dignified manner as she spoke her opinion. ''''There''s no reason for Oba-sama, who is a big-breasted supremacist, to be kind to Estella-sama, who has lonely breasts, except for love! ''''Alright, Nene!Take off your shoes and lend me your feet! Estella and I stood up at the same time and rushed towards Nene. ''''I''ll have to press the point of silence to stop her from talking nonsense! ''But, sir!Don''t you at least hate me? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ...... d*mn. I''m sure I don''t hate you. But ...... you can''t say yes or no at a time like this. ''...... Huh, hmm!It''s ridiculous. That''s why "gentle" is ......! ''Huh!I''ve been accused of having breasts!I''m sorry!I''m sorry it''s so lousy it''s unbearable to look at! ''Yeah ...... Nene. Let''s learn, shall we?'' Estella wraps her arms around Nene''s neck and plasters a demonic smile on her face. Oh. You''re going to get a spanking later. Take it as it comes, Nene. ''Not at all. You can have Ginette give you a foot massage later.'' ''Huh?Why is it me?You''re the one who suggested it! ''Nene, Nene!Don''t do that thing where you sell out the Lord every now and then!I don''t think that''s a good idea! I took my gaze off the noisy 27th ward duo. What can I say? ...... Your face is so hot. I''m sorry. ''Hey, Jeannette. Give her a good foot massage later. ''............'' ''............ Ginette-chan?'' ''Heh!Ah, yes!I''m sorry. What is it? Jeannette was waiting to hear Tracy and the others'' orders, but she seemed to be in a daze. Estella looked at her and bounced her shoulders. ''No, I''m going to get a foot massage. ......'' ''All right, Estella!Let''s go to the kitchen! ''It''s not me, it''s not me!Nene!Give Nene a foot massage! ''Then come with me! ''I told you, I''m not! Jeannette''s gaze migrates through space like a tuna. His ...... mind is a mess right now. He looks like he''s not thinking at all, that one. ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Are you coming with us, Yashiro? ''No!Just let those two go. I''m going to try to calm down the panicking Jeannette and rescue Estella and Nene. ...... Estella, you owe me big time for this. But more importantly, ...... ''They''ve got it all wrong. ''......? The truth is, if you''re worried about something you don''t have to worry about, you shouldn''t have to worry about it, and you shouldn''t have to worry about it. ...... I don''t care what Jeannette is worried about or anxious about, it''s none of my business. But if we let Jeannette''s petit panic go unchecked, the number of victims will continue to grow. So I''m stopping it. That''s all. So ...... this is not an excuse or anything. The people of District Forty-two seem to get along quite well with the people of the other districts. Ricardo was even impressed with the unity of the Sunlit Pavilion team. ''...... If you don''t know them well, they might look like that. Even you and Magda. ''.................. Oh, yes. You might be right. He smiled awkwardly, his tense cheeks lifting. But as soon as he did, his face flushed red, his big eyes widened even more, and he looked at you with a ''Huh? The moment their eyes met, they let out a ''peep''. ''Oh, um, ............ today''s bribe dish is curry! That''s all he said, and Jeannette ran into the kitchen. ............Well, I wonder what and how it was interpreted in his mind. ......... ...I don''t even want to know. ''...... darling''. ''What are you playing at?'' Magda clung to me as I looked away from Jeannette, dumbfounded. ''......The result of listening to Yashiro''s wish to be seen as a couple by others.'' ''Magda. You''re lucky you''re not a god in a shrine. We would have been inundated with letters of complaint after our New Year''s visit. When did anyone ever make such a wish? I''d be confused if you granted me something I didn''t wish for. ''Hey, big brother! I''ve just pulled Magda down, and now Loretta is coming. ''Big brother, what about me? ''Loretta. ''No, I''m not! ''You''re not? ''No, but I''m different! I don''t know what I''m trying to say, so I say, ''Oh, dear! Loretta. Calm down, okay? ''How do you see me?"I love you so much, Loretta!I can''t stop my heart beating! If that''s how you see me, I won''t be carrying you around at all in the future. How many years ago Young, that sense of ...... ''It seems that we were mistaken, Nene. ''It seems so. Thanks to the mysterious psychological damage, Tracy and the others'' misunderstanding seems to have been cleared up. ''Then I''ll monopolize Estella-sama ...... Gof! ''That''s not the point, so wipe your nosebleeds. Or rather, let me wipe it, Nene. ''Yes, I''m home! Tracy is having her nose munched by Nene. Estella is letting out a chuckle. You''ve caused quite a stir, haven''t you? ''By the way, Tracy. What kind of a man is the Lord of District 24? Even if I''m going to meet him, I want to get all the information I can before I go. ''He''s a stubborn old man, isn''t he? ''Wow, a stubborn old man. ......'' ''...... Yashiro. Why are you being so ............ against the lord of another district, well, it''s a little late for that now. Don''t do it in front of him. Estella held her temples and let out a sigh. You''re not going to grow up worrying about every little thing like that, I''m sure. But, as Obayashiro-san said, behind the scenes, I''m often called ''stubborn old man''. Tracy chuckles apologetically. You''ve also been called the "tantrum princess", a disgraceful name. ...... Perhaps all of us have such backstage names. There are nicknames that express the negative aspects of the community that cannot be said face to face. ''Even in a majority vote, he is usually the last one to voice his opposition. Is he a person who can push his own opinion in BU, where the phenomenon of syncretism is stronger than others? He''s an old-fashioned person, so he might not have much influence. ''Even in the majority vote on whether to seek compensation from the 42nd district, only one person voted against it. ''...... So that means you voted yes, right?'' This guy ...... is an Estella fan, but he''s asking for compensation from the 42nd district. What''s wrong with you? Because ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this," said Tracy, fidgeting as she glanced at Estella. ''I thought that if the majority vote for compensation was approved, I would be able to ...... meet Estella-sama in person. ''Kya! That''s not it! What reason do you have for agreeing to this?It''s not like I''m going to be forced to pay a lot of money for this. Because you want to see him? I''ll send you out at any time for a reasonable price!...... Oh, you can just give me the fee. ''Because of that, we''ve been able to get close to each other like this. ...... So I guess I made the right choice! ''...... haha ............ mistake, huh?'' Estella also laughed. Nene is also nodding her head ''yes, yes''. ...... These people really don''t seem to understand. No, they are not thinking about the damage to others. Even in Japan, there is no end to the number of people who post things on social networking sites that say, "Why are you posting that on the Internet? In Japan, there is no end to the number of people who post such things on SNS. They are so focused on their immediate feelings that they are not aware of the subsequent developments. And such rash judgments can lead to irreversible situations at ....... --Yes, like this. ''Magda, Loretta ......, take the two part-timers to the manager.'' ''...... Are you sure?'' ''Big brother, I hate to say this, but ...... the current manager is probably not ...... capable of taking it easy on you.'' ...... I guess so. Ginette, who is shy, is not good at that kind of talk, and is a pure maiden who is disturbed by the slightest thing. ...... Now, I''m sure that there is no time to be considerate of others. ...... But... But even that''s their fault. I don''t care. ...... Magda, Loretta!Take me with you! ''...... Copy that.'' ''Leave it to me! Like trained soldiers, Magda and Loretta stepped up to Tracy and the others. Magda restrains Tracy''s arm and Loretta restrains Nene''s arm, forcing them to stand up and take them away. ''Oh, hey, Mr. Obayashi!What the hell is this? ''Please wait, I''m sure you''ll understand if I tell you. ......? I''m not going to listen to your ...... pleas. But, yes, the ...... Lords of Smiles might be able to give you some mercy--and look at you. ''Tracy-san, Nene......'' ''E, Estella-sama......'' ''Ah, that gentle face ...... is indeed the "Smiling ......"''. ''''Good luck. ''''Estella-sama! Estella waved her hand with a big smile on her face. --Well, that''s the way it is. The two of them resisted until the end, but they were no match for the beastly duo of Magda and Loretta, and were swallowed into the ............ demon kitchen. A few minutes later, an unprecedented scream rang out - the sanctions on the 27th district were safely completed. 276-Episode 188 Before I go home, Tracy and Nene''s part-time job, during which they ate curry in tears, has come to an end. We can''t keep them in custody forever. After the peak of the day, their work came to an end. After this, they would return to Estella''s mansion to talk about lordly matters, and then send them back to District 27. Natalia, who had returned to Estella''s mansion earlier than me, should have made all the necessary preparations by the time I went to check on DOKE-ru No. 1. I guess we can leave the rest to her. ''Thank you very much for your help. It was a really good time.'' Tracy gives me a reverent bow. She is very gracious, and her gratitude is clearly evident. Her first part-time job seemed to be a fun experience for her. ''I can''t thank you enough, Oba-sama and everyone else,'' she said. I can''t thank you enough,'' she said, bowing deeply. Nene is still a bit unreliable as a head waiter, but her face seems to have changed. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of work. This part-time job will be a major turning point for Nene. What does it mean to follow Tracy, and when does Tracy want to be followed? Once you get a feel for these things, your body will do the rest. It''s not that Nene is a bad waiter by nature. He''s just been reluctant so far. Fear is the result of a growing anxiety about the unknown. The ''might'' part of ''I might get yelled at'' stems from fear, and it can be dispelled by habituation. Perhaps Nene will be okay now. ''If things go back to normal as soon as we get back to District 27, ............ we''ll send Jeannette, okay? ''No, I''m fine!Hey, hey?Nene-san! ''Yes, yes!It''ll be fine, I''m sure, maybe ......'' ''Maybe .......'' ''No, I''m sure! We''ve got a deal. If the "tantrum princess" and the "disease of not wanting to be angry" come back when you return to District 27, you''ll get a double whammy of foot pressure points and the "judgment of the spirits. If they think so, they will try to prevent it from happening again. This is a good example of how to use the Judgment of the Spirits. Yeah. ''Yashiro......, are you using the Spirit God as well......'' ''That''s outrageous. Since it can be used for the good of others, I''m sure the spirit gods would love it. ''That''s what scares me, you ......''. Estella has a strong tendency to flirt with power, doesn''t she? She needs to be exposed to more lords and royalty to build up her tolerance. If she shies away or shrinks, a hierarchical relationship may be formed. In negotiations, the one who gets the mount position wins. There is no need to be sneaky. There is no need to be shy. ''You should be more brazen. ''I''d like you to be a little more sensitive. What are you saying to me, a man who is sensitive to the subtleties of other people''s hearts? There aren''t many men as sensitive as me. After all, I''m so sensitive that I can tell the size of a dress by the sound of the cloth rubbing against it. ...... I''ll spare you the details of what size it is. I''m not going to tell you what size it is, but thanks to you all, I was able to spend a very peaceful time. And my throat doesn''t hurt. Tracy smiles mischievously. She doesn''t yell, so her throat doesn''t feel the strain. But that was probably a joke. ''Really, I''ve been shouting at you for things that don''t need to be ...... shouted at, Nene, I''m sorry. ''That''s not true ......! At Tracey''s apology, Nene hurriedly turned her body around to face Tracey, denying with all her might. ''I understand that it was all for my own good!It''s not that I''m sorry for what I''ve done,......, but I''m sorry for what I''ve done,......, and I''m sorry for being ungrateful,......! In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you''ll be able to get the most out of it. ''Look, look, Nene. Your negative thoughts are showing in your words again. You''re going to get your feet crushed again. ''Huh? Nene, who had been on the verge of tears, trembled, shrunk, and unconsciously distanced herself from Jeannette. Jeannette was slightly shocked by this, but it''s just an after-effect of the foot hustle. You''ll have to take it in stride. ''Oh, um, I''m not being negative. Thanks to you, I''ve become much more positive and I''m sure I''ll change for the better in the future. Even if it''s not so much a statement of confidence, Nene seems to be making the most of her time here in her own way. She showed me her enthusiasm. ''Don''t call yourself a "rag" anymore. Estella says teasingly. When we first met, you were so negative and called yourself a ''rag'', weren''t you, Nene? Nene smiles in embarrassment at being ridiculed like that. ''Yes. I don''t think of myself that way anymore. From now on, I will be like a clean, freshly grated rag, worthy of the McCurry family! ''So you''re a rag after all! ''Yes, no!Positively!I''ve never heard of a dominant person expressing excitement when using a brand new rag, but it''s strangely convincing. ''...... Magda dares to wipe the spilt milk with a brand new rag. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to do with it. ''...... such a rag and Nene are equal. ''Wow, ...... is a stinky foreman ......'' ''I feel like I''m being told a terrible thing! ''I don''t feel like it, I''m being made fun of completely. ''Ahhh, it''s Estella''s fault ......'' ''Why is it my fault?I mean, I''m the one who suggested it, but come on. Nene is fuming, and Tracy is laughing at her. Just a few days ago, a scene like this would have elicited an angry outcry. Truly, I''ve been surprisingly inspired by the relaxed atmosphere of this sunny pavilion. ''That ...... everyone''. Ginette spoke up fearfully. I guess she''s trying not to scare me, since I''m in a position where she''s unusually scared of me. We often see this kind of scene after a hustle and bustle at the footstool. ''Hey, guys. Listen to him. Jeannette wants to finish off the foot massage.'''' ''''Pssst! ''''No, no, no!Yashiro-san! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. No, because. It''s not every day that you get a chance to play with something like this. I''d like you two to try some of our coffee. I''ve already told Jeannette that the 27th district is a coffee bean production area. So, I guess she wanted to have someone from the real world drink the coffee from the Sunlit Pavilion. ''This is the first time you''ve served me coffee, isn''t it? ''I''d be happy to. Both Tracey and Nene looked happy. To them, coffee was something to be served to guests, not something to be served. With all the customers gone, the air in the sunlit pavilion is quiet and relaxed. Tracy and Nene, who have changed their positions from part-time waitresses to customers, take their seats, and Ginette and Loretta enter the kitchen. ''It''s a bit unsettling, isn''t it? ''So this is what our guests have been seeing. They sit down and look around the restaurant. Perhaps it was because they had been sitting in the corner facing the wall when they ate their bribes that they found it unusual to sit and look around the restaurant. ''Oh, that''s right. You can stop calling me ''san'' now. Both of them had largely stopped their sudden onset of bad habits. Tracy wouldn''t yell at me anymore even if I stopped calling her ''sir''. Nene can continue to call me ''Master Tracy'' as before. That''s what you''ll call her when you return to District 27. You can call me ''sir'' or ''sir'' as you like. When I gave my permission, Tracy and Nene looked at each other and threw a reserved glance at the other. ''Nene, Nene, you go first. Please try calling me. ''No, no. I''ll start with Tracy. ...... Servants are supposed to follow their masters. ''Well, I''ll tell you who it is. From Nene, please. ''I''m afraid I''m going to have to take precedence over the Lord,.......'' ''Nene, ......? ''Even if you look scared, you can''t do what you can''t do. ''............'' ''............'' The two of them stared at each other with an acrimonious air that they had never shown before,...... or rather, they were staring at each other. ''''What are you staring at so much, both of you? ''''Because as soon as we stop using ...... ''san'', we''re going to be kidnapped by the manager .......'''' ''''Oh, um, am I that scary? Ginette came back with a cup of coffee and looked like she was about to cry. Oh, I see. I guess you''re too scared to stop calling me ''sir'' while you''re in here. Pavlov''s dog-like effect......... ''Ugh, ...... is coffee.'' Ginette puts the coffee down in front of us with a wistful look on her face. It smells so good, it fills our lungs with happiness. ''It smells great,......,'' she said, ''and I feel euphoric, like I''m luxuriating in it, and I wish I could be that kind of person,......! No matter how hard you try, in the end it''s still a rag. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. ''...... A brand-new rag gets dirtier the more you use it. ............ In other words, it expresses your desire to be dirtied. ''Wow, Nene, you''re a dominatrix.'' ''No, no, no!I''ve never done anything like that. Psychologically, you are a rag. ''You must have a good roasting technique. Ginette''s smile returned to her face when she heard this comment. Being praised for her coffee is also a praise for her grandfather. ''It''s refreshing and easy to drink. ''It has a nice aftertaste. There''s no astringency or bitterness, just a long-lasting aroma. ......'' Ginette''s coffee soothes the mouth and stomach after a meal. That''s what it tastes like. ''I hope you''ll try this one too! Next, Loretta brings me a cup of coffee. This is the coffee blend I taught her. ''This one has a different flavor. Tracy says after taking a sip of the black coffee. She seems to be enjoying the coffee, as if she is really ''tasting'' it. ''The bitterness is pronounced and the taste is crisp. Nene also seems to have a keen eye for coffee, and is able to pinpoint fine differences in taste. They were born and raised in a coffee production area. Estella doesn''t know the difference because she puts a lot of milk in both of them and sweetens them with sugar. ''Both of them have a different taste from our coffee. I''d love to learn how to brew it. ''In that case, please visit .......'' Ginette was about to say something, but when she saw my face, she stopped speaking. Then-- ''Please come and have a drink as often as you like. You may find out the secret of the taste in time. After saying that, he flicked his tongue at me. As if to say, ''Mr. Yashiro has been infected. What''s that? It''s still too sweet. But I''ll give you credit for not casually sharing your recipe. What other people want is what makes money. If you want to know, you have to pay a reasonable amount of money. ''...... Don''t be surprised yet. Magda, who entered the kitchen after Ginette and Loretta, appeared late. In the tray in his hand was a cup of coffee jelly - well, if you''re going to talk about coffee in the 42nd district, you can''t start without it. ''...... Come on, to the dazzling wonderland of enchantment. With these words, the coffee jelly was handed out to everyone. Estella is smiling, clearly happier than she was with the first two coffees. ...... Your child''s tongue. ''What is this, sir? ''The coffee is frozen! Tracy and Nene are surprised. We''re just smiling at each other. We scoop up the coffee jelly with whipped cream and gently bring it to our mouths. ''Nene! ''''Tracy-san! ''''How dare you! I hold my mouth elegantly and let out a marvel. ''''I''ve never tasted anything like this before. ''''But you can still taste the coffee. ''It''s light, ...... bitter, and ...... sweet.'' ''It''s a fashionable food. ...... As expected of the 42nd district ......, it''s a city ruled by the ''Lord of Smiles''.'' ''I''m glad you like it, Lord of Smiles. I''m glad to hear your praise.'' ''......As expected, the Lord of Smiles.'' ''The ''Lord of Smiles'' who rules the 42nd district is different from the rest. ''For now, Yashiro, Magda, Loretta ...... shut up.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. You can''t help it if you''re looking at me like that. I''ll have to show the people of District 42 my Conversation Record. I want them to know what their lord is called. ''I''d love to import this dessert!It''s unbearable that such a delicious coffee is not available in the twenty-seventh district, as a person from the ...... land of specialty coffee! ''Oh, but ...... the coffee jelly was Yashiro''s idea, so ............ you''ll get ripped off.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m not sure what you mean by "ripped off". ...... Isn''t that obvious? This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. ''...... Yashiro is going to take over the 27th district.'' ''Big brother, are you finally going to become a lord? ......'' ''Eh, um, Yashiro won''t ...... do that, will he? Ginette is right. It''s a pain in the ass for anyone to become a lord. But it is quite beneficial to be able to manipulate the lords of other districts from behind the scenes. ...... Hmmm. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m sure you know that, but I''m nailing it just in case. ...... Estella says it like that. The ...... eyes are a little more serious. ''So, I''m going to go over there and try to steal that process. ''Yes, you''re right. You should try it out. Tracy and Ginette exchange a sly smile. ''Well, if you really go through the motions a few times, I''m sure Ginette will let you in on it. ''I''ll tell you right now, if you''ll vote in our favor in the BU majority. I''ll say something like that, just to see. But, as expected, Tracy shook her head with a wry smile. ''As a lord, I have a duty to protect the lives of my people. I can''t act selfishly based on my personal feelings or interests. He softly advised me that such a bribe would not work. ''But if I think it''s in the best interest of the people, I''ll vote in your favor. Even if it means conflicting with the other lords. I''m willing to defy the phenomenon of syncretism and resist the pressure to syncretism. It was great to get those words out of Tracy''s mouth. Although it was only for a short time, the experience here may have given Tracy the opportunity to stand up for herself. ''Well, I know how a lord wants to take care of his people,'' she said. I can''t force you to do anything about it. The lords must have something in common. Estella and Tracy exchanged glances and smiled at each other. ''Then how about a cuddle ticket with Estella? ''Wait a minute, please!...... I''ll think of something now. ......! ''Miss Tracy? I''m not going to act selfishly based on my personal feelings or interests. ...... Tracy begins to hold her head in silent contemplation, like a little monk with a penchant for cunning. No, if you listen carefully, she''s mumbling something. ''......There is a possibility that my happiness will directly lead to the happiness of my people. ............'' That''s not true. If you sleep with Estella and the people go ''Yee-hoo! If you sleep with Estella and the people go ''Yee-hoo!'', then District 27 will be seriously ill and it will be too late. ''Oh, um, Mr. Obayashi,......, it''s very, very unfortunate, but I still think that weighing my personal happiness against the lives of my people is ......''. ''Sleeping tickets, ten-pack'' ''I''m sorry, I need a little more time! ''Don''t let your mind wander, Tracy! As a fellow lord, Estella plans to discourage Tracy from giving in to temptation. But she doesn''t say, ''I''ll give you as many tickets as you want! But she won''t say that. I guess he''s always looking out for his own best interests. ''You selfish bastard. ''I don''t want you to be the only one who says that. The irresistible Estella stares at me. I''m not afraid of that. ''Tracy-san.'' Nene gently calls out to Tracy as she holds her head. It''s the duty of the head waiter to follow up at times like this. ''If you want to sleep with me, I''ll be happy to do so as much as you want. ''Nene......'' Nene looks at Tracy with a gentle smile. It''s a smile that clearly shows that she cares for Tracy, while at the same time being maternal and cute like a sister. With such a smile on her face, Tracy replies with a few short words. ''Irritating. ''Why do you say that?We used to sleep together in the past! ''Nene is a bad sleeper, so she can''t sleep well. ''Yes, that may be the case, but ......''. ''On that note, Estella-sama must have a sleeping position like a goddess. I''m not sure what kind of outfit a goddess wears when she sleeps,......, but Estella''s strained, failed smile suggests she''s a pretty bad sleeper. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''No, that''s not true!How old do you think I was? We used to sleep together when we were very young! ''Tracy-sama had big tits since she was six! ''Hmph! Somehow, Estella, who had nothing to do with this, was damaged. Estella was crouched down, unable to move. ''''That''s because it''s an unavoidable force majeure. If that''s the case, even Estella-sama should have something like that! ''''''No, no, no, no.'''''' I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ''It''s not my fault. It''s not my fault.'' It was Nene who brought up the subject of boobs. And I wasn''t the only one who got in on it. See, I''m responsible for less than 10% of the total. ''...... can''t be helped. Because this is the 42nd ward, the city of boobs. ''That''s just Gilberta''s own words! ''No, no. There''s a rumor that''s been circulating in the 27th district as well. ''''Really?Tracy, you''re kidding, right? ''Well, it''s just a rumor. With her limbs on the floor, Estella sagged down. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''d like to think so. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. That''s fine. ''...... Yashiro. The way you''re staring at me right now is really annoying. ''Can you please stop taking it out on me? ''Can you please not say that with a half smile?Look, your shoulders are shaking! If you''re a lord who cares about his people, you shouldn''t take it out on me. ''Come on, let''s go, Tracy-san! ''''Right.'''' Urged on by a teary-eyed Estella, Tracy and Nene begin to prepare for departure. ''Manager, everyone. Thank you for taking care of us for such a short time. ''Thank you very much. Tracy and Nene bow their heads together. ''If the vice comes back, call me right away. Ginette and I will come and see you.'' ''Dada,......, it''s okay,......, Nene,.......'' ''Hi, Mochiron desuto mo, Toreshi-san......'' ''Oh, um, it''s okay!I don''t do it that hard in other places. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... ''Please come back again'' sounds like a terrible thing to say. ''If I have something I want to tell you, I''ll send an errand to Mahr and use that Tohdokeru No. 1. ''That''s right. I''m sure it''ll go over faster that way. The relationship between Tracy and Mael seems to be good, and as long as you don''t make a big deal out of it, there''s no problem in having them use DODOKE-ru No. 1. ...... Though I wouldn''t recommend you to owe Mahr too much. ''So, I''ll be leaving now. ''Thank you very much for all your help. I see them off to the garden as they leave the sunlit pavilion. ''...... You can come and help us anytime.'' ''Yes, sir. The two of you are important junior part-timers for us! ...... Is that something you''d be happy to do? No matter who you are or who the lord is, these guys are always the same. For better or worse, that''s the kind of place the sunlit pavilion is. ''Mr. Obayashi. If you''re going to District 24, please keep that in mind. Finally, Tracy tells me something very important. ''The Lord of District 24 is a stubborn and stubborn man who is willing to disrupt unity for the sake of his own ideas. It may be difficult to break him down through ...... dialogue alone.'' He is a selfish old man who participates in the BU but keeps to himself. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It is possible for them to be strong. If you only listen to him, he''s a troublesome opponent. But Merle gave the go-ahead. There must be a reason for that. It''s worth a try. Above all, ...... ''If you don''t like me just because I talk to you, then why don''t you like me? Tracy, the "tantrum princess," happened to be a fan of Estella''s and opened the door to dialogue. As a result, I found out that she wanted to fix her tantrum habit, and I took advantage of that. It would have been impossible to make them trust me so much if I had taken a straightforward approach. At least, not to the extent that they would have leaked the information in the BU. ''We''ll do everything we can ...... to help. Tracy smiled back at me, even though I thought I''d given her a very nasty look. ''If the city becomes what Mr. Obayashi wants it to be, maybe a lot of things will change in BU. Tracy left with meaningful words that showed a hint of hope. The kind of city I want. I wonder what kind of city she imagined. What kind of city do I want? ...... I don''t even know. As I was leaving, Estella sent me this request. ''Please write a letter to Mahr. Write a letter to Mahr so he can get an invitation to the lord of the 24th district. --I thought that was your job. You''ll owe Ma''ru a debt in my name, but ...... I''ve agreed to do this work because I think I owe Estella more than enough to compensate for it. 277-189 Episode 1s first job After Tracy and the others left, I wrote the letter to Mahr that Estella had asked me to write, and I came back to New Town. ''Ah, Yashiro!You''ve come to the right place! Todoroki-ru No. 1 was still being adjusted, and Norma and the rest of the Hardware Guild were crowded around it, clutching their tools with deathly expressions on their faces. ...... Give him a break. ''I just solved a problem a few minutes ago. Take a look and let me know what you think. ''That''s fine, but ...... you guys need a break. You''re dying.'' ''It''s okay, we''re professionals at this ...... thing. ......'' ''No, Norma, ...... your face looks pretty spectacular, too. There are dark circles under your eyes and your hair is a mess and bouncing all over the place. You can''t be s*xy when you''re this skinny. I hope Norma doesn''t go beyond the line of ''languid''. ''Take a look at that. He points to a crate floating about two meters above the ground, which serves as a cargo bed. If you look closely, you can see a round metal ...... bowl-like object attached to the bottom of the crate. Is that supposed to change the center of gravity and reduce the shaking during landing ......?With that thing? ''Well, we''ll see. Hey!Lower the crate! At Norma''s signal, the old man from the guild operated the Domoke-Ru-1 and lowered the crate. The crate began to descend slowly and quietly, but when it was only 40 centimeters away from the ground, it began to rampage even more violently than before. ''It''s not fixed at all!In fact, it''s getting worse! ''Hmmm ......, that''s sweet. Hey, bring it here! Once again, Norma''s signal caused the old man from the guild to move. He lifts up the crate on which he landed, removes the bowl attached to it, and runs toward you. A flat lid was tightly fitted to the top of the hardware on the bowl. ''Come on, open it. I was told to open the lid of the metal object on the bowl handed to me. Inside was a slightly thick, milky white liquid. ''...... What''s this? ''It''s whipped cream! ''What are you doing? ''I''m using the shaking to make whipped cream! ''It''s not ready! ''Do it a few dozen times, and it''ll become fluffy! ''No, it won''t! Don''t underestimate whipped cream!It''s very delicate! ''But there''s only one way to make use of that shaking: ......! ''You''re trying to suppress the shaking!What are you trying to do with it? ''Because it''s impossible!It can''t be fixed!Pfft! ''Hey, someone!Go take Norma home and put her to bed!He''s too tired to be a funny character! It''s not uncommon for people to get stuck and go off in crazy directions ......, but it''s rare for someone to go to such extremes. Come to think of it, Norma was a guy who didn''t take pressure well. Before a big show, he would always argue by himself. ...... ''This guy is mostly exchanging letters, so don''t be so hasty and take your time to investigate the cause. ...... Go home and sleep today. ''Mmmm ............, okay.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. The back of her back is rounded and her shoulders are slumped, and the sight of her walking back is so melancholy that it brings tears to my eyes. ''Yashiro-chan......'' The old man who brought me the bowl calls out my name with a face like he''s about to cry. The man who brought me the bowl called my name with a face that looked like it was about to cry. ...... I was about to cry when he called my name. ............ Don''t stare so hard, you''re scaring me, your face. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that, Norma. Yashiro asked me to help him. I was so excited that I could be of help, that I could help you. ............ Isn''t this the result?I''m sure you''re very depressed. ......'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look back at the Conversation Record and see that the words you just uttered may seem like the words of an older, more caring woman, but the man uttering them now is a muscular, bearded man. ...... I can''t resist the urge to punch him. ''Hey, please. Comfort him.'' ''Hang in there, me, hang in there, me!Don''t lose heart even if the old man''s face is closer than necessary! ''Hmmm, no!That''s not what I meant!I just want you to cheer Norma up. Baka, you. My heart''s about to break right now. ''Or else, Norma-chan ............ might break.'' ''............'' ''Umaro-tan is the only one who can help Yashiro-chan, and I''m ....... You know how Norma feels. ''...... I don''t get it.'' I don''t get it at all. ''Why''d you say "Umaro"? ''Oh, no!I just did what I always do: ......!'' ''Is that what you always call me, ......? ''Because you''re so cute, he~! Hahahaha, I''ll tell Umaro next time. ''You''re a popular guy!'' --But, well... As I watch Norma''s back as she moves away, I feel like I can''t leave her alone. The desire to be accepted is so strong that it makes you spin out of control. It''s not that I don''t have such experiences. So, I can understand the heavy feeling you have at that time. ...... It''s not something that you need to think about that much. ............ It''s just a matter of moving on. .................. ''Norma! Just this once. I''m basically the type of person who doesn''t take it easy on others. ''Thank you for making this in such a hurry!I''ll use it right away, thank you! These guys worked so hard that they collapsed so I can write to Ma''ru now. If it had been true, it would have taken two or three more days. It''s nice to know that we can move on without loss. You can thank him for that. ''Get some rest, and fix it perfectly. I''ll be counting on you. I''ll be counting on you.'' You can give him words like these. ''If Yashiro is counting on you, you won''t be able to rest!You guys, get up!Let''s resume repairs! ''No, go home! ''...... Yashiro-chan ............, if you don''t moderate, we''ll ...... ...... will die.'' ''No, no, no!You asked me to comfort you! Norma is Norma, don''t let something like this cheer you up. You''re too simple. My expectations aren''t worth a penny. ''Please, Yashiro. Please, Yashiro. Give Norma a good dent and put her in a state of ''I''m going to bed! Please, Yashiro. ''Don''t give me such a difficult request! I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... I''m going to die, okay? ''Oh, God, you''re so annoying! Why do you have to look at me so accusingly? It''s not my fault, you know! It''s not my fault. ............ d*mn it. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea.Lack of sleep is the enemy of your skin! ''It''s nothing, it''s just my skin ......! You can''t ruin a beautiful woman''s beauty. ''''''''''Beautiful ..................Beautiful ......... ......... are you talking about us? '''''''''' ''No, not you, you old men!I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. The rest of the hardware guild (all of them muscular men) reacted quickly, glancing at me in embarrassment. It''s annoying as if I''m surrounded by countless fruit flies. Oh, if I had some insecticide, I''d spray them! ''Yashiro-chan, you ...... were becoming attracted to Oumarotan, and you ...... were talking about us in such a way ......... ...'' ''I don''t think so! ''............ Yashiro-tan.'' ''No! I wasn''t talking to you guys! I was talking to Norma!''Only to Norma! ''Hey, Norma. You can tell these old men .......'' He turned his gaze to Norma, ............ startling her. ''............ Huh. ............ Wow... .........bi,bijin............'' Norma froze with a bright red face. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, my God!I''ll take good care of your skin! ''''We''re coming with you! ''''Look, guys!We''re not just a hardware store! ''''''That''s right!We''re a hardware store that combines technology and beauty, and we''re "attractive"! That''s right!Hardware must have both performance and beauty! ''''''Beauty, it''s important! ''''''We are! ''''''Beautiful!'''''' ''''''The Hardware Guild! ''''''Beautiful!'''''' ''''''Alright!We''ll sleep for three days and three nights to get back what we lost yesterday! ''''''Yes!'''''' ...... Just for the record, I''ll add this again. Except for Norma, the rest of the group is a bunch of burly, bearded males. ''palm.................. or go back, I''m sorry! ............ I don''t think too much sleep is good for your skin. Well, don''t say it. ''Thank you, Yashiro. ''...... No.'' No need to thank me. ...... It''s just a result of a conversation that went in a direction I didn''t expect. ''And ............ thank you for calling us beautiful! ''No, I didn''t! ''We''re all about you, Yashiro! ''No, no, Umaro!No, no, no! ''''''See you, Yashiro-tan! ''''Stop it! I''m sure they''ll be there too. ............ They must have been too tired to think straight. That''s right, that must be it. When they go to bed and wake up, their brains should be formatted. If ............ hasn''t, I''ll force-delete it myself. ''...... Huh. You''ve wasted your time and energy on something stupid. The members of the Hardware Guild have all disappeared. Silence returned to the area around Todokeiru No. 1. ''giggle......'' It was precisely because of this silence that I noticed the small voice. ''Oh. You''ve been found, haven''t you? ''Bertina?'' I turned around and saw Bertina standing there. I don''t know where she was watching me from, but she was walking towards me with a happy face. ''After all, Yashiro-san is very popular,'' she said. ''I''d like to have the right of veto, though.'' ''Mm-hmm. Love is something you can give and be given for free. ''I guess it''s true that there''s nothing scarier than free. He listens to such jokes with a happy face. Her eyes suddenly turned to me, and ...... an indescribable warmth enveloped me. This is the kind of maternal love that Bertina sometimes shows. It''s not a scolding, praise, or concern, just a watchful, ticklish look. She''s come all the way here to see me now. To say something. ''Yashiro-san. And then, after I noticed it and confirmed that I was ready, he slowly extended his arm. Bertina''s fingertips caress my cheek as she gently approaches me. ''You seem to be working hard, very hard. For a moment, a chill runs down my spine. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. But instead of scolding me, Bertina just looked at me with a quiet smile. I like the way you are working hard, Yashiro. But--'' It''s not a sermon. No persuasion, no advice. It''s just small talk,'' Bertina said. ''Even when you''re working hard, it''s good to do so in your own way. Just my opinion. If you look at it a little differently, ...... please? ''Do I look like I''m reckless? No, sir. It just doesn''t look like you.'' No, it doesn''t. Now I''m meeting the lords of BU at Estella''s behest. To clear the fire in the 42nd district. This is undoubtedly helping people, and I''ve never taken the initiative to help people in the past. So, it''s not like you? No, ...... not at all. ''Yashiro doesn''t look like he''s having much fun right now, so I''m worried about that, but only a little. ''Because right now I''m driven by a sense of mission. ''I have to do this. ''I have to do this,'' ''I''m sure this is better. Not for me, but for someone ...... else, for everyone. ''Mr. Yashiro smiles happily at all times. I''m sure you don''t realize it yourself. Like this ....... ......'' As she said this, Bertina pinched the space between her eyebrows with her left thumb and index finger to make a crease, and lifted the corner of her mouth with her right index finger. And then she smiles a vicious smile. ...... It doesn''t look very ''fun'', does it? ''...... What part of that is a smile? ''Hmmm ...... I thought I did a good job, but don''t they look alike?'' I don''t know. I don''t have the taste to stare at my own smile in the mirror. But in terms of viciousness, I think you got it just right. ''You have a very peaceful face now. ''Isn''t that a good thing?'' ''I suppose it is, for a normal person.'' Hmm. You think I''m not normal? That''s a very direct rant. ''Your face now looks a little bit like the face you had back then ...... when you came to ask me to participate in the gluttony contest. A gluttony contest held jointly by the forty two districts and two neighboring districts. Whether or not Bertina could participate in the contest was a critical matter that would determine the fate of District 42. That''s why I came to appeal directly to Bertina to participate in ............ for the sake of the 42nd district. ...... I see. So that''s what you did then. I''m sure you''re aware of that. So that''s why Bertina is worried. ...... And if Bertina is aware of it, then surely Ginette is too. ''We are more at ease when there is something cute and devious going on, strangely enough. ''I remember being told to be a good boy a lot. So, I guess that person didn''t know Yashiro very well. ...... Certainly, the landlady did not tell me to be a good boy or to study. It was usually the homeroom teachers and student guidance counselors who said such things. ''So people who know me well realize that it''s impossible for a bad boy to change his ways. ''No, sir. It''s the same reason why no one tells a cat to be a cat. So you''re saying I''m a good boy?Who''s that? You''ll be turned into a frog if you say that. ''Then I''ll make Bertina wear a bikini when the weather turns hot. ''Hmmm. That''s not what you want, is it, Yashiro-san? No, I want it. I want to see it so badly. I want you to wear something so tight that you can''t hide your big tits! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ......''already''. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. But ...... I see. Are you feeling a little anxious? ''Well, sure. If Bertina left any food on the table, I wouldn''t be too happy about it, either. ''Hmm. You''re worried about me, aren''t you? ''Don''t worry about natural disasters. ''That''s a big deal. So let''s go eat donuts now.'' ''No, that was a metaphor. ......'' ''I''d like a chocolate and peanut doughnut.'' ''............'' ''Oh, you don''t have to have just one, do you?'' ''............ Oh, I''m being bought a drink, me.'' ''Ginette said to me, "Your pampering skills have improved recently. Maybe it''s because of Yashiro. It''s probably my fault. ''If you send a letter to .........'' ''It''s DOKERU No.1, isn''t it? I''d like to see it in action. Accompanied by the sparkling eyes of Bertina, I walked to the crate of Totoke-Ru No. 1. When I opened the lid to put the letter in, ...... ''Kuusukapi ...... ya''. Hammaro was asleep in the crate. ............ I think he was banging around a while ago, but this crate. How did you manage to sleep so soundly? ''Hammaro, wake up. I want to send you a letter.'' ''Mnya mnya ............ Hammaro?'' ''You, you. Just get off.'' ''Muha~............ new sensation,cradle yay! ''What kind of acrobatic cradle is this? What kind of acrobatic cradle is this? ''Oniichan, if you want to send a letter, I''ll do it! ''Can you do it? ''I''m a professional from today! ''Where did you sign a contract with, ......? He entrusted the letter to Hammaro, a self-proclaimed professional, and watched the crate start to move from a short distance away. Hammaro, with a practiced hand, manipulated the base to turn on the fall prevention device, and pulled the rope smoothly. The crate rises noiselessly, and you follow it with your eyes. Soon, a bell rang far above my head to let me know that the letter had arrived safely. Now the letter would be returned tomorrow or so. ''It''s amazing. To be able to contact other wards while staying in District 42.'' ''Only with a very limited number of people in the 29th district, though. If the church and the sunken pavilion can keep in touch like this, it will be convenient in many ways. It''s not possible with something like DODOKE-ru 1 because the positional relationship isn''t up and down, but ...... something like a radio or a degraded version of a telephone might be born soon. If that happens ...... ''If that happens, you can always bring me food from the sunny pavilion, can''t you? Yup. Too civilized for the Forty-second Ward. Not allowed. It''s called ...... delivery. I can''t stand being summoned every hour with one phone call. I''m going home. I call out to Bertina, who is looking up from her work. Hammaro, who has finished his work, comes running up and jumps on my right hand. ...... I wasn''t talking to you. ''I''m up for it! ''Hey. What do you mean, ''Hammaro-san too''?What are you talking about, assuming that you''ll be treated? ''I''m a good pamperer...'' ''That''s too bad. You have to choose the right person for that skill to be effective. ''Yes, sir. So I only use it on people I think it will work on. ''............ This guy, huh. ''...... Tell that to Jeannette.'' ''Uh-huh. Yes, sir. I''ll do that.'' '' ''I will,'' right?'' ''Mm-hmm.'' No matter what I say, Bertina smiles happily, and there''s nothing more I can say. It seems that in her mind, I''ve been given the personality of a spoiled softie. ...... You''ll get hurt someday if you socialize with people based on that assumption. I''ll ask Jeannette for you. I''ll ask Jeannette for a donut. I''d say no, but I''m sure Jeannette''s too good-natured to refuse. Looking up at the reddening sky, I began to recalculate the profit I could make from this fiasco. Instead of making a negative into a zero, I was looking for something that could create a positive from a zero. ''It''s really not raining this year, isn''t it? As I walked, I played the abacus in my brain briskly, replying to Bertina''s murmur, ''Well, yes. 278-190 episodes are no different from changing ''The prototype is going to be completed in three days. That''s what Assunto said enthusiastically as he came out to the sunlit pavilion early this morning. He had met with both Mahr and the koji maker and seemed to be getting a solid response. He was breathing even harder than usual. So I stuck my fingers in both nostrils. ''Phooey!What are you doing with ......, Yashiro-san? Assunto holds his nose and takes four steps away from me. ...... No, you''re coming too close, it''s too hot. ''Ginette. Boil some water for me. My fingers are dirty.'' ''If you think it''s so dirty that you have to sterilize it with boiling water, please don''t put your fingers in people''s nostrils! Assunto pulled out a fancy handkerchief from his pocket and sniffed. ''I''m sorry, man. I didn''t mean to intrude on your couple''s sweet memory. ''I don''t have any such memory! He really wanted to come see her earlier, but yesterday and the day before, Tracy and the others were at the sunny pavilion, and Assunto heard that information somewhere and decided to change the day. He said, ''Mr. Yashiro tends to give priority to his guests when he is in the position of host. He said, ''I wanted to have an important discussion with you slowly, knee-to-knee. In other words, he doesn''t want to go on stage unless he''s the star. How selfish of him. Oh, and he also said, ''If I meet the nobleman without preparation, ...... envy will show on my face, ......''. ...... How could you go to see Ma''ru like that? ''So, you''re sure the prototype is the soy sauce? ''Of course!The more it''s aged, the less spicy it becomes and the more delicious it becomes. ......, right?......, so they want you to taste it as a sample product for now, while they continue to age it. I''ll check the knowledge you got from me just to be sure and then proceed. The other party is probably a koji maker. He wants you to taste it first before proceeding with the aging process. Well, if the original taste is misguided, it is a waste of time to let it mature. ''You''re very enthusiastic, aren''t you? ''Of course I am. He even said, ''This is an exciting job. That''s a lot of praise. I wonder if Koji craftsmen are that difficult to deal with. ...... It''s getting troublesome to go see him. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I''ll just let Assunto take care of the troublesome people and I''ll just suck up the profits from the bean sauce. ............ No, it would be more profitable to meet and talk to him. If you can get through to them, you might be able to get some help in the future, and hopefully you can use them as a joke. ............ Hmmm. ''Yashiro-san. I''ll accompany you when you go to see the koji maker.'''' ''Why not? ''You would definitely be rude, wouldn''t you? ''Don''t be so judgmental. I''m just trying to get to know you. ............ grin'' ''Your face!Your vicious face makes me anxious! No, because Bertina said that my evil face is soothing. My rascally smile is soothing. Isn''t that a relief? ''...... I''d like to meet you, too. Ginette, who had been watching the exchange between me and Assunto with a smile on her face, let out a few words. So, do you want to go with me?--When I turned my head towards Ginette to ask her, our gazes suddenly collided,......, and Ginette''s face turned red and she looked away. ''Oh, no!But it''s okay!There are also ...... stores.'' What is it? You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at .............I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s not ....... Calm down, heart. It''s hot...kind of...all of a sudden! ...... I''m sure we both have parts of our lives that we don''t want to be touched, and I hope that we can keep our relationship as friendly as possible. ...... grin'' ...... d*mn! I''m not sure what to make of that. That''s why I hate this guy. He''s so perceptive it''s annoying. ''If you can do it in three days, I''ll go see him that day. We can try it out there and have him taste it while we''re at it, that''ll motivate him.'' ''I see. That''s a good idea. She''ll be interested to see how the seasoning she made turns out. Assunto didn''t seem to have any objection to my idea and seemed to be on board. ......, but there was one word that stuck out to me. ''Her? ''Oh, didn''t you say so?At the moment, the koji maker who handles all the koji is a woman. ''That''s a first.'' ''Well, gender isn''t much of an issue. It''s your skill that matters.'' ''What are you talking about? That may be fine for products, but it''s not enough for negotiations. You need to change your strategy according to the gender and age of your opponent. Negotiation techniques will be different between a stubborn old man and a fashionable girl. Did this guy only think of negotiating with ''koji craftsmen''? ''He''s the kind of person for whom a small strategy won''t work. If you change your approach based on gender or age, you might be displeased and turned away. ''Then what?Do you want me to treat women the way I treat old men? ''Keep in mind that you''re dealing with a craftsman, not an old man. If Assunto cares this much about you, ............ you''ve been burned. I thought you''d put the interests of whoever you were dealing with first. You''re so cynical. ''If that''s what Assunto says, then let''s give ''Estella''s lusty strategy'' a try. ''Who''s going to cooperate with that? Estella is always the one who interrupts at the right time when we talk like this. Are you lurking somewhere, waiting for the right moment to appear? ''That''s a very well-timed appearance. ''In fact, I have a suspicion that you might have heard my footsteps and are saying something silly. ''No, no, Estella-san. Mr. Yashiro''s antics are 24/7. Oh, shit. Two people who can''t keep their mouths shut are here. ''If it''s going to be three days before we meet the Koji maker, I''d like to arrange a meeting with the lord of the 24th district around that time. ''That depends on Mahr''s reply. I don''t know when I can get an appointment. But that''s Ma''ru. I have a feeling that he''ll be able to set it up right away. ...... Don''t be overconfident, though. ''It''s easy if the timing is right, but you can''t make the lord''s schedule work for you. ''If possible, please don''t wait too long for the koji maker. He is a difficult person. So both of them are people I have to treat with respect and high regard. What a hassle. ''Would you rather I call on him?''I''ll feed you.'' ''Yashiro, are you an idiot? ''Whoa, whoa, whoa. Estella, what are you doing? ......? Isn''t that what happens when you get all these people together? You have to respect me sometimes. ''Please let me know when you have a date. I''ll adjust my work schedule to make time for you. Assunto leaves the sunlit pavilion, saying, ''See you later. You''re going to the 24th district with Assunto, huh? ''The beauty rate is going down. ''Thank you for the compliment. But for some reason it doesn''t make me happy at all.'' Estella sighs in disgust. If she was dressed properly, she''d be a beautiful young lady. ''Estella-san. You''re up very early today. What do you have in mind?'' Ginette saw Assunto off and came back. Indeed, Estella and I always meet at the church. It is only occasionally that she comes before that. But ...... ''What?No, I woke up early, so I just kind of...'' ''I see. Well, take your time.'' ''Yeah. Can I have some tea? ''Yes, I''m home. ...... That''s about the reason. I think this guy thinks that the sunlit pavilion is his parents'' house or something. He comes here every now and then to settle down. ''Help me out once in a while. ''I''d love to, but ...... Magda got mad at me for chopping vegetables before. ............ Magda.'' Oh, I see. He doesn''t usually cook, you know. I don''t know when Magda overtook him. Magda used to be a noob when she first came here, but ...... time is a great thing. ''I wish I could do as well as Natalia, but I''m still practicing. ''You''re practicing?That''s great, Estella.'' ''Oh, really?Heh heh. She smiled happily when Jeannette complimented her. Don''t praise Estella too much. She gets carried away easily. ''So, will you take a look at the results of your practice? ......? ''Do you have any potatoes? ''Yes, sir. We''ve got a nice baron.'' The potatoes came from Hamko''s farm, owned by Mormat. It''s not a gift, it''s a field for us. We invested in it, first. We deserve to be treated well. I''m the first to spot the ham''s labor. ''These potatoes are great. ''Carrots and onions are producing well right now. ''...... Momat, you''re not being overtaken, are you, technically? ''No, I don''t think so,......, probably not.'' The Hammies have a tremendous capacity for absorption. If you let him tinker in the field every day, it''s not impossible for him to overtake Mo-Mat. Even if he is a master. ''Then watch me. --Haha! What was she thinking? Estella suddenly threw the potato high in the air. Then she took out a knife from her pocket and swung it with a ''Supin, Supin! She swung it around ............ and quickly held out a plate to catch the potatoes. On the plate, the potatoes split into eight pieces. ''They''re still unevenly sized,.......'' ''That''s not the point, that''s the problem. What are you practicing? ''You should have peeled them first. ''Oh, I see! ''That''s not "I see"!That''s not the point, that''s the problem! Cut it properly on the cutting board! I''m not looking for a performance look! ''It looks like I won''t be getting a wife for a while. ''Ugh, shut up!Just because you''re training to be a bride doesn''t mean you''ll get one! ''Estella, you ...... are such a horrible thing to say to Norma. ......'' I''m not saying that!Yashiro is the one who interprets it that way, isn''t he worse! If you let them hear the conversation here, there will be a war between Norma and Estella, I''m sure. I have no intention of getting married. I''m in a position to get a son-in-law. ''I hope you find a man with big tits.'' ''I don''t want a man with big tits! You idiot. You''re genetically predisposed!Don''t drag the child into the negative cycle. ''Don''t put your children in a negative cycle. ......'' ''Don''t say another word or I''ll strip you. Oh, shit. Estella''s got a knife in her hand now. I''ll hold my tongue a bit. ''I don''t need your help anymore. Go wake Magda up.'' ''Yeah, ...... Magda doesn''t sleep well.'' ''All you do is complain. Can''t you just say, ''Okay, I''m going to wake her up with a s*xy ''ah-hah'' sound in her ear? Can''t you say that? ''No, I can''t!First of all, I won''t wake you up in such a strange way! While complaining, Estella went upstairs to wake Magda up. In the meantime, Ginette and I are preparing the donations for the church. ''Yashiro-san isn''t very good at mornings, is he? ''I know you''re up today. ''That''s right, ugh.'' Giggling happily, Ginette dexterously peeled the potatoes. I only get up early when I have business with Assunto. And every time I do, Ginette looks happy. I usually let her do it by herself. ''Do you want me to help you every morning? ''No, no. I''m more than happy to do it once in a while. Besides--'' He hides his mouth with a potato and glances at me. ''--I also like to see Yashiro-san sleepy. It''s a little bit hateful, a little bit cute,......, and no words of condemnation can come to mind, so the mouth is closed to such teasing words. It''s a little frustrating, I know. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ''...... Estella doesn''t understand. She has no talent for waking people up. It seems that she did not like the way Estella woke her up. He pointed his finger at Estella, who came back a little later, and started lecturing her. ''...... You have a disappointing body that can''t even shake your breasts, so you should learn to be s*xy enough to let out a ''haha~'' sigh. ''Why is Magda becoming more and more like Yashiro?I''m not going to do that! ''...... I don''t know if it''s Yashiro.'' ''No, you wouldn''t!No, I wouldn''t!I''m not going to ...... do it! It''s not like I was expecting it, but he took the trouble to look me in the face and remind me. I feel like he''s pretending when he says it so strongly. ''Don''t push me'' kind of thing. ''Mr. Magda. I''ll need your help after I wash my face.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' Magda''s tail wagged as she left the kitchen and headed for the backyard. The way her tail wags, she''s in a bad mood. I guess he didn''t like the way Estella woke him up. ............ She looks like she''s about to fall asleep. ''Magda, I think I''m going to take a double nap before I wash my face. Ginette said, chuckling. She knows what Magda''s thinking, doesn''t she? Well, if I fall asleep before I wash my face, I won''t lie about my promise to help after I wash my face. Even if you''ve finished the food preparation, you still have to help with the donation. As long as you don''t wash your face, you have free time. ''How did you wake me up, boy? ''What?Normal.'' ''Like Loretta? ''...... I don''t think I''m that normal.'' Because Loretta''s normal is a normal that ordinary people can''t surpass. It seems that even Estella couldn''t go beyond normal. ''''I shook her, but she didn''t wake up, so I just pulled the covers off her. ''''Ah, ......'''' ''''Eh, what!Why are you both sighing at the same time?'''' I was disappointed without hiding it and Jeannette smiled and let out a breath at the same time. Estella......, that''s the worst thing you can do. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. ''Because he won''t wake up. ......'' ''In such cases, if you whisper in his ear something along the lines of, "I''d be happy if you''d wake up soon~", he''ll wake up rather smoothly. ''...... What a troublesome favor.'' I see. So that''s how Ginette wakes her up. No wonder I''m in a good mood on the days when Ginette goes to wake me up. Incidentally, I whisper the breakfast menu in her ear. She wakes up in about two minutes with a growling stomach. It''s more efficient this way. ''Magda is becoming more and more like Yashiro because you''re spoiling her. ......'' ''Hey, hey, hey. I''m not spoiling him, and don''t say that it''s a bad thing for him to look like me. ''Perhaps, but if three Yashiro appear, this city will disappear, right?...... I mean, if Magda wakes up, it''s a reach. ''Am I some kind of demon god? I''m not sure what you mean by that. I''m sure you''ve contributed to the development of the city to some extent. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ''It''s still not raining ......''. Estella mutters, looking out the window. It seems that everyone is concerned about the weather. The lack of rain during the rainy season is a serious problem. It could have a negative impact on the crops. This time last year, people were screaming about flooding. No matter how hard you stare, raindrops won''t fall from the sky. ''Is it affecting you? ''Well, to a certain extent. Thanks to the foot-powered waterwheel, we''ve been able to keep it going. Apart from BU, this is a headache of its own. But there''s nothing you can do about the weather. I don''t have any way to resist natural disasters. ''As for the rain, we''ll just have to wait. Estella looks up at the sky, frustrated. It''s a relief that it''s not a serious drought. ''At any rate, we must secure a water source. Her unclouded eyes, which seemed to reflect the color of the sky, turned to me. I guess he''s expressing his intention to resolve the problem by successfully negotiating with the BU. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure what to do, but I''ll do whatever I can. I''m the lord of this city. Maybe he met Tracy and got a little overlooked. She put her people first and said she would fight back when she had to. As young female lords, they must have had something in common. He seems to be suffering from a preoccupied, want-to-do-something syndrome. ''It''s no use rushing. We''ve got to do the best we can right now. ''That''s right. Estella''s enthusiasm seemed to be spinning out of control. When I pointed it out to her, she smiled shyly and scratched her cheek. Yes, for now, you should do what you can do now. Do something that will help the people. ''So, help me prepare the food. ''Oh, no, that''s a bit .......'' ''It''s the lord''s job to help his people! ''I want to eat a good sized, tasty, crunchy, mouth-watering breakfast! ''...... So you''re saying that if I mess with it, it''ll be ruined? ''I''m confident it will. ''Don''t show off your breasts, they''re not worth showing off. ''We''re almost done, so please take your time.'' ''Yes. Thank you, Jeannette. Oh, Yashiro. Tea.'' ''Don''t be silly, make it yourself. At all. Jeannette''s sweet. If he was there, he should''ve used him as a joke. He''ll never change. He''s still the same good-for-nothing, works harder than anyone else, always smiles, and ............ never changes, which is a relief. No, well, in a small way, even Jeannette has changed. She is more likely to express her opinions, and she no longer pretends to ignore bad behavior such as running away from food. He has learned to be strict and responsible. But there''s more to him than that, and that''s why he''s ...... relieved. ''Oh, ...... I see.'' I''m sure this is what Bertina was talking about. Change is not a bad thing. But there is always a part of you that wishes it would stay the same. Perhaps the reason why people gather at the Sunlit Pavilion is because they are comfortable with that kind of unchanging sense of security. ''What is it? While we were talking, Jeannette, who had finished preparing the food, looked at me as she put away her knife. ''Oh, yeah?'' What do you mean, ''Oh, yeah''? Her eyes sparkled with happiness and interest. It''s nothing, but he wants to know. ''It''s not a big deal. ''Then feel free to ask it out. Come on, spit it out.'' I don''t know where she learned it, but she uses words that don''t fit Jeannette. She must be aware that it doesn''t suit her. She chuckles at her own comment. ''I''m imitating Yashiro-san. ''Did I say something like that? ''Yes. ''Yes. Sometimes.'' Well, you might have said that. It''s so casual that it doesn''t even register. He remembers every word, uses it at the right moment, smiles happily and says ...... ''Maybe I''m being a little too pushy. ......'' ''Huh?'' ''I kind of thought so. I''m going to break everything down and launch something that''s never been done before. That''s how I''ve always done it. Slowly and gradually, like Jeannette, is not my way. There are rare occasions when I push people into a trap slowly, though. ''Isn''t it good to be forceful? Maybe he was hoping for that. Maybe that''s why I said this whiny thing. ''Everyone is looking forward to the new things you are starting, Yashiro-san. Because I knew that Ginette would say so. ''And--'' I was sure that she would smile at me like this. ''When Yashiro-san is happy, I''m happy too. So this is what it''s like to not want things to change. ''Ah, but... If you walk too fast, it will be hard to catch up with you, so please wait for me. And this is what has changed: ...... ''No matter how late you are, I''ll catch up with you. A small self-assertion. Ginette has learned to communicate her needs to others. ''You don''t have to push yourself to catch up. I finish my prep work and start putting away the knives and colander. I turn my gaze to my tools and mutter to myself over the sound of the water washing away the dirt, hoping they can''t hear me. ''...... I''ll be back. When the noise of the water stops and you lift your gaze, which has grown heavier, you see that it is a good thing. I''ve heard good things about it. The best smile was looking at me. ...... Hey, did you hear that? ''But I''ll catch up with you. Good luck.'' I drained the water, cleaned up the tools, and said a few words to him. ''It''s fun to walk next to you, Yashiro. I couldn''t really respond to those words. It''s not the same as saying, ''You can do whatever you want, ......''. ''Yashiro''. Because I didn''t say anything back, Estella placed a cup in front of me in the silent kitchen. The cup was filled with amber tea. I looked at her face and saw a soft smile on her face. ''Drink. He offers me a cup of tea, as if to say thank you. Well, I guess he just put it in while he was making his own. ...... It''s a little embarrassing to be offered this at this time. I felt as if I was being cared for. ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... and. I''m not sure what to say. It was so thick! ''...... How much tea leaves should I put in? ''You ...... can''t even make a good cup of tea? ............'' You can learn the basics from Natalia, and then go train with Norma for about six months. You''ll have no one to marry. Oh, you''re getting a son-in-law?They''ll run away, if they drink this stuff! ''Miss Estella. I''ll teach you how to make tea next time. Let''s do it together. ''Ginette!I love your unchanging smile! Estella jumps into Jeannette''s chest and hugs her tightly. ...... Hmm. It''s not all good to remain unchanged. Jeannette. You should be a little harder on Estella. You''re spoiling her too much. After consoling Estella for a while and Magda waking up, we left the store. What a busy place this place is in the morning. 279-Episode 191 The Two Who Came to Encourage ''Master Yashiro. Mr. Demilly of the Forty District would like to see you.'' ''Mr. Yashiro. Your father would like to see you.'' When the lunch crowd had passed, Natalia and Imelda arrived at the same time, and each of them came to me with their own business. They said the same thing at the same time. ''You tell them to come see me. ''Yashiro ......, who do you think you''re dealing with? ''A hot old man, right? ''Which one do you think it is ......, well, I guess both, in your case.'' The nervous Estella let out a heavy sigh. ''If you''re worrying about the details, you''ll end up with Demili. ''So, you need to show a little more respect for the lords of the other districts ......! ''That''s fine. We''re just two old men with thin hair and a love of little girls. ''Hey, I don''t like it when you talk behind my back when no one is around, Oba-kun. ''You should be more careful with your language, Yashiro! As if to catch the end of my words, the two males open the door and enter the sunlit pavilion together. I''m not sure if they''re trying to outsmart me or not, but Ambrose Demilly, the lord of the 40th district, and Stuart Javier, the guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild, put on a face full of the sense of having done it. ''Hey, bald guy and pedophile. ''Your rhetoric has become more direct, hasn''t it? ''Just because you''re in front of me doesn''t mean you can say it! He strolls up to me and stands on either side of me, surrounding me. Hmm. I could hear the sound of a heavy carriage, so I knew you guys were waiting out front. ''Javier came to see Magda and her sisters, but what''s Demilly doing here?There''s no hair-growth medicine in our medicine cabinet. ''Are you malicious, are you? ''Who came to see Magda and her sisters?Don''t be so judgmental! ''Well then, Magda. Take your sister and go to the church.'' ''Noooooo, wait!That''s just a figure of speech, of course I''m glad you''re here! I''m sorry you''re so distraught, Javier. Your daughter is looking at you like you''re a dead fish. ''...... I hope you go bald.'' ''Hey, Stuart''s daughter!That''s a stray bullet flying at us, too, isn''t it? Imelda''s words damaged the hearts of Javier and Demilly. A compact and lean attack. That''s what I''m talking about, Imelda. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on, but I''m not sure you''ll be able to. ''Oba-kun ......, you''re really, really mean from the bottom of your heart. ......'' ''I don''t have time for this either. We came as fast as we could, you know? In short, these guys also heard about the movement of the BU and rushed over. I don''t think we''re half as late as we should be. No, they must have received the information, so they must have taken some action before coming to see us. At any rate, he borrowed a horse from Javier. He must have been informed at that time. ''I''ve met with the lords of the 36th to 39th districts. Demily says, sitting across from me. Javier sits down next to Demilly. ''The BU guys are always pressuring us with their numbers, so it was pretty easy to get the lords on our side. ''So you''re saying that in the event of an all-out confrontation, the lords of the 35th district and below and up to the 42nd district can form a league? Estella sits next to me as she says this. We''ve got a lot of people here, don''t we? ''Well, that''s the way it is. Although it is the unanimous opinion of all the lords that it is better that the worst does not happen. ''It''s the same for us. Estella''s face twisted into a wry smile. In order to counter the BU, the lords of the districts involved in the wedding parade have formed a league. But this is an impromptu league with no rules or penalties. There is no such thing as cohesion, and all of the wards have offered to cooperate in order to prevent damage to their own wards. If they get involved in a full-scale confrontation, they will inevitably lose. But it might be a threat. ''Did you go to the trouble of meeting with the lords here and there, and did the lords themselves come to tell you about it? ''Hmph. I think it would be a good idea to ingratiate myself with Ooba-kun. ''Do you want me to teach you a good scalp massage? ''I wouldn''t waste my money on that!It''s not every day I get a chance to ingratiate myself with you! ''You actually want me to teach you.'' ''Hahaha, don''t underestimate me, Oba. I''ve lived a long life too. I know very well that ...... self-massage is counterproductive.'' I''ve been around long enough to know that self-massage is counterproductive. He''s lived long enough that he can''t say that he doesn''t fall for his own desires. ''Besides, Stewart''s been clamoring to come to the Forty-second Ward. ''...... Father (a stranger named), you want to love your sisters so much ......''. ''No, no, no, Imelda!I just wanted to see you! They''re really unflappable. When you''re old, you don''t grow up. All that''s left is decline. ''No, what. I heard you created a new dessert called donuts.'' I didn''t create it. I just made the food from my hometown here. From this town''s point of view, it''s a birth. A couple of old men went to the 42nd district to eat the hottest sweets?In Japan, this would be laughable. Sweets friends, sweets friends? ''There''s a coffee shop called Luxury in the forty-second district. ...... Ah, you guys are familiar with it. ...... The chef who owns it seemed to be in love with its taste. ''......You''re here, Pompeo?'' ''Yes. He was quite disappointed that Mr. Yashiro wasn''t there, wasn''t he? Ginette smiles and gives me an answer. That old man ...... has come to steal our taste again ......, or perhaps he was ready to learn from us. Thank goodness I''m not home. I''m glad I wasn''t home.Donuts.'' ''Sure, I''ll have one. ''Ha-ha-ha. The manager''s getting better at business. Is it because of Yashiro?'' ''No, not at all ....... It''s not that she''s trying to sell herself, but she simply wants people to try her new product. I''m sure it won''t be long before doughnuts become popular in the forty wards. ''Imelda keeps bragging about it. I''ve always wanted one.'' ''Oh, no. I didn''t mean to brag so much, you know.I was just expressing my honest opinion that it''s ridiculous that people who have never eaten a single donut nowadays think they''re gourmets. I heard he was very proud of it. He must have been so proud of himself that he talked about the deliciousness of the donuts with a sense of superiority. ''Well, I''m going to get ready. Magda, Loretta, I need your help.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''I''ll make a lot of food and make them buy it all!I have the money, I''ll be fine!'' ''......It''s dangerous. Even Loretta is turning into a yashiro.'''' As the three of them walked into the kitchen, Estella stared at them, worrying about something she didn''t understand. You have to take the money where you can and suck it up. That''s the ironclad rule of business, isn''t it? ''I don''t usually eat sweets, but it''s a different story when it''s a new product in District 42. Demilly rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He must have a plan in his head for distribution in District Forty. I''m also more of a drinker than a sweetener,......, but I''ll take whatever Magda Tan makes,............, or Imelda recommends. So, you know what?Put your hand axe away, Imelda. Javier shushed Imelda with sweat on his forehead. Imelda was clutching a hand axe that seemed to have a high killing power. ...... I see. I''m sure you''ll find that all women who start to assume power and responsibility start to behave in a similar manner. ............ Don''t carelessly flick your blade, Imelda. And also Estella and Natalia. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. And then there was Bertina, who hadn''t even been invited, but had somehow found her way to our table. ...... I knew you''d come. No, I had a feeling, a feeling. ''Oh, hey, Ambrose,......, how much money do you have?'' ''Yeah, well, not much. ...... Where''s Stewart? ''Once, when I came to pick up Imelda who ran away from home, I was forced to buy breakfast for all the people in the dining room. ...... I brought quite a bit. ......... ...For that sister, ............ the worst that can happen is that you might have to borrow from Imelda. I''m not sure if the threat of Bertina has become common knowledge in the neighborhood after the gluttony contest. Demilly and Javier''s complexion is dull. I mean, they''re naturally going to buy us a drink too. As expected of a grown man. ''Bertina. You should save up enough food for three days. ''''You''ll go bankrupt! ''''Uh-huh. You''re exaggerating, gentlemen.'''' You''re the only one who thinks so, Bertina. You''re a can-do girl. If you wanted to, you could throw the 40th district into financial trouble. ''Don''t you drink, Sister? ''Alcohol, sir?I guess so. ......'' Bertina puts her hand to her cheek and thinks. I''ve never seen Bertina drinking, by the way. She''s a sister, so maybe she''s not allowed to drink. ............ No, I don''t think the Spiritual Church has such strict rules. You can eat meat and pray as you like. ''It''s not forbidden, is it? ''In the church?Yes. There are priests who like to drink wine. If that''s the case, I''d like to see them at least once. I''d like to see a tipsy Bertina, drunk and innocent. ''No, you can''t offer alcohol to the sisters. Ginette comes back with a plate full of donuts. When her eyes meet Bertina''s, she smiles, as if remembering something from the past. ...... What''s going on?I''d love to hear about Bertina''s ''drinking failures''. ''The sisters are very weak drinkers. She gets drunk even with very thin wine. ''Wow, that''s surprising. ''Surprising? ...... Yashiro-san. Do I look like I drink a lot? He looks a little uncomfortable. Rather than the image of a heavy drinker, I had the image of someone who would look unconcerned no matter how much he drank. A calm and collected elf who would not be swayed by anything. Such an image. ''What happens when you get drunk? ''Well, ...... I don''t really remember,'' he said. ''You cry, Sister.'' Bertina tried to dodge the question with a smile, but Ginette repeated the words as if she was trying to nail her. For a moment, Bertina looks annoyed, but then her eyes light up at the doughnut in front of her. Bertina takes the doughnut and immediately bites into it. Now she will not be able to speak for a while. As if to take advantage of this, Ginette tells him about the drunken Bertina. ''When she drinks, her face immediately turns pale, and she curls up on the floor, shivering and whimpering. ''What, that one?That''s your ''mewing''? I''ve never heard of ''mewing'' before. ''It''s like I get a headache and severe nausea. ''Sounds like a very early hangover. ......'' ''As a sister who believes in never throwing up what you eat, drinking is an act that shakes her beliefs. ''No, you''re overreacting. Can''t you have a better creed, Sister of the Spirit Church? Your obsession with food is unbelievable. ''Also, you''re a bit spoiled. Just like Magda when she became a beast.'' What?I''d like to see that! I''d like to see that. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of that. After swallowing the doughnut stuffed into her cheek and sipping her tea, Bertina said in a quiet voice. ''I wish I could drink alcohol,'' she says. It smells so good, and when I see people who can drink, they seem to enjoy it so much. There are a lot of people who can''t drink but like to be at a bar. There are also a lot of people who are not drinkers but like to drink. For those who don''t drink, it may be something to envy. It doesn''t matter that you can drink, but it may be a little sad that you can''t drink. ''I''ve heard that when you drink, your food tastes even better. ''That''s dangerous, isn''t it! ''Manager, if there''s alcohol in this store, can you please remove all of it! ''''Even the cooking alcohol!Also, you should ban people from the bar! ''Mmmm, that''s terrible, Yashiro-san. Demily, Javier too.'' Bertina let out a laugh, thinking it was a joke. You''re the only one who thinks so. ...... If you start feeling that food tastes even better, this world will run out of food. ''Perhaps it''s a consideration of the spirit gods that the sisters can''t drink alcohol. ''Oh,......, even Jeannette said such a thing,......, that''s terrible. I''m not sure what to do. Bertina''s cheeks puffed out. I''m not sure if Bertina is unwilling to be made fun of for not being able to drink. Come to think of it, there are not many people around me who drink. Estella used to say that she didn''t like it much, and Ginette doesn''t drink at all. Not to mention Magda and Loretta, but I''ve never seen Delia or Paula drinking either. Norma seems to be drinking, though. ''Even children drink in this city, don''t they? ''Isn''t it different in your hometown? I asked Estella and she rolled her eyes at me. Maybe people from this world don''t understand that you can''t drink alcohol until you''re twenty. If you ask them why they have to drink from the age of 20, ...... they will probably just say something like "because of the growth of the brain" or something like that.That''s all I can say. In my hometown, it was common sense to drink after you grew up. ''Then, what do you do when you go on a long trip where you can''t get clean drinking water? In such cases, you can use a vending machine or convenience store. ...... I don''t think these guys would understand. If you are going on a long trip in this world, it is not easy to secure drinking water. Also, if you think about how to regulate your body temperature when it is cold, it would make more sense to carry an alcoholic beverage that can be stored. ''But you certainly don''t drink too much strong alcohol when you are young. ''How old do you have to be to start drinking?'' ''It depends on the person. ...... For me, the first time I was given wine was when I was about ten years old. Ten years old? That''s after you started helping out at the Sunken Pavilion. He must have been drunk by a guest. ''I''ve never seen Jeannette drink before. ''Well, maybe it''s because she didn''t have any money, so she didn''t have the habit of drinking. I see. So Ginette is the type who can drink but doesn''t drink. Before I came, they couldn''t afford to buy alcohol, and after I came, they didn''t feel like drinking alone because I and Magda didn''t drink. ''Don''t you ever feel like drinking?'' ''I''ve had some at parties and festivals. Homer brought me some pure rice wine.'' ''.................. Homer?'' ''I''m a rice farmer from the Camomos tribe. You used your wiles to force me to sign an exclusive contract for rice.'' ''Ah, that''s the guy who made a lot of money from the increased value of rice thanks to me! ''......, your mind remembers things in a very convenient way. Estella interrupts the conversation and reveals her disgusted face. As a result of my extensive publicity of the deliciousness of rice, the profits of rice farmers have skyrocketed. They owe me a favor, don''t they? I''m sure they''ll send you some pure rice wine or something to prove it. ...... I''d never heard of it. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''The koji makers in the 24th district are very skilled. I''ve heard that the koji from there makes really good sake. I don''t drink much, so I don''t know how the sake tastes. ''It''s delicious, the sake from the 33rd district. Natalia adds to Estella''s list of weaknesses. Does this guy drink? ...... He looks like a strong man. The atmosphere. ''There are farmers in the 33rd district who produce rice for sake, and sake is made in the 33rd district using malted rice from the 24th district. While listening to Natalia''s explanation, I remembered the map of Allbloom. The 33rd district is a perimeter district adjacent to the 24th district. Because of the difference in elevation, it is too far away from the forty-second district to reach without going around it. I''m glad Homer is here. Otherwise I might never have found the white rice. You''d be making it in a place that far away. ''It''s the rice, water and koji that determine the taste of sake. If it weren''t for the koji makers in the 24th district, you wouldn''t be able to get that flavor. Natalia says with a lively expression. It seems that she likes to drink a lot. ''Do you drink a lot, Natalia? ''She''s not a drinker. ''I didn''t get that information from her! ''Hey, manager, do you have any alcohol on hand? ''Oh, oh, what a coincidence!I''m just starting to feel the urge to drink too!Why don''t I buy you a drink? ''Oji-sama--'' ''''Father...'''' ''''Shut up.'''' The two men began to express opinions that were the exact opposite of what they had said when Bertina was drinking, and Estella and Imelda''s sharp voices pierced through them. The two big men shrug and huddle together. Because Natalia leaked out some trivial information, ...... ''Oh, yeah, that reminds me! Javier, who looks like a tree frog being stared at by a king cobra, tries to force a change of subject and raises his voice louder than necessary. You''re sweating like a son of a b*tc*. ''Speaking of alcohol, isn''t the lord of the 24th district, which has koji mold makers, a sour drinker?Hey, Ambrose? ''Huh?Ah, yeah, that''s right!Donnis was a drunk who couldn''t drink a drop, as I recall. ''Donis, that''s probably the name of the lord of the 24th district. ''Demilly, do you know him?The Lord of District 24? ''Yeah, we''re pretty close. But he''s older than me, so it''s hard to say we''re close. Donnis is known as the ''stubborn old man''. It makes sense that he''s older than Demilly. Demilly is still an old man, not an old man. ''Donis Donati. People close to me sometimes call me ''DD''.'' ''Geez?'' ''It''s Didi, Oba-kun. Yeah, I know it''s on purpose.'' Donnis Donnerty. If you are close to someone, it means you are not the kind of person who rejects others unconditionally. Then you have room to enter. ...... ''Speaking of the 24th district, I also have a close acquaintance. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... Or rather, more and more donuts are coming out. If Ginette is here, does that mean that Magda and Loretta are already licensed to make donuts? Since it''s Ginette, I''m sure she won''t be too lenient on the cooking score. ...... ''So you know the Sister, is she also a Sister of the 24th Ward? ''Yes, that''s right. She joined the church in District 24 around the same time that Jeannette came to live at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''So you have connections with churches in other districts. ''I''ve only met him once in a while or received his bulletin. I didn''t know there was such a thing as a church bulletin. It''s not like a fan club bulletin, it''s probably just a very boring document with contact information. ''I think I might see her rather often, don''t I? Sometimes she gives me some miso from the 24th district. ''Are you being fed?'' ''Oh my. I wonder if that''s true. Mm-hmm. She seemed to have a rather favorable impression of this acquaintance of hers, and even in response to such a joke, Bertina had a gentle smile on her face. If you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ............. ...... It''s best not to get into that situation, though. ''I can write you a letter if you like.'' ''Yes, you may. I''d feel more comfortable if you could write a note saying, ''Take care of him for me. ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll bring it to you tomorrow. ''Sorry. Here, thank you. Eat as many donuts as you like.'' ''Well, be my guest. ''Hey, Oba-kun?That''s on us, isn''t it? ''Sister, you need to show a little restraint. ......'' ''Amu amu......'' ''''d*mn, I can''t say it strongly enough! ''''Even the old man has a weakness for beautiful women. ......'''' ''''Your father (a stranger named) ...... is filthy.'''' ''''That''s not what I meant! With the two men in uncomfortable unison, Bertina ate the doughnuts without hesitation and took some for the children of the church. It may have been a bit of a painful expense for Demilly and Javier, but there was no room for pity when Bertina gave them a big smile and said ''''thank you'''' before leaving, and they looked so disheveled. Let''s just say it was the price of admission to see Bertina''s smile from the front. But behind the soft smile of the saint, there stood the icy gaze of Hannya. As for Demilly, Javier is ............ going to be in a lot of pain. Before going to the 24th district, I got a lot of information. I don''t know how much of this information is useful, but ...... it''s definitely better than nothing. What''s more, two heavyweights from the 40th district came all the way to give me a pep talk. You can at least show your appreciation. ...... It wouldn''t hurt to be reassuring. Even if it is-- ''Father (insolent person who should not be called by his name), why don''t you go home now? ''Imelda, no!It''s a good idea to maintain friendly relations with the sisters, or even the church, as well as the lumberjack guild. ............'' ''............ I can''t even be a pedophile if I''m confined to my boobs,............ '' ''Huh!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to say. --I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. 280-Episode 192 Feeling of Absenteeism ''Koji craftsmen are said to enter the room before the sun rises to take care of the koji seeds. It is important to adjust the temperature and humidity. As Assunto says, the mornings of koji craftsmen come early. A seed koji is a collection of koji spores that can be used to make bean koji, shio koji, etc. As the name suggests, it is a kind of koji seed. --You can use them to make soy koji or shio koji. It is very difficult to control this kind of koji, and as it is a fungus, it can become toxic if it is not handled properly. It is not an exaggeration to say that the quality of koji greatly affects the taste of the processed products afterwards and that the life of the products is entrusted to it. So let''s get a head start. ...... Are you an industry person? What do you mean, "get in front of it"? How dare you. You''re just staying the day before so that you can meet him early in the morning. If you want to act like a businessman, you should be eating "see-saw" or "be-eating" and "reconnecting" or "going". Well, that''s why. We started going to the 24th district the day before the day of the visit. It''s 16:00 now. The final bell has just rung. ''It''ll be night by the time we reach the 24th district, but there''s probably a tavern or two open, so we''ll have dinner there and take you to the inn. Oh, I''ve made arrangements for you to stay here. ''And the money? ''Let''s thank the lord for his kindness. ''...... It would have been better to stay at a lower rank inn, with this group.'' If Estella is getting flustered, then he must have arranged a good inn for us. That''s Assunto. You''re merciless when it comes to other people''s money. ''There was only one room available at the inn that was one rank lower. I could stay at the branch of the peddler''s guild, but then I''d be alone with ............ Yashiro-san... ......... Would you have preferred that?'''' ''What?It''s not possible!That''s just it!I''m not alone with you because Natalia is here! ''So, Yashiro-san is a flower in both hands? ''Ya ......, Yashiro is a carriage! ''All right, Estella, give me the money. Shut up and give it. Put me up in a nice inn. Who would sleep in a carriage, ...... when they''re scared? ''Gentlemen, are you taking your supper in the tavern? Ginette says, a little disappointed. She probably wanted to make lunch for dinner. But it would be too late to start preparing now. ''I''m sorry, Manager. I''m going to borrow Mr. Yashiro. ''Oh, yes. It''s no problem if ...... Mr. Yashiro is okay with it. ......'' The way he glanced at me tickled me. Nine out of ten people would think that you look lonely. I''m sure he doesn''t mean to, but he does. ''...... Mr. Magda looked a little lonely. It was an urgent matter. He leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear. I look for Magda, but she''s nowhere to be found. Maybe she''s sulking. She''s been leaving me behind a lot lately. ''I''ll let Loretta stay here. ''She''s already planning on it. The smile on Ginette''s face returned to her face when she saw how well prepared Loretta was. I''m grateful for his carelessness in times like these. When I was thinking about that, ...... ''...... aym,homme'' Magda''s back. From outside. Where has she been?I wonder how long he''s been gone. ...... There''s no sign of him, is there? You''re a ninja, aren''t you? ''......With Yashiro gone for the night, we''re going to tighten security at the sunlit pavilion. After proudly declaring that, he called out to the entrance door. ''...... Come on in, my trusty Guardians. As if guided by Magda''s voice, a crisp looking Loretta walks into the store. ...... Guardians. ''Are you saying that Loretta is going to protect the store? ''Not just .......'' ''Hmm?'' Magda tucks her chin to guide my gaze. As I turned my gaze to follow her, a group of familiar faces entered from behind Loretta. ''That''s a real problem. We''re struggling to improve the precision of the gears right now, and you''re so pushy, Magda.'' ''Well, come on, Norma~. I''m glad you''re staying with us. ''Hey, Yashiro!I''m here to stay! ''Now that I''m staying here, it''s going to be a special night for sure! ''...... Oh, my ......, you''re going to be taken care of tonight, aren''t you ............?'' In a row, Norma, Masha, Delia, Imelda, and Milly came in. Masha''s tank is being pushed by Delia. ''More than ...... are the Guardians guarding the Sunlit Pavilion today. ''How did you manage to get so many ......?'' Well, I guess you can feel safe with this many. Both in terms of security and ...... in terms of relieving loneliness. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''............ big tits and flat-chested x2''. While uttering these mysterious words, she pointed at me ...... and Estella and the others lined up behind her. ''Wait a minute!Why are me and Assunto in the same group? ''Well, it''s true that I''m a man, so I''m flat-chested, but ...... ho ho ho, we''re the same.'' ''Shut up or I''ll put you in the stable, assunto? ''Sorry, I''m the only one with big tits.'' ''You''re really annoying, Natalia, shut up! No, well... No, well... I get the whole ''big tits and flat chests'' thing, but ...... what the hell is that all about? -- and now Magda spreads her arms out, pointing at herself and those lined up behind her. ''...... Bakunyu Renmei + Whispering Two, With Magda''. ''Wait a minute, Magda!I''m not sure if you''re talking about me and Miriri. ''Ah ...... whispering ...... but ............ a little, sad ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... Magda has too much room to grow, so I can''t quantify it. ''Oh, I see!Magda, you''re so smart! ''Delia, don''t be convinced by such a crappy theory. Magda is a member of the Big Tits Team. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. ''...... What are Yashiro''s plans for tonight? ''We''re all staying in! ''Can you wait a minute, Yashiro? What''s up, leader of Team Petanko! I''m busy preparing for the dazzling Bakunyu Night! I''m busy preparing for the dazzling Bakunyu Night! ''''You''ll be riding with us to District 24 to prepare for tomorrow. You''ll be able to get to the 24th district with us and get ready for tomorrow." The flat-chested leader puts his face right up to his nose, bites down on his back teeth and appeals with a smile that isn''t quite funny. It''s ....... What an uninspiring invitation. ...... ''...... boobs don''t dance,......! ''You''re trying to say it''s not exciting, aren''t you?If so, that''s rude! d*mn you, ...... Magda. He''s getting stronger by the day, that guy. You don''t want me to go that far, do you? ''...... can''t we get by with Estella and Assunto? ''You were the one who suggested the bean sauce, right?I''m sure that Ma''ulu also thought that you would be able to work and wrote a letter of introduction for you, right? You can''t rely on me for ...... everything. ''Estella ......, you may not know this, but ............ I''m ......''. I stare straight back at the red eyes staring at me and tell them in a serious voice. ''I love big boobs.'' ''I know!I''m more than familiar with them. Then you know! You know that tonight is the night of the sunshine pavilion! ''Sunlit Pavilion Night!Purun-Purun Festivale! ''There''s no such festival going on! ''Carnivale! ''It''s not even a participatory event! We''ve got all these people, but the landlord, Ginette, is refusing to host the festival. What a waste of time. ...... I''m almost as angry as the TV personalities who make a mess of high quality ingredients in the cooking variety shows on TV. ............ ''We''ll take care of Yashiro when he''s away. We''ll take care of you while you''re gone. ''Oh, ......, good luck with your work, ladybug.'' ''Here, Yashiro. Norma and Milly are telling me to do this.'' ''What? Is Yashiro going to go away?'' ''It''s a pity that it''s my first sleepover...'' ''Look, Delia and Masha are saying this! ''Delia, Marsha, can you stop being funny? ''What is it, Estella?I''m not amused at all. ''Uh-huh. I''m very much amused~! Ah, it''s so lively. It''s really lively and ...... reassuring. ''Magda''. I walk up to Magda, who has been staring at me, and put my hand on her head. His ears fall down, and he shakes them a little as if he is repulsed. ''Take care of the store and these guys. ''............ What''s your reward?'' Magda is still a little flustered. A reward. ...... ''How about we all go on a picnic?Take a half day off from the store.'' ''Ding! Magda''s ears perked up. It would be possible if we closed the shop for half a day ......, or rather, if we only sold food in the afternoon. Of course, I will give advance notice and sell a lot of ''lunch boxes for supper. What do you think? ''..................'' After looking up at me in silence for a good ten seconds, Magda wagged her tail once and sniffed. ''...... I''m in.'' ''Good.'' That should put him in a better mood. In addition, it will give Ginette something to look forward to, so we can kill two birds with one stone. ''...... So, do you mind, manager? ''Yes!Then let''s make plans together again.'''' Jeannette was all smiles. The sad expression on her face is gone. ''How about catching some salmon in the river? ''You know, I''m always on the riverbank. I''ll go somewhere else once in a while.'' ''I don''t care where we go...'' ''But maybe you''d like to go to the mountains? ''Oh, no!Then, how about the forest?There''s a place you know, where it''s safe, full of beautiful flowers, and you can pick lots of fruit. ''Whoa!Millicent is unusually hot! ''...... That''s the best candidate. ''Then, Miriri-san. Can you please get permission to use that place? ''Mmm! ''...... They''re all going, aren''t they? ''The ...... match pants are white ............ on the contrary ......''. ''Hey, Estella. You''ve got to shut up your head waiter who''s making disturbing remarks over there.'' ''No problem. I''ll tie him to a pillar that day.'' Estella''s skills won''t be enough to stop Natalia. This is going to be another lively event. ''...... More importantly, Yashiro. Estella glances over at us as we talk about the picnic and leans in closer to me. I can hear Estella whispering in my ear on her breath. ''Didn''t Jeannette say something? ''Ginette?What?'' I immediately pulled my ear away from her ticklish breath. When I looked away, Estella was fidgeting, looking as if she was having difficulty saying something. She looked at Jeannette once, and then her red eyes looked at me. ''You wanted to go with me before, didn''t you? Didn''t you say you wanted to come with me?'' Yeah. I guess. He''s talking about the time he briefly said he wanted to go with me. That''s all been said and done. Ginette herself didn''t want to go away, she just thought about it in the course of conversation. I''m sure he''d be happier to be near everyone for fun than far away for work with us. So let''s just focus on the picnic, Ginette. ''He''s most interested in the sunny pavilion, you know. He can''t just go away for the night. Unless it is an event that you have planned and prepared for in advance, like when you went to Lucia''s place, you can''t just go out and stay overnight on a whim. Ginette doesn''t want to do that, you know. ''...... How serious are you? ''What?'' ''That''s why ...... Jeannette''s best is, ...............'' ''......Hmm?'' ''.........Enough.'' You can find a lot more information on the web. Her red hair sways softly, and her breasts do not sway at all. ''Red hair swaying softly: ......'' ''Shut up.'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this. ...... ''Yashiro-san''. As soon as Estella finished her story, which she had been telling me in a somewhat secretive atmosphere, Ginette came to me as if she had been waiting for me. The first thing she said was something I couldn''t understand. ''Thank you very much. She shakes her long hair and bows her head. She scoops a handful of hair from her cheek and smiles softly. ''What are you thanking me for?I have no idea.'' ''You all look very happy to have something to look forward to. Of course, I''m looking forward to it too. ''I just suggested a picnic, didn''t I? ''Yes. I was happy to suggest it. Even though I thought it was overreacting to a picnic, I couldn''t even be sarcastic when they were so happy. The others are also having a good time, so I guess it''s all good. ''I''ll think of a lunch for you. ''I guess so. In the forest, we can''t use the fire too badly.'' ''That''s right. Then I''ll make lots of food. He was so enthusiastic even before the date had been decided. I''m sure we''ll have a lot of fun talking about it this evening. ''Well, then, let''s get going. ''Yes. Yes, we should. If we delay our departure too long, it will make people feel uncomfortable. It''s better to go quickly. There''s nothing special to prepare, and it''s only for one night. I''ll just take it easy and go. ''Then, please follow me in my carriage. With that, Assunto left the store first. We are going in Estella''s carriage, but Assunto is going in the carriage he has prepared. I wonder if riding in a lord''s carriage is supposed to bring out a sneering spirit. ...... Well, there was a time when I was riding in a carriage on the way back from the 41st district, and my face was twitching. It was right after I found out that Estella was a lord, and I don''t know how she''ll react now. ''Aren''t you going to ask Assunto to give you a ride this time? ''Because our carriage is more luxurious. If we''re going to meet the lord of the 24th district, we should at least make a show of it. ...... That luxurious vehicle is a horse and carriage on loan from Javier. You should at least build the body. It''s about time you had a two horse carriage. ''...... I wonder if that horse can be given back to me without being returned. ......? ''If we make Mr. Javier dead, or ......''. ''Hey, you vertical lords and your idiot head waiter?I can hear you.'' Estella and Natalia plotting evil in front of their daughter. These guys are the representatives of the forty-two districts. ...... ''Okay, guys. I''m off.'' Estella waves her hand with a radiant smile, ignoring Imelda''s pursuit. You''ve got Imelda right out of your sight. ''So, Yashiro-san. Take care of yourself. Jeannette folds her hands in front of me. She seems to be offering me a prayer, like she does Magda before she goes out hunting. I don''t know, ...... is staying overnight such a big deal? Well, when I was in junior high school, the landlady was like that when I went to my friend''s house for an overnight stay. It''s not that I don''t want you to go, but I don''t want you to go. ............ ''......Hmm''. ''Is there something wrong?I''m not sure what''s wrong with me. The laugh that escaped unintentionally caused Ginette to show impatience. No, no, no. It''s just that I thought we looked alike. That''s what''s so strange about you. ''Worrying. ''E...... mmm. You can''t deny that, but ......''. When I tease her, she puffs up and purses her lips in an obvious way. And then, with a hint of resentment, he says something like this. ''Because there''s nothing I can do but worry. So please let me at least worry about you. --And he seems to want to say that. ''Ginette, are you coming? Estella pokes her head out from behind me and says something like that. If Ginette were to suddenly leave in this state, there would be panic in the sunlit pavilion. Look. ...... There aren''t many sane people in this group, so we can''t hold it together without Ginette. ''I''m tempted to go, but I think I''ll pass this time. Ginette must be thinking the same thing. This is not the kind of guy who throws away his responsibilities and goes out to play. As I was thinking this, Ginette''s gaze suddenly caught mine. ''You promised me that you would come back, and ......''. I was involuntarily made to feel nervous. ''I''ll be here, waiting for you. Ginette''s smile, like the sun''s, is ...... sometimes too bright to look at directly. That''s why she smokes you with words like this. ''I''ll be back, ...... because the Plump Plump Festival is waiting for me. ''chuckle...... chuckle'' Ginette shakes her shoulders and laughs. That''s right. This is about right. Continuous exposure to direct sunlight is poisonous to a shady person like me. ''...... I hope you get punished.'' Next to the bright smile, Estella radiates an aura of darkness. I''m sure you''re the one who''s been punished by the boob gods or something. ...... If there''s one drawback to the sunlit pavilion, it''s that it takes a long time to leave. If we don''t leave soon, we won''t reach the other side until midnight. Assunto''s probably getting tired of waiting. Estella and I head for the door together. Natalia, who is ahead of us, will open the door and wait for us. Just as we are about to go out, she waits for us again. ''Big brother, wait a minute! Loretta rushes over to me and holds out four folded pieces of paper. ''What is it? ''It''s a letter!We all just wrote it together! I looked over to see Norma and Milly holding pens by the table. There''s no need to rush to write in such a short time. ...... ''You''ll see later. One for each of us, and this one is for Mr. Assunto.'' ''Okay, let''s see Assunto''s.'' Without saying a word, I take up the letter to Assunto and unfold it. It says. "Go make yourself a lot of money. --And on it was written... ''...... A letter, this? ''...... All right. I''ll make sure to give it to you.'' ''Do I have to give it to you, or what? We decided to read ours later and got into the carriage. Estella sat on the top seat, I sat next to her, and Natalia sat across from her. After confirming that we were seated, the master drove the horses. With the sound of hooves, the carriage slowly begins to move forward. 281-Episode 193 Arrived in Ward 24 Estella grinned as the carriage drove away. ''Hmmm, ...... writing to us. There''s something cute about you, Magda and the others. She was very happy to get a letter. Most of the letters that come to Estella are probably work-related, so receiving a letter from a close friend must be something special. ''I''ll read it right away. I hurriedly unfolded the neatly folded letter. Looking into the letter, I found various words written in multiple strokes. It''s a far cry from Assunto''s simple letter, which said, ''Go make a lot of money. ''Hmmm. Well, I guess there''s a difference between me and Assunto. Estella gazed at the letter with particular pride. ''Estella-san, take it easy. You look a little tired, so you should eat lots of fruit. It is written in small, round, and very cute letters. This is Millie''s writing. Unlike her tone of voice, she seems calm and relaxed. ''Millie is so cute, even her letters. Estella says things like that with a grin on her face that would be a problem if an old man said it. You''re lucky you''re the same s*x. If you were heteros*xual, Millie would have avoided you. ''I wonder who this character is? She looks happily at the next simple letter written on it. ''Gouge me. ''Imelda! ''It''s definitely Imelda, isn''t it? A simple swear word written in careful script. A message from Imelda, no doubt. Estella''s cheeks are twitching in an obvious way. ''Hmm, hmm. I''ll just ignore this one and read the next one! Pretending that Imelda''s message didn''t exist, she looks at the next words written on the page. ''The nutrition you eat goes to your stomach: ......'' ''...... Magda, isn''t it? ''That''s odd. I feel the same way. I guess character comes out in letters too. ''What, Estella''s hungry?Then eat salmon! ''Then you need rice too!I think freshly cooked rice is the best! How about some oysters?Oysters are called the milk of the sea~ Estella, you love milk, don''t you? Estella''s expression deepened in confusion as the messages that she knew were from Delia, Loretta and Masha continued. ''Why am I being offered food? The content of the letter to the lord, who was about to head to the 24th district, was ''Eat this, eat that'', ''Eat this, eat this'' ....... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''Natalia ...... has a lot to say. ''So, let''s leave out the superfluous part ............ and the part that is not developing at all, Estella.'' ''That''s what I mean, a lot of extra words! I think Natalia has a good point, but Estella doesn''t like it. Estella asks her to correct her statement, but Natalia is ready to ignore her. ''Hey, Estella. Look at this one, the next one is a bit longer. I show the letter to the two of them, who have been bickering forever. It''s written in beautifully balanced letters. It''s probably Norma''s handwriting, isn''t it? "Chicken, 250g. 100g soybeans 300ml milk 20g butter 2 teaspoons of flour: ............ The ingredients are listed in order, followed by the cooking instructions: ''Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, skin side down, and brown them. ''...... What''s this?'' ''Is that the recipe ......?'' ''Oh, yes, it is. It''s also probably .......'' To the confused pair, I give them a clear solution that is probably not a mistake. ''It''s a recipe for chicken and soy gratin in white sauce with lots of breast-enhancing ingredients! ''It''s none of your business, no-mah-ah! Estella leaned out of the carriage window and bellowed in the direction of the faraway sunlit pavilion. ''Looks like Natalia was right. ''As I thought, a certain part of the body is not developing at all: ......'' ''Oh my god!Why don''t you guys read the letter as soon as you can? It''s a good idea to fold the letters you receive into quarters and put them away in your pocket. You don''t just crumple it up and throw it ...... away. I guess she was happy for some reason. As Estella became flustered, Natalia and I each unfolded our own letter. ''Oh, ...... this is ............''. Before I could start reading, Natalia gave me a difficult look. ''...... I''m curious. ''What was written on it?A complaint?'' ''I don''t think I''ve behaved in a way that would attract complaints from others. ''You mean .......'' Well then, you might want to take another look at what you say and do. You''re full of rudeness. ''So, what does it say?'' At Estella''s request, Natalia revealed her letter. She brings her hands down and turns the letter halfway around so that the top and bottom are interchanged. When she looked into it, she saw the following words, short and concise. ''Natalia, pull yourself together. ''I have so many ideas about who might write this that I don''t know who the message is from. ''Before you say who it''s from, please do what''s written here. ''I will do my best. ''Make sure you do. This is a lord''s order. ''To the extent possible. ''Can''t you just say ''yes'', sir? ''Yes.'' ''You can say that at .......'' Well, it''s up to Natalia to decide how much to weigh. Let''s not expect too much from her. ''Oh. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. Natalia let the conversation fade into obscurity and moved her gaze to the next sentence. There is a small round letter in front of her eyes. "I hope we can go out together someday. I think that Millie and Natalia might not be a good combination. The flower guild seems to be busy, and Natalia is also busy as a head waiter. ''That''s true. If you get a chance, we can talk at length. ......'' Natalia''s slender fingers caressed Milly''s round letters. ''...... I''d love to dye you my colors ............ grin''. ''''Don''t approach!'''' Millie is now an important cultural asset of the Forty-Two Wards. We have to protect her from these dangerous people!The whole city! The rest of the letter said ''''Take care of Yashiro'''', ''''Don''t catch a cold'''', ''''Don''t wield knives in other cities'''', and so on. It''s more like a warning than a letter. I suppose it was inevitable. There are not many people who can write something good even if they are given a pen and paper and told to write. It takes a lot of brain power to convey your thoughts in writing. If it''s what you usually think, it''s easy to write it down. I''m sure that my letters will be filled with words like "Don''t get caught up in the boobs" and "Don''t get too carried away. I open the carefully folded letter, imagining what they might say. It says. I''m a little worried about you because you''ve been going out a lot lately, though I''m sure your brother will be fine. Don''t push yourself too hard. "Ladybug. I''m looking forward to the picnic. It''s cold at night, so don''t catch a cold. "Call me if you have any trouble!I''ll be there no matter where you are! "Don''t drink too much, stay up too late, and don''t overdo it. Be careful, okay? Don''t run around and fall over~ Let''s talk about the sea next time~. I look forward to your success. But most of all, I hope you have a safe return. All of them have sentences that show their concern for me. ...... And at the end, in simple letters that are typical of Magda... "Waiting at the Sunlit Pavilion I was told to go home early. ............ They. ''They love you, don''t they? ''............'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ''...... Don''t think that''s going to make me embarrassed over and over again. ''Isn''t it nice?Are you jealous? When I replied, Estella blew out. ''Hmm ......, I didn''t expect you to respond like that. ...... No, you''ve changed too. Yeah, I''ve changed. What''s funny is that she''s holding her stomach and shaking her shoulders. Across from her, Natalia closes her eyelids and twists the corners of her mouth into a pout. If you''re going to laugh, you should laugh more clearly. ...... The fact that you are being relied on is no longer ...... disgusting. But it''s still uncomfortable. I don''t know why it''s me. It''s like ...... no, I''m the one who''s ...... why. But it''s not hard to understand. People are attracted to leadership that is easy to understand. We tend to feel safe and trust and surrender to the leader. And I tend to be a leader. A con man needs to be able to lead others into his trap. They use psychology and human mechanics to manipulate people. If the end result is a trap, he is a swindler. If the end result is happiness, he is called a hero. There is a fine line between a con man and a hero. The impression changes depending on whether the result is positive or negative for the person. So this guy''s a dick. They''re all fooled by me. That''s what my con man skills are for. ''If you ever want to start a heroes'' guild, let me know. I''ll consider it.'' ''This guild gives me the chills. It''s going to be a vicious money-collecting organization, that''s for sure. ''Cheer for the heroes, show your support with your money.'' Basically, you can assume that anyone who is a good person and only says things that are pleasant to the ear is a bad person or a crook. There are not so many people who are willing to serve others with perfect good intentions. Ginette is the only one. Even Estella is reluctant to do anything that might be detrimental to her. A hero? There is no such thing as an unpaid, profit-less, good-hearted person who serves others and leads people through leadership. ...... ''If there really is such a thing as a hero, he must be suffering from a serious disease. I think he''s the ultimate dominatrix or something. It''s also possible that he''s a dangerous person with an abnormally strong need for approval and an abnormal propensity to huff and puff at the pleasure of being seen by others. ...... Either way, you''re a pervert. --And while I was carefully explaining to them the stench of heroes, Estella and Natalia kept smiling at me. Listen seriously, people. A course on how not to fall for scams given by an active scammer is quite valuable. I''d even charge a fee for it. ''Well, let''s try to negotiate in the 24th district. It''s for our own good. Estella smiles and squares her shoulders in a way I don''t like. If you had big tits, I''d be puffing on your side with my elbow. ...... Unfortunately, no one can touch my elbow at the moment. You deserve to make a profit. I don''t need to be told what to do. But Estella dares to say that happily. ...... You''re so funny. Across from Estella, Natalia taps herself on the chest twice. Then she bends her right elbow lightly and slides it sideways twice, and waves her palm twice. ...... This means-- "Your tits. "even if you move your elbow. "even if you move your elbow. --I guess. ...... What the hell are you doing? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''In the meantime, Natalia, after supper, we need to talk. ''I didn''t say anything, did I? ''It''s not always safe to say things out loud. ''You''re full of it! ''That doesn''t mean you can''t say it out loud! ''I thought it would be a loss if I didn''t.'' ''I don''t think so! ...... Traveling with these guys, it''s really lively. Can''t they at least be quiet while traveling? ...... I''m going to give them a little bit of a hard time. That''s what they said. ''Natalia, pull yourself together. ''I didn''t expect to be warned by ...... Yashiro-sama. ............'' Don''t give me that look of disapproval. ''It was written in the letter.'' ''Yes, that''s true. All right, I''ll try to control myself a little. And after Natalia, Estella. This would also match what was written in the letter. ''Estella, grow up. ''I''m doing everything I can! She''s a hard worker! In the letter, everyone said the same thing to you! ''......, I hope you''ll be more than careful with yourself. ''Sorry. I have a tendency to hyperventilate when I weigh myself,.......'' ''What kind of constitution is that! ''''You think it''s better to cause enormous trouble to others than to suffer yourself! ''You''re a sociopath! I''m a person who''s kind to myself above all else. There''s only one ''me'' in the whole world, including other worlds. I have to take good care of him. ''You guys should take better care of me. ''I''ll pay you back in full! ''Oh, I''m so important! ''No, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no! What''s the matter with you? I told you to take good care of me because you came right back at me. How am I supposed to take care of Estella? Do you want me to treat her like a princess? ''Then I''ll carry her on my back all the way. ''Isn''t that caring, then? ''I''ll even give you the occasional ''peek-a-boo''. ''I see you''ve been babysitting! Estella doesn''t like any of this. That''s why the nobles are ...... so selfish. ''Well, well, Miss Estella. Don''t be so uptight. ...... Peek-a-boo~'' ''Don''t do a peek-a-boo! The carriage is going down the road at night, buzzing loudly. I''m sure it''s because of the letter they gave me that it''s more lively than usual. Even if it''s just a simple word or a joke, it''s nice to have something written for you, and it''s powerful enough to make Estella and Natalia ruffle some feathers. I''m a con man, so I know what I''m talking about. Words have such great power. They can move people, sway their hearts, and make them happy or unhappy. Especially, handwriting is very powerful. The daughter of the swallowtail butterfly tribe and the man of the nobility ...... were forcibly torn apart, but they were able to love each other for decades because of the handwritten letters. Whether he knew it or not, Magda made the best choice. He made the best choice to bring out the true strength of this simple, easy to deal with lord and make the negotiations go well. Once this mess is over, we''ll be able to relax a bit. Or rather, I want to relax. Maybe these letters will give me the motivation to do so. It seems that I was in such a state of euphoria that I couldn''t help but think about it as the carriage rocked. The carriage kept going, and when the moon was very high in the night sky, we arrived at the 24th district. ''First, let''s go to the inn, and then we''ll have dinner. I''ll have a table ready for you. Once we entered the 24th district, the carriage we were riding in followed Assunto''s carriage to an inn. This was a very large inn, and I was a bit surprised. At any rate, it was the first time I had seen a four-story building in this city. ''You''re making a lot of money, ...... you son of a b*tc*. ''I totally agree with you, sir. ''Can you two please not give off a black aura?Since you can stay at such a nice inn, you should be more honest and happy. Estella, who is in charge of money, sighs. It''s a little easier when you think of it as other people''s money,......, but there are four floors. I''ve seen a few buildings with wide sides. Like Sirach''s house. Imelda''s house has a lot of different buildings on the property, and it''s a grand structure, but the main house is two stories. Four stories. The main building is a two-story building. It''s not as good as a hotel in Japan, but it''s quite impressive when combined with the atmosphere of the city and the surrounding scenery. ''However, the room we''ve reserved for you is on the second floor, so please don''t be so overwhelmed. ''What, the second floor? ''Don''t be extravagant, will you?Just being able to stay here is quite a big deal, you know. ''That''s true, isn''t it? For some reason, Assunto spread out his arms and puffed up his nostrils with pride. ''This "Cradle of the Moon" is not an inn where you can easily stay. It''s a first-class inn where guests are expected to have a certain level of dignity. If it is a first-class inn, please translate it as a hotel or something. The word "inn" inevitably makes me feel simple, like a guest house. ''The first floor is a dining room and bar, and from the second floor are the guest rooms, where only first-class guests can stay. The third floor requires the highest level of dignity, and the fourth floor is off-limits only to VIPs. ''VIP hey ......'' There''s no such thing as an elevator anyway, so you''ll have to take the stairs up to the fourth floor, right?VIPs are going up all the way. So we went up, but it''s only the fourth floor. There''s not much to see or wonder at. ............ ''I don''t envy you at all. ''That''s strange. When Mr. Yashiro says it, it sounds like he means it. In our world, it''s probably the kind of high floor you''d like to stay in at least once. I''ve been staying in the President''s Room a lot in Japan, so it''s nothing to me. In fact, it''s not worth talking about. That''s why I''m grateful for the second floor of ......, where I don''t have to climb so many stairs. ''Yeah. Upstairs is best. ''You''ve changed your opinion. Are you being considerate?'' No way. I''m just disgusted by the shallowness of this inn that''s trying to give a sense of luxury to a place that''s only four stories high. I''m sick and tired of the intrusive sense of luxury. As a person who has seen so many third-rate hotels that only make things look good but neglect the basic spirit of the service industry, I am tired of it. In the first place, the name is too cool. The Cradle of the Moon. ...... You''re so fancy. ''I''m looking forward to seeing the knees of the people staying on the fourth floor. I bet they''re shaking.'' ''Yes, I''m sure they are. But they''re vain people. I''m sure they''ll keep a cool face to hide their erratic breathing. ''Even though their knees are sore and their hearts are beating fast. ...... ''The first floor is so close to the ground.'' ...... It''s funny. ...... kkkkkkkkk. ''Hey, you guys. Can you stop making the darkness of the night even darker? I''m not sure what to make of that. No, no, no. When I think of those money-grubbing aristocrats, I can''t help but sneer. I wonder if Assunto is contagious? The lord and his head waiter don''t seem to harbor any ill feelings toward the nobles. You guys don''t get to come to places like this often. You can''t afford it. ''Let''s go to your room anyway. I want to put my things down. Will Assunto take the carriage for us? ''Yes. There''s a branch of the peddler''s guild in the 24th district, so we can use that. That''s the city of soybeans and malted rice. The peddlers'' guild has settled down. This must be the place where the most money is gathered in the neighborhood. You''ve got a good sense of smell. ''But, Assunto. I don''t know how these people could so easily do what you''re asking. I thought that Assunto, who is in charge of the poorest district''s branch, would be unimpressed with the people of the upper branches, but ...... he seems to be in a very superior position. ''Hmmm,......, I''ve made connections with the Koji craftsmen. They ...... ah, I''m talking about the people from the branch of the 24th district ...... they can''t mistreat me any longer. I was told that koji makers are difficult. Perhaps the peddlers'' guild in the 24th district had no direct connection with them. There may have been some indirect connections, since they may have traded goods. ...... So Assunto, who invented a new product and made a good impression on the koji maker, is also a blessing to the people in this branch. He even listens to us if we are a little selfish. ''That''s why I really wanted to stay with you at this inn, but I''ll stay at the branch. It seems that only the three of us will be staying at this inn. ''The branch of the Peddler''s Guild has a room that only special business partners can stay in, and we''ve been invited to stay there. Well, I''ve always wanted to stay there. Mmmm, one of my dreams has come true. Assunto sniffed happily. He really looks happy. He might be rather famous among the peddlers'' guilds. The magnificence of staying at a branch of the peddlers'' guild in District 24. If that''s what she wants to do, I won''t stop her. I''m happy to reduce Estella''s burden. And she gets to keep the stables for free. I can''t complain. ''And now, about your room: ......'' Assunto took out two keys and held them out in front of us. ''There''s one single room and one double room. ............ Now, who would you like to stay with?'' Assunto looks at me with a meaningful smile on his face. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... Well, "which" is ............ I glare at Assunto, who is amused. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. It''s not pretty at all, that face. And then, without a sound, Natalia steps forward. ''Lady Estella is a lord. Please make yourself at home in your room. ''What?Wait, wait, wait!Are you saying you''re staying in the same room as Yashiro then? ''Yes. I thought that would be more reasonable. ''What''s reasonable?Of course not, of course not! ''Is there anything wrong with that? ''You''re naked when you sleep! ''''Is there a problem?'''' ''''Would you mind not joining in so casually, Yashiro?I have a problem! He strode forward and checked Natalia with his right arm. As if to keep her away from me, he puts his hand on Natalia''s navel and pushes hard. This is not because there is any deep meaning to it, but because the head waiter who guards the lord''s mansion would be in big trouble if he were to cause any problems in another district, so I am stopping him! He says those tsundere words while glaring at me with those same tsundere eyes. Nice try. One more word, ''Don''t get me wrong! would have been perfect. ''So, Estella-san will be staying in the same room as Yashiro-san, is that correct? ''Huh! At Assunto''s point, Estella froze. Her face turns bright red, and a stream of steam rises in the chilly night sky. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. I''m sorry.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do.It''s better than a scandal,......, right?It''s good ......, isn''t it?Yeah. Before you know it, your excuses will switch to self-deprecation. He looks at me with a bright red face and red eyes. .................. ''I can''t help it ............, can I? Even if you say it with such a maidenly look up ............ ''''Why don''t I stay in a single room and you and Natalia stay together? ''''What? I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. ...... I mean, normally you would separate the men and women, but in this case... I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. Estella blames Assunto for her narrow-mindedness and begins to take it out on him. Stop it, stop it, stop it. The more you get pissed off like that, the more you''ll please Assunto. The more you get angry like that, the more you will please Assunto. ...... I thought this kind of happening would be a good memory of the trip. It''s part of the production. Assunto gave him a not-at-all-cute wink and chuckled. ''............ Assunto ...... is a good one to remember ......! Estella''s whispered sigh of defeat is only half as effective as her red face. ''......Please be careful in the dark of night. ............ Yeah. It''s not funny when you say it, Natalia. You''re a bit annoyed that you were inadvertently tricked. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit nervous about the whole thing. ...... Anyway, that hand in your pocket is ...... scary, so can you please take it out?It''s a good idea to keep your hands clean. After fooling and teasing the two shrewd men, Assunto left the inn in a good mood. After leaving our carriages and dropping off our luggage, we are supposed to meet up again for dinner. ...... I hope we can meet up. ''Dinner is on Assunto, right? I''m sure you will. Two people who have been unusually drunk are colluding. Assunto will be made to pay for his own mischief later. He''ll get what''s coming to him. Well, I guess I''ll just head to my room. A single room is nice and easy. At any rate, I don''t want to be in the same room as Natalia, who is completely naked, or Estella, who is red with embarrassment. ...... I''m uncomfortable, I tell you. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. 282-Episode 194 Koji Factory and Reserve Army Early morning. Someone softly opens the door to my room. ''Yashiro, I''m ...... coming in. ......'' He walked in slowly and called out to me in a slightly hoarse voice. The door slammed ...... shut quietly. ''Estella......'' I emerge from the bed and look at her face through my still-open eyelids. Her bright red hair swayed in the darkness. ''...... Night crawling?'' ''It''s time to get up! Ha-ha-ha. What nonsense. It''s still dark outside. This is indeed a high-class inn in the 24th district. Glass windows are used so that you can see the outside clearly even from inside the room. The color of the sky peeking through the curtains was completely that of night. It was not even white. ''You said you were going to get up early to meet the koji maker, didn''t you?Isn''t that why you got up so early?'' That''s true, but ...... Apparently, the koji maker is an early riser than Jeannette. If you''re not careful, it''s time to go to bed, like this. ''I wonder what kind of old lady ...... would wake up this early ......''. It''s hard on the young, waking up so early. ''Get a grip. I''m up earlier than you.'' ''Natalia woke you up anyway, didn''t she? ''Hmm. That''s sweet. I''m a very self-disciplined person. I wake up when I''m supposed to. In a world where there are no alarm clocks, how do these people stay awake? There''s not even a wake-up bell. ''You didn''t wake up just to see me sleep, did you? ''Baa, are you stupid?Who would want to see your sleeping face? ......'' While we were talking, my body kept complaining of fatigue, and I couldn''t get up. I keep laying around in the quilt. ''Are you a cat? ''What''s with the ''cute and cuddly'' thing in the morning? You''re giving me too much credit.'' ''...... Your brain seems to be structured in a way I don''t understand.'' There are few things cuter than a cat lounging on a futon. Then my translation should not be too far off. ''If you don''t wake up soon, I''ll rip off the covers. ''I''ll take off all your clothes before you do that. ''Wait!Don''t do anything stupid!Don''t do anything stupid! That sounds like pretend. The Japanese are the kind of people who, when told not to do something, feel the urge to do it. When I''m naked, Estella can''t take off the covers. It''s just like ''Let me cut your flesh, but cut off your bones~ Operation Warm Futon Death Guard~''. ''Estella-sama''. Without making a sound, Natalia appeared behind Estella. She didn''t even hear the door open. ''Did Natalia come too? ''Yes. She''s waiting for her turn to crawl. ''I''m not here to crawl in the night! ''Well, if you''ll excuse me...'' ''I won''t let you! The two of them fought near the entrance. ............ Oh, shut up. ''Hey, you guys. Be quiet. You can''t sleep.'' ''We''re here to wake you up! He stumbles closer and stretches his arms across the futon. Oh, no!I have to get naked! ''Wait, Estella!I''ll take it off now! ''I''m not taking it off! And the quilt is mercilessly ripped off. ...... cold. God, this guy. Has he already forgotten that Magda hated him for doing this before? He''ll never grow up. ''He''ll never grow up. ''Can you please not be rude while looking at my chest? ''Yes, Master Yashiro.'' Unusually, Natalia defends Estella in this way. ''Estella-sama is growing up properly. ''Natalia......'' Estella gazes admiringly at Natalia''s back as she stands to protect herself. Her red eyes are a little puffy. ''Today ...... Estella-sama woke up before I woke her up because she wanted to see the sleeping face of the opposite s*x, sneaked out of her room without me noticing, and exploded her biased s*xuality to the fullest without my knowledge! ''Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! ''You''ve become an adult, Estella-sama! ''It''s not like you''re bad at listening to people, Natalia! ''I''m interested in the sleeping face of the opposite s*x! ''I feel bad about that word "opposite s*x"! Yeah. At any rate, I know that Natalia has no intention of defending Estella in a situation like this. ''Natalia. Don''t be so aggressive. Mornings are meant to be spent quietly. ''So, don''t get so angry either, adolescent girl. ''You''re making me crazy!......, you''re killing me! Estella''s cheeks puffed up after being teased so much by me and Natalia. Whether from anger or embarrassment, her face is flushed red. ''I''ve been meaning to tell you this for a while. Estella has red hair, so when she blushes she looks like an octopus. ............ It''s beautiful, like a crimson rose, Estella. A white blade glinting in the dark of night. Estella''s starting to flick her knife around. It''s dangerous to agitate her any further. ...... I mean, why is there a knife glinting in a dark room? Are you psychic? It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. I''m not going to let you sleep. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life. She was forcibly woken up and wiped her face with a wet towel. There was a tub of water and a towel in the room. This was provided by the inn for use in washing your face. ...... The towel is for wiping your wet face. ...... What are you doing with it? ''Now, get dressed and meet us in front of the inn. Assunto will be picking us up soon, so let''s meet up with him and go see the koji maker. Estella rattled off her plans for the rest of the day and left the room. I guess that means I should change my clothes. ............ ''...... So, will you leave, Natalia? ''No, don''t worry about it.'' ''Estella!You forgot something! Estella comes back at a very fast pace, takes Natalia away, and locks the door. ...... So, how did Estella get the door unlocked? ...... Picking? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''ve been told that it''s rude to wear wrinkled clothes when meeting a koji maker, and that I should change into my nightgown. I put the loungewear I brought into my bag and put on my usual clothes. ...... cold. When I was a student, the landlady would put my clothes in the kotatsu to keep them warm before I woke up. ...... I remembered these nostalgic moments and prepared myself. ''Good morning, sir. It''s a brisk morning. ''...... if only I didn''t have to see your face.'' Assunto smiled at me with a hot smile as the cold wind blew through the city at night. When we left the inn, Assunto was already waiting for us. ...... He''s got a lot of energy, too. ''Now we are going to go to the koji maker''s room, but since you don''t like noisy places, I''m sorry, but please walk. The sound of the carriage seemed to bother him, so we decided to walk to the room. If we slowed down, it wouldn''t be so loud. ...... Well, it''s early in the morning, so what can we do? I''ll show you around. Assunto led us through the still dark streets. The factory that makes koji seems to be built on the east side of the city, with a lot of land. The koji factory also has facilities for processing and development. Only the koji maker and a limited number of other people are allowed to enter the "room" in the factory. The room where koji is made must be perfectly controlled in terms of temperature and humidity, as well as germs brought in from outside, so you can''t go in and out without permission. ''So, will they let us in? ''No way. We''ll have to meet in another building near the room. The room, which is also a treasure trove of trade secrets, seems to be on high alert. Well, there doesn''t seem to be anything interesting in there, so I don''t mind. ''I hope they won''t force beans on me again as soon as I get to the room. In fact, I had already been pushed a bunch of beans at the inn. This time it was coffee beans. I don''t want any more baggage. The least we can do is that Mahrul gave us a certificate of tax exemption along with the letter. Now our beans will be treated as a gift to Mahrul, a nobleman of the 29th district, and no tax will be charged. ...... This is the kind of injustice that goes on in BU. It''s a structure where bribery is rampant. You don''t have to worry about that. Assunto turns his face toward us and says as he walks. ''You don''t have to worry about being forced to eat beans at the koji maker''s place. Oh, you''re talking about that. I thought you were talking about bribes. ...... ''The koji maker is the most important person in the city who generates the city''s assets, so he''s exempt from bean-related obligations. ''That''s a structure that seems to be rife with bribes. If you have power, you''re exempt from obligations. It seems that there will be many people who want to escape their troublesome obligations by joining the ranks of the powerful at any cost. ''Hmmm... ...... systems are designed for the convenience of those in power. It''s a great way to raise money,......, and it''s not something you want to talk about in front of Estella. ''I''m sorry to hear that, Assunto. You make it sound as if I''m a corrupt aristocrat who''s tinkering with the system for money. ''Of course, our beloved Lord of the Forty-Two districts is an exception. He''s not like those money-grubbing people. ''...... doesn''t sound very heartfelt. In the past, Assunto, the head of the branch in charge of the lowest three districts of the peddler''s guild, was preying on the 42nd district for his own advancement, and Estella, the lord of the 42nd district, was being preyed on. Although I was acting for them at the time. These two are walking shoulder to shoulder, exchanging sarcastic remarks. For the sake of new business. To benefit from each other. People change when they change, don''t they? ''Is something the matter, Master Yashiro? Is something wrong with those two?'' ''No. It''s kind of strange to see two people who''ve been through so much walking side by side, .......'' ''Wait a minute, Yashiro.'' ''I don''t want to hear this. Estella and Assunto turn around at the same time, and approach me at the same speed. ''I''m the one who got burned. ''I don''t mind declaring in front of the spirit gods that I''ve never had an opponent as troublesome as you. What''s wrong with that? Both of them have a reluctant look on their faces. We''re the ones who got in trouble. If it weren''t for you guys, I''d be living happily ever after with the money from selling spices. Yes, I might have used the money to live a life of luxury in another district. ''On second thought, I haven''t made a lot of money in this city yet. ''I''m sure you''ve made more than enough profit. Isn''t the Sunlit Pavilion always busy? ''That''s Jeannette''s profit. I''m only getting paid for one person. It''s like a special allowance, an extra income, something that makes you feel like you''ve made money the moment you get it. I don''t have the kind of income that makes me feel like ''I made money! ''Even though I''ve contributed so much, I don''t live in a mansion and I don''t have a beautiful woman at my side. ...... It''s unreasonable. ''Hmm?I''m sure there''s always a crowd of beautiful girls around Yashiro-san. ''Assunto ......, you don''t seem to understand the meaning of the word correctly. Oh dear. You''re so busy counting your money that you''re weak in the humanities. He didn''t even understand how to enjoy a play. I guess he''s not sensitive enough. Shabby guy. You see?''Samurai'' means that you can touch her tits whenever you want! ''No, it''s not. Not at all. ''Yashiro-sama, you might want to relearn the language.'' I got a fierce rebuke. Why? Isn''t it always the case that those in power can squeeze as much as they want?That''s the way it is, isn''t it? ''Then, let''s make this business deal work and make a profit together. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that I''ve managed to get the story straight. That''s why I want to make a lot of money on my own. What do you mean, ''all of you''? ...... You can only feel superior if you keep the profits to yourself. ''May I give you my objective impression? Natalia says in an indifferent voice as she moves away from the three of us. ''''I feel very sorry for the Koji craftsmen who have to negotiate with the top three crooks in the 42nd district. ''''''Who are the top three crooks! ''''Isn''t it the three of you who are good at putting the other party through with your head and mouth? Mu ...... said, I can''t deny it, but ............ I''m not happy to be lumped in with these guys. ''I''ll give it right back to you. ''No, no, no. I''m the one. Sparks fly between us. ...... How dare these people put themselves on the shelf and shamelessly go on and on. ''Estella is the most black-hearted of them all! ''It''s you, Yashiro. ''It''s probably you, Yashiro. ''G....... But Assunto is the one who is the dirtiest with money, isn''t it? ''It''s ......n~............ you and Assunto, draw! ''No, no, no. I''m not as well-liked as Mr. Yashiro.'' ''I''m the most popular person in the world, right? ''I''m a lord, remember? ''I''m a merchant, and I have trustworthy relationships with many people. They''re ............ You''ve got a nice personality, really. ''Gentlemen. Natalia, who had been looking at us from a third-party position, pulled out a piece of high-grade paper from her pocket and thrust it at us. ''I''m the most popular one here,'' she said. The paper was the latest issue of the information paper published by BU. ......I know you''re popular at BU, so ...... I skimmed through it and saw that it had a section on ''the hottest girls in fashion''. ''...... This is Natalia, right? ''Yes, it does look a lot like ...... Natalia herself, doesn''t it? As Estella and Assunto said, it was Natalia, no matter how you looked at it. She was not the ''Natalia-esque woman'' she had been before, but Natalia herself, with her hair, her eyes, and the way she stood. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this at ....... Natalia''s nostrils are flaring. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''What do you think ...... is a coincidence, do you think? ''No ......''. The last time a Natalia-esque girl was drawn in a newspaper and a girl who looked exactly like her appeared, it became a hot topic. As a result, the equation "hot girl = Natalia" was established, and Natalia''s standing figure was published. Or perhaps the guy who drew this illustration met Natalia somewhere along the way. ...... Natalia fever. I thought it was going to die down eventually, but I didn''t expect it to get an upgrade. ...... It''s not named, but it''s almost like a name. "Yashiro-sama. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. And then, with a big smile on her face, she says these words. ''I''d be happy to sign it for you, if you''d like. ''No, thank you! Somebody pull him down from his feet!He''s getting carried away. ''...... When did you buy this? ''Last night at dinner. I''ve been keeping it in my pocket to show you when the time is right. ''You should have kept it in your pocket all along. ......'' It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. I don''t know what it is,......, but I''m not jealous by any means,............, and I want to be on it to shut this guy up!I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. With grace, elegance, and class, Natalia stood in front of us and led the way. ...... She''s a master at getting carried away, isn''t she? ''''Follow me, you three mouth-breathers. ''''''Alright, let''s duel, motherf*cker! With that one word, the three of us mouth-breathers solidified our unity. I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Who are the three mouth-breathers? ''Hey, Estella. You need to appeal to the BU people more and get Natalia off that throne! ''What?I can''t do it! ''Don''t worry, you''re beautiful! ''No! ''This is no time to be making funny noises, Estella!If we go back to the 42nd district, we can gather beautiful girls with Yashiro-san''s help, but we have to silence that mouth as soon as possible, right now!We don''t have much time! ''''But,......, do you think I can do it,......?Yashiro. ''The face, with makeup, is enough to communicate!............ just'' ''''Yeah, ...... just.'''' ''''My breasts are ......'''' ''''Are you guys going to get there in the end! ''''No, Estella, you''re not!This is just a general statement, representing the opinions of the majority of men in the world, and I am not particular about the size of my breasts! ''My wife has poor breasts. ''You''ve never seen them, but you''re talking out of your ass, Yashiro!Please correct it! ''Non-breast. ''...... I can''t argue with that, but ............'' ''Oh my god!This is not the time to be arguing.We have to unite to overthrow Natalia! ''Yes, we do.'' ''''That''s right.'''' ''''We, the three mouth-breathers!''''''......'''''' ''''Who are the three mouth-breathers? ''''............, you all are very close.'''' '''' Natalia has a smug smile on her face. ......! If Magda was here right now, ...... she would be able to make the most of her cuteness and appeal to the whole BU district with her strength. ......... I''m not sure what to make of that, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ......... Oh, Magda''s getting pretty good at Magda, too. ............ Then there''s Jeannette... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.Then again, Magda is ............ No, wait, wait! It''s Millie! If we bring her along, her innocent cuteness and hard-working personality will make her popular in no time! Plus, she won''t get carried away, and we''ll be mentally stress-free! But she''s not a pushover. ...... She won''t go for it on her own, so if she doesn''t get the bite, it''ll be hard to turn the current boom around. ......... ...! ''Oh, I wonder if all BU residents will become severe pedophiles! ''What kind of curse is that? ''That''s right!Let''s hold a lecture in each ward with Javier as the lecturer! ''If we infect the residents with a serious disease, an all-out war between the BU and the outer districts will break out! d*mn it! That pedophile lumberjack is useless at a critical moment! ''Javier''s a jerk! ''You''ve got a lot to say to the other wards'' heavyweights, don''t you? You''re just an old man who''s the guild leader of a big guild with a little influence in the whole district. What do you need to be reserved about? ''''......It seems that it will be difficult to upset the current situation unless we are also fully prepared. ......'''' Assunto says as he plays the abacus. ...... What were you calculating, on this topic? ''Gentlemen, it is not advisable to waste time on trivial matters. Let''s get on with it.'''' ''''''Whose fault is it? Natalia is still proud of her victory. ...... I''m going to make you howl now! ''''''Who''s to blame? ............ Don''t underestimate the three mouth-breathers! Who are the three mouth-breathers? ...... d*mn, I kind of like that phrase. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. As the sky began to faintly whiten, we could finally recognize each other''s faces. As the sky turns blue in the early morning, people''s faces look more mature and calm than usual. Estella, who exhaled a thin white breath, looked more beautiful than usual in the tranquil blue. I''m not sure what to say. ...... In the case of Natalia, it would be more appropriate to say that she is ''a beauty that I wish would just shut up. ''I see it. That''s the koji factory. Assunto points to a large structure. Behind the high walls that surround the site, there are many buildings lined up. The scene reminds me of the production plants of Japanese companies. I remember that the production plants of cars and electronic devices were like a town within their premises. Some of them had stores, ATMs, hospitals, playgrounds, and other facilities. ''It''s as magnificent as a lumberjack guild. ''It''s in the Forty-Twoth District.'' Estella let out a gasp at the grandeur of the place. As expected, the headquarters of the Woodcutter''s Guild with Javier was much bigger than this. We''re dealing with huge trees, dozens of meters tall. But it''s a good match for the Lumberjack Guild''s branch in District 42, which is run by Imelda. It''s big anyway. ''...... is going to be hard to break into. ''If you enter through any gate other than the main gate, you will be punished severely, no questions asked. ...... d*mn. Are they on Secom? That''s scary. And then, looking around the building, which is said to be fully secured,......, I noticed something. ''That means no suspicious people can enter this building, right? ''Yes, of course. There''s a lot of secrets in here. Not only that, but we deal with very sensitive malted rice, so the amount of damage that could be caused by sabotage would be unbelievable. The amount of damage would be so enormous that the 24th district itself would be tilted. ''...... So, if I see people like that, should I call out to them? ''What? The other three all look in the direction I''m pointing. Far ahead of us. A few dozen meters from what looks like the main gate. There was a figure hiding behind a building, trying to peek inside the koji factory. ''It''s a suspicious person .......'' ''That''s suspicious. ''It''s suspicious. They all agreed on one thing. In the early morning, when the sun was not even up, a figure was peeping into the premises, as if it was afraid to be seen. They are nothing more than suspicious people. He seems to be hiding himself from the main gate, but it is too careless that he is clearly visible from this side. ...... ''What should we do? ''...... Let''s approach ............ for now.'' I asked, and Estella made the decision to do so. There was only one opponent. We have Natalia and Estella. Even if things get rough, we''re not behind. If it comes to it, we can use Assunto as a shield. ''...... Mr. Yashiro. Your thoughts are all over my face. ...... Please don''t do that, okay?'' Assunto slightly distances himself from me. ...... He''s a sharp guy. So we keep a moderate distance and approach the suspicious figure under our breath. It could be an industrial spy trying to steal trade secrets,......, or it could be a saboteur,............. The distance closes and the outline of the figure becomes clearer. 20 meters: ......15 meters: ......10 meters: ............ Fortunately, there is no sign of the other side noticing us. They are staring at the main gate as if they are devouring it. Finally, when the figure was almost there, ...... ''What ......? Estella let out. ''What? Hearing that small voice, the figure in front of her looked back at her with a panicked look. The figure, which showed an expression of astonishment and impatience, was a ...... child, no matter how you looked at it. It''s a little boy with thin lines, unreliable, smart, but weak. ''A ............ child? ''na...... na..................'' We had imagined an industrial spy, but we were stunned, staring at the trembling boy. And we were stunned once again when we heard the words that came from the boy shortly after. ''What is it with you people?You''re a suspicious person? ...... No, you are! This malted rice factory ...... seems to have a lot of things going for it. 283-Episode 195 Koji Craftsman Rivera Whitehead ''What do you want at the koji factory at this hour? I was stared at by a boy who was clearly suspicious. ''We''re here at the invitation of the koji maker. Are you a member of this company? ''............'' The boy bites his lip and looks down. ...... Are you an outsider? How dare you say, ''What do you want''? ''I''ll call him Percy II. ''Don''t do that, ......, for either of you.'' The way he sneaks around from the shadows of the building to see what''s going on inside is just like Percy, the sugar factory manager (his sister runs the factory) who is a stalker full of stalker tendencies in District 40 (although in terms of time spent there, he''s almost a resident of District 42). The only part of Percy''s introduction that doesn''t need additional explanatory revision is the ''stalker'' part. ...... He''s a jerk. ''Boy. Live a decent life.'' "What? I''ll give you some advice from an older man to a naive boy who is about to step into the same path as Percy. The path you''re on is a thorny one. It will be a hard road unless you have a thick personality that doesn''t mind the cold stares of others, or is even a little comfortable with them. ...... ''Is your brother a decent human being? ''''Of course, ...... is! ''''Please refrain from making dangerous statements.'''' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with me, please do not hesitate to contact me. ...... You guys have some nerve, don''t you? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what to say and do in the other districts. You never know who your enemies might be or what threats might be lurking around the corner. Assunto whispered to me in a devilish voice. What does ...... that mean? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ''Hey, kiddo. Estella bends her back to look at the boy, who is only a little shorter than her, and peers into his face. Then she speaks softly with a gentle smile. ''You don''t have to be a decent person to advise people to live decently. ''Hey, Estella. What kind of advice is that? ''No, I''m just trying to show you that you should respect the opinions of your elders to a certain extent. ''Don''t proceed on the assumption that I''m not decent. If you''re willing to respect the opinions of your elders, you should just agree to what I say. I may not look like it, but I''ve lived roughly twenty years longer than you. ''I''m not here with any guilty intentions. ''So you''re not some kind of industrial spy. ''Of course not! The boy raises the volume of his voice in response to Estella''s question, somewhat disapprovingly. If you''re not feeling guilty, then ...... ''Are you here because you''re feeling naughty? I try to play adult jokes on the boy, with some clever wordplay. ...... and. ''........................ different from... ''......... maybe''. He''s clammed up! What?You don''t suppose there''s a women''s bath near here that''s open early in the morning? Oh, yeah!I got it!A girl''s dormitory?There''s a girl''s dormitory near here, and it''s the best place to see the gals in their sleepy clothes and changing clothes!Isn''t that right? ''Yashiro. You''re mute but noisy.'' ''What do you mean, that? Estella is looking at me like she''s looking at a grain of rice stuck to her cuff. This guy reads my mind every now and then. ...... I can''t believe he could see through my poker face. ............ You''re the lord of the forty two districts. ''Master Yashiro. I''ve been looking around and I don''t see any women''s baths that are open early in the morning or any women''s dormitories that might have innocent gals in their nightgowns.'' ''Mmmm ......, Yashiro''s face talks like a mouth that talks a lot. ...... What a bunch of guys. ...... Every single one of them saw through my perfect poker face. ......... ...As expected, the three sharpest men in the 42nd district!They''re the only ones I''ve had to deal with. ''Oh, uh, brother!I don''t have any s*xual feelings in that sense. Besides,......, it''s not a good idea to think or talk about such things! I''ve been lectured in earnest. To the pre-stalker army peeking at private property in the early morning. ''I''m a more pure-hearted ......''. ''Even the girl you like works here?'' ''Huh!Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why did you break my peach? ''Calm down. ''Calm down. You haven''t said "I thought" and you''ve cracked a peach that doesn''t matter, so calm down for once. Oh, I see. So this stalker prep was acting like a criminal in the early hours of the morning just because he wanted to catch a glimpse of the girl he liked. So that''s it. ...... He''s not a prepper, he''s a stalker. ''Too bad. It''s too late. 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''¨¨¡À????¨¦?¡è?????a????????¡ã,?????????????????¡ê??|??????????????a?????¡ê?????¡ì???????????-'' ?????????¨¦o1¨¨?¡¤?oo??¡¥?¡ã?¨¦?¡ê????????¡§¨¨????¡è??¡ì,??????????????-?????¡§¨¦?¡é?????¡¥?????????????o??????¡ì????????????????????o??£¤??a?????a????????????. ???????????|,????????a????????¡é????????¡ê??|??£¤?????????a?|a?|¨¦ ???o????????¡é??????????????????????????¡§????????¡§?¡ã???????¨¦???????a??????a?|a?|??????????????¡é??¡¥¨¦???????????????????¡é?? . ¨¦??????????¡é?? ??¡§????????¡ã,?2?????? ?¡ã???????????????????????¦Ì?????????|????????¡§?????????????? a?|a?| ''????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é,????????¡é'' ''What''s the matter with you, all of a sudden? ''No, I just have a feeling that the word ''hag'' is going to come out of my mouth when I see the painted hag. ...... I thought I''d say it while I can.'' ''That''s extremely dangerous. ...... You can say it now until you''re ready.'' If you say it now, no matter what kind of hag comes out, you won''t have to say, ''You''re even more hag than I thought! If you say it now, no matter what kind of hag comes out, you won''t have to say, ''More hag than I thought! Let''s say away a year''s worth of hags here. ''Oh?Oh, ......, is that so? Assunto rolls his eyes when he sees me like that. And then, what''s funny, he starts to grin with his cheeks relaxed. ''Are you ......? ''No.'' I was just marveling at my own inadequacies. I was just marveling at my own inadequacies. ............ Hmmm, what I did was neglect to share information. However, I''m not so sure ...... that''s the way ............ it should be. What a creepy guy. You can use the word "admiration" to mean either joy or admiration, or to mean lamentation or sorrow. ............ Well, I wonder which meaning he was admiring. He sits on a low legged couch and stares at Assunto, who smirks at him. Me and Estella are sitting, but Assunto and Natalia are standing by the wall. As I was wondering if this was the kind of person I should be standing there to greet,......, the door quietly opened and an old woman walked into the room. Her face is etched with long, deep wrinkles, and her sharp, raptor-like eyes and thin, crisp eyebrows give the impression of being tough. The sullen expression on his face gave the impression of severity rather than sullenness. If there had been a teacher like her, she would have been an absolute pain in the ass. If you were told that she was the only craftsman in the world, you might be convinced. Although she doesn''t have the dignity of Lucia, the hard work she has put in has made her age more convincing. When Estella and I sat up at the same time, the old lady quietly lifted her hand and restrained us, saying, ''Keep it up. We obeyed obediently, as if she wanted us to sit down. After taking in a large amount of oxygen into her body through her thinly opened mouth, she said quietly in a voice that sounded as harsh as I imagined. ''Lady Rebekah will be here shortly. Please wait a moment. After he finished, he quietly bent at the waist and bowed. ...... Isn''t that him? In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use it, you can call us at the web site. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. She is the one who is in charge of the arrangements and procedures for these visits and the management of the factory. The koji maker devotes all his energy to managing the koji, and the old lady, Bertha, is in charge of all the other chores and affairs. That''s why she''s so dignified. A person who can move a person like that ...... sounds troublesome. For now, let''s talk to her and see what she has to say. --I''m not sure. The moment the door opened quietly, the air in the room suddenly became tense. As someone entered the room, Assunto tightened his hold on himself. As if in response, our bodies also lightly shrank. ''It seems I''ve kept you waiting a bit. I''m sorry, forgive me. When I turned my gaze to the door to see who had entered, I saw a white fluffy thing swaying just below my field of vision. I slowly moved my gaze downward. ''You''ve come a long way, haven''t you? I am Rebekah Whitehead, the head of the koji maker. The door slammed shut, and propped up in front of it was a very minimalistic young woman with fluffy white rabbit ears. The rabbit people. But still small. Maybe even smaller than Magda. More than Hammaro, less than Magda, maybe 110 centimeters. His limbs are limber and his speech is clear. She seems to have clear opinions, so I should probably describe her as a girl, but after seeing her large, round eyes and her smiling face, I feel like describing her as a little girl. ''Hey, what''s this juvenile j......'' ''Yes, stop, Yashiro-san.'' He tapped me rather hard on the shoulder. Assunto looks at me with a businessman''s face and whispers information to me. ''That word is forbidden. No, ......, let''s rephrase it as ''related words''.'' I guess she doesn''t like words like ''little girl'', ''child'', ''brat'', ''chubby'', ''Estella-level'', and the like. Young girls, by nature, do not like to be treated as children. This little girl is probably one of those little girls. From the looks of her, she is about five or six years old. ''I can hear you, Assunto. ''What?...... Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha. You are indeed a man with a good ear. ''Mmm. Well, that''s fine. Most people who come here are surprised when they see me. A koji maker rumored to be difficult. With that kind of information, anyone would imagine someone of a certain age. The first thing I imagined was a stubborn-looking old man with gray hair. I didn''t expect it to be a little girl like this. ............ That would surprise anyone. ''However, I find that I like to see the goofy faces of those who are surprised to see me. It''s annoying when people make fun of you, but pure surprise can be entertaining.'' ''Yes. I''m sure you''re right. That''s why I brought you here without telling you. They are my beloved friends and companions ...... and I trust that they will not misbehave, so I have taken this action. How dare you? You just said you were ''negligent in sharing information''. You''re a merchant at heart, aren''t you? You look as if it''s all going according to plan. ''You''re a man with a hateful style. ...... The malted rice maker, Riveka, chuckles throatily. Her white hair swayed softly, as if she were a white head. ''I''m sorry, everyone. I''m sorry I startled you. Assunto bows his head lightly, his face showing no sign of remorse. I see. So you''ve been using these little point-scoring tricks to get in. So you''re an ''old man who provides interesting things'' for the little girl there. ''Ms. Rebecca Whitehead. Sorry for the delay. My name is Estella Creamona, Lord of the Forty-second District.'' ''Good. Don''t be so formal. I don''t like formalities. You can make yourself more comfortable. ''Well, at .........'' Estella looks at Assunto. She''s not sure how much easier she can take it. After all, he is a craftsman who is rumored to be difficult. If he''s offended, he''s likely to be told to leave or banned immediately. ''Here, there''s the man. When Estella can''t decide what to do, Rebekah calls out to her in a friendly atmosphere. As she does, her finger points at me. ''As long as it''s that guy''s face, I''ll allow you to joke around. ''Whose face are you messing with, Kola? ''Yashiro-san. ''Ho-ho-ho, good. Don''t be so angry, Assunto. I''m in a good mood today. I''ll tolerate this level of rudeness.'' Which one of us is rude? But from Assunto''s attitude, I''d say the little girl really is a koji maker. Moreover, it seems that she is usually quite strict. ''Master Yashiro......'' Gently, Natalia calls out to me from behind. From the way her voice is hushed, she''s trying to tell me something important. ''If you''re allowed to joke around with Yashiro-sama''s face, that means you''re allowed to dance around with him, right? --Either that or he''s trying to say something stupid. Yeah. It was the latter. Go ahead, try it, hip-pullin'' dance. ''Um, can I call you Riveka-san, as a sign of affection, at ......?'' With extreme care, Estella asks Rebeka. ''No, no, no. It doesn''t matter what you call me. As long as it''s not ''chan''.'' Can''t I call you ''chan''? You''re most comfortable with ''chan''. ''I''m supposed to look younger. Especially when compared to Bertha.'' No, you''re young, and Bertha''s an old woman, so it''s natural. But it''s not right to make assumptions based on appearance. There are beautiful sisters of indeterminate age in the Forty-second Ward, and this little girl might be older than us despite her appearance. ''Assunto......'' When I met Bertina for the first time, she gave me a hard time for talking too much. It''s safer to tread carefully here. ''...... Is that artisan named Rebeka much older than she looks?'' ''That''s right, funny face! The long rabbit ears of Rebekah caught the private conversation I had with Assunto. ...... Don''t interrupt my private conversation, you''re making it difficult. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. No, I see you. I mean, you look like you''re about five years old. ...... Are you going to get banned for that? ''Apparently, I can look quite young. But... But my real age is much older. I don''t think you''re sixteen or something with that look. ............ ''How old are you? ''I''ll be nine this year. ''You''re just a kid! ''Yashiro-san! Next to me, Assunto sniffs, ''Piggy! Assunto sniffs. But, this is unavoidable! I''ve been pretending for so long that I''m nine years old!You''re right in the middle of being a kid! ''............ Gaki, Jato?'' Rebeka''s rabbit ears flared up. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... It''s not scary at all, in fact it''s quite cute. But it''s just before a business meeting. I''ll try to keep my good mood. ''No, I''m sorry. I stand corrected. ''Oh!You''re correcting me?What word are you going to correct?I''d love to hear how you''re going to change a malicious word like ''brat'' into something that''ll make me feel better! Hmph! He sniffed vigorously and glared at me with bloodshot eyes like a child having a tantrum. It takes a lot of effort to appease a sulking kid. ...... Well, let''s give it a try. I''m sure you''re not going to use words like "child" or "little girl" that will get on my nerves, are you?Or what?Or what? ''Lady'' or ''madam'' or some such transparent flattery?Come on, think hard with your lacking brain. If you make the wrong choice, you''ll all be banned! ''No! Assunto looks back at me in desperation. Don''t stare so hard. You''ve got lard coming out of your forehead, so wipe it off for now, you. You''re about to kick out of a negotiation that''s sure to be profitable because of your likes and dislikes. This Rebekah''s not a hard-headed craftsman. He''s just a selfish kid. Then there''s an appropriate way to deal with him. Now, answer me, funny-looking man!I''ll tell you what you can say about me right now! I''ll tell you what I''m going to say right now!'' He pointed at me firmly and stared at me with eyes full of uncompromising determination. I kneel down in front of her and take her hand reverently as a knight would. ''Please put me in a better mood. Princess. Then he gently kisses the back of her hand. ...... Well, since you''re dealing with a kid, I guess you can''t go wrong with this kind of service. ''Princess ............?'' A low, muffled voice leaks out. And then the hand of Rebekah, trembling in small increments, tightened. ''Yes!Something sounds good! Yeah. She seems to be in a better mood. ''Mmm~!What, what, what, what, what!You know how to treat a lady!That''s right, that''s right!This kind of mature treatment is the most appropriate for me!Mmmmmmmmm! Girls are always attracted to princesses, and there are not many girls who don''t like being treated like a princess. Especially girls who don''t like to be treated like children. What girls admire about princesses are beautiful dresses, glittering castles, sumptuous meals, colorful sweets ............ and cool knights who swear allegiance to them. The majority of girls recognize the prince on the white horse as their partner, but the fact that they have a loyal knight by their side is what makes their heart flutter. Think about it. Would a prince of another country pamper you? Will he obey every command you give him? Even if you''re the princess, she''s still royalty. We''re on equal footing. No, if the other party is a prince, there''s a good chance your position will be weaker. But a knight is different. They swear allegiance to the princess and risk their lives for her. If you give him an order, he will surely carry it out. If you wish, he will give you a kind smile. If you want to know what will happen to the princess when she finds out that she has her own knight by her side,......, you don''t have to tell me. There are not many boys who are willing to play the role of a knight in a game. Well, maybe not. They will obey any orders and smile kindly all the while. That''s just too much for a bunch of kids who want to act out. You have to be as mature as me. A knight is good for a girl who wants to act like an adult. Because a knight doesn''t treat a princess like a child. The younger the girl, the more she likes the knight. This is why I''ve been treating Rebekah like a child, and she''s happily saying ''mmmmmmmm'' to me. Kids are so simple. ''Very well!Let''s make up for our misunderstanding. Now, sit down, everyone. Let''s get to business! Rebeka''s mood returned, and Estella and Assunto exhaled plainly. Assunto is looking so pale that he looks like he''s about to collapse. Well, if you''re the type like Assunto, all you can say is ''you''re mature'' or ''you''re intelligent'' or something bland like that. That is why I feel it is difficult to negotiate with Rebecca. If you say ''You are young'' to a woman in her seventies, it may be a compliment. However, if you say the same thing to a woman in her twenties or thirties, not a few of them may feel uncomfortable, saying that you have treated them like an old person. It might be a little difficult for those old men who used to flirt with old men. Flirting with children. In no small part because children are not the kind of people that merchants desperately want to be liked. That''s why, when people say, ''Don''t treat me like a child,'' they think, ''I''ll compliment you on your maturity. However, a compliment is not effective if it is not given according to the age of the child. What resonates most with a child who says, ''Don''t treat me like a child'' is a ''pleasant adult experience'' - in short, ''treat me like a child''. The dour koji craftsman was just a child who was throwing a tantrum against an adult who did not understand the mind of a child. 284-196 Koji craftsmen are difficult to please. ''Hey, my knight. Tell me your name. I''ll make a special note of it.'' The malted rice maker Rebeka, nine years old, looks five, sits on the top seat in a good mood and points at me. I was about to slap her on her kneecaps, which were spread so wide, but that''s okay. It''s more convenient to let these children get on with it. ''Forgive me, Princess, for speaking my name in your beautiful ear. My name is Obeyashiro.'' ''Ha-ha-ha. Why are you talking like that?It''s disgusting, it doesn''t suit you, just talk normal. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you like. ...... That''s why kids... ...... And Estella. Don''t give me goosebumps. That''s enough. I''ll just go with normal. ''Well, forgive me for talking like this, okay? ''Mm. A person''s character comes out in their face. It suits you better that way. I''ll specially forgive you for your foul language.'' ''Hey, thank you, my princess. ''Mmmmm!That tickles.'' Rebeka rolls around on the couch, scratching her neck. She''s never been treated like this before, and she''s having a grand old time. ''...... He really is a horrible man, isn''t he, Yashiro? ''It''s true ...... that when it comes to women, young or old, regardless of status or personality, you can always sneak right into their pockets. If I discover a way to go back in time, I''ll go advise my then self to stop wasting my time and raise the white flag immediately. Estella and Assunto are talking nonsense over there. Don''t blame me for your poor negotiation skills. I''m the standard and you''re not trying hard enough. You know, it''s the parents with children who make the big purchases, whether it''s a house or a car, and their weakness is usually their children. It can be said that being liked by children is one of the basics for winning a big business deal. If you want to increase your business profit, you should be liked by children. If you are seen as a child-lover, your reputation with third parties will be enhanced and you will be given a good impression. It''s a basic rule for con artists. They''re not scammers, so they probably don''t know that. ''Yashiro-sama loves children, you know. Natalia is mistaken. It''s true that the kids in the church and the ham kids have a strange fondness for me, but it''s not because I like kids. It''s just that they like me on their own. Children are said to be the natural enemy of swindlers because they cannot understand theoretical conversation. They are only used as props to trap the negotiators. However, if the negotiator is a kid, we need to adapt to him. I don''t like it, but I''m good at it. That''s all I''m saying. ''...... in a s*xual way. ''I''m going to say a definite NO to that! Correction. Natalia is not mistaken. That was malice. ''Hey, my knight.'' Rebekah bends her index finger upward and calls me. ''I''m going to allow you to sit next to me. Sit here.'' Then he pats the couch. He pats the couch, gesturing for me to sit next to him. He then pats the sofa, gesturing for me to sit down next to him. ''Nii~'' he says, showing the happy expression that kids sometimes show. I often see this kind of expression on the faces of children when their relatives'' older brothers come to visit them. In short, it''s the face you make when you''ve got a toy. ''Well, excuse me. My seat has changed, and the seating order has changed. I sit next to Riveka. Estella is sitting across from me and Assunto is sitting across from Rebeka. Natalia is standing quietly behind Estella. The next thing you know, Bertha is standing by the door. She is Rebekah''s right-hand woman, and is in charge of the entire operation of this koji factory. Maybe she''s like the head waiter at the lord''s place. The way she masks her presence is very similar. A few moments after we had all taken our seats, several women who looked like factory workers came into the room. They replaced the tea that had been served in front of us with a new one and quickly disposed of it. ''Well, even though it''s a business meeting, I''ve already talked to the assessor about the main points. This time, I want him to taste the bean sauce and tell me some other interesting stories. Don''t be so formal, just take it easy. As he said this, he gave Bertha a twirling finger signal. She bows deeply and leaves the room. She probably went to get some bean sauce. ''No, my knight. Elbows on my thighs, Rebeka peers into my face. She''s a prepubescent kid, so I guess she''s overly skinny. I mean, this guy. He says he''s learned my name, but he never calls me by it. ''I''ve known the name Obayashi for a long time. You''re the one who invented bean paste, aren''t you? ''I didn''t create it. I just taught him how to make the seasoning in my hometown.'' If they think you''re the creator, they''ll ask you to create a new seasoning and send you out to do research. I can teach you what I know, but I can''t help you with what I don''t know. I''m just an amateur with a little knowledge. I have no intention of changing that position. ''Hmm. You''re humble. You don''t look it. Rebekah laughs, shaking her shoulders with a chuckle. This kind of one-liner is also very childish. ''So, what''s this ''other interesting story'' you''re talking about? ''I want you to tell me about a new, innovative, exciting, and novel seasoning like bean sauce. ''I don''t know. No, I can''t think of any new seasoning. I''ve got a few ideas on how to use bean sauce. ''What~, I see. ...... I was expecting a little .......'' ''I''m sorry I can''t help you.'' I''m not sure why Assunto bowed to Rebeca, who looked disappointed. ...... So, did you tell her that ''Yashiro-san might know of some other interesting seasoning''? ''Oh, no. I didn''t say anything. As if he had read my expression, Assunto quickly interjected an excuse. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m disappointed. ...... ...... What''s with the roundabout declaration of ''disappointed''? You can''t have your own expectations and then be disappointed. I''m going to give you a quiz then. Those who can answer correctly will receive a special gift. Sudden quiz time. This is also very childish. When you''re dealing with kids, you''re faced with this sudden quiz time over and over again. ''You have probably heard of miso, don''t you? How is that miso made? With a strange clause at the end of her sentence, Rebeka gave us a question. It''s not a quiz, it''s just a question of knowledge. She tried to pick me out first, but when I made a face like I knew what she was talking about, she turned her attention to Estella. ''Here, Lord of the Forty-second District. Answer me this. ''Er, let''s see, .......'' Estella liked Ginette''s miso soup, but she wasn''t the type of person who would look into the process of making miso. In fact, it''s doubtful that she even knows how to make miso soup. Basically, he only knows about things in the 42nd district. Estella looks at Natalia as if asking for help. In response, Natalia quietly raises her hand and turns to Rebeka. ''Do you mind if I answer on your behalf, Miss Estella? ''Hmm. Very well. You have my permission. Natalia knew that there was a good place to drink in the 33rd district. It was highly likely that she was gathering information about other districts to help Estella. More importantly, she knew in advance that she was going to meet the koji maker. I''m sure she''ll find out at least a few things. Without much concern, I waited for Natalia to give me an answer. Even with our eyes on her, Natalia did not show any signs of impatience and opened her mouth in a relaxed manner. ''First, we need to catch the wild miso. ''You''re kidding! I stood up at the unexpected answer. Wild miso? What is it then? You''re saying that brown, sticky thing has arms and legs and is running around in the forest? ''The tool I use is a fishing rod. ''The sea!You''re in the ocean! ''Hmm, Master Yashiro. You''re joking. If there were miso in the sea, the sea would become miso soup. .................. It''s a river.'' ''The river will turn into miso soup! I don''t know how serious she is, but Natalia gives me that answer without changing her expression at all. Estella''s expression was tense, so she didn''t believe Natalia''s crazy story. ''Mm-hmm. You''re a funny girl. But Rebekah is smiling happily. She''s not giggling, but she looks like she''s in a good mood. ''After all, beautiful women are also intelligent. ''Yes, well, I suppose so. ''Natalia, be modest! Estella''s quick reply to Natalia''s boastfulness. But when she saw Natalia, she said she was beautiful. ...... No, she may be beautiful, but the way she said it bothered me a little. It''s not that she looked at her face and said she was beautiful, but that she had information about what someone else had defined as beautiful,....... I wonder if he''s even looking at that information paper. ''But it''s not right. ''What? No, ''What? What? It''s not a good idea, is it? ''Natalia. Miso is made by mixing soybeans and koji and letting it mature. Assunto gave Natalia the correct answer, which was too misleading. At that moment, Natalia''s gaze changed. ''...... What''s he talking about? '' or something like that. Oh, Natalia knew what she was talking about, and she blurted it out. ''............'' Rebeka, who had been in a good mood next to me until a moment ago, suddenly became quiet. Well. Because Assunto had stepped on a mine. ''Oh, what?Wasn''t it? ''.................. No. Isn''t that right?'' Rebekah''s bunny ears flapped. ............ Assunto. Do you know what a promise is? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, it''s best to check with your doctor. It''s ......... cold. And Assunto. Don''t ever forget this. Children are creatures that want to be told the right answer. Sometimes you have to ask them to tell you the answer to a very simple problem. Theories and logic do not apply to children. Kids are creatures of emotion. It''s not about logic. Fun or no fun. That''s what''s important. ...... Look at that. Rebekah''s turned her head. ''...... I think I''ll stop doing business with the peddlers guild. ......'' Hey, hey, hey. Stop muttering horrible things in a whisper. If the bean sauce doesn''t appear on the market, the demand for soya beans won''t increase and the number of soya beans in the 29th district won''t decrease. ''No, no,......, if I''ve done something to offend you, please apologize,.......'' ''There is no need to apologize. ...... You were just answering a normal quiz. ''No,......,......,......,......,......! In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on ....... ''That answer is inadequate. You can''t turn those hard soybeans into miso by sprinkling koji on them and letting them sit. Rebekah glances at me, still looking unhappy. It''s a ''let''s see how you like it ......'' kind of look. It''s really hard to fix a crooked belly button. ...... You owe me, Assunto. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. If you don''t know what you''re looking for, you''ll be surprised. I can''t say it''s the right answer without mentioning the point that would definitely surprise a stranger. What, Riveka? ''The most surprising part, you say? Rebeka is a koji maker, but since she asked about making miso, she must know at least the whole process. I''ve heard that this factory makes miso and soy sauce. Maybe they have some of those products. When you go to a miso factory for a factory tour, they usually show you the first surprise. Let''s make it a problem and get him in a better mood. Then, I''ll give you a problem instead. The first step in making miso is to wash the soybeans. We use plenty of water to thoroughly remove the dirt from the soybeans. ...... At this time, what do you think we do with the soybeans that float instead of sinking to the bottom?Estella. ''What, me?'' When I asked Estella in the middle of the question, she crossed her arms in panic and said the answer that came to her mind quickly. ''I''ll sink it! ''Don''t get mixed up. If you''re going to treat me like everyone else, I won''t bother asking. ''Hmm?Hmm?What, you don''t know anything about that?'' ''Huh. ............ Sorry, I didn''t learn enough.'' Estella shrinks at Rebeka''s innocent words. ...... but it''s something you don''t need to know, don''t worry about it so much. However, Estella''s appearance caused Rebekah''s mood to improve slightly. ''What do you do with the beans, Rebekah? ''Throw them away. ''What?What a waste. ''Mmmm ......, miso is delicate. You need to choose your ingredients carefully. Soybeans are usually submerged in water. If it floats, it often means that it has problems, such as insect bites, blemishes, or has not grown properly. Removing them properly will make the miso taste much better. And here comes the problem. ''The cleaned soybeans are soaked overnight in about three to four times as much water as the beans. ...... The soaked soybeans undergo certain changes. Now, what do you think it is? Then he pointed at Estella again. ''What, again? Estella twists her head like a little boy. You''ve got a really good reaction. Look, Rebekah''s crooked belly button is growing straight and long. ''It''s germinating! It''s going to taste bad! When they germinate, the nutrients in the beans are taken away. But it''s a fair point, considering the changes that appear after being soaked in water. Another wrong answer, and Estella looks reluctant because I''ve pointed it out to her. But that''s okay! On a quiz show or any other kind of show, unusual answers by others are the best entertainment. When combined with a well-paced comedy, it can make the audience laugh. Look, Rebekah is laughing with her mouth open. ''Ha-ha-ha...... is good. Good, Lord of the Forty-second Ward. You''re an interesting lord. ''Oh, no, ...... I''m sorry for my lack of study.'' ''What are you talking about? If you knew anything about miso, I wouldn''t be in a position to help you. The word ''no position'' made Assunto break down. He bends his body and presses his belly with both hands as if he had been driven into his stomach with a huge stake. Has he been hit in the stomach by the tremendous stress? ''There is no shame in not knowing. It is a shame not to think. What you don''t know, you can learn from.'' Estella''s curious answer seemed to please her, and the joy on Rebekah''s face was seeping out, multiplying and overflowing. ''What is your name, my dear?I''ll try to remember.'' ''............ Oh, Estella.'' ''No, you just said your name, didn''t you? And then Estella says her name again. In short, Rebecca only intends to remember the names of people she likes. It seems that the self-introduction she made earlier went from right to left. I guess Assunto''s name is remembered thanks to the bean sauce. Estella, on the other hand, seemed to be liked for her personality. ''You''re too stiff!You should talk more frankly and in a friendly manner!It''s more fun that way, of course. --Rebecca had accepted him as a friend. ''E......, then, it''s nice to meet you again, Rebeka-chan.......'' ''Hmm?'' ''......-san.'' ''Mm!Nice to meet you, Estella.'' It seems that even if we get along, you can''t call me ''chan''. I don''t know if you''re allowed to call me that, Estella. Natalia is getting a little annoyed in the background. ''Lady Riveka. Bertha comes back with a small urn under her arm. As soon as she enters the room, she directs a frightening voice at Rebeka. ''How dare you call out to my lord? I never raised you that way, sir. Please be polite, respectful and respectful to others. At Bertha''s words, the aura of unhappiness that had been radiating from Natalia dissipated. Wow. I''ve always thought that talented little kids are often spoiled and grow up to be unruly brats, but Bertha seems to be an adult who can discipline them properly. ''But, Estella and I are friends now. You can''t get mad at me for calling you that, can you, Estella? ''Um, well, I''m not ...... angry, but ......''. ''Look at that!Bertha is old-fashioned in her thinking! Bertha''s temperatureless eyes spoke plainly to Rebekah, who stomped back as if she''d just taken the demon''s head off. ''Yes, you''re right. I''ve lived a long time, and my thoughts must be very old-fashioned. I''m much more ''mature'' than you, Rebekah. ''Muhaha!I''ve always told you not to call me ''chan''!Correct it! ''Rebeka-chan, bellow bellow baa~'' ''Mew!Don''t treat me like a child!Stop it! No, that''s no longer treating me like a child, it''s treating me like a baby. It''s no longer treating me like a child, but like a baby. ...... Who''s a long-lived, old-fashioned "adult"?You''re a kid enough. ''Oh, um, Mr. Bertha. I really don''t mind. It''s just nice to know that you like me. ''That''s very generous of you. You''re as generous as they say, aren''t you, Lord of the Forty-second District? Bertha bowed on behalf of Rebeka and praised Estella. ...... I know, right? You''re curious about ............ the word ''rumor''. ''I knew it! She looks as desperate as if she had just melted all her money in a forex market. In spite of Estella''s wish, the rumor of the "Lord of Smiles" has spread far from the 42nd district to the 24th district. It would only be a matter of time before it became a nationwide phenomenon. ''But, Lord of Smiles,'' he said. ''Please call me Estella!By all means!No, please, this way! She''s on her knees, bowing her head, like she''s on her knees. Estella, you''re trying too hard. ''Well, Miss Estella. I appreciate your generosity, but Rebekah is a child who doesn''t understand unless you tell her, so I have to make it clear that she is wrong. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ''Haha ...... If you want me to do that from the perspective of education, I can''t say no.'' ''Thank you, sir.'' Perhaps because she was facing Estella, who was sitting on the floor, Bertha folded her hips more than ever and bowed her head deeper and deeper. She bows as if she were doing a standing forward bend. Then, she slowly raised her body and lifted her face, and at the same time turned her gaze tightly to Rebeka. ''Repeat after me!''Estella-chan''! ''Can you give me a minute, Bertha? Estella jumped up. She stands up from her seiza and jams Bertha with her momentum. This guy''s spring is amazing. If there were several track and field coaches here, there would be a fistfight. ''You can''t use ''chan''. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Yeah. This old lady is a bit of a disappointment too. Thank God. I feel strangely relieved. ''All right. Take care of her, Estella.'' ''...... Oh, you''ve already decided ............?Well, it''s nice to meet you, Rebeka......-san.'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. And Natalia, who loves her master''s comical misfortunes. She''s got a really nice smile on her face. And Assunto is out of the picture. As for me, apart from being exhausted from playing with the kids, there was a part of me that felt clearer, or at least strangely satisfying, and I felt somewhat refreshed. "A difficult koji maker Probably, many merchants had a hard time with Rebekah. After all, they don''t know where Rebeka''s mines are. You can''t praise her, you can''t push her, you can''t pull her, you can''t catch her with things, you can''t catch her with things, you can''t get her to talk about serious business, you can''t get her to talk about serious business, you can''t get her to talk about serious business, you can''t get her to talk about serious business. Rebekah lives by her emotions. Even a professor at a top university can''t analyze the emotions of a child. It''s harder to predict than tomorrow''s weather. You don''t know why you made him angry, and once you do, your relationship with him will be ruined ....... I''m sure you must have looked very uncomfortable. If it had been Assunto alone, the soybean paste development might have been terminated. The contract would have been easily broken and the distribution would have been doomed. Estella would be more effective against such an opponent. She''s an authority figure without pretensions. Best of all, Estella is well-liked by kids. Like the kids at church. The ham kids. And the kids who come to the sunny side up for kids lunch. Rebekah, the koji maker, is exempt from the ''bean duty'' that all residents of the wards belonging to BU are equally responsible for. It''s not something that can be decided by a single lord of the 24th district,......, I''m afraid. Soybeans are a source of treasure that can be turned into blockbuster products such as soy sauce and miso. Its profits are not limited to the 24 wards, but benefit the entire BU. That''s why they are given preferential treatment even if they have to bend the rules of BU - it''s more appropriate to think that. If Rebeka falls in love with Estella and settles into a friendly position with the 42nd district, ...... she may become a powerful card against the people of BU. Even if not, it will be easier to get through to the lords of the 24th district. So, Estella ......, do your best to get along with that little guy over there. ''Nice work, Estella.'' ''Kki,......, you make me itchy, can you stop? Estella glared at me with her cheeks dyed lightly. Hey, hey. I see. Then I''ll save ............ for the right moment. 285-Episode 197 Theres soybeans. ''''These are the soybeans that have been soaked overnight. ''''Oh~......! Estella and Assunto exclaimed when they saw the soybeans that had swollen to twice their original size. I was also surprised when I first saw it. ''How dry were those beans? I was about to say. I miss the social studies field trip in elementary school. I mean, Assunto''s voice was so deliberate. ''I didn''t know they could grow this big!I was so surprised! ''............ You don''t have to do this. You know what you''re doing, anyway. ''No, no!I was not aware of this process. I''m ashamed of my lack of study! ''............ The worst thing you can do is to do everything half-heartedly. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but ''............I''ll keep that in mind ............''. You''re spinning out of control. Or rather, Rebecca''s opinion of Assunto is plummeting. I think anything you say now will have the opposite effect. Shut up for a minute. ''So, Estella. These soybeans are now boiled again in plenty of water, and after four hours of boiling, they become soft enough to be crushed with your thumb and pinky finger. ......'' Rebeka explains the process of making miso to Estella, using gestures. I''m sure you''ll like it. Estella responds with the kind of response that a child would like. I wonder if she has a natural talent for listening. ''Rebeka-sama. Aside from miso, let''s talk about soybean paste now. The people here are not busy. Bertha said crisply and looked at me quietly. I''m not sure if you know that we''re going to meet the lords of the 24th district after this,......, or if you simply think that we can''t keep the lords of other districts around for long,.......... ...Do you want Rebekah to go back to work for good? .................. The last one is a strong candidate. I''m sorry. I know you all enjoyed my quiz, but ......? ''Well then, shall we have a leisurely quiz contest some other time? ''Oh, a tournament!That sounds interesting, that is!That''s Estella-chan! Estella''s cheeks twitch slightly every time her name is called. She doesn''t seem to mind it, though. I''ll let Estella take care of the noisy children and we''ll go on with our conversation. ''Assunto. Did you bring what I asked you to bring? ''Yes, of course! As soon as he enters his domain, Assunto begins to come alive. I guess he feels more comfortable here than dealing with children who don''t know how to touch him. ''I told the merchants in the 24th district to prepare something of high quality for you. With that, he presented me with a beautifully thick cucumber. Fresh cucumbers with spines so firm that they hurt when you touch them. It was a good way to taste the bean sauce. ''Would you like a small plate of it? ''Oh, yes, please. Please.'' ''Well, ......'' Bertha scoops up some bean sauce from a small jar. A nice shade of reddish brown bean sauce is served on a small plate. A deep aroma tickles your nostrils. It''s still not fully matured, but the aroma is rich. The jar Bertha brought is small enough to be held in one hand. She must have brought it in small portions from the bean sauce stored elsewhere. It''s not a good idea to expose such things to the air. ''Master Yashiro. I''ve cut it into small pieces for you to eat. While Bertha was pouring the soy sauce, Natalia was cutting the cucumber into long strips. She removed the spines that might have stung my tongue. I don''t mind spines on cucumbers, but she was so meticulous. Then, I dipped the cucumber in soy sauce and bit into it. ''Hot! The stinging pungency hits your taste buds. The back and sides of my tongue tingle. The more the bean sauce matures, the more the stinging spiciness mellows out, but it''s still too stimulating. But it''s still good. ''Yes. It''s definitely spicy ......, but it''s delicious.'' ''Yes, it is. It has a deep, complex flavor.'' Estella and Natalia frowned as they gave their impressions. No, it''s spicy, really. They are not frowning because it tastes bad. ''If you let it mature like this, you should be able to make a pretty good bean sauce. You''re indeed a craftsman, Riveka.'''' ''Mmm-hmm!It''s only natural. Now, don''t be shy to praise me more. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to get this taste the first time. If you can get this kind of flavor the first time, you should be very happy. I''d like to go home with some of this immature bean sauce. With it, I might be able to make a prototype of what I''m planning to add to the restaurant. A very popular dish using bean sauce. One of the most popular Chinese dishes of all time. Ma-po tofu. If we can make that, it''ll be a hit for sure. Hey, Rebecca, ......''. I have a favor to ask you,............, and while I was saying it, Rebeka approached me. ''No, my knight. There''s one thing I need you to do for me. It was a request made in a hushed whisper, as quiet as possible, but still earnest, as if appealing only to me. ''I want you to make a dish with this. Cooking. Hmm, well, I know you''re interested in cooking with real bean sauce, not the ''pseudo bean sauce'' that I entrusted to Assunto before. I understand, but ...... why are you whispering? ''Dear Rebekah. Why don''t you speak louder?'' ''No, it''s too loud!This is a private consultation between me and my knight! A knowing look on Bertha''s face. I think he knows the reason for Rebeka''s mysterious behavior. A request made surreptitiously and in secret. What does that mean? ''I''d like to taste the bean sauce, but it''s so spicy that I''m going to cry, so please ask if there''s anything that can be eaten by children. ''No, I''m not crying!And I''m not a child either! And I''m not a child!'' ''Your obstinacy like that is proof that you are. ''No, no, no!I''m a mature lady! I am a mature lady!'' ''Your ending and first person are just things you forced yourself to do in order to look mature. ''No!Don''t let go of me! He pounced on Bertha and pounded her with his small fists. Bertha doesn''t react, as if the wind is blowing in the willows. I''m sure the Rebeka punch didn''t hurt her at all. I''m sure the Rebekah punch doesn''t hurt at all. ............ I wonder if those ''ew'' and ''~ja'' were meant to make you look more mature, but you''ve gone beyond mature and become more like an old lady. I''m not sure.Bertha is mean!It''s not fair that you''re the only one getting older! No, we all age equally. ...... I''m young again, but... ''Please stop competing with me. There''s no way to change your age. ''That''s not true!''Everyone in the factory says you''ll always be young!Bertha is a child! No, that''s just a compliment, Rebekah. ''No, sir!She''s an old woman! You said it!I never thought I''d say that. ''I''m young! ''I''m an old woman, even if I talk like a young man and try to wear a mini-skirt! Did you try it, Bertha? ''Hmm ????????????!You''re young, Bertha!She''s no different than me! ''No!Three hundred and sixty degrees, for all intents and purposes, you''re an old woman!You''re an old woman to everyone, young and old, man and woman!You''re the same old hag for twenty-four hours a day! It''s not fair! ...... I don''t know what your values are, man. ''Oh, um, ...... Mr. Bertha.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I beg your pardon. I didn''t mean to make you look bad in front of the others. ......'' ''No, I don''t mind, but ............ Mr. Bertha is young.'' ''Thank you, sir.'' The condescending Bertha. Well, I guess it''s Estella''s job to keep these things in check. Talking about age is not a thorn in her side. But what the heck, ............ this Bertha looks just like Natalia. The way she treats the Lord. So, if you know of a dish using soy sauce that can be eaten by Rebekah, I''d like to know about it. It would be a great motivation for Rebeka to know that the food she is growing is delicious. What do you mean by a boost? ...... However, it is better to be familiar with something than with something that you don''t know is from the sea or from the mountains. But, ''grow''... Koji is a living thing. Miso, soy sauce, and soybean paste made from koji may indeed be closer to ''growing'' than ''making''. Even in such a single expression, you can see the attitude of these people toward their work. They''re good craftsmen, aren''t they? I want to distribute bean sauce no matter what. If we leave it to these guys, they''ll make something delicious. It''s ....... I''ll help you out this one time, so be most grateful, Assunto. ''Suppressing the spiciness? ...... Hmmm.'' ''What?How hard can it be?Why don''t you try adding sugar or something? ''No, I can make it if I can get a certain thing. ...... It might be difficult at this time of night. ......'' He said, glancing at Assunto. ......Wow, you''ve got a really happy look on your face. Both eyes began to glitter. ...... You''re so predictable it''s annoying. I''m sorry.You''ve got me!I''ll do everything in my power to prepare you!I''m not sure what to do.I''ll do my best! ...... They''re trying to appeal to me as much as they can. You''re probably thinking that since I sent the signal, it must be something that can be prepared with effort. Well, you''re right. You''ll get your points. ''Okay, Assunto. Get me some yogurt.'' ''Yogurt, sir? ''Oh, I see.'' Next to Assunto, who tilted his head, Estella looked refreshed as if she understood. Because Estella was there before in the ''Sunlit Pavilion Curry Tragedy Incident''. She must have remembered that dairy products can soften the spiciness of capsaicin. However, it''s not enough to use dairy products, you have to be careful how you use them. Kaizen, which reduces the spiciness of capsaicin, is weak against heat, so it is better to mix it just before eating. There are other ways to make it, such as tossing it with an egg or diluting it with chicken broth,......, but since Jeannette isn''t around, I''ll stick with the easy way. ''All right!Then I''ll go get some yogurt! ''Oh, and. Can you order some tofu? ''Tofu......? Huh? What''s that response? Don''t tell me you don''t have any? ''I miss tofu. ''...... nostalgic? ''How can you even know about such old food? That''s Mr. Yashiro, isn''t it? No, no, wait a minute. What do you mean by ''old food''? Estella and Rebeka are puzzled, and Bertha has a strange glittering expression on her face. ............ This reaction is just like the generation gap in the tea room where the Showa era songs are played. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... No tofu? ''I''m sorry, Mr. Yashiro. We can''t get tofu. There is no place that manufactures it. ''Why is that?There is such a wide variety of processed soybean products, you can at least get tofu at .............'' I was about to say that much, when I realized it myself. I see. So that''s why. Bertha nodded her head slowly, as if to prove that my guess was correct. ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir. All of the soybeans currently harvested are used to make miso and soy sauce. Hence, tofu production was discontinued about twenty years ago. Oh, ...... holy crap ............ You can''t make mapo tofu with this. ............ Even the soybean paste was made 80% for mapo tofu. ...... ''...... Rebecca. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''It''s impossible. Everywhere is asking for soybeans. There are no extra soybeans anywhere. ''Then why don''t we just produce more in large quantities? ''Then we won''t be able to produce enough legumes and peanuts. So why don''t you just abolish that stupid "BU" rule? ............ d*mn. What a stupid policy. An assortment of uselessness and nonsense. ''............I''m going to destroy the BU''s stupid bean rule. ......'' ''Yashiro. Aside from your grand ambitions, your first priority is to dismiss the compensation claimed against the 42nd district. Don''t forget that. Oh, God! There''s a dish in front of us that''s sure to be a big hit! BU is really nothing but a hindrance! ''...... I won''t give up. ............ I''ll definitely make tofu. ...... ...... Even if I have to dismantle the BU! ''So, Yashiro, ...... don''t lose sight of your goal and make the problem bigger than it is. The first priority is to avoid a crisis in the 42nd district. You''re an idiot! You can''t just sit back and let the seeds of a money-making scheme dangle in front of you! ''But it''s not really possible to do anything about it right now. ............'' ''I''d like to make one for you too, if I could. Bertha bows her head with a slightly sad smile on her face. ''It''s a rule, please understand. ''The way you talk ......, can Bertha make tofu?'' ''Yes, sir. I have experience. You said earlier that it was discontinued twenty years ago, but you must have made it before that. I wonder why they let it die out, such a delicious food. ''No, no, my knight ............, could it be that you can''t make a good bean sauce dish without that ''tofu'' or something? ''No, not at all. ............'' All I could think of was Mapo Tofu. ............ Oh, I see. You have that? ''Well, Assunto. Get me some eggplant.'' ''Na, eggplant ......? ''What?You have eggplants, right?'' He looked so puzzled that I felt a little uneasy. Eggplants must still be grown today. I''ve seen it in Momat''s field, and it''s also used at the Sundaari-tei. ...... Miso dengaku, it''s delicious. ...... ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry. It''s just that the ingredients are so far removed from tofu. ...... I hope that means you''ve changed direction. ''No, the direction hasn''t changed one millimeter. After all, I make mapo eggplant. That''s good too! ''If it''s eggplant, I have an idea!Wait for a moment!Go get it now! As quickly as she could say it, Rebekah ran out the door. ...... What is it? ''...... Lady Rebeka ............ again.'' ''"Again"? ''Oh, no, I mean ...... here, sir.'' Bertha muttered to herself as she stared at the door through which Rebeka had run out. I don''t think it''s the ...... kind of thing that hurts my head, but it''s not ...... the kind of thing that hurts my head. I''m not going to say anything. As you stare at his profile, Rebekah comes back, only to peek through the door. ''It''s Assunto. It''s a race to see who can get the food and come back faster. ''What? ''All right, then! ''What?What? And with that, Rebeka ran down the corridor with all the power of a child again. Assunto showed a great deal of impatience. ''Oh, no!What is the right thing to do in a situation like this? He seems to have become a bit timid after his blunder in the quiz. No matter what he does, he feels like he''s going to get angry and shrinks. ...... You''re like Nene from Tracy''s family. If you shrink, you''ll make a lot of mistakes in unimportant places. ''Go get the yogurt as fast as you can. ''Oh, I see!I should win, right? ''No, you should lose. ''You want me to lose? ''Only by a touch.'' ''By a touch! ''That, too, you''ll be in the lead until just before the site, and then you''ll be running at full speed, but you''ll be overtaken in the middle, and after a dead heat, you''ll lose by a touch.'' ''Isn''t that extremely demanding! ''That would be the most exciting part.'' ''I''m sure that''s ...... true, but ......''. If you don''t do that, you''ll never make up for your loss. ''Then, I will accompany Lady Rebekah to sabotage the situation. Quietly, Bertha begins to walk. ''We can hold them off for about twenty minutes. ............ Assunto, please consider it. ''To, Jupun............'' Looking upward, Assunto must have developed his own formula in his brain. In just a few seconds, the answer seemed to come out, and Assunto''s eyes and nostrils widened to the limit. ''I''m dying to rush, but I''m just barely there!I can''t stay like this! And so, belatedly, he runs out of the room. At Assunto''s back, I give him a word of encouragement. ''Hang in there, Assunto~, let''s redeem your name~! As I listen to the sound of distant footsteps, one hectic footstep comes back. ''You have to get your name back! From the other side of the door, there was a look as if to say, ''Don''t waste your time with this! He turns on his heel and starts running again. ...... You''re so polite. No, I''m sure he didn''t want to leave a bad omen behind, even if it was a lie or a joke. I''m sure he didn''t want to leave a bad omen behind, whether it was a lie or a joke. ''Bully''. From behind me, Estella calls out in a dumbfounded voice. ''What the hell, I don''t like it. A pep talk, right?'' ''Well, sure. If you can get around here, you might be able to clear your name. He chuckles happily. You''re quite the bully yourself, aren''t you? ''But, Natalia. You know how to handle kids. I''m a little surprised. Natalia was making a good impression with Rebeka. It was a bit surprising, since she didn''t seem to have an image of playing with kids. ''That''s because I''ve raised one ............ very troublesome child. He said, looking at Estella''s face as if he was about to open a hole. Oh, I see. If you''ve been babysitting Estella for a long time, you''ve learned how to treat her well. ''Bo, I''m sure I wasn''t that much of a handful!And I was never selfish! ''You''re right, let''s correct that part. Breathing in, Natalia corrected her earlier words in a beautiful, flowing manner. ''No matter how much I tried, only one part of the plant would not grow, but I was able to grow the rest of the plant almost perfectly. ''All right, then, I''ll re-educate you!I''ll make you a righteous head waiter who can respect his master properly! Don''t make a fuss, don''t make a fuss. It''s the same as always. ''Hey... Did you guys know about Rebeka? ''Huh?No, we''ve never met him before. I can tell that from your reactions. That''s not what I meant. ...... ''It''s the one named Whitehead. I thought it sounded like he had a lot of power.'' ''I''ve heard of the Koji Maker Whitehead, he''s quite famous. But I didn''t know that it was a young man like him. ''Hey, Natalia. Don''t say what you just said, okay?Even I can''t defend that.'' The fact that Whitehead is famous suggests that the Koji makers are hereditary. A little kid like him is called the head of this place. Koji maker is not something you can become by natural talent, so he must have learned his craft from an early age. It may have been his talent that enabled him to reach the top at the age of nine, though. ''But I''m not a nobleman, am I? ''Well...'' I may have been a bit harsh in my speech. Estella raised her eyebrows slightly. Beastmen could never be noble. No matter how powerful they are. If Rebekah were to take a human man as a son-in-law and he were to take over the Whitehead family, there might be a chance that he could become a nobleman. ...... When I asked him what he thought, he simply denied it, saying ''I don''t think so. It seems that not everything is OK with humans. However, she probably doesn''t care about such a framework. In fact, koji craftsmen are given more privileges than the nobility. Natalia''s point is correct, even the noble Mahr had to devote a percentage of the food he served to his guests to beans due to the BU''s bean rule. However, Rebekah is exempted from this obligation. This means that koji craftsmen are treated more favorably than nobles. It is also possible that they are not so particular about ''what they do because they are nobles. ...... means... ''Maybe it''s a bit of a hurdle. ......'' ''Hurdle?'' Estella looks at me with round eyes like a hamster interested in the first bait she sees. ''I''m talking about going out with Rebekah.'' ''You''re not going the same way as Javier, are you? ''No, a**h*le! You usually say ''don''t be rude'' to me, but in the end you''re looking at Estella that way too. I''m going to tell you about it because you don''t seem to be aware of it,....... Well, it''s not important information, so just go with it. ''What was Rebeka wearing? ''What was she wearing: ...... a linen-colored jacket and a white shirt ...... and then...'' The word "craftsman" is a perfect description of Rebeka, who was dressed in a very Japanese style. Her clothes were reminiscent of Japanese potters and looked like samue. ''Ah!...... half-length pants''. Yes. And of all the people I saw on the grounds, Rebeka was the only one dressed like that. In other words. ''So the boy I met at the gate''s girlfriend is that Rebeka.'' I tell her with certainty. I am sure that ...... the boy is already too late, and I pity him. Javier''s temperament and Percy''s reserve is ............ a shame for the boy. 286-198th Marbo Tasting Event The pig''s nose is leaking ragged breaths, "Bupi-bupi-bupi ......". A lump of live pork is lying on the floor. Next to it, a nine-year-old girl wipes the sweat from her forehead with a radiant smile. ''Mmm!It was a close call, but it''s a great come-from-behind victory! The food procurement competition presented by Rebeka was narrowly won by Rebeka after a fierce battle. ''You''re good, Assunto. Nice dead heat. ...Buh......'' It''s not a stunt, he said breathlessly. I''m sweating all over. He must have adjusted Rebeka''s speed. If it had been a normal race, Assunto would have been trounced. He put on a cool face and got the point across. Mr. Barr does a good job. He knows exactly what will make Rebecca happy. ''This is Assunto. How long are you going to keep it lying around? Cook quickly. I have a feeling that I can eat well now! ''No, ......, the food is .............'' He was staring at me. It was a soulful stare. ''If you move it any further, it''ll be a mess you won''t be able to look at directly,'' he said. Assunto was desperate. ''Let''s leave the cooking to Master Yashiro. He works at a restaurant with the best cooks in the 42nd district. Natalia recommended me as if to wrap up the moment. He works at a restaurant with the best cook in the Forty-second Ward. ...... Well, you''re not wrong. This information has nothing to do with my cooking skills. Either way, it doesn''t matter because I was going to make it. It''s just that Natalia''s offer to help made Assunto''s eyes sparkle like ''Natalia ...... is a good person! It''s a little dangerous that Assunto started to have a sparkling look in his eyes like ''Natalia is a good person! ...... You''ve changed, Assunto, to owe Natalia so much. ''So, can I use your kitchen? ''I''ll show you around. ''I''m going to see it too! Bertha leads me out of the room with Rebekah tugging at my hems. Estella and Natalia followed me, leaving the greasy pig lying on the floor. I''m sure it will have been aged by the time you get back. ''It''s delicious! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one with a smile on my face. ...... I''m sure you''re right. How hard do you think it was for me? I''ve been trying to make it less spicy, but it''s still too spicy! I''m sure you''re aware of that. ...... Children who are too energetic are so cute that you want to pick them up by the neck and throw them in the mud, really. I''m sorry. I''m not going to look like a demon king while I''m eating. Estella, who''s sitting next to me, pokes me in the side with her elbow. You''re good, aren''t you? All you do is eat delicious food with no effort! ...... Nine year old taste buds, too sensitive. d*mn. ''This is definitely delicious. It''s so much better than the old ''bean paste''. Even Bertha, who seemed to understand the difference in taste, gave her seal of approval. She nodded her head in admiration and brought the spoon to her mouth again and again. ''If you age it properly, it will have a much deeper flavor. ''Mmm-hmm!I''m suddenly very motivated! Only one person, Rebekah, who was eating a very sweet version of Mapo Aubergine, raised her fist and barked. I''ve heard from Bertha that Rebeka''s job is to manage the koji, and that miso and soy sauce are made by other craftsmen. If it''s ......, there''s no place for you to work anymore. ''Develop the right koji for bean sauce!I''m sure there''s a koji that''s more compatible! He''s so enthusiastic. Well, I guess it''s best to leave the technical stuff to the experts. If there is such a koji, it would be better if you made it for me. ''More importantly, what do you think of this eggplant?Isn''t it irresistibly delicious? ''Yes, yes, it is. Thick and chewy, it''s a delicious eggplant. ''No~!That''s Estella. Your taste buds are very discerning. Well, Estella probably doesn''t have a sensitive tongue that can tell whether an eggplant is good or bad, but if you ask her if it''s good, it''s an ordinary eggplant. But it''s just an ordinary level. ''......Loretta, I wonder what you''re doing now? ''Yashiro ......, I can imagine why that name came up, but let''s not be too hard on ourselves, shall we?'' He quickly nailed me. But you know what? It''s not something to brag about, this eggplant. ''Is there something special about this eggplant? Natalia plays the role of the ignorant waiter and asks the question on Estella''s behalf. Estella would have a hard time asking after being told that she was ''very good''. Hearing Natalia''s question, Rebekah puffs up her nose in pride. This eggplant must be some kind of gem that she wants to show off. ''This eggplant is a ''church eggplant''! ''Church eggplants? He looks at Assunto, but Assunto''s expression clouds over. He had never heard of it. Isn''t it a specialty of the 24th district that even Assunto doesn''t know about? There was a lot of "? marks were flying around between us, Bertha gave us an answer in a quiet voice. ''It''s just an eggplant, sir. It''s just a plain eggplant that was grown in the church. He said with a clear face while chewing the eggplant. Because it was grown in a church, it is called "church eggplant. ...... Well, I understand that. But why is Rebekah boasting about such an ordinary eggplant with such a smug face? ''There are some people who are a bit attached to it. ...... Unfortunately, I was unable to meet them today. ''Here, Bertha!You don''t need to say anything else!I didn''t come all the way to the church just to see him. It''s just that the eggplant there is delicious, so I thought I''d feed it to Estella and the others. ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''Don''t do horrible things with a straight face! She slapped down Bertha''s straight outstretched hand with all her might. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ''...... I''m sorry to hear that, boy. I''m sure that''s the way it is. ''Maybe that person has a big influence on your desire to act like an adult. ''You all like other people''s love affairs, don''t you? ...... I''m not really interested in that. We all somehow knew what was going on, we all somehow felt sorry for the boy whose name we didn''t know, and a few seconds later we forgot all about it and tucked into our mabo eggplant. Well, you''re young, you should have experienced a heartbreak or two. I mean, it was a mistake to try to touch such a young girl. Isn''t it?You''re all smirking at me. It''s kind of creepy. The kid''s trying to cover up his embarrassment. I see. You''re embarrassed. So naive. ''Riveka. You''re a girl too. It''s okay to fall in love. There''s nothing to be ashamed of.'' When I gave her the generous words of a grown-up, Rebeka''s eyes widened as if she was startled, and her face instantly turned red. ''My knight,......, you,......! You can read my mind, how can you read my mind? I was wondering if I would be getting a lot of rude words like ...... ''You''re hitting on me, aren''t you? I was hit in the back of the head with a huge spike. ''No, I''m not! ''No, you don''t have to hide it!You''re a man, too, and you''ll feel the tingle of love when you touch a young maiden. ...... It''s wrong that I''m too pretty. I''m not sure what''s going on here. It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''ve been thinking that I''ve been feeling some strange and unpleasant stares for a while now. ...... It''s really erotic, my knight! I''ve never given you that look! I''m not sure what to say. ''Are you on that side too, Bertha? What are you talking about, you little brat and old hag? Who''s going to look at you like you''re pornographic? ''Don''t get too carried away, you flabby, wrinkled bastard! ''That''s why they call you an erotic gaze because you''re so directly connected to your breasts. Estella gives me a cold stare. ''Yashiro, you''re finally talking to children and elderly people like this? It''s better that he didn''t give you a troublesome reply, but you should at least ...... follow him. But, my knight... If you want to marry me, you must become my son-in-law, learn about koji from scratch, and take over this factory and room. Is Sonata ready for that? ''No.'' ''Why don''t you show a little more guts!Young men these days are so sloppy! I''ve been called a young man by a kid who''s only lived about a quarter of my life. ...... I''m thirty-seven years old. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m sure you''ll be fine. But Yashiro-sama might have a chance. Bertha, who I had thought to be relatively sane, started to talk nonsense. I think he''s started to lose his mind in this short time. ''I''ve heard that you know a lot about koji, and you should be highly praised for bringing in a new seasoning called bean sauce. Most of all, I am impressed by the fact that you know tofu, the taste of my youth. How about it, won''t you seriously consider marrying me?Marry me! ''It''s you! I was so surprised!I was so surprised that I made a very goofy comment. I thought he was going to push me to marry Rebeka, but he ended up looking for his own son-in-law! Isn''t she starting to lose her mind? ''It''s my first marriage! ''I don''t know! I don''t know why, but he''s so refreshingly confident. My impression of this guy has gone around 540 degrees. One and a half turns. d*mn. I made the mistake of saying ''you can fall in love too'' to show a bit of brotherly composure. ...... These guys are annoying. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. I''m not sure what to say. Is he embarrassed?Well, I don''t know. ''Well, well, don''t be in such a hurry. Everyone, please take your time. If you want, I can prepare bedding for you, so why don''t you stay the night? Hey you, Bertha. Didn''t your mouth say something about it being a nuisance to keep another lord around for a long time, just now? Also, it''s a futon. Not a bed. ''Okay, let''s leave Assunto. ''I''m sorry, sir, but I''m a married man.'' He refused. You look more like a sacrifice than any of us!You''re the kind of guy who wants to be sacrificed to the devil! ''Rebeka-sama.'' ''What the hell, Bertha? ''Tomorrow ...... I might sleep in .............'' ''All right, let''s go home, boys!We don''t want to keep the lord waiting!We''re about two hours early, but let''s get there early and wait at the gate!That''s the polite thing to do, isn''t it? I have goosebumps all over. What on earth is it about me that Bertha likes so much? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... I wonder if this is how people feel when they wander into a haunted place and get possessed. ...... I can''t stop the chills. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to escape this nightmare if I declare, ''I''m having s*x with Estella! ...... No, if I do that, I''ll be stuck with troublesome problems for the rest of my life. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. That''s why we''ve decided to leave the factory. ''Why don''t you take your time ......, don''t you think so Bertha? ''Personally, I agree with you. But you are all very busy. I can''t force you to stay.'' ''What a bore! The pudgy Rebekah tugs at the hem of my dress and shakes her body. Stop, it''s stretching. ''You must come and visit us again!You too, Estella! ''Yes, by all means. Estella is assuring me with a good-natured look. She wouldn''t be able to come to such a distant city. ''Assunto, you''ll have to compete again. ''Ha, yes ......, by all means, again.'' Although he is twitching profusely, he has made up for his gaffe and seems to like him a little more than before, which is a good thing for Assunto. ...... Pfft. You can run around in a sweat again. ''And Natalia, the head waiter. Rebekah calls Natalia, then suddenly starts to squirm. ''Now, I want you to give me a lecture on how to become a good, mature woman like you. What the hell? You want to be like Natalia? Is this something that should be stopped at all costs? A naive girl is about to step into the road of disappointment. I think we should do everything in our power to stop her, as adults! ''Rebecca-sama''. Before I could stop her, Natalia began to speak in a matter-of-fact tone. ''Adult women are full of feminine charm. Therefore, it is important to always keep yourself firm, disciplined, and objective, even when no one is looking. Oh, he''s saying something decent. When it comes to self-discipline, Natalia, the head waiter, may be more disciplined than the others. If that''s the kind of advice you''re looking for, there''s no need to stop. ''Therefore, I recommend that you go to bed completely naked. ''What are you talking about, man? ''At any rate, behave yourself and be careful what you say, Natalia! It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''If you spend all your time naked, you will be able to observe your own body lines at all times. Being watched makes you tighter, both physically and mentally. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but you''re making a lot of sense. ''Normally, I would prefer to be completely naked while at home, but ...... that would be tough for an amateur. You might catch a cold. ''...... Why are you so proud,are you?'' ''If you''re an amateur, does that mean you''re a ...... naked professional?'' Well, as expected, they won''t listen to this stupid advice. You''ll be disappointed at best that you shouldn''t have listened to it. ''Make sure you take notes, Bertha! ''I''m on top of it!Let''s start implementing it today! ''Hey, stop it, you old hag! I feel like I''m going to disturb the neighbors!Even if it''s surrounded by a wall! ''You can''t peek at .......'' ''Assunto. You don''t deal in longswords or something, do you? ''No, you can''t. If Mr. Bertha goes away, miso and soy sauce will disappear from the market. d*mn it! He''s in control of the factory, isn''t he? I don''t want to leave the monsters on the loose. ......! I''m not sure what to do. Estella bowed, and Natalia bowed reverently. Assunto bows like a merchant, and I raise one hand in greeting. ''It was a good time!You''re my friends!You''re my friend! You can always count on me if you need anything! ''Make me some tofu. ''I can''t do that! I was rejected with a big smile on my face. If we can increase the production of ...... soybeans, we can make ............ Mapo Tofu ...... I''m not giving up! ......! We headed back to the inn on foot, just as we had come. It seems that we have stayed too long, the sky has brightened and the city is full of people. It was almost lunchtime. We went back to the inn, and Assunto went back to the Peddler''s Guild. This is where we say goodbye to Assunto. He is going to report to the peddler''s guild about what happened at the koji factory. Before that, he is supposed to bring a carriage to the inn. The carriage arrived at the right time, just as I was finishing packing my luggage and checking out. I climbed into it, and the horses began to walk at a leisurely pace. We were headed for the mansion of the Lord of the 24th District. Finally, we can meet the lord. I feel like I''ve taken a long detour. I''m going to make some arrangements to dismiss the BU''s ludicrous request. If possible, I''ll bring them into the fold and invite them to collapse from within. ''Well, hopefully ...... they''re not a straightforward opponent.'' That''s what Estella said when we talked in the carriage. The lord is called the stubborn old man. I don''t think he has a surprising identity like the ''difficult malted rice maker''. I''ve met him once. Well, I just saw him. I didn''t talk to him. He''s really just a stubborn old man. I''ll have to talk to him to find out what he''s like. ...... Let''s do what we can for now. Use this time to get to the lord''s mansion. ''Bald, bald, bald, bald, bald, bald, bald, bald! ''...... you don''t mind doing that, do you?'' I''ll say all I have to say now so that I won''t be too surprised at how bald I am when we first meet and let the words slip out. ''...... I hope it doesn''t become a habit and come out in spurts. Oh, there are dangers like that,......, I learned while I was being rocked by the carriage. 287-Episode 199: Donnys Donnati Just before noon. We arrived at the mansion of the lord of the 24th district almost on time, and were greeted by a group of sturdy guards who led us into the grounds. The carriage was carried to the stables by a small old man. ''Welcome, Miss Claremona. Your master is waiting for you. An elderly butler with neatly coiffed gray hair greeted us. He gives us a condescending bow in front of the large front door. ''Thank you for taking the time to see me today. Estella bows to the butler with a proper bow. There may be some lords who would not bow to a butler, but Estella does not neglect such things. Natalia doesn''t do anything to stop Estella either. I''m sure Estella is fine with this. ''--The more polite the lord is, the more the rudeness of the people will be offset. ''What are you talking about?I don''t think so, so be polite.'' While being quickly nailed, we proceeded down the wide hallway. As if to welcome us, there are big servants standing on both sides of the corridor. They bow to us every time we pass by,......, but there''s something indescribably intimidating about them,......, and why are there so many bastards in this building? I''m sure you''ll agree. The old butler quietly bent down and led us into a room. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with us. It''s huge. ''Welcome, Ms. Creamona. And my attendants.'' An old man with a stern face stood in the center of the large room. His voice was quiet, but low and powerful, giving off a sense of intimidation that made me cringe. His straight back was a beautiful silhouette that belied his age, and his torso was firm and steady. As he has been the lord of a powerful district for many years, he is so dignified that you cannot find a single crack in his body. His mouth is tied in a straight line with deep lines, his gaze is sharp like that of a bird of prey, his eyebrows are thick and firm for his age, and his romance gray hair covers half the circumference of his head from his right ear through the back of his head to his left ear. As if it was a bonus, there was only one hair on the top of my head. ''Phew! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea.It might be a Ka-chan,......! ''Yashiro! ''Sorry, I''m sorry. I was prepared for this, but I didn''t expect Ka-chan to show up. ......! ''Who is this Ka-chan? I was pulled by the sleeve, forced to turn around, and scolded in a whisper by Estella, whose face was so close to mine. In the process, I was poked several times in the side. But that''s not all! If a scary old man with a very stern face and a haircut was Ka-chan, you''d laugh! There''s so much of a gap, I can''t help but think it''s intentional. I''m sure he''s trying to make you laugh! ''...... Is there a problem? ''No, no!He has seizures sometimes that I don''t understand. Please, don''t worry about it! Estella hurriedly made up her mind and quickly hid me behind her back. Then she pinches my cheek and says, ''Mu-nirin! She pinches my cheek and forces me to ''stop laughing''. ...... Violence. It''s power harassment. In some cases, a little s*xual. I hid behind Estella''s back, desperately trying to stifle the laughter that was building up. ''''Once again. Thank you very much for responding to my request today, Mr. Donati. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. Good. I was curious too. I was also interested in ...... the up-and-coming female lord. The air is thick with tension. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''We''re not good enough. But we are honored. ''There''s no need to be modest. I''ve heard many rumors about you. ''Well, speaking of rumors...'' In order to avoid meaningful probing, Estella forcibly changed the subject. She is probably trying to create an atmosphere first. It is easier to build a friendly relationship in a friendly atmosphere than in a tense atmosphere like this. ''I also heard a rumor about Mr. Donati. I heard that he''s an old friend of Mr. Demilly, with whom I''ve been getting to know very well. ''Oh, you''re close with Ambrose? Bringing up a common acquaintance can help you get closer to each other. Well, this is a very basic method. But it''s also quite effective. Knowing this, Demilly must have come to see Estella. ''Mr. Demilly has told me some stories about Mr. Donati. By referring to Demilly as ''Oji-sama'' and showing that she is extraordinarily close to him, she shows that she is harmless to Donis Donati. This is the safest way to deal with someone who is difficult to get to know. ''So, Ambrose told you about me. After closing his eyelids and nodding his head quietly, Donnis raised his eyebrows. ''He called me bald, didn''t he? ''Buh-uh!'' This time it was Estella who blew up. I held back. ''No ...... no,...... never,...... that kind of thing! Shaking and shaking, Estella wisely spits out the words. You look pale. You''re pale. Her heart must be under a terrible strain. A load called stress. ''(You''ll feel better if you laugh as hard as you can.)'' ''I can''t do that, can I? My whispered advice was rejected in a whisper. I think it''s easier for people to live honestly. ''There''s no need to hide. Ambrose is always trying to get me to join his bald crew. I still have a lot of hair left, you know? ''What?...... ah, haha.'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a wise decision. ''Master Yashiro. Behind Estella''s confusion, Natalia speaks to me. ''Which of the following will accurately convey the message: "Fifty steps," "Friends call friends," "Neighbor''s scalp looks thinner," or "Hair loss, not return to roots?" ...... ''You keep your mouth shut. You can''t complain about the last two, especially if they''re taken as a declaration of war. I''d like to say something, too!''No, it''s smooth! No! But it''s good manners for an adult not to say that, right? No matter how much I know, I don''t make jokes like that to people I don''t know. My mind is still thinking about it, though! ''''Well, let''s see, ...... Mr. Donati is known as ''DD'' to his close friends. I think that kind of relationship is wonderful.'' ''Mmm, is that so?'' ''Yes. I too would like to be blessed with a close friend who calls me by such a nickname. ''You do have a nickname, don''t you, "Lord of Smiles"? ''Shut up, Yashiro. Two meters away. This guy changes his attitude from person to person. I don''t think that''s a good idea, I... ''Mr. Donnis. Your meal is ready.'' ''Oh, I see. The old butler gives Donnis an earful, and Donnis spreads his hands toward us with a stern expression. ''I think lunch is ready. Would you like to join us?'' ''Sure, I''d love to.'' With a sales smile on her face, Estella gives a cute little bow. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... can''t you at least ask her out for dinner with a smile? I''m not sure what to do. It''s as if he''s been wearing a stern expression for so long that his face has hardened into that shape. ''By the way, I heard from Tracy in District 27. On the way to the cafeteria, Estella walks next to Donnis and asks him to talk. She is trying to casually close the distance between them while casually suggesting that she is also friends with Tracy. You''re a good diplomat. When you''re on the move, you can talk to people without being defensive or self-conscious. This is a good time to flatter your opponent without being sarcastic. ''I heard that Mr. Donati was the only one who voted against the majority vote to demand compensation from the 42nd district. ''Oh, you mean that. ''When I heard that, I was honestly happy. Thank you very much. ''You don''t have to thank me. A stern face glanced at Estella, then quickly removed its gaze. ''I only did so for my own reasons. I didn''t do it for your ward. It was as if he was coldly shoving her away. It was so cold and condescending that Estella gasped for air and missed her chance to say anything else. ''...... So, I see...'' It was only when they reached the dining room and Donnis'' back was far away that Estella finally muttered this. He''s a stubborn old man who won''t be swayed by anyone. I guess he only acts friendly when it suits him. It might take some effort to find out his true intentions. Donnis sat down at the back of the room, and we were urged by the servants to move to our seats. In the middle of this, Natalia asks me a question. ''Mr. Yashiro. That''s what Mr. Donati said earlier. ......'' With a serious expression, Natalia expresses her opinion. ''In other words, "I didn''t oppose it for your sake! It''s called .......'' ''What do you want from that old man? There''s no demand for the old man''s moe anywhere. It''s not a good idea to leave Natalia idle. It''s better to keep giving her a good amount of work, I guess. When Estella stood in front of the chair, Natalia stopped talking and walked up behind her. She restrains the servant with her hand and pulls the chair for Estella to sit on. The servants in Donis''s mansion are all men, so they don''t want Estella to get too close to them. I almost forgot to mention that Estella is the daughter of a nobleman who is about to get married. Moreover, she is currently in the position of a lord. She should not be allowed to come into contact with an unspecified number of men. ...... outside of the sunlit pavilion. ''You can make yourself comfortable. Meals taste better when they are eaten in peace.'' It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... It is your frowning face that makes it difficult to relax. They are sitting on both sides of an unusually long table. This is Estella, me, and Natalia sitting in a row, with Donis sitting across from us. However, next to Donis, there is a meal prepared for another person. A glass of water is placed in front of us. ''I heard you were young, so I thought water would be better than alcohol. If you''d like a drink, let me know. ''No, just water. Thank you for your concern. Donnis seems to be drinking water as Estella does. ...... Oh, no. According to Demilly''s information, Donnis is a drinker. If that''s the case, he may be trying to keep his partner from drinking alcohol for whatever reason. If the other person drinks, I have to go along with him or else I have to tell him no. They may not want to say, ''I''m sorry, but I can''t drink. ''It''s ...... delicious.'' Estella sipped her glass of water, following Donnis'' lead, and rolled her eyes at me. No, I don''t care if she sees me. I''m not a gourmand or anything, so I can''t really go into detail about the taste of the water. ...... I''m not a gourmet or anything, so I can''t really comment on the taste of water. ''...... Oh''. ''This is ......'' Natalia and I both let out a squeal. It is indeed delicious. It has a refreshing taste, like drinking fresh water from the Alps. It''s easy to drink and has no habits. ''Come to think of it, they make sake in the 33rd district, don''t they? If they are using this water, I''m sure they can make very good sake. These were the words he had spoken to Natalia. But it was Donis from the other side who responded. ''Hello, young man. You know me well. Are you a drinker?'' ''Oh, no, .......'' I gave Estella and Natalia a look, but they just gave me a ...... ''safe'' look. If you don''t know what they really mean, you have no choice but to go with ''safe''. ''I''m more interested in the manufacturing method ...... than the drink.'' ''Oh, I see. No, I''m impressed for such a young man. I don''t know what impressed him. But most of the time, when people talk like this, they''re talking about ...... ''On the other hand, ......'' ...... when you want to compare someone to someone else and condemn them. Donis'' gaze turns to the empty seat next to him. Someone who is not interested in products made with koji is going to sit in that seat. The timing of this introduction means that he is the heir ......, but Donis is unmarried. He has no sons. ''Sometimes ...... I hope you don''t mind me asking, but ...... is that young man Ms. Claremona''s fianc???'' ''Gof*ck!'' Splashes up next to me. ...... a bit of a rainbow. ''Gofo,gofo!Geez! Hey, aren''t you choking?Don''t die. ''Your reaction ...... seems to be different.'' ''Yes,...... palm......, I do not have that kind of relationship with him. I''m sure we have a friendly relationship, both public and private. ...... Kohohohoho.'' ''Hmm......'' Donnis glances at me. It''s an unpleasant look, like he''s trying to price me out. It annoyed me a bit, so I gave her a s*xy wink. ''Doof! Donnis begins to choke on his breath. I guess that was a little too stimulating for my old, wrinkled heart. ''Sh,......, you''re smiling like the god of death,......'' I''m sorry, but you look like the god of death. ''But, I see, ...... you don''t have that kind of relationship.'' ''Yes. He''s the one who invented a new seasoning using sole, and he accompanied me to the koji factory. ''Oh, I''ve heard. I think it was bean sauce. ...... Bertha said it was promising.'' He got the information from Bertha, not from Riveka. Well, it''s easier to talk to an old lady than a little kid, I guess. ''But that young man seemed to have shown up at the meeting in District 29 before? ''It''s that .......'' ''That''s because I''m the one who suggested the fireworks. Mister.'' Estella didn''t seem to like saying it, so I''ll come forward myself. Somehow, I think she feels like she''s putting the blame on me. You don''t have to worry about it. ''I see. Then it seems that you''ve always been behind the recent breakthroughs of the 42nd district, isn''t it? ''That may be the reason. However, the fact that the 42nd district has made great strides and continues to grow is mostly due to the efforts of the residents who live there. ''Oh, ......, I''m sorry to judge you by your appearance, but you seem like a man who would never be modest,......, so you do have a sense of propriety. Donnis began to show interest in me. The wrinkles between his eyebrows have faded somewhat, and there is a light in his eyes. ''Even more so, Miss Claremona. You''d better make sure you don''t let that man go. He''s too good to lose, despite the difference in status.'' ''Yeah, ......, that ............, I''ll think about it, ......''. He looks at me for a moment, then quickly looks away. Stop it Estella. You look like a girl when you make that gesture. ''Or is it that ......''. Donnis opens his dry lips thinly and narrows his eyes. ''Does he already have a girl in mind? ''Pfft! He choked. Now it''s me. ''What is it?You still have her?What kind of girl?Don''t tell me you have a crush on a woman not old enough to be your daughter?You like old women?Don''t be so covetous, or you''ll miss your chance at marriage, boy. He laughed gaily and stroked his wrinkled cheeks and chin. Who likes old ladies? Don''t say that before it''s been too long since you saw Bertha. ...... I''m getting goosebumps from imagining all kinds of things. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. ''Don''t limit it to old ladies, old man. ''Yashiro ......! Estella scolded him in a reserved manner. But the weakness of her tone is probably due to the fact that she acknowledges her own faults, saying, ''Well, you can''t blame me for saying that. ''Hmm!You''ve got a lot of nerve calling me ''old man'', kid!You''re the only one in all of Broom who talks that big! ''No, I heard you''re called ''stubborn old man'' back there.'' ''Seriously? I don''t know. ...... You''re a funkier old man than I thought. You can call him ''old man'' now, can''t you? ''Well, whatever. If you''re still in doubt, the sooner you make a decision, the better. There are no do-overs in life, you know. He drank his glass of water and asked the servant for another. After such an action, Donis turns to Estella. ''Miss Claremona. You too. Since you are now in the position of a lord, it is inevitable that you will be caught up in various ties. But don''t ever regret it. These words are like Donnis himself saying that he regrets his life. A man who has remained unmarried until this age and has fulfilled his duties as a lord. What kind of regret does this man have in his heart? I''d like to ask him a few questions. ...... I don''t really understand marriage either. It''s too late. Donnis growls in a low voice as another glass of water is placed in front of him. He was clearly uncomfortable, and his brow wrinkles deepened. ''Is Filman still not coming? ''Ha!'' Donnis turns angrily to the servant standing beside him. The servant shakes his shoulders at the sharpness of his voice. ''Actually, ......, he said he was taking a long time to prepare. ......'' ''What kind of preparations do you have to make to keep your guests waiting!Bring them in now!I don''t care if you''re in your underwear or completely naked!Don''t embarrass me by keeping my guests waiting any longer!'' ''Yes, sir! Under the shouts of anger, about eight servants hurriedly ran out of the dining room. They must be the poor servants caught between the current and next heads of the family. ''Mr. Donati. Who is Mr. Filman?'' ''Hmm?Oh, I''m sorry. He''s my nephew''s son. He''s my successor, the one I''m currently training.'' Donnis has no children. Then the heir would be chosen from his blood. But that''s a long way from ...... his nephew''s son. Donis''s brother, ...... Donis''s age, would not be suitable to be the next head of the family. Donis is 60 to 70 years old by any measure. His brother would be in his late fifties at the very least. Even if he took over as lord at that age, he would have to be replaced soon. Normally, it would be better for the nephew to take over. ...... ''I can''t leave it to someone without talent. My nephew and niece''s sons-in-law have all turned into soybean farmers who are obsessed with farming. A man who has forgotten how to behave like an aristocrat can''t be a lord. Without asking me anything, he started to talk about his relatives and their shame. After he finished, he said, ''That''s what you wanted to hear, isn''t it? He wrinkled up and twisted his cheeks. This old man ...... must be saying that we are no threat to him if we tell him about our weaknesses. I feel just a little bit uncomfortable, as if I were dealing with Merle. It''s not like the lords of the 24th district have been in control of BU for decades. ''I''ve had Filman since he was six years old, and I''ve personally trained him to be the next lord. He''ll turn into one in the future. I''m not crazy about him. Perhaps he saw something in the six-year-old Filman, or perhaps he was just proud of the fact that he had taken a pure, innocent boy and turned him into his own color. Donis''s confidence is considerable. ''And yet ......''. The confident expression on his face twisted into a sneer. ''That idiot has been rebelling against me lately, forgetting ...... the debt of gratitude that I raised him to this point, and has begun to talk back to me!I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. Oh, ...... is a perfect complaint. It''s the same old, same old ''young people these days'' complaint. ''Next year they''ll be adults, and now they''re sneaking out of the house at midnight to play at night!Young people these days are so flabby! Oh, ......, I finally said it. I guess old men say the same thing in other worlds. He puts his elbows on the table, crosses his arms and rests his forehead on them. Then he let out a long, heavy sigh. ''......Is it still wrong that we''re not blood related ......?'' It was the first time Donis had shown a weak face. Blood ties. If it was his own son, he would not have been so defiant, he thinks. However, he will become an adult next year, which means he will be fourteen this year. At that age, everyone goes through a period of rebellion. This is especially true for hot-blooded boys. Perhaps Donis has never experienced child-rearing. He has never taken care of his own children, or even those of his siblings or relatives. His relatives wouldn''t want to show their children to an old man who so blatantly disrespected them. That''s why they don''t know. That''s why they don''t know what rebellion is. ''Miss Claremona. You should get married. And do it while you''re as young as possible. Take it from an old man.'' ''Thank you for your advice. I''ll keep it in mind. As for .......'' Estella''s eyes looked straight ahead and caught Donnis clearly. She has the power to outdo herself even when they are staring at each other. She clenched her fists lightly in front of her chest and carefully let out the words that were difficult to say. ''Right now, I want to fulfill my duties as a lord. I love the 42nd district. I want to put the happiness of those I love above all else right now. The pride and determination of a lord. That must be Estella''s untruthful heart. ''I think my happiness can wait. ''Miz Crea-Mona......'' Receiving Estella''s straight eyes and straight words, Donis slowly pointed at Estella. ''Yes, we''re going to be late! ''No, you''re not! ''Yes, it''s a shame!Yes, it''s over! ''Mr. Donati!I''ll think properly when I''m old enough!So don''t worry! ''I thought so too, when I was young!But here we are!Yes, we''re the same!I''m with you! ''I''m going to get married at the right time! ''If there are any recipients left by then! ''Ahhhh, you''re so annoying, you old man! ''Estella-sama. You''re leaking too much of your true feelings. ''Well, leave her alone, Natalia. That was the old man''s own fault. You can''t blame him for calling you an old man. Oh, and by the way, calling you a retard or a hoarder is just your personal opinion, we don''t think that way at all. Adult girls, very nice. --I don''t know where you''re going with this, but I''ll follow up. ''So I ask you, Miss Claremona!Have you ever kissed anyone? ''You''re being too s*xist, Mr. Donati! ''Then I don''t care if it''s your waiter''s daughter or that guy over there!Tell me the story of your first kiss! ''How much do you like to talk about your love life, you old bastard? I''m not going to hold back anymore. If someone starts to run wild, you have to give him an even hand regardless of his position or power. That''s the way of the world. Just as I was beginning to think that I should smear the bean sauce I had gotten on each wrinkle, a man appeared in the dining room accompanied by several servants. ''You didn''t have to wait for me. Looking at the man''s face, I couldn''t help but raise my voice. ''Ah! ''Hmm?............? The other side seemed to have noticed us too, and his eyes widened and he shouted. ''Why are you guys here? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. 288-Episode 200 Filman Donalty ''Fwiw, ...... is a Fuirman Donatey. ......'' I''m whispering so much. He''s scared shitless. The stalker of Libeka, aka Filman, who came to the dining room with an irreverent attitude after making us wait for him out of rebellion against his lord, Donis. As soon as he found out that we were the ones he had met at the koji factory, he became frightened and small, like a cat whose belly had been sucked dry by a vacuum cleaner immediately after he had borrowed it. ''...... What?I can''t hear you.'' ''It''s Filman!I''m sorry to keep you waiting! He lifts his once-settled hips again and sends a cheery greeting. Mm-hmm. Young people like this kind of cheerfulness, don''t they? ''You''re a genius at figuring out what they don''t like in just a minute, aren''t you ......? Estella gave me a big thumbs up. You can count on me, can''t you, me? While I was sneaking around with Estella, one of the servants snuck up behind me and handed me a small, neatly folded piece of paper. He handed me a small, neatly folded piece of paper, stealthily, so as not to be seen. I''ve received this kind of thing in class when I was in junior high school. "Breaking news!Mr. Yoshimura''s (a beautiful English teacher with big tits) blouse is about to reach the end of its second button! There was at least one good-natured fellow in the class who would inform us of such trivial news. I don''t remember being able to get into the class that day. All the boys were concentrating on one point. So, the sender of this letter that tickles my sweet and sour memory is, of course, the guy sitting across from me, Phil Mann. When I looked at him, he was pointing at the paper in my hand and signaling, "Look. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... Well, I think it''s pretty obvious. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. "Please don''t tell anyone about this morning. --Please keep it to yourself. So I decided to write a reply to the paper. "Do you know what sincerity is? And. ''Hey, Estella. Give me your pen.'' ''I''m not likely to write anything worthwhile, so I''ll decline. d*mn. This guy is kicking the lucrative business that''s lying in front of him to the curb. ...... So I gave him a vague look that could be taken as a yes or no. Filmmann seemed to be unable to shake off his uneasiness, and was squeezing his still-growing thin chest plate. ''Hmm?What, do you know each other? ''Ugh, no. ......'' Seeing the exchange between us, Donnis turns to Filman. ''I can''t say that I don''t know you,'' says Filman, at a loss for words and sweating in an amusing way. ''I''ve seen you on the street before. I didn''t know you were related to Mr. Donati. Estella casually offers a helping hand. Filman''s relieved and happy face at that moment ...... Oh, I can expect a big payback from this guy by selling him a favor. This is the type of man. But because he''s a family man, Donnis is probably a little less critical of him. If you are a parent fool,......, what kind of fool would you call your nephew''s son? ............ Well, I can''t think of one, so I''ll just call him a fool. I''m sure he''s an old fool. ''I''d like to talk to Mr. Filman for a while, if you don''t mind. ''Yes, that''s right!Let''s talk! Estella quickly changed the subject before he could ask her where she met him. Rather than taking advantage of ......, he jumped on it. I''m sure he''s the type of guy who can''t keep a secret. ''What, you''re interested in each other? ''Yeah, yeah, well...'' ''Yes, I suppose so. Mr. Donati has his eye on you, so that''s interesting. Filman, who was sluggish, and Estella, who answered without hesitation. Looking at them alternately, Donis deepens the wrinkles on his face with a smile. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''No, that''s not what I meant.'' The old man puts his hands on both sides of his mouth and makes a frightening, perverse gesture. ...... This is the kind of guy you want to put out on burnable trash day. ''Uncle Donnis. I''ve told you many times not to talk like that.'' Filman''s voice contained a note of disgusted annoyance. The panic he had shown earlier was gone, and he simply looked annoyed. But Donis, on the other hand, shows no sign of being bothered. In fact, she is becoming more lively. ''Why?Look at Miss Claremona. Isn''t she breathtakingly beautiful?'' Estella''s cheeks flush a little as she is praised right in front of her. This guy has a weakness for compliments. If you let him walk down a Japanese shopping street, he will be a sitting duck for the grocer, fishmonger, butcher, and dry cleaner. ''Besides, it''s good to have an older wife. They''re firm, calm, chaste, and educated. ......'' ''I haven''t heard anything about that. ''Your family background is well balanced. ......'' ''That''s enough! The old man is persistent, and Filman is furious. He punches the hard table and lets out a belch of anger. His thin shoulders rise and fall quietly. Donnis, with a sullen look on his face, closes his spinning mouth, strokes his chin, and stares at Filman. Then he suddenly lifts his right arm. ''So you want the head waiter over there? ''Uncle Donis? ''I was thinking that if you take away the family background, you''d be better off over there. She''s very pretty, and she''s got big boobs! ''Shut up, old man! ...... Oh. He''s calling his family old man, too. I don''t know. Is that it?In BU, women like Natalia are popular? Estella''s cheeks, which were lightly tinted earlier, are now twitching. It''s ....... I''m not going to allow you to say it like that. Donis. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. If you answer, you''re my enemy. I stood up slowly, pointed at Natalia and shouted. I''m not going to let you get away with this.Call me ''tits'' properly and respectfully! ''Can we please not make a fuss about something that doesn''t matter? ''Shut up, no pies! ''Very good, Yashiro!Let''s get you out in the open, shall we? ''Well, well, well, both of you. I''m the most beautiful woman in the world. ''''Don''t get carried away, Natalia! Ironically, Estella and I agreed with each other, so I decided to settle the score. ''''You can''t be so rude. ''You can''t speak for others, either. Uncle Donis.'' The wrinkled old man is being warned by a stalker about something. ...... There''s not a single sane person in this space, except .................. me. I''m sorry for all the trouble. ''No, no. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. They apologize to each other and the situation is reopened. If you look at Donnis gently, he doesn''t seem to be expressing much displeasure. He doesn''t seem to be as short-tempered or eccentric as I had thought. Although he''s the most troublesome. ''So, what did you come here to talk about this time?An old acquaintance asked me to come, so I agreed. This meeting was arranged by Ma''ul. Mahrul also said that Donnis was easy to talk to, and Donnis himself said that he listened to Mahrul''s request. Maybe this visit is a special case. ''As you know, the Forty-two Wards are currently being asked to pay compensation to the BU member wards for causing the water shortage. However, District Forty-two is not involved in any way with this abnormal weather. I''m here to make sure you understand that. ''Hm. ......'' He put his hand on his chin and stroked the wrinkles on his cheeks. Although he is an old man, he does not have a beard. He is an old man, but he does not have a beard, which is probably why his fine beard makes so much noise. ''If you are convinced by what we have to say, we would like you to urge the lords of the other districts that are members of BU to listen to us. ''That''s impossible.'' The denial came easily. Not even hors d''oeuvres had been served yet. ''The claim for compensation to the forty-two districts was decided by majority vote. It''s not something to be rehashed now. ''But, sir. Mr. Donati said he was against it at first. ......'' ''It was too much trouble. ''............ Men, what do you think?'' He crossed the hand that had been stroking his chin and put his elbow on the table, resting his head on it. After letting out a deep sigh, Donis mutters in a low voice. I''ve had enough of the time to drag out the 42nd district and collect money and compensation. I have other, more important matters to attend to. I didn''t want to spend my time on trivial things, so I opposed it. That''s all. The successor issue. Donnis opposed the claim to the 42nd district for that reason alone. I don''t want to take up too much of your time. ''But it was decided by a majority vote to file the claim, and I''m wasting my time. That''s enough. Now, if the 42nd district pays the compensation promptly, I won''t be wasting any more time on this issue. I don''t want to revisit the issue now. ''Such ......''. Estella''s eyebrows twisted. ''Donnis doesn''t care about the 42nd district. He doesn''t care what happens to it. He doesn''t want anything more to do with them, that''s what he thinks. He didn''t do what he did to help the 42nd district. ''Come on, let''s eat. When you''re done, get the hell out of here. I have some things I need to discuss with Filman. With a loud pang, Donis''s hands were slapped. That was the signal for the servants to bring hors d''oeuvres to each of them. When this meal is over, ...... time is up, huh? Mahr''s guy. You don''t think he''s going to say, ''As long as we have time to eat, we can make it work, right? You''re not going to say that, are you? In any case, the hole that was about to open is closing at a very fast rate. There is only one course of action to take in such a situation: ...... ''What do you think Fillman? ''......What?'' --The hole that''s closing will be pried open. I cast a provocative glance at the Fillman. I give him a provocative smile and strike a provocative pose. ''Ah ha~n. ''What do you want, you! ''No, I''m sorry. I just let out a provocative breath. It''s called momentum. It''s nothing to worry about. ''Do you think humans can influence this world enough to affect the weather? When I asked this question to Filman with a serious face, he raised his eyebrows in an obvious way. He looked like he didn''t understand the meaning of the question ....... ''It is said that as a result of the festivities in the forty-two districts, it stopped raining. ''I''ve heard that story, sir. It''s at .......'' ''Do you really think that''s possible? Filman thought for a moment, then abandoned the idea. ''I don''t know. But if the lords of BU have all decided that it''s possible, then I suppose it could be the case. Unlike Donnis, Filman seems to be a ''modern'' BU kid. In short, he has a ''everyone says so, so it must be so'' mentality. He mistakenly believes that if he does so, he will not make a big mistake, and that even if he makes a mistake, he alone will not be responsible for it. It''s a big mistake on both sides, though. ...... Well, I''ll let you know more about that later. Those who are eager to escape responsibility are vulnerable to having responsibility placed on them. I wonder how he will react if he is forced into an unavoidable situation. ''If there''s someone who can control the weather at will, then the koji makers in this town will be worthless. ''What? Filman stands up involuntarily. At first glance, it would seem that he was angry at being insulted by the proud craftsman of the 24th district. But he''s not, is he? ''If you could control the weather at will, you wouldn''t have to adjust the temperature and humidity day after day, earlier than the sun rises. It would be ridiculous to see koji mold makers sweating and scrambling. ''No, that''s not true!Koji makers are precious beings! After saying that much, he must have realized that he was getting too passionate. Filman paused for breath, then hurriedly added, ''For this, the 24th district,'' and sat down quickly in his chair. But don''t think you can get away with that, okay? ''You seem to have a lot of feelings for the 24th district. ''...... Of course. It''s the city where I was born and raised. ''You must really care about it.'' ''So, ............ it''s only natural.'' ''Then let him inherit it. Lord.'' ''............? ''Oh, that''s good of you to say, young man!That''s right, Firman!If you care about this city, study hard and follow in my footsteps as soon as you can! ''That''s not the same as this! Filman stood up as if he couldn''t take it anymore. As he was leaving, Donis''s angry voice flew at his back. ''What''s wrong with you? Filman stops, his shoulders shaking with fear. But he doesn''t turn around. Donnis slowly rises to his feet, his anger evident. ''What''s wrong with being the lord of the glorious 24th district?There are many who would like to become one but are not qualified. From their point of view, how fortunate you are .......'' ''I want to decide my future with my own hands! When he looked back, tears were in his eyes and his clenched teeth were trembling. He had a complicated expression, a mixture of anger and fear. Fear of an opponent who cannot be defied. Non-negotiable strong feelings. The frustration of a life that isn''t going the way he wants it to. He''s a really easy boy to understand. He''s so youthful. ''...... future, huh?'' Filman turns his head away. Anger is explosive, but its fire dies down relatively quickly. It can''t be extinguished, but it can continue to smolder. But it can''t burn up either. ''Are you going to say you want to be a soybean farmer too? That''s what all my nephews have done. Donis does not hide his suspicion that Filman might be the same. But Filman has no answer. ''Being a lord is a proud job. I''m not saying farmers are bad, but!It''s never an inferior occupation compared to being a farmer. ''...... I''m aware of that.'' ''Then why? ''............'' Filman doesn''t answer. I can''t answer that. ''There are many advantages to being a lord, you know?You''ll have money for the rest of your life, you''ll be able to do as you please with your servants, and you''ll be able to serve the nobles. He whispered such sweet words, but they did not reach the heart of Filman. ''It''s the same with marriage. Filman''s shoulders shook slightly. ''You can choose the best partner. There are many daughters of good families who have come forward to marry you. All daughters of famous noble families.'' Filman bites his lip. ''Oh, uh, Mr. Donati! Estella, who knows what''s going on, interrupts him. She looks at Fillman for once, and chooses her words carefully so as not to be recognized. I''ve heard that these days, even among the nobility, there is an increasing number of people who want to be free to fall in love regardless of their status. Even when it comes to marriage, there are many who choose a partner they can truly love, disregarding the balance of their family background. Filman looks up at Estella''s follow-up. He looks as if he''s gazing at the light shining faintly in the darkness, as if he''s hanging on. ''Indeed, I hear that the number of such people is increasing these days. The majority of them don''t like bigamy.'' ''That''s true. All human beings are equal. Any action that narrows down the possibilities is the same as inviting a dwindling and declining future for ourselves. I believe that the lords of the 24th district, with their unshakable faith, understanding and tolerance for the new era, will have the courage to tolerate this. ''Of course. Donnis''s expression relaxed, and the tension drained from Filman''s cheeks as well. ''I''m one of those who have long questioned the idea of marriages based on family connections. It''s not right to involve politics in marriage, you know. ''Very good, Mr. Donati. If you were a nobleman, you would want to marry someone who was superior to you, and you would demand that they be of at least the same rank as you. Donis, however, disliked this. This may have resulted in his celibacy. ''No matter how many times I was deprived of the title of lord, no matter how many times I was driven to the outskirts of the district because of it, I don''t think I would have fallen because of that. If the world were to call it a downfall, I''ve been saying for years that we shouldn''t worry about such trivial things at all. ...... Hmm? ''I''ve had a lot of trouble with old people who don''t listen to me. I''ve seen the stupidity, narrowness and miserliness of those who don''t understand, and I''ve seen it all. I''m proud to say that I have a good understanding of the youth and the new era! ............ Hmmm, that means ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this topic. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. .................. I was in love with Ma''ru, but my marriage was rejected because Ma''ru was forced out of the position of lord and fell. If you want to know more about it, please visit ....... Oh, so all the servants in this mansion are men?I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Puberty, you old man. ''So, then, Mr. Donati. What if, what if?What if, just in case, Mr. Fillman had someone in mind ......?'' Filman''s eyes widen at Estella''s words. You''ve taken a very bold gamble. Well, with the way things are going, I''d have to say ''OK''. It might be a good idea to go with the flow and get the word out. ''If there is such a person, I''d rather be happy. Poof!--Filman''s face brightened. ''Well, if she''s an ordinary girl, she may need some education, but - as a lord''s wife, that is - she won''t be a problem for marriage. Reflexively, Filman''s fists clenched tightly. A small gut-punch. You got the point. ''Once you''re married, you won''t have to deal with the outside world. I don''t want you to have to go through what I went through. ......'' Donis''s face, though wrinkled, looked soft and gentle as he said this. ''Besides, as long as you marry me, I can concentrate on my duties as a lord after that. That''s all well and good. If there''s a girl you''re interested in, I''ll help you in any way I can--'' ''Uncle Donnis: ......'' The rift between the relatives, which had been complicated by the adolescent boy''s concealment of his love for her, seemed to be resolved somehow. The successor issue that had been bothering Donnis for the past few years was also resolved, and if Donnis was in a better mood now, he might be willing to help us with our claim for compensation against District 42. Well, whether or not Rebekah agrees, our problem is solved now. Congratulations. ...... ''As long as they''re not subhuman. Donnis''s words froze the air. No,......, it cracked. ''............'' Filman''s face looked completely down. The soft bangs of his hair hid his face, so you couldn''t see his expression. He''s just trembling slightly. ...... by anger. ''Now, if there''s a girl you''re interested in, let me know!I''ll get you a good match! ''............ That''s none of your business! He swung the glass he had snatched from the table and splashed Donis with water. Filman ran out of the dining room, knocking over the chair beside him. ''...... now ..................... ...How rude of you!Catch him now and lock him up in the dungeon! ''But, my lord! ''Shut up!Do you want to be imprisoned too? ''No, no!I''m so sorry!At once! The old butler hurriedly ran out of the dining room, followed by less than ten servants. ''............ At all! He sank roughly into a chair and wiped his wet face with a napkin. She then puts one elbow on the table and rests her head heavily on it. Wrinkles stretch, cheeks distort, a sad expression appears on her face, and she lets out a heavy sigh. ''............ I''m sorry''. In a muffled voice, Donnis sends his apologies. She may have wanted to show some kind of reaction, but Estella seemed unable to find the right words to say in the face of all the commotion that was happening in front of her. In the end, Estella just dropped her gaze and let out a breath. ''............ It''s always like this.'' In the heavy air where no one spoke, Donis moved his wrinkled mouth like an old tree, as if to atone for his sins. ''I don''t understand what he''s thinking. ...... And I don''t know how to get my thoughts to him. ......... ...I don''t know how to get my thoughts to him. The old man whimpers as he presses his fingers against his temples. Probably in another minute, he''ll say, ''...... I''ve said something boring. Forget it,'' he''ll say. ...... But... ''Shall I tell you? At my words, everyone in the room turns to look at me. ''Or, rather, ...... shall I lend you a hand? I''m not sure if it''s possible, but I''m not sure if it''s possible. The old man''s gaze and his eyes. ''What the hell are you going to do next? and Estella''s cold stare... Well, well, well. Calm down, both of you, don''t be in such a hurry. You can tell by looking at ............. 289-Episode 201 Spiritual Palm ''In short, Mr. Donati will have no worries if Mr. Filman agrees to be his successor, and if he keeps his feet on the ground and studies hard for his lordship. That''s why Donis always has a stern look on his face with wrinkles between his brows. It''s also the reason why he is reluctant to cooperate with District 42, saying that he doesn''t have time. ''Mr. Donati...... ''Yeah, that''s too much trouble, I''ll just use Donis''...... Oh well, thanks. Donis. ''...... Hey, Yashiro. What are you talking about by yourself? ''Well, it''s fine. You can call me Donnis or DD or whatever you want, just tell me the rest.'' Donnis, interested in what I had to say, agreed to tolerate a little rudeness. Good. It''s good to be able to talk to each other without reservation. This special feeling makes it easier to get good terms. So, feel free. ''GG''. ''DD!Who''s an old man, d*mn it! d*mn it! I''m too visually impaired to go to ......! GG would have been more appropriate! ''Anyway. I''ll take care of Filman.'' ''You think you can convince him? I nodded my head confidently. ''Well...'' ''You''re either confident or you''re not! You don''t know that until you talk to him! Well, I have a pretty good idea why Filman is avoiding Donnis, and it''s easy enough to give him advice on adolescent love. But I still don''t know if he''ll become my lord once his problems are solved. So, I can''t reply carelessly. ''But there is no doubt that we can break the current stalemate. ''Does that mean that, in the worst case, it could get worse? That''s right. If we touch it badly, it could get irreparably complicated. There is a danger of that. Human emotions are vague, stubborn, and difficult to deal with, for which there is no manual or strategy. Donnis is cautious because he knows that. And that''s why I''m going to destroy it. ''It''s hard to say without a good reason to trust you. I''m not rejecting you. It''s a sign of a heart that wants to hang on to the hope that maybe I can make a breakthrough. ''As long as you have a good reason to trust me, right? With a thoughtful smile, I begin to move slowly. I take a deliberate detour around the table, slowly, slowly approaching Donnis. As I walked past, some of the servants involuntarily stepped aside. Their thoughtful smiles and slow, confident steps gave off an air of unidentified dignity. And this kind of wasteful behavior has the effect of attracting the gaze of everyone present, and the fact that everyone is paying attention to me gives me a certain prestige. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in you. ''Donnis......, look me in the eye.'' I stand in front of Donnis, who is still sitting in his chair, and look into his face. I''m going to ...... look at him, but my gaze wanders to his hairline. You''ll be able to see one on the top of his head. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''It''s your fault for wearing your hair like a joke in a serious atmosphere! ''Whose hairstyle is a joke? If you wear your hair like that in a serious atmosphere, it''s even funnier! You''ll be very popular in Japan. But before you do, I suggest you grow a chibi beard. I''m sure you''ll be very popular in Japan.It''s ''chi''. ''I know, I know, just get it back, chi! Take a deep breath and put on a solemn atmosphere once again. This is the ''aura of divine descent'' (named after me) that I wore when I dealt in a bit of spiritual products in the past. It is a technique that only works on certain people, as wearing it gives a strange credibility to the falsehoods that come out of your mouth. ''Now I''m going to read your mind: ......'' ''Read your mind ......?'' Donnis frowned as he said it in a quiet, hushed voice. ''Nonsense. There''s no way you can do that.'' ''Quietly ............ I see a woman, ...... and a rather beautiful one at that. ...... ''I see ...... strong feelings for her.'' ''What? Donnis''s eyes widened as if to say, ''What? I''m sure you''ll be able to tell from the conversation we''ve had so far that you''re in love with Mahr. ''How do you know about ......? ''...... ''know''?I know .............'''' It''s a great way to get people involved in your business. That''s the basis of deception. I mean... Every man has at least one woman he''s in love with, and the woman he''s in love with is ''beautiful'', ''nice'', and ''wonderful'' to him. If you say these things in a reasonable manner, it is unlikely that you will miss the mark. If you want to add more insurance, don''t limit yourself to romantic love, but keep it to expressions like ''special woman'', which will cover your mother and your grandmother who was kind to you. There is no man who has not encountered a ''special woman'' in his life. Even if there is, it''s harder to find one, and such men tend not to believe in spiritual events. The odds of being wrong are in the tens of thousands. Donnis''s case is even more straightforward. That''s because he has prior information. But Donnis doesn''t know that I''ve got advance information. That''s the point. Every time I say something, Donnis is surprised. "How do you know? How do you know? How do you know? All I have to do is say something that applies to everyone, based on the information I know. After that, the other side will think ''this is real'' on its own. ''...... That woman is ''special'' ...... to you. ''......!'' Donnis gasps. ''Well, I suppose so. You''ve been in love with her for most of your sixty years of life. Even if you don''t tell anyone about it, it must be an important part of your heart. No one can lie to their own heart. In particular, this way of listening without asking for an answer has the effect of encouraging the other person to ask himself or herself questions, and there is no need to lie to oneself when asking oneself questions. If you are too stubborn to lie to yourself, your thoughts will be more clearly imprinted on your brain and heart. As a ''special being''. ''Who are you, ......? Donnis seems to be honest with himself. After a few moments of staring at me in a daze, Donis gulped and ordered his servants to leave the room. I''m ordering you not to enter the dining room until I call you. You haven''t told your servants about your unrequited love, have you? After all the servants, including the old butler, have left, I will reveal Donnis''s secret once again. ''The fact that all the servants are men is because of that special woman .......'' ''...... can you even find out such a thing? Yeah. You''re easy to understand, you know. I''m sure the use of the word ''for'' instead of ''because of'' touched Donnis'' heart. He''s always trying to be a gentleman. He keeps his mind to himself and completes everything within himself. Underneath it all, he is full of ''consideration for others'' and doesn''t want to cause any trouble. ''It was an old love affair that I didn''t tell anyone about and kept locked away in my heart. ......'' ''...... old?'' ''Oh ......, it''s a fragile love story that ended decades ago. ............'' Donis. He had no one he could talk to about his love life. That''s why it''s so complicated. The expressions ''old love'' and ''ephemeral love stories'' are the best evidence of this. And they think they are ''cool''. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to keep her unrequited love alive until she reaches this age. ...... d*mn. All the old men in this world are so sentimental. It''s a parade of old men of the maiden type. The old maiden in front of me is telling a lie. ''It''s not the ''old'' ......, is it? ''Hmm? He''s trying to cut the cord, and failing. Donnis''s expression tightened for a moment. ''It''s a sign that I''m nervous. ''............ ''Even now,'' ...... you like her, don''t you?'' ''............'' Donnis didn''t answer. Do you think it would bother them if you admitted it here? Or is it that she can''t easily reveal the feelings she''s been hiding? ...... ''............There are times when even you miss.'' Donnis says quietly. This is the feeling that lies behind his words. Everything this man said was right and he''s saying it now. But I, a gentleman, dare to reveal the exact opposite of my feelings. ............ I''m cool. ...... Yeah. This old man is a complete believer in spirituality. You''d be surprised how much he believes in it. I don''t know what it is, but it''s pretty cool. ...... even though he has wavy hair. Perhaps this old man also has the unique "BU" DNA of being easily influenced. He''s been completely taken in by the atmosphere. Only dictators or people who take a strong and hard-line attitude toward the outside world sometimes have spiritual idols as a stronghold in their hearts. The more heroic they are, the more likely they are to carry their own experiences. They tend to be addicted to mysterious experiences that have no answers. Such a stubborn, single-minded person. ''My love for ...... has been dead for decades. It''s hard to even remember.'' ''Okay, ......, that''s fine too ............, just''. The old man is so intoxicated with himself that I adjust my tone. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. ''...... I don''t know if the other woman''s feelings are already over ............. Donnis stops moving. Come on, I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you just what you want to hear, in a way that doesn''t lie and sounds very sweet. ...... ''...... A woman well suited to the windowsill. ............ She always sits at the window with a quiet smile on her face, looking into the distance... ......... all the time looking into the distance. ...... something in the ............ distance.'' Donnis''s hands begin to tremble slightly. ''...... windowsill.................. ah, yes. It''s true, that man ...... used to stand by the window ...... and stare into the distance. ......'' Holding his trembling hand, Donis unravels an old memory. A woman standing at a window. A fleeting gaze into the distance. ...... ''I wonder what she sees now ............ in her eyes?'' Hearing my words, a few tears appear in Donis'' eyes. ............ Her nose widens, and the air is sucked in with a slightly rough sound. ...... ...... bites his lips ...... cheeks shake slightly ...... a single hair on the top of his head shakes softly... ......... Pfft! Desperately trying to hold back the blowing, I give Donnis the last word. ''If you feel up to it, you can write a ............ letter to me. ...... I''ll think about whether to deliver it or not later. ''An undeliverable letter. ............ Hmm. I''ll give it a try when I feel like it. Donnis, smiling. One hair, touch. Pfft! Having reached my limit, I turn around and face Donnis with my back to him. I turn around and turn my back on Donnis. Then I leave quietly, trying not to make a sound. As I did when I first arrived, I took the long way around and slowly made my way to Estella and the others. When I finally reached my original position, Estella gave me a light fist bump on my midsection. ''How dare you say such a plausible thing in such a plausible way. ...... I''m afraid of you.'' I''m afraid of you,'' whispered Estella in an extremely hushed voice, her cheeks almost touching. She wants to give me a hard time so that I don''t find out about my deception. All right, I''m in. I''ll whisper back at the same volume. ''I''m not lying. I can read the mind of a first love boy like Donnis and Mahr is still at the window looking into the distance. The 42nd district is in the distance, though it doesn''t contain any romantic elements. I''m just giving you the information to make it sound plausible. The rest is just Donnis beautifying himself, getting drunk on his own past, and causing his own misunderstanding. ''Totally ......,'' said Estella, shaking her head with a sigh. Her soft hair brushes my cheek a few times. ''That being said, the way you just spoke ...... is disgusting, so don''t do it again.'' Estella, having run out of things to say, sends me such sarcasm instead of sarcasm. That''s why such things sound like ''pretending''. Like ''don''t push it''. So I''m going to play along with the ''pretense''. ''...... one hair ............ touch''. ''Phew! A loud bang sounded in my ear. He blew it out with all his might, this guy. Spit flew all over my cheeks and ears. ''Phew!Whoo-hoo!...... Yashiiro~! ''Wait, Estella. That anger is called taking it out on me. It''s probably not my fault. If you want to assign blame, you should blame your overly rich imagination. ...... and, well... While you are doing all this, Donis is kind of immersed in his own world, staring blankly into space. If you put a big tall old clock next to him, you''d think he''d never move again. ''............It may be too early to wither ......''. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. The corners of his mouth lift up to form a grinning expression. ''If you retire, you might be able to become ...... a tea drinking buddy. ............'' The old man seems to have found hope for the future. This should give him more strength to deal with the mess in front of him. At the very least, he won''t be happy about the stalemate. Now, come on. Come on, get on my bandwagon. ''Hmm, ...... is good.'' After much thought, Donnis nodded with a stern voice. ''If Filman clearly agrees to take over as lord and changes his current frivolous attitude, then I will do my best to side with the 42nd district. ''Really? ''Hmm. A man does not have two words. Donnis said clearly. It''s not that this man is careless, it''s that he''s not afraid of being judged by the spirits. He is not afraid of being judged by the spirits. He is confident and confident in what he says. He does not make mistakes in his promises. That''s his character. ''This will make the negotiations much easier. There is a glimmer of hope in Estella''s eyes. But first, we have to solve the problem of the Filman. ''Yashiro. You have a secret plan to convince Mr. Filman, right?'' ''There is no such thing as a secret plan.'' ''......What?'' I mean, it''s still an unknown. But-- ''I''ll make an effort. I''m up for it. You know what that means, don''t you? ''...... Yeah. You have good eyes.'' Estella looked into my face and nodded vigorously. ''I''m counting on you, Yashiro.'' Then she slaps me on the back. ...... It hurts. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''Yashiro-sama, Estella-sama''. As we exchanged glances, Natalia quietly walked in between us. She lifts her glasses and says in a business-like tone. ''''You''ve accumulated 10,000 flirting points, would you like to exchange them for a prize? ''''What are flirting points? Estella and I both shouted at the sudden mystery of the system. Natalia continued to give us an explanation in a matter-of-fact, clerical tone. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. Then, I reached 10,000 points in such a short time. ''We''re not that lovey-dovey, are we?I mean, we''re not really lovey-dovey! ''Cheek to cheek, whispering in each other''s ear - 2000 lovemaking points x 3 times (single hair excluded)'' ''d*mn, that''s why you sound so sleazy! ''Take the trouble to look into each other''s face, look into each other''s eyes, and understand each other--1500 lovemaking points. ''Oh, that was ...... trying to find out Yashiro''s true intentions.'' ''I''m relying on you, Kyaha*'' and body touch - 2500 lovemaking points! ''I didn''t say "Kyaha", I swear! ''By the way, if you have 10,000 points, you can build a memorial wax statue of our love in the big square. ''Don''t do it, never!If I detect any suspicious activity, I''ll have Becko grounded for a year, okay? Natalia seemed to be in a very bad mood. She''s been completely left out of the loop this time. She''s always upset when she doesn''t stand out, isn''t she? The trend is more pronounced after the information paper. ''...... hmm? While I was watching the two of them playing, Natalia stared at me. She looked a little unhappy and seemed to want to say something. ............ ''Master Yashiro''. She calls out my name, and hurriedly puts one foot in front of the other. ''I''m uncomfortable. ''I''ve seen that before! What? It''s been popular in this town too? No, of course not! This is an original gag that was created when Norma and I were drinking at home. ''......What kind of flow did you use to create your original gag? ............'' I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m not sure what to make of it. I mean, call me, too. Estella is a bit far away complaining about it. I feel like she''s staring at me. ...... That''s what I call taking it out on her. Tell that to Natalia. I mean, I''m kind of in the middle of this. "Young man. Donnis calls me with a serious look on his face, as if our troubles had never happened. ''What is your name, my dear? This could be taken as the first step toward friendship. It''s a sign that Donnis is interested in me, that he''s approaching me, that he''s opening up to me. So I too, with a friendly smile, will say my name. ''Oba Yashiro...'' ''Everyone calls me "Yashippi". ''I''m not called that! I''m not called that!'''' Natalia says, snatching the words out of people''s mouths and saying unnecessary things. This guy really doesn''t do anything worthwhile when he''s left idle! Come back, Natalia, when you were a good waiter! ''I see. ...... palm spick and span. ''No, I''m not! This old man doesn''t listen to people either. ''Take care of Fillman for me, will you? Rising from his chair, Donnis folds his back. The lord of the 24th district has bowed to an ordinary citizen from who knows where. Estella is dumbfounded. Natalia also did not open her mouth, but watched how it went. Raising his head, Donnis twisted his mouth into a slightly embarrassed expression and said something like. ''I don''t know what that thing is thinking. I''d like to be able to understand it,......, but again, maybe it''s because we''re too different in age, or maybe it''s because we don''t have enough blood,............, but it''s not going to work. ''I think I''ll be fine.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions about the way to use this site, please contact us. ''I''m not as old as you, Demilly, but I respect you and want to be an understanding person. ''...... I see. Demilly is a lucky man. To be trusted by someone like you.'' The two lords smile at each other, thinking of their mutual acquaintance. At the end of the conversation, Donnis let out a few words. ''I envy you, ......, you bald man.'' ''You too. ''Master Yashiro. It''s a bit unfair for you to say the words that everyone in this room is trying so hard to hold back. ''Natalia. You''re lecturing in the wrong direction. Natalia''s misguided lecture to Estella made Donis''s single hair stand on end. ''Come on, let''s continue with lunch. No formalities. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Donis, who has been called ''stubborn old man'' by many, is smiling serenely. As Estella said, if we can get this guy on our side, it will be much easier to interfere with the BU. I''ll do whatever I can to win him over. Two tasks. To make Filman''s love come true. And to overthrow Donnis''s notion of the subhuman. The question of succession will be answered naturally when you have resolved these issues. Now, which one should I start with? ...... 290-Episode 202 Filmans Love Lunch over, I rented the kitchen for a few minutes and then headed for Firman''s room. ''Isn''t that the dungeon? ''We can''t keep Mr. Filman locked up in a place like that forever. Donnis is aware of that.'' Filman, who poured water on Donis, was thrown into the dungeon by Donis. The servants, who rushed out of the dining room, agreed with Donis'' words, ''Lock him in the dungeon. Therefore, it seems that they put Firman in the dungeon as a precaution against the Judgment of the Spirits. He was released in a few seconds. This must have happened many times before. Filman seems to have obeyed meekly. And now he''s holed up in his room. He was shown to us by Donis''s old butler, Venom. He was a bit of an old man who respected Donis and seemed to think that working for Donis was the best thing that could happen to him. ''This is Mr. Filman''s private quarters, sir. ''Oh, I''m sorry. ''Not at all. You''ve brought back a smile to Master Donis.'' Venom said that for the past few years, Donnis had been wrinkling his brow and letting out nothing but sighs. It''s the kind of thing that makes people around you ache, so much so that you want to give them a big hug and pat them on the head. ...... Hey. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m sure you''re very skilled at this. ''Yes, Natalia. There''s something very wrong with the point of threat. You should know that. Oh, God. I wonder if there''s anything we can do about this city''s system where the level of perversion increases with each position, like head waiter or butler. ''Donnis-sama''s smile is a treasure for me and all the other servants. ...... I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Creamona-sama. ''No,......, I didn''t do anything special.'' ''As expected of the ''Lord of Smiles''.'' ''Can you please stop calling me that?No more! Estella''s nickname has spread to such a distant district? It will only be a matter of time before she conquers all the districts. ''But, Oba-sama. What is it with you and ......? Venom looks at my cooking and raises an eyebrow. ''Didn''t Filman miss lunch?So I thought I''d feed him this.'' ''If it''s food you''re looking for, I''ve had our head chef prepare it for you. ...... And, as I mentioned earlier, Mr. Filman doesn''t eat once he''s in his shell. So. When Filman became angry at Donis'' comment and retreated to his room, Estella asked Donis. ''What about your meals, Mr. Filman? The answer came from the butler, Venom, who said, ''Mr. Firman does not eat once he has retired to his room. However, it seems that he does get hungry and has a cook make him a light meal later on in secret. In short, he is being stubborn. Well, I don''t understand. I''ve felt that way before, too. Back when I was still an immature little shit. ''So I made you a meal that you couldn''t stop eating no matter how much you bellyached. Being hungry makes you feel better. It''s easier to talk to someone who''s smiling and eating good food than someone who''s irritated. ''Will Mr. Filman please eat? ''No problem. After all, this is a special dish.'' I''m confident, and Venom looks skeptical, but he''s willing to let us do whatever we want for now. He must have decided that letting us do what we want will solve Donnis'' problems later on. ''Then, I''ll leave the rest to you. If there is anything you need, please let me know. Venom bowed deeply and left the scene. That left me, Estella, and Natalia. There is a servant at the end of the corridor, but no one at the front of the room. Perhaps a sulking Firman has forbidden us to approach the room. When I was a kid, I used to wish to be left alone when I was frustrated. At the end of the corridor extending from the front of Filman''s private room to both sides, there are several servants standing guard over the entrance to the room. Although they keep their distance, they are always watching him. It would be more accurate to say that they are watching over us, but I wonder how the young filmmaker sees it. ...... It must be difficult to relax in such a life. I''m afraid that if I''m repressed too much, I might explode later on. ''Filman. It''s me. Let me in.'' I knock on the door and call out to Filman. But he ...... shuts down. .................. ignored? Oh, yeah. Ignored. ............ ''Late night, at the gate. It''s a story of an encounter with an adolescent boy who has no guilty feelings, but a few naughty feelings -- once upon a time. In front of a certain factory, a boy came to ......''. I''m not sure what to say.Don''t say anything else! Suddenly, the door in front of him was violently opened, and a greatly flustered Fillman came out. He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me into the room forcefully. But the force is not so strong that even I can easily resist. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it....... Please, be careful what you say.'' ''All right. If you''re cooperative, I''ll leave you out of the danger. They exchanged whispered words as they tugged at each other at the door. Filman keeps his eyes on the servant at the end of the corridor. ''Don''t worry, they can''t hear you. ''I just want to talk to you. Please include Estella and Natalia.'' ''Yes, ............ no, but I''m not ...... letting a woman into my private chambers.'' ''I''ll keep quiet about it, Rabbit.'' ''Whoa!You told me you wouldn''t say anything dangerous! ''''Only if you''re cooperative.'''' ''I understand, sir!Please come in!But, please try not to touch anything or come in contact with me, and especially, please promise not to do anything that might cause a strange misunderstanding! This guy is ...... Is it because of the environment he grew up in?I might believe him if he said he was my son. We have the exact same idea. ''That''s right, Estella. Don''t hug me as soon as you enter the room, okay?Don''t ever do that, okay? ''I wouldn''t ...... do that, would I?'' Estella gave me a very cold look. Doesn''t she understand pretending? No, well, ...... I know Estella wouldn''t actually hug Fillman. Personality wise. ''Estella-sama. But that doesn''t mean you can''t hug Yashiro-sama too, right?Don''t ever hug me, okay? ''What?There''s no way I''m doing that!Don''t pretend to be something you''re not!I won''t, I promise! I''m not sure why Estella is glaring at me after glaring at Natalia. ...... Stop it, you''re making a temperature difference like that. You''ll get a look of ''I got you'' from Natalia. And anyway, please come in. Filman invited us in, wary of the servants. The room was very spacious and, naturally, tidy. Except for one ...... corner. ''...... Looks like you''re using the bed pretty hard.'' ''Oh, uh, this is, uh, ......''. The sheets are a mess and the pillows are lying on the floor far away from the bed. You shouldn''t take your frustrations out on things, boy. ''Would you like me to fix it for you? ''No!No, thank you! '' Natalia insisted, holding my food in her hand, but Firman rejected her with all his might. He doesn''t want another woman to touch his bed. He doesn''t want other women to touch his bed. He''s worried about the smell coming off of it. You can''t even invite the woman you want to ...... your room. You can''t even invite the woman you want to your room. ''Now, let me prepare your meal. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''...... What''s this?I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''No, I''m the one who made it. ''I see.'' A strangely relieved expression appears on Fillman''s face. ............ What?No way. ''Are you ...... thinking, "I want my first woman''s home-cooked meal to be her own"?'' ''How did you know about that? Oh my God, she''s really sick! Her first love has gotten too complicated! ''Are you the type that gets nervous when you see a store with the same last name as the girl you like? ''No. There is no store with the same name as her in this ward. ......'' ''Well, ''Whitehead'' is a rare name. ''Hey, hey, why do you know everything? ''No, you were reacting to ''Rabbit'' so much just now! He doesn''t realize how much he''s revealing? ''...... Maybe I''m easy to understand? ''Well, if you''re not paying attention, you might not be able to be identified. ...... On the other hand, it''s a good thing there''s no store named "Whitehead". If there had been, they would have known about it by now. If there was no store named "Whitehead," they would have known about it by now. He would have become suspicious every time he walked past the store, stared at the sign for no reason, and walked all the way past the store even if it meant taking a detour. ''You know, but when I pass by the Benali Bakery, a meat pie store run by a man named ...... Nick Benali, I can''t help but ......... ...'' ''Serious!You''re already terminal! Why can''t you just smile at the halfway point? ''Benna ''Rebecca'' Lee''?You''ve got to stop sulking so much! ''Yashiro-sama. Your meal has been served.'' ''Good. Then eat quickly, Filman.'' I lead the ''grinning'' Filman to the table. I want to eat quickly and get on with the story. In the end, he decided that if he didn''t get rid of Filman''s love life, he wouldn''t be able to get rid of Donnis''s prejudice against subhumans. ...... Worst of all, there''s the possibility that Filman will be crushed. So I''m going to start on this one first and get it over with quickly. ''Well,......, I''m sorry, but I don''t have much of an appetite right now,...... and this is the first dish I''ve ever seen,....... ......Some of it is very red,......'' ''This is the dish that Rebekah Whitehead had this morning.'' ''Are you sure? I was so excited. His head snapped up. He turned his head to me. Philman is glued to the eggplant I made him. A mysterious dish he''d never seen before. I guess he''s curious because his girlfriend Rebeka ate it. ''This dish was made using a seasoning called bean sauce that Rebeka Whitehead is currently making, and the only people who have ever eaten it in this city are Rebeka Whitehead and her right-hand man Bertha. I don''t care about Bertha, but I''m not going to call Rebekah that. I don''t want to call out Rebekah, because I''m sure Philman will have some strange ideas about her. ''In this city, only ...... Rebeka-san has eaten the food .......'' ''And Bertha, too. ''If I eat it, ...... we''ll be the only two people in this city ......'' ''Bertha''s still alive. Count him in.'' ''Only two people know the taste of ......'' ''Bertha''s still here, though! ''Yashiro. It''s no use, I''m sure. Maybe he can''t hear us.'' ''And then, Master Yashiro. If you try hard to defend yourself like that, people will look at you like, ''Oh, so Yashiro likes mature women, huh? ''Estella has a good point. Natalia''s opinion makes me want to throw her in the manure. Who likes mature women? I mean, Bertha''s not ripe, she''s withered. There was hardly any water left in her. ''Oh, sir!May I eat it? ''Oh, eat it. Since it''s your first time, I''ve made it in the style of Rebecca Whitehead. ''Rebecca''s style ......!Oh,............, I''m so nervous, I''m drooling. ......'' This is a physiological phenomenon caused by the sight of something delicious, isn''t it? It''s not drooling over the Rebekah in your imagination, is it? By the way, Ribeka-style means sweet with less spiciness. ''Then, let''s eat! Filman scoops up a heaping spoonful of mabo eggplant and shovels it into his mouth with gusto. ''Hmm!...... Mmm! As soon as the taste of the eggplant spreads in his mouth, Philman''s arms speed up. As soon as the taste of the eggplant spreads in his mouth, his arm speeds up and the eggplant in his plate disappears. ''Mmmph!Mmm-hmm! Because his mouth is stuffed to the brim, Filman takes in oxygen through his nose. He breathes very hard. ''It''s delicious!It''s so good! ''This one is still in the prototype stage. It''ll be even better when it ages.'' ''And it''s still going to get better?...... You''re the best, Rebekah-san. ......'' I''m sorry. I''m not sure I''m the one who came up with the idea. No, I don''t like to be celebrated, but I don''t like to be ignored. Without Rebecca, this flavor would not be possible. That''s for sure, but ...... ''Thanks to my brainchild, Rebekah Whitehead has been in a much better mood lately,'' he said. ''That''s great, bro!What''s your name, ......?'' ''Yashiro. ''Mr. Yashiro, that''s great! Yeah, yeah. It feels good to be respected like this. ''......You''re always saying, "I just taught you how to make the seasoning in my hometown," but ......'' ''You get lonely when you are not cared for, don''t you, Yashiro-sama? I''m not going to look at the two of you who are looking blankly at each other over there right now. Moderation is the best in all things. ''I''m going to ask you straight out, Filman. ''Yes, what is it? Filman, who had begun to respect me, responded favorably to my question. All right, let''s bring Filman to our side at once. ''The reason you''re having difficulty with the successor to the lord is because of what happened with Rebekah Whitehead, right? ''Ugh ............ that.'' Filman was at a loss for words for a moment, but he stared at my face and nodded as if he was convinced of something. ''It''s no use hiding things from Yashiro-san, is it? ...... That''s right. It is as you say. Filman seemed to have made up his mind. He begins to tell us his true feelings, which he has probably never told anyone before. ''I also understand that the job of a lord is a noble one. I''m proud of myself for being able to hold such a position, and at the same time, I''m grateful to Uncle Donnis for taking care of me so that I can do so. ...... but ...... ''Donnis has a prejudiced view of the beastman race. ''Beasts and men? ''We have a lot of people like that in our group. We wouldn''t call them ''subhumans'' by mistake. Estella explained as an addendum. Perhaps her words struck a chord with him, but his cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkled. ''That''s a lovely way of thinking. ...... I envy you the 42nd district. I''m sure that in the forty-two districts, differences in race will not be an obstacle to marriage. ''I believe that to be true. Estella herself can''t say for sure because she hasn''t thought about marriage yet. But I''m sure she won''t give it a second thought. ''You are right, Estella. Natalia agrees with Estella. Proudly, she continues with words to prove the validity of her Lord''s statement. ''The only obstacle to my lord''s marriage is his lack of breasts! ''You don''t need to say anything else! ''No breasts! ''Don''t leave out the extra part!Also, I have them!'' The choice of the word ''no'' instead of ''small'' is very Natalia. ''Oh, no!I think women with small breasts are wonderful! ''Mr. Fillman, you don''t need to follow up on that. Besides, I know you''re somewhat like that.'' Estella, who had been spat upon so much, finally started to spew venom herself. She''s accusing Philman of being a pedophile. I guess that''s understandable. After all, Filman''s strike zone is nine years old. ''Can we get back to that now? ''....... When Natalia is around, Yashiro sometimes stands on the ''decent human side'', which is ...... a bit frustrating. I''m sorry. They''re always going to be messing around when I''m not around, you know. ''You think Donnis is going to object to us bringing in Rebekah Whitehead, don''t you? ''...... Yes. I don''t think he particularly dislikes her, but in the first place, he seems to think that marriage with a sub ...... beastman race itself is uncommonly impossible, because he''s ...... old-fashioned, Uncle Donis. In the past, there was no such thing as a nobleman and a beastman. In the past, there was even a perception that marriage between nobles and beastmen was an abomination. It''s not that Donnis is particularly eccentric, it''s just that it''s the norm. It is difficult to change that value system. ''So, I''m thinking of taking the next step with courage. ''The next step: ......?'' ''Yes!It''s a romantic step for me and my libe...... girlfriend! ...... As I recall, this guy is currently at the stage where he''s stalking her with the goal of ''eye contact''. What''s the next step? What''s the next step? ''I''m thinking of eloping with her! ''You''re skipping too many steps! Or maybe it''s just a really big staircase with a lot of steps!That''s not a staircase, that''s a wall, a precipice! ''So, when you''ve settled down, say hello and hold hands with me at ......''. ''Are you planning to elope without saying hello? ''That''s kidnapping now, isn''t it? ''Yeah . I think I''d better settle down for once.'''' No one seemed to agree with Filman''s romantic steps. Of course not. ''But Yashiro, what are you going to do?'' Estella speaks to me in a whisper. There is a hint of tension in her voice. ''Rebeka-san ......, there''s someone you''re interested in at the church, right?'' ''It''s still uncertain, though.'' ''From the look of him, I''m pretty sure he''s right, right? ''You''re just guessing, right? ''That''s, ...... so...'' Bertha said that there was someone in the church who was very dear to Rebeka. The way Rebekah reacted suggests that it was the opposite s*x she was interested in. ......, but that''s just a guess on our part. The truth may be different, and even if it is, it doesn''t mean that there isn''t room for Fillman. After all, he''s the man who''s expected to be the next lord. If not, we''ll figure out what to do next. We''re not here to get Filman a girlfriend. We''re not here to get him a girlfriend, we''re here to get him out of his overly intense crush. We''re here to tell him to get his feet on the ground, because he''s fallen in love and his whole personal life is a blur. ''Certainly. I think we have to meet him first before we can talk about it. Estella''s words seemed to reflect the thought that there was a high probability that she would be rejected. When our eyes met, she gave me a wry smile as if she cared a lot. Oh, so that''s what you think. ''Filman, have you ever talked to Rebeka-san? The candidate for the next lord and the number one of the koji factory, the key to the district. Maybe you''ve at least met him. --I thought, but Filman shook his head. He had never had a conversation with him before. ''Oh, I thought we didn''t talk until after we were married. ......'' ''I don''t think it''s possible to get married without talking! As expected, Estella couldn''t help but comment on this. Filman. That''s no longer pure-hearted. You''re just a slacker. ''But I''ve seen it many times! ''One way or another.'' ''I don''t think Rebekah realizes that.'' ''Besides, the act itself is just as criminal. Filman is the only one who thinks we''re making progress towards marriage. Estella''s right, it''s unlikely we''ll be able to talk about it until we''ve met. We''ll know what to do with Donnis after we see what happens with Filman and Rebekah. ''Then we''ll go see him. ''No, no, wait!You can''t!'' Filman clung to me, his voice desperate. ''If it''s so bright, they''ll find us! ''I''m going to see him! What am I supposed to do, you criminal? He''s thinking like a stalker. ''And besides! The filmmaker crawls over my body and puts his face close to my ear. Don''t get unnecessarily close to me!You don''t even let a woman touch your private things! ''...... When I leave the palace, the servants follow me. I don''t want them to know about Miss Rebekah just yet, ............ because I don''t know what Uncle Donis will ...... say.'' So he sneaks out in the middle of the night because he has a reason to hide in the dark. I guess Rebekah isn''t the only person he has to hide from. ''All right. Then I''ll take you out.'' ''Can you do that ......?'' ''Ah. If Estella and Natalia are willing to help, yes?'' I winked at my trusty companion and she gave me a look of disgust. Oh, come on, don''t look like that. I''m trying to help people,......," he said. 291-Episode 203 The Great Escape of a Boy in Love The door to Firman''s private office is thrown open with a loud bang. At the sudden sound, the servants in the hallway prepare themselves for what is about to happen. At the same time as the door opens, ''a person in Filman''s clothes'' runs out into the corridor and starts running as fast as he can. ''Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''Filman, ......? The servant couldn''t help but raise his voice, but the end of the sentence turned into a question. It''s no wonder. The person in front of him, dressed in Filman''s clothes, was clearly not Filman. There''s no resemblance. He''s taller than Filman, and his chest is all puffed up. No matter who you are, the "person in the Filman''s clothes" is really Natalia. ''This way!I''ll try to catch you if I can! '' Natalia shouts in a slightly low voice, with a boy''s voice in mind. When I told her to ''try to look a bit like a filmmaker'', the end of the sentence and the way she laughs became ''fir''. ''......, dude. ''Now, let the game begin! Like a monster on the run, Natalia sashayed down the hallway. Some of the servants seemed to have followed her, though they were confused. A black figure slips out of the room as if to take advantage of the gap. Wearing a black cloak over his head, he proceeded down the corridor as if to steal the attention of the servants. However, the servants, who were not caught by such a blatant diversion, immediately surround the black cloak. Unlike the obvious fake with the puffy chest, this black cloak is flat chested. Almost all the servants waiting in the corridor judged this one to be the real one. ''Mr. Filman. When you go out, please say something. We''ll accompany you. When the servant called out to the black cloak, the black cloak made a very subtle face--they were completely convinced that he was the real thing, because he was so flat. ...... Pfft! --He ripped off the cloak that covered his head. ''I''m sorry. I''m not Mr. Fillman.'' ''Ku, Creamona-sama! Estella smiled bitterly at the servants surrounding her. --And that''s all I''ve heard so far. I had slipped out of the mansion with Filman while the two of them acted as decoys. Filman has been sneaking out frequently during the night. I knew that he wouldn''t be able to sneak out the front door at night, so I asked him, ''There''s a way out, right? I asked him. Sure enough, there was a way to get out of the house without being seen. There was a loophole under the floor to the backyard, and a secret loophole in the wall at the end of the backyard. Filmmann and I had left the building through these passages. However, there was a high risk of being discovered if the servants did not turn their attention elsewhere, so we decided on a diversionary tactic. ''Will it be alright, Creamona-sama and the others......'' ''Well, they won''t be blamed. I have a secret plan. If the servant or butler, Venom, accuses me, I''ve told him to declare that this is for the good of Filman and, by extension, Donis. Maybe we can get through this. ...... The servants in that mansion were all a bit of idiots. He crawled under the floor, pushed his body into a small hole in the wall, and moved in a roundabout way, keeping his head low in a secluded back alley. It was mentally exhausting to move carefully so as not to be found. I''ve let Estella and the others take the bait. I can''t complain about how hard it is or how tired I am. I''ll do whatever it takes to get Filman to the koji factory to meet with Rebeka. It took us a long time, but we finally reached the koji factory. ''If you go through here, you can get to the main gate of the Koji factory. Filman brought us to the corner where he had been hiding this morning. No one really found him. ...... It''s this kind of careful preparation that scares me. ...... Stalkers. I''m not sure. But I have goosebumps. ''By the way, Percy. ''Who''s that?It''s Philman! No, I''m sorry. I just thought you looked like Percy. ''When you meet Rebekah Whitehead, don''t say anything weird out of the blue. This type of person is likely to break through the critical point of tension in an instant when they see the girl they like, and say something impossible. ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-san. Filman confidently sticks out his chest. ''Do you have any idea how long I''ve been watching you? I''m sure you''ll be smart and graceful when we meet. ...... I''m worried. He''s the kind of guy who''d be happy to hide in a place like this and catch a glimpse of you. ...... He must be nervous as hell. Now, how do we get him to talk to us? ...... Estella''s voice descended from above my head. ''What?Why are you guys here? I turn around and see Estella and Natalia standing there. They should be surrounded by Donnis'' servants right now, making excuses or something. ...... I''m not sure if you''re chasing us or not.That''s not good. If the servants find out that we came here,......'' ''Ah, yes. I''ll be fine. Estella''s face began to twitch. ''I''ll explain it to you. Instead of Estella biting back a wry smile, Natalia began to explain the situation in a matter-of-fact tone. ''We were caught by the servants, and the butler, Mr. Venom, asked us why we had done this. Mr. Venom asked. Depending on our answer, it could have become a diplomatic issue. ''So, what did you say? ''They went to catch Mr. Donati''s happiness. ......'' What''s with the subtlety of the ...... wording, and the fact that it''s not too far off the mark, I kind of hate it. ''In addition, when I said, "Mr. Donati will be very happy if you let us out of here and still let us run free," he let us out without supervision. ''You''ve got a big security problem, .......'' ''They all love Mr. Donati, ............ even a little bit.'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or a bad thing. ...... Is that good for the Lord? No, well, I don''t mean to put Donnis at a disadvantage. ...... I''m not trying to do Donnis a disservice. ...... Honestly, if he understands so easily, what was the point of all our efforts? ...... I feel so empty. ...... ......Hmmm,hmmm......'' Natalia dressed as a man and Estella wearing only a cloak, I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I guess that''s what''s hurting me so badly. I point to the place where it''s probably hurting and say a few words of encouragement. ''That gouge of yours will surely bring us good luck. ''It''s my heart you''re pointing at now, isn''t it?Not my chest.'' Well, the heart and the chest are the same place, aren''t they? ''As promised, I''ve had the clothes we wore disposed of. They were brand new. What a waste. ......'' When dressing up as the Filmmakers, at the Filmmakers'' insistence, they decided to use new clothes and cloaks that had never been worn. The items worn by Estella and the others were immediately incinerated to ensure that they would never fall into the hands of the Filmmakers. ............ No, it''s already ...... kind of scary. He''s so thorough. ''............I feel like a bad fungus. ......'' ''Don''t worry Estella. If I were in Fillman''s shoes, I''d give him a good smackdown.'' ''Is that supposed to be a follow-up!That''s why I''m worried about you, in a different way! ''That''s right, Master Yashiro. Estella-sama is of the faction that would rather be sniffed than sniffed. ''I don''t remember belonging to any such faction! Estella is buzzing at the gate. These guys came here on foot from the mansion and are still making noise here without hiding. It''s getting ridiculous that we''ve been trying so hard to hide ourselves here. ...... ''Well, let''s call him out quickly. ''Ah, ah, um, um! I was about to leave the corner and head for the gate, when Filman grabbed my arm and pulled me back as hard as he could. ''Bob, Bob, what am I going to do, what am I going to do? ...... Who can be smart and graceful? ''We''ll go and call them first, you stay here and watch. ''Oh, ......, I''m getting nervous ......! ''You just told me to watch! ''Well, then, I... I''ll leave after I see it. ''Don''t leave!I''ll call you when I''ve made some inquiries, and then you can come to our place. ''...... Can it take a while? ''Come quickly. How long are you going to take? ''...... about four years.'' ''Natalia. You stay here, grab this guy by the scruff of the neck and drag him out.'' ''Whoa!Da, you can''t!If he sees you touching another woman, he''ll hate you! ''...... Yeah, that''s probably okay.'' Every time Filman made a comment, Estella became somewhat dry. A woman with such extreme fastidiousness would only exist in Filman''s brain. You''re worrying too much, you know. ''Then go walk on your own feet and don''t let Natalia touch you. ''Ugh ...... that''s .......'' ''Natalia. If she slumps, carry her under your arm.'' ''Okay, sir. I''ll give you the s*xiest moves possible.'' ''You''ll be misunderstood!You''re definitely going to be misunderstood! ''Then do your best to avoid that. ...... Let''s go, Estella.'' ''...... Yeah. Let''s just get on with it. ......'' An overly cautious man can exhaust a girl to this extent. ''Wait!Please wait! ''What the hell! I started to walk away and this time he clung to my waist. That''s not good for the conversation! I''m getting nervous all of a sudden!I have a feeling that if I talk to you now, I''ll be ruined!Let''s do it some other day!Let''s do that! ''You ...... won''t come back to talk to me again if you run away here. ''No, it''s okay!I''m a blood relative of the 24th district lord!I''ll show my courage when the time comes! ''You''re related to Donnis, that''s why you''re worried! That old man has had a crush on her for decades! How can I trust the word of a bloodline that''s self-contained and satisfied with itself! ''Well, well!Please tell me something about love! ''Do you also inherit a love story? ''When I hear stories about love, my heart gets all fluffy!Have any of you ever been kissed? ''Too much s*xual harassment, Mr. Fillman.'' Estella made the same comment as she did to the old man. I thought Filman was Donnis'' son.The resemblance is too great. Environment is a scary thing. ...... Why is this guy ...... talking in his sleep with his eyes open? ''I think I''ll have more courage if I can think that the boy I''m in love with is around! ''You''re an idiot. Who would do such a story? ......'' ''Yashiro.'' A hand is placed on his shoulder. The owner of that hand is ...... Estella. ''I thought I was helping people. ''...... you''. When this guy finds out that he''s not going to get burned, he''ll turn to making fun of me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... In my case, it''s more like ''let them eat''. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to help you. ''You''ve always dressed up like a man before, haven''t you? ''It''s quite uncomfortable to wear someone else''s cloak. ''It was brand new! ''It''s an emotional problem! He ...... just wants to hear my love story. ...... ''No, I don''t have a crush on anyone......'' ''......I guess I''m the only one who''s anxious about love,.................. ah, The world is dark. ...... I''m being consumed by anxiety. ............'' Filman poked his limbs and his whole body began to emit a dark aura. If you look hard enough, you can almost see the background of the hellmouth opening and the walkers coming and going. ...... ''I''d like to stay in my room for a while ............ so ...... about four years''. What''s that four-year cycle of yours? I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. ''Yashiro-sama...... here, I thought I''d help him out ............ with the love story ...... Pupu! I''m sorry. ''Natalia. Do you want to persuade me or do you want to be rejected completely and utterly? ''I''m not into ...... love stories. It''s no good telling an outsider who you like or how much you love them. That''s something you should show to the person in question. ............ ''Oh ...... I''m in love with you, I''m a loneliness ......''. ''It''s a bit like an Orkio poem, Philman! The maidens of this town are quick to turn to poetry. I don''t think that''s a good idea. ............. I''ll tell you what. ...... I''ll tell you what. I don''t usually talk about these things with anyone, but ...... ''The woman I care about is ......''. All three of their gazes converged on me. Filman with tears in his eyes, Natalia with an uncharacteristically serious expression, and Estella with a slightly nervous look on her face. Oh well. I''ll tell you. I''m going to tell you about a very special woman who has always existed in my heart. ''...... She''s a good cook, kind, and warm. ''...... Ah,'' Estella let out a small voice. Without looking at her, I continue. ''When I returned home, I could smell the delicious aroma of dinner. When I open the front door, I''m always greeted by a friendly smile. No matter how late I come home, he always accepts me. ......'' Just remembering this makes me feel warm in my heart. The three people in front of me are quietly listening to this story, which is so unlike me, without a single word of interruption. ''She''s the kind of woman who makes you feel relieved when you see her face and think, ''Oh, she''s back. I feel a little embarrassed, and quickly end my speech. Hearing my story, there was a strange atmosphere in the place. ...... someone, say something. ''It''s a warm .......'' A smile appeared on the filmmaker''s face. ''Yashiro-san''s thoughts ...... and feelings ...... pierced my heart! ''Oh, yeah,......, I don''t know what you''re doing stabbing me in the heart,......, but I''m glad it gave you courage. I''m not sure what to say.It gave me courage! Standing up quickly, Filman shouted with hopeful eyes. ''I''ll do my best, too!Someday, I''ll be given a ''welcome home'' kiss like Yashiro-san! ''I''m not! Can you please not make this up? There''s not a single mention of that, is there? ''I''ll do it!Since you''ve given me this chance, I''m going to be brave and talk to him! It''s as if a switch has been turned on, and the heat is rising rapidly. ...... Honestly, it''s too hot. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''re the type of person who is easily influenced by watching movies. I''ll call him before he changes his mind. Let''s go, Estella.'' ''.................. Yeah.'' ''Muha! I''m going to call him before he changes his mind. This is the second time today. I''m sure Bertha will be able to talk to you about it. ''............ hey''. Estella, who is walking just a little further behind me, calls out to me. Her voice sounded fragile, as if it would disappear at any moment. ''What''s wrong? When I turned around, Estella was staring at me with a serious expression on her face, as if she was about to start crying. ............ What is it? ''............What you were talking about earlier,......''. You''re rehashing that,...... ''............That was,............I knew it. Before she could finish, Estella''s gaze fled. I don''t know why she''s sounding so serious. ...... ''Yeah, that''s right. I know this guy too, he''s important and special to me ...... ''............ I see. I knew it. ...... ''And that person is--'' ''I mean the landlady.'' ''........................?'' Filman seemed to be obsessed with ''love stories'', but I was just talking about a woman I care about. In fact, that''s what he started talking about. It was a selfish misunderstanding on Fillman''s part to involve love in it. I''m not going to bother to correct him. ''No, but she''s a good ...... cook, and she''s waiting for me to come home. ...... What? ''The landlady''s cooking was excellent. I can count on one hand the number of times I''ve had a better meal than ...... that.'' ''Yeah, what was it? ''Oh. When I''m late coming home from a club activity - let''s see, an exercise group activity - the smell of the landlady''s cooking drifts in under the evening sky. I can''t get enough of it. I walked along the dimly lit street, and when the house came into view, I could smell the delicious aroma from the kitchen. I loved that walk home. Even when I came home covered in mud and sweat from exercising, he never gave me a bad look and said, ''Welcome home. It''s almost time to eat, so go wash your hands. ............'' Oh, no. ............ I''m starting to cry. ''............The landlady''s boiled fish was delicious. ......'' ............!I''m going to cry!Shut up for a second, my mouth! ''Was it a woman you cared about ............?'' ''Oh, yes.'' I spit out the words while trying to hide my sniffling. ''The landlady is my mother''s replacement...... no, she''s my mother. I''m sure it''s a woman. I''ve done a lot of filial disobedience, but ...... I cared for her. That much I can tell you is true. But I''m not a motherf*cker, okay?I think it''s the people who don''t care about their own parents that are out of their minds. I can''t say they''re not important to me after all they''ve done for me. The same goes for the master. ''Well, it seems that Filman mistook it for a love story. I''m the one who made him think that, but I''ll just keep my mouth shut. If you''ve got the courage, it''s all good. ''I see. ............ Yeah, I see.'' I felt her voice, which had been strained, round out a little ....... Estella''s voice sounded different, and when she turned to look back at me, she said. ''It''s confusing.'' ''Ouch.'' He hit me in the shoulder blade. ''Geez, ...... not the bone, the bone. ''I''m ............ tired.'' After such an incomprehensible complaint, and an accusing look that put the blame on me,......, Estella finally laughed. ''Come on, let''s go. This time she walked away without me. Maybe it''s just my imagination, but her gait is bouncy. ............ Well, let''s just leave it at that for now. I''m going to remind you to keep your back to the road ahead. I''ll pretend that I didn''t understand the reason for your bad mood. When you get involved in other people''s love affairs, there''s a high probability that your spirit will be worn down. That''s why you want to stay out of it if at all possible. This time, I have no choice. I''d like to do what I have to do and get it over with. Before any more painful retribution comes my way. Estella, who is ahead of me, is calling out to the gatekeeper. She''s in a friendly mood, having visited this morning. After exchanging a few words, the gatekeeper bowed lightly and walked into the factory. Another person came out from the gate and ran toward the back of the factory. He was probably delivering a message. ''He''ll see you. Estella comes back to me with an even more smiling face than usual. When I look at Estella''s face, which seems so happy, ...... I feel embarrassed for no reason. There''s nothing meaningful about it at all. So I leaned my back against the gate. Then, Estella imitated me and leaned against the gate next to me as well. It''s like a scene from a ...... coming-of-age movie. At any rate, let''s wait and have a conversation. ''What did you say? ''Nothing. He just wants to talk.'' Is that it? ''And that me and Yashiro are here.'' If I don''t tell them Assunto''s not here, they''ll think we''re having another business meeting. Estella seemed to have let him know that it would be more casual. ''Thank you for your patience, Miss Claremona--'' In a matter of minutes, a voice called out from behind the gate. I sat up and turned around to see Bertha. ''--and Yashiro-sama ...... Pop.'' She''s wearing a tight, super-mini skirt. ''Out! I gave her a red card for her appearance, but it didn''t reach the ears of Bertha, who had begun to run wild. I''ve heard that Yashiro-sama has come to see me, so for the first time in my life, I''ve taken a paid vacation!...... I''m available until nightfall today.'' ''Listen, what people say!And don''t hold my hand without my permission!...... is a very powerful old lady! After this, Estella and I explained the situation and desperately tried to suppress Bertha''s outburst. It took us about thirty minutes to get Riveka to come and get us. 292-Episode 204 Burns Up and Burns Out ''What are you crying about, my knight? Riveka peered at me as I crouched down and let out a carefree voice. I''m tired of ....... ''Well, Bertha. All the men on the road to get here were fainting, do you know anything about that? ''Well, I don''t have any idea. ''Well, I don''t have any idea...'' ''Those poor victims fell prey to your miniskirts! Bertha is still wearing her crimson miniskirt. Her legs are raw. Every now and then, when the hem of the skirt was about to flip up in the wind, I had the urge to scream into the sky. "Don''t do anything you shouldn''t! --And... ''But you see, my knight. I didn''t expect you to come see me so soon as you promised ......''. Rebekah laughs in a good mood. ''My knight is very fond of me, isn''t he? ''Hahaha, that''s really funny, the 24th district gag. I don''t know how such a young girl knows the word ''crush''. ...... I know, it''s a joke about ''forced translation magic'', anyway. I have very fond feelings for you. You should be pleased.'' ''Well, thank you. I called up Rebekah to ask her about love and romance, but she didn''t have any ....... She is nine years old and looks five. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. It''s hard to talk seriously about love with this guy. ''My knight. I''m willing to go out with you if it''s just for fun! ''Don''t you dare make any surprising statements with your appearance! The ''games'' you''re talking about are games like tag and hide and seek! ''Oh, um, Rebeka-san...'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... It hurts like hell. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that.Like, for example, ...... marriage?'' ''I want to do it before it''s too late.'' ''Too late,'' said Rebekah, pointing at Bertha. Oh, you''re not afraid to step on some pretty serious land mines, are you? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... It was a close call. If I hadn''t seen that movie, I might have been hit. You never know what will be useful in this world. ''Do you have any requirements for a marriage partner? ''What?Are you interested in my views on marriage, Estella?'' ''Oh, no, you see!It''s fun to talk about love, isn''t it? ''Mmmm!That''s right!A girl should be able to enjoy love stories!That''s Estella!You know what you''re doing! ''Hahaha ......'' You can see that Estella''s mind is exhausted as she says whatever is convenient at the moment. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ............. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ''Problems? ''Hmm''. ''In my case, I have to find a son-in-law who will take over this factory. ''...... Ah.'' Estella''s mouth opens wide and her eyes look at you with agitation. ...... I see. Rebekah is the number one in the koji factory. She''s not in a position to get married. ............ If you let Filman know, he''s going to throw you out as lord, easy as that. I''m not interested in dating.Would you be interested in a relationship? Oh, no! Estella has put off the difficult issue! Is she trying to smoke out the issue of getting a son-in-law so that she can go out with Filman for now? It''s true that you may be able to settle the dispute with BU before the issue of marriage comes to light, but ............ that will definitely be a disaster for us later on. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. ''I''m not interested in ............ your company, but I''m not interested in ......''. It''s not that I''m not interested, but I''m not interested. ''I''ve never met anyone. ...... He''s nine years old, you know. I can''t help but wonder what he''s talking about. You can find a lot of them in the sandbox. At your age, a word or two and you''ll be friends in no time. ''We''re not interested in children who are absorbed in playing in the sand. Hey, you''re nine!You look like you''re five! ''I want someone at least five years older than me. I''m more mature than most people my age.'' ''Five? Estella''s eyes light up. Her eyes light up. No, it''s true that Filman is fourteen, five years older than Rebekah! It''s just that among all the negative factors, there was only one that matched. It''s a total losing battle. ''I want someone forty to fifty years younger than me! ''Shut up, Bertha. And don''t be so thick-headed. What you''re thinking of isn''t ''love'', it''s ''hunting''. ''Yashiro, what should I do? Estella asked me in this disadvantageous situation. No, ''what should I do''? ...... As I pondered what to say, Estella continued in a whispered voice. ''Anyway, do you want to ask her? ''Ask about what? ''Someone you like. There is a hint that Rebecca has someone she likes ....... He''s in the church, a man she''s very attached to. The kind of guy that Rebekah would want to meet for any reason...... if it was someone she had a crush on, she''d be out. It''s better to be clear about that before Philman comes. If he talks about his love for a different guy right in front of you, ...... Filman might be summoned to heaven right here. ''Well, let''s just ask him. ''Right.'' Estella and I were in agreement. First, I''m going to ask Filman a few questions in private. After that, ............ we''ll just have to fake it. It''s okay, you know. Philman''s heart is broken. Donis will be in a better mood if he puts an end to his unfulfilled love and gets excited about being a lord. And if he can be comforted by one of the many potential brides from good families, he''ll be able to ...... Oh, it all seems to be falling into place! That''s it!Let''s do this! You, Filman, get dumped! For us! ''Estella. Think of something to cheer her up.'' ''............ I think you''re right. ......'' Estella must have come to the same conclusion as me. The bitter smile on her face shows her guilt. But I can''t turn my back on it. Filman is just someone we can trust to do his best in the future, and what we need now is Donnis'' help. Our first priority is to make Donnis feel better. So, don''t cry, Philman. The scars of love are the pain of youth. It''s better to experience it. ''Then we should try to keep the scars from getting too deep. ''That''s right. Mr. Donnerty will be very angry if you can''t recover. ''If you can just keep him occupied for a while, ......'' ''...... "Mr. Donati is the only one who can encourage him and walk with him into the future,"'' you can say. ''That''s what I''m talking about. The two of us played our tricks, and we nodded at each other. I''m ready. Farewell, Filman! ''Hey, Rebekah. You''re going to the church, .......'' ''Oh. Why is Natalia hiding in that place?'' ''......What?'' He turned around, but could not see Natalia. ...... But Rebekah is certain that she is pointing to the corner where Natalia and the others are hiding. ............ How did they know? I like Natalia because she''s funny. I like Natalia because she''s funny. ''Oh, ......, well, Natalia is .......'' ''What is it, Estella?Did you have a fight? ''No, no............, not really......'' ''Then, go get her. ''What? ''It''s more fun together. ''Oh, wait, Rebeka-san! Rebekah jumped and ran with dancing steps to the corner where Natalia was hiding. By the time Estella turned around to stop her, Rebeka had already reached the corner. You''re so fast, bunny girl! In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. ...... Hey, Philman, are you alive? I''m not sure if this is a good idea.I''m actually a genius at hide-and-seek!You can play with me if you want. Natalia looks at me with a wry smile. Unusually, she''s looking to me for help. ''Oh, ...... actually, I was thinking of surprising Rebekah, but I guess she didn''t fall for it. Too bad.'' ''Hahaha. It was naive of you to try to surprise me. I''m a mature woman who knows what she''s doing. Rebekah smiles, seemingly in a good mood. For now, I''ll just lift her up and make this whole thing go away. Children are easy to carry. While she''s doing that, she looks at Fillman, ''Are you okay? I ask. Apparently noticing this, he lifts his arms in a big circle and makes an ''X'' above his head, but then his arms pass over his head and form a big ''X'' in front of his chest. I''m not sure ...... that''s a good idea. The mouth is opening and closing for no reason. You look like a carp. ...... ''Only in love''?I''m jealous. ''Hmm?Who''s that guy over there? ''What? Rebekah tilted her upper body to the side and peered at Firman, who was hiding behind Natalia. Her hair hung down softly, and her long rabbit ears flicked. The filmmaker crawled toward me with the scabrous movements of an arthropod. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open. I''m not going to touch ...... the woman, are you? You''re not going to touch her. ''Yeah, I guess so. I''m nervous, too. ''Mmm-hmm. It''s no wonder you''re so nervous when you''re in front of a big guy like me. There''s no shame in it, boy. ...... No, boy, I''m older than you. The little big man is pompous and proud, his bunny ears twitching. He''s got a big nose. Now that everything is ruined, what should I do? ...... I was thinking, when I felt a thrust on my hip. When I turned around, Filman was holding out a stack of notes to me. It said, "Ask me any questions you have. ............ writing? ''Ah~ ...... Rebekah. The guy over here wants to get to know you.'' ''Oh?Is that so?But you''re a very shy boy if you can''t even say that to yourself.'' ''Well, he''s probably just nervous. After all, Rebeka is a superstar. ''Oh!Is that so?Is that so?That''s me!My aura is a little too strong!Well, if my knight says so, we can''t help but get along. I love being praised. Rebeka loves to be praised, and when she''s in a good mood, she doesn''t care about the details. All right, let''s let her ride like this. --And then her hips are pinched again, and she''s presented with a notepad from Filman. I''m not sure why you''re calling me that. What''s a knight? (indignant) ............ Oh, that''s right. You''ll be able to get a lot more information on the subject. ...... I don''t know what to do. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. When I tried to have a secret conversation with Estella in front of Rebeka, she knew about it. So I grabbed a pen and a stack of notes from Filman and wrote down the words on them. I''m calling her that to get her to open up. It''s a tactic, don''t worry about it. He read my note and still gave me a blank stare. If it weren''t for the fact that I was trying to get Donnis on my side, I''d be able to ditch this f*cking pain in the ass. ...... ''Hey, Rebekah. We''re going to be friends forever, right?'' ''Mm!No matter what happens, we''re friends! As we exchange these words, the Filmmaker behind me breaks down in a very obvious manner. Yes, yes. It''s okay, it''s okay. It won''t develop into anything more than ''friends'' for the rest of our lives, so don''t worry. But ...... you''re not even a "friend". You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ ''So, what''s the boy''s name?If you want to get to know each other, I can help you remember.'' Rebekah, who only remembers the names of people she likes, remembers names when she first meets them. It''s not that Philman made a great first impression on her,......, it''s just that we know each other. Then he pinched me on the hip and flicked me a stack of notes. "I am Firman Donati. I''m studying hard to become the next Lord of the realm, but I also like to exercise and I''m confident in my short-distance running. My hobby is writing poems. ...... You can tell me yourself, that much. ''Ah~...... his name is Firman Donati, the son of the current lord''s nephew. He is currently studying to become the next lord,............, ......, but he also likes to exercise and is confident in short distance running. ''Yashiro ...... did a good job, but one unconscious click of his tongue escaped. Estella pointed this out to me, but I don''t really remember it. Well, a tongue lashing is bound to happen. It''s inevitable. It''s inevitable. As I''m feeling dull and weary, as if I''ve been stuffed with lead, Philman pinches my waist again. The note he gave me said. "My hobby is writing poems. ...... I cut that part out at my discretion. You''re the only one who thinks that''s a plus. If you''re a writer, I''m an editor. Sometimes writers are blinded by their own ideas of ''this is cool! But most of the time, when you look at it objectively, it''s not so good, it''s just ''ouch'', so you should listen to what the editor says. A third party''s opinion is invaluable. "My hobby is writing poems. That''s why I''ve decided to ignore all this poking and prodding. ''I''m good at running, too. If you want, I''ll give you a shot next time. A gut-punch is struck behind me. ...... Can you do it without me in the way? And then a flicker of a note from a pinched hip. I''m not sure what to say. ......AD''s handwriting. I can''t believe I''m being so reckless. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. The place where you are is so full of light that I am blinded. You''re too bright. I still want to stare at you. Even if my eyes are blinded, I''ll look at you with the eyes of my heart. I''ll try to be as close as possible to someone worthy of you. I will rub my eyes desperately in the dazzling light... ............ Well... ''Rebekah. What''s your favorite type?'' Well, I guess that sums it up, yeah. ''Mmm!Do you have a thing for me, my knight? ''No, that''s not what I meant. ......'' When I glanced behind me, I saw that Filman had written something like "Vindictive flames scorch my body ......" in a note, which I promptly tore up and threw away. ''Ri, Rebeka-san is a superstar, so everyone is interested in her. What type of man do you like, Rebeka? That''s right. Even in the press, there are always love stories about famous people. The combination play of Estella and Natalia gives us a good follow-up. It was a nice assist, and Rebeca was well taken care of. ''Oh, I see. That''s right. That''s a popular topic in the information papers. That''s what I read first.'' ''Do you like them too, Rebecca, the information papers? ''Of course, Estella!After all, I''m even a sponsor of the paper! Oh my god. So this is the sponsor? Of course, I''m sure it''s one of several. It''s a koji factory that is arguably the largest in BU. It''s the perfect place to be a sponsor. The editorial department of the information paper has a good point. ''So, let''s play an interview, assuming it will appear in the paper. Natalia took out a pen and a note from her pocket and asked Rebeka a question in the manner of a reporter. ''What is your favorite type of man? ''Hmmm, that''s true... ...... I''m not sure if I should be asking this out of the blue. Rebeka smiles shyly, but happily. You like this kind of thing, don''t you? ''I have a bit of a good ear, so I like a man with a nice voice. ...... Oh, and don''t tell anyone about this!It''s a secret. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. You have a good ear. ...... I see. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m confident in my voice! Then speak up! Don''t do that writing thing! She simply ignored them and stared at them as they played reporter. Natalia continues to pester Rebekah for an interview. ''Is there any man you are currently interested in? ''Oh my God, do I have to tell you all that?It''s embarrassing. ''Okay, then. ''Wait a minute!You''re supposed to come at me more forcefully than that! Unusually, Rebekah''s comment was right on the money. Well, to be honest, I don''t really care about it. '' Then!So let''s get right to it!What men are you interested in? I''m not sure. I knew it. Estella and I looked at each other and quietly shook our heads. It was just as we had predicted. Gently checking behind us, ...... I''m not sure if it''s me or not.Of course it is!Because you''ve been staring at me so intently for so long! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... You''re lying, man. You''ve just been snooping. Where do you get your confidence from? ''By the way, ...... what was it that attracted you to me?'' ''Well, that''s.........'' In front of my eyes, the star love scoop game is still going on. ...... What should I do. It''s stupid, both in front and behind. What is this situation? ''It''s whispering .......'' ''Whispering? ''Ummm,...... how can I say this,...... when someone says ''cute'' or ''I like you'' in a whispery voice,...... it makes my ears itch. I''m not sure what to say. ...... When he heard Rebekah''s comment, ...... the expression fell from Philman''s face. The whispering was tantalizing to the ears. ...... Filman''s face said, ''I''ve never whispered in your ear. And, ''Oh, ...... maybe it wasn''t me ............? And. ............ Wow, I can feel a very slippery aura. From behind you. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''......Yashiro. It''s too much to ask. Estella ruthlessly dismissed my best efforts to follow up. You idiot, you have to do something to get things going here. ...... --I''m not sure what to do. It read: ...... "I''m going on a trip. Please don''t look for me. ''No, wait!That''s a letter that should have been found after I left!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. When I looked at Filman''s face, it was soaked with tears and snot. You can''t be that shocked! ''...... Mofui! Filman let out a breath that I''ve never heard before, and ran off. And then, with a swiftness not unlike that of a nobleman''s lad, he runs off, spreading tears. ...... without even raising a cry. ''Estella, I''m coming after you! ''Yes, you''re right!I''m sorry, Rebekah!I''ll come back and visit you! ''You look like you''re in a lot of trouble. All right, then. Next time, we''ll definitely play hide and seek! ''Yes!I promise!See you! ''Oh, and don''t worry about the miniskirt Bertha that my knight has been stubbornly ignoring since a while ago, I''ll take care of her properly. ''Thank you!I''m really grateful! Actually, Bertha had been silently appealing to me ever since I moved from the gate. Flipping the hem of her mini-skirt, tracing the line of her thighs with her fingers, winking at me,............, it''s horrible. It''s the kind of thing you shouldn''t look at,......, it''s haunting. We left the chaotic place as fast as we could. And chase after the filmmaker in front of us. We''ve got to catch him at all costs! I wonder how angry Donnis would be if he went on that trip. ...... We kicked our feet into the ground and increased our speed. Without slowing down, we turned the corner in front of us-- ''Oh......pp............I''m at my limit......... ...I can''t run. ......'' ''Stamina is low! Just around the corner, Filman was crouched. He was holding his mouth with a pale face, as if his stomach acid was refluxing. He was shivering as if he were an indoor dog in the middle of winter. Aren''t you a good runner? I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... At any rate, take him to the pavilion.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Ah, you know, it''s not ............ good to be touched by a woman! Filmmann is still insistent at this point. Estella and Natalia are staring at me with their hands up in the air. ...... Yeah, am I going to carry that?............ Haaaaah. ''I''ll carry you, but you have to promise not to make a scene when we get back to the mansion. ''............'' ''If you refuse, Natalia will carry you while you let out a s*xy gasp. ''............ I understand.'' Natalia was high profile enough to be in the papers. If she did that, word would get out in an instant. Filman reluctantly agreed and slung me onto his back. ''............ libeka...... san...... gosh.... ...............Ribe......'' ''......Yeah, shit ............ is damp and depressing.'' Filman, who has been whimpering on my back for years. It was the worst thing I could have imagined. I was trying to prevent this from happening, but ...... Philman''s love annoyance was unexpectedly annoying, and I guess I lost interest in it halfway through. ...... Also, the appearance of Bertha put a lot of strain on my spirit. It''s no exaggeration to say that I lost my sense of normalcy because of that. Anyway, this love was destined to fall from the start. Then it would be best to stay positive, cheer up the broken-hearted man on my back, and focus on my lord. Sobbing and sniffling sounds could be heard all the time. Suddenly, those sounds stopped. I looked around and saw a meat pie shop in front of me with a sign that said "Benali Bakery". I see. I guess some people in the 24th district realize the usefulness of a sign with the name of the store. This is the first time I''ve seen such a sign other than the "Sunshine Pavilion". Not ....... ''Benna "Rebecca" Lee'' ...... Philman ...... you''re really, really sick, aren''t you? ''............ Rebeka-san ......''. In that weak voice, I thought, ............ d*mn, ...... just a little, ''Can''t I do something about that? I''m sorry. 293-Episode 205 Beyond the Red Door I''ve come to ....... Filman, who had suffered a major heartbreak, went back to the mansion and said, ''...... I''m going to think seriously about the future,'' and retreated to his room. The exquisite phrasing and the unprecedented seriousness of his expression put Donis in a good mood, as if he had made a convenient mistake for us. ''You were right to leave it to me!We''ll have a feast together when we get the answer to Filman''s question,'' he said. ...... ...... ''When we get the answer'' means ............ even if we get the worst answer, do we have to have a feast together, like in Judgment of the Spirits? In my experience, a runaway pure boy who has lost his first love will stay in his shell for quite some time and immerse himself in the "lonely self abandoned by the world (no one understands me mode)". I''d say there''s still time for .......'' ''Is that a rule of thumb? ''Do you think I''m going to be sentimental about it?Time is money, you know?I''ve seen it happen to a few people I know. When I was in junior high school, there were more than a few people who suffered from the same disease as Philman. As far as I know, only one of them ever had a first love. That one, too, broke up a few months after we started dating due to a personality disagreement (a severe divergence from the ideal image that I had held in my mind). Those who broke up in this way were all depressed to a great extent. In varying degrees. ''Did you feel sorry for Mr. Filman because you''ve seen such friends? ''Don''t be silly. You''re not doing it for him, you''re doing it for the Forty-second Ward, and by extension, me.'' ''That''s right. That''s what you''re supposed to do, isn''t it? ...... Hey. You know what you''re talking about. ...... ''So, what are you going to do now that you''ve met?'' Estella says, looking up at the high wall in front of her. ''Well, ...... what are we going to do?'' ''You have no plan? Of course not. I didn''t see this coming. I could have read that Philman was heartbroken because he was dumped, but no god in the world could have predicted that I would take action to cheer him up. I''m the most surprised. ''Anyway, here I am. Rebekah''s lover.'' We''d come to a church in the 24th district. I''ve got Natalia keeping an eye on Philman to make sure he doesn''t do anything stupid. Specifically, ...... to make sure that he doesn''t start playing his own heartbreak song. If they do, I''m sure they''ll hear it. It''s obvious. We can''t let that happen! --And I''ve told Natalia. ...... Well, I don''t think we''ll be wasting our lives, but just in case. ''Let''s go in for now. ''...... Right.'' The reason we stopped in front of the church was not only because we were disappointed in ourselves for having acted for Philman. It was because of the massive red iron gates that blocked our way. A soaring high wall and a massive red iron gate. The church in the 24th district had a very closed impression, as if it shut out outsiders. ''Aren''t churches supposed to be social places where you don''t refuse anything that comes your way, don''t refuse anything that comes your way, and collect offerings from people who don''t seem to pay? ''I agree with the first one of the three. I''ll leave the last two uncommented on for my own protection. You''re an idiot. The last two are the essence of the church. But this church is too crazy. It''s like ...... ''It''s a jail. ''It looks like a small town.'' Estella and I disagreed. ''Isn''t it heavily guarded so that no one escapes? ''I think they''re trying to keep outsiders out. It''s not the criminals that are in here, it''s the clergy and those under their protection. ''If I were you, I wouldn''t wait half a day to get out. If I''m trapped in a church, something in me will be purified. ''What are you so cautious about? ''I don''t know, either. Unlike my father, I''ve never been to this city before. Estella has only been lord for a short time. She seems to have made the rounds to the neighboring wards, but only sent letters to the distant wards to inform them of the change of lords. ''Oh, but... I did go to the capital. If I don''t greet them in person, it will be bad for many reasons. Estella says with a bit of pride. Are you that proud to have met the king? ''So Estella knows the royal family. I''ll ask her to introduce you next time. ''Well, that''s impossible. They won''t listen to me, and I have no intention of letting you near King''s Landing at the moment. I''m not going to let you near King''s Landing. ...... I''m not going to let the Forty-Two districts disappear.'''' He gave me a small hateful wink. What the hell? Do you think I''m going to pick a fight with the royals as soon as I see them? You fool, I wouldn''t do that, would I? It''s just a little scam to borrow some money. ''At any rate, let''s see the sisters. I''m sure the church won''t reject a believer, even if the doors are closed. Without asking what would happen to me, a non-believer, I followed Estella to the red iron gate. It''s not a huge gate like the outer gate, it''s only a little bigger than my height, but it still looks heavy enough. It must be a hassle to open and close such a gate to go out. While I was thinking about this, Estella rang the door knocker hanging next to the iron gate. The high-pitched sound of metal clashing rang out. ''Who is it, sir? There was a small window above the iron gate, just at eye level, and it opened to reveal a woman''s eyes peeking out from inside. The red eyes, similar to Estella''s, stare at me as if they are looking at me. The window is about the size of a newspaper box in an apartment building, so you feel like you''re being watched,......, and it''s a little uncomfortable. You''re on high alert. I''m Estella Claremona. My name is Estella Claremona. Is it possible to come in?'' Estella greeted smartly with a lordly smile for a first meeting. However, the eyes on the other side of the looking glass clouded over suspiciously, and after glancing at Estella and me in turn, she sent us a word of rejection without hesitation. ''I''m sorry, but we can''t allow outsiders into the premises. Please leave.'' ''What ......? With a snap, the peephole closed. The peephole closed with a slam, and I was summarily and coldly thrown out. Not for first-time visitors............ like a prestigious ryotei. Do you have to be introduced by an important person to get in? ''Oh, I''m sorry! Estella rang the door knocker again. ''Is it ......?'' Again, a questioning look appears behind the looking glass. Apparently, they''ll come out when you call them. I don''t know how many more times that''s going to work. Estella is aware of this, and carefully tries to persuade her. ''You see, I''m the Lord of District 42, and I''m currently visiting the mansion of Mr. Donati, the Lord of District 24. I have something to tell you. ''''Then please speak with me at the lord''s mansion. At .......'' ''Please wait! Estella''s suspicious eyes tried to break up the conversation at any moment, and she spoke quickly and forcefully. ''Before I met Mr. Donati, I also met Ms. Rebecca Whitehead at the koji factory. I would like to ask you a few questions related to that. This is also related to Mr. Donati, so could you please talk to him? We are acting on behalf of the 24th district, Estella appealed. If you mention the name of the lord and the malted rice craftsman, any resident of the 24th district will cooperate. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to help you out, especially if it''s the Church, an organization that''s all about equality, mercy and pretense. ''......,'' I thought. ''...... Did Rebekah say something to you ............ that makes it even more impossible for me to see you. Please leave.'' Mercilessly, the looking glass was closed. ''..................Yes~......'' A voice of disappointment leaked from Estella''s throat that I had never heard before, as if she did not understand. Her shoulders slumped and she stared at the closed looking glass for a while. Even so,......, I felt an indescribable emotion in her eyes,......, which were distorted the moment she mentioned Rebecca''s name. But it wasn''t ''disgust'' or ''contempt'', it was more like ''embarrassment'' or ''apology''. ...... Well, it''s hard to judge accurately just by eye color, though. ''...... What should I do?'' If this happens, I''ll just pull a Donis and force my way through by order of the lord. ...... I''m not sure if I can get Mr. Donati to write me a letter of introduction. ''No, if that''s the case, we should have gotten a little more response when we mentioned Donnis'' name. From the way he reacted, it doesn''t look like he can be moved by the lord''s power. ''So, you want more power, like ............ royalty? In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the web site and find out more about it. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the way you live it. If that''s the case, it''s better to think about the authority we can move now,................... You''ve got a letter of introduction. ''What?'' I had completely lost track of it, but I had received a letter of introduction. That letter of introduction is still firmly tucked away in my pocket to this day. My jacket, which was designed to carry important documents with me. It has been modified for comfort, so that I can carry the letter in my pocket without feeling uncomfortable. Thanks to you, I forgot all about it. When I took the letter out of my pocket, Estella''s face lit up with joy. ''Ah, from that time! That''s right. This is the letter of introduction that Bertina wrote for me once, saying that there is a sister that I''m close to. Perhaps she took the trouble to give me a letter of introduction in anticipation of something like this. If it was a sister of the Spirit Church, it might be more effective than a letter of introduction from royalty. Especially if it''s a sister with whom you have a close relationship. In Japan, there is an old saying. "A friend of a friend is a friend of all. The circle of friends should be spread to the world. That should do it. Again, this time with great enthusiasm, Estella hits the door knocker. The peephole opens three times. Each time she opens it, the eyes peeking in grow more suspicious. ''............ What is it yet? ''As a matter of fact, we have a letter from one of the sisters that we are very close to. Could you please read it for me?'' It''s sealed with wax, so we can''t see what''s inside. But I''m sure that Bertina has done a good job of encouraging us to help. I hope it''s not just a ''please send me more delicious miso'' kind of message. I''d like to believe it''s not ............. The person on the other side of the iron gate who received the letter through the peephole closed the peephole. He is probably reading the letter behind the iron gate. ...... Please, Bertina. The door, which had been tightly closed, slowly opened with a heavy thud, as if such a prayer had been answered. I''m sorry I was so rude to you, I didn''t know you knew Bertina. Please forgive me. A girl bows her head behind the iron gate, which is only open enough for one person. On her lowered head, a pair of rabbit ears swayed. ''My name is Sister Sophie Whitehead of the 24th Ward Church. ''Whitehead ......? Estella rolled her eyes when she saw the girl who appeared. The girl''s hair, as her name suggests, was a beautiful white and shone in the light. And she looked vaguely like Rebeka. ''Yes. I''m the sister of the koji maker Rebeka Whitehead. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... One of the ears was bent from the middle. At first glance, it looks like a bunny girl''s ear, and it looks charming. ...... The broken ear never lifts up, and it doesn''t look like it was done on purpose to be cute or charming. ''Oh, ...... these ears? As if embarrassed, Sophie stroked the broken ear, ''It''s still bothering you, isn''t it? ''I broke it a few years ago when I fell from a height. It doesn''t hurt, but my hearing is ...... bad.'' He smiles sadly. Estella next to me was holding her chest tightly. ''I have read Bertina''s letter and understand what kind of people you are. I trust you.'' I don''t know what was written in the letter, but you seem to have a lot of trust in me, Bertina. I can''t believe a letter can make you change your mind so much. The quizzical coloration of the time when she was peeking through the looking glass has completely disappeared, and Sophie''s eyes are filled with an enveloping tenderness. Her red eyes, which had looked like they were on alert, drew a gentle arc. ''So you''ll let me in, then? ''Yes, sir. There is nothing here, but you are welcome. Sophie bows gracefully and puts her hand on the iron gate. ...... I don''t think it''s heavy enough to be opened and closed with such slender arms. ............ Bullshit as usual, the arm strength of the beastman race. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. The door is open. But Sophie, standing in front of it, has her hand on the iron gate, so it''s like she''s blocking the way. Looking straight at us, Sophie tells us with a serious face. ''There are many wounded subhumans protected in this church. Therefore, it has been decided that no one from the outside without permission should be allowed to pass through these gates. ''Wounded ......'' Almost at the same time as Estella''s murmur, her gaze naturally went to Sophie''s ear. Even in a city where disdain for subhumans is so ingrained. I don''t even like to imagine how much they look at those who have been injured. ...... ''They are all kind-hearted children, but they are very wary of strangers and may even be rude to the two of you in some cases,......, but I''m sure I can''t blame them for their rudeness. I can''t be responsible for what happens inside. Do you still want to go in?--It''s like they''re asking you. ''And I''m sure you won''t be the only ones to do so. ...... If you treat the children of the church unfairly or make inappropriate comments, ......'' Sophie quietly pulled up her own jacket. On her hip, she carried a small mace that she could hold in one hand. ''...... I trust you both,'' she said. ''You can rest easy there,'' she said. Sophie''s whole body was covered with the tense air of Bertina''s rare display of caution. You can find a lot more than just a few things that you can do to make your life easier. There is something in here that she wants to protect so badly. Sophie''s determination must be as firm as this iron gate. ''Well, please come in. We know you''re uncomfortable, and we''re ...... sorry again and again.'' ''We don''t mind. In fact, we think sisters like you are wonderful. Hey, Yashiro.'' ''Well...'' ''Hmmm, thank you for ....... You are indeed the people that Bertina-san approved of. I wonder what kind of person Bertina is to Sophie. I''m sure she''d say, ''She''s a good person,'' no matter who she was. ''Please enter the gate and wait. You won''t be able to close this gate yourselves. Also, if the two of you go ahead alone, you may be attacked .......'' As Sophie instructed, stop when you pass through the gate. ...... They''re attacking us, are they beasts or something? I''m not sure what to make of that. The iron gate is closed with a loud noise. Then, it was locked tightly with a huge bolt that looked like a steel frame. I see. I guess we can''t get in that way. There''s nothing Estella or I can do. ''Come on, this way. I''ll serve you some delicious fruit tea.'' In the midst of the tension of being forced to walk unarmed through the savannah, I followed Sophie, who was smiling serenely. The grounds of the church seemed to be quite large, and there was a long stretch of narrow pathway leading from the gate. Both sides of the path were covered with thick trees, making it look a bit like a forest. At the end of the path is a church, which is inhabited by a group of wild beastmen. ............ Why should I risk my life for Philman''s first love? ............ Anyway, let''s keep our heads up. And so we passed through the woods. The wounded young beastmen attacked us in packs. They attacked with all their might. ''That''s enough, you little bastards! '''''''''' Hahaha! '''''''''' Even after I pull it off, another kid comes hugging me one after another. Some of them stuck their fingers in my nose, some of them gave me a "kancho", and some of them even grabbed my very delicate parts. Such undisciplined kids need to be punished without hesitation, and there is no need to have any hesitation in executing the punishment. ''Ugh! ''Yachiro''s upset! ''Yachiro!Shake it around! ''Throw it away! ''Make a mess of it! ...... Which one of us is being sentenced? ............ You''re too tough, kids! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not something humans can compete with. How could there be 16 of them? ...... ''It''s amazing ...... that they''re so fond of you. And in such a short time. ''Yashiro is very popular with children wherever he goes. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... Help me out, Estella. And the sisters here. You''re supposed to be their babysitter. ''Yachiro! ''Yachiro! ''Yachiro! ''Yachiro! ''Yashiro-san! ''Yashiro! ''Noooooooo!Don''t crowd me!There''s also one very calm kid in there. Who''s that?He''s so polite. All the kids in the crowd have big smiles on their faces, and they''re all play-hungry beasts. The armless ones, the ones with artificial legs, the ones with one cloudy eye: ...... Each and every one of them has a painful scar. Some girls have large burn marks on their faces. But all of them are smiling happily. This church must be a peaceful place for them. ''The children here have been gathered here from various districts. She listened to Sophie as she fought off the raids from the kids. ''Children with deep wounds are sent to the churches in each ward. Not many parents can take care of a child who has lost the means to earn money for life. ''I can''t blame the parents, but ...... those children must be lonely.'' ''Yes, ...... they all look lonely every day. ......'' No, no, no, Sophie. Look at these guys. They''re smiling so much. I mean, they''re too cheerful to be in trouble. You''re not convincing me at all. ''Fifty years ago, one of the sisters here was a subhuman woman. She took in wounded beastmen who had lost their way in other wards, and since then, whenever any ward had such a beastmen child, they would come here to hand it over. ''That''s why this church is so large. ''Yes. I heard that the site was expanded thirty years ago with some donations from the churches in each ward. Instead of forcing a nuisance on us, we paid for it. ...... No, it''s the other way around. We paid for it, so why don''t you take the bogeyman? In this city, there are many beastmen in important positions. Many of them have risen to prominence with the unique skills of the beastmen. However, a deeply wounded beastman cannot display such power. When that happens, they will probably show their faces again. The old abominable custom of "subhuman disdain". ''What''s going to happen to those kids? ''In addition to education, we also provide job training, so we can place them in suitable jobs. ''That''s great. If you can do the math, you''ll have a job even if you don''t have one arm. If you are good with your hands, you can get a job even with an artificial leg. If you are a good cook, you can stand on your own even if you are blind or have a burn mark on your face. As long as there''s someone to take you in. ''Even so, there are many people who remain here ...... who are still afraid of the outside world. A world that rejected you once. Returning to it may be a bit of a hurdle. ''There are fields and orchards within the church grounds. Some people choose to work there. And there are children like me who want to become sisters.'' That''s what Rebekah said. The vegetables here are good. She said she came here for a reason, to see if she could meet someone. But Rebekah hasn''t been able to see her loved one. Perhaps this is inevitable, since the church is so tightly sealed off from the outside world. ''Sophie''. I understand the significance of this church. So now let us fulfill our purpose. ''Here in the field, ......! ''Yachiro!Wait, wait, wait! ''More than a story, let''s play! ''I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to stay. ''Play! Before I could talk to Sophie, I was crushed by a bunch of kids. Don''t jump on me because I''m ......! And you''re so polite, you''re the only one in here! ''Alright!All right!Then we''ll play hide and seek! '''''''' What''s that? ''I''ll count to ten, while you guys scatter around and hide. '''''''' Can''t you hide? '''''''' ''Yeah, it''s a game of hide and seek until I say it''s okay!You wanna play? '''''''' I''ll do it! '''''''' ''Alright, let''s count!One, two, three... ......'' '''''''' Wow! '''''''' After I finished counting to ten, the kids started to lie down or sit down in the sunny garden and stare at each other. Okay, stay put. ''Yashiro. Isn''t that simply called ''sunbathing''?'' ''No, it''s fine, whatever. Actually, the kids are having fun. ''Anyway, Sophie. I need a favor.'' ''Yes, what is it? ''I need to see the man who works in the fields here. ''In the field, sir? ''Yeah. No?'' ''No, but ......''. Sophie''s ears perked up before she could finish. ''Oh, you''re just here. He''s one of the workers in the field.'' Sophie points to a young man who seems to have just returned from the fields. He is walking slowly towards us. ''He has a serious illness, and his stamina is only about a third of other people''s.'' ''One-third?Working in the fields with that kind of body?'' ''Yes. I work at the pace I can. But I never slack off, never get lax, and never show weakness. She wants to send money back to her sister in her hometown, so she works day in and day out until she reaches her limit. ...... I respect her.'' Estella''s gaze softly turned to me. Perhaps she is thinking the same thing I am. Maybe that man is the one Rebekah is thinking of. ...... ''Mikel-san!Can I have a moment of your time? Sophie waved, and the man called Mikel waved back. Perhaps his stamina was at its limit, but his arms were not raised at all. ''...... So, Yashiro. What race do you think he is?I don''t know, I just don''t get it. ''Well, I guess he''s an insect .......'' Mikel''s face as he approached us was that of an insect. It had tentacles, big eyes, and a smooth head. However, it is difficult to distinguish insects by their faces alone. What kind of people are they? ...... ''Oh, Sister. What do you want from me?I''m a little tired, but I''ll at least listen to you! Hmm? This tone of voice ...... somewhere ............ I''ll introduce you. This is Mikel from the Aphid People.'' ''Oh, our guest!Nice to meet you! ...... Oh! ''Are you Mokoka''s brother? ''Hey, how do you know me? I met Mokoka, an aphid exterminator who uses a somewhat wild honorific language, in a sycamore field in District 29. I never thought I would meet his brother in such a place. ............ The world is so small. 294-Episode 206 Rabbits Mikel of the Aphid People. He is the older brother of Mokoka, whom I once met in a sycamore field in District 29. If he has a sister in the 29th ward, then Mikel must be from the 29th ward. It seems to be true that the wounded beastmen of each ward are gathered in this church. ''What do you want to talk to me about?I''ll listen to you. ...... It''s definitely Mokoka''s brother. The way he speaks is just like him. I''m sure he''s got the same tone of voice. I guess education is all about environment. Yashiro. Let''s find out what''s going on. Estella whispers to him. ''Yes. If Rebekah''s lover is in this church, we think that Mikel here might be the one. We still don''t know what we should do after we find out who it is. I don''t know, but if we don''t find out first, we can''t start talking. If that''s the case, then Estella''s right, we should probe her. ............ But how do we attack her? ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''Mokoka, man! ''No, not really. It''s a girl. ''It''s Mokoka! ''She''s my sister, so I know she''s a woman.It''s the love one. ''It''s Mokoka! ''Are you sick, too? I wonder if he is a severe siscon who looks at his sister with love eyes. ...... ''Mikel-san is a kind brother who really cares about his family and dotes on his sister to the point where it''s weird to look at him from the outside. ''You''re spitting venom, that sister. ''I''m sure Sophie has no ill intentions. It''s an objective fact that it''s disgusting. Either way, it''s the end of the line. ''Mokoka is a kind-hearted sister who sends money to me every month out of the little money she makes. She''s too good to me. I believe Mokoka told me that she was working part-time as a pest exterminator while growing sycamores. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. If Lucia hears about it, she''ll take him in immediately!We''ll take care of you! I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... For the sake of Mokoka''s safety, let''s keep this to ourselves. ...... Didn''t Sophie just say, ''I''ve been working day in and day out until I''ve reached my limit to send money back to my sister back home? ''Aren''t you the one who''s sending money? ''I intend to be!......, but I''m always getting money. ............'' Try harder, bro! ...... Well, you can''t be too hard on yourself when you''re so dizzy. I''m not sure how much money you can make working in the fields of the church. ''You''re a good sister, aren''t you? ''Yes, she is!You''d be crazy not to fall in love with such a cute, charming, big brother girl, kind, and hard-working Mokoka! ''No, your affection is too much, though. ''Mokoka, laaaaaaaaaaaaaab!...... Gof! ''Did you vomit blood? It''s ........., man.'' ''Mikel-san! He was so excited that he coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Sophie rushed to help him, but ...... she didn''t feel like helping him at all. ''Barbara-san!Sister Barbara! Sophie called out in a panic as she headed towards the church. Then, ''Yes, yes, what''s going on? And then a frail old woman appeared. ''Oh, dear. Mikel, did you get too excited about your sister again?You''re really ...... young.'''' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... You''re taking it easy, man. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure. ''It''s ...... fine, it''s ...... fine.'' ''Then you''re fine. Why don''t you go to your room and get some rest?'' ''It''s ...... mindful, mindful, mindful.'' ''Come on, come on, guys. Take your brother Mikel to his room. '''''''' Yes! '''''''' The kids, who were happily playing hide and seek, responded cheerfully to the old sister''s words, and they all carried the fallen Mikel up. ''I''m always sorry,......, kids,......'' ''''''''It''s okay, don''t worry about it! '''''''' With Mikel on their shoulders, the kids walked briskly into the church. ...... It''s like ants carrying a cicada carcass. ...... ''Rest in peace, ......''. ''He''s not dead, Yashiro.'' ''............ Rest in peace.'' ''Don''t force me to sleep peacefully.'' Estella kicked away my gentle reminder to let him rest in peace. Then she leaned in close and whispered in my ear. ''Do you think that''s the person Rebeka-san thought of? ''If that''s the case, then Rebeka''s love life is at a standstill, and she''s already broken, so Fillman has one more chance. ...... Well, I don''t think that''s the case.'' ''I guess so. ....... I wonder how many other candidates are out there. I''ve heard that there are still some people who work here. ...... Let''s just keep trying. It''s a pain in the ass. The old sister who just came out of the church loosened her mouth when she saw us talking in secret. ''Sophie. Who are those people over there? ''Oh, I''m sorry, Barbara-san. I was late in explaining.'' Sophie looks flustered and holds out the letter from Bertina. The old sister takes it, takes out a large loupe from her pocket and begins to read it silently. ''Well, well, Sister Bertina''s ......''. The old sister takes off the loupe and stares at us intently. I wonder if an introduction from Bertina is that rare. She is looking at us as if she were looking at a rare animal. ''Is Sister Bertina well? ''Yes. She watches over us with a smile every day.'' ''Yes. That''s just like her. That one: ...... ''What, does this old lady look up to Bertina too? ''Let me ask you something, Sister Barbara.'' ''It''s Sister Barbara, Yashiro.'' ''Oops, excuse me. Sister Babarra.'' ''Excuse me! No, that''s because humans get 80% of their information from sight. ...... ''Mmm-hmm. You''re an interesting person, just like you said in your letter. You must be Obayashi. ...... What did you write, Bertina? ''By the way, I''ve been asked not to share this letter with you, so I can''t show it to you. The old lady smiles. ...... You''ve beaten me to it. ''So, what is it that you want to ask me? ''Well, I was wondering if ...... Sister Barbara is younger than Bertina? ''Yes, she is. She was very good to me when I was little.'' Seriously?That''s amazing, Bertina. Isn''t she immortal? ''She was very strict, but more than that, she was kind. ......'' ''She''s still the same. ''Mm-hmm. Isn''t that right?'' Barbara and Estella smile at each other. But you know, Estella. I''ve heard that Bertina acquired her current appetite when Ginette was a little older. ...... She''s changed, Bertina. If you show the old lady that you eat a lot of food, she''s going to freak out. ''There was a time when I used to be a customer of the 42nd district. ''Is that so?'' ''Yes. We were poor, but we had good days. The mention of the 42nd district came up unexpectedly, and Estella leaned forward with interest. Perhaps Zelmar''s grandfather or Mumm''s grandmother might know about it. ''I don''t know any sisters as worthy of being called saints as Sister Bertina. That''s a rave review. It seems that Bertina is looked upon favorably by other sisters as well. You can call it respect, but it''s not a bad level. ''Such a great person has stayed in the 42nd district for so long. I should be grateful. Bertina has always been there for me, as a matter of course. Seemingly reaffirming her gratitude, Estella is smiling happily. It''s about forty percent more than usual. But hearing Estella''s words, this time Sophie opened her mouth. ''That''s not true, Miss Claremona. ''''Huh?'''' With a somewhat more serious look in her eyes, Sophie began to speak quietly, in a tone as if she were telling us. ''Bertina-san is not staying in District 42 as a favor. She''s the one who needs to be there. Estella gasps at the sudden denial. He''s looking at me, but how would I know? I keep quiet and wait for him to continue. ''Ms. Bertina is the only sister who has been chosen by the God of Spirits. ''Chosen by ...... the God of Spirits?'' Estella''s expression grew puzzled. Bertina, the elf, the beauty, the agelessness, the stomach of steel. She must be a very special person indeed. To begin with, I''ve never seen an elf other than Bertina. But it must be a racial thing. Just as the beastmen have powers beyond human understanding. What does it mean to be chosen by a spirit god? ''Only that person is able to hear the Spirit God''s message. ''...... ah'' I remembered a story Ginette had told me a long time ago. Sometimes Bertina would hear a sign in her dreams and head for the swamp. And when she did, she would always find a new family. This may mean that when a child is abandoned in the swamp, some kind of message is sent out from the spirit gods, and only Bertina can receive it. I wonder if it is ....... When I heard Ginette''s story, I interpreted it as a special ability given to Bertina to protect the life of an abandoned child. ...... Now I kind of think that the spirit gods are trying to protect the swamp. Different narrators give different impressions of the same story. ''Ms. Bertina''s presence in that place prevents the frogs from overflowing into the city. In other words, she''s protecting this city ...... all by herself.'' Oops. It seems the narrator had a different interpretation of the story than I did. The frogs were abandoned by the spirit gods. That''s why they''re isolated and locked away from the world of humans who receive the spirit god''s blessings. The only one who can hear the spirit god''s message is Sister Bertina, who monitors it. ...... Hmm... I don''t know what to think. I don''t think that''s the case considering Bertina''s personality. It''s not ''surveillance'' that suits Bertina, but ''protection''. ''Sisters have a role to reach out to those who only they can save, in a place suitable for them. Just as I am here.'' Sophie says with a kind of pride, placing her hand on her chest. She shows such a strong will that she is here to save the wounded beastmen. She seems to want to say that she is here to save the wounded beastmen, just like Bertina. You''re right. The old sister Barbara, smiling and relaxed, let out a word. She looked at Sophie, not blaming her, not admonishing her, just telling her one fact. ''What you think and where you stay is up to you. I can''t deny that. But you can''t see through other people''s intentions.'' No. Only Bertina herself can know what she is thinking and what keeps her there. ...... But you can imagine it. ''I don''t see Sister Bertina as being bound by a sense of duty. Barbara laughs, her face twisted into a sneer. The wrinkles on her face have deepened, making her words more convincing. It would be impossible to argue with a face like this. Hearing Barbara''s words, Sophie''s bunny ears droop faintly. ''Sister Sophie''. Estella quietly calls out to Sophie. ''Bertina-san is indeed a wonderful Sister. But more than that, she is a wonderful woman, a wonderful mother, and a wonderful - our friend. ''...... friend''. ''Miss Bertina was talking about you with a very happy face. ''Bertina-san? ''Yes, that''s it.'' ''So ............ is it?'' Sophie''s expression relaxed. She''s smiling with real happiness. Biting down on happiness. Such an expression. ''So, Sister Sophie, once again, please think of Bertina-san not only as a "Sister", but also as a "dear friend". ''A friend ...... of Miss Bertina?'' ''Yes, sir. If you do that, you will see a different side of Ms. Bertina. She''s not a one-dimensional person, she''s much more attractive and interesting.'' Sophie''s mouth drops open. She looks as if she could almost see the scales falling from her eyes. ''Hey, Sophie. Barbara pats Sophie on the back. Then she speaks to her in a soft voice, as she would to a young child. ''You need to look at something more important than just your sense of mission. If you do that, you may see the colorful world as Sister Bertina sees it. ''The ...... colorful world that Sister Bertina sees: ............'' It has to be this way. It should be like this. --and if you''re a sister with such a sense of mission, the world will look quite monotonous in color. Bertina is enjoying herself more than anything else in raising the children of the church. She believes that by doing so, the children who see her will be able to truly enjoy life. It''s also where Bertina''s gluttony began. At first, Sophie refused to talk to us without question, before confirming our business and identity. She didn''t want the humans to meet the wounded beastman children. Because he sincerely believes that doing so will protect the children here. It may still be a little difficult for Sophie, who values rules and regulations, but ...... There is also the Bertina way. I think it''s better to have such a flexible way of thinking, so that the children''s possibilities will expand. You see. In fact, I''ve become annoyingly attached to them. ''So, you don''t have to be obsessed with ...... your sister or your family''s ......''. ''Ah!I think someone''s here!I''ll go have a look! Shouting loudly to interrupt Barbara''s words, Sophie ran towards the gate. She didn''t even look aside, and didn''t even see our reaction. It was as if she was running away. ''...... I wish she could be a little more relaxed like Sister Bertina.'' Barbara muttered, not sighing, but still looking a little sad. Sophie seems to be avoiding Rebekah. She seems to be avoiding seeing her, as she felt at the gate. ''By sister, you mean Rebeka-san, right? The koji maker. ''Yes. That''s right.'' ''Why does Sophie-san avoid meeting Rebeka-san?They''re sisters. There must be a reason. But it''s not for us to ask. And will this Sister tell us? Estella looks at Barbara with a serious expression. Barbara smiles and closes her mouth for a moment - she doesn''t say anything. It''s not like she''s just curious. You have to offer something worth talking about. ''It''s that ear, isn''t it? I said, and his narrowed eyes opened slightly. I was only guessing, but it looks like I was right. The beastmen here are all deeply wounded. Sophie was trying to protect them. And she was doing it with a lot of guts. She wouldn''t even show them to anyone unless she judged them to be truly trustworthy. That attitude. He wondered if this was perhaps a reflection of his own feelings about his injury. "I don''t want people to see my ears like this. That''s a strong feeling you have for someone in particular. I knew it was for a specific person because he had shown up in front of us after he saw Bertina''s letter. If she didn''t want anyone to see her, she could have left it to Barbara. I could have left it to Barbara to handle it all and hidden myself. But she didn''t do that. From this point of view, we can see that Sophie doesn''t want anyone to see her broken ear. So who is this particular person? ............ Needless to say, it''s Rebeka. Or your own family, relatives, or clan, including Rebekah: ...... ''You can''t call yourself a Whitehead with a broken ear - isn''t that what you''re thinking?'' ''I''m surprised ...... you''re right.'' Barbara''s mouth opened in silence. Her voice sounded slightly pleased. ''Of all the rabbit people, the Whitehead clan has exceptionally good hearing. And the Whitehead clan grows koji with their ears. Both Rebekah and Bertha referred to making koji as ''growing''. Whitehead''s ears are indispensable for this. He has a super-hearing ability,......, which is outstanding among the rabbit people. ''She injured her ears in an accident when she was very young and her hearing is now very bad,......,'' he said. ''Does that mean that those with poor hearing can''t be Koji makers...... and so they left home?'' ''Well, I don''t know. ...... Only he can tell the truth. Sophie''s path to becoming a koji maker was cut off and she could not become the successor. That''s why she left home. ...... She said she wasn''t interested in a family she couldn''t inherit. ............ No, that''s not it. The lonely look in her eyes when she talked about Rebeca really shows the opposite emotion. He doesn''t want to see her because she''s worried about him. ''That injury, was it caused by Rebeka? ''Not directly, but ......''. Barbara kept her eyes down. She completely blocks out the view around her, making us disappear from her sight. It''s as if she''s trying to show that she''s talking to herself. ''Rebekah Whitehead was a girl who was called a genius once in a hundred years. Soon after she was born, she recognized the ''sound'' of koji and called it ''voice''. She was the only one who could distinguish the "voice" of koji, which even the generations before her and the generations before her could not hear. Her genius was apparent from the time she was barely able to speak. I wonder how Sophie, who was born before her, must have felt when such a genius was born. A genius that surpassed her predecessors and predecessors before her. As far as Rebekah is concerned, Sophie probably doesn''t have any older siblings. And considering Sophie''s age, Sophie must have been expected to be the successor in the years before Rebeka was born. Sophie must have been desperate to ...... be overtaken by her younger sister, who was born with the talent to be the successor. In desperation, she went to ...... and pushed herself too hard. ''You repeatedly tried to listen to Koji''s voice, and Sophie had an accident. ''That''s what I heard. She fell into a koji barrel and broke her ear, ruining a large amount of koji that was being grown at .......'' He ruined the product he was growing. I injured my ear, which is necessary for a craftsman. Which of the two hurt Sophie''s heart more deeply? ''Soon after, Sophie came to the church and began to pursue the path of a sister. ...... She was nine years old. Then, a few years later, Rebekah inherited the koji maker. ''Rebeka-san...... must have missed you.'' ''Yes, I did. I heard that even though she was very young, she was crying when she found out that Sophie was leaving. ''How old is Sophie this year? ''Fifteen. That means Rebekah was three years old when Sophie left the house. Maybe she wanted her sister to admire her talent, which was praised as great by adults. She''s not old enough to understand how that could drive her sister away. It must have been a bolt from the blue for Rebekah at the time. ''When you grow up,'' Sophie said to her sister, who was crying so hard. ''We will meet again when you grow up,'' she said. Grow up: ...... ''Hey, Yashiro. Maybe that''s why Rebeka-san is ......'' ''Ah. I guess she''s calling herself an ''adult''. I wanted to see my sister as soon as possible. But ...... Sophie is stubbornly refusing to see her sister.'' I look at her and Barbara slowly nods her head. ''Yes, she is. She''s afraid to see her sister because she thinks she''s ...... run away.'' She''s been rising to prominence and is now considered the best of all time. On the other hand, my own efforts were in vain and I was irreparably injured,......, and I ran to the church. --What are you thinking about? ''So, Rebekah''s loved ones are ......''. ''It''s definitely Sophie. ''It wasn''t a man, was it? ''Looks like it.'' That''s a relief. It''s ....... I''m sure you can do something about this problem. ........................ Mental stability will affect the quality of the koji. If you don''t make the best bean paste, it might affect the sales of the sunny side up. Yeah. --And in the distance, the sound of metal clanging could be heard. ''Huh?...... Yashiro, what was that? ''Ah. It''s probably the door knocker from the gate. Earlier, Sophie had said, ''Someone''s coming,'' and had run to the gate. I thought it was simply a way to smoke out Barbara''s story. ............ On second thought, even if you knew each other well, would you tell such a blatant lie?I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. This means that ...... ''Someone really was here, wasn''t he? ''I noticed it long before I reached the gate ...... and probably ''heard'' it, the footsteps coming towards the church.'' Estella and I looked at Barbara''s face. Barbara neither denied nor affirmed, she just smiled. ''It''s quite a distance from here to the gate, isn''t it? In addition, considering the time between Sophie leaving here and the door knocker being rung, ...... Sophie heard the footsteps long before she reached the church. Even if we take into account the time she spent being overwhelmed by the church''s imposing iron gates, and the time she spent lightly consulting and preparing herself before the door knocker was rung, she would have heard footsteps quite far away. ''It''s a straight road to this church after you turn off the main street. No one walks that way but the people who come here. That''s how I know.'' No, you wouldn''t, normally. It''s true, when I came to the church from the main road, I took a straight road. A straight road flanked by walls on both sides. I walked about 30 meters on a reasonably wide straight road. --Hearing those footsteps, it''s more than just having good hearing. ''So, Sophie, you''re saying that your hearing is getting worse? ''Well, yes. It''s said that the Whitehead clan''s hearing is such that they can hear conversations inside the koji factory without having to listen carefully. ''In that vast koji factory? Although the territory of the 24th district is small, they have reduced the area of fields as much as possible to give the koji factory a vast site. It''s like a little theme park, that site area. The most important thing to remember is that the ...... room where koji is made is called a "muro", right?I''ve heard that once you''re inside, you can''t hear a thing around you. In order to listen to the voice of koji, the inside of the room is completely soundproofed. When you are in the room, you cannot hear the sounds around you. No matter how much noise we make around the factory - for example, the noisy exchange we had with Filman when we first met him - we can''t hear him when he''s in the room. That''s it. So what about when she''s out of the room? ''Rebeka, with her superior hearing among Whiteheads...'' ''--I think I might even be able to hear the sounds outside the koji factory.'' ''Ah. Even if it''s just a small murmur that you might miss .......'' Estella and I look at each other. Her eyes are full of power and she has the cheerful expression of someone who is sure of victory. I''m sure I have that look on my face, too. We had two misunderstandings. The first was that the man in the church was Rebekah''s lover. The other was that the whisper that Rebekah said tickled her ear was a whisper in her ear. You can''t hear a whisper unless it''s in your ear, normally. But that''s not the case with Rebekah. Estella and I nodded to each other with absolute certainty. ''Rebeka''s lover is the filmmaker. There is no other man who can look at Rebeka and mutter ''cute'' and ''I like you'' in a quiet voice that no one can hear, other than that first love of his, the sullied Philman. If you are a normal man, you would either talk to him quickly or otherwise keep it to yourself without saying it out loud. You want to be known, but you don''t want to be known. The only person with such a troublesome problem is Philman! ''Come to think of it, when you met Rebeka, you didn''t say a word, did you, Mr. Filman? ''Oh, no. He was too nervous to write.'' ''And on top of that, Ms. Riveka is in her room at work. ''The conversation we had in that corner before the second visit, between us and Mr. Filman, was not overheard. d*mn. Filmmann''s voice didn''t reach Rebecca because she missed the timing by a long shot. If she had been able to hear Philman''s voice, she would have seen a change in Rebeka''s expression. ...... d*mn, that was frustrating! I''m not sure what to say. I think we can handle the Filman.'' ''Yes, we can. But ......'' Estella didn''t clench her fists, even though victory was in sight. Instead, she turned her gloomy gaze towards the gate. ''I want to save ...... you, both of you.'' Hmm. It''s not something we do--and I''d like to dismiss it outright. ............ I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... You black-hearted lord. I''m not sure. If it''s a lord''s order, I can''t help it. ''Ahhhh. If only all of them had been honest, they wouldn''t have gotten into this kind of trouble. If you put this story together, it''s all about misunderstandings, miscommunications, and miscommunication. Donis''s worries, Filman''s crushes, Rebekah''s loneliness, Sophie''s stubbornness. ''I want to ask'' - I can''t. ''I want to say'' - I can''t say. ''I want to know'' ''I want you to know'' ...... but I''m afraid. If you have a drink and make a fool of yourself, such a trivial misunderstanding will soon be resolved. Liquor...... liquor or ............ ''All right!Let''s have a big party! ''You want to have a heart-to-heart talk over drinks?But I''ve heard that Mr. Donati is not a drinker, and Ms. Rebeca and Mr. Filman are still children - children even more powerful than the other children. ...... I don''t think alcohol is possible. Haha, you spit venom so easily, Estella. Well, I''m not denying it. ''I''m fine. Drinking isn''t the only thing at a party. The theory behind such a complicated matter is to break it down gradually, starting from the corner that is easy to break down. ''If we prepare a lot of delicious food, we can pull him in. ''Ah!It''s very effective against Sophie! ''Yes, Bertina! Okay. Then let''s get the guys from District 42 involved and fish out District 24 in a big way! 295-Episode 207 View ''Oh, ......, what should I do? I crouched down on the ground and let out a huge sigh. ''Okay!Let''s have a big party! -- about five minutes after I made my grand announcement. ''Rebeka-san, you want a son-in-law to take over the koji factory, right? ''Oh, ...... and Donis has no intention of letting the beastman tribe into the lord''s circle of relations. ...... No, he has no hair roots.'' ''Can you please correct me and not misquote me when I don''t have to?I know you''re shocked. ......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do. ''If Fillman leaves the house, both of our requests will be fulfilled. ......'' ''Then Mr. Donati''s biggest request will not be fulfilled. Filman''s son-in-law at the Koji Factory would make Rebekah happy, and Donis would be able to keep the beastmen out of his lord''s mansion. However, the original wish of ''Filman as the next lord'' will be rejected. ''In the end, it''s not possible to have everything just the way you want it. Don''t underestimate the world! ''If that''s the case, I''m sure Mr. Donati will make it his top priority to make Mr. Filman the next lord. Even if it means forcibly tearing the two of them apart. ''............ If I plucked out a single hair of that guy, wouldn''t he be so shocked that he wouldn''t care about anything else?'' ''There will probably be a ...... war. And they''ll talk about it for generations to come. The ''One Hair War''. Wouldn''t it be a shame if people lost their lives for such a silly reason? ...... d*mn. ''Yashiro. This is the path you''ve chosen for yourself.'' With a smirk on her face, Estella places both hands on my shoulders. One hand on each shoulder, of course. Estella''s face is right in front of mine. ...... I''m gonna kiss you, you son of a b*tc*. No, I''m not. ''After Mr. Fillman got down, you could have somehow managed to talk Mr. Donati out of it. Nevertheless, you showed your good-naturedness and took action to heal Mr. Filman''s heartbreak, knowing that it could lead to more trouble. ''I hadn''t even considered that possibility. ''No way. That''s impossible, for a man like you. Obayashi, the best strategist in the forty-two districts, would never act without thinking ahead. ''...... I can tell you''re not complimenting me, you son of a b*tc*. She shakes off Estella''s hand and turns her body to the side. ''Pfft! That''s it. ...... What''s with the ''good-natured'' thing? I don''t have any of that! If there''s even one micron of that nasty stuff in me, it''s... It''s all Jeannette''s fault. She must have passed it on to you. ''I''m not so sure about that.In my eyes, it''s a 50/50 split. ''That''s because your eyes are so narrow that they can see a flat surface as ''slightly bulging''. ''I''m bulging! Yeah. I guess you''re not angry about the ''holes'', but about that. ''Anyway. You should just give up and start trying to make it all go away. I''m sure it''ll be in your best interest. ''If you just think ......, you can say whatever you want. ''The spirit gods will not condemn you for talking about your dreams. No matter how false it sounds, you can''t judge it unless it''s a lie. It''s really full of flaws, isn''t it, the Judgment of Spirits? ''You flat! ''It''s not flat! ''The Spirit''s ......''! ''I''ll put it down! ''''Oh, ......, you two. It''s not good to fight.'''' Sophie intervenes between us with a dazed look on her face. Oh, yeah. We''re still in the church. Sophie is coming back after chasing away the visitors. ...... I knew she''d chase them off. Barbara is sitting in a wooden chair in the garden, looking like a carved wooden figurine. ...... She looks like a dried up monkey. ''It''s not like we were fighting. You can ask n...... Barbara about the dried ones, too.'' ''What did you misspell, now? ''I was just trying to educate Estella that she shouldn''t lie. ''Yashiro, the next time you say something stupid, I''ll have my hands out, okay? Why is this guy so quick to resort to brute force? I''d like to see him have a little more weakness, like crying out ''yo yo ......'' and appealing with sorrow. ''I mean, you can hear everything I say in private, right? He has the hearing to distinguish the sound of footsteps dozens of meters away from here. I''m sure he can hear any private conversation we have. ''No, sir. Eavesdropping is not a good thing, so I don''t turn my ear to the person who''s talking in private. ''Turn your ear?'' ''Like this.'' As she said this, Sophie turned her ears to me. Her ears are pure white, and the light pink skin is a lovely shade. ''And when I do this, I can barely hear .......'' Next, he turned his ears away suddenly. The back of her ear turns towards you. ''Let me poke your tits, girl. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the following article. ''...... Geez, ............ really, I can''t ...... hear you. I''m sure you''re ....... ......'' ''Oh my God!Why the sudden body blow?What did you say, Yashiro? Sophie''s face kept looking at me. The only thing she turned away from was her ears, but the visual information seemed to have been transmitted perfectly to her brain. The auditory information seemed to have been shut out. ''If your ears are turned away, do you lose all hearing? ''No, sir. I can hear loud voices. Also, if someone talks near me, I can hear them. So you can hear as if someone is talking to you behind your back. But that''s a very high cut rate. ''When I really don''t want to hear anything, I do this. Then Sophie curled her ears. Like rolling a hand towel. Dexterously round. ...... The broken ear doesn''t seem to be moving, but this one has lost its hearing as well, so I guess it can''t hear anything in this state. Despite the fact that I shouted out from the bottom of my stomach, only Estella managed to land a screw punch on my midsection. She seriously didn''t hear me. ''Aaahhhh!What did you say this time? If Estella suddenly went on a violent rampage when she couldn''t hear a sound, she would be surprised. ...... But why?Why are you assuming that I''ve said something I shouldn''t have? It''s also possible that Estella is just violent. .................. Oh, there was something in Bertina''s letter, wasn''t there? I''m sure she did. ''Violence is not good, Miss Estella. While respecting Estella as the lord of the church, she showed that she could not tolerate violence in the church. ''I would like to do the same as much as possible, but ...... I can''t overlook the violence against the sisters of other districts. ''What do you mean,......? ''Yashiro, why don''t you come clean with your own mouth?'' I''m just saying. You just said, ''I think I''m about a D cup''. ''Barbara-san, permission to use the Morning Star, please! ''No weapons! Estella''s punches don''t hurt that much because she is moderated. It''s like a tsukkomi. But the Morning Star is not worth the trouble! ''Don''t you mean ''please repent'', all of you church people? It''s a shame.It''s a disgrace! So, Bertina was very tolerant. And so was Ginette, who was raised by Bertina. ''Bertina and Ginette are tolerant of pornography! ''That''s not what I meant! ''Barbara, the Morning Star is a two-pronged sword! I can''t wait to go back to the forty-second ward. ''I want to go back to the city of boobs, the 42nd ward! ''Can you please stop spreading rumors? Estella seized me, and Sophie gave me a rather hard stare. ...... It''s been a rough day. But only Barbara was looking at us with a calm expression. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''...... It''s not ''like'', is it? ''No, if you''re talking about a pervert, you''re talking about the lord over here who enjoys casually plucking my arms. ''No, I''m not enjoying it!...... I''m not plucking it! Estella jumped back with great speed, and I was freed. I''ve got my freedom, and now I have to figure out a way to get out of this messy route I''ve taken. ...... ''You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to, but ...... what happened to the rest of your family?'' At present, Rebekah has taken over as the koji maker. According to what Barbara told me earlier, there should have been a father and a grandfather. Where are they now? ''My father and grandfather are at .......'' Sophie''s expression clouded. ''......I guess that''s what you mean when you say that young Rebekah is taking over ............. ''......''I can''t compete with Rebekaa??'', she said, retiring early. ''Get to work! ''Currently, I''m working hard at farming on the outskirts of the 24th district.'' ''What''s with the petit retirement?Are you enjoying the slow life? d*mn it. I''ve lost my seriousness! After hearing that Sophie had injured her ear in an accident, I thought that her father and grandfather had also passed away in an unfortunate accident. ''So at worst, even if Rebekah can''t continue her duties for some reason, the koji factory will be safe, right? ''No, it will go under. ''Bring back the previous generation and the previous generation! ''''It''s too noisy to live a normal life,'''' he said, ''''I''m going to have an operation to reduce my hearing. ...... ''Isn''t the Whitehead clan''s hearing special?You should be proud of it!And don''t add ''a??'' to the end of every word! Oh, my God. Did you just throw all the responsibility on your daughter and run away? ''May I say something for the honor of Sophie''s family? Barbara interrupted me, sitting in her wood chair. ''The Whitehead family''s hearing was considered a ''strange disease'' before the koji research was perfected. ''The strange disease ......?'' ''Yes. It was said to be a disease of excessive hearing. It was said that many people lost their lives because of their hearing. Estella looks at me like she doesn''t know what I''m talking about. Don''t ask me. You know more about this town than I do. ''For example, yes. How would you feel if there was a roar in your ear every second of every hour of every day? ''Ah, .......'' With that, Estella seemed to understand the anomaly. I agreed with her. Whitehead''s hearing is out of the ordinary. But it''s not a machine. There''s no volume control. In other words, it''s like having explosions blaring in your ears 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 365 days a year. ...... It''s crazy that you can keep your sanity in such a situation. That''s why they call it a "strange disease. It will shorten your life, too, you know. ''The previous generation and the generation before that were already at the limit of their strength. ''But then, Rebeka-san is .......'' ''Rebekah and her family are special. They were born with the ability to regulate their hearing. ......, Sophie.'' ''And by ''they'', you mean Sophie?'' Sophie gave a small nod to my question. ''We were born with that power. If you ask me how, it''s hard to explain. ......'' ''Then you''ve been called a genius. Sophie''s ears drooped slightly. Sophie was born with a special ability. Maybe she evolved to protect herself. Whatever it was, Whitehead''s family must have loved her for it. It was the first time someone had conquered the "strange disease" that had plagued the family for generations. ......, but then an even greater genius was born. This is the reason why Sophie, who was admired from the moment she was born, may have become impatient. It is also possible that she has developed a sense of rivalry with her sister, who innocently adores her, because she cannot lose. ''Everyone in the family is retired due to illness, and the only sister who has beaten the disease has left the house because of her own fault--Libeka is all alone because of her talent. ''Rebeka is not alone in ....... There''s Bertha, there''s everyone else ............, and she''s not that weak-minded. ......'' I thought I could see the sickness lurking in Sophie''s heart. Guilt. Self-loathing for having rivaled her sister. Perhaps she had hated her, even if only temporarily. It''s this guilt from the past that only he knows about, that he doesn''t want anyone else to know about, that''s keeping him away from Rebekah. It''s probably making him turn his back on her. ''What if he''s the only one who can carry it, and Rebeka is crushed by the burden? ''Don''t worry, sir. Rebeka is a genius. As long as she''s there, the koji factory will be .......'''' ''''Are you stupid, you?'''' Sophie smiled self-deprecatingly, and I couldn''t help but let out a harsh word. I''m sure you can understand how the previous generation and the previous generation retired, but ......, you should know better. Don''t look away. Don''t look away. She''s just a kid. No matter how grown up he is, no matter how talented he is, he''s still a kid. The fact that Bertha never leaves his side, and the fact that he''s so happy and excited when we show up, all prove that he''s a very lonely person. ''That''s why he comes to see us. No matter how many times he refuses. It''s ...... not okay if you can''t even see him for the first time, right? ''But ......Rebecca is ............''. ''Are you trying to tell me that you want to tie Rebecca to the factory like that and live your life as you please? ''No, I''m not! ''Then what would you do if Rebeka came to you, her sister, crying and saying, "I want to quit."'' ''There is no such thing as ...... .......'' ''Are you going to ignore her like you have been doing? ''--I can''t believe you''re ignoring me! ''You''re throwing me off? ''No, sir!Rather, I''m not the kind of person who can meet ...... Rebeka, so I''m ......'' ''You don''t mind putting all the hardships on your great, amazing, genius sister? ''No, sir!Absolutely not! ''You wouldn''t even see her if she asked for help, would you? ''I will see her!If Rebeka needs me, then I will help her! Ah~, after all the trouble ............, I finally heard her true feelings. ''Estella. ''Yes. It''s been recorded in the Conversation Record. ''Oh ............ no, that ......'' As if her words had suddenly become frightening, Sophie hurriedly began to make excuses. ''But there''s no way that Rebeca would ask me for help, and I don''t think I could do anything about it if it came to that,......''. ''So, if Rebekah asks, you''ll spare no effort to help. ''That''s ...... that ............ well, yes.'' Sophie doesn''t hate Rebekah. It''s obvious. It''s just that too much time has passed and she can''t be honest about it. There are times when you have to forcefully push back against this type of person. That''s now. ''I''m not asking you to take over for Rebekah or stop being a sister. I''m just saying that the situation where we both want to see each other but we''re too stubborn to see each other has got to stop. ''No, I don''t want to meet .......'' ''Rebekah wants to see you, that''s for sure. ''............'' ''Well, if you don''t like Rebeka and don''t want to see her face, I''m not going to force you. ......'' ''I don''t hate her!In fact, I love her!............ It''s good to apply force like this to a person like this who is constantly lying to his own mind. If you do this, they will rebel in an interesting way, and the restraint they''ve been exercising will burst to the extreme. Isn''t this the first time he''s said ''I love you''? If he was thinking it in his heart, it was probably the first time he said it. His face is turning red at his own words. ''...... Yashiro is really good at exploiting people''s weak points, isn''t he? ''Hey, hey. That''s a bad way to talk to people.'' ''I''m complimenting you. I''m praising you very much. Another complicated word: ...... ''Uh-huh,'' said the dried monkey ......, or Barbara''s dried fish, laughing. Oh, it''s not dried fish. ''You''re right, Bertina. Hey, Sophie. ''............ Yes.'' Only the two people who read the letter look at me as if they want to say something. Barbara looks happy. Sophie looks disappointed. ...... What did you write, Bertina? ''Yashiro changes the scenery in your eyes. In the blink of an ...... eye, you''ll be surprised when you open your eyes again. The next time you open your eyes, you''ll be amazed because you''ve never seen anything like it. ...... That''s right. It seems that the letter said not to show the letter, but it is okay to read it to them. ...... Well, I''m sure you''ve taken that into consideration, too, Bertina. ''Sophie. I couldn''t make you open your closed mind. But Yashiro-san can. ......'' ''I''m .......'' ''Why don''t you give yourself over to it?You might be able to see something you''ve never seen before. ''............'' Sophie''s eyes stare at me. Her eyes are a little suspicious, a little fearful, a little anxious. It closes for a long ............ time, then opens again, and her head slowly moves vertically. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. It''s not that I don''t like it, but I don''t think it''s the right thing to do. ''What? Sophie''s ears were twitching happily. ''This, this is nothing! Sophie hurriedly held both her ears. But she must have known that such a thing would do nothing to disguise the fact. Her face is turning bright red. Even her ears, which are covered with white fur, are bright red. ''So, Yashiro. What are you going to do now?It doesn''t seem to have solved the root of the problem, does it?'' There are many obstacles to the relationship between Rebekah and Firman. The problem of the heir to the koji factory and Donnis''s fixed idea of not wanting beastmen in the lord''s manor. With a sigh, you breathe in and drop your consciousness into deep, deep thought. Recall all the information you''ve seen and heard so far: ...... Who likes what...... What are you not good at...... What are they weak at...... Where to attack to break them down: ...... There are so many ties that have piled up that it will take too much time to get rid of this mess in a straightforward manner. If we''re going to do this, we must do it all at once and thoroughly. As Bertina said, it''s my way. There''s got to be a ...... single point ...... where everything falls apart if you can just break it. That''s what a good con man does... he sniffs it out, finds it, and breaks it down. I can see a faint outline. I think I''m forgetting something. ...... If I can remember him, ............ ''Oniichan! Suddenly, a bunch of beastman kids come pouring out of the church. In their hands, they hold towels, trays and blankets. ''''What are you doing? ''''Playing nurse! He''s probably nursing Mikel, who collapsed due to lack of stamina. Don''t just play games, take care of him properly. ...... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. It might be Sophie''s or Barbara''s dress, it''s too big and the hem is dragging. ''At any rate, if the sisters are here, we can bury them quickly even if it''s too late. ''Let''s hope it''s not too late. Estella is laughing at the strange group of doctors. It''s not a good idea to have a team of doctors, an impromptu catering team, ...... but it''s ugly. It must be unpleasant to be nursed by them. It''s interesting to look at, but ............? Strange, awkward, and ...... interesting to look at. ............ ''There it is!'' Estella''s shoulders shook at the sudden voice. But that doesn''t matter now! Let''s see. ...... What should I do? The most effective and quickest way to ...... make full use of the power I have available to me right now is to ............... ...Rebecca!Riveca!You''re Rebecca! ''Estella!We''re going to the koji factory again!'' ''Eh!Again? Estella promised to play hide-and-seek next time, so I''ll let her play hide-and-seek and I''ll ask Bertha to help me. He''s probably in charge of the money coming in and going out. ''I''m going to seduce Bertha! ''Huh? Bollocks. That''s not what I meant. I meant I''ll let you in on this project. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san!Can you please not bring Bertha back to District 42?Without her, the koji factory''s operation will be ......'' ''Who''s going to take her back! We don''t need any more colorful people in the Forty-Two Wards! ''Bertha is like a mother to me and to Rebeka!It''s a very important person who has taught us many things! ''That''s why I''m not taking her with me! I''m already saturated! ''Even though I can''t make koji, she''s been so kind to me!He said, ''If you can''t make koji, you should learn to make something else. ''Something else? ''Yes, yes. Like miso and soy sauce. Ah, so that''s why he was giving Bertina miso and soy sauce. So they were Sophie''s homemade. ''And tofu...'' ''Bean curd! Here''s the heir to a lost technology! ''You can make tofu? ''Ha, yes. I''m not as good as Bertha, but ......'' ''I''m sure Bertha won''t make it for you. I''m not in a position to break the rules so casually. ''Can you make it now? ''If you use soybeans grown in the church''s fields, the BU rules won''t apply to the church. Right! That''s why I haven''t been offered beans once since I''ve been here! ''Okay, Sophie!I''ll assign you another date, so make me some tofu!'' ''Tofu, sir? ''Oh!I''ve got something for Bertina. ''To Bertina, sir? Slightly, Sophie''s tension rises. All right, all right, all right! The details will be adjusted later. ...... ''Sister Barbara!I need you to do something for me! ''Yes. I''ll come to you.'' That smile is always there, no matter what you say. It''s the kind of smile you can count on. So feel free to be selfish. ''I want to hold a party in this church later!Invite Bertina and the rest of the 42nd district, the people from the Koji factory, and the people from the lord''s mansion! Estella and Sophie''s eyes widened when they heard my declaration, and Barbara said in a calm voice, as if she had expected my words. ''Yes. It would be my pleasure. Hearing those words, I clenched my fists. Now all I have to do is to succeed in this scheme. 296-Episode 208 To Koji Factory Three Times ''It''s okay! Rebeka''s voice rang out, and Estella''s face suddenly twitched. The expression on her face shows her struggle, ''What should I do? ...... I can see my ears so much. ...... Should I pretend I can''t see them for now? We are now playing hide-and-seek in a koji factory that we have visited three times. It''s a friendly game in which we''re going to ask for help from the self-proclaimed "professional" hide-and-seek player, Rebeca. The future of this sport is bleak if the only professionals are those who are discovered the moment they turn around. ...... not a sport. ''All right!Let''s find Yashiro first! ''Mmmmmmm! I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. He''s in a good mood. It''s ......, they''ll know. Don''t make a sound. Although... I can''t let Estella find me so easily. Hide and seek is a mind game that requires more than the body. ...... If you can find her, you can find her! ''Oh. That craftswoman has really big tits. ''Seriously?What time is it? ''Yes, I found Yashiro.'' ...... this woman ............ ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''Wait. Look, it''s her.'' Estella looked in the direction she was pointing. ...... d*mn!A beautiful craftsman with really big tits was looking at her. ''Thank you so much for using such a cowardly trick! ''I''m a mixture of angry and grateful. Darkness was approaching, and the area was tinged with subdued colors. It is time for the craftsmen to finish their work. The earlier the morning, the earlier the finish time. Rebeka welcomed us with open arms as we kept coming back. Bertha was in her usual work clothes. ...... I''m glad. I''m really glad. I said, ''You look better in that dress,'' so you won''t be wearing a mini-skirt again. ............ I''ll at least give you this kind of lip service. I''ll give you this level of lip service if it means saving your life! ''Come on, Yashiro. You''ll have to help me find Rebeka-san. Since you''re the demon, you''ll have to do it alone. If you find her, she''ll turn her back on you. That troublesome role is part of being a demon. If you lose in rock-paper-scissors, you are obligated to bear the burden. Hearing our conversation, Rebeka''s rabbit ears twitched. You think you''ve been struggling and cooperating. Pretending that you haven''t found ...... is a painful thing to do when you''re alone. You''ll be able to see it from behind a stack of crates. How can you call yourself a professional when you can only think of hiding in the shadows? ''Well, I''ll go look over here, and you take care of that crate. ''What?No, can''t we do it the other way around? I ignored Estella''s suggestion and was about to walk away when the ...... rabbit ears started to move. ...... I see. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. So, when the demon approaches, you can move and change your hiding place. If you''re serious, you might be a pretty tough opponent,............, if you''re a little more intelligent. ''d*mn, you''re not here! After confirming that Rebeca had moved, Estella peeked behind the crate. Currently, the rabbit ears are swaying behind a barrel some distance away from Estella''s location. ...... So, hide them, ears! ''Estella. I need a minute. I don''t want to waste any more time on this nonsense. I''m not just saying that because you found me early. I''ll end the hide-and-seek in a way that will keep Rebekah from bending over. I''m not saying this because I found out early. ...... Listen to me carefully, Rebekah. ''Don''t tell anyone you''ve come to invite Rebekah to the party at the church, not yet. ''Is it true? From behind a large barrel, Rebeka jumped out with such force that even Blackbeard was surprised. ''Yes, I found her. He points to the spot where she jumped out and says so. ''Mmm, mmm!It''s not fair!It''s not fair! ''It wasn''t going to end unless I used a cheat move like this. ''Mmm!I''m a bad man, my knight!So, you lost by foul play! Voil? . We''ve got a winner. Losing quickly is the best way to end this quickly. However, cutting corners is likely to backfire, so it''s better to be declared a loser by the ''rebecarl''. Then, if you keep the interest moving to the next round, you can prevent ''One more round! '' can be prevented. ''So, is it true what you said earlier?I won''t accept it if it''s not true!Stop selling miso only to the Forty-Two Wards! I''m scared. He''s going to use his emotions to exert a terrifying amount of power, this guy. ''Oh~, you''ve been found out...'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ''I can''t hide anything from you! Your sister had the delicacy to read the air in such a situation. Learn from her, little one. So!I''m invited, aren''t I? ''Riveka, and Bertha, too. ''Oh, I see!I''ll have to take Bertha with me!So, when?Now? ''No, the ...... schedule is .......'' Estella, buoyed by Rebekah''s energy, asks me for help. This guy has been relying on me more and more lately. ...... Don''t think you can just look at him and get an answer. ............ Well, I can help you now. I''ll help you out now, though. ''Actually, we just need to make a few preparations before we can throw that party. ''What?What are you doing?I''ll help you, so hurry up and get ready! Rebeka''s eyebrows furrowed in frustration as she missed her sister. You really wanted to see her, didn''t you? ...... ''Well, if you can help me, that would be great. Actually, I came here to ask you for a favor.'' ''What is it?Money?Power?'' ...... scary statements with an innocent face and voice. ............ If he grows up like this, he''s going to have a lot of problems, this guy. ''The koji factory was a sponsor of the information paper, right? ''Mm. I''m sure they''ll take care of a few things for us since we''ve loaned them quite a bit of money. Money and connections really do have power, don''t they? ''I''d like to use the front page of the information paper to advertise for a waitress to work at a certain nobleman''s house. ''Oh, that''s easy enough. ''But there''s a condition. ''Conditions? ''Something a little out of the ordinary, something interesting--beastmen only.'' Yeah. This is what Ma''ul asked me to do. Ma''ul had asked me to introduce him to some unusual people. He''d like to hire a waiter, but a stereotypical young man would be boring. Unlike other nobles, Mahrul is an eccentric who likes new things and dislikes old customs and traditions. But even so, he hadn''t been able to get rid of the old stereotypes that had been ingrained in him as a matter of course. That is, a person who works in a nobleman''s house should be human. The candidates for serving in Mahrul''s mansion were all human. Perhaps the people applying for the job are also caught up in the fixed concept that only humans can work in a nobleman''s house. Therefore, no one would question it. But Ma''ru... That eccentric aristocrat will surely overturn such old-fashioned stereotypes. He is so eccentric that he loves the crazy 42nd district and visits it many times himself. He didn''t seem to have any particular feelings about Gilberta either. You can find a lot more information on this topic at ....... You may find that Gilberta is not well-liked by the other nobles. It''s also possible that the small size of the sense of touch is an advantage in this respect. ...... Well, that''s just speculation. Lucia loves the beastmen. But it''s hard to expect other nobles to understand and accept that. She may even "hide" it if she has to. Those little antennae. Even so, Lucia, who trusts Gilberta and keeps waking up beside her, is still quite an eccentric person. Even in the Thirty-Five Wards under Lucia''s rule, the rift caused by discrimination against the beastman race had been deeply ingrained for many years. Only recently has it shown signs of being resolved. That''s why it hasn''t spread yet. The idea of employing beastmen as servants... But Mahrul... I''m sure he''ll understand. No, he''ll jump for joy! And if Ma''ul invites the beastmen into the house, ............ we can catch Donnis! At least he''ll listen to us. At least he''ll listen to us. After all, he and Ma''ru are the same! I''ll find him. The best and the brightest! There must be more than a few beastmen out there who need work. Even if you look at Wendy''s parents, it''s obvious that there are people out of work in every ward. Especially in a district that still thinks of beastmen and humans separately. I''m sure there will be a rush of people looking for good jobs. We''ll have to do some selection before we let them meet Mael. It would be a disaster if we were to suddenly throw everything at him. We have to avoid a situation where we cannot take responsibility. I can''t let Ma''ru see him unless I can trust him. When granting someone''s wish, it is effective to go two steps beyond their imagination. By doing so, you can make a more favorable impression than you imagined and ingratiate yourself greatly. For example, if a person asks for a hat, you can give him a bag or a pair of shoes to go with the hat, or if he wants to go on a trip, you can take him to a good restaurant after doing some research beforehand. People are creatures of imagination. That is why we must go beyond their imagination. People are not satisfied with what they imagine. That''s why we need to sift through the mountains of people who will be flooding in. ...... I thought... ''What is the beastman race? Rebekah tilted her head. Bertha looks up at her. ...... Crush your eyes. I''m not sure what you mean by that. This means that even if you write "beastmen only" on your information sheet, you will not get any beastmen ....... Oops. ............ Do we use the word "subhuman"? I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of the term "subspecies" or "subgenus". Even Donnis, the first love delusional typhoon, would have a hard time using the word "subspecies" to refer to ....... It''s just the way the word sounds. Well, Rebekah would be classified as a subhuman, not a sub-strain, but that''s not the point. ''If we''re going to do this, we might have to spread the word about the beastman race first.'' Estella has a good point, but we don''t have that much time. What should we do? Do we give up on the information paper? But we can''t just start looking for the beastmen now. ...... The people in the church might be able to interview them, but ...... would they want to go to a nobleman''s mansion in another district to serve him? I don''t know.It''s not like they''re staying in a closed church. I''m sure their wounds are not limited to their bodies. ...... ''Rebekah-sama. Sir, why don''t you take ...... or even Yashiro-san to see the reporter?'' ''Wait a minute, Bertha. What''s that malicious misspelling?'' ''Yashiro. Don''t interrupt me.'' ''I''m not breaking it!No, rather, let me break it willingly! ''More importantly. Estella has left one of the biggest obstacles in my life unaddressed and she''s resuming her story. ''Who is this reporter?'' ''Hmm. I''m not a reporter, I''m a painter. Bertha''s an old man, so she calls everyone who works for the paper a ''reporter''. Yeah, I know what you mean. The proprietress also called all anime and novels ''manga'', and all games ''Famicom''. ''Just now, I''m here. ''What?You''re in here now? ''Hmm. He brought me a sample of the latest issue. ''Are you sure you want to leave it at ......? ''Because I heard the footsteps of my knight and Estella-chan. I had to show them my professional skills, so I hurried to pick them up.'' Yeah. You really did come out at the perfect time to surprise me, didn''t you? And you challenged me to rock-paper-scissors as soon as you saw me. I was able to deal with it, but Estella, who was caught off guard, panicked and made a ''par''. She must have started out with "Goo", and as a result of her absurd belief that she would lose if she didn''t change her move to something else, she came up with "Par". Choki is a little bit more difficult, when you are on the spur of the moment. So, he became a demon. ''I guess ...... you can even hear the sound outside the gate when you''re not in your room. ''It seems so. ''Mm-hmm. I had a feeling he might come to visit one more time, so I was paying attention. She rests her back against Estella''s stomach and takes both of Estella''s arms and wraps them around her own neck. She then takes Estella''s arms and wraps them around her own neck. Estella hugs her from behind and Rebekah smiles happily. My relative''s kids used to love this pose. ...... It''s a very sweet pose. Her back is pressed against Estella''s stomach, and the back of her head is pressed against Estella''s chest as she gropes. ''Hey, Rebekah. Get hard ......?'' ''Don''t say another word or I''ll stab you.'' Estella points to her bosom with her chin. ''There''s a knife in there, isn''t there? ''Then I''ll call the press. Bertha quietly bows her head, winks at me, and jumps backwards with the ferocity of a lobster as I run away. ...... It''s a horrible demon. It''s trying to eat your soul. After making sure that Bertha is gone, Estella says in a nasty tone of voice. ''I thought you were going to seduce Mr. Bertha? ''That''s because I thought I''d use my power as a sponsor of an information paper. I thought that Bertha was in charge of the money matters.'' In fact, with a single word from Rebekah, I was able to get to the people involved. Then there''s no need to get involved with Bertha. We should keep our contact to the bare minimum. ''Well, that''s true. Rebekah said, shaking her body like a minnow attached to Estella. ''I''m not much good at anything except being a koji maker. If Bertha retires, this factory may be in danger. ''You''re saying Mr. Bertha has the real power? ''The real power is ...... me, apparently, but ...... I''m not cut out for this. I''m aware of that. Well, thinking about management strategies and doing hard sales are not the image of a rebeca. She''s just a girl who specializes in one thing, using her own skills. She looks like a little girl. Philman''s a pedophile for sure. Yeah. Pervert, the next lord. ''Let me ask you something. I ask Rebekah a question to be certain. I said one question, but I meant to ask two. ...... Well, don''t worry about the details. ''So you''re effectively in charge of the koji factory now, aren''t you, Rebekah? ''Mm. That''s right. Well, he''s the heir apparent. ''The way you''re talking ......, perhaps you''re willing to give up your position if someone more suitable comes along?'' For a moment Rebekah is silent. She nodded silently, debating whether or not to say anything. Ah, one more question, I guess. ''And when that happens, do you think the people at the factory will accept your decision? ''I''m sure they will. His answer was confident. Very sadly. ''...... They all think I''m too much for them. No one can beat me in technology, though. Rebekah forced herself to smile, adding a bit of a pout at the end. She squeezes Estella''s arm with her small hand. ''Is there anyone who can lend me a hand? She asks the obvious question. If there were such a person, he would have already lent his strength. ''They don''t want anyone other than Whitehead to be at the top. It''s a heavy responsibility and all that, but it''s a ...... brand. The koji factory that Whitehead put together. That name value is a major factor in maintaining the value of the products here. It''s not uncommon for a product to be exactly the same, but to falter as soon as the familiar name is gone and the top management changes. When a restaurant changes its name, customers leave. This happens all the time. The same thing can happen when a manufacturer changes its name or a character used for advertising. It is too common for a band to lose popularity when the vocalist changes. Even if the vocalist is the same, the leader changes, a member leaves the band, or some of the members form another band, the popularity of the band will also decline. It is also possible for the most popular member of a certain idol to lose popularity the moment he leaves the band. Familiarity is such a powerful weapon. It takes a lot of courage to let go of it. "The Koji Factory run by Whitehead. It''s unlikely you''ll be able to overturn it. ''What about the previous generation and the generation before that? That''s another nasty question. They''re not here now because there''s nothing they can do. And just as I thought, Rebekah shakes her head. ''My dad and grandpa ...... are here. My father and father before me were also craftsmen. They''ve never been useful in management. In other words, they left the management to Bertha for a very long time. ''Well, that can''t be helped, can it? The Whitehead family is expected to stay in the room for as long as possible and make good malted rice. ''Hmm. I''ve been told since I was a kid, ''Leave the management to others and make koji'' ....... I''m still a kid. ''Then there''s that. If you can find a family member of Whitehead''s who isn''t suited to working in a room and who you can rely on, you''re in the right place. Rebekah''s ears twitched. And then her big eyes sparkled in her small face. ''...... That is, if...'' This guy must have been going to the church just to see her, without any calculations or calculations like that. ''If you come back, everyone will be happy. Your sister. ''What? Rebekah''s face lit up in a flash. She imagines the future I''ve described and writhes at the sight. Excitement washed over him like a wave, and he flapped his feet again and again, stomping on the ground. ''No, it''s okay!That''s the best!Then I''m ...... I''m ............! --I''m going to !'' And then, as she''s about to say something, Rebekah''s face instantly turns bright red. What did you imagine, you little brat? ''You can ...... work in the room, even if you''re a commuter, but you can''t ............ work in the room. Philman, rejoice! As long as you don''t insist on being a housewife, Rebekah might go to your house! '' I hold back the urge to shout. ''Oh, yes, yes. Rebeka-san.'' As if she couldn''t stand the embarrassed Rebeka''s cuteness, Estella gently whispered into her long ears. ''...... Maybe the person you love will come too. To the party. ''Phew! Rebekah''s ears fluffed up. She jumps away from Estella, turns around, and closes the distance between them to zero in an instant. ''Mmm, mmm, mmm, did you find it?I''ve never even seen this person before, and yet Estella-chan has found that person! ''Yes. I''m pretty sure it''s you, the prince whisperer. It''s a good name for a ............ whispering prince ............. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I wonder what kind of fresh young man is being projected on the screen in Rebeka''s imaginary brain. But if you''ve never seen his face before, then the whispering prince must be Firman. ...... The sky is getting darker. It''s going to take a letter to convince the Filman. The invitation to Donnis will have to wait until later. Anyway, we need to pick up Natalia and bring the sinking Filman back up to the surface just in time. It''s hard to keep him afloat when he''s doing whatever he wants to do while we''re not around. Now, we have many things to do, but we can''t go to the 24th district so many times. I have to finish what I have to do. ''Rebekah, that party, I''m planning to make it a ''party''. ''Banquet?...... What''s the difference?'' Rebekah was about to jump on Estella, but she turned her attention to him. I have a favor to ask you. Or rather, there is something I need to get. ''Well, the name is for my convenience. Donis said we should have a feast together when Filman''s problems are solved. I''m going to have a party to celebrate the resolution of Filman''s problems and Donnis''. We''ll have a party to celebrate it. ''To make the feast a success, I need you to give me something. And a lot of it. What is it?Sasaya......, it''s a banquet where you might be able to meet your sister!Whatever it is, I''m willing to help!You can say that! ...... She put a man before her family. ............ Bad girl. Well, it''s a feast for Rebekah to see the two people she wants to see. I''ll take your word for it and let you help me. ''Koji. Give me the koji. ''Koji ......, is it okay?I''ve got plenty of that, no problem. ......? I don''t know what she thought I was going to say, but Rebekah looked like she was out of sorts. ''Well, I guess I''ll give you some homework. ''Estella, lend me a pen and paper so I can write the recipe. ''Recipe?For what? ''I''ll have you make what we need for the party here too. It''s hard to bring them from the Forty-Two districts. ''I see, ............, but what?'' ''Well, it''s okay, it''s okay. The sky is getting darker. I don''t have much time, so I''ll just write down the main points in an easy-to-understand manner. Do you have time to taste it? ............ ''Sorry to keep you waiting. Then Bertha comes back. Oh, yeah. The reporter from the paper ......, the painter, right? I''m afraid I can only exchange business cards with this guy. You''ll have to ask him about the details later. You''ll be able to find out more about the situation at a later date. This way, you have to think about how to expand the name of the beastman tribe and how to attract good people ......?............? ''............ Ah! The one who raised his voice in surprise was the painter of the information paper. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ''You''re the customers we met in the sycamore field, aren''t you? ''Mokoka! Yes. Just like the name Estella couldn''t help but let out, there was Mokoka, the daughter of the Aphid people. 297-Episode 209 With Mokoka The carriage rocked slowly. The road that goes around the BU is neatly paved. That''s what you would expect from a BU that makes its money from traffic. They seem to be very particular about their roads. There is little shaking. ''Oh, no, that''s bad. Thank you for letting me ride with you. Mokoka thanks me in the same strange, respectful way as ever. His sense of touch is swaying as the carriage shakes. ''It''s a bit of a detour, but there''s something I wanted to tell you. Well, don''t worry about it. It''s a bit of a detour, though!'' ''Don''t patronize me.'' Estella''s elbow hits my side. No, she''s going to hit me. ...... Why is this guy casually sitting next to me again? Go sit next to Natalia. I don''t mind if you sit down. ''You two are as close and friendly as ever, aren''t you? ''When I get back to my own district, I''m going to consider building a big statue of you guys making out.'' ''I''m not planning to do that!Or rather, I won''t let you, Natalia!I''m putting Becko under house arrest! Becko suffers in a completely unrelated way. Well, it''s fate. Let it go. We left the 24th district with Mokoka. Since it was time to go, we thought we''d talk in the carriage. When he offered to give her a ride, Mokokha agreed with great joy. Mokoka, who had no money, was planning to return home on foot. By the way. It is said that the reason why he stayed in the reception room quietly even though he was left alone by Rebeka was because delicious tea and tea cakes were served. For the same reason, he has volunteered to deliver the latest issue to the koji factory from the distant 29th ward. The editorial office of the newspaper is located in each ward, but since Rebeka is perceived as a difficult craftsman (well, if they don''t like her, they won''t even meet her), many of them are reluctant to deliver the newspaper. ''You''re a good person, but you''re full of idiots, aren''t you,'' said Mokoka, laughing innocently. That kind of character is probably why Rebeka likes her so much. It must be because Rebeca likes Mokoka that she is able to have unlimited second helpings of tea. Maybe me and Estella, who are liked even more by ......, are actually amazing. I would have waited outside for him at all. ''No, I''ve done everything I needed to say and do, so there''s no problem. We went back to the lord''s mansion to pick up Natalia, and after spending a little time with Donnis and Firman, we left the mansion. We wanted to get home as soon as possible. ''Mr. Filman, ...... are you sure you''re okay ......?'' No matter how many times I told her I was fine, Estella still looked worried. ''Are you that worried? ''It''s okay, I wrote a letter to you. I''m sure you''re not depressed anymore. ''No, that''s not what I meant. ......'' It''s not the heartbroken and depressed Filman that Estella is worried about. He was locked up and didn''t want to see us either. Well, that was to be expected, so I wrote him a letter and slipped it in through the crack in the door. The content was quite simple. I wrote the fact that Rebekah''s ears were far more accurate than most people''s, and a sentence that said, ''Rebekah''s lover may be the most single-minded man in this town who likes her and thinks she''s cute. I waited at the door for about two minutes after I slipped the letter in: ...... Oooohhhh!!!'' -- and from inside the room came a strange voice that sounded like someone whose body parts were hot, or someone who had created the moonwalk. Oh, and then he said, ''Poohhhh! so I guess he''s more of a moonwalker. And Estella is worried about him. ''...... tension was so high that it became quite unpleasant. ...... Will the 24th district be okay? ''Such grandiose worries are not for the lords of other districts to worry about. It''s up to the current lord to worry about it. However, Donnis is still Donnis, ''Philman is doing so well!Thank you!Thank you! Thank you so much! I''m sure he''ll be fine. ............ ''Oh, by the way, did you invite Mr. Donati to the party? ''No, not yet. ''No, not yet.'' ''I''ve only told Natalia that there will be a feast in the church soon. You can ask Estella about the details when you get back. However, the current situation is that she only wants to hold the party. We will send out invitations in the most effective way after we are sure that we can hold the party. At any rate, it''s a banquet in that church where there are many wounded beastmen who have been ''forced'' from various districts. If we invite them without a plan, they''re bound to be reluctant. It''s not time yet. We wait. Wait for the right moment. We need to prepare for that. "So, Mokoka. First step in the process. That''s the mocoka persuasion. ''Do you want money? ''You want money? ...... Another old expression. You can''t get more work than that, right? ''Why don''t you get a better paying job? ''Ha-ha-ha!Don''t be silly. There''s no way anyone would pay a high salary to someone like me, you know. If you think about it for a moment, you''d understand, you stupid idiot. That''s not even a polite expression anymore! Also, you''re talking too much!You''re talking out of your ass. ''So, if there was such a person and they wanted to hire you, you''d say yes, right? ''You''re a tin a**h*le! You''ve got your version!...... Hey Kola, what do you want me to say to the girls, ''forced translation magic''? Would you still be okay with that?'' ''Hmmm~...... if I can get paid, ............ ah, but I want to draw pictures for the information paper, you know.'' ''That''s something we''ll have to discuss. ''I''m sure Mahrul would agree that it would be interesting. Estella smiles. Well, anything is possible as long as it''s interesting, right? ''Anyway, why don''t you take one interview? ''Why are you guys being so nice to me? ''Well, if you work hard, we''ll benefit from it. ''Oh, ......, I don''t know what you''re talking about, but if that''s the case, I''m willing to take it! Okay. If Mahrul adopts Mokoka, Donnis will be able to invite beastmen to the mansion. In addition, we''ll be granting Mahrul''s wish, and he''ll be able to do what we want for once. ''Will it work?''The interview. ''It should be fine. Mokoka will be useful for Mahrul''s favorite gardening. Best of all, he''s reasonably rude.'' ''...... You should learn that that doesn''t support ''okay''.'' Baka, dude. You''re Mahr. I''m sure you''d prefer a friendly guy who''s a bit of a wreck to a nice girl who''s a bit of a wreck. I''ve been thinking about one thing...'' Natalia, who is sitting next to Mokoka in the lower seat by the door, quietly raises her hand. Her posture is so firm that Mokoka says, ''Whoa!The way she raises her hand, she''s a beauty! The way she raises her hands is also beautiful! ...... ''BU'' children who are seduced by information papers. ''You draw illustrations for the paper, don''t you, Mokoka-san? ''Yes, I do!I''ve been praised for my good reputation!I''m proud of it! I''m not proud of it, but it''s not ......, is it? You''re honest. ...... Hmm? So what does that mean,......? ''I mean. Natalia pulls out an information sheet from her pocket. It has an illustration of Natalia''s likeness on it. ''Ah!Did you have it for me, beauty?Whoa!I''m so happy!Here, here!I drew this for you! ...... I knew it. The illustration that I thought looked like Natalia was modeled after Natalia, of course. I thought she was a BU girl who was sensitive to trends, but I didn''t think she was a trendsetter. ''My heart leapt out of my chest when I met a beautiful woman who looked exactly like the illustration I drew of her. ''Something''s wrong, Estella ......, my ''forced translation magic'' is making an error. ''Don''t worry. I have similar symptoms. It''s hard to tell if it''s being translated or not. ...... In short, the ideal beauty that Mokoka fantasized about suddenly appeared in front of him one day. So, the illustration in the new information paper looks more like Natalia. Finally, the mystery is solved. ............ So, the trend in BU has gone from ''Natalia-like beauty'' to ''Natalia''. ...... ...... Wow, your nostrils are so wide, Natalia. What''s with the smug look?You should show this to Becko and have her do a painting of it. Mokoka leaned closer to Natalia, who made a smug face that would have punched him out if he wasn''t so beautiful. She clenches her fists in both hands and pleads with her. ''I''d love to be your model next time!I want to draw while staring at a beautiful woman! ''Nudes are expensive, you know? ''Natalia, don''t put a price on it! ''Then, free of charge.'' ''No, please!As my head waiter! ''No, Estella. He''s not asking for it, he''s offering it.'' Shut him up before you turn him down. As his master. ''If you don''t mind, why don''t you guys join us? ''Estella!Nudity is an essential part of art!It''s never for erotic purposes! ''Don''t turn over so easily! Why can''t you understand? The world''s most famous genius painters all drew in the nude! They probably took them home and looked at them in secret. They''re so good at drawing. They''re self-sufficient in treasure. Ah!That''s right!Speaking of art, we should invite Bekko too ......'' ''I think I''ll lock him up for a while. Abuse of power! It''s a violation of our freedom of appreciation! We, the common people, should be guaranteed the freedom to appreciate beautiful women''s breasts as much as we want! .................. No, wait. It would be a shame to let Becko see Natalia nude. ..................... ......... But in this camera-less world, only the talent of that pervert can document the most realistic ......... ... I''m not sure what to do.What the hell am I supposed to do? ''I think you should jump out the window, right now. If I jumped out of the window of a running carriage and fell onto this beautifully paved road, I wouldn''t be hurt. ''You know what?Who the hell is this ''Bekko'' whose name keeps popping up from time to time? ''Oh, he''s just a pervert. ''Yashiro-sama, that''s rude. He''s a ''real'' pervert.'' ''Stop being so rude, Natalia. ......'' I really don''t know why that guy has any talent. Maybe the talent was added to the huge minus of being a pervert. Then it makes sense. ''Becko is an artist in our ward, very good at painting and sculpture. It''s not ...... artistic, but it''s so good it''s almost real. ''Oh, wow!I''m not sure if there''s any such thing as an unbelievably awesome pervert in the 42nd district! Rant, rant! Is it a specification that they unconsciously become worse? I''d love to meet you. Illustrations are more about reality than artistry, you know. Their artistry is the kind of incomprehensible goofiness that makes goddesses look like mushrooms, and is distinctly different from what I consider to be common sense artistry. I don''t care if you say, "This kind of woman is in fashion! would not be understood at all. The illustrations that Mokoka should draw need to be realistic. ''So, the job is suitable for Becko? ''I guess there is if you look for it. ''Would you like me to tell you about it?He might be able to become a popular painter for an information newspaper.'''' ''''No, I''m not going to give Becko anywhere, because I use him for many things.'''' ''''Hmmm ......, Yashiro-sama and Estella-sama are the worst kind of black-hearted together.'''' What are you saying Natalia? ...... Isn''t it obvious? ''I''d like to meet them at all costs!Just introduce me to them for a minute!Please, I''m right here! ''Well, we''ll see. An introduction won''t be a problem. ''Yes!Then let''s get going now! ''No, it''s already late!I''m heading to the 29th district to drop you off. ''Gosha-sama!I''m changing my destination!Please head to District 42! ''Hey!Why are you doing something so selfish? ''Well, well, don''t be so uptight. You know what they say. ''Hurry up and get naked''. ''Alright, you guys!Take off everything! Yashiro, jump down right now! d*mn it! He took out his frustration over Mokoka''s selfish behavior on me for making a single ''puny'' comment. ...... What a lord. You''re a tyrant beyond belief. A coup d''etat. ''Mr. Mokoka. Aren''t your family and friends worried about you?'' ''Don''t worry, beautiful!I don''t have any family except my brother, so there''s no way anyone will worry about me. A girl working hard, all alone. --When Estella heard this information, the hard coloration drained from her eyes. You''re really naive, aren''t you? It''s not that I''m not a good person, it''s just that I''m not a good person. ...... Regardless of your circumstances, you''re currently in such good health that you''re making a fool of yourself.It is not necessary to worry or pity him to such an extent, and it would be rude to give him special treatment. ''Hey, can''t you do something about it? ''....... No, but ............''. Don''t glimpse at me at ....... Are you Ginette? ............ d*mn it. I''m sure you''ll be able to do me a favor since you''re trying to push through such a sudden request.That''s quite a request too.'' ''Yes, I''ll leave it to you!I''ll never forget the favor I received, that''s the motto of our family. ''Even if it''s a request that will greatly affect your life? ''You''re stubborn, you son of a b*tc*!There''s no such thing as a man''s word! You''re a woman, though. ''Then I''ll take you. ''But, Yashiro, is ...... okay? d*mn it! What do you mean, ''is it okay''? What?You look like a cute little puppy. You made me do it. Don''t put the blame on me. You can''t help it. You''ve already changed your mind.'' ''Yeah, that''s ......, isn''t it? You look so relieved. You can''t laugh at the fact that I''m a little shaken by Fillman''s heartbreak, can you? ''However, I can''t call Becco today, so I''ll see you tomorrow. ''I guess so. It''ll be night by the time we get back. ''Hmm. Yashiro-sama and Estella-sama think that Bekko-san is a weak maiden or something, is that right? ''''Of course not! I''m not saying that out of concern! I just don''t want to see that dark face before I go to sleep!What if he appears in my dreams . ''''Tomorrow, huh~!Whaaaaa!I''m so excited, I can''t sleep today! ''...... Huh?So, should I just ask her to come back tomorrow? ''No, it''s too late for that. Take her home and let her stay at your place.'' ''What?In my house? Estella''s eyes widen. ''You''re the reason I''m bringing her home, aren''t you? I don''t want to. I''m tired today. I don''t want to deal with Mokoka. I''ve decided I''ll get some rest when I get back to the sunken pavilion. ''Even if it''s a lord''s mansion, ...... you can''t just suddenly invite a commoner to stay .......'' ''It''s a good advertisement for the friendly relationship between the nobles and the beastmen. ''Where are we going to advertise? ''At Mahrul''s.'' ''I''m sure Mahrul will take Mokoka in, but if he starts to evade you, you can tell him that you stayed overnight at Estella''s place. In the event that you''ve got a problem with this, you''ll be able to always contact your doctor. ...... Estella''s opinion may be very bad, but that''s none of my business. ''Is that okay, Mokoka? ''Good or bad, there''s no way I''m complaining! ''I''m going to spend the night under the same roof with that beauty of yours. ''Whoo-hoo!It''s a nosebleed situation, it''s unbearable! ''Beauty is a ...... sin, isn''t it? ''...... Hey, Yashiro. I''m not sure if I can stand it.Mostly Natalia''s annoyance. I''d say go for it. But there''s good news, too. ''Mokoka. Estella is pretty when you look at her, isn''t she?'' ''Hyah! ''...... Don''t give me that funny look. I''m just giving you a compliment.'' ''No, no, no, it''s because you said something weird out of the blue! Just calm down. Okay? Mokoka is a highly influential illustrator for an information paper. If you can get Mokoka to admit that Estella is beautiful and draw an illustration that looks exactly like Estella with 30% more beauty, ............ Natalia''s days are numbered! I''m not sure what to make of that. Don''t think you can stay at the top forever, Natalia! ''Estella, use your good looks to knock Natalia off the top spot! ''Yes, yes, yes, that''s true, I want to give her a shot, or at least give her some moxibustion, but, but, Ya-Yashilo, you don''t have to say that!You know, beauty, good looks... You idiot! People are simple. If someone is trying their best to appeal to you, you''ll think, ''Oh, is that so? I wonder if that''s true. A boom is something that someone creates. When a celebrity says, ''This is wonderful! and the stupid people chorus ''yes, yes, yes''. In other words, if I praise Estella to the point of exaggeration, Mokoka will think, ''Well, if you put it that way, maybe it is! I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... This is the perfect chance to humiliate Natalia''s smug face. You can''t miss it! ''Hmmm, ............ you''re right, she does have a pretty face, but ...... she''s a lot more beautiful than you! ''Well, of course they are! d*mn it! That''s it! That smug face is annoying! ''Estella!You''re the one who always makes funny faces, that''s why you lost! ''Shut up, shut up!...... Can you please stop looking at me for a while!............ God.'' Estella turns her back to me. She turns her head away and rubs her cheeks. The ...... cheeks grew up and said, ''Not there, the tits! You''ll be sorry, you. ''Then tell him about the daily life of the forty-two districts. ''Is it ...... in the 42nd district? Natalia asks, replacing Estella who is looking away. ''If you can teach the BU people that the ''aristocracy should be like this'' is already old-fashioned, they''ll be a bit more flexible. Even if you don''t get any results right now, if you let Mokoka know, that information might come in handy someday. I''m going to ask Mokoka to become a waiter at Mahrul''s house, no matter what it takes. While she works there, she will tell Mahrul stories about the 42nd district, such and such. If there is something that catches Mahr''s interest, the reform will start from there. Also, if Estella and Natalia make friends with Mokoka, the connection with Ma''ru will become stronger and stronger. Currently, I''m closer to Mauryu than you are. It''s good to have a pipeline so that you can get things done between the nobles without me. That''s why, Mokoka. I''ll give you all kinds of favors, and you can be a waiter in Mahr''s house. I''ll tell him you can keep your job as an illustrator for the paper. You like it, don''t you, drawing illustrations? ''Oh!It''s my life''s work!And licking aphids to death, too! ''...... Think twice about that, will you? You''ll have to show your aphid skills in Mahr''s garden. ''What will you do if you can''t become a waiter in Mahrul''s house? She said cautiously, which was not like Natalia. But don''t worry. This investment will not be in vain. ''Mokoka is an illustrator for an information paper. That''s worth a lot. ''It seems that not everything can be absorbed by drawing. I wonder if he got some copies of the paper and read them carefully. Well, an information paper is like a weekly magazine. It is possible that the boom created by them may fail. But having a place to publish is a big advantage. You can broadcast your intended information in a high-profile place. It''s so attractive that I''d be willing to pay a lot of money to get it. In Japan, hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on advertising. ''If you are so sure, Mr. Yashiro, then I trust you. Perhaps Natalia''s cautiousness was in response to the exceptional matter of letting ordinary people stay in the lord''s mansion. She had a responsibility to protect Estella. ''Sorry about that. ''No, I''m not. I''m sure he''ll thank me someday. For making this decision now. You''ve got a lot of faith in me, don''t you? ''Mokoka. Don''t get upset. ''I''m on it! ...... Well, if you say so, I''ll trust you. This guy doesn''t seem smart enough to be a bad guy. For the next few hours. We didn''t say much, perhaps because we were tired, and continued to ride in the carriage quietly. We returned to the 42nd district when night had fallen. 298-Episode 210 Now, ''Welcome home, Yashiro.'' Aah!Calm down! ''Huh!Ya, Yashiro-san, why are you crying! ''I feel like I''ve been in ...... the 24th district for about three months. ......'' ''Uh-huh. You''re exaggerating. It was only two days and one night. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. Ah, the unmistakable Ginette. I''ve come back to the sunny pavilion. ''...... Yashiro''. ''Big brother! Magda and Loretta jump out from inside the store and cling to my waist. ''...... Long time no see.'' ''It feels like it''s been three months! ''No, so we''ve only been here for a night or two,............, but that''s how much we''ve missed you.'' Ginette giggled. You can jump in, too, with your chest. ...... and in your chest. ''Have you changed?'' ''Yes. We all had a nice sleepover and the rest is business as usual. That''s right! These guys are, ''Ooh!They were holding a ''sleepover party full of girls''!Without me! d*mn it!d*mn it! Next time, I''ll definitely hold another one!I''ll be the main one! ''Please come inside anyway. Have you eaten?'' ''Not yet. I don''t have time for that. ''Well, I''ll have it ready in a minute. ...... You should''ve come, Estella.'' ''Oh, he''s busy with something else. Mokoka''s invited. We''ll have dinner at the sunlit pavilion tomorrow, but today we''ll have dinner at the lord''s mansion. I''ll have to get a good write up on the information sheet. ''He''s bringing a guest to eat tomorrow. ''I see. Then we''ll have to treat them well.'' ''No, I''ll invite Becco, so I''ll lower the grade a bit. ''...... If Becco''s coming, then so be it.'' ''That''s the average. You''re always causing trouble, aren''t you ......? ''That ...... is not true, is it?Let''s treat them right, okay? That''s right. I''ll lower my rank, except for Becko''s. With this in mind, I entered the sunlit pavilion. It smells nostalgic. There''s a sweet scent in the air these days. That''s because doughnuts are a big hit. The aroma of chocolate and custard is in the air. ''I feel like I''m getting further and further away from the cafeteria. ......'' Food samples are displayed outside, and cakes and doughnuts are on the popular menu. It''s a little too highbrow to be called a diner. ...... Well, the manager likes it, so that''s good. If your grandfather was the manager, the lineup might be unbelievable, but if Jeannette was the manager, it would make sense to me. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. ''...... Don''t worry. It''s only a matter of time before Magda masters pasta. Stay away from Italian food. ''I''ve mastered coffee! Cafe. ''Once the bean sauce is perfected, we''ll be able to expand our menu. Chinese! ''I''m sorry, I''m really sorry. ......'' ''Why are you apologizing?It''s a very good thing, don''t you think? Well, they do have a grilled salmon set meal, so they can still barely call themselves a diner. It''s going to become a family restaurant soon, though. ...... Tacos and popcorn are not common even in family restaurants. How multinational. ''Mr. Yashiro. Is there a problem in the 24th district?'' It''s probably because I looked a little difficult. Jeannette looks into my face with concern. No, it''s not because I was in the 24th district, it''s because I left ...... here for a little while and was able to look at this restaurant objectively. ...... I''ve been thinking that the food I brought in might have ruined the original sunshine pavilion look. Jeannette had strong feelings for the ''Sunken Pavilion'' of her grandfather''s time. The atmosphere of those days must have been almost gone. The remodeling and the new menu were all brought in by me. ''I''m erasing a lot of your grandfather''s image, aren''t I? ''That''s not true ......''. I was about to say something when Jeannette''s mouth dropped open in a round ''oh''. Then, with an occasional look of mischief on her face, she purses her mouth with an ''ugh''. He looks like he''s about to do something. Who told you what to do this time? ''Yashiro-san. She stands in front of me, holding up her index finger, and says to me in a gesture similar to that of a girl on educational television. ''It''s water on the frog''s face. ''Phew! An unidentifiable liquid gushed from my mouth. ''Yashiro-san! ''...... Yashiro, you''re dirty.'' ''Manager, are you okay?You''re covered in spit! ''No, it''s not me, it''s Mr. Yashiro! You''ll be able to find a lot more information on ...... ''...... Where did you learn that strange language? ''Well, I tried to imitate the one ...... Norma used.'' If Norma used it, then the correct phrase is ''pissing on a frog''s face''. If you put it through a Jeannette filter, you get... ''Let''s see, ......''. And Jeannette tells us what she thinks about those days. What I could see from the content of the conversation was as follows... Norma: ''By the way, Yashiro''s been away a lot lately. Jeannette: ''I think he''s doing his best for the 42nd district. Norma: That''s sweet!It''s because the manager says such sweet things all the time that Yashiro wanders around.You should give that prodigal employee a good beating with your fist once in a while. Jeannette: ''I feel sorry for ...... Yashiro-san. Norma: ''It''s okay. I''m sure Yashiro would piss on a frog''s face if the manager slapped him. Jeannette: ''Frog ...... What?Mr. Yashiro would do such a thing? Norma: No, he didn''t. It means ''I''m fine, I don''t care''. Jeannette: ''Oh, really? I''ll keep that in mind. --So, here we are. ''Well, Yashiro-san once said, "If you want to play a prank, I''d be happy if you keep playing them." ...... I thought you''d be surprised, but ......'' ''No, I was surprised. I''m already surprised at that. ......'' And I was so choked up I thought I had popcorn stuck in my trachea. ''But it''s an interesting phrase, "water on a frog''s face."'' ''Ginette. When you say it like that, it sounds like a reward to a certain segment of the population, so refrain from it. ''Reward ......!I don''t think so,.......'' No, Jeannette!You''re sweet! There''s ...... a segment of the population that''s ............ ''And you''re using it a little differently. It is true that pissing on a frog''s face means ''I don''t care'', but it is mostly used in a derogatory way, with the nuance of ''I have a thick skin and don''t care''. In the sense of ''shameless''. In addition-- ''Originally it was ''water on a frog''s face''. ''What? Well, only ''in Japan''. ''Oh, is that so? It was changed to ''piss'' and spread. I''m wondering how the ''forced translation magic'' is interpreting and translating the story of a Japanese proverb. ''That''s right, isn''t it? Water on your face is indeed a concern, isn''t it? ''No, it''s just a word, so you don''t have to worry about ''actually'' or ''if it''s true''. ''A frog''s child is a frog'' is also a tadpole in nature. I don''t care about that, so don''t keep saying ''osui''. What?I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I was talking about that in the cafeteria at ......! No, it doesn''t matter where you are, just don''t say too much, okay? ''...... "Norma''s" piss on a frog''s face.'' ''Magda. I''m pretty sure you''re trying to reward me for saying that.'' ''Water on Mr. Percy''s face, sir! ''Loretta. That''s bullying.'' It''ll take off your raccoon makeup. ''Oh, no!Let''s not talk about this anymore!Right? Ginette, who said it herself, waved her arms around with a bright red face. It seems that she wants to dissipate the ''that kind of'' atmosphere that is floating around here. ''So, Yashiro-san!What do you want to eat? ''That''s the most vigorous order-taking in Ginette''s history. It''s a little scary. ''...... I recommend the popcorn.'' ''I''m sorry, can I have some food? ''I recommend the coffee! ''You''re out of solid food, too!I''m starving, I''m starving!'' ''I''ll have a donut! ''Food!Give me some rice!Give me a grain of rice! ''All right, sir!Donuts and rice balls, please! ''Magda, Loretta!Magda, Loretta, take Jeannette outside and calm her down for once! Ginette''s thoughts were halted by the huge self-destruction of being embarrassed by her own words. If this is the case, donuts and rice balls may really appear. Doughnuts and rice are too much. As I stared at Ginette''s back as she was being led to the entrance of the cafeteria, I felt a kind of resignation. Well, it can''t be helped. In this situation. ''''Then I''ll just make something myself. ''''You can''t do that! Ginette and Loretta objected in unison, and Magda came back at great speed and held me down by the shoulders. I was forced to be seated,......, and I couldn''t get up. ''Yashiro-san is tired, please sit down. ''That''s right! ''...... Yashiro, d*mn it.'' Why did you just get mad at me? ''You''re not going to serve me donuts, coffee and popcorn, are you? ''I''m fine. I''ll make you something that will fill your stomach. ''I''ll make a delicious meal! ''...... Yashiro, House.'' ''Hey, Magda.'' ''It''s not ''House''. ''Oh, okay. I''ll have Magda and Loretta make us a meal.'' ''What? Jeannette makes a strange noise, and at the same time her big eyes begin to water. ''Ya,palm...... Yashiro-san...... my,...... food is ...... ...... can''t be trusted, can it?'' ''No, no, no!It''s not possible! I ran over to Jeannette, who looked like she was about to start crying, and sat her down in a chair. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. ''...... subjugation''. ''It''s our time! No, that''s why ...... Ginette sniffling, giggling. Oh, God, stop crying. ''There''s something I need to ask you, Ginette. I wanted to talk to you about it. I need you to make me something that''s gonna take a lot of work.'' It''s so important that it could mean the difference between a successful negotiation with Donnis or not. ''''So, Magda and Loretta. Go and make whatever you can from the menu in the Sunlit Pavilion. Of course, it should be something that suits my needs. ''...... Finally, it''s time to show Magda what you can do. ''If I''m recognized for this, I might even be allowed to cook for the customers! Currently, Magda and Loretta are only allowed to serve customers dishes that Ginette and I have approved. This includes okonomiyaki, popcorn, and coffee. But the main dishes, such as set menus and children''s lunches, are the sole domain of Jeannette. Before I knew it, Ginette''s position had become a target of their admiration. ''I want to take the test, too! ''You''re sure to pass even if you don''t! ''I''m jealous! ''You''re not jealous enough! This time, I pinned Jeannette down by the shoulders and made her sit on the chair. Ginette continues to squirm and resist. She''s squirming like Magda. So I take the same countermeasure. ''Get in the kitchen while you still can. Ginette will be too jealous to talk to you.'' ''...... understood'' ''I''m going to make something incredibly delicious!I''m going to blow holes in your cheeks! Magda and Loretta walked into the kitchen with great enthusiasm. ...... I''d appreciate it if you didn''t blow holes in my cheeks. Now, ....... ''Calm down, Jeannette. After taking countermeasures, Jeannette suddenly became quiet. When I looked into her face, I saw ............ ''...... ah ............ is ah ......''. She had a red face, as if she had been boiled. I''m now patting Jeannette on the head as a countermeasure. ''...... ah,...... palm............ ishhh... ...ugh.'' No, you don''t have to be so shy. .................. I don''t know when to take my hands off! I''m not sure how long I should keep stroking it. If I stop here, she''ll think I''m being weirdly conscious. I don''t know.I don''t know! ''What''s that story you''re telling me? ''Yes, that''s right!I have a story to tell you!Will you listen to me? ''Yes, yes!Sure, I''d love to! ''Okay, I''ll sit across from you!I''ll sit down right now! ''Yes, sir!Go ahead! The time to take your hands off has come unexpectedly. Letting go now is very smooth in terms of the flow of the conversation. There''s nothing strange about it. Very normal. Very normal. So I casually take my hand away and sit across the table from Jeannette. Ginette is stroking and adjusting my hair, which has become stringy from being stroked too much. Uh-huh. Well, it happens all the time. ''E, ehehe......'' ''Hahaha ...... hahaha'' ............ Something''s wrong with the air! Magda and the others, I wonder if they''ve eaten yet! ''Um, me!I''ll get you some tea! ''Yes, you''re right!It''s essential to have tea when we talk! ''Well, then!One moment, please! ''Take your time! No customers, Magda and Loretta in the kitchen, just the two of them in the dining room. The cafeteria is huge. That''s why the voices are naturally loud. Yes, naturally. It''s not that I''m conscious of anything. I''m not. ''Oh, yeah, Jeannette! ''Hiya! Yeah, yeah!It''s so natural! It happens all the time, doesn''t it? ''Can you bring me a ceramic bowl?Something that can hold about a liter and has a lid. Do you have one?'' ''Um, ...... Oh, yes. If that''s the case, I think the urn that Theron-san gave me before will be just right. I''ll get it for you. Ginette smiles and runs off at a trot. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m asking for a favor or because I''m feeling less distraught at the end of the day, but I have my usual soft smile on my face. ...... Well, her cheeks were still flushed, though. ''........................ Phew.'' A heavy ??????????????? sigh escaped. I don''t know what I''m doing. Anyway, let''s switch our thoughts and concentrate on the preparations for the success of the party. That''s why I brought back some things from the 24th district. You take out a sealed bottle from your bag. It''s the rice malt I asked Riveka to give me. I''ll use it to make a prototype. If you have a thermos, it''s easy. ...... I wonder if I can make it ferment well. ''Yashiro-san. Thank you for your patience. A few minutes passed, and Ginette returned with a tray. On the tray was a ceramic urn, a cup of tea, and a small rice ball. ''Oh, that ...... is a tea tray. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... I''m sure you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ........., but ............, well ......, no thanks, I''m sorry. As she talked, her voice became quieter and quieter. He really wanted her to eat what he had made. Ginette likes cooking too much. ''I''ll take it. I''m dying of hunger.'' ''Yes!Please eat it.'' He points with his hand and offers a chair for Jeannette to sit down. After Jeannette sits down in front of him, he picks up a cute little bite-sized rice ball with his fingers and tosses it into her mouth. .................. Yeah. It''s good. ''Yashiro-san''. After swallowing one of the small rice balls, Ginette in front of me smiles softly. ''Welcome back.'' --What the hell? What''s this? It''s a little embarrassing. If you want to go home, you''ve already said it before,......, so why bother with it again,......? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sorry for saying such a strange thing.'' ''Oh, no. It''s okay. I was just thinking, ''Oh, I''m back, too! ''Is that so? ''............, so it''s .......'' What are you talking about, me? This is just like a thing!You know what?You look like a ............, don''t look at me like you''re happy! I''ve got some malted rice! ''What?......What''s the matter with you? You''re suddenly shouting out loudly. ......Eh, koji? He put the jar of malted rice on the table. I''ll just tell you what it is! If you''re serious, you''ll be able to get rid of this itchy air in no time!Because it should!That''s why! ''I''m not like Fillman!Because I''m an adult! ''What?Phil ......, who are you?'' ''Because I''m a grown man who prefers skimpy pants to bear pants! ''Huh?I''m not sure what to say.Please repent! If you''re going to say it like that, then your ''pissing'' should be a penance too! I''m all over the place. ...... ''Actually, I''d like to use this to make a prototype of something.'' ''Prototype, sir? Jeannette peers into the bottle. She has a very interested look in her eyes. ''Even if it''s a prototype, it has to be good. I''ll use it for persuasion.'' ''Persuasion ......?Um, what the hell are you trying to do? Ginette shook herself impatiently, as if she couldn''t see what was being said. I want to make something new. I can''t wait to hear what you can do. Her curiosity is bared like that of a child. So I''m going to give it my best shot. ''There are two people to convince. ''Two people,'' ...... hmmm ...... one of them is Estella, isn''t it?No, Umaro. ............ Imelda. ......'' I''m sure you''re thinking of the words ''persuasion'', ''money'', ''technology'' and ''connections''. Well, the idea itself is not bad. But it''s not. ''One of them is Bertina. ''The sisters? Perhaps it was the unexpected name, but Ginette rolled her eyes, looked at Koji, and then looked pleased. ''So, you''re going to make something delicious? I''m looking forward to it.'' Ginette seemed to have a good understanding of how to persuade Bertina. I''m impressed. ''So, who''s the other one ............? Jeannette''s head twisted. He points at Jeannette. ''Too bad, time''s up. ''The other one is you. Jeannette. ''Huh?Me? It must have been more unexpected than before. This time, not only his eyes, but also his mouth was round and open. And then he tilted his head to the side, seemingly unable to understand the act of ''persuading himself''. ...... If you were a wild animal, I would have picked you up and taken you home. ''Actually, I''d like you to take a day off from the sunlit pavilion and follow me to District 24. ''To the 24th district? A map of All Bloom must have unfolded in Ginette''s mind. Her eyes looked up at the ceiling, and her index finger wandered aimlessly through the air, wondering where she was pointing. ''It''s far, isn''t it? ''So you''ll have to take the day off, okay? When I say this, Jeannette''s cheek muscles gradually relax, despite her nervousness. ''Oh, um... A good night''s rest means .......'' ''You mean we''re coming with you? ''...... must be.'' Just in time, Loretta and Magda appeared from the kitchen. In their hands, they were holding trays of food that each of them had probably prepared. ''Oh. We''re going to have a big party. I''m going to have to serve the most delicious food there. ''A banquet, sir? ''What, that sounds like a lot of fun! ''Without ...... Magda, there can be no success.'' The three girls crowded me. All right, put the food down for now, Magda and Loretta. You''re gonna spill it. I''ll tell you the details as we eat. We don''t want the food to get cold.'' ''No!I want to hear it first! ''No, I want to hear it first! ''You know, ......'' He places the tray on a seat far away from me, brings out a chair, and sits down around me. I glanced at them and saw that they were both making set menus. Magda''s is a meat set, and Loretta''s is a fish set. ...... These guys said they were going to make what they could, but now they''ve made the signature dish of the sunlit pavilion? They really want to make food for their customers, don''t they? The seriousness is amazing. So I''m going to finish my explanation quickly before the food gets cold. I briefly explained the relationship between the lord of the 24th district and his successor Filman, Filman''s love life and the problem of the heir to the koji factory, the relationship between Rebeka and her sister Sophie, the wounded beastman children in the 24th district church, and also the story of Mokoka and Mawuru. ''The church in District 24 was such a place, wasn''t it? I''ve never heard of it. ''Well, even if there were injured beastmen in District 42, Bertina would take care of them instead of sending them to District 24. ''''That''s true. When you live in a different place, there are people, places, and systems that you never even cross paths with. Ginette felt that what the 24th District Church was doing was a wonderful thing. In fact, it''s just a way to isolate them from the outside world. ...... If you think that Sophie''s hard work is making those kids smile, well, I guess you could say it''s great. ...... Although I think it''s still not enough. ''Mwah!It''s frustrating, that boy!I''d like to grab him by the neck and drag him in front of Rebecca! ''Don''t do it. I want to grab him by the neck and drag him in front of Rebecca! Filman will be sobbing. And don''t give him any nicknames.'' ''...... If the lord refuses to accept Rebekah, .................. (self-imposed)'' ''What are you doing, Magda?You''re not allowed to have bloodshed! Should I choose which members to take with me? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. More importantly, there will be so many of them that Jeannette won''t be able to handle them all. Besides-- ''Didn''t I tell you before we left for District 24?Let''s have a picnic together.'' ''Ah! ''Oh! ''...... Mm.'' I promised Magda, who was sulking a bit because I was always away. Well, it''s not a ''half day off'' distance anymore. It would be nice to have such a reward for these guys. Memories of a trip will remain in your mind for years to come. Now, if they can grow up by expanding their knowledge, the store will be more prosperous. Then, I''ll be happy with unearned income. But since it''s a party, it''s probably more like a cherry blossom viewing party than a picnic. ''Let''s take Bertina and the kids from the church and ride to the church in the 24th district. ''And the kids, sir? ''Yes. I''ll let the kids deal with the kids. ...... I can''t do this anymore. I can''t take it anymore. More importantly, I''ll have to go around convincing people. ''I''m going to use Bertina to persuade Sophie to change her mind and help Rebekah and Philman get together! If Sophie leaves the church and returns to the malted rice factory, not as a craftsman but as Bertha''s successor and chief executive, ...... Rebeka can even marry into the lord''s family! It would be better if Sophie got a son-in-law. So, if Firman is willing to become a lord, Donis will cooperate fully. For that reason, I will completely remove the prejudice against the beastman race! ''''If all of those things work out, I''m sure it will make you all smile. ''But ...... will it work that well? ''...... It''s going to be difficult to do this in one day. It is true that we need to change our mindset here and there. That''s why we have the party. ''We can correct minor misunderstandings by discussing them frankly over a drink. If you have assumptions or preconceived notions, break them down in your closed world. Blow away the stubbornness, bigotry, navel-gazing and negative thinking with the power of alcohol. Since ancient times, alcohol has been indispensable in sacred ceremonies that unite people with the gods. It is also very useful to strengthen the unity and bond of a group. Sake is a useful item that strengthens the bond between someone and someone else. ''But the sisters can''t drink alcohol, can they? ''Javier and the others said that the lords of the 24th district can''t drink either. ''...... The children can''t either.'' ''Hmph!That''s why this guy is here! Again, I point to the bottle full of koji. Yes. Koji. We''ll use it to make sake that even people who can''t drink can drink. ''After we eat, I''ll make amazake. You guys help me! Don''t think that ...... is just for amazake. Unlike amazake, which is made by dissolving sake lees and adding sugar, what I''m going to make is koji amazake, which is made by fermenting rice and koji. Fermenting rice and koji. In a larger scale, it is the same as the process of making sake. In a very big way! Donnis can''t drink sake, so I''ll teach him how to drink sake. I''m going to teach him how to drink it, and I''m going to give him some good news as well. The feast is about getting drunk on air. That''s what Bertina said. "I don''t drink, but I like to drink. Give her a taste of that. Donnis, who''s never been to a bar. ''First, I''ll make a delicious sweet sake that will make Bertina swoon! ''Yes, sir! ''I don''t know about that, but I think I''ll be good at it! ''...... Magda''s power is essential. And so, Loretta stayed the night again today, and we spent the night making amazake. Oh, by the way. Magda and Loretta''s set meal was ...... still at a level that did not allow for a passing grade. 299-Episode 211 I fell in love with you ''Ugh~......'' Bertina growled . ''............It''s delicious! I said I''d make a sweet sake that would make Bertina swoon, but I never thought she''d actually swoon. It''s a great success. ''Is this really alcohol? ''No, the process is similar, but there''s no alcohol in this one. Amazake made from sake lees does contain some alcohol, but this one made from koji and rice is completely non-alcoholic. It is said that the traditional way to make amazake is to use leech rice and breed mold, but this time I made it more simply by boiling the rice and letting it sit overnight. But this time, I made it more simply by boiling rice and letting it sit overnight. Oh, I guess I ''made'' it in the case of sake. It turned out surprisingly well, thanks to the heat-retention effect of Theron''s urn. I wonder if he''s going to make a thermos one day. ''But there''s a faint smell of alcohol. ''That''s the smell of fermentation. The koji mold is converting the starch in the rice into sugar. This sugar is so sweet that fashionable girls in Japan sometimes use amazake instead of sugar. Freshly brewed amazake contains enzymes and is expected to have a weight-loss effect. Boiling is not recommended, though. If you boil the rice, mix in the koji, and let it sit overnight at a temperature of around 60 degrees Celsius, you will have a nice amazake. If you have a rice cooker or a thermos, you can make it easily. --When yeast comes into contact with the sugar produced by the koji, it will ferment, turning the sugar into alcohol. This is sake. It is not so easy to make sake, however, because it requires various complicated techniques such as double fermentation in parallel. However, I think it is possible to make something like old moonshine. ''It has a wonderful fragrance. Bertina puts her nose close to the teacup she is holding with both hands. She smiles with the expression of a girl who has grown a bit taller. Perhaps it is because alcohol is a beverage of the adult world. Neither the koji nor the rice contains yeast, and theoretically, the sugar produced by the koji will never turn into alcohol. However, since there is yeast in the air, even non-alcoholic amazake is fermented to some extent during the production stage. However, the amount of alcohol produced by this process is so small that it would be safe to say that there is no alcohol in it. ''The sisters said that the dried grapes also ''smell like alcohol''. Ginette giggles, revealing a story from Bertina''s past. Bertina''s cheeks puffed up a little in disapproval, but when she sipped the sweet wine, her cheeks relaxed in happiness. ''I feel like I''ve climbed the stairs to adulthood. ''It''s non-alcoholic, though.'' ''But it''s alcohol. It''s made the same way, almost. ''If the sisters can drink it, I''m sure anyone can. Ginette teased Bertina as if she were playing a prank. Each time, Bertina''s mouth would water, but as soon as she took a sip of the sweet sake, her mood would improve. Ginette''s approval. Even Donnis could drink this. ''I didn''t know there was such a delicious food. I didn''t know that. ''I heard it was popular in the 24th district. Rebeka didn''t know, but Bertha knew about amazake. When Bertha went to call Mokoka, the reporter from the information paper, she asked Rebeka to make amazake, but Rebeka''s reaction was that of an unknown object. I thought it might be dangerous if I didn''t taste it, but the situation changed when Bertha came back and said, "Well, this is nostalgic. According to Bertha, they used to make amazake using koji in the 24th district, and it was very familiar to people of Bertha''s generation. It had a strong image of being a drink for the common people, and in Japan, it had a position similar to that of ramune in a candy store. Therefore, there is a high possibility that Donis, the lord, was unaware of its existence. It is said that the production of amazake stopped at the same time as that of tofu. The reason is that the production of sake began in earnest. Since then, amazake made from sake lees has become the mainstream drink, and is still made today. However, it is not a major drink. Amazake did not become popular because it did not taste the same as it used to, it contained a small amount of alcohol, and it was not sweet unless sugar was added. Sugar was a luxury item in this city. Even if it is not a major product, amazake is no longer made because there are alternatives. Tofu, Bertha said, was almost forgotten as it was considered ''unnecessary'' to make. What a waste! It''s so good! ''Hoo-hoo ......, I''m warmed from the core.'' As her body temperature rose, Bertina''s cheeks took on a light color. ...... After all, amazake should be included in the list of alcoholic beverages. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. I''m not sure what to say. Your nose is getting longer. Ginette warned me in a slightly spiky voice. ''Mmm,'' she said, her brow twisting in obvious frustration. That''s cute. Do you want some?Sweet sake. ''Are you going to serve this amazake in District 24? ''Ah. A guy named Bertha at the koji factory said he knows how to make it and what it used to taste like, so he''s going to make a lot of it. ''The children of the church can drink this without worry. It''s non-alcoholic and sweet. It''s a child''s drink. But... ''Newly discovered delicacies are exciting. I''m sure the adults will be very excited.'' ''That''s true. Encountering unknown delicacies is one of life''s joys, isn''t it? When Bertina says it, it''s very convincing. ''Then you have to cook as many delicious dishes as you can with sweet sake. Ginette, being Ginette, has a strange sense of rivalry. The encounter with unknown delicacies - for Ginette, it seems that she is happy in a different way than Bertina. ''...... grains are good''. ''I''d prefer it if it was smooth! Magda and Loretta are enjoying amazake with the kids over there. They are comparing two kinds of amazake. ''What''s the difference between the grainy and the smooth? ''Originally there were grains, but we made it smooth by grinding it. Some people prefer the rice grains to remain, others don''t like it. So I made a smooth version with the grains removed. ...... It was a pain in the ass. ''I like it better when it''s smooth. It''s more palatable. ''But don''t you feel like you''ve eaten more when it''s doughy? ''............ I can''t get rid of the crumbly ones.'' I chuckle and take a sip of Magda''s still-crumbly sweet sake. You''re drinking it all at once. That sounds like alcohol. ''''''Oishii! ''''A newcomer to the drink world! Amazake seems to be popular with the kids too. Hammaro is still the same. ''The kids seem to like it too, so we''ll have to buy lots of koji when we go to the 24th district. I''m supposed to take the kids to the party, but I can''t take all of them, as expected. It is dangerous for young children to travel long distances, and we don''t want them to become shy or homesick. This time, we will take only those who have reached a certain age. There is also the matter of the carriage. ''Let''s buy a lot of things and have a party in the 42nd district. That''s why Bertina proposed to hold a banquet in District 42 for those who were staying at home. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. ...... Well, I guess the conditions are just a pretext. It''s a new method of begging. As you can imagine, Bertina knew about Sophie and Rebecca. She also knew about Sophie''s inability to return to the koji factory. That''s why she dared to bring up the subject of the church at that moment. He hoped that if he could, he could use us as leverage to break the rift between the sisters. Aside from the fact that the word ''successfully'' was appropriate, Bertina''s request turned out to be a good one. So, I guess she''s willing to cooperate with the party. I''m sure she just wanted to be a little lenient. At any rate, she was giggling happily after confronting me with her ''conditions''. She must have been poisoned by Estella. She''s so quick to rely on others. ...... When she grows up to a D cup, you can squeeze her all you want. I should have the right to do that. I''m sure I have that right. ''Good morning!Ginette.'' As I was thinking about this, Estella popped up out of nowhere. The noise in the church''s common room grows louder. My lord is as popular with the kids as ever. ''Oh, good morning to you too, Yashiro. In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. ''...... Be a D cup.'' ''Hey, what''s up?Are you cheering me on?Then thank you. ''And all you can squeeze, please.'' ''You''ve got to be kidding me. ''What''s the value of a D-cup that can''t be squeezed? ''A sense of presence! ''............ for sure.'' ''Don''t convince me, Yashiro-san.'' A fist squeezed my flank. This morning, Jeannette was a little angry. Do you want me to praise your tits too? ''Jeannette. You''re number one.'' ''Please repent. Mainly for the way you''re looking at me.'' I was accused of staring at her. ''No, because they say you''re always caught glancing, so you might as well stare. What?If you''re going to get caught anyway. What? ''So, what were you all talking about when you got together?'' The common room was even livelier than usual. Satisfied smiles are blooming everywhere. They want to take advantage of the atmosphere. Let me ......... ''Bertina wants to buy a lot of ingredients in the 24th district. ''What? ''Estella, you''re too surprised. I''m not trying to buy everything, okay?'''' Bertina was slightly shocked by Estella''s honest reaction. But you know, Bertina. You can''t help but think that what you''re saying about wanting to buy in bulk is ''hoarding''. ''I was talking about wanting to make a lot of sweet sake. ''Oh. Amazake is ready!I want some, I want some!'' Apparently, they didn''t realize that what they were holding was amazake. It was understandable, since they didn''t know. ''So, Estella-san. Which do you prefer, the smooth one or the mushy one? ''Eh, what''s that? Ginette explained to Estella about amazake. Estella looks at the sweet sake held by the kids with interest while saying ''huh'' and ''huh''. ''Then I''ll make it even more so. ''Oh!Just one vine! ''''Sarasara! ''''I''ll take it! ''It''s so smooth!Really, Magda and Loretta are always like this, really! After watching this exchange with a smile, Ginette headed for the kitchen. ''So, how was Mokoka? ''Hmm?Oh. I was very satisfied.'' Estella says it went well, but her face shows signs of fatigue. ''...... Natalia''s favoritism was so strong that it caused me a lot of heartache. In Mokoka''s eyes, the "pretty lady" talked about in "BU" was more important than the lord. And Natalia was probably getting carried away with such treatment. ............ Estella, I can understand how you feel, at least a couple of millimeters. Yeah. Good night. ''I hope you like my bed. She''s sleeping like a baby, still.'' Estella opines that she must be tired from all the noise last night. ...... Were you making that much noise? I''m glad I didn''t have to take over at the sunlit pavilion. ''When you wake up, Natalia is supposed to bring you to the Sunken Pavilion. ''And Becko? ''I sent one of our waiters on an errand. Natalia has to take care of Mokoka.'' ''Why don''t you go and tell her? ''What, I''m going to Becko''s?Why? That''s the tone. I guess this is the way the 42nd district treats Bekko. Imelda is the only one who goes there. After that, Estella drank the sweet sake she had received from Jeannette, and talked about her impressions of this and that, and became enthusiastic, convinced of the success of the banquet. However, they seemed to be generally satisfied. ''Oooohhh!It''s so good! After returning from the church and finishing the preparations for the opening of the restaurant, Natalia brought Mokoka to the sunlit pavilion. After a brief introduction of Mokoka, they decided to have dinner with her. The dish served was mabo eggplant. When I told her that I made it in District 24, she said, ''Please tell me about it! This is a new product that I''ve only just learned how to make. It''s ......, but it tastes better than what I make. It''s a cheat, Ginette''s cooking skills. And there''s another reason why I brought out the mabo eggplant. ''This is a dish that uses a new seasoning that''s being made in the 24th district right now, and aside from the people here, only Rebeka from the koji factory and Filman, the next lord, have tasted it, so it''s a cutting-edge dish. ''Whoa!That''s really cool, isn''t it?It''s Bali-Nau! This is an attempt to have the most advanced cuisine in the world published in an information newspaper. ...... I''m not sure how I feel about relying on people who use words like "crunchy" and "trendy", but... ... If the dish becomes popular after being published in a newspaper, the food itself will sell like hotcakes and the sunny-side up restaurant will make a fortune. In addition, if the bean sauce becomes popular, the demand for soya beans will increase dramatically. They will be able to ingratiate themselves with Ma-ru. ''There''s no way we can''t put such a tasty and delicious thing in the news paper, right!All right!I''m going to draw and draw and draw! After setting aside the half-empty eggplants, Mokoka takes out a sketchbook-like object from her bag. It''s a bunch of ...... dirty papers. It''s probably something like the back of a flyer. It shows poverty. However, aside from the paper, the brushes seemed to cost a lot of money. In the pencil case, there are a lot of things like colored pencils. Rather than colored pencils, they looked like crayons or ...... coupes. Mokoka is instantly immersed in her own world. It''s not like you can interrupt her from the side. Ginette, who looks as if she wants to eat it before it gets cold, stares at Mokoka''s work without saying a word. I also peek at the illustration from behind. There was a .................. red, gooey thing drawn on it. It doesn''t look very tasty, to say the least. ''............ blood vomiting? ''It''s a black worm wriggling in a pool of blood. ......'' ''What?What are you talking about, you little bastards?I''m drawing a mapo eggplant! No, no matter how you look at it, it doesn''t look like mapo eggplant. I know exactly what you mean, because I had an experience when I illustrated spaghetti with meat sauce, and these people gave me a very cold stare. Illustrating food is not so easy. ''I see, I understand!The browner it is, the more authentic it looks! Then, I started to draw more minced meat in brown. ''............ vomit''. ''Please stop!We don''t serve this kind of food!You''re interfering with our business! ''It''s mabo-nuban, isn''t it!You stupid little girls! No, no, no. Magda has a valid point, and you''re ''stupid'' enough as it is, Mokoka. ''After all, art requires ''beauty'', doesn''t it?Shall I take it off? ''I thought you weren''t here because you were quiet, but you''re still Natalia when you open your mouth, you know that? Now, if you can take it off, go ahead and do it. Natalia was taken to the corner of the dining room by Estella. It seemed that Mokoka had lifted her up quite a bit, and her smug face had risen about four levels. She had been pulled away from Mokoka because she was too much to look at. I''ll send him back, you bastard. ''Because I''m used to seeing ...... Bekko''s pictures, I can still see the cheapness. ''Yes, sir. You have a disappointing face and a disappointing personality, but your skills are top-notch. ''...... even though he is a pervert. ''Even though he is a pervert. ''You''re both terrible. Jeannette softly chides them for speaking the truth. I guess she wants to teach them that the truth can hurt people. But there is no doubt that it is the truth. ''Well, well, well. You''re already getting excited, that you are. And then... The rumored disappointing man, the bee man with round glasses, Beckko, came in with his stupid face exposed. ''Welcome, Bekko. You look like an idiot. ''Hey!You''ve been dissed as soon as we met, that you have! ''...... Welcome, Bekko. You look like an idiot.'' ''I''ve been waiting for you, that I have. You look like an idiot.'' ''We''re all here together, that we are? The teamwork is the strength of the sunlit pavilion. ...... But, sadly, Loretta. You''re the only one whose ''stupid face'' is on you. Contextually. Well, Loretta''s got a stupid face, too, so it''s not a lie. ''Mwah!It''s too hard!There''s no way I can draw that! Mokoka scratches her head. Don''t make strange noises in the cafeteria. ''Oh, you don''t look familiar, that you do. Is this an illustration of ...... vomit, that it is? ''No, it''s not!It''s mabo eggplant! ''Huh?That''s a new one, isn''t it? ''If you don''t mind, would you like some too, Bekko-san?It''s a new item that''s not even on the menu yet. ''Oh!I would love to have that, that I would! ''You''ll have to pay for it.'' ''I''ll collect the ...... fee.'' ''I''ll leave you the amount you asked for, that I will! ''We always get along well in those situations, that we do, don''t we, Gentlemen? ''Xu. Then, please wait a moment. After Ginette finished watching our exchange, she walked happily into the kitchen. I guess she''s in the middle of cooking. She''s just learning. ''Jeannette. ''Mapo eggplant without eggplant! ''I still don''t know what kind of dish it is, that I don''t know, but isn''t it wrong to leave it out of the name, Mr. Yashiro? ''...... Let''s just skip the mabo. ''Then what will come out of it, that it will! ''No plate, either! ''I have a feeling that nothing will come out, that it will! ''You''ve been making a lot of noise since you arrived, haven''t you? ''It seems that you are clearly at fault, that you are! While I''m messing around here, Mokoka is grunting and waving her colored pencils around. It''s almost impossible to fix. ''I can''t draw anything but people well, you know...'' There are people who are not good at drawing. There are many people who are very good at drawing people, but are not good at backgrounds and small objects. That''s just the way it is. We don''t have much in the way of instruction books or models. ''Do you draw, that you do? ''Yes, I do. He''s a professional, even though he looks like one. He publishes illustrations in an information paper. Hey, Natalia. You''re working for an information paper, .......'' ''Yes. Of course I have one. Natalia is carrying an information sheet with an illustration of herself on it. I won''t go into it again. Showing it to Bekko, she traces the rim of her round glasses with her finger and lets out a ''hoo-hoo''. ''Natalia, that it is?You have a very interesting way of capturing features, simplifying and emphasizing them, that you do. The illustration was like a portrait, different from the so-called art of this city that Estella and the others were talking about, and from the realistic drawing style of Bekko. They seemed to be intrigued. ''I feel something similar to the deformed figures made by Mr. Yashiro, that I do. ''Emphasizing the features and simplifying them is a good idea. ''I envy you because I can''t do that, that I can''t.'' Becko can only form what he sees as he sees it. However, that ''as seen'' is a degree of reproduction that is far beyond that of ordinary people. ''Becco. Can you draw her for me? ''Natalia, that it is? ''Oh, yes. Preferably without the smug face. I''m tired of seeing Natalia''s smug face. ''Hmm. I understand, that I do. I hope this will entertain you while you wait for Mr. Ginette to cook, that it will. Do you have paper and a brush, that you do? ''Oh, you can use this then. ''I''m sorry, that I am. Um, what is your name, ......? ''It''s Mokoka! ''Thank you, that you are, Mr. Mokoka. I am a trivial artist named Bekko, that I am. There''s no need to remember my name, so please don''t listen to me. ''Oh!I don''t need to remember. No, no, no! Mokoka?You came to District 42 because you wanted to see Bekko, right? Did you forget? I guess you forgot!Because you smell like a stupid girl! ''Becko-san. Please make ...... as s*xy as possible.'' ''I got it! ''Don''t get it, Becko!I want you to be graceful!I''m not ashamed to be the head waiter in the lord''s house! Estella overruled Natalia''s request. As far as I''m concerned, if I can create a s*xy picture, I wouldn''t mind having it on my bedside table. ''Yes, it''s done, that it is. ''You''re early, aren''t you? ''What? It''s just a simple drawing, that it is. When I looked into Becco''s ''game'', ...... there stood the head waiter with full of grace. It''s like a photograph. ''Good. It''s a decent picture.'' ''But I have no pants in this picture.'' ''Can you please not force me to be s*xy? If it were framed in a gorgeous frame, it would be of a quality that could be displayed in a room, but it doesn''t seem to be worth the trouble of displaying it. ...... Can''t you see inside my skirt if you peek from below? ''Yashiro. I''m going to stab you. Tsk. I was just trying to peek. I haven''t peeked in yet!I didn''t even try! ''Hey, this is the ............ most ridiculous ............ I''ve ever seen.'' At the sight of Becko''s picture, Mokoka began to tremble. She forgot to blink and continued to stare at Natalia''s elegant painting. It''s like she can''t take her eyes off it. ''Mr. Bekko, thank you for waiting. We''ve got the eggplant, eggplant, and plates. Ginette takes the trouble to say that she''s put in everything we asked her to leave out. It must be a joke. Little pranks like this seem to be his favorite these days. ''Hoho!This is a very sweet scent, that it is. Mmm. In three more days, Mr. Imelda will be asking for food samples, that she will. It seems that whenever the restaurant releases a new menu item, Imelda immediately asks for a sample and produces it. I guess they''re already good friends. ''I''m sorry, sir!I was called by Mr. Yashiro, so I came all the way here to help you. It smells really good. What kind of smell is that? While I was saying that, I found something new. It''s a new menu. ''Hey, Imelda. Take a breath. As soon as she entered the restaurant, Imelda was drawn towards the eggplant. Then, she took a bite without anyone''s approval. ...... Don''t steal my food, you nasty little girl. It''s delicious!Mr. Bekko!I''ll get you a food sample right away! I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. Imelda''s vitality exceeded Becco''s imagination. ...... Or is it brazenness? But still, you two make a good pair somehow. If Imelda keeps asking for help, Becko''s income will be stable. ''Um, I''m going to go make some more for you, Bekko. ''I''m sorry, that I am, Mr. Ginette. Imelda has started to eat on her own, so she''s going to make a new batch of Bekko''s eggplant. No one is paying attention to Imelda, and Becco himself doesn''t seem to be complaining. If it were any other customer, it would be a big problem, but Imelda knows what she''s doing. In a way, she may be recognized as someone who can be pampered. I think she''s won their trust. ...... Or maybe she is recognized as a servant or someone who can be used as a joke. ............... ...I''ll leave it unmentioned. So, while we''re waiting, let''s have another entertainment, shall we? Mr. Mokoka, may I have another piece of paper, that I may? ''..................'' ''Mr. Mokoka? ''What?Ah, ah!I''m fine!You can use it all you want! ''Mogumogu, who are you?Mogumogu......'' Don''t talk while you eat, Imelda. You''re a lady, after all. You''re Bertina. You''re Bertina. ...... It''s something Bertina would want you to stop doing. ''So I''m going to try to draw an eggplant, that I will. Mokoka''s colored pencils and paper in hand, Bekko rolls up his arms. ''Oh, no!Illustrating Mapo Aubergine is very difficult, that it is! ''Nah. I can draw anything I''ve seen once, that I can, so don''t worry about it. I say lightly and run my pen lightly. Just as an inkjet printer prints out vivid images on paper in an instant according to a program, the colored pencils that Bekko controls draws a realistic mapo eggplant on a plain piece of paper, giving it a scent and warmth. ''...... This looks delicious.'' ''Gosaru-san, you''re also good at drawing. It''s not just food samples. ''It''s a big deal, isn''t it, as usual? ''Not bad at all. ''But my picture earlier looked more ''delicious'' in a way. ''Okay, shut up, Natalia.'' Everyone but Natalia was impressed with her skills. In District 42, Becko''s ''non-artistic'' creations are gaining more and more recognition due to the influence of food samples. In District 42, the realism that was previously unheard of has come to be regarded as wonderful. And the professional illustrator from outside the 42nd district is ...... ''And ............!Master! ''Sh, Master, who is ......? Mokoka thrust her hand in front of Bekko when she saw the realistic and tasty illustration of Mapo eggplant. ''Get down on your knees. ''Make me your disciple, sir! ''Ya, Mr. Yashiro, ...... what''s this?'' ''No, I''m the one who said ...... ''Honestly, I''m flabbergasted!I''ve never seen such a realistic illustration in all my life!Please pass on the master''s techniques to me!As you can see, don''t be stingy, I''m begging you! ''Mr. Yashiro, am I being asked to ...... now, that I am?Are you being commanded, that you are? Is that an order? ...... Well, I guess it''s a request. ''No, I''m still in training. I''m still in training. I''m not a master, that I''m not, so I''d like you to raise your head, that I would. ''I won''t leave this place until you make me your disciple! ''That''s annoying, so make him your apprentice, Becko. ''But, Mr. Yashiro!I have nothing to teach you, ......'' ''That''s fine. Let me show you what you''re doing up close.'' I sucked on the chopsticks soaked in the flavor of the eggplant, ''Chuuuuuuu! Imelda sucks on her chopsticks, which are soaked with the flavor of aubergine, and begins to speak in a relaxed manner. ''It is said that art is not something to be taught, but something to be seen and stolen. You don''t have to teach her, just let her steal. Whether she can improve or not depends on her talent. It''s not the Master''s fault. What you are saying is decent, but don''t suck on the chopsticks. ''Hmm ...... but''. ''Master!You''d better behave like an adult to save your wife''s face! ''Huh? Imelda stood up at the mention of Mistress. Her shoulders lifted in anger. ''Who is this man''s wife?That''s so rude!Mr. Becko has no more interest in the opposite s*x than a flea has in a pinky finger! ''That''s very small, that it is, isn''t it? ''Of course!I''d rather marry a child''s lunch than marry Miss Bekko! ''With food, that it is! ''Please call me Imelda Children''s Lunch! ''Is that a family name, "Children''s Lunch"? The idiot and the idiot are doing stupid comedy. If you guys get married by mistake, you''ll have a ...... noisy family. It''s fun to watch from the next ward or so, but it''s annoying to be in the same ward. ''Well, then, I''ll be Master''s companion! ''I''m astonished, that I am!Mr. Yashiro, what is this man saying, that he is? ''It means he''s in love with your talent, right? ''Your face is also very cool! '''''''' ''...... of the Spirit''! ''Yashiro, Magda, Loretta, Imelda. Stop it.'' Estella forced us to suppress our impulses. But it can''t be helped. We have to take Mokoka to Mauryu''s house after this. There''s no point in turning him into a frog. d*mn, it''s a shame, but ...... work as hard as you can, my self-restraint! ''If you make me your disciple, I''ll do whatever you want! ''Okay, Becco. Make him your apprentice. And Mokoka, you''ll work as a waiter for Ma''ru, provide illustrations for the information paper, and occasionally come to observe your master''s creative activities.'' ''Mr. Yashiro, you can''t be so selfish ......! ''Why don''t you just show him your work once in a while?Besides, it''s not bad to be liked by a beautiful girl, right?'''' ''No. In fact, I''ve recently decided not to consider anyone with less than a G-cup as a girl. ......'' ''Why don''t we talk about this at the Becco ...... table? ''I didn''t think that I, the number one beauty in BU, would be out of the range ......'' ''You''re a cheeky one, that you are, ......'' ''...... Becco. I''ll take that match. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. The only one, Imelda, who was recently upgraded from F to G class, had a relaxed attitude, saying, ''Oh my, the jealousy of the whisperers is ugly. ''By the way, how many cups does Mr. Mokoka have, that he has! ''As a Becco ...... lord, I''m going to stab you? ''That''s right, Bekko, don''t be rude. It''s a B cup, no matter how you look at it. ''You''re rude, too, Yashiro!And you''re probably right! I assure you. It''s definitely a B cup! ''All right, I''ll give up my ...... apprenticeship, because ......! Mokoka stood up, pulled her B-cup breasts together as best as she could to create a cleavage, and bowed to Bekko. ''Please make me your apprentice''s apprentice! ...... In the end, he''s never going to give up, is he? No matter how far he goes. ''Becco ......'' ''Ummm ......, I''ve never done anything like this before, that I can''t hide my confusion, but ......'' He scratches his shaggy hair, and Becko relaxes his mouth. ''I''m sure there are many things I''m not good at, that I am, but please take care of me in moderation, that I will. An artist is a man who is in love with his craft. Well, you should resign yourself to the idea that it''s a tax on fame, or something that adds to the talent you''ve been given. ''Yes!That''s my master!You''re a handsome man who knows what he''s talking about! '''''''' "...... of the spirits"! '''''''' ''So stop it!''Yashiro, Magda, Loretta, Imelda. ''Becko-san, sorry to keep you waiting for the eggplant. What''s going on at ......?'' Mokoka is happy, Becko is annoyed. Ginette sensed something joyful in the air and asked for an explanation. I guess connections are made in unexpected places. Thinking this, I told Ginette about what had just happened. 300-Episode 212 Memories and Letters The Twenty-nine Wards are desperate for a bean pusher. ''I was asked for directions on the way over, and they ...... pushed beans at me.'' ''Oh dear. I''m sure that''s your way of saying thank you. Ma''ru smiled with a cheerful face. I don''t need this intrusive ''thank you''. If you don''t have Ma''ul''s proof of tax exemption, they''ll take your money. ''Why don''t you give me some sorghum anyway? They''re your specialty.'' ''Oh, I can''t do that! Just the other day, we got a huge order of soya beans, and the lord bought up all of them. They''re not available to ordinary families. Ma''ru smiles meaningfully in between his light chuckles. It seems that the effects of our teaching Ribeka about bean sauce are already starting to show in District 29. It''s probably due to the fact that Assunto had approached us for a business meeting early on. We had made an appointment yesterday at Todokeiru No. 1, and are now sipping tea at Mahr''s mansion in the early afternoon. ''Yes!I''ve drawn an illustration of the general! ''Oh my god, Mokoka. I can''t believe you''re a general. ...... You really are a funny girl.'' ''You''re the most important person in this house, so you''re the general! ''Well, well. I don''t know. Hey, Cindy? ''I think you should do as you please, my Lord. ''Oh, really?Well, that''s interesting, so let''s just leave it at that.'' ''Yes. It''s funny. The interview with Mokoka was over in five minutes. At first glance, Mahrul''s eyes sparkled as he said, ''Well, you''re a cute little bug man. As soon as they exchanged a word or two, he was hooked. And when he showed off his most special skill, his illustrations, Mokoka''s employment was decided. Thus, a new member was added to the staff of Mahrul''s mansion, where no one had been hired for years or decades. Mahrul appreciated Mokoka''s talents and allowed her to work both at the information paper and to go to study with Bekko. Mokoka was allowed to draw and study whenever she wanted, and to work as a waiter during the rest of the day. She would also work as a waiter during her free time, on the condition that she would give top priority to her work as a waiter when Mahrul needed her. ''Well, that''s cute. Is that me?Aren''t you drawing it a little too cute? ''No, no. You''ve done a good job of capturing her features. ''Thank you very much for your praise! I think we''ll get along just fine. Or rather, he''s already completely at home. Mokoka''s communicative power is amazing. ''Hey, look, look, Yashippi. This is me. Don''t you think it''s cute? ''Oh, it''s cute, cute. You look so much alike.'' ''Mm-hmm. So that means I''m cute too, right?You''re so good at this, Yashippi.'' No, there''s no such thing as ''good'' when you''re making it up as you go along. ...... ''...... Yashiro has a mouth that can take on older men. I''m not sure I''ve ever had a mouth like that, Magda. ''...... can afford younger.'' ''Am I being immodest? ''...... young girls are my favorite'' ''That''s too good to be true, isn''t it? They''re not my favorite! ''...... What if there was a little girl with a G-cup? ''.................. Mmm.'' ''Don''t worry about it, Yashiro. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. Estella, who doesn''t want to admit that she''s lost, is expressing her wishful thinking. There may be. There are elves that don''t age for hundreds of years. This time in District 29, it''s me, Estella and Magda. I''m sure Magda would like to ...... be around Mokoka as much as possible to get her featured in the paper,............, though she hasn''t said so. . I want her on my payroll. ''...... Magda is very popular.'' ''Oh, that''s too bad. Mahrul is also very fond of Magda. I''m sure Magda would be high on the list of oddities. If I keep Natalia around Mokoka any longer, she''s going to keep calling her ''beautiful, beautiful'' and her facial muscles are going to freeze up with a smug look on her face, so I just leave her there. I left her there. I didn''t need a replacement, but when I asked if anyone wanted to go, Magda came forward. I thought Loretta would also want to go, but she seemed to be disappointed with the failure of the ...... set meal and said she would stay at the Sunlit Pavilion to steal Ginette''s skills. Ginette looked like she wanted to go, but Loretta hugged her and prevented her. She seemed to have been impressed by Imelda''s words, "Technology is something you steal. Well, she must have decided that it was a good idea this time, since she would be going to District 24 soon. ''If you don''t mind, Ma''am, would you like to join us? The reason why he came to see Ma''ru this time was not only for the Mokoka matter, but also to invite him to the ''banquet'' that was to be held at the District 24 Church. If Ma''ulu came, Donnis would be there 100% of the time. For the banquet, it was essential that Donnis, Filman, Rebekah and Sophie participate. Aside from Filman, the key is to be able to pull Donnis out. But... ''I''m sorry. I can''t go to other districts without permission. He simply refused. Since he liked Magda and Mokoka, I thought I could catch him with the beastman kids from the church, but ...... I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s come to visit the forty two wards of ....... ''That''s because I''m a ninja. Well, then, you should sneak over. ''If you''re going to District 24, you''ll be meeting with the Lord, right? The look in Ma''ru''s eyes said, ''That''s what you want, isn''t it? He said. You know what I''m thinking. ''Especially now, when the whole BU is concerned, if I have a secret meeting with the lord of another district, the problem will become bigger. Even if it wasn''t meant to be, you know. Even if there was no deeper meaning, it would definitely reflect badly on the forty-two districts that provided the guidance. ''So ......? You can''t say that you have no such intentions. There are ulterior motives. But still, as if to make up for it, Estella utters a ''superficial'' excuse. ''I thought it would be a fun event, so I was hoping it would be okay. I''m sorry.'' ''Well, I''m very sorry. You''ll have to invite me another time. ''Yes, sir. By all means. By another time, you mean after all this mess is over. Maybe we can invite her to the party in District 42 that Bertina wants to have. ''Yes, yes. Speaking of the lord of the 24th district, ...... Yashippi, did you say something to him? It was in an emotional tone that sounded slightly accusatory. Something ............ well, I did say. ''I got a letter from you. It is nominally a reply to a letter I wrote to introduce Yashippi and his friends. Then he holds out a letter. The letter is written in a skillful handwriting that gives the impression of solidity. The wax that sealed the letter was engraved with the emblem of the Lord of the 24th District. ''You said you''d write a letter sooner or later,......, but you wrote it right away, that one hair.'' ''Pfft!'' This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. I guess Ma''ru was also curious about that single hair. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. I was going to give you a little scolding,...... giggle.'' I don''t remember being scolded at all. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll take the letter that was offered to me. I guess it''s okay to read, so I open the letter. "Dear old friend of mine... The letter began with such a sentence. Then, a greeting of the season, followed by an aristocratic greeting. And then. "The people in your letter, especially Oba, are very interesting. ''Wow. You must have been well liked, Yashiro.'' ''Shut up and read it. Estella peeks over my shoulder at the letter, smirking and saying something unnecessary. I''d like to spend an hour questioning her about why she''s reading the letter over my shoulder while leaning on my back and not touching anything soft on my back. In addition, Donis''s letter was written in a stiff manner about how Filman had started to change under our influence and how his own long-standing worries might eventually be resolved. If you only look at the contents, it seems that we have been accepted quite well. It may be an appeal to say, ''I appreciate the people you''ve introduced me to. ...... Well, perhaps it is. And then the story goes on to say, ''Soon my problems will be solved, and then I''ll have more time. Well, that''s it. It''s a prelude to an invitation to have a cup of tea or something when I have more time. The letter moves on to the concluding remarks with a distant, far-fetched hint of the contents of the letter as if to say, ''Please understand. I hope that you will not fall ill in this unseasonable weather. P.S. I heard that a new seasoning will be born in our ward soon. I''d love to hear your thoughts on it if you ever get to try it. See you soon. Donnipippee. ''Gofufu! ''Pfft! I got some kind of weird lump in my windpipe! I can''t stop coughing. ......! ''Right?I can''t help but think that Yashippi said something in that letter, right?I also suffered for about thirty minutes, you know? Is that the root of Ma''ru''s frustration? ...... Indeed, this is painful. I don''t know what the hell he''s writing, but he''s got one hair! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''......That old bastard ............Should I demand compensation? The back of my throat makes a rasping sound. The back of my lungs are itching. Behind me, Estella is choking on her breath. ''But yes, Yashippi has introduced me to a very nice girl, and I''ll have to answer her ...... letter.'' Perhaps, or perhaps not, but definitely, Mahr understood exactly what we wanted. The word ''reply'' implies that she understands the situation and will work on it in a good way. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. When he said this, Mahrul had a childish smile on his face that he had never shown before. He himself had walked through life, giving up everything to become a lord. In the midst of all this, he must have a strong feeling of hatred for the person who continues to favor him. He seems to be looking forward to becoming a tea drinking buddy. I don''t think ...... he had any intentions there either, did he? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited about this. It never came to fruition because of a lack of fate, but once I saw the possibility of marriage, I was still excited about it. ............ If I could, I would love to marry the man who has been in my heart for so long. ................... In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to ask for help. And then, in order to bring about the future that he wanted, he sent us to the 24th district at the last minute - knowing that the situation was quite complicated, he wanted us to take care of the 24th district. --Is that too much to ask? ''Oh, no, Yashippi. Maybe I was staring too hard, trying to read Ma''ru''s mind. When Ma''ru received the letter from Donis, he gave me this complaint. ''Secrets are what make a woman beautiful. It''s not the place for a gentleman to try to see through everything. It was a statement that could prove that my assumption was not far off. It was a statement that could prove that my assumption was not far off. On the other hand, it could be taken as a confession that ''it is a fact that cannot be mended, so don''t pry. ''I''m sorry, too. As if to deceive, Mael continued to talk without looking at me. He carefully folds the letter and puts it in the envelope as if it were a treasure. ''He''s been single ever since he met me. ''That man is Mr. Donati, isn''t he? Estella coughed and asked for confirmation, but Mahr just looked at her and didn''t say anything. ''Don''t ask wild questions,'' she said. ''If I had given a clearer answer, there might have been a different path. A different path, for Marle or for Donnis? ...... ''I was kind of scared to answer. So I put it off. ...... I put it off for a long, long time. She holds the letter in an envelope to her chest and throws her gaze out the window. I''m not sure what to say. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. If it is a love affair between two lords, it will be a huge uproar involving everyone around. There will be a lot of political maneuvering, ties, speculation, scheming, and shady dealings. Estella is looking at Mahr with serious eyes, perhaps because of her position as a lord. However, Mahrul''s cheeks turned a light shade of red, and he waved his hand with a shy smile. ''No, no. It''s not that. You were afraid of ...... love itself, weren''t you? It''s not that I don''t like it, but it''s that I don''t like it. ''What are you talking about, you old fart? ''...... Yashiro. Meh.'' ''I''m much more scared of you now that you''re writhing around. ''...... Yashiro. She was a girl once, too.'' ''Yeah, I know. I know that, but the visual information is too intense.'' Magda quietly admonishes me, but I want you to understand that there is nothing we can do about it. The destructive power of the old woman with her cheeks dyed and her body twisted is enough to make ...... the pacifist and mild-mannered me want to drop my heels. ''He was--he was so serious. I''ve never been in love, and I was a little scared of that single-mindedness. Donnis''s single-mindedness is heavy. ...... It''s no wonder he''s scared. ''Back then, he and I were both young and ...... clumsy, both of us.'' ''How old were you when you met him? I don''t know what''s so intriguing about this, but Estella is biting at the bit. Magda''s ears are perked up next to her, so I guess girls like this kind of talk. ...... I''m not at all intrigued by old ladies'' love stories. ''It was when he was twenty and ...... I was nine.'' ''You too, Donisoo! I shouted out the window. How could I not scream? ''...... Yashiro. Me.'' ''No, wait, Magda. I''m sure it''s not my fault.'' What is it? Is the strike zone of the Donnerty clan limited to nine years old? Is that even a rule? ''''It''s a disease that''s been passed down in the ...... family, isn''t the pedophile there ...... Filman, really the son of Donnis?'''' ''No, it''s not. Mr. Donati is unmarried.'''' Estella follows him, but her face is frankly twitching. If you look at the age difference, Filman still looks more sane. Fourteen and nine years old. A five-year age difference is quite common. I''m not so sure about the nine-year-old. But, Donnis!Not you! It''s a ...... crime for a 20 year old to woo a 9 year old girl! ''Is that Javier? ''Yashiro, don''t refer to the head of the Grand Guild as if he were a criminal. It''s similar. No, more like a pronoun. I''m sure that one of these days, when I say the word ''Rorikon'', you''ll ask me, ''Javier, is that you? I bet he''ll ask you back. It must be. ''If you''re nine years old and a twenty-year-old man is coming on to you, that''s a scary ...... thing, isn''t it? ''Right?'' Mahr nodded happily to Estella, who showed a certain understanding. You weren''t ...... full of joy and embarrassment love mode in full swing. This is the first time that a lord of another district has proposed to me. ''You proposed to me? ''That''s how serious he was. ...... Yikes.'' Stop the ''yikes''! My fists, clenched tight, were restrained by Magda''s small hands, and I could not swing down. You can thank Magda for that, Ma''am. If it weren''t for Magda, your front teeth would be gone by now. ''But I was too young at the time, and besides, I was the next lord of ......, and in the end, the story never happened. It is likely that the 29th district could not afford to have the next lord marry into another district. ''And when my brother was born and I wasn''t the next lord anymore, ...... I was a little rougher than him. ............ Hmm. I''m really sick of being bad at love.'' ''There is such a thing as timing, isn''t there? Estella calls out to Mahr, who laughs at herself. It''s ....... Are you asking for my consent? Don''t ask me, don''t ask me. ''...... Opportunities are not to be waited for, they are to be made. Magda says in a hoarse but clear voice. With his usual half-lidded gaze, he stared straight ahead, looking at no one in particular. ''...... Happiness runs faster than you think. If you want to get it, you have to chase it with all your might. Magda''s hand squeezes the hem of my dress. ''...... Magda will do everything in her power to make sure you don''t lose what you don''t want to lose. Magda used to wait for her parents to return. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. The first time I met Magda, she really had empty eyes. He''s gotten stronger, hasn''t he? He stroked Magda''s head, ruffling her hair, which had recently become more manageable. Everyone knows you''re working hard. So it''s okay. You''re not going to lose anything again. ''Yes, ...... Magda, you''re right.'' Mahrul also cringed at the words of this little girl. ''You have to get what you want, no matter what it takes. You''re scary when you say it, Ma''ul. There''s something black in every word you say, this guy. ''...... Only those with big breasts can bring happiness by simply waiting. ''I don''t think that''s true! Estella protested desperately. ''Only the ...... manager is bringing in good fortune by standing by. ''It''s true that Jeannette has formed a good network of people around her, but ...... Jeannette is also working very hard.'' ''......Of course, I''m aware of that. But ............ those big breasts are not fair.'' ''Yashiro is the only one who was attracted by the breasts and came here! ''Hey here, you rumor-spreading machine. Who was sucked in by the big tits? I haven''t sucked on them yet. ''Hmph. You guys are really lively and fun.'' Holding the letter carefully to her chest, Mahr stood up. He walks over to an unusually opulent shelf at the back of the room and puts the letter from Donis in a drawer. ''Well, that''s the end of the story. He claps his hands and turns back to me. The face of the man is ............ Oh, so that''s what it is. I hope that Yashippi''s plan works out. So the story of you and Donnis''s past was a hint to me. You''re supposed to help me get to Donnis. And now that I''ve given you all those hints, you''d better do what''s in my best interest, wouldn''t you, old lady? Well, that''s true. The more we know about Donnis''s past, the more cards we can play. We can use spiritual mode to make it look like we know her past. Above all, the fact that the age of the man he''s in love with is the same age as the man Donnis was in love with back then is a powerful tool to sway him. Is this a loan? Or is it a loan? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are in love with you. She''ll get what she wants no matter what it takes. That''s Mael''s creed. "If you give me what I want, you can use me as much as you want. The smile on Ma''ru''s face seemed to say as much. Hmm. Good. Then I''ll take advantage of you all I can. ...... to destroy the crappy system you''ve created. ''Mokoka. ''Oh, you wanted to see me? ''You''re thanking me, aren''t you? ''That''s right, I''m very grateful! You''re a good and honest girl, Mokoka. ''Then you''ll do whatever I ask you to do, won''t you? ''Of course I will!I''ll do it even if it costs me my life! ''Then ......'' He glanced at Ma''ru. ''I hope your employer likes you as much as I do. ''Oh, yes!That''s what I want! Whether he knows my intentions or not, Ma''ru keeps smiling. He''s got the poker face down pat. She''s a troublesome old woman. ''It''s easier to make a wish when it''s ''at the behest of someone you care about''. If Mokoka says so much, then I''ll give you the excuse that I don''t blame her. Perhaps what you want and what I want are the same thing. To do that, we''ll have to make the feast a success first. ''So long, Ma''ul. Will you write a letter to Donnis for me?'' ''Oh dear. I''m not sure what I should write. ''No, a simple greeting and small talk will do. With a smile like a pasted-on mask, we begin our ''negotiations''. ''Well, you could write something like ...... that you''ve hired a new waiter, or that you''d love to hear about any fun things that happen there. ''Mm-hmm. I guess so. I''m looking forward to your reply. We no longer know how much we owe. So for now, let''s just say that if we both get the maximum benefit, we''ll call it even. You''ll have to help me break down the BU, Ma''ul. I asked Mael for a letter and we returned to District 42. We took a detour around the cliffs in a horse-drawn carriage. Yeah, it''s really ............ hard to take a detour. 301-CHAPTER 213. COOPERATORS ''Oh, you''re in my way. It''s been two days since I went to Ma''ru''s. Preparations for the feast are proceeding at a rapid pace. ''Hey, Oba! Estella has been sending out letters to various districts, asking for their cooperation and making promises. She complained to me at the church that she had spent the whole day in her office yesterday. Even though he''s busy, he still comes to eat breakfast, doesn''t he? ''Hey, don''t ignore me, Obayashi! ''Oh, you''re tired. ...... I''m hallucinating Ricardo.'' ''I''m not hallucinating! I''m not hallucinating!'' Ricardo is trying to blow me off with a snort, his shoulders heaving with anger. I hold the hem of my dress and strike a s*xy ''wow'' pose, like Marilyn Monroe in the subway wind. ''Ricardo''s s*x~'' (back voice) ''Don''t make any freaky noises! ''Ricardo''s naughty~'' (low voice) ''Don''t make a nice voice either! I showed him my beautiful baritone voice with a low tone, but he didn''t like it. ''So, what is it?If you''ve come to disturb me, go home. ''I didn''t come here to disturb you! ''''The genie''s .......'''' ''It''s true that I said ''I''m going to interrupt you'' earlier, but I didn''t mean it as it is. ...... If you heard me, answer me then! Is this guy''s job to yell?It''s so noisy. ''You guys are as close as ever, aren''t you? With a sigh, Estella comes to the sunlit pavilion. Estella, who had returned to the lord''s mansion after eating breakfast, came again. ''Oh, the alliance of flat lords,'' she said. ''I don''t remember joining any such alliance! ''''I''m not either! ''''No, you should be in it.'''' ''''Shut up, you two idiots! d*mn it, Ricardo and I have unintentionally gotten on the same page. What a mess. Bad day. ''Masha wrote me back. She''s going to show up today.'' ''Oh, yeah. And the food thing? ''She said yes.'' Good. Now we''ve got seafood. It''s a party. We''ll have to cook lavishly. ''Wait a minute.I was here first, so listen to me first!'' ''Ladies first, Ricardo.'' ''Who''s the lady? ''Flat-chested first, Ricardo.'' ''...... Uh-huh.'' ''Don''t shut up there!And who''s the flabby one? I''m gonna get pissed off just like Ricardo. I''m having a ...... bad day, thanks to Ricardo. So, what do you want?We don''t have a copy of ''Obeyashiro''s Poems of Inspiration'' for sale. ''I don''t want it, it''s worthless!I''ve talked to the hunting guild. ''Hmm, good job! ''How high up do you think you are, you bastard? ''You can leave now! ''I haven''t finished talking to you yet! ''What the hell? ''The Complete Laughing Book of Estella''s Bedtime Stories'' is available by reservation only. ''Are you selling that? ''...... Why are your conversations going so slowly?And Yashiro, I won''t let you sell it, okay? Of course, meat is essential for the feast. So I''ve asked the hunting guild for the meat of the monsters. There''s a reason why we don''t buy it through the peddlers'' guild. The meat and seafood we ordered this time will be treated as "gifts" from the big guilds, the hunting guild and the fishing guild. It would make it easier for Donnis to come out if it was a big party sponsored by the big guilds. Entertainment with a hint of power is a very powerful thing. It would be effective enough to bring the 24th district to our side when we confront BU. I''ve already talked to Assunto. That''s why I told him not to interfere. Assunto, too, did not care about the small profit because of the soybean paste. He did, however, insist on a part in the feast. The Peddler''s Guild is also a large guild with influence in the entire district. It''s fine for them to be a sponsor. In short, ''use our ingredients'' (=''buy a lot''). ''Oh, and by the way. I''ve got a message for you from Medora.'' ''......, dora?'' ''No way, dude!How can you erase such a powerful creature from your memory? d*mn, ......, you''re annoying. I remember it clearly, dammit. It''s burned into my hippocampus and won''t go away. I remember it so clearly that I''m afraid that if I have amnesia now, I''ll only be able to remember Medora. ''And what about Gomorrah? ''It''s Medora!I don''t know, that''s more like it, but it''s Medora! Don''t keep calling it Medora Medora. What if it causes serious brain damage? ''I''ll do my best to help you if you have any problems. ''I''m often troubled by the person who said that, aren''t I? ''You''ll have to be patient. You should accept the advantages and disadvantages as a set. ...... The disadvantages are too strong, you know. ''Oh, and ...... well, you can listen or not listen to this as you like.'' ''Then I won''t ask. ''I''ll see you again, darling. ''I told you I won''t listen!Don''t say that! My brain! My brain is seriously damaged! ''He also said, "Whenever you get lonely, come see me (daburu hato). ''Who''s going to go there! ''You also said, "I''ll probably come see you when I get lonely,"'' he said. ''Seal it off!Estella, build a strong wall between us and the forty-first district now!The demons will come! ''If we do that, we won''t be able to get to District 24, will we?You''re having a party. Nonsense! You don''t care what happens to me? The peace that comes from sacrifice is nothing but a lie! ''Okay, I''ve passed on all the messages, so I guess my job is done. ''Go home!Don''t come back, you peacock lord! ''Hmm, rejoice, Obeyashiro. I''ll let you eat here today. ''Go home! You son of a b*tc*, you look like you deserve it. ''Hey. Someone, come out to serve the customers.'' The evil lord Ricardo sits in his chair and forces our staff to serve him. Have you ever seen such a villainous person before? ''How arrogant he is! ''It''s normal to want to be served in a diner! ''Did you call ......, arrogant lord? ''I didn''t call for you at all, welcome. ''Hey, you guys. Do you understand ''customer service''?And you know what ''lord'' means, right? Magda and Loretta stand in front of Ricardo with faces like Noh masks. This is a diner that chooses its customers. ''...... What can I get for you? (It''s probably just meat again anyway.)'' ''I can hear your mind clearly, tiger girl! ''Would you like a drink with me? (Meat?)'' ''Meat is not a drink, normal girl! This guy knows he''ll be played like this if he comes here, so why does he keep coming back? Are you a dominant? Is he a dominant? ''Ah, Mr. Ricardo. Welcome to the store. ''Oh, the manager. Finally, a decent guy comes out ......''. ''I recommend the mabo eggplant, so I''ll have that. ''Wait a minute!You''re the only conscience in this restaurant!If you''re dyed in Oba''s colors, it''s the end of this store!It''ll be the end for real! Jeannette pokes her head out of the kitchen for a moment, then quickly retreats. No matter how loudly he shouted, Ginette never showed her face again. No matter how loudly I shouted, Jeannette never appeared again. The next time she came out, there would be mabo eggplant on the tray. ''Ginette, you''re in a ''cooking'' phase, aren''t you? ''Ah. I''m sure I''ve mastered it perfectly, but I''m sure it''ll get better!There''s so much more to this dish! I''m strangely excited about it. ......'' ''You''ve brought in a hell of a dish, haven''t you? The taste changes completely depending on who makes it, you know, mabo. Because of Jeannette''s obsession, the restaurant is filled with the smell of Chinese food. It''s a ...... diner, but this place. ''Hi~a?? I''m here to visit~'' The door opened, and the smell of Chinese food escaped outside. It was Masha and Delia who entered the restaurant. ''You''re here so early. ''Yes, Delia came to pick us up. ''We just had to go to the 35th district. Then I ran into Masha. So she took advantage of the opportunity and brought me here. But Delia seems to be going to the 35th district from time to time, what is she doing there? In the first place, where did Delia and Masha get to know each other? ''The guild leader of the river fishing guild in the 35th district is my father''s disciple. I''ve known him since I was a kid.'' ''''Disciples are in a district where the ...... master''s rank is lower?'''' ''Yashiro ...... is lower ranked than ............, well, it''s true.'' Estella puffed out her cheeks. ''Don''t worry about it, you know. ''My father loved the river in the 42nd district. He used to praise it for its wildness. ''...... Sorry. I guess that means it''s not as well-maintained as the other districts. I told you not to worry about it. It''s the only reason we have a useful guy like Delia here. ''You know, it seems that the water level in the river is dropping due to a shortage of water, and the canal that feeds the farm pond is drying up. So they asked me if I had any good ideas. ...... ''Didn''t we solve that before, in the 42nd district! ''Hmm?'' ''You forgot!You made a rowing waterwheel! ''Oh, yeah!That was fun!Kids still come here to play with it. ''It''s not playground equipment, you know! This guy ...... has completely forgotten the original purpose of the foot-powered waterwheel because the water shortage has subsided. ...... The water level in the river hasn''t returned to normal yet. ''Well, why don''t you come to my river next time? ''Yes, that''s right. If you want, I can introduce a rowing waterwheel to Mr. Lucia. It would be a great help to us if she buys one. You''re saying the rights to the waterwheel as if they were your own, but Estella, why don''t you give me the money?If you''ve had a good time, you deserve it, right? ''Oh, yes. Speaking of Lucia''s sister~'' Masha clapped her hands and shook her tits. ''...... Yashiro. Meh. ''Meh. You''ve been getting sharper lately, Magda. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ''To me? If it was a message to Estella, it would be something like that, but Lucia''s message to me? I don''t know, I can''t imagine what it is. ''''Go bald, anchovy~'''' ''Don''t bring me a message I don''t care about! ''He told me to be sure to tell you...'' ''What did he want to tell me? ''I think it''s ''I''m lonely because you don''t care about me''~'' ''Hey~* grin*'' What are you smirking about? Lucia wouldn''t be lonely like that. Mostly, when she heard that we were going to hold a party in the 24th district, she said, ''Oh, by the way, the church in the 24th district is full of beastmen. ...... You, why don''t you call me!I''m sure it''s something like that. I''m sure it''s something like that. I''m sure it''s something like that. ...... You''re all very sick, aren''t you? ''''Don''t put them together.'''' Estella and Ricardo said in unison. And Estella made a very uncomfortable face. She''s not happy about the matching. ...... Pfft. The fish are kept in the tank out front. Masha pointed to the front while Delia carried her like a princess. Masha always gets off the cart with the tank when she enters the store. Well, it''s a big cart, this one. If there are fish in it, it means ...... ''The fishes that were bathing with Masha or ............ extracts are ......! ''I''ll stab you? ''I''ll hit you?'' Oh, no! Estella''s ''I''m going to stab you'' is like a standard gag, but Delia''s ''I''m going to hit you'' is really outrageous. Why is Delia even in that position? ''Sorry to keep you waiting, but here''s your eggplants! Ginette brings in the eggplant with gusto. Then, she places it right in front of Ricardo without question. Yeah. She said to eat it. And pay for it. ''....... I''m going to put up with this for now. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ''Hmm!It''s delicious! Ginette clasped her hands together and rejoiced at Ricardo''s words, which must have escaped her. He seemed to have confidence in the seasoning this time. ''It''s not chewy, but it''s spicy and delicious! Ricardo gobbles up the eggplant as if pouring it down his gullet. He''s chewing with his cheeks puffed out and chomping away. ...... It''s not a very polite way to eat. It''s too wild. ''But it''s juicy and delicious!Hey, what kind of meat is this black stuff? ''E............ that ......'' Ginette looked at me for help and I nodded my head, ''You can tell me. ''It''s ...... eggplant, sir.'' '''''''' Buh-uh! '''''''' Estella, Magda, Loretta, and Masha all blow up at once. ''What''s eggplant?'' ............ There''s a stupid tongue ......! ''Even the ...... tongue is stupid. ''You don''t eat vegetables properly, you won''t be able to taste them. ''Ohhh, I want to eat eggplant meat too...'' ''Hey, shut up, you guys!I can''t help it!It''s the first time I''ve had it!Besides, it tastes like meat!It even looks like meat! Ricardo bared his fangs and yelled, but his face was bright red. Does it look like meat to you?I''m sorry. ''It contains minced meat, so it does taste like meat. Besides, there''s a lot of meat juice in it. ''Right!That''s right!That''s why it''s easy to mistake eggplant for meat, right? ''Yes,............, that ...... is my main business,.......'' ''Ginette, don''t be shy to tell her that she has a stupid tongue. ''That''s not true,.......'' ''No, idiot.'' ''You don''t say that, Oba!Don''t trample on the manager''s thoughtfulness! I never thought I''d mistake eggplant for meat. ...... I''m sure he''ll be fooled by some temple''s "vegetarian food that looks like meat" if you feed it to him. I''m glad you liked it, though. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to take a look at the best way to make use of it. ''Mr. Manager, I want to try it too! Make it so that it''s mistaken for fish~'' ''No, it''s not that kind of food. ......'' It''s not a dish to make people think it''s a different food, so of course you can''t make fish-like eggplant. Well, if you want to make it with similar ingredients, you can use ...... ''Maybe I can make shrimp chili or something like that ......'' I instantly regretted my words that spilled out unconsciously. ''What''s that? ''It looks like a very tasty dish...'' ''Yashiro, can you make that? ''...... I have a feeling that Magda should master this dish.'' ''Yes, yes!I want to try it too! The girls began to bite at it with great speed. Especially Ginette''s momentum is tremendous. ...... You''re still in the stage of improving and enjoying Mapo Aubergine. ...... ''Oh, ...... no, ............ well, you know. It''s a good idea. Let''s fake it for now. If I teach you how to make shrimp chili here, ...... the Sunlit Pavilion will turn into a Chinese restaurant. ''It''s not that big of a dish. ''''The ...... of the spirits.'''' ''Wow, idiot, wait, Estella!No, no, no!It''s a super tasty dish!I admit it, point your finger at me! I''m not sure what to do. What I did was ...... ''So, can you tell me about it?I like shrimp a lot. ''I like them very mucha??'' ''Yashiro-san!I want to know what that dish is like! ''I''m interested in it too! ''I knew it, the foodie sisters! Since we got excited about food, I thought for sure it would come out. ...... Sure enough, Bertina was mixed in with the crowd. I''m sure she''s been watching ............ the sisters all this time as they are currently devising dishes for the banquet at the sunny pavilion. ''Ah~...... then, well, I''ll tell you this: ............ regarding the prawns you just made, declare that you will not use the ''Spirit Judgment'' on me in the future.'' ''I will! ''I will! ''I''ll do it! ''I''ll do it too! ''...... I don''t mind.'' ''Hmm, I wonder what I should do. ''Then don''t eat only Loretta.'' ''I''m just kidding!It''s just a cute little joke!There''s no way I''m going to cast the ''judgment of the spirits'' on my brother! At any rate, I guess that''s the shrimp chili out of the way. ...... ''You too, eggplant. ''If you change your attitude first! ''...... It''s probably not a bad idea to get it wrong because it has soboro in it.'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.I''m not sure why I''m making you a frog. ''Then, just for the sake of it, let''s go to .......'' I''m not sure what to do. ...... Well, I''ll take that as approval. ''''Haha ......, let''s make some shrimp. ''''''Woohoo! The ones who are overjoyed are Ginette, who loves to cook, Masha, who loves shrimp, and Bertina, who loves to eat. ...... Estella. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... ''If the sunlit pavilion becomes a Chinese restaurant, it''s your fault. ''Chuka?What''s that? People here don''t understand the difference. All in all, I guess it''s in the category of my home cooking. ''Marsha, do you have any shrimp?I''d like shiba-ebi or tiger prawns. Black tiger is fine too.'' ''Wow, great!Yashiro, you know so much about shrimp? The ''forced translation spell'' will translate it for me, so if I say a shrimp I know, Masha will know it as a shrimp that looks like that. Once again, Japan is a blessed environment. Ingredients from all over the world are readily available. It''s unthinkable here. ''If you give me a little time, I can prepare it, but ...... I only have shrimp right now. ''Excellent. Shrimp chili with tiger prawns is the best, isn''t it? It''s the kind you get at a fancy Chinese restaurant. It''s usually shrimp. They''re not very chewy, but they''re popular and tasty in their own way. But tiger prawns are different. The chewiness and the rich flavor of the shrimp is .................. too much for me. ''If you simmer them in sauce while crushing the heads, you get a good broth. ......'' ''Let''s do it, please! ''Please do, please do! I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... Although the words they are saying are slightly different. ''When you say shrimp chili, do you mean you use the same chili sauce you use for tacos? ''Well, it''s definitely chili sauce, but we''ll use bean sauce. ''Great, bean sauce. You''re creating more and more new dishes! I haven''t created anything. It''s just something that someone I don''t know has created over the past four thousand years and I''ve taken the liberty of rearranging it. Basically, it''s arranged by the landlady. ''Well then, I''ll make it, and Ginette and ...... will you watch it too?'' ''...... of course.'' ''I''ll observe and steal the technique! ''Well, I''ll be serving you, ...... Delia, please.'' ''Yes!Leave it to me, I''m a responsible person! Oh, I didn''t know that was still in effect, ''responsible''. I''m pretty sure that was a compliment I said to Delia to get her on board when I was selling tacos on the road or something. ...... You remembered that little comment for a long time, didn''t you? I''ve been a waitress for a long time now.I''ve been waitressing for a long time and I can handle a lot of customers by myself! That''s a pretty big statement. Well, it''s true that I''m more confident now and can work calmly. ''Hello!I''m here for lunch. ...... is kind of lively, isn''t it? ''Oh!I''m glad you''re here!I heard that Yashiro and the manager are going to make shrimp chili now. So you eat the salmon! ''I want to eat shrimp chili, anyway! Umaro arrived at the restaurant at the right (or wrong?) time. Umaro came to the restaurant at the right (wrong?) time. Thanks to you, I know exactly what I''m doing. ...... Delia isn''t quite on her own yet. But Delia is good enough for Umaro and Ricardo. You can do the rest.'' ''Who''s the one with the ''degree'', huh? ''I don''t understand why I''m being cursed as soon as I arrive! Ignoring the two screaming idiots, we went into the kitchen. It''s really ...... full of Chinese. The kitchen smells like Chinese food. Maybe I''ll try making boiled noodles with hand-pulled somen next time. Japanese cuisine served in an elegant broth with a subtle aroma of yuzu ...... is also necessary. 302-Toward Episode 214 Banquet As expected, Ginette quickly got the hang of it and made the shrimp dish her own. He is still not satisfied with it, however. Still, the taste is already better than my shrimp chili. Isn''t this guy a cheat? Magda and Loretta also want to learn from Ginette, not from me. I guess they think they can make it better that way. A few hours had passed since I had lectured Ginette on how to make the shrimp, and after a few practice sessions, I had completed a shrimp dish that was good enough to be served in a restaurant. And it was these guys who were eating the prototype. ''Mr. Ricardo. What kind of meat do you think this shrimp is? ''Are you kidding me, normal girl?It''s shrimp, shrimp!Shrimp meat! ''...... Umaro, is it good? ''Everything tastes better when you eat it while watching Magda Tan! ''How about sisters?'' ''Morimori ...... haha, delicious Morimori~'' Bertina, you''re ending it wrong. ''Haa~a?? Shrimp is delicious after all~'' ''It''s good to eat fried shrimp or okonomiyaki, but this is also very good. ''Well, it''s not as good as salmon! ...... Oh no. I can''t refer to any of them. Ricardo has a stupid tongue, Umaro is fine with anything magda, Bertina is fine with anything food, Masha is fine with anything from the sea, Estella basically approves of everything Ginette makes, and Delia is a salmon after all. ...... ...... Isn''t there anyone a little more decent in the forty-two districts? I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. --Wouldn''t that be a good idea? d*mn, I hate it when Estella''s jokes turn out to be not jokes. ''If that''s the case, how about Imelda?She''s a lady after all.'''' ''No, she''s got a pretty stupid tongue too. He''s the kind of guy who gobbles up B-grade gourmet food with glee. The way he gets excited at festivals is ...... ''In that sense, Ginette is the only one who can judge the taste properly. ''I can''t express myself very well, so I have to critique in a language that normal people can''t understand. It''s basically ''hooray hooray''. ''...... Leave it to Magda to do a food report.'' ''Oh. I''m good at that too! Huh!Magda and Loretta raised their hands and came forward. I''m very curious about the otherworldly words that correspond to "food report". Is there such a thing as a reporter in this world? I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. I''m not sure what to make of that. She''s the one who called the former luxury cake shop in the forty-second arrondissement ''unpalatable'' without any preconceptions. She seems to have a kind of pride as a waitress and will not give a favorable opinion just because it was made by Jeannette. Loretta, on the other hand, is a natural food reporter with a good vocabulary and an unflagging eloquence. Paula''s food report on hexenbiest sausages was so good that it grabbed the stomachs of passing males. These guys might be able to give us a fair judgment. ''''Yes, it''s delicious! ...... No. No. It''s an uninspired and tasteless comment. That''s right. These guys usually eat Jeannette''s food, saying it''s delicious. ''After all, Jeannette''s cooking is delicious. Estella says proudly while eating a lot of shrimp. So in the end, it''s the chef''s tongue that counts. ''Ginette. Would you like to try it yourself? ''Yes, sir. I''m sorry to say this, but I think it turned out reasonably tasty.'' So-so. I guess it shows that you want to be a little more particular and arrange it in your own way. At ......," he said. I''m not sure what to say. I''m going to assume that Donnis is going to be there because of Mael''s encouragement. There''s no point if we can''t get him to participate. ''We need to decide what to serve at the banquet. ''Aren''t you going to have mabo eggplant? Of course, we''ll put mabo-nasu on the menu. You can mix in some shrimp so that only one dish stands out. But the banquet will be held in the churchyard in District 24. In other words, it''s outside. Eating mabo-nasu outside is also quite a mismatch. The eggplant is only made for the purpose of ''advertising the new seasoning of District 24''. The food to enliven the banquet must be suitable for the banquet. Speaking of the ''banquet'' held outside, ...... I''m going to plan it with an image of hanami. It''s a typical party of the four seasons in Japan, with cherry blossoms in full bloom, drinking, singing, swinging, and pinching. It''s hard not to get excited. And in such a place, mabo eggplant will ...... still be floating. ''Are you going to look at the flowers? ''No, it''s just an image. ...... Well, it might be possible to decorate with beautiful flowers and love them.'' ''Then, let''s ask Millie-san. I''m sure she''ll be able to tell you some great flowers to decorate your party. I see. It might be possible to ask Millie to prepare the flowers. You can give them to the ...... filmmakers and see if they have the courage to hand them to Rebecca ................... I don''t know. ''Then let''s go to Milly''s store later. ''Yes, sir. I''ll go with you.'' It was decided that Ginette and I would go to Millie''s store. I want to be careful with my decorations, don''t you? It''s no exaggeration to say that a change in consciousness can only be made through a higher grade of impression. ''See you later. Ricardo''s mouth is dyed red with chili sauce, and he speaks up with an impish look on his face. ''Why don''t you set off fireworks again?He''s a flashy guy, and I''m sure he''ll blow the minds of the participants. ''That firework caught the attention of the BU, but if you set off fireworks in another district without restraint, it''s bound to cause animosity and make the situation worse, isn''t it?If you can''t give a good opinion, go eat an eggplant instead of a shrimp. ''How dare you rant and rave with no breath, Estella!I''ve been thinking about it for you guys! ''......''. Ricardo was completely outdone. If Estella had been as strong as this from the beginning, the negotiations for the outer gate would have gone more smoothly. Estella herself must be aware that as the acting lord, she had to worry about many things in her own inept way and made a lot of bad moves. ''It''s like a bad idea taking a break'' may have been a self-conscious thought that Estella herself felt keenly. ''You''d better remember that, Ricardo. It''s a very useful phrase. ''Huh!I don''t need you to tell me that, Oba. ''No! Remember '''''''', ''''''''. ''Shut up, sunlit pavilion waitresses and ocean fishermen! You said you didn''t want me to say anything, so I took care of you. ''...... So?'' ''B?'' ''......So?'' ''Huh!I wish you had left some for me! ''Don''t play, Oba and the tiger girl!And don''t be frustrated, normal girl! What''s wrong with you? I don''t know what''s so wrong with you. ''I''ll remember what you said, just say it again! ''Ricardo ......, what about ''please''?'' ''Tell me, Oba! Aristocrats are so arrogant. You should learn some idioms and stuff, get yourself educated. I guess Ricardo needs that. I can''t help it. ....... I''m such a softie. I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you what it is. ''Flat tits are like ribs. I''ll tell you what it is. ''What, what?''Sideboob in the wrong hands''?What did you say? ''Ricardo, you''re not going to learn, are you? After Ricardo revealed his ''stupid tongue'', he revealed his ''simple stupidity'', and then we returned to the subject at hand. I can''t make any headway with these guys. ''You slow-witted bastards! ''You''re the milkman, Yashiro.'' I ignored Estella, who was glaring at me with cold eyes, and since there were so many of us here, I thought I''d listen to what they had to say. ''Hey, you guys. What''s the most memorable thing about the festival you did before? ''Okonomiyaki! Bertina was the first to answer. ...... You ate okonomiyaki too. I saw her buying a lot of hexenbiest frankfurters, though. ''Also, the hexenbiest frankfurters were delicious!Oh, and baby sponge cakes! ''''Bertina. If I leave it up to you, you''ll probably cover the entire lineup from the stall, so that''s enough. What about the other ones? ''I think I''ll get a gumbo. ''That''s the one I did at the festival.'' ''No, it''s not. I gave it to Imelda at the festival, and later I got it in return. ''Then you''re not talking about the festival! I''m asking you to tell me what you thought when you saw the festival. I don''t want to hear from someone who knew the festival, but someone who experienced it for the first time. I want to know what the people of this town are moved by. ''I thought the yukata was beautiful. At the time, Ukrines was very busy, but he cut down his soul to make this original yukata. It was certainly a good look. ...... Everyone wasn''t ''wearing'' it properly. ''The festival music was good! I think Loretta is referring to the drums we borrowed from Use''s place. It is said to be used by hunting guilds to guard against magical beasts, but it sounded like a Japanese drum, so we used it to liven up the festival. It was too poor to be called "festival music", but we made a loud clang of drums and other sounds to create a lively atmosphere. I think it''s time to try making a shinobue, the flute used in festival music. ''...... stalls. Magda''s opinion was similar to Bertina''s, but different. She said that she enjoyed the sight of the stores lining the street itself. It''s true that the atmosphere is unique. I get excited. ''......The manager was in the store all the time and couldn''t visit the stalls, so I wish I could show him. ''Ma, Magda-san: ......'' Magda''s concern made Jeannette''s tears well up in her eyes. I didn''t know Magda was thinking like that. He''s a really thoughtful guy. ''Oh, me too!I''ve always wanted to go around the store with you too!It''s true! ''Magda-san, Loretta-san. Thank you very much. I''m just happy to hear you say so. The three girls hugged and joked with each other. Wow, I want to mingle! ''I want to open a stall with Jeannette at .......'' ''Your ulterior motives are showing on your face, Yashiro. d*mn. Why do you always get in the way, Estella? ''With Yashiro-san, I''ve been to that ...... store and looked around ............, right?'' I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... No, well. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the two of us walked past the stalls after the festival,............, so why do I say this now as if it''s something special? ...... Estella and the others are staring at me with narrowed eyes. Don''t look at me like that. I didn''t do anything weird to Jeannette. ''Then let''s set up a stall at the feast. ''...... popcorn'' ''Okonomiyaki! Those are the second and seventh stores. We need something a little more new. ...... ''How about a children''s lunch?'' No, Jeannette. You can''t eat that standing up. Can you make it something we can eat outside? ''What''s new, donuts, peanut butter...'' This place is getting more and more sweet stuff. ''Shrimp chili~a??'' ''Hey, Oba. Why don''t you put some meat in the eggplant?Or steak? Sweets and Chinese...... I have to be more systematic in proposing new menus...... And Ricardo, that''s not mapo eggplant anymore. I''m not sure what to make of that. As I once went to Lucia''s place, towing the second and seventh stores ...... would be impossible indeed. There are too many people this time. I''m going to use a horse-drawn carriage to get around. If that''s the case, we''ll set up a simple stall over there!We can use our carriages to carry about ten pieces of materials at once. If we can borrow the large carriages that Trubek''s construction company uses to transport materials, we should be able to construct a simple stall inside the church. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. Please ...... ''What do you want to eat? ''Everything you prepare is delicious, so I have no requests for food.'' He smiles and shakes his head. If you ask me, Bertina doesn''t often say things like ''I want to eat that''. She just eats what''s in front of her (at a level beyond human comprehension). So, what is it that Bertina wants? From my point of view, it was a little surprising. ''Can you please prepare toys that the children of the 42nd and 24th districts can play with together? Toys. Playthings. Something that the children of the forty-two and twenty-four wards can play with together. ''The children are all very much looking forward to the upcoming feast. The main purpose of the feast is to entrap Donnis. They''re trying to get the 24th district on their side and lay the groundwork to get the sanctions imposed by BU withdrawn. But... From the perspective of the church in District 24 that lent us the place and Bertina who allowed us to use her name for that purpose, the event may have been more of a social gathering for the children who are being cared for in each church. No, well, I''m sure that''s the case. It may be that one of the purposes is to give Donnis a good impression of the beastmen. ''...... ''together'', right? ''Yes. I want something I can play with. The kids in the church in the 24th ward all have some sort of problem. Some have poor eyesight or hearing, some are badly injured, some have lost a hand or a leg. These people and the kids from the 42nd ward, whose only merit is their energy, who run around all year round, can play together? Well, the kids of District 24 are no match for the power and energy. They''re all beastmen, after all. Their basic abilities are too different. They''ll make a big mistake if they think they can play quietly with something that''ll hurt them. They don''t... they don''t play with their powers in reserve. They will never be satisfied with that kind of play. They make it easy for you to make difficult demands. ...... ''...... Give me some time to think.'' ''Yes, sir. Bertina is the most important person in this project. It was because of her that the banquet in the church was possible. Then I must fulfill Bertina''s wish at all costs. ''Yashiro. Before you think about why you''re doing me a favor, shouldn''t you think about what you''re going to make?'' Estella chuckled next to Masha. Masha chuckles too. I''m jealous. ''Yashiro, why don''t you make that then? Delia claps her hands and says briskly, ''I''ll give you a good idea. ''A waterwheel! ''No, you. How much do you like it, the waterwheel? I told you, that''s not playground equipment. ........................ Oh, I see. Playground equipment. ''Delia, you did it. That''s great.'' ''Oh!I''m getting a lot of compliments on it. No waterwheel. Some of the kids in District 24 can''t do it, and there''s no river in the church. But other equipment-- hmm. Sounds good. ''Oumalo''. ''Yes, sir! ''Would you like a ticket to work with Magda at the feast? ''Yes, sir! ''Are you sure, Umaro ......, that Yashiro wants you to work for free? He wants anything with the word ''Magda'' in it. I''m going to need you to make me something that requires a bit of skill. ''But we need the carpenters from Torbek''s construction company to set up the stall. ''Don''t worry. The stall can be easily assembled by amateurs as long as the framework is well processed and made. Isn''t that right? ''Yes, sir. It was originally planned to be a built-in type because it would be cleaned up and taken away after the party. Anyone can build it as long as they know how. ''So, Delia. I need your help. ''Oh!Can I come too? ''Yes~!Then I want to go too! ''You can''t set up a stall, can you?Just leave it to me.'' ''I don''t need to set up a stall, I want to go! That''s just coming for fun. ''It''s not too big a group. ''I guess so. It''s bad for them too. ...... Masha, I''m sorry about this. ''Oh no!No, no, no!I''m coming too! Masha pokes Estella''s side with a ''squeak, squeak! Masha poked Estella in the side. Then she appeals to me with a serious expression. ''Tai!You can bring it to me. I want to eat something gorgeous again. ............ Wow, I want to eat it when I hear the name. I''d like to eat something like tai chazuke, tai rice, sashimi, yubiki, steamed and grilled ..................? ''Masha: ......'' I give Masha a full-throated thumbs-up. ''I''d love to invite you!Bring some good fish and join us!'' ''Wow~Yashiro, that''s why I love you so much! At this time, I had an idea of a dish in my mind. Now, let''s see if ...... it works. If it does, ............ Ginette will be overjoyed. ''Ginette. I''m going to try out a new menu again. ''Yes!I''m looking forward to it.'' ''Yes!I''m looking forward to it.'''' The other one is Bertina. ''Please invite me to the tasting party. ''No, you don''t have to invite me, I''m sure I''ll blend in on my own. ......'' I''m sure Bertina will be blending in next time too, I thought, as I made up a plan in my brain for what to do next. First of all, you need to make sure that it will work in this world. ...... There are some things you need to make. ............ There''s no time to waste. I''ll get started tonight. The sky was filled with a calm light. The sun is slowly setting. As usual, it''s not raining. I wonder if there''s anything we can do about that, at all. 303-Preparation for Episode 215 Banquet 1 The day after the shrimp party. Morning. I''m alone in the kitchen. --This is a gamble. And a very dangerous one at that. I''ve gone ahead without realizing the risks before and failed miserably. A crushing defeat. A crushing defeat. I''d call it a bombing. In the end, it had a certain effect in other situations, and caused various troubles, but from a bird''s eye view, it became an existence that can be considered to have had certain results. However, it has not yet gained citizenship. It is not a commodity. It does not generate any profit. And now, based on that bitter experience, I''m trying to go down the same path again. I understand that it is a thorny path. ...... For the sake of the enormous profits that lie ahead-- ''Ginette, Estella, Magda, Lorelle............ everyone, come on! ''Why did you stop in the middle!And if you''d have said ''ta'', you wouldn''t have had to rephrase ''everyone''! Loretta was the first to rush in noisily and took her place right in front of me. Thank you for your interesting reaction today. ''Lately, I''ve been feeling uncomfortable if I don''t get a joke from you at least once a day. ''It''s not just once a day, it''s when I''m poking my brother! ''...... This is already the twelfth time today (as of 9 a.m.).'' ''It''s as noisy as ever around Yashiro, isn''t it? ''It''s fun and lively.'' ''...... Ginnette, you''re spoiling Yashiro too much.'' ''Isn''t that right?It''s normal. I''m not sure what to do. Estella sighs in despair. Magda with half-lidded expressionless face. A normal Loretta. Hmm... I knew it. ''To every laughing gate comes milk! Good fortune... It''s coming! ''Ginette laughs a lot!That''s why she has big tits! ''Too bad, Natalia doesn''t laugh much, but she does have some big tits!I hate to admit it, but ...... Estella raised her eyebrows at her comment. It''s not every day you get a beautiful self-destruct like this. Well, that''s beside the point. I called the people I had temporarily sent away to the dining room to the kitchen. Ginette, who had been kicked out of the kitchen, seemed to be fidgeting all the time, and when she came back into the kitchen, she had a big smile on her face. ...... Is this your nest? You can understand that there is a difference in mood between not entering and not entering. So what was I cooking in the kitchen alone? ...... ''...... fish? Yes, pancakes in the shape of fish. ''Whoa!Really, it''s a fish! ''Wow, that''s an interesting shape. ''...... It''s vaguely realistic. But it''s also deformed. An exquisite form.'' ''It''s kind of a cute fish.'' I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Is this a losing bet: ......? Yesterday, when I heard Masha''s comment, a familiar Japanese dish landed in my brain as if it were a revelation. Yes. I''m trying to make taiyaki now. Since Imagawa-yaki exists, the taste should be acceptable. And by creating a shape like this, even with the same ingredients, the dish takes on a special value. It''s like when a wiener becomes an octopus, you feel a little better off. But the people of this town rejected the rabbit apple from the bottom of their hearts. When I devoured it in a gluttony contest, many of them cried. ...... That was a mild trauma. Well, thanks to that, I won the gluttony contest, which was a good thing in the end. ............ I never want to make it again. But, but, but! The reason I''m daring to try this dangerous food again is because I expect to make a huge profit after I get through this ordeal. Taiyaki is popular not only in Japan but also in the United States. As long as it is accepted, it is sure to be a hit. ...... but... I''m not sure if I should have made it more ...... cute or ............ realistic. If I were serious, I could make the fish look weirdly realistic. ...... Wouldn''t that kill the beauty of taiyaki in the first place? Taiyaki is a cute food, and that''s why it''s so popular. d*mn, what a dilemma! If you''re not pretty, you''re nothing, but if you''re pretty, they won''t eat you! It''s a cute dilemma! ''Yashiro. Is this a normal pancake?'' ''Hmm?Yeah. Except for the shape.'' ''Yes, it is. Well, let''s eat them together. Estella said lightly and cut the pancake into four pieces with the knife in her hand. A knife for the fish, ''Saku! ''Hey, hey! ''What?What?I shouldn''t have cut it?'' No, no, no. It''s totally fine if you cut it and still eat it. ...... You didn''t hesitate. ''Are you sure? ''What, what? ''You''re a fish!It''s a cute, cute, cute fish! ''Hey, Yashiro ......, what are you excited about? ''If you chop it up, it''s a pity for the fish! My emotions got the better of me, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. ''The fish is so cute! ''Yashiro, you''re scary!You''re a little creepy! He gave me a very bitter outburst. No, no, no. This is the same as the incomprehensible reaction you guys showed to the rabbit apples before, you know? ''Um, Yashiro-san. ''...... Guffaw! ''Please listen to me while sniffling. ''Gush! Sniffing with the paper offered to me. Sniff! ''Fish are meant to be cut and eaten. ''...... even if it''s pretty?'' ''Yes, it is. I think the most polite thing we can do is to eat it with gratitude and enjoy it. ''...... So, fish shapes are OK? ''...... Rabbit and apple are not allowed? ''Oh, I see. I see.'' Estella nodded broadly, as if she understood my attempt. ''So you wanted to see if we, the people of this city, would reject you like the rabbit''s apple. ''That''s why you took us out of the kitchen once. We didn''t want to spoil the initial impact. As Ginette had said, the idea was to see what the first impressions and reactions were. I wanted these guys, who had been there at the moment of the birth of the Rabbit Apple, to judge it under the same circumstances as then. ''There are many things about your sensibilities that I don''t understand. ''It''s very disheartening to hear you say that. ''...... Yashiro''s sensitivity is unique. ''Mainly, no one can understand my obsession and taste when it comes to boobs. ''Well, I think it means that you have a wonderful idea that ...... no one else has thought of.'' If you draw a spirit god, it will turn into a mushroom, and if you draw a rabbit apple, it will make you cry. Even if you draw a mushroom, it is not recognized as a spirit god. I can''t help but think that the people in this town are playing on impressions. ''The more you deform it, the more you deify it, don''t you? ''Are you talking about the paintings depicting spirit gods?That''s not deformation, it''s called ''art''. ''Those are comical mushrooms, aren''t they? ''...... You''re a man who really doesn''t understand art. ''But I think it''s great that your sensibility discovered your talent, Becko. Thanks for the follow-up, Jeannette. But that follow-up is based on the premise that ''Mr. Yashiro certainly doesn''t understand art,'' right? ''Oh, well, I don''t know much about art either, so I can''t speak too highly of it! He noticed my gaze and hurriedly made an excuse. No, that''s why I said ...... ''me too''. I understand art! How many masterpieces have you copied to look like the real thing and sold them for outrageous prices? ...... What do you care about the past?That''s it! ''Then try it. ''Yes, sir. I''ll have some. ''I''ll have some too. ''...... munching'' ''Magda, you''re early!This is the kind of thing we should all do together at ......, but everyone''s already eating!I''m the only one who''s late! Loretta hurriedly bites into her pancake. He has a lot of honey around his mouth. ...... Magda must have put it there. That''s a lot of honey. ''Hmmm~......,ohiirefu''. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. I''m sure she got it from her mother. You look just like Bertina. ''Yeah. It''s normal. ''...... normal''. ''Why are you looking at me as you say this, Estella-san and Magda-chou? They tasted like normal, familiar pancakes. He was not particularly impressed. However, this is a desirable outcome for me. It means I''ve passed the first stage, ''a reasonably realistic fish shape. So, how about this? Then, I presented him with a pancake of the ''common taiyaki shape'', which was deformed to the level of those commonly seen in Japan. ''Wow!It''s even cuter than before. Ginette''s eyes sparkle. ''...... This is more suitable for Magda.'' ''Yes!I think the one you just saw was a little too realistic and smelled a little fishy to me. ''Then let''s try this one too. Knife, ''Saku! I knew you wouldn''t hesitate. ...... I wonder why. The relentless Estella was starting to look like a demon. ''You''re a woman without milk or tears. ''No blood, no tears''!You''re a woman without milk or tears. It''s nothing compared to the booing I got for eating an apple. ''This is also delicious. ''Yeah. It''s normal. ''...... perfectly normal. ''So, don''t say that while looking at me! I ate this one too. ''...... I can''t tell the difference between a rabbit and an apple. ''So, I''m going to ask you straight out. Do you think this is acceptable? I don''t know, but there seems to be a definite difference between them and ''food in the shape of a living thing'' in this city. If this thing becomes a citizen, I''ll order a mold of taiyaki from Norma. And, ......, I''ll uproot the market share of Imagawa-yaki! ''I don''t think it''s a problem. But I''m not sure if I can bake this well yet. ......'' ''...... difficult even for Magda. ''For the amount of effort you put into it, it''s not very impressive. ''The taste is ordinary, isn''t it? ''No, no, no, no!The shape!Just look at the shape, don''t you feel disgusted?'' ''...... Disgust?Why?'' Estella tilts her head, as if she really doesn''t understand what is going on. ''...... What is it, this feeling of being mocked? I''m doing this with the utmost care because your tastes are so special. I''m not sure if this is how old people feel when they lament, ''I don''t understand the young people these days''. ...... I''m sure the kids will love it because the shape is so cute. It''s just that I''m not sure I can make it this well. ......'' ''Don''t worry about how to make it!I''ll make it easy for you! ''For Yashiro-san, "easy" is quite a hurdle. ...... He also said that the hair ornament was "easy to make. ......'' ''No, it''s really easy!Even Delia can make it. ''If ...... can make it, anyone can.'' ''If Delia can do it, I don''t have to worry! ''Um, both of you ......, that''s somewhat rude .......'' Magda and Loretta breathed a sigh of relief, and Ginette smiled bitterly. ''So, tell me how easy it is to make this! ''No, this is difficult!It''s like drawing a picture with a ladle, calculating the browning, it takes a lot of skill. ''............ Isn''t it easy? ''Why do you look like you''re about to cry?Did you want to make it? ''......Yes.'' It''s not! I wanted to make sure that this shape would be accepted before I ordered the mold. If I stumbled here, it would be a complete waste of time to have a mold made. ''...... shun''. Ginette is looking very depressed. ...... Oh, God. ''If you can eat this shape without any problems, I''m thinking of making an unusual food with this shape. ''Not pancakes, sir? ''Oh, no. It''s a food from my hometown, called Taiyaki. ''Tai?Is it? Jeannette rolls her eyes. The only sea bream they know is the carpaccio that was served at Theron and Wendy''s wedding reception. It''s unlikely that people from the 42nd district eat snapper this far inland. When I look at Jeannette, she is drawing a fillet-like shape in the air with her finger. Don''t cut it, don''t cut it. It''s a whole fish. ''Here''s what it looks like. He takes out a wooden mold of a sea bream that he made yesterday. It''s round and plump, and has the shape of the familiar taiyaki. ''It''s a lot plumper than I thought it would be. ''...... This is cute.'' ''It''s starting to look a bit tasty! The others begin to show interest in the wooden pattern. Ginette seems to be in a bit of a better mood. ...... So, I''ll give you the best information. It''s a great way to get a sense of what''s going on in your life. ''What ......?Um, is that...? Ginette, the cook, seemed to notice immediately. This taiyaki is made the same way as Imagawa-yaki, her favorite food. ''It''ll be a big hit. It was a very popular snack in my hometown. ''You can get it at the sunlit pavilion at .............'' Ginette''s expression brightened as she stared into the air, imagining something. ''Yes!I''m sure it will be very popular! Taiyakis would be added to the menu at the Sunda-mari-tei. This fact made Jeannette''s mood rise to the maximum. However, it costs a certain amount of money to make the mold. If it''s a hit, we''ll get it back soon enough. ...... ''So, think seriously again and answer my question. It''s an important question that will determine whether this business will succeed or not. ''Do you think this taiyaki will become popular? ''Yes, sir. I do.'' ''...... plain and simple. ''I want to be the first to eat it! Well, I guess Ginette will be the first to eat it. As usual. ''Estella. What''s your opinion? ''I''m a little surprised at how cautious you''ve become. I''m not looking for any feedback. ''But ......... I think it''s okay. It all depends on how it tastes. He shook his red hair and smiled cheekily. Bollocks. I''ve tasted it before. I gave up on it before, but now I have access to high quality sugar and red beans. Assunto is proud to recommend the best wheat. There is no reason for failure. ...... Hmm. Take a good look, Imagawa-yaki shop, which has dominated the market until now. Your bonus stage ends here. You should be punished at least a little for using the black market to line your pockets. ''Well, I''ll just go ask Norma for a mold. When it''s finished, I''d like you to sample it again. ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you! --Bertina replied cheerfully. ...... haha. I knew you''d come out. You''ve been at it two days in a row. I expected that. But you''re a little late. No more pancakes. ''Jeannette. Do I smell pancakes?'' ''Uh, ...... that .......'' Don''t look at me like that, Jeannette. Don''t bother asking me, I''ll just make you some pancakes. ''Is that a new dish? ''No, what you made for me today was pancakes. Bertina peered at my face to see if I was telling the truth. Don''t doubt it. ...... ''The new food--taiyaki--isn''t ready yet. You can try it later.'' ''I want to try it first thing. This sister, Loretta, does the same thing: ...... ''Then I''ll wait and eat the pancakes until then. Don''t stare at me. Ask Ginette. Oh, and if you''re not tasting or anything, make sure you pay for it. ...... Well, I don''t think Ginette will take it. This is a great way to make sure that you do not have to go through the hassle of trying to figure out what to do. It''s a ...... thing. I''m not sure what to do. And then the corners of his mouth lifted up in a grin, a look that could not be described as vicious ......, but which Ginette tried to make as vicious as she could. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do my best. ''You see, Sister. A few minutes ago, Yashiro-san baked a very unusual and lovely pancake. I''ve already eaten them, so there are none left. ''Is that so?I would have liked to have seen it. ''Yes, I would have loved to show it to you. It was very, very cute. ...... What''s with the roundabout urging? ''I wish I could have seen the cute pancakes ............ that Ginette said so much about,'' ...... shun. ''Yes......I wanted to show you......Shun''. ''Hey, you mother and daughter. Does the word ''acting ability'' sound familiar to you?'' If you''re going to do it anyway, try acting a little better. ...... d*mn it. All you ever learn to do is beg. You''re mistaken if you think that if you''re cute I''ll do whatever you want. I''m not that naive and stupid. ''...... shun'' ''......Shun'' You''re all over the place! There''s no other way! Can''t you think of a better way to approach me? ''...... d*mn it. Do something about it, you mother and daughter.'' ''Don''t you know the best way to deal with those two? ''I''m asking you to show me a way to avoid taking that step. ''Haha. Yashiro. I can''t teach you something that doesn''t exist in this world. Estella. Why does she have to be so mean? She looks so happy every time I''m in trouble. Once in a while, ''Stop her!Yashiro is in trouble!I feel sorry for him! Can''t you at least say something like that, like you''re the class president who''s interested in me? After that, let''s get a ''hoo-hoo-hoo'' together. ''Hey, I''m not like that,'' we''ll say together, and make excuses. ...... ''You, for now, go braid your hair and put on your glasses. ''Oh, what?Do you like that kind of thing, Yashiro? Idiot. There''s no man in this world or any other world who doesn''t like the class president who likes him. ''Don''t you want to be told, "You''re prettier without your glasses"? ''Then, if I don''t wear glasses, people will say I''m cute all the time, right? No, that''s not it! Why can''t I understand that? It''s the gap! The gap is what makes you moe! ''Ginette. Would you like us to wear glasses too? ''Yes!Then let''s ask Regina-san and Natalia-san to borrow our glasses, and then let''s go to ''...... shun''! ''''Yes, you two, stop. You don''t want to bring two troublesome people into this, do you? ''But, but, when the effect of "...... shun" disappears, you have to increase the "moe degree" one more level--'' ''Who taught you that kind of trickery? ''You''ll get into a rut, and people will get bored! ''Okay, I know who did it. I''ll kick your ass later, so don''t trust that information blindly. Why is that reclusive pharmacist going around doing all kinds of unnecessary things while I''m gone? Is it a hobby to harass me? I don''t have glasses. ''...... Manager. In fact, here are two pairs of eyeglasses that Regina gave me. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. What the hell have they been up to? ...... ''You should try ...... once.'' ''Yeah, but is it okay to use ......? ''I and my friend Magda, when there''s a foreign object in front of us, it''s like, "Mwah!It''s a bit of a hindrance. I''m not wearing it at all. That''s no good! You''re denying all of our special glasses! ''Then, shall I borrow them? ''Yes. It''s my first time wearing them, so I''m nervous. ......'' After a whispered strategy meeting, Ginette and Bertina put on their glasses. Then they both turn to me and look up at me. ''Ready? At Ginette''s signal, both of them said the same word at the same time. ''''...... shun'''' ''''Alright!I''ll teach you illustration pancakes!Stop that sparkly thing! d*mn it! You forcefully awakened the glasses attribute in me! You''re so cute, the way you look up at me with your glasses!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... fearsome power of glasses'' ''Regina is right! ''...... As expected, you are a skilled fighter.'' ''Wait, wait, wait!Don''t just take his word for it! What do you mean, ''an expert in a hundred battles''? When has a reclusive loner who has never had a boyfriend ever fought in a hundred battles? He''s fit to be a ''stain of the eighteen vexations'' at best. I''m not sure if I''m getting ...... a bit of astigmatism or not,.......'' You can''t take it too seriously!You''re mistaken if you think they''ll be nice to you because of your glasses! ''I''ll wear braids too! ''That''s only effective if you have the title of class president! Are these guys planning to take advantage of me easily? I won''t let that happen! ''Yashiro-san. ''''It''s time for pancakes. ......'''' ''''......Shun.'''' ''''Stop it! I''ll be sure to ...... make you pay for this! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following webpage. I''ll make you a pancake with a cute illustration that you can''t eat," he said. He ignored Magda and Loretta, who were glancing at him with their eyeglasses on, and also ignored Estella, who seemed to want to wear her glasses but was being neglected by Magda and the others, and heated up a frying pan. After a few seconds, I pour the batter into the areas where I want the color to be a little lighter, and finally into the areas where I want the color to remain white, and draw the illustration. In Japan, this is the most common type of illustrated pancake. If you want to draw an elaborate picture, you will need some skill, but if it''s as simple as a fish, anyone can do it once they learn how. --If you want to draw an elaborate picture, you need some skill, but if you want to draw something as simple as a fish, anyone can do it if they learn how. ...... It''s a little frustrating when you have such a good memory. I said it was easy, but it takes some skill. ............ I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Well, I''m going to go to Norma''s for a while. ''Yes, sir. I left the kitchen, and everyone came to see me off--which was fine, but ...... Just as I was about to leave the restaurant, Ginette said something outrageous. ''Then I''ll practice so that I can master it by the time Yashiro-san returns! ''No, wait!If I do that, all we''ll have on the menu today will be pancakes! After calming down Ginette, whose eyes were glittering with enthusiasm, I left the sunny pavilion. I managed to calm her down, but ...... well, Ginette''s ''I want to make it! I''m sure it won''t stop her desire. Hopefully, Ginette''s practice will be over soon and the pancake hell will end sooner rather than later. 304-Preparation for Episode 216 Banquet 2 ''In short, if you put an idler gear between the starting pinion gear and this big gear, you can distribute the extra load and reduce vibration. So, instead of using a leather belt here, you can use a chain on this gear instead. ......'' Hot. It''s hot, Norma. I came to the hardware guild to ask for a mold for taiyaki, and when I entered the hardware street, I saw Norma - or rather, she saw me and captured me. I was kidnapped. I was kidnapped and put under house arrest. Norma took me into her workshop and lined up some gears that she had made while I was away, and talked non-stop about their pitch, the friction of meshing, the materials used, and the structure. He''s in high tension. I''ve been up all night. ...... Oh, man. I should have shown my face more regularly. I should have shown up a little more regularly. No matter how much I know about this kind of stuff, I can''t stand it when people talk about it in such a heated way. ...... It''s hard. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be fine. Well, in short, the pinion gear (the gear that converts the power of rotation into a straight line) was under extreme load, so we put a larger gear called an idler gear (a?? play gear) in between to reduce the load to move the huge gear. In the case of a mini 4WD, a pinion gear is a small gear attached to the motor. It is a very small gear, and it keeps rotating by the power from the motor. Starting from this gear, belts and gears are connected to move one mechanism (the mini 4WD itself). However, it takes a great deal of load to move a large gear with a small gear. Just as it is difficult to open a door with the doorknob removed, or to drive a bicycle with the handle removed, or to tighten a screw with a screwdriver with a thin handle, it is difficult to apply a large force to a small object. The reason why the steering wheels of trucks and large buses are larger than those of passenger cars is that they aim to reduce the force required by increasing the diameter. It takes a great deal of power to move a large gear with a small gear, and it also takes a great deal of load to stop the gear. As a result, the gears would fall down just before landing. --And so on and so forth for an hour. Can I cry? ''I had been preoccupied with the control panel, but when I reviewed the blueprints, I had a flash of inspiration, so I started the design all over again ......''. ''Norma, your face!You''re too close to my face! If you get any closer, I''ll kiss you by force majeure! ''Nwahahaha! Norma finally understands her situation and retreats at great speed. Her breasts became weightless for a moment, and when they dropped to the wall, they rippled slowly and easily. They look as soft as ever. Delia of elasticity. Norma the marshmallow. Both are hard to beat. ''If you were used in a commercial for fabric softener, you''d sell like hotcakes. ''What are you talking about?Oh, come on, I know what you''re talking about! Norma hugs her fluffy tits and glares at me resentfully. A little goes a long way. You''ve been saving a lot of milk during your expedition to the 24th district. Too much space saving is a bad thing. ''Improving DOKKe-Ru No. 1 is fine, but before that, there''s something I want you to make. ''What is it? Norma grabbed the gears and approached me rapidly. Don''t you think you''re burning with the spirit of a company man too much?Isn''t it just right to be moderately busy at work? You''ll collapse from overwork. I need you to make a mold for me. It''s the same structure as the baby sponge cake. ''You''re making new food again, aren''t you?I''m sure Yashiro loves his job. ''No, you and Jeannette are the only ones I want to talk to. Although, the people in this town are all too fond of their work. ''So, what shape is it this time? ''I made the prototype out of wood. Can you make a mold out of it? A casting is made by pouring hot iron into a mold. The quality of the mold depends greatly on the skill of the craftsman. At Norma''s, the original mold is made of wood, the original is buried in sand for casting, and the sand is hardened to make the mold. When the sand hardens, only the shape of the original mold is beautifully indented. This time, however, the unevenness is reversed, so I need to copy the mold again. Because I don''t want to mass-produce iron in the shape of a sea bream, but to make a mold that can be baked in the shape of a sea bream. ''It''s a bit of an unusual shape, but shall we make it beautiful? ''Let me see. I handed the mold to Norma, who was very curious. Instantly... ''Yikes! Norma''s crush is heard in her voice. No, you don''t have to say, ''Yikes! You don''t have to say, ......, ''Kyun! What? ''It''s cute, it''s cute, it''s cute, it''s cute! ''That''s the shape of the food I''m eating. ......'' ''You can''t eat this? ''You can''t eat this, it''s a tree! ''I''d like to try it! ''When it''s done! I feel like if I don''t deny it, I''m going to devour the wooden mold. ''Haaahhh ...... such a cute food is available at the sunny pavilion ............ I think I''ll be going there. ''Hey, what do you think about pretty food?'' ''It''s good!I think it''s great! Hot! I said it''s hot, Norma! You''re talking so hot, your tits are shaking!Thank you so much! ''You guys rejected the rabbit''s apple to the point of tears. ''............? ...... They really treat rabbit apples and taiyaki differently, don''t they? I''m not sure what to make of that. I don''t know. It''s like when you see a rabbit being slaughtered, you want to turn your back on it, but when you see a whitefish being eaten, you think ''that looks good''. ...... So maybe there''s a segment of the population that''s like, ''Oh my God, I pity you for eating taiyaki! Then there might be a group of people who think, ''Oh, it''s so sad to eat taiyaki! Hiyoko" and "Hato Sable" are also in the same camp, and there are those who feel sorry for them and those who don''t care. I eat them from the head anyway. ...... Without the head, they''re just manjuu and sable. ''Yashiro, I''m sorry, but give me two hours!I''ll have it made in no time! ''There''s no need to be in such a hurry. ''I''ll throw away all my other work and make a prototype in a hurry! ''Either you like your job or you''re just doing it randomly! I thought he was a company man, but he prioritizes his hobbies. I wonder if the guild leader of the hardware guild will ever scold Norma. ............ Well, it would be impossible to scold her if she showed me those tits... ...I might have hit her four times if it weren''t for her tits. ''Aaah!I''m sorry, ......!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. I''m not sure what to make of that. ......?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... I''ll compromise with Toyoshige''s assistant, Gorilleas. ...... No, you won''t!I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. It seems that Norma trusts this Toyoshige guy quite a bit. The mold guild in the 42nd district has been doing some good work, so he must be a skilled craftsman. So it''s not just a guild full of bad guys. I''m sure there are some decent ones. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. Oh, ......, you''re still an idiot. It''s a shame, the hardware guild. It''s no use!I''ll make the mold myself. ''Can you do it? ''Don''t be fooled. I''m still the ace of the hardware guild. I''m skilled enough to teach others every step of the way. ''Then by all means, let''s use our own molds to make pancakes! ''Things have changed, haven''t they?The ''Taiyaki'' mold is the one to make! ''I''d rather eat ''Taiyaki''! ''You''re the only one who wants to eat them! Baka! All the men in the forty-two districts will be rushing here! They''ll all go home satisfied, saying they''re already full from the extra-large portion! You can''t just ...... show it to anyone. You can only ...... show it to special people. It''s because of this that the current situation is ...... so selective. ''Did you say something? ''Ha, ha, ha, you idiot. You didn''t say anything at all. hahahahaha......'' It was a real killer. If Norma was serious, she could kill Delia instantly, couldn''t she? If I were a wild animal, I''d be running deep into the woods right now, for sure. I''ll leave it to you, Yashiro. I''ll take full responsibility for making this mold the ultimate in cuteness! ''Make sure you don''t make them too cute and make me feel sorry for eating them. Or rather, make it just like this mold. ''Hmm... Yashiro is surprisingly fairytale-like. It''s not easy to come up with such an idea as ''pity'' in the form of food.'' No, that''s why!You guys!You know, before! Didn''t you hear the booing at the gluttony contest? It''s just an apple! As I was about to leave the Hardware Guild to go to ......, I asked a question. ''Hey. Do you know what a ''bearing'' is, Norma? ''Huh!Oh, you mean ...... that ............ wedding ring ......, don''t you? ''Yes, that''s a "pair ring". No, it''s a ''bearing''. It''s not a dream, it''s a very practical but useful piece of mechanics. ''I''ve never heard of it. Well, of course not. It''s quite difficult to make an iron sphere with the precision of a bearing. ''What''s it like? ''Well, roughly speaking, there are two cylinders of different sizes, and between the cylinders, iron balls are placed at equal intervals to improve rotation, and it''s a tool to rotate an object with light force by eliminating frictional resistance. ''I''d like to know more about the structure! You''re really getting into it! ''No, no, it''s not that I really need it, it''s just that if there''s one in this town, I''d like to make one...'' ...... ''I''ll make it!I''ll make it! I''ll make it!So why don''t you tell me the structure? ''No, you''re making a mold: ......'' ''I''ll make both of them!Hey, it''s a long day without sleep! ''Sleep well and take care of your skin, maiden before marriage! ''Even if you take good care of your skin, you won''t get any takers! ''You can''t just say that to yourself! Let''s work harder! You''re a pretty good one! It''s just that there are no good men around! ''''I think Norma, if you work a little harder, you''ll find someone soon. ''Huh?...... Really?Then I''ll go to bed!Three days and three nights! You''re not emotionally stable, are you? Ha-ha-ha. So this guy''s been up all night for a few days already, huh? That''s why I thought he was acting strange from the start. There were a few things I wanted to ask Norma to do, but ...... I can''t let her do too much. I''ll take care of it myself. ''Ah!Aaah!You just made a face like ''I''ll take care of it myself''! ''You''re sharp, aren''t you?Have you been sleeping so much that your senses have been sharpened? ''Don''t cry!If you don''t go through me, you''ll be crying for three days and three nights in front of the Sunken Pavilion! ''What kind of threat is that? ''Wait a minute, Yashiro-chan~'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!I''m not sure what to do. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the best way to get the most out of your time. I can hear the thick onnae words in my ear. ............ I''m suing you. ''You''re Norma. Recently, Yashiro has been neglecting me and I''ve been sulking. The failure of the first Tokodoru is still lingering in her mind, she said, "It''s because I''m not worthy, they won''t even take me seriously. ......" She drank a lot of herbal tea, which is good for the body. ...... I''m not sure what to do. ''You look like a healthy drinker. ''It''s hard for us to stay away from you!Our skin is ruined from being kept up all night. ''Don''t worry, even if your skin becomes clean, the negative effects are too great to even make you feel better. ''That''s not true!Look, look at my crying mole! ''I sincerely don''t care about that appeal point. Only beautiful women can look s*xy with a crying mole. A mole on the border of such a bristly beard is no different from a worm lodged in it. ''Hey, Yashiro-chan. We''re going to work like hell... no, we''re going to work and die, so let Norma do her job!You can rely on her! ''All right, don''t hug me as hard as you can!It''ll break!And don''t line up like you''re waiting in line, you pimps! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... What is this B-grade horror? I''m super scared. And I guess Norma really isn''t sleeping. He did not respond at all to the words of the munchkins. ...... If you ask her to work like this, she''ll collapse. ''Norma. ''What is it? Her eyes were blazing as she stared at me. ...... Most likely, he was comparing himself to Umaro. And since you''re trying to get the most out of Umaro again, ............ you''re going to need these guys to do their part as well. It''s a lot of work. ''Let''s improve DOKE-ru No. 1 together later. ''Together, right? ''Yeah. I''ll have a lot to say about it.'' ''You got it!With Yashiro, we''ll be all right! ''...... I''m telling you, you''re more of a specialist than I am, okay?It''s just a reference opinion, that''s all I can say. ''No, no, no, Yashiro!That''s not true! ''We can do our best just because you''re here, Yashiro! ''Yes, a mysterious power comes to me! ''What, is this love? No, no. You''re just ''thick''. ''If Yashiro-chan is here, Domoke-Ru No. 1 will work properly, I''m sure! ''As expected of Yashiro-chan!I can rely on you! I haven''t done anything yet. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. Maybe I shouldn''t, lend a hand! ''As usual, Yashiro is very popular. ............ ''Oh, Norma. Your pouty face is cute, but it''s very unpleasant, that opinion. Who needs a harem like this? I don''t want it. Oh, ....... I don''t know what''s going on here. ''Well, ......, leave the taiyaki molds to Norma, and divide us into two teams: one to make the bearings, and the other to fabricate a tube of metal that has high thermal conductivity and can withstand high temperatures. I''ll do whatever comes to my mind at this point. The word ''desperation'' was filling my brain. 305-Preparation for Episode 217 Banquet 3 Speaking of "banquet" outside, Hanami. So, I was talking with Jeannette about going to Millie''s tomorrow morning while we were closing up. There was a knock at the door of the sunny pavilion. Who is it at this hour? I had a bad feeling about this, but when I opened the door... ''Yashiro!The mold is finished! ''That was fast! You told me today and it''s already done? I''m starting to worry.I''m getting a little worried about the future of the Hardware Guild! Both of your eyes are bloodshot red--have you been up all night for three days in the last few hours?Don''t work so hard that you warp time and space... there was Norma, dazed. It seems that he''s been working very hard and has finished it in a super express. ''Gonsuke and the others were trying to make something interesting without me, you know. I just want to finish this one quickly and join them. Gonsuke is Norma''s "right tit" ......, or "right arm" as he''s known, and he''s a very skilled man. I can''t tell which one he is, or rather, I can''t tell because I don''t want to, but he seems to be skilled. So I taught him the simple structure of a bearing, and gave him a "roller bearing" that he could easily make. In Japan, it is easy to make high performance spheres, so we often see "ball bearings" with less friction surface. A sphere is that difficult. Therefore, I decided to use "roller bearings" in which cylinders are inserted between large and small cylinders. This requires a great deal of skill as well. But I''m sure they can handle it. ......, or rather, I''m sure Norma will do something about it, no matter what. ''Oh, but don''t worry about it. --The only thing I''m worried about is the growth of my breasts," said Norma, who is really worried about a lot of things, including her personal life. The only thing you need to worry about is the growth of your breasts. Poppin''! I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the accuracy of this mold, even though it was done in a very short time!I used all of my strength to make the mold. The surface is not too rough. He seems to be quite confident. Indeed, the surface of the mold is not rough, and it will bake beautifully without scorching or clogging during baking. The seam is also clean, so there is no problem. The type I ordered this time is a rectangular mold with eight sea breams in a row. The two symmetrical molds are firmly connected by hinges. The wooden handle has a good grip and is just what I ordered. ''I think I can make taiyaki without any problem with this. Thanks, Norma. ''It''s no problem at all!This is what I can do! ''Yeah, yeah, I know it''s great, so go to ...... and get some sleep. See? I''m so tired I can''t even stand to look at it. On my face. On my skin. My hair! If this keeps up, Norma''s fatigue will probably show up in her milk. We have to stop that at all costs! Tits are treasure!It''s the greatest treasure of mankind! ''Well, ...... you look a little tired indeed. ''I know, I know. ''Well, I''ll rest when I get my bearings. ''That''s a flag for never resting, isn''t it? When the bearing is finished, another job will come up and you''ll never get a day off!It''s the same structure as the negative chain of black companies! ''Ginette. Give Norma some hot milk with honey.'' ''Yes, sir. Norma, please sit there and wait a moment.'' I can''t stand the sight of her, so I give Norma a prescription. Hot milk to warm you up and make you sleepy. Diagnosis, lack of sleep. Treatment, let her sleep. No. ''I appreciate the sentiment, but I''m busy. I''ll leave you to it.'' ''Well, don''t say that. ''Ginette''s warm milk? ''Only Yashiro and Bekko''s idiot could catch a fish with that. That''s sweet!Usse and Mo''amat will jump at it. No, Mormat''s not so sure. ...... He''s been playing the ''nice neighborhood guy'' card with Jeannette. ...... So it''s just Use... ... ''Ugse, that''s disgusting! ''I don''t know, ...... but that''s probably an accusation. While we were talking about the obscene Use, Jeannette came back with hot milk. You''re early. So you''ve been preparing it with the intention of drinking it yourself. ''Miss Norma. I won''t take up much of your time, so please enjoy your drink. ''What''s wrong with ......, Mr. Manager? It''s after the store is closed. ''That''s not true, sir. The sunny pavilion is always waiting for you. No, we''ll turn you away after hours. It''s not good to provide more service than necessary to customers. A good relationship can be established only when there are certain restrictions. If you allow everything to be done, you will inevitably become lax. It is necessary to recognize that habituation and indulgence are the most dangerous factors that can destroy a good relationship. Sadly, when people become accustomed to the kindness of others, they tend to perceive it as a "natural right. Obligations and rights are things that need to be reaffirmed from time to time. ''Norma. When you get hot milk, I''ll give you hot milk in return. ......'' ''Come on, eat up.'' Before I could finish, Ginette interrupted me. ...... Did you do that on purpose?No, not just Ginette, no way. ...... ''Actually, I''m pretty good at warming up milk. ......'' ''It''s full of honey, so it''s very sweet and delicious. I wonder how often a coincidence happens twice in a row! The smiling face of Ginette. I don''t sense any malice. Am I imagining things or overthinking things? ...... ''This milk is delicious,'' ''Oh. But there''s a milk that''s even better. ...... It''s yours. ......'' ''Please repent.'' He gently chided me. Apparently, it wasn''t a coincidence. It''s very likely that Estella is helping you, since she won''t let you finish. ...... That flat-chested bastard, he told me something I didn''t need to know. ''Oh, ...... it''s delicious.'' While Ginette and I were fighting it out, Norma sipped her hot milk. She smiles with a relaxed expression, as if she is overflowing with happiness. Norma, who usually has a clear face, showed me this vulnerable expression, and it was a good expression that made me feel lucky to have seen it. ''It''s starting to warm up deep in my chest. ''Eh, which one? ''Yashiro-san. You can''t.'' He gently grabbed my outstretched arm. I''m not sure if it''s ...... another one of Estella''s tricks! ''''Petanko! ''What?What is it, all of a sudden? ''Something happened with Estella, didn''t it? I let out the indignation that filled my heart out the window. However, it is indeed a lord whose name comes up just from the word ''flat-chested''. His name recognition is unbelievable. ''Um, Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions, but I''m not going to answer them. ''In other words, if you''re going to rub her, do it seriously! I know what you mean, Jeannette! I understand the preciousness and divinity of holy breasts, and such caution is nonsense. I''m always serious and sincere about my tits. I don''t rub them just for fun. When I rub them, I risk my life! ''Oh, that ............ seriousness is ...... a bit,...... troubling.'' ......Hmm? ..................? Well, yeah, I guess so. Look, I... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.But holding Norma for three hours is a problem, right? Yeah. That''s true. That''s what I meant by "trouble. Yeah. Yeah. That''s what it means. ''...... I''m kidding. Don''t take it personally.'' ''Yes. ...... I knew that, didn''t I? What''s with the air? It''s so sweet! I''m sure you''ve put in too much honey.I''m not sure what to do.Yeah, I''m sure! So, Norma. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make a joke out of it,....... A joke to make it all go away. ......! ''...... soo ...... soo''. ''Hmm?'' I thought it was unusually quiet, but Norma was lying on the table asleep. She''s so crushed and ''squished! crushed. ......, but I can''t say anything right now. d*mn. Normally I could say something at a time like this! ''You''re really tired, aren''t you? ''You''re being too reckless, .......'' Norma is sleeping comfortably. I don''t think I''m going to wake up in a minute. ''What do you want me to do? ''I think it''s okay to let her sleep in the spare room, but ...... she''s not ready to get married.'' ''What?If that''s the case, Loretta, who often stays with us, is also a bride-to-be. Ginette is an idiot. ...... Norma is at a very delicate age. You can''t think of her in the same ''young girl''s way'' as Loretta. ''So, do you want me to carry her to your house, Norma? ''A piggyback ride, maybe! ''I don''t know, ...... Magda''s already gone to bed. ......'' Don''t go through with it! ...... d*mn. I think I''d better stop talking about milk today. I''m sorry. I''ll let you sleep over today. Well, it wouldn''t be the first time. It''s not like it''s the first time. We had a sleepover the other night. ...... on a day I''m not here! As I was thinking about this, I saw ...... Ginette staring at my face. ''Well,......, what is it? ''Oh, no,......, it''s nothing like that,......''. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... Well, if you interpret it in the right way, you''ll be happy to know that Ginette has finally woken up to that kind of crisis management... ...But whether it can be done properly when it is replaced by you is another story. ...... So this guy was worried like this when I was forced to spend the night at Imelda''s house. ...... You''re a worrier. You should use that anxiety to worry about yourself more. You show your vulnerable face every now and then. ''You should be thanking me, Jeannette. ''Huh?Oh, yes. I thank you every day for that. ...... But why now? That''s not what I meant. That''s not what I meant. I''m saying you should be grateful for my iron reason. ...... It''s a miracle I haven''t rubbed it in yet, you know. ''I''m going to the hardware guild. ''Now, sir? ''It''s Norma. I''m sure she''s told the bearing team that she''ll be back soon, so just wait for her. We can''t keep people waiting who won''t come back forever. ...... They''re sensitive to late nights and skin irritation. ''And by the way, if anyone wants to help me, I''ll have Norma brought home. It''s probably not a good idea for me to take Norma to her room where she lives alone. Norma is asleep and unlikely to wake up. But that''s no problem for the guys. They''re not going to make any mistakes. They''re girls, just like Norma. ...... Except for their looks and gender. ''Yashiro-san.'' A smile that seemed to envelop me stared at me. ''After all, Yashiro-san is kind.'' ''You''re an idiot, .......'' I just don''t want any strange rumors to start and have to take responsibility for them. If it was Loretta or Delia, you could just say ''no'', but ...... Norma... Oh no. It''s the right age. ''...... I''m a softie, aren''t I? ''d*mn. You''re just now realizing that, aren''t you?'' Ginette giggles, flashing her best smile of the day. ''Yeah, shut up. Whatever it is, I''m going to have to give Norma a stern talking-to when she wakes up. For being too reckless. For sleeping unprotected. What would have happened if this hadn''t been the Sunlit Pavilion ......, or if it had been the home of a man who had a thing for Norma ............? I''m sure he''s out there somewhere, and I can''t say that he''s not. If Norma wanted to stay overnight of her own volition, there would be no need to be so careful. But an unintentional overnight stay is ...... worrisome. More importantly, Norma is going to be very concerned about it. The one who is more maidenly than those bearded macho men is Norma, with her beautiful big tits. I guess you have to have a gap between your appearance and your spirit to join the hardware guild, don''t you? I''m off then. ''Well, I''ll take Norma to her room. She''ll catch a cold if she sleeps here. Even if the old man from the guild comes to pick her up, it would be better to put her to bed for now. I''ll leave Norma to Jeannette, and I''ll leave the store. ''Um, Yashiro-san. As I leave the store, Jeannette calls out to me. She looks a little flustered. ''It''s already dark, so please be careful. And--'' She folds her hands in front of her stomach and smiles that special smile that she only gives to me and Magda when she sees us off. ''I''ll prepare two cups of hot milk for you. They''re sweet, with lots of honey. I was going to tell her to go to bed, because I was going out and it would be late by the time I got back. ...... But apparently, she''s awake and waiting for me. Normally, he would have been in bed by now. ''Okay. I''ll hurry home. ''Yes, sir. We can''t let Jeannette stay up any longer than she has to. It might affect tomorrow''s breakfast, and now that the mold has arrived, we have to taste it. Ginette is going to be very busy tomorrow. Besides. Ginette''s a girl. If you stay up too late and your skin gets rough, you might ...... feel a little bad, you know. The cold weather is helping me run faster than I thought I would on the streets. I''m going to be cold when I get there and back, that''s for sure. ''I''m looking forward to ...... hot milk''. That''s what I muttered to myself as I ran through the night streets. This is what the hardware guild said to me when I arrived there. ''Oh, no, it''s so dramatic~a?? Yashiro, hang in there! I don''t know what''s dramatic and what''s not, but I clearly understood that the old men were not going to come for me. Put a slice of cucumber on your face and go to sleep, you old maids! ''So, they''re not coming for you. ''I see. But I''m glad. Ginette, sitting across from me, cradles a cup of hot milk in her hands. Her expression seems more mellow than usual, as if she is slumbering. If you lick it, you can almost taste the honey. ''Did you like it? ''Norma-san. You were sleeping so comfortably that I felt sorry for waking you up or moving you around. ''You spoil them regardless of whether they''re older or younger. ''That''s not true ........ You can say that about Yashiro-san, too. ''I''m strict with people of all ages. ''ugh ...... You better not make me angry in the future, Yashiro-san. I''ll give you a ''judgment of the spirits''. It''s easy to see who taught you that. You sound just like that flat-chested girl. ''Don''t talk like that, or your tits will deflate. ''My God. That''s terrible, Yashiro-san. The way you said it, it was obviously prefixed with the word ''to Estella-san''. I can tell by the way you said it. ''Hot milk tastes good after a long time, doesn''t it? ''Then I''m glad I made it. He sipped from the cup he had wrapped with both hands. Ginette sips the hot milk quietly. The way you drink is childish. ''Lately, I''ve only been learning about delicious food from Yashiro-san, so this is a great opportunity for me. ''What are you talking about? Your food is always good every day, isn''t it? ''...... Ah, thank you very much.'' What? I thought I always said it was delicious, but why are you embarrassed now? ''Lately, everyone has been trying their best to help Yashiro,......, and I was wondering what I could do,.......'' You''ve been thinking about that? ...... ''You know, Jeannette. You don''t have to work any harder than you already do because you''re a company animal. ''I''m not a company animal,......, but I''m trying. I''m not sure how long it''s been since I''ve been able to communicate with a company animal. You''re trying too hard with the ''forced translation magic''. I''m going to have you try out a few things tomorrow, and I''m going to need you to do a lot of work on the real thing. If Jeannette is feeling uneasy due to the pre-festival atmosphere, let me make it clear to her right here and now. ''It''s no exaggeration to say that almost 80% of this ''banquet'' depends on your cooking. ''Is it 80% ...... too? ''Maybe ............ sixty percent.'' ''Kush. I''m glad. I feel a little better now.'' Ginette shakes her shoulders, giggling. However, it is true that the outcome can be influenced by Jeannette''s cooking. A good meal can make a banquet more exciting. Not only the taste, but also the appearance is important. The more excited you are, the easier it is to close a business deal. A sense of unity and solidarity will be created when you are excited together. And then, taking full advantage of the buoyant atmosphere, I will force things to take the shape that I want them to take. That''s why I have to ask Ginette to make the most delicious dishes. ''There''s no need to get worked up. Just cook the way you like, as usual. ''If I can help you with that, Yashiro-san, then I will never be happier. No, there are other things that would make me happy. d*mn. You''re a food lover to a fault. ...... You''re sick. A kind of. ''And well, it doesn''t have to be special. You don''t have to make me a special meal on a special day, that''s fine. It''s not about that anymore. ''When I eat Jeannette''s cooking, I feel like I can do my best-- or rather, when I think ''Jeannette''s food is waiting for me when I''m done,'' I can do my best. So. It''s like hot milk right in front of you. If you have something to look forward to, you can do your best. I''m a simple guy like that, surprisingly. ''So, well, ...... don''t get so worked up. After he finished, there was a strangely long moment of silence. ............ What did I say again? I''m not sure. You''re sleepy, right?I''m sure you are! It''s a kind of, you know, sleep talking. The words just flew out of my consciousness on their own. ''You know, Jeannette. That was .......'' ''Yes.'' I was about to say, ''Not that one,'' but before I could, Ginette replied. ''Yes,'' she said. In a cheerful voice. ''I''ll keep cooking and waiting for you. So--'' Then, in a sweet tone of voice that she seems to have learned recently, she said these words. ''I hope you will continue to eat my cooking. If you say those words to Bertina, you''ll get a storm of tears and hugs for about two hours. But I''m not like those foodie sisters. I''m not like those foodie sisters. I''ll get the ''free food guaranteed, yay!'' feeling, but I won''t get the urge to hug her and be thrilled. I''m calm. I''m very calm. So I''ll reply calmly, coolly, and casually. ''...... Well. In moderation.'' ...... d*mn. Hot milk is awesome. I''m all warmed up now. My face is so hot ...... I feel like jumping into bed right now. ...... d*mn. After that, we immediately went to our bedrooms, because we didn''t want to interfere with tomorrow''s donation. Naturally, we went to our respective bedrooms, separately!...... I don''t have to tell you this, though. I got into bed, closed my eyelids, and fell asleep, remembering that ''Oh, yeah, Norma''s here. The next morning. ''Nuh-uh!Where am I? I woke up to a kind of imaginary voice. I''ll leave it to Ginette, not me, to convince Norma. Seeing her first thing in the morning was going to take things in a strange direction. With that in mind, I headed to the cafeteria ahead of the others. ''I heard it myself!I heard something about that!I heard that you gave the beautiful fox a drink that made her body warm and fuzzy, put her to sleep, and brought her to your bedroom to spend the night under the same roof until morning!I can''t leave you in the corner, you know! --He was annoying me first thing in the morning. Who did you tell this guy? You''ve been twisting the truth with your facts again. '''''''' Congratulations, Norma! '''''''' It''s morning and their beards are thick! ''Of course nothing happened. ......'' ''Hey, Yashiro! ...... How manly were you, Norma? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do.I''m not.No, no, no!I''m not sure what to say.I''m not usually this careless. ......?Why are you all here? Norma must have jumped down after Ginette explained to her what had happened. She was trying to make excuses for me and found muscles and a goatee lurking near the door. ...... That would be the worst way to wake up. ''''We--'''' ''''''--We''re here to celebrate! ''''''We''re leaving!Please leave now! Apparently, telling those old men what happened had the opposite effect. I shouldn''t have gone to ....... ''Well then, Norma. We''ll be waiting for you at the workshop. ''Tell us all about it! ''Let''s make bearings togethera??'' ''...... oucha??'' I wonder what the last guy was embarrassed about. If you have a sense of shame, you should first be ashamed of your own existence. ''......A,I can''t go to the workshop today,......'' Norma holds her knees in the corner of the store. I''m sure you''re right. I think it''s the spirit gods talking. ''Get some rest. Think of it that way and take it easy for the rest of the day. That''s why Norma suddenly decided to work as a clerk for a day at the Sunshine Pavilion. I tried to give the job to Regina, who was smiling all the time, but she ran away. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''...... In times like these, leave it alone. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Until Norma comes back, we''ll leave her alone. But don''t forget to leave him alone once in a while because he gets lonely. ...... We''re not a rehab facility, you know. 306-Preparation for Episode 218 Banquet 4 It''s so cute! Norma''s back. So simple. Norma had been depressed to the point of not wanting to go back to the Hardware Guild and not being able to work at the store as a temporary clerk, but she was back in a good mood relatively soon after she started making taiyaki prototypes. By the time the first batch was baked, she was dancing the taiyaki dance with Loretta. ...... Don''t develop a strange dance. ''Yashiro-san. I like this dough. The dough for taiyaki may look the same, but in fact the way it is made differs from store to store and region to region. Therefore, it was necessary to discuss with Ginette the best dough for the Sunlit Pavilion. Apparently, there was one that suited Ginette''s glasses. ''I like them all. Not surprisingly, all the mass-produced prototypes ended up in Bertina''s stomach. No, well, we''ve eaten a piece or two ourselves. It''s just a taste. ''It''s a new ...... soggy ...... dish made with wheat, so it''s ...... chunky ...... It''s a new dish that uses wheat ...... crunchy ...... and needs to be properly screened ...... to make sure it doesn''t fall under the category of bread. I''m not sure what to make of that. It is obvious that they are not baked in a stone oven, so they do not fall under the category of "bread" as defined by the Church. Also, it''s not ''puffy''. ''I like this too!The surface is crispy, but when you bite into it, the dough inside is glutinous and fluffy, with a hint of this unique aroma, and the sweet but intense flavor of the anko that appears at the end as if it were the star of the show. ...... It''s addictive. ''......Delicious'' Loretta and Magda were equally impressed, though they gave opposite lengthy comments. This is not the same as the last pancake. This is a brand new product. ''I love the crunch around it!It''s like a freebie! Norma was pleased. The crunchy bits around the taiyaki would be classified as a favorite of children. I liked it too. ''Um, is the batter for this one ...... this one? ''No, this is the dough. There are several patterns of dough on the cooking table. One with only flour, sugar and water. One with baking soda. One with an egg. One with egg yolk only. One with honey instead of sugar, and so on. Ginette said she liked the one with baking soda, eggs and honey. The baking soda makes the dough porous and crispy on the surface and fluffy on the inside. The baking soda makes the dough porous and crispy on the surface and fluffy on the inside. The sweetness of the dough seems to prefer honey to sugar. I guess it depends on your taste. The Imagawa-yaki shop in the 40th district uses sugar. If my taste buds are right. ''I was thinking of making it look like Imagawa-yaki dough at first, but I went over ...... ......, didn''t I? The last line is whispered in a whisper, as if to be told secretly only to those who are here. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. I was hoping to have it at the Sunlit Pavilion as well, but I guess I''ve gone beyond that. If that''s the case, I''m worried about the smell of baking soda. People don''t like it, you know. ''I like that smell! ''...... Magda can get used to .............'' ''I like it a lot, too. I think it''s an unpleasant scent. ''I like it too. If we exclude Bertina''s opinion, which is not helpful, it seems to be generally fine. It may not be popular, though. The smell of baking soda is quite peculiar, and some of the food I ate as a kid smelled like baking soda. Some of the foods I ate when I was a kid smelled like baking soda. The "brine" used in ramen is one of them, and I have been so taken by the smell that I don''t feel like eating ramen unless I can smell it. Some people who like the smell become addicted to it, and recently some people say that it stinks. This smell is a kind of gamble. Well, in the case of taiyaki, the smell is not that bad, so you can get by. Unless you have a nose as good as ...... Magda''s. ''Ah ...... this is the scent of tai ......''. ''No, Norma. It''s the scent of baking soda.'' I''ve become strangely fond of taiyaki, Norma. You shouldn''t rub your cheeks on them when they''re freshly baked. Your cheeks are getting red. The heat. ''...... I thought the main ingredient of Imagawa-yaki was bean jam, but ...... Magda was still sweet.'' ''That''s right!It''s the dough!The dough is what makes it delicious!I''m not going to use bean jam anymore!I''ll release it as a plain taiyaki! ''No, I''ll add bean jam. What the heck is a plain taiyaki? It''s almost a pancake! ''Um, Yashiro-san! Leaving the other members of the group who were having a good time eating the prototypes, Ginette came up to me with a serious, yet glittering expression. ''Why don''t you try using syrup for the bean jam?I''m sure it''ll give you a smoother texture! This guy seems to be completely turned on. ''I''ve always felt that the sweetness of Anko is a little stinging, but I think that adding syrup will make it milder. Anko and syrup is a rather major idea in Japan, but ...... he got there with just his taste buds and his own knowledge. ...... This guy is amazing. ''Yashiro, I have a suggestion too! Bertina raises her hand cheerfully in defeat of Ginette. ''If you have syrup, pour a lot of it on top of this! ''You''re ruining the texture! Are you Magda? As soon as he saw the pancake, he poured a lot of honey all over it. This taiyaki is the first time he''s paid attention to the dough. The world will expand when they understand the benefits of ''subtle sweetness''. The world of food will continue to expand infinitely in Bertina''s hands, I''m sure. She has a palate for both slightly sweet and too sweet. ''Huh?What are you doing, Norma? Suddenly, Loretta raises her voice loudly. When she looked at Norma to see what was going on, she saw that she was eating a taiyaki as usual. ''It''s a pity you''re biting into it head first! It was ....... ''Pitiful''. No matter where you eat it from, taiyaki is not ''pitiful''. You should eat it from the tail because it''s shaped like a fish!That''s the way it should be! With that, Loretta took a bite of the taiyaki from the tail. ''Ouch, that hurts!That hurts!It looks more painful visually, don''t you think? The fact that the face remains until the end makes it possible to see the snapper''s body being devoured. I think it''s more ''pitiful'' too. ''...... Neither of you understand. When you eat a fish, you bite off its throat first. ''You''re too wild, Magda! ''That''s the worst way to eat a fish, isn''t it? The taiyaki that Magda bit off was truly connected by the skin of its neck. Predation, indeed. ''...... We should ask the manager for his opinion. ''Yes, you should!I''m sure the manager will show us the best way to eat it! ''Manager, please tell me!Tell me the right way to eat Taiyaki! ''What?What? ......to......'' Ginette glanced at me and asked for help. But there''s no right way to eat a taiyaki. You can eat it any way you like. So there''s nothing I can say to her. Ginette shook her head and raised her eyebrows in annoyance. Then, as the three of them crowded around her, she slurred and gave them her own answer. ''Well, first of all, I''ll grate it into three pieces. ......'' ''You''re denying all taiyaki! If you grate a taiyaki into three pieces, it''s dough, bean jam, and dough. Eat them together!Enjoy the harmony! ''As with anything, the best manner is to eat well. Don''t meddle in other people''s manners. Unless it''s a breach of etiquette at a prestigious restaurant, you should concentrate on your own food without worrying about others. Especially, taiyaki is a common snack. You shouldn''t expect rules and manners even for such a thing. ''That''s right. The best thing is for people to eat them as they like, with good taste. ''...... has a point.'' ''Well, then, I''ll try it from the head up! ''No matter how you eat it, the cuteness and taste of the taiyaki won''t change. ''Yes. They''re very tasty. ...... munch munch.'' Now everyone understands. I''d say ......, Bertina. Please don''t hold one in each hand and eat it all at once. It makes me feel sad because of the gap between your innocent appearance and me. I''d be happier if you ate it more prettily. I''m about to swallow it whole. ''Eat as you like, that''s the rule of taiyaki! ''...... sunlit pavilion recommended'' ''The Hardware Guild is on board with that rule! Strangely hot. The Taiyaki Alliance was born here. ''Well, I guess I''ll make the next one. After a lecture on how to do it, Ginette did most of the cooking. Magda, Loretta, and even Norma wanted to try it, so I let them try one at a time. I just watched the whole second half. I think it''s time. Taiyaki is more than just bean jam. Taiyaki is a more global food. There are many theories as to why taiyaki became popular in the U.S., such as that a popular American band became addicted to it and brought it back to Japan, or that it was popularized by anime. The American version of taiyaki is not filled with bean jam, but with bacon. In Japan, there is also a product called "Okonomiyaki Taiyaki" on the market. Taiyaki is not only sweet! The batter is made without sugar or honey, put on the griddle, topped with chopped cabbage and bacon, and baked with a generous amount of sauce. It''s Okonomiyaki Taiyaki in the style of Yodamari-tei! Come on, try it! I''m expecting a chorus of ''yummy yummy yummy! ''...... wicked'' ''Big brother. Taiyaki has its own rules. ''I imagined it would be sweet, but my mouth was surprised when I ate it! ''Hey you guys!Isn''t the rule for taiyaki to be eaten as you like? What''s with this flip-flop? After all, even the residents of District 42 are trapped in their own stereotypes. I can''t strongly criticize the BU, not like this. You can''t criticize BU too strongly. But it tastes good if you think of it this way. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t get enough of it. ''Yashiro-san!Have another one! The only one who understood the usefulness of okonomiyaki taiyaki was this foodie sister. ''Bertina!You''re the heart and soul of me! ''Honya!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to make the most of your time here. I''m not sure what slowed me down! I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to do. ''......Why is it that my chest......No, my stomach is full.'' ''How can that be!You''ve only eaten about seven servings! ''No, it''s because ...... Yashiro-san says strange things. ......'' You''re not! I''ll eat it for you!It''s delicious in its own way! Ginette''s straining herself. No, it''s fine. You don''t have to force me to eat it. ...... I like it, okonomiyaki taiyaki. I''ll just eat it by myself. ''Pfft, that''s it. ''Haaaa ...... Yashiro is sulking, it''s kind of cute! ''Only the ...... manager thinks it''s cute.'' ''The manager sometimes has a strange switch. ''......Perhaps it''s airborne. Hey, come on, Magda. ''What do you mean, "airborne"? Don''t look at me like that. Well, but... I''m not sure how many different kinds we''ll need. I think the best thing to do is to start with orthodox bean jam and make it well known. It would be best to increase the number of variations. ''You can also add uguisu-an, matcha-an, custard cream, chocolate cream, and so on. ''...... That''s interesting. ''I really want you to make it! ''I''d love to try custard! Didn''t you guys say something about rules and wickedness?Hmm? ''Anyway, we won''t lift the ban on other flavors until the taste of Anko is stable and established. We have to gain popularity with Anko first.'' And they denied us okonomiyaki taiyaki too! ''I''ll sell .......'' ''I''ll do my best!For the custard! ''Oh, I''ll help you too!I''ll get my people to buy it, too! ''I''ll bring in ...... Delia.'' ''That''s great!Delia-san can afford four hundred of them! ''If we sell that many, we''ll have custard! You guys are so united for the sake of sweets. And that''s not ''stable'' or ''established''. Oh, that''s right. Speaking of Ms. Delia. Ginette popped her hand with a taiyaki. The taiyaki, its tail plucked, sways, and a large bulge sways in the background. ''Hmm ...... shaking.'' ''Which one is it?'' ''...... stupid question.'' ''I don''t need to ask. The questions and answers come from behind me at a brisk pace, but I ignore them. Ginette is looking at me as if she wants to say something. I have to listen to her. ''It''s polite to make eye contact when listening to someone, but if you''re too shy to make eye contact, just look at the bottom of your neck, right? ''It''s just above the nose! ''...... It''s even ruder to stare at her breasts. ''That''s the reason you should be embarrassed. The answers to my questions are coming back at a brisk pace, but I''ll ignore them. What fun is it to look at the top of your nose? ''So, what''s wrong with Delia? ''Um, Yashiro-san ......, can you raise your gaze a little more?'' ''Sorry. My gaze is stuck in the valley and I can''t seem to get out.'' ''Yashiro-san...'' When I looked up at the slightly stronger tone of voice, I saw that Jeannette had both cheeks puffed out. I''m not sure if I''ve done anything good.I feel like I''m getting some kind of reward right now. If there is something puffy in front of you, it is human nature to want to push it. ...... I crushed both cheeks with my thumb and forefinger. With a ''puff'', air leaked from Jeannette''s mouth, and her face turned bright red. ''Squishy!Oh, God, oh, God!What are you doing?I''m angry with you, mmm! Huh?I think I''ve done something good. Something very cute is unfolding before my eyes. It''s not easy to see a man''s face so loose. ......'' ''......The manager''s every move, everything he does, is a moe factor. ''The unconsciousness is even more heinous.'' ''I''m sorry. Please don''t say anything strange to me. I''m angry. Ginette, the self-proclaimed ''healer'' of anger. Norma looks as if she is being healed from the fatigue she has accumulated at work. Perhaps negative ions are being emitted from Ginette. ''Mmm!I''m not going to tell you that Delia-san came to tell me that the rotation of the rowing waterwheel is getting worse and it''s starting to rattle. ''What, is the rowing waterwheel already rattling? ''Ya, Yashiro-san, how did you know about that? ''What?I don''t think the manager is this natural. ''...... Norma is underestimating the manager''s naturalness.'' ''The manager''s naturalness is the best in the forty-two districts. ''No, that''s not true! As I expected, the longer you stay with Jeannette, the more you see her naturalness, and Magda and Loretta seemed to have understood that as well. I''m sure he did a lot of things even when I wasn''t around. I can easily imagine. ''Ginette ......, you''re number one. ''No, I''m not! Mmmm, waving her arms and bobbing her taiyaki, Ginette. ''It''s true that I''m a bit ...... laid back, but ......''. A little ......? ''But, but, but the sisters! ''Mogu!I''m not sure what to do. Oh, yeah. Bertina''s pretty good too, isn''t she? Especially when she thinks she can deny it by ''mugging''. ''Mogumogu...... Gokun. I''m not as ditzy as Jeannette. ''Sister used to hit her head on the ''Caution Overhead'' sign! Wow, she''s ditzy. ''Oh, so did Ginette. When she went outside to put away her futon, the sun felt so good that she wanted to take a walk along the street. ''''You''re a doofus! ''So are the sisters! ''I''ll stop, both of you. ...... Yashiro is somewhat soothed.'' ''Huh? ''Ya, Yashiro. Please don''t laugh!I''m not a doofus! ''I''m not an ochotokochokochokochoko!'' Bertina is too dumb to say ''ochotokochokochoko'' properly. What is it with this mother and daughter? It''s soothing to watch. ''...... if such healing episodes exist for Norma, too. ......'' I''m sure. I''ve heard that men are susceptible to such things. ......'' I''m not sure what you''re trying to say, Magda and Loretta. For some reason, Norma is pissed off. But I''d like to hear about Norma''s ditzy episodes. Now, let''s hear them! ''Let''s see, ...... I was trying to put flowers in the bathroom before...'' ''...... is a high level of tchotchkes that mistook the character. ''Bewitching and fairy tale can''t coexist! ''Shut up!I don''t care about that! It''s the fairy-tale s*xy Norma. I''m sure she didn''t stop at ''decorate with flowers'', she went as far as ''fill up''. ...... She''s a bit of a dilettante. ''I got a little carried away, and the next thing I know, the bathroom is covered in flowers. ......'' What? ''And ...... a few weeks later, when the flowers withered, ............ a great many insects ...... followed. What? ''''''Geez! I just imagined it! I got a huge creepy-crawly! ''''It''s beyond the scope of doodling! ''...... Magda will never use the bathroom in Norma''s house again.'' ''No, you''re not!You wanted to bring out your own colors, so you asked Millie''s permission to go into the forest to pick them.When I was picking flowers as I wanted, Millie told me later that there were a lot of flowers that attracted insects. ......'' ''I don''t need a detailed explanation! ''...... Norma, step away for a moment.'' Magda and Loretta stepped away from Norma. I take a half-step back, too. I''m creeped out. ''It didn''t heal me at all. ''...... The clear difference between you and the manager can be seen in that. ''There''s a reason why I''m single even though I''m beautiful, good-natured and have big tits. ''...... natural is harmful when it exceeds the level of smiling. ''I''ve heard a lot about you, haven''t I? Unexpectedly, I caught a glimpse of Norma''s secret. There''s a certain range of naturalness that can be tolerated, isn''t there? Yeah. ''After all, the manager is number one. ''...... queen-of-natural'' ''I''m not happy about that! ''You should be proud of a harmless natural! ''I''m not proud! ''...... walking moe element'' ''That''s not true! ''The strongest boobs. ''Yashiro-san, please repent! It''s just me again ...... It''s also a good idea to watch Ginette''s face turn red after being teased ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... After that, Ginette, in order to hide her embarrassment, Bertina, in order to regain her energy, and Norma, in order to heal her wounded heart, each took a bite of the taiyaki at the same time. Taiyaki may have a calming effect on the mind. No, I don''t think so. 307-Preparation for Episode 219 Banquet 5 With Magda as the leader, Loretta as the chief strategist, and Norma as the guardian, the team has been able to run the shop to a certain extent. It is surprising that the store can run with those members. Although, it was only because of Ginette''s preparation. ''It''s been a while since Yashiro-san and I walked around here together. Ginette is standing next to me, looking happy. It''s been a while since I''ve taken Ginette out when I''ve had to work. ''Oh, look, Mr. Yashiro. I just saw a small fish. Ginette is pointing to the waterway that runs beside the field and is excited. The water in the canal seems to be flowing steadily at the moment. Looking at this place alone, the water shortage seems to be a lie. ''Everyone!You''re getting better! ''I''m full of it! ''Dashi-makudashi! ''Dashi oshikimi! As I was thinking this, I saw Ginette waving at the Ham kids who were helping Mormat in the field. She''s so excited, as if everything she sees is fun. By the way, the hamsters are fitting in well. At first they were limited to a part of the outer wall, but now you can see them in almost every field. They''ll help you if you ask, you know. In addition, if they are enthusiastic about their work, have a certain level of skill, and above all, are fun to be with, they will be sought after. I wonder if they are getting paid properly. ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro!There''s a pickaxe! ''You''re eating too much grass! I can''t move forward at all. Every time I take a step forward, I find something and am drawn to it. I need to take her out more often, I guess. ''I''m sorry. I was just having fun. ''No, it''s perfectly fine if you''re enjoying yourself. ''By the way, weren''t you going to Millie''s store?This is the direction .......'' I had promised to go to Millie''s store with her last night, but there was something I wanted to stop by before that. ''Let me go to Delia''s first. ''That''s a rowing water mill, isn''t it? ''Yes. If we leave that one unattended, people might get hurt. Delia wouldn''t think of something like ''it''s dangerous, let''s not use it'' anyway. She''s more of a ''hit it and fix it'' kind of person. If he does, it''s a big problem. When he hits something, most of them are wrecked. As the warm sunshine pours down on us, we slowly make our way to the river. On the way, Ginette seemed to be enjoying herself from beginning to end as she ate her way through the streets. If you have a lunch box, it''s a perfect picnic, isn''t it? ''-a?a'' You can''t sing a nursery rhyme seriously at your age, so you try to play it off, but Ginette refuses to give up, and the two of you end up walking to the river singing a nursery rhyme together. I hope she doesn''t start asking me to teach the kids in the church. As soon as we reached the riverside, we spotted Delia. She was right at the waterwheel. It''s a good thing we don''t have to move much. ''Oh!Yashiro~!Manager too! Delia shouted and waved at us from afar. Some kids are crowding around our feet. It seems that the foot-powered waterwheel is still popular. Well, there are a lot fewer of them now than in their heyday. ''Have you come to do the waterwheel?Why don''t you line up in order? ''I''ll line up. Why do I have to stand in line with the kids and say ''hahaha''? ''Delia-chan. We can come back later, okay?'' ''Oh, really?I''m glad, Yashiro. You can do it first.'' ''No. I wasn''t looking for that kind of consideration. I wasn''t looking for owner''s privilege to be given priority, I was. I mean, who''d want to get wet like this? ''I heard it''s rattling. ''Oh!You''ve come to fix it? There''s no other way. I don''t come here to play. ''Well, I''m not here to fix it, I''m here to diagnose it. Probably the shaft supporting the waterwheel has worn out. I will check its condition and order a new shaft from Imelda if necessary. If there''s a problem other than the shaft, we''ll have to replace that one. If that''s the case, we''ll have to ask Umaro to look at it. ''I was going to ask Umaro to look at it, but he doesn''t listen to people. ''Look him in the eye and listen to me! And while I was chasing him around, the sun was setting. Well, that''s what happens. You and Oumalo. Umaro''s sick, Delia doesn''t know compromise, and it''s not every day two people are so incompatible. ''So I had Omero call this morning, but he said he had to prepare a stall and he couldn''t make it today. Well, it''s bad timing. What I''m more interested in is ...... ''And what about Omero, who failed in his mission? ''Hmm?Yeah, Omero would be upstream right now at ............, but that''s not important, is it? It''s sinking! It''s washed up! I''m sure there''s no deep meaning to it, but it makes me very nervous when people muddle the conversation there. I''m sure there''s no deep meaning to it, but it makes me very uneasy to hear you talk about it! Ginette added with a smile. When did you get this information? ...... There''s no point in catching it now. I''m sure you''re right.Speaking of snapper... She seemed to want to show off her work. ''I''ve just finished a new dish. Please try it. ''Oh, is that okay?Wow, a new dish, I''m looking forward to it.'' ''It''s more of a snack than a dish, but...'' ''Are you sure?Yes!Can I open it? When I heard it was a snack, my excitement quadrupled. Well, I thought you''d react that way, so I brought it. ''Oh!What''s this? Delia''s eyes sparkled as she opened the lunch box that Ginette had handed her. Inside are a bunch of taiyaki. Half of them are for Millie. ''They''re so cute! She grabs one of the taiyakis and holds it up in front of her face. Yeah. Delia doesn''t seem to think it''s ''too cute to eat'' either. I don''t know what the difference is between a bunny apple and a taiyaki, but I think the taiyaki is safe to sell. ''This shape is ............ salmon! ''It''s a sea bream! ''No, but it has eyes and scales. Any fish can have those! ''The gill cover looks just like a salmon''s.'' ''Look at the whole thing! You don''t have a squat jaw, do you? It''s not long and thin, is it? ''It''s called taiyaki. ''Taiyaki?Wouldn''t salmon yaki be better? ''There''s no salmon in it, that''s why! ''Hello, there. I''m a salmon. ''Who are you imitating? He brought a taiyaki in front of his face and recorded it like a ventriloquist. For a moment, his voice reminded me of a dreamland in Chiba. ''Anyway, it''s not salmon, it''s sea bream. ''What the ...... hell, salmon is definitely better. ............ I''ve lost interest in eating it.'' ''Don''t say that, just one, please.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. She takes one in her hand and brings it to Delia''s mouth. She tilts her head and takes a bite of the taiyaki. --at that moment. ''Yum!What the hell is this?It''s so good! No, what the hell is this? ...... I told you it was a taiyaki, didn''t I? ''Whoa!This one''s good too!This one''s good too! Delia bit into the taiyaki in her hand, bit into the taiyaki in her lunch box, and shouted at each one. They all tasted the same. ''Huh~!I like this! Opinion, ''Kurun! You turned it upside down. Your opinion flipped about 900 degrees. Two and a half turns. ''Oniichan! ''Hey, girl! The kids are swarming around our feet. Of course, they''ll want some when they''re being eaten right in front of us. ''Hey, you guys, eat up!I''ll share it with you! Surprisingly, Delia shared the sweet with others. I couldn''t believe my eyes for a second. Delia must be nice to kids. If it had been Omero, I would have dunked him in the river ahead of time to prevent him from taking ...... it. ''''Is it good?'''' ''''''Oishii!'''''' ''''That''s right. Good for you, manager!'''' ''''Yes, sir. Everyone, please chew your food well. ''''''Yes! And just like that, all the taiyakis that had been packed in the lunch box disappeared. ......, hey! ''Ahhh, Millie''s portion is ......''. ''Let''s go back and bake again. Right? If I''d taken Millie first, this wouldn''t have happened. ''Oh ...... for the ladies......'' ''For the sisters: ......'' A group of young children with bean paste around their mouths suddenly show a downcast look. Apparently, they felt guilty because they were the only ones who had eaten good food and there was not enough for Bertina and the older kids in the church. ...... I wonder why, under that Bertina, such a child would grow up with such a ''I wish I could have shared my food with her'' mentality. ......... ...or is it an anti-science teacher? I mean, Bertina''s already eaten. I''m sure you''re right. It''s not as if she didn''t tell the kids about it. ...... ............ Oh, I see. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in your work. It''s brainwashing. ''Everyone loves to see the sisters happy face. Ginette followed up with that, whether she knew what I was thinking or not. After that, she crouched down to meet the eyes of the kids and said as if she was talking to them. ''It''s okay. Then, she glances over at you. ''Hey, Yashiro-san. His eyes look at me as if he wants to say something. Stop it. Don''t look at me with those eyes. ...... d*mn it. ''The elders and Bertina are going to the feast. You can eat it there and we''ll sell it at the Sunshine Pavilion after the party. You can always eat it. ''''''Really? Yeah. It''s a privilege for those who stay at home. You can taste it first if you want.'''' ''''Then, can I call the other kids who are staying at home too? ''.................. Well, after dinner, I guess. ''''''Yay! I''m sorry. I ended up treating myself to a taiyaki. Oh, man. It''s always like this when I get involved with Jeannette. He must be driving my senses, crisis detection, and other antennas to malfunction. Jesus, Jeannette, ...... I don''t even like kids. ...... ''Haha. Yashiro really does have a soft spot for kids, doesn''t he? ''Yes, he does.'' What''s so funny, Delia? What are you laughing at, Jeannette? You''ve got it all wrong. You''re a crying child and a crying demon impostor, what am I? You don''t know what you''re doing. I don''t care if you get hurt sooner or later. ...... I feel like I''m the only one who''s getting hurt. This world is unreasonable. I''m sure it''s the spirit god''s twisted personality that''s to blame. I''m sure it is. ''So, what''s the rowing waterwheel like? ''Oh, yeah. It''s been terrible lately. While the kids were doing their best to tell Jeannette what they thought of the taiyaki, Delia and I checked the rowing wheel. They say it''s rattling. ''I guess it''s easier to see it than to explain it. Yashiro, take a poke at it. ''Who would paddle a broken waterwheel? I don''t want to get wet, I do. ''Well, ...... hey, someone. Give me a paddle. ''Yes! The kid who had been waiting for his turn earlier came running up to me, grabbed Norma''s handrail, and started to row the waterwheel. The waterwheel, which began to turn with the sound of water, shook violently in the middle. The kid who was on the waterwheel was shaken a lot. ''Oh, that''s dangerous .......'' ''Don''t worry, manager. Delia stopped Ginette, who was about to run up to her, shouting involuntarily. It''s more dangerous to get too close. I''ve fallen a few times myself. ''Yeah, is that so? ''Yeah. Besides, you know.'' ''Hahahahaha!I''m going to gatecrash! ''......?'' ''It sure looks ...... fun, doesn''t it? The waterwheel rattles and shakes in certain places. But... This is dangerous. ''A while ago, there were a lot of older kids here, and we used to compete to see who could row the fastest. ''They used to do that? ''Ah!I was the absolute champion! ''You were in it too? And you look like you''re not taking it easy at all, that face. ''But people haven''t been coming since it started to rattle. Delia hugs down the kid who enjoyed the rowing waterwheel and pats the unmanned waterwheel. She looks lonely. I wonder if she was looking forward to playing with the kids here. ''Norma made a playground equipment called "DOKKERU-NANCA", which is fun to play with, but it''s completely lost its popularity to the other side. ''That''s not playground equipment! Is it getting such a strange popularity? I mean, you should at least learn "No.1"!I can see the hostility in your eyes! ''So, Yashiro!Fix the waterwheel and regain the children''s popularity once again! ''You''re changing your mind too much! I built this waterwheel at your request to solve the water shortage, you foot-powered waterwheel! Have you forgotten? I bet you''ve forgotten, already! ''Yashiro-san. I think this situation is a bit dangerous, so if you can manage it,.......'' ''No, I''ll fix it if I can. ''Are you sure!Thank you very much.'' For some reason, Jeannette thanked me. I guess it''s a sign of her desire to protect the kids of the church from danger, but ...... you don''t have to be so pleased with yourself. ''Well, let me have a look. I forbid you to approach the water mill because it is dangerous. If you get too close, you might fall into the river. ...... me. Delia might try to turn the waterwheel without warning. Who''s to say that won''t happen?No one?That''s who Delia is. No offense. She''s a free-spirited person. That''s why ...... scares me. ''Whoa!...... What the hell is this?'' I walked around to the side of the waterwheel and peered into the bearings to find that the part that touched the shaft was charred black. ...... It''s a waterwheel?I''m not sure what to make of it. The shaft of this waterwheel is made from a single thick piece of cypress. The bearings that support it are made of two V-shaped wooden parts. The shaft is placed on a V-shaped piece of wood, and a V-shaped piece of wood is placed over the shaft from the other side to support the shaft with a diamond-shaped hole. Since the shaft is a cylinder and the bearing is a rhombus, the ground contact area between the two is reduced and friction is relatively suppressed. However, this is a very primitive bearing structure. Nevertheless, this level of bearing should be sufficient for a simple rowing waterwheel like this one. It is not a waterwheel that is in constant motion, and it does not generate speed or load as much as a carriage wheel. What I didn''t calculate was the power of Delia and the kids, who were turning the wheel so vigorously that the ...... water-soaked axle was scorching from the heat, and their inability to take it easy. ''You''re overreacting,'' he said. ''Well, kids always go all out. I can''t help it.'' ''You, you!You''re the fastest queen on the waterwheel! ''Haha. Don''t give me that compliment, Yashiro. It''s embarrassing. That''s not a compliment. ...... The shaft was carbonized and the bearing was warped by the unexpected load. The outer circumference of the shaft, which was no longer a circle, and the distorted bearings were the cause of the ''gapping''. ''This is going to require a major repair. ''What?Umaro''s busy, isn''t he?What are you going to do, Yashiro?'' This guy ...... is like a stranger. ''It''s true that Umaro is busy, and Torbek''s carpenters are more focused on building new things, so they might not be too keen on our repairs. ...... So, Delia. I want you to help me. You''re partly responsible for the failure of this waterwheel, and you have to take responsibility for it. ''What do you want me to do?I''m telling you, I can''t fix it.To tell you the truth, I''m not very good at this kind of detail work. ''It''s rare to find a sentence that doesn''t use the word ''actually'' in it, I know, I understand that very well. ''If I let Delia fix it, it''s going to rattle even more than the chairs in the old Sunlit Pavilion. ''I''m not going to ask Delia and Jeannette to do the carpentry. ''Huh!...... That''s terrible, Yashiro. It''s true, I''m not very good at carpentry either, but ......'' ''Hmmm. Would you like me to teach you sometime, manager? ''Please don''t. Ginette wants to do everything she learns.'''' ''No, that''s not true! I hurriedly denied it, but it was not convincing at all. There are precedents for this, such as Mapo Aubergine and pancakes. If you are into Sunday carpentry with Delia, the ...... Sunlit Pavilion may collapse. I''m not going to take that risk. What I''m going to do is a safe, reliable, and easy way to use it. ''There''s one carpenter I''d like you to get for me. ''What?But you''re busy, aren''t you?Omero said that the carpenters looked like they were on edge. Are the people in Torbek full of livestock too? They''re all greedy for new technology, aren''t they? ''Indeed, the carpenters nowadays may be on edge. They''re probably preparing stalls for the banquet, and their expectations for the new work are high. ''Then, even if I go, won''t I just be rejected again? ''Don''t worry. Just do as I say and go talk to the person I pick.'' ''Well, if Yashiro says it''s okay, then so be it. And so, I gave Delia my ''best kept secret''. With this, the waterwheel will be repaired as soon as possible. And at a reasonable price. They''ll pay for the materials. --A few minutes later. ''Thank you for the appointment, Miss Delia! A tall, slender carpenter bowed deeply to Delia. The carpenter''s name was Gooziya. Ever since I was struck by Delia''s waitress outfit, I''ve been basically a Delia fan, even if I am occasionally dazzled by her big tits. When he first met her, he was a helpless guy with a habit of evading and running away, but recently he''s been working harder than anyone else and is working so diligently that Umaro swears that ''his skills have gotten a bit better''. He is now a man who can confidently call himself a member of the Torbek construction company. ''I''m going to work like hell for Delia! The words ''for Delia''s sake'' may have been in his mind, but they were blotted out on his face. He''s so easy to understand. ''Hey, Yashiro. Umaro turned me down, but when I told him what Yashiro said, he said yes right away. Why? ''You know, Delia. There is a great power in this world that can make the impossible possible. That''s love. Love is good. Love is precious. Because nothing is as easy to use as love to ensnare others. Most con artists use love to line their pockets. A simple guy like Gushya will eat you alive. It''s not that easy. ''But Umaro is terrible, isn''t he? I asked him to do something for the kids today, and he refused.It''s unthinkable. ''I''m sure Umaro feels exactly the same way, ...... in the opposite way. The word "today" raises the bar. I''m sure that Umaro would have undertaken the repairs if only he had been given time to complete them. He''s not the kind of guy who picks and chooses his work. But I can''t take on the repair of the waterwheel when I have another job coming up. It''ll take time. Maybe a week. Trubek''s people are busy preparing for the feast. Preparations for the feast are top priority. But that doesn''t apply to Goozja. ''That''s why, Goozuya. Take good care of her today.'' ''Oh, yes. Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Take good care of him, Goozuya.'' ''Yes, sir!Please ask me all you want!I''ll do whatever it takes to get it done! (For the sake of Delia''s smile!)'' ...... Ila. What''s this blatant difference? I don''t know. ''Um, but ...... was it okay?I''m sorry I asked you to do that. For the safety of the children, we want to repair it as soon as possible. This is probably the same feeling of Ginette and Delia, but Ginette knows the situation of the carpenters and can think from their point of view. She may feel guilty about forcing her work on Gooziya. ''Don''t worry, Manager. Ginette looks worried, and Goozuya replies with a refreshing smile that''s a little annoying and unique to boys in love. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ve already said it. ''So, did you bring me the remaining Hiba wood at your place? ''Yes. I told the master of the house and got you what you needed. The cart that Gusuya pulled was loaded with enough cypress wood for the repairs. Surely, this much would be enough. There''s also some beautiful wood for the shafts. ''I''ll give you a discount on the labor cost, but I can''t give you a discount on the material cost, so please understand that. ''Hmm?Why? Delia doesn''t hesitate to ask what she wonders. ''The materials are the property of Torbeck Engineering, so I can''t do anything with them on my own. ''I see. ......'' And then he dents it plainly. ''Hey Yashiro. What should I do with the money?'' ''If you''re the one asking, you''re the one paying. Normally, I would have Estella pay for it, since it was installed for the city''s water shortage, but I dared Delia to put the burden on her. Then, I would say something like this to her. ''Don''t worry. You''ll be able to pay if you hold off on sweets for a month or so. ''I''ll go to ...... and hold off on sweets for a month. ......'' ''It''s for the kids. Good luck with that. ''U........................... ...Yeah. Ears, flattened. Shoulders, swoosh. ''Oh, my God!I''m still good!You don''t have to pay for the materials! ''Eh, but that''s kind of bad, isn''t it? I''m acting with all my might. ''Delia-san is most beautiful when she''s eating something ...... sweet and looking happy.I''ll pay for the ingredients! Yes, sir. There you go. Well, it''s thanks to my earnest acting, yeah. ''Oh, are you sure? ''Yes!So, that ...... Delia-san, don''t look so sad, you can always smile! ''Oh!Thank you, Goozuya! ''Mwahhhh!Best smile ever!Delia-san, you''re too much of an angel! Oh. I''ve got it. I wonder if that''s a disease specific to Torbeck Engineering. ''Um, Yashiro-san, is ...... this okay? ''If the waterwheel is fixed, the kids will be safe, that''s good. ''But, Goozuya-san is ......'' Jesus. Ginette doesn''t know what she''s talking about. ''Does that look like the face of someone who''s been forced into hard work? Goozuya now has the biggest smile of her life. ''You look happy ......, don''t you? ''Then why don''t we all be happy? No one will have to spend any money. Except for ...... Gooziya. And so, thanks to the efforts of the poor terminally ill, the repairs to the waterwheel were carried out. If Gusuya is involved, Umaro will come to do a final check. He is a man who likes to check all the work of his own carpenters. This will keep the waterwheel safe, and I won''t have to hurt my pocket, so everything will be all right. Well... I guess love is really something. I was smiling to myself, thinking such a thing. 308-Preparation for Episode 220 Banquet 6 ''Are you sure you''re okay, Goozuya?'' Ginette was still looking back towards the river with concern. You must have forgotten that he once ate up all the profits of the store. ''Didn''t you deliver the reheated taiyaki just now? ''Yes, sir. Miss Delia, you were pleased.'' ''...... Well, I didn''t mean to feed it to him, but ......'' After requesting the repair of the waterwheel, we returned to the sunny pavilion and cooked three taiyaki in our lunch boxes. We went to the riverbank again and presented one of them to Delia. Ginette was suffering from a guilty conscience. So I rewarded her. Not to Delia, of course. It was for Goozja. ''You saw how happy Goozja was when Delia shared her taiyaki with her. That was enough for him.'' ''Indeed, he was very happy, wasn''t he? He was so happy, it was almost as if he was going to soar to the heavens. I said to Delia, ''Why don''t you share a little with the hard-working Gooziya'', and Delia said, ''Oh, yes. It''s my way of thanking you for buying me the ingredients! When she gave Goozuya a portion of the taiyaki, Delia said, ''Oh, that Delia-san has a sweet tooth!Aah!This special feeling!I don''t care if I die now! I''m ready to die!'' She was so overjoyed that she was ''about to be summoned to heaven'' as Ginette said. ...... Hmm?It''s not exactly what Jeannette said, is it? You can''t get much more rewarding than that. ''Are you happy too, Yashiro-san? ''Hmm?'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to have a woman share something with you. ...... I wonder what this guy wants me to say. What does he want me to say? If I say I''m happy here, is he going to share food with me in the future? You''re baiting me. In addition, in the case of Gusuya, it is meaningful that he was shared by a woman he liked, and there is no special meaning to it just because I shared something with you. ............ ...... ''I''m going to take what I can get, regardless of who it''s from. ''Hmmm. That''s what I was thinking. I wonder if we''ve ever had this conversation before. But Jeannette is strangely convinced. ...... Do I look that nasty to you?That''s a little disconcerting. ''So, where are you headed this time? ''Imelda''s.'' ''Are you asking for materials for the waterwheel?'' ''No, I think I can get by with the wood Goozja brought over. I''ve given Delia the right to share the Taiyaki with you, so go ahead and splurge. ''I''m going to ask Imelda for the materials for the ''playground equipment''. ''Playground equipment, sir? ''Bertina said that the kids from District 42 and District 24 should be able to play together. ''What, you''re planning to make something that big? Jeannette rolled her eyes in surprise. Didn''t we talk about this? I thought it was going to be a clay mold or something like that. The clay molds that come as extras with children''s lunches. It''s a toy where you fill a mold of an animal or a vehicle with clay and make it into a shape. It is becoming a major toy that every kid in the 42nd district has one. Come to think of it, it''s about time we developed a new toy over there. I''ll make something while I''m at it. But that''s beside the point. ''There are kids with injured arms and kids with bad eyesight in District 24. It doesn''t meet Bertina''s requirement of ''everyone can play together''. But the one I''m thinking of now isn''t "playable for everyone" either. ...... If you have a few things that can provide similar fun, you can play with any of them. ''If possible, I thought it would be better if it was something new for the kids in District 42. ''Mr. Yashiro.'' In the middle of our conversation, Ginette calls out to me. I looked at her and saw a gentle smile that made me feel like a god. ''Yashiro-san is a really kind person. Whoa!No!That''s not it! ''It''s the atmosphere!I want the atmosphere of kids frolicking around endlessly, as an effect!To make Donnis - the lord of District 24 - think, ''Oh, it''s so energetic to adopt a new culture! We have to break the old stereotypes in them. The inexhaustible power of children''s frolic is the best way to persuade them, that''s all. It''s not because I want to entertain the kids. It is in our interest to entertain them. That''s all. So don''t look at me like that. If you''re mistakenly grateful, it''s kind of, well, it''s going to be a problem later on. ...... probably.'' ''Yes. That''s right. You have no idea. You don''t get it, do you? d*mn it, you''re all smiles. "Jeannette. ''Yes? ''Donis, Lord of the 24th District, has a ............ bald head with a single hair growing out of it.'' ''Kofu!'' Jeannette gushed. Her shoulders were shaking in a very small way. ''You should feel free to call him ''Chororin-san'' or ''One-haired Lord'' too.'' ''Koho......koho...... too, already. You can''t do that, Yashiro-san. ......'' He clapped me on the shoulder, trying hard not to laugh. ''You''re terrible,......, you can''t say that,......,'' he said. ''You''re just as guilty as I am for laughing. ''Because ...... Yashiro''s way of saying "Chororina??" was kind of cute and ...... made me laugh. ......'' ''Choro~na??''. I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. The more red her face gets, the more she holds back, and the more Jeannette pats me on the back. Yes, yes. It''s okay if you laugh like that. The ''Yashiro-san''s kind~'' smile you just gave me is uncomfortable. So I override it. Hmm. ''...... Yashiro-san is sometimes mean, isn''t he? ''Sometimes. You seem to think too much of me. I''m basically a mean person. You just don''t realize it. ''You don''t seem to see that I''m bullying Umaro and the others. ''But you''re not really doing anything that you don''t like, are you?'' No, no, no. I''m sure you didn''t like it much, remodeling the whole store with the right to free meals for two months. At the time. But now it seems he''s turned into a ''do-everything-for-free'' guy. ''Well then, let''s go bully Imelda big time!...... Hmmmmmm. I''m going to negotiate with him so badly that he''ll cry. ......'' ''Hmm. Imelda, you''re a disaster.'' d*mn, you don''t sound like you believe that at all. If you keep acting like that, you''ll seriously bring Imelda down. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Well, I won''t because I don''t have a good reason to do so. I don''t want to see them go away. We''ve built the streets. As I felt the evil feelings that had flared up for a moment fade away noiselessly, I saw the 42nd district branch of the Lumberjack Guild ahead of me. Two lumberjacks are pulling a huge cart that looks like it could be pulled by a 10-ton car. ...... Five tons each. Those are some insane muscles. We headed for Imelda''s house, looking at the familiar insane scene from the side. ''Go get Bekko-san, please! ''Can you do that later, please? Imelda handed over the Taiyaki and immediately tried to call Bekko. Just calm down!And don''t move the waiter!Just stand there! ''We''re going to order some more, so you can make them with us then. ''If you''ll give me the best one...'' ''They''re all the same, Becko''s creations. For a guy with such a joke face, Becko is surprisingly meticulous in his work and produces exactly the same quality. ...... He''s a cyborg, isn''t he? ''But the mug ...... is delicious,...... mug ...... such a snack.... ...Mogumogu......I''ve never had this before. ...... Mogumogu!Serving, tea. ''What should I do Ginette . All the residents are becoming Bertina ...... airborne, isn''t that it? I''m sure it''s not. ...... I''m sure it''s not. ............ It seems you are not confident. I''m not.I''m not. That''s not true. But then, perhaps sensing that it was indeed rude, she began to deny it with great effort. But you know what, Jeannette? The words that came out so quickly show your true intentions. Admit it. ''I''ve had a good meal. Imelda said as she hurriedly put her lunch box away. Oh, I took all of it. ''It''s a good thing I prepared another box. ''You know what?I told you so. Imelda could predict that he would say, ''It''s good even when it''s cold, I''m sure! I could predict that Imelda would say, ''It''s good even when cold, I''m sure! So, in order not to make the same mistake again, I made another box for Millie. She won''t eat that much, but if there''s any left over, she can give it to the guild''s "sisters" (aka old ladies). .................. for publicity as well. ''Word of mouth is important, you know! ''Huh?What''s wrong with you, suddenly? ''No need to worry about it. You''re probably just making excuses to yourself. It''s business as usual. What''s usual? I''m always honest with myself. ''I like boobs! ''Hey!What''s wrong with you, suddenly? ''Don''t worry about it. It''s mostly a seizure. It happens all the time.'' d*mn it, ......, you talk like you know what you''re talking about. ''Help me calm it down! I''m gonna squeeze your tits, guys. ''Please help me calm my seizures. ......'' ''So, what can I do for you today?'' ''Yes, sir. We''d like to see the wood again.'' ...... These people. Didn''t they ever teach you to listen to people until the end?What a pity. ''Oh, that''s right. Mr. Yashiro.'' ''It''s .......'' ''Don''t listen to nonsense until the end,'' a certain lord was teaching the manager the other day. ''I knew it was him! Hey, you flat-chested bastard! ''Flat-chested! I open the window and bark into the clear sky. My voice, filled with a curse, will melt into the sky and reach his chest. To stunt his growth. ''I''m glad you got the message right. Imelda sips her tea with satisfaction. Green tea instead of black today. Japanese style. I wonder if Japanese tea is the mainstream drink for bean jam here too. ''Well, Jeannette. You have hojicha, right?'' ''Yes. My grandfather liked it and used to drink it a lot. Maybe Ginette''s grandfather likes it fragrant. Hojicha, coffee... He may have been a roasting fanatic. ''I''ve never had that tea before. Does it go well with taiyaki? ''I think it''s your preference. Well, ...... I think it goes well with it.'' ''Waiter!Put some hojicha in it! ''Don''t be so reckless. ''What?You don''t even know how to make it! You don''t even know how to make it!'' The waiter is a bit flustered. Roasting tea leaves is quite difficult. If you overdo it, it will smell burnt. If you have a roasting pan, you can easily make hojicha. ''Please sell it to me! ''Well, if you ask ...... Theron, I''m sure he''ll introduce you to someone from the Ceramics Guild.'' The brand for roasting tea leaves is the domain of the Ceramics Guild, isn''t it? The roasting machine in the sunny pavilion is an iron roaster for coffee beans. Do you have a roasting machine in your house? ''Yes, we do. It''s a vintage one that my grandfather used. I think the older the roaster is, the better it tastes. I''ll let you drink it next time. ''Well, I''ll go to Mr. Theron''s place right away. Have a good day, both of you.'' ''I haven''t finished my story! Why does this guy always start acting as soon as he gets the idea? ''So what is it?You have three seconds to tell me! ''Give me a little more time, indeed! ''We''ll discuss it later. So long! ''Then! That''s not enough!I''m making something new, so show me some wood suitable for it! ''Please tell me more!Yeah, take your time! My mind that was on the roasting pan came back to me in an instant. He likes new things, too. Let''s go to the waterwheel. The wood he prepared is used for everything. So, next time, we''re going to make things out of wood again. ...... He looks so happy, really. ''Are there only corporate employees in this city? ''Isn''t it nice when your skills are recognized? I''m sure that''s how you all feel.'' ''Are you happy too? ''Of course I am. ''Delicious'' is the best compliment.'' So, Imelda and Delia''s action of taking all the taiyaki was an unbearable praise for Jeannette. Then, maybe you can spare the cost of the ingredients. ''Do you have a muku tree? ''Yes, we do. Are you planning to build a house now? No, because muku wood has an image of being good for you. I don''t care if it''s cypress or cedar. ''I want to make something that the kids can play on. At first, I explained the shape, usage, and movement of the playground equipment that I had vaguely in mind, and asked for advice on suitable woods and shapes. As they listened to my explanation, Ginette''s and Imelda''s eyes began to sparkle in a slightly different way. Imelda''s eyes seemed to enjoy making new things as a lumberjack. And Ginette''s eyes became happy and joyful as she imagined the kids playing on the playground equipment. ''I''ve got a few ideas for you. When the blueprints are ready, please come back and take another look. After saying this, Imelda left her seat. If you give me an outline, I''ll do the rest. She seemed to have a craftsman''s attitude. I''m not going to waste my breath. Let''s just talk about the results, you know? Imelda left her seat and walked quietly in the opposite direction of the door ....... ...... hmm? And then he took out a sheet of paper from a cabinet by the wall. ''Oh, I shouldn''t have done that. My hand accidentally ......''. The paper he pulled out of the cabinet falls to the floor in a deliberate voice. The paper again, as if it had been calculated to the hilt, glided down to us, just barely touching the floor, and fell at our feet with a ''whisper ......''. ''Imelda, you dropped it. Ginette picks up the paper that has fallen at her feet. I could smell the scent of something fishy in Imelda''s cynical expression. So she doesn''t move. I won''t even look at her. ''Wow, this is amazing. Look, Mr. Yashiro. Take a look.'' ...... I''m not going to look at it, but Jeannette holds the paper up to me with a happy face. d*mn, is that so calculated? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. This touch was drawn by Mokoka. ''Oh, dear, I''m sorry, dear. I didn''t mean to boast about it. If I invoke the Judgment of the Spirits now, that blonde-haired lady with the fluffy perm will turn into a frog. You''re full of bragging rights. Look, her nose is puffed out like this. ''This is a drawing by Mokoka-san, isn''t it? ''Oh, you see? Of course you do. We were there when you met Mokoka. Or rather, we were at the sunken pavilion. If you like to draw illustrations of beautiful women, don''t you think you should draw me, no matter what? I don''t think so. In the first place, the standard of ''beautiful'' is based on Mokoka''s arbitrary judgment. ''Natalia has a face that can be seen in some places, but in terms of beauty, she is a little ...... a little ...... a little ...... a lot... ...quite inferior. Oh-ho-ho. I thought she stopped showing this kind of thing recently. I wonder if the root is still the same. I''m not sure what to make of that. Yeah ...... has changed. You were never like that. ''Estella-san said so''. Next to her, Ginette muttered. ''Yashiro-san is ...... contagious,'' she said. ''Estella and Ginette are going to get a foot massage later. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of that. You will be punished. ''If Magda sees this, she''s going to be very competitive. ''Oh-ho-ho. Magda has a lovely face, but in terms of a ''good woman'', she''s not quite there yet. ''If I ask Mokoka-san, will she be able to draw Magda-san too?'' ''That''s not possible, manager. Imelda declares firmly. The sternness of her expression is apparent. ''Mr. Mokoka said that he only draws things that move him. Oh, I remember you saying something like that. I was thinking of asking her to draw Estella, but it didn''t happen, did it? ''Then Imelda was recognized by Mokoka-san for her drawing. That''s great. ''No, Mr. Manager. That''s not it either. Another denial. ''When I asked her, she refused because of what I just said. ''Is that so? ''Yes. So I used ...... Bekko-san to force him to draw it! ''You don''t choose your means, do you? ''I took a lesson from Yashiro-san!I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it or not, but I''ve heard of it. ''You''re a bad listener! Well, I can''t deny it, but... ''I just wanted it to be beautiful, that''s all. ''Imelda, are you ...... that much of a pushover for your own beauty or something? ''It''s Yashiro''s fault. Imelda turns away with a pout. What did I do? ''Because you don''t praise me much. ''You know I appreciate your hard work, right? ''I meant your looks! ...... Why do I have to praise you for something like that? I''m not going to compliment anyone''s face or style too much. I''m not a cheap charlatan. ''............'' ''............'' ''......What? They''re staring at me. Imelda and Ginette, too. And the waiters in the parlor. ''What, am I ...... complimenting someone that much? ''I think you often say that Natalia is beautiful and that Magda is pretty. ''No, no, no. I didn''t say that. ......? I asked Jeannette to agree, but she did not shake her head. She''s giving me a very delicate look. ''I heard that you also said to Estella that she is beautiful when you look closely at her. ''When did you say that? ''You said that to Mokoka on the carriage ride back from the 24th district. You showed me the Conversation Record. ......Well, that may or may not have happened. ............ But it wasn''t that I told Estella she was beautiful, I just asked Mokoka, ''Isn''t Estella beautiful too? But it''s not like I said Estella was beautiful, I just asked Mokoka, ''Isn''t Estella beautiful too?'' .................. Wow, what am I saying? I don''t remember anyone saying anything like that to me. So, I''m basically the type of person who doesn''t say things like that. ...... ''I mean, you''ve had a lot of guys say that to you, haven''t you?'' ''Yashiro-san. Not just anyone can be a woman, you know. Hey, manager. ''Huh?Ah,......, well, yes...'' I''ve been thinking about something, thinking about something, thinking about something, glancing at me. I don''t know the true meaning of that look. Then what is it? Are you satisfied if I say, ''You two are super cute~! Would you be satisfied if I said that? ''By the way, it''s not enough to just say it. What do you want me to do then? ''Well, Yashiro-san seems to be dexterous, but he is clumsy, so it would be counterproductive to take too much of a stance. You know exactly what I''m talking about. ...... So please keep one thing in mind. Imelda smiled, shaking her hair softly. She looked so calm, so unlike her. ''It''s the little things that make you feel so incredibly happy. That''s the way it is with women, you know. It was such a fair comment that I wondered if Imelda had actually said it. She''s not like Ginette or Bertina. ''If you''re a gentleman, you ought to know that,'' she demanded. ''I''ll make you say it someday. To you. Something worthwhile. Prepare yourself. The smile on her face was the usual Imelda smile. How dare you. He was so annoyed that he tried a little counterattack. ''I think you''re cuter when you laugh like that than when you act all high and mighty like you did before. ''What? The smile that seemed to be so triumphant collapsed in an instant. It is fixed in an interesting way, and the skin is slowly turning color. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this.I''m at a loss for a response! That''s right. That''s right, that''s right. Don''t bother. You''re a decade too young to be trying to pin me down. ''No, not that one. That wasn''t what I was looking for! Does that mean you''ll continue your plan to get me to say ''something worthwhile''? ''But...'' Imelda turns away with a pout and says in a high-handed manner. ''To tell you the truth, I find Natalia and Magda to be quite attractive women. I even envy them a little. He wasn''t being arrogant at all. He was trying to put them down in order to lift himself up, but he must have been caught up in it somewhere. After all, he''s not the kind of guy who would speak ill of someone he knows. ''Oh, dear!Oh, my God!I don''t know what I''m going to do!Mr. Yashiro''s pranks are really getting to me!Please go home. I have to prepare the wood. I''m busy because I have to choose the best wood seriously. He said urgently, pushing us out of the room. As we stepped out into the corridor, he stared at us from inside the room, behind the door, and uttered one last sigh of defeat. ''I''m just surprised that it came out of nowhere, I''m not excited at all. Please don''t misunderstand me! I wonder what would happen if I cast ''Spirit Judgment'' on you now. ''Anyway, I''ll find you a nice piece of wood. Come and get it later. ''I''ll be expecting you then. ''Of course. Please pretend you''re on a big ship that''s just landed. That ship''s not going to sink, is it? ''Well then, Mr. Yashiro, Mr. Manager. Have a good day. Imelda closes the door, feigning normalcy, but not feigning it at all. It seems that ''cute'' is not to Imelda''s liking. ''I''ll be waiting for your next visit. She threw in a cute one last time! The door closes completely, and you hear bouncing footsteps coming from inside the room. ...... You''re pretty happy, aren''t you, ''cute''? ''Well, I''d better get going. I look over at Jeannette. She was staring at me ??????????????????....... I''m not sure if it was a bad idea to tell Imelda. When such anxiety began to spread in my heart-- I''m not sure. Suddenly, a laugh escaped. With her hand over her mouth, Ginette was laughing out loud. ''What is it?'' ''No, no, ...... sorry, ...... hmm.'' She glanced at me and looked apologetic, but couldn''t hold back the laughter that was building up. ...... So it''s me who''s being laughed at? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I followed the small shaking shoulder and lined up next to Ginette. ''Yashiro-san, you were unconscious, weren''t you? He wipes the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingers and says something like that. What does unconsciousness ...... mean? ''You''ve said quite a bit, haven''t you?I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. ''No, you didn''t say that! ''Would you like to see the Conversation Record? ''............, no thanks.'' ...... Are you really saying that much? It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''But I think it''s good. I am.'' Ginette turned her face to the sky and took a deep breath through her nose to cool her slightly flushed cheeks. Oxygen flows into her lungs, her chest lifts, and her breasts thrust out. Isn''t there a sign somewhere that says, ''Feel free to take it home. ''Yashiro-san is an expert in making someone happy. ''I don''t remember having mastered such a path. ''I think your unconsciousness is bringing happiness to many people. ''I should have saved my fare, then. Giggling, Ginette seemed to be enjoying herself just a little more than usual. When I''m in the kitchen, I sometimes look like I''m trying to raise my mental age and ''get a grip''. Maybe this Jeannette is really the real Jeannette. She looks like a girl of her age. ''It''s great that Yashiro isn''t straining himself and that the person being told is happy, isn''t it? So, please keep on praising me,'' he seems to be saying. Who is going to give you cheap compliments? I''ll praise you when I get something in return. I''ll praise you when I get something in return. ...... Maybe I''m biased because I think that way. No, you see. I think Estella is praising you a lot because praise brings money. ...... ''Hey ......''. ''Yes?'' ''Ginette, do you want to be complimented on that ......, too, huh?'' ''Heh?'' If you''re a girl, don''t you want to be told that you''re beautiful and pretty? Ginette is no exception. ''Because I''ve been told that before .............'' What? Me, to Jeannette? When?No, did I say that in the first place? ''Oh, ......! Perhaps remembering that moment, Jeannette''s face boiled up. That reaction, I''m really saying it, aren''t I?You''re saying it for sure! What did you say?''You''re beautiful''?''You''re pretty''? I don''t remember that. ........................... ...Oh my god, I remember now! That''s it, right? The last time I remembered Ginette''s name, it was when I was almost eaten alive by some weird evil plant! I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ............ Ahhhh, you''re saying it!I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''d like you to forget about ............. I''m not sure what to do. ''You know, I was so ............ happy ...... when that happened.'' You can see the reddened neckline of the downcast Jeannette as her hair hangs down in the gap. If you are going to turn your face away, can you please cover your neck as well? You''re leaking your emotions all over the place! ''Well, if that''s the case,............, well, if there''s another opportunity,......, I''ll be back soon,...... ......'' I''m not sure what''s going on here. What do you mean, ''when the opportunity arises''? ''Oh no, I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I''m just cancelling .......'' ''...... yes''. Before you can say ''cancel'', Ginette''s face lifts and she turns to look at you. ''......I''ll keep my fingers crossed.'' The words were silenced. Apparently, cancellation is impossible. Well, ............ if you get the chance, I guess. Exhale a hot breath through your nose and walk forward. I''m going to walk straight ahead and be silent. So we didn''t say a word to each other until we reached Millie''s store. 309-Preparation for Episode 221 Banquet 7 ''Ah. Welcome.'' A small head bows. This is the forest where fairies live. --Not Millie''s store. ''Hey, why can''t I catch that thing? ''Because Millie-san is everyone''s Millie-san. ''Huh, what are you talking about? Millie started wandering around as soon as she met me. Her movements are also cute. ''Ginette said something strange, so Millie has become a cute creature. ''It was Yashiro who said something strange. Also, Millie is always cute.'' ''Oh, no... I''m not sure what to say. She stretches out her arms and flails them around. The ladybug hair ornament on her head is swaying. ''Ah, that was soothing. Now let''s go home. ''What?Didn''t you need something? Oh, yes. I came to ask for flowers. ''Hey, Milly. Can I order a flower arrangement on a business trip? ''Flower arrangement?Hmm, I want to!That sounds really fun! Millie was getting into the conversation. Ah, here''s another corporate animal. ''They want you to decorate the venue of the upcoming party in the 24th district with your beautiful flowers. ''The venue?Like the previous party at Imeruda''s house, right? ''Yes. That''s right. ......, right, Yashiro-san?'' Ginette is standing in front of me, negotiating. I think he might be trying to imitate me, Ginette said. She looks very happy. ''I''m working! It''s a look of contentment. I''d like to try ......, but it might be hard to carry flowers in ...... the 24th district. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. In the event that you are not able to find a place to get flowers, you will need to go to a local flower shop. If you do not have a place to get flowers, you will naturally have to bring them from the 42nd district. The amount of flowers used at Imelda''s party - the completion party for the 42nd district branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild - was quite impressive. There were so many flowers that they filled the gate, the hall, the path leading to the backyard, and the backyard. It was not a quantity that could be carried by a cart full. There was no way to cram them all in. And we can''t just have Millie walk to the backyard with the cart in tow. It would be difficult. ''What about Theron''s glowing bricks?Even if there aren''t enough of them, I think they''ll have a strong impact. Ginette proposes her own solution. Yeah, not bad. But... ''I''m going to be back before dark. We''ve got kids.'' ''Oh, that''s right. I try to avoid having the kids stay overnight. It''s not only the kids who are staying at the hotel, but also the kids who are staying at home may be upset by the unusual environment and may cause panic. ...... Well, to put it simply, I feel that there will be a lot of people who will be lonely and cry. I don''t like the idea of taking Bertina out of the house and having her stay overnight. Besides, Ginette and the others are also busy. I want to leave early in the morning and return in the evening. So we''ll probably leave in the afternoon. ''I hadn''t thought of it that way. As expected of Mr. Yashiro.'' ''No, I was just trying to avoid displeasing my collaborators by not ...... looking at them with that ''Mr. Yashiro is a kind man who loves children'' look.'' You should avoid displeasing your collaborators. It will affect your negotiations later on. A collaborator, of course, is a person who is willing to help you in order to create some benefit. If that is the case, it is best for the future to try to avoid dissatisfaction. So stop giggling with Millie over there right now. ''Sorry,...... Miry, I couldn''t bring that many ......''. ''No. I''m sure everyone will be happy with even a little bit of your flowers because they are so beautiful. Hey, Yashiro. A little ....... You can take as many flowers as you can carry and decorate them with them. I think ...... is a safe line. Well, it''s not a problem. ...... If you take Millie with you in a carriage, you can really only carry so much in your bag. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''So that you can pick flowers over there? ''Hmm. But it might cost ...... a lot of money. ......'' If the flowers are enough to fill the venue, it will be quite expensive. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. ............ After this, you still have to deal with the lords of BU. ...... ''I''d like to keep my costs as low as possible. ''Oh, it''s ......, right? ''You''re in trouble. Isn''t there some place where we can get a lot of flowers cheaply? ......'' I''ve heard that there is a field in the 24th district church, and there may be some flowers blooming. ......, but that doesn''t make much of an impact, does it? It''s only when you spread them on both sides of the path, like at the party to celebrate the completion of the 42nd district branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild, that people will say, ''Wow!That''s awesome! Wow! Beautiful, eye-catching flowers, too. Casual but pretty wild flowers are not suitable for this mission. Can''t you find more famous or valuable flowers relatively close by, cheaply, or even for free? .................. ...... Oh. It''s a good idea. It''s a good idea. There''s a guy I know who has amazingly flat breasts. ''Oh, ...... you''re going to be pissed, ladybug.'' It''s kind of you to not say ''to whom''. But Millie seems to have understood right away who I was talking about. That''s a lot of recognition, my lord. ''Can you please go tell that lord with your lustrous eyes, "Please ......"? ''Oh ......, was that an imitation of Miri?Miri, do you have such a strange voice? ''No, Miri-san. I think your voice was cute. No, no, Jeannette. I don''t care about that. I''m slightly embarrassed by the compliment. ''So, what should I ask you for? She''s a little anxious, but she''s willing to listen to my request. Estella can''t refuse Millie''s request. I''m not sure what to do. ...... ''Go and give a message to the perverted lord of the 35th district. ''You''ll get angry, ladybug. ...... Really.'' For some reason, Millie is getting nervous. It''s okay, it''s okay. That perverted lord won''t get angry about that. In fact, if Millie called him a pervert, he''d be happy to shed a tear. ...... What a pity. ''I''ll let you touch my sense of touch as much as you want, just let me use the flowers in the garden. ''What? What the hell? I''m sure Miry herself feels it in her skin. ...... the perversion of that lord. She understands how dangerous he is. ''It''s true that the 35th district is relatively close to the 24th district,......, but that doesn''t mean that Miry-san is ......''. ''It''s okay. There''s one more message I want you to give to Miry. ''One more ......?'' In order to reassure Ginette that Millie is safe, I''m going to give her a very special secret. ''Ask Wendy to give her a message. ''I''ve found a way to make good use of your old man, so lend it to me. ''What?Tentacles, is that your father''s tentacles, Wendy? ''Ah. I don''t have a problem with rubbing that thing so hard that it burns!I''d rather have it rubbed! ''Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ''Millie. There''s a saying in my hometown. --I don''t care. ''Um, Yashiro-san,......, that''s indeed a pity,.......'' ''Hahaha, Jeannette. It''s just my imagination.'''' ''Huh?No, it''s just ......'' ''It''s all in your mind, it''s all in your mind. The two girls were confused for some reason. You''re such a worrier. That''s Wendy''s old man. You know, that perverted old man who''s half-naked all the time? He should be grateful that Lucia is rubbing his antennae. ...... ''Well, let''s see. ...... For now, let''s just tell her and leave the rest to Estella''s judgment.'' ''Yes, you''re right. Estella-san won''t try to do anything strange, right? ''Yes. I''m sure. ''Hmm. I''m sure.'' That''s sweet. You''re all right, both of you. Estella will do it! And I bet she''d offer you a big smile and some Ikenier. If we get the flowers from the garden, we can make nectar. In the first place, Lucia said she''s willing to help. Did I say ......? Well, even if she didn''t, it''s like she did. Whether he did or didn''t is a trivial matter. It''s his duty to cooperate fully. Yeah. ''But it must be beautiful when you can decorate the garden with flowers.'' ''Yes, it would. I''m excited. If I took a picture of their faces and showed it to Lucia, she''d probably agree with me. It''s a pity I don''t have a digital camera. ''Then I''ll go to Estella''s place, okay? ''Oh, wait a minute. There''s one more thing I need you to do before you go. She stops Milly from going out. The flower arrangement will wait for Lucia''s response, but there is one more thing I want to try. ''Hey, can you give me the bamboo again? ''Whoa! ''Hee! As soon as I said the word ''bamboo'', Millie and Ginette shouted the exact opposite. ''Are we going to have another Nagashio Somen? ''Well, are we going to step on green bamboo again? Ah, I see. The difference in our memories of bamboo gave rise to these opposite feelings. ''Oh, Nagashi O-somen!That''s right!It''s delicious, isn''t it? Ginette tries to force herself to agree with Millie''s words. ''O-somen'' is getting on my nerves. Despite the fact that she wants to believe it, sweat is forming on her forehead. ''Ao Takefu ......, I want to make something. ''Didn''t you just say "stepping on green bamboo"? Jeannette is desperate. You don''t see Jeannette like this very often. It''s precious. ...... ''Mmm, mmm!Please don''t smirk at me. Jeannette is sulking. I''m not sure what to say. That''s not bad at all. I looked over and saw that Millie was desperately sending me a message. She''s not saying it out loud, but she''s making sure that Jeannette doesn''t notice, and she''s saying ''oh-sou-men'' with her mouth moving. No, I don''t do Nagashi Soumen either. ''Actually, I was thinking of changing the toys for the children''s lunch soon. ''Children''s lunch, huh? At the sudden appearance of a familiar name, Ginette forgot her grumpiness and turned to look at me. Well, Jeannette''s grumpiness doesn''t count as a grump. It''s more like ''pouting''. She''ll be in a good mood as soon as something comes up that interests her. ''I thought I''d try it out at the party, and if the kids responded well, I could make it an addition to the kids'' lunch. ''Hmm ......'' Ginette smiles happily as she listens to me. ''Yashiro-san, you really like your job, don''t you? ''No, you can''t beat me. ''No, no, no. Mr. Yashiro is always thinking about the store. ''Not as much as you who''s always in the store. ''I was ............ surprised when I found out why you wanted to build the street.'' The conversation, which had been moving along at a brisk pace, suddenly paused, and Ginette''s eyes grew slightly moist as she remembered something. And then, as if trying to hold back, she said a few short words. ...... It''s not the kind of thing you cry about. I just wanted to make a profit. Of course, to increase my salary. ''Mm-hmm......'' Seeing me and Jeannette arguing, Millie now smirks. She holds her mouth with her small hand and shakes her hair fluffily. ''Ladybug, you''re always thinking about Jeannette, aren''t you? ''Huh! ''Huh! At the sudden remark, Ginette and I both let out strange noises. What are you talking about, you cute fairy? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. Oh, my God, this girl! When did she become such a childish girl? The birthday is a strategy to establish the cake in the city, the festival is a demonstration to attract the street, and the soleil flower hairpiece is a ............... The festival is a demonstration to attract people to the street, and the Soleil flower diadem is a ..................... kind of nice ploy!I''m sure it will eventually come around and benefit me! ''Jinetto-san is also very protective of the ''figyua'', hair ornaments, and brick vases that Ladybug-san gave her. Right?'' ''Ah, ah, um!Millie-san! ''Right? ''No, well, they''re all important items, and we all take good care of them, but why are we talking about them now ...... and, well, I think we should take good care of things! Ginette''s gaze collided with his, who was in a state of great panic. ''Huh,......, just for now, please don''t look at me,.......'' ''Oh, oh! ...... What an ambush. This guy is careless. He''s always so defenseless in front of Millie. I can''t blame him for smiling that innocent smile. Well, I''m sure she won''t tell anyone about it. ............ ''The big ladies of the guild. ''Those old ladies. ''Those two make me smile when I see them...'' ''Sure, Jeannette''s two bulges are soothing to look at, but'' ''Oh, no, no, no. We''re not talking about that, are we? I was expecting to get a ''please repent'' from Jeannette, but she was too frazzled by the information Millie had given her to do that. Stop it. That''s the kind of reaction that amuses old ladies who have nothing better to do. I''m calm. ''I''m always jealous of you too, you know. ''Okay, Milly!You can be my child! ''Yashiro-san, please calm down. Because she''s so cute! You''ll take her home, right? If you ask a hundred adult males around the country who are unusually curious about little girls, there''s a ten percent chance they''ll say they''ll take her home. ''I''ll ask Umaro to make a space for Milly in my room. ''No, you can''t. Umaro and the others seem to be busy right now. ''No, Jinetto-san. I don''t mean that. I mean that you should warn them that Miri is not an ornament. I was just thinking that I would like to have a hug pillow of this size. I''ve been thinking about getting a hug pillow about this size. ''Aww......, come on! ''Mmmm ...... Javier is going to want one of those.'' Ah. So that''s what Ginette thinks. Rejoice, Javier. You''re unanimously recognized as a pervert in the 42nd district. ''Oh, yeah, ...... so, what do you make with bamboo?'' I''m going to try to change the subject. A bamboo milliner is also a nice and quaint thing to have instead of ............. ''No, I was thinking of making a bamboo dragonfly. ''''Bamboo dragonflies?'''' You don''t know, do you? And then they both thought of something at the same time, and their faces lit up. ''I''m looking forward to it! ''I want you to make me a nice little one, too. ''It''s not what you think it is. It''s not a dragonfly-shaped accessory. ''I''m curious, bamboo dragonfly. I want to see it. Millie shakes her body gingerly. She gazes at the empty space and looks excited with her imagination. It''s not that I''m being asked to ......, but it''s really stirring up my desire to make something for you. It''s more powerful than bad begging. ''If you have bamboo that can be processed, you can make it in about 20 minutes. ''Really?I''ll go get it then! As soon as she said that, Millie ran into the store. I have ......, bamboo. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. The tools used in the house, such as baskets, are made by furniture makers, but you can make simple things yourself. ''Is this okay? Millie brought out a long piece of bamboo from the store. Perhaps she was going to use it to make bamboo twine, but it was drying nicely. Well done. ''Then, can I have this area? He points with his finger to the area between the clauses. ''Is that all you need? ''It''s a simple one. He cuts the bamboo with a saw and splits the cylindrical bamboo with a machete. After splitting it in half, determine the dimensions and make the wings first. ''Wow!It''s so cute! I thought we were talking about bamboo dragonflies, but Jeannette was feeding Millie taiyaki while I was processing. Are they going to watch me work with a snack in their hand?How gracious of them. I''ll charge you a fee. At first, I thought I''d make a plain bamboo dragonfly, but ...... I thought it would be more fun to fly high, so I decided to make a "twisted bamboo dragonfly". A twisted bamboo dragonfly has a narrower center than a rectangular one. The characteristic of the twisted dragonfly is that the center of the bamboo is burned and twisted. It''s so good! ......, I''m curious. Millie is jumping up and down with joy. I''d buy a stuffed animal like that if I could find one. I shaved the wings thinly, rounded the corners to prevent injury, and got a candle to add a twist. Then make a thin stick for the shaft and round the corners so that it can rotate well. ............ Finally, attach the feather to the shaft and you''re done. Just 20 minutes. That''s pretty good work. Is that a ''bamboo dragonfly''? ''It doesn''t look much like a dragonfly, does it? He peers at me with amusement and says something like that. But the look in his eyes says, ''I can''t wait to play with it. ''Okay, I''m going to fly it, so stay away from me. ''I''m going to fly ......, are you going to fly?'' ''You look like a dragonfly.'' The two sisters, who seemed to be enjoying everything they did and seemed to be on good terms with each other, walked back hand in hand. Hmm. I''ll have to show them a good time. Place the shaft in your left palm and pinch it with your open right hand. Then, rub your hands together to add rotation to the axis, and thrust your right hand forward vigorously. Beep!--The bamboo dragonfly spins and flies up into the sky with a pleasant sound. Oh, it flew! It''s flying! Millie and Ginette shouted in unison. Millie and Ginette both shouted in unison, their necks stretched out as they followed the flying dragonflies. Then, as if chasing the dragonfly, their faces turn around and pour into my hands. ''They''re back! ''Wow, ladybug, you''re amazing! Hmmm... ...... bamboo dragonflies, if you fly them right, they come back, you know? ''Would you like to try it? ''Yes. But it sounds difficult.'' ''No, it''s easy. ''Then I''d like to try it. I hand the bamboo dragonfly to a smiling Ginette. I gave her a brief lecture on how to fly it, and then we got down to business. ''I''m ...... nervous, I''m ...... nervous.'' Jeannette was very nervous. It''s not such an exaggeration. I''m going!I''ll be there. ''Yeah! With a shout of ''Yeah!'', Jeannette''s arm was swung out, and the bamboo dragonfly flew out from her palm and directly hit Jeannette between the eyes. ''Aaah! Bluntness, at its finest. ''Myu............It hurts......'' Ginette held her forehead and tears welled up in her eyes. It''s funny. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea. You''ve been very busy today, Moe God. I''m soothed. ''Fly forward. Like this.'' ''That''s what I thought I did. ......'' ''Here, try it again.'' ''Well, ............ and. Um, yes, Millie-san, after you.'' ''Oh, what?Are you going to do it too, Miri? ''It''s fun.'' It''s not going to be very convincing if you say it with tears in your eyes. Miry takes the bamboo dragonfly fearfully. I''m sure she''s thinking that because I''m too good, I''m going to watch and objectively study how Millie flies as a beginner. Well, Millie is not as slow as Jeannette. ''Don''t be afraid. No one but Jeannette can do that kind of funny.'' ''Huh, ............ that''s terrible, Yashiro-san, ...... that''s not funny, ......'' I''ll leave the nodding Ginette aside and teach the scared Millie how to fly. If you do it the normal way, it will fly the normal way. ''Come on, try it. ''............''. Millie is also very nervous. Will this be the second coming of the Moe God? ''Yes ..................! With ......, the bamboo dragonfly fell to the ground. The distance it flew was 0 centimeters. You''re too scared! Without any friction, he just let go of his hands, which were clasped together. Let it fly. ''It''s okay, just go for it, okay? ''Oh ......mm............, then ......... ...yeah!...... Ah! Beep!--There was a sharp sound, and the bamboo dragonfly soared into the sky. ''It''s flying ....... That''s amazing!It flew!It flew, ladybug and planet! Milly jumped up and down with both arms raised. She''s so happy. Ginette, on the other hand-- ''......Am I incompatible with bamboo? ......'' --somehow more depressed than necessary. Don''t worry. You''ll get better at it. ''Oh, ......? Millie tilted her head as she looked up at the bamboo dragonfly flying in the sky. The bamboo dragonfly is flying farther and farther away. ''You''re not coming back to ......? ''Yeah, there''s a little trick to getting it back. ''Oh!Well, then, I have to go get it! Milly runs away in a panic. You don''t have to be in such a hurry, but ...... a girl chasing a bamboo dragonfly is quite nice and quaint. Yes, I''ll just keep my mouth shut and watch. ''Yashiro-san...... will I be able to fly?'' Ginette is depressed over something unimportant. Maybe he''s a little more competitive than I thought, this guy. ''It''s okay. ''Yes, you''re right. With practice, I''m sure you''ll be able to ......'' ''Let the kids teach you.'' ''You''re expecting to be overtaken? ''I wish I could have taught you,'' he said, quite recklessly. If your way of flying became popular, everyone would have a red mark between their eyes. Just like you are now. ''Look, you''re turning red. ''Huh? I lightly stroke Jeannette''s brow with my finger. That looks painful, I know. But I''m glad it didn''t get in your eye. If it had, it would have been a serious matter. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ...... is fine now, isn''t he? ''Hmm?Is it? ''Yes, yes. Thanks to you, the pain has gone away. Are you an infant? If it doesn''t hurt anymore, it''s not a problem. ...... ''...... ehehe''. Jeannette''s cheeks relax and she gently touches the spot I''ve been stroking. ''Thank you.'' ''Heh............ no, not really............ well. ,............Yeah.'' I don''t know why he thanked me. I''m not sure why he thanked me, but he did. I don''t know.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Give me a break. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. I''m sorry. --Millie, clutching a bamboo dragonfly with both hands, was staring at us with a smirk on her face. ''Huh! It''s a good day for gynets,......, I thought as I turned my gaze away from Miry and decided to make a bamboo dragonfly. Let''s make bamboo dragonflies in silence. Let''s do that. I''m not going to ask you anything, I''m not going to look at anything, I''m not going to think about anything. ''You are a good friend of mine. In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, then you''ll want to look at the following tips. I''m not sure what to do. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. 310-Preparation for Episode 222 Banquet 8 ''Ah, you''re back. I walked around here and there, and when I returned to the sunny pavilion, Estella was there. ''Oh, Estella. It''s been a long time. ''What?Didn''t we meet yesterday? Huh, was that so? Somehow it feels like it''s been a month. ''Oh, by the way, I heard you finally made taiyaki. ''Oh. It turned out to be a pretty good one. See? ''Yes, sir. I''m very proud of it. The sunny-side up taiyaki was as good as Ginette had said it would be. Estella must have heard about it and was curious about it. She took care of her work and flew here. ''......! I baked a taiyaki. Magda comes out of the kitchen with a taiyaki on a plate with the air of ''I peeled the sweet chestnuts. ......You''ve baked it. ''...... Estella. Taste it. I''ll take the one that Jeannette made, and you can feed it to Umaro. ''......They use the same ingredients, so there''s not much difference in taste. .................. ...... (supposedly)'' You said that in a very low voice, just now. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results.It''s amazing. ''......Hmm.'' ''I haven''t even taught you yet, and you''re being selfish ......'' Ginette is complimenting me, but I''m not impressed. I want you to master it before you offer it to others. ''But, well, it''s okay with Estella. ''Would you please stop treating me like Ricardo and Umaro? Estella glares at me with her cheekbones, looking very unhappy. The fact that you don''t like that category shows that you have a very low opinion of them.You''re a terrible person to know. Don''t you feel sorry for them? If it were me ...... and I was put in the same category as those guys ............... ... I''m not sure what to say. ''If you perceive that you have treated them in such a way that you need to apologize so seriously, then you have a very low ???????????? opinion of them, don''t you? You''re a horrible person, you know that? Don''t you feel sorry for them? ''No, not at all. ''That''s odd. For some reason, I don''t feel that way about them either. ''Oh my God, you two are terrible. Ginette scolded me and Estella at the same time. ''Pfft, you''re being scolded. ''Don''t forget that you are too. ''I''m already used to it! ''Can''t you ever get used to that? The whole time they were talking, Magda was staring at Estella. She was holding a plate of taiyaki(?). with a plate of taiyaki(?). ''...... Eat him,'' she said. ''I like a decent meal at first, I do. ''I want something decent all the way through. ''That''s what I want, too.'' Magda stared at ??????????????????. This guy is pretty stubborn too. ''Then, I''ll take it...'' Ginette said, extending her hand. --Estella grabbed her arm tightly. ''You''d better not, Ginette. ''Yes, ......, but...'' ''Because just now Magda was saying "............" in the kitchen.'' ''Hey, Magda. What did you do? ''...... pew pew.'' ''I''m not whistling, I''m whistling. How did you notice Magda''s mumbling in the kitchen, anyway? You can''t usually hear that. ............ obsession, I guess. How much did you want to eat that taiyaki? I''m not sure. That''s when I suddenly heard Loretta scream from the kitchen. We looked at each other and signaled with our eyes what we should do. As we were doing this, Loretta came out of the kitchen without a care in the world. In her hand, she was holding a plate of taiyaki. ''''Loretta, what did you do? ''''Huh!It''s not good to make assumptions about your brother, Estella-san, and Magda-chan! ??????,?¡éo?????????????????o??????????? ??????,????????2¨¦3¡ä??¡¥. 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''?????????. ?????¡¥????????a???????£¤??????a¨¨¡§?¨¨???? ???'' ''??????. ????13?????????¨¦?¡¤??????¨¨a¡è?¡¤??????????????????a?????a'' ''????????a???????????1??a?????a?????????'' ??a????? ,¨¦???????????. ''?????????,???????????1??a?????¡¥??a?????a????? ???'' ''??????????????2¨¦?????????13???????? ???'' ??????????????????????????¡ì,???????????????????????? ??2????o??????¡ê??|???????????a??????????????????,??a??? ''??¦Ì??????,????????¡ì?????????????????¦Ì¨¨???????-'' ??a????? ???,??¡è???????1¡ä????????-??¡é????????????????????a¨¦?¡ã??2?¡ã?????o???¡ê??|??????????????¡¥?????????. ?????????????????|????????????,??????????????-??¡é. ??a????????¡ì???¨¦????????????????a,???????????¡¥. ?????¡é??a???????????¡§???,??¡é??¡è???????????¡è??1????????¡§???. ''???,??¡è??¡¤??-. ?????¡ê??|???????????????'' ''????????-?????¡ì???????¡ã????????????????????????????????? ??a'' ''??¡é?????¡¤??¡¥,????o?????????¡ê??|????????¡¥??????????1¡À??a?????????'' ?? ???????????????¨¨?????????? ???,????????¡¥. ¨¨?¡§???????????????????????¡§?????¡§?????-??3???????????|,?????????????????¡ê??|??£¤????????????. I don''t know what to think, but she looks good no matter what you put on her. Whether it''s a cute apron or a kappogi (Japanese apron), she wears them both beautifully. She has the potential to be both a new wife and the proprietress of a small restaurant. ''I finished the errand you asked me to do in the morning. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Thank you. ''He said he''d show up in the evening, so he should be here soon. Your timing is perfect. ''Who did you call? ''Hmm?It''s Neffery. ''......, so it''s an egg .............'' With a finger to her chin, Estella looks as if she''s thinking of cooking with eggs. But that''s a shame. It''s not eggs I''m after this time. As we were talking about this, Nephrite came into the store as if he had been waiting for me. ''Hi~. You called me, so I''m here~'' He looked refreshed, as if he had just finished work. Unlike the work clothes I usually see her in, she was wearing a really girly fashion, full of the feeling of a girl who has grown up a bit. ''Is that the new Uclines? ''Oh, you know what? ''It looks good on you. ''Ehehe~, you''re as good as Yashiro. You know how to give compliments. You''re enjoying fashion for its own sake, Neffery. You can see it in the way she''s happy. I guess she''s just dying to show off her clothes. ''...... I can''t help it if I''m unaware of this. ''Big brother, I hope you don''t get stabbed one day. ......'' ''Well, I''m sure you''ll be fine, even if Yashiro gets ...... stabbed.'' I ignore them, even though they''re whispering behind me. I''m not trying to seduce you or score points, you know. ''So, you want to talk to me about something, right? ''No. I made a new dish, and I was wondering if you wanted some.'' ''Really?I was late with the doughnuts, so I was really disappointed. He''s still regretting his late debut with doughnuts because of his work schedule. Paula must have bragged about it to him. ''What do you mean? Did you invite Nephrite here to give him a taste? ''...... Yashiro is sometimes kind to Nepheli.'' ''If you ask me, I feel like I get special treatment a lot. ''We''ve known each other for a long time, Yashiro and Nepheli.'' The girls'' gazes lowered the temperature. There are a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''Hey,......, too!Don''t say anything funny. It''s not like me and Yashiro are nothing, and it''s not like that at all!Hey, hey? ''Oh, yeah. That''s right. It''s not like that at all,......, you''ve been a constant chicken in my life since the day I met you. ...... I don''t know why there''s a persistent theory that I''m targeting Neffery, but I am. For a while. It''s because it makes me nostalgic for Japan. The summer of Kincho. Summer in Japan. ''Well, Nephrite, take your time.'' ''Uh, yeah. I''ll do that then. I''m going to go say hi to Ginette. Nephrite fled the scene as Norma and the others shouted at him. That part is also very girly. It''s like something you''d see in a Showa-era manga. ...... But her face is always that of a chicken. After confirming that Neffery had entered the kitchen, he opened the door. Sure enough, there''s Percy. ''I''ve been waiting for you. ''Hey, how did you know I was here, man? You don''t know. I called Neffely to fish for you. ''Oh, he wanted to see Percy. ''...... Nephrite is bait. ''You''ll catch a hundred of them. ''It''s not so easy, is it, Percy? ''You''re treating me badly, aren''t you?Same old, same old. I''m just trying to get it right. You might want to take a second look at your behavior. Well. I don''t think Percy''s stalker tendencies will ever improve, so I won''t pursue the matter. It''s a waste of time. ''So, Percy. I have a favor to ask you.'' ''I don''t want to ask you straight out after the way you treated me. ''Would you like to have the same snack as Neffely?The two of you together. Together.'' ''You can tell me anything!I''ll do everything in my power to help you! ''...... cholo''. Come on, Estella. Percy''s getting motivated, so don''t mumble the truth. ''So, what do you want me to do? ''I want you to introduce me to the man in charge of the sugar factory. ''That''s me! ''No, I''d like to talk to my sister, but she''s busy. Go to .......'' ''I''m in charge!I''m in charge!That''s my factory! ''Even if the employees don''t approve? ''Ugh, ......, shut up. ............, don''t go into what you care about. ......'' If you care, you should work harder to get them to accept you. You''re not going to get rid of the stigma, are you? ''Then I''ll give you a chance to clear your name. If you can successfully deliver what I''ve ordered, the world will look at you differently. ''Make me some sugar that is a little bigger than the sugar we have now. ''Oh, you mean, like julienne? ''What? ''In the process of making white sugar, I thought, "Can''t we make it purer? I tried it, and I got a big crystal of sugar. I thought it could be used for something, so I was working on commercializing it, just now. ''So, what''s the name of that sugar? ''It''s called zarame. I named it that, isn''t it really cool? Is this also the work of forced translation magic? It means the compulsion translation spell recognized it as the same thing, right? ''I can''t believe Percy was working at .......'' It''s not a surprise.It''s not a surprise. I''m surprised! You''re always snooping around behind Neffery''s back, when is he working? ''I can get you some lentils, do you want some? ''At any rate, if you prepare 1kg, I''ll tell Nephrite how great your technique is. ''I''ll bring 7 tons! ''I don''t need that much! Don''t change the units. However, I didn''t know that jalape?¡Ào had been born. ............ If it wasn''t for Percy''s credit, I would have been more honestly pleased. ......! I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t read air. You''ve done it. I''m not sure what to make of that. Although I felt a slight regret, I was relieved to get some coarse rice. At the worst, I was about to use a candy bar. Now, if only Norma and her munchkins would do their best: ...... ''Hi, Yashiro!How are you doing? ''I''ve just gotten very sick. If you ask me, ............ you''re not coming out at the right time, you know. It''s not good for your heart. I''ll kick your ass if you come out at the wrong time. ''The order you placed, it''s almost ready. ''I brought it to you to make sure it''s done properly~'' ''''So...so... I came to ask if your relationship with Norma-chan has progressed~'''' ''''''I did~'''''' ''''Shut up!Don''t say anything funny with your funny face! Norma is beating the crowds of puffed-up people in front of the store with a smoking pipe from her pocket. Hey, Norma. I''m sure you''ll get more out of it if you ...... fire it up.Heat it up, more. ''So, what have you got for me? What do you got for me? And the old man--I think it was Gonsuke? --What he pulled out was a cylindrical piece of iron. It was ten centimeters long and about four centimeters in diameter. ''A ''roller''? ''Yes, yes... it''s the same one I put in the bearing. I''ve tried to make them as even as I could, but what do you think? Place the "roll" on the table and roll it by pushing it with your fingers. Strictly speaking, there are various problems, but ...... ''Well, that''s fine. I''m not looking for that level of accuracy. ''Thank goodness!It''s really difficult to make a circle. These cylindrical ''rollers'' are placed between two tubes of different sizes to serve as bearings to help rotation. Since the object to be made is a plaything, the size of the bearing naturally becomes large, and the rollers become large in proportion. It may make a rattling noise, but it is something that kids can get on and have a lot of fun with. It''s nothing to worry about. ''Hmmm... ......'' Norma, who had been left out of the loop, stared at the ''koro'' with swarthy eyes and rolled it with her fingers. ''Isn''t it a little distorted ......, it doesn''t roll straight. ''Oh, Norma. You look like my mother-in-law! ''No, you''re not. I''m just a member of the hardware guild, and I don''t like it when my co-workers do half-hearted work. ...... Ah, you have a small scratch here. I''d like to hear how you''re handling it. It''s my mother-in-law. I have a mother-in-law. I see. If you leave Norma out of the equation, she''ll sulk like this. I''ll keep this in mind for future reference. Give Norma a reasonable job. I''ll try to remember that. ''I''ll check the bearing operation later. ''Okay, next one. I''m very confident about this one...'' Loosening his thick, beard-filled mouth, Gonsuke makes eye contact with the other muscled man. ...... Don''t wink or anything. This is a restaurant, remember? ''Ta-da! And the puffed-up guy brings in the machine. I wonder why... When Magda said it earlier, it was cute, but when the old man says it, it makes me want to kill him. ''Yashiro. What''s that? ''Oh, that?He''s a maiden at heart. ''That''s not it!I know what that one is! Estella gets angry at me for answering her question. What do you want to ask me then? ''I''m asking you what that machine does. ''Well, it''s used to put in pomace so that ...... Nephrite can say, "Oh, sugar can do this?Wow! It''s a machine that makes the nephews go wild with excitement. ''Hey, wait a minute!I''ll be right back with the granulated sugar!I''ll be back in thirty, no, twelve minutes! As soon as he said that, Percy ran out of the store with great speed. Twelve minutes means that ...... he''s got a sugar dump in the 42nd district. I''m sure he''s planning to move there someday. Hey. Didn''t you just hear Percy''s voice? Nepheli came out of the kitchen. A taiyaki is firmly in his hand. ''Ah!That''s a taiyaki?I want some too! '''''''''' us too~!'''''''''' ''You guys are a bit reserved! The girls quickly swarmed the taiyaki. I want some! Are you sure, Estella? You''re kind of in that category, now. You''re squealing and squealing, ''cute! and ''sweet~'' and ''happy~''. and ''sweet'' and ''happy''. Estella is also satisfied with her taiyaki. But ...... I assure you. You''re going to be even more moved than you are now. When you have the two things I ordered. The first is this machine I ordered. It is a large rectangular box, about 120 centimeters high, with a large vat attached to the center of it. In the center of the vat is a tubular piece of metal that has a high thermal conductivity and can withstand high temperatures. There is a large handle or something on the outer frame, and turning this handle rotates the tubular metal object in the center of the tub, which has a high thermal conductivity and can withstand high temperatures. Underneath the tubular metal that has high thermal conductivity and can withstand high temperatures is a tower that can maintain powerful flames, so that it can be heated at high temperatures from below. Just add the second material I ordered, "roasted rice", and it''s ready. So... Cotton candy! ''...... Yashiro is smiling. ''This is the face of a man who has made a fortune.This is the face he makes when he says, "I''m going to make another fortune! ''This machine is going to create something amazing, isn''t it? ''I''m looking forward to it. Hey, Jeannette.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, it is. ...... ugh. You look like you''re having fun, Yashiro.'''' And Percy, who had blasted his way through the 42nd district in the hope of getting praise from Nepheli, returned in about 12 minutes. It''s a little early for me. So, let''s make some ...... fluffy, dreamy sweets! 311-Preparation for Episode 223 Banquet 9 The rosemary was heated to a fluffy cotton-like consistency and spread into the barrel. I twirled it around with a wooden stick made from scraps of wood that Imelda had lent me. ''There you go. It''s done. '''''''' Ohh! A strange cheer goes up. Can''t you make your voice sound a little more sparkly? d*mn, these people... ''Yashiro-san. This is cotton candy, right?'' ''Yeah. Looks like cotton, right? ''Yes. If I show this to Mr. Ukrines, he''ll probably make a cushion out of it.'' ''Oh, he''s getting to the age where he starts to get brittle. ''No, you''re not!You''re still young, Mr. Ukrines!And I didn''t mean it like that. ...... Oh, Yashiro! The cheeks of Jeannette, who was in a good mood when she saw the cotton candy, puffed up and her eyebrows furrowed into a grimace. When you present the cotton candy in front of her face, she turns around and smiles brightly. Her expression changes frequently. ''After all, Yashiro always gives the first one to the manager, right? I''m sure you''re right. ''...... favoritism. No, never.'' ''What?It''s not like that, is it? You gave Magda one more loquat before. ''So, let''s give it to someone else this time...'' '''''''''' Yes, ''''''''''! That''s a lot of candidates! It''s not only Loretta and Magda, but also Estella and Norma, who are unusually coming forward. And the muscle-bound bearded men are ...... ignored. So let''s give it to the one who deserves to eat it first this time. ''Here, Neffery. ''Huh?I''m ......, okay?'' ''Yes. Eat it and let me know what you think.'' ''Wow, ...... is great!Thank you, Yashiro! Put your hands together and hold them in front of your mouth (beak). Sometimes when you surprise a Hollywood actress, she''ll surprise you with a pose like this,......, for TV. I wonder if she''s studying angles and poses that make her look cute? You don''t have to do that, Neffery. You''re a chicken for all intents and purposes. You''re the same no matter what. ''...... another Nephrite. ''This is a suspicion of suspicion at last! ''Meaning, it''s a duplicate, Loretta .......'' ''Because of Loretta, we''ve been diverted from the pursuit. ''What?Is it my fault? I was just about to start gossiping about me, when Loretta burst out with her stupid daughter. Estella and Norma were looking at her as if they were looking at a poor girl. ''Oh, my God. Don''t say anything funny. Yashiro didn''t mean it at all. Hey, hey, Yashiro? ''Yes, that''s right...'' ''Why are you reading with a stick like that? Honestly, I don''t care. I don''t care about that. Eat cotton candy and be impressed with ''wow'' and ''yea''. Just because you do that, I can use the cotton candy for free for the rest of my life. ''Well, you should try it. Percy''s groundbreaking invention has brought a whole new type of snack to this city. As I emphasized my explanation, Estella, Norma, Magda and Loretta said, ''Oh, so that''s what it is. The only ones who didn''t notice were Nephrite himself and Ginette. ''Well, I''ll take it. Then Nepheli poked at the cotton candy. ...... Ah, ''eat'', right? I chose ''poke'' for visual effect. What''s this?What is this?It''s amazing! Neffery''s face lights up. I''m sorry. ...... No, I''m sorry. To be honest, you can''t really see the change in expression on this guy. I''m sure it''s a very nice smile. ''The moment I put it in my mouth, it melted away. ''...... melting? ''Are you sure?It doesn''t look like it''s melting at all.'' ''Really, really!When I put it in my mouth, it disappears with a ''whoosh''! He seemed to be surprised by the texture first. Well, if you don''t know anything about cotton candy, you are first surprised by the way it is made, then by the appearance, then by the texture, and finally by the taste. That''s how it goes, I guess. ''So, how does it taste? Estella approached Nepheli with great interest. Nepheli says, ''Oh, I don''t mind. I forgot to tell you how it tasted...'' She made a sarcastic gesture and then gave her opinion again. ''It''s really, really sweet! Well... It''s sugar. ''Yashiro!This will definitely be popular!Both children and adults will love it! I don''t know. ...... What about adults? The guys in District 42 might be into it, though. ''What about you, Neffery?Cotton candy, do you like it?'' ''Of course!I love cotton candy!'' ''It''s .......'' ''Wait a minute, you ............ can''t stop crying right now. ......'' Percy, who ran out of the store at great speed to get some lentils, ran through the store in twelve minutes when it would have taken him thirty minutes. In reaction to this, he fell on the floor as soon as he arrived at the store, and until now he had been dying with ''ze...... ze......'', but now he is being summoned in a different way ...... Yes, to heaven (paradise). ''Hey, hey ...... Percy, are you okay? ''Hmm?'' Nephrite peeps at Percy, who looks like he''s about to die (which is what he wants, I guess). ''You''re crying, aren''t you? You''re the one who made me cry. After all, I love you! That''s why. I bet Percy could survive two years of fasting with that one word. However, I don''t want him to die, so I''ll save him a little. I crouched down beside Percy''s face and whispered in a voice that only Percy could hear. ''Hey, Percy. Wouldn''t you like to know what heaven tastes like?'' ''...... Hey, I''m sorry. I''m having the best time of my life right now. ...... Just leave me alone. ............ I''ll never be happier than I am right now, anyway. ......''. ''Please help us maintain a stable supply of jalape?¡Ào.'' With that, he pats Percy on the shoulder and stands up. ''Neffery. Percy''s exhausted, can''t you share some sugar with him?'' ''Is this the sugar ...... you want? ''Yeah. He can''t even move his hands, so give him a slice of the part he hasn''t touched.'' ''Yeah. That''s fine. ......'' I shred a pinch of cotton candy and bring it to Percy''s mouth, who is lying on his back with his arms covering his tear-stained eyes. Percy opens his mouth involuntarily when something fluffy touches it. With a flick, Nepheli throws a cotton candy into it. Percy looks up in surprise at the sweetness that suddenly spreads in his mouth. He sees his beloved Nepheli bent at the waist and knees, looking at him. In his hand was a cotton candy made of sugar. The visual information in her brain came together to form ...... ''I was fed cotton candy! And that led to the fact that... ''Bube! --Percy let out a strange sound and fainted. I think I''m over capacity. ''............ is a taste of heaven,............, and it''s really bad. ............'' Those were Percy''s last words. ''Yashiro. The dead are here.'' ''I''m sure he went to heaven. ''You really look peaceful. ''Hey, guys. Mr. Percy, he''s not dead, is he? I look down at the fainting Percy around me. Her eye makeup is all messed up with tears. She looks like a gal who''s been crying. ''......, but well, now you can get the ingredients for the cotton candy for free. ''You can get the ingredients for cotton candy for free semi-permanently! ''''Yeah ......, that''s not how it works .......'''' ''''Don''t worry, it''s Percy.'''' Magda and Loretta know exactly what they''re doing. The lower the cost of materials, the lower the selling price. We''ll make more profit, and the customers will get a tasty snack for less. No one is unhappy. Except for ...... Percy. It''s also possible to share cotton candy by cutting it into strips like you did earlier. Just like Neffery did, you can cut the cotton candy into pieces and share it with others. You don''t even have to put your mouth on it, so even if you''re worried about indirect kissing, it''s okay. ''Then let''s all eat together. ''Is that okay, Neffely? ''Yes. We''re all friends.'' ''Nephrite is a good girl! ''She''s a real people person. ''...... Magda has always thought so.'' ''You can see the kindness on her face!Hey, manager.'' ''Mm-hmm. That''s right. ''But, you''re all giving me too much ...... praise. You just want to eat cotton candy.'''' The girls start laughing face to face. It''s so funny. After all, it''s nice when girls get along like this. ''Let''s share with us too~'' ''We''re good friends, aren''t we~'' ''Ahhh, I''m looking forward to it~'' I don''t look at the excited Mukimuki Osan, even if I have to. Even if I wanted to! ''Well, let''s make another one. By turning the handle attached to the body of this cotton candy machine, the tube filled with lumps of sugar rotates, and the centrifugal force dislodges the cottony sugar into a bowl. Two people are needed: one to hold a wooden stick the size of disposable chopsticks and twirl the cotton candy, and the other to turn the handle. Earlier, I asked Norma to turn the handle. The handle turns with a light force, but it is a little troublesome because you have to keep turning it until the end. I''m thinking of leaving the real work to Delia. We need the power of the beastmen. No matter what we do. ''I''m sorry, but I need some help. ......'' As I said this, I looked at her and saw a lot of piercing eyes staring at me. They all want to do it. I''ll take the one that twines you around the pole. Percy is out cold, and the old men are saying things like, ''You don''t understand a girl''s heart, Yashiro, asking a girl to do the heavy lifting,'' and ''Girls are attracted to boys who can be trusted,'' so I can''t ask. In the end, I guess I''ll have to do it myself. Magda and Norma, who can be asked to do it, will want to observe what others are doing because they don''t want to fail in their turn. ...... I can''t help it. ''In order''. '''''''''''' Yes! '''''''''''' I got a really good response. You''re preschoolers, aren''t you? ''Yeah, it''s harder than you think. ''It looked so easy when we saw it. Norma, who took first place in a game of rock-paper-scissors, and Estella, who was second, struggled with the cotton candy, which didn''t hold together well, and created an oddly shaped cotton candy. Norma forcibly made a shape with her hands and cheated, while Estella made a strange, elongated shape. ''...... "White fluffy something sweet snack" vs. "Red fuzzy something shiny"''. ''Don''t use ''red fuzz'' for this! ''...... Yashiro, excuse the abbreviation. This is the venerable ...... of the Tigers.'' ''All right, get on with it!I''m tired, you handle!'' Magda was not happy, but Ginette gave her a stick and she started making cotton candy. I''m sure you''ve figured out the trick after watching it a few times, but Magda''s cotton candy was forming a beautiful fluff. ''...... And here, add some coarse rice. ''Don''t add more without permission! ''......I''m going to make a giant cotton candy.'' ''No such thing! Magda added it on her own, so I asked Neffery to pass it on quickly. ''Wait, I''m not ready for ...... that! No need, no need, no need. If you''re in Japan, you can go to a buffet and they have it, anyone can do it. When I was a kid, they used to have them at the rooftop amusement park of department stores. You put in a hundred yen, and out comes a batch of lumps, with a box of disposable chopsticks around the side of the machine. ''Oh, look at that!Isn''t it pretty? ''Wow, it''s amazing. Mr. Nefari.'' Oh, I was thinking and didn''t see what Nephrite was doing at all. Well, it''s not something I can watch over. At ......, the first two people who failed are staring at you in frustration. They''re looking at me with a look of ''Wow, we want revenge! They''re looking at you with a face like that. ...... ''Then it''s finally my turn! Loretta rolled up her sleeves, stepped forward, and succeeded as usual. ''It''s not very exciting, is it?Everyone, make it more exciting!My cotton candy turned out great! ''No, Magda and Nephrite made it too, so I thought it wasn''t worth the fuss. ''That''s terrible!It''s not fair!Please praise me too! ''You were very good, Loretta. The good-natured Ginette took the trouble to praise her. Well, now we know that anyone can make cotton candy. It might be a good idea to let the kids make their own at the party. If we make it a selling point that people can make cotton candy by themselves, we may have a big hit at the Sunda-mari-tei. It''s kind of fun to do it yourself. For example, cotton candy and soft ice cream. ...... Soft-serve ice cream is indeed impossible, isn''t it? ''I''ll be the last one''. And here comes Ginette with all her might. But I''m sure she''ll succeed as usual. I don''t think she''s going to show her ''obsession'' with cotton candy. ''Okay, let''s go. ''Yes, please. Please.'' He throws in a few sprinkles and turns the handle. ''~a?a'' ''Phew! ''Yashiro-san! ''No, I''m fine, just keep going to .......'' Suddenly, Ginette started singing a nursery rhyme, which upset me. A song I taught her. ...... d*mn, this song is now embarrassing to listen to. ''Ginette. What''s that song about?I''ve never heard of it.'' ''Yeah, Estella!Don''t come near me when I''m cooking!You''ll burn yourself! ''What''s wrong with you? You look so scary.'' He intimidates Estella, who approaches him, and removes her. ...... Don''t go deep into it. Just listen. And on the way back, fall and hit your head and lose your memory of this place. ''Hmm, hmm, hmm...'' ......? That''s funny. The song I taught you wasn''t supposed to be a waltz like that. ...... ''Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm...'' Yeah, that''s right. Ginette was a creature with no sense of rhythm or sound. ''I''m not very good at this. ''Huh?That''s terrible. It''s true, I''m new at this, so I may not be very good at it. ......'' No, I''m not. I''m not talking about the cotton candy, I''m talking about the song. ''Like this, like this, like this...'' Why are they singing? Well, I''m glad you''re having fun. ............ Hmm? ''~a?a'' She shakes her body slightly and hums a strange but happy tune through her arched mouth. I''m not sure if this is what Ginette is ...... cooking with. The kitchen was changed to an island kitchen when the Sunlit Pavilion was remodeled, but that kitchen was mainly used for serving food and helping me, and Ginette always used the kamado by the wall. That''s why the only time I saw her standing in the kitchen was from behind. ...... Ginette stands facing me as I turn the handle of the cotton candy machine. I can see Ginette''s face even better today because she''s bent over a little and is looking into the trays. I''ve never seen Ginette''s face so closely and head-on while she was cooking before. What can I say? ...... I felt I understood one of the reasons why Ginette''s cooking is so delicious. With such a good expression on her face, the food would be delicious. Well, there''s no way that a face can change the taste of food. While thinking about this, I couldn''t help but stare at her. The smile on Jeannette''s face made ...... me feel nostalgic. ''Yashiro, look at this. It''s well done. ...... Yikes.'' Ginnette, who completed the fluffy cotton candy, let out a small scream as soon as she looked up. ''I''m ...... surprised.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. Oh, no. I''ve been staring too hard. ''You were probably staring at Jeannette''s bent-over breasts again, weren''t you? ''Hmm?Oh, that''s right. That''s what I meant. Boobs are so cute! Rather than being thought to be ...... admiring Ginette because she was cooking so happily, it''s better to be disgusted with ''...... this titty man again''. ''...... something different than usual''. I don''t want you to guess. ''Um, Yashiro-san. What do you think? A cotton candy was presented in front of me. It was fluffy and fluffy to the point of perfection, so fluffy and fluffy that if you showed it to a child, they would be overjoyed with all their might. ''Please give me a grade. And on the other side of the room, a big smile bloomed. I know you can''t be too harsh with a smile like that. ''You''re perfect. You''ve got your license. ''Really?I''m so happy.'' ''Wow'' is ...... you. Even Neffery wouldn''t say that nowadays. ''After all, it looks delicious when you make it, doesn''t it, Jeannette? ''That''s true. What''s the difference? ''The ingredients are the same, but the finished product is very different. ''...... Hmm. An amateur can''t understand. ''Yes, yes. Magda probably doesn''t understand either. Don''t be arrogant.'' Nefari is telling Magda off. ''The comfort of success? You may not understand. The difference between you and Jeannette. Estella''s and Norma''s faces showed their ''gung-ho'' to do well, Magda''s and Loretta''s faces showed their greed to master quickly, and Nephrite''s face was that of a chicken. In the midst of all this, only Ginette seemed to be enjoying herself as she faced the cotton candy. Probably, in his mind, he was thinking of those who would eat it, ''I want it to be delicious. There was a clear difference between Jeannette and the others in terms of ''who she was cooking for''. I don''t mean to say that cooking is a matter of love, but I do think that food that is made with the eater in mind and for the sake of the eater will taste better. So, this is for Yashiro-san. ''Heh?'' ''Only Yashiro-san hasn''t eaten yet, right? When I looked around, I saw that the old men of the hardware guild were all sharing cotton candy, saying things like ''we''re good friends~''. ...... Who made that? I''m sure you''ll like it. ''Oh, that''s not fair, Yashiro!I want to eat your cotton candy too, Ginette. ''...... Magda deserves it too. ''Then I want some too! Girls flocking to Jeannette. ''...... You hyenas. But Jeannette kicked them off with a smile. ''This time, it''s for you, Yashiro. He smiled and silenced them all with his unapologetic cheerfulness. No one would be able to argue with that. ''Ginette-chan also gives the first one to Yashiro quite often, doesn''t she? ''There are times when I feel that ...... is a favoritism. ''Big brother, it''s not fair. It''s not fair. ...... ''Hmm. That''s right.'' I thought he was going to be embarrassed and make a big impatient retort, but Ginette admitted it surprisingly easily. But Jeannette admitted it surprisingly easily, so easily that I was surprised. ''Because if you''re nice to Yashiro-san, something good will happen to you later. Right? ''...... bribe?'' Ginette shakes her shoulders with a giggle and laughs, ''Maybe so. You may think it''s a light joke, but ...... really. Anyway, here''s some cotton candy for you. I put my mouth on it and bit into it so that no one would steal it. Ah, sweet, sweet. And then-- ''Excuse me. --Natalia came into the sunlit pavilion. ''Oh?There''s something unusual here. She looks at the cotton candy bowl placed in the store and shows interest. Then, he glanced at the Mukimuki Osan who were frozen in place behind it. ''''It looks like there are some unusual creatures here. ''''''Oh my god!You''re awful, Natalia! It''s your biology that''s terrible. Stop wiggling, old man. ''''So, Natalia. Is there something wrong? ''''Yes. I received a letter from Mr. Donnerty.'' Here it comes. I had asked Mahr to write to Donnis, directly or indirectly, and get him to participate in the party at the 24th District Church, and the result has arrived here now. If Donnis didn''t participate, this banquet would be a failure. It would remain a mere social gathering. That may be meaningful, but it''s not enough to overturn ...... the BU. Estella looks at her once and then opens the letter she received from Natalia. As everyone watches with bated breath, Estella''s eyes move quickly over the letter. Left to right, top to bottom. And then ...... ''Yashiro.'' After folding the letter, Estella-- ''The banquet has been decided.'' --with a triumphant smile on her face. It seems Donnis has made time for it. I''ve already gotten the approval of the 24th district church and the koji craftsman Rebeka. If you contact me in advance, I can arrange a date for you. ''Natalia, I''ll write a letter to the 24th District Church and the Koji Workshop right away, so please make arrangements for a carriage. ''Very well, sir.'' Estella instructed Natalia, while I instructed the others. ''Magda, you go to Torbeck Engineering, and Loretta, you go tell Delia what just happened. ''...... Understood.'' ''Okay, sir! ''Then I''ll go inform the sisters. ''Please. Norma and the old man will be with me to finish the bearings. ''''All right! ''''I''ll take care of it! Time starts to move at once. Everyone present does what they have to do. It''s great that the banquet has been decided, but once it''s decided, there''s no going back. The only way left is to make it a success at all costs. ''Hey, Yashiro. What are you going to do about the store? ''Oh, I''m sorry, Nefari. Can you do it?'' ''Yes. I''ll take care of it. I need you to look after Jeannette until she gets back from church. The church could be tomorrow, but since we''re taking the ...... kids with us, the more time we have to prepare, the better. ''Percy, do you mind if I let him sleep? ''If he''s in the way, you can pull him into a corner and leave him there. ''Um, I''ll get you a blanket. As if she had any objection to the idea of leaving Percy alone, Jeannette hurriedly ran behind the counter. ''I think if you sprinkle some chili on it, it will raise your body temperature and you won''t catch a cold, Percy. ''I don''t have a Yashiro .......'' ''I''m going on a super express and coming right back!I''ll be in charge of the store! As soon as she said that, Loretta ran out of the store. She must have thought that she couldn''t leave it to Neffely alone. If he hurries, he''ll be back soon. ''Well, then, Nephrite. When the customers arrive, keep them waiting until Loretta returns.'' ''Yeah. All right.'' ''...... with some light talk.'' ''Don''t raise the bar, Magda. ......'' And then each of us leaves the store to do our part. We''ll do everything we can. To draw Donnis in. And to f*ck the BU guys over. To put it mildly, to protect District 42. Well, it''s not exactly a gala. Not for me. 312-Preparation for Episode 224 Banquet THE Final ''Totally. Our work space is filling up fast.'' Imelda lets out a sigh when she sees the people I''ve brought with me. A group of muscular men with blue beards that persistently grow even after shaving every morning. Maidens of the hardware guild. The maidens of the hardware guild. ''They''re all puffed up, aren''t they? ''Your lumberjacks are just fine. Norma, on the other hand, looks at the lumberjacks waiting for her and sighs. Well, you know. There''s a lot of muscle. Countless muscles with big tits. Well, the conditions are the same. Both guilds. ''I just want to test the performance of my finished bearing. I''d like to borrow your space.'' ''That''s fine, but ......''. After assembling and first testing the bearings at Norma''s, we had come to the Woodcutter''s Guild to test their performance and durability in combination with actual wood. It would have been fine if Norma had been there, but the bearded maidens were all like, ''We want to see it too! We want to see it too!'' and ''Betty in the bearing is as good as our daughter! and ''Betty the Bearing is as good as our daughter!'' They came with us in a big huff. ...... What is Betty? Don''t name her anything you want. The wood storage area of the Lumberjack Guild''s 42nd district branch is cramped thanks to this. No, there''s plenty of space, but the myriad of muscles crowding into my field of vision makes me feel hot and stuffy. If this were Japan, and I were to file a lawsuit claiming that I had suffered mental anguish, I would win 100%. ''Yashiro, the installation is complete! ''Oh~!Then, combine it with that log over there. The steel plate extending from the bearing is attached to the end of the log with thick screws, and another log is passed through the bearing ring. The idea is to make a log that is combined like the letter "G" and rotate the bearing. We carefully inspected the bearings to see if they would work properly under a certain amount of weight and if they would break. After all, this is something for kids to play with. There should be no danger. ...... Kids will play with it with all their might, which we do not expect. They can even wear out the shaft of a waterwheel. This is why playground equipment is subjected to multiple inspections to ensure safety. ''Hmm~...... this log is heavy~.......'' ''What''s that creepy voice you''re making, goliath? ''It''s Gonsuke. You usually carry a heavier steel plate. ''Because the weight of a log and a steel plate is different. If you''re not used to it, it feels heavier. ''Even Norma? ''Not me, no.'' ''But you won''t help me, will you? ''It''s not good to spoil them, you know. Norma smokes a cigarette with grace. It''s been a while since I''ve seen Norma in a flue. ...... Don''t make a fuss in the lumberyard. ''Oh, ......! ''Oops! The log that Gonsuke lifted lost its balance and was about to fall ......, but a lumberjack quickly followed and supported it. ''That''s dangerous. When you hold a log, you need to think about the weight ratio of the top, bottom, left and right of the log and apply force. ''Sorry, ......, sorry. ''No. It''s difficult for an amateur. I''m sorry. The lumberjack is easily carrying the log that Gonsuke was struggling with. ''...... Well, I''m glad you''re not hurt.'' ''What ......? ''What am I supposed to do with this guy?I''ll help you, just give me some instructions.'' ''Ha,........................ yes.'' What is this? It''s turning a fuzzy peach color over there! ''Oh no~, it looks like Gonsuke''s ...... been shot through.'' ''I didn''t want to witness such a shocking image .......'' ''But my guyus just broke up with his girlfriend. ''What''s with the ''just'', Imelda......'' ''Well, it''s not our place to interfere, is it? ''Yes, you''re right. This is a matter between two people. Let''s keep a gentle eye on them.'' ''No, I''ll leave it alone, but I won''t watch over it. You''ll go blind looking at that thing. If it''s a choice between that or the sun, I''ll gladly look directly at the sun. A lumberjack named Gaius (a muscular man, of course) helps Gonsuke to put the logs into the bearings. Their fingers touch each other on the way. Oops, ......, sorry,'''' he said, his stomach acid refluxing, and then we were ready. ...... You don''t need an endurance test anymore. The bearing and the log are extremely durable if they didn''t decay after being hit by that horrible thing next to them. ''Hmm. It looks like Gaius has a new girlfriend. ''Look closely, Imelda. Does that look like him to you? ''Mr. Yashiro. The most important thing in love is here. Imelda presses her chest. ''Well, yes. ''It''s not the breasts. ''It''s the heart. Almost at the same time. Then say so from the beginning, it''s confusing. ''But, if you''re going to do this kind of work, shouldn''t you have called Umaro-san? ''That''s right. Non-professional work can be tricky even for us. ''It''s not like we''re going to build it up in earnest, so it''ll be faster if we do this ourselves, right? Besides, we''ve left Umaro and the others in charge of setting up the stalls and the playground equipment. We don''t have time to keep them busy with tests. ''They''ve got things to do over there. ''Stick to ...... Once again, Mr. Oumarro is the only one with a special slot.'' ''The feeling of being trusted more than anyone else is annoying, that fox carpenter .......'' Oh no, an anti-Umaro alliance has been formed. I told you not to compete with him. ''Why do you rely on Oumalo so much, Yashiro-san? ''Why, ......'' ''Besides the technology, he''s always talking about Umaro Umaro when he needs something.'' ''Is that so?'' ''Yes, that''s right! ''That''s what Regina said!''I''m making progress! ''Norma. Can you please erase that memory and that pharmacist right now? But you''re right, Umaro is easy to use. He doesn''t get angry when I''m selfish, he always gives me more than what I want, and if I go a little overboard, I just show him my magda and he''s in a good mood. And ...... If you lean on Norma or Imelda too much outside of your main job, ...... it will bother you a bit. It''s like using a woman and then throwing her away when you''re done with her. It''s okay that Umaro doesn''t have breasts that shrink. ''If that''s the logic, Estella-san won''t have a problem either.'' ''Maybe that''s why. Estella and I often do the same things together. In Estella''s case, I''m the one being used, these days. ...... One day, I''ll make her pay for everything. ''Yashiro, I''ve got it! I''m not sure what to do with it. You can hold it ...... with ease, can''t you? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m sure it''s a good idea. ......It''s nice, isn''t it? ......Yuck! ''You should go out with them now, guys. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do.''Oh, no, Yashiro! ''Oh, no! ''Oh! Gonsuke threw a log at me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Dangerous. I thought I was going to die. I mean, if it weren''t for Norma, I''d be dead. The log was stuck in the ground. And it''s stuck in the ground! ''It seems durable enough.'' ''That''s not what you should be worried about right now. ......'' I''ll take care of the Gonsuke sanction later, but first I''ll thank Norma. That was a close call. You saved my life. I thank her wholeheartedly and sincerely. ''Norma''s tits are so soft.'' ''Don''t you have anything else to say? No, it was those soft cushions that kept me intact! If it had been Estella, I might have broken all the bones in my body, you know?No, I''m sure I would have! ''Estella-san would have broken at least a few bones. ''Hey Imelda. Don''t be so quick to say what I thought but never said. Heh. So everyone was thinking the same thing in their heart. That''s great Estella. Your credibility is 100%. ''The post is nicely buried in the ground, so let''s start the rotation test like this. I take a log and spin the bearing pretty wildly. Children''s games are never elegant. If the bearing doesn''t break after such rough handling, it is considered to be of OK quality. ''It''s really ...... tough, isn''t it? ''Yes,......, that''s right,............, hmm. It was interesting to see how lightly it spun, and the two girls continued to spin it enthusiastically together. It''s a log, but it''s also a log to hold. It should be pretty heavy,......, but Norma, or even Imelda, is becoming more powerful. ''I''m sure Delia can break it,'' she said. ''Yes, she can. I''ll go get her. ''I''m not here to destroy it! I''m not here to be destroyed. We''ll use it, later. ''Okay. Test''s over. Remove it.'' We tested three bearings today. We''re going to make three playgrounds. ''Well then, tell that fox carpenter to ''make it tight''. ''And don''t waste a single piece of our wood, please. Norma and Imelda will be away this time. I''m sure they''d like to go, but they can''t all come with us. ''According to what I''ve heard, there will be a ''banquet'' in District 42 later on. ''We''ll enjoy ourselves to the fullest then, won''t we? I''m not the kind of person who wants to go. She''s an adult after all. ''I hope you get to eat the cotton candy soon. I''ll be waiting.'' ''Cotton candy?What''s that?I''ve never heard that word before! ''It''s Yashiro''s idea of a fluffy, sweet treat. ''I want some!I want to eat it!Please make it right now! Oh ...... Imelda is still a child. And Norma. It wasn''t my idea. ''Then take care of the 42nd district.'' ''Yeah, I''ll take care of it. ''Since I''m here, there''s no problem at all.'' The two of them swayed with their chests outstretched. Very nice! ''You guys are really good guys...'' ''We''re definitely talking about boobs. ''You''re definitely talking about boobs. I left the lumberjack guild with a cold stare on my back. The time passed quickly, and it was the day before. The bearing was finished, and Ginette had finished picking up the food to cook. Since this morning, she has been ordering various ingredients in consultation with Assunto. The atmosphere in the church was somewhat fidgety. They seemed unsettled by their first experience. It was said that Nephrite and Paula would come to take care of the children on the day of the event, as it would be lonely without the older group. Paula had been showing up at the church every now and then and voluntarily volunteered to help. She seems to be a surprisingly devout Alvistan. And the sunlit pavilion... ''Magda ...... is big. ''......I thought it would be better to stand out''. A huge sign saying "Closed Today" was put up. It seems to be the work of Hamm''s children. It was so huge that it covered the first floor and the sign on the roof. At the bottom of the sign, there is a note that says, ''*We are closed, but if you come to the 24th district, we will serve you something. ...... How much does our manager hate holidays? Are you worried about the words "Open All Year Round" on the advertising T-shirts? This is a great way to make sure that you do not get caught up in the judgments of the spirits. ...... There is no record of the conversation in the Conversation Record. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I don''t think anyone is going to cast a "judgment of the spirits" on that. If there is, I''ll crush it with all my might. It''s a very powerful thing!This is an unquestionable day off! ''It''s tomorrow, but it''s a holiday. Somewhat frightened, I added a note at the bottom of the big sign: ''From now on, the Sunlit Pavilion will be closed as needed. It''s not a lie that our business hours will change. And I''ve given proper notice. Now. ''Oh~......, this is also spectacular.'' I look up at the huge sign with my chest bowed, which has no Estella. There is no unevenness even when viewed from the side. It''s barrier-free. ''And now I have a rude thought, Yashiro. I need to talk to you.'' ''Are you an esper? ''I can at least tell what Yashiro is thinking.'' ''You can''t read my mind that easily.'' ''I can understand ...... Magda.'' ''I can understand it in plenty of time.'' What ......? You''re the world''s most powerful fraud, and my mind is ......? ''Umaro and the others, we''re ready.'' They had stopped by Umaro''s place before coming here. ''Are you ready to go? ''Yeah, we''re ready to go.'' Me and Estella are going to ride ahead with Umaro and the others to set up the stalls and playground equipment in the church. Since Umaro and the others would not be able to enter the church in the 24th district alone, we decided to accompany them. Tonight we will stay at the church for the night. We''ll be camping in the garden, though. ''Where are Millie and Wendy? ''They should have arrived at District 35 by now. Millie had gone to the 35th district yesterday. She was going to look at the flowers and make a design for the decorations. It seems that she can''t just pick up the flowers and take them with her. We had originally planned to go together, but we decided to go separately. He was very motivated. Well, that''s good. ''Oh, Miss Estella. Ginette came out of the store, looked up at the big sign and smiled. Ginette likes flashy things too, surprisingly. ''Hello, Ginette. How are the food arrangements coming along? ''Yes, everything''s fine. Mr. Assunto will be bringing it to the church in the 24th district tomorrow morning. A delivery service. That''s nice and easy. ''Then, from my side, don''t forget to bring the taiyaki molds and cotton candy containers. ''Yes, sir. ...... Hmm.'' Holding her mouth in her hands, Jeannette glanced at Magda and the others. ''Magda-san and Loretta-san are working very hard, so I''m sure they won''t forget. I want to show off my cotton candy and taiyaki in the show. With that in mind, these two have been training hard. The goal is Ginette quality. Well, they haven''t reached their goal yet, but they''ve reached the level where they can be presented to the audience. It looks like their taiyaki will make its debut at the banquet. I''ll also remind them not to forget to prepare okonomiyaki and takoyaki. I''m planning to set up a stall with a teppan over there, so just bring the ingredients and you''re good to go. Just don''t forget the homemade sauce. ''Yes, sir. I''ll take care of it. I''ll be riding ahead, but Jeannette and the others will be leaving District 42 early in the morning. We''ll split up this evening. ''You''re leaving already?I can make you a lunch if you want. ''Really?Then I''ll ask you. Yashiro, you''ll be okay for about twenty minutes, right? It takes Jeannette about twenty minutes to make a lunch. And you know exactly what I''m talking about. He''s probably going to make lunches for the guys at Torbek''s store too, so there will be a lot of them. But when Jeannette says, "Let''s have lunch," it''s when she''s prepped in advance. She never leaves anyone waiting. He says ''even if it''s for lunch'' because he is well prepared and confident that he can prepare it quickly. That''s the reason for the 20 minutes. Well, there''s no need to be in such a hurry. ''Then, please. Estella, I need your help. I''ll have Magda and Loretta remove the sign.'' ''...... I just put it up.'' ''It''s such a great sign! ''The closing date is tomorrow. It''s too early.'' Ginette and Estella disappear into the store, leaving the two to pout. Now ...... ''Are you sure about this, you two? ''...... Hmmmmmm. Of course.'' ''We''re going to do just fine. ...... Mmm-hmm.'' This time, I''ve asked these two for a secret mission. I''m sure they''ll do well. It took a lot of effort to teach them under the watchful eye of Jeannette. ............ Well, you can look forward to the show. So, I''m going to go help with the lunches,...... and just when I think I''m done. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. As soon as I thought I saw a carriage in the distance, Lucia jumped down from the carriage with such a shout and charged towards me with more speed than the carriage. ''Dofufu! I was blown away by the full weight of her body. I rolled over and crashed into the leg of a huge signboard. Ooh ...... ouch. ''You!What the hell do you think you''re doing? ''That''s what I''m talking about, you bastard. ......'' Lucia looked down at me with a grimace. ''You, I''m going to smack you so hard your tits will swell up. ''Give me back my unlimited touch! ...... Oh, you mean that. The words I taught Millie before were passed down word for word without error, and as I expected, she said, ''Okay!I''ll tell her exactly what you said! Estella was so amused that she wrote a letter to Lucia and told it to Wendy as well. In other words, if you let me use the flowers in the Garden in District 35, I''ll give you all the tactile sensations you want (except that the tactile sensations are those of Wendy''s father, Thibault! But the tentacles are those of Wendy''s father, Tibor. And then, when the story was revealed, I rushed into the forty-second district in a rage. ''It''s your fault for failing to check. ''You''re the one who failed to check. It seems like Lucia is about to transform into her final form and start emitting an aura of evil. I''m scared. ''Yashiro~?What are you making a fuss about ............ or ......? Estella came out of the store, but when she saw Lucia, who was furious, she quietly closed the door. ''Estella! ''Yes, yes! But when Lucia called her name, she ran out. That''s right, that''s right. I was the one who suggested it, but it was Estella who did it, so she should be the one who gets angry. ''Get angry, Estella.'' ''Yashiro put you up to this, didn''t he! You''re just as guilty! '' Lucia raged, putting her own perversion on the shelf. If you were a more decent person, I don''t think this would have happened. ...... Well, let''s not talk about this. ''...... Yashiro thinks that Lucia will be angry at him for shelving his unreasonable perversion. In addition, he looks like he''s thinking, ''If you were a more decent person, this wouldn''t have happened. ''You guys are awesome!Or is my face that obvious? You read the poker face of the strongest con artist so beautifully. Oh, look at that. Lucia said, ''This is my ...... true form! She''s looking at me like she just did. ''Anchovy ...... Estella ......''. ''Oh, oh ......''. ''What is it, ......? ''I heard that tomorrow is the day for the ''banquet'' in the 24th district? ''Well, well, .......'' ''That''s the plan,......? You don''t think Lucia is going to ask you to join her, do you? ''''Then come to my mansion.'''' ''''Huh?'''' ''''I''ll listen to you defend yourself to the hilt. ......, that means... ''''You''re inviting Yashiro-san and Estella-san to come stay with you, aren''t you? Ginette, carrying a large lunch box, pops up. It seems that the lunchbox is not yet ready. ''What are you talking about, Ginepoo!I just want to give these people a lecture! ''I was also worried about Yashiro-san and Estella-san sleeping in the tent. I''m sure they''ll be safe in Lucia''s house. ''Mu......mu...... is different.'' ''Lucia-san. Please take care of the two of them. I''ll prepare lunch for you too, Lucia. It seems that Lucia can''t maintain her anger in the face of Ginette. ...... To hold down a lord. You''re a great guy. You''re a great guy. ...... I wonder if that''s what he calls Jeannette. ''Hmm, hmm!Ginepoo''s food is delicious. It''s a tempting offer. You can thank Jinepu, both of you!I''ll let you off with a sermon for your lunches! ''Hmm... Lucia-san, you must have been lonely. ''''Ha, ha!What are you talking about, Jinepu?Even if it''s you, I won''t understand if you say random things! ''Hmph. I''m sorry. ''d*mn .................., you anchovy idiot! ''Why me? ''I can''t help it. I can''t be rude to Jeannette, and neither can Lucia. ''Don''t throw up on me either. ''It''s easier for you to throw up, isn''t it? I don''t get it. ''Lucia-san. Is there anything you want me to put in my lunch?'' ''Hammaro-tan, please! ''I said it''s a side dish. ''Huh. ...... You don''t seem to understand, anchovy ...... I can eat white rice with Hammarotan! ''Hey, Estella. Go call the vigilante. ''I''ll give it some thought. I''ll look into it.'' ...... You''re so lazy. ''I can eat white rice in Milly, too! ''Magda. Can you go get Medora for me, please?'' ''...... quickly.'' ''Hey!How many times the vigilante''s strength are you going to throw in?Is this a war of annihilation? ''It''s the difference between my brother and Lucia. Idiot, Loretta. It''s not a big difference between me and Lucia!...... Who''s not much different from Lucia! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. Ginette smiled and walked into the store. ''Since it''s such a good opportunity, shall we ask Lucia to take us for a ride in her carriage? ''Why are you being so selfish? You''ll have to come on foot. ''It just so happens that you seem to be coming in a large carriage.'' ''............'' If Gilberta wasn''t even here and she came in such a large carriage, she must have planned to give us a ride from the start. ''When the lunch is ready, go to Umaro''s place and take me to the church in the 24th district first.'' ''Hmm... You can''t help it. I''ll do as you say, just this once, for the sake of Ginepoo''s lunch. In Lucia''s own way, she probably wants to help the BU break down. I can''t think of a reason to move without going through all this trouble. ...... ''Tsundere''. ''You''re just like Yashiro.'' ''...... just like him'' ''He''s like a big brother.'' Who''s just like Lucia? And don''t look so uncomfortable, Lucia. I''m the one! Waiting for Ginette to finish her lunch, we set off in Lucia''s carriage. After all the preparations we''ve made, we''re finally ready to start the party. Once it begins, it will be over in the blink of an eye. We must persuade Donnis to come to our side in that short amount of time. As the carriage slowly made its way through the forty-second district, I re-focused my energy. 313-Stand by for Episode 225 Banquet ''Wake up and think, I am. My friend Yashiro. ''Anyway, who taught you?'' Early morning. I was asleep in my soft bed when I was woken up by Gilberta''s flat, tasteless voice. If you''re going to make a joke like that, even if it''s a lie, make it a little more s*xy. ...... Well, it''s probably useless to tell Gilberta, but... I''m not sure what to do. I want to eat with you, me, Lucia, and my friends, Yashiro and the others. ''Are Estella and the others already up? ''Probably not yet, I think. It''s a little early, the time, now.'' Gilberta opened the curtains and said, ...... Wow, it''s dark. ''...... what time is it? ''I think it''s going to ring, in a couple of hours, the wake-up bell. ''Isn''t it two o''clock? It''s not morning, not yet! ''I was told to wake you up at this time, Lucia-sama. ''Alright. Then let''s go wake Lucia up too! ''I''ll take care of it, I have a message for you. ''Approaching the bedroom is punishable by death,'' Lucia-sama said. ''I''d like to question that lord for an hour if he can say that to Gilberta. He even made Gilberta wake up early to harass me. ''I think you should be angry, you too. Once in a while.'' ''I have no reason to be angry, I have. I''m happy to talk to you, my friend Yashiro, like this. ''............ Well, if it''s okay with you, it''s okay with me. ............ No, it''s not okay. No. In the end, it''s still about blowing that lord away. ...... Shall we ban him from the banquet in District 42? He''ll definitely want to come. ''Gilberta. I''d like to invite you alone to the party in District 42. ''No choice. I''ll go with you, anchovy! Boom!Lucia opens the door and enters the room. Can''t you make this place a little more secure?The smell of crime wafting from the master is unbelievable. ''After all, you were awake too? ''Hmph. I thought I''d take a look at you in your comical distress. ''You''re wasting your energy on nothing. ''So, Hammaro-tan will be attending the ''banquet'' in District 42, right? ''Of course he will. Besides, Hammaro will be there this time too.'''' ''What!Why didn''t you tell me that earlier? Lucia, the noblewoman, lord, and daughter-in-law who invaded my bedroom even though I didn''t give her permission, climbed on my sleeping bed, ripped off the covers, and peeked under the bed with her hands on the floor. ...... Is this okay? I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to do.Give it back! ''It''s not yours! ''So it''s Estella''s room?d*mn you, Estella. A daughter out of wedlock is a disgrace to ...... the lord! ''Don''t tell me you have a monopoly on the lord''s lee.'' You''re the one who''s monopolizing the windward side of the lord. Hammaro headed towards the church with Torbek''s men in a large baggage carriage. The only people who were allowed to ride in Lucia''s carriage were me, Estella, Natalia, Umaro and Yamboldo. We were first taken to the church in the 24th district, where we parted ways with Lucia. At the church, I introduced Umaro and the others to Sophie and Sister Barbara, and asked for permission to introduce them to the people who would be coming. I thought that Sophie would be reluctant, but as expected, she decided that it was necessary for this "banquet" and gave us permission without hesitation. Not only that, he seemed to be cooperating in the preparations for the feast. Perhaps it was because Umaro and the others were beastmen, or perhaps it was because Sophie herself had high hopes for the restoration of her relationship with Rebeka. Whatever the reason, it was a relief that things had worked out amicably. Just as we were discussing a certain layout and schedule, and making arrangements, the late arrival of the Torbek construction team arrived. The kids were looking at the delivery of the luggage with eyes that were half nervous and half excited. It seemed that they were not without fear of the situation where a large number of adults they didn''t know were coming, but they seemed to be more excited about the upcoming event that they had never experienced before. Even those little kids are excited, but Estella is ...... not even shaking. ''So, Hammaro will be staying in a tent at the church today. ''Why don''t you tell me that first!Gilberta, get ready to leave now! ''I''m already asleep! ''That''s more like it! ''What are you up to, you perverted lord? I''m banned! We have to ban him! I forbid him to leave this house! ''I hope Milly''s okay? ''Yes, she is!I wouldn''t feel safe leaving her in the hands of the Flower Arrangement Guild!I''ll still take her back! ''Oh, no. As long as the flower guild here is taking care of me, I''m fine!It''s safer than being with you. Millie apparently went through Lucia to meet with the flower guild here. She had already greeted them at the time of the Nectar candy, but now she seemed to have made a real connection. The flower guild in the 35th district hadn''t seen much light because of the flower garden, but the production of the nectar candy had brought them into the limelight, and they had expanded their customer base from mostly humans to include beastmen and insects. Gilberta told me that he has a very friendly feeling toward Miry. He said he would help us again this time. You''ll be able to get flowers from the lord''s flower garden and from the flower garden taken care of by the flower guild. I''m sure Lucia is paying for it, though, ....... I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... I''m only going to give you a little service, though. I''m sure. ''Masha is coming too, this time for the party. ''Hmm?Oh, really? Dry? What, this guy was so obsessed with Masha! ''What''s wrong?Did you have a fight with Masha? ''No, I didn''t. I''m not a child. That''s a pretty dry reaction for you, isn''t it? The old you would have said, ''Mwah!If Ma-tan is there, there''s no reason for me not to go! You were about to go on a rampage and say ...... ''Ma-tan seems to be obsessed with going to the 42nd district these days, so...'' It''s a fight. ...... It''s not a fight. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea.If we''re going to District Forty-two, why don''t we just go through District Thirty-five!Pfft! No, because that''s too far. ...... I wonder if Masha is trying to make a practical use of the route. I''ve talked with Masha before about a route that goes under the cliffs in District 30. The salmon in the river in the forty-second district led me to the conclusion that the river must be connected to the sea. It was a plan that was difficult to realize, but it would be nice if it could be done. You can get all the sea fish you want. Well, well, well. ''Ma-tan would be happier rubbing her scales with me than looking at the face of an anchovy! ''Isn''t that why we''re being diverted? Avoiding the danger zone is a basic rule in navigation. ''''So, on a serious note, ......, what do you honestly think?'''' Lucia''s voice suddenly changed tone. I responded seriously to her serious voice. ''I''d rather pinch your tits than rub your scales on them. ''What are you talking about with a serious face, you? ''I''m talking about boobs! ''Don''t state the obvious out loud! This guy has done a lot of things to himself, but when I talk about it, he denounces me. He''s a terrible lord. ''Your plan to overturn BU is going well, isn''t it? ''Oh, you mean that. Lucia hadn''t forgotten either. I had feared that she had forgotten about it, since she always made jokes when we met. ''Well, I''m having a hard time ......''. ''Unreliable ....... Well, I don''t think things are going to turn on a dime right now. ...... Hurry up, anchovy.'' ''I intend to. Anyway, today. I''ll do whatever it takes to get Donnis on our side. There''s no room for error at the feast. ''Hmm. If you know what you''re doing, then fine. I''ll put all the responsibility on your shoulders and you''ll crawl to your death.'' Lucia smiles a warm, cynical smile. So that''s it. ''Good luck,'' you mean? ''Well, if you''re going to make me take responsibility, you''re going to give me a reward if I do well, aren''t you? ''What?Why do I have to let you touch me? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Why are you assuming that the reward I want is boobs, Kola? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... You''re a man to be reckoned with. Growth? ''''The ...... of spirits.'''' ''I''m growing!But don''t try to judge the spirits!I''m a little nervous! Don''t call it ''growth'' when it''s only a margin of error. You can''t say that when you''ve got a couple of cups. ''...... and I thought Gilberta was pretty quiet, but ...... why is she sleeping in my bed? ''Munchy ...... smelly ...... friend of Yashiro''s ...... smooching ......''. Oh, there''s another "sniffer girl" here: ...... ''How can a little sleep transfer the smell of ...... you raw fish? ''Don''t use an unfortunate metaphor. ''............'' ''............'' ''............which'' ''It''s not ''which''. Now get Gilberta and get out of here. I''m still sleepy, you know. ''You''re sniffing Gilberta''s scent, ......'' he said, pushing Gilberta out of the room to Lucia, who was making some noise. This is a very active Regina,......, and I''m tired. After breakfast, we''ll go to the church and set up the stalls. Yeah. I think I''ll go to sleep now. I''m going to go to sleep now. ...... I can''t .................. smell anything, can I?I don''t know. Twenty-fourth Ward Church. I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Please don''t call me that, it''s embarrassing. Open the red iron gate, and the red-eyed Sophie comes out with her cheeks dyed red. She''s all red except for her hair. ''How''s the preparation going? ''Yes. Everyone has been very kind and helpful, and everything is going well. ''Guidance?'' At Sophie''s words, Estella and I looked at each other. ''Our gazes collide, our fingertips touch ......, and our lips overlap. ''Hey, can you not give me a weird monologue, Natalia? ''...... breasts that don''t sway.'' ''I''m going to stab you, aren''t I? They''re a lively bunch, even in another ward. Leaving the interesting duo alone, we too entered the church. ''Ah, Yashiro-san. The venue is almost ready. Wumalo, wearing a tightly twisted headband, was in charge of the scene. ''Oh, you look like a real carpenter when you do that. ''I''m a real carpenter! What?I thought you were a Magda believer! ''Yachiro! ''Esutera-onee-chan! As soon as we showed our faces, the kids swarmed around us. All of them with nails and hammers in their hands. ''...... Did you let them help you? ''Yes. ...... Sister Barbara insisted.'' I see. So ''gentle guidance''. It''s not every day you get the chance to see a real person at work like this, even if you''re doing vocational training. It must have been a good experience for the kids if they were even allowed to experience it. Since it''s Umaro, I''m sure he didn''t let them do anything that would really worry him, and there seems to be no delay in the work, so there should be no problem. ''''Did you have fun?'''' ''''''It was a lot of fun! ''''You''ll get hurt if you don''t like carpentry work! It''s typical of Umaro not to say, ''''I''m only giving you a very comfortable job. ''''Thank you all for your help. '''''''' Wow!You''re beautiful! '''''''' ''...... Tsk.'' Even in the church, the paper seemed to be read, and Natalia was treated as a ''beauty''. Sophie, for her part, seemed to be genuinely nervous in front of Natalia, trying to copy her mannerisms and the way she let her hair fall a little. I realized that even the uptight Sophie was a girl. ''Mr. Hammaro, can''t you show us where this is going? ''From here on, it''s top secret! At the place where the sheet is posted over there, Hammaro and a mantis-like kid with a strangely polite tone are having a shouting match. ...... Was that him, the one who was polite? I''m not sure what to say.I want to see it! ''I want to see it! ''Yachiro! The kids crowded in. In the churchyard, a little farther away from the stall area. It is completely blindfolded by a long stake and a large sheet made of hexenbiest leather. Ham kids are guarding the area to prevent prying eyes. A playground equipment will be set up in that corner. The playground equipment is a surprise to be unveiled at the banquet. We can''t let you see it. Even Bertina doesn''t know it exists. Ginette and the others know that we''re going to build the equipment, but only the people here know the whole story. I hope they''ll have a lot of fun at the show. ''Oh, ......''. Sophie''s ears twitched as she whispered, "Oh, . ''I see you''ve arrived.'' Sophie bows lightly and heads for the gate. As I watch her go, I think. ''I see, you heard the ginette swaying. ''Because you''re the only one who can hear it. She looks away from Sophie, listening to Estella''s voice. Her steps are lighter than ever. ''Are you happy to see Bertina? ''I guess that''s part of it. Before I knew it, there was a dried up monkey next to Estella. ''Oh no, ...... I''m seeing things I shouldn''t ...... see.'' ''Mmmm, I''m alive and well. Apparently, it''s not some kind of earthbound spirit. Oh, look closely, it''s Sister Barbara. ''She''s been looking forward to making new friends with the kids here. ''You mean the kids from the church?'' ''Yes. Since last night, she''s been chatting with those hamster kids over there. Kids are strong, after all. They get along with each other like it''s nothing that we''re worried about. Their physical disadvantage is like nothing at all. If you have a disadvantage, you accept it as such. Kids have that kind of honesty. Children can accept things that are difficult for adults as if they are nothing. I''d like them to learn from the adults with their stiffened heads. And also, although they are nervous about meeting again after a long time, they are still happy. ...... ugh.'' Today, Sophie will be reunited with Rebekah. It''s been six years. I''m anxious to see what will happen. ''How are the arrangements going? I check with Natalia. ''The young lady is to go to the lord''s mansion and bring Mr. Donati and Mr. Firman with her. I''ve already written to apologize for not being able to accompany you. ''Well, they have their own steward, so I''m sure we can leave that to them. The steward and other servants over there are all Donnis lovers, so I''m sure they''ll be happy to help. ''At the same time, I will go to the koji factory and bring Rebeka and the old lady there. ''Hey, Natalia. ''I beg your pardon. I''ll take the hag.'' ''Respectfully, that''s not it! ''Miss Barr. ''You''re Mr. Bertha, aren''t you? I wonder if these people have a disease that causes them to die if they don''t have some comedy in them somewhere. Barbara, the church hag, is giggling. ''Yashiro-sama, you will stay here and take charge of the overall production. No boobs, please. ''I''ll have you do it completely without them, today! Idiot, Estella. I''m going to sprinkle in some moderation! ''Yashiro-san~! ''...... Magda, first landing. ''Wow!It''s a big place! Ginette comes waving at us. Followed by Magda and Loretta, Masha on a cart with a water tank, and Delia pushing the cart. From behind them-- ''It''s been a while, Sister Barbara. Bertina walks up slowly. ''Sister, Sister ............''. The dried-up hag spreads her hands shoulder-width apart and starts shaking. ''...... You''re going to blow yourself up! ''Be, Bertina-san......''. The old lady, who is likely to be called to the heavens soon if she exercises recklessly, runs to Bertina with the agility of a high-mobility fighter plane. And when she takes Bertina''s hand, her eyes moisten with emotion. ''Oh, I can''t tell you how happy I am to see you again. ...... I''m glad to see you''re doing well. ''Same to you, Barbara.'' No, no, no. You''ve changed, old lady. She hasn''t been that wrinkled since she was a kid. ''It''s been six months, Miss Bertina.'' ''Haven''t we met recently? You haven''t changed a bit! ''Right after the new year, there was a church gathering.'' While stroking Barbara''s hair, Bertina explains to us this strange situation. Barbara is clinging to Bertina''s waist, and Bertina is gently stroking her hair. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''The picture looks like a saint who''s about to be dragged into a walker. ''Loretta. You''re thinking worse than I am. At best, I thought, ''Oh, Barbara''s some kind of hybrid between a crying baby and a sandpiper? That''s all I could think of. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Estella asks this question to Bertina, who is obsessed with the old woman crying. Barbara would probably send Bertina some miso for free. But ...... ''I don''t feel like I''m getting to know Barbara, because she''s like a mother and daughter. We''re family.'' ''Bertiiiiiiiiiinaaaaaaan! Crying old woman, sobbing. So, you said you were close to her? ''Yo, welcome, Sister Bertina. You''re welcome!Oh, here''s some miso from a good restaurant! Sophie''s bunny ears popped up. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ...... It''s you. ''Oh, Sophie. Did you change your hair a little?'' ''Ha, yes!I saw a very beautiful woman, so I imitated her. ...... Is that weird?'' ''No, sir. She''s very pretty. You''ve become much more mature.'''' ''Hah!I''m so happy! ''Thanks. I''m the beauty they''re talking about.'' ''Hey, I''m in the middle of something here, so don''t barge in, Natalia.'' Estella removes Natalia from ......, but it''s not a good place to be. ''So, Jeannette.'' ''Yes.'' ''And the kids? ''Oh, that''s ......''. Ginette looks behind her with a troubled smile on her face. Near the exit of the forest, a group of kids were looking at us, frozen in place. ''...... In an unfamiliar place, with a lot of strangers, they seem to be a bit shy.'' ''What do you mean by shyness? ...... The kids in this church are not shy and are fine .......'' In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ......I''ve never seen that before. I''ve never seen you guys so shy. ''What should we do? ''There''s no point in forcibly dragging them in. ............ Hammaro~'' ''Unexpected call! I''ll try fishing with our mutual friend, Hammaro. I''m not sure what to do. ......, but the friends didn''t show up. ''............ reclusive, lonely course, ......'' ''Don''t worry, Hammaro!We''re all just a little nervous!We love you, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? ''Are you asking me back there? Jeannette is consoling a depressed Hammaro. Even Hammaro can''t do it,......, is that it? Well, it''s a little early, but I don''t want Jeannette and the others to be so worried about the kids that they can''t concentrate on their preparations. I take out a bamboo dragonfly from the bag on my hip. ''Huh! Jeannette reacted sensitively, and moved away with Hammaro in her arms. ''Hmm?What''s that?'' Estella is interested in the bamboo dragonfly. Magda and Loretta knew about it because they had been quietly making them at the Sunlit Pavilion, but this was Estella''s first time. ''Hey, you guys~!I''m going to do something interesting, so watch this! I''m going to do something interesting for you guys to watch!'' I said to the kids from both churches in an audible voice, and moved to an open area a little farther away from the stall area. After confirming that the children''s eyes were focused on him, he let out a loud "Beep! '''''''''' Whoa, whoa, whoa! '''''''''' It was the first time I had ever seen such a thing. ''Nee-chan, great! ''Yachiro, awesome! ''Let me do it! ''I want to do it! It''s okay for the kids ...... to crowd around with their sparkling eyes, but they''re annoying, annoying, annoying. Some of them even hit me lightly, and in such cases, never! ''Jeannette~'' ''Yes! It''s best to let Jeannette handle these things. ''Well, let''s play nicely with your new friends. '''''''''' Haaaaay! '''''''''' ''''Then, let''s say ''hello'' first. ''''''Nice to meet you! ''''''Yes!Nice to meet you...'''''' Hand in hand, smiling at each other. They''ve already become friends. What was with the shyness earlier? He doesn''t seem to have any special feelings for the guy with the missing arm or the girl with the severe burns on her face. That''s normal. Friends like that. There are things you can do and things you can''t do, it''s the same with every kid. No, not even adults. Jeannette can''t fool anybody like I can. On the other hand, I can''t possibly lead such a noisy creature as Jeannette. When I see you taming these kids, I really think about it. Ginette''s a real piece of work. That''s impressive. ''I''m impressed, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Huh? ''We''re all friends now.'' ''No, it''s your achievement.'' ''It''s thanks to Mr. Yashiro''s bamboo dragonfly.'' ''''No, you''re the one who brought all the kids together .......'''' ''''''Onii-chan, tell me! ''''''Yachiro, lend me! ''''''I''m hooked on my new toy! Hammaro. I''m glad you''re joining us. It seems the hamsters we invited as part of Torbeck''s store are now completely on the play side. Oh well... ''Loretta!Magda!'' ''Yes, sir!We''ve got enough for all of you! ''...... werecam, boiz & gurlz'' '''''''''' Hahahaha! '''''''''' I''ve been preparing bamboo dragonflies for a while now, and Loretta and Magda are handing them to the kids. Some of them try to fly it as soon as they get it, some of them show it off to their neighbors, but all of them seem to be happy with it. For the ones without one arm and the blind ones, I specially prepared different toys. ''Here, this one''s for you. It is a toy with a string attached to the end of the handle and a cylindrical bamboo attached to the end of the string. When you hold the handle and shake it, the cylindrical part attached to the end rotates and makes a sound like a cicada. It is sometimes called a "cicada flute. It''s a toy with a simple mechanism: the part at the end of the handle where the string is tied is coated with pine resin, and the sound of the string rubbing is amplified by the bamboo tube attached to the end of the string with the capacity of a string telephone, making a sound like a cicada. With this toy, you can play it with one hand and enjoy the sound even if you are blind. It is as popular a traditional toy as the bamboo dragonfly. Even little kids who can''t fly a bamboo dragonfly can enjoy this one. ''Thank you! ''It makes a mysterious sound...'' Some of the children were attracted by the dry, squeaky voice of the bamboo cicada and came to us. ''Yashiro-san!Even with bamboo, I think I can do this well! Ginette ...... said with enthusiasm, no, of course you can do it. And while Assunto was coming with the ingredients, they were happy to see each other again, played with the new toys, Estella who said ''Hmmm, I''m good at this kind of thing~'' hit her forehead with a bamboo dragonfly and cried ''Aaah! We spent some time doing various things. The atmosphere was good. The only thing left to do is to put the bait on the ....... Now, let''s start the preparations at a rapid pace. 314-Episode 226 is well prepared, and the guests are c... Umaro is running around. He seems to be going around inspecting the stalls and playground equipment that have been assembled. Each group has its own leader, and he is discussing this and that with that leader. ''Hey. Where''s Goozuya? ''Oh, he''s repairing the waterwheel. Delia tells me, looking at the fire on the griddle. Wow, he''s repairing the waterwheel because he wants to be with Delia, but he''s going to be separated at the banquet. ...... Poor guy. Pfft... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. No, I don''t feel sorry for her. I''m sure he''s thinking, ''I''ll make a perfect repair so that Delia will be surprised when she comes back! I''m sure they''re working hard. It''s good to see people who have the disease. They can exert their power in simple things. ''Yashiro-kun, is there anything I can help you with? ''Go polish the tank.'' ''Yes~! Masha is chubbying in the tank. What can I do to help you? Perhaps it''s because mermaids are rare, but the kids are crowding around Masha. At a delicate distance. Yeah. Actually, Masha''s not so kid-friendly. Maybe it''s because she herself has childlike sensibilities, or maybe it''s because her buddy is for adults. ...... Well, maybe Masha herself doesn''t like kids that much. Children are sensitive to such things,.................., so why do they love me? I don''t get it. I don''t understand. Mr. Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you. ''Oh, that''s for our use.'' Assunto came out of the church with a bamboo shoot. That''s the one I secretly added to the order book. ...... d*mn, Jeannette saw you. I should have told Assunto beforehand. ''Could it be that Yashiro-san is the cause of what the manager said was a bit much? ''What do you mean by cause? Well, you''re right. I was going to sneak it in and make another dish, but I couldn''t ...... get it out of my system. I''ve been trying to sneak in another dish, but I''m not feeling well. I''m not sure what to do. ''Hey, ladybug. I''d like to put the flowers together into a large decoration here ......, but I''m not sure. ''You can do whatever you want, Millie. I''ll give you full authority.'' ''I''m ............ a little nervous, so I''d like to hear your ...... opinion.'' It''s true that it''s hard to do the whole thing ............. I''ll try to imagine the layout that Millie suggested in my brain. I think it will be more interesting than having the same amount of decorations all over the place. ''Okay, go ahead with it like that. It''ll work out. ''Mmm. Thanks, ladybug! Millie ran quickly. I was able to get a sufficient amount of flowers thanks to the generosity of the Flower Guild of District 35, which had received Lucia''s order. We also got some from the flower garden. They will be displayed at the entrance of the venue, where they will be very visible. And while I was having a serious meeting with him, he was saying ''Assunto, you can''t do what you just did. If you''re going to copy me, you have to do it right. ''Are you copying ......? ''You were imitating the manager, right? ''No, that''s not copying, that''s hearsay. ......'' ''When you do that, you should be more like a manager. ...... ''That''s a bit much. ''Is that an imitation of Ginette''s?It''s not so similar that it gives me goosebumps! Delia and Assunto are playing something. Get ready, you guys. We''re late, and a bunch of people are gathering here. The members we''ve prepared are all here. We''re getting ready fast. I''d like to use the kitchen too, but there''s ...... Jeannette. As I was thinking that, Ginette came out of the church. ''Mr. Yashiro, thank you for your hard work. How''s the preparation here? ''Uh, yeah. Umaro is working hard, so it should be fine. He hides the bamboo shoots behind his back. It doesn''t make any sense because he already knows, but somehow... I feel guilty. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Valetella. Or at least in plain sight. I knew at once that Jeannette''s gaze had gone behind me. ...... What? ''Could it be that she knows I''m looking at her cleavage like this? ''What is it, all of a sudden? Oh my god. You can see so clearly when the other person moves their gaze. I don''t think I''m moving at all when I move my gaze, but I guess my eyeballs are moving more than I thought. ''I think I''m one step closer to the truth of big tits. ''Please don''t get close to those things. I turn my attention away from the bamboo shoots while talking nonsense like that. Forget about the bamboo shoots. Forget about the bamboo shoots. ...... Come on, Assunto. Pass. Take this and go to the kitchen. ''Who''s this for? ''Magda, please. I whispered back to Assunto. As he leaves, he says, ''Yes, sir. I''d like to thank Mr. Yashiro for his help at the koji factory,'' Assunto said. Oh my ...... are you trying to weigh such a small kindness against that great favor? What a guy. ''Mr. Yashiro. What''s that bamboo shoot for? ......'' ''The bamboo you hate so much is gone. Don''t worry about it anymore.'' ''No, it''s not that I don''t like bamboo. ............ Well, I''ve recently developed a weakness for it. ......'' It seems that an unexpected trauma has grown in Jeannette. ''But I do like bamboo shoots,'' she says, following up on a question that I don''t know where she''s going with this. Anyway, forget about the bamboo shoots. ''Ah!Big brother, I found it! With white powder on her hands and cheeks, Loretta comes out of the church and runs towards you. ...... Yeah. I have a feeling she''s going to do something. ''It''s the ratio of potato starch to ground pork,......, and the manager was there, too!It''s nothing! ...... What a stupid girl. ''Potato starch and minced pork ......?Are you planning to make mapo eggplant?'' ''No, I don''t know, haha.'' Let''s fake it. If you give Jeannette too much information, she may arrive at her own solution. Anyway, get Ginette''s attention away from the food. ''Hey, Jeannette. Did you cut your hair? ''Heh!No, no. ...... Um, do you think I should cut it? ''No, no. It''s .................. fine as it is, isn''t it?'' Watch out! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money.What kind of trap is this? What kind of trap is that? Ginette, you''re a panelist. ...... ''Yashiro-san. I''m sorry. Bertina is coming over with a few kids in tow. They seem to like her a lot, even if they''ve never met her before. ''Hey, you''re in charge of eating. ''Mm-hmm. I''m aware of that. I was just being a jerk, not helping out when I''m getting ready. Well, since Bertina is taking care of all the kids, my preparations are progressing. ''If Ginette''s here, does that mean you''re ready to go?I think the kids are getting hungry.'' ''The children, too.'' ''Mm-hmm. I won''t deny it. You''re using the kids as an excuse to get something to eat. ''I''ve finished the preparations, so all I have to do is make the food just before the start of the show. ...... But that''s a long way off. Ginette seems to have finished her preparations. All she has to do is to finish it quickly. However, the food will not be served until after Donnis and the others have arrived, which means it will be past noon. ...... Hmm. There''s still time. ''Sophie. ''Yes, yes! Ever since she met Bertina, Sophie has been fidgeting and restless. She seems to be admiring her a lot. I find myself staring at her with a blank stare. ...... eyes like Tracy''s eyes on Estella. ''Did you kids eat breakfast? ''Yes . Before you all showed up.'' We got here about nine o''clock. If they ate breakfast at the same time as District 42, they should be hungry by now. You''ve been running around all day. Chasing bamboo dragonflies. ''It might be troublesome if he calls out that he''s hungry in the middle of the party. ''Uh-huh.'' Next to me, Jeannette is smiling at me. It''s ....... ''Then it would be more ''convenient'' to let them have a light meal while we''re at it.'' ''............What do you mean?'' ''No, sir. There''s nothing to include.'' He said happily, a big smile on his face. It''s a picture-perfect expression of ''I told you so''. ...... Cheeky. ''Step on the green bamboo............ and make a light meal.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited. Overreacting Ginette. It''s a hundred years too early to be making fun of me. ''Are you making something? Sophie looks a little dubious. ''Snacking is not advisable for your health, your education, or for the economy. You''re so uptight, as usual. Once you''ve made up your mind, there''s no leverage. I wish you would learn from Bertina and be flexible in your thinking. ............ You can''t be as flexible as Bertina, though. Only when it comes to food. ''Bertina says she''s hungry. ''What, Bertina''s hungry? ''If we leave her like this, she might cry.'' ''Oh no, no way. Bertina-san is at .......'' ''...... mii'' ''You squealed!I''m not sure what to say. Bertina is starting to go for the fun side. Or maybe she''s thinking that if she can convince Sophie, she''ll be able to eat something. ''When the sisters are too hungry, they swallow the children''s cheeks. ''Are you serious? ''Yes. I did it many times when I was little. ''Oh, Jeannette. It''s a family secret. I want to be humped! That''s no longer cheek-to-cheek, you know! ''''Sophie-san, you''re pale and your cheeks look soft, so you might get eaten.'''' Giggling, Jeannette made such a joke. In response to such a joke, Sophie-- ''I''d be happy to be eaten by Bertina-san! --She shouted in a serious tone that was not a joke. Yes. Tracy''s course is set. I''m sorry for your loss. ''What?No, sir. I didn''t mean that in a, ......, in a good way! What do you mean you want to be eaten in a good way? Are you the White Rabbit of Inaba? ''Isn''t it nice, Sophie? Barbara is approaching with the speed of a marionette. If we were in a dimly lit dungeon, we would have run or intercepted her, yes. ''Today is a special day. Happy memories enrich children''s minds and expand their future possibilities. ''Also, in that way, ...... Ms. Barbara spoils the children too much.'' ''...... mii''. ''Let''s allow it just for today!It''s a special day! ''Don''t spoil Bertina, Sophie.'' Isn''t there anyone in this city who can take a firm stance against anyone? What is it?Are you going to make something?I''m just getting hungry myself. ''Ah~, me too~a?? I want to eat something~'' ''My ...... miri is also ...... a bit hungry .......'' I''m not sure if the girls sensed the presence of food, but they flocked to me. ...... Bertina has been infected. Forty-two districts. We''re in a crisis. ''I can''t help it. ......'' ''Yes. It can''t be helped, can it, Yashiro-san? So why are you looking so happy? Can you stop smiling every time I spoil someone? No, I''m not spoiling you! ''I''ve been on the move since this morning and I''m hungry too. ''You should be working. ''That''s terrible!I''m working hard even though I can''t see Magda! I don''t care. Hunger has nothing to do with Magda. ''Well, Jeannette. ''Yes, sir. I''ll go make you something. Jeannette is heading for the kitchen as usual. You head for the kitchen wherever you go, don''t you? But wait a minute this time. ''Since it''s a good time, let''s make something at the stall. ''A food truck, huh? Delia''s got the fire going and the griddle heating up. It''ll be ready to go now. ''Ginette doesn''t get a chance to go mobile, does she?'' ''No, I don''t. Occasionally, I go to take a peek, but I don''t cook anything at that time.'' The only time Jeannette made anything with her stall was when she was playing in the river or when she went to District 35 with her stall in tow. Basically, the stalls were left to Magda, Loretta, and the Ham kids. ''Would you like to make one? ''I''d love to! They know I''ve been secretly jealous of them. They know that I''ve been doing ''air stalls'' in the yard when I''m closing up! ''Do you want to make okonomiyaki or takoyaki? ''Yes!Magda is the main cook for those two, so I don''t actually make them very often. She was jealous of me. Why didn''t you just say so? Let me make as many as I want. ............ No, Magda might be upset. He said I''d lose my job. But that''s okay for today. I''ve got more interesting things for Magda to do. ''Hammaro~'' '''''''' Hey, ''''''''! ''When did you get more! I was a little surprised to hear more voices than I expected. When I looked, all of them were not Hammaro. ''Why are you answering me, kids? ''I''m longing for you! ''I''m dreaming of a future! ''When I grow up, I''ll be Hammaro! ''I''m going to practice now! What''s with the popularity, Hammaro? It''s like a profession, though. ''......, where''s the real Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''Oh, there you are.'' It seems that only he is unaware that he is Hammaro. ''I need you to go to Magda''s place and get me some materials. ''I''ve got a big discount for you! It''s a bargain, apparently. Hammaro is running up and down the street. ''I''m a little nervous because it''s been a while since I''ve been to .......'' Stand by the stall, Jeannette is holding her chest. She''s holding her chest. ''Yashiro-san......, that''s not what I was talking about earlier,......, but my gaze......'' He''s holding his chest! ''Yashiro-san! I''m angry. It''s not my fault. It''s not my fault that you have soft, puffy cleavage. I''d look at something like that, normally. ''Well, don''t be so nervous. ''Yes, I am. I''ll try to do my best as usual. ''Because everyone''s watching over you.'' ''What?Please don''t make me nervous. The kids were looking around the stalls like, ''What''s going to happen? They crowd around the stall with faces like, ''What''s going on? ''The delivery you''ve been waiting for! Then Hammaro comes back. Good. Now Jeannette won''t be leaving for a while. ''Jeannette. I''m going to check on Loretta and the others for a bit, so you can cook for me.'' ''Yes, sir. Pork, squid, or shrimp? ''A mix. '''''''' I like it! '''''''' The kids are intrigued by the whole thing. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... Someone should restrain Bertina, who is even more overflowing than the kids. I''m not sure why no one is paying attention. ...... Oh, God, if you go around the back, the oil will splash!It''ll stain your white clothes! ''Sister. If you don''t wait nicely over there, I won''t bake you, okay?'' ''............ mii''. It seems that Ginette is the only one who can scold Bertina. And she''s learned that ...... ''mii'' will get her food. I''ll be careful too. I''ll have to be careful too. I''m afraid I''ll feed it if it cries unexpectedly. But that''s not the point. I looked at Jeannette who was happily cooking okonomiyaki and headed for the kitchen. '''''''' Oishii! '''''''' The kids and Bertina have big smiles on their faces. When I came out of the kitchen, I found that the okonomiyaki had already been distributed to everyone, and everyone was eating, talking, and relaxing in their own places. ''Yashiro-san, Magda-san, Loretta-san. Ginette waved at us from across the stall. I''m facing Ginette across the stall. I feel like a customer. ''...... Manager''. Magda, who usually stands on the side of the stall, looks at Ginette and opens her mouth. ''...... Magda is pretty, you should give her a freebie.'' ''I''ll give you a freebie because you''re a cute little girl. ''...... Magda usually gets freebies at places other than the Sunlit Pavilion.'' That''s quite a feat. ''Manager, I''d like to try the squid balls. ''Don''t you want a mix? ''No, the mix doesn''t taste right. I want to eat squid balls. ''Then I''ll have a mix. ''...... Then mix Magda too. ''Mwah!I don''t want to be left out like that.You can''t say ''then''! It''s been a long time since I''ve been a guest at the Sunshine Pavilion, and I''m waiting for Ginette''s cooking. I enjoy the atmosphere, which is a little different from the bribe dishes. I wish that Ginette could experience this kind of fresh air. ''Hey, Yashiro. Why aren''t there any salmon balls?'' --Sophie''s ears perked up when Delia said the expected words. Sophie''s ears perked up. ''...... ah''. A small voice escaped from her thinly opened mouth. Her eyes shook, her gaze wandered, her head turned this way and that, and her body began to move back and forth from side to side. You seem to be very upset. Their movements are so jerky and repetitive that you would think they were starting a robot dance. Normally, Sophie heads for the gate as soon as she hears footsteps coming down the straight path in front of the church, but this time she stays where she is. You can clearly see her sense of duty to go and her struggle to stay there. It''s finally here. The one Sophie''s been avoiding. From what she''s told me, it''s been six years since we''ve met. ''Shall I go and get her? ''Ya, Yashiro-san: ......'' ''Then I''ll go with you. I know her pretty well.'' Estella stands next to me with sauce around her mouth. I wonder if she''s really a lord. ''Wipe your mouth and swell your tits. ''I''ll get to the rest later! I hope the ...... swell up later. ''That ...... is also .............'' ''You might want to stay here and get your mind ready.'' Estella said, and Sophie looked at me apologetically. ''I think a moving reunion would be better here than in front of those lonely gates. ''Oh, yes, it would. Yeah. You said a good thing, Jashiro. Estella pats him on the shoulder. ''...... that ......, then ............ please.'' Sophie bows her head deeply. Bertina wasn''t the only reason this guy was getting nervous. They would meet at last. Her own sister, who had asked her over and over again and she had turned her away. I''m sure he''ll be overjoyed, Riveka. ''Well, I''m off. ''Sure. ''But...'' Sophie stops us as we''re about to leave. I wonder if she hasn''t made up her mind yet. I don''t think she''s going to ask us to turn her away, though. ''...... You two won''t be able to open that iron gate, will you? ''............'' ''............Yes. Yeah. That''s what I thought. So, we decided to ask Magda to follow us, and we headed to pick up Rebeka. Almost at the same time we arrived at the gate, the door knocker struck the iron gate. A high-pitched clang sounded. Magda opened the gate easily. ''Long time no see, my knight, Estella-chan! Rebeka was standing there, her eyes red from lack of sleep, but with a smile that was brighter than the sun. 315-Episode 227 Rebecca and Sophie On the other side of the door stood Rebeka and Bertha. And Natalia, who had gone to call them, was standing there. Initially, she had planned to call them at the same time as Donis, but she had deliberately moved the time to avoid having to deal with them all at once. After all, Rebekah must be facing today with a special feeling. ''Your eyes are bright red. ''Well, it''s only natural for you to have red eyes since you''re a rabbit man! He turns his back to me and rubs his eyes. They get even redder. They''re the eyes of a complete lack of sleep. Maybe he''s crying a little. Well, it''s been six years. He''s probably nervous. ''Estella. ''Hmm?Oh, I see. Yes, yes.'' I pointed to Rebeka with my chin, and Estella could tell just by that. ''Rebeka-san. Do you have a minute? ''Yes, what is it? ''We haven''t seen each other in a while, so let''s make it pretty.'' ''Mm,...... Mm.'' She crouched down in front of Rebeka and Estella combed her hair. I''m a lord, even if I am a rotten lord. It seems that she always carries with her tools for grooming herself. She comes out with a small comb and a few make-up tools. But it''s only a lipstick and a blush for her cheeks. I wonder if Estella is using these things. ...... Ji. ''Oh!What?Why are you looking into my face?'' ''No. I was just wondering if you''re wearing any makeup today.'' ''No, not that much. ''Then you''re wearing a little.'' ''Oh, shut up!I don''t mind. It''s just a taste.'' She pushes me roughly away and puts blush on Rebekah''s cheek. Estella''s cheeks were a similar shade of red. ''...... Magda is pretty enough without makeup.'' ''Oh, yes, she is. Magda needs to grow up a bit.'' ''...... Mmm. Magda is an adult. At least, more than that little one there.'' ''What are you talking about, little one?I''m more than mature enough! No, little one. ...... You''re smaller than me. ''Yes, it''s ready. ''M......mm. Thank you. After finishing her make-up, Rebekah turned to me, looking embarrassed. ''What do you think, my knight? ...... Isn''t that ...... pretty? I''m not sure what to say. You look different. ''Mmmmm!Of course. This level of flattery would not be called a lie. ''...... Estella. I think it''s important for the vendors at the banquet to be clean.'' ''Why the rivalry, Magda? ......'' ''...... now, I can outrun Loretta.'' ''Pfft!...... That''s it. Yeah, yeah. I''m sure Loretta will have an interesting response. Estella is holding her stomach and trying to hold back a laugh. Well, it''s easy to imagine Loretta''s reaction. And Loretta is the one who never disappoints. ''All right. Then come here for a minute.'' ''...... Hmm. Don''t look at ............ Yashiro yet.'' ''Hey, hey.'' He forced me to turn my body around. After being told not to look at me, I try not to look at him and call out to Rebeka. ''Are you nervous? ''U......m...... well, some of it.'' I thought he was that happy. I thought he was that happy, but ...... apparently not. ''......I don''t want you to hate me,......'' he said. The time she spent coming to see him, but not seeing him, was more than long enough to instill such thoughts in Rebekah. They don''t like me. She must have thought that she was being avoided. ''That''s not true,'' I tried to tell her, but ...... ''Oh ......! Rebekah''s ears twitched. Her ears flicked up and pointed towards the church. Oh, yeah. You heard me. She probably heard Rebeka''s voice and let it out. ''That''s not true.'' That''s what Sophie would say. ''Did you hear me correctly? ''Mm, ............, I missed that voice, it was .............'' Rebekah''s tear glands slackened. But she seemed to be doing her best to hold back her tears. She didn''t burst into tears. I see. Sophie hadn''t even made a sound. With Rebekah as her partner, any whisper would be heard. ''Then go ask her as much as you can after this. ''I don''t want it to go bad. I''m only good for making koji. I''ll pat your ear. Protect the koji factory. It''s the only thing she could do. The only thing she could do to keep her family together. ''Yes, it is. Without your ears, you can''t hear the Whispering Prince.'' ''Huh?What are you talking about, my knight?I don''t... I don''t... I don''t... Don''t lose your nerve. Don''t lose your nerve. I hope this cheered you up a little. Master Yashiro. ''Mr. Yashiro,'' says Bertha in a quiet voice, who has been watching over him quietly all this time. ''I''ve missed you .......'' ''Couldn''t you have said something more decent? It''s cold in the daytime, today. ''I''ve prepared exactly what you asked for, sir. Behind Bertha, there was a keg of sake that looked like it would be used for Kagamibiraki. What I asked Bertha for. Amazake. He had made it for me. ''Thank you, Bertha. Let me taste it later. ''Hey, it''s daytime here at .............'' ''Not you!It''s the sweet sake! ''Taste it, please. ......'' He raises his rebeka in front of Bertha, who pokes her lips out. It''s a libeka barrier! ''Noaaa!I''m scared!That''s terrible, Bertha!Your face is so intense!You''ll see it in your dreams! Thanks to the Rebekah barrier, Bertha comes to her senses. ...... Scary. Let''s make the party a success and get back to District 42 as soon as possible. Let''s do that. ''Here, Magda. It''s done.'' Estella stood up and looked down at Magda with a satisfied look on her face. Magda''s face is obscured by Estella''s wall. From behind the wall (Estella), Magda peeks her head out. ''............ How''s it going? Her cheeks are more brightly colored than usual, with a hint of red. Her eyes also seem to be slightly moistened. This is a surprise. I never expected such a change. ''You''re one of the cutest girls in Magda''s history. That''s what I honestly thought. ''............ Mmm. ......So.'' She twisted her body ticklishly and quickly hid herself behind Estella (the wall). You seem to be embarrassed, thank you. ''You''re good at makeup, Estella (wall).'' ''I''m very curious about that (wall)?'' ''Don''t worry about it, Wall.'' ''The name''s gone! I thought I was praising Estella for her accomplishment as the wall, but she didn''t seem to like it. She must be at a difficult age, I guess. ''So, are you ready? I asked the nervous Rebekah. She gulped down her spit and nodded slowly. ''Please go ahead. I''ll take this cask with me. Bertha bows her head beside the cask. No, I mean, can you carry it? ''Don''t worry. I''m also a rabbit man. ''Is that so? ''Yes. My animal features only appear in places that cannot be shown to ...... people. ......'' Then, I think it''s okay to say that it doesn''t appear. Or rather, I wish you would have said ''not shown''. Deep down. ''If you''re a ...... special person, we can show you ...... ............ chila''. ''Well, I guess we''ll go on. Magda, I''m sorry, but you''re going to have to help Bertha. ''...... if you promise not to show me your animal features.'' That''s the clearest denial I''ve ever heard. Even Magda is having a hard time. That''s why Estella and I took Rebekah into the woods. ...... I wonder why. I''m starting to get nervous too. I looked next to me and saw that Estella was also walking with a very nervous look on her face. Without saying a word, we walked through the woods, going as fast as we could. And then-- ''............ sis''. ''Rebecca......'' --The sisters meet each other. Through the woods, Sophie was standing there. I can''t wait to see her. But I''m afraid to see her. Sophie was standing in a halfway place, reminiscent of such a conflict. In the end, she seemed to be unprepared, and had a complicated look on her face, as if she was about to cry, but more than that, as if she was filled with guilt. As for Rebekah, she was stiffening when she saw Sophie standing in front of her. She is so tense that even her breathing is in danger, and she doesn''t move even a little, like a still image. The people in the churchyard are watching them from afar. It''s as if time has stopped. I''ll break it. ''Here. Go see him.'' He pushes Riveka''s back. With just that small amount of power, the world begins to flow again. Briskly. All at once. ''Hey, Lisa! ''Riveka! Riveka starts running, and Sophie runs to greet her. They meet in the middle, and hug each other as hard as they can. ''...... Ugh! You can hear Rebekah sobbing. She buries her made-up face in Sophie''s chest and rubs it. She clings to Sophie with her whole body, as if checking for warmth, texture, and smell. ''I''m sorry ...... I''m sorry, Rebekah.'' I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ''I know I gave you a hard time. Shaking her head. ''Do you have a ...... grudge against my sister? Deny with all your might. Shake your head, shaking your hair. ''Did you miss her?'' And a full affirmation. ''I missed you too, ............ for a long time! I tighten my arms around her and pull her to me as hard as I can. As if to show with her body that she would never let go again. She also stretched out her small arms and clung to Sophie with all her strength. She then calls out to her sister in a voice that emanates from her soul. ''Sis, aaah! ''Rebeka......! From that point on, there were no words. They just held each other''s skin as if to check each other''s warmth, and occasionally rubbed each other''s ears. Some of the people outside are crying. Loretta''s eyes were red, Ginette was holding the corners of her eyes, and Umaro was sobbing like an idiot. ''I''ll let you two be alone for a while. ''Right.'' Estella''s hand claps me on the shoulder. I take a short detour out into the garden so as not to disturb them. We meet up with the others, exchange glances, and laugh a little. I''m sorry to interrupt your excitement, but I''ve got to start getting ready here. There''s no time to be sad. Now, just as I''m thinking how to get rid of this gloomy atmosphere. ''What?What''s with that fashionable makeup with a bit of a high-society vibe? Loretta''s outrageous voice rang out. ''...... Well, what can I say? As a professional in the hospitality industry, ...... you have a taste for it? ''Oh, dear!It''s not fair!It''s not fair!Me too!I want to wear fashionable makeup too! ''...... Don''t worry. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''This is a statement full of confidence!I''m not sure what to make of that. Well, as expected, I thought Loretta would react that way, but I didn''t think she would do it at this ...... time. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.It''s too bright to see. Oh, there was another noisy one. ''...... Today''s Magda is a special one. ''I''ve been shot through!My heart was shot out of my chest! Then why don''t you just let it rot away? ''...... giggle'' ''...... pfft'' ''''Hahahahaha!'''' Sophie and Rebekah laugh together . ''giggle......Already, they''re really fun people......'' ''They''re idiots, they''re all idiots.'' Hugging each other, foreheads pressed together, sisters laughing together. Looks like the six years are up. You can make up the rest slowly. There''s plenty of time. ''Hmm~~!O-nee-chan! ''''Ribekaa~~~! ''''Mmmmmmmmmmm~! ...... No, it''s a little scary. Can''t you be a little more normal, sisters? Come on, let''s rub our heads and giggle! You can''t do acrobatic pampering like an overly excited indoor dog! ''????????????B????????????............Kuck! And then you''re thrown high into the air with a pop. You threw it as hard as you could, Sophie!I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. And the falling Rebeka. Sophie, great catch! Is it a zogeki-dan? ''So they''re good friends, huh? Ginette looks at her smilingly. No, one wrong move and it''s domestic violence. It''s domestic violence, now. ''Miss Riveka. How do you do? ''Ah!Sister''s old lady!She''s in a good mood! ''Hey, Rebekah. You''re being rude to Sister Barbara. Say hello properly.'' ''M....... I''m an adult. Greet her properly. Rebekah''s ears perked up when Sophie scolded her. It must have been a long time since she had been scolded by her sister. Apparently she listens to her sister. ''Thank you for having me, old sister. Hey, you still haven''t fixed the ''old lady'', Rebekah! ''Yes. Very well.'' You''re not ready, Sophie! No. ...... She''s too soft on her sister. I think it''s better to let Bertha do the teaching. ''It''s good to see you, Sister Barbara. ''Oh. Miss Bertha. You look well too.'' Bertha and Barbara exchange greetings. They''re both in charge of Whitehead''s daughter. They seem to be on the same page. ''Do your knees ever get sore on cold mornings? ''Oh, yes. This morning, too.'' ''Where do you two get off, you old hags? Well, they''re close in age, so I''m sure they''ll talk to each other. ''Mr. Yashiro. ''''Mr. Yashiro. ''''It''s rude to call me an old lady. ''''Don''t both of you take the ''I''m not but'' stance! Both of you are hags!You''re both hags!Without fail! ''That''s right. I brought you a small gift today.'' ''Well, thank you for your concern. Thank you very much. Bertha, the organizer of the koji factory and servant of Rebekah, and Barbara, a sister of the church. Both of them use honorific language, but the atmosphere of their words is different from each other. Bertha, who gives the impression of being strict in her manners, and Barbara, who gives the impression of being meek to the core. ''At the request of Mr. Yashiro, I made sweet sake for the first time in a long time. ''Wow, this brings back memories, amazake!I used to love it. I used to get it at a store on the main street when I first came here. ''Is that the store with the red roof past the middle alley? ''Yes, yes!That''s right! The sweet sake shop ''Ama Ama''. ''I miss ''Ama Ama''... Look at that store, the apron of the saleswoman. Yes, it''s so cute! ''Do you remember the flower shop next door? ''Oh, yes, you do. That used to be a flower shop. ''That''s so nostalgic! ''Yeah...'' With ......, these old ladies are starting to look like the same creature. They seem to be in full bloom talking about how things used to be. They''ve lost their honorifics and are talking in the tone of voice they used back then. ''Oh, that''s right, Mr. Yashiro. Hearing the old lady''s talk, Sophie came up to me. She has a rebeka hanging around her neck. A ...... pochette. ''I''ve prepared the one you asked for, too. ''Oh, that thing?Where is it?Let me see. ''Well, I''ll take it to the kitchen, please. ''All right!Ginette, follow me.'' ''What?Yes, sir! In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. What the hell is ...... that? I''m not sure what you''re doing here.Don''t tell us.'' I''m not hiding it from you. ...... ''...... It would be foolish not to take Magda, who is at her cutest.'' ''No, you''re going to cook in the kitchen with makeup on?I''m sure you''ll get a lot of people to look at you there. ''I''m curious too!I''m coming! ''You should get Estella to do your makeup. ''If you''re going to take your sister somewhere, play with me, my knight! ''You''ve got two desires mixed up and you''re not making any sense. You''re confusing two desires: not to take Sophie and to play with her. But why do you care so much? I don''t think it''s something anyone but Jeannette could handle. ''What''s new, Mr. Yashiro? d*mn it. Assunto''s biting too. Well, whatever. There''s really no need to hide it. Let''s just get this out of the way. ''''Sophie made me some tofu.'''' ''''''Tofu?'''''' ''''Ah, you were saying that, I remember.'''' Ginette and the other members of the Sunlit Pavilion tilted their heads. Estella and Assunto looked satisfied, as if they remembered the exchange at the koji factory. In the midst of all this, only Rebeka''s cheeks puffed up. ''My knight!I once told you that you could not use extra soybeans!I warned you that rules are rules!And you took advantage of my innocent, big-boobed sister to get them for you!What a bad boy!What kind of boob lover are you? ''Who''s a bad boy! ''Yeah. You can''t deny you''re a titty lover, can you? Estella, don''t you need to expand on such unimportant points? Instead of that, why don''t you calm down Rebekah who''s in a rage. That''s your domain, Estella-chan. ''Rebeka. I''ve heard that it''s not against the BU rules to make soybeans in the church. ''Mm............, that may be true,......, but ......''. I''m not sure I''m ready for this. It seems that the raised fist has lost its place. What the hell. ''This tofu is what Sophie learned from Bertha. ''Bertha? ''Oh. She said that Sophie should learn how to make something other than koji so that she can stay in the koji factory and be needed.'' ''So, ......, is that right?'' When Rebekah looked at Bertha, Bertha nodded, folding the creases in her neck like a bellows. ''Sophie-sama is an important person, too. To me. ''Bertha......'' Sophie''s voice trailed off. You taught me so much, and yet I left the koji factory. She still says that I''m important to her. She must be overflowing with gratitude to Bertha. ''Don''t cry, Sophie. ''Yashiro-san...... yes, you''re right. It''s ...... strange to cry when you''re happy, isn''t it?'' ''No. If you show water to Bertha, who is depleted of water in her body, she will suck it up. Look at it, it''s so crispy, isn''t it? ''Yashiro. Will you make an effort to close your mouth in good situations? Baka, Estella. I''m afraid for Sophie''s safety. To be precise, I was advising her because I was worried that Sophie''s rather large breasts might lose moisture and become cracked and pudgy. ''Mmm ...... if that''s the case, ...... forgive me,'' he said. Sophie and Bertha. Tofu is a very important link between two people. You can''t tell Rebekah now that she can''t have it. ''So, Yashiro-san. What kind of tofu is that?'' ''It''s a white food. It''s delicious.'' ''It''s a bit vague, but if it''s ...... good, I''m looking forward to it.'' Behind Ginette, the sister who looks even more excited than Ginette can''t be seen, but I''ll do my best to ignore her for now. ''I''m going to make Mapo Tofu, using tofu instead of eggplant.'' ''Ma-po tofu, huh?Is that good?'' With a certain foreboding in her heart, Jeannette dares to ask me for my answer. I''m sure she already knows what I''m going to say. You want to hear it from me, don''t you? All right, I''ll say it. I''ll tell you what you want to hear. ''The taste of Mapo Tofu is better than ...... Mapo Aubergine. That''s great, isn''t it? --but it depends on your taste. ''So, let''s start preparing the Mapo Tofu.'' ''Yes! ''...... understood.'' ''I''ll leave it to you! Oh, you guys are coming too. ''So, shall we start preparing the other meals? ''Sure.'' After having a lot of fun with bamboo dragonflies and cotton candy in hand, it was time to go. All the members of the Sundaari-tei, plus all the helpers, started to finish the preparations for the party. ''Well then, I''d better get going. Estella and Natalia''s expressions were crisp. They are going to call Donis and Firman. I''ve sent out a letter like ''I''m so busy that I might not be able to serve you...'' but it won''t matter as long as the shortage is covered. While Estella and the others are picking up Donnis and the others, I''ll complete the preparations. And after a few minutes had passed... ''...... Mmmmm! Suddenly, Rebeka was struck by lightning. Her body trembled as if ....... Her ears perked up! Her mouth, heckling. Oh, is this what I think it is? ''Riveka. Did you hear that?'' ''U...... um............ that tickling, soft voice in your ear is ...... ...... There''s no doubt about it. Perhaps embarrassed, Rebekah covered her face with her hands. It seems that at last the prince whisperer, the prince of whispers, Philman, who is Rebekah''s lover, has arrived. And next to him should be. Lord of the 24th district. Donis Donnerty. Our main target this time. The main target this time is......... What''s with this reaction from Rebekah ......, it''s very unpleasant. What? I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s like the way a young boy sits in front of a convenience store. ''I don''t know who you are, but I''ll send you back to .............'' ''Please don''t. They''re the main guests.'' ''Ms. Barbara, permission to use the Morning Star.'' ''I said stop! Oh, man, this guy''s a f*cking sissy. The whites of her eyes are all black, now. Red eyes in black. ...... Are you a demon? I''m sure the six year blank makes you look very pretty. ''Oh, sister ......''. ''What is it, Rebekah? ''Oh, um, ............ I''m a little scared, so ...... I want you to stay with me, ...... Bye.'' ''Kyun! Wow,......, I see that symptom rather often. Why didn''t you see him before? You should''ve seen her more often before it was too late. ''Don''t worry, Rebekah. I''ll always be here for you.'' Hey, six years. ''I''ll get rid of the scary ones.'' You''re scaring me with your smile! And that''s not what Rebekah wants! And that''s not what Rebekah wants! With more than a hint of anxiety, we face the moment. I hear the high-pitched clang of metal against metal. It''s the door knocker. Here they come at last! The lords and their party. The feast is about to begin. 316-Episode 228 Arrived the lord... and... ''Welcome to the 24th District Church''. Donis and Filman were greeted by the entire Sunshine Pavilion. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Loretta. I''m not sure how long it''s been since I''ve had my makeup done.Before Estella went to pick her up, right? In that short amount of time, beside the emotional reunion of Rebekah and Sophie, she asked for it? He''s quite a guy, really. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always try to find it on the internet. But if you bring Sophie with you, she might harm Filman when they meet. Barbara is ...... If I were Donnis, and this was my first visit to this church. If I opened the heavy iron door and saw Barbara standing there, ...... I would scream and run. There''s also a dense forest behind you. I left Barbara behind as well, as it would be bad for my heart. So, here are the members of the Sundaari Pavilion. These guys are used to being greeted, and more importantly, they look gorgeous. In fact, the area where Jeannette and the others are is brightly colored. ''Wow, this is beautiful. These words spilled out of Donis''s mouth as if he couldn''t help it. However, it seems that the ''beautiful'' she was referring to was not the beautiful employees of the Sunlit Pavilion, but rather the flower arrangement that Milly had created. Donnis and his friends were greeted by the beautiful flowers of the flower garden in the 35th district. A small flower garden was born there, with decorations that were full of presence. Although it was not possible to fill the road to the venue with flowers, the loose and rapid decorations made up for the shortage and made it seem as if they had done so on purpose. Millie has good taste. If you raise her well, she has the qualities to become a first-rate con artist. Her sense of making things that are not there seem to be there will surely make her unique in the world of fraud. ''Please try this one first. At Ginette''s words, Magda and Loretta offer nectar from the garden. The nectar, served in a flower cup, is like a welcome drink. ''This is a magnificent taste. ''Yes, yes. It''s very good.'' Donis, who didn''t drink, seemed to have a sweet tooth and seemed to like the nectar very much. On the other hand, Philman''s expression was dull. ...... Does it bother you so much that he accepted a drink offered to him by a woman? Don''t give me that guilt-ridden look, you sulky boy. You''re a sulky boy. ....... I''m glad you''re here. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for me to go to the gym, but I''m sure it''s a good idea for you. I came to see how the flowers I had decorated would look. ''Nice work, Millie. You''ve made a great first impression.'' ''Heh heh ...... I''m glad.'' A large ladybug sways on top of Millie''s head as she smiles tantalizingly. ''Well, I''ll show you around again. Mr. Donnerty.'' Ginette and the others step aside, and Estella leads Donnis and Firman. Natalia is in the hall. Ginette and the others see them off, plus they are in charge of closing the door. ''Well, we''d better get back. ''Mmm. Let''s get ready for the next one. Before Donnis and the others enter the woods, Millie and I leave. When we returned to the yard, we found the kids all lined up around Bertina. A long piece of paper was being held and unfolded by the kids in the line. The paper read, "Welcome!My lord. It''s an honor to meet you. When did you make that thing? ''Hmm. My children wanted to do something for you. So, it seems that Bertina made this suggestion, and the kids worked together to make it. Nice idea. It must be nice to be welcomed by kids, especially when you are a lord. ''Oh, this is...'' Donnis came through the forest and broke his stance when he was welcomed by the kids. He doesn''t seem to hate kids. In fact, he may even like them a little. His face shows that kind of joy. ...... I''d like to believe that you don''t have a crush on one of these nine-year-old girls. ............ No, right? It''s been a long time since I''ve received such a warm welcome. Thank you. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Donnis nodded his head at the delighted kids, but for a brief moment, his eyebrows raised. Perhaps he had some thoughts about the injured beastman children. He must have known that the church protected and supported them, but it was not often that they actually met. Barbara confirmed that this was the first time for Donis to visit this church. Whenever there is a problem, Barbara is summoned to the lord''s mansion. That''s in contrast to some lords who come to the church every morning to ask for food. Well, considering the significance of this church, I understand that we can''t let outsiders in without permission. ''These are some energetic kids, aren''t they? ''Yes, they are. Cheerfulness is one of their specialties. That''s what Bertina said. Donnis looked a little surprised, but when he saw Bertina smiling, he muttered, ''I see. ''So, Mr. Donati. And Mr. Fillman. I invite you to sit down.'' Estella, not Natalia, escorted Donis and the others. I guess that''s how special she wants to be. A large wooden table set out in the garden. Eight chairs are arranged on it. These are the seats for Donis and Filman, Rebekah and Bertha, Estella and Bertina, Sophie and Barbara. The rest of us would have a standing party. A separate table will be set up and food will be served there. Even though ......, Bertina is not going to sit on a chair, but will have a picnic with the kids. In other words, they will be eating and drinking on rugs on the ground. Whatever style you like, you can do it. ''So, Mr. Yashiro. I''ll bring you some food.'' ''Oh. Hammy, let''s get to work. '''''''' Hahaha! Hammurabi rushed into the kitchen with all hands in the air. He''s happy to be working since he''s had some free time after helping Umaro. The three members of the sunlit pavilion and Delia join him in bringing out the food. Natalia and I stay by Estella''s side in case of emergency. Masha has placed her own water tank by the table and is churning the water inside. ''Oh, you''re from the Sea Fishing Guild? ''Yes~a?? Nice to meet you, DD-san. I''ve always heard rumors about you from my sister Lucia~'' ''M...... so, ...... please take care of me.'' Donnis is puzzled by Marcia''s casual response. DD is the first to use the name of a close friend,....... Marcia''s pretty in-depth, isn''t she? I''ll just call her by her name. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''ve always been jealous of the 35th district. I''ve always envied the 35th district for their close relationship with the sea fishing guild. ''Don''t worry~a?? If you get along with Yashiro-kun, you''ll be the one that others will envy. Right, Yashiro-kun? ''Don''t throw such a reckless request irresponsibly. ''So, you''re trusted, huh, Yashippi? ''''Stop calling me that, I''ll call you Chororin. ''''''Buchou! I heard ''puff'' all at once from here and there. When I looked around, Estella, Masha, Umaro, Loretta, and even Bertina were holding their mouths and shaking their shoulders. Oh, so everyone was wondering about it. ''Yashiro,............, today is an important ...... day,....... ......! Estella glared at me while desperately trying to hold back her laughter. You know. I''m not sure what you mean by that. That''s just a kind of hairstyle. Curly hair, long hair, single hair. There''s nothing wrong with it. It''s just that you think you''re not allowed to touch them. In other words, you''re just like these kids. They think that because they are injured, they should not be touched. As a result, they act as if they are touching something. But that''s hard on the kids. You could call it a vicious sense of justice. They want to be treated as normal. You saw their faces when they got together with the kids from District 42 and made a fuss. That''s what the kids here want. ''That''s why I''m going to actively tweak the single hair! ''You''re the most vicious! ''I''m just trying to bring a smile to the world. ''You''re so vain!I don''t think it''s a good idea to use ...... a sensitive subject as a laughing stock. ''Delicate story ......?Are you talking about Cholarin? ''Shut up!What''s that? The kids were laughing and the air was very light. However, Donnis is ...... looking very scary ....... ''No, what. I know some noblemen in the 29th district. Donnis gives a faint reaction. ''I told him about Donnis, and he seemed to enjoy it very much. Oh, you''re trying to keep your face expressionless, but you can''t keep the grin off your face. The edges of your mouth are quivering. ''When I told her about my haircut, she smiled her best smile yet. Of course, it was a genuine smile with no malicious intent. Well, if you know her character, you don''t need to tell everyone.'' --And then he glanced at Donnis. Wow, you look really happy. If you know her character, it will stimulate your pride that you know her best. It''s obvious that they will take it upon themselves to be more positive than necessary. ''Well, you know. I''m somewhat confident about this hairstyle myself. I''ve always believed that individuality should be seen as an advantage, yes. You had confidence ....... ''Well,......, you gave me a nice smile,............, when you talked about me,....... ............'' I thought about it as I chewed on it, sullenly. In a tranquil atmosphere reminiscent of the depths of the years that have passed, a drop of vermillion spreads like color on the face of Donis. It was as if a centuries-old tree had sprouted a new bud. It made Donnis feel a breath of youthful emotion in his heart. ''...... Mmmph! A single hair that let out a breath that ruined such dignity and emotion. ''You can call me Chorin! ''Mr. Donnerty!That''s as good as it gets!'' Estella does her best to stop Donnis from standing up excitedly. Then she glares at me lightly. What? You''ve only softened the atmosphere! ''My lord''. Barbara walks up to Donis and bows deeply. ''Thank you, sir. ''Hmm?What are you talking about, Sister? ''Character is an advantage...'' Barbara smiles as if she is speaking for all of us, with the kids at her back. ''I''m sure your words will be a great help to them in the future. Individuality. It''s something that all the kids here have. Injuries and illnesses that make them different from others, different from the norm, are considered ''individuality'' and are affirmed. Maybe that''s what these people are most happy about. It''s not that they''re not normal. It''s just that they''re a little unique. ''I''m proud that you are the Lord of District 24. Barbara bows her head again. Donnis, knowing that his unintentional words had encouraged Barbara and the kids, laughed, his deep wrinkles appearing more clearly. ''It''s the same for us. I''m proud to have a sister like you in my life. Oh, that unintentionally created a nice atmosphere. Hey, I''m pretty good, aren''t I? ''Hmph!You''re right on target! ''Yashiro ......, you can''t trust that. I''m sure you''d like to give me a complaint, but I can''t come on too strong because of the result. Well, luck is part of the skill. You should revere it. ''And then...'' Donnis turns to face me. He''s probably trying to maintain his dignity, but his eyes show that he''s in a good mood. ''What about the craftsmen from the Koji Workshop?I heard he was going to be there. Filman stiffened at Donis''s words. This one''s nervousness is clearly visible on his face. I was expecting him to be more excited and exuberant, but it seems that his nervousness is getting the better of him. ''Right now, I''m at the church. Estella said, slurring her words. At the moment, Rebekah, Bertha, and Sophie are inside the church. As Philman''s footsteps approached, Rebeka grew more and more nervous, and just before she was about to go meet him with the Sunshine Pavilion team, she said, ''Muah!I can''t!I''m so embarrassed! She ran away to the church. When Sophie saw her sister, she smiled and started to kill her. So I put them in isolation together. I''m sure Bertha is looking out for them. Now for the big moment. ''Estella ......'' I call Estella in a whisper and give her an earful so that Donnis doesn''t hear. ''Can you do that for me?'' ''Yes. I''ll try to buy you some time. Can we eat the food?'' ''I''ll be serving Mapo Tofu later, so eat in moderation. ''Okay. How about ...... sweet sake? ''That can wait. ''Well, then, ...... let''s get the kids to help us.'' We''re going to separate Donnis from Filman. Or rather, I''m going to kidnap Filman. From the circumstantial evidence, Filman and Riveka have feelings for each other. But that''s just a speculation based on the situation. We need to determine that first. And then we need to confirm their intentions. If they don''t intend to be together in the future, there''s no point in introducing them to Donis. So the first step is to get Filman to confess. I''ll let Estella buy you some time. It will delay the start of the banquet a bit, but she should be able to entertain him without making him feel uncomfortable. ''Well, then, lure Mr. Filman out successfully.'' Estella pats me on the shoulder and heads for Donnis. Secret talk over. Let the mission begin. ''Mr. Donnerty. Actually, I have another gift for you from the kids.'' ''Oh, for me?That would be nice.'' Estella brings this up to Donnis, but the kids are all over the place. Ad-libbing. I don''t think they''ve heard of that. Now, what do you want me to do? ''Guys. Why don''t you show the lord the bamboo dragonfly you just practiced with?'' ''Well. That''s a great idea.'''' Bertina agreed with Estella''s words. She turns to the kids crowded around her and speaks softly to them as if to tell them her best plan. ''If you can fly it well, they will be very happy. Come on, everyone. Let''s show them the results of your practice. ''''''Yes! Bertina gave the kids a good ride and followed Estella. The kids each took out a bamboo dragonfly from their pockets and spread out into the garden. ''Well, well, well. I can''t wait to see what''s going to happen. Donnis'' eyes are kind as he looks at the kids. She must really like the kid. I''d like to believe he''s not after ............ nine-year-old girls. As the kids spread out in the yard, Estella gives him a wink. It seems to be a signal for you to do the same. Then, I''d better lure Filman out. ''Hmm?What''s the matter, Filman? You look like you''ve got an itch in your spine to see a church chapel. I''m getting an itch in my spine to see a church chapel! ''Didn''t you find anything else, Yashiro? Estella hurriedly covered her mouth. You idiot. Shut up. What are you going to do if I find out? ''What is it, Fillman? Is your spine giving you the creeps?'' ''Huh?Oh~...... no, what can I say, ......'' ''Hmm. Don''t be shy about having a bowel movement. I thought you were being strangely quiet earlier, but ...... that''s what you mean.'''' ''............?'' Donnis is nodding his head knowingly. Filmmann, on the other hand, is puzzled. ''Don''t give Yashippi any trouble. Just go there.'' ''What?...... huh?'' Filman looks at me, looks at Donnis, looks at me, and freezes. Apparently,'' Donnis said, ''Filman was having a stomachache and his speech was slower. It seems that Donnis made the mistake of thinking that I noticed this and casually tried to take him out. ...... You''ll be able to find out more about the best way to get the most out of your wedding. I''m not sure what to make of it. Well, if that''s the case, I''ll take advantage of it. ''Fillman. Follow me.'' ''No, no, but I''m .......'' ''I''ll take you somewhere nice.'' He puts his hands on his head. Bunny ears, bouncing. ''Oh ......''. Filmmann, sensing this, looks at Donnis with more panic than necessary, looks at me, looks at Donnis, looks at me and puts his finger on his mouth, ''Shhh! and put his finger to his mouth. This guy''s behavior is getting more suspicious. ''So, now, Uncle Donis. I''m going to leave you alone for a while. ''Mmm. There''s no need to hurry.'' ''Yes, sir. Then let''s go to ......, Yashiro-san.'' He comes running up to me, rubbing his body against mine. It''s close, it''s close! What the hell is that? ''I''m ...... nervous, I''m nervous, I''m nervous, I''m nervous. ''Looks like you are. Just stick close to me and stop shaking. It''s hard to walk.'' ''I can''t have you squeezing my hand, .......'' ''Don''t be silly. Ask Riveka.'' ''No, you can''t ask me to do something so shameful! Don''t ask me to do that embarrassing thing. ...... It''s not a shame. I walked into the church so fast that I left Philman behind. ''Oh, Yashiro!Please wait!Please don''t leave me alone!I''m so nervous! The church in District 24 was built very differently from District 42. Perhaps because there were many adults living here, it was more fully equipped as a residential facility. On the opposite side of the passage leading to the chapel, there is a lobby and even a lounge. Hotel ...... No, it looks like a pension. There is a kitchen on the other side of the lobby, where Ginette and her friends are probably finishing up the dishes right now. But I have to go to the chapel now. That''s where Rebekah is. ''Mr. Yashiro. As I was heading for the chapel, a voice called out to me from the lobby. The voice came from Ginette. ''Can I help you to the chapel? ''Oh, yes. Are you there?'' ''We''re all set. We''re just waiting for Yashiro''s signal. ''How''s the tofu? ''Yes. It was very good.'' ''No, I wanted to ask if the cooking was affected. ...... Did you eat it?'' ''Ha, ha. ...... Well, I tasted it!You can''t cook well if you don''t know how it tastes! ''............ mother''s influence? ''Oh, you know, I can never ............ argue with such a thing, with my heart. Let''s hope that Ginette doesn''t turn into Bertina. Well, if Ginette tasted it and said it was good, then there''s no problem. The mapo tofu looks promising too. ''By the way, ......, what the hell is Mr. Filman doing? Filman clung to my waist and kept his face down the whole time I was talking to Jeannette. I''d love to ask him what he''s doing. And I want to punch him in the face regardless of whether his answer is good or bad. I''d like to know what he''s doing, and I''d like to punch him regardless of whether his answer is good or bad. Wow, what''s this guy. It''s scary. ''So you''re restraining yourself from looking at her tits? ''No!How can that be?I''m going to sue you for defamation in a court of law! ''Huh. ...... defamation......'' Jeannette looks like she''s about to cry. What he really meant was, ''I would never commit such a shameful act!Please refrain from making disgraceful and misleading statements in front of Rebecca! That''s the point. It does not mean that liking Jeannette''s breasts is dishonorable. ''Don''t worry about it, Jeannette. I''ll stare at them for you.'' ''Please repent. He said with a smile like, ''That''s not what I meant. ''Oh, big brother!I was in the right place! Loretta came out of the kitchen and ran up to me with her hands raised. Oh, I have a bad feeling again. ''The manager''s not in his seat right now, so I''ll take this opportunity to ask him where he''s hiding the steamer .......You''re here, manager? ''Um, what''s a steamer basket, ......? ''No, it''s nothing!It''s probably just my imagination! I''m pretty sure I didn''t see Jeannette here, Loretta. Do you have a disease that requires you to give hints on a regular basis? ''Loretta ......, you''ll be punished later. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha ...... I''ve done it ......'' Holding her own mouth in her hands, Loretta shrugs. ''It''s not a ...... steamer, it''s a jyoro. Millie was looking for it earlier. When Loretta is in trouble, Magda appears. But honestly, it''s painful. Even the natural Queen Ginette wouldn''t mishear the words ''seiro'' and ''jororo''. --I was thinking... ''Oh, so it''s ruyu-ro. I misheard it as ''steamer''. ...... I guess I still underestimated Jeannette. You''re amazing. You''ve never heard the word ''doubt'' before, have you? ''...... By the way, it''s true that Milly is looking for Ruyudu. ''I see. Then I''ll ask Sophie about it later. Magda adds in a voice that only I can hear. It was a good cover-up. ''...... So, Yashiro. What''s that waistcoat? ''Oh, this?It''s a terminal symptom of a certain disease. With the addition of the girls, Filman tightened his guard even more and tried to sneak into my clothes. Now I''ve got my head stuck in my clothes. Haha. Makes you want to kill, right? ''Are you a man who likes men? ''No, I don''t. Don''t worry. ''There''s no ...... Yashiro, but they''re .......'' ''No, I don''t.'' He just likes one girl in particular to an unusual degree. It''s too abnormal. ''I''m about to meet a certain girl in the chapel. ''...... Mmm, I smell love.'' ''This is something I must follow! Why are you guys even coming? When I turned my gaze to Ginette to do something about it,......, I saw her sparkling eyes. I remember that Ginette also likes other people''s love,....... ''If you''re done with your preparations, you can come with me. ''I''m done! ''I''m coming! ''I''m going to ...... I gave up and decided to take her with me, since she was biting at me so hard. At any rate, Jeannette seems to be enjoying it. I''ll let you watch it if you want. ''Come on, you clinging little bastard. Pull yourself together. I''m behind that door.'' ''Behind this door, ......? At my words, Filman straightens up and stares straight at the door. But even after he left my waist, he still grabbed the hem of my dress. ...... Don''t be naive. ''Be prepared''. I give him a poke with my elbow and he staggers away from me. I let out a deep breath, and then Filman stands in front of the door. Open this door and you''ll find Riveca. Come on, let''s go get it over with. Filmmann grasps his hands tightly in nervousness. I''ll open the door. Three steps back, Ginette and the others are watching what''s going on. I put my hand on the doorknob and slowly open it. There is a dry ...... sound, and the air of the chapel begins to leak out. There is a faint scent of wood, carpet and candles in the air. The door leads to the side of the chapel. It is not the main gate, so you have to exit from a place like this. Passing through a row of wooden benches, we enter the central aisle of the chapel. This is the aisle that is called the ''aisle'' at weddings. A red carpet is laid out from the entrance to the altar at the back of the front. ''Ah ......''. Filman let out an involuntary squeal. At the end of the aisle, in front of the altar, stood Rebeka. I''m not sure if she heard the faint sound of Filman''s voice, but her ears perked up. If ...... this isn''t Philman''s love interest, it''s the end of the line. It''s not even funny. Oh no. ...... I''m getting a little nervous. The air in the chapel is tense, and breathing feels a little difficult. Behind me, Ginette and the others are also gasping for air. Even Loretta, who talks a lot, doesn''t say a word. In front of the altar is Rebekah. And beside the altar, against the wall, is Bertha and Sophie, who wears an aura of murderous intent. ...... The air in this place is tense because of him, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to make of it. Last time, Rebekah didn''t recognize the Filmmakers, but not this time. I told her in advance that the Whispering Prince was coming. I''m sure she knows it''s him. ...... I hope you''re right. No, seriously, what if he''s not? Anyway, I want him to confess quickly and tell me the answer. There''s nothing I can do about this. It''s not good for my mental health to have to wait. If I can get through this, then I can do whatever I want. So, if you can get through this, ...... You should have just confessed your love to him, but he was too busy admiring you to make any move. It doesn''t have to be a confession at this point. If Filman says even a single word, there should be a change in Rebeka''s face. Read it and you''ll know the answer. Now, say something, Philman! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m not sure what to say.Talk! I will confiscate your notebook and pen immediately! Important things like this should be communicated in one''s own mouth, in one''s own words! So even if you look at me with such resentment, I won''t give you back your notebook! ''Show me some guts, Filman! I walk up to him and whisper to him. All you have to do is say ''I love you''. If you don''t show your man here, when will you show your man? But Filmmann is stubborn. He opens and closes his mouth, but no sound comes out. You''re a slacker! ''You''ve been thinking about Rebekah for a long time, haven''t you?Why don''t you just tell her how you feel? Clenching his teeth, Firman shook his head. ''This is no time to be shy! He shook his head even harder. ''It doesn''t matter if you''re nervous, bad at it, ugly, whatever!Go tell them how you feel! Filman still shakes his head. ''Why can''t you say it? ''Because today''s Rebeka-san is even cuter than ever! ''Nya-fun! Rebeka exploded. Oh, thank goodness. It seems I was right about the whispering prince, Filman. 317-Episode 229 Rebecca and Filman ''Mufu ...... mufu ...... niufu~......! In front of the altar, Rebekah is crouching and writhing. That''s a definite reaction. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say something to her to make her feel better. ''Rebekah, are you okay? ''Mmm, mmm, I''m not okay. Rebekah replies in a half-crying voice. She doesn''t even turn her head towards me. ''My heart is about to burst ......! ''What?Are you okay, Rebekah? ''Nyahun! When Filman called out to her, Rebeka''s body jumped. Her heart must have ruptured, right? ''It''s ............ okay ......, then ......... ...is. What''s with the little girl tone? The result of trying to make yourself look good? You''re failing big time, you know. ''Oh, well... I''ve never seen Rebekah like this before. Bertha is slowly approaching. She looks at the crouching Rebekah with a surprised expression. In the meantime, the grudge ......, or Sophie, is waveringly following behind her. It''s really haunted when you see it through a versa. It''s the kind of picture that would cause a stir on the Internet if you uploaded it. ''Rebekah, are you alright? Sophie said kindly. ''U............mm...... are fine, I''m fine.'' At the sound of her sister''s voice, he regains his composure a little. But Rebekah, who is still lying face down and hiding her face, doesn''t know. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. It''s ...... scary. I''m not sure if this is the one you''re talking about. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that," said Sophie, clutching her morning star. No, Rebekah!If you answer that, a man will die! ''U............ yeah.'' She nodded her head in embarrassment. With that cute, girlish motion, ...... a person''s life came to an end. I''m not going to let you.You can''t let that happen! She holds Sophie down as she raises the Morning Star. It''s dangerous. ...... What''s he doing with a straight face? I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure. I''m not sure what you mean by ''unconscious''. The result of that vow is "elimination"? The sister''s power, scary. ''Uh,............, did you say you''re a bug? ''Oh, no, it''s ...... Fillman.'' ''Oh, Mr. Funamushi.'' Get away from the bugs! And, Filman. Good to know you''re my sister. We''re having a conversation. ...... is working, huh? ''Do you like Rebecca? It''s a straightforward question. But then again, he''s a filmmaker. It''s a good pass in a way. In a way, it''s a good pass. Say it out loud. ''............ Rebecca is the world. No, no, no! I don''t know what you''re talking about! ''Yikes! I''m crushing on you, nine-year-old girl! ''I don''t know what ...... you mean? You''re right, sister! I agree with you. ''I like ............... ............'' I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one. It was a series of backflips! And then Bertha gently stopped the spinning! ''............'' ''............'' And Sophie and Filman stared at each other. ''...... What?'' Oh, Sophie. That''s a very difficult question to answer. It''s too vague to say ''all'', and too annoying to list them one by one. ''Can I talk about it? However, the man named Filman suddenly got excited at such a troublesome question, his eyes twinkling. Yeah, there are some people, aren''t there? The ones who want to talk about their favorite things. That annoying creature who goes on and on about it regardless of whether you''re interested or not. That''s what Filman is. ''First of all, the way he walks is divided into sixty-four major categories: ......'' ''Stop, Filman! There are sixty-four categories of walking alone. ...... And what categories? I don''t even want to imagine how many items there are in those categories. You can''t finish this in a day or two. I can''t spend that much time on it. I''ve got Donnis in the yard. I want to make this quick. ''Right. I should have started with the voice and the way she talks. I think it would have been easier to get into the world. There are seventy-seven categories of voices at .......'' ''Stop the Filmmakers! That''s not it. No, it''s not, Fillman. If you talk any more nonsense, I''m going to have to cover your mouth--with a gusset. ''I understand Sophie''s feelings, but let her talk to Rebekah for now. ''But ...... Rebeka is still a child, and ......''. ''Wha... I am! Rebeka, who had been being cared for by Bertha, stood up easily. Her face has turned redder than I''ve ever seen it. She seems to be standing on her own strength. ''I''m an adult now!I''ve met my sister, I''m an adult! When Sophie left the factory, she had told Rebekah that she would see her again when she grew up. That''s why she was trying so hard to become an adult. She hated to be treated as a child more than others. She was acting like an adult. That is why she is unwilling to be treated as a child right now. As a girl who has been striving to become an adult, her self-esteem of being an adult has grown beyond her age. That is why she wants to make her own decisions about love. Because she is an adult. ''I''ll decide for myself! She says, staring at Fillman. When their eyes meet, he slips away and hides behind Bertha. ...... Oh, there''s a kid, over there. ''All right. Then I will respect Rebekah''s decision. ...... But if Rebekah is grieved, I will not ............ tolerate it. I have a duty to protect her smile. As an older sister, Sophie asserted that she would respect her sister''s wishes. She is going to fulfill her duty as an older sister, which she has not been able to do until now. ''Also, ...... I will not tolerate any actions that would take Rebeka away from me. If you look at me in an indecent way, I will condemn you. If you touch me with even a finger, I want to impose unspoken sanctions. ''That''s beyond my sister''s domain! Sophie is forcibly pulled away from Rebekah, who is putting a lot of pressure on her. I''ll put her between Magda and Loretta and keep her isolated. Listen, you two, keep your eyes open. ''Last, but not least, let me ask you this! While Magda and Loretta were restraining her, Sophie leaned forward and appealed. ''What do you like most about Rebeka? A desperate entertainment reporter. ...... In response to such a question, Filman replies with absolute confidence. ''It''s the face! ...... Yeah. That''s a rather lousy response, isn''t it? No, I''m sure he''s being honest, but ...... face. ''Yah! Rebecca, re-blast. Oh, you''re excited, then. ''I''m convinced.'' You''re convinced? ''She''s super cute, isn''t she, Rebeka? ''Yes!It''s super cute! ''Myuuh~......'' The idiot sister and the idiot boyfriend (candidate) seem to be on the same page. Rebeka, who is sandwiched in between them, is also ...... happy, so that''s good. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''......But there are many cases where people fall in love with someone because of their face. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. The three of them are talking to each other. ...... Paula, have you ever been in love with an ugly person? Well, that''s the type of girl who falls in love. It''s possible. It''s true that there are many cases where people become friends because they like each other''s face. ...... Oh, I see. Filman doesn''t have any period of ''getting to know each other'', so he''s stuck at the ''I like her face'' point. I get it. But well, even if it''s just a momentum, he could say things like ''I like Rebeka'' and ''I like her face''. Now all you have to do is tell her that you like her, and she''ll give you the OK, and you''ll be lovers. ''Then, go and tell him directly. ''Yes, sir. I''m off. Perhaps he had made up his mind, or perhaps he had built up his courage, but he said it strongly in a calm voice. I watched his back with relief. Now all I have to do is think of a way to get Donnis on the line. ...... I''m not sure what to say. You bit me, big time! ''Um, um, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! Ahhhhhhhhhh ......'' It''s broken! It''s freezing, that guy! ''Ha, shame on you! What, you think you''re being objective?Yeah, yeah, I''m embarrassed. ''Is there any value in a man who can''t even say ''...... I love you''?'' Sophie''s shadow wavered as she clutched the Morningstar. ''Magda, do everything you can to stop her! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Loretta and even Ginette. What are you trying to say? What are you trying to say, guys? ''Prepare yourselves! Sophie clenched her fists and scolded Firman in a stern voice. And then, with eyes filled with anxiety, she added these words. ''If you do, I will spare no effort to help you as much as I can. Sophie chose the future that would please Rebekah the most. With a little anxiety, a little loneliness, a strong sense of responsibility, and a great deal of love. I''ve never had a boyfriend, so I don''t think I can give you any advice! Yeah, I guess that confession was unnecessary. ''If I don''t understand something, I''ll ask Bertha and deal with it! ''Bertha here has never had a boyfriend, either! And Bertha, you don''t have to make any unnecessary confessions! And you don''t have to give me a meaningful wink afterwards! ''''I wish ...... would explode.'''' Sophie and Bertha''s voices overlap. ''''Do you want to cheer me up, or do you want to get in my way? ''''Mr. Fillman.'''' With her hands folded in front of her chest, Ginette calls out to Filman with a smile reminiscent of Bertina''s. She has a much more sisterly and holy atmosphere than Sophie, who is supposed to be a sister. ''I can understand your embarrassment. I''ve often been too embarrassed to speak. Ginette smiled shyly and made a joke of herself. It seems that she is trying to ease the tension of the filmmakers,......, but I felt that Ginette has such a thing,....... I think there are times when you need to be brave. For the sake of your life ahead. And for the happiness of those you love. Unusually for Ginette, there is a glimpse of positivity in her voice as she encourages others to take action. We can clearly see that Jeannette herself wants and thinks that she should do so. But she wouldn''t just get excited about someone else''s love story and irresponsibly incite them to action. ...... She wouldn''t do that, so there must be a reason. There must be a reason that prompts Philman to act. ...... It is ............ I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it. Then he gently points ahead. At the end of the road stood Rebeka, her face dyed red and her eyes filled with tears. If you read the air, you''ll know the answer. I know exactly what I want. But I can''t shake the uneasiness I feel when I''m one step away from it. Rebekah''s tear glands were swelling to the point of collapse. Whether the reason for her tears is anxiety or joy, there is a world of difference between the two. Did Jeannette want to save that little girl, who was growing as tall as she could? ''I think you''re the only one who can save her, Mr. Filman. I think you''re the only one who can save her.'' I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to overstep my bounds,'' he said, bowing his head. But there was no hint of regret on Ginette''s face. No, that was a fine sermon. I could be a sister any day. I don''t think you will. Filman''s expression changed as he heard Jeannette''s words. My pushing him back and Sophie''s threats didn''t reach his heart. But Ginette''s words seemed to reach him easily. No, perhaps Rebeka''s tears had touched his heart. ''Rebeka-san. Standing tall and resolute, Filman stood in front of Rebeka. ''I''ve been staring at you. I''ve only been looking at you.'' ''Hiya .................. yes''. Rebeka, too, calmed down her excitement and listened intently to the voice of the filmmaker. ''I like you, Rebekah. I want you to marry me. ''.................. Yes. ''...... With pleasure, my dear.'' Instantly, a cheer went up. The girls at the sunlit pavilion and Bertha shouted with delight. Libeka and Firman look at each other shyly. However, the anxiety on their faces has disappeared and relief and happiness have colored their smiles. What a new couple just born, how fresh and new ....... I don''t know why I have to be there ....... ''Rebekah! Magda and Loretta were cheering, but Sophie ran up to Rebeka and hugged her. She hugged her, slumped down, and sat down on the ground. ...... ''Congratulations, oh, oh, oh, oh! She began to cry. Sophie clung to Riveka and sobbed. Oh well. When you see her face, you can''t object. Seeing her smile so honestly, like she''s at the peak of happiness. ''You did it, Filman. ''Ouch!...... It hurts, Yashiro-san.'' I punch him in the shoulder as hard as I can. You should take this with a grain of salt. If you don''t, the repercussions could be extremely unfortunate. Life is equal parts good and bad. There''s good and there''s bad in life. When real life is full, it explodes. That''s the way it is. Gentlemen. Bertha''s voice echoed in the suddenly noisy chapel. We all looked at Bertha in silence as her voice, though quiet, reached our ears and drew our attention. As we watched, Bertha put her knees on the floor and bowed her head with her hands. ''Please promise me that you will not refer what you have just seen to the judgment of the spirits. It was an unexpected action. In the first place, the Judgment of the Spirits is only effective between the parties concerned. So even if something were to happen to these two and their marriage were to be annulled, we would not be able to bring it to the judgment of the spirits. Nevertheless, Bertha is daring us to say the words here. Why is that? ''It''s called parental love. Perhaps it was the confusion on her face, but Ginette explained it to me. ''No matter how trivial it may seem, in order to ensure that there is no obstacle in the path of your cute little one, you take out multiple layers of insurance ......, which is a very normal emotion because you love your child. ''Is that how it is? ''Yes. That''s what the sisters used to say. That''s what they call parental love. ''And ......'' Ginette leans in close and gives me an earful. ''They say that showing affection like that can be a check on the other person. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. I see. It''s true that it''s hard to say ''I''m done with this marriage'' when you''re shown a scene like this. Bertha even got down on her knees and got me and the unrelated Jeannette involved. If you break the engagement, you don''t know what ...... they''ll do to you later. Especially me. ''All right. I won''t be using the Judgment of the Spirits on this one. ''I won''t use it either.'' ''...... as well.'' ''Same here! All the members of the Sunlit Pavilion agreed without objection. You don''t have to explicitly say ......? ''I have no objections either. I believe you two.'' Sophie also said clearly with swollen eyes. You''ve got quite a heavy load on your shoulders, Filman. ''Thank you, gentlemen. Standing up, Bertha bows her head once more. At the same time, Filman crumples to the floor with a thud. ''Whaaaa ........................, I''m so nervous... ...I''m nervous. ......'' He looks as if he''s run out of energy. Well, what can you do? The next step after ''staring at her from afar'' is ''proposing'', which is too much of an order. We''ll have to wait until after we''re together before we can really talk. I mean, aren''t they having any real conversations right now? You know, talking about the weather, their favorite foods, normal stuff like that. I don''t even know if they have the same hobbies, but how can they go that far just because they like each other? In this town where the Judgment of the Spirits is held. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. The two of you don''t even realize how reckless you are,......, so you''re in for a rough ride. I''m sure you''re aware of that. The next step is the hard part. We''ve confirmed their intentions. There are two main problems that stand in the way of that. The problem of the successor to the koji factory and the problem of Donnis'' old values-- his attitude toward subhumans. Both of these problems are already in place. ...... If the word "subhuman" were to come out of Donis''s mouth, it could lead to an instant breakup. Old people might know about the tragedy of the swallowtail butterfly people who married noblemen. They might be sensitive to the marriage of nobles and subhumans. --I wonder how effective Mahrul''s letter will be ....... Well, the odds are against it. But first, you know. We''ve got work to do. I''m sorry to interrupt your congratulations, but I have a few things to say. It was Bertha who started the conversation. The problem that the Koji factory will face with Rebeka''s marriage. We need to solve it, or at least come up with a way to minimize the damage. I just got the item. The notebook and pen that Poemer Fillman was going to write his stupid poem with. With that at the ready, I''ll face the koji factory guys. This time. You''ve done well for yourself, Philman. I''ll take it from here. I''ll control you, you dance well. And so the second round in the chapel began quietly. 318-Episode 230 The person who controls the koji facto... ''There are a few problems with this marriage. With a straight back and a slightly stern voice, Bertha spoke up. ''No matter what, Rebekah is only nine years old. She''s far too young to be married. Well, that''s the first thing that bothers me, isn''t it? There''s no common sense in getting married at nine. Even Ma''ru hesitated when he received a proposal when he was nine years old. As a guardian, you must be anxious. But as the saying goes, a parent''s heart knows no child, and it was Rebekah, of all people, who bit into Bertha''s anxiety. ''What are you talking about, Bertha? I''m an adult now! Rebekah''s character would not like to be treated like a child in such a situation. It''s to be expected that she''ll get angry and argue. But Bertha was used to it, and dismissed her as a child. And that''s what makes a child like Rebekah so stubborn. ''I''m an adult!I''m a lady! ''I''m a child. I''m a child. ''I''m an adult!Adult, adult, adult! ''She''s a child with undeveloped mind and body, who gets angry easily like that. ''Oto-na-ja! ''She''s a little girl who hasn''t fixed her bed-wetting yet. ''Oh, dear!What, what are you talking about?No, no, no, no, no!No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.It''s just a coincidence. I''m not sure if it''s because I''ve just heard the words "Judgment of the Spirits". I don''t think so," she said. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. I''m not sure what to say.It''s the curse of the unmarried hag! Hey, poison! Even Bertha can get hurt sometimes! A woman on a job, a life on a mission, that''s cool! I think it''s cool to be a woman on a job, a life on a mission! ''Muaaah ...... hated me ...... definitely hated me ...... now.'' Rebecca''s shoulders slumped. I feel like I''m about to cry for real. Or rather, she''s crying, isn''t she? But it''s not because she''s sad about her lost love, but because she''s embarrassed that her bedwetting has been exposed. ''It''s okay, Rebekah! Filmmann offered help to Rebeka in a sincere voice. With words that do not lie. ''I don''t care about that! ''Are you really ............ ......, then? ''Yes!I''d rather have you call me! ''Yes, out! A little rough on Fillman''s mouth. With an elbow, like this, ''Gah! With an elbow. ''......I''m in pain,............Yashiro-san......'' ''Just when I thought I could finally talk, all I get is ...... a bunch of nonsense, what''s with your mouth? What kind of perverted coming out is that? That would be a deal breaker. Even Rebecca was quite disappointed ...... ''............ That''s because ...... when I''m a little more mature than I am now... .... You''re not full of it! ''No, I don''t care about bedwetting. ''Then why did you bring it up! Bertha, the firecracker, skipped out on putting out the fire and pretended it didn''t happen. ''The problem is that Rebeka-sama is still young. ''I''m an adult now! ''I''m already an adult! ''Huh?What are you talking about?Bertha said something naughty again! ''Hmmm. Adults don''t get embarrassed over things like this! ''Hmm!You''ve got a point!Hey, Loretta, recite it back to me. ''Yes, sir!Oppa......, wow!It''s dangerous!I was just about to say that!What do you want me to say, big brother?Oh, no! I tried to throw the ball from Bertha to Loretta with a brilliant relay, but it was too close. I missed by a whisker. ''Oh my God, Yashiro-san.'' He taps me on the shoulder. It seems to mean, ''Shut up for a minute, you bastard. If you arrange it in Ginette''s style, it would look like this. ''Mr. Bertha. What the hell is your problem? Filman asked with a straight face. Can''t you see, ......, that marrying a nine-year-old kid is nothing but a problem, no matter what you think. I''d like you to keep it to a ''marriage relationship'' for the time being. He bowed politely and respectfully. I wonder if he knew that the other party was the most promising candidate for the next lord. Or is it because he is the potential mate of Rebeka, whom he serves? ''There''s also the issue of taking over the factory. ''Handover ......? At Bertha''s words, Rebekah made a puzzled face. As if she had anticipated this, Bertha told her the truth in a calm voice, as if she had prepared for it. ''If you marry the next lord, it means that Rebeka-sama will leave the koji factory and live in the lord''s mansion, and will be responsible for supporting Firman-sama in both public and private life. ''............What?'' She looked at Bertha, then at Firman, then at Sophie, and finally at me. Anxiety spread across Rebekah''s face. ''No,......, you''re not coming to the Koji factory,......, are you? ''Rebeka-sama. Mr. Filman is the next lord of the realm. He will not abandon his duties. ''E............ that...... that......... ...Koji Factory...... shouldn''t I be here already? ''That''s why I asked for your time. For a little while longer, until Miss Rebekah comes of age, you can make memories with us at the Koji Factory. ''Huh, ......! Tears welled up in Rebeka''s eyes. ''Yes ....... I don''t want to be ...... separated from Bertha! ''Rebeka-sama .......'' ''I''m going to die ............ of loneliness, being separated from my sister and from Bertha!I''m really dying! The nine-year-old girl clung to Bertha''s waist and cried out, abandoning her "mature Rebecca. Her strong will to never let go makes her arms cling to Bertha with all her strength. ''If I''m ...... going to be ...... separated from Bertha, I''m going to ............ marry her, how ......'' That''s not good. If I let you say that, it''s all over. Filman is watching the situation with a dazed look on his face, wondering what to do. Or rather, he''s at a loss to do anything about it. He foresees the decisive words that will come in a few seconds, but he can''t do anything about it. It''s no use. He scribbles in the notebook he took from Filman. "Talk to Rebecca and reassure her. I thrust such a sentence at Filman. ''I''m married to ....... ......! ''Mr. Rebecca! I made it just in time. When Filman called her name, Rebekah swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth. But that was all. To this day, she still clings to Bertha, not looking back. Filmmann''s anxiety deepened, and he issued the following command. ''Make a speech that will reach out to Rebeka''s heart. ''What? But don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. I immediately scribble down the following sentence. "''I''ve been thinking...'' - Read! ''I''ve been thinking...'' I''ve been thinking about it for a long time,'' Filman says to the back of Rebeka''s head, who is not looking at him. A hint of anxiety is leaking out, but even so, if he continues to speak, his mind and emotions will follow. Even if his handwriting gets a little messy, the "forced translation magic" will take care of it. It''s all about speed. Let''s go! I show the text in my notebook again and urge Filman to speak. I''ll write down what he says and show it to him. Just like a floor AD! Now, read! You know, presidents and kings have their experts think about the most important speeches. It''s a testament to your virtue that you have such capable advisors. There''s nothing cowardly about it. There''s nothing cowardly about asking someone else''s advice to seduce a girl. ...... Pfft, duh!I''m sure no one will think that! Now, speak up!Use your voice!You''ll melt Rebecca''s eardrums with your whispering prince voice! ''We''re both special. We''re the only ones who can replace each other. Uncle Donis - there will be no other heir that the current lord will recognize but me. And there will be no one else who can maintain the current quality of koji besides Rebeka-san. That''s why I can''t stay with you. I guess that''s the normal way of thinking. But ...... do you think I''m going to give up because of that? People''s hearts are easily swayed. It''s easy to listen to someone who can give you the words you want. ''I understand your anxious feelings. But there''s nothing to be anxious about. But you don''t have to be anxious, because I''m here for you...'' With such sweet words, he''s going to wipe away Rebeka''s anxiety! Now it''s time to show off, Filman! Let the whispering prince show his true colors! But my feelings for Rebekah are real!I love you ......! Filman choked during the line. Come on! That''s the best part!Don''t bite me! ''...... (are you really going to say that?)'' He asks with his mouth full. Of course!Off course! After an odd pause, he adds another word, ''Read it! and thrusts out a notebook. He reads it silently and says, ''What? Then, the look in Filman''s eyes changed. He seems to have made up his mind, and Filman opens his mouth. ''Oh, I love you!It''s Jetheme!I love you! Pfft. ...... What the hell is he talking about? ''...... (Why is Yashiro-san laughing?)'' And the filmmaker protests with his mouth full. Be careful, Rebekah can hear you if you speak up even a little. For efficiency''s sake, I tear up a piece of paper with my lines written on it and hand it to Magda. Then Magda shows it to Filman. The sound of tearing?I don''t know. Ignore it. ''So, I propose that we work together! For a moment, the air shakes. Filman himself, ''What? and looked twice at Magda''s handout. But that''s okay. That''s right, we should work together. Now, let''s try to convince him. I hand Magda my copy and start writing the next one. I''m gonna fold, Philman. Don''t bite, Lord-elect! ''I''ve always had my doubts about BU being stuck in the old ways. They fix the amount of beans produced, and as a result, they suffer from a surplus of beans, or conversely, a shortage. And yet, they don''t speak up because they are afraid of becoming the minority, because it was decided by majority vote. As he read, sweat began to pour from Filman''s forehead. He seemed to be upset. ''Am I allowed to say this? Or something like that. But let''s go to extremes. After all, we''re going to destroy common sense! ''But I''m not afraid. I''m not afraid to be in the minority. Even if the majority rules against us, even if we are overwhelmed by the power of numbers, I will never bend my own personal ideas! Riveka''s ears are picking up the sound of Filman''s voice. She listens intently, not wanting to miss a single word. ''Even if the rest of the world is against it, I want to ............ marry you, Rebekah!......Even if it means antagonizing the people of the ward,......I''ll take the time to convince them! The word "marriage" made him shy. Because of this, the next words were spoken in a very low voice and quickly, and only the last word was spoken loudly as if to rewind the speech. You should practice your speech more. Donnis isn''t the only one you need to convince. A lord''s actions are always being watched by his warders. ''So, even if you marry me, Rebeka-san, please stay a koji maker!It''s better for the 24 wards, and I''m sure Rebeka-san will be happy and the profits will go up! ...... Oops. I guess my feelings got in the way at the end. That''s okay. In fact, if Rebeka keeps working as a koji maker, the 24th district will be very happy. I''ll be even richer with the profits from the bean paste. ''So you''re saying that you and Rebeka will separate ......?'' Sophie asks in a questioning tone to Filman. ''...... Huh?Why are you asking Philman?You see, I''m giving you a sign. ...... You''re not looking at me, are you? I''m not sure what to do. Well, that''s okay, but... I don''t care, I''m going to give him a copy and let him talk. ''It may be a commuter marriage at first. But eventually, we will live together. ...... You can live there, can''t you, really? Hey. Don''t say the questions you''re asking me. It''s gonna sound crazy. I''m gonna nod my head as hard as I can and reassure you. It''s okay. There are 50,000 couples who work together. There are plenty of ways to make it work. ''After living together, upon the waking bell, Rebeka will go to the koji factory and work in the chamber. You will be finished taking care of the koji by the time the sun rises, right?Therefore, I will have you return to the lord''s mansion at sunrise, have breakfast together, and have you take a nap. In the meantime, I''ll do the work of a lord. When she''s around, I tend to get carried away and hustle and bustle, so if she can take a nap, I can concentrate on my work! Filman glared at me after I said that. What the hell. I know it''s true, you hustle boy. Don''t think about anything else, just read your notes. After Rebeka woke up around noon, they spent some time together. We do some shopping and talk together. ............ Mufu'' I''m going to cut this off now because I''m laughing so hard. I glare at him as hard as I can and tell him to take it seriously. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. And then, at night, the two of you will sleep together, and Rebekah will head back to the koji factory with the waking bell. ''That''s almost the same as Rebeka-sama''s current life cycle, isn''t it? ''That''s right. I heard about Rebeka-san''s life cycle from Yashiro-san, and used that as a reference.'' --and, in answer to Bertha''s question, I''ll tell you right now, Filman. I had heard about the koji maker''s work flow when we met before. He was going to leave only the part of the work that could be done only by Rebeka to her. Rebeka is still small and needs to take naps. We''ll take that time, too. This will give Fillman time to concentrate on his work. However, both the lord and the malted rice factory may not be able to proceed as planned due to unforeseen circumstances or unavoidable work, but we can think of a solution at the time. First of all, it is important to present the basic cycle and obtain approval. ''This is my proposal for co-workers. ''It''s true that the quality of koji will be protected and Rebekah won''t miss seeing Bertha every day ......, but there is one important oversight in that cycle.'' ''An oversight?'' Sophie pointed out, and Filman looked at me with an impatient expression. Don''t be hasty, don''t be hasty. I know what Sophie is trying to say. I''ll write down the answer for you right now, so all you have to do is read the blurb. ''At the Koji factory, meetings are held during the day regarding the development of new products, store sales, and other matters related to cooperation with the various factories. It is not necessary for Rebecca to participate in all of them. However, we cannot overlook the fact that the factory manager is always absent during these meetings. That is irresponsible. It could bring down the confidence of the factory. What are your thoughts on that? The question came as expected, so I gave him the answer I had prepared. ''You''re the one who''s going to solve it, Sophie. Sophie rolls her eyes at Filman''s answer. ...... Well, it''s my answer, you know. The Koji factory keeps its brand under the Whitehead name. Bertha may be able to pull it all together, but the name is out of control. Then put someone there that Bertha trusts and that the factory workers and the town can trust. Right. You, Sophie. ''Sophie, you''ve learned a lot of things from Bertha, haven''t you?How to make miso and soy sauce, how to grow soybeans, and even how to make tofu. Those are things you don''t know. Because your education is focused on koji. Isn''t that right, Vasa-san? ''Yes. Sophie-sama has been away from koji since the accident. ...... So...'' I want you to do it again from now on. Oh, God! I''m tired of writing about it!It''s a hundred times faster and easier to say it out loud. Okay, Philman. That''s enough. Let''s switch. "Sophie. I''ll take the fall for Philman. Don''t look so scared. I know you''ve been feeling it for a while. You were ready for it. Because you said... "If Rebeka needs me, I''ll help her! And. I''ll spare no effort to help her if she asks me to. ''You''re going to be the head of the koji factory. ''I''m the one? Then everything will be all right. ''And, but, as you know, ...... my ears are ......''. ''You''re good with that. Rebekah will take care of that.'' ''¨¦?¡ê?1????¨¨¡ä?????o?¨¨¡¥£¤??¡¥?????????¨¨¡ä?¨¨¡ä¡ê?oo???......''??? ''????????o????1??????¡ä??£¤???????????????¨¨?????????????? ''¨¨?????......??? ¨¨???1?????£¤????????? ??o?? ¨¨¡¥????????????????¨¨¡ä¡ê????????¡§?????-?????a?oo¨¨o??????? ''????? ???¨¨?????????o??????????¨¨¡ä???????????£¤1???¨¨???¡¥1?? ???????o???? ''?£¤???¡ì???¨¨???????¡¥????£¤?......????????a??¡ê¨¨?¡§??¡¥?????a???¨¦????????????oo???????????o¨¨?2?????????¨¨¡ä?¨¨¡ä¡ê?????????......''??? ''?? ¨¨?¡è??o?¡¤£¤???¨¦??????oo?¡¥1??a?¡ì??????¦Ì??¡ä???????????¡¥???¨¨??? ¡¤?????a???????????¡ê¨¨?¡§???¨¨????¡¥?? ????? ????¡ì??|1????????|????¡è?????????¡è?¡¤£¤?????? ''¨¦?¡ê??¡¥.......'' ''¨¨?¡¥?????¡¥???¨¨????? ¨¨¡ä????¨¨¡¥¡ä??? ?2???????????????1¨¨¡À???? ¨¨?????¨¨¡ä???????¨¨?3??¦Ì?1???¡§????????-?????¡§?????? ''?????¡¥????????¡¥????¡¤2????|?????¡¤£¤???...... ??-?1¡ä?o????¨¨?????......'' ''?????£¤???¨¨¡ä???????????¡è¡ä??¡ã?¡ã?????? ???????? ¨¦??¨¨|???£¤¨¦????????¨¨£¤???? ''?????¡¥????????¡¥!???????|?Rebekah?????????¨¨???????o......????????£¤Rebekah?¡ã???¡¥¨¨¡ä?¨¨¡ä¡ê?oo???????¡ã???¡¥??????......''??? ''¨¨???1????¨¨??¨¨¡ì¡ê??3?????¡§???¨¨????????¨¦??¨¦¡é???? ''?????¡¥????????¡¥????????¡¥! ''¨¨??¨¨?2??? ????????¡é¨¨??????????¡ã?????o?£¤1???????-??????£¤¨¦???-¡é "?????¡¥"??? ''?2??o????????? ??¡¥??£¤?????¡§???¨¨¡ä??????????¨¦?¡é??? ''???????????????????1?¨¨????¡§???¨¨¡ä?????1???????......'' ''??£¤????????a???¨¨????????????¡À???¡¥??????¨¦a???2????o????¨¨???????¡¥???????????¡ì????o?????|??????¡ì???¨¨??? ¡¤????oo?????¡¥¨¨¡ä?¨¨¡ä¡ê?oo??????¨¨????? ''¨¨????¡¥??????¨¦a???2????o????......''??? ''??¡¥???????? ?o?¨¨¡¥£¤??o?? ????|1?|1?????¡ã¨¦a???2???¨¨??????????£¤¨¦???£¤1????¡è??¡è¡ì?????????????? ????¡¤£¤?????¡¥??3??o?|????¨¨?????¨¨¡ä????????????? ¨¨¡¥?¨¨¡¥-??¡¥??£¤??????????o??????????????¡ì?¨¨¡¥¡ä?3???¡¥??£¤??1????oo????????¡ã¨¨¡À???? ¨¨???-¡ê??¡¥????????¡§???¨¨o????????o??????? ''...... ????? ¨¨??? ¡¤¨¨¡¥¡ä????????????¨¨?????¨¨¡ì?????????¡¥??£¤?????¡ã¨¨???????1??? ¨¦???¡é?¨¨??¨¨?2???¨¨¡ä????????1???¡§??????¨¦?¡ä¨¨??????o???? ''¨¨?2?¡ã????????????? ''??¡¥??????????????? ''¨¦?¡ê??¡¥????????o¨¨?2??????¨¨?2????? ???¨¨¡¥?????o????????¡ã??????????''??? ?????3??¡ã?o?¨¨???????1??? ''¨¨¡ä????''??? ''??¡¥?????? ''...... ???¨¨???????¡ã?????? ''??¡¥''??? ''............????? ¨¨?????????????? ''???????o??????????¨¦????¡ä''??? ?£¤1???¨¨????-??2????o??????a¨¨??¨¨¡ì????¨¨?¡§???????£¤1??a??????????3a?¡ã¡ä??? ??????????????????¨¨¡ä????¨¨?2¨¨¡¥???????¨¨¡ä?????????¡ä?¡ä¡ì?¡ä¡ì??¡À???¨¨¡ä???????¨¨????????????¡¤2??????¨¦?????¨¦?¡ä?o???? ''Rebeka: ......'' ''............ ??¡¥''??? ''?¡ì??¡ì?????????¡¥??£¤????? ???¨¨¦Ì¡¤?¡¤£¤??????............??? ?-??????¡¥??¡À?£¤1???¨¨o?????????o?????? ?????¡ä?¡ä¡ì?¡ä¡ì??¡À???¨¨¡ä??????????¨¨¡ä?????a????¨¨¡¤??o?¨¨¦Ì¡¤??£¤?????£¤??¡À?o?¨¨??¨¨?2??? ''¨¨????¡¥???¨¨?a??????!????¡¤2??????????o?????1??o????"??? ?????£¤??o?£¤1?????-???????£¤1????o???? ?£¤1???¨¨????????????????????????????1??? ''¨¦???¡ê???¡ã????????????¨¨¡ã¡é?? ???¨¨????¡è?¡¤£¤?????? ''???''??? ''¨¦??? ?¨¨??-??¡§?1?¨¦?????¨¦?¡¤??? ''...... Mmm'' ????????1????¡ä?¨¦?¡¤??????¨¨¡ã¡é?????????? ?¨¨?????????o??????1??? ??????¨¨??? ¡¤?????????????o????......???¨¨¡¥¡ä???¨¨???¡À?¨¦?o?????? ??????????1?¨¨¡¥¡ä?????¡ã??¡§?¡ã??¡è?????£¤?¨¦o¡ä??????¨¦??¨¦¡é???? ????o?¨¨¡ä?????????£¤¨¨¡¥???????¨¨¡ä??????????¨¨?????¨¨??¨¨?2?¡¥1?£¤1?¡ì??¡ì??????¡À?????????¨¦????????????????? ?-?¨¦o¡ä???????¡¤£¤?????????????1????¨¨????? ?o????????????¡§¨¦?¡ê?1???????¨¨?2?¡ã?????¡è??|?????£¤???£¤???¨¦??????oo???¨¨o?????????¡§???¨¨¦Ì¡¤??? ?? ?-¡è????????????¨¨???????????????¡ì¡ã??o¨¨?¡é?????? ''?£¤?¨¨¡äo?? ! ????????¡ê¨¨????¡§????¡è?????????????¨¦a????¨¦??¨¨¦Ì¡¤??£¤?????¡§????¡è??????????????o??????¡ê?¡ã???? ¨¦??¨¨??www.DeepL.com/Translator??????¨¨¡ä1?????????¨¨¡¥? 319-Episode 231 Roles ''Kyou, it''s a beautiful day today.'' ''Mm, mm!I''m good at meat and potatoes! ''''Come on, you guys, let''s talk face to face. ''''Such a shameful thing! That''s not fair! What''s so shameful about looking someone in the eye? The whole human race is a disgrace. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ....... When the two of them came face to face to try to talk... ''Huh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh ......''. ''Huh-uh-uh-uh ......'' It went like this. ''Totally ......''. Sophie looked at them in disgust. ''You were making such a great speech just now. ...... What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? Oh, I''m sorry. Sophie. That was my handwriting. ''If you don''t want to talk, that''s fine. I''ll have a chat with Rebekah! ''Don''t interrupt me, little mother-in-law.'' ''Hey, what''s a little mother-in-law, you rude!I just don''t like that unreliable and unworthy man who doesn''t seem to care whether he''s there or not, even though I accepted the engagement for Rebecca''s sake. I just don''t like him enough to want to mentally push him over the edge with every little complaint. Yeah. That''s called a small mother-in-law, Sophie. ''Well, well, Miss Sophie. Let''s keep her warm for a while, shall we? The one who gently chided Sophie for fluffing up her bunny ears was Bertha. As expected, she might be looking at her with the eyes of an adult, or rather a guardian. ''Because love is something that makes you feel happy even when it''s clumsy and frustrating. --Yashiro-sama. ''Can you please not talk to me? I couldn''t help but use honorifics. My heart wants to reject you. ''Isn''t there a man you like, Sophie? I ignore Bertha, who keeps opening and closing one of her eyes so fast that I think there''s dust in it, and turn to Sophie. ...... I don''t recognize that creepy one-sided blink as a wink. ''Wow, I''m a ...... sister, and I''m an Alvistan, so ...... there''s no such thing as love ......''. ''Oh, you''re here.'' ''This reaction is definitely there! ''You look like a ...... stiff, but you''re actually ......'' ''I think it''s a good thing. I think it''s a good thing. To be able to care about someone means that you have a rich heart. ''What, what, what, what, all of you?It''s not like there''s no one else,......, it''s not like that,....... You''re understandably embarrassed. I see. I''m sure Sophie has a guy she likes too. .................. What?There are no candidates. I''m sure you''re not talking about the ''I see my sister as such an object'' kind of thing, are you? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''No, no. Sophie-san.'''' Ginette, who looks more like a Sister than a Sister, explains the teachings of the Spirit God to the current Sister. ''God the Spirit doesn''t condemn your feelings for others. Rather, He considers it precious to love others. It is wonderful that you are willing to devote your whole life, but God the Spirit does not want you to force yourself to do so. Live the happiest life you can. That''s what God the Spirit wants and that''s the most important teaching of the Church. ''............, for sure.'' Ginette wins the sisters'' battle! I''m not a sister, but... ''That''s great, Mr. Manager. I feel like I can beat Bertina-san now! ''No. It''s not about winning or losing.'''' ''...... In terms of boobs, I''ve already won over Sister Bertina. ''No, that kind of thing isn''t about winning or losing, either, is it? ''Ginette, you''re number one.'' ''Please repent! I''m the only one who can ...... do that again, and I don''t think it''s a good idea. ''That''s why, Sister Bunny Ears!I''m going to make a bold confession! I''m not sure what to say.I''m going to confess! ''...... Now is the time of the confession boom. We should ride this big wave.'' ''No, no, no, that''s ...... impossible!Of course it''s impossible! Sophie turns away and presses her cheek. Give it up, Sophie. When it comes to other people''s love lives,......, my three girls are a bit annoyingly curious. It''s okay!I feel like I can handle it! There''s no evidence of that. ''...... is free to say''. The psychological damage caused by a failed attempt is priceless. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You''ll cry if you don''t moderate, Sophie. ''So, Ginette won''t be pushing for it? ''Huh? ''No, you like it too, don''t you, this kind of story? ''Oh, ......, sure, I think it''s interesting, but ......'' He looks at me with a slightly embarrassed, apologetic, and slightly accusing look. ''I''m not trying to be funny,......,'' he says, mumbling an excuse. I know you''re trying to be funny, but you should have a twinkle in your eye. ''But there is also the matter of the other party, and I think it is not good for us to act only for our own convenience, or for outsiders to agitate ......''. ''Well, you''re right.'' ''Well, I''m interested in .........'' You''re still interested in it. You look like you want to hear about it, love story. ''Yes, that''s right! And Sophie gets on board with Jeannette''s words. She thought she could get away with it if she got in there. ''I can''t force my feelings on you. If you give her that kind of heartache, ...... she''ll lose her stamina, which is so low even for free, and collapse. ''What, you''re Mikel? ''How do you know? Are you serious? That aphid, whose stamina is only one-third that of a normal person and who frequently collapses, is a severe pervert who loves his sister, Mikel?Mokoka''s brother!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not a fan. It''s not like that!I''m not sure what to say.When you''re lying on the floor due to anemia, the face that smiles shyly after you wake up, or the face that says, "I''m always sorry for the lap pillow. ...... ''Are you doing a lap pillow or something? ''Whoa, please don''t say that out loud! That pornographic aphid ...... can''t be forgiven! ''It''s kind of noisy in here. I''m having fun, aren''t I? ''Mikel! Suddenly, Mikel appears in the chapel. I wonder if he was attracted by the sweet air here, aphids. ''What are you doing here? ''Oh, Sister. Look at this. There''s an illustration of Mokoka in the information paper given to me by a maid in District 42! ''Sister, you''re contributing illustrations to the information paper, aren''t you? ''Haha ...... even the illustrations are cute. Mokoka, laaaaaaab!Gofuu! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. ''...... That flirt is ...... also a friend of Yashiro''s.'' ''Hey, can you stop that, Magda? I''m just an acquaintance.'' Mikel suddenly appears, stirs up the place, and collapses spectacularly. Sophie gazed at Mikel with enchanting eyes. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ...... He''s got a serious condition, too. His love is twisted. Why do you have to be so sick to have such a mellow expression? ...... ''Why don''t you take him to your room or something? ''Oh, no!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''You''re not going to give me a lap pillow? ''No, that''s ...... not valid, nursing is a medical procedure.'' ''Then take her as a medical treatment.'' ''Mmm,......, if we are alone in Mikel-san''s room while we are in close contact,............, he might attack us! I''m sorry. ''Hey, come on, slut. You''re the one who''s a slut. You''re a 100% slut with no mixture of sluts. Apparently you get horny when you''re close to someone, apparently. So Sophie won''t help Mikel? By the way, that day when we first met Mikel, Sophie called Barbara and had the kids carry him away, didn''t she? ''Um, Yashiro-san. You can take Mikel-san instead of me at ......'' ''Oh, sorry. I''ll handle the food later. These bloodsucking aphids are unsanitary, so I''ll pass! ''Oh, sir!I can help you if you want! Philman comes forward. What is it? ......, I thought. ''Huh!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to show off your brother-in-law. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. ''If the lord is here, we should greet him as well. Come on, Lady Riveka. ''Mm, .......'' ''Ah, ....... I''ll be right there. So please wait for me at .......'' ''Hmm! If you keep a certain distance between you and them, they''ll start talking to you properly. I don''t know, it''s annoying. This peach-colored air is annoying. ''''''......Explode'''''' ''''Oh my god, Yashiro-san. It''s like that again. ...... Huh?I think I just heard another voice ......? Ginette looks around, but the people who muttered have already closed their mouths. Bertha and Sophie. They''re a pair of "KIRIN" who have never had a boyfriend in their lives. Why don''t they just grab the center mic and say ''We''re KIRIN''? It''s just the two of us. No, well... Well, if you put it that way, all the girls here would be. ''Loretta, don''t you want a boyfriend or something? ''Honya!What, what, what, all of a sudden?I''m surprised! ''No, I just thought that if you wanted to, you could make one right away. ''No, it''s not just for .................. anyone. ...... pfft.'' I''ve been sulking for some time now. ''...... stable insensitive''. And Magda spat venom at me. ''Yashiro-san. It''s best not to ask too many sensitive questions like that. Even Jeannette, who loves to talk about her love life, was chided. Oh, I see. I''m sorry. By the way, Yashiro-san. Filman hugged Mikel, who looked like he was dying, on his shoulder and said to me. ''So that''s the important person Yashiro-san was talking about before, is it? He points at Jeannette. That''s an outrageous thing to say. So, I kick her. ''Huh? ''Whoa!That hurt. ......'' Filman falls to the floor, and Mikel is caught up in the fall. Well, don''t worry about it, Mikel. It''s joint and several liability. I was just annoyed. ''...... What are you talking about, man?Hmm? ''No, no, because ...... I thought you were a good cook, kind, and warm. That''s the person who cooks the food for the banquet, isn''t it? ''Yes, that''s right. This is the head chef, Ginette, what are you talking about?Hmm? ''She greets me with a gentle smile when I open the door, accepts me no matter how late I am, and reassures me when I see her face that she''s back. ''Oh, there''s a Morning Star in the right place. Sophie, lend it to me. I''ll wash it and return it.'' ''Why are you planning to get dirty? The Filmmakers abandoned Mikel and slipped away. He ...... blabbed on and on about unnecessary things. Magda and Loretta stop me as I step forward to finish the job right here, right now, so that the noise never leaks out again. ''...... in detail''. ''I want to hear it! ''d*mn it! You''ve turned! I glanced back at ...... ''Myu............Myu......'' The ginette was on the verge of breaking. It''s a broken ginette. Oh, God! ''It''s the landlady. I can''t help it, I''ll tell you the truth. I''ll tell you the same story I told Estella. It''s like I played it on Filman to get him to blow the whistle. There is no reason to keep it hidden now that you have successfully told Rebekah about your feelings for her. ''So,......, that was it? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m really relieved. With such an expression. ''............ For a moment, I thought my heart would stop. I clenched my fist tightly and pressed it against my heart. It''s a very big ''chun! But the outer shell... It''s a thickly armored body. It''ll stop a bullet without a bulletproof vest. It might bounce back. ....... Whenever this happens, I always say, ''Can I help? but ...... can''t right now. d*mn you, Philman. I''ve been trying every chance I get because you never know when you''re going to get a chance to ...... ask for a boob job! ''Oh, so you did ...... that for me? ''Ah. You''ve got me right where you want me. Are you pissed off?'' ''No!I''m rather grateful. I can''t believe that Mr. Yashiro thought so much of me. I''m very touched. ............ So, will you let go of Morningstar soon? What?Why not? You haven''t even hit me once yet. ''...... Yashiro is a bit of a motherf*cker.'' ''Who''s a motherf*cker? You love your mom and dad, you say that? ''In my brother''s case, he''s more of a ...... mature woman fanatic than a motherf*cker. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''Because the love for a mother and the love for a mature woman maniac are two different vectors! ''Yashiro-sama ...... finally.'' ''Sophie. It''s your responsibility to get rid of that moving dead tree, okay?It''s going to send out cursed waves every time it happens! I think the old moving tree should be sealed up in a cave or a shrine. If we give it food and drink every morning, it will become a land god. ''So, there''s something I want you to do, Land God and Jeannette. ''Um, Yashiro-san. The land god is ......? Oh, no, no, no. I haven''t enshrined him yet. ''Well, then, I''d like to talk to the land god there at .......'' ''Yashiro-san.'' He said ''meh'' a little too strongly. But you know what, Jeannette? The curse vibes are just as strong as the earthbound spirits. ...... ''Ginette, you and Bertha go and serve sweet sake to all the participants.'' ''Yes, sir.'' ''Bertha, please teach Ginette a few things.'' ''Yes, of course. The two of them bowed to each other by name. Now that we''re done here, we need to move on to the next step. There''s one more obstacle we have to overcome. Donnis Donnerty. The great lord of the 24th district. He seems to be in a good mood at the moment and if we can liven things up a bit, we should be able to negotiate in good shape. That''s what this sweet sake is for. ''Mr. Bertha. Would you like me to reheat the amazake?'' ''Yes, sir. It will taste better that way. But don''t let it boil.'' ''Yes. Enzymes are sensitive to heat, aren''t they? ''You know it well. ''Mr. Yashiro told me that. ''That''s wonderful that you remember that so well. ''No. You can teach me many things. ''I''m at your disposal.'' They''re kind of hitting it off. Is that it?Are they close in mental age? ''If you want to warm up, you can use the stalls outside. The stall that Umaro had set up for the stall was equipped with a simple kiln. It might be difficult to control the heat, but ...... I''m sure these two will be fine. I''m sure they''ll do better than me. ''There''s quite a lot of food here, so I''ll carry it for you. ''No, I''ll help you. ''No problem. I''m a rabbit man like you.'' ''Is that so? Then, please help me. The power of the Beastmen is already well known. It''s better to get in the way than to mess with them. Ginette says she''ll go ahead and prepare the fire. Perhaps Ginette, who has a knack for cooking, and Bertha, who can organize a whole factory, are a good match. These two are safe to leave alone. After watching Ginette and Bertha walk out of the chapel side by side, I gave the following orders. ''Rebekah and Sophie, go to the garden and greet the lord. ''Mm. I see. It''s rude to keep them waiting too long. Go check on him.'' ''What?Oh, um, ...... me too? ''Of course not, you''re the next factory manager. ''No,......, that''s not true,......, it''s still a long way off,......, and I''m not prepared for it,......'' Sophie is not very good at standing out. She is not very good at standing out. Well, I guess she has lived her life avoiding the public eye because of her ears. But that kind of naivete doesn''t work anymore. After all, I''m going to be in charge of the koji factory in the 24th district. There''s nothing better than getting used to it now. ''You should learn from Riveka and practice while you still can. ''Oh!I''m going to teach you, sister!That would be fun!I''m looking forward to it! ''Oh, no, Rebekah, I''m not good at this kind of thing .......'' ''Don''t worry!Even though he is a lord, he is just a bald man!There''s no need to be afraid! ''I''m scared, Rebekah!More than anything, I''m afraid of what you just said! ''Hm?You''re right, ......, I may have said too much.'' ''That''s right. You should watch your mouth. ''Hmm. I stand corrected!It''s just a hair! ''Rebekah! Ah, now we have a flag that Sophie will blurt out when she sees Donnis. Try to hold it together, Sophie. Even so, Sophie is still unsettled, ''hawwww......''. She''s got her own problems. To be in charge of a koji factory, you have to be more dignified. ...... Dignified, huh? ...... Hmm. ''Sophie. ''Ha, hahi!What''s wrong with you? You bite too hard. ...... ''How nervous are you? ''It''s more like saying hello to Donis. ...... Go work hard to raise Rebeka''s status.'' ''Rebeka''s,status?'' ''Oh. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not, but it''s a good thing. ''Produce Rebeka: ...... I think I can do that! Oh. I think you can do it. You''re a simple guy. And you''re perverted in moderation. ''What kind of sister wouldn''t be embarrassing to Rebeka? What kind of family member would raise Rebeka''s stock, focus on that. ''Yes!...... I''m suddenly motivated! When greeting important people, there is a lot of nervousness about showing yourself, wondering how you will be seen and whether you will be rude. So, I guided their consciousness in the direction of ''how to make my sister look good''. Each person is different, but this is probably the most effective way for ...... Sophie. ''Come on, let''s go, Rebekah. Leave it to your sister.'' ''Mmm?Don''t you want me to teach you?I want to teach you! The sisters are leaving hand in hand. All that remains is ...... ''So, Philman, take Mikel to the cemetery ...... and to the bedroom. ''What did you just misspell? ''Don''t worry about the details. It''s the difference between late and early.'' ''So it''s ......, is it? ''No, no, it''s ....... I''m not going to die yet,......, not until Mokoka is safely married,............... ...! Don''t try to watch me fail. What is it?Are only perverts allowed to be brothers in this world? If we''re just talking about relationships, Loretta''s is probably the most sane. The number of ...... people is a joke, though. ''So, after throwing Mikel into the room, Philman--'' ''Oh, you''re throwing him? ''After slamming him, Philman--'' ''You''ve gone to extremes in your expression! What the hell, man? I don''t care how you treat Mikhel. It''s just that he doesn''t have much stamina. He''s not weak. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be all puffed up with all this blood. He''s a strong sick man. ''All right. Then put Mikhel in his room and let Filman explode around there.'' ''Why, sir! Because you''re a rearranger, that''s why! You can''t tell a little girl to explode. Then the other man should take all the responsibility!That''s what a married couple should do! If you say "......", you''re sure to get a boomerang back, so I won''t say it even if I die! Somehow, I don''t like the atmosphere here. I can''t wait to go back to District 42. I can''t wait to go back to District Forty-two, where there are so many people who can read the atmosphere. ''So, Magda and Loretta, ...... you know what I mean? ''...... Mhm.'' ''Yes, sir! The food is ready. It will take some time to heat up the amazake and serve it to all the participants. That means Ginette won''t be coming back to the kitchen for a while. ''Well, let''s go and prepare for the surprise! I walked into the kitchen with Magda and Loretta. While I''m preparing the food, I''ll use the ingredients I had Ginette prepare under my watch and make a dish that doesn''t even exist in District 42. Now, will Ginette be pleased? Will she be surprised? Or maybe she''ll be ...... disappointed. ''I''m sure the manager will say, "Huh!I''m sure the manager will say, ''I wish you could teach me how to make it too! ''...... No, before that, ''I''m going to waggle it in my mouth! comes. ''''......Hmmm...'''' They want to surprise Jeannette. So, both of them are going to say that, aren''t they? ''''I''ll take a bite and say, ''Oh my gosh!I feel like pinching Yashiro-san to express my gratitude! I''m sure you''ll agree. ''...... That''s not going to happen.'' ''Is that so?Yeah, well... I don''t know if I''d say ''whoopee''.'' ''That''s not the part you''re not going to say! ''I''m not ruling out the possibility! ''I wish you had said it in a cooler place, that kind of line! ''...... It''s Yashiro, so it can''t be helped.'' You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. You can say what you want. I''m sure you''ll be overjoyed when you eat this. Hmm. I don''t know what it is, but I''m getting this strange feeling of excitement. It''ll surprise Jeannette. It''s strangely fun, despite all the preparation and hassle of ......, just to do so. Just the thought of making Jeannette happy and imagining her smiling face fills me with joy. So ...... it''s like ............ ''It''s Mother''s Day''. That''s just how I feel. Yeah. 320-Episode 232 With the old and the young, The amount of amazake was steadily decreasing. ''Hmm. It certainly smells like sake. And yet, it''s sweet and doesn''t make me feel sick.'' Donnis licked the remaining Amazake around in his mouth with his tongue. She seems to like it very much. ''From the sound of it, Donnis doesn''t seem to have a high tolerance for alcohol. ''Oh, you''re right, Yashippi. That''s right. ''Stop it, Yashippi. ''As soon as I take a sip, my head starts to hurt. It''s a matter of likes and dislikes. People who are weak against alcohol get sick before they get drunk. Some people''s faces turn pale instead of red. Donis seems to be that type. ''There are many occasions when I have to show up at a drinking party, and it''s been difficult. ......'' You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. ''With this, even I can go to a drinking party. Hahahaha! He laughed loudly and slapped me on the shoulder. ...... You''re not drunk, are you?It''s 0% alcohol. It''s sweet and delicious.'' ...... Across from me sits Bertina. You''re not drunk, are you ......?I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Go to ...... and do it somewhere else. ''What about Millie? ''Mmm, it''s sweet and tasty. ...... I like it too, Miri.'' Oh, now that''s an exciting confession. I don''t know, Millie. Can you take a sip and sigh in a s*xy way like Bertina? ''Huh?No, I can''t. ...... Miry, it''s not s*xy. ...... And it''s embarrassing. ......'' ''Don''t worry!I''m sure you can. ''I don''t see any reason for that line! I''m confident that Millie can moan about anything! ''Come on, Millie. Yes! ''Ha ............ haha~'' ''I like it! ''Moo~oh ...... I''m so embarrassed ......'' Millie''s face turns red as she drinks the sweet sake. Oh, Donis is glancing at you too. That''s a pedophile. Your sensors are very sensitive. ''What are you making me do, Yashiro? Across from me. I get a cold stare and an edamame from Estella, who''s sitting next to Bertina. Hey, don''t throw food at me. ''They''re in pods so you can eat them if they fall out. That''s not what I meant. In the end, although we had set up a table, no one but Donis wanted to sit at it because of their respective positions, reservations, and intentions. So I had Estella sit in front of Donis, Bertina next to her, me next to Donis, and then I caught Millie who was walking nearby and had her sit next to me. No, Millie''s annoyance was so cute. She''s so cute. Ah~ cute. ''You''re not allowed to drink with me, okay? ''You can''t get drunk with sweet sake.'' Hmm?No, wait. If you say ''I''m drunk'' and hug her, Ginette will say ''Are you okay?If you hug her and say, ''I''m drunk,'' she might take care of you without even noticing that you''re popping her! ''Ginette!Where''s Jeannette? ''Yashiro. If you leave your seat now, I''ll mug you! ''Not "stab"! Oh no, ...... I don''t want to be mauled, indeed. ''Hmmm... You two are as close as ever, aren''t you? Donnis says, in a good mood, as Natalia gives him a new bottle of sweet sake. People who are close to each other don''t say ''mug''. ''Why don''t you just go out with her?Hee-hee! ''Natalia. Isn''t that sweet sake poisonous? ''Yes . I''m sorry.'' Oh, I''m sorry. I''m very sorry. ''Look at that, Yashippi. Miss Crea Mona''s cheeks are turning red. ''Ah,......, it''s the sweet sake!Oh,......, it''s so warm,.......'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Just let it go, you know. Hmm. Apparently there''s alcohol in this amazake. My face is hot. ''Hey, ladybug, is your face all red?Are you drunk?'' ''No, I''m just embarrassed by ...... Milly''s s*xy breath. ''Oh, ......, don''t do that again, .......'' Nice! I like Millie. You''re so easy to tease, it''s very helpful in situations like this! ''Millie. I hope we can be friends forever. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah!Always! ''Oh, Millie, wait a minute. You shouldn''t take anything Yashiro says seriously. Hmm. No matter what Estella says, she can''t break the tight handshake between me and Milly. ''Hey, don''t worry, Milly. I''m just thinking that I''ll let you do some s*xy things from now on. ''Huh?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. Her face is neat and her proportions supple. There''s not a man in the world who doesn''t find her irresistible. ''No, that''s not true, ......! Estella is understandably embarrassed by such flattery. And don''t look at me like that. I''m not expecting anything. ''Well, that''s true. Estella is so tight without showing it.'' ''I''m sorry I didn''t show, okay? ''But can''t you at least pose in a s*xy way?Why don''t you try it? ''No, thank you! ''Oh, no! ''Shut up, Natalia!Your s*xiness is too powerful! '''''''' haha ...... too beautiful ......'''''''' ''Children!Don''t be poisoned by this stuff!'' Natalia''s s*xy hurricane sent the older kids tumbling to the floor. ...... When did you learn this trick? ''It''s always noisy when ...... Yashiro is around. ......'' ''Don''t blame me. Natalia is your waiter.'' ''That''s partly Yashiro''s fault. ............ You''re getting hot. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, you can call us at our own web site. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ............ It''s a bit s*xy, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to say.It''s Miz Crea Mona! I''m not sure what to say. ''Don''t you dare accuse me, old man! Oh, shit. What a perceptive old man. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ...... This is why I hate powerful lords. I wish he was as simple as Demilly. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''It''s .........'' ''Don''t compete with me, Natalia. I''ve seen that before. '''''''' Mwah!I''ve seen it before. '''''''' ''Natalia, you. ''Natalia, you''re responsible for making sure they''re cured, right? I''m not going to let BU get involved with me, saying, ''You''re punishing me for increasing the pervert population. The fact that I''m talking about something stupid is just a sideshow to make Donnis enjoy this place. We''ll get to the point a little later. Well, drink up and eat up. A quick glance to the side showed that the distance between Rebekah and Philman was a little ...... farther. They ...... should get used to it quickly. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. If they don''t get used to it to some extent, even if they declare, ''They''re getting married! Even if you declare, ''No, are you sure?I''m just worried! The problem is that the beastmen are not the main characters. The problem is that the beastmen will become the next lord''s wife. On top of that, the koji factory will continue to thrive. That''s what''s good for the 24th district!That''s the point. Before I can persuade them, I have to ask them, ''Can you guys get married? Before we can persuade them, we have to ask them if they can get married. That''s why I''m procrastinating. In fact, I want to move on to the appearance of Mapo Tofu as soon as possible. ...... Masha raises her hand with a splash of water. The wet skin is shining brightly. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Like! No, but the gentle line from her armpits to her breasts is ...... even better! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Masha''s song. ...... It is said that mermaids can sing well. Masha has a beautiful voice and is a good singer. However, the songs of this world are ''mussy''. If you have a beautiful woman singing ''The potatoes in my village are the best in the world'' or ''Chasing a wild boar over a mountain'', it will make you feel even more depressed. ...... ''Oh, to hear a mermaid sing. I never thought I''d have that opportunity in my life. Donnis is up for it. ''It''s rare to even see a mermaid unless you''re near the sea. Well, let''s have them sing. If Masha wants to sing, there''s no reason to stop her. I just have to be patient, that''s all. ''Well then~, Masha, the diva of the Sea Fishing Guild!I''m singing! Masha put her palms together and gently placed her lips in the space between them. Then a clear, high-pitched sound began to flow. It sounded like a flute, and played a sad melody. Firefly squid swaying in the night, the starry sky trapped in the sea. It''s a moonless night, so you''ve got me When I run away, I turn my head backwards. My heart is running away in a shrimp warp You caught me in a boil me I''m being ripped out of my shell and I''m bare. You''ll have to remove the guts too--toothpicks are handy Batter them with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, in that order. Fry away in hot oil. Now that I''ve been changed by you, tartar sauce suits me just fine. The song ends with one last sad melody. While no one says anything, Donis murmurs to himself. ''It''s a sad ...... love song. ''No, it''s a song about fried shrimp. I don''t know why I bailed once in the middle of the song, but I did. But there was applause all around, including from the kids. I guess people don''t care about the lyrics. ...... ''Hey, hey, how was it, Yashiro-kun? ''You have to cut the muscle before frying or the meat will curl up. ''Ah, that was a blind spot... I should rewrite the lyrics.'' ''No, I don''t think that''s important, Masha.'' Estella is making a difficult face. I wonder if she''s worried about the lyrics too. ''More importantly, don''t you think that last cry (Ebihriya!) Isn''t that necessary?'' ''I don''t care about that either! ''No, but...'' At that point, everyone already knows that it''s a fried shrimp without being told, and I feel that if you dare to put it on top of the shrimp, it''ll make it more awkward. ''That''s why it''s good! Don''t talk to me about these stupid lyrics. If you ask me what should be fixed in the current song, I''ll say everything. But this is a city with little entertainment. A song like that is still a big hit. Why don''t you build a gramophone and start selling records? It might be more profitable than you think. ''By the way, palm pips.'' Slowly, Donnis turns his body toward us. ''This spree. What''s the subject?'' ...... is working. As you can see, Donnis doesn''t have a lot of time on his hands. I''m sure he can''t keep up with all the chatter. There''s a purpose for calling him here. I can think of at least one. ''I have two things to do. ''The one. So, I''m going to get into a fighting stance. ''To give you what you want, and to give us what we want. That''s two things.'' It''s as simple as that. Let''s both get the best of both worlds. ''You mean what I want, Fillman. ''Oh.'' He turns his gaze once more to the Filmmakers. Still hard. But we have to go. ''Riveka.'' He beckons for Rebeka. Rebeka comes toward you, a little reluctantly. ''You called for me?My knight. ''It''s time to confess. I''m not sure what to say.............m,mmm...... well, it''s finally .......'' Rebekah stiffens up. Her ears also ''ping! I''m sorry. Even though Rebekah is not nervous about Donis as a lord, she is nervous about Donis as his uncle. ''Donis. It''s Rebekah.'' ''Yes, I know her well. She''s an indispensable presence in District 24. She''s like Masha-dono in District 35. ''Ehehe~a??'' I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or a bad thing. I''m used to being flattered. ''You''re right about Rebekah''s usefulness as a craftsman. So, what do you think of him as a human being? ''Prithee! Is that what you came for? I knew the nine-year-old was the one to strike! And Sophie is stopping Philman from clutching the Morningstar. It''s not a love match. ...... The armpit. This time, Sophie is holding the Morning Star and is being stopped by Filman. Filman. Kill the feeling of wanting to hit her and stop Sophie desperately. Because unlike you, he doesn''t know the words tame and forgiving. ''By the way, Wakis. ''Donis.'' Shut up, armpit fetish. Waxing is enough for a pervert who huffs and puffs under the armpits of nine-year-old girls. Something like ''armpit extract'' would suit you. ''Yashiro-kun was looking at my armpit just now too, wasn''t he~'' It''s not the same thing as this. ...... What?Did you know that? ''Of course~a??'' ''Just so there are no misunderstandings, what I was looking at was the line from the armpit to the breast, and I''m not an armpit fetishist, I''m a breast fetishist. ......'' I''m sure you''re not misunderstanding me at all. I''m sorry. I''m off topic. I''ll have to talk about this at a later date. About the borderline between armpits and breasts. ''And so, Donis.'' Tighten your expression and get back to it. ''Wouldn''t you like to have a girl like her? ''At nine, she''d still be old enough to take a bath with her daddy! Filman, clutching his Morning Star, and Sophie, who seemed to have enough destructive power without a weapon, were stopped by Natalia and Bertha. Natalia seems like a sensible person in District 24. The future looks bleak. ''...... I have an acquaintance, a noble lady who looks good in a window. ''Children are innocent. I want them to live in an unspoiled world. I want to protect such innocent children from the whirlpool of evil emotions. Sincerely. You''ve turned your back on me, you lump of evil. Aren''t you trying to manipulate Ma''ru, you old maiden? I guess you simply never had the chance to meet a nine-year-old girl before. ...... ''Sometimes you just want to have a good time, don''t you, boys? See?Hey! ''Oh, yes, yes. Fancy, fancy, fancy.'' I won''t tell, so don''t look like you''re about to die. At any rate, do you feel any aversion to the beastmen? There are so many beastman children around you and you don''t show the slightest sign of discomfort. Shall we try to-- ''Donnis. As a man of your stature, you may already know this. ......'' And then you lift him up so he can''t be surprised. Now you can''t say, ''Oh, really? I can''t say something dumb. You have to keep your cool. They''ll take advantage of that. He doesn''t give you time to think deeply and profoundly, but puts the facts into your brain by the shortest route. ''This Rebecca is actually--'' ''You''re talking about me? ''Don''t go in the direction of the day after tomorrow by the shortest route! Of course not! Think of your age!How old are you? ''Filman! ''Yes, sir! Filman runs up and stands next to Rebeka. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... Don''t worry, they can''t steal you. ''............ I see. That''s how it is. I''m sure you''ve figured it out by now. I looked at him and Filman nodded vigorously. ''It''s not just your armpits that are great, Rebekah, but the backs of your knees as well! I punched her. In the side. ''......I''m in pain, ......Yashiro-san.'' ''Can that disease of yours be inherited? I''m serious. ''......Yashiro looks so serious,......24, are you okay? Estella muttered in the other seat. I can hear you perfectly, okay?Remember that. ''Filman. You''re with Lord Rebekah here at .......'' ''Yes. I''d like to marry you.'' He said it straight to the point. Rebeka, too, looked down in embarrassment, but gave a clear affirmative. ''Please accept our marriage! The most difficult wall. Filman faces it. Donis stared at Filman''s face, then looked at Rebeca and closed his ...... eyelids. ''Now I understand why you were so opposed to me. ......'' I''ve been trying to teach you this and that to make you the next lord, but you haven''t really taken to it. The filmmakers were trying to get him to settle down, but he was rebelling against them. And ...... ''............ I''m not convinced.'' He said in the negative. ''I can''t admit to that right here and now, can I? ''Why not, ......? Someone gulps down a spit. A tense atmosphere enveloped the area, and everyone watched with bated breath. ''Why?Don''t you understand? That girl is .......'' "Isn''t she a subhuman? If that word were to be uttered, this marriage might disappear. I''ll follow up to make sure that doesn''t happen, but it will still leave a lingering bitterness in the hearts of Rebekah, Sophie, Bertha, and the others at the koji factory. Donnis. What are you going to say-- ''She''s only nine years old!She''s too young! Hey, you old bastard! You''ve proposed to a nine-year-old girl before, haven''t you! However, common sense dictates that wanting a nine-year-old girl as a wife is just ...... sick! ''I heard a very similar story from a nobleman I know who looks good in a window. I''m not sure if that''s the same thing as this.Hey, Yashippi! Donnis desperately hid his past self. It seems that he doesn''t want to be known, and is busily looking towards and away from Filman. And then, forcibly change the subject. ''Besides, Lady Riveka is in charge of the koji factory. You can''t ask her to be your lord''s wife. ''If that''s the case, ......'' ''No problem! Riveka interrupted Filman''s words and assured him. With pride and dignity. Then, with a confident expression, she points to Sophie. ''She''s my proudest sister. She''ll be leading the factory from now on. ''But she''s a ...... lord, and I''ve heard of the situation. She''s probably referring to the fact that she injured her ear and was forced to give up her career as a koji maker. ''I will explain that to you. And so he begins to explain the story of the co-workers I taught him. ...... Huh. I''m amazed that he could remember what I said just by looking at the handout. On the contrary, you have analyzed and modified it in your own way to make it easier to understand. No wonder Donnis said he was the only one who could be the next lord. He''s a smart guy, isn''t he? It''s just that the ...... aura of perversion that overflows is obscuring it. ''The lord works with ...... you say? Donnis''s brow creases. It might be difficult to accept that the lord works together, considering the public opinion. ''We don''t help each other because we''re poor. It is because we are wonderful that we help each other, support each other, make the best of each other, and develop each other. To lose the talent of Rebekah Whitehead to the institution of marriage is a great loss to the 24th district. Filman leaned forward and approached Donnis. He then looks at Rebeka and says in a high-pitched voice. But I have no intention of marrying anyone other than Rebekah. That''s why we''re working together! Donnis can''t say anything to that declaration. After all, he had done it himself. He has rejected all attempts to marry women other than Mahr, and has remained single to this day. It is hard to believe that Filman''s words are a joke or sophistry when they are so similar in character. I am sure that Filman will remain single for the rest of his life if his marriage to Rebecca is annulled. And a few decades from now, he''ll have the same problem he has now. The heir problem. ''...... I''ve never heard of lords working together.'' ''I''m sure you have. That''s because it starts here! The filmmaker clenched his fist and grabbed my arm with a confident expression. ''Hey, Yashiro-san! ''...... You can say it all by yourself until the end.'' ''No,...... Uncle Donis''s face, looking straight at me,...... scared me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. You''re a slacker. I''m not sure what to say. ...... The only thing you said in your own words was that you were determined to marry Rebekah. ...... Filmmann was too intimidated by Donnis to say anything when they first met. ............ From that moment on, he''s been biting at Rebeka. I''ve been trying to get a hold of him. I''ve been trying to get rid of him since then. You''ve got a lot on your mind about that, don''t you, Donnis? I''ve been dragged up on stage, so I''m switching players. ''I''m sure you''ve fought back. The old ways of the nobility. The way of life of a lord.'' ''...... Well...'' ''There''s no room for deception. I''ve heard about you guys. ''............ Did he tell you? ''Yeah. He''s also been very involved in this case. ''.................. I see.'' Donnis must have been aware of this when he received the letter from Mahr. He may not have been sure, however. ''But it is also true that there is peace on top of stability. If you take the lead only with emotional vigor, you may suffer a painful retribution. I once heard a story about a daughter of a swallowtail butterfly who was hurt by this. I''m talking about Sirach and Orkio. If you''re Donnis''s age, you''re probably familiar with this fact. ''It is the habit of the young to be attracted to the new, but at the same time, it is the habit of the old to cherish the old. We can''t give them up so easily. ''Have you ever heard of the term "learning from the past"? ''.................. Is that an obscene word?'' ''No, it''s not! What is it? Are all the words that come out of my mouth obscene? You''re more seriously injured than I am, girl armpit fetishist! ''Seek out the old and learn the new. I''m not trying to get rid of the old and be reborn as something completely new. I want to understand your habits and push the habits of the younger generation. It is not that I deny all old things. In fact, I''d like to revive some things from the good old days that have fallen into disuse. BU" is a relic of the past that has been shut out because of the new restrictions. Or maybe it''s a great thing. ''I''m going to show you something completely new, making use of the traditions that District 24 has kept up for so long. Ginette! ''Yes, sir. Ginette, who had been waiting for a long time, ran to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she appeared--Mabo Tofu. ''It''s a completely new, next generation dish created using the proud koji of the 24th district and the tofu that used to be made in this district. ''Tofu is ...... also nostalgic. Amazake was also something that used to be made in this city, but because it was the drink of the common people, Donis didn''t know about it. But tofu is different. It was made from soybeans, a specialty of the 24th district. The lords must have eaten a lot of it. In his childhood. Back in the days when I was young and obsessed with maule. ''What is this red stuff ......? ''It''s bean sauce, a new seasoning made from legumes and koji. ''Solanum and ......'' Donis''s eyes wavered slightly as he listened to Filman''s explanation. Lentils are a specialty of the 29th district. In District 29, where Ma''ru is. ''Come on, try some. ''Mmm, mmm......'' Using a wooden spoon, he scoops up the bean-curd soup. After staring at it for a long time, Donnis slowly brings it to his mouth. ''Hmm!This is .......'' Without hesitation, he scoops up a second bite and brings it to his mouth. He took three or four more bites, swallowed, and let out a deep breath. ''I see. ...... So this is the new ............ possibility of a new 24th district.'' That word, ''delicious'', seemed to be the correct word. I''m going to strike a decisive blow to the wobbly heart of Donnis. ''It''s a combination of District 24 and District 29. ''............, a collaboration with District 29: ............... ...I see. In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''............ Delicious. It''s really good, isn''t it? He smiled innocently, as if he could clearly see that the door to Donis'' heart had been opened. He was too young and defenseless for a good old man to show. I wish Ma''ru could have seen this face. "Ginette. I looked at Jeannette, admiring her work. ''Yes.'' --and she responded with her usual soft smile. I''m glad that someone is happy. Such a sunny smile, expressing the usual emotions. 321-Episode 233 If you get drunk, youll have more phy... ''I generally understand what you''re trying to say. Donnis nodded slowly as he finished his bowl of mapo tofu. ''It was ......, wasn''t it? I''ve seen some good stuff. ''It doesn''t taste too bad, does it? ''Mm. It''s a blessing to be able to encounter new things even at my age. The new thing is a mixture of a bit of nostalgia and a desire that I''ve been dreaming about for a long time but haven''t been able to get my hands on yet. ''It''s not going to be a marriage right now, but I think it''s okay to keep an eye on it for a while. Donnis was right, both Rebekah and Filman were still young. Rebekah is just a little girl. I think we should let her live freely in the world under the watchful eyes of adults for a while. ''Then there''s no reason to object, is there? Maybe there is if you look for it. But Donnis won''t do it. Because that''s what Donnis himself wants to happen. But he couldn''t just admit it. So he tried. Filman''s true intentions. And he did, in his own words, and he told Donnis how he felt. ...... though he got a little sloppy at the end. I thought that was a great speech. I''m sure Donnis was happy to hear that. ''...... provisional approval,'' right? I''m sure you get the idea. But you''re not good enough. I guess that''s how he judged it. ''Yashippi is right, we''ll see how it goes for now. I said it with my own mouth. Prove it to me, both of you. That you can do your jobs. That being together is a plus. ''''Yes,'''' he said. Perhaps unintentionally, Filman and Riveka both replied gracefully. So this is where we finally start. I wonder how long it will take to convince them. Maybe this is where Donnis gets tough. Hang in there, Philman. And then, just as things seemed to be coming to a head... ''May I have your attention, please? Bertha says in a quiet voice. Her eyes stare straight ahead, and you can see a kind of determination in them. Or should I say, determination. ''Bertha. What''s the matter? Donnis is acquainted with Bertha. The two of them were the ones who dealt with the Koji factory and the lord. ''My lord, please forgive the rudeness of a person like me giving a direct opinion. ''Good. This is a serious matter for you as well. Say whatever you want. I had a hunch about this conversation. I wondered what Bertha was going to say. ...... Once he bowed deeply, Bertha opened his mouth with a mysterious look. ''I would like to know what you think about subhumans. The air was tense. Donnis hadn''t mentioned anything about it. If they had just left it at that, they might have been able to end the day peacefully for now. But if Rebekah and Filmmann get married, there''s no way they can keep it a secret. Bertha''s done a very drastic thing. He''s trying to completely remove the uncertainty that threatens Rebeka''s future. And he''s going to take all the blame for it, even if he''s going to be accused of ...... creating the cause of the breakup in the worst case. And now Bertha is opening her mouth to take all the blame. Really. He''s a mother figure, isn''t he? The sisters. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. I''m sure you''ll agree. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. A subhuman can''t be a noble. Even if you''re a powerful guild leader, that doesn''t change. Even Medora is not a nobleman. His contribution to Allbloom would be unparalleled. Even Umaro should have been knighted for his contribution. It would not be surprising if the usefulness of sewage reached the royalty. ......, but it won''t. The reason is that Medora and Umaro are beastmen. An older generation of people there. People would think that Donis Donati is a person who finds it difficult to accept subhumans. But ...... ''My heir has fallen in love with no such thing as a subhuman. Just a race of beastmen.'' Mahrul was doing a good job. ''You may not know it, but some of the nobles like the beastmen and keep them close. I thought it was wonderful ......, no, I envied it.'' ''You''re jealous ......? ''When you''ve been staring at a city for as long as I have, you can''t help but think in terms of the past and the present. This is now a curse. ...... There are those who have escaped that curse. That''s something to envy. In Donnis''s position, it would be difficult for him to act on his interests like Mahr. In that respect, Lucia may be doing quite well. Well, he''s an eccentric by nature. I can understand why you might be envious of that. I think Mahr''s letter gave Donis a little push. If you know what you want to do, and you know you should do it, now is the time to step forward. ''I''ve been wanting to do something about the name "subhuman" for a long time. ...... Well, it''s been a difficult problem to solve. ......'' Slowly, Donnis''s gaze turned to me. ''I was told by an old acquaintance that an interesting man has brought a wonderful gift to this city. That''s what he said to me. Uncalculated, honest praise. ''It''s just a name, but we''ve never been able to create that "just". For decades. And this man has done it.'' I suppose the gift is the name ''beastman race''. It''s just something I started saying randomly on the spur of the moment. ...... ''I, too, highly value the name "Beastmen". I think it''s the second greatest invention after the Hexenbiest Wall. Bertha says this without smiling, but with a quiet demeanor. The wall that keeps out monsters is the one used for the outer wall, right?That''s what protects this town from hexenbiest attacks. I don''t think it''s something that should be put on par with something as big as that, at least not in name. ''It''s true that there are some nobles who think differently than I do. There may be people who will interfere with you in any way. Some unrelated people might attack Donnis for taking a subhuman as his wife. I''m sure they will. Directly or indirectly. They''re the kind of people who would put undue pressure on a powerful lord of District 42. ''But that''s all. It would be a sanction that could bankrupt the district, it could push them out of power, and it would give an opening to the greedy people who would bite at any opportunity if they were given something to attack. But even so, Donis remains calm. ''That''s all I''m saying,'' he says. ''What I want more than anything is the happiness of everyone who lives in this 24th district. This naturally includes my heir, the beastman heir who fell in love with, and you who care about her. ''My lord, .......'' ''No matter how much noise the outside world makes, it is trivial compared to the happiness of those people. ''......Thank you for your words, ............'' Biting her lips, Bertha looked down. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. She must have worked hard all her life not to let Rebekah and Sophie feel that way. Bertha''s body was trembling slightly. That trembling may be a sign of joy that her long years of hard work have been rewarded - that the world has begun to change. ''Lord ...... Donnis-sama .................. reluctant''. ...... Oh, maybe not. I''m not sure what to say. ''Haha ............ mature men are also ...... good! Oh, ......, I heard some nasty muttering. ...... I''m going to have to stop sucking my pinky out of my mouth. ''But I have Yashiro-sama. ............ Stop it, don''t fight for me! Maybe Donnis and I can go bury him somewhere. No, seriously. You''re starting to hallucinate, and it''s probably terminal. ''............ I wonder if I can love up to two people at once? What''s the worst that can happen? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. That''s the kind that makes you completely deaf. Take responsibility. They''re your people. ''......Good thing I wore my underwear in case of emergency. ......! I didn''t want to hear it, that information! ''Yashiro-sama!I want to talk to you! ''I don''t want to hear it! I''m not going to listen to it.'' I blackmailed Bertha into silence as her eyes began to bleed. This old lady is ...... ''Ginette''s pants are enough for me! ''Honyaaa!What are you talking about all of a sudden? ''Oh, you''re not today? ''No,............, no,......, but!I''m sorry!Please repent! She squeezes the ladle and smacks me with her other hand. It''s Ginette who doesn''t attack me with the ladle. Estella would certainly use what she has in her hand as a weapon. ''Natalia. Can I borrow two of those?'' ''Would you like a throwing knife or a twisted dagger? He''s asking for a weapon he doesn''t have in his hand! ''A twisted dagger.'' And he chose the one with the most killing power? ''Yashiro. I need to talk to you.'' ''You don''t want to talk, you want to kill! It''s ...... hard to understand why I should have such a strong desire to kill you! ''Can you please not spread the shame of the 42nd district? ''Estella, you!You''re treating Jeannette''s victory pants as an embarrassment! ''You''re the disgrace, Yashiro! ''Are you saying that Jeannette is wearing such embarrassing pants? ''Listen, listen to me! ''Mr. Yashiro, please repent! Ginette went to the trouble of putting down the ladle and smacked me warmly with both hands. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. ''Yashiro ......, do you want me to put you in a coffin with that ''I''m soothed~'' face? ''Calm down, Estella. It wasn''t me who was at fault in the first place. It was Bertha.'' ''That was a ............ maiden''s heart, and I''ve managed to ............ digest it. I''m...'' You''re too soft on the outside world! ''Hey, palm tree.'' Donnis is glaring at me with a grim expression ......, but his dignity and power are reduced by 80% because of the ''palm pips''. ''Don''t you dare play games with me. Donnis slowly rises to his feet. Step by step, he approaches me as if he were stomping on the earth. ''How dare you allow yourself to be bodied by another woman when you have a fianc??e named Miss Claremona?Shame on you!'' ''You''re doing something wrong, you know that? Who''s your fianc??? And what do you mean, "let her in"?It''s just skinship! ''Overflowing ......, I suddenly feel dizzy ......,'' I said, leaning towards Yashiro-sama .......'' ''Natalia, don''t stir things up just for the fun of it: ......'' ''...... sudden dizziness'' ''Oh ......, brother, support me ......'' ''Don''t you guys get on it too, Magda, Loretta! ''Hey Yashiro!How do you get dizzy? ''I think it''s something you''re probably not related to, Delia. ''I want to get dizzy too! ''No, Masha, you can''t stand up! Oh, shut up! Whenever I feel like playing, you come out here and there! ''Only Bertina and Milly don''t get involved in this kind of thing. ''A ...... Miry is that ...... embarrassing, so ......''. It''s okay, Millie, you can keep it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. I''m not sure what to do. You''re not drunk, are you? You''re not drunk, are you? It''s non-alcoholic! Jeannette gently touches Bertina. ''Sister, are you okay? ''Yes...... I''m fine...... yes, I''m fine.'' You''re drunk...... but why? ''I''m sorry...... that, how should I put it...... the atmosphere of the party, a little......'' ''Oh, ...... there are sometimes people who get drunk from the atmosphere.'' ''But I''m not in a bad mood, I''m in a fun mood ...... ugh. It''s not that funny, but the laughter that leaks out at this point. You''re completely drunk. ''Sister, let''s sit down for a while and rest inside. ''Yes, ......, that sounds better.'' Ginette said, and Bertina stood up with wobbly legs. ''Ouch! ''That was close! She stumbles over the legs of a chair and loses her position. I was able to support myself just in time, but ............ it''s so soft. ''Yashiro-san, it''s ...... ''meh''. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. Bertina glared at me lightly. But you just extended your arm in the wrong position. It was not intentional. However, Bertina didn''t seem to be angry either, and smiled at me when I raised myself up. ''Thank you very much. You''ve been very helpful. ''No, thank you too. ''That''s why you say ''meh''. He got angry. However, Bertina''s cheeks were dyed lightly, and she looked so pretty that I would have liked to be pissed at her for hours with this face. ''Um, Yashiro-san: ......'' Despite Ginette''s concern, Bertina leaned closer to me. What is it?Is she really quite drunk and her pampering mode has kicked in? ''...... I have one request. ''What?'' ''I''ll do the same for Ginette at .............'' I was startled by the words that were spoken in my ear. It was unusual for Bertina to say something like that. ''Can you ...... do that?'' ''I''ve been a substitute mother for a long time. She seemed confident. I think I can handle it once I sober up. Then... ''Natalia. Take care of Bertina. And help Delia and Milly.'' ''Yes, um, Yashiro-san. I''ll take care of the sisters at .......'' ''Ginette, stay here and help me a bit more.'' ''Yes, is that ......?'' Ginette can''t leave the weakened Bertina alone. But it''s also Bertina''s wish. You''ll have to stay here. ''At any rate, I have to prove that Ginette and I are not ''sluts''. ''Huh,......!I''m not going to get into it. ''No, calm down. I''m not that suspicious of you. Ginette begins to panic wildly. In the meantime, the members who need to be prepared are entering the church. Hang tight, guys. So far, it''s been a battle between Rebekah and Filman. A fight for the future of the Koji factory. A fight for their own happiness. Donnis may not be perfect yet, but he''s got a pretty favorable opinion of us at this point. Then it''s our fight from here. We''re going to bring Donnis in to help us negotiate with BU. That''s why we''re helping Philman fight. Come on, let''s move. We''re going in hot. As a signal, I look to Estella. --And she turns her head away. ...... Hey. ''Why are you looking away? ''It''s nothing ......''. That''s not a ''not particularly'' face, is it? It''s not like he''s conscious of being called a fianc??. Donnis is just a hair with some extreme love thoughts. Oh well. I''ll initiate. "Donis. ''Don''t talk to me if you''re a slut. They''ll think you''re one of them.'' Varia!--I''m not a man! ''You promised to help us if we solved your problems! ''My problem is not solved yet!I''ll have no end of worries until Filman settles down and takes over properly.'' ''I''ve given you the opportunity to do so! I''ve removed the source of Filman''s indiscretions. Filman and the others will decide for themselves. After a few years, they''ll settle down and take over. But we can''t wait that long. We''ve got to get rid of this BU reparations nonsense. ''Donnis, I''m going to break the BU stereotype. ''That''s another bold declaration of war. Donnis is surprisingly big. He''s a few inches taller than me. And he''s got a stout body. So he''s intimidating and powerful. I stare at the single hair that is so powerful. I''m going to destroy your values and make you rich, Donis. ''First, we''ll lift the restrictions on soybean production and let you distribute tofu. ''If you do that, the other districts won''t be able to keep quiet. The amount of soybeans produced in each district is standardized, and the soybeans harvested in our 24 districts are used for miso and soy sauce. It''s a rule that can''t be changed by my own opinion. ''I''m asking you to bend it. ''We don''t have the fields to bend it. ''Just let another district make it.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!Are you suggesting that we let our property flow out to other wards?If that happens, it will be when BU collapses. If that happens, my district will be destroyed. I can''t help you with this. ''We''ll keep BU. ''Hmm? Because what I want to destroy is the old stereotypes of BU. ''I''ll show you what''s new when you step out of the old world. ''Huh. ......'' Of course, it''s not just new, it''s reform through technology that respects, learns from, and utilizes the old. ''I''ll show you the view that the 42nd district has seen. Instead of looking at fireworks and weddings from the outside, you should come in and join us. ''Oumalo! ''Yes, yes, yes!I''m all set! Umaro and his hamsters lined up in the restricted area, which was covered by a large sheet. ''What are you trying to start? ''I want to show you the possibilities of the future. Keep an eye on Filman and Riveka. And Sophie and Barbara, too.'' The Hammies call together the kids from District 42 and District 24. The kids crowd in front of the seats. I''m sure the damaged bodies of the kids from the 24th ward will stand out ...... in a line like this. You''ll be able to see the wrinkles between their eyebrows when you look at Donnis'' expression. ''Donis. If you were to do something for the future of those kids, what would it be? These kids are handicapped in some way. If you could do anything for those kids, what would the lord of this district do? ''''Mm......, if you don''t care about the budget, don''t make the city more walkable for them. Install handrails and signposts for the blind, and perches for the lame throughout the city, and then ......'' ''Uncle Donis. I think it''s important to make people feel comfortable, but also to encourage their independence. Donis, whose thoughts were leaning toward barrier-free, received an opinion from Filman. ''We should give them job training and encourage them to be as independent as possible. They will not be able to stay under your protection forever. ''But what about ...... being treated too well?'' ''Yeah,......, what does that mean?'' The one who disagreed with Filman''s opinion was Rebekah. ''I understand that they need protection, but they are not the only inhabitants of this city. If we were to remake the entire city to suit them, wouldn''t it make it difficult for the other residents to live here? ''No, but the normal people will adapt to them. ......'' He was probably upset that Rebekah had refuted him. Sophie reacted to the words that came out of her mouth. ''It''s normal! Her ears perked up and she shouted louder than ever. ''They''re normal! Yes. That''s what I meant. Perhaps realizing his mistake, Firman turned pale and hurriedly bowed his head. ''I didn''t mean it that way, but ...... was an inappropriate word. Sorry!'' ''No,...... I''m also ...... sorry for shouting so loudly.'' If you ask me if I''m normal, I''d say I''m not. But it is not inferior. In the words of Donis, it is ''individuality''. They''re just normal kids with a little personality. ''I see ...... that this problem is quite difficult.'' As Donnis said himself, the idea is an idealistic one, with no regard for budget. It''s hard to make it happen. Moreover, providing such facilities in the 24th district would mean locking them up, saying, ''You stay here. So let me ask you the opposite. Palmetto Pippi. What would you do for their future?'' Donnis asks me. That''s right. If I had to give a correct answer, I''d say ...... ''I think what Sophie said is the closest. I give the signal, and the hamsters rip off a huge sheet. From inside emerged two large, wooden playgrounds. One was a modified version of the Clove Jungle, a round jungle gym that spins in circles, but a little safer. It has a backrest attached to the seat so that even kids who can''t hold their ground can sit safely. The result looks like a combination of a clove jungle and a coffee cup. The other one is a big one, a box-shaped seesaw. You could say it''s a smaller version of the Viking ride at the amusement park. It''s a typical playground equipment with horizontal spinning hands and vertical swaying (not quite spinning). Many of you may remember playing with it in your childhood. ''Come on, kids!Listen to your brother Umaro, and play together in turn! '''''''' Oh, yes! '''''''' ''Hey, wait a minute!You''re too powerful! A bunch of kids are rushing at Umaro with all their might. If they''re so energetic, they''ll enjoy it to the fullest. ''Then, the first group, sit inside and hold on tight!Don''t get up! '''''''' Hahaha! '''''''' Listen carefully to your brother Umaro, the kids are about to experience the playground equipment for the first time. Four ham kids grab the clove jungle from outside and run out at once. Immediately, screams and shouts of joy began to be heard from inside. ''You''re turning so fast. ''There''s a secret in that main shaft. What connects the main shaft to the body is a roller bearing, a masterpiece of Norma and the hardware guild. It reduces the friction between the body and the shaft to a minimum, allowing the machine to rotate with less force, and also increasing its stability. It can be rotated even when the seat is full with a lot of kids. Likewise, the box-shaped seesaw moves smoothly with the power of bearings. ''Kya-kya! and the kids waiting for their turn are watching with sparkling eyes. ''I see. ...... Normal, huh? Donnis muttered to himself as he looked at the noisy kids. ''Looking at them like this, it looks like there''s no difference between the two kids. ''Yes, they do. I think their smiles ...... are just as lovely as ever. That''s what Donnis and Filman think when they see the excited kids. They all have the same look and smile on their faces. They are shouting from the bottom of their hearts as they experience speed and movement for the first time. In the end, they''re all the same. We laugh when we are happy, and we cry when we are sad. When they are moved, they shout out involuntarily. ''They know very well that they are different from others. They are looking for their own way of life. They don''t need anyone to tell them ''do this'', ''you can do that'' or ''I''ll show you your life'', they can live on their own. But it''s true that there are many inconveniences in doing so. So. ''We just have to make a receptacle for them so that we can support them when they want to do something. We can''t do it because there''s no precedent. It''s difficult because we don''t have the confidence. I hope you don''t have to do that. At least after today, this church won''t be closing its heavy iron gates as tightly as before. Who would feel sorry for those frolicking children? Who would despise them? Who would want to hurt them? ''Mr. Donnerty''. Estella comes up to us with the look of a lord. She looks at the smiling children and smiles. ''That''s the future we''re aiming for. The kids from the 42nd district, which was said to be the poorest district in the city, the kids from the 24th district, who were deeply wounded, and the kids from the hamsters, who were avoided as slum dwellers. These kids are all mixed up, working together, smiling at the same thing. ''The possibilities are infinite. In order to expand the range of those possibilities, we''ve been doing everything we can right now. To open up the future. The breakthrough of District 42 was brought about in this way, Estella said with powerful eyes. Then, with her white, supple fingers together, she held out her hand to Donis. ''Please help us. For me, for you. And for their future. ''...... Mm. Right.'' With a wry smile, Donnis took Estella''s hand. ''I''m a little curious, too. I''m also a little curious about the future you''re talking about. ''I''m honored. They shook hands tightly. ...... I managed to get Donnis on board. With the help of various people,......, I was finally able to force my way in. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you need to do to get it. Well done. ''So, why don''t we celebrate this handshake and make some more noise? ''Another round?'' Estella looks over at us. Well, I think we''re ready. Except for Jeannette and Estella, the others had left the place in turn, each in secret. ...... I''m not sure what to say.Where did you all go, by the way? Ginette, who had been engrossed in watching the kids play on the playground equipment, seemed to have finally noticed that the number of people had decreased. Ginette looked at me with an anxious look. I couldn''t help but share a smile with Estella. Hmmm... You should be very surprised. I took out a bamboo flute from my pocket and blew it loudly-- ''...... Wow! Ginette let out an exclamation of admiration at the sight. Magda and her friends were coming out of the church. All dressed in yukata. Gorgeous. The yukata-clad beauties made their way to the stall that Umaro had set up and began to prepare for the opening. One of them is Bertina. She had come forward earlier to offer Ginette a taste of her own cooking. I didn''t call out to her because I thought she''d definitely be on the eating side, but ...... she''s really excited. And it''s the first time I''ve seen Bertina in a yukata. ...... I like it. The modest s*x appeal of an adult woman is intriguing. You can also get a high score for being tipsy with sweet sake. I''m not sure what to say. What''s this? Ginette is flustered, but excited. Mm-hmm. Good expression. Ah, deviousness is fun. Donnis and Filman are curious to see what''s going on. Rebekah is trying to decide whether to go to the food truck or the playground. I''ve done what I had to do. All that''s left to do is ......, a big launch, I guess. ''All right, you guys!Let the festivities begin! '''''''' Oh, ''''''''! The party will reach its climax with a high-pitched shout. 322-Episode 234 Store Opening, Yukata and Surprise The stalls were in action and the churchyard was filled with lively voices. ''...... You should come by.'' ''Yeah, Magda. Let''s keep it lively.'' With the exception of Magda, the voices are lively. ''Come on, everyone, whether you''re familiar with the 42nd district or new to the 24th district, please drop by!We have a lot of rare, cute, and delicious foods! ''''Come to ......, come on in, come on in, come on in! ''Come on, have a look!And eat it!It''s as good as salmon! ''Look, look~a?? I''m wearing a yukata too~a?? It''s heavy when it gets wet~'' Yeah, yeah. It''s good that you''re active. ...... I wonder what Masha is doing. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san. What''s this?'' Ginette, the only one who hadn''t been told, looks at me, half confused, half expectant. ''Ginette, you could hardly visit the stalls at the last festival, right? ''Oh, you don''t think so, do you ......? ''Yeah. They said they wanted to surprise Jeannette no matter what.'' ''Everyone ......'' Ginette held her mouth with her hands as if she was trying to hold back the feeling of being overwhelmed. Her large eyes fluttered, and she drew a happy arc. ''...... I''m very, very happy. Seeing her smile, all the people who worked on the project made a gut pose. ''Thank you, everyone. He bows to the tricksters on the other side of the stall, then turns to me and bows again. ''Thank you, Mr. Yashiro. ''No, I''m not doing anything .......'' ''That''s right, isn''t it? Suddenly, Estella''s voice comes from behind me, her elbow is on my shoulder, her weight is pressing down on me, and her chest is squashed. ...... hit me, there. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say. What''s that weird exaggeration? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. Then you guys said, ''Well, let''s let him experience the stall this time'' or ''Let''s make it a surprise anyway''. Since then, this plan has been carried out in secret. There are some things that can''t be hidden when the event is held in District 42. There are many people who come to ask me for my opinion, and even if I cook, I have to use the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion. I needed to be secretive enough to sneak around while Ginette''s mind was on the expedition. ''Enjoy yourself as much as you can. You''re the one who''s going to show Donnis, Rebecca and the others how to have fun at the stall. ''I''m not sure if I''m up to such a big role. ......'' Despite her words, Ginette looked as if she was truly enjoying herself. ''I will enjoy it as much as I can. She said and made a bump. I''m not sure if it''s just me or my arms. ''Shall we go door to door for now? ''Yes! Umaro, the stylish designer, didn''t just line up the stalls in a row, but placed them across from each other, creating narrow passageways between the stalls. He must have thought that it would be fun to walk through the crowded streets and browse the stores. The passageway is not straight, but curves gently to form an S-shape. When you stand at the end of the aisle, the stalls overlap each other but appear to be slightly out of alignment, making the area look even more crowded. Although the number of shopkeepers seems to be a little insufficient for the number of stalls, ...... ''Greatly selected, stall vendor! ''Let''s see what you can do! ''Sell, sell, sell! It seems my brothers are in charge of the stall. It''s usually my sisters, though, the sellers. Come to think of it, I remember that my brothers were also vendors at the first mobile sales. Since then, we''ve been sent to work on sewage works and fields, and our opportunities to sell have dwindled. ''Hmmm. You''re a cute little vendor, aren''t you? ''Structural reform of the stall industry! ''Hey, Hammaro. You''re a store keeper too? ''Hammaro? ''......, you too.'' There are twelve stalls in total. Of course, some of them are covered. Wearing them is one of the specialties of the festival. It''s fun to say, ''That one was better,'' or ''That one was cheaper,'' or ''Next time I see one, I''ll buy it. ''Come on, Mr. Donati, come this way. I''ll show you around.'' ''This is a lively place. I wish I hadn''t eaten so much of that food earlier. In addition to the mapo doufu, there were other dishes of Ginette''s on the table. The amount of food was adjusted accordingly, but it was still easy to overeat Ginette''s dishes. We had set up the stall so that we could see it from the beginning, and we had told them that we would demonstrate and sell the food later, but it seems that our stomachs had failed to adjust. Oh well, you''ll want to eat something while you''re walking. ''''''Omisee! ''''''Wow! ''''Hey, hey, guys. Don''t come to the back, it''s dangerous. Go around the front, okay? ''''''Yes!'''''' Delia neatly dealt with the crowd of kids. She''s getting better at dealing with kids. Did he improve his skills by working on the waterwheel? It may seem counter-intuitive that Masha is not liked by the kids and Delia is popular, but it somehow makes sense. ''Rebeka-san, if you want, you can come with me! ''Uh-huh!Yes,............, I''d be happy to .......'' ''Whoo-hoo! ''...... Poof! ....... They can do what they want. ''Why don''t you take a look around, Sophie and Barbara, ......, huh?Sophie? ''Hmmm ...... Sophie''s over there.'' I looked in the direction Barbara was pointing. ''I''m so ...... happy to be able to eat Bertina''s homemade food! You can see the unfortunate sister struggling in front of Bertina''s store. Ah ...... Sophie is becoming more and more disappointing ...... ''Mmmm. I''ll enjoy myself then.'' ''Huh?You''re here, Assunto.'' ''Yes, I was. I''ve been supporting you behind the scenes. It''s not every day you get to see such a gorgeous group of people together. ...... I can smell the money. I don''t like it. ...... Please don''t say similar things to me. They''ll think we''re the same. ''Oomaroo. What about you? ''The kids over here want to play on the playground equipment more!I can''t leave them alone!I want to hang out at Magda''s stall! She''s crying. I''m really crying. Yeah. You look like a good luck charm for a kid, so hang in there a while longer. I''ll give you a replacement later. I''ll run the stall. ''''''I agree with Yangbold-san! ''''Well, these carpenters are very bossy. The carpenters'' work is done for now. All that''s left is for them to do the work of clearing out. So for now, I want you to enjoy yourselves. As I watched them rushing to the stalls. ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san! Jeannette tugged at my hem. ''Look at this. Hammaro-san, you''re very good at making takoyaki.'' ''You''re the master of the flip-flop! ''No, that''s not a very nice thing to say, Hammaro.'' ''Hammaro? ''Ginette, you just said, "Hammaro-san"! Why is it that I''m the only one who doesn''t get it? ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... I hope he doesn''t get carried away and make some mistakes. ............ ''Aaah!I''m not sure what to do. Hammaro''s elbow hit the bottle of oil and he fell. The oil is splattered on the iron plate. ''That''s dangerous! ''The fire ...... didn''t come out, did it? Thank goodness. Hammaro-san, are you sure you didn''t get burned?'' ''Yeah......'' ''Hey!Hammaro, what are you doing? ''First big blunder of the year... ......'' Hearing the commotion, Loretta comes flying in. She picks up the fallen bottle and wipes up the spilled oil. Fortunately, it did not catch fire. ''It''s because you''re on a roll! ''Shhhh ......''. ''Well, well, Loretta-san. It didn''t lead to anything serious. It seems that Hammaro was not injured either. ''The manager is too lenient!If you don''t give him a good scolding at times like this, he''ll repeat the same thing again! ''It''s deeper than the ocean... ......'' ''See, you seem to be reflecting on it like this. ......, right?'' ''I''ll forgive you for ...... this time, manager. But be careful,......, don''t get hurt or anything. Oh, it''s a sister dere. I think I''ve seen a new genre. ''But ...... takoyaki is covered in grease ......''. ''This is going to have to be reworked. ''No, wait! It''s not just a matter of sprinkling oil on it, but ...... this might be fixable. ''Hammaro, take over! Pour the oil onto the takoyaki griddle to prevent it from catching fire. The oil slides into the hollows and makes a popping sound. Roll the beautiful sphere of takoyaki on it for a while. ...... ''It''s a crispy fried takoyaki! ''Whoa!My brother has created something new! No, it''s not new, it''s not new. It''s a familiar technique used by major chains in Japan. ''Try it. Be careful, it''s hot.'' He offers Hammaro a fried takoyaki. He throws it hot into his mouth and chews it ...... crisply. ''Mmm??????????????????! It seems to be hot, and he runs around holding his mouth. I told you it was ....... Then he started jumping up and down and managed to swallow it. The first thing he said after that was ...... The first thing he said afterwards was, ''Hell, yeah! The taste was perfect, apparently. ''Oh, is it good, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''Just tell me how it tastes! ''It''s like petals falling on a moonlit night! ''I don''t know!The metaphor is so outlandish that it''s hard to tell if it''s good or not! ''It''s more than good, it''s delicious! ''It''s delicious, isn''t it? Loretta confirmed and turned around to sample the fried takoyaki. ''...... Ahh, ahh, ahh, ...... but it''s ohii~'' ''......New discovery. Crispy fluffy ...... good.'' ''Nuh-uh!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''It smells so good~'' ''When Bertina-san comes, my portion will be gone!I''ll hurry up and eat it! Saying that, Loretta threw one of the fried takoyaki into her mouth. ''??????????????????! She was doing the exact same thing as Hammaro. ...... So they''re siblings after all. Don''t jump, don''t jump. It won''t get cold, not like that. ''Mr. Hammaro. You''ve made a very nice discovery.'' ''Even though you failed? ''Yes, sir. Failure isn''t something to be ashamed of. It''s where the seeds of success lie.'' ''Yes!The manager''s seal of approval! Hammaro, who happened to discover (or rather, remind me of) the fried takoyaki, is overjoyed at Ginette''s praise. ''Yashiro-san. These are delicious. ''I see.'' ''I''d love to know how to make it. ......'' ''You should at least be a customer today.'' ''Ah, ......, yes, that''s right. It''s a good thing that you all have prepared this way, you know. However, I can''t stop myself from looking like ''I want to learn'' or ''I want you to teach me''. You workaholic. ''Oh, Sister. You look great in your yukata. ''Mogu Mogu ...... is it?Thank you ...... Mogu...... thank you.'' ''Hey. Didn''t someone teach you not to talk while eating? Someone should tell Bertina. However...... The yukata-clad Bertina is very picturesque. The fried takoyaki in one hand is a nice accent. The bright yellow yukata may be a flashy color for Bertina. It was very pleasing to see both the freshness of her new clothes and the ladylike appearance of a mature woman. Her hair, unusually pulled up in an updo, is also nice. The three strands of loose hair hanging down from the nape of her neck are giving off a s*xy beam. ''Why don''t you and Estella go change your clothes later, Jeannette? ''Do you have one for us too?'' ''Oh. Natalia will dress you inside.'' ''I see. Then we can go to ............ after we''ve visited the stores and change first. Apparently, she wants to go around the stores in a yukata. ''Then go ahead. Until then, I''ll take care of your single hair. ''Yashiro-san. You can''t.'' ''''No problem. I''ll take care of the lord.'''' ''Xu. Then, please wait for a little while. Ginette bowed her head. I thought she was going to go first, but she still seemed to be waiting for Estella. ''Estella. Also, Rebecca and Sophie, go put on yukata. ''Ah, yes. Well then, if you''ll excuse me, I have to go to .......'' ''What is it?You''re going to let me wear it too?Those pretty colored clothes, there''s one for me and one for my sister! ''Are you sure? ''Yes, it''s a good idea. Rebekah and Sophie ran happily away. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... The old ladies, are they going to wear it too ............ ''So we''ve got a bunch of guys, want to take a look? ''Yeah, I guess so. ......'' ''Well, I''m ......, uh, ...... with Rebeka... ......'' ''Okay, Philman. I''ll feed you some freshly made fried takoyaki. Here you go. ''Hey, please stop!I decided to give the first ah-ahn to Rebeka-san. ......?I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m sure it''s hot! ''If you don''t like it, eat two of these at once! ''You''ll die! You idiot. How can ''catnip'' be a cause of death? It won''t kill you. It''s just hot enough to kill you. ''Then get on the playground equipment. ''I have a bad feeling about this, sir! ''How about you, Donnis?Go back to your childish ...... mind.'' ''What''s that malicious mistake you just made?Hmm?What''s that, Yashippi? ''No, don''t be so serious. ...... I''m just kidding. ......'' I see. Donnis, who is manipulating Mahr, is ...... the possibility that ............DD, not DT... ...It was not a joke to say. I''m deeply sorry about this-- ''''Geeyaaaaahhhh! Let''s entertain Donnis and the others! ''''Yashiro-san, if you go any faster, the lord and the successor will fly away! With Donnis and Filman in the glove jungle, me, Yamboldo, and Hammy will spin. We spin as hard as we can. Finally, I''ll turn it with Yangbold''s unbelievable power! ''''Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Yeah, yeah. Sounds like fun. I''m sure the rudeness of earlier has been erased from your memory. ''Yashiro-san~'' ''Oh! It''s shaking. Ginette comes running towards us to shake her tits . ''I''ve been waiting for you~'' ''Yashiro-san ......, please stop greeting me while moving your neck up and down.'' No, because it''s bobbing up and down while your eyes are glued to it. ''Um, ...... how''s it going? ''Hmm. It looks good on you.'' ''Ehehe ......'' ............! It was awful. I thought my heart was going to stop for a second. I thought my heart was going to stop for a moment. I saw Jeannette in a yukata, dressed up a bit differently than usual, a bit shy, looking up at me, ''......How do you like it? I''m not sure.It''s not ''How''s it going? Not ''...... How''s it going? It''s not ''How''s it going?I''m so embarrassed!It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. It''s a good idea to be as light as possible. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... I''m not sure what to do.I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''????????????!'' He silently squeezed his fist against my side. I''m being groped. What''s this?Is this a new way to protest? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. .........'' ''Are you wearing it? Gurgling ...... Oh, I see. You''re embarrassed. Yeah, yeah, I see. ''Yashiro. You should repent.'' and Estella''s knife comes at you like she''s about to behead you. I''m sorry. ...... That was close. I''m not sure what to make of it. I haven''t felt this nervous since ...... the first time I joined a hunting guild. ''Not at all. You''re a disgrace to the ...... forty-two districts, aren''t you? ''Don''t use ''totally'' twice. ''That''s because you''re totally. You''re a complete idiot. What do you mean ''totally''? You gave me a strange title. ''But Estella really looks good in a yukata.'' ''What, ...... what, suddenly. You''re trying to make me feel good by complimenting me. ......'' ''No, no, no. As for the yukata, I think you look the best.'''' ''Oh, ...... so you are ......, huh?'' ''Ah. At any rate, not just yukata, but kimono. ''Because it looks better if you don''t have breasts.'' ''Yashiro. You should be beheaded. ''Hey, stop!Don''t come at me at real speed! He continued to dodge Estella''s attacks. It''s not as if she''s been working with Natalia. She moves more than Estella. I''ve been watching her up close and personal. ...... I''ve been making well-timed comebacks to Natalia''s inexhaustible, multifaceted jokes, and before I knew it, I was up to par! You''re not going to be able to stop your attacks!If you can hit it, you can hit it. ...... ...... Gosh!There was a sound. ''...... Ouch.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. Did I hit you?'' This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your vacation. ...... There''s no way I''m really going to level up, so there''s no way I can compete with your seriousness. ............ Estella''s hand hit my collarbone, and it hurt. You can''t really level up, so there''s no way you''re a serious contender. ...... Estella''s hand hit my collarbone, and it hurt. ...... ''Estella-sama''. When Sophie saw me crouched down, she came running over. Oh, bunny ears in yukata!My ears and chest are shaking!Run faster!Bounce! ''Strike while they''re weak! ''What are you here to tell me? ''You will get what you deserve for looking at such a beautiful dress. It''s the punishment you deserve. You idiot! Evil eye? I usually do! ''And what about Rebecca? ''Do you want to see? With a slightly twitchy expression, Sophie pointed in a certain direction. That direction happened to be in my blind spot, and I had no idea what was going on there. ...... For some reason, a feeling of ''I don''t want to face that direction, no matter what! I''m not sure what to do. ...... There''s a peach-colored aura flickering out of the corner of my eye. ...... d*mn it, there''s nothing worse than a first-time girlfriend who can''t take care of herself. ''Jeannette. I feel sorry for you. Let''s go around the stalls. ''Yes, sir.'' ''Estella, take care of Donnis, he''s stretched out on the playground over there.'' ''What the hell were you doing? I was just playing. It''s funny ...... that Filman should also be stretched out next to Donnis, but ...... the rear''s stamina is bottomless. So, I went around the stalls with Jeannette again. I''d like to open a restaurant in the sunny side of town someday. Moving on from there... ''Hey, Yashiro, manager!You''re late!Do you want some of the squid I cooked? ''It''s not salmon, is it? ''The salmon didn''t stick to the stick, did it ......? I''m sure you''ve tried. Delia''s selling grilled squid. Masha''s here. She provided the ingredients. Also, soy sauce is a specialty of the 24th district. I can''t stand the fragrant smell of it. ''Hey, hey~a?? Take a look at this one too! Masha, who wanted to take a peek at various places, leaned out of the tank and called us. At any rate, we took a piece of grilled squid and headed toward it. ''Grilled corn? I was recommended to go to the squid stall, but since it''s a good opportunity, I thought I''d do something I don''t usually do. This was certainly unusual. Masha uses a brush to apply soy sauce to the corn. Then she turns it over and puts soy sauce on it again. This one has an irresistible aroma, too. ...... ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san ......, I''d like to try this. I''m sure you''ll love it. There''s something mixed in here, corn. ''Oihi~desu......! Ginette bites into the freshly roasted corn and smiles with soy sauce on her cheeks. It''s rare to see this kind of expression on Jeannette''s face. I''ll make sure to burn it into my eyelids. ''It''s a little unmannerly, ...... but it makes me nervous, isn''t it? It''s not bad manners at all. It''s a great way to get the most out of your life. He bites into the squid with a gusto that would make a carnivore blush, and chews and bites and chews. Mmm!It''s delicious! ''It looks kind of tasty, seeing you eat it like that. ''Then, do you want to try it? ''No, that''s as ...... good as it gets.'' He rejected me with a smile. Well, even if he did, it would be a bit annoying. There were also the usual baby sponge cake and popcorn stalls. There were also taiyaki and donuts. The sweet smell is wafting around here. Kids are flocking to the sweet treats. I think I''ll pass. There''s a long line. I just tell the ham kid on duty to hang in there and move on. ''Ginette''. I saw Bertina in the middle of the stall. The pile of plates in front of the store must have been eaten by Sophie, who was occupying the space. ...... She eats a lot, too. ''The sisters are making okonomiyaki, aren''t they? ''Yes. It was quite difficult, but Magda taught me a few tricks, and I''m getting good at it. As she said this, she dexterously flipped the okonomiyaki over with two spatulas. ''Well done! ''You''re good.'' Ginette claps her hands in admiration. Bertina gives an itchy, embarrassed smile. It''s strange how even a large spatula can look homey or even a little cute when Bertina is holding it. Such sharp metal would have looked like a weapon to Estella. ''I thought I''d make some for the children of the church. ''I''m sure they''ll love it. ''I hope so. ''They''ll be happy. Because I loved the vegetable soup that Sister made for me. Ginette was once a closed-minded girl. It was Bertina, of course, who stood by, encouraged, and supported Ginette, and that is why the food that Bertina cooked for her left a deep impression on her. Cooking is love. That''s what ...... is all about. ''Sister is still number one in the vegetable soup ranking. I still can''t catch up with her. ''That''s not true, is it?Ginette is a better cook than I am.'' ''Mm-hmm. Thank you, Sister. But in my mind, I''m still not as good as you. Ginette''s words seemed to come from the heart, not from modesty. The taste of memories is strong, you know. ''Then, do you think your okonomiyaki is better than Jeannette''s? ''My okonomiyaki is as good as yours. Mother and daughter exchanging such a conversation with a smile. They get along well, don''t they? ''Well, please give me one. ''Please wait a moment. They exchange strange, theatrical lines and laugh together. What are you guys doing?Are you trying to heal me and kill me?I''m going to die from being healed too much, am I? Hmm. It''s much tastier than I expected, Yashiro. I have to work hard too. ''Which ............?It''s delicious. The degree of cooking is perfect. ''Mm-hmm. Please don''t give me too much credit. I get carried away pretty easily. Bertina looked happy as she said this. The kids from the church are crowding around, so I''ll give them some space. Next time I''ll make sure they have plenty. And further on, ...... ''Phew!I''m surprised you made it this far! ''...... I''ve been waiting for you, manager.'' At the back of the stall, there was a rather grand stall with Loretta and Magda. What is it? I guess it looks a little more luxurious when there are employees of the Sunlit Pavilion in the stall. It gives you a sense of security. ''Um, ......, what exactly is this place selling? So far, Jeannette had immediately understood what they were making just by looking at the equipment in the stall, but this was a different story. That''s true, I suppose. ''...... This store sells food that the manager doesn''t know about.'' ''What? ''This is the first time we''re showing it in Japan! It''s been hard to prepare for this, ...... especially since Loretta has been leaking information all the time. ''Because of Loretta''s leaking of information, she''s been doing a lot of .......'' ''I didn''t do it on purpose! ''I didn''t notice the ...... at all.'' ''I think the ...... manager would have.'' Magda. That''s just plain bad. Well, maybe they didn''t notice because it was Jeannette. If it had been Estella, they would have known. ''Oh, I''m curious about the new ...... food!I want to see it!I want to try it!'' Ginette starts to get nervous. In fact, this was the only restaurant that refrained from selling the food until Jeannette tried it. Ginette is the first customer. If Jeannette eats it, the ban will be lifted. ''Oh, so the mysterious new product is finally going to be released. ''I''m also very interested! Estella and Umaro had only heard about the new product. Estella was an accomplice to this surprise and Umaro had to make a stall for it. ''Ah!It''s a steamer! Jeannette will notice the steamer. Yeah. A steamer. There''s a big steamer in this stall. And what''s in it is-- ''''It''s an ''Oppun''! The lid of the steamer opens and white steam rises up. Inside the steamer, there was a white, round, and fluffy thing. It was a meat bun! It was a juicy bun filled with pork and bamboo shoots! ''Come on, let''s eat! ''...... It''s hot, so you''d better break it open before you eat it. ''Oh, it''s so hot! Bouncing the bun in her hand a few times, Ginette cracks it in half. From inside, the golden pork dripping with juices appeared. ''Oh, that looks delicious. ......'' Then, unable to resist, Jeannette bites into the bun. ''Huh, huh ............ ?????????????????????! She bites into the meat, savors the juices, and is thrilled by the chewy bamboo shoots. Then Jeannette uttered her usual line. ''''The juicy pork, crunchy bamboo shoots, and glutinous dough are going to make your mouth water! ''''''Yay! Me, Magda, and Loretta all zay for each other. ''''Wasshoi wasshoi'''' I''ve had it! ''''Hmm~!That''s not fair!Only Magda-san and Loretta-san!Me too!I want to make this dish too!I want to learn it! ''I knew you''d say that! ''...... as expected. ''Yashiro-san! ''Yes, yes. I''ll teach you tomorrow, but for now, you''re a customer today, right?'' ''???????????????!I want to learn today! This might be the first time I''ve ever seen Jeannette this frustrated. She must be really jealous. ''Jeannette. There''s one more thing, a new menu. ''What? Ginette looks in the direction I''m pointing. There''s . ''......, welcome, sir~'' ''Millie-san. What the hell are you selling ............? Jeannette''s face started to glow. ''It''s so cute! ''This is called candy apple. I learned how to make it from Ladybug. ''????????????, Yashiro-san.'' ''Yes, yes. I''ll teach you how to make this too.'' ''That''s not fair! Ginette protested with her whole body. My impression of the surprise is 4 surprise, 4 pleasure, and 2 envy. ''It''s so sweet ...... and the sourness of the apple is so refreshing ...... that I want to add it to my set meal. ''No, I don''t think it''s suitable for a set meal! You can''t have candy apples while eating grilled salmon. At best, I''d sell them with the popcorn. ''I''m happy, it''s fun. ......, but I''m still jealous! Ginette writhes, holding an unknown dish in her hands. Across the stall, Magda and Loretta are high-fiving. Millie says, ''I''m sorry? Millie is apologizing for keeping it a secret. But I''m the one who made her do it. It''s not Millie''s place to apologize. ''Is this a success? Ginette''s reaction, rarely seen, left Estella at a loss for words. I mean, you. You''re laughing at me. ''''You''re thinking, ''That''s so cute~'', aren''t you? ''That''s so cute!I want to take her home with me.'' Estella likes Jeannette too much for some reason. ''Then it''s a great success. Look at all these people around you.'' ''What?'' I turned around and looked around, everyone had a big smile on their face. Some were laughing with their neighbors, some were smiling at Jeannette, some were intrigued by the delicious looking food. There were various smiles on their faces, and all of them were enjoying the moment. ''This is the kind of future you want to create, isn''t it, my lord? ''When Yashiro says it, it sounds like a threat. ...... But, yes.'' Looking at the laughing people, Estella said with renewed determination. ''I will protect this smile. I will never lose sight of the future again, and I will never let the city become like that. ''That determination. I''m going to join you. Donnis stood next to Estella and stared at the residents of his district, who were laughing with their mouths wide open. ''And ...... someday, that person and ............''. I''m going to pretend that I didn''t hear that murmur ....... With such a lively atmosphere, the banquet came to an end. We ran around preparing for it, and ...... the results were good. The result was that we gained Donnis'' trust and cooperation. I think that''s enough. I''m going to keep pushing to destroy the BU. That''s what I was thinking at the time. 323-at the end of Episode 235. As if to regret the end of the party, Barbara squinted at the kids who spent the rest of the time playing together on the playground equipment. ''Thank you so much for all the fun they had .......'' ''No, no. It''s like Bertina told me to do it. Forty-two wards and twenty-four wards. We need toys that kids from both districts can enjoy equally. We''ll give that playground equipment to the church in District 24. And that strange snack, too. What Barbara liked even more than the playground equipment was the cotton candy machine. Fluffy, sweet treats clung to the end of the stick. ''I''ve never seen treats like this in my long life. ''That''s true. Bertina, in her yukata, says with a gentle smile. ''I''ve lived a lot longer than Barbara, but I''ve never seen it before either. ''You really are an amazing person, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''Please don''t. It''s just that the thing I knew wasn''t in this city yet. It wasn''t me who invented it. It was someone much older and much better. ''Yeah, but it''s manual rotation. Let someone with more power do it. I don''t think there''s anyone in this church with as much power as Delia. ''Mikel-san wanted to do it. The spinning part. ''Of course he can''t, with that stamina-less Taro. If Mikel spun it, two strings of sugar would come out and that would be it. That''s not cotton candy. It''s string candy. ''Mmm, he''s working hard every day to build up his strength. Especially today, when you saw your lover''s beautiful figure. ''Oh, can you stop talking about that because it''s unpleasant? d*mn it, it''s ....... You''re both in love with each other. ...... d*mn it. ''It''s true what you said, Bertina. ''Oh, what is it? ''Yashiro-san. You''ve really changed the way I see the world. He really changed my world. Barbara and Bertina are looking at me at the same time. Can you please stop ....... Don''t look at me like that. ''And Sophie, she smiled so much. Now Rebekah, Sophie, and Bertha are talking to Donnis and Filman. They are probably talking about marriage, engagement, and their future lives and relationships. They have just said that they will decide on a date first, and then set another date to discuss the matter. ...... Or rather, from a distance, it looks as if Sophie is giving Fillman a lot of bad advice. Well, I guess he needs a good beating about the bush when it comes to treating women. A little spartan. ...... It''s sick, his delusions. It looks like a demon to me. ...... Is it a tsundere? I''m not sure what to make of that.Well, I don''t care. ''She was trying to atone for her sins of running away from her family home by protecting the children here. However, she couldn''t forgive herself ...... for her past actions that she considered sinful, so she became more overprotective than necessary. ''Even if you knew that, you couldn''t say anything to him? ''Well, ...... I didn''t have any words to say to him.'' Barbara smiles sadly, and Bertina looks at me with an enveloping gaze. ''Only you can forgive yourself for your sins,'' she said. Those were the words Ginette had once taught me. ''Is that why you do penance? ''Yes, sir. You know it well. Thanks to your daughter. ''But finally, ...... Sophie can smile so clearly, can''t she? I thought that Barbara''s definition of ''laughing'' might not be smiling or laughing out loud, but rather the way in which emotions that had been bottled up are now looking up. ...... ''Yashiro-sama''. A dignified voice said, and when I turned around, a beautiful woman in a glossy yukata jumped into my field of vision. ''Oh! ''You''re really jumping in! Natalia, dressed in a black yukata with a red goldfish pattern, lunges at me with a spectacular flying cross chop. The goldfish on her yukata looks like a flying fish. ''It looks like the store is over while I was putting on your yukata. ''Oh, I''m sorry.'' ''No, sir. It''s a pity, but if I could have helped you...'' I could have helped. The hall was filled with beautiful women in yukata, and the atmosphere became more lively. The yukata I asked Ukrines to make for the kids here seemed to have been appreciated. ''Thanks to Natalia, I''ve managed to learn how to dress myself. You too, Mr. Bertha. ''If you have any questions, please call me at any time. I''ll come running with Master Yashiro. ''Why did you drag me into all this? Barbara and Bertha were learning from Natalia how to dress the kids and Rebekah in yukata. As Donis had said, they would like to continue to hold such festivals in the future. ''I''d like to organize something that the kids from the church and the people from the city can enjoy together. ''I''d like to thank Mr. Ukrines as well, and I''d like to pay him a visit this time. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting for you. With Master Yashiro.'' ''So, why are you dragging me into this? Can you please not give me the impression that you and I are living together? If I live with you, you''ll be naked at home, right?It''s ...... great! ''I''ll be waiting for you, in the land of the naked people. ''Yashiro-sama. Please don''t involve me in this conversation. What are you talking about, the original naked tribe? You''re the chief, aren''t you? ''The carriage is ready. Let''s head for the Forty-second District soon. ''Oh, yes, that''s right. I want to get home before dark. Donnis and Lucia helped us find a couple of carriages. We''re going home in the carriage Javier rented, but Umaro and the others will be dismantling the building afterwards and won''t be back until around midnight. ''Oh, ladybug! Millie came running in with her clogs clacking. In her hands, she holds a cotton candy and a candy apple. ''Oh, you got it? ''Oh, ...... this,...... for children,............ Miry, you''re already an adult. ......'' No, no, no. I''m not sure what to do. If you get Millie in a game, you can keep her forever without evolving her. If it''s a game that''s forbidden to play, and the costumes change every time she evolves, I''ll pay for it and evolve her immediately. It''s a good idea to keep them in their initial state. ............ No, in the case of Millie, you should protect her in her initial state without defacing her. ......... ... I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if it''s okay to do something a little naughty with Millie. ......'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It looks good on you. She also wears a ladybug mask. ...... Oh, is that the usual hair ornament? ''So, what did you want? ''Oh. You know... Miri and Natalia, we''re staying overnight in the 35th district today. ''What?...... You want me to give you Miri in return for the carriage and the flowers in the garden? ''No, you''re wrong!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one. She said it contained food that Ginette had cooked and food that had been sold at a food stall. ''I see. Well then, tell them I''m indebted to them. It was a big help.'' ''Hmm!Tell him I said thanks. ''And?Why Natalia? ''Oh, ...... that''s, that''s .......'' ''It''s an escort.'' ''An escort ............, ah, I see. ''If Millie-san in a yukata enters the 35th district, the moment she enters ......, he will come. ''Oh, come on, Natalia. I don''t think it''s a good idea to call a lord ''he'', but ...... make sure you get him. Millie is the property of the Forty-two districts. I''m not sure what to do. ...... You''re an idiot, Millie. Lucia is that kind of person. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''No, that''s not true. ............, right? ''Natalia. Even if it turns into a war, that''s not an option. Do everything you can. ''Yes, sir.'' With a firm salute, Natalia and I took the mission to heart. ''What are you two doing that''s so funny? Estella, who was wearing a mature, wisteria-colored yukata, sighed as usual. Just a different outfit can add 28% more s*x appeal. Her hair is somehow put up in an updo. This somehow makes her look cute. Really, I''m not kidding, Estella looks great in a yukata. Well, I''m not going to say this because I''ll get angry and say, ''It''s because she doesn''t have breasts anyway! so I won''t say it. Or rather, I made her angry just now. ''You look good with no breasts, Estella-sama. ''You!You just said the words I was trying so hard to hold back! ''Okay, both of you, let''s play on the front.'' In the end, I said it and made her angry. Well, Estella would have been more annoyed if I had said, ''You''re cute'' with a straight face. ''It''s a cover for embarrassment. When I was about Yashippi''s age, I used to be deliberately mean to get the attention of women I liked. ''Your first love must have been when you were 20. And the other guy was nine. ...... In Japan, you''d be arrested immediately. Donis looks strangely happy when Estella and I are talking. So, it''s not like that, is it? ''Mr. Donati''. Natalia stood in front of Donnis and bowed deeply. ''Please forgive me for being absent for so long at the feast. ''Good. I don''t mind. Natalia had excused herself at my request, but as the lord''s escort, it might have been impolite to leave her alone. I''m sorry. I wasn''t considerate enough. I''ll apologize for my rudeness. ''Oh, by the way, Mr. Donnerty.'' Before I can say anything else, Natalia bends her body into an ''S'' and sighs in a very s*xy pose, ''hmmm ......''. ''Hi, I''m a beautiful woman who''s the talk of the town at BU. I''ve got my heart set on someone!I''m sorry to hear that! Donnis turns his body halfway around in a panic and turns his back on Natalia. ''A father and son! ''That''s a fair point, but first you should apologize for your rudeness. I don''t care about your rudeness in leaving the room. ''Don''t worry, Master Yashiro.'' And now he turns to me and pulls down the front of his yukata, exposing a glimpse of his white, luscious thighs. ''I wasn''t at my best yet,'' she said. ''Please don''t give your all for me! '''''''' haaaaaan!Natalia, you''re really hot! '''''''' ''You kids are like Umaro! You, Natalia ...... seriously need to take responsibility and cure those kids of their illnesses, okay? Because we can''t tolerate war here, can we? ''Big brother! ''...... request for help''. Loretta and Magda come running at a great speed. What is it?What''s going on! ''Stop the manager, sir! ''......Tell me, demon god.'' ''......What?'' When I looked, I saw that Ginette was chasing them, though she had been pulled away by the leg power of the beastman race. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Magda, Loretta, can you give me the recipe for the meat buns? ...... I told you I''d teach you when I got home. ''...... says that he wants to learn and have prior knowledge before he learns from Yashiro. ''Manager, I intend to surpass even my brother! ''...... Can''t you make a medicine to cure that workaholic? Workaholics. It''s a horrible disease. ''Let''s welcome him for now. ''...... The manager is slow on his feet. ''Instead, his physical activity in other areas is unrivaled.'' So we lined up and waited for Ginette. She bobbed her head up and down. ''No, don''t bob your head up and down! No, no, no. Your eyes are glued to me and you''re bobbing your head up and down so hard. ...... ''Ginette-chan, ...... even in yukata, you''re amazing ......'' ''Estella-san!Why are you crying?You''ll get your yukata dirty, please stand up! ''I''m...!I''ve made up my mind! Ginette was puzzled by Estella''s tears. And the old man shouting. Shut up, single hair. Don''t get upset by the swaying tits. ''Gosh...... anyway, I''d better get ready to go home...... hiccup...... ...... gusu''. ''Oh, um, Estella, ...... please don''t cry ...... I don''t know why you''re crying.'' Ginette. Reality can be harsh, can''t it? ''Oomaroo! ''Yes, sir. ''You take care of that! ''I got it! '''''''' Come aboard the big ship! '''''''' I''ll let the Trubecks and the Hammies take down the stalls. Natalia and Milly are going to the 35th district. ...... They will probably go to Lucia to thank her for all the help she has given them. Estella is going to Javier''s place. Well, if we give her a letter, Lucia will understand. ''Excuse me, Mr. Yashiro. Jeannette walks up to me and starts to squirm. ''Is this the bathroom? ''No, sir.'' She stares up at me. ''I''ll get the ...... recipe when I get back.'' ''Huh. ...... Well, I''d appreciate it if you could do it sooner, but that''s not what I''m talking about right now. ......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... I may have to stay up all night today. ''Well, I''m going to take the same carriage as the sisters on the way back, aren''t I? ''Hmm?Is that right? ''Yes. There are so many children, it will be hard for the sisters to go alone. ''Well, that''s true. Bertina must be tired after all. ''So, if possible, Magda and Loretta can also come to our carriage ......! ''I want to be in the same carriage as my brother!We don''t talk enough! ''......The current Magda is lacking in yashiro.'' ''Huh? Loretta hugs both of my arms. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. ...... It must be really hard for you to pursue Jeannette. I''m not sure if there will be any more surprises in the future. ''Hey, it''s time to go home! ''Oh!All right! I call out to Delia, who is dealing with the kids in the distance. Both Umaro and the kids seem to like her, and she''s very popular with them. With that kind of power moving the playground equipment, it''s no wonder they like you. ''Well, we''re leaving, but you guys should come visit us in District 42 next time!I''ll have Umaro build you some more new playground equipment. '''''''' Yes! '''''''' ''Hmm!Didn''t someone just make a huge promise to me? We''re planning to build playground equipment in District 42 as well. I''m having Norma and her team make bearings for it. If ...... is to be a ''completely new playground equipment'', the hurdle rises dramatically. Umaro, hang in there! --When I was thinking about it, Oumaro came running towards me at a great speed. ''Mr. Yashiro!I want you to think of something!I want you to think of something! ''Eh~, why me? ''The children''s expectations are weighing heavily on me! ''I''m a kid, and I''m crazy...'' ''Is it okay if Delia-san becomes a liar?If Delia-san turns into a frog, the 42nd district will be more than hurt! ''No, no, no. There''s no way those kids are going to cast the ''Spirit Judgment'' on Delia. ''You can''t say that it won''t happen just in case! ''Hmmm ......, I don''t quite get it. ...... sense of danger?I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, ............ I can''t help it, this is the last thing I''m going to do,............ ''Oumalo!I''ll think of a new playground equipment. ''Do you understand me, Yashiro-san? The girls look at me and Umaro with cold eyes as we hug each other tightly. ''Oh ......, Umaro has finally infected his brother ......''. ''Well, I knew it would happen someday, but ...... it finally did. ''Umaro...... will blow you away.'' ''Wait, wait, Loretta-san, Estella-san, and especially Delia-san!This is for the purpose of persuading Yashiro-san, not for any deeper meaning! ''Kitsune no Muneyou-saa?? Which way are you facing?Everyone is this way~! ''For various reasons, I can''t face that way, but my heart is facing you! ''............Umaro,Eros'' ''Huh!I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m just trying to help the children ...... Delia''s H cup ...... for the children. ......! ''Yes. I''m not sure what to say, but I know what you mean, Umaro. In conclusion, it''s Yashiro''s fault. Why is that, Estella? In other words, the most evil is that H cup ............ ''Boobs can''t be evil! ''......, right?It''s Yashiro''s fault, isn''t it? Estella''s words were enough to convince everyone in the room. ...... I don''t get it. That''s enough. I''m leaving!I''m uncomfortable! ''So long, Rebekah and Firman. I''ll come back to see you when you''ve grown tired of each other. ''No, you can come and see me sooner.'' ''That''s right!You''re our Cupid, you know. ''''Hey! No! ''Shut up, you''re making a freaky sound with your voice. I''m very uncomfortable. I feel like leaving as soon as possible. ''Then let''s all go home!Hurry up, as fast as you can! ''...... Ginette. You really want to learn that new recipe, don''t you? ''......Maybe the Sunlit Pavilion will be open all night today.'' ''......The manager might do it.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, you can call us at our own web site. I''m sure that even Columbus was not that motivated. ''Well, Donis. Take care of that last one.'' ''Can''t you think of anything else to say goodbye? Whatever words of wisdom I come up with, they''ll be overwritten by the sight of your head. Complain to your scalp. ''I''ll send you a text if I need anything else. You, too, should feel free to drop me a line.'' ''Thank you, Mr. Donnerty. I hope we can be more friendly in the future.'' ''Of course. I thank you for this. ''It''s been a benefit to us as well. They shook hands one last time, proving to each other that what they had just said was true. Then, Donnis looks at Estella and asks her if she can hear him. He deliberately reversed his hand to cover his mouth so that I could hear. ''If you ever have a problem with a man who is not willing to compromise, you can talk to me. I''ll give you a good talking to. ''Yes, yes......, that''s not ...... yet............ ...... haha. So, if you get the chance. ''Mm!I''m on your side, Ms. Crea Mona. I have no idea who you''re talking about, but no matter what you say, I''ll be able to debunk it with a simple ''don''t tell me''. You perennial slacker. After the greeting, which I couldn''t tell whether they were bidding farewell or just saying what they wanted to say to each other so that they wouldn''t leave anything unsaid, we left the woods together. We come to the red iron gate of the 24th District Church. Once we pass through here, the party is over. The carriages parked in front of us will take us back to our respective homes. ''Never!You''ll definitely come back to visit us, Estella!My knight!My eternal rival Magda! Rebecca clings to Estella and presses her head against her. But when did Magda ...... become Rebeka''s rival? I don''t know. The party was a success, although there were some unimportant mysteries left at the end. We have a good relationship with the 24th district. Koji and soybeans. The benefits of this city''s specialties to us are immeasurable. Let''s quickly get rid of BU and start making money involving the 24th district. While I was thinking about this, Sophie reverently put her hand on the heavy iron gate. She pulls the handle without any particular difficulty, and a heavy, earth-shaking sound echoes through the air. Then, the door opens, and-- ''Well, well, well. What a rare group of people. --The lord of the 29th district, Gerasie, was standing there. ''Geraci! Donnis let out a surprised voice. Apparently, Donnis didn''t know either. But what is this situation? It''s as if they knew we were going to hold the banquet here today and ambushed us. ...... Yes, to step in at this completely inexcusable time. ''......Yashiro''. Estella whispers to me as she hides behind me. She lifts her chin and guides my gaze. Ahead of her were the lords of the other wards in ...... the BU. These are the same people who were at the last majority vote in District 29. The only one who was not there was Tracy. ''No need to elaborate. I''ve got it all figured out.'' Gerrardsy said in his same tasteless voice, and announced a decision that would likely never be reversed. ''In four days'' time, we''ll send judges to the 42nd and 35th districts. If they defy or refuse, we, the BU, will consider it a declaration of war and launch an all-out assault on both districts. ''Wait a minute, please!Our reply is still .......'' ''What did you guys do with the reprieve I gave you? Estella''s words were cut off by the emotionless voice. You can''t help but feel guilty when you''re pinpointed in the heart. ''I didn''t expect you to meet with the lords of each district individually and start trying to win them over. ...... As expected of the poorest district. It''s an act of questionable decency. ''What ......? Even Estella expressed her displeasure at that comment. But even that seemed to be calculated by Gerrardsy. ''What is it?Are you dissatisfied?If you are, you can have a majority vote right here and now. He threatened me. If a majority vote were to be taken here, he would be immediately convicted. The forty-two wards would have to pay a large amount of compensation to each BU ward. ''Well, wait a minute, Gellarcy. Then Donnis intervened with a dignified voice. ''Miz McCurry is not here right now. I''m not in favor of forcing a majority vote under such circumstances. In the first place, there is a rule that a majority vote cannot be taken by an even number of people. And even Donnis''s words seemed to be in line with Gerrardsy''s intentions. ''It''s not an even number, Mr. Donati. Gerrardsy smirks. It''s the kind of sickening smile that only comes from someone who''s sure of victory. ''If you''re absent, there will be five of us, an odd number. ''You''re asking me to leave? Donnis lets out a loud, gut-wrenching roar. It''s like the roar of a ravenous beast. A man with normal senses would have been frightened out of his wits by that voice alone. But... ''So, shall we decide by majority vote? ''...... ggh'' Donnis swallowed his words. If we take a majority vote now, Donnis will lose five to one. If that happens, Tracy and Donis, the two lords we''ve recruited to our side, will not participate. ''Let''s hope you stay quiet, my dear DD. ''......, young man.'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. His comfort and confidence comes from the four lords behind him. Those five, including Gerrardsey, are unlikely to disagree this time. They''ve probably rallied to oust Donnis ...... and us. ''Donnis. If you back off quietly, you''ll be able to attend the majority vote in four days.'' ''...... however.'' ''There''s nothing to be gained by fighting here.'' ''..................mm.'' He calmed Donnis, who was on the verge of losing his mind. If you leave, we''ll be in trouble. ''Hmm. I knew it. Gerrardsy''s expression turned grim as I exchanged words with Donnis. ''Donnis Donnerty has lost his mind, hasn''t he? ''Isn''t that too rude to Uncle Donis? It was Filman who raised his voice. But it was a trap. The Gerrards are deliberately trying to provoke us. He''s confident that the more he does so, the more he''ll gain the upper hand. ''You took a bribe, didn''t you? ''Don''t underestimate me, Gerasie. I may be old, but I''m still a lord. I am not swayed by money.'' ''There can be bribes that aren''t money. ...... Yes, like the question of an heir.'' ''.............'' Donnis glares at Gerrardsy. I wonder how much these guys know. ''You were seduced by the lowly nobles of the outer districts to betray the BU. You even brought in the head of the koji factory, a major earner, and held talks in a closed church where others could not enter. ''No, it''s not!This meeting is about the engagement of me and Rebecca, and there is no political implication ......, especially not about the 24th district betraying the BU! Hearing Filman''s categorical assertion, Geraci burst into a belly laugh. ''Marriage?You and the Koji Factory''s construction worker? ''Yes, that''s right!Please stop laughing!What''s so funny? ''Of course it''s funny. The loud laughter suddenly stopped, leaving only a look of mockery on Gelercy''s face. ''Isn''t the Koji Maker still a child? Filman''s eyes were filled with murderous intent. He must have felt that his beloved had been insulted ....... But before Filman could do anything else, Rebekah spoke up. ''I may be small, but I''m a grown man who leads the koji factory. I''m not a child anymore. I''m an adult who is fulfilling my responsibilities to the world," she insists. Gerrardy, of course, extended his arm and pointed his index finger at her. It''s a "Judgment of the Spirits" stance. ''Gerasie! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. But heedless of all of this, Gerasie laughs and says, ''You''re not even an adult. ''How can a child who hasn''t even reached adulthood be an adult!If you want, why don''t you ask the Spirit God what he thinks, with your own body? ''......a............,no.......'' Rebekah''s face turns pale. If the "Judgment of the Spirits" is used, Rebekah will probably turn into a frog. As long as there is a definite standard that an adult is an adult, Rebeka is still a child. ''Huh. Now that you''ve said that, you can''t do anything against my will. Gellarcy took Riveka hostage. Filman was plain and Donnis was unusually bitter. ''Most likely, they were trying to outsmart the BU and monopolize the wealth. There''s only so much land in the outer districts. They could make a lot of money by having the BU grow soybeans in secret. ''I''ve never even heard of such a thing. ''Can''t you prove that either? ''No!Then, please send the ''Judgment of the Spirits'' to .......'' ''Inducing the Judgment of the Spirits is a trap - isn''t it common knowledge among us nobles? It is a common practice among the nobles to deliberately induce the Judgment of the Spirits in order to gain an advantage in their position. Such tactics must have been repeated since ancient times. If someone were to ask me to play the "Judgment of the Spirits," I would refuse. There is no need for me to step into the ring of my opponent. At the same time, I would refuse to present the Conversation Record. They can be manipulated as much as you want. If you have a conversation with someone that sounds like it beforehand. The name of the speaker is not listed. You can fake it all you want. --With humans. Gellarousy will block the spirit god''s magic and then confront Donnis with proof of the devil. It''s impossible to prove you didn''t do it. Anyway, he wants to make the 42nd Ward look bad by making it difficult for them. Maybe he thinks he can take away the soybean rights by tricking Donis. The BU is a coalition that relies on tolls to keep its finances afloat. It''s easy enough to track down a single letter. Gerasie''s reptilian eyes glared at Estella. I don''t know if he''s ever been such a jittery guy before,......, but I feel uncomfortable about that too. ''You seem to be exchanging letters with McCurry frequently, Creamona-dono. ''That''s ......''. Some letters Estella exchanged with Tracy. She must be referring to them. It seems that the exchange of letters was fully understood. I guess it''s natural that the BU is guarded by guards who can only enter through certain passages. I was careless. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... That''s what I''m talking about. ............'' Gerrardsy did not say what he was going to say. But he knew exactly what he wanted to say. Estella''s eyes glittered. Natalia, too, had just been staring at Gerasie in silence. ...... No, she seems to be glaring at the silver-haired head waiter behind her. It''s a check and balance between the head waiters. It''s powerful. ''I''ve told McCurry about this. ......'' With a fake smile on his face, Gerrardsy advises Donnis. ''From now on, don''t act strangely at all. Keep in mind that if you are suspected, you will not only be unable to participate in the majority vote, but you may also be expelled from the BU. ''............ Yes, sir.'' Heavy. Donnis mutters in a very heavy voice. It would be more accurate to say that he growls. Filman was completely overwhelmed and speechless. It''s probably too early for Filman to be in a war of checks and balances between lords. ''Lord Creamona. Gerrardsy said, snickering at his new title. ''Four days from now, you can look forward to it. ...... hahahaha!'' Leaving behind a high-pitched laugh, Geraci climbed into the carriage. An obnoxiously luxurious carriage pulled up in front of the church. A large, black-haired horse began to walk as if it owned the place. None of us said a word until the carriage was completely out of sight. ''That ......'' It was Ginette who broke the silence. ''What''s going to happen to me? She spoke honestly, expressing her anxious feelings. It was only to speak for the hearts of all present. There were many words that needed to be said out loud. He must have been the one who started it. ''I can''t help but feel like ......''. Scratching her hair, Estella said with a sigh. ''I can''t not do something about it, can I? ''But we can''t work together if even the letters are being monitored. ''It''s ......, isn''t it? Natalia pointed out, and Estella bit her lip. Even if she wanted to meet with Tracy and plan a strategy, it would no longer be possible. If she did that, Tracy would be excluded from the majority vote. You won''t be invited to the lords'' meeting. Not even by letter. ''Anyway, I''m going to do what I think is right. Donnis says, slowly walking away. He pushes Filman on his back and leads him to the carriage. ''I have a mission to protect ...... this city and the 24th district.'' That''s all he said, and Donis'' carriage departed. Rebekah, Bertha, Sophie and Barbara did not say anything. All the people in this place now had no words to say. The reality hit them too suddenly. There wasn''t as much time left as they thought. No, not anymore. This is a pretty tough situation. ''...... hey''. Red eyes look at me. ''Yashiro.'' Estella asks me with a slightly grumpy look on her face as she stares straight at me. ''Even though we''re in such a desperate situation, ......'' But behind that grumpy face... ''Why are you smiling? --There was a hint of strange anticipation. ''Am I smiling? ''Yes, you''re smiling. You''re smiling with the worst face ever.'' ''The best smile ...... I''ve ever seen. ''Is it your ears that are bad?Or is it your brain that''s processing the information? Both are doing very well. Well, you''re smiling, ...... but you can''t help it, can you? Because, for the first time in a long time,...... You can''t blame them, though, because for the first time in a long time, a new name has been added to the list of names that don''t hurt your feelings even if you smash them. 324-Episode 236 Return to Ward 42 The carriage on the way back was much quieter. In the carriage were myself, Estella, Magda, Loretta and Delia. Masha said she was going to Lucia''s, and got into the same carriage with Natalia and Milly. Umaro and the others would return after they had finished clearing the stalls. It would be night before they reached the Forty-second District. As for Assunto, he had some work to finish in the other side of the city and was going separately. Ginette, Bertina, and the kids are in the carriage that follows ours. It''s pretty quiet for a carriage full of kids. The only sound is the rattling of the wheels. ''I''ve left a message for Natalia. I didn''t have time to write a letter.'' ''To Lucia?'' ''Yes. She wanted to talk to you as soon as possible.'' The sudden start of the conversation elicited a faint reaction from the passengers. I''m curious about you. I just don''t know what to say. Well, it''s easier said than done. There''s no point in arguing over speculation here. It would be better for us if you were a little quieter. We have a lot to think about. How do we put the pieces together? ...... But we don''t have many pieces on hand. ''I wouldn''t get your hopes up with Mr. Tracy and Mr. Donati. Estella looks down at the floor and lets out a weak voice. ''It''s a shame. ...... I thought we had a good relationship. ............ If only we had a little more time, maybe two more. ......'' You can win the majority of the vote if you can get four of the seven lords of the districts belonging to the BU to join your side. It''s true that I started with such an idea. ...... ''It''s no use thinking about it now. The rest of the world won''t sway to our side no matter what. We''ve seen the end of minorities before our eyes. ''Minorities...... Mr. Donati, isn''t it?'' ''Oh.'' In BU, belonging to the majority is justice. If you are in the majority, no harm will come to you. You can exercise your rights and receive benefits. However, if you become a minority, you will be deprived of these benefits at once. ...... Minorities are losers. Losers. They are no better than a hair out of place. ...... That''s a nice little rhyme. Okay. ''Minorities are hairless.'' ''............ Sorry. I''ve been thinking about it a lot, and it just doesn''t make sense.'' I see. You don''t get it. Estella, you need to work on your senses. ''...... Perhaps I mistook it for ''loser''.'' ''Oh, "loser" and "hair loss" ...... look a bit alike! Magda is on the right track. But it''s not just a mistake, you know. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''''''Aaah~'''''' Delia''s crazy theory made the whole car shout in agreement. ''''You can''t mistake it for something like that! ''''Besides, transparent bras are in the majority, aren''t they! ''Yes, everyone. Be careful with transparent bras~. Let''s put on a jacket...'' With Estella''s devilish words, all the girls in the car began to put on their jackets and lap drapes. ...... d*mn it! ...... I thought it was a show bra, but Ukrines said something I didn''t understand, like ''it''s invisible and fashionable''. I wonder if our sensibilities don''t match. ...... ''d*mn!You''ve ruined the serious atmosphere!'' ''Whose fault is that? ......'' It was Estella who couldn''t notice my clever play on words, and Delia who brought up the transparent bra. It''s not my fault. ''But I''m sure the other lords were horrified. ......'' Estella suddenly turned back to the conversation, a serious expression on her face. Fear......''I don''t want to be like that,'' she said, fear mixed with mockery and anxiety. ''The only troublesome thing is that the person who gave you that fear is not the lord of the 29th district.'' ''What?Aren''t you following Mr. Erlin because you''re afraid of him?'''' ''You know, ......, you''ve seen enough to know that, right? The current head of the BU is indeed Gerasie Erlin of the 29th district, but the one who is holding the BU people in fear is... ''Synchronization. Anyone who acts differently is ''evil'' - such a consciousness is not extreme, but actually prevalent in the BU. If you say ''I don''t think so'' in that situation, you will be kicked out to the minority side, saying ''Then you are on the other side. ''They may think that they are seven people working together to make allies, but in reality, they are in a situation where everyone other than themselves is also an enemy. You can''t play games. Everyone around you is your enemy, so you can''t even make a bad move. The entire BU has become a surveillance society. ''So we can''t expose the evil of the Gerrasi and say, "Come on, turn against them! You can''t do that. ''...... Is that what Yashiro did when he fought with Assunto? ''It''s like that. Magda''s opinion is not entirely wrong. The method I used when I had a war of words with Assunto was to create a common enemy and bring him to our side at once. When there is a common enemy, a powerful bond can be created even between people who do not know each other very well. Or rather, it is easy to make people believe that a bond has been formed. But we can''t use that technique this time. It could not be used in the first place. There are two situations in which I cannot use this technique of creating a common enemy and drawing them to my side. The first is if you don''t like me enough to appeal to them. The incident on the main street when I had a run-in with Assunto. At that time, the people in District 42 knew very little about me. For better or worse, they didn''t have any information about me. That''s why I was able to win them over. But if the crowd was disgusted with me, as they were at the gluttony contest. No matter how many words I say, their voices fall on deaf ears. It''s as if I''ve put a lid on my heart, and my words are rejected. And one more thing. That''s when the common enemy is me. That''s exactly what happened to BU this time. During the gluttony contest, I made "Obayashi" the common enemy so that "42nd district" would not be an enemy of the crowd. By manipulating the impression that ''it''s Obayashiro who''s bad'', he made people think that ''District 42'' and the ''Acting Lord of District 42'' were his allies. By making the audience think that they were allies with a common enemy, Obayashi, a sense of solidarity was created, and Estella''s words would reach the audience more easily. That was the goal. But this time, in BU, the common enemy is the 42nd district, which includes both Estella and me. And anyone who joins the enemy will be recognized as an enemy. The same goes for Lucia in District 35, Tracy in District 27, and Donis in District 24. ...... The BU''s have been united from the beginning and will not even negotiate with the enemies that appear later. The "enemy" will continue to be the "enemy," and the unity of the BU will grow stronger. However, on the other hand, it can be said that the unity of the BU is only to the extent that it is immediately recognized as an enemy when it comes into contact with an enemy. Robust and fragile. It''s like a bond that''s only ostentatious in appearance, like papier-m?¡éch??. ''What a cowardly bunch. They only care about what others think. ''But that''s why they''re so tough. It''s a disgusting aspect of nobility. ...... Haha.'' ''...... Cowardly hexenbiests are hard to hunt. In fact, hexenbiests that are confident in their power are easier to deal with. ''Oh, I know what you mean. It''s hard to hunt down a cheating person who runs away or cheats!My brothers and sisters can be scolded by ...... and my parents can be scolded by .......'' ''Is that so?If Omero starts making excuses, I''ll throw him in the river,....... ''Why did you rephrase that, Delia?You didn''t change a thing, did you? If you have a personality that is as easy to understand as Delia''s, it would be easier to talk about. ...... What? ''I might have to go to Loretta''s house for a home visit once. ''Don''t do it!Really, please don''t!My parents are the kind of people no one should be allowed to see!They''re even worse creatures than Wendy and her perverted father! ''Loretta, I know how you feel, but ...... you''re being rude to Wendy.'' ''...... to Wendy''s father, not?'' ''Yes, to ...... Wendy.'' Estella doesn''t seem to want to protect the old man either. If he were to say to anyone, ''Don''t be rude! If he were to say to someone, ''You''re always half naked! he''d probably say back. ''By the way, though, ......''. I''ve been thinking over and over again, ''I should ask ......, but I don''t want to ......, but I want to ......... ...'' Estella, who had been repeating such conflicting thoughts over and over, apparently decided to listen after all. ''Has Yashiro ...... come up with anything? ''How to make the most of your boobs?There are at least three ...... for now.'' ''No, no, no, no! ''First of all, ......''. ''Because I''m not listening!And those three are definitely not ''effective''! Estella is probably trying to do as much as she can to help herself. But her brain and heart can''t keep up with the sudden turn of events, and she probably needs some clues and hints. She feels bad about relying on me, but her first priority is to protect the lives of the residents of her district. --And that''s about it, I guess. ''It''s still too early to tell,'' he said. ''It''s ......, you know.'' So, it''s best not to say anything rash right now. I don''t want you to have strange expectations, and I don''t want you to go off in a crazy direction. However, I''ll leave you with the hope that there may be something that can be done. If there is a way to do something about it, it is .................., but whatever it is, there is not enough information. ''Did you say four days from now?'' ''Is it the day of the meeting of the lords?'' ''It''s the day of the inequality trial by majority vote.'' ''Inequality ......, of course.'' Estella once called the BU''s majority rule ''a fair way to go''. Now that you''re here, you know firsthand. The inequality of majority rule. It''s violence of numbers to silence the opinions of others. ''He said it would be in four days. We can barely move today, so we have four days left. ...... No, we''ll be going to the 29th district in the morning of the fourth day, so we can only really move for three days. ...... ...... d*mn. As she spoke, she seemed to be coming to terms with the situation. In the end, Estella placed her elbow on her thigh and bit her thumbnail. Three more days of ....... ''...... Yashiro. Estella.'' Magda calls us. I turned my head to see Magda and the others looking at us with the same look on their faces. ''...... If there''s anything Magda and the others can do, we''ll help you.'' ''That''s right!Tell us everything!Tell me now! ''I and the guys from the river fishing guild will do our best to help you! Those are encouraging words. Even if there was no concrete solution in those words, and even if they were not accompanied by a reassuring persuasiveness. ''Thanks, guys. If you need anything, feel free to ask me.'' ''...... of course. ''You can count on me! ''I''ll leave it to you!'' Estella expresses her gratitude honestly. She almost cried a little. And then the eyes of these reliable animal girls all turned to me. ...... What? You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''............What? ''No, you can''t! ''No, you can''t! The three beastly girls crowd me. ''...... these guys. ''Hey, hey. I know. I''m not going to be as reckless as before. I''ve said so many times. ...... Convictions are hard to get rid of, aren''t they? I don''t trust you at all. ......That''s how much they care about you, I guess. ''...... If you tell a lie. ''If you lie to me, will you make me drink a thousand needles? ''...... No. Right in front of Yashiro, the manager''s ......'' ''Ginette''s?'' ''...... playing volleyball with her tits.'' ''Boob volleyball! ''It''s me and Magda-chou, with the manager in between us, throwing our right boob and left boob at each other and smashing them together! ''That''s not volleyball, is it? I don''t think there''s any volleyball in this world. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s just ...... that game. I want to see it! ''...... Oh no. It''s all over. ''It''s back to the drawing board! ''The salmon I let escape was delicious! ''Guys, you''re using the wrong words slightly. ...... Also, Delia. You didn''t let him go. I think he meant to say ''counterproductive'' or ''backfired''. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ...... I understand the nuance. In fact, I use it in the sense of "the end result = no good! It''s a feeling. It''s a feeling, you know. But Delia''s is different. Even though she was in a serious situation, the atmosphere in the carriage was relatively normal and joking. This is more comfortable,......, but I don''t know. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. Estella poked me in the side with her elbow. ''Don''t worry about them too much. Not just for Magda and the others, but also for ...... Ginette.'' ''...... I don''t mean to.'' ''Then it''s okay. ......'' ''It''s okay,'' Estella said, pinching my cheek. Isn''t that okay? What are you protesting about? ''Because I haven''t seen your face like that in a long time. ......'' That face is the one Estella pointed out to you in church. She said I was ''smiling''. No, well, I''m aware that I was laughing, but ...... I''m sure I didn''t have a face that would cause this much concern. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. ...... Am I a puffy mascot? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... No.'' ''No, I''m not.'' ''Estella is...'' ''Heh, me?'' While pinching my cheek, the four girls begin to talk. ...... Let go of me. ''...... Estella always sits casually next to Yashiro.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''If we sit next to each other, Estella always touches Yashiro...'' I''m not sure what to do....... Touching doesn''t ...... mean anything weird like that. ...... It''s just a normal thing to make you look at me, or to warn me, or something like that. I''m sure you''ll understand. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. Her face turns bright red as she points this out. ''...... ech''. I''m not going to let you be the only one to say that, Yashiro! In the event that you have any questions concerning where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s because of your extreme reaction that you get called out on so many things. Donnis and the like... ''Anyway, just let go of me, whatever. My cheeks will fall off.'' ''...... new discovery'' ''Yes, sir!My brother''s cheeks feel surprisingly good! ''I think I know why Estella wants to touch you! ''Just let me go! ''...... Almost there.'' ''Just a little more.'' ''Just a little more, huh?Jashiro. See? And so my cheeks were puckered all the way until we reached the 42nd district. ...... Maybe, but it''s a little sore. Back to the 42nd district, we got off the carriage in front of the lord''s mansion. And-- ''I''ve been waiting for you!Well, the new bearings I made are performing very well, take a look! ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. What a coincidence to meet you here. I have some of the finest wood I could find this morning, by chance!Would you like to see it?I''m sure it''ll be good material for playground equipment. ''Oh, Yashiro. I was thinking, when you use our eggs to make doughnuts, use only the yolks. ......'' ''Welcome back, Yashiro!I put some lettuce and lemon on the side of the plate for the fruity sausage. ......'' ''Yes, stop!You guys need to calm down! --There were a lot of people waiting for me. No, not greeters, salesmen? ''Wait a minute, ......, we''re in a lot of trouble.'' ''What kind of trouble? As the girls crowded around him, Theron looked worried. He has a new brick in his hand. ............ You too, Theron? ''Yashiro. ...... Huh?What''s this?Is it a blue sky market?'' Ginette gets out of the carriage after him and rolls her eyes at the temporary flea market. That''s right. It looks that way, doesn''t it? ''Well, I''m late to the party, aren''t I? Regina comes in with a carefree voice. Did you come to show off your new drug? ''You should have seen it. I''ve written a new type of thin book that reverses the roles of myself and the fox carpenter, and it''s quite a masterpiece. ...... Ah!I''m not sure what you''re doing. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... It''s a bad omen. I don''t have a role to play in the first place. And so, hero. ...... What''s the big deal?'' ''Oh, ...... well, let''s just say. I''ll tell you. I don''t know if I''m going to be able to help these guys, but ...... it''s something that could affect the entire 42nd district. Theron, in particular, must be curious because he thinks it''s their wedding that triggered it. With their faces like this, there might be fewer couples who want to have a wedding. If that happens, the amount of money coming into the sunny house will decrease. After all, it''s the only restaurant on the road to the church and a pioneer in wedding receptions. It''s also a pioneer in cakes. Every time a wedding is held, a substantial amount of money rolls in. It''s ...... expected. So, aside from Theron, Wendy needs to have an aura of happiness around her every day. If Theron is like this, Wendy will be depressed. ''Do you have time after this?Let''s go to the Sunken Pavilion and talk. ''I''ll be there! ''Of course, no problem! ''Can I go home and tell my dad that I''ll be late? ''Yeah, me too!I have to go tell Dad. ''Okay, we''ll meet at the Sunlit Pavilion in thirty minutes. ''I''ll prepare something delicious for you. With the new product in hand, each of them headed back to their homes. Let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion, too. I want to settle down at home. And before that... ''Theron. Go get Wendy. Maybe she''ll mind.'' ''Yes, ...... just.'' ''Just?'' ''Wendy has recently started researching light powder again. ......'' ''............ Is it glowing?'' ''Yes. This morning, she was fully exposed to the powder and sunlight. ......'' Now the sky is getting dim. By the time these guys gather at the sunlit pavilion, it will have already become night. ''...... If you see this before you go to bed, you''re not going to be able to sleep. ''I''m sorry, too.'' Theron bows his head. But, well, never mind. It''ll save you a lot of money on lighting. ...... haha. ''Estella. What about you?'' ''I''m coming with you. I''ll write a letter to Demilio and be on my way. ''I''ll write a letter to Demilio and let him know things are moving. ''And let Ricardo know, too. ''Don''t worry. I''m sure Master will contact you.'' ''Hey...'' ''I''m just kidding, I''ll write ...... properly.'' You still don''t like me, do you, Ricardo? That''s deep. It''s a joke that he''s been able to make that kind of joke about Ricardo,....... Yeah. ''I was going to go to Mr. Javier''s to thank him for the carriage. ......'' ''Well, you did say something like that before you left.'' ''That''s not a problem then. I''ll accept your thanks on your behalf. ''No, you should tell Javier about that. ......'' At any rate, it was decided to thank Javier by letter. Anyway, as long as we make him understand that we don''t have much time, there won''t be any problems. ''What about Loretta? ''Of course I''ll join you!I was planning to stay at the Sunlit Pavilion today! What is this guy saying? I think he''s going to move in for real soon. I''ll accept you if you''re willing to share a room with Magda. Rooms are used more than you think. ''...... Magda''s going to have to put up with her sleepiness soon and join us. ''...... Are you sleepy?'' ''...... Magda did well today.'' ''I see.'' ''I''ll be there, but I''ll basically be on Yashiro''s lap. ''You''re going to sleep on it, aren''t you? ''...... I''m planning to relax and listen to the conversation in a cozy space.'' ''No, I''m definitely going to sleep!I''ve had people fall asleep on me a few times and I couldn''t move! No matter what happens, let Magda sit in the chair. ''Bertina''s not going to make it. ''Well, the ...... children are waiting for me, and ...... I may have made them feel lonely, so I want to be there for them as much as possible... ...but... He stroked the head of the kid beside him and said with trusting eyes. ''These children have experienced the outside world. You might as well call them adults now. ''Ehehe ......''. ''I think it''s fine to leave it to these girls,'' she said. ''So, ......'', Bertina turns her serious eyes to me. ''I think I''ll come and have some of the delicious food that Ginette makes. ''If you''re coming, come talk to me.'' ''Yes, sir. And while you''re at it, let''s have some of the good stuff! ''Not in addition to the delicious food? ''Uh-huh.'' He didn''t deny it. ...... d*mn it. ''Well then, Bertina, take the kids to the church for once. ''Yes, sir. I''ll join you on the way. It''s the same way to the sunlit pavilion. It looks like we''ll be walking with quite a large group. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Ginette''s eyes were more serious than ever. She must have something on her mind. ''As for the ''delicious food'' I''m going to make, how about a bun, a candy apple, and fried octopus balls? ''Are you asking me to teach you how to make those? ''No, no, it was really delicious, so I thought I''d share it with you. You''re a natural. ...... I don''t have time to teach you right now. ............ Huh, well, at least one is okay. ''...... Then let''s make fried takoyaki. I''ll get the others another time, when I have more time.'' ''Yes! He smiled happily. I''ve given Magda the recipe for the buns, and she can teach you while I''m running around with Estella. And so we returned to the sunny pavilion with a lively, yet slightly tense atmosphere. Even though we had only been gone for a day, we felt quite nostalgic. Such an atmosphere greeted us. ''I''m back. Sunlit pavilion. I muttered, and Ginette suddenly stopped walking. What is it?I turned around to see ...... ''Yashiro-san, ...... is wonderful.'' I got such words and a smile. No, it''s not ...... that, you know, Japanese people believe in a lot of things, like the eight million gods, you know? I''m back, sunny pavilion. Thank you for staying with us. He bowed his head, and Jeannette imitated me. ...... Oh, this. I''m sure this will become a habit. ''...... Sorry to keep you waiting, sunny pavilion.'' ''Magda. Yours is a little more nuanced than mine.'' ''...... That''s proof that the world hasn''t caught up with Magda yet. ''The world revolves around you, huh? ''Come on, Yashiro-san. Let''s get ready before everyone arrives. Ginette rolled up her sleeves and hurried into the kitchen. Perhaps it''s because she''s back at the sunny pavilion, or perhaps it''s because she''s being taught how to make fried takoyaki, but she''s in a better mood than usual. ''I wonder what''s going on ......''. I was overwhelmed by his power, but I reminded myself that Jeannette was a workaholic who wanted to work as soon as she got home, so I gave up and went into the kitchen. At least I should eat something good to calm my mind. If I don''t do that, I''ll get tired. 325-Episode 237 Meeting after sunset ''Crispy and fluffy, yum! ''It''s really delicious. ''It''s amazing what a little effort like this can do. It seems to have been generally well received. ......, but that''s not it. It''s not a fried takoyaki tasting session. ''You know what I''m talking about,...... overflowing,......, keep talking,...... overflowing,......, it''s good. ''Ha ha ha ha ha ...... yes, I ...... ha ha ha ...... am listening to you.'' I''m listening. You look good, Norma, Nephrite and Paula. I can''t even say ''me too'' properly about Paula, though. ''Please eat a lot. ''You''re making too much too, Jeannette! For Ginette, who could make takoyaki, deep fried takoyaki was a simple task and she had made it her own in no time at all. From then on, more and more fried takoyaki were mass-produced in the blink of an eye. ''Hafu hafu ......... It''s delicious. I''m glad Bertina is here. I wouldn''t have thought so when I first came to the sunny pavilion. Even ingredients aren''t free. But I couldn''t say such reckless things as ''don''t cook'' to Ginette or ''don''t eat'' to Bertina. It''s like telling a frog to fly. I don''t have time to waste by making demands that I can''t make. ''Sorry, I''m late. I don''t think I''m going to keep you waiting .......'' Estella, who had rushed into the sunlit pavilion, let out a wry smile as she looked around the dining room. She seems to have grasped the situation completely at a glance. ''Did you write the letter? ''Yeah. I''m on my way to deliver it.'' ''At this hour? ''Ricardo and Master Oji have the gatekeepers standing by. They can at least receive the letter. They won''t be able to read it tomorrow, though.'' ''No, not that one. There are only women serving at your place, right?Isn''t that dangerous? I thought I said the right thing, but Estella gave me a puzzled look. What the hell. Even though security in the 42nd district has improved, the other districts are still far away and ruffians are still wandering around. ''So Yashiro even cares about our waitress. ''That''s because I know a lot of them. I''ve been going to Estella''s house a lot. ''Thank you. I''ll be sure to thank you. ''No, not thank you or anything. ......'' ''But all our waiters are trained in Natalia''s knife skills.'' ''What''s that, some kind of scary martial arts group? ''Besides, I sent them out in teams of three, so they won''t be in much danger. ...... Well, it''s not absolutely safe, so I''m sorry about that. ''More importantly, the 42nd district is in danger right now,'' Estella said with a caring smile. ''Hmm ...... I''ll tell everyone about it later. I''ll tell everyone about it later. ''Yashiro was worried about you. ''Would you please stop making people out to be good people. You''re going to get in trouble later.'' ''Make ''em up'' .......'' ''Don''t be ...... smirking. This is a big deal.'' ''Oh, right. ...... hmm.'' Oh, man. He doesn''t have a sense of urgency, does he? You still think you''re not going to die, don''t you? No, I''m not going to die. I just want you to be aware of the fact that it''s a big deal that could happen in the worst case. ''By the way, isn''t it a bit bright in here?Change the lights. ...... Oh, it''s Wendy.'' ''...... Excuse me, my lord.'' Wendy, who is standing in a small corner of the room, shrinks even more and bows her head. ''Wow, the lord is bullying his people. ''Oh, you poor thing. ''No, I didn''t mean it like that!That''s not what I meant, Wendy! ''Yes ...... I know ...... it''s my fault I''m glowing.'' ''Not bad, not bad!Wendy''s light is a gentle light! ''Yes, it is. Wendy, come a little closer to the middle. It''s dark around here.'' ''Don''t use her as a light!You''re treating her worse than I am!'' Wendy, who is glowing with all her might. Next to her, Theron is also making his body smaller. He doesn''t seem to have any presence in Wendy''s shadow. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. ''I''m back now. Imelda and Delia walk in together. ''We''ve brought Mr. Bekko with us. ''We''re sorry to keep you waiting, that we are. Imelda comes to the sunlit pavilion and says, ''I''ll go get Mr. Bekko! She left with Delia as her escort. ''You didn''t have to call Bekko,'' she said. ''I don''t think so!Mr. Bekko is the one we need.'' ''Mr. Imelda, ...... I''m ...... thrilled that you trust me so much, that I''m thrilled! ''Come on, Mr. Bekko. This is the fried takoyaki! ''Don''t tell me you want me to make a food sample now, that you do!Is that why you called me here, that it is! ''Leave it to Yashiro-san to take care of the ward. I''d rather you didn''t do anything unnecessary, Becko-san. ''That''s a terrible thing to say, that it is! That''s right. Ginette and Bertina weren''t the only ones who liked the new dishes. ...... Imelda did too. Not to eat, but as a collector of food samples. Well, this is just a status report and a clarification of the situation, so it doesn''t matter who''s here or not. ''Anyway, now we have all the members we need. I haven''t decided who I''m going to tell, or who I''m going to tell. We''ve got everyone who might want to be there to tell us what''s going on. ''Right. Let''s start by explaining what happened today. ''Yeah, sure. Do you want me to do it? ''Yeah, you got it. ''Okay, then...'' Each of them looked at Estella with a serious expression, albeit with takoyaki in their hands. Estella stands up and explains the events of the day in a simple manner. Her reaction to the banquet, her promise to Donis. And then she talks about Gerasie and the BU guys who showed up at the end. ''That''s why we can''t bring any more BU lords to our side. ...... is the current situation.'' After a long conversation, Ginette offers Estella an iced tea. ''Thank you,'' Estella says, and sits down. For a moment, no one says anything. Each of them is probably sorting out the facts they have just heard in their minds. ''Hey, can I have a word? In the quiet dining room, it was Regina who opened her mouth first. She raised one small hand and held her glasses with the other hand. ''What is it? ''It''s really bright when I look at you from this angle, can you move the light (Wendy)? ''Oh, I''m sorry!You''re going to the edge! ''What else can you say that''s not important? Wendy tried to move to the back seat, but I told her it was just a joke and let her stay there. ''Speaking of which, I think ...... Natalia said that there''s a way to send messages to people in the distance using the light of the flames. ......'' ''What?Don''t tell me you''re going to use my light to send a message to someone, my lord! ''Oh, no, ...... if you can''t send a letter, I was wondering if there was such a way. Haha, just kidding, just kidding. It''s true that there is a way to communicate by hiding the light of the flame according to the law, like Morse code or hand signals. But in order to use it, the other party has to know how to decipher it. If you send Morse code to someone who doesn''t know anything, he won''t understand the meaning. ''Even if you can''t send a ...... letter, if Delia shouts loudly, ...... they''ll hear you. ''Yes. Even the people who shouldn''t be able to hear you can hear you. ''Hmm?You want me to do it?I''m good.'' ''Did you hear what I said?You don''t have to do it.'' Magda''s idea was rejected because it was too secretive. ''It''s tough not to be able to work together, isn''t it ......? ''It''s true, if we can''t coordinate, there''s a good chance we''ll be at odds when the time comes. ...... That would be fatal.'' Norma agrees with Estella. If you want to work with someone to turn something upside down, you need to be in touch with them, make arrangements, and make sure that everything goes according to the scenario in production. Take your time to prepare, and when you are ready, do it all at once. This is essential to break the stalemate. ''What about the lord you went to see today?Did he say anything when we parted? Estella answered Nephrite''s question in a straightforward manner. ''I couldn''t tell him anything. He just said that he has a duty to protect the people of his district. ''Hey, Estella. Are you declaring that you''re abandoning the Forty-two Wards? ''No, Paula. I mean, I can''t give priority to District 42.'' ''It''s not the same. You''re a stingy lord, you know that? Paura is angry. Estella appeases her, but the hostility in Paula is unlikely to subside for the time being. ''Think about it from the other side. Imelda says as she gracefully tips her cup of tea, wondering when she had it filled. ''If Estella-san says she''s going to sacrifice her people to protect the other districts,.......'' ''......, that''s ............''. ''You all must be thinking, "These tits! Wouldn''t you think? ''People don''t think like that!Hey, guys! Estella was the only one who denied it with all her might. The rest of them-- ''I was thinking in my mind that I might think that depending on the situation .......'' ''What are you saying to yourself, Yashiro?You can''t speak for all of us, can you? I don''t need to say it, everyone is thinking it. But I''m sure Tracy will do what''s best for us! Loretta stood up and presented a convenient interpretation. She clenches her fists and makes a strong argument. ''Tracy-san and Nene-san are friends who worked together at the Sunlit Pavilion!Even if it''s only for two short days, the bond we share is indelible! ''No, I understand why you want to think that, but ......'' ''Besides, Tracy was crazy about Estella!If Estella says something like ''Save me, my honey'', she''ll definitely help you! ''No, I won''t tell her that! The reasoning behind Loretta''s "absolutely fine" is weak. ...... Imelda countered with such weak evidence. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more. ''''Then you can go back to work at the Sunlight Pavilion! ''''What about the territorial people?'''' ''Oh ......uh............ that, somehow, with effort ......'' Irresponsible! This guy is so irresponsible with his own ideas! ''It''s true that ''Operation Estella''s Uffun'' won''t save the people ......''. ''That''s a malicious name for an operation, Loretta: ......'' ''...... Estella is not milk enough......, let alone powerful enough.'' ''That''s a malicious misnomer, Magda! Ignoring Estella''s anger, Magda pointed at Jeannette. ''...... is the one you can rely on, manager.'' ''What?Me, sir? ''...... If the manager says ...... ''obey me or I''ll crush your feet'''' ''I''m not going to tell you! ''...... Or, if you give all the people in the territory a foot massage, you can take over. ''No, I won''t, no foot pressure and no takeover! Apparently, there is a recurring debate about how to keep an opponent from defecting once you have them on your side. That''s not good enough. Let me calm you down. ''Just so you know, even if Tracy and Donnis do what we want them to do, they won''t win the majority vote in the end. At my point, the area went quiet as if it had been hit by water. There''s no point in discussing how to draw Tracy in here and now. What''s more frightening is the fact that we don''t know what Tracy will do. ''I''m more troubled by the situation where he accepts the disadvantages of ...... for Estella''s sake, even though the conditions are clearly disadvantageous to Tracy - Ward 27. ''When I give you a blatantly disadvantageous condition, I want you to honestly refuse it because it will mess up your calculations. That''s what you''re saying. ''Yes, that''s right. There are times when it''s more troublesome to be made to feel obliged. It can ruin things if you intervene when you want people to be quiet. Or rather, that happens more often than not. That''s why I''d like Tracy and Donis to make an honest judgment about whether it''s right or wrong based on their own position. It''s easier to guide them that way.'' ''Big brother, you''re trying to manipulate the lords of the other districts from behind the scenes. ......'' ''...... shadow ruler.'' ''It''s not something like that! Who would want to control another district? All we have to do is guide them a little to our advantage. For example, ...... ''Loretta. I''ll give you one of the takoyaki I took a bite out of, or one of the clean ones I didn''t take a bite out of. Which one do you want?'' ''No way, I''d rather have the unbitten one! ''Then, ah~n.'' ''Muho!You''re going to let me eat it!Then, then, ...... ah~n.'' Put the takoyaki in Loretta''s open mouth. She closed her mouth and chewed. ...... Immediately after, Loretta squirmed. ''It''s hot!It''s so hot! ''Ah. I put as much mustard as possible in the beautiful one''s takoyaki.'' ''What are you doing? In this way, if the opponent is easy to handle, you can move him as you wish. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re going to have to pay a lot of money. ......'' Well, it''s not good to play with food. I made it good. It''s just hard enough to make you squirm. But if it was Jeannette, she might say something like, "Yashiro-san, you can have the beautiful one," right? Then I''d have to eat the one with mustard. That''s what I''m afraid of. ''In other words, it''s best to let Tracy and Donnis do what they think is best. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I''m talking about, but I don''t think you need to feed her with mustard. ''......But Loretta was interesting earlier.'' ''But it''s not ''but'', Magdacho!I''m not sure what to say. It''s not like that. Donuts were hurriedly brought in for Loretta, who was complaining about the pain and suffering. Nephrite and the others'' eyes lit up. Well, go ahead and eat them. ''Either way, I''d like to get in touch with you somehow. ''Can''t you go and see him? ''The BU is structurally sensitive to people coming and going. I don''t think we can sneak in.'' ''Then why don''t you go to Norma?Unlike us, he doesn''t have a known face, right?'' ''Nice, Delia!That''s right!Why don''t Norma or Nephrite or I go? Paula clapped her hands and wagged her tail. ''I''m always so useless in these situations, I''ll do anything. ''Well, I''m willing to do whatever it takes. ''''Since Paula and Norma are probably worried about you, I''ll go with you. ''''What do you mean, Neffery?'''' ''''Send a message to the unidentified messenger at ....... It''s not a good strategy. Estella told me why. ''When people from the outer districts meet with the lord, they will stand out, and just such ''suspicious behavior'' will cause trouble for Tracy and the others now. ''Is that how it is? ''That''s the way it is, unfortunately. ''Aristocrats are more insidious and clingy than you think, Neffery-san. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''So we''re stuck with no choice, huh? Delia said grimly with a doughnut in her mouth. I guess she hates this kind of entanglement, Delia. But it works so well, so obnoxiously well. ''Then I guess I''ll just have to leave it to chance. Regina looks at me, saying something like that. It was a very provocative look, as if to say, ''So?What kind of solution do you have? It was as if she was asking me, ''So what kind of solution do you have? No choice. I''ll tell you. I''ll see if I can''t get a letter to Tracy. Estella''s brow wrinkles in an obvious way as she says this. ''I''m sure she''ll get it if we send it out, but if she finds out that we''ve sent it out, Tracy-san could be removed from the meeting of lords, you know? ''That''s why we have to make sure they don''t find out. ''How are we going to do that?No matter where we go, they''ll know, right? The BU''s are probably keeping a close eye on letters and people coming and going from the outside. No matter where you go, they will suspect you as soon as you enter the BU. Worst-case scenario, they may call it a checkpoint and look inside. This is also possible if you position it as an emergency situation and require the lords of the land to set up checkpoints. ''As long as you enter the BU, you can avoid checkpoints. They''ll keep a close eye on our comings and goings, but they''ll be indifferent to our movements within the BU. ''That''s why it''s so hard to get into those BU''s. ......'' ''I''m sure there''s a loophole that won''t get you past the checkpoints.'' As I said this, I pointed in the direction of New Town. Norma is the first to notice this, and taps Loretta on the shoulder, who is standing nearby. Loretta, who was tapped on the shoulder, shouts, ''Ah! She screams. Even Estella has used it a lot, but she has completely forgotten about its existence. ''If we use DOKERU No.1, we can get past the surveillance, right? ''Ah!That''s right! Finally remembering its existence, Estella takes action. It can deliver letters directly to Mahrul''s house. Moreover, according to Mahrul''s instructions, it has been built in a position where it cannot be found from the outside unless you enter the premises. If she had told him to shift the location of the letter in anticipation of this, she would have done a great job. ''Anyway, let''s ask Ma''ru for help. ''Right. It is said that Tracey and Ma''ru have been close friends for a long time. ...... In a situation like this, it is not unnatural for Tracey to go to Ma''ru, Mr. Erin''s sister, for advice. ''Even if it''s difficult to call her, I think we can at least ask her to send a letter to Ma''ru. I heard that Gerasie thinks that Ma''ru is ''an ornamental nobleman with no power who has been driven to a remote area''. Well, I think I''ll write to you once to check that out. ''More importantly, I''d like some information about other wards in BU.'' ''Such as? ''Location, main industries. Then the power relations with neighboring districts, economic power. And the degree of dependence on BU, I guess.'' ''By dependency, do you mean self-sufficiency? ''Yes, that''s right. I''d like to know which wards will be in trouble and which wards will be able to survive if BU goes down. ''Well. If you mean the location, I have a map. Theron, who hadn''t made much of a presence so far, stood up and spread out a map of Allbloom on the table in front of us. We all peek in. ...... Wendy. It''s so bright in here, can you step away for a minute? On the map, District Forty-Two is in the lower right corner. To the left is District 30, and there is a high cliff between it and District 30. The same applies to the 29th district, which is located above and to the north of the 42nd district. ''Once again, the territory of BU is really small, isn''t it? ''Yes, it is. I guess the only way to survive in such a small area was to form a community and charge a toll tax. The outer districts ranged from thirty to forty-two. The BU encloses the inside of the BU. It is said that the outer districts have a large territory so that when magical beasts invade beyond the outer walls, they can be killed before they reach the center. In other words, the outer districts are like a buffer zone that can take any amount of damage. In this sense, the BU plays a role like a barrier. Hexenbiests, ruffians, poor people, ...... frogs, and so on. The role of the BU is to screen out such beings that the nobles do not want in their territory. This is what the map really shows. And it is because of this imposed role that BU has been unable to develop industry. All the troubles here are caused by the aristocrats in the center. ''Are the city gates of the thirty districts the biggest? ''That''s right. More than sixty percent of the people who come from other countries use the city gates of District Thirty. The Thirtieth District Gate was the first gate I passed through. As I recall, there was a huge queue at that time too. ''So, less than forty percent of the people use the city gate of District Thirty-five. ''That''s the gate I went through when I first came to this city. Regina''s hometown, Bao Kri Air, is said to be a place where people come by boat. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''...... This is also where Magda''s parents left from. ''...... I see. He pointed to the top left corner of the map, the 35th district, which was on the diagonal to the 42nd district. She looked a little lonely, so I fondled the base of her ear without saying anything. ''............ mfw''. I know you don''t want me to delve into that story right now, but ...... yeah, I hope you find it someday. ''You know, I don''t know much about it.'' Nephrite finished his donut and looked at the map. ''There''s a gate around here too, isn''t there?Are they not in use?'' Symbols indicating city gates are scrawled all over the outer perimeter. The gates of the forty-two districts are not marked. It must be an old map. ''There is a small port in the 37th district. Delia says, pointing to the 37th district, which is in the upper right corner of the map, in a position of linear symmetry with the 35th district. I remember you said there were two ports. It seems that District 35 is the larger and busier port. ''There''s also a city gate in District 38, isn''t there? Paula pointed at the map, and the mark of the city gate was written on it. ''The city gate in District 38 is a gate that the Lumberjack Guild sometimes uses. There are trees that only live near the sea. ''...... is also sometimes used by hunting guilds. Neither of them are used very often. As I recall, because of the lumberjacks'' guild, it''s more expensive to bring in wood from gates outside the forty districts, so they probably only use it when they really need it. And there are also city gates on the west side of the map, on the opposite side of the map from District 42. ''There''s another one in District 33, isn''t there? ''That''s the gate to the mine. There''s a big mine three days away by carriage. That''s new. I looked at Estella and she explained, ''You can''t get ore in Allbloom. Well, I see. Once again, I realize that there are still many things I don''t know. Even in geography, I have not been able to remember everything. It''s not exactly divided into squares like a grid, so there are some differences. ...... If you want to use a square as a metaphor for Allblem, the top side, in order from left to right, has 35, 36, and 37 sections. On the right side, from top to bottom, there are 38, 39, 40, and 41 wards. The bottom, from right to left: 42 wards, with a cliff--30 wards, 31 wards. The left side, in order from bottom to top, has 32, 33, and 34 wards. The layout is as follows. Next to the 35th district are the 34th and 36th districts. In the 38th district, next to the 37th district with a small port, the main industry is the processing of marine products. District 36, which is adjacent to both districts, is a mecca for processed marine products. The main industry of the 32nd and 31st districts, which are adjacent to the 24th district, is processed soybean products. The 33rd district is engaged in ore processing and seems to be less dependent on the other districts. The 39th to 42nd districts, which are blocked by cliffs, do not have any industries of note and have been defunct for many years, and have managed to hold on thanks to the lumberjack guild in the 40th district and the hunting guild in the 41st district. If you think about it, how did it get this far, the 42nd district? It''s the worst location! And the number one winner of the outer wards, Ward 30. It''s a known toll tax powerhouse. Well, it''s not a country, it''s a district. And BU is also a square. There are 25 wards in the upper left corner straddling the left and upper sides, 26 wards to the right, and 27 wards in the corner connecting the upper and right sides. The corner district is bent into a "ku" shape. On the right side, there is ward 28 below ward 27, and ward 29 is at the corner connecting the right side and the bottom. At the bottom, there is ward 23 to the left of ward 29, and ward 24 to the left. Above that is the 25th district, which makes a full circle. Each ward in BU is long and narrow. Each district in BU is long and narrow, and many of them are bordered by multiple districts. Wards 23 and 29 are benefited by the 30 wards, which have the largest city gate. Twenty-five wards are benefited by the sea. Almost all the residents of the outer wards from 42 to 38 and the wards below the cliffs use the 27 wards when they go to the center. It seems that the toll tax is strong in those areas, and in terms of beans, the 24 soybean districts are the most dominant, followed by the 28 red bean districts and the 26 cocoa districts by a considerable margin. Even so, there is a shortage of farmland and the area is not large enough to support crops. Is this the result of making the perimeter wider in order to minimize the number of districts that would be destroyed in the event of an emergency? ...... Or did they want to take as much territory as possible in the central district? Whatever the case, the layout and area of BU is not something that can be called very livable. ''It''s an arrangement designed to make the center more livable. ''Well, ......, I guess it is.'' I don''t think about the outer districts or the ''BU''. It''s all about building a city for the royalty living in the center. That''s why there are conflicts over small things. The royalty and the nobility don''t even know about it, saying, ''Let the people take care of their own problems. ''Then came the rise of the forty-two districts, which were supposed to be the poorest districts......? It''s not hard to see why they would be impatient--and I may be overly defensive if I say that--but ...... yes, they would have been impatient. If the forty-two wards gain strength and the outer wards gain strength as they are pulled along by the forty-two wards, the BU will be under considerable pressure from within and without. ''If the balance of power is upset, the difference between the districts that make profits and those that suffer losses is likely to be tremendous. That''s exactly the kind of thing that would bankrupt a community. ''Well, that''s what happens when you''re barely holding on to such a skewed balance. Better late than never. It is unfortunate that the forty-two districts were singled out for this. ...... No, you can''t back down with such words. If the balance can be destroyed by such a small thing, it is better that it be destroyed. It''s just a matter of how to destroy it. ...... ''What happens if I say, "Let''s make a road between us and the thirty districts"? ''I''m sure the BU will launch an all-out war. Estella traces her finger over the BU on the map - the twenty-third and twenty-ninth districts. ''These are the districts that are enriched by the tolls from the thirty districts. And the BU is a community that survives by sharing the toll tax. Any action that interferes with that profit will surely be crushed. In order for people in the outer districts to obtain goods from outside, they must either bring the goods to the outer districts via the 23 and 29 districts, or people in the outer districts must go through the 27 districts to buy them. In either case, BU will be able to get the toll tax. If you create a loophole there, it will be a matter of life and death, not just business obstruction. ''But even if we don''t do anything, they''ll try to destroy us, right? ''...... Are you trying to start a war? The air in the cafeteria became tense at the disturbing words. No, I''m not. So don''t give me that ''I''ll do it if I have to'' look, Delia, Norma, Magda. Even if it''s ......, you should at least look a little tense, Becko. You''ve got a funny face. ''It''s not my intention to be rough. But I think it''s a good way to shake things up.'' ''Don''t shake the sleeping lion too much or he''ll bite you.'' That''s the advice I get. I know, I know. I know that, but I can''t say that I ...... ''get it. ''I don''t think we can boil it down any further right now. ''Yes, you''re right. I''m in too much of a hurry to think straight. That seemed to be the case for everyone except me and Estella, and no one said a word. ''Let''s talk about it again with Lucia. ''Yes. Also, we should ask Mahr''s opinion as well. In the end, it was decided to discuss it again tomorrow. Neffery and the others declined to participate in the next discussion, saying, ''We can''t help you even if we were here. Instead, they said, ''If there''s anything we can do to help you, please let us know,'' and left us with encouraging words. He also said, ''I am glad you told me many things. After watching them leave in a huff, he said. ''I... I''m valued. That''s what Regina said as she left. Maybe he was a little curious too. She was out in a crowded place. He was involved in the fireworks, I guess. At any rate, the party came to an end, and only the employees remained in the sunlit pavilion. I left Magda, who had reached the peak of her sleepiness, in the hands of Loretta, and I remained alone in the dining room. ...... Now, I don''t know where to start. ''It''s a difficult situation, isn''t it? A cup of hot tea is placed in front of me. Ginette''s eyebrows raised, but she smiled at me, trying to calm me down. I''m sure she''s been working hard all morning. I''ll take his concern and tea for now. ''Well, it''s tough to say. I feel frustrated as if I''ve been blocked from using my powers. ''Are you all right? ''It''s hard to say. ...... Well, I''ll talk to Estella again tomorrow. When Natalia comes back, we''ll know about Lucia''s situation. Then we''ll see if she''s okay. But we have to make sure she''s okay. ''No, that''s not what I meant. Ginette puts the tray she was holding on the table and bends forward to look into my face with her hands on her knees. Her big eyes stare at me. ''It''s Yashiro-san, sir. She bites her lip tightly, her face serious. I''m not sure what to say. ...... at all. ''You''ll be fine. By the way, Ginette had a separate carriage for the return trip. I''ll make sure you know that. ''I''m not going to do anything rash anymore. ''...... Yes.'' I pinched Ginette''s cheek, just as everyone had done to me in the carriage. ''Don''t worry too much. I said to the anxious Ginette, and she pinched my cheek as if she were copying me. ''Then don''t make me worry too much. She pinched my cheek. ....... Return the pinch. Mu ni mu ni mu ni. ............ What''s this? ''Soy sauce, peanut butter, coffee and cocoa.'' ''Huh?'' ''It would be more profitable to have a friendly relationship with the BU.'' He thinks for a moment, then relaxes his cheeks happily. ''That''s right. I''m sure we''ll make a lot of money. ''Then we''ll do well. ''Yes, sir. I''ll support you. After that, we munched on each other for a while, then went back to my room. My cheeks felt a little scratchy, but ...... I didn''t feel bad. 326-Episode 238 Criminals Gathering (?) Early morning. The sun hasn''t even risen yet. Loretta said, "I''m going to go home and prepare for today''s work! Right after Loretta left the store to go home, a human being packed in a burlap sack was sent to the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Good morning, Hero-sama. ''Theron ......, when did you start buying and selling slaves ......'' ''No, no, Master Hero!It''s me, Wendy! Is it Wendy that''s inside? ''You guys ...... need to do that kind of special play at home in secret ......''. ''No, no, no, no!That kind of special play is not ......! ''What ...... do you mean by "prey"? ''Huh? Wendy, who was trying her best to make an excuse, was pierced by Theron''s pure words and crouched down. Hmm, I see. I''m sure Theron doesn''t know much about that kind of thing,......, unlike Wendy. ''Hey, Wendy. I''m sorry. Please leave me alone for now. Please don''t dig too deep. ...... I feel like I''m being defiled. ............ I can''t stand it. I can hear you sobbing in your burlap sack. It''s ...... scary. ''Oh, Mr. Theron. Good morning. ...... What?What''s going on?'' Ginette screams as she sees the weeping sack lying at Theron''s feet. Well, that''s scary, isn''t it? ''Good morning, Mr. Manager. Actually, .......'' ''Is that Wendy in the ......?'' Magda asks, observing the burlap sack. You''re sharp. Can you tell by the sound of crying or the smell? ''Yes, sir. Actually, there''s a situation. ......'' ''...... Wendy, have you committed a felony?'' ''No, sir.'' ''No, Theron. ...... I''m a guilty woman. ......'' ''Wendy, what is wrong with you?If there''s one thing you''re guilty of, it''s stealing my heart! ''''Gosh!'''' ''''Honya!What''s the matter, Yashiro-san and Magda-san!The two of you together.'''' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it.'''' ...... Theron, you''re reminding me of a past injury. ............ I''m sure that was a joke that I said to Magda when Theron was talking about proposing to Wendy, because she wanted it so badly. I''m not sure if you remembered it or if you''ve reached that point on your own. ...... Either way, Theron, how dare you use those words with impunity? I want to punch you. ''...... Magda remembered a few things, so she went back to ...... her room. ......'' Magda ran into the kitchen with her tail hair puffed up. Somehow, Magda seems to have been damaged as well: ...... ''...... Mufu''. I''m sure you''ve got damage. I knew it. I hope my joke didn''t traumatize you. I hope my joke didn''t traumatize you. ...... What if it did? I feel responsible. ''I think the cellophane should be shipped in a jute bag. ''Why me? ''Also, hero, I''m not going to be shipped either. Then why the hell are you dressed like this? And so early in the morning. ''Actually, Wendy is currently researching a new light powder. ''Well, you were glowing yesterday when you said you resumed your research, weren''t you? ''Yes. So, I can''t be exposed to the light during the day. ''Because you can''t sleep at night because of the glare?Why don''t you sleep in the other bed? ''Hero, can you please stop scolding me by suddenly raising the tension?You''ll frighten me.'' I don''t want to be told by the man who brought his wife in a burlap sack early in the morning. I''m in a state of shock right now. ''I''m currently trying to make light-collecting bricks, which are different from phosphorescent bricks. ''Concentrator ......, you mean a brick that glows by collecting a small amount of light? ''Yes. We''re trying to make bricks that shine brightly even during the daytime, even in places like caves where the sun doesn''t reach. ''You can make a brick like that?That''s amazing! Ginette exclaimed innocently. Indeed, light-storing bricks need to be exposed to the sun, but light-collecting bricks don''t need to be. It may be a good tool to illuminate a dimly lit cave, even if it is out of the question for places where light cannot penetrate completely. ''So, if I''m glowing myself, it''ll interfere with my research at night. ...... ''Then don''t come out of the house anymore. ''But you can''t stay at home when the Forty-Two districts are in danger because of our wedding. ...... ''I''m telling you, that''s not true. Estella interrupted Wendy''s plea. As usual, Estella arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion at the perfect time. I can only imagine that she was waiting in front of the restaurant, watching for the right moment to leave. ''You''re a good self-producer. ''It just happened to be the right time. After pointing at me, Estella squatted down beside the burlap sack and said kindly. ''It''s not your fault. So why don''t you leave the BU stuff to us?Me, the lord, and Yashiro, the co-chairman. ''Wait a minute, come on. ''What? Would you prefer the term ''mastermind''? ''Don''t make me out to be the mastermind. ''As far as I know, you''ve always been at the center of the case. What case? I''m the perfect victim in this case. I''ve been in trouble with BU, and you''ve been crying out for help, and I''ve found myself running around more than anyone else. .................. ''...... I might actually be a good guy.'' I''m not denying that, but why do you say that with such a deathly look on your face? ''Um, Yashiro-san is a good guy! ''Ginette-chan. I know you think you''re encouraging him, but you''re stabbing him in the back. ''I didn''t mean to ...... ah! ...... I want to be the shellfish that turns a blind eye even when my friends are being eaten in front of me. ''Anyway, Theron. If something happens, I''ll tell you about it, and you can take Wendy home.'' ''But, Hero-sama, .......'' ''If you don''t, they''ll look at Wendy like she''s guilty of some felony.'' ''Haha, that''s not true ..................'' Theron''s words stopped. ''If you put it that way, it might not look that way,......,'' he thought. ''......Se, Theron? ''What?You don''t look like that, hero! ''Good job, Theron. But don''t lie to me. See? You never know when I''ll become your enemy. I''m going to be a clam in my next life. ''But the people who come to the Sunken Pavilion are all good people and don''t look like sinners. Right? ''I think that''s a bit premature, I...'' Gilberta''s voice came from the other side of the door, and the door was thrown open. Lucia walks slowly into the store. Lucia is wrapped in a gorza, and a rope is wrapped around her body. The rope was wrapped around her body. ''More criminals are coming to .......'' ''Who''s that?Watch your mouth, anchovy! No matter how intimidating you try to be, you''re not impressive enough in a cocoon, Lucia. ''Hey, Estella. What''s the situation here? ''Well, it''s ......''. ''I''ll explain it to you.'' Natalia comes in with Gilberta from behind Lucia. You''re the one who did this to me. ''Last night, there was a trespasser who repeatedly tried to break into Millie-san''s dormitory at the Flower Arrangement Guild in District 35. ''Hey, head waiter!That''s not right!I was called by the spirit of Miss Milly!I heard with my own ears the voice of Millie''s heart, ''I want to sleep with you, Lushia! In the event you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Yeah, thanks for the ...... report. I can see that scene. ''No, anchovies!Just listen to me!I''m not going to ask you. ''I don''t want to hear it, so shut up, you criminal. I''m glad I brought Natalia with me. The Thirty-Fifth District is a dangerous city. ''So Gilberta helped you too. Thank you.'' ''Of course, I think it''s only right to stop her from scandalizing her master. ''I don''t think you deserve to have your master wrapped around you, Gilberta! ''I''m issuing a restraining order on the antennae, if you don''t shut up a bit, Lady Lucia. ''All right, I''ll shut up!You shut up too, anchovy. ''Don''t get involved''. Lucia probably didn''t ...... rush over first thing in the morning after hearing what happened from Natalia. I''m sure she said she wanted to spend more time with Millie and got on the same carriage. So, she''s all wound up. Millie, I hope you haven''t been traumatized. You know?Criminals come here too, you know. You know, Yashiro-san, even if you look like a ......, you are not a criminal. You look like a criminal. Ginette has become more honest. ''Mr. Yashiro!Look at this, my best fried takoyaki (food sample) is ready, that it is!The shine, the luster, it''s a real gem, that it is! ''Oh, the number of criminals has increased. ''No, Yashiro. He''s not particularly restrained, so how can we judge him by his appearance? You''re just as bad as him when you can say you''re judging him by his looks, Estella. If you want to assign Becko to a category, he''s either a ''criminal'' or a ''precriminal''. ''Wow, look at you, Yashiro!It''s like a freshly fried takoyaki! ''No, there''s no need to get excited. ''Freshly fried takoyaki?What kind of thing is that?I''ve never had one before!What do you mean, anchovies! ''Don''t get excited either, shut up. It seems that each of us has something to say, and as a result, the conversation is not progressing at all. We need to calm them down. ''Ginette. Give Lucia and Gilberta some fried octopus balls to eat. And call Magda back to help. Theron, I''m not comfortable in that state, so get Wendy out of the bag.'' ''What?Is that Wentan in the bag?La la la la, it''s all wrapped up!Can we finally take her home? ''So, Natalia and Gilberta, take care of that pervert over there. ''Yes, sir. ''Yes, sir, I am.'' ''Hmmm ......, I wonder what this situation is where the head waiter of the lord''s household listens to Yashiro so easily ......'' ''Estella, stop worrying about funny things and read this letter. I hold out the letter that was delivered to me first thing in the morning. ''Is this ...... a letter from Mr. Marle?'' ''Yes, it is. I was going to send him a letter first thing this morning, but Hammy brought it to me.'' Apparently, right after BU sent the notice to Tracy, Tracy had written a letter to Ma''ul. Ma''ul read the letter and wrote us a letter. Thanks for acting so fast. ''Hey, what do you mean, "I''ll only accept one message to Tracy"? ''Mahr received a letter of advice from Tracy. I guess it means he can only write back to her once. You''d think Tracy would have asked Ma''ul for help. That''s why Ma''ru can only write to her once. ''It means that Ma''uld only have one chance to write back and say that he can''t help her because of his position. ''I see. If you are in Ma''ru''s position and you keep writing back and forth, it could be taken as a plot to overthrow him from within. ''It''s a felony to attract foreign invaders. ''It depends on the district, but ...... you may be able to avoid the extreme penalty. In Japan, the penalty for bringing a foreign invasion is death without trial. The act of communicating with the enemy and plotting to overthrow the state is as sinful as it sounds. ''You can be spared only once. You''ll write a message to me only once. ''It''ll also be enough ...... to keep the contents of the letter safe from being seen. ''You can''t give detailed instructions, can you? ''I don''t care. Just send them a thick stack of paper.'' Lucia says this with a face that says, ''It can''t be done. You seem to be pretty pissed off with the way BU is going about this. Even to the extent that she can''t be too gentle with Merle and Tracy inside the BU. ''Just one message: ...... What can I say: ............'' ''You tell them, "Do what you want. You are only a BU. No matter what I say, there''s no way I can resist. You''re very perceptive for someone who''s been around the block. It''s a little annoying, but I agree with Lucia. ''It''s best to let Tracy work on her own. ''Even if it''s a decision that could push us over the edge? Of course, we want her to refrain from taking any action that could hurt us, but it''s safer for us to create a situation where that doesn''t happen than to move Tracy. ''I''ll tell Tracy, "Do what''s in your best interest,"'' he said. "''Always''? ''Yeah, "as always."'' Without hesitation, I''ll have them follow the one that''s most convenient for their district. It''s easier to read their actions. ''After all, you can''t trust hastily made friends. We''ll take them down ourselves, the BU. Estella, be prepared.'' ''Yes, ......'' ''What''s with you, no energy!Even if it''s two against seven, I''m not going to give in to the BU.'' ''No, that goes for me too, ...... Lucia-san.'' ''...... What is it?'' Estella''s face was slowly turning into a grimace. I''m not sure if she thought this was creepy or not, but Lucia, who was wrapped around her, was pulling away. But I can understand why Estella is smiling. He likes to be around people and friends, you know. ''You trust us that much, don''t you? ''Huh?What, what, what now? ''I thought we had become close enough that he was cooperating with us because of our interests. ............ ...... I''m not sure how long it''s been since you''ve acknowledged me enough to stand next to me and fight with me. You know, Lucia... ''U...... shut up! Estella is the new lord of the poorest forty-two districts. With the exception of Demilly, she has no one close to her among the lords and no friends of her own gender or age. And then Lucia, who''s a cut above the rest of her gender, showed that much trust in me. She must be very happy. Lucia doesn''t have any other lords she''s close to. They''re very special to each other. ''I just love ............ the 42nd district with Millie, Wen, and Hammaro. ''smilingly smilingly ......'' ''Yes, don''t smirk!The only thing that''s creepy about that face is the anchovy! He''s saying something terrible. But it''s cute if you think they''re hiding their embarrassment. grin: ...... ''Yeah, yeah!There''s a lot of smirking going on in this store!Ventilate!It''s not good air! Lucia flails about in her sarong. Her face is bright red. She must have thought about her behavior when you pointed it out. She''s embarrassed. ''Miss Lucia. I like you too, Lucia-san. ''Wow, I said I like her, not the 42nd district! ''So, you like us too, huh? Thank you, Lucia-sama.'' ''What are you even saying, Ginepu?I''m not sure what you mean by that, but I''m not sure what you mean by that.I''m not a fan of that. I also like the flowers in the garden, they seem to be worth a lot of money. ''You really should shut up, anchovy. It''s disgusting. It''s just another way to hide your embarrassment,............, right? Wow, what a straight face. ''She''s talking with her mouth open about the 42nd district, Lucia-sama. ''Gee, Gilberta!Don''t say anything you don''t have to! ''I''ve got .................. gathering information, and I''ve got the waitresses up to date on District Forty-two.'' ''How did you come to the conclusion, after much thought, that it was not superfluous information!I told you to keep your mouth shut about it! Apparently, you love the 42nd district, Lucia. She twisted around in her wraps, trying to turn her reddened face to the other side. You''re a caterpillar, aren''t you? You''re a minnow when you''re hung up. ''Huh, hmm!You''re disgusting!You''re not going to get me out of this mood in a minute! ''In other words, Miss Lucia is urging me to eat the fried octopus balls as soon as possible. You''re telling me that a little bit of fried takoyaki won''t fix your mood, so you want me to put you in a good mood?I''m not sure what to make of it. You can find a lot more information at ....... I''m not sure what to make of it. You were talking to Lucia just now, just like normal. ''The fried octopus balls are made by Magda-san.'' ''Is that okay?You''re the demon god who wants to make them. ''Demon gods are ...... awful.'' He pouted a little, but then quickly smiled. ''Magda-san, he wants a little more time. ...... So, why not? ''You want more time?For what?'' ''Whatever it is, it''s "time to revive" ......, sir.'' Oh ......, so it''s my fault. You can be embarrassed, too, Magda. I''m not sure I remember being that embarrassed at the time,............, but what was Magda doing at that time? I don''t remember Magda from the middle of the game. ............ Was she there? ''...... Hey, wait for me.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. He came back with some delicious looking fried takoyaki. ''Oh, Magda''s good too. Are you indeed a master at takoyaki?'' ''..................'' He stared at me, then silently offered me a plate of fried takoyaki. ...... No comment, huh? And on the way to Lucia''s table-- ''............ Mhmm.'' --He let out a gasp. You''re happy, you''re happy, you''re happy with the compliment. ''Oh, so this is fried octopus balls. It smells delicious. Let''s eat it right away. ''Gilberta. Lucia, since you can''t use your hands, why don''t you feed them to her?'' ''Oh!You''re a good one sometimes, anchovy!That''s right, let''s feed them to us! ''No, Lucia-san!It''s too hot and you''ll die!You''ll die from the heat! Yashiro never shows good will in situations like this! I was unable to see the minnow (Lucia) squirming in the heat due to Estella''s interference. ...... Too bad. Lucia came to kick me lightly when she was released from her wrapping, and then went back to her seat to eat fried octopus balls. ...... Don''t kick me. ''This is delicious!The texture of the octopus adds a nice touch. ''I think it''s excellent, I''m going to try this fried takoyaki ...... too. ''Oh, speaking of octopus...'' ''Huffing and puffing ......'' In contrast to Gilberta, who has been huffing and puffing all day, Lucia is chomping down on the hot takoyaki in one bite. Her mouth must have the same tolerance for heat as an old man in Edo who likes to drink tea that is almost boiling water. ''Ma-tan is coming later. ''Masha is?'' ''Hmm. She''s coming to complain about the anchovies. ''Save it for later, you know.'' The complaint is a joke - I can''t tell if it''s Lucia''s joke or Masha''s joke - but I think she wants to discuss it with us. It would be reassuring if the Seafaring Guild were on our side. .................. Hmm? Hmm? Wait a minute. ............ ''Hey, Estella. There''s a guild that digs mines, right?'' ''Yeah. They''re not near the Forty-Two districts, though.'''' ''Then who''s doing the quarrying and processing of the stone?'' ''No one''s doing the stone ......, though, right?When I build a house, I buy only what I need and leave the material procurement to the carpenters. So there''s no one in the neighborhood? ............ That means you might not be offended if you do something a little fancy. If there''s no one around to get mad at. ''Becco. You can sculpt, right?'' ''Of course, that I can!I don''t have a lot of experience financially, but I believe carving is what I''m supposed to do, that I do. Becko might be able to work with stone, huh? ''Wendy. ''Yes. ''How long will it take to make the light-collecting bricks practical? ''Well ............, the powder research is almost complete, we just need to test the compatibility with the bricks. ...... It will take another month or two for ......'' ''I want you to make a prototype by tomorrow.'' ''What?And, but, that''s not enough time for Theron to ......'' ''Don''t worry, Wendy. If Hero-sama asks, I''ll stay awake and finish the bricks! ''But, Theron, ......'' ''Hey, Wendy. Isn''t it cool that Theron...... works with his forehead for the 42nd district?'' ''......Yun! Okay, we''re down. If we can get a certain number of light-collecting bricks, ...... we can put it to practical use a little later. If we can make a big presentation, then ............ ''Umaro and Loretta can be used with their chins without the need for confirmation. ......'' ''You''re talking to yourself, Yashiro. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. If this all meshes together, we might be able to overturn those silly BU rules. ''Magda''. ''...... What?'' ''I''d like to see Medora.'' ''.................. A proposal?'' ''Don''t you dare say anything that''s not a good omen. Don''t even joke about it in front of Medora. ...... He only listens to what''s convenient for him. It''s a good idea to check with Javier, Medora, and anyone else who works in this area. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try to get them to agree, even if I have to force them to. ...... Worst case scenario, I might need something in return. And the one who is most likely to complain is Lucia. ............ If you can convince this guy, you can manage the rest, I think... ......... ''Hey, Lucia''. ''What''s with the formal face? This is a touchstone. ...... Let''s give it a try. ''Can you give me Masha? ''What? ''What? ''Huh? ''...... Oh my.'' ''What a surprise, I am.'' I''m not sure what it is, but the other girls were surprised too. No, no, no, that''s not what I mean. ...... ''I want to build a small port in the 42nd district. This will change the flow of things. ''...... You think I''m going to let you do that? You will. Even if you have to. And while you''re at it, go talk to the lords of the thirty-seven districts. ''''That''s not good enough. I can only assume you''ve lost your mind, anchovy. The Sea Fishing Guild''s port is the lifeline of our district. Do you really think I''d accept a proposal that would shake it ......? ''I''ll build you a villa in New Town. ''.................. Mmm. ''You''re worried, aren''t you, Lucia? Estella''s energetic tsukkomi made me feel that I was in good hands. At first glance, Lucia''s words may seem repulsive, but ...... those eyes are the eyes that want to listen. Details. The odds. The odds. Lucia knows that the situation is dire and she is looking for a way out of it. There is no such thing as reform without pain. She knows that and she wants to hear it. He wants to know what I''m going to do. ''Let''s hear the details of how you''re going to defeat the ...... BU.'' I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you how fragile and apparent the victory everyone in BU is so sure of is. I''ll tell you how fragile the victory that everyone in BU is so sure of is, and how it''s only apparent. Eat some takoyaki and listen carefully. After that, I spent half the day going around to talk to people I could count on. In order to finish what I had to finish in the two days I had left. 327-Episode 239 Gathering of the Three Great Guild Lea... ''It was properly connected underground~a?? Seaa??'' Masha is proudly showing off her face in the tarai. The sun was setting in the evening. I wondered what was going on when Masha, soaking wet all over, was carried in by Delia, but when I talked to her, she told me that she had swum to the 42nd district. She swam through the route that I had long suspected to be suspicious, and proved my theory that there was an ocean connection outside District 42, which was only a speculation. It seemed that he had been quite reckless, and his skin, like that of a white fish, was covered with many scratches and cuts. ''But we might have to break down the walls of the cave to make it passable for ships. ''How deep was it? ''That''s fine. I don''t think we''ll run aground even if we charge in at night. ''You don''t have to go on such a reckless adventure. The sea that stretches to the northwest of All Bloom curves around to avoid the 36th district and reaches the 37th district located to the northeast. District thirty-six was a bad location. There is a little mountain behind the outer wall, and it is a little further inland than the two neighboring districts. So they found a ''suspicious current'' a little off the route to District 37. It led into a large cliff that towered over the coast and seemed to ...... dead end at the end of the cave. No one had ever bothered to look in the cave before, but Marcia had done some digging. After I said earlier that there should be a channel to the sea under the cliffs in the 42nd district based on the salmon, Masha had been looking around for a water flow that would lead there. She predicted the location of the waterway leading to the Forty-second District based on the flow of the tide and suspected that the cave was suspicious and that the sea still lay ahead. Masha actually swam through a loophole in the back of the cave and discovered the waterway to District 42. That''s persistence. ''The forty-two districts are not in a low position, but the thirty-five districts are in a high position. As far as Masha is concerned, District Forty-two is not located at an elevation of zero meters above sea level. Since we had to climb up the hill all the way to the 35th district, where the port is located, I thought that the 42nd district was in a low position, but apparently that was not the case. ''If the 42nd district was lower than the sea, seawater would have flowed in from the 37th district and submerged it. Well, that''s true. Allbloom seems to be a city in the highlands of this continent called Galea Bloom, and the road from the port of the 35th district to the city gate is also uphill. The road from the port of the 35th district to the city gate is also an uphill slope, though the difference in height is not more than a few dozen meters. I feel like I''m looking at a trompe l''oeil ....... You''ll have to show me a 3D model to understand it well. ''We need to break down the walls of the cave, build a tunnel for ships to pass through, and maybe a lighthouse. ''It''s going to be quite a big project, isn''t it? Estella broke out in a cold sweat at the prospect of such a grand project. It looks like a lot of money is going to be blown away. ''I''ll have the carpenters of the 35th district work on the tunnel and the port. Even if it''s only a small amount of profit, we can''t do it without that kind of return.'''' ''Ugh ......, I''ve always wanted to build a lighthouse, but .........'' Umaro is gritting his teeth in frustration. I''m sure he likes new technology,......, but does living in the forty-second ward infect you with company animals? ''The carpenters in District 35 are professionals in port construction and maintenance. It would be great if you could absorb some things while helping them out.'' Estella followed up, but Umaro kept looking in the opposite direction because he couldn''t look Estella directly in the eye. You''re like a sulking kid, you know that? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ''Mm, that''s right, boss. I''m very fond of the toilet in Estella''s house. I''m looking forward to it. ''Ha, ha, that''s, that''s, I''ll do my best to meet your expectations. ......'' ''Why don''t you look at me, fox master!If you weren''t a Fluffy, I''d slash you! Umaro seems to be a bit of a ''thing'' in Lucia''s opinion. Beetles and stag beetles don''t seem to be so. Well, that''s how I ended up walking around during the day to talk about various things, and now I''m having another meeting at the sunny pavilion. I''ve been face to face with Estella and Lucia for a long time now. Gilberta and Natalia have returned to their respective mansions. Lucia will be staying at Estella''s house today, and is preparing for that. Gilberta has returned and is coming back to the 42nd district. ...... Poor thing. ''Oh, ...... I''m so tired.'' Estella raises her arms and flips her thin chest. Her spine rumbles. You''re an old man, you know that? ''...... I''m sorry, it''s so easy.'' ''I didn''t say anything, did I? ''You''re Yashiro, you must have been thinking something like that. You can tell by looking at his face. ''Oh, you can''t tell without seeing my face, Estella? ''I don''t need to see her face to know. I don''t need to see your face to know. ''Rust in the sea breeze, anchovy.'' That''s a terrible thing to say. I wasn''t thinking about boobs this time. d*mn it. From now on, I''m only thinking about boobs!I''m not going to think about anything else! ''But you''re right, my shoulders are stiff. And the H cup turns her shoulders. Of course it will be stiff, if you have such a magnificent thing hanging from your shoulder. ''I''m not so sure about that~'' says the F-cup as it dips into the water. It must be the buoyancy, I guess. ''I''ve had a lot of stiffness lately. You''re lying. ''It''s an occupational hazard of being a lord. All I can say is get used to it. I''ve been getting stiff too. Not really, Miss. Within the margin of error. It''ll go away in a second if you lie on your back. ''It''s gone as soon as I put it in my mouth...'' You''re a lump that''ll disappear sooner than beef that''s so soft. ''Shut up, Yashiro. Even if you don''t talk, your face is annoying.'' Hmph. He cares about every little thing. I guess he''s annoyed because he doesn''t have any room in his heart. ''Small minded guy ...... no, flat chested guy.'' ''Why did you rephrase that?It means something completely different! You idiot. The heart is in the chest. So a flat-chested man has a small heart, and naturally his heart is small too. Turtles enlarge their bodies to fit the size of the tank. ''You''re like a turtle. ''What?There''s no pause, so I have no idea what you mean. He must be tired. Estella squeaks like a turtle. ''What do you mean, a turtle squeaks? ''Yashiro, you look tired...'' ''Do you want to eat something sweet?I''ll go tell the manager...'' ''Delia, you just want to eat, don''t you?But it''s nice, something sweet. I want to eat it too! ''Okay!I''ll go tell her! Delia walked into the kitchen, ignoring me. Ginette is currently cooking dinner for the people who are working on the construction in New Town. ''And yet, Umaro ...... is skipping work and entering the sunlit pavilion.'' ''Yashiro-san, you''re the one who called me here just because you want to have a meeting! ''Would you come just because you were invited?Is that normal?'' ''If you''re invited, you''ll come, right? Umaro is talking straight. He''s such a boring guy. ''Gentlemen. Would you like a donut?'' Ginette brings over a huge tray of donuts. With Delia behind her, her eyes sparkling. ''Mmm, let''s take a break. Why don''t you join us, Ginepu?'' ''I still have a few things to prepare. ''I''ll help you later, so you can eat too. ''Yashiro-san is going to help you?That''s a relief. I wonder. I was only going to help a little with the serving, but now I feel like I''ve been burdened with tremendous expectations. ''Excuse me, next door. ''Oh, yeah. She hands the tray to Delia and brings a chair next to me. Because of Umaro, Estella, Lucia, Delia and Masha were all across the table, but Ginette naturally walked towards us. Well, I guess it''s appropriate considering the population density. I was thinking. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Jeannette turned her body toward me, and made a fist with both hands, appealing to me strongly. ''I''d like you to try my most prized creation, Yashiro-san. The one that was offered to him was ...... ''...... meat buns?'' ''Yes!The dough is the most plump and fluffy I''ve ever had! Do you want a ...... donut? No, it''s fine. I mean, I stopped Jeannette when she was going back to the kitchen, didn''t I? But you had a bun in your donut. ...... What?Was I supposed to be stopped? No, it''s fine, but... I mean, I had a hint of that in my mind. ...... Last night. After Estella and the other members of the 42nd district had gone home, I was about to go to bed when Jeannette stopped me. ...... No, to be exact, I let out a small whisper, ''Ah ....... It''s not that she stopped me, she just made a face that said ''...... shun'', but I guess it was like being stopped,......, and I had no choice but to teach her how to make meat buns and candy apples. Then he started making them all morning. I''ve already mastered candy apples, and I''m currently in the trial and error stage of the Ginette method for meatballs. ...... I wonder how many buns I''ve eaten today. I''m sure you''ve seen me make fried takoyaki or something like that in the morning and look like a grown-up. It''s just that I couldn''t make them even if I wanted to because I was letting the dough rest. He also wanted to make fried takoyaki because he just learned how to make it. Of all the new dishes he learned, he seemed to have a strong attachment to the meat buns and put a lot of effort into them. I guess that means he was pleased with the surprise. ......It may be a reaction to being left in the dark. ............ This is not good. Jeannette is addicted to Chinese food these days. If this continues, we''ll end up with a Chinese restaurant called the Sunshine Pavilion. I''ll teach him to make a pork cutlet bowl or something next time, will you? ''Yes. It''s good.'' ''...... squeak'' Ginette writhes happily and makes a small gut pose, as if she''s been stuck in some strange place. But not ''squeak''. It should be ''okay'' or ''I got it'' or something like that. Well, I don''t think Jeannette would say, ''Yes, I got it! but... ''Now, dinner for the construction workers will be fine. ''Are they buns? ''Yes. I''m also going to bring some Mapo Tofu. Chinese! A mobile Chinese restaurant? In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at ............. I''m going to ...... regret this. I''m not sure what to say. Why don''t you at least put your hair in a bun?'' ''Buns ...... are you going to put them in three round shapes and skewer them?'' ''I imagined it that way! I didn''t think you''d imagine skewered dumplings with a dumpling head. ...... Skewered dumplings on the back of the head ...... That''s interesting, though. I think a normal dumpling head with two circles on top of the head would be cuter. Let''s imagine Jeannette''s bun head: .................. It''s pretty good, isn''t it? Ginette doesn''t wear her hair up very often, but the nape of her neck when she wore a yukata was first-rate, so a bun head would be possible. There''s something about unusual hairstyles that tickles my fancy. ''Darling!You said you need me! Boom! The door opens with a wild bang. Medora attacked. ...... You''re not going to smash the door, are you? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen Medora up close, but I can''t help but feel my eyes watering. I feel like my eyesight is getting worse every second. I mean, what''s with your head? Normally Medora has her long white hair tied in two at the shoulders with a pretty red ribbon, but today she has her hair tied up in a very high knot. This is what is known as a twin-tail hairstyle. ''What''s the joke with that hairstyle, Medora? ''Oh, you''re the darling!You''re the first to notice when a woman changes her hairstyle, and you''re the epitome of a gentleman. ''No, I''m not complimenting you. ''You don''t have to say it out loud, it''s written all over your face.'' ''What?''I''ve started chilled Chinese food''? ''Today''s Medora is so cute, I want to make her my wife! ''That''s because your eyesight is faulty or there''s an error in the ''forced translation magic''. Who would want her for a wife? ''Isn''t she pretty? ''The hair is. That''s why the overly strong face underneath is so uncomfortable. It''s like a bad collage image. You look like a fin-de-siecle champion with a magical girl''s hairdo. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the best out of your business. ''Medora, you''re interfering with business. I''ve been using Wendy and the others to instill an image of ''weddings are wonderful! But if you parade, it''ll be like a night parade of a hundred demons. It''s obvious that you''re going to bring the hunting guild with you anyway. ...... Or rather, don''t involve me in such a demonic procession. If you do, you''ll see the truth. I don''t know why everyone takes it as if I''m not full of it. ...... ''Yoo-hoo~a?? You look good, Medamamaa??'' ''Hmm?...... What''s that, you were there too, the sea fisherman? ''Yes, I was there~'' ''You''re still dressed like an a**h*le. Don''t let a woman get cold feet. They don''t seem to be getting along. Maybe the guild leaders of major guilds don''t get along well with each other. ''But this is Yashiro-kun''s favorite outfit~'' ''Give me an extra large scallop for me! ''Hey Medora, that''s terrorism! ''Hmm~......, the only thing I have now is shijimia??'' ''Shijimi ............ hmm~......'' ''Don''t bother, Medora! ''............Yes, it is.'' ''No, it''s not! Masha giggles, teasing Medora. What''s the matter, they''re good friends. The whitefish will interfere by force, though. And then... The door of the sunlit pavilion opens slowly. ''...... ha...... ha............, I''m back... ...'' We were a few minutes behind Medora. Magda returned to the sunlit pavilion, drenched in sweat. I''m wobbly. ''...... medrama...... fast'' I can''t believe that Magda is this exhausted. ...... Medora, what kind of speed have you been running at?A monster. ............ Ah, a monster. ''......Yashiro............Hug''. Arms outstretched, Magda wobbled her way slowly towards me. I get up, pick him up and pick him up. You''ve done a great job. ...... I''m sorry I put you alone with the demons. I didn''t think you''d come faster than a carriage without it. ''Darling, I''ll carry you too! ''I''m sorry. I can''t carry anything heavier than a mini-car. You''re not big enough to carry it, you know. ''Do you have the beast girl all to yourself, anchovy? ''You can take the big one home if you want. It''s too much for me to handle. ''Mmm!My darling''s shy...'' Oh, yes, yes. That''s fine, just be quiet. ...... I wonder if the same ''a??'' can change so much just because the person saying it is different. It''s as different as recovery magic and instant death magic. And so, darling. What do you want me to do about distribution? I had the letter I wrote to Medora delivered to Magda during the day. So I guess she understands the general idea. The Achilles heel of BU is distribution. I''m going to scratch it and use it as a bargaining chip. ......?Yeah, negotiations, right? It''s a little one-sided, yeah. But there''s one other thing I''d like you to do for me. ''...... Do you want me to cook your darling''s ribs every morning?...... Pfft.'' ''I can''t eat something that heavy in the morning. In addition, maybe you meant to say ''your miso soup every morning'', but since it''s a ribeye, I almost chickened out for a second, thinking my meat was going to be burned. No, I don''t have any ribs in my body. ''Yashiro!I''ll cook salmon for you every morning! ''No, that''s enough. ''I''ll call you out on it every morning. ''What, Lucia? Is that what you do for breakfast?'' ''...... Magda wants to have a good meal every morning.'' ''You''re just hoping!That''s what I want, too! I don''t know, Medora''s got a lot of interesting things to say, and a lot of people are taking advantage of it. I don''t have time to pay attention to such things. It''s boring. ''Well~, I''ll roast scallops for you every morning~'' ''Where do you get the scallops? ''You''re biting too hard, Yashiro. ''...... Those contents are not scallops.'' ''It''s not very interesting, is it? What are you talking about, Delia?It''s so interesting! ''Hmm!You''re still a loose cannon, sea fisherman!I''m not sure what to do. I''ll think about it if it''s my medama''s darling...'' The two leaders of the huge guild that supports the foundation of All Bloom are glaring at each other. But I''m more interested in the contents of the scallop. ''''Oumalo. I like scallops, don''t you?'' ''I don''t want you to get me involved in this! As I was tinkering with Umaro while watching the two guild leaders sparking each other, a meat bun was quickly presented in front of me. ''Yashiro-san. Here you go.'' Ginette said quietly. I''ve just eaten, and now you want me to eat again? And when he looked at the bun, he saw the words ''Please repent'' written on the dough. ...... Hmm? ''I used a hot iron skewer to write the words on it. ''Why?'' ''Actually, Sister said that it would be nice if there was food that looked like a church, so I tried to see if I could do something that looked like a church. ...... How about it?'' I tried to do something church-like,....... ''It''s kind of hard to eat. ''It''s ......, isn''t it? I''ve been feeling that way too. I mean, you offered it to me with the complete intention of asking me to repent. Don''t use it like an email emoji. ''So, Yashiro. Can I get back to you?'' At the sound of Estella''s voice, the air that had begun to relax suddenly became tense. ''Yes. There''s no time to play around. Now is the time to be serious. ...... ''Some thoughts on scallops: ......'' ''I''ll stab you?'' ''I have a favor to ask Medora.'' Estella''s eyes are serious, so I make sure I''m serious. I can be serious too if I want to be. ''I want to build a port in the 42nd district, can you send some guards to help me during the construction? ''So you want me to protect the people working in the forest from hexenbiests. ''Yeah, that''s right. Thank you for understanding so quickly. Building a port is as big a project as or bigger than building a city gate. Naturally, the construction period will be suitably long. Moreover, the work site is in a forest where magical beasts roam. Strict security is required. ''What are you going to do after the construction is over?Even if the port is guarded, it will be built in the forest, right?'' ''You don''t have to worry about that, sir! As if she had been waiting for me, Imelda opened the door of the sunlit pavilion and walked in. Behind her, Javier appeared, his huge bear-like body swaying. ''What, did Stewart get called in too?You''re not busy, are you, woodcutter? ''No, I''m working. Medora, as usual, seems to be so involved with Yashiro that she doesn''t care about work. Men and women of the same age, all puffed up and barking hateful words at each other. With all of them together, the sunlit pavilion feels as small as a standing bar. They''re taking up too much space. ''Guild leader Medora. No, shall I call you Miz Medora?'' ''I don''t care what you call me, Stewart''s daughter. Did you say Imelda?'' ''So, Miz... Medora.'' ''You''ve got some nerve making it a question, little girl.'' Medora grabbed Imelda''s head and stroked it as if she were trying to rip it off. Imelda''s head shakes and shakes and shakes. ''Hey, Medora. Don''t bully my little Imelda. ''What do you mean by bullying? I''m just taking care of her. She''s just like the old me.'' ''Medora, that''s not nice at all! ''Insidious bullying: ......'' ''Father ......, I''ve lost hope in life ......'' ''Hahaha!You like to joke, young people! Why do you think it''s a joke? The resemblance to Medora''s youth is ...... more than enough to make you lose hope in the future. ''So, if the lumberjacks are here, are they going to clear the forest? ''Yes, but only partially. ''If there''s no forest, hexenbiests won''t come to ......, but it''ll certainly be safer than in the forest. ''Also, I''m planning to buy some hexenbiest repelling stones. With Lucia''s help. ''I''ve decided to introduce you to the stonemason who was involved in the construction of the port in District 35.'' ''You know, considering the depth of the sea and the topography, it''s quite possible to get to the city gate by boat. ''So I''m thinking of building a port as close to the outer wall as possible, and using the effect of the outer wall''s protection against magical beasts. And that''s what Estella has just summarized, and that''s what we''ve been discussing since Masha''s arrival. ''But, Yashiro...'' Javier''s brow wrinkles as he picks at his doughnut. ''How can we build a port in a place surrounded by cliffs and forests?Even the cliffs can''t be cut down that much, can they? If we cut down the cliff, we''ll get complaints from the 30th district. The road where peddlers drive their wagons may be cut off. Even if you don''t, land subsidence is scary. So, I''m going to keep the changes to a minimum. ''The new port we''re going to build will be even smaller than the one in District 37. ''Are you sure that''s a good idea?You''ll lose your profits, Yashiro.'' ''We''re not thinking about the profit from the port. If we can get enough fish to consume in the forty-two districts, we''ll be happy. ''Hmmm ......, as usual, I don''t understand what Yashiro is thinking. ''Um, Mr. Javier ......, I''m the one talking, aren''t I? Javier asks me a question while listening to Estella''s explanation. ''Are you Umaro? ''Oh, sorry, sorry. I figured Yashiro would be the one to come up with something like this anyway.'' ''Well, you''re right, sir. We''re not looking to steal profits from the ports in District 35 or 37. All we want now is the fact that there is a port. So, as Estella said, the amount of fish we can land is enough to get cheap sea fish in District 42. Assunto might interject, but that''s another story. ''However, Ricardo and Ambrose are fine, but the lords of the 39th and 38th districts are going to complain, aren''t they? They benefit from being ''passageways'', you know. Javier said, taking a step back and not biting too hard. There is no toll tax, but there is a profit to be made by the peddlers'' guild coming and going. But, well, I guess that''s okay. ''If you two frighten them, they''ll shut up. He said, pointing to Javier and Medora. And if Masha joins in, it''ll be perfect. ''Hahaha!Well, that''s true. ''But it''s not smart. Not my cup of tea, that''s for sure. ''I''m willing to help~a?? I''m happy to make it easier for you to come to District 42. ''Don''t make such a sweet voice, sea fisherman!Darling!I''ll let you live in the 42nd district too. ''That''s enough joking around for now, Medora. Tying you to the city gates might help keep the hexenbiests away, but I won''t be able to sleep peacefully. ''Maybe I''ll make a temporary home in the 42nd district. ''Father, I''m going to cut off your ...... ties, okay? ''What?No, no, no, Imelda!I''m just trying to be close to my sweet Imelda, ...... out of parental love! ''By the way, Javier. Where would you like to build a villa? ''Newtown, of course! ''Mr. Yashiro. There''s an unpleasant stranger here. Please kick him out. ''No!No, Imelda!Yashiro, you''re being unnecessary and at the wrong time. ......! Don''t put the blame for your own perversion on me. ''Of course I''m going to build a villa near Imelda!For example, ...... Oh, yes!Church!Let''s build a villa by the church! ''There are a lot of little girls there, too. ............ All you have to do is demilitarize it. ''Imelda, please don''t put a curse on my scalp! You''re not here, but you''re very popular, the lord of the forty districts. ''...... Something tells me that when this is all over, there won''t be an increase in the number of residents in District Forty-two, will there?'' Estella says something disgusting. If all these people move in, ............ I might run away. To a safer district. ''Hmmm... It''s going to be a lively place.'' Ginette seems to welcome it, but ...... it''s not ''fun'', it''s ''noisy''. In the midst of the noise of these noisy people, you hear the door open. All of them fell silent at once and turned their gaze to the open door. ''Estella-sama. A letter from BU has arrived.'' Standing there was Natalia with an unusually serious look on her face. She is working diligently as the head waiter today. ''Perhaps a letter with the same content has been delivered to our ward. Do you mind if I take a look at it with you, Estella? ''Yes, of course.'' Estella opens the letter and Lucia and I look at it together. Then-- ''Yashiro. ''Hmm? ''It says exactly what I expected it to say,'' he said. ''I see. Well, I suppose so.'' The letter is a summons for the day after tomorrow. You are to report to the manor of the Lord of the Twenty-ninth District and listen to the message from BU. That''s what it says. And at the end of it, there was a sentence. Considering the conditions they would have to meet to gain an advantage, I could easily imagine what they would naturally offer. "No one is allowed to enter the lord''s mansion except those with an invitation. Only the lord and the head waiter were invited. If we assume that Lucia''s place is the same, only four people were invited. To paraphrase that sentence... "Don''t bring Obayashi. That''s what it means. Like Javier said, and Donnis had a tendency to do the same. ...... A lot of people talk to me when they''re talking about something. This means that they are aware that Obeyashiro is at the center of the series of events, and the fact that even a new lord like Donis thought so and responded in this way means that my presence was quite conspicuous. The BU guys who were watching Tracy and Donnis must have thought so too. ''You''ll be a distraction. ''Hmm. As long as we don''t have anchovies, the two of us are insignificant, aren''t we?You''ve been lied to. Hey, Estella.'' ''That''s true. But ......''. Estella showed a complicated expression at this predictable development. ''I''m surprised that my prediction came true, and I can''t help but be awe-struck by the ...... situation that is becoming too much like what Yashiro said. Estella looks at me as if I''m a goddess. You seem to be thinking about whether you should worship it or contain it. ''That''s good. She''s on our side now. Take what you can from him. Work like a horse and cart, anchovy. ''As long as it benefits me. Estella''s mouth twisted at the word ''friend''. A smile -- not a smile, but a heave. ''...... While we are careless like that, Yashiro is the one who snatches the most profit. ............ Lucia, you are still too naive. I''m not sure what to say. ......'' Marcia picked up on the words and laughed heartily. ''And besides, Estella. Lucia, who is even worried about Estella, points to New Town. ''Aren''t you glad that the things you''re preparing for this to happen aren''t going to waste? ''Well, yes, ...... let''s take a positive view of the situation for now.'' I didn''t do anything to you. What a disappointing guy. ''Well then everyone. Let''s go deliver supper to the carpenters who are on that important mission. Ginette stands up with a clap of her hands. Outside the window, the sky is bright red. It''s long past dinner time. Perhaps Ginette was looking for a break in the conversation. ''I''ll go get ready. Ginette ran happily into the kitchen. After seeing her off, Estella and I also stood up. Well, I guess so. Let''s go give them a pep talk while we bring in the food. Becco and Loretta and the rest of the project team. 328-Episode 240 and on the day of the event, The time passed quickly, and the day of the meeting of the Lords arrived. Lucia, who had been in District 42 yesterday, had returned to District 35 before the meeting. Estella and the others were supposed to go to District 35, meet up with her again, and then go to District 29. According to Gilberta''s information, for the past few days, guards have been standing guard at every entrance to BU, and the guards have been on even higher alert than usual. Probably, I would have been stopped there if I had tried to force my way into BU. I also heard that they were checking my letters. Because of this situation, I decided to ask Estella and Natalia to go alone this time. If we disobeyed, even the meeting might be in jeopardy. Their one-sided attitude was a clear indication of that. The new letter from Ma''ru also said not to take any preemptive action. So, I quietly saw Estella off at the sunlit pavilion. Estella got into the carriage with a slightly anxious look on her face, and Ginette saw her off with another anxious look on her face. Today, at last, the matter would be settled. Even if you are unhappy with the content, it is not a situation where you can file an objection. In fact, if you do, your relationship with BU will be at its worst, and the distribution you''ve had so far will be destroyed. It''s that simple. ''Heavy taxation on exports to the outer periphery''. All you have to do is to make two rules: ''Heavy tax for bringing in special products from the outer periphery''. If you do this, the forty-two districts that oppose it will oppose the BU,......, and the result will be a war of attrition. The result is a war of attrition. Neither side will emerge unscathed. I think the BU people think that the poor and lowly outer wards will destroy the economy and make it impossible for them to survive in a long war. ''They''ve been scouting this way? ''...... No, they didn''t. Medrama ordered guild members to stand guard at various locations, but no one was caught in the net.'' ''Heh, I didn''t know they were doing that.'' ''...... "Please take care of the Hunting Guild, which is more useful than the Sea Fishing Guild."'' ''What the hell, that''s ......'' ''......, the current slogan of the hunting guild.'' Medora''s got a rivalry going with Masha. Don''t compete with her. ''So, can we trust the members of the hunting guild?'' ''......, not to mention the technical aspects.'' They are skilled at finding and hunting prey in the forest, detecting dangerous magical beasts and evacuating as soon as possible, and so on. They must be good at watching and keeping vigilance. ''...... Besides, Gustave was putting pressure on his juniors with tremendous enthusiasm. ''Gustave?'' ''......, the Piranha man in love with Masha.'' ''Hmm~............?'' ''...... high-pitched voice.'' ''Ahh!You''re that guy from the gluttony contest! The piranha who confronted me in the fourth round, the one with the strangely religious voice that reminded me of a mouse in dreamland. By the way, he was crazy about Masha, wasn''t he? ''So you''re saying he was hell-bent on defeating Masha? ''...... No. Rather, he wanted to fight with her. But that man has a disease that makes him unconditionally overzealous when the name ''Sea Fishing Guild'' is attached to it. ''I think he was conscious that he wanted to be seen in a good light. ...... He''s a bit of a Philomaniac. There''s a lot of pure-hearted men in this town. Too many. ''Well, I guess I''ll be going out soon. ''Ah, Yashiro-san. Ginette stops me as I''m about to leave. Then she told me to wait a little longer and went into the sunlit pavilion. I made eye contact with Magda, but Magda didn''t seem to know what Ginette was planning to do. A few moments passed and Ginette came out with a huge basket in her hands. It was big enough to hold food for about ten people. She holds out the basket to me. ...... I think it''s too much for a single person''s lunch. ''If you''re going to Newtown, could you please deliver this to Loretta-san? ''Oh, I see. ''...... Loretta, I hope you''re alive. ............'' ''No, I''m alive.'' ''...... too much muscle pain can kill you,..................'' That may be true, but ...... In fact, the day after returning from the 24th district, on the afternoon of the day of the meeting with Lucia at the sunny pavilion, Loretta left the sunny pavilion and engaged in an important mission in a certain place. In two and a half days, she had completed a task that would normally take nearly a month to complete. Yesterday morning, he still looked like he was dying, but the fact that he still had work to do kept his spirits up. But as soon as the work is done, fatigue sets in. It would probably be worse this morning. No wonder Ginette wanted her to eat something energizing. ''Isn''t that a lot of food for Loretta to eat? ''No, um, ...... in Loretta''s case, it seemed that her siblings had a lot of snacks to eat. ......'' ''That''s a wise decision. If Loretta is suffering from sore muscles, it means that Loretta''s food will be eaten up by her younger siblings. ...... I hear they''re pretty disobedient at home. I think Loretta is a bit naive. When she is seriously angry, all of her siblings are very firm, and the fact that they are lax means that they think that this is safe. She wants to present herself as the strict eldest daughter, but it''s obvious that she''s too lenient. ''Jeannette. If you want to make sure Loretta gets fed, select a ''nurse'' from among your siblings. That way, the appointed one will be responsible and complete Loretta''s care. ''I see. You''re very good, Yashiro. You understand your younger siblings very well.'' ''...... As expected of the eldest son.'' ''No, I''m not. Loretta calls him ''big brother'', so it''s kind of like that. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that your siblings are quite fond of you as well. ...... I mean, they love me too much, don''t they? I''m not sure if that''s enough. Because we mobilized all the brothers and sisters yesterday. ''Then, we''ll ask you to come to the Sunshine Pavilion to eat what we need. ''...... We''re in the red today, aren''t we? ''That''s because, you see,...... that''s the thing,...... what did you say,...... that Yashiro-san often says? .................. Yes, it''s "investment"! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not that good of a guy. I''m not that sycophantic. Also, what you pay later is not an investment, okay? ''...... There should be a reward. The thing is, it''s pretty awesome. Even Magda is raving about it. Well, they made it in two days, so it''s worth it. And I''m pretty sure it''s going to be the decisive factor in destroying BU. ............ Well, what can you do? ''So, just for today, let''s make it special. ''Yes, sir. It''s special. ...... ugh.'' What''s with the chuckle? If you have something to say, say it clearly. No, you don''t have to say it. I don''t want to hear it. ''Well, I''m off. ''Okay. Have a safe trip.'' ''Give my regards to Loretta at ......, and tell her to get some rest.'' ''Yes, yes. After seeing her off, I too departed from the sunlit pavilion. Carrying a very large basket. I stepped into New Town. ............ What kind of fair is this? There were stalls lined up on both sides of the street in New Town. None of them were open, though. Yesterday, the day before yesterday, there were a lot of carpenters and lumberjacks coming and going here, and there were food stalls for them. Now it''s just like after a festival. Because it was early in the morning, the area was quiet and still. We headed for Loretta''s house, passing by the line of stalls heading for the river. Come to think of it, this might be the first time I''ve been to her house. I''ve been calling him all the time for some reason or another. Loretta and her family had lived here from the beginning, and they had been given a very nice plot of land to build a house on during the redevelopment of New Town. It was an eviction fee or something to that effect. Originally, the place where their house was located had poor drainage and was muddy all day long, but now they have moved to a stylish, sunny, slightly elevated place in the New Town. It has good drainage. It is one of the most prestigious places in New Town, and if Lucia wants to build a villa, this is the place to be. ......, but since Hammaro will be in danger, Lucia''s villa will be on the other side of the river. ''Oh, ...... they''re so powerful when they''re lined up.'' After a while, we saw a row of houses that looked like they had been built for sale, with a sense of unity but with a hint of individuality. There were three houses in total. One of them was the main house, and the slightly larger one was a child''s room - or rather, a child''s house. There was also a separate house that was used like a barn for storing work tools. All of these houses are for Loretta''s family. If you look closely, you can see that all the houses are connected to each other by a corridor. The parents and Loretta live in the main house, and all the other siblings live in the children''s house. In fact, I had planned to divide them into three houses to give them more space, but they seem to be more comfortable in a cramped space, so they live together in a tightly packed house. By the way, I remembered that the hamsters I saw in a pet store slept in a pile in a small space. Hamsters, who are entrusted to help with all kinds of jobs in the 42nd district, have as many work tools as there are hamsters. It is said that the amount of tools they own is not half of what it used to be, and when they set up a storage space for tools, a maintenance room, and a training room for teaching how to use them, they filled up an entire house. I once suggested that we add another house, but Loretta and her younger siblings said it was unnecessary. Oh, no, I remember Loretta saying something like ......''If I''m going to build one, I''d like a small room to isolate my parents from the kids ......''. But she and Loretta are living in the main house, because there would be no limit to the number of children they could have. Maybe I''ll give her a hanging scroll with the word "Modesty" written on it. So, I headed for the main house. The main house has a large bathroom, a kitchen as big as a dining room, and a living room where the whole family gathers. Therefore, even though the rooms of the younger siblings are located in different buildings, they see each other several times a day. Family ties are the treasure of Loretta and her family. ''Hey, Loretta!Are you alive? I knocked on the door, and my sister peeked out. ''Ah!Oniichan! My sister is about eleven to thirteen years old, old enough to be a vendor at the second and seventh stores of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. She is one of the strongest children in the world. ''You wanted to see your sister?Or your father?'' ''...... Loretta.'' ''Oh, what a shame.'' I''m not going to ask what''s a shame, but ...... I think you''re being a little too firm. I hope Hammy will continue to be an innocent child who doesn''t care about all that. ''Sis, I couldn''t get out of bed this morning. ''Is it that bad? ''Digging holes is my brothers'' job, but I was digging a lot to show off. ''Does he want to play nice with his ...... younger siblings? ''The eldest daughter''s dignity is a habit...'' It''s because she''s stubborn like that that her dignity is being undermined. ''Then, for the time being, tell her I''m here and ask her if it''s okay if I visit her. ''Why don''t you just come in? ''When you''re Loretta''s age, it''s embarrassing to be seen in your nightgown.'' ''I''m wearing .............'' ''...... I don''t think Loretta is completely naked either. I''m not even sure that Loretta is naked." No matter how popular Natalia is in BU, the Natalia style of sleepwear will never catch on. ...... In the first place, it''s not loungewear, and nudity is. I''m going to go ask her about it. I''m going to ask you a few questions. And the little sister appeared with her even smaller brother. ''Aaah!Onii-chan! ''Onii!Cha! ''Aren''t you guys in church? The little ham is supposed to be taken care of at church. ''You''re going home today! ''Nah! To summarize the words of the sister barking with all her might, all the brothers and sisters worked together, so she is going home temporarily to help them heal. ...... It''s just more work to have to take care of you guys. ''The store will be cleaned up today''. ''Oh, no, wait. Tell them to leave the store as it is.'' ''Tell who? ''Hmm, ............, you know Umaro? ''The carpenter''s fox! ''...... Your perception of Oumalo is sometimes chilling from the outside, isn''t it? Well, it''s probably my fault. ''If you have a brother or sister who knows Umaro, please tell them that. ''All right!'' My sister runs with her arms raised. My younger brother, held by my sister''s arms, is also throwing his arms up in the air. I guess he''s at an age where he wants to imitate her. ''Yay!I''ve got a job! ''Pika! ''Wait a minute, little brother!How do you know about that? Don''t tell me there are monsters that say ''Pika'' in this world too? Or is it a game of ''forced translation magic''? .................. The latter, probably. I''m not sure. I''ll be back in a minute.I''m going to have to clean up my room for a bit. ...... Aita!It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''The imitation was indeed very similar, but ...... you don''t have to reproduce it so faithfully.'' I could easily imagine Loretta falling off the bed and getting stuck with sore muscles as she rushed to clean up the mess. ''I''ll wait for you in the living room. ''Really?Well then, let me come in.'' ''Yes!But if you hear anything from upstairs, cover your ears! ...... Yeah. So my parents'' room is upstairs. That''s not good for their education, these parents. Well, I''m going up there anyway. My sister took me to the cozy living room, as you''d expect from Umaro. It''s quite a spacious room, but of course not enough room for all my siblings. I wonder where they are eating. If all the brothers and sisters wanted to eat together, they would probably have a barbecue outside. I''ll make a stove in the yard. ''Whoa!No way, a home visit! Hammaro''s eyes rolled up when he found me in the living room. He''s holding a large basket in both hands. I guess it''s laundry in there. ''Are you all right, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''You''ve been working hard for the past two days, haven''t you?'' Loretta''s muscles are so sore that she''s exhausted to the point of falling asleep, but she''s looking quite composed. ''I''m fine!My body is built differently!On a genetic level! ''Your genes are exactly the same, you two. ''Irresistible, the curse of blood! Where do you learn words like that? You''ve forgotten all about metaphors, haven''t you? ''Are you going to do the laundry now? ''Yes!Your pants are delicate, so you need to wash them by hand! ''......, I know Loretta told you to do that, so don''t spread out your pretty pink pants and show them to me. You''ll get blown away later. Loretta seems to be wearing some pretty pants. I wondered what I would do if she was wearing tattered ones to save money, but I was relieved. Just then, my sister comes back. ''Hey, big brother. My sister said I can go get her.'' ''Oh. Let''s go then. ''I''m coming too! ''No, you go do the laundry. ''I''ll save it for later! ''That''s just putting off work, isn''t it? Sandwiched between my sister and Hammaro, I headed for the second floor of the main house. There are several rooms on the second floor as well. ...... Well, it''s dangerous to let young siblings live here. ............ Those parents. ''This is my sister''s room. You can easily imagine that, if you open the door without knocking, you will be very angry! I can easily imagine you guys being pissed off.'' Loretta is a girl of her age. ...... ''I''m telling you to knock! She''s saying that too. ''Then let''s open it without knocking. --I''ll just knock. ''No, he said knock.No, I always tell you to knock, don''t I? Loretta wraps herself in the covers on the bed. Yeah, yeah. That''s the reaction I expected. ''What if I''m changing my clothes, big brother? ''You wouldn''t bother to change your clothes when you heard I was coming, would you? ''Of course I would!I''d change into a clean, comfortable loungewear! ''...... Don''t go out in your nightgown.'' ...... You''re Loretta, but you smell a little sweet and nice. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what to do. ''I''ve got some potpourri in my room that Miriri taught me about! Ah, that reminds me, the potpourri you taught me before. There''s a vial full of bright petals on the table. ''Did you make it yourself? ''Yes, sir. I''ve been doing it from time to time since you taught me. It''s a bit of a hobby. ''You have a hobby? ......'' ''Of course I do. ''And you make things? ''Heh, ...... watching your brother makes me want to make something too.'' So you''re making something you can do. ''You''re like a girl, you know that? ''I''m a girl!What do they think I am? Loretta''s room was a very girly room. A white, round doll that Ginette had made for her was displayed on her bedside table. It''s a motif from the ...... teru teru bozu. The sheets on the bed are also dyed in a floral pattern. If you want to have them made by Ukrines, it will cost you a lot. ''I dyed this together with Mr. Nephrite while learning from him. ''Nephrite, can you dye? ''That''s great, Mr. Neffely. He''s good enough to make a living at it.'' Well, I don''t think Nephrite does anything but poultry farming. I see, you''re that good. ............ Let''s try indigo dyeing. For yukata fabric. You''re good at that. You should do this for Jeannette. She''d love it. ''I''ll make them for the manager and Magda next time I''m off. ''Oh, go ahead and do that. ''I''ll make one for you too, brother!You can look forward to it. I''m not a fan of floral ...... patterns. ''Make sure it''s something I''d like. ''Boobs are a bit ......'' ''Who would sleep in a futon like that? In Japan, they have sheets for sleeping together. I don''t want it. Breasts drawn on a flat surface are not breasts! I like those bulges! ''Flat surfaces are not tits! ''You should apologize to Estella-san! You''re a good judge of character. You should be the one apologizing. ''So, Jeannette made you lunch.'' ''Wow!That''s great to hear!If I eat the manager''s cooking, my muscle pains, sprains, and mysterious golden bindings will all be cured at once! ''Elixir, his food is ......, he must have used it very hard, your muscles. The twitching and tying up are both signs of extreme fatigue. ''Sister. Can you get two more people to take care of Loretta? ''Sure!I''ll go get them! ''Um, big brother. I''m not the one who needs to be nursed. ......'' ''No, you need a nurse. ......'' ''Yum!It''s a great snack! ''And you can''t prevent people like this, can you? ''Hammaro, what are you snacking on? ''Hammaro? ''It''s you!You''re the one who''s chewing on the fried chicken without permission! The guy who''s about to go do the laundry is picking at the fried chicken with his bare hands. Don''t touch the laundry with that. ...... ''Wipe!Just the clothes.'' ''Hey!You can''t wipe with your clothes! ''I''m fine!This is your Pantu! ''Nyohaaaa!Don''t spread it out!Don''t look at it either, big brother! Yeah. Sorry. I already saw it, just now. I''ll go do the laundry. ''I refuse to eat a lot of food! ''Hammaro. Go to the sunny-side up after work. You can eat as much as you like.'' ''I''ll work harder if I have a reward! In high spirits, Hammaro went out to do the laundry. ...... It''s really hard to deal with these guys every day, isn''t it? ''Loretta, good work. ''...... I''m really tired.'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to take advantage of it. ...... Oh, shit. This sweet scent makes me weirdly aware of the girl inside Loretta. ''Hey, do you want to hang a statue of Javier around here? ''No, I don''t want to, it''ll be right in my face when I sleep! Since it''s Loretta''s room, I''d like to have a little more laughter in it. At any rate, I''ll complete the errand she asked me to do. ''Bento, can you eat? ''Ugh ......, my arm hurts, but I can at least eat.'' ''It''s because you don''t usually dig holes and you''re too eager. ''Because I''m the ...... eldest daughter.'' ''I told you to take the lead, didn''t I?I thought it was best to leave it to you, the eldest daughter, to mobilize all the ham kids and take control. ''It''s true that Umaro and the others are very lenient with their younger siblings, so it would have been a little difficult to finish in two days. Even though Hammy likes to work, it doesn''t mean he''s not tired. Above all, they are still children. Their physical strength is not infinite, and their energy is not sustained by their desire to play. That''s why they had to work without a break. I have to say some harsh things. In that case, it would be difficult for Umaro and the others to do so. So, Loretta. ''You made me reckless. ''Hahaha...... sure, it was a bit hard. But ......''. Hold her knees and gently place her head on them. He sits up in a triangle on the bed and says happily and proudly. ''It made me think, "Oh, we''re working now. I thought, ''This is the best thing that could happen to the 42nd district. And embarrassed. ''...... I''ll do anything you ask. He said that to me. That''s a nice thing to say. ...... I''m going to need a reward for this. ''Loretta, what do you want to eat?I''ll feed you.'' ''Whaaaaat?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... I''m the eldest, and I''m not a spoiled brat like that. ...... ........................I want to eat an omelet. It seems that he was struggling with something, but eventually he broke down. He cut the omelet into bite-sized pieces, picked them up with his chopsticks and brought them to Loretta''s mouth. ''Oh, that ............ thing, I want you to say that ...... thing, the standard ...... thing.'' What?The classic ...... Oh, that. ''Loretta is normal...'' ''It''s not that!And it''s not a classic! I know, I know. ''......Here, ah~'' ''Ehehe ...... big brother, you''re so sweet.'' ''Hurry up.'' ''Yes, sir. ...... Ah~n.'' Loretta opens her mouth,...... and closes her eyelids for some reason. You''re not going to kiss her, so keep your eyes open. You''ve got to keep your eyes open. At that time-- ''I''ve been chosen to take care of my sister! I''ve been selected for a big job! ''I''ll heal any illness or injury! --The three sisters ran into the room and froze. ''''''...... ah'''''' ''''Nyah, nyah, ah, um, this is not ...... the same! Loretta, who is in a big hurry to get out of the way. I''m not sure what to do. I think she doesn''t want her sister to see her being spoiled, as the eldest daughter. ''Big sister. ''Big brother. ''''What, what is it ......?'''' ''''''Mom and Dad, do you want me to go get them?'''''' ''''You don''t need to do anything else! Somehow, I feel like I''m going to be made part of the family if I stay in this house. So I decided to leave as soon as possible. So I decided to leave early and walked around the New Town. Finally, the sky turns to the color of morning. It will be a long time before Estella meets up with Lucia. It will be much longer before we reach the 29th district. We''ll have to do this before then. Prepare to turn BU upside down. And so I start walking towards the river again. In the direction of the cliff where Todokeiru No. 1 stands. 329-Episode 241 Lordship Talks Begin Just after noon. The carriage in which Estella and Lucia are riding arrives at the mansion of the Lord of the 29th district. The two head waiters stand vigilantly in front of the lord and step carefully into the hall. You are led down a corridor to a conference room where, as before, all the lords of BU are present. The seven lords are already in the conference room, silently looking at Estella and Lucia as they enter. Tracy and Donis are also in attendance as lords of the BU side. As expected of a lord. They''ve got their heads held high. Nene seems to be a bit nervous, but Donnis'' butler seems to be calm. I guess that''s the difference in experience and qualifications. Estella and Lucia take their seats, and Natalia and Gilberta stand close behind them. They stare at each other. The air in the room is tense. ''Good of you to come. We have no intention of wasting time, nor do we have any reason to do so. Therefore, we will just make a quick announcement and end this meeting.'' ''Objection. As usual, Lucia''s dignified voice rebuffed the one-sided tone of the 29th district lord Geraci''s words. It''s a good thing that you''ve got a good idea of what you''re looking for. ''Do not forget that you are in a position to be judged. You must know the damage and suffering we have suffered, and you must remember that you must make full remorse and compensation. ''If you unilaterally impose sanctions on us without even listening to our arguments, it is nothing but aggression. Do you think we''ll just go along with it? ''If you do, your district will be isolated from Allbloom, all logistics will be cut off, and you will be forced to prepare for destruction. I repeat, this has already been decided. You need to be very aware that you are in a position to just shut up and listen to what we have to say. In a rather sluggish manner, Gerrardsy continued to speak without hesitation. It is as if he is reading a prepared text. In fact, he is probably just reading a prepared text. In fact, he is probably just reading a prepared text. There are several patterns, and he is uttering platitudes according to them. He didn''t talk like this when I met him in front of the 24th district church. The "unconventional youths" who came to Ma''ru''s house for interviews were doing the same thing as Gerasie is doing now. That is to say, they were prepared to be contradicted, and they were set up to shut down their opponents'' arguments. From the beginning. If we take strong measures, they will impose further sanctions in accordance with the established methods, and will continue to apply nasty pressure on us until we give in. Until we give up and say we will pay compensation. Forever. But that''s a dangerous strategy that can only be applied if the other side is within the realm of imagination. There is a thing called the bandwagon effect. People tend to assume that the option that has the most support among several options is the right one. Even if we think something is obviously wrong, if everyone else says that it is not wrong, we somehow think that it is not wrong. Humans have an unconscious habit of trying to fit in with their surroundings. BU''s approach is nothing but pressure that utilizes this bandwagon effect. You are brought into the territory of the other side in a one-to-seven situation, and you are accused of being ''bad''. Then, people are weak-minded creatures who think that they might really be at fault. But... This time there were two. And one of them is Lucia, who looks like a hairy heart, and the other one is Estella, whom I''ve let in on. ''So, I guess negotiations have broken down. Estella leaves the table as I told her to do. ''Wait!Where are you going? Gerasie shouted in panic. What, ......, have you gone beyond the expected? Your tone is back. You''ve got a long way to go. ''If this is not the place for discussion, then there is no point in staying. We are currently being unjustly suppressed under suspicion we don''t remember. This is nothing but an act of gross violation of the ''right to live freely'' recognized by the Spiritual Church. We will not abandon all possibilities, including filing a lawsuit with the General Court, and will decide how we will respond. ''Are you sure?'' Gelercy''s voice returned to its original tone. I guess filing a complaint with the General Court falls into their category. ''The General Court does not take into account the feelings and circumstances of the individual. It is a place of fair judgment based on absolute evidence and logic. If you want to go there, we will do our best to prove our legitimacy. We are already prepared to do so. If you file a lawsuit, you will suffer unparalleled humiliation and misery in your lifetime. Estella stares silently at Geraci. And then. ''I''m sorry, I don''t understand what you''re saying. ''Huh? Estella says with a fresh smile. At the same time, Gerasie stands up, her face twitching. Seeing this exchange, Lucia burst out laughing with her mouth wide open. ''Ha-ha-ha!You''ve got a point, Estella. ''Shut up!Don''t be so rude, Creamona!Do you have any idea where we are? ''Isn''t ...... the place where the trap was laid to trap us according to the plot? ''...... what ......?'' Gelercy was at a loss for words. Perhaps he was confused by the fact that he was being called a plot device. ''You''re looking at our reactions and choosing the appropriate one from a number of standard phrases, aren''t you? ''On what basis is ......''? ''That counter-argument was also prepared to avoid being trapped in the "Judgment of the Spirits", wasn''t it? ''If I say it''s not true, it would be an outright lie. So, I choose to say, ''What makes you say that? It''s just a question. It''s a word that can make the other person think you are misguided without telling a lie. It''s easy to tell because Gerrard changes his tone of voice and tone of voice when he reads the prepared text. Estella seems to have noticed the change and is able to distinguish whether it is Gerasie''s words or the lines from the scenario. She may have only noticed it because I told her, though. ''He''s got a different tone of voice between the lord''s meeting and the normal one,'' he said. ''If you''re trying to trap him, you''re clear enemies. We''ll take appropriate action. Calmly and quite clearly, Estella declares war. I''m sure her heart is racing on the inside, that little bastard. But this declaration of war - a clear indication that she has that much animosity towards him - will be important later on. We need to show it with impunity. ''The Lords of Smiles'' is the name they call me, the naive Estella. ''You need to clearly understand that if that happens, you will suffer a great deal of damage! ''Why don''t you clearly state that ...... ''extensive damage'' will be done? ''...... stick.'' Gelercy''s face contorts. He looks as if he''s just chugged a bitter smoothie. You can''t tell me that. I can''t say for sure. If you do, if there''s no serious damage, you''ll be out by the judgment of the spirits. On the other hand, if you inflict great damage - not just a little damage, but catastrophic damage that would surely drive the 42nd district into the ground - that would be nothing less than an act of aggression from BU. . The moment you say those words, you have no excuse and no way to escape. That''s why you can only use coercive, abstract and vague words such as ''we need to'' and ''we must''. You''ve been found out, third-rate. You can''t do anything unless you have the numbers. And in order to have the numbers, someone has to lead the numbers. Leading a herd is easier said than done. At the very least, those who can only follow conventions and theories will always fail. At least in situations like this, where improvisation is required. Gerrardy was at a loss for words at Estella''s slightest rebuttal. I''m not sure how long those lords with their own peculiarities will recognize him as their leader and follow him for the survival of their own districts. ...... Are you worried, Gerasie? Be dismayed, be dismayed. ...... gerarcy............ -- and looked at Estella, who should have the advantage, and began to ...... fidget. Keep your head on straight. You''re the one who pushed her over the edge now. Don''t look around. Just because you''ve said everything I''ve said. Why don''t you try improvising a little, ...... at least. I don''t care if you''re upset. So, well, ...... I guess it''s time. Well. The reason why I can talk as if I saw the inside of the meeting of the lords, which I was not invited to, ...... is because I saw it, of course. Secretly, from a special seat. The meeting room where the meeting of the lords is being held. There are currently nine lords gathered there. Naturally, security has been tightened and all the soldiers in the 29th district have been rounded up here in the lord''s hall. Private soldiers are also sent from the nobles in the districts. This is one of the rules within BU. In order to protect the lords of the districts, we must have full security during the lords'' meetings. --I''ve heard that''s one of the reasons why BU representatives are avoided. Well, it''s a pain in the ass to have to make all these preparations every time something happens, isn''t it? It costs money and distracts from regular work. And the more of them there are, the easier it is for intruders to get in. One of the soldiers standing in front of the door of the meeting room, watching for outsiders to enter and for the two invited lords to behave strangely, suddenly takes off his helmet. From beneath it emerged a dazzlingly handsome man. His name was Obayashi. ''If the negotiations have broken down, then the talks are over. Let''s call it a night. What?What are you doing here? At my appearance, the BU members began to make a fuss. ''Crea Mona, what''s going on?This can''t be a rude thing to do! ''Now, what are you talking about? ''Don''t play dumb!I clearly informed you not to bring outsiders here! Gerrardy pointed at me and said "outsider". Estella, however, tilted her head in a calm manner. ''Did I say that? ''''You!'''' Gerasie took an indignant step forward, and at the same time Natalia slid her body in front of Estella''s as if to protect her. Sensing Natalia''s movement, the silver-haired head waiter on the other side quietly restrains Gerasie''s actions. They stare at each other. But the eyes of the soldiers lining the walls are staring right back at us. The situation is not good. But in the end, we''ll win. ''Hey, Estella. Tell him. Tell that careless lord who forgot even what he wrote - the exact text that was written in the letter. I interrupted them as they stared at each other rigidly. Gerasie''s gaze turns to me, and right after that Estella opens her mouth. ''That''s right. All right. ...... this. Then she takes out the letter that Gerrardy sent her and reads it aloud. ''The letter says that the lord''s mansion is forbidden to anyone except those with an invitation. ''That''s right!That''s what it says!So why did this man go to ......? Gerrardsy''s words stopped there. He must have noticed the object I was holding between my fingers and fluttering. That object, yes, is an invitation. ''I have an invitation, too. That''s why I can get in here.'' ''What about ......?'' If you really don''t understand what that means, I''ll explain it in a way that the other six lords can understand, including Gerasie, who has it written on his face. ''This is the invitation that was sent to me yesterday. It''s undoubtedly genuine. ''I don''t remember sending you anything like that. ''Of course you didn''t. It''s not an invitation from you. The room is buzzing. It''s as if they''re worried that I''ve gone crazy. ''Hey, what''s that guy saying? Are you okay? I can hear them whispering. ''In other words, he fabricated an invitation among his own people in a desperate attempt to sneak into my mansion?Shame on you! Gelercy''s anger was directed at Estella. He may have blamed her for such manipulations at the discretion of her lord, but ...... ''Mr. Erin. Don''t forget your unfair accusations against my Lord based on facts that don''t exist: ......'' Natalia says in a murderous voice. Yes. Estella did no such thing. ''If it''s an invitation from Estella, then it makes sense to go to Estella. She wouldn''t come all the way to the 29th district.'' ''Then why are you here? Unable to comprehend, Gerasie began to turn on all the suspicious characters. He glares at Tracy, then at Donnis, searching for a response. The other lords are also looking at each of them suspiciously. ''What is it?If you have something to say, why don''t you say it clearly! Howls the tantrum princess. No matter how good-hearted Tracy is, she''s a noblewoman responsible for the 27th district. You can''t just sit back and cry because you''re the lord and you''re being accused of a crime you didn''t commit. If you let it go, it will mean that the 27th district itself has been disgraced. For the sake of the people of his district, he was in a position to clearly refute the accusation and make a proper apology for the disrespect he had received. It was the same for Donnis, of course. ''Let''s talk to them one by one. Why don''t we start with you?Why don''t you start by talking to me, one on one, so we''re on equal footing?'' He''s directing a lot of deadly energy at the lord of the 25th district next to him. It must have been unbearable to be stared at by that sharp gaze. The lord of the 25th district said, ''No, I didn''t mean to ......'', averting his gaze and slurring his words. So I''m going to let you know a very obvious and very nice piece of information. ''I came to the 29th district because I was invited to come to the 29th district, you know? With a word from me, the lords'' gazes turned to Gelercy. The lords of the 25th district took advantage of the opportunity and turned their faces away from Donnis and towards Gerasie with great vigor. I guess they''re more comfortable with what everyone else is doing. And what about Gerasie, who attracted the attention of ...... He shouted this as if to put all the blame on me, as if to make the eyes of the place look at me. In response, I lifted the corners of my ...... mouth and smiled faintly. It was the kind of smile that a person as sharp as Donnis, Lucia, or Estella would notice. ''Go ahead,'' he said. He opens his arms and invites Gerasie to join him. ''Judgment of the Spirits,'' try it. But it''s the people of this town who keep quiet when you say that. Gerasie was blatantly confused and did not invoke the Judgment of the Spirits. ''Does that mean you can trust me? ''...... Explain it to me.'' ''I can explain it to you, but can you trust what I say?I don''t want to have to waste my time explaining things to you that you don''t even believe. If you''re going to talk to me, at the very least you have to promise to trust what you say. ......'' ''Just get on with it and explain! As the leader of the BU, Gerrardsy is in a hurry to get the results he needs to clear his name. As the leader of the BU and the facilitator of the talks, the distrust of the participants is fatal. He must have realized that the longer I dodged the issue, the more suspicion would be cast on him. So he jumped to conclusions. ''...... So you''re taking my word for it, right? Just like we wanted. ''...... Ah.'' A short, very short word, said Gerrardsy. He didn''t know it would choke him. ''And the other lords, are they all right with that? ''You''re still ...... at this point! ''''Don''t drag this out. Think about it. ......'' He walked slowly, approaching right in front of Gelercy. The silver-haired, E-cup head waiter interrupts me, stopping me in my tracks. He didn''t touch me, but I could feel his intimidation that he would not tolerate me if I came even one step closer. So I stop in my tracks and look at Gerasie over the head waiter. ''If you say you''re the only one who trusts me, the other lords will think: "Aren''t they connected behind the scenes?"'' ''......''. ''What? Immediately, Gerrardsy turned his gaze to the other lords. The way he hurriedly moved his gaze to the left and to the right was almost unnerving, giving the impression to the others that ...... my words were true. The human brain is a very simple and inflexible thing. No matter how much you explain later that ''what you just said is a lie'' or ''that''s not true'', you can''t shake off the suspicion that the first line you heard had an impact on you, and that it was actually ....... It''s like the fear of sleeping alone on the night after hearing a scary story. No matter how much you tell yourself ''it can''t be'' or ''there''s no such thing as ghosts'', your brain will not let you forget the fear. It''s persistent. ''So, please believe me, other lords, about me. Just say what you''re going to say in this place after this.'' I look each of them in the eye, one by one. No one says a word. Donnis and Tracy had complicated eyes, like they were trying to tell me something. ''No one says anything? ......'' If so, you can''t talk about it,......, and for a moment Geraci looked impatient. Then he threw in another suggestion. ''Then let''s decide by majority vote. The seven lords of BU all looked blankly at each other. It''s like a pigeon being hit by a peashooter. ''It''s hard to agree with you when it comes to whether you believe in me or not, isn''t it?So, how about ''I''ll trust you just for now, right here and now, just to hear what you have to say''? I''ll leave such a proposal to Gerasie. Now, decide. Make a decision. Make a decision on behalf of the BU-- you, alone. All right. You decided without a majority that we should have a majority, Gellarcy. I''ll give you one more faint smile here. As if he noticed my smile, Geraci hastily adds a few words. ''Of course, if anyone is dissatisfied, I would like to decide that by majority vote. If anyone is dissatisfied, please speak up. But no one will complain in this situation. If you don''t like it, you can vote against it by majority. I don''t trust Obayashi. ...... Well, you can''t do that either. ''...... I see you have no objection. So, once again, those of you who think it''s okay to trust what he''s saying today, right here, raise your hands! ...... and four arms go up. Gerasie, Donnis, Tracy, and the Lord of District 25, who wants to get away from Donnis. Majority in favor. ''I''m pretty sure the majority vote in BU is absolute, right?So the three lords who didn''t raise their hands can trust what I''m saying, right? ''You''re stubborn. That''s right. If I don''t make it clear, you guys will make a fuss later. ''Tell me now! Gellar''s dying to know. No, he wants to know. The truth. That he''s not at fault. That there are no strings attached. The silver-haired head waiter drops, and I stand before the Seven Lords and begin to speak slowly. First, about the person who sent the invitation. ''This is an invitation sent from a certain nobleman in the 29th district. He said, ''I have something to discuss with you, and I''d like you to come. I open the invitation that was sent to me and show it to him. Make sure the sender''s name is clearly visible. ''Ma''ru Erlin. That''s the sender of this one. ''...... sister.'' Gerasie bit her lip, the other lords raised their eyebrows, and Donnis gently closed his eyelids. Donnis is the only one I can''t read what he''s thinking about, but the reactions of the others are pretty much as I imagined. The lords who have had the suspicion that Gerasie and I are connected behind the scenes imprinted on their brains from the earlier exchange must now be thinking, "I knew it. I knew it. However, only Gerasie, who is in a different position from the other lords, is thinking differently. "Look at me, I''m innocent. That''s why-- ''Indeed. I''m in trouble with my sister!She did not tell me. ...... Well, since she is a pathetic person who has been driven back to a remote area and cannot interfere in any way with the affairs of our family, I did not inform her of any of this. That backfired on me. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. --I''m not sure what to make of that. He thinks he is winning, but humans have a tendency to see what they want to see. The anglerfish has a somewhat unusual way of being processed. It is hung from an apparatus, its belly is filled with water, and it is processed while suspended. If Jeannette were handling an anglerfish, she would be impressed by the way he does it. But if it were done by an untrustworthy man like Assunto or Use, who could not even cook, you would feel antipathy and say, ''Don''t play with food. The human brain is a creature that twists the truth that is actually unfolding in front of our eyes with preconceptions and assumptions. In the eyes of the doubters, the words of Gellacy, who is convinced of his own innocence, and who triumphantly proclaims that he has proven his innocence, appear to be ''a desperate and unseemly figure repeating excuses. Now, as doubts are gathering about Geraci, let''s give him a further push. ''Mahr Ayrin has been suffering from a stalker for the past few days. ''A stalker?'' It was Donnis who spoke up. It was me who had said it, so I must have asked. He wouldn''t have made that mistake before, but he must have gotten used to me at the party. It''s called carelessness. I''m making a clear face in a hurry. Instead of following you, I''ll just go through and move on. ''Ah. It seems that a suspicious person has been wandering around the vicinity of Mahr Ayrin''s mansion for the past few days. He also said that he was feeling some unwanted glances, as if he was being watched. When he said that much, the lords seemed to agree. As Ma''ul himself had said, Ma''ul, who was thought to be easy to control, was under surveillance. To make sure he didn''t do anything untoward. They would have thought that he was a stalker ....... It''s not true, but it''s true that I was being watched. It''s not a lie. ''So, I decided that I would like to have a man who I could rely on to guard me. But Mahr-Erin didn''t have a man she could turn to in a situation like this. As long as he didn''t know the identity of the stalker, he was afraid to ask for help from the nobles in the 29th district. In fact, it was Gerasie''s soldiers who were watching him, which lends credence to Mael''s testimony that he couldn''t rely on them. --only among the lords. ''Ma''ru doesn''t know that it was Gerasie''s soldiers who were watching him, but he thought that he couldn''t rely on Gerasie? No one is going to get into the details. The human mind has a strong tendency to assume that facts known to oneself and other people should also be known to third parties. It''s a misperception of knowledge. That''s not the point. Right now, you''re more concerned with the suspicion that Gerasie''s sister brought in Obayashi. ''So I, a known associate, was hired as a temporary private soldier. Someone let out a sigh. It''s a heavy sigh, with a clear hint of irritation. It''s not me that''s irritated. It''s Gellarcy. As the one who got us into trouble. Or maybe as the mastermind behind the ...... roundabout excuses he''s giving me. I''ll accelerate that process. Suspicions can be greatly inflated by the mere hint of further suspicion. ''But thank you for your help. I''m sure you''ve got an invitation, but you can''t just come into this building and ask to be let in, you''ll be turned away by that silver-haired E-cup over there. The head waiter, who had moved behind Gerasie, quickly covered her breasts and glared at me. You have shame, don''t you? Even if you look like a Noh mask. ''Coincidentally, I received an order that the nobles in the 29th district should present their private armies. The lords all looked at Gerasie at once. Their eyebrows are all raised. Some of the older men are pursing their lips. ''That''s why I''ve been sent to guard this place as a private soldier of Mahr-Erin''s house. I introduced myself as ''a man who has met and interacted with several lords'', and they put me in this room, your man. The private soldiers who come to guard the mansion are on loan from the nobles. There''s no such thing as a background check. No nobleman would send a scandalous person, usually. So if you have a letter of introduction from a nobleman, you can pass the check of that silver-haired head waiter. It''s up to his subordinates to decide how to deploy the dozens of soldiers. The head waiter has to concentrate all his energy on preparing to receive the lord, so he checks the documents and leaves the rest to his subordinates. That''s the way it''s always been... Ma''ru taught me. And he was right. In fact, I''ve met Tracy, Donnis, and all the lords from District 42 to District 35, and I''ve talked to them in person and even offered them business. They trust me. Hey, Estella? I had no problem with being subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits. I guess that was a good thing. My word was trusted and I joined the guard in this room. He said that he was not blessed with a good physique, so he wore a ridiculous helmet that covered most of his face. ''By such coincidence, I was lucky enough to come to this place. The letter didn''t say when or from whom the invitation was sent, and as long as you have the invitation, you have access to the place. All the circumstances led me here. Mm-hmm. I got lucky, didn''t I? When coincidences happen, people have doubts. And again, doubt is only magnified by a hint of more doubt. People tend to think that they are ''better than everyone else''. Especially if you are a lord. So, all of you "smart lords" who have a keen sense of intuition will be able to spot the faint smile full of "unintentional omission" that I put on my face casually and say, "You think I don''t know?I''m the only one who''s aware of it, you idiot! I''m the only one who knows! Let me tell you something. There is no one more susceptible to fraud than a ''smart'' person with a high level of awareness who thinks that he or she is the only one who can be fooled. So there are only my suckers here. If you think about the feelings of the lords along the timeline, you can easily understand the flow of their thoughts. The lords of BU, with the exception of Donnis and Tracy, were convinced that they had the absolute advantage in holding this meeting. After all, they were the lords of the outer districts. Lucia was a tricky opponent, but the other was a newcomer, a pacifist known as the Lord of Smiles. And on top of that, a young woman. There was no reason to lose. But as it turns out, Estella has a high-handed attitude, as if she wants to quickly end the meeting and use force. It was as if she didn''t have any room for discussion from the start, and dismissed the BU''s opinions out of hand. This upset Gerrardsy. The leader''s agitation was contagious to his fellow lords. ''''Is this guy okay? Doesn''t he have a chance of winning? And so on. Then, the troublesome "that man" who had been at the center of the series of disturbances appeared at the meeting. He had even taken the trouble to set up guards at the barrier to eliminate him and to monitor his letters. If you ask me why, I''ll tell you that Gerrardsy smells fishy. ...... Could it be that the 29th district is trying to frame us? I''m not sure what to make of that. In any case, since you are ''better than everyone else'', there is no way that anything beyond your imagination can happen, and there is no way that the other party can manipulate you into betraying them. Because you are ''better than everyone else''. If something happens that you don''t think is possible, ...... it''s because there was a sneaky, underhanded exchange going on behind your back. It''s not fair, it''s a nasty backroom deal. That''s the easiest way to justify yourself. This is often the thought process of people who write comments on the Internet to discredit someone they don''t like. I''m absolutely right, I''ve gained legitimacy, I''m in a superior position, and there''s no way I can shake it. Then why am I feeling so anxious right now? ...... It''s because someone is trying to set me up. ............ ...... Who is it? Is it you?You know, ....... I''d like to impose sanctions quickly, but it also backfired when I suspended contact with the 42nd district because of the accelerated distribution of solanace. Such a trivial connection could be a smoking gun for those obsessed with conspiracy theories. Gellarcy, let me tell you something. Right now, in this situation, the more I say, the more ...... my words stink, the more they stink, and guess who loses credibility? You, right? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s a waste of time to tell them about ....... I''ll stop. So go ahead and feel it. Feel the suspicion directed at you, firsthand. ''But, you know. Just because it doesn''t say who it''s from doesn''t mean it''s safe to say that you have an unrelated invitation. I dare you to bring up a topic that everyone in the room is probably unhappy about. And then, I dare to lead them in a way that is convenient for you. ''So, hey, why don''t we have a majority vote on whether it''s okay for me to stay here after this? If you do, you can be sure that ............ Gerrardsy will bite. Only Gerrardsy. That''s right. That''s exactly what I''m saying!If you''re aware of what you''re doing, why don''t you just leave? ''Personally, I don''t want to leave. But if the lords want me to leave, I''m willing to go along with it if it''s decided by majority vote. ''d*mn it, ...... make them go through the trouble.'' Gerrardsy wants me out of the way as soon as possible. And he has no idea of the doubts the other lords have about him. I can''t imagine that they think I''m the mastermind behind bringing Obayashi in. ''Then, everyone, I''d like to take another majority vote. So, in your haste to solve the problem, you decide to take a majority vote, as you did earlier, without taking a majority vote. He didn''t even realize that his arbitrary decision would cause displeasure. ''Raise your hand if you don''t think that someone who doesn''t belong here with a silly quibble about the lack of details in the invitation should be mixed in: ......'' ''Enough! '' shouted the lord of the twenty-third district. He''s not as old as Donnis, but he''s old enough. A middle-aged man who looked about the same as Demily. ''This is a farce. Short words of clear rejection. Gerrardsy can''t hide his confusion at the words. The twenty-third district, adjacent to the thirty-second, is the one that earns the most tolls. It would naturally have a large say in the BU. Its lord is clearly angry. And the lords around me are in agreement, not even trying to hide their grumpy faces. The enemy is right in front of us. I''m sure Gerrardsy thinks he was shot in the back when he had the chance to get rid of that enemy. But you know what? If an obvious enemy had taken the trouble to sneak in and then simply said, ''If you''re in my way, I''ll leave. You ...... would be suspicious. It''s normal to think, ''There''s probably something more to it than that. That''s when the word ''farce'' comes out, Gerrardy. You''re the only one who doesn''t see it. Because you''re the only one who knows the truth. You didn''t bring me into this house. I know the one and only truth. It''s absolutely reliable information, "I didn''t do it. But, you see, "I didn''t do it" is the reason why others are least likely to trust you. That''s the temperature difference that created this situation. Well, that''s really refreshing. It''s a good feeling, indeed, when it works out this way. Gellarousie, do you feel that? That heavy atmosphere you''re feeling right now. Intimidating. Uncomfortable. That''s ....... That''s the air of despair a man who''s lost his credibility feels. You''ve fallen right into the trap I''ve dug for you. But this is just the beginning. Now, let''s start-- the all-or-nothing, majority rule. 330-The leader of the 242nd Episode. Gellarcy''s position has clearly changed. His forehead is sweating, as if he can no longer afford it. The BU has the advantage of being in a pack. This is what it''s like to be thrown out of the pack. ''I never thought this would happen...'' I muttered to myself, and Gerasie glared at me with devilish eyes. ''How can a majority vote be rejected? I say in a dumbfounded tone. Is that a bit obvious? Gerrasi is now under suspicion from the other lords. I think he''s plotting something to draw me here. Or, to put it more colloquially, he''s trying to outdo us and make a profit on his own. If a person who is winning (or is thought to be winning) by himself decides on his own, without listening to our opinions, ''Well, let''s have a majority vote'', we would be tempted to oppose him. In fact, you can''t help but think that they''re just trying to get things done in a convenient way. That''s what you''ve set up. It''s easy to stir up an organization from the inside. Especially with superficial alliances that are only in it for their own benefit. One word can destroy all trust. And now I have that "one word" hidden. A modified version of the gimmick I once used to carry a knife in my sleeve. In it. The power of words is great, but the power of the written word is exceptionally destructive. I''ll get to that a little later, though. ''...... If you can''t get a majority vote, then you can''t get rid of me. Then I guess I''ll stay a little longer.'' Slowly, he looked at the faces of the lords from one end to the other. Even when their eyes met, no one said anything back. Zero objections means it''s okay for me to stay here. ''Well, I guess I can''t help it now that I''m here. Let''s get along.'' There was a guy who let out an annoyed breath at my light words. Maybe he really wants me to disappear. But if he kicked me out of here, he might do something behind my back while I was here. That''s what''s going on in his mind. So, he expresses his displeasure with a casualness that only a "good lord" would notice. Just for a moment. It''s not going to work,'' he said. There were two lords who chuckled at that one thing. Was that District 28 and District 25? A few steps down from Donnis. Too honest. Well, when it comes to honesty, Gerrardsey''s no slouch either. ''What do we do now, Gellarcy?We can''t have a majority anymore.'' ''Whose fault do you think it is ......? ''If anyone is responsible, it''s you, the untrustworthy one,'' said Gerasie, biting her teeth. ''Do you want to take a majority vote on ''Do you want to take a majority vote''? The irony is that it would be the fairest thing to do. But in the end, no majority vote was taken. For a few moments, a heavy and uncomfortable silence prevails. Each of us thinks of something, but we are unable to say anything. It seems that they have a lot to say, but are unable to say anything because they don''t know how the situation will turn out. Gerrardsy also won''t open his mouth. The disaster will not go away if we stay on the defensive. ''But I was surprised at the welcome, I thought I was being shunned. Thank you for accepting me. I look around at the lords and say, ''I don''t want to lose you. You don''t want to lose money, so you don''t do anything wrong. You don''t want to be responsible, so you don''t take the initiative. The lords who have been caught up in such thoughts are tight-lipped with stern faces. Their uncontrollable anger is naturally directed at Gerasie. Gellarcy vs. the BU. Such is the composition, but it''s not enough. We need to break up the people who are still trying to stay in the pack, and break up the BU. In order to get a truly fair majority vote. For that, I''ll give you one more push. ''I thought I was going to be turned away. ''What?That''s right!'' Gerasie turns back towards Tracy''s seat with a look of realization on her face. ''What about the customs house!Were they properly monitored!Why was this man allowed to enter the twenty-nine districts in the first place? He did his best to deflect the blame away from himself. Anyone but himself is fine. That''s what she''s thinking. ''Ms. McCurry!Most of the people from the outer wards must pass through your twenty-seven wards to enter the BU. Have you been keeping a proper lookout? ''''Don''t listen to me, Mr. Erlin!Are you trying to pin your fault on others? ''Non?What''s wrong with me?In the first place, didn''t you have a good relationship with the Forty-Two Wards?I had guards standing guard, but didn''t you have a favor to ask? ''Don''t be so rude, Erin! Tracy stood up and shouted loudly, living up to her name as the tantrum princess. She looks like she''s going to grab you if you leave her alone. So she turns her attention to Lucia. To get her to scratch a little more. And Lucia understands my request with just a glance. I''m impressed. ''Estella and I met up this morning in the 35th district and came here together, didn''t we? This only proves that Estella didn''t go through the 27th district, which is completely off topic from the question of which district Obeyashiro entered from. ...... In this rough atmosphere, no one cares about such details. I''m not sure. I''m not sure if you''re aware of this, but I''m sure you''re aware of it. ............ You''re in for a treat, Donnis. ''If you''re from District 35, you''ve probably passed through District 25''s customs house. Tracy says, glaring at Gerrardsy. As if to prove his own innocence and denounce Geraci''s disrespect. It was the Lord of the 25th district who panicked. ''Wait, please!The guards in our district have intensified their surveillance and have even checked each and every face!There''s no way we could have missed them! ''But isn''t it District 25 that is adjacent to District 35? Seeing this as an opportunity to clear his name, Tracy went on the offensive. As I told you in my letter, I''m acting in the best interest of my district. Good, Tracy. Your pursuit will bring Donnis into this. ''You could''ve gotten in from the other districts with a short detour, even though they''re adjacent!That''s right!Didn''t Donati-san just recently make friends with District Forty-two? ''So what is it?Hmm? ''So, so, so!If you''re saying that I''ve given you a pass, then it''s not my 25th district, but my 24th district that''s suspicious, isn''t it? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. He turns his entire body away. He''s sweating like crazy. Are you that afraid of that single hair? ''How long are we going to keep arguing about this nonsense? The one who slammed the table and raised his voice was the lord of the 23rd district. He seemed to have exploded from pent up stress. ''If it''s Ms. Erling who invited that person, it''s impossible to stop her at the barrier. ''Yes, you''re right!I''ve told the soldiers that there''s no need to check the carriages of not only the Erins but also the lords of BU. If that''s the point they''re trying to make, then there''s nothing we can do about it! The lord of the 25th district did his best to take advantage of the words of the lord of the 23rd district. The one who is at fault is Ma''ru, who misused the carriage of the Erin family, and by extension, Gerasie, who overlooked it. ''It doesn''t matter. With two large claps of his hands, the Lord of District 28 opens his mouth. He is a pale, long-haired man who looks like a gloomy medium. ''Let''s have a majority vote as originally planned, and let''s end this as planned. He says in a thin voice. Gerrardsy is suspicious, but he seems to be the type of man who wants to achieve a guaranteed success first. Rather than fighting among himself, he wants to quickly collect fines from the 42nd and 35th districts by a harmonious majority vote. This may have been his intention. At first glance, he seems firm and cautious, but if you look at him in a different way, you can see that he is inflexible and foolish. He does not take big chances. Small but sure wins. It''s a way of fighting not to lose. But it''s a way of life that sometimes risks missing the only way out and falling into poverty. Even though the twenty-eight districts are adjacent to the outer districts due to the cliffs, they are not directly accessible, and the beans they are in charge of are small compared to soybeans. Rather than being assertive and self-assertive, it''s probably more profitable for him to stay in the BU and be protected. And one more person. The one who''s been silent ever since is the lord of District 26. He''s a small man with gray hair, but he''s probably younger than Donnis. He looks to be in his mid-fifties. ''What do you think? The lord of District 28 speaks to the quiet lord of District 26. He doesn''t want anything to do with Donnis and Tracy, who are irritated, and the Lord of District 23 is in a bad mood, and Gerasie is suspicious. And the Lord of District 25 would be too scared of Donnis to speak out. So naturally, we have to turn to the Lord of District 26. He''s a safe guy, the Lord of District 28. And what was the reply of the quiet old man who was asked to talk to him? ''Hmm. It might be better to take a majority vote or ...... not to take a majority vote. He left it at that. That''s opportunism. The twenty-sixth district is adjacent to the thirty-sixth district, whose main industry is the processing of marine products, and the distribution from there is the main source of income. The beans in charge are cocoa. The beans in charge are cacao, which is also used by some, but its consumption is not large. It may be slightly lower than red beans. Sugar is expensive. Chocolate and cocoa are not so easy to produce. It does not have the same distribution as the top-ranked 23 wards in terms of toll tax, it is not adjacent to the 35 wards, the home of marine products, and it survives on distribution from the 36 wards, which benefit from the 35 wards. In short, we are in the middle of the road, for better or worse. We prefer to maintain the status quo and do not want to make waves. That must be the true intention of the 26th district. ''If that''s what you''re going to do, then I''m not going to argue with you. That seems to be their stance. ''Then we''ll do as we originally planned. Hey!Let''s go with that! The lord of District 28 appealed. They want a win no matter what. Now we know the nature of all the lords. They generally match what Mael told me beforehand. The lord of the 23rd district, who has enough dignity and power to dismiss Gerasie''s evil plan as a farce due to the largest toll revenue. Donis the single-haired, the oldest and most important figure in the BU, who has huge profits from soybeans. The cowardly Lord of District 25, who is afraid of Donis. The opportunistic Lord of District Twenty-six, who wants to maintain the status quo. Tracy, the youngest of the bunch, is feared to explode in anger. The Lord of District 28, who doesn''t play the big game, but instead focuses on the small profits at hand. And then there''s Gerasie, the irreverent man who is on the verge of losing all of his credibility. All of these people are about to accept the 28th District Lord''s proposal to take a majority vote for the time being. Gerrardsy seems to be unhappy, but he seems to be willing to accept the proposal. ''Then let''s have a majority vote...'' ''Hey, that majority vote...'' I interrupt Gellarcy''s statement. Annoyed eyes glare at me. Multiple. Oh, yeah. Glare. Hate me. The more you hate me, the more you divide yourselves. ''Will Donnis and Tracy be joining us? ''Huh! ''...... What''s that supposed to mean, Yashpi...... Obayashi.'' Tracy and Donis react to my words. ''Don''t try to say ''yasippi'' for a second, Donis. ''No, what. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little skeptical. I''m not going to let you get away with this, Obayashira. ...... No, Obayashira. Tracy was about to say "sir" too, but managed to stop herself. You''re right. I think it''s best not to use ''sir'' here, for a number of reasons. ''It''s long been customary for the seven lords of BU to take a majority vote. Tracy says so, but I wonder what the others think. ''But two less people means more profit. Of course, that''s not going to help the doubters. ''What do you want, Obayashi?Why are you scheming to get rid of us?'' ''I''m not scheming. It''s just a genuine question. Donnis is being plainly hostile. So he turns his gaze to the opportunistic Lord of District 26, as if to brush it off. ''What do you think?Can you trust those two as your friends?'' ''Whether or not you can ............ is a matter for each individual to decide. ''So, what about ''you''? ''............It''s hard to say. Maybe you can, maybe you can''t.'' ''What the hell does that mean? ''What the hell does that mean?'' ''I don''t like the sound of ''not''. Tracy and Donnis, the tantrum princesses, stand up. But the Lord of District 26 is unmoved, saying that everything is for the individual to decide. This is where the Lord of District 28 comes into play. You''ll tell me once and for all, won''t you? For your own protection. ''What about you?Mr. 28th district.'' ''Don''t you dare get carried away! I was talking to the Lord of the 28th District and Gellar''s biting me. He has no discipline. ''I''m the one facilitating the meeting now!Outsiders are not to interfere!'' ''Shouldn''t you be interrupting? ''...... Hey! I''ll be kind enough to tell you that your tone is different. Gerrard finally realizes that his methods are being exposed, and with that, Gerrard becomes speechless. In the face of such unreliability, the lord of the 23rd district let out another sigh. I''m not sure what to say. Was he the one who was leaking sighs over and over again just now? He''s probably impatient. And the lord of the 28th district also felt uneasy when he saw that Gerasie was not doing well. ''I don''t trust ......,'' he said. Finally, he stood up and began to speak his mind. ''Everything he says and does is beyond my understanding. If you''re not careful, he could bite your throat out!Therefore, I would like to ask those who are closely related to him to refrain from participating. If there are five of us, our opinions will be heard and our profits will increase. If you think that way, you can even bite the two troublesome lords, Donnis and the tantrum princess. If they only care about their own districts, they''ll accept the proposal. Normally. If Gellarcy takes the majority vote on this, Donnis and Tracy will be removed from the majority vote if their interests are paramount. Then the remaining five will judge us. Normally, that would be ....... But this time it''s us. It''s not normal, it''s us. ...... Oh, no. I''m normal. It''s just that Estella is uncharacteristically flat and Lucia is an unbelievable pervert. I''m perfectly normal. But not ''normal'', ''not normal'', that''s all. Donnis expresses his displeasure. And Tracy. But the Lord of District 28 wants to bring it to a majority vote at all costs. Or rather, he wants to hurry up and win. The Lord of District 25 will want to get away from the scary Donnis as soon as possible. And the impatient Lords of District 23 will also want to end this farce as soon as possible. The opportunistic Lords of District 26 will take the side of the many. Gellarcy. If you vote to remove Donnis and Tracy, it will pass. Then you can hunt us down with five of your convenience. So, you know. You know what you have to do ......, don''t you? Gellarcy''s eyes meet mine. He smiles and raises the corners of his mouth. In an instant, a deep crease is etched into Gellarcy''s brow. He''s got a sense. I''m dangerous if I''m left on my own. ''We''ll take a majority vote! Yes. There''s no other way for you to escape. If we continue to discuss this without a majority vote, ...... your credibility will slowly erode. But if you make a decision here and now and force a majority vote-- Your credibility will be gone in an instant. By my hand, that is. But you don''t need to know that. Just go ahead and take the majority vote. Here, let me give you a push. ''Don''t name names. It''s not very nice.'' ''Shut up! ''No, but Donnis and Tracy have a reputation to uphold. ''I said, shut up! He glared at me, and with that glare, Gellarcy took a majority vote. ''All those who think that a person who is suspected of being in league with this person and cannot be trusted should not be allowed to participate in the majority vote, raise your hands! Five people raise their hands, except for Donnis and Tracy. Tracy clicks her tongue at the sight of the five arms raised, and Donnis lets out an angry breath. And ...... I giggle. ''Majority rule is never ......, is it? Unreasonable anger is a slippery, viscous, unpleasant thing. I dare to smile at Donnis, whose anger is so thick that it distorts the air. ''I''m sorry, Donnis. ''...... you. ......! Donnis, in a fit of rage, retreats from the table and closes in on me. I''m approaching Donnis with more speed than Donnis. ''What? When we approach an angry opponent at a higher speed than that, we unconsciously move our hands forward. This is a phenomenon brought about by reflex, and it is very difficult to prevent consciously. When we are in a state of excitement due to anger, our thoughts become more aggressive than normal. Even if we do not intend to do so, we have at least the feeling of ''I want to kick your ass''. When we are moving with such feelings, our brain judges that we are in an ''attack position''. If, in the midst of such attack resistance, an enemy comes at you from the other side, and at a high speed, your body will react in defense. That is the arm that is unconsciously thrust out. It is not a hand that is thrust out to hit. It is an arm extended to avoid collision, to avoid invading one''s personal space. But if the recipient plays a little... ''Ooh! It''s easy to make it look like you''ve been pushed. Then he wobbles and crashes ...... into the table where Geraci is sitting, and slides a folded piece of paper he has hidden in his sleeve across the floor, making it look like it has ''rolled off Geraci''s table''. A single magic word that instantly shatters trust and amplifies suspicion. The piece of paper on which it was written slid across the floor and landed right in front of Tracy. ''Is this ......?'' ''Oh, no!'' He rushes up from his impossible position and grabs the piece of paper just before Tracy picks it up. ...... is a well-calculated performance. It''s a precise performance with every tenth of a second. It requires exquisite pauses. ''What did you just hide? Tracy''s cold voice chides me. She seems suitably pissed off at me. Forgetting her tone of voice, she directs her anger at me. ''It''s nothing. It''s nothing to be concerned about. He hides the piece of paper in his hand behind his back to keep it away from Tracy. The piece of paper is confiscated by Donnis, of course, since he is behind her. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. Considering the difference in size between you and Donis, you turn around and jump at him. But Donnis is bigger than me, so if he raises his hand above his head, I won''t be able to reach him. My hand cuts through the air and Donnis unfolds a folded piece of paper. And the words written on it are revealed to the world. "I''m ready. It''s written clearly in my handwriting. Inconspicuously written on a small piece of paper, it''s a mere scrawl, clearly a message of some kind. ''What''s this? ''...... It''s just graffiti.'' I''m a very honest man today. And yet, Donnis is giving me the benefit of the doubt. The more honest you are, the more suspicious you are. That''s the way it is in real life. When you want people to believe you, it helps to tell a few lies, but for now, I''ll just tell the truth. ''That has nothing to do with this meeting, it''s just a doodle I wrote in my room. It''s not a message to anyone.'' ''Do you think ...... we''ll believe it? They won''t believe it. I mean, if anyone believes it, they''re either really stupid or they''re a gynet. ''............ can''t be helped.'' He scratched his head in annoyance, then spread his arms. ''You can play "Judgment of the Spirits". It''s graffiti.'' He looks at Donnis and waits for him, but Donnis just crumples the piece of paper in his hand and slams it on the floor. We talked about this in front of the church after the feast. Donnis was told something similar by Gerasie. ''So you want Tracy to play? ''No, thank you.'' I turned and asked, but Tracy turned away with her arms crossed. She looked very unhappy. Well. The mysterious message inadvertently spilled onto the floor as I fell. Judging from the anger of Donnis and Tracy, you can tell it''s not addressed to these two. If it was for Estella or Lucia, there was no need to write a letter. It can be done with a whisper. So who is it addressed to? ...... The "smart lords" who had a good sense of humor seemed to get the idea. Naturally, the eyes of everyone in the conference room gathered in one place. ''...... What the hell? Gerrardsy was dismayed by the gathering stares. If Donnis and Tracy are excluded, you''re the only one who''s suspicious. You''re the only one who thinks they''re connected behind the scenes. That''s why I''m going in. That''s why I''ll move immediately. ''That''s not a message for Gellarcy. I''m going to protect Gerrardsey from the stares that are gathering. Gellarcy, protected by my back, mutters in a hateful voice. ''...... You. If you don''t believe me, you can go to ....... If you don''t believe me, you can call the judgment of the spirits! It''s called Tendon. It''s a familiar variety of the same thing repeated twice. However, my tendon is ...... a little annoying. ''What the hell is this?You all look as if you can''t trust Gerrardsey because he''s connected to me behind the scenes. I''ll put into words the inner thoughts of the lords present. Then, the words will pass from the eardrums of the lords to their brains, and the ''close feelings'' they had will be overwritten by my words. It''s so close, it doesn''t even feel right. "I don''t trust Gellarcy because he''s connected to me (Obayashi). It''s only when these words become common knowledge among those present that a certain decision comes into play. ''Huh~. So, you know, ......''. Estella is smiling at my innocent performance. Lucia is holding her temples and shaking her head. What the hell, cheer me up. I went to a lot of trouble to prepare this. That piece of paper might have made sense if I''d given it to you now. Do you remember what it said? "We''re ready. I''ll take care of the rest. ''So the majority vote we just had, that we shouldn''t allow anyone we don''t trust to participate in the majority vote who we suspect is working with Obayashi, applies to the Gerrards? ''What ......? I''m sorry.Gerasie''s chair collapsed with a loud thud. You can''t see his face because he''s dressed as if he''s protecting his back, but you can sense that he''s in a great hurry. ''No, no!That was referring to these two people, not ...... me! ''I see. So you have no problem dropping other people into your trap, but you make an exception for yourself, is that it? He turns his body forward, bends his back, twists his waist, and turns his face back. His gaze met Gerasie''s, who had a face like that of a young man, and he jumped back as quickly as he could. ''You! Gerasie flailed his arms around, trying to catch me. But I was faster. ''Too bad, Pupu. ''I''ll knock you out! Gellarthy tries to grab me, but Donnis and Tracy prevent it. ''You''re the one who started this, aren''t you?'' Tracy says coldly, ''Isn''t that what Obeyashiro said? It''s unacceptable for you to exclude us by doing something similar, but not admit it to yourself. Donnis is tangling with a theory. You can''t argue with that. You can''t argue with that. "You''re suspicious too! "I''m the only one who''s safe! There''s no way you can reason like a child. That''s why I made them take a majority vote without naming names. So that you would fall into that category. "Gellarcy. Gellarcy, blocked by Donnis and Tracy, is like a lion in a cage. He can''t hurt me. So let me get this straight. ''Trust is hard to build, but it can be broken in an instant.Think about the weight of the word ''trust'' again.'' ''I don''t want to be told by you! Gerasie pushes Tracy away and tries to grab me. But if I push Tracey away... ''What are you doing to Tracey? Nene explodes in anger. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the ...... head waiter in this city has a very high specification. It''s like watching a movie. ............ Except for Nene. ''Miss Tracy! ''...... It''s okay. No big deal.'' ''Sorry .......'' ''Good.'' ''...... Yes.'' Tracy was pushed and fell, but did not seem to be hurt. But there must have been a lot of lumps. No one would have thought that the meeting of the lords of BU, which had been carried out by majority vote and according to plan, would turn out to be so rough. Who was in the middle of it, me?No, it was Gerasie. ''Erin, ...... let me make this very clear. Standing up, Tracy unleashed the full force of her temper tantrum and declared firmly. ''I don''t trust you! ''Neither do I.'' And Donnis joins in. I don''t trust you! That''s not very gentlemanly.'' ''You ...... against me, the facilitator. ......'' Donnis is in full force. As for this old man, he seems to be stronger than his butler. And so the silence falls again. As expected, even the lord of the 23rd district couldn''t say anything. The situation has changed so much that he''s lost sight of where the truth lies. I''m sure the others don''t know what''s going on. I guess they''ve gotten used to being left to their own devices. It''s a problem. With Natalia and Gilberta as my guards, I''m invincible. I''ll explain the current situation to all the lords of BU in plain English. ''The majority vote in BU is absolute, and it has just been decided by the majority vote that we should not allow any untrustworthy person who is suspected of being in league with this person (Obayashi) to participate in the majority vote. Therefore, Donnis, Tracy, and Gerrardsy are not allowed to participate in the majority vote. ''It''s ......! ''Maybe! He shouts loudly to silence Gerrardsy, who is trying to argue with him. It''s not your turn to speak yet. You misjudged the timing of your exit and went out first, or are you a pissant? ''If you can''t participate in the majority vote, then you can''t be the facilitator. Facilitating is part of majority rule, isn''t it? ''That''s a crock! ''Then how can you have a majority vote without a facilitator?'' ''............'' ''You can''t, can you?It''s a set, that''s what it is. You can''t participate in majority rule no matter what you do. Unless you turn the status quo upside down. ''Or do you, the untrustworthy one, want to stand in front of everyone and be the facilitator? I don''t think the rest of us would let you do that. Gerrardsy bit his lip in frustration, as if he understood. ''And there''s another problem, we''re down to four participants. With Donnis, Tracy, and Gerrardsy out, the number of lords who could participate in the majority vote became four, an even number. ''You can''t have a majority vote with an even number, can you? We were talking about this in front of the church after the feast. Donis had made it clear that the rule was that you could not have a majority vote with an even number of people. ''So one more person has to be left out to make it three. ''Nonsense!Three people?That''s less than a majority of the BU!You can''t call that a consensus of the BU! Gerrardsy showed his obsession with the number of people who were less than a majority. Earlier, he had been trying to force a vote with a smaller number of people, but now he was worried that he would be left out. ''Then let''s do this. Estella, you''re in. As the defendant''s representative.'' ''Nonsense!How dare you include an outsider in the majority vote of the sacred ''BU'' ......!'' ''So we can''t have a majority vote and there will never be a result, so no sanction for us, right? ''That''s not the same thing as this! ''Then what are you going to do?You can''t decide anything if you don''t like it.You''re really irresponsible, aren''t you? At the word irresponsible, Gerasie''s eyes widened to their limits. It must have been a shock similar to an angry outburst. The whites of his eyes turned bright red, and his face began to tremble. The reddening face resembled that of a red devil. ''If Estella is going in, then I''m going in too. Lucia said as if it was natural. ''Then it''ll be an even number, won''t it? ''Then why don''t you add Tracy McCurry? ''Then it makes sense for me to join! ''Makes sense?You''re not making sense, are you?Gerasie Erin.'' Gerasie couldn''t say anything back to Lucia''s words. Lucia really has a lot of guts, doesn''t she? I''m sure he''s the only one who could win in a face-to-face fight with Donnis, isn''t he? ''Ah, we''re getting nowhere. He raises his hands and turns his back on the Gerrards. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ''If you don''t count these three, you seem to be the most talkative. ''You''re rude. You should know your place. The Lord of District 23 and his head waiter, a brown beauty, shoot out a murderous intent. ''D-cup? The head waiter''s fury increases. It seems he was right. ''What are you trying to say? You''ve been stirring things up. Annoyed and disgusted, but unable to think of a way to end the situation, the Lord of District 23 turned to me. He seems to be ready to listen. ''In order to restore the stagnant council, we first need a reliable chairman. Do you have any objections to that?'' ''...... Are you suggesting that I do that? ''No. The chair should be the one who has the most trust of the people. Do you have any objections to that? I look around the room, but no one raises an objection. Rather, the consciousness is moving on to the next. That is, who is the person most trusted by the most people in the room?...... and . ''Since I can''t take the majority vote - I don''t have any authority or right to do that - I''m going to go the other way. ''Reverse ......, you say?'' The 23rd district lord and the other lords are interested in my idea. It''s simple. ''I don''t want to hear any arguments. Instead, those of you who disagree, give us your opinions. If there are no objections, the decision is unanimous. How about ......?'' It''s my initiative, but everyone has an equal opportunity to object. That seems like a fair proposal, doesn''t it? In reality, I ask, ''Who has an objection? there are not many people who can raise their hands. Even if you have an opposing opinion, you will not be able to raise a counter opinion if no one else raises an opinion. This is also a kind of bandwagon effect. ''...... No dissenting opinions, huh? So everyone agrees, no complaints?If so, say so. ......3,......2,......1,done. The motion passes unanimously. We''ll just clap our hands and say it passed unanimously. Now you must, at all costs, choose the person who has the trust of the greatest number of people here as chairman. Disagree and you''re a frog. ''So, Mr. Chairman...'' ''Wait, Obeyashira.'' Donnis calls me in a low voice. It''s not angry, but it''s bewildering and frustrating. ''How are you going to decide who is the most trusted person in this group?No way, is it a majority vote there?'' There''s a chance I could be chosen. That''s what you''re thinking. Then you can participate even if you can''t vote for the majority. I can tell that''s what you''re thinking. But no. ''The person who has the trust of the greatest number of people in this room has already been decided. Everyone''s eyes are darting left and right around the conference room. Who is it?Is it me?That guy? In the midst of these busy eyes, I begin my explanation. ''There are quite a few people in this room, including the head waiter and the soldiers. ''Don''t tell me you''re including them! ''Don''t be in a hurry, peeing Gerasie. ''Who''s peeing? Shut up and listen, you insufferable bastard. ''There are a lot of people here, but this is only a gathering place for the lords of BU, and these are their guards. They have no right to participate in the talks. And there''s no way they can participate in a majority vote where they have equal decision-making power. If that were allowed to stand, it would result in the lord''s opinion being suppressed entirely. Only the seven lords of BU have valid votes. ''There''s only one person that all seven of them said they trusted. As I say this, I call up the Conversation Record. Then I bring up the corresponding page. "......, you have no objection. So, once again, those of you who think you can trust what he says, today and here, raise your hands! I''m pretty sure the majority of BU''s vote is absolute, right?If that''s the case, then the three lords who didn''t raise their hands can be trusted with what I have to say, right? "You''re being persistent. The air in the place became quiet. This is the majority vote that was just taken. It was done in this place, with these members. The result had already been decided there. In the silence, I declare with a big smile. ''I, Obayashi, who is trusted by all seven of you, will be the facilitator and chairman this time. Anyone who has a problem with that, come forward - I''ll turn you into a frog right now. Naturally, there was no one to argue. 331-Episode 243 Destroy the majority vote. ''Come on. Let''s start the majority vote. With my voice, an unpleasant atmosphere spreads throughout the room. Tension and disgust. A nice mix of tension and disgust, each one wary of the other. ''Can someone clear the desks, please?And get a desk for me, please. Here, I''m the chairman.'' The silver-haired, E-cup head waiter, with a scornful expression on his face, motioned to the waiters. They quickly rushed over to clean up the overturned tables, dirty cloths, and spilled drinks, and replaced them with clean ones. And it was the head waiter himself who brought the table in front of me. ''Thank you. What''s your name?'' ''I''m not obliged to answer .......'' ''You have a right to ask, don''t you?'' ''..................'' Sharp eyes stared at me in silence. ''Let''s take a majority vote, shall we?Should I tell you my name or not?'' ''Please don''t be foolish. A majority vote is a sacred ritual. What are you talking about? It''s just a tool to fool each other. ''............ Inez.'' ''Master Yashiro''. Immediately after I saw Ines off, Natalia and Gilberta quietly approached me. ''It''s Natalia.'' ''I know, but...? ''Gilberta, I am.'' ''That''s why I know you! What are you competing with me for? ''I understand your desire to memorize the name of a woman with large breasts, but'' ''It''s not like that! ''''Deborah, the head waiter of the 23rd district, by the way. ''So, I''m not collecting names of big tits or anything! Unexpectedly, I even got the name of the brown D-cup head waiter. I didn''t mean to get it. ''I just wanted to know how the majority vote feels. The voice of the people. This majority rule by the lords. I was wondering what the others thought. Suppose, here, I convinced the lords to accept my terms. In that case, if the people around me had the feeling that ''majority rule is stupid'', there was a possibility that the lords would be displeased with me, and the lords would surrender. It is also possible that the lord will not accept our conditions, even if he has to. But... Inez said. ''Majority rule is a sacred ritual''. If that''s the way the people feel about majority rule, there will be an atmosphere of ''if it''s decided by majority vote, then it can''t be helped''. If the people''s consciousness is toward ''nonsense'', I was thinking of leading them to the direction of ''for the people'', ''what the people want'', ''only you lords can lead the people'', but if not, it is easy to talk. If the people accept majority rule as sacred, then all you have to do is to seduce the lord. All you have to do is to confront them with a tangible gain or loss. No need to appeal to the heart. It''s a very dry business. This one''s easy to do. ''Well, are we ready to go? Thanks to the work of Inez and the others, the conference room was back to normal. Now, let''s start with a quick check. ''Just to confirm, based on the majority vote we just took, the people who can''t participate in the majority vote this time are Donnis, Tracy, and Gerrardy, correct? ''......fun''. Donnis sniffed, but the others did not open their mouths. Gerrardsy is staring at me with a scary look on his face. Don''t be so sullen. I''ll make sure you get your turn. You still have a lot of dancing to do. ''Hey, you guys. Think of me as a BU.'' He turned to the other lords, who had said nothing. The four lords of districts 23, 25, 26, and 28. If you think it''s someone else''s problem, you''ll be trapped. ''I''ve been chosen as the chairman by a fair method...'' The lord of District 23 wrinkled his brow in an obvious manner. ''''Are you guys sure the four of you are enough? He spread out his arms like a demon king. With a fearless smile on his face. ''You can beat me with four people. ...... Do you really think so? Four against one. If it were a majority vote, you''d have an absolute advantage. But I''m the chairman. I''m not in a position to cast a vote. The one who controls the place. ''I''m going to ask you one more time, think it over. ............ Are you sure the four of you are okay with this? With a gulp, the Lord of District 28 swallowed his spit. Isn''t it possible that even the small victories he was trying to secure are in jeopardy?He must be under such duress. ''Without the old-timer Donis, the tantrum princess Tracy ...... and the current leader Gerasie, who is in charge of the ............ ''really'' only four of us, Are you sure? He speaks with emphasis in places. No particular meaning. Perhaps, if the four of us agree, there will be no problem. But the unidentified confidence of a mysterious man with an unintelligible thought process is frightening anyway. And now, without Gerasie and Donis, who had always kept the place in check, there was nothing left for them to do. There is no one among them who can say with confidence that they can win a four-on-one match. Even the lords of the 23rd district slur their words at the last moment. Another stubborn old man on the level of Donnis would''ve been a problem, though. The Lord of District 25 shakes his body restlessly and begins to glance at the Donnis next to him. All right, I''ve got him. ''No response means it''s okay. Let''s start the majority vote. ''Oh, ......! When the lord of the 25th district turned his head to the side, I summarized the conversation. And then, unintentionally, the Lord of District 25 shouted out. When you can''t make up your mind, and you''re suddenly shut down, you can''t help but let out a squeak. This is especially true if you are an indecisive man like the lord of the 25th district, who cannot say what he wants to say clearly. ''...... What is it?Do you have an opinion?'' But I don''t miss those short words. I never let it go. The fact that he had raised his voice prevented the Lord of the 25th district from ignoring it. You can''t say ''it''s nothing'' when all eyes are on you. If he said such a thing, he would be told, ''If you don''t have an opinion, you should leave. If you don''t have an opinion, you should leave, and we''ll have an odd number. He must have a sense of crisis to that extent. I want to believe that ....... ''Oh, no, .......'' ''If you don''t have any particular opinions, there are currently four of us, an even number, and the other one is ...... in District 25.'' ''No, wait!'' I hurriedly interrupted my words. Good, good, good. He seemed to be aware of the danger. It''s not like he''s that much of an idiot. ''There is ...... an opinion. Just, ...... wait a minute.'' The lord of the 25th district raised and lowered his shoulders with a stern face. You may want to hide the fact that you are taking a deep breath, or you may want to repeat the breath with a very thin breath. ...... It''s obvious. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... ...... Excuse me. As soon as he began to speak, his voice turned upside down, and the lord of the 25th district said no, and then drank some water. After taking a breath, he opened his mouth again. He spoke slowly, confirming one word at a time. ''Now that the chairman has changed, I think it might be a good idea to start all over again. ...... I think it might be a good idea to start all over again. ...... I think it might be a good idea to start all over again. ...... I think it might be a good idea to start all over again. In the end, in order not to blame myself, I asked the people around me to agree. It''s no different than the young man who came to Mahr''s office for an interview. As soon as they start talking in their own words, they are eager to pretend that they are not responsible. And then they follow suit, right? ''So you''re saying that we should reorder the process so that all the lords can participate in the majority vote, instead of referring to individuals like Donnis and Tracy and discussing and deciding whether they can be trusted or not? ''Yes, that''s right. We don''t have time for this either. We don''t want to take up any more of your time with off-topic stuff,......, guys. You got away with a bit at the end, you lunkhead. You''re just too lazy to do anything about it because you don''t want to get in trouble again if you start questioning the credibility of each and every one of them. ''As for me, I was thinking of having each of you stand up in front of me and tell me what kind of relationship you have with me, what kind of conversations you''ve had, and so on, and then only those I can trust will be allowed to participate. ''This is taking too long!And ...... your talk is annoying. That''s a lot of talk for a commoner. ''A lousy lord. What did you say?Say it again! ''A cowardly monster... ''You''ve changed! ''Don''t get pissed. That''s the kind of man he is. Next to him, Donnis is admonishing the Lord of District 25. I just told him to say it again with a little twist. You know what?When a popular product is re-released, there''s usually an extra arrangement added. The cost is reduced under the excuse of ''due to popular demand, we''ve made it possible for more customers to enjoy it''. I''m just taking advantage of it. I didn''t do anything to get angry. No, you didn''t. ''Donnis. Are you okay with that?'' Why are you asking me? You''re the chairman. Decide for yourself.'' ''Don''t be so sure, I''m new at this. Hey, Gellarcy? ''Don''t talk to me. It makes me uncomfortable.'' ''Well, ...... Sallacy.'' ''It''s Tracy!That''s very rude! No, I can''t help it, the image of Sarashi is ...... And then, for a moment, Gellarcy had a faint reaction like, ''You mean me? I didn''t miss Gerrardsy''s faint reaction of ''is that me? He twitched. Pfft. However, none of my acquaintances have given me any advice. ...... Well, I''ve created an atmosphere of suspicion when I give advice. Of course. So, Yashiro, who''s in trouble, takes a majority vote with a bit of a throwaway, ''I don''t know what''s going on ......'' attitude. Then, wonder of wonders, ......, Yashiro''s wish will come true. Why? Because all the people here are ''superior'' to me. That''s what they think, whether it''s true or not. The superior people who can afford it won''t be alarmed by the inferior people''s throwaway behavior. When the guard is down, the human mind is caught off guard. Let me make this clear. No matter what the situation, no matter how many times you have been deceived, no matter how suspicious you are, you will let your guard down as soon as you find the slightest margin. Those who have sworn to never be deceived again immediately after being scammed are more likely to fall for the scam. When you see a celebrity who falls for a variety show over and over again, you may wonder, ''Why do they fall for it? You may wonder, ''Why do they fall for it? But that is the nature of human beings. Humans cannot endure the tension of vigilance for very long. One hour at most. However, if a person remains tense for an hour, he will be exhausted both mentally and physically. We cannot even think normally. Normally, tension is broken after only a few dozen minutes. It is triggered by a mistake, a weakened face, or a troubled look on the face of a person you have been watching out for. So, when I make this face and set a trap-- So, if you think it''s okay to do as the lord of the 25th district said, raise your hand. --That''s how they fell for it. There were four people who raised their hands. All but Donnis, Tracy, and Gerrardsy, ''the three who are currently unable to participate in the majority vote'', raised their hands. ''I''m going to ask you guys a question too, what do you think? ''I''ll ask Donnis and the others, ''I agree with the idea that we need to start over. Gerrardsy quietly raised his hand. Tracy raised her hand, followed by Donnis, who did not. ''Against? ''Abstain. I''m not going to participate until I''m eligible again.'' He''s a stubborn old man. ''So, six yes votes and one abstention. ......'' I turned around and smiled at Estella and the others. ''We''ll have a majority vote with the nine ''lords'' present! ''What? ''Wait! ''What do you mean! ''You''re talking about the wrong thing! The BU''s stood up and started screaming. Tracy is in a panic, and Gerrardsy looks like he''s on the verge of facial art. Donnis is sitting there with a look of ''...... I see what you mean'' on his face. ''You can''t let the lords of the outer districts participate in the BU''s sacred majority rule! ''No, no, no. You guys decided unanimously that all the lords should participate. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. I''m not sure what you mean by "re-partitioning", you mean that instead of referring to individuals like Donnis and Tracy and discussing whether or not they can be trusted one by one, you want to have all the lords participate in a majority vote? It''s a good idea. We don''t have time for this either. We don''t want to take up any more of your time with off-topic stuff,......, guys. You can find a lot more information on the web at the link below. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. ''No, ...... that''s not what I meant by .............'' ''Did you answer? ''I answered .................., but'' ''Next, look here.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions, you''ll be able to contact me at any time. It''s a bit of a pain in the ass, so if you think it''s okay to do what the 25th district lord said, raise your hand. So the majority vote was taken as the chairman said, and the motion was approved by a majority vote. What room for objection is there in ...... this, the BU members? No one could argue with Lucia''s words. That''s impressive. That''s quite an attitude to have in front of seven lords. I''m glad you''re on our side for once. Your mere presence makes it easier for me to set the pace. The words of an upstanding person add credibility to the story. ''Well, don''t think so deeply. Even if I made a proposal that was disadvantageous to you, you could reject it by seven to two. ''But ......'' Gellarcy glanced at Donnis. Donnis, who had just chosen to abstain. It''s not as if he''s feeling the pain of being the only one to act differently. It is precisely because of Donnis that Gerrardsy is concerned. ''He might betray us. And of course, Tracy. ''You know. Even if Donnis and Tracy betray us, it''s still five to four. It''s not a pathetic situation to be in. But if ...... you betray us, it''ll be four against five.'' ''Who the ...... hell is that?.................. Hey. Get on with it. ''Who''s going to betray us,'' ...... he almost said, realizing that he felt the same way about Donnis and Tracy. Gellarcy stopped speaking, clicked his tongue hatefully, and turned away. And when Gerasie stopped speaking, it became difficult for the others to speak up. If I say anything, I''ll be taken in by Obayashi. Or they''d say something unnecessary. No one likes to have their belly probed when it doesn''t hurt. It''s better to keep quiet and not poke a snake out of a bush. --He''s probably thinking. It''s safer, safer, safer, safer to let the majority decide. That''s what a person who understands common sense would think. ''Well then, let''s get started. Let''s have a fair and pleasant majority vote. With everyone in the room paying attention, I announce in a high-pitched voice. It would be uplifting if we could get some applause going here, but unfortunately there doesn''t seem to be anyone in this place with that kind of flair. ''Estella, Lucia. Are you aware of the sanctions from BU?'' ''...... Well, yeah.'' ''Me too. I''ve been reading a long list of them in a very large letter that was sent to me without my permission.'' The details of the sanctions against the 42nd and 35th districts have already been announced in the letter. I''m not going to go into the details, but a considerable amount of money is being demanded from Ward 35, and an even more unbelievable amount of money is being demanded from Ward 42. This is an amount that cannot be taken lightly. Probably, they are trying to make the issue of the talks to be ''reduction'' by imposing an exorbitant amount of compensation. They are planning to end the talks with only a few concessions while threatening that the compensation will increase and the sanctions will become more severe the more they protest. This is a common practice of Japanese lawyers. It''s a way to find a compromise. But... But such concessions won''t suffice in this case. We''re not at fault at all. If we drink this stuff, we''ll be called out on it every time. We will fight them tooth and nail. Estella and I are in agreement on that. ''Before the majority vote, Estella and Lucia, if you have anything to say, you can say it. ''There is no time for that in a BU majority vote! Gerasie retorts, but is quickly silenced. ''I''m the chairman. Keep your mouth shut. If you can''t, you can leave the room.'' ''...... Tsk.'' ''If you have a problem with that, tell it to the person who elected me as chairman. There are seven of us, including you, so it could be anyone. Give him a big complaint.'' ''.................., if you''re going to do it, do it quickly. If you want to get the upper hand, don''t go against the leader. If I declare that I''m abandoning the majority vote, you won''t even be able to take a majority vote, okay? I don''t think you understand. Perhaps because of my response to Guerraxi, no one came out to defend him. No follow-up. I guess that means we can move on. ''Okay, Estella first. ''Yes. My table in the center of the conference room, facing the seven lords of BU. I stepped back from it and Estella took my place. I say what I want to say to the Seven Lords. ''If you want this to go peacefully, you must realize that you must withdraw from this matter as soon as possible. The room buzzes. ''We have no intention of wasting any more time, nor of overlooking your reckless and shameless provocations. In the future, if you continue to spew out more delusions, each of us will have to prepare ourselves for the disappearance of this foolish organization that barely survives on vague and thin connections. ''What do you think you''re doing? Estella responded in a quiet voice to Gerasie who stood up. ''What, sir? ''How dare you talk to me like that!Isn''t that too rude! ''Heh~......'' Then, with a small hateful smile, he spits out a sarcastic remark. ''So you''re aware that the insolence you showed to us at the beginning of the meeting was rude. Then, did you do it on purpose?What do you mean by rude? ''You ......! Oh, yes. Estella was like this, wasn''t she? She used to swear at me like this all the time in the beginning. It brings back memories, somehow. But a good looking gentleman like me who has a lot of time on his hands and a little guy like Gerasie who''s too busy with the immediate future can''t afford to let that kind of sarcasm go. ''Don''t get carried away!Don''t think that a lord of the outer districts can compete with us, the lords of BU!You''re too arrogant! In particular, those who are aware that they themselves are being defeated are quick to get pissed off like this. ''I see. ......'' In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to get a lot more. ''I''ll take that as a declaration of war. --I''ll have no mercy on you.'' With that, Estella gives up her seat to Lucia. There is still more to be said, but she seems to be stepping back. I just told her to say, "Don''t regret selling your fight to me," in a gerarcy tone. Estella must''ve been very upset. She put a lot of thought into the lines I gave her. Lucia then stands in front of the Seven Lords. I told her to be concise, to look up and provoke-- ''I won''t say anything bad. I suggest you apologize quickly.'' --That''s too concise. It''s brilliant in a way. In a way, it''s brilliant. You''ve managed to piss me off in such a short time. ''Nonsense!It''s a waste of time!Mr. Speaker, let''s have a majority vote! Gerasie, who had no tolerance for stirring, reached her limit and started screaming. Donnis looks at Gerasie with a bitter face. It''s obvious he''s dragging his feet, this guy. ''Don''t you want to hear it? ''I don''t care! ''You''re going to decide without a majority vote? ''I don''t want another farce!I''m sure that''s what everyone is thinking!Right? Gerasie called out to the surrounding lords, but there was not a single reply. ''Look at that. That''s our consensus.'' Gerrard, who interpreted the silence as he saw fit, stood tall. Then I''ll keep my mouth shut. Donnis and Tracy turned away when they saw what you did. That the other lords are going to stay out of this. That they were going to put all the blame on Guerraxi if something went wrong. ''I had something more important to tell you. ...... I''m sorry, Miss Lucia.'' ''Oh. Something you''ll wish you''d listened to.'' Estella and Lucia''s conversation is interrupted by the sound of Geraci punching the table. I think Gerasie''s blood vessels are about to break, so we''ll move on to majority rule. ...... Oh, no. Poor thing. ''So, those of you who think that we should impose sanctions and demand compensation for this incident, raise your hands. At my words, five lords raise their hands. All five except Donnis and Tracy. Tracy, however, lifts her hand to the halfway point and seems to be pondering whether to raise it or not. ''Tracy. Which one are you, that one?Make it clear.'' ''I know ......, I know .............'' ''Why don''t you think about what''s in your best interest?'' When I said that, ...... Tracy raised her hand with a look of surprise on her face. The vote was now six in favor. ''Hmm!I knew you''d turn, Donis Donati!If you''re going to take such a stand, even though it''s obvious, we should consider redistributing or eliminating the tolls and bean tax revenue! ''That''s a bit premature, potty-mouth boy. I didn''t say I was against it. ''Are you going to abstain again?If you''re not going to participate seriously, you might as well walk away from this right now! ''That''s for the chairman to decide, not you, isn''t it?Hmm? ''.................., you old bastard.'' Gerasie spat hatefully. ''It''s Donnis who doesn''t ...... go through that abuse lightly, isn''t it? ''But the idea of removing the tax revenue is interesting. Let''s see what we can do. I''ll do whatever you want me to do. Soybean profits are a big part of BU. If we make an enemy of Donnis, the very survival of BU is at stake. Donnis is right. You were too hasty, Gellarcy. You don''t pick a fight with no chance of winning, that one hair. Maybe he''s onto us. He knows I''ve been waiting for this ...... outcome. I''ve been waiting with baited breath for the sanctions to be passed by a majority. ''A majority, or ......''. Gerrardsy looked pleased when I expressed my disappointment in plain English. If it was Loretta, she would be cute and worth tinkering with. ...... If it was Geraci, she would just be pathetic. I''m not sure what to do. ''I suppose we have no choice.'' ''Ah. You ruined an opportunity with your own hands, you can''t complain about it later. The faces of the lords who were basking in the afterglow of their victory became tense. The air, which had been on the verge of loosening, became tense again. ''So, let''s immediately start making arrangements for it to go into effect tomorrow. ''I''d like to start construction right away as well. Estella and Lucia called their respective waiters and began to write something on the paper that was presented to them. I have a few words of advice for the Seven Lords who are biting their tongues, unable to comprehend the situation. ''I tried to warn them, you know. They''re risking their lives for this meeting, and they''re not joking or drunk. But ...... you guys won''t listen to me. I can''t help it, can I? In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. And then, in a clerical voice that shows no emotion whatsoever, they give notice. In the event you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The contents are available at ...... Oh, I''m not allowed to talk about it?I''ll let you know in writing later. Oh, that''s okay. We don''t intend to ask you to do anything. ''How dare you. We''re on our own. You just don''t have to worry about it. The room was buzzing. Not only the lord, but also the soldiers guarding the room and the head waiter, who had to remain calm, gulped. ''Then let''s go home. Jashiro. ''Hmm. Negotiations have broken down. It''s a shame, ......, but it can''t be helped.'' ''Wait! It was Gerrardy, after all, who gave the go-ahead. He stood up and stopped Estella and Lucia, who had left their seats to leave. You have no choice but to call them off, don''t you, when you''re being pressured like that by your fellow lords from both sides. You can feel it even though you''re not talking. ''You didn''t let them talk, so take the blame'' is the sentiment. ''What do you mean by retaliation? ''Can I talk to you at ............?'' ''I said talk! ''............'' With her engine running, Estella was alive. ''What?Do you think you''re in a position to give orders?'' You''re in a position to give orders? ...... scary~. I don''t want to make an enemy! I''m not sure what to say. It was Donnis who spoke up. Only Donnis, who didn''t raise his hand in favor of the majority vote earlier, has the right to speak now. Donnis is a tough one. He knows exactly what he''s doing. If it''s such an obvious trap, he''ll see through it and take precautions. ''I don''t think what you two are saying is desperation or shallow rhetoric. Hopefully, you''ll tell us what you mean by retaliation. Donnis offers an apology. But the apology is for Gellarcy''s rudeness. In other words, Donnis apologized on behalf of Guerraxi, and Guerraxi took the blame. Donnis suffered no damage. She''s like an old lady who apologizes, ''I''m sorry, my idiot, ......''. ''It''s not my fault, but I''ll apologize on this idiot''s behalf. Gerasie''s face turned red when Donnis said that. But there''s no way he can argue with that. All the blame goes to Gellarcy. ''Then let''s talk. ''With all due respect to DD. Estella and Lucia stand in front of the Seven Lords with an attitude of ''I''ll talk to you''. Then, holding the bundle of documents they had just signed here, they told them the contents of the documents. ''This is a permission slip to the relevant authorities. ''If you send this, retaliation will take place and it will never stop again. That''s what I call a go signal. There''s a bunch of them waiting for that permit. Especially, the corporate bastards of District 42 are waiting for it. ''If any unjust sanctions are applied to District 42, ......'' Estella says with a serious expression as she catches the gaze of the seven lords. Without a single joke or mercy, she said firmly. ''''I''m going to break down the cliff and build a passage to the 30th district. ''''What? The ones who raised their voices were District Twenty-Three and Gerasie. District 30 had the largest city gates in Allbloom. People who entered the city from there would have to pass through District Twenty-three or District Twenty-nine to enter the city. Most people pass through the BU once to get to the outer wards below the cliffs, such as District Forty-two. We''ll take it from there. ''It''s going to be a financial hardship for us. I''m going to build a road with no toll, to keep some logistics in place. I''m sure some of it will flow in.'' ''Do you really think you can get away with such an absurd idea? The one who was shouting with blue streaks was the lord of District 23. The toll tax, which has been almost monopolized until now, will be dispersed. It may not be a fatal blow, but it will be a blow. In addition, because of the trouble that Gerasie''s idiot had with Donnis, there is a possibility that there will be talk of revising the toll tax and the legume concession. I can''t even imagine what kind of disadvantages a negative outcome here could create. ''You''re the one who pushed through the recklessness, aren''t you?Did the fireworks stop the rain from falling?...... If any of you really believe that, can you declare it here and now?I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''I swear by the Spirit God'' is a threat with a slightly stronger tone than ''I''ll turn you into a frog if you lie''. It means, "Since it can''t be a lie, you won''t refuse the ''judgment of the spirits'', will you?That''s what it means. Of course. Nobody''s talking. Everyone knows it''s impossible. It''s just a question of ''prove it'' with a roundabout pressure, in accordance with an abominable custom among the nobility. ''The hunting and lumberjack guilds would be more profitable if they could export without paying tolls. I talked to them about it, and they were all for it. ''No, that''s not ...... allowed.'' Gerrardsy says in a mumble. You''re being very reluctant. That''s how good a toll tax can be. But that''s not all. We''re prepared to retaliate. ''If you attempt any mischief in the 35th district, we''ll impose a tax on everything landed in our ports. Taxes will be imposed on goods exported, and taxes will be imposed on goods entering the BU. I wonder how the peddlers guild will react? ''You can''t do this, sir, you can''t do that! The lord of the 25th district stood up with a pale face. As if caught in the moment, the lord of District 26 also stood up. ''Or does processed food have nothing to do with it?They''re processed after they''re landed! ''We''re also going to charge a large tax when we move to District 36. The production will naturally drop drastically. ''Stupid ......!What are you going to do about exporting to the Central District?It''s not only the people in the outer districts that need processed seafood! ''I don''t care. My district is only forced to take such measures to make up for the unfair losses inflicted on us. The rest is for each district''s lord to consider. If the ports of the 35th district are rendered unusable, it will be a considerable blow to the neighboring 25th district and the 26th district that relies on the distribution of processed marine products. The lords of District 25 would have no time to worry about Donnis'' face, and the lords of District 26 would be dealt a blow so severe that they would not be able to remain opportunistic. However, if the 35th district imposed restrictions on the port, the other port, the 37th district, would be enriched. And also the 27 wards adjacent to the 37 wards. ''As far as I''m concerned, I''m rather happy about it. Tracy said with ease. It''s a chance to take away all the benefits that District 25 has gained so far. Come on, Tracey. Work for your own good. All right?Think only of your own interests. ''''But if it''s a port in the 37th district ......, will the materials be gathered in the 36th district, where the processing industry is well-established, and will the distribution to our 26th district be secured .........? ...'' The lord of the 26th district mumbled out the pattern of the simulation in his brain. He seems to be unaware that he is talking to himself, as if getting older makes various things less coherent. Donnis is older than me, but he''s a slovenly old man. ''Oh, that''s right. I''ll build a port in the forty-second district as well. ''''What? The faces of the lords of the 26th district and Tracy, who had been rejoicing, tightened. Just when they thought they could take advantage of the benefits of the port, a check comes from the day after tomorrow. It''s no wonder they stopped thinking. ''We''ve obtained permission from the Sea Fishing Guild, and with the full cooperation of the Woodcutter''s Guild and the Hunting Guild, we''ve decided to build a port in District 42. We''ve also surveyed the waterways, and we expect to be up and running by the end of the year at the earliest. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, Estella-sama! Tracy runs up to Estella as if to plead. ''Port to ...... forty-two districts?'' ''Yes, it is.'' ''............Seriously, sir?'' ''Of course.'' ''And, but!If another route to the 30th district is created, and not only the lumberjacks and hunting guilds, but even the sea fishing guilds choose to take the route through the 42nd district, ............'' The distribution route, which used to be a large detour due to the cliffs, will start to go around only the lower half of All Bloom. The income of the twenty-seven districts that existed at the end of the detour route will be drastically reduced. This is because it is more profitable to sell foodstuffs and materials gathered in the Forty-second Ward to peddlers from the outside than to send them to the outer districts. ''The distribution of foodstuffs will be stagnant in the districts north of the Forty District. If that were to happen, ......'' ''Miss Tracy.'' Estella put a gentle hand on Tracy''s shoulder as she turned pale from imagining the horrible future. Tracy looks a little relieved at that. She would never have imagined that her next words would be something like this. ''I don''t know about that. The words that completely threw her off. The smile on Estella''s face clearly says, ''Because you are the enemy, aren''t you? It''s written on her face. This is very hard on Tracy. Of course, Tracy is not the only one who is troubled by the destruction of the distribution network. It''s not only Tracy who suffers from the messed up distribution network, of course, but also District 26, District 23, and District 29. District 28, which had been a transit point for meat and lumber distribution thanks to District 27, might also be affected to some extent. In other words, if the 42nd and 35th districts were to be sanctioned, it would be the BU that would lose out. Of course, this is a double-edged sword for the 42nd and 35th wards as well. The 35th district will lose a lot of profit from the port, and the 42nd district is in danger of being seen as hostile by the 30th district and all other districts. But... But that''s okay, because even if that happens, we''ll destroy BU, we''ve concluded. In this chicken race, BU will undoubtedly be the first to raise its voice. Let them cut the bones and crush the heart. That''s how it works. ''It''s not just a threat, sir. If you want, you can have a look at this document. Estella and Lucia put the bundle of papers in their hands on the table. It''s a genuine permit for the construction and the introduction of the new system. Once this is issued, everything that Estella and Lucia have just said will come true. I put my lord''s signature on it right here and now. There is no lie. ''If I die, it''s not ......, is it?'' ''Yes, it is. I''ll die after I''ve seen you all die.'' Estella and Lucia are serious. That''s how determined they are. The BU''s who had been relying on distribution are starting to get nervous. But there are those who are smiling in the midst of it all. For example, ...... Donis. ''If we don''t get any more tolls than before, we won''t be able to return the profits from the beans to the BUs. ''Aha!You''re betraying me, Donis Donati! Gerrardsy sweats strangely. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. If Donnis abandons him here, and the soybean profits are lost, BU will truly collapse. However, taking one look at Gelercy''s face, Donis snorted. ''Hmph!I don''t even want to hear the word ''betray'' from you. You''re the one who planned to get rid of me and Ms. McCurry, and you''re the one who even said that we should review our mutual interests!You''re the one who planned to get rid of me and Ms. McCurry, and you''re the one who even said you''d review our mutual interests! How dare you treat us like traitors now? ''...... gghh'' He bit his lip and lowered his gaze. It seems I''ve been completely outdone. I can''t argue with that. ''Well, calm down, Mr. Erin.'' The lord of the 23rd district calls out to the depressed Gelercy. ''Isn''t that good? Impose sanctions. ''But ......! ''If a port is built in District Forty-two, a new distribution system will be created from there. The passage from the 30th district, which takes away our toll tax, will bring in distribution from the sea. ''...... ah'' ''Then it is possible to think of it as plus or minus zero .......'' ''............I see.'' The blood comes back to Gerrardsy''s face, but only faintly. The possibility that a loophole that takes away profits will create new profits. It''s a good thing you''re the lord of the 23rd district to realize that. If you can think that far ahead, you''re ...... up to snuff. You''re finally ready to be my opponent. Gerrardsey is a failure. At best, you should listen to the other lords around you and find your place. ''You''re annoying. ''Oh, it''s not nice. Estella and Lucia muttered ''inaudibly'' as they watched the noisy lords. Haha. Even though I''m making you do it,......, you guys actually like this kind of thing, don''t you? The conference room is in an uproar as Estella and Lucia fight back. Each of them must be reconfirming their respective positions. The 23rd and 29th districts will suffer losses if a new passage connecting the 30th and 42nd districts is built, but if a port is built in the 42nd district, the profits will be even. No, if you take into account the seafood, lumber, and meat from the hunting guild, the profit might go up. District 24. In Donis, if the distribution is hit hard, the rule of ''sharing the profit of beans in return for allocating the toll tax'' in BU will be broken, so you can produce as much soybeans as you want in your own district and increase your profit. These three districts will benefit from the sanctions imposed on the 42nd and 35th districts. On the contrary, the 25 and 26 districts cannot offend the 35 districts because of their economic structure that is quite dependent on the 35 districts'' ports. If the port in District 35 is banned, it will be a matter of life and death. Even if a port is built in District 42, it can maintain its function as the main port as long as the port in District 35 remains intact. Therefore, these two districts do not want to impose sanctions on the 35th district. More interesting is the 27th district. In Tracy''s district, if the 35th district bans the port, the 37th district''s port nearby will be revitalized, and the benefits will be greater. However, we don''t want to impose sanctions on District 42 because if it builds a port and creates a path to District 30, it will be kicked out of the distribution network. Similarly, District 28, which lives off the distribution from the outer districts below the cliff, can be said to share the same fate as District 27. Now, it''s time to go. I''ll clap my hands loudly to get everyone''s attention. Thinking time is over. Have you thought this through? ''Majority rules.'' The air freezes. There are a few of us who still don''t fully understand the situation, so I kindly explain it to them. ''It has been decided by the majority vote that ''sanctions will be imposed''. So, the next step is to decide where to impose the sanction. There was a buzz in the room. A nervous voice with a hint of anticipation leaks out. Everyone has a definite answer. They''re just waiting. Waiting for their preferred option to be stated. ''I''ll go in order: ......'' I say slowly, and present the first option. ''Those who think that sanctions should be imposed on both the 35th and 42nd districts. Gerasie, Donnis, and the Lord of District 23 raise their hands. ''Then those who think that only the 35th district should be sanctioned''. Estella raises her hand first, followed a little later by Tracy and the lords of the 28th district. ''Those who think that sanctions should be imposed only on the 42nd district''. The lords of the 25th and 26th wards raise their hands, and finally, Lucia raises her hand in a dignified manner. ''............What?'' I don''t know who that voice belonged to. But what the voice meant must have been the feelings of all seven lords. I''ll write it down on a piece of paper for you to understand. Three votes for both the 35th and 42nd districts. Three votes for the 35th district only. Three votes for Ward 42 only. ''.................. equal vote ......'' Gerrardsy''s voice trailed off as he witnessed a phenomenon that should never have occurred in majority rule. His words may also express the feelings of all Seven Lords. What do we do now? The sacred majority rule has collapsed. 332-Episode 244. Raise your hand if youre in favor. For the first time in BU history, the majority vote was a tie. That''s because they accepted nine votes that weren''t prime numbers, so it happens. .................. Didn''t you notice? ...... It was a mistake to let this man be the facilitator. I don''t trust this guy to begin with. ......'' ''What?What? He straightened his arm and pointed at Gerasie. ''Didn''t you say that you trust what I, Obayashi, have to say today, here and now? ''............ Crap! You can argue with my methods, but you can''t argue with my trust. It''s all about what you guys decided by majority vote. ''In the first place, the fact that there are three choices is abnormal!If we had two choices, this could not have happened! ''You''re right.'' The Twenty-Three District Lords agreed with Gelercy''s claim. Then, he glared at me with a piercing gaze and gave me an order in the manner of a chancellor. ''Even though this is your first experience, you are still in the position of a responsible chairman. If that is the case, then in accordance with tradition, I will ask you to choose between two options. If you can''t, then you should voluntarily resign. ''Yes! ''This is the consensus of our BU lords! The opportunistic Lords of District 26 and the short-term, win-at-all-costs Lords of District 28 make a small, petty gesture. Oh, I see. I get it. ''Well, let''s make two choices and start over. I stare back into the eyes of the Lord of District 23 and say, ''Well, let''s make two choices and start over. The lords of District 23, who had their wits about them, did not avert their gaze. That''s impressive. ...... unless it''s just out of spite or pride. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to use a lot more than one. My words caused the air in the room to shake. The air is filled with a sticky, stagnant air that has lost its freshness due to contact with the worst parts of human nature. Now, do you notice it? Hmm?What do you think? Gellarcy, old man of the 23rd district. Are you sure you want to take a majority vote? Wait. I knew it was Donnis who wanted to wait. You''re boring me with your answers. Well, I''ll ask. ''What''s wrong with you? ''When has that smile of yours ever not brought us inconvenience? ''Oh, am I smiling? ''Oh, ............, that''s quite a smile. It''s the kind of smile that strikes a nerve so beautifully that you want to put it in a steel box and put it in the back of your warehouse. It''s a work of art. ''Thank you. Now you may speak. With that artful smile on his face, he gives Donnis the right to speak. ''A majority vote must be fair. A majority vote with a clear outcome is invalid. ''You can see the results at ............! Gellarcy gasped. He finally realized it. Yes, this majority vote has already been answered. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. If you include Estella and Lucia, the vote is three to six in favor of "only one of them". Absolutely. ''You, you''ve got to be kidding me!I''m not going to let you get away with it. You didn''t even notice until Donnis told you, but you''re so brave, Gerasie. ''What are you going to do then? ''You don''t have to think about it individually, you can sanction both districts or not .............'' He was about to say that, when Gelercy closed his mouth, seemingly realizing the error of his words. That majority vote. I''m not sure, but I''m pretty sure it''s going to come down to ''no punishment for both''. The other four districts don''t want to sanction just one of you. There''s another ward that doesn''t want to be sanctioned. In the BU, where relations have become so strained, no one wants to do anything that would reduce the power of their own district. Or rather, no one can. Normally, a community should have a relationship of coexistence and co-prosperity, a relationship of mutual ownership, in which the stronger part of the community reaches out to the weaker part to make up for the weaker part. ...... The current BU is different. However, the current "BU" is different. All of them are declaring, "When the "BU" is weak, I will do as I please. If they lose their power, they will lose everything and be thrown out. No lord would choose to put his district at a disadvantage in such a situation. ''Totally ......''. He shrugged his shoulders and let out a deliberate sigh. ''They''re all just looking out for their own convenience, like a bunch of kids.'' ''What the hell? Gerrardsy bites back as if it were a conditioned reflex. ''Then let the twenty-nine wards make up for the drop in tax revenue of the twenty-seven and twenty-six wards. They''re your friends, right?We should help each other. ''............ can''t be made up by just one district, can it? You''re not making any sense. You came at me with such vigor, but you''re losing ground. ''If the toll tax has been reduced, shouldn''t the profit from the beans be used to make up for it? The lords of the 23rd and 25th districts nodded in agreement with Gerasie''s words. But Donnis naturally protested. ''We are sharing the profits of the soybeans in exchange for sharing the toll tax. If we don''t get the toll tax, we should cancel the distribution of the soybean profits. ''In this situation where the BU is in dire straits, are you still talking about such selfishness! ''Hmph!You call me ''you'' as if you remembered. Donnis and Gerrardsy stared at each other. From the side, the lords of the 26th and 28th districts, who are troubled by the loss of their distributions, say a few words to persuade Donnis. ''Well, let''s be generous here. ''We hope that our great compatriot, Donis Donati, will show us what it means to be an adult. ......'' That''s just adding fuel to the fire. ''Then you''ll double the amount of red beans and cocoa you''ve been paying us? ''What? ''''Wow, our beans are only a small profit compared to soybeans. ...... Besides, aside from District 26, our District 28 is in a location where we can hardly expect any tolls. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at our own webpage. ''U, we are the same! ''No, there''s also a toll tax in the 26th district, so it''s always ''double it or not'' anyway, right? ''How can it be okay if I don''t?Listen, you!It''s betrayal, that''s what it is! Leaving Donnis alone, the gray-haired opportunistic geezer from District 26 and the skinny longhair from District 28 start arguing. Neither of them seems to be very good at fisticuffs, so it won''t be a problem to leave them alone. ''If you''re going to review the distribution, shouldn''t the 29th district be the first to increase the amount? ''You, McCurry!You''ve got to be kidding me! Gellarcy spat at Tracy''s surprise attack. But Tracy says it without a care in the world and without a tantrum. ''District 29 will be more profitable in the future due to the revitalization of the distribution of sorghum. In addition, if a new distribution route connecting the 30th and 42nd districts is created, the toll tax may be increased. ''But both are possibilities!We can''t say for sure at this point, can we? ''No, it will definitely increase profits, I''m sure of it. Donnis points at me, confidently. ''That new seasoning called bean sauce that that guy brought, it''s a very profitable thing. Its raw material, soya beans, will naturally increase in value. Those who didn''t know this fact started to make a fuss. ''Is that true, Mr. Erin? ''Are you saying that you have increased the profits of your district by communicating with this most annoying of men, this most annoying of men, ......, of the 42nd district? The lord of District 28 bites, and the gray-haired geezer of District 26 rants, his blood pressure rising to the point where he feels like he''s about to die. ''No, no!I don''t know anything!Mr. Donati, is it true?Oh, you think this is the man who created that new seasoning, ......! ''Oh, yes. That''s why he needed our koji and came to our ward. ......, right?'' Well, it''s slightly different, but ''brought'' is true. I didn''t produce it. ''What''s wrong with that? I''ll give you a straight answer. And that will spark the anger of those who didn''t know the truth. ''...... So far, I''ve been pushed around by this stinky guy, but ............ I didn''t realize that I was benefiting from his communication. ......'' The Lord of the 23rd district stroked his mustache and stared at Gerasie with terrifying eyes. District twenty-six, district twenty-eight, and even district twenty-five join in. The friends who had been fighting together to defeat Obayashi, whom they had recognized as a clear enemy, were actually benefiting from that enemy. It was painful to find out at this stage. Gellarcy''s credibility is at an all-time low. This would be a decisive blow. ''You made a deal with Assunto, didn''t you?The head of the 42nd district branch of the peddlers'' guild. Then you should have at least understood that ''it was District Forty-two that brought in the business deal related to soy sauce'', right?'' ''That''s ......''. That''s what you get for hiding something you''re guilty of. At a time when I was about to impose sanctions on the Forty-two Wards, the Forty-two Wards offered me a business deal. Moreover, it was a revolutionary deal that would turn the sorghum that had been in surplus for years into a large sum of money. So I jumped at it. And I hid it. We didn''t know what the others would think if they found out about our business dealings with the enemy''s 42nd district. So we hid it. The majority vote would be one-sided anyway, and after imposing the sanctions, we could start dealing with District 42 as District 29 alone. You''ve been caught off guard by such a notion. ''The bean sauce, the new distribution channel ......, all I can see are developments that are favorable to the 29th district.'' Tracy says with a hint of sarcasm. Gerrardsy had no such intentions. He didn''t, but he didn''t have the means to prove it either. That''s why it''s easy to push him. ''So, let''s have a majority vote on whether or not the twenty-nine districts should pay twice as much in distributions as before. ''Don''t make a majority vote to humiliate an individual! I don''t know which mouth is saying it, but Gerrardsy barks. I don''t know which one of you is saying it, but Gellarcy is barking, even though Donnis and Tracy get annoyed when I say it. Are you seriously forgetting what you''ve done, this guy? ''If that''s your attitude, we should consider imposing a tax on the koji used to make bean sauce. ''What?Wait a minute, Mr. Donnerty! ''If the current leader himself abandons the duties of the BU, we will have no choice but to deviate from the rules. ''What are you doing, Ms. McCurry? ''Our coffee is only sold to a few areas, so I''m thinking of growing soybeans and beans. ''Are you going to make trouble with me, little girl? What Tracy said was exactly what the other districts had always wanted to do, which naturally angered Donnis and made the 25th and 28th districts gleam in the opposite direction. ''If that happens, I''ll impose heavy taxes on soybeans outside of my 24th district, just as I''ve always done for all districts except BU!If you disobey me, I will refuse to sell koji to that district. ''That may be a bit arrogant, Mr. Donati. ''Yes, it is!Then how about this?How about we take a majority vote on whether or not to ban the Koji monopoly?'' ''You guys are trying to eat my 24th district! In short, soybeans are that good. Financially speaking. Well, I''m sure none of the wards are happy with the current situation where they have to force other people to eat a lot of unsold beans. If you can produce soybeans, you can make a profit. Soy sauce and miso are made in the outer districts. But koji is only found in the 24th district. Koji is only possible with Whitehead''s hearing. So, I want to somehow persuade Donnis to make soybeans as a bonus. Such ulterior motives are apparent. All right. You''re getting pretty self-absorbed, all of you. The people who at first were just wearing iron masks because they were BU''s, killing their own hearts and being cogs in the organization, are now revealing their desires. I wonder if they are aware of that. ...... I doubt it. It''s about time. Now for the final touches. Look at that face, it''s like a boiled octopus. That''s enough to push him over the edge. He was cool, he took a step back, he was flawless-- that one hair. Now I can finally move Donnis. Just like I wanted. All I need is a little pressure and she''ll fall for me. I give Estella the signal while the BU''s are cursing each other. Estella nodded with a wry smile and cleared her throat lightly. ''So, Mr. Donati. The sudden sound of Estella''s voice caused the room to fall silent. Unperturbed, Estella continued. With a big smile on her face. ''Would you like to make a deal with us? Time stops. ''What are you talking about? ''What is it this time? These thoughts seem to appear as a string of words. The gazes of the Seven Lords turn to Estella. You''ve grown up, to be able to keep a fresh smile on your face in the face of such countless gazes. ''Why don''t we tie up with the 42nd district?Rather than being devoured by the BU, let''s share the profits with our trusted district.'' That''s the devil''s invitation to collapse. If you pull out a corner of a community that has been supporting each other,......, it''s clear as day. I''ll take the 35th Ward if that''s what you''re talking about. You need koji. We''ll set up a perimeter and-- ''All right, all right!I''m out of the BU!'' --I''ll get what I want out of you. ''Are you insane, Mr. Donnerty? ''Huh!I''ve been treated so unfairly, even I can''t keep my mouth shut. ''If you leave the BU, you''ll lose all the benefits you''ve received so far, not to mention the toll tax exemption! ''I don''t care!I know exactly what you''re up to today. You can''t be trusted!Especially you, Gerasie, as long as you''re in charge. ''............Donis......Donati......... ...! He raises a clenched fist. The head waiter and the butler move swiftly again. But that''s not necessary. ''Yes, "BU" collapse ????????????! You say in a bottomlessly cheerful voice, and clap your hands in unison. All the emotions swirling around the place are directed at me. Yes, yes, pay attention, to me. ''If District 24 goes, BU won''t be able to survive, will it?I mean, wouldn''t you?We can get to District 24 by taking a detour after entering the city gate. Who''d bother to go through District 23 where they charge a toll tax? Although it would waste some time, the merchant would choose it if it would reduce the toll tax. No one wants to pay taxes. In addition, until now, beans from BU were taxed exorbitantly, which made it impossible to grow them in other districts. Even if they were grown, the heavy taxation made the selling price so high that they could not be sold. The peddler''s guild would not accept them. However, if one of the BU''s were to collapse, there would be an example of how to avoid heavy taxation by passing through it. If that happens, the peddlers'' guild will definitely use it. They have a network in every district, so they will naturally choose the most profitable route. And when that happens, there will be other wards that will leave the ...... ''BU''. ''Ms. Tracy. If you''re willing to leave the BU, we''ll ship our crops to the center via the 27th district, what do you think? ''Estella......-sama............, is that serious......?'' ''Of course.'' ''If you still trust ...... me after a confrontation like this,......'' ''I think there''s enough trust built between me and Tracy, isn''t there? ''No, of course not!Between me and Estella-sama, there is a strong, thick, unbreakable, and inviolable love. The bond! It exists! Estella interjects with perfect timing. The word ''bond'' was thrown in at the perfect time to drown out the word ''love''. That was just in time. ''Wait a minute, please wait a minute! The one who was in a great hurry was the Lord of District 28. ''If that happens, no toll tax or bean profits will be distributed to ...... our district.'' ''That''s not all. The fact that the 24th and 27th wards are leaving means that ......'' ''Isn''t that where the distribution will be concentrated! Even the lords of the twenty-five and twenty-six districts turned pale. The BU was long and thin, dividing the outer districts from the central districts, and existed without gaps all the way around, acting like a fortress that controlled the flow of people and goods. When compared to a square, the 24th district is in the lower left corner and the 27th district is in the upper right corner. If those two districts were erased, the "a??" would take the shape of a '''', and such a faint fort would be meaningless. People and things will leak out. In addition, if the beans are made in the periphery, BU, which is inferior in terms of territory size, will have no chance. That would mean the complete collapse of BU. ''There''s going to be a war! Gerasie barked vigorously. But Lucia and Estella kept a cool face. ''I don''t mind, but ...... can your district, with its small territory and small population, compete with our district, which has many beastman tribes?I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to help you. ''If it''s a fight you''re selling, buy it. And if you take away the rights to the waterfall, you''ll wake up. ''...... ............ d*mn it! Unable to say anything back, Gellarthy slammed his fist on the table. There was a sickening sound. He might have hurt a bone by going too hard. He doesn''t care, and continues to punch the table over and over again. ''Master Gellarcy. Please stop.'' ''Shut up! The silver-haired, E-cup head waiter, Inez, calls out to Gerasie, but he doesn''t stop. ''Excuse me, sir.'' Inez grabs Geraci''s elbow with her right hand. With that, Gerrardsy''s arm stopped twitching. ...... You''re awesome, head waiter. You''re definitely a martial arts expert. ''.................. You''re making fun of me, too. ......'' ''...... I''m sorry. It''s obvious to everyone that he''s acting out of concern, but ...... he can''t help saying that. He''s a pain in the ass. ''...... haha............'' The lord of the 23rd district thrusts his elbow into the table, puts his forehead on his crossed hands, and lets out a particularly loud sigh. He is convinced that he has lost, and he is worried about the future, which has no prospects. As I look around, I see that the lords of the 25th, 26th, and 28th districts are also throwing themselves back in their chairs, weak and dumbfounded. There''s no benefit for these people to get out of the BU. One way or the other, you know. We''re sinking. We''re sinking. ''What''s wrong with the air? I said to him, but he replied, ''You don''t say! but I got no reply. What the hell? You''re really embarrassed. Is it hopelessness? Is there no hope for the future? You really can''t see any other way but "BU"? ...... is so pathetic. ''Hey, Enes.'' ''It''s Inez.'' ''Oh, sorry. I was just looking at your E-cups. ''...... I''m going to penetrate you, okay?'' Scary. ...... I bet his weapon is some kind of spear or rapier. What is there to be angry about? I''m sure your parents named you Ines with the hope that you would grow up to be an E-cup. As proof, the brown D-cup in District 23 is called Deborah, right?See, it''s "D-bora"! And the lord of the 42nd district is called A-stella. I''m sorry. Can one of you soldiers lend me your knife?'' Estella, who has been banned from bringing weapons to the meeting of the lords, is calling out to the soldiers. ...... Don''t anticipate my mind and try to harm me. I''m not sure how you know that. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this, but I''m sure you''ve seen it. ....... A boring guy. ............ Oh, that''s wrong. I''m not a fan. So, as boring Estella says, I''ll do what I have to do. ''Inez. I''m going to open a window for you. ''............ as you wish.'' He''s too busy holding Gerasie''s arm to deal with me. I mean, he''s not very nice. I don''t know why I''m so unlikable. The head waiter has given me permission to open the window of the conference room. This is the window I checked the last time I was here. I''ve already checked with Mahr to see which direction it faces. So, ...... ''Go this way ......! I fly the bamboo dragonfly I''ve been carrying high and high out the window. I painted it bright red to make it stand out a little more. So, I guess we have about ten minutes left. ''...... What have you done? When I turned around, Gerasie was staring at me like crazy. ''At this point, ...... what the hell did you just do? It seems that his spirit has reached its limit. ...... Poor thing. I''m sorry. ''It''s a flying toy. I''ve got another one I''d like to give you. ''I don''t want it! ''Don''t say that. No one will think it''s a bribe with this toy.'' ''I don''t trust a word you say! Ahh... You''ve violated my "trust me only today" policy. Now I can frog Gerasie, ...... even if it hurts a desperate man like this. ''If you don''t want it, I can put it between your E-cup cleavage where you''re currently stuck due to the restraints on your arms. ''Suit yourself! ''Thanks a lot! ''...... I''ll kill you, okay?'' Don''t be so direct. If you''re a girl, at least try to be a little more subtle about it. Skinship. In the West, hugging, blushing, and pinching are common greetings. Isn''t ...... dong dong? Isn''t ...... it? You can''t just walk on the rails, can you? With that, the room fell silent. Then, Gerrardsy raises his eyebrows. ''...... rails? d*mn it! So there are no trains in this world? ''It''s an iron road that runs a trolley. Estella followed up. There are trolleys, aren''t there? ''What''s that, a mining term? Oh, rails is a mining term? Well, it''s okay. ''In short, you can only walk a certain way.'' We''ve been clinging to tradition, using predetermined methods, predetermined words, predetermined ways of winning. And we will continue to live the way we''ve always lived. Is that the only way to live, you people? ''Majority rule must have two choices''?You''re stuck with the narrow-minded idea that it has to be one of the choices presented to you. Isn''t there any innovation? If I were you, when confronted with a question of two choices, I would look for the third answer first. If not, I would create my own. ''The breakthrough in District 42 that you envy so much, that you can''t help but envy, was brought about by innovation. The forty-second ward, which had nothing, now has a technology that makes other wards say, ''What the hell is that? It has become a treasure house of technology that makes the surrounding districts ask, "What''s that? They are exporting their technology and using it as a weapon in negotiations. We have risen from the damp land under the cliff to this place at once. I''ll show you a glimpse of that now. Take a good look. See the value of the things you''ve decided are worthless and abandoned even looking at. Once you know its value, there are many ways to do it. ''Please wait! ''I''m in trouble! Suddenly, the hallway becomes noisy. The panicked voice of a waiter approaches from afar. ''What''s going on? Inez shouted sternly while holding Gerasie. One of the waiters rushes to the door to see what''s going on and is about to ...... when there''s a knock on the door. The waiter froze at the unexpected situation and turned around to look at Inez. Inez is also confused. So I say. ''You can come in. At the sound of my voice, the door slowly opens. Standing in front of the door is... ''Sorry to interrupt your meeting. Gentlemen, would you like to eat? Ginette. And-- ''...... sweets are the perfect thing to eat when you''re frustrated. ''Come on, come on, everyone!Don''t be shy, eat up! Magda and Loretta. It''s a sunny day party. ...... Even though Loretta had to push through muscle pain to participate, she didn''t show any sign of pain. She''s a pro. In addition, Delia, Norma, Nephrite and Paula are also there. Including the temporary helpers, I guess it''s the Sunlit Pavilion All-Stars. ''This is ...... what''s going on, Obayashi! ''Hey, Gerasie. Don''t ask people for everything. Try to judge the situation yourself for a change.'' ''......!Inez, let me go! ''But ......''. ''It''s okay. ...... won''t get any worse.'' ''......All right, sir.'' Gerasie, having escaped Inez''s restraints, approached Ginette and the others. A large cart is placed in front of Ginette. It is a cart that Umaro had made in two hours to carry a large amount of food at once. It is covered with a beautiful white cloth to make it look gorgeous. ''This is ......''. ''This is a dish made with beans from the BU.'' Lined up in front of Ginette were pancakes filled with peanut butter and chocolate doughnuts. There''s also coffee jelly, taiyaki, and honey-roasted peanuts. Over there is a big pot of pea potage. I made some rice with peas as well. And the now familiar mapo tofu. Such dishes are all lined up in a row. ''Okay, pretty waitresses, please serve the food. '''''''''' Yes~'''''''''' ''...... Mm.'' Everyone except Magda replied in a cute voice. Magda''s reply would probably make Umaro faint. Then, a group of waitresses (except Delia and Magda) who are somewhat nervous because they are in front of the lord of a superior district of another district, enter the conference room. They looked awkward at first, but gradually returned to their usual natural state. They get used to it quickly. The girls of the 42nd district have a lot of guts, don''t they? ''Hey, Gee San, you''re the lord of District 26, you make cocoa, right?These chocolate donuts are delicious!Try it!It''s a big deal, chocolate! ...... Delia is too uptight. ''This fish-shaped food ...... has bean paste in it ............ and is delicious.'' ''This savory cream is made from our peanuts? ''Mmm............ deep, the flavor. Pea potage, huh? Each of them tasted their own bean dishes and were impressed with the taste. ''Oh, it''s been a long time since the manager''s coffee jelly ....... Nene......, come join us.'' ''Yes. Tracey ....... I''ll join you. No, you can call me "sir" or "ma''am" all you want now. There won''t be any foot jabs as punishment this time. Just be normal. ''Gelercy, try this. Donnis approaches Gerrardy''s seat with a bowl of bean curd in his hand. Inez stiffens for a moment, but Donnis takes one look at her and she relaxes her stance. They must have realized that it was futile to fight each other here. In return, Inez seems to feed Gerrardsey, who has a broken hand, some bean curd. ...... You''re flirting with me. You''re abusing your authority, that plump lord. ''...... This is ............''. ''That''s the taste of bean sauce. I''ve heard that it gets deeper when it''s aged.'' ''What is this white stuff ......? ''It''s called tofu, made from our district''s soybeans. ''It''s a collaboration between District 29 and District 24. ''And the forty-second district''s.'' Donnis and Gellarcy both look at me. Hey, hey, hey. If you''re talking about District 42, you should be looking at Estella, not me. I''m just a diner worker. ''Our district''s beans are made into this kind of food ......''. ''If you imitate this,......, no, but imitation alone will surely leave you behind again in the future,......'' ''I see. ......Innovation. ......'' ''Show me the ...... difference in power ............ and I''ll show you which lord is the best. I don''t know which of these words is from which lord, but I don''t care because they all seem to have somewhat similar feelings. ''These bean dishes will surely become popular. --And since we have promised to provide the recipes of these dishes to the lords of districts forty-one to thirty-six in return for their recklessness towards this meeting, the market will expand rapidly. If you build a port or a passage to the top of the cliff in District 42, those districts will be hit hard. To make up for it, or rather, ......, it''s a big deal to atone for your sins as well. You can make a lot of money if you monopolize the sunny side up. ...... It''s not a cafeteria anymore. I''m going to be very selective about the menu at the Sundaily Pavilion. So, I''ll give you the bean-related recipes. So I''m sure there will never be enough beans. It''s already beyond what BU can manage on its own. The beans that were left unsold have found their destination. From now on, the beans will sell like hotcakes and the profits will flow in. I''ll remind the lord of the current situation. ''So it''s good that we can grow beans freely now. ''What ......? Some of the lords gulped. Hey, hey, hey, did you forget? ''The 42nd and 35th districts will be sanctioned, so the only way to cover the damage is to make a lot of beans and raid the gap of the collapsed BU~'' ''That''s right. We need to start construction immediately and expand the fields, please, Natalia. ''Leave it to me, I''ll make the arrangements without delay. ''The harbor in the 35th district might get lonely. You know, Gilberta? ''I can''t help it, the situation is what it is. I''m not sure what to do. I''m going to proceed on the premise that. Then, at the end, we face each other and let out a smile. ''Oh no, we''re going to make a lot of money, aren''t we? ''We''re going to be sanctioned, aren''t we? ''I heard that the majority vote is absolute. When sanctions are imposed, we all profit. I''ll remind you of that. I''m going to remind you of the reality that we''re going to profit by destroying the profits that BU has been making. ''Hey, Obayashi! His mouth turns red and he thrusts out the spoon in Gerassi''s hand. ...... You''re too hungry for mapo tofu, you know. I''m sure you''ve got a sore hand. Please. I beg you. ''Please, let''s have another majority vote! I don''t have the right to ask that, but ...... ''What do we do?'' I look at Estella and Lucia and say a bit deliberately. Some of the lords are getting impatient. I see a man shaking his ass out of the corner of my eye. Irritating. ''Yes, ......, it''s been a bit of a slap in the face, and there are some things that have gone unanswered. ......'' ''That''s right. It''s not good to be left in a daze. It would be a good idea to come to a decision by majority vote one last time. ''Eh~......, well, if you guys are going that far, I don''t mind~'' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. You guys know what you''re doing, don''t you? Move for your own good. Don''t make mistakes, okay? See you at ...... ''This is the last time. All those who think that sanctions should be imposed on the 42nd and 35th districts, raise your hands! As soon as I finish, Estella and Lucia raise their arms. If sanctions are imposed, we''ll make a lot of money, woohoo! But... But no other hands go up. ''............ Who says no?'' I asked, just to be sure, and seven arms went straight up. Even Donnis was against it. ''Heee! I say, even louder, and snap my fingers. With this, my plan to dismantle the BU, which I had tried so hard to carry out, has been abandoned. The BU will continue to exist as the BU, and will be responsible for the management of people and things. If there had been a tear or a hole somewhere, we could have made a lot of money! ''Aaah!It''s a shame we lost. I''m not sure what to say. Gerrardsy snapped at him when he was plainly embarrassed. ''You''re ...... completely incomprehensible to the very end, you know that? He smiled, as if his anger and dismay had become amusing in a roundabout way. ''Yashiro. ''anchovy''. I turned around to see the two men who had done so much for me with their hands raised to shoulder height, as they called my name (although anchovy was not my name). These guys have done a lot of work for us. Let''s at least give them a little credit. ''Well, that''s it then. ''Good job. ''It was a good cause. ''You too.'' Estella and Lucia exchanged high fives with one hand each, and I with both hands. 333-Theres a hint for episode 245. After the majority vote, some of the Seven Lords looked somewhat relieved. They tucked into the delicious food that had been dramatically transformed by the beans, which had been a burden to their district, and calculated the future benefits they would bring. But... It''s too early to tell. Let''s not get carried away. ''Estella. ''...... Yeah.'' Estella''s expression tightened as I called her name. Unlike the theatrics of trying to trap them, this was a serious negotiation. You can''t just have fun and improvise. ''I have something to say to the lords of BU. It was Donnis, surprisingly, whose expression tightened at Estella''s formal statement. The rest of them looked as if they were already finished and said, ''What?Is there something more you want to talk about? Is there anything more? After all, Donnis is the only one who''s noticed. If he was the leader, we''d have had to think of something else to do. Or maybe if he was the leader, we wouldn''t have gotten into this mess. Yeah. We were ''involved''. ''It has been completely decided that the BU will not impose any sanctions on District 42, has it? No one answered that question. At the same time, there is no rebuttal. ''I will continue assuming there are no objections. Having implicitly acknowledged that you have agreed, Estella cut to the chase. ''So, let''s talk about the next one. ''The next one is ......? Gerrardsy, who seemed to have finally sensed a disturbing atmosphere at this point, muttered. The other lords also began to tighten their expressions. You''ve got a pretty good idea. Well, you''re right. Because we''re ''involved''. It''s not something that can be laughed off,......, because of your selfish convenience, we wasted a lot of time, spent money, and even promised to pass on the recipe for the new product, the seed of money, to other districts. So, you know. You have to do what you have to do, and you have to do it right. In order to eliminate any lingering issues in the future. Estella, the lord of the Forty-two districts, said the words of closure. ''District Forty-two demands compensation for damages from District BU-7. Desks rattled. Several people stood up at once, and one table collapsed from the force. Magda quickly lifted the food on the table and it was safe. That''s what I''m talking about. ''What ...... are you talking about, ......? Gerrardsy''s pupils dilated. He seems genuinely confused. What is it? Did you think you''d made peace? ''The damage done by you is considerable. If you had wanted to impose sanctions, I could have shown at least some understanding, even if I couldn''t agree. However, all the lords raised their hands to withdraw the sanctions. ............'' ''...... What were we pushed around for? ''Well, that''s ......''. Gulp,......, Gerrardsy swallows his spit with a rather loud sound. Seriously, this kind of cold expression on Estella''s face--it''s frighteningly beautiful. Lucia just stays behind Estella in silence, glaring at the Seven Lords as well. This time, I''ve asked Lucia to keep her mouth shut. The 35th district was also forced to waste time and money in the same way,......, but the 42nd district was asked to support the 42nd district on the condition that it would bear all the losses. Naturally, we can expect to be compensated for our losses plus more. ''Please forgive me if I sound vulgar,'' he said. I pulled my chin up, turned my head down just a little bit, and took a breath. With a swoosh, you stop breathing and turn your face straight ahead. At the same time, a very vulgar word comes out of Estella''s mouth. ''Did you really think that you could get away with fighting with us for free? It was a voice that was lower and more powerful than any words Estella had ever uttered. ...... Oh, no. The first time I met the Yaplok family, when I said I was abandoning them, she also had this low voice. In short, Estella''s really angry. But this time she''s bluffing. --You can only be a full-fledged lord when you can bluff. BU is a great way to practice on small fry. It seems to have had an extraordinary effect, and Estella''s anger has correctly spread to the Seven Lords. ''What more are you going to do? The current leader of the BU, Gerasie, boldly tried to argue. You''re no use to me. I''m not sure what you mean by ''more'', Gerrardsy. I dare you to call me by my first name. I try to provoke a reaction, but Gellar''s not responding. No, he can''t. It shows he''s afraid of Estella. Even the thoughtless Gerasie understands that a bad reaction will make things worse. ''Your story may be over, but our story hasn''t even begun, you know? ''Yea, but ...... just now ......''. ''Now that it''s been decided that the 42nd district won''t be sanctioned, there''s no longer a good reason to create a pathway to the port or the 30th district. It''s only ''retaliation'', Estella says here. It makes no sense to retaliate when it has been decided that no sanctions will be imposed. That''s why the 42nd district will lose a lot of money if this ends like this. The time and money spent on laying the groundwork, well, mainly the food costs ......, will be wasted. You can''t expect the guild leaders to just sit back and let it happen, Medora, Javier, Masha and the others. Especially Masha, she''ll insist. ''Because of your trivial pride, we''ve dragged out three guild leaders of a large guild. I''m sure you''ll understand that it''s not just a matter of ''we''re gone'', but what do you think? ''But that''s something you did on your own, and we''re not ......''. ''Selfish'' ....... That''s a bad move, Gellarthy. You should refrain from making excuses that would upset the nerves of the person who holds the right to kill you, unless you are a suicidal person. ''Who made you do that? ''It was .......'' ''Or are you saying, "You should have done nothing and just let yourselves be eaten by them." ......'' ''That''s not what ...... I''m saying, anyway, calm down. Let''s talk about it again. ......'' ''I was planning on it. ......'' Estella turns around and turns her back on the Seven Lords. ''At this point, when you''re being mocked like this, ...... I can''t help but think it''s useless to talk.'' Estella spits it out and starts walking. Towards the exit. ''Wait, wait! Gerrardsy stands up hurriedly. He backs away from the table in his way, kicks it away, and runs in a straight line toward Estella. Magda, Delia, and Norma stand in front of her. ''...... What are you going to do to my lord? ''Touch me with even a finger. You--'' I''ll have to remind you that there is no forgiveness. The spirit of the three martial arts beastmen made the room tense. Not only the head waiter, but even the soldiers guarding him are bracing themselves. The negotiations completely broke down. That was when everyone thought so. A lazy voice came into the room. ''Oh, dear. I guess it didn''t work out, Gerasie. Some people straightened at the voice, others widened their eyes in astonishment, and strangers turned their gaze to the doorway to see what was going on. Gerrardsy''s face was a mask of confusion. ''You don''t understand the human heart, do you? ''Ah ............ sister ......''. The one who entered the room with a relaxed step was Ma''ru, accompanied by the head waiter Cindy. ''The world isn''t as simple as it seems when you follow instructions, you know. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. The ...... real thing is a real hunk. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''Eh, ah ...... yes.'' She forgot all about her anger mode and went back to her usual Estella self. Well, it can''t be helped. She was trying her best to show the power and aura of Lucia as a model, but when she was shown a terrifying aura that surpassed even Lucia''s, she would. She would return to her true self. Mahrul has decided to devote his entire life to becoming a lord and has lived only for that purpose. His power is real. No matter how old he gets, the power he has acquired has not diminished, even after the path to becoming a lord has been cut off. ''There''s a little too many of you. Head waiter--Inez, wasn''t it? ''...... Yes.'' The silver-haired E-cup is shrinking. The head waiter, who''d even given Gerrardsy some room to breathe. ''Get the serving staff and soldiers out of here. There will be no more trouble.'' ''But ......''. ''Don''t make me say it twice. ''...... Yes, sir.'' Without checking with Gerrardy, Inez gave the order. This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. In spite of the fact that such an outrageous thing was happening, Geraci seemed to be unable to say a word. The soldiers and waiters left the room, leaving only the lord, the head waiter, Mahr and Cindy, and the members of the Sunny Pavilion in the room. ''Please be seated for the time being. I''m sure the seven lords have a lot to say and a lot to ask. None of them responded to Mahr''s words. Except for one person, Donnis. With no one moving, he returned to his seat with dignity and sat down in his chair. He crossed his arms and stared straight at Mahr. ''............'' ''............'' Ma''ru makes slight eye contact with Donis and smiles slightly. At the moment, Donis''s single hair twitches and shakes. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... You''re expressing a strange emotion with a calm expression. You don''t have any nerves in that hair. He''s an insane old man. Seeing that Donis had sat down, the other lords followed suit. With the waiter gone, the head waiter returns the table to its original position. The lords return to their seats. ''As you may have noticed...'' Mahrul''s speech began with such words that blocked the escape words of ''I have no control over this''. A story that would give the lord present a clear understanding of the current situation. ''''BU has made a very foolish choice. The BU has made a very foolish choice, a ruthless choice to let other districts suffer the loss of their own districts due to lack of rain. Well, now I understand. I can see now that a group of lords with high pride and no ability to solve problems got together, and without being able to come up with their own opinions, they took up a solution that came to them suddenly as if it was the best one, and once it was, they implemented it without question or discussion. Someone must have said. ''There are people doing disturbing things in the outer districts. If there were other people who felt it was cheeky, it is easy to imagine that these people with strong peer pressure would come to the conclusion, ''Then let''s have him make up the loss. ''I would like to see the Conversation Record of the day you decided to impose sanctions on the 42nd and 35th districts, but let''s not pursue it. We don''t have time to spend on the past now, do we? He stopped the blame game of ''you said that'' and ''no, you said that''. Their escape is slowly being taken away, and many of the Seven Lords can only listen to Mahr. ''Gerasie. I''ll ask you, the current leader.'' ''............ Yes.'' ''The current leader. It sounded like a threat, ''If you make even the slightest mistake in your choices, I will immediately remove you from your position. ''Do you accurately understand that the BU is now in the control of the 42nd district? ''Isn''t that ...... an exaggeration ......''. ''They''ve recently built a new city gate, remember?And they''ve even laid the groundwork for a new port. Hey, Gerasie ......, are the enemies you see really as small as you think they are?'' As if speaking to a child, Mahrul blames Geraci for his shallow thinking. All of the crises that are happening right now are due to the fact that you have misjudged the power of the 42nd district. ''You don''t see what''s going on. ''''That''s indeed too much to say. No matter how much of a sister you are, ......'' ''Do you understand how they got into this house? He pointed at Jeannette and the others. Gerrardsy looked as if he had been caught off guard for a moment. This guy didn''t even seem to be thinking about it. It''s not possible for a mere clerk in a diner in the 42nd district to enter the mansion of the lord of the 29th district without permission. ''...... Did you help her? ''Yes, I did. Before Ginette and the others came in, the voices that were saying ''please wait'' and ''we''re in trouble'' were the voices of the waiters directed at Ma''ru. Ma''ul led the way and brought Ginette and the others here. Of course, Mahrul had seen everything that had happened in this room firsthand. ''Okay, Gerasie?District Forty-Two is now on equal footing with BU, with new passages, new ports, and new culinary weapons, okay? ''Equal to BU, that''s an exaggeration! ''No, it''s not. I''m underestimating them. Mahrul walked up to Estella and put his hand on her shoulder. ''At first, the Forty-Two were trying to get the BU to impose sanctions. The air in the room ripples with excitement. The exact opposite of how it ends now. Indeed, that was the scenario I was trying to set up. ''He had a way for the Forty-two Wards to benefit by letting you do exactly what you said you would do from the beginning. If he''s putting his hand on Estella''s shoulder, at least say ''she is''. That makes it sound like I''m the mastermind. ''BU'' wins the majority vote and loses the game - that line itself hasn''t changed, but if things had turned out as originally planned, ......... ... "BU" would have been a skeleton. No more dignity, no more pride. Gellarcy looks at me. So it''s not me, it''s Estella. ...... ''I''ll tell you one thing. Lucia seems to be bringing some good news to the table. It may be painful to hear. ''This man is not going to destroy the organization. He''s the kind of guy who keeps them alive and sucks the profits out of them.'' He''s like a parasite. ...... If it is more profitable to keep them alive, they do so. That''s all. Whether it''s the peddlers guild or the 41st district that got into trouble at the city gates, when you destroy an organization, the repercussions are huge. That''s why I planned to keep BU as BU and just take out the bones. And, ''Good for you. I was going to say, ''I''m glad the majority vote turned out the way you wanted. But there was someone who wanted to stop me. Ma''ul. ''And I got him to change it. He wants you to deny majority rule and let the BU collapse. --Of course, with the promise of a fair reward.'' ''Why do you have to do this?Is it to make up for not becoming a lord yourself?Is this revenge? Wow, you''re a fool, Gerasie. ''Fool. Donnis seemed to agree with me. ''There are so many easier ways to get revenge, and so many more opportunities to do it before. Can''t you think of a reason to do it now, in this way?'' ''............ reasons?'' Donnis let out a heavy sigh at Gerasie, who couldn''t give him an answer. ''Awareness, then.'' ''That''s very good, Mr. Donati.'' ''............ mmm. ...... at least this much.'' Donnis swims his eyes when Mahr calls his name. ''Don''t be shy at your age, single hair. ''I just wanted you to notice. I wanted you to realize the foolish system of this endless organization called BU. And the hopeless future it brings.'' The BU system is failing. The fact that they''ve been forced to invade other districts to make ends meet is proof enough. It''s hard to change a system when you''re in it, no matter how much Donnis wants to. Even more so when it comes to destroying it. That''s why Merle moved. That''s why Merle moved. And that''s why he set us up. ''If we seriously take on the 42nd district now, ...... ''BU'' will disappear. Not only that, but each district could even be merged into the other. If the economy becomes unsustainable, it will be merged with neighboring districts or absorbed by other districts. If that happens, the lord will be out of business. ''Besides, the forty-two wards that have started to move can''t stop now. You have to put down your raised fist somewhere. Gellarcy looks at Estella. Apparently, Estella''s seriousness has burned into his brain as fear. He didn''t look at me, he looked at Estella. Gellarcy''s brain must''ve learned that those eyes were serious. ''I can settle this tangled relationship with the forty-two wards without making waves, but ...... what would you do? ''That.................. is.'' I''ve tried to swallow my spit several times and failed. His mouth must be dry. Inez gently offered him a glass of water, but his right hand, which was beginning to swell and discolor, did not grasp the glass but only shook uncontrollably. ''You''re asking me to quit ............ being a lord, is that what you''re ............ saying?'' ''Yes. You are devastatingly lacking in talent as a lord.'' Gerrardsy bites his lip in assent. ''My father spoiled you, didn''t he? My mother has passed away, and she has reached the limit of her strict upbringing. ...... Poor little thing, both of them. The voice sounded like sincere sympathy. ''But I don''t want to be a lord now. The people will be confused, and you''ll still be the lord--I just want you to transfer the decision-making power to me. Just a few things with the 42nd district. Give me that decision. And I''ll make it all right. The lord will remain the same, Gerasie, and Mahrul will be the point of contact with the Forty-Two districts. That''s the only way we can get out of this mess. We can prevent the collapse of BU. If Geraci balked at this, I was going to take a majority vote with the authority of the chancellor - all the other lords would agree with Ma''ru''s opinion anyway. The only one who would disagree would be Gerrasi, who would be deprived of some of his power as a lord - but apparently that wouldn''t be necessary. ''All right, sister. ............ Thank you. Standing up and bending at the waist, Gerasie bowed her head. Mahr, who had been making a serious expression, held his chest and let out a sigh of relief. ''Oh, thank God. Then he gives me a resentful look. He puffs out his cheeks and raises his eyebrows. ''I trusted Yashippi''s suggestion and took it, but I thought my heart would stop. ''No, it was really amazing. ''Not in that order. He clenched his fists with both hands, and as if to shake off the pent-up anger in his stomach, Mael swung his arms around. Somewhere, an old man with a single strand of hair cries out, but I dare to ignore it with great fanfare. I mean, if you''re going to say it, change your expression. He kept his stern face and voice, and the lords around him were wondering, ''''What''s going on? Did you hear me wrong? What''s going on? Well, aside from a single hair... It''s really heartbreaking to negotiate when you''re at a disadvantage. I''m still nervous about .......'' In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. With a nice follow-up from Cindy, Mael was seated without any trouble. ''............ If you''d included the sentence "beyond this point", I might have been doomed.'' ''No, no. It''s a geracy.'' Hearing the conversation between me and Mahr, Geraci''s face changes. I don''t know what he''s talking about, but he seems to have understood that he''s been carried again. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. He must have been under a lot of stress today. ...... Watch your stomach and scalp. Stress is scary. I''ve got a hint for you. ''I don''t want any hints!Just give me the answer! That''s why you''re no good, you know. ''Didn''t I bring up a story that you all put on hold because you didn''t care about it? ''What ......?'' Gerasie turned around and looked at the other lords. But none of them seemed to have noticed. Donnis, too. ''It''s me. I saw Estella leave in her carriage this morning, didn''t I? ''............ So, what?'' ''But I got there before you, didn''t I?I could have afforded to go to Marle''s, dress up as a soldier, and slip into the security of this building.'' ''............ Hmm?I mean, what are you trying to say? I don''t know. Hint two. ''These people are from the 42nd district, and they brought this much food from a diner called the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''So, ......, what is it you''re asking! ''How do you think it was brought? ''You mean with a ...... carriage? If you do that, we''ll have to pay a toll tax on all this food and we''ll lose a lot of money. You can''t go this far unless you''re willing to pay for almost all of the ingredients for free, and only pay for the labor. The beans came cheap thanks to Mahr''s toll tax exemption permit. ''...... The phrase "beyond this point" is going to be the key. ''Oh, Donnis!You''ve got a good point. Come on, Gerrardsy, we''re almost there.'' ''I mean, .................. Ahh!I''m frustrated!...... ouch! Gerasie scratched her hair in frustration, seemingly oblivious to the devastation of her right hand, her face contorted in intense pain. You must be Loretta. You''ve been in bed with terrible muscle pains, but when I told you I was going to work in District 29, you said, ''I''m coming too!If you rest until the last minute, you''ll be fine! He said. So I brought him a lunch box of encouragement in the morning. ...... He really is a professional. But if you give him a little poke, he''ll say, ''Geez! But if you poke him a little, he''ll say, ''Geez! In short, you''ve already made some kind of contract with the 42nd district, and if so, you''ve already fulfilled it. When Donnis said that, Mael looked impressed. I''m sure you''re right. ''That''s great, Mr. Donati. I wouldn''t want to make an enemy out of you. ''Pfft!Gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh!'' The old man''s dying. Hey, someone. Give him a good scare. ''............ me too.'' Unfortunately, his casual confession was muffled by his choking earlier. Yes, let''s start over. I mean, ''me too''... You''re not a ''moja'', you''re a ''vine'' or a ''pyoon''. Hmm?Aren''t you talking about your hair? ''Well, the point is... It''s already there. ''What about ............?'' Gerasie let out a curt voice. Since Donnis isn''t looking at me right now, and the other lords don''t seem to be getting the idea, I''ll tell them the correct answer. ''There''s a huge cliff between District 42 and District 29, right? I tell her the shocking fact in the cutest and most charming way possible. ''I made a passage there. '''''''''' Huh? '''''''' A wild voice came rushing in like a wave. ''What about the passage you said you were going to build in the 30th district! ''Oh, that''s impossible,'' he said. ''What about ............? ''No, I asked the Sister of the Forty-second Ward, Bertina, the one with the hidden big tits, if I could destroy the swampy area. And she said, ''No.'' So it''s impossible...'''' He said, ''Well, then it''s impossible.'' ...... After all the talk about building a corridor between the thirtieth district and the thirtieth district to block traffic taxes and distribution routes!You''re saying it was impossible from the start? ''Yes, that''s right. I''m not sure what to say. Gelercy is about to transform into his second form. ''In the first place, there''s no way that District Forty-two can decide such a thing on its own without the permission of District Thirty. ''What was that confident attitude of yours? ''I''m ............ good at acting, aren''t I? ''I want to punch you ......! You can''t do that with your right hand. Don''t do it. ''But you said you did it on your own without permission.I see.Your sister gave you permission to build a passageway between us and the 29th district! ''Correct! ''Sister!'' As soon as Gerasie''s eyes turned to Ma''ru, Ma''ru protested with a small wave of her hands in front of her chest. ''But, you know, it''s my family''s land, it''s my property, it was an emergency,............, and our new serving girl said, "I welcome the ease of getting to District 42! The new waiter girl earnestly asked me to do so, and I thought that since my favorite pretty waiter was telling me to do so, I might as well push myself a little. ''It''s too much to ask!Making a passage between two wards! ''But now that I''ve been allowed to decide what to do with the forty-two districts, ...... I feel relieved.'' ''It''s an after-the-fact agreement, isn''t it! ''You didn''t tell me it was a bad idea. ''Just because I didn''t tell you doesn''t mean ......! Gelercy suddenly became energetic. Some kind of strange switch must have been turned on. ''So, since there was a clue, there was a chance for you to find out, right?If you had been aware of it, you could have expelled Mahr, who built the passage without your approval, on the authority of the lord. ...... Well, that''s not possible anymore. ''Obaaaah!You''re the one who put that in there, aren''t you? ''........................... .............................. ..................... You''re right! ''What''s with the "reservoir"? Originally, there was a cave dug by a hamster in the cliffs of New Town, and a spiral staircase was built along the wall of the huge cave. From there, he enlarged the cave and completed the passage from New Town to the cliffs of District 29 - the land controlled by Mael. In two days. With Loretta, the Hamsters, and Bekko. Bekko was called in to build a stone staircase in a mere cave. He''s a sculptor by trade, so he should be able to quarry stone for the stairs, and when I asked him to do something rash, he said, ''Quarrying and sculpting are two very different things, that they are!...... Well, I''ll do it, that I will! Well, I will do it, that I will! If you''re going to do it after all, don''t complain. You''re a creepy guy~. In the end, Umaro and Imelda couldn''t take it any longer and joined in, and the stairs and walls were made sturdier with stone and wood. We were surprised to find that it was much easier to climb than we had expected. The slope was gentle and there was a ramp to push a cart. The width of the ramp is quite wide, so there will be less traffic congestion. I''ll make further improvements in the future to make it more comfortable to use. ''Also, we''re building a port. It''s small, but it''s necessary. ''Hey, Mr. Obayashi!Then our district is ......! Tracy looks like she''s about to cry. The port in District 35 is still alive and well, and having a port and distribution channel in District 42 is the worst thing that could happen to Tracy. But don''t worry. ''Estella will take care of you. ''Estella-sama! ''Whoa!Ms. Tracy, momentum!You''ve got a lot of energy, ......! ''I''m going to marry her! ''I can''t have you coming here! Tracy jumps on Estella and clings to her with desire. She looks softer than Estella even though she is wearing a belt. You can see the difference when you put them together. The unbridgeable difference between natural and fake flab. Distribution may indeed be decentralized. But tolls aren''t the only way to make a profit. We can create more and more other profit opportunities. If you have beans and land and people who want them and people who want to sell them, you can make as much profit as you want. That''s what business is all about. Well, in short. ''Let''s end this at the right time and work together to create a mutually profitable relationship. I clap my hands and say to the other lords who are feeling a bit left out. Instead of clinging to your existing income from tolls and bean profits, pull in profits from new sources. We can do that if we work together. So, you know. Let''s make up. Because you know what? ''Cause I''m tired of bickering with you. In response to my forgiving words, all five lords except Tracy, who is crazy about Estella, and Donnis, who is crazy about Merle, said in unison. '''''''''' You don''t say that. ............'''''''''' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Now, let''s leave the details to Estella and go back to the 42nd district. I woke up early, so I''m sleepy. 334-Episode 246 Through a New Aisle After leaving the mansion of the Lord of District 29, Ma''ru let out a sigh of relief. ''Ahh~. It''s been a long time since I''ve been this nervous.'''' Ma''ru said with a radiant yet somewhat resentful face. You''re the one who wanted this in the first place. As I strolled through the garden of the mansion, I had a conversation with Ma''ru. We''re just killing time until Ginette and the others finish cleaning up. ''I guess you have to pay a price to get what you want, don''t you? ''Deserved? I feel like I paid too much.'' ''You''re right. How many times do you think we''ve been running around? ''But we got a lot in return, didn''t we? Currently, the lords are discussing the future of this and that in that conference room. The final decision will likely be made a little later, but Estella is sure to come up with a good deal. When I told them that I would come back to visit them if they screwed up, they all looked disgusted. As soon as we''re done with Jeannette and the others, we''re going to head back to District 42. It''s only a short walk through the new passageway. Estella won''t cry if we leave her behind. Let''s go home first and wait for the lucrative tidbits Estella is sure to bring. I''m sure there will be all sorts of lucrative deals, big and small, rolling in. One of the most obvious advantages is beans. The cultivation of beans in the outer periphery will certainly come to be practiced. There will be no punitive taxation on it. After all, there will be a shortage of beans in the future. Besides, if there is a shortage, we can grow other beans. Coffee beans and cocoa are fundamentally different plants from soybeans and peas. You don''t have to worry about repeated crop failures. ...... As far as this city is concerned, you can abuse the fields 24/7 and the plants will grow just fine. Are you invincible, the soil of this world? ''Still, you''ve had more advantages than me, haven''t you? What Merle always wanted. It''s done. Ma''ul had been scheming to get what he wanted and to get what he couldn''t. He got a place to consume the large amount of beans he had on hand, he got the strange new waiter he had always wanted, and he got a piece of the lord''s power that he would never get again. He could have taken all of the power from Gerasie if he had wanted to. He didn''t do it because he thought it was his idea. He doesn''t care about being a lord anymore. He thinks he doesn''t need it. No, there''s something he wants more, and it''s harder and harder to get when you''re a lord. So he refused to accept the authority that would have hindered him and took only the best part of the lord. It''s like biting into the best part of a watermelon. Extravagant. ''But you''ve made something really nice. Just having that makes me feel good about my efforts.'' What Mahr wanted most of all. That''s it. ''With this, I can always go to District Forty-two to play.'' --A direct path to District 42. After all, this is what he wanted you to build. Maybe he knew about the existence of the Hamkko Cave. ''How much did you know about it? ''Oh, what do you mean? ''Oh, what do you mean? There''s no need to pretend you don''t know now. I''m not angry, I''m just curious. ''The existence of that cave, the fact that it was the Hammies who created it, and the fact that if there was anyone who could convince them and the Lord to move at the same time, it would probably be me. ...... That''s the situation. Mahrul offered his help to the 42nd district to have a passage built. In anticipation of what Theron had told him about the ''hero-sama''. ''You used Theron to reach out to me, and you managed to get us on the route you wanted us to take. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it by visiting our website. I''m not sure what to make of that. If we had met the opportunistic lords of District 26 or the short-term profit-hungry lords of District 28, we probably would have been able to defeat them individually and bring them to our side. It would have been even easier than getting Donnis on our side. But you didn''t let that happen. If he had met with the lords of the 23rd district before the meeting, he would have made plans to come to an agreement on distribution in earnest. In that case, he might have tried to find a route to District 30 without the wetlands. But they didn''t let that happen. ''Tracy and Donis were genuinely on our side. They were the perfect ...... partners, capable of building a relationship of trust beyond money, rather than the calculating interest of profit sharing. ''Hmmm. If DD heard that, she''d probably freak out. ''Sweetie''?'' ''No, he''d be more upset if you called him ''DD''. ''Well, shall I call you ''Donipipi''?'' ''Stop it, ......, you''re giving me sub warts. I have goosebumps all over. Donipipi should be sealed off for good. ''If it wasn''t for those two, they might have been able to manipulate the majority vote and get the sanctions withdrawn. ...... Well, that''s just a possibility, so you can say what you want. I''m sure you''ve been through a lot of trouble because of it. It''s unlikely that he knew about soybean paste before, so it''s probably just a coincidence that he introduced Donis to us because of the koji factory. Even without the koji factory, there are plenty of reasons to introduce Donis as the biggest bean profiteer in BU. ''The amount of beans produced and the amount of tolls due to unbalanced distribution channels, both large and small, ...... were well done in informing us of BU''s shortcomings so that we couldn''t turn away. ''Mm-hmm. I think you''re buying too much. I don''t know if I''m that good at manipulating people''s minds, me. There''s no need to manipulate. If it''s not good enough, it''s good enough for another time, you know. The position was absolutely different from the 42nd district, where you had to win at all costs. All you had to do was watch vigilantly for the chance that would come. You just have to watch vigilantly for an opportunity to come along, and this time it worked out unexpectedly. We would''ve won the majority vote if we''d destroyed each of the 25-28 districts. But that wouldn''t have been enough to bring about the reforms that Ma''ru wanted. It would only make the BU weaker and poorer, with its unity broken and reduced to a skeleton. ''So I tried to appeal to their emotions. ''So I tried to appeal to their sympathies, to the new and naive lord, known as the Lord of Smiles. ''That''s not true. Mahrul gave a clear denial, saying that he was not using Estella. His eyes were serious. ''I was hoping. I hoped for the best. I was hoping for a new type of lord, one that had never existed before. ...... There has never been a lord as sweet as Estella. If you''re so naive, the people will eat you alive and you''ll lose control. I''m sure it''s a relationship made possible by the fact that the people of District 42 are all idiots and sycophants. ''You''re the reason she''s been able to stay kind. You''re the reason she''s been so kind to me, and I know that now. In a calm but confident voice, Ma''ru says. ''It was your fault,'' he said. ...... It''s a false accusation. ''Yashippi. Let me say it again.'' He stops, turns his body toward me, and slowly bends at the waist. Mahrul bows to me. ''Thank you for saving the BU. I didn''t mean to. ...... Well, it''s more profitable if you stay alive. I''m going to suck it up as much as I can. I''m a parasite, apparently. ''And you know what? Mahrul says indulgently with his long, thin, slightly wrinkled fingers. ''If you know a good carpenter, could you introduce me to him? ''A carpenter?Don''t tell me you''re planning to build a villa in the 42nd district? ''Well, that''s a lovely suggestion. It''s ......, but it''s not. For a moment, I was afraid that another dense guy was going to move into the New Town area, but it seems that this is not the case. ''From my house, the 42nd district is just around the corner. Besides, if you move, you won''t be able to pass through that nice cave, will you?That would be a shame. The cave is a new passage connecting the 42nd and 29th wards. At the end of the Hamkko Cave is a dungeon surrounded by earth and rocks in all directions. It''s a cave of sorts. The distance is short, though. ''We call it a tunnel, though. ''Oh, I know about tunnels. Mmm-hmm.'' No, the rail didn''t get through. I''m a little worried about what you know and what you don''t know, these days. ''That''s not what I mean. That tunnel exit is on my property, right?'' I built an exit on Mahr''s land to avoid the worst of it. I thought the public road was too dangerous. ''That''s why I''d like to shift my building a bit.'' ''Displace it? ''Because those tunnels are going to be used by a lot of people. We need to build appropriate buildings at the entrances and exits and manage them properly. ...... Besides...'''' Then, at the last minute, the old lady spoke up with the most honest selfishness. ''I don''t want a lot of strangers going in and out of my garden. That''s why he wants to move the house to the east. The west side of the house is the river. ''Then I''ll introduce you to a good man. ''I''m looking forward to it. The fox who had been complaining about the tunnel construction would be in a better mood now. Becko will continue to work on the tunnels with Hamko Cave to make the passage more comfortable. Umaro and the rest of the Trubec contractors will be in charge of Mael''s Hall. As for Norma, I guess she''ll be fixing the gears of Todokeiru No. 1 for now. We may not need it anymore, though. Well, if it''s a small package, it''s faster to exchange it with Todoke-Ru-1 without going through the passage. At ....... What am I going to do? ...... ''Yashiro-san''. While I was thinking about the cleanup, Jeannette and the others came out of the mansion. The cart carrying the food was folded compactly and loaded onto a large cart along with the remaining ingredients. Magda, Delia, and Norma can carry a cart that big, so I''m starting to think that this city doesn''t need civilization at all. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. We''re ready for you.'' ''Oh. Okay, .......'' ''Let''s go home,'' Mahr said to Jeannette and the others before I could say anything. ''Thank you very much for today, everyone. All the dishes were very nice and delicious. Mahrul''s words made Jeannette giggle with genuine joy, and Paula and Nepheli looked at each other and giggled. But Magda and Loretta were ...... ''When you say you know ...... Yashiro, it''s hard to judge for a moment. ''I think it might mean that the food (a variety of boob sizes) looked very nice and tasty. ''Hey, come on, guys.'' ''Well, I can''t help it. You can''t help it. ''Delia ......, you''re strangling yourself with that statement.'' Mahr''s words don''t contain any obscene connotations. Not at all. ...... ''How did Magda and Loretta ...... grow up to be such girls ......? I''m not sure if you''re aware of it or not.There''s a root of all evil ...... close at hand.'' ''Norma. That''s enough badmouthing of Umaro, who''s not here. ''He''s more positive than you think, isn''t he, Yashiro? He poked me in the forehead with a cigarette. I haven''t seen him smoking much lately, but he must be carrying it around. The smell of the pipe is a concern in the cafeteria, but ...... Norma puffing on the smoke from the pipe looks s*xy and nice. I''d like to see her smoking in her sleep. ''Mmmm. You guys are really fun people, the Forty-second Ward. I envy you so much. ''Then, please come visit us anytime. We''re already neighbors.'' Neighbors. The twenty-ninth ward, which had been both near and far, blocked by cliffs, was now just a short walk away. The world will change drastically with the creation of a single, trivial, yet reformative pathway that will involve many districts. At Ginette''s casual comment, Ma''ru crumpled his face and let out a happy voice. ''That''s true. Then I''ll be coming back often. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting for you. You''ve become quite a good salesman. You''ll be a good customer if Ma''ru keeps coming. I''m sure he''ll eat a lot of kaiseki from the sunny side up. ............ No, I''m sure Ma-ru prefers ''unusual'' and ''strange'' food rather than price and prestige. He might be interested in loco moco, nasi goreng, or even nekomanma. Hey, Yashippi. From now on, shall we hold the meeting between the 29th and 42nd wards at the Sunshine Pavilion? ''Do it somewhere else. I can''t have a meeting with a lot of classified information in a place like that. It''s too awkward. ''You''re more than welcome to come with me. Please come with Estella.'' ''Yes. I''ll do that. ...... He''s really going to come, this one. ''Well then, shall we go now? ''Yes.'' Mahr and Ginette nodded at each other. Then, they turned to me and smiled--the usual sunny smile. ''Come on, everyone. Let''s go home. To District 42. Ma''ru and Cindy. I walk alongside them to Ma''ru''s mansion. Leaving the lord''s mansion in the center of the 29th district, we walked side by side through the maze of streets and came to the southern end of the district, Ma''ru''s mansion. Beyond the beautiful and neatly arranged flower garden, there is a large river flowing, and beyond that, a cliff with a drop of 30 meters is waiting. ''If we don''t build a fence, a few people a month are going to fall off. ''That''s bad luck, big brother! ''But it might be dangerous, indeed. ''...... The manager has a point. Loretta''s risk management skills are too low. ''I feel like I''m the only one who doesn''t feel threatened! This kind of place is dangerous because people who aren''t used to it can slip, and kids who are curious can peek underneath. ''If it''s a fence, it''s Norma''s turn. ''Why me, Delia? ''Because you. You built the fence at the river. It''s not safe for children to fall into the river.'' ''Oh. You''re very kind, Norma. ......, isn''t it? Hearing Delia''s story, Mahrul praises Norma. Norma is a smart woman who pays attention to details. ''Norma is very kind to children, animals, and plants. ''No, that''s not true. ...... It''s normal. ''Well, can you say that in front of Loretta? ''What do you mean, Mr. Paula?I''m not normal! ''Norma''s overprotective, you know, like an idiot parent. ''...... even though he doesn''t have any children of his own. ''Shut up, Magda! ''...... Correction. ''............ I don''t even have a partner. ''It''s even louder than that! ''...... when you don''t even have a partner. ''I''ll push you down! ''Oh, come on, Norma. You''re too old for this.'' ''You''re too loud, Delia!Delia''s the loudest!You''re all enemies! Norma is being played down. Norma is being tossed around a bit, but she doesn''t stand out at all, Loretta. You''re often treated like that. ''You''re kind, you''re witty, you''re beautiful, you''re stylish, you''re ...... you, Norma. You must be popular, right? ''That''s not the case at all! ''Why do you have to answer, Loretta? ''Norma-san is a perfect cook and housekeeper. ''Only the manager is on your side. ......'' ''Well, yes. I''m sure there are many people who would love to have her as a wife. ''...... Unfortunately, ...... there''s no one ............ to bring tears to your eyes.'' ''You''re annoying too, Magda! ''Oh, I see. ...... Well, I guess it''s a personality thing, then. ......'' ''I''ll shut up, Merle! ''Norma!You can''t do that! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. Norma''s fast-paced lunge caused Nephrite and Paula to froth. No, that was the point of the joke. Just give her a big shove. Look at you. He''s got a happy face, Ma''uld. Hey. Let''s just go home.'' And Delia who doesn''t bend or even pretend to bend in front of the nobles. Delia''s too ballsy. No, she''s too sedentary. I can see you sitting on your ass, liver. Or maybe she''s just laying down. ''Cause I''ll see you soon anyway. Are you coming to the party? ''A party? ''What is it, Yashiro? Didn''t you invite him?'' ''It''s Estella''s job to invite nobles from other districts.'' You''re going to write a stiffly worded letter, one of these days. ''Oh, by the way. You said you were going to hold a ''banquet'' in the 42nd district too. When we talked about it before, you invited me. ''It was an oral agreement. ''That''s good enough for me. I''m just a nobleman. So a mere nobleman has demoralized the seven lords who run the BU? It''s a scary world, the world of the nobility. ''Then, I''ll be waiting for you. ''Yes. I''ll definitely join you. ''And you, Cindy. ''Thank you very much. You''re a lovely young lady. ...... Just like when I was young. ......'''' ''''''Genie''s ......'''''' ''''''Stop it, Yashiro, Magda, Loretta! Cindy was trying to tell me a big lie. She''s too brazen for that. Those tits are not made to shrink with age!...... I hope you''re right! ''Well, Loretta. Get her in the back of the truck. ''What?I''m totally fine with it--'' ''Tsk. ''Gyaaaaaaah! Loretta''s muscles ached all over. I poked her lightly on the back, and she let out an exaggerated scream and fell down on the ground. That''s a lot of muscle pain. ''...... Wow, okay. I''ll give you a ride, so please don''t poke me. ......'' And so, with Loretta on the back of the truck, we said our goodbyes to Mahr and Cindy, and we went into the newly built tunnel. The entrance was unpretentious, with a door to prevent rainwater from entering. The entrance was still simple, but it would soon be replaced by a grand one. If only Imelda, Becco, and Umaro were here. ''I can''t wait to see how things will change from here. Ginette looks excitedly at the unfinished doorway. It''s fun to watch the process of change. ''Then you should come and see it from time to time. You''re in the neighborhood. ''Mm-hmm. I guess so.'' ''...... on the way to deliver your lunch.'' ''Good idea!I''m sure the construction workers will be bribed by the sunny pavilion. I wonder what''s with that bad custom. I''d like to know why the sunken pavilion has to cut its own expenses. ......1Rb I''ll bill Estella without losing a dime. For Delia to pull the cart, the door must be propped wide open. When the door opens, a faint, soft light leaks from inside. The light is coming from the bricks embedded at even intervals high up on the wall. ''Theron, how did you get here in time? These are the ''light-collecting bricks'' that Wendy has been studying for a while now. In order not to make the ground too brittle, the entrance is a tunnel. If the door is closed, no light can enter. The 42nd district side is wide open, so there is plenty of oxygen flowing in, but we decided that it was dangerous to light ...... candles or lanterns. The lack of oxygen may be noticed before it is too late. Light-collecting bricks are good for this. They collect the faint light that exists in the darkness and emit a faint light. ''There aren''t enough of them,'' Wendy said, ''and they''re still burning. That''s what Wendy said. Paula said she met Wendy before she came here. She left a message for me to say ''hi''. ......, it''s a ''please say hello'' kind of thing, not many people really say ''hello! There are not many people who would really say ''hello! ''It''s still a little dark, so you can use this. Ginette held out the familiar luminescent bricks that had been installed in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. She must have been letting it soak up the sunlight. They are shining brightly. The light from these phosphorescent bricks fills the dark tunnel with light. Then, on the other side of the darkness that had been dispelled, ...... ''Oh, it''s so dark and stuffy. ...... I''m going to be a hermit. ......'' --Regina was there. ''...... You''re a demon now, aren''t you? ''......Jimena, the reclusive demon.'' ''What''s wrong with you, you''ve just met me, you''re so rude. ''What are you doing here, all alone? ''I''m always alone.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ''Regina. ''What the hell? ''...... It went well, you know.'' ''Oh, yeah. Well, congratulations.'' Regina makes a jolly joke. When he acts like this, it''s ...... So don''t worry about it anymore. ...... when he''s about to regret his actions. He''s in trouble because of something he helped with. I thought that''s what he was thinking. He''s not that simple. When I took another step back and looked at Regina from a bird''s eye view, a hypothesis came to my mind. Regina was a pharmacist who mixed medicines. And she did what she always did - she made things that people liked, as she had always done. With his clear mind and never-ending inquisitiveness. It caught the attention of a nobleman and trouble ensued. Trouble with the nobility doesn''t always end well. They''re dark-skinned, persistent, rotten-hearted people with deep pockets. They''re prideful and jealous, and they''re always looking for someone to rot. If such people were in Regina''s hometown, ...... Regina created a wonderful medicine in her hometown, which saved many people, and was appreciated and praised by many more people, and was noticed by the ...... nobility. If the attack was on Regina herself, she would have survived it as long as she could. But if it was directed at someone close to him, someone other than himself,...... He would probably try to protect that person even if he had to throw away his position, honor, and praise. This is how he''s so anxious that he''s waiting for us here in this place without a care in the world. So ......? ''I''m going to shoot off some more fireworks, can I trust you to mix them? ''What, are we doing this again?Is someone going to get married?I don''t think it''s Norma Han .......'' ''Shut up, Sayo! She forces herself to smile and laugh. She takes off Regina''s hat. ''Hey ......, what are you doing? Do you want to smell my hat?You still have the same obscene s*xual proclivities. ......'' ''What you''ve made has the power to make people happy.'' ''......? ''It''s intense, it''s vivid, it''s probably because you do things that no one else can do. ...... Some idiots are jealous of you and obsessed with you. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. You''re a strange man, as usual. ''But I''m here. We''re here. ''............'' She stroked her thin, soft hair as if rubbing it. ''This city has the capacity to accept your full power. So don''t be afraid. ''...... I''m so unfair.'' A thin finger gently strokes the eye hidden by the bangs. These are the fingers that have created many medicines and saved many people. They are incredibly white, delicate, and beautiful. ''I''m responsible for what I let you do, you know. If someone complains, turn them away, saying, ''You''re out of line. ''......, huh? That''s what I''m going to do from now on. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Regina looked up. Regina looks up with a smirk on her face. Her facial muscles are twitching because she is straining. ''Okay, fireworks, let''s do it again. ''Yes!Let''s have a lot of them and make them a staple in this town. ''Then I can make money.'' ''That''s the idea. ''I''m really no match for .......'' With a thump, he pushes me in the chest and takes my hat off. Then he put the hat on, hiding his face, and ...... I''ve never walked up a hill in a long time, so my legs hurt. I think I''m going to get a cold sore tonight. I''ll ask for a ride too...'' Without saying a word to anyone, she said loudly and climbed into the back of the truck next to Loretta, who was crouched in a corner suffering from muscle pain. Everyone who saw her do this said nothing, and everyone smiled. It was rare for Regina to show weakness. But no one said anything about it. That must be uncomfortable for Regina. For an overly cynical bozo who''s convinced she''s unacceptable. There''s a lot of people who think you''re one of them. It''s time for him to understand that better. Regardless of your past, you are now a resident of District 42. ''Regina-san''. Ginette, the source of the relaxed atmosphere in District 42, calls out to Regina, who is curled up in the back of the truck. It''s not pushy, but just the right distance. ''We''re going to have a party in the 42nd district soon. We''ll be preparing a lot of delicious food. ''Oh, well, it''s going to be lively again, isn''t it? ''Yes. So, Regina-san. If you don''t mind. ''Well, ......''. Regina said as she turned over on the cart, her back to us. ''Okay, I''ll pull over.'' She looked embarrassed. It wasn''t ''I''m not good in crowded places'' or ''I''ll think about it''. It was a small thing that represented a small change in Regina, but it was still more than enough to bring a big smile to Ginette''s face. ''Yes!By all means.'' The wheels of the cart rattled as we made our way down the new, still unfinished tunnel. This passage, which will be used by many people in the future, is now reserved for us. No one is talking, and each person is thinking about something in his or her mind. Only such air flows. It''s a peaceful, comfortable time. After passing through the tunnel, we came out into a huge cave with plenty of sunshine. You go down a spiral staircase that goes around the walls of the huge cave. The atrium hall could be turned into a theme park if some kind of play were added to it. If a souvenir shop were set up, even the most trivial items might sell like hotcakes. The cave was filled with the air of the 42nd district, though it was probably just a misunderstanding. It smelled like old times. Ah, I''m back. Ahhhh, ......, I''m tired. ''It was hard this time, wasn''t it? I couldn''t help but complain. Ginette, walking next to me, shook her shoulder. ''Then I''ll prepare something to cheer you up. That''s what she says to me. So-- ''So, tits .......'' ''Please repent. ''Oh, manager. Give me your tits, too. ......'' ''Please do your penance. I''ll be cut down mercilessly. I mean, can you please stop treating me and Regina like we''re the same? When you exit the cave, you''re in New Town. The sunken pavilion is only a stone''s throw away. There''ll be more customers at the Sunny Pavilion once this place is fully operational. That''s it. The stalls left out here and there looked as if they were waiting for the festival to resume. That''s right. That''s the deal. Let Umaro and his friends build the playground equipment, show off the new dishes, and ...... ''Shall we have a big party in the forty-second district? ''Yes! ''...... Mm.'' ''I''ll do it! ''Salmon! ''Eggs! ''I''ll make the hexenbiest fruity sausage frankfurters! ''I''m looking forward to all the dishes. ''''''''''Sister, when did you come here? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. You''re still a little naive, aren''t you? If you talk about food here,......, of course they''ll come. We were a large group, and we set out for the sunlit pavilion. It was really troublesome, and we had to run all over the place. Now that it''s over, we should have a big party and include Estella and the others in the "Party in District 42". Let''s drink and make a lot of noise and have a lot of fun. But before we do that, I think it would be a good idea to at least give a little recognition to the members who participated in this special mission. 335-Episode 247 Invitation Battle for Banquet The forty-second district was currently in the middle of a fierce struggle. ''If it''s a festival, why don''t you hold it in the main square!We can use the main street and set up stalls. ''It''s a ''party'' to celebrate the completion of the new passageway, so it should be held in New Town!And the stalls are still there! I''d like to see it happen on the east side of the main street once in a while. Paula, Loretta, and Nephrite are all arguing over where to hold the party in the 42nd district. The place where the meeting is being held is, of course, the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Well then, why don''t you hold it on the street again? The lords of the other districts will be there, right?Isn''t it easier for them to come on the street? ''''Mo-Mat, shut up! That''s it! I was yelled at by the three girls for saying something unnecessary. You, what are you doing diving into a bush that you know a snake will come out if you poke it? Don''t look at me like you want me to comfort you. You got what you deserved. The day after the meeting with the lords. When I told the people of District 42 that we were going to have a party, a bunch of people I hadn''t invited showed up at the meeting. It seems that the date of the meeting with Estella was leaked from somewhere. Since the lack of rain, I''ve been asking for help from many people and talking to many people. I''m related to you, aren''t I?'' This misunderstanding seems to have arisen here and there. Not to mention Delia and Norma, Paula, Nepheli, Bertina, Umaro, Imelda, Becco, Theron, Wendy, and even Mormat. Surprisingly, even Regina is there, today. There are a few other familiar faces, but thanks to them, there''s a lot of trouble. ''Mr. Paula is only saying that because he wants to attract customers to Cantalcica!You''re being rude! ''Who''s being rude!I''m going to ban sausages! ''''I take back what I said about being rude! Loretta, you''re weak! How much does she love hexenbiest sausages? If I''m not mistaken, I think he likes it more than Jeannette''s cooking. ''But I don''t think Nephrite has an opinion. ''Why not, Paula? ''Because the other side of the boulevard is not relevant this time.'' ''Yes, it is!In the first place, this commotion was triggered by Theron''s wedding! ''''I''m sorry .......'''' ''''Oh, I''m sorry!That''s not what I meant, Theron, Wendy!'''' Nephrite hurriedly apologized to Theron and Wendy, who both nodded their heads. Of course you did. ''So, that''s it!Ma''ru''s power was a big factor in resolving this mess, wasn''t it?I think the reason why Ma''ru cooperated with District 42 was because of Theron''s bricks!That''s right!That''s why I think Theron is the one who did it this time!Theron''s brickworks are on the east side of the main street, so I think we should do it on the east side! It''s hard, Neffery. You simply want to attract people to the east side of the city because the east side, where you live, has been so plain lately. If the main square is the center of the city, the west side has the sunny pavilion, the church, the new town, the river fishing guild, the lumberjack guild, the flower arrangement guild, and Millie''s store. In the center of the city, or rather near the main street, there is Cantalucica, Ukrines'' clothing shop, and Becco''s family apiary on the hill north of the main square. The street where Norma and her friends are located is also in the center of the city, although it is a little to the west. On the east side of the main street, there is the lord''s mansion, Regina''s apothecary, Zelmar''s grandfather''s house, and Nepheli''s poultry farm and hunting guild on the other side of the main street. There''s also a farm in the northeast part of town. Also, my sister and her good friend, Hattie, live in that area. ''Anyway!This ''Banquet in 42nd Ward~Loretta-chan''s New Passage Opening Celebration~'' should be held in New Town! ''Don''t give it a funny subtitle!Besides, it was Becko who was in charge of the passage, right?Then the center has the right. ''Ugh......, it is true that Mr. Gozaru was the commander in chief, but if you compare ............ Mr. Gozaru and Mr. Umaro, Mr. Umaro is the more decent person. ''Well, ......, if you compare Umaro and Bekko, ...............'' ''Well, ...... I''m sorry to say this, but Becco-san is not ...... right? ''There''s something awful going on here, that you ladies! Meaninglessly hurting others, the discussion between the three girls went on a parallel track. In the meantime, they proceeded with the meeting for the "Banquet in District 42". Hmm, the venue? It''s in Newtown. I don''t see the point of having it on the main street or the east side. Unfair? It''s fine as long as the west side gets excited. If you want, you can organize your own ''Drunken Street Festival'' or ''Eastern Moonlight Night Concert''. ''Are you going to increase the number of stalls? ''Well, yes. I''d like to keep the area not too wide, but not so wide that the lines of stalls get in the way. ''So, a slight increase? ''Hey, Yashiro. Why don''t you open a store at the river as well?I''ll help you with the river fishing guild. ''No, that''s why. It''s not a festival this time, it''s a party. If you make us walk a distance, the purpose will be blurred, right? The image of the event is that of cherry blossom viewing. We prepare one main square, and set up stalls around it. People buy food, go back to their own place, and eat while talking nonsense. This is the kind of event. Walking around looking at the stalls can be done at the Goddess Festival again. ''Hey, Yashiro!Don''t just ignore us and keep talking! ''That''s right. You should think about us a little too. You''re always so selfish, Yashiro. ''You know, .......'' Imagine this. You''re coming to the 42nd district through the newly constructed passage. The first thing you''ll think is, ''Oh!I''m really here! You are impressed, right? After that, you hear a happy sound and smell something delicious from a distance, and you wonder, ''What''s going on? What''s going on?'' You walk a little further, and there''s a party going on. Then you''ll think, ''District 42 is a fun place, I''m impressed, I can''t beat it. But if the venue of the banquet is on the main street or on the east side of the street, you''ll have to walk a long way, and you''ll lose the first impression before you reach the venue. It''s all about the buildup, you know, the excitement. ''In general, the main street is thriving without attracting events, isn''t it? ''Since the ...... street was built, the number of visitors has decreased. Oh, ....... Are you serious? What, is that my fault? By the way, Paula, you''ve been coming to help out quite often lately. ...... You used to be too busy to leave the store. ............ Oh, really? ''Ah~...... well, let''s have a costume parade or something like Yoshi''s, sometime soon.'' ''What''s that?Let me know the details! Wow, ...... got me hooked. ''A costume parade is a ...... Halloween event in my hometown, where kids dress up as monsters and threaten adults with treats if they don''t give them to them. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''That''s cute! Ginette''s eyes twinkled as if she was being threatened. ''Mmm!I want to give you sweets, and I want to be pranked! ''Oh, there''s a strange pervert in the house, isn''t there? Shall I call the police? Javier smiles dangerously and Imelda smiles coldly. Imelda''s ''dangerous'' is prefaced with ''a certain person''s life is at stake''. It seems that Javier came to Imelda yesterday to hear the results of the meeting of the lords, and stayed there. But that doesn''t mean he has to join us here. ''Hey, Yashiro. Can''t adults participate in that? Paula is serious. She''s really trying to incorporate a costume parade. ''In fact, the adults were more excited to dress up. We''re going to parade through the city in costumes that are full of individuality, from authentic, to cute, to fun. ''What do you mean, parade around? Estella seemed to be intrigued. ''If you want to dress up, I''ll introduce you to the right monster. Hey, even if you don''t know the monster, you can still be one - ''Nurikabe''. ''Isn''t it fun to dress up like a joke and have fun together? ''Isn''t it fun ......? ''If you wear something you wouldn''t normally wear, don''t you want to show it to someone? ''Oh ......, so that''s how it is. Yeah. I kind of understand. Estella nodded with a ticklish smile, as if she had experienced something like that too. However, if we were to hold a Halloween party involving the whole city, ...... Ukrines would die of exhaustion. You''re very kind. I''m not sure if he understood the meaning of my gaze, ''What kind of clothes should I make for the upcoming event? And Uclines, who was participating in the meeting with his nose in the air, smiled at me. This guy also helps me a lot by making clothes for me whenever I need them, but ...... he teaches me so much that sometimes I''m afraid he''s eroding the culture of this city. ''I''ll be fine. I''ve got a group of ham girls helping me with my work. ''They''ve even started sewing? ''The older sisters were trained by Ms. Ukrines to learn. It''s one of the jobs that my younger sisters have always dreamed of. Before I knew it, I had more jobs. Hammy, you''ve really become an indispensable part of the 42nd district, haven''t you? ''So, so!What''s Josakoy? Paula, tail wagging, tension at its peak. It''s hard to explain exactly what Yosakoi is. ...... Tradition, roots, and so on. ............ Well, I''ll give you a rough idea. It''s a parade of dozens and dozens of people dancing in teams. It''s a spectacular sight to see a group of people dancing in unison. The crowd goes wild.'' ''Dancing... ...... Yes!That sounds like fun! ''Hey, Yashiro! '' Nephrite pushes past Paula, who smiles brightly, and closes in on me with a face like she''s about to cry. Why are you so desperate for ......! ''Only Paula is cheating!I''m ...... on the east side, too, and you should think of something! Why should I be ...... ''............ smug'' ............ Oh, God. ''Okay, okay. I''ll think of something, don''t cry.'' ''Really?Wow, that''s great! ''...... You used a mean trick on me. ''...... Mmm. Yashiro is still '' ''Yashiro is still strangely kind to Nephrite.'' What? Why? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Isn''t it because of your preconceived notions?Hey, Magda, Loretta? I gave Paula a lot of advice, too. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Wendy was also suspected of being a ghost at first. Regina is already half a demon. Oh, if we do a haunted house, I''ll introduce you to the perfect monster for Estella. I''m sure Estella can pull it off. "Nurikabe"! Hey, Yashiro. I''ve been wanting to punch you a few times now. ...... Do you have any idea what I''m talking about? ''No comment.'' ''No comment.'' ''Anyway, it''d be nice if you could say, ''Nuri~'' when you hit me. ''...... The east side is plain anyway,...... even though I care about it,...... Yashiro''s,...... idiot. Oh. Oh, Nephrite''s freaked out. I feel like I''m the bad guy here. ...... ''Hey, you!How dare you make Mr. Nephrite cry!Depending on your answer, I''ll throw hot, sludgy sugar on your head, seriously! ''Stop it!It''s not enough to burn yourself badly. Melted sugar from heat is no joke. It''s so hot, and it sticks. I can''t tell you how many times I''ve been burned by caramelized sugar. ...... I''m not calling you out, Percy. ''Since we''re on the east side, why don''t we make it a ...... s*xy event? ''A s*xy dust exhibition? ''...... recluse s*xy showdown'' ''It''s a s*xy soliloquy contest! ''''Lords, tiger girls, and normal people, you''re joking too hard. ''''''Eh, no?'''''' ''''I see~, you''re serious. I''m glad the townspeople understand me~'''' Regina is the most positive of the negative. She won''t be dampened by that. In fact, it''s a shame that she thinks it''s ''delicious''. If you really want to be s*xy, Regina is going to be pretty good. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ............ bloomers, huh. There are many ranches on the east side, and there is plenty of land left over. This is the perfect place to hold a field day. ''What''s a field day?It sounds like a lot of fun. Nefari''s good mood returned. I see. They don''t go to school here, so they don''t know what a field day is. They wouldn''t have had time to do that. ''We divide the teams into sections and compete for points in several events. ''Three sections, east, west, and center? The way it''s divided, ...... Magda and Delia in the west. Norma and Paula in the middle. To the east would be Neffery and Estella, and Natalia. The balance of power is not that bad. ''Isn''t the center at a disadvantage, then? ''I don''t think so. We have me and the Hardware Guild in the center. We''re not going to be outdone by a chicken farm. ''Mmm!It''s true that I''m not that good at sports. ...... But there''s a hunting guild in the east!You can''t lose! ''And speaking of the east, there''s also our mansion. My waitresses are a bit more athletic than you, so I''m sure we''ll have a good match. Hey, Natalia. ''Yes, sir. I''ve been training myself, sir. ''Hahahaha!You''re too naive, boys!We are the strongest in the west with our river fishing guild! ''We also have the Woodcutter''s Guild. ''''My brothers and sisters will join you! ''''The west is cheating, so divide your forces! ''''Why is that? ''''It''s unreasonable! We are all very excited and curious about the new event. I wonder how many of these ...... events I''ll be allowed to miss. It''s too hard for me to attend all of them. ''Yashiro is really a genius at entertaining people. ''Can you please stop making things up as you go along? Ginette giggles. He''s starting to take pleasure in my misfortune lately. Every time I get in trouble, she looks happy. Not a good trend. ''More importantly, Yashiro-san, if we don''t move forward with the ''Banquet in District 42'', we won''t be able to finish our preparations. ''Wow, Umaro made a good point. ......'' ''Why do you look like that? ''Don''t say something you can''t argue with. ''No, no, but... I agree with Mr. Umaro, that I do. To tell you the truth, I''d like to get back to finishing the passage right away, that I would like you to talk about the other matter another time, that I would like you to.'' ''Shut up, Becko, you''re ten years too young to be talking straight, I''ll smash your glasses. ''Obviously, your treatment is lower than Mr. Umaro''s, that it is!This means that I need to play an active role and raise my importance, that I do! Bekko begins to burn with a strange motivation. It''s true, completing the passage is my top priority. ''Estella. How many days until the feast?'' ''It''s in three days. I''ve arranged a date with Lucia and the BU lords. Eight lords are coming? ...... That''s a pain in the ass. Besides, Ma''ru will be there, and maybe even Demilly and Javier. ''Becco. How long until the passageway is finished?'' ''I would like to say four more days ......, that I will finish it in two and a half more days, that I will! ''Do you think you can manage Theron and Wendy as well?'' ''Yes!The light-collecting bricks and the phosphorescent bricks to be placed at the entrances and exits of both districts will be done in time. ''Trubek Engineering and Hamko, please do your best to help Becko and the others.'' ''Of course, sir! ''And Oumalo, Yambold, Goozja, Hammaro, and a few others will set up the playground equipment. Becko is in overall command of the passageway. The carpenters will work as long as they are told to. It would be a shame to keep Oumarro under Becko''s thumb, so he was assigned to another task. Estella unfolds a map of the forty-two districts. There will be four playgrounds in total. A small playground in the church. And a large park in Newtown. There will also be a park at the opposite end of the main street from the main square. The main square cannot be used as a playground for children because there will be street vendors. So, we will build a park on the opposite side. Another large park will be built on the east side. This park is planned to be like an athletic park using a large area of land. A park where you can easily go from the street and enjoy the greenery. We''re going to build a new place of relaxation on the east side of the city, which Neffery said was plain. It really was plain, wasn''t it, the east side? ''You''re going to build on the east side too? ''On the main street, too? ''That''s the plan. Estella was the one who came up with this plan. To tell the truth, the waterwheel we had built at Delia''s place had been causing some trouble. Simply put, the parents of children who lived far from the river complained directly to the lord, saying, ''I don''t want to be forced to commute to such a far place! They appealed directly to the lord. Children are envious of everything. That''s where injustice comes in. If you''re an adult, you can get away with ''it can''t be helped,'' but if you''re a kid, ......? And it''s the lord of this district who can''t leave the sorrow of such kids alone. He poured a lot of money into it. He bought the land, bought the trees for the playground equipment, and sent out the Oumaros. ''In that order, of course,'' he said. ''No!I''m so happy! ''Yes!I''m sure the neighbors will be happy! ''You''re a good lord, aren''t you? ''That''s our lord! The girls are jumping all over Estella. Estella''s face is buried in Norma and Delia''s "Dynamite! . ...... I''m jealous! d*mn, I should''ve said I was the one who suggested it. ''Actually, it was this Obaya who came up with the idea,.......'' ''Yashiro-san. Please repent. Tsk! ''It really is a lovely city. Our forty-two wards.'' Looking at the noisy people, Bertina softly smiles. If they were so noisy, you''d think they''d be frowning, but ...... ''You look so calm, like you''re looking at food. ''Hmmm. Do I look like I''m about to eat you? ''No.'' ''I like it~, I like it~'' kind of face. ''''You look like you do when I look at your tits. ''''You''ll have to repent.'''' Said in unison by a mother and daughter who look alike. I think it''s the same sentiment. ''''The playground equipment will be a good product to sell to other districts. First, make sure the playground equipment in New Town is perfect.'' ''I want you to take care of it!I''ve done it once before and I promise to make it better! ''So the playground equipment you''ll build after New Town will be even better? ''I''m looking forward to it~'' In the end, he agreed. Ahhhh... You''re choking yourself. You can save yourself the trouble of setting up a stall, right, beams? The Lord of Smiles is pushing Umaro to the brink. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. I guess it depends on who you''re talking to. I can be kind to a beautiful woman with big tits, but not to a wumalo. ''I feel like I''m being treated carelessly ......''. ''It can''t be helped. Estella and I both love big tits.'' ''Can you please not lump us together? But you''re so nice to Jeannette. That''s what this is all about. ''Well then, can the set-up team of the banquet hall please gather again the day before with this document? ''All right. I''ll tell our carpenters to go to ............ and tell them.'' ''That''s right, Estella.'' ''Yes. I heard you.'' With that, Umaro, Bekko, Uclines, Wendy, Theron, and Norma and Imelda returned to their posts. Javier was sent away. All that remained were the food and beverage people. ''No crafts or souvenirs this time, so we''ll have all food stalls. ''That''s a lot of food. Looking at the map, Ginette counted the number of stalls, pointing to them one by one. The number of stalls was easily over twenty. We''re going to add a few more. ''There are a lot of new dishes,'' he said. ''There''s Mapo Tofu and Mapo Eggplant. ''I like peanut butter. It goes well with pancakes.'' ''...... has a variety of donuts.'' ''It''s sweet!The meat buns are the king of the new menu! ''Taiyaki is delicious!They don''t go well with beer, though.'' ''I also like cotton candy. It''s fluffy and cute.'' ''The candy apples were pretty good, weren''t they? I could chew on those all day long. Ginette mentioned the two kinds of bean curd that she was particular about, Estella mentioned the seasoning that she was addicted to, Magda mentioned the popular product that followed the cake, and Loretta mentioned the memorable taste that surprised Ginette. Paula, Nepheli, and Delia all listed their favorite things. It seems like a lot of things when you list them like this. ''I enjoyed the sweet sake. Perhaps she liked the atmosphere unique to drinking parties, Bertina recommended amazake not because of the taste, but because it was fun. ''Oh, ...... are you finished ......? Millie softly opened the door of the sunlit pavilion and walked in. She had ordered flowers again, but she had gone to the forest to see what flowers would be displayed that day. She must have stopped by to see the extent of the flowers. ''Ms. Milly. What do you think is the most memorable item on the new menu at the Sunlit Pavilion these days? ''E......mm...... and hey.......'' She crosses her arms and twists her head, ''hmmm ......''. What a cute little creature. I want to take it home with me. ''Isn''t Millie classified as food? ''No, you can''t take it home. ''I don''t mind if you eat it here. ''I''ll kick you out.'' Arrogant, smiling lord. You should be a half-smiling lord. ''Aah!You know, Miri, I really liked this potager soup.'' ''Oh, there was potage, too.'' ''Mm-hmm. We get orders for it every day these days, so it''s become a regular dish. I think Ginette started making it to consume the lentils. Unfortunately, it lost its leading role to corn. ''We''ll need a lot of stalls if we''re going to get all of those. ''Oh, that! Ginette clenches her fists with both hands and raises her eyebrows. She closes in on me with a serious expression. ''I... I want to be on the store side this time! I want to make food. If you want to work while everyone is eating and drinking at the banquet, you''re ...... a hell of a company animal. ''Well, actually, ...... during the festival, I was at the sunny pavilion, and during the banquet, I was a customer. ............'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''I was a little jealous of the people working at the ...... stall.'' ''No, you did it at the church in District 24. The okonomiyaki stall. ''That wasn''t a ...... store, it was more like a bribe or a morning donation, and it was a lot of fun, but still, how can I put it, it wasn''t like a store. ......'' ''So you want to play the game of ''business'' where the customers are in flux, and you try your best to attract customers who may or may not come, and you prepare food based on the number of customers, and vice versa? ''Yes!That''s right. That''s it! If lining up in an orderly fashion and rationing one at a time wasn''t enough for you,......, you''re a corporate animal. If you ask me, Ginette adjusts the amount of food she prepares at the sunlit pavilion every day based on the number of customers. It''s fun,......, I don''t know, that feeling. It''s like smiling when you see someone dancing in the palm of your hand.I understand. I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun,....... ''Mmmm. It was fun. The banquet in the 24th district had a limited number of guests, so even Bertina was able to pull it off. The party in the 42nd district, Bertina would not be able to handle the customers. It''s safe to say that Ginette will be manning the stall. ''Then let''s have her show her skills in a big way. ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you. Ginette''s smile was full of enthusiasm. The quality of this stall is going to be tremendous. Then followed a series of detailed meetings about layout, pricing, and hygiene. In the blink of an eye, the day of the "Banquet in 42nd District" arrived. 336-Episode 248: Suddenly, Operation 248... Clear skies! Blue skies! Dopey weather! Another cloudless blue sky today. ''Come on!We''re going to make a lot of money today! ''...... Magda''s Takoyaki Shop is a top candidate for MVP. ''I''m the best today!I''m the best today, after all! There''s a group of people who are strangely excited. What''s on the new menu, Magda and Delia? ''Pfft, ......, I''m different today.'' It''s no wonder. The products she''s selling today are completely new, and not even at the Sunlit Pavilion! ''This is an adult''s cake, a brandy-scented tarte tatin! Thinly sliced apples are soaked in lemon water and brandy, and the batter and cream are also mixed with brandy, making it a very fragrant cake. I told Ginette about it, but she frowned when she tasted it, because she did not drink much. Even Bertina, who is not a good drinker, did not want to try it. Well, it''s a cake that doesn''t go well with the sunlit pavilion, isn''t it? So she gave it to Cantalcica, the bar. And then Paula was so excited. ''A cake that doesn''t even belong in the Sunken Pavilion?It''s good!Yay!I''m going to sell this so much!I''m going to make it a hit for sure! --He was so excited. Well, you can do whatever you want. It''s a product that we don''t sell at the Sunken Pavilion. I mean, Paula. There are a lot of people drinking at the banquet today, so can you sell me some hexenbiest sausages? ''Of course!Leave it to me!I''m thinking of selling them as a set!Sausages and tarte tatin! ''Why don''t you make it a set with beer? I don''t know what kind of customer you''re looking for! It''s not a festival today, it''s a party. I''m thinking of having you drink to your heart''s content. For that purpose, we''ve prepared flowers for you to love, we''ve secured a large space for you to sit on the ground, and we''ve removed the obtrusive wax statues that were illegally dumped in the center of the venue. ''Nah, nah, nah!Doesn''t anyone know the statue of the hero that we set up here, that they don''t!It should be the symbol of today''s banquet, that it should be the statue of the ''leading hero''! I''ll take my time to chastise the criminal, that guy with the glasses, later. ''Yashiro-sa~n! Jeannette comes running at me with a big smile on her face. There''s white powder on her cheeks. ''We''re all set!We''re ready to open whenever you are.'' ''You haven''t finished your preparations.'' ''Huh?...... ah.'' I wipe the white powder from my cheeks with my fingers. ''Flour?How engrossed in cooking were you? ''Oh, ............ I''m sorry. I didn''t notice.'' ''You''re not the type to look in the mirror much, are you, Jeannette? ''That''s not true,......, I do get dressed up.'' ''Oh? You seem to be unusually sulky. She''s not happy that people think she doesn''t dress up. Well, of course. You''re a girl. ''Um, but ...... I''m outside right now, and I don''t have a mirror, so can I ask you to check my ...... appearance? The grooming check is a dress check that Ginette does on her employees every morning before the store opens. She doesn''t scold them, but Loretta said that they are checked in great detail. That''s right, even the wrinkles and creases on their aprons, their sleeping habits, and even the grains of rice stuck to their cuffs,............. You should remove the grains of rice before they point them out. In other words, Jeannette is asking me to do it. ''Well, first, check the rice grains on the cuff .......'' ''That''s not attached. ''Well, I guess not. ''Well, then, check your underboob for dangerous objects: ......! ''Please be serious.'' He smiled and got angry. When I screw up at work, I sometimes get angry like this. ''Then straighten up and look at me. ''Yes, sir. ''Turn slowly. ''Yes, sir. ''Put your hands in the air.'' ''Yes.'' ''Tits to ......''. ''Yashiro-san.'' ''............ your hands down.'' ''Yes.'' ''Smile at me.'' ''Yes.'' ''Yes. Okay, that''s perfect.'' ''Thank you, sir. Your clothes and smile are perfect. Sunshine Pavilion quality. ''Then... Yashiro-san. ''''Hmm? What he handed me was an apron. It has ''Obayashi Shiro'' embroidered on the chest. ...... mine? ''You''re in charge of the store today, aren''t you, Yashiro? Yes. I''ve been asked to be a shopkeeper for this event. In the past, I''ve usually been the one to entertain and guide the guests at these events. ''The BU lords'' rejection of you was so great. --Estella told me with a wry smile, and this time I was put in this position. It seems that Estella and Lucia will take care of entertaining the lords. In addition, I heard that Mahr and Tracy are also willing to help. Well, I think it would be easier to do that,......, but what is this feeling of being left out? ............ ......?No!I''ve never had the spirit of a company man like Jeannette! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m very lucky to have it! I''ll be working a lot of stalls today, so let''s work hard. ''............ hmm?'' In the background of Ginette, there are multiple, no, countless stalls surrounding the venue. ...... Are you going to run those?I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... I retract my previous statement. This position is hell. It''s not going to be easy at all, is it? It''s not easy at all. One arm of a company animal, very bad. Hey, ladybug!We''re here to help too! ''HEY! We''ll help you with anything, just tell us what you want us to do. ''''Okay, all of it. ''''HAHAHAHAHA! Wonderful throwing everything together DA???NEa??'''' No, I''m not kidding, if you can do it all, I want you to do it. The anteater brothers, Neck and Chick, also came to cheer us on. They were the ones who had worked with Millie to decorate the venue with flowers, and since they would be free after the decorations were done, they were the ones we could use as our chums. Meritorious?Service?I don''t care. I don''t know. There''s a saying, ''Use those who are close to you as your chins. ''Hammaro! ''Hammaro? ''Oh, there you are.'' ''There you are!They''re standing by! ''Show these guys how to work a stall. ''That''s the way you ask people to do things! Ila. He grabbed Hammaro''s small head and told him slowly and with moderate force, in a way that was easy for the good boy to understand. ''Where are you going to learn that, hmm?Umaro?Yamboldo?'' ''Ahh, the Iron Claw, a must-have for you! I let him go and he squats down, holding his temples. You should be a little sorry. And then the Anteater Brothers move in quickly. ''Teach me a lesson, DAZE, ham boy! ''HEY, BROTHER!That''s the way to ask for something, KA-YO! ''HAHAHA, yes DA-ZE! ''''Then it can''t be helped, ZE! ''''Tell me about it, yo! ''''Hoaah, cool! ''''Don''t admire me, don''t admire me!It''s a pain in the ass! Don''t copy me, I promise. They''re full of themselves if they see you once every few months. ''Nice to meet you!I''m Neck. I''m not a famous tennis player! ''Did you have to tell me that, that information? ''I''m Tic, or Me Too! ''Don''t abbreviate it like that!What do you mean, ''Meaty''? I wonder if the combination of Hammaro and the anteater brothers is really safe. ...... ''Anyway, Ladybug, we''ll take care of it! ''Let''s ride on to the Great Ship! ''I have a feeling we''re going to have to throw everything at the trusty newcomer! ''No, teach me properly, Hammaro!Do you know what you''re doing?Don''t just ignore me!Listen! Hammaro and the anteater brothers instantly hit it off and walked off shoulder to shoulder. ...... Don''t feel such sympathy. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. ''You''re very reliable. What? I''ll send Loretta and Magda to check on them periodically. Too anxious. ''Yashiro. Oh, the manager too. Take a look at the menu for me. The sound of clogs resounded as Norma came in carrying a tray in both hands. There are two small bowls on the tray. On the tray are two small bowls, one containing miso-dengaku eggplant and the other containing furofuki-daikon radish. Since Donis, Rebecca and Sophie are also coming today, I have prepared a new dish using miso. Unlike the brandy tarte tatin, this tasting was well received by Ginette and Bertina. This kind of menu would be good to keep at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''It''s very delicious, Norma. ''Hmm, it has a relaxed taste. That''s Norma.'' ''Oh, really?If you two say so, I''m relieved. Norma patted her chest, relieved. Do you need help?Petting it down. I''m good at petting. ''I''m sure it''ll be popular with the drinkers. What? Which one are you talking about? Dengaku? Tits? ...... Dengaku. That''s right. Norma''s stall is not in the style of a festival stall, but in the style of an izakaya (Japanese pub) where you can sit down and have a quick drink with a red lantern. There''s a counter, and Norma is waiting for you behind it, making heart-warming miso dengaku and furofuki daikon. ...... I like it! ''The landlady, always! ''How come you''ve been a regular customer since before we opened? Because Norma has the s*x appeal of a widow in the air. ...... I''ve never even had a boyfriend. I''ve never had a boyfriend.I''ve never even had a boyfriend! ''Haha . That''s ridiculous. d*mn, you''re sharp! It''s not good. ...... There are more and more people in the 42nd district who are as tough as Estella. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what''s going on here. ''Hey, Jeannette. What''s up?'' ''............'' ''Jeannette.'' ''Huh?Ah, yes!What is it?'' ''No, are you all right?You seem a bit fuzzy.'' ''Yes, I''m fine. I''m just thinking. Thinking. ............ Oh, right. ''Ginette.'' I whispered, beckoning to her. I whispered into Ginette''s ear as she approached. ''Don''t tell her that you''ve never had a boyfriend, even though you have the aura of a good cook and a widow, because she might be worried about it. ''I wasn''t thinking about that! ''What, you''re not? ''No, no.'' ''I thought we were the same...'' ''...... Please don''t think like that. It''s just a matter of fate. You idiot. You can''t know when you''ll get it if you leave it to luck or fate! I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ''Anyway, it''s not good that the broth is boiling over. Please go back to the stall now and adjust the heat. ''Not at all ......, I''ll try to hide my thoughts a bit.'' With a thump, the flue taps me on the forehead. I can feel the cool metal against my skin. You haven''t smoked lately, have you? With a swish of her tail, Norma walks back to the stall. Her back is very s*xy as she moves away. She was a little angry, though. ''Oh, Yashiro-san. ''I''ll apologize later. Is it rude to apologize to ............ me?'' ''Yes, it is. It would be better to show my apologies in some way.'' ''Well, I will. I''ll treat you to a cake or something next time. ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. Can I ask you something strange about ......?'' ''Hmm?You''re 90, 75, and 92 from the top.'' ''I didn''t mean to ask about your three sizes. ...... You''re pretty sturdy. ......'' You think I''m skinnier than that? I''ve got an average size, too. I can''t help it if I''m dating someone from this world. ...... It''s not that. And then he untied his tightly tied lips and asked a really strange question. ''What memories do you have of miso dengaku? ''Memories? Hmmm~...... memories... ............ ''We didn''t serve it much at home, so I only remember eating it at a restaurant. My master sometimes ate it when he had dinner. ''Is that so? ''See, it''s a little difficult for kids to taste, isn''t it?Miso, eggplant, etc.'' Well, it depends on who you are, but I think adults tend to like that kind of food more. I didn''t even think it was that good when I was in junior high school. I like them now. ''Oh, Ginette made a prototype that was good. ''H...... so, is it?'' ''Yeah. I can''t taste that, you know. ''Well, I''ll make it again next time. ''I''d like to eat it with white rice.'' ''Yes. I''ll cook it. After saying that, he turned around and headed for the stall with happy and lively steps. I don''t know what he wanted to do. ''Ah! After quite a while, he stopped as if he suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly turned back to us. ''I haven''t checked Yashiro-san''s clothes yet!Please put on an apron! ''Yeah, ...... I''m doing it too, check?'' ''Yes, sir. It''s a rule of the sunlit pavilion. I''ve never heard of that rule. ...... Something about it reminds me of my birthday and makes my spine itch, don''t you think? ''Front, good. Back, good.'' Jeannette circled around me, checking my clothes for disorder. Finally, she comes back to the front and checks my smile. You''re going to do ...... that, of course. Oh, ...... goodness. ''So, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Yes, yes, .......'' ''Tits! ''Mwah! ''Huh!Are you okay? ''............ ''Smile'', can you say that?'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I thought it would be easier to use a word that you were familiar with. It''s hard to do. It''s even harder to smile, that''s for sure. ''So, let''s have another Piotis Day today. ''...... Hey.'' You''re the only one in the sunny pavilion who can say ''good luck on Piotka Day''. After that, I went around to each stall and gave light instructions to the ham kids, finished checking the menu to be served, and the venue was ready. All that was left was to welcome the incoming lords. ''That''s it!Let''s get started first! ''Are you sure?We don''t have to wait for Estella and the others. Ginette questioned after hearing the opening announcement. Didn''t I tell you before? ''When we arrive in District 42, we''ll give them a second impression before the first one wears off. That''s why it''s better to have a certain amount of excitement when they arrive at District Forty-two. ''That''s why, Loretta!Bring in the guests from District Forty-two who are waiting in front of New Town! ''Aye aye sir! ''Oumalo!When the kids get here, show them how to use the playground equipment. ''Yes, sir!Janbold and Goozja are standing by! ''Bertina. ''Yes, sir. I''ll eat! ''Before that, teach the kids to line up and play with discipline and stuff like that! ''I''ll leave that to the matrons. ''You too! ''............ Phew.'' ''Biwa tart, I''ll feed you first.'' ''I''ll do it!I''m actually good at that kind of thing! No, there''s no such thing as ''actually''. Taking care of kids is like your main job. ''Oh, Yashiro!There''s loquat tart?I want some too! ''Maybe later. ''You can''t eat it before the guests arrive! ''...... Magda, let''s re-live the excitement. ''I can''t help it. ...... Leave some for Loretta.'' I handed out small slices of the tart to the people who came up to me. As promised, Bertina came first. I give her a slightly larger tart. And so, with mouths agape, they each take their place. A few minutes later, the residents of the forty-second district poured into the hall. They included not only the people on the other side of the main street, but also many residents of New Town who had been asked to stay out for a while during the preparations. ''Yoo-hoo! ''Sounds interesting! ''Ha-ha-ha! Kids rushing to the playground. Old men crowding around the drinks. Ladies curious about donuts and peanut butter. The place becomes lively at once. ''Hey, big brother!We''re sold out! ''That''s ridiculous!...... You can''t be serious. ............. ''Ginette! ''Yes!I''ll make some more right away! A kitchenette has been set up so that you can cook up a storm. The ingredients have been taken in large quantities from Momat and Assunto. There are many others who are willing to help. And all the money goes to the lord! We''ll have to spend a lot of money here, but entertaining the lord will lead to profits later on. --I convinced Estella to let me pay. And we''ll enjoy a tasty profit with minimal investment. We''ll make a fortune! That''s why we''re going to make a profit! ''Yoo-hoo, this is fun! ''Squeal, squeal, squeal, squeal! ''Sha-sha-sha-sha-sha! ''Geeeeeeeeeee! ''Geeeee too much! ...... yeah. Too much going on. You''re a monster. ''Oh my God, it''s so crowded. ''It''s more than just ...... lively, it''s ......''. A few tens of minutes had passed since the start of the game, and Mael''s happy voice could be heard. Ignore the voice of the idiot Gerasie that came after that. It''s not worth listening to someone who weighs the actions of others by his own standards. Or rather, Gerasie''s words are not worth listening to. ''Come on, everyone. The Forty-Two Wards have prepared a hearty feast for you. Please enjoy it to your heart''s content! With her arms outstretched, Estella directed her words to the lords. It could be replaced with, ''The rest of your life is at your disposal, you idiot! It could be replaced with, ''The rest of your life is at your disposal, you idiot! It would have been fun to say that. A group of BU''s arrived, seven lords and a head waiter. Then there was Rebekah from the Koji factory and Sophie from the 24th district church. The rest of the group consisted of a few people who seemed to be important people from some district. ''Bertina-san!I''ll help you! As soon as Sophie arrived, she spotted Bertina and ran towards her. That''s the Rabbit People. She''s fast. ''Riveka!It''s so crowded! ''Mm!And it smells so good from everywhere! ''Yes, why don''t you come with me and take a look around? ''U...... um............ together,...... is good.'' He turned his head and gently reached out his hand to Rebekah. Filman grabs that small hand firmly after wiping the sweat from his clothes several times. ''It''s like a ...... date, isn''t it? ''Ummm, it''s a ...... date,............, mwah! ''Norma!I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Big brother, you must refrain from disturbing behavior! I was interrupted by Loretta, who happened to be standing nearby. Whose side are you on, mine or yours? I''m not sure which side you''re on, the pure-hearted me or the evil, envy- and resentment-generating Rearmament, who do you think is right? ''Oh, well, well, well!Miz Erin. It''s been a long time. ''Well, Mr. Demilly. You''re looking as good as ever at .......'' ''Miss Erin, too. You still have the same honest gaze.'''' Demily''s face twitches as he looks at his scalp. And Donnis''s face twitches as Demilly is the first to greet Merle. ''Hmm. Your hair follicles don''t look healthy at all. ''I''m sure it''s the same there, DD! ''You might want to look up the word ''cloudy'' in the dictionary, Demilly. ''Then you can use the word ''fifty steps'' at ......! ''Now, now, calm down, both of you. There''s nothing to be upset about. I mean, look at you. Isn''t it cute when they''re smooth? ''I think I''ll pull it out! ''Don''t be hasty, DD! There''s a saying, ''water doesn''t return to its tray'' and ''no regrets first''! We''re really close. That scalp community over there. Oh, Demilly, Ricardo, and Javier are already there, but I don''t have to mention them, do I?You''re not interested, are you?It''s business as usual. It''s just that Masha is slow, Masha! ''Daaaaaaaaallllyyyyyy!I''m here! ''Hey~! Sorry I''m late, Yashiro-kun! Masha''s here! Oh, what a strange thing to happen. The cart with the water tank is moving by itself! ''...... Yashiro. It''s impossible for any living creature in existence to pass through the aura of Medrama. Impossible. ''...... I know. No matter where you let your gaze wander, it''s always going to be in your line of sight, his huge body and aura. Magda, who happens to be passing by, shoves me, and I accept the reality. ''How unusual, Medora pushing Masha''s cart. ''We made a contract...'' Contract? It''s quite an outrage to have Medora push the cart. What do you get in return for the contract ...... that makes you agree to it? ''If you push my cart, Yashiro-kun will ''ahhhh'' you to Medama,'' he saida??'' ''Why me? You''ve got to be kidding me, why me? ''Ugh. ...... If Yashiro doesn''t do it, I''ll turn into a frog. ............ If he does, the port project that''s just begun to take off will go to District 42. ...... This guy .................. is cheating... ...What a bewitching woman. It''s a different kind of bullying than Magda''s. She''s a bad girl. ''Ehhhhhh ...... glimpse ...... glimpse ...... whimper ...... glimpse''. ''...... I get it.'' ''Are you sure, darling? ''..................One time only.'' ''I did it!I''m not sure if I''d believe a mermaid''s words sometimes. ''Maybe my underwear did the trick. ''Ah!I''m glad I wore them! ''What did you think you were doing, Marsha? ''You''re not a girl''s girl...'' He''s lying! She''s definitely playing! She must be laughing her ass off at Medora! What a woman. ...... Masha, horrible girl. ''So, can I get you something sweet? ''Yes!If you let my darling eat it, the spicy chicken from the forty wards will become a sweet snack. No, not at all. In order to end this quickly, I picked up one of the loquat tarts I had on hand and held it out to Medora. ''A ...... ah~n''. It sounded a little like the ''ah~n? It was a bit like the ''Ahhh? It''s not my fault. ''Ah, ............?Hmmm! A large mouth that could swallow me in one gulp approached me and dexterously took the small tart from me. As soon as he chewed the tart, his body began to shake and shiver,......, and he finally slumped to the ground. ''This .................. tastes like love,......... ...pop. ''Hey, who''s that? Who dumped this stuff here illegally?'' ''I think it''s probably Yashiro-kun. Ha-ha-ha, stop joking. I don''t remember owning anything like this for even a moment. ''Oh, hey, ...... that''. ''Uh-huh...... no way, Obayashi......'' ''The head of a hunting guild that even demons run away from barefoot ......'' ''You''re saying you''ve completely tamed him? I''m sure you''ll agree. ''''''''Ummm......'''''''' Who''s taming these things? They''ve got it all to themselves. What I mean by taming them is this: ...... ''Estella-sama, these donuts are very delicious. Let''s share half.'' ''Oh, Mr. Tracy. I don''t mind if we share half, but can''t we just eat one at a time? ''Oh no, that''s too much water between me and Estella-sama. ''I don''t think it''s watery. ......'' ''Then, I''ll eat from here, and you eat from there. ''What, you''re not going to break it? ''I''m going to start eating from the end, and then I''m going to start eating from the ...... end. ''Nene!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ...... That''s what I''m talking about. d*mn you, Estella. I''m jealous you''ve managed to get your hands on a big tit. ''Onii-chan! Suddenly, I heard a voice calling me. My little sister''s voice. I turned my gaze to find the source of the voice and saw my sister standing alone in front of the ...... griddle. That''s a chan chan yaki stall. What? What about Delia? I look around and see-- ''Hahahaha!You''re not very good at this. That''s how you do it, that''s how you do it! ''''''Oooohhh!Sis, you''re awesome! Delia was flying a bamboo dragonfly in the middle of the kids. What are you doing, Delia? What''s wrong with your pancakes? Oh no, my sister''s freaking out in front of the griddle. I can''t help it! ''Sister, switch places with me! ''Oniichan!All right! I''ll take over as soon as I can. My sister can serve customers, but she can''t cook yet. Especially when it comes to cooking in an irregular place like this, we can''t let her do it by herself yet. Handle food with great care and be absolutely safe!This is the ironclad rule for restaurants. If you make a mistake and food poisoning occurs, you are finished. Before that, you can''t serve food that''s not ''perfect'' to customers. And so, I face the hot griddle. And then I suddenly feel something strange. What is it? It''s a food stall to promote a new menu that uses BU-related ingredients. You can find a lot of items, but with Jeannette moving around at full throttle, the supply of food is sufficient. As for the vendors, they have a sufficient number of them, led by an older group of ham girls who seem to be in the realm of veterans. As for the lords, Estella, Natalia, Demilly, and even Lucia are helping out, so there is no problem. The rest of the day will be spent as they please. There should be no problem. And yet, ...... something''s bugging me. There''s something wrong. It''s as if I''m being lured by something. ............ Yes, I can sense the deliberateness. It''s not like Delia is going to abandon the store and play with a bunch of kids. I''m not sure I''d want my sister to be the only one who can''t cook, especially with Ginette and Magda around. And-- ''Oh, chan-chan-yaki looks delicious...'' ''Hey, I''ll have a big one too! ''That''s two for me! ''Hey, hurry up. I''m starving! I''m starving!'' ''Come on, come on, don''t rest. --How can Chanchanyaki be so prosperous? There are so many new dishes on the menu, and there are plenty of places to eat, so why are so many people coming to this place? Why are the people of District 42, who love new things, flocking to this familiar dish? It''s like they''re doing it on purpose. They''re ...... up to something, aren''t they! ''Hey, you ......! ''Yashiro!Don''t stare or you''ll get burned!Here, there!Bean sprouts!Your bean sprouts are burning! ''Shut up, Mo-Mat!Bean sprouts taste best when they''re slightly burnt! ''Let me enjoy the crunch!They''re my bean sprouts! ''Why do you think you''re so important with bean sprouts, you''re ......'' ''Ah, Yashiro-san. We''re about to run out of salmon fillets. You have to hurry up and fillet it! ''If that''s what you think, you should help out a bit too, Assunto! ''Hohoho. I''m not much of a cook. ''Oh, you''re useless!Run away from your wife! ''How can you say that?It''s a bad omen! I''m somewhat agitated. I can''t even look forward properly. Don''t tell me they''re just venting their daily grudges here? ''I mean... Delia!Ginette!I''m here to help. ......'' ''Oh, hey, bro!Hold on! Suddenly, a giant raccoon appeared and stood in the way, blocking my view. What are you doing, Omero? ''Actually, I''m, uh, keeping a secret from the master, so please don''t call me! ''What''s that? ''If you call him, he''ll cry! ''What''s wrong with you? Before I knew it, I was surrounded by men. Not only in front of the stall, but on both sides and even behind it. ''You guys, don''t come into the stall .......'' ''Forget that, hurry up and burn the salmon, Anchan! ''I''ll tell ............ Neffery.'' ''Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?It''s not like I''m threatening you on the spur of the moment. ''Fox beast feature out.'' ''There''s no way I''ll answer!I''m a raccoon! Even Percy is in the way. d*mn, I don''t know what they''re thinking ......, but they''re ............ good. I''m going to fill your belly so full that you can''t eat anymore! I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. ''Ohohoho. It''s been a while, Oba-san. I heard a high-pitched voice that reminded me of a dreamland in the Chiba area. ...... You''re kidding. Why is this guy here at this time? Gustave, the ravenous king--a piranha from the hunting guild--appeared. ''I''m hungry, so please cook me some. Hahaha. ...... It''s impossible to fill this guy up. d*mn ....... I didn''t want to use this technique, but ............ I can''t help it! ''I''m closing up store! '''''''''' This is bullshit! '''''''''' '''''''''' work properly! '''''''''' What the hell is this? What the hell is this? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''''''''........................ Well, let''s just say there is... ...'''''''' ''Do you have one? That''s right!What? I''ve memorized all of your faces! I''ve added you to my list of people who don''t hurt my feelings if I mess with them too much!Remember every single one of them, you bastards! --And at the very moment when I was about to shift into "selflessness - Yashiro, God''s realm mode". I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I heard Jeannette''s voice, and at the same time, the wall of hot and bitter old men surrounding me cracked open like the sea broken by Moses. On the other side of the wall of old men were familiar people. ''It''s a surprise, Yashiro-san.'' --But they were all dressed up nicely. Ginette, Estella, Magda, Loretta, Natalia, Delia, Norma, Nephrite, Paula, Milly, Imelda, and surprisingly, even Regina was dressed up. ''What''s the matter with you guys ...... dressed like that? ''Well, Ukrines made it for us. ......'' No, that''s not what I meant. What kind of event is this? ''Yashiro-san. ''Yashiro-kun~n*'' ''Hero-sama''. ''Darling! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ............ Yeah. There''s another great one. But do you want me to mention it?Okay? Let''s just say that ...... is awesome, in more ways than one. ...... ''Ah, ah''s ...... ladybug ......''. ''Yashiro. Hey, will you listen to what we have to say? Millie and Delia stepped forward and came over to me. They look at each other and seem to be looking to see who will speak first. ''You know, Yashiro, you ...... always help me, you help us, right? ''This time, too,......, when the water ran out,......, I was very anxious, and I had a little fight with Derria,......, and I was about to cry. I was about to cry, but ...... at that time, the ladybug came to me, ............ like always... ...you know. .................. Millie choked up in tears in the middle of her story. I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. When the canal was about to run out of water due to lack of water. ''Thank you ...... for saving us,'' she said. ''I''m grateful, too.'' ''No, well, ...... then, it''s not just me, it''s Umaro and others ...... too.'' ''It''s not the only one. Next, Norma and Imelda stepped out. ''We at the Hardware Guild have taken care of a lot of things, too. Big things and little things too. ''So has the Woodcutter''s Guild. And it''s the same for everyone here. Because, Mr. Yashiro. Because you--'' With her arms outstretched, Imelda says proudly. ''Because you saved this city. No, wait a minute. Why are you making such a big deal out of ...... ''I''m not .......'' ''What are you talking about, Yashiro? ''What are you talking about, Yashiro? Nefari and Paula come forward, flipping their dresses. ''This ''banquet'' was not initiated by Yashiro,'' she said. ''Isn''t it because of Yashiro that this moment is so enjoyable? No, no, no. It''s about negotiations, demonstrations for later distribution, that kind of thing. ...... ''I told you so, didn''t I? In the event that you''re in a position to do this, you''ll be able to do so with the help of your own personal consultant. ...... It''s close, it''s close, Regina. You''re getting too close. I''m not sure what to do. I''m going to give it right back to you. Then he roughly ruffled my hair and sniffed my hand as hard as he could. You''re copying me. ...... I''m not sniffing you. ''Hero''. And Wendy stands in front of me. ''No,'' said the hero. He said that our wedding was not responsible for this trouble, that it was his fault. But I want you to know how much those words saved my ...... life. The first time I saw Wendy in her wedding dress, she looked far too good to be Theron. ''I want you to know how grateful we are. I promised myself that I would make Theron explode later. ''Mr. Yashiro. Look at this. I wore it too. Does ...... it suit you?'' Bertina says in her usual tone of voice, looking slightly embarrassed. Bertina''s modest dress was so beautiful that it made the painting look inferior, and so attractive that it made the viewer forget to breathe. ''I can''t think of any other word than "looks good". ''Mm-hmm. You''re good at it. I meant it. ''Even if you leave the 42nd district, even if you go to other districts, you are still Yashiro. ...... I was relieved. I was very proud to see you ...... always moving forward. ''......You''re a mother.'' ''I intend to be.'' ''Well, mom, tits.'' ''Mmmm .........'' I don''t know, he''s been rewarding me all day! Maybe I should push it! As I was thinking this, Natalia peeked at my face. ''Yashiro-sama''s expression: ...... I understand, if it''s okay with me, just a light touch--'' ''Sorry, Yashiro. I''m sorry, Yashiro. Can you pretend you didn''t hear that?'' In an instant, Natalia is removed from my sight. Ah, you''re all the same. Yeah. I''m relieved. And once again, Estella and Natalia come to me. ''Good work. You saved us a lot of trouble.'' ''You''re being very honest today. Estella.'' ''Haha. ...... Honestly, it was a close call this time. You did a good job, you know.'' Estella''s punch softly hits her in the midsection. ''I''d like to say I''ll pay you back ......, but you''re the type of person who likes to keep things on loan, aren''t you? ''No. I''ll make sure to collect. ''Then it looks like our rotten relationship will continue for a while yet. ''....... Maybe.'' He smiles at her, his face scrunching up. What makes you happy, you? ''Yashiro-sama''. A dignified, cool voice. Natalia stands with a posture so beautiful it could be a sculpture, and bows gracefully. Plucking softly at the skirt of her dress. ''I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my Lord. There was the perfect head waiter. A woman of such grace and dignity that it was hard to believe she was sleeping naked. It''s been a while since I''ve seen you in full force, Natalia. All who see her are overwhelmed. And then, a pair of petite girls come running up to her, looking very cute. Loretta and Magda. ''Hey, big brother! ''...... big brother.'' ''Wait a minute, Magda!You weren''t supposed to be!'' ''...... Onii-chan.'' ''No, no, no, no!Can you please stop making me out to be someone who enjoys that kind of thing?'' I was so careless, my heart hurt a little. ''I''m going to work harder and harder to become someone who can be of use to you, big brother! ''...... Magda is still going to get more powerful. ''But I still want to be pampered even more! ''...... Magda''s right to be pampered by Yashiro is valid forever. ''Because it is.'' ''...... therefore'' ''''I''m looking forward to working with you in the future! Magda and Loretta took her by the hand and led her straight to Ginette. Ginette wore a pale pink dress. Her appearance, like a gentle flower blooming in spring, naturally makes my heart beat faster. ''Yashiro-san''. ''......''. ''Were you surprised? ''...... in the present tense.'' ''Mm-hmm. Then it was a great success.'' Ginette shakes her shoulders, giggling. I see. The men''s hot monkey show was just a way to buy time to prepare for this. ''I''m sure you all feel the same way. But I''m not a big enough person to be your representative, so I''ll just tell you my honest feelings right now. After saying this, Ginette slowly bowed her head. ''Thank you for everything. Following the words of gratitude, which contained a variety of thoughts. ''I''m very happy when I''m with Yashiro-san. --From the lifted smile came words that were truly Ginette''s. And then. ''We didn''t have time to practice singing and dancing, so we cooked. We consulted with each other and discussed our ideas, and made this dish for Mr. Yashiro. Jeannette stretches out her arm and points behind me. When I turned around, Masha and Medora were holding a large plate together. The food was obscured by the iron lid of the dish, a common French dish. ''We couldn''t participate in the discussion because we''re from different districts. But we were allowed to participate in this way. ''That means we''re grateful too, darling. They said these words and waited for me. And Ginette''s voice pushes me back. ''Come on, Yashiro. Please try to take off the lid. I do as I''m told and take off the cloches, and there''s a small fried fish on them. This is ...... ''Gori......'' It was a small, slightly ugly fish called gori in my hometown. My master used to catch it and the landlady used to deep-fry it for me, my favorite food. ''I heard that you like fried fish, so we all looked for it and caught it. Did I tell anyone that I like fried gori? I think I told Delia that. ...... d*mn, I can''t remember. How do you guys know something like that that even I have forgotten? I don''t know. You know, Yashiro. Because of what you did, the river didn''t run out of water. ...... They didn''t lose their habitat. Thanks to Yashiro! The river didn''t die. So we''re going to give them a surprise ...... to thank them with river fish. Delia, who was probably suffering the most from this water shortage, is now able to smile so much. If that''s the case, well, maybe ...... running around this time wasn''t so bad after all. ''Now, please eat. At the banquet to love the flowers and drink sake. I love to eat while looking at the beautiful women in dresses. Something like this. How''s it taste? There''s no way something like this could be bad. It''s the strongest taste ever. I felt the air become light and ...... ''Wow, it''s delicious!Thank you, guys. '''''''''' Wow! '''''''''' With a shout, he ascended into the sky. Oh, shit. ...... I can''t get that smirk off my face. 337-at the end of Episode 249s Banquet I''m the one who was thrown off track by the nifty ...... surprise, but this kind of defeat is not so bad. The fried gori I hadn''t eaten in a long time had a nostalgic taste that reminded me of my landlady''s homemade cooking. So all the people here had worked together to prepare this for me to eat. This explained the sudden popularity of chan chan yaki. ''To buy time for you guys to prepare, Delia deliberately went out to play, and no one followed her sister who was left alone. ''Um, no ...... that''s ......''. Ginette smiles with a troubled look on her face. ''Hmm?Isn''t it? ''Originally, we were going to start a little later.'' In place of Ginette''s troubled smile, Estella, wearing a pale lime yellow dress, begins to explain. ...... You look oddly good. You look like a lady. I''m not sure if I''m a lady. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Well, underwater and with those muscles. It''s going to be hard to put on a dress. ''So, my plan was to get it done, and then I''d have a chance to finish up with the rest, and then I''d be ready to go. ......'' With a sigh, Estella''s gaze turns to Delia. As if following her, the others'' gazes also went to Delia. ''It''s not like that, guys!She''s the one who couldn''t fly the bamboo dragonfly at all while everyone else was doing so well. I felt like crying, I couldn''t look at ...... like this...'' Delia tries her best to make an excuse. In other words, Delia''s jumping out of the plane was an unplanned action ......, or rather an act of Delia''s own sense of justice. A child crying rather than a store, huh? Well, that''s typical Delia. ''Then, when she was left alone in the store, she became troubled and asked ...... for help, and it was you. Estella says, pointing to her sister. My sister, who has been crying at the chan chan yaki stall and is now selling loquat tarts, scratches her head in embarrassment. ''Oh, God. If you''re in trouble, you can call me. Loretta, the eldest sister, complained. ''Well, I guess the first thing that came to your mind when you were in trouble was the face of your ''reliable big brother''. ''There''s something in the way you say that, Estella. ''Not at all. It''s just admiration and envy, that''s all I meant by what I just said. I don''t know. ''...... Unfortunately, Magda and Loretta were both at other stalls at the time and couldn''t be reached.'' As if to add to Estella''s words, Magda describes the situation at that time. So the situation was unexpected. But their surprise plan was set in motion. Why is that? ''Actually, when Yashiro-san enters the chan-chan-yaki, takoyaki, and okonomiyaki stalls, everyone is supposed to block him. Jeannette glanced at the men. ''I see. So, even though you guys weren''t ready at all, the guys jumped the gun and started the operation. ''No, that''s not it!Yashiro told me not to go into the stall alone, so I didn''t! ''Mo-Mat-san moved, so I had no choice. ''Oi, Assunto!It''s my fault, isn''t it? ''Well, ...... Mr. Mo-Mat often has that side of him, so I thought it was strange. ''Then stop it! ''''No, no. I thought that if I did something wrong and my plan was exposed, there would be nothing to lose. Mormat and Assunto put the blame on each other. This spread to the people around them, ''It wasn''t me,'' ''It was you,'' ''No, it was you! And the ugly blame shifting begins. ''In short, the forty-two wards are full of idiots. ''''You''re so blunt, Yashiro! ''Well, Percy from the Forty District was also on top of it with all his stupidity. ''Hey!Don''t name names, you!It''s not like that, Mr. Neffely!I was just thinking, "Hey, isn''t it early? I was just thinking, ''Hey, isn''t it early? ''Yeah, ......, but it was a bit early, wasn''t it? ''Thanks to you, we''ve been in a bit of a hurry. ''...... That''s why Percy.'' ''I''m a ditzy raccoon! ''Wait!Why is it my fault?I can''t believe I''m doing this! In addition to Nefari, Percy is blamed by Paula, Magda and Loretta. And the men of the 42nd district are happy to take advantage of it. ''''''''Oh my God, Percy is ......'''''''' I''m not sure what to make of that. The residents of the forty-second ward are so close. ''d*mn. That''s why you''re causing me so much trouble, Oba. Crossing his arms, Ricardo bent his mouth into a crooked line. He is patronizingly showing off his own hardships and achievements. I''m not a stranger to BU, so I was able to get away with it, but normally it would be beyond rude to disrespect the lord who invited you, and diplomatic relations could have been broken by it. Only this time, though, thanks to me, there''s nothing to worry about. ''I see. Lucia, thank you for your time. ''Don''t worry about it. I''m prepared for this kind of thing when dealing with the 42nd district.'''' ''''Hey!Don''t ignore me! ''Hey, are you there, Ricardo? ''Yes, I was!I was there before the 35th district, before the BU, and even before the 40th district, if that''s what you mean! ''What, ............ are you not busy?'' ''I''m busy, but I made time to come all the way here! ''...... to see Medora in her dress?'' ''Who wants to see her like that?''No, no, no, no, Medora!It''s just a figure of speech, so don''t look so scary! I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. But I guess he didn''t need to do that, because Lucia was there. Well, I''m glad you''re playing with Medora like that so I don''t have to. Thank you Ricardo. I''m glad you''re here. Take care of Medora then. ''Well, but...'' Lucia says, smiling at Ricardo as he is attacked by the monster. ''The Seven Lords of BU and Mahr had heard of this plan, so there was no problem. ''You knew about this? ''Yes. Estella said she wanted to trick Obeyashiro into crying half to death, and everyone agreed. ''...... The aristocracy really has a good character, don''t they? Who''s going to cry half the time? ''Sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh, ......, Obayashi.'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following. It''s a ...... shame. There used to be a pit there. I shouldn''t have buried it. ''You seem to be quite surprised. You were ...... in tears.'' ''Well, ...... where have we met before? ''We''ve had a lot of fights, in my mansion! ''Oh, ...... you''re a Ricardo in Yashiro''s mind, aren''t you, Mr. Erin?'' Estella is letting out a dry laugh at the shouting Gerasie, who seems to be somewhat of an expert on the subject. ''Mr. Gerrardsy. Please don''t take that man''s story seriously. It would be barren.'' ''...... I know what I''m talking about.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sorry for my behavior. Please forgive me.'' Inez, a silver-haired, E-cup woman, chides Gerasie for throwing a tantrum. There''s something prickly about his words too. ''Don''t be so rude, E-cup. ''Please don''t call me by my cup number! ''Squidp.'' ''How many times do I have to tell you it''s Inez? ''Ten more times. ''Inez Inez Inez Inez Inez Inez Inez Inez! ''What''s Marsha in? ''It''s a fish tank! ''Too bad, it''s a fish tank.'' ''Ooooh, I''ve been tricked! ''Yashiro ......, I''ve told you several times, don''t play with someone else''s head waiter.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on.You can''t just mess with them. ''By the way, you''re ......Deborah of the 23rd district, right? ''I''m Deborah, ............. How many times do I have to tell you that I''m Deborah? ''How many times do I have to say it? I can learn it in one go.'' ''I''m Deborah. I''m Deborah.'' ''Deborah ......, you''ve already been duped. Let''s find out. I had to hide my "Mug! She stands in front of Deborah and tries to persuade her. It''s not necessary. This is how innocence is lost, I guess, at the hands of passive adults. '' (Mugs!) Gilberta, I am. I''m Natalia. I''m Natalia. ''I''m not going to bother stopping you guys anymore!Pull yourselves together! See? It''s a treasure trove of interesting people, isn''t it, head waiter? ''giggle......'' I looked at the small voice and saw Ginette laughing hoarsely. Her shoulders were shaking slightly as she held her mouth. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes, probably because she was holding back. ''Was Estella''s tsukkomi that funny? ''Heh?Oh, no ............ hmm, sorry ...... not like that ......'' After desperately biting down her laughter, taking several large breaths, and wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, Ginette said with some difficulty. ''Well, I just thought it was cute,.......'' Cute? I''m not sure what to say. I don''t know. I''m sorry. I don''t know. ''Which tits? ''No, it''s Yashiro''s. ''My boobs? ''Not the boobs!............ Oh, my God, what are you making me say? In front of all these people, ............'' Ginette puffed out her cheeks and glared at me. No, that wasn''t my fault, was it? What''s so cute about me? I don''t get it. That pouty face seemed to last only a few seconds, and in less than five seconds she started giggling again. ''I thought it was cute too. I heard Bertina''s voice from behind me. If you look, you''ll see that she''s laughing just like Ginette. ''Because Yashiro-san is ...... always like that.'' ''Always?...... What''s that?'' ''After being praised or made happy, you always ...... hide your embarrassment.'' ''Huh! ''Don''t you realize that?'' Ginette peeked at my face with a teasing look. No, I mean, what do you mean by hiding your embarrassment? It''s not that I''m embarrassed, it''s just that I''ve been fed a bit of delicious gorilla, why should I be embarrassed? ............ Oh my god!Stop looking at me like that! ''One more thing. I found a new face for Mr. Yashiro.'' He said this and gently pressed the center of his chest with his palm. With a hand as if it were a storage place for memories. As if it were a place to store memories. Not at all. Don''t do that in an unusual outfit-- a dress. You''ll accidentally fall in love. ''Wow, that''s a lot of storage,'' she''d say, ''can you go through there and bring back old memories? or, ''Next time you forget something, I''ll find it for you! You failed to mention such jokes. ''Why did you wear a dress? ''Huh?'' Since I failed to make a joke, I asked a simple question and changed the subject. This topic is not good for me. You''re not allowed to talk about this. I''ll just change it. ''What''s a fried gori got to do with a dress? A bun and a Chinese dress would be more appropriate, but a gori and a dress. There''s no sense of unity. Why did you choose to wear a dress? It would be a disaster if it splashed with oil. ''That''s the thing. ...... I don''t know if I should tell you this, but ......''. After I said this, I looked around at the girls'' faces. No one in particular has come up with any objections. After confirming this, Jeannette slowly told them the truth. ''When we discussed what would make Yashiro happy, the opinion that gained the most support was ...... that ............ thing. It''s .......'' ''That? And so, the ...... thing that Yashiro loves ............ is hard to say here... ...a, that thing. ''............ "World Peace"?'' ''What''s wrong with you, Yashiro?What''s wrong? Shut up, Estella. I''m the symbol of world peace, aren''t I? ''So, ............''. As I was sticking my tongue out at Estella, Ginette suddenly approached me, and before I had time to be surprised, I felt her warm breath on my ear. ''...... tits,'' she said. ''......''. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit shy when it comes to my tits. ............ ''Ginette ...... another one! ''Please repent! d*mn. I''m starting to develop a voice fetish. What the hell, a whisper. That''s pretty good, a whispering voice. I want to record it and set it as my alarm clock. But... I''m afraid I can''t show that to you at .......'' ''Why?'' ''Sek, do I need to explain! ''Okay, Jeannette. Don''t worry about it. I''ll keep her quiet. What the hell?That''s strange. She just thanked me for the surprise, and now she''s got a knife to my neck? I wonder why? ''So, I''ve settled on the idea of taking a pause and wearing a dress or something. Where does that leave us? What''s between the boobs and the dress? The only thing I can think of is full body armor. Oh, right. ''Then, next, bikini armor, please. ''I''m sure I don''t need to tell you this, but just in case, I will. ''No thanks.'' The neighboring knife lord denies all possibilities. There might have been some profit generated by the bikini armor. I mean, if there was a Bikini Armor Cafe, I''d go there all the time. But the ...... was a bit uneven, wasn''t it? It seems that they themselves understood this point, and the girls in dresses were all smiling. I guess there was a part of us that pushed it over the edge. Well, it''s quite difficult to make something happen on a moment''s notice. The fact that they were able to do it is a great achievement. I can honestly admire them. ''It''s not going to work out like Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... It''s not like that, though. You''ve succeeded. I''m not sure what to do. You''re right. But I think we can use this issue for the next time. ''You''re still going to do that? ...... That''s enough.'' What do you mean, next time? I''m not planning to do that much good. I don''t live my life to be thanked so much. ''If you have any requests, please let me know. Requests? ...... Do I say, ''I want you to do that next time''? No, I wouldn''t. I''m not a kid. But if I had to pick something, I''d say ...... ''Well, just one thing. ''Yes. What is it? ''In the flow of the head waiter earlier, only Nene didn''t do ''Mugyu! I don''t do that, do I?'' ''I won''t do it, Obeyashiro-sama!I don''t have the strength to do it. You''re not listening to my request. I guess the other districts won''t work. This isn''t a meeting for me. Enough with the dress and all. All right, everyone!Go change your clothes so you don''t ruin the dress. Let''s resume the party! For a moment, there was an air of regret in the air. But think about it. You can''t stand at a food stall in a dress, can you? Unless you don''t want food, you can''t have a party without food. In order to rekindle the atmosphere of the banquet, I''m going to ask those who aren''t in dresses to start moving. ''Sophie. I''ve prepared some sweet sake for you. Can you pass it out?'' ''Yes. Leave it to me.'' ''Rebeka, can you help Sophie for a little while? ''Yes!I can take care of the koji. I can do anything with you, big sister! The two sisters, who are very close to each other, walked side by side to the sweet sake stall. ''Oumaro, Becco, Assunto, take care of the stall. ''Yes, sir. ''I think I can do it for a little while, that I can. ''Mmm-hmm. I''m good at negotiating.'' No, Assunto ......, don''t rip me off, okay? ''And, Fillman.'' ''Yes.'' ''...... blast it.'' ''Why, sir! ''Blast it with Theron.'' ''Me too, Hero-sama? Wendy looked so beautiful in her dress that it was really frustrating, and Rebeka stopped jumping at me when she saw me, saying, ''My knight! My knight!" when she saw me. I''m so frustrated and disappointed. ''Well, I''ll take a majority vote!Those who think that Theron and Firman with their beautiful wives and beautiful fianc??es should be blown up! '''''''''''' Yes! '''''''''' ''''Overwhelmingly, I agree! Almost all the men in the room raised their hands. What do you think, Philman? This is the horror of majority rule. There''s no justification for it. There''s no justification for artificially and arbitrarily saying, ''If you''re jealous, why don''t you find someone? That''s what majority rule is all about! ''...... Majority rule is such a terrible thing, isn''t it? In an unexpected moment, Filman (the next lord of the 24th district) learned about reality. Good for him. The BU might change in his generation. ''Darling!I''ll stay in my dress!I''m going to stay in my dress! I''ve dressed up ...... and I want to do some rehearsals ......! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. Maybe you''ve had enough. And I haven''t had anyone tell me I look ...... good yet. ...... I''m squirming. Sorry. There is a magic in this town called the Judgment of the Spirits. Whether it looks good on you or not depends on your personal perspective, so it may not be a lie. ...... No,......, but I guess so. ''Ah~...... gosh. I forgot to mention ......''. I think you should at least tell them this. As a person who was given a surprise. As the one who got the surprise. ''You all look great. I can''t mention each and every one of you. My spine would be as ragged as a mackerel bone in a can. Even now I''m itching. The girls in their dresses giggled and laughed with those near them, though it was a soft praise for all of them to be together. Enough, take off your dress. I can''t help it, I''m giggling too. ''Hmph. It''s okay, palm snapper. Ma-ru''s eyes narrowed as she relaxed her wrinkled face. ''You all look so nice. Let''s just keep it that way for today, okay? ''No, but a dress for a party is ......''. ''Oh. I wonder if Yashippi is so hard-headed as to be so particular about formality. It''s not that I''m obsessed with formality, it''s just that what if the dress gets dirty? ............ There are so many things I can''t look at. They all look at each other and say, ''What do you think of this dress? ...... Anyway, I can''t calm down like this. I can''t go on like this. ''A dress is a girl''s dream. Why not today? Right? ''............'' When I heard Ma''ru''s words, I looked around and saw that everyone had a look of regret on their faces. It''s ...... I can see it in their eyes. I can see Loretta''s face, covered in okonomiyaki sauce, screaming, ''What? with okonomiyaki sauce on her face. The rest of us will get muddy skirts, wrinkles, and sweat stains from moving around. ...... ''If you have a good laundry service, make an appointment while you''re at it. ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll introduce you to a great laundry shop that I''m familiar with. Such a conversation elicits a ''whoop'' of delight. Oh, jeez. At the banquet, outdoors, a beautiful woman in a dress makes Mapo Tofu at a stall. It''s a sight you don''t see in Japan. It''s a sight you don''t see in Japan, though it''s typical of the 42nd district. ''Okay, beautiful ladies. Please work for me. '''''''' Yes, ''''''''! When I say this jokingly, the beautiful women in dresses disperse to their places. In contrast to the gracefully fluttering skirts of the dresses, the working girls were nimble in their movements, and the scene was extraordinary. I wonder if it was like this. I wonder if this is what they were looking at. It''s interesting to see how things that were commonplace change, and how phenomena that are far removed from what we thought was common knowledge occur. ...... d*mn. So, it''s not a meeting for me. ''Mmmm. I''m jealous. Mahrul whispers quietly, looking at the girls working in their dresses. ''The youth, huh? ''Well, excuse me. I''m not quite out of the woods yet, you know?'' Some people like antiques. Some lord''s single hair. ''If you''re so jealous, why don''t you have a wedding and wear a pure white dress? ''Well. If you have a nice partner somewhere, that''s not so bad.'''' ''Whoo-hoo!Gosh, gosh, gosh! It seems a gorilla has infiltrated the hall. A certain single hair is making a gurgling sound. ''Whoo-hoo! No, ''whoo-hoo'' is wrong. Why are you calling it a gorilla? Just choke on it. ''But that''s not what I meant.'' Mael sticks his finger in front of me. ''It''s you I envy. Palm Pippi.'' Then, with a wicked grin, like a girl who''s just thought of a prank. ''I''m not going to tell you why. And with that, he was gone. ...... He''s so selfish. What do you want me to do about this embarrassment I''m feeling? Oh, God! ''All right, boys!It''s on the housekeeper!Drink up!And eat!And sing and dance! '''''''' ooohhhh! '''''''' ''Wait a minute!I didn''t hear anything about that! Estella panics. It''s hard to stand being eaten and drunk by this many people. But... ''Don''t worry Estella. You have Ricardo-san, the reliable lord! ''I see!You''re indeed the senior lord Ricardo-san! ''Hey, you guys!I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Let''s see... ...... "If anything happens, District 41 will do its best to help"? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. He quickly called up the Conversation Record and recalled the conversation that took place when Ricardo came to the Sunlit Pavilion. I''m pretty sure this is the conversation Tracy and the others had when they were working part-time at the Sunshine Pavilion. In the Conversation Record, the following conversation is recorded. I''ve heard that you guys have been spotted by the ''BU'' people. ...... Well, since we in the 41st ward also supported the parade that is said to be the cause of the problem,......... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. Ricardo. It''s not open yet. If you''re done with your business, go home. ''You''re still a terrible person, aren''t you? ''I''m only speaking the truth. ''What''s the point of an alliance if you''re treated like this!You only use it when it''s convenient for you! It doesn''t matter what you say, it''s a fact that it''s recorded in the Conversation Record. If there''s anything you need, I''m sure you can help me out. ''By the way, it seems that we three neighboring districts are like an alliance, so please take care of Demilly too. ''Wow, I''m in trouble!I''m so embarrassed, Ricardo!You''re making me feel like I''m in trouble. Demilly closes in on Ricardo. Your money is just there to buy someone a drink. You''re making a lot of money. ''Besides, it just so happens that there are more lords here. When I glanced at him, the seven lords of BU retreated in a straightforward manner. ''I''m not letting ...... them get away. ''Tracy. The only thing that can save Estella''s life is your-- your love.'' ''Leave it to me!I will pour it into her like water! ''Donnis, ............, I know a good dressmaker.'' ''Come on, it''s a feast!Make a lot of noise, people! ''Gellarcy. ''...... what is it? ''Pay up. ''Why don''t you think of a better plan! The rest of the lords asked, ''Can I come stay with you sometime? The rest of the lords were more than happy to pay. That''s a nobleman. That''s how rich people should be. Therefore, the moment they found out it was someone else''s money, the voltage in the hall went through the roof, and the drinks and food sold like hotcakes. ''Gerasie, are you eating? ''Of course not!It''s our money, after all!They''ll eat as much as anyone else! ''You dirty, dirty .......'' ''Say what you want! After the hateful words, Gelercy suddenly showed a serious expression. ''No matter how you argue now, you can''t be like your sister. ......'' It was a voice that contained a sense of refreshment that was different from resignation. So I''ve decided to live my life as I am. I''m going to be the kind of lord who doesn''t look at the people around him, who isn''t bound by tradition, who doesn''t hesitate to choose the best option he thinks is right now. It sounded like a declaration that he regretted his laxity in letting me get the better of him and that he would overcome it. Well, that''s it in a nutshell. ''You mean you''re going to admire me and change your way of life? ''Don''t be stupid! But he didn''t explicitly deny it. You should have more discussions with Donnis and Merle. That alone will change you a lot. Experience is an irreplaceable treasure. ''But then again, I may see you more often at .......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''No, the contact person is Ma''ru. ''I''m the lord of the 29th district, you know! ''If you want to talk about the lord, please talk to Estella.'' ''Don''t give me such a blatantly disgusted look! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if it''s because I''ve been pushed to the limit or because I''ve woken up to something. Stop it. That''s out of my jurisdiction. ''Not at all. You''re a very unpleasant man. ''I guess it''s mutual. ''Hmph!Let''s go to ...... and change our minds with the best food here.'' ''Mapo Tofu? ''Cotton candy.'' ''You''re a kid! ''Candy apples are good, too.'' ''You''re a kid! ''Where are the contents of the doughnut rings?'' ''You''re a kid! What''s in the doughnut is a common question for kids. ''I want to eat the middle too. A man in his late 20''s with long hair pulled all back and a stern face that emphasizes his bad eyesight is not hustling around with cotton candy in his hand. There are really only weird people in this town, aren''t there, the lord of this town. ''Maybe she can change now...'' I heard a whisper and turned around to see Ma''ru''s back. She whispered in a place where I could hear her, and then turned away and left, saying, ''Don''t ask me any more questions. What a selfish old woman. But you know what I mean. An older sister is an older sister no matter what her relationship is. I''m sure she was worried about her unskilled brother. --And... I was able to think about that until mid-afternoon, and after that I was really busy. I followed up on the members of the Sunlit Pavilion, who were not able to move as they should because of their dresses, and as the sun went down, I was swamped by the increasing number of orders for alcohol and drunks, and I made and replenished the food that was running out one after another. ...... Before I knew it, the sky was already dark. The sky was already dark. ''Yashiro. Is it time for me to go? Estella, her cheeks lightly tinted, came running towards me, her dress fluttering. ''Are you drinking? ''Haha. I''m just socializing. But I''m not drunk.'' ''Your cheeks are red. ''Oh, yeah? Estella presses her cheek with the back of her hand. It is probably because of the fantastic light of the glowing bricks illuminating the darkness and the atmosphere of the banquet that even such a gesture looks cute. ''Huh?Isn''t Yashiro''s face red? ''It''s probably because of the lights. The bricks. ''Hmmm... ...... I see...'' Estella laughed, without particularly pursuing the matter. Yeah, he''s drunk, this guy. She''s a laughingstock. ''Well, I''ll go tell Hammy to get ready. You give me the signal to fire.'' ''Yeah. I''ll leave it to you. Night has fallen and the party is about to end. What ends the feast is, after all, fireworks. I''m going to show the Seven Lords of BU the fireworks that were used to start this whole mess. I''ll show them that what you''ve been trying to stop is this amazing thing. If we can get them to admit it and be impressed by the fireworks, we''ll have a complete victory. I left my post and went around telling the ham kids to cover the shiny bricks with cloth. He then heads for the moving guild waiting a short distance away from the venue. Recently, more and more newcomers are joining the guild because they are fascinated by fireworks. I''d like to give them more opportunities to set off fireworks. ''Hey, long time no see, Carl. ''Oh, anchovies!Long time no see! Carl, a swallowtail butterfly (looks like a caterpillar), has made the transition from being Sirach''s bodyguard to a pyrotechnist. This is his first fireworks display, and he''s full of enthusiasm. ''How''s Nikka doing? ''She''s in training, out on a ship in the distance.'' ''What, only the ''not that way'' of the ...... set has come? ''Who''s the one who''s not that way? I was hoping for a girl to come anyway. But, well... I''m sure Nikka is working hard. ...... while the guild leader of the sea fishing guild is wearing a dress and getting carried away. ''Okay, I need you to start the fireworks in ten minutes. ''I''ll take care of it! I give my regards to Beetleman Beetle El and the others, and head back to the venue. It''s a long walk, so it would take me less than ten minutes to get there if I walked normally. That''s too slow. I run back and tell Estella to stand by. ''Everyone!Excuse me for interrupting your conversation! Raising her voice, Estella begins to speak. Ideally, the fireworks should go off at the same time she finishes her speech. Five minutes left. Coordinate it well. ''You will now see the fireworks that caused this commotion. I think you''ll enjoy it, not as something that we have a history with, but as something that created a new relationship between us and BU. And I am sure that we will be able to build an even more friendly relationship in the future. It is no exaggeration to say that the beautiful light illuminating the night sky symbolizes our future. Come on!Enjoy the big bloom in the night sky! As soon as Estella finished her speech, there was a round of applause, and a few moments later - a huge firework lit up the night sky. With an explosion that echoed in the pit of my stomach, fireworks were launched one after another, blooming and falling. Everyone in the room was glued to the fireworks as they bloomed and scattered in a dizzying array of colors, tinting the night sky. ''This ...... is wonderful. Donnis muttered. Because of the distance, neither sound nor light reached the 24th district. Even with such a loud noise, it would not reach the next town. At best, it would be seven or eight kilometers. It must not even reach the 28th district. The only people who knew about fireworks in BU were Mahr and Gerasie, and everyone else was overwhelmed by the sight of them for the first time. Everyone else was overwhelmed by the sight of fireworks for the first time. They cheered, but even their cheers were drowned out by the sound of exploding fireworks. ''Yashiro-san. Ginette comes running up to me as I stare up at the sky. ''The food from the stall is sold out. ''Are you sure? ''Yes.'' ''...... as well.'' ''It''s all gone! Magda and Loretta came running up to me and proudly gave me a V-sign. Sold out. We prepared a lot of stuff, but we were able to sell ....... It was a great success. He pokes her on the shoulder. Estella gives me a thumbs up with a satisfied look on her face. Oh, I see. So the work for today is done. The weight was lifted off my shoulders at once and I felt like I could enjoy the fireworks for the rest of the day. Ginette and Estella and Magda and Loretta. I stood shoulder to shoulder with these familiar faces and looked up at the fireworks as they bloomed and fell. Every time a firework went off, the red and green light would lightly color the faces of Ginette and the others. The fireworks lasted only a few minutes, but their lingering presence was etched in our hearts for a long, long time. The last big firework is launched, filling the night sky with light, and disappears in an instant. At that moment, there was an outpouring of applause, and the "banquet" came to an end. ''Come on, everyone!This is the end of the party!Thank you very much for your time today at .......'' In the middle of Estella''s closing speech, something fell. Something fell. Not just one or two people noticed the change, but many people looked up at the sky at the same time. They turned their palms upward and stared at the night sky as if to confirm the identity of what had fallen. Then, the "grains" gradually increase in number as they fall. ...... Boto...... Boto, boto, boto............ Dzaaaaaa ......! It turned into a downpour at once. ''It''s raining! ''Everyone, evacuate to the cave! ''Where are the stalls? ''No, that can wait! ''Oh no, my dress is wet! ''......, you''re a good woman who drips water. ''Magda, don''t be stupid, let''s get out of here! They trampled through the quickly forming puddle, and regardless of whether it was the lord, the head waiter, the ordinary citizens, Becco or Percy, they all ran as fast as they could to the cave. The inhabitants of Newtown should have returned to their homes, but they were swallowed up in the chaos and somehow they all ended up in the cave. ''...... haha ............ haha ......... ......... startled.'' The cave was large, and even with hundreds of people in it, there was still plenty of space. ''It''s a good thing that the people with children went home early.'' Ginette says, combing her fingers through her wet hair. It''s a party. It was obvious that there would be more drunks in the evening. So the kids and their parents went home in the evening. You don''t need to be at the venue to see the fireworks. ''If all of you had stayed, you wouldn''t have been able to fit in here,'' he said. Estella said, brushing up her wet hair. There are many different ways to handle hair. In the cave, the sound of heavy rain echoes and echoes. It''s as loud as the sound of fireworks earlier, indicating the strength of the rain. ''Spirit God, you''re not just now dumping all the rain you forgot to dump, are you? ''Hmm. That''s an interesting thought. No, no, Jeannette. There are people everywhere who don''t plan well. There are always kids who try to do their summer homework on the last day of school. I''m sure the spirit god is one of them. There are times when you think, ''Isn''t he an idiot? ''If that''s the case--'' Ginette says with an inappropriately calm expression on her face as she stares at the torrential downpour that turns the darkness of the night white. ''This is a blessing, isn''t it? What kind of goddess sends her blessings to us like this? After that, we spent some time in the cave, watching the torrential rain that showed no signs of abating. For better or worse, it was a memorable "party", we thought. 338-Episode 250 Epilogue-like daily life of Yodari-tei Three days after the party. It was still raining. ''There were no visitors at all today, either. Loretta muttered as she looked out the window. The world looked a little white with the mixture of raindrops falling and splashing back against the ground. Even though it is already night, the phosphorescent bricks, which have not been exposed to sunlight during the day, do not emit light and have lost their dark presence. This is the first time in a long time that I have been in total darkness. It''s like a blackout. ''...... Yashiro, would you like to hold my hand? ''No, I''m not going to be scared by this. In the flickering lantern light, Magda reaches out her hand to me, but I politely decline. Ginette is chuckling over there. Shut up. Stop laughing. ''Shall we close up for the day? ''Yes, we should. Umaro''s already gone. Only Umaro would come to the restaurant on a day like this, and he too had just left after a hearty meal. ''Oh, by the way, Mr. Umaro. I heard you cleared out the stall. ''It was gone yesterday. ''...... They decided it was too dangerous to leave it there because the rain would reduce visibility. It must have taken a lot of effort to remove so many stalls in this downpour. ''Well, next time I come back, I''ll add one more cherry tomato. ''Mr. Umaro''s efforts are not appreciated! ''...... Don''t worry. Magda will serve you.'' ''Then I''m sure you''ll be pleased. With such idle talk, the business of the day ended at the Sundaari-tei. It had been a very peaceful day. The lack of customers is a serious problem in itself, but ...... I''ve been moving around a lot lately, so I''m grateful for this kind of time. I really must be tired, I guess. Today, I''ve been sitting almost all day. ''Yes, Mr. Yashiro. Corn potage soup.'' ''Hmm? ''It''ll warm you up. It''s been cold today.'' ''Oh. Thanks.'' I wasn''t moving, so maybe he was just being considerate. ''How about you guys? ''I''d love to! ''...... I''d like some more Magda.'' I sat down in my usual seat and drank the hot soup. I feel as if my core is warming up and my fatigue is disappearing. While I wait for Ginette to go into the kitchen, Magda sits next to me and Loretta sits across from me. There''s no need for all of us to sit at this end of the table. ''Thank you for waiting. Ginette brought soup for the three of us and sat down next to Loretta. We sit tightly together in the spacious sunlit pavilion. Our poverty is so ingrained in us. And then... ''Aaah! I heard a scream from the other side of the door. At the same time, there''s a dull thud and the sound of water splashing. ''What? Is that an annual event? A dry laugh escaped from my mouth as I imagined the devastation of the owner of the scream. Ginette also seems to have come to her senses, leaving her seat in a panic and running for the door. ''Loretta, go get her a towel. Magda, go to my room. ......'' Instructing the two remaining men, I say the usual words to the soaking wet man who comes through the door. ''''It''s no fun for you to look at my poor body, is it? It''s been a year since I''ve heard that line. ...... Memories are sometimes so vivid that they are abhorrent. Estella walked in, her expensive clothes soaking wet, her face twitching. She had walked carefully in this torrential downpour, and when she saw the sunlit pavilion, she must have let her guard down and slipped near the entrance. Her feet, buttocks, and back were soaked. ''There''s going to be a puddle shaped like Estella''s ass at the entrance. ''I don''t have a butt to sink into, ...... at all.'' Ginette folds up the umbrella Estella must have brought with her and puts it up next to the door. I see. There''s no umbrella stand. I''ll have to make one. ''I shouldn''t have been so careless with the umbrella, I should have put on a cloak. ''There''s a saying, "Regrets don''t come first, a poor shirt never swells."'' ''The second half is a lie, isn''t it? Estella straightens her arm and points at me. It''s been a while since I''ve had that kind of hostility directed at me. ''Yes, Estella-san. Use this. ''Oh, thank you Loretta. I really wish Yashiro would be as considerate as this. You should learn from the older shopkeepers. I take the towel and Estella frowns at me. I''m currently the last clerk to be hired at the Sunlit Pavilion. I quit once, for a minute or so. ''Oh, no. This is my brother''s ......''. ''Oh, Loretta. No, no, no.'' It''s not like I''m doing you any favors. It''s okay, it''s better if he thinks I''m witless. ''...... Estella. I''ve brought you a change of clothes.'' ''Oh, thank you too Magda. You''re very thoughtful. Do you want me to pat her on the head?'' ''...... You have to be qualified to pet Magda.'' She still wants to pet Magda''s ears. She refuses every time, though. And so, Estella''s expression hardened as she unfolded the ''I specified'' t-shirt that the witty Magda had brought with her. ''............ Another nostalgic one.'' On the chest of the T-shirt Estella unfolded, it read, ''Cheap!Delicious!It''s cute! on her chest. ''I''m going to follow Magda''s example and become a thoughtful shopkeeper. ''Will you stop it?I know very well that it was you who sent me.'' After letting out a heavy sigh, Estella wiped her wet body with a towel and headed to the back of the kitchen to change. You could have changed here. ''Estella~. If my pants are wet, I can just wear the ''Buka-T''...'' ''I borrowed it from Jeannette, so I''m fine! It''s not polite of him to reply before I''ve finished my sentence. ...... ''Oh, my God. I want to rub my parents'' faces. ''Why are you rubbing them?I''m not sure what to say. Loretta, the rightful owner of normalcy, is pushing for normalcy more than necessary. She''s probably planning a plan to make all of humanity normal. She''s a girl with terrifying ambitions. ''...... Loretta is the only one in this group who can immediately see her parents'' faces. Magda''s parents went to Bao Kri Air to guard the dignitaries and have disappeared. Ginette''s parents are unknown. Grandfather is no longer with us. Estella''s parents are in a quiet town recovering from an illness. And my parents are at ...... ''That''s true. Then let''s go see Loretta''s parents.'' ''No, please!They''re not the kind of parents I can show her! What kind of parents would say this to their daughter? ...... I remember that Wendy didn''t want to see her parents either. I wonder if the girls in this town tend to want to keep their parents at a distance. ''...... Ahh. It''s a little depressing because it looks so familiar. Estella returns, dressed to the nines. For pants, she''s wearing Ginette''s loungewear. I''ve seen this guy around. Although Estella is a little taller, she''s not as short as she says she is. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I like the ...... saggy clothes. I''m sorry! I''m not sure what I misunderstood, but Estella is hiding her breasts and glaring at me. I guess this kind of thing is called ''self-consciousness'' or ''paranoia''. ''I''m not talking about your breasts. When I said that in disgust, she pointed her finger at me from three directions. In a "judgment of the spirits" stance. Estella, Magda and Loretta. ''Estella-san. Corn potage soup. It''ll warm you up.'' ''I love you, Jeannette! Estella jumps on Jeannette with both arms outstretched. Don''t jump on her when she''s holding the soup. How did you not spill it, Ginette? ''...... "Oh, I''m jealous, jealous, jealous of the bulge I don''t have, but it feels good."'' ''Cause I don''t think so!Don''t give me that monologue, Magda! ''Yes, you are, Magda. That''s what Estella thinks. ...... ''Hmmm, actually, I can absorb a percentage of your boobs by hugging you like this! ''You can''t do it! ''...... Estella...... no way, you''ve reached that point......'' ''That''s why you can''t do it! ''Estella, you''re amazing!I have a little respect for you! ''You said you can''t do it!You just said you can''t! ''Gentlemen, you can''t say that. Don''t say that. What the hell, get on board, Jeannette! I''m not smiling! If you get on board and say, ''Estella-san doesn''t look good with big tits,'' you could have given her a serious injury that she would never recover from! ''...... For the manager, if you just get a tenth, you''ll get big tits immediately. ''That''s not true. ''In addition, even if you take 10%, you still have big tits! ''No, that''s not true. ......! ''In addition, if it''s Jeannette, even if she''s reduced, she''ll be back to full strength the next day! ''Please repent! I''ll be the only one ...... sulking again. ''Pfft, that''s it. ''Haaaa...... Yashiro is ...... Yashiro is cute......! ''No, it''s an illusion. Ginette-chan.'' Estella begins to drink the corn potage soup with cold eyes. You''ve been making a lot of noise, and now you''re suddenly getting cold feet. And just like this, the ''usual'' daily life has returned. I guess I like this kind of atmosphere, because I felt like I was back. As the number of people increased, we put two desks together to make a table for eight people. Then we settled down again in our respective places. I sat at my usual seat, with Magda on my left and Loretta on my right. Estella sits directly in front of me, and Ginette sits to Estella''s right, in front of Magda. ''And in the seat in front of Loretta, there''s a woman I''ve never seen before with blood pouring from her head ......''. ''She''s not here!What, she''s not here, is she? ''............ Oh, hi.'' ''Who did you just say hello to, Magda?Don''t bow so small while looking across at me! ''Sorry, Jeannette. Can you move over a little bit? ''Don''t try to close the distance, Estella!There''s no one here!There''s no one here! But Loretta clung to my arm to keep me from escaping. d*mn, she''s a beastman too, isn''t she? I can''t untie him. ''The beastmen (sober) ......'' ''Stop it, you''re giving me a negative image!Big brother''s image strategy is surprisingly effective! That''s because everyone sees you that way. And I''m not the only one who has a selfish image of others. Magda is no slouch either. For example-- ''Chitiprune, the Hexenbiest. ''Forget it, please! This is the nickname Magda gave Millie and Delia when they got into a fight due to the lack of rain, and Jeannette witnessed it while she was absent-mindedly working. So to speak, it''s a memorial to the day that started this whole mess. ''But thanks to Magda''s naming of the hexenbiest Chitiprune, the incident regarding the water shortage was solved, wasn''t it? ''What?Was it Magda''s achievement? ''...... A woman who exerts her influence in an invisible way. That''s Magda. ''Don''t let them get to you, Yashiro. Under the table, Estella''s foot pokes me lightly in the shin. She''s scolding me again. Why is it me and not Magda who''s getting carried away? ''Pfft,'' she says. ''You''re not cute. ''But, but, Estella. Depending on the angle, you can''t help but feel ...... or cute ......! ''Ginette, calm down!It''s an illusion or hallucination! ''Pfft! ''Pssst! ''Ginette-chan! ''...... The manager looks a little tired.'' ''You might want to go to bed early today! ''You guys would say that too, wouldn''t you, Magda and Loretta? I know you''ll say it. How much? ''Sorry, sorry. You know what? ......'' ''When I think of how Yashiro was like when he was a child,......, I find him irresistibly cute. ''When Yashiro was a child? ''Is there? I''m not sure what to say. ''...... bonus time for all-you-can-look-in-a-woman''s-bath'' ''Yeah, ...... I wasn''t thinking about that at the time, not yet. It was during puberty, in middle school, that I woke up to boobs. ............ I''m sorry, I lied. It was the summer of my fifth grade, when I found a large number of adult picture books by the side of the road along the bypass. It''s a beautiful memory. ''How old were you when you started to rot? ''Don''t say rotten!I''m ripe. ''I guess you could say that. It must be nice to be an adult now. Estella must have been thinking about her boobs from her adolescence to now. You''re the one who spends most of your day doing breast implants! Well, it''s just... I''m probably more experienced than you. ''By the time I was eleven, all I could think about was my tits. ''Have you been ...... since before I became a child of the Sunken Pavilion?'' ''...... hardcore.'' ''If it''s a grease stain, it''s stuck so hard you''ll never get it off. What are you comparing me to? What''s stuck to who and where? ''Didn''t your parents say anything to you about your strange behavior? ''I''m not acting strangely. ''...... Yashiro seems to have no symptoms. ''It''s the end of the line. ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............ Hey, Ginette. Where''s the follow?'' ''Heh!Oh, no ...... ugh.'' d*mn, no follow! It''s kind of hard to say, isn''t it, d*mn it? ''Well, the landlady pretended to ignore it. The room was cleaned without my knowledge, and I''m sure the hidden treasure was found, but not a word was mentioned. I''m sure you''ll be able to find the treasure you were hiding. ...... It''s a shame for those of us who have found ourselves pretending not to notice. ............ ''The landlady ...... had a natural tendency to strangle people. ......'' In fact, it would have been somewhat better if you had told me in no uncertain terms. I''d rather you''d have said it outright. ''...... I''m sorry. It brought back memories of the past and made me cry. ......'' ''What a far cry from nostalgia. ...... There''s nothing to move me at all.'' Estella stares at my beautiful tears with a dumbfounded look in her eyes. Oh, no, I''m not even staring. Just a glimpse. She''s not interested at all. It''s a beautiful sight if you only look at the circumstances. Tears shed for the deceased. ''From what you''ve told me, it seems you''ve been spoiled for life. ''Hmm~...... I wonder...'' I was scolded when I did wrong, and rules and common sense were thoroughly instilled in me. In particular, I was always told to be considerate of others, day in and day out. ''But he praised me a lot, didn''t he? Even though he was strict, I felt his love. And we were a cheerful family that laughed a lot. ''...... That''s why Yashiro likes the landlady. ''Hmm?'' ''Come to think of it, she comes up in conversation about something.'' ''Is that so? I''m not aware of that, but...'' ''When you talk about the landlady, Mr. Yashiro, you always look so happy. ''No, that''s not true, is it? ''No, no. Like this, smiling, gently. Then I give him a gentle smile. Do I have that look on my face? ''That''s the thing. I guess it''s because when I talk about the landlady, it''s usually about food. People naturally smile when they think about good food. That''s what it means. There''s nothing more to it than that. ''But you mentioned the landlady when Mr. Filman asked you what type of woman you liked. ''So, that''s ......''. It''s the most corner-cutting thing to say, right? I''m not sure what to do. It is easy to imagine what kind of disaster ...... would have been caused if I had acted in such a short-sighted way as to say, ''I''ll just explain it later and clear up the misunderstanding. ''I think it''s a wonderful thing. I think it''s a wonderful thing to be able to cherish your own family for a long time. ''Well, it''s better than being an unfilial person. ''That means that your brother will always be sweet to his people! ''...... Magda is ready and confident to be spoiled forever and ever.'' ''You can''t just say whatever you want .......'' Even you say so. ............ No, let''s not do that. This argument is barren. Family is special. That''s fine. It''s nothing to deny. ''ugh ......I''m glad to hear about your past, Yashiro-san.'' ''Come to think of it, that''s unusual. ''I want to hear more about your past, big brother.'' ''...... digging deeper and deeper'' ''No way. Talking about your past is like exposing your weaknesses. In most cases, a person''s past is full of black history. There are not many people who are willing to talk about the time when they were immature. ''Thanks for the food. You''ve warmed me up. Estella gulps down the corn potage soup and lets out a warm ''hoo hoo'' breath. ''My stomach, that doesn''t fill you up, does it?Shall I go make you something?'' ''Yes, ......''. The fact that she came at this hour means that Estella was so busy that she didn''t even have time to eat. A bowl of corn potage soup would not be enough for her in such a situation. ''But we''re closed, aren''t we? ''That''s fine. Don''t worry about it.'' Ginette would be happy to make you dinner no matter what time it was. That said, there are times when I feel self-conscious. ''Well, let''s do that again. I''m sure we have all the ingredients. ''That''? Ginette tilted her head, unsure of what he was talking about. ''It''s the food of the bond. ''Ah!That sounds great!I''ll help! Loretta, who was the first to come up with an answer, stood up cheerfully. Come to think of it, we''ve eaten together before, right here at this table. ''I couldn''t eat much last time because I had already eaten the bribe. My brothers also left before I could finish. I was taking care of my younger brothers at the riverbank. ''...... riverbank............ Hmm. That makes sense. When Magda heard Loretta''s story, she remembered. Well, we went out on the way, didn''t we? After that, we ate again in a large group at the riverbank, right? ''What are you making? ''I''m curious, too. The two of them, who still haven''t found an answer, are getting impatient. We''ve made so many things in the last few weeks. The memory of the first part may be fading. ''It''s hand-rolled sushi. ''''Ahh!'''' Upon hearing the answer, Ginette and Estella''s faces lit up. It''s a dish that uses a lot of ingredients from each guild, including sea fishing, river fishing, farming, peddling, and hunting, and it''s a dish that Loretta describes with the word ''bond''. ''Please help me prepare it. ''Yes, sir! ''...... Magda will help too.'' ''I want to help, too! ''Okay, Estella. Sit down and wait for me.'' ''No, I''ll help!I''d rather not be left here alone. ''No, no, I can''t have my lord doing that kind of work.'' ''I''d like to hear you say something like that somewhere else! In the end, we all went into the kitchen and chopped and roasted what we could find to make the ingredients. It''s so much faster with Jeannette. He''s so much quicker than me. I had high hopes for Estella''s skill with knives, but she specialized in "stabbing" and was not good at "cutting". Well, she was a knife wielder. I''m sure Natalia can do everything from stabbing, cutting, piercing, and scraping. ''...... Estella is not a good cook. ''No, she''s not!It just took a little time this time. ''That''s right, Magda-chan. It''s just that the manager and the brother are out of their element, and if Estella can do it, she''s at a normal level. ''Ugh ...... Loretta calling me normal is a huge shock.'' ''Why?I followed you, didn''t I? Estella is depressed by Loretta''s ''normal'' comment, which puts more stress on her mind than anything else she''s heard. Ginette is patting her curled back and giving her words of encouragement. It would be interesting to hear her say something like, ''If you keep rounding your back like that, you''ll end up with breasts that aren''t even there. I wonder if she would say ............. ''If you arch your back so much, you''ll bury your not-so-perfect ......''. ''I''m good at stabbing, aren''t I? Estella can''t even handle a fish, but I guess it''s easy to reap my life. Should I be careful what I say when he''s holding a knife? ............ Isn''t there any time when Estella doesn''t have a knife in her hand? ''Well, let''s make some sushi rice. ''Haaaa ...... I love that smell! I thought he said he didn''t like the smell of vinegar at first. As I headed back to the hall with the sushi rice, Loretta and Magda were happily bringing in the ingredients. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. The preparations were ready and we had our first hand-rolled sushi party in a long time. ''No, the seaweed hasn''t arrived! ''...... The seaweed is too small.'' ''Yashiroo, the nori is too small.'' ''Don''t you people have the ability to learn? The three of them put too many ingredients on top of the seaweed, and Jeannette quickly put them on top of the seaweed. ''That''s strange. ...... I thought I could roll this much. ......'' ''You too, Jeannette. I can''t help but get excited about hand-rolled sushi. ''It''s so difficult. ...... Hey, Yashiro. Roll one for me. ''Are you a nobleman? ''I''m an aristocrat. ''...... Hi, I''m a friend of the nobility. Would you like a roll? ''Also, I''m related to a nobleman!Big brother, roll me up.'' ''Don''t get on my case. We''re all like that. They''re all trying to make me do it. You''ll have to learn it yourself. Then I looked at Jeannette, who hadn''t joined the conversation, and she was frantically rolling up a sushi roll. Still, it''s a lot. I''m surprised he''s struggling. ''It''s difficult. I can''t get the hang of it. ......'' ''Well, try it out, Jeannette, and make it as if you were feeding it to me.'' ''For Mr. Yashiro, sir? The color of Ginette''s eyes changed a little when I gave her that order. Place the nori in the palm of your hand, take a small amount of sushi rice, spread it out evenly, add the ingredients in a balanced manner, and roll it up ....... ''...... Wow!It''s done! It was an excellent hand-rolled sushi, perfect in appearance and content, and could have been served in a restaurant if it had been wrapped. ''You can do it if you think you''re going to feed people. ''Yes, it looks like it. Ginette smiled shyly. This guy doesn''t cook for himself that often. It''s a new discovery that he''s not good at cooking for himself. ''Yes, Mr. Yashiro. Please enjoy your meal. A hand roll of sushi is gently offered. ...... Somehow, it makes me embarrassed to think that Jeannette rolled it in front of me. No, you see, I''m bare handed. Well, I''m always bare handed. ''Please eat your vegetables, too. And chew your food well.'' ''You''re my mother, aren''t you? ''Mm-hmm. If she''s so cute, you might get in trouble for spoiling her too much.'' ''If I had a mother like this, I might not be weaned until I''m over twenty. ''No, please repent after you eat it! It''s okay after you eat it. No, it''s more of a hassle for you to put it off. ...... ''Oh, it''s done, it''s done!I got the hang of it by watching Jeannette''s.'' Estella has finally made the right amount of hand rolls. She makes a crispy sound and bites into the sushi roll. ''Mmm~! She shakes her fist in the air with a satisfied voice. ''It tastes even better when you think you made it yourself, doesn''t it? ''No, the one Ginette made for me is even better. ''...... Magda also always wants to be pampered.'' ''I find that when I make it myself, it tastes kind of normal. ......'' ''I didn''t think you''d agree with me so far! That''s sweet, Estella. We''re not so naive as to honestly feel what everyone seems to be saying. ''Why don''t you add this to the menu? ''The price will be too high. It''s mainly sea fish.'' ''There are many kinds. It''s not easy to get all of them. ''...... If it becomes popular, we may not be able to keep up with the preparations. ''Then, this is food for a house party.'' A house party. Ginette''s right, it''s for eating at home. It would be fun if everyone got together from the preparation stage. And it''s good that each person can choose his or her own flavor. And it is good that each person can choose his or her own taste. It is natural to have such a casual conversation as ''You always eat salmon,'' or ''Don''t eat all the shrimps. It was the same at my parents'' house. ''My master was so enthusiastic that he would only do it when we made hand-rolled sushi. He said that he could make a better hand-rolled sushi than the landlady. ...... He was very particular about mixing sesame seeds with the sushi rice and coating the seaweed with sesame oil. ''So, what did you actually do? ''Hmm? ''Did the master''s hand-rolled sushi surpass the landlady''s? ''No. Oyakata''s is huge. The hand-rolled sushi rolled by the proprietress was easier to eat, and the taste was far more delicious. ...... kuku kuku. ''......The proprietress is the strongest. ''It''s great. She understands every one of my brother''s preferences and is always the number one choice. ''You were the landlady''s child, weren''t you, Yashiro? ''No, no, no. I inherited most of my knowledge and skills from my master. I''m self-taught when it comes to fraud, though. ''Speaking of my brother''s skills, ......'' ''...... titty appraisal.'' ''Yashiro ......, your master must have been a hell of a man.'' ''I didn''t inherit that part!I''m self-taught, my boobology is! I''m sure that''s all you need to know, for the sake of your honor. ............ What do you mean, for the sake of honor? I''m sure you''ll agree. Jeannette starts to giggle. ''Temakizushi is a food that brings back many memories. She says, holding a well-made, delicious-looking hand roll in both hands. ''I wonder if someday, when you are having Temakizushi with another person, you will remember today and talk about how it was like that time. This member is going to make Temakizushi with another person ...... It''s a future that may come someday. Magda and Loretta might be leaving the sunny side up. Estella might be discovered by some nobleman and join the upper class. Even Ginette, if she can find a good guy somewhere, ...... I''m sure he''ll be lenient with his own children and wind them up himself every time. ......That''s all in the not-so-distant future. I''m sure it''s not possible for things to stay the same forever. I can''t imagine the future at all, though. I can''t imagine Jeannette or Estella marrying anyone, and I can''t imagine the sunlit pavilion without Magda and Loretta. In the first place, I can''t see my own future at all. Am I going to stay here forever? Or will I find something more interesting and run away from here? Or maybe I''ll get headhunted and become a rival of the sunlit pavilion. ...... All of these are futures that we can''t say won''t happen. In the first place, twenty years ago, I never imagined that twenty years later I would be spending my second seventeen years in another world. How could I? I don''t know the future. I wonder if that''s why we get excited talking about the past we know so well. ''I want to have a hand-rolled sushi with this group again and chat like this again! ''...... All of these members spoil Magda, which is very comforting. She didn''t want to think that they would be separated in the future. Both Loretta and Magda said this in a slightly serious voice. And Ginette, of course, didn''t seem to imagine such a future-- ''Yes. Of course, let''s do it again together. She assured me confidently. So, I''ll follow up a bit. ''The last time we had hand-rolled sushi at the riverbank, everyone was happy. ''That''s right!My brothers and sisters were so excited! ''...... Magda has been called the goddess of hand-rolled sushi in some areas since then. ''What kind of goddess is that? ....... So, it was fun, right? ''Eating with another person'' includes such things. You can eat with whomever you want, and you can eat with whomever you want. That''s what Jeannette said. ''It''s going to be fun to teach all these people! ''...... With Magda''s charisma, the wave of proselytizing will cover the forty-two districts in the blink of an eye.'' ''I see. So, each one of us brings the impressions of the people we''ve taught, or interesting stories from that time, and we eat together like this again. ...... Yeah. I like that. Magda and Loretta both looked satisfied with Estella''s summary. It may seem a little too dependent on them, but ...... ''The sunny pavilion is always here, waiting for your return. So, everyone should be free to go out as they please. Maybe that''s what Ginette was trying to say. ...... Maybe not, though. I love hand-rolled sushi. It seems as if nothing has changed for Jeannette since she said those words, but ...... I guess she has changed a little. Maybe he is slowly becoming an adult. As well as Estella, who is gaining power and confidence as a lord by competing with the lords of other districts. It was a very troublesome time for me. ...... Well, maybe it was worth the effort. A new passageway has been built in New Town, and a small port has been built beyond the city gates. The toll tax on passing through BU has been reduced and preparations are underway to produce beans in the outer districts. The fruits of Estella''s tireless work will bear fruit in the near future. The city will change. The people will change. Our relationships change, and the circumstances surrounding us change every second. We have no choice but to make it better or worse, and that''s why we desperately try to make it better. The accumulation of such efforts can leave us with achievements that surprise us when we look back on them someday. That''s why. It''s because of these changes that I feel so at home in the sunlit pavilion that stands unchanged here ....... ''It''s a nice place ......, isn''t it, Sunlit Pavilion? Everyone except me looked at each other at the words that escaped my lips. Then they nodded their heads with radiant expressions, as if they had no objection. ''Of course. It''s my go-to place. ''...... Magda''s here, so it''s only natural. ''I love the Sunlit Pavilion too! And Ginette, with a slightly tearful look on her face. ''I''m glad you said that. A shy smile appeared on her face. The remaining sushi rice and ingredients were eaten by all, and the hand-rolled sushi party came to an end late at night. When Ginette asked Estella to stay the night, Estella went back to the hotel, saying she had work to do in the morning. It seems that she really wanted to use the little time she had left to eat at the restaurant. As she was leaving, she said with a smile on her face, "I was really refreshed," and went home in the still pouring rain, umbrella in hand. He left with an umbrella in his hand in the still pouring rain. ...... He was still wearing the T-shirt advertising the Sunlit Pavilion. I wonder when he''ll realize what he''s wearing. I don''t know if Estella is smart or not. Well, I guess she''s a smart ass. As for Loretta, she said she had a sister who was frightened by the heavy rain and left to sleep with her at night. She''s being a good big sister, isn''t she? And Magda... ''...... Magda will help with the cleanup. ......'' --I took her to her room and put her to sleep. I''m sure you''ll agree that a full stomach makes you want to sleep. ...... though it is not this extreme. It was almost midnight. It was almost midnight, and Jeannette was starting to feel sleepy. Let''s go back to the kitchen, help clean up, finish quickly, and go to bed. ''Thank you for your hard work. You''re all wet. Here''s a towel. When I returned to the kitchen, Ginette immediately offered me a towel. I''m starting to wish we had a roof over our heads. At least so we can come and go without getting wet. I''ll think of something before the heavy snow season. I''ll have to use an umbrella every time I go upstairs. This is the kind of thing the masters would want to do a drastic makeover on. ''How''s the cleanup going? ''Just about there, sir. ''Then let me help you. ''Yes, sir. Thank you very much. No matter how small the task, she never takes it for granted and thanks me. Ginette doesn''t think of it as a burden, does she? Nor does she say it as a habit. You can tell that by his tone. Ginette''s words are always heartfelt. I know it must be hard for you. To put your heart into every word. She does it without thinking of it as a hardship. He doesn''t listen to other people''s stories or make fun of them, he listens to them carefully. So, somehow, I feel at ease. Maybe that''s the way she is. That''s what makes Jeannette like Jeannette. ''Yes . That''s it, sir.'' ''Good work.'' ''Hmm. Good work.'' ''Did I do something wrong? ''Oh, no. ...... Hmm.'' I ask Jeannette, waving my hands in the air to drain the water. What are you laughing at? ''I think I like that about you, Yashiro. Hmm? ''Whenever I do something that makes me think, "Oh, I worked pretty hard just now," Yashiro-san always sees it and says, "Good job. ....... I''m very happy about that. No, anyone would at least say ''good work''. ''I feel like a grandfather. ''How dare you treat me like an old man? ''Mm-hmm. I''m not talking about your looks. I know. There''s a part of me that somehow overlaps with your beloved grandfather. You''ve been saying for a while that I look like your grandfather. But you know what? You''re like your grandfather, the man you loved. ...... You loved your grandfather because of his personality, his warmth, his kindness... That''s like saying that I''m like the person you loved. It''s also the root of your love for him. ...... I''m sure it doesn''t mean anything deep like that, though. ''I''ll be careful of the smell of aging''. ''Hmmm. I also like the smell of Yashiro-san. ''...... Deny me, age-related smell.'' And please don''t call me ''likeable''. I know you don''t mean anything by it, but ...... itchy. I love the smell of Jeannette too, I want to sniff her all day long. ''Huh!I''m not sure what to do. ''Hmmm, payback.'' The punishment for unintentionally upsetting someone will be swiftly executed. You will learn firsthand how your words and actions are perceived by others. After talking about smell, people naturally want to keep their distance. ...... No, it''s too obvious in the case of Jeannette. She took half a step away from me. I could barely smell her. If she did, it was the smell of good food. ''Well, Magda told me that the smell of the manager makes her stomach rumble. ''Heh. ...... Hmm. I might get eaten one of these days. Ginnette giggled and shook her shoulders, apparently having no problem with what Magda said. Magda bites down on Jeannette. That''s something I''d like to see. ''Well, I''ll have a share of that too .........'' ''Please repent.'' When I stared at a certain part, I was forced to do penance with a smile. I don''t think it''s good to impose your religious beliefs on others. Yes, I do. ''Good. Then let''s go to bed too.'' ''Yes, sir. There''s always tomorrow.'' ''Well, I guess there won''t be any ...... visitors, though.'' ''But tomorrow will come. It will probably rain heavily tomorrow, too. But tomorrow will come. It''s strange that Ginette''s words don''t sound like ''I have a job even though there are no customers'', but rather ''I''m sure you''ll have a good day no matter what the situation is''. I guess it''s because his basic attitude is positive. If I said it, it would probably sound different. Words can have different meanings depending on the way you understand them. It''s such an ambiguous thing. So it''s better not to say anything too careless. For example... ''By the way, Mr. Yashiro...'' --Like this guy. ''Do I look like the landlady? ''Huh?'' I couldn''t help but let out a voice from a strange place. Unperturbed by this, Jeannette continued. ''No, no. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. I''d rather you didn''t say it than be embarrassed by your own statement. But it''s about the landlady. Yeah. The landlady. This is one of the brilliant passing skills I used to dodge the troublesome entanglements of those who love to talk about love and have unrequited love. ''Hey, hey. Who''s your favorite person? ''Your mother~''. That kind of thing. It''s something even a child would do. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. So don''t take it so seriously. Don''t take it so seriously. --Don''t look at me like you expect me to. The landlady I mentioned as a means of escape when I was asked about my significant other. In that case, she mentioned what she thought was important to deceive the other person. It was the kind of content that could be perceived as romantic, and Filman was deceived, but thanks to ......, he misidentified the person as Jeannette. This means that Ginette fits the criteria that my "significant other" is important to me, so that means that her resemblance to the landlady means that ...... I think of Ginette as, well... ......... ''Or ...... the face, it doesn''t look like ...... that at all.'' ...... No. When you can''t say anything conclusive after the word ''I mean'', then you know I have nothing to say. ''I see. ...... Hmm.'' Jeannette laughed quietly, and then looked a little pleased. Did I misunderstand her when I said she looked ...... like that? I''m sure I''m tired too. Yeah. Tired of being bored. Or maybe I''m just too tired from the last few days. Either way, you should just go to sleep, on days like this, yeah. ''Well then, Yashiro-san. Let''s go. Without further discussion of the subject, Ginette speaks to me with her usual smile. She walks out of the kitchen into the hallway, stands in front of the door leading to the backyard, opens her umbrella, leaves half of it open, and waits for me. She opens her umbrella and leaves half of it open for me, as if to say, ''Let''s walk the short distance to the second floor, through the rainy courtyard, together under one umbrella. ''Oh, oh. It''s time to go to bed. He wasted no time in adding an excuse that he didn''t even know what it was aimed at, and accepted the umbrella Ginette was holding. When I start walking, Jeannette follows me without saying a word. Next to me, at the same pace. The rain is pounding down so hard that you can''t hear much if you try to talk in it. I excuse myself and walk in silence. Instead of the coldness of my right shoulder, which is quickly soaking wet, all I can think about is the gentle breathing next to me. If you try to cheat someone, the repercussions will come right back to you. -- 339-the first drop of water that seeps out of a story ''Ya ya!Well, well, Mr. Yashiro. You''ve come to see my work, that you have!How grateful I am! I''ve just come to New Road with Ginette and Estella. A few days had passed since the incident with the BU, and the New Road was slowly approaching completion. It''s starting to look pretty good. I don''t like the fact that the first word of ...... is "Becco". I can''t explain it well, but I don''t like it. I feel like, ''Wow, this is a bad ...... start. ''Wow!You''ve cleaned up quite a bit. Oh, Yashiro, look at this!The stairs look so beautiful! Jeannette is excited to see the well-designed staircase. That''s why. I''ve just come to New Road with Jeannette and Estella. A few days have passed since the incident with BU, and the New Road is gradually nearing completion. It was becoming quite a sight. ''Mmmmm!I feel that Mr. Yashiro is making a new start with a face like ''Let''s pretend that what happened earlier didn''t happen,'' that he is. Yeah, that''s loud. Don''t let those bottle-bottom glasses come into my sight. Now that you''ve got some money coming in, why don''t you develop a fashionable spirit so that you can set your shaggy head neatly. You''ll always look like a waste of time. I''ll point and laugh at you if you start to dress up in fashionable fashion like ....... ''You''re more lively every time you see Becko, aren''t you? Is playing with Beckko your hobby?'' ''If it''s a hobby I''m going to play with it, I''ll play with it in the field or the garden. You can''t harvest anything by playing with Becco. ''But you''ve really grown up.'' Estella looks up and around the large hall. High ceilings and a long, gentle slope. The wide slope is wide enough for a cart to pass and has steps on both sides. The spiral staircase ascends slowly around a large cave. Each step of the staircase is finely crafted. It''s not a temple of the middle generation, but it''s too much of a design. ...... ''We''re going to set up a store in that area of the hall. ''Is that so?It''s going to be a fun store. Estella and Ginette are talking happily . Once the walls and stairs are decorated, we plan to set up the store in the atrium hall. The idea is to display souvenirs and local products and sell them to people passing by. The idea is to take advantage of that feeling of buying a mysterious snack that you would never normally buy if it were sold in an airport or on a ship. It is easy to develop a sense of mission like ''I have to buy it here! It is easy to develop a sense of mission. ''Are you going to open a store in the 29th district? If a similar store opens near the entrance of the 29th district, I would like to go there to buy some rare items that are not available in the 42nd district. If you store at a store in the 29th district, you will be forced to buy beans. ...... Well, that''s expected to be resolved in the future. ''Even if you want to open a store, you''ll have to move Mael''s mansion to the east first. ''That''s right. ''Right now, they''re moving the plants and flowers in the garden. Estella is in frequent contact with Mahrul. He''s also very busy, though he mainly relies on Tomeiru 1 for communication. According to Estella''s information, Mahrul is currently in the midst of preparing to move. Since the entrance to the New Road is located within the grounds of Mahrul''s mansion, Mahrul''s mansion will be shifted slightly. It will be farther away from the river, but Mahrul will be in charge of the whole area, including the entrance to New Road. I''m glad that the river will be protected for now. If anything happens to the river, Delia will be destroyed. The butterfly effect will result in Omero sinking to the bottom of the river. ''They''re going to build a big building at the entrance and exit. ''Well, it''s not cool to have such a shabby entrance and exit. At present, there is a simple, square entrance. They are going to remove it and build a grand entrance. If we make it a little wider and add a rest area, customers who have pulled carts up the long slope will drop money on it. You could offer them drinks at a slightly higher price. ''Then Mr. Oumarro will be very busy. ''Umaro''s only commission is the House of Maul. ''Oh, is that so? ''''Yes. Carpenters from District 29 will be in charge of the construction of the entrance and exit. We can''t afford to uproot their work. Estella chuckled and Ginette smiled shyly. ''I''ve always had the feeling that the only carpenters in the world are the Trubec contractors. ''Every time there''s something to be done, we have Umaro do it, in the 42nd district. ''What are the carpenters in the Forty-second Ward doing now? ''They''ve been absorbed by Torbeck Construction. ''Is that so? ''Yes. There were several construction companies, but they all became part of Torbek Construction. ''Mr. Oumarro, you''re well-liked, aren''t you? ''I mean, ......''. Estella looks at me with a smirk. ''Don''t look at ...... me. ''She said that when you''re with Umaro, someone will bring you work and new skills. ''Hmm. You''ve got a very special guy.'' ''That''s true. ...... chuckles. He''s laughing with a happy face. I don''t know why you''re so happy. ''If all the carpenters in the Forty-second District are under the umbrella of the Torbeck Corporation, then we can''t go against the Forty-second District anymore. If you displease them, the carpenters might go on strike. It looks like the lord has made a bad move~ Hey, what are you going to do~'''' ''Hmph. You don''t seem to understand anything, Yashiro. I gave her a sarcastic look, but Estella put on a confident face and stuck out her chest. ''We''re the ones who have the advantage. Do you think ...... Umaro will betray Magda?'' ''Wow, ...... a vicious guy.'' ''It''s very disappointing to hear you say that. It''s true that if you gathered all the carpenters and asked them, ''Which would you rather have, forty districts or forty-two districts? I''m sure that if you gather all the carpenters together and ask them, ''Which do you want, the forty or the forty-two?'' Well, Umaro will go with this side, and Umaro''s men will come with him to the forty-two. ...... Isn''t the Forty-second Ward being indirectly invaded? It''s not Estella, it''s Magda. ''Demilioji-sama said, "Let''s stay close forever."'' Estella says with a chuckle. You''ve become very clever. Maybe it''s because I''ve met strong women like Lucia, Mahr, and Sirach. Crickets and crickets: ...... ''So, let''s go home. ''Wait for me, Mr. Yashiro!I''ve been vaguely aware of this for a while, but you''ve been trying to casually pretend that I don''t exist, haven''t you?I know what you mean, that I know what you mean. d*mn. You''re getting in my way every time. I don''t want to touch you because your face is oozing with the emotion of wanting to hear about the design you worked so hard to create. ...... ''Becko-san. In fact, we came here to see what Mokoka-san had to say. ''Oh, Mr. Mokoka? ''Yes. He told us that Mr. Bekko was working very hard to carve beautiful ornaments, and he wanted us to see them. ''Well, I''m embarrassed when my apprentice says so, that I am...'' He doesn''t even try to hide his face, saying that he wants to explain this and that. If you''re embarrassed, you should be embarrassed to be seen! If you''re embarrassed, why don''t you just shut yourself up in a hole? ''Actually, this time, I''m carving patterns on the stairs and walls, that I''m making a little experiment, that I am. ''Oh, I see. So, Ginette, you don''t interrupt your imitation at times like this, do you? ''Please don''t let my story go unnoticed! ''But you''re right, Jeannette, you don''t do imitations, do you?I don''t know. ''It''s not like that, though. ''You''re right, they don''t look alike. Hmm...'' ''Oh my god, you two are terrible.'' ''Oh, ......, the story has been completely swept away, that .......'' Becko sat down on the stairs and began to torment me. ''It''s not pretty when a good old man is tormenting you. ''Jeannette. Do an impersonation of Becko to cheer him up when he gets upset. ''What?A mimic? ''Oh, I want to see it too.'' ''What?Even Estella? Thus, a situation that I don''t understand has been created, with Ginette doing her first imitation of Becko, who is curled up on the stairs. Expectations rose even higher than before. After much pondering, Jeannette opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind. ''Oh, um, gee, cheer up, it''s ......! ............ hmm? ''............'' (Estella, jeez) ''............'' (shaking his head) ''............'' (alternately looking at me and Estella, who tilted her head, and sensing that she was not getting the message, haha ......) I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry, I said your name! I did the worst thing you can do in a mimicry. ''Hi, I''m a??a??'' is the worst kind of imitation. However, the resemblance is surprisingly low. Or rather, not even the characteristics are captured. No, to begin with... ''Why Millie? ''Yeah, I was surprised, too. I thought it would be Imelda or Norma. ''Right?If you''re Becko, it''s one or the other. Cursing at Imelda or cursing at Norma.'' ''You''d cuss at both ......, well, I can see that.'' ''Hey, Jeannette. Why is it Millie?'' ''Well, ...... that ............ we''re good friends, so...'' ''What?Becko and Millie are good friends? ''Well?I don''t really have that impression. ''No, no, ............ me.'' ''You''re the one? ''Hmm!I''m sorry! I couldn''t help but poke my head in. I''m sorry. ''I''m sorry, I don''t have any ...... talent. ...... shun.'' Ginette slumped against the wall. She''s starting to do some self-reflection she doesn''t need to do. You don''t have to be so depressed. I can''t help it. ''Becco. You''re making Jeannette feel bad.'' ''I didn''t do anything, that I didn''t! ''So, tell him the story behind the construction that will make him happy. Even if it''s about your particular design.'''' ''Mr. Yashiro!Will you listen to me, that you will? ''Ginette, yes.'' ''Yes!I understand, that I do!Then you will listen, that you will! He straightened his back and lifted his thick round glasses. Ginette looks up, intrigued by Becko''s change. As our attention is drawn to him, Bekko clears his throat. ''The patterns carved into the wall are based on the image of a large tree growing out of the earth, that they are. ''You''ve learned to dig with images?'' ''The design is by Imelda, that it is. I am just digging it in three dimensions as I see it, that I am. Imelda, perhaps because of her good upbringing, has an outstanding artistic sense. To be able to see it and transform it into a sculpture seems like an amazing ability, but she does it so easily. ''And the great tree that stretches toward the sky will eventually reach the sky, that it will. It will become the sky from that area, that it will. ''I wonder if Imelda imagined a large tree pattern on the new road connecting the 42nd and 29th wards ...... Tomeiru No. 1''. I don''t know. I don''t know. But she was very particular about the materials, so it''s possible. ''When you enter the tunnel, the sky changes to the night sky, that it does. ''That sounds wonderful. ''When it is completed, please take a walk and see it. ''Yes, sir. By all means. The wall painting and the design of the stairs. For Becko, who produces food samples in a matter of minutes, it takes a lot of time. That''s how particular he is. ''And in this mural, he secretly hid a sculpture of Mr. Yashiro''s face, that he did! ''What are you doing! ''It''s a hidden Mr. Yashiro, that it is! ''Is that a mickey!Who lives in the Kingdom of Dreams? ''By the way, there is one here, that there is! ''Wow!It''s true!Yashiro-san, here is Yashiro-san!Look, Mr. Yashiro!It''s Mr. Yashiro, Mr. Yashiro! ''How many times do I have to say ''Mr. Yashiro'', Jeannette? ''Oh, ......, it''s true. If you don''t look closely, you might miss it, but if you ask me, it''s clearly there. ''Don''t talk about them like they''re insects that mimic people. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you may want to check with your doctor. ...... What are you doing to me? I want to find them all! ''Don''t waste your time. Why don''t you just tell me? ''I want to find them on my own! ...... There was a guy in Hidden Mickey who stubbornly refused to look at the guidebook and insisted on finding it on his own. ''By the way, this step that I''m building now has the face of ''Mr. Yashiro, who is a little bit happy to be stepped on'' on the tread .......'' ''Hey, Becko. You can make what you see as you see it, can''t you?Have I ever made a face like this before?'' ''Ha-ha-ha!That''s the thing, I tried to create the expression I had in mind by multiplying various expressions, that I did! ''I wonder if I couldn''t have done a better job with that effort! ''Only Mr. Yashiro has been able to create something new, that he has! ''Ugh, special treatment that doesn''t make me happy at all! At any rate, there was a huge chisel lying at Becko''s feet, so I scraped off the abominable face carved into the stair tread that looked just like me - but with an expression I''d never had. I scraped it off. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!What are you doing? ''Just make sure you bury it where it hurts. It''s dangerous.'' ''Mmmm, ...... means that I haven''t yet created a work that Mr. Yashiro will like, that I have. I''ll do my best, that I will. Keep in mind that he won''t like you as long as you make something that looks like me. And don''t make a mistake in the direction of diligence, please. ''''Oh!Master, you''ve got a lot of energy, haven''t you? Mokoka is coming, his footsteps echoing. His honorifics are still wrong as usual. Fix him up, master or master-at-arms. Oh, no. They''re both the kind of people who don''t care about honorifics. ''Are you done with the interview? ''I''m all set, sir!The lord with no breasts! ''Compared to whom? ''The Lord of the Thirty-fifth District, Lord Lusisi! ''I think you''re about the same size as Lucia-san! No, Estella. There''s a difference between A and B.'' ''But what do you mean, "Master Lusissi"? ''You asked me to call you that, so I''m calling you that. ''...... By the way, what do they call you? ''It''s Fluffy! ...... He''s got no sense of naming. ''By the way, I''ll call you "Yashishishi".'' ''Please don''t. You can''t put me in the same category as Lucia. I don''t want people to think we''re the same, and it''s extremely difficult to say, ''Yasishishi''. ''Oh, um... Then, what about me? ''I''m the manager! ''It''s ......, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to say. You know, it''s not often that someone gives a nickname to a ginette. It''s only Lucia, the idiot, who calls her ''Ginepu'' or something incomprehensible. Most of the time it''s ''Manager''. ''Do you want me to give you a nickname? ''Are you sure? ''You''d better not, Ginette. Look at the way Yashiro looks at you ............, he''ll give you ''Boin-chan'' or something.'' ''What?I''m sorry!Please repent.'' ''I didn''t say anything! Well, my gaze was fixed on ''there'', but... ''Come to think of it, I''ve never had a nickname either, that I know of. ''Then, how about ''Shit Bug''? ''The words that come out so easily, that Mr. Yashiro. ''Hmm?No?Which one don''t you like, shit or bug?Or the beetle? ''Both, that it is. I don''t know what''s wrong with you. ''Oh, that''s right. Master Shit, next time you draw an illustration, please correct it when it''s done! ''That''s fine, that it is, but only on condition that you stop calling me Master Shit under the influence of Mr. ...... Yashiro, that it is. ''All right, Master Mushi! ''Mushi will stop too, that he will! Mokoka may be a natural mind crusher. Without any hint of malice, he tries to cut out the heart of his opponent. He''s an interesting toy ...... if you raise him, or he''ll be your friend. ''Mr. Yashiro has a face like that when he''s thinking about something trivial, that he does, so contact with him is prohibited for a while, that it is. ''Oh!You got it!Go away, Yashishi! ''Estella~, something''s pissing me off, that master and brother. ''I think they got what they deserved.'' I don''t like the word ''deserve''. I wonder if the term ''getting what you deserve'' will catch on. Mr. Mokoka... ''What is it? ''Illustration, please let me see it when it''s finished.'' ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you! Mokoka raised a finger at Jeannette and ran up the hill. ''Well, then, go ahead and start drawing!Abayo desu! She looks up at Mokoka, who is running up the spiral staircase with great vigor, and realizes that if she were to go up in a skirt, her pants would be visible. ''Hey, Estella. Why don''t you sell telescopes at the store here? ''I see, I''ll install a fence to prevent prying eyes. Thanks for the advice, Yashiro. ...... He''s got a really nasty personality. I''m sure it will sell. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ............ What''s with the sleazy store? It''s not permitted. And Loretta''s sisters live nearby. Yeah, no permit. ''By the way, do you have any idea about the illustration that Mr. Mokoka was talking about? ''Haven''t you heard? ''I don''t.'' I see. I thought you were talking to Bekko to get some advice. ''Didn''t we have a ''banquet'' before?The lords of BU liked the food I cooked for them. They''re going to do a special feature on the cuisine of the forty-two districts in the BU newsletter. ''Oh, I''ve heard about that, that I have. He asked me if I had any recommendations, and I recommended the Sunlit Pavilion and Cantalucina, that I did. So that was not research to go out to eat, that it was. You know the way, but you don''t know the details. ...... Mokoka, what''s the trouble with you? ...... No, he''s probably just plain forgot to tell you. I''m sure it''s because of your advice that Mokoka is going to be illustrating the vendors at the Sunshine Pavilion and Cantalucia. ''Sellers, that it is?Not the menu? ''He still can''t draw food that looks good. ''Oh, I see, that I see. Mokoka can''t draw realistic illustrations like Bekko. He specializes in exaggerated, simplified, and deformed illustrations. So, even if she drew a picture of a dish, it would not convey its deliciousness well. ''So I told him that not only is the food in the 42nd district delicious, but the vendors are cute too, and he said, "Then draw them. I told her that not only is the food delicious, but the vendors are cute too. After that, ''What do you think?You look pretty much alike, don''t you? She puffs up her nose. What, are you dissing Jeannette who''s not good at mimicry?And you didn''t look much like him. ''Well, however, not only the sunny pavilion, but also Cantalucica is reputed to be a lovely vendor, that it is, and if it''s published in the information paper, we might get more customers from other districts, that we might. ''That''s the plan all along. I''ll earn some foreign currency.'' ...... ''E, Estella, your face looks a little like Yashiro''s, that it does. ''What?You''re so rude! You''re the one who''s being disrespectful. I know all too well the influence of information papers. I''m sure the number of customers will increase at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''...... Now, if we can just get them to start construction on the road from New Town to the main street, we can monopolize the customers. ...... Hmm...'' ''Yashiro. Don''t talk about it, just do it in your mind. ''Uh-huh. No, Mr. Yashiro. Ginette seems to be disapproving of my nice plan. If I use Magda, Torbek''s people will immediately start working on the road. ''Cantartica-san is a tough competitor, but let''s try to beat him fair and square. ''Fair and square............Ugh, I have a headache......! ''How much rejection are you getting from that word? I''m not going to go along with it when I know that I can easily crush it with a little bit of ...... underhandedness. I''m not sure what to do. ''Can you please not create such stagnant language? ''Hey, don''t worry about it, okay?I''ve heard that the customer base is not the same as Cantartica''s, and that they are able to segregate themselves. ''Baka, Bekko!There is no such thing as segregation, it just happens to be that way!I''m going to take that customer base by the roots too! ''Weep, that you will, Mr. Paula .......'' ''Baka, Bekko!Making money is a deadly business!You can''t go easy on me just because I cry! ''Yashiro, aren''t you just trying to say ''baka, becko'', actually? I''m sorry. I''m somewhat familiar with it. I''ve been using it a lot. ''By the way, Baca. ''Becco, that it is!That''s not your name, that it is! What''s with the complicated name? ''What happened to the story about you contributing illustrations to the information paper? ''Ah, that it is, that it is. I''m currently busy with my work here at .......'' ''That''s good, you guys. You can prioritize what you want.'' ''No, no, no. It''s a public project directly from the lord, that it is, and we''re just giving it top priority. I think the line between work and hobby is too blurred for the people in this town. All of them are enjoying their work. That''s why there are more black companies in this town. It''s a wonder no one is complaining. ''I''m looking forward to it, Information Paper. ''Yes, I am. Young people from ''BU'' use New Roads to visit 42 districts for sightseeing...... Yeah, I''m looking forward to it.'' ''I''m sure we''ll be able to make a killing fishing for the young, ignorant and vulnerable to the phenomenon. Yeah, I''m looking forward to it. ''Oh, sorry, Yashiro. Can you not come in? ''Mr. Yashiro, I''m serious, fair and square. ...... ugh.'' Even a hunter, if he sees a defenseless deer in front of him, will hunt it without hesitation and hum ''lucky, lucky'' and brag about the result. Never mind. There are lots of ways to do this. There are a hundred different ways to make money with a hundred different customers. Phew phew ...... And for what it''s worth, I was looking forward to the information about the 42nd district appearing in the paper. I had no idea that it would bring about such an uproar later on. For a while after that, we had a lot of fun talking about the paper. The whole forty-two wards were excited about a piece of paper. ...... You''re such a rube, aren''t you? At any rate, I bought two copies myself. You see. Just for safekeeping, you know. 340-Two spills, like water. ''Todoke-ru No. 1''s delivery! Immediately after the opening of the Sunlit Pavilion, Hammaro rushes into the store. In his hand, he holds an envelope about the size of A4. The envelope is held tightly in Hammaro''s small hand, despite the fact that it is marked "Do not fold in half. ...... I may have to teach him how to handle letters next time. ''Wait a minute, Hammaro!You''re squeezing there! ''Hammaro? ''It''s you! ''Squish? ''It''s squished, there! ''Stinky? ''It''s not stinky!I''m not going to be so cruel to my brother and say, ''It smells because you''re holding it! ''I''m a kind sister in front of others! ''I''m kind at home too!It''s true! Loretta is making a fierce appeal towards us. You sisters and brothers have been at full power since right after the store opened. It''s amazing how much energy they have to last until the store closes,....... I wish I could share some of it with you. ''Anyway, send it to me as soon as possible! ''This is for the manager~! ''Is that how you talk to your sister? ''Yes! ''No, it''s not!Where did you misunderstand me?Who taught you that? ''The green-haired .......'' ''Regina-san!Don''t make my brother do anything unnecessary! Loretta shouted out the window with all her might. Regina doesn''t come to see the consequences of her pranks. She''s the kind of person who, once the prank is pulled, lets her imagination do the rest. ...... They are bad. ''Oh, look at this. Ginette''s face lit up when she received the envelope and saw the sender. It was the letter she had been waiting for. ......, but first... ''That''s a very old lady expression. ''Huh!What''s that? ''Oh''? ''What, no, don''t you say?What''s the right way to say it? ''Well, in Ginette''s case, .......'' ''...... "nyaa"''. Magda snatched the words out of my mouth. He stood behind me again without a sign. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s wrong with ......''s ''nyaa''.I''m sure you''ll agree.You think so too, don''t you, Yashiro-san? ''No, I don''t think so. ''Eh, which one is it? ''...... You should try it once.'' ''Yes, that''s ......, isn''t it? It''s called a trial run. ......'' Ginette clears her throat and looks at the sender of the envelope. ''Oh, my God!............, isn''t it strange after all?'' ''Yes, it''s strange. ''...... It''s just strange.'' ''Then please don''t make me do it!Please don''t make me do it! ...... He puffed up his cheeks and hugged the envelope. ...... That''s not fair, envelope. Let me take your place. ''Good morning. It''s as crowded as ever. ''Hey, Alemaro.'' ''Oomaros! ''Umaro? ''That''s my name!You only do that when it''s your name, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? ''You said Hammaro! ''Age-poyo? ''What language is that?I''ve never said it before, Agepoyo! ''Seirei no~'' ......'' ''I''ll stop!Even if you''re not lying, you''re still scared, you know!You can''t do that to people! ''Is that the way you ask people to do things? ''Is that how you talk to the master? ''Yes! ''Yashiro-san! ''It''s not me, it''s Regina. Why did you assume it was me in no time? He''s rude. A guy like that... ''No Magda for 30 minutes.'' ''Huh?My breakfast time is over!I apologize and ask for your forgiveness! ''...... will take a break.'' ''Nuh-uh!Magda, wait!Don''t go! ''......, but Magda''s taking a break, too? ''You''re a real angel! ''You guys are totally treating that as a story now. Angels have gotten cheap, haven''t they? ''What''s more, did something happen? ''Oh, yes!Thank you for waiting, everyone! I hold up the envelope high in the air with both hands. While everyone''s gaze was drawn to the envelope, I looked at my defenseless, swaying chest ...... ''...... Yashiro, concentrate.'' ''It''s not a good idea to disturb the atmosphere, big brother! It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see what you can find. Why do they all want to ...... and Umaro is not happy about it at all. I can''t help it, so I concentrate on the envelope. ''Who is the sender? ''Mr. Mokoka. That means the contents are... ''Aphids? ''I think it''s an illustration, sir! Well, it''s Mokoka. I got rid of all the aphids I got rid of! I wouldn''t be surprised if he sent you an aphid that he got rid of. If he sends me ......, I''ll kick his ass. ............ for the master. I''ll open it for you. Jeannette, who has a high tolerance for bugs and is not afraid of them at all, opens the envelope without hesitation. She doesn''t even seem to be a little uncomfortable. And what came out of the envelope was an illustration, just as Ginette had expected. It seemed to be a print made by layering several colors. I see, the information paper is made of prints, isn''t it? If that''s the case,......, then there''s nothing wrong with some of the illustrations being crumpled up. ...... Thank goodness it''s not a live original. You''ll be compensated for it, if it''s an original. That''s so cute!'' Ginette gazed at the illustration with sparkling eyes, while Magda and Loretta peered at it. ''What?What''s this? And then Loretta screamed out, but ...... it can''t be helped. The illustration was definitely of Magda. ''Why are there three shopkeepers and Magda is the model?''...... It wasn''t the surprise that made Loretta scream. Loretta''s surprise was-- ''Magda has super big tits! --The illustration of Magda on the page had huge tits. Her breasts jutted out in disproportion to her small stature! It''s like looking at a ghost photo, it''s uncomfortable and disturbing. ''Magda ......, what did you do to Mokoka? ''...... a little advice.'' ''I''d like to hear what it is.'' ''......First, I offered him some delicious caramel popcorn.'' ''A bribe!There was a backroom deal going on! Magda''s special move is very effective. If you''re a Mokoka type of person, you can probably catch a bomb. ...... Cheap, Mokoka. ''...... Of course, you pay for your own popcorn. I''m sure you''ll be fine, Magda. ''...... And I emphasized that there are three excellent waiters at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Magda, did you mention us as well? ''...... Naturally. The three of us are the only waitresses at the Sunlit Pavilion. None of us are indispensable. ''Magda-chou!I''m sorry for calling you a bribe!I was hired for my kindness!That must be it! ''...... But if you can only draw one, I convinced her that the prettiest Magda would be the best choice, with honey popcorn on the side.'' ''A bribe, sir!I''ve just found out about the no-good bribe! ''...... Delicious is justice.'' ''So Magda became the model for--'' well, that''s understandable. ''Why is this happening to me? If you''re going to draw Magda, you should draw her undeveloped body, which is very popular among a certain segment of the population. Why this uncomfortable loli big tits? ...... ''......Magda doesn''t want to be alone,......'' ''...... So it''s not Magda who is the model, but a fictional waitress who is a combination of the best parts of the three waitresses at the sunny pavilion. ''What exactly is it that you crossed ......? ''......First, Magda''s cuteness.'' Yeah. It''s the only thing that makes her look like Magda. ''......And the manager''s tits. ''Honyou! I see. ......These were Jeannette''s boobs. ''...... and the big tits.'' ''Hey, why did you rephrase that?I''m sorry. Indeed, Ginette''s tits are nice. I think they should be picked up. ''...... and Loretta''s uniform.'' ''My element is too thin! ''...... But Loretta''s uniform is cute.'' ''They''re all cute, the uniforms! That''s Loretta. Especially here!--I guess she couldn''t find anything to say. Because they are generally ordinary. ''...... As a result, the illustration looks like this. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''Normal people don''t grow to this level! ''Um, Loretta-san, ...... I''m a normal person, you know? Miraculous breasts that are far outside the human norm. That''s you, Jeannette. ''Ginette, you are the number one......'' ''Please repent! He said it so hard. If anything, he started breathing before I finished saying ''Ginette''. Did Ginette get some kind of precognition? ''So, the carpenter is in tears over the illustration of Magda. Umaro was squatting on the floor, holding his eyes. ''...... Magda is cute in illustrations, but ............ this is something different... ...'' Oh, I see. Umaro is a man of undeveloped faith. ...... It''s the end of the line. ''But what if Magda grows up to be like this? ''Of course she''s an angel! In the end, it doesn''t matter what you think, does it? If it''s Magda. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......'' Ginette tugs on my sleeve, looking at the satisfied Magda and the howling Loretta. Then she stretches and asks me a question. ''Are you sure you want to do this? Yes. Her breath is soothing against my ear, it feels so good. But it''s not. ''What''s that?'' ''Magda, ......, wouldn''t that be considered a falsehood? ''Illustrations are not meant to depict the truth. Those sketches of you and Bertina that the church kids drew were never true to life, were they?'' ''Oh, that''s true. ''If they were annotated with ''This is a true depiction of Magda''s likeness'' or something like that, I might be out. ''That''s right. I shouldn''t ....... Lately, I''ve been looking at Bekko''s illustrations that look just like the real thing, and I feel like they have to be just like the real thing. ......'' You shouldn''t think in terms of the perverted talent around you. Otherwise, most of the women in the world would be bad at cooking. Based on Jeannette, that is. ''Well, it''s just ......''. ''Just?'' I muttered, sneaking a glance at Magda, who was holding an illustration in her hand, looking pleased with herself. ''I don''t know if they''ll recognize that illustration as Magda, though. I don''t know if the same phenomenon will happen to Magda when she goes to BU as it did to Natalia. Or rather, it probably won''t. Well, we don''t want a fever like Natalia''s to happen. That was crazy. I don''t want any zealots coming to the sunlit pavilion. Maybe it''s better to say ''Huh?Something different'' might be just right. In that sense, I''m more worried about Paula. Paula is the only waitress in Cantalcica. They used to try to hire a part-time waitress, but it seems that they have learned their lesson from Loretta and have not recruited anyone since then. That''s why the illustration of the waitress in Cantalcica is Paula, no matter how you look at it. Mokoka''s taste and skill shine through, and the drawing is quite cute. ...... I hope she doesn''t get noticed by anyone strange. I''m not sure what to do.Look, look, look!This is an illustration that Mokoka drew...'' Paula came running into the sunny pavilion, holding the same envelope we had received. Apparently, the illustration had been sent to Kantaruchika as well. Well, since she was the model, it must be a final confirmation. ''Oh, so you''ve been to the Sunken Pavilion, too. ''Yes. We''ve just seen it together. ''What''s that Magda thing?I was so surprised.'' ''That''s, um, .......'' ''It''s the result of mixing the elements of the three girls of the sunny pavilion.'' ''Eh ............ Loretta, which one? ''Ohhhh, listen to me, Paula!I''m in uniform!There''s nothing of me in it! Loretta clings to Paula, her former senior, and breaks down in tears. But-- ''Hahaha!That''s great, Loretta!You look really cute in your uniform. ''I''m not getting any compliments on it! This is the kind of relationship you have with Paula, she will not be able to comfort you. ''Ugh. ...... If I had stayed in Cantalucia, I would have been a better model than you. ......'' ''What do you mean?If you had stayed, I would have been the model!You''re in charge of uniforms! ''Even in Cantalucia? Loretta''s charm seems to be her uniform, no matter where she goes. Well, that''s because everything else is normal. ''Hey, Yashiro. Information papers are very influential in ''bu'', aren''t they?Do you think this will bring more customers to Cantar Chica?'' ''Well, yes. It looks like there will be reviews on the food, so maybe some drinkers will come for the hexenbiest sausages. ''That''s right, to see the cute sign girl! The conversation is a little off. Paula''s pretty excited, isn''t she? He must be really happy to have his illustration published. I wouldn''t want to be treated like a pariah. I don''t want to be treated like this. ...... There''s going to be a lot of trouble. ''Well, be careful. ''Yeah, careful of what? ''For the customers who come for Paula after seeing this illustration. ''What,......, does that mean you''re ............ worried about me?'' Yeah. Because they''re probably very nasty. I can''t help but think so when I see Natalia Fever. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro. What do you think?Is this illustration cute? ''Oh, it''s well drawn. I think we look alike. ''Then it''s cute, isn''t it? Her self-esteem is as high as ever. Paula smiles, looking very happy. She''s so happy that she came all the way to show it to me. Hmmm~ ...... It may be unwise to get in the way of this, but ...... the birth of New Roads may change the atmosphere of BU is too much wishful thinking. ...... Oh, shit. I wish Estella was here to tell her. ............ ''Paula. ''What?'' ''Well, you know, ...... if you need anything, just tell me.'' ''Huh?'' Don''t look at me with those round eyes. ''Interacting with the outside world can sometimes cause unnecessary friction. Just like the insect incident.'' Because of the popularity of cake in District 42, there was a dispute with the neighboring District 41. There''s no guarantee that something like that won''t happen. ''If something happens, will ...... Yashiro be able to help us? ''No, I''ll send Estella.'' ''Oh no!Yashiro should come and save us.'' ''My fee is so high, they might take over the store. I joked with him. ''If that happens, will ...... Yashiro become the manager of that store? I was going to argue with him,......, but before I could, Magda and Loretta appeared in front of me,............. But before I could do that, Magda and Loretta came around with a ''swoosh! ''...... Yashiro will not give in.'' ''That''s right, your brother is a shopkeeper at the Sunlit Pavilion! ''What? Isn''t the sunny pavilion already making enough money~'' ''...... no.'' ''I''m not giving it to you! ''Moo~...... you''re so stubborn.'' As Magda and Loretta stared at her, Paula raised her hands in the air. It''s a pose of helplessness. Well, I guess Paula doesn''t really mean it either. It''s okay. I''m going to make this place so big that Yashiro will want to come to me. I won''t go easy on you, Sunshine Pavilion! ''...... as you wish'' ''It''s a revenge attack! The three girls sparked off. ...... No, no, no. You''re leaving me behind. I''m not sure what to do. ''............'' When I turned around, Jeannette was picking at my sleeve without looking at me - in fact, she was turning her face away as if to look away. Resolutely. But with some force. ............ No, you know what? If you really want to make money, you should go to Estella or Lucia, use Merle, or take advantage of Donis as an educator for Fillman, there are many options. Above all, it would be most profitable for me to go independent. But even if there is only profit, ....... ''Next time, I''ll teach you a dish called oyakodon. ''......What?Oyako......?'' Considering the tastes of the people in the forty-two districts, it will probably be popular. Their taste buds are quite close to the Japanese. ''I like this dish a lot too, can you make it ......?'' ''......!Yes. I''d love to make it. She takes a deep breath, rolls her eyes, and smiles like she''s melting. It''s a small price to pay to be in a good mood like this. It''s only a new dish. ............ A new dish is enough to put Jeannette in a good mood. It''s the only way. The sleeve that had been pinched was released, and relief somehow spread through her chest. You food lover. ...... d*mn it. ''...... That''s not going to happen.'' ''Yes, it is!The Sunlit Pavilion will not lose! ''Because, look at this illustration. Isn''t it really cute?I''ve got a customer coming to my house.'' ''...... is also cute.'' ''Yes, it is!I''ll tell you what, Magda! ''......The cuteness of Magda and Loretta is more than adequately expressed.'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. There is a futile battle going on. This might intensify the competition if an information paper is published. ''It''s only after the information paper is published that we can compete! ''...... is what I want. ''I''ll win hands down! ''Mmm-hmm. You''re all looking forward to it, aren''t you? Ginette, who is wearing an air of comfort as if she were someone else. People who don''t care about winning or losing are very calm. They talk about ''trying not to lose'', but they don''t have the idea of trying to beat their opponents. ''I hope it will be issued soon. ''It won''t be issued so soon. ''Oh, you guys!The latest edition of the information paper has just been published, so I''ve brought it to you! ''How fast, publication?I''ve just seen the final draft of the illustrations! I was about to ask Mokoka, who had jumped into the room so vigorously, if he was not going to listen to my opinion, but ...... something, there are a lot of young people behind me! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ''That''s why it''s happening so fast!BU residents, calm down a bit! It''s just been published a while ago, and the BU kids are already pouring in. Your epidemic is spreading faster than the flu, isn''t it? It''s scary. ''Wow, look!It''s the Cantartika vendor! ''It''s true!She''s cute!Hey, you think she''s cute, don''t you? ''''''I do~!'''''' ''''Huh?What?Hey ......! In the blink of an eye, a crowd of BU kids clutching information papers surrounded Paula. They compared the illustration with the real thing and said, ''''It''s real! It''s so cute! reminiscent of the Natalia fever of the past. Paula, swallowed by the swarm, is simply amazed. ''Oh!Look, the little girl over there! ''Hey, could that be her? ''Isn''t she a vendor at the Sunshine Pavilion?Look, it''s on here! ''......'' I was pointed to my face (by a celebrity on the street, right? Magda poses in a charming way with a proud face. At the same time, Umaro sinks to the floor, vomiting blood happily in a seat some distance away. But... ''''''''............ something different'''''''' In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. ...... So, Magda. It''s just too much. ''''Hey, don''t you want to go to Cantalucia? ''''''I want to go! ''''''Of course~! ''''Oh, well, I''ll show you around, so follow me!We''re just around the corner! ''''''Yikes!She talked! ''The clerk is so cute! ''No, it''s ...... haha. I feel like I''m going crazy. Overwhelmed by the power of the BU kids, Paula smiled shyly and said, ''Well, I''m going back to the store! Then I''m going back to the shop!'' She led the procession of BU children back to the main street like a flute player of Hamelin. Only Mokoka and Umaro, who was bleeding profusely, remained in the sunlit pavilion. ''............'' Magda was plainly depressed. He was shocked that his plan had failed,......, or perhaps he was shocked that his roots had been snatched away. Well, you know. The BU guys are too extreme, so don''t worry too much about them. See? ''Come on, guys. Let''s get ready for work. The carpenters and Mr. Bekko will be here soon for breakfast. A cheerful voice echoed in the quiet store. That''s the manager. Loretta and Magda seem to have come to their senses with that comment. Irregularities are just irregularities. There''s no need to get upset about it. Just be yourself. You should just be yourself. So I''m going to be me and come up with a ............ ploy to steal away all the customers. ......... ...Watch me, cantaloupe ............, I''ll make you howl ....... I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it.You can''t destroy the cantaloupe!That''s the only place that sells hexenbiest sausages! ''Don''t worry, I''ll ...... push it to the limit and ............ tame it.'' ''You''re making a statement that''s not okay at all! During the exchange between me and Loretta, Magda was quietly looking down. Then she stood in front of Oumalo and said ''...... Oumalo.'' He calls out quietly. And then. ''...... ah-ahn''. ''Haaaaan! ...... You look happy, that fox. I''m not sure what to say. After slumping on the floor for a while, Umaro stood up and got down on his knees to meet Magda''s eyes. He then speaks to Magda with a face and voice typical of a man who takes good care of others. I think that the special Magda is wonderful, but I think that the usual, natural Magda is the most wonderful. ''............'' ''I''m here to see Magda, you know. He smiled as he stood on his knees, just as a knight would to a young princess. In the face of this straightforward favor, Magda turns her face away slightly and mutters a few short words. ''.................. so''. Only two syllables. It sounded a little happy. ''Yes, sir. Yes. ''...... So you don''t want any food? ''No, though I''m looking forward to that too!I mean, I can''t eat anything else but this rice! Magda''s mischief has returned. Ginette giggles, happy about that. You''re good, Umaro. How did you manage to put Magda in a good mood? I''m sure it''s because you''re too easy to understand that he got the message. ''...... Manager, one daily set meal for Umaro.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. After such a common tinkering with Umaro. ''.................. for a large serving.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I mean. ''......I''m going to go prepare something.'' Magda''s tail twitched as she walked into the kitchen. The moment his back was completely out of sight-- ''Mwah!Yashiro-sa~n! ''Why are you hugging me? ''Because Magda-tan is ...... Magda-tan is ...... serving me! ''All right, get off me! ''Haaaaaaan!''Magda, you''re a real angel! ''So, don''t tell me! The latest issue of the information paper was published, causing such a commotion in the morning. 341-Episode 3 of the Spillover: The waves of conversat... a??a??a??a??a??a? The sun is setting, but it''s still early for dinner. It''s about that time. I''m in the 41st district. I showed up at the headquarters of the hunting guild and was surprised to see Ricardo Siegenthaler, the lord of the 41st district there. I''ve heard that he frequents the guild, but it feels strange to see him here. Anyway, let''s say hello. ''It''s been a while, Mr. Ricardo. ''Hmm?I believe you''re ...... of the 42nd district branch.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m Use Damare.'' ......? I thought you were Yashiro, huh? Don''t be rude, I''ll kick your ass! ''What''s the matter, Use? ''Oh, no, ...... I thought you said something rude. ...... No, it''s nothing. It was just my imagination. On the other side of Ricardo-sama, Mom sits in her usual seat and looks at him suspiciously. Hunting guild headquarters, guild leader''s office. It is rumored that disrespect here can even mean death. She''s a moody one. You have to be careful what you say and do. ''What''s so disturbing about that?I can''t believe you look so scared.'' ''What a jerk. Are you saying that there are times when Medora has a pretty face?'' ''No way, ha-ha.'' ''Alright, you two. If you have any bones you don''t want, declare them. I''ll smash them.'''' A fist like a steel ball slams into a giant palm. Mom''s threats are not funny because they don''t sound like jokes. ''No, it''s no big deal. ......'' ''Just recently, your idiot did what he wanted in the twenty-ninth district. As Ricardo began to speak, catching the end of my mom''s words, the face of an a**h*le came to my mind. I''m pretty sure he''s talking about that a**h*le. ''It''s not that we''re cleaning up his mess, but yesterday, as representatives of the 41st district, Medora and I went to the leader of the BU to greet him. ''The leader is ......? ''The twenty-ninth district. I''m not a big fan of geopolitics, so Mom explains it to me. BU is kind of a jumbled mess and hard to understand. I''m the type of person who''s more interested in what''s going on outside than inside the city. ''Medora captured a bandit at the lord''s place. ''Huh. That''s my mom. You did a good job, didn''t you? ''I didn''t capture them. It''s a stranger''s place, so I let their soldiers capture him to save face. I was just helping them. He probably did most of the work himself and just gave away the credit. ''......But, you know, ......I let some of his people go. ''Mom ...... is suffering from a terminal illness. ............'' ''You''re so annoying!It took us a while to catch them alive. The bandits would have been wiped out by now if we''d let them breathe. Lucky bastards. ''So we were talking about how we could find the rest of them. ''But isn''t that the job of the BU? ''Well, it is, but ...... I can''t get my mind around it. It''s been decades since I''ve missed a kill. There''s something odd about the hunter''s blood. Anyway, I feel sorry for the bandits who were targeted. Even though she escaped, witnessing your mother - even in an adversarial position - would have been a lifelong trauma. I''m sure you''ll never forget her face and name. ...... I can assure you that you will be plagued by nightmares for a while. ''I took him out hunting this morning for a change, but he didn''t seem to feel any better. His nerves are too thin, you know. ''Mr. Ricardo ......, that''s a joke, isn''t it? There is no part of mom where the adjective ''thin'' is used. Never. I''m not sure what to say.I should be working to take my mind off this, you know. So, what do you want? ''Oh, yes. I''m here with a report on the 42nd district branch''s income and expenditure, as well as a record of its activities. ''That''s a lot of work. Oh, yes. Do you want me to pat him on the head? ''Oh, no. Don''t mind me. It''s no exaggeration to say that it''s suicidal to play along with your mother''s jokes. After all, she once dislocated the shoulder of an assistant guild leader while saying, ''Hahaha, what are you talking about? and dislocated the shoulder of the assistant guild leader. The deputy guild leader is as strong as a monster to us ordinary hunters, but he was dislocated by ...... Mom''s light body touch. ............ lightly! No! So, I''m here today to report on the sales of the 42nd district branch. Representatives of the chapters visit the headquarters on a regular basis. That''s a rule my mom made. It''s a rule set by Mom, who treats her guild members like family. ''I''ll show you the report later. Don''t hesitate to go to the salon and have a cup of tea. Make sure you communicate with the young people at headquarters. ''Okay. I''ll take it then. ''Oh, wait a minute, ugh.'' I greeted my mom and was about to leave the room when Master Ricardo stopped me. ''Since you''re here, why don''t you have some food? I''ve got some rare hill whale meat.'' ''Is that so? That''s rare.'' ''I hunted it myself. Savor it.'' A hill whale, Master Ricardo? That''s great. The hill whale is a huge beast that expert hunters struggle with. They''re few and far between and rarely hunted. If you''ve hunted one, you''ll want to brag about it. ''Ha-ha-ha!I''m sorry, Use. Ricardo is just happy that he caught a rare big one. He''s been talking about it all morning. ''Medora!Don''t give that away, you!Well, there you go. Eat up.'' Everyone gets excited when they have a good hunt. When I killed a Bonacon, I dragged it all over town and bragged about it. ...... I know how you feel. And I know how embarrassing it is when people make fun of you for it. ...... My mom doesn''t mind doing that. You should at least give me a shout out. With a witty remark. ''My dad used to love the hill whales. I miss it. ......, I''ll take it without reservation. Thank you for the food. ''............'' ''Hmm?What is it?'' ''No, your face is scary, but you have good manners.'' ''That''s because my ...... mom taught me that.'' ''I wonder if ...... the most polite person in the forty-two districts is Use?He''s got a scary face. ''No, that''s not true,.......'' ''But you''re talking to me respectfully!You have a scary face! ''Of course, if you''re dealing with a lord, you''d at least use honorifics! ''Even though you''re a resident of District 42?Even though you have a scary face? ''The residents of District 42 you''re talking about are just a few of the oddballs around him!Also, you say ''even though your face is scary'' too much! You can''t speak for others either!--I swallowed the word desperately. There are many people in the 42nd district who respect manners even if they are uneducated. In fact, the majority of them are like that. Because many of them grew up listening to the teachings of Sister Bertina of the Church. That''s changing because of her, because of him. It''s just that because of him, a few people have thrown away the words "politeness" and "civility". In fact, it seems that the man is infecting and propagating the infection. ...... He is a nasty man. After leaving the guild leader''s office, head to the salon adjacent to the dining room. In the salon, several guild members were spending their time as they saw fit. The salon may have a fancy name, but it is really a place like a tavern. It was a place where people brought drinks and food from the dining hall and bragged about their daily achievements. ''Oh, Mr. Use. Hey! ''Hey. How''s it going lately? ''Heh, that''s the thing...'' I''m exchanging some light information with a young guy at HQ. Or rather, small talk. The branch offices and the headquarters are basically treated as separate organizations, but they often cooperate with each other. In particular, since the establishment of the city gates in the 42nd district, there have been more opportunities to interact with people from the headquarters. The hunting guild has also dispatched a number of gatekeepers. Most of the time, veterans and youngsters come together, and it''s a training ground for the younger ones. They work together and hunt for suitable magical beasts. When there is a hexenbiest that looks like it''s in serious trouble, we from the branch sometimes cooperate to defeat it. Sometimes, I even buy them dinner. Well, it''s the role of adults to take care of the younger generation. ''Hey, Mr. Use. It''s been a while. ''Are you reporting in today? In a sunny, first-class seat by the salon''s window, a white-haired, lanky kid and a cowboy with horns like a water buffalo were seated. They raised their mugs of ale and greeted me. ''Hello, Alvaro. And Drino''s old man.'' ''I''m not an old man, ora. I''m only one year older than you.'' ''If you''re one step older, you''re an old man.'' ''Then Mr. Use is very much an old man in my eyes, isn''t he? ''Who''s that, man? ''Hahahaha! Alvaro laughs with a sarcastic face. d*mn. This guy has such a childish personality, but he''s still able to make it into the top five of the hunting guild. He''s like this now, but he''ll transform. He''ll take the form of a white tiger. When he uses the "white shimmering thing" that is similar to Magda''s "red shimmering thing", his strength increases tenfold or twentyfold. He''s only sixteen, so he''s a terrifying guy. ''I heard that Master Ricardo hunted a hill whale. ''Oh, you heard that?You should eat it. I join them at the same table, talking. I pulled out a suitable chair and sat down. A newcomer to the guild brought me some ale as well. ...... I''ve got to get home after this, so I''d better not drink too much. You can eat a lot of food when you''re that big. You can train hard.'' Dorino says with a snort. He''s burning up strangely. ''Training?For what?'' ''Oh, Dorino-san, he''s frustrated that he lost the gluttony contest.'' ''No, you won, didn''t you, against the ordinary girl from the sunny pavilion.'' ''But I lost the overall. So, I caused trouble for my mom and Ricardo-sama.'' No, no, no. As long as that guy was involved, I''m sure the results would have been similar, if not slightly different. And ...... I can''t say this because it would be bad for the guys over here, but ...... at that time, there was no other way but to do that. If the 41st district had won and the 42nd district had been forced to sign an unequal treaty, ...... he would have done everything in his power to destroy the 41st district. I''m sure. If that had happened, District Forty-one would not be so peaceful now. They wouldn''t be drinking in the saloon in the afternoon. That''s the kind of man he is. ''In the next tournament, we''ll win hands down! ''Don''t get too uptight, old man Drino. It''s too much trouble.'' ''What''s wrong with you?You think you can relax now that you''ve won?'' ''That''s not it. I said don''t provoke the quiet guy. ...... Because it''s not going to be good. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to get a lot more. ''Fourth round ............ ah, that''s it''. I don''t know, I don''t want to remember any event involving him. ''Because Alvaro doesn''t have any faith in the spirit gods at all. ''That''s not true! ''Even if it''s pretty, he''ll eat it up without a care in the world. ''What kind of image do you have of me, ......? ''Either way, it''s all about results. It was your strategy that brought Gustave into the fourth round. You can''t complain about that now.'' ''That''s right. A game is a game. We swore we''d play fair, didn''t we? I''m sorry....... Besides, that fifth round was unfair. ......'' Perhaps not convinced, Drino''s old man began to grumble. Well, if you''re saying that the fifth round was fair and square,......, that''s a bit subtle. No, that''s not true. Alvaro slammed his empty mug on the table and shouted. The old man from Dorino also stops complaining about the power of his voice. I shut up for a minute, too. ''That was no ordinary fight, that''s for sure. But I myself decided that the way I did it was fine, and I was confident that I could win with it, so I gave it a fair fight under the same conditions. The reason I lost the fifth round was because I was weak-minded ...... and was no match for the strength of that tiger girl''s mind. ''So you''re satisfied with your match with Magda? I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Of course. But if you try it again, I''ll win.'' So graceful. Quite a feat at such a young age. When you''re this age, you''re so obsessed with winning that you get into all sorts of trouble. ...... He''s a fearsome fellow, Alvaro. He''s got the strength and the capacity. This guy is going to be a big deal in the not too distant future. ''...... somewhat? Just as we were having this conversation, Magda appeared as if by design. He came out of the cafeteria, spotted me, and slowly approached me. ''...... Use Damare? ''Don''t call me that. ''...... and, Ibukuro Cluley.'' ''Dorino da!What kind of name do you think I have? ''...... and,loser.'' ''Oh, Magda!Wait a minute! I grab Magda and get out of my seat as quickly as I can. ''...... You''re throwing a hell of a lot of stuff at me out of the blue. ''Do you know what Alvaro said about fighting you? ''''...... ''A complete defeat where I couldn''t even get my hands on you''? ''I fought you fair and square, and you were mature enough to accept it, even though it was irregular! ''...... "It was irregular," "I''m satisfied," you sound pompous. ''If you know the meaning of the word "pompous", you should pay more attention to what you say! ''...... Pretty words are just the ravings of a loser. It is the privilege of the victor to leave words behind. ''Haha ............ I wonder why I grew up like this ............ because of him? Oh. You know what? The one who was tortured said ''I don''t care'', so don''t wake up a sleeping child and add fuel to the fire. ''...... Alvaro is strong. This is something that everyone recognizes. It is not necessary for him to say it. He brushes away my restraining arm and says with a cool face. ''...... But at the time of that match, Magda was absolutely determined not to lose. That thought was just a little bit more than Alvaro''s. That''s all. So he had reached the same conclusion as Alvaro. That victory wasn''t just about skill. It was luck and the support of his friends that gave him strength. ''...... No words are needed between those who have fought earnestly. So ......'' Magda slowly raised her head and looked towards the first seat in the salon. As if to follow her, he turned his attention to her. ...... ''You''ve got some nerve, tiger girl!Let me have my revenge!We''ll have the same food and the same time limit!I''ll definitely beat you this time! ''Calm down, Alvaro!He''s just a little kid!Whoa!Why are you transforming, man?Don''t get so worked up! Alvaro has grown white tiger ears and changed from the nose down to a beast. ...... Don''t transform yourself. ''...... It''s disgraceful to pile on words like that. ...... You''re just a loser. You bark a lot. ''............ You. You''re really starting to look like him, aren''t you? Maybe I''ve left Magda in the wrong hands. It''s because I left her with him that she''s become such a twisted character. ...... ''Alvaro''s like that. I think we''d better leave.'' The hill whale seemed a bit of a waste, though. ''...... Not so fast. Magda has business with Medamama.'' ''For my mom?'' Magda nodded, her face serious. ...... I wonder what it is. I have a really bad feeling about this. ''Ricardo-sama is at Mama''s right now. Don''t be rude.'' ''...... No problem. Magda would never be rude to Medrama.'' ''I''m not sure I even trust that statement. ...... But more importantly, don''t be rude to Master Ricardo.'' ''............What? ''............Ah? ''..................'' ''..................'' ''............ to Ricardo, why?'' ''You do understand how great Ricardo is, don''t you? ''...... ah, greatness...... hmmm ............'' ...... This guy. I''m sure you''ll be fine as long as you''re warned beforehand. You can''t lose sight of the greatness of your lord. It''s not like he''s going to be rude. ''...... Why would Ricardo do that? ''You''ve lost sight of the importance of a lord, haven''t you? He''s dangerous. I''ll accompany you. ...... I can''t let him see Ricardo by himself. You can''t let him see Ricardo-sama alone. It could become a problem for the entire District Forty-two branch. I''ll follow you. ''...... stalker......'' ''No! What''s so sad that you have to hang around with such a little guy? You should learn to be more s*xy before you talk. Come to think of it, you''re still just a kid. ............ ''Hey, Magda. Did he keep his promise to you?'' ''...... promise?'' On the way to the guild leader''s office, I asked Magda. I''m going to ask Magda about the promise these guys made in the fifth round of the gluttony contest. ''See, he said that, didn''t he?If you win, I''ll sleep with the manager of the sunlit pavilion in the shape of a river. ''...... Mm. I promised. ''Did he already do that for you?'' In other words. ......Yashiro''s bastard is going to spend the night .................. with that manager, I''m jealous! ''So, what do you think? ''....... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''Don''t you dare exaggerate maliciously! ''...... Medramar.'' ''Stop it!You''ll kill me! Even if it''s a joke, if my mom hears that kind of bad news, she''ll ............ be minced, or even powdered. ''Well, if you don''t want to answer, I won''t ask. ''...... the river, yet.'' With his eyes forward, Magda gave him an easy answer. It''s been quite a while now, and yet the promise has not been fulfilled? ''Isn''t he planning to back out of this? ''...... That''s not true. Yashiro will not break his promise to Magda.'' That''s a lot of confidence. In terms of humanity, I think it''s rare to find someone as untrustworthy as him. ''I''ve saved the letters of ...... river.'' ''Saved? ''...... I''m saving it for when the time is right.'' When the time is ripe,...... do you mean when he and the manager of the sunlit pavilion will be able to ...... stay in the same room for the night? ''......Now if we slept in the shape of a river,............'' Suddenly, Magda''s feet stop. Then, clenching his fists, he asserts with a tone of conviction. ''......Yashiro will pass Magda and keep looking at the manager''s big tits all night long.'' ''............ Oh, I''m sure he will. I can easily imagine that, you know. ''...... So, I''ll wait a little longer. And then .......'' Inhaling quietly, Magda stares into the void and speaks. ''...... You''ll have breasts as big as the manager''s.'' ''No, you can''t! ''...... ''(Ma) Come on, let''s go to bed. I''m tired today. By the way, Magda is the one who doesn''t wear it when she sleeps.'' (Ji) Huh ......, when I sleep side by side with Magda, I can''t help but feel inferior to her~'' ''Wait a minute, Magda!You''re not going to beat that thing, are you? ''......'' ''Well, you''ve grown up rapidly, haven''t you? Magda is only sixteen years old.'''' ''And it''s only been three years! What kind of reckless battle is this guy planning to wage? ...... It''s as difficult to win against the manager of the sunlit pavilion''s "thing" as it is to win against ...... your mother. What kind of ambition do you have, Magda? ...... ''...... Magda''s mom and dad had big tits. If you have that gene and are raised in the same environment as the manager, you will be able to ...... get the best of both worlds. It''s a convenient fantasy. If working at the sunshine pavilion can make your breasts bigger, you might want to .................. go there more often. I''m sorry. While I was thinking about this, I arrived in front of the guild leader''s office. That''s the second time today. ''...... Well, I''ll see you around, Use.'' ''Why the hell not? ''Because I don''t want ...... to think I know you.'' ''I know you, everyone knows you! ''.................. Pfft.'' ''Why do you look so unhappy, you ......'' He grabbed Magda by the neck and knocked on the door. This guy could be rude as hell the first time he opens up. ''Who''s there?Come on in.'' I ask Mom''s permission and open the door. ''Yes, Ush. Do you need anything else?'' ''Oh, no. Magda is--'' ''...... "She''s so cute, I just wanted to play a prank on her."'' ''I didn''t say that!I didn''t say that! I was careless. I didn''t think you''d be so rude to me. ............ I think this guy needs to be taught about hierarchy again, don''t you? ''Oh, Magda. What can I do for you?'' ''...... Medramama. Good ...... evening.'' Magda looks out the window for a moment and changes her words. Maybe she was about to say ''hello'' at first. But the sky is beginning to dim. I''m not sure if I should call it evening. ''...... Actually, there''s something I want to show you, Medrama. Oh, Ricardo, hey. Actually, Magda is in the news paper .......'' ''Wait a minute, come on! I dashed over and dragged him out of the room as fast as I could. ''Are you an idiot?Hey, are you stupid? ''...... Magda is ''cute''.'' ''Greetings, Ricardo-sama! ''...... I did it right, though, didn''t I? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. If you behave like that, Ricardo-sama will be very upset. ...... ''Oi, tiger girl ......! Waveringly, Ricardo-sama stands behind us with a black aura on his back. He''s really angry, after all! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. With both hands, with all his strength. Then, he put his face close to Magda''s and said I''m not sure what''s wrong with you that you''re greeting me ......!Hey, hey!Don''t die!I''ll call the medicine man''s guild.I''ll send you a carriage.I''ll send a carriage. Go home now!You''ll feel better if you stay warm and sleep. ...... is really worried about you. What''s this? ''Oh, hey, Use, ...... are you okay?I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ''......How are you usually treated, Ricardo-sama......'' He''s also a victim of ...... that guy. I''m not sure why he''s so pale when he''s greeted so rudely. I''m sure it''s contagious if you''re involved with the sunshine pavilion,....... ''So, Magda. What did the paper say?'' ''...... In fact, Magda ......, or rather, Yojimaritei, was featured in an information paper.'' This guy''s making a big show of himself, isn''t he? ''Oh, that''s great. So, do you have the real thing? ''...... I''ve only brought a part of it. But if you want it, you can buy it. It''s for publicity. ''Oh, sure. It''s about the sunny-side up restaurant you and my darling are taking care of. I''ll buy it.'' That''s the information paper he offered me. Ricardo-sama peeps at it, too, as if he''s curious. I, too, peek through the crack. ''Pfft! ''Pfft! ''Ha-ha-ha!What the hell is that? Ricardo and I both choked, and Mom laughed her head off. ...... Magda was drawn with amazingly large breasts. ''...... This is a cross between the best parts of the waitresses at the sunny pavilion--'' Magda''s explanation was ridiculous, and the finished illustration was just as ridiculous. ...... What is this illustration that seems to embody Magda''s fantasy? ''......This is what I plan to do eventually. ''Then work on your pectoral muscles. If you want to have a nice body like mine! ''...... Hmm. Medamama has a high level of feminine power, so I''ll aim for that. I think the closer you get to her, the further away she''s going to get from you. ''So, did you come all this way to show me this? ''...... In case you were wondering, I decided I should show it to Medamama.'' ''I see. Thank you.'' Mom''s big hands were stroking Magda''s small head as if they were going to crush it. Magda''s eyes narrowed in pleasure at the roughness of her touch. Oh, I see. She''s got her own mother in her, huh? The mother who was a member of the hunting guild and was feared as a demon god. Well, there''s a bit of a resemblance. I guess he wanted to be praised for having an illustration that looked just like him in the paper. ...... He''s still just a kid, isn''t he? ''...... medramma......'' ''Hmm~? ''............ Nothing.'' ''What''s that? Just say what you mean.'' ''........................ fine.'' ''Okay.'' ''......Yeah.'' Magda started to say something and then stopped. Maybe he was trying to say, ''Give me a compliment. I was thinking ......... ''But thanks for showing it to me. I''m glad to know you''re on this site.'' ''............ Yeah.'' ''You. You came all this way just to make me happy, didn''t you? ''............'' Magda didn''t answer. But she sounds convinced. I don''t want to be praised by you, I want to please you. Is there such a feeling in Magda ......? ''You''re a filial daughter, you know that? ''............ If you''re happy, good.'' ''If you have any problems, let me know. I''ll help you with whatever you need as a reward for this time.'' ''.................. Yeah.'' I was surprised. At the same time, I knew I was no match for my mom. It was only a slight change. ...... ''I''ll think about it at ......''. Magda''s face looked as if she was smiling when she said that. It was the first time I''d seen Magda''s face like that. You can see right through us, the kids. All of us. It''s getting dark, so go home. I''ll give you some hill whale meat, and you can eat it with my darling at the Sunshine Pavilion.'' ''...... Mm. I''ll take it. ''Then I''ll lend you my carriage. My horse is much better than Estella''s crappy one. We''ll reach the 42nd district in no time. The guild leader of the hunting guild and the lord of the 41st district are being kind to Magda. That guy''s amazing. I wonder if he has any special abilities, like the ability to ensnare powerful people. ''...... Ricardo'' ''Hey, there''s no need to thank me. ''...... Magda, I''ve been told to beware of the kindness of suspicious people. ''Who''s a suspicious person?It''s a shame, though.It''s a shame, though, because I wasn''t expecting it, so I''m not disappointed! ''Ricardo-sama!If you match the level of these guys, you''ll have a wave of regret when you go to bed! I''ll give you some advice based on my experience. But it seems this man has experienced that regret before. It''s a horrible place, sunny-side up. Eventually, my mom lent us a carriage and Magda and I headed back to District 42. I missed out on the hill whale, so I decided to go back to the Sundaari-tei later. Well, that''s a lot of work. But still, ...... I wanted to take my time and read an informative newspaper. 342-Spill Episode 4 Swallowed by the torrent A few days have passed since the information paper was released to the world. I heard that the latest issue sold a good number of copies in the forty-two wards because it contained information on the forty-two wards. Many people were excited and fascinated by a single piece of paper, and it had become the center of conversation. To be honest, the impact of such an information paper was subtle. ''We''re not getting as many customers as we thought. Loretta looked into the street. As she had said, the Sunlit Pavilion was open for business as usual. The number of customers was ...... increasing slightly, I guess. The lunchtime peak was over, and a quiet time was flowing in the restaurant. ''......Yashiro''. As I stare at the empty restaurant from my usual seat, Magda approaches me with a wistful look. ''............ Magda''s, fault? He must be referring to the illustration that appeared in the information paper. He said that there are no customers because there are no shopkeepers who look like the illustration ....... But that''s not true. ''Of course not! I put my hand on Magda''s head. I rubbed the base of his ears, and he resisted a little, but sniffed modestly, ''...... mmm. The BU guys are pretty lazy, you know. When I think back, even during the stormy Natalia Fever, no one rushed to Natalia when she retreated to the carriage. No one was chasing after her when she left. They make a big fuss when something controversial comes into their territory. They are not the type to jump into the middle of things voluntarily. This was also evident during the interview for the position of waitress at Mael''s place. The candidates used only the information they had obtained. That''s why they were dressed and answered exactly the same. No one took a step further and pursued the question of ''what is an interview'' in depth. It is like the inertia of the people who only follow the headlines on the top page of the Internet news and think they know what they are talking about. When there is too much information, the resources that can be devoted to a single topic become limited. Therefore, they only skim the surface, and as this becomes a habit, they gradually neglect the selection of information and just accept the information given to them. When they feel that there is still too much information, they start to close their ears to things that are painful to listen to, and eventually they start to listen only to the information they want to hear. Interviewing is a bother. I wish they would just let me work at a stable place, no matter what. Such thoughts were oozing out of the candidates at that time. And there are many such people in BU. ''That''s why, if you drag the stall to BU, there will be a long queue, but not many people will come here from there. In the first place, the idea of paying a lot of money to ride a horse-drawn carriage to eat in another district is not rooted in the people of this town. Basically, there are too many poor people. ''But there are more newcomers in Cantalucia, you know?Mr. Paula bragged about it. ''Well, I guess there''s a certain number of meeja and dirty drinkers in every ward. In fact, there were a few dirty bastards who seemed to have come here to catch a glimpse of Magda with her big tits. All of them went home disappointed. ''Unless you''re a man of action, you probably won''t go to the farthest forty-two districts. The only people who like to come to the 42nd district are activists like Merle and Tracy, who are honest with themselves and their interests. There''s also an overactive pervert named Lucia who comes here often. ''So, don''t worry too much about it. ''............ Mm.'' To be honest, if Magda had stayed in the paper as Magda, we might have had a few more customers. Like the repeat customers who now frequent Paula''s place. ...... Apparently, Paula''s place has such customers. Well, I don''t really care. But it''s not the same when they come to the store for Magda. Even though Umaro is there for Magda, he appreciates the food at Hidamari-tei. I''m sure Jeannette would have mixed feelings if the restaurant was filled with people who came for Magda and not for the food. You know what I mean. Even in Japan, there are people who throw away a lot of the main sweets because they want the freebies. If you want to be treated like that, you don''t need to get new customers. Just let the people who like the taste of the restaurant and the space of the restaurant come. I''m sure Jeannette would agree. ''So I don''t mind at all. ''For a ......, you''ve got some thick veins there, brother.'' ...... Ah, yes. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure it''s not as big as the illustration, but Magda is still cute! You''re cute! ''What the hell are these men thinking when they can only judge by the size of their breasts? ''I''m surprised!I never thought such words would come out of my brother''s mouth! Yea, I''m annoyed. I''m annoyed because I feel like I''m losing. But I''m not losing! ''Gentlemen. Why don''t you take a break with a donut?'' Ginette peeks out from the kitchen. She''s holding a plate of colorful donuts. ''Magda, you like chocolate donuts, don''t you? ''...... Mm.'' ''Loretta likes peanut butter, right? ''Yes. I like that! ''Would you like some fresh cream, Yashiro-san? ''No, I''ll have a plain one. ''Plain is for me. ''Hey...'' Didn''t you have a choice? ''So, half and half.'' He said, splitting the plain and whipped cream donuts in half. I didn''t even agree to a half-and-half. ''......, I''ll take a ride. ''I''m riding this wave! Magda and Loretta joined in, and as a result, all the donuts were divided into quarters. What''s with the bite-sized ones? ''It''s a good deal to have a variety of flavors when everyone eats together. ''You can eat any flavor at any time. ''One bite at a time, it''s a luxury. Magda corrected Ginette''s comment while I was thinking that she was not Bertina''s daughter. As she bites into her donut. ''...... ''Eating together'', luxury ...... amu amu''. ''That''s right!''Yes, Magda, you said it nicely!But I''m also happy to be able to eat all kinds of food, so I''m happy to be able to eat all kinds of food together, bite by bite! ''Loretta. Long.'' ''Huh!...... is difficult.'' Ginette giggled as she watched the exchange. Then she finger-combs Magda''s hair with a natural hand. I see. This is Ginette''s way of encouraging you. There''s nothing wrong with Magda. There''s no need to compete with each other, you know. Well, if that''s what the manager says, then I guess it''s okay. As for the sunny side up. So, all that remains is ...... ''Well, I''m going to go out for a while. ''Where to, Yashiro-san? ''I have some business in the 29th district.'' ............ So, all that''s left to do is to act to reach a conclusion that ''I'' can accept. ''I just wanted to see Gerasie''s face. ............ grin'' ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san!I''m not sure what''s wrong with your face,......! ''Well, I''ll be back~! ''Yashiro-san!Yashiro-san! I shook off the voice of Jeannette, who was chasing me, and headed for the New Road. Basically, I''m a sore loser. I can forgive a little forcefulness if it''s for my own good. a??a??a??a??a?? ''Dad, I''m closing the store. I call out to Dad, who is behind the counter calculating today''s profits. It''s been another busy day. The drinkers who had come after dark were gone, and it was just me and Dad. The store and the main street are quiet, and the fatigue of the day rushes over me. I like this feeling of contentment. As I wipe the table and think, "I have to prepare for tomorrow," ...... It came to me suddenly. ''Hey, waitress! A customer came running in, shouting loudly. A customer I''ve never seen before. The regulars call me ''Paula-chan,'' but this person is a ''waitress. She must be a stranger. Since the publication of the newsletter, more and more people have come to the shop after seeing it, and this person must be one of them. If you''re a regular customer, I''d be willing to be a little flexible. ...... ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry, the last order is already over. So I''ll see you tomorrow. ......'' ''I don''t have time for that! The customer was dressed shabbily, like some drunkard, but his face was very serious, and he was swallowing spit several times, as if he was in a great hurry. I''m not sure what to make of it,....... I''m not sure what to say. The first thing that came to mind when you said that was Yashiro. Yashiro usually has a very bad eye, and he''s also a bit of a cheater. But when he looks at us, his eyes are a little gentler. ...... And even though he''s a cheater, that part of him makes me think that Yashiro isn''t so bad. ...... ....... I''m not sure.I''m not sure. There is! But I think that if someone who doesn''t know Yashiro well sees him like this, he''ll think that Yashiro is a cunning man with bad eyesight. So I say that I know him. But what does that mean? ''Well, ......, just calm down and listen.'' ''If you tell me to calm down and listen, I''ll get even more nervous. ...... As I waited with bated breath for the next words, the man said something outrageous. ''That man has been captured by the soldiers of District 29. ''What? ''He was suspected of fraud,......, and he resisted, but soldiers are inflexible, aren''t they?So they ...... took him away.'''' Yashiro is a ...... fraud? So the soldiers caught him and took him to ...... ''Yeah, but, why?When you say the 29th district, it means that just recently ...... what?What do you mean? ''Calm down!Calm down! I can''t calm down. Yashiro''s always doing dangerous things. You''ll be able to find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I was always worried about that. And now, today, it''s come back to me. ...... I''m not sure what to do.Did you do something rude to the lord again?Hey, tell me! ''Wait, wait!Just calm down for once! I was so excited that I grabbed the customer''s pocket. I was so frustrated and distressed that I pressed the customer to hurry up. ''I''m suspected of fraud, but that doesn''t mean I''m actually guilty. ''Of course not! ...... Well, sometimes I think it''s a bit unfair, but ...... But! I''m sure you''ll agree.You want to help, right?I''m not sure.You want to help them, don''t you? ''Of course you do! It''s not right to get caught for an unjustified crime. ...... It may not be without reason, but... But if Yashiro is doing it, there must be a reason. Yashiro is not the kind of person who does bad things. That''s for sure! ''Oh, but first...'' I''m itching to get some information, but the customer - who doesn''t really seem to be a customer - is too pushy to tell me what''s going on. It makes me want to bite him on the throat. ''Just for the record, what''s the guy''s name? ''Name?Why? ''There''s such a thing as privacy, isn''t there?If it''s someone else, he''s going to tell you, a stranger, a secret he doesn''t want you to know. ''Privacy ....... Yeah. That''s important, isn''t it? ''What, it''s a simple confirmation. You give me a name, and I''ll know if it''s you.Then we''ll talk.'' I''m a little bothered. I feel like he''s not telling me anything about himself. Can I trust him? We don''t have much time. Once the sentence is set, there''s no way to get it back. ''Sentence ......! I wonder what kind of punishment the lord will give? If the lord is gentle like Estella, you can expect extenuating circumstances. ...... The lord of the 29th district has a grudge against ............ Yashiro, I''m not sure if you''ll be able to trust me, but I''ll give you my initials first. My heart clenched. ''Y''...... of Yashiro''............ is it still Yashiro''......? ''Apparently, it''s a hit. ''............'' Not knowing what to do, I looked at my father. He nodded slowly with a mysterious look on his face. I think he meant to say. ''...... Oba, Yashiro''. Immediately after I said the name, the customer covered his face with his hands and let out a heavy sigh. Then, after muttering a short ''...... I see'', he began to talk in a hushed voice. ''I''m not familiar with this district, and I''m not close to Yashiro. But when I think about him being captured by the soldiers,...... I want to help him,...... I think so. I knew it. ......Yashiro was captured. ............ What are you doing, Yashiro? ...... You keep worrying me ...... ''Can you lend me a hand? ''Help?'' ''There''s a thing called bail money. In short, it''s a way to pay for your crimes. Sin with money: ...... I heard a story that a man who was accused of smuggling bread was forgiven after making a large donation to the church. Solve your sins with money...... I don''t know what the aristocrats think. But ...... ''What will happen to Yashiro without that bail money ......? ''It''s not ...... for a minute.'' He shook his head with a somber expression. Then he let out another sigh and ...... ''I know of one guy who had ...... one of his arms cut off.'' ''An arm ......? ''In the worst cases, even beheadings. ......'' A shiver came from deep within me. It was such a ...... misunderstanding that the arm or ...... beheading or ............ ''Yes, how much do you need? ''You''ll need a good amount. At least ......1 ten million Rb. ''I,000 million!You can''t do that! ''You don''t have to bear the burden alone. You can collect money from people who care about Yashiro. Yes, that''s right. If Estella, Norma, Delia, and everyone else work together, ...... we can ask Medora-san and Imelda''s father for help if we don''t have enough. I''m not sure what to do. If you don''t hurry, you''ll be sentenced. We can''t make it in time if that happens! ''But, even if you say so suddenly...'' ''Don''t worry, there''s a way! As if to hurry me up even more, the customer said. ''Just pay the deposit for now. We''ll pay the rest later and show that we''re willing to pay it anyway. ''And if I do that, will Yashiro be spared? ''But we have to release the accused, and not for a small sum. It has to be at least 100,000Rb.'' ''Joo............'' 100,000Rb is a lot of money. But ...... So far, Yashiro has changed this city in many ways, and thanks to the food court, festivals, and other events, we''ve been able to save some money. I can''t say that we''ve become wealthy, but ...... ''You can ...... ............ get that much to help Yashiro. Right, Dad?'' I looked at my dad and he nodded silently. We''re all grateful to you, Yashiro. If I can repay him, this is what I''ll do: ...... ''Good. Then, when the soldiers come here later, give them to them. ''What, the soldiers are coming to ......? ''They don''t know much about the 42nd district either. They don''t know much about the Forty-two, after all. Yashiro ...... kept quiet so as not to bother us. ...... You''re such an idiot. You can at least bother me. I''d rather you did. That''s why they''re looking all over for someone who knows Obeyashiro. That''s why I''ve been looking for him ahead of time.'' ''To let me know? ''Yeah. Anybody would have panicked if a soldier came barging in out of nowhere. You might even misjudge what your priority really is. This guy ...... might be a good guy. ''Soldiers will try to intimidate you and make you do what they say. So don''t ever be intimidated. And tell them this. "I''ll pay you handsomely. For now, just take the deposit and go home.'' If I had not heard this story, I would not have known the word "deposit. If a soldier had suddenly asked me to pay 10 million Rb, I might have given up and left ...... Yashiro to die. ...... ''Thank you. Thank you for coming to talk to me.'' ''Heck, ...... what. I just wanted to see him smile. I''m no good at this. I can''t believe I doubted such a nice guy, even for a second. ...... ''Just let the soldiers have the money. That way, they can''t do anything to you. However, it''s a shame for a soldier to be silenced by money. You know what I mean. Shame. ......, is that right? Yeah, I kind of think so. ''So, don''t tell anyone about this. And no matter who comes, act as if nothing happened.'' ''Huh?Even Estella''s ...... friends?'' ''Don''t worry about the money. The soldiers will go to the guy''s house in the city anyway. The money will come naturally even if you don''t move.'' ''So ....... That''s right, isn''t it? ''You just don''t make a fuss and pretend nothing happened until the case is solved. If you offend the soldiers, you can''t be sure that ...... beheading ............ won''t happen. ''............''. My throat rumbled. In order not to provoke the soldiers, you can ...... pretend that nothing happened, I guess. I''m going to go somewhere else. Oh, yeah. Can you think of anyone who might be willing to pay? ''Then Estella''s a good choice. She''s a lord. ''You ......?No, no, a lord is not a good idea. ...... Things would get too big. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. Sober and money ......? I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. ...'' ''It''s Regina and Norma. Where can I find them?'' ''Regina is on the east side of this street. Norma''s on the west side of the street. But they both sleep early at night, so they might be asleep.'' ''Oh, okay. Thanks for all your help. Then do your best.'' ''Oh, yeah!Thank you, sir! ''You''re welcome! Rounding his back, the visitor disappeared into the darkness of the night to avoid being seen. He must be hiding to avoid detection by the soldiers. To save Yashiro. ''Oh, yeah!Dad, do you have any money?'' When I asked Dad, he seemed to have already prepared some money for me, and there was a big bulging cloth bag on the counter. 100,000Rb............ is a huge amount. It''s not every day you get the chance to see such a large amount of money in one place. But this is also for Yashiro. ...... ''Is there anyone from the store? A few moments later, just as the customer had said, two soldiers came into the store. They had a very scary look on their faces and were shouting loudly. The two soldiers wore armor a little more luxurious than Estella''s guards, and their faces were unfamiliar to me. They seemed to be soldiers from District 29. ''Do you remember a man named Obayashi? He''s here: ...... This soldier also knows Yashiro. It''s his full name. ...... I knew it, Yashiro, you''ve been captured. ''If you have any idea who he is, please go to ...... as a witness.'' ''Hey! There''s no more time for hesitation. ''Here''s the deposit. ......'' ''......'' ''With this, please ......Yashiro to ............'' I''m so scared, my voice is shaking. The words don''t come out right. But the soldier seemed to understand. ''If that''s the case, I''ll take it. I hope to see you soon. With that, he left the store. As he passed the entrance, he turned to me. ''Don''t say anything else. He nailed me and left. My heart hurts. I feel like I''ve done something terrible. Because you lost a lot of money? Because I was afraid of the soldiers in the 29th district? ...... Because Yashiro is not here? ''......Yashiro............, please come back soon......'' I crossed my fingers and prayed to God of Spirit. God of Spirit, please ...... let me see Yashiro soon. I''ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. ...... ''Hey, Paula. Can I have a moment of your time? Did your prayers to the Spirit God reach you? ''............ What? ''No, actually. Jeannette said she saw a strange man earlier. It was much sooner than I''d expected. ''...... ya,si ............ lo?'' ''Hmm?Yeah, it''s me. --Yashiro, I see you. ''............ eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''What the hell?What''s wrong with you? Why! Why Yashiro? What, he''s already been released?Isn''t it too early for that? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to get the most out of your life. No......, then, am I possibly............ I kicked the floor and ran out of the store as fast as I could, not caring that I hit a table nearby. The boulevard shines dimly in the light of the glowing bricks. I felt that the light from the bricks made the darkness of the sky stand out even more. There was no sign of the two soldiers in front of me, behind me, to my right or to my left. ...... There was also no sign of that drunken-looking customer. I was ............ tricked, wasn''t I? ''......What should I do............'' I mumbled, and tears began to flow, spilling noiselessly. Palpitations. Nausea is terrible. 100,000 Rb...... was a huge amount of money. I''ve never seen anything like it before. ...... If I had been calmer, ............ my father and I would have worked hard to save this money. It''s ............ my fault ...... that I''m ......... ... I got dizzy and couldn''t stand up. ''Oops! As my knees relaxed and my body was sucked into the ground, Yashiro caught me. His arms, which were surprisingly strong and sturdy compared to their appearance, held me firmly by the waist. I surrendered my body to Yashiro''s chest. It''s very calming ...... and the smell of Yashiro ............ but I can''t stop feeling nauseous. My whole body is shaking and my head feels like ...... something''s wrong with me. ...... me ...... me ...... ...... ''Paula''. I turned my face, soaked with unstoppable tears, to Yashiro. I''m sure she looked terrible. For a moment, Yashiro looked surprised. Then he says to me with a very serious expression. ''Show me the Conversation Record. The Conversation Record is a treasure trove of privacy. I''d hesitate to show it even to my future lover. It''s the kind of thing you want to keep secret. But with ......Yashiro, ............ ''Yashiro............ help me......'' ...... can be pampered. I''m sorry, I think. ............ But never touch his ears. ...... He''s so gentle. He knows exactly how delicate we beastmen are,....... You can feel the warmth of Yashiro''s body slowly flowing through you. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... I''m not sure how many times I''ve seen ...... this. I''m not sure how many times I''ve had to ask for help from Yashiro. When the store was about to go under, when I was accused of having insects in my food, and ............ much, much more ...... I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. He asks for something in return, he looks uncomfortable, he acts like he''s not going to do anything ......, but he helps us. Everyone knows that. He''s a bit of a pain in the ass, but that''s Yashiro. But when we really, really, really need help, he''ll say, ''I''ll take care of it'' like this. This is a very rare and precious ...... thing, and it makes me cry. ''Magda, Loretta. ''...... I know.'' ''I''m going to call everyone! When Yashiro called out, Magda and Loretta appeared from outside the store. Were they with you? When their eyes met, Magda and Loretta pursed their lips tightly together. ''...... You''re guilty of making Paula cry. ''Not at all!I''m going to take you down to the studs! With large strides, Magda and Loretta ran down the main street at night. Magda to the east, Loretta to the west. And Yashiro, stay here: ...... ''You''re very popular, Paula. You make me laugh with your jokes. ...... What''s that? Oh my god. ...... Oh my god. Those two ...... I dared them to ''play'' with me about the paper. ...... They''re so sweet, really. ''Yashiro...... sorry............ no, thank you.'' ''You can wait until after you''re done.'' ''......Yes.'' In the next few minutes, Cantar Chica was packed with people. It was the middle of the night. Everyone was angry. Ah, so this is the 42nd district. Our town that Yashiro and Estella had worked so hard to build. It''s the important ...... 42nd district that we all have to protect together. I''m sorry for calling you out so suddenly. --I need to talk to you guys.'' Yashiro said in a low voice, and the midnight District Forty-two meeting began. 343-Episode 5 of the Spill, thick. ''This is one of the basic scams that used to be rampant in my hometown. I begin to teach the members of the group gathered in Cantar Chica about the scam. Even though it was the middle of the night, they all rushed to help me. I don''t know what Magda and Loretta said to get them to come, but I''m sure they would have come no matter who called them. They''re not the kind of people who just let their friends get scammed. First of all, I would like to explain the nature of this scam so that you don''t fall for the same trick. This scam is the same method as the one called ''Oreore fraud'' in Japan. To explain it briefly, the scammer makes you believe that someone you know has been involved in a crime and asks you to pay money to rescue them. That''s how it works. ''But you know what, Yashiro? Estella raises her hand and raises a question. ''If a stranger suddenly comes to you and says, "A friend of yours has been involved in an incident," and asks for money to help, won''t they trust you?'' --You''d think, right? ''If you provide them with information that makes them trust you, they will supplement the missing information in their brains and trust you. ''I wonder if that''s true. ......'' Estella is not quite convinced. Then try to be fooled for a moment. ''You deny everything like that, ...... so you''re always, you know, ...... what''s your name?Look, your meddlesome waiter .......'' ''Shayla? ''Yeah, yeah, Shayla. She''s got a lot to say, doesn''t she? ''Not at all, Shayla. She''s the second most complained about person after Natalia. ...... I''ll let her say what she wants.'' ''I''ll let her say what she wants,'' he said, getting information about Estella''s waiter. ''Since Estella doesn''t seem to be convinced, I''d like to do a little experiment. Loretta, can you run an errand for me?'' ''Yes, sir!You can always count on me! Call Loretta and give her instructions in a whisper. ''...... Well, that''s it, isn''t it? ''Yeah. That''s fine. Just don''t improvise anything.'' ''Okay. I''ll be back in a bit! Loretta raised her hand and ran out of the store. It would take a normal person about ten minutes to get there, but ...... Loretta and the others would be there in two or three minutes. ''What are you going to do? ''To prove that I was right. But first, Natalia.'' ''Yes, sir. Yes, sir?'' He left Estella alone for a moment and turned to Natalia. It''s a simple question. I''m sure she knows what it is. ''Did you notice anything interesting about the conversation between me and Estella just now? ''Huh?Did you notice anything strange? ''That''s what I''m asking Natalia. Shut up for a second.'' I silenced Estella and waited for Natalia''s answer. Then Natalia shook her head, just as we had hoped. ''There''s one thing that''s bothering you. ''Tell me.'' ''I was surprised to learn that Master Yashiro knows Shayla''s name. ''Oh, you''re right. You said that Shayla takes care of me, but can''t really talk to men. When did you hear her name?'' ''I didn''t.'' ''Yeah, but you know ......, don''t you? ''No.'' ''What about ............?'' I''ve asked Natalia that before. Natalia told me once that Estella''s waitresses don''t talk to us unless they have something to say. She said that she does this to prevent them from being intrusive and also for a noble reason. One reason is Estella''s son-in-law problem. For example, what if Estella''s waitresses were friendly with me, or took the initiative to help me like Natalia, or acted in a way that would help me at every turn? I''m sure the world, especially the nobles, would think, ''Oh. He''s going to be the next lord, isn''t he? That''s why the waiter is serving him,'' they would think. Even if it''s a groundless rumor, Estella is a young girl and the mere fact that she''s rumored to be with a man could have a negative impact on her. If she were to be discovered by a great nobleman or a royal family member, and it turned out that she had had a rumor with some unknown man in the past, there was a possibility that she would be broken up. Or rather, the possibility is high. There are many women who are interested in men of high status and so-called "good conditions". Even in the sense of nobility. That''s why Estella''s waiter doesn''t contact me unless I talk to him, and even if we have a word or two of conversation, he doesn''t tell me his name. A waiter will only say his name under the right circumstances. It is usually only to the members of the household he serves, and he rarely asserts himself to people outside the household. Servants are like props or stage sets that exist only to accentuate their masters. When some aristocrat says to me, ''That waiter of yours is so cute. Tell me your name! If a nobleman said to her, "Tell me your name!" she would tell him her name, but if she did, Natalia would ask her, "How dare you stand out from your master? But if you do, Natalia will probably ask you, ''How can you be more prominent than your master? Natalia, who says ......, was feverishly trying to outdo her master. Rather willingly. ''So I don''t know what kind of waiter this Shayla is. ''Then what was that conversation we had earlier? As Estella puffed out her cheeks, Hammaro jumped into the cantartika. ''Ryoshu-sama, are you there? ''I''m here just in time. ''That''s not what I meant, Natalia!I''m not talking about whether you need to be here or not, I''m talking about whether you exist or not! Pushing Natalia away from her master, Estella waved her hand toward Hammaro. ''I''m here~. What do you want from me? ''You know, Shayla-san...'' Hammaro points to the other side of the door. Seeing this, Estella leaves her seat. ''What?Shayla''s here? ''Something might have happened in the building. She and Natalia walk to the entrance and look outside the store. Scurry, scurry, scurry, scurry. ............ ''There''s no ......? ''He''s not here ......, is he?'' Estella and Natalia look at Hammaro. Hammaro tilts his head with a ''? Hammaro tilts his head. ''Ah. Did it go well, big brother? Loretta pops up from behind Estella''s curious face. She picks up Hammaro and comes back to stand next to me. ''What the hell is going on? ''In short, this is the reality of the scam. Estella and even Natalia have fallen for it. We need to be alerted to this. ''First of all, when I said "meddlesome waiter", Estella thought of someone named Shayla. And then she leaked the personal information of her name. ''What personal information is ...... such as a name? ''But you know what? That personal information will lead to the next scam. ''Hammaro just said, "Shayla", and Estella and Natalia thought, "Shayla is here". Or to put it another way, they were tricked. ''Duped ......? Estella and Natalia look at Hammaro at the same time. ''Don''t stare at him, he just made me do it. ''Just now, I prepared Loretta in front of you, didn''t I?And yet, you fell for it so easily. Why is that? That''s the horror of personal information. ''The fact that Hammaro, who couldn''t possibly know Shayla, mentioned her name gave credibility to his words. Also, the fact that Hammaro, who would never deceive you, said it, is one of the reasons why you believed his words. For example, if a stranger tells you the name of your parents and asks, ''Where are you? For example, a stranger tells you the name of his parents and asks, ''Where are you? Then, you would think, ''Oh, this person is an acquaintance of my parents,'' and you would blab on about their current whereabouts. If you say to your parents, ''You were at ____ yesterday, weren''t you? How does this person know? If you say to your parents, ''You were in ____ yesterday, weren''t you? This kind of scam is often used in vicious psychic sales. When people are told various things about their behavior, they become anxious and fall into a state where they are susceptible to fraud. A name is the perfect personal information to convince a stranger to trust you. The same thing happened to Paula. First of all, Paula thought of me when she heard the mysterious man say that I was ''a cunning man with bad eyesight''. ...... I don''t mean to be rude. In addition, when she heard that the man had been caught, she thought, ''Yashiro could do it,'' and believed it. ...... This is also rude, though. ''So, you gave him my name. ''Wait, Yashiro! It was Paula who stopped the conversation. She stood up and pleaded with him in a desperate manner. ''But the man said his initials were Y. I don''t even know Yashiro''s name! ''No, you said it first. Yashiro, what did you do?Did you disrespect my lord again? I said. ''...... huh?'' Paula hurriedly called up the Conversation Record and traced the conversation. Then, she seems to have found the relevant part and lets out a ''...... ah''. If you''re in a calm state, you may have noticed that the first thing a fraudulent person will do is try to disrupt your normal state of mind. If you''re not calm, you can''t remember what you''re saying and what you''re not saying. ''I''m sure ...... I didn''t remember saying Yashiro''s name. ............ I can''t believe I said it twice. Given the chance twice, a fraudster would certainly remember him. ''But I dared to pretend that I hadn''t heard, to make it look like the information I''d just gotten was information I''d ''always known''. ''So that''s what the initials Y...... mean.'' ''Yeah. If you say something plausible, they''ll go deeper and deeper. It''s funny. ''Mmm ...... Yashiro, why are you talking from the bad guy''s perspective?'' Paula is pissed. I''m sorry. I spoke from a position that I was used to. I should have said, ''If you say something plausible, it makes me uneasy. ''So, you got Yashiro''s full name and used it, just like Yashiro did to us. ''Yeah. There aren''t many people who know my full name. It''s a good way to make people think they know you. Next came the soldiers in armor. ''People are vulnerable to authority, and when it is exploited, they are easily fooled. ''It''s not just some people who are weak to authority, is it? It''s like they have a guilty conscience. Yeah. I''m fine with it.'''' That''s what Norma and Delia say. But... ''But how would you feel if one day, out of the blue, your lord sent you papers? ''............ It''s a bit disgusting.'' ''...... Oh, it''s probably about taxes, anyway.'' ''Hey, Yashiro. Can you please not make me look like the bad guy? ''That''s the power of authority. Even if Estella is a lord who is lenient to her people, she will be more than a little nervous if she receives a big document with an emblem stamped on it. In Japan, when you receive a postcard from the court, even if you don''t remember anything about it, you will be nervous for a moment, wondering if you have done something wrong. Even if you don''t remember anything about it, you feel nervous for a moment. Also, when you see the police, you may turn away from them. ''What would you do if you received a document from the lord telling you to turn yourself in immediately, Norma? ''Well, I''d go. ''In the meantime, Norma''s house is open to burglars. Norma frowns. She must have been mildly horrified. She would have easily fallen for something like that. ''That''s why misuse of the emblem is punished so severely--isn''t that right, my lord? ''Well, ......, I admit that the emblem is effective. But in Paula''s case, there was no emblem, right? ''Yes. I couldn''t show you anything like that. ...... Huh?Then why did I think those two were soldiers from District 29? ''It''s because they were wearing armor. If you overhear information that sounds like it beforehand, and immediately afterwards you meet a person dressed like it, you will assume that this is the person. In particular, uniforms are the best way to express a person''s status. Even I was mistaken for an aristocrat just because I was wearing well-furnished clothes. ''If you put on armor and act like it, you can easily deceive a person who lacks composure. ''d*mn it, Yashiro. You''re talking from the perspective of the bad guy again! Paula, the one who was tricked, can''t seem to forgive the way I said it. You''re making me nervous. ''If a soldier came right after being told that a soldier was coming, and said my full name, which he couldn''t possibly know, and pressed me in an intimidating manner, would you ...... be able to easily resist? I''m sorry. In particular, if you were made to believe that your acquaintance was in danger,......, it would be impossible. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... and Paula sobbed in frustration. No pun intended. ''Why don''t you put the judgment of the spirits on them? Delia is indignant. She doesn''t assert, ''You should play them! You''re a resident of the 42nd district, I''ll give you that. But that makes no sense. ''They''re not lying. ''But you told them that Yashiro was being held in the 29th district, didn''t you? ''No, I didn''t.'' The only thing the man said was that a cunning man with bad eyesight was captured by the soldiers of District 29. ''Paula was wrong about me being captured. ''But he did mention Yashiro''s name! Paula replied on Delia''s behalf. But that''s the point. ''The initials of the guy you''re thinking of is ''Y'', isn''t it? And he''s changing the words. "The guy you''re thinking of," not "the guy in custody. The story of the guy being held and the story of the guy Paula has in mind are two different stories. And after that-- "I''m not familiar with this district, and I''m not close to Yashiro. I''m not familiar with this district, and I''m not familiar with Yashiro, but when I think of him being captured by the soldiers, I want to ...... help him. -- line. The first half of the line, "I don''t know much about this district, and I''m not close to Yashiro," and the second half, "But when I think of that guy who was captured by the soldiers, I ...... want to help him, ...... I think so. The second half, ''But when I think of that guy who was captured by the soldiers, I want to help him. ''The man is only telling the fact that he is not close to Yashiro and that he wants to help the man who is being held captive. ''Why do you have to make it so complicated? ''So that ...... I can trick you. With a swoon ......, Paula sank back into her chair with little effort. She made a dumbfounded face, then sagged down. The fact that she had been taken for a ride was enough to kill her. The fact that she''s had her fill is sapping her strength. ''But I have to admire Paula in some ways. ''......What?'' Paula lifts her heavy head and turns a tearful face towards me. I''ll give her a little encouragement. ''Paula didn''t follow the first man''s lead and tell the soldier who came after her, "I''ll pay you exactly what you want. She did not say, ''Now just take the deposit and go. ''It''s just that I was too occupied to remember ...... such things. ''If I had said those words, ...... after the scam was exposed or not, Paula would have been paid 10 million Rb by them. ''What? The air trembled. A few people shrugged their shoulders in unison. A chill must have run down my spine. There are a few people with blue faces here and there. Well, none of them can match Paula''s color, though. Paula was so pale that she looked like she was about to collapse. ''Mr. Paula, are you okay? ''Oh, ...... let''s take a break, shall we?......, okay?'' Ginette and Milly supported Paula from both sides. She may want to crawl under the covers right now, but Paula stays there. With a blue face, she weakly tells Jeannette and the others, ''Thank you ......, I''m fine. She must have made up her mind to stay here and listen to me until the end. ''Yashiro. Do you have any way to catch them?'' Estella asks earnestly in the heavy air. I''ll spare no effort. So please lend me your wisdom. That''s the look on her face. ''I have a way. Or rather, they''ll come to us.'' ''The other side? That''s what they said to Paula when they left. ''Don''t tell anyone about this. And whoever comes, act as if nothing has happened. These words are the reverse of the fact that I don''t want Paula to make a fuss. In other words--'' ''He''s still going to commit more crimes ......, isn''t he? You''re right, Estella. And I know where the next one will be. ''They''ve got information on who they can get money from.'' ''Ah! Paula noticed this and raised her voice. ''Well, ...... that''s why Estella didn''t make it. When Paula was asked who had the money, the first person she answered was Estella. But as expected, scamming the lord would be too big a problem. So she brought out the second candidate. ''Norma, Regina, I''m sorry!I told them your names! Paula bows her head to them. Her voice contained a sorrowful sound, as if she was about to cry. ''Hey, don''t worry about it. ''You''re right. They know what we''re up to, so there''s nothing to be afraid of anymore. However, these two were calm. As expected, both Norma and Regina exude a sense of maturity. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea.I feel a little weird about it. ''Oh, ......''s ............ that''s ......... The ............... wedding fund is .......'' ''Oh no! ''Noma-san, your voice!I don''t know what you''re talking about. ''Millie, no!It''s dangerous to go near Norma right now! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not going to let you get caught up in that. Norma blows on her pipe with great fanfare. Inside the store, Paula is unable to pay attention. Well, let him off the hook for today. I''m sure she wants to calm down. ''But this will give us an idea of what they''re up to. ''Then, shall I apply to the Creamona family''s private army to keep an eye on Norma-san and Regina-san''s house? ''Oh, then I''ll help you too. Estella''s soldiers are all weak, aren''t they? ''...... I hope you don''t compare them to you. I hope Delia knows she''s special. If we keep an eye on Norma''s house and Regina''s house, we should be able to catch the crooks. But even if you catch them, it doesn''t mean you can do anything. ''They''re wary of the Judgment of the Spirits and choose words that don''t lie. So even if we catch them, it''s hard to punish them. ''You can turn them in to the lord. In every district, the lord has the authority to judge the guilty. ''That''s why. The lord of the Forty-second District is Estella. ''Do you think you can punish this sweetheart so severely that she''ll regret being born? At best, she''ll be punished according to precedent. If Paula''s money is returned, the damage will have been minimized, and at worst the punishment will be a warning. Estella wouldn''t like to deviate from the precedent and give an excessive punishment. ''But is that what you want? I ask the members who have gathered here in the middle of the night. ''Are you sure you want to punish the bastards who made Paula cry with such a light ...... punishment? Almost everyone in the room gave the same answer to my question. ''No way!I''ll kick your ass.'' ''Yes, you''re right, Delia-san!I''ll take you down! ''...... This is a fight sold to the Forty-Two Wards. ''I don''t know. You have to know what you''ve done, don''t you? ''You''re a summer insect that''s flying into the fire! Some of them are eager to retaliate aggressively, while others, like Millie and Nephrite, are more reserved and say, ''I don''t want to overdo it, but it''s still terrible. The point is-- ''So, you don''t have any objection that they''re guilty? When I asked them again, they did not raise any objection. Even Jeannette did not raise any objection. However, she did look at me with a ''don''t overdo it'' look. ''So, Estella. Your turn will come at the very end. Of course, you need to be punished according to the laws of this city. But that can wait until after you''ve taken our ''private punishment''. You know. A certain someone in Toyama would go on a rampage before he was judged, right?Wielding a blade. He''d go on a rampage, vent his anger and then hand him over to the justice system. That''s justice as it has been handed down since ancient times in Edo. It is a deed that will surely move old men to tears. That''s why. ''Let''s give them hell. ...... pffffffff. ''Um, Yashiro-san......'' ''Mr. Ladybug......'' ''''In moderation ......, right?'''' Ginette and Milly say similar things on both sides. Okay, then go say those words to Paula. If you can say it. ''If it''s too much, it might cause a rift with the 29th district - well, assuming those outlaws are residents of the 29th district. Hurting the residents of other wards more than necessary will cause diplomatic friction. ''But ......''. Estella made it clear that she was more than aware of this. ''You can go ahead and do whatever you want. I''ll take the blame. She''s also angry at the thugs who made Paula cry. He even flew in at this hour. ''That''s why, Norma. He turns to the beautiful woman at the window, who is blowing on a cigarette in disgrace. ''Would you like to take a bite? ''......''. Norma bends her navel in an argument with Paula, but... ''...... When Yashiro has that look on his face, that''s when something interesting is going to happen. He takes a deep breath and drops the burned-out ashes into his portable ashtray. He slowly exhaled a cloud of purple smoke and opened his red lips in a thin line with a sweltering scent. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... Let me have all the fun I can. It''s not as if Norma, who is always looking out for you, isn''t angry with you for this. He''ll take good care of you no matter who you are. If you make a girl in District 42 cry, Norma will be the first to get angry. It''s no exaggeration to say so. ''Well then, I''ll tell you the plan. But first, Paula. I''ll tell you the most important thing up front. ''Tomorrow, they''ll be coming to check on you. They''ll probably do it without you knowing.'' When I spoke to Paula, she did not remember the face of the other person exactly. He says he remembers and knows them when he sees them, but this is probably unreliable. Her preconceived notions of appearance and mood made it impossible for her to judge accurately. If a soldier who wore armor came to Kantartika wearing shabby clothes, Paula would not be able to recognize him as the same person. Therefore, I will give you a hint. ''Be wary of anyone who makes small talk with you, asking how you''re doing or if there''s anything unusual about you. ''Is that them?'' ''More than likely. They might be more cunning and say, ''Are you feeling down? They might be more cunning and say, ''Are you feeling down? It''s an act of trying to get a peek at the other person''s true intentions by shaking them up. If it''s them, this might be more likely. ''If there is such a person, say, "I don''t mind. Why? Why? ''That doesn''t make it a lie, does it? ''It doesn''t. You don''t have to worry about anything because we''ve already decided that we''re going to solve the case. Then it''s business as usual, isn''t it? ''...... Yeah, right. Yeah. Okay. Paula can''t shake her uneasiness, but she seems to have convinced herself somehow. She asks a lot of questions to disguise her mood. ''But, will he come? ''He will. Definitely.'' They''re always coming to check on Paula. If they''ve talked to anyone, now that we''re in this situation, they''ll have an idea to ambush us and get her. Then they won''t be able to pull off their next scam. ''If Paula behaves as usual, it will be easier to lead them to their next targets, Regina and Norma. ''Can you do ...... as usual?'' ''The more awkward you are, the more believable you''ll be. The more you act like you''re acting normal, the more they''ll think you''re cool. ''And I want the others to casually gossip about Norma and Regina. ''Speaking of gossip, that''s where my sisters and I come in!Specifically, what should we talk about? ''Hmmm ......, that''s .......'' I suggest that you spread a rumor to set the stage for them to commit fraud more easily. Well, all sorts of protests and complaints erupted, but I convinced them for now. Ginette and Milly were on edge, but the rest of us were generally smiling. Above all, Regina, who was participating in this kind of gathering for the first time, was strangely motivated. ''......I''d like to think about helping you out a little ......''. ''What are you talking about, Norma?It''s an impossible mission without Norma! ''...... The success of the mission rests on Norma''s shoulders.'' ''If you want, I can use my connections as the BU''s number one beauty to negotiate for the rumor to be published in the intelligence papers. ''No, I won''t!Don''t leak anything outside of District 42, that rumor! ''Ohhh, I''m getting all horny ...... and excited...'' ''What kind of a misnomer is that? ''Hey, what do you want me to do? ''Well, Delia is at ............ Yeah, let''s work together at the end. ''Oh, I''ll do my best! ''Over-ordering of motivation! It''s late, and after a little rest, tomorrow will be here. Tomorrow is going to be fun. 344-Episode 6 Like a boat floating in a mountain strea... a??a??a??a??a??a? We entered the 42nd district first thing in the morning. The new passageway, called New Road, is still under construction, and currently only one side of the ramp and the stairs on both sides are open to traffic. Inside, a creepy man with round glasses was carving patterns on the walls and stairs under the direction of a breathtakingly beautiful woman. ''No, Mr. Bekko!You need more curve there!It''s not round enough!'' ''Mr. Imelda ......, why are you suddenly acting like a foreman?You didn''t even show your face yesterday.'' ''Just for some reason! ''Are you in a bad mood, that you are? ''It''s because you left me out, even though we had a meeting!I was already asleep, that''s the only reason! ''No, I wouldn''t have called out to you if you were asleep, that I wouldn''t, normally. ''Please wake me up! ''Even if you ask me, ......'' You''re a beautiful woman with a stern face. I didn''t know such a beauty existed in the bottom of a city like the 42nd district. I''d like to get close to her when I get some money. ...... Guffaw. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. I was going to pass by, but a familiar name stopped me in my tracks. Yashiro is the name that the lady at the bar had mentioned. ...... No way, that lady. Did you tell anyone about last night? I''m not sure. I pretended to look down the wide atrium hall, as other tourists do, and listened. I''ve heard that story before this morning, too. I heard that Mr. Yashiro ...... has disappeared. Disappeared? ''Yes, that I did. It seems that he had some problems and went into hiding, that he did. ''That''s typical of her behavior. I almost shouted, ''Lucky! I almost shouted. Apparently, the bastard we used as a name in our scam, Yashiro, is actually a small-time crook and has disappeared. We''re in luck. He pretends to be a stranger and looks out for his friends who came down the New Road with him. They seem to know what I''m talking about, and give me a nod with a wicked smile. ''That''s what the gathering was about, that it was. ''I''ve heard that. I''m sure ...... I''ll have to tell them to force you to wake up next time. ''...... How badly did you want to get out, that you did? As far as I can tell, the lady with the dog ears hasn''t told them about us. But we can''t rest assured. Not until I actually see it with my own eyes. I won''t make a mistake like that idiot who got caught at the last minute. Well, that was just a case of bad luck. ...... Why did such a monster happen to be in the 29th Ward on the day of the attack? The name "Medora" sounded familiar to me as well. The monster guild leader of the hunting guild. That name is Medora. ...... I had no idea he was such a full-blown monster. ............ I only caught a glimpse of him as he ran away... I''m not sure what to make of it. Thanks to it, I now have nightmares even in the lightest sleep. I don''t want to meet that guy again, seriously. That''s why we have to be careful. The last thing we want is to get caught. We prepare well, and when we do, we do it fast. And when we''re done, we pull the plug. That''s the rule. We''ll make our way down the New Road. We''re going to Cantalucia. That''s where the lady is. When we got to the street, a man with a crocodile face and an ordinary woman with no distinguishing features were talking to each other. ''Hey, Loretta. Is it true that Regina is not in the store?'' ''Ms. Mo-Mat, you''re reading too much into it. You should be more normal.'' ''Huh, normal, that''s it! ''I knew it was too much for you, Mo-Mat. ......'' ''That''s not true!So, you know what?Regina is not in the store, right? ''Yes, that''s right. She hasn''t been back since yesterday. ''Regina'' is the name of one of the rich people that Cantartica''s lady said would pay me. You''re saying she''s missing?At a time like this. ''It seems he was messing with my brother ......, Yashiro-san. ''You''ve always been like that. Every time you do ...... that ............ thing, you know, like this ...... obscene. ...... that......'' ''Mr. Mo-Mat, your face is red. ''Shut up!I''m not good at that kind of talk! ''............ I''m Mr. Mutsuri.'' ''No, that''s not right! A crocodile man chasing after a young woman with a bright red face. The picture is nothing but a pervert and his victim, but the woman seems to be running away happily, so I guess this is the daily life in this town. But then again,...... The woman, Regina, is a close friend of the bastard, Yashiro. If so, she''s going to pay me a pretty penny. Let''s go to the main street and gather some information. About Regina and the other woman, Norma. First stop on the main road is Cantalucia. I''ll check with the lady. If she''s told anyone, the whole plan goes out the window. Yesterday, I came here looking like a drunk with shaggy hair and makeup that made me look red. Today, you''ve got your hair done, you''re dressed nicely, and at first glance you look like an elite member of some big guild. The woman who had been in such a state of panic wouldn''t even be able to recognize the same person. When I entered the store, I felt a little strange. I can''t really describe it, but it was like the air was ...... tense. ''Oh, Assunto. What are you smiling about?'' ''No, it''s nothing, Mr. Use. It''s just, well, ...... hmm.'' ''What''s with the creepy voice? ''No, sir. It''s Norma. ''Oh, that s*xy woman from the hardware guild.'' ''''Yes. She''s a woman with big breasts that Use likes.'''' ''Oh, no!Hey!No, no, no!I''m not like that at all. ......!'' ''Well, well, well. Whether you like big tits or not, there is a story that interests me. A pig-faced man and a strong, muscular man who seems to like big tits are chatting. They were drinking light ale, probably because it was morning. They''re drinking light ale, probably to cheer themselves up before work. I often do this myself. ''Mr. Norma. I think you and Yashiro might have made some progress. I was looking for Nee-chan, but when the name ''Yashiro'' came up again, I sat down in a nearby seat. This time, "Norma" also came out. He didn''t show any sign of concern and listened closely. ''Well, Yashiro is an unparalleled lover of big tits. I wouldn''t be surprised if he got together with Norma. He''s an unparalleled lover of big tits! ''Use-san, aren''t you trying to put all the blame on Yashiro-san? What do you mean, "blame"?I''m not at fault! This bastard Yashiro seems to have a good relationship with a woman named Norma. He''s a real dirty boy. ''No, sir. Norma, you''ve been training to be a bride for a long time, haven''t you? ''Oh, ...... I hear you''ve been doing it ............ for a long time.'' ''I feel sorry for you if I remind you too much. It''s an unrewarding effort, even more so.'' You''re the one who''s saying the worst thing. Is this Norma woman a single-minded woman? She''s been training to be a bride for this bastard Yashiro. ...... So, Regina is more of a plaything? It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web to make sure that you''re getting the most out of your internet site. ...... This Yashiro guy is unforgivable. He''s got a good thing going for him. ''...... huh. d*mn. How many more times do I have to do this ......'' ''Mr. Use.'' ''Hmm?'' ''Didn''t you notice that?'' ''What?'' ''...... No, more on that later.'' ''Huh?...... d*mn, I don''t understand you.'' ''For now, let''s discuss ...... your views on marriage, shall we?'' I''m not sure what to do. It seems that the topic of Yashiro is over. I have no more use for this seat. The waitress didn''t come to take our order at all. When I looked for her, she was just standing there by the counter. She seems to be in a state of shock. ...... Is this lady in love with this guy Yashiro? ...... Yashiro, if I find him, I''ll kill him. Anyway, I''m going to carry out my original goal. ''Excuse me, shopkeeper. He speaks in a much different tone than yesterday. I am now an employee of the Great Guild. Soft-spoken, with a nice smile, a refreshing kind of guy. Fortunately, I have a good face. ''Can I order? ''Oh, I''m sorry. What would you like? ''An ale, then. ''Okay, 35Rb. Dad, one ale.'' An unsociable man with dog-ears nodded at the counter. He''s so big that it''s intimidating. ''Yes, sir. Yale, please wait. ''Thank you, sir. I take the ale, and then, under the guise of casual chatting, I probe him. ''Excuse me, waitress. ''What? ''You don''t seem to be in good spirits...'' ''What? She''s not very good at deception. It''s easy to see it on her face. She''s surprised that you pointed it out. ''Is there something wrong with you? ''......, nothing. Why?'' ''No, no. I just thought so. ''Heh, strange customer. I''m going to go do my job! Leaving behind a lame excuse, the waitress heads for the crowded hall. Her hair was standing up and her tail was getting thicker. Canines are easy to recognize. From the looks of her, she''s not talking to anyone. I''m not very good at deception, but ...... that''s okay as long as they don''t find out until we''re done. By the time they find out, we''ll be gone from this town. We''ll retire to the 29th district and live off the money. ''Master. You don''t look well either.'' ''............'' I called out to the dog-eared old man behind the counter, but he turned away without a word. He didn''t seem to be talking to anyone either. Hahaha, as expected of the 42nd district. It''s a very sweet district ruled by a sweet lord called the Lord of Smiles. The residents are all so sweet that it''s a perfect feeding ground for scoundrels like us. You shouldn''t be holed up in the 29th Ward. We''ll come back when things cool down. Maybe this will become our main hunting ground. Sigh sigh sigh ...... I gulped down the ale in one gulp and left the store, making eye contact with my companions. Apparently, this Norma girl is famous in this town. ''Norma-san said you''re at the hardware guild workshop today. ''Yashiro, I heard that you haven''t been to the Hardware Guild''s workshop lately. ''Come to think of it, you said this morning that you haven''t seen Yashiro in a while. He seemed kind of lonely. ''Norma is quite a ''waiting woman'', you know. She''s very stubborn. ''My body is a man, but my heart is a maiden! And so on, information poured in one after another just by walking along the main street. And then there was a woman named Regina. ''I saw Regina and Yashiro together in the middle of the night. ''Yashiro also goes to Regina''s place whenever he feels like it. ''Come to think of it, you said this morning that it''s only a matter of time before you get Yashiro in your arms. He seemed very confident. ''I guess Regina is quite an aggressive woman. She''s so naughty. ''It''s a wonderland of obscenity in my head! There''s no doubt that Regina is trying to steal Yashiro from Norma. And it seems that the forty-second ward is currently abuzz with talk about it. Information is coming in like crazy. ''This Norma woman is now in the workshop of the hardware guild, or ......, so it looks like there are people around. ''A woman named Regina is running an apothecary shop on the outskirts of town. She''s usually alone. ''Then that''s where we should aim. We walked towards Regina''s apothecary. On the way-- ''Ah, Yashiro, you didn''t show up again today. There are so many delicious eggs here...'' ''Ah, ah, ladybug......, ya, ya Shiro, san............ Myuu......'' ''Wait, what''s wrong Miry? ''Oh, ...... ah''s ............ ah''s ............ ah''s nothing,...... so, you know ......Yashiro,.................., there''s a rumor going around that you''ve gone into hiding somewhere, There are rumors circulating. ''What?Really?That''s a surprise! ''Huh, ......, you know, your voice comes through, doesn''t it? I''m a little surprised. ...... --I saw a chicken and a little girl having a conversation like that. Apparently, it''s true that this bastard Yashiro is hiding in the clouds. I''m sure it''s true. ...... Heh, my luck has come around. We entered a deserted alleyway and changed our clothes. I put on some rags and dress up like a small-time crook who would be a good match for this Yashiro guy. And the other two are in armor as before, dressed as soldiers of District 29. They head for Regina''s apothecary. They knock on the rickety door. ...... But there is no answer. I turn the doorknob, but it''s locked and won''t open. ''Oh, well...'' At this point, one of his friends remembers an important piece of testimony. ''Didn''t the normal-looking woman who was talking on the street say that Regina wasn''t in the store? ''Oh, she did, she did! ''Yes, d*mn it!It was so normal that it didn''t leave an impression. I was careless. That Regina woman hadn''t been in the store since this morning. d*mn, bad timing. If you''re going somewhere, why don''t you wait until after we''ve screwed you over? ''Oh well. Let''s head to the Hardware Guild. ''But isn''t there a lot of people there? ''In that case, why don''t I lure him out and scam him at Norma''s house? ''I see. ......'' ''Heh, you''re the man.'' ''Heh, come on. Let''s go.'' We headed back the way we came, still in our clothes. We''re headed for the Hardware Guild''s workshop. Come on, let''s see what my trick is. ''Ahhhh, it''s so hot! ''I can''t take it anymore! I''m sweating my armpits off! ''I''m steaming! ''''Let''s take a short break...'''' ''''''Let''s do that, let''s do that'''''' From the hardware guild''s workshop, a swarm of monsters came gushing out. I ducked into the shadows. Risk your life! ''Hey~, Norma~! Why don''t you go cool off, Norma? ''I''m fine. I''ll stay here and work by myself.'' I''ll see you later...'' The female-speaking muscle masses leave the workshop. Unfortunately, they''re coming in the direction we''re hiding. ...... Please don''t let them find us, please don''t let them find us, please don''t let them find us, please don''t let them find us. ''...... Norma-chan. I''m sure you want to see Yashiro.'' ''Yes.'' ''Just looking at you makes me sad. ......'' ''''When you''re alone at night, it''s so lonely that the female heart deep inside your chest cries out in pain. ''''''I understand~'''''''' ''''You know what I mean? I was about to shout, but managed to hold back. If they find you, ...... they will eat you. I could feel the fear in my bones. After watching the beasts move away, we began to prepare. Conveniently, a woman named Norma seemed to be the only one left in the workshop. Is the Spirit God finally starting to side with us? "You''ll have to do more evil. Heh! I scoop up some sand from the ground and rub it on my cheek. That''s how I got here in a hurry. It gives me a sense of reality that I was in such a hurry that I could have fallen on the way. I give him one last look, and run into the workshop. This time, I don''t need to elicit the name of an acquaintance as I did with Cantar Chica. All I have to do is pinpoint the name of this bastard Yashiro. So I''ve changed my tactics. It''s more tense. I run in, explain the situation to Norma, and when she starts to worry about whether or not she''s going to get the money, I ask the two soldiers to come in. By doing this, I can create a sense of urgency that there is no time to lose, and take away Norma''s sense of normalcy. The woman, Norma, panicked, would do as I asked and give me the money. I briefly sketched out the plan in my head and ran into the workshop. ''Oh, my God!Is there anyone named Norma? As I ran in, a woman looked at me with a surprised look. A woman with fox ears who was so s*xy that it made me gasp. You can see at a glance that she has a large cleavage, which should not be soft, peeking out from her wide open chest, as if it is about to spill out. Her large ears, covered with golden fur, stand erect, and her plump tail of the same color wags. I''m Norma and I''m ...... wondering who you are. The sweet voice that tickles the nostrils echoes in the depths of the stomach, inciting the male heart as if forcibly awakening the sleeping instincts of men. ''What do you say? I''m not sure what to say.He pulls out a long, thin flue from between his two tits, which are snuggled tightly together. What the hell are you putting in there, sister?Is that the best you''ve got? I''d like to be alone now. ...... If you don''t have anything to do, please leave. He lit the pipe with a practiced hand and let the light purple smoke waft out. A unique sweet smell of smoke drifted in the air. What''s the matter with this bastard Yashiro? What''s wrong with such a good woman that you''re lusting after another woman? If I were you, I wouldn''t leave her alone for even a second! ''Yes, sir. Can''t you speak a word? ''Oh, no!I''m sorry .......'' You''re going to cheat ...... this guy? You''re going to cheat him out of his money? .................. No, wait. I''m the guy who goes around giving advice to Yashiro''s acquaintances, worrying about them. It''s the two soldiers that come after you that will take the money and cheat this woman. Not me. That means I should comfort her when she''s depressed because she''s been cheated out of her money. ............ Forget about that scumbag Yashiro. I''ll protect you. "Well, what a reliable person ............ likes. --And that''s how it''s gonna be! All right!This is good! After this job, I''m out of here! Now, I''m going to do one last job, and I''m going to do it with a bang! ''You know a guy named Yashiro, right? ''......?I know Yashiro ......, yo.'' Violent agitation. He was probably worried about Yashiro, who had disappeared. ''Actually, ......, I screwed up and got caught by the soldiers of the 29th district.'' --My crew of idiots, you know. I''m done talking about this Yashiro guy. Now we''re talking about my men. I''m not lying about anything. I''m not going to get caught by the Judgment of the Spirits. ''And if we don''t do something about it, our lives are in danger. I got carried away and scammed the lord, and I screwed up. No, my men screwed up. The lord of the 29th district, Gerasie Erin, is a man who cares a lot about face. He won''t forgive an impostor who tries to deceive him. Worse, his life is at stake. From ......, it''s not a lie. ''If you have money, I can help you. ''............ money, huh? ''Yeah, that''s right. If you post bail, most of the charges can be wiped out. You know that, don''t you?That''s the way of the nobility.'' ''...... I didn''t know that.'' Norma is still looking unhappy. He''s not really paying attention to what I''m saying. I''ve heard rumors in the city that if you mention the name of a guy named Yashiro, he''ll give you the money without a second thought. ...... d*mn. Oh well. It''s a little annoying, but I''m going to use this Yashiro guy to my advantage. You. You haven''t met Jashiro, have you?'' ''............'' Norma doesn''t answer. But I can see it in his expression. His sorrowful eyes tell of the loneliness of not seeing him. ''Don''t you want to see me? ''............'' The gesture of biting her lips is also s*xy. Even without words, the emotion is palpable. One more push. I don''t care if it''s a little over the top, I''m going to shake Norma''s heart big time. ''I can meet you if you pay me!I''ll give you 100,000 Rb!'' ''...... ten thousand ............ that kind of money ......'' ''This is no time to be confused! I''m going to break it off here. From here on, it''s a different story. There is no connection with the previous conversation. Absolutely not. ''You want to see him, don''t you, Yashiro? With a shudder ......, Norma''s body shakes and falls to the floor. ''I want to see ............ ...... you ......... ...'' She falls on her face and mutters in a quivering voice. Okay, I''m down! I casually clear my throat twice. It''s a signal to my companions that I''m going in. Not long after, two armored soldiers enter the workshop. ''Do you know anyone who knows Obayashi? They shouted, stomped their feet, and kicked away the nearby blacksmithing tools as they entered. ...... You idiot. You''re not a soldier, you''re a thug. ''Hey, woman!You know Obeyashiro, right?'' Two soldiers surround Norma. But Norma covers her face with her hands and doesn''t look up. Maybe she doesn''t want them to see her crying. He''s so cute. ''Look up! Say something! But the two soldiers (idiots), oblivious to Norma''s modesty, yell at her violently. They''re probably frustrated by the slow progress, even though there''s a lot of money in front of them. That''s why you''re small people, you know. ''We already know that you''re in close contact with Obayashi! You''re not supposed to be here. But I can''t interfere here. At any rate, I still have the task of healing Norma after she was defrauded by the rogue soldiers. We can''t be complicit with the soldiers. Let''s try to get the money on our own. --I was wrong to think that. ''Obeyashiro wants you to pay him!Now give it to him! You stupid bastard! We''ve never met Obeyashiro. We''ve never met Obeyashiro, so why would he tell us ...... that he asked Norma to pay him? I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions. ''Did you ...... talk to Yashiro about ............ that? In a small voice like the buzzing of a mosquito, Norma speaks. He was the first to react to the soldier''s words. ...... So, the key is this Yashiro guy. You can''t help it. You lied to me on your own. Sacrifice that soldier and split the credit with the rest of us. You''ve already lied to me. It doesn''t matter how many times you tell it. Soldier A! You stand in front and take the money. You got it. I talked to him. He wanted to see you, too.'' ''Yashiro wants to meet me at ......?Really, right?'' ''Yeah. He wanted to see you. You know? ''............'' When asked for his consent, Soldier B remains silent. He doesn''t want to be collateral damage for a lie. ''I''m ...... going to meet Yashiro, aren''t I? ''Yes. As long as you pay for it.'' ''............ I see.'' Soldier A is starting to get impatient now. He''s sweating like crazy, but he''s trying to finish the job as quickly as possible. Well, even if they find out, they won''t be turned into frogs as long as they don''t come to the 42nd district. I guess he wants to go home early. ''I''m sure the money is in your room. A thin white finger wanders unsteadily through the air, pointing to a room at the back of the workshop. I see, that''s where they keep the gold. ''Okay, let''s go get it. ''Yes, we should. It doesn''t look like it can stand up. The two soldiers, smiling indecently after hearing the location of the gold, walk towards the room at the back of the workshop. Leave the money to them, I''ll take Norma to ............ Mmm-hmm. ''Don''t cry so much. Don''t worry, I''m sure I''ll take the money that was taken from you ......'''' ''''Ohhhhhh! Just as I was about to seduce a woman, two idiots started screaming like idiots. When I looked at them, they were both hunched over in front of the back room. What the hell are you doing, man? ''Looks like something''s wrong. I''m going to have a look. I''m just trying to clear up a problem in the workshop. And for your own good, Norma. I''m going to check on those two idiots. d*mn it. One idiot is enough to get caught for screwing up at the last moment! ''What are you guys doing? I reprimand the idiots in an annoyed whisper. The two idiots both pointed into the room. Their arms are shaking and their fingertips are wagging like idiots. What''s in this room? And peeking into the room-- ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! --I screamed. I couldn''t help it. The room was bright red. A thick liquid covered the entire floor, and the walls and ceiling were splattered with a blackish red substance. And what made my heart shrink more than anything else were the two ............ people lying in the middle of the ...... room. One pair, a man and a woman,............ The man''s head was cracked open by a huge hammer that was lying there. The woman''s ...... neck was pointing in an impossible direction. She was lying face down, but her face was looking up at the sky. Her neck was turned 180 degrees. ............ Here, here, this is ............ and, and, and, and, and, and ...... ''I''d love to meet you......'' A shadow shimmers behind me. A chill as if the lid of hell had been opened assaulted my whole body. ''...... I''ve ............ f*cked you with my own hands. ......'' The voice is slowly approaching. ''That woman and ............. ''That woman and ...... that woman who was pacing around Yashiro. Unsteady, dragging footsteps are coming close. ''With that woman, I would have f*cked her with my own hands. ......'' The wind caressed my cheeks with a rough ....... ''That''s strange ......''. ...... It wasn''t the wind, it was .................. Norma''s. ...... woman''s ...... long hair. The long hair touched ...... her cheek. ''Hiiiiiiiiiiiii! He sank back and fled from the woman, crawling on the floor. ''You said you saw Yashiro. ............ Yashiro is in another place. ......'' The woman''s face that I accidentally saw was not a ............ human face. Raju-- It was the face of a demon with a grudge. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. My heart is going to burst ......! ''You ran away from me again, didn''t you ............? In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. ''Tell me, ............''. Slowly, the woman''s arms reach out toward us. The next thing you know, the three of us are hugging each other. ''''Tell me the location of the Yashiro you say you saw, right now! ''''''Gyaaaaahhhh!I''m sorry, I''m lying, I didn''t see him!We''re just a bunch of crooks!We''ve never met a guy like Yashiro before! He cried out and ran away on shaky legs. You run away from the rakshasa who is chasing you with a big hammer. You run for your life. You run, run, run for the exit of the large workshop. I kicked my stupid friends who were clinging to me and ran out of the exit. There was-- ''I''ve heard your confession, you frauds. A small woman with bright red hair. ''Ta...... help me, please! ''Eh!What?You guys? I don''t care who you are! Please save us from that horrible Raju! Goddess of Salvation. Lord of Smiles. We felt the warmth of life in her gentle chest, and we looked at the red-haired woman in front of us. She tried to hug the lord and was ...... seized. ''There is a charge for touching Lady Estella. The ice-eyed head waiter stood in front of us. ''No, Natalia ......, I won''t let you touch her even if you pay me. Oh, thank you, everyone.'' The red-haired lord smiled at us, which meant that the people who were holding us down were-- ''Hey, Estella. Is this all you do?I don''t know why I''m so upset. ''...... complete control''. A large woman with bear ears and a small woman with tiger ears. And--'' ''Hahahaha!I''m sorry I took your job, river fisherman. I promised Magda I''d do the same. I promised Magda I''d take care of it. If you have any problems, you tell me. Besides, these guys have a bit of a history. Hey, you guys. It''s been a while. --The monster head of the hunting guild. Mankind''s mightiest warrior. Medora Rossel. Why is ...... the monster I hoped I''d never see again here ............? You''re dying in a different way!In a more specific sense! I''m not sure why you''re the most excited about this. ''We didn''t have a role to play, did we? ''Tsk, give me a break, seriously.'' ''Well, well. I''m glad you''re having fun. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited about this. I''m not sure what to make of that. Why ...... are all of these people here? You''re from the 41st district, aren''t you?I''m not sure what to do. While we were panicking and not understanding the situation, we were wrapped up in a rough rope. ''Come on, guys. You can come out now.'' At the sound of Estella Cremona''s voice, people started to come out from everywhere. From the shadows and back alleys, people are coming out. Who are these people? ...... ''Ah! I''ve seen that crocodile guy before!And that pig face over there!Chickens and ordinary women!Even the bottle-bottomed glasses from New Roads! If you look closely, you''ll see that all of them are faces you''ve seen today. ...... Were they all in on it? He looked at us closely. ''Well, I''m surprised, though. You really do look like her, don''t you, in this illustration? What Medora Rossel pulls out of her pocket--and I can''t believe my eyes--is a sketch of us. It''s a lifelike likeness. Everyone in the room was holding that illustration. ''I''m good at drawing likenesses, that I am. I am proud that my speed is also very good, that I am. ''Mr. Assunto was the first to notice it. I''m impressed. ''Hmmm. Well, I can tell suspicious people by their scent, ...... since we''re the same family. Hmmm. That pig-face ...... knew who we were, didn''t he? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. ...... You''ve got to be kidding me. That''s impossible. I didn''t take the time. How is that possible in such a short time? If it were possible,............, there would have been someone who ordered it from the beginning. What the hell is that? ...... I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m sure you''re right. I''m sure it''s the result of the beautiful fox''s s*xy acting. When I turned around at the sound of her carefree voice... ''''''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! A man with a crushed head and a woman with her head turned 180 degrees were standing there covered in blood. ''''Yashiro, Regina. That outfit scares me, so look at ......, Millie and Ginette have gone far away.'''' ''I''m sorry. I can''t see what I''m doing. ...... Regina, you''re scaring me.'' ''We''re both scared. I can''t see my own face. After the argument, the man scratched his head. The scar that looked like a gash ...... came off in pieces. If you look closely at the woman, you can see that she is wearing her clothes backwards and forwards. Her breasts are sticking out like a sore thumb. ''Special makeup. The finish is ''me and Regina, we got f*cked together'' by Norma. ''...... It''s been a busy day, hasn''t it? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. You can''t call her that anymore,......, even in your mind, because you''re too scared. ''There was a time when it was popular to say, "What ...... is my child already dead?" as a way to fight off an oleo scam. It''s a version of that. This is a modified version of that. ''The way he died was too spectacular, though...'' What''s ...... what''s ...... So this is ............ You''ve been duped, haven''t you? ''Paula, come out here.'' The man with the gouged head, Yashiro, calls out to a woman. That one. ''Oh, ...... that''s what you mean ............''. It was Cantartica''s sister. I see. ...... She was the one who leaked the information. I''ve had my fill of ....... I can''t believe this little girl who can''t even fool people was trapping us with such a convincing performance. ...... I was so upset at the time, it looked like the truth. ......... ......... No, it wasn''t. ''Did ...... you do all this ...... Obayashi? ''Oh, now my name''s famous too. If you want my autograph, I''ll sell it to you. ''...... are you there?'' That''s him. ...... He''s the one who set all this up. ...... He''s the one who ran ...... the whole city. Just to screw us back, that''s all. I don''t know for sure. But I''m sure. Those are the eyes of a man like that. Son of a b*tc*. I want my money back! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You can''t even escape. I mean, ............ ''''''I''m glad I was tricked ............'''''' Now I finally feel it. We were lied to. So that means-- That woman who looks like a Raju doesn''t exist. Even if she is, she can''t be targeting us. That''s a great ............ relief. ''...... Oh, you poor thing. Norma''s been traumatized. ''Who let that happen? ''No, Norma, you were amazing!That was some serious acting! ''...... deserves praise.'' ''Then let''s see you say it right in front of me!Not from 50 meters away! It was so loud and boisterous that ...... we felt we were in a very out-of-place place. ''You''re a coward, you know that? Obeyashiro says, looking down at me. ''Assuming you''re not lying, there''s a lot we can do. With that, he brings up the Conversation Record. ''A small cheating man with bad eyes who was captured by the soldiers of District 29: ...... This is one of you, isn''t it? ''...... Heh . You''re the man.'' ''When you try to avoid the Judgment of the Spirits, the phrasing inevitably becomes unnatural. Na, assunto?'' ''Hohoho......, it''s been too long ago to remember much. I''m too busy trying to live honestly now. The pig-faced man gives a thin smile. Did they also see through the hole in the Judgment of the Spirits? ''Well, that''s why, even if Paula''s money has already been paid, it''s easy to get it back. Right, sir? Obeyashiro''s joke. The person in the corner of his eye was someone who shouldn''t be here. The Lord of District 29, Gerasie Erin. ''Don''t sound so creepy, Obeyashiro. It gives me goosebumps.'' Ha ha ...... ha ha ha ............ Oh, my God. These guys know my lord too? ...... I guess we shouldn''t make enemies with them. ............ You can count on it. ''............ Yes. I don''t even feel like resisting anymore. ......'' I''m just so exhausted. ...... Whatever. ...... I want a good night''s sleep. Even if it''s in a cold prison. We fell to the ground almost simultaneously. I didn''t have the energy left to even sit up. Money? I don''t need it. I''ve learned a lot since I''ve been in District 42. There''s life and there''s property. I guess the scammers are out of business. ...... 345-Episode 7 is like a gentle flow again. ''I''m never doing that role again! For the umpteenth time, Norma screams as if she''s letting out a pent-up frustration. It''s becoming almost like a seizure. ''You seemed to be in the mood. ''Not at all!I hated it! This is the Sunken Pavilion. It''s afternoon, a night after the big catch. The "Welcome to the Fraudulent Forty-second Ward - But it was the entrance to Arijigoku", which I had arranged and which was held all over the Forty-second Ward, was a success. You know the ones where a play suddenly starts on the main street?It''s like that. Since we did not know what the impostor looked like, we told him to have a casual conversation with the tourists as they passed by. ...... We were disappointed when Assunto quickly recognized the impostor. I determined that he was a crook when he fell for Assunto''s statement and the "he might be a crook word" that I had told Paula, and immediately had Becco draw a sketch of him. I secretly showed him the three faces from the main street. The rest of the time, I would go around with the too-good-to-be-true sketches in my hands and say, ''When these guys come, say something! Regina and I were made up as corpses and laid on a bed of bright red liquid. By the way, Regina prepared the blood. The quality was so high that it made me think that ...... she was studying it every day to use it for something bad. ''Yashiro''s disguise was scary. Ginette said with a slightly pale face. With his grandfather, ...... he might have done something a little bad. ''It''s only a fake, right? ''Yes, sir. I know exactly what I''m doing. ...... Oh, you don''t need to worry about that. But thank you very much. I didn''t say it, but he sensed it and thanked me. ...... That''s the kind of thing you should be worried about. ''But your scars looked painful. ''It''s called special makeup. In my hometown, there are people who study that kind of makeup. ''What do you think they''ll be used for? ''Theater, mostly. ''For plays, I see ....... A play with too much realistic and grotesque special makeup would not be suitable for Ginette. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Delia praised Regina for her good performance even though it was her first time to participate. ''I was just wearing my clothes upside down. ''But you didn''t have boobs, did you?When you were sleeping. ''Oh, I see. Maybe the bear-ears with elastic rocket boobs don''t know. If you sleep on your back, your boobs will be ...... scattered, right? ''Seriously? ''Big brother, you''re biting too hard!I''m not sure what to make of it.And it''s usually scattered! ''Jeannette, it didn''t scatter! ''''The manager''s is too big, so even if it''s scattered, it''s only because it''s still there that it looks like it''s not scattered! ''That''s not true!It''s not true. ...... When did you see this, Yashiro? Yikes. ...... If you think in terms of Jeannette or Estella, you may be out of touch with the average boob situation in the world. I need to get in touch with more boobs! ''I want to touch them! ''Please repent! ''You''re just following your instincts. ''I''m sorry, big brother.'' ''...... You''re a yashiro, you can''t help it.'' It''s all they can say. In the meantime. ''I think Norma''s is going to fall apart.'' ''That''s none of your business! Delia and Norma are as normal as ever. ''I complimented you on your softness, .......'' ''It wasn''t a compliment! ''But Yashiro once said, "Soft is good! But Yashiro once said, ''Soft is good! ''I''m not complimenting you on your ............, but I''m not complimenting you on your .......'' ''I mean, the quality of my imitation was so low that it was egregious,......? ''It''s better than Delia''s imitation, brother.'' ''...... Delia''s limitations''. I don''t know why Delia has to include so many imitations that don''t even look like her. I''m a little jealous of your diamond mentality. ''Hey, guys. Everything''s taken care of~'' Estella comes into the store, looking a little tired. ''Hey, Estella. I heard you''re going to disperse. ''Why do I have to talk about sleeping on my back as soon as I walk in? ''Why did I just find out, Estella? ''...... Estella is only as good as Yashiro when it comes to boobs.'' ''Ooh, Estella ...... is amazing.'' ''Delia. I''m not very happy, so don''t look at me with such envy. In the end, the punishment imposed by District Forty-two on those crooks was very light. A small fine and a six-month ban from the Forty-second Ward. And of course, full repayment of the money they swindled and a sincere apology. That''s all. ...... You''re still too lenient, Estella. ''Monster, as usual''. ''Monster, it''s within the norm''. ''...... Specter, bland''. ''Don''t put yokai on everything. I''m not doing anything wrong as a lord.'' Although it was confirmed that he would be heavily punished in the 29th district afterwards. ''It seems that Mr. Erlin was deceived by those people. It seems that your punishment is more serious.'''' ''Mr. Geraci, what kind of scam have you been involved in?'' ''Hmm ...... would you like to know?'' Estella smiles a happy, slightly mocking smile. ''They asked me to use a whole sheet of information paper to write a feature on Gerasie Erin, a rare and famous lord who reformed trade with the outer districts, and while I was showing them around the mansion and the treasury, they stole a lot of things. ''Oh, that''s embarrassing. ''Moreover, whether the timing is good or bad, it seems that Ricardo and Medora-san were in the 29th district. ''So, you tried to use the hunting guild and the 41st district lord as a symbol of trade reform and were humiliated in front of them ......? ''Apparently so. The perpetrators are the man with the bad eyes who was caught and the two men who were dressed as soldiers this time. The leader of the group seemed to be giving orders behind the scenes. That guy was really a coward and was thinking of saving his own skin first. People like that are often vulnerable when they get dragged into a mess. ''But well, it''s Gerasie''s fault in general. ''Yashiro-san. It''s a pity to say such a thing. ......'' ''Because he deserved it, didn''t he?I''m sure he was talking about his achievements with a smug look on his face like nothing more than this anyway.'''' ''You were fooled trying to show off, that lord. It''s pitiful and uncool. ''If it''s ......, it''s a reaction to my high expectations and I''m very depressed. ''After all, it''s a bit pitiful, isn''t it? ''Really?It''s your fault for mistakenly thinking you were popular when you''re not, right? ''Delia, you shouldn''t be so blunt. Surprisingly, there are a lot of people who want to appear in information papers. Maybe they''ll start appearing as reader models. Oh, that''s right. Not a reader model, but ...... ''It looks like the last information paper has been suspended. ''Yes, they did. Because of incidents like this one.'' This time, Cantar Chica was targeted because of an information paper. A highly influential newspaper in BU. This was the first time it had featured something other than BU. Naturally, the attention in BU became very high. ''It seems that some people started to take an interest in the outer districts after New Road was built, and the combination of buzz and buzz caused a bit of a fever. ''Cantartica, the center of attention, would have a lot of money ......, which was the motive for the scammers to target Cantartica. ''I didn''t know that. ...... Mr. Paula, you''ve really gone through a lot of trouble. But I''m glad to hear that your money came back safely. Ginette patted her chest, relieved. It looks like it''s hard to stroke down. It seems to have a lot of resilience. ''But the sunlit pavilion was lucky, wasn''t it? Estella says as she unfolds an information paper that is now out of print and is even being collected. ''The two stores that appeared in the paper were Hidamari-tei and Cantartica, and Hidamari-tei wasn''t targeted, you know. ''No, that''s what .............'' It''s not easy to say, but Ginette averts her gaze. Estella tilted her head at such a gesture. ''''The Sunlit Pavilion was targeted, you know. Even before Cantartica.'' ''What?Are you sure, Ginette-chan? ''Ah,......, yes. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. There''s a reason why Jeannette is so out of sorts. In short, Ginette is a natural. ''They came to the sunshine pavilion while I went to see Gerasie. ''Yashiro to Mr. Erin?What did he want? ''...... That''s not the point. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I''m sure it''s because he was busy with the scam. I''ll have to go and bully her later. And the lord and the head waiter. ''And when I came back, ...... Magda and Loretta were looking blank. ''Hmm?Magda and Loretta?I don''t see what you''re talking about. ''...... Magda and the others will tell you about it from there.'' ''It''s about the unbelievable incident that happened that day. Magda and Loretta stand in a line where all eyes are on them, as if they were going on stage. ''...... When Yashiro was away, a man who seemed to be the leader of the con artists came to the store alone.'' ''He looked very upset and said something like this. ''Hey, girl!Do you know any cunning man with bad eyesight? It was the same line that Paula had been told. But here''s the difference. ''...... Hearing that line, the manager replied without hesitation. ''No, I have no idea. '''''''' What? '''''''' All the people who were there and didn''t know what was going on shouted in astonishment. You don''t have to be that surprised. ''...... At that time, Magda thought: ...... ''Oh, manager, you''re going to be a frog. ''I thought so too. ...... "That''s not going to happen," he said. No, no. But Yashiro is not a cheater, and his eyes are not bad either. ......'' ''No, Jeannette. Yashiro is a cheater, and his eyes are so bad that it''s not even enough to describe them as evil. ''Hey, Estella?Are you picking a fight?'' Well, whatever. As a starting point for their scam, they needed to create a person who had similar characteristics to their own and who could be caught by the soldiers. In a diner, but not in a bar, you can think of one or two such people. In terms of clientele. So he was trying to get money out of his acquaintance by staging a crisis. It was probably lucky for them that Paula had someone who was more interested in them than they thought. However, the fact that the person was me was their greatest misfortune. ''In the end, it was decided that it was not a good idea to feature it in such an information paper before we had even had a chance to interact with each other, so the latest issue went out of print and was collected. ''Mr. Paula, I hope you don''t mind. ......'' ''Don''t worry about it. Paula seemed to be a little relieved. ''It was a scary experience for her. ...... Maybe that''s not a bad thing.'' Ginette had a point. But that''s not all. Cantalcica''s customer base has grown remarkably. However, as the number of customers increases, the regulars feel uncomfortable. That''s why Paula wants to run the tavern the way it''s always been run. When Paula came to thank me, she said something like that as if it was an incident. She seemed to have a lot on her mind about this incident. ''But it''s a lovely city, isn''t it? Forty-two wards. Stand up straight and keep your chest out. Ginette said without a trace of doubt. ''Everyone can work together for the sake of one person. I don''t think that''s easy to do. ''Yes, it is. I''m proud of my people. ''I don''t want to play that role again, .......'' ''You''re still saying that, Norma. What''s wrong with you?I didn''t have much to do.'' ''I''m ......! He almost said it, swallowed his words, and glared at me resentfully. ''I can''t be a waiting woman who''s in love with ............ Yashiro.'' I thought it was a good role for me. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you.I don''t like it, you dirty bastard. ''What?No, you''re not!I''m a modest, lady-like woman, waiting for the right time and the right person to come along. ...... ''Ahhhh. It''s going to be a while before Norma''s wedding. ''Shut up, Delia! Really. I don''t know why this s*xy beauty is still unmarried. The people of the forty-two districts tend to be a little too disappointed in their sensibilities, don''t they? ''Speaking of which, the sisters didn''t get involved at all this time. ''As expected, I thought it would be wrong to involve Bertina in a scheme to deceive others. ''I don''t like the idea of letting her be a part of the scam. ''But the sisters have been praying for our safety. She told me this morning. She said she''s glad we''re all safe. In this town, each person has their own responsibilities. For example, we have Umaro, Becco and Imelda for making things. For example, Magda, Delia and Natalia for rough work. For example, when it comes to pleasing people, there''s Ginette, Milly and Bertina. ''And for cosplay, Norma ......''. ''I hear you. Stop bouncing your flue around in the palm of your hand. There''s no smoking in the restaurant. ''But there''s always that one softie in the middle, isn''t there? ''That''s you, Estella. ''I''m the lord, you know. Rather than being the center, I''m the one who encompasses the whole. ''Even though your breasts are not very receptive at all? ''Size has nothing to do with receptiveness! Stupid thing. How much stuff do you think you can fit in Jeannette''s cleavage? That''s the capacity!............ storage capacity? ''Next time, I''ll let you take a leisurely tour from the sidelines.'' ''Haha. I wonder if Jashiro can do that? ''He can, you idiot. ''Probably not.'' ''...... impossible.'' ''I don''t think so.'' ''You can''t, can you? ''Well, you can''t.'' People who think they know me, but don''t see the essence of what I do, say what they want. Who would willingly jump into a mess like that? I turned my gaze to Jeannette, the only one who had remained silent. ''Yes, you''re right. I''m sure you can''t.'' She said with a giggle. Ginette. You too? Well, it''s free to say. Go ahead and say it. I thought. ''Because in this case, Yashiro''s quick thinking prevented the situation from getting worse. He started to talk about something that made me itchy. ''When Yashiro heard that there was a suspicious person at the sunny pavilion, he pulled out a piece of information paper and said, "If the sunny pavilion has been targeted, then Cantarchica is also in danger. I''ll be back in a bit.'' He ran off into the night. Wow, Jeannette. It''s not like you''re imitating me. ...... I mean, why do people have to sound so rude when they imitate me?Do I have a voice like that? I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... "Paula. Show me the Conversation Record.'''' ''Huh?That''s what I wanted to say! Loretta and Magda took over Ginette''s story, explaining it in an overly theatrical manner. ''...... And Paula, tearfully asking for help. ''What?I''m not sure what to do.......I wanted to be your brother. ......'' ''......Paula, tearfully asking for help'' ''Ugh, okay. ....... I''m sorry. ''Yashiro ............ help me ......'' ''...... ''...... I''ll take care of it.'''' ''This is it!I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''...... even Magda got a kick out of it.'' ''Oh my god!You''re overreacting!I''m not doing it that way! He pulls Loretta and Magda away from the fuss. You guys, shut up already. Yashiro-san. I''m so itchy that I think I''ve got a parasite living in my spine, and Jeannette looks into my face to put an end to it. I think that''s very nice of you, Yashiro. He put his hands together and smiled like some kind of doll. It''s a great way to humiliate someone face to face. ...... ''I think it''s great that your big tits are slightly crushed from side to side when you cross your arms in front of you like that. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sorry!Please repent! Hmm. Your embarrassment and my itchiness are about even right now. If I''m repentant, you should be repentant too. It''s always me. Anyway, that''s settled. We can wait calmly for the New Road to be completed.'' ''I hope so.'' ''I''ll look forward to hearing from you, Yashiro, if you need anything. ''I''m going to charge you for this. ''I don''t have much to give you...'' The sullen lord chuckles. ''I thought there was a fee to touch your body? ''Huh!...... repent. Oh, my God, you are.'' She gently hid her modest breasts, which were not worth hiding, and turned her body around. How did they know that the first place I would touch would be ...... there? I''m sure you''ll all remember that if you rely on me, you''ll be in a lot of trouble later on. ''Oh, by the way, you...'' Perhaps bored with the summary of the incident, Delia suddenly changed the subject. ''I haven''t actually read that information paper yet...'' ''Is that so?I''ve already read it. ''No, I thought I could read it whenever I wanted. ''There''s a copy at the hardware guild, you can come and read it next time. ''Oh, I see. Sorry, no .......'' Before Delia could finish, several people started moving at the same time. ''Oh, in that case, I''ll give you one of my stock. ''...... just fine. Magda will give you one.'' ''I have a lot of them, so I''ll give you one! ''Oh well. I''ll share one of my collection with you. Up to this point, they were almost simultaneous. ''We really like the sunny pavilion, don''t we? We each have a dozen or so copies in our stock. Naturally, they were to be distributed to those who had missed the chance to read them. However, there was one person who was far more skilled than us. ''That ......''. Ginette quietly retreated to the kitchen and returned shortly after with a thick stack of papers. ''We have a lot of them, if you''d like. ''Ginette-chan, ...... how many of those are there? ''Well,......, I haven''t spent much of my allowance lately,......, so I just...'' ''Fifty ......, no, there are eighty of them! ''I''m about to reach ...... a hundred.'' ''The manager sometimes goes off at great speed. ......'' ''The manager''s love for the sunny pavilion is tremendous. ''As expected, I''m shocked too. ......'' ''No, no, that''s not it!When I saw the word ''sunny-side up'', I just got happy. ............ That ......... ...I''m sorry, I got carried away. There is a pile of out-of-print and discarded information papers in front of me. In this way, it seems as if the out-of-print edition is a lie. ''What''s the matter with you guys, after all? And then, Delia says the final word. ''You''re no different from the lords of the twenty-ninth district. I couldn''t argue with ............, considering how excited I was when I found out it was going to be in the paper. ''''''''''......You''re right. '''''''''' When things cool down a bit more, I might try to get a full-page feature on the Sunken Pavilion. I don''t know. 346-No additives Episode 1 Something is wrong with eve... It was the first ...... disturbance to occur since I became the lord of the 42nd district, or rather the first since I was born. It was quietly but surely creeping into this city, and gradually spreading the seeds of threat. Yes, just like a toxin that corrupts the body. Those who have been poisoned are not aware of it, and by the time they realize it, it is too late to get rid of it. Such a sweet, deadly poison. I don''t know when it started. But it was undoubtedly at that moment that I became aware of the commotion. That day. That day when an unlikeable person came to see me with an unlikeable serious face-- ''Miss Estella. You have a visitor.'' ''A visitor? The sun was setting and the sky was clear. The sun has already set, and the sky is dark. It''s about time to quit staring at the papers in my study, which means it''s too insane an hour to visit her. ''Even though I''ve become a lord, I''m still a lady, you know?I can''t meet someone who would come to visit me at such an insane time.'' ''That''s true, but ......'' Natalia stammered. If the visitor is Yashiro, Natalia will invite him in without asking my permission. If the visitor is Yashiro, Natalia will invite him in without my permission. ...... We may need to discuss this at length some day, though. But this time she came to ask me a question. It''s really unusual, but Natalia is having a hard time deciding. ''To tell you the truth, I''m a bit confused myself. Normally, I''d play a witty and slightly erotic joke on her and then turn her away. ......'' ''......In short, you''re in that category, aren''t you? ''But ......'' Natalia stammered, a complicated expression on her face. Her position as head waiter, where she should be fulfilling her duties, and the desire to listen to the wishes of her trusted friend, who was also most likely my friend. Her expression was as if she was torn between these two emotions. ''Okay. Let me through. If Natalia is unsure, then she must be the kind of person who would want to listen to her even if she disrupts the discipline, and if she is such a person, then I would want to help her. ''I apologize for that. I didn''t mean to leave the decision to Estella-sama. ''It''s all right. I''m a lord. The decision is mine to make.'' ''...... You''re getting stronger.'' ''Thanks to someone else...'' I give her a light smile without saying it. Natalia quietly bowed her head and left the study. Now, I wonder who''s going to show up. ...... I had a few faces in my head, but it was someone unexpected who actually showed up. ''I''m sorry to bother you so late at night. ''...... Loretta?'' And the unexpected visitor, with an unexpectedly mysterious look on his face, said the most unexpected thing of all. ''Actually, I''m thinking of leaving ............ the 42nd district. ''What? When she said that, Loretta''s face did not look like she was joking,......, but it was clear that she did not wish to do so, and that she was in serious trouble that she had to take even that into consideration. -- ''If you have a problem, you have someone to talk to before me, right? I offered some light-hearted advice to get rid of this strange feeling in my heart. ''You know, there''s a guy at your office who''s the biggest softy in town. ''No, ...... that .............'' I thought all would be well. No matter what Loretta''s problems were, I was sure he - Yashiro - would take care of them. But... ''I want you to keep this a secret from your brother. ''............What?'' That was the most unexpected thing he said. ****** ''Funny ......''. I couldn''t help but mutter to myself as I looked at the scene in front of me. ''Da~rin-chan. It would be great if you could hire Osina at this store. The trouble that I didn''t call for came rolling in on its own. Why is that? ...... I didn''t raise any flags there. I''m sure I''ve taken the initiative in snapping it off! I mean, I haven''t even been to the 41st district lately! ''Osina''s store is in complete and utter financial trouble. That''s why I''m thinking of shutting down the store and starting a second life. Why is that second life going to be in the sunny pavilion? ...... ''As far as Osina is concerned, the only thing I can do is cook. That''s why I''m changing jobs to make use of my skills. Osina was a cook who had a restaurant in the 41st district. She is a beautiful woman with brown skin and long black hair that gives her an oriental look, and her breasts are a C cup size. Oshina, who had set up her restaurant in an alley two streets back from the main street, the so-called "second street," a very good location in the 41st district, came to the sunlit pavilion with a large package because her business was in danger. ''Besides, it''s easier for Medora-chan to come to this store...'' That''s the biggest problem of all! This Osina is a calm, beautiful woman who always has a smile on her face, and she is also Medora''s best friend. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. Medora is so in love with Osina''s cuisine that she will only eat out at Osina''s restaurants. Just like Estella, who is in love with Ginette''s cooking. ''Go back to District 41. ''Cold ne~, Da~rin-chan~!'' Osina hugged me with tears in her smiling eyes, as if she had drawn a single line. Stop it!You''re too old for this! Yes, Osina looks like this, but she''s the same age as ...... Medora. She looks to be in her twenties, but her real age is ............ It''s called a beautiful witch. ...... Women are terrible. ''Anyway, we''ve got enough on our hands. We don''t need a newbie. ''Even a sous-chef would be fine, though, wouldn''t it? ''Are you aware that you''re being incredibly arrogant? I''m sure you''re aware that I''m being very generous. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''ve heard of it. Not only that, but we have a lot of helpers who can come to our aid in a pinch. Delia, Norma, Paula, and Nephrite. And the ham girls are also training on the floor. There is no shortage of people, no matter how you slice it. Even though ....... ''It''s not that we don''t have problems,......, these days. My gaze naturally drifts to a certain shopkeeper. ''Yes, beef cutlet is waiting for you! ''Oh, come on, Loretta. I ordered the grilled salmon set meal, remember? ''What''s ............?I''m sorry! ''Oh, that''s okay, that''s okay. Whatever you eat at the Sunlit Pavilion, it''s delicious.'' ''Yes, yes. Loretta, don''t worry about it.'' ''Heh, for a greasy-faced guy like you, a cutlet would be perfect. ''You''re right. ''Shut up, you guys. ''Oh, um, ...... I''m really, really sorry. '''''''' It''s okay, it''s okay. Loretta is cute, so I''ll forgive her for anything. '''''''' The four carpenters at Trubec Construction Company make sickening noises in perfect harmony. I''m not sure what to make of that. but ...... ''I knew there was something wrong with Loretta... ......'' ''N~?You''re worried about the fact that there''s no tsukkomi? Oh, no. That''s what''s bothering me. ''He''s the kind of guy who wouldn''t make a mistake like that. ''Wow, that normal girl gets high marks from Da-ling-chan. That''s great.'' Loretta is a guy who is always positive about her work and works hard. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. It should be ......, but... I''ve been making a lot of rudimentary mistakes like that lately. ''...... Loretta has been in a daze a lot lately.'' ''Oh, Magda. There you are.'' ''...... Ears on the wall, Magda behind.'' ''No, there''s no such proverb. ......'' I''ve been in that situation all the time. Magda''s got your back. ''Hmph~. Little, little, pretty girl...'' ''...... Hmmm, that''s it. ''I''m both the sign girl of the sunny pavilion and the mascot girl of the 42nd district! I''m sure you''ve heard of her. I''m sure it''s only in that fox''s mind that it''s boiling, judging by the ending of that word. ...... Magda''s primary source is often Umaro. That''s some biased reporting. Well, it''s cute that no one is harmed by it. ''So, are you out of your mind? ''I''m at ....... Yesterday, when Becco, Usse, and Pompeo came to the store one after another in the afternoon, Loretta did not say ''Welcome''. ''Isn''t it possible that she dared to ignore them? ''...... It''s not impossible. But Loretta is not the type to do that. ''I guess. He would have played with her in a more obvious way.'' ''It''s safe to play with customers, isn''t it, here. It''s funny. ''...... Greeting customers when they arrive is a basic part of the customer service industry. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your visit. ''Oh, you''re absolutely right. Even the lowest of the low needs to have a minimum.'' ''Hmmm, interesting business policy. While Osina was shaking her shoulders happily and Magda and I were pondering rather seriously, Assunto came into the store. ''I''m sorry. Oh, thank God. Mr. Yashiro is here. ''Oh, no.'' ''...... Hmm, I''m stuck.'' ''Um, ...... I''ll order properly, can you at least serve me? ''Pfft, pfft, pfft! Assunto, who I hadn''t even welcomed, strode into the restaurant without permission. Trespassing. I think I''ll turn him in to the neighborhood watch. When I looked down the hall at ......, there was no sign of Loretta. She seems to have gone into the kitchen. ''I''d like to ask you a few questions. ''The color of your wife''s underwear?'' ''...... Are you interested in that? ''No, not particularly, but if you insist on telling me, I''m all ears. ''I can''t tell you, sir. It''s a top secret.'' ''So you do know. You saw it, didn''t you?Erotic. ''...... obscenity.'' ''I can''t think of the best answer, whether to tell you not to proceed on the assumption that you''ve seen it or to tell you that it''s not a problem since you''re a married couple, but please stop for now. It will affect my reputation. Assunto folded his arms with a difficult look on his face. A sigh escapes from the pig''s nose. Osina, who was sitting across from me, stood up and gave up her seat to Assunto. She then came and sat down next to me in the chair with a smile on her face. ...... It''s not that I was caring, this is. I''m not sure what to say. ....... Normally, water is served to visitors at such times, but ............ Loretta is still not in the hall. I''m not sure if you think that Magda''s presence will be a problem,......, but I''m sure that he would have checked the situation in the hall himself and acted on his own initiative, instead of leaving it to others. ''Sorry, Assunto. Do you have a minute before we talk?'' ''Yes?Yes, sir? I tell him with my eyes that I don''t want to talk to you, and I turn to the kitchen. ''Loretta, water for the customers! ''Yes, sir! Loretta came out in a panic. She is holding a pitcher of water in her hand. But she looks at me and puffs up her cheeks. ''Magda, you''re here, aren''t you? Then why don''t you do it for me,'' he seems to say. But that''s not right anymore. No matter who was there, Loretta said, ''I''ll do it! I''ll take care of it! Especially when it came to the Sunlit Pavilion. I knew there was something wrong with this guy. ''Yes, Mr. Assunto. Here''s your water.'' ''Thank you very much. ''By the way, you didn''t hear me say "Welcome", did you? ''No, I didn''t.'' ''Say it properly, sir! ''...... Sorry. Magda doesn''t have a very good impression of Assunto, so she doesn''t want to give him a heartfelt service. ......'' ''Um, Magda, ...... even if you''re joking, it''s a little hurtful, so please don''t do that.'' ''......You can have the ''judgment of the spirits'' applied to you.'' ''The Spirit God will not judge you for your personal feelings!......''s, before, I''m so hurt by your confident way of saying that! If you say ''I don''t like you'' to someone you like, it will not be caught by the ''Spirit God''s judgment''. It is a matter that cannot be judged by the Conversation Record. But I can tell you this. Magda doesn''t like Assunto that much! ''Magda. Meetu.'' ''I don''t dare ask what you agreed to, but since you''re here as a customer, can''t you please treat me accordingly? ...... Your face, it''s so close. ''So, Mr. Assunto. Are you ready to order?'' ''Yes,......, let''s have a curry.'' ''Yes, sir!...... curry...... curry...... curry......'' Perhaps in response to his earlier mistake, he ruminated on his order in a whisper so as not to make a mistake. ''Curry ...... is mellow and fragrant, rich and full of flavor, a perfect collaboration of spiciness and deliciousness that will make you experience paradise when you take a bite. ......... ...sizzling.'' Loretta was drooling and her stomach was growling loudly. I''m sure she''s hungry. ''......The spicy spices are very appetizing. ......'' ''......tacos'' ''......So,tacos. That spicy salsa sauce wraps your tongue in happiness and ......'' Loretta turns back to the kitchen, mumbling. ...... or Magda. Why did you mumble ''taco''? ''Maybe it''s just my imagination, but I have a feeling that ...... tacos are about to be served.'' ''That''s odd. I get that feeling too.'' ''Well, I don''t mind tacos. I''m not too picky about food. ''I''ve been in a bit of a daze lately. ''Are you Loretta? ''Yes. Maybe you should give her a break. ''I guess so. No matter how much you like it, your strength is limited. You''ll get tired, and if you try to get through it just by liking it, you might get sick. ...... Why am I in the position of listening to you, Yashiro-san?I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. He must have thought that if he kept talking, he wouldn''t be able to talk about himself. How self-centered of him. ''...... pig-chu'' ''What''s with the cute swear words? I''m rather pleased. You''re right, it''s become a nuance like some loose character. It''s unpleasant. ''So, what''s the story? What''s the story? ''Actually, it''s a story in the forty-first ward. ......'' ''Don''t bring the problems of other wards into the forty-second ward. ......'' ''No, there''s a possibility that it''s not just a fire on the other side of the river.'' Most of the time, it''s a troublesome or annoying problem that Assunto goes out of his way to give advice. He''s not the kind of guy who would come here to waste time and effort. ''I don''t want to ask, but I''ll ask. ''So, ....... There was an incident where a peddler working in the forty-first district was attacked. ''Attack? In the event that you''ve been listening to the information, Magda and Oshina''s expressions become slightly stiff. ''Raids themselves are a common occurrence. There are a lot of incidents where people from rogue guilds, people who don''t have a permanent place of residence, and miscreants from other places target money and food. ''It''s quite disturbing, isn''t it? ''''It''s the kind of incident that you wouldn''t come across in the 42nd district. It''s not that uncommon outside of here. Do your job, vigilante. ''The peddlers who deal in luxury goods even hire skilled bouncers,......, but let''s leave that aside for now. The important thing now is ......''. ''The case of the attack on the peddler in the forty-first district, huh? ''Yes. He is a merchant who mainly trades in food, and he was carrying a variety of food in his cart at the time. That''s when he was attacked. The bandits robbed him of a large sack full of food by themselves. ''Well, the merchant was not injured, and the damage was not cheap, but it was not so great that it could be called serious. It''s a painful loss, but it''s not enough to make a big deal out of the guild. At least, it is not enough to put a bounty on the bandit''s head. ...... I didn''t know there was such a system. Thank goodness I don''t have a bounty on my head. I was on the wanted list when I first came here. I''ve been wondering about a certain ...... word the bandit said in that story. Assunto held up a finger to get our attention. He leaned forward and waited for the next words. ''I heard that the bandit said this - "Do you have any popcorn?"'' ''...... popcorn.'' Magda whispers. The name of his specialty must have escaped his lips at the mention of it. The bandits were after the popcorn. In Japan, this would be a funny story, but popcorn was a revolutionary food for the districts around here, where sweetness was scarce. At least, it has become a hot sweet in the wards from 42 to 35, where Yodari-tei used to pull its stall. In the 35th district, the sweets are more famous than cakes. We couldn''t even sell cakes in the other side. So, the merchant who was attacked by the bandits accidentally slipped up. If you want to eat popcorn, go to District 42. These words naturally made my spine tense up. The bandits are in ...... the 42nd district? ''Naturally, I gave strict instructions to the merchant who spoke carelessly. ......'' ''Well, you''re in charge of this whole area, aren''t you?'' ''Yes. I''m in charge of the forty-second to forty-second districts, where the fashion originated.'''' ''......, that''s an incredibly positive way of looking at it.'' I thought it used to be the three poorest districts. ''Anyway, there are some bandits with a sweet tooth who are after the popcorn, so I guess we should be careful with the sunshine pavilions and mobile stalls.'' ''Yes, sir. If anything should happen to Sunlit Pavilion or any of you, I''m prepared to make a large claim for compensation to ...... headquarters.'''' Assunto''s eyes are serious. If the comments of a vendor in the area under Assunto''s jurisdiction were to be the start of something, and if by mistake the people involved with the Sun Goddess Pavilion were to be harmed or even injured, the blame would fall on Assunto, and his personal feelings might even damage the friendly relationship between us... ...or something like that. ''If you try to damage my friendship with ...... Yashiro-san, I''ll ...... crush you, even if it''s headquarters. ''Don''t raise me up on your own. You''re not the kind of person who takes priority over Headquarters. I''m a little scared of your evaluation of me. ''If there''s anything wrong, please contact us immediately. If you want, we can form an escort team and dispatch it! ''You don''t have to do that. ...... Well, I''ll let you know as soon as something happens.'' ''Huh. ...... Not at all. Young people these days are careless or lack a sense of urgency. ......'' Assunto let out an old man''s small talk. I''m sure he would have thought that if he had been in this neighborhood before I arrived, his careless comments would have strangled us, and at worst could have led to the collapse of the guild. ''...... Are you a peaceful person? That''s it. Assunto gulped down his glass of water in frustration. But aren''t you the one who''s lost his peace? In the past, you would''ve thoroughly educated yourself in that area. But lately, you seem to be eager to handle and expand sales channels for bean sauce and other new products, and you don''t seem to be holding seminars to win over others. According to Assunto, ''It''s a waste of time to spend time learning skills you don''t need. I''ve rounded up, really. Thank you for your patience. Loretta returns to our table just as Assunto has finished complaining. As she holds out a plate of freshly prepared food, she tells Assunto the name of the dish. ''It''s Neapolitan! ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' Me, Magda, Osina and Assunto all stare at the Neapolitan on our plates in silence. ''Oh, what is it?What''s wrong?It looks really delicious, so eat it before it gets cold. ''Um, no, well, there''s nothing wrong with it, but ...... what''s wrong with this ............'' Although Assunto is not particular about his food, he could not hide his confusion about this. If it had been tacos, he could have said, ''I knew it! ...... ''Ms. Loretta. If you''re feeling tired, can I get you something to help you stay energized? ''Huh?No, no, I''m fine.What''s wrong with you, Mr. Assunto? ''You''re the one who''s upset, Loretta. ''...... What?'' He really doesn''t know what''s going on. ''Magda, tell him. ''...... Assunto ordered the curry.'' ''What?......Sure, did he?'' ''......And Magda blurted out tacos.'' ''H...... bloke?'' I''m not sure what to make of that. This is a serious situation at last. ''Um, everyone. What''s wrong? Ginette, who must have finished her work in the kitchen, came out into the hall. She walks slowly over to our table. ''Shaking her large bulge,'' she said. ''Mr. Yashiro. Since this is a situation like this, why don''t you behave yourself? ''Da~rin-chan, for better or for worse, you''re never shaky.'' ''......It''s Yashiro, so it can''t be helped.'' ''............'' I''m not going to participate in ......! In this kind of situation, Loretta has always come up with something to say in order to get a piece of the action. It has always been that way, and more importantly, Loretta herself must have really liked this kind of behavior. And yet, this time, she didn''t respond. Or rather, she doesn''t even seem to notice. ''...... This is a serious situation. Magda raises her eyebrows. To make that expressionless Magda raise her eyebrows is ...... a pretty big deal. ''Loretta. If you have any problems, you can talk to us at .......'' ''No, I''m not worried about anything! Loretta interrupted me and waved her arms in an exaggerated manner. What kind of situation is it that you''re not worried about? ...... ''Loretta-san.'' Ginette slowly walks up to Loretta, who shows a blatantly strange reaction. She does her best to look normal, not hiding her concern. ''I don''t mean to force you, but if something happens and you feel like you''re having a hard time, please remember that we''re here for you, Loretta. Then, he gently laid his own hand on Loretta''s hand. She bent her fingertips lightly and grasped her hand with a strength that asserted that she was not overstepping, but that she was firmly here. In response to Ginette''s words, Loretta said: ...... ''It''s ......, it''s okay, it''s .......'' She averted her gaze. It''s something she can''t talk about with us. Ginette''s eyebrows twisted sadly. ''...... I see.'' She said quietly, forcing her voice to be cheerful. ''Then let''s continue to work hard, shall we? ''......Yes, sir.'' If you don''t want to talk, don''t ask. And so, in Ginette''s own way, she shows her concern by telling him to go about his day as usual. Well, Loretta is a girl of her age. She may have some problems that she doesn''t feel comfortable talking about. If you poke and prod her too much, she may end up becoming more difficult to deal with. ...... Should we keep a close eye on her for a while longer? However, Magda is looking very ''curious! But since Magda looks like she''s very curious, she''s probably going to watch her carefully without Loretta noticing. It seems that she can gather information and at least find out what''s bothering Loretta. It would be one way to decide how to deal with her after knowing that. ''Well, why don''t you eat your bribe while there are few customers? Magda can go with you.'' ''...... Hmm. Then I think Magda will have a curry.'' ''Magda, is that a dig at me or something?I don''t mind if you do.'' Assunto let out a wry smile. In the slightly relaxed atmosphere, Ginette''s question went to Loretta. ''So, Loretta, what would you like to eat? ''Well, I''m ...... going to have to wait until later! ...... Funny. The bribes are taken at random times, depending on the number of customers. It is necessary to take it while you can, not only for your own sake, but also for the sake of the other members. It''s not just for you, but for the rest of us as well. ...... The Loretta of the past would never have said that. ''Oh, um,......, I''m in the mood to eat alone,............, hahahaha.'' You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''...... Then I''ll eat alone.'' Magda sulked. It''s so easy to understand why he''s sulking, and he''s wagging his tail like he wants attention as he heads for the kitchen. But Loretta doesn''t respond to this obvious appeal for attention. ''Aaah!I didn''t mean it like that!All right, I''ll eat with you!I''d rather you eat with me! I was expecting ...... a reaction like that, but ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. He said that and quickly left our seats. ''Is something wrong, sir? Ginette looks like she''s about to cry, worried about Loretta''s obvious strangeness. You''re right. ...... Loretta used to be like this ...... when she was worried about her younger siblings'' lack of employment, and when she was being sticky with a vicious landlord ...... ''You''re not in debt, are you?'' ''Huh? ''Oh, no. I can''t be sure. It''s just a parable.'' ''So it''s .......'' Ginette breathed out a sigh of relief, but her expression remained dull. Debt is hard, you know. But if that''s the case, then it makes sense why she hasn''t told us. ''Because I don''t want to get in trouble'' sounds like something he''d think of. Or maybe he''s trying to get into debt with someone we don''t know, someone very important to him. ...... It''s also possible that he has a loved one somewhere who owes him a lot of money,....... Assunto raises a similar possibility to the one I was thinking of. He was thinking about the same thing at the same time. ''If you''re on the same page, if you''re thinking of getting married, you might want to try to do something about it on your own. ''Is there such a person in Loretta-san''s life ......?'' ''No, no. That''s just a metaphor. I can''t be sure. Not at all. There''s no way that Loretta would be indulging in a man from who knows where. If there is such a man, I should have him come to me first to say hello. I''m also Loretta''s big brother. I''m like a guardian, you know. ''...... Assunto. Can you think of any suitable people to wash around Loretta? ''Um, Yashiro-san,......, for example?It''s not a given that Loretta has a bad bug, so don''t look like such an evil god ......, okay? No, no, but... Recently, Loretta''s mood has changed a bit. She''s gone from the boisterous, energetic girl she used to be to a more ladylike girl with a slight shadow. ............ Love?Is it love? ''.................. Assunto, where is the weapon shop? ''Yashiro, let''s calm down!It''s not a problem, Loretta, if such a person existed in the unlikely event that it did, you would have reported it to Yashilo first! I can no longer leave it to others. Just when I turned my gaze directly to ...... Loretta to keep an eye on her. ''...... ah''. Like a puppet with a broken string, Loretta fell to the floor. ''Loretta! A chair collapses and makes a noisy noise. Ginette and I rushed over at the same time, and Magda came running after us. When we picked her up, Loretta''s face was completely white. I don''t think I can take the time to check on her. 347-No additives Episode 2 Accelerating discomfort I picked up the fallen Loretta. She frowns and closes her eyelids in pain, as if she''s fainting. Her breathing is shallow. I''d like to take her to bed because she''s going to get cold if I leave her lying here,......, but first. Observe Loretta''s face. Loretta''s lips were chapped. If you put your finger on her cheek, you can see that her skin is also a little rough. Pressing her cheek down lightly with her thumb, she peered behind her lower eyelid. This part of the eyelid, which would normally appear red with capillaries showing through, was completely white. This was evidence that the blood had not circulated to the head. ''Jeannette. Warm up some milk and bring it to her. Put a lot of sugar in it.'' ''Yes, sir.'' At my instruction, Ginette hurried off to the kitchen. ''...... Yashiro. Loretta is .......'' Magda picks me up by the shoulders. She rubs her tail against my back, perhaps as a sign of anxiety. ''I''m fine. It''s just anemia.'' ''...... Anemia?'' Loretta''s symptoms were clearly those of anemia. In addition, the lack of vitamins due to not eating enough was evident on her skin and lips. He probably hasn''t eaten. ''............n......'' Loretta twisted in my arms. ''Did you notice that? ''Heh...... big brother......?'' She looks up at me with vacant eyes, moves her head in a slow motion to assess her situation, ''Huh? He makes a strange noise. ''Oh, oh, oh, oh, big brother ......, this is, this is...? ''Calm down.'' ''I''m poking you! ''All right, I know you''re upset, so stop poking my tits. Don''t poke my tits. Just calm down. Loretta tried to sit up quickly, perhaps out of embarrassment, but as soon as she escaped my arms she slumped to the floor again, dizzy. If you move too quickly, you''ll collapse. I''ve been waiting for you, Yashiro-san. Ginette comes back with a large cup of steaming water. ''Loretta. Drink it slowly. Magda, let her sit down.'' ''...... Okay.'' ''Oh, um, Magda, I''m fine with ...... me, I''m fine with ...... you.'' ''...... Shut up.'' Magda is a little bent over Loretta, who is not saying anything. She looks unhappy and dismisses Loretta''s claims. Magda is angry with Loretta even though her main focus is on ''Loretta is important''. You guys are really best friends, aren''t you? A large cup of hot milk is placed in front of Loretta, who is seated nearby. Loretta looks puzzled, not understanding the situation. She looked at Jeannette, then at Magda, and finally at me, probably because she couldn''t get me to say anything. ''Just drink it.'' ''Um, but ......''. ''Drink it.'' ''...... Yes. I''ll have it.'' As if she had given up, she held the cup in both hands, gently put her mouth on it, and sipped the milk. ''How sweet!It''s so sweet, isn''t it? The hot milk seems to be so sweet that Loretta, who has a sweet tooth, is surprised. Well, that''s about right for you right now. Drink it all. ''Yes, ......, but .......'' ''That''s an order. Drink it.'' ''.................. yes.'' He''s being very forceful. And he''s staring at you with the scariest face possible. If this were a Japanese company, this would certainly be considered power harassment. But no matter. I don''t care if Loretta hates me or not. I''ll take it in stride. Just make sure you drink it down. The milk will provide a mucosal barrier for your upset stomach. Drinking it on an empty stomach will help prevent stomach upset. An upset stomach will show up on your skin and lips. Warm milk will help soothe the stomach. And the sugar is converted directly into energy. ''Drink it and go home for the day. ''What? ''Go home, eat, and get a good night''s sleep. ''But, but it''s only noon and there''s still ...... an evening peak later on! ''You''re only going to annoy the customers now.'' ''Oh, you''re ............ annoying,......? It''s a little harsh, but I''m sure he won''t rest unless I say so. If he collapses during a busy time, the load on Magda and Jeannette to follow him will increase, and the customers will be worried. It would also make them wait for their food. More importantly, if he collapsed while we were busy, we might not find him until later. ''I won''t allow you to return to work until you''re feeling better. If you keep pushing yourself any harder, you''ll really break down. Anyway, you need to rest now. ''............'' Perhaps because of the harsh things she was being told by me, Loretta kept her head down and remained silent. But it''s not good to be vague here. The Sunlit Pavilion is a company. It''s not a place where we can just sit around and get along. And no matter how good she is at her job, no matter how much she likes it, Loretta is just an ordinary girl. We can''t let her recklessness destroy her body. If she has any problems, she should solve them first, recover her strength and energy, and then devote herself to her work. If you don''t want to talk to us, that''s fine. Just make sure you get it right. I''ll give you that much credit. And we''ll be waiting. ...... and, well... I''m not the one in charge of saying that,....... I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. So much for the whip. I''ll leave the rest to you, candy man. ''Loretta-san. Ginette, accurately reading my intentions, looks into Loretta''s face and says in a gentle voice. ''Whenever you feel that you are okay, please come back to us. Whenever and however you want, the Sunken Pavilion and we will be here, waiting for you. Your place is here. So go rest in peace. Ginette conveyed these thoughts in simple words. You''ll have to do the same for me and Magda. ''...... Yes, sir. .................. I''m sorry.'' After muttering with her head down, Loretta drank the hot milk slowly and slowly without saying a word. Then she bowed her head and left quietly. ''...... Will you be all right, Loretta-san? ''The anemia itself wasn''t that serious. It''ll get better after you eat and sleep. ......'' It''s the mental aspect that''s the problem. He''s been eager to work since he first came here. It must be very hard for him to be turned away like this. Besides, the problems he''s having - those are things we can''t touch. ''If he were a stranger, I could force my way on him and take him in a positive direction. It could be the manager of a poor diner who was a sycophant and was always taking on the burden of hardship and misfortune, a corn farmer who was about to give up on life because he was stuck with no more customers, a couple who had been separated for a long time because of a silly friction between nobles and subhumans, or two stubborn sisters of a malted rice maker. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ...... This approach, for better or worse, will change the way people live. It is truly an unconventional reform. I''m sure you can''t and shouldn''t ...... take such a forceful approach to Loretta, who loves this place and is loved by this place. There is no one here who wants Loretta to change her position. Of course, if Loretta herself wants to do so, I will not stop her. ...... I''m not going to stop her if she wants to, but if I''m going to disrupt her daily life, I''m going to choose to sit back and wait. I''ll wait as long as it takes for Loretta to talk to me. ''Would you like me to do some research? Assunto says as he takes a big bite out of his Neapolitan. ''I know a few of the moneylenders, so I think I can at least find out if the name Loretta Hewitt is familiar to you. He said this as he hurriedly ate his Neapolitan and wiped his reddened mouth. ''They are also in business, so I don''t think they know all the details, but I''m sure they can accommodate you to a certain extent. ''Well, ...... just in case, please. It might be a waste of time. ''Wouldn''t it be more pleasant if it was a waste of time? As if time is money, Assunto stood up quickly and walked towards the exit. ''As for me, it would be more profitable if the 42nd district, especially the sunny pavilion, were always in peace and quiet, and this is also for the sake of business. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. Before he closes the door, he looks back and adds the following words. ''Please be careful with the bandits. With a bow, Assunto left. How dare he... ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... Depending on how well you do this time, I may have to give you a second look. Magda seems to have had a little bit of an epiphany about Assunto''s willingness to work for Loretta. I''m sure he wasn''t the kind of guy who would work for free,......, but I wonder if he really thinks that the peace of mind of the sunlit pavilion will lead to profit. ''I''m worried about Loretta, but ...... I''m sure she''ll get better and come back soon. I believe that. So don''t worry too much about her. So don''t worry too much. ''Well, the thing to think about now is how to get through the evening peak. ''Well, what we should be thinking about now is how to get through the evening peak. ''...... We can get through it if we have another Magda.'' ''We don''t have another Magda, so we''re thinking about what to do.'' ''Do we call ...... Norma or Delia?'' ''I guess so. ......'' We don''t want to rely on them too much, though: ...... ''Hi haaay!There''s a reassuring helper here! ...... Yeah. I''ve been thinking about what to do since I don''t want you to get involved. I''ve been thinking about what to do because I don''t want you involved. ''I''ll call my sister for now, while I contact Delia at ......''. As I was making my plan, my sisters came rushing into the sunlit pavilion. Five of them, one after the other. Hammaro is at the end of the line. ''Oniichan! ''A summons for immediate action! A summons means ...... Maybe he ran into Loretta on his way home and was told to go help her because she was short on staff. ''Did you see Loretta? ''Hey, sweetie? ''I haven''t seen her! ''No one has seen her! ''Petite separation since this morning! ''Petite family separation! ''The Hewitt family is falling apart! ''You just left for work this morning. ......'' That''s no way to break up a family. But these guys haven''t seen Loretta. The older sisters are the ones who are supposed to be waitresses at the Sunshine Pavilion. These are the younger sisters. They are not old enough to help in the hall. In other words, they are not the replacements that Loretta sent. So what is the ''urgent summons'' ......? ''Cantartica is on fire! ''Severe shortage of staff! ''We''ve got a lot of work to do with our customers! ''With the commander absent, the morale of the battlefield has fallen! ''The floor and kitchen are in turmoil with the master alone! ''Temporarily closed, no time to lose! ''Wait a minute!The commander''s absence means .......'' That means... ''You mean Paula''s not in the store? ''Yeah! ''Paula, I''m down! What? ''Your face was all pale! ''You were trembling! ''It looked like it was really hard! ''I couldn''t stand up! ''Even his tail wasn''t healthy! ''It was like a newborn fawn! Paula collapsed. ...... That alone is a big deal, but ...... The fact that Paula collapsed, too, stirs up unpleasant imaginations. ''And he wants to ask the lady to help him! ''Let me out, lady! ''This is a big deal! ''It''s a high priority! ''I''ve been indebted to you, Cantar Chica! ''I''m returning my sister''s favor! ''Hey, guys! Ginette stands in front of the boisterous hamsters. ''Actually, Loretta was not feeling well, so she had to leave ...... early today.'' '''''''''' What the heck? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not going to tell you what I think, but I''m going to tell you what I think so that you don''t get worried. ''I wonder if there is any connection between their poor health and ......? And. I don''t know if there is a causal relationship, but Paula and Loretta are relatively close. They go shopping together when they are not working. By the way, I remember you saying that the three of you, including Nepheli, had a ''sleepover party for modern girls'' before. On the same day, Magda had a joke sleepover party with Norma and Natalia called "Adult Girls'' Night Out". ...... Magda. Is that the category you''re in? Anyway, Loretta and Paula, who are rather close to each other, both collapsed. Even if it''s just a coincidence, it''s something to keep in mind. There''s always the possibility of a contagious disease like the flu. ''Anyway, let''s send some men from here.'' ''That''s right. If it''s just manpower, Hammy and the others can handle it, but it''s essential to have someone in charge who can give orders.'' Yes. At present, the skills of the ham girls have become very high. I''ve heard that they''ve gotten so good that Umaro has entrusted them with the machining of important places. But they are still children. No matter how skilled they are, they are not yet mature enough to take responsibility. Naturally, I don''t allow them to do irresponsible work, and they don''t either. But the weight of personal responsibility is too different from that of the field. Only when there is a proper commander can the hamsters show their potential. ''d*mn ......, we''re about to enter the peak of the evening. ''It can''t be helped, sir. Besides, Cantalcica-san''s time is now. Cantalcica is a tavern. It''s busiest after dark. It''s so crowded that they can only handle it with the help of Paula and the master, and lately they''ve been screaming with joy that they can''t run it without the help of the ham girls. Maybe I should go out there and do it myself. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...'' ''Well, if it''s evening, could you ask Nepheli-san to help us?Mr. Nephrite sometimes helps Cantartica. ''Is that so? ''Yes. You mentioned something like that once. ''Nephrite. He said he wasn''t good at cooking, but he''s perfect at customer service. It''s true that with Nephrite, I can leave the hall to him and give instructions to the ham girls while I work in the kitchen and hall. ...... ''Good. Then, Nephrite and I will take care of the other side. So, the sunlit pavilion is ......'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sure Magda and I will be able to protect the sunlit pavilion. ''......We look forward to the activities of Magda, who has recently begun to emerge as a leader. It''s going to be tough, but with these two, we''ll get through it. ''Call Natalia if you can''t help yourself. She''ll take care of it.'' ''But I''m sure you''re busy. ...... As expected, Natalia is ......'' ''If Estella is too busy to come to the Sunken Pavilion, you can tell her that you''ll deliver the food, and Estella will free up Natalia''s body even if she''s forced to.'' ''...... Mm. It''s always a good idea to cram as much work as you can into as many people as you can. ''So, we''ll try to get through this on our own as best we can, okay? However, either Delia or Norma will need to come. ''Hammaro-san. Are there any of your siblings available tonight? ''Hammaro?'' ''Um, ...... is that ...... there?'' ''I''ll ask him! ''Then, if any of you are free, please come to the Sun Goddess Pavilion and Cantar Chica. Please let them know.'' ''I''m on it!I feel like a walking carrier pigeon! Hammaro ran out of the store with all hands in the air. It''s noisy. ''Oh no! Osina could help too... ......'' Ignoring Osina, who was alone and indignant, he gave instructions to the remaining five sisters. They''re probably just there to help Cantar Chica, so I''ll take them with me. ''Someone go get Nephrite. It''s important. I''ll explain it to him in Cantartika.'''' ''''Yes!'''' Just as the two sisters raised their hands and were about to open the door, a man came running into the sunlit pavilion with more noise than Hammaro who had just left. ''An-chan!What''s going on? Percy, the sugar maker, comes at me with his nose in a rage, his well-made eyes bloodshot red, and his shoulders heaving with anger. ''Explain to me what you mean about Mr. Nephrite collapsing and falling asleep, seriously! I couldn''t help but make eye contact with Jeannette. I was too surprised to know what expression to make. I stared at Ginette with that look on my face. I''m sure I have that look on my face, too. After Loretta and Paula, even Nephrite collapsed ......? Something disturbing is about to happen ...... in this 42nd district. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. 348-No additives Episode 3 Great struggle at unfamilia... ''I don''t have time for this. Percy, give me a short answer.'' He grabs Percy by the shoulders and pulls him closer as if to corner him. ''Oh, oh, oh, ......,'' said a confused Percy. So don''t worry about that, just answer the questions that are asked of you. Okay?I''m listening. ''You''ve been monitoring Neffely''s activities, haven''t you? ''No, I wasn''t monitoring him!I was just ...... staring at him from a distance. ......'' ''I don''t care about the definition!You were watching, weren''t you? I don''t have time to talk about irrelevant things. It''s a yes or no question. Don''t waste your time! ''This,...... these days,...... Molly''s been so annoying,...... that if you don''t do your job properly, you should officially give up your position as president. I''ve been stuck in the 40th arrondissement lately,...... because I''m not doing my job properly,...... because it''s disrespectful to my employees and my clients. ......'' ''So you have no idea why Neffery collapsed, do you? ''Oh, if I did, I wouldn''t have come to you to ask! ''I see. ......'' You used to stalk me relentlessly when I didn''t matter. ...... ''You''re a useless raccoon! ''That''s terrible, you!I''d stare at you all the time if I could!But Molly scares me, too!When she gets angry, she''s ......! ''Jeannette. ''Yes.'' ''Yes,'' I said, ignoring Percy, who had started talking nonsense, ''I''m going to change the plan. ''Can you make Nephrite something to keep him alive?You can give it to the ham girl later.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll make him some hot rice.'' ''And Magda. Go get Delia as soon as you can. She said if work gets delayed, I''ll make it up to her later. Sorry, no vetoes.'' ''...... I understand. I''ll be back in four and a half minutes.'' No sooner had he said that than Magda disappeared from the store. The sound of Magda''s footsteps, which had taken off at breakneck speed, could no longer be heard. ''When Delia arrives, have Magda go get Norma and Regina. ''Yes, sir. I think we might need Regina''s help.'' All I could think of was how bad it was going to get. The flu is scary, but the plague, dysentery, typhoid fever, malaria, ...... even with improved sanitation, this is a different world where medicine has not advanced. Even the sewage system is only the primitive and simple one I told you about. If an epidemic spreads, ...... there will be nothing we can do. ''Oh, you!If you want to visit Nephrite, I''ll even go and take care of him!No, there''s no need to be shy! ''Idiot. How can I let a man see me when I''m sick? If you don''t take care of them, they''ll seriously hate you. ''So, ...... much, huh? Neffery is a normal girl, especially in her sensitive period when she is sensitive to fashion and trends. You don''t want the opposite s*x to see you in bad shape. ''I''d be relieved if Millie went to take care of her. ...... Millie, can you please go for a while ......'' ''I''ll think about visiting Nephrite. Millie, I''ll ask her if it''s possible. ''I''ll go ask her if it''s possible! ''Thank you very much. Then, please wait a little while while I write you a letter. ''Yes! The ham girl''s impetuous explanation would probably not convey accurate information. This, the current urgent situation. That''s probably why Jeannette said she would write the letter. You''re thinking properly about people''s abilities and how to use them effectively. That''s my girl, manager. ''Hey, hey, you!Isn''t there anything I can do for you?I''ll do anything!This is a big deal for the 42nd district, right?District 42 is the one who brought our factory back to life. What''s the point of being in charge of a sugar factory if you don''t do anything for that benefactor!Don''t you think so? Hot. There''s not much you can do even if you''re enthusiastic. She can''t even cook, clean or serve customers. People who need to be followed when they are busy are fettered by ............. ''Then go explain the situation to Estella. It''s still undecided, but it''s an unusual situation that may require the entire district to take action. ''Oh, oh!I''ll take care of it!'' ''Can you explain it properly? ''I''ll be fine!I''ll check the Conversation Record! Percy left the store as hurriedly as he had arrived. ...... Well, that''s the best way to be sure, but ............ you should make some effort yourself. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get your message across. ...... I''m sorry. ''...... Yashiro, explain to Delia, Magda go get Norma.'' Delia and Magda walked in, replacing Percy. ''Oh, wait, Magda!Go get Regina too! ''...... Regina?............ I see. I understand.'' I nodded and Magda took off. He''s flying at full speed. He''ll probably pass Percy on the way. ''Sorry, Delia. Did you have a good day at work?'' ''I was going to do some night fishing later, but I decided to postpone it a bit. Omero and the others said that the matter of Yashiro was more important. They ...... probably thought that if they didn''t say so, Delia would be upset because she was worried about our big deal. ...... Well, thank you, but... I''m sorry. I''ll help you with the fishing that night, and you can help me with this today. ''Really?I can go night fishing with Yashiro?I''ll do it!I''ll help with this one a lot! I don''t know what it is, but he looks really happy. Is that it? Kids get excited when they do things outside at night, like festivals, fireworks, and evening gatherings, so I guess he''s like that. ''Yes. I''ve written a letter. Now, please give this to Millie-san. ''Yes, sir! ''I''m worried about being alone, so I''ll go with you! Two of the sisters left with Ginette''s letter. The three remaining sisters gather at my feet. ''''Onii-chan!Are you done with Neffery-san''s place? ''''I''m out of work! ''''Then, you guys help me and Kantaruchka.'''' ''''''Yes! While I was taking care of my sister, Ginette was explaining the situation to Delia. I''ll leave this to Ginette and the others. The peak hours of cantaloupe ...... are strangely scary because I''ve never experienced it before. Well, it''s a situation like this,...... I had no choice,...... I really didn''t want to get involved,...... ''Osina......, I have a favor to ask you.'' ''Unh-unh. I''m going to ask you to help me. I''ll let Osina help you. But I''m taking this one with me. I can''t leave him in the sunken pavilion to do his own thing. A grown woman like her could make a place for herself. They''re very clever, anyway. ''By the way, what can you do? ''I know a lot about cooking and drinking. Oh, demo-demo, I don''t like to move too fast.'' So your skills are just as I imagined. I''ll let him stand at the counter and deal with the customers. Cantartika doesn''t care if he loses control in the kitchen. That''s where the bulldog-eared master will do his best. ''Ginette, Cantartica''s probably reaching her limit, so don''t go now. ''Right. I''m sure Master is in trouble by himself right now. Please hurry and help him. ''I''ll leave it to you to deal with the one who came here. If you don''t understand, just ask me.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll do that. After giving the bare minimum of information, I left the store with Osina and her sisters. ''Oh, that''s right, Delia. Have you talked to Loretta, Paula and Nephrite about anything?Or anything you''ve noticed?'' ''Loretta, Paula, and Nephrite? ...... Not particularly. ....... I''ll talk to the manager if I remember anything.'' ''You do that. I''ll tell the manager if I remember anything. ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you!You can count on me! He pats me on the chest and sends me on my way. Really. I think it''s my nature as a ...... con artist. It''s probably a very busy place, but you can do it at your own pace. I''m not sure. That kind of care, you''re really a comfortable guy, aren''t you, Darin? You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''ll think about your problems as much as I can and see if I can''t do something about them. ''What? I said this without making eye contact because I was too embarrassed to return the favor, but Osina was staring at me. ...... No, you''re looking too much, too much!I''m not sure what to do.Don''t look into my face! She giggles and reaches out her arm to pat my head. I won''t let him, though! ''Ahhh, I really want to share ...... with Medora...'' ''It''s not Medora''s property to begin with. I''m not going to share it with you, it''s too sub-optimal. ''Well then,............, let''s go for sole ownership,......''. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I felt my heart constrict just by looking at her, I felt suffocated. ''......,'' he said. It''s ...... a scary thing. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I know how herbivores feel now, you know?I''m sure we''d hit it off if there was a zebra in the pub. ''Anyway, your first priority is to get through tonight. ''Uh-huh. Well, let me be...'' Osina looks like the kind of ''cute older sister'' that a naive high school boy might fall in love with. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''......''............''............''............'' The master, who is still a quiet and unsociable man with droopy bulldog ears, is hugging me and letting out a low ''mmm'' sound. Will you stop?I''m leaving. ''Master, thank you so much! ''I''ve never seen you this happy before, Master! ''''Master, I''ve never seen you this happy before! ''''''Master, I''ve started! ''''Don''t start. You''re changing the meaning.'''' I was surrounded by my sisters, who looked somewhat relieved to see me, while the old man hugged me with a ''''hmm''''. The only ones moving around in the cantaloupe were my four sisters. And they were the younger ones. Seven of them, including the three I''d brought with me. I let the three of them do the dishes in the kitchen, and let the four of them go outside. ''Osan. I''ll leave the counter to Osina here. Osina, do you know what kind of sake we have?'' ''Yes, sir!I''m good at it.'' ''Osama, go to the kitchen and order some food.'' ''...... Hmm! ''My sister and I will take the floor! '''''''' Yes, ''''''''! My sisters are back on their feet. They had been running around a lot, but they didn''t show any signs of fatigue. I guess being in charge is a big deal for them. No matter what kind of mistakes they make, just having a backer who will take responsibility for them makes them feel more relaxed. After that, I was briefly briefed with Osina on the facilities of the restaurant, the contents of the food, the types and prices of alcohol, the system of payment in advance, and so on, and my one-day job at Kantaruchika began. ...... and die............ I''m not sure what to do.I''ve got a second helping of hexenbiest sausage! I''ll take two fruity sausages. ''Ale! ''Beer, please! ''I''ll go ask him and then you can tell me! '''''''' Paura will bring it to you just fine. '''''''' Don''t lump me in with the veterans! I mean, Paula, that guy is amazing. It''s hard to keep track of who''s ordering what when you''re being called from all over the packed floor. Maybe the Inuit have better ears than we do. d*mn it. I thought the only thing the Canines were good at was having cute tails, but ...... they are not to be underestimated. ''Da-ling. This and this are over there. Come back when you''ve served them. Then I''ll prepare the food for the other side. Osina, who was standing at the counter, could see the whole floor and knew exactly where the order came from. To be honest, it was very helpful. Neffery might not have been able to do the same. ''It''s my lucky day to see Yashiro working so diligently. ''I''m always working hard at the Sunshine Pavilion, aren''t I? ''How dare you. You''re always just sitting in the back seat, aren''t you? ''That''s right!Ha ha ha! Idiots! I''m sitting in that seat thinking a lot. I''m sitting in that seat thinking about things, deep thoughts of a higher dimension than you can even begin to comprehend! ''I was about to leave today because I couldn''t see Paula''s cute tail, but ...... this is interesting...'' ''What the . Is my butt that cute?You can touch it if you want. There''s a fee, though.'' ''Hahahahaha!Hey, Yashiro. You should come to my store!Then I''ll come here every day! ''That''s good!Do it, Yashiro! I''ll accept you as Paura''s son-in-law. Who the hell are you? What position are you talking from? If I''m this busy every day, I''ll be neglecting my real work. I need to fully grasp the system of this city and prepare for the great task of scamming even the spirit gods. ''I have a lot of other things to do. ''Oh, yes, yes. Watching tits, right? ''No, I''m not! ''That''s why you started the cakes and stuff at the Sunshine Pavilion, to attract female customers.'' ''No, I didn''t! ''You''re only staying at the Sunshine Pavilion because of the manager''s boobs, aren''t you? ''............'' ''Hey, I''m not denying it, this guy! ''What kind of guy is this? ''Shame on you! ''That''s a city treasure, don''t mess with it! I thought that was probably true, but I guess there are a lot of ...... Ginette fans out there. I''m sure you''re right. But no one can have Jeannette''s big tits! That''s for me to enjoy and admire!You guys stay away from it, don''t look at it, and don''t remember it! ''Oh, by the way, who''s that s*xy lady? ''Yeah, yeah, yeah!I''ve been wondering about that too! ''Is that another one of Yashiro''s acquaintances?I''ll curse you to death, you bastard. ''No, you''re scary, old man.'' Oshina''s calm atmosphere and the femininity of her gentle expression combined with her face and gestures to create a s*xy, mature charm that filled the area. The men sitting near the counter were all melting under the spell of Osina''s s*x appeal. ''Oh, I think I''ll buy you a drink. ''Oh, you!Don''t try to run away! ''I was going to go first! ''Don''t fight, it''s unsightly. At ......, Yashiro. I''m not sure if you know what that girl likes or not. ''''''You''ve got to be kidding me! The old men begin to fight each other. This kind of thing can only happen in a bar. ...... Don''t cause trouble when Paula isn''t around,............. ''It''s that Osina ......''. ''''''''Yeah!What did Osina-chan say? '''''''' ''She''s a great friend of Medora''s.'' ''''''''..................'''''''' Since the gluttony contest, ...... or rather, since the defeat of the magical beast Swarm and so on, Medora has changed the policy of the hunting guild, and Medora has become a celebrity. Up until now, there was an unspoken rule that only a very limited number of people could meet the guild leader of the hunting guild, but recently, it seems that ''people from each branch should show up at the headquarters and interact with each other as much as possible''. According to Use, ''Up until now, we''ve been deepening exchanges and unity only within the headquarters, but since the defeat of Swarm, we''ve been working closely with the branches as well. Rumor has it that Medora is very fond of Magda, and regrets or is ashamed of her ignorance of Magda because of the lack of communication, and has changed her mind to communicate with Magda more and more in the future. Some people told me that he was just pretending, and that he just wanted to go to see his "darling" for some reason, but I couldn''t hear them. Denied. Denied. Turn around and pout. That''s why, if you mention the name Medora, even if you''re a plain, ordinary citizen living in the 42nd district... ''''''''............ heh......'''''''' --And it''s so destructive that it makes you turn pale. That''s it, I guess. If you put a bill with the word "Medora" on the front door, you can get rid of evil spirits. ............ No, it might attract evil spirits. Or maybe a demon god named Medora will ...... I''m not sure. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Osina comes staggering in with a mug of beer in her hand. She may have realized that her story was being told and came over. The old men at the counter gave her a deadly look. ''Hi, this is the beer you ordered. ''Why didn''t you just let your sister have it? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. '''''''' is cute! '''''''' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... You guys are creepy. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''''''''What?Seriously! '''''''' ''Nuh-uh~. Osina is ...... actually ............''. I''ve been waiting for a long time for the old men''s faces to come close to me, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. ''I''m the same age as Medora,'' she said. ''''''''............'''''''' The men''s eyes lit up. The men around me who were eavesdropping were also silent. And then-- --The screams roared. Oh, my God! How surprised are you? No, I was surprised too! ''Hmph~. If you don''t mind an old lady like me, come and have a drink at the counter...'' Osina waved her hand and wandered off, just like when she first arrived. I don''t mean wandering, I mean walking. The old men were unconcerned. Not one of them moved a finger as they watched Osina return to the counter. ...... Are you that shocked? I thought that was it. ''.................. Yes,'' he said. ''Oh!You do have it! ''What, that "if you don''t mind an old lady"? ''I''m totally fine with that!I''d rather have it the other way around! It looks like a new disease has broken out. This one seems to be highly infectious. ............ ''Hey, hey!Osina-cha ...... Osina-san, are you an elf?'' ''No, no. I don''t think so.'' ''Is that too much makeup?Is it youthful? ''It looks like she''s almost completely undressed. ''Do you have a boyfriend? ''I haven''t heard that you have one, but ......'' ''I wonder how much younger he is! ''You''ll have to ask him that! He''s getting very close to me! I don''t even know Osina that well! When I glanced at Osina, she was letting out a wry smile like, ''Oh my god, I tried to make her give up, but it might have had the opposite effect. Osina. You''re sweet. ...... Forty-two wards are basically full of unfortunate people, seriously. ''Yashiro-sama. I''m sorry I''m late. ''Oh, Natalia!You''re here. ''Estella-sama has gone to the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''Thank you for your help. Seriously.'' Natalia arrived with her usual calm expression, and my heart felt light as if it were a lie. There''s a real need for people who can be left completely in charge without giving orders. ''Hey, big brother. My sisters are already asleep, so I''ll send them home. The oldest sister comes to me with seven half-eyed, slumping sisters in her arms. How acrobatic ...... are they usually like this? ''How old are you? ''Twelve. I also have a strong sister. ''Sorry to keep you up so late. Take her home and put her to bed.'' ''Yeah. I can send my brother if you want. ......?'' ''Yeah, I''ll need some help from the ...... master, so I''ll need a couple of ...... strong-armed guys.'' ''Yeah. I''ll go get them.'' The floor will run with me and Natalia. We have Osina. We just need someone to help us clean up. Because I''m in a position where I''m well liked, I tend to forget that Loretta''s younger siblings are also strong. It''s just that it''s difficult to call them to help out on a moment''s notice because they have solid jobs. ''Ahhhh, Natalia!I want you to curse me with those sharp eyes ......!'' ''Oh, me too, me too! ''I don''t care if it''s just a spill, one cuss! ''''As much as I''d like to follow your wishes, I''m afraid I''m not very good at speaking, so may I use a knife? ''''''As expected, that''s too stimulating~'''''' ''''Hey, go home now, you drunks. The stupid drunk said something stupid, and Natalia easily dodged it with a straight face. That''s what you get for being an untrained head waiter. With Natalia as a one-hit wonder, the rest of the floor work went very smoothly. Orders were not delayed, and Natalia would take care of any problems that might arise. In the first place, all the old men were in a good mood because of the increasing number of beautiful women. From then on, the noisy voices from the cantaloupe did not cease until night fell, and the business continued until the night breeze started to feel a little chilly on our skin. Nevertheless, since this was a temporary situation that differed greatly from the usual situation, the master decided to close the store earlier that day. We closed much earlier than usual, and the master let out a long, long sigh of relief. I, too, felt relieved. ''Thank you, Natalia. You really saved my life.'' ''No, sir. It''s not often that Master Yashiro asks for help in such a straightforward manner. ''He''s pretty sweet on you, isn''t he? ''Then I''ll spoil you back next time.'' ''I can only give you a lap pillow. ''Then give me a butt pillow. ''That''s what guys ask girls to do! ''No, that''s a crime. d*mn it, there''s no right answer! ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......'' The lights went out in front of Cantalcica, and Jeannette popped up. Estella and Magda are next to her. ''Have you closed your store yet? ''Yeah. It''s been tough without Paula.'' ''I see. In any case, I''m glad you''re okay, Ginette breathes out, writing plainly on her face. The sunlit pavilion also seems to have closed its doors a little early. ''Did you eat the ojiya? ''Oh, yeah, .......'' I think my sister brought it up, but I was too ...... busy to go check it out. ''......''. The bulldog-eared master growled briefly and pointed upstairs. ''Are you sure you don''t want me to come visit you? ''......'' ''What can I do for you, Yashiro-san?'' ''He wants you to take a look at Paula''s face. ...... ''It''s probably not a good idea for me to go. Ginette, please.'' ''Yes, sir. ''I''ll go with you. I''d like to hear what you have to say.'' ''No. Don''t take Magda. You''ll get in trouble with a lot of people.'' ''...... Mm. I''ll wait here. I borrowed a chair on the floor and sat down properly. I''m really tired today. ...... ''Yashiro-sama, would you like me to get you some water? ''Oh, ...... no, you''re tired too, right?Just get some rest.'' ''Well, I''ll give you a butt pillow .......'' ''Let me rest, me too.'' That''s enough of that. ''To tell you the truth, Estella and I are having a bit of a troublesome case right now. ......'' Natalia says as she sits down next to me. That''s unusual. Natalia often doesn''t sit down even when I offer her a chair, and more importantly, she doesn''t talk about her own hardships that I haven''t asked her about. So you want me to listen to you. ...... I wonder if this is a problem Estella doesn''t want to talk about. ''One of the two things I can''t talk about is ......''. I''m not going to tell you about one of the two, but I can tell you about the other. ''Actually, we caught a bandit who was after popcorn. ''Popcorn? I remembered that story. It was the story Assunto had told me about the bandits in District 41. ...... Did they really come into the Forty-second District? ''We''ve already taken him into custody and put him in jail,......, but he''s a stubborn man and won''t talk to us no matter what we ask. ''Is that going to be a problem for you guys? ''Yes. If you don''t know who he is, you can''t punish him. My lord doesn''t like to punish people without question. If you don''t say anything, it would be easier if you could just say ...... without any questions. I think Estella will find a way to force him to accept the extenuating circumstances. ''If you have the time, I would appreciate your help. ''Yes, ......, well, I owe you for today.'' ''Thank you for your help. I know a few ways to subdue a stubborn man. But you''re right. You caught him before he could do any damage. ''I''m just glad my sisters weren''t harmed. If she had injured them in order to rob the popcorn, I would have sentenced her to the maximum penalty without any extenuating circumstances. ''Oh, no. No, sir.'' ''No. ......, what is?'' ''It''s the popcorn that was targeted, but it''s the ...... raw material.'' What? I couldn''t help but open my mouth. Ingredients?...... means... ''Yap Lock''s field was destroyed in a big way. It''s going to take some time to recover. Popcorn, that''s it! ...... Just give me a break. ...... 349-Unadditive Episode 4 revealed secrets The bandit that Assunto had told us to watch out for has arrived in District 42. It seems that the bandit was targeting the popcorn, just as we had been told, and that the popcorn had actually been damaged and was now being held in a prison controlled by the lord. The only thing he was after was the raw material for popcorn. It was the corn. When I heard of popcorn, I thought of the product. So did Assunto. We were talking about popcorn as a sweet snack. ...... d*mn. I didn''t realize I''d be making ''assumptions'' and failing to manage the crisis. ...... ''So, are the yaplocks hurt?'' ''They''re fine. Rather, they were only concerned that it might reduce the amount of popcorn they could distribute to the Sunshine Pavilion. ''I see. ......'' At any rate, I''m glad to hear you''re not hurt. I''ll go check on him tomorrow. ''......, but for that...'' ''We need to do something about Loretta and the others. We can''t keep working if they''re down. My eyes naturally went upstairs. I wonder if Jeannette and the others have been able to talk to Paula properly. ''Hi~. Is the Great Myojin of Tits around? While I was worried about the condition of the sick man, a knock on the open door brought a familiar Kansai dialect into the store. ''Who''s the titty god? ''Oh~, I knew you were here, Dai-Myojinhan. ''So, who''s the Great Myojin of Boobs? ''If it''s beneficial, I have to tell Estella-sama about it. ''That''s why, I told you it''s not like that, didn''t I? Oh, God. I''m tired of walking left and right all over the floor. ...... Two people like this are a pain in the ass. ''The manager told me to make a house call to the chickens. ''And how did it go? ''Your parents came out first. ...... I couldn''t believe it. ...... I thought I might have to leave. ...... I''ve never really talked to them. ............'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not.I''ve never talked to you. ''That''s just anemia.'' Anemia. Nephrite, too. ''Yeah, but it was a dangerous anemia. Regina pulls out a notebook from her pocket, opens it and shows me. In the notebook, there was a detailed description of what she found out as a result of her examination, but among the countless sentences, there was one sentence that Regina pointed out to me. "Linear onychomycosis at the base of the nail. ''How long ago do you think the base of the ...... nail was? ''Well, I''d say two weeks, or ...... a week at the earliest.'' ''A week, or ......''. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the site, you can contact us at our own web site. Similar white lines may appear even if you hit your fingernails somewhere, and in most cases, they are benign and there is no need to worry about them. However, this is not always the case when the situation changes. It is said that linear nail polyps can also be caused by zinc deficiency, which is the cause of ............ ''I see. So that''s what it is. ......'' A deep, deep crease is etched between my eyes. I had overlooked it,......, or rather, I hadn''t noticed it. I should have put myself in their shoes more,............, but first. ''You need a sermon. ''Yeah, right. ......Well, I don''t know how you feel about that, but in moderation. ''...... What did you find out?'' ''I''m sorry, but can you explain it to us so we can understand? ''Osina is also curious about it. I''m sure those of you who don''t know about nail polish vitiligo don''t understand the significance of my and Regina''s reluctant expressions. ''That ...... Yashiro-san ......''. Ginette and Estella come out of the kitchen. They are holding earthenware pots in their hands, and their expressions are not good. ............ Paula''s guy. ''You didn''t eat it, did you?'' ''Yes. ............ Yes. How did you know? Ginette comes over to where we''re sitting and shows us the contents of the earthenware pot. Inside was a bowl of rice gruel that was completely chilled but still looked delicious. It was completely untouched. ...... This must be sad for Jeannette. ''Hey, Jeannette. Loretta''s bribe, what have you made for her lately? ''Huh?Well, ...... actually .......'' Apparently, there was a secret hidden here as well. ''Recently, Loretta-san said that she wanted to make her own bribes,...... and I thought it was to practice cooking,...... since Magda-san also said something similar at one time. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''...... Indeed, but Magda soon realized that. If you''re going to eat it, you might as well make it taste good. That''s right. Magda, you''re the one with the bright idea. It''s confirmed. ''Loretta and Paula. And Nephrite all have the same symptoms.'' ''Have you found the cause?'' Estella, who had been quiet and somber, bites down. Yes, I did. I''m sorry ...... that I misjudged and told you to ''consider the possibility of an epidemic''. ''It seems that Nepheli had linear onychomycosis on his nails. It''s a white line that appears on the nail, and it''s caused by a zinc deficiency, and the cause of that zinc deficiency is--'' With all eyes on him, he pointed out the source of the problem. ''Excessive dieting. Extreme dietary restrictions, unbalanced eating habits. As a result of such recklessness, he became deficient in zinc, which is not produced by the human body but is essential for human growth. ''That''s why both Loretta and Paula have anemia. ......'' Jeannette''s lips quivered. I thought she was worried, but ...... that face was ............ ''I think I need to speak to Loretta-san properly ...... and if possible, to Paula-san and Nepheli-san.'' I bite my trembling lips tightly and squeeze my white fingertips. Ginette is angry. Very quietly. But definitely. ''Abandoning your meal ...... is unacceptable to me.'' ''Jeannette, .......'' Estella is puzzled by the unusual expression on her best friend''s face. She calls out to her to follow her, but-- ''But, you see. I understand that you are a girl of your age and you want to be beautiful, and so do I. So, don''t be so angry. ......'' ''No, that''s not right, Estella.'' --that''s the exact opposite direction of thinking. ''If you want to be beautiful, you should eat well. ''But,......, I''ve also experienced that if you eat a lot of food because it tastes good,......, your ...... weight will go up. I''m sure you don''t understand this, but girls do. I''m not sure if you''re aware of that, but I''m sure you''re aware of that. You''re an idiot. I care about it too. There is something called the halo effect. To summarize it roughly, the first impression influences all subsequent images, but it is so influential that it is not foolproof. For example, if a handsome man hands you a cookie and says, "Here, eat this, it''s delicious," girls will eat the cookie, thinking that he is kind and happy. But if a dark-skinned guy gives her the same cookie and says, ''Here, eat it, it''s delicious,'' she will probably get defensive. ''Isn''t there something in it? And so on. The halo effect was made fun of by the phrase ''but only for good-looking men''. In order to make the most of the halo effect as a first-rate fraudster, I always take good care of my body. If I eat too much, I moderate it and exercise moderately. That''s why I''m so handsome! ''Regardless of the source of your confidence,......, it''s still a woman''s heart,.......'' Estella is being strangely insistent. ...... Well... ''You''ve been consulted by one of the three of us, haven''t you? ''............'' Estella suddenly closes her mouth. That''s tantamount to a confession. ''And you asked me to keep my mouth shut.'' ''............'' ''So there''s no one else ...... Loretta can talk to.'' ''You''re ...... totally.'' Estella shrugged her shoulders in resignation, letting out a ...... sigh. ''I''m afraid of you sometimes.'' Pulling up a chair next to me, Estella sits down and begins to speak. She looks as if she''s apologizing to Loretta in her mind. ''Loretta was very troubled. In the worst case, she might have to leave the Sunken Pavilion, and she was seriously worried. A short breath was taken by Ginette and Magda. So much for ...... that. I''m sure you''re not going to be able to stay here just because you''ve gained weight, are you? Or do you think it''s your decision?If you gain a certain amount of weight, you''ll be fired. You can''t have that. ''...... Just kidding. I''m sorry. I was taking it out on you. But it did bring down my brain fever a little. Enough for me to realize that I was fuming. ''Perhaps Loretta wanted to lose weight. The quickest way to do that was to restrict her diet. ...... Maybe she didn''t have time to exercise, but ...... she skipped dinner anyway. Huh. ...... Ginette let out a distinctly audible sigh. This is also unusual. ''And what drove him to that point was ......''. ''...... a mistake at work.'' Magda guessed the answer before I did. He knew why Loretta was depressed. But even after realizing it, he still couldn''t understand why she was bothered by it. If you''ve made a mistake, you can take steps to avoid it next time. Loretta didn''t do that. That''s what we wondered. Because she was always so unlike him. ''Even when she made a mistake at work, she couldn''t take action. ...... Probably because he doesn''t understand why his mistakes don''t go away. He knows the cause. He said he was in a daze because he skipped a meal. It must have been very hard for him to work in a workplace filled with so many delicious smells and so many delicious foods when he was hungry. Smells stimulate the hunger center. And hunger diminishes one''s attention span. Loretta''s brain wasn''t spinning fast enough to come up with such childish measures as going to the kitchen with a whispered refrain so as not to forget the orders she had received. And even such a primitive countermeasure, she had not been able to implement. That must have made him impatient. ''Impatience slowly wears down your mind, and eventually your thoughts become completely consumed by negative emotions. ''I''m no good for making such a mistake,'' he said. ...... ''That''s why I''m so worried about ......''. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. She opens her mouth with a firm determination, with an expression that could even be seen as blaming herself. ''Loretta told me that she was thinking about leaving ...... the 42nd district,'' she said. Ginette lets out a muffled scream. Magda, too, listens, her face expressionless, but her gaze never averts. Her tail is wagging slowly. He seems to be searching for a place to put his mind. ''Did you think you''d be fired from the Sunlit Pavilion because of your continuous failures? Amidst the heavy atmosphere, Regina lets out a light voice. She wasn''t joking, but was probably trying to be considerate of Ginette and Magda, who were feeling overwhelmed. And Regina herself must know that. She knows why Loretta said that. And that she doesn''t think she''ll be fired from the sunlit pavilion. ''...... Loretta loves the Sunny Pavilion. And everyone there.'' I was about to explain, but Magda spoke up first. I''m sure everyone understands this, but I dare you to put it into words clearly. ''...... If you think your mistake is a stupid mistake, you will think that Loretta should leave ...... the sunny pavilion ''on her own''.'' ''I guess so. So as not to burden me or Jeannette.'' ''......In order not to make us feel guilty for kicking out Loretta-san,............, right? ''...... Loretta''s mistake is a small one that Magda and the others can follow up on as much as they want. No one would blame her - at least, no one would want her to quit because of it. ''But there was only one person who couldn''t forgive that small mistake. That was--'' ''Loretta-san, you''re ......, aren''t you? The members of the Sunlit Pavilion looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Our understanding is correct. We confirm it. ''And Loretta, who loves the Sunshine Pavilion--'' After our conversation, Estella quietly sums up the situation. ''--I wasn''t sure I could stay in District 42 after I couldn''t work at the Sun Goddess Pavilion anymore. If you''re in District 42, you''re going to hear about the Sun Goddess Pavilion no matter what. ...... It must be ............ too painful for Loretta to not be able to be a part of it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. It''s all due to the negative thinking caused by her overwhelming diet. ''...... d*mn it. All of them are incapable of learning. ......'' I couldn''t help but sigh and swear at the same time. Well, it can''t be helped. They''re all idiots, all of them. ''Didn''t Delia once cry that she couldn''t show up at the Sunshine Pavilion? ''Ah. That was when she confronted Milly and the other guild members about the water shortage. ''Because Yashiro would be angry with me.'' You ran away on your own, abandoned your place, but you couldn''t abandon it and wanted to cling to it, but you couldn''t, so you cried. It''s the same this time. ''You''re you too, Estella. How could you let this happen? ''I didn''t think it would come to this. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. ...... I''ve had to restrict my food intake from time to time, and I''ve made mistakes at work when I''ve done that,............, so I know how you feel. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results,................... As I stared and listened to Estella''s excuses, I gave up and bowed my head. That''s right. You''re partly to blame for all the trouble we''ve gone through. I don''t know if it''s a girl''s problem or what, but tolerating selfishness is not kindness. It''s like what I taught Jeannette a long time ago: "It''s not good faith to overlook a meal. Although Loretta pretends to be an adult and the eldest daughter, her thinking is still childish. She is thoughtless, she thinks she can do anything, she is naive, she tries to carry everything by herself, and she is a lonely person who is more afraid of being hated by others than anything else. ''Even though I''m ......, I''m not Loretta''s guardian. To tell you the truth, I want to know everything about Magda and Jeannette, not just Loretta. Clearly, that''s ego. But it''s what I really want. But I don''t do that because I can''t take that much responsibility. I respect what I have to respect. I don''t go into areas I shouldn''t. It''s frustrating, but it''s inevitable. Loretta is not my daughter. ''It''s ...... a troublesome age for them. Loretta and Paula and Nephrite. They are, for better or worse, modern girls with little social experience. It''s too late for them to get into real trouble. However, you can''t be too protective of them. ...... d*mn it. I don''t know why I should even bother with that. ...... Yeah. You''re right. ...... Why should I be bothered with that? It''s not an exaggeration to say that I was forced to brainstorm. So, if that''s the case. You should be paid for your labor. You need to be paid or compensated. ''For all the trouble I''ve gone through, they''ll have to go through something that''s not trouble. ''Why don''t you clarify whether you''re in serious mode or goofing off? ''I understand how you feel, but ...... no, I don''t understand any of this ''let me rub you'' stuff, but ...... these girls are exhausted both physically and mentally right now, so please take that into consideration. ''No, ......''. It was Ginette, who was full of surprises today, who denied Estella''s lenient discretion. ''Punishment is necessary. Spoiling them is not the only way to educate them.'' Ginette said with a stern expression, her fingers crossed in front of her chest and digging into the back of her own hand. ''I will punish you. I have neither the right nor the authority to do so. So I will not regret if you shun me or avoid me afterwards. With unwavering conviction, Ginette made a decision. ''I will take care of you. And until you recover, I will take care of you. In the meantime--'' He said in a clear voice, interspersed with the words ......, which might cause trouble for many people. ''The Sunlit Pavilion will be closed. Sacrificing everything else for the sake of the three of us. I guess that''s Jeannette''s way of saying ....... ''Ji, Jeannette-chan......, um, really......'' ''Are you sure?'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Master. You can hire Magda in Cantalcica until Paula comes back. That was Magda''s way of saying that she agreed with Ginette''s opinion-- ''Well, I guess I''ll just do as I please. --This was the moment when the decision was made to close the restaurant for a long time. 350-Its because episode 5 is important. In the middle of the night, the three who collapsed were gathered at the Sunken Pavilion. It was a forced detention using the authority of the lord. Abuse of power?Yeah, that''s right, but what? ''Oh, that ...... manager .......'' ''Hey, hey ...... something, aren''t you guys afraid of the atmosphere ......?'' ''Well,......, I''m, you know, in my nightie,............, and Yashiro is here,....... '' The floor of the sunlit pavilion has a space in the middle with desks and chairs against the wall and futons for three people laid out there. It may be a little cold, but you''ll have to put up with it for now. Loretta, Paula, and Nephrite, who are too dizzy to stand up, are lying on the futon surrounded by us. Magda took care of Loretta, Norma took care of Paula, and Delia took care of Nephrite. I set up the sunlit pavilion. Estella worked hard to explain the situation to each family. ''Your daughter, we''ll be borrowing her for a while.'' And to Natalia... ''For now, I went around to the houses with daughters of the same age as Loretta and her family, but it seems that many of them are on the same kind of diet. I asked her to find out about the dieting situation in the forty-two districts. I apologize to the families for barging in suddenly in the middle of the night, but Natalia told me that some parents were worried that their daughters had suddenly stopped eating. That one needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. ''You guys. Do you know why you were collected? ''Yeah ............ that ......'' Loretta was flustered. Paula and Nephrite just look at each other and don''t say anything. They can''t say anything. The three of you look around anxiously. Lying there, surrounded by familiar faces with fearful expressions, they must feel uneasy. Me and Norma, Delia and Natalia, Magda and Regina. Then there was Millie, who had gone to visit Nephrite, and Bertina and Imelda, who had heard what had happened while Natalia was going from house to house. And standing in the middle of all of them was Ginette, who still hadn''t said a word to him. She seems to be in a very frightening state. Incidentally, I told Osina to go home, but she is still there, saying, ''I might be able to help. I''ll ignore her for now. ''Gentlemen.'' Ginette said calmly, and the three anemic people shook their shoulders. It''s the kind of power that makes even Bertina afraid, Ginette. Even I would feel the pressure of a hole in my stomach from stress if I were to face her. ''I understand your situation. I understand what you''ve been doing and what you haven''t.'' He may be referring to the fact that he was on a diet and not eating. The three of them, who were all familiar with the situation, shrugged their shoulders and turned their heads like little kids who had been caught playing a prank. ''I''m angry ...... but more than that I''m sad .................. '' At these words, Loretta looks up. She looks like she''s about to cry. ''Until a little over a year ago, we couldn''t even eat, but thanks to the hard work and kindness of Yashiro, Estella and so many others, we have become incredibly wealthy. We can always eat a full meal and almost forget about starving. ......'' Guilt spread across the faces of Loretta and the others. Ginette is angry at them for wasting the meal--not that she''s angry at them. ''Would you all have preferred not to eat the meal? What Jeannette is angry about is-- ''Were the efforts that Yashiro-san, Estella-san, and many others have worked so hard to accumulate so far annoying to you? ''No, it''s not! ''Yes, it is!I''m very grateful to you too!Neffery too, right? ''Of course I am!I''m so happy and I love you guys so much that I can''t even ...... be bothered to ............''. ''Then you all can go to ......'' --choose to give up eating. ''......Do you deny that you live? Eating is an essential act for living beings to survive. The human race has overcome hunger and won insatiable appetite through its wisdom and technology. So we tend to lose sight of it. So it is easy to lose sight of the importance of being grateful for food. Ginette was heartbroken every day of her life when she had to discard scrap vegetables because she couldn''t use them all. We are not trying to tell you not to leave food, not to eat anything if you are grateful, not to go on a diet, not to be stupid, not to stop. I just want to say out loud that you should not waste food. I want you to be grateful. But that''s not what Jeannette is angry about. ''I think that refusing to eat, even when you are aware that you are straining yourself and your body is actually experiencing changes, is the same as refusing to live .......'' Don''t try to die to lose weight. That''s what it is. Even if it''s unconscious, we want to stop it. That''s not what beautiful is. If your waist is thin, if your legs are thin, does that make you beautiful? The ''beauty'' that you want to obtain by worrying about the people around you, endangering your health, and wearing out your life, is a pale face that is dying, a weakness that makes it impossible to stand properly, and skin stuck to the bones that is wildly deficient in vitamins. ''''The Sunken Pavilion will be closed until everyone has fully recovered. ''''''Eh!'''''' Loretta and the others shouted. The Sunny Pavilion is Ginette''s reason for living, her life itself. Maybe no one cares that the "Open All Year Round" written on the promotional T-shirts is a lie ...... or something like that. Or maybe you''ve forgotten, or maybe you think that no one would use the "Judgment of the Spirits" for such a thing. Or are they so shocked that they don''t care about it in the first place? That Ginette is taking a break from Sunny Day Pavilion. She''s been keeping the place open even when she''s not here. She''s taking a break. That may have made the three of them realize the gravity of the situation. The three of them had serious expressions on their faces, as if they had done something that could not be undone. ''The closure of the Sunlit Pavilion is my punishment. Please don''t worry about it. ''What punishment?I didn''t do anything wrong, manager! ''That''s right, Jeannette!We just collapsed on our own. ......'' ''There''s no need for you to take a break from the Sunshine Pavilion ......! ''No. Even though I''m Loretta''s employer, I didn''t notice anything unusual about her.'''' ''No,......, that''s a secret I''ll keep to myself,.......'' ''And that''s not all. Ginette nonchalantly announced the decision. The gap between this and the usual makes me even more anxious. ''I have no authority whatsoever. Nevertheless, it is my selfishness, my selfishness that has led me to punish you. It''s ego, it''s a gross deviation from order, it''s an overreach. ''You''re thinking too much, Jeannette! ''Yes, you are!We''re the ones who were wronged. ...... Yes, I''m willing to take Ginette''s punishment!I, too, have been a bit harsh lately, and I''m sorry about it. ...... So, Jeannette doesn''t need to be punished. ...... ''No, no. I''ve already made up my mind. Paula''s persuasion and Nephrite''s suggestion will not reach Jeannette now. She can''t accept it. Because Jeannette has made her own decision. ''I will punish you all. It will be a very painful and difficult punishment. Loretta, Paula and Nephrite stare at Jeannette with tearful faces, unable to say anything. To the untrained eye, it seems that these three have already reflected on their actions and understand the gravity of the situation. But that''s just the atmosphere of this place right now and Ginette''s words. ''I think I''m in trouble,'' ''I think I''ve done something terrible,'' these are just the instantaneous feelings of frustration that have swelled up. You can''t escape the punishment that Ginette is trying to give you with such immediate emotions. Such immediate remorse will ...... cause you to make the same mistake again. Not just in dieting, but in other situations as well. You need to teach them something fundamentally important. You need to realize that when you have a guilty feeling, you know it. Make sure again that there is someone you don''t want to say those guilty feelings to. Isn''t that person important to you?Someone who cares enough about you to be angry with you. At the very least, he should be someone you''d worry about, ''cause you''d worry about him if he knew you were thinking this way. The very fact that you think that way is already ...... The fact that you think this means that there is someone important to you. Realize that. ''From now on, you''re all going to sleep here...'' Someone who cares about you is here with you. Don''t forget that. ...... can be surprisingly difficult to find. So let them remind you of that. You''ll never forget it again. Thoroughly. ''''--I''ll have you eat a lot of very delicious food! ''''''............What?'''''' Ginette smiles. The usual, gentle, enveloping smile. Only, the corners of her eyes are slightly ...... reddened with tears. I''m sure you''ll find it hard to stomach something so heavy, so I''ll make you some soup first. Please wait a little while. After saying that, Jeannette quickly went into the kitchen. I''ll explain it from here. ''From now on, if I''m right, you three swear that you''ll listen to Ginette. No defiance, no suspicion.'' With the three of them upright on the futon, at eye level, I crouched down and discussed what might have happened to them. ''At first, I lost almost one kilogram of weight just by skipping meals, and I thought, "This is good. However, after three days, I could not lose any more weight. Then, I thought, "I have to eat less," and I reduced the amount of food I ate even more. I went from eating three meals a day to eating two meals a day, then one meal a day, and in some cases I even fasted. Even so, I only lost a little weight, and when I couldn''t hold back or was a little careless and ate a lot, I gained a surprising amount of weight. Then, I couldn''t think straight and it became difficult to stand up. The only way to get rid of this dullness was to eat, but since I was gaining weight just by eating a little too much, if I went back to my original diet, I would gain weight in an instant.That''s right, I''ll just eat what I think will keep me from gaining weight so I can survive the hunger!I''m eating, I''ll be fine, I won''t collapse!If you work hard just for now, just for a little while, you will be skinny and beautiful. ...... And you have reached your limit. ...... Anyone have any objections? The three of them all looked away from me neatly, sweat on their foreheads. It seems that they were right on the money. ''Oh no. If I''d seen you, I would''ve hit you sooner to stop you.'' ''But, but, Yashiro!I knew that fasting wasn''t good for you, so I ate at least something nutritious! ''Wow, me too!I skipped some mornings, but I still ate ...... properly! ''By the way, tell me what you were eating and when.'' ''Yeah, ...... and ............ don''t you get angry? ''I''m angry. I mean, I''m already angry. If you don''t want me to get angry anymore, answer honestly.'' ''Yes, ............ and ......, and .......... ...I can''t sleep when I''m hungry, so I try to eat something before I go to bed that will fill me up. ............'' ''What exactly? ''An original dish of walnuts hardened with peanut butter: ......'' ''I also ...... eat peanuts, which are light and crunchy, because our sausages are full of fat and make me fat. ...... before going to bed.'' ''I also ate a lot of ............ bean sprouts. All over my plate! ''What''s the seasoning?'' ''Well, I get bored, so I use a variety of ...... miso, soy sauce, ............ strawberry jam, chocolate, etc. ............'' ............I see. ''''That''ll make you fat. ''''''What?'''''' The trio of three amusingly astonished beastmen idiot girls. Yeah. You''re the stupid girl trio until you get better. No rebuttals allowed. ''But, but, but, it''s like this, right? And Loretta turns her palm upward and lightly bends her fingers. It''s about the size of a baseball. ...... Eating such a huge lump of peanut butter before going to bed will make you fat. ''Look. First of all, fundamentally, eating sweets at night makes you fat. ''''''Why? Why? ''''People have a life cycle, you know. I''m going to explain the existence of calories and the balance between calorie intake and calorie consumption that makes us fat or thin, something that is very common in Japan. Estella, Natalia, Norma and the others didn''t seem to know this and listened to me with admiration. ''So, the human body consumes energy all the time, but it is at night that the consumption is the lowest. If you want to lose weight, eat a lot in the morning and less in the evening. However, fasting is not advisable. You need muscles to burn fat, but if you skip meals, those muscles will lose weight. As a result, fat is not burned and the body becomes fat. That''s exactly the kind of thing that will make you gain a lot of weight if you''re not careful. ''............'' The trio of idiots turned pale. ''Also, the amount of calories you eat has nothing to do with how heavy or crunchy you feel. ''Huh!But you know, eating light food doesn''t make you gain weight ......, right?'' ''Hmm?What''s wrong Paula. Is Loretta''s stupidity contagious?'' ''Oh, that''s terrible, Yashiro!That''s too much! ''''And you''re saying that, Paula, it''s terrible enough! I''ll tell you something for the teary-eyed Paula and the others. ''''Nuts are rich in oil, so they''ll make you fat. ''''''So much! Is that so? Now, I''ll let the witness speak. This is a valuable talk based on actual experience. Everyone listen carefully. ''''So, Estella, who ate too many honey-roasted peanuts despite my advice and gained a lot of weight, will tell us about the dangers of nuts. ''Wait a minute, Yashiro!Why would you say something like that?In other words, why does Yashiro know about it? ''I''ve reported it to you. ''So it was you, Natalia? Estella was so addicted to honey roasted peanuts that she gobbled them up all the time and couldn''t wear a formal dress anymore. The dress, which was a very prestigious and fancy dress, was a size that would not fit her if she lost her shape. ...... Estella was crying and dieting. ''--Natalia told me an amusing story. ''Nataliaaaaaaaaaa! '' ''If you rub your belly, the fat around your belly should melt away!Natalia, feel free to rub it with this dry cloth!Don''t stop when I cry! .................. hot hot hot!Wait, wait, wait!I''m sorry, I can''t do this!I''m sorry, I can''t do this! The skin will tear off before the fat does!The burn hurts! You''re talking about the incident. ''That''s not the name, that''s the content!The title alone gives away the entire contents! Everyone around Estella let out a chuckle at her strange behavior. ''Like I said, you can''t be too careful with the nut oil. ''I''m sure there are other ways to convey the threat of nuts!I mean, isn''t the threat of nuts a little less obvious now, isn''t it? When I explained to them how much oil comes out when you grind a nut, Loretta and Paula huddled together and started shaking. They were seriously depressed, thinking that they had been eating such a lump of oil with peanut butter added to it. ''But, but, I''m a vegetable, remember?There''s no oil in sprouts, is there?'' ''You''ll get fat if you gobble up jam in the middle of the night. ''It''s not so much ...... as .............'' ''Then how much did you use? ''A jar in ............ two days.'' ''What?You''ve eaten that much?Hey, Nepheli-san......'' ''Neffery ......, you''re spending too much.'' ''I wouldn''t eat that much either. ''I can''t keep my mouth shut. ......'' ''Well then, I''m going to have to plug that hole ......'' ''Regina, shut up. Or turn to dust.'' Looking at the shocked faces of the others, Nephrite finally realized that he was abnormal. He must have become numb to it. He thought that since he had been able to endure so much food, he must be okay with this. It was a combination of my lack of knowledge and my own naivety in continuing to endure painful things. Also, I may not have been able to make a normal judgment due to hunger. But it''s good that you noticed the abnormality. If you don''t, it''ll be too late, just like ...... Regina. There''s nothing you can do about his abnormality. ''Cake is light. But you are aware that you have gained weight from eating too much of it, right? ''U............n. '' ''Sugar makes you fat, right?'' Yes. The Forty-second District had made rapid progress and was freed from the hunger of poverty. Work began to rotate, wealth was distributed equally, and the economy began to turn. As a result, there was a sudden increase in the number of delicious foods that had never existed before. Or rather, I brought them in. I brought it in. They were cakes and doughnuts, things that would make me fat if I ate too much of them, and yet I couldn''t resist eating them. There is no way that these people, who were starving just a year ago, have any knowledge of proper dieting, and in a sense, it is inevitable that they would simply turn their thoughts to food restriction. So, I guess this is my job. Ginette seems to be helping me, so I''ll take advantage of that and spread the word. I''ll take advantage of it and spread the word about calories and proper dieting. ''I''ll show you the most efficient way to lose weight. ''Are you sure? ''Maybe I can trust Yashiro''s methods! ''I''ll endure any hardship! I''ll tell you what I''m going to tell the trio of stupid girls who are honestly begging for help. I''m going to teach them a very easy way to lose weight. ''Eat well and work out as hard as you can. That''s it. If you consume enough calories, you will naturally lose weight. There is no better diet than that. '' So, Delia. Norma. I''d like you guys to join me as instructors. ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you!I''ll take advantage of the manager''s enthusiasm and take a day off from work to come with you! ''I''ll go along with you, too. ...... If you had asked me first, I would have told you what to eat to lose weight and look good. If you want to pursue beauty, you should ask me too. I''ll join you, Yashiro-san. ''Then, please. These three are healthy and skinny, they''re like role models for dieting. They should be squeezed as hard as they can. ...... They''re probably not going to reach those heights overnight, though. I''m not sure what to say. ...... In the meantime, don''t die, guys. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ''''Regina, who is not a fan of going out, volunteered to do so! ''''Ah, ah, we''ve been pushed to a ridiculous state, haven''t we? ''Why don''t you go to someone more important and find out, yourselves. Maybe we should develop some weird diet pills that make us look obscene, really. What kind of pills are you planning to make? Well, I won''t let you make it. ''...... Yashiro. Magda will be staying at Paula''s house for a while. ''What? It was Loretta who shouted in surprise. ''...... I''ve already told the manager. The master has also kindly agreed. ''I see. If you want to help out over there, that might be useful.'' ''...... Don''t cry if you''re lonely.'' ''Neither should you.'' While the two of us were talking, Loretta interrupted us with a panicked look. ''Wait, please!I''ll listen to what the manager says and get well soon!So, Magda, ...... that .......'' Magda is leaving the sunlit pavilion. The fact that Magda is leaving the sunny pavilion, even if only temporarily, must have caused an inexplicable loneliness in Loretta''s heart. The guilt she feels is immeasurable, especially since she caused the situation. ''...... Loretta hid her troubles from Magda.'' ''It''s .......'' ''......That''s why Magda does what she does. I don''t consult her.'' ''............ Magda Cho......'' Turning her back on Loretta, Magda slowly wags her tail. She slowly walks away and heads for the door. ''Momo, are you going to go now?Even if it''s tomorrow morning, ......!'' ''...... I have to work tomorrow, too.'' Loretta''s outstretched arm doesn''t reach Magda. Magda''s feet never stopped. The door opens and Magda steps out. ''Magda, hey! Magda stops at his desperate cry. Finally, he stops. But she doesn''t look back. ''I''m sorry!I didn''t want to worry Magda-chou. ...... But I''m a bit of a disappointed girl, so I ended up worrying her. ...... So... I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ......... There are so many things I want to say. But I can''t articulate them well. My anxious heart is spewed out onto the floor with trembling breaths. Slowly, slowly, her tail wags once, and Magda, looking away, speaks. ''...... when you''re feeling better, Loretta come and get Magda.'' She doesn''t look back. But she will firmly face Loretta''s heart and send her her feelings. ''...... Magda is waiting for her while she works.'' ''......Yes. Okay, okay. Wait for me. I''m sure I''ll come get you soon.'' Loretta''s eyes were filled with tears. Trying not to let Magda see it, she said in a brave and cheerful voice. ''Then let me stay in the same bed with you!Three days and two nights is a must! ''............ I hope.'' Wagging her tail once more, Magda takes a step forward. She doesn''t look back, maybe because she''s crying too. Then, before the door closes, she addresses Paula and Nephrite. ''...... Everyone must get well properly. And Paula: ......'' ''Yeah. I''m sorry about the store. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''............ get well soon, or I''ll read through the diary on your pillow.'' ''Hey!Magda!Wait!Wait, wait, wait, wait! Paula tried to stand up, but she was too dizzy to do so and could only stretch out her arms and scream. ''............ Oh no. ...... yuck yuck yuck yuck ......'' What did you write in your diary,...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''...... Neffery reads aloud from a collection of his own poems on the back of the bookshelf.'' ''How does Magda know about that?I haven''t told anyone! He stretched out his arms against the slamming door, but he couldn''t stop Magda from moving. ''......, and so on. I''m sure you now know how terrible it can be to be unable to move your body in an emergency like this. You should never go on an unreasonable diet! ''......''. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. Everyone in the room, including Miry, nodded their heads vigorously. Health is very important, isn''t it? ''Thank you for waiting. Here comes the pumpkin potage. Ginette came back from the kitchen with a bowl of pumpkin soup. Potatoes and chestnuts are rich in starch and provide a good amount of calories. It would be a good first step for these guys. ''Everyone. In order to lose weight, let''s build up our strength first. You will gain weight at first. But that weight gain is the energy you need to build a body that won''t get fat. Don''t look at the micro, look at the macro! Listen to the food professionals, because at least you won''t gain or lose weight unhealthily. ''I think I''ll keep an eye on it this time. Bertina says in a calm tone, as if she were about to give a lecture. She looks kind of happy. She looks like she''s about to cry. ''I''ll leave it to Jeannette. Jeannette has changed. Bertina must have felt it too. She''s an educator who''s taught the importance of eating to kids who don''t eat. It was Bertina''s education that brought up Ginette, wasn''t it? It is also an education to entrust it to her. ''So, um, ...... is my meal going to be diet food for a while?'' ''...... Don''t look like you''re about to cry. I''ll tell them to make it right.'''' After appeasing the wailing Bertina, the night went on. 351-No additives Episode 6 Leaving Yodari-tei ''Okay, six hundred push-ups! ''Wait, Delia-san!It''s the first time, so please go a little lighter! ''Hmm, is that so?Then, ......, give me six hundred light push-ups! ''No, you''re not!I just realized that''s not what I meant! After finishing the morning donation and returning to the sunny pavilion, Delia began her "simple basic physical fitness". ...... Thank God, I''m not on the victim''s side. I''m not sure what to make of it. You''re beastmen, right? ''But you don''t have the same power as Delia-san! ''Besides, we''re not in top form right now. ......'' ''I''m not that good at exercise. ......'' ''''You''re going to get fat if you keep complaining about it! ''''''Don''t say you''re getting fat''''''! These girls are at an age where even the slightest comment can bother them. I probably shouldn''t be in the room. ''''Ginette. Are you sure you don''t mind if I leave this to you?'''' ''Yes, I am. I''m sure you''ll all be worried about a lot of things when Yashiro is around. ''People make funny faces and voices when they''re training hard. ''N-d-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! And so on. It''s better if I''m not here. ''Okay, I''ll be back in the evening. ''I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to kick you out.'' ''What? Don''t worry about it. I''ve got things to do.'' I give my regards to Ginette and the other instructors, call out to the three students, and leave the sunlit pavilion. ''Let''s go check on Magda for now. I''m thinking of going to Yap Rock''s, but if I''m going to see Magda, I''d better do it before Cantartika starts. I''m not used to working in a restaurant. It would be different in terms of time management. So, I came to the main street first. ...... I met some unexpected people there. Two of them. I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ''...... Where did you get this information?It''s not even open yet. It was decided yesterday after the store closed that Magda would start working at Cantalucia today, and now it''s not even open yet. ...... He''s got some kind of psychic powers, doesn''t he? It''s a good thing that Umaro is already too late, but the other person was unexpected. ''Hey, ladybug. Good morning. ''Millie ......, is that a delivery? Early in the morning, Millie was in Kantartika. And she''s wiping down the table and stuff. ''You know, ...... Magda, I told you, I''m sure you''ll be lonely. ............ If it were you, Miry, you''d probably be lonely staying alone. I''m sure you''ll be lonely. ...... So I thought I''d stay with you. ''Millie ......'' What a nice girl you are! Why can''t you be my daughter now? I want to hug her!I want to hug her. ''Millie! ''What?What? ''...... Sir, please don''t touch the dancer.'' Just as I was about to hug Millie, a mop handle was thrust at my chin. It''s Magda. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ''...... If you''re going to hug me, it should be Magda.'' ''Well, ...... are you okay with that? It was. I came to give Magda a pep talk. ''Magda. Are you okay?'' ''...... It''s a slightly different form, but it''s Magda, so she''s fine.'' ''Yeah.'' ''...... And Millie says she can help, too.'' ''Is that so?'' ''Mm-hmm. I asked the guild leader for a day off. Even Millie took time off from her work to go to ...... ''You''re not overworking yourself, are you? I''m sorry. I''m worried about you, too,......, and the big sisters in the guild are also a little concerned about the dieting of the younger ones,....... Early morning. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. And then the guild leader and the guild''s hag ...... and the big girls sent her off. Incidentally, Magda said that while she was in Kantartika, she would concentrate on the business of Kantartika and did not participate in the morning donation. The kids are screaming. Let them spoil you when they come back to the sunny pavilion, ''Magda-neechan''. ''Come and get me if you need anything. Even if we change workplaces, the relationship between Magda and I will never change. Magda''s tail snapped up!--And stands up straight. Then he wraps his arms around me and pulls me toward his head. Okay, okay, okay!I''ll pet it, don''t pull. ''............ Mwah! ''Really ......, are you okay, Magda?'' ''...... Yashiro and Magda are always connected at heart. So I''m fine.'' Magda is beginning to stand on her own, despite being spoiled. He''s really grown up. His mind. He''ll be an adult soon. ''The ...... connection often looks a little obscene. ''You''ll have to wait a little longer to become an adult in that direction. See?Hey! Oh, no. We may have to hurry up and isolate Regina and Natalia. Oh, so Javier and Umaro are in danger too? I don''t know why there are so many perverts in this city! ...... haha!That''s right! ''Magda and Milly ...... and if word gets out that my sisters are helping out in this store, ...... Javier will come, so be very careful! ''...... Don''t worry. If the situation arises, I''ll summon the Javier killer (Imelda). That''s a relief, but ...... ''......Yashiro''. Magda gently places her hand on my chest as my anxiety continues to grow. ''...... Magda is fine. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. He tells me to trust him more. Magda. And me and Jeannette for raising her like that. ''Oh, ...... that''s right.'' ''......Yeah.'' He''s really grown up, hasn''t he? ...... Oh, no. I''m going to cry. ............ I lifted my chin lightly to keep the tears from flowing. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''...... And if something should happen and the store goes under, Cantalucia will be safe. ''It''s not safe, man! ''...... Magda has a sunlit pavilion.'' ''That''s true, but!Aaaaah, I wonder if I''ll be okay!I''m suddenly getting anxious! This girl, ...... scares me. Well, I''m sure, maybe, just maybe, Maeve, she''ll turn out all right. I want to believe that. Let me believe that. ...... I quickly forgot Magda''s words, which were probably a joke, and left Cantalucia. Magda and the others had to prepare the store, and I was worried about Yap Rock. We returned to the main road and stepped into the street. A little further on, past the sunlit pavilion, a path to a corn farm appears in the middle of the road. It is a sturdy, well-trodden path. There is no way we could have missed it due to the overgrown grass as we did in the past. This is where carts carrying large quantities of corn and corn flour frequently come and go. Since the collaboration with Cantalcica, the recognition of tacos has increased, and the number of bars that sell tacos is increasing. In proportion to this, the consumption of corn flour, the raw material for tortillas, is also increasing. Yap Lock''s customers are no longer limited to sunny-side up restaurants. Well, I haven''t seen you in a while, Yap Lock. He does business through the peddler''s guild and seldom comes to our side. It seems that Yaplock is busy with the increased demand. I didn''t pay much attention to him, thinking that his lack of news was a sign that he was doing well. I didn''t expect that the first time he came after a long absence would be on such an errand. ''...... Ahhh. Here it is again. A corner of the cornfield had been ransacked. There were clear signs that someone without any knowledge of corn harvesting had attempted to rob it. There were stalks that had been pulled out by the roots and left behind, and shredded corn that had been forcibly cut with knife-like objects. It''s so much easier to get it. ...... When I saw the damage, I felt as if a golden tree had been cut down, and a sense of injustice spread in my heart. In the meantime, I went to Yap Rock''s house, which had been somewhat renovated, to hear his story. The Yaploks, despite the money they must have made, are not extravagant. The size of the house has not changed that much. I was told that they had added rooms for their son and daughter, Tot and Cheryl, but other than that, they had only renovated the old floors and roof. He only spends money on his kids. ...... Hmm? I walked up to the house and saw Cheryl playing in the yard. ''Hey, Cheryl! ''Ah~!Yachiro!'' Cheryl came running towards me with her hands in the air. The toy still looks like dried popcorn. It must be her favorite. ...... It would be worth a fortune if you did it right. ...... It''s a luxurious toy. ''Yachiro, how are you? ''Oh. I''m fine. How''s Cheryl? ''I''m having fun! Oh, I see. I was just asking how you''re doing. You need to learn a little more. If we don''t, we''ll end up on the Loretta track. ''Do you want a yap lock? ''I don''t need it anymore, do I? ''Oh, yeah. One is enough. Not your ''Do you need one? I mean, is he home? ''No, I''m not! Cheryl tells me as she pats my inner thighs with dried popcorn. ...... That thing you''re holding is a foodstuff, not a blunt instrument. Remember that. ''Do you know where it went? ''Hmmm... ......'' Cheryl tilts her head and gouges me in the stomach with her crunchy popcorn (which is now a weapon). Hahaha, Cheryl~. I''m about to get my hands on you~? ''Kangoku! ''Jail! ''Yes!Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! Yap Lock is in jail for stealing! I''m guessing he''s not going to ............, he''s going to jail for being caught robbing. Maybe they''re interviewing him. So that means we should go to Estella''s place. ''Thanks, Cheryl. ''Yachiro, can I come back? ''Oh. If you''re lonely, you should go visit the church. We''ve got a new playground and lots of friends to have fun with.'' ''Yeah!I''ll ask him when he''s ready to go to church! ''Wait a minute!What kind of conversation did you learn that kind of language?Huh?You''re not really being held captive, are you, Yap Lock? ''Mohanshu! ''Sorry, Cheryl!I''m starting to get worried, so don''t leave me! ''Yeah!Bye, Yachiro! No, no. She''s probably just memorizing words from a conversation and copying them without knowing what they mean. I try to tell myself that, but the anxiety in me is growing. I''m sure you''ll be fine, Yap Lock, but I''m coming to get you! Even though I knew this would not be the case, I aimed for Estella''s mansion at full speed. ''Oh, Hero-sama!It''s been a while. ''It''s ............, isn''t it? I''ve been thinking about it for a while. ''Yashiro ......, are you alright?'' I went to Estella''s house and found Yaplock and Estella in the garden, I knew what I was doing but I felt strangely relieved and lay down on the ground. ...... Oh, I''m dying. My heart hurts so much I''m dying. ''......I want to take Yap Rock down with me. ......'' ''Oh, sir!Did I do something to offend you? ''Don''t worry. I''m sure it''s just a result of the cycle of fate. In short, it''s nothing to be concerned about. You idiot, Estella. There''s a saying, ''The fate of the child goes around to the parent''. ............ Or is it the other way around? ''I''ve been to your house.'' ''Well, thank you again for your time.'' ''I met Cheryl in the garden, and she said something that made me uneasy, and I got a little nervous. ''Cheryl is, is it? ''That''s also rude ......,'' says Yap Lock, bowing his head. But then he tilts his head. ''I thought my wife, Wuerer, and my son, Tot, were in the house. ......'' ...... Oh, by the way, they came over here before I could reach the house! I''m not sure if I could have gotten accurate information from Uehler if I had gone inside the house!I''m not sure what to do. ''If you''re here, let me know in advance at .......'' ''I''m sorry, sir! ''No, Yap Lock. You don''t have to apologize at all, it''s just a matter of taking it out on me.'' Estella has a point. I can''t help it. I''m done talking about this. So don''t peek at me with that smirk on your face, Estella. ''So what''s Yap Lock doing here?Are you discussing damages?'' ''Oh, no. It''s not like that, but ...... there''s something that''s been bothering me a bit. He said this and looked at Estella. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''If you''re worried about Estella''s gouty state, I''m sorry to ...... tell you that. ''If you don''t want to talk seriously, go home, Yashiro.'' ''Then seriously, Estella''s gouge is at a dangerous level: ......'' ''Go home! Estella tries to tighten my neck. You, with your middle finger, are definitely going to crush my windpipe, aren''t you!The destructive power of a joke is beyond me. You know? ''The bandits we caught are keeping quiet. ''Silence, huh? That''s what Natalia said. That''s why you don''t know who they are. ''Are you going to let them see you and decide the charges?'' ''Not exactly. ...... But still, you know, ......'' Estella looks confused. Oh, that''s sweet. With that kind of attitude, criminals will gather in the 42nd district. ''They''ll get off lightly there.'' ''They can do all the crimes they want! You know. ''Well, we can''t waste any more time, so if you continue to keep silent, we''ll have to impose a suitably heavy punishment. I wonder if the bandit thinks that''s okay. ''Have you told the bandit about this? ''Of course I did. I''ve tried to convince him many times that keeping quiet would only create a disadvantage for you. ''But he wouldn''t tell me anything. ''Frankly, I can''t help you. The bandit seems to be quite stubborn. The psychology of criminals who remain stubbornly silent can be divided into several patterns. In the case of Japan, where the law is well established, the accused has the right to be protected by remaining silent, and has the advantage of refraining from saying anything that would be detrimental. If the defendant remains silent and the defense attorney is able to make adequate preparations to turn the situation around, the defendant may be able to win the case. If you want to buy time for that purpose, silence is an effective way. However, if the defense attorney is not good, it is just a way to buy time. If there is no deep meaning or intention, and you are just keeping silent because you don''t know what to do, then silence has no effect. However, this All Bloom''s world is one where punishment is determined by something as vague as "discretion of the nobility". As in the Japanese law, the possibility that silence will produce good results is extremely small. This is because it is very annoying to be kept silent. It only gives a bad impression to the aristocrat who is the judge. But what are the cases in which you should keep silent? One is a death-defying rebellion that refuses to bow down to the nobility. They are willing to die for their pride. The other is when you are defending someone. When a person believes that speaking out will somehow harm someone in particular, he stubbornly keeps his mouth shut. In either of these cases,......, and to add to the mix, there is the case of a stubborn idiot who doesn''t know what to do. But let''s leave that out of the equation. If he''s just an idiot, it''s useless to think about what he''s thinking. So, if you have to choose between being ready to die and being protective of someone, would ............ popcorn be enough to make you think about dying?Probably not. If he was a bandit pretending to be a proud bandit, he wouldn''t have destroyed the field like that. That''s not smart. You can see his lack of forethought. I think it''s best if he''s protecting someone. ''I wanted to feed popcorn to someone. But that someone is ......, who you don''t want to tell even if it kills you.'' ''I''m afraid so, too. That''s why it''s ....... I''m willing to take the time to listen to you. ...... Sweet, huh? What are you worried about? It''s not the first time you''ve been naive. I know all about your naivety. So I''ll affirm it with all my might. You''re naive. ''Ah, yes. You''re thin!'' ''Don''t change your adjectives! I''m sorry.I just did. I got it wrong. Heh. ''But you see, Estella. Your sweetness and thinness are your strengths.'' ''Thinness is not an advantage!I''m not thin!Can you please stop that ''I complimented you~'' resentful look? Estella, who is always noisy no matter where she is, makes a long and energetic comment in one breath. You''re a pro. Well done. ''I''d like to meet that bandit. ''Oh, you''re interested? ''Well, I heard they were after popcorn. One wrong move and the Sunlit Pavilion, Shop No. 2 and Shop No. 7 could have been ransacked like that cornfield. And if you''re unlucky enough to find your sisters there,............, Magda might be able to turn the tables on them, but it''s tough on the non-Magda employees. I would like to have some proof that this is not an organized crime. ''Well, I''ll show you around. ''Um, my lord, my hero! Yap Lock stepped in between us, his small hands reaching out desperately. ''Please let me come with you. I want to see that woman again and hear her story.'' ''The woman? ''Okay, but ......, I don''t think you can. ......'' ''Still, I''d like to try again......'' ''Hey . Is this bandit a woman?'' ''Yes, but? A woman. ...... If so, that''s a different story. If you continue to keep silent and displease the lords and nobles while you are in custody, you may be sentenced to the maximum penalty. Anyone who lives in this city knows that, unless they are a newborn child. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... If the bandit is a woman, the candidates are narrowed down. In most cases, it is easier for a man to get food. Unless it''s someone like Mikel of the Aphid People, whose stamina is one-third that of a normal person. The most likely candidate is ...... a child. If it is a young child, it has no ability to get food, and it makes sense that it would be a target that you would want to protect with your life. ''Don''t the bandits have young children? ''How about that ......?'' But Estella looked reluctant. ''She--she didn''t tell me anything, so I''m just judging from her appearance--she looks about the same age as us. I see. ...... No, well, that''s not to say there aren''t any. ...... ''I''m thinking that a sister or brother would be more appropriate. ''I see. That sounds like a good story. ''For the sake of my younger siblings, huh? ''That''s why I want to know what she''s really thinking. ......'' Yap Lock grasped his small hands and shook them. ''...... I want to know if I''m using the wrong means to protect the powerless. Yap Lock, who had once been willing to sacrifice himself for his family. That idea has been repented of,......, but I understand the feeling. ''Let me see him for now. ''Okay, okay. ...... I''m sorry I dragged you out after all. He sends an apology. I think Estella was at a standstill and couldn''t get out of her own way. Hmmm ...... ''The store is temporarily closed, so I''m free. ...... I''m just killing time. I''m sure you''ll be able to help me out. I''m not sure what to do. I was about to say that the reward would be expensive, but then I stopped myself. Probably because I realized that Ginette and Magda were slowly changing. Only now, I couldn''t bring myself to play with such platitudes. ''Lead the way, please. ''Yes.'' Estella took me to the prison that stood a short distance away from the lord''s house. 352-Additive-free Episode 7 commonly known as bandits The prison was set up in the basement of a rather large and ostentatious facility. Inside was a woman in her late teens with long bangs hanging down over her face and a long, thin tail. Was she a Saruman? She was wearing a tattered, dirty tank top. She had a black hoodie wrapped around her waist, and I guessed that she would wear it during the night raids. His pants were a pair of torn denim-like pants that seemed to be made only of sturdy material, and the hem of these pants was also torn, exposing everything from the thigh to the right side. When we came to the front of the jail, the monkey woman glanced at us from behind her hanging bangs, and then looked away. ''Is this the only prison here? ''Huh? Estella''s voice sounded strange, as if she thought she had received an unexpected question. ''No, this is a special place, it''s where we keep the suspects of that ...... difficult case.'' Estella says that this facility is a combination of a jail and a detention center, and is called the Forty-two District Jail, commonly known as the ''Jail''. ''It''s strange to call it a normal ......, but it''s a separate prison where prisoners are held.'' ''I see. That''s good to know. There is only one cell in this basement, and there is only one monkey woman in the cell. There are guards, but they are hidden from the prison, so the monkey woman will be truly alone. If that is the case, it might be easy to get her to talk. I glance over at the monkey woman. Her exposed arms and right leg are both thin. She looks muscular, but that''s just because she''s too skinny to have muscles floating around. Poor thing, not enough fat and not enough milk. She has the potential of a D, but is currently a B. ...... ''Still, it''s more than Estella, though. ''Do you want to go home?Or do you want me to put you in here? You don''t even know what you''re talking about. Estella looks a little tired. I suggest you eat a lot of sweets and get some rest. She brushed aside my caring gaze and approached the prison. She stands in front of the prison, but without touching it, she calls out to the monkey woman inside. ''Isn''t it about time you told me your name? ''............'' Completely ignored. Not a single sarcastic word. She refuses all contact and hugs her knees against the wall, as if she can''t see Estella''s presence. ...... Triangle sitting, huh. ''...... Huh. That''s how it is. There''s nothing you can do about it. All the while she was observing the monkey woman, but the monkey woman did not move an inch. The moment Estella turned her back, I thought she would show some kind of reaction. ...... ''My lord, ...... may I have a word? Yap Lock stood in front of Estella, his hands on his chest and his head bowed. He asks the lord to speak to the monkey woman. He is polite to Estella, or rather he is very formal. ''Don''t go too close to the prison. With that warning, he opens the front of the yap lock. It''s dangerous to approach a cage with criminals in it. Criminals who have been quiet could suddenly attack you. You don''t want to be within their reach. Especially if you''re not used to roughhousing, like Yap Lock. ''That ...... lady.'' Yaplock speaks in a calm voice. Careful, like touching a broken object. ''Can I tell you a story, please? Still, the monkey woman keeps her mouth shut. ''...... He, have you eaten? ''Huh?'' I ask Estella in a whisper so as not to disturb Yap Lock. The monkey woman is too skinny for me to see. She''s been trapped here for about a day. It''s okay for now, but if she doesn''t eat anything at this point, the worst could happen. ''I''m feeding you. It''s not gluttonous, but it''s not terrible, just normal food. ......, but he won''t eat any of it.'' ''Is there such a thing as a truth serum in this city? ''Well, I''ve heard of ...... them, but... I don''t have one. But Regina has .......'' ''No, I don''t want it. If it was common knowledge in this town that such a potion existed, he wouldn''t be willing to eat what he was offered. He''s trying to protect someone he''s hiding from. Well, the "someone" is pretty much a target, though. Well... If that monkey woman is in that situation, ...... we might have to hurry a bit. ''I understand that you are trying to protect someone. I used to be one of them.'' Yap Lock desperately pleads. He wants to learn from the mistakes he''s made in the past, and not let the younger generation make the same mistakes. ''Right now, maybe you''re feeling hopeless about your life. You may think that your future is gone. But that''s just your imagination. Just because you can''t see it, doesn''t mean your future is gone. Her words were filled with emotion. He leaned forward, frustratedly letting out the emotions he wanted to convey but couldn''t get them into words. ''You are still young. You can start over now!There are many hard times. But you are not alone. There are people who want to protect you, who will do anything to protect you. Isn''t that right? Faintly, the monkey woman''s face looked down. Seeing this, Yap Lock accelerated his words further. ''I have no intention of charging you with a serious crime. I will forgive all if you reflect on your actions and change your mind and swear to live an honest life. The lord of my district is a very kind man. He''s not the kind of person who would deny someone out of hand. You can start over. If you can admit who you are in your own words. Saroo doesn''t move. Her shoulders stopped rising and falling, and she remained silent as if she wasn''t even breathing. Yap Lock became impatient with the monkey woman who showed no reaction. Grabbing the prison with both hands, he leaned forward to make his voice heard and shouted. ''You''re not supposed to be here!I know you have someone you want to protect!If you don''t protect him, who will?It''s easy to run away!It''s easy to run away! But what will happen to the person left behind when you''re gone?Are you going to make them bear the pain that you couldn''t bear?It''s not grace, it''s escape. They started moving almost simultaneously. The only difference was that Estella reached Yap Rock faster because she was closer. The monkey woman suddenly stood up and attacked Yaplock. She grabbed the body of the white octopus that was attached to the prison, and her arms came at him with a ferocity that made him want to break them. Just in the nick of time, Estella ripped Yaplock out of her cell, and the monkey woman''s hands went flying. ''Just let me tell you, ......! Extending her cut-through arm from between the bars, the monkey woman repeatedly slammed into the bars in an attempt to capture Yap Lock''s body. ''What do you know?Don''t talk to me like you know what you''re talking about! The first time I heard her voice, it was a little husky and terrifying. She glared at Yap Lock with bloodshot eyes and let out a ragged breath through clenched teeth. After shaking the cell for a minute or so, the monkey woman clucked her tongue and walked back to the wall. Yaplock sat on the floor, his face pale and frozen. It was no use, he''d just been hit by a real killer. ''I told you. Don''t go near the jail.'' ''............ I''m sorry, my lord. My lord.'' Yaplock''s jaw quivered. He was unusually hot. That trembling wasn''t just from fear. It''s like the after-effects of a raging emotion welling up inside of him. He''s probably going to be very depressed after this. ...... ''Estella. ''Yeah ...... I''ll follow up on that. I''ll tell the waiter to send you some yap rocks. I''ll also tell Wuerer to take care of the yap locks.'' Looking down at the slumped Okojie, we have a secret conversation. When Yaplock stops shaking, we''ll have him pull out as soon as possible. Yap Lock shouldn''t come here for a while. I''ve been thinking about my past, and I just want to do something about it. At all. ''Yap Lock.'' I squat down and put my hand on Yap Lock''s too-slouchy shoulder. ''Don''t do something you''re not used to. It''s not cool.'' But, hey, don''t worry, don''t worry. ''............ haha. It doesn''t go as well as the heroes. ......'' ''Of course it does. What?Did you think you were in line with me? ''No, that''s not true!I''m still a young man. ......'' No, no, no. You''re older than me. ''But well, I got some good information.'' ''What, with the ...... exchange we just had? Yeah, I did. That monkey b*tc* got so pissed off because it was right on the money. When people get angry, it''s usually when they''re insulted or when they''ve been wronged. ''Do you want to help him? ''Go to ......? ''He''s the bandit who messed up your field, remember?If he hadn''t ...... been in that field with Tot and Cheryl, who knows what would have happened? It''s just lucky that no one was harmed. ''Would you still want to help someone like that?'' ''............'' Thinking long and hard, Yap Lock opened his mouth. With unwavering determination. ''I think. I sense something ...... in her that compelled her to do so. Something similar to the way I used to be before I met you, Hero. There must be a reason. So I want to help the bandits who attacked my house. ......? Huh. You''re an idiot, you know that? ''...... sweet, isn''t it? ''Yeah, you''re sweet. And Estella is thin.'' ''Yashiro. I''ll be standing right behind you, okay? ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''...... can you do it? ''It can''t be today,......, but if you give me a week or so. ''A week............, yes. We''ll have to wait and see. ''Oh. That''s fine. A week is a generous deadline. We''ll probably get it done a little sooner. I''ll have a plan for that, too. So, I''ll stop the whispering I''ve been doing to keep the monkey lady from hearing and say it in a clear voice. Before that, I''ll give Estella a sign. Point your thumb at the prison and tell her to watch. ''Don''t be reckless, Yap Lock. What would you do if something happened to you? You have a family, don''t you?'' ''Yeah, ............ yeah, well. Yes, I do.'' ''You have a naughty boy, a young girl, and a beautiful wife who is also a good mother to both of them, right? Having said all that, he turns his gaze to Estella. Has there been any change?--And. Estella then held up two fingers as she casually looked towards the prison. Number two ...... little girl, huh. ''What''s the name of your sister? ''Well, my name is Cheryl.'' ''Oh yeah, Cheryl. She''s five this year, right? ''I''ll be six. ''Wow, you''re that big already? You grow up so fast.'''' ''Thanks to you. ''Then he''s at his most adorable now. It''s so much fun to watch them grow, isn''t it?'' ''Yes, it is.'' I glanced at Estella''s face and saw the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. It seems we have achieved a good result. Then, let''s finish the stone. ''So, don''t do anything dangerous again. Who''s going to protect my little girl when you''re gone? ''You won''t even be able to feed her well, and of course she''ll be sad when you''re gone.'' ''You may be fine on your own, but the world isn''t sweet enough for a little girl to live on her own! ''Ha, ha......, I''m well aware of that. ......'' I blocked Yap Lock''s mouth as he tried to speak. No need to reply. It''s not like I was talking to you. ''Then let''s go home. Go home to your family who''s waiting for you.'' ''Yes, sir. Would you like to come to my home at ......?'' I left the prison at the back of Yap Lock, who didn''t quite understand. I left before he could say anything else. After leaving the basement, I went to the reception room on the ground level to do some checking. I sit across from Estella on a rather cheap leather sofa. I sent Yaplock home. He needs to stay out of it. He''ll get more and more emotional and try to plead innocence. ''You''re amazing. How did you manage to get so much information out of that stubborn suspect in such a short time?'' ''He was just a simple man.'' ''Yes, it was. ...... She must be a pure and gentle girl, isn''t she? I said ''simple''. Don''t make it sound so good on your own. ''She''s trying to protect a little girl, probably around five years old. She didn''t respond to the words ''naughty boy'' or ''mother. When you''re locked up alone in a prison cell, the only thing you can think about is your loved ones. In such a situation, when your mind is filled with your loved ones, you can''t help but react when the topic comes up. This is called the cocktail party effect. Even in a noisy place such as a party hall, we naturally hear words that are relevant to us. It is the same as when you hear a song you know in the background music of a noisy pub. The cocktail party effect is more effective when the words are related to you, such as your name, your favorite things, your interests, or things you miss. This is why it becomes more difficult. When you have been thinking about something that is important to you and you have been thinking about it for a long time, you cannot ignore it when it is brought up. There is a difference between no reaction and a slight reaction, no matter how slight. But it also requires skill on the part of those who put up antennas to detect it. ''How did you notice the change? ''Because I saw her apnea just before. In the middle of Yap Lock''s story, the monkey woman turned her head and fell completely silent. A preliminary move before the hunt, different from no reaction. It was the reaction of being on the edge of your seat, watching for an opening. ''Because I could compare it to that, I could be sure of even the slightest reaction from her. ''Bingo.'' Then, I focused on the words that the monkey girl had reacted to, and put together a few words to guide her. ''She didn''t react as much as she did at first, but she definitely heard you,'' he said. Then she scrambled to her knees. The action of covering the front of the chest, like sitting in a triangle, is a sign of anxiety. Maybe she was trying to suppress the anxiety in her body by shrinking down. ''It''s hard to say what exactly, but ...... she has a little sister she needs to protect - or a girl who may not be related to her by blood. That''s what it looked like to me.'' If that''s what you saw, you''re not far off. However, if your first reaction was to the fact that she was still young, then her gender might be male. ''That''s true. But it doesn''t matter either way--'' ''Oh. He needed to get food or money for the little guy. If you think about it that way, you can guess that he wanted the popcorn to make the little guy happy. However, I don''t understand why he attacked the raw materials. ............ It may simply be that the raw materials were the first thing that came to mind when he heard the word "popcorn". If he was attacking vendors as prey, he would have seen the raw materials more often than not. Finished products are bought in stores. Maybe it''s even simpler than that, and he doesn''t know what finished popcorn is. Well, that''s not important. Anyway, the monkey woman was probably aiming at the ''popcorn that young children like'' that she heard somewhere. ''I guess those last words worked pretty well ......''. Estella says apologetically. The last words-- ''Then let''s go home. To your family waiting for you.'''' A place that the monkey woman could not return to. A clear and vivid reminder of that. Sure, you''ll be impatient. You may not be able to sleep tonight. ''But that''s all for the sake of getting it over with. It''s more of an act of kindness, in my opinion. ''Your kindness is hard for the sensible public to understand.'' He said this with a hard smile, and still agreed with my methods. ''If she really has such a young child, we should solve it as soon as possible. I''m worried about her, too. It''s hard to imagine that a child being raised by someone who can only get by by robbing others is learning how to live honestly. In addition, the monkey woman herself, the worker, is too thin. A child''s physical strength is not worth much. ...... time is not much. ''Huh ......, I hope you trust me and let me tell you the story ......''. ''Don''t be absurd. Even Paula and the others had things they couldn''t tell us, you know?What can you talk about with someone you''ve never met before, and who''s hostile to you? ''......, right? .................. Oh, I''m pretty bummed about this one, aren''t I? ''Which is the ...... case this time?'' ''The diet one: ......'' You got Loretta to talk to. I''ve got no one....... d*mn it. ''......Yashiro, what can I do for you?'' ''......Which one are you talking about?'' ''The bandits.'' My mind is wandering all over the place. Estella''s in a real funk, isn''t she? Don''t let too many things get to you. ''If you give me certain privileges, or...'' ''In a week? ''In about a week, yeah.'' ''...... What do you want?'' ''Hmmm... ......'' I hold out my hand towards Estella. With my palm facing up, in a ''give me'' pose. ''............Eh, money?'' ''No. The key to the jail. ''Eh ............, ...... are you serious?'' ''Yes! I stared back at Estella''s bewildered face with a big smile on my face. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. Mmmmm ............ 353-No additives Episode 8 The art of opening a closed... ''Yashiro-san! Jeannette is coming at full speed in her own way. She seems to be in a great hurry. ''Thank God ......, you weren''t imprisoned.'' Hmm, I guess I didn''t convey the message correctly. I was going to ask him to bring me a lunch box at lunchtime, but when I suddenly returned to the sunlit pavilion... The door ''clanged''. The girls were changing their clothes. --I was about to have an incident like that, so I asked the ham girl who was helping Estella clean up the garden to give her a message. She said, ''I''m in jail, please bring me lunch. And the result was ...... ''Well, I''m in jail and I can''t get back to the sunny-side up pavilion, so I need you to bring me a lunchbox.'' The message was received from ....... Well, ...... is not wrong, but it''s an iridescent message that can be interpreted in any way you like. I kind of expected that. ''So, you guys are saying, "Finally, ......! And'' ''Okay, can you be more specific about the ''everyone''? ''Oh, no. You''re all just worried about me, right? I''m not happy about being worried. And Jeannette seems to have come in quite a hurry, too. ...... I guess she couldn''t say it wasn''t possible. d*mn. ''So, um, here''s your lunch. I put in some fried river fish, Yashiro-san''s favorite. Haha...... bringing me my favorite food, that''s a real visit. You haven''t been caught. ''How''s it going over there? ''Yes, sir. Everyone seems to have regained their strength for now, and can move around normally. ''I see. ''Right now, they''re doing ''light exercise'' under Delia''s guidance. I''m sure it''s not a light exercise when Delia is leading it. ...... No, it''s probably light from Delia''s point of view, but from our point of view, it must be a level of exercise that could be classified as hard training or hard work. ''I''m sorry I called you here before lunch. ''No, sir. Actually, I''m going to have lunch a little later. In order to restore their stomachs to normalcy after a long period of unbalanced eating habits, the trio of idiots are eating multiple light meals, spaced out over time. Eating several small meals at once is reasonable from the viewpoint of digestion. However, I don''t like it so much because I can''t enjoy the feeling of satiety. ''From tomorrow, it will be a normal diet class. There were no abnormalities in Regina-san''s checkup. ''You''re here, Regina? ''Yes. She came early in the morning because she knew that if she suddenly did something reckless, her body would break down, and she''s still watching over us together. Oh, ...... that guy. ''And Norma-san said she would teach everyone how to cook simple dishes that can be done at home, so lunch is left to Norma-san. ''What''s Imelda doing? ''Let''s see, ............, "Look at your perfect, nice body and make it your goal,"'' she said, wandering around in front of you in her swimsuit, .......'' ''What the hell is he doing, ......'' ''But, maybe that''s why everyone is so excited. ''I''ll get even with him! Is that it? ''Yes ......, something like that.'' Well, if you''re that energetic, you''ll be fine. ''I''m really glad you found out before it was too late.'' ''Yes, .......'' Muttering, Jeannette pulled her chin up and dropped her gaze to the ground. Is she feeling sorry for herself for not noticing, or is she feeling sorry for forcing her to take care of them? ...... ''You have nothing to be sorry for, do you? ''No. I don''t know if I can ever forgive me. ...... This is also a selfish feeling. ......'' He laughed ......, a laugh that was clearly unreasonable. I''ll give you a word for that. ''Ginette''. ''Yes? ''Please repent. ''Ah, ............. Yes. I repent.'' To face my sins, to remember them, and to one day forgive myself. ''I''m glad. I''m glad you remembered me. She hugs herself tantalizingly and looks up at me as if she''s peering into my eyes. Stop it. You''ll want to take her away. ''Thank you for .......'' She bows her head and says, ''hehehe ......'' with a shy smile on her face. Hey, is this something I can take home with me?I want to keep it by my bedside. ...... What? No, no, no. I was almost thrown in jail. Let''s change the subject for now. ''Do you feel any strange guilt for taking a break from the Sunken Pavilion?'' ''Yes, I do. ...... Well, it''s a strange feeling, but...'' Is this the first time since the store renovation that the Sunlit Pavilion has been completely closed? It was a food stall during the expedition to the 35th district. ''Thankfully, there are many people who care about YODAMARI-TEI. At the same time, there are many people who also want to take care of you. If I can be of help to such people, I think that taking a break is not a bad thing. ...... Recently, I have come to believe that. In the past, Ginette had been somewhat afraid of taking a break from the Sunlit Pavilion. She may have thought that if she closed the store, it would disappear. At least, when he was running the store by himself, he would never have closed the store. No matter how many customers did not come. No matter how rough the weather was. But Jeannette has changed. And at the same time, the sunken pavilion changed. You can understand that now. A day or two off won''t make the sunny house go away. Jeannette has risen to a higher level as the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. She''s getting tougher. Well, he''s still a failure as a manager because he doesn''t pay attention to sales and profits at all. ''But I''m thinking of visiting Grandma Mum after this ......''. Grandma Mum says that drinking tea at the sunny pavilion is her daily routine. Ginette says that she feels restless when she doesn''t see Grandma Mum''s face. It must be a routine for you, too, to drink tea with Grandma Mum. ''Also, I''m going to check on Magda. Norma was going to prepare lunch, so Ginette would have time. Magda will be happy if Jeannette shows up. .................. Ha! ''Ginette, Cantartica is dangerous.'' ''Huh? There''s a customer there who''s been looking at Ginette with an evil eye. I can''t believe you''d let Ginette go to a place like that alone. ...... ''I think I''ll go too. Do you want to have dinner with me?'' ''Oh, no. I''m sure you''re busy at lunchtime, so I thought I''d take a look at you and go home. ...... Norma said she''d cook for me, too.'' ''Oh, is that so? Well, if you go quickly and return quickly, you''ll be fine. ............ No, but drunk people are bad. ...... When you think about it, Magda and Milly I''m also worried about Magda and Milly. .................. Okay! ''There was a mace in the armoury here, you can take it with you! ''No,......, I''m not very good with that stuff,.......'' ''Then I''ll teach you!Change into comfortable clothes and meet here again! ''Yashiro-san, please calm down. You''ll be fine. Okay? Sweet!You''re naive, Jeannette! I''ll show you how sweet you are right here, right now! I''m going to shackle you from behind, and then I''m going to ...... shove those two big bulges ............ out of your face!I''m going to be imprisoned if I do that. ''...... Okay. But be very careful. If a stranger calls out to you, don''t follow him. Even if they offer you sweets, don''t take them. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... I''m not a child, okay? Idiot! I''m telling you this because you''re more defenseless than most kids! ''If a suspicious, mysterious, top-notch chef said, "I''ll teach you a new cooking recipe," you''d follow him! ''Let''s see, ...... a top-notch chef isn''t a mystery. ......'' It doesn''t matter! ''Besides, what I''m interested in is the recipes that Yashiro-san teaches us. I''d like to put the dishes that are suitable for the sunlit pavilion in the sunlit pavilion. ...... That means that the dishes I advocate are suitable for the sunlit pavilion. In other words, the colors of you and me are the colors that are typical of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. .................. ''Gofufu! ''Yashiro-san! ''No, it''s ...... fine. ......'' I feel so embarrassed all of a sudden! I''m so embarrassed! Yeah!That''s right! Ginette''s not a child! She''ll be fine! And Magda''s here too! ''Well, give my regards to Magda for me.'' ''Yes, sir. Um, Yashiro-san, how long will it be before you''re back? ''Jinaepu, I''ll miss you so much, please come back soon! ............? What was that mysterious cute creature''s voice just now? I didn''t say that! Because Jeannette would never say such a thing by mistake! You''re getting a little carried away, me! ''Hey, I''ve got some stuff to do here. I might be late.'' ''I see. Well, I''ll finish bathing you all before then. ''I''m leaving early!I''m leaving now! ''No, you can''t!There are a lot of women here today, so the baths will take a long time!I''m sorry, but please come back as slowly as possible.'' ''Okay. I''ll be back around eight o''clock at night. ...... but don''t come back around seven o''clock! ''I''ll lock the door, you keep talking like that! Jeannette turned red and waved her arms around. No, you see, we''re all anemic, we''re all limping, and we all need help with the bath!Helping with the bath is hard work!You need a man''s help! But it''s a little depressing to be locked out. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''Okay. If I finish my errands early, I''ll kill some time in Cantalucia.'' ''Eh ......''. Ginette suddenly looked forlorn and fidgeted with her fingers. ''What is it? ''Oh, even if that ...... mysterious first-class chef says, "I''ll treat you to a very delicious meal for free," please don''t ...... fill up, okay?'' I thought top chefs weren''t a mystery,....... ''Yes, they are. It looks like you haven''t cooked at all today,......, so I''m going to ask you to make my dinner a big one.'' ''Yes, sir. That''s the plan.'' Cooking is Jeannette''s vocation, hobby, and life''s work. I don''t want you to get stressed out because you can''t cook. ''Besides, it''s also a strategy to show Yashiro-san how delicious he eats so that everyone will remember the joy of eating. Ginette''s strategy is so childish and deceitful. ...... I don''t think they''re going to restrict their diet too much anymore. The look on their faces at that time was one of serious impatience. They must have realized that it was almost too late and are now desperately trying to get back on track. They may have made a few mistakes, but they are not basically stupid. If you tell them they''re wrong, they''ll get back on the right track. That''s why so many people are willing to help us. ''Well, I''ll do my best to use my head and keep it hungry. ''Exercise, isn''t it? ''The brain is the most energy-intensive part of the human body. If you work it hard enough, you''ll almost collapse from hunger in just a few hours. In the past, when I wrote a book on the scriptures of a certain new religion, ............, I ran out of gas after writing a manuscript of 100,000 words in one day. The brain seriously eats up energy. I think it''s nothing compared to a marathon. ''So, if we all study together, will we get hungry? ''Yeah, you''ll be less hungry, but if you eat, you''ll get fat. ''Is that so? You''ll be hungry, but you won''t be consuming calories. In order to consume calories properly, exercise is more suitable. ''Well, I''d better get back. ''Oh. Thanks for the lunch. ''No, thank you. It was fun. ''It was fun to make lunch. He said these words with a happy face, as if they would be followed by something like that. Well, I''d better get this sunlit pavilion open as soon as possible. Let''s get all this over with quickly. He grabs his lunch box by his side and turns around to head for the basement where the prison is located. ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san, ......! I was about to walk away when Jeannette stopped me. When I turned around, her big eyes were staring at me, and she seemed a little impatient, a little regretful, or perhaps ''Oh ...... I stopped her. Ginette was biting her lip, giving off a ''what should I do ......'' vibe. What the hell? You look like you''ve got something to say. ''Um,......, about what you said earlier,.......'' ''Earlier? ''...... peeping?'' ''I''m not talking about the bath. And please don''t peek.'' No? And I guess I''m not allowed to use ...... d*mn it, I can''t use the ''Oh, I''m sorry!I can''t use the ''I accidentally did it'' strategy! ''Let''s see, ......Cantartika and ......''. ''Are you talking about boobs? ''We didn''t talk about that, did we! No, you did! There are a lot of dangerous males with big titty mania around, and they want you to take the mace! ...... Oh, you didn''t say the boob part out loud? ''............Come, dine with us at ......'' ''Oh, you mean that.'' But since Norma said she would prepare for Jeannette, the two of us can''t eat together. I have my own lunch. ''Don''t worry about it. I''m just saying.'' ''No, no!I''d love to meet you at .............'' By all means? ''If you get a chance, would you like to ...... have dinner with me sometime ............?'' ......? That''s ...... It''s not uncommon to have dinner with Jeannette. It is difficult to eat with her because of her work, but she does eat with him when he donates money, and even when she is in the restaurant, she eats with him if there are no customers. But this is a different story. This is ...... ''In Cantartika, huh? ''Um,......, anywhere is fine,.............'' I mean, that''s ...... I''m not sure if this is an invitation to go on a date or not. Ginette and I are going to have dinner together at a place that isn''t the Sunken Pavilion. ............ Okay. Okay, okay. I understand the situation. Well, you know. I think Jeannette needs to try something from another restaurant once in a while. Know others, know yourself. Isn''t that important? So, it''s a good thing, this. Dinner with Jeannette. It''s just something we do as usual, but in a different place. It''s nothing to worry about. It''s part of the job. You could say it''s an investment for profit. Yeah, all right. Let''s go. To dinner. With Jeannette. Just you and me. Let''s go!Let''s go! ''...... yes. ...... please.'' Ginette bowed and ran off. She was very slow, but she was desperate. Her arms were swinging from side to side. He could have improved his time a little more by just swinging back and forth. ...... I watched him go, thinking about something unimportant. That''s right. Next time you get a chance, I''d love to see you from the front, Ginette''s all-out sprint...... I let the breeze blow outside for a while to cool my overheated brain. Once you''re inside, all the time is at stake. Breathing, eye contact, breathing. You have to consciously control all of it to get what you want. That''s the kind of battlefield you''ll find behind this door--the prison. ''...... Good. Switch complete.'' There are times when meeting Jeannette forces me to turn off my con man switch. It''s hard to do. I guess it''s his sycophantic aura that does it. I replace the air in my lungs and wake up my brain cells one by one. He pulls out a bunch of keys that he keeps in his pocket. Currently, there is no guard to watch over this dungeon by Estella''s authority. Therefore, all four doors are locked tightly. In order to get out of the dungeon, you need to have the key to the dungeon and to break the four doors, which is not easy. It is not easy to get out of the jail, because it is a jail where important suspects are imprisoned. That''s why the guards were removed and left to me. But this operation will be compromised by everyone but me. Until he talks, no one but me is allowed in or out. But from what I can tell, it''s not going to be that long. She seems like a straightforward person, that monkey woman. I unlocked the door, went inside and locked it. I repeated the process three times and descended the stairs leading to the basement. As I did so, she spouted off a few well-placed epithets. ''d*mn it, ......, why do I have to ............ use you like this? He opened the last door at the end of the stairs, complaining loudly and rudely. ''It''s ....... I know, I know. Say something about ....... Hey! And then he locks the door. Then he clicks his tongue. You look back and see the guard''s desk in front of you. You can''t see it from the cell, but you can see the cell from here. That''s the position. A prisoner''s desire to escape is aroused when he can see the exit from his cell. I think it''s a good position. You put the keys on the desk and take the tray with lunch for the monkey lady that was given to you above and head for the cell. The monkey woman in the cell was still crouched with her back against the wall. ''Hey, lunch! I call out to her, but she doesn''t respond. But she must have heard my voice. ''Dinner''s served. This phrase, which is less independent and full of the feeling of being forced to do something, makes the other party think that I am being forced to be a watchman, together with the small play I made in front of the door earlier. After that, if I give them occasional hints of my inactivity and lack of motivation, the monkey women will surely bite. There are things you can talk about if you''re badgers in the same hole. I mean, how do you get in here? There is a long, narrow door in the cell to hold the food tray, but I''ll pretend not to notice it. ''We''ll just have to open the cell. ......'' The monkey woman reacted slightly to these words. That''s right. If an ignorant and stupid man who is not willing to do his job unlocks the cell, it is a chance to escape from prison. But I don''t want you to get hurt, so I''ll tell you beforehand. ''In case you''re wondering, killing me won''t do you any good. Stand with your hands open so that your whole body is clearly visible. ''The key to the door, it''s not here. --It''s on the desk over there. He pats the monkey girl on the waist, who doesn''t know what to do. It''s a show of empty-handedness. This is where the little trick comes into play. I''ve been forced to stand guard here, and I''m not given a key so that I can screw up if I''m blatantly unmotivated. ...... is how the monkey woman constructs her own story in her brain. As proof of this, the monkey woman, who had been unresponsive, clicked her tongue. The monkey woman, who had been unresponsive, clucked her tongue and turned her face away from the wall. Open the cell and let the food in. You can be a little more aggressive. ...... Well, don''t be hasty. Close the cell as soon as possible. ''Okay, work is done. Let''s eat. Without telling anyone, you sit there alone. I spread out Ginette''s special lunch box and ate it as usual. ''Oh, it''s ...... Gori.'' The fried river fish that Jeannette had mentioned was actually gori, and I was frankly thrilled. Gori, a small river fish, is my favorite food. Delia brought it for me? Thank goodness. By the way, we had an appointment for a night fishing. I''ll join you when I get things done. ''It''s delicious...... so delicious......! It has a nostalgic taste and reminds me of many things. ...... Oh, no. I''m going to cry. ...... We used to fight over it. I want to go home.'' ...... For a moment, I thought I wanted to go back to the sunlit pavilion. Somehow, I wanted to properly tell them that the food was delicious. I wonder why. ...... Is it because I ate Gori''s fried chicken? ...... Or is it because I have the restriction that I can''t leave until nightfall? The desire to go home is more pronounced in situations where you can''t go home for some reason than in situations where you can go home at any time. Yeah. That''s it. I guess Jeannette diminishes the impostor in me. ''I want to go home'' came out of my heart. Well, I guess that''s a plus. After all, it''s just me and the monkey lady here, and we''re both thinking the same thing right now. ''I want to go home''. I ate my lunch without uttering another word. It was delicious. If it hadn''t been in such a humid place, it might have been even better. I was a little disappointed to think so. After the meal, I lay down on the floor. The floor was cold and hard, made of rough stones. I don''t think I can sleep well in this place. There seems to be a cot made of straw and a blanket in the prison, but ...... I don''t think I can sleep well. ''Hey, can I borrow a blanket? After turning over a few times, he raised his upper body and asked the monkey woman. ''It''s cold, the floor. You''re not going to sleep yet, are you? She throws a question at him, but he ignores it as a matter of course. After staring at her for a while, she lets out a sigh of ''......'' and lies down on the hard floor. I turned my back to the monkey woman and slept a little. What I''m doing now is a modified version of the psychological warfare used by some major powers to get their spies to talk. It''s very simple: stay close to the person who stubbornly refuses to talk. That''s it. The captive will become cautious and retreat into his shell. The more you provoke it from the outside, the thicker and sturdier the shell becomes. The only way to deal with those who are cautious is to let them do as they please. There''s no other way. As long as you exclude the use of torture. This is also used in counseling closed-minded children, don''t force them to talk, just be there, don''t do anything. Just be there. And yet, if there is danger, they will protect them and watch over them at all times. And they don''t interfere more than necessary. When dealing with those who are closed-minded, there is no need to make them think you are on their side. Just make them think that you are not an enemy, that''s all. It can be a stage set, a background, anything. If you can make people realize that you are not harmful, change will naturally occur. When you enter a hotel room for the first time, you may feel a little nervous, but if you stay there for a few hours, you will relax before you know it. When people realize that there is no one who can harm them, they become less cautious. When people become less cautious, they will take further action. People are creatures that unconsciously seek a comfortable place to live. And-- We can''t help but seek shelter. The shyest children are the most reluctant to say goodbye after they''ve made friends. The more cautious they are at first, the more dependent they become once they''ve forgiven. When people are in the same space, they feel a sense of familiarity. Especially to those who will not harm them. Whether this feeling of closeness is a cute one of ''this person will be my ally'' or a scheming one of ''this person will be my friend'' is another matter. ''Hey ......, hey! How long had I been asleep? I don''t know how long I''ve been asleep. But the voice I''ve been waiting for awakens my consciousness in an instant. d*mn, you''re late. My body''s all cracked up from sleeping on the hard floor. ''Hey, wake up, ......! A husky voice called out to me in a whisper, throwing the hard bread offered as a meal. Don''t throw your food. You''ll eat it later. I feigned laziness as I sat up and saw the monkey woman clutching the prison fence and glaring at me. ''Do you want to make a deal with Aashi? In the face of a biting prey, I desperately bite back the smile that threatens to leak out of my mouth,......, and clench my fists in my heart at the much faster-than-imagined catch. 354-No additions Episode 9 Transactions from zero cred... ''Deal?'' I stare at the monkey woman, scandalized. I do my best to convey that I''m wondering. It''s when people are wary or rejected like this that the person making the offer becomes desperate. They want to make it happen at all costs. On the other hand, if you bite the hand that feeds you, people will be wary of you because they will think that you have an ulterior motive. ''Oh, yes. I won''t do anything bad to you. The monkey lady was looking at the doorway and appealed to me in a low voice. But she''s taken the bait. This tactic takes about a week to a month to work on a spy. It''s not that easy to break their guard. Even though the monkey girl is not trained like a spy, she bites too fast. It was probably the yap locks that softened the monkey woman. Captured criminals are usually filled with regret and anxiety. ''I screwed up,'' ''Why did I do that ......''. And they are filled with anger and rebellion against the judges who look at them through the fence of the jail. ''Who''s going to do what you want?'' ''Watch me now, I''m going to outsmart you! As the negative emotions of anxiety and anger, static and dynamic, accumulate in the body, the mind swells up. He can no longer make calm judgments, and his emotions swell up to the point where he wants to escape. When you are holding in such swollen emotions, if you are poked in the part of your heart that you do not want to be touched the most, your ...... swollen emotions will burst. In the case of this monkey woman, it was someone to protect. It''s a question of whether or not you''re properly protecting that person. Perhaps she is aware of it. You''re probably aware that you''re not doing enough to protect that someone. Or maybe you''re aware that you''re not protecting them right now. But if you are told this by someone else, someone you have just met for the first time, someone who does not know anything about your situation, your opposition will be spewed out with a ferocity similar to murderous intent. I can''t forgive him because he got it right. Thanks to such an explosion, the monkey woman was able to let out some of her pent up emotions. It was the catalyst that brought her back to her normal calmness. There was now a small space in her pent-up emotions. There is no way not to make use of this space. If you are going to use it, you need to figure out how to get out of ...... this place. Most people in jail would think that way. ...... unless you''re one of those who think you''re going to serve your time honestly and leave amicably. ''You''re on our side, aren''t you? The question contained a kind of wishful thinking. ''This side''-that is, the anti-establishment side. The outlaw side that lives a life that could land you in jail if you''re not careful. Well, I guess I''m on that side more than the other. ''There''s no point in fooling around. I can see it in your face, buddy.'' Hmm. So my face oozes the bad guy factor. Yeah, you have good eyes. I''d like to compliment you on your ......, but I''m sure you just took the bait I threw at you, actually. The fact is that I came in here looking unhappy. After that, he started sleeping without even monitoring me seriously. And the monologue he put on near the doorway in his blind spot. If you watch those things, most of you will think. "Oh, he''s a bad guy. And the bad guys think. --''This guy''s easy to get on to.'' I pretended to be the type of bad guy they would think I was, and they fell right into my trap. That''s me. ............ I didn''t look like that because I was acting.It''s a performance, right?It''s Oscar material. ''Hey, you know what?I''m not going to make you look bad. Sharp eyes stare at me from behind long bangs. The monkey woman''s face, made more powerful by her thinness, looked beautiful when viewed from the front. She''s a gem of a woman who could shine even brighter with a little more work. ''If you do what Aashi asks, I will give you what you want. ......'' As she said this, the monkey woman untied the sleeves of her black jacket that was wrapped around her waist. The hooded, hoodie-like jacket falls to the floor, accentuating her thin body. She then glanced towards the ...... bed. ''If you get Aashi out of here, it''s ...... for you.'' No way, this guy ...... ''I''ll give you that blanket! ''I don''t want it, a**h*le! Why did he take off the jacket around his waist like he meant it?Oh, right, you want me to put on a jacket because it''s cold without the blanket! Don''t be so confusing! ''Why not?You were asking for it earlier! ''If you break out, I won''t have to stay here and watch you! ''Then just bring it back. ''I have a blanket at home! ''Then why did you want it? ''Because I wanted to use it right here and now! ''Then I''ll give you that blanket! ''That''s why!You have to understand, you have to consider the whole story before and after! ''Either you want the blanket or you don''t! ''''I don''t want it! ''''The genie''s ......! ''You can do it, but then you''ll get away with it, d*mn it! As long as the spirit god isn''t too stupid, my statement won''t be considered a lie. Just as ''I want to eat'' said on an empty stomach is not regarded as a lie on a full stomach, it is permissible to change the content of one''s statement depending on the time and situation. Anyone can say ''I want to sleep'', you know. ''d*mn it!I thought you could understand me!I''m disappointed! You put on your jacket and hood, and turn your back. His tail is standing on end, as if he''s angry. Huh. ...... This guy is even more uneducated than I thought he was. ...... I''m not sure I''d have been so enthusiastic about such a stupid girl. .................. I''m embarrassed. I''m not sure what to make of it. There''s a little bit of Delia in him. ''Hasn''t it been a full day since you were captured? I ask my back, which is ignoring me. There''s no answer, but I keep going. ''You''re worried about someone who''s ...... waiting for you, aren''t you? Slowly, the monkey woman''s face looks back at me. It was accompanied by a piercing gaze, as if she wanted to shoot me dead. ''I hope you''re getting enough to eat. You''re still small, aren''t you? His face, and then his body, turns completely towards me. ''Because your daughter ............ isn''t old enough to be ......''. A faint response. Seeing that, I''m convinced. The gender is female. ''Your, sister? ''You''re ......'' I quickly approach with my big toe and roughly grab the prison fence. A dull thud echoed through the prison. Ignoring the baleful reverberations, the monkey woman closes in on me with a dusky, terrifying voice. ''Where did you find out?Who told you?Does that nobleman know too!...... You mess with him, I''ll kill you. I''ll do whatever it takes to get out of here and kill you all at once! The monkey woman''s screams echoed in the underground prison where there were only two people. Bingo. Thank goodness he''s so easy to figure out. You saved me a lot of time. ''I''m not listening to anyone. ''You''re lying! ''Try ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''Judgment of the Spirits''! Oh, no!I''m not sure what to say....... I''m scared of this guy. But it''s not like I got any information about him from anyone. No one else has that information. ''...... Why don''t you turn into a frog, ......? The light that surrounded my body disappeared, and the monkey woman showed a shocked expression. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''Then why?......?Did you meet my sister? No, I haven''t met her. It''s only now I''m sure of it. ''If anyone gave me the information, it was you. ''Aashi didn''t tell me anything! ''No, he didn''t. But your face and your attitude speak for themselves. ''Your face and ...... attitude ............? She raises her eyebrows as if she doesn''t understand. The look on the monkey woman''s face is one of the most alarming I''ve ever seen. Ah, that''s enough. You can be as cautious as you want. Once you''ve had the conversation, the rest will fall into place. No need to act anymore. All that''s left is to do what you always do and force her to open her mouth. ''Hey, monkey woman. ''Who''s a monkey woman?You humans always make fun of us subhumans! Subhuman? ''''You, are you a human from District 29?'''' ''Huh?Who would live in such an obnoxiously expensive district? From the way you say it, you don''t seem to be from any of the BU wards. Some people still use the word "subhuman" over there. But it''s not. I thought the term "beastmen" had already spread around here. ...... Maybe it hasn''t caught on with people who don''t have much contact with the world. ''If you don''t want to be a monkey woman, tell me your name. ''Oh no!You can read Aashi''s mind, can''t you?Don''t you know my name by that?'' I don''t know, a**h*le. I can only read certain emotions, and I can''t guess proper nouns. If you can do that, you''re a real psychic. ...... Well, a guy who I once taught the "my way of psychic vision" to for a good price was appearing all over TV as a rare genius psychic, but that''s just a fake that''s hard to spot, and I don''t know if real psychics exist or not. I don''t know if real psychics exist. The monkey woman stubbornly refuses to give her name. I don''t really care what her name is. ''Well, I''ll call you Ukie Ukiko. ''That''s totally different! ''So, Ukiko.'' ''Don''t call me Ukiko!Aashi''s name is Barbara! ''I see. So, Barbara.'' ''What?............, why are you calling Aarushi''s name ......?No way, are you really ......?'' Wow, ......, what to do. This girl is even more of an idiot than I thought. Maybe her nerves aren''t connected to her brain. ...... Oh, I see. She doesn''t know what choices to make to get the best outcome, who to rely on, who to use to guide her in the direction she wants to go, so she''s probably just reacting out of emotion. ''You know, I won''t say anything bad, so just listen to what the lord says. ''Heck no!You''re still a pawn of the nobles!I trusted you, traitor! No, traitor is ...... ''The lord here is too good-natured to be an idiot. He won''t do anything wrong to you or your sister.'' ''Hmph!How can I trust anything you say? ''The lord of this place has extremely poor breasts.'' ''............'' I guess I can trust you now. How does it feel to have your words overturned?Or do you want to argue that it''s ''not tits! Can you?Can you do that?No, you can''t! ''You''re just running around without listening to me, aren''t you? ''The lord must do terrible things.'' ''That''s right! Barbara striking the prison fence with her bare hands. ...... That looks painful. Isn''t it painful? This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time and money. You can''t trust the lords!You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... As I listened to Barbara''s gritted teeth, I calmly sorted out the situation from a third person''s perspective. This is what Assunto had said. The first robbery happened in the 41st district. So there''s a good chance that Barbara is a citizen of District 41. He doesn''t seem to be from the BU, and I don''t think there are many people who would go out of their way to rob the poorest two districts. It''s more profitable to go to the better districts. In other words, it''s natural to think that the reason he''s doing bad things in this neighborhood is because he lives here. If you assume that he is a citizen of the 41st district,............, you can be sure that he was pushed to the back of the city for the convenience of the lord,....... ...... Is it because of the gluttony contest? My heart rate is going up a little bit. What is this again? Is this the type of thing I need to be running around doing again? ...... thunder thunder thunder thunder. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the market.We drove them all away to the back of the city! Oh, good! That was before I did anything! All right, all right.It''s not my fault! It''s Ricardo''s fault!He''s the one to blame! He''s a terrible lord. ''Isn''t that right!Don''t you think so!'' We''ve kind of hit it off. Yeah, yeah. Ricardo is a scoundrel. One day he''ll be punished severely. I had nothing to do with it. ''But things are changing in the 41st, aren''t they? We''ve dismantled the ''how many'' rule that used to keep the electorate in line, and the big public works projects have given jobs to those who were out of work. After the completion of the gate of the 42nd district, that avenue must have regained its vitality as a lodging town to a degree unparalleled before. ''The only people who benefit from the changes in the city are the decent people,...... and the ''down-and-out'' people like Aashi will always have to live in the dustbin,...... ...... and always will be. Hmmm. ...... Well, sure. If you don''t join a guild, you might not get a new job when one comes along. That''s the system of this town, so I''m not in a position to say anything about it. ''But that doesn''t mean that stealing other people''s things is acceptable. ''It can''t be helped!It''s the only way to live! ''It''s not a choice. There is no such thing as ''no choice'' in committing a crime. It''s just an excuse to yourself for running away because you didn''t want to choose the other option, and for your shallowness in choosing the easy option. ''Didn''t you ever think of asking the lord? ''I''ll be turned away anyway. ''You''ve been turned away? ''Of course they did! ''Who decided that?'' ''............ Shut the f*ck up!Anyway, you can''t trust the lord! The excuse ''I can''t help it'' is to cover up the guilt of running away like that. I didn''t do what I could have done. You''re aware of that, which is why you''re having a rough time. ''You have a little sister, don''t you?Didn''t you want to protect her even if you had to bow down to someone you didn''t like?'' ''That''s why ......!'' Barbara raises her voice . After the words were spat out, her throat made a scratchy sound. It''s a sad sound, as if she''s about to cry. ''...... I can''t ask them for help because I have a sister. ''Why not?If you go to church, they''ll at least feed you.'' The Church takes in poor children and raises them. The purpose of this is to reduce the number of people who lose their lives in poverty and to stop new crimes caused by poverty. ''Cause that''s what they say!If the lord finds out about my sister ......, he will definitely take her to the church .......... ...I don''t want him to go through that. Painful thoughts are ...... Is there any basis for this? As far as Bertina is concerned, the church in the 41st district is not a bad place. ''The church doesn''t abuse kids, you know? ''You''re lying!Aashi knows!'' Barbara''s voice gets louder. Her breathing becomes ragged and her eyes glaze over like a wild beast''s. Apparently, this is the reason. The reason why Barbara had been so stubbornly silent. Why he''s so wild. And why he''s repeatedly robbed. ''If they take him to the church, he''ll be locked up and Aashi and the others will never see him again!We''ve been living together since he was born!We''re the only family he''s ever known. ......!I can''t let them have him! Barked Varvara. The sound of her voice was filled with unshakable conviction. At least, that''s what it seemed to me. I''ve never heard of a church being locked up ....... Well, it is true that the Church is an organization with a money-grubbing and power-wielding nature that monopolizes the market by imposing high taxes on the staple food, bread, and by setting up churches in each ward to stare down the lords. ...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I wonder if Bertina would overlook the imprisonment of a child. Or is it that Bertina can''t go against what the great priest says? ............ I don''t think she''s that type of person. Even if she can''t disobey, she might at least show some sign of wanting to change things. Bertina. She''s not the kind of person who can smile and laugh like that in a town where kids are constantly locked up. That''s the kind of person Sister Bertina is. ''You''re misunderstanding something, aren''t you? ''No!You don''t know. They gather the children in a faraway place and lock them up with heavy iron doors so they can''t get out! They gather the children in a faraway place and lock them up with ...... heavy iron doors. .................. I heard that story somewhere, I think. In ............. ''Could it be that your sister is injured somewhere? ''What ......?No,....... I''m not going to take her away, just tell me. They already know. ''Kuh ......, you''ve read Aashi''s mind again.'' He glared at me with a bitter look. Do you really believe in ...... mind-reading? It''s just reading your face. The rest is just comparing it to your accumulated knowledge. And if you analyze this guy''s story based on that knowledge, you''ll see something. The wounded beastmen in this city, Allbloom, will be gathered into the 24th District Church and protected. However, the Church of the 24th District has a somewhat special structure. In order to thoroughly protect the injured beastman children, it is protected by an iron gate that denies contact with the outside world. Contact from the outside is almost impossible. I think that''s what he''s talking about. Confinement and. ...... Well, that''s what it looks like. If she''s Barbara''s sister, she''s obviously a Saruman. If she is badly injured, so badly that it will be difficult for her to live on her own, the Church of the 24th District will take care of the little girl. I''m sure the sisters of the 41st Ward Church would also recommend it. District 24 is far. If you don''t have money, the only way to get there is to walk, and if you think about going to the 24th ward on foot, you won''t be able to see him ...... that often. Only one family...... Isn''t it strange that he''s trying so hard to protect his only family? You can''t let go of ...... it, even if you''re aware that it''s wrong. That feeling is ...... understandable. You can understand why, especially when you see the seriousness in his eyes. ''...... Are you sure you don''t want to take him away?Why don''t you tell the lord? I''m sure we''ll tell the lord ....... Rather, it''s a matter of talking to Estella to find a clue. ''Just tell me. I''ll help you if I can.'' --Estella. I don''t want to help anyone. I''ll just throw it all away. Yeah. ''You''ll help me?You''re going to cure his disease? ''No, I don''t know about that. We don''t even know what it is. It''s not an injury, it''s a disease. Then it''s Regina''s case. ''Then what are you helping her with? What do you mean, ''what''? ...... In his mind, he thinks his life is ''fine''. That''s why he''s happy to maintain the status quo. That is why the idea of being rescued from that place does not occur to him. If you could see it from a third party''s point of view, you would realize it immediately. ''If you have time to do robbery, you should get a proper job so that you will be safe in the future. Carrying dirt at a construction site is probably more profitable than robbing. At least you don''t have to take the risk of breaking the law. However, since you don''t seem to realize that you are in a state of ''needing help'', it will not be clear to you even if I point that out. So I''m going to offer a more straightforward "remedy". One that he can''t help but bite on. ''Is the place you live in safe? ''Huh?How can it be? It''s like a dump, crawling with ruffians like Aashi. ''And now my sister is waiting for you to come back, alone, right? ''What? Separate the important words and tell them clearly. Make her anxious. ''Perhaps he''s usually a good boy waiting for you to come home. ...... But you haven''t come home since yesterday. .................. So how long can my sister wait quietly? I''m not sure how long my sister will be able to wait quietly. ''......a............a......'' ''Isn''t she going to go out in the dark of the night, alone, looking for you when you don''t come back?In the cesspool that is crawling with the ruffians you speak of.'' ''Aaahhh!No, Teresa!Wait at home until Arshi gets home!'' Barbara clutched her head and suddenly started screaming. I''m sure she could have easily imagined that. She could have easily imagined her sister, Teresa, running out of the house looking for her. ''Hey, hey!Please!I''ll do anything!Just get Aashi out of here!I''ll take my punishment!I''ll be back before dawn!Just for now!Just let Aarthi go, please!Please!If anything happens to Teresa, ...... Aarushi will be ............ Aarushi will be ......! ''Calm down.'' ''I can''t calm down!Teresa is blind, you know!If something happens to her, she can''t run away! ''My eyes?'' ''Oh ............ yes, yes. About a year ago, my eyes started to get blurry,...... and lately, they''re almost ...... gone.'' That''s a dangerous situation,....... Children can suffer severe eye damage from high fever illnesses such as measles. Considering Barbara''s financial situation, it is unlikely that she would have received proper treatment. In the first place, the medicines of the Apothecary Guild that originally existed in All Bloom, not Regina''s Apothecary Guild, were so expensive that even Estella at the time hesitated to purchase them. These people probably couldn''t even get the medicine properly. Perhaps it was simply a genetic eye disorder. ............ No, wait. When I saw Barbara''s emaciated face, a possibility popped into my head. If it hadn''t been for this and that over the past few days, I might have overlooked this possibility. ...... But, yeah, that''s possible, isn''t it? ''Hey, Barbara. Are you guys getting enough to eat? ''We''re not hungry right now!It''s Teresa who''s ......! ''Answer me! He shouts at Barbara, who is so worried about her sister that she can no longer hear what he is saying. The more you throw a temper tantrum, the more your sister''s salvation will be delayed. ''I don''t care about you at this point. Is Teresa eating well?'' ''That''s because ............ when there''s an uptick, there''s a certain amount of ...... meat, sometimes.'' ''Do you eat offal? I''m not going to eat it!I''m not an animal! What about fish? ''There''s hardly any of that in the 41st district. That''s right. There''s no river fishing guild in District 41. In addition, it is far away from the 38th district, where there is a small port, and there is almost no fish distribution. ''Then what about vegetables? ''You know ...... Aashi is a bandit, right?He wouldn''t steal vegetables that are bulky and hard to eat!Besides, Aarushi hates vegetables.'' You ...... stupid sister! ''It''s completely due to vitamin deficiency. ''Bita ...... what? In developing countries, the rate of blindness among children is high. It is said that this is due to vitamin deficiency caused by lack of sufficient food. The cornea softens due to lack of nutrition. If it is not treated quickly, it will be too late. ''Barbara. You said if I get you out of here, you''ll do whatever I say?'' ''Aye!So let me out!'' ''Then tell me where my sister is. I''ll come and get you.'' ''No, you can''t do that! ''You''ll do whatever I tell you, won''t you? ''Except for Teresa! ''Do you want to be turned into a frog! ''If you want to, go ahead!No matter what happens to Aashi, I''ll protect Teresa no matter what! ''I''m telling you because you can''t protect her the way you do! ''Aashi knows Teresa best! This ...... guy! ''Then the negotiations have broken down. You''re going to stay there until the verdict ...... comes in, one year, ten years.'' ''Wait, wait! You say you don''t like this or that. It''s easy to blame ...... Teresa for ............ you being like that, but... ......... Well, well, well. ''How ...... can I get Aashi to do me a favor?All Aashi wants to do is save Teresa!As long as Teresa is safe, it doesn''t matter what happens to Aashi!Hey! That explains why Yap Lock was so stubborn. He must''ve seen himself in the past. ''Let me ask you something. How do I get you to trust me?You can''t make me act alone. With that in mind, give me a way that makes sense to you.'' ''It''s .......'' ''The more you worry about it, the longer it will take to rescue Theresa. When I hurried her, Barbara''s eyes widened and she became restless. Her pupils are fully dilated. She seems to be in a great hurry. He is in a great hurry to find a way to compromise. You force him to retreat to a compromise that he normally would not make. You would do anything for your sister, right? Bend your own convictions. Change that smug notion that Aashi is the only one who can save Theresa. ''Then, then! And so, what Barbara presented to him was a simple proposal. ''If there is someone stronger than Aashi, I''ll accept it! Barbara prides herself on her strength. She seemed to think that someone who was stronger than her could help her sister. ''Okay. I''ll be back in a bit to get ready. So much to do. But there''s no time. I rushed out of the dungeon, grabbing the keys I''d left on the desk. Barbara was shouting something when the door closed, but I ignored her. 355-Additive-free Episode 10 Pajamas to Stop It was already dark outside. I went to Estella first, explained the situation to her, and asked her to make arrangements in every direction. It would be too late to make any preparations now and head for the 41st district after we had reached a result that would satisfy Barbara. Even now, I''m impatient that I''ve wasted my time. So I''m going to tell Ricardo to get Theresa first. It might scare her, but it''s a hundred times better than leaving her there and getting into trouble. Besides, she doesn''t like Ricardo if he''s scared of her. Yeah. No problem. Worst case scenario, just controlling the riffraff in the area will change things a lot. ''It gets more serious when little kids are involved, doesn''t it, big brother? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. There are two people there that I can rely on right now. I ran through the streets at full speed and jumped into the sunlit pavilion without slowing down. ''Ginette!Are Delia and Norma here? She opens the door of the Sunlit Pavilion and calls out to the inside. To ...... and . ''Heh .................. heyaaahhhh! Loretta and Paula were changing clothes on the floor. Oh, right. They''re having a camp on the floor today, right? I''m pretty sure they were told to come back late because there were a lot of women and the baths would take a long time. Haha, I forgot. I''m sorry! I hurriedly shut the door. No, but it''s okay!I was almost fully clothed, and I was in the middle of fastening some buttons or something, and I could only see my stomach through a small gap in the hem, and I didn''t see any light pink pants or white and light blue striped pants. ...... ''Big brother!Did you do that on purpose? Loretta jumped out in a terrible manner. She''s completely dressed. She was wearing long sleeves and shorts made of the same fabric. ''Loretta, that''s a pretty nightgown. ''You can''t fool me, can you? ''Oh, no, sorry, sorry. I''m in a bit of a hurry, I didn''t mean to offend you.'' Loretta''s face turns redder than I''ve ever seen it. Her hair is wet, and she has an unusual air about her. ''Oh God, Yashiro!Didn''t Jeannette go to nail you to prevent this kind of thing from happening? Following Loretta, Paula comes out with moist, wet hair. This one is wearing a pair of neat pajama-like nightgowns, both top and bottom half-length. ''Sorry. I completely forgot about .......'' ''You didn''t do that on purpose, did you? ''I swear to the genie gods, no offense.'' Trust me. I''m the one who swore an oath to the spirit gods. See? ''Oh, ...... Yashiro''s s*x''. And then, from behind Paula, Nephrite came out, holding his chest. ''...... Huh?Was Nepheli there? ''I know you didn''t do it on purpose, but ...... that ............ you didn''t see it, did you?'' ''Yeah. I didn''t see it at all. It''s funny, I thought I caught a glimpse of ...... Loretta''s light pink and Paula''s stripes, but I don''t know if ............ they were there, Neffery. It seems that my brain automatically shut Nepheli out of my sight. I''m sure my unconscious mind took care not to witness the base of his neck. Nephrite in a pair of slightly oversized pajamas with short sleeves. Yeah. It''s better to be clothed, you know. It''ll make you feel less uneasy. ''But, boys. You''ve learned to stand up properly.'' The three of us have been eating under Ginette and Norma''s watchful eye all day. Even if it''s just for a day, eating properly will reduce the anemia. All three of us feel that our skin color has become brighter. ...... Is it because they have just taken a hot bath? ''Ehehe......, I''m sorry for worrying you.'' ''Yes, ......, I got angry a lot.'' ''But I was happy. You all scolded us seriously.'' The three of them smiled shyly together and bowed their heads together. ''''''We''re sorry'''''' ''''Oh, no, .......'''' It was a little embarrassing to be corrected like that. I don''t understand the problems of girls who want to lose weight. I was born in a country where there were many girls who tried to lose weight more fiercely than in this city. I can understand. But if it gets to be too much, I''ll stop. But still, I understand the root of the problem. So, in my own way, I''d like to drive a wedge in their thinking so that they don''t go off in an extreme direction. ''I think you''re prettier when you''re healthy than when you''re skinny. Well, I don''t want you to get fat from eating too much. Men sometimes like a woman who is a little plump. So, eat without restraint and work for it. That''s what I wanted to tell you. ''Oh, I''m suddenly getting a craving for a night meal! ''What a coincidence!Me too! ''I''ve heard that being hungry is a sign that your body is trying to tell you, "I''m going to get better! I''ve heard Jeannette say that when you''re hungry, it''s a sign that your body is trying to tell you that it''s time to get healthy! ''''Let''s eat something and be healthy! That''s right! ''''No, you''ll get fat. ......'''' You can''t eat too much. Oh, yeah. I was in a hurry, so I took a more effective approach. That''s why I created an atmosphere that blamed these guys. ...... ''Don''t feel bad for me, but don''t feel bad for Jeannette and the rest of them. Ginette was unbelievably angry. After all, these guys are waking up and taking it seriously because of Jeannette''s seriousness, and it would be a pity for Jeannette if she was blamed for that. ...... It''s okay. We know exactly what we''re doing. ''Yes. No hard feelings.'' ''We''re grateful, you know.'' Yeah. If that''s how you guys see it, I''m relieved. Anyway, it''s a little early, but we can clear our names as the stupid girl trio. ''To tell you the truth, we were going to say sorry and thank you when your brother came home.'' ''Yes, yes. We were going to welcome him home together and talk honestly about how we felt all day. ''But Yashiro, you''re coming home early. ......'' ''I''m sorry, ......'' ''Well, I know you don''t have any bad intentions, so it''s fine.'' Yeah, yeah. It''s urgent now. This is not the time to be relaxed. ''So, where are Delia and Norma? ''They''re taking a bath in the courtyard.'' ''Oh, no problem, I''ve got to go to my room...'' ''Mr. Paula, Mr. Nephrite!There''s an evil spirit in here! ''I''ll get him, Nephrite! ''Oh my God, Yashiro''s s*x! The three girls are firmly bound to the body. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it.It makes me nervous. ''Yashiro-san......'' The door opens gently, and Jeannette comes out from inside. I''m not sure what to do. ......Sorry. I forgot, seriously. ''You haven''t had a bath yet?'' ''Yes.'' Ginette said, closing the door firmly and firmly with her back hand. Why don''t you just leave a little space? I don''t remember the door of the Sunlit Pavilion being closed so tightly.There used to be a lot of gaps in the past. ...... Who redid it so beautifully? ...... Oh, yeah, that''s him. ...... ...... ''Umaro''s Ahoy! ''I''m thankful once again for the skill of Torbeck Engineering, right now, at this moment! Loretta admires the gapless door. d*mn you ...... for raising my stock, Oumalo. ''But I''m not joking around, I have urgent business to attend to. ''It was mainly my brother who was joking. ......'' ''Can you go get Delia and Norma for me? ''Um, ...... right now?'' ''Yeah, I''m in a hurry.'' ''Right now, Delia-san and Norma-san are taking a bath with Regina-san. ''Then, Ginette, you can join me later. ''You''re talking out of turn, big brother! Ignoring Loretta''s constant interruptions, I explain to Ginette how things are going. In some cases, you have to ask her to pass on the message and stop bathing in the middle of the bath. ''--That''s why I need a force that can take on the Saruman race. ''Is it a duel ......? ''Well, it sounds a bit violent, but we need it to rescue Teresa.'' ''Well, ...... I''m not sure I''d let her go alone if she''s such a short-tempered person, are you? I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that," Nephrite said to Ginette, appeasing her reluctance to duel. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. ''I''ve heard your story. There''s a voice behind the door and Regina comes out of the store. She''s wearing stuffed pajamas with a black cat on them. ''...... Where''d you get that? ''It''s the manager''s handiwork. ''Well, Yashiro-san once told me about something like this, so I wanted to ...... make it.'' It''s true that I may have mentioned somewhere that there are such pajamas in Japan, but I don''t think I''ll be making ...... them. It looks good on you. ''Don''t stare too closely at ......, or you''ll find out I''m completely naked underneath. ''No, you''re revealing it yourself!Go put on your underwear! ''I was in a hurry. ''I was in a hurry.'' ''There are other places you should have left off. ......'' Why did you leave that part out? ...... ''So, about your sister''s symptoms: ......'' ''Oh. I''m just guessing, but I think it might be vitamin deficiency. ''If you''re in the 41st district, I''m pretty sure there''s not a lot of fish in the area. ''Besides, I heard they don''t eat offal either. ''...... Offal?What, you eat offal? I see. They don''t eat offal in this town. ...... It''s delicious, like harami. Liver is rich in vitamin A, but if you don''t have the habit of eating it, it''s no wonder you don''t know about it. ''It may be difficult to improve your diet, but if you don''t take action soon ......, it may be too late. If we don''t take action while there is still a chance of recovery, the lost light will never return. ''In order to do that, I need to twist my narrow-minded idiot sister by force. ......'' ''Then I''ll deal with her. Boom!The door is thrown open and Delia comes out into the garden. Her hair stands on end, wet and jagged. She must have wiped her hair roughly. ...... Comb it, at least a little. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. It''s a typical Delia sleepwear. Normally she wears a tube top or something like that, so there is more fabric, but ...... the more hidden parts there are, the more glimpses you get of her, and it makes you a little nervous. You can see the shorts through the hem of the shirt. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. Norma appears from behind Delia, wiping her long hair with a towel. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''Oh, where am I supposed to look? ''Please don''t look anywhere! Jeannette''s hands clamped down on my cheeks, forcing me to change the angle of my neck. Wait, wait, wait!This position is too much!I''ll get a cramp!I''ll get a cramp in my neck! I escape from Jeannette''s hands and rub my neck. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ...... There are so many beautiful girls in their nightgowns after a hot bath, and the only one you can rub is your own neck. ...... There''s something wrong with this world. ''When it comes to fighting, it''s Delia. I''ll never be able to compete with her.'' ''No, but... Norma''s got a trick up her sleeve. He bends my arm in a direction I can''t put any pressure on. That''s not cheating. That''s just how it works. It''s common in aikido and self-defense. ''Norma is faster than you. Most of the time when I try to hit him seriously, he dodges. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''...... So, you guys don''t get along, huh? I feel like we''ve had a few serious battles. ''Delia is challenging me to a duel. ''Norma challenges me to a duel every once in a while, too! ''You''re combat freaks, aren''t you? ''I know what you''re talking about! Standing between the two martial artists, Loretta revealed a knowing look on her face. ''Ever since you asked me to help you get rid of the ragtag guild before, we''ve both been training so that we can respond to your request whenever you ask us. ''Wait!Don''t give it away, Loretta! ''Oh, I''m not. ............ Moderate exercise is good for health and beauty. That''s right. They''re always looking out for you like that. ...... And you''re relying on them like this. ''Thank you, both of you. What''s wrong with you? What''s the matter with you, you don''t look like you.'' ''That''s right, Yashiro!I''m a dependable woman!You deserve this! I guess my casual behavior is affecting these guys. I''m both grateful and a little scared of ....... ''One day I''ll thank you all at once. I don''t want to leave you in debt.'' ''Really? ''Whatever, right?'' The two of them were getting very interested. Now, as I braced myself to see what they would ask ...... for. ''''I want that! I want that! He pointed at Regina at the same time. ''''You want a pervert like that? ''''That''s just plain awful, myself.'''' ''No, I don''t!It''s not that pervert, it''s Gawa, Gawa! ''The bear''s pretty face is terrible, too. ''You want that nightgown, don''t you?Not the pervert inside! ''When a fox beauty says it, it''s like she''s playing with you. ''Why do you only react differently when it''s me? Norma and Regina playfully squeal. But the nightgown is ...... ''It''s not me, it''s Jeannette. ''Well, I''ll make some for you guys. ''Really? ''Then I''ll do my best to be useful! You want it so bad, stuffed pajamas? Well, they like new things, don''t they? ''Then, Yashiro-san, please think of many variations. ''I''ll do the design? ......'' ''Yashiro-san is more likely to come up with cute designs than I am.'' Isn''t it usually the other way around? You seem to like cute things more than me. Well, I''ll do it, but... ''But when it comes to strength, Magda is the best. ''That''s exceptional.'' ''Oh, is that so? I thought the three of you were about the same. ''Of course not.Magda is a professional.'' ''If he uses that red shiny thing, we''ll never be able to compete with him. ''He''s strong even without it. Is that so? Magda''s amazing, isn''t she? And Norma''s so polite. He doesn''t abbreviate ''red moya''. ''By the way, what about Natalia? ''She''s a different kind, isn''t she? ''Yes, it is. She''s more of an assassin than a fighter. That''s a disturbing word, man. ''If there are rules, a fixed start time, and a limited range of movement, we can compete with them. But if we were to kill each other without rules, I''d probably lose. ''I don''t know about ......~............. I don''t know. I don''t like Natalia or Norma. Natalia is really amazing, isn''t she? I can''t believe I let a top class beastman from District 42 say that much. ''''Then, what about Estella? ''''She can beat that.'''' Estella doesn''t look like she''s ready. Even so, she''s much stronger than me, Estella. If you''re not the type of person who can strategize, Delia might be more effective. If you''re the type that takes advantage of the situation like Natalia, Norma might be more effective. ...... It is also possible to leave it to Natalia, but ............ she will need to be overwhelmingly defeated, and Delia or I''m not sure. ''Magda has work to do on Cantartica,'' he said. ''Um, but ......! Loretta takes a step closer to me. Then, ''Oh, ......,'' she says shyly, searching for the right words. ''I''d like to go talk to her at least,...... Magda, she''s going to miss being left out,.......'' I''m not sure if she''s feeling guilty about refusing to eat, or if she''s simply concerned about Magda. Anyway, Loretta wants to go see Magda once. ...... When I asked Estella to secure a place for a duel, she said, ''It might take a while,'' so there''s still time. ''Well, let''s just go talk. ''Yes, sir! ''Well, gentlemen. I don''t think you should be wandering around town in your nightgown, so I''ll bring you a cloak. There''s no need for all of us to go, but ...... I''m sure Jeannette would like to see Magda. We met at lunch. There''s a lot of lonely people in this store. ''So, where''s Imelda? ''She''s already asleep. Want me to wake her up? ...... You''re in grade school, Imelda. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. It''s a big group. They all seemed to be worried about the duel and wanted to come with us. I can see Estella''s disgusted face now. ''Magda! As soon as they arrived in Cantalcica, Loretta ran into the store. Loretta had been told to come and pick her up on foot. She hadn''t come for him yet, but she wanted to show him that she had recovered. ''...... Loretta''. The Cantalcica was open for business and crowded with customers. Good thing I had my cloak on. It''s a shame to see drunken old men in their nightgowns. Even if they charge a fee, 10,000Rb is not enough. Loretta puts on her cloak and runs up to Magda. Magda is staring at Loretta. ''Um, Magda-chou...... me............'' ''............'' Looking at Loretta who came in front of her, ...... Magda mutters. ''...... light pink''. ''Why do you know my underwear?You''ve got too much power, and it''s a little scary! ''You idiot, Loretta. It''s easy to predict the color of your underwear based on your daily rotation and your current mood and situation. What''s with the big brother power at ......, you bastard. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m fine!I''m not going to worry about you anymore! Magda listened to Loretta''s words carefully and nodded her head. ''...... I''m waiting. There''s no need to rush, just come and get me. ''Magda, ............ yes!I''ll come get you! Loretta jumped on Magda and hugged her. Magda''s little hand strokes her head. ''...... But if we don''t hurry, Magda may become too popular in Cantalcica and the customers may not let her go. ''I don''t want that!Magda is an important member of the Sunlit Pavilion! With renewed spirit, Loretta stood up. ''Manager!I''ll do my best to get well! ''Yes, sir. Let''s do our best together. Ginette walks up to them and starts chatting happily. I''m glad we made peace. All of you. On the other side, Delia and Norma are talking to Milly. Paula seems to have gone behind the counter to see her father. At ....... ''Why are you still here?'' ''Araara~?Darling, are you unhappy that Osina is here?'' Oshina is leaning her elbows on the counter and smiling lazily. Apparently, she''s been helping out at the store. ''Magda-chan and Milly-chan don''t know much about alcohol, so having Osina around is very helpful. Well, that''s true, isn''t it? It''s fun for Osina to help out, too. ...... is a little too noisy, though.'' He takes one look at the noisy drunk and says with a smile that doesn''t show his displeasure. I wonder where he''s really going with this. ''Hey, I need to talk to Magda and the others, can you do me a favor? ''Hi there, I''ll let you know...'' I''ll ask Osina to give us a few minutes of her time. I''ll give you a brief explanation of what we''re trying to do. ''...... I see. It''s true that if Magda goes, victory is assured. But Magda is a serious and cute person who can''t just throw away a job she''s already taken on. ''Magda-chan, you''re working hard, aren''t you? ''Millie, I was just about to say, "You didn''t need a cute one," when you said that. Norma pointed out, but Millie only laughed and said, ''Hahaha ......'' to cover it up. Millie has been helping me with this. I''m going to need some stuffed pajamas for Millie. ''...... Delia won''t be outdone by a ragtag bunch. I''ll leave you to it.'' ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you! We left Cantalcica, where the number of customers was increasing rapidly. We dragged Paula and Loretta, who looked like they wanted to help, behind us. I can''t let you guys back in yet. Don''t ever forget how much you want to work. I''m sure Jeannette would love to open the Sunshine Pavilion right now. But now is the time to be patient. That patience will act as a brake when you''re about to take a wrong turn. ''I''m definitely going to get well and return to being the signature girl of Cantartica! Paula barked. ''I''m also going to get well soon and take care of the chickens! Nefeli is also a burden to her parents at the moment. You''d better go home soon and do your duty to your parents. ''I''m going to get well and become the most popular waitress in the Sunken Pavilion! ''No, I don''t think that''s possible. ''Ordinary people are ordinary. ''Well, you''re third best at best. ''I''m the first, aren''t I? ''No, ...... Imelda isn''t even a member of the Sunlit Pavilion. ......'' ''No, Neffery. You can''t argue with Imelda. Also, Loretta is the best and that hurts.'' ''You''re all terrible!Especially you, Paula! We walked towards the lord''s mansion, more lively than in the daytime on the main street, where drunks were passing by. 356-No additives Episode 11 Bear vs. Monkey Head-to-he... ''Well, well, well, it''s finally here!The big battle of the century!The corn thief who recklessly bared his fangs at the 42nd district will challenge Delia, the leader of the River Fishing Guild, one of the best Soldiers of Warrior in the 42nd district, to a duel for his own release! ...... I think it''s okay to let her go back to work now, don''t you? I''d like to make some comments about this. ...... Well, it''s best not to mention it. Yeah. I''ll let you do it. I don''t know. What do you think of this battle?'' ''It''s barbaric. Wow, what a reckless casting. Imelda is not interested in anything that doesn''t involve her, so she can''t commentate. ''This time''s challenger is a bandit who has been fighting against the Forty-two districts. ''It''s barbaric. ''On the other hand, the representative of our District Forty-two team who will accept the challenge of such an outlaw is Delia-san. She seems to be in high spirits, but what do you think? ''It''s barbaric. Hey, isn''t that commentary broken? Even a tape recorder is a little more versatile than that. ''I didn''t expect such a large group to show up. ''Well, it just happened. As I expected, Estella let out a chuckle when she saw us all arriving. I guess it''s a good thing that there''s enough space to spare and that the spectators won''t be harmed. The place chosen for the duel was a large field in the prison. The bare earth had been trampled down, indicating the rigorous training that was being conducted here every day. ''In case you''re wondering, a soldier who guards the guilty is expected to be reasonably strong. It''s not as good as ...... Delia''s, but ...... haha. That''s what they said. The soldiers at Estella''s place must have been training as well. The jail is located further from the lord''s mansion, on the road leading to the forty-first district and down an alley, in a place that you would never even approach if you didn''t want to come here. It was built in such a way that even if a criminal escaped, the damage to the people would be kept to a minimum. Criminals caught in the 42nd district would probably leave the alley and flee to the 41st district. It''s a rather irresponsible idea to say that the criminals who go there should be dealt with there. ...... Well, it''s not up to me to say anything about it, and even if the neighboring districts are inconvenienced, it''s Ricardo. It''s not going to hurt you. ''Come on!There are very few prisoners currently incarcerated, and the guards have too much time on their hands. ...... Yeah. Basically, the 42nd district is very safe. You don''t hear much about crimes, and if you do, it''s only between drunks. Moreover, even if such people are caught, the lenient lord will give them a light punishment and release them quickly, so the prison in the 42nd district is always closed. ...... Tear it down, it''s such a useless facility. No, we don''t need it, but.... ''If you keep taking lenient measures against criminals, the 42nd district will become a paradise for criminals. ''Don''t worry about it. ...... There is no one in the Forty-two Wards who would be reckless enough to think of offending Natalia. The head waiter of the lord''s manor is known to be ruthless and terrifyingly strong. By the way, Loretta used to say that he was very scary and actually a bit of a pain. Well, now she''s ...... ''The previous commentator was a clod, so now I''ve called in a fighting professional. ''Hi, I''m Natalia, the commentator. ''Well, well, well, Natalia!What do you think of this fight? ''Well, yes. I''d like to focus on Delia, the guild leader of the river fishing guild. ''Huh!She looks professional!I''ve been waiting for something like this!By the way, what are you looking out for? ''I''m very curious to see how many bounces she''ll make during this game! ''What are you looking at? ''Her breasts! ''I know, I know!You don''t have to say it again! ''It''s the tits! ''Why did you say it again?I told you you didn''t have to say it! ''It''s a????a??a??! ''That''s an expression no good child should ever have to hear!Someone get this head waiter out of here! ''Pick up her tits ......? ''You''re out!I''m out of here!There''s a lot of empty jail cells, so you can come in for a while. ...... and it ended up like this. ...... haha. Natalia must still be scary for those who don''t know her. But those who know Natalia understand her fears better than she does herself. ...... She''s on my list of people I can''t let offend me. It''s a shame.They''re all disappointing people. In this case, I''ll ask Regina, who smells of disappointment from the start, to explain. The lower your expectations are, the less disappointed you''ll be. ''You''re harsh, yourself. Well, I won''t deny it. ''So, Regina, is there anything you''re worried about? ''Well, all I can say is that you should clean your nails before you pick your tits ......''. ''Exit! ...... In a district full of idiots like this, I doubt there will be any crime in the future. ''Yashiro-san. Is ...... it okay, Delia-san?'' As I look at the forge, Ginette folds her hands in prayer next to me. ''He says he''s going to do it. Let''s trust him and watch over him.'' ''Yes ....... ...... Please don''t get hurt.'' Ginette holds her crossed fingers to her chin and prays earnestly. I guess I''m not the type to watch martial arts. The soldiers are lined up around the forge, and we''re positioned behind them. In the meantime, Barbara, who has been unshackled, is protecting us from being attacked. I don''t trust any of the soldiers here at ......, though. They''re all human, and I don''t think they''re up to the task of dealing with the beastmen. So I''m staying here with Norma. Yeah, that''s a relief. ''Besides, the thought of a thin yukata underneath that cloak is making me paranoid. ''Yashiro. You can hear it in my voice. Are you serious? Then I guess I''m done. ''I wonder if you''ll get excited and drop it while watching the game? ''What are you talking about in your big voice? ''Mr. Yashiro, you can''t do this...'' ''Norma will be protected by me and Nephrite.'' ''Yes, yes, Yashiro. Just move over there. Paula and Nephrite step in between Norma and me. Hey. The more distance you put between you and Norma, the more danger you''ll be in if something goes wrong. Oh well. We''ve got Estella here too. She''s not as strong as Norma, but she''s pretty strong too. I can count on her. ''Estella, I''m counting on you. ''Huh!Bo, you''re giving me the drop? You idiot! You can''t expect me to do that! You don''t have enough to make me pee my pants! ''Ginette''s in charge of polori.'' ''I''m not in charge!Please repent! ...... Tsk. And while she was doing that, Delia seemed to be all set. She is standing in the middle of the forge with her arms outstretched and full of energy. The sky is dark, but the area is bright enough, with glowing bricks glittering in the light. It''s too bright to take advantage of the darkness and escape from prison. ''Hey, Yashiro. When is my opponent going to come out? Barbara''s still in the dungeon. We can''t let him out until we''re ready. He could be harmed. He could escape. Letting him go and letting him escape are two very different things. Will you be a benevolent lord or a foolish lord? Even if the outcome is the same, the process is more important, they say. This is not a time to be concerned about appearances. ''Oh, looks like he''s coming out. Norma''s words drew everyone''s attention to her. As if to quell their excitement, Norma pulls out a pipe from the valley and lights it with an expert hand. A light purple smoke rises into the night sky. ...... I mean, even when you''re in your nightgown, you still have a smoking pipe in there!I''m curious as to what else is in there. ''Big brother, you have to be cooperative!Watch your opponents! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ....... There''s nothing interesting about seeing Barbara, though. ''Is that the bandit ......? ''The woman, what ...... is she? Paula and Nephrite let out a squeak of surprise when they saw Barbara. The word ''bandit'' must have made them think of an old man with a bad guy''s face. ''The way those muscles are built, ...... they''re more concerned with speed than arm strength. Delia, be careful.'' Norma was the only one with an expert''s eye for detail. He''s a fighter too, focusing on muscle tone and such. He''s supposed to be a hardware store. ''Listen . Even if I remove the shackles, don''t go on a rampage, okay?Keep in mind that if you do anything rash, you could be sentenced to death without trial! The soldier is strongly advising Barbara. In fact, he''s probably so scared he''s shaking inside. His heart must be racing. If the beastmen rampage, there''s nothing they can do about it. Barbara looks around without changing her expression, whether she''s listening to the soldier or not. And when she saw me, she gave me a sharp look. She seems to be taking out her frustration at me for taking so long. I understand that you want to go rescue your sister, but ...... you need to think about your position. You''re the one who wasted time by staying silent. This is still an exceptional measure.Do you understand that? Barbara. I''ve already nailed Barbara, who has begun to radiate a murderous energy that seems to be about to erupt. ''The shortest way is to do as you''re told. If you don''t, you''ll go back to that place. Pointing towards the dungeon, he said. He frowns, clicks his tongue, and looks away from me. I guess it''s safe to say he understands, then. ''But how did you get him to talk in one day? ''One day is a coincidence. I thought it would take two days.'' ''Still, it''s quite a feat. After all, he didn''t make a sound at all, at first. ''Once you get him to open his mouth, he''ll talk and talk and talk. That''s the way people are. The first step in any endeavor is the heaviest. It''s hard to take the first step because you don''t know what''s waiting for you. However, once you have taken the first step and can see the view ahead, things will progress rapidly, as if the initial stagnation were a lie. This is because of the psychological effect of ''what you have experienced once is no longer a threat. In Varvara''s case, she had kept her mouth shut because of her obsession that she would lose her sister if she talked, but she quickly changed her mind when I shook her a little. Rather than keeping silent, she would save her sister by working on her. That''s how he shifted his thinking. ''Maybe the credit goes to Yap Lock. ''He was very remorseful, though. He said he was interfering with you and me. His negativity is deep-rooted. He''s got a habit of thinking darkly. Come on, mainstay. You''re a farmer producing one of the best products in the forty-second district. ''I''m untying you! A soldier announced loudly, and Barbara''s manacles were removed. I hadn''t noticed, but it seemed that her ankles had been fitted with steel plate anklets. The anklet came off with a heavy thud. Waving his free limb, Barbara lightly stretches her muscles. She looks at me again, then glares at Delia. Then, in a husky voice, he declares clearly. ''I''m going to beat you, and Aashi is going to save Theresa! Quickly, Barbara kicks the ground and quickly closes the distance between her and Delia. How fast? She approaches Delia with such speed that you can barely follow her with your eyes, and fists fly. ''Sleep quietly! Her thin arm snaps like a whip, and she thrusts it at Delia''s side. But Delia, instead of bracing herself, looked down at Barbara without taking a single step, and then suddenly - that''s the only way to put it - with a speed that could only be described as sudden, she grabbed Barbara''s face and threw her with all her might. He threw her down with all his might. ...... I couldn''t see the movement of his arm. I''m not sure what to say. Then, she attacked Delia again with a low trajectory like a beast. The moment Delia''s gaze turned downward, he used all the spring in his body to leap into the air. It turned itself around and attacked Delia with its sharp claws glinting. ...... Did I mention that humans are heavy enough to be thrown away with one hand? I''m sure you''ll agree.And then! Barbara began to run as soon as she landed, and then circled around in a low orbit again. She moved in a wide arc and came around behind Delia. Then, this time, she slides for Delia''s right leg, aiming for her Achilles'' heel. But! With the ease of picking up a fallen pebble, Delia grabbed Barbara''s leg as if it were a weapon, threw it upward with a pop, grabbed Barbara''s face as it fell, and threw it again to the same spot. ''Ouch! Barbara, who was struck on the back, let out a cry of pain. As you can see, it seems to take a while for her to get back into position for the third time. It''s also because he''s been running as fast as he can from the very beginning, and he''s breathing hard. Barbara thrusts her limbs like a wounded beast, and her shoulders rise and fall violently. The dripping sweat is making countless stains on the ground. Delia, on the other hand, is standing in the same place, in the same outfit, with a relaxed expression on her face. She hasn''t even moved a step. ''Hey, you...'' Delia turns to Barbara with a slightly grumpy look on her face. ''''Start! Don''t move until you''re told to. You''ll never get started, will you? ''What about ........................?'' Barbara''s vocal cords quivered slightly in the back of her throat. It sounded like all of her emotions were concentrated in a really, really short sound. And then, as if seeking a place for those emotions to go, Barbara turns her gaze to me. ...... No, if you want me to explain... ''...... That idiot. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... Norma''s brow furrows and she lets out a grunt. The smoke from the flue dances in the air. ''Norma, what''s the ''rule''? ''Oh, you know, actually. ......'' She drops the ashes from her cigarette, scratches her temples with her mouthpiece, and begins to explain. ''I told you that I was having a match with Delia, didn''t I? Under the guise of training, these guys occasionally have hand-to-hand combat. I heard that. ''That''s when he''d hit me out of nowhere. Before we''re ready.'' ''Oh, you want to play?All right! "Boom! Delia''s not afraid to go to ....... And with all her might. Without mercy, without malice. Not even a hint. So I gave her a good beating. When you''re face to face, when you''re both ready, when you say, "Begin! And then you can start the game. ''That''s, well, ...... what can I say. It''s very true. ......'' Estella''s face scrunched up. It doesn''t look like a ''Delia, you''ve learned to follow the rules, good for you'' kind of twitch. ''You don''t have to be so polite and reasonable to an opponent who''s going to make a full-on surprise attack like that. ......'' With a troubled look on his face, Norma swallowed ...... the words stuck in his throat, as if it was very difficult to say. ...... Hey, say it. Don''t fool around. Don''t turn your back on me. Don''t fill your pipe with new weed. ''You know what?The ones who follow the rules are the good guys and the ones who ignore the rules are the bad guys! Delia pointed at Barbara and said these words on behalf of Norma, who had closed her mouth. ''......,'' I told her, ''I''m a good guy and I''ll stick to the rules! I''m sorry. ...... She''s a good, honest girl, but ............''. I felt that Norma''s words, ''but she''s an idiot,'' were hidden in her distant gaze. Well, it''s not that she''s stupid, it''s that she''s stupidly honest. ...... Delia really does remember what she''s been told. ...... "Responsible" and "dependable". I''m sure you''ll have a great time.You can''t talk about yourself with confidence to your family, friends, and other important people.Isn''t that sad? Barbara''s face twisted slightly at the mention of the word family. You can''t confidently talk about ...... yourself to your family, can you? You can''t tell your family that you''re eating with the money you robbed from others. Not being able to talk about yourself to the people who mean the most to you,......, isn''t that pretty painful? Hey, Barbara. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it than you think. Delia is proud of her work and her way of life. This has been consistent since the time we met, and that pride has become her strength. He must have been influenced by his parents. He seems to respect his father. ''When you try to be a good guy, a lot of good things happen to you. You become friends with people you''ve never talked to before, you go to faraway wards for parties you''ve never been to, and you get together with people in completely different jobs and do all kinds of things!I''m having so much fun right now. That must be Delia''s true intentions. I can tell by the look on her face. I see. She''s having so much fun now? ''And I found some really sweet popcorn! I''m sure the popcorn encounter was a memorable one for Delia. The time when she couldn''t buy sweets because of the heavy rain, and the time when she couldn''t come to the sunny pavilion because of this and that caused by the water shortage. Every now and then, Delia would cry over the sweetness of the popcorn. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was now a taste of her memories. And at the name of popcorn, Barbara also reacted. She had come to District 42 for the popcorn. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I see. I knew it. You got it all wrong. I heard about popcorn somewhere, and I wanted to steal it - mostly to feed my sister - but it was hard corn that wasn''t even sweet, and my disillusionment and disappointment turned to anger. Disillusionment and disappointment must have turned to anger and he tore it to pieces with a knife. Well, he didn''t know what popcorn was, so there was nothing he could do. ''You''ll become a scoundrel if you don''t follow the rules!Are you sure?You''re going to have a hard time in front of your family!'' When she feels guilty, Delia instantly turns into a crybaby like a little girl. I think she is talking about the pain of guilt when you feel you have done something wrong. ...... is not a good word. However, the poor but straightforward words of Delia seem to have resonated with Barbara. It''s not that she''s forcing you to change, like Yap Lock, but that she''s telling you in simple terms, based on her own experience, that it''s better this way. ''It''s ............ no longer ...... difficult to suffer in front of your family. .......'' Such a small whisper reached my ears in the wind. It was a husky murmur with a hint of a whisper. I exchanged a glance with Estella. And then, without a second thought, he turned his gaze in admiration to the person who had done so much for him. Delia. You''ve done a great job. ''I want to be ...... someone that Aashi can be ...... proud of, too. ......! ''Then become one. Eating popcorn while laughing is delicious. There''s something special about eating it with someone else. ''My sister ...... and I eat ............ with ......... ...'' Barbara''s voice trembled. Delia''s words, delivered without the slightest trace of arbitrary emotion and with a purity of feeling that cannot even be called good will, saved Barbara from denying the world and retreating into her own shell. ''Then, be a good guy from now on. ''Be ...... ............ or ...... Aarushi something... ...'' ''Don''t worry!Yashiro will take care of it! ''Oh, come on! I''m not sure what to do. A hard fastball called a no-look pass is bad for the heart! ''Don''t think too hard. You and the one you think is the most important. As long as you don''t lie to those two, the rest is pretty much taken care of. That''s how we teach it in my guild. There are a lot of idiots who don''t understand the hard stuff! says the leader of the guild who doesn''t understand difficult things. Where does your confidence come from? You act like you''re the best in the river fishing guild, but you''re not. ''If I don''t lie to myself and ...... the two people I care about the most ............... ...can you start over ......?'' Barbara is now respectful! What struck you so much! No, she did say some nice things, but... I''m sure you''ll be impressed......., right, Yashiro? So don''t dump on me. ...... ''The crime you committed will be erased if you do the given punishment properly. I looked at Estella next to me and she nodded as if she had no problem with it. The lord here is the kind of guy who will dig into the ground to find room for extenuating circumstances. If you''re remorseful, you''ll be forgiven with a reasonable punishment. ''After you''ve been punished, well, ......''. And then look at Jeannette on the other side. From the flow of the conversation, he must have guessed where this series of events would end up. He is smiling with a look of great joy on his face. I''ll tell him what such a good-natured person said to me. ''All you have to do is live the rest of your life to the fullest so that you can forgive yourself. Then, one day, you''ll be able to eat good popcorn. With your precious sister. ''Jeannette. Tell her about it. ''The thing ......?Oh, yes.'' With my back to me, Ginette stepped forward. She then crosses her hands in front of her chest and tells Barbara in a clear voice. ''Please repent. The words were so penetrating that even Barbara could not help but swallow them. A quiet moment passed, and Barbara, who had been slumped on the ground, slowly stood up. She lifts her face and turns her body towards me, or rather towards Estella who is standing next to me. Then, after drawing her lips together once, she speaks in a clear, graceful tone. ''I''m very sorry for causing you trouble! Words of apology. The words were so strange that I could predict that she had not learned proper etiquette, but she was still sincere. As long as the words were heartfelt, they would have been conveyed well to Estella, who was a rare lord who did not care much about phrases and formalities. With this, it was decided that the sentence imposed on Barbara would be minimal and light. ''The matter is settled, isn''t it? Estella looks over at me and smiles happily. What''s settled in front of a criminal who hasn''t even been punished? Are you some kind of magistrate? You''re some kind of magistrate. Say something like that, for a change. ''You ...... no, you too, thank you very much! Turning to Delia, Barbara bent at the waist and bowed deeply. ''Your words really resonated with me. Thanks to you, Aashi, I really felt like starting over!Thank you so much! ''Yeah!Life will be more fun if you''re a good guy. Do that. ''Yes, sir! Somehow, I think I caught a glimpse of why Delia''s sisterly nature is so beloved. She is sometimes called scary because of her inflexibility, her over-commitment to everything, and her inability to take a joke, but she is also very caring, always straightforward, and above all, she has a big capacity. I''m sure they adore her. ''So I guess we''re both good guys, then. ''Ha, yes!......Hehe, I''m a little embarrassed, but ......'' ''Haha, don''t be embarrassed, don''t be embarrassed!You should be proud of yourself. ''Yes! Facing Delia, Barbara holds her chest out firmly to avoid embarrassment. She looked straight ahead and made up her mind to look the world straight in the face. He''s changed so much that you can feel it. In this one moment. Delia and Barbara face each other with a gap of about three meters. They straighten their backs and smile at each other without saying a word. And then-- ''Well then, let''s get started! ''......?What the hell? --Delia blasts Barbara. ............ eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ''Hahahaha!I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. She clenched her fists and struck a high gut pose. Barbara is blown away about 10 meters and stretches out on the ground in a huge heap. ''...... What the hell happened?In that guy''s ......'' ''That''s the thing: ......'' Norma tells me, exhaling smoke from her flue with a sigh and holding the dull, aching side of her head. ''Delia is ...... incapable of reading the air at all.'' ''Oh, ...... I know what you mean.'' A heavy voice falls from Estella''s mouth. Now, in this place, things were completely complete. Barbara changed her mind and vowed to atone for her sins and live a decent life. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Delia for changing her so that she could feel that way, and they smiled at each other. Normally, this would be the end of the story, but ............ Delia was different. ''Yashiro, I''ve won! Delia proudly thrusts out a V sign. In his mind, he said: ''I was asked to fight a duel'' -> ''I will win! a??''he attacks me before I can start'' a??''I scold him'' a??''he understands'' a??''he''s saying a lot of things'' a??''he''s saying a lot of things'' ......'' a??''oh, you''re standing face to face, that''s great, that''s great'' a??''then let''s start the duel! --these thoughts must have flowed smoothly without any sense of discomfort. You know, you should listen to Delia''s ............ story so far! And Imelda, who was the first to be fired from her job as a commentator, is still the same, muttering words that are appropriate to the situation. ''It''s barbaric. I was expecting someone to respond, but Paula and Nephrite just stood there with a dry, scabrous grimace on their faces. ''No, but well, it''s only one counterattack against three ...... surprise attacks, so ...... Delia''s is still better ......... ...Maybe, right? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. Don''t strain yourself. I''m going to go patch myself up for now. ''Then use my medicine. I knew someone would get hurt, so I brought it with me.'' Ginette and Regina run to the fallen Barbara. Well, you won''t be attacked ...... anymore. ''I''ll stay with her, just in case. Natalia followed Ginette and the others with a slow gait. Well, I guess that''s a relief. ...... ''So, Norma. I''d like to say something to Norma, who remains there, smoking a cigarette. ''Re-educate Delia, please. ''...... Too much for me to handle. ............'' Norma exhales the smoke with a faraway look in her eyes. The light purple smoke faded into the night sky. 357-12th episode without additives"Next door" comes wh... ''Hmm, ...... looks like we''re over the hump. ''Haha, the pass. You''re overreacting, Regina. Huh? No, no, Delia. Most people would have a near-death experience if they took your full force punch by surprise. It''s a miracle your head didn''t fall off. ''Ugh...... ouch......'' ''Oh, are you okay?'' Delia peeked at Barbara, who was holding her aching jaw and raising her body, with an unguarded and easy-going air. Barbara''s shoulders shuddered. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Ahh, this must be traumatic. ''Ah ............ ah ......'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit nervous about this. ...... I''m sorry to hear that. ''Aash, I''m impressed! ...... What? ''That strength, the heat of your fists, and this straightforward pain, it''s all too good! Well, ...... was the wrong place to hit, huh? I''m not sure what to say. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say to you, even if you turn to me. ''Please let Aashi work for Miss! ''Huh!You can''t just say that all of a sudden. ....... Estella, are you sure that''s a good idea? ''Well, I can''t do it right now, but after you''ve atoned for your sins, you can make a decision according to the river fishing guild''s rules.'' ''''Hmm~...... I see. ............ hmm~......'''' He''s being very difficult. It seems that he is indeed turned off by ''I''m in love with you''. ''What''s your name? ''Barbara, sir! ''Oh, so you''re Barbara. ''No, it''s Barbara, Delia. ......'' Estella corrected her, but it didn''t reach Delia''s ears. I guess she doesn''t think the information is that important. ''So, Paris, Paris. ''It''s Barbara! ''I think I''ll give up now, Estella. I''m going to give up now, Estella. ...... It''s all in Delia''s ear. Norma, who seems to have some kind of connection with her, seems to have already reached enlightenment. I don''t talk to Delia about difficult things. That''s the best way to get along with Delia. ''Do you know how to swim? ''No, not at all!I hate the water so much, I rarely even wash my face! You''re so smart, dude! ''...... Let Omero wash your face.'' Despite her boldness (or, at worst, her crassness), Delia is actually a clean person. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... though she lacks subtlety. Hey. Your assistant guild leader!He can''t swim at all! ''Barbara, can I have a word? Estella talks to Barbara, who is still excited about looking at Delia. ...... ignores her. I''m not going to go through with it. She''s out of sight. ''Hey, Perapera. Estella wants to see you.'' ''Yes, Miss! ...... Barbara reacts to the mysterious name, which is losing its original form, without going through the official name. ...... Estella''s cheeks are twitching. ''Before we get to work, there are things you need to do. ...... You understand, don''t you?'' ''Yeah, ............ yeah, I know. You can beat me up, drag me through the streets, whatever you want. I''m scared, scared, scared!What do you think they''re gonna do to you, man? Look, Estella''s so shocked she''s taken two steps away from you. ''No, I''m not going to punish you like that. It''s just that I have a job that I want you to do well. ''A job?'' Barbara, who still looked at everyone except Delia with a wary gaze. ''First, let''s hear what he has to say. ''......E'' The eyes, like sharp knives, opened wide for a moment and shook with anxiety. The one who appeared at the end of Barbara''s gaze was an Okojo. The owner of the cornfield that was damaged this time was Yap Lock. ''You ......, no, ...... you.'' ''Hi. Good evening.'' A little reservedly, Yaplock stands in front of Barbara. To the casual observer, it looks like Yaplock is the one being attacked, but it is Barbara who is stiffening in fear. The tension was palpable. ''I''m sorry it took me so long to ...... say that earlier, but ...... I''m sorry about this morning.'' With a sly grimace, Yap Lock bows his head. Barbara gulped briefly when she saw this action. Her lips quivered slightly, and she clenched them tightly. ''In my defense,......, your face at that moment overlapped with my own in the past,......, and that''s why I said what I did. I''m sorry for being so insensitive. ''That''s not true .............'' He swallowed his words. Maybe it''s still difficult to deny honestly. For Barbara, who doesn''t know how to open up to others. ''...... overlap with ............ Aarushi, is that for you?'' ''Yes, I am. Hmm ...... really, I''m embarrassed.'' With that, Yap Lock begins to speak. He tells me how he once almost gave up on life. I thought I was looking out for the people I was supposed to protect, but I didn''t have a proper grasp of the situation. I was about to run away from the painful reality and put all my hardships on the one who should protect me the most. ''The one who woke me up was the hero there. ''Hero ......? ''That''s what he''s calling himself. It''s like a nickname. I brush away the unpleasant glances directed at me with my hand and turn my face away with few words so as not to disturb Yap Lock. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open for the latest news. ''People tend to blame themselves. The kinder you are, the more likely you are to blame yourself. ''That''s what you are,'' Yaplock said, looking at Barbara with a look in his eyes. ''If there''s someone you really want to protect, you need to change, right now, in this moment. You don''t want to have to turn your back on your life again.'' She took Barbara''s hand and squeezed it with both of hers. Then, nodding once, he scratched his little head, ''Haha ...... I''ve said something stupid again, haven''t I? ''...... giggle. Haha ............ hahaha.'' Seeing the embarrassed old man, Barbara starts laughing. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this. ''You ...... are a good person. ''That''s because you have a heart that cares for others. Barbara''s cheeks flushed lightly at the compliment. I''m sure he''s lived a life where he wasn''t likely to be told that. ''I''m sorry, Aashi. I was hit where it hurts, and it hurts too much, and I lost my ...... temper. Your ...... words pierced me right in the middle of my chest.'' ''I see. ...... Haha. I''m glad to hear that. As if caught by Barbara, Yap Lock also smiled. He then stroked his mouth in a slightly embarrassed manner and spoke to Barbara slowly, as if telling her a story. In fact, those are the words that are still deeply etched in my mind. ...... No, imitating the words alone didn''t work, ...... but I still believe that those words have the power to make people see the value in life. After saying all that, Yap Lock smiled at me. So it''s not that big of a deal. I was just pissed off at you for moaning, and I thought I''d smash you to bits, so I spat it out. If you find value in it, then you found it. It''s none of my business. ''And so, Barbara.'' Clearing her throat, Estella straightened her collar and took on the look of a lord. She slowly approaches Barbara and stops a meter in front of her. ''You''ve done a lot of bad things in the 41st ...... district, haven''t you? He asks accusingly, with a sharp gaze. In this situation, if Barbara were to tell an easy lie to protect herself, she would have to deal with it differently in the future. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. ''...... Ah. I did. I''ve done it. There was a faint hint of fear in his words. I might be separated from my sister. That thought must be haunting her. ''If you want to follow the proper procedure, you must first undergo the punishment I impose in District 42, atone for your crimes, and then be transferred to District 41, where you will undergo the punishment imposed by the Lord of District 41. It will likely be many years before those punishments are completed. ''.............'' I know, ......, Barbara replied. But his voice is muffled. Perhaps a wave of regret is washing over him now. He understands, but he doesn''t want to admit it. Nevertheless, Barbara, who had stopped struggling, lifted her once-dropped gaze and looked at Estella. To hear the content of the punishment that will be imposed on you. ''So, for all the sins you''ve committed in the 41st district, I''ve decided to take them. ''What about ..................?'' Estella lifts the corners of her mouth with a look of satisfaction. A lord of justice who works for the weak. I think she thinks she''s pretending to be something like that. She looks quite pleased with herself. ''He should be here by now. Oh, look. Speak of the devil. ''Yeah, ......''. Estella points with her upraised thumb to the outside of the prison grounds. The sound of horses'' hooves and carriages could be heard clearly even without listening carefully. As if they had not been told, the soldiers guarding the prison hurriedly lined up and began to make ostentatious preparations to greet the prisoners. Passing through the soldiers lined up from the gate to the yard, there came a man... ''d*mn it!Calling on the lord of another district in the middle of the night, the lord of this place has no manners at all. ''Hmmm, Da-riiiin!I''m here too! --It was Ricardo, the lord of District Forty-One. ''Yashiro. No matter how hard you try, it''s impossible to keep Medora-san out of your sight. Oh, no! No matter which way I turn, he''s right in the middle of my vision! I''m not sure why I even called him, Estella!You didn''t have to call him! ''I mean, I didn''t call you, Ricardo. ''You''re the one who sent me the letter! ''That''s just how you interpreted it, isn''t it? ''Huh? Ricardo cut his throat like the leader of a delinquent group. Is he really a lord?It''s not like he''s from a good family. ''Did I trouble you too, Medora-san? ''Nah. I just happened to be at Ricardo''s place when the letter came.'' ''Hmm. A lord invites an unmarried woman to his manor after dark for a secret meeting? ......'' ''You, Oba......, don''t say anything that will scare me. I was just talking about work! Pfft. Ricardo is getting goosebumps all over his body. ''No, darling!Are you jealous?'' ''No, no. Not at all.'' ''Sometimes I work late at night and sometimes I''m alone with a man in a locked room, but ...... only my darling can free my mind and body. I''m not sure what to say. I thought I was making fun of Ricardo, but it came back to me four times as big. I have goosebumps all over my body. I''m a bird right now. ''So, what did I ask you to do? ''Oh. I made sure I found you. --Hey! Ricardo gave the signal, and Ricardo''s white-haired butler bowed condescendingly and signaled the carriage. With that signal, the carriage opens and a girl gets out, accompanied by two female warriors. How do you know the escort is a warrior?Because her muscles are very strong. ''...... ah'' Barbara shouts out when she sees the girl getting out of the carriage. Her jaw trembles, and tears well up in her eyes, perhaps from relief. ''............ Teresa......'' ''......Onee-sha?'' ''Teresa ah!'' Barbara runs off at full speed. For a moment, Medora reacted, but she must have decided that there was no need to stop her, so she saw Barbara off without doing anything. ''Teresa!Teresa! ''Onee-chan! The sisters hugged each other tightly. Rubbing her face against her sister''s head again and again, Barbara seemed to confirm the warmth. ''I''m sorry, ......, you were worried.I''m sorry .......'' ''No, I''m sorry, I''ve been waiting for you.'' The sister''s voice was firm, while the sister''s was tearful. As if to reassure her sister that she was fine because she trusted her. But her small arms were firmly gripping her sister''s body. ''I''m so glad you''re okay, sweetheart. ......'' Her voice was firm, but seemed to have a slight lisp. You can''t say ''onee-chan'' and ''go'' is ''oh''. She looks too young to be five years old, but she is about the same height as ....... You can clearly see that he''s not getting enough nutrition, but he''s still growing. And perhaps. The heart is growing too. This can be seen in her attitude of clinging to her sister but not being distraught. ''Onee-sha, if you don''t, mee-yo''. ''Oh, ...... that''s right, ...... if you cry, it''s ''me-yo'', ......''. I sniffle, wipe my tears with my arm, force a smile and turn to my sister. I think she knows she is blind, but she still wants to smile in front of her sister. Well, you can tell, can''t you? ''I asked Ricardo to take your sister into custody. It was an urgent matter, a special measure.'' ''Oh, no. You''re annoying me. I don''t have time for this.'' ''What are you talking about, Ricardo? As soon as you finished reading Estella''s letter, you gathered your troops and formed a search party. Don''t play the bad guy. ''T??m, Medora!Don''t say unnecessary things! ''Ricardo is happy to be of service to you, Estella. ''Heh ...... haha ............ so,...... haha''. ''What''s with the overly twitchy grimace? ''Well, ......, there''s something creepy about .......'' ''Huh?You can''t say it without sounding creepy!Estella, you! Barbara, who was holding her sister in her arms, stared at the two lords as they argued. She straightens her back and bows her head, though she is still squatting down to hug her sister. ''Thank you ...... so much for saving my sister, thank you ...... so much! I need to learn how to use honorifics, but it''s a sincere way of saying thank you. She must have been really worried about her sister. ''...... Teresa.'' Barbara''s face changed as she bowed to her lord. A look of determination, of resignation. She''s met her sister. A look of satisfaction, as if to say to herself, ''I''m satisfied now. ''Hey, lady, you know, ...... I have a few more things I need to do. So, that ............ a little more ............ a little more, you know. Can you be a good ...... boy and wait for me?'' ''...... Hmm. Wait.'' Oh, yeah. ...... You know Teresa''s face ............, all of it. The tears welled up in Barbara''s eyes as she looked at her sister''s face, smiling loosely. If I were to speak for Barbara''s heart right now, I would say, ''Let this girl alone be happy......''. ''Hey, woman. Ricardo calls out to Barbara in a dusky voice. He gives her a high-handed, condescending look. ''You''re a big man, Ricardo. ''I''m a big man, I''m a big man!Shut up, Oba! He clicks his tongue and turns his gaze to Barbara again. Then, with a wicked look on his face, he confronts her with the cruel reality. ''That kid over there understands everything. At these words, Barbara''s face pales. He may have been trying hard to hide it, but kids are sensitive. The more you try to hide, the more they find out. ''When we raided your hideout, the kid said, "We''re not going to try to steal from you."'' ''......What?'' Barbara looked into her sister''s face in disbelief. Teresa didn''t say anything, she just smiled. It was an action that could be taken as some sort of affirmation. ''And then she said to us, who were trying to take her away. ''I''ll do anything you want, so please give it to me, lady. Barbara was shocked and speechless. Ginette and the others had tears in their eyes as they thought of their sister. Such a small girl was desperately trying to protect a life where she could barely eat. Her sister is by her side. That alone must have been worth protecting for this girl. Really, kids are very perceptive and ...... stupid, aren''t they? No one was able to say anything to the innocent girl who squirmed wordlessly and still grasped her sister''s clothes tightly. A painful sadness rose in my heart. Then, I opened my mouth. Because there''s something I must say. Hey, I''m sure you''ll agree with me. ...... ''Ricardo''s lisp is nothing short of disgusting. ''Why do you have to say such nonsense, Oba? No, it''s ...... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, and what you can do to help. I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ''Why are you trying to bury me after I hit you?I''m not going to lose to you! At the sound of Ricardo''s boisterous voice, the sob story air that had covered the area faded away. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the midst of all this, Barbara could not hide her shock at the truth she had been told. ''Teresa ............ you, guys, do you know ......? ''......Hmm. I''m sorry .......'' ''I also know what Aashi has been doing .............'' ''Onesha, I''m not sorry......Onesha, I was just doing my best...... for you.'' ''......Theresa............Sorry......... ...n,na......'' ''Sorry, no problem. I''m sorry, I''m not sorry.'' The sisters hug, hug, hug, and huddle together. From now on, Barbara would never do anything bad again. It''s the hardest thing, to be confronted with the fact that you''ve been worrying about someone you care about. That guilt is more devastating than ...... any torture. I''m sorry. Can I get back to you, Barbara?'' Estella clears her throat, and Barbara''s shoulders shake. Then, with Teresa at her back, she looks up at Estella with a desperate expression. ''I''ll do anything to ...... Aashi without her! I don''t want my sister to see anything more painful than this. The words came out of her sister''s compassion, but Estella quietly shook her head. ''I want you to listen to this with me, because it''s relevant to Teresa, too. ''But ......! ''Onesha. I''m going to ............. I''m listening. ''Teresa .......'' Barbara nodded her head in resignation as her sister admonished her. Shrugging her shoulders, Estella lets out a wry smile. I guess she feels like a bad person. A villain who tears the sisters apart. ''Let''s see, first of all, regarding what happened in the 41st district, ......'' I''m not going to tell you about the crimes I committed, but I''m going to make you feel sorry for me, and I''m going to tell you about the outlandish measures I just told you about. ''Ricardo gave it to me, so I''m going to handle it all here. --So, that''s good, right? ''You ...... should at least get my approval before you ............ do whatever you want to do, goddammit. I''m sure you''ve written to him, but he seems to have moved on before getting Ricardo''s approval. Well, he was going to do everything he could to reach that end no matter how it turned out. ''And so, you will be subjected to forced labor. ''............ Yes.'' When it comes to forced labor, hard physical labor in some kind of isolated and harsh environment is a promise. There is no way that this lax Estella will ...... be able to face her sins silently for several years without seeing her family and just wait for the day when her sins will disappear. ''From tomorrow, you''ll be helping out in Yap Rock''s fields. ''......What?'' Barbara looked up in surprise. Her eyes go to Yaplok. Their eyes meet, and Yaplok scratches his head as if embarrassed. ''Yap Lock has made me an offer. He wants to hire you as a live-in.'' ''Yeah, ...... no, but, Aashi ............ what?'' ''No, actually, the field is getting a little too big.'' As if to make an excuse, Yap Lock says with a harmless face. ''I was looking for a serious, hard-working person. I don''t think that''s the kind of thing you want to say to a burglar who''s ransacked your fields,......, but I''m sure Barbara can handle it now. ''So, you''ll be living in Yap Lock''s house for the next year, helping out in the fields. ''Oh, um, ...... then .......'' I know what Barbara means. And what will happen to my sister in the meantime ......? Don''t worry about that either. I can see the result of Estella''s smug ...... face. ''I forgot to tell you that there is one condition for me to hire you. I forgot to tell you that I have one condition for your employment. I forgot to mention, there is one condition for hiring you. For example, ...... with your family.'' ''Well then, .......'' ''Yap Lock. No problem, right?'' ''Yes . I''ve asked Trubec Engineering to build a separate room for us. It''s only one room, so it might be a bit cramped for the two of us. ......'' ''Great!Not at all!Aashi and this girl will be together ............ for a long time ............. ......''. The words that were coming out of her mouth were interrupted by the sniffling that preceded them. Yaplock approached Barbara, who had squirmed several times and could no longer look up, and gently placed a hand on her slender shoulder. ''Now, please feel free to use it when it''s finished. Until then, you''ll be with my family. ...... Please be patient.'' ''I can''t ............ be patient, oh, thank you! Lowering her head to a position much lower than the shorter Yap Lock, Barbara bows almost to her knees. She then turns her reddened eyes and nose toward Estella. When Barbara''s gaze turns to her, Estella puffs out her chest and smiles. ''That is my duty to you as your lord. Once that''s done, you''re free to go. ''............ Yes.'' It was a roundabout way of saying it, but Barbara seemed to get the point. I''m sure you''re not the only one with a twisted personality here. Why don''t you just tell him, ''I''ve prepared a house and a job for you and your sisters to live together, so you can get rid of your evil ways and live an honest life. ''You''re acting like a tsundere. ''That''s you, isn''t it?You''re always so naive. ''I''m straightforward. I love money and boobs.'' ''I love money and boobs. But ......, well, let''s not mention it. You seem to have an aesthetic of your own. Hmm. Just say it. ''I''m happy for you, Barbara. Now you can live together.'' ''Oh. Plus, tomorrow you''ll have a job that promises food and shelter. If I said this was a punishment, I''d be caught by the Spirit''s Judgment, wouldn''t I? ''Hmm. It''s fine, as long as it makes you happy. Certainly, no one will be unhappy. ''Hey, Belbert! It''s Barbara, Delia. Maybe I''ll have to hang out with him for a week or so before he remembers my name. ''You, if you''re going to work for Yap Lock, you''d better work hard. ''Yes, sir!I''ll work my ass off! You seem to think this is a pep talk from Delia, Barbara. That''s not quite right. ''Popcorn is my favorite food!I need to make some good corn. ........................ ......? Scary! This is a case of Barbara being torn apart if the popcorn doesn''t taste good! ''Poppycock?'' Teresa tilted her head. Teresa doesn''t seem to know. So Barbara heard about it somewhere and wanted to feed it to her. ''I''m sorry, Teresa. I really wanted to feed you. ...... But I couldn''t get it. ...... Well, now I''m glad I didn''t get it this way. ......'' It''s better to see your sister happy than to see the end of your misdeeds. Work hard, get it right. ''Mm-hmm. I don''t mind. I don''t need a popup cone. ''............ Teresa. I''m sorry, .......'' Barbara couldn''t seem to stop herself from crying, because it was too obvious that she was being reserved. She groped for her sister''s apologetic head and stroked her hair with a small hand. ''I''m sorry, okay?It''s okay. It''s okay. She comforts her crying sister. Everyone was staring at the little girl, unable to say anything. ...... Oh my god, ............ I can''t help it. --And when I was about to open my mouth, Delia broke the silence before I could. ''No, no, no! With crisp eyebrows and a loud voice as if to assert something non-negotiable within herself. ''Popcorn is so good!Don''t say you don''t want it! You might think that Delia was angry ...... at being told that she didn''t want her favorite food, but what she did next negated that. Delia kneels down in front of Teresa and continues to speak to her. ''The children of District 42, they all eat. You can''t be the only one who doesn''t know. I''ll buy you a drink. Don''t be shy, popcorn tastes better when you eat it with me.'' He pats Teresa''s head with his big hand. Teresa''s shoulders shook at the sudden touch, but she gradually relaxed her cheeks and smiled unguardedly at the large, dependable hand that held no hostility. Delia may instinctively believe that children do not need to be reserved. She may be a little biased, but that''s her sense of justice, I guess. He''s really a good guy to take care of. ''Oh, that Miss ....... I''m a citizen of the 41st district,......, and I''m not in a position to be ...... treated by her.'' What''s that?You work at Yap Lock''s place, right?Then you should become a citizen of the 42nd district. Hey, Teresa. You want to be with me, don''t you? ''............'' Teresa turns her head from side to side, as if looking at the world with invisible eyes. She turns her head from side to side as if looking between Barbara and Delia, alternating between the two. The sister who is reserved, and the sister who is kind and says there is no need to be reserved. Her unopened eyes dart to and fro, trying to figure out which one to listen to. ''Which one do you prefer? ...... Wow. You know exactly where you are. Then she turns her head slightly and shakes her shoulders. That movement is a gesture of refraining from saying something that has already been decided, but you might get angry if you say it. ''Go ahead and say it. Anything you say might come true now. Because apparently, all the adults here are really into you. ''Oh, ............ ah, ...... is ......... ...'' It''s hard to say, isn''t it? Then I''ll give you a helping hand. ''Teresa has 42 wards where she can live happily and laughingly with her favorite sister, and a scary-looking muscle lord who says, "I almost killed Inopoke the other day, you know? and a scary-looking muscle lord says, "No, you didn''t kill it after all! Which do you want to live in, the 41st district full of disgusting muscles that boast so subtly that you can''t do anything but poke them? ''You, Oba!What''s with the unequal choices!Also, that Inopoke was saved by the terrain!There was a hole, right?He fell into it and escaped my arrows!If it wasn''t for that, I would''ve killed it for real!I''m serious! ''Ricardo. That''s why my darling makes fun of you, you know. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Or rather, he holds him down. Ricardo can''t move. ''Teresa. You don''t have to think so hard. Estella pushes past my little joke and walks up to Teresa with a child''s smile and tone of voice. She crouches down in front of Teresa, strokes her hair and asks in a gentle voice ''Who do you like better, the scary old man over there, or me, who wants to be your friend?'' ''............ Ohneesha.'' ''So, I win, so I''ll take it, you sisters! ''You''re treating my people like they''re your property!Also, I''m not an old man!I''m one year older than you! Ricardo exploded with an incomprehensible obsession. Perhaps she was scared by his voice, but Teresa grabbed Estella''s clothes tightly. ''Can you please not shout so loud, Ricardo?You''re scaring me.'' ''Yes, I am!We''re talking about popcorn now, so shut up. ''I''ll .................. never forgive you if you make Teresa cry. After being accused by Estella, Delia and Barbara, Ricardo put his uncontrollable anger into words, ''Hmph! Ricardo throws his anger into the night sky. Hey, you bully! The girls are mad at me. ''............ You need to go through the process of moving out. You don''t have to decide right now, but you can discuss and decide together after you get your living arrangements in order. I''m not going to force you to stay. I''m not going to force you to stay with me,'' he said bluntly, turning away. You''ve rounded up quite a bit. In the past, he was all about ''Don''t go against me! You used to be all about policies like ''Don''t go against me! ''Oh!Oh no. ......'' Suddenly, Delia raises her voice loudly. ''You''re not in the sunshine pavilion right now, are you?What should I do with the popcorn ......?'' Even though I said I''d buy you a drink, the popcorn shop that sells it is closed. It''s ...... hard to say ''no thanks'' after you''ve gotten their hopes up. It''s hard to say ''no thanks'' after you''ve gotten their hopes up,. Kids are easily discouraged, and if they''re reserved like Teresa, it hurts even more. I guess that''s why. Ginette showed her usual good-naturedness at ......, but... ''If you want popcorn, I can make it ......''. ''No!The popcorn has to be made by Magda! ''Huh? It seems that in Delia''s mind, Magda''s popcorn is the best. And Jeannette is shocked to see her rejected outright. I guess it''s not a defeat, but to be told so clearly that ''Magda''s is better'' is a bit much. ...... By the way, Ginette doesn''t make much popcorn, does she? Magda has a monopoly. Oh, I see. Magda''s popcorn has already reached such a level. ''You''re not going to start a ...... popcorn campaign, are you? ''Don''t worry. Jeannette''s competitive streak doesn''t really come into play in such situations. Just because she lost to Magda, it doesn''t mean she''s going to try to beat Magda. It''s just that I''m tempted to make some ...... tonight. I''m sorry, guys. Popcorn, I don''t think I can make it tomorrow. Maybe some other time. ......'' ''I''ll wait a bit! Interrupting Delia''s words, Loretta and Paula, as well as Neffery, stepped forward. ''It''s tomorrow evening! ''Yes, tomorrow evening! ''By then, we''ll do our best to make everyone think that everything will be alright! The three girls showed their strong enthusiasm. ''I''ll do whatever it takes to get healthy and open the Sunken Pavilion! ''Me too!I''ll do whatever it takes to get well and return to Cantalucia! ''I''d say I''m going to ...... the eggs too, but I''ll help Paula tomorrow. We''ll both do our best to get Magda back to the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''Yes!Nice to meet you, Nephrite! ''I got it. You, too, do your best, Loretta! ''Yes, sir! The three of them put their hands together and nodded at each other. Then they all turned their bodies toward Teresa and said with absolute confidence. ''Tomorrow evening, come to the Sunlit Pavilion for popcorn! She has no intention of reneging on that declaration. ''Everyone, .......'' ''You''re all .......'' Ginette and Estella smiled and looked at the three of them. Norma and Imelda are also smirking. When Regina and I looked at each other, I got a wink that said, ''Well, we''ll figure it out. And Delia, ...... ''Alright!I''m going to give you a hard time tomorrow morning! I set my soul on fire for the popcorn. ...... If you don''t do it in moderation, you''ll be too tired and sore to open the store. ''Okay, everyone. Let''s aim to open tomorrow night and do our best! ''''''Oh!'''''' Ginette, the general producer of this health recovery diet, called out, and the three girls raised their spirits. You can do your best when you have a goal. That''s the kind of town we live in, the 42nd district. I''ll leave Barbara and the others to Estella, and I''ll do what I have to do. 358-Additive-free Episode 13 To the City of Girls Hea... Then Barbara and Teresa were taken to a room in the prison. It was a proper guest room where the relevant people could stay. They were told that there was a twin room, but Teresa said, ''I''m with you, honey! We were told that there was a twin room, but Teresa insisted on staying with Barbara, so the room was changed to a single room. She said she didn''t feel comfortable with too much space. The people involved in the weight-loss project went back to the sunlit pavilion first and went to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow. According to Regina''s diagnosis, since the period of recklessness was short, her recovery was quick, and although it seemed a little premature, she said, ''Well, it shouldn''t be a problem. They said, ''Well, it shouldn''t be a problem, they''re good people. As for Jeannette, she said, ''Well, I''m going to eat more than usual for breakfast and lunch tomorrow to prepare for the graduation exam! She said that she was going to make the same diet food that she had fed to Sirach. The amount is large, but the calories are modest. He said that it was a healthy dish, and that chewing it well would make him feel full. So, that left me, Estella, and Natalia. And then there was Ricardo''s group and Medora. ''The hunting guild helped us out, didn''t they? Thanks for your help.'' ''Nah. It''s our role to stop the troubles in District 41. After all, I like that town. I can''t let you do as you please in your own territory-- that''s what they say. I don''t know what''s going on here. ...... yakuz...... No, it''s nothing. It''s a noble thing to protect public safety, yes. ''Ricardo. Thank you for all your help. When the matter is over and settled for the time being, Estella makes her point as a lord. She thanked Ricardo with a gentle smile. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''d*mn, that''s a good one. You''re the one who made me do it. ''Still, you could''ve kicked me out. But you didn''t. For that, I thank you in no uncertain terms. ''Hmm......, well, you''ve gotten a lot tougher, so I thought I''d at least give you a ...... reward. ''Ricardo......'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''That kind of superciliousness continues to annoy mea??'' ''You!What are you saying with a nice smile? ''You try to act like a big brother every now and then, don''t you?Stop it, you''re making me uncomfortable. ''I''ve known you since you were a little kid, so you''re like a big brother to me! ''We''re not related at all. ''Even Oba and Fudosan''s daughter aren''t related to you, but you''re acting like they''re your brother! ''Haha. I''m not as fond of you as Loretta is of Yashiro. ''Why are you always smiling when you spit out your poison? ''Because if you don''t smile, you''ll end up with a frown that could be considered diplomatic disrespect. ''You don''t like it that much?Is it really that painful for you that I''m your brotherly childhood friend? ''Ricardo. ...... I don''t want to say anything that will deeply hurt anyone. You guys are really ...... close, aren''t you? I''m glad to hear that you''re building a good relationship. ''You''ve become a good lord, that girl.'' Medora stares at Estella and mutters. Her first impression of you was terrible, but now she seems to be appreciating you properly. Well, Estella has changed a lot. She''s grown up, hasn''t she?Except for her ...... breasts. ''Grow up ......''. ''Yashiro, shut up.'' ...... And aren''t you getting a little too sharp? ''They make unreasonable demands on you, but they also return the favor. If he keeps growing like this, he''s going to be a very big man.'' ''Yeah. Except for my breasts. ''You''ll still be big, Estella.'' ''Yeah. Except for her breasts. ''I''m looking forward to the future.'' ''Yeah. Except for the breasts. ''Yashiro, the dungeons have just been vacated, would you like to be imprisoned for impiety?'' There''s a bit of an abuse of power thing going on, this lord. I don''t like that kind of aristocracy. ''It seems there are still problems in the 41st district. Medora raises her eyebrows and makes a difficult face. Her eyes, gazing into the distance, were the color of deep darkness, like the sea before dawn. ''There are female warriors in the hunting guild, aren''t there? ''Yes, we do. We carefully train them, regardless of gender, if they have potential. The two women who were accompanying Teresa as if to protect her were both incredibly muscular. The only women who can do that are a certain race and a few others. ''What''s the employment rate like for women? ''Employment rate?...... That''s right.'' He pinched his chin with his right hand and held his right elbow with his left. Medora is recalling the situation in the 41st district, looking like she''s thinking about it. I know you don''t know the details of other industries, but I''d like to hear your vague impressions. ''It may not be so good. According to Medora, the 41st district is a hunting town, and for a long time, the town was built around the hunting guild. Therefore, there are many professions other than hunting guilds that are related to hunting guilds, such as weapon shops and demon beast dismantling contractors. And those jobs tend to be male dominated. Making armor also requires a great deal of strength and patience. It is not an easy job. Even in the 42nd district, the only women in the hardware guild are Norma and a few others who do general work, and the only blacksmiths are muscular old men (even if they are maidens inside). The same goes for the dismantlers. Dismantling a hexenbiest requires a great deal of strength and determination. In District 42, dismantling is done by the District 42 branch of the hunting guild. I heard there was no one willing to take on the job. Well, there are surprisingly few people who don''t mind a lot of blood. ''Women''s work opportunities may indeed be limited. There are even men who have too much ...... to work in the racketeers guild. When I visited before the gluttony contest, there were a number of old men sitting idly in the back alleys. In the first place, the employment rate is low in the 41st district. ''A lot of lodgings have opened up, and a good number of women have found employment there,......, but I''m sure there are quite a few who have lost out. The 41st arrondissement has yet to break free from its one-pointed economy. There is no diversity or ...... The economy that used to be centered on hunting guilds has shifted to one that targets travelers, adventurers, and other customers from outside. Even though industries other than the hunting guilds have grown up, most of the targets are still muscle-bound macho men who want to take advantage of the city gates of District 42. Workplaces like the clothing stores in Uclines, where women flock in droves and their attention to detail is appreciated, have not taken root in District 41. Old men are more interested in quantity than quality. Solidity over brand. What''s inside is better than what''s outside. That is not what women are looking for. That is why such workplaces have not taken root in the 41st district. ''I heard that Osina''s store is in trouble. ''What, you''ve come to my darling after all? I thought it would be something like that since she''s closed the store. ''Has Osina ever been away from the store a lot? ''No. Until now, I was the only one she could rely on, you know. Medora says that even when it was hard, even when she was at rock bottom, she held on and clung to the store ....... So you must have been very desperate to come to me. ''The 41st district is known for its meat. It''s hard to get customers to come to that restaurant with a menu that focuses on vegetables. I think it''s delicious, though. Well, it''s unlikely to happen in the 41st district, where muscle-bound males are chuckling over a stylish one-plate vegetable-centered lunch. The muscles there are the most important tools of their business, and they must eat meat, meat, meat in order to maintain them. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''That''s because ...... I love the taste of that restaurant. I''d like to see them continue if they can. ...... But I''ve also seen her struggling with it. It was quite a thing for Osina to run away, he said. Medora, despite her unhappy expression, showed a certain understanding of Osina''s actions. ''Can''t you just hire Osina? ''That''s something I''ve suggested a few times. ......'' Osina was more reluctant. And Medora herself is not too keen on the idea. ''When you have an employment relationship, you are not equal in some respects, right?We want to be friends as equals. ...... I know it''s childish and selfish, but...'' No. I know the feeling. No matter how close you are, there are certain areas you shouldn''t step into. Because you''re close, you want to maintain a good relationship without stepping into those areas. I understand this feeling. Even between a man and a woman, it is not uncommon to want to maintain a good relationship without it developing into love. ''Then, what if? Because I can sympathize with you, I have a suggestion for you. ''What would you do if I told you that I''m going to help Osina''s store with its financial difficulties?'' ...... ''I''ll go get a wife!Right now!'' ...... Hmmm ............ I think I''ll stop suggesting that. ''No, Medora is needed in the hunting guild, and it would help me too. ''Do you like me in the hunting guild, darling? ''Yeah, I guess so, ...... (better than being around me).'' ''Yikes! He curls up his big body, shakes and writhes. I''ve seen bears move like this when they come out of the river. ''The main street is a functioning inn town. But from the second street onward, if you go deeper into the city, you''ll only find a mess of stores in the 41st district. ''Well, we had to move the restaurant during the gluttony contest. It wasn''t always coherent, but now it''s pretty bad. ''If you sort that out, you''ll get more customers. Customers only pay attention to what they''re interested in. Just as Ginette wouldn''t go into an arms store, they won''t go into a store that they don''t need or aren''t interested in. Even if she passes by it, she passes it by. However, if stores of a similar type are gathered in one place, shoppers will stop there. If you create a street lined with stores that match the demographics of the customers, such as Takeshita Street in Harajuku, or gather stores specializing in a particular hobby in one place, such as Nakano Broadway, "going there" will become a purpose. Even if they do not want anything, they can increase the rate of repeat visitors by making people think that there is something to do there. And if it becomes popular, the place itself will become a tourist attraction. ''And there it is. I''m thinking of turning that area into a beauty center, with Osina''s store as the center. And here, the conversation turns to the lord. ''What do you think, Ricardo? ''Beauty?There''s no need for that in the 41st district. The forty-first district is a city of men. ''The prejudice of ...... is lowering the employment rate of women, and thus the sales of Osina''s store. ''What?Are you trying to say it''s my fault? It''s obvious that much of the cause lies with the rulers who built the city. Where are women supposed to work in such a male-dominated city? In the first place, a city where women cannot enjoy shopping will not attract women. Because they don''t gather, there is no excitement. Because they don''t get excited, demand is not created. Since demand is not created, profits will not rise and the industry will not take root. Therefore, the source of the negative spiral is the narrow-minded lord. ''Obaah ......, let him say it.'' I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not sure what to say. What blueprint do you have in mind? ''Can''t you honestly say, ''Please tell me''? ''Shut up!My lord says he''ll listen to you, so get on with your report! ''Eh~...... I wonder what I should do~'' ''Well then, let''s just forget about this matter and tell me! I knew you''d want to know. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... Why am I taking on your debt? I''ll make sure to collect next time. ''If there was a place where you could go and get beautiful, girls would come. ''That sounds like a scam. There''s no way your face is going to change just by going to that place. ''That''s why it''s a place where the secrets to becoming beautiful are gathered. ''Hmm. I don''t understand how ...... women are able to take pleasure in their faces. ''......, that''s why you''re not popular. ''What? To begin with. To be beautiful does not mean to tweak your facial features. ''A girl can be happy if her skin is clean, her nails are trimmed, or her hairstyle is slightly changed. ''Huh?Clean your skin and nails?You can just wash them, you know. ''Oh, no, this guy ......''. ''I don''t think he understands at all. ''Ricardo. If you don''t take a lesson from my darling, you''ll be single forever. ''Hey, even Estella and Medora are taking Oba''s side! I''m not taking you for me. I''m disgusted with you. ''Haven''t you ever done this before?Haven''t you ever met someone of higher rank and tried to look as dignified as possible with your outfit and hair done to perfection? ''That''s common courtesy. ''Before you go into battle, you take care of your weapons and train your muscles to make them look as good as possible, right? ''Of course you do. I''m risking my life, you know.'' ''Girls risk their lives for love.'' ''Huh?Are you ............ stupid? Ricardo dismissed my opinion with an annoyed look. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. That''s what all the girls are trying to do every day. They care about their skin, nails, hair, and clothes, which you dismiss as trivial. I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. ''''...... Is that all you have to say, Ricardo?'''' Medora is particularly strong. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. ''......No, well, ...... you need to improve yourself, regardless of whether you''re a man or a woman,...... yeah. You should write down the words "mouth is the beginning of disaster" a hundred times and imprint it in your brain. A simple word can be the cause of a ...... murder case. I''m sure you''ll agree that this is a great idea. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that he is very sensitive to the needs of girls. ''Baka, Estella. It''s not surprising, is it?It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how you can get it. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. It''s a great way to get the most out of your business. It would be foolish not to find a business opportunity in it. In the 42nd district, there was no timing or place to develop this plan, so it was saved. ...... It seems that there are other girls who are on a reckless diet like this one, and it''s time to give shape to it somewhere. Maybe it''s time for that. ''We''ll set up a couple of beauty stores and market them extensively. Surround them with sweets stores that would be popular with women, and cute grocery stores that would also be popular with women. Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam are very popular among women travelers. You can get a first-class beauty treatment at a reasonable price, look around fashionable Asian-style goods, and eat delicious food. It is a fact that more girls want to pursue beauty than to see the beautiful sea or valuable ruins. Fashion magazines are more popular than magazines about ruins. ''You want to build a beauty-related store, but you want to build a sweet store nearby? I guess they''re concerned about weight gain, just after the diet-related troubles. ...... ''Estella . Which do you prefer, dieting or eating sweets?'' ''............ eating and walking''. ''Well, that''s what I mean. Dieting is about working hard. You have to have a reward after your hard work. Don''t you love rewarding yourself? ''They say they''re building a town and stores for women, but this is just business. If the business doesn''t work properly, it''s meaningless. It''s about creating more jobs. It is meaningless to go bankrupt thinking only of ''for the customers''. The first thing to do is to secure a profit, and as a byproduct of that, a high level of customer satisfaction, which is just enough to keep the business going for a long time. And if you gain a little weight as a reward, you''ll want to ''look good'' again, right?...... This way, you won''t lose any customers. ''Ku, black ...... but, frustratingly, irrefutable.'' In fact, men don''t look at nails that much. There are probably no more than a handful of men who look for a girlfriend based on the beauty of her skin. In short, it''s all about self-satisfaction. A woman''s pursuit of beauty is. And eating good food is also a desire for self-gratification. ''Both are self-satisfaction, so the customer will be satisfied either way. Then, the feeling of ''It''s always fun to go there! If the number of such customers increases--'' The more customers you have, the more the circle will expand. That''s right. I don''t need to tell you how effective word of mouth is. Furthermore, self-satisfaction does not last for a long time. This is because it is a self-contained satisfaction. The desire never comes to an end. That is why the content will continue to attract customers forever. ''The fact that it is located in an alley off the main street is also a fashionable point. Fashionable women tend to avoid chain stores and common items. It is said that during the bubble economy, people were very brand-oriented and flocked to the famous ones, but such an extreme phenomenon would not happen easily. Looking at it from a flat perspective, human beings, especially fashionable girls of today, love such information that "conventional is out of the question, but everyone knows it if they are well-informed". It can make you feel good to know that you are fashionable because you know fashionable information. I''ve witnessed this tendency among the girls in this town from time to time. I''ve seen how doughnuts have spread since they first appeared, and I''ve seen the frustration of the nephews who missed out on them. If it had been a dish that no one had ever seen before, started by a minor restaurant that no one knew about, it would not have spread so rapidly. It was a phenomenon that occurred because of "the new menu of Hidamari-tei," which has been the first to introduce new, tasty, and fashionable dishes many times. Naturally, fashionable girls know about it. Such a kind of common understanding arouses sympathy, and girls like to be the only one who knows something that no one else knows yet. That''s what I think a fashionable girl is. ''If we reform, fashionable girls will gather from neighboring districts. ''Is it going to work that well? ''You''re an idiot, Ricardo. You really are an idiot. Barker.'' ''You''re talking out of your ass! You think it''s going to work? Jesus, he''s ...... ''We''re going to make it work. When you''re ready to do something, all you have to do is act with an eye to success. I don''t like to waste my time. If I''m going to do it, I''m going to do it. ''But, you know, ......''. But still, Ricardo was reluctant. ''You can''t just fill up the ''first run'' with that kind of store to attract women. ...... You''ll get complaints from all over the place. ''Hey, hey, hey, Ricardo. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Don''t decide the layout on your own. You have no more aesthetic sense than if I were to make you do flower arrangement, you''d just put certain things in order without any taste, simplicity or sense. ''Right in the middle of the main street, near the monument to the giant mushroom (spirit god), there''s a path that leads to the first one, right? ''Ah. That''s at the central square. ''From there, the area to the right is an area of stores for women. That area will be in every alley from the first to the fifth. ''Wait, wait, Oba!You don''t know what you''re talking about. Even if you build a store for women in the fifth alley, there''s no way you''ll get customers. It''s not that safe, and it''s inconspicuous. This is why the stupid lord who has nothing to praise but his muscles ...... ''You''re the one who doesn''t know anything, Mukilde. ''It''s Ricardo! Don''t worry about the details! They''re both the same. It''s not like there''s a difference between a ''Yamateisen'' and a ''Yamanoteisen''! ''Because they only put up good stores in conspicuous places, they''ll always have the name ''Gohonme'' attached to them and their value will never rise!In addition to that, it''s not safe. ...... That''s something you should improve as soon as possible!I''m not sure what to make of it. ''U............, we have a lot of things to do here too......'' You''ve been so excited to go hunting for Inopoke, how dare you talk about how busy you are? ''But you know what, Yashiro? In order not to be burdened by Ricardo''s stupidity, Estella, who had been listening quietly until now, couldn''t bear to see Ricardo''s stupidity and sent him a question. ''Are you asking me a question on behalf of the idiot Ricardo? ''Yes. On behalf of the idiot Ricardo. ''You guys are .......'' I ignore the idiot Ricardo and listen to what Estella has to say. His questions are often meaningful, so listen carefully, idiot Ricardo. ''It''s true that the streets closer to the main road get more customers, isn''t it?If you gather similar stores in all the alleys, the back alleys will be at a disadvantage, don''t you think? ''That''s what I think, right? ''......? It''s true that stores facing the main street will attract more customers if they are similar, for example, restaurants or clothing stores. There is an irreversible difference, just like the difference between Cantalucia and Sunshine Pavilion in the past. However, it does not mean that only the same type of shops will be gathered. We''re just gathering stores in the same category. ''Even if there are weapon shops and armor shops side by side, they won''t compete for customers, will they? ''That''s true, but ......''. ''Besides, some stores are better off in the back.'' Estella wrinkles her brow as if to say she doesn''t trust him. Don''t you get it? I''m sure you''ll remember. Look, think of all the things you do to make yourself look good. ''You don''t want others to see you making a desperate effort to look fashionable, do you? ''Oh ............ well, you can find such stores at ......''. That''s right. For example, dieting classes, custom breast augmentation pad shops, and other such shops that you want to go to but are embarrassed to be seen by anyone! It is easier for customers to enter such stores if they are located in the back. Such stores are difficult to enter, but they are often very necessary. If you bring yoga or aerobics here, it doesn''t mean that people will think it''s fashionable. If they don''t gain some degree of citizenship, it''s hard to say that they won''t be prejudiced as ''a place where obese women who neglected self-control do group exercises to desperately lose weight. Some people have a low understanding of beauty,......, like the muscle lord in front of you. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. That''ll give you status, won''t it? ''Like the luxury of the forty wards, right? ''Ah. Just like the luxury of the aristocracy, where young ladies who are proud of their beauty gather and enjoy tea in style, the first one will attract perfect fashionable beauties who have worked hard in the fifth one, cared about their hair, skin and fashion, and polished themselves up in that city of beauty. ''Hahaha ...... just thinking about it makes me feel self-conscious. ......'' ''That''s why. Even Estella used to admire it. There''s a coffee shop in the forty-second ward that caters to fashionable customers, and she wanted to try their cakes one day. ''When you have a goal right beside you, you can work hard even when it''s hard. ''I''m going to pass by the first one, thinking, "Someday, I''ll do the same," and head for ...... to pursue beauty. Hmmm, I think I''m getting stubborn. ''You should be. You''ll be stubborn, you''ll work harder than anyone else, and you''ll become a bit of a celebrity with the first bottle. ''I''ll be able to live every day with a smug look on my face, like Natalia once did. She must be referring to Natalia''s smug face after realizing her popularity in BU. That was intensely annoying. ...... But I''m sure everyone really wants to be treated that way. They want to be noticed as ''beautiful''. Loretta, Paula, and Nephrite all made the wrong effort to be beautiful, after all. ''Yeah. I see. I''m not sure yet, but it sounds interesting. ''Right? ''Ricardo, you should try it. ''You know, Estella, ...... you say that so easily, but ......'' Until now, the economy of the 41st district has been driven by men, or rather, Han. I''m sure Ricardo is trying to say that we can''t suddenly change the direction of the economy. ''Any reform that disparages men will be met with a huge backlash,'' he said. ''I''m fine in that area.'' ''How can you be so sure, Oba? ''The alleyway behind you is clear on the left, right? ''Oh?Oh, ......, yeah.'' ''I''ll make that the men''s area.'' ''Huh?'' Ricardo''s frown twisted further at the very simple answer. ''We can set up a weapon shop, a sturdy meat shop, or something similar to the forty-first district. ''Are you okay with that as usual? ''Ah. You don''t have to change them all the time, the men will change on their own. More and more, they''ll come, and they''ll come in vain. ''...... What the hell are you up to?'' Ricardo''s face twitches as he looks at me. You''re a rude one. I''m smiling like an angel right now, with a very peaceful heart. ''...... Yashiro. Don''t smile so evilly. Even Estella''s face twitched. ''Who''s evil? ''Think about it. To get to the first one, you have to go through the main road, right?'' ''Yeah, that''s right. ''You have to go through the main road to get back. In addition, the first street is lined with stores that girls love. ''So, what does that have to do with men? ''If there are a lot of beautiful women on the main street or the ''first street'', men will come here on their own even if you leave them alone. ''...... ah'' What leaked out of Ricardo''s mouth was an ''unintentional leak'' sound, the sound of someone who knows what they''re talking about. ''And these are women who have worked so hard to become incredibly beautiful, you know?These are not women who have been wasting their days without a good job and without much fun. This is a group of higher-ranked, highly conscious women who have taken it upon themselves to improve themselves!If there was a store that sold tools essential for work in a place full of such beautiful women, men would go there because they had no choice, right?I don''t know why, but I''m going to polish up my manhood even more than usual. At my explanation, Estella shakes her shoulders with a chuckle, and Medora lifts the corners of her mouth in a grin. And for some reason, Ricardo''s cheeks are dyed red as if he is embarrassed. This composition means... ''Men are really helpless creatures, aren''t they? ''Well, that''s just the way men are. Hey, Ricardo. ''Shut up!Don''t talk to me! But I can''t deny that I''m not, so don''t look at me like that! --That''s the point. ''It''s possible to take advantage of your intentions,......, but is it really going to work that well? ''So, you know, ......''. You''re not capable of learning, are you? ''I''m going to make it work! I''ve got all the pieces to do that. ''If you''re up for it, I can help you out. With Estella and Medora behind me, I give Ricardo a big smile. Come on, let''s make some money together. ''....... You''ve got a devilish grin on your face. I don''t know if it''s a sore loser or what, but Ricardo muttered those words. 359-The reward for episode 14 is suddenly... The next morning, a large amount of food was lined up on the table at the sunlit pavilion. ''This is the diet food that Sirach was actually eating. ''''''''What? '''''''' My three daughters and I all shouted in surprise. ''Sirach-san is that thin, elegant old lady, isn''t she? ''She''s Orkio''s wife, isn''t she? ''How could such a thin person have eaten so much? Loretta, Paula, and Nephrite looked at her, but ...... ''Sirach ......, how could you stand this amount of food?'' I was the only one who was surprised in the exact opposite way. Loretta and the others don''t know about ...... Siraha''s "original form". I''m sure that the Siraha of that time would have devoured this amount of food in ten seconds. She was one of the few people who had a bigger appetite than Bertina. ''It''s lightly seasoned, so I think you''ll be able to eat it in spite of the quantity. Norma said as she undid the ties that held her sleeves together. I was helping Jeannette in the kitchen, and I wondered why I looked like one of the ...... top two cooks in the 42nd ward,...... Norma, even though I was an amateur. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... The aura of a small restaurant proprietor is all over the place. ''No, I''ve eaten at the church. ......'' Ginette and I were the only ones who donated to the church. Loretta and the others stayed behind to do their morning muscle training. Before that, I had a cup of Ginette''s smoothie. I don''t even have a ...... blender, but I''m good. ''Magda and Milly, are you sure you''re full? ''I think they''re fine, they ate just fine. I met up with Magda and Milly at the church and we had breakfast together. When I told them that Paula would be back in the evening, Millie was relieved, and Magda said, ''At ......, I''m going to keep most of the guests under Magda''s spell for the rest of the half-day. ''I''m ready to invade .......'' ''Wow!It''s delicious! Nephrite was the first one to put his chopsticks on the table. Of the three, Nephrite was the one with the most dexterity to do things without a hitch. He was also the first to adapt to Delia''s muscle training and was less likely to be exhausted than the other two. Loretta wants to give everything she''s got, and Paula''s just too pissed off. They must have been competing with each other and doing muscle training without efficiency, and they were exhausted. When you''re exhausted, you can''t eat as much as you used to. So, Nepheli was the first to arrive at the restaurant. ...... ''Is it that good?I want some too! ''Oh!That''s not fair, Loretta!I''m the first! With ......, the two simpletons'' stomachs seemed to have been activated, albeit belatedly. ''It''s delicious!The seasoning is so light that you can really taste the sweetness of the vegetables! ''Burdocks are supposed to have a sour taste, but thanks to the careful processing, you don''t feel the sourness at all!In addition, the light seasoning elevates the simple taste of burdock to that of an elegant and noble luxury dish!What''s even more remarkable is this lotus root!The freshness of the lotus root is probably what brings out its sweetness, but above all, the crunchy and crispy texture is irresistible!This is exactly what I mean by ''delicious crunchiness''! ''Yes. It''s really delicious. Perhaps it was because Paula and Loretta worked in the food and beverage industry, but they couldn''t help but comment on the taste. The contrast with Nepheli is clear and interesting. When someone eats something that looks too good to be true, ...... ''Well, I''ll have one .......'' ''Hmm. Here you go.'' Ginette gives me a small plate and chopsticks as if she knew what she was doing. Don''t look so happy. I''m a little embarrassed that I''ve been caught nibbling. ''Wow, ...... delicious......'' The crunchiness of the lotus root ......, the sweetness of the vegetables in my mouth, and the subdued taste of the soup stock that accentuates it ............ do a good job. It''s a good job. I''m sure you''ll like it. You like root vegetables, don''t you, Yashiro-san? No, well, I do like root vegetables, but ...... when you say it again, it''s kind of itchy. It''s not because I like it. You didn''t make this dish because you like me, did you? ''Well, then, I''d better get going. I ate a small plate full of stewed food and returned the chopsticks to Jeannette. I have something to do with Estella after this. I have another appointment at noon, and I have to finish it before then. We don''t have much time. And before that. ''What are we going to do later today? If you don''t know exactly what you''re doing, you might end up in the same situation as last night''s ''accidentally running into her changing clothes'' incident. I asked Delia, who was eating dinner with Loretta and the others, about her plans for today, and she told me after stuffing her mouth full of root vegetables and chewing them. ''I''m going swimming in the river later today. ''Swimming .................. swimsuit ......?'' --seated. ''Yashiro. You''re not going out, are you?'' ''No, as a concerned citizen, I think you should see to that. ''You just want to see us in our swimsuits, don''t you, Yashiro''s s*x! ''No, you can''t do that now!If you want to see it, you have to get cleaned up first. Hey, guys. Paula warned me with her tail puffed up, and Nepheli asked for my consent with his head dyed red to disguise his embarrassment. Then Loretta hid her belly in her arms and barked. ''That''s right, big brother!You''ll have to wait until your belly''s ''puffy'' is gone! You idiot, Loretta! I''m not sure if you''re going to be able to tell these guys. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''ve got work this afternoon, so don''t be too reckless. ''Yes, sir! ''I''m on it!I''ve got a lot of energy today! ''Oh, I know!I woke up the most refreshed I''ve ever felt this morning! I stopped eating high-calorie meals in the middle of the night and woke up feeling refreshed after a day of controlled eating and moderate, if not ......, exercise yesterday. ''Regina will be here after lunch to give you your final checkup. ''When the sun is at its highest in the afternoon! ''...... Is that where the surprise is?No, I can understand why you''d be surprised. I''m not sure what to make of that. From now on, I plan to control my diet and exercise in consultation with Delia, Norma, and Ginette. The three of them and the teacher seem to be motivated, so I''m sure things will go well. ''Hey, Delia. Norma.'' ''What is it? ''What is it? I''ll give this good instructor a shout out as well. ''''In your spare time, would you guys be interested in being instructors? ''''Do this?'''' When I explained the plan for the City of Beauty that I had discussed with Estella and the others yesterday, Nephrite and Paula listened with sparkling eyes. I knew you were interested in it. ''So, I want you to teach them how to make beautiful proportions and how to cook healthy and satiating food. Of course, there is a time limit, until the next instructor is trained. You can''t keep lending people from District 42 to District 41. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing and how you''re going to do it. ............ However, if you get a devoted follower, we''re more than happy to lend you our services for a reasonable fee. ...royalties are good. In the event that you''re not in a hurry, you can go to ......, but if you''re in the 41st district,............, it''s too much trouble. ''I see. Delia, I thought you''d make a good teacher because of your style.'' ''What?I have a good style? ''Oh. I think you have the perfect style for a girl.'' ''Whoa!Yashiro complimented me! ''I was hoping you could teach Delia''s beautiful proportions to everyone. ...... ''I will!I''ll do it! Yes. Here we go. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a teacher like Delia with a style that makes you think ''wow! A teacher with a style that makes people think ''Wow! I want to be that proportioned! You can honestly think, ''I want to be that proportioned!'' It''s very persuasive. ''I don''t mind if I''m free too. I had a lot of fun learning how to cook from the manager this time. ...... I''ll share some of that fun with you. ''Norma-san: ............Squeeze! Seemingly happy to hear her say she had fun, Ginette hugged Norma tightly. Norma is confused and a little embarrassed by the suddenness. ''...... I like it, Norma. I''m not sure what to say. ''It''s a "muggy" hug! ''It definitely adds a certain softness to the ......''. What are you talking about? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ''The manager should be a teacher too. You like to teach, don''t you?'' I guess that''s what it looks like from the outside. Norma says this confidently. Indeed, Ginette seems to like teaching others how to cook. She seems to be enjoying it anyway. ''That''s true. Then, when you have a chance. ''Uh, that''ll have to wait a bit! It was Loretta who put up a fight. The reason is: ...... ''You need to teach me and Magdacho how to cook before the others! ''Then you should go to Ginette''s cooking school. I''ll pay for it. ''I and Magdacho are the manager''s direct disciples!I can''t teach you in the same class as a bunch of other amateurs. ...... You want to charge me money? Of course it is. Technology has its own value. It''s worth money. But, well, I''m sure that ...... ginette is going to teach that technology for free. He looks very happy to be called a "direct apprentice. ''Then, I''ll prepare a special lesson for you, Loretta and Magda. ''Yes, sir! ''Wow, that''s nice. I want to learn too. ''Me too~'' ''No, you can''t!This is a privilege reserved for the members of the Sunlit Pavilion!The depth of our bond is different! Ginette gazed happily at Loretta who was saying, ''''I want to learn from you. Is she happy with the special treatment she is receiving, or is she happy with the way Loretta is enjoying the special treatment? ''I''m going to master the manager''s taste one day, and eventually I''ll be able to open my own restaurant! Was she harboring such an ambition? ''But it would be sad to be separated from you, so I''m going to open a third restaurant right here in the yard! ''Don''t line up the affiliated stores. You''re a convenience store without a plan. You''re a convenience store without a plan. You built the same store across the street from us. ...... So you''re the third store. The second store is Magda. I guess that''s the way it''s supposed to be in the sunny side of town. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''But you know, even if you advertise that you''re in a town where you can be beautiful,......'' ''Yeah. We know Yashiro and Jeannette very well, so we can think, ''Oh, I''m sure they''ll take care of it. ''Do you think people from other cities will bite?I don''t know if people in other cities will take to it. Eating rice to become beautiful doesn''t seem like a good idea. Eating tomatoes will make your blood thinner and your skin tauter. --But, what?Eating tomatoes?Why? Why?'' Some of them will respond with something like that. If the listener does not have a certain level of knowledge, no matter how much we appeal to them, it will not reach their heart. This is because there is no credibility. Even if you are told that bedrock bathing is good for your beauty, you cannot make people want to try it without knowledge. In order to make people think that they can try it, or more specifically, that they will not regret spending their time and money on it, it is necessary to provide them with a certain level of credibility. ''I''m going to meet the bait for that. So let them understand. The importance of food. In such a simple way that no one can help but agree. A picture is worth a thousand words. That''s what I''m going to show you. ''Then I''ll go this time. ''Okay. Have a safe trip.'' Ginette sees me off and I leave the sunlit pavilion. Then, I give Jeannette a piece of paper with my plans for the afternoon. ''Huh?Um, this is .......'' ''Well, you can read it later. That''s all I said, and I started walking toward the main street. ''...... Welcome back, my Lord. ''When did this place become such a place? Magda greeted me mysteriously as soon as I entered Cantaluc?-a. ''...... This is the standard for this store. Millie also greets you that way. ''Yeah, ......, ............, ......... ...Welcome back to ....... ''''''Millie, come here too! ''''Ahhh ......m, it''s impossible ......!'''' I''m not going to let you bully me, old man!I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''...... I thought Yashiro was going to miss Magda by now. ''Oh, yeah. I''m here for something else, though.'' ''...... must be lonely.'' ''Oh, yes, yes. I''ve missed you so much, it''s a relief to see you.'' ''...... As I thought. Just as I imagined.'' Satisfied, Magda puts the grapefruit juice I didn''t ask for in front of me and returns to serving customers. Are you sure you want to take it? I''ll just chalk it up to a smart move by the waitress. ''......Paula and Yashiro''s precious memories are casually overwritten like this. ''Did you see the ...... diary? It''s true that I drank grapefruit juice when I first met Paula. I''ve been asking for it ever since because it''s so easy to ask for. ...... I mean, Paula shouldn''t have bothered to write such a thing in her diary. So, after seeing Magda off to serve the customers, I took the glass of grapefruit juice in my hand and headed for the counter without taking my time to settle down. ''Oh, ......, ......, welcome back! ''Oh, I''m sorry, Millie. I didn''t come here to tell you.'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. You don''t have to do that anymore. ''Just go serve the customers normally. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I''ve never even been able to look at a stranger''s face because I''m so shy, but I can''t believe she''s working in a bar. I wonder if she would believe me if I told the Jeannette of a year ago. Thinking about this, I couldn''t help but let out a smile. Then, I switch my attention to the main topic of this article. ''Welcome back, darling. ''You don''t have to do it too. ''Uh-huh,'' said Osina, smiling warmly. Today, too, she is standing at the counter, serving drinks to customers. ''How do you like it here? ''Well... It''s not so bad, is it? He returns the polished glass to the shelf with a containing tone. You can find a lot more information on this at ......, but I still can''t shake the feeling of discomfort. It''s a little bit too lively for me. ''In your case, the sound of the wind blowing and the branches swaying is just right. ''Mm-hmm. That''s right. That''s enough to make me feel relaxed and soothed. Osina''s face looked very lonely and tired as she said this. After all, she wanted to go home. To his own store. Not to help out in someone else''s store, but to his own place, where he was fully dyed in his own colors. But the burden had become too great for him to bear alone. So I ran away. Because he ran away, he learned to be patient. He made the selfish mistake of thinking that this was the only way left for him to live. ''Hey, Osina. What''s the name of your store again? ''Araraa~?I thought Da~rin-chan would remember the name of your store, but it''s too bad, she''s so lonely. You''re annoying. I actually do remember. I just want you to say it. ''Osina''s store is called "Sourb" - "Reward". Osina''s ideal store was born as a reward for her own hard work and saving up money, and she put all of her own preferences into it. This "reward" for herself became the name of the restaurant. ''Originally, I didn''t have a name in mind. Then I heard Medora say, ''Do you like the sourb (reward)? Then I heard Medora-chan say, ''Do you like the sourb (reward),'' and I said, ''Well, let''s name it that,'' and that''s how we decided on this precious name. She can''t stop talking about her memories. That''s proof that the place is loved. And it''s also proof that he himself still loves that place more than anyone else. That''s why it''s the perfect catalyst to get things moving. The excitement before starting something new is certainly exciting, but at the same time, it is always accompanied by anxiety. At times, it can make you feel like you can''t move your feet. At such times, we can rely on "security" and "trust". When someone like Osina, who loves and trusts her store, is standing in the middle, it is easy to do something crazy around her. Even if you make a mistake, you can get back on track again and again. As long as you have a firm foothold. ''If you cooperate with me, I''ll give you the best ''sahib'' ...... has to offer.'' He propped his elbow on the counter and peered into Osina''s face. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. It''s not ...... tears, but the moist eyes reflect the light. Osina has been hiding it in her chest for a long time. You can''t say that you''re expecting, but you can''t just throw away a ray of hope and give up altogether. When she saw the tail, Osina was upset. She is caught between the urge to jump and the hesitation to do so. ''But ...... I''m not going to indulge Da~rin-chan to such an extent ......''. ''What are you talking about, Osina! A bear appeared in the tavern. Everyone play dead! ''Darling!Don''t pretend to be dead, just let me talk to him.'' What''s that, Medora? I thought you were a hexenbiest when you came barking in here. Look. All the old men who were standing at the counter looking at Osina with their noses in the air have run away, haven''t they? ''Medora-chan ......, what are you doing here? ''I asked my darling. She said you''re working here as a temp.'' ''Yes ....... I didn''t worry you, did I? ''No, well, ...... I was worried about you, but I know you wouldn''t do anything stupid, I''m sure. ''Stupid ...... things.'' Osina gave a small laugh. It was an air of self-mockery, as if the act she was about to do, ''giving up my store'', fell under the category of ''stupid things''. ''Look, Osina. Medora propped her hand on the counter and leaned forward, bringing her face close to Osina''s. It was like King Kong trying to take away a beautiful woman, but both of their eyes were serious, and the atmosphere created was that of a serious discussion between women. Medora threw away all her titles as the head of the hunting guild and the strongest hunter in All Bloom, and spoke to Osina as her only friend. ''I want you to continue that store. In that place, forever. And I want you to share your ''sahab'' with me. ''Medora-chan ......'' Osina''s heart was in turmoil. Originally, she didn''t want to give up, but she had forced herself to turn away from it. If her best friend said such a thing to her, her heart would be easily shaken. The only thing holding Osina back was her financial difficulties. This is a harsh reality that cannot be overcome by enthusiasm or love alone. Osina now lacks the energy to overcome this. That''s why. ''I said I''ll give it to you. I''m giving you a ''sahab'' (reward). ''But ...... it''s not ...... Oshina''s idea to bother Da-Ling that much.'' I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure if it''s ...... a complex fracture or not.I''m not sure what you''re talking about. No, that''s not all. He''s the man who brought these wards together and made them take a big step toward development!You know him, don''t you? ''...... Yes. Medora-chan''s been bragging about him for a long time. ''That''s right!I''m proud of you, darling! It''s a little too much, a little too much. ...... Well, let''s not dwell on that. But she''s not ''my darling''! This is the only thing I can deny!Again and again and again! I''ll never forgive you for being so rude as to shake off my darling''s hand, Osina. ''So ...... ne. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to get rid of it. No, it''s not that easy, but ...... the lord will be involved. You''ll need to do some major renovations to the city. ''Da-ling-chan......'' Oshina straightens up her overly soft demeanor, straightens her back, and turns her body toward me. She looks at me straight in the eye and gives me a sincere smile. ''Please save Osina''s store. That strange phrase was so Osina-like that I forgot to even ...... make a snide remark. ''Oh. I need your store to make money for me. So I''ll fix it up in moderation. For the sake of my royalty. ''Couscous~'' she laughed in an elusive voice, and Osina scooped up the tears from the corners of her eyes with her index finger with a big smile. ''You''re so kind, Da-ling. Well, ...... I guess you''re right. A swindler is a creature who disguises himself as a kind person to get into people''s pockets and manipulate them to siphon off their profits. I''m going to make a lot of money from your store, Sourb (reward). ''Da-ling, why are you gibbering? ''Oh, what was that?Magda says you''re embarrassed and making excuses to yourself. ''Oh, really? You''re so cute, Da-ling. ''That''s right!I just want to take her home and squeeze her to sleep!I''m sorry. Please stop, Osina, spreading such misinformation. And you, Medora ......, should really stop. It''s like this. ''Well, let''s go to Estella''s. I''ll make some arrangements, and as soon as I''m ready, I''ll move forward with the plan. The ironclad rule of revolution is to push it forward at once. There''s a saying that you should strike while the iron is hot and shake the tits if they''re big enough. Then, after telling Magda no, I''ll take Osina out of Kantartika. We need to have a general agreement by noon. We headed for the lord''s mansion in a hurry. 360-Episode 15 without additives, the promise is... The strategy meeting with Osina, Medora and Estella went off without a hitch - or rather, I told them my plan and just said, ''Well, that''s how it''s going to be,'' and about an hour after the bell rang, I came back to Kantartika. I had come back to Cantalcica. Before entering the restaurant, I looked up at the sky and saw that it was tinged with a nice Akaneiro. ''Oh, ......, I knew I''d been caught. He wasn''t in front of the store, so I peeked in. ''......Welcome back, my Lord...'' ''What,......?Are you the Lord?'' --Ginette was greeted by Magda with a mysterious greeting. Magda, that would be a story that would make no sense if you didn''t know the morning''s ''Goshu-nian-sama''. I can see the effort you''ve made in changing it, though. ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Ginette spotted me standing at the entrance of the store and waved at me. That''s right. I was meeting Ginette here. ''You''re late. ''No, sir. I just got here and Magda was there.'' Ginette patted Magda on the head, saying that the wait had not been painful at all. If you look at it outside of the sunny pavilion, you''ll feel like you''re really spoiling her. ...... Inside the sunny pavilion, spoiling Magda is so commonplace that it doesn''t even bother you. ...... You''re spoiling her too much. It''s too much. ...... Ginette is. ''Jeannette is sweet on Magda, isn''t she? ''What?Isn''t that the case with Yashiro-san? I''m just being a little hard on her. Magda has grown into a waitress thanks to my strict but accurate guidance. I''m not sure what to make of that. But I''m sure that''s only because she''s looking through the Jeannette filter. When you''re around Jeannette, even the most evil people are corrected to look like real people. Either that, or he has been around Jeannette longer than you have, so he has a certain amount of favoritism. ''...... Magda is too idle.'' ''Mmmm, yes, you''re right. You can''t help but love them because they are so cute. What? It''s sweet, isn''t it, Jeannette? ''So, Yashiro-san. What am I supposed to do here?I''m not sure what to do. In the letter I gave to Jeannette before I left this morning, I wrote this. "Dear Ginette. Autumn, when the sky is high and the tits sway. (*Please say "repent" on the spot.) I want you to come alone to Cantalucia at seventeen o''clock today. I have a very important mission to ask you. Tell Loretta and the others to get ready for work. It''s not a secret mission, so feel free to come. It''s not a secret mission, so feel free to come along. However, it''s best to be somewhat hungry, so don''t snack too much. I''ll see you soon. Obeyashiro. It''s just a simple invitation. ''Oh, that''s right. Mr. Yashiro. He claps his hands, walks up to me, straightens his back, bends his eyebrows, and says clearly. ''Please repent. ''I told you to say it in front of the ...... letter, didn''t I?'' ''No, sir. You''ve already ...... done your penance, Mr. Yashiro.'' There''s so much to repent for, I''ve forgotten. ''Anyway, how''s your stomach? ''I''m a little hungry. I haven''t cooked much yesterday and today. Ginette''s stomach was growling as she cooked. That makes me feel like he hasn''t eaten either, but I know him. But I know for a fact that Ginette is a frequent snacker! ''You couldn''t snack, could you? ''Huh!Did ...... find out?'' In your case, you should be aware that the more you try to hide, the more your secrets will come to light. It''s nothing! He''ll puff up his cheeks and say, ''It''s nothing! I didn''t ask him anything. ''If you''re hungry, that''s fine. The store is doing pretty well. When the sun goes down, the number of customers increases rapidly. It''ll be a few minutes before it''s full. In the middle of such a crowded floor, with Jeannette, Magda and Milly in front of me, I announce the important mission that I am about to perform. ''From now on, Magda and Milly''s ''Cantartica Graduation Examination'' will be conducted! ''Yeah ......!Yeah, yeah, yeah!You''re not listening to me, are you, Miri? ''...... Magda never heard of it either.'' ''If we give you advance notice, we won''t be able to see what you''re really capable of. This kind of thing is supposed to be done unannounced. I think it''s pointless to do an internal audit where you announce in advance, "I''ll be there when...", and then you organize your work according to that day, and then you do your work more carefully than usual only on that day, and then you are evaluated based on that. I even feel that they are idiots. It is meaningless even if the work is done properly for a moment. It is meaningful to audit the accumulation of daily activities. Especially in the case of restaurants, a moment''s slackness can lead to an irreversible catastrophe. ''So, I''m going to examine whether you can serve me and Jeannette properly. He said, and sat down in a nearby empty seat. The seats at Cantartica are made up of several large tables lined up in a row, and you don''t often sit facing each other like you would at a table for four. You and your companion sit next to each other and enjoy a conversation at a close distance. That is the style of the restaurant. The distance between you and your companion is such that it is a little difficult to hear if you are sitting across from each other talking in private. If you want to talk face to face, you have to lean forward and put your hands on the table. That''s the size of it. So sharing a table is a given. The rest of the time, you make up your own space as you go. So, very naturally and inevitably, Jeannette sits next to me. When I pulled out the chair next to him, Jeannette bowed her head happily and thanked me politely. Well, have a seat. Sit down. ''Ugh...... what''s wrong...... Miri, I''m getting nervous......'' The word "exam" makes me nervous, Miry. You don''t have to be so prepared. ...... ''...... Calm down, Millie. Magda''s here, she''s fine. I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit nervous. She has been a waitress for a long time, as expected. She is much calmer than Millie. She seems to have a great deal of confidence in her customer service. ''......Yashiro'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about the whole thing. ''...... exam, pass it, nyan.'' ''Get to work! ''...... Nyan.'' ''I don''t need another push or anything!Just treat me like a normal customer!'' ''............ (Milly)'' ''Huh?Aa,aa''s ...... nyan'' ''Please don''t force her to whisper! Because only Umaro and Ginette would cave in on that! I''m sure ...... Javier will be fine too, d*mn it! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. (Although Javier is not a resident of the 42nd district!)'' ''Well, well, well, Yashiro-san. Calm down. I also don''t like the way the old men around me are looking at Magda and Milly with smirking eyes. If this were a sunlit pavilion, I would have added an extra charge to the cost of the meal. ...... You can''t sneak it in later if you''re paying in advance. What a pity. ''Give me some grapefruit juice for now. Would Ginette like something to drink?'' ''Then I''ll have the same as Mr. Yashiro. ''Or a drink? ''No, I''ve got a store to go to later. The Sunken Pavilion opens in the evening. So you can''t drink. ''It''s probably going to be ''Magda-tan''s comeback festival'' today, so Ginette won''t have much to do, right? ''Mm-hmm. It''s a festival that Umaro-san would enjoy. But I''d rather not drink. If you insist, I won''t force you to drink. I don''t want you to have an accident while I''m cooking. Two grapefruits, a hexenbiest sausage, and a fruity sausage. Do you want to eat some big bacon and ...... bread?'' ''Um, ...... can I just eat normally?'' ''Oh. As a normal customer, you can eat a normal meal and judge whether Magda and Milly are serving you properly.'' ''That''s really like being a normal customer .............'' Seemingly having thought of something, Jeannette stopped moving. ''Are you talking about yesterday''s ...... story? ''Well, yeah. Anyway, if you want something to eat, order it. ''Yes.'' Ginette nodded happily and began to look carefully at the menu on the table. Yesterday. Yesterday, when I had asked Ginette to bring me lunch, we had talked about this. "If you have a chance, would you like to have dinner with me sometime? --And... Well, it was actually a much slower statement. ''Well, I''d like some of this spicy fried rice and some cheesecake, please. ''You''re having fried rice with cake as a side dish? ''No, I''m not!I''m a little curious to see how the cheesecake from ...... Yashiro has evolved at Cantarchica. ''Oh, by the way, Ginette was with you when you taught her to make cakes.'' ''Yes. We went to various stores and held cooking classes ....... It was a lot of fun. I guess Ginette likes to teach people how to cook. ...... My mind remembers it as a pain in the ass, the cake class. ''...... Is that all for now? ''Oh. If it''s not enough, I''ll add more. ''...... Wait for me. I''ll send a message to the master and bring you a dish so delicious that your cheeks will fall off and bounce off your boobs and stick back together. ''It looks amazingly delicious! ''Then let''s hope for the best.'' ''To the bouncing! ''...... Ya shi lo san!'' I don''t know why they''re so mad at me. ...... That was definitely Magda. ............ Isn''t Jeannette''s favoritism of Magda getting worse by the day? ''......Now, please wait a moment. Magda bows her head and walks towards the counter. ''......While watching Millie''s cute dance'' --leaving behind an unnecessary recklessness. ''What?It''s not possible.You can''t do that, Miri! She bowed to us hurriedly and chased after Magda. Ahahaha ...... soothing ...... ''Yashiro-san. Your face is loose.'' Ginette giggles and pokes me in the cheek. I''m not going to let you do that. ''You remembered ......, didn''t you? ''Hmm?Oh, you want some food?'' ''Yes.'' ''It was yesterday, wasn''t it? ''Yes, it was. But I''m ...... glad. I''m glad to be able to eat out like this with ...... Mr. Yashiro. ...... I don''t know if I needed that last word right now. I think it wasn''t absolutely necessary. ............ You don''t have to say it ...... anymore. ''Chance ...... may be a misnomer, but opportunities like this don''t come along too often. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time. --I also wanted to have dinner with you, though I could never say ............! ''Yes, you''re right. Well, thank you all for giving me this opportunity. ''Thank you for falling down''? ''That''s not what ......!...... already, Yashiro-san, you''re mean.'''' With a bit of embarrassment, he looks around the floor. Magda and Millie. The little two are running here and there on the large floor. The number of customers is gradually increasing, and the noise in the store is getting louder. It''s a sight rarely seen. Magda in her Cantartica uniform, and Milly carrying the food. And then there''s Ginette, sitting and watching Magda work. He''s the kind of guy who usually works when someone else is working, and even when no one else is working. Even when he''s sitting at the sunlit pavilion, it''s only a break during business hours, and it''s rare to see him completely away from work like this, watching over Magda as she works. ''It''s a strange feeling,'' he said. ''Do you feel like you''ve given your daughter away as a bride? ''Huh?...... No.'' I thought he was talking about Magda working in another store, but that''s not the case. ''You can''t give Magda to anyone else yet. Unusually, Jeannette showed a glimpse of possessiveness. Like an idiot father, he said, ''Mr. Magda will not be given to anyone else! like an idiot father. Maybe he''s learned how to spoil her. ''We''re still going to work together at home. ''Is Oumalo contagious? ''If it''s contagious, it''s probably Yashiro-san.'' When did I become possessive? I''m not. ............ Well, if anyone tries to snatch Magda, I''ll beat them to a pulp. I''ve got Delia and Medora on my ass. But that''s not the point, is it? He straightened his posture, placed his hands on the table and looked somewhat nervous. ''I miss the feeling of waiting and wondering what kind of meal will be served. ''I see. Ginette always knows the taste of food, doesn''t she? ''Yes, I do. I haven''t felt like this since my grandfather was here.'' I''ve made a few surprises that Jeannette didn''t know about, but I don''t think she''s ever been waiting for me like this. ''It''s a different feeling from the unknown taste that Yashiro-san makes for me. Ginette has a professional look on her face as she waits for the food I''m bringing in. I often look at technology from a professional''s perspective, greedily trying to absorb every little thing. It''s not often that I''m just waiting for the right moment. ''I can imagine it to a certain extent, but it probably doesn''t taste like that, so I''m kind of thinking about what''s different and how much, and I''m not comfortable. After saying that, he looks at me and smiles, then turns his body and stares at the floor. As she watches Magda run to the counter, Ginette''s mouth, which has always been loose, relaxes another notch. ''It''s such a blessing to have that dish brought to you by Magda-san, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m sure you''re not the ...... type, but Ginette seems to be happy that Magda is bringing it to you. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure of it. ''...... Sorry to keep you waiting. Hexenbiest sausage and fruity sausage. Big bacon, two servings of bread, and spicy fried rice. I''m sure you''ve been waiting for this. I can only say that I''m impressed. While Millie relied on a tray, Magda carried these plates with her two thin arms. And she did it without spilling a drop. ''...... cheesecake for side dish coming soon'' ''Um, it''s not a side dish, you can have it later. ''...... No, no, don''t be shy.'' ''I''m not refraining! She puts down all the plates and bows her head like a waitress. She is too mischievous, but her work is perfect. ......, but before she left, she hugged Jeannette and squeezed her. ''Yes, points deducted. ''That''s fine. It made me happy, didn''t it? ''If you allow that service, you''ll have to offer it to other customers as well. '''''''' Yes, yes, yes, yes! Give me one of those! '''''''' ......? There''s nothing but idiots in this city. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... Magda is busy right now, so she can''t do it, but she can work part-time as a temporary new employee. ''''''''Matt, seriously? '''''''' At Magda''s words, some of the older men began to fidget. Some of them look at Milly, some of them look at the counter, as if they imagined Osina from the word "temporary". But when Magda says that, it means that ...... ''...... is a temporary part-time job for a new beast tribe ............ Medora-chan.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. '''''''' Sorry!Canceled! '''''''' ...... I knew it. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I don''t know. I''m sorry I can''t help you. ''Darling, are you having fun? ''Oh. Until a moment ago. ......'' Why you''re here: ...... ''I''m fine, darling.'' He curls up his big body, puts his big hands on the side of his big face and whispers with his big mouth. ''I only give affectionate ''hugs'' to my darling, you know...'' ''I''m sorry, Medora. I have no intention of losing my spine. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. It''s a great way to make up for lost time, but it''s also a great way to make up for lost time. ...... You''re not making up for lost time, you''re increasing it. I''m not sure what to do. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to find out how to do it. I''m sure the store would have preferred not to. ''So, come to ......, I''ll be available at nighta??'' ''Oh, that''s too bad. I have to work at night. The sunny side up pavilion''s opening. I can''t deal with you... in the future. And probably in the next life too! Anyway, eat and relax!If you ever have any trouble, just call me! ''Magda, can you take this down for me? ''......, got it.'' I had a problem, so I called Magda and asked her to remove the cause of the problem. Well, thanks to him, there will be less s*xual harassment of the staff by drunks. You''re doing a good job in that regard, Medora. Ginette was watching our exchange with a chuckle. When her gaze met mine, she held out her chopsticks and said, ''So, shall we eat? I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... An overprotective mother. I''m not sure what to make of it. Ginette groans as she takes a bite of the hexenbiest''s sausage. She looks a little frustrated, perhaps because of the atmosphere of the place. The way she chewed the large sausage with her hand over her mouth was somehow unfamiliar and fresh. ''This sausage smells a little sweet, doesn''t it? ...... fruity sausage ............ is it some kind of fruit aroma?'' ''Is this your first time at Ginette''s, Fruity Sausage?'' ''Cantalcica''s sausages are Loretta''s favorite food. Judging from the smile on Ginette''s face, Loretta would eat as many as she could find. And Ginette must be the one who always gives them away, saying, ''If you like it so much. ''Do you want to take Loretta back from the sausage here? ''Mm-hmm. That''s not a bad idea, but my favorite foods are often paired with memories.'' Things that shouldn''t taste so good are often remembered as excellent dishes due to memory correction. To overwrite Loretta''s favorite food would be to interfere with Loretta''s desire to like this hexenbiest sausage. ...... What are you thinking about? You''re really frustrated. ''............ apples,is it? This guy is amazing. ...... How did he get there with just a scent? ''Do you want to know the correct answer? ''Do you know, Yashiro-san? ''Well, yeah.'' ''Well, ............ I''d rather not. It''s fun to think about how it is. If you know the right answer, your thinking stops there. The right answer is the goal. If you don''t know the answer, you''ll always be wondering if you''re right or wrong. I guess it''s only in Ginette that we can think it''s fun. ''......?I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to do. You take a bite of the spicy fried rice and your eyes go black. You''ll be able to take a bite of the spicy fried rice and blacken your eyes. ''Ugh ......, you''re over the limit of ''piri'' ......''. ''Basically, there''s a lot of old men who drink here. It''s probably the level of spiciness that a drunk man with a stupid tongue who doesn''t know anything about taste can feel when he eats it. It seems to have been too stimulating for Ginette''s delicate tongue. ''I was curious about it because ...... Nephrite said it tasted addictive. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it. ''I can''t wait for the ...... cheesecake.'' Ginette''s tongue flattens out in red as she waits for something sweet. Dairy products might help reduce the spiciness of the capsaicin. I don''t know, I''ve never tried it. ''Spicy! and then ''cheesecake! ...... No. ''Oh, speaking of bread...'' Ginette says, remembering as she shreds a loaf of stale bread. ...... in a hushed voice. ''It''s like the ...... bread that Yashiro-san once gave ...... birth to ...... for a certain reason. ...... of wheat like bread,...... you know,.......'' I''m sure you''d like to talk about how I once made my own bread without knowing it and got myself into a lot of trouble with the laws of this city, but I''m trying to be considerate and my behavior is getting really suspicious. ''What did you say about the bread I made? I''m not sure what to say.It''s ......, you can''t do that. Even though it''s allowed,......, you never know where or who might be listening. ......'' He covered my mouth with his hand and looked around. ...... Don''t be so alarmed. ''So, about that ...... thing. The other day, the church sent out a notice saying, "If anyone knows how to bake bread softer, please donate the information to the church. ''...... What''s with the brazen announcement? Donate the information to ...... at least give us some money. ''I haven''t heard anything from Bertina.'' ''The sisters are not ...... paid, and I think it''s not a good idea to exploit everything from Yashiro,...... I agree,...... ............I''m sure it''s just a reminder of that time, but the sisters were drooling so much ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I wonder if they were doing it with ....... You can''t make bread for him, you know. ''If I provide the information, will the bread in the world be reformed?'' ''Yes. ............ Perhaps the price will go up a bit and there will be a certain number of loaves available. ......'' I have a feeling that this will only benefit the big guys in the church. I can only see a future where the bread will be very expensive and monopolized by the aristocrats. ''...... I may consider it if you review the distribution method. I want to eat soft bread too. I''ll let you know if the money-grubbers in the church change their minds. ...... I''m sure that''s not possible, though. ''I''m sorry, that was a weird thing to say.'' ''No, no, no. I''m glad you asked. At least we now know that the Church wants ''soft bread information''. If it can be used somewhere, it might as well be one of our trump cards. I''m sure that if we ask Rebecca, she can make high quality yeast. ''...... cheesecake''. We were eating while talking, and before we knew it, our plates were all empty. Ginette looked surprised when the cheesecake came out for dessert. How could she have watched us when we hadn''t even noticed? ''Mr. Yashiro. It''s an exam. ......'' ''Sorry. I forgot all about it.'' ''Actually, ...... me too.'' He laughed aloud, and with an excited look on his face, said, ''Well, then, I guess you both passed with flying colors. ''What''s a "big pass"?'' ...... ''Wow, ...... that''s quite a bit different from the cheesecake at the sunny pavilion.'' Ginette takes a bite of the cheesecake and lets out a breath of admiration. She lifts the plate and looks at the cross section of the cake. ''The elasticity is also a little different. I wonder if there''s more cheese than in Yashiro''s recipe?'' ''I think they changed the formula. To suit Paula''s taste.'' ''Indeed, this one may be more suitable for mature men. It has a rich cheese flavor that goes well with alcohol. In this way, things that start from the same place grow in different ways depending on where they are. The path of evolution is divided, getting better and worse. ''I''m glad I could eat today. ......'' At this moment, when the restaurant is closed, I was able to encounter something I never knew existed. How will this encounter affect Ginette''s future? Perhaps it will be many years before she realizes it. ''Well...'' I looked at the table and saw that all the plates in front of us were empty. The glasses were empty too. ''It was delicious. Thank you very much for inviting me today. Ginette was the one who invited me first. ...... ''...... If you have a chance, by all means, see you again. ''Hmm......, yes.'' It''s not a big deal,......, but it tickles me. Well, it''s true that eating out with Jeannette is nice, but I''m still--'' ''Magda-choo! --I think I like it better when it''s lively. ''I''m here to pick you up! The sky is dark, the cantaloupe is crowded, and the time is night. As promised, Loretta arrived at the packed cantaloupe. Get well, on your feet. ''I''m not going to worry you anymore, so come back to the Sunken Pavilion with me! With a slightly nervous expression, Loretta said her thoughts. She wants to be with Magda, straightforwardly, without any pretense. ''......Loretta''. In response to Loretta''s words, Magda, who was in the middle of carrying a hexenbiest sausage, ...... ''......I''m at work, I''ll see you later.'' ''Huh!I''ve been rejected! ...... It''s just payback for the last time I asked you to eat bribes with me and you rejected me, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to say.I''ve been looking forward to the moment when I could work with you for a long time! ''...... Loretta is sweet. After delivering the hexenbiest sausage to the customer, Magda''s figure disappeared. ''...... Magda has been waiting much longer than I have.'' The next thing he knew, Magda was behind Loretta, hugging her tightly. ''......Welcome back, Loretta.'' ''Yeah ...... I''m back, Magda.'' Magda buried her face in Loretta''s back. ''...... Ah, um... Why don''t you turn around?I''m really feeling a bit bored right now.I''m not sure what to do. ......You know, turn around ......!I don''t know. No matter how much Loretta screams, Magda won''t move. Just leave her alone. Maybe she''s crying, now. Magda''s more of a crybaby than you think. ''You''ve been lonely, Magda.'' ''You''re .......'' Everyone in the room felt a sense of warmth as they looked at Loretta and Magda, who were both reeling and crying. Just then, a familiar voice came back to Cantartica. ''Come on!The night is not over yet! Paula walked into Cantalcica and said triumphantly to the customers at the counter. ''I hope you have a great time today! '''''''' ooohhhh! '''''''' After all, Paula is very popular. I guess the customers here were not satisfied with Cantalcica without Paula. Tonight, drinks are going to sell like hotcakes. ''Is Nephrite alright? ''Yes!This heat ...... has got me fired up too!'' Nephrite had promised to help Paula. It seemed that she was really helping Cantar Chica frequently, and there were quite a few customers who approached Nepheli. ''Ginette, Yashiro. I''ll come back to thank you again. With that, Nephrite ran to Paula. Paula sees us and raises one hand. I don''t have time for chitchat. I guess that''s it. Paula drapes Cantalcica''s apron over herself and slaps her cheek. With a dry sound, Cantalcica''s time began to move. Quickly. ''Yes!One hexenbiest sausage!I''ll have another beer! ''Master!Flutie, two bacons, two bacons, ASAP! Seeing them hurriedly moving, we decided to leave the store. ''Good work Millie. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ''......Not at all. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I have. I''m relieved to see her like that. ''Big brother, store manager. Delia and Norma are waiting for you at the store. ''Then let''s hurry back and get ready for us too. ''...... Loretta, what about advertising? ''I used my younger siblings to make sure it was done right!We''re going to extend our hours until midnight today! ''Are there any ...... things that you, Miri, can help with? ''Aren''t you tired? ''No. ...... But I want to work through today with Magda.'' ''Then, please.'' ''Hmm! There are still people coming and going on the main street. Even though the sun has set, the night in this city is not over yet. ''Alright, you guys!We''re going to get back exactly what we got yesterday! ''...... of course. ''Yes, sir! ''I''ll do my best, too! Each of them replied to my order, and finally, Ginette-- ''Okay, everyone. Let''s work hard today. --With a smile. Then we all took our first steps together. Towards the sunny pavilion. ''Come on, Sunlight Pavilion is open! We walked down the main street at night, heading for the Sunlit Pavilion. 361-No additives Episode 16 Yodamari-tei, in the morni... ''Mr. Yashiro: ...... Mr. Yashiro: ......'' Early morning. ......, I think. There''s someone shaking me. From the sound of it, it''s definitely Jeannette. ''Yes, I''ll pretend I''m sleepwalking and let you enjoy my fluffy breast pillow. ......'' ''Good morning, Yashiro. You''re looking good this morning, too. Stick to ....... The voice was Jeannette''s, but it seemed to be Estella who was shaking her. I raised myself up a little too vigorously, but nothing touched my arm. What a vicious scam. ''I''m uncomfortable!I''m going to bed! ''You didn''t open your eyes once. That means you''re not awake yet, you know. Yesterday''s late nights had taken their toll, and my eyelids were stubbornly refusing to work. I can''t move a muscle. It''s no wonder. ...... In the first place, I had a bad feeling when Loretta said she was leaving the advertising to the ham kids. They don''t know the limits. It''s been a long time since we''ve all been together, and I was a little excited, so I was just in the mood to say, "Let''s go! But when I arrived at the ...... store, I was shocked. The place was packed with people. The crowd reminded me of a cheap B-grade zombie movie, as if all the residents were surrounding the store. As soon as we opened the door, the regulars rushed into the restaurant, and the seats were quickly filled, some of them had to wait for a while, but Ginette couldn''t see the line again. I mean, if Norma hadn''t cleaned up the store, Paula and the others would still be there. I''m glad you''re here, Norma. Delia? Yeah, yeah. Security was good. Interesting episode? I didn''t have time to worry about that! I just went back and forth between the kitchen and the customers'' seats, occasionally washing dishes and helping with the cooking, and that was all I could do. The rule that the cashier had to be a "ginette" dragged me down and caused a lot of trouble in the kitchen. As a result, I was exhausted both physically and mentally. Therefore, I can''t get up in the morning!I can''t do that kind of thing! Yashiro-san. If you''re feeling sleepy, would you like to cancel your donation this morning?That''s what I came to ask you.'' Oh, so it''s donation time already. So I just wanted to make sure. That''s very thoughtful. ...... I wonder if Jeannette is actually a beastman?How can she be up so early after moving around so much yesterday and working harder than anyone else? You don''t have the physical strength of Medora, do you? ''You should just wrap yourself up in your futon and go to ....... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. Shut up and shut up! ''Why don''t you take a hot bath and wake up like Delia and Norma? ''What?Delia and Norma? You''re up! You''re awake, of course! ''You''re staying here? ''Yes. They were really tired, so they stayed in the guest room.'' What ......? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. .........! ''So, the two of you just took a bath together ......''. ''I''ll join you! ''No. You''ve already gone up, and now you''re getting dressed. ......'' ''Gaia wants me to help! ''I''m already dressed.'' ''What is it, Yashiro? You''re not up yet?You''d better get your ass in gear. Just as I was about to jump out of bed when I heard Gaia''s voice, Delia and Norma walked into my room. I changed my clothes neatly and ............ puked! ''...... I''m going to sleep now.'' ''No thanks. You should wake up ...... up, because if you doze off for no good reason, your brain might rot.'' You''re annoying! At least mix it up in your dreams! It''s so warm in your dreams, you''re going to wet yourself .................., that dream. I''m going to get up. I''m getting up.'' ''Well, I''ll be downstairs, so come down when you''re ready. Ginette showed no sign of yesterday''s fatigue. Ginette smiles brightly and leaves the room. He works longer hours than the sun. ...... Thinking about this, I went to bed with my clothes on, took off my crumpled clothes, and changed into something else. It''s back to business as usual from today. I wonder why. I don''t feel like I''ve been resting at all. In fact, I''m exhausted. As I slipped out of the room and was about to descend the stairs leading to the courtyard, I heard Jeannette''s scream from the store. ''Aaahhhhhh! ''What the hell! Her heavy legs kicked the ground and she ran. My brain is alerting me to prepare for an abnormal situation, but somewhere in my mind, I''m thinking, ''But that scream is a rather insignificant one that comes out when there''s a stupid incident. At any rate, I cut through the kitchen and went out to the floor, where a troubled-looking Jeannette came running up to me as soon as she saw me. ''Oh, um, Mr. Yashiro. What should I do? Before I could ask what, an incomprehensible scene popped into my field of vision. There are four people on their knees in front of the entrance of the Sunlit Pavilion (not in the store). Two of them were a white, fluffy couple, Yap Lock and Wuerer, and the other two were Barbara and Teresa. ...... What the hell are you doing? ''My hero!I beg your pardon for this outrage!That''s right. Yeah, ...... I have no idea what that rude thing is. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I guess I fell asleep on a soft mattress. ...... I''m not soft! ''No!If only I''d been strong enough, this wouldn''t have happened!Please!I don''t care what happens to Aashi, but please don''t let this girl, Teresa be the only one! ''Hero-sama ......, my husband and I are at fault as well. Please be generous with your treatment. ......'' ''Let''s see, ...... for now, everyone stand up. And explain it to me in a way I can understand.'' ''No!Until this crime is erased, I will never see the hero''s face again. ...... ''I''ll step on it.Get up. I grabbed Yap Lock''s head, who seemed to be the easiest to handle, and forced him to stand. He sits down on a nearby chair. Ginette and Norma carefully sat down Wuerer and Teresa, and Delia rather roughly sat Barbara down on a chair. ''And?Who can explain it the best?'' ''Um, I''m the main pillar of the family, after all! ''Alright, Wuerer. Please explain. ''Oh no, Hero-sama, ......? ''You, pull yourself together!Hero-sama wants to say, ''You should just shut up and accept all the responsibility. He thinks that talking too much will make you look like an excuse. ''I see. ...... As expected of a hero. ...... I didn''t think that far ahead. ...... I''m ashamed! ''Estelar. Lordship, lend me one. ''What are you doing?I''m not going to lend it to you. I''d like to issue a hero ban on this city. They''re too far gone. So, after calming down the fearful Wuerer, Estella patiently asked me why I was on my knees-- ''I promised to come over last night to eat popcorn, but I broke my promise. --That''s the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard. It seems that Yaplock had invited the Barbara sisters to his house yesterday morning, after they had spent the night in the prison''s guest quarters. He showed them the place and the field where they would stay until the completion of the detached house, and explained to them the nature of their work. ''So they lent Aashi and the others a soft futon ...... that felt so good it was out of this world ......... ...before I knew it, the date had changed,......! ''How hard did you guys sleep on? ......'' Yap Lock''s futon is just an ordinary futon you can find anywhere. It''s a great way to get a good night''s sleep. ''...... yakuza, if you break the yakuza, you''ll be able to ...... get rid of it...'' ...'' ''Hero!Please be generous with your treatment ......! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m just shocked that people think, ''Maybe he''ll use it! I''m shocked that people think that. You''ll be able to get a lot more information on this subject at ....... I''m a horrible cheater.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s better to be like, ''If I piss this guy off, my life will be over. In other words, there''s nothing wrong with Yap Lock''s idea!In fact, he''s right!Thank you! ''Thank you, Yap Lock! ''What?The ......, no, the ............, the ...... what?'' ''That''s okay, Yap Lock. It''s just that I got lost in a spiral of stupid thoughts and got stuck somewhere. And that''s the rude thing to say to the lord of a flat body that''s not going to get stuck anywhere. You''re the one who should apologize for being so rude to me. ''Well, Yashiro-san, ...... how can I convince you in such a case? ''Even if you tell them not to worry about it, they''ll still worry about it. ......'' I''m not sure if they hate me or not.They are so stubborn that I think they don''t like me. In such a case, it would be better to give them some kind of easy-to-understand punishment to make things go away smoothly. It would also be a form of atonement for these guys. ............ Oh, I see. ''Well, Barbara. ''Oh,...... Oh! Barbara''s eyes widen behind her long bangs at the mention of her name. I guess she''s scared after seeing the bright future with her sister. ''You, help me out here. ''What,......, what? ''It''s a public speaking job.'' ''What''s ...... that? When Barbara heard the word ''public speaking'', she folded her arms and thought seriously. And the answer came out... ''Oh, assassination, huh? ''No, it''s true that you might be in front of the target, but ......''. ''No, Yashiro. If you''re looking for an assassination, I''d say it''s more efficient to attack from behind. ''Then it''s safer to kill it from a distance, without getting too close. ''We don''t have to do anything complicated like that, we can just blow up all the witnesses, right? ''You guys are all so scary. Is this the Shura Kingdom? No, that''s not what I''m saying! ''Barbara, you''re going to be ............ pretty.'' ''..................?'' Barbara froze, and I told her the job description. Slowly, clearly, and profusely, while watching Barbara''s face twitch ...... profusely. ''It''s delicious, isn''t it, lady? ''Aaah!Oh!This is the popcorn Missy was talking about!It tastes too good! ''Right?Don''t be shy, just eat it! ''Yes, sir!Itadakimasu! ''It''s so good! Teresa imitating Barbara with her funny honorifics. ...... We need to give these guys a proper education. ''Guys, you better be nice to this Magda guy. Magda is a professional popcorn maker! ''...... Hmm. Respect him.'' Magda woke up to the sound of a noisy floor, but when he found out that the customers were waiting for popcorn, he forgot his sleepy mood and showed off his professional skills. Then, as if remembering, Ginette looked at his work with a bit of regret. It wasn''t the same look he had given me yesterday when he was watching Magda''s work in Cantalucia. And now we are on our way to the church, with Norma and Delia, Barbara and Teresa, who helped us yesterday. Loretta is following us, looking like she deserves it. She slept in the same bed as Magda last night. ...... Are they good friends? I''m sure they''re good friends. And Imelda and Regina went home as soon as they could, right? ''They''ll go home as soon as they get bored, right?It''s selfish, isn''t it? ''Well, I volunteered to help this time, so I can''t force you to do it. I really think that Delia and Norma are very good at taking care of me. ''So, Miss. Where are you going now? ''Oh, a church.'' ''A church? Barbara suddenly stops and hugs Teresa tightly. She seems to still be thinking that going to church will separate her from her sister. ''It''s okay. I''m not taking you to the church in the 24th district. ''Oh, really?If you''re lying, I''ll turn you into a frog!Aashi won''t hesitate to do that! I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. You can find a lot more information on the web at ...... I''m not sure what to say. The church of the 42nd district, even the wounded beastmen, Sister Bertina will be responsible for protecting them, and will not forcibly take away a young child with a guardian. I swear to you, God of the Spirit. ''So, it''s ......?'' ''Yes.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. Still, she hugs Teresa tightly. ''In the first place, you have misunderstood the 24th district church. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that the doors there are tightly closed. As we walked, I told him about the Church in District 24. About Sophie and Bertha and the wounded beastmen who lived there. And what happened before and after the feast. ''That was for protection, not to separate you from your parents. ''......Yeah, that''s right. ............Hey, ......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... If you''re lying, you''re a frog, okay? You monkey b*tc*. ...... It''s too different from the way you handled Jeannette. ''Mr. Barbara, Teresa. This is the Church of the Forty-second Ward.'' They come to the front of the church and stop. Barbara''s face was clearly tense as she looked up at the church. He still looks uneasy, but that will soon change. ''At any rate, why don''t you take a look at the actual church? I pushed Barbara''s back and let her enter the premises. As soon as you do... The kids who came running up to me froze when they saw Barbara. ...... Don''t show your shyness. ''Oh, you guys. He''s got a scary face, but he''s not that bad. You can play with him as long as you don''t make him angry. ''''''Aha!I don''t know you, sister, let''s play! What?What?No, Aashi? ''''Also, this girl is a little blind right now, so please treat her with care.'''' He took Teresa by the shoulders and led her towards the little girl in the church. The little bastards are not ready. They don''t know the words for discretion and restraint. ''Your eyes, do they hurt? ''Yes, ...... of ......'' ''Are you all right? ''Uh-huh. ......'' ''Do you want to play with me? ''............Yeah? ''''''I''m good!!!'''''' The little girls surrounded Teresa, holding her hand and slowly leading her towards the playground equipment. ''''Oh!The playground equipment!I''ll play with you then! ''I''ll wait a bit, Delia!...... You''ll take care of the boys over there.'' ''Why not?I want to play with them too! ''It''s not your plaything, plaything! Umaro was so enthusiastic that the same playground equipment as in the District 24 church had been completed in the District 42 church. The clove jungle, a horizontal rotating playground equipment that looked like a combination of a spinning jungle gym and a coffee cup, and a vertical swinging box that looked like a smaller version of a Viking at an amusement park. Surely, if Delia had her way, it would turn into a screaming machine in an instant. The kids would cry. ''Gentlemen. Bertina came in front of the crowded kids and warned them in her usual gentle but stern voice. ''''Before we play, let''s greet each other first! ''''''Yes! I realized that I hadn''t done that yet, when she pointed it out. I don''t think I''ll be a good parent. I don''t like kids in the first place. ''''Well, everyone. Let''s greet each other. Taking over Bertina''s words, Ginette calls out to the kids. ''Let''s go! '''''''' Good morning! '''''''' ''Itadakimasu! ...... Hey. Didn''t one adult in a white sissy outfit just say something different? You should set a better example. I''m sorry it took me so long to persuade Barbara and the others and make the popcorn, so I''m really sorry I''m running later than usual, but please don''t stop being an example to me. ''So, Delia, Norma. Can I ask you to take care of the kids until breakfast is ready? ''I''ll leave them to you.'' ''Yes!I''ll show them that I''m the strongest! ''Norma. Take care of that biggest kid, too.'' ''...... That one''s out of my jurisdiction.'' Turning her gaze away from Delia, Norma begins to fend off the team of young girls. ''Well, these kids can keep up with Delia''s power, so that''s good. ''Yashiro-san. That girl is ......?'' Bertina looks at Teresa and mutters. Bertina heard about Teresa yesterday. I had a favor to ask her. ''Are you sure you''re blind? ''I heard you''re blind. ''No, I''m not. ......'' It wasn''t the current situation that Bertina wanted to hear about. ''Are you sure she''ll be able to see? That''s the answer I came up with after exchanging opinions with Regina. ''Oh. I think there is a high probability that she will recover. With proper treatment and care, yeah. ''So, in the meantime, can you take care of him at the church? ''Of course that''s fine, but ...... are you sure you want to do that?It''s only temporary. What I asked Bertina to do was to provide what is commonly called ''temporary childcare''. While Barbara is working and not available to Teresa, she will take care of her in a safe church, and at the same time, she will treat her here. Teresa''s eyesight is impaired due to vitamin deficiency caused by extreme malnutrition. However, she has not completely lost her sight. After Delia vs. Barbara, Regina examines her and finds that Teresa''s eyes have a good chance of healing. Leaving the treatment and prescription of medication to the professionals, I was told to secure a place where Teresa could safely concentrate on her treatment. In Japan, I would have looked for a proper facility or a large hospital, but I didn''t want to leave Teresa in a lonely place, as she had been waiting for her sister''s return all alone. So, the church. Here, she could hear too much noise all the time, and Bertina would be there. Besides, I''m sure the kids here would make good friends for Teresa. It''s been proven in the 24th Ward Church. ''When you get your sight back, you can stay with Uelar, or if you want, you can come visit us. ''Yes. The Church is always ready to receive you. Bertina smiled, relieved to hear that Teresa''s eyes would be healed. It''s a lot of work, but I''m sure Bertina will pull it off. I''m sure ...... you''ll be rewarded handsomely. ''The lord will pay for all those expenses! ''......Why do you think so much and only say such things ......? Because girls are like that, right? ''I''ll pay for your treatment, but I''m going to take what I can get from District 41. ''That part''s fine. I''ll take care of it. District Forty-One Beauty City Project. A portion of the profits from that will go to District 42. It''s an idea fee. You''ll get more than enough profit to pay for it, so just give us the money. Ricardo has no right of veto. ''Kyahahahaha, girl, girl!That''s great!That''s great, koree!You''re amazing! ''Noooo, you little brat!Teresa''s calling for Arshi!I''ll be right back. ......, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!I''m not sure what you''re doing, but I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Hmmm,......, first of all, you need to educate yourself on language.'' Seeing the newcomer bustling about. I''m not sure what to do. I averted my eyes from ...... them. ............ That smile of Bertina''s ...... is still scary no matter how many times I see it. ...... ......Barbara, hang in there. 362-Additive-free Episode 17 Approach to Pretty Some time has passed. Fortunately, we were blessed with good weather, and even though it was early in the morning, the sun was shining brightly and it was uncomfortably hot. ''It''s always hot and humid in the 41st arrondissement, .......'' ''The weather is not our fault!I mean, the weather is the same in every district! Ricardo. I''d say don''t make thunder in the sunshine. It makes it hotter. ''I understand that you two are close, so why don''t you get to the point, guys? The dumbfounded Estella says to neither of us. We''re standing in the plaza of District 41. Estella and Ricardo are standing next to me, and a simple tent has been set up a short distance away. This is the waiting room that Umaro had made for this event. And in front of us, there are about twenty women lined up. ''Is this the number of participants for now? ''Yes. The women who met the conditions you asked for ...... and the lords who offered their interest gathered together. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not, but it''s a good thing. They range in age from their teens to their forties, and they have different types of lovers. Some are dissatisfied with their daily lives, some are not dissatisfied but not quite satisfied, and some have a vague idea that they want to change something but have no idea what to do about it. It''s a great way to get in touch with your friends and family. We''re looking for women of all ages! We put up an advertisement on the bulletin board in the 41st district and invited people who wanted to join. Incidentally, a small festival was to be held in this square in the afternoon. I plan to tell the story of the back alley reform to the people there. So, almost all the people will be there, including the women who are here now. It is now eight in the morning. It''s about four hours away. ...... I''d better hurry. Thank you for gathering us. This is Obayashi, he''s more important than the two lords behind him.'' ''Hey, Kola.'' ''What are you talking about, ......? Shut up. We don''t have time for this, so don''t keep pestering me. It''s a small thing. ''Thank you for participating in today''s "Dramatic Before and After Remodeling of the 41st District - It''s wonderful to have a city where women are beautiful" project. I''d like to thank you on behalf of the executive committee. ''...... I didn''t know that was the title.'' ''Why are you talking like a pharmacist from the 42nd district, last ......''. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. You need to stand your ground. ''This time, I want everyone here to tell the other lords, "Change is great! I want to change! I want you to do your part to make other people think, ''Change is great! --When I said that, all the women squeezed their bosoms. ...... It seems that rumors about me are spreading,............, Ricardo. There''s a lot of mismanagement going on here. It''s a liability issue, this. I''m not going to take it off, but I''m going to dress it up. I''m going to make this much easier to understand than it needs to be for the stupid people of a city ruled by a stupid lord. It''s all because the lord is an idiot. ...... Then, for a little while, I gave a speech about how fun it is to dress up, how people can be changed by the tiniest things, and how colorful the world looks beyond that. The women looked at me with some interest, but still with a sceptical look of disbelief. ...... It seems that the bad impression from the gluttony contest is still deeply rooted in this. I think that there are many things that can not be conveyed by words alone. That''s why today I want you to actually experience it, go through it, and feel it. And if you are satisfied with the results, please spread the word to your acquaintances and loved ones. Fashion spreads by word of mouth. That''s the right way to go. --It''s up to the person in charge to decide what will go viral, though. Isn''t that what fashion is all about? Paris: "This year''s trendy colors are pale lavender and sylvestris. Milan: ''The trendy patterns are polkadots and perfabole''. Daikanyama: ''That''s right. It''s fashionable for someone else to decide. If the trends of BU are sent out from the information papers, the trends of the outer districts should be sent out from this new fashionable spot in the 41st district! --Do as I say. Go to ............. ''Don''t think too hard. Just enjoy yourself today and get beautiful while you''re at it. The women around you begin to talk in private. The confusion is leaking out in their voices. ''Since we''re here, let''s show the crowd how beautiful we''ve become. The buzz grows louder. The confusion eventually turns to anxiety, and the gathered women become restless. They hadn''t heard about going out in public. Huh?I wonder if that''s right? ...... Well, I didn''t tell Ricardo about it, but he should have the capacity to read my thoughts a little bit and explain them to me, since he''s the lord. A woman cried out, "Oh, my God! A woman raises her voice with a tearful face. But when his eyes met mine, he looked away and became silent. You don''t have to be so scared. ...... ''You can say what you''re thinking. Let me hear them.'' In order to reassure the frightened woman, he put on a gentle voice with a fresh, handsome smile. ...... and the woman''s face tenses for a moment. What is it?Hmm?Are you trying to tell me that my smile is evil?What?I''m gonna eat your apple, bunny.Oh? ''Yashiro. Don''t look so evil. I''m sorry about the ....... I hope you don''t mind, but I''d like to hear your opinion.'' Estella''s intervention put the woman at ease and she began to express her concerns. ''You know, ...... I don''t think anything we do will make you beautiful. Hearing such a statement, whispering, murmuring, and somewhat agreeing voices leaked out from here and there. There''s no way we can be beautiful. ...... It''s probably our lack of confidence that makes us think such things. But don''t you think so in your heart? If I could, I''d want to be beautiful. ''Don''t worry. Everyone has their own charm. Estella speaks in a frank tone, but the response is not good. ''Hey, Estella. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... I''m sure he''s going to do something unnecessary. ''You, go put on some makeup and a dress. I''m not sure what to say.Why should I? It would be easier for you to understand if I actually showed you that you can become beautiful with makeup. What was it that Oba said?It''s easier to understand if you see it or something. You mean ''Seeing is believing''? Yes, that''s it! I''ve told the two lords about my intention to plan such a presentation-like unveiling. I told them that a picture is worth a thousand words,......, and that they could imitate only a part of what they had heard,....... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''m sure they''ll agree with me. ............?What the hell are you frowning at me for? Estella is frowning in a way she''s never frowned before. ''What?You get wrinkles all over your face? She wrinkles up her face like that and moves away from Ricardo with a soot ....... You look like you''ve been chewed up by Hercules the Great. I don''t know if there is one, but it''s the Great Bitterness of Hercules. ''Bo ......, can you not look at me like that? ''Bah!I''m not looking at you!It''s not that I''m not trying to be objective, but I''m just stating an objective fact. ...... Did you just eat a hundred lemons in one sitting?I''m not sure what to make of that. Estella''s hair is standing on end. She didn''t like it very much. Ricardo was just embarrassed to see her blatant rejection of his compliment. That''s what happens when you seldom compliment women but get all worked up over the oddest things. ''Give it up, Kimold. ''It''s Ricardo! There''s a girl right in front of me who''s so grossed out. I just... ''Even if you let Estella do your makeup here and now, it won''t change the situation. ''Why not?You''re the one who said it''s easier to understand if you see it! You said it yourself. ''Sure, you can tell by looking. But it doesn''t matter if Estella wears make-up and it makes her beautiful, it''s meaningless now. Because... ''Because everyone here already knows that you can become beautiful by wearing makeup. If you show us what we already know with a smug look on your face, we can only think, ''So what? Besides, when dealing with beauty, you need to be sensitive and attentive. If you don''t provide what the customer wants, according to the customer''s situation, and as the customer wants, the customer will not bite. If there is a medicine that makes you beautiful if you keep eating it, no one will buy it if it costs a million yen a pill. If the beauty method is not suitable for you, you will not be able to make people think, ''Let''s try it. ''That''s why Estella is no good. She''s a beauty from the start. When a beautiful woman advertises that she has become very beautiful with makeup!The reaction of the general public is ''Hmmm, at ......? That''s how it is. They start picking their noses. Even if a beautiful model with great proportions wears very stylish clothes, there are few girls who would want to try it on themselves. The hurdle is too high. There are probably only a few girls who can see Estella getting beautiful and say, "Well, me too! I''ll try it, too!" Probably there are no girls here who can do that. This is because such a type must have already found a way to become beautiful on their own. ''Estella, who has a good face from the start and is also a lord with money, knowledge and skills, is not a good role model. See? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure what''s going on here. I don''t know what to do. I''m not sure what to do. That''s not it.I was not praising you, but explaining to the idiot Ricardo in a way that is easy to understand. ............I''m not sure what to do. Estella turned into a piece of crap, and I turned to the women in the audience. --I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Well, please don''t look at me so coldly. But since it''s a good time to do so, let me take advantage of the discomfort that has now grown in these women. That discomfort is ''envy''. Or, to put it more mildly, ''envy''. If you think a beautiful woman is beautiful, then you should become like her. You should start trying to become one. ''Well, it''s true that Estella is beautiful, but that doesn''t mean that you have to compare yourself to her in any way. She''s a professional, so to speak. It''s part of his job to make himself look beautiful to others. Well, like a model, she wants to be beautiful like this! Like a model, she may play a role in making people want to be beautiful like her. Or perhaps, as Loretta said some time ago. ''The lord''s daughter is beautiful and I admire her''. ''I''m here because I want to be beautiful, but I don''t know what to do. In addition, they lack confidence. These are the ''average'' women, right? Emphasizing the word "common" here will dispel the fear that "I''m inferior because I can''t be beautiful. I''m not beautiful enough. When you feel that ''Oh, this is normal,'' it is easy to ignite the spirit of challenge. It may seem like a high hurdle to make your ''bad self'' beautiful, but if you can make your ''normal self'' a little more beautiful, you can make people think, ''I might as well give it a try. This is exactly what we are asking the women here to do. ''But you have taken the first step of your own volition. You have come to this place to try to become beautiful. That step has set you apart from the others who did not take action. The courage to take action. That''s what all of us here, all of us, have in spades. You should be more proud of that. A random act is praised. There is a hint of confusion in that, but even so, when you decided to come here, you must have had some sort of hesitation and decision. It must have been a great relief for them to be told clearly that it was not a mistake. People become stronger when they are recognized. We can have courage. From here on, I''m going to make it all happen. The girls in this room are beginning to waver in their lack of self-confidence. I''m going to stimulate that wobble even more, and blow away their lack of confidence at once. ''You don''t have to be a professional to be beautiful. We know how to do it. And it''s so simple - with a little knowledge and a few tricks - that anyone can do it. It is easy to continue and easy to teach to others. ''Just by putting a single flower in an otherwise drab room, the scenery will be transformed into something more vivid. Even if you can''t do a major renovation that requires professional skills, anyone can decorate a room with your favorite flowers. The simple act of choosing your favorite flowers is enough to create a beauty that is unique to you and no one else. What is important is the enthusiasm to try and the courage to take the first step. ''It doesn''t matter if you''re clumsy or not good at it. The important thing is to keep trying. People change constantly. Even if at first you''re just copying someone else, eventually it will become your own color. The only art in the world called "I". The only one who can create it is yourself. The women are listening to me. I''m sure there''s a little something growing inside of them. ''Maybe I can become beautiful too ......'', such a faint hope. In order to make that hope bigger and clearer, I''m going to say to them. ''Everyone has the right to be beautiful. It''s not a shallow thing!Because -- isn''t it ............ nice to be a woman who strives to be beautiful for someone important?'''' ''''''Huh~......'''''' A sigh escaped from the crowd. It seems that the element of beauty has safely taken root in your heart. Now all we need to do is create an environment where we can carefully nurture it, and the women of this city will ............ spend a lot of money to become beautiful. ''Hey, Oba...... you, don''t commit marriage fraud in the 41st district. Ricardo is really an idiot. ...... I''m not going to do it, I''m not going to do it. I''m not going to do it. ...... Marriage scams have a high revenge rate. I just want all women to be a little nicer than they are now. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Ricardo is struggling to hold his trembling right arm. ''Calm down, my right hand! That''s it. ...... Pfft, you''re a midget. ''Well, that''s why. I''d like all of you pre-beauty girls to see something. The term ''pre-beauty force'' is a compliment that can be too stinky, but in a place where there are multiple people in the same position, it can become a joke. ''Oh, my God!It can be passed off with a light word like ''You''re good. A Hollywood star who came to Japan said, ''All Japanese women are beautiful. I''d like to take some of them home with me.'' It''s like when a Hollywood star comes to Japan and says something like s*xual harassment, but it''s taken as mischievous lip service. The women in front of me were giggling at my words. It''s like, ''What are you talking about? But the atmosphere is just right. ''Natalia, please. ''Yes, sir. At my signal, Natalia and the others emerged from the waiting room in the square. Out came Natalia and Ukrines. And the volunteers of the 42nd district, who are very interested in beauty. ...... In other words, the usual members. Ginette and Magda and Loretta and Delia and Norma and Imelda. Bertina, Regina and Milly are not participating this time. Bertina can''t leave the 42nd district without permission, and Regina goes without saying. Millie had taken a leave of absence from her work at the Flower Arrangement Guild to help Cantartica, but it seemed she had to make up for it. I''ll have to make it up to her next time. ''Now, I''m going to ask you to transform into a normal girl from the 41st district, just like you. When I gave the signal, Barbara appeared from the waiting room. It might be more accurate to say that she was brought in by ...... Ukrines. Ginette is taking good care of Teresa, who was following Barbara. ''Well, gentlemen. What do you think of this woman ......, honestly?Do you think she''s beautiful?'' I asked, but the women didn''t say anything, just exchanged glances with the people in the vicinity. ''Whoa, shut up!You don''t have to ask me every single time, there''s no way Aashi is beautiful! Barbara bared her fangs at me. What the hell. You''re the one who brought this up, remember?You said you''d ''do whatever I say'' because you felt bad about skipping out on your promise to come eat popcorn. So, you''re going to be a freak show. ''Well, like this. She''s not that great, she looks like she could be anywhere. ......'' ''I told you it''s annoying! I''m sure Barbara is a girl after all. It''s not like she''s annoyed by people messing with her looks. If that''s the case, you should at least cut your bangs. ...... Barbara''s bangs are so long that they cover her eyes, and her hair is so unkempt that it''s shaggy and unkempt. She doesn''t take care of her skin, her lips are rough, and her nose is covered with dark stains from whatever she touched with her hands. Her clothes are so shabby that she can barely keep them on. It was hardly fashionable at all. All the women who saw Barbara would think. ''I''m better than you.'' That''s true. Barbara was forced to live a life of extreme poverty just to survive. She was less fashionable than girls who lived a normal life. That''s why they come alive! ''So, remember what he looks like now, what he looks like, what he wears, what he''s like. He gave the signal to Ukrines and the others. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. --Barbara is kidnapped. Since there will be some waiting time, I ask Becko to draw a picture of Barbara (before) during that time. The purpose is to compare it with Barbara (after). The crowd and Ricardo are amazed at the lifelike drawing. Hmmm. It''s amazing. I''m not doing it. After about twenty minutes of waiting, the transformed Barbara finally appears. I''m not sure where to put my energy, and I''m not sure what to do. You can find a lot more information on the web at .......I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The reason why she looked so unattractive was because of her annoying bangs, dirt, and frown. When I fixed them, applied a hint of make-up, and coordinated her whole body in a fashion that accentuated the material, she became a beautiful woman. Well, she didn''t exceed my imagination, but if she gets used to fashion in the future and learns to smile more naturally, she will become more radiant. Nevertheless, it''s not bad. I can give it a passing grade. The proof of this is that the crowd, who were watching Barbara''s before and after with delicate faces, involuntarily let out a mutter of ''beautiful ......''. ''Hey, girl, what''s up? ''Barbara, you''ve transformed beautifully. ''Ohneesha, pretty? ''Yes. Very much.'' Teresa''s cheeks relaxed with happiness as Ginette explained. I can''t wait to show her. I can''t wait to show you my sister''s beautiful face. Then, I asked him to stand next to the picture he drew, and showed him that he could make a beautiful picture in such a short time. The eyes of the audience and the women''s eyes suddenly began to burn with enthusiasm. The eyes of the audience and the eyes of the women suddenly began to burn with enthusiasm. The eyes of the audience and the women''s eyes suddenly became eager.The first step to beauty. ''''''Yes! The voice is not yellow, but it is lively and hopeful. The women are squealing with excitement, imagining the future. Although their reactions differed slightly depending on their age, all of them had a sense of anticipation on their faces. With more than 20 women in tow, we left the main street. We rented a store that happened to be vacant, and asked them to practice Delia''s shape-up exercises there. The goal is to achieve moderate fatigue and a good sweat. I designed the program and taught it to Delia. As expected, Delia is a quick learner. When it comes to physical exercise, she is simply amazing. No matter how much I explain to her about how to be a ...... waitress, she never understands. ''So, Delia here is going to teach you some exercises to make your proportions beautiful. There''s no need to strain yourself, just try to copy her as much as you can. While I was explaining this, the women were still cheering for Delia''s ''Vine! The women were glued to Delia''s perfect body. The women were glued to Delia''s perfect body. Having Delia as a lecturer - ......, where she teaches exercises to improve proportions, makes us think that we can have those proportions!--That''s what I thought. Delia''s style is good from the start and has nothing to do with exercise, but the women of the 41st district have no way of knowing that. But the women in the 41st district have no way of knowing that, they just assume that ''exercise makes you beautiful! That belief is what makes them "sustainable. That belief is the power to last. Belief is important, everyone. The exercise was over in about 20 minutes. All the participants were slumped on the floor. Only Delia was standing unconcerned. The people from District 42 who were secretly participating in the back were also exhausted and lying on the floor. I, on the other hand, was tired just watching ....... The participants were exhausted, using muscles they don''t normally use in their daily work. However, that feeling of fatigue created a sense of satisfaction that "I did my best! and that feeling of satisfaction gives rise to the hope that ''this might make me beautiful! and that feeling of satisfaction gives us hope. The human mind is very simple. Just being affirmed by someone fills you up. And then you can work harder the next time. ''Alright, you guys did a great job!You look a little more beautiful now, don''t you? At Delia''s words, the participants look at each other. Around them are friends who have experienced their first time, and who are now moderately tired and suitably satisfied. There was no sense of anxiety on their faces, but rather a sense of relief that they had been recognized and a sense of anticipation that they might become even more beautiful. Their faces must be incomparably brighter than when they were just going through the motions of everyday life. That''s why it must look like this. ''Oh, she''s more beautiful than before. Then, you will continue to think like this. ''Then I''m sure I''ll look like ......''. A mere expectation turns into confidence. These women are standing at the crossroads. To them, I send these very sweet words. ''So, after this, it''s time for that lunch you''ve been waiting for. Reward yourself for your hard work. I''m sure that your moderately tired body will make the food taste even better. That''s how we ended up at the well-known Sourb. This is Osina''s restaurant. After exercising and chatting, we arrived at the restaurant just before noon. The sun would soon reach the top of the sky. Osina''s store, which I hadn''t visited in a long time, is still tucked away in an alley, and the trees decorating the front of the store create a unique atmosphere in a good way. It is the kind of store that you would never enter unless you were introduced to it, but if you turn this around, it turns into a place that only people in the know know know. When you open the door, the natural wood counters and interiors that have been well processed from their natural state catch your attention. Leaves of banana-like plants decorate the ceiling, and a cool breeze blows through from the back of the store. When you open the door, the breeze must be coming through. If that is the aim of the design, the designer is quite impressive. A store where you are greeted by a light breeze is ''possible'' enough for a store with this kind of taste. ''Wow ......''. said one of the female participants, looking at the Asian-style restaurant with curiosity. I''ve never seen a building with this kind of atmosphere anywhere else, so it must be very rare. As I led the women into the store, I saw a stylishly transformed Barbara enjoying a cup of tea with Estella on the terrace seating through a large opening in the back of the store, with the sun shining down through the trees. The scene, reminiscent of a large painting, seemed to tickle the women''s hearts as the harmony of light and wind was pleasant to the eyes and skin. In other words-- Oh my God, this is so stylish! Such a flirtatious gaze gathered at the seats on the terrace. ''You have very good taste, don''t you? If Imelda, an aristocratic young lady of 360 degrees, praises the atmosphere of the restaurant, it will give her an extra edge. For these participants. A world they had never known. The recognition by their superiors that it''s a wonderful thing. It can be a kind of guarantee. It''s the same kind of psychology that turns a lightly seasoned soup into an elegant one when the chef says, "This is delicious. You''re here, aren''t you? Then, Osina, the owner of the restaurant, appears in front of the customers. To tell you the truth, I had asked her to stay hidden at first. I asked her to stay hidden at first so that our eyes wouldn''t wander everywhere. Let''s take a look around. And now, Osina. ''Beautiful people ......'' Someone leaks a few words. Today, the women who have been exposed to the sense of beauty so far seem to feel much closer to ''beautiful'' than ever before. By recognizing the beauty of others, a desire to learn something from them has quietly and surely sprouted. I guess that''s how it is. ''I''ve never seen a group like this before. Osina''s lips pursed as the group of customers filled the restaurant. She looks happy. ''I''ve prepared some special dishes for you today. Please enjoy it. Prior to this project, Oshina and I had a meeting beforehand. I, Osina, Ginette, and Estella have carefully discussed and decided on the dishes that will be served. Ginette will give her opinion as a chef, Estella will give her opinion from a nobleman''s point of view, Osina will arrange the dishes to suit her restaurant, and I will propose ''a twist that girls will love. ''At Osina''s restaurant, I want you to eat a lot of delicious vegetables. There are almost no meat dishes in Osina''s restaurant. Most of the menu is made up of vegetables and fruits. The main reason for this is that Osina does not like meat very much. In fact, when she was working at Cantaluc?-a, the meaty smell of the sausages burned her a little. When I explained to him that I wanted him to come back to this restaurant, he said, "That''s great. That restaurant was very fun, but the noise and smell was a little hard on me,'' she said with a wry smile. If you can''t stand the smell of meat and the noise, you can''t work at Cantalucia. After all, this restaurant suits Osina the best. ''Hi, you''ve been waiting for us...'' With the help of Ginette, Magda and Loretta, a variety of colorful vegetables were brought to each table. First, a salad with arugula as the main ingredient. The dressing was made with ume plums and yuzu, giving it a refreshing acidity. Square-cut tomatoes and salty cheese are mixed in to give the salad a deep color and flavor. Osina wandered over to me as I leaned against the counter by the kitchen to observe the scene in the restaurant. She looks at the faces of the female customers and seems to be feeling a good response. ''It tastes good when you add prosciutto. ''If you like meat, you might need that, too. Osina seemed to like this salad, too, and said she would like to play around with it in the future. She would like to experiment with the dressing. ''I got a lot of ideas from the manager of the sunny pavilion. She''s a culinary genius. Osina thinks very highly of Jeannette. The reason for her high opinion is the potage soup that was just brought to her. Ginette''s famous pumpkin potage is brought in by Magda and her friends. The women''s cheeks relaxed involuntarily at the sweet, warm soup. Seeing this, Osina returned to the kitchen with a satisfied look on her face. She went on to prepare the main course. ''It''s a good feeling,'' she said. Estella, who had been working as a tea-drinking model on the terrace, was relieved of her duties as soon as the meal began, and returned to us backstage. As expected, she didn''t seem to have any resistance to being watched. Barbara, on the other hand, is ...... ''...... is ............ embarrassing! He couldn''t stand to be the center of attention and ran to the kitchen as soon as the OK was given. Even now, he is curled up behind the counter, hiding himself. ''You look beautiful, Barbara. ''Ugh, it''s so annoying!Why is Aarushi doing this ............ ugh, because it was Aarushi who broke her promise ...... or is it Aarushi who is at fault... .........Oh, shit! I was kind of writhing. This guy''s funny. ''I''m not going to bully you.'' With a snap, Estella''s back fist smacked me in the temple. Because it''s funny. She''s saying something like ''uyu-nyu''. ''Yashiro-san. I''m about to serve the main dish. ''Oh. Please.'' Jeannette walks into the kitchen with a lively face. He loves the kitchen no matter where he is. A full course of vegetables may make you think that you will be bored with all the vegetables, but depending on how you cook them, they can be a main part of the meal. They are beautiful to look at, taste perfect, and above all, they bring joy to the eating experience. It is something that makes mealtime happy and gives you more than enough satisfaction. This is the dish I proposed with the aim of creating something like that. ''Here you go, sir. Oil fondue with vegetables. A small ceramic bowl filled with lightly fragrant olive oil radiated heat on a virtue-like base. Underneath the pottery is a candle with a high heat factor, which I taught Becko before, to heat the olive oil. The vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces on iron skewers and dipped into the olive oil for a few seconds. Just by doing so, the color of the vegetables will become more vivid and the table will look more colorful. Furthermore, the vegetables become sweeter as they are heated. Because they are deep-fried, they also contain fewer calories. And the dipping sauces that we have prepared will allow you to enjoy your meal to the fullest. I prepared a spicy miso sauce with soybean paste, a mayonnaise made with Neffery''s fresh eggs and olive oil, wasabi mayo with chopped wasabi mixed in, a curry flavored sauce, yuzu kosho, and sesame sauce. I thought of making a bagna cauda, but I decided to make an oil fondue, thinking that women would be attracted by the added pleasure of being able to taste various things at once. It seems that my plan was a success. ''Ginette. It''s about time you gave her some information about vegetables. ''Yes.'' Ginette looks really happy when she talks about food. So I asked her to explain about the food. Osina is not very good at that kind of thing,...... Well, she is a ponderous person in a different way than Ginette,...... so I asked Ginette, who has the most knowledge, to do it for me. There is another plan,......, too. It''s not just that vegetables are good for you, but that eating a lot of them in a balanced way can make you healthier. Not only that, but even if you eat a lot of them, they contain fewer calories than meat and you won''t gain weight. The women listened to Ginette''s explanation with admiration, saying, "Wow! There were a lot of vegetables in front of us, but even if we ate all of them, it wouldn''t be a lot of calories. You can enjoy the satisfaction of having eaten, but not the regret of ''I ate too much ......'' the next day. This is the kind of dreamy food that you see here now. ''You can''t eat too much of any dish, though. Ginette joked, laughing along with the participants. The women''s expressions softened considerably. ''The lycopene contained in tomatoes has a strong antioxidant effect and makes the blood thinner. Not only that, but it also protects against skin problems such as dry skin and wrinkles. In addition, it also makes your skin finer. Ginette shows off the knowledge I''ve given her in front of the participants. Lycopene is said to be a hundred times more potent than vitamin E in removing active oxygen that causes aging. Lycopene also protects the skin from ultraviolet rays that damage the dermal layer and reduces the loss of collagen, thus keeping the skin soft and supple with less wrinkles. By acquiring such knowledge, the vague idea that "eating vegetables will make you beautiful" will expand. Vague knowledge is fine. That feeling of ''it''s kind of good'' tickles the intellectual curiosity and gives women the motivation to work hard with the pleasure of ''knowing''. ''Also, soybeans are the raw material for miso and soy sauce. At this point, he starts to share his knowledge, which I had strongly requested him to say. I had a hard time convincing him that ''there is a lot of demand for it. ''Isoflavones, which are found in soybeans, are said to make ...... breasts bigger. ''''''Gokuri......'''''' --After all, it is very effective! As with Delia''s proportions, there is no causal relationship between Jeannette''s huge breasts and isoflavones. But this fact is not known to the women here. So they simply believe it. ''Isoflavones make ...... such big breasts! And... The women''s eyes are glued to one point. Yeah, yeah. I know the feeling. I''m glued to it all the time, too. Now that I''ve given the participants a little knowledge and a little hope, I have a special surprise for them. A surprise that will determine the success of this project. ''Hey, come on in. At my call, Osina, Medora and Javier come out of the kitchen. The women are speechless at the sudden appearance of the two big guys. ...... Well, don''t be so scared. ''You know Medora, the head of the hunting guild, and Javier, the head of the other big guild, the lumberjack guild. They''ve taken time out of their busy schedules to come as special guests. Since we are in the 41st district, it goes without saying that Medora is well known. But Javier''s name is probably lower than Medora''s, so I thought I''d introduce him to you. The women applauded in confusion. ''Actually, Medora is a regular at this restaurant. The women shouted in surprise at my information. Medora, who is synonymous with muscle, frequents a restaurant that serves such meatless food. That must be a shocking fact. ''I like the food here. I rarely eat out except here. This restaurant''s food is the best for my body. The women couldn''t help but let out a gasp at the unknown side of the mainstay of District 41. ''Javier and Medora are considered to be the strongest in all of Broome, but Medora maintains her strength with the power of vegetables. He''s just as strong as Javier, isn''t he? He said, pointing to their bodies. I''m sorry Javier, but you''re going to have to be the comparison. This is a sample to show that you don''t need to eat meat to maintain this kind of body - more specifically, that vegetables are as rich in nutrients as meat. If you want to build muscle, I recommend you eat meat, but the girls here don''t want to be muscular like Javier. But the girls here don''t want to be muscular like Javier, so all they need to know is that ''vegetables are great! ''Also, they''re close in age, but ...... Medora is younger and has better skin, right? I have informed Javier of my plan in advance. I told Javier in advance what I was going to do, and he agreed to take the bait of telling me about a fashionable restaurant that Imelda would like very much. In addition, Javier is quite a gentleman, so he will not complain about standing up for women. ...... even if that person is Medora. Yes, that is the mark of a gentleman. ...... So when Medora says, ''Oh my God!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You can''t see, hear, or sense that Medora is saying, "This is a proposal! ''What''s more surprising--'' And I''ll send a ''sorry'' look to the ''two'' who are to be compared here. Javier, as well as Medora, gave me a ''don''t worry about it'' look. So, I''m going to drop the most shocking fact of the day. ''Osina, the owner of this store, is the same age as Medora. '''''''' Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! That''s right, that''s right, you''d be surprised. I''m sure you''ll be amazed at how much younger you look. And just like the isoflavone, the women in this room are thinking. ''If I go to this store, I might be able to keep that youthful look for years to come! And... By the time we ate the carrot pancakes for dessert, the participants'' eyes were glittering with the prospect of a bright future. ''I''m going to be beautiful, too! They said. 363-No additives Episode 18 One rainy day in the sun. The event in the 41st district - let''s see, what''s the name? ...... Oh well, for now - "Isn''t it great? It had been a few days since the event had ended. The day of the event was sunny, but since the next day it has been raining quite heavily. It seems that the climate is really out of balance this year. ...... I have nothing to do with this, right?It''s just a coincidence, isn''t it?I''m not going to be subjected to the same nonsense as the BU guys. It''s not going to stop raining. Looking at the sky from the window of the sunlit pavilion, Ginette let out a sigh. ''I''m sure they can''t wash their underwear and will run out of replacements soon. ''That''s not true!I''ve got everything ready! Ginette puffs up her cheeks at the monologue that escapes from her mouth. If you have enough to spare-- ''If you have enough to go around, you could at least share a little with us. ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san! Oh, no. Perhaps it''s because the rains have slowed down the flow of customers, but I''m letting my words slip. I guess I''m talking to myself more. ''I''m thankful for the rain for now, though. Umaro spreads out a huge piece of paper on the table at the sunny pavilion and draws happily. ''You''re a child, aren''t you? Get to work.'' ''I''m working right now, sir! I looked at the drawing Umaro was doing and saw a map of the 41st district. It was around the back alley. ''The lord has given us permission to redevelop the area, including the shape of the alleys. Isn''t it nice? Immediately after he spoke about his plan for the ''Avenue of Beauty'' in front of the people of District 41, there were some dissatisfied voices in the crowd. Especially from the men. However, the atmosphere in the hall changed dramatically when the women of the city, dressed in the costumes of Ukrines and fashionably transformed by Natalia and the others, appeared. At first, the audience could not believe that the ladies in the line were citizens of their own district. They seemed to say, ''I''ve never seen such a pretty lady in the 41st district before,'' and until their acquaintances proved that they were indeed my acquaintances, the atmosphere continued to be, ''They must have been invited by some fashionable upper class people. However, when I found out that it was an ordinary person from my ward, the atmosphere in the hall was overridden at once. The guys were like, ''Seriously, ......, is it possible to change into such a beautiful woman? The men said, ''Really? The women asked, ''How did you do it?Tell us! ''. From there, it was a quick conversation. In place of Ricardo, who was not very sensitive, I explained the secret of their transformation, sprinkled with many exciting elements, emphasized the point that ''anyone can do this transformation,'' and asked the women who had actually experienced it for half a day to share their impressions. Women who wanted to be beautiful. The women who participated in the program were of different ages and occupations, proving that ''anyone can become beautiful. ''Let''s make a ''street for becoming beautiful'' in this 41st district! The women were filled with anticipation at my call. And men who didn''t seem to have anything to do with it ...... were also glancing at me. I''m sure you''ve seen them. According to Magda''s information, the cheerleaders who were cheering for the 42nd district in the gluttony contest were full of beautiful women, and she always thought, ''I''m jealous,'' ''I wish there were some in my district,'' ''but there are no beautiful women in the 41st district,....... That''s because you''ve neglected to create an environment where beautiful women can grow. But there are beautiful women out there. Natural beauties like Osina. As a result of not realizing this, and putting off making the city a place where such women can live in peace, especially in terms of work-related reforms, they have left the 41st district, or they no longer have the time or money to dress up. In the past, there were jobs in the 42nd district even if there was no money. Estella was trying to keep her people in their place. She didn''t want to hurt the dignity of her people, even if her own district was getting poorer and poorer. A job worthy of one''s all is a very important thing that protects human dignity. It''s hard not to have a job. ...... Well, maybe that''s why there are so many workaholics in the forty-two wards. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following webpage. The liveliness of the festival may have reminded them of a gluttony contest. The crowded atmosphere of the festival may have reminded him of the gluttony contest, the time when the 41st district was clearly changed. So, I am now drawing a blueprint of the ''Avenue of Beauty''. After this, I''m going to make miniatures and adjust the overall balance. ''Oh, that''s good to know, Umaro. I''d like to have a word with you about the color scheme. ''The colors ......? On the blueprint that Umaro had drawn, I wrote down the color specifications. At the same time, I delete the three-story building that was apparently going to be constructed near the turn into the fifth. ''Hey, Yashiro-san!That building has an important role in giving impact to visitors. ......! ''Do the impact a little more in the front, please. Such an oppressive building is inappropriate for the passage leading to the back. ''If you''re going to build something like this, it should be at the entrance. ''No, no, no. It''s easier for customers to enter if the entrance is wide and open, isn''t it? ''The opposite. If this were a store, a wide entrance would make it easier to enter. But this is a ''street''. If the frontage is wide and there is a huge building at the back that gives a sense of oppression, people will not go to the back. In fact, it will keep them away. ''By putting an oppressive building at the entrance, you can make a not-so-narrow street seem narrow. ''What are the advantages of making it feel narrower? ''By contrast, the far end of the street seems wider, doesn''t it? The entrance gates of amusement parks are usually decorated with huge objects. They serve the purpose of keeping the visitors in line, but they also have a visual purpose. When you stand in front of the huge entrance gate, which gives a sense of oppression and narrowness, you can see the open and bright interior of the park through the gate. The gate is designed to make you expect, even before you enter, that ''there is a fun place beyond this gate. This is called the Savannah Effect. To put it roughly, when we are in a dark place, we have a tendency to want to go in a bright direction, and when the destination is bright, we feel a sense of security. In architecture as well, it is said that rather than brightly illuminating the entrance, brightening the corridor that can be seen from the entrance increases the sense of security when one returns home. Many hotels use subdued lighting in elevator halls and brightly illuminate corridors with warm indirect lighting to dispel the feeling of uneasiness when going deeper into the hallway. People feel uneasy when the destination is dimly lit, and feel relieved when it is bright. We are simple creatures like that. Therefore, place a symbolic large building at the entrance of the ''Avenue of Beauty'' and design it so that the road leading to the back is wide and becomes brighter the further you go. No two-story buildings or towers. The stores in the back are secret stores that people go to secretly - but I don''t want them to be dimly lit streets that spies like to walk on. In fact, it should be a street that is easy to walk on and makes you feel safe. After all, it is women who pass through there. It should never be a place where a pervert lurks and misbehaves, not even once. Image is important in this kind of thing. ''So, on the vertical street you can see from the entrance, keep the back part in warm colors. Warm colors have the effect of making us feel closer visually. Even if the walls are the same distance apart, the cooler colors make you feel farther away and the warmer colors make you feel closer. Therefore, if the wall at the far end of the alley is in a warm color, it will seem less deep, making you feel that the distance to the "fifth" alley is closer, and you will be able to get rid of the negative elements of "far" and "too much trouble to go. ''So, when you enter the alley, try to see the cold colors. Cold colors look distant. In other words, it makes the space look larger. Let me remind you of something. Remember the excitement of the amusement park you visited when you were a child. When you are greeted by the huge gate, you are overwhelmed by its presence, and when you look up, you see a clear blue sky beyond. As we waited in line to enter the park, the joyful space beyond the gate gradually came into view. An open space spreads out, bright music leaks out, and I can see people coming and going as they enter. When you come to the front of the gate, you feel a sense of anticipation that something is about to happen. It is a special feeling to be allowed to go through the huge gate that is so intimidating. And the overwhelming sense of openness that you see when you go through the gate. Didn''t it make you want to start running? Even adults have such feelings. No matter how old you are. ''Anyway, please keep the vertical streets open and the alleys lined with stores stylish. ''I see. The way to the store is already part of the product. ''It''s one of the added values. ''All right!I''ll try it! Umaro happily begins to modify the blueprints. The Street of Beauty is a new short but wide vertical street that runs from the main street to the fifth street, and each alleyway extends from there, so it looks like a fishbone when viewed from above. The new street is parallel to the existing vertical street that runs from the main square to the alley at the back of the building, and another street has been added. It is possible to enter the "Avenue of Beauty" from the old street, but it is a little more difficult to enter. When a group of rugged men hang out in front of a fashionable lingerie store, it is difficult for women to enter the store. This is also the case with the "Avenue of Beauty". I cannot say "Don''t come here", but I would like to appeal to you to be careful. ''If such an opulent street is built, men will be envious of it. Ginette''s face lit up with joy at the idea of a new, fun street. ''What if there are grumbles and complaints,'' he said, assuming that such a thing would never happen. ''...... Magda will shut them up.'' ''Yeah. It''s okay, put the masakari away. If you make a big deal about building a city for women, you''re giving women preferential treatment! It''s disrespectful to men! But ...... they are simple and stupid. ...... Even if we don''t take any measures, they will accept it as ''more beautiful women, hooray! I''m sure they''ll accept it. But I have taken some measures to prevent them from complaining. ''Isn''t the ''Avenue of Beauty'' on the right side when you look at the Grand Plaza? ''Yes, it is. And the stores that used to be on the left side will be consolidated, right? When we are unconscious, we tend to focus on the left side of the street and give priority to the left side of the street. Criminals chased by cops tend to flee to the left side of the road due to their extreme state of impatience, and there is even a story that the arrest rate increased when cops focused on searching the left side of the road. There are a number of theories as to why this might be, such as the tendency to shift one''s consciousness to the left to protect the heart, or the natural shifting of the center of gravity to the left to maintain balance due to the presence of heavy organs on the right side. It is also very powerful. If you look around you, you will find many examples of people focusing on the left side. In the 41st district, conventional stores, which are mainly used by male customers, have been placed on the left side so that customers can shop as usual without any inconvenience. In addition, since there are quite a few vacant stores in "Go-bonme" that have not been utilized so far, we plan to make effective use of them to eliminate the cramped and narrow atmosphere. If we can incorporate the Savannah effect into the reform of the back alleys, we will be able to secure enough space and get rid of the bad habits that have become a hotbed of the "fifth eye" mentality. ''This reorganization will change the 41st district again. They''re really into it, aren''t they? ''That''s right. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to the birth of the new street, didn''t they? Ginette, who was watching the event, smiled, as if she remembered the scene. Next to her, Magda was quietly clenching her fists. Their expectations must be about the same. ''The streets of the 41st district are beautiful when viewed from above like this. Ginette said, looking at the blueprint Umaro had drawn. Originally, the forty-first district was lined with alleys parallel to the main street. A new street has been built through the alleys, forming a little square. It is a rather beautiful structure, though not as beautiful as the one in Kyoto. ''If the streets are so neatly lined up, it is unlikely that you will get lost. ''No problem. If there are many similar corners in a row, ...... you will get lost. I can''t tell you how many times I''ve gotten lost in Kyoto. ...... I''m not sure how many times I''ve wandered around on my moped and been like, ''Nijo Castle again? How many times have you been lost in Kyoto ...... ''Umaro. Please name the streets and put up signs. I''m sure some people will get lost. ''Is the name ...... ''First one'' or something?'' ''No, that name is too elective, please give me a new name. ''Don''t be so quick to make ridiculously high demands!You can''t just randomly decide on a street name! What an inflexible fellow. ''But, the people of District 41 are thinking of an official name for the Street of Beauty, right? ''Ah. It looks like Ricardo asked for it. Ricardo wouldn''t have been able to name it. He has no sense of style. And there''s no way he could ...... name a street for a woman to become beautiful. But that''s what the people in the 41st district think. I''m sure the best they can come up with is ''Bikkurakokimaro''. ''That''s what Yashiro-san sometimes says, isn''t it?I don''t think I have that idea. ......'' Umaro is looking at me as if my sense of style is catastrophic. It''s really unpleasant. If I were to name it, I''d name it something fancy like "Veloce" or "Fouche" or "Jari-Ko-Che"! In short, the names that the people of the 41st district come up with must be trivial anyway. ''Yashiro, are you there? Estella came in the heavy rain, without a cloak and with an umbrella. I know ....... Imelda''s parasol is being used by girls in the 41st district as a ''cute!I''m not sure. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the coming weeks. But you know Estella. There''s a difference between a parasol and a rain umbrella. ''I''ve got some great information and I''ve rushed here in the rain to share it with you. Aren''t you glad?'' ''If that''s the case, I''m not asking. I don''t care what you think. When Estella looks so happy, it''s usually when something bad happens to me. Godd*mn. ''Actually, we''ve narrowed down the candidates for the name of the Street of Beauty in District 41 to two. ''I told you not to ask. ''No, no, I think you''d better ask. If you don''t ask, you''ll regret it. ''Tell me about .............'' ''Hmmm. I can''t help it. Then I''ll tell you.'' Estella announced the candidate for the official name of the building with an endlessly smug look on her face. ''Yashiro Avenue! ''Rejected! Who the hell submitted such a ridiculous name? ''It''s amazing, Mr. Yashiro, to be chosen as the name of a ...... street. I''m not going to do it.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''...... the moment Yashiro made his mark on history'' ''I didn''t carve it, and I''m not going to carve it there! The ideal life for me is to work in the dark behind the scenes of history and smile while enjoying the profits alone. I have no intention of standing on the stage or manipulating the world behind the scenes. I''m not going to have my name engraved on it. ''What the hell kind of a name is that? ''It''s the result of a fair review. ''Oh, I see. Ricardo''s harassing me. ...... That bastard.'' ''No, no, no. I heard Ricardo was against it at all costs. He said, ''It''s not good luck to have that bastard''s name on one of my forty-one districts! He said. ''Well, that''s ...... that bastard. I don''t know, whatever he does to me pisses me off, that muscle lord. ''But you know, there''s no shortage of women who want to use this name. ''Women are ......?'' It was Ginette who questioned with a surprised look on her face. If it was an old man''s harassment, it would be understandable, but in the case of Jeannette, I''m sure it wasn''t ....... But I have to wonder about the fact that she is getting the female vote. The women in that town must be terrified of me after the ...... gluttony contest. ''I heard that your speech stuck in their minds. ''A speech?'' ''You know, the speech I gave to the women who attended to make them feel better?I''m sure you''ll agree. .................. Oh, it stung?That''s a funny word? No, I said it to make it stick. ''It seems that there are many men in the 41st district who are not familiar with the subtleties of women. It''s rare for the opposite s*x to praise a woman''s beauty or affirm her desire to be beautiful like you do. No, that''s not why ...... ''I heard there was a huge crowd of women in front of the official name selection venue. ''You want me to adopt ''Yashiro Avenue''? ''Yes. I heard it''s the first time for such a large scale demonstration in the 41st district. In a city where many people lost their jobs due to the priority of the hunting guilds, and yet they didn''t voice a single opinion to the lord?It''s amazing. ''It''s not amazing, it''s ...... scary.'' What, a demonstration? What''s the big deal, just naming a little corner of the city. ''I''m sorry. Is Mr. Yashiro home, that he is?'' As I felt a chill run down my spine, Bekko came over with a unique look on his face. ''Don''t make a fool of yourself in such a tense situation! ''This face is innate, that it is! He took off his cloak, wiped the rain drops from his glasses with his sleeve, and walked up to me. ''...... Becco. Your cloak. Magda approaches Bekko, holding the cloak under her arm. That''s right. You should hang the wet cloak on the cloak rack next to the counter. Magda is now a fully-fledged waitress-- ''...... There''s a hook over there, you can go hang it up.'' --I''m not sure I can reach it yet. Well, I guess that''s what you get when you''re dealing with Becko. Yeah, this is Bekko''s fault. ''Yashiro-san. I think you should rethink this store''s system of ''treating regulars poorly without hurting their feelings''. ......'' I''m not sure what to say. Which do you think is worse, Magda or Becko?'' ''That''s Bekko, of course. There''s nothing wrong with Magda.'' ''Mr. Umaro is also a member of Mr. Yashiro''s faction, that he is. ......'' After Bekko is unanimously voted responsible, he begins to talk about his purpose for coming here. ''There is one more piece of information that I would like to share with you, that I have. After making a slight refusal to Estella, who had just been talking to him, Bekko sends me an extraordinary piece of information. ''A citizen''s group in the 41st district called the ''Association for Thinking of New Street Names'' has asked for an oversized illustration of Mr. Yashiro, that it has. ''Huh! ''They said that they needed it as soon as possible in order to appeal to the lord to recommend it as the symbol of the new street. Eventually, they want to install portraits and statues of Mr. Yashiro all over the street, that they do. What a rubbish civic group. ...... ''Hey, you know what?If we leave it like this and a street called Yashiro Avenue is born, ............ my stomach muscles won''t be able to take it. ...... Pukkuk'' I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. For example, I''ll go behind your back and have a breast augmentation salon named after you! ''It seems that they saw my work at the event the other day and asked me to do it, that they did. I asked Bekko to draw an illustration to compare the before and after of Barbara. The speed, accuracy, and lifelike quality of his work made the audience very excited. Hey, who made you do such a demonstration, it was me, d*mn it! ''I was happy to receive the request from another district, that I was, but I thought I''d let Mr. Yashiro know just in case, so I decided to put it on hold until the name of the street was officially decided, that I did. ''It was a very careful decision for you, that it was. This guy used to make wax statues of me in his spare time. ''This may be a trivial concern of an artist, that it is, but ............ it is somewhat frustrating that Mr. Yashiro''s fame is roaring in a direction different from my will, that it is. ''What are you talking about? ''Mr. Yashiro is not a ''charisma of beauty'', but a ''hero of liberation who leads the people'', that he is! ''I''m not either of those!What, I''m being called a ''beauty charismatic'' in the 41st district? I have to stop them, even if it means returning my portrait and ...... Bekko to the earth in a place where such people hang out. ''Becko, I''ve had a lot of fun with you so far. ''I''ve put a hold on you to prevent that from happening, that I have!I don''t want to be the first to consider a last resort, that I don''t! But ...... The people of this city are too simple. Not only the people of District 42, but also those of District 41. In short, they''ve been forced to put up with the stereotype that ''that''s just the way it is'' all their lives. They become a little dependent on the person who shows them the way out of the suffering they had to accept as a matter of course. This is all the fault of the lord who has not taken proper measures to improve their lives! You should have thought more about your people, you stupid lord! If you say .................., you make it sound like I''m a good person! I''m not a good person! ''Ricardo''s a jerk! ''You''ve got a lot of things mixed up and you''ve ended up there. Well, it''s understandable, Yashiro.'' Estella puts her hand on my back with a look of understanding. This guy looks like he''s on our side, but he can be a bit of an enemy. ...... The only person you can be sure is on your side is Jeannette. ............ No, wait. Ginette can also be my enemy under certain conditions. Those conditions are ...... my wax image. This guy is always trying to get a wax statue of me and display it. If he hears that a statue or portrait of me is going to be installed, like this one, I''m sure he''s going to .................. glance at it with sparkling eyes. ''............'' I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ............ I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. ...... You can find a lot more information on the web at ............. ...... Well, the way I read his emotions right now is ............''I don''t like it.... But if you''re looking forward to it, I can''t complain. ...... But I don''t like it. ''Ginette. Are you unhappy? ''Huh?No, no, that ......! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the most effective way to get the most out of your home. ''...... Yes. A little.'' That''s surprising. If it''s this guy, then let''s all go see the statue when it''s installed. I''ll make lunch for you.'' I thought he might say something like that. ''You shouldn''t have this kind of feeling ...... if it''s true, but ............''. He glanced at me with his big eyes, and then quickly ran away. ''If you want to put up a statue of ......Yashiro-san, I''d like to ......our ......this sunlit pavilion. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results,....... It''s a monopoly,......? Well, I''m not going to let you put it anywhere! ''...... Magda is also against it. Yashiro is the property of the 42nd district. Who owns it, man? ''Yes, that it does!I feel the same way, that I do. Don''t sympathize. ''............ Yes, you do. I''m jealous, but I understand a little.'' You too, Jeannette. ''I''m with Magda! You''re not coming in. Go draw blueprints. ''Yeah, yeah. You''ve become a man trusted by the people, haven''t you? Estella grabs me by the shoulders with a proud look on her face. She pats me on the shoulder. ''Do you remember what I said before? ''''I wish I was just a couple of centimeters bigger.'''' ''I never said that! ''Then let''s see your Conversation Record. ''I''m not saying that .................. has never happened, but...'' ......... But that''s not it!I''m talking about what I said to you. ''''.................. handsome(doki)''''. It''s not!No way!I can assure you!Come on, someone give me the ''judgment of the spirits''! You don''t have to deny it with so much force. You should at least take a cute attitude like ''I may have said it before, but ...... I''m too embarrassed to say it. I don''t know. I''m sure I''ve told you before to do good and earn the trust of the people in town. Did he ever tell you that? You did exactly what I told you. And just like I said, you now have a friend you can trust. ''Go ahead and say it, .......'' ''As a lord, I''m proud to know that my advice has given you the opportunity to add color to your life. ''You have the lowest bust top of anyone I''ve ever seen. ''Why can''t you just say one extra word to make me feel better? That''s because you only talk nonsense all the time. Whoever did the good deed and gained the trust of ...... is just fooling everyone. If I wanted to, I could scam the entire population of the forty-two districts at once. Gaining their trust and getting into their pockets is a common method of fraud. You''re all being infiltrated, all of you. If you''re not careful, they''ll take all your money, ....... Anyway. I don''t like the idea of Yashiro being used as a recruiter, either. You see, Yashiro is the property of the Forty-two districts. ''So you, the lord who should be a public servant, are a public property, and you can flop all you want, right? ''What?Who''s a public servant?That''s right! I''m not your property either. Don''t hide your little tits. ''So I''ve made it clear to Ricardo. I''ve told Ricardo in no uncertain terms that we own the rights to Yashiro''s image, so if he wants to use the name, he''ll have to pay me a monthly fee. ''Is Ricardo going to come to me every month on his knees and say, ''Thank you for letting me use your name, Mr. Obayashi? ''I don''t think they''re going to adopt Yashiro Avenue because they said they''re going to use all their power to crush it. You don''t like it that much, coming down on your knees to me every month? You''re a petty lord. But I''m impressed with your ability to get Ricardo to oppose it. If you say so, Ricardo will definitely crush you. ...... Yes. Estella has improved her skills. ''But instead, she''s given me a difficult task: ......'' ''Think of an alternative name'', huh? The other of the two finalists was Ricardo''s idea. ...... It''s a race to the finish, isn''t it? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. ''....... I''m not going to ask too much, but what is the name that Ricardo came up with? ...... ''Jokigai Street''. ''Pfft! I don''t know why. My stomach started to hurt the moment I heard it. This is the stress ...... The origin of the word is too straightforward, why abbreviate it in the first place ......, and the bad sense of the word ...... is ...... ''jokigai''. ''Well, ...... wasn''t there a law that said you could hit a lord with a slightly larger rock? ''I''m really sorry to tell you this, but no. Some lords are good.'' Estella shrugged her shoulders as if to imply that she was one of them. Well, that''s all well and good, but in order to get Yashiro Avenue to give up, you have to convince Jokigai (it''s a pain in the ass to write in kanji) Street that you''re stuck with ............. ''Then how about you come up with some other idea and get it adopted, Yashiro-san? ''You know, the name of a gynet ...... street is not something that just pops up when you''re asked to think of one. ''I''ve just been asked to name a street casually! Don''t get caught up in the past!Little man. ''But I''m not sure if the civic group will accept a proposal from us from another district. ''But if you all have positive feelings toward Mr. Yashiro, I''m sure he''ll listen to you. ''You''re being naive, Jeannette. I''m not talking about positive feelings. ''Most of the time, the opinions of those who collude with you have already been decided. A stubborn will that won''t budge even if you change the mind of one of them. No matter how many discussions you set up, they will always end up in the same place. No matter how much we try to discuss it, it always ends in a dead end. This is often the case. ''They can''t accept that their opinion is rejected. If they were willing to accept compromise, they wouldn''t have pushed for the stupid name "Yashiro Avenue" in the first place. ...... d*mn, that''s going to use up a lot of calories. ''...... Oh, by the way, where''s Loretta? I looked around the store for Loretta, but she was not here. ''Maybe you''re not feeling well yet? ''No, sir. She''s all better now. She''s helping out at the church now. ''The church? ''Yes. Teresa often comes to visit us these days, but unfortunately the weather is so rainy that we can''t use the playground equipment. ......'' ''......That''s why the sisters asked me to do it this morning when I donated. She asked me to be a playmate ...... for the children and a target to relieve their stress. It was a formal request, of course, if I didn''t rephrase it. Of course, I was summoned as a playmate. You won''t get beaten up by an octopus,......, though it will be a similar situation. Jostling. ''Actually, I heard that Teresa''s eyes are much better now. ''Is that so?'' ''Yes. Thanks to Regina-san''s medicine and Yashiro-san''s thoughtful menu.'''' That means that your cooking is also a part of it, but why don''t you just leave out your own achievements? ''I see. That''s good. It looks like you''re really going to get better. ''I told you I''m going to get better.'' ''I don''t doubt it. But I still do. ...... Hmm, I''m glad to hear such news. ''...... So, Loretta felt sympathy in the part that she also collapsed due to malnutrition, and said that she wanted to take care of Teresa nearby.'' ''I see. It''s just like Loretta. ...... Yeah, it''s like she''s started to think about eating properly.'''' ''Oh. She''ll probably never go on another easy diet again. I was sure of that as I watched Loretta watching over Teresa. She''s the kind of person who knows what''s important. As we were talking about this, the door of the Sunlit Pavilion was thrown open. The sound of wind and rain drifted into the restaurant. ''Oh. Speak of the devil, huh? Estella''s expression hardened as she turned and looked at the entrance. Speaking of rumors,......, that''s exactly what happened, but the rumor was one step ahead. I''ve been told that Mr. Obayashi is here. Nearly twenty women entered the sunlit pavilion. They wore very thick, self-styled makeup, unkempt hairstyles, and flashy colored costumes that made my eyes flicker. These guys-- ''We are from the ''Association for New Street Names''. --That''s what they said. ...... What the hell are they doing here? Seriously, ............ 364-Episode 19 without additives is unconditionally co... A line of women with heavy makeup. Their make-up has melted off due to the heavy rain. I''m sorry. .................. You''re scaring me! You know what? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. It''s scary! ''You seem surprised, Mr. Obayashi. A representative-looking woman steps forward, ahead of the others. Yeah, I''m so surprised I can''t go to the bathroom tonight. ''Your words have given us courage, and we have become so beautiful! We''re not! Your destination is not that way, it''s quite far away! ''Your fashion is lost. ''Lost ......, yes, we are the dreamers of fashion. ''No, we''re lost.'' That''s why we''re ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. You are still a beginner or an amateur when you are drunk on your efforts. When you can look at the results calmly, you are a professional, and finally a veteran. ''Excuse me, gentlemen. Jeannette stands in front of the 20 wet women with a large number of towels. If they wipe off that makeup, it''s going to be hard to wash. ...... ''I''m sure you''d all look better if you were more normal. Even Jeannette seemed to think that was a good idea. ''No, not that makeup. Ginette''s point was a valid one, and the women of the "New Street Name Group" were clearly overdoing it. But ...... ''You''re not wearing any makeup, are you? ''Huh?Yes, I do. I''m not really into that kind of thing. ''Huh!If you don''t know the first thing about fashion, please don''t talk like you do! ''''''That''s right, that''s right!'''''' ...... doesn''t have the ears to listen. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. If you wear makeup, you can become beautiful. Then the more makeup she wears, the more beautiful she becomes!Even a child can understand this, right?I''m not wrong, am I? ''Um, no,......, let''s see,......, let''s just put this on my wet hair,......'' Ginette is dismayed by the pressure. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to do. ...... ''Estella. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Too much makeup is counterproductive. Huh?Ah, yes. That''s right. I think a more natural look will bring out the best in everyone. The members of the "Association for New Street Names" fell silent at the advice of the professional. After all, you can only be strong against someone who thinks he knows more than you do and is less knowledgeable than you are. If they are told by someone of higher rank than them, they will have no choice but to listen to them. ...... and I thought... ''The lord''s makeup is the nobleman''s makeup, isn''t it?Our makeup is the makeup of the common people, born in the 41st district. This is the correct answer.'''' ''Yeah, .............'' Estella looks at me like she doesn''t know what to do. You''re a weakling, you know that? Especially with women, you never come on strong. You''re a stubborn bunch of girls. You know Estella is my lord and you''re so rude to me. Is that it?It''s like wearing make-up makes you feel like a different person. When you do something out of the ordinary, you can break free from your usual timid self. There are many such people. Until now, these women have been meek, accepting the situation they were given without complaining. But now, at this very moment, they are about to change. Change gives people excitement and elation. That''s why there are times when we are terribly afraid of being denied ....... I can''t help it. ''Ginette. Cut up the watermelon and bring it to me.'' ''Is it a watermelon ......?Yes, sir. Please wait a moment. Ginette handed a large amount of towels to the members of the ''Association for New Street Names'' and retreated to the kitchen. There''s a delicious watermelon from Hamm''s field. We were supposed to cool them in the well and serve them to the kids in the church, but unfortunately, the temperature did not rise due to the long rain, and the weather was a little bad for eating watermelons. However, the temperature did not rise due to the long rain, and the weather was a little bad for eating watermelons. Therefore, there were some left over, so I asked them to serve them to us. ''Well. You claim that you''re right and we''re wrong, but ...... is about to show you just how far off the mark that is. I stand in front of the ''Association for New Street Names'' with a slanted posture, like a detective''s guessing show. ''Thank you for waiting. Ginette came back after cutting the watermelon neatly and skillfully. A large plate of watermelon was placed on the table. ''Have you ever eaten one? ''Oh, well. Sometimes.'' The representative-looking woman replies. She seemed to know about it at least. But, well, if you eat it now, you''ll know what it''s like. ''Well, it''s a little chilly, but try it. I''d rather not eat cucumbers on a cold day like this because they lower body temperature, but this was the first thing that came to mind. Well, forgive me. ''Oh, ...... sweet.'' ''That''s true. It''s better than anything I''ve had in District 41.'' ''I think I can eat as much as I want of this.'' ''Oh, stop!Just keep it to two bites.'' Thanks to the efforts of the ham kids, the watermelon seemed to be doing well. However, simply enjoying the watermelon was not the purpose of this time. ''By the way, do you know what ''salt'' is? ''...... Are you making fun of me?'' ''No, no. I''m just checking to make sure. By the way, what happens to food when you shake it with salt?Well, ......, you pretty make-up girl, answer me this.'' The woman I''m pointing at presses her cheeks. There''s no need to be shy, just answer me. I''ve encouraged her to keep her belly button bent. ''Well, ............, does that make it salty? ''Well, yes. Good answer.'' Right now, she''s wearing zombie make-up because of too much thick make-up and the heavy rain. What a waste. ''Now, I''ll tell you something you don''t know. This is something that Magda and Loretta, as well as Ginette the professional cook and Bertina the food demon, didn''t know, so there''s no way these people would know it. ''Sprinkle salt on watermelon to make it ............ sweeter! In fact, this knowledge, which is commonplace in Japan, is surprisingly unknown overseas. There is a story that a Japanese who ate a watermelon with salt in front of a German was asked, ''Are your taste buds and brain okay? I have heard a story about a Japanese who ate a watermelon with salt in front of Germans and was told, ''Are your taste buds and brain okay? Even if you don''t think that what you know is the same all over the world ......, you may unknowingly assume it. You think, ''This is common sense. However, the things that we thought were common sense can be changed by a change in location ...... ''How can that be? Are you making fun of me? ''That''s right!If you put salt on it, it will become salty, of course! ''It can''t be sweet!I''ll turn it into a frog! I''m going to make you a frog!'' They look at me so coldly. ''Then try it. Just like when you did the exercises I told you to do and felt ''beautiful''. With that, the women of the "Association for New Street Names" crossed their eyes at each other, and one by one, sprinkled a pinch of salt on the watermelon. Then they bit into it. ...... chewing. '''''''' Hmm! '''''''' And all at once, their cheeks relax and they let out a sweet voice. '''''''' It''s so good! '''''''' That''s right, that''s right. That''s right. ''How can it be sweet when it''s sprinkled with salt? ''And so sweet. ''Is it sweet salt?No, it''s not. It''s just salty.'' It''s hard to believe. But you have to believe it because you''ve experienced it yourself. The women are bewildered by this situation. Estella was also puzzled by the situation. ''Why does it become sweet when sprinkled with salt?Is it a special kind of watermelon? Estella is leaning towards me, watermelon juice smeared around her mouth. ...... Stop it. Don''t wipe it off, I''ll do it. I shove a handy towel in Estella''s face and tell her the answer. ''The human tongue has a number of taste-sensing nerves. They are sensitive and a bit inflexible. When you taste several tastes at once, one of them may stand out more than the others. When the tongue perceives the slight saltiness of the watermelon before the sweetness of the watermelon, it feels as if the sweetness is increased by the contrast. This is the contrast effect of taste. In addition to sweetness, it is also known that salt enhances umami. If you look at recipe books, you will find "a pinch of salt" in various dishes. It is also said that bitterness and sourness have a contrasting effect on taste, but I have never tried it. I don''t even know why I should try it. So, if you sprinkle more and more salt on the watermelon, the watermelon might become sweeter and sweeter ............, right?According to your theory. I''m sure you''re right. Someone''s throat rumbles as they gulp ....... Salt is salty. Such common knowledge and an unbelievable phenomenon that I just learned about must be jostling in my brain. Should we overturn common sense, or should we trust common sense? ...... ''This watermelon is you. It''s like a gemstone that originally had the elements to become delicious. Then he sprinkles a pinch of salt on the watermelon, which no one has touched yet. ''So, this is you guys in style. You did what I said, and you did what I said, and now it tastes even better. That''s the same feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction I gave them on the day of the event. A watermelon with a sprinkle of salt is synonymous with a success story born from a technique backed by solid information. ''And in accordance with your earlier assertion that the more makeup you wear, the more beautiful you become--'' While saying this, he grabbed a handful of salt and drizzled it onto the cut watermelon. A large white pile will form on top of the watermelon. The watermelon will absorb water from the base and lose its color. The watermelon will lose its color. He then presents the cut watermelon on a plate with plenty of salt. ''Come on, try it. It may turn out to be ridiculously sweet. If that''s your theory,'' I tell her, trying to keep my words simple. The woman who seemed to be the representative of the group was puzzled for a while, but then, as if to prove her statement, she picked up the salt-soaked watermelon and covered it with ....... ''Buh-oh!Hot!It''s too salty! ''Well, I guess you''re right. It''s like eating a lump of salt. In other words, moderation is the best way to go. ''But, watermelon and make-up are not the same. ......'' ''A third party is objectively looking at it and saying, "That''s weird.I''m not sure if you guys are really okay with dressing up in a way that looks strange to people''s eyes.I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s trying to do something about it.You''ll end up like that salted watermelon, not even thinking of taking a second bite, is that what you want? The women didn''t argue. The first time you make an effort, it must be a very precious thing. ...... for yourself. But ''trying and not being able'' has no effect other than to give you self-satisfaction. ''There is no shame in failure. Your efforts are not in vain. However, if you talk to a person who has just started, you will only break his heart. If you don''t show them, tell them, make them do it, and praise them, they will not move. It takes a lot of time and patience to train a beginner, really. It''s shameful to cover up what you don''t know, or to lose the opportunity to learn by dressing up. You are the buds that are about to blossom. No matter how beautiful the bud is, you still want it to bloom, don''t you?You may be anxious, but let''s learn with an honest heart once again. Hey. From my point of view, that''s a pretty lenient response. If you don''t listen to me, you can rot away as you like, that''s my stance, but this time it''s special. After all, ...... ''I''m on your side, you know. ''Oba......Yashiro-san............'' I''ve got to get these guys on my side and give the ''Avenue of Beauty'' a proper name! I''m going to stop them from calling it Yashiro Avenue! So listen up!Listen to me! Just like now, say ''yes, yes'' to everything I say!All right! ''''So, the name of the ''Street of Beauty'' is .......'''' ''''''Yes!I''ll make them choose ''Yashiro Avenue'' no matter what!'''''' No!It''s not that! d*mn it!Why do these people who seem to worship me always try to choke me at the last moment?Just like Becco, Yap Lock, and these girls! I think they really don''t like me. ...... ''About that, boys.'' Estella, with a smile on her face and a good-natured smile on her face, put a stop to the enthusiastic women. ''I still don''t agree with naming a place that may become the centerpiece of the 41st district after a person from another district. We don''t want to get into unnecessary trouble because of some strange misunderstanding. That''s true. I was almost blamed for the rain shortage just for setting off fireworks, and I was targeted by an otherworldly version of the Oreole scam just for appearing in an information paper. If they name a new landmark after me, ...... I''m sure I''ll get into trouble. ''Even as the lord of the 42nd district, I can''t rent Yashiro out to your city. Even if it''s only in name.'' ''You know what I mean, don''t you? He gives a small wink and speaks to the 20 or so women facing him. Estella. If you keep doing that, you''ll get more like Tracy. You''re going to have a lot of fans. ...... You''re a very handsome woman. ''To borrow Obayashira''s name, ......''. ''If I borrow Mr. Obayashi''s name, I''ll get in trouble with ......'' ''The Lord of the Forty-second District doesn''t approve of it: ......'' ''Even if it''s only in name: ......'' ''I can''t lend Mr. Obayashira ...... as a lord ............... ...'' The women, who had been murmuring in turn, all gasped in unison, ''What? Then they looked at each other and clapped their hands as if they understood each other. And then-- ''''Obayashi-san, you''re the fianc??e of my lord! --And so on, he seems to have come to the conclusion of the day after tomorrow. ''''Hoooooooooo! Estella let out a sound like a broken clarinet. You got that from your dad, huh? ''No, no, no, no, no!No, not at all!That''s not what I meant at all! I''m not sure what you mean by that. ...... But first, do something about your red face. You can''t say anything with a face like that, it will have the opposite effect. ''But your concern for Mr. Obayashi''. ''I feel special!Hey, guys! ''''''That''s right!'''''' ''''If you ask me, the two of you have always been strangely close! ''''''That''s right!'''''' ''''It''s not normal for a lord and his people to be so close, if at all! ''''''That''s right!'''''' ''''Speaking of which!Just now, Obeyashiro-san was wiping the Lord''s mouth with a towel! ''''''She was wiping it!'''''' ''''With a very gentle hand! '''' ''''With loving eyes! ''''Like, ''Haha, your mouth is dirty, my little kitty cat! ''Hey, Oumalo, Bekko!Get every last one of these women out of here! ''Mm, mm, mm, impossible!I''m so nervous about women in makeup that I can''t even look at them properly! I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it............. I have a somewhat too good memory, that I might dream of .......'' The women who say what they want and get excited about it. What?I''m going to dream about it.I don''t need to respect them, you know.What a bunch of crap!It''s so stupid I''ve got a little Tosa dialect! I didn''t wipe Estella''s mouth in the first place! I just pressed a towel against her mouth! I just pushed a towel on her! There''s no reason to be intimate or ............ reserved with her! That''s why women always connect everything to love. ...... ''Hey, Estella. Don''t take this kind of nonsense too seriously. ......'' ''Hey, don''t look at me like that! ''Watermelon rind! What kind of thing are you throwing at my face? It''s sticky! ''Oh, no!You put something in your mouth and threw it in his face with ......? ''''Indirect kissing? ''''''Yikes!That''s so romantic! I''m sure that only beetles would enjoy this kind of ...... watermelon juice that smells like melon in this city. ''So, don''t be so ......, give me back my watermelon rind!My watermelon rind! ............ Estella is too weak for this kind of talk. It''s the time when you need to keep your cool and let it go, or you''ll be exploited to your detriment. In the exchange between the lords. ''...... Yashiro gets embarrassed very easily when he is in the position of being played. A weakness that only Magda knows about. ''No, Magda-tan. I know that, too.'' ''Mr. Yashiro is an unexpectedly pure-hearted man, that he is. ''All of you, shut your mouths or I''ll give you a bad ............ Umaro.'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''...... Please don''t do this to him.'' ''Yes, that you do, Mr. Yashiro. ''No, opening your mouth now sounds more like a signal to ''do it''!You know that Mr. Yashiro is such a person, don''t you?Did you do that on purpose? Umaro is screaming louder than anyone else. Okay, I''ll punish him later. ''I didn''t know you were in such a position, Obayashi-san. ......'' ''District Forty-one is now on friendly terms with District Forty-two, and the city is developing in a positive direction. ......'' ''It''s not our intention to displease the lord and make relations strained. ......'' ''''That''s why we''re all here: ......'''' ''''''Well, let''s give up.'''''' ''''It can''t be helped. Because ......!'''' ''''''He''s a very important person to our lord! ''''''Alright!I''ll grant you permission to go to Yashiro Avenue!I''ll write a letter of recommendation! ''''Don''t lose your mind, stupid lord! Once Estella gets mad, her clumsiness accelerates rapidly. Maybe you should get yourself a girlfriend or something.You''re too immune. If some aristocrat made a pass at you, you''d fall easily, wouldn''t you? I''m not sure what to do. I don''t know why I have to be so careful. ............ ''Can I have a word?I''m going to deny it outright, because a strange misunderstanding could lead to something undesirable for the honor of the lord and the forty-two districts. I''m not Estella''s fianc??, nor do I have that kind of sweetheart relationship with her. I swear to the spirit gods, there is no such fact. I don''t know. I''ll deny it like this once and for all so shut up, women. So, wake up the heat in your face and calm down, Estella. ...... And stop sneaking your cheeks behind my back. Hey, Jeannette. That''s why we''re working together. The reason we seem to get along so well is because we trust each other that much. If you don''t have that kind of trust, you won''t be able to carry out such life-threatening reforms. ''...... Life-threatening?Is this the plan for the Avenue of Beauty? The representative of the "Association for New Street Names" rolls his eyes. That''s right. We''re risking our lives. ''What responsibility do you think I should take if the reform involving the entire 41st district ends up in an unmitigated disaster ............? ''Oh ............''. After being told this, the reality of the situation seemed to finally dawn on them, and the members of the ''Association for Thinking of New Street Names'' turned pale one after another. ''That''s right. Estella, with her still-red face, managed to keep a clear face as she coughed and quietly said. ''If the project that I have proposed to the lords of other districts incurs a large debt, I will have to compensate for that debt even if I have to give up my own territory. That''s the kind of commitment you need to make to change a city. It''s not uncommon to find stories of unplanned land development that turns ...... into ghost towns within a few years, and these stories can be found anywhere in the world. If you don''t do enough research, it is possible that you won''t be able to attract enough people to stop shaking. There is no such thing as a reform that is guaranteed to succeed. Well, in my case, I won''t do anything unless I''m sure that it will succeed with a high probability. Let''s put aside our true feelings and shut these people up for now. ...... For the sake of Estella''s honor. You see, she''s the daughter of a nobleman before marriage. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ''So, I swear, we don''t have that kind of relationship. Please stop gossiping so irresponsibly. Estella doesn''t deserve to be tainted by the world.'' If I say this much, they won''t be so eager to spread idle gossip. Let them know that every word they say is a responsibility. But then again, Estella always looks disapproving when I say things like this to keep her at a distance. ............ Hey, you can just follow up. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''......, right, Estella? I thought I''d whisper to her and show her that I didn''t mean ...... anything by it. ''Huh, no, that ............ I know, I know.'' ...... Why is this guy still embarrassed? That embarrassment is already a thing of the past. ''No, no, this isn''t about what you just said. ............ That ............ Estella began to make excuses without even listening. That attitude is as good as saying, ''I have something to be ashamed of. ''No, that''s why,............, Yashiro has never treated me like a woman to that extent before,...... ............ Oh, no, no! ......I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.As a lord! You ...... clumsy little punk! Your embarrassment is contagious! You need to cool your face right now!Eat some watermelon!It''ll lower your body temperature! ''Ah, whatever! Shout louder. Yeah, loud is the way to go in these situations. ...... The air is so bad. ''The ''Street of Beauty'' that will be born in the future should grow not as a street that I created, but as a street in which you will play a leading role. And a portion of the profits generated therein will go into my pocket. That''s what this street is! Royalties, yum. ''That''s why we should name it for you and the fashionable girls of the future who will admire you. ''Yes, it''s ....... We are the main actors of ............, aren''t we? As if moved by the news, the representative of the "Association for the New Street Name" smiled brightly and honestly, even through her thick makeup. ''Then, let''s discuss it again and come up with a candidate for the official name. There was no one who disagreed with the representative''s voice. It was a little too much of a stink, but it was necessary in order to get these people on the same page. That was just right. They are easily influenced, but they are stubborn in a strange way. So, after wiping off their wet hair and too much makeup with a towel, the members of the "Association for New Street Names" held a special meeting around the table. Perhaps it was because the watermelon had cooled them down, but the corn potage soup was selling like hotcakes, and Ginette was smiling at the positive attitude of the girls. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site. ...... You guys, if you don''t feel comfortable, go home. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ...... That''s why you''re a badass. So, Jeannette. It''s not ''one for me if you can''. It''s a gag. It''s just a funny joke, Becko style. Don''t take it seriously. See?If you make one for real on ......, I''ll destroy you ............. ''It''s decided! The representative of the "Association for New Street Names" stood up and came to me. ...... Come on, Estella. She wants to give a report. Estella came to me at my beckoning. But ............ can you stop this delicate distance? I''m embarrassed that you''re so conscious of me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''We''re the main characters. ''And the fashionable girls of the future! ''I''d like to propose a name suitable for our street as a candidate to the lord! ''The new name is--'' The new name is--'' Estella gulps and clears her throat. Ginette and Magda are also watching with bated breath. A corner of the 41st district will be born with women playing a leading role. A name suitable for a small "town" within the city. It is only at the candidate stage, but judging from Ricardo''s appearance, the name chosen by the group for the new street name will probably be adopted. The name of the street will be announced now. ''It''s ''Lovely Yann Avenue''! ......, and the "Association for New Street Names" applauded in private. Estella''s ...... cheeks were twitching. The relaxed expression she had earlier was nowhere to be seen. As for Jeannette, ...... oh, she''s smiling. Is this a "possible" name for Ginette? ...... And as for Magda, ...... ''...... "Lovely Avenue"'' ............ that name ...... ............ is it nice? I think he likes it. He''s got a unique sense of style, too. ...... Well, we''re talking about the 41st district, and even if it turns out to be a joke name,...... I''m not the one who''s going to get laughed at,...... I guess it doesn''t matter. ''I can''t let this happen! ''Yes, you can!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Let''s go, gentlemen! ''''Let''s go, everyone! ''''''Well, good day to everyone at the Sunken Pavilion! The members of the "Association for Thinking of a New Street Name" stand up at once and hurriedly leave the store. ...... What was that all about, really. ''Hey, Estella ......''. ''No matter what you ask, I don''t think I''ll be able to answer. ...... Their sensitivity is a little ...... difficult to understand.'' Plucking at her brow as if rubbing it, Estella endures a migraine. It''s a strange coincidence,......, I''m just starting to get a headache too. It''s a good thing that I was able to stop the misuse of ...... my name though. 365-20th episode without additives, something that has... In the pouring rain, Loretta returned to the store not long after the thickly dressed group left the sunny pavilion. ''Hey, big brother!What''s that smell?There''s a terrible smell! Oh, I see. Well then, let''s go to ...... Iron Claw! ''Ouch, ouch!It hurts, it hurts, big brother! ''Who''s stinky? ''No, no, no, no!I had some urgent business with my brother, so I called him and came home to find him reeking of make-up, which is unbecoming of a sunlit pavilion, and I couldn''t help but say the word ''stinky''!I don''t think my brother is smelly at all! ''......, you should at least say, "Big brother, you smell so good, you smell so good, you smell so good, you smell so good, you smell so good, you smell so good."'' ''Oh, that''s right!That''s Magda-chou, a lady who cares. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a pervert.I''m not going to say that. I''m not going to say anything about that. This is a situation where you are standing on your toes on the borderline between perverts and sensible people, isn''t it? ''So, what were you so upset about, Kagitta? ''It''s Loretta!I don''t like that kind of impression management! Ah!And then, Loretta distanced herself from me and ran towards Jeannette. Jeannette pats her on the head with a troubled face, saying, ''It''s okay, Loretta-san. ''I see. So, Jeannette is someone who is okay with being swatted. ''No, no, no, you''re not! ''In the first place, I''m not going to be cankered!Ah, the manager is casually walking away from me!And before I knew it, Estella-san had moved a little farther away too!It''s a terrible reputational damage! ''...... at all. As soon as Loretta came back, she made a lot of noise. ......'' ''It was Magda-chou who started it!I''m not sure what to say. It''s more noisy than when the nearly twenty members of the "Association for New Street Names" were there. The noise level in Loretta must be quite high. ''So, what were you in such a hurry about, one person making as much noise as twenty people? ''You''re not even trying to look like her anymore!If you''re going to play with it, play with it properly! She came up to me and looked up at me with a rather serious face. She looks up at me with a rather serious face, her happiness oozing out of her. ''Teresa said it''s bright! The news caused a sudden commotion in the store. Ginette rolled her eyes and held her mouth, Magda twitched her tail, and even Umaro and Bekko, who didn''t seem to quite understand, sensed the good news from the instantaneous change in the atmosphere in the store and relaxed their cheeks. ''Estella begins to gouge in secret. ''I''ll start! ''...... is being gouged out.'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. The only one who is not in a good mood is Estella, and everyone here has a hint of hope on their face. ''Is the little sister''s eyes getting better, that they are? ''Yes, probably. There was a great deal of hope that she would recover, and I had given her a full diet of nutritious food, proper treatment and good medicine. It was only a matter of time before Teresa would be able to see again. It was just a matter of time before she could see. ''So, Loretta. Is Regina here?'' ''Yes!Regina-san is probably in the final stages of something, and it''s probably too late.'''' ''Oh, yeah. I''m not asking about his current situation, but is he being summoned by someone?'' ''Oh, you mean that!I just thought ......''. I''m not sure if you just gave me the answer to that ...... question, but I know exactly what you mean. ''My brother is on his way to get you. ''Well, I guess I''ll go to the church first and wait for him. ''Huh, um, Yashiro-san! Suddenly, Jeannette starts to panic. She is pacing back and forth in front of the table, her hands wandering aimlessly. ''What is it? ''I''d like to go see Teresa when she''s better, but I can''t leave the store because it''s still open for business, so what should I do? ......?'' ''Eh, uh, ...... yes. Something like that.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m not sure if that''s the most obvious way to ask for help. ...... I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Mr. Yashiro, I want you to pamper the customers before the employees! ''I don''t want you to force me to work without hesitation, that I don''t! Umaro and Bekko come at me, wondering what I''m complaining about. What''s forcing you to work? ...... ''It''s okay. We''re not going to pay you any wages, so it''s not labor. It''s a ''hand-me-down''.'' ''You can''t be cute about it!You can''t force people to do unpaid work. ''I''ve never seen anyone use ''okay'' so poorly, that I have. ''Oh, um... It''s okay. I''m not going to leave the store. Caring for the two complaining old men, Jeannette gave up on going out. Ahhh, you made me care for you. ''Ginette, you poor thing. ......'' ''Yashiro-san, just one millimeter of that emotion would be enough for us. ......'' ''A millimeter is an extravagant ......1 micron, but if you can direct it, your treatment will be much improved, that it is. I''ve been getting a lot of complaints from regular customers. This may require a reform. Shopkeepers and customers. To make the difference between their positions clearly known. ''I think I''ll make the lovely Yann Avenue and New Road ...... eta''. ''You''ve started muttering something disturbing! ''What a precise and strong threat! I''m sure that the ''forced translation magic'' translated ''eternal'' into ''abortive'' or something easier to understand. It seems that the intent of my words was correctly conveyed to Umaro and Bekko. ''Mr. Manager!We''re on duty, so go to the church with Yashiro-san!I want you to tell them what you mean by ......, Becko.'' ''Mr. Umaro is still the same, that he is. However, I will spare no effort to help you, that I do, so please do not worry about going out. I can''t cook, that I can''t, but I can serve the customers at ....... Anyway, I''m sure that the people who come here in this rain are all regulars who know each other, and they will tolerate a little rudeness. ''What are you going to do, Yashiro? Your biased customer service policy has been firmly handed down to you. ''Hey, you guys. Don''t mix up your private and public life. Do you really think you''re in the customer service business? ''I don''t want to be told by Yashiro-san! ''I''ll give it right back to you, that I will! ''Oh, um, everyone. I''m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. It''s okay. I''ll be waiting in the store. Yashiro-san, please go to the church. Ginette is concerned because Umaro and the others are reluctant to go. She would really like to go and talk to Teresa, who is on the mend. ''Are you sure you don''t want to come to the church, manager? ''Yes, sir. Instead, please tell her that we are very happy for her recovery.'' ''Teresa-chan, she wanted to see the manager, but ...... said, "Gentle lady with a gentle voice, meet me, I''m fine."'' I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... ''Go ahead and do it! ''Mr. Ginette, you''re looking more distressed than you think right now, that you are!You''re probably not even aware of it, though! ''No, no. I''m aware that I''ve been opening my store too much lately. ......'' In the first place, Ginette loves the Sunlit Pavilion. She doesn''t want to do anything that would disrespect it. But there are more and more people that she wants to take care of as much as she does. Yeah. I''m sorry Ginette, but ...... It''s kind of funny to see Jeannette in that kind of distress. You see, she''s wagging her tail. It''s not so much that she can''t give up on him, but rather that she''s agonizing over the fact that he wants to see her and she can''t give him the chance. ''...... Manager. Magda is here at the sunny pavilion, so I don''t mind going out for a bit.'' ''Magda-san .......'' ''...... Magda has improved a great deal through her work at Cantar Chica. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''But, but!I''ve been unable to work with Magda for quite some time, and now I''m enjoying working with her, and I don''t want to leave her. ...... Before she could finish her confession, Magda jumped into Jeannette''s chest and hugged her. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''...... Manager, I like you! It was a full-on confession. It''s rare for Magda to express her feelings so clearly. I guess Magda was lonely too. ''Oh ...... I can''t leave the sunny pavilion after all......''. ''Well, I''ll go with Loretta, who isn''t well-liked.'' ''That''s not true!Of course I love her and she''s very important to me! Oh. ''They like me too!Hey, manager! I invited Loretta to make a comment, but Ginette took the bait first. And then Estella gave me a hard stare and said, ''Don''t tease me. ''d*mn it. Because of Loretta''s dullness, it turned out to be just a rewarding event for her to tell me that she loves me. Because of Loretta''s dullness! ''Isn''t that nice!I''m also in the camp that wants her to say "I love you" more! ''............Soon......'' ''Oh, Jeannette. Magda''s sulking. Because she hasn''t been told.'' ''Magda-san, of course, I love you and Estella-san.'' Maybe it''s because of the holidays, but our employees are starting to get lonely. It''s a pain in the ass to have to tell them all. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to do it. ''............''. ''............'' ''............'' ............I''m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. I''m not sure what to do. Yeah, ............, don''t look at me like that. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. You can see the impatience in her smile. You don''t need to worry so much. Just let it go. ''The ...... manager loves everyone here ......? ''Yes, yes. You''re all very important to me.'' ''And .................. Becco?'' ''............What?That ............, haha, ...... too, of course .......'' ''...... Swear to the Spirit God? ''............'' ''Mr. Magda!I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.It''s a good thing that I''m not the kind of person that Mr. Ginette can say "I love you" to, that I''m well aware of that.I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ''Shut up, Becko. Magda is right. ''Mr. Umaro would be a disappointing man in the top three of the forty-two districts under certain conditions, that he would be! Ginette''s words were silenced by Magda''s push, and after all that, Becko was in tears. ''You know, Bekko-san and I are good friends. Right?Mr. Bekko. ''Yes, that we are!After all, Mr. Jeannette is one of the few consciences in the 42nd district of ......, that he is! ''A few? ...... First of all, it''s me, isn''t it? ''Mr. Yashiro!You''re wrong from the first one, that you are!I want you to keep your bent thumbs straight, that I do! Idiot. If you exclude me, there will only be disappointed humans in this town! ''Come on, Yashiro, Loretta. Let''s get a move on! Estella was getting ready to go out, completely ignoring everything that was going on noisily over here. You should be a little more interested in me. What are you in such a hurry to live? Maybe it''s that thing?Maybe it''s because you''re in such a hurry to get there that your tits are too flabby to keep up with the tits that are about to swell. This is the reason why the calm and relaxed Ginette, Bertina, and Imelda, who use others as chins before moving themselves, have big breasts, isn''t it? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. ...... They''re not fit to be scholars, that''s for sure. I''m not sure how to explain Delia''s large breasts, if that theory is correct.Delia is also moving around restlessly.'' ''You''re an idiot, Estella. It''s genetic.'' ''It''s not this, it''s that, it''s everything! ...... Unintentionally, he denied the hypothesis he had proposed. ''Hmm. I''m going to stay in my room for a while and formulate a new hypothesis.'' ''I''m going to church, you know!Don''t forget him! Oh, that''s right. Well, let''s get going. ...... It''s raining. ''...... I hope it stops.'' ''If your daily routine is good enough, the Spirit God may have mercy on you. ''The Spirit God''s daily activities aren''t very good, so if you offset them and look at the total, I''m probably a little better than you. ''Your thoughts are more like fearlessness than positivity, ...... really.'' He pushed the umbrella at me with a dumbfounded look. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that ...... this is yours. ''Are you forcing me to share an umbrella with you?'' ''Ha, ha!No, I''m not!It''s raining, so I''m just giving you my umbrella! ''No, I have my own umbrella. Ginette~'' ''Yes. Please be careful. She seemed to have gone to get it before I said anything, and immediately offered it to me. It''s better for me to carry it alone than for both of us to carry it. ''Also, please take this towel with you. If you get wet, you can wipe it off right away. He puts the bag with the towel on my shoulder. I''m sure there are towels in the church. ............ No, if it keeps raining like this, the kids will get wet and there might be a towel shortage. With towels and umbrellas in hand, we were escorted out of the sunlit pavilion by Jeannette and Magda. A few steps into the walk, the hems of my pants start to get heavy and cold. ...... at all. As if I remembered, it started pouring. If I keep walking to the church, my pants will be soaked by the time I get there. That''s what I was thinking. ...... It''s a good thing we''re not the only ones. ...... called out to me from behind. Regina was soaking wet all over. I''m not sure what''s wrong with you. I''m not sure what to say. When she looked down at her soaking wet feet, Hammaro was holding a small umbrella for children. He was holding it to protect Regina''s knees from the rain. ''What are you doing with it? ''I heard it''s for boys. ''Girls don''t have umbrellas at all! No matter how hard I try, I can''t get Regina under the umbrella with Hammaro''s height. Then you should take the umbrella. ''Couldn''t you have done something about it before you left? ''I''m not very good at telling ...... naturals off in a serious way. I''m good at throwing in the towel. ...... I see. Regina and Hammaro are incompatible. You can''t blame someone who has no ill will towards you, can you? ''Anyway, come under my umbrella. ''Yeah!I''ll share an umbrella with you! ''Not you, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? ''Hey, ......, I''m really cold, you know?I''m sorry if I hurt you. ''Oh, dear.I''ll scold you later, so put away that vial of weird liquid you''re holding in your hand!I''ll apologize instead! Regina warned in a serious tone. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... I never thought I''d have to use a towel before I got to the church. Ginette''s foresight. ......?I''m sure even Ginette didn''t expect to use it here. ''Oh, it''s good to have a size that fits you. I''m the perfect size for me. ...... Well, why don''t you go ahead and put it in? I''m going to push you out into the rain.I''ll push you out into the rain.'' ''Stop it!I don''t want to get any wetter than I already am. ...... Stop it!It''s cold!I''m sorry!I''m sorry! It''s a fountain of obscenity. A fountain of obscenity, your mouth is. Put him in an umbrella and let him wipe his hair without permission. I''ll just ...... let him wipe his hair. ''You guys ...... have kids, can''t you behave yourselves?'' ''Don''t tell me. It''s all my glasses.'' ''Who''s the wet shirt boyfriend? ''I didn''t say that! ''And you, you''re the wet shirt boyfriend! ''Estella-san, that''s the wrong comment!It''s true that your shirt is wet and it looks amazing, but!I''m sure you''re right. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It seems she''s becoming less shy and negative in front of certain people. ''Huh~...... that was helpful. Thanks for the towel.'' ''You''ll have to tell that to Jeannette. ''Well, I''ll talk to her about her tits next time I see her. ''If that''s the case, I''ll be there. ''Yashiro~. The canal is swollen like crazy, can you come in? The canal that runs along the fields of Mormat is in trouble again. It seems like a lie that there was a problem with the water here diminishing too much. Who would enter such a fast-flowing canal at ......? I''m not Omero. ''But ...... it''s a bit cold,......''. ''Um, I''m sorry. Regina-san. My brother got my clothes all wet. ......'' ''Well, if you take off your wet clothes, you''re done, so don''t worry about it. ''You can borrow a change of clothes at the church. Ginette said they have clothes for adults, too. ''I don''t mind if you''re naked, do I? ''I''ll take care of it! ''No, wait, Estella. I don''t like it when someone else twists my personal principles. ''Yashiro. There''s a reservoir there, I''ll push you down. Then I''ll spend the rest of my life naked, in church. ''It''s the start of a life worth living! Hammaro looks at the deep reservoir beside the canal and shouts with a bang. He was willing to get wet in the rain. ''What''s this, the starting point of a life worth living? I put the umbrella back in its proper position and brush the water drops off his wet face. She smiles tantalizingly and hugs my leg tightly. ''This is the place where you let me work for the first time...'' Oh, I remember that. The older siblings were made to work as sellers and stall builders before them, but the younger siblings didn''t get a job until last year, during the heavy rains, when there was flooding like this. ''Was it here? ''Yeah!I dug a hole with you! I''ve been doing so many jobs lately that I can''t keep track of everything I''ve done. I see. So this is the first. ''We talk about it every time we pass by here. We''re so lucky to have you.'' They talk about that with their younger siblings at ...... ''Let''s praise the lady who brought you here! ''Why are you looking at me from above?I''m trying to be respectful! ''We''re all talking about it! She threw down her umbrella, did a full-on banzai, and shouted loudly without reservation. ''I love you, Oniichan! She doesn''t even care about the raindrops falling on her. ''I love you! Ah, ......, yes, yes. ''Just don''t throw the umbrella. You''ll get wet.'' ''I''ll wipe it off and it''ll still get wet, it''s like an endless alley! ''Which one is it? ''I couldn''t think of any! ''You''re free ......''. I wipe Hammaro''s head with the towel Regina lent me. Then she hugs my legs again. I''m already soaking through my pants. For a different reason than I expected when I left the sunlit pavilion. He wipes Hammaro''s face briefly and hands the towel back to Regina again. ''What''s wrong with you, self~?Your face is loose? ''Shut up. I''m going to flush you down the canal and make you scream. I don''t even want to imagine what kind of Taro we''ll have. Erotaro, Shimotaro, or ............ Rotaro? ''You know, the first time I got an umbrella, it was on a rainy day like this. ''Of course not. I wouldn''t have an umbrella if it wasn''t a rainy day.'' ''So, I went to church like today. ''That''s because the only places you go to are the sunny pavilions and churches, isn''t it? ''That''s why I think of you every time I pass by here.About me...'' He slowly turns his face toward me, stares at me through his glasses, and says in a loud voice. ''You filthy pig!......?'' ''All right, you go home wet! ''No, no, no!You''re imitating a hamster!It''s for a scene that makes me swoon! What kind of person would get all choked up over a ''dirty pig''?I''m sure there''s a segment of the population that would be thrilled with ......, but!I''m not sure what to do. And you''re not very good at being told you like something, are you? This guy ...... even cares about that. Well, that''s true. I''m not very good at being liked or having people like me directly. But ...... ''It''s simply annoying to be cursed at, isn''t it? ''Oh no, that''s a blind spot. This kind of silly atmosphere is just right. It''s easy, really. Being with you. Regina, who was laughing like a man, had an unfamiliar expression on her face for a moment when she arrived at the church. I love this gentleman''s custom. --She muttered something like that. The moment our eyes met, Regina''s expression returned to her usual cool, I''m sure you''ve seen the last of the titty-stretching shirts. She joked with me. Oh, that''s right. I''ll have to keep that in mind. But the church was just around the corner, and Regina walked into it as if she was trying to escape my gaze. d*mn, she had a nice pair of tits. I folded up my umbrella, got a towel from the matron who greeted me,......, and while my cheeks twitched from the slight smell of fresh air, Loretta and Hammaro quickly went into the common room. Regina was taken by Bertina to the second floor to change her clothes. So it was just me and Estella left at the door. ''Yashiro. Shoulder. ''Hmm? ''You''re wet. She pats my shoulder with a towel she borrowed from the matron. ''You''re pretty wet. ''Well, if there are two of you, one of you will get wet. ''Hmm. ......'' Without looking at me, Estella carefully wipes my shirt. ''...... gentleman''s custom, right? After muttering something like that, ''Yes, that''s it! And with the last towel he raised, he slapped me on the shoulder with all his might. It''s a great way to get a good night''s sleep. ...... you. ''Come on. Let''s get out of here. Even if you don''t change your clothes, there''s less risk of catching a cold if you stay in a warm room.'' ''Hmm. It''s .......'' My right shoulder and my right leg, where Hammaro had hugged me, were soaking wet. ''You can''t catch a cold dressed up, can you? ''I''m not trying to be cool. ...... It''s just a process of elimination. I''m not trying to be a feminist or a gentleman. You can''t choose to keep ignoring Regina while you watch her shivering in the cold and wet. Then the only option left is to get wet yourself. It''s just better. It''s the same no matter who''s next to you. ''That''s the only thing that hasn''t changed about you. ''I haven''t changed a bit. I''m still the same. I love money. It''s your fault if you get cheated. I put my own interests first. ''Hmm, you''re right. You haven''t changed a bit, have you? He said with a hint of innuendo and quickly headed for the common room. ''It''s a relief, isn''t it? That''s what he said as he left. It''s a relief to know that I''m still the same self-serving scammer that I''ve always been. ...... He must have lost every last screw in his head, or he''s a very dominant person. You don''t want to be a role model for your kids. With that in mind, I too headed for the common room. 366-Additive-free Episode 21 Teresas unexpected talen... Regina is wearing a sister''s dress. ...... Looks like a cheap ''adult video''. ''What is it?I feel like my eyes are thinking very rude things. ''It looks good on you. You look like you work at night.'' ''I''m such a devil for wanting to stain the sisters'' immaculate clothes. ''Yashiro-san, Regina-san. Please repent. Bertina grabs me by the neck and tells me off from behind. Mm-hmm. It''s nice to have Regina around so I''m not the only one who gets unreasonably angry. There are times when just being around a companion is a relief, aren''t there? I''m not sure what to make of that. However,......, it''s not easy. I''m not sure what to make of it. If only she hadn''t opened her mouth. If only she didn''t know her true nature! ''It looks very good on you, Regina.'' ''No, no, Sister. Even if I complimented you, you''d only be able to show one breast. ''...... Regina-san?'' ''I''m sorry. So please don''t stare at me with those scary eyes. It seems that Bertina''s education applies to people not affiliated with this church. Regina, how about we keep her here for a few weeks? Wouldn''t that make them a little more decent? ............ Will the kids get infected? That''s no good. ''So, um... Miss Regina. It''s Teresa''s eyes. ......'' ''That won''t be a problem.'' Regina examined Teresa as soon as she was dressed. She tells us the results of the examination. ''She''s doing well. At this rate, you''ll be able to see in less than a week. Well, it''ll be vague at first, though.'' ''I see. I''m glad to hear that. ...... Bertina breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the results. She must be relieved when she sees signs of recovery like this. ''Shisutaa, oishiyasha~'' Teresa comes staggering along with her hands outstretched in front of her. The two girls follow her, not too close and not too far apart, so that she doesn''t fall. ''Miss Teresa. You''re doing a great job with the examination. ''Mmm!I''m going to fix my eyes. I want to see my sister''s face. I want to see my sister''s face. That thought may have increased Teresa''s resilience. ''In Loretta''s case, it''s ''I want to see my parents'' face''. ''Huh!I''m sorry, but I don''t want to ...... see my parents'' faces. You''re so stubborn. I wonder if girls in the forty-second district tend to avoid their parents. Is it unusual for Ginette to be so attached to Bertina? ''Hey you~, I came to say thank you~'' ''You don''t have to thank me. Regina bends her knees and gently touches Teresa''s head. She looks at the girl''s face with a big smile and says in a saintly voice. ''As long as you pay me with your body. ''Loretta, get that fallen sister out of there ASAP! ''No, no, no, no. You want to pick my cock?You little pincher! ''I''ll be d*mned if I''m going to have an accident! ''Could you three please be a little quieter? Bertina''s "hey" is scary as hell. Yeah. I think I got a little carried away. Let''s calm down. Well, it''s 80% Regina''s fault. ''And Teresa...'' ''Aye! ''Yes, sir.'' ''Yes! ''Nice try. But you''re doing better than before, so let''s keep practicing like that.'' ''Tai! I couldn''t say ''yes'' very well, and after a lot of hesitation, Teresa said something like that, and ...... all the people in the room turned to look at me. What is it?What?You think I''m around and that''s why I said that?Did I infect you with something? ''Teresa, one more thing. It''s "doctor. ''Oishiya-sama! ''Oisha-sama.'' ''Oi-sha-sha! I''m hopelessly lacking in tongue. ''...... on purpose?'' ''No, well, it''s more of a family environment. ......'' Bertina lets out a short gasp at Teresa''s inability to speak. When Barbara started working for Yaplock, there were times when she could not take care of Teresa. During this time, she is supposed to take care of Teresa at the church, so Bertina is trying to teach her some manners and language. Teresa can''t talk too well. There''s a reason ...... for that, or rather a cause. That reason is ...... ''Teresa!I''ve finished work for the day and I''m here to pick you up!'' ''Onesha! ''Nnnnngggghhhh!Teresa is so cute!'' It''s him! It''s because this idiot sister has repeatedly spoiled and neglected her children, which is far from education. Spoiling and neglecting is an abandonment of education under the mask of "tolerance", where bad habits that should be stopped or discouraged are tolerated for stupid reasons such as "but she''s a child" or "she''s happy", and as a result, it has a great negative influence on the development of the child''s mind. That''s not laissez-faire. It''s more like neglect. Neglect and spoiling are both bad things that hinder the growth of a child''s mind. ''Barbara. Teach Teresa some proper language. If you don''t practice it at home, not just here, it''ll stay that way forever.'' ''What the hell, hero!Do you have a problem with Aashi''s education policy? ...... This guy started calling me ''hero'' because of Yap Lock, didn''t he? Well, there''s no respect involved. ''Besides, Teresa doesn''t need to learn any words!She''s cute enough as she is. ...... No, she''s even cuter as she is! ...... I can''t help it. A simpleton like him will change his opinion easily if you whisper a little sweet talk to him. Oh, dear. ''Hey, Barbara. When Teresa can speak properly, she might say, ''I love you, big sister.Don''t you want to hear it?''I love you, big sister.'' ''Huh?............!............Oh, sis, I love you. ............ Gofoo! Yeah. I''m an idiot. He''s got his heart in the right place. You''re so naive, you know that? ''Onee-sha. ''What is it, Teresa?What do you want to say to Arshi?'' ''Aashi, onee-sha, daishichi, eh? ''Aashi, you''re ''daishouchi'' too! ''Loretta, blunt instrument! ''No, no!Even I thought that was a bit ''no, my sister is an idiot''!Please don''t do anything to lower your sister''s dignity in front of her! d*mn it, I can''t beat Barbara without a blunt weapon. I''ll just have to be patient. Loretta''s feeling sympathy for you because you''re her sister. ''After all, Teresa is fine the way she is!Aashi will forgive you! Aarushi forgives!" The idiot sister hugs her sister and gets excited all by herself. ...... What can I do? Throw her out in the rain? ''Miss Barbara.'' In a quiet voice, Bertina calls out to Barbara. She gently places a hand on her shoulder, and with a beautiful smile directs her words to Barbara. ''You, too, should learn to speak, shouldn''t you? ''............ No, no, Aashi, not ......'' ''Do you want to...?'' ''........................Yes.'' Bertina''s smile, it''s too beautiful to be scary. ...... The smile on her face is completely different from the smile she has when she''s eating good food. In a way, Bertina may be the strongest in the 42nd district. I''m sure that neither Delia nor Natalia will be able to defeat an angry Bertina. When it came to giving Teresa an education, Bertina complained that Barbara needed a basic education as well. The use of language. Moral education to feel and care for others. And things that are necessary for life, like math and cooking. But Barbara seems to be on the run. Yeah, yeah. I get it. Barbara''s definitely not the type to study hard. ''Education and knowledge will help you, Barbara. Estella, who''s been playing with the kids while Teresa''s being examined, wanders over to us. ''I''ll protect myself and Teresa with just one arm! ''Yeah, no. That''s not what I meant, Barbara. ......'' Barbara, who has completely misunderstood the meaning of saving herself, is not even in a position to discuss the value of knowledge yet. He needs to know what he needs to know to feel what he needs to feel. Or rather. Yap Lock is also responsible for the fact that Barbara''s language has not improved at all, even though she is now working. This is the result of indulgence in the name of tolerance, ''just do your best''. This is also a kind of indulgence and neglect. ''I think employers have an obligation to train their employees. ''I agree. I''ll talk to Jeannette next time, about that. Estella interrupts me, as if she wants me to train her. How can Jeannette be so harsh? You can''t be mad at her and still be ''pissed off''. It was only a rare event of miraculous probability that she got angry with Loretta and the others for their unreasonable diet. ''I''m in trouble, ......''. Bertina exhaled, wanting to educate Teresa. The environment is an important factor in education. If the home environment is like this,...... ''I don''t think Yap Lock''s home would be too harsh on a child. ''Yap Lock himself is very lenient with his children. His son, Tot, and daughter, Cheryl. The Yaplocks love their two children dearly. Because of the financial hardships they had to endure at one time, they now indulge them. The good news is that Tot himself is growing up to be a sensible and decent person, so he doesn''t fall into the trap of being spoiled, but grows up to be a decent and self-disciplined person. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. ...... Are there too many bad parents in this town? The sister of the employee you just met. And she''s blind, so her harshness is masked. I think we should treat each other more normally, but ...... it''s still too difficult for Totto, and it''s too much to expect. It''s a case where Yap Lock should have stepped in. He''s the one who''s letting her stay. Well, it''s useless to expect anything from an employer who makes Barbara leave work in the morning because he''s worried about Teresa. Even if it''s raining, there should be plenty of work to do. You should just work hard until nightfall. ...... That''s not an employment relationship, it''s a dependency relationship. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. In the pouring rain, I decided to do a little more errand. Since it''s raining, I''m sure he''s not busy. I''m sure she''ll come when I call her. --So I called Delia. ''Miss!It''s been a while! ''Oh, Barbara. I haven''t seen you since yesterday. How long has it been? And you still don''t remember Barbara''s name, Delia? ''What''s that unaccustomed feeling of saying "long time no see" ......'' ''I''m sure she thinks she''s trying her best to use difficult words,'' she said. Education is important. Vocabulary and education are also required to convey your fondness to the person you have fondness for, so vigor alone is not enough. ''Aneesha~!Gobutata~! ''Oh, Teresa. You don''t understand me? ''Hmm!...... Ah. Pai! Teresa has grown quite attached to Delia. Because of her sister''s influence. I mean, Delia. You remember Teresa''s name, don''t you? You love kids, don''t you? And the moment Teresa says ''Hi! Don''t look at me like ''Yashiro......'' the moment she says that, Delia. Bertina taught you to say ''yes'' and somehow you ended up like that. It''s not my fault. ''You''re so trusting, you know that? I''m sure everyone thinks it''s because of you. Regina smiles witchily. You''re a jerk. I don''t like it when you say that and I don''t like it when you look at me like you''re one of us. ''Hmm?...... Oh, it''s Regina!I didn''t recognize you because you''re white. Perhaps Regina didn''t have too much of a white image, but Delia recognized her now. It''s the complete opposite of her usual coloring. ''What do you think?Isn''t this innocent feeling a bit erotic? ''Haha, I don''t know what you''re talking about, but it looks good on you.'' Regina, you struck out. That kind of thing won''t work on Delia. She won''t even give you a tweak, an agreement, or a rebuttal. She''s not interested in what you''re wearing in the first place. ''So, what is it that you want me to do? ''Oh, actually. I''d like to persuade that monkey girl over there to study to fix her language, but she won''t listen to me. ''What is it, Borborg? You have to use your words properly, don''t you? ''That''s right. Words are only meaningful if they are conveyed to the other person. ''I''m also careful to use polite words. Right, Yashiro? ''What should I do, Estella? ''What are you talking about? I want to tell those two. ''I guess you can''t speak for others either.'' Well, it''s true that some of the people here have a bit of a language problem. ...... ''I don''t mind, Barbara, but you need to fix your language! ''Yashiro. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. You idiot. Honorific language is just a tool to express respect in a simple way. If you are respectful enough in your heart, your feelings will be conveyed to a certain extent even if your language is a bit bad. ''But, Barbara!Fix yours!'' ''Yashiro. The more you say, the more ...... you''ll get. The more you say, the more it stinks. d*mn it. ''Besides, Polypoly. It''s cooler to be smart than stupid, right?'' ''That''s true, .......'' Then Barbara should have said, ''Then at least learn the name,'' but she didn''t. ''Aashi, I''m not very good at studying,.......'' ''It helps if you can do the math. You can rely on that .......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You must be very happy that you were once relied upon for brains when you were a mobile seller. Since then, Delia has taken the intellectual route,......, in her own mind. ''Just the thought of ...... calculating is enough to make my head ............''. You can count what you can see and that''s it. There are many people who think that way. Barbara is probably of that type. ''For example. If there are five apples, and you eat three of them, how many are left? ''Aashi would never leave food! ''Yes. That''s a great attitude. ''Yes! ''...... Estella.'' ''...... Sorry, don''t dump on me.'' ''Yeah, yeah, I''m not, guys. Why are you even agreeing with Delia? Subtract it. ''I guess that''s it. I''m not sure what to do. ''Maybe it would be better to educate Teresa first and let her learn arithmetic. ''Are you suggesting that since Teresa is working hard, Barbara should also work hard? ''No.'' ...... ''Don''t you want to be matching your sister?'' I''m sure you can catch that sister idiot if you say. That''s Estella. I think that''s the best way to go. ''By the way, can you do arithmetic, Teresa? ''I''ve heard the ladies of the club talking about it! I don''t know if she''ll remember if she just listens. ''Well, if Teresa has four apples and she shares two with her sister, how many are left? ''Oh, I''m not going to eat two, so give them to my sister! ''Well, you''re a sweet girl, Teresa.'' ''Heh heh~'' Delia pats Teresa on the head. But it''s not!It''s not arithmetic, it''s morality. ''But you got the right answer ......, didn''t you? ''Well, he said he wouldn''t eat two of them. It''s the right answer, but we ended up with the wrong answer. I guess it proves that kindness is not necessary in theory. ''Well then, I have a question for you too. Estella goes in front of Teresa, bends down and asks the questions at the same level. ''Teresa has three apples and Barbara has three apples. How many apples do you have in total?'' Now that she has subtracted, she wants to check her addition. The answer is three plus three equals six. Can Teresa answer this question? ...... ''Let''s see, ...... Mr., Mrs., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr., Mr. ''......Se,correct answer''. Estella stopped moving. Now Teresa was sure to say ''3 x 2''. Can you multiply? ''Hey, Bertina. How many people in the church can do multiplication?'' ''Well, ...... a few of the older kids and a few of the ham kids, I guess. I''ve heard that they teach multiplication and such, but ...... have you learned it?''Just by listening? ''Just in case. You don''t have to be able to answer this one, but what about ......5 x 8?'' ''YONZU! This girl can do ninety-nine! ''Hey, you''re the oldest.'' I bring in the energetic little shit who''s been playing around in the common room. He''s always the first one to jump on me. His face twitches as he realizes what he''s about to do. ''What''s the 7x4? ''............ Can''t I use paper and pen? ''4??2? ''............ Fourteen! ''Stop guessing! I''m going to release the little shit who missed a terribly misguided guess. Yeah. Looks like Teresa can do math better than me. It''s ...... by heart, too, and since you can''t see it, there''s no other way but by heart. ''Well then, Teresa. Here''s the last problem. There are 10 hunters and 10 bonacons in total. The total number of legs is 28. How many hunters do we have?'' ''Yeah ......~............'' Teresa holds up her little head. ''You''re right, it''s impossible. ''Aashi, I got it! Hmm. You definitely don''t get it. ''Bonacon''s so violent, all the hunters are dead and there are none! ''Then it''s a riddle! If Magda or Medora were among the hunters, Bonacon would be the one who would be beaten, so the riddle wouldn''t even work. ''Well, it doesn''t matter if you don''t understand this, but if you know how to think, anyone can ......''. As I was about to explain the answer, I saw something wobbling in the corner of my eye. It was Teresa''s tiny fingertips, and with her closed eyes turned skyward, she was drawing something invisible in the empty space. She looked vaguely happy. And then-- ''Karudosha, Rokunin! --She guessed right. And it wasn''t a guess, but an answer based on a clear understanding. ''Teresa. ''...... did I miss something? ''You''re a genius! ''Wow! It''s quite a feat to be able to solve Tsurukame without being taught. And he''s 5 years old?If you were to measure his IQ, I''m sure it''d be tremendous. ''Yashiro. Are you sure you got it right? ''Ah. The hunter has two legs and the Bonacon has four, right?So, if you have 28 legs, then you have 12 legs for 6 people, 16 legs for 4 animals, and 28 legs for 12 and 16. ''...... How do I calculate this? ''There are many ways to do it, but the simple way is that if there are 10 hunters with two legs, there will be 20 legs, so 28-20=8, and the difference between the legs of Bonacon and the hunters is 2, so 8/2=4, and Bonacon is 4, so 10-4=6, and the hunters are 6. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''.................., I kind of get it''. I''m not a fan of this kind of thing. A five-year-old who figured it out on her own. I''ll generously call this little girl a genius. ''This is a bit of a difficult calculation that requires an understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but ...... is a big deal. ''Ehehe. I''ve been praised by Eeyou-sha~! Teresa cowered happily. I like to think, and I like it even more when I''m praised for it. Something like that. I miss it. In my hometown, we used to play ''JoOusama and the dominatrix pig. Of course, the dominant pig had four legs, and JoOusama had two legs and stomped her hard. ......'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. Now it''s my turn to be soothed by the sight of a happy little girl, so please don''t come in. Even if you''re smart, if you grow up like this, it''s going to ruin a lot of things. ...... Environment is important! ''That''s great, Teresa. She can do math better than my kids. Bertina admires Teresa''s hidden abilities. Because of her dubious language skills, I thought she was a disappointing girl, but in fact, she was an incredibly talented girl. That must have been surprising. ''I often play math with Sherryu! Playing math? What kind of boring game is that? I mean, are you playing that with Cheryl? ''Are you sure Cheryl can do math too? ''Well, I don''t know, but if it''s ...... a friendly competition, then it''s possible. ''I''d like to have Cheryl come visit the church. When Bertina heard the information about the successful young girl, she showed a happy face. It''s a moment when you can see the side of an educated mom. ''That''s great, Teresa. You don''t need to study any more, do you? The one who took Delia''s words in stride was her idiot sister Barbara, ...... ''That''s right!Teresa is a smart girl!She doesn''t need to study!That''s why Aashi doesn''t do it either!I''m with Teresa!'' ...... She''s using her sister to avoid her own studies. He''s ............ good. ''Right. Teresa can do the math, she''s cute, and she''s a nice girl who''s always positive and cheerful to talk to. ''That''s right, that''s right!You know what I''m talking about, hero! ''Maybe you don''t need to study. ''That''s right, that''s right! ''Well, I guess I can live anywhere without my sister''s protection. ''Yes, ............? Barbara glared at me with a face like a cursed Hannya mask carved with grudge. ''What did you just say, huh, hero?Hey. Scary! He''s scary! Her face isn''t that of a girl anymore. A demon. If it appeared in a picture book, it''d make a child cry. They say. She''ll be able to see soon and with her math skills she can get a job anywhere. She might even be given important jobs that you can''t get. And you''ll make a lot of money. ''Yes, Teresa is smart, but Aashi still has to protect her! ''There will be plenty of times in the future when you can''t protect them with force. Money, business negotiations, and so on. Are you going to blow up everyone who opposes you every time that happens?You won''t be able to stay in this town. In fact, you were caught in the 42nd district and were helpless to do anything about it. You couldn''t go back to your sister or be there for her. There is a limit to how much you can protect by force. ''One day, Teresa will have to protect you financially. ''Don''t be ridiculous!Aashi is my sister! ''But you can''t even speak respectfully. You don''t even know how to be polite, and the only people who would hire you for that are sycophants like Yap Rock, and there aren''t many places like that.When Teresa grows up and overtakes you, there''s no turning back. ''But still, ......, Aashi is my sister, ......! ''And an older sister who has abandoned growth without self-reflection will eventually become a fetter on her younger sister,............, won''t you be abandoned?'' ''Ouch!Shut up! Barbara throws a tantrum and grabs me. She was almost strangled ...... when Delia held Barbara''s arm. I''m glad Delia was there. I''m so glad! ''Yeah! Barbara didn''t catch me, but Teresa''s little hand squeezed my pants. ''Oh, I''ll always be with you, sweetheart!Bye, baby, yay! Oh, ......, you''re a good girl, you are. I can''t believe you can''t get rid of such a bad sister. ...... ''Oh, I see. Then Teresa''s going to have to take care of Barbara.'' ''Mmm!''Aashi, onee-sha, mama! ''Good for you, Blib Blib. They''ll protect you.'' ''No!I''ll protect Teresa!I''m not going to be protected, Miss! ''But you''re only going to be with Yap Lock for a year, right?What are you going to do after that? ''I''d like to stay with you, Miss! ''Hmmm ......, we don''t need any idiots ......''. Hahahaha, come on Delia. Is that a joke? You''re full of idiots, your guild. It''s not a joke.''Aashi, onee-sha, mama! ''Gyaa!I''m starting to think that''s going to happen for real!What should I do?I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''Is that how you ask for things? ''That''s the way it is! And the cursed Hannya peered at me from below. It''s like when a local youthful boy meets a youthful boy from another place on a school trip, ''Oh, what are you looking at? This is the perfect position for you to be in. ...... What''s that? I''m not sure if you''ll be able to do this, but I''m sure you can. ''Kyou, Kyouyo ....... Oh, oh, I''ll get you some.'' Well, that''s far from educated. ''Good luck being the sister who''s more powerful and intelligent than her sister. Wouldn''t you like to be told you''re awesome? ''I want to be told that!I like that!Say it again! You wouldn''t be happy if I said that. ...... ''Then ask Bertina-sensei to teach you some things. ''Oh!Sister, then one thing, please! ''Barbara-san: ......'' When she saw Barbara''s arm outstretched, Bertina smiled softly and shook the hand that was offered to her after I, Estella, Loretta and Regina had gingerly moved away. It was so strong. ''Aaaaaaahhhh!I''m not sure what to do. ''Barbara-san. ''Sister, please'', right? ''Sister, please!I''m sorry, I was wrong, get your hands off me! ''I''m sorry. I''ll be careful after this, so please let go of my hand. Please.'' ''That''s it!I''m serious, that''s it!So please! ''............. ''Ei''. ''PIGGYAAHHHHHHHHH! ''I''m sorry. I''ll be careful after this, so please take your hands off me. Please.'' ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''ll be careful from now on, please let go of my hand, I beg you! Bertina, strong. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. Sometimes a whip is necessary for education. As proof of this, Barbara became quiet. ''Oh,......, just tell me the math for now,......, please! Oops, Barbara learned quickly. That''s right. Don''t go against Bertina when she''s looking at you like that. It''s important knowledge to live by tomorrow. Well, knowledge is useful to have, isn''t it? ''Before we do the math, let''s fix your language. ''No, Aarushi, as long as you can do the math, that''s all. ......'' ''There''s an order to things, Mr. Barbara. ''No, I don''t care about order, Aarushi can do the math ......'' ''Ba-le-ba-ra-san.'' ''...... Yes. Start with the wording, please.'' What? This is the first time in my life that I''ve had to listen to air. It''s the first time in his life that he''s read the air, isn''t it? That''s Bertina. She disciplines him with a ''whip'' that you wouldn''t expect from her usual sweet ''candy'' personality. At first, she is subjugated by fear, but she is respected and adored because of her compassion and generosity. And even after the fear is gone, everyone obeys because the sisters say so. Bertina''s motherly nature contains not only her generosity but also her pungent severity. That''s how I feel. ''Mm-hmm. Seeing Barbara tense up and freeze, Bertina''s smile returned to its usual softness. Then, she said something funny. ''I can''t believe that Barbara-san, who had been running away from her studies so much, is now willing to ask for help. She''s very motivated. That''s Yashiro-san, isn''t it? Me? No, that would be you. ''You can change a person''s mind in just a few minutes. Depending on how you look at it, it''s a terrifying influence. ...... But it''s Mr. Yashiro. I''m counting on you. No, no, no, no. The reason for Barbara''s sudden change in attitude is the effect of Bertina''s control through "candy" and "whip". And Estella''s little nudge. ''If you like, Yashiro-san, you can come and observe the children''s study. ''No, I won''t. If I come to ......, I''ll be the one who gets the attention. ''If you''re aware of that, you should be a little more careful about what you say.'' As he says this, he presses his index finger on the bridge of my nose. Oh, man. You talk about people like they''re all tits. ''You know what? You''re all about boobs when you open your mouth.'' ''Yeah. It''s all tits.'' ''Yashiro. Why don''t you ask her to teach you a few things too?'' ''I can''t, Delia-san. Your brother''s temperament can''t be fixed with a little education.'''' ''Shut up, Regina, Estella, Delia, Loretta. ...... Also,Loretta. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not going to be able to study with a bunch of kids. If it''s health and physical education that the sisters are gently teaching, I''d be happy to come and learn from them. While thinking about this, I turned my gaze to ...... ''Yashiro-san. Please do your repentance. He said ...... with a smile as if he could see right through me. I''m sorry. I think I''ll stop peeking at you when I''m studying. I''m sure I''ll be the one who gets the attention. It was not until the next day that Barbara and Teresa began to participate in the church studies, and a few days later Teresa''s eyes began to see, albeit dimly. 367-Additive-free Episode 22 Learning, Teaching While Barbara was participating in the study session at the church, another study session was being held in the 42nd district. ''After a few times, the students are gradually changing. Norma, the instructor of the study group, said happily. After the study session in the morning, she came to the Sun-dari-tei for a cup of tea. ''I''ve been eating only my own food lately, so I wanted to try the manager''s cooking once in a while,'' she said. ''If you have room in your stomach, I can make something for you. Ginette said happily. It had stopped raining for the first time in a long time, and there were many customers today. People who had refrained from going out because of the rain are coming to eat at the restaurant for the first time in a long time. So, Ginette has been happily cooking all morning. Even so, she seems to be extraordinarily happy when her good friend Norma says such a thing, and she is clearly showing a joyful expression as if she is about to start dancing. ''I want to eat something greasy and unhealthy,'' she said. ''Is it a reaction to making only healthy food?Mm-hmm. I can understand that feeling a little bit. She shakes her shoulders like she''s enjoying something naughty. Norma, too, seems to be loosening up somewhat, her smile softer than usual. ''But wouldn''t it bother you if your students saw you?As an instructor at a weight-loss class. As Loretta said, Norma is currently teaching a healthy eating diet class in the 42nd district. Of course, this was at the request of Estella. The plan is to make some achievements in District 42 before the completion of "Lovely Yan Avenue" in District 41, and to use that as a base to export to District 41. The students of the weight-loss class are young women who have been forcibly dieting in District 42 and their wives who have been too busy with work to take time for fashion. The students are young women who have been dieting too much in Ward 42 and wives who have been too busy with work to take time to dress up. Currently, three classes are being held in the 42nd Ward: Delia''s "Shape-up Class for Great Proportions," Imelda''s "Make-up Class Taught by a Real Lady," and Norma''s "Healthy Eating Diet Class for Beautiful Weight Loss. In a little while, they will also try out Ukrines'' "Fashion Class to Wear a Higher Rank of Fashion", Estella''s "Lady''s Manners Class to Improve the Beauty of Your Heart", and Natalia''s "Self-Defense Class to Fight Off Molesters Beautifully". ...... We''re a busy bunch, so it''s hard to hold regular classes. The heavy rains of the past few days have had a positive effect, allowing Delia and Imelda to have time to teach. Norma''s occupation is not affected by the rain, but her colleagues (macho men with maiden''s hearts) have asked her to ''do something for the maidens of District 42!We''ll come too! We''ll be there! ''It''s all right. We don''t teach half-hearted cooking that can be ruined by one or two indiscretions. It is said that meals should be taken as a set of two days, and if for some reason you binge eat, you can reset the binge by eating the next day. ''My teaching is to eat happily,'' he said. You can''t have a healthy diet if you don''t stick to it. ''That''s right. I also think that the best way to eat is to have fun. Experienced foodies and food professionals don''t think eating is a sin, and they don''t want to make their eating partners feel guilty either. When you''re on a diet, it''s easy to think of eating as a sin. Unless you binge eat, eating is not a sin. If you have eaten, then you should move. That''s much better than not eating. Health-wise and beauty-wise. ''So, manager!I want you to bring me a chunk of meat that''s been smeared with oil and garlic. ''But I think there are limits to ...... what you can do, Norma. The health food class is just that, a class, and there are always beginners in the mix. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. This is the first obstacle that torments those who serve as instructors. Once you have made a salad for beginners, you want to move up to healthy meat and vegetable dishes, fashionable low-calorie dishes using fish, and calorie-free desserts that don''t make you feel guilty. I think I''m just making salads all the time. Norma''s eyes are hungry for meat. It''s full of calories, but it''s not full of calories. She could even eat the whole fatty meat. ''So, I''ll bring you some beefsteak with lots of garlic. ''And some bread, please. Norma is happy. I thought you said you came here to drink tea. ...... You treat beefsteak as tea? That''s a stronger idea than ''curry is a drink''. ''It''s only noon, but ...... Norma, I won''t be seeing any more men later today. Loretta pointed out, picking her nose. ''Don''t be rude, Loretta!It''s none of your business! ''...... Yes. Don''t worry about it. There''s no man Norma should be seeing anyway.'' ''Magda is even more rude than you are! Norma banged on the desk, having been certified as a stinky woman even though she hadn''t eaten yet. ''Don''t hit things. ''It''s my reward for all the hard work I''ve done these past few days. It''s not today! ''...... Magda doesn''t understand why you can''t reward yourself with something sweet as a ...... girl.'' ''It''s a shame, Norma. As a girl. I''m not a fan.My body craves meat. ''In an erotic way, yes! ''How did you get in here, you obscene pharmacist? Regina, who had somehow wandered into the sunlit pavilion, was standing behind Norma with a satisfied look on her face, as if to say ''I told you so''. She then takes a seat diagonally behind Norma''s table. ...... You should sit at the same table. It''s a pain in the ass. ''Oh, Normally, can I order?I''ll have one ''Okonomiyaki with an embarrassing story about my eldest daughter that I''ll never tell my younger siblings. ''I won''t serve it!I''ll take that story with me to my grave! When Loretta went back to the kitchen, Regina plopped down on the desk with a ''groan''. ''Hey, you heard that ......''. She wants to complain. Because she was seated diagonally backwards, Norma had to pull her chair back and turn her body backwards. ...... Ah, I got up and sat across from Regina. I''m sure she''ll be fine. You don''t say, ''Then you sit over here. ''The monkey''s sister, the intelligent little girl ......, is there an ''intelligent little girl''? ''Why did you rephrase that?You didn''t need ''hahaha''.'' ''I was speaking for my own mind. ''I didn''t speak for you, and I don''t need you to do anything else, just keep talking. Who''s going to huff and puff to an intelligent little girl? ............ Javier would, though. ''My eyes are getting better, I can recognize the silhouette of objects vaguely now. ''Huh. That Teresa girl, she can finally see?I''m glad to hear that. ''The manager has been treating you to nutritious food all morning and all night, hasn''t he? ''No, I''m just making what Mr. Yashiro asked me to make. If it''s thanks to you, it''s Mr. Yashiro. Ginette, who came back at the right time, smoothly joined the conversation and placed the beefsteak with lots of garlic in front of Norma. Next to her was a loaf of crispy bread. ''You''ve got so much ...... energy, Fox, how much hustle ...... you''re going to have tonight? ''Regina. I''ve got a loaf of bread in my hand that''s as hard as a blunt object, you know? Norma holds up her weapon and threatens to ''shut up''. That black bread is more in demand as a weapon than anything else, isn''t it? ''...... Regina, wait for me.'' ''What, did the tiger girl bake it for you? ''...... Flour is Magda''s sanctuary. However, Loretta will accompany you with the ''embarrassing story of the eldest daughter that you can never tell your younger siblings''.'' ''I said I won''t add it!You can''t change this decision! ''Well, well, Loretta. Here, I''ll give you a bite, so you can relax.'' ''Hey, can I?I''m sure you''ve got a lot of girl power, Norma. I''m sure you''ve got some girl power! The beefsteak is loaded with garlic. ''...... Now you''re taking Loretta with you. ''What?I''ve been conned!I''m supposed to be serving customers this afternoon, too! I''m a simpleton. ''Look, Yashiro. You''re going with me. Isn''t it a pity that Loretta is the only one who has to be embarrassed? ''Yes, that''s right!You''ll have to take my brother with you! With Loretta''s support, Norma presents the meat stuck in the fork with a triumphant look. The left hand under the fork is strangely s*xy. Norma''s ''ahhhh'' has an inexplicable s*xiness to it. I wonder what it is that gives it such a strange luster. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... You''ve never even had a boyfriend. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll agree. Hmm, erotic. I don''t care what garlic smells like. Then this is a reward with no downside. If she had been holding the fork in her cleavage instead of her right hand, it would have been perfect. ...... But no need to be extravagant!I''ll take it! I opened my mouth and tried to approach him. If the other person''s mouth smelled like garlic, you wouldn''t have to worry about it when you kissed him. Regina said this, and the beefsteak that had been offered to her disappeared in an instant. In Norma''s mouth. It was chewed quickly and vigorously, and then swallowed in a hurry. You''re a fool! ''You''re a schemer, fox. ......'' ''You should be able to smell garlic all over your face, not in your mouth! '' Norma barked with a bright red face, trying to rub a piece of garlic in Regina''s face. Ginette intervenes and does her best to quiet him down. ...... Where''s my ''uh-oh''?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one standing here with my mouth open. ''So, so. Regina-san seemed to be tired, did something happen to you?'''' ''Oh no!I forgot. It''s ............ depressing.'' Regina suddenly starts to feel depressed when she remembers. You''re acting, aren''t you? If not, she''s probably very emotionally unstable or ............ emotionally unstable, I''m sure. I''m sure you''ve been to church to see a little girl, right? ''I thought you were an intelligent little girl''. Don''t leave out the perverted part. ''So, after the examination, the sisters asked ......, "Can you teach the children about medicine?" ...... Ah, "Boy~n, can you teach the children about medicine?"'' ''Why did you rephrase that!Sisters don''t say or do such things! I wonder. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. He took the job. I''m sure that Regina, being shy as she is, is very uncomfortable being the center of attention. But it''s good to spread the knowledge of medicine, and I''m sure Regina wants to do that. I guess that''s why she took the job, even if she had to. ''That''s why I told her, "Next time, ask the boob demon god of the sunny pavilion. ''What kind of selfish thing are you saying to me? ''''Puru~n, next time ask the titty demon god of the sunny pavilion.'''' ''I can''t accept your request unless you make that ''purr~n'' in front of me! ''You''ll accept the job if you make a ''purr~n''. ......'' ''Big brother, I''m sorry ......'' ''......I can''t help it, it''s Yashiro.'' ''Oh, please ...... repent.'' Oh, well, you can say what you want. It''s definitely Regina''s fault. ''But it''s nice to learn something you didn''t know before, isn''t it? ''You love to learn new dishes, don''t you? ''Mm-hmm. I guess so. He muttered briefly and said this with a hint of embarrassment. ''I''d like to learn it too, you know. In a voice that could almost be heard as begging. I want to learn how to cook. ...... I''m sure there are not many people who can teach you how to cook. ''It''s not cooking,......, Yashiro. I also have interests other than cooking. Seriously? I thought you were a creature that was only interested in cooking and pretty things. ''I also enjoyed Millie''s dried flowers. Come to think of it, I remember that Millie taught me how to make dried flowers before. Along with potpourri. Since then, potpourri is always displayed in the bathroom of the sunny pavilion. ''If I could, I would like to learn how to sew from Ms. Ukrines, and I''m also a little bit interested in Natalia''s self-defense techniques. I think Ginette''s sewing skills are good enough to be accepted as a professional. ...... Oh, and don''t try self-defense. You''ll never be able to do it. You''ll never be able to use it properly because you''ll be saying, ''If I use self-defense, it might hurt my opponent more. ''And I''m also interested in ............ fashion,......, to a certain extent. ...... Why are you reporting this to me. I don''t think you''re not interested,......, but don''t look at me so much. I don''t know how to react to that. I guess. The manager with makeup is a little bit surprisingly beautiful. ''...... The gap between you and your normal self is very appealing.'' ''No, you''re exaggerating. I''m a ......, Yashiro-san? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... The make-up of Jeannette always makes me nervous. I''m sure you''ve heard of the ''Festival of Light'' that involved the church in building the streets, or the completion party for the 42nd district branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild,............ um, it''s definitely dangerous. ''You might want to learn some self-defense techniques to prevent the insolent from doing anything untoward. ''What''s with you, self. Do you really want to get hurt so badly?You''re still a dominatrix, aren''t you? Why are you assuming that I''m the one who''s going to get hit? And don''t put ''as usual'' in front of ''dominant''. ''Then, I will teach you the art of self-defense. Suddenly I heard Natalia''s voice from behind me and my heart skipped a beat. My heart skipped a beat. ...... Regina, you and you, don''t enter the store without a sign. ''Are you interested, Mr. Manager? Yes, I am. I''m not sure if I can do it. Natalia ignores the fact that she is probably here for something else and starts to teach Jeannette some self-defense techniques. There are other customers here, so don''t get rowdy. No, well... Don''t worry about the other guests, they''re just the Trubecks and the old lumberjacks. ''First, let me show you an example. Master Yashiro. I''m afraid I''m going to have to choose you based on your face, but would you mind playing the role of a pervert?'' ''There''s a lot more to be afraid of, isn''t there, in your case? Who''s the pervert face? I''ll go all out and grab her tits for real! ''Give me a hug or touch me somewhere furtively. It doesn''t matter where, sir. Well, I guess it''s your boobs. ''...... If you''re making assumptions like that, you''re going to get the wrong end of the stick. ''......Big brother. I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but you''re staring at my tits. ''......You''re glued to me. ''It''s true what they say, eyes are as good as mouths. ''I''m just following my instincts. ...... I''m pathetic. You idiot! He himself said it''s okay to touch him! If that''s the case, it''s biologically normal to target the part you want to touch the most! ''However, I''m not sure I want to touch Natalia''s breasts. ''No, no. I''m almost certain that I can''t touch them, so feel free to do so.'' ''It''s a matter of feeling. You can''t go around desperately trying to touch Natalia''s breasts, can you?So, Norma, can you take over for me? ''...... Yashiro made a gentlemanly remark: ......'' ''It''s been a long time since it''s rained, but it''s going to rain hard again, isn''t it? ''Magda-san and Loretta-san are both terrible. Yashiro-san is the one who does not do such a thing despite what he says. ''What the hell, me. You''re such a badass. I was going to get naked and rub the head waiter''s face while he was hiding his embarrassment. ''...... As expected, even Yashiro would not go that far. I''m not going to hide my face at all, so there''s no chance of that happening. ''Hide it, that''s for sure!As a girl! There was a lot of noise, and Norma stood up to accept my request. I sidestepped to make room for her. I take a big step backwards, next to ...... Natalia. I''m sure even Natalia won''t be able to stop you if I''m your opponent. I''m confident in my speed. ''No. I''m sure you''ll be fine, so please give it your all. Norma and Natalia face each other with a distance of about one meter. The guys from Trubek''s store quickly move the table to make room. Earlier, Norma had admitted that Natalia was stronger than she was. But at the same time, she had also said that this was not the case when there were rules that dictated the place, time, and timing of the start. Now, this is the situation where the power of Norma and Natalia will be in competition. If so, Natalia must focus all of her energy on Norma or she will fall behind. That is why there will be an opening. A blind spot. This position, diagonally behind you. Out of sight and close enough to you that she could grab you by the eagle eye! Seeing that Natalia''s nerves are completely focused on Norma, she suddenly kicks the floor with all her might and starts running. She takes a step forward at full speed and thrusts her right arm, which is focused on Natalia''s right breast. ''Tits, I got ''em! Just before his fingertips touched the bulge wrapped in the maid''s uniform, the world flipped. ''Like this. If you are attacked from behind, you can capture your opponent by bending his joints to your side and twisting his wrists up. Natalia''s voice could be heard from behind her. Before I knew it, my arm was taken, my joints were locked, I was spun around and caught in the back, and I was completely and utterly seized. ''...... Big brother, I was just ...... ''desperately trying to touch Natalia''s breasts.'' ''...... surprise attack. But it failed. Most embarrassing ending.'' ''Yashiro-san ......, please repent.'' I was seized and knocked down, with a reproachful look in my eyes. No, don''t look! Don''t expose the end of a man who was supposed to be a hero for touching tits to curious eyes! ''I will teach you the forty-eight self-defense techniques to protect your boobs, including the technique you just used. ''That ...... why do you have so many breasts? There are more normal ones .......'' ''What are you talking about? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.If you just focus on protecting them, you can prevent a lot of damage. ''............'' Ginette''s eyes glanced at me for a moment. ''............, please.'' I''ve been identified as a pervert! ''...... Who''s that, dude? ''What are you doing here, Natalia? The door opened and a familiar face and voice walked into the sunlit pavilion. Estella exhaled in disgust when she saw me being tightly jointed and Natalia happily seizing me. ''Are you learning a self-defense course? Estella, who seems to have figured everything out by looking at the situation, looks into my face and lifts the corner of her mouth in a grin. ''That''s great casting. You might be a genius at acting, Yashiro, to be able to be this much of a pervert. Shut up. I didn''t do anything. Not even makeup, not even acting. That''s right. I had to talk to the manager today. Natalia looked at Estella and finally remembered her original purpose. She lets go of my arm and hands Ginette a piece of paper with something on it. ...... I''m finally free. d*mn. My shoulder hurts. ''I''m glad you got to experience this. Estella says with a clear smile on her face. What experience? ''If you''re going to experience it, you might as well do it. ''No, no, no. It''s a valuable experience to know what you''ll be subjected to if you misbehave in this town. If it''s sunk in, you''d better control your insolence. Next time it won''t be an experience. You say that like it''s fun. There''s nothing fun about being arrested. ''Are you learning self-defense from Natalia? ''Yes, in one way or another. I''m still a nobleman.'' ''I see. Anticipating that she would be able to avoid me, I took a step forward and thrust my right arm out to Estella''s chest. It''s a reminder that if you''re amused by other people''s misfortune, it will come back to haunt you. You should be embarrassed to have your tits targeted. You can hold my arm and spit out a sarcastic remark like, ''Don''t you have the ability to learn? Or something like that. --The right arm I''d thrust out wouldn''t budge. Come on. If you don''t hurry, I''m gonna touch you for real. They say when people die, the world seems to move in slow motion. That''s exactly what''s happening right now, and I''m watching my right hand slowly approaching Estella''s left breast in a frame-by-frame motion. I couldn''t move my body, but my consciousness was strangely clear and I was thinking about various things. As I moved my gaze, I saw Estella''s eyes widen in surprise. Her arms have sprung up and are at the sides of her face. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... What''s up with the self-defense, dude? And notice. And then you realize: "This guy can''t stop my arm. And you know exactly what this slow-motion world means. Oh, I''m gonna die after this. Just a moment before my outstretched arm touches Estella''s chest, my arm is grabbed tightly. It was Norma''s hand that stopped my arm. The next moment the world regains its sound. Time begins to flow normally. ''What are you doing, Yashiro? When I looked again, I saw that my hand was close to Estella''s chest, almost at the threshold. ''What''s the danger? ''You''re the one in danger! No, no, no, no! ''What''s wrong with your self-defense technique, Estella? ''No, no, no, there''s no way I can handle that on such short notice! ''Idiot, you!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''Normally, I''d be more cautious!But I just want to relax in the sunlit pavilion and in my room!I''m relaxing! ''You need to be tense!If you had normal breasts, I''d be close enough to touch you for sure! ''I don''t need to be lectured by you!............ Who has less than normal tits? The accident did not happen because Estella was the flattest girl in All Bloom. But isn''t this a bit of an incident? If I really was a pervert, Estella''s tits would have been played with by a pervert. Big deal. ''Natalia is Natalia. You''d better teach her how to do that, beforehand! ''Of course, I have the basics of self-defense drilled into my body .......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''I see. I guess I can''t help it then. ......'' ''Hey, guys, don''t make me make a comment now!I''m going to get my hands all over you! Estella calms down a bit, and now she''s starting to get really embarrassed. Her face is bright red. ...... If you touch this, the knives will come flying, I promise. ''Norma, thank God. I didn''t expect Estella to abandon her self-defense techniques to protect her boobs and allocate her parameters to other things. ''I didn''t throw it away!That was just a little carelessness!Next time I''ll use my weapon properly! I wonder if ''properly'' is the right word for using a weapon. In Japan, you''re the criminal. ''Don''t be careless, Yashiro, even if you''re supposed to be stopped. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Norma scolded me lightly and I apologized honestly. I''m sure the usual ''please repent'' will come after this anyway. ''Yashiro-san: ......'' Here it comes. ''...... Please wear this.'' He gave me a poncho-like robe with some gorgeous embroidery on it. ''It''s a holy vestments to purge sins. ''That''s so much! This robe was given to me when I was caught smuggling bread without knowing it. I don''t think I''ve done anything that sinful. ...... I''m not sure I''ve done anything that sinful. You''re very angry. ''Don''t be so angry. It was an attempt.'' ''I am angry. Estella is a very dear friend of mine! ''You seem to be more angry than you are, Jeannette.'' ''Of course!She doesn''t care about me! ''What, you don''t care? ''Please repent! What, you''re no good after all. ''Oh my God!I''m angry!I won''t forgive you for a little thing! ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry. ''.................. If you''re that sorry...'' ''Manager, you''re too lenient! ''It''s definitely just talk, that''s all! ''...... The manager is a bit of a worrying natural.'' Norma, Loretta and Magda don''t approve of my remorse. I''m so sorry for what I''ve done!At least this much! ''Mr. Manager, how about this? He raised his hand and pointed to the paper he had given to Jeannette. ''How about we forgive your sins in exchange for your cooperation on the case? ''Oh, that''s right!Yashiro-san knows a good way to do that, so let''s ask him. ''No, I''m not asking you to do that, I''m forcing you to do it by flirting with atonement. ............ No, you can''t do that kind of bargaining with the manager, can you? It''s just too much to ask. It seems like he''s trying to force me into some kind of trouble. What are you trying to make me do? ''You know a good way to do it,'' you mean you want to rely on something I''ve done before--my technology? ''I think I told you before, but the Church has sent us another message. Natalia handed me a piece of paper she had brought with her. I skimmed through it and saw that it contained a story I had heard before. It''s a story I''ve heard before and kicked. It says, The church''s bread is not selling well these days, so if you can make better bread, offer your skills for free. If you can make better bread, please offer your skills for free." This is a joke. ...... You want me to do this?You want me to help you? ''Natalia says that bread sales have dropped drastically over the past year,'' he said. ''That''s because of a lack of corporate effort. The Church won''t compensate us for the loss of sales at the Sunken Pavilion. The reverse is also true. ''However, if the Church''s income is reduced, that means that the expenses used in various places will be reduced, so there will be many people who will be ...... troubled.'' ''The only people who will be in trouble are those in the church, right?It has nothing to do with me in the first place. ''No, sir. You can''t say that, Master Yashiro. Natalia interrupts the conversation with Jeannette. No, it''s more appropriate to say she''s cutting in. ''Most of the extreme drop in sales is in the outer districts - mainly the districts between 42 and 35. ''The outer wards didn''t eat much bread in the first place, did they?It''s expensive. It''s not only bad, it''s expensive. It''s the food that poor people avoid the most. Poor people buy what''s cheap and what they can stomach first. ''Still, if there is nothing else to eat, bread is bought. The fact that it is no longer being bought means that ......'' I''m sure you''ve got a replacement. Natalia nodded at Norma''s answer. Then she pointed at me. ''The tacos, okonomiyaki and pasta that Yashiro-sama brought in threatened the staple food that bread had dominated until now. ''...... Nowadays, more and more people consider rice as a staple food. ''It''s true that I don''t eat bread anymore. There are so many other delicious foods. ''The forty-second to thirty-fifth wards are the area where Yashiro and the others spread the taste of the sunny pavilion in a parade. ''Then it''s your own fault.'' ''Wait, wait, wait, wait!It''s not my fault! It''s not like I''m a bad listener or anything. If I don''t deny it properly, I might be held responsible for the accusation. ''Master Yashiro. I''d like to ask for your cooperation in exchange for Estella-sama''s tits! ''No, I didn''t touch them! ''A few centimeters from the ribs - you''ve violated the boob territory, haven''t you!That''s the territory where boobs are supposed to be! ''There were no tits in that territory where tits should be! ''It''s an unfortunate accident. ''Whose breasts are unfortunate?And Yashiro, shut up! Estella, who was alone and stunned by the fever, came back and joined the fight. Yea, troublesome. ''The church is also taking this situation very seriously. They''ve sent a letter to the lords of the outer districts. ''Then the lord should think of a solution. ''''If the Church''s income is reduced, the cost for places like the 24th District Church can be controlled, you know?What will you do if there are children you can''t protect?'''' ''No, I don''t care about that, do I? ''You also want to get rid of children like Teresa, don''t you? Why should I feel that way? ............ I don''t like kids, and Teresa was just a fluke... ......... ''You have the look of someone who is looking for a reason to do a good deed. ''What kind of face is that?This is the face I make when I''m thinking about my boob territory! ''Oh, I see. Well then, as your lord, I give you an order. Cooperate with me. ''No!I owe you a debt that needs to be repaid, but I don''t owe you anything that needs to be repaid. ''...... Then I command you as a victim of attempted molestation. Cooperate. ''............, that''s not fair, is it? What''s with the ''I''ll sue you'' look? Can you stop calling me a pervert?It''s too graphic. ''Yashiro-san ......''. I''m not sure if that''s a threat or not. ...... .................. Oh, my God. Why should I ...... be in this situation where I can''t even sell a favor ..................? I''m sorry. ''...... Oh, God. Yes, yes, I know. ......'' ''Hero! Just as I was about to bow my knee to the absurdity of the world and its arrogant power, Barbara came running into the sunlit pavilion. With a very serious expression. For a moment, I exchanged glances with Regina. I was wondering if something had happened to Teresa,....... But. ''Let me be cool in front of my sister!Please! .................. What are you talking about, you stupid sister? However, no one thought at the time that this problem Barbara brought up would later become the catalyst for solving the Church''s problems. Of course, neither did I. 368-Additive-free Episode 23 Palm Ross Switch [On] ''Teresa''s so smart! She started crying and bragging about her people, you monkey b*tc*. ''What''s the matter with you?Isn''t that something you should be proud of as a family member? ''That''s not it, my lord! Barbara still needs to be educated. Her language. She seems to be able to say ''please'' now, though. ''You''re right, Teresa is smart. She''s cute, she''s kind, she''s smart, she''s pretty, she''s really pretty! How many times do I have to say ''cute''? ''But you know what?As a sister, there are certain things you can''t compromise! ''I understand! Loretta bites. She''s always biting when I talk about my sister. ''It''s not that I want to put my siblings down or boast about them! ''Yes!That''s right! ''But I definitely can''t accept the idea of a sister who is inferior to her brother or sister! ''That''s right!You know what I''m talking about!What''s your name? ''Loretta!I''m the eldest! ''I see.From now on, we''re the Sisterhood! ''''Yes, sir! Looks like a strange duo has been born. A stupid sisterhood. If you try to look good like that, you''ll get embarrassed later. ''I''m proud of you, my sister, so I want you to keep developing your talent! ''That''s right. And I''m so happy when other people recognize and praise me! ''Ah!I hope Teresa''s good qualities spread more! ''Yes!I''m so happy to hear that my brother and sister are both active in new places. ......I''m so happy! ''But!But you know what?I want to be an even more amazing sister than that amazing sister! ''That''s right!I want to be a sister who is respected forever!That''s the common desire of all sisters! ''That''s right, isn''t it? ''That''s right! ''I think you''re right! And suddenly, one more voice appeared. At the entrance of the sunny pavilion, there was a beautiful girl in the form of a sister with wagging rabbit ears. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Ah, come to think of it, she was also a foolish sister who loved her sister, wasn''t she? I''m sure she''s a wonderful sister. She has skills that no one else can match, she''s intelligent, she''s personable, she''s cute, and ............ most of all, she''s adorable! ...... Yeah. You guys have the same idea. But I want to be an older sister that my younger sister can be proud of. That''s what I''ve always wanted to be. ''Oh!You''re like that too?Okay, then you''re one of us! ''We''ve got more members and we''re more powerful. ...... Yes, we''re the ''League of Amazing Sisters'' from today! ''The League of Amazing Sisters'' ...... is wonderful! Really? ...... ''So, Sophie. Why did you come to District 42?'' ''Ah, Yashiro-san. It''s been a while. No, I wanted to ask Bertina''s thoughts on the bread. So, I was on my way to the 42nd district church when I overheard the conversation here. This guy probably came to District 42 through New Road. So, he overheard our conversation and stopped by the Sunshine Pavilion. d*mn. He''s got good hearing for nothing. ...... ''So, Yashiro!What is the best way to make your sister respect you and love you even more? ''I don''t know, man! ''''Huh!Isn''t it possible that Yashiro-san will come up with something interesting again and lead you all to happiness? ''''What do you mean ''again''!When did I do that? This guy used to be the type of person who wouldn''t open up to anyone but the people he trusted. ...... Being around Bertina and Barbara, I''m guessing you''ve been infected with the "everyone is good" theory. ''What are you, a hero?Don''t you have a better idea?Aashi, didn''t I just ask you for something? ''If I could do everything you ask, I''d be able to touch your tits all I want right now! ''What the hell is that?It''s no fun to touch your tits! You idiot!It''s fun!It''s super fun! Don''t casually touch your own breasts with a ''look at that, it''s not funny at all'' look on your face!I''m so jealous! ''Hey, Loretta. Aashi, I found out when I tried it that my calculations are not even close to Teresa''s. I don''t think I can beat her no matter how hard I try.'' ''Well, your talent really comes out in your calculations. ...... To be honest, I''m not very good at it either, so I understand how you feel. ''In the first place, what is the ''san'' in ''san tasu ni''? ''Is that where you''re coming from?It''s a number, ''san''!I''m sure you know that much, don''t you? ''I don''t care about that! ''I think it''s a serious situation that doesn''t really matter! ''That''s not it!According to my calculations, I''m losing, so I think I need to show Teresa a victory that will make up for it! ''''I see!That''s a plus that more than makes up for the minus!I''ve been thinking about that too! ''Oh, I''ll think about it too!I''ve been thinking a lot about how to get Rebeka to say that I''m amazing! And then you''ll end up spinning out of control and piling up negative results on top of negative results, if that''s you. ...... Don''t be so vain. ''So. Teresa''s eyes will be better soon.'' ''What?Your sister, she''s blind?'' ''Yeah. Until a while ago. ''Why didn''t you take her to the 24th District Church? ''Aashi and Teresa decided to stay together forever! Oh. I don''t know. Somehow, they''ve formed an alliance somehow. And!When Teresa can see, I''ll be the first to show her how cool Aashi is. You''ll respect her when she''s the coolest sister you''ve seen in a long time, right?You''ll love her even more!You''ll say, ''Big sister, big brother! I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Sophie. You''re drooling. You should be more careful about your appearance. The next head of the malted rice factory. The current Sister of the Church. That''s why!To show Aashi how cool you are, hero!Let me hit him!'' ''Your ideas are just like unattractive junior high school boys, aren''t you? Why should I get beaten up by you for your sake? ''Um, Yashiro-san. What''s a ''chuugakusei''? ''''Hmm?Yeah, that. It''s the period in a man''s life when he''s most interested in boobs.'' ''Then you''ll always be a "chuugaku-sei". ''...... eternal ''chuugakusei''.'' ''Who''s Eternal Puberty? I''m growing up, too. I''m not going to say that I''m not interested in it, but I''m finding it interesting these days. ''It''s like being an adult when you can appreciate the bitterness of coffee and the goodness of bloomers, isn''t it? I''m not sure what ''Buruma'' is, but I''m sure it''s something that shouldn''t be compared to the bitterness of coffee! ''...... By the way, how would you describe that ''Buruma'' in one word? ''It''s a costume that would look great on Norma! ''I see. It''s a mature and erotic costume. ''Why wouldn''t it be?It could be a cute outfit! Ha-ha-ha, Norma. You should know exactly what your character is. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, and what you can do to make it happen. ...... ''It''s essentially exercise wear. It''s stretchy, it absorbs sweat, and above all, it''s easy to move in. It''s the kind of athletic wear that makes sense.'' It''s just that it was a little too much for the old man. It''s a great piece of clothing if you look at it from a healthy perspective. You can find a lot more information on this at ............, but it''s still great even if you look at it from an unhealthy perspective!I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m going to go ahead and talk about it from a healthy perspective for now. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''That''s not true!Don''t be so judgmental, hero! ''Then what else can you be proud of? ''Energy! ''And, since my brain is already devastated, I have to focus on moving my body. ''What the hell!It''s a good thing that you''re energetic, isn''t it? I''m not proud of your energy at all. ''When you move your body ......, it means that people can see that you are working hard. If you''re a gynet looking at the world with healthy eyes, that''s what you''re thinking, but it''s not quite right. What I''m thinking is ...... And. I don''t know why I have to do Barbara''s bidding. I was just about to give you a great idea. That''s the magic of the sunny side up. The air here can turn a villain into a good-natured softie. ''Get a job and make some money. That''s all. ''Hero!You were clearly about to say something when you stopped! d*mn it. You''re always so sharp here. ''I asked you to do this, so cooperate properly! ''That''s right, Yashiro-san!If you have an idea that will make Rebeka respect me and love me more and more, please don''t be afraid to propose it! ''''Big brother!Think of this as a way to make me look good, and start up an interesting project with a bang! What an insolent trio of sisters. As long as there''s no benefit to me, I won''t make any move or give you any advice. ''Well then, Yashiro. While asking for Loretta and the others'' favor, please take care of the bread too. Don''t ask so casually. What do you mean ''incidentally''? I don''t have the skill to sell it cheaply as an afterthought. ''I''m the one who asked for all this.I''ve come all the way to your place. ''There''s no benefit for me if you bow down to me. ''Advantages? ...... I guess so. I don''t want to talk like this in front of Jeannette, but ...... I think it would be a benefit to the 42nd district if I sold my debt to the church.'''' ''I''m just saying that I need the benefit. I''m the only one who wants to make money in secret and live off of it! ''You say something like ''......'', but in the end you act. I''m not going to let you get away with it. ''Oh, so that''s what you''re saying. All right, all right!I don''t know anything and I don''t think! Today''s the day I''ll be forced into trouble for no good reason. Maybe it''s a bad day. I think I''ll just go back to my room and take a nap. ''Then, I''ll give you one advantage. My heart was beginning to falter, but Natalia gave me an easy bait. ''You may ask Yashiro-sama to be your partner in Estella-sama''s self-defense practice. ''What''s the benefit of that? You''ll only get hurt after you''re forced to accompany Estella''s training. ''But ......'' She slinks closer, covers her mouth with the back of her hand, and whispers in my ear. ''......If you''re inexperienced, you might not be able to prevent it, and you might end up with ............ force majeure.'' ''............Hmm. ''No, you can''t, Yashiro-san! ''You can''t do that,'' said Jeannette, waving her arms in the air in protest. She''s worried about her friend''s safety. ''Then I''ll be ...... Jeannette''s practice partner.'' ''I''ll stab you?If you insult Jeannette, I''ll have no mercy, okay? ...... Finally, these guys. They talk like they''re protecting each other. ''Can''t you ask for something a little more wholesome in return, you?For example, money! ''Estella-san, that''s not a healthy quid pro quo! ''In the first place, you don''t seem to realize that it''s unhealthy to demand something in return, my lord. ''Estella, there''s always something missing somewhere, isn''t there? I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''......, but her breasts and natural beauty are far from the manager''s.'' ''Shut up, you guys!Especially the back two! As Estella squealed, Jeannette, who had suddenly been hit by a stray bullet, said to Magda as if to warn her. ''Um, Magda-san. I''m not a natural. ''Ho-ho!You can''t deny your breasts, can you, manager? ''No, that''s not true!I''m actually not that big of a deal, I''m just normal!It''s normal! I''m not a big fan of this kind of thing. It''s normal!'''' protests Ginette, jumping up and down in response to Regina''s teasing. ......, but you can''t be ''normal'' by swinging around so much. If that were the standard, all the women in the world would have fatigue fractures in their spines. But still, it''s shaking. ...... ''...... Manager. You should stop right there. Yashiro''s face will melt and never come back.'' ''Huh?...... Yikes!Oh, no!Ya, Yashiro!Please repent! ''It''s true ...... what a pathetic face you have, hero.'' ''What a shameful face you have ......, if only I had a blunt instrument here, I could have given you a good beating! I was just gazing at her swaying tits and I got a lot of flack. Loose facial muscles?Of course not. Milk contains a substance that softens flesh. Ahh... Isn''t there some dreamy land where you can stare at the swaying bulge and not be offended? No need to be extravagant. If such a day could be established, at least for one day, the world''s conflicts would be reduced by 30%. There is no such thing as a situation where beautiful women with big tits line up and jump around in a row. ...... .............................. .............................. .............................. .............................. .............................. You''ve got it! Wait a minute ...... this situation ............ this flow ...... ............Barbara, Estella, and Jeannette''s demands will be fulfilled, and ...... if we guide them well, Sophie''s demands can be met. ....... I''m sure you''re right. I''m sure you''ve heard from Paula and Nepheli that it''s not fair that only the west side has so many events. If that''s the case, then you should mix up all of these demands and get some sort of concessions from the ...... church in return for the information they provide. ......... ...Well, if they''re going to complain, it''s probably going to be about the bread concessions and the loss of revenue. If you can get money from the aristocracy, for example, you won''t have to collect money from the poorest people in the periphery. ............ Sugar!It''s a good idea to make a distinction between poor sugar and noble sugar,............, wait, wait, wait!I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this at ................... I''m sure you''ll be able to get away with it to some extent if you provide the legitimate products to the right places first. If you don''t want to do that, don''t give them the technology. If you don''t like it, I won''t give you the technology. ...... Hmm. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!Yes!This is going to make a pretty good story, isn''t it?No, it''s not. I''ll finish it, with my own hands! Ah!Everyone, look!Look at Mr. Yashiro''s face! ''...... Yeah. I''m looking at you, .......'' ''That''s a very happy face before starting something fun. ''No, ...... to me, it looks like the tongue licking of a corrupt merchant who has started counting his money. ......'' ''...... evil'' ''You''re smiling ......, huh?I just looked at you for a second!Goosebumps!Goosebumps all over! With Estella, a shopkeeper at the sunny pavilion, making a lot of noise. I don''t know, when people are trying to do good deeds with all the kindness they have left. ''Hey, guys. Let''s do something fun together! When I smiled at them, all of them except Ginette took three steps back at once. The Trubec workers and the lumberjacks were squeezing together against the wall. They''re so hot! I''m about to tell you a fun story. ''If Estella works very, very hard, I''ll provide the church with a way to make soft and delicious bread. ''Really? Ginette was the first to react. She was quicker than Estella, who had suggested the idea, and even quicker than Sophie, who was still involved in the Church. As expected of a restaurant manager who is more like a sister than a sister. ''So, what do you want me to do? ''For now, I need to gather sponsors and persuade the people in town. ''You''re planning to do something big again, aren''t you? ''Oh . Didn''t I tell you about this before? The weather is a little cooler than spring all year round, so it''s hard to get a sense of the season. ''Let''s have a ward residents'' field day. Let''s get the whole forty-two wards involved and compete in sports! ''Sports Day''...... Indeed, there was a time when we were talking about such a thing. Was that before the ''banquet'' we had in New Town? ''Ahh!I remember it too!I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it. ''...... I believe it''s a competition where the forty-two districts are divided into West, Central, and East and compete in physical strength. ''That sounds like a lot of fun!And if it''s successful, we''ll be able to eat delicious bread in the church?That sounds like a good thing. Ginette''s thoughts jumped up and down, but that was not the same thing. But, well, I suppose that''s the result. ''By the way, if things work out the way I want them to, you''ll get a new job and Rebecca will be happy. ''I''ll cooperate!I''ll do anything!I want details! ''Also, it''s a sporting event, so Barbara will be very successful and Teresa will respect you.'' ''Okay!Let''s do it!Field day!Lords!Now''s the time to take off your clothes! ''...... "Take off your clothes". I''m not taking my clothes off. ......'' And so, around me, Ginette, Sophie and Barbara''s eyes begin to sparkle. This way, Estella will find it hard to refuse. ''Sports day, huh. If that''s the case, it''s an event that we have nothing to do with. I''ll just stay home and relax ......''. ''There will be a lot of injuries, so you''ll be forced to participate, right? ''Why the hell not? ''Delia, Magda, and the ham kids are all going to be in one place to compete in sports, okay? ''Don''t do it, it''s such a crazy event. ......'' Well, dead is an exaggeration, but you will probably get hurt. After all, the people of the 42nd district are living now on the basis of guts and grit, as if they were in Japan during the period of rapid growth. They don''t think anything of falling down and getting hurt. ''...... Well, if anyone is going to get hurt, we can''t just not participate, can we? I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. .................. white coat bloomers ......... I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s a good idea. I''m sorry to say that you''re thinking about something ridiculous, but can you give me some details? ''Don''t presume to know what people are thinking. I was just thinking about something erotic.'' ''That''s why I''m saying you''re a jerk. Come on, content. Estella''s face showed the hassle of running around trying to get sponsors, but she was curious about the new experiment. I''ve already explained the contents lightly before, so I''ll keep my explanation here light. We haven''t decided on the specific contents or team division yet. We''ll get to that later. For now, the teams will be divided into three or four teams and compete, and points will be added according to their rankings, and the team with the most points will be the winner. The team with the most points wins. ''Mwah!That sounds interesting!If that''s the case, I''ll start training now and win, win, win! Loretta''s fighting spirit was plain to see. ''Heh!Watch this, Teresa. I''ll show you how cool Aashi is! Barbara waved her wild fighting spirit. ''...... Magda, Iz, Victory.'' Magda was quietly looking at Victory. ''''You mean ''sponsors'', so the winning team will have something to offer? That''s Natalia. She has good instincts. The more extravagant the prizes, the more exciting the tournament will be. But most of all, I want the ...... championship flag! A long, narrow ribbon with the words ''First Prize'' written on it, to be passed down from generation to generation. In this way, honor and pride will be engraved on the flag. This is what athletic meets are all about, fighting for it. ''As well as the products, I would like to make a set of sportswear to create a sense of unity. We''ll also need a few tools for the competition. ''Equipment?What kind of sports are you going to play? ''Well, ...... relays are a must, as well as steeplechase, scavenger hunt, ball rolling, tripod, tug of war, pole vaulting, and horseracing. ...... Well, I''d never participate in a stick-fight, but... What''s the reason?There''s no way a human can compete with a beastman. ''You look like you''re having a lot of fun ......! ''Yeah, I guess so. The ''obstacle race'' is especially interesting. ''I''m interested in the "ball rolling". Ginette and Norma are blushing with excitement out of pure curiosity. Next to them, a pervert with a purely evil heart blushes: ...... You should try to take all the medicines you have.It''s a miracle that any of these medicines work for that disease.The chances of that happening are slim to none, though. ''''I''ll explain each of the competitions later, but why don''t you try ......,field day? ''''I want to do it! ''''......Of course, Magda will participate.'''' The members of the sunlit pavilion seemed to be on board. And Estella and Natalia-- ''''Then, can you set up a meeting with the guild leaders of each guild? ''Yes. I''ll also select a site for the meeting. --They had already begun to move. ''Norma. ''What is it? This one, too, was beginning to be swayed by the prospect of a fun event. Norma loves to have fun, you know. Especially events that involve everyone. She doesn''t even try to hide her excitement. ...... Well, I''m still the quiet one, but still. ''.................. Another very heavy load,......''. But there''s only Norma. The only one who can keep Delia in check. There are other people who might be dangerous, but ...... Norma should be able to handle them. ''Hero!What do you want me to do, Aashi? ''First, you need to learn sportsmanship. ''First, you need to learn some sportsmanship.'' This guy could ruin the game by ignoring the rules. In the ball game, he could attack the person holding the basket or destroy the basket. ...... It would be too dangerous to be on the same team as Delia on the west team. ............ You''ll have to think a little bit about teaming up. ''Yashiro-san. I''m not sure what the connection is between holding a field day and soft bread? Sophie had nothing to do with the field day in District 42. The only thing he cares about is the soft bread the church wants and the information that will make Rebeka happy. ''I need you to make something for Rebekah. ''Is it a new type of malted rice? ''Yes. ...... Well, it''s not too far off the mark. It''s not koji that I want Riveka to make, it''s ...... It''s not the koji that I want Rebecca to make, but the baker''s yeast that will make the bread fluffy. In the past, when I made bread at the sunny pavilion, I couldn''t find any yeast, so I used homemade natural yeast to ferment the seeds. ...... But this time, I have Rebeca! I''m sure he can make any kind of yeast he wants! If the prototype is successful, the Church will order it regularly, and profits will naturally increase. And once the baker''s yeast is perfected, there''s something I''d like to try making at the Sun Goddess Pavilion. ''People all over town will realize the greatness of Rebekah''s yeast. And I''m sure they''ll respect my sister for helping to solve the church''s problems. ''Yes!I''m sure she will!If she''s as honest and nice as Rebekah, I''m sure she will! Sophie, breathing hard, is as eager as Columbus. Well, with this much enthusiasm, the event will turn out well. ''Well, then, each of you - ''Don''t stir things up too much'', please tell the relevant authorities! Yes, ''don''t stir things up too much''. I clearly warned him that. ...... The afternoon of that day, the 42nd district began to show a strange excitement towards the field day. It''s ...... wrapped in a tremendous enthusiasm that makes the killing look so cute. 369-Additive-free Episode 24 KJI in NTA ''The first meeting of the ward''s Sports Day Executive Committee is now in session. Natalia, the chairwoman, announced to those gathered in the hall. The venue is a multi-purpose hall near the Lumberjack Guild. ...... is a place where people gather when they want to do something. I guess it would be cooler to call it the NTA. ''First of all, Ms. Estella, the chairperson of the organizing committee, will give us an opening speech. ''Well, well, we''re all here, so let''s not get too formal. Estella stood up, looked around at the familiar faces, and said with a broken expression. The people here are all familiar to me. There''s me and Estella, Umaro, Imelda and Norma for set up. Uclines for the costumes. Nepheli as the producer''s representative. Paula, who is in the restaurant business, as the representative of the business owner. Usset and Assunto from the Grand Guild of the Forty-second District. And Bertina from the church. These members are sitting around a table in a small room. This is the current group, but there will be replacements soon. For the time being, I''m letting Nephrite and Paula, who started it all, bite the bullet so that they won''t complain. ''It''s always the same members! I guess. Or rather, I selected these members because the main topic now would be about the setup. As soon as Umaro and the others start preparing for the set-up, we will have different members to discuss about the competition. Well, the community sports festival itself is not an event that can generate profit by itself, so we should focus on having fun. As in the case of the "Banquet", we should involve various people, let them get involved, and make it happen together. If you want to make it a regular event from next year onwards, make sure it runs without me. It''s too much trouble to be a member of the organizing committee every year, isn''t it ......? Ideally, I''d like to be on the committee only at the beginning and leave the rest to the others. I hope that the field day will be held in a fun atmosphere and lead to the development of the 42nd district. I don''t want the confrontation to become acrimonious or leave a bad taste in the mouth. So, uh, Yashiro. It might be dangerous, so you''d better cover your ears--I want to compete with you in a ''fair and square'' and serious sport. ''Oooh, sezee-doo-doo, it''s painful! ''You don''t have to ride ......, Yashiro.'' ''I don''t have time for this either, so don''t bother me with it, Yashiro. I''m not sure what to make of that. No, it''s because Estella said some nonsense to me. I have to respond properly to her pretense. After that, a few common phrases such as ''no accidents'' and ''everyone work together'' were said, and the opening speeches ended. The opening remarks were concluded with a few common phrases such as ''don''t be lax'' and ''work together''. If the management is lax, it may lead to unpredictable accidents and scandals. In the event that you''ve got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at ....... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. There''s no benefit in fighting with the hunting guild. ''So, you''re saying that this ward sports event is a purely sporting event. ''No, Assunto. It''s not that big of a deal. It''s just an event where anyone can play, and I''d rather expect rare plays than good ones. The purpose of the event is not to have specialists compete in skills like the Olympics or the World Cup, but to have fun with friends from the neighborhood. The purpose of the event is not to have specialists compete in skills like the Olympics or the World Cup, but to have fun with friends in the neighborhood. That''s about right. Let''s hope that Assunto will fall down and get a leg cramp. Nevertheless, ...... ''I''ll show you the power of ''Central''! ''You''re so naive, Paula!This time it''s the East''s turn to be in the spotlight! ...... I don''t know why they''re getting so heated, these guys. I''m not sure what to do. I can''t wait to see the paper pattern. I''ve been looking forward to it for a long time. Some of them are going at their own pace, regardless of the excitement around them. Ukrines seems to want to make new clothes anyway. He doesn''t care so much about what the field day will be like. I might as well just give him the pattern and let him get on with it. ''Here, then. I''ll give it to him first. I''ve written down the fabric specifications, measurements, and so on. I''ll take a look. Wow, I''m looking forward to it~'' When she received the material for the gymnastic uniform, Ukrines deployed an aura of ''please don''t talk to me for a while'' around her as if it were a barrier, and began to read it carefully. Perhaps inspired by Ukrines, Umaro called out to Nephrite and the others, who were making a fuss. ''I want to hear about the setup. There''s also the construction of the lovely Yann Avenue, so we need to make a schedule and get started. ......'' ''We''re not going to build anything that big this time. It''s just an entrance gate and a scoring panel at most. Then we''ll get some lime from Regina''s place and draw a white line on the ground. I''ve made a couple of tents for administration and a first aid room, just in case, but that''s about it. ''The rest is mainly props, so let the hams and Torbek''s underlings do that. Like Gooziya. ''Well, Yashiro-san, ...... Goozuya is about to be a mid-level player. ......'' What are you talking about? You were just an apprentice when you ran away from the restaurant. ''We don''t have a seniority system, but rather a merit system. If you work hard and polish your skills, you won''t need much time to get ahead. ''So, in ten years'' time, the board of directors will be dominated by hamsters. ''............ I''m giving strict instructions to the others to prevent that from happening. ...... I can see a future where that''s likely to happen. The young master carpenter, Umaro, has won the trust of the carpenters with his skill alone. Together with his personality, he is highly popular. ''You''re a terminal patient of the "I''m a real angel" syndrome. ''I don''t want you to swear without warning!Also, it''s not a disease, it''s a more pure feeling - yes, a pure heart! ''Anyway, you should focus on ''Aoiyan Avenue''. It''s not that big of a deal here. ''............ It''s kind of lonely, isn''t it? How much do you want to mingle? I think we should give priority to ''Aoi-yan Avenue'' no matter what we think. It''s a big project to change a section of the city. It''s a huge project that can''t be compared to a field day where the old men of the city run and fall. ''The name and the person in charge may make you think that it''s okay to just go with it, but in terms of content, it''s a very important job! ''No matter the name, ...... I don''t take it lightly just because it''s Ricardo-sama. What? You''re Ricardo! Umaro, you''re so serious~. ''Hey, Estella. Yashiro is saying that, but don''t you want to set up a big venue like you did for the gluttony contest? ''No, we really can''t afford that much. Estella''s face twisted at Paula''s innocent question. It''s as if she just said, ''You should spend more money. You may not mean to do that, but... ''I want to make it an event that all the people in the territory can make together. It''s cheaper that way. In the first place, a field day is a handmade event. It would be nice to have the younger and younger children draw pictures. At the elementary school I attended, students drew posters for the field day during arts and crafts class and posted them all over the town. The best ones were sent to the town office. The other works were posted on the walls and bulletin boards of local households. Every year, when we were running a factory, we were asked to put up some posters. I remember the master and the landlady were happy to do it. They loved children. So I put up my poster on ...... in the most prominent place. To be honest, I was embarrassed every time. They''d take family photos in front of it, you know. Put me in the middle! ...... Yeah. Yeah. Let''s not do the poster. Old wounds ache. Hey. If we''re going to make it with all the people, why don''t we ask the town''s children to draw posters for the field day? ''Oh, that''s a good idea!You''re the best, Nephrite! ''Heh...'' Nephrite brought up such a suggestion at a time when it seemed as if he could read my mind, and Paula agreed as if she wanted to push me over the edge. Look, Bertina''s starting to look happy. d*mn it. Nephrite''s spirit is from the 80s, so he''s probably sensitive to those old customs. I''m sure Nephrite would know ''kenpa'' even if I didn''t teach him. ''Yashiro. Cantartica will help you too, so if the kids draw posters, put them up in the sunny pavilion too! ''Tell that to Ginette. I''m sure she''ll put up so many posters that the walls will be covered with them. ''But if the children don''t know what a field day is, they''ll have a hard time deciding what to draw. ''Don''t worry about that. We are going to try out some of the games. We''ll ask the kids to help us out. ''We don''t know the details yet either,'' Estella said, laughing and looking at me. I''m not sure if this is the kind of thing the lord would want to throw around, but since I''m the one who brought it up, I''ll make sure to explain it clearly. I''m planning to hold a demonstration soon to let the people know what kind of competition we''ll be having and what it''s all about. I don''t think it''s possible to have an unknown competition on the spot. ''I''m excited! ''I''m excited! ''So, let''s talk about the ...... setup .......'' Next to the squealing Paula and Nepheli, Umaro is getting nervous. Imelda and Norma also seem more interested in the set-up than the competition. ''If there was a beauty contest, I''d be the winner! ''No, don''t worry. There is no such thing. ''I''ll beat you to death in the competition, Estella. With beauty! ''That''s why I said no.'' ...... Is Imelda also interested in competition? ...... No, what she''s interested in is ''how to make herself look good''. ''Props are what you use for the competition, right? Norma says. I don''t plan to build a large scale one that can be reinforced with hardware. So why did I call Norma? ...... ''Hey!Have you decided what to do for the field day?I can''t wait to practice! ''Don''t show up when you''re not invited, Delia! ''What is it, Norma?You can''t hide things from me! ''If you interfere when nothing''s decided, nothing will be decided!I''ll wait quietly until the competition is decided! ''But, Norma!I know how you feel, Delia!I can''t wait to practice, too! ''Yes, Norma!As a representative of the poultry farm, I''m playing for this field day too! Then let''s get this over with and get out of the way! ......, and in this way, they are useful in restraining the people who interfere with the progress. In addition to these people, hamsters and kids also come to peek. The all-round Norma is indispensable for children, girls, and old men. So, while the girls are arguing over there, I show Umaro my plan for setting up the venue. It''s just a simple plan I drew on the spur of the moment, but I don''t think we''ll have to make any major changes from here. Umaro peers at the drawing. --Imelda''s peeking in from behind, and Bertina''s coming up to her. She''s interested. You can look all you want. ''Entrance and exit gates? ...... Wouldn''t it be interesting to pay homage to the city gates of the forty-two districts? ''You can do whatever you want with that. Just don''t get so hung up on it that you neglect your other work. ''All right!I''ll work all night on it! ''I told you not to put so much into it! ''So, where are you going to build the stage for ''Imelda-sama on stage''? ''There is no such program! ''Um, Yashiro-san. The cafeteria is at .......'' ''No!You''ll have to eat your lunch with the kids from the church!'''' '' ''Eat the kids with your lunch''! ''Backwards!What, are you hungry, Bertina? d*mn it ......, even if you narrow down the number of people, you''re still going off the rails and can''t get your story straight. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ''Looks like it .......'' I''m sure you''ve heard of it.What is it like? They''re just too interested and restless. It might be better to show them the substance of the event, even if only vaguely, so that they can take it seriously. ''Then, let''s have a pre-tournament right away. Estella, when do you think you can do it?'' ''I''m not busy right now!Why don''t we do it now? ''I''m free too! ''I''m free too! ''That''s why you''re so impatient!Let''s find out what we''re doing first! I asked Estella for a possible date, but she gave me another one. We''ll have to do it soon, that''s for sure. Natalia quietly stepped forward in front of the noisy group. ''You''re right, Norma, everyone. It would be wise to wait until you know the details of the competition before announcing your participation. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you get started. ''............ Yashiro, you''. ''......Yashiro, you are a ......'' ''Oh my god, Yashiro is ...... so naughty.'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don''t accuse me of something I have no right to do. Delia, Paula, and Nephrite quieted down. That''s Natalia!You know how to block an opponent''s movement!You should incorporate it into your self-defense routine.Shoot! ''Well then, Yashiro. I''ll have Natalia gather everything you need for the competition.I''ll have Natalia gather everything you need for the competition.'' ''Oh. I''ll leave what needs to be made to Norma. Can you take the hamster to Goozja''s?There are some things that need sewing. ''I''ll leave that to you. Babysitting and sewing. Besides, Goozha and the other carpenters will be motivated by the presence of a beautiful woman with big tits. ''You guys can help me sew, too. ''''''What?'''''' Delia, Paula, and Nephrite froze at Norma''s request. They''re not all very good with their hands. ...... Nephrite is clumsy despite his appearance. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ''Oh, I''ve got to train for the field day! ''Oh, me too! ''Then, me too! ''Don''t you guys want to have a ...... field day as soon as possible?Then let''s help organize it. ''I''m willing to help if I can! ''Yes, anything I can do! ''The right people in the right places! ''............ I don''t expect anything else from you guys. ......'' With a heavy sigh, Norma takes out her cigarette. I''m not going to stop you because smoking is allowed here. There''s probably some smoke in there that you want to get out. Let it out, let it out. ''What are we supposed to do? ''We''re not expecting any rough stuff that would require the help of hunters, so we''re going to need the help of the management. As if he had nothing else to do, Use began to fidget. In fact, the hunting guild would have no place to play. The Hunting Guild is a large guild with influence over the entire district, so they were brought in to avoid trouble. They may be okay with it, but I don''t want to see them get into any petty trouble. Then there is the sponsorship. I''m going to ask the peddlers'' guild and the hunters'' guild to help with the operating costs. ...... At any rate, I''d like to ask for enough meat to quench Bertina''s stomach after her workout. Seriously. Seriously. No, seriously. While I was doing this, I was running my pen over a piece of paper. ''Here you go. I''ve written down a rough idea. ''You''re fast. Which is .......'' Estella looks over the list of competition ideas I''ve compiled. As we talked about briefly at the Sunlit Pavilion, the list has simple rules next to the name of the competition. Looking at it, the corners of Estella''s mouth loosened, wondering what was so interesting. ''So many of them compete for speed under circumstances that put them at a disadvantage. ''At a disadvantage? ''You know, like when two people''s legs are tied together and there are obstacles in the course. Tripods and steeplechase. It is true that, compared to a normal running race, it is a competition that makes you do things that interfere with your running. I''ve never seen it from that point of view, but it might be true that they make you compete under disadvantageous circumstances. ''This cavalry battle is also a four-man team, even though it is easier to move if you fight alone. Tug-of-war is the most obvious of these. The scavenger hunt, on the other hand, I don''t understand at all. What''s this all about? In the description of the scavenger hunt, I wrote, "Pick up the order book in the middle of the course, borrow the indicated item, and finish. I thought I had written it concisely and clearly, but Estella didn''t seem to get it. ''Anyway, let''s give it a try. How about ...... the day after tomorrow to give us some time to prepare?'' I don''t intend to take that long to prepare for the field day. I''m planning to hold it within ten days at the latest. ...... because the whole city is getting restless and fidgety. It''s time to get this over with and get back to normal. ...... Are all the people in the territory in elementary school? They get excited just before an event. ''Okay!I''ll see you tomorrow! ''Did you hear what I said, Delia?It''s the day after tomorrow! ''If Norma hurries up the preparations, we can make it by tomorrow, right? ''Then you''ll have to help! ''Okay!I''ll help with the sunny side up, so Yashiro, help Norma! ''Oh my. You''ve got the right people in the right places. Bertina is watching Delia''s reckless behavior with a smile. Don''t you think you''re being a little soft on Delia, Bertina?Is it because she takes good care of the kid?She doesn''t pay much attention to her language or anything like that, does she, Delia? When I asked her that question briefly-- You can''t feel any malice in Delia''s words. I think the most important thing about honorifics is that they show respect for the other person.'' --That''s right. Well, I don''t get warned anymore either. The mind is important. Attitude and preparedness are useful because you can say anything you want for free. And Barbara, who has been getting the most attention lately, is ...... well, I guess she doesn''t have any respect for others. The only thing he''s thinking about is how to push his opinion. It will take time to educate him. ''By the way, Norma. How long do you think it would take the guys at the hardware guild to make a structure like this--a line drawing?'' I draw the structure of a lime white line on a piece of paper and show it to Norma. Immediately, Norma''s eyes sparkled. ''I could finish this all night if I really wanted to! ''Not you, if the others make it! ''I wouldn''t leave it to the others!I''ll take care of this ......! ''You''re going to make props with me now! ''That''s ''kozukuri'' for short! ''Hey, someone!You''re going to make props with me now! What''s up with his sense of eroticism? It''s like a superpower. ''If I do it, I can do it in the morning, but if I leave it to the ...... guys, it''ll take until tomorrow night. I can do it in the morning if I do it myself! ''Then ask the men to do it. The pre-tournament is nothing to draw lime over. Just draw a line on the ground with a branch or a stone. ''Well, Assunto. Can you get me a long rope and a U-shaped iron stake?And a tape measure if you have one.'' ''Yes, sir. ''I''ve got a good tape measure. ''Then lend it to me. ''Mr. Umaro. I don''t want you to interfere with my business. ''No, Assunto. I''m trying to keep the budget as low as possible. Please help me.'' Behind the disgruntled Assunto, Estella pouts in frustration. You''re right, I don''t use a tape measure that often. I''ll call Umaro if I need to. ''Well then, let''s get ready. In the end, the meeting was dismissed without much discussion. However, Estella, Natalia, Norma and the others would be going to the east side with me. ''We''ll use a vacant lot on the east side as the venue. We can occupy it for a few days and leave our equipment there. There is a vacant lot that is difficult to use because of its location, so we rented it as a stadium. The alleyway is different, but the location is near the prison. Because of the proximity of the prison and the lord''s mansion, it is difficult to open it to the general public. A prison like that, where there are no prisoners, would not cause any problems even if it were nearby. After leaving the multipurpose hall, on the way to the church, I had a rough discussion with Umaro based on the drawings of the proposed setup, and verbally told him what I needed for the setup. The rest is up to Umaro''s taste to cook up whatever he wants. ''I want a spectator''s seat. ''We don''t know how many people will come, so a rug on the ground will be enough. Although it is a free event, all the residents of the 42nd district are players. Since players are spectators, there is no need for spectator seats. You can sit in your own camp and use it as a cheering section. ''But there are also sisters and elderly people...'' ''What?''The sisters are old''? ''...... Umaro-san? ''No, no, no!The sisters are old!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. ...... What do you mean, "senior Zelmar"? ''Zelmar was a skilled craftsman once upon a time. ''Was he a carpenter? ''He used to make furniture. But he also participated in the construction of the lord''s mansion, so I''m sure he can handle carpentry work as well. He said respectfully. ''You''re better than me, in terms of skill and fame. ''No, no, no!What are you talking about, Yashiro-san?Experience is an irreplaceable asset!The time you''ve spent as a craftsman will never be surpassed no matter what while Zelmar is alive, so that alone is worthy of respect. ''But he''s going to die soon, that old man. ''Yashiro-san!You''ll get angry! I heard that they got along well as they met each other at the sunny pavilion, and that he was passing on his skills to them. It must be painful to listen to an old man talk about the past. I guess Umaro, no matter how much fame he gets, is always greedy for new technology. ''Well, let''s set up some seats for the audience. ''Yes. Yashiro-san''s going to do something like that, and it''s not uncommon for a VIP to show up out of nowhere. You don''t need to treat people who come to your site without asking as VIPs. ...... Or perhaps don''t say such a thing. There are a couple of people who are really going to come. It would be a flag. Not long after that, we scattered to our respective posts. Umaro went back to New Town to arrange for props such as entrance gates and to dispatch men to make props, while Imelda went back to the Woodcutter''s Guild, District 42, to select wood. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ...... though he was reluctant to make it himself. As soon as you are done with your business, you can come to the square and participate in making the props. I thought about renting the workshop of Torbek''s construction company, but I decided that it would be better to make the props at the site, since some of them are quite large, such as the baskets for the ball game. Natalia, who has inherited the ancestral art of weather forecasting, said that it would not rain for a while. Ukrines and Assunto left quickly, each with their own ideas of what they might need. If they''re going to do it, they''ll do it without me telling them. I''ll just leave it to them. And Use is a member of the steering committee. I''ll have the young guys patrol the area around the venue tonight. You don''t want them breaking any equipment, do you?'' He said something like that and headed for the arrangement. After all, he was happy to be included. Delia, Paula and Nephrite are omitted from ....... They''re overzealous. Then we came back to the front of the church. Before I leave Bertina, I have something to tell her. ''Bertina. Send some of the Hammers out on an errand. Any siblings who are free will meet us in the square. And some of you go to Millie and get some bamboo for the craft.'' Yes, sir. I''ll tell them to do that. ''And--'' Bertina has a more important role to play than organizing the field day. ''I need you to judge the new bread. As soon as possible.'' ''Yes, sir!You''re already making preparations as fast as you can. Yesterday. I went to the church with Sophie and told Bertina that I would teach her the new baking technique. But on a few conditions. First, the new bread must not be exclusive to the nobility. If it was for the exclusive use of the aristocracy, I would not teach it to them, even if I was sentenced to death. I have no intention of working for the aristocrats for free. Bertina agreed with me on that point and made it clear that she would not let me become a tool for their interests. I want to make sure that people of any status can eat properly. Secondly, the use of wheat is not limited. This is also a way to avoid the creation of special interests. Like sugar for the aristocracy, the price of bread will skyrocket if someone is reluctant to supply it and manipulate its distribution. To prevent this from happening, we included in the conditions the use of wheat from various districts. Thirdly, I requested that the bread be ranked. In other words, the breads would be divided into two ranks: the high-class, fashionable and luxurious breads for the aristocrats, and the cheap and low-grade breads for the poor. If you sell super high quality bread in the periphery where there are many poor people, no one will be able to afford it. As a result, unsold bread would be wasted. In addition, the baker''s profit will decrease. To avoid such a situation, the breads should be ranked. The outer districts will have lower-ranked bread, and the central districts will have higher-ranked bread. In this way, the monopoly of bread by the nobles can be prevented. At any rate, they avoid sugar beet derived from sugar beet, which is cheap and tastes first-rate, calling it "sugar for the poor". They wouldn''t think of monopolizing a low-ranked bread by taking it from the poor. In other words, in exchange for teaching them the new baking technique, I gave them the condition that the bread be distributed equally. So that the children of the Forty-Two Wards could have soft bread every day. You can dismiss it as ''low grade,'' ''B grade,'' ''C grade,'' ''not for my noble palate,'' all you want. It won''t change the taste. In fact, if nominally lowering your rank keeps nobles from coming to you, all the better. And last but not least. I want you to keep the informant''s personal information completely confidential. Not to mention the fact that it''s me, the fact that I''m related to the Sunlit Pavilion, and the fact that I''m from District 42. The reason is simple. To avoid bringing trouble. Innovative technology is a recipe for trouble. Bertina was well aware of this, and from the beginning she had planned to keep the information about her informant secret. It seems that the Church has such a policy to begin with. Well, the church would want to hide the fact that the aristocrats were gobbling up bread from the 42nd district with gratitude. On the contrary, they may not even want the church to be used for publicity. Either way, it''s a good thing for me. ...... If my name becomes known, it will be a stumbling block for me when I eventually become the best con artist in town. Therefore, the trial production of the bread will be carried out in secret at the church in the 42nd district. It is said that Bertina will be the one to witness and judge the trial, and that I will never meet the baker or any of the church officials. I guess this is to prevent me from making connections with them. The bakers who make the staple bread, and of course the church officials, are a very powerful organization here in Allbloom. There are probably 50,000 people who would want to abuse it. I''m sure there are many people out there who would like to abuse the system. I''ve been told that Bertina passes on the recipe to church officials, who in turn pass it on to the bakers. ...... Wow, that''s really unsettling. I''ll have to make a recipe that''s easy to understand. If you don''t spread the word that bread is good, ............ I won''t be able to make any money. Hmmm ...... You think I''m going to give away my skills for free? Of course you''re going to make money. The rights to the bread are transferred to the church, so you can''t make money from it. Not only that, you don''t get any royalties. So... We''ll just have to make money in a way that''s only profitable because of the bread. You see? If the bread I''m proposing can be certified and distributed to the world, ...... will make another profit. Bertina said that it would take some time for the certification, but it would be granted in about ten days. (Provided that there are no problems with the bread I make, but she''s not worried about that. So, then. I have to hold a field day within those ten days. No matter what. It will be a chance to raise the profile of the bread, and in turn, it will be a stepping stone to ''how to make money from bread''! ''Bertina. ''Yes''. ''I''ll make some delicious bread, so please help me reach out to the church. ''Yes, please leave that to me. Bertina seemed much happier at the thought of being able to eat the soft and delicious bread again. I''m sure she''ll do me a favor if I feed her good bread. ...... It''s a small favor. A small favor. "Sponsor the bakers guild for the field day." A small favor. 370-a shy sister who eats 25 episodes without additive... ''Sob, sob, sob ......'' Bertina is crying. ''It''s so, so good~......, so good.'' --''It''s so delicious. Her cheeks are all puffed up. You''re a squirrel, aren''t you? So, the day after the first ward residents'' field day executive committee meeting was held. I was baking bread at the 42nd Ward Bakery. I didn''t know there was a bakery in the 42nd ward. I mean, of course there is. ...... The real baker had to leave because he was doing a trial production. Today, the bakery is off-limits for the whole day, and due to the confidentiality of the source of information, they haven''t even been told that a prototype will be made here. What a pity. Well, the bakery is under the control of the church, so it may be inevitable. According to what I heard, they used a ''subterfuge'' meaning ''inspection of the stone oven as part of the church''s audit''. Of course, a person from the Spirit Church, where lying is forbidden, would never tell a lie, and the only thing he said was, ''Please take special measures. It seems that the only thing that was said was, ''Please take special measures. Fortunately, the baker seemed to know Bertina well and would not complain about her using the workshop as she wished. He seems to be a very understanding person, and even when I smuggled bread and a bread oven, he didn''t go into it too deeply and kept it private. In other words, he pretended not to know anything about it. This must have been the result of Bertina''s virtue. So, under Bertina''s responsibility, I''ve been allowed to use the kiln and the workshop as I please. ...... ''Yashiro-san. Please bake more of this crispy, sticky, fluffy bread!I want to inspect this one especially carefully!'' ...... The sisters are the ones who are doing the most. I''m sure. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... Ginette was chewing the bread over and over again, savoring the taste and smell of the wheat. There were tears in the corners of her eyes. ...... What''s the use of crying? And you''ve got big cheeks, too. Just for bread?I''m jealous. ''I think we''re about to run out of breadsticks. ''I''ll help!It''s not every day you get the chance to make bread, so help me while you can! ''...... Magda throws herself into both making and eating.'' ''Yes, yes, yes!I''ll help too! The trial production of the new bread was supposed to be a secret. The bakery where it was held was packed with familiar faces. It''s okay. As long as the information doesn''t leak out of District 42. In the first place, if they tried to hide it and were asked to rent the bakery for a day without giving a reason, the baker would just say, ''Oh. And if I disappeared for a day without telling them the reason, most of them would have figured out that I was doing something. On top of that, if I come back and my whole body smells like bread, ......? In other words, it''s impossible to keep a secret. What is important is that the information is not passed on to those who want to misuse what I have passed on. You don''t need to worry about leaking information privately. ''Mr. Yashiro. Are you okay with something like this?'' ''Oh. When the dough comes together, put it in a bowl, cover it with a wet cloth, and let it ferment.'' ''Yes, sir! ''Oh, wait a minute!When the dough comes together, put it in a bowl and cover it with a wet cloth. ......'' Estella is wisely writing down the steps. Because Bertina is concentrating all her attention on the food, all the paperwork is being thrown to the lord. Well, Estella is probably better at this kind of work. ''Hey, Natalia. Go get Becko. It''ll be easier to understand with illustrations.'' ''All right, sir. I''ll get him right away at ...... after I''ve eaten my fill of bread.'' ''Can you please go now! Natalia, holding a separate loaf of bread in each hand like a greedy child, was being forced to leave by Estella. Until this time last year, I thought you were a reliable head waiter. ...... Now you''re all over the place, aren''t you? ''...... Yashiro. I want you to check the contents. I''m sure it''ll be fine.It''s probably very good! ''Hey, hey!Bring it over here. I want to be particular about the taste of what I put inside the bread. The degree of perfection depends on the quality of the stuffing. Anyway, ...... is really hectic. I''ve been preparing since last night, and today I''ve been in the bakery since early morning, standing and moving all the time. I wrapped a towel around my head and covered my hair to keep the sweat from falling. It''s physical labor, now. However, this is a major project to save the Church from declining revenues. It''s so important that the whole forty-two wards are working on it. So much so that I''m going to take a day off from work and devote all my energy to it. ''Magda!I''m here for lunch! ''...... Okonomiyaki is recommended. ...... Ah, welcome.'' ''Haaan!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... and,well... I''m sorry. We''re in the middle of a big project right now, though we''re still communicating as usual at the bakery. That''s why we''ll be working on the prototype of the bread today, so you thought we''d be closed ......?Too bad, it was a sales trip!...... My manager never takes a day off, does he? I''m sure it''s going to be a few more decades before we get a break. Now, when I go to the Sunlit Pavilion, there''s a sign on the door that reads. "Today, due to the trial production of new bread, we will be selling it at the bakery. ...... What does "secret" mean? And so, today, YODAMARI-TEI is cooking and selling at the second store, the seventh store. The bakery also has a bakery store, so the stall is set up in front of the bakery. The bakery is located just behind the bakery store, and the aroma of baked bread reaches the customers'' noses when they enter the store. However, this is just an inspection of the church. The bread made here today cannot be sold. We can only sell our usual stall menu. Let them smell the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread, let them see it, and leave it at that. ''That bread looks really good, doesn''t it? ''Well, I''m sorry, Umaro. I can''t let anyone but those involved eat it. ''Do something about it!I''m already a member of the Sunlit Pavilion! ''Even if you say so, ...... Oh, by the way, I wanted to put a roof on the patio~'' ''I''ll do it!I''ll do it! You can say whatever you want! Oh! What a surprise. The construction of the roof I wanted has been promised to me. Lucky, lucky, lucky. I got the materials with my lord''s money and baked the bread using fuel from someone else''s store, and the courtyard of the sunny pavilion got a roof. Daily deeds are important, aren''t they? Yeah. I guess this is my reward for always working so hard. Yeah. ''Then, I''ll give you this ''Anpan'' as a special treat. ''Are you sure? ''Yeah. Not the okonomiyaki that Magda recommended, but the ''unpan'' that Magda never recommended.'' ''Wait!What''s that expression? ''Magda~, give ''Umaro, who completely ignores Magda''s recommendation, one ''unpan'' that Magda hasn''t recommended. ''...... Okay. To ''Umaro, who doesn''t even listen to Magda,'' I''ll give you an ''unpan,'' which is not Magda''s signature dish and which Magda had nothing to do with. ''I want okonomiyaki too!I''ll have the okonomiyaki and the anpan! ''......''Oh dear, Umaro is so greedy.'' ''......''Magda, a little devil who is in perfect harmony with Yashiro-san, ......''But she''s still an angel! He''s already done everything for you if you ask him. Okonomiyaki and Anpan are ...... high in carbohydrates. So I''m going to make Umaro eat some freshly baked unpan. Yes!Anpan! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... As a result, shokuban and round bread were relegated to the corner. ......The children''s tongues. What''s that?What''s this?I''ve never had bread like this before! Biting into anpan filled with bean jam, Umaro expresses his astonishment with all his might. This bread is a food of another dimension, incomparable to the conventional black bread (which seems to have been made hard in order to increase its attack power). It must be delicious. ''Mm-hmm. If you''re surprised by Anpan, you''ll faint if you eat this melonpan, Mr. Umaro. Bertina took her place in the corner of the workshop and continued to devour the melonpan. She seems to like it so much that she eats only melonpan. Normally, she eats all the melon pans, saying they are all delicious. ...... It''s amazing, melonpan. You''ve grabbed the food emperor''s stomach. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. It was the rabbit-eared Rebeka, who was happily wandering around the workshop, peering into the work of Jeannette and the others, and even helping out a little. ''My knight. What do you think of my malted rice ......, or yeast?Anyway, how is it coming along? Rebekah is all smiles. Sophie is standing right next to her, as if following her. She must have been gobbling up the cream as well, because there is a thick layer of it around her mouth. ''It''s great. It''s not often you find yeast of such high quality. Thanks to it, the bread is soft and fluffy. ''Mmm-hmm!I see!So the fruit yeast I''ve concocted is that good!Mmm-hmm-hmm! When Sophie came to District 42, I told her that I wanted her to make the yeast for me. I gave her a simple recipe with instructions on how to make it, and asked her to hurry up as much as possible. This morning, she said, ''I''ve already made it! This morning, Rebekah came to the Sunken Pavilion. It seems that she had come to District 42 in a hurry after finishing her early morning work, and had arrived there in the morning. Apparently, he wanted to see the reaction of the people who said, ''I had already made it before you told me, that''s great! He wanted to see the reaction of the people who had already made it before he was told, so he came in a hurry anyway. He came here in a hurry so that people would not think, ''You actually made it in a hurry after I told you, didn''t you? I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... I don''t think so. I don''t think so. If it''s a real yeast, it takes time to complete. ''Ever since my knight brought in soybean paste, I''ve been trying to come up with something new. My foresight in turning to fruits is worthy of ......''s praise! I wondered what would happen if I tried to use fruits to make koji, which is made from wheat or rice. From that idea, I went through a trial and error process and came up with a satisfying result: ''This is good! The result that satisfied him was surprising yeast. ...... You''re a genius, Rebecca. It''s not something you can just come up with, yeast. ''But I was surprised when I saw the recipe. It was the exact recipe I''d devised. You didn''t take it from ......, did you, my knight? ......, and the appeal of ''I thought of it first! It''s your invention. I''m not trying to get royalties for the yeast. ''Oh ...... my sister is a genius!She''s so cute! The idiot sister is writhing in agony behind Rebeka. Maybe it''s impossible for her to become the sister that her sister respects. But you''ve found a really good use for the fruit yeast,...... ah, yeast,...... yeast. Thank you for that. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your investment. Only ...... seems to be unfamiliar with it. ''In that case, you should thank Sophie. Because Sophie came to the sunny pavilion at that time, I was inspired to teach the church how to make bread. ''Sis, you''re great!You''re the best! ''Phew!I ...... have no regrets if I ...... die now! Sophie coughed up blood. She looks so happy that I feel it''s okay to let her die. She''s starting to look a bit like Mikel, in her style. Bloodletting. You can''t leave the store stained with blood, so I told Sophie to clean it up quickly, and while I was looking at Ginette and the others happily peeking into the oven filled with bread, Norma came running in, waving her hands and shaking her big breasts. ''Ya~shiro~! ''Norma. They''re looking at your breasts. ''Ba-ba, Estella!Don''t tell anyone! No, they know. It''s too late now.'' Norma is breathing hard and her breasts are bouncing. ''Even if it''s ......, there''s a limit. I leaned forward to stare at her cleavage, and she picked me up by the scruff of the neck and pulled me up her spine. I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Norma is strong, too. And when I looked up and took a closer look, I saw that Norma had a metal box with wheels and a handle hanging from her arm. ''Yashiro. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... It smells so good!I''m not sure if I''ve ever seen bread smell so good. Norma threw away her line and was sucked into the bread oven. Don''t touch it. You''ll get burned badly. And did you help him after all, the line puller? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Wow, the dimensions are perfect, the spacing is perfect, and the artist''s attention to detail is evident everywhere. ............ Norma, you''re working too hard. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''Here, here, here, here!Can''t you just share one of these with me?I don''t care if you don''t pay for the line! ''No, you can''t just decide on your own. ...... You can eat it, relax.'' Norma looks at me with the sparkling eyes of a girl. The smell of bread is amazing. It makes everyone''s heart pure. It''s good to think about it. ...... Or maybe your appetite is making you look like a fool. ............ Yeah. But you''ve got a huge appetite. If this is the case with Norma, Delia will probably be a big hit. The popularity of bread could be tremendous. ............ Hmm. If so, I''ll make a trap first. It''s a great way to get more than just a great catch. I breathed in and out by the bread oven, checking my shaking rabbit ears with my side eyes. ''After all, if the yeast is of good quality, the aroma will be different, won''t it? ''Yes, yes, yes!Quality is important, isn''t it?That''s my knight!You have a good sense of things! ''I''d be grateful if you could share some more with me in four days'' time. ''Bring it to me!I''ll leave it to you!This is the preparation for a great invention that will change the world, right?I''ll leave it to you! Okay, okay. Now we have fine yeast. I''ll have to negotiate with the sunny side up to get them to sell it separately. ''Okay, it''s done! Putting down her pen, Estella stretches her back. ''I''ll add Becco''s illustration later, but for now, the recipe is finished. ''Good work. In addition to the recipe I wrote, I prepared a recipe based on information Estella had seen and heard. With the recipe I wrote subjectively, there are no pitfalls like, ''Oh, you stumbled at that point! I can''t say that there are no pitfalls. Because those who know can''t notice places that those who don''t know can''t see. And since I can''t tell the baker directly from the viewpoint of confidentiality, I have to make sure that the information is conveyed properly. It would be a disaster if the recipe did not turn out well. ''So, Bertina. Later on, I want you to let me see if you can make bread without my intervention. The bread will be made by the three members of the Sunlit Pavilion.'''' ''That''s right. I think it''s very important to find out if this taste can be conveyed properly. Let''s verify it. Bertina was excited because "verification means we can eat again". The trial production of new breads is something that the church really wants, so she is quite flexible. Perhaps it''s partly due to Bertina''s virtue, but it''s easier for her to comply with our requests. From the Church''s point of view, however, it may be that they want us to give them all the information so that they can do whatever they want. And once the recipe has been passed down, there will be pressure to ''never touch it again''. This is special. A special case. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ......'' Ginette, who has flour on the top of her nose and cheeks, looks uneasy as she listens to us. Is that flour on purpose?It''s so cute. ''Maybe we shouldn''t have learned how to make it?We wanted to see if it could be understood by people who don''t know how to make it, right? Ginette, her nose and right cheek dyed white, looks like she''s about to cry, as if she thinks she''s done something wrong. What, what?Do you want to stir up my protective desire? ''It''s okay. He''s like a handicap. ''A handicap, sir? ''Yeah. It''s a professional baker who makes bread from this recipe. They have accumulated knowledge and experience. Even if it''s a little difficult to understand, they can derive the correct answer from their experience.'' ''Certainly. A professional baker might be able to do that. ''Ginette, you''re a professional cook, but you''ve never made bread before, right?That''s why you''ve had a whole day to learn. Making bread is surprisingly difficult. If you have a home bakery, you may be able to bake bread easily and quickly, but here, bread is made by hand, naturally fermented, and in a stone oven. The level of difficulty is quite high. That''s why it took me a whole day to teach Ginette the technique. Perhaps Ginette will be able to learn the essentials and make above average bread in a day. Magda and Loretta will support her. With the three of them together, I''m sure they can bake good bread without my help. I''m sure they can. ...... So Ginette''s concern that it won''t be a ''verification of the message to strangers'' is ...... unfortunately true. But that''s okay! I have prepared two recipes, Estella''s and mine, to ensure that the message is understood. And if the baker gets really stuck, he can ask Bertina. Even if you can''t teach her directly, if you know the question, she can give you a pinpoint answer. So there is no need for verification! So why bake the bread a few days later? It''s ...... It''s because we''re going to use a lot of bread for the ward''s field day! Yes-- For the bread eating contest! Girls in gymnastic uniforms jumped up and down in a horizontal line to catch a glimpse of the dangling bread! And you won''t be offended if you stare at them! They even think, ''You''re so kind to cheer us on so enthusiastically! They even think I''m being kind! It''s a bread eating contest! In this world where there are no preservatives or anything, bread doesn''t last long. It may sound healthy and additive-free, but it has a rural and inflexible aspect. So, I bake bread the day before the ward field day! Bake as much as you can! In addition, the bakers'' guild, at the urging of Bertina, became a sponsor of the ward field day. In other words, you can take all the bread you want! The sponsor''s products should be used during the high-profile celebration! This is not a profit-making event. It''s a high-minded event that aims to unite and inspire the people of the district, and further develop them. It is such a healthy event that the church fully supports it! It''s like a movie recommended by the Ministry of Education. It''s like a movie recommended by the Ministry of Education. We can tell the church that it''s a good advertisement for the new bread and that it will sell like hotcakes when it goes on sale. We have no intention of threatening the Church''s bread rights. Rather, we are dedicated collaborators who will provide new technology for free and do our best to pass it on. What''s more, we are asking to use the bread for a refreshingly wholesome sports festival full of fresh sweat and unstoppable excitement. I see no reason to object!...... Mhmm. So, it is as if we have been assured that bread will be provided for the ward''s field day. I''ve told Bertina about it in a very pleasant way, so I''m sure she''ll do well. Or rather, if you say, ''If you succeed, you can eat all the bread you want during the field day,'' I''m sure she''ll do whatever it takes to get your permission. ''Oh, by the way, Yashiro. After finishing the recipe and taking a break, Estella comes over to me, biting into a freshly baked chocolate coronet. You look so happy, man. Is it that good? ''Wasn''t there a ''bread eating contest'' on the list? ''Yes. Thanks to the full cooperation of the baker''s guild, we''ll be able to hold it. ''This could be a highlight of the competition. I''m sure there''s no other competition as extravagant as this.'''' Extravagant? Well, bread is an expensive thing, so if you try to buy it at actual cost, you''ll have to pay a certain amount of money, but ...... is that extravagant enough?It''s not like they used to have it at the sunny pavilion, right? That''s the description I wrote on the competition proposal list. I can say that it''s a concise and exquisite description, with the most important part ...... muddled, especially the part that Estella might object to. ''In terms of quantity and speed of eating, the sisters are probably the strongest, aren''t they? Oh, you mean that! She''s got it all wrong. ''It''s not gluttony or fast eating. ''Oh, no? He must have thought that I would prepare a lot of bread and eat a lot of it, like in a gluttony contest. Is that why the word ''extravagant'' came up? No more gluttony. If it doesn''t lead to profit, it will only increase your expenses. ''I thought it was a measure to prevent the beastmen from becoming a monopoly because there''s too much difference in athletic ability. ''Well, in a way, it is. If it was a normal race, Magda, Delia, Loretta and the others would win overwhelmingly, and the end would be obvious. But if it''s a steeplechase or a bread-eating contest, that''s not always the case. ...... You''re right. I''ll give you a little demonstration to make sure you get the bread-eating contest into your program. ''''Hey, sister~! ''''''Yes!'''''' '''' ''''Yes!'''''' I call out to my sisters who are selling the second and seventh stores in front of the bakery. ...... should be a little smaller. ''''Can you go get your younger sisters?About three of them.'' ''All right!I''ll be right there! One of the younger sisters ran off, moving away at an alarming rate. ...... Yeah. You can''t compete in a normal race, you know. ''What are you doing? ''A demonstration. You can''t take bread out of a pre-race competition. ''I wanted to eat the bread too!d*mn it, I''ll definitely participate in the competition! I''m sure you''ll feel the same way. ...... Oops, no, no, no. I couldn''t help but think of Delia. I was thinking of Delia because she sounds like she''d say it and because I want her to be in the show. ''Are you going to eat the bread? Bertina is drawn to join in the conversation with Estella. ''...... you, you haven''t eaten enough yet. ''Yashiro-san. I ...... think that bread and melon bread are two different things.'' ''They''re definitely in the same place.'' In other words, you''ve been eating melonpan all the time, but you''re starting to feel like eating other kinds of bread. You can eat as much as you want now. ........................ No, wait. I''m not interested in the bread eating contest. Wouldn''t you be interested in a ''bread eating contest''?'' ''There is!It''s interesting! ''I''m going to ask my sisters to demonstrate this, and I was wondering if you could help me a little bit to teach them how to do it?'' ''Yes, sir. If there''s anything I can do. All right!I caught it! That''s Pan and the kids. Bertina is being very helpful. ''Well, it''s not difficult. ''Well, it''s not difficult, just show them how to do it,'' she said. ''But I don''t have any experience.Do you think you can do it well? ''You don''t have to do it well. Just make it look like you''re having fun, and your sisters will be happy. ''If that''s the case, I think I can manage it. Bertina smiled serenely as she imagined the fun she would have with her children. I''ll be the one having the most fun, though! .................. No, wait. If I get off on the wrong foot here, I risk being taken off the program. Yes, that''s right, right next to me, Estella, the "Miss Shaky"! I''ve been trying to get my younger sister to do it so she doesn''t notice ....... ............ Bertina''s "shaking" is very ??????????????? interesting to watch. I''d love to, but ...... this is just a temporary reprieve. Swallow ...... tears for the paradise that is coming soon! It''s a demonstration, so dress as you are,............ (although I''d really like you to change into a thin T-shirt! It''s a demonstration, so you can dress as you are ...... (although I''d really prefer you to change into a thin t-shirt!) ...... or just do it lightly .......'' I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I can. Shut up, Estella! It''s because you''re standing there keeping an eye on me! ''Sister. If you''re going to exercise, you might want to tie your hair up. Wiping her powdery hands, Ginette approached behind Bertina. She gently binds her beautiful silver hair, which reflects the glittering light, and ties it with a string. She is a dexterous woman, and in no time at all she has created a beautiful ponytail. I want you to wear a ...... gym uniform. ...... It would definitely look good on you. ............! I''m not going to do anything too strenuous ................ ...! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. Oh no. ...... We can''t go any further. Estella will know we''re here. Just now! Just hold out for now, me! ''Do you want to join us, Jeannette? ''No. I have to prepare the bread.'' I''m more interested in cooking than exercising. It''s just like Ginette. ''Well, Umaro. I need you to do a little bit of preparation. ''You should at least tell me what to make!You can''t just throw everything at me, you know! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... How much do you like carbohydrates? .................. Oh, did I make you eat it? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I drew a straight line on the road, made three short lanes of about 20 meters, and set up a wooden frame about 2.5 meters high in the middle of the lanes. A string was hung from the top of the wooden frame and bread was hung from it. This is the course of the familiar bread-eating contest. ''Oniichan!I''ve been summoned! ''I''ve been summoned! ''Great battle! ''I feel like I can''t go against the top of my brother-sister caste! Is there a caste system in your house? The younger sisters came to me and their big eyes sparkled when they saw the bread-eating contest course that was set up. ''Well then, Bertina. Show them how it''s done.'' ''Before you do that, Yashiro-san, show them how it''s done at .......'' ''Don''t worry. It''s easy.'' I tell the anxious Bertina the rules, which are very simple. You run, pick up the hanging bread without using your hands, and finish. That''s it. I''m relieved that it seems so easy. With a relieved look on her face, Bertina stood at the starting point. ''Sister, please do your best! Ginette cheered from behind the counter. Ginette''s cooking won out over her exercise, but it seems that Bertina won out over her cooking. I''m sure she''ll come out of it sooner or later. ''Yashiro-san!I''m ready! Standing at the starting point, Bertina raises her hand and waves it high. Me?I''ll be at the finish line, of course. Even if it''s hidden by clothing, if I can observe even the slightest tremor, I won''t waste that moment! ''Well, just be careful not to get hurt~! ''Yes, sir!Thank you very much! We exchange a few words at a distance of about 20 meters, and I raise my hand. ''Get into position, and let''s start ............! As soon as I wave my hand down, Bertina starts running. There''s no such thing as a ............ run ....... In terms of speed, it''s about the same as when you''re cooking in the kitchen and the phone rings and you wipe your hands and run to the phone, saying, ''Yes, yes, I''ll get it. She bends her elbows lightly, shakes her fists lightly to the side of her chest, and runs like a bouncing ball. That''s what they call running like a girl. ''The sisters would eat it all up in no time and finish the race. Estella is standing next to me, watching Bertina''s heroics. Next to me, Estella watches over Bertina''s bravery. She doesn''t seem to notice the swaying of her breasts thanks to her sisters'' clothes. ''You don''t have to eat it all. Just suck on it and finish.'' ''...... You''re not very polite.'' ''It''s more polite to eat slowly after you''ve finished. Besides, you can taste it properly.'' ''Well, it would be better if you ate it in a hurry and choked on it. It''s not that it''s a good idea, it''s just that it''s a competition. And while she was saying that, Bertina finally reached the bread. She stretches to suck on the bread, which is hanging at the level of her whiskers. But she can''t reach it. He has no choice but to jump, but ...... is just out of reach. ''Eek! Bertina jumps with more force than before. But it''s too late!The bread hits her cheek and escapes from her mouth with a ''pop''. ''Ugh ...... Eee!Aaah! Bertina bounces up and down, choosing to do it more often than once with accuracy. But the bread bounces around as if to escape, and Bertina''s mouth repeatedly strikes out. She is about to make a move several times, but she holds back to comply with the rules. Her arm moves several times, stays in place, and moves up and down slightly in a way that clearly conveys her emotions. Every time she does, Bertina lets out a frustrated ''hmmm! '' Bertina lets out a choked up ''mmm! ''Yashiro......'' Estella says quietly next to me. ''What is that? It''s so cute. Apparently, it''s the kind of cuteness that sticks in a girl''s mind. ''Sister!Please do your best! As I thought, Jeannette came out of the store and shouted next to me. She cheered for her mother. Before I knew it, everyone had gathered at the finish line and was looking at Bertina. Bertina, ping! Pan, pop. Pura~n. Pong. Bertina''s arm, snap, snap!Ack! Bertina, ''mmm~! Bertina''s arm, flailing! What is this soothing effect? There must be a lot of negative ions coming out of her. Everyone''s face is going ''wow'', so I''m pretty sure it''s her. After many attempts, she gradually got a feel for it, and the number of close calls increased little by little, and finally Bertina''s mouth caught the bread. At that moment, Bertina ran through the distance to the goal at a much faster pace than in the first half. ''...... is the ...... that was embarrassed. ......'' She grabbed the bread in her mouth and crouched down, hiding her face. Bertina''s long ears are stained red. This is also a very unusual sight. How could Bertina want to hide her face even if she had to put off eating? ''Thank you for your hard work, Sister. ''You fought very well, Sister. ''Yes, sir!You were so cute! ''...... That''s so moe.'' ''Mmm! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Her cheeks are puffed up. I haven''t eaten any bread. ''...... This competition is not recommended. Bertina''s sulking. This is not good. The use of bread requires the cooperation of the church, not to mention the bakers'' guild. Let''s keep Bertina positive. ''Alright, sisters. You know how to do it, right? ''''''Yes! ''Then get ready. Norma, Estella, Sophie. I want you to hang the bread on your sisters according to their height.'' ''Okay. You''re in good hands.'' ''Okay, everyone. Come here for a minute.'''' ''''''Yes! Norma and Estella took me and my sisters to stand under the wooden frame. They should be about the height of a whirlwind. ''''What''s up with ......, Sophie? ''Haha ...... haha ............ Bertina-san ...... ka, ka! ............ Gofoo! ............ you''re in trouble too. There are so many points of bloodshed. Norma and Estella efficiently determine the height of the pan, and the sisters stand at the starting line. Their eyes grow brighter every second as they gaze happily at the dangling bread. Bertina, who had been indifferent, looks at her sisters and shows some concern. She looked at them like a mother watching over her own child''s success. ''''Well then, get into position, alright~ ............ start! ''''''Hahahaha~Yes! My sisters started running at once. And when they reached Pan, they all jumped up and down together. Pan running away! My sister chases after it! They open their mouths wide and jump, but Pan runs away and strikes out with an empty ''Amu! I''m sorry. '''''''''' and ...... are cute! The audience shouted at the same time. Even though the situation is frustrating, the sisters seem to be having fun, laughing and biting the bread. One of the sisters catches the bread and breaks away from the crowded race. Without using her hands, she held the bread in her mouth and ran to the finish line in first place! ''Ooiiiii~! Such were the words of the first prize winner. The second sister finished next, and only one person remained. It was hard to take a bite of the bread, and it was frustrating to watch. ''Gah, please do your best! ''Yes, yes!There''s no need to rush, just go at your own pace! Ginette and Estella couldn''t resist cheering. As if on cue, the people present began to cheer in unison. They gave warm words of encouragement to the remaining sisters, saying, "Hang in there, stay calm, and don''t worry. And then-- ''''Ah~............ mmm! ''''''I got it! The last sister takes a bite of the bread and starts running towards the goal. The cheering reached its climax, and there was a round of applause as my sister crossed the finish line. ''''Ready? ''''''Let''s eat! When the three of us were all together, my sisters bit into the Anpan together. ''''''Anmai~i'''''' They happily chewed on the bread with smiles on their faces. It''s not a scene of praise for a good fight, it''s a scene of friendship, and it loosens the cheeks of those watching. ''Yashiro-san''. In the midst of all this, Bertina, who earlier had expressed her disapproval of the bread-eating contest, ...... ''Let''s do this competition! She became very positive. Yes, yes. It''s fun to watch, isn''t it? So, in order to make it possible for as many people as possible to participate in this competition, ...... oops, no, no, no, no, ...... I need to make the bread again the day before the field day, in order to verify whether the recipe is accurately transmitted to the people of the bakers'' guild. I''ll have to try making the bread again the day before the sports day to verify that the recipe is accurately transmitted to the bakers guild people. ''Ah, ...... I see. I see what you mean. That''s what you are. ......'' Estella, who finally understood the meaning behind the bread trial, ruffled her hair and made a dumbfounded face. However, her dumbfounded expression was somehow satisfied-- ''I understand. Let''s be sure and verify it over and over again. It''s a direct message from the Spirit Church, after all. I''ll spare no effort in spreading this wonderful bread to the world.'''' ''As expected of a lord. You talk fast. So, the harder we work, the more bread we can make, but ...... the people who participated in the prototyping might not be able to eat it all~, what should we do then~, what a waste~'' ''Don''t be wasteful. I''ll talk to the church, and we''ll share the bread with the people. I''m sure the priest will understand if we tell him what Mr. Yashiro told us. So, the lord and the sisters gave their permission. Yes, yes. This is a publicity stunt for the people. To spread the word about bread as a new source of income for the church. I''ll give you a big promotion and you can make as much money as you want. ''But I didn''t expect Yashiro to lend his wisdom for the benefit of others. Estella leans in closer, not bothering to hide her grimace, as if there were some ulterior motive. I''m not sure if you have a disease that causes your face muscles to relax when I act in good faith, or what? ''No, well, ...... Ginette and Bertina.'' ''What''s wrong with Ginette and Sister? ''I thought they''d be happy to see the birth of ...... good bread in this city.'' Estella rolled her eyes at my words, while Ginette and Bertina moistened their eyes. ''You''ve done a lot for me lately, you know. I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. Ginette ran over and wrapped her hands around mine. ''Yes. I''m very happy. The birth of delicious bread. I''m very happy that there are so many people who will be happy because of it. And that ...... Yashiro-san thought that way. He squeezed his hand and smiled to hold back his tears. And Bertina silently patted my head. She looks like she''s about to start crying, and her lips are pursed tightly together. ''...... bread. Let''s make lots of bread. Bertina smiled as she carefully and deliberately spun her slightly trembling voice so that it did not sound like crying. ''I don''t want to eat a lot,'' she said. ''Yashiro. Estella pats me on the back and says with a satisfied look on her face. ''I''m going to borrow your words and say this. I''ll take your word for it, make some bread prototypes and use them to your advantage. If you''re a little reckless, I''ll take full responsibility for holding you back. Again, this time with a pat on the shoulder and a narrowing of the red eyes. I see. I can use you to my full advantage? Well, I''ll let you. I''m sure you emotionalists are so intoxicated with your current emotions that you''ve overlooked this, so let''s do it before the heat dies down. At best. Make a lot of good bread. Not just for the bread-eating contest, but for everyone who participated in the ward field day. Then, if the bread is well known at the field day, ...... If the people in the city think ''I want to eat more bread~'', ............ The new menu at the Sunlit Pavilion will sell! That''s for sure! That''s why I''m going to make Ginette master baking today and in the next trial! In order for me to make a huge profit, at the Sunshine Pavilion! ''Come on, Ginette!One more effort!Get those skills into your body while you still can! ''Yes, sir!I''ll do my best!'' ''Magda, Loretta!You guys are going to do your best to support Ginette!'''' ''...... Leave it to me.'' ''I''ll go all the way! Magda and Loretta were motivated by Ginette''s enthusiasm. I''ll also call out to the bunny-eared sisters who were watching this whole thing. ''Rebekah, Sophie. Take care of the yeast. ''Leave it to me!...... hmmm, my knight sometimes says good things. I''m a little impressed. I''ll make the best yeast for my knight! ''Yashiro-san. I''ll do my best to help you. And to Norma as well. ''Norma. I know you have a lot of work to do before the field day, but ......'' ''I''ll leave it to you. ......Hmmm, I''m just happy to see an unexpected side of Yashiro. ......Hmmm, Yashiro did such a thing. ......Hmmm, he has a good point. If you''re a little bit of a good guy, my stock goes up. The people of this town are really weak. I''m getting a little worried. It''s for profit! Emotions are good for money! I guess it''s best not to talk about it. And finally. ''And Umaro. Yes, sir! ''Nice to meet you, roof! ''I''m the only one who''s been told something far removed from the field day. ......'' You idiot! I don''t care if it rains or not! My living environment is my top priority! I really want a roof before the heavy snowfall season!It''s a pain in the ass to shovel snow! And before that, I want to avoid the sun during the heat wave! In such a way, the motivation of some people flared up, and the power of unity for the success of the ward''s sports festival increased. Oh, that''s a good word. Unity. That''s what field day is all about. Good luck with that. For my own good. ...... Mm-hmm. 371-No additions Episode 26 Teaming and intruders It was a great success ......, or rather, a pre-convention that ended in chaos. Let me spare you the ...... details. ............ I don''t want to remember. To put it bluntly,......hmm~............ ''You guys, just listen to me! ......? And also, ''just calm down! I''ve been yelling those two lines alternately for the most part. ......I''m nervous about the real thing. ............ The pre-competition took place the day after the bread trial. It was four days ago. For the next three days, the residents of the forty-two districts found time to practice hard in order to get used to the unfamiliar competition. During that time, the leader of each team was selected, and those who were likely to cause problems were gathered together and given a thorough lesson in ''sportsmanship! What is sportsmanship? Victory obtained through cowardice has no meaning! A cowardly victory is no better than a proud defeat! I''m the only one who can do cowardly things!That''s enough for me! Thanks to his efforts, a sense of sportsmanship began to grow in the hearts of the players, including the leader. I am sure that the tournament will become a wholesome sporting event in which we can praise each other''s achievements, whether we win or lose. ...... I don''t want a bloody mud fight. The three days passed in a flash, and it was finally the night before the ward field day tomorrow. The members of the team that will fight together tomorrow have gathered at the sunny pavilion. ''We''re going to have a rally for the white team for tomorrow''s field day!We''ll start with a few words from the team leader!Leader, please! Standing in the center of the group, Loretta raises her spirits. Then, from behind Loretta, the team leader of the White Team steps forward quietly. ''...... All of you, dedicate your victory to Magda. ''Haaaaan!I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ I''m worried. It''s a very uneasy member. ''We should never have signed such an unequal treaty. ......'' ''Well, well, Mr. Yashiro. It looks like you''re having fun with all the people you know so well. Ginette, who doesn''t care about winning at all, says carefree things. You know them well. ...... You know them well, even the enemy team. So I wanted all my acquaintances on my side. ''...... It was painful to be separated from Delia. ''That''s right, hero!What are you going to do, you can''t win without her!I''m not sure what to do. I''ve been separated from a reliable person, only to be forced to worry. Barbara ...... would be out of control without Delia, this guy. Magda crosses her arms and closes her eyelids. ...... What''s the harm? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. So. Right after the pre-tournament, the western district was divided into two due to the complaints of Estella, Paula, and Nephrite. As they say... ''It''s not fair that Delia and Magda are all here! ''And Yashiro''s here too!Anyway, the west side should divide their forces! ''And by the way, I''m going to divide the hams into teams according to the work they''re currently engaged in, so keep that in mind. --And so, the power of the West has been whittled away. d*mn ...... Delia, Magda and the Hamko All-Stars, I thought the West would win for sure, but ......! ''The sisters were disappointed. ''The sisters were disappointed to be on another team with Mr. Yashiro. Ginette shakes her shoulders with a giggle, perhaps remembering Bertina''s face at that moment. The west side of the city was split in two, right between the sunlit pavilion and the church. ''Hey, hey, hey, big brother and manager!Don''t talk to each other!Now is the time to discuss how to win the championship with our limited strength!Hey, Magda! ''......mm'' You''re like a dictator and his chief of staff, you guys. But I''m really confused. To be honest, it''s pretty tough to aim for the championship with a fragmented team. In the district field day, the 42 districts are divided into four districts, and each team competes for points by uniting. First is the East District, where the lord''s mansion is located - the Blue Team. The blue team consists of Estella, Natalia, Nephrite the chicken farmer, and Regina the pharmacist. In the event that someone is injured, Regina will take care of them properly as a neutral party, but they will participate in the competition as a member of the blue group. I''m not sure if ...... he''s going to participate honestly or not. The toughest ones are Estella and Natalia. And the people from the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild led by Use. They''ve got more power than anyone else. They''ll be troublesome enemies. Incidentally, there''s also the livestock guild and Zelmar''s old man, but ...... they''re not important. Next is the central area with the main street - the yellow group. In the yellow group, there are Paula and Norma. Basically, the main street is full of stores, so there are not many people who are athletically inclined. However, there are a few beastmen like Ukrines here and there, so we can''t be too careful. And then there are the maidens (bearded and muscular) of the Hardware Guild, led by Norma. They''re a bit of a nuisance. They''re powerful, but dexterous and nimble. In a simple contest of strength, they would be no match for the Hunting Guild, but in a competition, the Hardware Guild, with its many dexterous players, is the scarier opponent. In addition, the peddlers'' guild led by Assunto and Bekko are also in this category. These are not threats, but you need to keep an eye on ....... Skipping our team, we''ll go to the two western districts with the river fishing guilds and the church - the red group. The red group consists of the area west of the church. So that''s where Delia and Imelda are. In other words, there is the River Fishing Guild and the 42nd District branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild. ...... is the wrong place to divide. It''s a good idea to split them up. And the flower arranging guild with Millie is also a red group. Although she wouldn''t be able to help, Bertina would also be in the Reds, and the kids in the church would also be in the Reds. And the biggest blow was the loss of ...... Hammaro. Now Hammaro is helping the river fishing guild, and the Reds have taken him. He was running around in the sunshine pavilion a while ago! And then there''s West 1, where we have the sunny pavilion - the white group. The main members are Magda, Loretta, and Umaro of the Torbeck Engineering Guild. Mormat and his farming guild. Yaprock and his corn farmers plus Barbara, the agricultural helper. Ginette and I are out of the picture, to say the least. I don''t think we can compete with Natalia, Delia and Norma. ...... There is no way we can win. ''With Torbeck Engineering and the Farming Guild. ......'' ''I was just ranting at the thought of it! ''Hey you!We work under the sun every day, you know?We have more energy than you! The two representatives of the ''unreliable organization'' who were so pissed off that they were trying to fight me. Can you guys compete with the hunting guild, the hardware guild, the river fishing guild and the lumberjack guild?I know you can''t. But as representatives, we can''t back down if our people are being criticized. Let me correct that. ''Okay, I''ll rephrase. I can''t expect anything from ...... Umaro and Moormat.'' ''The rant became a name! ''That''s why!I''ve got more strength than you! They''re just a bunch of old men yapping and screaming. You guys are just a bunch of guesses so that when an unknown enemy appears, you''ll be the first to be killed and the readers will think, ''Oh no ......, is this enemy this strong? You''re just a bunch of old guys who want to be the first to be killed when an unknown enemy appears, so that the readers will think, ''Oh no! ''Delia and Norma are temporary employees of the Sunlit Pavilion. Let''s bring them in. ''...... That''s impossible. Delia said, "I''m looking forward to fighting Yashiro with all my might. ''Norma said something similar. ''Estella also said that she was looking forward to facing Yashiro. ''Oh, by the way, isn''t there a sensei who''s examining Teresa''s eyes?The green-haired one with the weird accent. That''s what he said too. I wonder what kind of sticks we''re supposed to knock over!I wonder if it''s for boys only!I''m going to have so much fun I''m going to get a nosebleed fever! ......? ''Barbara. I don''t need that information. ''Well, what''s a "ball pit"?Where do you put your balls? ......'' ......'' ''So, I don''t need any information about that guy! The only good news for us white team is that he''s not on our team. ''Why does everyone want to fight me? And much more. ''Hmmm. That''s how much influence Yashiro-san has on many people, isn''t it? I don''t know what kind of influence you''re having,......, but I''m not aware of any such thing. ''...... In the first place, in the strategy of dividing the West, the presence of Yashiro has uprooted the ''easily understandable strength''. ''Is it my fault, ......?'' ''That''s why they think you''re a marvel, big brother. You''re buying too much into this. How am I supposed to stand up to the beastmen in a simple athletic contest? My spell can''t bend the laws of physics. At best, I can convince them that it''s true. I can''t even make Delia carry a 20 kilogram turtle shell on her back as a ...... handicap. ''...... Can''t we change ''scavenger hunt'' to ''teaser hunt'' ...... like this, say it fast and confuse ''scavenger'' and ''teaser''... ...'' ''No, you can''t!The program has already been decided, you know!You can''t say, ''Actually, it was a teaser competition'' now! No? ...... I thought I''d feel a lot better if I could at least neutralize Delia. ''Anyway, the biggest threat is the red group with Delia. ''......The blue group with Natalia should also be watched out for. Natalia is a force to be reckoned with. Magda''s tail was a clear sign of ''caution''. I remember that Magda was hiding when Natalia first came to the sunlit pavilion. In Magda''s mind, Natalia is still a powerful enemy. There must be more to the head waiter than just pure power. ''Norma is also a formidable opponent, isn''t she? Ginette followed up, perhaps concerned about the Yellow Team, which no one had listed as a priority. ...... said. ''No, Norma''s fine. ''Yes, she is. Norma, you''re a pretty disappointing person after all. ''...... I''m sure he''s the type who will do something at the last moment and miss the victory.'' ''No, that''s not true. ...... She''s a serious person, and her work is delicate and careful. Ginette. You still don''t know Norma very well. That''s what they call a poor handyman. It''s okay. Norma''s the kind of guy who''s reliable when he''s on your side and makes you laugh when he''s on your side. I''m sure he is! ''Anyway, we''re too short on strength. I don''t know how far Magda, Loretta, and Barbara can take us. ......'' ''I guess they don''t really rely on us ......''. ''Well, it''s a lot easier than expecting too much from Yashiro. ......'' We''re going to need a force if we''re going to win. It''s just a ward field day. But if we participate, we want to win. Now, what should we do? ...... ''Hmph!You seem to be in trouble! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''ll lend you a hand, hmm?The anchovy. --It was Lucia Suarez. ...... What good is your power? I''m sure your athletic ability is not that different from mine. ''I will obey Lucia''s orders, no matter what. ''Gilberta! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. She''s dressed and moving as stiffly as the military today. But this is good news. ''If Gilberta is here, we might have a chance to win! This is a head waiter who can compete with Natalia. She may lag behind in a hard battle, but she can be a force to be reckoned with in an athletic contest. Thanks for the offer! ''Thank you, Gilberta! ''Wait a minute, anchovy! You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this topic on the web. It hurts! It hurts!What the hell are you doing? I''m not sure what you mean by that.Do you want me to drop a heavy brick on your little toe, anchovy? ''Stop it!It hurts just to think about it! Are there more of those anchovies? Don''t keep adding to your vituperation of me. ''Gilberta obeys my orders. If you want to ask me, you should ask me, you fool, you insolent, you infidel! Why did you throw in that last bit that a marriage partner might say? ''Well, Lucia. Nice to meet you .......'' ''I''ll lend you a hand with the ''right to sleep with Hammarotan for a night while he squirms around - for two nights''. ''Alright, get out of here right now!From this store, and from this 42nd district! He thrusts out his hand toward the exit. Now, get out! ''All right, all right!I''ll get you out, but give me Hammarotan! ''That''s kidnapping, isn''t it? ''Oh, um... Miss Lucia. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''Mr. Hammaro has been assigned to a different team from ours, so we are not in a position to do anything about his rights. Why don''t you discuss it with him first?'' ''No, Jeannette. You don''t have to deal with such a dangerous person. ''You shut up, anchovy!More importantly, is that true, Ginette? Lucia pushes me away and closes in on Ginette. She roughly grabbed her thin shoulders and brought her face close to Jeannette''s as if she were sucking a half-boiled egg off the plate. Jeannette let out a cry of ''Ack! and froze. ''Isn''t Hammaro a member of Ginepu''s team?He was so fond of her?'' ''Ha, yes. This time, he''s assigned to the red team in the second west district.'' ''Thank you for the information.'' Lucia straightens her posture as she stares at Ginette with her eyes wide open. She then walks silently to the door, and with her back to me, says a few words. ''So we''re enemies this time, anchovy. ''You''re going to turn on the Red Team? ''Originally, I was your enemy!Ha-ha-ha!Now I can beat you to a pulp without fear of anyone!Look forward to tomorrow''s match!Let''s go, Gilberta! ''...... I''m sorry, I... I''m sorry I can''t fight with you, my friend Yashiro, or my friend Ginette. But it is my duty to obey Lady Lucia''s orders. I have no choice. ''Even Gilberta? I don''t want Lucia at all, can''t you just leave Gilberta alone! ''''Aside from the anchovies, it''s a bit painful to be enemies with them. ...... Ginepoo. And, sister-in-law. ''Wait!You can''t call me that, it''s rather serious!I''m so scared and worried about my brother''s safety that I''m getting goose bumps all over my body! ''If we, the red team, win tomorrow, I''ll become ............ Hammarotan''s wife! ''You won''t accept it! ''Farewell!Hahahaha!'' ''''I''m looking forward to, I''ll see you again tomorrow.'''' Lucia dashes off with a high-pitched laugh, and Gilberta bows politely and then dashes off in a circle to stop the runaway Lord. It was a ...... stormy visitor. But ...... ''The Reds have powered up again: ......'' ''Well, that''s not good. ...... If the Red Team wins, Lucia is going to seriously kidnap my brother and go home. ......'' ''...... Hewitt sisters, married first.'' ''Don''t do it!I''m the eldest, and I''ve always been the first! Aside from whether or not Loretta can marry before her sister, ...... If Gilberta is included in the red team, the odds are finally stacked against her. ''Hey, hero. Can''t you just decide what to do?You''re cheating by bringing in players from other districts!Miss said it too. You can''t cheat. I see! In the first place, this field day is a ''ward field day''! Only the residents of the forty-two districts are eligible to participate! ''Okay!I''ll use that line to shut Lucia out! ''Are you sure you want to do that, Yashiro? It was the middle of the night, a time when we should not have been able to meet, and I was about to drag Estella out, but to my surprise, she came to me. Estella leaned against the door of the sunlit pavilion and greeted me with a brisk, ''Hello, good evening. ...... You''re so cool. ''I knew that when you organize an event like this, there would be people who would hear about it from somewhere and try to get in on the action. You''re one of them, aren''t you?'' ''...... Well...'' Lucia is the first, and Javier, Demilly, and Ricardo, who has been lonely and trying to get involved lately, are also likely to make a move on you. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure if I''d be able to say, ''Get the hell out of here, you pervert. ''I''m sure you can ....... But we''ve got diplomacy and stuff. That''s right. We''re the same lord, right?There''s no higher or lower. You should tell them what''s wrong and what''s not. ''Then it''s no use. ...... Let''s give up diplomacy with the 35th district from now on. That way, no more perverts will be able to enter the 42nd district. Wow, good idea! ''That''s impossible. Well, I suppose it is. ''Besides, it''s not just the 35th district. ''Hmm?What kind of ...... is that?'' I looked at Estella again and noticed something. There was something wrapped around Estella''s waist. ...... That was ............ ''Estella-sama ...... I''m with you ............ Pop.'' ''......What are you doing, Tracy?'' ''She said she came over to help me.'' Estella''s voice is cracking. She probably ...... spent hours justifying her refusal to participate in the event in a roundabout way, but in the end she was pushed ...... over the edge, and that''s about it. ''You can''t admit Tracy and not admit Lucia,'' he said. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. It''s only for the people of District 42.'''' ''''Then Barbara won''t be able to participate either, is that okay with you?'''' ''What?Why can''t Aashi participate? ''Because you''re still a citizen of District Forty-one. I see. ...... If it''s limited to the people of District 42, Barbara won''t be able to participate. ...... We can''t afford to lose one of the few forces of the White Team... ...or... ''Only Aashi is special!This is a tournament for Aashi to show Teresa how cool she is! ''No, it''s not just a competition for that. ......'' Barbara is a girl who interprets things in her own way. ...... She''s a lucky guy in a way. I don''t envy her at all. ............I''ve already used up all the words of refusal that I can think of ......''. It looks like Tracy was quite persistent. Estella is slack-jawed. ''...... slack.'' ''Can you please not say that while looking at my breasts? Perhaps it was because of her fatigue, but Estella''s comeback was lacking in energy. Is ...... the red team finally on its own? No, no, no. The leader of the Red Team is Delia! If it''s Delia, she''s sure to push back even if someone from another district suddenly steps in! It''s like we''re going to win this thing ourselves! ''Hey!Yashiro~!The lord of the 35th district wants to join our team!It''s fine! --Delia arrived at the Sunken Pavilion at the perfect time. ...... That''s candy crafting arranged from Millie''s nectar candy. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. That''s something you should pay me royalties for. Instead of repaying me for the idea, he''s using it to cajole Delia... he''s such a lousy lord. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ''...... Delia,'' she said. Estella looks a little taken aback. Are you also dismayed by Delia''s sloppiness? ''...... You use ''sama'' for Lucia-san, don''t you? ''What do you care about? It''s because you don''t like ''sir'' and ''lord''. Don''t complain. You don''t want to be distant, but you do want some respect.You''re a pain in the ass. ''Hey, you know what?Jashiro. That''s not good. In this case, I''m going to send Delia to the other side with cake and popcorn. ...... ''Sure, Miss!Of course you can! There''s a traitor on our side! No, he''s always been Delia''s confidant. He was never supposed to be trusted in the first place! ''Are you sure the white team agrees? ''Idiot, wait, Estella. If the team''s biggest idiot says it''s a valid vote, I''m going to tell the world that Regina is the representative of the blue team. ''Can you please stop that?It would probably damage the dignity of the blue team. ''Regina with Natalia! ''The target is now limited to me, at this moment!My dignity, not the Blue Team''s, will be compromised if I let that combination go free! In every organization, there are people who say, ''No, you can''t do that. You''re either too stupid to take him seriously, or you''re too stupid to know that he''s harassing you. Barbara''s delusions don''t count, in other words. ''Well, anyway. The Blue and Red teams are in favor of having participants from other districts as guests. Now it''s two against one, right, Yashiro? ''What''s that, two against one. I''m adamant about .......'' ''Then we''ll have no problem inviting guest players, right? Just as I was about to make a lone effort to resist, a languid, sweet, and somewhat lusty voice came from beyond the dimness where the glowing brick lights were cut off. ''Eh, Norma ......? Estella gives Norma a surprised look as she appears out of nowhere. ''Are you sure your skin is okay, staying up this late? You have a face like that, Estella. ''I don''t have a face like that! ''...... Estella. You can look forward to it tomorrow at ......! ''That''s because it''s not me! When the feud between Estella and Norma is born, we hear Norma''s story. ''Which lord is messing with you this time? ''It''s not a lord. It was one of the temps who used to help us who wanted to join us. A temporary employee of the hardware guild?I didn''t know there was such a thing. Was there a ............? I''m sure they''re healthier than the ...... pushy participants.'' I''m not sure if the Tracy wrapped around my waist is sucking out my energy, but Estella''s smile is getting drier every second. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... ''I see. ......'' In the event that you are distracted by the disappointing hidden big tits that haunt Estella, Norma muttered quietly and then lifted the corners of her mouth in a grin. ...... Ha!I''m sure you''re right! ''Estella!Now retract your previous statement!Or else ......''. ''It''s too late!Paula, you''ve been approved! ''You did it, Norma! Glowing bricks lined the street. The bricks shine brightly as if to shake off the darkness of the night, and because they are bright, they create darkness in some areas. When you walk along the street normally, the brightness never stops, but when you step off the street, there are parts that become shadows. Paula, who had been hiding in the shadows, suddenly appeared. Then, with a heartfelt smile, she said. ''It''s amazing that you''ve managed to get the better of Yashiro and Estella! ''Handball ......? I tell Estella, who doesn''t quite get it, about Norma and Paula''s ploy. ''What Norma said earlier about "temporary workers helping out at our place", "our place" doesn''t mean the hardware guild. I''m talking about the broader ...... central district, the yellow group. ''You''re right, Yashiro. You''ve got good instincts.'' ''Then you already know who our helper is, right? You know who our helper is, don''t you?'' Paula''s happy face was met with a sullen, ''Yes. If by ''our'' you mean the yellow group, there''s only one person who''s been helping there as a temporary worker until recently and who might be interested in this kind of event, and that''s him. Until just a few days ago, he was temporarily working at Cantartica, which has a store on the main street in the central district-- ''Osina...'' And from this triumphant look on Paula and Norma''s faces, I''d guess ...... ''--and their best friend, Medora! ''You''re right, Dahlie~n! ''That''s my girl, Da-ling! You''re so clever. Osina and Medora crawled out of the darkness. ''Hey, guys!The Demon Lord is back, run! ''Hahahaha!You still like to joke around, don''t you, darling? I''m not sure what to do. ...... You''re really too scary. Don''t come out of the dark. I''m not sure how you can hide such a huge body, darkness! It''s not a mistake to say it like that,......, but if you say it like that,...... ''...... Magda and Milly have contributed the most. You can see that Magda will be sulking. ''...... That''s right, that''s right. But Magda won''t come to the Yellow Team, will she? ''......Of course. Magda is the team leader of the white team.'' With a curt rejection, Magda sashayed back to her position (well, my side, anyway). I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''m not sure what to do. You can''t say ''no way'', no matter how disadvantageous it may be, since you admitted it yourself. I can''t say ''No! No matter how many helpers we get, Tracy won''t be much of an asset. Nene will not be a reliable head waiter either. Estella, you''ve made a mistake. That''s why you should''ve stood up to Lucia and Tracy when they were just a pain in the ass. Before the real monsters came in. It''s impossible for the yellow team to get to the yellow team. ...... No, Javier can get to the yellow team. ............ But Javier will be attached to Imelda, so you can get him out. If you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. In fact, it will only get worse. ''Hey, hero. Barbara pokes me in the shoulder with her goo. ''What are you going to do?Are we gonna win this thing?'' ''Don''t tell me. ''Who else am I going to tell?You''re the only one this team can count on! ...... You, how dare you. ''That''s right!You''re the only one who can get us out of this desperate situation! ''...... I order you as team leader. Do something.'' Look at that. You''ve been thrown in the deep end. I mean, why are you even relying on me, Barbara? I thought you didn''t trust me. ...... When it comes to your sister, you ignore everything you like and dislike and just pick out the parts that are convenient for you, don''t you? I''m sorry. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m sure you''ll all be glad to have a good time together. It doesn''t matter if you win or lose, as long as you work hard and cheer as hard as you can, you''ll be fine. And then he says something that is typical of this guy, who doesn''t care whether he wins or loses-- ''But if we win, I''m sure we''ll be very happy. --He looked a little more belligerent than usual. Just a glimpse, though. I can''t believe Jeannette said she wanted to win. ...... ''There''s a chance of heavy rain tomorrow. ''Oh, that''s not good!We''re all looking forward to it! Ginette shows her impatience with my story. Don''t worry. Natalia has given her seal of approval. Clear skies tomorrow. It''s gonna be sunny. ''...... Well, I''ll see what I can do. Something that will increase our odds, even if only a little. ''Yashiro-san! ''Big brother! ''...... Dad! ''Hey, Magda!That''s not right!You don''t have to try to be funny every time you say something! So you''re okay with helping us. Then we should just get someone who''s willing to help us. Well, even if we don''t win at worst, as long as we don''t lose too badly, ...... ''Well, darling. I heard that if you win, ...... you can become the wife of the person you like? (Tere Tere)'' Huh! ''''Who told you such a dangerous thing, ......?'''' ''I''m the lord of the thirty-fifth district! ''''......, how long have you been lurking there?'''' That incurable late stage lord ...... spread unnecessary fire. ''It''s a shame you can''t form a joint front of love with your darling,......, but for the sake of eternal love, I dare you to become a demon! No, you''re usually even more terrifying than a demon. ''At first, Medora-chan said, "I don''t want to be on the same team as my darling. That''s why Osina thought it would be a shame if she and Medora ended up on different teams. But Osina worked for Kantarutika, so she thought it couldn''t be helped. ''I mean, ......'' ''Thanks to the words of the Lord of District 35, Medora-chan, you''re now on the same team as Osina. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... luciaaaaaaaa! If you don''t say anything else, Medora will be on the white team. .................. No, wait, wait. If you do, it will be a joint front of love. ...... d*mn it, I can''t welcome either of them with open arms!I don''t care if Medora is friend or foe! ''Darling!......I''m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! With a wink that sent the wind howling like the full swing of a major league home run king, Medora left the street lit by glowing bricks in high spirits. ''Why don''t we stay in Cantalucia today for tomorrow! ''What?In my house? ''Get some sleep and save your strength!Now, you guys go home and go to sleep! ''What?You''re really staying at my place?My place isn''t that big! ''Don''t worry about it!I don''t mind sharing a room with you! ''Then I won''t be able to sleep! ''Then, I''ll sleep with you too...'' ''You can''t!It''s not that big!Medora-san''s all alone in the ......, listen to me!I''m sorry. It''s a pity that Paula is barged into by Medora, who''s annoying without malice, and Osina, who''s annoying and full of malice, but ...... that''s the price of gaining tomorrow''s advantage, so take it. And then there''s Norma, who has completely disappeared from existence and has remained unconcerned. ...... You''re a tricky one, woman! ''Yashiro-san ...... that ......''. I''m not sure what to do. For three people. ''...... Medrama is a pure maiden who can''t take a joke.'' ''If you lose, your brother will be taken away by the 41st district rather seriously! Stop it, both of you. It''s not a good omen. ...... ''Lucia-san and Medora-san are ...... certainly a bit dangerous. Even Estella seemed to feel threatened by the seriousness of those two. ''If we, the blue team, do our best and win...'' ''Me and Estella-sama will be able to get married ......! I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your wedding. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''......Yashiro,what should I do ............Boku,I can''t help you''. ''Well, I guess we need to make it clear in the opening statement that there are no such rules.'' I don''t think that''s going to make those two meek, but it might calm ...... Tracy down. ''That ......Yashiro-san............'' The anxiety overflows from her large eyes, her cheeks tense, and her lips quivering slightly. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''Estella ......, you''re the ones who burned me, remember? I don''t know. It''s a ward athletic meet, and we''ve been completely invaded. But we can''t stop at nothing to win. We just have to make sure we''re prepared to keep those monsters at bay. ''I didn''t mean to do this. ......'' There was no one to reply to my complaint. 372-Before the opening ceremony of the 27th episode wi... It''s a beautiful day! Natalia''s prediction came true, and it''s a beautiful sunny day. The sun has been shining brightly since this morning. ''Teresa, you''ve improved a lot. Ginette''s cheeks relax as she watches Teresa frolicking in her special seat. Teresa''s eyes are recovering well and she can now feel the light well. She is now able to see the outlines of objects and can recognize people without hearing their voices, Bertina tells us happily. ''That''s right, Yashiro-san: ......'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about this. ''This dress ...... is very comfortable and easy to move in, but ............ my legs are a bit ... ...'' The thighs of Jeannette, which are rubbing together, are dazzlingly white and reflect the light diffusely. I''m not sure what to say. Yes! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. That means her lower body is... Bloomers~! It''s so bright!Senpai, you''re really shining! The white short-sleeved shirt is soft and wrinkled, and the dark blue bloomers accentuate her white, finely textured thighs. Oh no!It looks so good on you! Why don''t we make this the uniform of the Sunlit Pavilion? I''m not sure what to do. ''...... White Team, we''re almost there.'' Loretta and Magda are wearing dark blue bloomers as they run towards us. There are two colors!''......Because I couldn''t get rid of either of them!I''m sorry. It''s a good thing I planned the field day after all. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. There were bloomers, headbands, and gym clothes everywhere! It''s so cute to see girls wearing headbands at field day. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to wrap it up in a stylish way and try to make it look as good as possible,............. I''m not sure what to say. Come here for a minute.'' ''What?What is it?'' Loretta, full of energy, put a white headband on her forehead and tied it tightly. ''First! or ''Pass! or ''Pass!'' on her headband. It may be more spirited, but ...... a girl looks better when tied at the position of a headband. So I take the liberty of untying the headband, moving it up a bit, and re-tying it. ''Here. It''s prettier this way. ''Oh, really?Isn''t it cute? She grabbed the headband I had tied and flipped it over. He grabbed the headband I tied for him, touched it, and then said, ''Heehee~'' with a tight smile. The cuteness is overwritten by stupidity. ''...... Yashiro. Magda hasn''t tied it yet.'' Magda holds out the bowl in her hand. I think he just asked Jeannette to tie it for him later. ...... ''...... Magda is the team leader, so it should have special pretty specifications.'' Even if you say it is desirable, ...... I think I''ll go with Loretta. I''ve been thinking about this for a while,....... ''...... matching with Loretta, or work in progress is not allowed''. I was told ahead of time that I could not. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ...... can''t be helped. I wrapped a headband around Magda''s head and tied it into a tight knot once. When you do this, make sure that the length of the excess cord is different on each side. Fold the longer piece of string several times in a spiral pattern so that it retains a certain length. Fold the longer string several times like a spiral so that it maintains a certain length, like a thick-boiled egg, not a three-folded futon. Make it look like a snake, not a self. Then, bring the center of the folded cord to overlap the knot, and fasten the middle of the folded cord with the shorter cord. At this point, fold the shorter string in half lengthwise to make it look better. Tuck the remainder of the shorter part under the knot. ''There you go. The ribbon knot is complete. The image is like a kelp roll of oden, but if you make it with hachimaki, it looks like a pretty ribbon. Especially when it is on the head of a little girl like Magda, the cuteness is doubled. ''Oh, dear!Magda, you''re so cute! ''Wow!It''s lovely. Loretta and Ginette squealed with admiration at the result. And finally, Magda... ''...... This is exactly the way to tie a headband for a team leader. It''s no exaggeration to say that the white team has already won at this point. --I''m sure you''ll like it. ''That ...... Yashiro-san''. Ginette came up to me and gently untied the headband that was already wrapped around my head. She then gently offers you the untied headband. ''...... me too if you can. ......'' It was a request. I think it would be cute enough to tie a butterfly knot at the base of the ponytail, but ...... I''m sure they''re expecting a Magda-quality result. Not at all. ...... I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. The trick is not to crush the string so that the triangle knot looks nice. Then, adjust the triangles so that they are in the right place, and tie it in the way you would a standard girl''s roll. ...... ''Here, the cat ear knot is ready. ''It''s a kitten!The manager''s head has grown cat ears! The triangular knot peeking out from between her chestnut-colored hair looks like cat ears. It''s difficult to adjust the position, but it''s very easy to make. ''It''s a little disappointing that you can''t see it yourself. Despite this, Ginette looks happy. She touches the cat-ear knot on the top of her head. Magda stares at the cat-ear knot. I thought he would complain about the knot being prettier than his own, but ...... ''...... matching''. I hugged Jeannette tightly around the waist. Her tail stood up with a ''ping! He was happy. She was happy. ''Yes. We''re matching, aren''t we, Magda? Both of them are shaking their bodies happily, and shaking their lovely arranged bowls. ''Huh!I''m not sure if I''m the only one with a normal knot. ''Don''t worry, Loretta. Normal is your identity! ''I don''t want that kind of identity!......Uh, but it''s the knot that my brother said was cute. ............ Ahhhh, I''m torn! After a few minutes of writhing around in her head, Loretta seemed to have decided to join in with the standard girl''s wrap. ''Yashiro-san. Ginette.'' Bertina walked over to me. ...... She''s dressed as usual. ''Oh, Ginette. That''s a lovely knot. Is that Yashiro''s?'' ''Yes. He tied it for me. ...... Oh, no. He tied it for me. I''ll try to rephrase it in a way that includes the nuance that I didn''t do it willingly, but that Jeannette urged me to do it. That kind of ''I did something wrong'' feeling must be ticklish and fun. The mother and daughter are smiling at each other with similar faces. ''Aren''t you going to join us, Sister? ''I''m not much of an athlete. Besides, that ...... outfit is a bit ......''. Apparently, bloomers were not allowed. They''d look great on you! ''Besides, I had to keep an eye on the kids in the stands. And I have to watch the kids in the stands,'' Bertina said, blaming it on the kids and refusing to wear bloomers. They look perfect on her! I can do cheer and babysit in bloomers too! I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about this. ............ But when we were playing in the river, she wore a bathing suit. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. If you want to join in, just jump in. It''s fun to get together and make some noise, and I''m sure the kids would love to jump and run with Bertina. He points to the spectator stands where there are young children who seem to have difficulty participating in the competition. The kids were jumping up and down as they looked at the ground where preparations for the field day were taking place. They think they are participating in the event. Their faces are all over the place, looking very happy. ''......'' Bertina burst out laughing at the excited kids. ''That''s right. Well, if you get the chance. With that, she went back to the cheering section to stop the kids who were trying to walk out to the ground with unsteady steps. It''s true that you may need a chaperone. But it doesn''t have to be Bertina. It could be the matron''s aunts. So!Please!Get Bertina!My bloomers!Hey! ''Aren''t you looking at the sisters with an evil eye, Yashiro? ''No, Yashiro. Don''t look at the sisters like that!You''ll get angry. ''No Yokoshima, Yashiro! The leaders of each group gather around me as I remind them that I''m going to twist this absurd fate of theirs. Estella from the blue group, Paula from the yellow group, and Delia from the red group. Of course, they''re all in gym clothes. In other words, bloomers! ''You guys look even cuter today. ''Huh? ''What''s wrong, Yashiro?I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, you''re cute?I see. ...... hehe'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. I love it!I want to be pinched!I want to be caught in it! At ......, Delia probably doesn''t understand the meaning of "wicked. She must think it''s the one without the vertical stripes. ''Ah!Loretta is tying her headband in a cute knot! Paula spotted it and shouted. The attention of Estella and the others is focused on Loretta, and she shows a proud expression. However, in the next moment, their eyes are caught by Ginette and Magda who are standing behind her. ''Ginette, what''s wrong with that?It''s so cute! ''Hey Magda!I like that!Tell me how you did it, too! The leaders of each group crowded around Ginette and Magda, ignoring Loretta. Loretta, pouting. ''Please don''t ignore me!Mine''s a cute knot, too! ''Really, it''s a cute knot, isn''t it, Loretta? Nephrite walks up to Loretta, who is waving her arms in protest. ''I think I''ll try to copy Loretta.Magda''s and Jeannette''s are a little too cute.'' ''That''s right!This is just the right amount of cute, isn''t it? It may have been meant as a consolation, but ''too cute'' is an understandable emotion. The character and the cuteness need to be properly matched. Gap and imbalance are often mistaken for each other, but it is necessary to recognize that they are completely different things. If Ginette wears a s*xy, revealing outfit, it''s a gap, but if Medora wears a fluttery, fluffy Lolita dress full of frills, it''s an imbalance...... or even a visual weapon. The two are completely different. The two are completely different. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Not too thin, not too thick. Maybe a little thin. It would be nice if they were a bit more plump, but in Nepheli''s case, the outline of the legs is beautiful and well balanced. In addition, the inseam is also long, and she really has a model figure,............, even though her face is that of a chicken. I''m sure you''ll agree....... Oh, Yashiro!What are you looking at?What''s your name? I''m not sure.And then he pokes his tongue out and covers his thighs with his hands. I don''t know about that, but the beak to mouth thing is a shocking image. I see it every once in a while, but I never seem to get used to it, my heart. It seems that the team leaders of each group have just gathered. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Phew ......, the weather is nice today, so it''s shaking more than usual.'' ''It doesn''t matter what the weather is like!Don''t try to force me to shake, Natalia! I''m sure you''ll find that your style of agitating the Lord is still evident today. ...... He''s the perfect waiter if he''d just shut up. ''Preparations will be completed shortly. The opening ceremony will begin at the scheduled time. The field day starts at ten. For the 42nd district, where getting up at five or six is the norm, it''s a leisurely schedule. Too much cramming could lead to accidents. Incidentally, Natalia wears her headband in a loop around her neck. It''s like a loose tie. That''s how she''ll look until the show. Not a few people are wearing a headband like Natalia''s around their necks. It is the best way to wear a headband when you are in the moment. Or perhaps they simply feel uncomfortable because they are not used to wearing something around their heads. Norma is one of them. ''Natalia~. The scoring board is up! Norma comes from a distance, announcing the completion of her work, wearing ...... dark blue bloomers! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''Excuse me!Is it possible to extend the time in this store? ''Relax, Yashiro,......, I don''t know how much you''re trying to get for me,......, but it''s not a store. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what you''re looking for, but I''m sure you''ll be able to find it. It''s not like you''re a student, but it looks great on you.I just want to nominate you! ''I really like bloomers!They''re healthy!It''s healthy! ''I don''t think so. ...... Especially when I look at your loose face.'' Norma is a little embarrassed to light a cigarette, although her tone is a little angry. He is blowing smoke at a faster pace than usual. Including this embarrassment, bloomers are wonderful! I feel like I want to take a close look at everyone in their bloomers and document every detail of each one of them! ''Da-ling!Look at my gym clothes! ''Come on!Let''s get into the swing of things for the show! You looked away as soon as you could. I''d rather look directly at the sun through a telescope than look directly at that thing! What, will it blind me?Hahahahaha. It''s better than having your ...... eyes blown out, head and all. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the site, you can contact us at the following URL: ....... Of course, as soon as it was decided to provide them, I made sure to mention that ''your performance will be lower than running in bloomers because the movement of your legs will be inhibited''!Because if I didn''t say so, everyone would have worn long pants! This is just for the consideration of adult women and elderly people who can''t expect to set records and don''t want to go ...... with bare legs, that''s all!It''s a good thing that long pants are no longer a thing in this world! It''s a good thing that long pants are no longer a thing in this world! Everyone should live in mini-skirts or bloomers! ''Da-ling-chan. ............. It''s a good idea. ...... ''Yashiro-san. Your face is loosening up. Ginette''s fingers came up from next to me and lightly pinched my cheek. That''s not good. My facial muscles have been loosening ever since. I''m so glad we planned this field day. ''What the hell!Just when we''re about to start the serious game of our lives, don''t you dare show your disheveled face, anchovy! Zang!Lucia stomped on the dirt ground, sending up a cloud of dust, and stood in front of me. She is wearing dark red bloomers and a white gym uniform, and her beautiful blue hair is in a ponytail as she stares at me. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. And yet, this is ...... honestly adorable! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. And above all, ...... I''m not sure what to say. Very beautiful legs! I didn''t know he had such a good figure! I didn''t notice it because she always wears long skirts, but this length without heels is pretty impressive! What?Oh, don''t be silly!What are you looking at, servant?Insolent!Impurities!Hazardous materials!Waste! Who''s the waste? I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I''m pretty sure it''s the ...... thing!Oh, a, ...... that, and I''ll do this, anchovies! What''s wrong with you? What''s the matter with you? You''ve been writing and practicing the anchovy series every day. Don''t forget at the last moment. I''m uncomfortable!Let''s go, Gilberta. ''Yes, I will. And I''ll show you, casually, my special outfit for this day, I''ll show my friend Yashiro. And I''ll show it to my friend Yashiro, along with my boldly exposed thighs. And with that, Gilberta leaves, showing off her toned, brown thighs. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. It''s like a dog taking a liking to you. ...... Well, it''s cute. It suits you. ''You''re ...... rotten to the core, hero.'' When I turned around, I was met with a look of utter contempt. From Barbara, who was supposed to be on my side. Today''s Barbara seems to be in high spirits, with her headband tied so tightly around her forehead that her skull almost screams. Her annoying bangs have been trimmed as part of the "Street of Beauty" project in District 41, and thanks to the good food and shelter she''s been provided at Yap Rock''s place, she has good skin and a good amount of flesh, and is turning into a beautiful girl with only a bad mouth and personality. ...... It''s kind of frustrating. You''re a barbara. ''Barbara-san, those bloomers are two sides of the same coin! Oh. I''m also stupid. Those flaps are called seam allowance. They''re on every piece of clothing. ''Let''s put it back on! ''Here? ''Yes! ''In the changing room, sir!And you, Yashiro-san, do your penance! Doing her best to stop Barbara from undressing, Ginette pulled Barbara''s arm and walked her to the changing room. ''...... You''re doing penance again, me. ''...... Yashiro. Magda is going to help the manager ............ by parading around the grounds and showing off this cute little knot.'' ''Name, you''re fading too fast. ...... Well, you can do whatever you want.'' ''Well, then, I''m coming too!I''m going to show off my natural cuteness! ''......Natural............ Ah, "normal".'' ''Why are you rephrasing, Magda?It''s fine to be natural! And with that, Ginette and Barbara, Magda and Loretta left me. A corner at the edge of the ground. A corner of the ground at the end of the field, assigned to the white team''s position, becomes a little quiet. There... ''Oh, ......, ladybug.'' A voice that sounded like an angel''s whisper came riding on the wind. I turned around and saw Millie. Embarrassed, she pulled out the hem of her gym uniform to hide her bloomers. As a result, the majority of her bloomers are hidden, and a tiny little triangle is peeking out between her thighs, just faintly peeking out. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m not sure what to say.It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I don''t know. I''m not sure what to do. ''Obscene pharmacist, destroy! ''You''re getting a lot of flak. I''m really proud of myself. The green-haired pharmacist who quietly approached from behind Millie took off her usual black costume and wore a gym uniform today. But he''s a little different from the rest of us. He''s wearing a long-sleeved jacket, as if he doesn''t like the sunlight very much. Yeah. They have long sleeves too. The kind that zippers up the front. The kind you can wear like a blouson. It comes in two colors, navy blue and dark red to match the bloomers. Underneath the long-sleeved jacket, Regina is wearing dark blue bloomers. The jacket, of course, is not meant to be tucked into the pants, so like Milly, the hem hangs down to cover much of the dark blue bloomers. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that.Is that the best? What? Are you the best? ''Regina. We''re friends, right? I''ve been with you for quite a while, and you''ve told me at the worst time imaginable. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. What an unpleasant handshake. If it weren''t for the bloomers, I''d have kicked her. ''Oh, ...... the sunlight is so hot,...... I think I''m about to reach my limit. ''We haven''t even finished setting up yet? Regina is going to be in charge of first aid under the tent, so she won''t collapse. ...... You should at least take care of yourself, pharmacist. Seriously. I don''t know. Did you want something from me? ''I''ve enjoyed seeing you in your bloomers, so I''ll listen to you! Yeah. I didn''t say that. ...... Well, I''m not denying it, but... ......?It''s a headband. ......'' I thought you wanted Millie to be tied up pretty too. ''Oh, does it hit the antennae?'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. If you wrap it around your forehead, you can avoid the sense of touch. But that''s not Millie''s image. It''s only Delia, Barbara, and other girls with serious intentions that tie it tightly around their forehead. Girls like Millie should prioritize cuteness. It''s just so cute! So what should I do? ...... Oh, I see. ''But that''s going to be out of alignment. ......'' ''No problem. I''ll use this.'' I''ve brought some patches to keep the headband from slipping off, in case someone might need them. These are the hairpins that I use to decorate Millie''s hair. ''If you fix both sides with these, ...... they won''t fall off, will they? ''Oh dear, ......!Thank you, ladybug! Millie jumped up and down on the spot, as if to make sure it wouldn''t fall off. She seemed to be happy that her headband didn''t slip off, and jumped again and again. Every time she does, her antennae sway cutely. ...... When she jumps, her gym uniform lifts up and her bloomers are visible, hidden, visible, hidden, visible. ...... ''I''ll bring them back! ''My desires are bottomless, aren''t they, Millie, hurry up and run''. ''Yeah, well, I''m going to show it to everyone, okay? ''Oh, ...... takeout is ......''. I''m not sure if you''re really going to take it home with you or not. ''Of course not, you idiot!A girl that cute, that cute, that cute, that cute, that cute, that cute, that happy?You''ll take it home with you, right? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ......, I thought to myself, reminds me of a certain person. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Well, I haven''t seen Imelda. ''If it''s the woodcutter lady, she''s posing over there, isn''t she? Regina pointed to the middle of the field, where Imelda was standing. Standing alone in the middle of the venue, she struck a s*xy pose that showed off her proportions. ...... What''s that guy doing? I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. ''You were admiring my beauty, weren''t you? ''No, I was just glancing at you. ''You were so beautiful that you forgot to look at the time, weren''t you? ''No, that''s why ......'' ''Give it up, yourself. The woodcutter girl has actually been posing there for quite a while, waiting for me to notice her. I''ve been posing there for quite a while now, waiting for you to notice me. I''ve been messing around with the Lord of the Thirty-fifth District and Millie and the others behind me. I''m sorry, but I can''t ...... imagine what that''s like. ............ I''m starting to feel sorry for you. It''s not my fault at all. It''s not my fault at all. ''That''s Imelda. You look good no matter what you wear.'' ''Isn''t that right?I knew it! ...... is not worthy of praise, this one. However, Imelda has a really feminine style with a lot of body. The proportions are such that you can honestly say they are wonderful, not in the direction of eroticism, but in the sense of artistic beauty. She looks like Venus de Milo or something like that. Imelda wearing the same gym uniform as the others instead of the usual glittering dress is very rare and unusual. ...... Well, I guess I left it unnoticed for more than ten minutes. It is easy to think that a young lady is not suitable for active dress,......, but she wore armor when she went outside the city gate, and she is also good at such dress. It''s a perfect beauty that can be cooked or baked, that''s me. ''Oh, rubbing and stroking is so ...... woodcutter''s daughter, so s*xy. ''I didn''t say that, did I? ''...... No. You did say that, didn''t you? ''I didn''t say that, Yashiro-san!You can''t say, "Oh, is that so?" with a straight face like that! I''ve been in the forty-two districts for a long time. He''s been in the 42nd district for a long time. His jokes are starting to resemble Loretta''s. When I first met her, she was a self-important, high-handed girl. Anyway... Imelda coughs and points at me. Provocatively, proudly, with her chest out. ''''And swaying.'''' ''''You should be ashamed of your breathlessness in such a place, both of you! You''re right, it''s embarrassing to wear the same dress as Regina. It''s as if I''m the epitome of obscenity. I''ll behave myself. ''All right. I''ll behave myself.'' ''I''m a despicable pig!I''m a filthy pig! ''That''s not ''self-restraint'', that''s ''self-mockery''!...... It''s not exactly the same as ''self-mockery'', is it? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. Again, thrusting her finger at me, Imelda declared with a winning smile. Imelda smiles triumphantly and declares. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bit of trouble with the lumberjack guild. So, it''s your fault that the team has split up. ...... You should regret it as much as you can. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to help you out. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Who would cry over a team split at a field day? ''...... Do you want to eat lunch in teams? ''No, I won''t let you!I''m not going to let you do that. I''m going to get the manager''s lunch no matter what! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... There are a lot of people who''ve seen me requesting fried chicken and fried shrimp. I may have screwed up. Well, Jeannette had prepared a lot of food before dawn in anticipation of that. ''Anyway, be prepared!...... I''m not going to go easy on you.'''' ''''...... Are you going to shake me as hard as you can?'''' ''''Voice!Please don''t line them up! Imelda brushed her blonde hair up, spreading it like a glittering diffused light. That''s all it takes to make a picture, this guy is amazing. ''I''m going to win and I''m going to get it. ......'' ...... Okay, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that. I''m sorry. They''re all so pissed off over a field day. ...... ''You''re a real tough bastard~'' Regina said in a strangely cheerful voice, staring at Imelda''s back. ''We all know that''s impossible. ......'' Then, her eyes, which are as green as her hair, turn towards you. ''Even so, you should at least have some kind of reward for putting all your effort into such a rumor that has no roots,......,'' she said in a silent appeal. ''............''. I know what I''m talking about. Don''t put it into words every time. You won''t be able to pretend you didn''t notice. Every one of them is strangely excited, ...... even though I was planning to pass it off as ignorance of all of them. ''...... Well, at least a prize for effort,'' he said. I can''t do much, and I don''t intend to. ''Well, if that''s the case...'' Crossing her fingers, Regina flips her wrist and stretches her arm and back muscles. She does some stretching that doesn''t suit her, and turns her hot gaze on you in an uncharacteristic way. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s not like ............. ''............ I''m going to win this thing. In my own camp, which is now empty, I mutter to myself. We''ll win and end the field day. It''s the most peaceful and the least messy. I was sure of it. ''I''m going to win! I spit out the same words again and tie my headband tightly around my forehead. Ahhh, this is so unlike ....... Me neither. Soon after, the opening ceremony began. 373-start an additive-free 28-episode athletic meet ''''''Oath!'''''' ''''...... Oath!'''' Magda, line up! Under the clear blue skies of Natalia''s weather forecast, each team leader stood in front of all the players, arms outstretched high, and took the oath. ''We, the players,'' he said. ''We, the players, will fight fairly and squarely in accordance with sportsmanship. ''that we will fight fair and square ''I swear by ...... .................., except for Yashiro. ''Yashiro swears it too! Magda''s mischievous glare made Estella glare at me. It was as if I''d made her say it. ............ Well, I did. ''Hey, hey. I swear. I swear. He waved his hand to indicate that I should just get on with it. The ward field day has finally begun. We are now at the third pledge of the program. The first is the entrance of the athletes and the second is the opening declaration. The opening declaration was made by Estella, but it was rather bland. Apparently, Estella was more enthusiastic as the team leader of the blue team than as the chairman of the tournament committee. Just before the tournament started, she said, ''Oh no ...... I should be a fair tournament chair, but I''m going to favor the blue team. I guess he''s the type of guy who can''t hold two jobs. For better or worse, she''s straightforward. Come to think of it, she''s got a straight bosom, too. ''Yashiro, I''ll stab you.'' Estella walks past me on her way back to the fighters, leaving ominous words in her wake. I thought we were supposed to fight fair. Assassination is the highest form of cowardice. After the opening statement and the pledge, the players are supposed to leave and return to their seats. The plaza is so big that it could be used for a soccer court, but it is better to keep the sports meeting small and lively. Therefore, it was made simple with only an 800-meter track. At first, I thought that a compact 400-meter track would be fine, but considering the power of the Beastmen, I thought that it would be too small, and on the other hand, a 1,200-meter track would put off athletes like Jeannette who are not good at sports. So, the 800-meter track was chosen as a compromise. It is a little wider and more luxurious than a field day at an elementary or junior high school. ''...... This is where we, the white team, will be camped for the rest of the day. It''s an impenetrable area where the enemy team is not allowed to take even a single step. Magda said, as she dug her toes into the border with the next team. On the other side, Loretta is drawing the same line. ...... kids. ''But the air is safe! And Loretta thrusts her arm repeatedly into the red team''s position next to her. ...... You''re a kid, yeah. Around the main 800-meter track, there are cheering sections for each team. The cheering section for the athletes is outside the straight section of the 800-meter track. Facing the track, from the right, the blue team, the yellow team, the white team, and the red team take their positions. Opposite to the cheering section, on the other side of the straight track, are the committee seats, the dignitary seats and the first-aid tent. In the case of track events, the goal is in front of the dignitary''s seat. In track events, the goal line is in front of the dignitary''s seat, and the dignitary''s seat is a special seat. It would be a shame for Demilly and Ricardo to sit there like they own the place. ''Hey, Ricardo!That''s the seat of honor. ''I''m a guest of honor!I''m the guest of honor!Don''t move your hands to the side and tell me to move! I didn''t invite him, but he came to observe with an air of importance. He must''ve really wanted to join. Do it in your ward. It''s a ward field day. I''d appreciate it if you took Medora and Osina away right now and brought them back. The curved part of the track is a dangerous place where athletes often fall. Well, I don''t think such an accident will happen. So we don''t have seats on the outside of the curve. However, there is a food store at a little distance. The curve is a good position to buy food there and stand and watch. There are many territorial people who do not participate as players because of age or injury. There are many people who prefer to cheer rather than participate. Some cannot take time off from work, and some come to watch only in their free time. For such people, there are general seats available. At a glance, it looks like a small event hall. Delicious smells are wafting from here and there. The stall where Bertina is currently eating okonomiyaki with a smile is a stall run by the Sunshine Pavilion, and next to it is a stall selling Cantaloucica''s monster frankfurters. Ohhhhh, Bertina is biting into an oversized frankfurter. And there''s a store selling alcohol and a stall for lemons. Right now, Bertina is eating a lemon pie that has been modified to be eaten standing up. ...... Funny. You should be looking around the stall, but Bertina keeps following you out of the corner of your eye. It''s like that translucent amoeba thing that appears in front of you when you''re tired. ''Oh my God, Sister ......, you eat so much in the morning. ''The alcohol stalls are skipping exactly where they should be. I''m not sure if she''s trying to conquer all the stalls or not, but she''s been flying high all morning. ...... It looks like she''s going to achieve this before the competition starts,...... all the stalls (except the alcohol stall). ''Ugh ...... I can''t stand the smell of this. I''m getting hungry. ...... I''d like to try some of the hexenbiest franks! ''...... so I''ll get fat.'' ''Honyou!The word that everyone has been so careful to avoid these days!I''m not fat!I''ve been doing Delia''s exercises every day since then!I''m not afraid to eat a hexenbiest flank! ''''The sweet idea of ...... and a careless bite are all in the meat of my belly ......'''' I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. ''............ And then he says he doesn''t want to eat with Magda. ''I''m still mad at you!In fact, I''ve been mad at you for a long time!I''ll apologize as many times as you want, so please forgive me! Magda, who seems to have a deep-seated anger still smoldering in her heart, is toying with Loretta. Yeah, yeah. I''m sure it''s been sublimated to the point where it can be used as a joke, in their minds. ''But well, don''t eat before you run. I can see you crouching in the middle of the course saying, ''Ugh ......, my stomach hurts. ''Huh?I''m not going to do it.I''m not going to do it, I''m going to make a mistake like a stupid child! ''...... Loretta. Magda will give you a treat. ''Don''t get your hopes up for a funny scene like that!I''m not doing it! ''Hey, you guys! Before Magda and Loretta''s amused fussing, Barbara comes in with a scary face. ''The rest of the team is having a strategy meeting or something!If we don''t take it seriously, we''ll lose!Give me a plan! Barbara doesn''t seem to want to think for herself. Well, I''m sure the plan he came up with doesn''t even have the appearance of a plan. He might even say something like, ''Go in with a bang and win with a bang! He might even say something like that. ''By the way, what kind of strategy do you think is best, Barbara-san? ''Aashi?Let''s see. ...... ''Go hard and win! ''! ''There''s no specifics!I was so stupid to ask! That''s right, Loretta. If you don''t know what you''re talking about, you''ll never catch up with me or Magda. You should avoid wasting your time. ''...... Magda, on behalf of the idiot Barbara, will give you a strategy to win the White Team. ''Who''s the idiot, team leader? ''Barbara-san, are you unaware of this? Loretta casually spits out a terrible venom. I mean, Barbara is surprisingly straightforward, isn''t she? She calls me ''team leader'' even when she''s angry. She does what she''s told. ...... Magda told everyone to ''...... call Magda team leader today''. Well, most of us call him ''Magda'' as usual. The team leader has a great plan for us. ''...... The winning strategy for the white team is .................. "Don''t let the enemy defeat you"''. ''Oh, wow!That''s great!You''ll never lose with that strategy!Nice work, team leader! ''Oh, before Magda-chou''s usual smug face full of the feeling of ''I told you so'' came out, the idiot Barbara-san took the bait with glee, so it didn''t turn out the way Magda-chou intended, and Magda-chou looks a little unhappy! ''Hmm?Is he grumpy?Isn''t he the usual unsociable one? Huh? ''............'' Whether it was because Magda had opened up to them, or because the people around them had improved their skills, the employees of the Sunlit Pavilion were now able to read Magda''s expression quite accurately. Loretta''s done it. Though Barbara doesn''t seem to know the difference. Oh, she''s starting to wag her tail. That''s the signal for a bad mood, you know. ''Ha-ha-ha, Magda''s all the rage. You look happy wagging your tail like that.'' ''What are you talking about, Mormat? That''s a cute tail movement when you''re in a bad mood!When you''re having fun, your tail will stand up even brighter and cuter! You''re a good boy, Umaro. It''s annoying that he uses the word ''cute'' in every sentence, but it''s not like he''s only been staring at Magda for the past year and a half. He''s graduated from being a pervert who obsessively chases after one little girl to a ...... ''You''ve become a great stalker, haven''t you? ''I''m not a stalker!This is pure adoration! ''You''re a stalker after all ...... like Percy.'' ''I don''t want you to be like that! ''What is such a thing, seriously? A man in raccoon make-up is shouting in the distance, but you''re probably a cheerleader for the blue team in the east district, right?Don''t look at me. I''ll ignore you thoroughly today. ''Sorry, sorry . Umaro ''is'' pure love, right?'' ''Yes!I don''t talk about love with an unclean heart.'' ''Hey, you guys, choose your words!I''m also very pure! Yes. Ignore ignore ignore. ''Umaro doesn''t touch Magda because he wants to take care of her, but Percy can''t touch Nephele because he''s just a badass. ''Umaro, don''t be like Percya??'' ''Of course I will! ''Muggah! ''......... I thought Umaro was a bit better than that, but ...... I guess Yashiro''s not that great. ...... infectious.'' What? What is it, Mormat? You want to be an enemy too? Good, I''m going to crush you. ...... In a completely different vector than a field day. Physically, and economically. ''Come on, guys!We''re going to use the best strategy Magda came up with and give the victory to Magda! ''I understand your enthusiasm, Umaro, but look at me and say it. ''No, Yashiro-san. There are a lot of women over there. ......'' Umaro raised his fist and barked in the direction of no one. You should be used to Ginette and Loretta by now. ''...... Well, I''ve got a plan in mind. ''You have a plan? He''s admitted it. Magda seems to want to win as a team leader. His ears perked up and he spoke of a new strategy. ''...... If we let Yashiro participate in the competition naked, many of the girls won''t be able to keep their eyes open properly. ''Honya!You can''t do that, you can''t do that, you can''t do that!Please repent, Yashiro-san! I''m not sure why I''m here. Ginette puffed out her cheeks at me, embarrassed to the hilt. Tell that to the person who came up with the idea! I mean, who would do such a plan! ''At ......, I''ll get the manager to ...... instead.'' ''Hmm. Let me know the details.'' ''I''m not doing it!Not again! Well, Magda wouldn''t let Jeannette do that, and I''m just kidding. I''m just kidding. So, ...... you look like you''re expecting a little something, and I''m going to make sure that Morgatt gets a good cry. ...... Absolutely. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I think we should have a strategy meeting. ...... You know, I''m not really sure if I''m facing that way right now. There are people who are not familiar with ......''. I''m not going to turn my head in that direction right now. You''d better get used to it. ...... It''s a good thing that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I said, winking at the reassuring people behind me. ''Hey, guys...'' ''You''re talking about the wrong people. I came here to accompany you because you wanted to invite Master Gerasie as a guest of honor. ''''It''s the same for me. I came with my lord as a token of friendship between the 23rd and 42nd districts, so I didn''t expect such a development. I like this kind of thing~ Thank you for mixing me in, Yashiro-kun*. ''Guild leader, you can''t spoil this guy. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to say.I''m busy training to be a pyrotechnician! ''What are you talking about, rookie? This is a favor from the man who introduced us to fireworks. It''s a manly thing to do, isn''t it? ''That''s right!And I''m really excited about this kind of thing, unexpectedly. ''Mm!It burns!I''m going to win a lot of firsts! ''Haha ......, my sister is so enthusiastic ......, so cute! I''m not sure what''s going on here, but the boss told me to do it, so I''m going to do my best to help! A line of beautiful women plus a few old men. Yes! I''ve been working hard yesterday to gather up all the resources I could! In order from my side, Inez, the head waiter of the 29th district, Deborah, the head waiter of the 23rd district, Masha, the guild leader of the sea fishing guild, Nikka, the former Sirach guardian who was forced to join by Masha''s order, Carl, the former Sirach guardian who was forced to join by his wife (to be) Nikka, Carl''s boss and the first fireworks master. ''I, Bertha, also rushed to support you, Yashiro-sama ...... No, my ha-z-ba-n-d.'' ''Somebody! I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Long pants!Somebody get me some long pants!I''ll be there. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has the ability to do this. To be honest, Riveka''s physical ability is not that high, but it was necessary to carry Sophie out, so we included her in the team for now. ''With these members, we have a chance to win! ''''Please wait, Ko...... Oba-san.'''' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m going to try.I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. I''m not sure what to do.It''s a bad omen. ''What''s that, E...... Ines? ''...... What did you just misspell?'' I''m sorry. I guess we''re even now. ''Totally ......,'' exhaled the E-cup Ines, protesting once again. ''I don''t remember agreeing to participate. ''Neither did I. I don''t remember agreeing to participate in such an event without the Lord. ......'' Deborah agrees with Inez. They both look deeply annoyed. ......Hey, is it okay to say something like that? ''So you want to bring the lord back?Right now.'''' ''''What''s more, my lord is looking forward to it! I''ve heard from Mahr that he really liked the party in District 42. Gerasie and the old man from the 23rd district, whose name was apparently Ibert Hagen, were also very interested in the new and unusual events held in the 42nd district! If District Forty-two starts something, there might be a profit to be made from it. Such thoughts have been imprinted in their brains by the trouble with the BU. In particular, the two districts of 23 and 29, which can benefit from the new distribution channels created by the new road in District 42, are sensitive to the movements of District 42. I took advantage of that and dragged out two of the other wards'' head waiters! In the end, when your master is curious about what we do, you can''t escape the free labor of helping us white team! ...... Don''t tell me you''re going to be a helper for another team. Or rather, they''re careful not to let you know. They are straightforward people, for better or worse, and they will assume that the choices presented to them are the only ones. You''re BU kids, aren''t you? ''So, since the lord has his own agenda, you can be a part of the white team and earn as many points as you can. ''However, you can''t just leave Gerasie-sama alone. ......'' ''The lord can watch the game from his seat of honor over there, so he doesn''t need any help, right?Even if something happens, Ma''ru''s head waiter Cindy is also there, and she can take care of him while she''s there. ''There''s a problem, sir!It''s my job to take care of Master Gerasie! ''You''re really into ...... that thing, aren''t you ...... in love with it? ''........................? Oh, that''s not true. You can see it in your face, you know. Normally you have a cool face. If I showed Gerasie the deep furrow between your eyes, she''d probably cry. ''Well, won''t the lord be happy if the people of his district are very active here? ''Isn''t that right?'' ''I suppose so. After all, you can ''sell your debt to me'', right? ''............'' Inez looks towards the dignitary''s table with a difficult look on her face. Gerrardsy was sitting a little farther away from Ricardo and the others, staring at him. ''...... Indeed, Master Gerrard, you have often said that. ''I want to be of service to Lord Obeyashiro''? ''......''I want to make that poor bastard as hungry as a grasshopper.'' ...... ''......That bastard.'' You, too, are not ''...... and''. Who''s a grasshopper? ''In the museum, they call you the "woodpecker". ''I didn''t really need that information. ''I sometimes call them that, too.'' ''Oh, what?Are you into hurting people''s hearts?It sounds like a douche, but if you ask me...'' I''m not sure how much of this is a gag. ...... ...... I''m sure it''s not a joke. It''s like looking at Natalia when you first met her. There''s just something about her that''s so sharp. She seems to hurt everyone who touches her. ''Her breasts are so round...'' ''I''m going to gouge you, aren''t I? The eye? It''s the eyes, isn''t it, the target! ''Well, in a tournament like this, it''s unlikely that we''ll be disadvantaged, and if we can sell you a favor for something like this, it might be an advantage for our 29th district. If you don''t want to stop ...... me, I''ll lend you a hand. Somehow, Inez seemed to have convinced herself. At midnight last night, she said, "I''m holding an unusual event in the 42nd district, and you can come as a guest. It''s not hard to see why he would be bent out of shape. Gellersey said something like, ''...... Well, I knew there was something behind it,'' and quietly retreated to the guest seat, so there was no problem. No diplomacy or anything like that. However, even if the lord had approved it, he would not have taken it seriously unless Inez herself agreed to it. I managed to get Inez to shake her head. For now, this is a relief. After all, he''s still the head waiter. As long as there is no hostility, he will respect us, honor us, and maintain harmony with us. Just as Natalia was. ''Well, good day to you, Inez. ''Yes, thank you, "Kometski".'' ''Wow, ......, no respect at all.'' ''Kometski-sama.'' ''Yeah, ...... that''s not it. There must have been some other way to respect him. Well, I don''t care what anyone calls me now. And Deborah''s name is ....... ''Nice to meet you too, Deborah. ''That was a very rude invitation to Miss Ibert. I sent a similar invitation to Ibert, the lord of the 23rd district, as I did to Gerasie''s. I thought that old man would have no problem with it. ''Was he angry? ''No, he was half-amused and half-laughing at the end.'' I can see it in his eyes. Next to Donnis, he was the smartest guy I ever met. He was also much older than Gerasie and more relaxed. He must have a lot of time on his hands. ''As expected of the lord of the 23rd district, he has a big capacity. ''............'' In response to the obvious flattery, Deborah stared at me with a blank expression. Then, her mouth relaxes in a smirk. ''It''s fine if you know...'' Easy to understand! It''s very easy to understand! Is it really that great to be praised by the master you serve? Gilberta, Nene and Cindy too. So let''s give her a ride and ask for her cooperation. ''Oh no~, as expected of the generous lord of the 23rd district. I''m sure he would have gladly agreed to the head waiter''s participation. ''Of course. He even kindly told me that I''m always busy with my work, and that I should take a break from it by playing silly games like this once in a while. ''That''s great!Lord of District 23, you''re very considerate. ''That''s right! ''Well then, I''ll have to participate in the competition with all my might so as to live up to the name of the proud lord of the 23rd district. ''I''ll dedicate victory to my team with my own hands! ''I can rely on the 23rd district to be my ally. ''Of course they are, of course they are!You can rely on them! ''When you''re the head waiter of the 23rd district, I bet your tits shake like crazy. ''They do, as you can see! ''Excuse me, Deborah, from the side. As your head waiter, I have some advice for you. Don''t do anything rude.'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... Tsk! ''I thought I could enjoy shaking my tits without anyone noticing! When I turned around, Masha, Nikka, Sophie, Magda and Loretta were staring at me with some kind of affordable blunt instrument in their hands. ''I was in a state of mind to see who was quicker, Desuyo! ''If you''ve got a ...... mouth full of obscenities and a head full of ...... uselessness, I''ll smash it, okay? The eyes of Nikka and Sophie are especially scary. They still think I''m a dangerous person. ...... It''s because I made a bad first impression. So it''s Lucia and BU''s fault. ''I''m the victim, aren''t I ......? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. ''Hahahaha, Masha. s*xual harassment is only valid if the other party doesn''t like it. ''I like your positive attitude a lot, Yashiro-kun! In other words, if all human beings are good friends, there is no such thing as s*xual harassment in this world. I guess this kind of thing is called ''love and peace''. It''s a noble spirit. ''Okay!Let''s make ''Love & Peace'' the slogan of the white team! ''The ''love'' part is definitely obscene! ''Again?I''ll turn it into mace rust! ''No, but...'' I think it''s a good phrase, ''love and peace''. Ginette intervened, and somehow Nikka and Sophie managed to calm down. ...... This is a difficult team to control, isn''t it? ''Hey, sis!We need to work together and win a lot!V (peace) sign for victory! ''Oh, I love my ...... motivated sister ......! It seems that love and peace has been established between the rabbit sisters,......, but your love is also very distorted, Sophie. ''Hey, hero ......''. Barbara pokes me in the back. With a gouge. ...... Do you know the word "go easy"?It hurts like hell. ''With a team like this, can we really win?'' ''Oh. At least we''re much, much stronger than the white team we had yesterday.'' ''Is that so~......? Barbara looks over at the white team''s helpers quizzically. '''''''''' Respectfully,'''''''''' I''m sure you''ve heard of them. I don''t know what you''re talking about. I don''t want to be a part of this. ''......, but the lack of unity is a problem. ''Indeed. You can''t deny that there is a sense of crowds. ...... It''s not a problem that can be solved by improvisation. ......'' The individual skills of the team of helpers are amazing, but they certainly lack unity. No, it''s not that there is little, it''s that there is almost none. The only ones who are cooperative are Masha, Rebeka, and the pyrotechnicians Kabriel and Markus. Mokoka is loyal to Merle, for better or worse. Well, let''s increase our unity for a moment. ''Barbara. These two head waiters are stronger than you.'' ''Really?These skinny girls are stronger than Aashi?'' Since she had started to eat properly in the past few days, Barbara''s body had become slightly plumper and firmer than when they had met in the prison. Norma had said that her muscles were leaned out for speed, but Inez and Deborah looked thinner. Inez, in particular, has a slim body like a young lady of the deep. But ...... ''This is the result of toned muscles. The quality of the muscles is much better than yours.'' These are the same muscles as Natalia and Gilberta. Thin muscles that are modest enough to hide behind the Lord and yet functional enough to react quickly to whatever happens to him. I suspect the density is different. ''A top-notch head waiter is a top-notch person who can do anything he wants to do. These two are top-notch. I guarantee it. Because Natalia praised them before. In comparison, Inez is a step ahead of her, but Deborah is no slouch. But Deborah is not so bad, as Natalia also said. But Deborah is no slouch either. ...... Well, under certain conditions, you can''t be trusted at all. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. When I was looking for a ''helper to win'' in a small amount of time, these two were the first people that came to mind. That''s how much I trust these guys.'' ''Is that so? ...... Well, if the heroes say so, I''ll believe Aashi too. I thought I could get Inez because the lord was easy to deal with, and Deborah because she was so obedient when I hooked her at a previous banquet that I was hoping to ...... get her. And I was sure that I could draw Mokoka in if I asked Mahrul, and I was going to draw Sophie and Rebeka in when they said they were coming to watch the ward field day during the bread tasting. We were lucky that Masha, who had heard about the field day, came to our house. Thanks to Masha, Nikka and Karl, and Kabril and Markus, who followed Karl, became our allies. If they had gone to Delia, we would have had a hard time. The two pyrotechnicians, as well as Nikka and Karl, had the physical ability to serve as soldiers protecting Sirach. With these helpers, Magda and Loretta, depending on how they did, they should be able to get to a pretty good place. When I turned around to give a word of encouragement to these reliable friends... ''Hey, don''t look at me! ''Same to you, Ines! ...... The two head waiters were embarrassed. ''...... What are you embarrassed about? ''Te, embarrassed, etc. ......!''Oh, it''s because you praise people out of character! ''I didn''t expect you to be so reliant on me,......,'' he said. They seemed to have been surprised by the unexpected praise, probably thinking that only bad words would come out of my mouth. So, you were honestly happy and a little bit pleased, and then I turned around at the right moment, and you felt strangely embarrassed, didn''t you? I understand. There are times like that, when you''re like, "What should I do with this atmosphere? I know. It''s okay that the head waiter''s mood has improved a bit, but ...... why is someone in a bad mood? You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. Oh, ...... your child is throwing a tiresome tantrum: ...... ''How dare you disrespect Rebekah ............ Yashiro-san ...... Be careful on the road at night...'' ...'' Yeah . You''re a pain in the ass in a different way. The idiot''s sister will be in a better mood when Rebekah is in a better mood. Then she pats Magda''s head, which she''ll have to do later, and goes to ...... ''Rebekah. There''s something important ...... that I haven''t told you yet, something that only you can do, something that will determine whether or not this team can win.'' ''Huh?What is it?What''s the important role that only I can play?Come on, tell me.'' ''I''d like you to be the ''pretty captain'' of the white team at ......! "Cute captain"?What kind of position is that? ''It''s a very difficult and challenging role, to raise the morale of the white team with Rebeka''s cuteness, and to charm even the enemy to reduce their strength. ''Leave it to me!I''m going to carry out that big task with flying colors! Yes, sir. Here we go. And, ''Aha!My sister, the pretty captain! And my sister is in a better mood. At ....... It''s the ...... that sulks when it comes to such things. ''And Magda''. ''............ Jii~'' I see you, I see you ...... ''It''s already becoming common knowledge that Magda is cute.'' ''...... Are you bored?'' ''No, no. It''s not that. ...... Magda is the team leader today.'' ''...... Yes, the ''cute'' team leader.'' ''No, Magda is not a ''pretty'' team leader.'' Magda''s eyes widened and an inarticulate ''whimper'' escaped her mouth. But don''t be hasty. Listen to my words to the end. ''Magda is the ''cute, reliable, and strongest team leader''! ''...... or ''pretty, dependable, strongest team leader'' ......? ''This time, Rebeka has been appointed as the ''cute captain''. With that, I''m going to gather my sisters and form the ''Cute Squad''.'' ''......Ribeka is the captain of that ''Cute Squad''. ......'' ''Yes. And the leader of the white team, which also includes the "cute squad," is the "cute, reliable, and strongest team leader," Magda, you! I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to say. --and stands straight up. ''Your cuteness is different from the cuteness of Rebeka, her sister, Teresa and Cheryl. The cuteness of Rebekah and her sisters is, let''s say, childish cuteness. It''s the kind Javier can catch. The kind Imelda would hit with an axe the moment she caught it. Magda used to be in this realm, but recently she has stepped out of it and is gaining fans with her idol-like cuteness. There are many people who see Magda not as a ''cute kid'' but as a ''cute girl''. Even though ...... is a different kind of "cute" than Jeannette and the others, though. Well, that''s it in a nutshell. It''s a fine line between ''not a child anymore, but still an object of protection''. ''...... Yes. Magda is already a grown woman. I don''t mean to say ......, but let''s just say that. Magda puts her hand on Rebeka''s shoulder, brushing her hair up with a ''whoosh ......''. ''......Ribeca is ''cute'' and will play a big role. ''......Ribeca is ''pretty''.'' Oops. That''s two generous statements from the winner. ''Hmm!Leave it to me! Magda gazes contentedly at Rebeka''s back as she jumps up and down. He looks at her with a kind of ''I''ll leave it to you, junior'' look. ''...... Today''s Magda is in an important position that requires more than just being cute. ''Yeah, I''m a team leader.'' ''............But she''s still very cute. It seems that no matter how important the position is, ''cute'' is not compromised. He rubs his head and urges me to give him an ear massage. Hey, hey. Cute, cute, cute. ''......Muh! ''Haaaaaa ...... Magda-tan, the rightful owner of ''cute'', who is not shaken at all by the appearance of the backward!I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. You''re a pain in the ass fox. ''Sis!I''ll use my cuteness to bring the championship to the white team! ''...... Everyone, follow Magda.'' And now that they''re in a good mood, it''s time for Loretta. ''Loretta. ''Yes, yes, sir! ''Good luck! ''It''s normal!No, it''s less than normal! I mean, it''s a lot of work to lift each one. Why don''t you just be normal? Just be normal. ''I believe in you! ''It''s full of uselessness!That''s what I said to the head waiter just now! ''You''re so cute! ''It''s just an expression!I heard it just now! ''''Seriously angelic...'''' ''I didn''t say that!I mean, that''s Umaro''s! ''Normally. ''Is that a swear word? Oh, God. He''s at a difficult age. Heh, heh. I guess originality is all that matters. ...... d*mn it. ''Loretta.'' When you call out her name, Loretta slumps down and takes a stance. ...... You''re ready to take a shot at me, aren''t you? ''I''m looking forward to it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. When I patted her on the forehead, she held it and gave me a cheerful reply. Loretta is fast, so you can count on her. She''s not going to lose to Delia or even Norma. ''Make a big splash where you can shine. ''It''s a ............ ''cute showdown'' where you can shine! ...... She''s just a little bit of an idiot, isn''t she? Oh, that''s too bad. Oh, clunkers. ''Nicca and Carl, please. ''Hmm!I''ll do my best. I don''t like to lose. ''I''ll do my best for Nikka, too! These two are willing to cooperate, even if they don''t talk. I understand that from the wedding and everything. ''Masha and Mokoka, please take care of the old man and the others. ''Yes~a?? I can''t run, though~'' ''I know what you mean! ''Leave it to me, bro! ''I''m very motivated! It''s a good thing I''ve always been cooperative around here. ''......, and Bertha, please be quiet. ''If that''s what you want...'' Don''t wander around too much. It''s bad for morale. And when I thought I had finished talking to him, Barbara poked me in the back. I''ll give you another goo and ...... tell you it hurts! ''Hey, hero!Say something to Aashi! ''...... You''re not going to get any morale boost from me saying something.'' ''Just say something!I don''t think so. I don''t think so. ...... Unlike you, Teresa has a sense of decency. ......Totally. ''Show Teresa how cool she is. Your sister''s the best.'' ''Oh!I''m on it! ...... Well, let''s send a word to the rest of the beastmen. I turn around and tell Mo-Mat and Umaro. ''Try your best to die. If you can''t, die. ''Yashiro, you are ......''. ''We don''t need any more encouragement. ......'' Mormat and Oumalo look exhausted. They''ve only just begun. ''giggle......'' '' said Ginette, who was watching us from a distance. She covered her mouth and shook her shoulders. When our eyes met, she gave me an apologetic smile. ''Yashiro is going to be a great father,'' she said. ''...... Don''t say something that won''t bring you luck. I told you I hate kids. It''s too creepy. And if it''s my kid, then it''s my wife''s tits and I''m the enemy, right? That''s war, isn''t it? ''My wife''s tits are mine. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. You can find a lot more information on the web. You may have imagined me monopolizing your boobs. I don''t have a specific partner, you know. No need to worry about that. ''If you''re going to marry Mr. Yashiro, you''ll have to be quite fond of children. He walked up to me and poked me on the bridge of my nose. ''You have to take care of your own child and such a big child together. And giggles. I don''t think Jeannette realizes this. ...... It''s a double-edged tactic that could come back to haunt you. ...... ''Then it''s no problem if I beg for boobs every day! ''Please repent''. ...... Tsk. If I hadn''t said that, it would have been a weird atmosphere. It''s just that there''s someone on the other side who''s strangely uptight. ............ Oh, I can see through Medora. Ignore him, ignore him! I''m not sure what to do.Ignore him, ignore him! ''Anyway, let''s unite our hearts and bring victory to them. ''That''s right!That''s a good point, big brother! ''You guys!Let''s unite like the hero said and make a show for Aashi! ''If we''re going to make a show, let''s make one for Rebekah! ''I''ll work as hard as I can! ''Since you''re joining us, you''ll have to do well as head waiter. ''The first one to get the credit wins, right? ''Hey, hey, Yashiro-kun~a?? Is there a competition I can participate in? ''Oh, that''s right. ''Mr. Turnip!I heard there''s a big ball rolling event! ''Hahaha!That sounds like a great game to throw! ''Oh, um, everyone, please unite ...... your ...... minds...'' ''Oh, oh, isn''t this bad, ......? ''So it''s all falling apart......'' Things started to go wrong around Barbara, and Jeannette was on edge. Mormat and Oumalo are also dumbfounded. ''......Yashiro. The team of helpers is not very cohesive. You have to put them together somehow. ''I can''t help it. ......'' If it''s the team leader''s order, so be it. I chanted the magic words to unite the minds of the mishmash of helpers who were saying whatever they wanted and whose minds were wandering all over the place. ''Your bloomers are so s*xy! In an instant, everyone''s hearts were united. Inez, Sophie, Nikka and Karl looked at me with a deadly stare, Deborah and Rebecca showed a bit of embarrassment, Masha and Mokoka let out a ''I can''t help it'' kind of giggle, and Kabriele, Markus and Mormat couldn''t help but look at my dazzling thighs... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. Oh my god, bloomers! That''s awesome! ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san......'' ''My brother ......'' ''......Yashiro, so it can''t be helped.'' The members of the sunlit pavilion looked at me with troubled, dumbfounded faces-- ''Please repent. ''Repent, sir. ''...... should be repentant. These words were uttered simultaneously. ...... or. Umaro, come mix with us. I''m not sure if it''s because there are a lot of girls I don''t know very well,....... 374-29th episode without additivesFirst race, footrace ''Please do your best! Ginette cheers loudly with her hands on either side of her mouth. On the track, the under twelve runners are now running the 80 meters. ''I did it!We''re on different teams, but my sister is the best! ''...... Your siblings were the only ones in this race.'' The speed of the Hewitt family is unparalleled, so we try to have the hamsters compete with other hamsters assigned to each team. Otherwise, the hamsters would monopolize the first place. ''It''s so cool to see them running so hard. Unusually excited, Jeannette pulls my sleeve and points to the track, saying, ''Look, look, look. I guess he gets excited when he sees sports too. Earlier in the day, a bunch of little kids from the church and other districts participated in the "running race (under-seven division, 25-meter run)", and it took a while, but the race ended successfully. It took a while, but the race was successfully completed. The whole hall was gobsmacked by the sight of them running little by little with their tiny feet. Unfortunately, Teresa couldn''t join the race yet, but instead Cheryl joined in with great energy and took first place. Yap Rock danced a little dance that could have been the joyous dance of Nepheli''s parents. ...... I wonder if each race has its own traditional dance? The next race will be the final race in the Under Twelve division (80 meters). From the white team, Rebeka will participate. The white team''s performance has not been so good so far, so we hope that they will get the first place somehow. Totto also participated in the competition, but his efforts were in vain and he ended up in third place. The sons of hunters and lumberjacks are too fast for the ...... thing. You can''t do that. At least you get points even if the competition is just a bunch of kids playing around. The points are small, but the difference in the initial error level often has repercussions later on. We cannot be too careful. ''Rebecca~!Keep up the good work~! Sophie is cheering, holding out a handkerchief made by herself. ...... You''re an idol chaser, aren''t you? I''m sorry.Is this it?I got this from Mr. Assunto. He said it would be a good advertisement to write the name of the factory on these things and distribute them to the relevant places. In other words, it''s a copy of the promotional T-shirts we used to have at the sunny-side up pavilion. Oh, no, that''s not right. In his case, it''s a derivative of the ''advertising method using fans'' that I taught him during last year''s heat wave. ''At ......, you didn''t write about the factory, but you wrote the name of Rebecca. ''When it comes to koji factories, it''s Riveka!I''ve never had anything else to write about! The hand towel with the words "Rebekaa??Lovely~" written in sparkling letters looked like an idol''s live goods. At any rate, if I were to receive one of these from a business partner, I would throw it into the trash with no bounds. ''Rebeka is fast, so she''ll be the first!Yashiro-san, please support her so much that her throat will pop out! ''I''m not going to jump out of my skin. You''d feel bad if I jumped out of my skin. But Rebekah''s best is a yellow light. ...... Because-- ''Hammaro taaaaaan!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''I think you''re getting too excited, Lucia-sama......'' ''In three seconds, I''ll use my power, I''ll use my mind like a demon--zero. ''Dof!............ Gi,Gilberta ...... should at least countdown aloud... ...I didn''t know how long it had been, three seconds ......''. ''Three seconds passed as I was speaking. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... You can ignore the blue and yellow groups as they are just normal children. ...... Hammaro. ...... ''I wish Hammaro would have clashed with the other Ham kids. ......'' ''As a matter of fact,......, there is a limit to the number of my younger siblings who can participate in each event. ''There are so many of us. It''s a pity for those siblings who want to participate but can''t. ......'' ''......The red team came here to make sure they get points.'' Yes. The Reds purposely avoided the Hammers in a race full of Hammers, and put Hammaro in the last race. Since the race was just a trial run, they didn''t get many points. However, the first place got 10 points, the second place got 8 points, the third place got 5 points, and the last place got 2 points. There is a higher probability of getting more points by abandoning one race full of hamsters, where you do not know how many places you will get, and taking the first place without fail. If all the racers are hamsters, the worst that can happen is that you come in last place. It''s better to be sure of 10 points ....... This is a great way to make sure you get the most out of your vacation. I''m sure that Delia would not have made such a detailed calculation. I''m not sure what to say.It''s not often you get to see such a big stage! Hammaro looks a little nervous. If you''re nervous and go out with a bang, you''ve got a chance to win. ...... He''s strong in the real world, or rather, he''ll do exactly what he''s told to do. ''I''m sorry to say this, but ...... it''s a little difficult to beat my brother. ''Don''t worry. You don''t have to be the best, but working hard is a great thing. ''It''s hard that ...... covering fire is prohibited. The team is in a defeated mood. It seems that Magda is not allowed to shoot down Hammaro from the outside, so it can''t be helped. ''What are you talking about!Rebecca will win!Because she''s that cute! ''That''s right!Don''t talk like you''re giving up before you even try!Loretta!You''re a member of the Sisterhood, aren''t you!We''re going to support you together!'''' Sophie and Barbara seemed to believe in Rebeka''s victory, probably because they didn''t know Hammaro''s speed. ''Hero!You can win, right! Even if you say so, ............ ''Do something about it!You''re one of us! Do something. ...... Well, I''ll do what I can. There''s no guarantee it''ll work, though. ''Rebecca......, you hear me?'' I whispered to Rebeka as she took her starting position, unbeknownst to the rest of the group. Rebeka is a genius among the rabbit people with a good ear. No distance is too great for her to miss any whispers. ''We''re all convinced you''ll win. So whatever happens, don''t worry about it, just run towards the goal. Can you do that, pretty captain? And with that, Rebekah thrusts a V-sign at me. Good. Okay, next is ...... ''All hands on deck. I''ll give you a secret plan. Call the white players together and tell them the plan. ''This is just a plan. This is not sabotage.'' After such a preamble... ''Hammaro may be on the enemy team today, but he''s usually one of us. So let''s cheer him on as much as we can. Everyone loves Hammaro, right? ''What?Are you saying that you''ll give up cheering for Rebeka to cheer for the enemy?Isn''t that a pity for Rebeka? Naturally, Sophie objected. She was so engrossed in cheering for Rebeka that she wasn''t paying attention to us, so she must not have heard the whisper earlier. So... ''That''s right. You''re right. So, I''ll stop saying ''good luck'' and just call you by name. I''ll just call you by your name as a fellow member of the same ward that I get along with on a daily basis. ''Oh, ...... I see.'' ''...... I understand.'' ''Huh?What do you mean? Loretta didn''t seem to get it, but Magda gave her an earful and she seemed to get the point. ''Aashi will never support the enemy! ''Of course I don''t either!I''m only going to support Rebeka''s ...... Rebeka! ''Then that''s fine. I''ll do what I want on my own.'''' ''''I guess so. Hammaro-san often helps out at the Sunken Pavilion, and he''s always happy to cheer us on. With complete goodwill, even Ginette has agreed to join the mission. Now let''s see if ...... will work. ...... And then the bell of doom rang... ''Get into position. ......'' --Boom! I''m not sure what to make of that. '''''''' Hammaro ooohhh! '''''''' ''Hammaro? ''...... Hammaro Oh~'' ''Hammaro? ''Hammaro-sa~n! ''Hammaro? It worked! It took a huge, huge number of hits! ''Oh, hey!What are you doing?Don''t stop!Run, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? It seems that Delia''s instructions had the opposite effect on Hammaro. ''Yes, go, Rebekah! ''...... Run through it like the wind.'' ''I''m going to smash it! ''What?Oh, good luck to you too, Rebekah! While Hammaro stopped at the starting point and stared blankly, Rebeka crossed the finish line in first place. ''Huh!Just like in the picture, you''re late! As the second and third runners crossed the halfway point of the course, Hammaro finally started to run ...... and finished in second place. You''re ...... too fast. It''s a good idea to give him a 1000 meter handicap. Thank goodness he didn''t have to fight for it. ''You, anchovy!You''re not fair! ''No, no. We''re just trying to support our good friend Hammaro. Right, Jeannette? ''Yes, sir. We''re very good friends.'''' ''Geez ......, you even used Ginepoo ............! That''s Lucia. She knew what I was after and how I did it in an instant. She also knew that Jeannette didn''t have the slightest ill will towards me. That''s why she can''t say anything. ''You ...... don''t care what happens to me and Hammarotan''s marriage! ''I''d rather destroy it aggressively, you pervert.'' ''Hmph!After all, the race is only a low-score exercise!We''re going to dominate the rest of the competition and win the championship for the Red Team! ''And if we don''t win, we''ll be judged by the spirits. ''You idiot!In the opening announcement, Estella declared the rule that ''the judgment of the spirits'' must not be applied to anything said here today! ''We will win! Such comments are necessary to boost morale, so let''s all tolerate such comments, a gentleman''s agreement has been made. Of course, I know all about it. ''But you''re not a resident of the ward. ''But you''re not a resident of the ward, and it''s highly likely that you will be in the near future! ''Um, Lucia-san, please don''t ...... do that, it''s rather serious ......''. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. ''And Yashiro. Don''t be too blatant in your sabotage.'' ''No, we''re genuinely rooting for .......'' ''How many people do you think are here that can be fooled by that? ...... Well, the only one who genuinely believes me is Ginette. ''You have to understand how well known you are. Estella nails him with those words and heads back to the blue camp. Hmm. There''s such a thing as a ploy to win. As long as it''s not against the rules. ...... Well, it may not be good sportsmanship, but... ''Oh well. I''ll take it seriously. ''Shall I cast ''Spirit Judgment'' on that statement?Anchovy. ''Just go back to your camp. I get rid of the idiot lord and start preparing for the next program. Next up is the 200-meter run for the under-15s. I thought 100 meters would be fine for the age group, but the distance is longer than in Japanese elementary schools because there are many beastmen. Even if they are not beastmen, the kids in this town have a lot of physical strength. Many of them said that 200 meters would be enough. ...... Well, to its detriment, the over-15 race I''m participating in is now 800 meters long. It''s not a race distance, 800. It''s a long distance. It''s a lap of the track.I''m not an athlete. There''s a lot of overachievers in the 42nd. I suppose it can''t be helped. ''...... victory to my team.'' Magda leaves her position in high spirits. Red Moya is banned, but I''m sure Magda can handle it. The hamsters stick to the same race, so they are not much of a threat, but there is no guarantee that they will win. The sisters who work as vendors at the second and seventh stores of the Sunlit Pavilion will compete, but the winner will be the luck of the hour. Also, some apprentices from Mo-Mat''s place are supposed to participate in the tournament, but ...... they''re a long shot. ''My knights!Look at this!First prize commemorative medal! ''Oh, good job.'' ''You looked great, Rebekah. ''Heehee~'' Rebeka came back with the medal hanging from her neck. She looked happy to be praised by me and Jeannette. This medal, which Norma had worked so hard to make, was presented to all the first-place winners as a souvenir. She had heard me talking about how I had wanted one of these when I was in elementary school, and had worked over night to make it for me. ''Children like such things, you know. Wouldn''t they be happy with that? He said. How much do you love kids and events? ''On location, yo. ......'' --Boom! The race has begun, and the cheering from the spectators and the cheering section of each team goes off. I look next to me and see ...... ''Akagumi~!Keep up the good work! Millie was shouting at the top of her lungs. ''Millie?Aren''t you going to join us? ''Yeah, ......, ladybug, Miry, you''re fifteen, right? ''You''re imagining things! ''No, you''re not!I''m already an adult this year, right? What a surprise: ...... Miry turns 15: ...... She''s going to join the over-15 adults in the race. ''Miri looks better running a race than running a race! ''Milly, you''re an adult now! I don''t accept it! I''ll never accept it! I''ll never accept it! Miri is still an object that should be protected by the Youth Protection Law or something! ''You should tell her, ladybug. I''m not going to do it. ''............ Eh?Oh, yes, that''s right.'' ''Jeannette, you forgot for a moment, didn''t you?Millie is an adult. ''No, that''s not true. ............ Just a little.'' ''That''s awful, even Jeannette-san! You can''t help it, Millie. ''Well, I was looking at Rebeka, so I was thinking ......''. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. I''m an adult! I don''t know if it''s the same thing with Miri''s ''Miri, I''m an adult now'' ...... ''It''s the same! ''No, they''re not!You''re a socially responsible adult!Right, Roreta? ''It''s okay!Miriri-chou can still be accepted as a minor! ''It''s not like it''s acceptable! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. You''re right, there''s no way such a cute creature is an adult. I was about to kidnap her to my army''s position when she was snatched away in a flash. ''Don''t get involved with Miry, enemy!Pfft! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You know, ...... I''m not sure what to say. If it had been Mo-Mat instead of me, you would have been happy! I''m not happy about it!I''m not pleased! ''............Oh wow, ......'' ''No, no, no, the lord of the 35th district!You know what kind of man Yashiro is, don''t you?I''m not sure if you can take me seriously. ''............ no. ...... as much as the half-fish from Ma-tan''s place, no.'' Lucia frowned as she walked back to the center of the Red Team''s position. So, Mo-Mat is in the same category as Calvin. ''Pfft! ''Don''t laugh at me, Yashiro!It''s your fault! Even among the beastmen, Lucia doesn''t show much interest in men. The only man Lucia has ever been attracted to is Hammaro. On the contrary, she seems to like Ginette, and although she''s a beast-feature fanatic, I guess she likes ''cute'' things more than that. So he feels physiological disgust even for Mormat and Calvin, who have strong animal features. ''Physiological disgust. ''Shut up, Yashiro! Mormat is strangely damaged. He likes big tits, but he''s dented by the fact that Lucia, a B-cup girl, hates him. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not going to let you get away with it. ''Shut up, white team!Cheer us on! The blue team is yelling at us. That Estella guy, he''s interfering with something that has nothing to do with us. ...... ''Because we''re talking about boobs now! ''What about it? That''s why I told you not to interfere if you have nothing to do with it. ...... That knife flies well. I''ll shut up. ''Because ...... Mo Mat will look at you like, "Shut up, people who have nothing to do with boobs."'' ''I didn''t! ''Back me up, hero! Now my own troops are angry with me. Barbara grabbed my head in both hands and held it facing the truck. Ouch, ouch, ouch! I told you, you need to learn to control your strength! I looked at the truck and saw my sisters standing at the starting line. They were a little older than me, between the ages of ten and twelve. They didn''t go ''Hahaha! like the younger sisters, but with a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. ''''The Hewitt family''s fundamental strength. ''''''I''ll show you! ''''No, you''re all Hewitt family. However, since the oldest is Loretta,......, it''s honestly true that even when she grows up. ''Good luck to you! '''''''' Yes!'''''''' The whole sister replies to Jeannette''s cheers. ...... You can''t tell them apart by their names, you know. ''I''ll be happy no matter who wins. ''No, no, no. You should cheer for the white team. ''But we also have a sister who was a vendor at the second store until last week, you know, from the blue group. The sister from the yellow group was here last month, and the sister from the red group was here when we were cleaning the kitchen. ''What, you can tell Ginette ...... apart?'' ''Yes, I can. I can''t recognize all of them, but I can recognize those who have worked with me at the Sunlit Pavilion. Wow, ...... They all look the same to me. ...... I''ve heard that some of them have their own fans. I wonder if some of the customers can tell the sisters apart. ...... ''The older you get, the easier it is to recognize the characteristics of each of them, so it''s relatively easy to tell the sisters of this age apart. ''Yes, that''s true. And you, Loretta-san, can easily be found among your sisters. ''''That''s true!After all, she''s the eldest! That''s true, you have a point. Each of us has our own personality, and our tone of voice is quite different. Their hairstyles are different, and their faces may be different, too. However, if you show me a list and ask me, "Who are you? I''m confident that I wouldn''t be able to tell. It''s like a list of classmates drawn by a manga artist who can''t draw well. In the story, I can tell who they are from the flow of the story, but when it comes to ...... goods, I can''t help you. ''...... error''. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s like an old man not being able to recognize the members of a large idol group! ...... Who''s an old man?I''m sorry. ''Get in position, yo. ......'' --Kahn! And while we''re talking about that, the race begins. In the lead is the sister of the red team. The white team is second. ...... fast. The race is decided in no time. ...... But then the sister of the red team falls before the goal. ''Oh! Ginette leaned forward, letting out a yelp. The younger sister got up quickly and crossed the finish line, but in their race, a moment''s loss can be fatal. The red sister came in last. ''I''m going to treat my injury! As soon as she said that, Ginette jumped out of her position and ran to her injured sister. ............ Too late! I feel even slower after watching my sisters race. Oh, God. I''m going to go with you. He ran quickly past Ginette and headed for his sister. ''You''ve come to help me?That''s great. Regina walks in from the first aid tent with a medicine chest. ...... Run. ''Sister, are you okay? ''Yeah. I''m fine!Just spit on it and you''ll be fine.'' My sister smiles brightly. But the scraped knee is sore and squishy. ''I''ll disinfect it and put a bandage on it. ''I''ll be fine, okay?I get hurt like this a lot at home.'' ''But still. Just make sure you take care of it and make Ginette and Regina feel better. ''The manager and the apothecary? My sister smiled as she looked at the two faces in turn. ''It kind of tickles to be cared for, doesn''t it? She shakes her shoulders happily with her cheeks dyed lightly. This kind of gesture is a little like Loretta''s, isn''t it? ''Thank you, big brother. ''...... Tell that to the two of them.'' I''m tending to my sister because I happen to be closest to her, but Regina is the one who brought the medicine and Ginette is the one who''s most worried about her. I''m just along for the ride. ''You''re really good at this, aren''t you? Regina let out a sound of admiration when she saw what I was doing. ''You''re the best at touching underage girls'' feet! ''Didn''t you think of any other expression? ''Hey, you''re a technician! ''I''m going to spray you with disinfectant! And then you''ll be cleansed! After I finished disinfecting, Ginette applied the medicine and Regina dexterously wrapped the bandages. It may seem a bit exaggerated, but she decided that if I was going to be running around in the dusty field after this, I''d better guard myself well. He wrapped it in a way that did not interfere with the bending and stretching of his knees. I''m impressed by that. ''Ehehe ......, I think I was happier than taking the first place! I''m not sure if she felt pampered after being treated, but she hugged Jeannette and rubbed her head. You look like you''re having fun, that attraction. How long is the wait? The race was well underway while I was patching up in the truck. After watching Regina hurriedly return to the first aid tent, or rather the shade, we too left the scene. ''Oh, wait a minute! We were about to cross the track, but Estella''s waiter stopped us. The race is about to start, so please wait until it''s over. We looked and saw that the riders were already in position. They said not to cross the course until the race was over. ''Get into position, okay? ......'' --Boom! I watch the race from inside the track alongside Jeannette. ''It''s really impressive, from the inside. This is the first time for Ginette, who hasn''t competed in any events today. This is the first time for Ginette, who hasn''t participated in any competition yet today, to see the race from the inside of the track. ''It kind of makes my heart pound. ''What?Which one? ''I thought you were going to say .......'' He pinched the back of my outstretched hand and gently scolded me. Because that''s no longer pretending to say ''say''. ''I never thought I''d be participating in a competition like this ......''. I press my crossed hands to my chest to control my speeding heart. ...... I''m sinking. I''m buried. ''I''m in the mood to work as hard as I can today. ...... Well, I''m not very good at exercise.'' Really, Ginette is very excited today. Her cheeks are lightly flushed and she is smiling happily. It''s really rare. ...... I''m glad to see such a face, I thought. ''I should have included the ...... ''boob pedometer race'' in my program. ''Yashiro-san! I wanted to see Jeannette doing her best,......," he said, muddying the waters with such jokes. Well, what can I say... ...... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea to keep an eye on Ginette for the rest of the day. ...... ''...... Yashiro. Manager.'' Magda called out to me as I sat in the truck watching the race. It looks like this next race will be the last one for the under fifteens. ''...... always win''. ''Oh. I''m counting on you.'' ''...... I''m on it.'' ''I''ll be rooting for you.'' ''......Yes.'' After exchanging a few words, Magda returned to the waiting line. Ginette smiled at her awkward backward figure. ''You''re nervous, aren''t you? ''Looks like it. That''s unusual. ''I think Magda-san is quite shy, don''t you? ''Is that so? ''Yes. You always try not to let your nervousness show. You seem to be a little nervous every morning before opening the store. I didn''t think so. If that''s the case, then I''ve been completely fooled. ............ He doesn''t show much of that in front of me, though. He finally said that and gave me his best smile ever. He seemed satisfied to see my surprised face when I found out about Magda''s unexpected side. Each of us has a side to us that we don''t know, yet. Maybe I have a face I show only to Magda, or a gesture I show only to Loretta. I''m just not aware of it. I''m sure you''ve got a few of those. I''m not sure. And so, the last race is about to begin. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Molly was in the blue group. She''s the sister of the 40th Ward Sugar Factory''s actual CEO, NEET and stalker, MacTanuki Percy. ...... Why are you participating in this? ''Molly!For the sake of my brother''s future, please take the first prize and contribute to the blue group! ''...... Brother, shut up. ............ I''m so embarrassed.'' Oh, ...... Percy must have asked you to do that, I bet. ''What do you mean, for the future?Mr. Percy? ''Neneh, neneh, neferi-san!That''s, that''s, that''s it!It''s a good idea to keep the relationship with the forty-two districts in good shape, or something like that!Yes! I see. Then I should win and raise Estella''s sensitivity. (I''m not the lord, I''m ...... for you! ...... That''s right, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to say. ...... Hateress. ''You''re a badass .......'' Umaro is also looking at you dryly. Of all the people who know Percy, all but Nepheleigh are probably disgusted by his badassery. ''Hmm. Mr. Percy, you''re putting a lot of effort into cheering for Molly. Ah, there was another person here who wasn''t disgusted. ''Molly-san is fast, isn''t she? In the end, we couldn''t go back to the cheering section because the preparations for the next race had started, so we had to watch the last race from inside the truck. ''Well... The physical abilities of the beastman race are extreme. Nephrite and the others weren''t very physically strong. On the other hand, there are people like Magda and Delia. What do you think of ......? ''On your marks, ......''. --Boom! The bell rang, and the players began to run in unison. Magda is running through the field like a gust of wind. Even without the Red Moya, Magda''s physical abilities are top class in District 42. But-- ''How fast? Surprisingly, Molly was able to keep up with Magda''s speed. She seemed to be slightly behind, and was chasing Magda at a frightening speed, about 50 centimeters behind her. The unexpectedly strong opponent sent a chill down her spine. ''Magda, go! Magda''s speed jumped up for a moment. Then he cut the goal tape. ''...... Ho! I exhaled with a strange sense of relief. Then I realized that I had been holding my breath. It''s called sweating your hands. ...... Haha, my hands are really sweating. ''............ haha ...... I was so nervous.'' Next to her, Jeannette slumped and sat down. I was reminded once again that when you are shown a game this tense, you can''t help but put a lot of effort into watching it. ''Haha...... haha............ is still too fast......, Magda! ............ haha...... haha......'' Next to the finish line, Molly is breathing on her shoulder with her hands on her knees. She seems to have overexerted herself and is breathing heavily. ''Are you okay, Molly? ''Yes. ............ something like ...... or ......... ......... haha ...... haha.'' Ginette called out with a worried look on her face, as she was too exhausted. She looks like she''s about to collapse. ''You''re a ...... good sister, Molly, going all out for such a neat guy.'' ''Yashiro-san, Percy-san is not a NEET ......''. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''For my brother''s ......, or rather ............'' In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it to pay for a lot of things. Oh, ...... you look like a sports girl. You look so sparkly. ''If I don''t keep a close eye on you, you''ll definitely go off the rails,......, brother.'' I see. She''s really a good sister, this one. ''......Yashiro'' When Molly is breathing, Magda will come to us. With a victory medal hanging from her neck. ''...... Victory is mine.'' ''You did well.'' ''...... Did you see the manager, too? ''Yes, I was surprised that both of you were so fast.'' ''...... naturally.'' Magda then hugged Molly''s shoulders with a proud, expressionless face. ''...... I''ve been training secretly. Molly, Magda''s apprentice.'' ''You''ve been doing that? ''...... When you''re Magda''s age, other districts ask you to teach them.'' When did you ...... ''You mean like Magda''s sprint course? ''I''m the one who asked him. My brother heard about the ward field day and he''s been excited about it. ''...... I gave him some tips on how to run fast and breathe in between jobs.'' ''Big brother, you''re definitely going to cause trouble for the people of the 42nd ward, especially the team with the chickens, so I, your younger sister, have to be a force to be reckoned with, even if just a little. ......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so impressed with the way you''ve mastered the Magda method of running over the past few days, Molly. ...... Also, you don''t call Nephrite by his first name, do you? I think she calls him ''Mr. Nepheli'' when she''s face to face. ............ I think she''s got some sort of beef with him, Molly. And a chicken comes running from the other side. Like she''s about to fly. That''s why your lunge is so scary when you look right at it, Neffely! ''Great, great!You''re so fast, Molly!I''m so impressed! ''But you''re number two on .......'' ''No, you''re not!You''re good enough!You were really cool! ''Oh, ......, thank you .......'' Nepheli squeals and hugs Molly. Molly doesn''t know what to do, and her little body is being shaken as she is. She was embarrassed, but looked a little happy. I lost my parents when I was little, and I was alone with my idiot brother. He must be hungry for this kind of warmth. ''d*mn it!Molly, I want you for a sister! ''Dofoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Somehow, a raccoon dog collapsed in the distance, blowing a bloody nose. Okay, let''s leave it alone. No, let''s bury him. ''Natalia!You''re too smart for me...'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll bury it.'' ''Um, Molly, ...... your brother is ......'' ''Oh, it''s okay. Please leave me alone.'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... Nepheli, you''re such a sinner, aren''t you? I''m sure you''ll agree. The blue team doesn''t have any standout players, but they''re well balanced. You can''t lose!'' As I hugged Molly, Nephrite thrust a declaration of war at me. And just as I''m about to do that, I feel my torsos shake and-- ''If you win,......, Yashiro will give you a ............ reward,......, right? Isn''t that right? There are still rumors about that. ...... It was included in the opening statement that there is no rule that the winner can get any one they like as a wife or son-in-law,......, but the reward seems to persist. ''Well, only the winning team will know that. ''Hmm ...... I see. I''ll have to make sure they win!Let''s go, Molly! ''Oh, yes. ...... Excuse me! Molly, with Nepheli''s arm around her, bows to us as she leaves. I wonder why she was raised by her brother to be such a good girl. Counter-teacher. ''...... antagonist''. ''Mr. Magda. I''m sorry.'' ''You look like ......, Yashiro.'' ''Yashiro-san doesn''t ...... do that, does he? ''Magda, can you ...... read my mind?'' ''Yashiro-san. ...... already.'' No, because. My brother is buried in the ground as filth. It''s the moon and filth, those siblings. ''Then we''ll go back too. ''...... Next is the manager and Yashiro''s turn. ''Oh, yeah, that''s ............ a pain in the ass.'' I have to win because I''m afraid of a lot of things that might happen later. ...... I simply don''t like exercise. I don''t know about running and sweating. If I could, I''d rather just sit in the cheering section and give instructions instead of participating in the competition. ''...... Yashiro is the spearhead of the white team. ''What, you''re the best? ''...... The back of the line tends to attract people who are good at running.'' ''Sure.'' There''s a good chance that the confident ones are entered in the back. The first race is a wait-and-see. That''s what they''re doing. Then you''ll have a better chance of winning if you come out here. ''Then I''ll make a splash. The last race of the day is the over 15. Adult division. ''Don''t do anything you don''t want to do, you little sunshine! Zelmar is shouting loudly from his seat. ...... He''s not going to join us, is he? In order to keep things moving along quickly, there is not much time between each event. The first race of the over-15 race will begin immediately. ''Yashiro-san. Please do your best.'' ''Yeah!Jump up and cheer for me! ''If I do that, I''ll be too busy watching my brother to run!Mr. Manager, I''ll try to cheer without moving. Loretta, who came from the cheering section to the waiting line, said something unnecessary. If she hadn''t said anything, Jeannette would have never noticed. ......! I have no choice but to stand at the starting line. I don''t know if it''s going to do any good, but I''m going to stretch out my leg muscles. ''Hmm. I never thought I''d get the chance to beat you so soon. Estella comes in front of me. ''What, ......, are you in the first race? ''I thought you would enter the first race, where you tend to take a wait-and-see attitude, so I dared you to enter here. It looks like I was right.'' ''It was Magda who made me enter, though. Right, Estella. ...... Yeah. No more first place for me. ''But I''m glad it was you.'' ''Huh. Is that a statement based on your hubris that you can beat me?'' ''No. You don''t shake, so I don''t need to look at you from the front.'' ''I''ll cut your Achilles'' heel! You, what are you doing to someone who''s about to run ...... ''What? So Yashiro is the first race after all.'' ''Looks like my prediction was right. ''What? I turned around and saw Delia and Norma. ''You''re in bloomers and you''re bouncing! ''Burun-burun with bloomers! ''What are you talking about, Yashiro? ''...... It''s just a seizure.'' What the hell? I was going to watch Norma and Delia race from a special seat! ''My stomach hurts!I''m giving up! ''Just get into position! ''No!Let me go, Estella!I''m definitely in last place! ''Yashiro, you''re disappointed to lose, aren''t you?But I''m not going to let you get away with it! ''No, ...... you can''t see me from behind, so I''m arguing with you. ......'' Oh, shit!Oh, shit! I can''t have this misery! It''s not fair that I''m the only one who can''t enjoy it. It''s not fair that I''m the only one who can''t enjoy it! It''s not fair that I''m the only one who can''t enjoy it! That is, if you can keep up with our speed. It''s impossible to keep up with these guys. They''ll be as small as peas in a pod as soon as they start. ...... If this happens... ''......If you hump me, I''ll burn it into my retinas and never forget it. ......I''ll never forget it! ''What kind of threat is that? ''Ba, idiot, Yashiro ......, don''t look at that ......! ''I''m worried about ...... Yashiro being behind me. ......'' They all turn to me and cover their asses with their hands behind their backs. That''s why I wanted to see it from behind! d*mn. ...... If that''s true, I''d rather be in a special seat than in the next lane. ............ Special seat? Where are the special seats? That''s obvious. Right in front. That means .................. that''s it! ''...... I''m gonna be first.'' Yeah. I''m gonna be the first-- ''You guys!Give it your all!'' ''Oh!Of course I will!I''ll show you my full speed! ''I don''t know what it is, but you seem to be up for it. ''Yashiro ....... I don''t know what it is, but it looks like you''re up for it. And so, urged on by the management staff of Estella''s house, we took our positions. In front of us, a long stretch of track. Diagonally in front of us is Norma ......''s ass in a crouching start position. ''Oh, .......'' ''Stay focused! Delia is behind me. Estella is far ahead. Okay, let''s focus. With a sense of anticipation for the long battle to come, I wait for my moment. I hear the sound of my heart beating, ticking, ticking ....... A faint sense of excitement. A pleasant sense of tension. And then, finally, the moment arrives... ''Get into position, ......''. --Boom! At the sound of the bell, the players start running in unison! Except for ...... me! ''Yeah, yeah, yeah! ''Hey, Yashiro-san!What are you doing?Run! I ignore all the noise from my own players. And I stare and stare. It''s a great way to make sure you don''t end up in a situation where you can''t get out of it. Nice bounce! I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say.You''re going to lose! I''m a bit of an idiot, Loretta. There''s no way you can beat those three anyway. They''re really fast. They run through 800 meters like they''re running 50 meters. No, they''re faster than that. They''re running down the second straightaway in no time. At this point Estella is starting to pull away, but Norma and then Delia make it around the last bend. And that''s the last straight! Yes! If I look back here, I''ll see two beautiful women with big tits running towards me right in front of me in a last spurt!With all my might!And shake it big time! I''ve got a special seat! I''m not sure if there is such a thing as a special seat!No, there isn''t! Delia and Norma are both running desperately, trying not to give away the win. What a defenseless bounce!Excellent! And whether it''s stamina or guts, Delia overtakes Norma in the last five meters and crosses the finish line in first place. ''Yes!I''m the first! ''d*mn!I got away! ''Well!I''m off! ''''Yashiro! With the two of them looking very surprised, I started to run the long, long 800 meters. I didn''t abandon the race. I just made a big mistake. It''s hard to know when to start. In the race, even the last place gets points. I''ll make sure to get those points. But I was sharing a little happy time with the men in the hall, because we were the members who could never win no matter how hard we tried. It seems that Estella crossed the finish line just as I was approaching the first curve, and I was confirmed to be in last place. But I don''t care. I''m running with my heart full of happiness. See, my footsteps are light, aren''t they? And so, I crossed the finish line with ease, running the 800 meters in the time of a normal, average high school boy, with all eyes on me. Yeah. It was a disappointing result, but I never gave up and worked hard until the end. It''s nice to sweat hard, isn''t it? ''''Yashiro-san......'''' At the goal line, Ginette and Bertina greeted me. I thought they were going to praise me for fighting so hard despite coming in last place. ...... ''''Please repent.'''' ''''Wait!Wait, wait, wait!You ran properly!I didn''t skimp at all!Look at the sweat!This beautiful sweat of youth! My brain and heart are now filled with the raging boobs I just saw. It''s just like the time of puberty, and in a broader sense, it''s youth. ''The sweat of youth is an irreplaceable and beautiful crystal, isn''t it! No matter how much I plead, I can''t reach the ears of Ginette and Bertina, who have my arms tightly bound. It won''t touch their hearts. Why not? I did what I said I''d do, with a flourish!Everyone was looking at me at the end! And I was the best!You had a better seat than anyone else in the venue, and you were the happiest person in the room, enjoying that explosion! If you think I''m lying, you can try the "Judgment of the Spirits" on me!If you think I''m lying, you can try the "Spirit Judgment"! I''m sure the Spirit God will agree with me! I was undoubtedly the best at that moment! --My claim was completely ignored, and I was made to repent at the church''s branch office that Umaro had built in the middle of the ground. Why are you making this? ...... Did you think I was going to do something?Yeah, that''s what I thought!What? Ginette, who had been keeping up with my repentance, didn''t make it to the race, but was entered in the last race, where she ran with the overzealous Medora and Natalia Gilberta, the head waiter duo, and came in a steady last place. But from a different perspective, Ginette, you were the best! Well, I was on foot for the last 600 meters or so. You were greeted with warm cheers, ...... unlike my time. ...... Keh. 375-Additional 30th episode team game tactics What the hell is this? The first event, the footrace, was quite exciting. Libeka and Magda won the first prize, and the Ham kids fought well against their strongest opponents (Ham kids), and even though they came in second and third, the results were not that bad. I guess it was because Ginette was so happy throughout the race, praising each of the runners after they finished, that I had the illusion that I was doing reasonably well. The team seemed to be in a good mood, and I thought that maybe I was doing pretty well.I was thinking, "This is it. But then ...... I''m not sure what to say. As Loretta says with her mouth hanging open, our white team is currently at the bottom of the pile. The scores of each team were posted on the large scoring board that Umaro had worked so hard to build. ...... Blue team: 629 points Yellow team: 569 points White team 375 points Red team 427 points The result was horrible. Servants of the Cremona family leaving after posting the scores. This time, since the lord''s family fully cooperated in the management of the sports festival, all the miscellaneous work was done by the waiters and guards. ...... In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''You''re a bad listener, Yashiro.'' I''m not convinced. Estella hears my mutterings and comes over to protest. ''If you want, you should take a look at the ranking list of the race. There is not a single mistake in the calculations. She sends over the ranking list that the waiters have been keeping. There were four divisions of the race: the under twelve division, the under fifteen division, and the over fifteen division, including the under seven division, with twenty entrants in each division. First place received 10 points, second place 8 points, third place 5 points, and even the last place received 2 points. A quick look over the standings showed that ...... was correct. It seems that the calculation is correct. The blue group, currently in the lead, has taken first place in twenty-nine of the eighty races. In addition to the hunting guild, the dairy guild, which runs a farm on the outskirts of the east side of the city, has been doing quite well. It''s no wonder they''re so good at dealing with animals. The yellow team, which was in second place, had the fewest number of first places (nineteen), but the fewest last places (seven), and they earned points by taking the second and third places in every race. The yellow team is mainly made up of people from the hardware guild and people who set up stores on the main street, but there is a surprisingly large number of beastmen. Beastmen waitresses are very popular, especially Paula. The third group, the Reds, have won the first place twenty-five times, second only to the Blues, but they have won the last place thirty-eight times, the most. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to use it to your advantage. I''m not a fan. And although the white team is currently in last place,...... ''The number of first places won seven times ......''. They were overwhelmingly lacking in scoring power. In a dead heat with the first place, they came in a close second!--There were a few moments when I was in a dead heat with the first place, but I came in second! There were several occasions when I was in a dead heat with the first place and came in a close second! This is because ...... ''It''s because Inez and Deborah are not participating! Both Inez and Deborah refused to enter the race! ''I''ll do my best for my lord! You were saying that! ''I didn''t say that! ''I recommend you refer to the Conversation Record! I don''t care about the fine phrasing! I''m sure there were statements like that! And yet, these guys didn''t run! ''They didn''t run and they didn''t shake! ''That''s why! Hoai! ''I can''t participate in something I know I''ll be looked at in such a disreputable way. ''The same goes for me. There was a dangerous person, so I had to wait and see what would happen this time.'''' You idiot! That''s part of the field day!It''s a field day! d*mn. ...... A pawn that is useless at a critical moment is nothing but a burden. ...... What kind of retaliation should I give my lord? ............ ''I believe your bottom line was the subject of a point deduction, wasn''t it?Mr. Yashiro?'' Sophie stands behind me with a cold, deadly look on her face. Hey, hey, hey, Sister there. Didn''t you ever learn that you shouldn''t carry a blunt object when standing behind someone?Well, they don''t teach that, do they? You don''t need to be taught that. You don''t need to be taught that, you just need to have a common sense understanding of it, right? But you all did a great job, didn''t you? In order to dispel the unsettling atmosphere that had begun to drift in, Ginette wore a smile. But, ......, ''hard work''... ''You don''t get more points for effort. ......'' ''You can''t say that until you''ve achieved something, anchovy! ''That''s right!You''ve only scored two points! You only scored two points!'' barked the useless members of the Ageha tribe, who finished second and third. ''Shut up, you single-digit scorers: ......'' ''You''re in single digits too! ''Then we''re all in this together. ''I don''t want to be lumped in with you! In the end, due to a strange combination of factors, all of the guys who were aiming for first place ended up being unsuccessful. ''...... But a miracle also happened. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''The ...... manager has scored a point.'' I''m sure you will.I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ''...... If I''m not good, that thing will be the bottom of the next race. ''That''s not true!It was the last race. Well, sure. If it wasn''t the last race, he could have been passed by all the riders in the next race. While Medora, Gilberta, and Natalia were in a dead heat in the final race, Ginette slowly rounded the track, almost on foot. At the end of the race, it turned into a contest to see how you could catch a glimpse of her boobs swinging wildly without being noticed. ''...... Oh, by the way, Carl was watching a lot, wasn''t he? ''No, that''s not true!I''ve decided to stick with Nikka! I''ve decided to stick with Nikka!'' ''Mo-Mat-san was glancing at it. ''What the hell are you talking about, Loretta?No, I''m not!No, I''m not, Ginette!I''m not like that at all! ''Both of you pyrotechnicians were looking right at me! ''Wait, wait, wait!We''re not ......! ''That''s right!We''re not ...... like that! I mean, come on, they''re all ...... ''Don''t you guys think it''s disrespectful to Jeannette? I''m disgusted, and I''m giving him a hard time. And then, as if it were natural, Sophie gave me a cold stare. ''Weren''t you the one who was looking at it the most? You idiot, Sophie. What the hell are you talking about? That''s why I''m here. ''Jeannette.'' ''Huh?Yes, yes. ''Thank you very much! ''Please repent! You should be expressing your heartfelt gratitude because you were staring at me! ''It''s disgusting that you were actually watching me and you''re covering it up! ''You''re the worst when you''re watching me, big brother! ''Oh no,......, my neck is a little sore .......'' ''You''re too caught up in the bobbing up and down! ''So, who won the last race? ''Didn''t you see anything but the tits! ''...... As expected of Yashiro. A man who never shakes. ''Oh my god!Please repent! ''You guys. Can you guys play that kind of nonsense in your own camp? Estella orders the white team members gathered in front of the scoreboard to disperse. d*mn it. I was going to secretly change the ''3'' to a ''5'' or something. We gave up our places to the other teams who had come to check the scores, and headed back to our own positions. ''But only the white team scored 300 points. ......'' ''It makes me sad to see.'' ''...... flat. The gap to the top is 254 points. It''s still possible to make up for it. ...... Besides, we have a trump card.'' Magda put her hand on Loretta''s shoulder and said firmly. ''......Yashiro can''t get up for nothing even if he falls, and the manager is just shaking even though he hasn''t fallen. ......'' ''I''m not shaking! ''...... And then there''s Magda, the ''cute, dependable, and strongest team leader''.'' The battle has just begun. I''m not going to whine about a score difference of this magnitude. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... By the way, Loretta is here too. I''m not a fan.I''m going to be active too! Regardless of whether Loretta is going to play an active role or not, it is true that the gap between the two teams has widened considerably. But it''s not too late to be pessimistic. The number of entries in the race was set high and the number of points was set low so that many people could participate. This was to persuade the people that the sports festival was for everyone to enjoy. However, this is not the case from here. This is a fierce battle where selected teams compete against each other. The score will jump up dramatically. In the next race, all the teams will work together to get a high score! The next race is a bonus event where you can earn a lot of points in the early stages of the race. ''What''s the next race? ''It''s called "Eye of the Typhoon". Ines answers Mokoka''s question. Inez has memorized the program perfectly, despite what he says. It''s as if it''s an occupational hazard. And Mokoka doesn''t even seem to want to remember. ...... Is this the difference between a new waiter and a head waiter? I''m not sure what to make of that. Deborah says, staring at me. Please stop. You''re talking about people like they''re the cause of the trouble. I like to watch from the sidelines or pull strings behind the scenes. ''I don''t know if there''s such a thing as a typhoon in this world. ......'' In Allbloom, the weather is almost the same as in autumn all year round, and it is doubtful that there are any typhoons. As for the "eye of the typhoon" mentioned above, it is possible that the "forced translation magic" just translated a similar word as such. However, the conclusion is that there are typhoons. ''It''s not observed every year, but it''s a natural phenomenon that occurs quite often. ''It''s a phenomenon where the atmosphere becomes unstable and huge clouds swirl around and cause storms, and it''s considered to be quite dangerous. That''s what Inez and Deborah told me. It seems that they are aware of typhoons. In a world without meteorological satellites, how can they know that the eye of the typhoon is swirling around them? ...... It''s not something you can see with your eyes. The eye of the typhoon is not something you can see with your eyes. ...... It could be so swirling that you can see it with your eyes. I''m not surprised by anything that happens in this world. ''If there is a typhoon, it''s easy to talk about. In short, it''s a race like that ''whirlpool''. I have explained and demonstrated this to the people in District 42 beforehand, but the people I''ve recruited to help me on short notice don''t understand what it is. So, I''ll give them a brief explanation. The eye of the typhoon is a competition in which five people hold a 2.5 meter straight bamboo and stand in a horizontal line. There are five teams of five people. A total of twenty-five people compete in a relay format. The course is 200 meters long with a 100-meter round trip. There are two pylons on the course, and the competitors circle the first pylon with the eye of the typhoon in their hands, make a U-turn at the second pylon, and circle the first pylon again to return to the starting point. When they return to the starting point, only the riders on both sides of the pylon hold the bamboo and let it pass under the legs of the waiting riders. The waiting players have to jump over the bamboo coming from the front. When the player reaches the end of the line, he passes the bamboo over the head of his own player and hands it to the first player to pass the baton. This is repeated five times. ''So the outermost player has to be fast. Ines makes this observation. If the pylons are circled while holding the stick, the outermost runner will run the longest distance. Hence, we come to the view of Innes. Well, every team probably has that in mind. ...... must have stopped thinking at that point. There are not many competitions where experience is as important as in this one. In the eye of the typhoon, the person in the center is the one who matters the most. We tend to focus on the flashy ones with the largest range of action, but it is the ones in the center that we should really focus on. ''After all, if this athlete doesn''t stand firm, the diameter of the lap will be too large. The momentum of the outside runner who is running at full speed will pull the center runner down, which will cause the center of the circle to blur and the circle to become larger. In other words, you will have to run extra. ''The basic tactic of the "eye of the typhoon" is to keep the center of the circle small by stepping on the spot! If the center of the circle is not shaken, the outermost player only needs to run 2.5 x 2 x 3.14 = 15.7 meters, the radius of which is the length of the bamboo, but if the player in the center is pulled back one meter, the distance will be 3.5 x 2 x 3.14 = 21.98 meters, which is about six meters extra. If U-turns are included, the number of turns is 3, and there are 5 teams, the loss is simply calculated as "6 x 3 x 5" = 90 meters. If you think of this as a handicap equivalent to running a 100-meter race, you will understand how big it is. ''The one who is fast blasts the outermost part of the field and the one who can endure the power defends the center. That''s the basis of this game. It''s also important that the waiting players don''t get caught in the bamboo. ...... I''m worried about the gynets,...... ''Mokoka. What is the score of the "Eye of the Typhoon"?'' ''I don''t know! ...... You spoiled waiter. ''...... Ines.'' ''The first place is 50 points, the second place is 30 points, the third place is 15 points, and the last place is 0 points.'' ''--that''s the way a waiter should be. Learn from them. ''That''s impossible, sir!I believe that a waiter''s ability is proportional to the size of his tits. The head waiter of District Forty-two, the head waiter of District Twenty-nine, and our general''s head waiter, Cindy, all have big tits! Well, it''s true that Cindy had big tits, too. I was not interested in ......, so I did not mention it. No, that''s not what I meant. I''m not going to go into a lot of detail, but I''ll give you a few things to think about. ''But the head waiter of District 27 is not very reliable because he doesn''t have tits. ''Mm......, you''ve lost the argument. ''I can hear you, Mr. Obayashi! The voice of Nene, the unreliable head waiter, came from the blue group in the distance. Apparently, she can hear me just fine. ''Whoa!Did you hear me all the way over there? ''Big brother, strategy meetings are done quietly. ......!...... It would be troublesome if they even heard of a winning strategy.'' Mokoka is surprised, and Loretta asks for self-reflection. ...... Loretta, that''s fine. I''m going to beckon the players to come over. The basic strategy of the "eye of the typhoon" can be spread to some extent. In fact, I''d rather it spread. If you can, you can also say, "Oh no!I''ve accidentally spread it! It would be better if it spreads like this. Because ...... ''Based on that "basic strategy", I''m going to teach you a winning strategy for kicking those people to the curb. All of you, do not show your voices or emotions. Listen quietly and silently at ......''. I then gave the players the winning strategy for the "eye of the typhoon". As the players lined up at the entrance gate, I clenched my fists and raised my voice. ''Now, the twenty-five selected "Typhoon Eyes"!Let''s go get the victory! ''But first, I hate that name! ''That''s right!We''ll be the ''Typhoon Members'' anyway! ''No, that''s too difficult to say, so it''s not good. Let''s enjoy the race...'' I sent a message to the members lining up in the waiting line, but it didn''t raise their morale. It''s hard for a bunch of people to get together, isn''t it? ''Yashiro-san! Are you sure this is the right order? Umaro looks uneasy at the random order in which we came. I''m sure he doesn''t understand, but he hasn''t seen the entry sheet. ...... The entry sheet for the "Eye of the Typhoon" only had columns for the names of the twenty-five contestants. In other words, there was room for any number of changes to be made later as to who would run first. I don''t know if the other teams were aware of this, but if they were, they could change the order of the players and the order in which they played, depending on the situation, to give their team an advantage. Then came Estella, the leader of the pack who seemed to have a keen eye for such things. She wore the air of first place. ''Yashiro. I''m going to let the blue team win again this time and extend our lead. He''s always poking me. I guess he genuinely likes to compete. Right up until the day of the event, he was fretting over the details of the event, but on the day of the event, he seems to be enjoying himself more than anyone else. Well, I guess that''s how much pressure they have to bear on a daily basis, which is not commensurate with their age. She looks her age when she is enjoying the field day like this. Really, he must be under a lot of pressure because he has been working on several large projects at the same time recently. ...... He doesn''t whine too much, you know. If these events give you a break, that''s the best. But I''m not going to take it easy on him. ''Don''t you dare bark at me for losing so badly? ''Hmph. You''re the one who came in dead last in the race, aren''t you? ''Dantotsu is Jeannette. She was slower than me.'' ''I''m talking about attitude and motivation towards sports,'' I said. ''No one can beat the passion that''s boiling in my chest! ''You''re boiling hot in your chest, aren''t you? When you see boobs going wild, your heart goes wild too. Isn''t that natural? ''But I was careless, wasn''t I? Estella says lazily. ''You were very loud for you, weren''t you? ''Yes, yes. I heard it too. ''Yashiro. Thanks for the hint! Paula from the yellow team and Delia from the red team appeared, peeking out from behind. ''I guess I was too busy explaining to the members who weren''t at the demonstration, but it was an uncharacteristic mistake for ...... you.'' ''But you''re right, I guess. The center must be strong. ''After Yashiro told us, we changed our formation. We''re even stronger now!Prepare yourselves, Yashiro! And after listening to me, they reorganized the team based on the ''basic strategy'' that they think is the winning strategy. ''Hmm, that''s a handicap. ...... ...... Huh, you guys are so easy. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''By the way, as you can see, we''d like to have Masha join us this time. ......'' We have Masha on our team. She doesn''t even fit in the tank and is currently being held by Nikka, a member of the guild. She is wearing gym clothes on top, although she couldn''t wear bloomers. ...... I think you''re getting less exposed! I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll agree. As a mermaid, Masha can''t run or jump, of course. ''Masha has a hard time participating in other competitions, so I want to get her involved somehow. Masha is involved in the construction of a new port, which is currently underway. I''m sure they''d like to get him involved if they could. Even more so with Estella and Delia. ''Can we just hold on to the bamboo and not run in the eye of the typhoon? One of the rules of the Eye of the Typhoon is that all five players must have a firm grip on the bamboo. Therefore, even if one person who is fast runs alone with the bamboo, it is a violation of the rule. If all five runners do not return to the starting point with the bamboo in their hands, the team is disqualified. However, there is no rule that says ''everyone must have their feet on the ground. ''Can you please allow Masha to participate? ''Please! Masha makes a sweet gesture with a cat-like voice as Nikka holds her in her arms. Estella shrugged her shoulders, Delia puckered her cheeks, and Norma and Paula wore their usual expressions, showing no particular discomfort. In short, they look like, ''This mermaid really likes land events. Because everyone knows Masha''s character, there is an air of ''Well, it''s okay, isn''t it? Because everyone knows Masha''s character, an atmosphere of ''well, it''s okay'' is spreading. Masha is not disliked by anyone in particular, in fact she is well liked, and no one would disrespect her. ''I don''t mind. I''m fine with it. I''m the team leader of the blue team, and the chairman of the tournament committee. ''I''m good too. I mean, Masha. Don''t bother Yashiro too much, okay?'' ''I''m not bothering him. Hey~, Yashiro-kun. We don''t mind either. Hey, Norma? ''It''s not like we''re at a disadvantage here. It''s fine. It''s a good idea. Masha has taken care of me in many ways. ''Haha~a?? Thanks Paula and Norma~ I love you all so much! ''Hmph!Don''t let out a sullen voice, you sea fisherman!It''s not going to happen if you try to cajole my darling with such a transparent pretense!Hey, darling! I''m sure you''ll agree.This is the first time I''ve seen someone who is so bad at pretending to be something they''re not. ...... I got hit by a stray bullet because I was in the vicinity. ......'' --In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... or rather, "my request" was accepted. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Now we can win. You can win now. The waiter in charge of the proceedings shouted, and the competitors began to move from the entrance gate to the track. The racers line up behind the white line in front of the track where the pylons are placed. ''Alright. Then line up in the order I''m about to tell you!Magda. ''...... Mmm. The first race is--'' Following Magda''s instructions, the white racers begin to line up. It seems that the order of the teams had been decided in advance, and they are lining up smoothly. I can feel their eyes glancing at me from here and there. Oh, they''re paying attention. But well, if you want to see it, feel free. After all, we''ve got the ...... "Eye of the Typhoon" winning strategy hidden away. At best, use the information you''ve stolen to your advantage. ...... Hmm. Soon, there are five rows of five people per team. I''m at the end of the white team, in the middle of the anchor line. The anchors of the white team are, from the center, Magda, Masha, me, Ginette, and Loretta. Masha is currently being carried on her back by Magda. She is happily looking at the cat ears swaying in front of her, and when she picks them up, Magda gives her a good spanking. Looking at the arrangement of the other teams, it seemed that they had thought it through. The main players of each team are spread out, as there are five of them running at the same time. The fast guys like Estella, Natalia, Paula and Norma are in the outermost positions where they can make the longest runs. And Delia and Medora, the strongest players, are standing by to guard the center of the field. Delia and Medora are the anchors or ...... for now. That could change during the race. That''s the uncertainty. ...... Well, the Reds and Yellows don''t have the sharpness of Estella or Natalia. Norma?Hahaha. If he was a man who could judge strategy and warfare calmly, he would have been tied up by now. ...... I don''t know why our eyes met. I''ll look away. Yeah, yeah. Don''t take out your smoking pipe in the middle of a competition. Take it seriously, take it seriously. And as for the blue team with the sharp guy, ......, the center side of the anchor is useless. ...... Well, I don''t think they can win against the hunting guilds, but they''re not as good as our Magda, Medora or Delia. ''Blue team, you''re so plain! ''Shut up, Yashiro! Barking Usset. But it quickly calms down under Medora''s glare. Pfft, he''s scared. The blue group seems to be taken over by the hunting guild and those with bad looks. ''...... What''s with those ugly, evil-looking people? ''...... Those are the cowherds. I''ve had a run-in with them on the main street before. Oh, ............, I think that''s happened before. I think the cowherd let a rampaging bull escape and Magda killed it.I think that was the first time I saw "Red Moya". ''Even if it''s ......, you look too bad. ''According to my siblings, the cowherd doesn''t get along well with the hunting guild because they are competing for the meat market. They look down on the hunting guild of the same team.'''' ''Is that so?Since we''re on the same team, it would be more fun to get along with them. ......'' ''I think that would be difficult, manager. The cowherd people look like they''re not going to be beaten only by the hunting guild. Hey~, Yashiro! ''...... No, Masha. You can''t do that with a face like that. You''re on the same team, but there''s discord. If you''re on the same team, is there any discord? ...... If so, tickling them might disrupt their leadership. ...... Good. ''Hey, Inez, Deborah!The first group of the blue group is the ''non-hunting guild'', so you can treat them as you see fit~'''' ''''''What the hell, Golla? All the cowherds in the blue group stood up at once. Oh, that''s scary. But at the same time, the hunting guild members of the blue group let out a ''pfft'' as if they were making fun of us. That was the decisive moment. ''Hey, you''re laughing at us, hunting!The Blue Team''s current lead is largely due to us cowherds!Do you understand that? ''Huh?It''s the hunting guild''s achievement no matter how you look at it! ''Oh, come on!Are you going to do it? ''You''re good, get out in the open! ''Why don''t you stop it, guys! Estella, the team leader, stands up and blackmails the burly old men. Then, she glared at them like a demon. ''......Yashiro............''. ''I''m sorry. I didn''t expect it to get this complicated. ...... I just wanted to play with the shadowy one a bit.'' ''It''s called "pale", pfft! I''m not sure what to say.You''re good! ''Natalia! ''Yes, sir.'' A quiet voice says, and Natalia stands up. She then glares at the raging hunting guild and the cowherd in an intonationless voice. ''Gentlemen. Let me ask you something. Will you shut up?...... Shall I silence them?'' ''''''''..................'''''''' The men who had started to make noise again sat down quietly at Natalia''s glare. Spine tingling. That''s great, Natalia. ''Yashiro ......, next time I''ll disqualify you for obstruction, okay? ''Okay, okay. ...... I didn''t know there were so many feuding people in District 42.'' ''There are, of course. There are more, you know. I feel like I just heard a bad pretense. I hope you won''t be sent to make up for them ...... in the future, I pray you won''t. Hey, spirit god, nice to meet you! ...... That''s it. --I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. All right, then. You guys go ahead and smash each other. ''What the hell ......, I made you promise to cooperate with me. ......'' ''Well, well, the blue team is winning now, so consider it a handicap.'' ''...... You''ve imposed a handicap that''s going to drag on and on after this...'' I''m not sure what to say. It must have been a real pain in the ass to get them on the same team. But I guess one of them didn''t want to turn it down either. Because if they didn''t participate, they might think that they weren''t invited or not needed. Wow, ...... is a pain in the ass. Thank goodness I''m in the west. ''Yashiro, ...... you owe me one.'' I''m sorry.I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''I owe you more than you owe me, don''t I? ''No, it''s me, isn''t it? ''No, no, no, no!Do you want me to tell you how much I''ve been running around for you for three days and three nights? ''Miss Estella. I''d like to start the race soon, so please tell me the ''I want to stay with you for three days and nights'' story later. ''Can you please stop distorting with malicious intent? The leader of the blue group turns red. Purple . ''Darling. I want to sleep over at .......'' ''Come on, starters!Start the race now! Medora started talking about dead bodies, which made me shudder. Let''s get this race underway! ''Okay, first runners, take your positions. At the signal from the waiter, the first five runners of each team stand at the starting line. The rest of the runners squat down and wait. ''Everyone!Please do your best! Ginette shouted next to me. I''m glad you''re having fun. ...... Well... The other teams are Estella and Natalia in the blue team, Paula, Norma and Medora in the yellow team, and Delia in the red team. These are the ones who will be leading this team of twenty-five people. ...... Can you notice that? You''ll find out how to break the spell of my "basic tactics" and get around the pylon the fastest. I''ll give you a hint. The rules state that ''the rider with the bamboo circles the pylon on the course''. Now, notice that. Find out what the rules say and what they don''t say. ''And now!Get in position, okay? --Boom! The bell rang loudly and the first runners began to run at once. 376-How to win episode 31 "Typhoons Eye" without addi... The bell rings loudly, and the first runners of each team start running at once. The first runners of the white team are, from the left, Deborah, Sister A, Sister B, Sister C, and Ines. The emphasis is on speed. We will show our orthodox running in front of the other teams first. ''...... Mmm. Good.'' ''It''s true!We''re off to a good start, aren''t we, my team? The sight of a total of twenty competitors running at once was quite powerful and well worth watching. Cheers went up from all over the place, and the cheering became even more passionate. ''Mr. Yashiro!What''s wrong with the rest of the white team? The situation changed as soon as the game started. As Jeannette said, the other three teams except the white team began to break ranks. ...... just as I had intended. As I read it, the first runners of the other three teams were forced to struggle because of the importance of the later information about the "power in the center". In other words, the speed of the runners varied because of the inclusion of a player who emphasized strength. The player on the center side, whose strength is his greatest advantage and whose legs are not so fast because of his bulging muscles, is literally pulling the legs of the player on the outside, who is in the position where the fastest player should be. No matter how fast the outer players run, they cannot split the bamboo-connected team. Then, of course, they would have to match the speed of the slowest player, and the fastest player would be killed! ''Oh no! Estella stood up, and at about the same time Norma and Paula stood up as well. ''Crap!''So the reason why Yashiro was having a loud strategy meeting was to cause this situation, huh? ''This isn''t good, ......!There''s nothing we can do about it!I don''t care if it''s in pieces, just go for it! In spite of Paula''s cheers, the first runners of the yellow team could not increase their speed. Not only the yellow team, but also the red team and the blue team are the same. In all the teams, the outer runners were ahead of the rest, and the line was skewed. In such a situation, the white team, with its sister team of the same speed in the center, ran straight ahead in a horizontal line, riding on the speed of the course. ''Hahahahaha!That''s good!Go! ''You''re number one!Not bad, head waiter and my sister! ''...... is keeping up with her sisters'' speed without killing them too much. Well done. It''s not top speed, but it doesn''t kill my sister''s speed that much. Inez and Deborah are doing well. ...... You could have gotten a few more points if you had participated in the race. ''Good luck to you! Next to me, Ginette waved widely and bounced her shoulders. The waiting athlete has to stay in a crouch, so he can''t jump. ...... Well, the rest of the team is on their feet, but Ginette, trying to follow the rules, remains crouched. The other teams are standing up without a care in the world. But her breasts are still swaying. Even with such restricted movement, they bounce as if they don''t know the word "restraint. Good, keep it up. ''...... Yashiro, concentrate. ''Look, you''re doing a beautiful turn, so explain to me what''s so great about it! ''You have to be careful, manager~! I''m not sure what to say....... What?Yashiro-san!Oh my god! The ginette stopped swaying and I looked back to see that the first runner had completed his turn and was about to make a second revolution. Deborah stepped on her heels and held on tightly with her body at an angle, while Inez steered her in a magnificent circle. The sisters in between only needed to move forward as they were led, and the rotation was really smooth. I don''t know how they were able to divide their roles so precisely just by listening to the explanation. That''s beyond my imagination. Aside from Deborah''s unshakable posture, Inez''s running style is exquisite. She took her sister''s thrust into consideration and guided her very well. I guess that''s the nature of a "head waiter". ''That''s good, Inez!You''ve exceeded my expectations! The moment I praised her, she fell. Zja-ja!With a flourish. In a big way. ''What are you doing? ''Kyu, you''re praising me too soon! He got angry, but quickly stood up and regained his position. Soon after, the first runners returned to the waiting line. My sister left the bamboo, and Deborah and Inez lowered their bamboos and rushed forward. The squatting runners jump over them. Inez is staring at me the whole time. Inez is staring at me. ...... I''m not going to praise you anymore. ''You''re thinking backwards! Inez shouts this as she passes by, and adds a few more words when she comes back. ''Please praise me on a regular basis! ''Huh! Now the bamboo passes over the heads of the crouching runners and is passed on to the second runner. The first runner finishes the race and lines up behind the anchor, us. ''I''ll get used to it by the end of the day. No, no, no, no. You don''t have to get used to it, and why should I praise you unconditionally? ''............ I''m doing my best too, though. Phew!'' And Deborah''s puffed up diagonally behind me. What kind of rivalry is this? It''s not like the 23rd district is inferior to the 29th district or anything. ''Well then, why don''t you both work hard so that Yashiro-kun will praise you at every opportunity?Right, Yashiro-kun? ''You ......''. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. What''s in it for you guys if I''m praising you? ''All right. ''Let''s get it over with. I got it! Why are you going along with this?To this incomprehensible wave? Oh, you mean... Is it the BU kid''s unique ''I''ve been told that, so I guess it''s better that way~'' kind of thing? ''Hey, hey, Yashiro-kun! Masha called me, looking very happy. ''I''ve just summarized the story, so please praise me regularly too. ''Wow, you''ve got great tits. ''Well, I''ll look forward to your compliments. I just complimented you. I''m sure you were raving about them. ...... d*mn. ''...... Yashiro. .................. please.'' ''Can you please stop with the ''praise'' recklessness? It''s very difficult, Magda. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. Yashiro-san. Ginette pulls on my sleeve. ''I don''t think you need to force it, but please praise her as much as you can. So why are you being so reckless with me? ''Because people work harder when they are praised. ''Then, why don''t you praise her, Jeannette? ''No, it has to be Mr. Yashiro.'' Why? ...... ''Because Yashiro-san is special.'' Ginette smiled. A small smile appeared on Ginette''s face. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. You can''t say that. And then I''m going to ''roll, roll, roll'' backwards. ...... d*mn it. ''I''m not very good at complimenting people, so don''t get your hopes up. ''Mm-hmm. It''s a good thing that the Judgment of the Spirits is not allowed today. I''m not lying. Why are you laughing? And... ''''Ah!Big brother, that''s not good! At Loretta''s cry, my gaze turned forward. I saw that the second runner of the white team was disrupting the line. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''...... tens of pieces''. ''Oh, ...... is it still too much for Mokoka? I was hoping that the power of the serving staff would be enough to overcome the rampaging Barbara, even though I was hoping for a hundredth of the thinness of the poor gold leaf. ''Center!Don''t shake! ''You''re the one who should be moving forward, not outward! On the outside of the eye of the typhoon, you need to run as if you were heading slightly inward, not forward. Otherwise, the centrifugal force will pull you outward. The balance of the beastmen would be thrown off by even the slightest distraction, especially if they were like a mass of raging power. ''Aah!I''ve been overtaken by the yellow team! ''...... The red team is closing in.'' ''Too bad, darling.'' Medora stands up--it''s huge. ...... It''s really huge when you squat down to look at it. What are you, a saurus? --He says proudly. ''I know everything about you, darling!Aah! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can see what you''re thinking. After the joke, Medora lifted the corner of her mouth and put on a slightly hunter-like belligerent expression. ''You did a trick with the entry sheet, didn''t you?You''re so clever, darling. ''We know exactly what we''re doing. We can change the order on the way. You know, Norma. ''It''s only natural to be suspicious of what Yashiro does .......'' Paula and Norma look triumphantly at Medora from the yellow team. And also from the red team. ''I''ve noticed that too! Delia stretches out her arms to show off. A show of hands. ''After all, I''m the brainy team leader of the Red Team! Yeah. That''s what Lucia had in mind. The entry sheet was written and submitted before we entered, so it''s not surprising that she gave us some advice then. Lucia''s a smart girl with sensitive tits. In addition, Medora is also a very sharp person, even though she has an image of being a mass of muscles. Magda told me that she can think dozens of times faster than a normal person in battle. It''s a tricky thing to make enemies with. At ....... When you turn your gaze to the blue group, Estella is smiling with a meaningful expression. Hey, hey. I guess you can see right through me. ''Because we saw the first runner and immediately reorganized. We have a thick layer of players, so it''s good for us in times like this. ''We''ve changed our team too, the red team!We''ll be strong for sure! Seeing the unevenness of the first runners, and at the same time witnessing the stable running of the white team, the teams changed their lineups while waiting and took immediate action. The more stable runners overtook the white team with ease. ''As long as you don''t break the requirement that each of the twenty-five entrants run once, you can change the order and position of the runners. ...... You always leave a way out of things like this, don''t you? Estella stood up and gave Natalia a look. The blue team seems to be reorganizing their team after the second race. I''ve left this mechanism in place as insurance in case my ruse is discovered and the White team is forced into a corner. I''m surprised that all the teams have realized this and prepared a plan ......, but it''s also an inconspicuous trap. ''I think it''s a little early, but ...... I got the gist of it. I''ll give you a shot. The blue team is currently at the bottom of the standings because of the conflict between the hunting guild and the cattlemen, but they are planning to make a comeback in the next round. At the same time, they are trying to wake up the hunting and cattle breeding guilds that are causing discord. ''I''ll go next time. Natalia, join us.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Hearing Estella''s words, Natalia moved to the front of the line in a crouched position. Hey, what''s going on, Natalia? That''s kind of cute, slouching over there. If I had a creature like that, I might want to keep it. Hey!The bamboo is too expensive! ''Shut up!I made it low, didn''t I? Mokoka and Barbara came back with the bamboo. The young men of the farming guild, who had been caught in the middle, crawled away. That''s what you get for being pushed around by two powerful beastmen. ''It''s too low this time! ''What?High or low! Mokoka gives Barbara a hard time for her lack of consideration for the jumpers and climbers. We''re having discord, too. Barbara doesn''t understand no matter how many times I tell her, and Mokoka is far too short on words. That''s because they''re incompatible. ''Noooooo!I''ve been overtaken!I''m finally at the bottom! After the turnaround, the bamboo was so low that Mo-Mat hit his head and lost a lot of time, and while he was doing whatever he could, he was overtaken by the blue team. ''You, get a grip, aphid! ''I''ll give it right back to you, you monkey! The two were arguing with each other. Loretta and Ginette are watching the situation with wary eyes. I mean, Mokoka, you look just like him, don''t you?It''s just that he''s dead. ''Oh, that ...... Yashiro-san ......! Finally, Ginette turned to me and said, ''We have to do something about you two. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ...... Good. ''Well done, you two! I give a big thumbs up to Mokoka and Barbara, who are still arguing with each other while clutching their bamboos. I knew that if I paired the two of them together, they would be able to get to the bottom of the pile "without being obtrusive". I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. In this sense, the blue team''s trump card was the arrival of a chance after a pinch. In that sense, it was fortuitous that we were able to pull out Estella and Natalia, the trump card of the blue team. What scared me this time was Estella and Natalia of the blue team. Delia of the red team. And Norma and Medora of the yellow team. If they functioned well, as Inez and the others said, we would have lost due to the "natural performance difference". However, we can go into the second half with our trump cards intact. Now, I''m going to show you three levels of surprise! ''All right, go!Pretty captain! ''Yes!Leave it to me! ''I''ll run like hell to make Rebekah shine! Don''t worry. I told her the plan. I''m sure Sophie will do well to ''make Rebekah shine''! ''Nikka, Carl!Take care of Tot! ''You''re in good hands! ''Watch it right there, Dazo! ''Good luck, Tot-san! ''Yes, sir!I''m off! A nervous Tot grasps the bamboo as Ginette sends him off. From the center, Sophie, Nikka, Totto, Carl, and Rebeka, in that order, the white team is pushing hard from the tail. ''I see. I''m sure you''ve got a fast bunny, a swallowtail butterfly that can fly, and a light-weight Okogyo kid, so you''re all about speed, right, darling? From the waiting line of the yellow group, Medora sent me such an analysis. Well, if you only look at it from the outside, it would look like that. But Sophie''s character is not like that. --This is where the essence of the White Team''s "Eye of the Typhoon" comes in! The yellow team, the red team, and the blue team, in that order, turn around the turnaround pylon, and the riders come back toward us. On the other hand, the White Team, facing the other teams, finally reaches the first pylon, the turning point. And then-- ''Rebecca, flap your wings!...... Nooooooooooooooo! Sophie swung the bamboo stick that the four of them were holding onto. One big spin. It''s a full swing around the pylon. ''''''Eeeeee! By swinging the bamboo stick as if it were a hammer throw, the time loss of athletes with different stride lengths running at a sluggish pace is greatly reduced. This should be no problem, since the rule is to "hold the bamboo and circle the pylon. It doesn''t say anything about ''run'' anywhere. ''Land with a bang! ''Are you all right, Totsu-kun? ''Yes, sir! ''Then we''ll run again! Totto, supported by the two swallowtailed butterflies who were used to jumping as well as the light-weight Rebeka, landed safely and began to run. Suddenly, the other three teams stopped to watch the wild performance in front of their eyes. Wasn''t that amazing? ''Noooooo!That''s right!That rabbit sister could open the iron door of the 24th District Church with one hand! ''So that''s why you chose a light-weight player, huh? Delia and Norma bite their teeth as they realize what I''m after. ''Paula!I''m going to change the formation for a bit! ''Yes, Medora!If you can do something like that, so can we! ''Alright!I''ll do the same!Omero, change your position! The enemy teams on both sides switch sides in a hurry. Yes. This can be a real problem if they take advantage of it. It''s easy for Delia and Medora to copy this move. That''s why the white team needed to play ''fall from first place'' in order to catch them off guard for a moment. Let the audience think, ''These guys are going to do it! and then, ''This is our chance!Now is the time! And then - ''What?How is that possible? That''s it! Oh, he''s in such a hurry. Before passing the baton, you have to jump through the bamboo, and you can''t do those actions when you are not in line. The rule book clearly states that the players in the waiting line must jump through the bamboo. The yellow team, which was about to anchor Norma and Medora, is in a panic to rearrange the line. At any rate, the yellow team is now in first place. The third runner is almost there. Or rather, they are pausing a little, realizing that their own line is not yet finished. The same goes for the red team. The blue team is unable to regroup because Estella and Natalia, who could be the commanders, are currently running. The fourth runner is next. The blue team will not be able to regroup because they cannot run twice. While the yellow and red teams are stalling, the blue and white teams are closing the distance. ''I''m counting on you, Norma, Paula! ''I''ll leave it to you! I''ll come back first! In the end, the fourth runner led by Paula and Norma departed, leaving only Medora, the back boss of the yellow group. The old men from the hardware guild were lined up next to Medora, as if they were having trouble organizing and had to be put off. ''Omero!Die!'' ''Run like hell, master! The red team, consisting of Omero and the overly energetic kids from the church, was the fourth runner. The anchors are Delia, two old men from the river fishing guild, and two old men from the lumberjack guild. Imelda is ............ not going to participate in a competition like this where she is buried under other people, right?What? ''Don''t let them get past you, cowherd! You''re gonna get it!I''ll get you! In the blue team, the fourth runner took off while shouts of abuse flew around. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... I guess your lack of education is affecting your vocabulary. I''m sorry to hear that. ''Well, I''m off! ''Please wish me luck! ''Oh, ......, I''m so anxious, .......'' ''Me too ......'' ''I''m a big selection!I''m a big selection! ...... Receiving the long bamboo baton, the fourth runner of the white team also starts running. From the center side, it''s Kabriele, Markus, Moormat, Umaro, and Yamboldo. ''You''ve done it, Yashiro. ......'' Wiping the sweat from her chin, Estella returns to the waiting line. With Natalia as the pivot, Estella was spinning beautifully as she dashed as fast as she could in the open air, which would have made her sweat. ''One bizarre move after another ......''. ''But we''re following the rules, right? You''re the ones who approved it. ''As long as you have the bamboo, you don''t have to run. ''But it seems that only the third runner was able to use that strategy. The fourth runners of the white team were all big men. It''s not like they can swing that weight around. ......'' Estella''s eyes widened when she said that much. ''''Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Buuuu............! And the bamboo that the stout man was holding on to was swung around. By the combination play of the first pyrotechnician and the current movers. ''They''re good at throwing heavy furniture. They can swing even such difficult-to-balance objects without a care in the world. ''That''s right, isn''t it? Estella, who knew of Kabriel and the others'' identity but had forgotten about it, scratched her hair in frustration. This is the second level of surprise. ''I never thought I''d be swinging a big guy like that around''. Incidentally, the members of the fourth runner are Kabriele and Markus with ''Boys who wouldn''t be in any trouble even if they were blown up''. Incidentally, I selected Yamboldo because Cabriele said, "I''d like to have a heavier weight at the end, because I''d feel uneasy if the farthest part is light. At first, I was going to use Goozja, but he said that she might slip out. A stopper. In fact, when Umaro was about to blow up, Yangboldo, who had a strong grip on the bamboo and was holding it firmly, caught him with his body. ''You''re doing a great job, Yashiro......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. The fire in Delia''s and Medora''s eyes as they witnessed the powerfully large swing. And at the same time, the big men who had been incorporated into the same team as the two began to shake and shake. ''Omero-san, you''re late! ''No, I''m in charge of the heavy lifting, the running is ......! ''Omero, you''re too slow! ''Yes!I''ll run like hell! Delia''s thirst flared as Omero was dragged by the church kids. I''m not sure what to do. ...... in exchange for his life. He''s running for his soul right now. And the red team finishes passing the baton. ''Sorry, Medora-san!I''ve been overtaken! ''But it''s still too close to call!I believe you guys can make it back! The yellow team has also completed their jumps and passes, and the anchors are running. ''Too late, cowherd!Hurry up! ''I''m going full speed! The anchors of the blue team, Use and his teammates, pass the baton to the other team while cursing each other. ''Sorry, bro!I couldn''t let you pass me! Cabriele apologizes as he lowers the bamboo. So, I praise him while jumping on the bamboo. ''Hey, I caught up with you this far. You''ve done well! I''ll leave the rest to you... To Magda and Loretta! ''All right, Ginette, Masha, hold on to the bamboo! ''Yes! ''Wahaha~Yesa??'' As soon as Ginette and I received the bamboo, Masha and I clung to it with both hands as if we were hugging it. As soon as we received the bamboo, we clung to it as if we were holding on to it with both hands. Holding the bamboo above our heads, the two girls who boast the most agile legs in ...... the 42nd district of the Sunlit Pavilion launched. ''Go!Magda, Loretta! ''...... ditto--'' ''--I understand! It''s so fast! ''Kyaaaaaaaah! ''Kyahahahahaaaaaaa??'' Ginette screams, Masha cheers. And I--I tightened my bladder to keep from chickening out. It''s scarier than a roller coaster! I thought I was going straight ahead at a tremendous speed, but then I suddenly spun around. Every time it spun, Ginette would scream ''Aah! and Masha''s ''ouch! and my bladder squeaks. I''m not sure what the situation is. I don''t even have time to slowly check what''s going on, but I''m like, ''What? You''re kidding me! I heard Delia''s and Medora''s voices, so I must have caught up or overtaken them. It seems that the third level of surprise was successfully triggered, and I was able to lure them in. From a distance, I heard the following line. ''If we don''t do something, we''ll lose! ''Master, please calm down! The voices of Delia and the old man from the river fishing guild. ''You guys, don''t just run around!If you can''t go fast enough, don''t hold on to the bamboo!I''ll chase you down as fast as I can! '''''''' No, no, no, no!You can''t, it''s too scary! '''''''' The voices of Medora and the old men of the hardware guild. And. I''m not sure what to do.I''m going to imitate the White Team too! ''You guys, hold on to the bamboo tight! I heard such a disturbing voice. ...... Gosh. ........................... ......... Oh! There was a swinging sound that seemed to break through a thick wall of air,'''''''' Then I heard several wild voices ............ and disappeared. ''...... Yashiro, everyone, get down.'' Magda''s voice made us close our eyelids and take our hands away. When we realized that the ground was right there and that we had landed quietly on our backs, we quickly got up and prepared for the moment to come. Magda and Loretta went to the back of the waiting line with the bamboo and came back. They put the bamboo on the starting line and-- ''Go for it! The bell is rung loudly, and the White Team is assured of another come-from-behind victory. It may seem like a roundabout way to go, but without this step, the Yellow Team with Medora and Norma and the Red Team with Delia and the Woodcutter''s Guild could have caught up with them. One more thing, the most important factor this time was to make a strong impression of the secret technique of "swinging the bamboo" so that people would not notice the real trump card of "holding on to the bamboo and having it carry us". In this city, there are many people who can easily carry three adults and run like an idiot on it. If they knew that, this competition itself would be meaningless. This is a backdoor trick, so to speak, for the first time only. If there''s a next time, they''ll probably ban both of them. And in order to keep them from finding out about all of this, we had to play with them by giving them a taste of heaven and earth in a short period of time. Well, let''s just resign ourselves to the inevitable unfortunate accidents that have occurred because of this. ...... Rest in peace, old men. By the way. In the event that you have any questions concerning where by and how to use the web site, you can call us at the web site. The second place went to the blue team, and the goal was reached by the red and yellow teams in that order. 377-Additive-free Episode 32 gears that dont engage ...... d*mn... ''...... Gentlemen. The victory was just the beginning of a counterattack. The real battle is just beginning.'' Team leader Magda gave him a pep talk. ......A pep talk, huh? Anyway, this victory is the first step towards a comeback, that''s for sure. It''s ....... ...... These two. They won the game, but they can''t forgive their team for dragging them down. And it''s not because of themselves ......, but because of you! but in a bad way. ''Oh, um, ...... Yashiro-san.'' Oh, yes, yes. You''re worried, Jeannette. But, well, don''t worry about it so much. ''Mokoka, Barbara. That was part of the plan. That''s part of the reason we won so handily in the first place. Don''t worry about it. ''''No, he needs to be reminded of that! Mokoka and Barbara are pointing at each other and bickering. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. A woman smiling elegantly, hiding behind a parasol that was a gift from Estella,......, Mahr. It''s not worth it if Mokoka doesn''t make a real contribution. The two beastmen clash in an obvious way, and the atmosphere in the white camp is rough. Magda is ...... slumped over with her arms crossed. What''s with the relaxed attitude?Oh, he looked at me. It''s a pose of throwing the whole thing to me and saying ''take care of it''. In the midst of this, Sophie, burning with her mission as a sister, jumps into the middle of it. ''Both of you. So much for fighting. The spirit gods say, "Conflict wears out the human heart and ...... the glorious future."'''' ''''That''s so annoying! ''''Huhu...... Rebecca......! ''''Holy shit!Don''t you dare torment my sister! He sank without a fight. ...... You''re weak, you know. I''m not sure what to do. ''Yashiro-sama. A sharp but calm voice came into the white camp. I turned to see Natalia standing there with a cool expression on her face. ''That was a stunning victory. You defied our expectations with your remarkable tactics, and you fought like a typhoon. In a voice that showed no emotion, he said something that could be taken as encouragement, sarcasm, or bitterness. ''You won in a way that the rules might be changed if there is a next time. ''It probably will. But since this is our first attempt, Estella-sama said that she wanted to emphasize energy rather than perfection. For my part, I think this is the right thing to do. It''s just that--'' I look at the two bickering people. ''Sports lead people to a state of excitement. Sometimes it goes too far. ......'' The fact that he''s coming all the way out here right now to say that ...... He cares about you, Natalia or Estella. Or both of them. In short, he has come to offer what he thinks is the best advice for the two of them in their quarrel while making small talk. Well, it''s just too much to take in, this situation. You''ve got a hunter and a cowherd fighting too, and you''re looking out for us, thank you very much. ''And now for the next competition--we''re going to send you two to the competition ......''. ''That''s enough, Natalia Owen.'' Inez and Deborah step in between me and Natalia. What''s ...... that? ''This is a White Team matter from here on out.'' ''I appreciate the advice, but that''s our domain. ''............ This is District Forty-two, right? ''If you insist on saying that, Mokoka-san is a resident of District 29. ''Besides, I''ve heard that Barbara-san is still a resident of District 41. What''s with the unsettling atmosphere? Is this another new spark? ''............ I''m the BU''s number one beauty, aren''t I? ''Unfortunately, Natalia''s fever is now coming to an end. ''Yes, it is. It''s only a passing fad.'' ''I see. So the boom has passed and I''ve gone from being just an idol to a ...... legend. ''''Po, I''m positive. ......'''' Hmm? It''s not that disturbing, is it? It''s just the same old Natalia. Yeah. ''''It seems that the meddlesome head waiter is here, so I''ll return to my army. ''Oh. Sorry to bother you.'' ''No, sir. I was just thinking about the significance of this field day and how best to act. The ward field day should be a fun event that brings the people together. --Estella must have thought of that. That''s what Natalia is following. That''s why they shouldn''t have a falling out and end up fighting over the field day. But don''t worry. It''s just a situation where we started a small fire for our own reasons. To show that there''s no need to worry, I silently point to the dignitary''s seat. There''s Mahr at the other end of the table, ...... and I''m sure Natalia will understand. ''Are you talking about the guest of honor seat ............, where head waiter Cindy''s boobs are surprisingly large? ''No!A little more to the side! ''Side tits, right? I''m sure you''ll agree. It''s not that!What''s with that crisp face like ''I know everything''?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. It''s a shame. Oh, that''s too bad. And so, Natalia returns to the blue camp. Well, we''ll settle our quarrels within the White Clan within the White Clan. ''Oh, Yashiro-san, ...... what the heck is ...... that? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what I''m talking about. ''In short, Mokoka and Barbara are fine. It''s not that they''re okay, it''s that they make you okay. ...... ''Kometki-sama.'' ''Ugh, I don''t want to respond. ''I have a suggestion. ''I don''t like what you''re calling me, so I''m going to reject it.'' ''Why don''t you let those two participate in the next competition? Inez doesn''t seem to have an ear for the subject. My protests were easily ignored. ''I know what you''re thinking from the exchange we just had. Deborah, following Inez, seemed to understand the situation. She came to the same conclusion that Natalia had tried to reach. ''Well then, Inez, Deborah. Can you take care of Mokoka?'' ''Okay, sir.'' ''Let''s have a little talk.'' The two head waiters walked noiselessly forward. Then, they suddenly stopped and looked back at me. ''''It''s about time, sir. ''''What''s that? ''''Please praise me. ''''I''m proud to say that I''ve been rather helpful, aren''t I? ...... Wow, are you seriously going to praise me on a regular basis? ''They''re a very thoughtful bunch of waiters...'' ''It''s a bit of an afterthought, isn''t it? ''I can''t feel any emotion''. Of course not. They''re just making it up as they go along. ''But ......, well, that''s all right. ''That''s a fair start.'' With a cool look on their faces, they both turned away, skipping lightly as they walked away. You''re so easy to understand, both of you! What, are BU kids like that?Are they all like that? ''Mm-hmm, you''re happy about that. ''I don''t know, .......'' To me, they look like patients who have developed some serious illnesses because of their involvement in the 42nd district. ...... Well, even if it''s rotten, it''s the head waiter. I think it''s safe to leave it to him. ...... If the head waiter goes rotten, there will be a lot of trouble, but if he goes rotten in his own district, he can do as he likes. It''s none of my business. Yeah, I don''t know. Let''s just keep it to ourselves. So, I''m in charge of appeasing Barbara. ''Hey, Barbara. Don''t fight too much.'' ''It''s his fault, isn''t it! ''Neither of us is at fault. It''s a sport, there''s always a winner and a loser. ''''But if it was just Aashi, we would have definitely won! If it was just you, you would have been disqualified for breaking the rules in the first place. But that kind of logic doesn''t apply to this guy, so ...... ''Can I show such a scary face to Teresa? ''Ugh ......! ''Doesn''t Teresa want to see you laughing and having fun more than she wants to see you win by a landslide?Hey, Jeannette.'' ''Yes, sir. I think so too. I think it''s wonderful to see someone who can always keep a smile on their face, even in the tough world of competition. I hope that you will be such a wonderful person, too. For Teresa''s sake, too. ''U......Uh.................. okay, yo... ...'' Well, you don''t understand, but this should calm you down a bit. To control him, you need Teresa. There''s no other word that works better. ...... so can you please stop looking at me like ''Yashiro-san, you said it well''?I just put the idiot Barbara on it. ''And besides, Barbara. Since I had a conveniently clear example in front of me, I''ll make use of it too. ''Don''t get too excited or you''ll end up like that, okay? I point towards the yellow group and make Barbara head that way. In the yellow group, Medora was being scolded by Paula and Norma as she was forced to sit on the ground. ''Medora-san!Are you feeling sorry for yourself? ''Not only did you win or lose, but you could have been injured! ''I''m sorry, .......'' And when I looked to the other side, I saw Delia sitting upright in front of Bertina, half crying. ''Miss Delia. You need to learn to use a little ''force''.'' ''...... Sorry, sir.'' A rare scene unfolding on both sides of the white team. Take a good look. That''s a bad example. ''You don''t want to be scolded in front of Teresa, do you? ''Oh, oh, ...... I''ll be careful, man. ......'' Barbara has been scolded many times by Bertina. I''m sure you''re well aware of the pain of being scolded. Currently, Teresa is observing the sports event in the first aid tent next to the tournament headquarters. Regina is with her, so she is not worried. The church matrons are waiting for her. Barbara looks toward the tent. Regina notices her and says something to Teresa, who waves her hands in the air happily. ''Ahaha ...... Teresa cute ............ and,cute''. Barbara''s expression instantly melted. It''s not loose anymore, it''s liquid, your facial muscles. It''s like a water balloon, isn''t it? Teresa''s eyes can now dimly see the colors and contours of the world. However, she has not recovered to the point where she can detect the direction of Barbara''s gaze from this distance. It seems that Regina is taking care of Teresa in many ways. She''s got a good point. I guess she''s still a medical professional. I raise my right hand in respect to Regina, who is unusually diligent in performing her duties. Then, Regina squeezed her boobs and swung her right arm toward you as if using the reaction. It''s not like throwing a kiss, it''s ''throwing boobs''. ''Hey, hey, pass!Boobie purse! I didn''t mean to do that! But thank you!I''ll keep it safe! I''ll keep it in a safe place! ''...... He does this as soon as I praise him a little. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''It tickles me when people praise me. I''m just hiding my embarrassment. I see. No comment on the confiscation of her ''air boobs''? ''When you''re complimented, ...... you get ticklish''? Barbara tilted her head, as if Ginette''s words had caught her off guard. Well, I''m sure you''ll get carried away and grow up the moment you get a compliment. You probably won''t even feel the tickle, though. I looked over and saw Ines and Deborah standing between Mokoka and saying something to each other. Mokoka is shaking her head ''hmmm''. Whether he understands it or not, it''s the words of a senior waiter who is far ahead of you, and I''m sure there are many things that interest him. ...... Whether you understand it or not is another story. ''Barbara. You can participate in the next race, right?Well, if you''re tired, I''ll send someone else to .......'' ''Don''t worry!Aarushi''s power is limitless!I''ll show Teresa how cool you are! and let him join in as a matter of course. He''ll say he''ll join even if he''s down, and it''s easy to get him on board. ''Well, go to the entrance gate.'' ''Yeah!I''ll smash the enemy this time, so watch me there, hero! With his right hand raised high in the air, Barbara ran to the entrance gate. ...... It''s a gorgeous entrance gate, by the way. A forty-two district street gate on a scale of one tenth of a meter rises there. Well, it''s only about a tenth. It''s so elaborate, right down to the smallest detail. Even the place where the entrance tax is collected has been recreated, so the young hamsters and the city kids are crowding around to play gatekeeper. You have to pay a toll at this gate to participate in the competition?That''s crazy, my lord. ''Hey, we could''ve made a lot of money if we took the money for real. ''If you do that, there will be people who can''t participate. Ginette giggles and shakes her shoulders at my joke. If she were in the corporate world, she would be popular with her male bosses. It will be an oasis for the lonely old men who are treated as nothing at home. ''By the way, what was the next competition again?I think it was, uh, .......'' ''...... Big Ball Rolling.'' Magda was standing behind us. Jeannette''s shoulders jumped. And then she jumps. So, you know, you''re supposed to give off the right kind of vibe. ...... ''Brother. Loretta told me to look at the first aid tent. "Whoever owns the big one, hurry up and get together. You''ll be rolled by a beautiful girl. Pssst! --He was making a gesture. Okay, I''ll ignore it. I mean, that''s a weirdly well-conveyed gesture, isn''t it? Thank goodness Theresa, the one closest to me, can''t see clearly yet! Get away from me, Regina!You''re infected! ''Yashiro-san, ...... what''s that thing?'' ''Don''t look. You''ll get sores in your eyes. Even harmful books are quarantined in this world. ...... Ah, Bertina is headed for the first aid tent. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Ahh, I''m being made to sit on my ass. Dr. Bertina, you''re very busy today. ''So, Yashiro-san. What kind of competition is the ''big ball rolling''? ''You roll a big ball around the pylon on the other side and come back. ''So the rules are like the eye of the typhoon. There are a lot of pylons on .......'' The lane where the big ball is rolled is lined with three pylons at intervals. ''The length of the course changes depending on your age. ''Age...... Oh, that''s right.'' Ginette claps her hands in agreement as she watches the riders line up at the entrance gate. He must have remembered some of the rules he had glanced at. Magda and Loretta added their own explanations of the competition. ''...... ball rolling will be done in a relay format, with each team consisting of four teams of ''younger,'' ''older,'' and ''mature. ''The younger and older teams will go around the first pylon in front of them, the younger teams will go around the second pylon, and the older teams will go around the third pylon at the farthest point and come back!The distances are 30 meters, 50 meters, and 400 meters respectively. ...... Yeah. The distances are 30, 50 and 400 meters respectively. You can roll a big ball 400 meters. ...... You''re an idiot. But in this city where many people are proud of their physical strength, this is just right. ''...... This is more of a social event, so the score is lower. ''However, it is also a battle that cannot be lost! ''Then, let''s all cheer as hard as we can. This time, we, the members of the Sunlit Pavilion, will not participate in the competition. There is no upper limit to the number of participants in each team. It''s not a game where having a lot of people is an advantage, and the number of children and elderly people varies by region. ''By the way,'' I added. ''The young and the old are allowed to mix if the number of contestants is not equal. You can have an old man on the young team, or if all the old people in the area are dying, you can have a bunch of kids running. They''re both weak in the legs and feet, so they''re similar.'' ''I feel your expression is malicious, Mr. Kometsky. ''You should treat the elderly with respect and the young with love, Mr. Koretski. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... Why is Deborah even calling me a "comet"?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''What?What do you mean? ''You''re entering too, Mr. Kometski. ''Huh?I didn''t hear that! Two thin arms tightly bound me and dragged me backwards. d*mn it, these guys are so strong for nothing!They''re not even beastmen, what kind of training are they doing? ''There is a rule that each generation must have at least three members. Currently, only two members of the older team, Mokoka and Barbara, have entered the competition. ''So, why me? You are the only one who can be close to both of them, and who can be strict with both of them without favoring one over the other, Kometsuki-sama. ''That''s why ......! ''Please give up. ''I''ve just been in a competition! ''You weren''t running, Mr. Koretski. Without saying a word, I was kidnapped to the entrance gate. ...... Why did Deborah say "Mr. Cometsky" more often than me?I''m not sure if it''s the same thing. Is that what you think?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I don''t need that. In the middle of being taken away, Cheryl waved her hand and said, ''Yachiro~'' among the participants waiting in front of the entrance gate. and Cheryl was waving at them. She''s going to be in the younger group, isn''t she? As I was thinking about this, we arrived at the entrance gate in no time. When they were thrown into the gate, Barbara said, ''Hey, hero!This way, this way! This way, this way!'' He greeted me with a big wave. ...... You could have turned me away. ''Hey, Hero!Do you know this old lady?You know this old lady? She''s so sweet! The one who introduced me was old lady Mum. ''I see her almost every day. ''Mm-hmm. I see. Grandma Mum''s daily routine is to drink tea at the sunny pavilion. As long as I don''t leave the pavilion, there''s a high probability that we''ll see each other. But I didn''t know that Barbara and Grandma Mum were acquaintances. They have a similar range of activities, so they must know each other. ''Theresa fell down on the road before, remember?She patched me up. This old lady, the passerby! ''Passing through, Barbara.'' What a mispronunciation! You''re turning Mum into a dangerous old woman. ''And then she gave Teresa candy. He''s a good guy! ''Then you''d better watch how you talk to her. ''Well!I can''t believe Yashiro-chan said that to me. I''m sure you''ll live long enough to see .......'' Old Mum begins to grin at me, as if she were looking at something rare. What the hell. It''s as if I''m an unpredictable character with no common sense. I''m pretty respectful, you know? I even measured her cup count to make sure I wasn''t being rude. Equally. No unfairness. I just don''t have it memorized in my brain because it doesn''t particularly interest me. ''She''s kind, smells good, and looks like my mom. ''Oh my god. You''re my mother. I''m not that young.'' ''No, you''re not. You''re more like a great-grandmother.'' ''...... Yashiro-chan. Why did I keep you away from your second cousin?Isn''t my grandmother enough? Oh, ...... Grandma Mum''s dark aura ...... ''I''m still only one year older than Zelmar, you know? ''Oh, so you''re one year younger.'' ''............ up,'' she said. ''You''re higher than that healthy old dying man? ''Who''s dying, kid? The old man''s voice came from the blue group. Your body may be healthy, but your soul must be on the verge of wearing out. You''ve lived a healthy life until today, so don''t be greedy until you reach the end of your life. ''Well, they say that you should look for a wife even if she''s older than you, so it must be convenient for someone, right? ''Gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh! I''m sure the old man is still going to live. He''s got a lot to live for. ''And besides. Without mentioning Zelmar, Grandma Mum turned the conversation back to the subject at hand. This old lady is pretty clever, isn''t she? Especially when it comes to her own love life. Well, I''m not interested in her at all. ''Isn''t there someone more suitable to be your mother, Barbara? With a smile that could best be described as cheerful, Grandma Mum shifted her gaze. Ahead of her, there was an ocotillo running toward her with a small bag hanging from its side. ''Cheryl~, Barbara~! Waving and running towards us with a big smile on her face was Yap Lock''s wife, Wuerer. ''Mrs. ......'' Barbara''s expression became a little tense when she saw Wuerer. Nervous. You can almost feel the emotion. ''Hah, hah...... sorry about that. I''m sorry that the milling process took so long. ......'' ''Okaaan! I had to rush to work. Wuerer''s shoulders were heaving up and down. She hugged Cheryl, who jumped into her chest, and smiled calmly, saying, ''Oh, my God. She''s a working mother. ''Cheryl, I had a great time running the race!Look! Cheryl proudly shows off the commemorative medal she won. ''Oh my. I wish I could have seen that. Sorry I''m late.'' ''No problem!I''ll run again, so watch me! ''Yeah, I''ll be cheering you on the whole way. She pats her daughter on the head. Barbara looked at Wuerer with a complicated expression. ''Barbara, you won the first prize, too. You know?'' Grandma Mumm''s words made Barbara look shocked. Then she looked away awkwardly and closed her mouth as if she couldn''t find what she wanted to say. ''Oh, is that so?That''s great, Barbara! ''No, well, ...... Aarushi, the only thing I have going for me is my physical strength. ......'' ''That''s not true!You should be more proud. I''m very happy. Hey, let me see your medal. ''Oh, ......, this is ......, just in case.'' ''Oh my!We''re matching, Cheryl.'' ...... Ah, I see. That''s how it is. ''So how does old lady Mum know about this?What''s the status of these guys?'' ''Hmmm. ......'' Realizing that I was onto something, Grandma Mum twisted her lines in a happy manner. ''I''ve been consulting with Wuerer-chan.'' ''Wuerer-chan? ''She used to work for us. ''Oh, really? In addition, the ...... world is a small place, or maybe it''s not so small. ''Barbara-chan, when Sheryl-chan spoils her mother like that, she takes Teresa-chan out with her. So that Teresa, who doesn''t know her mother''s warmth, won''t be envious. I guess that''s what she meant, but ...... I''m sure Barbara is jealous too. You can see it in her expression now. I''ve been wondering if there''s anything I can do to help you, you know? ''What''s with that "hey~"? I don''t like the way you say it, as if you''re throwing everything at me. Yeah, I really don''t like it. He stood in line with Grandma Mum, who looked like a good old man, and looked at Wuerer and the others. ''Oh, that''s right. I know I''m late, but here. Wuerer holds out two small bags. One for Sheryl and one for Barbara. ''What ...... are these? ''It''s a good luck charm. ''Yay!A talisman! Sheryl happily took it, and Uerah forcefully handed it to a hesitant Barbara. ''It contains the best popcorn kernels we''ve picked today. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ...... I thought of it together with her. Needless to say, that person is Yap Rock, who is currently stretching his arms and legs in the white team camp. I guess we both thought about it. So that Cheryl, Tot and Barbara can do their best. ''It''s like a real family. ''Huh? ''Oh!'' My words were met with an urgent look from Grandma Mum, and Barbara let out an indifferent sound, while Wuerer chuckled. The smile Wuerer gave me was a true testament to the fact that ''we already consider you family''. It''s ....... ''Don''t be silly, hero!Your husband and wife are very nice people, and they don''t deserve ...... bad parents like Aarushi and the others, though Teresa is a nice girl. Barbara overreacted. Wuerer looked at her with a sad expression on his face. ''You''re such an idiot. You''re such an idiot, Barbara.'' ''Who''s the idiot! ''No, you are!'' the majority of the people present in the room said. in their minds. Barbara''s stupidity is well known due to her liveliness. Well, enough of that. ''You know, Barbara. There''s a saying. ''Even a badly made girl is pretty with big tits. ''Nice try, Yashiro. ''The worse the girl, the prettier she is.'' Is that right? Isn''t that a phrase only used in the 42nd district? Anyway... ''Whether you''re qualified or not, don''t make decisions on your own as a hired hand. ''But, but!Because of Aashi, the cornfield was ruined. ...... Even now, it''s not back to normal at all. ...... Because of that, the husband and wife work from early in the morning to midnight every day. ......Even today, they really wanted to come from the beginning, but they let Aash and the others go ahead of them. ......! ''What the ......? I was a little impressed with Barbara as she rattled off a bunch of crap. I guess he had a sense of guilt too. Then it''s okay. ''You''re doing your duty, aren''t you? ''No, I''m not!I''m not even useful at all yet. ......! ''Then, take a look at that thing. He thrusts his index finger in front of Barbara''s eyes to silence her, and then slides his finger down. At the other end of the line, Wuerer, his pure white face dyed red, holds his cheeks with a small hand and stares at Barbara with eyes as if his tear glands are about to break down. Oh, I see. You''re that happy? ''If that looks like a face you don''t like, you should go get some eye drops from Regina. ''No, no, ......, ......! ''Barbara-san .......'' ''I''m ............ here.'' Wuerer rushed over and squeezed Barbara''s hand, and said in a tearful voice. ''I''m so happy. I can''t believe you thought of me like that. ......'' ''No, because of ...... Aarushi''s fault. ......'' ''No. You''re sorry and you apologized. And you work with me every day. There''s nothing wrong with you.'' ''But! ''Besides, I ...... am so glad that we all have Barbara and Teresa in our home. Every day is lively and very fun. ''A......Ahh......'' Her knees were shaking, her chin was wagging, and she stood there as if Barbara had been tied up. And then she looks at me as if to ask for help. ...... Don''t you dare run away, you coward. ''Barbara. I''ve got some good news for you.'' ''What, what? ''I''ll tell you something if you promise to do exactly what I say in the big ball roll after this. ''I''ll give you my word, just tell me now! I promise, okay? Don''t betray me, okay? When I gave him a lightly threatening look, Barbara''s forehead broke out in a bead of sweat. That''s right. Listen with that level of tension. Tension has the magical power to give credence to the words of others. ''Just for now. ''......, what is it? ''Right now, at this moment, if you say what you want right now, there''s a pretty good chance it will come true. ''No, that''s not possible ......! ''If you don''t think so, then keep your mouth shut. It''s up to you whether you want to make good use of the information you''ve got or let it go to waste. ''............'' With Wuerer holding her hand the entire time, Barbara couldn''t move a step from her spot. She can''t move a finger, she''s in a state of limbo. But the urge to say something is making Barbara''s lips pucker. One more push, then. ''Okay, Wuerer. It''s time for the players to come in, so go back to your seats and go to .......'' ''Wait for me! ''Just a moment'' and ''just a few more'' are very effective when forcing people to make a decision. They create a ''compulsion'' to take a step forward. And once one has taken the first step, one is surprisingly able to walk. ''What is it, Barbara? Wuerer, a short man, looks up at Barbara from below. Steady and gentle. ''Oh, ......, that .............'' Barbara, having cut off her own escape, still struggles to say what she wants, getting stuck in places. ''Aaah, Aarushi is such a ...... helpless guy, so ...... it''s fine,...... but... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this.I''m sure you''ll be able to understand. Barbara used the proper honorific. She sincerely asked for her wish. Bertina, I''m impressed. Your lessons are helping. I''ll do it. ''Are you sure? ''But there''s one condition. ''On the ...... condition? Barbara''s cheeks twitched. He''s probably fantasizing about the worst possible route, like ''you can leave instead''. He''s such a pain in the ass. You can tell from Wuerer''s face what he''s going to say. ''If you''d like to join me in thinking of me as your mother, fine. ''...... Huh ............?'' A shameful voice leaked out, and Barbara''s whole body lost strength. ''a,......Arshi is also good,......? The answer to Barbara''s question was quite simple and straightforward. ''You''re very welcome, Barbara. ''Ka-chan! Barbara jumped into Wuerer''s chest with both arms outstretched. The ''san'' was changed to ''chan'', as Wuerer would have wanted. Uehler stretches as tall as he can and wraps the big Barbara around him. ''......Kachan, you smell good......'' ''Mm-hmm. Really?'' ''............ Yeah.'' ''Yeah.'' ''Yeah......'' Oh, they''re crying, both of them. Barbara must''ve been overworked. I hope she''ll be a little more flexible now. And then old lady Mum patted me on the back, though I couldn''t understand what she meant. What''s wrong?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out........ ''Aah, Aashi!I''m going to go tell Teresa!Teresa, you''re gonna love this! ''Hey, a**h*le monkey. I told you we''re going in. Not now. ''Shut up, hero!We''re not in the middle of anything!I''ll kick your ass! Hey, weren''t you supposed to listen to me?I''ll turn you into a frog, you f*cking monkey. ...... ''Barbara, are you going to be Sheryl''s sister? She pulled Barbara''s gym uniform, and Sheryl''s sparkling eyes urged her to answer with only one choice. ''Oh, ...... uh, ...... Aashi, okay?'' ''Daikan Gai! Barbara instantly squeezed Sheryl and squatted down. I''m not sure what to say.You''re Aashi''s sister from today! ''Yes! It''s ......, we''re about to enter... ''Hey, Barbara! Grandma Mum calls out to the crouching Barbara. ''You''ve got to show your new mother what you''re made of. ''Oh, yeah!That''s right! Standing up quickly, Barbara clenches her fists and says to me. ''Hero!We''re going to win this thing, the Big Ball Roll! ''Don''t tell me. You do your best.'' ''Yeah!I''ll do my best! Barbara''s eyes were filled with a glowing fire. If he''s this motivated, he might be able to make it. At any rate, it''s up to Barbara and Mokoka to win this competition. 378-Additive-free 33rd episode engagement ''All players, please enter. Estella''s waiter motions for them to enter. ''Alright, let''s go, Cheryl!Baa-san!Ka-chan! ''What?Huh?Me too?What? For some reason, even Wueller was being taken away by Barbara. Well, you don''t have to participate in the competition, just watch him from the side. It''s your fault for making him too happy. Yeah. So... ''MOKOKA. Can you do it?'' ''I''ll leave it to you. Mokoka was being told something by Inez and Deborah. The face looks slightly different than before. ...... I hope it doesn''t spin out of control. ''Well, don''t overdo it. ''I know, sir!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. That''s what Inez and the others said to you. Good. Just don''t overdo it and spin away. Really, don''t get carried away! ...... Mm, I''m worried. I''ll give you a little support. ''Hey, Barbara. ''What''s up, hero? He moved into the track and lined up beside Barbara in the waiting line with Mokoka. When they look at each other, both of their faces tense up for a moment. ''The three of us are the older players. ''Oh, yeah. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Mokoka, on the other hand, looked ...... rather calm. ''Barbara. You promised to follow my instructions a while ago, didn''t you? ''Yes. I remember that. He seemed to be aware of the fact that he was being pampered by Wuerer thanks to that ''promise'', and he seemed to be willing to keep his ''promise''. He does not seem to be reluctant. However, I''d like to strengthen that compulsion just a little more. ''You''re not going to be the lying sister who breaks her promise in front of her new mother and cute little sister, are you? ''Of course not!Aarushi is not a liar, mom, Cheryl! I''m not a liar, mom! Barbara loves her sister. She wouldn''t want the ignominious title of ''lying sissy''. Okay, okay. ''Then you''ll follow Mokoka''s instructions for this race. ''Huh!Aashi is following the Hero''s orders. ......! ''''My orders are to follow Mokoka''s orders.'''' ''............''. Barbara glanced at Mokoka and wrinkled her brow. Ignoring that look of disapproval, I confirm with Mokoka. ''Can you do it, Mokoka?'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll leave it to you! Mokoka slaps his not-so-thick chest. I''m sure you''ll do fine, Assistant Manager. ...... Well, there''s only two waiters in that building. Now, ...... let''s see if this will work. My gaze naturally turns to the dignitary''s table. The parasol is twirling. ...... You look so cool. One day I''ll come back for my change. Remember that, old man. ''All right, first runners, please take your positions! At the signal of the organizing committee, the first runners of each team and the kids of the younger teams gather in front of the big ball. It''s only 30 meters. But it''s 30 meters while rolling a big ball that''s bigger than your body. I''d say that''s a pretty long distance. We won''t know what the result will be until we try. There''s a lot of anxiety about this field day. It''s a simple rule, so I don''t think it''s going to be that crazy. ...... What do you think? ''In position, ready! --Boom! With the high-pitched sound of bells, the kids start running. '''''''' Hahahaha! '''''''' ''Guys, roll the big ball! Estella''s shout goes up from the blue camp. Those kids from the blue team, they were running as fast as they could. They''re the best, aren''t they? The big ball didn''t move at all. Go back!Let''s roll the big ball, guys! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' The blue team lost a lot of money. As for the other teams, the yellow team, with its many quiet kids, rolled the big ball cautiously and moved forward. ''Yes, yes!Take your time! ''The key is control!Take it easy! Paula and Norma cheered from the cheering section. That place is so solid, really. They don''t stand out at all, but they keep a good position. As for the Red Team, perhaps it''s because the kids from the church are the main team, but the team''s worm and momentum are well-balanced and the race is going well. They are currently in first place. ''Everyone!Keep up the good work! Bertina''s cheers fly. From the first aid tent. ...... Oh~ oh~, Regina''s still being made to sit up. Be scolded, be scolded. It''s good medicine sometimes. And my white team... ''Duh! Baa~! ''''''Cute~......'''''' ''''No, run! The son of a farmer''s guild member, born just last year, was making some adults swoon. The big ball hasn''t moved at all. Not even a millimeter!Not even the Blue Guild is moving properly! What kind of kid is that? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on....... So that''s the reckless old man. It is said to be the gnu people, but what did the gnu look like? ...... Anyway, the newborn child has two small, round horns on its head. ...... Are those horns? I''m not sure. ''Oh, come on, Yashiro!You''re a one-year-old kid. ''Then why did you let him play? Mormat, who''s in the cheering section, says in defense of his own guild members. This is not the time to be talking like that! ''''A-ko~! and a gnu kid asks a nearby kid of about four years old to hold him. The four-year-old kid was an avian beast with a beak, who took the gnu kid in his arms without hesitation and started to run with the other dumb kids, rolling a big ball. ''If it weren''t for the gnu kid, everything would have been fine! ''Don''t be like that, Yashiro!Aren''t you cute? You don''t get points for being cute! No matter what, Mo-Matt wants to protect his people. You better take care of your team''s overall victory before your people! The race continued in a staggered and dangerous fashion: ...... and the yellow, red, blue and white teams turned on the pylons in that order. Oddly enough, it''s the exact opposite of the order of the eye of the typhoon. ''You guys should run properly! ''Please let me go! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if this is a good idea.I''m not sure. And then there are the kids who often show up at the sunlit pavilion and join in here and there. They run around all year round, and they''re wasting a lot of energy, so you can expect them to do reasonably well. ''All right, listen up, kids! Mokoka called out to these enthusiastic kids. He was planning to start the race from the second runner. ''We can''t expect you to have delicate control or lean running, so after the U-turn, just run as fast as you can and come back. ''Are you sure you want to give it your all? ''Of course it''s fine!We''re going to take care of you! He put his hand on Barbara''s shoulder and said with a face full of confidence. We''ll take the full force of these kids. ...... Well, I''m sure these two will be fine. I''m not going to do it, though. ''All right, let''s take it easy, hero! ''Don''t mix me up. You guys are on your own. What if I get hurt or kicked out? I''m more sensitive than these kids. After giving such a strategy, the first runner of the white team is coming back. ''''Ta-da-ma! At the 15-meter mark of the turnaround, the four teams were almost side by side. The blue team was slightly behind. Also, the kid holding the baby of the Nuer tribe didn''t touch the big ball at all, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, so I didn''t mind. Then, the big ball was handed to the second runner of each team. ''All right!Go ahead and give it your all! '''''''''' Oh! '''''''''' And the kids of the white and yellow teams start running at once. ''Hey, you guys! I''m not sure why, but the kids in the yellow group responded to Mokoka''s words and ran as fast as they could. '''''''' all-out! '''''''' I''m not talking about you guys.You have to be in control! In the next lane, Paula throws her voice at the kids in a panic. ...... is pathetic. The yellow kids ran over the turn pylon, and then over the turn pylon for the older kids, and on and on and on. ''Come back here! Paula''s shout was riding on the wind, and finally the kids of the yellow class heard it. Far away, they made a big U-turn and the yellow kids came back. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s a very messy ball control, but it''s better than going out of control like the yellow team. ''All right, you guys!I''m not sure what to say.Heads! and Delia is forcing others to do what she''s not good at. However, the relatively honorable beast girls of the church were leading the river fishing guild apprentices well, and the race was proceeding without any trouble. What''s with the river fishing kids? Are they too old to show off for their older sisters?What a bunch of pussies. If you mess with any of the girls in the ...... church, Omero will wash you.Remember that. Meanwhile, the kids in the blue group who were late to the party-- ''Here. Why don''t we just punch him as hard as we can, send him flying, and chase him as fast as we can with no hands? ''That''s smart! Let''s do that! He made a very childish plan. ''With all my might! ''No holds barred! ''Let''s see what you can do! ''Yes!''''...... bang! ''''''Noooooooooo!It flew so fast!'''' --As most of us expected, we had to run after the big ball that was moving away from us over the turn pylon. You''re a kid if you can''t imagine that, right? The big ball doesn''t turn automatically. Fortunately, the big ball was made by Norma and had a thin, light, yet strong wire in its frame, so it didn''t break. The leather of the hexenbiest that covers the surface is also highly elastic and resistant to shocks, so it did not rip or tear. ...... is a useless, high-performance ball. There is no other use for it. That''s why the lowest scoring and booby teams from the red and white teams are coming back to fight for the top spot. ''Hey, everyone!Keep up the good work! The third runner of the red team, a team of women from the flower arrangement guild led by Millie. ...... What?I''m not sure if the other big girls are on the mature team. ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''No, you''re not!You''re going to get ...... pissed off.'' I''m not sure what to do. But ............ young? No, it''s fine, but... .............................. ...... young, huh? I''m not sure.If you come back first, I''ll feed you a children''s lunch at the sunny pavilion! '''''''' Seriously? '''''''' As the still-younger sisters of the red group raised their voices, the speed of the kids of the red group increased. It seems that those kids are the sons of these young ladies. And these still young ladies are ...... apparently a bit angry. I''ve got a ...... stab in my eye. ...... Please don''t look at me. The reds have overtaken the whites and are now running alone. That''s when Mokoka made his move. ''Hey, you kids!Is that the extent of your seriousness?You can''t be serious about something like that!The belly button is making tea! Holy shit, belly button!It''s more than just boiling! And the kids took advantage of Mokoka''s provocation. ''''We haven''t really started yet, have we? ''''Then come at me with a bang!Let''s have a match with me! ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! The kid from the white group is rushing forward at a high speed. In the blink of an eye, he surpassed the red group and took the lead. As if caught up, the red team also speeds up, and two big balls are coming toward us with a cloud of dust. ''Yeah,......a,......this,............stops? I''m not sure what to do. Millie looks pale and takes two or three steps back. The young ladies who are the parents of the children are also sweating cold. ''Hey, you guys!Slow down a little! ''Brake!Brake! The young ladies shouted, but there were only a few meters left. We can''t stop now! ''I don''t care what you do!Just keep driving into it! On the other hand, the white team encouraged the kids even more, and the big balls of both teams plunged into the waiting line. ''''''Kyaaaahhh! ''''Yes, it''s here! That''s it! There were two kinds of voices. The screams of the still-young women, and the energy of Mokoka and Barbara, who had firmly caught the big ball. I said... ''Millie, are you okay? I''m not sure what to say. Thanks a lot. Ladybug. I kept Millie out of the path of the dangerous ball and protected her by turning my back to it, just in case. No, you see. I know she''s more powerful than me, but she''s still Millie. ''Hehehe ...... protected me...'' You''re smiling at me like this. I''ll help her. ''Okay, Millie!Let''s get the red team away from here while we can! ''Hold on!Milly, Red Team! We tried to roll a big ball for the white team, but Miry noticed it before we started and ran to the red team. d*mn, I missed getting her. ''Come on, let''s go, hero! ''Yashippi, you don''t have to touch the ball, just follow us as fast as you can! Before you know it, Mokoka and Barbara are running at a ridiculous speed. Wait, wait, wait! You want me to follow this? A big ball is no handicap at all! ''Hey, monkey!Push me right in the middle of the big ball! ''I''m trying! ''It''s crooked! Because Barbara''s hand is slightly off-center, the white ball is gradually bending to the right. Mokoka is supporting it and correcting its course. But that would have killed Mokoka''s speed. But if Barbara goes solo, the big ball will surely lose control. This is going to be a tricky maneuver. What do we do, Mokoka? ''Change the direction of your hand!Don''t point your fingers up, point them down and push the big ball! ''What''s the big deal? Mokoka instructed, attempting to minimize the burden on herself. But Barbara fights her. ''Are you turning into a "lying sister"? ''......!I got it! He successfully silenced Barbara and carried out his orders. It''s a little rough, but I think it''s passable. Following Mokoka''s instructions, Barbara flips her wrist and points her finger downward. If you push like a sumo wrestler, you will get more power, but your fingertips will be caught in the rotation of the big ball, making it difficult to control. On the other hand, when you point your fingers downward, your fingers are not caught in the rotation of the big ball and you can control the ball easily. The difference was obvious: the wobbly trajectory of the big ball became straight. The difference seemed to be apparent to Barbara as well, and she let out an impressed ''Wow ......''. But how did you know all this, Mokoka? How to control the big ball? Did Inez and the others put you up to this? I glanced over at the cheering section and saw Inez and Deborah standing there proudly, so I gave them a thumbs up. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... They''re cheap, those guys. ''Where the hell is it? ''My arms are down! ''Even if you say so, it''s no use!I''m the only one pushing it! ''Are you already exhausted?You''re a pathetic sister, aren''t you! ''What?Aashi is not weak at all! The axis of Barbara''s body had begun to waver slightly, but her back straightened. Thanks to this, the big ball is no longer shaking, and it moves forward rapidly with increased momentum. When the ball wobbled a little, Mokoka moved to the left and right to correct the trajectory. You''ve got it under control, haven''t you? The ball, Barbara. Okay, if you can do this much, you''ll be fine without me. So I''m slowing down~............ no good, I''ve reached my limit. They''re going too fast for me. ...... I can''t keep up with them. ...... It won''t matter if one of them retires. Hold my thoughts in your heart and run the rest of the way by yourselves. ''Yashippi!It''s too late! ...... d*mn it. I was going to fade out secretly, but Mokoka noticed. ''Please come forward more! What the hell, Mokoka. Are you trying to control me too?Cheeky. Who''s going to let you control me any way you want? I mean, can you go any faster? !I''m at my limit! I''ll wait around here. You guys go on your own and turn around. We''ll meet up with you later. ''...... It''s no use. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. She leaned forward and pulled down the collar of her gym uniform. Instantly, a glimpse of her magnificent cleavage appeared! ''Sorry, a little more detail! I couldn''t help but catch up with you! What''s that? Where did you learn that technique? ''Hero ......, you''re so boring...'' ''Shut up!The cleavage, lower and side breasts have infinite power! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ''It''s as good as it gets, Master Regina.'' I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. Is it just me, or are all his students perverts? But you did a good job this time, Regina! ''Hey, don''t just stand there, get ready to turn! ''How do you do a turn? You can''t expect Barbara to take it easy or adjust her strength. Now, how are you going to do it, Mokoka? ''You monkey, move a little to the right and go forward as fast as you can!Palm Pippi, hold the top of the big ball in the center so it doesn''t bounce around! And the 400-meter pylon looms. ''All power to you, monkey! ''Oh, yeah! Barbara pushes the big ball at full speed. The momentum is pushing it up, and I''m desperately trying to hold it back. And Mokoka-- ''Bend over, you bastard! He walks around to the front of the large ball and applies rotation with his hand on the opposite side of the ball. The big ball turns around the pylon in a small arc, scraping the ground. ''And then the monkey is in the middle!The palm tree is away from you, and you''re going to run as fast as you can until you die! ''Yes! ''You''ve got to be kidding me! At Mokoka''s command, Barbara and I speed up at the same time. Yes. Just like Mokoka said. We, the third runners, are ...... No, the white team in this race is run by Mokoka. He understands the situation, acts on his own, and moves others to his will. That''s what''s expected of a top-notch waiter. And that''s what Mokoka has been lacking so far. And more to the point, it''s the reason why I went to all this trouble to get Mokoka and Varvara fired up. Mahrul had asked me to teach him what Mokoka lacked and what he needed to serve in a way that even Mokoka could understand. "Mokoka. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that. They all have that ''you guessed it'' look on their faces. ''Hey, aphids!Are you sure you want to go all out? ''It''s not a problem, just run along without thinking about anything else! ''But there are old ladies and mothers in the waiting line, you know!If you run into them at this speed, you''ll end up ......! ''Don''t you want to give those precious people a moment of victory? ''It''s too dangerous! For a moment, the big ball slowed down, and in that moment, Mokoka revealed an emotion that she had never shown before. ''Trust me, sir! Hearing her voice, I naturally lifted the corners of my mouth. Half in admiration, half in dismay. Mokoka had just tried to change. But he''s too straightforward. He still doesn''t have the poison required of a head waiter. I''ll help you with that. I''m sure Inez and Deborah''s headmistresses had something to do with it, but he made an effort to come out of his shell. So, here''s your reward. ''Ah, I''ve lost this one. I speed up to death, line up next to Barbara, and give her the most condescending look I can. ''If you can''t even keep your word, you''re a loser sister who can''t even get the best! ''......,'' you say? I wanted to make a smarter decision, but my heart rate was already near the limit. There''s no air circulating in my brain. The only way to get through this is with momentum. ''If you''re like this, my sister''s not much better, is she? It was a cheap provocation, but it would be more effective against the idiot Barbara if it was as simple as this. ''............ f*ck you! Don!...... and Barbara speeds up at once. ''Aarushi is not a loser or a liar!And Teresa is ...... so much cuter than Cheryl! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You, don''t exceed human intelligence!Oh, shit!You''re a beastman too, aren''t you?You''re a beastman, aren''t you? The kind that''s confident in its speed! You''d better keep your word, aphid!Make sure you protect Grandma Mum and Grandpa! ''That''s a stupid question. The goal is getting closer and closer, and the anchor team, the ''mature'' team, is closing in. No, we''re closing in on the old lady. ''Let me stop them, Aashi, with all my might! ''All right, now''s the time!Yashippee!Squeeze those swaying tits beside me! ''No, that''s a crime! Knowing what Mokoka was trying to say, I tackled Barbara to the ground. Suddenly, Barbara was hit from the side and fell to the ground, along with my body. In short, you''re asking me to stop Barbara''s movement because you can''t stop her if she comes at you with everything she''s got. This idiot is probably not very good at adjusting things like slowing down or stopping the big ball before the goal. It''s best to let him go all out until the very last second and then force him out. I understand ......, but I don''t think you can just ''squeeze''. ............ And why am I surrounded? And why am I surrounded? Hey, can you answer me, Estella, Natalia, Norma, Delia, Magda, and whoa, even Medora is here? Thank goodness my oxygen-deprived brain isn''t making hasty decisions. ''...... What the hell is ...... that, hero? ''It''s Mokoka''s operation.'' ''Operation?'' ''Hmm.'' I''m a mess from the damage of the fall and the reckless running. I squared my jaw and told him to check the rest with his own eyes. ''Oh!That''s a hell of a lot of damage! As I twisted my aching body to look at the course, I saw a group of wrinkled neighbors led by Grandma Mumm of the white team rolling a big ball in unison. The gap between the yellow and blue teams, who stumbled at the second runner, and the red team, who had a big accident at the baton handover to the third runner, was obvious, and this lead would not be reduced unless all the old men and women of the white team fell down. The old man''s cold water is mutual for all teams. ...... Well, we won. ''Oh, ...... d*mn it. You fall to the ground again and lie down on the ground in the shape of a man, without hesitation. It was a very tedious mission, Mahr''s request. But, well... I don''t know. I''m not in a bad mood. Is it the sweat of youth? I feel fine. Or maybe it''s because I''m convinced that Mokoka''s voice when she told me to trust myself was exactly that of a waiter? It doesn''t matter. Anyway, this race is yours. It''s not worth it if I don''t get first place after all this trouble. Oxygen is slowly returning to my brain. Jeannette is cheering for Grandma Mum at the top of her lungs. The white team is getting very excited. Barbara, who was lying next to me, gets up, jumps, and runs off. Oh, I see. I''m sure he won. All right. Unfortunately, I don''t have the energy left to get up. ...... I''m gonna throw up. Can''t you just take your heart out for a second? The sky is blue, the wind is nice... I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you can''t rub it in, but ...... you could have at least rubbed it in the crunch. ...... It was a shame, really. I''m sorry. 379-Episode 34 Under the Rescue Tent After the raging ball rolling was over, I collapsed to the ground, exhausted. ''I ...... can''t ............ do it anymore. ''Thank God. You seem to be well enough to joke about it. Hey, Estella. Can''t you see the scars on my body? I''ve got wounds all over my body from a desperate attempt to stop a runaway monkey woman. Look at this, a scratch. It''s a painful, lightly peeling skin. See? Here, here, here''s a little cut. Ugh, look, look, a long skin peel. I''m a wreck, man, my body. Yeah. Hmm. ...... Good. You''re not hurt much.'' Estella takes a closer look at my body and says something selfish. You idiot. There''s no such thing as too much or too little pain. What hurts is pain. Besides, it''s not just the body that hurts. It''s the mind too. ...... d*mn it. Mauru and Grandma Mumm have caused me to do two excessively good deeds ...... and I''m going to ...... gag ...... and twist my intestines ......! ''I want to ...... work and do evil ......! ''Stop talking nonsense and get out of here. The next competition is about to start.'' Estella looks down at me as I fall and spouts a bunch of nonsensical lines. What did you come to me for?Worried about my wounded fall, ''Oh no, you''re bleeding!But I''m fine. Just lick it off and it''ll heal!Lick it off! Isn''t that what it''s for? ...... Oh, yeah. You''ve come to pressure me to stop squeezing Barbara''s tits, haven''t you? ''You''re the titty patrol, .......'' ''Can you please not put me on the disgraceful team?...... at all.'' He crouched down in front of me with a look of disgust on his face, and pulled my arm up. ''Come on. Don''t stay up all night. I''m going to take you to the first aid tent, and you''re going to get some medical attention. With that, he firmly supports my body with his small body. Even though there is a certain height difference between us, I feel very stable. I don''t feel uneasy at all. What? Why?You''re not that strong, are you? ''You know, there are certain points you have to pay attention to. The human body is surprisingly simple, so if you keep those points in mind, you can support the human body regardless of your height difference or strength. ''You''re taking this from Natalia? ''It''s a teaching. Along with self-defense, she also taught me how to save lives.'' That''s great. To be able to eliminate and save. Whether the lord himself needs to do it or not is another story. ''''And?What if we get into trouble while saving lives? ''It''s possible to lock them up from this state, you know?Would you like to try it?'' ''...... I''ll stop. I can''t take any more injuries. ''There!Stop flirting and get out of here!The back of the room is blocked and we''re all staring at you! ''Hey, I''m not flirting with you!Don''t say anything funny, Natalia! Estella''s body temperature rose by about two degrees as Natalia stood at the entrance gate and chided her. And then she muttered, ''Oh my God,......,'' and dragged me along more forcefully than before. ...... Ouch, ouch, ouch. You''re injured! This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your vacation. Medora, one of the members of the patrol, said, ''I''m going to take my darling back to the first aid tent, or even to my room, and take good care of her! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ...... You can count on the Four Heavenly Kings. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them on the web. Estella says, ''Don''t worry. Estella said in a loud voice, ''Don''t worry, it''s not a serious injury. It''s not up to you to decide, though. ...... I mean, you just confirmed my injury a while ago, didn''t you?You can''t just decide before you''ve checked. So, Estella is supporting me. Maybe she just wants to show off the lifesaving skills she learned. ''Yashiro, how are your legs?'' ''As you can see, they''re nice and long.'' ''Okay, all clear. ...... Oh, there''s an anomaly, but an anomaly is no anomaly.'' What''s your explanation? What''s wrong with me? ''You''re reckless, as usual. ''Tell that to Mokoka. ...... He''s got a messed up plan.'' ''Wouldn''t you have made a similar plan? ''If it were me, I would have made a plan that would have saved me a lot of trouble. ''Haha, I bet. Estella looked relaxed as she crossed the truck and reached the first aid tent. She must have been carrying a lot of responsibility, being the head of the competition committee and the team leader. Maybe he needs more time to be a player and a human being like this. ''Aren''t you straining yourself? ''Haha. That''s not possible in such an easy competition. But behind the scenes, you''re giving a lot of consideration to all the parties involved. Don''t get used to it, you''ll get overwhelmed. I don''t want to sound like such a good person, though. But, ...... yeah. This kind of casual time helps me a lot. ''No~ I''m embarrassed~, "Being with Yashiro-kun is somehow soothing~"'' ''This is a big problem. If there''s a medicine for your ears, you should get it first. He said sarcastically and shook his shoulder. Don''t shake, don''t shake. I''ll shake mine. ''If you''re going to shake me, you might as well shake my tits .......'' ''The first aid tent has plenty of salve, so if you get a couple more puncture wounds, you''ll be fine. ......'' Hahahaha, Estella~. ''It''s not enough to just heal~, the human body. Remember that. We arrived at the tent and were seated on some random chairs. Just the fact that there is a roof makes the sunlight feel much softer. I can''t describe it well, but it''s clearly a different atmosphere from the ground. There''s something special about a place like this, like when you''re observing a physical education class, or when you''re on the broadcasting committee and you''re separated from the other students. ''Ee-yusha!Ryoshusha! Teresa came running up to me with her hands in the air. A big smile on her face. It was as if the spring of the world had come. ''Oh, my God, I''ve got a baby! ''New mother? ''See, there it is. I''m going to give Estella, who doesn''t know what''s going on, an answer that she''ll understand at a glance. ''Mom, here!Look here!I scraped it! ''Yes, yes. Barbara. Let''s put some medicine on it.'' ''...... ehehe.'' Barbara is spoiling Wuerer. ''Yes who? ''E............ who? ''You know, the idiot Barbara.'' ''Onyesha, aho, chiuyo? Oh, yeah, Teresa. It''s the same thing, isn''t it? ''I see. So that''s how you got Barbara.'' ''It wasn''t a ruse I devised. It was Grandma Mum who was behind it.'' ''I see. So that''s why you did the good deed by rolling up your sleeves again.'' ''Ugh!My bowels are twisted. ......!Regina, give me a pill that makes me feel like an obscenity ......! Maybe that''ll make it zero. ......! ''Oh my god, no. You can''t do that. You can''t say that in front of a little girl.'' ''Estella?What''s that ''Hanny'' thing coming out? ''What should I do, Yashiro?I''m scared! It''s a good idea to have a little bit of time to think about what you want to do and how you want to do it. I''m not sure what to say. ...... Or perhaps I should say that I''m forced to smile. The edge of the mouth is twitching. Don''t look at me with a face like you''re about to cry,............. I can''t help it. ''Ah~......, Bertina.'' ''What is it, Mr. Yashiro?'' ''The next race has no limit on the number of people on any team, it''s for everyone to enjoy. Why don''t you join us for a bit?'''' ''Is that so?But for me, exercise is .......'' ''I heard that the leftover bread from the bread-eating contest is served to the contestants. ''That''s right. It might be a good idea to participate a little. It''s a good opportunity. Bertina hurriedly walked towards the waiting line. As soon as Bertina left, the neat pharmacist turned into a cozy pharmacist. ''Thank you so much for your help~...... really appreciate it, guys~'' I''m not sure how nervous I was, Regina. ''My shin is worn out from sitting on it so much, I think ...... I can''t get married anymore ......''. ''I''m surprised you''re willing to go. And it''s not the scar on the nape of the neck that makes it impossible to get married. You''re saying I can''t because I have a scar on my shin?You''re a jerk. ''Oh, hero!What''s with the ......, are you hurt?'' ''What, your brain memory is only about 2 bits? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that even the smallest SD cards sold at electronics stores have a capacity of 8MB. As I recall, 8 bits = 1B (byte), 1024 times 1B is 1KB, and 1024 times that is 1MB, so it is safe to say that you can hardly store anything. I''m sure that''s the extent of Barbara''s memory,......, right? ''Hero!I''ll introduce you!This is my mom! I know her!I''ve known her longer than you! What, does this guy seriously have no memory? ''I''m living life to the fullest right now''?You''re a jerk. ''Anyway, Barbara. What about the next competition? ''The ''promise'' you made earlier, was it to the previous competition? The ''promise'' Barbaras is talking about is ''you will do as I say''. ''Ah. You can do whatever you want. ''Then I''ll stay here and watch Teresa and you! It''s family time!--I know I look like I''m going to be there, but my real family, Yap Lock, Tot and Cheryl, will be there. You can do whatever you want, but... ''Don''t take Wuerer away from Tot and Cheryl, okay? ''Of course not!Aashi is the eldest! Ugh, she''s so bossy! She''s already a member of the family, and she thinks she''s in a good position! ''Then do as you please. ''Oh!Thanks a lot! ...... Oh. I didn''t know Barbara could say thank you so honestly. He''s the kind of guy who doesn''t give a d*mn about other people''s cares and takes it for granted when they care for him. ...... The effect of your mother is quite powerful. ''Teresa, let''s cheer together! ''Hmm. ............ Oh yeah, good luck.'' The Lord of Smiles did not miss the momentary shadow of the innocent girl. He gulped and - I don''t know what he was trying to say - he gave me a look. The fact that our gazes coincided just happened to coincide with the timing when I turned my head towards him, and there was no deeper meaning to it. ''Hmm. Did you just think the same thing as me?'' ''Well, I don''t know what you''re talking about. ''...... You''re Yashiro after all, aren''t you? I don''t know who else I can see. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... I don''t like it. I''m not a big brother!I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have.Don''t push me! A group of players are leaving the gate and moving into the truck. I''d better get myself patched up and join them. ............ ............ ............ No, this next competition is more of a recreational one, but you do get points for it. This is the reason why the white team, which is still in last place, has to earn points steadily in these small areas. For my own safety!To protect myself from Medora and the others who were forced to leave!That''s it! ''Yashippi: ......'' As Regina was applying the disinfectant, Mokoka came staggering in. He was dragging his feet. ''Hey. What''s wrong with your leg? ''Are you sure it''s from the race? Mokoka''s antennae flickered, and he glared at his leg in disgust. ''Earlier, when I was turning the big ball, ......'' ''Oh,......, that was a pretty rough move,......, and that''s what set you back, right?'' ''No, that''s not it, my Lord of Smiles. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''m going to be able to do it. ...... I had a slight discomfort there, but I thought I could handle it, so I ran and it was fine. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to make of that. The secretion that occurs in the body is not something that can be discovered by chance. ''And when you reach the goal, you have to step on it with all your might. ......'' ''And then you gave it the final push,......, didn''t you? ''I''m telling you, it''s not like that. ''......Yashiro. Mokoka is cold to me .......'' Don''t be discouraged, my friend. He''s been like this from the start. ''So, I jumped as hard as I could, and when I landed ...... on my feet, I said, "Gosh! I''m not sure what to do. ............ ''What should I do ......? I can''t find any words to say to her. ......'' What are you doing now? ...... Look around you, they''re all like that, aren''t they? I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had a sprained ankle. ''Estella. For a second there, I thought I heard you say something you really meant.'' You couldn''t hide it. Oh, I see. ''This means I won''t be able to participate in the next competition. ......'' ''Well, the next competition will be like a game involving guests and spectators. Don''t worry about it. ''You''ll still get points, though!The ...... general is expecting me to do it. Certainly, Mahrul will be pleased if Mokokka plays a big part. But more than that--'' ''Of course he''ll be happier if you''re healthy. Just get it taken care of and join us again when you''re feeling better.'' You beastmen have a crappy resilience anyway. I''m beginning to think that these people are actually the inhabitants of a gag manga. I''d like to try dropping a Umaro from about 100 meters in the air. I''m sure it would make a funny human-shaped hole in the ground. ''Does it make the general happy that I''m doing well, ......?'' ''Oh, yes.'' ''Does the Lord of Smiles think so too?'' ''Yes, he does. I''m surprised that Yashiro said something unusually sane, but I think he''s right. That''s why Estella ...... is leaking her true feelings that she doesn''t need to say. ''Then I''ll take care of it and make it go away as soon as possible! ''In that case, I''ll apply an ointment that''s good for sprains and makes you feel a little bit obscene. ''Thank you, Master! ''Hey, someone~. Bertina, go call her back for a minute~'' ''...... You''re the one who set this up. Be patient. Regina is really a helpless guy. ...... She''s been holding back for a few minutes and now she''s venting it all out here. Come on, Wueller. Get Teresa someplace safe. Hmm?You''re a monkey, aren''t you? ''Hey, aphids!How are you? ''How''re you doing? ''Both of you are injured, that''s why you''re in the first-aid tent. Are you stupid, these guys? Yeah, I thought they were idiots. I forgot. ''Hehendou, aphids! As soon as she recognized Mokoka, Barbara''s sweet face returned to its original stern expression. She says to Mokoka in an agitated tone. ''I''ve done everything you asked me to do, every single time, and I''ve done it perfectly! And he wants to be proud in front of his sister and his mother that he won because of it. ...... You''re such a little thing, you know that? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Oh!That was quite a show. ''............? He smiles a piercing smile and thrusts his thumb at her. ''I never imagined you''d have that much power!To be honest, I was burning up when I ran with you! ''Oh ............ oh ......, right? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''Whoa!What?You''re going to do it? Barbara bites down, rolling up her arms with some happiness. ''Yeah, that''s what I''ve been waiting for,'' he said. But that look doesn''t last long. ''But it''s a kind of talent to be able to go that far. I''d like to learn from you, too. ''Na............,da......,......... ...'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Barbara is like a polar bear in a menagerie. ''When he''s healed, let''s team up again!If you know how to handle it, there aren''t many girls as reliable as you! ''Oh,...... no,...... no,............ maaaahhh! I''m not sure where to put this, but I''m not sure where to put this," Barbara said, scratching her head. ''What the hell is wrong with you?You''re totally different from before!Don''t compliment me!You''re itchy and uncomfortable! ''...... Are you sick? ''There are no fleas on Aashi! In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to use it to your advantage. ''Onesha, are you scared?Gooey, wooey?'' ''It''s not like that, Teresa-chan. I''m fine.'' Gently hugging Teresa, who was worried about her sister, Wuerer whispered to Teresa. ''Your sister is embarrassed, you know. Your new friend is praising you. ''Nahhhh!That''s not true, Ka-chan!Aashi is not embarrassed. ......! ''Hey, Barbara. I''ll tell you the answer to Barbara, who can''t figure out what that itch is, because she can''t help it. ''''Didn''t Jeannette tell you?''It tickles me when people praise me.'' ''...... Ah. Uh, yeah. ......'' ''That''s the thing.'' When I point at Barbara with my chin, she opens her hands and stares at me. Your body. And the mysterious emotions within it. ''...... This tickles me ............''. Then you close your open hands and arms and hug yourself. He smiles with a loose mouth, as if he is not strong enough. I''m not sure what to do, but ............ I like this! You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''Alright, Mokoka!From now on, Aashi and I are best friends!You''re the only comrade Aashi has ever recognized! Apparently, Delia was not included in the comrade category because she was of higher rank. And Mokouka, receiving such an invitation... ''Hmm. I''ll think about it.'' ''Why don''t you answer me now? ''I''ll send it to you in writing later. ''What, what?There''s a chance you''ll say no?No, you''re not!That''s fine!You''re Aashi''s best friend!You''re Aashi''s best friend! ''............''. Seeing Barbara in a panic, Mokoka blurts out as if she can''t stand it. Then, after shaking her shoulders to the fullest, she smiles carefree. ''If you ask me that much, I can''t refuse, can I? It''s what I want, Barbara! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... What''s the last one?I''m not sure what to say.I love that you have animal features!I want to do that too! ''Mokoka, you''ve turned. ''Oh... Inez and the others must have told you something. While there are many people who are devoted to going their own way and making themselves stand out, the servants are more concerned with controlling the space. They stand up for their masters, stay in the shadows, and yet involve everyone around them in the flow they envision. And it is this kind of perfection and beauty that they love. ''Mokoka. What did Inez and the others say to you?'' ''Hmm?Oh, that''s right. About the attitude of a waiter, how a waiter should be, basic things like that, and--'' And then Mokoka looks at me. ''I''m saying that the Lord will be very happy if you become a waiter who can sell his debt to Yashippi. What are they trying to get me to do by ingratiating myself with ...... them? I''m not sure if you''re aware of this, but I''m sure you''re aware of it. Don''t think it''s that easy to sell a favor. Also, don''t get your hopes up and buy into things. ''There''s a bit of a buzz about Natalia Owen among the waiters right now. ''Natalia Owen? ''Yes, sir!Inez and Deborah are talking about her, too. Estella rolls her eyes when she finds out that her head waiter is being talked about by Inez and the others. ''You mean she was talked about as a beautiful waiter in BU? ''Natalia Owen is a favorite of the waitresses, you know. Because--'' At this point, Mokoka pointed at Estella and said in a loud voice. ''Because Natalia Owen has always been behind the great strides of the Lord of Smiles! And then she points her finger at Estella. ''It''s widely rumored that she was close to Yashippi and contributed to the development of the Forty-two districts. --That''s what they say. It''s as if I''m the one who developed the Forty-two Wards. ...... Stop it. Don''t drag me out into the open. ''Are you saying that Natalia is working for me to help Estella? ''No, that''s not what I''m saying. ......'' I''m not helping Estella because of Natalia. Well, I guess we''re close, but, ''Alright, Natalia. I''ll help your master for you. I don''t even think about it. ............ I''m not trying to help you!I''m using you!I''m not sure what to do. ''No, that''s a misunderstanding!That''s a very disgraceful misunderstanding!I''m not ...... intimate or ......! Don''t be hasty, Estella. I''m in no hurry, Estella. ...... I''ll be even more embarrassed. ''And I''m not even talking about Yashippi. ......'' What, ...... am I famous? It''s really impossible. So, the reason why the big-boobed demon god is so kind to the lord with such flat and disappointing boobs must be due to the boob power of Natalia Owen, the head waiter! That''s what I''m talking about. ''Alright, can you list the nobles who have mentioned that rumor at least once?I''ll sanction them one by one!That''s right, not a single one of you will be spared! They say that rumors, big or small, spread like wildfire. ...... I hear there''s a hell of a rumor going around. It''s as if I''m falling for Natalia''s tits,......, and I''ve never been touched! ''So people you know are saying such things. ...... Hmm, I''ll definitely make a list. It is said that rumors about me being in the dark and being close to Estella are only whispered among people who know each other. I don''t like rumors. You''ve got to put a stop to it somewhere. If this gets out and my name gets out, you never know what kind of trouble you might get into. ''Also, Mokoka. I''ve been meaning to tell you that ............ ''Lord of Smiles'', don''t.'' ''Hmm?Why not?You''re looking good, right? ''Yeah, ...... whatever, just stop ...... for now.'' ''I''ll consider it, sir! Mokoka''s reply is a bit muddled. He looks like a nobleman''s waiter. ''Oh, Yashiro!It''s about to start.'' Estella sees the truck and rushes me. The treatment is already finished. I was actually thinking of observing, but ...... I guess I''ll just go. ''We''ll go with you. ''Oh. I thought the rules said we could jump in. ''Of course. The whole point of this competition is to get everyone excited! Estella ran out of the first aid tent before me and I followed her to the waiting line. Now, let''s get some points! Before leaving the first aid tent, I glanced at Teresa and said, ...... Well, maybe when I get a chance. ''Okay, players, please take your positions. When I looked at the truck at the sound of the waiter''s voice, I saw a large number of players from each team lined up in a row. It was a huge gathering that could be called a full mobilization. Even though it was such a large number of people, participation was in order. The competition was about to begin. That is. ''Race to the customer,'' take your positions, and voila--'' --Boom! The high-pitched sound of bells rang out as the first runners from each team rushed out. 380-35th episode without additivesRace among customers A race in your mind It is a completely new event that the Executive Committee of the 42nd Ward Citizens'' Athletic Meet has put all its efforts into bringing into the world. It''s not a race at all, it''s simply a "scavenger hunt" based on the "scavenger hunt", modified a little bit, and it''s a "communication race" that the guests can participate in. Well, to put it simply, the organizing committee came up with the idea of a "borrowed item", but ...... "guts", "great treasure", "once-in-a-thousand-years supreme chicken egg", etc. were all mentioned, and eventually "umalo", "pompeo", "single hair", etc. were named. And then, when they started naming names like "Oumalo," "Pompeo," and "One Hair," I thought, ''Oh, this is no good. In the first place, it was difficult to make people who did not know "scavenger hunt" understand what "moderate scavenger hunt" was. The Magda''s Scorecard, an item that no normal person can carry, was also listed. ...... They only selected items that they thought they could win. And when I gave them some examples of "moderate borrowing", they said it was "boring". ...... It''s okay to use "scissors" or "bottle opener" or "chair" or "bra with more than G cups". It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time and money. Even though it is ....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea.I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Estella made a good point. You wouldn''t bring a pair of scissors to watch a field day, would you? On the other hand, there aren''t enough houses nearby to borrow them from ....... ''So we''ll just use bras. ......'' ''You''ll have to rethink it. ''No, you can use the one you''re wearing now, okay?Then we''ll have a variety of sizes, right?And then, ''Hey, is she a C or a D?Or is it a D? And then, after persistent negotiation, you get one and it''s like, ''Wow, an E-cup, that''s too bad! ''Come on, guys. Give me some ideas!Also, Yashiro, shut up. As a result of this exchange, the "scavenger hunt" was abandoned. It was only possible because it was held at school, a place where anything is possible. --So, as a substitute for the "scavenger hunt," the "Race into the Customer" was created. The rules are almost the same as in the scavenger hunt. You draw a piece of paper in the middle of the course, and find the person written on it among the spectators to finish the race together. By using "people" instead of "objects," the geographical disadvantage is solved. When looking for the person, they call out, ''Is there a person among you? When looking for the person, you call out, ''Is there anyone among you? Written on the paper are occupations and physical characteristics, such as ''someone taller than you'' or ''a beautiful girl with kemo ears''. Other than that, there are those who have a bigger appetite than you, those who are close to you, and those whom you admire. The reason why the word "more than you" is so prominent is that it is not influenced by subjectivity. Whether you think a man of 165cm is ''taller'' or ''shorter'' depends on the individual. I''ll include myself as a comparison. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, but it''s also a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ...... I''ve sneaked in a few "people with bigger boobs than me" into the mix,......, but if Jeannette pulls them out, you''re out. There are no such people in the forty two districts. By the way, if you find it absolutely impossible, you can report it to the executive committee and redraw it. For example, ...... "people who are more normal than Loretta", "people who are more sick than Regina", "people who eat more than Bertina", and so on. It is possible to exchange items of such a high level of difficulty that you may be able to find them, but you will never be able to find them in such a short time. Because the difficulty level is based on "you", there are differences in difficulty levels even for the same subject. This is a remedy for that. ''Are there any members of the Agricultural Guild among you? ''One of our customers is shorter than me, ......!There you are! The race was proceeding smoothly with such shouting. There were eight runners in the first race, two from each team. There are always two runners per team on the course. If a team finishes with a runner who meets the conditions written on a piece of paper, that runner is dismissed and a new runner starts. You can participate in the game as many times as you like and earn points as many times as you like. Each time a player reaches the goal, one point is added to his score, and he can earn as many points as he wants within the time limit. You can earn as many points as you want within the time limit. You can even aim for an upset!...... Well, I''m sure your opponent will earn as many points as you do. The person you bring in is supposed to be from the audience, but you can bring in people from your army or the enemy army. ...... has told us to try to involve spectators who cannot participate in the competition. See, just watching is boring, right? If you participate, you can have fun together. ...... If the guests of honor have fun, it will be easier to get money from them next time. ...... It''s also announced to the audience at the event, and some of them are breathing hard enough to be seen. So, for example, ...... For example, the lord next door who is rolling up his sleeves in the dignitary''s seat. ''Hey, little sister of the ordinary girl in the sunny pavilion!You just glanced at me, didn''t you?What was that?What did it say?Don''t be shy just because I''m the lord. Tell me, I''ll help you out! ''What ...... is that ............ ''someone younger than you'' ......? ''Hey!Next, next!Oh, that one!That''s right, you!Didn''t you just look at me?You saw that, didn''t you? ...... You''re scaring me with your desperation, Ricardo. I''m not going to be able to do it. ''Why don''t you just ask Estella to join your team? ''Yeah, ...... we don''t need it, so we''ll give it to the white team. ''We don''t want Ricardo and Geraci. You''re a big guy, but you''re useless. It''s a bad debt. ''You were very unhappy about Lucia and Tracy joining us. Natalia sent Ricardo information that she had not heard. You can''t even bow down and ask to be included, but when you''re not, you complain that it''s not fair. ...... You''re a kid. Heh. With a look of blatant mockery on his face. ''I even went to the trouble of sending out the invitations because I knew they would be noisy later. ...... What''s wrong with you, Ricardo? ''Did you send out the invitations?'' ''Yes. I asked Natalia to do it.'' ''Yes. I sent a letter to her with a distant message of ''don''t come'', saying ''you must be busy, so please don''t overdo it''. Natalia is really a good head waiter who follows her lord''s wishes to the letter. While we were talking about this, the race was going well. ''Is there anyone among the customers who is stronger than me? --And a young ham girl said something dangerous. If you say something like that, that muscle lord will bite you immediately. ...... I''m not sure what to do.I''ll help you with that!Don''t be shy!I''m a lord, but I''m a lord who''s kind and popular with the general public, so don''t be shy! ''E...... that .......'' Ricardo, without being asked, climbed over the chair of the noble seat and pestered his sister. My sister is frightened. ...... That''s scary. If a scary stranger with bare muscles and a scary face is snorting at you. Would you stop him? But then a more muscular man grabbed Ricardo by the shoulders and stopped his progress. It''s Javier. ''Don''t scare your sister! ''Are you trying to get in my way, Woodcutter''s Guild? ''It''s not a distraction, it''s a protection!It is my duty to protect the little one from the thugs! ''Who''s the thug?I''m just trying to help this kid! ''Your sister must finish the race hand in hand with me! ''You''re the bad guy, aren''t you?You drollicon! It''s a ...... dirty firework display of muscles glaring at each other, sparks flying. ''...... Hey, Estella.'' ''Sorry, Yashiro. Don''t talk to me now. ......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try.Every single one of them.'' ''So, don''t talk to me. ......'' The battle between the lord of the 41st district (desperate to participate) and the guild leader of the woodcutter guild (desperate to hold hands with a young girl) was nullified by the appearance of the female hunter of the hunting guild sent by Medora. All that was left was an atmosphere of ''that lord is too desperate ...... ppppppppp'' and the tragic future of Javier, who was pale as he was beckoned by his own daughter who was participating in the race. In Imelda''s hand, she holds a piece of paper with the words, "Who wants to punch me in the face? ...... I didn''t even know that was a subject. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''If he fits the criteria, pick him, he''s so annoying. When I told Estella that, she shrugged and shook her head. ''Unfortunately, I have someone else in mind. Unless there''s some misguided issue, there''s a girl I''d like to convince to join the race. He said, looking toward the first aid tent. I want Teresa to be in the race. I can see it in your eyes. Unless something really weird comes along, I''m sure we can work something out. Even if it''s "someone who''s been good to me" or "someone I care about". You can''t do it if the person is taller than you, though. ''Well... Shall I go ask her out? Ginette, who was going to run next, came in front of us and extended a helping hand to the poor, unbearable, lonely lord. You''re really sweet, aren''t you? Why can''t you just leave him alone? ''Ginette, you don''t have to take it easy, okay? ''No. I''m not trying to ......'' ''Besides, Ginnette is too good for Ricardo! ''I don''t think it''s ...... a waste, is it? Ginette is taking care of Ricardo. He''s a man of compassion. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''m going to be able to do it. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''m going to be able to do it. ...... running,...... should be. But. ''Let''s see, ...... among the customers ......''. ''Whoa!You''re the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion!You''re one of the few sensible people in District Forty-two. You know exactly who to turn to for help.Now, tell me your subject!I''ll go with you! ''Is there anyone ............ who has ever spent the night with me at ......? ''............'' ''............ Um, excuse me.'' ''Oh, ...... no. Yeah, don''t worry about it. There''s a strange atmosphere in the air. That''s what I thought. ''I stayed over with this guy! It''s not like the lord can say that out in the open. ...... Or, if you lie about such things, I''ll bury you. I''ll bury you deep in the mountains in conspiracy with some hidden gynet fans, and then dig you up and sink you in the sea on another day. ''Uh, Sirach. Can you help me? ''Oh, yes. Ginette, you''ve been staying at my house. Ginette found Sirach, who was watching the game from the general seats, and successfully completed her mission. ...... Who was it that put in such a sensitive subject? It''s a dangerous question that could lead to a major scandal depending on who you ask. ''Hey, Yashiro. He''s so annoying. Delia comes over and cuts Ricardo off. Lucia is ''sama'', but Ricardo is ''he''s so annoying'', in your mind. ''It''s kind of annoying, isn''t it? ''He''s scaring the little kids on my team. ''Hey, if someone comes up with a subject like that, I''ll pick one. It''ll be more peaceful that way. ''Hmm, ......, that''s right. I don''t know. But, Millie. You don''t have to feel sorry for her. He''s just annoyingly loud, so I''m just picking him to shut him up. ''So guys, I''m really, really, really, really sorry, but please take care of that idiot. ''He''s Estella''s childhood friend.'' ''Would you please stop it, Yashiro. It''ll hurt my reputation too much.'' Estella is desperately trying to hide the fact. I hate that. It''s the beginning of ...... corrupt politics when those in power cover up the truth. ''Oh. It''s my turn. Paula''s tail wags and she runs off. The results of her dieting are evident in her lean legs, which look very healthy. She seems to be concerned that she''s thicker than Nepheli, but from a man''s perspective, even Paula is too thin. She could be a little plumper. Men like things that are puffy. As proof of this, Paula''s fans are looking at her from the cheering section of ......, although it is difficult to judge whether it is appropriate to say so. Of course, it was a pornographic look that tainted the pure sports festival. ''What a bunch of old men looking at ...... the line of my calves with obscene eyes. Oh, no, no, no.'' ''Yashiro. You''re in the exact same category, aren''t you? Estella. That''s a terrible libel. I''m not like those old men with a fetish for bare feet. And I like tails! ''Let''s see, ......''. Paula takes up the subject and Ricardo prepares himself. ''Can any of you tell me ten things you like about me? ''Okay, I''m on it!The dog-eared shopkeeper! ''Yeah, can you say ...... properly? ''That''s no problem. I''m a man who sees the best in others! ''Well, why don''t you try and list some of my good points? ''Oh?Ah~...... well, ............ I like the flesh on your legs!'' ''s*xual harassment!You''re a b*tc*!Skeevy! ''Wait!Wait!I thought I complimented you!'' Paula runs away from Ricardo, who has no sense of delicacy. That''s right. That''s wise. When you''re asked to name a good thing, who''s going to say ''the flesh on your legs''? In the end, Paula dragged her father, who was selling hexenbiest frankfurters, to the finish line. At the finish line, you have to make sure that you are really who you say you are. In this case, we''re going to ask them to actually say ten nice things about Paula. ...... Wow, that stupid parent can''t stop talking about what''s good about her daughter. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''Well, I''ll be next.'' Nepheli then saluted lightly and ran to the course. What was that salute?Checking the distortion of the torsos?And why is Percy cowering on the ground?Oh, was that cute, just now?Heh. ''One of our customers~......'' Neffery unrolls the subject and says it out loud. ''Is there anyone who makes you want to hug me? ''Good, good, chicken girl!Normally, you''d have a different status, but I''ll give you special permission just this once! --and Ricardo started to emphasize his pecs. ...... What, what, that?I''m not sure what to say.I want to hug you! I''m not sure what to make of that. And Percy next to me begins to emit a tremendous killing spirit. ...... This guy is going to risk his life to stop me if it comes to that. ''Come on, chicken girl!Come and jump into my chest! ''No, thank you .......'' Neffery rejects her with a straight face. When a girl is deeply offended, her face loses its expression. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Percy is rolling around on his stomach in glee. He''s pointing and laughing at the lords of the other districts. ''Wow!That''s so cute!Can you help us?'' Nepheli spotted a mother with her child in the audience and carried her baby to the finish line. Is that guy a bundle of girl power? He''s just like an honor student in a boy''s magazine, as usual. ''Well then, I''ll go next. Norma steps out onto the track, her healthy gym uniform exuding an aura of nighttime glamour. The line of her buttocks has reached the realm of art. The line is so good that it could be made into a tourist attraction. Let''s worship ............. I''ll worship it. ''Let''s see, ......''. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. The men in the audience were getting excited. They''re too desperate, aren''t they? I''m not sure if any of you have more than 1 million rb in assets. The men who had been standing in front of me fell silent. Silence. No, well, ...... I don''t know how you feel, but ...... ''Norma. This is not the place to look for a marriage partner. ...... I know how you feel. ''No, it''s not!It''s written in the book.And I''m not looking for money from a guy. ............ What do you mean, ''I know how you feel''? Norma was coming at me like a maniac. Oh no!Let''s get out of here! If your assets are over 1 million rb, Ricardo fits the bill. In the end, Ricardo did not come forward. You see, the atmosphere would have given the impression that ''the lord is going to buy that beauty with money,......, whispering. I''m sorry. ...... Norma''s unconscious desperation oozing from within must have made it so. ............ I''m not sure what to say.I''ll be waiting for you! ''I''m sorry!I''ll give you a hint!If it''s Neck and Tic, there won''t be an atmosphere like that!It''s got to be them.Or Marle!'' ''...... I guess so. I''ll go ask Ma''ulu for you then. Norma tucked her wandering flue into the trough and headed for the dais. She thought that if she took ...... Neck and Tic with her, they would think she was ''cajoling a younger man''. I''m sure he thought that if he took Neck and Tic, they''d think he was ''cajoling a younger man''. ...... It''s a difficult age, Norma. And what a pull. ''...... Magda is going. Magda takes off, her presence and footsteps muffled. Looking at him again, he looks like a ninja. Even if you follow him with your eyes, you might lose him. If he gets serious, he''ll be scattered immediately. He runs lightly and pulls out a piece of paper without hesitation. Then he turns around and gives you a thumbs-up. Apparently, I''ve won a prize that will allow me to take Ricardo with me. That''s Magda. She''s the kind of beastly girl who never misses a beat. ''...... among the guests''. She said in a flat voice, standing right in front of Ricardo with her chest out. Ricardo sensed this and smiled, looking like a warrior on the verge of battle. ''...... Who wants to get down on their knees and be stepped on by Magda?'' ''Regina!What kind of subject did you put in there? I can''t be sure, but I''m pretty sure that''s why I''m blaming the poor guy. And Ricardo, who seemed to want to participate by any means necessary, turned away from ....... Well, once you reach the finish line, you''ll have to go through the "confirmation process". You can''t do that in full view of the public. ''It seems that your father has saved your life. Once Imelda finishes, she returns to the waiting line and comes to us. ...... I agree. If it had been her sister or Cheryl who drew the challenge, Javier would have been happy to come forward. I''m glad today is not the anniversary of Javier''s death. ''HEY, Chick!Did you hear that? ''Off course, Neck! ''''Magda, please!'''' ''''Hey, somebody go stop those perverted anteater brothers over there.'''' ''''Yes, sir!I order you to leave the district!I''ll be trampled instead! ''I''m sorry. I''ll add the fox here! In the end, Magda led the anteater brothers to the finish line and returned without stepping on any perverts, telling the committee members that ''......''s desire to be stepped on is real''. That''s true. There is no need to give such a service for free. What a disappointment, those anteater brothers are! ''Ugh...... sorry, Magda-chan...... Neck and Tic......'' ''...... No need for Millie to apologize. It''s all because Magda is a little devil. I''m not sure if that''s the right response, but I''m going to have to make the Regina case unconditionally interchangeable from now on. ''Alright!Now it''s my turn! Delia stretched out her arm muscles and ran out of the room with great vigor. As soon as she drew the subject, she gave us a thumbs-up, just like Magda. ''Hey, you~!I''ll choose one for you, so come with me! ''Hey, Oba!You''ve got to learn how to talk to your lord! Why are you telling me this? Tell Estella. And Delia, she''s quite decent. She shows respect to those who need it. Lament your lack of respect, reflect, repent. You know what?You don''t want to join?Then I''ll find someone else. ''Hey, ......, just say what you have to say. ''Someone who can withstand my all-out punching''! ''Don''t be absurd, beastmen! d*mn it. Did Ricardo know about Delia''s power? He should''ve tried hitting me once. ''Okkidama naka~, who can hold Cheryl! ''Yes!Yes, yes!Old man Javier will hold her for you~! ''That''s just fine, Miss Delia. Take that muscle over there and go. I''ll take full responsibility.'' ''I see. Javier. Nice to meet you! ''Wait a minute!You''re just as powerful as Medora and Magda, aren''t you? ''''Hahaha!I''m not that much of a monster, as you can see. I''m not sure what to do. I''ve heard that that old man, if he fought with all his might, would be as powerful as Medora. ...... Have you grown old, Javier? And then, at the finish line, the "confirmation process". ''Well, here we go! ''No, no, no, no! I couldn''t help but cover my ears. It was a dull sound. ...... But as expected of a lumberjack hero!Even after taking Delia''s blow, he said, ''Ouch!What is this, it hurts so much! He only made a fuss. A normal person''s skull would have been crushed or disappeared on a cellular level. You haven''t lost your edge yet, hero lumberjack! Hey!Nice hitting! ''Imelda! Delia comes running back with a glittering face. ''Your dad''s awesome!I gave it all I had, but it didn''t work at all! ''No, you were in agony, weren''t you? ''This is so cool, your dad! ''He was trying so hard to hold the little girl, though, wasn''t he? ''Hey, can I borrow you again sometime?I want you to be my kumite partner! ''Then I''m all yours. ''Wait a minute, Imelda!Don''t make a terrible contract without permission! Javier seems to have gained some respect in a weird way. Delia looks happy. Her dad was definitely strong, maybe she remembers him. Mm-hmm. Let him have his fun. Delia is an adult and won''t fall prey to Javier''s poison. She''s safe! I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. ''If the subject doesn''t apply to Teresa, I''ll choose it for you. I''m not sure if it''s the responsibility of a childhood friend, but she says it with a sigh. Teresa or Ricardo. Estella seems to be planning to take one of them to the finish line. Well, unless it''s a very strange subject, it''s one or the other. Well... I''d better get going too. I line up at the starting line with Estella. We''ll start as soon as the rest of our team returns. ''I''ll take Teresa, you take Ricardo. ''Yeah, let''s reverse the .......'' ''The sooner the better.'' Estella runs off as quickly as she can. The blue team finishes ahead of us by a whisker. I''m right behind her. Right in front of me, Estella picks up a piece of paper in the middle of the course, checks inside, and freezes. She stiffened so much that I could clearly see it from behind. What the hell kind of subject did she get? When I caught up with Estella and looked into her hand, I saw that she had written a truly exquisite question. "People with bigger boobs than you. ''Yashiro ......, you''re the one who wrote such a title.'' ''It''s true that I wrote the title, but ...... I screwed up. If Estella draws it, it will be clear no matter who she takes ......! I''m not sure what to do. ''Take Ricardo with you.'' ''I''m not losing to that thing! ''No, no, no, I don''t get it.'' ''I know!'' Estella bites me, clutching a piece of paper on the subject. But Ricardo, who is obviously talking about himself right in front of me, but doesn''t know what is being said because he doesn''t know the subject, interrupts me. ''What the hell are you talking about?You said that you are not defeated by me, but I am not defeated by Estella! ''See, he seems confident too.'' If Ricardo were to win this match by mistake, the lords of the 42nd and 41st districts would lose their dignity at that moment, and the destruction of the ...... districts would occur. Well, it''s true that both the female lord who loses to the male lord in a titty size contest and the male lord who challenges the female lord in a titty size contest would be laughed at. Dignity would be wiped out in an instant. I don''t know if that would be enough to destroy them. ''Interesting, if you insist, I''ll accept the challenge!Let''s settle it black and white at the finish line! And while Ricardo is excited about finding a way to participate in the competition, Estella is... It''s not funny at all. ............ Shut up for a minute. --You can find a lot more information on the web. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ''Then it can''t be helped. I said with a gentle smile to Estella, who had guessed an exquisitely interesting subject. ''I''ll take care of Ricardo, you let Teresa join. ''I can''t do that either, that''s why I''m worried! You''re a girl, so don''t worry about it~. It could be a pretty good match. Well, you''ll probably lose miserably in a few years, though. ''I demand a redraw! ''You idiot!The redo is only for ''difficult to complete in this short time''!You can''t apply it to a lucky subject like this! ''What''s so lucky about that? ''Isn''t the whole human race in this category! ''Who''s the number one flat-chested human being? Estella was frustrated with her unprecedentedly lucky card. Forgetting about Teresa and Ricardo, she looks around frantically. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who have a lot of money to spend. ''...... Hey, Estella. You can''t just stare at the tits of the people who came to cheer you on. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. Estella is looking for a good pair of tits with her eyes. You can''t say anything about Regina anymore, you know. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can''t wait to get started. Oh, I see. You''re the kind of guy who likes to enjoy tits alone. We''re the same, me and you. Pfft. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. It''s no use, I''ll choose you. ''Ricardo. Very reluctantly, I''ve found the perfect subject for you. Will you come with me?'' When I said this in front of him, Ricardo looked a little surprised. ''It''s ...... kind of creepy that you''re asking so honestly. ''If you don''t like it, fine. I''ll find someone else. ''Wait a minute!You''re perfect for me, right?Just say it. I''m willing to listen. You''re desperate. How badly do you want to be a part of this? I''ll let you in, then. ...... Oh dear. Shrugging my shoulders, I thrust the piece of paper I had drawn at Ricardo. Hold it at eye level so that the words are easy to read. Ricardo reads aloud the words on the paper. ''''People who respect and admire me: ......'''' ''Come on, Ricardo!Come with me!'' ''You''ve got to be kidding me!Who would admire you? ''I don''t care. ...... then, Gerasie.'' ''No, thank you, you idiot! I hear there are a lot of foul-mouthed aristocrats sitting in the guests'' seats. That''s right. People were nice enough to invite you. Fine then. Just sit there and watch. That''s the kind of character you guys have. ...... ''The lonely lord who is not invited by anyone ...... pppp! You''ll be laughed at as ...... ''''Obaaaah! ''''Hahahahahahahahaha! ''''What are you guys doing, you ...... at all?'''' On the way to escape from the two lords who were shouting at him with scary faces, he heard Donis'' disgusted voice. You should give the inexperienced young lords a hard time. Don''t you love it when you tell the young ones things like, ''When I was young, ......''. It''s a good lesson for kids like Ricardo and Geraci. I''m not going to do it, though. You know that ...... Obayashi is that kind of guy. Don''t get pissed off every time. This is why young people these days are so ...... when I was young. ......! Covering my ears to the old man''s long talk, which had started as expected, I left the place. --But my destination is right next door. I left the dignitary''s seat and came to the first aid tent. There, I found Wuerer being pampered by Barbara and Teresa. You''re squishy, Barbara. Teresa''s still calmer than you. Pull yourself together, sister. ''Do you have a minute? ''Yes. Hero!'' When I called out to her, Wuerer straightened up and her eyes began to sparkle. ''Our family naturally respects and admires you, Hero-sama!We will accompany you wherever you go if you ask us to! ''Oh, no, ......, I don''t need that kind of heavy .......'' I don''t need any real respect. I don''t know why they respect me,......, but they respect me,............. ''Hey, Teresa.'' ''......, huh?'' Teresa replied in a dumb voice, as if she hadn''t expected to be called by name. ''Do you like me? I squatted down in front of Teresa and looked her in the eye - and then she grabbed me by the neck and forced me to stand up. To Barbara. ''...... Hero, if you ............ touch Teresa, I''ll ...... break all your joints backwards. What? Scary, scary, scary! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s something you should never do to a live person! ''I''ll show you Teresa''s smile, you be quiet. You can''t appease Barbara, who has a face like Hannya,............, with me. ''Weller. ''Yes. Barbara. You''re a smart girl, so let''s listen to what the heroes have to say. ''Smart ......?Is that Aashi? ''Yes. If you can be quiet, you''re very smart.'' ''Yay!I got a compliment! No, ''if you behave yourself'' means you haven''t been praised yet. Wuerer calms Barbara down, and I crouch down in front of Teresa again. She stares at me blankly with her big eyes, and I ask her slowly. ''Do you know what respect is? ''You know, ......, that you like your sister? ''Well, something like that.'' Barbara''s feelings towards Delia were undoubtedly one of respect. If you ask a little kid like Teresa, it''s like ''I like you a lot''. So, in a broader sense, if you feel close to her and like her, it would not be an exaggeration to say that you already respect her. For a kid as young as Teresa. ''So, if you like me, will you come with me? ''I''m ............, aren''t I? The smart Teresa realized something and looked like she was going to cry a little, anxiety mixed with the hope that she was right. Don''t cry, don''t cry. Don''t cry, don''t cry, don''t cry. ...... unless you''re too brazen like your stupid sister. ''I want you to run with me and finish the race with me. ...... Can you do that?'' I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. It''s the ''okay'' gesture that kids sometimes make. It''s a gesture that kids sometimes make. She''s worried about not having a guardian''s permission. And Barbara, the guardian... ''Teresa alone?It''s too dangerous! ...... Read the air, dumbass sister. ''Don''t worry, Barbara. The heroes are with me.'' ''Then Aashi will go with you! I''ll stop this sister''s rampage. I''m sure she''ll be a pain in the ass when she gets here. ''Hmm. So you respect me, huh?'' ''Don''t be silly!The only person Aashi respects is Miss! ''Then stay there and watch.'' ''But Teresa is ......! ''So, stay there, cheer her on, and watch over her.'' I keep my eyes a little more serious to silence the fussing Barbara. ''With your support, Teresa can do anything. Because she can, can''t she?Teresa''s your sister, your pride and joy.'' I know you''re worried. But if you keep overprotecting her, you''re gonna stunt her growth. You, too, need to cut her some slack. ''Hey, Barbara. It''s Teresa''s first field day. Let''s support her as best we can. We''re family. ''Family ............, you''re coming too, right? ''Of course! Wuerer took Barbara''s hand and gave her a look towards me. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I''m trying to say. I hope he''s easier to talk to than Yap Lock. ''Ugh,......, but I''m worried about you,......''. ''Well, let''s let Teresa decide.'' Wuerer walks up to Teresa and puts his hand on her plump cheek. ''What do you want to do, Teresa-chan?Do you want to run with the heroes?'' ''Ah ...... ah, ha ......''. Teresa glances over at Barbara. ''Do you want to participate in the field day? But at Wuerer''s words, his face turned downward. Then, with his head down, he muttered. ''......I want to go out,............''. After saying this, he looks up at Barbara with an anxious look on his face. She was worried that he might get angry ...... and hate her. ''I see. If that''s what Teresa wants to do,......, hero, make sure you protect her.'' She''s still my sister. She must have seen Teresa''s face and understood exactly what Teresa meant. Barbara finally broke down. ''Now, I''m going to ask you one more time, Teresa. We have to follow the rules, you know. ''Do you like me? ''Yes, I do! Teresa jumped on my neck. ''Nuh-uh!Get off me, hero!'' I dodged Barbara''s attempt to jump on me and quickly left the tent with Teresa since she seemed to be annoying me. It''s faster to carry her to the finish line,......, but it''s a good idea. When I entered the ground, I put Teresa down. In the event that you''re just cheering, you''re going to be on a large field, so Wuerer had Teresa wear athletic shoes. They''re not as nice as sneakers, but they''re the kind of shoes that most kids in this town wear. I think they''ll work. ''Alright, Teresa. Let''s run!'' I took Teresa''s hand and slowly pulled her along, and she giggled and nodded with all her might. ''Yes! Then I slowly ran the distance to the goal, matching Teresa''s speed. The waiter, who was a member of the organizing committee, thoughtfully waited for me with the goal tape. I took the opportunity to let Teresa go first and let her cut the tape. Then, Teresa''s face turned bright red and she showed her best smile. Many adults were struck by her smile. Teresa couldn''t stop her joy and jumped up and down on the spot. The tension went up and up and up until it finally exploded. She came running to me and hugged me with the same momentum. ''Eeyusha!Daishichi! I''ve been exposed for a while, hugged with all my might. ...... I should have let Estella play this role. Yes, Estella was forcibly dragging the reluctant Regina to the goal. That''s one of your own players. ...... ...... You know, he ran so fast that he left Loretta behind, and then he said, ''How about that!I''m sure you''ll agree. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t have to worry about your own health. All of them are probably having too much fun at the field day,......, and that''s a shame. 381-Additive-free Episode 36 Holy Clothes Well. Teresa''s success has put the "race into the customer''s mind" in a relaxed mood, but ...... During the race, an incident occurred. ''Ehehe ...... I fell down''. The front of her pure white robe is heavily stained, and Bertina is holding her cheeks in embarrassment. It seems that she can''t even smile with a clear ''mmmm'' as usual. ''Sister, are you all right? ''Yes. I wasn''t even going fast. Ginette asks Bertina with concern. From the looks of it, she''s not seriously hurt. ...... Bertina drew the challenge of ''who has eaten with us'' and selected the smallest kids in the church to participate in the race. She probably wanted to include kids who were still too young to participate in the field day, but who were capable of running independently. It is more appropriate to think that she was not inspired by seeing me take Teresa out, but that she originally intended to do so. However, it was not good that there were two children who were the targets. Bertina, who had just turned two years old and a three-year-old kid both participating in the race, naturally linked her left and right hands with each kid and ran side by side. However, even though they were only two or three years old, they were kids from the 42nd district, and they were from the beast race. They ran faster than Bertina expected, and Bertina, who was forced to bend forward because of the height difference, was pulled along and fell down without even touching her. From the front, with a thud. ''Gobe...... sorry...... you............ wada,wadaji no zei de ......!'' ''Chi,bogu ga...... bogu forced,pulled,............! ''No, sir. It''s just that I''m a little dense. There''s nothing wrong with the two of you. Bertina squats down and pats the little brat on the head. Her black, stained robe is a sight for sore eyes. ''Shuta...... you want to ......? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. In fact, she''s already crying. .........Itaii......Shitaa......!'' ''It''s okay, Teresa. It''s not going to hurt. You can wash your clothes and they''ll be clean. Right?Please don''t cry. Okay? "Different". That''s more than enough to make a kid anxious. ...... ''Shut up ............ up, yaaaah ............! Teresa began to cry. When the older sister (Teresa) started crying, the two and three year old kids started crying as well. Then, the kids from the church who were in the cheering section and the bleachers came running towards Bertina as fast as they could. All this fuss just because she fell down. They love you, Bertina. ............ or do they think you''re a very dull person? Hey, guys. It''s okay. You''ll be fine, right?Okay?I''m not in pain. I just fell down. ............ Yashiro-san! ...... So why me? You can ask Ginette for help. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. Hey, the mother and daughter are all looking at you, man. You''re the expert on kids,............, aren''t you? ''Bertina. Your knee hurts, doesn''t it?'' ''Huh? I don''t know if she thought she was hiding it, but when the fact was pointed out to her, Bertina showed a clearly agitated expression. The kids who sensed this immediately started crying aloud again. ''Ya, Yashiro-san, ......! Bertina looks at me accusingly, asking why I''m revealing it. But hiding it is what keeps the kids worried. The kid is simple and stupid ...... and pure and innocent, unable to understand the logic and care of others. Hiding things from such children is a bad idea. Especially, if you try to hide an injury or pain like this one, they will assume that you are straining yourself and will not be convinced. It is more effective to deceive than to hide from the simple and stupid. ''Bertina, give me your knee. ''Huh? At my offer, Bertina presses down on the hem of her robe and her cheeks turn red. ''No, I can''t! ''Just up to your knees. You''re probably taking a bath with the kids anyway, right? ''Yes, I do with the kids, but I''m not going to expose my skin in front of ...... Yashiro-san.'' I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Why didn''t I get younger until I was six? If you''re a genius swindler boy and you''ve come to this town, you might have been able to take a bath with Bertina, Ginette, Norma and Delia who are very good at taking care of you! Also, on the riverbank in New Town... ''I''m going to take a dip in the water with Loretta! ''What are you talking about all of a sudden, big brother? It could have been! It wasn''t impossible! ''It''s nice to be a kid. ''The words may look soothing, but the eroticism you''re hiding inside of them is oozing out and making you sound like an a**h*le! Loretta is poking me every time. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. Well. It''s time for the noise to stop. Let''s just get this over with. ''Don''t worry, Bertina. I''m not trying to be crude.'' ''I don''t believe you! ''Why not? ''That''s what you said just before, brother!You should take a look at your Conversation Record! Apart from Loretta, who was making a lot of noise, Ginette came up next to me and tugged on the hem of my dress twice. She has a serious look in her eyes that she sometimes gives me when I''m overexcited. If I had to put it in words, I''d say it''s a warning that I''m messing around too much. Hey, hey. I''ll do it right. I whisper to Jeannette and tell her what I''m going to do. And Ginette nodded her head with a satisfied expression, ''Ah! Ginette nodded with a satisfied expression and nodded her head once toward Bertina. I guess I told her that there was no harm in what I was trying to do. ...... Who''s harming you, man? ''Come on, come on, kids. Open up there.'' He squatted in front of Bertina, dispersing the children who were crowding her. Naturally, Bertina, who had been caring for the children, was squatting, so their eyes were at the same level. When I pushed her on the forehead a little above her eye level, she fell on her buttocks in an interesting way. ''Hyang......! ''Yes, give me your knees. ''Huh, no, um, no, no, no! ''You want to reassure the kids, don''t you?'' ''And, sir, ............'' I stammer and turn my SOS gaze to Jeannette, who knows what I''m trying to do and is on my side. Although I didn''t see her face to face, the fact that Bertina looked surprised suggests that she has made a decision in my favor. Now that my daughter has given me permission, I''ll go a little aggressively. ''Yes, patient. This is a medical procedure, so don''t be ashamed~'' ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san! She slowly puts her arm around Bertina, who is embarrassed and tense. This attention spurred Bertina''s sense of shame and her sense of mission to reassure the kids. I''m not sure what to do, but I''ll do it myself.I''ll do it ...... myself. ......'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. You can see her pure white bare feet. Because she was wearing boots, I couldn''t see below her ankles, but her shins were smooth, her calves were plump, and her knees were a collaboration of bulges and hollows that made a strong statement. Her silky, lustrous "anyo" were exposed to the open air. You can''t help but pause for breath! At the moment of ......, I received a peck on the nape of my neck. When I turned around, I saw Jeannette puffing out her cheeks with a ''Meh! All right,......, all right. ''Okay, Bertina. I''ll cast a spell on you.'' ''Huh?'' I''m sure that Bertina knows that Ginette has done this to Magda before, but ...... she doesn''t seem to have any idea what they''re going to do to her, because she doesn''t think she''s going to get hurt. He winked at her once to give her a sign, and then put his hand on Bertina''s knee. ''Hiya! My cheeks reddened even more at the sound of my own strange voice escaping from my mouth, and Bertina looked at my hand on her lap and my face in turn, busily. It''s okay, it''s not molestation. It''s not a pervert. ...... Magda and the other members of the boob patrol, who are standing behind me before I know it, should be quiet. I''m not a pervert. ''Ouch, ouch, ouch, fly away~'' She says, and raises her hand to the sky, rubbing her knee. ''Go to .......'' Bertina looks up at the sky as she follows my hand, and a breath of air that sounds like a combination of surprise and stupefaction escapes from her mouth. ''How''s that?Did the pain go away?'' ''Yeah. ............'' Bertina lowered her gaze at the sound of my voice, looked around quickly, checked the anxious faces of the kids, and then nodded with her usual smile. ''Yes. They''ve flown away. Well, the ''Judgment of the Spirits'' is prohibited today. A lie of this magnitude should be tolerated. don''t you?God of Spirits. ''I''m totally fine with it. Bertina smiles the smile of the Virgin to the worried kids. It''s safer to fool them like that than to hide it. Children are simple creatures. "Sister! ''Sister! ''Thank goodness! ''Sistah! The kids all flocked to Bertina. They jumped on her and hugged her, and in no time, Bertina''s body was swallowed by the wave of kids. I''m not going to get caught up in this, so I quickly leave the scene. ''Hey, everybody, calm down ......! While being jostled, Bertina seemed to be somewhat happy. The relief was evident in her voice. ''Thank you, Yashiro-san. I stood up and Ginette bowed to me. ''I''m glad the children''s anxiety is gone. ''I''m really glad, Yashiro.'' Behind Jeannette, Estella and the rest of the boob patrol look at me with smiles on their faces. ''I''m glad I didn''t lose you.'' ''...... What were you about to do, me? Helping people, helping people!That''s what you guys love! And when I looked around, I saw ............ ''The bastards are out of the truck,......'' ''We can''t expose the Sister''s lusty figure to the public. We''ve asked all the sensible folk to leave the premises.'' ''Wow, ...... threats. The politics of fear is at its peak. Behind the smiling lord, the waiter with an icy smile, the guild leader of the river fishing guild with an obvious snap of the fingers, and the guild leader of the hunting guild with a cool smile that will give you nightmares at first glance. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... Scary ............ What''s that smile? You can win a B-grade horror movie with a still image. And so, the only men who witnessed the sister''s lustrous, silky legs were me and the kids. Well, that''s all well and good, but ...... ''Don''t you forget that you guys have bare feet too? I''m sure your bare feet are s*xy enough. If you sell tickets for cheek rubs, they''ll sell out in two minutes, I''m sure. ''This is a ...... field day costume, so it''s a ...... wholesome outfit!You said so yourself! In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the web site, you can contact us at the web site. She turned a little red and glared at me. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''re not wrong! Well, you''re right. A long skirt rolled up to the same height as a mini-skirt is more erotic than a mini-skirt. The ''peeking'' or ''glimpse'' from the inside enhances what Estella calls ''bewitching''. In other words. ''If we were all naked, there would be no shame in it! ''Have you lost a brain cell or something? Idiot. I''m still dividing cells today. ''Oh, no!It''s all right, it''s all right!Everyone, calm down! Bertina, buried among the kids, raises her troubled voice again. What is it this time, I peeked in and found ...... ''Ooohhhh! The kids were pushing Bertina down and trying to rip her clothes off. Her robe was up to her thighs. ''Hey!Stop it, you guys!In public like this! Estella and the titty patrol are in a panic, trying to get the kids off Bertina and calm her down. In the meantime, Ginette runs up to Bertina and quickly adjusts the hem of her disheveled robe. ''Yashiro-san, you''re not looking at me, are you! ''Noooooooo, oh!I''ve just been feeling dizzy and my eyes were completely blank! The white thighs are vividly burned into the back of my eyelids. I was a little fidgety and couldn''t come up with a quick lie to answer Jeannette''s question. For the time being, I turned my face away. ''Why did you do this, boys? Estella calls out to a girl who seems to be relatively easy to talk to among the kids who are crying after being torn away from Bertina, with an air of admonishment. The girl looks at Bertina with an anxious face and slowly moves her trembling lips. ''You''re still ...... injured ............ Sister, you''re always hiding your pain or something ......''. In short, the kids think that Bertina is covered in injuries after her spectacular fall, but she is hiding them to avoid worrying them. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, and what you can do to help. You look like you''re about ten years old, right?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Are you that worried about me ......''. ''The sisters are always overwhelmed.'' Ginette said in a real voice. I guess Bertina has always been like that. I''m always trying to put on a smile for the kids. And the kids are aware of it, too. ...... But, you know, is it really that upsetting to fall down at a field day,......? I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. He''s the oldest boy in the church who can''t do math. It seems that all the kids are distraught because the oldest leader brother is distraught. And the reason why the oldest kid is distraught is ...... ''When you''re old, you can break a bone just by falling, become bedridden, go crazy, or die! ...... It seems to have been based on some half-baked knowledge that he had heard somewhere. ''Shisuta, I don''t want to die! ''Shisutaaaaaa! ''yadaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! It was a scream. The kids are crying out like monsters. ....... ''Guys, no! ''Yeah, right!Don''t come any closer! ''You should listen to Magda and the others at .......'' ''Magda is right!If we go near the sisters now, we''ll end up as collateral damage! Estella and the others are desperately trying to stop ...... the kids, no, protect them. They hugged their small bodies tightly, holding their arms firmly in place. The only one who let go of the kids'' arms. The only one who let go of the kid''s arm was Delia, who was holding the oldest kid. ...... Delia quietly and noiselessly moved away from the oldest kid. ''............ I see. You were so worried about me,.......'' With a wobbly ......, Bertina stands up. ''......, huh?Ginette! You are the only one who is not a complete defender of Bertina! I''m not sure what to do.It''s that dangerous! But ......''. We looked at each other for a moment, and then took four steps back at once. Every time Bertina took a step closer to the oldest kid, a drop of cold sweat fell from the kid''s forehead. Maybe it''s because the robe has been stained black. ...... Today''s dark aura is even darker than usual. ............ ''I''m not an old man, am I? ''No, I didn''t mean to say ...... old man, I meant to say ...... and ...... ......'' ''''What did you say about ''age'' ............?'''' ''Oh ............ no ............ that?O,me,what did I say~...... ah,ah,ah'' ''...... Would you like to apply for a Conversation Record? ''I wonder if it''s worth it! ''I have ...... confidence in my bones, you know? ''I''m sorry! Pity. The oldest kid-- ''Alright!Let''s go for the second half of the morning session!Ooh! ''Big brother, what''s wrong with you all of a sudden?You''re so refreshingly positive! No, what? I was just wondering why the hall was so quiet. ''We''ve been through a lot, but let''s try to stay positive. ''Are you going to pretend that this "stuff" never happened? You idiot! The brain can be severely damaged if it''s overloaded. Forgetting is one of our natural defense instincts. Let''s forget ...... it was a sad accident. ''It''s all ...... puffed up. Bertina is cute and angry over there, but ...... the oldest kid is small and shaking in the cheering section. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. ...... Why me? It''s completely the self-destruction of the oldest kid. But I''m sure the kid has learned from this. You can''t talk to women about their age. ''...... yashiro''. ''What''s the matter, Magda? ''...... Offerings to the Hexenbiest'' Magda suggests with a Cantaloupean Hexenbiest frankfurter,...... you''ll be offended if I say Hexenbiest. ...... I''m considering using honorifics for a while. Bertina must not be offended. No, never. ''Well, I''m going to get the angry sisters in a good mood. ''Um, do you want me to come with you? ''Hmm~......'' ''It''s better to have Jeannette with me than to go alone. ''Okay, please.'' ''Yes.'' Why do you look so happy there? It''s more like I''ve been given the wrong mission. ''Ms. Bertina ............''. Oh, ......, you''re freaking me out a little. ''............''. She looked at me with her cheeks puffed out and ...... stared at my face for a long time. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... giggle''. Suddenly, she broke down and started laughing. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. It seems that my ''sanshi'' was funny. I''m sorry. I''m an adult who doesn''t like honorifics. If you''re going to be laughed at, why don''t you just do what you always do? ''Here. It''s Magda and Loretta.'' ''Well, that looks delicious.'' It''s from Magda, but it''s better to include Loretta to show that everyone cares. And Bertina can sense that. This will put her in a better mood. ''I''m not angry at all anymore. ''Then tell that to the kid. ''Nevertheless, discipline is important. You have to be aware of what you say before it comes out, whether it is rude to your superiors or not. This is part of education. ...... No, a good percentage of it was personal. I don''t say it out loud. I''m not going to be able to compete with you if you educate me too. ''But ......'' While biting into the hexenbiest''s flank, Bertina gives a troubled look. ''............ oihiirefu~mogumogu'' ''Tell me the rest of the ''but''!You''re curious!'' The air around me finally relaxed after I interrupted. It was like, ''Oh, it''s okay to be normal now. ''No, no. No matter how many times I tell them it''s okay, the little ones are still worried ...... and I don''t know what to do.'' ''That''s because the sisters always take it too far.'' Bertina shrugged her shoulders cutely at her daughter''s complaint. She seemed to be expressing her emotions as if she knew what she was doing, but that didn''t mean she could stop doing it. Well, it''s a lot to ask of a mother. ''From now on, please be more lenient with me. ''I''m still spoiled enough. Hey, Yashiro-san.'' ''Well, yes...'' I''m especially pampered. Or rather, I feel like I''m being asked some difficult questions. Isn''t it time for me to return the favor? Yeah, I''m starting to feel that way. It''s time to be selfish, this is, yes, yes, yes, yes. ''Shall I tell you the secret to dispel the worries of the kids? ''Really, Yashiro-san?'' Bertina puffed out her cheeks happily as she chewed on the hexenbiest''s flank. ...... Is it my suggestion that you''re happy?I''m not sure.It''s hard to tell, really. ''It''s nice to be pampered right away, Sister. ''Yes, it is. Am I improving my pampering skills too?ugh. ......'' I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. It''s my turn to be pampered. I''m the one who''s going to be pampered. It''s a tremendous ''begging'' with no right of refusal. ''Kids get anxious when things are different. Have you ever had someone worry about you just because you have a slight cold?You try to hide it, but it''s immediately obvious. At my words, Bertina and Ginette both put their fingers on their chins and look up at the sky. They have the same habits, don''t they? They really do look alike. ''Yes, they do. ''Me too. When I was feeling a little bit sluggish,......, Yashiro immediately noticed me and gave me some porridge,....... ............'' No, wait, Jeannette. That''s off the subject. It''s off-topic. So don''t get embarrassed and hold your cheeks when you remember! It''s contagious, that embarrassment! It''s just that the best solution I could come up with after taking management and operations into consideration happened to be ''resting Jeannette''! ''Jeannette. Now we''re talking about the kids.'' ''Huh!I''m sorry, ............ I''ll shut up for a minute.'''' Ginette took a half step back, holding her still-feverish face. I''m not ignoring you for now and averting my ...... gaze. I''m just focusing on the main topic, that''s all. It''s a good idea to have a look at the web page of the company and see what they have to offer. ''I see. ...... You may be right. ''And that''s why Bertina is being worried all the time now. ''Are you saying that I''m not ''business as usual'' ......?'' ''Oh, yes.'' Theresa told you that, didn''t she? ''The sisters always have beautiful white clothes,'' she said. ''Her white clothes are all black with mud. That''s why I''m worried that you''ve been hit all over and injured.'' ''So it was ......, was it?'' You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m not sure what to make of that. ......I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you out. ...... ''Do you want me to go back to the church and get you a change of clothes? ''No, in that case I''ll go back to the church and get you a change of clothes. ......'' ''Then, "Sister''s not here!She must have been injured! The kids will start screaming.'' ''What should we do with such ............?'' The mother and daughter both hold their heads in their hands and groan. You guys look just like each other, don''t you? I have a great solution for such distressed mothers and daughters. I''m sure they''ll accept it with Estella''s approval. I''m sure they''ll accept it. It''s also to dispel their fears. I''m working hard every day and I''m begging you. ''Bertina. ''Yes.'' ''Why don''t you change into your gym clothes?'' ''H......'' Stiffness. Later, Bertina watches Ginette''s outfit with the dull movements of a well-oiled tin doll. Then, gradually, the vermilion in her cheeks darkens. ''M, I can''t. ...... This is such an embarrassing outfit. ......'' ''Huh!Is ...... this embarrassing ......?'' ''Oh, no!Jeannette is fine!It suits her well, and she''s very pretty!But I''m ......'' ''I think it would look good on Bertina, too. Here''s my backup shot. Whose backup?Mine. Self-supporting fire. ''Bertina is as pretty as Jeannette.'' ''Huh? ''Nyah! Mother and daughter resemble each other, making strange noises. ''Besides, you''re not too old to be wearing these clothes, are you? ''That''s right! Yeah. That was so quick. Quick answer. I can''t admit it just now, can I? ''Estella said it too. It''s embarrassing when people can see that you''re hiding it, but it doesn''t look so glamorous when you''re proud of it like Jeannette and the others. ''So ......, is it?'' ''Besides, this is a wholesome sports festival. There''s nothing to be ashamed of. Otherwise, it would mean that all the women here are dressed indecently, wouldn''t it? ''That ...... is,............, yes, it is. It''s not that Bertina herself saw Ginette''s and Estella''s outfits as ''shameful''. It''s just that it''s a bit embarrassing to wear it yourself. And why was I embarrassed? Is it because of my age?No, it is not. In short, it''s just that I''m not used to wearing it, so I feel resistance. Didn''t you have fun playing in the river last year? ''That''s because ...... at that time, the only person of the opposite s*x was Yashiro-san. ......'' Umaro and Percy were there, though. You don''t remember. Oh, no. Too bad, guys. Well, never mind that little detail, I''ll just put the most effective words in Bertina''s ear. ''It''s to reassure the kids. And--'' I''ll also try to relax Bertina, who''s a little more nervous than she needs to be. ''I''ve already shown Bertina''s bare feet to me, the most curious person in this town. The rest of you are just a blip on the radar.'' She pauses for a moment, then blurts out a ''chuckle,'' and slaps me on the shoulder as she struggles to get her facial muscles back into the Sister''s face. ''Oh, God. You can''t be naughty, Yashiro-san.'' After saying that, she softens her expression again and-- ''That''s right. I''ve shown it to the most naughty person in this town, so it''s too late now.'''' --He said that and poked his tongue out with a ''be-''. Oh no!I''ve got a direct hit!...... I got a little bit of a crush on you, didn''t I? I''m not sure what to do.I''ll jump on you like a theme park mascot from Nikko. ''Ginette, can you help me change my ...... clothes?'' ''Yes. No problem.'' ''That ...... is still a bit embarrassing.'' ''Hmm. ...... Yes. I''ll take good care of you.'' Embarrassed mother and smiling daughter. ''''Okay, I''ll help you too! ''''Yashiro-san.'''' ''''...... I''m just kidding.'''' The Judgment of the Spirits is forbidden today. You can lie all you want. ...... I wasn''t joking at all!I was hoping for the best!I was hoping for the best!...... d*mn. So I''ll take the serious option. ''Regina!Help them out.'' ''What, my house? ''Yes, you. You.'' ''Why should we be ............ Oh, I see what you mean.'' Regina, realizing what I was trying to say, lifted her head. Bertina seemed to have noticed and gave me a faint smile. The smile seemed to be an accusation that ''even you worry too much, Yashiro. Bertina can be really overwhelming at times. She would go into the locker room to change her clothes and have Regina examine her when the kids were out of sight. Make sure you''re not hurt. If it''s a sprain, have her take care of it out of sight. That''ll put the kids'' fears to rest. ''Then go change quickly. ''Yes, sir. ...... Yashiro-san. Thank you very much.'' Bertina said in a small voice, stroked my hair and headed for the changing room. Regina overheard something to Jeannette, and they both looked at me and giggled. ...... Just get going, you guys. ''Thank you'' is an exaggeration. If you think you should do it, you should do it. That''s all there is to it. You shouldn''t be selling "thank yous" cheap. At a casual convention like this. A few minutes after I thought that. ''Thank you! I was shouting ''thank you'' with all my might. To the heavens. ''Oh, no!Yashiro-san, please stop. The ponytailed Bertina holds her exposed thighs in embarrassment. Ginette. You could start a ponytail shop and still make a living!That''s how good Ginette is with a ponytail!I mean, Bertina''s ponytail looks great on her! I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a ponytail shop. And then there are the dark blue ...... bloomers that make her thin legs look even more attractive and accentuate the pure white of her thighs! I''m not sure what to make of it. I like both of these bloomers!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to make of it. I wonder if someone could invent a single-lens reflex camera or something like that in an hour from now! ''For now, can you sit in a triangle in your bloomers! ''Yashiro-san! I won''t be discouraged even if you get angry! Because you''re so cute and shy! ''Oh, Yashiro-san. I told you not to look at women that way. Ginette stands to protect Bertina. Then, with her index finger raised in the air, she declared clearly with the air of a sister. ''If you are going to look at the sisters that way, please do your penance. Zach. Immediately after such footsteps seemed to have been heard, a long line of people formed in the on-site confessional that Umaro had built. ''What, what is this? ''Most of the men in the hall are in the confessional! ''Hey, guys, what''s going on, what''s going on? Ginette, Bertina and even Estella were confused, but the bastards in the confessional looked somewhat refreshed. They were in a state of mind close to that of enlightenment, admitting their sins but having no regrets for their actions. This means that all the men in the room, except for the innocent boy, looked at ...... Bertina''s bare feet with such eyes. Well, that''s pretty powerful, Bertina''s bloomers. All right. I''ll get in line too. I''ll go wait in line for the gym-suit sisters to hear my confession. 382-Episode 37: There are many lords, and there are ma... ''Alright, you guys!I''m joining you as your powerful helper from here on out!It doesn''t matter if you''re currently in last place or not. ...... We''re going to win this thing! I''m not sure what to make of that. I don''t know where he got it, but he and his old butler are wearing white headbands tied around their foreheads. ''Well, Ricardo. If you''re lost, go to headquarters and have them call your guardian.'' ''Who''s lost? No, you''re going to the wrong place. ''...... Ricardo. General seating is that way.'' ''Don''t casually try to turn me away, tiger girl!And don''t call me that, I''m a lord and I''m much better than you. ...... Point to the dignitary''s seat, at least!Why are you in the general audience? ''Don''t be greedy, Ricardo. ''It''s because you haven''t trained your tiger girl properly! No, no, no. There''s no one more well-behaved than Magda. No matter where you put him, he''ll always give you an interesting answer. ''What''s all the fuss, Ricardo ......''. Estella comes in, holding her head as if to show off her migraine. As soon as she stands in front of Ricardo, she lets out a huge sigh. ''...... I believe that Yashiro deserves to be involved in more hardships and troublesome situations based on his daily conduct, and I hope that he will reflect on his actions a bit after being exposed to such situations...'' ...'' Estella said whatever she wanted to say. Any trouble that comes my way, I''ll throw it right back at you. I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Oh,......? ''--Can you please not bother Yashiro? ''It seems you''ve got a much lower estimate than Oba, you bastard! ''Haha, of course. I''ll declare it without fear of misunderstanding. Yashiro is more important than you.'' ''You''re so refreshingly annoying, aren''t you? Is Estella taking me on? No, she''s not. She''s simply shunting Ricardo to no end. ''Why do you want to mingle so badly in the first place?''To the residents'' sports festival in District 42. ''There''s already a lot of people who don''t live in the forty-two wards participating! ''Don''t be lonely, old man.'' ''Wrong!It''s not like that! Nice try, Ricardo. There''s never been a time when someone who said ''it''s not like that'' in a situation like this was ''not like that''. ''Objectively speaking, I thought this team division was unfair. Only the white team is clearly inferior in strength. It''s the Medras of District 41 and the Lords of District 35 who are creating that factor. ''Hmm. We''ve been given permission in advance to attend this day. Can you please stop accusing us unfairly? Lucia stood in front of Ricardo, who was making a fuss. ...... What the hell are you doing, acting like it was a ''peaceful agreement''? You forced it on me. You''re right, Ricardo. Besides, isn''t the white team inferior in terms of strength? Medora stands behind Ricardo with her thick arms crossed. Lucia in front and Medora behind. It''s the kind of situation that would make a normal person faint. It''s like a ''pressure sandwich''. ''Hammaro? ''I didn''t say that. Don''t come out now. It''ll complicate things, okay? ''Yes! I don''t know what Hammaro''s reaction was, but he came over to me and cheerfully left. ...... They sometimes react as if they can hear the voices in people''s minds. ''The white team has the most helpers from other districts. We have two head waiters attached to the lord and our own Magda. If we''re lacking in strength, isn''t it the blue group? ''No, Medora. I don''t need any more muscle in my team. The blue team, while not having any notable players, has a high percentage of muscularity due to the large number of hunting guilds and cowherds. They don''t seem to be lacking in strength at a glance. ''I can understand why Estella wants to bring me into her army. ''I didn''t say that, though. Not a word.'' ''But you''re out of luck. It was a normal girl from the white team who asked for my help in the competition. So I''ll be the white team''s helper! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who can help you. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following URL: .......I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ''Ordinary girl!You''ve done a very good job indeed!You should be proud of yourself! ''Big brother, what''s wrong?Something''s coming at me really hard! You''ve been missed, Loretta. He must be really lonely. He''s a ............ kid. You can do it in your own ward,....... ''Estella. Let''s mix it up. ''Yashiro,......, are you sure?You''re going to hate it the most. Isn''t that a pain in the ass, Ricardo? Well, it''s definitely a pain in the ass. ...... ''What? It''s better to be friendly with the neighbors, after all, there''s the matter of the wonderful Kiyan Avenue. ''Hmph. That''s Oba. You understand diplomacy very well, don''t you? ...... You don''t talk about diplomacy. You selfish muscle. ''And besides. If you push too hard here, Gerrardsy might say, ''Count me in. ''Hmm, that sounds likely. ''...... It''s not hard to imagine.'' ''The lords of the 29th district,......, don''t be lonely, grown-ups.'' No, Ricardo. You don''t say that. Just take a look in the mirror. ''Anyway, if the rest of the team doesn''t complain, we''ll take them in. ''We don''t mind. We don''t mind. The kids get scared when he comes.'' ''I have no objection either. As long as he doesn''t cause any trouble for us. The red team and the blue team have no complaints. And what about the yellow group? ''What are you going to do, Paula? You''re the team leader, you decide.'' ''What?I''m the ............ one, then I guess it''s okay.I don''t think we''ll lose with Medora-san around.'' ''Well, you''re right!I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. So, since there were no objections from any of the teams, Ricardo joined the white team. ''...... Yashiro''. Magda quietly raises her hand. ''...... objection''. ''You''re on our side, so there''s no objection, tiger girl! ''...... You''re too familiar, Ricardo.'' ''Hey, Oba!You''ll have to discipline your people, ......! Oh, God. Shut up, shut up, shut up. As I return to my position, I''m going to give Ricardo a very clear warning. ''Ricardo. I understand your eagerness, but there are a lot of little kids out there. Don''t yell at them so much. This isn''t a field day for you. If you''re a helper, be a helper. If you can''t do that, you''re off the team. Because this time it''s these guys from District 42 who are the stars. He glared at Ricardo with kids and old people in the background. I assure you that I won''t use them as an excuse to set you up. If you don''t like it, you can watch from the bleachers. ''...... d*mn. I know, I know. I just need more dominance to win. ......'' ''Also, don''t disobey the team leader. An organization without leadership can''t win no matter how many talented people it gathers. Do you understand that, District Forty-One''s general?'' ''............ of course. Just for today, I''ll follow the tiger girl''s orders.'''' It''ll quiet him down a bit. If you want in, you''ll have to play by our rules. Don''t be so arrogant as to say ''I''m in'' or ''I''m helping''. Mind your own business. That''s what it means to be in someone else''s place. ''...... Ricardo. Three times around ''one''. ''I''m not following that! Yeah. I don''t think that''s a problem. ...... Magda. You''re a big man, aren''t you? ''But a lord from another district just jumped in. There might be some people on the team who are a little deflated or don''t like it.'' ''Hmph. How can you say that with such a powerful helper in front of you? ''So, I''ll, specially, since I can''t help it, form an atmosphere where you can easily enter. You''ll be glad you did.Be grateful. Worship me.'' ''You''re being patronizing!If you''re going to do something, do it quickly.'' Doesn''t this guy have the slightest sense of gratitude? That''s why nobles are like this. ''That''s why Estella rejects me outright. ......'' ''Oh, come on!It''s not like you can reject me outright!I''m the one who turned down the offer! This guy is really hurt by Estella''s rejection. You should''ve looked at yourself in the past. You should be grateful she''s talking to you. You''re so presumptuous. ''...... All right. I''ll give you a little thanks, so do something, Oba. Your thanks are flimsy. Also, you''re pretty flexible when it comes to Estella. ''I''ve noticed, Ricardo, that when you say that Estella hates you, she''s pretty broken. ''...... Hmm. It seems that you are a little conscious of your own self. ''There''s no such thing as an ordinary girl, a tiger girl!And what does it mean to be modest? ''...... different status'' ''We''re the same, me and Estella! It seems that Magda and Loretta can see right through him. He''s trying his best to fit into Estella''s childhood friend position. It''s too late for that now. ''What is it?Is Ricardo-sama in love with Estella-san? ''Well, it''s a little weird to say this to another lord, but ...... it''s a little annoying.'' ''Hey, crocodile!Watch your mouth!And Torbeck''s wingman!I''m not in love with you! ''You''re not very nice, are you, you newcomer? ''Ah, you''re not very nice, newcomer.'' ''So you''re with Oba after all? Ricardo playing with Umaro and Mo-Mat. So, if you had been straightforward from the start, I would have prevented these conflicts from occurring. ...... ''Ooba......'' I''m not sure what to do. He didn''t know what to do and ended up clinging to me. ''Do something about it. I want you to change your attitude. ...... So, I''ll use the magic words that Ricardo will accept at once. You can''t create discord in the White Team, and more importantly, Ricardo is valuable to you. Oh, I''m such a good guy. If God is real, I''d like him to reward me with an assortment of tits. I don''t care if it''s an offering. ''Hey, guys. Listen up.'' Standing next to Ricardo, he declares to the members of the White Team, who raise their eyebrows at Ricardo''s intrusion. ''From now on, Ricardo will be taking care of all of Medora''s problems! ''Oh no!Who would do such a dangerous thing ......? ''Welcome to the White Team! ''Welcome, my lord! ''What the hell are you doing?Oh my god!That''s why the Forty-Two Wards! The white camp is in a welcoming mood at once. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. ...... I guess they all knew that Medora would be forced to deal with the bastards. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ......? ''''Na?'''' ...... Oba, you''re .......'''' ''No?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say.Don''t emphasize the word ''sama'' in a disgusting way every time!I get chills when you call me ''sir''! You''re so selfish. All right, ...... you trash bug.'' ''So don''t patronize me! After baring his fangs at me, he turned his gaze to the kids and stared at their frightened faces. ...... Ricardo let out a huge sigh. I''m not sure what to say. My brother is a lord who is not afraid, so let''s get along~'''' ''''''.................. Yeah, well...'''''' ''''You''re reacting like adults!Who put you up to this? ''''''......'''''' ''''Magda''s got the discipline of a team. ''''Did you do this to me, tiger girl? You''d think she''d have learned by now that that''s what happens when you join us. Ricardo must be a dominatrix. I''m sure he''s happy to be played with. ...... Wow. ''Well, you''re not as good as Medora, but you have some skills as a hunter, right?Then you''ll have a use for it.'''' ''......Ricardo''s hunting skills are lower than Use''s.'' ''............Hah~...... well, he can at least pick up trash.'' ''Don''t make a big fool of me!I can''t lose to a representative of the forty-two districts! Even though Use is representing his father, he has the ability to organize the 42nd district branch. Ricardo, on the other hand, may look like a big shot, but he''s just an amateur. He only goes out hunting a few times a month under Medora''s protection. His ability is also not that great. ''So, is your butler usable?He''s dying, to put it mildly. ''He''s not dying!He''s been the steward in my family since my father''s time!He''s not of the same rank as Estella''s head waiter. ''I don''t care about your rank, I just want to know if you can move. ''I can move!Hey, Grandpa? ''Yes, sir. I''ll make sure to show you my military prowess. The butler''s old man bowing condescendingly. Butler Jijii. Well, he''s still the head butler. Let''s hope for the best. ''Well, I had high hopes for you because you''re a new member, but you''re dying. ''Hey, Rebekah. Don''t be rude. You''re holding on to the brink, you have to have a sense of respect.'' ''Lady Sophie. Your words have pierced my Bertha. The three rabbits at the malted rice factory looked at the old man and said such things. No one denies that Rebekah said she was dying. ...... Is your factory okay?No, it''s not for me to say. ''Whitehead''s sisters. As I recall, I''ve heard they''re difficult craftsmen. ......'' Ricardo plucked his chin and gazed intently at Rebeca as if observing her as the pretty captain. From a distance, he looks completely suspicious. Do you think I should report him? ...... Did the spring break? ''............ beautiful''. ''Oh, there''s a bad smell in here! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this in the future. ...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. And the person to whom the old man knelt and begged for a name was ...... Bertha. I''m not sure what to say.But the picture is terrible! ''Big brother, you''re too honest! For the first time in his life, Bertha had no idea what he was talking about. Bertha''s cheeks flushed like a girl receiving a bouquet of flowers for the first time in her life, and she replied in a voice like a whispering insect. ''Ba, this is Bertha. ...... Bertha Oba.'' ''Hey, wait, you old b*tc*! What are you doing entering Oba''s registry without permission? I''ll have you thrown into the magistrate''s court. ''...... I see. The enemy is in our army! ''Don''t stare at me like I''m crazy!Then do it!I''ll give it to you so you can use up the rest of your life for the White Team! ''Stop it, both of you!Don''t fight for me! ''It''s your ''fault''! ''It''s a love triangle for Bertha. ......!Bertha is a demonic woman! ''That''s amazing, Rebekah!I can''t believe Bertha is so popular! ''That''s funny, I thought we were supposed to be rabbit people with good hearing, but I guess I missed it!I haven''t been paying attention at all! It was very, very annoying, so I pushed Bertha, along with Rebekah and Sophie, over to the old man. ''...... You used a stupid butler.'' ''I''ve never seen an old man like that before. ...... I guess nothing good can come from associating with Oba.'' ''It''s not my fault! It''s a quality you''ve always had! ''d*mn it. Inez and Deborah are still more decent. ''Hmph...'' ''Hmph...'' ''Oh wow! As I let out a sigh at the old man''s boredom, I heard a creepy laugh from behind me. It was Inez and Deborah. I mean, Deborah, it''s funny how you end with a ''nyu''. ''Hmm. You''re doing a good job of praising me before prompting me, Mr. Kometsky.'' ''Is ''still decent'' a compliment?You guys are cheap.'' ''We''ve had a ''bargain''! ''No, it''s not a compliment, Deborah! Yeah. I knew Deborah was a more disappointing girl than me. ''The butler of District 41 has no outstanding achievements, but due to his long history as a butler, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience and is recognized as a trustworthy person even in other districts. ''Well, the fact that he hasn''t changed over the years gives a certain sense of security. ''However, although it is a characteristic of the 41st district, it tends to be a bit conservative and not very receptive to change. ''We''ve been on the defensive for a long time. ''That''s why I was surprised to hear that the joint development with the 42nd district has changed so much. ''It was hard to move those guys. ''Knowing that Cometsky-sama was working behind the scenes, I can understand the great revolution in the conservative 41st district. ''...... Deborah. You''ve been biting me sweetly since a while ago, why?'' ''No, I''ve been complimented twice, and my mouth is ...... puffy.'' No, so how did you end up with a ''nyu''? ...... That''s enough, I don''t mind. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. Can you guys control it better?'' ''What do I get in return? Inez asked back with a very serious face. I''m not sure if you''re friendly or not, you know. ''What, do you want me to pat your head or something? That''s the least I can do, even if you wanted me to. Well, you''re not Magda, and you don''t want that. ...... ''............ Yeah''. A small, short voice. I thought I had heard wrong, so I turned my gaze to him. And then Inez was staring back at me without moving a muscle. With a straight face. ''...... hmm? ''Hmm?'' ''............ Do you want me to pet you?'' ''Yes. I thought I said that.'' Straight face. No embarrassment, no joking, just a straight face. The usual cool beauty. ............ Do you not know what it means to stroke? I''m not sure that''s true. You don''t feel itchy when you are stroked, or you don''t care? If that''s the case, you wouldn''t be asking me to pet you. ...... What is it then? It''s a straight face. ...... What are you thinking, really? ...... I''m quite embarrassed to pat an older man on the head. ............ I''ve also seen Ricardo and others. ......... ......... ''How can I help you?I''ll be waiting for you.'' I''m waiting. Are you feeling pretty excited? ''Well, I''ll just ...... pet you.'' ''Here you go.'' The silver-haired head was offered to me tastelessly. It''s small up close. It''s the size of a child. I ponder for a moment what to do, and then tap it lightly. ''............'' No response. So, stroke it and slide it left and right. ''............'' Still no response, so I comb her hair with my fingers. ''...... Huh! Suddenly, I''m pushed in the chest. Inez turns away from me, her arms outstretched. ''Sa............'' Inez says in a trembling voice, her hair disheveled from turning around so quickly. ''The first one was ...... enough,......, but...'' It seems that she was satisfied with the first poke. But the additional stroking and the finger combing of her hair pushed her over the edge. If you want to be patted, offer it at that time. You''re wasting my services. I''ll charge you extra, you bastard! ''Wow, okay, I''ll take care of the old man, responsibly! Finally realizing what was going on, she reached for her messy hair and stroked it herself. Perhaps it reminded him of the feeling he had just felt, or perhaps he stroked it himself and blushed himself. ''Let ...... me take ............ responsibility.'' He bowed deeply and strolled away. I''ll take ...... responsibility, that''s too meaningful. ...... It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web. I''m sure Deborah will be jealous of this kind of development and say, "I''ll do the same. It''s not too early for me! I''m sure Deborah will be envious and ask for one too. ...... Stop it. You''re making it sound like I did something erotic to Ines and then running away. And you bit off more than you could chew. ''Oba ...... you, from another ward ......''. ''Hey, Ricardo. You should have at least one decent relationship.'' The only reason it looks like you''ve got your hands on her is because you''re constantly updating your history of not having a girlfriend. That''s normal! All boys do that at least! If you''re an involved protagonist, you''re going to be luckier when you say ''oh dear''! I, for example, am still ...... ''...... Yashiro is a bit of an unconscious terrorist. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it, but I''m sure you have. ''Yashiro, you''re very popular. I''m not sure what to say. That''s too much. That was just a light joke I made and Inez took it seriously. It''s not my fault. It''s not my fault. It''s not my fault. ............ Oh, shit. I don''t like the way you''re looking at me! It''s not my fault....... d*mn it, I thought you took Teresa to the first aid tent. It''s ...... uncomfortable to be without your only ally. ''Ricardo, you mocked me in the first game and bent my leg in a weird way!Pfft!'' ''Don''t go anywhere without saying something ominous! The air is bad, so we''ll leave the white camp for a while. Let''s get some air, let''s do that. Well, we''ll be outside all the time. ''Anchovy''. As I was wandering alone away from the white camp, Lucia appeared in front of me. She''s standing there, waiting for me. ''Hey,'' she said. ''You seem to be very good at taming the waiters of other districts.'' ''Don''t look at me, .......'' That wasn''t my intention. ''If you''ve got a head waiter elsewhere that you''re familiar with, don''t mess with my Gilberta anymore. ...... Hmm. It''s refreshing. Lucia swears like a child and walks away with a surprisingly clean posture. If he came all the way down here to say that,......, well, maybe Gilberta did. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. She was hiding behind Omero''s big body, and only her head was sticking out. Gilberta was staring at us intently. When I beckoned to her, her antennae twitched, and she slithered toward me with quiet steps. ''How''s the red team? I waited for Gilberta to come in front of me and asked her that question. ''I don''t see anything, no major problems. Except that Lucia-sama''s lasciviousness is escalating.'' ''Looks like the most troublesome problem is brewing. You can''t leave that out. Or rather, that''s the big problem, isn''t it? ''Anyway, I''m relieved that you''re doing well. ''You''ve been good to us, the team leaders of the red team, to Lucia-sama and me.'' ''I see. That''s good to hear.'' ''I''m glad there''s no conflict. ''I suppose it''s also true that Delia and the others are accepting of Gilberta and Lucia. ''It''s a result of your efforts to be accepted. It''s probably because he''s a good mediator between Lucia and the others. Delia''s likes and dislikes are very clear. The fact that Delia has a good impression of Lucia and naturally shows a respectful attitude like ''sama'' is proof that Gilberta, who is by her side, is arranging for this to happen. ''Good job, Gilberta. That''s great. I''ll give this kind of hard work my full praise. ''Do you admire me, my friend Yashiro? ''Of course he does. You are amazing, Gilberta.'' ''I''m glad, I think. I''m .......'' Gilberta''s antennae flickered. It''s a small price to pay if you''re happy with this. ''So, can I count on you?Do I get a treat? A reward? I thought, and Gilberta silently held out her head. Her little head was pointed at me. What an obvious prompt. It''s as easy to understand as Magda''s. ''Hey, hey. As you expected. He pats her lightly, and strokes her hair fluffily. Her good mood is reflected in her sense of touch. It bounces happily, tinkling. ''Now I say, with all my heart, ...... ''Mwah''. ''...... When did Magda teach you that? ''I''ve been admiring it, secretly, for quite a while now. I''ve been meaning to tell you if I ever get the chance. What is it that you yearn for? ...... ''...... is nice, after all. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. You''ll be able to''t see your eyes through your bangs as you look down a little more than usual. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at our own web site. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''Well, you''re sweet on your favorite head waiter, aren''t you? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that he''s gone out of his way to please Gilberta. You don''t even want to ask me for a favor. ''So, I''m making it a little easier for you to see today, the sense of touch. Service. ''So that''s why you had your antennae out.'' Normally, the little guntay ant''s antennae are tucked away in her bangs. Today I''m wearing a headband that lifts my bangs a little so I can see them better. I suppose it''s meant to somewhat restrain Lucia from getting too carried away with Hammaro. Otherwise, that pervert might become too attached to Hammaro. ''Then I''ll thank Lucia a little bit. ''Your friend Yashiro?Why? ''Because I got to see your antennae. You''re so cute and jumpy.'' ''Oh, my God, ......? ''Ow!'' Gilberta''s eyes widen and she clenches her fists. ''I''m shaving!I''m shaving my bangs! ''Wait, wait, wait! ''All of it! ''Bangs are cute too, relax! ''I''ll grow them out!I want bangs! ''Too extreme? What is it? Is the head waiter that unaccustomed to being praised? Do you usually get nothing but abuse? It''s normal, but to affirm the efforts of a healthy girl who''s daring to do something out of the ordinary! It''s normal for boys to try to be nice to Millie and Gilberta! ...... ''Gilberta. I''m sure you''ve got a lot of questions, but ''Of course. That''s what I thought, too, all along! Gilberta''s expression softened. I see. Did you really care so much about being on a different team? The fact that her face broke out like that proves that she wanted to, but couldn''t, and was convinced that she shouldn''t. You don''t have to worry about that. Gilberta and I are friends. Lucia aside, I''m trying to be nice to Gilberta. So, you know, Gilberta. ''Next competition, why don''t we form an alliance? ''Alliance .......'' Gilberta''s nostrils flared. And, very unusually, the corners of Gilberta''s mouth lifted in a pout. ''I''d like to hear more about ......, I think. I''m going to talk to Gilberta, who is a good, honest girl. I was hoping to bring Lucia into the fold if I could. However, I thought it would be difficult to attract Lucia, who was eager to become Hammaro''s bride. But if Gilberta would move, ...... it could be done. I''ll talk to Delia directly later. I''ll talk to Delia directly later. Okay, now we can increase our chances of winning the next competition. If we ally with the red team, which is currently fighting for last place, the white team will not be strangled. We''ll crush the most troublesome blue team and the yellow team with Medora with the white-red alliance! That''s the plan.'' ''Understood, I am. I''ll send a message to Lucia. And I''ll be sure to deliver the good news to my friend Yashiro.'' ''Good. I''ll see you then. ''Yes, sir, I will.'' Gilberta jumps and turns happily, and runs back to the red camp. Good. Now we just need to set up the white team. --and looking back... ''Does it matter who the head waiter is, sir? Inez was looking at me with a cold stare. ...... Can you please stop framing me as if I''m groping every random person? I''ve got a lot on my plate. ''I can shave my bangs, too. ''Cause that''s not what I want. I don''t have a fetish for shaving, do I? I don''t have a forehead fetish either. ''Would you like me to shave the front of your hair down to the whiskers and put the back of your hair in the empty space? ''That''s called a chonmage, which is an actual hairstyle in my hometown. ......'' I can''t stand to see Ines in a chonmage. So I''ll do my best to stop her. ''Ines. I need your help in the next competition. Can you help me?'' ''.................. head to ......'' ''Can I just pat it?'' Inez lifted her hands and moved away from me, shielding her head with her arms. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. It''s ....... It''s as if I was trying to molest her. ...... Don''t react like that because it will send chills down your spine. Seriously. ''Hey, stroking is ...... no longer necessary for the foreseeable future, ...... that ...... I''m already full of it... ...'' Even though she was sulking, she still seemed to be embarrassed. Then, what do you want to do with your head? ''Please let me stroke it. ''What about ......?'' ''When I have successfully completed the job you want, please let me pet your head until I am satisfied. ...... Well, .................. why? ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' ''............Okay, but'' ''We have a deal.'' ''I''ll take the flight.'' ''Deborah! Before I knew it, Deborah was behind Inez. ''You''re so secretive for nothing! ''I''ll stroke her. ''I''ll stroke it down. ''Nyuuhuhuhu......'' ''Mmmmmm ......'' The head waiter walks away, leaving behind a creepy smile. ...... That''s funny. I''m supposed to have brought those guys in for my own safety, but ............ I''m feeling lightly threatened. ...... ''......Yashiro''. The original, reliable girl. She''s a reliable girl who''s saved me in many a pinch. Magda. It''s strange. I feel at ease when I look at you. ''...... Magda will also pat, love, and pay homage to Yashiro according to his activities. ''............Paying homage doesn''t do you any good, does it? I''m starting to get the idea. I guess they''re just having fun, right? For now, I''ll think about the rest later, but I''ve decided to go talk to the people I need to win the next competition. I guess this is called "escaping reality". Yeah. 383-Additive-free Episode 38 Ball-in accordance with s... ''Since you''ve changed your clothes, why don''t you join us, Sister? Right? ''No, I''m .......'' ''I want to go with you. ''I''ve already ...... noticed that Ginette can be very selfish sometimes. Especially lately. ''''Ehehe.'''' What an amusing conversation between mother and daughter. They''re both in bloomers. I like it! ''I''m sorry if my face muscles are still loose, Yashiro. Estella pinches my cheek and thrusts a piece of paper at me with the rules written on it. ''This next ''ball-picking'' is a competition where you put balls into a basket above your head. ''What the hell, again. I know.'' ''You''re not allowed to take the other team''s balls, knock over the basket, or interfere with the ball pickup or throwing!It''s clearly stated here.'' Touching other team''s players'' bodies or touching other team''s balls is basically prohibited in the ball game. Of course, it is not possible to collect all the balls of the other team and not let them be thrown. ''Also, you are not allowed to catch balls thrown by other players. And of course, you can''t build a wall in front of the basket! ''I know what you mean!What is it? ''I knew you''d come up with some kind of subterfuge. ''Are you saying that you don''t trust me, ......? ''How many bizarre maneuvers have you executed today alone?I''m surprised you still think I''m trustworthy. You idiot. I haven''t broken a single rule. I''ve never broken any rules. I''m surprised that you''re following good sportsmanship. ''Let''s play ball games with good sportsmanship. ''...... You make me feel like I''m standing on the threshold of a scam, and it sends shivers down my spine. ''You''ll get addicted to it. ''Can you keep the jokes to your face, please? Estella rubs her arms to keep warm. Behind Estella stood Regina, who had been pulled out of the ''Race to the Customer''. You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... ''Bertina, hey! ''Hey, you can''t do that, my lord!You''re joking!It''s nothing!There''s nothing here!Sister, don''t worry about it! Regina flails her arms and does her best to cover it up. She''s supposed to be smart, but she never learns. ''I really wish you''d watch what you say, lord. ''That''s what I''m talking about. There are children here, so don''t get too carried away.'' ''What?What are you setting me up for? ''Okay, Regina. You''ll be forced to participate in the next ball game. ''Wait!Why? ''Double activation of the team leader''s authority and the lord''s authority. ''I can''t do it!The sun''s going to be right above us soon!It''s about to get really hot!I don''t know if I should be playing with my balls under the sun at that time! Regina, no matter what you say, you''re always throwing it in. Well, I haven''t really participated in any competitions up to this point. You should be forced to participate or whatever. He won''t budge unless you drag him out. And yet he secretly thinks afterwards that he would have liked to participate. You''re a lonely person, but you''re even more of a pain in the ass. ''Then, you should do your best there. ''Hmph. There''s a hunting guild over here. We''re pretty good at hitting our targets.'' ''You hit the target. ......'' The ball game is not about hitting the target, it''s about putting the ball in the basket. If you don''t realize the difference, you can''t beat us. ''You''re right, you''re good at hitting the target. Our Magda and Ricardo are too. ''Numbers are power, Yashiro. Even the yellow team with Medora-san is no match for the blue team with their numbers. ''You''re right, Estella. There''s no way I''m going to lose to those kids. Shaking her huge body, Medora stood in front of Estella. I''m sure you''re saying the same thing as ...... Bertina, but what''s the difference? I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s really big when it''s dressed like that, this guy. He looks like a bear. As I was looking at her, Medora suddenly arched her back and crossed her arms. It''s like hiding your breasts. ''...... darling, s*x.'' ''I''m not looking.'' ''Yashiro. You shouldn''t lie to me.'' I''m not a creature that only looks at breasts. I''m not a creature that only looks at tits. I just want to look at them as often and as long as possible. The difference between them is as great as heaven and earth. ''So, are the blue team''s contestants the disgusting old men lined up over there? ''Yes, they are. We''ve got a winning lineup of hunting guilds. Me and Natalia will be there, though.'' Estella''s. She''s still defending her first place, but she''s getting a little impatient with the white team. She''s trying to score as many points as she can. The yellow team is not to be outdone. I''ve had Norma and the rest of the hardware guild gather together.'' ''Weirdos?...... for sure.'''' ''''''Hideous~y~y, Yashiro-chan~! I''m not going to let you get away with this, old man! ''''Norma and Paula are coming too? ''''Osina''s coming too? Osina jumps up and down, twirling the bowl in her hands. What''s with you, Osina? Your skin is so young. Your thighs look like teenagers. I''d like to carry you on my shoulders. Yashiro, I''ll have you kicked out. The tournament chairman is arrogant. What a jerk! The yellow team is ready to go. They''re definitely coming for the points. Well, I suppose that''s true. Medora''s here. It''s natural to be wary of hunting guilds. I''m sure they''re well aware of the threat. On the other hand, our white team is ...... ''All of you!Follow my lead! ''''''Haha~Yes! The kids of the ''''cute squad'''' led by Rebeka are raising their arms in high spirits. The main players of the white team are kids. Most of them are small kids in the single digits of age. There are a few ''older brothers'' and ''sisters'' of about 10 to 13 years old here and there, though. ''...... Hmm, it''s a cute thing''. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. Well, it''s up to the receiver to decide whether or not the aura is coming out. ''Magda is a real little devil, showing her maturity! It looks like it''s coming out a little bit. It''s enough to reach those with high sensitivity. ''Umaro. Are you good at throwing? ''I''m not sure if I''m good at aiming,........ I''ll leave that to Kabriel and the others. So, in addition to the kids, we have Cabrille and Marx, Ines and Deborah, Ricardo the hunter, Loretta the scullery maid, and Magda the main man. These are the most important players for the White team''s victory. Also, Ginette and Masha will join as special guests. Crouch down, grab the ball, swing your arms up, jump a little, and throw the ball. What happens when you do that? ...... You don''t have to tell me, do you? ''It''s an exciting frame! I''m sure the manager doesn''t notice, but I''m pretty sure I do. Instead of the usual aquarium, we dipped into a shallow tub and Masha slapped the salt water with her tail fin. If it''s too deep, you won''t be able to pick up the balls scattered on the ground. However, you can''t move around, so you''ll have to stretch your arms and back and tuck your chest to pick up balls that are a bit far away. ''Exciting frame! ''Yashiro, you''re not losing heart~'' The tail fin sends salt water flying at me. Hmm!If it''s water from the tub Masha is soaking in, it''s a reward!If it were a soup stock with the flavor of dashi, I''d drink it all at once! ''Come on, kids!Let''s take victory in our own hands! Lucia is waving her arms in the air to inspire the kids in the Red Team. In the Red Team, most of the players are kids. The kids from the church and Loretta''s brothers and sisters are wailing. The adults are Lucia, Delia, Bertina, who was encouraged by Ginette to join. And Gilberta. When he made eye contact with Gilberta, his antennae twitched. Good. It seems you''ve successfully persuaded Lucia and Delia. I''m still worried about our strength, but I feel much better now that I''m not fighting alone. After all, the quickest way to silence Estella (the lord) is to bring Lucia (the lord) in. ''Then, please enter the players! The waiter said, and the players from each team went through the gate at once. Twenty players per team. There is no age limit. Estella seemed to be wondering why there were so many kids in the white team, but the red team had the same lineup, so she didn''t say anything about it. It seems that she respected Ginette''s and Bertina''s opinions and wanted to let the kids participate in the competitions where they could. In his eyes. Even though he didn''t mean it. ''Hey, hero! Barbara''s boisterous voice came from inside the first-aid tent as she entered the track. ''Teresa could have participated in that kind of competition!You should invite her!'' ''If Teresa''s in it, you''ll say you''re in it too, right? ''Of course I would!Aashi and Teresa are one and the same! That''s why I didn''t call out to her. A guy like Barbara with no patience can''t do this mission. She''ll only get in the way. ''You just ran, Teresa. Watch this one, join the next one. It''ll be better for you.'' ''Are you sure?I''m sure!If Teresa''s not happy, I''m going to kick you in the nose, okay? What do you mean, "cankles on the nose"? That''s a horrible thing to say. ...... It''s okay. After all, the next competition is a bread-eating contest. I''m sure everyone will be thrilled to participate. And when people like Teresa get excited, ...... I get rich. Mmm-hmm. We''ll get to that later. For now, let''s focus on the ball game. ''All right, everybody gather around. I call up the white team players. Ten adults and ten children. All eyes fixed on me. ''Ball-juggling is not a game of hitting balls into a basket. It''s a game of putting the balls in. ''You know that, don''t you? ''Well, listen to me, Rebekah. The ball flies in a straight line, but when it falls, it forms a parabola. ''...... So, when you throw a ball, the highest point should be set slightly ahead of the basket?'' ''That''s what I mean. If you set the peak of the parabola just above the basket, the ball will jump over the basket and fall to the other side. You should aim ''a little in front of the basket''. There is a big difference in the results between those who are aware of this obvious point and those who are not. Because the competition has a time limit, players are always in a state of petit excitement due to impatience. In such a state, it is impossible to calmly correct the course. They just try to increase the number of balls, and as a result, they waste a lot of shots. In particular, children under the age of ten often have an undeveloped spatial grasp and are not good at predicting the trajectory of balls. According to a survey conducted by an organization, when the success rate of children under ten years of age practicing ball-juggling exceeded 80%, the success rate plummeted to 30% when the height of the basket was lowered by 10 cm. He could not fine-tune the height of the basket. So, we have to teach the pure and honest ...... kids, who are all idiots, some tips in advance. So, you have to teach them a few tips beforehand. How many points the white team gets depends on how hard you work. Also, throw the balls in a heap. It''s not a competition to damage the basket and shoot it down. No need for momentum. Do you understand? ''''''Yes! With a cheerful reply, the kids are released. The kids are scattered around the white team''s basket. ''''The cute squad will win the victory in a cute way! ''''''Oh!'''''' And I''ll make sure the remaining adults are informed of the plan. To all the adults except Ginette and Masha. ''''Especially Loretta. Your role is very important, so make sure you do your job.'''' ''You can count on me!I''m confident in my legs! I''m counting on you, feet. ''...... Magda has confidence in her legs too...'' ''No, Magda!I''m not talking about s*xiness!I''m not talking about s*xy, I''m talking about s*xy! Well, have it your way. I''m expecting Magda for her eyes and her arms. I don''t care about the legs. If you want to show off, show off. ''Huh!I''m in the outfield and I''m already out of the fight! ...... Yeah. I''m glad I left him out. ''The time limit is twenty minutes. The number of balls placed in the basket in twenty minutes will count as points. The facilitating waiter explained the rules again, and the colored balls for each team were scattered around the basket of each team. The white team scores points only when a white ball is placed in the white basket. Even if a red ball goes into the white basket, neither the red team nor the white team gets a point. ''In addition, it is a foul to take the other team''s ball or interfere with the ball pickup. Grabbing a ball thrown by another team is also a foul. Estella and her waiter reiterated the prohibition that Estella had insisted on. ''But!There is no prohibition against hitting a player with a ball!I''m going to knock Use out of the fight! ''Hahahaha, Yashiro!I''m sure you''re aware of the trick. But ............ do you have the courage to take the fight head on? The old men of the hunting guild lined up around Estella. Including Medora, they''re giving us an intimidating look. Even with Magda and the head waiter, an all-out war with Medora and the hunting guild is not in our favor. ...... I shut my mouth and put my hands up meekly. It''s a pose of surrender. ''That''s a wise decision. Estella says triumphantly. I had no intention of engaging in a ball-busting contest. It was just that we needed to let them know that it was possible. Let''s make a gentleman''s agreement. I want sports to be fair and pleasant. Let''s not unfairly attack each other''s bodies, okay? ''We don''t mind. We''re a team of maidens. We don''t want any rough stuff. Hey, guys? ''''''Sansei~i! ''''No, maidens are ......, right, Norma? ''''Shut up, Paula. Don''t dump on me. ......'''' The yellow group agreed to the blue group''s offer. I turn around and make eye contact with Delia and Lucia. ''We''re okay with that, too. ''The savage ravings of anchovies are not worth a second thought. Since even the Reds agreed, the Whites agreed to the gentleman''s agreement. There will be no attacks on the human body. ...... though I don''t agree with the fair and square part. ''So, let''s get the ball rolling! --Boom! At the sound of a high bell, the players of each team run out in unison, squat down and pick up the balls. ''Alright, Hunting Guild District 42 Branch!Let''s show them what we''re capable of! ''''''Ooooh! The hunters of the blue group howled. ''''Medora-san, please! ''''I''ll leave it to you!I''m not the one who''s going to fall behind those little bastards! ''You!It''s time to show them the true strength of the Hardware Guild, which is facing the scorching flames and strong steel! ''''''Yes! ''''Huh, the maidens of the Hardware Guild seem to be good with balls~. I wonder if they''re familiar with it...'''' ''''Oh no, no, no!Regina-chan''s naughty~! ''That''s not true~, you know? ''No, no, no!I don''t want to! ''Don''t be so shy, old man!Just grab your balls and throw them away! ''Yeah!Norma''s balls, baby! ''It''s so annoying! The yellow team is ....... I''m sure you''ll be fine. ...... Regina. I''ll take care of it.That''s it! ''Haha!What''s with you, Sister, you''ve got a weird way of throwing things. Bertina makes a small jump and sends the ball flying in the opposite direction. Delia is laughing at Bertina''s lazy form, which is different from a girl''s throw. No, no, but... I don''t care about form. ...... You''re shaking. I''m sorry. ......! We can''t do this! White team, white team! ''Yeah, yeah!I can''t reach .......'' ''Hmmm... ...... is righta?? Whaaa~, it''s in! Ginette and Masha stretch out their arms to throw the balls away. When they crouch down to pick up the balls, they sway. When they pick up the ball and raise their bodies, they sway. When you jump to fly as high as you can, you shake. When you swing your arm, it shakes. When you land, you sway again. When you jump up and down in frustration, it shakes. When you jump up and down with joy, it shakes! It shakes with every movement! ''Dobufu! As I gazed at the swaying ''tawa'', a blue ball sunk into my armpit. ''Don''t you know anything about limits and moderation? ''What''s up with that ...... Estella ............ gentlemen''s agreement? ''That was a legitimate sanction to protect the people from danger, so it''s not an ''unjustified attack''. ''If you have time to quibble, shake it up a bit! ''I''m not going to make any effort to entertain you! ''There are some things that can''t be helped by effort! ''I''m sure that''s not the words you want to say right here and now! Estella''s angry voice was met with an ''unjustified attack'' from the blue group. Hey. That''s a foul. Send him off with a red card. And while they were doing that, the game moved on. ''What the hell are you doing? A shout came from the blue team. The owner of the voice was Uzse. And the brunt of it is ...... Magda. ''...... Magda is only contributing to the victory of the white team according to the rules. In a flat voice, Magda throws white balls one after another. He throws them at the blue balls thrown by the blue team players. The white balls shoot down the blue balls with a bang and a whoosh. ''Isn''t that a foul, hey! ''Unfortunately, the rules only say that you can''t touch the balls thrown by the other team''s players. We have not touched a single finger to the balls thrown by you. ''You''re right, Ines. None of us violated the rules. This is a legitimate action.'' Ines and Deborah follow Magda in shooting down the other team''s balls. Cabriele and Markus followed suit, shooting down the opposing team''s balls with precision. Their control is superb. All of them are very skillful. The blue and yellow balls are falling one after another, bounced by the white ball of the white team. ''You can''t be so cynical!If you don''t stop right now, I''ll have you killed, Oba! Ooba!'' Use started to argue with me, but it was the newcomer Ricardo who stood up to him. ''Hey, Use. Don''t be so lukewarm about the hunter. That''s right. You should make an effort to be useful in these situations and be accepted by the white team as soon as possible. You know exactly what you''re doing, rookie. Okay, protect me. ''As long as it''s not forbidden, it''s not cowardly or anything. It''s your fault if you can''t use the rules to your advantage. If you are a hunter, you should not have time to whine about any peculiar situation or environment. You should be living in a world where it''s hunt or be hunted, right? ''......,Ricardo-sama......! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Pfft, he''s so scared. ''How dare you bark at me with the wisdom you borrowed from your darling, huh, Ricardo? Medora, the bear with the yellow headband, stepped in between Use and Ricardo. d*mn. I almost play dead every time I see him. Even though I know it won''t work on a monster of that level. ''So you''re imitating my darling and trying to be popular, huh? ''No, I''m not! ''Are you trying to catch a big fish like me? ''I don''t want to! ''Just like my darling!...... Poof! ''Will you stop defaming me? Who fished you out when . I''ll release you before I catch you!As soon as I see the shadow of a fish! ''Yashiro''. As the hunting guild and Ricardo, including Medora, stared at each other, Estella called out to me. ''It''s true, I didn''t touch any of the other team''s players or the balls they threw. But it is also true that your balls are touching ours. Isn''t that against the rules? How do you interpret the words ''don''t touch my balls'', Estella complained, which could be a violation of the rules. He doesn''t know what he''s talking about. ...... ''Touching means direct hand or body contact,'' he said. ''It doesn''t specify that,'' he said. ''Molestation has the advantage of direct hand-to-hand contact!It wouldn''t be an act of molestation if I pinched your tits with a long green onion!'''' ''Yes, it would!If it were me, I''d convict her on the spot! Even though I didn''t touch her directly! You''re calling me a pervert just for poking my tits with a leek? What kind of guy is this? I''m not having any fun at all. ............ No, that''s not fun at all? ''Wait a minute, I''ll take it back. ''Okay, don''t bother with such nonsense!Anyway, if you white team is the only one who can expand the rules, we won''t accept it! The players of the blue and yellow teams agreed with Estella''s opinion. The blue and yellow teams agreed with Estella....... Hmm, that''s sweet. ''Are you trying to shut down the other side''s opinion by majority vote, Estella? A dignified voice comes from behind me, echoing across the clear sky. ''You sound like a BU. I thought you were negative about that approach. ''Lucia-san: ......'' With her hands on her hips and her overly long legs shoulder-width apart, Lucia smiles arrogantly and declares. ''If we''re going to take a majority vote, then we, the red team, will agree with the white team. The winner is the righteous one! Lucia''s arm is raised, and the red team fires a red ball as a signal. The red ball shot down the blue ball thrown by the hunting guild, which had been trying to score points during this argument. Gilberta and Delia were the ones who threw the red balls. ''Declare war, top two teams. ''...... d*mn it!I didn''t know that Yashiro had already embraced Lucia-san. ......! ''Nah!I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it.Don''t spread your insolent falsehoods! ''No, that''s not Lady Lucia''s interpretation. The Lord of Smiles'' term ''embraced'' does not include such a romantic nuance. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ...... I''m having a hard time thinking of this guy as an ally at the moment. ''Lucia Suarez......, it looks like another worm has appeared that wants to get to your darling.'' ''Hmph, it''s Medora Rossel. ''Bug'' is more of a compliment to me.'' The lord and the guild leader stared at each other. Both of them are powerful women who can overpower most men. Lucia''s entry has weakened Estella''s momentum. After all, Estella is not strong enough to jump into the fray of this monster. That''s why Estella is Estella and that''s why Estella can''t break out of her shell. Because Estella knows. She knows how important she is. She knows how important she is. She knows there are many people who care about her and her value to them. In the past year, she''s gained the strength to push through the recklessness and the caution to avoid the impossible. Or maybe he''s just getting there. That''s why he won''t go head-to-head with Lucia or Medora yet. You can do that at ...... ''Hmm. Don''t be so sleepy about it. This reckless idiot who doesn''t understand the atmosphere and his own size. It''s probably just Ricardo. ''Medora. It should be the same for you, right?A hunter will do anything to ...... win. Isn''t that right? Ricardo throws a white ball. The white ball, released with great force, struck the two yellow balls thrown by Norma and Paula at the same time, bouncing off each of them and causing the two yellow balls thrown by the Maidens of the Hardware Guild to crash, all four of them. He shot down four yellow balls with one throw. Ricardo, this guy ...... ''Hey, why don''t you join the hunt sometime? ''I do!Since I was a kid!I''m as good as any hunter in the world! Growing up around Medora must have been a great advantage for you. The real thing can surpass your own practice just by looking at it up close. Ricardo''s not bad at all, is he? ''...... Interesting, Ricardo.'' But that action set Medora on fire. The yellow ball that Medora released twisted through space with a roaring moan, shooting down the white ball that Magda had released to interfere. The yellow ball that Magda had been trying to block disappeared into the basket in a carefree parabola. ''I''m going to kick all your balls away while blocking your interference! A frog stared at by a demon god. Snakes aren''t so easy. In the face of a superior creature with an overwhelming difference in strength, disregarding natural enemies and biological compatibility, all creatures become bait. Medora radiates such overwhelming pressure. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. But ...... ''It''s impossible, Medora. That kind of pressure doesn''t work on me. Because ...... ''You can''t interfere with us. I know that all too well.'' There''s no reason to shy away from a situation where you''re certain you can''t lose. When winning is impossible, Medora is nothing more than a beast with its fangs pulled out. Even Cerberus, the gatekeeper of Hell, can only serve as a barking guard dog if he is chained up. ''Darling. I''ve always told you that. Medora was still unaware of this. I wonder how long that confidence in your face will last? ''Love is not a game! ''I''m sure I''ve always been able to get away with that d*mned word! ''Love and competition are serious! ''I''m serious about going through with it! ''Love da~rin! ''Don''t spread your curse! You''re getting off track! Just try to shoot the White Team''s balls off, and realize! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Have you noticed? You can''t do that! ''......, you conspired, darling! ''Well, that''s the way it is.'' ''My darling! ''Why did you rephrase that? ''That''s what I''m talking about! ''Who says that? ''You''re not admitting it, your darling! ''What are you doing, Mom?You can shoot that thing down with ease! Seeing that Medora has stopped moving, Use throws a blue ball instead. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''You idiot!Don''t do it, it''s ugly! Medora stopped him, but it was too late. The blue ball that Usset released approached the white ball with terrifying power, and shot it down successfully. No, he was very good. It was a clean hit, right on target. Brilliantly, completely, utterly knocked down. The white team''s white ball, thrown by a young child. ''Hi...... oh......!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The girl from the cute squad led by Rebecca has tears in her big eyes. The ball was on a good trajectory and was shot down. That makes you want to cry, doesn''t it? You''re only seven years old, aren''t you? ''U...... ugh! ''Oh, no, ...... I''m ......! ''Oh, dear!What a horrible person!I''m a grown man! I''m a grown man!I don''t know if you''re proud of your muscles, but you''re too puffy!A man without a shred of kindness will never be popular! ''Wait, wait, I''m ......! ''...... (You''ll never be popular).'' ''You''ll never be popular! ''Noooooo!Why did you have to remind me, you little rabbit? A young girl is made to cry, and the cute captain, Rebeka, who denounces it out of a sense of justice, argues against the Usse. (Well, I''m whispering Libeka''s lines to you, but...) ''...... (Getting pissed off at a little girl like that--)'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''I''m not pissed off because I''m pissed off because I''m pissed off! ''...... (and still--)'' ''And after all, you''ll never be popular! ''No, no, no!For a child like that! The atmosphere in the hall was in favor of Rebecca. Of course they are. If a strong, muscular man and a cute girl with bunny ears are arguing, you will side with the cute one even if you ignore all the good and bad and the cause. That is what public opinion is all about. As long as public opinion is on our side, you can''t stand in our way. Because on our team, the kids are the ones who score! Ursus, Medora, and the rest of the hunting guild would have shot me and Magda''s balls down without hesitation. But we''re here to sabotage, and the only ones scoring points are the kids! You can''t shoot us down, you can''t shoot us down! And this one word from me will be an even stronger spell to limit your actions! ''Ugh! ''What the hell? ''If you''re going to throw your pent-up negative emotions at the children''s balls, then throw them at me instead! Standing right under the basket, he spread his arms and shouted. ''I''ll give up my body to protect the children''s pure efforts!Without reserve!'' ''Yashiro-san ......, for the sake of the children, that much ......! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. Hahahaha! How dare you! You can''t attack the good guys!Not if you''re a good guy! This is the public eye barrier! ''''Then, as you wish, I''ll unleash this anger on you! ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! ''''Oh, hey!Hey! Starting with Use''s words, the old men of the hunting guild unleashed an enormous fastball at me. They threw them all at me. What are you seriously throwing at me? So fast! That''s scary! If it hits me, I''ll get bone damage! ''Don''t just run away, Obaba! ''No, this is... my body... it''s on its own! I dodge the blue balls flying like a meteor shower and wait for the next barrier to activate. Hurry up, Lucia! ''That''s enough, you enemies of the children! '' comes from the red group. Under the basket of the red group, Lucia raises her voice with her hands outstretched, just as I do. ''The anchovy said a good thing, once in a lifetime!I''ll agree with you!'' I''m saying a lot of good things. I''ve said a lot of good things. If you release a book of quotes, it''ll be a million seller. ''I''ll take your negative emotions with me!Now, hit me with your balls as well as the anchovies! ''U......, that''s ...... indeed.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ...... No, that''s probably a normal adult reaction, but ...... then you should respect me too. I''ve helped you in many ways. d*mn. They''re so blatant. They''re too patronizing. Lucia and I, what''s the difference? No way. ...... ''If Use, a big-boobed maniac, is being nice to Lucia, a poor-boobed woman, then ...... Use, you''ve woken up to poor breasts! ''Don''t look at the lords of the other districts like that! I''m not sure what to say.Give that idiot one heavy fastball!I''ll allow it! Lucia betrayed me so quickly. d*mn it. This is why Lucia can''t be trusted at the right moment. ...... Mumble. However, Lucia''s agreement with me sealed their attack. There''s no one who can do that. ...... ''That''s convenient, Lucia Suarez!I''ll get rid of you for flirting with my darling! There he is! Medora threw a ridiculously hard fastball at Lucia. --But the yellow ball was knocked away by four red balls in quick succession. ''I won''t let you, I will. I won''t let you do this to Lady Lucia. Gilberta changed the trajectory of the yellow ball by hitting it with four red balls in succession. What a precise control! In addition, he judged that one shot would be pushed and instantly released four shots. ...... He''s also a great serving manager. I''m not sure. I''m sure you can do something like that, though. It seems that Medora didn''t really want to harm Lucia. It''s a good thing you''re Lucia. ...... I''m glad it was Lucia. If it had been Tracy, you would have been right for sure. You can''t expect such advanced technology from the head waiter there. ''d*mn it!Then we''ll put her in the basket before she shoots us down! Use and the others change their strategy and fire a hard fastball at the basket. However, ball-juggling is not a game of ''hitting the basket''. If you try to maintain your speed, your trajectory will inevitably be a straight line. In order to put a ball into a basket that is higher than your head and pointing upward, you need to draw a parabola. If the trajectory is a straight line, the bullet will pass through the basket. ''Tsk!Then let''s hit the edge of the basket and drop it. ......! But the basket was supported by Estella''s housekeeper. The basket, supported by these weak girls who are not nearly as bold as Natalia, cannot withstand the impact of the hunter hitting the ball with all his might. The weight of the basket itself also caused it to shake unsteadily. If she continued to push it, it would collapse. ''Wait!We can''t let the basket fall!Focus on the parabola! Estella instructed, but in order to draw a parabola, the ball would need to be slowed down, and if that happened - of course Magda and the others would shoot it down. ''d*mn it!What am I supposed to do! ''Calm down, Use!We''re divided into two groups: those who earn points and those who intercept the enemy''s interference!We have to intercept Magda''s balls and protect our own! ''That''s all you''ve got, d*mn it! Following Medora''s instructions, the blue and yellow groups split into two teams, one for point-getters and the other for defenders, and devoted themselves to protecting the balls of their respective teams. As expected of a hunting guild. They shot down all of Magda and her team''s interfering balls. But ...... ''What?Natalia, where are your balls? ''It''s probably because the Hunting Guild is throwing them towards the enemy''s position with great speed. ''Hey, everyone in the hunting guild!Stop, stop!We''ll run out of balls to put in the basket! ''But hey!If we stop here, we''ll get shot down! But if you stop here, they''ll shoot everything down!'' If you run out of balls to put in your basket, you''ll end up with nothing!I''m not sure why the white team doesn''t run out of balls.The same conditions should apply. ......'' The blue and yellow teams fell for our lead and ran out of balls. In the meantime, the white team, including Magda and the others, are doing their best to gain points. Estella. You wonder? Why doesn''t the white team run out of balls? ...... That''s because... ''Aaah!Loretta!'' ''Mmm-hmm!The behind-the-scenes player you can count on at the critical moment!The main character behind the scenes!Loretta-chan, we''re moving forward as fast as we can! It was because Loretta was collecting the balls that Magda and the others had thrown. Quickly and inconspicuously. ''Loretta!Nice and low profile! ''Please don''t call me plain!I''ve been trying to hide myself!It''s a stealth Loretta! ''d*mn it!Picking up a ball thrown by ...... such a normal strategy! ''Don''t be ordinary!It''s very effective! Thanks to Loretta''s efforts, none of our balls were wasted. You guys lost because you could only divide your manpower into two teams, attack and defense! ''What are you doing!You guys have to go pick up the balls too! ''''''Eh~!We''re going? ''''Just go ahead! ''''''Eh~!Medamama''s bad boy~! ''''''Ho-ho, the maidens of the hardware guild are going left and right in search of their balls~'''''' ''''''No~n, Regina''s hot~! ''''Hurry up and pick them up! The blue team and the yellow team were completely behind the curve. You underestimated that it was mainly kids, right?There are a few ham kids among them. White and red have enough balls. It''s too late to panic now. The hunting guild''s braggarts threw the balls away without hesitation, and it was not easy to pick them up. ...... The ball game ended before the supplies could be replenished. You have to use your head when you compete, right? Yeah. 384-No additives, episode 39. Rewards. ''That was subtle ......''. I thought my plan was going to work and the white team would win ...... the ball game. ''...... points were earned while Yashiro was talking. ''Also, the kids were ...... doing their best, but it was ...... quite a disappointing result. Our interference was successful. But before that, the blue and yellow teams had put a lot of balls in the basket. And the kids in the white team were doing their best, but the ...... results were not good enough. As a result, the red team won with forty-two balls. Next was the white team with 40. The blue team won with 39. The yellow team had 37. The difference between the top group and the bottom group was five pieces, which was a very delicate result. Moreover, in the planning stage of this competition, there was an atmosphere of ''Wouldn''t you be able to get 200 pieces in 20 minutes? Or rather, because Estella had said so, we were supposed to get one point for each ball. I''ve been trying to get 40 points for all this. ............ It''s plain. The shoot-off between red and white vs. blue and yellow was a lot of fun, but ...... the result is so plain. In the end, the point difference in the first race was too much for the white team to turn the tables. They are now in last place. ''But the point gap has narrowed considerably, hasn''t it? Ginette says smilingly, looking at the scoreboard. Currently, the blue team has 770 points, the yellow team 718 points, the white team 550 points, and the red team 616 points. The difference between the blue team and the red team, which was 254 points at first, is now 220 points. ...... Yes. Slight. ''If we don''t put more energy into the afternoon, it might be difficult to turn things around. ''Yeah. There''s still one morning session left, right? Ginette was right, there was one more competition left in the morning. There is, but ...... it''s not a competition for points. ''Jeannette. What''s the last event of the morning? ''It''s the bread-eating contest you''ve all been looking forward to. That''s right. The bread-eating contest. The bread-eating race is a competition to enjoy ...... the swaying breasts! I don''t care about the rankings! I''m not sure if you''ve ever seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. You don''t even need to score a goal! It''s a great way to get the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you have. We want to make it more about having fun than competing.'' ''That''s true.'' Just after I said that, Ginette started to giggle. ''I''m sure you''ll all enjoy it so much you''ll forget to run. She says this happily. Ginette seems to be in a good mood, knowing the taste of the new bread. This guy loves surprises where he knows the story, doesn''t he? He''s really putting on an innocent, excited face. ''But it''s a pity. Ginette says with a loose face, as if she can''t control her smile. ''I can''t tell you how wonderful the smell of freshly baked bread is. Everyone was impressed by the aroma of the bread. I guess he was trying to say that he wanted us to enjoy not only the taste and texture, but also the aroma. However, it is not possible to bake on the ground. ''The baker''s guild will start practicing the bread we''re going to present today as early as tomorrow. Our recipe was successfully accepted and the decision was made to produce the new bread. Thanks to Bertina''s hard work, it was decided that the bread would be made separately for the nobility and for the general public. The bakers'' guild began to practice at once, and the bread would be sold as soon as it was approved by the church. ''If you go to the bakery, you can smell the aroma as much as you like from now on. Then it won''t be too late.'' ''I guess so. ...... ugh. What if it becomes a tourist attraction? A tour to smell the freshly baked bread?Who would go on such a trivial trip? ''How about meeting up with your date?You''ll be happy while you''re waiting. ''As soon as we meet, we''ll go straight to dinner. If she smelled the bread the whole time she was waiting, she''d probably get hungry. Ginette''s nose twitched as she talked happily, as if she wanted to smell that aroma again. She looks away from me, stares at the empty space, and shakes her shoulders. I don''t know what he''s imagining. I can tell he''s having a great time, but... ''Oh my god. Did you eat all the food? ''No, I''m sorry. It smelled so good.'' ...... giggle. Apparently, she''s arranging a date in her brain. It''s like playing with dolls when there are no dolls. It''s just like a dreamy Jeannette, I guess. I don''t know what I''m doing. ''Yashiro-san, are you hungry? ''Hmm?Well, maybe a little. But lunch is after the next competition. I can wait until then.'' Ginette suddenly asked me a question, to which I replied in a normal way. ''......? ''......?'' Ginette was staring at me with her round eyes. She didn''t move as if it was a still picture, but she stared at me, and her face slowly turned red. ''Huh?Oh, no, that!It''s not that I was talking to Yashiro-san, but that .................. you''re right! This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your investment. ...... He can''t be serious. I''m sure you didn''t ask me that question in your brain, did you? I met up with him in front of the bakery in the setting of Jeannette''s brain, and I couldn''t resist the good smell, so I took a bite. ''Can you eat bread and eat dinner later? And... What does that mean? Ginette''s date in her brain was with me? Hahahaha, that''s right, Jeannette. .................. Please, don''t do that kind of thing where you hit me in the groin with a hard fastball. I''m sorry. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. ....... I''m not sure what to say. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Ears, ping!Nose, puckered!Tits, taut! She seemed to have come to show off something with a smug look on her face. ''Were you watching me?I''ve got four balls in my mouth! Hmmm, ...... is nothing. ''That''s one tenth. ''A tenth? ''That means that one out of every ten balls that went in was put in by Rebekah. ''Hmmm, one in ten means that there are 20 of us in total, so ...... half of them were put in by me!I''m amazing! No, you''re not! How much math can you not do? Is it really okay to have someone like this at the top, Koji Factory? ''If my eternal rival Magda had joined us, we could have gained a few more points...'' ''That''s true. If Magda had joined us, we would have earned ten times as many points as we have now. Instead, the blue team would have earned twenty times as many. Magda was an indispensable member of the defense. ''Anyway, I worked hard! ''Yeah, you did a great job keeping the kids together. After all, the cute squad was united around Rebeka. A unit within a team is a bit special, isn''t it? The sisters of the red team were envious of her. ''So, my knight. Stroke me! ''What about ......? ''If you work hard, you''ll get petted, won''t you?Come on, pet me quickly.'' What rule is that? I''d get tendinitis if I had to go around petting everyone who worked hard. ''Come on, pet them! ''Why don''t you get your fianc?? to pet you? ''Shh, shonnya......, you can''t do such a shameful thing when you''ve just started dating! Don''t let other men do those shameful things to you. I''m not embarrassed. ''My knight is a special case!So it''s okay!Magda, my eternal rival, said that she was often petted by you!It''s not fair! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that. I''m not sure what to say. She embraces Rebeka''s body and turns her back to me as if to shield her with her own body. ''You don''t know where you''ll be stroked when you talk like that! ''No, you know what I mean. Just split up! ''I don''t. If you''re going to stroke me, it''s going to be my butt. You know? ''You come out at the perfect time! ''Yashiro-san ......, you are ............'' ''What is it with you guys and your inability to sense anything other than me?I''m not sure what to do.It''s a shame that the only people who can perform medical procedures in the 42nd district are perverts! ''Myself, Us, and ......'' ''Don''t let me in! ''Yashiro-san: ......'' ''Sophie, aren''t you already in the habit of putting the blame on me for something! This is not a good combination! It''s all creating a bad synergy! Go home now!Especially those perverted white coat bloomers! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a great idea. ''Yashiro-san: ......'' ''Yeah, d*mn it!It''s hard to argue with a point that''s so on point sometimes! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it. I knew this combination was no good! It''s like watermelon and tempura. If you eat them together, you''ll get sick to your stomach. It''s a bad combination. ''Rebekah, I''ll pet you, so take your sister and go back to the cheering section. ''No, not my butt!No matter how much of a knight I am, I can''t let you pet it! ''Who said anything about stroking my butt! ''Yashiro-san, .......'' ''Did you forget the rest of the words, Sophie? You''re a fragile thing. You keep repeating the same words over and over. ............ d*mn it, Radio never repeats the same word!I used the wrong one! ''Come on, just give me your head. ''Hey, don''t touch my ears. ...... ''Touch my ears and I''ll ...... die.'' ''Wow, it''s been a while since I''ve spoken a different language, but that''s a very disturbing word. ''Ears'' means you can pet them anywhere but the ears! ''You''re still here?Hurry up and go back to your supporters'' seats or the first aid tent. ''Yashiro-san: ......'' ''You''re back, Sophie! I''ll just pat Riveka on the head and dismiss her. I''ve made up my mind to do that, but another pair of complicated people appear before me. ''Come on, I promise, Mr. Kometski. ''We''ve worked very hard and contributed a lot! Inez & Deborah ...... When did you guys get so attached to me? It''s funny,...... I feel like just a few hours ago you were looking at me like I was looking at a bugbear,...... though there''s no comparison as to who was better. ''As promised--'' ''--I will stroke you.'' Both hands open in front of the chest, the head waiter wriggling his fingers. Their faces are scary. ''Hey, do you ...... think those two are going to stroke their own asses? ''No, I''m not! ''Well, the one with the D-cups said ''Itadakimasu''! ''Why does ''Itadakimasu'' mean ''ass'' in your mind? ''Asses are for loving, but asses are for eating, aren''t they? ''No? That''s not it!There''s probably no one in this world who can relate to that question! I don''t care if you use ass or butt! I don''t care about the difference between ass and ass! Which do you want to pet, the head or the ass? ''''......, The head.'''' I''m so torn! You''ve been silent for an unexpectedly long time, head waiter of another district! I''m sure you''ve been thinking about it for a while.You''re in the opposite position. It''s the position of a healthy boy like me to be troubled by that! ''Come on, let me pet you. ''I thought we had a deal. You promised to let me pet your head or your butt! ''I didn''t say anything about an ass! ''I doubt you promised to let us pet your head, though! ''We... You can''t fondle a man''s body like that until you''re back in your own territory. ''Why did you bother to muddy it up?The head, the head!It''s a part that has no obscene elements at all! ''My knight!I want to be petted too! ''I thought you wanted to be petted! ''I have a feeling that it''s not good for a girl before marriage to be touched by another man! ''Is it okay for you to touch me? ''Yashiro-san. I''ve just received some fresh sea urchin from Masha-san, so I''ll pet it for you. ''''I''m going to get all scratched up!It''s torture to pet me with sea urchin!You''re smiling so nicely it''s scary, Sophie! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Is there no help for weak boys? It''s not like there''s a God or anything. And then... And then... I rolled up my arms and Inez and Deborah put their hands on my head at the same time. Their thin fingers slip into my hair, sending shivers down my spine. ''This ...... is ......! Inez''s eyes widen. Inez widens her eyes and speeds up her hand stroking my hair. I''m sure you''ll agree with me that it''s a great idea to keep your hair intact.I''ve never felt so comfortable with my fingertips. Are you Loretta? What kind of gourmet manga is this? Even gourmet comics don''t go so far as to mention how comfortable your hair feels to the touch! ''It seems to unravel between your fingers like a ...... breeze shaking the flowers and grasses on the plateau. ......'' Deborah has brought up some kind of sommelier metaphor. You''re overreacting. I do take care of my hair so that it doesn''t get damaged. ''Whoa!This sure feels good!My knight''s head is fluffy! ''This warmth is similar to the buttocks of a horse pulling a cart for the ...... peddlers'' guild. Don''t compare a person''s head to a horse''s ass, Sophie. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''You''re ...... hairy, aren''t you?''Shut up! ''You''re annoying. You''re really annoying. For some reason, the perverted white-coated bloomers that are mixed in with the white group are eliminated with the feet. ''Oh, kicking feet, isn''t that awful? But that''s enough for me to deal with you. ''Come on, that''s enough. ''No, a little more.'' ''Again.'' As soon as he got rid of the rabbit sisters clinging to his head, the head waiter clung to him again. Fluffy Momo no longer feels like she''s being stroked, but rather her hair is being ruffled. ''Ah, ano!May I join you? This is a very familiar voice coming from the other side of the head waiter. ...... What are you talking about too, Jeannette? I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m not sure what to do.You own it, my head? ''At ......, Magda will be on board.'' ''I''m riding this wave! And then, as if it were a matter of course, Magda and Loretta appeared from behind Jeannette and surrounded me. ''Haha ......, it''s soft.'' ''...... smooth''. ''Big brother, do you take any care of it?I''d like to know the secret to this shiny hair.'' I''m not sure why I''ve been crouched down since Rebecca, but I''ve been crouched down to make it easier to pet her. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... d*mn, but why is Loretta in front of me? I''m not sure what to do.She''s a C-cup, but she doesn''t look like much! ''I''m a C cup, but I don''t sway much. ...... Isn''t the bra too tight? I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what you''re looking at. I''m not sure what to do. You held it out in front of me like it was an all-you-can-eat deal. ''No such flirting!Magda, please move over there! And so, with no one in front of me, I was forced to form a silly triangle and pat my head. ...... What is this? Torture? ''So do we''. ''One more pat''. ''One more stroke for me, too! ''Then I''ll go with you, Rebekah. The head waiter followed by the rabbit sisters reached for my head again. Then they circled around me and stroked my hair. Am I a guinea pig in the petting-animal corner? You''re too easy on them, guys! I mean, you''re getting a little too aggressive because of the crowd! Don''t compete with each other on the number of strokes! Don''t worry about good positioning! Don''t start a scalp war! Oh, God! ''Don''t stroke it too much!What if I go bald? Your hair is your longest friend! Take care of your hair follicles! I got rid of the women and children who were crowding around me for fun. I went to ...... and found Demilly standing there. ''Yashiro, welcome!You''re welcome! ''I have no intention of intruding on your world!I do have hair roots, though! ''Come here, and I''ll introduce you to some good medicine. ''Your recommendation has no effect! Why don''t you wait until you grow out at least one new hair before you say that. Why do you look so happy when you come out to the players'' cheering section? Go back to your seats. What if they think you''re one of them? ''Totally ......''. Worrying about the damage to his hair follicles, he stretched his back to dissipate the lactic acid that had built up while he had been squatting. And then, a very carefree voice came from the other side. ''Ah~!Let me pet you too! Masha is waving her arms in the air, appealing to me from a distance. However, Masha is in the tarai, so you can''t get close to her. Okay, let''s go through it! ''Magda-chan! ''......, I''ll go get some. ''Magda, I can see you''re being kind, but you''re treating me like crap!''I''ll go get her'' is the correct answer! Magda does the kindness that doesn''t need to be done and brings Masha before me. Masha uses her tail fin dexterously to raise herself up. ''Come on, Yashiro-kun. Let''s play nice. He asks me to crouch down a little, and Masha extends her hands to me. The palms of her hands, which are covered with small rivulets, stroke my hair. ''Yes, all back*''. My hair, touched by her water-soaked hands, was set as if it had been waxed or something. The people around me are peeking at my face as if they are curious. ''...... In Magda''s opinion, it''s more intelligent to let your bangs hang down about three strands. ''No, no, it''s more youthful and suits you if you let your bangs hang down a little more on the left side. ''Speaking from the standpoint of the head waiter of a traditional 29th district lord''s family, I think it would suit your appearance if you had a little more play on the sides. ''No, wait, Ines. If you want to make the ends of the hair a little more careless ......, please add more water, guild leader of the sea fishing guild. ''Don''t play with people''s hair, Magda, Loretta, Ines, Deborah! ''Changing the hairstyle changes the atmosphere, doesn''t it? ''Yes, sister. My knight is cooler with a crisp hairstyle like this.'' ''Whether it''s cool or not, ............ well, let''s put it on hold.'' You can say what you want. This is a position that should be taken by Umaro. ...... ''Yes, yes. That''s enough. Dismissed! I''m going to charge you for any more of this, d*mn it. As if to reset the hair that has been tampered with at will, I brush up the entire hair with both hands and comb it. It''s pretty wet. ...... You put too much water on it. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a towel. Ginette quietly offers you a sports towel. Oh, I longed for this kind of thing for a while. After club activities, when you''re washing your face, one of the junior girls will offer you a towel. The only thing I regret is that this is not a water fountain. ''Sorry. ''No.'' You borrow the towel and wipe your hair. It smelled of the usual detergent, as if it hadn''t been used yet. ''You don''t seem to be sweating much. ''No, that''s a clean towel!You can''t lend Yashiro-san a towel you''ve used yourself. ......'' Eh~, you don''t have to worry about it. I''d rather smell a little sweat. ...... ''Oh, Yashiro-san. You''re being too rough. As I was wiping my hair with the towel I borrowed, he gently took it away. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. ...... You''re treating me like a child again. After walking back and forth between the church and the sunshine pavilion in the heavy rain. Oh, ......, I was naked that time. As I was thinking this, Jeannette stared at my face and quickly rearranged my hair. The bangs were lifted somewhat, and the longer ones were parted to the left and right, with the ends lightly played with. ''............ What?I''m sorry. I''m sorry. He apologized and promptly returned to his original hairstyle. Did you want to play with your hair too? ...... I remember you saying that I should have shorter bangs so that I could see your face better. Unfortunately, I wear my hair this way because it''s my job and I don''t want people to remember my face. It''s less memorable and easier to pass yourself off as someone else with a little disguise. Oh,......, the back of my neck is itching! ''Hey, I''m going to help set up for the next competition. I''m going to help you get ready for the next competition.'' I quickly move to the track, judging that my position is not safe. If our positions were reversed, we would definitely be surrounded by the boob patrol. ...... d*mn, that''s unfair. It''s not fair,......, and it''s not a good idea to hold it in. I stopped in the middle of the road, looked back towards my own team and said to my teammates with a big smile on my face. ''If you do well in the next competition, I''m going to give you a good pat on the back. You can count on it, right? It''s just in time for ''''''''! A few of them said no, and the others quickly disappeared from my sight. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ......?You don''t like it when it happens to you, do you? This will stop anyone from playing with me for fun later. If you know you''re going to get hit, you can''t do anything badly. But in my case, it''s ''if I get hit, I''ll double down''. I''ll give you a ...... haircut that will make Ines look like a loli girl magical girl. ............ d*mn. After the cleanup of the ball jar, the preparations for the next event, the bread eating contest, were about to begin in the track. As this was the main event of the festival, a lot of effort was put into this event. Estella is standing in the middle of the track, giving instructions to the waiters. The members of the Vendor''s Guild are bringing in large crates one after another, and the carpenters of Torbek, led by Umaro, are constructing a solid wooden frame in the center of the track. Two courses were set up in the center of the track, and the starting positions were divided into left and right. One course starts on the red side and finishes on the blue side, and the other course starts on the blue side and finishes on the red side. The goal is set on both sides of the course in order to show the surprise on the faces of the participants when they taste the bread and the excitement after eating it. The goal was set at two places, one on the left and the other on the right, in order to show the surprise on the faces of the participants when they ate the bread and the excitement after eating it. Since we need to show the taste of the bread, we are planning to have as many participants as possible. The course is 80 meters long and straight. Kids and old people will start at different positions and the distance will be adjusted from 30 to 50 meters. Between the two courses, there is a large pile of crates brought in by the merchants of the peddlers'' guild. The person who sets the bread in the crates waits in front of these crates. They set up course B while the race is being held on course A, and set up course A during the race on course B. The players are classified according to their heights, and the heights of the players participating in the same race are adjusted to be roughly similar. It is impossible in terms of time to adjust the length of the rope according to the height of each athlete, as I did when I let my sisters try it out. Therefore, we decided to hang the bread from ropes of slightly different heights. If the ropes are too high, it is difficult to get them, and if they are too low, it is difficult to get them. At the start of the race, the competitors are asked to run toward the bread of their choice. The rule is that they can take any bread. There is a lot of freedom. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful about the length of the rope and the selection of the bread to hang. The "bread-eating contest" is a new kind of bread promotion. The result should be a great deal of fun, smiles on everyone''s faces, and great satisfaction. Not even the slightest complaint should be tolerated. The length of the rope or the type of bread must not cause even a single complaint, so very delicate management is required. So, I had no choice but to take a position in the middle of the course, since I was the initiator. I took the position in the middle of the course and was in charge of directing the adjustment of the pans and ropes. In the middle of the two courses, right next to the crates where the pans were hung, and in between. The best seat in the house to enjoy the event from right next to it, or sometimes diagonally in front of it, at the closest possible distance! It''s a perk! It''s not an abuse of authority! In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site....... Hmmm. ''Alright, everyone!Hurry up and get ready! (Because the fun never stops!)'''' ''''''Yes!'''''' ''''''I''ll adjust it so that it''s easier to get the kids and the elderly ...... (and it''s no fun at all to watch!)'''''' ''''''That''s very thoughtful of you.'''''' ''''''That''s why we''re going to have a lot of fun with the young people''s race! (Shake your swollen bulge loudly!)'''' ''''''Yes!'''''' Mm-hmm. That''s Natalia. You''ve been well disciplined. They''re growing up to be good waiters. Very obedient. "Master Yashiro. As I was singing her praises in my heart, the one who did it appeared. Beautiful white legs. A supple waist. Boobs that pushed up her gym uniform in just the right way. ''Hey, Natalia. ''Please don''t judge a person by their neck ......, Yashiro-sama can judge a person by their breasts. I''m sorry, I underestimated your level of perversion. What is the degree of perversion? Anyone can identify an individual by their tits. You know? ''So, where do you want me to pinch you with my thighs?Anywhere but the cheeks, please.'' ''Do you mind if I pay? ''No, thank you! ''I''m sorry. Once again, I underestimated your level of perversion.'' She gave me a thumbs-up between the eyes. An unusually decent response for Natalia. ...... Oh, I see. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m usually alone with Estella. I guess it''s okay to joke around in front of Estella. ...... No, you should behave yourself in front of Estella (the master), head waiter. I''ll support you in the bread-eating contest because it is a promise to the church. ''I don''t need your support!So you can join the race!If you want, you can participate three times! Natalia''s tits would never allow her to not participate. Yeah, I won''t accept that! ''...... will send someone else when I''m in. ''Why not Estella? She doesn''t shake. Yeah. I like her. ''She''s in charge, she''s rather handy, and she''s got a decent head on her shoulders. ''Well, he doesn''t shake.'' Whoa, Valetera. Still, I like you for participating with all your might. ''Isn''t Yashiro-sama going to join us? ''Because I''m not surprised or impressed when I eat bread. I''d rather have no one who doesn''t react well. If there''s even one person who''s cold, the excitement will instantly drop. It''s better if everyone is excited. However, I don''t want to act like I''m excited. ''I don''t want to leave my prime seat for even a second! ''Do you have a style of hiding your true feelings? If she already knows, there''s no need to hide it. But Natalia is still on our side. You''re the best waiter I''ve ever had, yes. ''By the way, what''s wrong with your head ......? ''Your head?Is there something wrong with ...... it?'' ''My hair is bouncing ...... around, excuse me.'' He decided it would be faster to fix it than to explain, and after a quick bow, his arm immediately reached out and touched my hair. He pinches a little and pulls. It was like fixing a sleeping habit. ''Do you do this a lot with Estella?'' ''Almost every day. I''m a bad sleeper, so I have a habit of asking myself, ''How did this happen? How did that happen? ''You guys get along well, don''t you? ''Yes. You''re closer than family. Natalia had been by Estella''s side since she was a child and had taken care of her every step of the way. She was her sister, her mother, and her most trusted friend. ''Although sometimes I huff and puff when I misdirect my affection. ...... And she''s also the closest person to danger, isn''t she? ''Yes. I''m fine now.'' After saying that, he stares at my head for two seconds and ...... nudges it. ''Hey.'' ''No, I just thought it was okay. What do you mean, ''What''s wrong? What? You saw me being stroked, didn''t you? d*mn. What''s the fun in petting a man''s head? All right. I''ll pat your ass for patting my head.'' ''Guilty as charged, if you don''t mind.'' ''d*mn, it''s not the money anymore! I can''t take the blame. Well, I''ll give up. After that, with Natalia''s precise instructions and my intervention, the preparations proceeded without a hitch. ''Oh, by the way, Half-Life Tits said she had something to say to Yashiro-sama. ''Eh, Norma? ''Who''s a half-breed boob?And how can you tell? Norma was standing behind me and Natalia. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Natalia had timed the conversation perfectly. Is it just me, or does "half alive" sound softer than "raw"? I think "semi-raw" boobs are more ''plump'' than "raw" boobs. But the ''raw tits'' are more erotic! ''What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? ''It''s okay, Norma. It''s just the usual seizure. ''......It''s not okay at all when that''s your daily routine. ......'' The dumbfounded Norma puts her hands on her hips and sighs. Her soft tits ripple slightly at such a small movement. ''Thank you. You''ve been rewarded well. ''I didn''t!And that''s not what I came here to talk about! Holding her breasts in her arms, she holds out a cloth bag to me. I''m not going to take it out of my cleavage because I''m wearing gym clothes today. It''s a ...... shame. ''Just Norma, you could have worn your regular clothes and bloomers. ......'' ''No, thank you! I''m sorry you don''t understand. The cleavage rate is almost zero today,......, and that''s the biggest drawback of field day. And when you open the cloth bag and look inside... What''s this hardware? ''That''s an L-shaped hook to hold the bread in place! Suddenly Norma''s switch was turned on. ''It''s just a hook, right?They''re dangerous for children. If they get it in their mouths or in their eyes, they could get hurt. ''No, if you suck on the bottom of the pan, you won''t swallow the metal, will you?It''s not a fish hook. ''That''s naive!The children of the beast tribe sometimes show physical abilities that exceed the imagination of adults! Well, that''s true, but ...... If you''re such an overly energetic kid, you''d think you''d be fine with the hardware in your mouth. ''And then there''s this L-shaped hook. It''s an L-shaped hook, but the tip is slightly lowered, so it won''t get caught when you close it if you happen to put it in your mouth. ''Then the bread won''t fall out from the vibration. ......'' ''Don''t worry about it!The base of the L-shape is slightly turned upward, so it holds the bread in place. The base of the L-shape was pointed upward at a sharp angle, and then gently turned downward. It looks like a very flat ''he''. ''In addition, the metal part of the hook is coated with a thin film. It''s the mucous membrane of a hexenbiest''s stomach, and it''s a powerful disinfectant. So you don''t have to worry about food poisoning! No, well, I''m worried about food poisoning, but since it''s going to be hung outside ...... in the middle of a dusty field, you can''t be too careful with just the hardware. ...... In addition, this coating will prevent the taste of metal from transferring to the bread!If the smell and taste of the metal is transferred, won''t it ruin the flavor of the bread?You want your bread to be perfect, don''t you?Don''t you think so? Norma ...... is hot. It''s so hot. It''s coming in really fast. ''I mean, when did you make this? ''I just thought of it last night before I went to bed. And when I tried it, it didn''t work. ''...... or go to bed, you''. You couldn''t help but do it when you thought of it. Really, really, someone should take care of Norma''s personal life! If she gets too absorbed in her work, she''ll lose her marriage! You''re a beauty instructor, you should pay more attention to your own skin! ''Okay. I''ll use it, thank you. ''As expected of Yashiro!I''ll tell the waiter to change it for you. Norma snatches the cloth bag she gave me and runs happily to the waiter. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... I wonder if that''s enough to make her happy. It''s a beautiful thing to be a woman who takes pride in her work and her way of life and lives it with dignity. Natalia says something positive while looking at Norma''s back. Well, that''s true, but... ''The Medora guild leader of the hunting guild, Bertha, who continued to support the koji factory, and Mahr, who continued to watch over the 29th district from the shadows: ......'' ''...... why are all the unmarried oba...... ladies? ''It''s probably just a coincidence. I''m sure it was on purpose! ...... Well, I''m sure Norma will find a good match someday. I''m sure. .................. I''m sure. ''Master Yashiro. Here''s your handkerchief.'' ''Thank you .......'' I gently wiped away the beautiful drops that had somehow appeared at the corners of my eyes. Norma. Good luck. After getting over my grief, the bread-eating contest is about to begin! 385-Additive-free Episode 40 Bread-eating Competition ... The audience is excited. '''''''' Cute! '''''''' The audience and other adults are being torn to pieces by the sight of young children jumping up and down on the hanging bread. I''m not sure what to say......................... yawarakawaii! ''Oh, come on!Don''t open your mouth!You''ll fall out! Surprised by the softness of the new bread, the church kid opens his mouth to suck on the bread. His goat-like ears are twitching as he enjoys the smell and taste of the new bread. ''Eat it after the finish line. There''s another race coming up.'' ''Yes! The goat girl waves at me and runs off. I looked towards the finish line, where a bunch of kids who had already gotten their bread and finished the race were crowding around and having a great time. ''I could eat bread like this every day! ''Is this bread?Is it the same food as that hard stuff? ''It''s delicious! ''Yummy!I love strawberry jam! ''No thanks!It''s anko, anko!This is so good! ''Melon popping! They forgot all about the ranking and were making a lot of noise. Seeing the reaction of these kids, adults who have never eaten bread before swallowed their saliva. ''Is it really that good? And. ''Well, the bread we''ve had so far hasn''t been very popular with children, has it? ''Well, not with that blunt bread .......'' ''Because it''s a staple food. It''s on the dinner table. Because my parents told me to. I''m sure it was just something they had to eat for those reasons. ''Those kids look so happy when they eat it.'' ''Yes. And since they''re asking for more, and taking the initiative to eat, I''m sure their expectations are growing. I exchange ideas with Natalia as I fix the bread for the next race on the bracket. There are two courses, one at the start and the other at the finish line, so the kids at the finish line are eating bread next to the adults who are waiting for their turn. This must be unbearable. ''I''m ready to run! ''Oh, it looks like Hammaro is running. ''Looks like it. '' says Natalia, nodding her head. ''What''s the matter? ''Apparently, you couldn''t hear me at this distance. Then I, Natalia Owen, will presumptuously take your place. Komon ...... ''...... Hammaro? ''No, I''m not asking. I''m not the one who has to do it every time. What are you looking at me like, ''I''ve got it all under control''? ''My knight!Which bread do you recommend? Rebekah''s voice comes from the starting point. She''s waving her hands in the air, appealing for more. What do you mean, "recommend"? ...... ''They''re all delicious! ''I''m asking you which is the best! I''m asking you which is the best!'' It''s impossible to be the best. We all have our preferences. ''Which do you like best, fruit, cookies, pudding, or Imagawa-yaki? ''Pudding, of course! ''Then go for the cream buns. They''re both custard. You can''t go too far wrong. Incidentally, I was going to recommend ''fruit a?? jam buns'', ''cookies a?? melon buns'', and ''Imagawa-yaki a?? anpan''. I think they will not be too far off. ''When did you have pudding, Rebecca? ''This morning. Jeannette made her eat it.'' ''I see. In addition to recruiting her army.'' ''Well, something like that. ''I could have done without it, but Ginette wouldn''t let me have it,'' he said. ''People feel happy when they are eating good food. When you are happy, you can be kind to others. ''Oniichan! This time Hammaro called me with a wave of his hands. ''I like cake! No, I didn''t ask you. I mean, it wasn''t even an option. I didn''t prepare any bread with whipped cream. ''You should eat melonpan. ''Yeah!............ Hammaro? ''Did you hear me, just now? Even so, the timing is too late. ''Yashiro-sama seems to be a bread sommelier. ''It''s not like that. ...... I just want Hammaro, who is the fastest, to lose time with the hardest to get melon bread. In comparison to anpan and jam buns, melon buns have a hard surface and the cookie dough peels off easily. This makes it difficult to bite into. This is because the bread is less flexible than that of anpan. But I don''t think that such a handicap will be enough to hold Hammaro back. In any case, her younger siblings are too out of the ordinary. The eldest daughter is normal. ''The eldest daughter is normal! ''What, all of a sudden?Don''t say ''normal''! I didn''t say ''where''s the eldest daughter'', but she reacted firmly, so she must have a lot of self-awareness. That''s what makes her Loretta. As she was doing this, the waiter raised his arms high in the air. The race is about to begin. ''Get into position, y''all! --Boom! At the sound of the bell, the little kid starts running. ''Hammaro ta-aaaan! At the same time, Lucia begins to run wild. ''I''m going to use my power...'' ''Dofufu! And at the same time, Gilberta drives a chop into Lucia''s midsection. ...... Don''t get out of control, guys. I''m not going to be able to do that.I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... It''s the Drunken Fist of the Pan World! I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it.I''m sure you''ve seen the movie.I''m not sure if it''s real or not. I''m not sure. I''m sure it''s not the only one. Hammarotan!I''m on my way to help you! ''Against the rules, that is. I wish, I wish Lady Lucia would behave herself. ''Why?I''ll aim at the fluttering melonpan from the other side, and the two of us will face each other and drive it into the ground!That way, the pan will have nowhere to run and we can catch it! ''There will be a catastrophe, if we both fail to catch it. ''What do you mean, catastrophe?What will happen? ''I want you to imagine. The two of you face the bread at the same time, and if the bread escapes, ...... you will collide, mouth to mouth. ''I think it''s a disaster, I think it''s a disaster. I think it''s a disaster.I''m so embarrassed! Lucia writhes, covering her face with her hands. ''Really? He was aware of it? ''No... It seems that ''embarrassing'' doesn''t refer to exposing your own s*xuality or lasciviousness. ''What, is there anything more embarrassing than that? ''The point of shame is different for each person. For example, in my case, I am not embarrassed to be completely naked, but I feel embarrassed to be completely naked with only socks. ''I also feel embarrassed when I''m completely naked, as a head waiter!As a girl! What is it?Is today a contest to expose one''s lasciviousness and s*xuality? ''Aww!That''s right! As the kids struggle to catch the fleeing bread, Rebeka is the first to catch it. You''d think she''d be the first one to put up her bunny ears and head straight for the goal. ...... ''Yum!My yeast is good! ''Just hurry up and finish!There are points at stake! He urges Rebeka to hurry to the goal. If you don''t hurry, you''ll never beat Hammaro in a pure running match! Just when I thought I''d get to the finish line quickly while I was still struggling ......... I''m not sure what to say.Nice catch! Hammaro took a bite of the melon bread. That''s not good!Rebekah, hurry up! ''Yum!My taste buds and texture have been civilized! Hammaro, who looked extremely impressed, began to devour the melonpan on the spot. ...... Ah, yes. I''m not sure what to make of it. In the end, Hammaro and Rebeka, who were so engrossed in the deliciousness of the bread, were easily overtaken by the other kids and finished in the bottom and booby. I guess it''s better that they weren''t in last place. ''My knight!I''m willing to play at least one more time! ''One entry per person! ''Another round! ''Not now! When the bread-eating contest is over, the leftover bread is distributed. I''ve prepared enough for everyone here, but it looks like ...... is not enough. ''Oka-wari-ja!I''m sorry. It''s not that Rebekah is extreme, but the other kids are getting nervous in anticipation of another round. It seems that information leaked out from somewhere that ''bread will be served to the participants''. ...... Well, I can imagine where the leak is coming from. There''s a sister there humming ''bread, bread, all you can eat'' all the time. It''s not all-you-can-eat. We''ve baked a huge amount, but there''s a limit to how many we can have. ''All you can eat, have fun! Hmmm ......, we might have to do something about this. Rather than thinking ''I want to eat again'', I feel disappointed ''It''s not all-you-can-eat? I''ll be disappointed first. That''s not good. However, I can''t add bread to it. ...... Hmm~............ ''Yashiro-sama. I''m sorry to bother you with this, but I''m trying to figure out what bread looks the most like boobs. ''I''m not worried about it! ''In terms of shape, melon pan is ...... but if it''s that crumbly, it''s not s*xy and ............ annoying.'' You said you were not worried about it. ''I think it''s a cream bun in taste! ''You''re going to tell me what you want! ''Although I agree with your creamy point a lot! ''Now that the children''s section is over, the next section is the one you''ve been waiting for, the elderly section. ''...... I''m not waiting for you. ''But it will probably shake, right?But it will probably shake. ''Sound!That onomatopoeia doesn''t excite me at all!I prefer ''plump'' or ''plop''! And so, the senior citizen''s section began, with no expectations at all. I enjoyed the race with a mixture of old people who usually only sit in the sun, and old people who are still working hard even in their old age. As I expected, it took a long time to catch the bread, and there were a lot of unexpected big winners, and Jeannette was very excited. He knows a lot of old people, you know. And an old lady I know also participated in the game. ...... ''Well!It''s like a different food. Hey, Zelma. ''Mm......, well, yeah.'' ''Oh?What''s the matter, you''re turning away.'' ''Mmm......, you have cream on your mouth.'' ''Yeah. Where is it? ''Right there. Here, at the edge of your mouth. ...... Yeah, backwards.'' ''I don''t know. Get it, Zelmar.'' ''Gofoo!Go-go-go-go-go!Don''t be silly! You''re in too much of a hurry, Zelmar. And stop flirting. I don''t want to see that. ''It seems to be popular with the elderly.'' ''Looks like it. After a few races, all the old men and old women are showing their happy faces. ''I can''t eat this crap!Eat rice! It seems that there are no such old people in this city. Bread has always been the staple food in this world. I thought that people might prefer the familiar hardness of bread and avoid soft bread with little crunch, but it seems that my fears were unfounded. I am relieved that the new bread will be accepted by people of all ages. The bread-eating contest uses only sweet breads, but I am sure that round breads and breads that are soft and have the taste and aroma of wheat will also be accepted. ''Yo!Son of a sunny day! ''That''s quite a piece of bread you''ve got there, isn''t it? An angry Frodo and a hunched Bobba arrive, bread in their hands. Frodo is eating anpan and Bobba is eating jam buns. ''This was Onya''s idea too, wasn''t it? ''The inventor is a top secret. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!You can''t hide it in this 42nd district. ''That''s right. There''s always an onsha involved in these things. After saying whatever they wanted, Bobba and the others joined up with Zelmar. There they are again, the old folks. ''Well, didn''t Orkio join us? ''Orkio is supposed to join us for a special session later. Orkio is a former member of the Jibaba Five, ...... an old man who moved in with his beloved wife Sirach after living apart from her for a long time, though they''re probably still close. Today, he and his wife are watching the field day together in the honorable seats. ''I thought I''d give some to the people watching. ''You mean this bread? ''That''s great!They''re going to be stunned! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!That''ll be a sight to behold~'' The old men are laughing. Next to them, Natalia said, ''Just hurry up and wipe Old Mum''s mouth. Don''t leave anything to chance, you lousy old man. Old Mum also looks a bit grumpy. No, it''s the usual smile, but ...... you can''t notice these subtle changes in mood, can you, Zelmar? ''Old lady, would you like me to wipe your mouth for you? ''Oh, you''re Yashiro?I''m sorry.'' ''What is it, mmm. Put cream on it like a child?I''ll wipe it off for you.'' ''No, no, I''ll wipe it off myself. ''Hey, wait up, guys!I said I''ll wipe it first!I''ll wipe! ''''''Here you go.'''''' ''''''You guys? Zelmar''s shoulders twitched as he was played by me and the old guys. ''''Hm!Here, wipe this off.'''' ''Yes, yes. Thank you, Zelmar. Grandma Mum''s voice changed slightly. She sounded a little disappointed. Well, don''t make me have to take care of you, old man. You''re not ready for care yet. ''Ugh, you old man. ...... I told you I''d wipe it. ......'' ''You''re not very manly, are you, Zelmar? ''Aren''t you disappointed? ''Oh, shut up!...... Mmm, don''t move.'' ''Yes, yes.'' With a brusque face, Zelmar presses a hand towel to Old Mum''s mouth. She turns away, but gently wipes her mouth so as not to hurt it. ''10Rb for "I''ll wipe my face with that hand towel when I get home"''. ''Well, I''ll give you 50Rb to ''smell it''! ''I''ll get 8Rb for ''decorating the altar''. ''Don''t be so selfish, you! ''May I join you, sir? Natalia joins in on the Zelmar tussling. Oh, oh, join in. As much as you want. ''Well... I''ll take a bath in the water you''ve been boiling that hand towel in. ''Wow ...... Zelmal, that''s not happening.'' ''Onsha......, what about that?'' ''I think we''ve reached the end of the line...'' ''I didn''t do it!Don''t look at me like I''m crazy! Even if you didn''t do it, they''d still think ''he''d do it'', you know. It''s a fair assessment of you as a puffed-up mess. Take it as it comes. ''Zelmar. ''What the hell, Mum? ''That washcloth. I''ll wash it and return it. ''You shouldn''t believe this nonsense either. Grandma Mum''s laundry skills are top-notch. I''m sure it''ll come back good as new. Good for you, Zelmar?What?You''re disappointed?What? Why?Smirk. ''The atmosphere here is unpleasant!I''m going back to the blue team! I''m going back to the blue team!'' Zelmar shuffles his feet back to the blue team''s cheering section. Oh~ oh~ he''s so shy. It''s not cute at all, even for an old man to be shy. ''Well, me too. ''I think I''ll go home. ''See you later, Yashiro. Frodo and the others followed Zelmar back to the cheering section. Meanwhile, on the course, Bertha was struggling with the shaking melonpan. ''Oh, well, it''s not going to work, is it? She opened her mouth and tried to bite into the bread. However, the bread hit his face and ran away in the direction of the day after tomorrow. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, no. I can''t.'' ''I''ll help you! ''That''s illegal, old man.'' I seize the old man as he tries to run away. ''Then shouldn''t I give you some advice?You may be my enemy, but you''re also a member of my team. I''m not sure I''m still considered an enemy,....... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''The strategy is ......''. ''There must be something!Please help!I ...... don''t want any other man to see that beautiful kissing face of Master Bertha any more. I don''t know what''s wrong with me. I''m sick to my stomach. I want to tell her that no one is watching. ''Now, the strategy! ''Maybe if you smash your face into the melonpan, they''ll stick together?See, both surfaces are rough, and you can peel them off like Velcro. You can peel it off afterwards. ''Seriously tape? The old butler raises his eyebrows quizzically. Well, I don''t know, do I? ''In short, it means that the wrinkles on your face get caught in the unevenness of the melonpan and can''t be removed. ''There are no wrinkles on Master Bertha''s face! ''No, of course there are!You''re all wrinkled up! ''Those are dimples! ''You can''t have dimples on your forehead or in the corners of your eyes! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. It''s like he''s going to be at the top of the love blindness ranking. He''s going to overtake Philman and Percy. I''ve got it!I got it!Yay! ''Yes! Seeing Bertha''s gutsy pose with the melon bread in her mouth, the old steward collapsed, clutching his heart. Is it a ...... seizure?I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea.I''m really scared. ''Yashiro''. As Estella''s waiter carried the fallen old man to the cheering section, Estella came up to us. ''It''s a special slot for the "bread-eating contest". She shrugged her shoulders with a slightly annoyed look on her face. You''ve taken on something troublesome, haven''t you? ''Can''t we put it in before the youth section later on? ''You want to change the order? ''Yeah. Well, I guess so. Originally, the ''Youth Section - Purun-Purun Carnival'' was scheduled to take place after this, and the Special Session was to follow. If you want it to be moved up, please contact ...... ''Did someone start rioting in the noble seats?'' ''Yeah. ...... The children''s reaction was too effective, I''m sure.'' Some of the kids were so excited to eat the bread that they wanted to eat it too. He was calling out to a couple of noblemen to join him, so he''s probably one of them. ...... ''It''s all right, isn''t it? It seems that Estella does not want to suppress the selfishness of the nobles every time. She is willing to compromise where she can. The ward''s field day, especially the bread-eating contest that serves as the unveiling, should be as fun and happy as possible without being rough. It''s also my idea, and it''s surprisingly hard to wait for the aristocracy. ...... This is why the aristocracy. ''The course for the special slot will be 50 meters, which might be just right. The youth section - Pointe du Fertival - is 80 meters. If we do the special section first, which is the same distance as the current old people''s section, we don''t have to change the start and finish positions, huh? ''Okay. Then let''s shut up those nagging people quickly. ''Thanks a lot. There''s just too many of them. There''s Gerasie, Mahr, Donnis from District 24, Iver Hagen from District 23, and Sirach. I guess it''s too hard to shut them all up. It would probably be easier to silence Lucia and Tracy. ...... though Bertina might be upset. She''ll be put off. Well, she''s in the special category, so we can handle it. Or rather, go do something about it, Estella. ''Okay, Estella. Go tell that to the players.'' ''Okay. Take care of the preparations over here. Win or lose doesn''t matter in the Special Bracket Race. So I''ll set the bread at a height that''s easy to get. This is just a part of the publicity campaign for the new bread that will be released. If I''m lucky, I''ll get a sponsor for the next event and pull in some funds. ''Well, then. I''d like to invite the guests of honor to join us here. The waiter stood in the middle of the track and announced that the special quota had been moved up. Estella is explaining to the waiting competitors. Oh, I knew Bertina and Delia weren''t happy. Well, just wait and see. We can eat as much as we want later. ...... If they eat as much as they want, it will be gone in a flash. As the waiter led the way, the participants gathered from the dignitary''s and spectator''s seats. Familiar faces lined up in a row. Among them, there was a pair of sisters. ''Hey, Hideo. We''ve been summoned. Barbara and Teresa. Estella is probably using them as a trump card to persuade Bertina and the others right now. I''m sure Bertina and Delia will tolerate ''......'' as long as Teresa is available. ''Hey, are you sure Aashi and the others are okay here? Teresa will be participating in the special slot, but Barbara will be participating in the "Youth Section - Shaking!Breast Festival''. ''Teresa will be in this one. You''ll be running with her and supporting her.'' ''Oh, I''m on it!I''m going to be the best! ''No, I don''t care what number you are, it doesn''t matter what your score is. ''Teresa. Can you run again?'' ''Yes!Eeyusha!Just watch me run, okay? ''Oh, yeah. I''ll be watching you.'' ''Heh heh~'' With a wave, Teresa heads for the starting position. Barbara, you know you''re just a support, right?Don''t use your hands, okay? Well, I don''t care if there''s a foul play, I''m a special case. ''Well, let''s have the first runner of the special category line up in position. They lined up the special participants who had gathered here and there. For now, I''ve lined up Mael, the sister of the Lord of District 29, who loves strange things, and Donnis, the Lord of District 24, who loves Mael. ''May I have a word with you, Yashippi?I have something to tell you! ''Oh, shut up!I''m not sure what to do. Donnis is upset to be put in line next to Mahr. It''s not ...... that he''s in a hurry to reveal his secret love interest, it''s simply that he''s standing next to the girl he likes and he''s not sure what to do. See, he started playing with the ends of his hair for no reason. Donnis. You may not know this, but the hair you''re messing with is basically bangs. Why are you messing with the barely there strand on top of my head? You''re making the audience nervous. ''If you handle it that roughly, ......''. ''Yo,......, good day.'' ''Yes, it is. I''m looking forward to the new bread that Yashippi came up with.'' So, Mahr. That''s a top secret. What did you think I was doing? You''re a nobleman from another district. ...... Well, you''ll notice. It''s Ma''ul. ''Hey, DD?'' ''Gofoo!...... Keho. ''Hey, what is it?Ma,ma...... Miz Erin?'' ''Hetarey! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. What did you get a single hair for? I''m not sure what you mean. Why don''t you at least call him a name?,...... d*mn, the men of this city. ''How many buns does DD want? ''Wah, I, I guess, hmm~............ what about Ms. Erin?'' ''Me, well... Anpan, maybe.'' ''So, then, ...... the same thing.'' You can''t! There''s only one kind of bread hanging on each side! If we try to get the same bread, we''ll have to fight for it! ''Hmm. Then we''ll have to cover the same bread at the same time. ''Nah!That''s a ............ no-no.'' ''Mmmm, yes. I''m so embarrassed. ''Oh, ......!............, ............, ............, pretty! Oh, my God, my face is so red. I''m writhing in agony. ...... I''m sure you''re not imagining an ''accidental cheek kiss'', are you? ...... Don''t think about it. ''So, I''ll take the bread next to it. ''Then it''s a race. ''Oh, yeah, ...... that''s right.'' He had a strange glint in his eye. ...... This time, you''re probably thinking, ''The competition is ''Catch me if you can'' or ''Hahaha, wait, wait! ''...... "Wait, wait, wait~" ...... hmmm''. It''s a little too obvious, isn''t it? It''s a bit too obvious, isn''t it, the lord of this city? ''What kind of bread does Teresa want to eat?'' ''I''m ...... fine with anything.'' ''Don''t be shy. Something about it all looks delicious.'' ''Let''s see, ...... then, ...... onee-sha,onna no.'' ''Aaah!Teresa is so cute! Teresa is also the first runner. I don''t think so. I''m not eating Barbara, okay? ''Yes, yes, yes!I''m also the first runner of the special category! And Masha comes in in a trays. Or rather, she''s being carried in. The one holding the tarai is Delia. ''Since Delia and I were separated from our team, we need to confirm our friendship here. ''d*mn it!I still have to wait!It''s good for Masha to be eaten first. Delia, who had heard only rumors of its sweetness and deliciousness, couldn''t wait to eat the bread. She hadn''t been able to eat it during the demonstration, so she was looking forward to the bread-eating contest today. Her eyes are already glued to the bread. Listen. The support is just that, support, so don''t you dare eat any of it. You know that, right, Delia?Barbara? ''Delia, Barbara, you''ll have to wait. ''Ugh~, Yashiro is so mean! ''I know, I know!Aashi is here for Teresa!And if you make Miss Teresa cry, I''ll break you! What? Where are you going? I''m scared. The four runners and two supporters lined up in a line and started running at the signal of the waiter. ''Masha!Get it over with and let me have it! ''Hey! ''Teresa, let''s head for the nearest pan! ''Aye!....... Pai! I can''t fix this, Teresa''s reply. You''re not going to complain to me as soon as you hit puberty, are you? The Barbara sisters, who are running hand in hand with Delia, who is carrying a tray, are ahead, leaving the old man behind. Then, Delia - probably because she wanted to try it herself - changed course toward Anpan. There, she runs into Barbara and the others, who had said they were heading for the nearest one. ''Barbara!I want to eat this Anpan!Get out of my way! ''I''m sorry, Miss!When it comes to my sister, Aashi can''t back down! The two brothers stared at each other. ...... No, they are not brothers and sisters, but... I''m not a teacher or a brother. ''Delia-chan, you''re the one who eats...'' ''Onesha, can I have any bread? She was saying the right thing. The leader of the team is fighting while the players are left alone. That''s why I told them to be supportive. ...... Delia and Barbara stare at each other in front of Ampang. But then a third person appeared. ''Daughters. You''re already there. ...... retreat.'' It''s Donnis, who''s got the aura of a lord emanating from his entire body. You''re more dangerous than you were at the ...... "BU" meeting of the lords. If you had given off that aura at that time, Estella and Lucia might have flinched a little. ''What''s with this old man? ''I don''t know him...'' Wow, those girls are so naive! It''s strange. ...... Delia should have met Donnis at the banquet. ...... I thought she was able to behave properly towards the lord... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. What a pity, Delia... I guess... If you don''t back off,......, I''ll use all the power I have to crush you! You''re scaring me, that one hair! I''m not going to start a war over a battle for ...... anpan, okay? I''m not a fan.If you interfere, I''ll blow you up! ''I don''t need to let Miss Wazhuwa''s hand do it!I''ll beat you up myself! You didn''t say "bother", Barbara. In the event that you''re not aware of it, you can find a lot more information about it on the web. ...... I''m sure Bertina will give you a hard time about it later. I''m sure you''ll agree. ''You guys. Mahr stood in front of them. --With an aura incomparable to Donnis''s. I''m calling it an aura, but I can''t see it.You can''t really see anything supernatural like that, but ...... you can definitely feel it. ............ I mean, it seems like the space is distorted. ...... If anything, it even seems to be colored. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the way you live it. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more.Right? "See? What the hell was that? What was that? What was that? Didn''t it have the destructive power to wipe out a person''s life with a single letter? ''''I''m sorry. ......'''' Delia and Barbara apologized honestly ah! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... Mahr, you''re amazing. I''m glad ...... that the 29th district didn''t become a real enemy. That''s right. It''s going to take a lot of work to go up against a serious Mahr, and the lord who''s facing the brunt of it will probably suffer a lot of damage to his stomach and hair follicles from the stress. ''''Come on, apologize to DD.'''' ''''I''m sorry .......'''' ''''I''ve never seen such a polite Delia, ......'''' Estella is astonished by Mahr''s power. I knew the real thing was amazing. Good for you Estella. If you had become a lord 20 years earlier you might have had to deal with those people. You were born in a good time. You see, the current lords are the idiot Ricardo, the sickly Tracy, and the cowardly Geraci. Lucia is a troublesome lord, but she''s even more of a disappointment, so it''s a zero-sum game. The quality of lords has gone downhill in the last few decades! ''Also, me. I want some Anpan. ''''Yes. Here you go.'''' I gave it away! Delia and Barbara have given way to an old lady! ''''Dede, dede, dede, Delia gave up her sweet, and Barbara broke her sister''s case!What is this, a dream?Magic?A harbinger of natural disaster! No, it''s the current lord''s supremacy. If you train, you can do the same thing. ...... The chances of this happening are close to zero, but it''s not impossible. I''m not sure what to do. ''''Yes, yesa?? Delia-chan, let''s go to the course over there~'''' ''''Gus......!Yeah, ......! You''re crying a bit, those two! I want to comfort them, something! ''''Well, after you.'''' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''If you think about it, this is the opposite of sportsmanship, isn''t it? ''Then you go complain to Ma''ru.'' ''No, I''m scared! I''m a little worried about the future of the forty-two districts with this kind of lord,....... Mael opened his mouth elegantly and made a small jump at Anpan. But miss. Anpan, poof! ''Oh, that''s pretty hard. Go!Yeah! ''.................. plicey'' An old man watching an old woman jump. You gotta dance, right?What a sight. ''Teresa. Go to the farthest course. The melon bread is crispy, fluffy and delicious.'' ''Crispy?Fluffy?'' Teresa''s face lights up at the two onomatopoeic sounds, which seem contradictory for a moment. I want to check it out. Her face is filled with such curiosity. ''Onesha!Over there! ''Oh ...... Oh, yes, yes!Let''s go, Teresa! ''Yes!'' Theresa pulls Barbara''s hand and starts running. She''s not afraid of running, and she runs without hesitation. ''Delia-chan!I want some bread too!Let''s go for the bread over there! Masha, a good woman who can read the atmosphere. Avoiding Mahr, who jumps at Anpan, and Donnis, who watches her, she tells him to head for the remaining loaf. ''Masha. The contents of that bread are the custard used in cream puffs, so it''s ...... bad, okay?'' ''Hahaa?? That''s very promising. Masha''s tail fin bounces around in Delia''s trays. I know you''re excited, but don''t let Delia get soaked, okay? ''...... No, wait. Wet gym clothes are also .......'' ''Natalia. Bring me a cloth to blindfold me.'' ''Then we''ll get Miss Tracy''s sarashi: ......'' ''No, you can''t do that!It''ll make Yashiro go crazy! While he was doing this, Masha dexterously caught it! Then Teresa also got a shaking melon pan. ...... Well, I made it easier for Teresa to get it beforehand. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Oh, it''s so soft...'' Ma''ul also caught the Anpan with his mouth and looked impressed by its softness. I also made the rope longer and made it a little harder to shake, to reduce the difficulty. ''Well then, DD, after you. ''What?Oh no, I''m too late! Donnis, who was completely smitten with Mael, hurriedly took a bite of the jam bun. Miss! Snap! Hey, Donnis!Don''t bend over!The sunlight is reflecting off of you! ''If you don''t hurry up, you won''t be able to say, "Wait, wait, wait."'' ''Nuh-uh! The moment I warned him, he took the bread in his mouth. ...... What''s with the rapid growth? I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m not sure.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''Hmmm ......, wait, wait~'' Muttering in a whisper that Mahr never hears, Donnis runs happily away. Do it on the beach. And do it secretly where there''s no audience. ''...... special slot, that''s going to take up a lot of time.'' ''Yes, it is. Let''s roll it up a bit. So, Demily of the 40th district, Sister Barbara of the 24th district church, Ibert of the 23rd district lord, and Sirach of the 35th district swallowtail butterfly tribe ran as the second runners. After some difficulty, Ibert won the race. It was not a very exciting race. ''Come on, next time, next time! ''Can''t you be a little more interesting, Oba?We did pretty well, didn''t we? ''Don''t worry, Demily. You were the brightest of the bunch. ''Don''t say that while staring at my scalp! Well, yes. If I may make a special note, it''s been a while since I''ve heard ...... Sirach''s ''refill ......''. ...... He won''t get fat again with the new bread, will he?I''m nervous. After that, Siraha''s husband Orkio and Alvaro from the hunting guild headquarters participated in the competition, all of whom were struck by the taste and texture of the new bread. Now the rumor of the new bread will spread beyond the Forty-Two Wards. Spread the word, spread the word. ...... Hmmm. Then came the final race for the special slot. At the last minute, trouble came. ...... Estella came to me in the middle of the race and was smiling strangely, so I was caught off guard. ...... So this is what happened. ''Hmmmmmmmmmm!Let''s play, Obeyashiro! Gellarcy pointed at me and declared war on me. ...... Haha. ...... 386-Additive-free Episode 41 Three of us related to Ya... A special slot for the "Bread Eating Contest". At this publicity event, which was set up in order to let the guests and spectators who came to observe the ward''s field day know the deliciousness of the new bread, the idiot Gerassi happily declared war on us. ...... d*mn it. I wonder what he''s thinking. All right, let''s do it that way. ''Here it is, Mr. Kou.'' ''There''s nothing to be excited about! It''s fine. You won without any trouble. You''ve already won. Just leave. You''re a pain in the ass. ''I don''t accept defeat, Mr. White! A fish-faced man with a strange, high-pitched voice stood in my way, blocking my escape. It''s Gustave, a ravenous fish from the hunting guild. ...... Does this guy have something against me too?I''m not sure what I''m going to do. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''There''s a theory that words contain mysterious magical power!I want you to avoid saying or doing anything sinister! A high-pitched barking voice. Ah, yes, yes. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had this problem. ...... Who do you think it was that made things work out with Rebekah? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ''Rebecca is not a bad person in all things! Rot, your eyes! It''s better to be a knothole! And so, for some reason, I''m surrounded by the League of Anti-Yashiro. The one who set it up was ...... Estella, of course. ''Hey, Estella. ''Since you had announced that you would not participate due to your position of responsibility. I arranged for you to get a special slot that has nothing to do with your score.'' Bullshit! You are definitely enjoying this situation! He must be enjoying my misery! ...... What a guy. ''...... is why I can''t grow up.'' ''It doesn''t matter, does it! ''Shut up!Natalia, shut up! I was about to complain to Estella, but before I could, Gustave interrupted me. ''If I win, you will have to apologize for your past rudeness. ''I can''t think of any rudeness, can you? ''You''ve been so rude without realizing it!Are you the devil or something? It''s an unwarranted accusation. ''When I win against Yashiro-san, I''ll need him to write a formal apology and a pledge that he will not contact Rebeka-san in the future! ''That would mean restricting Rebeka''s actions as well, is it okay to trample on her dignity? ''............ It''s safe as long as it''s touched by Rebeka! ''Then the one just now is also safe, isn''t it? ''Oh my god!I''m not sure what to say. I will, if it''s the right thing to do. ''Anyway!Please play against me!It''s a serious competition between a man and his pride! I don''t want to put my manly pride on the line for a nine-year-old girl. ...... ''And?What are you guys going to do if I win? ''''There''s no need to think about it!I''m not going to lose! You guys are so close, man. You guys seem to be in perfect sync, even though you''ve never met. You''re a little out of tune. ''''Then, if you guys lose, ...... ask me for one favor, okay? ''''.................. gulp.'''' Gustave and Filman froze. Then, almost simultaneously-- ''''No, well, shouldn''t ...... sports be done in a more wholesome way?'''' --That''s it. You guys. ...... ''''Why not, on those terms! Gerrardsy said confidently to the reluctant Filman and Gustave. ''Whoever wins can give one command to whoever loses. If I win, you''ll be the head waiter for a day, Oba! ''Paymaster for a day............, you mean you want me to be an E-cup? ''You don''t have to copy me like that! ''If you''re going to replace Inez, you''re going to need an E-cup! ''You can only think about your tits, can''t you! ''''What?Didn''t you know, Mr. Erin?'' Estella scorned Gerasie with a dumbfounded look on her face. Well, I feel like I''m being scorned along with her, that face. There''s no need to accept this kind of competition. ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I think I''ll give it a shot to get the ball rolling. It''s a great way to relieve some of the anxiety that''s been bothering me. To carry out an extension of this festival. ''If I win, you guys are to split the purchase of the officially released bread in large quantities and offer it to the 42nd district. We''ll hold an all-you-can-eat bread event in the Grand Square!The name of the event is the ''Late Spring Bread Festival''! The word "late blooming" has two meanings: it''s too late to call it a spring bread festival, and it rhymes with "Yamazaki". Yes, great naming sense. ''Hmph!All right. I''ll talk to the baker''s guild in my district and promise to buy a lot! ''I''ll talk to the bakers too. ''I have a baker I know very well, so I''ll ask him. ''''If that''s not enough, you can buy from the bakers'' guild in District 42. ''''''Hahaha, it''s not like we don''t have enough--'''''' ''''We have Bertina, you know. ''''..................'''' ''''Hmm?What''s the matter?Why are you silent?'''' Gustave and Firman, who witnessed Bertina''s appetite in the gluttony contest and the banquet, kept their mouths shut, and only Gerasie, who must have overlooked Bertina''s ferocity during the banquet in District 42, looked relaxed. It''s no good, Gerrardsy. You have to be well informed. ''Hmm. It''s easy enough to satisfy a Sister. Fine, I''ll pay for that one.'''' ''''Thank you very much! Gustave and Firman, thank you with all your might. Even Gustave sees you as a threat, Bertina. Anyway, the spring bread festival is decided now. I''m glad. I think I can manage now. Actually, I baked a lot of bread yesterday, but there was a limit to how much I could bake. I had calculated that there would be enough for about three pieces of bread for each participant, except for a few exceptional people. ...... Three pieces of sweet bread is enough, right?So I thought I could get by with that plus a few more for the exceptional people. ...... Well, I was still a bit naive. The only ones I was wary of were Bertina and Delia,......, but the kids'' eyes are blazing. They''re going to eat it, too. So we''ll hold a bread festival later on (mostly) on the lord''s dime. Let''s do that. It''s great to be bought by others! Me and Estella are all smiles. It''s wonderful to have an event full of smiles! ''Well, I guess I''ll just take a quick win. ...... crafting is easy. I looked at Natalia and she gave me a reliable nod. It looks like she followed my instructions to the letter. Good. ''Take your places, then. The waiter urged us to take our positions. Guerraxi on course one, me on course two. Gustave is on the third course, and Filman is on the fourth course at the front. On the way to the second course, I overheard myself say something to the effect of. ''I think I''ll go for the cream bun that Rebeka ate. The same as Rebeka''s.'' At that moment, Filman''s eyes lit up. ''I''m not going to let ...... you do it. ...... I''m the one who''s supposed to be matching Rebeka! I''m not sure that''s going to work. I quickly passed through Filman and took my position, and now I''m going to give Gustave this information. ''By the way, the cream buns that Masha was so excited about eating earlier are the ones hanging in the third course. I''m sure there are only a few people who know that flavor. ''Masha-san''s highly praised cream buns!And it''s a rare food that''s not yet known to the world. ............ A common understanding between just the two of us. ......... ...The world of just the two of us is truly a dream kingdom. The two of you are playing the magic of love!I''ll take that for sure!I''ll take it for the kingdom of dreams and magic! Gustave was easy to catch. Easier to catch than a black bass. It''s easier to catch than black bass. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... My stomach starts to ache from all the copyright stuff. ............ It''s irrelevant, I have nothing to do with it. It''s just a coincidence. No, really. Well, now the two of them will be squashing each other over cream puffs. ''All right!Let''s go. ''Hey!'' I hear a grumbling voice from the course to my left, opposite Gustave. Gerrardsy, in a crouching start position, was staring at me with his face fully turned towards me. ''What''s that? ''Go ahead and set something up for me!Your usual little trickery!'''' ''......, you feel pleasure in being deceived, you''re beyond a dominant, you''re already sick, aren''t you? ''That''s not what I meant!It''s not about that, it''s about bouncing back from your clever tricks and winning completely!That''s what I''m aiming for! ''So, if I don''t say anything, you won''t achieve your goal and become a loser on your own? ...... Pfft, he''s an idiot.'' ''Shut up!Say something to me too! ...... ''Gellarcy. ''What is it? ''.................. Nothing much to say.'' ''Stop treating me like that!You need to be a little more interested in me! Eh~ ...... There''s nothing I want to know about you at all. ...... Even if you want me to be interested, I''m not. ...... ''What color are Ines'' pants today? ''I don''t know!Ask the man himself! ''By the authority of the lord of the 29th district? ''I''m not going to lend it to you!What kind of authority do you have for such a trivial matter? ''Useless! ''On the contrary, if there''s a lord who can use his authority for such a thing, that''s a bigger problem! I''m not sure if it''s because we''re talking,...... or if it''s because we''re worried about Gerasie,...... but the signal to start is not given. Gerrardsy''s legs began to twitch a little as he waited for the crouch start. Me? I''m squatting like normal. I''m still ''in position''. I signal to Estella, ''Just let me get started,'' and I get ready to start crouching. ''Get into position, okay ......! Finally, the waiter gives the signal, and the bell rings. --Boom! As I run out, I say to Gerasie. ''You''re after Anpan, aren''t you?You''re always following your sister''s footsteps, aren''t you? ''Who''s following you?I''m not after Anpan! Gerasie says, running straight for the melon buns hanging on the first course, the leftmost one. That''s it. That''s the only way. If I don''t go to Anpan on the second course in front of me, I''ll have to go to the third course where Gustave and Filman are having an ugly fight over me. Having fallen out of love, Philman and Gustave are trying to get to the cream buns hanging on the third course, and they''re trying to sabotage each other as they go. Filman''s got a thing for Gustave from the hunting guild. I''ve heard that he''s a very skilled hunter despite his fish face and joking voice. He was even selected as a member of the team that exterminated the Swarm that caused trouble when the gates were set up in District 42. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with your family and friends. ''I will not allow you to run alone, Oba! With a single shout, Gerasie picks up speed. He''s catching up to me with determination and guts. But... ''Too bad you can''t beat me. Gerasie and I jumped at the same time. But right after that, there was a clear difference. Gerasie jumped up, hitting the melonpan on the head of his nose, while I got the anpan. One shot clear! ''Phew ......''. I laugh through my nose and show him the triumphant face of a winner. ''Hoo-rah!Mifufufufu (did you see that?), helahi (gerarcy)! ''Don''t talk with your mouth full of bread!It''s distracting! In the first place, the bread escapes because you hit the front of the bread. The target is the lower side of the bread. It''s a good idea to suck on the bottom side of the loaf so that it rolls around from the other side to the front! The dangling string is vulnerable to back and forth, left and right forces, and can easily sway. This is because the string has little power to repel the force applied to it. Where does it have a repulsive force?It is the wooden frame to which the string is connected. Since the crate exerts its greatest repulsive force against downward forces, the force applied to the bread should naturally be from top to bottom. If possible, the easiest way is to bite the bread from the top side down. ...... To bite the bread hanging above your head from the top, you have to jump about one meter, which is not a trick that a common sense person like me can do. It is not a trick that a common sense person like me can do. Therefore, it is necessary to block the escape route first and then apply force to the sucking. Apply the force from the other side of the bread toward you. This is a pincer movement between the lower and upper jaw. It takes some skill, but once you get used to it, it''s not that hard. And I''ve already mastered that sucking technique when I was in elementary school! I''m not a career man, not like you! But still. No matter how you try to hold it in your mouth, some impact will be felt on the bread. That can''t be helped. It''s unavoidable. It is inevitable that even with my sucking skills, I will have a hard time when I hit a "bad bread". So, the best way to win is to choose the bread that can withstand the most impact. Shock-resistant. In other words, a bread that can repel the kinetic energy of a collision even when it is hung on a string with low resilience. To put it simply without all the tedious formulas, "heavier bread" is preferable. It is even better if the center of gravity is almost at the center, so that it is stable in the air. Among these, Anpan is the heaviest bread with the center of gravity. Jam and cream are light compared with bean jam. Melon buns are the worst. Such empty bread is not suitable for the bread-eating contest. In other words, even disregarding his experience and knowledge, Geraci had no chance of beating me. From the very beginning,......, right from the moment Ma''ru ate Anpan! I''m sure you''ll agree with me.Do you understand? ''Don''t explain while eating!I didn''t understand a single thing! Gerasie''s tone completely broke down. He must be very frustrated. Pfft, little thing. You should be in a stylish glove compartment. I finish the race without a trace of cuteness, leaving behind Gerasie, who is jumping up and down and playing with the melonpan. I take the melonpan out of my mouth and look back to see Filman clinging to Gustave''s waist. He''s losing in power, but he''s holding on with his guts. ''Are you sure?If you jump now, these pants will come off for sure!You''ll be able to see your pants! ''Oh, please stop!You have the eyes of the crowd (...... especially Masha''s eyes)! It''s not ...... gutsy. You think you can be a villain and a heel for love?You''re so refracted, really. I can''t help it. I''ll tell you another good one. ''Filmaan!Gustav!The bread on the course next to you is also cream bread! ''''What? Who said anything about ''that''s one cream bun''? In the past, each course just happened to have a different loaf of bread hanging from it, but there might be a race in the future where all courses have melon bread. This time, I instructed Natalia in advance to hang cream buns on both the third and fourth courses. Huh?Didn''t you notice? No, you can''t assume the truth based on your own assumptions. You can''t trust the truth until you see it with your own eyes. ''''Say it first! Even the normally polite Filman and Gustave lost their tone of voice. I guess it''s all because of love. ''''Love is scary. ''You''re the one who''s scared, Yashiro. ......'' Estella came to me after I won. She''s not going to put a ring of flowers around my neck or kiss me on the cheek. If it were F1, she''d do it. ''In motorsports where I''m from, the winner gets a cheek swipe from a beautiful woman ......''. ''I''m looking forward to it, the Spring Bread Festival'' ...... d*mn it! You interrupted me. ''No matter how you look at it, there''s not enough bread today.'' ''Yes, ......''. He glanced at the players who were about to compete. ''You can see a few ...... beasts.'' ''Wow, I''ll try not to look there so as not to ruin the image. I don''t want to see a beautiful girl drooling and ''gulping''. You''ll need to convince her to wait until the bread festival, which is basically Gerasie''s treat. ...... Estella. ''But I got some good information from watching your race. But I got some good information from watching you race, like how to suck a loaf of bread and what loaf to choose. Estella smiles triumphantly. You don''t have to work so hard to gather information. ...... ''Anpan is a good choice. It''s heavy enough to keep you stable in the air, and even if you accidentally touch it, it won''t shake that much unless you''re too vigorous. ''Huh?You don''t mind? Are you going to tell me about this? ''I told you the bread-eating contest was a publicity stunt.I don''t care if I win or lose. Besides--'' I say to the stunned Estella with a big smile on my face. ''You''re not going to shake no matter how hard you stick with it, so just get going,burberry outlet! The blue ball sunk into my midsection. ............ Why do you still have it, blue ball? It''s over, the ball game. ''I know exactly what you mean. I''m going to win the ...... championship by a landslide. Estella, glowing with the will to fight. ''Well, if you''re looking for a winner, I''d recommend Anpan. ......'' Here comes the devil''s whisper. ''Melonpan is a rather firm dome-shaped bread with a thickness of 6 to 7 centimeters. ...... Put it under your gym uniform and you''ll have an E-cup.'' ''..................''. Plenty of silence ensued for more than twenty seconds. ''...... I don''t think it''s a good idea to play with food. I think it''s not a good idea to play with food. Confess. I''ve been weighing up my chances of winning against a pseudo-E cup experience! ''What the hell is this? A high-pitched voice spat out towards the sky. ''This softness, this gentle sweetness, this mellow fragrance, ...... like ...... like ......... ...Masha. ...... And isn''t it the taste of love! The cream buns were devoured in a matter of minutes, and Gustave screamed in the middle of the course. No, just get to the finish line. Also, I almost accidentally said ''Masha''s taste'', but then I realized, ''That''s a bit strange, isn''t it? I''m sure you realized that and hurriedly rephrased it,......, Masha was shocked. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''ve heard of it. It''s not often you get to hear a voice like that. Ahh, I dug a grave. ''It''s because I usually think about erotic things. ''Don''t do that with you. ''Idiot, I would never make such a careless remark. ......'' Hmm?Wait a minute. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be better for everyone to live more openly to prevent such accidents?No, that must be it! Okay, I''ve made up my mind!I''ll live more openly from now on! ''Hey, Estella. From now on, we''ll call the E-cup girl ''Me-kunpanna-chan'', right? ''Can you please refrain from saying anything that would make Melonpan''s impression significantly worse? My nice suggestion was rejected, and the copyright of the other world was safely protected. Just in case you''re wondering, it''s foreshadowing, ''mepanna-chan''. And it''s ''a??'' instead of ''RO''. Shall I make it black?"Mepanna-chan. What?Foreshadowing, right?Safe, safe. ''By the way, girls with less than an A cup are called "Nanpanman" and ......''. ''I''ll stuff your mouth with blue balls if you say anything stupid. No, they''re flattened like nan ....... No, not at all. I''m not a girl if I''m a nanpanman. We need to reconsider. While we were talking about it, the race was still going on, and Filman was struggling a lot. ''d*mn it!Oh no!...... No, I can''t do it.'' ''What are you talking about, you spoiled brat! Gustave urged, as Filman clutched his knees. ''Where''s the guts you had to come after me?You were a great fighter just now, even for an enemy! ''Mr. Gustave, .......'' ''And ...... are you sure?The food hanging above your head is a rare food that your loved one said was ''delicious'' and has not yet been released to the public!If you don''t eat it at this moment, are you okay with that?Is that the extent of your love? ''''Gu...... Gu Shutaabushan......! Sobbing, wiping his tears with his arm, and raising his eyebrows, Firman looks up. ''I''ll do it!With the power of love, I will enjoy the taste of love! ''That''s the spirit! Gustave runs up to Filman and looks up at the bread with the same eyes. ''You see, all matter in this world has a mass. So, if you want to take a bite of that bread, you have to go to .......'' Then he began to explain in detail with gestures. You know the concept of mass, don''t you? You are indeed a good hunter. They might even understand the law of inertia and the gravitational constant, if they do. ...... Well, your boss is a monster that defies all the laws of physics in the world. If that thing appears in Japan, many physicists will lose their jobs. And after a few minutes of lecture... ''Amoo!I''ll do it!I can get it! --Philman has successfully won the cream bun. ''So, from here on, it''s pure competition! ''''Ah! Filman was surprised by Gustave''s sudden rush, but still switched to full speed in hot pursuit. The result was an overwhelming victory for Gustave, but it was a great effort by Filman. Some of the spectators seemed to be touched by his performance, and they applauded him generously. As usual, I don''t understand the point of emotion in this town. Because they were just motivated by the rather terminal stalker spirit of ''I want to eat the same thing my favorite girl ate,'' right? ''Thank you for the instruction. Filman holds a cream bun in his hand and bows to Gustave. In the future, the 24th district and the hunting guild may be able to build a friendly relationship, it was a scene that made me think. ...... That bond, though, is precriminal in Japan. No, no. I enjoyed it too. It''s been a long time since I''ve felt that passion. They shook hands firmly and praised each other''s performance. They nodded vigorously to each other and exchanged last words. ''Here''s to love. ''Yeah, here''s to love. What are they talking about?It''s cold. I''m not sure why the whole place is filled with an air of ''that''s a good story'', but ...... it''s just the sympathy of a man who''s a bit of a jerk, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure if I''m the only one who can see the reality. ....... I''ll also say something to Gerasie, who has been jumping up and down with no one paying attention to her while she''s been doing whatever she''s doing. ''Why don''t you retire now? ''Shut up!We''re almost there and we''re onto something!Don''t talk to me! After that, for about ten minutes, the whole hall just watched the jumping old man (he was still young in his twenties, but his hair was too tightly styled and he smelled like an old man, so I thought it was okay to call him an old man), and the time passed helplessly. After struggling to catch the melonpan, Gerasie finally struck a gutsy pose with all her might, but ''Hurry up and finish! I''ve got a lot of work to do! Gelercy finished the race as quickly as he could, with silent pressure from the waiting line. ''Stick to ......, start training today, and you''ll get your revenge next year! He''s going to come back next year, you old man. I hope you don''t miss me. ...... ''So long, Gerasie. I''ll see you at the Spring Bread Festival.'' ''Tsk. I know!I''ll be sure to prepare some good wine to go with the ...... bread.'' ''No, I don''t drink alcohol.'' ''I''ll drink it! ''What?You''re coming! ''Of course you''re coming!I''m paying for it!Of course you''re going to join us! ''No, I can''t let you devote your busy lord''s time to such a thing. Please don''t think about anything else and just offer me the money. ''Don''t use a sane tone of voice only at times like this!The second half of ...... was not even decent! I''ve heard that Gerrardsy is coming. I didn''t ...... call him. ''Yashiro ...... do you know what a diplomatic issue is?'' ''Huh?So you''d take care of it?'' ''No way. I''ll do everything I can to interfere, secretly.'' ''You''re getting tough, Miz Clairmona. ......'' Gerrardy clenched his teeth and twitched his temples. If you don''t learn fast, you''ll end up like Ricardo. ''But this bread is delicious. It has a crispy texture, but the rich aroma of butter is ......''. ''Oh, sorry, Gerasie. I''m really pressed for time. I really don''t need that kind of thing, so can you please just leave?'' ''You!I''m giving you my impressions of the new bread at ......! ''Just hurry up and go home!It''s long past noon!What if the players are too hungry and start a riot! I don''t have the confidence to stop a rampaging Delia. ''Stick to ......, you''re still a rude man. Then you''ll hear plenty of it during the Spring Bread Festival!Hmm! Yeah, ......, why should I listen to you? What a pain in the ass. Go mumble to yourself in your room. I''ll lend you Regina''s best friend (Dusty). ''Maybe you''re a very aristocratic person. ''Stop it. You''re giving me sub warts. Estella''s warm smile gives me the chills. I''m supposed to be having a social chat with the nobles?What a crock. If it''s an all-you-can-get event, I''ll gladly participate. ''I wish you could tell me the secret to being liked by many lords. ''Why don''t you ask your own chest, the first lord to fall in love with me? ''What?Who missed you ......?No, that''s not true!I haven''t let my guard down yet, you know! ''I''m sure you''ll hear a voice like this: ...... ''Petching, petching''. ''You''re not listening to me!Also, my breasts don''t make that sound! He''s always trying to play with me, putting himself on the shelf. You''ve got a troublesome lord who''s in love with you. Tracy and Ricardo. And Lucia too? ''Estella. You''d better choose your friends.'' ''Yeah, ...... anyway, I''ll be careful of men with bad eyesight.'' ''Oh, Ricardo.'' ''Since you don''t seem to be aware of it, I''ll get you a nice mirror next time.'' ''Oh no, I''ll get so lost in admiring it that I won''t get any work done. ''Yashiro, what should I do? ...... I''m getting sick thinking about it. ''You''re a man of few words, aren''t you?You don''t even have room for more milk! ''Neither do you! ''Whose tits are missing? ''It''s me!............ I don''t have any!I do!'' ''I''ve got some! P-P-P-Poo! And then, after laughing for a while. ...... Well... ''By the way Estella. ''What?'' Estella is trapped and unhappy, so she holds out two index fingers. She points them towards the front of us. ...... ''You''re going back to the waiting line, would you like to walk in front of Natalia on the right or Regina ...... on the left? ''I don''t want to go past ...... because I can see both of them developing.'' --Natalia ''Are you flirting with me again ...... and not being modest?Are you an adolescent with your first girlfriend?''You go home first, I''ll see you off. I''ll see you off. - Hmmmm!I''ll see you off.'' ''No, I''ll see you off.'' ''I''ll see you off? ''It''s too long! ''Are you proposing to me in a roundabout way, like, ''Maybe you''re a very aristocratic person?Eh, is that so (smirk)? ''What? ''Isn''t there ......? ''Yes, there is!'' --Regina ''Maybe I''m hearing things wrong, but ...... did you guys talk about "ass"? ''No, we didn''t! ''Well, we''re talking about a nobleman''s ass who''s a good friend of ours. ''It''s the secret to being liked by many lords! ''You don''t need to ask me that, I already know. ''How would Regina know? ''Of course she does!We''re specialists in that kind of thing.Let''s see ...... his ass first ......'' ''Alright, now go back to your nest, you rotten pharmacist! ''What, Yashiro?What?What was Regina trying to tell me?'' ''It''s something you don''t need to know! ...... They''re both poisonous. Estella''s expression was one of dismay as she visualized the minefield she could see and the future that awaited her if she went through it. Even so, life is inevitable. ...... ''...... Hey, Yashiro. I don''t want to go home. ''What?Estella-sama, did you just say, ''I ...... don''t want to go home today ......''? ''No, no, to my ears it sounded like, "I can''t say that in public"! ''You''re biting on both of us at once! ''Also, don''t say "I can''t say that in public" in public, you rotten pharmacist! Estella''s unintentional comment caused both of them to react. I wish you could tell me how to get a pervert like that to fall in love with me here and there. ...... I''ll try to do the exact opposite from now on. While the sun was still shining strongly, I reflected on the fact that I might have made a mistake with the special frame ...... and tried to escape from reality. 387-Additive-free Episode 42 Bread-eating Competition ... My facial muscles are going to collapse . ''I''m looking forward to it~! ''Master Yashiro. The young men''s division of the ''bread eating contest'' is ready.'' ''Alright, Natalia!Let''s get this over with! The kids, the old folks, the special guests, the whole charade is over, and now it''s time to get down to business. I''ve worked hard for this moment. I planned the field day, organized the steering committee, taught sportsmanship to people who had no concept of sports, provided information on soft pants, and even made bloomers! All for the sake of this moment! ''Natalia......, I think I''ll be more kind to people after this race. ''Yashiro-sama, are you going to die? It''s not a flag, you idiot. When a person''s heart is filled with kindness, even their personality changes. Even the Demon Lord is ready to save the world if he''s touched by kindness. Now, let''s get started! Let''s start a carnival of poppin'' for peace! ''The first race is between Use from the blue team, Becco from the yellow team, Oumalo from the white team, and Gaius from the red team. ''What a mess!I''m going to sleep for a bit, wake me up when it''s over! What''s with that uninspiring lineup? Who the hell are you, Gaius? ''Mr. Gaius!Good luck~! ''Hey, Gonsuke!Don''t cheer for the enemy! The old man from the hardware guild - I think it was Norma''s right tit ......, or her right arm Gonsuke, or some other maiden "old man" - raised his yellow voice, which was never yellow. He is waving his hand with a yellow voice, not yellow at all. A big guy named Gaius is looking down with his cheeks dyed in embarrassment. ...... Oh, I remember now. ...... That''s Gonske''s boyfriend, the woodcutter. There was a lot going on when we were preparing for the party. ...... Yeah, it''s a waste of brain power to remember. Let''s forget it. ''On your marks, sir. --Boom! The bell rings and all the old men start running at once. The fastest is Ursse, followed by Oumalo and Gainus. ...... Becco, you can''t exercise, can you? Well, he''s the one who stays in his room and makes food samples all the time. I''ll take the win!I''ll take the win! ''I won''t let you!I''m dedicating this victory to Magda-tan! ''I can''t pull a ...... with such heartfelt support, I can''t! I''m looking forward to the bread, that I am. I''m not sure what to do. Well, no one is expecting anything from Bekko, including himself. ''...... Umaro, win! ''Blood pressure''s up! As soon as Magda cheered, Oumalo''s speed doubled. The amount of blood flowing through his body increased, and his motor functions jumped twice as fast! ...... Is this a shonen manga, you. ''Hmph!Trubek, listen to me. ...... A hunter is hunting a beast that is constantly moving in unpredictable ways. It''s easy to catch a loaf of bread like this--'' ''Anpan, get it! ''Listen, you fox carpenter! While Use was talking coolly, Umaro was the first one to get the bread and get out. ''Listen to me, Torbek,'' he said. You always call me Umaro. ''Okay, ......, I got it, I got it. '' What?Before I knew it, the lumberjack had scored too! ''No, but... This bread is astonishingly delicious, that it is. ''Even the round glasses? While I''m languishing in opposition to Umaro, I''m being overtaken by Gaius and Bekko, and I''m languishing in the Usse. You know what? It''s not a comic book, you don''t have time to talk about this and that during a race, normally. ''d*mn it! Use jumped at the bread with a red face, and finally caught the bread after four failed attempts, and reached the goal. I''m sure you can do it in one shot. ...... Dasa. I''m not sure why Yashiro can do it and I can''t. ...... You''ve been rivaling me too? I''m sure you''re enjoying this. I don''t care if you''re doing it on your own. Don''t get too excited and get others involved like Gerasie. ''Like Gellarcy the idiot. ''I don''t know what you think you''re doing, but I agree with you. Natalia agreed. ''I don''t know what you''re thinking, but I agree. Yeah. I guess that''s a given. And the second race continued. From the blue group, there was a big man who was the boss of the cowherds. He was an old man with a short beard. His short, close-cropped hair was laced with gray. His body, however, was undiminished, with muscles rising and falling. His name is Morgan. ...... is too old to remember any of this! Omero from the red team and Yambold from the white team will compete. In short, it is a race for big men. So, from the yellow team, which is full of big men (maidens), came out ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. Medora came out. ''Hey, Ricardo!You''re in charge of that thing! ''Idiot!There''s too much height difference!They''re all two meter tall men! ''Medora and the others.'' ''Yeah, Medora first! ''I''m a woman, Ricardo! ''Why am I the only one?Ooba first!'' ''You''re embarrassed, darling! ''I''m too shy to be treated like a man! No, no, Ricardo. No, Ricardo. That''s just a common phrase of a pure-hearted boy who''s in love with his boyish childhood friend. Well, mine''s not like that at all! ''By the way, you old cowherd is so small. ''Well, he''s an old man. ''I''m 180 years old! The people around me are all big. Omero is two meters tall for nothing. Sometimes I think he''s just a stage set up to make Delia look smaller. ''Haha...... why am I in this pack of monsters......'' ''Don''t worry ......, I''m a kind-hearted six-year-old girl.'' ''How can you tell such an obvious lie, Yang Bold? ''...... Mhmm''. You''re right, Omero is the weakest one in this group. That''s for sure. I mean, Yangboldo. He''s so excited because he promised not to play "Judgment of the Spirits" today. And Omero won. Hmm?Did you want me to describe it?You don''t need to. ...... We were just watching the race when Medora said, ''Oh my god, darling s*x! I was just watching the race when Medora glanced at me while holding her breasts. ............ I turned away so hard that I didn''t see what was going on. After that, the men continued to race for a while,......, and then it was finally the women''s turn! The first female runners were Regina from the blue team, Osina from the yellow team, Ginette from the white team and Bertina from the red team. Oh, come on! The main dish is the first race! Are you sure? Don''t you feel like you''re missing something after that? Are you sure? ''More importantly, Regina!You''re not going to replace Estella with ......''. ''I''m not replacing her!Stop messing around and concentrate on your work! I would have loved for her to run next to Ginette, but then I realized ....... Oh, so this race is full of people who are not good at sports. There''s a great deal of feminine glamour in this race, but there''s not much in the way of sportsmanship. ...... Do they even have the ability to run in the first place? I waited for the race to start, with such anxiety smoldering in my heart. ''Get into position! --Boom! The bell rang, and we all started running. ............ Run, Regina! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. Regina, however, is ...... ''I can''t ...... sun hot ............ clothes, I want to take them off ......''. ''I''ll allow it! ''No, Yashiro-san! ''Regina-san, look, please do your best.'' ''Hmmm~. You''re forgetting that this is a race for everyone...'' Ginette and Bertina looked back at Regina, who was falling far behind, and cheered her on. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ...... Hey, you guys. Do you know the word "compete"? So, the four of them finally arrived at the bread. They look at the hanging loaves of bread slowly, as if examining them. ''Which one do you want, Sister? ''It''s melon bread. ''Oh, actually, I was thinking of getting one of those.'' ''I''m not giving it to you. ''Then it''s a race. As soon as she said that, Ginette jumped for the melonpan. ''Oh! What a cry from Bertina. A rather rare expression of impatience appeared on her face. But, as expected, the melonpan plopped. It landed, and poof! ''Ah, the melon is shaking! ''You mean the melon that''s not ''bread'', right?I don''t need to check. Natalia is saying something, but I''m sorry, I''m too busy to turn around. ''I''m not going to let you down either, as a mother! And Bertina jumped up. The tips of her ponytail swayed, and she yummed ............! ''The hidden treasure is coming! I''m sure you''re not going to get any benefit from this. Of course it''s a blessing! Because right now, I''m in a very happy mood! ''Ah~...... Mmm!It''s difficult. Osina aimed at Pan with a graceful leap. However, the bread does not synchronize with Osina''s movement and shakes vigorously. ''It''s shaking like a fish~! ''It looks like the bread isn''t ....... Yes, I knew that. And Regina is being burned by the sun''s light and heat. ...... You''re a vampire, aren''t you? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. No, jump! ''What, I don''t have the energy to ...... jump anymore. ......'' You should jump! There''s always a demand, even for a recluse like you! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what you think pharmacists exist for! I''m not sure.I''m sure you''ll agree. Don''t you dare argue with me! I don''t listen to that kind of argument!Yes, I do! I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a little more time to think about what you''re doing. ''M...... time to work? ''Please wait, Master Yashiro. That''s just too illegal.'' ''That guy, he''s on your team, so why not? ''That''s not the point. ''You''re shaking like that!I''m being called! ''If that''s the case, this competition will be canceled next time ...... by the voice of a certain flatulent lord.'' You''re a ...... authority. ...... authority. ............! ''Regina, hang in there!For the future! ''Oh no, it looks like ...... the head waiter was one step ahead of me. ...... Oh well, I guess I''ll just jump. ......'' Regina bends her knees. Then, with momentum, she jumps ............ and can''t do it! The timing of her knee extension and the timing of her kick to the ground were horribly out of sync, making it look like a vigorous stretch. It''s too slow! It''s too dull! ''Are you a ginette? ''You''re terrible, Yashiro-san! Ginette, who can''t skip, is angry about something. I thought I was giving her a fair evaluation. Ginette''s skipping is terrible!I guess she forgot to grow an organ that controls rhythm. ''I can even get bread if I try hard enough! ''Well, I''m not getting any at the moment. It''s not even close. ''Mmm, mmm!It''s just that ...... I''m not good at exercise, it''s in my mother''s genes! ''It''s terrible, Jeannette!I can move better than Jeannette.'''' ''That''s not true! ''Then let''s play! ''''As you wish!Even as a sister, I won''t go easy on you! The resemblance between the father and son made a cute glare and looked up at Pan at the same time. And what were they thinking? ...... Well, they probably weren''t thinking at all. ......''No! They jumped at the same time, calling out to each other. So ...... compete. Ginette and Bertina jumped up at the same time. With their small mouths wide open, they both aim for the melon pan in the air. The mother and daughter''s jump, which embodied ...... the word "dull," missed their target so badly that Ginette''s head popped off the melon pan with great force. How many times have you misjudged ...... that you can pop it off with your head before it touches your face? And while the melon bread is gone in the air, once a person leaves the ground, he or she cannot dexterously change direction. It''s the mouth to mouth of Ginette and Bertina who keep approaching each other without bread. And.., ''Ah! Bertina''s lips smashed into Ginette''s cheek as she chased after the fleeing bread with her gaze. ''''Hyah! They both collapsed and crashed to the ground at the same time. It''s a good idea. ...... If Jeannette hadn''t moved her face to chase the bread, their mouths would have collided. ............ What a dangerous mother and daughter! I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''There it is: ......'' The pain in my body made my voice spill out naturally. Ginette rubbed her butt like that. However, her face instantly turned bright red and she sat upright at the same time as her mother. ''I''m sorry, Sister! ''No, no, it''s my pleasure!I''ve been so absorbed! ''I''m the one who''s always trying to get the bread, that''s all!Um, did you cut yourself? ''Yes. Ginette''s cheeks were soft, so I''m fine! ''Yawa......!Sister''s lips are the ones that are soft and puffy! ''Shh, that''s not true .......'' After a moment of panic, they looked at each other and blurted out, ''''Pfft! Then they looked at each other and started laughing loudly. ''''Hmmm ......, the sisters have kissed me.'''' ''''Hmm ......, it''s been a long time since I''ve kissed Jeannette.'''' ''Yes. Has it been since you were six years old? ''No, sir. The last time was when I was eleven.'''' ''Oh, I don''t remember that happening when I was that big! ''Yes. It''s been a long time since I had a sleepover at church, and I had a scary dream about the past. ......'' ''Myaah!I just remembered it!Please stop it!Forget about it! I''m sure you''ve been doing a lot of that, Chu. ............ I think I''ll live in a church. ''...... Well...'' ''Yashiro-sama. Your hand almost went out right now. Please be careful, I''m not sure I can take it next time.'' What the hell. Isn''t it cute when a boy is always spoiled? Isn''t that what girls are supposed to do? Maybe Natalia doesn''t have enough motherhood in her. ''Oh, you got it! Osina smiles with a mouthful of Anpan. Despite her slow pace, she kept trying and was the first to get the bread. The whole time, I kept seeing her tits swaying like ''han......nari'' out of the corner of my eye. They lifted up like this, ''han......'', and returned like this, ''......''. It was a nice sway that expressed the softness of the waves as it returned. Osina, who had delighted the crowd, ran happily toward the goal. ''She''s so soft! She kissed Anpan, saying, ''You''re so soft! You''ve been watching, haven''t you? Don''t tease me too much. ''ei......dori......aaaan! Regina kicked the ground with a strange shout. Her long green hair danced around her, giving her the most dynamic appearance in Regina''s history. Then, she bites at the jam bun hanging down as if she had set her sights on it. ''What the hell! Perhaps it was the runner''s high, but even though she was exercising, Regina''s eyes were sparkling. She smiled with real joy and failed to ............ land with a piece of bread in her mouth! You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I''m not sure what to do. ...... I don''t know why athletes are like that. ''Are you okay, Regina? ''I''m ...... fine. ............ jam buns, I covered you up before you hit the ground. ......'' A bite of jam bread is held in her right hand and held high above her head. Don''t worry about it, just get your hands up and passive. ...... ''Regina. Do you want to abstain?'' ''I''m fine. I''ll take care of this myself later.'' Regina said lightly, got up, and quickly crossed the finish line. She was able to walk straight, so I guess she''s okay. So, Bertina and Ginette, who are fighting for the last place,......, let''s have a party to watch this scenery for a long time. I''m so happy to be here. ''Melon bread, I wish I could keep it'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. It''s a problem for the progress of the field day and for the public morals of the city. Natalia looks around the field. Outside on the track, the men watching the mother and daughter frolicking together were all wearing shameful faces. They''re all looking down their noses at me! ''Don''t make a tight face, a**h*le. ''Yashiro-sama. It''s ''Mayu''. No. The muscles in my face have gone on strike. I''m beginning to think it''s okay to keep them loose. But I really can''t get anywhere with this, so I give Natalia permission. Natalia acted quickly, lengthening the string, making it nose-high, and turning both into melon pans. No more fighting, she says, just eat together and finish. ''Would you like me to use my hands for this? ''No, that''s as good as ......''. I have a mixed feeling that this is too ridiculous ...... and that it''s just fine ....... ''I got it! ''I was a little faster than you, though.'' Almost at the same time, Ginette and Bertina, both with bread in their mouths, start running at the same time. They must be thinking that they can''t lose to each other. There is no way that ...... can beat Ginette in a pure race. Even Bertina won by a landslide. ''............ I think I''m going to practice running.'' Ginette seems to be shocked in a humble way. You, you''re too late for that,....... I''ll go with you if you jog!Even if it''s every morning!I''ll run alongside you! And so, when the heated first race was over and the second race was about to begin, there was a little trouble. ''I definitely don''t want to run after that one! ''I agree with you, Estella! The lords of the forty-second and thirty-fifth districts began to complain. They said that it made them feel sad to run after such a bumpy race. Well, the words are different, but that''s the summary. ''Don''t worry. I''m not expecting anything from you guys! ''''It''s none of your business! That''s none of your business! The head waiters tried to persuade them, and finally the second race began. The blue team is Estella, the yellow team is Paula, the white team is Ines, and the red team is Lucia. ''A battle between Paula and Ines: ......'' ''I told you I''d join you, anchovies!I''ll dry them in the sun and then boil them!'' That''ll make a nice broth. It''s rich in glutamate. Inosinic acid for fish?I don''t care. Mr. Yashiro. I''ve set the melonpan for the second course as you requested.'' ''Thank you. You''ll probably see some interesting things now.'' In the bread-eating contest, you may go off course as soon as the race starts. The rule is that you can aim for any bread you want. ''Get in position, ready.'' --Boom! At the sound of the bell, two lords cut into the center of the course at high speed from both sides. ''Eh, wait! What''s going on? Paula and Inez, who were cut across the course, rolled their eyes at the two lords who wore tremendous spirit. ''''Melon paaaaa......n! The two lords, who were hand in hand during the BU riot, clash head on. ''''......Yashiro-sama. And Lucia-sama?'''' ''Yeah, I told her. I told her that melonpan is an E-cup.'''' As a result, the lords flocked to the E-cup. ''It''s the end of the world. ''''It''s the end of the world. ''''Shut up, outsider! Natalia and I are being stared at by the bleary-eyed lords. Oh no, that''s scary. ''''But isn''t there a bad balance with just one? I''m not going to say one hand is down, or one breast is up. I''m not saying ''one breast''. But let''s say it in a positive way from now on!Let''s do that! We, the younger generation, are the ones who make up the language! ''They''re after the free bread. ''...... I see. Get one of those melon pans here. ''The plan is to get another one later.'' ''Probably, ......, if you ask for two melon pans, people will think, "Oh, he''s going to put them in his clothes and say, ''E-cup! It''s a waste of time and money. ''Oh, it''s useless, but I''m trying to make a small show of it. ''''Stop messing around!You can''t concentrate! Isn''t that so! After that, there was an ugly fight between the lords who had nothing but melonpan in their eyes. But it''s not that interesting, so let''s look at ...... or something else since it''s not shaking at all. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ Oh, I corrected my statement and my true intentions came out. I''m not sure what to say. It''s a difficult thing to do. Inez glared at the dangling cream bun and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Then she takes aim again and jumps! Wavy silver hair. Her E-cups bouncing. ''I love the real thing! ''''The powers that be flocking to fake E-cups look ridiculous.'''' ''''Gurururu! ''''Oh no, you''ve gone wild from fighting so much. More importantly, it''s Inez. ''''E-ness! ''''I can''t help it, I can''t do what I want. ......'''' ''Inez. Try changing your hair.'' ''Hairstyle......I see, I didn''t notice because it''s not a hairstyle I usually wear, but this ponytail (made by Manager Ginette) might be causing my center of gravity to shift further back than I''m aware of. It was a ...... blind spot. ''That''s why you have to tie two knots and swing them to the left and right.'' ''I see. I''ll try it. I''ll give it a try. Quick response. Inez unties her ponytail and splits the knot into two on either side of her head. Yes, twin tails! Her long silver hair hangs down the sides of her head in a lovely way. ''That''s it, I''m ready! Inez jumps! The tips of her hair dance and flail in time with her face. Her hair gushes in her face. ''Aren''t you in my way? I''m not saying that changing your hairstyle will make it better. I just said, ''Why don''t you try changing it? That''s all I said. I''ve always wanted to see Inez''s twin-tails. Most girls with long hair wear their hair in ponytails, so I just wanted to add a little something different. ''Oh my god ......''. In spite of her complaints, Inez will continue the race with her twin-tails. After all, she does not disappoint us. That''s what I think of her as the head waiter. On the other side of Ines, Paula was jumping at the jam buns. ''After the melon buns, the jam buns are what I''ve been after, right? She jumps at it with great force, but the jam bun bounces off her forehead. No matter, it''s swaying lazily! ''Paula, aren''t you getting a little bigger? ''Paula...... got bigger while I didn''t see you for a while......'' ''Heh?What are you talking about, Yashiro? I saw you yesterday......'' ''It''s okay, Paula. It''s another story.'' Your gym uniform is amazing. It''s loose-fitting, but still shows off the parts that matter. I''m sure there won''t be any complaints even if the inventor wins the Nobel Peace Prize. ''I think I''m getting the hang of this... ...... Ei! He took aim and pounced, but this time he hit the tip of the nose and the jam bun escaped. It''s a shame, but it''ll take a while. ''One more time! And as she bends down, a strand of silver hair hits Paula in the face. ''Yikes! ''Oops, sorry about that. Inez''s twin-tailed attack. ''I''m sorry, I have long hair. ''I''m sure you did it on purpose! ''Pew, pew, pew. ''You''re too good at deceiving me! Inez, you were in a hurry because Paula was so close. ''Ines. If he''s at the mercy of unpredictable moves, let him make predictable moves.'' ''............ I see.'' ''A loaf of bread hanging in the air can''t be sure where it''s going to fly. ''Then let the bread come towards you. ...... Good! Once you push the cream bun with the tip of your nose, it swings like a pendulum and you catch it when it comes towards you. If you''re as dexterous as Inez, that''s all the advice you need. ''I''ve mastered it. Ines is running with a cream bun in her mouth. I don''t know if she is unaware of it, but she is making a very strong gut pose. I wonder how happy she was. ''Yashiro!I can''t get it! Paula calls out to me in a disgruntled tone, as if she''s frustrated that Inez beat her to it. Don''t get carried away, we''re an enemy team. ''Paula. Try popping that bread once with all your might.'' ''Pop it ......?'' Despite her skepticism, Paula did as she was told and shook the jam bun once with her headbutt. The jam bun dangled away, reached its peak, and then came at Paula. ''Hmm--! Paula catches the approaching jam bun with her mouth! That''s it. It''s a pseudo-flying disc! Dogs are the kind of creatures that can catch a flying ball, but drop the fried food in front of them. I''m sure such a dog instinct has taken root in Paula. She''s wagging her tail so much right now. She looks so happy. Yeah, yeah. ''Paula, let''s play Frisbee together at the park next time! ''Oh yeah?Are you asking me out on a date?'' No, no. It''s an invitation to go for a walk. I''ll throw, Paula''ll catch, oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it''s fun. I got it! Oh, shit! Apparently, the lords'' duel is over. Estella is running off in triumph. She''s holding the melonpan she got in both hands. If you run with a bite in your mouth, you''ll get teeth marks. ...... Desperate? ''Anchovies!More melonpan!'' ''Go eat some Anpan! All that''s left is unpun and Lucia. Lucia, resigned to the fact that she can''t do anything about it, jumps toward Anpan. Perhaps it was because she had practiced so much with the melon bread, but it was a good jump. She didn''t give any unnecessary impact to the bread and sucked it with minimal contact. ''......mm'' ........................ .................. ............ ...... Oh no. I was so caught up in it. The way ...... Lucia''s lips moved was unexpectedly s*xy. Don''t do anything out of character. You''ll get a little nervous. ''Hmm!That''s what I get when I''m serious! --While sucking on a piece of bread, Lucia mumbled, ''Wahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha......''. She''s still puffing out her chest. Even though she''s in last place. ...... or rather ............ what? ''Lucia has a bulge? ''I told you there would be, anchovies!I''ll smoke you out! I hope you don''t want to get smoked. ......Oh, right, I almost forgot because the character was so far ahead of me. ......B-cups, that''s about right! ''You''ve got at least a millie.'' It''s a little out of reach. There is a difference even among B cups. If it is so much fun to wear gym clothes,......, it would be more ............... if leotards were popularized. ''Master Yashiro. Is it money you''re thinking about with a serious face?Or are you thinking about your tits?'' ''Both.'' ''It''s both, isn''t it ............, and there''s nothing we can do about it.'' While listening to Natalia''s sigh, I thought about leotards for a while. I wonder if rhythmic gymnastics will catch on? I''m sure Neffery would love it. ...... No, sort of. I''m not sure. So, Nepheli was participating in the 7th race a while later. The blue team was Wendy, the yellow team was Nepheli, the white team was Nikka, and the red team was Imelda. ''Because of Imelda, the other three look so bland! ''Don''t be rude, Mr. Yashiro!You can''t honestly say that the others are inferior to me. ''No, I said you''re too dense! How positive can that young lady be? However, it is a strange combination of ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''Oh, um, Hero-sama ......, that expression is somewhat embarrassing. ''Don''t look at me like I''m obscene, anchovy! ''If the yellow group was Norma, the married woman''s paradise would be ......! ''I''m not married! No, but, Norma! You''re the one with the aura of a married woman. ...... Oops, you pulled out a cigarette. I''d better not. It''s time for me to shine!I''m sure you''ll agree. You''ve got to be careful what you wear, Imelda. I''m not sure if I want to be in something like this or not. I guess he only wants to participate in this kind of thing. And then, at the sound of the bell, all the athletes started running at once. Imelda ran glamorously, Nikka ran boldly, Nepheli ran spontaneously. ''And Wendy is determined to give up sleep for the night! ''No, sir!Regina has given me some medicine that will help me control my nighttime luminescence. ............ Ugh, it''s true that staying under the sun like this can be terrifying at night... ......... ''Master Yashiro. Isn''t it convenient for a newlywed family to be unable to sleep, on the contrary?'' ''Blast it, Theron! ''Why me? Why? Do you need a reason! ''Oh no, I''m embarrassed. ...... Turn off the lights.'' ''What are you talking about? You''re the one who''s shining.''''Oh, it''s true~''''hehe~''''Are you doing that?You''re doing it, aren''t you?What? ''You''re enjoying the sweet lovemaking that would never happen at Carl''s house! ''That''s an accusation!I''m happy to be here too! ''Oh, ...... then tell us more about your sweet night at home! ''Nice ...... ...... Nikka, you look like you''re actually wearing ............ pajamas. It''s so cute! ''I was a fool to expect that from you! Well, I''m relieved in a way! You''re a life saver, Carl. Those hunters surrounding you, they''re killing you, aren''t they?Can''t you feel it?Nicca''s a simple but pretty girl. I''m not sure what to say. Neffery jumped on the bread with a very Showa-era shout. You don''t say that very often. You don''t say that very often. ''Huh?It''s not going well at all. Wow. I''ve never seen anyone say that before. I thought only the great detective used that word. ''Hey, hey, hey, hey, you! Percy comes running up to me. What''s the matter with you, man? You''ve got a prime seat, here. ''Mr. Neffely''s in trouble!Why don''t you give him some advice, like you did with your friend Nephrite? ''Huh?You don''t remember Paula''s name, do you? ''I don''t care about that right now! Wow, this guy is kind of a jerk. You''d think he''d be a guy who thinks in terms of Neffely, but he''s not even interested in anything but Neffely. If he''s not careful, there''s a chance he doesn''t even know the names of the lords of the 42nd district. ''Can''t you see Mr. Nephrite''s figure?So much, so much ......''. He pointed at the jumping Nephrite with a trembling finger, and-- ''Even the way he''s jumping is really ugly!'' --He lets out a terminal scream. Can you please stop spreading viruses here? However, ...... It''s easy to forget that ...... Nephrite has breasts just as big as Paula''s. I''d say she''s about a D. The view from this diagonal position is ...... well, not bad. By the way, Nikka is an E-cup who made a big impact on me from the first time I saw her. Imelda has grown remarkably and is now a G cup!Wendy is a C cup. ''Theron, don''t worry! ''What is it, hero? ...... No, but... To think that I have a monopoly on those C cups: ............ ''Theron, blast it.'' ''Why are you doing this, hero? Teary-eyed Theron in the far waiting line. Huh, I don''t need a reason. A handsome man with a wife can blow up once an hour. ''An-chan!An-chan! Percy grabbing my clothes and shaking me. Hey, stop it!A man''s shaking is no fun at all! ''Support Mr. Neffely, will you? Oh, shut up! There''s got to be some way to shut this guy up. ...... I looked at Nepheli and saw that he was trying valiantly but not succeeding very well. ''It''s funny ...... but I''m not giving up!Hang in there, I will! ''Haha!...... pretty.'' Percy coughed up blood and collapsed. Ah, it''s finally quieted down. ''Well, I''m gonna go throw it out. ''Hmm. Nice to meet you, Natalia.'' With Percy stained in blood, I concentrate on the race again. ''Nicca, hang in there! ''Wendy!Hang in there! ''Ne...... ferry......, ............ gud, rak! ......!'' As they each cheered, ...... ''I don''t like this! Imelda seemed to be very upset. After all, she was probably the least noticed of them all. ''You''re not cheering enough! No, you have the loud cheers of the lumberjacks. You don''t need to listen closely to hear them. ''''Miss aaaaah!Go! Fight! Win!'''' Ah, it''s too hot. ''''If you want to attract more attention, you should go to ......! What did she come up with? ...... Well, it''s probably not a good idea anyway. ...... Imelda spreads her arms and declares loudly. I''ll give you a handicap, folks. The other three players were taken aback by her words. ''Please take the bread first. After you take the bread, I''ll make a spectacular comeback. ...... This is what I call a spectacular race! I don''t know where you get such confidence, but you''ve made a big flag. In the first place, the other three are not going to take the bread at the exact same time, so if you wait until all three of them take the bread, one or two of them might have reached the goal before you. ...... ''''''Well then, be my guest. ...... paku!'''''' I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to do.What was the struggle until now! ''''Maybe it''s because I tried so many times just now. ...... (squirming)'''' ''The results have suddenly appeared here! (Mogu Mogu)'' ''It''s easy once you get the hang of it (Mogumogu)'' The three of us run towards the goal with bread in our mouths. Behind them, Imelda lets out a fearless smile. ''Ho-ho-ho-ho!That''s a desirable development!And this is where Imelda Javier comes into her own! As soon as she says that, she leaps with beautiful form. Her flowing blonde hair reflected the light diffusely, making Imelda''s whole body sparkle. Her supple limbs drew beautiful lines as she flew through the air. Her beauty is so overwhelming that it makes the viewer forget to breathe. The whole hall was focused on Imelda. In the midst of all this, the melon pan that Imelda had aimed at was flung away with a pop. ''M, it''s too difficult! ''What''s the big deal now? You''ve got to make a big comeback with one shot, if you''ve stirred things up so much! As most of us expected, even after the other three players - Nepheli, Wendy, and Nikka - reached the goal, Imelda was forced to struggle with the melonpan, and eventually forgot all about grace and started bouncing around frantically. ''Yeah!Hey!Nyan! The shimmering blondes and the strange shouts that escaped every time she jumped. And the G-cups swaying majestically with her overwhelming presence! It was just Imelda Javier''s on-stage performance. ...... It was well worth watching, and the audience didn''t complain at all. Yes, I enjoyed the show. I''m sure the world has become a little more peaceful after this day. 388-Additive-free Episode 43 Bread-eating Final The bread-eating contest was progressing, though not smoothly. When I saw the next runner, I thought, ''Hmm? I cocked my head. ''That''s Molly, isn''t it? ''Yes. Her good performance in the race was recognized and she was allowed to participate in the youth division. ''No, that''s just going to put you at a disadvantage, isn''t it? ''I just thought it would be fun. Is it enough if it''s interesting? ...... Well, it''s okay. You can''t simply divide the beastmen by age. It is not uncommon for a three year old kid to be stronger than me. So, when I looked at Molly''s opponents, I found Millie in the red group. ''Children''s division? ''No, no, no!I''m an adult!I''m an adult! Millie jumped up and down in protest. What''s that? I want to take it home with me. And when I looked at the yellow group next to me, I saw a slender girl I had never seen before standing there. ''Who is that girl in the yellow group?A waitress on the main street?'' Her black hair was tied up in a high bun, but it looked more like a samurai''s than a ponytail. Her fearless face does not give me any hesitation to call her a beautiful girl. However, she still looks a little young. Her age is around twelve to three years old? I''ve heard that she''s an apprentice in the hardware guild, and I think her name is Luanna. ''Luanna?That''s colostrum. ''Yes, sir. ''I''ve never heard of her.If you don''t correct me, Natalia, I''m not going to correct you. I realized Norma was right behind me. It was almost her turn. ''Luanna adores me, you know. She adores me, and even says she wants to be like me in the future. ''Yeah, like Norma. ......'' No way, that Luanna girl is ...... ''Is there a reason you don''t want to marry her? ''The technical side, that''s what she''s into!And it''s not that I don''t want to get married!It''s just that I don''t happen to have a partner right now! What do you mean by "by chance" when you''ve never had one before? ............ Well, if he says it''s by chance, then it''s probably by chance. It happens all the time, there''s nothing strange about it, and of course there''s nothing wrong with it or anything to be concerned about. So throw the ashes of the hot cigarette glistening red in the flue into the ashtray. It''s okay that you admire me, but I''m a little worried about my physical strength. Luanna does not have any animal features. She must be a human, not a beastman. ''Do you have to be a beastman to be tough, your place? ''Yes,............, if you have a body like our maidens, you can do your job well. ''Yeah, ...... too much .......'' You''d have to be macho beyond human standards to do that. ...... ''If it''s not the same work as mine, but office work or customer service, I can leave it to a girl like her. ''It''s Norma''s job that she''s longing for, isn''t it? ''That''s right. ...... I''ll buy your efforts, though. ......'' But Norma seemed quite happy, saying something like that. I think the junior staff is cute. Is ...... okay with you? It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''Muscles kill boobs, but ......'' ''What are you talking about with a girl who''s still growing? ...... Choose your words carefully. ''Norma''s tits are awesome! ''That''s not what I meant! I complimented the most suitable person properly!You''re being unreasonable! ''Well, I''m going to make sure to see how well you do among these beastmen, aren''t I? ''Among these beastmen,'' Norma said. Molly is a raccoon, and Millie is a nana-hoshitennou. I looked to see who the white team was, and saw Barbara standing there. ''The first prize that Teresa didn''t get, Aashi will get it! It is said to be ...... to get the first prize in place of Teresa, who was narrowly defeated by Masha in a special frame race, but Delia was the one who carried Masha, and it was extremely difficult to beat her, or even to lose to her. But still, Barbara can''t help but be enthusiastic. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. You''ll find Mokoka in the tent, sticking his thumb up in the air, saying good luck. So you''re running with your best friend who can''t participate on your back. You''ve got a lot on your shoulders. You have a tendency to lose, that''s for sure. When I saw Barbara, I realized something. So, this race ...... ''They''re all B cups! ''You don''t have anything else to think about, do you! ''Oh, ...... ladybug, don''t say that out loud, please. ......'' Norma was angry with me, and Millie looked at me with tears in her eyes. When I looked at the course, I saw Molly and Luanna looking down at me with red faces. Oh man, ...... ''I''m not as tolerant of boobs as Norma. I should be sorry. ......'' ''I don''t have that kind of tolerance either! ''Why not? You''re used to having your tits played with, aren''t you? ''Please don''t mislead me! No, I''m sure I didn''t say anything wrong! I''m not saying anything wrong! I''m not going to argue with you. It''s not very popular. And I don''t think you''ll get much support from me here. It''s a bit out of the way, really. The waitress from the steering committee raises her arm. That''s the signal to stand by. Molly and Luanna stare at the bread hanging in the air with tightened faces. Millie looks a little uneasy, but somehow happy. And Barbara is ...... ''I''m going to go straight for it and cover it ...... with full speed ......''. He''s so enthusiastic that he''s breathing hard. I''m not sure if I''m going to be okay,......, because all the girls except Barbara are very quiet and seem to be very serious,......, and I''m worried about getting hurt. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. ''Get into position,.......'' --Boom! All the runners rush out at once. Molly and Luanna are swinging their arms hard and kicking the ground with beautiful form. Millie, too, swings her arms from side to side in a so-called "girl''s run," but she''s an insect, and her speed is quite good. But Barbara, who specialized in speed, was just as fast. Molly, who had given Magda a good fight in the race, was left behind. As usual, Barbara accelerated in a low stance, rolling up dust and sand. She was the first to reach the pan and jumped up with her momentum. He catches the bread with great skill, and-- ''Whaaaat? Her momentum was so strong that she crashed into the wooden frame on which the bread was hanging. It seems that she hit her nose as hard as she could. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony and rolling around on the ground, screaming. ''Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Amazing, Torbek''s office. It''s such a makeshift wooden frame, yet it''s so strong. I''m sure it won''t falter even if a typhoon comes, and it can hold a hundred people. ''Umaro is really amazing, isn''t it? ''I can destroy it, though. Shall I show you? ''You don''t have to fight me. Destroying it and being able to withstand impact are two different things. It would be a pity for Umaro if he had to deal with Natalia and Delia. There are probably only a few materials in this world that can withstand such an attack that surpasses even natural disasters. ''K......!It hurts, but I got the bread! Barbara endures the pain, stands up, and starts running toward the goal. But before she could, Molly ran out. Luanna follows. ''When did they do that? No. While you were writhing in agony. Molly, as expected, seemed to get the hang of it after two jumps, and got the bread on the third. Luanna, too, had a piece of bread in her mouth a few dozen seconds after Molly. Luanna had jumped sixteen times, far more than Molly. She''s the kind of person who learns with her body rather than thinking, and corrects errors through practice, isn''t she? He''s really a craftsman. ''I won''t let you run in front of Arce! Barbara shouts, chasing after the little back ahead. The last spurt before the finish. In the end, it''s Barbara who has the edge in pure running, and the gap is closing fast, and ...... And ..................! Just before the finish line, Barbara sneezed loudly and stalled. Molly came in first and Luanna second. ...... Mm-hmm. Sometimes when you hit your nose, it makes you sneeze. Don''t blow your nose. So, all the riders except the red team have finished. Millie is the only one left. ''Hm, yeah!Yeah!I can''t get ............''. Little Millie is jumping towards the pan far above her head. ''I thought players of similar height were supposed to run together? ''That''s a basic rule. The fun comes first. For example, ......B Cup only race! What''s the point of having the same size tits? No, well, I don''t know how you feel about that. ''Also, since I put Molly in here, I wanted to mix her in with the younger girls as much as possible, in order to favor my army. ''Hey, come on. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Well, Miri can''t help it, even if she''s seen as such. ''Even Noma''s ...... awful. I''m not sure what to make of that. Hmm, that makes sense. ''But that was unexpected. ''What?'' ''Master Yashiro wasn''t too excited. ''As expected, not with a minor. ......'' I''m a former resident of Tokyo. And the city ordinances are getting stricter. ''But Yashiro and Barbara are adults, right?He didn''t seem too happy about it. ''He''s too emotionless. ......'' He ran, he jumped, he hit the ground with a thud, he fell with a thud, and after that he rumbled and rumbled. ...... There was no time to enjoy the shaking. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ''Oh, that''s a great quote. ''It''s not a quote, Natalia. ......'' This kind of unsteady, unpredictable swaying is the essence of boobs. Hey, isn''t that right, folks? ''In short, children and children-intelligent boobs don''t make me squirm, as a gentleman. ''Gentlemen don''t get off on tits. ......'' ''Yo, nice gentleman.'' ''Natalia. Don''t be amused.'' Norma smacks Natalia on the forehead. They''re playing like good little girls, aren''t they? Well, that''s beside the point. ''I''m a gentleman who doesn''t shy away from children, but I think I''ll pay attention to ...... Millie because she seems to be an adult! ''Huh!I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. Millie hides her face and jumps up and down, trying to get out of the way as fast as she can. Phew! That''s it. Landing. ''Aaah ......''. ''But I''ll do my best. Pop! Scoop. Landing. ''Ahh......''thump. ''Okay!I bought one!'' ''I''m afraid it''s not for sale. ''Yashiro, why don''t you go tell Medora-san to take it down? Hey! I''m not afraid of the vigilantes of the 42nd district, but with Medora, I can''t even escape ....... The moment she managed to catch the bread, which was set to be as easy to catch as Jeannette''s because of her height disadvantage, the whole hall broke into applause, and she ran across the goal with her face even redder than before. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. She hid her face with a large ladybug hairpiece and crouched down. It''s a great way to entertain the crowd. It''s a great way to make sure you don''t end up in a situation where you''re the only one in the room. I''m sure they love you, Millie. ''......?I''m sorry. ''How can you make such a disgusting statement in this harmonious healing atmosphere ......? ''I didn''t think ...... that even I had overlooked this ......! ''You shouldn''t try to dye yourself into a yashiro, Natalia! What a surprise. I was so distracted by Millie''s gentle mood that I didn''t look at her tits at all. Millie is an adult this year, a grown woman. And yet ............ Well, I mean ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. I''m not sure what to say....... But ...... children are fine ......, so don''t look at them too much ......''. If you''re a kid, you''re allowed to make a few mistakes. If you''re a child, it''s natural not to do well. This is the reason why the struggle between adults and children is going on in Miry. That''s how people grow up. So, Miri is growing up, too, in her heart. If that''s the case, one day ...... ''One day, ......, I wonder if I''ll ever be able to ''wow'' Millie''s tits. ......'' ''You don''t have to come! ''Then I''ll do it for you. You don''t have to do this!Come on, Natalia. I think it''s time for you to go. I''ll take care of the chaperone for Yashiro, so get to the waiting line. At Norma''s urging, Natalia gave her a bow and then left. Yes, yes. I think Natalia should jump a lot. I mean, ....... ''Why Norma? ''I''m an early member of the committee. ''That''s true, but Norma has a race coming up. ''Then why don''t you go get Estella and the manager? Get Estella or Jeannette to ......? Estella always interrupts me when I''m frolicking with my tits, and Ginette is ...... ''please repent already'' ............ yeah, I like Norma. Norma will tolerate me just fine. ''Nice to meet you, Norma. ''I really can''t help it when you''re so obvious. ......'' I''m somewhat taken aback. Honesty is always to be admired. ''Come on, let''s go get some bread for the next race. He pushed me to go to the course. As expected of a hardware maker. The installation of the pan went smoothly. So, technically Norma was the right person for the job. ''I''ll definitely have the cream buns. ''You''re going to save your milk to make it bigger. Good for you! ''No, I''m not!Don''t look at me with those sparkly eyes! Don''t look at me with your sparkly eyes!'' Norma walks back off the track, puffed up. She''s all puffed up. She''s purring. ...... What?Before you know it, you''ll be staring at her butt! I''m sure you''ll have fun preparing for the race. It''s going to be fun preparing for the race. ''Get in position, okay! --Boom! The race continues, and the smiles grow by the numbers. Everyone seems to be shocked by the new bread. And as soon as they learned that they would soon be able to eat this bread on a daily basis, their smiles grew into full bloom. As a publicity campaign for the bread, it was a great success. It has done its job well. So ...... ''I''m going to enjoy myself to the fullest without any regrets! ''Yashiro, if you make too much noise, you''ll get in the way of the players! I was warned over and over again as I worked to prepare for the race. I don''t think it''s hard. There''s a reward on the other side of hard work! And so, once again, the high-profile race was about to begin. ''This is another ...... amazing combination.'' I couldn''t help but gasp at the sight of all these people lined up there. When they''re all together, they''re really powerful. Natalia from the blue team, Deborah from the white team, Gilberta from the red team. The head waiter is lined up in a row. You can find them at ....... Yellow team, why Ukrines? ''Hey, Norma. ''Oh, shut up. ...... The Yellow Team didn''t have anyone who could compete with those head waiters. So Ukrines came forward on his own. Well, no matter who comes out, we''ll have a hard time. Norma is guaranteed a place in the final race after this one, and Medora ran with the old men. Even Paula will have a tough time against the head waiter. So, the best thing to do is to throw in people who deserve to lose. The players who are thrown in are not happy, but if they are candidates, there will be no problem. You''ve got a lot of guts, Uclines. I mean, look at her like this... Gilberta is so small. Well, her boobs have a lot of presence! Short stature, big breasts. She''s a valuable person who''s treated like a goddess wherever she goes. Okay, let''s support Gilberta! ''Good luck~ Gilberta~'' ''Lady Kometski, why are you cheering for the enemy army and not me? ''Deborah-san. This is what is called ''breast favoritism''. ...... To overlook the value of more than just size, ...... Yashiro-sama is not ready yet. And then...And Natalia is posing. It''s a pose that makes full use of the beautiful S-shape of the woman''s weapon. It is true that in terms of balance and style, Natalia is close to perfect. But I love gaps, men! Big is good!If it makes you look bigger, so much the better! I even make a big bowl of rice!I like extra large portions too! ''Hmmm... It''s fun to mix with the young girls. It''s so lively and glamorous, it makes me feel young again, like I''m the same age as you. Hahaha. Ukrines, good joke. If you insist on being the same age, try taking off those long pants! No, you really don''t have to take them off! And so, the race for the head waiter With Uclines began at the sound of the bell. The one who jumped out was Gilberta. Gilberta made a rocket start with her head almost touching the ground. However, Natalia and Deborah also made up for their initial delay within a short distance. I wonder why: ...... Natalia doesn''t look like she''s in a hurry at all, yet she''s so fast. She is moving at a very fast pace, with an expression and posture that makes her look like she is standing elegantly. It''s as if she''s riding on a moving sidewalk, and the sense of discomfort is unbelievable. Deborah and Gilberta''s expressions show that they are trying hard, but Natalia''s face is always ''plain''. ''Oh my, you''re all so fast! Wait~'' Ukrines is running far behind the head waiters, hurrying from place to place. I thought, ''This is going to be a pity for Ukrines. ............ ''............'' ''............'' ''............'' The head waiters suddenly stopped and stopped moving. The three of them stared silently at Ukrines as he slowly approached. Then, just as Ukrines reached the bread, the waiters began to move. Natalia and Deborah are on either side of Ukrines. And Gilberta, about a meter in front of Uclines. ''What?What is it?'' ''Don''t worry, just keep running. ''Just keep running. As Natalia and Deborah told him, Ukrines moved his feet at his own pace. In the middle of this, Natalia and Deborah took Ukrines'' arms at the same time, and Gilberta kneeled down and made a foothold with her hands. ''What?What? With question marks flying all over the place, Ukrines flew through the air, as the head waiters had invited him to do. Natalia and Deborah supported her body, and Gilberta acted as a stepping stone to lead her up into the sky. The trajectory was gentle, the altitude matching the height of the bread and the mouth as if it had been measured. Uclines, with the best arrangement, caught the bread in one shot. Before she knew it, Gilberta was waiting for her at the landing site, and she received the plump woman, who seemed to have some weight, with a gentle movement like a cradle. Perhaps Ukrines did not feel the slightest shock. ''Oh dear. You took it off, didn''t you, bread? Oh, isn''t the new bread delicious? Uclines landed on the ground, his face flushed from the brief trip through the air and the taste of the new bread. She''s smiling. ''......?I just had to support you! ''Me too, sir! ''I think, I think, this is an occupational hazard ......''. They''ve been in the habit of being supportive. I''m not sure what to make of that. Uclines are not your masters, nor are they nobles,......, but if they support anyone and everyone, it may be an occupational hazard. But I think it''s a good idea. Natalia, ...... no, I think Natalia Owen, the head waiter of the Forty-second District''s lord. ''Not at all. Gilberta and Deborah''s foreheads were sweating as they looked at Natalia. ''Guided, waiter''s blood, to her.'' ''She was the first to move. And it was very natural. ''The instructions were given in silence, and I'' ''When I lifted the lady, I tilted my center of gravity by about seven millimeters, but I made up for it and got her back on the best trajectory, which was nothing short of brilliant. ''It''s not so surprising. It''s just that I remembered Mr. Ukrines'' breathing. The two of you did quite well, too. We''re talking about a different dimension! What, did he give you a silent command, did you tilt your center of gravity by seven millimeters, or did you remember his breathing? Are you guys really human? ''Natalia Owen wins, I think, this game. ''I have no objection. ''Then I will presumptuously accept the honor. ''Race you, Natalia! Estella''s voice came from the outside. It may have made sense to some of the waiters, but the winner of this race is Ukrines. I have no objection to that. ''Then let''s get back to the race. ''I hope so.'' ''This is where it all begins! The waiters head for the three remaining loaves. Gilberta is the first to jump! I don''t know what happened to the bread, because I didn''t have time to look at it, but the E-cups were shaking under the laws of gravity and inertia. but the law of gravity and inertia was playing with her E-cups and they were shaking. My eyes were drawn to her. I wonder if there is a gravitational force in breasts?Hey, what do you think, Nyuton-sensei! And Deborah! She''s the kind of girl who''s too preoccupied with her feelings. Even though I tell her not to use her hands, her hands come out before her mouth. However, the rule against touching the bread with her hands is observed, and as a result, she jumps up and down while doing a meaningless banzai. It''s such a useless movement. ...... ''I love the way her belly button flickers every time she bangs! I''m not sure if Deborah''s gym uniform is long enough. It''s very nice! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It''s very nice! And her D-cups ripple powerfully above it! That''s... It''s so good! Oh, shit. I should''ve taken Norma''s eye out and glued the pan to the hardware with superglue. I want to see more of this race. That''s all it took. Natalia, the do-it-all waiter, caught the bread in one jump. Oh, dear! You don''t understand! Natalia, you don''t understand. You don''t know what you''re doing! ''I''m sure you can do this if you''ve had a prime seat for that many times. d*mn, was it a mistake to ask Natalia to help? ...... The other two will probably master it in a couple more ...... of these, too. ''Well, if you''ll excuse me. Refusing the other two head waiters, Natalia headed for the finish line. Skip. ''Natalia, you''re the best waiter I''ve ever had! I know! Natalia, I know you! That''s it! That''s it! That''s what I, no, that''s what the boys, no, no, that''s what the world wants! Natalia finishes with a plop. I don''t know what that means, but the cheering section applauds. I''ll give you mine. A standing ovation! Bravo! Brrrr! ''That''s what I think, Natalia Owen. You know exactly what''s expected of you at this moment. ''Life is a constant learning experience, and I''m grateful to have had the good fortune to participate in this event. Gilberta and Deborah caught the bread at almost the same time, then followed Natalia''s example and skipped to the finish line. The sight of bouncing tits with different amplitudes crossing the finish line must have been etched in the minds of those who were there. If any of them were to write a history book, this day would surely be written clearly. Take about four pages, and be thorough and detailed. You can learn the year by reading the words together, such as ''Let''s shake our nice tits, ward athletic meet'', future students. ''Phew~...... was a great game. Hey, Norma. ...... Huh?Where''s Norma?'' ''Norma went to the waiting line to get ready for the race.'' I was so engrossed in the game that I turned around and saw that Norma was not there, but Estella was standing in her place. I thought, ''Race you, Natalia! I thought I heard that very close by. ''I want to give Natalia time to eat her bread. I''ll stay with her until the end. However, there were only a few races left. Huh. ...... This fun time is almost over. I think I''m going to get May blues. ...... I''m going to be apathetic. ...... I was starting to feel depressed, but the bread-eating contest was still very fun, meaningful, and most importantly, soft. The girls at the end of the race were eating the bread and happily exclaiming, "It''s so soft! But there is something even softer, you know. It''s your boobs. ''Hmm?Yashiro, did you just think of the silliest thing? ''Are you an esper? You''re an esper. Don''t try to sense people''s thoughts. And while I was doing that, the final race came and went. Although the bread-eating race was more of a show than a publicity stunt, the aces of each team gathered here to make the last race more exciting. Delia from the red team was eagerly waiting. The yellow team was led by Norma, who had helped them earlier. From the white team, Magda, who lacks the age and height to be an ace, but there is no one else who could be. The strongest beastmen in the 42nd district, who were becoming familiar with each other, were all here. And. I was expecting Natalia to be here, but an unexpected person came out to represent the blue group. ''Estella-sama~. Please watch me! Tracy McCurry. Lord of the 27th district and former tantrum princess. She''s an Estella fanatic and ranks quite high on the list of disappointing lords, but honestly, she doesn''t seem like the athletic type. Why is this guy ...... ''When Natalia decided that she was going to participate in the head waiter competition, she was the one who recommended her. ''Natalia did? ''She said there was no one better for the final race. ''But I''m surprised Tracy agreed. ''That''s, well, .......'' ''...... Estella, did you force her to do it with a smile?'' ''No, I didn''t mean to ......, but when I said ............, "I''d appreciate it if you''d answer... ...you know.'' That''s the same as asking you to participate. But who is the right person for the final race? ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. I could die four times just from collateral damage alone. ''Oh, no. Another diplomatic issue. ......'' ''It won''t come to that!I''m sure Magda and the others will take care of that. Norma''s here too.'' ''You know, Estella...... Norma hates to lose, you know?I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. The only time Norma shows her care is when she feels comfortable, such as when she feels she is far superior to her opponent, when events occur outside of her domain, or when she feels strongly that someone is relying on her. In the event that you''re not sure whether you''re going to win or lose against Magda or Delia, you can''t expect ...... Norma to be relaxed and considerate of her surroundings in such an interesting race. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... ''Ah~............ this''. She sweated profusely, coughed vainly, and Estella put her hand to the side of her mouth. ''Miss Tracy. Please don''t get hurt~ (I don''t want any diplomatic problems)'' ''Ahaha ......!Estella-sama is worried about me ......!You''re so kind ......! ''''Wait, Estella!My lord just blew his nose! ''...... I''m fine. That''s his speciality.'' ''Oh, I see. There are all kinds of lords out there. Norma panicked, but Magda seemed to have gotten used to it. And Delia is unfazed. I''m not sure who is the most sane of the bunch, but I''m pretty sure Tracy is the weirdest. ...... There''s a lot of publicity about the lords of the realm today. I hope it''s not my fault. ''Estella, what are you going to do about the bloodshed? ''I''d like to think it''s not my fault ....... I really do.'' Nene rushed over to wipe Tracy''s bloody nose. The red stains splattered on her white gym uniform have formed a polka dot pattern. Fashionable~,...... is hardly the word I''d use. You can change later. I''ll help you if you want. ''If you want, I''ll help you ......! ''Come on, it''s starting!Be quiet! d*mn it! Estella''s senses are sharpening every second. There''s a chance she''ll say, ''Then, please''! There''s no chance of that! It just so happens that I have ten "Sleeping with Estella" tickets in my hip pocket. As a trump card in case of emergency. Show this to her and she''ll ............ ''Help me change my clothes ......! ''Yashiro, shut up! It''s ...... fine, it''s fine. Ijijiji. ''Magda~n!Keep up the good work! ''Delia-san!I know we''re not on the same team, but I''ll cheer for you to the death! ''Norma-dono!Please shake it loudly! ''Just a little time...'' Oumalo and Goozuya are having a great time. We''ll leave out Bekko, who was having a blast a while ago, now that he''s quieted down. Now that Norma has finished her work and is back on the course, it''s time to start the race! ''On my mark, yay!'' --knock! The sound of bells rang out, and the ground let out a short, low roar. The three beastmen kicked the ground in unison, and the earth seemed to shake slightly. Magda was the first to reach the pan. She''s changing her speed depending on the opponent, isn''t she? I don''t know if he does it consciously or unconsciously, but his power is so different from when he competed with Molly. His speed is more convincing. The dust rises high into the sky, and on the smoky earth, Magda lowers herself and shakes her ass. This is the gesture that felines make before pouncing on their prey. ''s*xy, s*xy, s*xy, ............ pfft.'' Beyond the breaking point, Umaro sank to the ground. Another one of District Forty-two''s famous perverts has burned up. ...... Hey, Natalia. Stop placing the fallen Oumalo next to Becko. It''s not a morgue. ''...... hunting''. Magda took aim and jumped up with every spring in her body. Just when I thought I had him, the bread hanging in front of Magda bounced away with a pop. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I must have hit you on the cheek. ''...... Norma''. Norma caught up with Magda and intercepted her. Magda twisted in midair, and Norma, her long hair fluttering, glared at each other. Delia catches up to them, and a three-way battle ensues. I''m not going to let that happen.I''m not sure what to do. ''......! ''...... evade''. Norma and Magda jump back as Delia rushes forward. In the empty space, Delia jumps. However, her momentum was too strong as she charged forward with all her might to force Magda and the others to retreat. Delia popped the bread off her face. She landed roughly with white powder on her cheeks. Delia wipes the powder from her cheek with her thumb and gently brings it to her mouth. She licks her thumb. ''Aaah!It''s so sweet! It seems that the melon bread powder was very sweet, and Delia writhes in agony. Seeing this, the third serious patient, Goozuya, sank to the ground. ''Pretty ...... too ............ ...... attached''. Natalia is hurriedly arranging them in the morgue. You''re having a little fun, Natalia. ''...... can''t be helped in this situation. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. Twin tails. Then she spins fast between Delia and Norma. ''Whoops! ''Ouch! The twin-tails, wriggling like whips, hit Delia and Norma. ''What the hell, Magda?Is that possible? ''...... What?Magda just tied her hair up and moved around a bit.'' ''Oh, ...... I see. Well, I''m not going to let you get away with it! Quickly, Norma braided her hair up at high speed. A very long braid is completed in no time. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I like the gap between her simple-looking hairstyle and her nice body. ...... I''m sorry about that!I''m not sure what to do. Norma swings her hair around with the ferocity of a lioness. A tightly knotted braid strikes Magda. But Magda dodges it with a flick of her finger. ''Hmph!I''ve got long hair, too! Delia sees Magda and Norma and immediately tries to copy them. But ...... ''Oh, no!I can''t get it to work if it''s not at the usual height! Oh, I see. That''s why Delia tied her hair low. Delia can''t just raise her arms and tie her hair where you can''t see it. ''Hmph!Then I''ll bounce that hair back and be the first one to get the bread! ''I won''t let you! ''It''s impossible to surpass ...... Magda.'' The three girls jump towards the bread at the same time. ''I''m the one who likes sweets the most out of all of them! ''I''ve never forgotten the taste of ...... the day I tasted it, not even for a second! ''...... Magda is the cutest''. Each of them shouted their passion for bread. I''m sorry. Well, there''s one girl who''s not on point, but don''t worry about it. It happens all the time. The three of them approaching the bread. Delia''s on the wrong track. But Norma''s in a good position. Magda mutters to herself as she is about to ...... be taken out. ''......If you open your mouth too wide, you''ll see the lines ......''. ''Hmm! Norma closes her mouth involuntarily. The bread hits Norma''s lips and bounces. Wow, that bread is going to sell!Cream bread with Norma''s hickey (26,000 yen tax excluded). ...... Yeah, I''ll buy it! I''ll buy it. ...... You can''t do that, can you? And Magda, who interfered with Norma, also missed the bread because her timing was not right. I''m not sure what to do. --And all of this was done in the air, and in just a second or two. You guys are outrunning time and space. And the three girls landed in turn. As Delia stepped on the ground, the taut twin hills shook powerfully. ''This is the geocentric theory! The great men of the past must have seen those two shaking mountains and came up with the geocentric theory! I''ve just glimpsed the truth of history! Then, Norma. ''Oh, man!That was a close one! Normally, Norma would have used her knees to absorb the impact at the moment of landing and landed more quietly, but because she was twisting her body to stare at Magda, she couldn''t kill the impact of landing. The impact went straight through her body, shaking the softest part of her body unsparingly. Plop, plop, plop. ''Two bounces!I''ve got two bounces on each side in one landing, now!I''m not sure what to make of that. That''s two for one, Norma, you horrible girl! In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to get a lot more than one. And then... ''...... poin~n''. He made a shaking sound with his mouth. I''ll buy your ...... effort. Yeah. ''...... body, but the soul shook. The soul of the tits inside Magda. So Magda''s tits have individual souls. That''s awesome. I hope the body will shake more than the soul. And when I looked at Magda, I saw that her ...... tail was swaying. In the case of a dog, a wagging tail can be interpreted as a sign of joy, but this is not the case when a cat''s tail wags. When a cat''s tail is swaying slowly, it is aiming at its prey. Prey?Bread? I was thinking about it, but the answer came to me rather quickly. ''...... Unya''. ''Hey, come on!Magda, that''s my bread! Magda punched the bread that Delia had flicked away. But then she turns on her heel and jumps on Norma''s cream bun. ''...... nya''. ''Don''t use your hands, Magda! The bread flees from Norma''s mouth just as she''s about to suck on it. ''Isn''t that a foul? ''I''m sorry, Norma. It''s just instinct.'' I quickly follow up. Of course it''s tempting to flirt with them when they''re being flung around so much. You can''t help it, you know. In Magda''s case. ''So let''s say it''s OK if you don''t use your hands to take the bread? Estella says it''s instinctive, so she makes a compromise. Delia and Norma reluctantly agree to it. ''Then it''s okay to do this, right? However, Norma did not seem to forgive herself for being interrupted twice, and punched the bread on the next course with all her might. Pan, plump. Magda ''...... nyah''. ''Haha. That''s funny, Magda. Delia is amused by Magda''s behavior and plays with the bread. You don''t see Magda playing with things very often, but the combination of ...... delicious bread, the fun atmosphere of the field day, and the excitement of being cheered on by so many people, I guess she''s in a bit of a spoiled brat mode right now. She sometimes comes to me without warning. There must be some kind of switch. ''Ha-ha-ha!All right, Magda!Let''s go get it! Delia hit the bread on the string, and Magda chased after her. Magda chased after her, but when Delia hit the bread, it slipped out of the metal fittings and flew away. ''Oh, no! Magda, who had been playing with the bread, chased after it, but Tracy, who had been jumping on the bread unobtrusively, was at the other end. ''......? The trajectories of Tracy, who had just kicked the ground at an inopportune moment, and Magda, who had passed the top and begun to fall, overlapped. ''Watch out!It''s going to hit us!'' Estella shouts, but there''s nothing she can do about it now. Tracy and Magda are getting closer. ''Oh no! ''Avoid .......'' Tracy raises her arms to protect her head in surprise. Magda, on the other hand, remains calm and twists her body in the air. ''......A little contact is inevitable......Please forgive me.'' After muttering and flipping her body, Magda''s foot kicks Tracy in the chest. It was a soft touch, just a light touch. So, I guess it was not an external shock that caused this, but an internal pressure. Her arms were raised above her head in an unreasonable position, putting an excessive load on the sarashi that tightened around her body, and the sarashi burst. Following the buzzing sound of the laceration, ''byeeeeeein! I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''ll like it. '''''''' Illusion,'''''''' Illusion,'''''''' Illusion,'''''''' Illusion,'''''''' Illusion, again! Tracy was in the air and gravity led her to land. At that moment-- '''''''' Fantastyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! The gospel rang out to the world. It was as if the absurdity of the world was being cleansed away by the gentle and majestic swaying of her big, hidden breasts (though they weren''t hidden anymore). Several men, no, dozens of men, who witnessed this scene, lost consciousness and collapsed in a heap due to the sheer divinity of the scene. To tell the truth, I don''t even remember who won the last race. I couldn''t see the road ahead because of my tears! I remember what Natalia told me. I''m overlooking the value of more than size. So this is what she meant. In terms of size, Delia is the best of the bunch. But Norma''s tits with two normal attacks and Tracy''s surprise illusions are packed with more charm than size. Of course, Delia''s bouncy H-cups are hard to beat! But the G-cup duo of Norma and Tracy can never be discarded!You can''t throw them away!You can''t throw them away! I''m sure you''re right, Natalia. ......? So that''s what she meant. So that''s what Natalia was talking about when she said Tracy was the one for the job. This is the kind of excitement that is appropriate for the final race. ............ Oh, my God. I can''t believe I''m being put through this. You''ve got it ....... Natalia ......, you''re number one. By the hands of Natalia, dozens of men were laid out and arranged in the morgue, and the morning program of the field day of the forty-two wards was over. 389-Additive-free Episode 44 Lunch Box Happy ''Ginette-chan!I''m hungry~!'' ''Yes. I''ve prepared lots of lunches for you. At the end of the morning''s competition, the tournament chairperson (Estella) announced a break. Estella then went straight from the stage to Ginette. Along the way, she removed her blue headband. It is a sign of the desire to eat lunch together regardless of the team. ...... No, they just want to collect food, that''s all. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Why not?No problem, I''ll negotiate directly with the manager. You son of a b*tc*, how dare you. ''Why not, Yashiro-san? Just let everyone eat it. With a smiling face, Ginette took out a too huge lunch box and spread it out on the leisure seat. ''This is what we call it. It''s a publicity stunt, Yashiro-san. ''Advertising? ''Yes. If people who have never touched a bento box from Hidamari-tei before know that this is what a bento box looks like, that it tastes this good, and that cold rice eaten outside is also delicious, then maybe they will order more bento boxes. I was surprised. I can''t believe Jeannette would say something like that. ...... I thought this guy had stopped thinking at the point of ''it''s fine if the people who need it, need it when they need it'',......, but he''s growing up little by little, isn''t he? I''m sure you''re right. Sales at the cafeteria and food stalls have been fairly good, but sales of lunchboxes have been sluggish. Yeah, this could be a good opportunity. Ginette chuckled in a funny way. I don''t know what''s so funny. ''I''m looking forward to seeing my friend Ginette''s lunch too. I''m looking forward to seeing my friend Ginette''s bento.'' Ginette''s bento overturned my stereotype that cold food is not good. I''m really looking forward to seeing what''s in it today. Now, let''s eat. Ah~n, Jinepu, ah~n. ''Mr. Bekko!I haven''t opened the lid yet, but I''d like a food sample of this, too. ''This much, that it is! A lot of people from other teams are gathering here. It suddenly became cloudy, and I saw Medora standing behind me. It was blocking out the sunlight like a stray cloud, and was peering curiously at my lunch. ''I see, this is the "lunchbox" that people are talking about. I''ve seen Magda hide it and eat it a few times, but this is the first time I''ve seen what''s inside. ''I''m sure you''ll enjoy the taste. ''You look so confident. I''m looking forward to it. Medora sits down next to me, looking forward to the opening of the bento. ...... narrow. ''...... Unfortunately, Yashiro is on this team. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. He slid next to Jeannette. ''What is it, Magda? What does it matter what team you''re on during break?'' ''It''s a little bitty, Medora-san.'' ''...... is Yashiro.'' ''''My brother is...'''' ''''He''s on the ''Sunny Pavilion Team''! So it seems. Well, it''s easier to be with these guys than next to Medora. There''s better airflow. ''Oh well. I''d be nervous and lose my appetite next to my darling. ...... Ugh ...... I''m losing my appetite right now ...... ''Now, Yashiro-san, Ginette. Hurry up and open your lunches. It seems that everyone can''t wait any longer. Bertina, who clearly can''t wait, is standing next to Ginette, urging her on. Yeah, that''s the easiest position for her to share. As expected of a mother, she knows her stuff. ''Sirach, Orkio, and Mummies, please join us. Jin-nette beckoned to the crowd of acquaintances. ''Ginette, may I join you? ''Of course, Ma''am. And you too, Cindy. ''Thank you for your concern. Ginette is just like me when I was young. She''s witty and cute. Oh, that''s too bad! It''s a shame that Cindy can''t use "Judgment of the Spirits"! She could definitely turn into a frog! ''Since my Inez seems to be taking care of you, let''s have a special meal together. ''Ma, Ma, ...... if Ms. Erin is here, so am I. ...... No, I have a history with the Sunken Pavilion. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''Lunch with Rebeka...... ah, I''m so happy! In addition, a group of people I didn''t even invite have gathered here. Gerasie, Donis, and Filman......Oh, look at it this way, there''s not a single decent nobleman. ''Estella-sama, this Tracy, of course I''m coming with you! ''''Nene is also here! ''''That''s right, manager, please take it easy on me today ......'''' ''''Oh, um... Please don''t be so frightened. I won''t do anything to you. Right?Right? Tracy and Nene must have had some deep-seated scars etched in their hearts. It''s a rare breed that Jeannette can''t handle. We''ll take good care of her. ''Isn''t there a hell of a group of people here? ''Uh, yeah. It''s a little hard to get close to .......'' ''Are you sure you want to be here ......? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. You''re scaring the beauty (and the chickens). Get out of the way, you delinquent lords. ''Oh, I made a pretty big leisure sheet, but I''m not sure if it was ...... enough.'' Ukrines let out a chuckle when he saw the leisure seats in a huge traffic jam. The leisure seat we are using this time is an extra-large rug made by Ukrines (commonly known as a leisure seat), but it can be called a carpet in terms of size. It''s a carpet in size. ''Mmmm~ there are so many lords and guild leaders! ''Lord and guild leader''s boobs are my achievement?Then give me a free ticket. ''Huh~?I wonder if he''s trying to cover something up~'' Hmm . Masha. You''re misleading me as if it''s my fault that this dense group has gathered here. The lords of the other districts are flocking to us because Estella is pining for these strange people. ''They''re all flat-chested maniacs. ...... Oh, I misspoke. They''re pining for Estella.'' ''How could I have misspoken that! ''Hmm?Shall I explain?First of all, Estella''s breasts are ......'' ''I don''t want them!There are all kinds of dignitaries in the room, keep your mouth shut! Estella protests, grabbing the small plates and chopsticks that Magda and Loretta are passing around. You''re the one who asked me. ...... ''Hey, tiger girl. Give me a small plate too.'' ''...... Ah, Ricardo, ............200Rb.'' ''Why do I have to pay for it? ''......Lord''s Special Price'' ''You''re treating me wrong! Ricardo''s in the mix, too. But then again, ...... ''If that''s the way the system works, so be it. Estella, 200Rb, they say.'' ''Take it from Ricardo. ''Hey, don''t be silly, Estella! ''BU''s are all in this together, so ...... put it all together and give it to Gellarcy.'' ''Don''t be silly, Obeyashiro! Don''t be stingy, it''s only 200Rb. Huh, they''re such impatient lords. ''Impatient ......'' ''Don''t accuse me of riddles! It''s not a riddle. Look, Regina''s got a ''sure thing'' look on her face. ''Well, gentlemen. It''s time to open your lunches. Ginette seemed to have been waiting for everyone to arrive. She looked around at the faces of the crowd, and then finally at me. ''It''s important to be excited when you open your lunch,'' she said. I don''t know who told him that, but he said it to me. He looked strangely happy. What is it?Are you going to say ''I''ve become like Yashiro-san'' again?You''re still too naive. When the smiling Jeannette puts her hand on her lunchbox, everyone salivates in unison. The lid of the lunchbox is opened while being watched by many people. ''''''Oh, ......'''''' A voice of wild admiration leaked out. The first thing that appeared was a colorful bale of omusubi. I guess it''s because of the landlady''s influence that I think of bento as being bale shaped. Anyway, I inherited this concept from Jeannette. See, you can pack it more tightly than a triangle. ''''''Wow! The girls shouted with delight at the colorful vegetables. Bacon wrapped asparagus, fried lotus root, boiled spinach wrapped in nori, and potato salad with cherry tomatoes. I also made macaroni and put it in there. ''''''Yoo-hoo! The relatively old kids showed their guts to the meat. The inside of the lunch box is brown. This is a punch that young men can''t resist. It is said that a large piece of fried food grabs the stomach of boys everywhere in the world. Then, mini hamburgers, meatballs, fried eggs, and other standard side dishes appeared one after another, and the voltage on the leisure seat continued to rise. Finally, the hidden gem of the evening. A dream lunch box made possible with the full cooperation of the Sea Fishing Guild. ''It''s full of fried shrimp! When Jeannette opened the lid, there was a roar of delight from the kids and others. The lunch box was filled with fried shrimp. And they were Masha''s carefully selected prawns! It was a truly splendid fried shrimp that could have been served at a Western-style restaurant that charges about 2,000 yen for a single shrimp. The fried prawns were the ones that Masha carefully selected. ''Masha provided the ingredients for the fried shrimp, and Nephrite provided the fried chicken. You should all thank her. '''''''' Thanks, '''''''' ''''I like ............ no, the shrimp'''', ''''no, the fried''''. Mixed in with the words of gratitude, I heard the high-pitched fish voice of a lazy man and the flirtatious voice of an Imeiketanuki. ...... Well, let''s just ignore it. Neffery didn''t hear them, and Masha, who had a good ear, might have heard them, but she pretended not to. ''And now, everyone, please eat! ''''''''Let''s eat! '''''''' With Ginette''s voice as a signal, each of us reached for our lunches. The members of the sunlit pavilion, Norma, and the waitresses are serving up side dishes and omusubi on their plates. Those who can''t stand it reach for the nearest thing at hand. ''Uma!What''s this, yum! ''Omusubi, there''s something mixed in!Yummy! In addition to the usual salmon flakes, I mixed some other ingredients into the omusubi. I made my own furikake with takana and baby sardines. If you use sake or miso, you can get various flavors and variations. At the end, Jeannette was so amused that she made all sorts of furikake. So, there are many kinds of omusubi. ''Salmon, you''re the best! Yeah. I''m sure you are, Delia. ''Yashiro!Here!What are these greens?Are those our vegetables? ''It''s takana. ''Takana, huh?That''s what it''s become! Mo Matt gets excited about the takana omusubi. With such a loud voice, you''re appealing, ''This is our vegetable. ''Hey, hey, hey, Yashiro!Is that delicious meat over here the meat of a magical beast that our hunting guild hunted? ''Too bad, Uzse. That''s beef stew.'' ''''Hahahahahaha!Nice try, hunting guild!This is our beef! ''Hey!Yashiro!Let me eat hexenbiest meat!It''s more delicious than beef! Don''t fight it, it''s only lunch. Hexenbiest meat is delicious even without any modifications so I don''t cook it elaborately. Even this Shigure-ni is an excellent dish that Ginette and I came up with so that it wouldn''t be inferior to hexenbiest meat. ''Here, grilled hexenbiest skewers. ''Delicious!What the hell is this?Is it Bonacon? ''...... No. That''s Innopork that Magda hunted.'' ''Mr. Use, you have no idea what it tastes like.'' ''Hahahaha!You can say that all you want, Use! ''...... says Ricardo, who has a stupid tongue that can''t tell the difference between eggplant and meat. ''What kind of mouth is that? ''Ha ha!You''ve got no shape, Ricardo! ''Oh, shut up, Medora!Shut up and eat! ''...... Then you should shut up and eat, too.'' ''Did you say something, Ugly?'' ''No!The meat of hexenbiest is delicious! A group of hunters are having a good time. I guess Medora is still eating small. There''s only a little salad and one diaper on the plate. ''Medora, is that enough for you?Don''t be shy.'' ''Darling, you''re so sweet!I wonder if this is what newlywed life is like. ...... Pop.'' ''Ha-ha-ha, Medora~. ''Eat a lot of food'' is a common phrase that pig farmers say to their pigs~'' ''But if you eat too much, you''ll get ...... fat. ''You idiot. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. Even if you gained 50 kilos, you probably wouldn''t even notice it, because you''re already too much! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be fine....... I''m going to go over there and blow a nosebleed! Medora ran out of the room with several old men around her. I''m glad I didn''t get blown up here. ''Yashiro...... you, don''t mess with my mom......'' ''Usse. ''Then you''ll be responsible for stopping her from contacting me.'' ''Don''t be absurd!I can''t do that even if a hundred people died a hundred times! I''m not toying with you. I''m just dodging you. ''Yes, Yashiro-san.'' ''Hmm?Oh, thank you.'' Jeannette presented me with a selection of side dishes. There were fried chicken, fried shrimp, mini hamburgers and asparagus bacon. ...... It''s heavy. ''I''m sorry. I was trying to keep a good balance, but it seemed like it was going to run out quickly. The number of fried shrimp, fried chicken and hamburger steak was decreasing rapidly. The asparagus bacon was also selling better than I had expected. ''Fried shrimp, yum! ''What is this?I''ve never had this before! ''It''s better than the fried shrimp at our restaurant ...... No, no, no, our fried shrimp is as good as yours! It seems that fried shrimp is giving some people a shock. That''s because it''s the highest quality fried shrimp. I can''t eat them often either. ''You guys, those shrimps were caught by our Nikka out at sea!You should eat them with gratitude! For some reason, Karl is standing there looking all puffed up. A few men are looking at him like he''s on fire. ''Why are you acting so high and mighty?'' and ''You''re a caterpillar who hasn''t lost his stink-horns after getting such a cute wife. ''Oh, Carl. Don''t make a fuss because it''s embarrassing. ''Because the prawns Nikka caught were so delicious, I wanted to show them off. ''You don''t have to brag about it. ...... But if only one person, Carl, thinks it''s delicious, I''ll be happy. ......'' ''Aha!My wife is so cute!I think this fried shrimp tastes like Nikka too! This caterpillar ...... is going to eat you. You caterpillar. ...... Alright. ''Guys!I heard this fried shrimp tastes like Nikka!I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. '''''''' I agree! '''''''' ''Wow, Nikka''s good!Nicca, it''s so good! ''You''re looking good, ma''am. ''It''s nice and tight! ''Young mistress, it''s so rich! ''The married woman is delicious! ''Waaaah!Stop it!Don''t look at Nikka like that! I''m sorry. It''s because he''s flirting in front of the unattractive ...... and the men who devote all their passion to their work and spare no time to indulge in women. Wow, Nikka''s tail is so crispy!Hmph! ''No, Yashiro-san. You can''t tease me. ...... giggle.'' But Jeannette looks happy. Well, it''s not malicious. ...... Even if there''s no malicious intent, it''s sure to be terrible s*xual harassment. ...... ''......?I''m not sure what those men are talking about.I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... and the super insensitive Nikka herself is not aware of it, so let her take it with a grain of salt. I''ve heard that s*xual harassment is out if the person being harassed feels uncomfortable. Yeah. Safe and sound. ''So, let''s eat fried chicken. ''Wait a minute, An-chan! Zudojaa!and Percy barges in front of me. Don''t get upset on the leisure seat. ...... ''...... If you spill even a grain of rice, I''ll punish you, okay? ''Oh, ............ oh, ...... I didn''t spill anything, and no, seriously, ...... you look scary. I''m sorry. ...... I''m really sorry. ......'' Percy, sit up straight in front of me and hang your head. Okay, okay. Don''t freak out around the food. ''So, what''s the deal? ''Well, you''re not supposed to look at that ...... nefari-san when you eat fried food! ''I''m not going to look at him. ''Are you serious?I don''t want you to do anything naughty like that! Hey, Percy. Eating fried chicken while looking at a ...... nefarious chicken is like eating pork cutlet in front of a ...... suckling pig. No, it''s like eating roast veal in front of a mother cow. Anyway, it''s hard to eat in front of you, meat! ''Brother, you''re gross. ''Woah, woah, woah!Molly, when did you get in there? ''Since you slipped in. Don''t bother my sister too much.'' ''I''m really sorry, I''m such an idiot. ''Don''t call me stupid!And creepy too! ''Then I''ll go tell the chickens that my brother said your breast meat is delicious. ''Wait, Molly!I didn''t say that!I''m not serious! The boisterous brother and sister leave. ''Noisy brother'' and sister leave, huh? ''But the food at the Sunken Pavilion is still delicious. Use blurted out such a thing. Ginette hears this and looks very happy. He then hurriedly put fried chicken and asparagus bacon on a plate and presented it to Use. ''If you don''t mind, you can have this too. ''What?You mean for me? ''Yes, sir. If you''re not too hungry. ''Oh, no. I can still eat a lot of food, but I''m sorry about ............ that .......'' The old man is embarrassed to no end. He sits back down, takes the small plate with both hands, and bows his head in a reserved manner. Turn to the front and lower your face. ...... What? ''Don''t peek at my cleavage! ''Don''t do it with you! ''I like big tits with you, don''t I! ''You''re the only one who''s out of control! ''Ginette, what do you think! ''Yashiro-san. Please repent. Hey! Even Use is always glancing at me. ''You''re so lame when you''re face to face. You''re always glancing at me from the corner seat.'' ''Wait!Hey, you''re being rude! I don''t know.I''m going to put on the Judgment of the Spirits. ''............ is forbidden today.'' That''s the same as a confession. The big-boobed hunter sneaks away, and Lucia sits down in the empty space. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask me. ''That''s really a wonderful taste, Ginepoo. ''Thank you, sir. ''But it is!Maybe it''s because it''s cold, but it still tastes a little different from normal food. ''Yes. It tastes good even when it''s cold. ...... No, it''s seasoned so that it tastes better when it''s cold.'''' ''Mmm!Brilliant, Jinepu!Come marry me in the 35th district! ''No, you can''t!I can''t give it to you, manager! ''...... What are you going to do about Hammaro? ''Hammaro''s place is ...... where I''m going to marry ...... Pop.'' ''Ginette is all alone in the 35th district, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. It''s not easy to be liked so much by another lord, isn''t it? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.The reason why the lords of each district want to gather in the forty-two districts is. ''Miss Tracy, would you like to join us? ''Yes, sir. It''s delicious. Hey, Nene .......'' ''Yes, it''s very good. Mr. Tracy.......'' No, no, no, it''s fine. You can call me by my normal name now. ...... You''re persistent, these guys are traumatized. ''Ma''am, isn''t it oily? ''No, it''s very tasty. Even though it''s fried, it''s not too greasy. I was just having trouble stopping my chopsticks. ''What a coincidence. I can''t stop either. Bertina smiled at Mahr, who looked satisfied. You always can''t stop your chopsticks, Bertina. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''''No, I''m fine. I''ll do it myself.'''' I''m sure you''ll be fine. It''s not cheating to share a side dish with me! But still, Ginette is actively promoting her lunchbox. I don''t know what inspired it, but it''s a good trend. Even though it''s ....... ''Ginette. You should eat a little too.'' ''Huh?...... Oh, right. I forgot all about it.'' ''d*mn it, .......'' All you do is take care of other people, and you don''t even eat a bite. It''s a bad habit of Jeannette''s. The field day continues in the afternoon. If you don''t eat well, you''ll collapse. ''Here, eat at least this much. I give Jeannette a small plate of rice and a salad with something that will make her stomach churn. You don''t need to be full, but you do need to replenish your energy. I''d like to give her a few more helpings, but I''m almost out of ...... leftovers. ''Thank you very much. ...... Hmm. It''s kind of nice to have someone share with you, isn''t it? He politely takes it with both hands, stares at it and lets out a smile. You''ve been doing this for a long time, you know. Are you aware of that? Well, you know. Indulge me once in a while. ''Tell me if I''m missing something. ''No. The more I make and serve, the more I get hungry. ......'' ''Because we''re running out of lunch. I''ll buy you something from one of those stalls.'' ''Yeah ......'' ''If you don''t want to eat alone, well, ...... come with me.'' ''............ That''s a tempting proposition.'' He squeezed the small plate tightly, then narrowed his eyes and relaxed his cheeks. ''I think I''m going to be a bit of a picky eater today. I hope I don''t look like my mother. I accidentally missed the chance to say something sarcastic about ....... Don''t be so happy. You''re a child. It''s not like you''re going to be able to ...... go to the store. ...... I think I''m going to get fat today. You''ve got big tits, girl. I''ll buy you something delicious. Come here. Let''s eat together. ...... giggle. Wow, if I didn''t know you, I''d be a criminal. I can''t do this without saying something like that. Because right now I''m ...... thinking that if I get a smile like that, I''m going to have to pay a little more ...... for it. I''m not sure what to do. My purse strings are looser than the elastic on my pants after two years of wearing them. Ginette shakes her shoulders, giggling at her own comment. --Bertina''s eyes sparkled as she stepped in front of me. ''Yashiro-san!I think I''m going to become a foodie too! ''You''ve always been a glutton, haven''t you? But I wonder. I don''t think it''s possible for the mother of a similar mother and daughter to ''not have her pockets hurt by a treat''. ...... It would certainly be a lethal pain. ''Perhaps, Mr. Yashiro,...... I, this is not enough.'' ''I''m sure it is! Bertina is poking at me. I''m not sure what to do. You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a sausage. ...... I didn''t bring that much money with me today. ............ Do you want to get together with Ricardo? I mean, me. How much money do you have on you right now? I didn''t bring that much because I was going to exercise today. I''m bringing some for the food truck. I''ve modified my pants pocket into a double-layered structure and put coins in it so they won''t fall out no matter how hard I run or jump. As I was digging in my butt pocket to check it, ...... something fell out of my pocket with a ...... snap. It was a small folded bundle of paper, my own handiwork, that I had put in my butt pocket, something that sent a chill down my spine for a moment when I noticed its presence. ''Yashiro-san. Did you see something fall? ''Oh, no!I''m fine!You don''t have to pick it up! Why was I in such a hurry at that moment? Why did I feel that I didn''t want anyone to see it? Why, of all things, at a time like this ...... Norma and Natalia casually but accurately blocked my attempt to take it back. Then, as the excited-looking girls peer into the room, the folded product is opened. The words written on it are. "Estella sleepover ticket. --And there are ten of them. ''What? The one who raised such a strange voice was, of course, Estella, and in that instant, each and every one of them made a face as if they had sensed something. ''Is this a gift from Estella-sama? ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn''t give her that! ''If it''s a gift, you''ve got the imagination of a ...... toddler.'' ''That''s because I didn''t make it! ''So, is that it?You''re giving away the rights to the product to a vendor and giving them permission to sell it?That''s a whole lot of money.'' ''No, of course not! Estella, who had begun to be teased at once, walked up to me with a bright red face. ''Why in the world would Yashiro have something like this?Are you really going to sleep with me that many times? ''You idiot!No, you''re not!Calm down! d*mn, that was bad timing! If it wasn''t for the worst timing, the intention of this ticket would have been read correctly, but under the circumstances, it''s been completely recognized as a ticket for me to use. I guess I have no choice but to be honest here - even though I''ll miss out on a business opportunity. ''This is for selling to Tracy at a high price! ''Let''s buy it at the asking price! ''You''re not allowed!What authority do you have to do this kind of business with ......, anyway?Unauthorized!Confiscation!Destroy! ''Oh, Estella-sama!What a waste! Poor, torn up snuggle tickets. It''s flown up into the air, and Tracy and a few other males reach for the scraps, but... ''That ticket is invalid! At the call of the merciless lord, the scattered scraps of paper became worthless. Then, the merciless lord sticks his finger under my nose, his brow furrowed. ''Next time, if you do something stupid like this, I''ll imprison you for a few days! He said such a rude thing and announced the punishment for this case. ''If you treat me to okonomiyaki, ...... this case will be forgiven. ''...... Hey, hey.'' ''I can''t see any remorse! ''Yes, I''m sorry! ''Muaaah! I decided it would be wise to apologize to Estella, who was venting her embarrassment with anger, and said I was sorry. I''ll at least buy you okonomiyaki while I''m at it. ''Well, Ginnette can join us for okonomiyaki at .......'' When I looked at Jeannette, she looked a little stunned by the sudden commotion and was in a daze. I''m not sure why he''s sitting there, but he''s got a piece of a sleepover ticket in his hand. ''...... Hey, Jeannette? ''............'' And when I called her name, she slowly turned her head towards me - and when our eyes met, her cheeks puffed out for some reason. ...... Yes. I''m going to go to confession. ...... 390-45 episodes without additivesIts too sweet. ''Anchovy. Give me your face for a minute. It''s not that there''s anything wrong with me or anything,......, it''s just that,......, you know, I''m not sure if you''re mad at me or not, but I''d like to know if you have any questions. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at our own web site. ...... I have a bad feeling about this. ''I''m telling you, there are no tickets for Hammaro to sleep with you, okay? ''If you don''t have one, make one!......, but that''s not what I''m talking about right now.'''' For a moment, the usual Lucia peeked out, but soon returned to the serious expression of a lord. It''s ...... so weird. ''You know, if you''re talking about something that requires that kind of serious look, you should ...... be talking to Estella, not me.'' Then, I was forcibly interrupted. Mute. Quietly. Gently, he held my hand. ''...... This is something that only you can ask for.'' Lucia''s face showed the expression of a weak girl. I was unaware that my heart was beating loudly. My heartbeat is gradually getting faster. What the hell is ...... In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to take advantage of it. The bustling voices coming from afar emphasize the quietness of this place. In a quiet corner of the field, Lucia and I are alone. Lucia''s hand is a little cool against mine. Her thin, white fingers grasp my hand in a reserved manner. Lucia turns her head away from me, as if to look away. As if embarrassed. What boy wouldn''t dream of such school youth? The time of silence is increasing ...... tension. ''You''re trying to get me to sell my debt. Accept it.'' ''...... what the hell is that?'' d*mn it. My voice was a little slurred and I couldn''t say ''what the hell'' properly. And then, as if she had made up her mind, Lucia looked up, stared at me for a few seconds, and then, somewhat forcefully, pulled my arm and walked away. There was nothing I could do to resist her, so I followed her as if I were being dragged along. Her swaying blue hair reflected the light beautifully, sprinkling grains of light in front of me. My heart was beating fast because of the tension and the forced fast walking, and when I started to breathe a little, Lucia looked forward and said something like this. ''You love melonpan,'' she said. ''............ ah?'' ''Yes, I do. I''m sure you could eat two of them in one sitting. You''re a greedy bastard, aren''t you? Hahaha. And with that, Lucia let out an unnecessarily refreshing laugh and walked quickly towards a certain place. To the tent where new bread is being supplied. ''Is there a representative of the peddlers'' guild here? ''Well, well, Lady Lucia. I''m Assunto, the head of the most advanced district of the Peddler''s Guild. ''Hmm. I''ll leave it to you then. Lucia then pulls my arm and pushes me in front of her. She holds my arm tightly to prevent me from escaping. ''This one says he loves melonpan and won''t give it up, so I want you to share some with him. Well, two or three will satisfy this glutton. No, no, men are always children, no matter how old they are. Ha-ha-ha. Hmmm... ...... The ''what''s going on?'' look that came from behind Assunto''s smile was painful. I want to hear it too. I want to hear it too. What the hell is this a farce? ''But human beings are strange, and it''s natural to be influenced by recommendations like that. Well, I''ll take one too. Yeah, I''ll take one. One is enough. It''s only this guy who needs two. What a helpless man. Ha-ha-ha. The Lord of the Thirty-Fifth Ward, who smiled a fresh smile as he firmly bound my arm. ...... Hey. You should have known better. Assunto''s,''Oh, so that''s what it is. ...... No, I guess it''s rust from my own body. A face like ''hmmm ......''. Also, don''t get attached to a man from another ward when there are quite a few people around you. You''re a nobleman about to get married. You might start a rumor. For example... ''You can''t even touch my elbow when we''re so close! ''...... I''ll snap it.'' The joint is about to be bent in a direction it shouldn''t be! I can hear a strange sound, though! Feeling threatened, he glanced at Assunto. I don''t care what you do, just do whatever makes him happy,'' he said. ''Then, I will prepare three special melon pans for the two of you who are so close to each other. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''...... Lucia, you''re chewing too hard. ''I''m not chewing! ''So that ''nya'' is a characterization?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Don''t say "cute" all of a sudden! ''No, I didn''t say that. ''Yes, you did! ''...... Just stop using ''nya'' first.'' Lucia should find a good man soon. When I see girls who have too little tolerance for that kind of thing, I get worried that they might fall for a bad guy. ...... ''Seeing Yashiro makes me want to give a warning to women all over the country. ......'' I''m not sure what you mean by that, Assunto? Do you think I''m a bad guy who kidnaps women? Don''t be stupid! You see, a bad man is one who uses his right hand and his left hand to rub the tits of two different girls! I''ve never done anything like that in my life! If you''re as modest as I am, you''ll be rubbing one tit with both hands, carefully and respectfully!Out of respect! Do you understand? ''Assunto. I like my boobs to overflow even with two hands. ''...... Why are you revealing your taste now?I mean, it''s too late for me to comment.'' No, you''re not! ''Caring for one breast with both hands!I''m sure you''ll agree. I don''t know. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You''re a one-handed tit? How dare you! ''Assunto. Where''s your wife now? ''Go-ho-ho!''Ghohoho!...... Hey, why are you suddenly talking about my wife?'' ''I''ll complain!You''re not here? ''Well, ...... well, ...... well, what do you think?This is a woman who doesn''t like to stand out. ...... Ha, ha, ha ......'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...! ''You''re missing out, Assunto! ''I don''t know, ...... but it''s probably an accusation. ''I''m not sure, but is probably an accusation. ''No,......, I agree that what Yashiro just said is pretty bad. ''Let me see my wife! ''''Come on, Lucia-sama!Melon bread!They were so popular, these were the last three!You''re lucky!Now, please take this and leave as soon as possible!Or rather, take Mr. Yashiro away as soon as possible!I''ll give you jam buns too! He pushed the paper bag containing the melon and jam buns to Lucia, and Assunto drove us out of the tent. ...... He''s not good at customer service, is he?I feel bad. As we did when we first arrived, Lucia took us by the hand and led us around to the back of the tent. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing. In silence. Only looking forward. ...... scared. And as soon as we stepped into a dimly lit wooded area with no one around, Lucia brushed my arm away, crossed her arms, and said in a low voice. ''What belongs to you belongs to me. I''ve never been mugged this badly in my life. After all, he wanted two melon pans. But he thought he couldn''t say such a thing from the mouth of his lord, so he used me as an excuse. ...... You can at least say ''two melon pans please'' as a normal thing. The reason you can''t say that is because you are trying to use it in an impure way. ''So, why did you get three? ''One of them is for eating! ''You''re supposed to eat them all, the melon pans! I resist Lucia''s attempt to rob me of the two melon pans. Use one of your own!Two is enough!And when you''re done, eat them all!Take responsibility! ''It''s outrageous to play with food and then leave it behind!I don''t accept that! ''Hmm. ....... All right, I swear I''ll eat responsibly. ......But two is a bit much,......'' ''If there''s any left, I''ll eat it! ''Not for you! ''I can eat as many melon pans as I want that come in direct contact with my tits! ''I said I won''t! Carrying the two melon pans in her arms, Lucia strode away. Deep into the thicket. ...... He''s not going back to the wild, is he? I''m sure he''s not going to take his clothes off in a thicket like this,.......'' .................. Shall we go and have a look? No, no, no!It''s because I''m worried,......, hehe. ''......Yashiro''. ''I''m sorry!I lied in my mind! He called me a name and I made a confession that he didn''t point out. Feeling guilty is really hard on the heart, isn''t it! And when I turned around, Estella was standing there. I wonder if she saw me and Lucia going into this thicket and came after us? ''I saw you dragging Lucia into the thicket, so I chased after you. ''You go ophthalmology! Oh, shit! There are no ophthalmologists in this town? ''...... Well, that doesn''t matter.'' ''You don''t mind, do you? ''No, it''s fine. I''m sure Lucia-san just said something to you again anyway. As expected, after being involved with Lucia for so long, she seems to have an idea where the problem is coming from. Even so, Estella''s spirits are low. ''''Did something happen?'''' ''Yasi......ro............u......! ''Hey, what''s wrong? Estella suddenly broke down in tears. She crouched with her knees on the dead leaves. What the hell is going on? ''...... melon bread,...... sold out''. ''What the hell? In Estella''s hand was the melon bread she had gotten in the bread-eating contest, and she was holding it with great care. Oh, I remember Assunto said ''these are the last three'' earlier. Because of Estella, she said, ''I want to go and get the melonpan, but if I go too early, people might think, ''Is this guy desperate? If I go too early, people might think, ''Is he desperate? ''I was going to go get a melon pan as soon as the lunch break started, but if I went too early, people would think, "Is this guy desperate? So I thought I''d go a little later ......, but before I knew it, they were sold out .......'' ''Is it as I imagined? You''ve got to twist your life a little bit! The only place where it''s cool to go straight to the pitch is high school baseball. ''......In this situation, I''ll stand in line all night the day before the melonpan goes on sale. ......'' ''Don''t be an idiot, get a job. ''You can''t show your true power with just one! ''One piece of melonpan is enough to show its true power!As bread! Lucia and Estella, what do you think melonpan is? Why do they look so sad when they get a melonpan that is delicious if eaten normally? ''......?Aah!Aaah!'' Estella, who had been looking down in depression, suddenly looked at my hand and raised her voice loudly. ''You have a melon pan! ''Hmm?Oh.'' In my hands were the melon bread and jam buns Lucia had given me. I don''t have a bag, so I''m holding them naked. ''Hey, can you give those to me? ''You ate so much lunch just now, can''t you eat two melon pans? ''Melonpan is not for eating. ''It''s there to be eaten!If you''re going to use it for fun and leave it behind, I''m not going to let you have it. ''I''ll eat it!Do your best! ''If there''s any left over, you can give it to me. ''I''ll eat it all!Even if it kills me! ''Directly into my boobs: ......'' ''I''ll eat you! d*mn it. Why are these people so stubborn? I think working together is a beautiful thing. ...... ''I mean, the afternoon competition is about to start, so why don''t you sneak home after it''s released. Buy me two melon pans.'' ''Do you think a lord can say, ''Two melon pans please''! ''Of course he can!I can''t think of any reason why he couldn''t! I can''t think of any reason why I couldn''t.'' ''You don''t want to start a rumor! ''First of all, you need to rethink the way you are, if you just buy two melon pans, you will be in trouble. Somehow I don''t think I should give him the melonpan. For his sake. ''You''re not going to give it up? ''I''d like to eat the melonpan too. ''How about ...... in exchange? Estella is so desperate, it''s a little scary. What do you mean, ''in exchange''? ''The cuddle ticket that you were found to have smuggled earlier. ''Can you please stop talking like that? ''Let''s issue just one ...... ticket, officially approved by the lord! ''Huh! ''If it''s just for one time or one night,...... even if I sleep in the same bed with Tracy-san,...... we''re both girls and I sleep with Ginette-chan all the time.... ...I think you''ll be fine! You know, Estella ...... ''Don''t underestimate the desires of perverts!''For one night''?There are fifty thousand people for whom two minutes is enough! ''What can you do in two minutes? ''I can input everything about you into my five senses!Your warmth (touch), your sleeping face (sight), your sleeping breath (hearing), the nice smell after a bath (smell), and your softness (taste)! ''Isn''t ''softness'' strange? Bollocks, you! Your cheeks, your arms, your flanks, your thighs, your buttocks... There are so many places you can get cuddly! ''Don''t invent a new word like ''cupping''! ''Well, if it weren''t for Estella, ''tits'' would be the first thing to come to mind. ''Speaking of which, you''re excluded from the soft category! Estella clenches her fists, but now is not the time! ''That''s what I mean when I say I''m allowing Tracy to sleep with me for the night.'' ''They''re looking at you like you''re crazy, Tracy. ...... I mean, you were trying to sell ten copies to someone you knew to be that dangerous? ''It''s safe because it was an attempt! ''That''s convenient ......''. ''I wouldn''t actually sell them either. ''I''ll sell it to you. I''m just trying to take advantage of the fact that you''re likely to do whatever I say. Just by asking, ''Can I sell it to you? I didn''t say ''sell''. ''Besides. If--'' This guy''s smart, but he''s got a little bit of a problem with crisis management. I think he misjudges his own value, or he''s too cautious. ...... ''What would you do if I said, "I''ll use that cuddle ticket"? ''..................?'' It''s the same with self-defense. This guy was so at ease in the space of the sunlit pavilion that he neglected to take precautions. Because of that, he might have been one step away from getting married. ...... Well, I''m only a little bit responsible for that. ............ I mean. I''ve touched her tits a few times. ............ You''re not going to get married, are you?No, no, no. I''m fine. I''m fine. ...... Ugh, I don''t know, my stomach hurts. It''s all the fault of Estella''s lack of caution. You''re the daughter of a nobleman. ...... You should be more careful!You and everyone around you! ...... So maybe I''m not responsible for this. No, no, no. I don''t think so,......, my stomach hurts. ''..................''. After a long period of silence, Estella opened her mouth in a restless mood, like a goldfish in respiratory distress. ''I believe that ...... Yashiro will not use such a ticket .............'' ............ ............ ............ Hmm. Oh, I see. So they trust me. Hmm. Then what''s with your ...... deathly red face?Even the tips of your ears are red. You''ve got a great deal of faith, man. .................. Don''t stare at me. ............ ............ Don''t stare at me just because I''m ..................! ''Yeah, ............, ................ .........? ''Okay Estella!I''ll give you this melon pan!You can take this and go have an E-cup experience wherever you want! ''Uh, yeah!That''s right!The afternoon competition is about to start!We don''t have much time! ''Come on, melonpan!Take it! ''Wow, wow!So this is melon bread~. It looks so fluffy and delicious! ''Bye!I''ll see you later! ''Yeah, see you later! Estella snatched the melon pan from the thrust and ran deep into the thicket. ............ Moooooo ...... this air ......... ...Give me a break. ...... The only thing that saved me was that Estella also understood my intentions and withdrew early. It''s not good for either of us to linger. ...... haha............ stomach aches. ''In the end, there was only jam buns left. There were three melon pans, but not a single one was left. Well, it doesn''t matter. ...... Huh. Come on out, such a weed-filled place. I stepped through the dead leaves and weeds, and escaped from the thicket. ''Ah, Yashiro-san. When I left the thicket, I found Jeannette there. What''s this guy doing?In such a deserted place. ''I couldn''t find him, so I looked for him. ''You''ve been looking for me?'' ''Yes. ...... Well, I kind of looked like an angry .......'' ''Angry?'' ''The ............ cuddle ticket.'' ....... Can we stop talking about it now? ''It''s not that I''m angry. But, um, ......'' ''Yeah, I know. That was a little too much of a joke. I''ll be careful after that.'' ''......'' ''Hmm. If you''ll be careful, there''s nothing more to say. A sigh of relief escaped Jeannette''s face. Did he really think I''d be upset because he got angry? No, in his case, he was probably blaming himself for feeling a little ''bad''. He regretted that his own negative feelings were mixed up in his words, and he was worried about how I would take it. That''s what Jeannette is all about, you know. ...... Well, I have no idea why Jeannette thought it was a bummer that I had a ticket to sleep with Estella, but I have no idea! Or maybe she didn''t think so in the first place! You''re right!You don''t think so! I''m sorry!I was being a little self-conscious. ...... haha. ''Hey, Jeannette. ''Yes? ''Did you eat the bread? ''Yes. Melon bread in the bread-eating contest.'' ''No, Assunto and the others were handing them out in the tent, weren''t they? ''No, I didn''t take that. I was too full. In fact, Ginette seems to have a constitution where she gets bloated while cooking and serving food, and the busier the Sun Goddess Pavilion is, the less food she eats. The more busy the Sunlit Pavilion is, the less food she eats. She must have served lunch to so many people earlier that she lost her hunger. Afterwards, he and Bertina picked up some snacks at a food stand. I guess it''s true that I''m not hungry. ''I see.'' ''Did you have it, Yashiro-san?'' ''...... Lucia kidnapped me.'' ''What?By Lucia-san?And you took the bread?To ......? I told her the story up to this point, increasing the pathos of the thought of Lucia and Estella''s missing breasts. Naturally, I cut out any mention of the cuddle ticket. That''s not something you need to tell anyone. Yeah. ''You''re ...... putting melonpan under your ...... clothes, aren''t you? ''You should try it next time Jeannette.'' ''No, I won''t, but...'' ''And I''d love to have the bread you used .......'' ''No, I won''t, though. ''Even if it''s just the side that''s directly on your raw tits! ''Please repent! d*mn it! If pseudo boobs are allowed, why not indirect boobs! ''God is ...... absurd.'' ''You''re gonna be pissed, Sister.'' Hmm. God is a jerk who always gives me a hard time about reality. If you want to protect God, then you have to make up for the negative impact that God has had on me by using Bertina''s hidden big tits! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ...... Oh. I''m not sure if it''s the blasphemy part you''re upset about, but the raw tits part? I can''t help it then. Yeah, I can''t help it. ''I get pissed off all the time. ''That''s because you always say things that make me angry. ''I know you do good things once in a while. ''It''s because you say things like that more than that. ''Even the kid from Momat''s people was talking about boobs and tits. You know, the one that was born last year. ''That boy is a one-year-old baby, so he''s just saying, ''Keep it up, keep it up. ''That ''manma, manma'' translates into adult language as ''I want boobs!I want boobs! That''s it! ''No, sir! A baby''s ''manma'' is ''tits''! ''All right, all right!From now on, I''ll call her tits ''man buns'' too! ''No, you can''t! ''Ginette, nice buns! ''Please repent! d*mn ...... discrimination. Discrimination against adults is rampant. It''s a sad world. ''Mr. Yashiro. We''d better get back, the afternoon competition is about to start.'' ''Yes, you''re right. ...... Ah.'' As I''m about to head back, I remember the jam bun that resides in my right hand. ''What should I do with it? To be honest, I''m not that hungry either. Well, I can just take it home and give it to someone appropriate. ''Bertina, would you like some jam buns? ''I''m sure he''d be happy to give it to you, but ...... you''re not going to eat it?'' ''No, I''m not that hungry. I don''t want a whole one.'''' As she said this, Ginette stared at the jam bun. ''...... Can you eat half of it? Half. Well, half a loaf. ''Half, you want some? I asked Jeannette if that was what she meant, and she said. ''Yes! She looked very happy. It''s not like she was a little hungry ....... Maybe. ''That reminds me. ''Is it Imagawa-yaki? ''Yes. I''m reminded of it too, when you say half of it. Ginette and I ate half of Imagawa-yaki twice. ...... Well, I''ve never eaten it exactly in half. ''Let''s split it exactly in half this time. ''Is this a game? ''No, I''m just saying let''s eat normally without playing games.'' ''Mm-hmm. That''s right. If you ask me, I''ve never had a proper half.'' ''Then split it in half.'' I hand the jam bun to Jeannette. I bet Jeannette is better at this kind of thing than I am. ''Half and half......, half and half.'' Giggling happily, Ginette begins to spin the jam bun around in her hands. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, ''The jam inside the jam bun is inevitably shifted from the center during the production process. She wants to split the jam in half. ''It''s the first time I''ve ever made a perfect half. I''ll carefully split it in half. He revealed a mysterious enthusiasm. Is it professionalism or craftsmanship? Or maybe it''s his childish mind. ''It reminds me of when I was a child, when I''m doing this. ''When I was a kid?Did you share half of it in church?'' ''Yes. A lot.'' ''Not with Bertina and ......, right?'' He''ll eat it all by himself. I thought. ''That''s not true.When I was in the church, I used to share half with the sisters. ''That''s only when Ginette shares with Bertina, isn''t it? ''No, it wasn''t really limited to ............ well, most of the time it was. Ginette was never the type to covet other people''s things. In fact, if he was in a situation where he had to share something that belonged to Bertina, he would probably give it away to some other young kid. That''s the kind of guy he is. After a few moments of silence, he suddenly stops and gives you a look as if he is about to tell you a little secret. ''But, if you share half of it with me, you''ll get a special ''return gift'' afterwards. ''Payback''? ''A snuggle. I''m sorry. ...... Oh no, I''m getting a little peckish. What timing, that memory talk ...... ''Normally, the sisters can''t spend much time with one child. There are so many children. But when it''s time to give back, I can monopolize her until she falls asleep. I remember thinking that was very luxurious and I was very happy about it. ''Well, I guess that''s something for kids to be happy about. The feeling of security that the person you love is by your side until the moment you fall asleep. ''Yes.'' Perhaps having found the center of the jam, Ginette begins to carefully tear the bread. Carefully, carefully. Make sure it''s neatly bisected. ''When I was a child, I think the greatest luxury was to be pampered by someone you were sure would protect you. ''I suppose so. Magda''s been pampered by Jeannette for years. ''To Yashiro-san, you mean? He chuckled without looking up, perhaps half concentrating on his work. It is true that Magda is fond of me as well, but overall, I can say that she is most fond of Jeannette. He is always in a good mood when Ginette is around, whether it''s waking him up or having dinner, and he always casually checks on Ginette''s whereabouts. And there''s that. ''Magda begged you to sleep with her, didn''t she? ''Huh? I hadn''t meant to say anything so strange, but a crazy voice escaped from Jeannette''s mouth, and her shoulders jumped at the same time. The jam bun had been split about a third of the way through by the force of the blow. ''Oh ......, I was going to half ...... it.'' Looking at the distorted jam bun, Jeannette expressed her remorse. However, there seems to be an emotion that overrides such regret: ...... ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san: ......'' This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ''Is that the ...... thing that happened at the time of the ...... let''s eat a lot ...... tournament? ''Let''s eat a lot of food competition?...... Ah, the gluttony contest. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... And then I remembered. The final round of the gluttony contest. Magda was pushing herself beyond her limits, and I made a deal with her. At that time, Magda sent me this request. ''...... I also demand a cuddle and a lullaby''. And then, in a dead heat, with the voltage rising, I added this condition for Magda''s victory, and Ginette agreed to it. In other words... "Magda!Magda, I''m going to put the letters Ginette and River on it! "Huh?Oh, um, .................. uh, ......... ...Yes!I''ll put it on! --The three of us slept side by side in the shape of a river. ...... No, no, no, no, no! I''m not talking about that! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. How many times has she crawled into your bed? I''m talking about that! Why are you bringing up at this time such an old matter that has not yet been fulfilled and will certainly be required to be fulfilled in the future? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing in the future.I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. I''m not sure what to make of it. But can you say that? You can''t say that you don''t like her, because that would be a lie!If you say something like that, people will think, ''Oh, he''s really conscious of me! Then what''s the right answer? So what''s the right answer in this case? What answer should I give to this question? Tell me, Uncle!It''s the fir tree of Arum! I''m not sure what to say. I''ve not even eaten any bread and my mouth is parched. Words are sticky and difficult to come out of your mouth. Even so, I manage to knead the words together and spit them out. ''I''m not a good sleeper, so I guess I''m ............ anxious ......''. It''s not an answer. ...... I hate it. I really hate myself for only being able to say this ...... ''Wow, I might not be a very good ...... person either.'' Ginette looks down and replies wisely. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s a ...... treat. I like that. ''You ...... should correct ...... the problem so as not to cause any trouble,............. It''s nothing.'' Yeah. That''s right. Let''s pretend it''s nothing. I don''t have a response for that either. Anyway, I''m sure we''ll get around to it at some point, but it probably won''t be right now. It''s up to Magda. I''m sure he''s saving it for the ''right moment''. That''s a long way off. So, for now, let''s not think about it. ''......Shall we go back? ''Yes ....... Yes.'' The two of us walk slowly, side by side. It''s about time for the afternoon competition to start. We don''t talk about anything in particular, but we walk in silence. ''Oh, ....... Would you like some jam buns? ''...... Uh, yeah. I''ll have some.'' We looked away from each other, didn''t waste any time talking, and took the large jam bun that was offered to us. When I bit into it, it was much sweeter than I imagined it would be. ............ d*mn. It''s too sweet. 391-No additives 46th episode 1st cheering match in th... ''Hang in there!Let''s go, white team! ''''Retchu,go! ''''''Muhaa~!Kawaii~! The first program of the afternoon, the "Cheering Battle", is currently underway. The old men and women in the hall are glued to the uneven but strangely hard-working choreography of the white group''s "cute team" led by Rebeka. The abominable memories of the blue group''s hot and muscular performance and the yellow group''s dances of the maidens (old men) in pretend costumes that emphasized their muscles must have been completely overwritten and erased from the audience''s minds. This morning, it was suddenly decided that Rebeka would participate in the competition, but she seems to have managed to organize her sisters well. During the waiting time for the competitions in which they were not participating, they thought of choreography and practiced it in the corner of the ground. It was like a kindergarten playground. What is required of a chorus is not beautiful harmony, but energetic and loud singing. At their age, you can watch them even if they sing in pieces. In fact, that''s just right. ''The performance we were preparing has disappeared, hasn''t it? ''Ah. We practiced it a lot, though, ''Farmer and Carpenter''s Attitude''. ''Shut up. Then perform it at the launch party.'' Naturally, the white team was also preparing for the cheering competition. But if we''re going to do it, we''d better do something popular. The girls'' poor dancing is more enjoyable to watch than the males'' perfect dancing. ''Do you want to make a mess like Use and Gonsuke? ''No,......, to be honest, I was just thinking that I would have preferred this kind of support. I''ve been so focused on what I''m going to do that I''ve forgotten about what I''m going to show. ...... I''m actually very relieved right now. Mo Matt laughs. The cheering competition is a program to turn the loosened mind after the break back to the field day. After the lunch break, it''s a little hard to suddenly compete with each other with all your might. This is the reason why we put in a cushion for the rest of the events. Because of the nature of the competition, all teams will receive 50 points each for the cheering competition. So, it''s OK to be casual. Well, the cheering competition is a part of the sports festival. I''ve included it just in case. ''''Re??????????????????~......'''' ''''Retsuto! ''''Go????????????,na! ''''Go! ''''Naija! But you''ve got to get your shit together. It''s all over the place. You''re too self-indulgent, you little b*tc*es! I guess we''re running out of moves to associate with the keyword ''cheer''. The cute team''s movements are getting awkward. It''s not something you can improvise forever. ''My knight~!I''ve run out of things to do! But don''t be so sure. See, my sisters are like, ''What?You''re done? They''re standing there with faces like, ''What? ''Do something to cheer up the players. ''Genki ............, everyone, take a nap! ''That''s not it!Do something that will be fun to watch or that will make the players happy! ''What are the things that will make the players happy ......?What''s that? ''I know what that is! ''Me too! A group of cute guys with an average age of seven gather together and start discussing. We''re in the middle of a production, though. The adults look on with smiles on their faces, apparently finding such behavior cute. The adults are watching with smiles on their faces. I guess you could call them warm eyes. ''Oh, that''s not good!But it''s good! It seems that there are some insolent guild leaders of the woodcutter''s guild who are looking at you with clouded eyes. ''Yashiro-san. If my hand accidentally slips, please take care of the mess. ''Alright, then, before your hand slips, go put that noisy hand axe in your hand somewhere. ''The woodcutter and the hand axe are one and the same! ''Even so, don''t carry it anywhere but the woods! ''The hand axe is part of your face! ''So you''re clutching your face, are you?Just leave it!'' The fact that Imelda is by my side suggests that she''s not serious about stopping Javier. But at the same time, the fact that she is by my side means that she wants me to stop him because she is not confident that she can control her impulses by herself when the time comes. Javier. Control yourself. You''ll ...... die. ''''''All players!'''''' When the discussion is over, the cute guys turn around and line up in a horizontal line. Their fists are lightly clenched, their sides tightened, and their arms held tightly to the sides of their bodies. He is dressed as if he were holding the shoulder strap of a backpack on his back - in other words, he is holding his arms as if he were doing ''Yeah, yeah! In other words, she is holding her arms as if she were doing ''Eeyore! They''ll make the place more lively if they do that. My sisters are watching the adults very closely. I wonder where they learned it. ''''Let''s go! With such a call, the cute girls of the squad, whose average age was seven years old, including Rebeka, moved their arms from their sides to press against the center of their bodies. ''''''Mugyu! ''''What are you doing, you guys! ''''''To cheer up the players! ''''''Especially ......, it''s a way to cheer up the one who is right beside me. ''''Wait, Imelda!I have no jurisdiction over underdeveloped things like that!You''ll have to do it anyway!'' ''No, I won''t! Oh, no. Those children who can''t even be called minors are the ones who would be energized by such a thing-- ''Oh no~, you''re so cute and innocent, hehe. ''You''re so naughty, or so chatty, or so...'' ''It must be a fun time to imitate adults, huh? --There''s a lot of them, huh? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... I think this town is ruined. ''It''s true that ...... children are watching adults closely,.........'' ''I wonder who taught them that. ...... Ji~'' ''Yashiro-sama. Take it easy and have fun, okay? Norma and Estella looked at me accusingly, and Natalia was concerned. It''s not me, and Natalia''s concern is misplaced! ''A little kid like that is not in my strike zone. ''Really? Then where is Yashiro''s strike zone? ''D to K! ''Isn''t it your age? ''K, Yashiro, you''re ...... two years older than the manager. ...... Is there such a person ......? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Natalia. You''re very perceptive. I''m not interested in those tits that don''t sway, that don''t sway, that don''t sway. That''s right, ''I''. ''He''s so quiet,'' I thought, and turned my gaze to him. ''I''m going to be in the white team now!And I''ve got my headband! --Javier was wearing a white headband and pumping his fist in the air. A limp Umaro is lying at his feet. It seems he''s been robbed of his headband. ''Come on, you cute guys!Cheer for the old man on the same team! ''''''Se-no, mugyuu! Mwah!Let''s do it, old man! ''''Oops, the axe slipped! ''Imelda, your murderous intent is too obvious! The "ward athletic meet murder case - Lolita was watching" almost ended in an attempt. However, the suspect left with the meaningful words, ''As long as that bearded muscle gets excited, the second and third axes will slip,'' so we can''t be too careful yet. Anyway, now that the cheering for the white team was over, let''s believe that no more tragedies would happen. ''Javier, are you all right?Personally, I was hoping for a severed carotid artery. ''Oh, I''m sorry, Yashiro. I''m used to Imelda''s temper tantrums all the time, so I''m used to ...... you saying horrible things like that! ''I mean, why the hell are you in the players'' seats? Go back to your seats. I know you''re next to me and the sunlight is reflecting off of you. ''I can hear you, Oba-kun! Demilly shouts from the dais. ...... He''s got a good ear for this kind of thing, doesn''t he? ''What do you think, Yashiro? Why don''t you let me join your team?Like Medora, I''d like to give the guys in the branch a little squeeze.'' ''Too late for that, isn''t it?If it''s okay with the branch manager, I''ll rub them for you, so be patient. ''I won''t let you rub me! ''You, ......, how can you say such a thing in front of your father, and with a serious face? Because, maybe he''ll say, ''Then, please! I don''t know. I don''t want to deny the slightest possibility of that! '' I mean, Javier. I''m sure that would be difficult. ''I don''t think so. Even Ricardo joined in the middle. ''Unlike Ricardo, who''s a liability, you''re a Medora-level player. The other teams will inevitably complain.'' ''That''s right, Mr. Javier!As the leader of the Blue Team and the Tournament Committee Chairman, I can''t let you join the White Team!It''s not like Ricardo is a burden! ''''We, the Red Team, acting team leader, Lucia Suarez, is against you!I don''t care if you''re a burden, you''re not! I don''t care if you''re a baggage lord. ''You guys, enough!Especially Osina!You''re from my district!Don''t forget to be respectful! ''Oh my god! Estella-chan would''ve laughed and forgiven me for this. ''It can''t be helped, Osina. My size is different from Ricardo''s.'' ''You, Estella!Don''t get carried away! ''What''s that?I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Your personality is becoming more and more twisted every day since you met ...... Oba, I swear. Hey, hey, hey. Don''t blame it on me. Estella has always had a twisted personality. In fact, she became a little more straightforward after she met me. To the point where she can tell Ricardo to his face he''s annoying. Pfft. ''Well, I don''t really care either way. As soon as there''s one more woodcutter, I''ll give him a little twist. Medora stands in front of Javier with her arms crossed. ...... That''s how hard Javier is to ignore, isn''t it? It''s the kind of thing you have to go out and do yourself. ''Hmm ......''. Looking at Medora''s face, Javier shrugged his shoulders. He must have realized whether this was the right moment to be selfish or not. A little regretfully, but in a light tone so as not to bother us, he said, ''Hey, okay,'' and withdrew his participation. ''If you get twisted by Medora, you won''t be able to hold an axe for a year. With such a joke, he showed his white teeth with a smile. It was a bold smile. ''Well, if you''re going to do something next time, let me be a part of it from the beginning. If possible, let me be a part of something exciting like this field day. Javier waved his hand and walked back to the dignitary''s table. His back looks a little sad. ...... I''m not going to say that I feel guilty at all, because I''m simply participating out of a desire to be close to our cute team. That''s right. Rather, I''m relieved that the seeds of evil have been squashed.'''' Imelda lets out a long breath as she thrusts her battle axe into the ground. The ...... axe has been upgraded. ...... If you want to hunt, do it in the forest. Just make sure you get permission from the hunting guild. ''And?Aren''t you going to be in the cheerleading squad?'' After the white team, it''s the red team''s turn. I didn''t think that Imelda, a show-off, would not participate in such a high-profile cheering competition. ''The concept didn''t fit...'' ''Concept?'' ''My idea was to spread crimson roses on this ground, and have Imelda-sama dancing gorgeously on them with the people around her, but it was rejected.'' ''That''s right. You''re the only one who can do it. What''s with the ''people around here''? It''s a bit of a mess. ''It was a moving story that lasted seven hours! ''That''s too long!How dare you stop me, team leader! Imelda doesn''t have much to show for her workouts. I guess she was trying to make a big impression with her art. She has the basic physical strength, but she''s a bit of a dunce, or she''s somewhat out of her depth, or she''s just a genuinely disappointing girl. ...... Imelda, you''re a disappointment. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''Sweaty? ''I''m sure it''s not, Imelda. Lucia appeared behind the unfaithful Imelda. ''I''m looking forward to it. It''s going to be great. After all, ...... Millie will be there!I can''t wait!I''m so excited and I can''t stop drooling for some reason! ''Gilberter, take me home. ''Okay, I will. Lucia is being dragged away. Oh, yeah. Since Delia had gone to the changing room to change, Lucia had taken the liberty of calling herself the acting team leader. Bertina wasn''t there, and neither was Milly. Imelda didn''t like the idea of being the leader of a team that was overwhelmed with various chores, and she said, ''I''m more of an ace than a leader! She''s more of an ace than a leader. No one would complain about Lucia taking over. ...... It''s like he''s encroaching on the 42nd district, and I hate it. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of that. '''''''' wahahaha!!! '''''''' I can hear the loud voices of the little kids responding to Delia''s loud voice. The door of the changing room is opened, as if they have finished changing. It looks like the red team has brought in the little ones as their main group. --I look at Delia and the others, and my eyes light up. ''De,Delia...... that outfit.'' ''Oh!It''s good, it''s good! What Delia was wearing was a school run, which she proudly put on. In addition, the third button is opened to expose the chest, and the thin white cloth that hides in the chest is ...... the very same as the "Sarashi"! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I''m not sure what it is.I''m not sure what it is, but you''re welcome. What is this? It''s a dream? What, did I contribute to the world without knowing it?Who gave you this reward? ''Hmmm... Are you surprised, Yashiro?'' ''No, I''m impressed! ''No, you''re surprised?'' ''No, I''m about to cry! Don''t cry. You''re a man! ''It''s because I''m a man that I''m about to cry! ''Oh, oh, ......? I''m not sure if you''ve ever seen Delia like this,......, but let''s not be cool about it anymore! I''m not sure if you''ve ever seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. What a great day! I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a good time. I''m not sure if you''ve noticed, Yashiro! ''Could this be ...... one of ours?'' Yes. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. When it comes to the cheering competition, it''s the school run! And when it comes to the school run, it''s hardcore! The school run is the school run, and the school run is the hardcore! The hardcore is the sarashi and the regent! The school run is hardcore, and hardcore means sarashi and regent! So I was planning to have Umaro and Moormat wear the school run and sarashi, but ...... their costumes are being ripped off. ''I asked Ukrines,'' he said. ''What kind of costume is Yashilo going to wear?'' ''Hey, Uclines! I pull out Ukrines, who was probably helping Delia and the others change clothes, and who was mixed in with the Red Team cheering squad. ''You, as a businessman, leaking information is the worst thing you can do! ''Yes, of course I''m aware of that. Even if it''s ......, right?'' Uclines the back of his hand to his mouth and whispers in his ear. ''I thought Yashiro would be happier if I leaked the information. ''Ukrines...... you ............'' He grabs Ukrines by the shoulders with both hands, stares him straight in the face and tells him clearly. ''You really are a genius! ''Thank you very much...'' That''s fantastic, Ukrines! This masculine outfit is only worthwhile if a beautiful girl wears it! I can''t believe he realized that, isn''t he a former Japanese? And Delia''s sarashi!I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation.I''m sure it''s from Ukrines! I think this guy is a godsend. ...... I''ll worship him. I''ll worship him. ''''Aren''t the children cute too? ''''''Wow!'''''' Young girls frolicking with their hands in the air. Like Delia, they have opened the third button of their school orchids to expose their skirts. These innocent girls, who don''t even know the word ''shame'' yet, make me smile. These girls are smiling so innocently that I feel that anyone who looks at them with evil eyes should be destroyed. I''m not sure what to do. ...... It''s a diplomatic incident. Well, let''s just put all the blame on Javier. ''''Aren''t you guys ashamed of yourselves? ''''''Cool!'''''' Good. It''s okay. It''s okay. Kids like this should just play around and follow their instincts without worrying about what others think. It''s up to the adults around them to protect them and correct them. ''I still can''t kill it. ...... Someone please bring me a slippery axe! What''s with the noisy axe? Take your father-son quarrel elsewhere. ...... I''ll stay out of it, though!It''s a pain in the ass! I''m sure people like the angry woodcutter lady will get rid of the bad adults who threaten the kids. Yeah. ''Hey, Yashiro. What are you ashamed of?'' ''You have nothing to be ashamed of, Delia!In fact, you''re the best! ''So, you''re the best ......?Oh, you mean me? ''Muha!I''ll do my best! Delia raises her arms in the air. Nice! I like that move! Very good! It''s so good!You''re so cheerful! ''Don''t let someone from another team cheer for my team!Turn around, you anchovy!'' Lucia forced me to flip my body around. You''ll be able to see a beautiful girl and a beautiful girl wearing school uniforms. You can find a lot more information at ...... and ............. I''m not sure. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m not sure what to do. It was not ....... It was securely fastened down to the first button. ''Bertina. Open to the third button. ......'' ''It''s a gym uniform underneath.'' ...... I see. It''s not a bikini. ''Um, ...... strange, is it?'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. I don''t need to ask if it''s weird or not. ''It looks really good on you, and you look strangely cute. ''You''re too ...... flattered to be cute.'' No, no, no, Bertina! I''m sure Ukrines made you wear that overstuffed school run. The way the sleeves are rolled up is very attractive. ''Does this dress make me look as brave as Delia? Brave is out of the question. Right now you look like a first-time girlfriend who suddenly decided to stay at her boyfriend''s room and didn''t have a change of clothes, so she put on men''s clothes and said, ''It''s too big ......'' with a happy and embarrassed smile on her face. ''Can I have you sniff the cuff? ''The cuff?...... sniff. ...... Hmm, that''s an unfamiliar smell.'' ''Great! ''Huh?What''s that? That expression, that choice of words! Bertina. You''re a girl who can do it. I''m sure. And Milly, ...... ''When you''re a little older, you''ll be able to fit into your size. ''Miri, you''re an adult now. ......! You''re so sultry!If you''re aiming for that, you''re a genius!It''s not easy to do! What do you mean?I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. ''Millie. Try shaking your cuffs while saying ''big~''.'' I''m sure you''ll agree. ......Oh ...... ''Oki~i''.'' ''I''m taking you home! ''Oh, no!No, no, no. ......! Why?It''s so cute! ...... Oh, it''s because she''s cute. If Millie were in my room, I''d become a hermit. It''s like when you take in a kitten. I can''t take my eyes off her, you know? ''Wow, you''re so cheerful! ''So I''m telling you, don''t cheer yourself up by cheering for my team!Your eyeballs are rotting away, anchovy! Once again, Lucia''s hands forcibly flip me over. Big tits in front. Moe sleeves at the back. What is this place?A paradise? ''What the hell, Yashiro!What''s the Red Team''s plan? ''What''s the plan, school run?Great! ''No, it''s a great plan I came up with! What''s Delia''s plan for ......? ''It''s called "Imitate Yashiro and win big"! ''What are you doing imitating me, ......? ''Because if you imitate what Yashiro does, it will go well, right? I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Hmm?If that''s the case, when did they arrange the costumes for the kids? I asked the question. ''The kids were supposed to be there from the beginning. The sisters insisted. I see. I''m sure Bertina would ask for a program where the little ones could participate and it didn''t matter if they won or lost. If the team leader is Delia, who likes kids, she''ll accept it easily. So, what is it that we''re copying? Is it just the school uniform? ''We also copied Yashiro''s team and fired all the males! In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we''ll be happy to assist you. ...... Wow, that''s a bust. ''...... Let them show it off later, okay?You''ve been practicing for a while. ''Is that so?Yeah. If that''s what Yashiro says, then that''s what I''ll do! Well... You''re forgetting that Delia and I are enemies, aren''t you? We fought together in the ball game. ''Look, Yashiro!We''re going to imitate Yashiro and beat him! Isn''t it strange that you said that? If you''re imitating me, I don''t think you''ll be able to beat me. ...... No, Delia will be able to use her power to force you to win. ...... It''s not fair. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that we''ll be doing our best to support you, so stay tuned! ''An endless loop of cheering, huh? ''Oh, dear, I was just about to say that...'' Hammaro was shaking uncontrollably at my feet. ...... What do you mean, I was just about to say that? It''s okay if I say it first. I just thought of it. .................. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, so don''t grab your pants and look up at me with your beady eyes. ''This is like an exchange of cheers...'' ''Huh? I give him a hint of the word, and Hammaro goes ''ping! Hammaro made a face like a bean bulb lit up above his head, and inhaled heavily. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... Yeah. It''s not exactly what I had in mind. It''s not exactly what I had in mind. It could be a rally, it could be a back-and-forth ......, it could be anything. If he''s happy with it, so be it. And so began the cheering of Delia and her army of beautiful school run girls, most of whom were children. Since Delia ...... probably couldn''t think of any choreography, Omero must have come up with it, and the dance, which resembled fishing in a river, was well received by the audience. It reminded me of Soran-bushi. I was made to dance it when I was in elementary school. Next time, I thought it might be interesting to incorporate a creative dance or a cheering song or something like that. ...... Hmm? Folk dance? I''m not going to take in anything that might upset the public morals. ...... This town doesn''t need couples who develop as a result of folk dancing. Yeah, there''s no need for that!I don''t know. 392-Episode 47: The progress, the ham child, and the s... ''I remembered it when I was eating ......''. The cheering competition was over, and the entire white team had been summoned by Magda. Standing in front of the response seat, Magda says with a crisp, blank expression. ''...... Magda, you were the team leader. ''Don''t forget that.'' ''...... Since Yashiro is giving the orders, I''m kind of okay with it.'' Well, it''s a long shot. Magda was also interested in a number of things, and was probably more interested in having fun than leading. ''...... Incidentally, Magda did the choreography for the cute squad. ''That''s why it was overflowing with cuteness! ''...... Well, it''s obvious that if Magda herself had participated, she would have received another 500 points or so. ''Definitely! ''Hey, Goozuya. You''re making a lot of noise, shut him up.'''' ''M, it''s impossible!He''s really scary! What''s ......, Oumalo. You''re tough on your own people? Is that what you call being an insider? ''It''s not right to wield power only over the weak. ''I''m just doing what I have to do as the head of an organization!Look, Gooziya!I''ll explain everything properly so that there are no misunderstandings! Oh, by the way. I remember you were pretty angry when we first met. As a boss who yells at his subordinates for their misconduct. ''...... Magda, a person with a lot of back and forth is a bit ......'' ''Be nice!Just like when you''re in front of Magda Tan! ''...... but it''s nice to have a passionate person who can be responsible and passionate about their work.'' ''Oh, I''m torn!Should I stay the way I am or should I change? But first, what about the adults who have a crush on an underdeveloped minor, hey. ''So, Magda. What do you want to talk about? ''...... I''d like to go over the scores before the afternoon''s competition begins.'' ''Aashi agrees with you. It''s better to know how long it will take to turn the tables, so you can get fired up. ''Isn''t that a wise decision, my eternal rival Magda? ''Wait a minute, Mokoka!My best friend is Aashi, right? ''There''s a difference between a best friend and a rival, isn''t there? ''Which one is stronger? ''Shut up, Barbara. Shut up for a minute.'''' I''ll shut up the heated monkey lady. Mokoka, who claims her ankle pain went away during lunch, will return to the frontline in the afternoon. ''...... Mokoka, how''s your leg? ''It''s fine now, sir!Thanks to the ice that the general brought, I''m crispy as a bone. Mahrul had brought some ice with him, since he was going to watch the game under the blazing sun. The ice was put in a bag made of hexenbiest leather, and a towel was placed on the bag to keep it cool. It was said that the ice would last for about half a day in the hexenbiest''s leather without melting. It is said that the nobles of the Mauru class keep a stock of ice in preparation for the hot season. They keep a large amount of ice in the ice house during heavy snowfall. I knew such technology existed in this city. ''The Lord of Smiles sent me a letter saying, "It''s going to be hot tomorrow, so please take precautions," so I prepared for it, but he used it for me. So he had been informed of Natalia''s weather forecast in advance. As usual, Natalia''s weather forecast was right on the money, and it was quite hot this morning. It''s been hot since this morning, and with the sun shining so brightly, we should have been prepared. Estella''s scoring points in detail. But thanks to her, I got some good information. Ice is where it''s at. And the easiest people to ask have it. Mahrul owes me for awakening Mokoka''s serving spirit, so I might as well take advantage of it. I glanced at the entrance to the grounds, but the person I was looking for had not yet returned. So I turn my attention back to Magda''s story. ''...... Ines, Deborah. What''s the score so far?'' ''Yes, sir. Here is the tally.'' ''Currently, the white team has 1040 points. Despite their best efforts, they are still in last place.'' Oh, ...... Magda''s using the head waiter''s as a matter of course. Well, he''s the team leader, so whatever. He''s the best of the bunch. So, the scores given by the two head waiters are as follows. Blue team: 1355 points Yellow team: 1273 points White team: 1040 points Red team: 1186 points These are the latest scores, adding up to 50 points for the cheering competition. ''We''re catching up, aren''t we? Ginette said happily, but the gap with the leader was 315 points. I think the difference between us and the leader at the end of the first event, the race, was 254 points, so we''ve lost ...... a lot of ground! ''Hey, what''s going on? I close in on the head waiter, who is holding what looks like a score sheet. I thought there must be a mistake. But... ''It''s true, the white team won first place in the eye of the typhoon and the giant ball rolling. ''But they came in last in total points in the footrace, the race among the guests, and the bread-eating contest. Deborah shows me a piece of paper with detailed numbers written on it. On it, the results of the events and the points earned so far were written in detail. ???Race 1st Blue team 629 points 2nd Yellow team: 569 points 3rd Red team 427 points 4th White team: 375 points (* Total score ranking) Eye of the typhoon 1st White: 50 points (total: 425 points) 2nd Blue: 30 points (659 points total) 3rd Red: 15 points (442 points total) 4th Yellow team: 0 points (Total: 569 points) (Points are low because this is a social event) 1st White team: 20 points (Total: 445 points) 2nd Red group 10 points (Total 452 points) 3rd Blue group 5 points (Total 664 points) 4th Yellow Team 0 points (Total 569 points) Race among the customers 1st Red Team 122 points (Total 574 points) 2nd Yellow Team 112 points (Total 681 points) 3rd Blue team 67 points (total 731 points) 4th White group 65 points (510 points total) (*Placement of total points) Ball Throwing 1st Red team 42 points (Total 616 points) 2nd White team 40 points (550 points in total) 3rd Blue group 39 points (total 770 points) 4th Yellow group 37 points (total 718 points) Bread Eating Race 1st Blue team 535 points (Total 1305 points) 2nd Red team 520 points (Total 1136 points) 3rd Yellow team 505 points (Total 1223 points) 4th White team: 440 points (Total: 990 points) (* Total score ranking) Cheering competition 50 points for each team ''...... indeed'' In the three competitions Deborah mentioned, the white team had the lowest points. It''s funny, ...... I was under the impression that they earned more points. Even the audience was excited. Don''t they get points for excitement?Don''t you need something like that? ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-san.'' As I stared at the score sheet, Jeannette''s hand touched my arm, and when our eyes met, she gave me a gentle smile. ''The score may be low, but I thought Yashiro''s kindness won first prize. ''............So, don''t be like that. It''s a little embarrassing when Jeannette is nice to you. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of her. ...... If only he hadn''t been so obsessed with the lack of breasts,...... breasts NASA............ ''I thought I''d be the best in the bread-eating contest. ......'' ''I was in last place, and I ...... dragged my feet, didn''t I? ''No, Jeannette!You were the best!More than any of the others!'' ''What are you talking about! ''The shaking of your tits! ''Please repent! If the swaying points had been added, the white team would have been in the lead right now. In the first place, the race was supposed to be a sort of shoulder training competition, with 10 points for first place, 8 points for second place, 5 points for third place, and 2 points for fourth place. Even the last place gets a point, and the difference between first and second place is only 2 points. It was supposed to be more of a clusterf*ck. ...... ''I guess the delay in the race has taken its toll. ''I mean, the team events are strong, but--'' It''s the individual events that are a disaster for the white team. The head waiter''s point is well-taken. On the contrary, the yellow team is not so strong in the team competition, but is very strong in the individual competition. The blue team has been earning points steadily, and the red team, thanks to the presence of the Ikebana Guild, a group of ladies ...... with cheat-level communication skills, has achieved dantotsu results in the race among the customers. He scored 122 points, surpassing even the yellow team, which had several waitresses. That''s almost a double score compared to the White Team. ''Javier, should I have welcomed him forcefully? ''No, that would have been the right thing to do. Inez immediately disagreed with Loretta''s opinion. ''If Mr Javier joins us at this stage, it will antagonize the rest of the team. ''And if that happens, it could give the impression that the white team, which is likely to lose, is cheating. ''In the afternoon, the main event will be the team competition. ''''When that happens, if the other three teams attack us intensively, we won''t be able to make a comeback. ''''Right?Kometsuki-sama.'''' ''''That''s a shame. If it wasn''t for that last one, it would have been pretty cool.'''' The head waiter seems to have a good grasp of the situation. Although they seem to have lost sight of their position a bit. On average, the white team is physically inferior to the other teams, and they have no choice but to take advantage of the enemy''s carelessness and try to turn the tables. If you bring in an obvious threat like Javier and let him become your enemy, you will be crushed first. If we finish in last place even once more, the championship will be hopeless. If you can''t win, you need to get into the second place. ...... Still, if the blue team doesn''t blow themselves up, it''s going to be pretty tough to win. ...... ''Besides, if we put that guy in the next competition, ............ the whole area will be stained with blood.'' ''Oh, ...... I see.'' ''...... can''t let the kids see that.'' My explanation made sense to Loretta. That''s right. The next competition is one in which Loretta''s younger siblings will have a lot of success. ...... That''s also why I didn''t want to welcome Javier. ''All right, you guys. I''m going to get ready for the next competition. ''''''Yes!'''''' The Ham kids were seen off by their eldest daughter, Loretta, and ran to the ground. Ham kids from other teams are also going out to the ground. A group of hamsters quickly formed. Big and small, male and female. Large and small, male and female, all kinds of Ham kids are gathering on the ground. ''There are so many of them, aren''t there ......''. Inez''s cheeks twitch slightly as she looks at the flock of hamsters. Similar faces to the same faces. The group of brothers and sisters who look like each other is still a sight to behold. ''''Huh?'''' Loretta tilts her head as she looks at the crowd of siblings. She then counts the number of them, moving her fingers minutely. ''Big brother. You''re missing three sisters. ''Ah. I asked them to run an errand, but they haven''t come back yet .......'' After we ate, I asked them to run an errand. ...... I might have been late. It has taken longer than expected. It is said that hamsters become slower as they grow older, and that the peak of their agility is generally between the ages of seven and ten, although there are individual differences. If you ask me, Hammaro is faster than Loretta. I thought it might be a difference in physical strength between men and women, but it seems not. It is said that from the age of a baby to about six years old, the body is still in the process of development, and then it reaches its peak, and after the age of ten, the physical ability gradually stabilizes. It''s true that his speed is like a bug in the parameters. According to Loretta, it''s because her arms and legs grow longer and her head and body grow taller after the age of ten, and this changes the balance of her body. Well, Loretta herself used the phrase ''I don''t really know'' as a pillow, so it''s just a feeling. Hammaro''s children are only about three or four heads tall. ''I''m only eight-headed, though! ''...... Loretta is six-headed. ''What, you''re two-headed? ''I don''t have such an interesting figure!I have the body of a grown woman!Delia-san, I do exercises every day! If you want to have a nice body like Delia''s, you''d better go catch some salmon in the river. Because those exercises are not ''exercises to become a nice body like Delia''s'' but ''exercises taught by Delia who is a nice body''. Well, I''ve incorporated some movements that might be effective, so I guess we can expect some results. By the way, you''re back late, sisters. I asked the eight-year-old team to do it because of their speed,......, but they stumbled in the crucial negotiations?I''m not sure if it was too much for the eight-year-old,....... I''m not sure what to say. Just as I was about to get nervous, my three sisters came back together. Oh, fast, fast. I didn''t know that dust could roll up like that. ''I''ve got it! ''I''ll show you Mr. Merle''s handiwork! ''It''s so cool! The other two, holding the 30x40x15cm wooden box in their arms, waved their arms around happily, telling me that their mission was complete. Oh, I see. So you were able to use them properly. You did a great job. I''ll give you a reward next time, so look forward to it. ''''''Really?Yay! It might have been a little too hard for the kids to go to an unknown place and ask for something. However, I wanted to save time first, so I had no choice but to choose this person. We should at least reward them properly. ''Was it hard to find Ma''ru''s favorite craftsman? ''Hmmm!I found him easily! ''So, they didn''t believe you were Ma''ru''s approved errand boy? ''Hmm!He found me right away! ''So, did you get lost? ''Hmm!I found it easily! ''Then why did it take you so long? ''Are you on a chase?You''re doing a great job.'' ''The aunties praised me. ''I got a lot of compliments from my parents! ''Don''t play with me! They''re ...... in urgent need of our help. ''...... got mad at me.'' ''......Are we bad kids? ''......No more rewards, I''m sure. ......'' ''''''......Shu~n......'''''' ''I''ll give you a reward!I''ll give it to you, don''t be discouraged! ''''''Hahaha~Yes!'''''' My sisters dance around me with their hands in the air. Hey, hey, don''t wave that box around!It''s a precious thing! ''''Well then, you guys come join us over there. You can still run, right? ''Yes! ''Yes! ''Joshua Rayford! ''''Who is it? ''''Ha-ha-ha!'''' ''''No, who is it?Who the hell are you, Joshua Rayford? I''m so confused! You should''ve used "Yocchan" or "Yoshiko-chan", but "forced translation magic"! All you do is translate things. --That''s why. I finally received what I wanted. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it. The steering committee member called out. It''s about to start. I don''t think it''s going to melt down. ...... I look at the ice that my sisters delivered to me. A solid wooden box. It is covered with the leather of the demon, and if Mael is right, the ice can be stored for about half a day. However, I don''t want to take too long. We can''t leave that thing in there for too long. I''d like to go over there and take care of it quickly, but ...... there are a lot of people who take it too far when I do that. And I''m sure he himself doesn''t like that kind of "I''m worried about you" thing. ...... ''Ginette''. ''Yes''. Well, I''ll just say no to Jeannette, who is more concerned about other people than anyone else, because she is very astute about these things. ''...... What can I do for you? ''What is it, big brother? ''How long have you guys been a part of Ginette? Before Ginette could get to me, Magda and Loretta had me pinned on both sides. ''Well, that''s okay, but . ''I''ve got some work to do. ...... Well, he''s acting like it''s no big deal, but he''s not hiding it, and I can''t look at him. ''Is anyone hurt? ''I didn''t notice it at all?Who are you? ''I can''t think of anyone at .............'' Well, maybe you guys wouldn''t notice. His embarrassment, his patience, his leave me alone aura is first-rate. But you can''t fool my eyes. ''The way my right breast is shaking is different from usual. It''s very uncomfortable.'' ''Please don''t judge me like that. Oh no.'' ''It''s something we couldn''t possibly have noticed. ''...... is a trick only Yashiro can do. ''That''s how much he wants to hide it. So, I''m going to get it done quickly during the competition. ''Yeah, but Yashiro-san, you''re going to participate in the ...... next competition, right? ''The next competition is a chance for you to get a lot of points at once! ''...... Besides, if you suddenly announce your non-participation, they will naturally ask you why. They''ll be suspicious. I''m sure you''ll be fine. Hahaha, Magda. It''s a lot of words. ....... We''ll get through this. I''ll put Ricardo, the idiot, in your place, and you can keep him in check.'' ''It''s no problem for ...... Magda.'' ''Then I''ll coordinate with Ines and the others. ''''Well, I''m .......'''' ''''''Try not to get hurt'''''' ''''I wonder if that''s a strategy! It''s definitely a chance for a lot of points, but with ...... Magda and Loretta, I''m sure they can handle it. To be honest, I''m not too sure about this competition. In terms of pure physical strength, I''m no match for those hamsters. ''At any rate, I''ll go out to the ground once. You take care of the rest.'' ''...... leave it to me.'' ''I''m going to fill the hole left by my brother! ''I''ll do my best too! ''1Rb to fall within 10 seconds'' ''Then I''ll do 2Rb in 5 seconds! ''...... 3Rb in 3 seconds'' ''That''s terrible, folks! And so the track was filled with players and hamsters. Inside the track, four circles with a diameter of 10 meters were drawn, and blue, yellow, white, and red flags were placed on each of them. These are the "positions" of each team. The hamsters stay in the center of the track so as not to get into their positions. They look very excited. Here''s what''s about to happen: ...... ''The next competition is "Get it, Hamkko! Yes! Yes! "Hamlet, get it! Yes! It''s a completely original competition, simply put, a game of tag. A total of fifty ......, or fifty hamsters, jump out of the truck and run around this ground. If you catch them and bring them back to your own camp, you get points. The points you get depend on the age of the hamsters. Infants who can''t run that fast yet get 3 points. There are twenty-two of them in all. And 10 points for hamsters between the ages of 11 and 14, who are starting to slow down a bit. There are 15 of them. The hamsters between the ages of seven and ten, who are the most skilful, get a high score of 50 points. These are the ten. And the team that catches the three fastest of the current generation, including Hammaro, will get a super high score, a whopping 100 points! If they could catch all three of them, they would get 300 points!If you can catch all three, you can get 300 points! ...... To do that, though, you''ll need to deal with the other teams'' strongest opponents. It''s a great way to get to the top of the game. Players, please enter your positions. At the sound of the bell, you will be allowed to leave your positions. After the waiter''s explanation, fifty Ham kids scattered all over the field at the first sound of the bell. Beyond the stalls and the seats of honor, to every corner of the grounds. As long as they didn''t leave the grounds, they were free to go wherever they wanted. Ten seconds later, the bell rang out for the athletes to begin the competition. ''''''Yoo-hoo-hoo! ''''''Hamko-oh! ''''''We got it! The hunters rushed out in unison to catch their prey. Staring at them, I shouted out in the white camp. ''''I''ll give a special reward to the ham boy who catches me! Immediately after I said that, fifty hamsters invaded the white camp and jumped on me. Some of them were so fast that I thought they were moving instantly. ''Yes!I''ve got all the Hammies for myself! ''That''s not fair, Yashiro! Estella raised her voice in protest, but such things were not discussed beforehand. ''Yashiro''s ''big brother power'' should be banned!It would ruin the competition! ''Yeah, right!It''s not ''Let''s get Hammy! No, it''s ''Ham, you got it! That''s right! ''Anchovies!It''s ungodly to fish for things!I want my Hammarotan back! The teams are protesting furiously. Well, if we win like this, not only the competition but even the field day will be ruined. So, ...... ''If you don''t want me to use my abilities, I''ll have to seal the ''cheat class'' abilities I''m naming. ''...... Hmm. It''s not fair to sanction only the white team.'' ''Yes, it is!There are obviously cheaters on the other team as well! With Magda and Loretta''s supportive fire, my opinion was accepted rather easily. So, I''m going to ''self-destruct'' with one person from each team and leave. ''First, Medora of the Yellow Team. ''Well, I suppose you will. Medora accepted with a smile. By all accounts, he''s the best of the best. Even Hammaro wouldn''t be able to outrun a serious Medora. ''And Natalia from the blue group. ''Yes, sir.'' ''Wait a minute, Yashiro!Isn''t it me, the representative of the forty-second district branch of the hunting guild, who has cheat-level abilities? ''Oh, the usse is fine. Because you''re a usse. What do you mean by that? You''re good enough to take on Magda. It''s Natalia I''m afraid of. She''s the kind of thing that could send a dressmaker soaring. You never know what she''ll do. She''s the one we should be worried about. ''And from the red team...'' ''You or Yashiro? ''It''s not Delia, it''s Bertina. ''Oh, no. It''s me. Of course it is. Ham kids, especially the dumb ones, like Bertina unconditionally. If Bertina is chasing them, they''ll go for her. That ''motherhood'' is also a cheat. ''Well, let''s get one more player in each place, and the cheat squad is out. Magda and Loretta. He glanced at Jeannette and then exited the truck. They''ll take care of it, I''m sure. I trust you, boys. ''You guys!Do your best for me!Paula!Show me your leadership skills! ''Leave it to me!Come on, Yellow Team!We''ll do our best! The Yellow Clan seems to be united. The fact that they''re not discouraged by the loss of their overpowering mainstay is proof that the team is coming along. They''re going to be tough. ''So, Estella-sama. Please take care of the rest. ...... Natalia. That''s an ooze.'' ''I''m sorry. I judged it by its flatness.'' ''Get the hell out of here! The blue team is as usual. I see. Estella''s ............ sorry. ''Well then, everyone. I''ll leave the rest to you. ''Oh!Watch us, Sister! ''I''ll be here, so you''d better think you''re on a big ship. She giggled, then bowed her head as she left. You may have wanted to play with the children, but you can do that tomorrow in the church. And so, after we left, the bells rang again, and "Let''s get some ham! began. So, with the competition heating up, I took the ice and headed for him. To the first aid tent. ''Oh no. I guess he knew, didn''t I? ''The way her right breast is shaking...'' ''I guess it''s different from usual~, I was aware of it, right tit''. She''s smiling as usual, but she''s sitting shallowly in her chair, throwing her legs out. Her ankle must be hurting and she can''t bend it. In a bread-eating contest, he sprained his foot badly when he failed to land. He pretended to be fine, but it seemed that he had reached his limit. ''I tried to walk straight right after I sprained it,'' he said. ''Sprains always start hurting afterwards. You thought it was a bad idea the moment you did it, didn''t you?That''s why you acted so badly.'' ''I''m not very good at this,'' he said, ''but I did the best I could with ...... my tits, didn''t I? ''You''re wrong to rephrase that!It''s a very attractive word, though. While we''re talking about this nonsense, I take off Regina''s boots. You don''t need my permission. He knows the importance of medical treatment, he wouldn''t be embarrassed for nothing. ''You can touch it, but you can''t lick it because it''s too tight. ''Even if it''s beautiful, I won''t lick it! ''Are you sure? ''Take it back and let me answer in writing later. ''Are you worried about it? ''Oh, this is stupid,'' said Regina, looking up at the ceiling with a laugh. She''s embarrassed, at least. She''s trying to avoid looking at me for some strange reason. The first aid tent is not equipped with ice. Or rather, they couldn''t. I would have liked to soak my sprained foot in running water or something to cool it down, but Regina was here as the "medical officer" this time. She would never do that. That''s why she''s been hiding her pain. The river is a long way from here. ''You''re a little cold.'' ''Heh, what?You can''t be serious. ...... Hiyaaaa!It''s cold!It''s so cold!What is it? I didn''t have a bag to put the ice in, so I put my foot directly into the box with the lid open. The box was packed full of ice, which would cool me down considerably. ''Ice, huh?What are you doing with this? ''On Mahr''s say-so. He''s hired an ice-maker to keep the ice all year round.'' ''Huh, you''re a strange one. ''I heard that there are a lot of nobles. They use it not only during the heat wave, but also for cooking and chilling alcohol. ......'' ''No, you don''t. It''s me. ''Me? ''No. It''s me. You''re a real oddball. What''s so strange about me? When I looked at Regina without understanding, she was looking at me with a fragile smile, as if she was about to cry a little. ''I''m just paying you back. ''Ah, I''ve lost money, haven''t I? You should''ve used that loan for something better. Sleeping together, mixed bathing...'' ''Merle?It''s a punishment game. You could sell it to Donnis for a good price. ............ No, he''d be too cool to buy it. He''s a slob. If that''s the case, I''ll have to pay him back for it. ''Don''t worry about it, just fix it. ......'' ''Hey, myself. The quiet voice made my mouth stop involuntarily. I felt like I shouldn''t say anything else. Regina is smiling softly and uncharacteristically. And then-- ''This ice I''m sticking my foot in, can I chug it after it melts? ''No way, a**h*le! --He made the same stupid remark as usual. I want to punch myself in the face for even trying to take him seriously for a second! ''Oh, no. There''s too much ice. It''s so cold my boobs will shrink. ''That''s not good!Throw them out right now!Even if it''s your feet or your tits! ''You''re never wrong. ''I don''t want to be told by you alone. After the exchange of stupidity, Regina smiled embarrassedly, ''Hehehe......''. Oh. I feel like I''m back to normal now. ''Well, then, fix it tightly with a cloth and cool it down periodically. Thanks a lot. Can I have some of this ice? ''Yeah, sure. It''s too much for me to drink. ''He''s an idiot. You''re the one who said that. ''Well then, I''ll use it if anyone gets injured in the competition after this. Say thank you to the innocent aristocrat.'' ''If you get a chance, ......, that''s it.'' Fortunately, Regina''s ankle wasn''t too swollen. If you fix it properly and keep it cool, it will be much better tomorrow. ''I''m really good at this, myself. It''s a beautiful wrap. Regina placed her sprained right ankle on her left knee and looked at the way the bandage was wrapped. She is dressed in the American men''s style of crossing her legs, ...... with her crotch wide open. ............ Can I see that? I''m not sure if you''re a doctor or a pharmacist. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''Oh, that''s not good. I''ll be imprisoned on the first day of business. Regina giggled. I don''t know what she was thinking, but she looked at me with a meaningful smile and said something like this. ''Well, that''s a shame, isn''t it~...... ...... You know. Don''t be so eager to be pampered by being nursed. ''Thanks a lot.'' ''Don''t worry about it. It''s a medical procedure. It''s not only about the treatment, but also about the fact that you kicked the competition to come here. She paused for a moment, made a difficult face, and then turned away. The long green hair hides Regina''s face, and only her voice comes from behind it. ''You''ve been watching me. Regina ...... you ............ What kind of reply did you expect me to give when you said those words? I''m not sure what to say, but it''s hell. ....... I''m not sure what to say. ''...... Huh? ''Your upturned tits...'' ''........................ Tits, huh? ''It''s milk, what is it? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. You''ve got the wrong idea. Then, without saying a word, she threw a small piece of ice at me. I owe you for that. I''ll sell it as "Regina''s Foot Ice", you bastard. There''s plenty of people in the 42nd district who''d pay 1000Rb for it! I was looking at the fierce battle going on for the "Hamkko, get it! I was looking at the fierce battle going on. 393-Additional 48 Episode Process, Results and Drum ro... Ricardo rushes at Hamko (a 12-year-old girl) from the front and makes a sharp right turn in front of her. He turns around and jumps on Hamko from behind. ''Hamuko, I got you! ''Yes, sir! But just before he caught her, Hammy easily escaped Ricardo''s arms. ''As a lady, I''ve been told by my sister not to touch men without permission, so if you''ll excuse me. I bowed my head as I ran away, but my sister was still moving away from me at a very fast pace. I''m sure it''s just puberty, but that moment was a serious escape. ''Ricardo! ''Shut up, Oba!I don''t need you to tell me what to do, I''ll catch you next time! ''Attacking a twelve-year-old girl from behind, you''re a complete pervert from the outside, you know that? ''You''re being really annoying!That''s what this competition is all about! Excuse me. It''s not a pedophile race, this competition. Hammies, get ''em! ''Oh, dear, ......, I''ve been caught.'' My sister escaped from Ricardo and was captured by Estella who was waiting for her. Ricardo''s an idiot. He used me as the one to push him into a corner. ''...... Hmm... I finally got one. ...... haha, haha ...... it''s hard.'' Estella wipes the sweat from her forehead. It seems that the hole left by Natalia is quite large and they are struggling a lot. I thought the blue group would be raided by the hunting guilds, but ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this topic. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work," said Estella, glaring at Ricardo with an audible snort. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. They seemed to want to catch Hammaro at all costs. ''Don''t tell me. I''m not the head of the hunting guild. ''Tsung ......'' ''Ah, you! Estella ignores Ricardo and staggers off. It looks like her legs are really hurting her. I''m glad I''m not participating. It looks like this is a much tougher competition than I imagined. And Use and the others are chasing Hammaro around with their hunter''s pride... ''Oh, we''ll never catch him. Hammaro drives him into a corner, but he escapes through the crotch of the big hunter. ...... You''re being completely played. It''s not the same as a hexenbiest, is it? It''s just running around for fun. It''s impossible to anticipate his movements. Even if it''s your own sister. ''Hammaro, you got it! ''No, to my own sister! Loretta jumped out from behind the usse. The timing should have been perfect, but Hammaro used his seventh sense, which was above his sixth sense, and slipped between her arms with a ''ping''. That''s Hammaro''s Seven Senses......, I felt the microcosm. ''Then I''ll catch it in a head-on fight! ''Hoho~!It''s my sister''s all-out sprint! Loretta''s eyes light up and she bursts into full speed. Loretta''s eyes lit up and she flew off at full speed. "Running" is not a good word to describe the speed at which she started. It was ......, but Hammaro was running away at a speed even higher than that. It''s as if he''s moving instantly. You''re too fast!You''re a little too fast for a human! ''My brother, who runs through time! Indeed, the current Hammaro may be transcending time and space. ''That hamster boy. Was he that fast? I returned to the cheering section after tending to Regina, and next to me now were the people who had been ejected from the competition along with me. Bertina, Natalia, and Medora. ''He''s the kind of guy who gets more and more powerful when he''s having fun. ''It''s not that he''s usually slacking off, but he''s got a lot more power than he can control, right? ''Yeah, depending on how you train it, it could be a monster. I''m glad to see you''re doing well. Natalia and Medora seem to be feeling something phenomenal, but Bertina is relaxed. I think it''s best to look at her like she''s Bertina. There''s no point in trying to manipulate Hammaro into doing what you want. He can only be controlled lightly, as long as he does what you say. Even if we forcefully try to control Hammaro, he won''t display the amazing power we''re witnessing now. The only time he can show his true potential is when he''s having a lot of fun. ''Oh, I can''t catch up with you! It''s ......! Loretta is getting further and further away. Even Loretta''s legs are pretty fast. ...... There''s a big gap between her and her prime. I''m sure you''ll agree.Use the ordinary girl from the sunny pavilion as bait and set up a net in the direction of the target! ''''''Hey!'''''' ''''I''ll definitely catch it! ''''''We''re on the same page! The members of the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild led by Use circled in front of Hammaro and formed a formation. It seems that they intend to use Loretta to catch Hammaro, but ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. In front of Usae and the others, while moving at high speed, the ''kaku! and curved at a right angle to Hammaro. No one could keep up with his eccentric behavior, and Use and the other members of the hunting guild 42nd district branch and Loretta collided head-on. ''Nuh-uh!Muscles, get out of the way!It''s heavy!It smells like sweat! Loretta, who was buried in the muscles, held her nose and struggled. Oh, you poor thing. She can''t wash up until it''s over. And now that Hammaro has defeated all of his enemies, Jeannette stands in front of him! No, she just happens to be there! ''Oh, Hammaro-san. ''Hammaro? ''Aren''t you tired from running around so much? ''I''m fine! ''Then let''s play a game of chase with me. ''Yes!Then, I''ll be the demon! ''What?No, it''s ...... a rule that I have to chase after it. ......? ''Let''s go! ''What?What? ''Manager, run! ''Heh?Ah, yes!I''ll run! And then, for some mysterious reason, Jeannette was chased by Hammaro. ''I''ve got you! --He was caught in two seconds. ''Um, ...... that ............ thing, did you catch it? ''Oh, dear!I''ve been caught! Hammaro, who was caught ...... or rather, went to be caught by himself, was carried by Jeannette to the White Team''s position. There, the bell rang out loudly. The bell rang loudly, signaling that all Hammaro''s children had been captured. The last one had been taken by Magda. ''...... I''m a winner''. What a surprise, Magda had gotten the highest score of 100 points by herself, a 9-year-old girl. Usse ............ is a red shame. Pfft. It''s a shame that my boys are so pathetic. Medora, too, let out a sigh when she saw the disappointing results. After all, the blue group was so obsessed with Hammaro that they hadn''t been able to get any hamsters at all. ''Ugly. And all of you, tomorrow I''ll personally impose special training on you. ''''''''What? '''''''' I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find a way to get your hands on it, but I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to get your hands on it. ''''''''............ Oh dear ......'''''''' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Ricardo, looking on with a knowing look on his face, interjects. ''Not at all. If you''re a member of an organization that bears the name of a hunting guild, you should be able to produce more visible results. Have them re-train you again. ''Ricardo. How many have you caught?'' ''...... No, no, no, Medora. He''s the one, that female hamster race is so fast ...... and she''s smart unlike the little ones. ''You can''t read your prey too well!That''s why InoPork is playing you. Now''s your chance. You need to train with Use''s boys. I''ll coach you to be a little better. ''Wait!I''m not in a hunting guild, and I''m a lord, I don''t have time for that ......! I''m not a member of the hunting guild, and I''m the lord of this place.If you''re the lord of the 41st district, which houses the hunting guild headquarters, you should at least improve your hunting skills! ''''Oh no, .......'''' If you interfere in my business, you''ll bring down the fire. Poke around in the bushes and bring out the medora. A synonym for ''suicidal''. Okay. I''ll keep my distance and pretend to be someone else. ''By the way, Magda and Ginette are major players.'' ''...... of course. ''I''m a product of chance, sir.'' Magda is proud and Ginette is humble. ''What are you talking about, Jeannette? Whether it''s a coincidence or a miracle, it''s your achievement to get 100 points. You should be more proud of yourself.'' ''But it''s not something to brag about: ......'' ''Stick out your chest!Stick it out!Let''s expose it, hey! ''The meaning is changing! You should be more proud to show them off. ''I could barely catch one of my sisters (50 points). ...... They all grew up without my sister''s knowledge. ...... Sigh.'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to have to. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say. ''I beg your pardon, big brother!Those kids are growing up so fast! ''Indeed, we had a hard time.'' ''Yes, we did. Inez and Deborah came in looking a little tired. ''We caught two of your sisters. ''It was like we were working together with Inez-san. ''But we both got exactly 100 points. That''s impressive. ''I got one with Aashi and Mokoka! ''If only Barbara had been a little smarter, she could have gotten another one. The Barbara-Mokoka pair also caught one and got 50 points. Apparently, the white team was aiming at the high-scoring hamster. I wonder if it was Magda''s order. ''We caught one just in time, too! ''I did my best. ''I''m going to ...... have my guts come out of my mouth. It seems that the Torbeck Engineering team led by Oumalo went all out to get one of his brothers. Goozuya is dying, but it''s a small price to pay if you get 50 points in exchange. ''Goozuya, rest in peace. ......'' ''I''m not going to die!I don''t think I''ll be able to compete in the next ...... competition,...... hahaha.'' The long, slender body lies on the dirt of the ground. You can use it for tug-of-war, this one. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''So, what have you been up to, Mo-Mat? ''Oh, we got one, too!......10 points, though.'' Mormat and the rest of the farmers had given up on getting a high score, and were still hoping for a 10-point score rather than a 3-point score from the older hamsters, but they got one. ''Thank you for your little contribution. ''Don''t say "a little"! Oh, well, it''s okay. Ten points. It''s important, ten points. ''Compared to some aristocrat who couldn''t earn a single point even though he was breathing harder than anyone else, you''ve helped ???????????? a lot.'' ''I told you to shut up, Oba! Ricardo''s first target was Hammaro, but as soon as he found out that he couldn''t get Hammaro, he changed his target to his 50-point sister and chased after her, and even he couldn''t catch her. ''You, why did you join in? ''It''s because you were the first one who used a cowardly move and got kicked out! Oh, yeah, that''s how it''s supposed to be, technically. Heh heh heh. All right. I''ll give you a proper pat on the back, that''s why you''re so noble. Yo, Ricardo. Nice counting. Are you trying to pick a fight with me, boy? I''ve given you more praise than you deserve. That''s the highest praise I can give you.I don''t know what you''re complaining about. ''The tally seems to have come in.'' Inez says, and Deborah scribbles down the scores. Hooray, this is quite ...... ''That''s good news.'' Deborah smiles and announces the points earned in this competition. ''Blah, blah, blah, ...... blah! ''No, don''t do that.'' ''De-den! ''You don''t have to start all over again just because you got teased! ''............ Phew.'' Don''t be a pussy, Deborah! All right, all right!I''ll listen to you! ''Oh, that''s bad. Inez. Go ahead and drumroll for him. Well, I don''t know how ''drumroll'' is translated, or whether there are any drumrolls in this city, but it seemed to go over well, and Inez gave me a clear nod. ''''Then ...... dorurururururu! ''''''The curly tongue is amazing! The curly tongue makes such a plump sound that you''d think it was a different creature. Is this kind of skill required for a head waiter? ''''Dekopon! ''De-den! or ''jan! What''s wrong with that? What''s with the citrus? It''s a shame that the last part of the song is a bit disappointing, even though the roll of the tongue is so good that it''s uncomfortable. ...... I''m starting to think it''s typical of Ines. The fourth place goes to the yellow group with 172 points. Oh, it looks like a countdown! What''s with the little entertainment? I think I already know the result from your glee. ...... The yellow team seems to have switched to a strategy of solidly gaining points in response to the absence of the Medora guild leader. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how you can get it. Inez explained. ...... is an "unmarried married woman". Norma would be furious if she heard that. It''s an apt description, though. It seems that the Yellow Team did not want to deal with the high-scoring Hamko from the beginning, but focused on the 50-point and 10-point Hamko. Even so, it is quite difficult to catch Hamko. I can understand the intention of the strategy, but the result was not good enough. The breakdown of the hamsters caught by the yellow team is as follows 100 points : 0 50 points: 2 people 10 points: 6 people 3 points: 4 people After all, the absence of the mainstay of the team must have lingered until the end. Such was the result. ''And the third place goes to ......''. The third place went to ....... I''m kind of bummed, now! Can you please stop changing the sound?I can''t concentrate! ''Red team, 179 points.'' Deborah''s announcement sent the players into a bit of a tizzy. It was a surprising result. Well, from the looks of it, the Red Team seemed to be doing pretty well. The red team was catching a lot of hamsters anyway. But if you look at the score, they came in third. The reason was the strategy of the red team. ''It seems that the red group, led by the big ladies of the flower arrangement guild, had a strategy to get a lot of young hamsters. They were the team that caught the most hamsters out of the four teams, taking advantage of their familiarity with children. The red team had few people who could compete with Hamko. The lumberjacks are power-driven and not fast enough, and the river fishing guilds are similar. If they were underwater, it might have been a different story. That''s why I decided to earn small points slowly. ...... The breakdown for the red team was 100 points: 0 people 50 points: 2 people 10 points: 4 people 3 points: 13 people Certainly, getting nineteen out of fifty is a great achievement. However, the points were too low. Even if I caught thirteen hamsters with 3 points, I got 39 points. That''s less than one 50-point Hammock. If you are going to use that strategy, you should have at least one team of 3-point hamsters. ''And now, it''s time to announce the second place of .......'' ''I''m thrilled, Deborah.'' ''It is indeed, Ines. ''So, what is the ranking of the white group ......? ''First place or ...... second place or ......! He''s starting to stir things up, the head waiter. Ginette''s got a real ''throbbing ......'' look on her face, but no, we already know the results. It''s already posted. The scoreboard has been updated. ''The second place is announced at ......''. ''...... after the next competition! ''Tell me now! You''re taking too long! I wonder if you can finish it off before we go to the next competition? ''I see what you mean, sir. It''s important to keep ...... up to date. What are you writing down, Mokoka? How do you know how to serve? Roll it up and throw it away, that kind of note. ''And now for the second place announcement. ''Drool, drool, drool, drool, ............ drool! I don''t care if it''s a feint or not! What are you doing with your clear face, Inez? Where''s that icy cold stare you had when we first met? I''m not sure what to say. Nice try! It''s not that bad. Normally? ............ "Jan" is another name that could be found around here, d*mn it! ''Blue team, 205 points! ''So, does that mean? ''Yes, first place goes to the White Team! ''''An amazing 460 points! They held hands and spread their other hand wide, and posed as if to say, ''Ta-da! The head waiters pose with their hands wide open. They must be happy. They must be very happy to have won first place by a wide margin as a result of their contribution. I can see it now, looking at your faces. ''The blue group was so focused on Hammaro-san, the highest difficulty level, that they didn''t have enough energy left to get the other hamsters. ''However, there was a scene where we showed the will of the hunting guild, and we barely got one Hammaro with 100 points, so we were able to hang on to the second place by the skin of our necks. Use and the others had gotten a brother with 100 points before Hammaro. I''m not sure what to make of it. Those who showed their disgusting behavior at the end were pitifully sent to Medora''s training. ''I''d say the reason for the Blue Team''s defeat was that they misjudged the pace of the race. Here''s the breakdown of the blue team 100 points: 1 person 50 points: 1 10 points: 4 people 3 points: 5 people It looked like they got all the points, but in fact they got only 11 points in total, the third highest number among the four teams. Although Estella was running around hard, she couldn''t make up for it. ''And finally, the first place goes to ......! ''No, I already told you that! It''s the white group! ''I already know that! The head waiter wants to liven things up anyway. ......, or rather, they were happy to be in first place. ''Focused on the target, lean arrangement, lean coordination. This is the formula for victory. ''It can be analyzed that the victory was achieved by the fact that each of the participating players achieved results evenly. He seems to be calmly analyzing the situation, but ...... ''''Yeeeeeeah! ...... Yeah. I''m beginning to understand your thought patterns. Inez and Deborah, back to back, give the V sign. They''ve fit in perfectly with the white team before you know it. In case you''ve forgotten, ...... you could have gotten a few more points if you''d been in the race, right? ''That''s great, Yashiro!I never thought I''d be the first! Ginette was as happy as if she had won. But Ginette''s contribution was great. By the way, the breakdown of our white team that won is as follows 100 points: 2 50 points: 5 10 points: 1 person 3 points: 0 We got the lowest number of points among the four teams, eight in total. We won because we got two 100-point hamsters. Nothing else. ''The nice combination of me and Deborah with 100 points (50 points x 2 players) contributed greatly to the victory. ''''This must be a grand reward for you. ''''Yeah! The head waiter''s is a bit annoying: ...... ''''...... The White Team''s victory would not have been possible without Magda''s contribution.'''' Magda, who single-handedly caught the 100-point ham. Indeed, Magda''s contribution was significant. No question about it. But even more than that, ...... ''Ginette''s contribution will be greater.'' ''No, I had nothing to do with ...... it was just luck.'' ''That luck was a big part of it.'' ''I think so too. I can''t think of any other way to catch Hammaro. ''Yes, is that ...... it? The fact that Hammaro was a completely defenseless opponent. That''s what made Jeannette so lucky. That''s what made Jeannette lucky. ...... Good thing I left Bertina out of this. ''It''s just luck. That''s all I''m saying. But as a result of that luck, we got high points! At this point, I signal to the head waiter, who looks like he has more to announce than just the breakdown of the Hammies. Tell him. Let''s make a big announcement! ''Due to the large number of points we have received. ''We, the White Team...'' ''At last--'' ''''Finally--! ''''We''re out of last place! The crowd cheered. Mormat was pumping his fist in the air, and Oumarro was jumping for joy. I don''t know why Ricardo is smiling so proudly, but he seems to be happy. The total points for this competition are as follows. 1st Blue team: 1560 points 2nd place: White team: 1500 points 3rd Yellow team: 1445 points 4th Red team: 1365 points Here, the white team is finally back in the game. If Hammaro had been taken by the yellow or red team, the white team would have remained in last place. If Hammaro had been taken by the blue team, it would have been third place. We could have gotten Hammaro, even if we were lucky. That''s what made this huge comeback possible. ''That''s great, Mr. Manager! ''You''ve done it, Mr. Manager! ''Great job, sir! ''I did it! ''Manager~, I''ll give you a good rubdown, come here and squat~'' And so on. Everyone was excited. ''Thank you for the compliment. But I''m sure you''re all very happy with Magda, Inez, Deborah. And without Barbara, Mokoka, Umaro, and Mormat, we wouldn''t have gotten so many points. This is an accomplishment that we all earned together. Ginette was not pleased to be so well received, and insisted that they had all worked hard. She then proudly embraces Magda, who has won 100 points on her own. Oh, you knew that, didn''t you, Ginette? Magda looked a little envious when she saw Hammaro being carried. ''...... Quiet, everyone.'' Magda, who was being carried by Jeannette, turns to the players. Magda, who was being carried by Ginette, turned to face the players. She was being held from behind, and because of the difference in their heights, her large breasts rested on her small head. ''I love it! ''...... Yashiro, don''t talk about irrelevant things. I want to be buried in it too! I''d rather be buried! ''...... Guys, I want you to listen. Especially Yashiro, who has a ''I''d rather be buried'' look on his face. Hey, hey. You can ask. ''...... The competition I mentioned earlier. Magda''s contribution certainly shone through, but this comeback was everyone''s achievement, Magda thinks. Oh. You''re trying to take a good line from Jeannette and make it your own, Magda. What''s that smug look?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''...... But this reversal is just the beginning. The first step. ...... The white team''s rapid progress begins here. ''That''s right!I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''That''s right!We''re much, much better!We''ll turn the tables on the blue team and win! The team leader, the excitement captain, and the cute captain inspire the players. We can still do it. That we can aim higher. That we can win. ''...... All White Team players. Let''s win and share the victory. '''''''' Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! '''''''' ''Magda Tan is the goddess of victory! The simple players were carried away and pumped their fists in the air. There were a few foxes as usual, though. Then, Ginette looked at me and chuckled. I followed her gaze, and lo and behold, my fist was raised high in the air as well. ...... When did this happen? Well, I guess that''s how excited I am. A big comeback from last place. I''m still in second place, though. Now that I''m upside down, I need to get my head in the game. From here on out, the other teams are going to have their work cut out for them. If we''re not careful, we''ll fall in a heartbeat. Magda seemed to be thinking the same thing and said the same thing. ''...... From here on, the battle is likely to intensify. A single moment of carelessness could be fatal. So ......'' Magda slipped out of Ginette''s arms and began to move, attracting the attention of all the players. As Magda approaches, those present naturally give up their places and a path is formed in front of Magda. As he walks down the path, Magda tells him. ''...... I have prepared a secret weapon to win the second half of the battle. It is this. He points to a boy standing at the end of the open road. A very familiar boy with a white headband. He was-- ''...... secretly brought Hammaro into the White Team.'' ''''Hammaro? ''''''No, that''s a foul! Immediately afterwards, Lucia snatched Hammaro away at breakneck speed. As she did so, she shouted, ''''All your hair except for your waste hair will fall out, you anchovy! And so on. ...... So, why are you telling me this? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... That''s normal. 394-No additives Episode 49 One, two, two. The long battle begins. A 200-meter course with various traps. Yes. The steeplechase. A rare event that even slow students had a chance at when I was a student. I was hoping that I would be in such a position at the ward field day in the 42nd ward. ...... My naive thoughts were blown away by the demonstration. Magda and Delia. I''ll never win against them. Because obstacles aren''t obstacles! No matter how bad the foothold, no matter how narrow the space, no matter how many shackles they put on you, they can get through it with their natural power. Rather, it is the tricks that make the difference even greater. For example, let''s say there is an obstacle to overcome a two-meter wall. We ordinary people have no choice but to climb up the wall, but they can do it in one leap. Thinking that Magda was the only one who could do such a thing, I proposed an obstacle race, but ...... Delia, Norma, and Natalia ...... Well, I could have predicted this, but Paula and Millie, though not as fast as Magda and the others, showed a speed and power incomparable to mine. And not surprisingly, ...... even Momat and Umaro were much faster than me! I was first in the steeplechase nine years in a row at my elementary and junior high school field day! ...... I could only be stunned by the situation, which was even worse than the steeplechase. And the most problematic were the hunters of the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild led by Usset. They weren''t even beastmen, yet they showed off their incredible strength. Their experience and hunter''s sensibility surpassed even the special abilities of the beastmen. It was a level that Paula and Milly could not compete with. According to Use, ''In the outer forest, a millimeter of error can kill you, and a moment of hesitation can kill you. Judgment and physical control are the fundamentals of a hunter. For those who do such things on a daily basis, such as jumping into the bosom of a demonic beast or dodging an attack by the slimmest of margins, an obstacle race is nothing more than child''s play, he said proudly with his nostrils flaring. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... But you had a hard time with the bread eating contest, didn''t you? Initially, they were planning to do net-crawling, averaging, climbing over cliffs, and jumping over burlap bags. ...... Estella put a stop to this when she realized that these were the specialties of the hunting guild. The reason was that it would be too much of a disadvantage to the other teams. That''s how strong the hunting guild was. The competition was considered to be cancelled, but Estella insisted that the competition itself sounded interesting, and after much deliberation about how to maintain fairness, it was decided that those who were good at this would be shackled and would remain. Of course, we don''t put tens of kilograms of iron balls on their ankles. ...... Or is the idea the same? Well, in short. ''All participants in the two-man, three-legged obstacle race, please assemble at the entrance gate. --that''s the idea. To put it simply, the fastest and slowest runners in the race would be paired up to compete in the obstacle race on two tripods. However, since we couldn''t precisely time and pair up the top and bottom of the race, we roughly divided the race into halves and paired up one person from the fast team and one person from the slow team. Me? I''m on the slow team, of course. I came in last in the steeplechase because I didn''t get a good combination. Mm-hmm. That was a bad match. ''Mr. Koretski.'' We have a situation. Inez and Deborah came running up to me with blood in their hands. Then, with a serious look on their faces, they said. ''They say we''re not eligible to participate. ''What the hell, why ......? ''You guys haven''t participated in the race, have you? Because the teams are divided into fast and slow based on their rankings in the race, these guys who didn''t participate can''t participate in the steeplechase either. Oh, man. I forgot to mention that. ''Well, cheer them on. ''I don''t have a choice. ''Then I''ll go cheer for Captain Rebeka.'' ''Nyan. ''Wait a minute, you guys joined the cute squad sometime?And is that ''nyan'' a cute factor?Hey!Hey! Oh, no. The other head waiter is breaking down all day long. ...... But it''s probably not my fault, so let''s not worry about it. So, after a strict lottery, I was paired with this guy. ''...... Leave it to Magda, and everything will be fine. ''Oh. I''m looking forward to working with you. Magda, who had played a great game with Molly and won the race, was paired with me, who had come in last due to a bad combination. If I hadn''t been paired with her, I think I would have done a little better. I would have been able to run without worrying about a "special seat". Well, that''s all in the past. I''m not going to say anything now. ''...... As a result of Yashiro almost abandoning the race to see her breasts swaying in the race, she was paired with Magda, the true ace. ''It''s over, don''t say anything''. ''...... I won''t let you stop to admire the sway of another''s tits in an obstacle race.'' ''I''m fine on that score. The burlap sack jump that I resisted until the very end and tried to leave behind. You can put your lower body into a burlap sack, hold the edge of the sack with your hands, and jump with both feet while moving through a certain section of the sack. ...... That''s when it got cut!...... That night, I wet my pillow with tears. I''m not sure what to make of that. It was removed from ...... and ............. Instead, they introduced the "caterpillar," a cylindrical piece of tough hexenbiest leather similar to crocodile skin that you lay down and move around in. We used to do this in elementary school using cardboard. You know, the kind where you crawl on all fours in a cardboard box with an open lid and bottom and move about like a rattler. There it is. ...... has turned into something that doesn''t look shaky at all. Jumping in a burlap sack would be more fun. It''s so much more exciting. It''s the most exciting part of the body, and it could be a lot more exciting! ''Magda ...... me, I''m going to cry a little.'' ''...... too bad. The competition is about to start.'' Tsk! This city won''t even let me cry quietly! ''......However.'' Gently patting my curled up back, Magda says in a whispered voice. ''...... Magda''s side boob is OK to glance at.'' ''Oh, yeah, side tits.'' I don''t have the ability to see 2D from the side, so it might be a bit impossible. It seems to be the norm for movies nowadays to pop out in 3D, but I guess even 3D movies are 2D in Magda and Estella. ...... Oops. I couldn''t resist mentioning Estella''s name. You know, that Estella guy, he just blends in everywhere. ''Ya, Yashiro-sa~n~'' ''Hey, manager!It''s ''1,2''. ''1,2''!Why does it have to be ''1,1,2'' every now and then!What is this two-step for? Ginette and Loretta come stumbling in, shoulder to shoulder. More than ninety percent of the reason for their staggering is attributed to Ginette. ''Excuse me. I was just trying to keep up with Loretta-san as she ran along. ......'' ''No, manager!It''s not about matching speed, it''s about matching stride to stride!The more you move your right foot, the more my left foot will move! Currently, Ginette''s right foot and Loretta''s left foot are tied tightly with a string. Jeannette, who came in last in the record-breaking race, is paired with Loretta, who showed that she can run as well as the Hewitt family. Loretta''s speed has been completely killed. ...... Or rather, Ginette, how could you think that ''if you move your legs twice as fast as Loretta''s, you''ll be the same speed''? I''m not sure what to do. ''Well, so, Yashiro. I''m having trouble with my tripod, so I was wondering if you had any advice for me? ''I don''t know if I can give you any advice, .......'' The only advice I can give you is to breathe together. ...... If you lose the freedom of your legs, your ability to act will instantly decrease. It''s inevitable. So, if you want to take measures, you should go to ...... ''If you tie your nipples instead of your ankles and make a tripod, your legs will be free! ''Loretta, that''s it! ''That''s not it, manager!Pull yourself together!You''re getting too nervous and your naturalness is accelerating! Aside from her legs, Jeannette''s natural ability is accelerating faster than anyone else''s. If there was a natural championship, I''m sure I could win. ''...... Loretta. The manager doesn''t have any sense of rhythm, so it''s impossible for him to match others. Loretta should match him. ''It''s not impossible, Mr. Magda! Haha, that Ginette guy. He''s overestimating himself. When he plays rock-paper-scissors, he sometimes loses because of his unconscious backpedaling. No one complains about Jeannette''s backpedaling anymore. Even if he does, the odds of winning don''t improve, in the case of Jeannette. ''...... Yashiro. Magda and the others should learn from Loretta and the manager. ''To learn from them, should I shake ...... them?'' ''......Then there''s nothing in the Loretta factor.'' ''It''s not without it!If you want to shake it, you can shake it! ''You''re an idiot, Magda. Loretta has ...... ''nothing''.'' ''You look like you''re following along nicely, but you''re talking out of your ass, big brother! You don''t know what you''re talking about, Loretta. ...... It''s a great leisure activity to go to a remote island and feel like there''s nothing there. ''I don''t want to go to a remote island!I prefer the capital city! ''......Then, Loretta will eventually move to Chuo Ward. ......'' ''Oh, no!You''re lying!I want the forty-two wards!I love the remote island feel of the forty-two wards! ''Can you please not make this an isolated island without permission?'' Estella comes over with a disapproving look on her face as she rubs shoulders with Natalia . ''What''s the matter Estella?Are you replenishing your milk supply?'' ''If I could replenish my supply like this, I''d hug you every day! I''m not sure that''s such a bad thing to say, yeah, pre-wedding girl. ''I''ve been paired up with Natalia. ''Cheating?What kind of cheating did you do?How many Rb''s did you get?Give me some of that!'' ''You''re not listening to people!And I''m not giving you an allowance! Estella and Natalia, you''re not even a tripod, are you? You two are just perfect for each other. ''Except for the disparity in breasts. ''No, Master Yashiro. Estella-sama''s concave and my convex match perfectly.'' ''No, they don''t!And I''m not concave! Oh, by the way, Estella came in third in the same race as me, which means she was assigned to the slow team. Estella''s on the slow team. ...... You''re the type of person I''d meet in the track and field team in a gal game. ''Well, this competition is like a bonus stage for us. You''ll get to see me and Natalia in action!Come on, Natalia. Back to the blue team. ''Aye, sir. Ready, concave, convex, concave, convex! ''One, two, one, two,'' the shout goes! ''Wow, nice combo trick.'' ''It''s not a trick!Come on, Natalia!Come on, Natalia! ''Yes, sir. Vine, petal, vine, petal.'' ''Shut up and run! Estella and Natalia are running away. That''s great. They''re so fast. There''s no way we can beat that. ''Then Loretta and the others will take on that team. ''I don''t want to be the one who gets beaten up!I and the manager are aiming for the first place!Hey, manager! ''Well, let''s see, ...... yes!First place! ''Well then, if you don''t get first place, tomorrow will be the ''Sunshine Pavilion Bikini Festival''. ''Sorry, I''ll probably come in fourth. ......'' ''My confidence has been dented in an instant!Manager!You should have a bigger heart!I want to be first!First prize!I want to stand out and be praised! You''re the only one who wants to be admired. ''Anyway, let''s go to the entrance gate too. ''...... Yashiro'' Magda grabbed my arm as I started to walk away. Then he stares at my face and says in a flat voice. ''...... Magda and the others should learn from Loretta and the manager. ''Sorry about that. I''m sorry I interrupted Magda''s story when the crowd broke in. I''m asking you, don''t be a prick. See? Magda''s proposal was lost in the crowd of Estella and the others. So, what are we copying? ''...... In order to win, we need to unite our minds, and it takes time to unite our minds. Therefore, we need to be in sync with each other''s breathing as fast and as long as possible. ''So you''re saying we should tie our legs together now and move in a tripod too?'' ''...... if that''s what Yashiro wants to do.'' ''............Then, I look forward to working with you.'' ''...... I understand.'' I''m not sure why you''re acting like I''m asking you to do this. ''...... Yashiro''s instinct is to tie Magda up.'' ''You''re a bad listener! ''...... never to be separated again.'' ''I don''t want to have to chaperone a hunt with two tripods, so I''ll make sure you''re untied as soon as the race is over. I thought Magda was talking strangely well, but ...... ''...... Magda approaches, Yashiro stays where he is......'' He seems to be embarrassed. This is how we ended up in close contact. She usually hugs me a lot, but she''s embarrassed when I do this to her. Moreover, if her legs are tied, she can''t escape. This situation probably makes Magda embarrassed. Magda runs away as soon as she feels embarrassed. Her anxiety seems to be the main reason why her escape is blocked. I can''t believe she has such amazing leg strength, but her thin legs are gently braced next to my feet. ''You''re ...... sweating,...... so if you don''t want to,...... I''m sorry. ''No, I''m not.'' Magda is worried about the smell of sweat. I''m not sure how long it''s been since I''ve been a girl. I''m deeply moved by this. When I first met her, she really had no expression, few ups and downs in her emotions, and little sense of existence. This is how a girl grows up little by little, isn''t it? ''...... I''m sorry if I''m overflowing with pheromones. ''It''s going to be hard to steer the ship from here! Climbing the stairs to adulthood is fine, but if that''s where you''re headed, you''ll need to be dragged down. In the meantime, I''d like you to aim for a clean world without Regina. But Magda is a girl with such qualities by nature... I''m worried... God! ''Well, I''m sweating a lot too, aren''t I? Do I smell like sweat? Magda is small, so when she and I do a tripod, her face is near my armpit. I''m a little concerned about the sweat that might accumulate in that area. ''...... I''m fine.'' Magda said, burying her nose in my armpit. I inhaled heavily. ''......Yashiro''s smell is soothing. ............ I like it.'' ''So...'' I don''t know. I was kind of touched. I wonder if this is how it would be if I had a daughter. ...... ''......The pheromones of a man make me a little horny, but...'' I''m not sure I''d feel like a ...... daughter! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to have to. I''m trying to keep up with Magda''s stride. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ...... This is a tough one. Maybe I''ll ask her to match me in the real thing. No, the theory is to match the one with the smaller stride. I know, but ......, he''s going to be tired. So I went to the entrance gate and found that the red team was making a lot of noise. ''We have too many! Apparently, Imelda couldn''t make a pair and was left out. No, that''s strange. We were trying to match numbers. You know... The one who was supposed to be paired with Imelda. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. You''re so kind, Millie. I don''t know where I can apply to take her home. ''It can''t be helped. I''m going to run all by myself, all glamorous and gorgeous! ''That''s not fair. You should be running with Hammaro.'' ''Wow, this is an unexpected appointment! Hammaro was supposed to run with a little kid his own age, but he wouldn''t have a problem physically running twice. ''Yashiro, are you sure? Estella and Natalia approached her, moving so fast that she didn''t feel her legs were tied. ''Imelda has been assigned to the fast team. If you want to pair her up, you''ll have to start with the slow team. ......'' ''That''s okay. Hammaro won''t run out of energy even if he runs twice. If you pull a guy from a slower team and have him run twice, you''ll have one more absentee. Besides. I call Estella over and whisper to her. ''It''s Hammaro, you know. ''Oh, I see. ......'' Estella seems to have understood what I meant. She looked at Imelda''s face and raised her eyebrows, ''Ahhh. ''You don''t seem to be feeling sorry for her. At best, he''s saying, ''We''ll see. No matter how athletic you are, if you''re paired with Hammaro, you''re sure to get dragged down. It would be better to assign Hammaro, who is even faster than Imelda, to the fast team instead of the slow one. But maybe Imelda will be more of a hindrance to Hammaro. Anyway, Imelda ......, don''t die. I don''t want to have to deal with Hammaro at his best. I''d rather abstain than do that. ...... I''ll run out of energy in an instant. ''Hammaro-san is your partner? ''Something like that! ''Very well. I''m sure you''ll be able to help me out. ''The broccoli next to the sandwich! ''It''s parsley!It looks a bit like it, though! ''Cauliflower! ''It''s turned white, hasn''t it? ''Romanesco! ''What''s that?I''ve never heard that name before!You''re starting to stand out more than a sandwich, aren''t you, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''At this time? Yeah. We''re going to make a great team. I think Hammaro is making Imelda''s stinginess milder. Also, Ginette. You don''t have to explain to me that romanesco is a friend of cauliflower and broccoli, and is very tasty when boiled in salted water ....... You don''t have to explain.Do you have Romanesco?I''ve never even seen this vegetable in Japan. It''s not like the Hammies have been left in charge of the fields, and the breeding process has been bombarded with improvements.I''m sorry. Okay. Let''s not think too much about it. What''s there is there. That''s fine. It''s soft and fluffy...'' ''Hey!Where are you touching? Osina''s mellow voice and Norma''s loud, impatient voice drew my attention. Osina and Norma, who were fastened to each other''s legs with yellow cords, were making some kind of joke. Or rather, Osina was hugging Norma and rubbing her head against him. She was hugging Norma and rubbing her head against the two large but soft bulges. ''Boobs! ''...... You''re touching my tits.'' ''Norma, it''s your tits that are being touched! ''You know what I''m talking about!You don''t have to point them out! No, you asked me where I was touching, so I told you where I was being touched. I mean. ''I like you, Osina! I''m glad you worked so hard on that race.'' ''You didn''t work hard at all!It was almost like walking and you were the last one! ''It''s been a long time since I ran such a long distance. ''You didn''t run!You just admitted to yourself that you were running short. Oshina, who had finished dead last in the race, and Norma, one of the top women in District 42. I guess it''s only natural that they should be paired up. Anyway, I wonder if they don''t get mad at me for frolicking around like that. ...... ''Osina. I''m next! ''There''s no next time! There''s no order. ''There''s no order!Listen, you too! Maybe we''d make a good team. Norma, the caring one, and Osina, the pampered one. Osina was thinking that she should find someone other than Medora to rely on, and Norma likes to be relied on. He''ll get along just fine. ''So, Osina!What kind of ''soft fluff'' are you compared to other things? ''Don''t ask me that! ''Well, in terms of food, it''s .......'' ''Don''t answer that!I''m leaving Yashiro now!Come here! ''Are~n~e~a??'' You look happy. Looks like you''re having fun. ''...... muggy'' ''Sorry Magda. I don''t mean to belittle you, so don''t sulk. No amount of tucking in will produce cleavage if you have no tits. Wait a few more years. Magda doesn''t have breasts, they just haven''t grown yet. ''Because she''s not like Estella! ''Shut up, there! Estella''s coming at us very fast. Fast, fast, fast! And Natalia is matching that crazy speed perfectly!Too much! ''I have so much to say to you! ''I have so much to say to you. ......'' ''''What''s the ''but'' ......?'''' ''My breasts are ......'' ''Don''t say it! ''Don''t ask, don''t tell, how arrogant of you! ''I''m going to compete in the same race as Yashiro and beat him to a pulp! ''The order of entry is a rule decided by the team. There''s always a chance you''ll win. Natalia adds, but that''s like saying, ''I''m sure Estella will match the white team''s performance. ...... I don''t like the idea of winning against Estella. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''You guys too ......? ''Yes. We''re paired up, me and Lucia-sama. The lord and head waiter duo were here as well. Lucia and Gilberta''s legs were tied tightly together with red laces. ''I''m going to beat you to a pulp, so be prepared, anchovy! ''Translation: "I want more attention," says Lucia. ''Wait, Gilberta!I don''t mean that ............, but don''t look at me with that funny face of yours, anchovy! ''Who''s that, man? ''What? Have you already decided the combination? Delia and Milly appeared from behind Lucia, who was screaming. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. ''......, hmm. But competing with Magda is a bit .........'' ''Don''t worry, I''ve got your back!Be confident, Milly.'' ''Mm-hmm. I''m counting on you. Delia and Millie. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In fact, you should tie your feet after you enter the truck. ...... For some reason, everyone is tying their feet at the entrance gate. I''m about to move on, so is that okay? The facilitator called out, and all the players left the entrance gate together. '''''''' '''''''',2! ''''''''1,2! 1,2! '''''''' I knew it was too early to tie them up, no matter what I thought! I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... I''m the only one who knows the correct way to enter, and I don''t think he''s aware that this is abnormal. Will this become the standard in this city? It''s a funny sight, though. ''Ah! I heard such a voice when about half of the players had left the entrance gate. I had a very bad feeling, but before I could recognize it, my clothes were grabbed. I turned around to see a startled-looking Jeannette falling toward me. I tried to hold on, but my dominant foot was currently tied to Magda''s leg. Magda lost her balance and grabbed Delia, who was nearby, by her clothes. Because she was not tall enough, she grabbed her bloomers instead of her gym clothes. ''Oh no!Magda, oh my, what are you doing d......? ''Oh no!Don''t pull me, Daria-san.'' Delia, with a red face, pushed Bulma. The momentum swung her around and her feet lifted off the ground. ''Millie, watch out! Estella ran out to help Millie, but Natalia couldn''t move as quickly as she should have. ''Oh, she''s going to fall, isn''t she? She said calmly and grabbed Norma''s arm, who was nearby, in order to minimize the damage. ''Don''t drag me into this! ''Oh, my God! ''Wait, what is it, Osina-san?Please don''t grab me! ''Oh, dear, it''s a big fall. ''Hammarotan!I''m coming to get you! ''I don''t think it''s safe for me to run so fast! Such shouts and screams quickly spread throughout the area, and all the players fell to the ground. It''s a beautiful chess game. It''s like dominoes, chain after chain, all at once. If it''s a falling game, it''s all gone. It''s a big chain. ''......genet''. ''Yes, yes .......'' ''You ...... are accelerating too much, no matter how much it''s a field day. ...... natural'' ''I don''t mean to accelerate you,............, but I''m sorry. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It was a scene like this that made me think deeply. Oh. I''m glad Inez and Deborah didn''t join us. I''m sure they''ll be able to clear up this complicated situation. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Are you injured?Are you in any pain? Jeannette collapsed with me in her arms. Fortunately, I was able to twist my body as quickly as I could so that I didn''t put Jeannette underneath me. Now Jeannette is on my chest. It''s a pity that we are not hugging, but in the shape of an "X". Still, Ginette''s breasts are on my chest. There are no sore spots, but ...... there are some very soft spots! I can''t tell you how great it is! But I can''t say that. ''I''m fine. Nothing hurts. Ginette?'' ''Yes ...... I''m fine, but ...... that ...... little bit, my chest ......'' ''Does it hurt!I''ll give you a hand! ''Please repent ...... already.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, you can contact us at our own web site. Although the burlap jump is gone,......, I can''t help but be grateful to the steeplechase for creating such a surprise. That''s what I was thinking. 395-No additives, Episode 50. The trouble suddenly com... After all, the blue group--the hunting guild--is strong. ''The cowherd is a nice bit of baggage. ......'' ''...... is following them well. The hunting guild is good at following up, as they sometimes take on the escort of important people. Magda says that she has been trained to follow others because she sometimes has to protect the dull old man in the forest where magical beasts roam. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m sure there are a lot of people out there who don''t follow through. ''Hey, you cowherd!Don''t you have any motor skills? ''What''s with the hunting?You''re the one who''s dragging me down! ''Aaah! What the hell?Are you going to do it? Uzse of the 42nd district branch of the hunting guild and Morgan, the chief cowherd, are still arguing with each other on the course, as if they were about to start a fistfight. Because they are not breathing in harmony, they have fallen off the averaging table many times. The two guilds have been bickering for a long time, competing for a share of the meat in their daily business. Don''t bring your everyday conflicts to the field day. ...... Well, maybe it''s impossible not to bring them. ''......The averaging table is difficult to conquer if the two of you are not in perfect harmony. ''They may never be able to clear it. ''...... then we can build our love nest over there.'' ''Stop it, ......, I''ve got a creepy imagination.'' It''s a mean house where two old men live with their legs tied ...... together, the abode of monsters, no longer. I''m not sure what to make of that. They got this one. Umaro is a very handy guy, and he''s doing a good job of following Yaplock, who is not very good at sports. The sense of versatility is a little annoying. ...... ''...... sprained foot''. ''I can hear you, Yashiro-san! ...... Why can I hear you? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. Loretta taps me on the shoulder. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ...... You''re not running yet, are you?Why are you almost burned out already? ''Mr. Manager, I''m getting tired myself watching other people run. Like I''m making a meal and I''m full!'' ''That''s not quite the same thing, is it?'' Ginette gulped every time another competitor attempted an obstacle, shouted every time they failed, and continued to strain together. That''s exhausting. ''So, tell me the trick to clear those obstacles so that the manager doesn''t have to suffer any more unnecessarily. ''I''ll ask you to do the same. I''ll do some image training before it''s my turn. Ginette''s image training? Are you okay?Isn''t there a ''cute cat'' in the middle of that image? Won''t you start playing with it and say ''mmmm~''? That''s kind of what I imagine Ginette''s image training to be like. I don''t think she''s well trained, but that''s about it. ''...... Yashiro. Use and his team have been confirmed to be in last place and are being dismissed. Please comment on the next race as you watch it. In the end, an old man and an old man who had gotten into a fight were forcibly taken away, and the messy race ended in a messy manner. It''s a good thing the white team won, but I hope the next race will be a decent one. ''Next up are Sophie and Rebecca. ''At ......, I''d like to have Yashiro give a commentary while cheering on the two of them.'' ''I''m counting on you, big brother.'' ''Oh dear, .......'' At the urging of the Sunlit Pavilion Girls, I was asked to commentate on the race. At the starting line were Sophie and Rebeka. Sophie is a rabbit, but she doesn''t seem to be very fast. She has great arm strength, though. On the other hand, Rebeka is fast, but her arm strength is not so great. That''s about it. Well, both of them have the word ''beastly'' in front of them. ''Big sister, you must be the best! ''Right, Rebekah. Let''s work hard, together.'' ''Together with ............ Kuhihi...... sister, I''m happy.'' ''Hahaha!My sister is too cute! ''Oh, that''s a serious patient. ''Big brother, I don''t need that explanation!I want you to explain the course! I gave him a commentary on the one that caught my attention. For now, let''s watch the race and think about it. ''In position, ready! --Boom! The race begins, and the racers call out to each other, ''One, two, one, two! ''Riveka! ''Sis! ''Riveka! ''Sis! ...... Only the sisters there have strange voices, though. I don''t know how they can time it so well. The stupid sisters are about to face their first obstacle. The balance beam. As you can see, the platform is narrow. I guess we''ll have to crab-walk with both of us on our sides. ''I''m sure it''s difficult with your legs tied, Manager.'' ''That''s true. Perhaps it would be easier to cross alone. ......'' ''......What?'' ''Magda. Don''t be so surprised. Ginette thinks she can do it, too.'' The aisle is ten centimeters wide. To me, it looked familiar, but to the residents of District 42, it was unknown.It''s too narrow! Narrow! A mat is placed around the averaging table to prevent injuries. But ...... ''It hurts a lot when you fall and hit your ankles. When you fall, it hurts like hell. ''Geez!I could imagine the pain so realistically!Please don''t instill fear in me! ''...... The manager started to tremble. ''It''s okay, it''s okay. ...... I''ve never hit my ankle before. That''s why it hurts when you hit it. ''Well, just make sure you don''t fall. ''I''m asking you for tips on that! ''I guess we''ll just have to stay calm and go in a rhythm of ''one, two, three''. On ''1'' the guy in front puts his right foot forward, on ''2'' the guy in front moves his left foot and the guy behind him moves his right foot, on ''3'' the guy behind him moves his left foot, and so on, step by step. To be honest, I don''t know how to do it, because I''ve never done it on a tripod. ''Rebecca! ''''Big sister! ''''Good friends! ''''Rebeka!'''' ''''Big sister! ''''Good friends!...... ehehe~'''' They''re so close. With such strange shouting, they skillfully cleared the averaging table. The next thing that awaited us was the ball carrying. The ball is 30 centimeters in diameter, and we hold it between our bodies and run a certain distance without using our hands. The ball is bigger than a basketball, but harder and heavier. We didn''t have a rubber ball, so we made a ball out of wood and stuck a thick cloth around it. ''It''s so hard,'' he said. ...... It hurts when I gouge my ribs. It hurts when I gouge my ribs. ......'' ''Why do you keep coming up with negative factors like that! ''...... Manager, all right. I''ll be fine.'' ''Will I be able to finish the race? ......'' ''Don''t worry!Ginette can put it between her tits and--'' ''Please repent! ''I think I can hold on to about 10 kilos with breast pressure. ''Sis!Hold her!Hold her! ''Mmmm. You''re a spoiled brat, and Rebekah is ...... too cute! The two rabbit sisters hug each other with such force that they almost crush the wooden ball. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web to get a better idea of what you''re looking for. A thick wooden cube sits in the middle of the course. It is 15 x 50 meters and 3 meters high. There is no light in that cube. However, air is circulating in the building, which shows the high level of technology of Torbeck Engineering. When I wondered how they were going to carry something as big as a small prefab, I found out that it was a primitive method that could never be imitated. It was a very primitive method that could never be copied. The dark maze is not so complicated, but it is quite difficult because of the loss of vision. The level is about the same as a giant maze for children. Unless it''s dark. If you are alone, you can get out in a minute or two. But it''s a different story when you''re in a tripod. Ouch!It''s pitch black!I''m scared, Lisa! Don''t worry, Rebekah. Your sister''s with you. I''ll hold you tight in the dark, hehehehehehehehehehe~'' Hey, hey, hey! Isn''t he the most dangerous? ''And, well. Watch out for perverts. ''The level of danger is unparalleled, that much? ''Also, it''s hell if you bump your little toe or something in the dark. ''Or the corner of the wall?I''m scared! And then, from within the huge maze of darkness, we hear a ''wow'' sound, and the players come out in turn. Next in line is the caterpillar. In Japan, the caterpillar was made of cardboard, but in this case, it is an oval tube made of the leather of a crocodile-like monster. On all fours, of course. ''Sis, crawling on all fours is kind of a weird look. It makes me laugh! ''That''s right. Hahahaha...... makes me laugh...... hahaha.......'' ''Hey, someone!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on.You''re completely out of the loop with that one! It''s not a strategy anymore. It''s not just a strategy anymore, it''s a whole new level of competition that needs to be sanitized somehow! This is an emergency! And finally, the last thing you want to do is ...... look for ...... candy that you can watch in peace. It''s a great way to find out what''s going on in the world. As for the candy, Lucia and Millie have provided a large amount of nectar candy. ''Mwah!I can''t see anything because it''s all white~'' ''Well, well, Rebeka. Your face is all white. You''re so cute. Ah, she''s quiet this time. Good, good, good. ''I can''t find any candy at all: ......'' ''Well then, I''ll give you the candy my sister found, munchies~......'' ''Hey, someone stop that sister! She''s trying to transfer the candy she''s licking to her mouth! You''ve exceeded your sister''s authority, haven''t you? We can take her out hard!Dead or Alive! Get him out of there!Or lock her up!Or lock him up in a dark labyrinth! ''Sophie and Rebekah, you''re almost at the finish line. ''Hey, we''ve stopped before something! ''...... Probably just a bad joke by an older sister who doesn''t want to be separated from her younger sister.'' ''Hurry up and finish! ''For Rebeka''s first prize! Sophie drank in her tears and cut the finish line tape. It seems that she doesn''t want to untie the straps that bind her legs when she reaches the finish line. ...... You can do whatever you want, though. I''m not sure what to make of it. If you want to, you can adjust your breathing to your opponent. ''Breathe .......'' ''Breathe with me,......'' Ginette and Loretta looked at each other. Then, while looking at each other, they both let out a ''hah~'' breath. Yeah. That''s not what ''breathing together'' means. What, are you looking at me like you''ve done it?I haven''t done it.Well, in a way, we''re in perfect sync!What a disappointment! This duo might be in trouble. ''...... Yashiro, "Huh~"'' I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ''...... cocky.'' ''Ho-ho-ho, I wonder where you learn that kind of language...'' ''Oh, I see...'' ''That pharmacist...'' ''Let''s throw him in the river...'' ''d*mn! This town needs education and educational guidance. Yeah. Especially strict educational guidance! ''But it''s a checkered course. ''That sounds difficult. ......'' Loretta and Ginette stare anxiously at the course. They start off in the middle of the straight course, run ten meters, and then cross a five-meter-long averaging platform (the averaging platform itself is three meters long, and there are one-meter-wide slopes in front of and behind the averaging platform to allow for easy ascent and descent). Then you will find a wooden ball of 30cm in diameter on the platform, and from there you will have to carry the ball to the platform 15m away and enter the dark labyrinth. The dark labyrinth has an entrance at the end of a straight line and an exit at the middle of a curve. The inside is a simple maze. At the end of the labyrinth, there are caterpillars placed in a row. Curving with the caterpillars is quite difficult, and people who are not used to it sometimes ignore the course and go straight. Yeah, that''s not easy. At the end of the curve, there is a long table with a long wooden box on top of it. The contents of the box were flour, with candy hidden inside the flour. Once both of you have gotten the candy, you have to run the remaining 30 meters on a tripod to reach the goal. It''s ......, so it''s 200 meters long. That''s it!It''s our turn to go next, isn''t it? ''Mr. Manager, Ms. Loretta. I want you to take a good look at our run, because it might be useful for you. Mokoka and Nikka stand up straight away. Both of them seem to be confident. ''The disparity in breasts is terrible, though. ''Don''t say anything irrelevant, anchovy! ''......, when I stand alongside Nikka-san, I realize how small I am, in two ways: ......''. I''m sure you''re aware of how small you are and how much you care about small things. I don''t want you to get down on your luck here. Oh well, I''ll cheer you up. ''Mokoka. Don''t worry about it too much. ''You don''t say that, anchovy! ''As expected of a married woman!I guess it''s true what they say about getting big when squeezed! ''They haven''t changed in size since before we got married! I''m not sure why I''m here. ''......'' is a topic that originated from Yashiro, so it can''t be helped. That''s not right, Magda. It''s not my fault that Nikka''s tits are so big, and it''s not because of me. They were always that way! ''A mystery of nature! ''Oh, hurry up and go, both of you!Big brother, it''s going to be a long time like this! Encouraged by Loretta, Mokoka and Nikka made their way to the starting point. Their steps are unhurried. I think I can watch these guys without worry. What worries me more is ...... ''We''re going to go out with a bang! ''What?I''m not sure what to do.Don''t forget your legs are connected! ''Hey! ''You can''t expect me to be fine! Imelda was being dragged by Hammaro to the starting point. ''It''s the rhythm of ''1,2. 1,2''! ''I hate arithmetic! ''It''s not arithmetic, is it?Yes, it is!Now, ''Ham, Maro. Let''s make it ''Ham, Maro''! ''...... Ham, Maro? ''What do you want me to do, watashi? ''...... Well, good luck, Imelda. I''ll at least wish you luck. And what about the neighbors on the other side of the world? ...... ''You know what to do, round glasses!I''m not going to tell you the hard way. Just imitate me. Can you do that? ''You can''t, that you can''t, Mr. Medora!Even Mr. Magda of the Sunken Pavilion can barely imitate you, that he can! ''Don''t talk small, man!Run like you mean to die! ''If you match Mr. Medora, you won''t be able to just die, that you won''t! ...... Yeah. I want to say, "Well, it''s Beckko. I''ll at least nail him to the wall. ''Medora. Becko is now involved in the construction of the New Roads, so treat him with care.'' ''Ya, Mr. Yashiro!I am in your debt, that I am! ''What level of politeness? ''About Umaro, I guess. ''Isn''t that a position to be played with? ''Wait a minute, Becko!I''m going to challenge that perception! ''You''re Torbek''s wingman. ...... So, as long as you don''t break any bones, you''re fine. ''How do you think you''re being treated?I''m being treated a little more carefully than that. ''Well, well, well, Umaro, that''s nice. Look at Becko.'' ''Becco?I''m sorry to hear that. ......'' ''But it''s easy because it''s someone else''s problem, isn''t it? ''Haha, I guess so. ''Oni!Oni, that it is!The white group is overrun with evil demons, that it is! When I quickly passed through the bustling yellow group, I found an unusual combination ahead of me. ''It''s nice to meet you, Nene. ''I''ll do my best not to drag you down, Molly-san. Two modest and unassuming people. Yeah. Let''s say it out loud. ''You two are modest and unassuming.'' ''What?Why twice?'' ''Mr. Manager. It''s time for you to understand your brother''s thought process.'''' ''...... talking about the personality side and the breast side.'' Two such modest and unassuming people discreetly exchanged greetings . ''It''s an honor to be with the head waiter of District 27. ''No, no, it''s my pleasure!I heard that you''re the creator of the new sugar and you''re in charge of the factory. That''s amazing at your age! ''Wait a minute!I''m the one who created it!I''m serious!I''m also the one in charge! A raccoon dog is barking in the distance, but as expected of the District 27''s head waiter. He seems to have "accurate" information. And there are two people staring at them. They are Tracy and Nephrite, who have tied each other''s legs with blue cords. ''Oh, ...... I''m worried that Nene will cause trouble. ''Don''t worry. Molly, you''re very strong.'' ''Are you two close? ''Yes. She''s the girl I want to be my sister. ''Gosh! Neffery''s unintentional comment stopped a raccoon man''s breath. I''m sorry. I''m not sure if it has stopped yet, but it has. In the event that you''re not aware of Percy sinking into a sea of blood, the two girls proceed with their conversation. Don''t tell me you''re with him? ''Oh, no. It''s not that. It''s simply because you''re too nice a girl. No, Percy. d*mn it. You''re out of your mind and not listening. ''Oh, I understand!I wish I could have Nene as a real sister. ''Isn''t there a girl who''s so precious and cute that you want her to be your sister? ''Yes, I do! ''Tracy, I think we''ll get along! ''Yes, I think so! They''re getting strangely excited. But on the other side, there''s a raccoon in a pool of blood. Nefari. You''re cruel, aren''t you? ''Get into position! --Boom! At the sound of the bell, the players start running in unison. Whoa!Mokoka and Nikka, you''re fast! But... ''Here, round glasses, hold on tight! ''Aaaaah! Medora''s even faster. Looks like Beckko''s not enough to hold him back. Hang on, Becko! You''re as free as Hammaro!Like that! ''Let''s go on a great adventure! ''Hammaro-san!Please don''t skip for no reason!It''s too difficult to run! ''Then change to a meaningful skip! ''You''re not going to stop skipping, are you?I understand!I''ll go along with you! Imelda broke, as if she''d gotten over it or thought it would be quicker. She''s skipping happily along with Hammaro. That''s the young lady. She must be good at dancing. She''s matching Hammaro''s movements perfectly. Though not graceful in the slightest. ''You look happy, Imelda. ''You look like you''re in agony to me. I like your Ginette filter. I bet the world looks so bright. ''Nene. Can I ask you a favor?'' Molly calls out to Nene in front of the averaging table. ''Yes, what is it? ''Please give me a hug.'' ''Heee! ''I''d like to try to get through the averages, Medora-san''s way. Medora''s way is to run alone with Bekko in her arms. Currently, Bekko is dying. ...... ''Nene. Do you trust me?'' ''Okay, Ms. Molly. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''Thank you very much. Nene wraps her arms around Molly''s neck, as if she thinks she can trust her. There is a height difference between a small adult woman and a young girl. So, Nene is clinging to her. ''I''ll go. ''Yes! Molly carries Nene up and over the averaging table. She''s fast. If you have the arm strength and sense of balance to lift a person, this is a very effective method. But she won''t last long in that position. Molly sets Nene down after she has crossed the aisle. ''From here on, we''ll go as a normal tripod. ''Right. We should have some fun. ''No, the ...... balance is not good, so I''m afraid your time won''t improve. Also, it seemed to put a strain on the base of Nene''s legs. ''Oh,......, is that what you meant? It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your trip. It seems that Molly is more realistic. ''I want to have fun, don''t I?'' Nene is probably a bit dreamy in her thinking. Molly, who is the factory manager and has to be strong, and Nene, who is the head waiter and doesn''t seem to be strong at all. I wonder which one of them is more mature. ''Are we going to copy that, too? Loretta pinched her chin when she saw Molly''s plan. It''s a pose that dumb people tend to do when they pretend to be thinking. ''Loretta. That intelligent look makes you look stupid.'' ''Why would it be the other way around!You can keep your intellectual look! ''...... But, ano operation is useful.'' ''Well, it is.'' ''Yes, it is! Our gazes converge on Ginette. ''Jeannette is--'' ''...... manager is--'' ''''The manager is--'''' ''''''This is something to grab onto.'''''' ''''This is not a place to grab! Ginette hugged a huge protrusion that looked very easy to grab with both arms. Wow, it''s so soft!I want to grab it! ''Huh, just normal!Let''s try it like normal, Loretta-san! Looks like she didn''t like the hugging plan. --But... Ginette''s decision would later prove to be correct. A number of people tried to copy Molly''s plan, but it seemed to be quite difficult to cross the averaging table while carrying a person, and some people were injured. Because the legs are tied together, the center of gravity shifts, and even if the person loses balance, the legs do not come out as quickly as they should. In addition, if a relationship of complete trust has not been established, the person being held will not be able to stay still and will move his center of gravity out of fear. If you have been practicing, but if you make unpredictable movements on the spot, your response will be delayed. Such a delay can be fatal on a 10cm wide averaging table. Most of them had only scratches, but a few of them sprained their feet. ''Ouch!It''s cold! ''Be patient. It''ll swell up if you don''t cool it down. ''Be a little more gentle, hero! ''You''re being nice enough. ......'' ''d*mn it, ......, you and Mokoka would''ve made it. Barbara is one of those people who''s moaning in the first aid tent. I''m not sure why I''m acting like a first responder,......, but you''re right. Regina sprained her foot and can''t move either. It''s not that she can''t move, it''s just that she''s decided it''s best not to. ...... I did. It''s my fault after all,d*mn it. Barbara was working with mormat. And when he tried to lift Moormat up on the averaging platform, they both fell off the platform. Moreover, Barbara was underneath Moormat. ''Why are you the one lifting him?Mormat is obviously heavier than you.'' ''But Aashi is stronger! It''s because of that ''strength'' that you lifted him so forcefully and suddenly that Mo''amat went into a rage and lost his balance. Do it after you''ve talked it over. I''m sorry, Barbara,......, but I was a little freaked out. ''No, ...... well, I didn''t hold Aashi well enough. ...... Don''t worry about it. It''s not even that painful. ''I''m really sorry!I''m going to share a lot of my vegetables with you next time! ''So, that''s enough. Oh. That Varvara guy. He''s gotten a lot rounder in a day. The old him would''ve said, ''Yeah!It''s your fault!What are you gonna do about it, you crocodile? He would''ve said something like that. It seems Mokoka is having a positive influence on him in unexpected ways. It''s amazing what friends can do. ''Then feed them to Teresa. Our vegetables are good, I''m sure Teresa will be happy. ''Teresa will be happy. ......'' He stood up, knocking his chair over, and Barbara tightened Mormat''s collar. ''...... Are you going to kidnap me to make Teresa look good, you crocodile? ''No, I''m not!It''s a sign of friendship! ''What are you going to do with a friendship!Don''t you dare touch Teresa! ''I didn''t, and I''m not going to! Ah, yes. I guess your personality doesn''t change in a day or so. Barbara is still Barbara. ''If you want to call Aashi ''sister'', defeat Aashi! ''I can''t and I don''t want to! Mormat sent me a serious SOS with his gaze. Don''t look at me like that. What if trouble comes our way. ''...... mormat. Little girls, no.'' ''Don''t say horrible things with a straight face, Magda. ......'' Magda''s words, snuggled up next to me, seemed to have drained Mo-Matt''s energy. Hmm?Magda? We''re still on the same tripod. I tried to untie her, but she refused. ...... It was hard to get to the tent. ''Eeyusha! When Barbara''s treatment was finished, Teresa, who should have been there a moment ago, came back from outside the tent. Next to her were Bertina and Uclines. It seems they had taken her out. ''Oki!I did it! Teresa said, "I''ve changed my clothes," and as she had said, she had changed into gym clothes. Even in her small bloomers, they were still too big and bulging like pumpkin pants. ''Oh, Teresa. You and Barbara are matching.'' ''Ooooh!It''s true!You''ve got a good point there, hero!You''re a real eye for detail! I got a compliment that didn''t make me happy at all. In a very superior way. Don''t slap me on the shoulder. Just get over to your sister''s. I''m here to show you. ''Teresa!You''re so cute!Oh, Teresa!You''re so cute! ''Ehehe~......'' Barbara quickly throws me aside and jumps on Teresa. Mormat looks so relieved, Teresa looks kind of ticklish, and Barbara shows her whole body in a relaxed dere face. I don''t mind that these things are as I imagined, but I''m curious about the expressions of Bertina and Ukrines. What''s with that ''I''m smiling'' look? What''s more, that look is not coming from Barbara and her sisters ......, but from me? ''Eeyusha! Teresa calls out to me in Barbara''s arms. Ah ...... a hint of trouble. ''Hey, can I talk to you? ''Hmm?Yeah, I guess so. ......'' Now, what should I say? A1, ''You''re cute. Result 1, ''You''re a hero!Don''t flirt with Aashi''s sister! (Fist bump, ''Bessie!'') A2, ''Not really'' Result 2, ''You''re a hero!Are you saying Theresa isn''t pretty? (ribs, ''Sarasaraa ......'') Yikes! Result 2 is especially bad!The ribs turned to powder and disappeared into the wind! If that''s the case, the answer I should give is A1. Theresa is looking at me expectantly. Her eyes are still dim and uncertain. Well, there''s nothing wrong with a compliment. Barbara''s not that stupid.Seriously!Come on, man! ''Oh. You''re so cute. ''Heh heh~'' Teresa smiles happily. Her round cheeks turn red like a fruit. ''Which one of you is ...... Magda?'' ''Don''t compete with a little girl, Magda.'' ''...... Indeed, Magda is already in the adult category.'' ''Wow, that''s a new one on me.'' ''...... So, which one is Eros?'' ''I''m sorry. I''ve never felt erotic with Teresa, so it''s impossible to measure. I don''t feel erotic on Magda either. ''Eros? ''Don''t worry about it, Teresa. You''re not ready for that word.'' ''What do you mean, Eros, hero? ''Don''t worry about it, either. It''s not a word for you.'' I''m sure that even if she had a boyfriend, he wouldn''t be open and s*xy at all. I mean, I can''t even imagine Barbara falling in love with someone. ''Eeyusha~'' Teresa stretches out her arms and asks me for a hug. ''A hug?I can''t help it. ......'' ''Don''t get carried away, hero.I''m not letting you touch Teresa, you Eros freak. ......'' ''You know exactly how to use ''eros'', don''t you? I''m not going to let you touch Teresa, hero. ''Yashiro-san. Teresa-san has something to say to Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ''She wants to say thank you for being so kind to her. After she said that, she poked me lightly on the cheek. I see. He said I looked very suspicious when I said I had something to say. I guess the look of annoyance on Barbara''s face leaked out. But it''s nothing to worry about once you know what it is. I''ll at least accept your thanks. A small child''s ''thank you'' is just a ''yes, yes, yes'' and that''s all. Well... Before going to Teresa, I pat Magda on the head. I''m going to have to keep Magda company, and I don''t want to make Magda too uncomfortable by having to deal with Rebeca and Teresa and all the other little pretty girls in the department, so I''m just being considerate. Magda, on the other hand, has a ''Magda doesn''t care'' look on her face, but her tail is standing up straight. After confirming this, he bent down in front of Teresa and looked into her face. ''What is it, Teresa?Do you have something to say to me?'' Theresa''s face lit up as she caught my outline. She smiled genuinely happily and said in a carefree voice. ''Oh, I''ve become a yoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Wow, a feeling of turmoil. ''Hero ......, you.'' ''Wait, wait, Barbara!That''s what Teresa said! ''You''re so quick to turn your hostility outward, and I''m right in the middle of it! You should at least warn your sister not to talk like that sometimes. Well, I guess you won''t! ''Teresa, do you want to be the ...... hero''s wife?'' ''Hmm!Yoo-hoo, sweetie, shhh...'' Stop it, Teresa. If you like me, refrain from saying things that will cut into my life span. I looked up at Bertina''s face and she had a troubled look on her face like ''Oh my god ......''. She hadn''t expected me to say ''I''ll be your wife''. He thought it would be a ''thank you'' at best. Ha, Bertina. You''re a bit naive for a long-time mother. A girl who wasn''t pampered by her father as a child is very vulnerable to paternity. They''ll misunderstand you immediately. ''And, but, you see... That''s what children say, right?Don''t take it so seriously,......, but I''m sorry to say that Bertina...... doesn''t take any of that into account,......, this Barbara woman. Look at her. ...... She looks like she''s about to die, and she''s thinking about something really stupid, isn''t she? ''...... Teresa is ............ but ...... no but...'' .........mumble'' ''Oh, ...... that''s right. Barbara, you may not have experienced this, but all girls of this age think and say things like that, like measles,......, so you don''t have to take them seriously. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s not me, is it?Maybe the jury system will find me not guilty.If it doesn''t hurt my feelings! ''It''s true that Hero was kind ...... to let Aashi and the others stay together, and he treated Teresa''s eyes, and Teresa has been laughing a lot ...... lately, but I can''t give Teresa to my wife. ............, but Teresa is ............... ...Aaah!I''m not sure what to do about Aashi. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''ve done a lot of hard work for these sisters. Yeah, you''re right. If you have that kind of gratitude, you won''t suddenly resort to violence. Yeah, you may be thinking for the first time, it''s good to be nice to people! ''Oh, well, you know. Teresa''s still a little girl. We''ll talk about it when she''s older.'' ''What is it, hero?Talking about boobs again?'' ''No, I''m not! ''...... No?'' ''No, Magda!You''re a girl who understands, aren''t you?I mean when you grow up.'' ''...... on the tits of a grown man.'' ''Will you stop distorting it? ''What, you''re still tits! ''I told you it wasn''t! ''Ee-yusha, tits? ''Yes, I definitely like it there, but! ''Yashiro-san, please deny it. Even if it''s a lie, that''s...'' Sister Bertina of the Spirit Church told me to lie. I''m surprised. ''I don''t want to lie to my tits! ''Yashiro-san, you''re complicating things.The story.'' Well, so be it. For now, I''ll just chalk it up to the ramblings of a child and tell Teresa, ''Thanks, and tell me again when you grow up,'' and tell Barbara, ''Don''t worry about it. Oh, and by the way. I''ll tell Ukrines, ''When things get complicated, you disappear and don''t get involved at all, right? I''ll tell Ukrines. You''re a cheater, you know that? All the time. ''Look, Barbara...'' All right!All right! I''ve learned that the hard way in my long life. That an idiot''s ''okay'' is just a sign of trouble. ''Hero!I''ll be your wife! This is going to be a pain in the ass. ...... 396-Additive-free Episode 51 Seating @ On the Gravel I''m sitting on the gravel. I''ve seen this before. ''...... is how it happened.'' ''Thanks Magda. I understand.'' Magda seems to have finished telling Estella the story. Hmm?Tripod strings? It''s already been undone. As soon as I''m on my feet. ...... d*mn. The deliberations that began with Barbara''s declaration that she would be my wife were concluded in a matter of minutes. The jury was made up of members of the boob patrol, with Estella also serving as a judge. ...... What a biased trial. There''s not a shred of fairness. The defense was Bertina, who saw the whole thing, and Ginette, who listened to Bertina and trusted me. And for some reason, Magda is the prosecutor. You saw the whole thing, didn''t you? ''So, Yashiro is guilty. ''Wait a minute, you flatulent judge! Isn''t your ''judge'' the ''most board''? ''Yes, guilty. No probation.'' ''What''s the charge, you bastard? ''Insulting the lord, right?That sounds too familiar, doesn''t it? ''Where''s the story about Barbara''s delusions? Breathing out a sigh of relief, Estella brushed back her red hair. ''I thought you''d said something unthinking and thought-provoking again, but it looks like Barbara just took a little too big a leap. ''What do you mean, ''again''? When have I ever said a thoughtless, suggestive line? ''Conversation records. ''You don''t have to be so serious about finding it, you know. I grabbed the transparent board that appeared and slammed it to the ground. I was going to ......, but it disappeared before I could. Can''t you break it? ''So that''s what this is all about. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. ''Oh, yes. Imelda''s right. ''Oh, I didn''t know that. I''ve been told that a few times myself. To the girls in the church. ''You''ll be popular, Delia. Someone should get her.'' ''I don''t want a wife. Norma, if you can''t get a wife, why don''t you get one? ''No, I can''t!It''s none of your business! Why are you staring at me, Norma? You''re having a problem with Delia. You can have all the fun you want where I don''t matter. ''All girls say things like that when they''re little, don''t they? ''Did Jeannette say something like that to anyone?'' ''Oh, I might be interested in ......, or in Ginette''s case, her grandfather.'' Paula and Nepheli squealed at Ginette, but it was Bertina who denied them. ''Ginette said she would be my wife,'' she said. Ginette admires and loves Bertina. It''s a very funny story. ...... If only Bertina wasn''t drooling. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. ''My sister''s petty boasting...'' ''It''s not trivial!It''s a surprisingly happy thing!Besides, Hammaro said it too, when he was little!''I''m going to be my grandmother''s wet nurse! ''Loretta, sister-in-law. Can you please give me the right to do so? ''''Don''t be so afraid all of a sudden, Lucia!I''m so serious that I''m quite taken aback right now! Loretta is running away from the kneeling Lucia as fast as she can. She''s carrying Hammaro and evacuating. It''s not something to make a big deal about. So, can we stop sitting on the floor now? ''It happens all the time, right?Cheryl told me that too. Hey, Cheryl? ''Yeah!Cheryl, I''m going to be Yachiro''s wife! ''Is that true, Hero-sama? ''You mean, Hero-sama is going to be our son-in-law ......? ''Wuerer!Now go home and boil all the corn you can find!We''re celebrating today!'' ''Yes, sir! ''Hold on, you couple of idiots! I''m talking about the kid''s nonsense! I mean, just because Cheryl told me to, doesn''t mean I approve! ''Ka-chan. Would you be happy if a hero became your son?'' ''Of course I would!It would be an honor, even though I would be afraid.'' ''I see. ......'' Oh, you''re thinking of something stupid again. All right, let''s get this over with. ''So, that''s the end of this story!I''m not going to marry anyone yet, so let''s resume the competition. With my declaration, this conversation is over. All the people around me thought so. Except for one person. Estella messes with that ''only one''. ''Well, Barbara, please refrain from speaking too carelessly. It''s a good thing that the Judgment of the Spirits is banned today. ''I don''t care if it''s not banned, my lord. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one, you''ll be able to take a look at a lot more. Barbara bends her eyebrows in a slightly unhappy manner and declares clearly. ''Aashi will be the hero''s wife!I''ve already decided.'' ''No, no...... Barbara, you know......'' ''What, my lord?What''s the problem if Aashi becomes a hero''s wife? ''This is not a problem,......, it''s just common sense! ''I don''t know anything about common sense!I''ve already decided! Stupid people are stubborn in strange ways. Are they stubborn because they are stupid, or are they stupid because they are stubborn? He''s just saying what he feels like saying. He''s not thinking about it. ''That''s better, right?It''s definitely better, right?Of course it''s good!Okay, decided! That''s how short-sighted they are. And yet, they''re so stupid and stubborn that they''re a pain in the ...... ass to deal with. It''s a pain in the ass. If Aashi marries Hero, Hero can''t marry Teresa, right? ''You don''t have to do that, Yashiro won''t touch Teresa. ......'' ''But the hero can have anything as long as it has tits, right? ''No, not to that extent,..................'' ''No'', say it! Say it out loud! Be confident, be proud! ''But Teresa misses the heroes and laughs a lot when she''s with them. ''There it is, the ......, the child killer. Estella gave me an unwarranted rebuke. I haven''t killed a single child. ''If Arshi marries a hero, Teresa can be with a hero, right?Dad and Dad say they''d be happy to have Hero as a son. Aashi, I''ve finally found a way to repay you! Barbara clenched her fists and made a powerful speech. There''s no one who can stop her. I, too, am in a state of ''What am I supposed to do, you stupid b*tc*? What are you getting up to all by yourself, you stupid monkey? ...... Wait, monkey girl. The mountain moved slowly. It''s Medora. There was a look of quiet anger on her face. ''If you''d just shut up and listen, you''d say whatever you want. ''It''s Aashi''s life. I''m not going to let other people tell me what to do.'' ''If you''re going to talk about your life, you should keep it to yourself. I can''t let my darling''s life be sacrificed to your trivial self-indulgence.'' ''What, you want to be a hero''s wife too? ''Yes, I want to be a wife, ...... a wife, ...... a wife, ...... a wife, ...... a wife. Are you embarrassed to be here? I don''t know, it''s really too late for that! ''If you''re not ready, get out of here, you big old b*tc*! ''Preparedness ......? The fearless Barbara made a grand gesture against Medora. Medora clenches her fists as the people around her look on in horror. ...... May no one die. ''I''ve been living in a world where death is a constant companion. I never let my guard down, not even for a blink of an eye. I''m always prepared for anything! Medora, who''s been through more death lines than any of us, howls. There''s no one who can argue with that. A line full of persuasive power. ''I''m ready!I''m ...... ready! Medora''s face turned toward me. I thought I was going to freak out. I''m going to ask my darling for an exchange diary if I win this field day! Preparedness, weak! You can say something like that over dinner! Well, I''ll definitely refuse! ''So, you''re my rival, .......'' Barbara snaps her fingers together. Stupid, stupid, stupid!No, no, no! I don''t care how much of a Medora you are, if you hit me unreasonably, I''ll get angry! There will be a catastrophe no one can stop! ''Maybe Aashi can''t beat you. I can tell by looking at you, you''re strong.'' You''re not strong enough, Medora! You''re stronger than Delia!Even stronger than Delia, whom you defeated so miserably! ''But ...... Aarushi is willing to die for Teresa and you and you and you and Tot and Cheryl!I''m not sure what to make of it. Barbara is spreading a tremendous fighting spirit that could be called battle mode. Perhaps it''s because she''s been eating well and living a regular life and farming every day, but she''s even more powerful than when she fought Delia. The air is shivering, and just looking at him makes me feel suffocatingly oppressed. It''s impossible to stop this without someone getting hurt,......! I''m not sure what to make of that. Barbara jumped up in the face of Medora. But the next moment Barbara was out of sight. Up!I thought, but it was down there. ''...... You should know your place. Magda grabbed Barbara by the scruff of the neck and pinned her to the ground. There was no "red blur". And yet Barbara is unable to resist at all. I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m not sure what to make of it.I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. ''...... Yashiro is a valued employee of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''It''s okay. Even if you get married, you can still work at the Sun Goddess Pavilion. ......'' Magda''s fingers tightened and Barbara let out a short ''gulp''. ''...... I''m sure the manager will miss you. Magda will not allow you to make her cry.'' Barbara''s bones creak as she sobs. ''...... Besides, Yashiro is an important family member of the manager and Magda.'' Magda''s words were spun in a quiet voice, unhurriedly. Jeannette is holding her mouth and staring at Magda. She seems surprised. Magda''s true feelings are revealed. ''...... Making Magda''s loved ones the object of a ''bet'' is an outrageous ...... act that cannot be forgiven.'' Magda raises her chin a few millimeters as she says this. ''............And by the way, Loretta misses you, too, and Loretta is important. Yeah. Important. ''You''re full of forgetfulness, Magda! It''s Magda''s way of hiding her embarrassment. Don''t get so worked up, Loretta. ''...... Yashiro is not a thing, and there are many people around who care about him. It''s not a problem that can be solved by Barbara''s selfishness alone. With that said, Magda releases Barbara. Barbara jumps up and distances herself from him like a wild animal would. Her eyes widen in astonishment and she stares at Magda, not caring that her face and clothes are dirty. No, she is on guard. Magda looks at Barbara with her usual blank expression, and tilts her head. ''...... Do you understand? ''Yeah, but you know what? Just as Barbara was about to retort, Magda''s figure disappeared and she instantly appeared in front of Barbara, hitting her on the cheek with her tail. and struck her on the cheek. Magda spins around and asks again with a graceful gesture. ''Did you understand ......? ''............ Yes.'' Magda ...... you''re strong. ''Ke, but Aashi is serious about ......''. You''re still arguing with me, Barbara. Give it up already. You don''t even like me. ''I mean, do you like Yashiro, Barbara? Paula asked me exactly what I was thinking, straight out. Paula is a little puffy. Her tail is also puffed up. ''Do you like ......? ''So, liking is ...... something that makes you throb ......, isn''t it?Neffery?'' ''What?Why are you dumping on me? ''Tell Barbara what it''s like to like someone!You''re good at it!'' ''I''m not good at it! ''Forget it! ''I''m already ...... Paula is ......''. Mumbling, Nephrite stands in front of Barbara, who has been thrown to the ground. He glances at her once, then quickly turns away. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the chickens at the elementary school also used to scurry around a lot. ''I like ...... is a very happy feeling .......'' ''No, I know what ''like'' is.'' ''Then don''t make me explain it to you, d*mn it! Nefari turns red and returns to Paula. The line between ''tosaka'' and ''tosaka'' becomes vague. Don''t get too hot. Don''t get too hot, I''m afraid you''ll smell bad. ''Arshi likes Teresa, and Mom and Dad, and Tot and Cheryl. I know that all too well. ''So, well, maybe you''ll like them when they become family.'' ''Barbara, you don''t like Yashiro and you want to marry him? ''Yes, but is it bad? ''''Is it bad?'''' ...... Paula opens her mouth wide. ''''Teresa, you and Cheryl like the heroes. So why don''t they get married? ''Hey, Barbara. Marriage is not for the sake of the family, you know. I''ve heard people say that marriage isn''t just for the family in traditional Japanese families. ...... I didn''t think there was anyone who would disrespect the family. It''s a political marriage. I don''t have any connections in any part of the world. I don''t have any connections anywhere. I have Yashiro''s feelings. Hey, Yashiro? Nefari suddenly asks me a question. If you''re talking about my feelings, there''s no way marriage is an option. ''Hero!Don''t you like Aashi?'' ''You, have you done even one thing to make me like you?'' ''No. I like Aashi a lot. Let''s see, what''s your name, ...... you''re as good as this raccoon ...... guy.'''' If you''re on par with someone whose name you can''t even remember, you don''t even like them anymore. And it''s probably Omero, right? My pride won''t allow me to be on the same level as him. Then I''d rather be unranked. Well, I don''t want a woman who talks about marriage on that level. That''s how I was going to break this story,......, but he dropped the bomb first. ''Then who do you like, hero? The hall, shine! It''s true that silence hurts my ears. It''s so uncomfortably quiet! I can feel people''s eyes on me! Don''t talk to me like that! I''m a scammer, and I''m in the process of laying the groundwork to resume my day job here, and I''m not sure if I''m going to be that special thing with anyone in particular or not, so that means, in essence, ............ ''...... apart''. When I turned my head away, I heard sighs from all over the hall. Sighs of disdain, like ''ugh ......''. That''s so annoying! So, whoever you are, take over! If there''s anyone in this situation who can say, ''My favorite onninoko is Kimisa,'' then come forward! I mean, I don''t even know who I like, but that''s it! ''Then just call me Aashi. ''Huh!Tell me when you''re over F-cups! That''s right, that''s right. You can always just dodge them like this. ...... Well, there were a few people who said, ''So, anything under E is worthless? ......In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ''Sure, Aashi''s tits are small......'' You know what?So, well, give up ......''. ''But if you''re okay with this, you can rub them as much as you want.'' ............ ............ ............ What an idiotic thing to say. It''s a good idea. ''I just heard a sound from inside my brother''s heart. I heard that sound from inside your heart! ''...... wavered plainly.'' ''Yashiro-san ......, please repent already.'' ''Yashiro ...... you, please think about the time and occasion .......'' ''You really are a helpless man, aren''t you? ''Wait, wait, wait!You haven''t said anything yet! I''m saying that the fact that you can''t say anything anymore really speaks volumes about your true intentions, doesn''t it? Natalia. Can you please stop trying to break the argument with a theory that doesn''t have a single crack? I''m not wavering. I was just thinking of the old phrase ''24/7'' that I used to hear so often in Japan! ''Barbara-san. Don''t talk like that. ''But, Sister. ''No, you mustn''t. Miss Barbara is a pretty girl.'' ''............ is not pretty.'' ''She looks very pretty to me, doesn''t she? ''............Hmm.'' ''You promise? ''...... Yeah. Okay.'' ''Yes. Good girl.'' In the bleak atmosphere, Bertina gave Barbara a lesson. Not with a whip, but with candy. Yes, yes. It''s Barbara''s fault for saying strange things in the first place. Barbara''s fault. That''s right. "Mr. Yashiro. Bertina is beckoning to you. ''Let''s do penance, shall we? ''...... later, can we do it all at once?'' I''m sure I''ll be asked to do several penances before this topic is settled. ...... You''re teaching me to be a whip, Bertina. But what is wrong with this atmosphere? I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. Here, Ginette-- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! --If only she''d said something like that, the rest of us would have given up and said, ''I can''t compete with that. ...... Okay, I''ll make a suggestion. ''Jeannette, just try it. ''Please repent.'' ''I haven''t said anything yet! ''You''re giving me that look you get when you''re thinking about something naughty. Oh.'' Oh, ......, did I make that face too? I wonder how many different types of "usual faces" Jeannette often refers to. ...... I mean, isn''t it terrible to make assumptions based on faces? I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll have a lot of questions. You could say something nice with an ugly face! I''ll always be with you. I''ll always be there for you. ...... Oh, no. It''s the kind of thing that can get you cheered or screamed at. You could get arrested for this. ''...... Anyway, Barbara should know ''love'' properly before she talks about marriage. Magda says something decent in an atmosphere that''s starting to get out of hand. That''s right. It''s strange that we can''t do such a natural thing. You don''t have to do anything special. You just have to do the ''normal'' things normally first. ''Loretta. Tell her to be normal like me.'' I refuse to be ''like me''! What if you, the rightful owner of normalcy, don''t set an example? There''s no one more normal than you! ''Hey, what is ''love''? Barbara says something strange again. ''Is it different from liking? Is there really a difference between ''love'' and ''like''? Well, I guess not. ''It''s not the same as the ''like'' you''re talking about. The kind of love Barbara is talking about is for family, for Delia, for a place where you feel comfortable. That''s not love. ''Then what is ''love''? ''What is ......? Don''t ask me, it''s not. I don''t know what to say. Ask someone who''s good at that kind of thing. ''Ask Neffely. ''Why are you dumping on me, all of you? No, because... You seem to like love. She knows fortune telling and spells and all that girlie stuff. ''So, let''s see, ...... love means ............ wanting to spend more time together, wanting to talk more, and so on. ...... But I''m shy to look at your face, I want you to know me better, but I''m afraid to let you know too much. ...... I want to touch your hand, I want to feel your warmth... I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. It''s a hell of a question, isn''t it, to ask someone to talk about love? ''So next is Paula''. ''Yashiro, you''re amusing me, aren''t you? No, no, no. I was just wondering if there was any demand for it? ''This, "love" is ...... a very happy feeling, but it also makes you feel insecure at the slightest ...... thing, and you may be surprised that you don''t want anyone to take it. I was surprised that I didn''t want to be taken away by anyone. ...... It was really a series of surprises, and I felt like I was changing more and more. ...... It was scary, but also exciting. ...... ...... There are hard times ......, but even so, she has such great power that all your worries will disappear with just one look at her face.... ''Paula. ...... I know! ''Nephrite! Paula and Nephrite hugged each other. A few of the girls around us nodded their heads in sympathy. I wonder if that''s how it is for girls. For boys, it''s something like, ''Ooooh, I want to rub it! I think something like that is ''love''. ...... ''What?Umaro''. ''I don''t know, but I can''t relate to that! d*mn. He''s getting defensive in life, isn''t he? ''I don''t get it at all. ....... Loretta, do you understand? ''Heeey!What kind of questions are you asking in front of your brothers and sisters? ''Isn''t it?You don''t get it, do you? ''I''m not saying I don''t understand!I''m not saying you don''t understand! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I don''t know what it is, but I''m getting this itchy feeling. ...... Don''t look at me. ''You don''t even know what love is. ......'' The little pioneer comes in, his long ears flicking. ''He''s a child. She is Rebeka, the winner of her first love, who is now engaged to be married. ''It''s impossible to have a true marriage without knowing ''love''. Don''t say anything bad, just do your best to fall in love first. ''...... Rebekah is right. Barbara is not ready for marriage.'' ''That''s right!It''s time for serious love before marriage! The girls surrounding Barbara nodded their heads in agreement. In the face of this, Barbara finally relented, albeit reluctantly. ''...... I understand.'' And as soon as he came through the crowd of girls to my front door, he raised his finger and declared war on me. ''If Aashi falls in love with you before the field day is over, I''ll have you as my wife!Prepare yourself, hero!'''' ''...... haha'' I could only laugh dryly, but I was relieved. We''ll be fine. There was no way that Barbara would suddenly wake up in love like she was struck by lightning. ''Well, good luck with that. ''Yeah! With a manly smile on his face, Barbara raised her fist. Then, with his fist still up in the air-- ''Hero, you can fall in love with Aashi if you want!'' --Such a manly statement. This time I didn''t even get a dry laugh out of him. ''Yashiro-san. He tapped me on the shoulder, and I wondered what was going on. ...... ''Now that our conversation is over...'' Bertina and Ginette smiled. They took me to a simple confessional by Umaro and forced me to do penance. The unreasonableness of the world will never go away. ...... d*mn. 397-No additives Episode 52 Ginette, run! ''It''s finally our turn, Loretta-san! ''The steeplechase has resumed, as if you remembered. That''s right. The competition had been suspended for a while to save the injured and to discuss the situation, but it was resumed with the rule that ''one person should not run while the other person holds the injured person''. The first race to resume was the one in which Ginette and Loretta participated. ''I''ve forgotten all about the strategy. I also lost the feeling that I could do it after the break. ''......What? ''Magda, you had a feeling you could do it? I had a gynecological feeling that I could do it. However, all the teams had lost tension after the break, so they couldn''t complain about it. ''I''m sorry, sir. It''s just that I acted without thinking. ''It''s not Molly''s fault.'' ''Yes, it is, Molly. You don''t have to worry about it. In fact, it''s our steering committee that''s responsible for not being aware of it. ''No, it''s the players who got carried away and said, "This will be a piece of cake!" even though they can''t do it. ''Yashiro, don''t say anything you don''t want to say because it will make it difficult to put the story together. Because it''s not my fault. But you don''t have to worry about it at all, Molly. Even if I say ......, she''ll probably still care, Molly. ''You should learn a little more from your brother, Molly. ''What?What, what, what area, what, what?'' ''Wait, Molly!You''re too upset!You''ve got a lot to learn from me, don''t you? I''ve got a lot to learn from you. ''I didn''t do anything criminal! ''I''m sorry, Yashiro-san. I don''t think I can be so insensitive as to justify stalking. ''That''s terrible!My family members are the worst... seriously! I''d rather you learn from Molly, I tell myself every day like a Buddhist monk. ''You''re right, hero. Barbara, who for some reason is snuggled up next to me. ''I''m not mad at you at all. ''But ......''. ''Come on, don''t look like that. You''re probably prettier when you''re smiling. Just like Teresa. So keep smiling. See?'' ''...... Thank you, thank you, thank you.'' ''Hmm. Don''t worry about it.'' She taps Molly on the shoulder and gives her a ''how''s it going? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. What, is that an appeal to me? Next to tits. ''Where''s the information, what''s that? ''Well, ......, don''t you like a good cook, Yashiro? I''m not sure what to say. You''ve got a very targeted opinion. I''m sure you''re not the only one who thinks that.Hmm? ''Hero. I''m a hero. ''Aashi, let''s boil some corn. ''What''s wrong with that? ''Three times out of four, it will fail. ''Why don''t you tell me you can do it when it''s 100%? ''No, I''m not!When I asked Ka-chan what ''boiling'' meant, she told me that it meant to put corn through boiling water quickly, so I put corn through boiling water quickly, and it was really hard. ''It''s called boiling corn, but you have to boil it for a long time! ''It''s confusing! ''Don''t tell me! The landlady said ''cook''. At Yap Lock''s place, they call it ''boiling''. Also, when I went to Hokkaido, they called it ''boiled corn''. Since that''s what the locals say, it must be ''yugaku'', right? Seeing Barbara so attached to me, Molly pinched her chin and pondered for a moment. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... I think it''s probably not the same ............, no way?'' ''Yes, Molly. As you can see, it''s different.'' As expected of Molly, she''s very perceptive. She seems to have understood this complicated situation exactly. It''s not my fault, but I''m in a lot of trouble. ''Well, you know. Most of the injured people know they deserve it, and no one''s going to blame Molly. ''...... even if that''s the case.'' ''Even if that''s the case, don''t worry, if you get really pissed off, I''ll make you take responsibility for it. ''Hey, you!What are you talking about, seriously? ''I think the guardian should take full responsibility for the actions of the minor sister. I''m not sure what to say. ''...... If that''s what you mean, then...'' ''Molly has been convinced! ''So, Aashi, when you''re pissed off, you should just hit your brother, right? ''There was a person who blew up a lot of things and interpreted them in a messy way! Molly''s expression lightened slightly. In this girl''s case, she didn''t really think that she could just put the blame on her brother, and decided that she shouldn''t stay down forever because the people around her were taking such good care of her. Percy was the perfect opportunity for him to do so. ''Molly, back to the blue team. The longer I''m around you, the worse it''s going to get for me.'' ''Why don''t you just let it happen? I like being around you, Yashiro-san.'' ''That''s terrible, Molly! Molly makes fun of her brother. But there''s a guy here who''s a bit of a pain in the ass and can''t take a joke like that. ...... ''What is it?You like heroes too? Barbara''s whole body is filled with fighting spirit. Molly quickly changes her color, then says with perfect composure. ''I didn''t mean to imply love. ''I see. I''m glad to hear it!You''re a good guy after all. Barbara rubs her face with a smirk, squaring her shoulders without permission. Molly. You can call me annoying if you want. But I''ve got a problem. Even Estella, Jeannette, Magda, and Loretta, including myself, are having a hard time figuring out how best to deal with Barbara in this situation. How should I deal with this guy? ''Okay, Percy. Take Barbara and Molly back to the blue group. ''Don''t add anything else! What do you mean ''extra''? ...... You''re really terrible to everyone but Nephrite. You''ll never be popular. You have a pretty face. Don''t be popular. You''re disgusting. ''......, take care of Barbara, Percy.'' ''Nice to meet you, Mr. Percy.'' ''Hey, hey, hey, sunny-side up girls!Listen to my opinion once in a while! ''What''s all the fuss about, guys? Neffely comes trotting over. Tracy''s not here. Looks like she hasn''t tied her legs yet. Well, she took a big tumble on her way in. ''Oh, it''s you, Neffely!Thanks for what you did back there. Aash, I learned a lot from you. ''I didn''t do anything to deserve your thanks, though. ......'' ''Mr. Nepheli, this guy ......, no, did you have a problem with him?'' ''There was, or rather ......'' ''He taught me about ''love''.'' ''Wait, what?Barbara, don''t embarrass me, please! ''You''re embarrassed?'' ''I''m embarrassed! Neffely glanced at me. You don''t want to talk about love in front of boys, do you? It really reminds me of the chickens in elementary school, that move. ''Where there are no boys, you know. ''Oh. Tell me all about it. Nephrite pulled away from us, gave Barbara an earful, and nailed her hard. I don''t know how this behavior appeared to him, but Percy asked me something misguided. ''Hey, kiddo. Is that woman close to Mr. Nephrite? ''Yeah, I guess so. You might want to be nice to her because she might become your best friend. So I said something appropriate. What you said today is not subject to the judgment of the spirits. In the first place, ''may become'' is not a lie. So. ''I see!I''ll be nice then! I''m not responsible for any of Percy''s snickering. ''Hey, you. Barbara, right?Come here. There''s a place where you can see the race better.'' ''No, Aashi needs to be next to the hero. ''You haven''t finished your race yet. You shouldn''t be so close to him, seriously.'' ''Hero didn''t say it''s annoying! ''Even if you don''t say it, wouldn''t you hate it if people thought that even a little bit in your mind?You can''t laugh if your desire to be liked goes out of control and you end up with the exact opposite result, seriously. ''...... brother, if you know that, why ......? Molly. Your brother is aware of the general logic. He just can''t see himself objectively. ''Cause I understand what it''s like to try to look good for someone who''s not looking back. I''ll help you, seriously. It looks like Percy is saying something decent ....... If you can disregard the fact that this is all about showing Nepheli that I am a man who can be kind to your friends. And Nephrite, who is insensitive to his own affairs. ''Percy, you''re a very caring person, aren''t you? And Percy says, ''Aha!I got a point! He turned his face away as if he was aiming for the moment when Percy raised his fist and said ''......But being cheered on by the current Barbara is kind of complicated and ......subtle, isn''t it? He made a difficult face and mumbled. What is this? I''m not sure if this is the world of shoujo manga, with its complicated quadrilateral and pentagonal relationships, or what? I don''t care who you are, just get together, it''s too much trouble! Well, if you do, I''ll smash you to bits! ''Yashiro. Didn''t you just make a face as if you were putting yourself on the shelf? ''Estella, are you a researcher?Don''t try to read my emotions with the movement of your facial muscles. Leaving Barbara in the care of a buoyant Percy, we here begin to prepare for the resumption of the race. First, some advice. ''Loretta. ''Yes, sir. ''When you put your foot out, keep it facing out. ''Outward ......?'' ''Yes. Ginette has extremely inner thighs. If you run inwards to Loretta, you''ll be ''pulling'' each other''s leg ties. That is exactly the same as being ''pulled'', which hinders running and increases the risk of falling. Therefore, if both of you open your hip joints to the extent that you are thigh-deep and put your feet outward, you will be able to run smoothly without being pulled. ''If I put my feet outward, won''t I push or kick the manager? ''Don''t worry. The human body is not as flexible as you think. It will finally straighten up when it is facing too far outward. That''s about it. ''...... I can do some pretty extreme movements, can''t I? ''Hmmm.........I wonder how it is with the beastmen.........'' In the case of humans, even when we think we''ve gone to extremes, we''re still inward-looking. ...... ''Then match the ginette''s feet.'' ''Okay, sir. I''ll try to be more conscious. ''Loretta''s usually pretty handy, so she should be able to handle it. Because she''s plainly handy. Because she''s plainly ordinary. Oh, that fits. Yes, yes, Loretta is plain and ordinary. So, the problem is Jeannette. ...... ''You don''t care about Loretta. ''What?But if you do, Loretta''s burden will be ......''. ''It''s more of a burden to be cared for by you. Even with your full effort, Loretta has a lot of energy left. It would be easier for her if you just give in and let her do all the work. You know? ''That''s right, Manager!Just leave it to me! ''Is that so? ''You know, Jeannette. There are certain things you''re not good at. Think about what would happen if Loretta pushed herself too hard and tried to cook your food. What if Loretta insists on doing all the appetizers, main course, soup, and dessert while you still have a lot of energy left? ''Oh, .......'' ''You''d kick her out, right?'' ''No, I wouldn''t go that far. ......'' ''Well, something like that.'' Don''t push yourself if you can''t do it. If you can''t do it, take advantage of those who can. You''re not fighting this alone. You have friends you can count on. You have friends you can count on,'' he said, and sent them on their way. ''Well said, sir. ''Shut up. Natalia has been giving you a lot of attention.'' ''Of course I understand. That''s why I do my best to leave things to her. Natalia is a trustworthy person.'' ''If Natalia hears you say that...'' ''...... in Estella''s bed.'' ''You''re not, are you, Magda?Why are you forcing your way in and leading us in a strange direction? Of course it''s because it''s fun. ''Anyway, there are only a few races left, but don''t get hurt. Don''t try any crazy maneuvers.'' ''I''m not going to do anything that might get me hurt. I don''t like pain. As Estella left, the riders were lining up. Familiar faces lined up at the starting line. The blue team is Neffely and Tracy. Percy is cheering hard from his seat. Next to him is Barbara. You really did take them. Molly''s making a subtle face. And the yellow team is Paula and Wendy. Paula was the best in the race, and Wendy was the slowest. She doesn''t seem to move too fast, and she is a researcher. I guess that''s fair. And the white team was Ginette and Loretta. Both of them look crisp, but ...... in their case, the more they exert themselves, the more they seem to spin out of control. The last red team is the bumpy duo of Delia and Millie. If Delia had sprinted with Millie in her arms, this team would have been on its own, but that was forbidden by the rules. Now, let''s see how they can overcome the height disadvantage. ''Miry. There''s no need to panic. ''Derria-san ....... Thank you. ''It''s fine as long as you can match my speed. ''It''s impossible for you to do that without pushing yourself too hard, Miri! Millie, I hope you make it to the finish line. ''Get in position, okay! --Boom! The waiter gave the signal and all the runners started running at once. There are three things that surprise me, and one thing that saddens me. First, Delia is running slowly, matching Millie''s stride. I was afraid that if Delia went out of control, Millie would surely be dragged along, but Delia has grown up to take care of the kids, hasn''t she? ''As expected of Delia, she''s good with kids! ''Milly, you''re an adult! Milly, who was running slowly, sent a desperate protest. Haha. That''s funny, Miri jokes. And then, the second surprise-- ''Wendy, you''re so slow! ''I don''t blame you, hero!I''m a researcher ...... and I''m a flower in the shade .......'' Wendy stumbles, stumbles, stumbles anyway, clinging to Paula. She was killing the speed of the lively Paula. ''Well, well, don''t worry about it, Wendy. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.'' ''Ugh. ...... I''m glad you''re a kind person, Paula. But I am sincerely sorry. Wendy bows her head to Paula''s fake smile. How do I know it''s a fake smile? Because Paula''s tail is wagging slowly to the left. Dogs tend to wag their tails to the left when they are unhappy. The reason for this is still unknown, but judging from Paula''s face, I''m sure it''s not wrong. Okay, let''s check it out. ''Paula, what if it''s Bekko next to you right now?'' ''I''d hit him.'' ''I''m sorry, Paula!I''m sorry I''m such a dull woman! ''No, before that, Mr. Paula should apologize to me! Becko complained a while ago. Cheeky. I''ll let him play again, of course, paired with Medora. And... The biggest surprise is... The white team is now in the lead. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I''d see Ginette running at the head of the pack. ''Mr. Manager, it''s looking good. ''It''s so easy to run with Loretta-san matching me. Ginette fell hard right after she let her guard down, and Loretta was involved. It''s a good thing they weren''t on the averages. The white team cleared the averages smoothly, leaving the other team behind, and moved on to the next ball. That''s a big lead. This might be a good chance. And finally, a sad note: ...... ''Tracy''s a Salacious ......'' It''s not shaking at all! Next door at Nepheleigh, it''s shaking a bit! ''I hate Salacious and Gellaracious! ''Don''t you dare disrespect me, Oobar! I heard the lord''s voice from afar, but I did my best to ignore it. ''I wish Nephrite''s beak would be as sharp as an eagle''s and bite off the sarashi next to him. ......'' ''Mr. Nepheli wouldn''t do that, would he, young man? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. You can hear me too much! Is this a studio?You can''t hear me!Don''t pay attention to me! ''...... Chororin''. ''Hey, palm snapper! What? Why does everyone have such good hearing? ...... Does the athletic event sharpen the senses of the athletes and spectators? ......No way. ''......Yashiro. Your voice is loud.'' ''What!My voice? ''......Yashiro''s voice comes through so well that it''s easy to hear him even when he''s far away.'' ''I see. Then it''s the same principle as the sound of boobs shaking, isn''t it? ''...... Although I don''t agree with that. d*mn. Talented people will always be hard to understand. But a hundred years from now, my theory will have become common knowledge. I believe in that future. Yes, a future in which everyone will be able to hear the sound of a taut H-cup that was slowly bouncing and slightly increasing its bouncing speed! ''Derria-san, Miri, I think I can run a little faster.'' ''I see!Then I''ll just fly a little faster! ''Hmm! The red team picked up speed. The bumpy duo is in perfect sync. Their bond seems to have been strengthened by the fact that they survived the averages together. They are in hot pursuit of Neffery and Tracy, who are in front of them. ''They''re catching up, Mr. Nepheli! ''Let''s pick up the pace here too, Tracy! Nepheli and Tracy finish carrying the wooden ball and start running with their long legs spread as wide as they can. But they have long legs, those two. Lucia and Estella are the same, but lords have long arms and legs, don''t they? Maybe it''s their bloodline, or maybe they''ve been raised on good food. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. ...... I really wonder why his face looks like a chicken''s. You''re so cute!I''m so fat! What''s that, Percy? What do you mean, you look happy?Are you loosening the end of your beak? Meanwhile, Nephrite and the others were catching up with the white team. Ginette''s breath is rising. Is she running out of stamina? ...... ''Loretta!Jeannette has more energy in her bounces than anyone else, and it''s wearing her out!Hold on to her tight!'' ''Big brother, you''re being too loud! ''If you want, I can help you hold him down! ''I said it''s too noisy! I''m trying to tell you that your stamina is going to run out because you''re not as athletic as the rest of us. Jesus, why don''t you grab her tits? ...... ''Loretta''s guy, why isn''t he grabbing Jeannette''s tits ......? ''...... And do you need an explanation?'' Magda doesn''t seem to want to answer, so I won''t bother. If I were you, I''d definitely help you hold it down. ''...... Manager and his team enter the dark labyrinth'' Ginette and the others managed to enter the dark labyrinth without being overtaken. However, the gap between them and the second and third players is almost nil. If they got lost in the maze, they would be reversed in no time. ''Ms. Wendy, hang in there!Come on, get up! ''Sorry, sorry, it''s kind of hard to run ...... Ukya! Paula and Wendy''s strides were fatally out of sync. Paula, impatient because of the delay, tried to go as fast as possible, which in turn caused Wendy to fall. ''Wendy, you''re worse than Jeannette this time! ''That''s not fair, Paula! Yeah. You guys, even if you didn''t mean it, that''s terrible. You''re just treating Jeannette like a girl who can''t do anything! Well, it''s true, but... ''But, Manager. You haven''t fallen at all this time.'' ''That''s right. I thought that since I was paired with Loretta, I wouldn''t be able to move a single step from the starting point. Paula is underestimating Loretta. He''s a pretty average player. He''s not a great player. He''s just plain awesome. Just plain. Wendy probably thought she was more athletic than Jeannette, and Paula must have thought she was better than Loretta. But when they actually started running together, things took an unexpected turn. You must be in a hurry, a lot. This difference is the result of my advice to Loretta to ''run with your feet out''. It''s all about how much support you can give to someone who can''t exercise. That''s the difference. Because Paula''s legs are stronger than Wendy''s, Wendy can''t run straight because her legs are taken up by Paula''s legs, and even though she is not good at sports, she falls down because of the force applied in a strange direction. They were a bad match, this pair. Now, while the pair of Paula and Wendy were struggling, the players of the other team were... ''So, Derria-san, which way are you going?That way, to the wall! ''Tracy, don''t stop so suddenly. ''Hey, Millie!There''s something here!I''ve got something! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Ms. Delia, that''s me!It''s my head! ''Mr. Neffely!This wall''s really starting to look a little hinty. ''Tracy, that''s not a wall, that''s my ......... Anyway, please don''t poke me too much! It seems that she is very lost in the dark. I mean, what Tracy was poking at was-- ''It''s definitely the boobs! ''...... She couldn''t help but say it out loud. It''s just a matter of time, though, since it''s Yashiro. We lagged behind the rest of the team, lost in the darkness, for several tens of seconds. Finally, Paula and Wendy entered the dark labyrinth. Until then, none of the teams emerged from the labyrinth. But! '''''''' dazzling! ''Ah, now you know the way, Loretta. ''Wow, this isn''t scary at all, is it, Derria? ''Wendy,......, what are you doing sending salt to the enemy,......'' ''What?I''m ............ sorry.'' Wendy seemed to glow inside, and the whole team came out of the dark labyrinth together. ''''''Thank you, Wendy.'''''' ''''No, um, please stop .......'''' Wendy turned her head and started to run. But Paula didn''t continue and had a big fall. And so, the second half of the tripod obstacle race resumed, side by side. The red team with the height difference had the advantage in the curve with the caterpillar, and the duo of Nepheli and Tracy adapted to the tripod without any trouble. But in the end, the red team came in first, and the white team came in third. But in the end, the red team finished first and the white team finished third. ...... Well, that''s a normal result. That''s Loretta. Even with Ginette, the results were normal. 398-Additive-free Episode 53 The Tripod of Palm and Ma... ''Congratulations on your second place, Mr. Nefari! ''Thank you, Mr. Percy. But I couldn''t pull it off at the end.'' ''No, I''m amazed you made it that far, really!You were brilliant, Mr. Neffely! ''Oh, no. You''re exaggerating. ''You''re laughing too, you''re really cute! You''re not saying the most important part, Percy. I''m not sure what you''re thinking, but it''s obvious from your face. ...... Except for Neffery. ''Hey, raccoon. Why are you praising me?You''re not the best, are you?You''re losing, aren''t you? ''What?You''re an idiot! Percy dragged Barbara, who did not read the air. ''Even if the result is second best, there''s a process to get there, right?Isn''t it beautiful to make an effort!I want to praise that beautiful effort!To be honest, I don''t care about the results! ''No, results are necessary, aren''t they? ''The one who wanted the result the most is you, Neffely!Of course he''s feeling frustrated!But that doesn''t mean that Nepheli-san''s efforts were in vain, understand?I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that even when things don''t go well, there are people out there who are watching you. ''Hmm~...... I wonder if it''s like that......'' ''Anyone would be happy to be told that they did a great job when they worked hard!That''s why it''s so important to ...... start a love affair or something!I''m sure you''ll agree. ''Ah~. So, are you trying to start a love affair? ''What?That''s not true!It''s not like that!I''m just giving you advice!You want to start a relationship, right? Oh, my God!Oh, yeah?You''re a good guy, raccoon dog! ''If you think so, at least learn his name!My name is Percy. ''Oh!I remember, Percy! Barbara clapped Percy on the back and was in a good mood. After that, I don''t know what she was thinking, but she ran to Nepheli. ''Nephrite!Percy''s a good guy.'' ''Uh, yeah. Basically.'' ''He knows so much about love! ''Yeah, ......, but you don''t have a girlfriend, do you? ''You don''t have a girlfriend, but you know a lot about love?That''s amazing! ''Great, ......, right? ''I wonder why he doesn''t have a girlfriend?He''s such a nice guy.'' ''Well, come on, ...... if you''re asking me that.'' Percy said, ''Oh!Don''t say anything you don''t want to!It''s a delicate balance ......, but I''d like to see a little more of the good guy appeal ......, but! I''m on the edge of my seat. I''m not sure. It''s fun to impose on others, Barbara said. As long as you''re not in your own territory. ''I hope she stays that way and becomes someone else''s child. ''...... Yashiro, if you''re going to ask for God''s help, you should turn towards the church. The only one there is the manager.'' ''See, I believe in the milk god.'' ''...... May Yashiro be a little more decent.'' Magda holds her hands next to me. She''s facing the same direction as me. So I guess she''s asking the milk god. Well, I don''t know if it''s beneficial, but I feel the urge to worship it. ''Yashiro-san!Magda~!Please do your best! I don''t know how she got the idea that we were holding hands, but Ginette gave us a big wave and cheered us on. Yes. Our race was about to begin. Whenever I stand at the starting line, I think to myself. ''Why don''t we just make this race a crouch start? ''Don''t be an idiot, I''ll line up as soon as I can! Norma got mad at me. I said it was great, but I was praising him. The final race was upon us. Somewhere along the line, Estella couldn''t resist saying, ''I''m running ahead of you! I persisted, hoping that somewhere Estella would lose her patience and say, ''I''ll run first! He''s a jerk. ''It would be somewhat comforting if you could at least shake ......''. ''Shut up, Yashiro.'' ''...... Yashiro. You should think that not shaking will help you concentrate on the race.'' ''Shut up, Magda, too! ''It doesn''t hit me even though I''m attached to it like this. You''re the best, Miss Estella. ''That''s the loudest one next to me! ''I want to tell you it''s okay, I want to tell the Lord of Smiles. It''s not so bad, Lucia-sama. ''Shut up, Gilberta!Don''t lump me in with Estella! ''Wow, there''s nothing but noisy people in this race! ''Norma, please say something and play with her. You''re leaving the yellow team behind.'' ''It''s okay, you don''t have to get involved in this trivial stuff. ''Norma, you don''t like me playing with your tits, do you? ''Don''t mislead me, okay? ''Then you love to play with your tits, don''t you? ''Oh my god!I''m inviting you in! A lively line up of people. d*mn, these guys are ...... ''''Can''t we just talk about tits, guys? ''''''Hey, you''re the one who started it! I got pissed off somehow. That''s not very nice. So, at the starting line, there are the Estella and Natalia pair, the Norma and Osina pair, the me and Magda pair, and the Lucia and Gilberta pair. ...... Both ends are cheats, though. It''s a foul, that''s what it is. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. '' ''Norma''s old man: ......'' ''You don''t have to tell me! ''No, I do!Norma''s tits! ''Don''t show your willpower in such a trivial place! ''Don''t show your willpower in a stupid place! Norma hides her breasts under her arms, while Osina pokes her side boob secretly. I love it!I want you to take my place! ''......Yashiro. You can''t touch them. You can''t touch them,......, not yet. I''d like to be able to see it. ''That''s right, Estella-sama.'' ''How many times do I have to tell you to shut up, Natalia? ''You people need to shut your mouths. The waiter is so concerned about his lord that he can''t give the order to start. As Lucia pointed out, the waiter was paying attention to Estella and watching the timing of the order. Why don''t you tell her, ''Shut up, tits! Why don''t you just say to her. ''Estella. You can''t be a full-fledged lord if you don''t notice the attention you''re giving the waiters. ''M~...... Lucia-san, is it done?'' ''Of course. In fact, I''m acting in such a way that I don''t let her worry about such strange things. ''So, what do you really think, Gilberta? ''I am instructing you, as head waiter, to be careful not to let anyone know that you care.'' ''So it seems. That''s too bad, Lucia.'' ''''Don''t barge in here where you don''t belong, anchovy!I''ll add some grated daikon! No, what are you going to do with it? You don''t have to force yourself to create a new rant! I''m sorry I kept you waiting. You don''t have to pay attention to me anymore today. ''Hey, no milk...'' ''You should be paying more attention to me, Natalia! ''Hey, waiter, waiter!--Shut up, you little tits.'' ''What are you trying to get me to say, Yashiro? ''...... serving. --I''m not going to open my mouth until I''m a B cup. ''You''re just like me, Magda! Oh, my God. You''ve just admitted you''re underage. ''You''d better cut it out, or the waiter will cry. ''Osina wants to start soon, too...'' ''That''s right. I''m sorry, Osina, for having so many unique people.'''' ''''Hey, source of uniqueness! ''''Who''s that? ''''Oh my god!Just let me start!I''m authorized by the executive committee! Norma waved her hand to signal the waiter, who looked relieved and raised his arm straight up. ''Now, get into position, okay? --Boom! The sound of a bell rang, ''All the tits are shaking at once! ''Where are you looking? ''I''m impressed that you''re not shaking,'' I said to my friend Yashiro. ''It''s okay Estella-sama. I''m not talking about Estella-sama. I promise! ''Can you please not assert anything else! Okay, Magda. We''ll leave them here while we can! I made eye contact with Magda. ''...... eh''. ''I''m not looking at yours! I mean, it''s not shaking! In the end, the strategy to take advantage of the gap and make a dash for the start was unsuccessful, and we all started late. ''Well then, Yashiro, after you! ''Let''s show them the difference in rank, anchovy! As expected, the pair of the lord and the head waiter broke away from the group at an astonishing speed. For such cheaters, ...... ''''...... Huh, white ............ (grin)'''' ''''Huh! Both of the lords who were moving their feet at a good tempo suddenly stopped. They looked back at me with their hands covering their hips. ''Wait, ......? ''I don''t think this is possible, I''m ......! Even the head waiter could not cope with the sudden stop and look back, and Natalia and Gilberta lost their balance and fell to the ground as if they were being swung around. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do and how you''re going to do it. It must have been ingrained in his body that he was protecting his lord. It''s not always easy to forgive them for laughing, though. ''...... How can you fall for such a simple trick?I''m sure you''ve seen it all before.I''m sure you''ll be able to read Yashiro''s thought patterns at least. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry,'' Natalia said. But it was a spur of the moment thing, and my body reacted on its own. ......'' ''Oh, your body reacted to Yashiro-sama''s voice on its own? ''Please don''t convert ''reaction'' to Regina style! With Natalia scolding Estella, ''I think it''s thoughtless of me, Lady Lucia. ...... for a pair of pants.'' ''Gosh, what do you mean by that?It''s a pre-wedding lord''s panty ...... underwear!It''s not something you want to expose to the public! I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to say to the Lord.I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Gilberta scolded Lucia. The lords are being chastised by their respective head waiters. A rare sight. While that''s going on, we''re going to the averaging table. ''Isn''t it wrong for Yashiro to lie like that in the first place! ''That''s right!The culprit is the anchovy! ''He just muttered "White?", that''s not a lie. ''It was just a misunderstanding, on its own, Lady Lucia. ''But if she said something like that, ......'' ''Yes, that''s right!As a lady, ......'' ''If you can''t run because you''re worried about your swim trunks, why don''t you take off your bloomers and go for a swimsuit? ''How can I do that? ''I think it''s a good idea, I do! ''Not a good idea, Gilberta!You can''t do it! We cleared the averaging table without difficulty, listening to the noisy voices of the lord and the head waiter pair. Magda was able to match my stride and we made it across without any trouble. She has great athleticism. Magda''s stability was amazing, despite her jumpy running style. He has a great sense of balance. ''...... Next is the hard part''. Carrying a wooden ball without using your hands. If there is a difference in height, the place where the force is applied is not stable and the ball rolls down. ''......By the way, is it a prerequisite to carry the ball between two people''s bodies? ''No. The rule is ''carry the ball without using your hands''. Oh, and of course, ''without dropping it on the ground''. ''I''ll take care of .......'' As soon as he said that, Magda placed the wooden ball on his forehead. And the ball stays perfectly still. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... Just in case there are any complaints later, Yashiro holds the ball with his chin and says, '' ''Are you okay?I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... We''ll adjust it.'' You can do that too, can''t you? I put my chin on the ball, taking care not to lose my balance. The ball wobbles for a moment, but Magda twists her body to adjust the balance. That was awesome! I feel like I''m doing a street performance even though I''m just holding my chin. ''...... chew through glass, wooden ball version'' ''The thickness is too different, though. The other one is transparent and about 3mm thick, but this one is wooden and 30cm in diameter. Also, Magda has a forehead, but this one has a chin. A chin and a forehead do not make a chew. So don''t look so envious, Oumalo. And don''t give off that fighting spirit, Barbara. ''Norma, pinch me tightly...'' ''There''s no way I can get this thing between my breasts, is there? ''There aren''t many impossible things in this world. ''Then this is one of the few impossible ones! Next, Norma and Osina started to carry the ball. Norma, who takes good care of Osina, is supporting Osina well, and they are quite fast. Thanks to Magda''s skill, the lead has been extended, but it will be a race to watch out for. ''...... Yashiro, Magda will support you, so keep your eyes closed from now on.'' ''All right. Let them get used to the dark. But what about Magda? ''...... is fine. Magda has good night vision.'' ''Then I''ll leave it to you.'' Trust Magda, run and close your eyelids. Let your eyes get used to the dark before you go into it. Pupil constriction is not something you can do consciously, so it is important to prepare in advance. For the dominant eye in particular, place the palm of the hand over the eyelid to carefully block out the light. As an aside, humans have a dominant eye as well as a dominant hand. When we look at an object, we unconsciously adjust the focus with our dominant eye. To find out, make a triangle in front of your face with your thumb and forefinger, and look through the triangle at an object a short distance away with both eyes open. The object should be in the middle of the triangle. Then, close one eye on each side. Then, close your left and right eyes, and one of them should deviate from the triangle significantly. The one with the least deviation is your dominant eye. I''m left-handed, so I hold my left eye with my palm and run. ''...... Yashiro, three more steps into the labyrinth.'' I count three steps from Magda''s declaration and open my eyelids. ''...... can you see?'' ''Sort of.'' I opened my eyes, but it was pitch black all around me. Umaro''s getting all worked up for nothing. It''s really pitch black. This could be a playground for kids after a few more modifications. ''Can you see Magda? ''...... is perfect.'' ''Well, be careful not to hit your foot.'' ''......Rajah.'' We walked on in the darkness, relying on the faint outline. ''It''s really dark in here. ''Natalia! Suddenly, Natalia''s voice startled me from behind. ''They''ve already caught up with us? ''I''m surprised it''s dark, me too. To Gilberta: ...... ''Wow, my hand must have slipped because it''s so dark...'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Don''t play games with me, Osina! ''Softer! ''Don''t you dare rub it back in! Looks like you''re having fun, Yellow Team! I wonder if you''ll take my place? ''It''s darker than I imagined ......, I can''t see anything.'' ''Hmm. I can''t move fast enough. ......'' ''Miss Estella, I can assist you. ''I''ll lead them this way, I''ll lead Lady Lucia.'' Estella and Lucia''s eyes are still getting used to this. But the two waiters seem to be able to see them already. We will break through the dark labyrinth while the lord is dragging his feet. Once you get used to the darkness, it''s just a giant maze for kids. There''s nothing to worry about. ''...... Prepare for the light.'' ''Oh''. A hidden difficulty of the dark labyrinth is the exit. It''s simply too bright. A few people have been blinded here and fallen over. Squint and run out, heading straight for the caterpillar. ''...... What''s the strategy for this? ''If you do it the normal way, it will turn on its own due to the height difference.'' ''...... Copy that.'' Magda is on my left. I''m bigger than him, so he''ll naturally turn to the left. If a big wheel and a small wheel turn side by side, it is natural to turn to the side with the small wheel. As we dug into the leather of the crocodile-like Hexenbiest, they came crawling out of the labyrinth. ''Wait!Yashiro! I feel like a thief running from a bad cop. Try to catch me, Estella''s dad. ''...... As I was crawling on all fours, Magda suddenly gave a small laugh. He knew I was looking at him, and his ears twitched as he turned away, looking embarrassed. ''...... Dad''s parents were clumsy and didn''t know how to treat Magda as a child. Without looking at me, Magda continued. ''......I begged her to play horse, and I don''t know what I misunderstood, but she made me play horse, too. ''You two were riding side by side?Thus.'' ''...... Yes. It was no fun at all. Even so, Magda''s tail is standing up straight. It''s a sign of happiness. ''......It wasn''t funny, but ......I feel so nostalgic, so ticklish.'' Crawling side by side is something you don''t do very often. I guess it brought back some old memories for me. When Magda remembers her parents, she often looks quite sad. ...... ''It''s a good memory, isn''t it? ''............ rather.'' He has a great expression on his face now. If I can remember them with a smile, maybe Magda''s loneliness will be healed someday. ''Shall we play a real horse game sometime? Magda seemed to be enjoying herself, so I kind of said something like that. ''...... Magda is not a child anymore. He rejected me outright. ''......But if Yashiro insists, I''ll go out with him. He wasn''t rejected at all. It may not be any fun to do now, though. ''Okay, I''m catching up, Yashiro! ''Oh no!Let''s hurry up! ''...... hmm'' By the time the caterpillar was finished, Estella and the others had caught up with us. After that, it''s the candy hunt and the straightaway course. If we can''t take the lead by then, we won''t stand a chance. The red and yellow teams were also chasing us, and the race became a crowded one before the candy hunt. ''We can''t afford to lose too much time here. ''...... Magda will be fine.'' A girl of her age would be hesitant to stick her face in the flour and get covered in it. In fact, the players so far had been looking for the candy carefully so as not to get their faces dirty. But! We don''t have that luxury. Sorry Magda, but you have to go into it with all your might, even if your face goes white. Then, almost side by side, the four teams lined up in front of a long wooden crate filled with flour and candy. This is the last race. Most of the candy that was in the crate at the beginning has been taken away, and there are only a few left in the crate. The difficulty of the candy search is increasing. Both of the pairs had to find the candy. Estella is in a hurry to find the candy, but she is trying to minimize the damage by blowing off the flour with her breath. If we do that, we''ll lose the day! I take a deep breath, and without hesitation, I plunge my face into the crate, into the flour that''s spread all over it. He then slides it from side to side. He searches for the candy, intending to take every relic that hits his mouth, and finds it in five seconds. ''Got it! When you raise your head, the powder will fly. When Estella, Lucia and Norma see my face, they all start laughing. ''You''re all white, Yashiro! ''Hahahahaha!You''ve become more or less visible, hahaha! ''Yashiro, you''re so white~!Kuhuhu! Hmm. Laugh if you want! By me getting covered in flour like this, it will be imprinted in their unconscious that ''covered in flour = uncool'', and you guys will be even more unable to put your face in flour! Now, Magda, don''t be shy to put your face in the flour! We''re going to cut the finish line with a pure white duo and take the first place! And then I looked at Magda. ''...... found''. After staring at the flour, he quickly and noiselessly brought his face close to the flour, then quickly found a candy in the flour and put it in his mouth. It turned white, just a few millimeters from his lips. ''...... get''. ''No, get it. ...... It''s not dirty at all.'' ''...... Finding and catching prey is Magda''s main job. Professional. Good at it. I''m a pro. I''m not sure what to make of that. The little red tongue was covered with milky white candy. I''m not sure what to do. ...... I''m the only one who''s white, d*mn it. ''Anyway, let''s go! ''...... Yashiro''s sacrifice will not be in vain. ''I''m not dead! ''...... but it''s a disaster. ''......My face. ''Oh, God, d*mn it! I''m going to come in first no matter what. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. The threat of being covered in powder may have had an effect, but the chase is slow. ''......'', the result of Yashiro''s overpowering the other riders with his boldness. ''As a result, his face is covered in powder. ''...... A unique finish, indeed.'' Yeah, right. ''...... but''. Magda''s arm grabs my gym uniform and pulls it tight. ''...... Magda likes the unique Yashiro and the Yashiro that does things when she does them.'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. d*mn it. If you''re embarrassed, don''t say anything. As soon as we crossed the finish line, Magda quickly untied the ties that bound our legs and ran away. Magda runs away when she''s embarrassed, right? What am I supposed to do, d*mn it? As I was watching Magda''s back as she left, Barbara came running to me. ''Hero!You''ve done well!That was great, that was awesome, that was fun!Hahahaha!Hahahahaha!You''re all white!My face is white! ...... I don''t think this guy really took Percy''s advice and came over to help me out, did he? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ''Yashiro-san. Please use this. Ginette offers me a pure white towel. That''s what I''m looking for!That''s what I''m looking for! You can''t have a positive mindset like, ''When I''m with my girlfriend who laughs a lot, I can keep smiling and have a cheerful life'', in your case! You can''t be positive about that. He wiped his face with a scrubbing motion and returned the towel to Jeannette. Then, perhaps there was something left to wipe, Jeannette began to wipe my head with the towel she had received. ''You''re such a naughty boy, aren''t you ...... ugh! She smiled happily and adjusted my messy hair. That tickled me, and I didn''t know what kind of face to make, but I was so bored that I didn''t know what to do. ...... If I am ever reincarnated in Japan and become a high school student again, I will definitely join an athletic club, I thought, escaping reality with such a useless thought. If there were such a manager, there would be a war for him. The result. The hunting guild was still strong, and the blue team got 1620 points for the first place. The white team got 1530 points. The red team got 1365 points and the yellow team 1185 points. The top position remains unchanged. The blue team is still in the lead. There are only two events left. And since those two are in favor of the hunting guilds,......, they have to scramble somehow,......, and they have a plan. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. 399-No additives, episode 54. Thats the first time I... ''Yashiro. It''s an emergency.'' Estella says with a serious face. ''The sky, it''s red. Estella points to the sky, which is as red as a candy cane dripped with food coloring. We can call it evening now. ''I didn''t expect such a long delay ......''. Initially, we had expected the field day to start a little before noon and end in the evening. However, as it turned out, the time kept getting pushed from the first program one after another, and it was already evening with only three events left. Many guilds have taken the whole day off from work to enjoy the field day. As you can imagine, we can''t just extend it to tomorrow. ''So, what are you going to do, tournament chairman? ''We''ll finish it. I just need to document this situation for next time. Estella, the tournament chairperson, began to explain to the competitors, guests and spectators in the hall. The competition is not going as well as we had hoped and we are running behind schedule, but this is the first sports festival for the ward and we want to finish it. However, we would like to finish the event as it is the first sports festival for the ward. The players and leaders of each team are requested not to blame them for this. I, as the chairman of the tournament committee, take full responsibility for the poor management of the tournament. On top of that, it is my personal wish to finish this memorable tournament with as many people as possible. That''s what his speech said. I didn''t expect it to take so long either. I realized that the school field day was well managed by the experience and achievements. We packed too much into the event. Some people got injured, and the management needs to be thoroughly reviewed again. ...... if there is a next time. ............ If I could, I''d like to get through the next one without being involved in the management. ...... Well, we''ll see what happens. ''We can''t go back to our own district if we end up here. ''You''re right, Ines. You can''t go home without playing an active role. Inez and Deborah, who came from elsewhere, seemed to be in favor of completing the field day. They were tricked into taking part in the event, but before they knew it, they were taking part in the event of their own volition and seemed to feel a reasonable amount of responsibility. ''I can still fight, too! ''Haha, seeing Rebeka after the sun has set makes her look more mature and ...... intriguing! As the sun goes down, Rebeka still seems to have a lot of energy, and Sophie''s symptoms worsen as the sun goes down. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... It''s a good idea. It''s getting dark, so watch your step. ''Don''t treat me like a child. ...... Come to think of it, ...... ever since I was a little girl, Carl used to tell me that he worried about me when the sun went down... ...He''s always loved me. ......'' ''Nikka......'' ''Carl: ......'' ''Okay, take it somewhere else!No, stay here and don''t do anything! ''Big brother, I don''t want to disturb you.'' Idiot!Loretta, you idiot! It would be worse if you did not interfere here!It''s against public morals! ''I won''t tolerate any disturbance! ''You''re the one disrupting public morals. ......'' ''Hey, Magda. What''s a fuki?Please explain it to me in a way I can understand. ''......To put it simply, it''s not boobs.'' ''Then you can''t f*ck them. ''Magda, Delia, that''s not exactly how you see it. ''What are you talking about, Neffery? Magda''s right, but Delia''s right, isn''t she? Norma, Delia, Magda, Nephrite, and Paula are saying whatever they want. They''re pretending to be saying something decent, but I can tell that they''re getting excited as it starts to get dark. They are event lovers at heart. You love "Evening Gathering," don''t you?It''s exciting. ''Yashippi. Since the general has given me permission, I''ll go along with it all the way to the end! ''If Mokoka wants to do it, I''ll do my best, too! That''s why all the white team''s helpers are staying behind. Kabriele and Markus?No man has the right to refuse. Even if it means staying up all night for three days and three nights, they''ll stay until the end. But a man in a position of responsibility may not be able to say that. ''That''s why, Medora. You don''t have to stay with me until the end. ''What are you talking about, darling? I''ll go with you to the end. I''ll stay with you until morning. ...... ''Ha-ha-ha, Ricardo Barrier.'' ''Oh, no, no, no, no!It''s hard at close range!My retinas twitch when I look directly at the shy medora!Don''t push it, you idiot! Ricardo will have to stay with us until the end. ''You''re not busy anyway. ''I''m busy, a**h*le! ''So you''re leaving? ''I''m staying! Are you lonely? Yes, yes, yes. ''Lady Lucia. It''s getting late. The streets are dangerous and staying up late is bad for your skin, so please, don''t mind me and leave.'' ''Don''t make creepy noises, anchovy!I''ve got goosebumps and my skin''s all puffy! ''Why did you make the bump sound so cute? ''Oh, come on, don''t call me cute!Insolent!Putrid! Who''s rotten? You think rotten food tastes good?You''re insane. ''It''s a good thing I''m an insolent person. Why don''t you give yourself a cute nickname, ''Furachin''? ''If you start calling me by that nickname, I''ll be out of line in less than two days. ''That''s not true~, Furuchin. ''It''s already shifted!I was expecting it, but you exceeded my expectations! It seems that Regina will stay for now. In fact, she seems to be getting a little more energetic as the sun begins to set. However, I won''t let her participate in the competition anymore because of her sprained leg. I''ve already told Estella that. ''Hero-sama~! Wendy comes running in crying. Her whole body emitting a bright light. She tells the kids, ''Wow! You look strong! You look strong! and they chase me. ''Listen to me, hero! ''No, I don''t need to hear it, and it''s dangerous after dark, so stay with the kids. ''Oh no, ...... no, if it''s for your children''s safety, ......'' ''Wendy. Do you mind if I stay with you?'' ''Theron! ''Well, I am a butterfly drawn to the light that is you ......'' ''Theron, I''m ...... happy.'' ''You guys would probably kiss in front of the kids if they were left alone.'' ''Kids!Evacuate!And condemn them! d*mn, you''re always flirting with ...... ''Yashiro-san! As I was silently kicking a self-proclaimed butterfly that was attracted to a glowing moth, Jeannette came over and said something I didn''t quite understand: ''Poor Mr. Theron. Pity? You''re giving off a happiness beam. ''You know, the field day is going to take until the night, so I ......''. ''Oh, I see.'' Ginette has been preparing food since early in the morning every day. She can''t afford to stay up late for the field day. ''You don''t have to stay until the end, you can go home when you''re ready. ......'' ''No, I thought I''d prepare dinner for you. He''s going to work! He''s going to work until this time! And he''s willing to work for free, isn''t he? ''Actually, I was asked by Natalia. ''The lord''s money? ''Yes. Masha-san and Assunto-san are also willing to help. ''Of course I''ll help you. I''ll have one of our young men bring you some of our best aged meat.'''' Medora said, signaling with her hand to a large man who was waiting near the ground. It seems that he got the message, and the big man ran away at great speed. I guess he went back to ...... the 41st district. And I''m sure he''ll be back again. ...... I''m sorry you had to go through all that trouble. That''s why, Mr. Yashiro. I''ve been wanting to cook for a while now. Jeannette looks at me with that look. ''Do as you please. If it''s the lord''s money, it won''t hurt my pocket. Spoil him to the fullest.'' ''Mm-hmm. In moderation. That''s it! The expression on Ginette''s face grew brighter. ...... What are you expecting, with that expression? I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find a better way to do this. ''Huh! ''''I was wondering what kind of food you eat at times like this in your hometown, Yashiro-san. I''m actually very curious! Actually, you''re not even trying to hide it, it''s showing on your face. ''I''m so curious to know what kind of food you eat on such occasions! ''After the field day, mothers are exhausted, so it''s a theory that they eat out or eat ready-made food. ''What?You''re not going to make it?It''s such a special day! You''re the only one with a unique constitution that recovers HP by cooking. I wonder what kind of unique skill this guy has, seriously. ''Then, do you know of a dish that tastes good when eaten outside with others? ''If you want to eat outside, you can try potato stew or curry. ......'' ''Curry outside, huh? ''Eating curry outside is very special. ''Okay, I understand!I''ll make curry! This guy. He''s not going to participate in the rest of the competition, is he? Well, the rest of the competition is pretty rough. Ginette shouldn''t participate. ''So, is it enough to boil the potatoes? ''No, if you''re making curry, you can cook potatoes ......''. ''I''d like to know!It''s a special day! ...... This girl''s vitality, where does it come from? I want to put a cork in it. ''Imoni is a kind of ......'' I gave her a brief explanation about the Imoni party, which is a familiar event in the Tohoku region, and also gave her a basic Imoni recipe. I''m sure Ginette will be able to make a delicious potato stew with just this. ''But I''m concerned about all the stewed dishes. ......'' ''Even if you prepare that many kinds of food, you won''t be able to finish them, will you? ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-san. The sisters are here.'' ''Yes. I''m here.'''' ''''''We''re here too! ''''''We''re here too! Bertina and the kids were surrounding me with smiles on their faces. If you guys were zombies, I''d be dead. Don''t move so fast it''ll surprise me. My heart skipped a beat. ''But it must be hard to make them in the sunny pavilion and carry them here if there are so many of them. ......'' ''So, is there anything you can make here? Ginette''s confident expression. That was proof that Natalia and Estella had already given their permission. I''m sure they''ve given you permission to cook in one of the grounds. Outside, or ...... ''Yashiro-san, how about a hand-rolled sushi? ''Let''s not. I can''t leave fresh fish fillets in the dusty air. Then let''s cook it. ''Let''s make it like a barbecue. If we bring up the hunting guild and the cowherd, they''ll compete with each other to bring us good meat. ''Yashiro!I''ve got an idea! ''Chanchanyaki? ''Yashiro, that''s great!How did you know? When Delia intervened like this, there was no other way. ''Norma said she''d prepare a good griddle for us. ''I''ve got everything you need, including a griddle for the chan chan, and a wire mesh for the barbecue! There''s a guy who''s getting excited from a different angle. There are people in charge of ingredients, people in charge of cooking, people in charge of cooking utensils, and people in charge of eating everything, and all of them are rolling up their sleeves and breathing hard. You guys like food, don''t you? ''Well, there''s a kid here, so let''s get ready early. ''Yes, sir! Clenching his fists tightly and flexing his arms to make bumps he can''t make, Ginette turns on the motivation switch. No, in his case, it''s probably always on. Assunto and the other members of the peddlers'' guild are rushing around, and the river fishermen''s guild members, led by Delia, are rushing out of the field. Usset, who had been taking it easy because Medora was moving first, began to act as if in reaction when the cowherd began to move more aggressively. Norma and the other members of the hardware guild also said, "Let''s use that griddle that removes oil..." "The uneven one that Yashiro invented! It''s very healthy to cook meat on that thing, and it''ll help you lose weight. ''''Oh, that''s right!Medora should also go back to the headquarters and make preparations. ''I''m going to participate in the next competition. I''ll stay with you, darling. ...... ugh.'' d*mn it! If Medora returns to District Forty-one, the Yellow Team''s strength will drop to nothing! ''...... If Yashiro goes back to the sunny pavilion, Medora Mom might follow him.'' ''That''s right!You said you''d stay by your brother''s side! ''You guys, don''t sacrifice me. ......'' If Medora were to leave the battlefield, what would I do if I were left alone with her in the sunlit pavilion? You''ll be eaten, for sure! ''Norma and Paula, get ready ......''. ''Come on, we''ll turn the tables on you in the next round, Paula! ''I''m on it!I''m so fired up! ...... Hey! The next competition is pretty lucrative for the hunting guilds, and I''m hoping to get rid of them somehow. ...... You can''t help it. This is the same ...... as the ball game. ''Delia, Lucia. The blue and yellow teams have hunting guilds and medlars. You''ll have to work with us to--'' ''Sorry, Yashiro. The Reds got the better of the Yellows in the steeplechase earlier, and it''s getting pretty exciting.'' I looked at the scoreboard and saw that the red team had indeed overtaken the yellow team in the overall score. ''So, we''re feeling like, "At this rate, we''ll overtake the white team and turn the tables on the blue team! We''re going to overtake the white team and turn the tables on the blue team! ''What''s that, ......? ''Here.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''When it comes to getting things done, the key is momentum!Now is the time to turn the tide!Challenge the game with the determination to turn anchovies into surimi! ''''''Oh! ...... Annyaro. ''''If you don''t cooperate, the blue and yellow teams will steal your points. After all, the next competition is a point-scoring contest with all four teams participating at once. ''But still...'' But Delia''s will was firm. ''We just want to see how far we can go on our own. No cooperation from here on out, Yashiro! Delia gave him a manly smile. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... It would be easier to control her if she acted cunningly in these situations. ...... For better or worse, Delia is too straightforward. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. If you can''t get help, the Reds are an enemy to be eliminated. ''I''ll show no mercy from here on out, okay? ''Yeah!This is serious business, Yashiro! He points his clenched fist at you. I pondered for a moment, but then I clenched my fist and hit him. It''s not that I want any regrets. It''s just that the whole ''fair and square'' vibe makes me sick to my stomach. Oh, shit. I want to grab everyone''s weakness and force them to abandon the race. The current overall score is as follows. Blue team 3180 points Yellow team 2630 points White team 3030 points Red team 2730 points There is a gap of 300 points between us and the red team, but from here on, there are only competitions that can overturn it. If you''re not good enough, you could be upset in the next round. ''d*mn, ......, I can''t find a way to win. I scratched my hair a little impatiently. The next competition is one that requires both individual strength and unity. Therefore, the blue group with the hunting guild has the absolute advantage. The next event is the "Pole Pull". Fifty sticks are lined up on the field. Each stick is 3 meters long. Their diameter is 20 centimeters. If you bring them into your position, you get 50 points for each stick. That''s a total of 2,500 points up for grabs. The rules are similar to those of Get Hammered, but the sticks do not escape. The sticks are arranged in a circle in a radial pattern. The sticks are lined up in a circle in a radial pattern, and the players fight over them to bring as many as possible to their own positions. This is the kind of game that requires the strength, quickness, and cunning of individuals, as well as the leadership ability to control the field by efficiently directing these people. It is a foul to take a stick from the enemy''s position. Attacking the players is also prohibited. However, obstructing the progress of the game is allowed, except for dangerous ones. ''If Norma squeezed her boobs in a bikini, almost all male players would be neutralized. ''You won''t, will you? ''......, you say? ''That''s why I said I wouldn''t, Magda! It would be fun to have such interference. Initially, I suggested that we do a ''stick-fight'', but Estella objected, saying that would give the hunting guild too much of an advantage. A stick set up vertically. If those who knock it down clash with those who defend it, the hunting guild, which is accustomed to ''battle,'' will have too much of an advantage both technically and tactically. Estella is a very equal voice for a tournament chairman. Even if it hindered the blue guild''s advantage. ''Although, bargaining is also advantageous enough for the hunting guild.'' ''Well, well, well. We can think of ways to get points without directly colliding, right? Unlike stick-fighting.'' I complain, and Estella says something to calm me down. It''s true that rather than jumping on the sticks that the hunters are guarding and dragging them down, stick-pulling, where you can score points by stealing the sticks from the hunters'' eyes, still seems to be a slight relief. ...... ''At least you can attack the Usses with an axe. ''You''re going to get hurt, indeed!Even if it''s against you! ''Don''t worry. If the axe is allowed, I''ll take Magda out.'' ''You''re not going to get hurt, are you?You''ll die, for sure!'' Ursus is barking. He''s always making things difficult for me. ''...... Usse.'' ''What the hell, Magda? Don''t call me that.'' ''...... If the Use were to die, what would be the problem?'' ''Oh, come on, convention committee!Teach this stupid tiger girl what sportsmanship is one more time! ''...... Hunt the ooze, fairly and squarely, according to sportsmanship.'' ''Oh, sorry, I needed some basic education first! You''re the one responsible for education. You''re the representative of the organization Magda belongs to. ''We''ll remind you of our greatness at the next bar fight. You can look forward to it.'' Uzse returns to the blue team''s position with a relaxed attitude. Estella also smiles meaningfully and returns to her army. Medora alone is out of control, and the hunting guild is just as motivated. You can''t even get the cooperation of the red group. ...... So what should we do? I''m not sure. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m the lord of the forty-first district, I''ll be right behind you, so you''d better think you''re on a big ship! ''Magda, Ricardo''s with you. ''...... No, no, no, no, no! ''Not tight!And that''s not what ''lucky'' means! ''Then you''ll have to stop Medora by yourself.'' ''Don''t push me. Look here, idiot Ricardo. I''m using my head because I can''t just go head-to-head with him. If you stop thinking, you''re nothing but an animal. When we don''t know what to do and our thoughts are filled with vague and unorganized things, we tend to make hasty decisions or stop thinking. However, there are often times when we cannot give up thinking. When your thoughts are scattered and you can''t put them together, you should put numbers into your brain. The reason why you become vague is because you do not have a concrete plan and the outline of the solution is not clear. Numbers are very accurate and cannot be falsified. You are more likely to achieve your goal if you state a clear number, such as ''I aim to increase sales by 40% within this fiscal year,'' rather than ''I just want to increase sales somehow. People have evolved to this point by creating numbers. Therefore, look at the scoreboard again. That''s the only number that is clearly shown now. All that''s left is 50 sticks with 50 points each, for 2500 points. ...... ''...... I see. I guess you could go that route. The impatience that had been slowly spreading in my brain receded a little. But there is no certainty. It''s a kind of gamble. ...... A gamble, huh. ...... can''t be helped. The little things before the big things. If the white team doesn''t win, trouble will come no matter what. I''m sure something will happen even if the blue team wins. Even if the Blue Team wins, something will surely happen. Tracy''s kidnapping of Estella...... or is it her marriage to the Cremona family?I don''t mind if Estella has to take the trouble, but I don''t want the bill to fall on us. We have to prevent any foreseeable trouble from happening. The white team''s victory is the most obvious result. That''s why I can''t help but ....... I''ll make up my mind. I''m going to go back to the yellow team. I''m going back to the yellow team too.'' ''Wait, Medora.'' You stop Medora from turning away. ''Would you like to make a bet with me? It''s a low stakes bet. I''ll probably lose the bet itself. But if a small loss here can lead to a big win there, then... A con man is a creature of maximum profit. ''I''m not so ignorant of the world and my darling that I''m willing to take a chance on her at this time. I''m sorry, but I can''t take that bet. ......'' ''If you win, I''ll give you the right to give me special training. ''...... for darling?Training, for the hunter?'' ''Oh. Of course, you''ll have to train me enough so that I don''t die.'' ''Training with your darling sounds like fun, but I can''t get on board with that. I''d rather have a cake date or something .......'' ''How about a night training in the forest outside the outer wall? ''Night training in the forest!That''s really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really big! ''Oh. In a forest overrun by hexenbiests, I spent a night and two days with Medora, who even hexenbiests fear. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. That''s how I calculated it. I''d like to think that even Medora wouldn''t be fooling around in front of a hexenbiest. ...... ''Hmmm, hmmm...... at all. You''re a smart guy, darling. I''m not sure what to say. Medora turns to me with a look of admiration on her face, ''How can you come up with something that will attract people''s interest? Of course you do. I''m a con artist. A top-notch one at that. ''Then let''s hear it. What''s the bet? ''Will you take it? ''I''m interested. I''m curious to know what kind of tricks your darling is trying to play on me.'' Medora is mistaken about two things. I''m not making this bet to win. And it''s not me who''s playing this time. I''m the one scheming to plant a slow-acting poison to win the white team. 400-Those who pull the 55th episode without additives. ''Are you sure, Mom? ''Yeah. A hunter never says two words.'' Just before the bar draw began, Medora made a bet with Use. ''If you guys can get more sticks than me personally, I''ll exempt you from the special training. ''Whoa, whoa!Really?All right, let''s do this, bastards! ''''''Whoa!'''''' ''''However, if I win, the special training will be upgraded to ''intense training''. ''''''''............'''''''' If you lose, you die. ...... So, what''s the plan, hunting guild? ''No, no, if we lose here, then we''ll be cowards who need special training! ''Yes, you''re right! ''It''s just a chance Mom gave us. ''That''s right, let''s do it! Use''s words ignited the fighting spirit of the hunting guild. Use and the others would take the bet. ''Listen up, you bastards!It''ll take five of us to subdue your mother!It''s not impossible! ''That''s right!Besides, attacking the players is forbidden! That means I won''t die even if I''m wrong! ''It''s not every day you get a chance to fight your mom in such safe conditions! ''If we win against Mom, it''ll be a good foil for the District 42 Branch! ''That''s right, bastards!This is our chance to go head to head with Mama! '''''''' That''s right!As long as they don''t attack directly, they probably won''t die!I''m only a little scared. '''''''' Is it bravado or cowardice? ...... ''Hmmm. I''m glad you took the bet. If you had said you were too cowardly to take the bet, I would have started my super [...] training right now. Haha, you saved my life, you guys! ''''''''''............ haha'''''''''' The only thing that came out was a dry, pathetic smile. You''re all scaly now, aren''t you? ''Well, go ahead and give it your all!I''m looking forward to it. With a bang, the Kaiju left for the waiting line. The Uzes, sweating coldly, stare at his back with sharp eyes. ''Let''s do this, guys! '''''''' Oh! '''''''' After all, they''re hunters too, right? The more dangerous the hunt, the more they burn. The more dangerous the hunt, the more they burn,'' Medora said, sneaking a glance at me. I raise a small hand to signal him. Here''s the bet between me and Medora. One Medora and five hunting guilds. Who gets the most sticks. This is not a contest between the blue team and the yellow team. It''s just a contest between Medora and the five hunting guilds. Of course, I''m betting on the hunting guild to win. Well, I don''t expect them to win. The important thing is that Medora and the hunting guilds will be preoccupied with other games than the outcome of the stick-pulling competition. If Estella and Natalia join Use and the hunting guild, it will not count as a point for the hunting guild. Because of this condition, the Usses would only act as a hunting guild. This will destroy the unity of the Blue Guild. At the same time, I''ll have five people block the Medora. Although they won''t be able to block him completely, it''s much better than letting him run free. If Medora wanted to, he could get all 50 sticks by himself. You have to hold him back. Pull each other down, crush each other. ''You think you''ve done well, don''t you? Estella appears in front of me with a cool expression on her face. She looks as if she sees through everything. ''I hope things work out the way you want them to. ''Well... What are you talking about? ''Don''t get so caught up in what you see that you end up getting caught in your own trap. ''Is that a warning? ''No, a warning. A thin smile, then a serious look. ''I''m not giving up the top spot. It''s my pride, you know.'' The blue team is currently the overall leader. I''m not going to be dragged down in this competition. Such a declaration. ''Good luck with that. We''ll do our best here.'' ''If the words hadn''t come from your mouth, I would have listened to them with open arms, but I''ll be ...... wary. Enough said. Estella left, having said all she had to say. Natalia had a very serious look on her face. I hope she hasn''t made up her mind to understand the Blue Team''s situation and get serious ....... I looked over and saw Paula and Norma looking at me. It''s hard to tell if they''re smiling or angry. They seem to have realized that I''ve made a move to block Medora. I''m not sure what to make of that. You look like you''re about to say something like that. The red team continues to say, "Beat the white team!Overtake the blue team! The red team is still chanting, "Beat the white team! The red team is still chanting ''Beat the white team! ''Hero! Barbara comes in, her white headband tied tightly. ''You''re going to win, aren''t you? Her eyes are expectant. So far I''ve been plotting and executing and running the game. Maybe that''s what he''s starting to think. But it hasn''t really worked out. Don''t get your hopes up for someone like that. ''You won''t know until you try, you know. ''What the hell!Say you''ll win! ''If you want to win, try your best to win. ''Oh!Aashi, I''ll do my best! I didn''t tell Barbara anything. In his case, if he thinks about this and that, his body will stop. You''re free to move. Stir things up at your leisure. ''Yashippi. I''m ready to go. Mokoka, and Inez and Deborah are coming. It seems they were having a separate meeting with the serving team. ''We''ve finished our assignments for now, too. Sophie comes to report with a group of men. Yamboldo, Kabril and Markus. Including Sophie, it''s a group of four men who are proud of their strength. ''...... time is up''. ''I''m going to do exactly as I planned! Magda and Loretta were also in high spirits. ''All right, then, everyone. It''s going to be a tough mission, but I''m counting on you. ''...... Everyone, let''s go! Following Magda''s order, the players headed for the waiting line. Magda, Loretta, Ines, Deborah, Mokoka, Sophie, Yamboldo, Cabriel, Markus, and Barbara. These are the ten players representing the white team. I''m not joining. There''s no way I can match the hunting guild or Delia and the others in strength or speed. I''ll watch the battle from here and give the orders. Sophie''s here, too, and she can pass on secrets. I left Riveka out of this because she''s a bit dangerous. There''s a hunting guild against Medora. If she gets hurt in the accident, I might get a lot of flak. ''Hey, girl!Hang in there! ''''''Everyone~!Win! With her cute little troop in tow, Rebeka cheered enthusiastically. She must know that this is the final stage of the battle. That''s right, Riveka. Put some energy into your cheering. Just like we planned. He crosses his arms and glares at the other teams with a relaxed expression. We''re not in a hurry at all, we''re smug, and we''ll show it with every fiber of our being. I send a silent message to them that they are the ones who are cornered. Estella and Norma were staring at me. What the hell. I''m not answering. Of course not. I''m working on the "winner". I can''t be bothered with the game at hand. I''ll do whatever it takes. Well, good luck with that. I''ll be in trouble if you don''t. I looked next to me and saw Lucia in the same position as me. She''s not playing, but she''s in a position to look around and give orders. I looked at her and she gave me a provocative smile. Good luck to you too. For the white team. The participants are all present and begin to move from the entrance gate into the truck. The blue team was led by Estella and Natalia, with five members of the hunting guild including Use, two cowherds, and a soldier guarding the prison. It''s a solid lineup, but if the five members of the hunting guild can''t move, we''ll be fighting with half the number of men. Now, what to do, Estella? The Yellow Team has brought in Paula and Norma, the monster Medora, and energetic people from the hardware guild and the restaurant. Although Medora is the only one who stands out, it''s a well-balanced lineup with an army of dynamic waitresses and powerful maidens from the Hardware Guild. Paula''s triumphant expression suggests that she is quite confident in this lineup. Let''s see what she can do. The red team consisted of Delia, Milly, Imelda, Gilberta, and a few people from the river fishing guild and the lumberjacks. This group is more of a power push than a mobility push. How Gilberta will stand in the midst of all this, that''s what we should pay attention to. ''Whoo-hoo-hoo!I''ll show you my brilliant stick-handling skills! ...... Yeah. I don''t care about Imelda. But you''re confident you can stand out if you join. Well, let''s see what she can do. ''Now then, all players, please enter your positions. The waiter''s voice rang out, and the players were ready. After that, the rules are confirmed again. No attacks on the players. No dangerous interference. Robbery of enemy sticks is prohibited. Furthermore, no points will be awarded if the stick is damaged. In short, do not forcefully take and break the sticks. If you do this, the number of violent acts will naturally decrease. One more point: it is forbidden to throw the sticks into the field. The reason for this is to prevent people from quickly going to the sticks and throwing them so high into the air that no one can touch them and make them fall into the camp. Medora would be able to pull off such a feat. I want you to carry the sticks back to your position. Please follow the rules and compete. Let''s go! --Knock! The bell rings, and the players of each team pour out from their positions. The players of the white team scatter in unison. They are instructed to touch as many sticks as possible, not to form gangs. ''d*mn it!Plan B!'' '''''''' Hey, ''''''''! I knew it. There are two possible strategies that the hunting guild can take to win. Either they raid first to widen the gap between them and Medora, or they try to sabotage Medora from the start to keep her from scoring points. These are the only two options. There are 50 sticks for a total of 40 players, 10 from each team. Even if all the players got one stick each, there would be ten sticks that would be free at first. Since the sticks cannot be thrown, it takes time to move back and forth between the sticks and the position no matter what. A simple calculation shows that the hunting guild with five members has a huge advantage. --If there''s no interference. So we interfered. The white team dispersed, one stick in each hand. Twenty sticks for ten. Our first plan was to keep the free sticks out of the hands of the enemy. If Kabriel, Yamboldo and the other strong men could hold the sticks, even the hunting guild would not be able to make a killing. Naturally, those who are not in the white team are also eager to earn points. It won''t be the sole domain of the hunting guild. No, they won''t. Then, they would have to narrow down their options. The five of us will hold the monster Medora at bay. That''s the best we can hope for. ''We''re not going back to the camp, Mom! Three hunters stand in front of Medora with two sticks. Two of them are circling backwards. ''Huh. So you''ve given up on attacking and are sticking to defending?That''s pretty reluctant for a hunter, isn''t it, boys? ''No, Mom. That''s not right.'' Use stepped in front of Medora and closed in on her. ''This is an all-out assault! ''Hunt down Mom! ''''Let''s do it! ''''Whoa, whoa, whoa! Medora was attacked by the five hunters. However, Medora was in no hurry at all and fought them off with just her body movements. She continues to fend off the hunters who rush at her like a matador. ''You still can''t catch me with that kind of movement. Indeed, not a finger was touched. However, Medora was also not able to get close to the position. A sort of stalemate ensues. ''All right, boys!Keep your momma in check!I''ll get a stick!I''ll get a stick, and if you keep her down, we win 1-0! '''''''' Hey, '''''''' Use gives the order to the remaining four to leave the battlefield against Medora. With Medora under control, there is no one to interfere with Use. ...... No way. ''I won''t let you! ''Hey!The Hardware Guild! Norma put her hand on the stick Use had grabbed. The sturdy wooden rod, 20 centimeters in diameter, creaks and squeaks. ''I don''t have time for you!Get your hands off me! ''I don''t give a d*mn about your situation. If you want it, go ahead and take it from me! ''d*mn it! Norma''s signature move of letting her opponent''s power pass her by. She''s a good fighter. Norma uses her long stick to play with Use in an interesting way. Perhaps it''s because of his training with Delia, but he seems to be a good match for opponents who are forceful. It would be a tricky opponent for Use. ''We can''t afford to waste time! Use quickly gives up and leaves the stick. Then, perhaps judging that he was easier to deal with than Norma, he changed his aim to the stick that Barbara was holding nearby. ''Whoa, what the hell!This is Aash! ''It''s mine now! Use rotates the stick in his grasp in a direction that Barbara can''t get a grip on. If Use rotates the stick to the right as if he were grasping it, Barbara''s wrist will open outward as she holds the stick facing him. Then the force does not come in. In that moment of power loss, the stick is pulled out at once, and Use runs back to his army. ''Ah!Wait, you!That''s not fair! Barbara rushes after him, but no matter how many times she grabs the stick, it is shaken off by Use''s skillful handling of the stick. Use seems to have firmly mastered the spirit of controlling the strong with the soft. He avoided Norma, probably because he judged that Norma''s skill was too high and it would take too much time to fight her. Use, who usually deals with magical beasts, is in a position to take care of his own life and the lives of his friends. His decisiveness and grace are as good as any. Barbara would be no match for her. All right!I got one!I''m coming back, you bastards! ''d*mn it!You''ll have to play with Aashi again. ''See you next time! Ursus dodges Varvara and returns to his comrades fighting Medora. Varvara is in hot pursuit, but she''s not being taken seriously. It''s as if he doesn''t care about him. ''Hey, monkey girl. Did you come too?'' Medora smiled at Barbara, who had followed Use to her front door. ''Now that you''re here, I''ll give you this stick if you want it. He holds out a stick in each hand to Barbara. When Barbara reaches out, the sticks are quickly pulled, and Barbara''s arms fly through the air. ''Huh. What''s the matter?Don''t you want it?'' ''No ......! Varvara, in a fit of rage, throws out her hand, but Medora manipulates the stick with such exquisite movements that it barely misses her. She is being completely played. Of course, the hunters of the blue group do not just stand idly by and watch, and all five of them are trying to get the stick that Medora is holding, but they are all at each other''s mercy. ''Yeah!I''ve got it! Using the crowd of hunters as a cover, Barbara suddenly jumped out and put her hand on Medora''s stick. ''Heh, nice work, monkey girl. But ......! ''Huh? But with a slight flick of Medora''s wrist, Barbara''s body popped up and was flung away. ''That wasn''t an attack. I just changed the direction of that monkey girl''s power. In other words, it was the monkey girl''s self-destruction. Medora''s right. It wasn''t so much that the stick knocked Barbara away, but rather that her body flew away with the momentum of her plunge. That''s it. It''s like aikido. To catch Medora''s stick, which flees with dexterity, you need a moment of sharpened explosive speed, but if you go in at that speed, you will be blown away by your own momentum. There''s no way to beat that thing, is there? ''What''s the matter, you bozos? Your movements are getting slower. Are you giving up already? I''m not done yet! ''Even Aarthi won''t give up! ''Hahaha!The monkey girl is the most energetic! Medora swings her stick. The wind pressure blows Barbara, Use and the other hunters away. After all, Medora is someone who shouldn''t be included in the category of humans. ''Well then, I''m going back to my position. ''Wait for me at ............! Barbara crawls, gets up, and jumps for the stick Medora is holding. That''s tremendous persistence. But there is a difference that cannot be overturned by feelings alone. ''Good eye, monkey girl. You should know defeat better and be stronger. Then I''ll at least remember your name.'' ''Shut up!I don''t need you to remember my name! ''Hahaha!You should know your place before defeating me! ''Whoa! Medora pulled the stick lightly and thrust it out vigorously. With that, Barbara''s body rolled around on the ground like a paper toy. ''Haha ......!Haha ......!Haha ......! He collapsed in a heap, in pieces. A great deal of sweat was pouring out of him. Barbara won''t be able to get up again. ''...... Sophie, put the finishing touches on this. Get the word out to everyone.'' I whispered to her, and Sophie nodded her head. Tell them the finishing touches and have them pass them on to the competitors. It was convenient that Barbara was too exhausted to get up. Medora has the last two sticks. All the other sticks have been taken to a position somewhere. ''Now, it''s time to settle this. Let''s see you make a last ditch effort! ''d*mn it!Let''s charge! '''''''' oooohhhh! '''''''' ''Hmm, you''re a dead end. You''re failing.'' Medora''s body appears to shake, and she vanishes. The hunters who rushed forward lost their targets and collided with each other, sinking into the ground as if they were folded together. I wondered where such a huge body had disappeared to, but Magda was looking up at the sky. When I followed Magda''s gaze and looked up at the sky, I saw Medora floating far ahead. A huge body like a cloud of clouds is flying in the sky. It is forbidden to throw the stick, but it is not forbidden to jump while holding it. And considering Medora''s jumping power, that huge body would definitely reach the Yellow Team''s position. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him. Just when I thought that... ''Escape ......, hey! Barbara made a mad dash and a huge jump to get her hands on Medora''s stick. It was pulled with force through the air, and Medora looked back with a surprised expression. Then he lifted the corner of his mouth in a very happy expression. When he landed, one of the two sticks was completely in the yellow team''s position, but more than half of the stick that Barbara grabbed was out of the yellow team''s position. The competition continued. It''s a fight for the last stick. ''That''s some guts you got there. I''ll give you a pat on the back. ''I don''t want it!Give me the stick! ''You can''t do that! ''If you''re going to ......, why don''t you join Magda? ''What? Magda leaps out from behind Barbara, clings to the 20cm diameter stick, and uses her whole body to spin it. Medora''s arm, which hadn''t faltered even with the use of heavy machinery, was lifted up so that it bent back. ''...... Barbara, pull.'' ''Aaahhhh! Barbara pulls on the stick with all her might. But the stick didn''t move a muscle. ''That was a close one. Magda''s surprise attack was able to create an opening for Medora, but it was not the decisive blow. If there had been another Ines or Deborah, it might have been possible. In any case, Barbara had too little strength left. She was sitting on the ground and shaking her shoulders violently. It''s impossible to rob him like that. ''Magda''s judgment was not bad. If you had fought together with Use''s bowers, you might have been able to take at least one of them. ''...... Assumptions are just that, assumptions. Even under those conditions, you still might not have gotten one. ''Well, that''s true. But I''m glad you''re growing up and--'' Medora''s big hand stroked Magda''s head, then draped over Barbara''s. ''I''m glad to have met such a reckless young woman. Barbara brushes Medora''s hand away in annoyance. She seems too frustrated to take Medora''s praise in stride. ''Don''t forget your frustration. Medora handed the stick to Magda. ''Here''s your reward. Take it home with you.'' ''It''s at .......'' ''Your hard work is worth a stick. That''s what I''ve decided.'' ''...... Okay. I''ll take it.'' Magda is carrying the last stick and Barbara back to the white team''s position. There was no one to target the gaping Magda. If there had been, it would have been blocked by Medora and the head waiter. ''Hah ...... hah ............ d*mn ......!'' Barbara bit down on her back teeth. You don''t realize it, do you? You probably don''t realize that there are a lot of people around you who were touched by your efforts. That''s quite a feat. The guts. You know. Magda wasn''t planning to make a move, but she came to your aid. Magda hates to lose. She might''ve felt your frustration. If you moved Magda, then you''ve done enough. You should be proud of that. Well, you should be as frustrated as you can be right now. Magda''s in the white team''s position and the field is clear of sticks. The game is over. The waiter runs to each team''s position and counts the number of sticks won. Our bet was a draw, as Medora and Use''s hunting guild each got one. Maybe Medora was just being clever and made it a draw, though. Medora has a soft spot for her own guild members, after all. Use and the others may be awarded for their bravery. ''The tally of points earned has been completed. The waiter''s voice rang out, and all the players took notice. ''First place goes to the yellow team, with 19! The yellow team cheered loudly. The yellow team, except for Medora, had won the sticks efficiently. ''Too bad, Yashiro. Paula walks up to me with a triumphant look on her face. Next to her is Norma, who is walking leisurely. ''You may have thought you''d shut Medora down, but it was the other way around. Medora-san was the only one who was able to contain the hunting guild! ''It was a lot easier for us because the blue group was quiet. Norma and Paula are sweating slightly. They must have done a lot of running around and worked hard. As proof. ''Norma''s gym uniform has a sweat stain on her cleavage. ''Where are you looking?You need to see more reality! ''That''s right, Yashiro. White Team, you''re in big trouble.'' ''See you later,'' Paula and Norma said briefly as they left. ''And the second place goes to the red team with 15! With Lucia giving instructions at the top of her voice, and Gilberta acting as a lubricant and buffer, the power-pushing red team had achieved the second highest score after the yellow team. Lucia is personally giving words of encouragement to the players. She must have been very happy. She was so excited that she forgot to come to me to complain. ''Did you see that?You saw my brilliant performance! Apparently Imelda was doing something too. Imelda seems to have had some kind of success, and she must have gotten some of them, because she looks very proud. By the way, I remember that she had formed a team of lumberjacks and was running east and west. ''And third place goes to the blue team, with nine! The Blue team, missing five members of the hunting guild, fought hard with half of their team. Natalia was doing a good job of controlling the Yellow and Red teams, and the team led by Estella was steadily gaining points as one. If they hadn''t crushed the hunting guild, the blue team would have been in a position to win. ''Last but not least, the last place goes to the white team, with seven points! The white team did not raise any voice. Just... The players were staring at me. I didn''t say a word. I didn''t have the words to say. The players moved at my command. I told them to move to prevent the stick from being won rather than to win it. Let the hunting guild and the medora collide and crush each other. And this is the result. ''Is it sinking in, Yashiro? Estella comes in wiping sweat off her face. I guess she got the result she imagined and came to give me a lecture. ''If you dig a lot of holes to get people down, you might end up in one yourself. They were so busy dragging others down that they neglected their own scores. That''s what he''s trying to say. It''s a mistake to think that by crushing the enemy, we will naturally improve ourselves - I don''t know if you think so, but that''s what you''re trying to say. ''Look here, Yashiro. It looks like the results of the total score have come out. Estella, who had probably already calculated the results by heart, pointed at the scoreboard with a face full of confidence. ''I kept my top position as promised. And you -- you seem to have fallen into the hole you dug. The scores on the board read. Blue team 3630 points Yellow team 3580 points White team 3380 points Red team 3480 points The white team was clearly shown to be the lowest. 401-They watched episode 56 without additives. ''It''s Aashi''s fault.'' Varvara muttered, clutching her knees. ''If only Aarushi hadn''t taken the sticks from the hunting guild ...... and taken both sticks from that guild leader, ...... Aarushi and the others wouldn''t be in last place. ......! Barbara''s back teeth clacked ....... Magda and Loretta called out to him. ...... ''...... That''s not true. It''s not Barbara''s fault.'' ''Yes, it is. It was too bad for her.'' ''Even so!Aashi can''t forgive ...... Aashi!'' Barbara spat, and ran off. I wanted to chase after her, but I couldn''t do that now. There''s no one around me now. But everyone in the white team is watching me from afar. I stare up at the scoreboard, alone and silent, knowing that I have fallen to last place again. Ginette, worried, was about to approach me, but Inez stopped her. No one came close to me. The sky had darkened considerably. ''Hey ......''. It was Nephrite who sounded anxious. ''Barbara, are you sure you want to be left alone? The words seemed to be directed at me, but I passed them by without looking back. I don''t know how she felt about that, but I heard a long sigh from Nephrite. ''It can''t be helped. I''ll go talk to him. The caring Nephrite was about to go to Barbara when someone raised his hand quickly. It was Percy. ''Mr. Nephrite, I''ll go and cheer him up. ''Yeah, but ......''. ''Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it. I''m good at making depressed people smile. So...'' Percy''s throat gurgled. ''When Barbara-san gets well, I want Nephrite-san to smile ...... instead of looking so worried, seriously. A determined confession. It was a good one for Percy. ''Yeah. Okay. I''ll take care of you. ''Ugh! Nephrite''s voice softened at Percy''s words. That alone was enough to give Percy the impetus he needed. Percy, in high spirits, ran to Barbara. ''You''re a good man, Percy. He muttered something that would make Percy cry with joy if he heard it. ''Do you think he likes Barbara? He said something that would make Percy sob with grief if he heard it. Good for you, Percy. I don''t have very good hearing. Then Percy stands in front of Barbara, who is kneeling in the corner of the field. ''Can I sit next to you? ''...... No.'' ''Don''t say that. ......Yes, I''m here.'' Percy smiled lightly and sat down next to her even though she refused. His brazenness comes in handy in situations like this. ''Don''t cry, seriously. ''............'' ''Because you were working really hard. ''Even if you worked ...... hard, you''re still ...... in last place.'' ''So what? ''What do you mean, ......, you''re fighting to win! ''So, so, so...'' Percy''s index finger stops at the tip of Barbara''s nose as she looks up angrily. ''You''re the biggest winner here, aren''t you? ''What about ............?'' The anger and sadness disappeared from Barbara''s face, either from surprise or from not understanding the meaning. Seeing this, Percy continued to speak. ''Because Medora Rossel?She''s the head of a hunting guild that no one in Allbloom knows the name of.There''s no way you can win against someone like that, right? ''''That''s why, Aashi, you lost to ......! But Medora Rossel said that you were the only one who was ''awesome''.He gave you one of the sticks that he was sure he could have taken.That''s a pretty big deal, isn''t it? I don''t know what to look like. You can see the confusion on Barbara''s face as she searches for the right words. Her mouth is moving slightly, but no words are coming out. ''So you won, you know. You got him to admit it. That''s awesome, seriously.'' ...so Aarushi always wants to win, and needs to win, against everyone. ......! ''It''s okay, we''re in last place. ''It''s not okay!Last place is the lowest! ''I know you''re the lowest, but that doesn''t make you any less valuable! Barbara, who had stood up in anger, was drained of her venom and slumped down. She sits up in a lovely girl''s seat and stares at Percy with round eyes. ''I thought it was awesome watching you fight. I thought you were cool. To be honest, I was a little impressed. It''s not easy to do something like that.'' ''No, that''s not ...... impressive or ...... what?Huh? I think. It''s not cool to make efforts that don''t lead to results, right?I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The words are accompanied by a whining tone that sounds like self-deprecation, but still goes straight to the listener''s ears. ''But there are some things that you know are uncool and lame, but you just can''t give up on, and no matter how miserable, pathetic, uncool and disgusting you are, there''s something you just can''t give up on. ''...... Arshi has one too.'' I''m sure you''re right.I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about this. ''...... is ...... cool even if it is uncool? ''Of course it is! It''s the very last moment. It''s a long way to go, you know. ''So much, huh ......? ''Oh. It''s really, really making me cry. ''Is it that much,......? ''But, you know, once you reach the goal, that''s the end, right?I think so. I''m sure that once I reach the goal, I won''t be able to work as hard as I do now. ''If I reach the goal, I won''t be able to work as hard? ''It''s impossible to give it your all, isn''t it? Barbara''s face twisted with anxiety. That look is one of anticipation. The one word I want you to say. It''s a look of expectation, wanting her to say it. ''So, it''s okay to be uncool for now, isn''t it?It means you can still make an effort to be cool. It means you still have a chance to work hard. Isn''t that super lucky? Barbara''s eyes flickered. ''Our future has infinite possibilities, that''s what it means, isn''t it? Percy stands up quickly, brushes the dirt from his ass, and holds out his hand to Barbara. ''At least you looked cool to me. You looked radiant.'' ''Oh, Aashi is ......?'' ''Oh, I''m serious. We''re kind of the same. Let''s keep working on each other, best friend!I don''t know, hehe.'''' Barbara''s face turns bright red. He turned his head down as if he couldn''t stand it, then looked up fearfully and turned his face away again when his gaze met hers. Then, slowly, she lifts her trembling hands and-- I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do my best,....... Sh, sh, yuh......'' --and took Percy''s hand. At that moment, the audience was buzzing. What,......? You don''t think Barbara is going to give Percy ......? What? It''s Percy, right?What? ...... Barbara? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. Such an atmosphere is spreading all over the area. ''......Arshi, all my life I''ve been told that I''m not good enough, that I''m wrong, that I don''t understand, that I don''t get it. ......'' Barbara had no money, no job, even her sister''s health was at risk, and she still couldn''t get out of it. The adults who had the chance to come in contact with Barbara must have said to her. The adults who had the chance to come into contact with Barbara must have all said, "You''re living the wrong way. ''But even if you''re the ...... lowest, even if you''re not the ...... best, it''s okay, isn''t it ...... Aashi? ''I don''t care if you''re the lowest,......, you know. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''I see,......, Aashi,............, you''re not the lowest anymore. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I have. You''ve got a lot on your mind. I''m sure he''s very concerned about words like ''bottom'' and ''worst''. That''s why he talked in a way that interrupted people, tried to compete with them, and always looked at those around him as enemies. Don''t let him say what you don''t want him to say. Well, maybe I only told him to do more. Because of what happened with Teresa and his dangerous way of thinking,......, that was the hardest thing for Barbara. Maybe only Percy could have unraveled it. You must have a super positive mental attitude to be able to justify such disgusting stalking behavior. ''Well, let''s keep working on it, shall we? ''Yeah!Aash, I''m going to work harder and harder,...... and work ...... harder and work ...... harder, and if I can be a better guy,...... then I''ll be a better guy. .................. you and .......'' I was about to say this, but then I pulled my hand away, blushed plainly, and looked at her like she was half crying. ''It''s nothing!'' --I don''t think so! He ran back to the white camp, leaving behind a line that sounded like he was waiting to be told off. He immediately clung to Mokoka''s back and rolled onto his back to hide. ...... No, you''re not hiding. ...... Barbara leaks a voice like an idiot. It sounds like she''s about to cry, but it''s an upbeat sound. ''Hmm?I''m not your best friend, am I? ''You''re my best friend!You''re my best friend, but you''re just as much my best friend as you are my best friend ......, but you''re not my best friend ............... ...What the hell is this,...... I''m so excited,......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not going to throw up!I''m not sure what to say.I''m not going to tell you. I''m not going to tell you what to do. Scary, field day. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... scary, field day. No,seriously. --And. I don''t really care about Barbara''s first love. I start preparing to set off the traps I''ve set. Inez and Deborah, and Magda and Loretta are leading the way. The key person is Sophie. She is one of the many girls who are considered to be my natural enemy, both internally and externally. It''s a bit of a loss, but I''ve offered her a deal in exchange. Now let''s start ....... ''Sophie--'' I was standing alone with my head down, covering my mouth. It was as if I was severely disappointed to be at the bottom again. ''Please...'' I let out a whisper that only the rabbit-people can hear, and hit my knees on the ground. It''s over. It''s over. There''s no turning back no matter what I do. That''s the vibe you''re giving off. ''Team leader. Sophie said to Magda in a dignified and resonant voice. ''This is Yashiro''s fault. She denounces me in a clear voice. ''As Mr. Yashiro told us, we carried multiple sticks to hit the Medora guild leader and the hunting guild. The white team, according to my plan, held one stick in each hand and moved to eliminate the free sticks. The white team had one stick in each hand, according to my plan, and moved to eliminate the free sticks, in order to beat the hunting guild to Medora. However, it is not true that holding two sticks in one hand will give you an advantage. Simply, if the opponent pulls the sticks with both hands, they can be easily taken away. No matter how hard you try, there is no way you can resist if two or three people come at you. No matter how hard you try, if two or three people come at you, there''s no way you can resist them. Even if you touch two sticks, you can''t get any of them and they are taken away. It was a lousy strategy with such weaknesses. ''He thought that as long as the hunting guild and the Medora guild leader crushed each other, victory would come to him. You could say that he was overconfident. I gave the white team a plan to do so, and they put it into practice. The result was a fall to the bottom, no, a crash. It was a huge blunder. ''Up to this point, we have been proceeding with the competition according to his bizarre plan, but the result is as you can see. We may have stood out strangely, but we have not won. Isn''t that right, team leader? ''...... You''re right, Sophie.'' ''But what do you want me to do?My brother also thought it was a good idea. ......'' I''m saying that this ''good'' is not good. It''s true that Mr. Yashiro has made some achievements so far. But aren''t they all the kind of things where you feel like you''ve won because of a vague and indefinite decision that doesn''t really tell you whether you''ve won or lost? In a race like an athletic event, where black and white is clearly defined, my deception is ineffective. Sophie blames him for that. ''It''s dangerous to follow his plan for the rest of the competition. I suggest you change your chief of staff. The players of the other teams, not to mention the white team, did not say a word. Silence fell over the ground, which had begun to dim. ''That''s not true. It was Ginette who broke the silence. ''Mr. Yashiro''s accomplishments are not hazy or insubstantial. You''ve clearly changed things in a very happy way! Oops, Jeannette''s kind of mad. Oh no, no, no, no, no! I thought I had explained this to Ginette. ...... Oh, right. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. Inez, Deborah, please, keep Ginette at bay. ''Manager, come here for a moment. ''You''re making a big mistake.'' ''It''s not a mistake!Mr. Yashiro is willing to go to great lengths, even to the point of hurting himself, for our ...... sake and for the sake of everyone in this city. ......'' Mazuii! This makes Sophie look completely evil! And the plan is dead! Inez and Deborah give me a look. Inez and Deborah look at me like, ''She''s impossible to shut up. Hey, hey, hey. Don''t look at me now. You''ll give away the plan! Natalia and Lucia might notice that I''m directing them to avoid me. I can''t help it: ...... ''Sophie: ......'' In a voice that only the rabbit-people could hear, she gave the following instructions. ''Mr. Manager. ''I wonder...'' ''I mean it in a good way! ''...... In a good, way?'' Ginette nods her head. ''No, no, no! I thought Jeannette would be able to fool me with a stupid reply like this, but she''s not that stupid, is she? ''I don''t mind if you mean it in a good way. I''m being deceived! Is this girl really okay? Is she really safe to be out in the world? Even so, Jeannette is still giving off a vibe that''s hard to explain. I''ve got no choice but to deploy my secret weapon. ''...... libeka--gony gony gony ......'' ''Tencho!I also approve of my knight! On my command, Rebekah jumps on Jeannette. Then she tells Jeannette exactly what I said. ''You and I will form an alliance with my knight, who is not bad! ''That sounds like a great idea! Ginette high-fives Rebeka''s raised hands and says, ''Then let''s work hard to increase the number of people who will join us! Ginette made a fist. Ah, Riveka. Just bring Ginette to me, will you? And Sophie. Don''t stare at me so much just because she defended me. It''s an act, okay?Your hostility towards me is only staged, okay? Hahaha, that''s a perfectly hostile look in your eyes. ''Yashiro-san!Me and Rebeka-san are on your side. ''Listen, Jeannette. Don''t make a sound and listen to what I have to say. Ginette came in front of me as I crouched down and I told her exactly what the plan was. I knew I should have explained it to her beforehand. Sometimes he can be very stubborn. I''m not smiling at you. ''Oh, ......, is that what you meant? ''Well, that''s what I meant. ''Well, then, if I don''t say anything bad about Yashiro-san,............ let''s see,......... ...Well, ............, Yashiro-san, for example, ......, um... ...'' ''No, you don''t have to do anything. I''d rather you didn''t. They''ll know in two seconds.'' It was impossible for Jeannette to say anything bad about anyone. So I''ll let Rebekah do the talking here. ''Rebekah, will you help me? ''Leave it to me! ''Your work will make everyone think that your sister''s opinion wasn''t wrong.'' ''All right!I''m happy when my sister is recognized. I''m proud of you! ''Zukun! A rabbit was shot in the distance. Hey. Don''t tell anyone you can hear voices in the distance. Many people don''t know, but Estella and the others know, they just forgot. It''s getting dangerous so I''m going to carry out my plan quickly. Sophie, let''s finish it. ''Leave it to me!I''m your proud big sister! Shouting something unnecessary, Sophie pointed her finger at me and declared. ''For the next competition, we''ll do as we please! ''Sure.'' To follow Sophie, Inez and Deborah, plus Nikka and Carl gather around Sophie and stand against me. ''If you can''t win because you keep obsessing about winning, then you might as well give up on winning and prioritize having fun. ''There are a lot of people who couldn''t compete because of the score. It''s not fair. ''In the first place, it was only the anchovy that was so obsessed with winning! ''I can''t deal with his selfishness any longer! In response to Sophie and the others'' opinions, Magda pondered silently. Then, he slowly raised his head and slowly spoke. ''...... It can''t be helped. Everyone has a point. In the next competition, those who have not been able to play so far will be brought to the fore and participate for the sake of fun. Then Magda looked at me with only her head moving. ''...... This is Magda''s decision. If you have a problem with it, Magda will listen. With those words, I silently raised my hands. Total surrender. I''m not going to tell you how to play the game anymore. The rest is yours to do with as you please. It''s a gesture that looks like ....... ''Then I''ll be in the same group as my sister! ''Rebekah!I''ve always wanted to be with Rebekah! The rabbit sisters spin around, hand in hand. ''Nikka, you''ll be in the same group as me. ''Of course I will. ...... I want to be with you, too.'' ''Then we''ll be in the same group, Carl. ''That''s what being a senior is all about, isn''t it, Turnip? ''Geez!Cub-senpai, Maru-senpai ......, please don''t interfere. ''I''m not interfering.You know? ''That''s right. Well, you know what?If you guys flirt, the hand I put on your shoulder might get a little bit stronger, though, right? ''Oh, you''re a demon, my seniors! A beetle and a stag beetle stop a swallowtail butterfly couple from making love. Good job, you guys. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... Magda should be up there.'' I''m sure you''re right.I''m sure we can support Magda!I like it, Goozja, Janbold! ''Oh, he decides what he wants to do. ...... Well, I knew from the beginning what the master would think. ''I''ll support Magda''s butt! ''If you touch it, you won''t get paid for ten years! ''No, no, no!No, no, no, no! ''Goozuya''s got twenty years! I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. I don''t know. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do. ''All right!Then we Hewitt Sisters will take care of Masha''s legs! ''Wow! Looks like she''s fast! On the other side, the Loretta sisters, who were carrying Masha, had completed their group. Can Masha join them if she''s up there? I see. ......, you know what I''m talking about. That''s right. The next event was the classic field day event. It''s a cavalry match. The "top" of the horse, which is in charge of attacking and defending the enemy, is important, but the "horse", which protects the footing, is also important in this event. It may look like each of us is choosing our own team, but in fact, the right person is in the right place. In the stick-pulling competition, I went for a strategy that was a little too aggressive, and it backfired spectacularly. As a result, the white team stopped listening to me and started to choose their own pairs. They are now more concerned with having fun than winning. --And to make people think that, I''m going to make a plan to say, "Yashiro, there''s no seat for you! Well, I knew that Jeannette would come at me with such a plan, but I was too clever. I thought that as long as Jeannette was cooking, she wouldn''t care about the people around her. ...... I made her worry unnecessarily. I don''t mean to atone for my sins, but, well, I''ve got this guy''s back. ''Mr. Yashiro. I''m sure you''ll be in the same group as me. --I tried to be there for him, but he offered. I''ll be there for you,'' he said. So, this is just a strategy, and it''s not like she doesn''t like me, right?You''re okay?I''m fine, right?Okay? I''ll take care of it. ''Yes! Ginette smiles like the sun, even though it''s getting dark. Can we put off the cooking for now? ''Hero. Barbara stands in front of me and Ginette. ...... Oh, by the way, did I mention that she''s going to be my wife or something? ...... Please don''t make me antagonize Ginette here... ... ''Aashi, on second thought, I didn''t like you that much.'' ''What about ......? ''So, I''m sorry. I can''t be your wife, after all.'' What''s this? ''You know, ......, marriage is supposed to be with someone you love, right?I''ve heard that''s how it works. ''Oh, yeah. Well, yeah. ''So, I can''t do it, but you''re a pretty good guy, so I''m sure someone good will come along!So... Don''t be too downhearted! I''m being rejected by Barbara. Why? I didn''t show any favoritism at all! In fact, I was showing a lot of ''annoyance''! Why am I being rejected? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it. It''s you! And when I say for a while, I mean just a short time ago! ''So, you see, if we were to be in the same group, we wouldn''t want people to think we were cool or ...... misunderstood, you know? That''s why I can''t let you be in the same group with me!I''m sorry!You''ll have to find someone else.See ya! I didn''t even ask her out, but she turned me down. I''m being unilaterally rejected again. What is it? Will it stop if I hit Percy, this vindictiveness? I really feel like I''m five seconds away from being killed. ''Barbara. Team up with me again. This time we''ll work together to mow down the enemy! ''Yeah!That''s what I want! So, Barbara is excited to have found a partner so easily. I''ll tell you one thing. No, two. I''m not in love with you! So I''m not sorry at all! I''m just really pissed off! ''Paaaaa...... shhhhhhhhh ............! ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san!You''re scaring me with your face. It''s not my face that scares me. It''s the blind love that''s immersed in delusion. Whether you confirm or deny it, I''ll get hurt. I''m the only one who gets burned. ''I''ll support you, Barbara''s first love.'' ''I don''t care. ''Isn''t it wonderful, your first love? ''You had a first love, too? ''My first love was a sister.'' Oh, I remember you saying that. ''And after that, your grandfather?a??a??a??a??a?? They''re all older than me.'' ''Yashiro-san. Your mouth was moving with the word ''amazing''. ...... You''ll get angry, Sister. I''m sorry. If you don''t say it out loud, it won''t be recorded in the Conversation Record. ''I''m not interested in other people''s happiness. ''Mm-hmm. What''s with the ''again'' smile? I don''t like it. ''So, Yashiro-san, are you interested in your own happiness? ''Of course I am. I''m the type of person who doesn''t care who''s sobbing in misery, as long as I''m happy. Your own happiness comes first. Of course. ''I''m interested, too. In Mr. Yashiro''s happiness. ''''Hmm? ''If I could, I''d like to see Yashiro-san smiling happily, forever and ever, right beside me.'' ''Forever and ever, right beside you. Hey, Jeannette. Where I come from, that''s what we call a proposal. Well, comic duo''s stay together forever, so it could be an invitation to form a duo! I don''t know what he means. No one knows. Wasting your mind on something you don''t know is just a waste of time. Let''s not think about it anymore!Yes, thank you! ''Then Ginette''s on the horse.'' ''What?Why are you suddenly talking like that?Oh, well, I''ve seen the demonstration, and I think it''s probably impossible for her to be on top. ......'' ''Don''t worry, don''t worry. I''m not sure if I feel that way. I''m not sure what to do. You should have realized that by now. You should be aware of the fact that after you make a careless remark, you will be hit by a painful blow. ...... You should think a little more before you speak. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. ''plump tits''. ''Please don''t call me that, Deborah! Inez and Deborah came over, and Ginette went at Deborah. I wonder if you want to make a comedy duo, Ginette. ''I heard that the cavalry is in groups of four. ''We''ll take the other two. ''Oh. You guys are a hundred strong.'''' ''Also, I improvised and followed up on a few loose ends during the operation earlier. ''If I do say so myself, it was a brilliant move.'' ''Yeah. Don''t say that about yourself, though. Deborah, you''re a bit like that, so be careful, okay?'' ''I think it''s time to go! ''I think I agree with you, Ines! ''All right, all right!It was great, it was great, it was great, it was great, you guys were very nice! ''''I''m satisfied.'''' ''''I''m satisfied.'''' The smiling head waiter. I don''t know,......, but there are more and more idiots who can do the job. So, with the strategy of "I don''t care about winning anymore, let''s just enjoy the rest of the competition to the fullest, since we''re in last place anyway," we''re going for the win. First, the cavalry! Watch this. When the cavalry battle is over, you''ll be amazed. ...... Hahahahaha! The sky turned purple, and the faces of those in the distance became a little less visible. The bonfires were lit and the ground looked like a battlefield. With the help of the staging, the players'' voltage was rising and rising. 402-Episode 57 Horseback Riding Battle, Start of Battl... BC stands in a line behind player A, A and B''s left hand and left hand are connected, A and C''s right hand and right hand are connected, and BC''s free hand is placed on A''s shoulder. This completes the "horsemanship". Once player D is on the horse, the preparation for the cavalry battle is complete. All that is left is to take away the headband of the other player so that the headband of the rider D is not taken away. The cavalcade is played by four teams in the same way as the pole vault. If the rider''s headband is taken, that team is eliminated. If a rider falls from his horse, he is eliminated. If all the riders are eliminated, the team loses, and the team with the last rider wins. This is a survival game, and no matter how many opponents you defeat, it does not count. Even if your team survives by running away without hitting any enemy, you are still the winner as long as you stay until the end. That''s why we''re doing this! ''Look, guys. Don''t let the rest of the team know that it''s me giving the orders. Especially in the cavalry, let them think that I''m ignoring them and everyone''s starting to do whatever they want. That''s what I told them before the stick pull. In the stick-pulling, I adopted a rather forceful strategy in which my opinion was overtly pushed, and as a result, the white team lost miserably. As a result, the white team lost miserably. In response, the white team players, dissatisfied with me, turned against me and said, ''We can''t take Obayashi''s strategy anymore. In other words, the cavalry battle is designed to make you believe that Obayashi''s intentions are not included. That''s the plan. The white team''s riders were Ginette, Rebecca, Masha, Cheryl, and Grandma Mumm, all of whom looked unsuited to combat, and who looked pudgy, young, and wrinkled. Magda and Nikka, who are a bit belligerent, are also in the mix, but they are more convincing. ''Oh, there are people who want to win. If all of them started to say, ''It''s more important to have fun than to win,'' people would think, ''What are you up to? They''ll think you''re up to something. Like Estella and Lucia. That''s enough. So, it is also effective to have someone who stands out like Ricardo, the idiot, riding on your horse. By showing the difference in motivation, you can make them think, ''The White Team has lost its leadership. ''Ha-ha-ha-ha!You''ve come at last!A brave and heroic competition worthy of me! ''Hey, Ricardo!You should at least go on the offensive! ''What is it, Oba?You''re expecting me?Well, I know!I understand!I''m the only one you can rely on in this competition!Ha-ha-ha!So you''ve finally realized how great I am!I know I''m a little late to the party, but that''s okay!I''ll live up to your expectations!Ha-ha-ha-ha! So long. Do your best to stand out. Meanwhile, I''ll survive in secret here. ''Um, Yashiro-san ......, I''m not really sure about this kind of thing. Ginette is looking down at me anxiously on the horse that the head waiter and I are riding. Fear must be welling up before the battle. ''Don''t worry, Ginette. We''re not going into battle. It''s just a walk ...... or a ride and you can relax.'' ''Horseback riding......?'' There was no way Ginette was going to be able to take someone''s headband. But at the same time, there was no way anyone here could rob the harmless, conflict-averse Ginette! Even the annoying Estella can''t be too hard on Ginette. If Ginette was enjoying the competition, she wouldn''t think of ''crushing her first'', she would think ''well, let''s let her go for now''. And while you''re thinking ''not yet'', someone else will crush you and you''ll be out of here! It''s all about surviving! Whoever lives is justice! The one who runs and runs and runs and runs and survives is greater than the one who boldly jumps into the fray and scatters on the battlefield with many valor! The White Team is going with the strategy of surviving without fighting! I''ve taken care not to let them know it was my idea, so the rest of the team is unaware of our plan. The other team members won''t notice our plan. Ginette will be a great asset in such a mission. There are few people who would joke about hitting a ginette. There is no such thing as a ''yada, yada, yada'' between girls. Except for the girls'' ''yada, yada, yada''. Ginette is the only one who can''t be attacked by anyone! ''Ginette. We''ll take it easy around the perimeter and watch the cavalry. If you see anyone you know, give them a shout.'' ''Yes, sir. Then you won''t be afraid.'' But I''ll run into the enemy lines first so they don''t know I''ve been spreading my wiles to them. And then Ginette cried, ''Pii~! and Estella would get angry and say, ''Don''t torment Ginette! and the head waiter behind me says in unison, ''You don''t have to do anything! The head waiter behind me warned me in unison, ''You don''t have to do anything! I''ll do well if I make a show of sulking, and then go around the perimeter. By doing so, I can show the people around me that ''Obayashi is not functioning. ''Anyway, you don''t have to fight with anyone, just don''t fall off your horse. That''s what I''m most worried about. The most frightening thing would be if the slow Jeannette lost her balance and fell off her horse. Such a self-destruction would be most frightening. Inez and Deborah will support her from behind, so I guess we don''t have to worry about that much. ''Thank you. For worrying about me.'' I don''t know what I''ve misunderstood, but Jeannette says a misplaced thank you and pats me on the head. It''s a nice thing to do, like expressing gratitude. ''...... you. You''re treating me like a real horse right now, aren''t you? ''What?I''m sorry!I heard from the ranch that horses are happy to be petted in this area. ...... Who''s the horse, you son of a b*tc*? ''Anyway, doesn''t that hurt? Ginette puts her feet in the stirrups that Deborah made for us, Inez and I, hand in hand. I told her she could wear shoes, but she stubbornly refused, saying she would take them off. I looked around and saw that many of the riders had taken off their shoes. Considering the risk of my hand falling off due to the pain, it would be wiser to take off my shoes. ''It''s okay, just hold on tight. ''Yes, sir. ''If your legs get tired, you can sit on our arms. ''But that''s really too bad for Ines-san and Deborah-san, isn''t it ......? ''Don''t worry, manager. I love soft things. Deborah said something! ''Hey Inez, is the head waiter next to you, Deborah, really okay? ''No problem, Mr. Kometsky. I like it too, it''s soft.'' ''That''s a big problem, both of you! I like them too, the soft ones. d*mn it! If only I could get behind the horse, I could legally touch and look at all the asses! Bulma''s ass! ''Okay!I''ll take the back! ''No, Yashiro-san!I can''t show you ...... from behind in this outfit.'' Bend your knees and lean forward. It''s an outfit that accentuates your hips in a very round way. ...... I wanted to see it! ''Why doesn''t the Conversation Record have a video recording function? ......'' ''If it had that function, it would expose where Kometskii-sama is always looking and talking to people. ''Yeah. I''d prefer not to have it, I guess!It''s an invasion of privacy. If the little pleasures you secretly look at without anyone noticing are exposed, there might be restrictions on viewing. It''s better not to. Too much convenience is a bad thing in human society. Yeah. ''Where do you always look on ...... anymore? Jeannette is picking at my hair. Stop it, what if the follicles bend over? Take better care of her. For the sake of me in twenty, thirty years. Mr. Cometsky, Manager. We''re about to go into battle. ''Okay, Jeannette. Give the signal for departure. ''What?It''s me? ''Of course it is, since you''re controlling us. ''Oh, yeah, is that so?Then ......''. Whether it''s embarrassment or hesitation, Jeannette''s hand nips at my shoulder. ...... It tickles me when people keep touching me like this. And then!I''ll be back!...... Huh? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Come on, let''s do it. Inez, Deborah. ''Let''s do it together. ''Align yourselves and let''s go to the s??ance.'' ''My, aren''t you all too aligned?Forget about it! The cavalry is working so well together. I feel a strong bond. That''s Ginette! I never thought I''d be able to unite them like this. ''Looking at it from the side, it''s shaking like hell, isn''t it, Manager? ''This side is also shaking like crazy. ''Wait!Please don''t look at me! ''That''s not fair, you guys! ''Yashiro-san, please keep your eyes forward! It''s not fair! The head of the cavalry is a lost lot! I request a change of position! Or I want to turn around 180 degrees! ''...... manager''s team, keep in step.'' I was warned by Magda as I walked by. They should have been so in step with each other,......, but I guess that''s the way it is on the battlefield, where the situation changes every second. You can never be too careful. The cavalry line up at their starting positions with a clatter of footsteps. There are ten pairs of horses for each team. There are 10 teams of four riders per team, for a total of 160 riders. This is quite powerful. The sky is dark. The signal for the start of the battle is now sounding on the night ground lit by bonfires. ''Please be careful of injuries. Cavalry battle! --Boom! At the sound of the bell, the horses of each team gallop in unison. ''All right, Jeannette!Let''s charge in! ''What?That''s not what you said earlier. ...... Oh no! With Ginette''s scream in my ears, I charged at Estella and the others'' horses. ''Estella, prepare yourself! ''Aaahhhh! The screams grew louder and louder, and Ginette arched her back and clung to my head. She wraps her arms around my head and clings to me tightly. Whaaaa~ ...... soft~! Now, the back of my head is in a state of extreme happiness! ''Hey, Yashiro!I''m not sure what to say. That''s why I dare to ignore her and charge at her! ''Let''s go, Jeannette!Take away Estella''s headband! ''No, no, no, I can''t!I can''t get my hands off it! Ginette''s arms tightly bind my head. Back of the head paradise! ''Yashiro!Stop right now and let Jeannette go!Or I''ll shave the back of your head! ''Don''t be absurd!You can''t stop right in front of the enemy!Besides, the back of my head is really happy right now! ''Alright, alright!I''ll protect you, so just stop for a second.That''s the lord''s order! Wielding the most arrogant authority, Estella stopped me in my tracks. When I stopped, Ginette let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly pulled her body away from my head. For a moment, I thought the back of my head was gone. Because it suddenly became lighter. ''I''m never going to wash my head again. ''Please wash my head!Please!You''re terrible, Yashiro! Jeannette pats me on the head warmly. It doesn''t hurt at all. In fact, it feels good to be patted on the head. ''Mr. Kometski. Regarding your earlier request for a position change, would it be possible for us to have another discussion? ''What are you jealous of, Inez?I hope you haven''t been infected by Yashiro! ''I''d like to be buried in that bulge, too! ''Deborah, please be careful! ''No, I''m not giving up this position and my titties! ''Yashiro, please repent! I was the only complaint from Jeannette. Estella is looking at me in disgust. ''What the hell. If you have something to say, say it clearly.'' ''I''m so dumbfounded I can''t even speak. ''In other words, you''re saying that the tits don''t swell up. ''I can''t shut my mouth, that''s it! ''But the open mouth is closed, but the gouged tits don''t swell! ''They''re not gouged! ''''Estella-sama. I''m glad I didn''t question the ''judgment of the spirits'' regarding today''s statement. ''I''m not lying!I''ll tell you one more time first thing tomorrow morning!I mean, Natalia, shut up! During the cavalcade, the usual nonsense was going on. Ginette is giggling, Inez and Deborah are watching quietly, and Natalia and Estella are flirting. It''s true that the lord and the head waiter get along well. --And then, from behind Estella and the others, a horseman quietly creeps up on them. I''m not sure what to do. Following Ricardo''s order, Momat and the other old men from the Agricultural Guild started running. ''Estella, prepare! ''Ricardo--'' As Ricardo''s arm stretched out from behind her, Estella-- ''I can see you''. She twists her body to avoid the surprise attack without difficulty. As the cavalry and horses close in, the serving team led by Natalia casually steps on the feet of the old men of the farming guild. ''Get off me! Mormat screams and loses his balance. ''What?You idiot, you crocodile! Ricardo turns his body away to avoid falling off the horse. The head guard is now empty. Estella did not let that opportunity pass her by, but rather, she took Ricardo''s white headband with ease and certainty. ''It looks like you were reckless to challenge me, Ricardo. ''Shut up!It''s the difference in the performance of the horses!I would''ve done better if it was my grandfather or my butler''s horse! ''Haha. I''m sure I could''ve done better with Mo-Mat''s horse. ''Then get off that head waiter''s horse and switch to the hunting guild''s horse! ''I''m sorry, I''m a lady before marriage, so I can''t let men touch me without permission. ''You''re not a lady, are you? Estella is riding a high performance horse and is very proud of her victory. ''What kind of a lady are you? Suddenly, a lump of hot flesh rushed in, pushing aside the mormats. ''No, no, no!Idiot, woodcutter!You''re hurting me! Mormat''s eyes teared up as he was pushed around. And the one galloping astride such a chariot-like muscle horse is Imelda, needless to say. ''It''s only a lady who can handle many men as if they were her hands and feet! No, that''s not a lady, that''s a bad woman. But you look strange mounted, Imelda. You''re kinda cool like a lady knight. ''The woodcutter''s horse, made by the elite of the Woodcutter''s Guild, is extremely stable and powerful thanks to its exceptional muscles, and the suspension is perfect to keep it from shaking! 4WD? It seems to be able to run through steep mountain roads without a care in the world. In terms of stability, the woodcutter''s horse may indeed be better than the foreman''s horse. It also seems to be more durable. ''Hmm, hmm. You''re such a trifler, Imelda. A bride-to-be riding a man like that.'' ''Estella, ........ Do you have a lot of erotic fantasies in your head?'' ''Huh!Why, why, why would you do that? ''This is a healthy sport, you know.You must have a peach-colored typhoon inside your ...... head to associate every little contact with an obscene fantasy. Hoho~. So Estella''s head is a peach-colored typhoon. ''Estella ...... ello''. ''Can you please stop muttering strange things, Yashiro! ''Estella, you''re so hot! ''Don''t shout because of that! ''Estella-san!First of all, let''s deny the ''erotic''!It''s not like that!'''' Ginette is desperately trying to follow up. Don''t make me care, Estella. ''Oh, no!It''s all Imelda''s fault!I''ll beat her! I''ll beat her!'' ''You''re talking out of your ass, putting your own adolescent years on the shelf!I''ll take it! The janitor''s horse and the woodcutter''s horse clashed head-on. The serving horse stops his opponent''s horse with a brilliant stroke of his foot. However, unlike Mo-Mat and the others, the woodcutter''s horse is unfazed by the slightest interference. Their thick, muscular legs block the servants'' movements. ''Oh-ho-ho!If the horse can''t move, then it''s a battle of the riders!I''ll show you the difference in rank! ''I''ll give it right back to you, Imelda! Estella and Imelda stared at each other. Estella and Imelda stare at each other. And Imelda was the first to do it. She straightens her back, lifts her shoulders, and drops them. ''Ah~, my shoulders have been feeling a bit stiff lately...'' The recoil of the slumped shoulders causes her breasts, which have grown even larger than a year ago, to shake, ripple, and rage wildly! ''I was shown the difference in rank ......''. ''Don''t make me feel defeated, Natalia!I''m not defeated!'' ''''''''What? '''''''' ''I''m talking about the cavalry!I''m talking about our cavalry, Yashiro, and the outside world. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. You don''t care about the cavalry now! I''ll get the bowl!I''m going to get the bowl for sure! ''If you can do it, you can do it! In a sense, the attack and defense were conducted with the lower half of the body restrained. The flexibility and agility of the upper body and the stability of the trunk are important. And tactics are the key to victory or defeat. Estella uses her right hand to control and her left hand to sharply aim at the bowl. If she had been an ordinary opponent, the game would have been decided with a single blow, but Imelda, on the other hand, was a master at dodging surprise attacks and aiming for Estella''s headband with her sword in return. The breathtaking battle was repeated. The horsemen were also engaged in a fierce, though unassuming, battle. ''Estella!You know what you''re doing, don''t you!You''ve beaten me!I won''t forgive you if you lose to a useless opponent! Ricardo, the defeated one, raised his voice even though he had nothing to do with it. What do you mean, "I''m the one who''s going to beat you! What are you talking about, like you''re an enemy who will eventually become a friend? Look, Estella''s getting annoyed and staring at you. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find any useful information. The speed, the angle of her arm, and the timing. The speed, the angle of her arms, and the timing... no matter how fast Estella is, she can''t dodge this one. Just when I thought the game was over, Estella disappeared. ''......What? Imelda''s arm sliced through the air, leaving her side empty. ''Your carelessness is the reason for your defeat. Estella, who had suddenly disappeared, suddenly reappeared. At the same time, she snatched away Imelda''s red headband. ''Since when did you assume that horses could only move back and forth? At this moment. The moment when Estella would have been completely trapped by Imelda''s attack. Natalia bent her knees and sank down as hard as she could. She sank so deep that she hit her knees on the ground, and Estella descended as far as a seated person. Then, just as Imelda''s attack came up empty, she resurfaced and took Imelda''s headband. ''We''re fighting as a team,'' he said. This is the difference between me and you, who saw the lumberjack as nothing more than a vehicle. Imelda was stunned, but Estella said with a proud expression. ''What do you think?Isn''t our horsemanship amazing? Estella boasts. She seems to be proud of her servants. --And when you say things like that... ''You, Estella!You''re still relying on the performance of your horse!You just admitted it yourself! ''Ah, Ricardo. The difference between you and me is not the horse, but the pure difference in strength of the person riding it.'''' ''Huh?You''ve got to be kidding me!Come down, Estella!I''ll give you a fight on the spot! Ricardo bites her. You''re a pain in the ass, but you''re well-liked by Estella. ''Well, then, let''s go back too. Estella, who is in a good mood after her victory over Ricardo and Imelda, her rivals in terms of position, gives instructions to her horse. ''Are you sure?'' Natalia asks Estella, looking at me. Our horses are unharmed. Natalia asks if it''s okay to leave them there. ''I promised to protect you once. I''ll let you off this time.'' Estella says, smiling and in a good mood. Then, in a good mood, she winks at Jeannette. ''But the next time we meet, be prepared for that, Ginette. ''Yes, yes. Good luck to you too, Estella.'' ''Haha. Thank you.'' Estella waves and the horse changes direction. With their backs to us, Estella''s horse slowly begins to move. At the right moment-- ''Ei''. I give the rider in the rear a knee strike. Of the three riders on the horse, the one behind on the left loses his stance. Estella loses her balance and Natalia looks back at me with a surprised expression. Hasn''t she done this before? Have you ever had the experience where the person you were holding hands with lost their balance and turned to look at you, causing you to be dragged down and fall with them? I''ve had that experience. When the person holding your hand loses his balance in the opposite direction, you must quickly let go of his hand or twist your body in the opposite direction to lift his shoulders, or you will also lose your balance. This time, however, Natalia could not let go of the waiter''s hand. This time, however, Natalia cannot let go of the waiter''s hand, because Estella''s foot is on it. When presented with multiple choices at once, people tend to make the most unavoidable choice. That is, the choice of ''no choice''. It''s also called "nothing to do. For a moment. An accident that happened in a fraction of a second, not even a breath. Natalia tried to regain her bearings in that instant. Her expression changed. It was Estella and Natalia who could hold their ground in such a situation. But ...... won''t let them. ''Jeannette!Estella is in danger! ''What?Miss Estella! At my voice, Jeannette hurriedly reached out her hand. Estella couldn''t help but reach out her hand in response to Ginette''s action. Toward Ginette. She twisted her body so that her arm, which should have been holding onto Natalia, was facing Ginette behind her. ''...... Ah''. The two outstretched hands cut each other in the air, and Estella fell to the ground. Natalia stretched out her arms and held Estella to minimize the impact of the fall, but it caused the horse to collapse. Estella landed on her feet. ''Oh, um, ...... Estella-san. Are you okay? Estella glared at me without reacting to Jeannette''s anxious voice. ''You are a man! ''I''m sorry. You said you''d let it go, but I never said a word about it, did I? ''But that''s a gentleman''s agreement. ...... Oh, God!I''m starting to feel like I''m saying, ''What are you saying to Yashiro? I can''t believe I''m saying that! ''Well, that''s the way it is.'' ''Mmmm, ......!You seem to be really good at this game!I wanted to do more! In the end, he was flailing his arms and legs like a spoiled child. ''Well, why don''t you gather the waiters and hold a cavalry tournament next time? Oh, if you want, why don''t you include it in the training of the waiters? ''I wanted to play an active role in the field day! Estella''s frustration and anger had not subsided, and her incomplete fighting spirit was still smoldering. Don''t cry, just because of something like this. How much of a sore loser are you? ''Besides, if we do this at home, Natalia will be our enemy. ......'' ''...... You just want to win, don''t you? In the end, it seems you don''t want to give up the advantage of being astride the strongest horse. You are aware of it, the secret of your strength is the strongest horse. ''This is definitely retaliation for earlier. ''You said you''d fall into the hole you dug.'' I''m not going to let it get to me. If you don''t think so, I''ll be in trouble. ''But you were the only one who could defeat me with Jeannette. ''...... You coward. Taking advantage of the fact that I can''t touch Jeannette,.......'' ''Also, I was just taking it out on you because I was a little frustrated.'' ''I knew you had it in you! He grabs the sand and throws it at me. Hey, hey, don''t let a disqualified player harm a player in competition. You''re going to lose by foul play, blue team. ''I was a fool to trust Yashiro! ''Yes, you''re a fool. Even though I warned you. ''I thought Ginette-chan was harmless! ''''I''m well aware that the manager is harmless. However, considering that Yashiro-sama is underneath him, it is normal to think that ''this horseman'' can''t be careless.'''' ''Then say so, you bastard of Natalia! ''I don''t want to hear it from you, Obaka Estella-sama. ''Hey, you idiot, idiot, idiot.'' Stop it, Natalia. It makes ''Obaka'' sound like ''Obafaka'' and it makes me uncomfortable. ''Even Natalia was caught off guard and lost her balance. ......'' ''It was indeed unexpected, but I wasn''t careless. ''Then why did the horse collapse? ''When I looked back at ...... there was a tremendous centrifugal force!Yes, Estella-sama was subjected to a centrifugal force that she could not understand! ''What are you saying while grabbing my chest, Natalia? ''I was swept around. ''It can''t be that centrifugal, can it? ''Yes, it would, if it was Estella-sama! ''All of humanity is the same! Well, I don''t know about that, Estella. Ginette can probably fly with just the centrifugal force of her tits, right? ''Mr. Kometsky. This is a conspicuous place, let''s evacuate to the perimeter. Inez told us to leave the battlefield. Ignoring Estella, who was still sitting there even though she had lost, Ricardo, who was pointing and laughing at Estella but was being ignored with all his might, and Imelda, who was expressing with all her body that she was beautiful even though she had lost, we started to move. On the way, Norma took aim at us, but Ginette-- ''Oh my God! I saw Ginette scream and hold her head in her hands, so I just walked past her. She seemed to have changed her aim to Delia who was on the other side. Mm-hmm. I guess Jeannette is hard to get a hold of, guys. If the red team had carried Bertina, she might have been just as unapproachable, but she was in the cheering section. I smile at the absence of the only strong opponent who could have gone toe-to-toe with Ginette. If he was targeted, he would be out in one shot. However, the fact that you are not easily targeted is a powerful weapon in a cavalry battle. We continued to walk around the perimeter, watching the fierce battles unfold around us. If you stand still, you will be conspicuous and get ducked. Wandering around is the best distraction. The stronger the enemy, the sooner he goes into battle and dies. The best way to win is not to fight. While executing such a secret strategy, I felt a hand on my shoulder say, ''Ukyu! Huh? while executing such a secret strategy, I enjoyed the feeling of the hand on my shoulder being squeezed tightly from time to time with a strange scream, so as not to let anyone know. What is this warm and soft thing that moves so much? It tickles and feels so good. Also, sometimes I''m treated like a horse and my head is stroked, which is a nice feeling. I wonder if that''s what a horse feels like. I think I''ll neigh her. ...... ''......Yashiro. Don''t forget your promise to play horsey. That''s what Magda said to me as we passed each other on the way. I guess he looked like he was having fun. Hey, hey. I''ll see you soon. And so, in the light of the bonfire, the horsemen dwindled in number. 403-No additives Episode 58 Speed drive, crash, chaos ''Hey!Get out of here!More behind ......! ''I''m not letting you go, Norma!I''m not letting you go, Norma! ''Aaah! Delia''s arm quickly snatches Norma''s temple. The yellow headband flutters in the wind in Delia''s hand. Holding her head where the headband had gone, Norma turned on the horsemen. ''...... d*mn it!What are you doing, you dullard!You''ve been robbed! ''That''s right~'' ''Norma, it''s heavier than I thought! ''What did you say, Gonsuke? ''Norma, you''ve been eating a lot of fatty food lately, like it''s a reaction to your healthy diet. ''That''s right, you''ll get fat. You know? ''''Hey~'''' ''''Don''t talk any more!I''m going to pour molten iron into your mouth! There''s no way that the hardware maidens would raise an eyebrow at a weight as heavy as Norma''s, so ...... I guess they''re venting their frustrations here. In the first place, Norma''s demands are too high. You can''t just let Delia get as close as she can and then instantly dodge in the opposite direction of your line of sight. That''s not something you can do in a cavalry fight. The only one who could do it would be Natalia, Gilberta, and Inez on the head wagon. Deborah is a close second because she''s being pulled along by Inez. ''Hahaha!I guess I won this time, Norma! ''It''s not that I lost!It''s my men who lost! ''That''s terrible! ''We did our best, didn''t we~'' ''''Hey~'''' ''Norma, if you keep making excuses like that, you''ll end up with a bump on your stomach before you know it. ''''Gonsuke! Norma chases after the maidens with a face like she''s just before her final form. It''s a lively exit, the Hardware Guild. ''Alright!Let''s go beat up the next one, Omero! ''Hey!Hey, mister! Delia rolled up her sleeves and took off in a good mood. There was a monkey woman staring at the back of Delia''s head. It''s Barbara. ''You''re a cool lady after all!That''s what makes a good woman, right?Don''t you think so, Mokoka? ''Well?I don''t really know. ''Anyway, we''re going to knock out the enemy too! ''Are you going to surprise the Red Team? ''Idiot!If you go against Miss, you''ll get hit back!Just use another guy. ......I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ''I''ll pay you back for what you did earlier! ''''Hmph!I''ll avenge you, monkey woman! Both sides recognized the other as the enemy and moved straight forward, facing each other. Horse and rider clash head-on. ''Come on, let''s play! ''That''s what I was hoping for! Nice try. You''re too subtle and know-it-all for me, Barbara. It''s so stupid. ''You know what your mother just told me, you should know your place!I''ll show you that there''s always someone better than you! ''Shut the f*ck up!Prepare yourself! Use intercepted the charging Barbara with both arms outstretched. Use''s plan was to dodge Barbara''s attacks and counterattack. If they were to engage in an honest fight, Barbara would fall behind. But this time, he has Mokoka. ''''Carpenter A and B! It''s Formation B! ''''Got it!'''' ''''Barbara, don''t fall! Just as he was about to collide with the hunting guild horse, Mokoka let go of his hands. The stirrups that had been holding her feet up were gone, and Barbara lost her stance for a moment, but Umaro''s carpenters A and B (whose names I don''t know), who were behind the horse, firmly caught Barbara''s buttocks with their arms and prevented her from falling. It''s terrifyingly stable. Carpenters are really strong. I bet he can carry a girl on his shoulders with just one arm. And what did Mokoka do with her hands free?... well, it was her special move. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. On a horse facing each other. It is a position that allows you to peek through the gap in the collar of the mocca. In such a position, it''s impossible not to be aware of it, you idiot! If you''re in a position like that, and the collar is suddenly pulled down, your gaze will be drawn in as if by gravity, and when the cleavage of a D-cup suddenly appears at the end of the collar, you''ll be able to say, ''Ohhhh! It''s the natural order of things!It''s the natural order of things!The instinctive DNA inherited from our ancestors imprinted in our souls! With both arms outstretched, only the neck and above was turned downward. With both arms outstretched, only the neck and above pointing downward. It was as if he was holding out his headband, saying, ''Feel free to take it. ''Yes!I got it! ''Oh, dear!Oh, no! ''Hey, Representative!Are you serious? ''Give me a break, sir! I''m the only one who got a break.It''s time to take over! A quarrel broke out between the hunting guild''s usse and the horsemen. That''s because one of them is in the best position. I''d like to see that. I''d like to see you in the best position, too! ''''Take responsibility for this cavalry battle and resign as representative! That''s right, that''s right! ''''You guys, just let them say it: ......! ''''Well, well, don''t fight with me. Here, I''ve got something for you. Muggy. ''''''Woohoo!Mokoka-chan is the best! The old men of the hunting guild were instantly in a good mood. They squared their shoulders, raised their arms, and raised their spirits. I wonder... Why aren''t those criminals getting caught? ''Hey, Mokoka!Don''t do anything like that! ''Why not?My tits aren''t worth hiding, you know? ''Idiot!I''m sure that''s what it is, you know!I''m sure that''s a thing, you know! I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... scary. Falling in love is super scary. ...... I''ve been practicing for a while now. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Mahr''s guy. Remember that. ''Anyway, let''s go on like this and take the bowl!To become a good woman! Barbara clutches the bowl she took from Use and raises her fist to the sky. From the other side of the room, she hears Nephrite''s scream. ''Oh no!Run, run, run! ''Don''t run away, Nephrite!Play with me! ''You can''t fight Delia properly!Just run away as fast as you can! Nephrite, astride a horse presumably belonging to the poultry farm, half cries and runs away. Well, that''s scary. It''s a super hard mode battle where you have to fight Delia while your lower half of your body is trapped in the mud. What''s more, Delia doesn''t weaken at all even if the lower half of her body doesn''t move. Even I would run away. But they''re just a bunch of chicken farmers. There was no way he could escape from the river fishing guild that fished against the raging current, and Nephrite was easily caught up with and had his headband snatched away. ''Oh no, not again!Your hair''s all shaggy now. ''Ha-ha-ha!You''re too naive to think you can beat me! ''You didn''t think you were going to win, did you?I was really scared of you! I was really scared! ...... What?I don''t know.What?I don''t know.I don''t know. ''Mr. Neffery! After Delia left leisurely, Percy and the Creamona servants rushed to the top of the mountain, holding Molly in their arms. ''I''m sorry!I couldn''t make it in time! ''Oh, no. I''m fine. I''m sure that even if you had come to save us, Delia would''ve killed us all at once. ''But, I could have sacrificed myself to protect Neffery-san. ......'' ''No, you can''t do that. Delia, I''m so scared. I can''t let Molly go through that.'' ''......Thank you.'' Looking up from below, Molly on her horse bows her head with a complicated expression. Maybe she''s embarrassed. ''So, Molly and Percy, please do your best to survive for us. ''...... We''ll do our best.'' ''I promise!I''ll survive for a long time! ''Then I''ll go back to the cheering section. I''ll be rooting for you, so do your best.'' ''Yes! Percy wants to wave to Nepheli as he leaves, but his hands are full and he can''t, so he shakes his ass. ''You can kick it, you two waiters behind me, you obnoxious swaying asses. ''Haha...... scared Nepheli, you''re so mawkish......'' ''You were crying a little ......, poor thing.'' ''A girl''s tears are a jewel!I think they''re the most beautiful thing in the world, seriously!Hey, Molly?'' ''Sorry, bro. ...... I can''t relate.'' ''Why not?It was beautiful!Did you get a good look? ''It''s dark and it''s high. It''s too far away.'' ''No, Molly!You''re missing out. I''d have had to go to ...... from this distance!That was bad, that was bad! ''It''s definitely ............ bad, but I''m not going to tell you.'' Molly. If he wasn''t my brother, I''d want to get off that horse right now. You poor thing. You don''t get to choose your family. I''m sorry. And what about Barbara, who was watching her brother''s antics? ''No way. ......, right? She was stunned on her horse. She must have realized it. Percy was a serious stalker and had a crush on Neffery. ''Are you a better ...... woman for being scared? Wow, I didn''t notice that at all. ''Come on, Barbara!I''m going to attack my next prey! ''Wait a minute, Mokoka!Um, that''s it!Aashi, I''m scared! Lie to me! I''ll have the Spirit God himself come and call the Spirit Judgment! ''d*mn it!How do tears come out of your eyes? If you poke it in the eye, it''ll come out in droves. I''m not sure why you''d want a stalker like that. ...... I have no idea what''s good about him. .................. No, that''s not it! I''m not jealous of you. I''m not rejected, I! I''m not sure what to do. You''ve got a lot less horses. Ginette''s voice falls from above my head. I lift my chin a little and see Jeannette looking around the field with her palm on her forehead. We''re slowly making our way around the perimeter. As long as there are a lot of horses, we''ve been able to get away with just staying outside the circle, but as the numbers dwindle, that won''t be the case anymore. Maybe it''s time for us to start being targeted too. --I was thinking... ''Ha-ha-ha!Let''s play, anchovy! We''ve been spotted by a nasty one. ''He''s a tough one, still alive!You''re like a man who shaves and shaves and still has one strand of hair left standing, aren''t you! You''re a man like that. Don''t talk to men about hair removal. I''m not sure if I should say that being the daughter of an aristocrat is a lot of work. If I say it, you''ll say, ''s*xual harassment, anchovy! You''ll be screaming at me. ''Don''t think you can get away from me. You''ll choke the life out of me, anchovy! ''Wait, wait, wait!It''s not me you''re fighting, it''s Ginette! ''I''ll win gently against Ginepu, and then I''ll kill you! ''That''s just a death threat, isn''t it? That''s just a death threat! You can''t stop me when I''m not competing! ............ I don''t even want to be in the middle of a competition! I''m not going to do it. If you don''t want to get hurt, hand over that bowl.'' ''Yes, you can''t ...... do that.'' ''I don''t want to be rough with you, Ginepoo. Just give me the bowl.'' ''Poo poo!I think I''m going to have a fit, Lucia-sama, when you suddenly gag the lord. ''What?No, no, no!I wasn''t aiming for that!I''m not! ''Give me, me, me, ...... pppp. ''I''m telling you, Gilberta! ''Wow, Lucia, that''s interesting.'' ''Shut up, anchovy!I can''t even read a word of it! Lucia''s face is bright red. I made fun of her on conditional reflex, but I guess this made Lucia so stubborn that she''ll never let Jeannette off the hook. ...... ''No, I can''t let you get away with this!I''m not sure what to do. ...... d*mn. ''It''s because you''re a provocateur, Mr. Cometsky. ''Yes. Until now, there was room for discussion. Until just now.'' ''Oh, yes, yes. I''m sorry. The two waiters blamed me from behind. The probability of Ginette winning in a proper fight with Lucia was close to zero. Then there is no choice but to run away,......, but it''s not a good idea to be chased around. Horses on the run are easy targets. When you are focused on the back, a hand comes out from the side and takes your bowl. I have seen many such situations. And a fleeing horseman is likely to say to himself, "I''m weak!It''s time to aim!I''m a duck! I''m a duck! So, if possible, I would like Lucia to retreat. ...... Good. ''Ginette!I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. ''Huh?But, but, with Lucia-san, I ......'' ''Ginette, bring your fist to the side of your face and tighten your side! ''What?Yes, sir! Jeannette''s body tightened and locked into place. Now, even if she sways a little, she shouldn''t fall off the horse immediately. ''Inez, Deborah, let''s go!OBB! ''''Yes!'''' At my signal, I lift the stirrups at the same time as the hand on which Jeannette''s foot is resting, and lower it immediately. I pushed Jeannette''s legs up like a body lift and released her. ''What the hell? A sudden rise, then a moment of weightlessness, then a fall. In Jeannette''s body, which was firmly caught by our horses, a great change was taking place due to the rising and falling, buoyancy and gravity. In other words! ''Her tits went bouncing (OBB)! ''What are you doing? ''You can OBB my tits! ''Please repent already! Ginette''s tits are shaking like crazy on the horse, going wild, dancing like crazy!No, I''m the one who''s going crazy with the dancing. Lucia stiffened when she saw such OBB. ''Now, it''s your turn, Lucia! ''So, can you do it! ''I''m not expecting as much bounce as Jeannette. Just try to shake it as ...... much as you ...... can. I''m sure you''re right.Pfft! ''Gilberta!We''re retreating!We''re retreating!What the hell are you doing?Retreat! Retreat! Lucia retreated at great speed. But then, Paula, who must have thought, ''Oh, I think I can beat her'', approached from the side and took the bowl away. See? That''s what happens when you''re absorbed in running away. ''Ginette. Nice fight.'' ''I''m not fighting! ''Then nice bounce! ''You''ll have to repent! At any rate, we have fewer enemies now. The remaining horsemen are getting fewer and fewer. ''Ah!Jashiro! Paula, who had defeated Lucia, found us and shouted. So, why me? It''s Ginette who''s straddling the top. Paula approaches us with her arms rolled up (though she''s wearing short sleeves). It''s getting dark, and you can''t tell who''s who unless you get a little closer. Naturally, visibility is getting worse. ''Mmmmmm!No hard feelings, Jeannette!If we win here, the Yellow team will win the championship! If the yellow team gets 300 points for the win, they will have 3880 points, and if the blue team gets 200 points for the second place, they will have 3830 points, and they will take the lead. That''s why. ''I can''t let you win .......'' Magda suddenly appeared from behind Paula. He crept up noiselessly, then quickly snatched Paula''s headband. ''Aaah! ''...... Don''t feel bad, Paula. If you win here, the Yellow Team will win the championship, so I did my best to interfere.'''' ''Oh my god!We were so close! Paula puffed up her tail and waved her arms around in displeasure. The yellow team is only one rider away. ...... ''Magda, what about the blue group? ''Almost done.'' Magda pointed to where the blue team''s horses were being pinned down by Rebeka and Sophie''s horses and Masha and Loretta''s horses. ''Hey, Sis!The last of the blue group''s horses must be destroyed by our own hands! ''Yes, right, Rebekah!Let''s put an end to the enemy with our sisterly love! ''I won''t let you do that~ That horse is ours to catch~ Loretta, full speed~! ''Let''s go!Hold on tight! The two pairs of white horsemen were charging forward with great enthusiasm. If you look closely, you''ll see that the blue team''s horses are Tracy and Nene''s team. ''What?Nene, Nene!They''re here!There''s a lot of them!Avoid them! ''Well, even if you say so, which way should I run ......? ''Estella-sama, please protect me! Tracy prayed to God, or rather to Estella, on her horse. Her face is suddenly lifted. ''Estella-sama ...... Yes, yes. I want to be as strong and noble as Estella-sama, the lord! Tracy clenches her fists and admires her junior lord. I don''t know if that''s enough, but it seems to have fired her up anyway. ''Nene!Thoroughly defend against the speedy Masha Guild Chief! ''Yes, sir! The White Horsemen were approaching. Eventually, Tracy, who judged the Hewitt sisters'' speed to be a threat, turned to Masha and the others. Turning her back on Rebekah and the others, she seems to have decided to avoid the first attack first. But... ''All hands!Keep going, full speed ahead! ''Huh?Are you ready? ''Yes! ''''Everyone, I''ll do as Masha-san says! ''''Yes!Big sister! Boom!--Masha walked past Tracy at a cartoonish speed. As they passed each other, Masha threw a kiss towards Tracy. ''Huh? ''Huh! Tracy and Nene, standing side by side, have similar faces, but they make different sounds. Tracy looks stunned, and Nene looks as if her instincts are telling her something bad is about to happen. Shortly thereafter. ''I got it! Riveka snatched the headband from behind Tracy. Tracy''s body twisted in an impossible position in surprise, and her salacious ..................... ...Pop it, man!Read the air! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. What are you doing? I''m not sure what to do. What''s that?What? ''I leveled up and my endurance went up''?You''re a jerk! I don''t want that kind of durability! I don''t need that kind of endurance! It''s just a surprise happening and I''m in an impossible position! I don''t need it!I''m not going to let you do this! I don''t get it!I''m not satisfied! ''Yashiro-san. Meh.'' I was pressed on the nape of my neck. Apparently, Jeannette could tell what I - all the boys in this hall - wanted. No Illusion No Life! This is why the tactless people who can''t keep their promises ...... can''t keep their promises. ...... d*mn it, when we''re eating curry after the field day, I hope there''s a sudden illusion without warning. I''m not sure what to say.I don''t know. I''ll get angry. ''I''ll be angry. I''m going to get my whiskers ripped off. If I''m going to push against it, I''d prefer a bigger, heavier bulge. If you say ......, you''ll be taken to the confessional on horseback. You can''t take Inez and the others with you. It''s going to be noisy later. ''...... Yashiro. The blue team is now all dead. The yellow and red groups remain.'' ''Who''s left in the yellow group? ''...... Bekko is ............ dead now.'' Magda pointed to the spot where Bekko had just fallen from his horse. He didn''t fall off his horse. ''What the hell is wrong with you? He was knocked off his horse. ...... scary, those horsemen. Where are they from?I guess there are still people like that out there. I''ll try not to get involved. ''...... Only the two horsemen of the Red Team remain.'' ''I see. What about the white team? ''...... only four riders left.'' So that''s us, Magda and the others, Masha''s and Rebekah''s.'' ''And Barbara? ''...... Molly got her just now. She said something like, ''Wow, that''s scary,'' and made some nonsensical crack about it. What the hell is he doing? ...... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. ''And what about Molly? ''...... lost to Delia.'' Delia is so strong. ...... ''Do you think you can beat her?'' ''...... fine. Magda doesn''t need to win.'' Magda''s ears twitched. ''...... If Yashiro and the manager are still alive, even a draw is a win.'' The white team will win even if they go into the fight with the determination to crush the opponent and even if they have to fight each other. If you are playing against Delia, you should be prepared for that. However, you have ''I''ll win, but'' written on your face. You want to win. You can do what you want. ''But I''m glad. Medora''s not joining us.'' ''...... can''t help it. There are only a few humans who can lift up Medrama. It''s not easy for the yellow group, which is full of waitresses and maidens. In the event that you can carry it, there are not many people who are prepared to run on the battlefield as the legs of ...... Medora. ''...... So, I''m off.'' ''Oh. Good luck, Magda, Umaro and the others.'''' ''Whoa!I never thought I''d get a pep talk from Yashiro-san!I was a little surprised! ''Kindness~......'' ''Hey, Yang Bold, ...... can you stop that creepy thin smile?I''m not sure if you''re joking or not.'' It''s got to be a joke. Or I''ll have you expelled from this city. ''Magda, you''re dealing with Delia. ''...... Hmm. I know.'' Magda nodded her head in understanding at my advice. ''Yes, there''s something you need to be aware of. ''Keep a close eye on Gooziya. ''If she betrays ......, Magda will give her a chastisement in person.'' ''If you do anything to trouble Magda, I''ll kill you socially. ''Hey!You''re all too scary! ''I''m the only one who sees Goozuya. ''Yambold-san is the scariest! I''m worried that Goozuya, who''s madly in love with Delia, will betray her. But Delia isn''t the type to try and manipulate people like that, so she should be fine. If it was Masha or someone like her, it would have been quite dangerous. ''Well, I''m counting on you! ''...... Wish me luck. Magda and the others ran off. They''re going to take out the last of the strongest. And the other pair of horsemen left-- ''...... ladybug,jinette''. --Mily With Flower Arrangement Guild''s sisters (younger than the big sisters). Halfway through the cavalry battle, they finally clash--Ginette vs. Millie! What a lovely matchup! What are you going to do? Are they going to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who wins? Or is it a staring contest?I could watch that matchup forever. But, well, it''s already dark around here. ''Miry. If you want to give up, now''s the time. ''Huh. ......, but if Miry doesn''t do her best, the red team will .......'' ''I don''t want to be rough with Miry. ''Ugh ......, but ......''. I can''t fight with Millie. So, let''s settle this peacefully. There was someone who interfered with my plan. Yes, the old ladies... no, the big ladies. ''Oh, aren''t you pretty, Yashiro? ''Yes, I am. Are you going to waste Miry''s hard work and compassion? ''I''m disappointed. I thought Yashiro-chan was someone who would take good care of Miri-chan! ''''''If you annoy Millie, we won''t understand! Wow, ...... you old ladies, shut up~. ''''In the first place, why are you working with the manager? ''''Right. It''s rare for a man and a woman to team up.'''' ''No, even you Reds have Imelda on the woodcutter''s ...... horse.'' ''She''s special!She''s special! You can''t measure her with normal senses, that young lady. It''s a bit of a problem for the ...... old ladies. It''s not like Imelda''s going out to clean the neighborhood. The waiter will do all the work, and it may not impress the Obaha...... wives who are juggling work and housework. Well, a few words over dinner might change their image. Imelda doesn''t seem like a lady at all. ''So, Yashiro-chan. What we want to ask is, if you were in the red team, would you have teamed up with Milly, of course?--That''s what I mean.'' I''m not sure.I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ''It''s okay, Millie. It''s better to be clear about these things.'' ''Yes. Let''s make it clear.'' ''Oh, my ......, but ......! Millie is glancing at me impatiently. But even if she looks at me like that,...... ''''What about you, Yashiro!In the event that the west side wasn''t split into two, which would you have teamed up with, Millie or the manager?Which one will you choose? I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Gossip is the favorite of wives everywhere, isn''t it? ''Inez, Deborah!Stand down! ''Ah!No, Yashiro!I''m not letting you go! ''''Shut up!Ginette and Milly are in trouble, you know!You can imagine whatever you want and talk whatever you want!I''ll be out of earshot! ''Oh, my!You can imagine whatever you want?Then I think that Yashiro should be a girl who''s a little bit out of it and needs to be protected. That''s why I''ll choose--'' ''I''m sorry!Will you shut up?The next morning it''ll be a proven fact and spread throughout the forty-two districts! ''''Oh, no!I can''t believe it''s the whole forty-two districts! ''It''s all over Broome! ''''Hey! ''''''Oh no, oh no, oh no! You''re so annoying! ''''We''re leaving, Inez, Deborah! ''''I''m interested too. Who will you choose, the manager, Millie, or me?'''' ''Why did you put yourself in! ''I''m curious too. I think it''s okay for me to choose. ''Deborah, has the sun gone down and the stupid girl progressed?What''s with the incoherent speech?'''' ''''Siriketsuketsu?I mean, you''ve suddenly said ass three times.'''' ''''You guys have become quite clumsy in just one day, haven''t you? I''m getting a little worried about whether you''ll be able to do your jobs as usual after you go back to your respective districts! I wonder why everyone in the forty-second district turns out to be so disappointing. ''Wa ga knight! ''Oh, Rebekah! ''You can team up with me if you want! ''Don''t join the conversation from afar!It''s too confusing! But it''s good. If Riveka comes to me, I can dodge the old lady''s verbal assault and make a quick match. Just get Millie''s headband. Rebeka. ''Riveka!It''s a ''pretty match'' against Millie!Sophie, don''t fall behind! ''Rebeka''s cuteness is limitless!There''s no way she''ll fall behind!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. All right, all right. I never said anything about teaming up. Just decide the match. ''You''re Miry, one of the "Four Heavenly Kings of the Forty-two District''s Cute" recognized by my eternal rival Magda! ''Aaah! ''That''s what my eternal rival Magda said! ''I''ll include them all!I mean, there''s an extra one! ''There is no shortage of opponents!Come on, let''s go! ''Aaah! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. Her center of gravity shifts back, her arms lift up to cover her face, and her sides become empty. Someone put his hand into her side and hugged her. ''Wow, Millie, you''re so cute!I''ve always wanted to hold her in my arms...'' It was Masha. Before she knew it, she was close behind Millie and quickly snatched her away. ''Oh, dear!You''re the guild leader of the sea fishermen!Don''t get in the way of our lovely confrontation! ''Haha, I''m sorry~! She was so cute and full of holes! ''Oh, my ......, in this case, Miri ......, what''s ...... going to happen? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to ask for help. When I asked one of them for confirmation, he gave me a short affirmative answer: ''Yes. Now, there was only Delia left! ''Alright!Let''s go to the aid of my eternal rival Magda! ''Ah~, that looks impossible~'' At the point where Masha pointed, a fierce battle was unfolding that could be clearly seen even in the evening darkness. You''ll be able to see it in the dark. ''......''s movements are monotonous. That''s no way to attack Magda. ''......This is how an attack should be done. ''You''re naive!I can see your moves too! They are moving their upper bodies back and forth from side to side, dodging the attacks of their opponents and hitting each other with counters. All the vibrations and recoil of their unusual movements are transmitted to the horses supporting them, and the horses are more exhausted than the two above who are engaged in fierce battle. ''Oh, master ......, be a little softer .......'' ''Don''t talk to me!And don''t waver, you''ll lose your aim! ''''''......(sh, I might die)'''''' I wonder why. I thought I heard the voices of Omero and the rest of the river fishing guild''s horsemen loud and clear. ''''Hahaha!That''s funny, Magda!I could fight you forever!Don''t you want to do the same! ''...... Indeed. But...'' Magda dodged Delia''s thrust with her upper body. It looked like she was going to get up and fight back, but... ''...... This is a team game. Magda clapped her hands as hard as she could in front of Delia. It''s a cat trick! ''Whoa, what the hell? ''...... Umaro.'' ''Good point! For a moment, Delia stepped aside, and Umaro, not Magda, took action. ''Whether it''s a house or a storehouse, the foundation plays the most important role. It is the same with horses! The horse, led by Umaro, takes a large step forward. ''When the structure is supported by three points like this, if you break it down here--'' With that, he pulls himself up to Omero''s flank and brushes off Omero''s legs. In the fraction of a second that the center of gravity has shifted, he kicks the leg that is not on the center of gravity with a ''SPAM! in the fraction of a second that the center of gravity shifts. ''What ......? If it had been a hard hit, Omero would have been able to hold on to his stomach. But I''m sure that Omero didn''t even know that he was touched. It was such a casual but precise blow. I bet he''d be amazingly good at Jenga, Umaro. ''What, you can''t get that part? He must be able to pull off something like that without difficulty. In Umaro''s eyes, it''s easy to see how much force is being applied to the structure and where the play is. Omero''s legs are swept away as if a light breeze were blowing through, and Omero, having lost his support, falls over. One of the three points of the horse''s support collapses, and the horse collapses in an uncontrollable manner. Delia, who had shifted her center of gravity to the rear, rolled off the front side of the horse. ''......What?'' That was the only sound that Delia let out, and the game was won quietly and without a sound. Zudun. ''Ouch!I''m mocked!Adede dada dada!Master, your face!You stepped on my face!My face! It was a very quiet end, except for Omero, who was making a lot of noise under Delia''s feet. ''Hey, ......?Did I lose? Delia was unable to comprehend the situation. However, Delia has both feet firmly on the ground. Well, one of her feet is stepping on Omero''s face. ''...... Delia didn''t lose. Magda''s team just won. ''Team ...... ah!You, Omero! ''No, no, no, no!Wait, wait, wait, wait!No, no, no, no, no, no!I have no idea what''s going on either! ''''Hmmm~ .........'''' Glancing at Umaro, Delia scratched her hair. ''I guess it''s no use with Oumalo as an opponent. He grabbed Omero by the arm and helped him up. She brushes the dust from his shoulders and notices the shoe print on his cheek. ''Omero, what''s with the shoe print on your face? ''That''s because it''s ...... no, it''s nothing. ''Hmm?'' Delia''s face is puzzled. It''s as if she''s not aware of it. ''I can''t help it, you know. You''ll always be like a child. He wiped the shoe print on Omero''s cheek with the back of his fist. She is a very caring sister. Well, Omero looked at me like, "My life will be shortened by three years!" when my fist came close to his face. but.... ''Oh, so the cavalry battle is--'' When Delia noticed and turned around, the waiter raised his arm and announced the end. ''Cavalry, that''s it!The winner is the white team! The White team''s cheering section erupted in excitement. The White team''s cheering section went wild, beating out the other teams. It''s the complete opposite of the pole vault. ''...... I see. So this was Yashiro''s aim. I heard Estella muttering. Like me, the people who heard Estella''s voice turned their gaze to the scoreboard and gasped. The total score, including the cavalry scores, was displayed there: ...... Blue team: 3680 points Yellow team: 3680 points White team: 3680 points Red team: 3680 points All the teams were exactly tied going into the final competition. 404-How to win the final game in episode 59 without ad... ''For the final competition, the winner will receive one million points! ''Are you stupid, are you?'' Estella gives me a cold look. What? Isn''t that what this kind of competition is all about?You''d better get on board, you know. After all the twists and turns, the chaos, and all the other stuff, there''s only one competition left. Now that all the teams are tied with each other in the final competition, each team feels differently. ''We worked so hard in the pole vault. ''The lead in the first half is now empty. ''Then it would have been better if we had only competed in the last event ......, you know...'' Paula and Norma slumped their shoulders and Neffery let out a chuckle. But that''s not true, Nepheli. There is a huge difference in the meaning of a tie between a tie due to various reasons and a tie without any action. As proof of that. ''Alright!I don''t know what it is, but we''re on the top of the list too! ''Hmm. It''s not an exaggeration to say that everything up to this point has been calculated. ''I think it''s an exaggeration, what Lucia just said is indeed an exaggeration. The red team is ''caught up! The tension in the red team is soaring with excitement. The blue group, on the other hand, might be a little nervous. ''Oh, ......, I''m not good enough and the other three teams have caught up with me. I was going to save Estella, but we all ended up in a predicament. ...... But after overcoming this predicament, a true bond was formed and Estella and I ......... ...... ...... Yeah. It may not seem so serious. There''s only one other lord who seems very happy. ''Estella. A true bond--'' ''Please don''t say it. I''m trying to pretend I didn''t hear you.'' Estella went into a state of selflessness ...... No, it''s an escape from reality, that''s what it is. ''Oh no, not at all. Estella sighs loudly as she comes back to reality from her escape. She looks like she wants to tell me something. ''So, in the end, everything went as you wanted. She makes a difficult face and puffs out her cheeks a little. He pouts his lips and pouts. What''s with that face? I''ll post it on social media as a picture of a failed kiss. I''m sure you''d get a lot of ''likes'' from enthusiasts. ''What do you mean, just like you wanted? ''In hindsight, it seems strange that you''d back down after one mistake. It''s always a strange strategy, but if it was the usual Yashiro--yes, the fact that Yashiro made such a plan full of holes is in itself a bundle of discomfort. I don''t know why I didn''t notice that. ......'' In the middle of the conversation, your thoughts change, and you break off your words without any coherency and groan ''muaa'' with your head. You''re an interesting creature, aren''t you? Anyway, the white team was getting excited in the afternoon, and they were about to make a comeback when they made a huge blunder, so I thought to myself, ''Oh, even Yashiro would be embarrassed if he failed. ...... ...... Ah, I failed. ......'' You''re the one who''s depressed because you failed. I mean, you don''t have to be so depressed. ...... That''s why I believed it. I''m sure you''ve seen the internal collapse of the White Team,......, but I didn''t think it was a part of the plan until then. I''m feeling strangely goofy. I can''t say what I want to say. But I can''t help but say it. But it''s hard to say. You can see that kind of vague conflict. ''After all, we''re about to play stickball, and the enemy is so powerful that we''re in trouble.How can you plan a strategy that includes the next competition?You''re too cynical, you know that? You''re too cynical. You''re not willing to put your all into what''s in front of you. That''s why you''re misunderstood in so many ways. You need to rethink that, you know! I was being completely petulant. However, I didn''t feel any anger in his tone, and his frustration was almost gone, all I could feel was impatience. What I wanted to say was nothing like that, but the more I said, the more impatient I was that the conversation was going in a different direction from my intention. Hey, hey. I know what you''re trying to say. d*mn. We''re both twisted, aren''t we? ''Estella. ''What? ''It''s okay. ''............'' He''s a worrier after all. No matter how much you nail him at the opening ceremony, no matter how much you deny it with words, it''s very difficult to calm down people''s hearts once they''re excited. So to speak, Estella is in that state now. If you think about it calmly, you can understand that it''s the best thing to do, but the feelings that come up don''t go away. The feelings that have risen will not subside. If you don''t let them out in words, they''ll stay stuck in your chest, suffocating you. "I was so worried about you, but it was all for nothing, wasn''t it? There''s no benefit in saying that. Not for me, not for Estella. Estella doesn''t want to blame me. Not out of desperation. She doesn''t want me to feel sorry for myself. But once it''s up there, it''ll keep smoldering if you don''t do something about it. Letting it out is easy. Swallowing it is extremely difficult. That''s why we tend to spit it out. Even when we know we''re being presumptuous. Even if you hate yourself for being presumptuous. Even though we understand that doing so will not make the situation better. You can''t help but let out the feelings that come up. Unless there''s something that calms those feelings down. So, I don''t want to say anything special because it''s nothing to thank or apologize for, but at least a word would be nice. I look Estella in the face and tell her in words. ''I know exactly what you mean. ''............ She turns away, looks down, kicks the dirt, and looks up. ''Then fine.'' Estella''s face, as she looked at me, was smiling serenely. After all, Estella was worried about my safety. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it to buy a new car or truck. The white team could not afford to lose if such people were quietly aiming for the victory. Even though Estella understood this, she could not cooperate with me as the tournament chairperson or the blue team leader. That would be an act that could be considered as a kind of "hundred-fold cheating," and that act would be a severe affront to sportsmanship. If we do that, this ward sports festival will lose its meaning. It will lose its meaning. It would be a betrayal of all those who participated. ''Why are you trying so hard when the winner has been decided from the start, you idiot?'' That''s what it would look like even if you didn''t mean it. That''s why Estella fired me up. You can''t win if you keep dragging others down. You have to think more seriously about how to win fair and square. Well, that''s just Estella''s opinion, and whether you can win if you fight fair and don''t pull others'' legs is another story, but anyway, Estella wanted to tell me to ''do my best'' in her own way. It''s a fine line whether it''s a pep talk or a pep talk, and I guess she decided that it was better to do it that way this time. He aimed to inspire me by confronting me with the harsh reality... Well, that ''harsh reality'' was a fiction that I created on purpose in the first place, which is why Estella is pouting and complaining here. Anyway, ''Pull yourself together! I guess she wanted to slap me on the ass. He would have gently leaned on me when I was depressed and offered words of comfort. He could have chosen to do that, but he couldn''t because of his position or the eyes of the world. Oh, no, not at all. ''Estella is a real tsundere, isn''t she? ''Who?...... is not a dere. It''s really frightening that ''forced translation magic'' ...... can be understood as normal. Anyway... Estella is putting all her energy into the field day. She''s not going to cut me any slack. But secretly, she''s rooting for me. I hope you win. At ......, well. The result of these mixed emotions is that this clumsy guy is much harder on me than he should be. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.I have to be normal. ...... What is normal? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you. ...... You''re so clumsy. I''m not sure what to say. Estella thrusts her finger at me, as if to clear the smoldering vexation in her stomach. In fact, I was a little bit reserved, but if I hadn''t been, I would have been even more dominant, and whether consciously or unconsciously, I probably cut corners--'' I think I''ve been cutting corners, consciously or unconsciously. ''Now I can beat you without a care in the world! I don''t know how to react to that. I''m embarrassed when you hide your embarrassment like that, so can you please stop? No, well, it''s fine if you try to beat me, isn''t it? But... If you still think you can beat me at this point in time, you''ll never be able to win. Hey, Estella. Haven''t you noticed? You''ve already been poisoned by me. ''Estella. It''s late. Even though it''s the last competition, there''s still the closing ceremony. Let''s just get it over with.'' ''Yeah. Yes, we should. Besides, I can''t wait for Ginette''s dinner. Estella''s stomach rumbled and she ran to her army. You look so refreshed. I''m not that much of a character to be worried about. I wonder if Jeannette''s worrying nature is contagious, that guy. ''Mr. Cometsky. ''I hope I have met your expectations as much as possible, what do you think? ''Oh, Inez, Deborah. Don''t worry, it''s fine. ''That''s good to hear. ''So you''ve done the minimum amount of preparation, is that correct?'' ''No, that''s not it, Deborah. There is no minimum. ''It''s great. I''m so glad you''re on my side. I can''t complain.'' With Inez and Deborah at the helm and Mokoka and Nikka running around, we''re right on time. The duo of Magda and Loretta are also good at this kind of trick, but it is difficult for them to be so ideal. ''I didn''t think you''d get such a great response from .......'' ''I''m a little surprised ......''. ''No, seriously, it''s great this time. These guys casually moved the other white players to adjust the scores in the pole vault and cavalry. If the number of pole vaulting had been different, or if the ranking of the cavalry had been different, we would not have been able to reach this result. ''You guys are the best.'' ''Deborah, .......'' ''Inez, ......'' ''''I''m going to be a child here! ''''No, go back to your wards.'''' I can''t afford to hire two head waiters. I can''t take it anymore. This smart head waiter not only kept score but also adjusted the time perfectly. The length of the play "Operation Obayashi Exclusion" after the stick-pulling, and the cavalry battle that seemed to be sluggishly running around, were all within the controlled time. However, I was expecting a margin of about 20 to 30 minutes because there would be many uncertainties, but the current error is only five minutes. It''s really exquisite. Not too early, not too late. I don''t think the special information that Loretta brought is wrong. I checked Loretta''s face to make sure, and she nodded her head with great confidence. There was no mistake. ''All the selected players, please gather at the entrance gate. The last call of the day was made. The last event of the day was the highlight of the field day, the ''Athlete Selection Relay''. Ten athletes from each team will be selected and the representatives will run down the track to win the championship. The selected athletes will run as fast as they can, while the rest of us will cheer them on with all our remaining strength. This is the reason why the team works as one to give it their all, give it their all, and give it their all. There is a drama in the relay for the selection of athletes. I am sure that the 42nd district, where the relay will be held for the first time, will be no exception. Today. There will be drama later. It will happen. ''Everyone!Please do your best! Ginette was waving loudly at the white team. It seemed that the cooking was temporarily suspended. Or rather, it seemed that the preparation had been almost finished during the stick-pulling, and now the church matron and waiters were checking the heat and other things. How skillful. So efficient. I wonder why his basic attribute is "dull", Ginette. The white team''s selections were Magda, Loretta, Inez, Deborah, Barbara, Mokoka, Nikka, Rebecca, Sophie, and for some reason, me. ''I didn''t expect to see Yashiro. ''Wouldn''t it have been better to show Loretta''s sisters? At the entrance gate, Norma and Paula call out to me. Again, to ensure fairness, each team was limited to three Hewitt siblings. All three teams except the white team have exactly three hamsters in their team. We, on the other hand, are... ''......'' is the strongest member of the white team. Unfortunately, there was no room for the hamsters. Magda was right, there were no Ham kids. ''Besides, Loretta said, "If you have an eldest daughter, you can more than make up for the three younger siblings. ''You''re right, big brother!If you have me, you''ll have enough for three younger siblings. ...... I didn''t say ''poyo~n''!I''m going to have to stop making things up! ''...... Stop it, Poyo~n.'' It''s a bit of a fad in our house, you know, the game between big brother and Magda-chan! The Hewitt family''s eldest daughter, Loretta, is here, so the white team doesn''t need ham siblings--they''ll get upset if you tell them that. ...... Well, ......, Loretta alone is enough. Yeah. Yes, yes. Enough is enough. ''I''m full of myself with Loretta. ''Did he say something bad about me?You''re probably just going in the right direction, but everything else is wrong, you know! Hmm. That''s probably about it. Very perceptive, Loretta. ''Mr. Kometsky, ...... it''s about time. ''Oh, yes. All right!Let''s not waste time talking, let''s start the competition! ''It''s you guys, you''ve been playing ...... a lot. Let''s go! With Estella''s words, all the athletes move into the track. In this relay, age, gender, and race are all lumped together, so the length of the run cannot be adjusted by them. The conditions are the same for everyone. It is up to each team to decide how many runners to place. To avoid the monotony of the race, the distances are slightly different. The first runner runs one lap around the track, the second runner runs half a lap, the third runner runs the remaining half lap, and the fourth runner runs another lap. In this way, the first, fourth, seventh and anchor run a lap, while the second, third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth runners run half a lap each. Naturally, we want the fastest runners to run longer distances, but we also have to consider stamina. Moreover, in a relay race, troubles in the passing of the baton can cause a large drop in the ranking. It is also important to take into account the compatibility of the runners in front and behind. --In this way, there is a lot of room for maneuvering. Well, it seems that all three teams except the white team have placed their hamsters in the fourth, seventh and tenth week, which are the longest distances. So, why didn''t all three teams place Hamucko as the first runner? ...... ''Hmmm ...... I''ll bury you in person, anchovy''. ''It seems that you are destined to be defeated by me. Because I announced in advance that I would be the first to run. I thought I''d catch Estella, but I didn''t expect to catch Lucia too. ''Lucia, and Estella. ...... Good!You can concentrate on the milk without distractions! What do you mean by that? That''s what I meant. If it was the same race as Delia and Norma again, I would have burst into tears. ''''Well, that''s too bad, darling. A small hill appeared through the shaking lords. No, not a hill, a medora. ''Oh, my, my, my, my, it shakes! ''Wow, what''s that, my eyes are watering ......, Medora''s tsundere is hitting my eyes. I''d like to claim compensation if I lose my eyesight. At least for the cost of the glasses. I''m not sure what you mean by that. What were you thinking when you made Medora-sized bloomers?Who are you expecting to wear them? I''ll explain to you next time that you don''t have to make them for all people. There were a few people on each team who wanted to compete with me in every way, so I figured that if I said I''d be in the first race, they''d put the hamsters in the fourth and later races. Otherwise, who would participate in such a relay full of beastmen? Even if they weren''t beastmen, there are many superhumans like Estella and Natalia. But if I can bring victory to the white team by participating, I''ll be happy to do so. It''s getting dark, so it might be hard to see the shaking from the battlefield seats. ...... While I''m thinking about it, the two lords and the head of the hunting guild keep coming at me and putting pressure on me. ''I mean, all of you, don''t stand near me. It makes me look like I have short legs.'' Estella and Lucia, why do they have such long legs? Medora''s not long, she''s huge. ''It''s not like, is it, hmm?The anchovy?Here, here.'' ''Don''t you dare show your thighs to the ladies, I''ll stroke them. You''re a pervert!Are you a pervert? ''I didn''t say that!I said I''ll stroke them. ''Yashiro. But that doesn''t change the fact that you''re a pervert. You should be aware of that. ''Darling, hooray, hooray~'' ''What is it, my eyes are watering~'' Maybe it''s the smoke from the bonfire. I''m gonna charge you for LASIK. If you lose your eyesight. ''So, first runner, please take your positions. We stand at the starting line, grasping our wooden batons made by Torbeck Engineering, handpicked by the Lumberjack Guild. --Time is just right. ''Well, ......''. He licks his lips. I lick my lips like a viper confidently watching its prey''s fate. I told you, didn''t I? I told you my venom was ''slow-acting. ''Get in position, yeah! --Boom! The race is on. There''s no turning back now. I can''t help but feel my cheeks relax. We''re ...... going to win! ''What''s the matter, Yashiro?Is that the best you can do? ''Hmm!If you can keep up with my speed, you can keep up with me, anchovy! ''Darling!Come at me with all your might! The rivals are moving ahead. Aside from Lucia, Estella and Medora are seriously fast. It can''t be helped. ...... ''All right, I''ll get you! I smiled like a couple who went to the beach to celebrate their three month anniversary and ran like a skip. ''Wait, wait, wait~!My little kitten~! As he was running with a happy laugh, Medora slowed down. I could see it in his eyes. ''Ts, catch me, darling! ''Alright!Wait, wait, wait!Ha-ha-ha. ''Come on, this way!Mmm-hmm. The slow-motion calm of the air slowed down Medora''s speed. Until it''s exactly the same as my speed as I''m jokingly running. ''What ...... is that? ''Why don''t you take this seriously, anchovy! ''What the~, Lucia~!I''m mad at you! I''ll get you! ''Hmph!Who are you to catch me?If I can catch you... I''ll catch you! ''Even Lucia-san? You don''t understand, Estella. Lucia, in spite of her appearance, loves the sticky stuff. If there''s a chance, and if she sees someone else doing it before her, of course she''ll want to try it! ''Wait, wait, wait!'', ''I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it! That''s eating. And when everyone else is doing the same thing and looking happy, it makes you feel lonely and alienated. ...... Estella. ''I''m also ...... trying to catch you...'' So, as the three people ahead of me changed to a light skipping style of running, saying ''hahaha, ugh'' - I just started running as fast as I could. ''Well, after you! ''What?Anchovy! ''Hey, Yashiro! ''Darling!Wait for me! Ha-ha-ha! That''s too bad!Today''s lie is not subject to the ''Judgment of the Spirits''! ''I''ll catch you~'' even if you don''t catch me, I won''t be turned into a frog! ''You guys are too used to the "Judgment of the Spirits"!Liars get more than the good guys!You''d do well to remember that! ''I''m not going to let that happen! ''Estella is right!If the world is filled with liars, this city is doomed! ''Darling, if you''re too naughty, I''ll punish you! I don''t care what the three fools who got suckered in are screaming about. I''ll keep my lead and pass the baton to the second runner: ...... ''''Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!''''''Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! ''''Scary, scary, scary!I''m so scared that I can''t even jokingly say, ''''Please catch me! If you catch me, I''ll die! I felt my life was in danger and kicked the ground as hard as I could. But I came in fourth. ''d*mn it!They''re too fast! I handed the baton to Nikka and breathed over my shoulder. ''You''re ...... acting unsportsmanlike until the very end. ''Now you''re going to tell me the meaning of the word fair and square, anchovy. ''Oh, I don''t mind if you stay over. ''If you stay over and listen to me talk like that, you''ll be cleansed by the morning sun the next day. ''Is your body a mass of evil thoughts or something? You guys are always complaining about me, but you were in the car too, weren''t you? ''Catch me if you can''. You were having fun, right?Confess! ''If you look closely, there''s a bunch of guys who''ve never had a boyfriend before. ''Shut up!Lords are supposed to be discreet about such things.'' ''That''s right. There''s no way you can have such a relationship with someone other than the one you''ve decided on. ''I''m saving it for you, darling. ''Haha. The field day magic doesn''t seem to have any effect on me. I wonder where the line is drawn between those who can easily get a girlfriend and those who can''t. ''Well, let''s go back to the cheering section. The cheering section is the waiting line for the players inside the track. After finishing the race, the runners go to the back of the queue. ''Anchovy. ''Hmm?'' Lucia called out from next to me as I sat down behind the anchor. ''There''s a port in District Thirty-Five. ''I know it.'' ''There''s also a white sandy beach a little further down the road.'' ''Really? That''s new.'' ''There''s a sandy beach at .......'' ''No, I''ve just heard that. ''............ has waves crashing on it.'' ''That''s because it''s a beach. ''.................. zap.'' ''What the hell? Lucia is crazy. No, she''s crazy from the start, but... What the hell are you trying to say?When I was thinking about ......, I got slapped on the shoulder. What is it?And when I looked at him, he turned away. What''s the matter with you? While I was puzzled by Lucia''s mysterious behavior, the fourth runner of the red team started to stand by. ''This is the last and greatest show of the day! Hammaro barked, raising his arms high in the air. Yes, yes. I wonder if the perverted lord next door is going to make a fuss about ''Muhaha, Hammaro is cute! I''m sure the next perverted lord will make a fuss about it,......, and when I looked into Lucia''s face,......, she was staring at me like crazy. What is it?What did I do? ''It''s Hammaro''s turn. I''m not sure what you''re talking about.You''ll lose! ''What''s that? Finally, the usual Lucia returned. ...... I can''t help but be concerned that this is the ''usual'' state of affairs, though. And so, one by one, the hamsters - the fourth runner - stand by. The baton has been passed to the third runner, who will soon be back in front of us. ''Now, I''ll show you why I''m the eldest daughter of the eldest daughter! Clenching her fists, Loretta stands at the starting position with a confident look on her face. The four Hewitt siblings. Except for Loretta, they''re all puny, seven- to nine-year-old hamsters. As evidenced by the "Let''s get some ham! As proved in "Let''s get a Ham!", Loretta is no match for Ham kids of that age in a head-to-head competition. But here and now, the poison that I--we--have planted will come into play. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. I''ll take care of it. Millie was the first to pass the baton to the fourth runner. Then, the yellow and blue groups pass the baton to the hamsters without pause. And then, all the Ham kids ran at once. ''''''What? After receiving the baton, the hamsters'' movements became sluggish at once. Their bodies start to sway a little. ''''Oh, dear!I''m a little behind!We''ll make up for it! Finally, after a delay of about two seconds, the baton is passed from Rebecca to Loretta. And then, with a crisp expression on her face, Loretta told her the true nature of this phenomenon - the poison we had planted in her body - and started running. In the event that you''ve got any questions, you''ll be able to contact us at our website. As if to prove his words, Hammaro and the other two hamsters simultaneously fell to the ground and began to breathe in their sleep. ''The supreme, slumbering, ...... mnya-mnya'' ''Oooohhh!I want to hug you because you''re so cute, but you have to stand up and run, Hammarotan!I''m not sure what to do. The perverted lord next to me is shouting something selfish, but I''ll just ignore him. ''Hahahaha!As the eldest daughter, I can still be active at this hour!I''m not like my children!I can distribute my physical strength!I''m a grown woman!Because I''m the eldest, Bicoz! Despite falling behind Hammaro, the Hewitt bloodline was not to be denied, and Loretta quickly rounded the track and passed the baton to Sophie, the fifth runner. ''Wake up!Everyone!We''re still in the race! ''I''ll wake up!You''ll catch a cold if you sleep here! ''Hey, guys!You haven''t even eaten yet!Just try a little harder today! Estella, Norma, Delia. I''m usually the big sister who takes care of the kids, but my voice doesn''t reach the children who have fallen asleep. Children who fall asleep never wake up. No matter if it''s a toy, candy, or a fun event they''ve been looking forward to! ''Hey ......, what should I do about this?'' ''Hmm~...... abstain, maybe?'' ''That''s not possible, is it? ''But, you see, the other hamsters are asleep too. Paula and Nepheli looked at the seventh runner and anchor and let out a chuckle. ''Well, why don''t we hurry up and get a replacement runner now? ''Yashiro ......, you can only do that when the white team is sure to win .......'' ''Eh, what?So you want to start over? ''You know you don''t have time for that,............ Paula, Delia.'' ''I''m fine with substitute running! ''I''m fine with that too, let''s get this competition over with!I''m so hungry, I can''t take it anymore!I want to eat something sweet. ''...... Magda has no objection.'' ''Well, I''m sure Magda has no objection. ...... At all!Then the team leader should immediately select a substitute runner and resume the race! ''Yes! ''Yes! Estella, Paula, and Delia ran to the cheering section and pulled the three runners to replace Hammy. And while they were doing that, the white team passed the baton to Magda, who was the anchor, and won the race by a landslide. It seemed as if they were going to be criticized, but ''Ha-ha-ha!I can''t help it, the Ham kids. ''They''re just kids, they can''t help it. ''But their sleeping faces are so cute! ''You knew about Yashiro, didn''t you? ''He''s a hell of a guy. ''But he''s Yashiro...'' ''Ah, it''s my loss that I couldn''t see through him. ''That''s not important, I''m hungry! ''Something smells really good! ''I know!Isn''t that the curry from the Sunlit Pavilion? ''Can we eat it? ''I''m looking forward to it! ''I don''t care who wins, just hurry up and get it over with! ''''Meshi! ''''''MESHI!'''''' --and, something like that, I was able to accept it rather easily. After all, the forty-two wards are just like that. I guess it''s just a matter of having fun. --I guess that''s the idea. Basically. The ward''s field day, which took until nightfall, was really lively and really ridiculous, and all the competitions were finally over. Ah, I''m tired. 405-No additions to Episode 60 Closing Ceremony ''The championship flag is awarded! Under the darkened sky, the players are all lined up on the ground lit by bonfires. The championship flag, created with the cooperation of all the guilds in the forty-two districts, was now being handed over from Estella, the tournament chairperson, to Magda, the leader of the winning white team. To liven up the atmosphere, the waiters are playing musical instruments. I didn''t know they even had to practice that. Estella was really into it, wasn''t she? Thanks to her, the awarding of the championship flag was given a special touch. A very solemn sight indeed. ''Well then, let''s hear a few words from the leader of the winning white team. But we''re running out of time, so keep it short. ''...... Yes, sir.'' Magda stood on the stage with a large championship flag and addressed the players. He slowly looks around at the players and then quietly opens his mouth. ''...... This victory is the result of the white team''s united effort. There may be many thoughts and feelings, but all the players worked very hard. If there were any shortcomings, it was the responsibility of Magda, the team leader. Please do not blame the athletes. This athletic meet was not run in an honest manner. As a result of everyone doing as they please, there will be more than a few people who will be dissatisfied. Magda shows her consideration for such people. The feeling of being ''disrespected'' is diminished when it is expressed in words like this. A little bit of frustration can be swallowed by itself. ''...... If you have a complaint, please tell it to Magda. ''If you have a problem with Magda, I''ll listen to everything you have to say instead! ''...... So, if you have any complaints about Magda, please ask Umaro--who worked so hard this time--to tell Goozuya. ''I''ve got a killer pass! ''If that''s the case, Goozuya, we''ll talk later. ''Give me your face, Goozuya. ''Goozuya, you''re terrible.'' ''There are so many people who are amused! The crowd erupted in laughter as the villagers teased Goozuya. Despite their exhausted bodies, everyone is smiling. A little frustration is sublimated into pleasant memories in this way. ''...... You may have your own thoughts. But Magda had a great time at the field day. At the sound of Magda''s quiet voice, the crowd closes its mouth. You can see that everyone sympathizes with Magda, even if they don''t say it in words. Yeah, that''s right. It was ridiculous, and I was really tired, but it was a lot of fun. ''...... The victory of the white team was due to the efforts of the players. The success of the field day was achieved by the united efforts of everyone here. It was only with the cooperation of everyone. Magda is convinced that it was a success won by everyone. The crowd erupted in cheers. There was only one team that won, but the credit for the success went to all the teams, and everyone in the room, not just the players. It''s honestly nice to be recognized for that. In some cases, the words may be more valuable than the victory. ''...... Magda is truly proud of the people of District Forty-two and the people here. Magda, who usually doesn''t show her emotions, spoke passionately, and the sound of sniffling could be heard from inside the hall. It seemed to have hit the tear glands of an emotional person. Taking a deep breath, Magda says clearly. ''...... Magda loves the Forty-Two Wards. A round of applause erupted with cheers. After a few moments of applause and cheers, Magda speaks her last words. ''...... is my closing remarks. ''That''s my job, don''t take it!Well, most of what I wanted to say has been said! Next to me, Estella made a huge lunge. The whole place is engulfed in a wave of laughter. It''s already night, but the people in this town don''t seem to be tired. I''m already starving. ''And now, the closing remarks by the conference chairperson. ''Estella~, you can use the same sentence~'' ''Shut up, Yashiro!I''ll do it right!It''s a memorable first tournament! If it''s the first one, then I guess they''re planning to hold it next year too. I''ll resign as a member of the organizing committee, I guess. Also, let''s ban guests from other districts. ...... Oh, you have to be a member of the committee to get that kind of input. ...... So frustrating! ''Ehh, guys, thanks for all your hard work.'' Estella''s greeting begins on the stage where Magda has stepped down. But it was a ''smart lord'' kind of greeting, so I let it slide. It was something along the lines of, ''You''re all amazing, I''m so impressed, you''re all so wonderful! ''I hereby declare the closing of the First 42nd Ward Citizens'' Sports Festival! The declaration of the closing was made, and the whole hall burst into applause. Ah ...... it''s finally over. It''s been a long time. ...... My mind and body are exhausted. ''''Well then, it''s time for the long awaited dinner! ''''''Oooohhhh!'''''' ''''''Today''s dinner was prepared with the full cooperation of the Sundaari Pavilion. After Natalia''s explanation, Ginette bows her head. The crowd applauded Ginette. The stalls that had been in full operation since this morning were all sold out, out of stock, and rattled. There was no more food on this ground, far from the main street. The hungry beast looked expectantly at the cauldron that had been smelling good for a long time. ''We''ve prepared curry and taro stew today. There will be plenty of refills, so please eat your fill, everyone. ''''''Oooohhhh! ''''What is ''Imoni''? ''''Imoni is the base of seasoning...'''' As Jeannette explained the basic concept of sweet potato stew, a chorus of hungry people could be heard from all over the hall. Just by listening to the explanation of what flavor is used as the base and what kind of meat is used, my stomach started to drip digestive juices. It''s been a while since I''ve had one of these. I''m looking forward to seeing how Ginette''s potato stew will turn out. ''''We''re bringing in a lot of sake! ''''''Yaaaaaaaaaah! Paula and Paula''s father are holding a huge barrel of sake. The tension of the drinkers is surpassing the limit at once. After all, it''s good to drink after exercising, right? ''Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse us while we''re having a good time. Assunto raises his voice. He stands in front of a large cart covered with a cloth, and rolls up the cloth when the eyes of the crowd gather. ''I have received a gift from one of the guests of honor, who has asked me to bring it to you. Please enjoy it. In the back of the truck was a pile of colorful fruits, and the girls'' eyes lit up. It was not a gift, but rather a request to Assunto to prepare it for us. Guest of honor: ...... ''Is it okay for adults to eat that? ''Of course, sir.'' ''Then you''re not Javier. ''What do you mean, Yashiro?I had a little bit too! According to him, the nobles who were watching the game from the guest seats gave a little to each other. A little bit is still a lot of money. It must have been a considerable expense. Incidentally, Donis is said to have been the one who initiated the idea, and when Donis said, ''I want to reward them for their hard work,'' Mahr agreed, saying, ''That''s a wonderful idea. Ah, that''s why Donnis is lying on the guest seat instead of coming over here, even though he was the one who started it. Must''ve been too much stress on his heart. Don''t fall asleep over a compliment. ...... Are you the kind of junior high school boy who can spend a whole day feeling happy just because you passed by the girl you like? It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you. The waiters are running around, serving food and assigning places to eat. They are doing a great job, and so far there is no confusion. ''Ladies and gentlemen, it''s dark in the hall, so please try to eat by the bonfire or by Wendy''s side. ''Natalia, that''s not a good idea! After the sun went down, Shining Wendy continued to make her presence felt. She looks troubled as she is swarmed by kids. But it''s dark. ...... ''Hey, Imelda. ''What is it?'' ''Oh, no. No.'' I was thinking we could have a campfire, but this ground is at the eastern end of the Forty-Two. I can''t really ask you to go back to the Lumberjacks Guild District Forty-two branch, which is located at the western end of the district except for the swampy area, and bring firewood for the campfire. The lumberjacks are probably tired after having a field day all day. The length of firewood for a campfire of this scale would be 100cm or 120cm or something like that. ''Yes, yes. Before the stick-pulling started, I sent some of my men who were free to get firewood, so they should be back soon. ''What, firewood from ......? ''Yes. In the forest outside, we keep a fire going to keep us warm during the night. If you arrange the wood in the shape of a well, it will burn for less time, but it will make a big fire, so I thought it would be perfect for this place. That''s a campfire right there. He made that suggestion on his own. ...... ''And I was sure that in a situation like this, you would make such a request, Yashiro-san. ''Do I look like a nice, thoughtful guy to you? ''Oh?Isn''t that what you were trying to tell me earlier? ''......''. This guy, isn''t he getting pretty spunky? Is becoming a branch manager supposed to be a heavy responsibility that makes you grow up so rapidly? It''s frightening. The future of this guy. ...... I''m afraid she''s going to turn into one, Imelda. As I was thinking about this, the woodcutter came back with a huge cart full of firewood. These were the lumberjacks who hadn''t participated in the competition after the stick pull. Some of them may have wanted to spectate,......, but I guess they''d be happy to do so if it meant the death of their beloved Lady Imelda. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. I hope they don''t lose their leadership after Imelda''s marriage. ...... ''Thank you for your utmost consideration. ''Oh, as the end of the steering committee. ''Oh?I thought you were sitting at the top.'' ''The top seat is occupied by Estella, the chairman of the convention committee. ''Well, that''s quite an airy committee you have there. ''Because it''s unobstructed. ''Yes, it''s a vaulted bust.'' ''Whose breasts are blowholes! An arm reached out from behind Imelda and pinched her cheeks from both sides. ''Efefahyan, what are you doing? ''What are you doing? Estella is pouting and angry. ''But I have a flat bust that''s more susceptible to wind resistance than most!It''s not streamlined! --and it would be funny if you said. ''Yashiro. Can you put into words exactly what''s going through your head right now, word for word? ''Then, first of all, put that noisy blade away in your pocket. You had a knife hidden in your gym clothes? You''re a very dangerous person. ''Oh, that''s right. Actually, I have a favor to ask Imelda...'' ''If it''s firewood, it''s just arrived. ''Oh!Thanks a lot!Did Jashiro tell you to do that? ''Estella. If you don''t change your mind right now, you''ll lose the cavalry battle next year. Like me, Estella is also underestimating Imelda''s growth rate. The head of an organization who can act two or three moves ahead of time will continue to develop his talent at an accelerated rate once he starts to grow. I''d like to be on the same team as Imelda next year. It''ll be easier. ''Mr. Hero''. As I was imagining a year from now, with Estella being so optimistic and Imelda starting to show glimpses of a big name, Theron suddenly called out to me. When I turned around, I was so dazzled. ''What, did my wife infect you? ''No, sir. Also, Wendy''s luminescence isn''t caused by any bacteria. ......'' ''''Then what is it?Did you rub against your wife so much that the light powder adhered to your entire body?I can''t even see the outline of your face because of the glare, but I''m going to hit you with goo?'''' ''''Wait, hero-sama!It''s a brick of light!'''' When told to do so, I scrutinized his eyes and saw that Theron was holding a rather large wooden box containing a large number of bricks that emitted a dazzling light. ''I say bricks, but this is a product that can stand on its own and be used as a torch at night. When I picked it up, I saw that it was flat at one end, and it certainly seemed to stand on its own. It also has a hook on the top to hang it from, so it can be used indoors or outdoors as a light instead of a lamp. ''Wendy told me that it was dangerous for young children to be near the flames. I hurried back to get them before the cavalcade started.'' ''And you didn''t take Wendy with you? ''Wendy, as you can see, is very popular with the children. Theron looked at Wendy, who was glowing like a super fighter, smiling. It''s true that the kids are flocking to her, but it''s not that she''s popular, it''s that she''s a rarity. ...... Well, if it looks good, I won''t bother denying it. ''I''m just a little tired. I can''t believe I had to make Wendy pull such a heavy cart all the time. ...... I''m going to work out more! ''No, the racial difference is so great that you''ll have to work very hard to reverse it. Even that small and cute Millie is several times more powerful than us. If Wendy has always been able to pull the cart that you''ve been pulling with a lot of effort, it just means that the division of labor was done correctly. ''Well, I hope you''ll make that kind of effort, the head of the family. ''Yes, you''re right. It''s not the result, but the fact that you are willing to make such an effort and put it into practice that leads to a relationship of trust, isn''t it? Imelda and Estella are saying horrible things. You know what? If you''re expected to be at the level of a lumberjack or a waiter, your potential husband will run away barefoot on the first day of marriage. I can''t do it. I wouldn''t have the muscle of a lumberjack or the strength of Natalia to surpass human standards. That''s not a level humans can reach. ...... No, wait, they''re all humans who''ve reached that level through hard work. I heard that the lumberjacks are about half beast and half human. They''re all monsters. These monster-like lumberjacks quickly and easily assembled the huge firewood. It''s the kind of hard work that would take an hour if you were to prepare it normally,......, but they did it in a matter of minutes. The flames were quickly ignited, and in the blink of an eye, the darkness of the night was bathed in a glowing red light. The flames rose in the center of the ground, and the glowing bricks of the cellon were arranged at even intervals at a sufficient distance from the campfire. ''Holy shit, it''s bright. The ground was filled with so much light that it was hard to believe it was night. Even so, the sky was pitch black, and the atmosphere was somewhat mysterious. ''Mr. Yashiro~!I''ve hurriedly carved up a statue of the Hero of Light (candle version) to see if I can help in any way, that I have! ''Alright, let''s drop some fuel on the campfire, yeah! ''The fruit of my efforts...? Hmm. I bet you carved it in a few minutes anyway. If Jeannette finds it, she''ll be begging for it for the next three days! We''ll burn it before that happens, you know. ''Dah-ling! When you see this image through the medora running toward you, the illusory flames appear to be the fires of hell. This is called an optical illusion. ...... I won''t say it. ''My treasured meat has just arrived. ''Do you want some? ''Hahaha!My young man is very enthusiastic. You went back to the 41st district, prepared a large amount of meat, and came back with that large amount of meat on a cart, pulling it all the way back? In such a short time. It''s reckless to go up against a beastman tribe. I don''t know how you managed to get such a good match, ward athletic meet. ''I''ve given all the Hexenbiest meat to Estella''s head waiter, so he should be able to handle it. ''I see. Thanks for that. ''You know what? It''s just something I wanted to do on my own. It''s my way of thanking you for letting me be a part of your fun field day.'' ''A fun field day, huh? ''Certainly, Medora''s participation added a lot of thrills. ''Ha-ha-ha!I''ll take that as a compliment. ''Oh. It''s a great compliment.'''' Medora laughs gaily. Medora Rossel, the big boss of the hunting guild that even the nobles fear. How can you be so easygoing with such a big guy? ''And one more thing. ''Hmm, what''s that? ''Thank you.'' He didn''t say what, just thanked him. That seemed to be enough for Medora, and she showed a shy, girlish face, far removed from the public image. ''Well, ...... that''s ............ something to look forward to in the future... ...right? I''m not sure what to make of that. The situation of training with me for two days and one night in the woods outside. It''s not uncommon for people to shy away from something they''ve always wanted when it suddenly appears in front of them. But this time, I''m sure he was paying attention to me. Inspired by Lucia''s comment, "I''m going to be Hammaro''s wife! She may have been inspired by Lucia''s "I''m going to be Hammarotan''s wife! That is why he voluntarily destroyed the opportunity. When someone does such a graceful thing, our conscience, which should not be there, tingles slightly, very slightly, within an unmeasurable level, as if to say, ''It''s not like I really disliked it that much. So. ''So, this bet is a draw. Let''s have a rematch sometime. That''s what you say. I''m sure you''ll regret it later, and you know it. ...... Ahhh. I''m not sure what to say. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family. I''m not sure what to say, but I love you. After saying that, she was a little embarrassed, and she slapped me on the shoulder and ran away. It''s not ...... "peshiri", it''s ...... "gushabogi! I''m sure you''ve been shattered,............, and I''m sure you''ve been shattered,....... I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m not sure what to do.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''......My shoulder hurts. ......'' Please be patient.'' ''Yeah, ...... where were you, maiden?I missed it, I did.'' ''Really, I bow to you.'' ''Estella. It''s the corners of your eyes that are down. ...... Is my misfortune that funny?'' ''If it''s funny or not, it''s very funny.'' Nyarou. ...... ''But. But it''s also true that it boggles the mind.'' Putting a hand on my aching shoulder, Estella jerks her chin toward the ground. She wants me to look. ''A year ago now, who do you think could have predicted this?I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Indeed, how could such a dense group of people have gathered in such a small place? ''It''s probably just that they''re all surprisingly bored. We didn''t have that information last year. That''s all.'' ''Haha. That''s not something a lord or guild leader would say, ''I''m bored''. No. I''ve heard you say ''I''m bored'' many times. I''ve heard you say, ''I''m bored. ''Also, I''d like to say this as a friend. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen Masha so excited. I''d like to thank you for that. ''No, Masha''s always like that, isn''t she? As far as I know, Masha''s always all smiles and fluffy and excited all the time. ''No. She''s pretty naive that way. ...... There were many times when she was trying to be cheerful so that people wouldn''t notice it. I''ve heard that mermaids don''t get involved with humans very often. Masha is an exception to this rule, as she has the vitality to take an interest in humans and the land, and to actually do it. This is something that might be seen as heretical, and it might put her in a delicate position among the ...... mermaids. Well, that''s just speculation. That''s why Estella may have been in contact with Masha from time to time. In the form of "I want a sea fish", she was indulging Masha who was superior to her in terms of age and position. Estella was also in a position where she couldn''t argue with the voices of those around her, even if she had her own thoughts. She may have felt some kind of sympathy ....... This is all speculation. However, there is a probability that it is not ''impossible'', but ''not impossible''. ''...... Hmm. I''m sure that kind of response makes you feel at home. Well, that shy and crooked mermaid doesn''t express such honest feelings in a straightforward manner, so I can only imagine. Estella smiles at Masha as she sits in the tank and eats her sweet potato soup. Masha is getting excited as if she has not noticed at all. But you can hear everything we''re saying, can''t you?I bet her back is itching right now, isn''t it? I''m sure that Estella will be hugged by Masha when she walks by after this. ''Ehehe. Did I say something rude? She scratches her cheeks and smiles at me in a flat ''Estella'' way, freed from the burden of being the tournament chair. ''I was relieved and happy that the tournament ended successfully, and that''s how I slipped up, I''m sure. Don''t worry about it too much.'' You''re right. I think I can be nice to people today. ''Oh, you''re Yashiro?That''s great. Then maybe we should have a field day every day.'' ''That''s too bad. We''re not allowed to judge the spirits today, so we can say whatever we want. Who''s going to be nice to strangers? You''re the ones who should be respectful and kind to me. How tired do you think I am today? I mean, ...... I''m going to get some curry because I''m starving. ''I''m looking forward to barbecued hexenbiest meat. And so, the two hungry ladies left, chanting in a circle with their stomachs. What''s a lady? ''Ah~, there they are! Shortly after Estella and the others left, Regina came this time. She didn''t show any sign of limping. ''Is your leg okay? ''I''m fine. It''s brand new and no one has touched it raw yet! ''That''s not what I asked you!What''s a ''petting'' that''s not raw? It''s like the ''air petting'' I do all the time. ''Wow, this is how false accusations are made...'' I''ve never done anything like that. I''ll try ...... next time. ''Oh no, you''re killing me! I asked the manager, ''Hey! I was asked to add more curry roux, please. ''So you were 3-bound? ''So I served it, but there''s this many people, right?It''s not enough. That''s why we mixed it up in the first-aid tent as soon as possible. If Jeannette was so enthusiastic that she made enough for all the people present, she must have needed a lot of roux. ''So don''t complain if this curry doesn''t taste as good as usual. ''Even if the mixture changes a little, it won''t be bad as long as the base is solid. Even if the flavor or spiciness changes, the curry will not deviate from the main idea. And Regina understands that base well. ''As long as you''re involved, I''m not worried about the roux. I''m not sure if I washed my hands when I scratched my butt before ...... mixing. ...... I''m not sure. ......'' I''m sure you''ll be able to do it.Please! Only a few enthusiasts would appreciate such a thing. It''s a hygiene issue that can''t be overlooked, if that''s the case!...... I''m sure you''re joking. I''m sure it''s a joke, but I''ll take it. Regina raises her hand and walks away. Why did he come all this way to say such an insignificant thing? The answer is one. To show me that her sprained foot is fine now. She thought she''d worried me, so she came to show me in a roundabout way that I didn''t have to worry anymore. He''s not very straightforward, is he? ''Well, I guess I''ll go eat Regina''s home cooking. ''Ha, ha!What are you talking about, yourself?It''s the manager who''s making it. ''The roux is your homemade, right?I just made it here a while ago.'' ''That''s true, but ......'' ''Well, I''ll go and enjoy it. ''............ mmm!You really are a badass, aren''t you?If you want to eat it, you''ll have to eat it all!And you know what? The mouth that had been speaking so vigorously suddenly stopped. Then he covered his mouth with his hand and looked away. ''And if you like ......, you can come and eat at ...... next time, I don''t mind. He said and left quickly. My leg seems to be fine now. ...... Don''t do something you''re not used to and fall down again. ''Yashiro-san! And it was these guys who greeted me at the end. ''Which do you prefer, curry, sweet potato stew or barbecue? Jeannette is serving the food without showing any fatigue from the field day. And Loretta is helping her as if it were a matter of course. As for Magda, she was popping a lot of popcorn that Yap Rock had brought with him. The delicious aroma of honey and butter sinks into my tired body. ''I''ve tasted them, and they''re all delicious, so I''m a little proud of them! Unusually, Ginette praised her own cooking. This guy is confident about his own cooking, but he doesn''t say ''delicious'' to himself. He takes the stance that it is up to the person who eats it to decide whether it is good or not. If Ginette says it''s good, it must be very good. Or, perhaps, it is. ''Isn''t it special to eat outside? ''Yes!The fact that I was tired and hungry was also a good spice. He smiles happily. ''Big brother!Today''s curry is amazing!If you don''t eat this, you''ll definitely regret it! ''''...... Hexenbiest''s barbecue is excellent. But be careful not to eat too much Magda''s popcorn for dessert.'' ''I think the sweet potato stew has a nice flavor. I want you to make sure it tastes like your hometown. I can''t help it if the three girls at the sunlit pavilion each offer me one. ''Then give me all of them. ''Yes! ''Then I''ll go serve it to you! ''...... I''ll go order a particularly delicious part.'' The three of us break up at once. Looking around, the whole place is filled with people chatting happily with food in their hands. They are biting into meat, eating curry, tasting sweet potato stew, and gazing at the colorful fruits. Delia is devouring popcorn all the time. ''Yashiro-san, thank you for waiting. ''Big brother, it''s a special serving! ''I found ...... Bonacon, so I stole it.'' At the same time, the three of them return. They each have a large amount of food in their hands. I can''t eat that much by myself. ''Magda, where''s the popcorn? ''We still need ......, but we have enough in stock for the time being.'' ''Loretta, how''s the food delivery?'' ''Estella and her waitresses are so great, they''re almost done.'' ''Ginette. How''s the cooking? ''There''s not much left to cook. That''s a lot of work you put into it. ''Well? ''Yes.'' ''...... Mm.'' ''We''re all having dinner together! Unusually, all the employees of the Sunlit Pavilion decided to have dinner together. Well, actually, I was aiming for it. It''s not often you get a chance like this. ''Mm-hmm. Actually, I wanted to eat with you, so I worked a little harder to finish cooking. ''Me too!I worked really hard on serving the food. ''...... Magda, everything was calculated. It seems everyone felt the same way. ''Hey. Can I be a part of this? With a mouthful of curry in her hand, Estella joins the circle. ''Don''t you have to eat with the officials and guests? ''I''ve been making the rounds in a hurry. ''What the hell, they''re all thinking the same ...... thing.'' ''That''s like confessing that you''re a badger in the same hole. ''Shut up. We spread out our food around the shiny bricks Theron brought. It''s a very inconsistent lineup, but we''re all in the same category of things that taste better when eaten outside. ''Well, let''s eat! ''Yes. Bon app??tit. ''''''Itadakimasu''''''! I gave the order and brought the food to my mouth in unison. I ate the curry, but-- ''''Ugh ...... Maa! I felt as if my cells, which had been bullied by lactic acid and had collapsed into a heap of corpses, were dancing in the spicy umami. The umami sinks into my whole body. ''Jeannette!This potato stew is so delicious!How did you make it? ''Well, it''s based on--'' ''Come on, let''s eat Hexenbiest meat!It''s been a long time since we had Bonacon! While listening to Ginette''s happy voice, I took a bite of the browned Bonacon. It''s delicious! The juices overflowed with as much force as the citrus. My mouth is consumed by the taste. I want to shovel in some white rice!Oh, there''s white rice with curry!Yuck! ''Mr. Yashiro, would you like some sweet potato stew? ''Yes. It''s delicious! It''s a little different from what I ate in Japan, but that''s part of its character. I guess this will become the taro stew of the 42nd district''s Yodamari-tei. Anyway, it''s delicious. Look, Yashiro!Bonacon curry!It''s so luxurious! ''Estella, don''t mix up your ...... food, it''s not polite.'' ''It''s fine. It''s a meal outdoors, it''s a day like this. Estella happily bragged about mixing two dishes, something that is out of line in terms of etiquette. I bet she never does that in everyday life. It would be considered indecent for a nobleman to eat meat and fish mixed together. I bet they''ve never eaten cat food before, poor things. It''s so good. ''Whoa!Bonacon curry, it''s violently delicious!It''s amazing! ''...... The umami of the Bonacon is not overpowered by the strength of the curry. Not only that, but the juices from the bonakon add depth to the curry. ''So this is how the flavor changes. It''s a new discovery. It is true that curry with good meat is delicious, but its taste is not beyond the realm of imagination. It was not enough to make Jeannette swoon. Well, there was no way that the addition of meat would make such a dramatic difference. ''Yuck!What is this?Yum! It''s so good! It''s so good that chickens, pigs, and cows are running away barefoot! ''I guess things change. ''Yes, it is. I''m surprised too. ''But you''re not yelling and screaming, are you? ''Huh?Is that so?Well, but it was within the realm of my imagination, and I felt that the impact of the first bite of this flavor would not last long. Ginette''s guess was exactly right, and the Bonacon curry gave us a tremendous shock, but as we ate two or three more bites, we began to think, ''Well, it''s not so bad. No, it was good, but it was not as good as it should have been, or to put it plainly, it was a bit boring. I guess the curry and the bonakon are too strong. Because each of them has a strong impact that can play the leading role -- for example, they don''t have a sense of unity like a band, but like a special unit formed by the vocalists of different bands. It''s like a special unit of vocalists from different bands. Ginette, who saw through this at the first bite, is indeed a professional. ...... a feeling, huh. I''m not sure what to say. Do you have any cheese? ''Cheese?Well, .......'' ''Yes, sir.'' It was Assunto who answered smilingly. He wandered around here and there, watching people''s reactions. If he got a good feeling, he would try to make some kind of business out of it. You have a strong commercial spirit. Assunto said, ''Please wait a moment,'' and ran off, returning with several kinds of cheese in a matter of minutes. He chose one of the cheeses that melted well, sliced it thinly, and put it on the curry. ''What?You put cheese in the curry? ''Well, that''s okay. Just take a bite. She twirls the melted cheese and scoops up a mouthful of curry and rice and offers it to Jeannette. After a moment of confusion, Jeannette gently puts the curry in her mouth. At that moment, Jeannette''s eyes lit up. ''The richness of the ...... cheese envelops the curry and ...... is screaming in your mouth! ''Oh, it''s so good!I''ll try it too! ''Me too! ''...... Magda''s already done it.'' They each put a slice of cheese into the curry and stirred. Estella and Loretta dropped their spoons onto their plates. ''...... This is foul,'' they said. ''......It''s just foul deliciousness.'' ''......Ummm ......Mandam''. That last one is magda. Well, it goes without saying. Also, ''forced translation magic''. ...... Stop translating by atmosphere. ''Yashiro-san''. ''Hmm? ''This is going to be added to the menu at the Sunshine Pavilion, isn''t it? ''I don''t mind the addition, but...'' ''Doesn''t it have less of an impact compared to Bonacon Curry? ''Certainly, in terms of impact, it might be. But...'' Ginette pointed at my last remaining curry and said professionally. ''This is a taste that makes me want to eat it again soon. The Bonacon curry had a ''special occasion treat'' feel to it in terms of taste as well as the high quality of the ingredients. Cheese curry, on the other hand, is something you can eat easily whenever you feel like it. ''I think a dish that can be eaten with a smile without being overwhelmed, and that you can wait for with excitement from the day you decide to eat it next time, is the kind of dish that is appropriate for the Sun Goddess Pavilion. ''Then you''ve been favored. ''Yes!It''s a big pass. There''s no such thing as a big or small pass. ''............ ah? Ginette shouted as she tried to put cheese on her own curry. She looked at my curry, looked at her curry, looked at her spoon, looked at my spoon, and then she realized. He realized that it was my spoon that he had just taken a bite of. ''Oh, um, it was ............, thank you .......'' Mmm, mmm! Don''t say anything strange! There''s no deep meaning to it! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''m not sure what to say. ...... I''m not sure what to do.Use chopsticks! ''Yes, that''s right!Let''s go to ...... and take a break for a while. I switched my spoon to chopsticks and sipped Ginette''s homemade sweet potato stew. Oh, it warms me up. I''m warm from the nape of my neck to my toes. It''s so hot! let''s change the subject. Hey, you guys. Especially Estella. Have you noticed? ''About what? ''The real purpose behind the white team''s comeback, the one I was after. ''The true purpose of ......? Estella looks at Magda and the others. But none of them seem to have gotten my message. What is it? I just gave you a message worthy of the white team''s victory. When I looked at the scoreboard before the stick pull and realized that it was possible, I thought the spirit gods were suggesting that I should do it. ''Look at the scoreboard. In the relay, 500 points are awarded for first place, 400 points for second place, 300 points for third place, and 200 points for fourth place. The total points after adding those points are Blue team: 3880 points Yellow team: 3980 points White team: 4180 points Red team: 4080 points ''Look closely at the white team''s score. ''4180 points...... so what?'' You still don''t get it, do you? Oh well... I''ll tell you the answer. ''The total score of the white team is ''4180''. Reading it backwards, it becomes ''0814''. In other words. ''That would be ''boobs~n''! ''Oh, sorry, Loretta. Can I have another one? ''Well, I''ll go serve mine as well! ''...... Magda is going to add Bonacon. ''Hey, hey!Listen up, you guys! It''s a message that I took great pains to prepare. There''s got to be a little more to it than that!''I''m impressed! Or, ''You won the championship thanks to the boob message! Or, ''Well, it''s a boob carnival today! And so on! ''Yashiro-san. Ginette looks at me and says, instead of the three vicious girls who are ignoring my efforts. ''Please repent. Hmm. Well, that''s exactly how I imagined it would end. Well, there''s always the confessional. One more trip to the confessional might not be a bad idea. d*mn. 406-I thought Episode 61 was coming, but I couldnt av... When I woke up in the morning, I had terrible muscle pain and couldn''t get out of bed. The kitchen smelled good, and I muttered to myself, "He''s already working, isn''t he?" with 80% admiration and 20% dismay. As long as Jeannette was working, I couldn''t stay in bed forever. I crawled out of the room and walked down the corridor with only my energy. Just when I felt fed up with the downstairs in front of me, the door of Ginette''s room opened. ''Oh, good morning, good morning, ......''. Ginette crawled out of her room with a deathly look on her face, her hair more tousled than usual. ''I''m in pain all over,...... and can barely stand,......'' she said. Apparently, his muscles were so sore that he couldn''t even get ready properly. I understand. I get it. You can''t get too excited about ball games. My arms are so sore I can''t even lift them. Maybe it''s the eye of the typhoon?No, maybe it''s the cavalry. Maybe, but I must have about six old criers on my shoulders right now. That''s how heavy I am. ''Can''t you do something about your hair?It''s so tousled.'' They are defenseless, and it''s funny to look at them, but it''s not a good idea to go out in public with them. As a restaurant owner and staff. You need to be clean and neat. The impression of sloppiness is negative for the restaurant. ''I tried to ...... do my best, but I couldn''t move my arms as usual. ......'' I''ve heard that he''s trying his best to lift his shaking arm, but it won''t come up above eye level. That seems to be the limit. ''...... I''ll do it later.'' ''Are you sure? He suddenly shouted loudly, and quickly pressed his mouth with his body that should have been creaking. As if to block the source of the unintentional joy that spilled out. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, there are a few things you can do. As if sensing the air of wanting to cover it up but not being able to, Ginette smiles shyly and says something like an excuse. ''Actually, I''ve ...... seen Magda having her hair combed every now and then, and I''ve ...... been thinking that it''s nice. I''ve never had the flirtatious hobby of playing with a girl''s hair when I don''t need to, and as a result I''ve never combed Jeannette''s hair. No, I might have fixed her unruly hair, but I don''t remember brushing her hair properly. I don''t think it''s something that would be appreciated. ...... ''Well, if you have a brush, bring it to me. If it''s the same one as Magda''s, that''s fine. Magda often comes out on the floor in a drowsy state, so I keep a brush for her in the kitchen cabinet. I keep it on the shelf in the kitchen for him to brush before we open. ''Well, um, I''ll get it!Oh, but it''s not that I don''t want the same one as Magda''s. ......'' ''I know, bring it quickly.'' ''Yes! Ginette happily returned to her room. Sharing a brush is a surprisingly caring thing to do. It''s best to avoid it if possible. Brushing can damage the scalp and cause infections, which are rare but not impossible. Above all, once your hair is tangled, it is not easy to get rid of it, and using someone else''s brush is very worrisome. It is better to keep a hairbrush for yourself as much as possible. So, let me tell you about the hairbrush situation in Jeannette. ''Oh, my hair! I heard a voice from the other side of the door, and then a moment of silence passed. I guess they were cleaning the hair tangled in the brush. You may have experienced this before, but cleaning brushes is quite difficult. Especially if you have been using it for a long time. After removing the hair, you may be worried about the dust at the root. Does it put pressure on you to wait in front of the room? ''Jeannette. I''m going downstairs first.'' ''Oh, yes!'' We talked through the door, and I went down the hellish stairs with a creaking body. Umaro, while you''re adding a roof, could you install an escalator as well? While turning away from the reality by imagining the impossible, I managed to get down to the first floor. It was still pitch black, and there was still no sign of the sun rising. The clear air that irritated the mucous membrane of my nose was a little cold. There is no laundry drying today. That''s because Jeannette overslept. She may have been awake, but she couldn''t move. I guess the real work will start tomorrow. With this in mind, I headed for the kitchen, attracted by the delicious smell. ...... Hmm? If Jeannette is still in the room, then ...... who''s cooking? I''ll hold the pain for a moment and pick up speed. Who else but Jeannette would be cooking in the kitchen of the sunlit pavilion? I can think of Magda, but Magda can only cook a few items, like popcorn and okonomiyaki. I''m sure she hasn''t been taught how to make soup stock dishes like the ones she''s smelling now. Besides, it''s donated food to be fed to Bertina and the church kids. There''s no way Ginette would let something she couldn''t guarantee taste pass her by. Then what the hell ...... I opened the door to the kitchen and jumped inside. And there he was. ''Good morning, Mr. Kometsky. ''You''re awake early.'' It was Inez and Deborah . ''...... What are you doing?'' ''Preparing breakfast. ''I''ve been asked to do that.'' A request? Ginette asked these guys to do that? No, that''s impossible. How could Ginette, who was stuck with sore muscles, ask the head waiter of another ward to do something for her?You can''t even get to the first one, Ginette said. ''I happened to see you in front of the store, so I asked you to help me, Yashiro-sama. ''I''m helping, too, preparing breakfast.'' It was Natalia and Gilberta who peeked out from the floor. It was Natalia who asked Inez and Deborah to help out. ...... So, why are you here, guys? Why are you here, at this time of night, in this place? ''Estella said, "Ginette, I''m sure you''re having a hard time with your sore muscles today, so can you go help her with the preparation? She said. ''Your imitation of Estella is even more malicious than your imitation of her. ......'' ''That''s a resemblance! ''I don''t remember, I don''t remember, the Lord of Smiles saying, those words. It doesn''t matter if you''ve said it before or not, the imitation is. The interesting thing is to attack the part that looks like it might be said. ''So, Natalia is understandable, but why is Gilberta here? ''I couldn''t go home, last night, Lucia was exhausted. She had a full day of sports. It must have been hard for her to return to the 35th district by carriage at that hour. ''And now, unable to move, Lady Lucia is suffering from severe muscle pain. ''So, you came the next day. You''re lucky, you''re still young.'' I''ve had it before in Japan, but when you''re over thirty, the muscle pain comes two days later. ''Huh?I''m totally fine. I''m still young...'' to ''...... d*mn it, it comes on the second day... ......! I''m sure all of us will experience this disappointment. ''So, where is Lucia now? ''At the branch of the Woodcutter''s Guild I''m visiting, courtesy of the branch chief. So she stayed at Imelda''s place. I wonder if it''s because we''re in the same red group, or if we''ve developed a bond. Anyway, I''m glad Millie and Hammaro are safe. ''So you''re saying that Gerasie and that old man from the 23rd district stayed there too? ''Master Guerraxi has returned to the mansion. He didn''t do anything serious. Hey, Inez, you''re spitting venom. I''ve been feeling it for a while, but do you hate Gerrardsey? ''My lord''s name is Iver Hagen. Please don''t forget that. You''ll be very disappointed. ''Don''t be sorry, it''s not that. ''I believe my lord is currently resting in his palace. There''s no Gellarcy or Hagen left. Then why are you here? ''''I was wondering if there might be another field day today, to check. ''No, there isn''t!I''ll die if there is! ''I was wondering if there was something I forgot to be praised for, just to make sure. ''I''ve already praised you enough! These guys came up to me at dinner after the ward''s field day and asked, ''How did you do in that competition? Did you see me in this competition?'''' How many points out of a hundred did I get then? Then, please praise me to the fullest,'''' he said, getting into a really persistent praise and praise mode. It was a pain in the ass. ...... If you say ''I don''t know'' or ''I don''t remember'', they don''t get angry, they don''t cry, they just shut up and go ''shhhhhhh ......''. I''m sure that the gynet next to me would say, ''Yashiro-san, please say something to him. So I praised each and every one of them, competition by competition, even when they weren''t competing! I''ve used up enough praise to last me three years!I''ve used up three years of my ''praise power''! I''ve praised so much that I don''t think anyone will complain if I don''t praise anyone tomorrow! I even grabbed Gelercy and went to complain to him, "You should praise him more! I even went to complain to him. Then Gellersey''s guy ...... ''What are you talking about, man? You don''t have to say it, the head waiter knows it. That''s why you''re making a big deal out of it right now! I''m not getting any of it! Not one thing, not one thing! BU kids are the only ones who don''t understand unless you tell them!You have to understand, you know! ''You''re the worst, Gerasie! ''Master Yashiro, I agree with you, but I think you should refrain from speaking ill of the lords of other districts. ''Your venom is quite good, Natalia.'' ''No, ......, I''m afraid my frustration from last night is not yet over.'' ''What''s wrong? ''As a matter of fact, Ricardo-sama came to my house to ask me to stay the night because he was tired.'' ''Wow, ...... Ricardo, wow, .......'' ''I smeared salt on it and turned him away.'' ''Sprinkle it, man!You''re supposed to spread the salt!What are you going to do with it?Burn it?'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... There aren''t many houses that can accommodate a lord, and if there were, it would be Estella''s or Imelda''s, and you''d think that would be impossible. But ......, Ricardo doesn''t understand, he''s an idiot. ''And what about Estella? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to get a good night''s sleep. ''Did you get a good night''s sleep? ''Is that to check if you were naked last night? ''You didn''t sleep at all, did you? ''No, I had a good night''s sleep. ''You slept and you''re still in that mood?It''s like you''ve been up all night! ''I''m running normally. ''It''s serious, your condition too. According to her, Natalia tried to help Estella, but was forced to leave after Estella personally asked her to take care of Jeannette. Estella must have been overwhelmed. Without Natalia, the work would not go as smoothly. ''So, did Natalia cook today''s dinner? ''No, sir. I can only inject a love-beam into the finished dish. ''''I don''t think that''s particularly necessary, that process! ''''''What?I''ve practiced it.'''''' ''''Are you okay, head waiter x3?No, x4! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. What were you guys practicing for? I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a good time. Magda, usually a sleepyhead, emerges from the floor. Magda, who is usually a sleepyhead, comes out of the floor, followed by Loretta, who is full of energy. ''Good morning, big brother! ''Are you guys okay with the muscle pain? ''...... That kind of exercise won''t give me sore muscles.'' ''We work out differently, you know! Magda and Loretta''s words were met with nods of agreement from everyone but me. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to afford a full day''s workout at ......?How much can you guys take? ''Aside from the sore muscles, how did you manage to get up, Magda? ''...... Of course. I could have predicted that the manager would leave. Magda has to be strong when the manager is away, so this morning she woke up by herself--'' ''I''ve come to wake you up! ''............'' ''Ouch!It hurts, Magda!Don''t chop me in the side without saying a word! I''m sure Magda feels like she''s been let in on a secret, but for me, it''s more like ''I know''. But I guess there are a lot of people who were sure that Jeannette would be stuck with sore muscles, like Estella, Magda, and maybe even Loretta. I was too occupied with my own affairs to pay that much attention. ''The miso soup and simmered vegetables smell good. Who did the seasoning?'' ''That''s me. ''Haha~......'', yawned Norma, peeking out lazily from the floor. She hangs her arm on the wall that separates the floor from the kitchen and gives a coquettish look. ''Magda and Loretta came to my house early this morning. Magda and Loretta came to my house early in the morning and forced me to cook for the church children. ...... It''s not easy at all. I had a few drinks last night. ...... If you had told me ahead of time, I would have at least prepared the food. He doesn''t seem to mind helping out. And then he lets out a yawn once more, ''Woo~...... woo~''. Oh, ....... You''ve got a lot of s*x appeal this morning, Norma. ''Norma, thank you so much! ''Why, now you''ve changed your mind. It''s not like Yashiro.'' ''...... No, this thank you is due to a very Yashiro-like reason. ''My brother is not shaken even if his muscles are sore all over. I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. There''s no need to deny it, is there? ''Don''t worry about Norma''s seasoning. I''m looking forward to breakfast today. ''Heck, praise won''t get you anywhere. Her big tail swayed softly. If I wore a mini-skirt, my pants would be showing. I don''t think I will. ''By the way, you all came from the floor, what are you doing on the floor? ''We''re making rice balls. There''s a lot of people.'' A lot of people. I thought that meant the number of people eating in the church. ''Oh, Yashiro!Did you get up okay? ''Oh, hi, ladybug.'' ''Hahaha. I guess Yashiro and Jeannette got sore muscles after all. ''Yashiro. I brought you some fresh eggs, so eat them and take care of yourself.'' There were lots of helpers. That''s what you mean by a lot of people. Delia and Milly and Paula and Nephrite. The strongest of them, who had competed against each other for the championship yesterday, were standing side by side making rice balls in harmony. ''Didn''t you all get sore muscles? ''Of course not. I''ve never had muscle cramps.'' ''Hmm. You were fine too. ''If you work at Cantartica, you''ll never get sore muscles, I''m sure. ''I''m fine too. My chickens are pretty fierce, and I can''t do it with a weak body. Isn''t it a tribal characteristic of the beast race to be physically strong? It seems that none of us here have sore muscles. ...... No, wait. Maybe Norma is just late and will be ...... around tomorrow. ''Yashiro. Can you tell me aloud what that look means? ''It''s nothing, just put the flue away, okay?You don''t want to get ash in your rice ball, do you?What? I''m sure Norma has a body that never gets sore muscles. As expected of a good-looking woman, she never gives a second thought. Now that I''ve complimented you, put away the cigarette, okay? ''...... Everyone moves their hands, not their mouths. ''That''s right. Time doesn''t wait for you. I can''t tell you how many times I''ve gotten so caught up in chatting that I''ve let my coffee go cold. ......'' ''It''s not your fault. Don''t do this with me, Loretta.'' Paula let out an exasperated sigh. ''Yashiro and Ginette spoil Loretta too much. Do you want me to keep her with me for a while?I''ll give her a good beating. ''Well, well, I''m sorry, Paula!You can''t just send me to another store because I''m already an essential part of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''...... Loretta. Don''t be so sure of yourself. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have.It''s the tone of voice you use when you''re trying to say ''don''t be so down on yourself''! ''Look, Loretta. You''re holding up your hand. ''Mwah!I''m the only one who''s mad at you! The rice balls of various sizes are laid out in a lively fashion. Delia''s were large and Millie''s were very small. Nepheli''s is a little round, and Norma''s is a beautiful equilateral triangle. ''Loretta and Paula''s rice balls look very similar. ''What?Don''t put them together, Yashiro. Mine are definitely tastier than yours. ''They taste the same!In fact, mine probably tastes better because it''s filled with love.'' ''Then let''s play, Loretta! ''As you wish! How are we going to decide who wins? They''re like two close sisters. The older sister is strict, and the younger sister is rebelling against her, but still trying her best to keep up. They seem to be on the same page somehow. ''...... confident work''. Magda shows us a beautifully made rice ball in her palm. Magda''s rice balls are rather cute. Magda''s onigiri are so cute that Umaro would definitely be able to find them among the countless other onigiri, oozing with Magda-ness. ''......Does the manager always do this by himself? ''...... When I can get up in the morning, Magda helps me. ''There are only so many days you can get up in the morning. ''...... Mmm.'' Norma was right, Ginette usually took care of all these preparations by herself. I try to help, but ...... when I''m actually in the kitchen, there''s hardly anything left to do. I''m trying to help, but when I''m in the kitchen, there''s very little left to do. It''s not something you can just try to copy, you know. That''s probably why Magda and Loretta asked for help. There''s no way to copy Jeannette. So I want to reach my goal the way I can. There''s no shame in relying on your friends. It''s a proud thing to have friends you can rely on. You can think of the best way to act and do it. And they do it voluntarily, without anyone telling them to do so. These guys are growing up, aren''t they? What a sincere feeling I had. ''Master Yashiro. Our preparations are complete. It seems that the head waiter''s team, led by Natalia, has completed their preparations. Our rice balls are almost ready. With such a large number of people working together, it should be done quickly. There''s still time for us to leave. Let''s just get ready for departure and take a short break. ''Hey guys, do you want me to make you some coffee? ''No. Then I''ll make you some tea. Master Yashiro, please rest your muscles.'' I tried to move, but Natalia beat me to it. I thought I''d at least do her a favor, but well, Natalia''s tea is delicious. I''ll leave it to her. ''By the way, did Tracy leave? ''Yes. Yesterday. She said she didn''t want Estella to see her writhing in muscle pain.'' ''Well, I''m sure he''ll get sore muscles too. I thought he might have left because Nene didn''t join us, but I see. Then I loaded the ingredients into the cart and cleared the floor and kitchen. It was about that time that I finally said. ''Good morning, everyone. ......'' Ginette came out to the floor. That took a long time. ''I didn''t think stairs could be so scary. ......'' One step down, one step up. One step down, one step up, one step down. It seems to have come down slowly, slowly. The hem of her skirt and the cuffs of her sleeves were dirty, as if she had been on a great adventure in the narrow courtyard. Have you been wading through the jungle? Ginette struggled to bend her knees and sit on a chair, and her arms were shaking so badly that she couldn''t even drink the tea Natalia had served her. She needs care. ''I can''t move ...... well because all the places I''ve never had pain before are hurting,'' she said. ''It''s probably because you used muscles you don''t normally use. Muscle pain in those areas is pretty hard to take. ''I never thought I had so many muscles in my body. The muscles you become aware of only through pain. ''Oh, I can''t believe I have muscle pain in this part of my body! This surprise must have been new to Jeannette. He never exercises more than necessary. ''Then you should be worried about Bertina. ''Yes, I am. It''s not every day you see a sister running. ''Your stomach is a muscle, too.'' ''That''s the only part that seems to be stronger than anyone else''s. Hmm. Well, I don''t think Bertina''s stomach will ever lose its appetite due to muscle pains in the future. She might be crying because her arms are so full. Bertina''s hug is basically a knee-jerk hug. I rarely pick her up. So, it is not a very powerful image. ''Well, there''s still time. My thighs are also pretty vocal about striking, but it''s a promise. I can exercise more than Jeannette, so my sore muscles are not as bad. I think I can at least brush them. ''Ginette, lend me your brush. ''Heck, ...... are we doing this here?'' ''You want to go back to your room?'' ''Umm............ going up and down those stairs is not a good idea right now......'' If I make you walk back and forth to your room again, you''ll be late for breakfast. It''s not like I''m going to do anything wrong. Circumstances are circumstances. I''m sure everyone here understands that. ''So, then, ......, please...'' Gently, she holds out a hairbrush. Wow, your arms are so plump. My arms are so plump. ...... ''Oh, um, could you please hurry up and take it off?The brush is too heavy .......'' As I stared at her, Jeannette''s arms slowly lowered. It''s surprisingly hard to hold something and stick your arm straight out in front of you. It must be even harder for Jeannette. Especially if you have sore muscles. I pick up the hairbrush and walk behind Jeannette. Ginette, unable to twist her body due to muscle pain, follows me with only her eyes. You don''t have to look at me, just look forward. I stand behind Jeannette and gently touch her chestnut hair. ''Huh......! Ginette shrugs, as if tickled. Sometimes it''s creepy when someone scoops up your hair. Especially around the collar. I slowly brush through the hair, not caring about Jeannette. The soft hair tangles fluffily in her fingers and shows fresh moisture as she runs the brush through it. The tangled strands of hair are arranged by the brush and gently reflect the light in the room. ''You have such straightforward hair. ''Heck, ...... is there such a thing as straightforward?'' ''Magda''s hair bounces back no matter how you comb it. It''s like it''s urging me to ''stroke it more, comb it more. ''Hmmm. Then maybe my hair will do the same in time. He smiles and says so, interrupting with a short ''......'' and letting out an embarrassed murmur. ''It feels very, very good, so ......''. It feels good to be stroked. So more. It''s rare for Jeannette to beg for more,......, but nowadays it''s not so rare. She''s gotten better at being sweet. The reserved Jeannette of when we first met is gone. That''s a good change, I think. It''s one thing to be overly presumptuous, but it''s cute to be as selfish as Ginette. ''I''m sorry, but you''ll have to do the tying yourself. I don''t think I can do it well.'' ''You don''t have to be good at it, okay? ''Give me a break.'' ''..................'' ''Hmm?'' ''...... Ude gaah.'' ''Are you too bad at acting! I guess it hurts to be sore . Muscle pain. But that doesn''t mean he can''t give a true performance, and in Ginette''s case, I can assure you it''s impossible. It''s okay to be lenient when you''re sick. That''s the unspoken rule in the sunken pavilion. Does this apply to sore muscles? ''Don''t complain if you get a frayed hair. ''I won''t.'' Ginette looks forward in a good mood. As she binds her long hair around her shoulders and weaves a large braid, she lets out a reserved, but innocent, ''wow''. He once said to me, ''You''re a big kid. Which one is it? I''ll tell you exactly what. ''Wow. You''re good, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Oh, I see. He wraps the freshly made braid in his hands and looks at it with a smile. It''s your hair quality that makes it look so beautiful, not my technique. ''Heh. Thank you, Mr. Yashiro. I''m glad your muscles are sore. ''It''s not good. ......'' I''ve got sore muscles too. I''m fed up with the pain and dullness. However, ...... combing my hair is nothing to worry about. Since he seemed to be satisfied with the result, my mission was over. ''Well, well, well. And when I turned around, there was a ...... line. ''...... Yashiro, Magda''s turn is next. ''I''d like to ask you too! Magda and Loretta. And then there was Natalia and Gilberta, Ines and Deborah, and behind them Norma and Delia and Paula and Nephrite. ......, hey. You can do it yourself. I mean, it''s perfect, isn''t it? ''Master Yashiro''. Natalia stepped forward to represent the group. ''I just remembered that ...... my muscles are actually sore. ''I think it hurts, I''ve got muscle pain in both of my arms. ''We''ve got sore muscles, too. Hey, Deborah.'' ''Yes, Miss Inez. We''re all equally sore.'' ''We''re all a little late, aren''t we? ''I see, you''re here too!What a coincidence! ''Ouch~, must have been all the fatigue. ''We''ve been busy, haven''t we, Cantaloupe and our poultry farm? You guys ...... ''The ban on ''Judgment of the Spirits'' ends yesterday, you know? ''...... Yashiro, look out.'' I look out the window where Magda is pointing. ''...... The sun hasn''t risen yet, so it''s safe.'' ''Where''s the rule?'' ''Giggle.'' Seeing our exchange, Jeannette held her mouth and shook her shoulders. ''That''s right. The Spirit God may still be resting. What? Are they the kind that care about the age of their skin? It''s not like they''re watching over you sleeplessly, are they? ''Yashiro-san.'' Touch my hand, wrap your fingers around mine. As if to re-grasp the brush that is still in my hand. ''Just a little, ......, okay?'' So, ''hey? No, ...... you''re too hard on me sometimes. ...... If you want, I can be the one doing the squeezing. No, I''d rather ...... I''ll massage your arms when you''re done. ''No, I''d rather be the one doing the rubbing ......'' ''I''ll give you a massage. You''re so stubborn. Well, it''s not like they weren''t tired after all the work they did yesterday. And yet, they helped us out this early in the morning,......, at least a little. I don''t know if this is enough to give back to them, but I''m sure they''ll be satisfied with what they''ve done. ''All right. I just can''t spend that much time on it in case the kids get hungry. ''Wow, that''s great!That''s my big brother! ''''I came to the 42nd district to be petted.'''' Loretta, Ines & Deborah who honestly express their joy . Magda and Natalia silently posing with their guts. Gilberta and Delia are smiling together, Paula and Nepheli high-five each other with their hands, and Norma loosens her mouth alone. ''And now, ladies and gentlemen. Do you mind if I use my brush? ''No problem at all if it''s the manager''s.'' ''In fact, I''d appreciate it if you could give me some breast implants. ''There is no such effect, Natalia! ''Again, you''re being modest. ''No, it doesn''t! If this brush had such an effect, I''d have to go around brushing the hair of every girl in town. But I''d have to go to my lord''s house for about a year. ''Well, we don''t have much time, so let''s get it over with. ''At ......, let''s start with Magda. ''You''ve always done it for me, Magda!This is a spirit of sharing! ''If your hair is long, it''ll take longer, so you''d better get it done first. ''So, I''m first? ''I''ve got longer hair than you! ''No, you''re the one. Delia and Norma compete with each other for hair length. Delia has long hair, too. She''s probably just too lazy to cut it. ''While you''re at it'' ''Yes, let''s line up, Inez.'' ''I''ll get on board, I''ll be the head waiter of the 23rd and 29th wards.'' The head waiter and the others are putting a lot of pressure on me. I know Gilberta is excited about this kind of thing,......, but Inez and Deborah have become quite eager to be praised. Do you want to be pampered? And, well... ''Millie.'' ''Huh? ''Millie''s the best. Come here.'' ''Miry, can you ...... me? ''Yeah. Who''s got a problem with that? ''''''............'''''' What?Here, over here.'''' ''''Hmm! Millie was the only one who didn''t assert herself. That''s why I picked her first. If you''re too pushy, it can often have the opposite effect. It would be more peaceful to live in a world where a girl as modest as Millie is rewarded. ''...... Everyone is too pushy. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''re right. ''But, you know, you need to control yourself. Everyone agreed, and the event began with no apparent purpose. I''m not a charismatic hairdresser or a skilled butler. All I can do is brush the ladies'' hair, but if that''s what you want, I''ll do it. At least for today. My arms are screaming with muscle pain, but I''m sure they''ll get used to the pain if I work them gently like this. It''s not a welcome drink, it''s a welcome muscle. I don''t know if it''s effective or not. I don''t know if it works or not, but it''s ...... kind of ticklish ...... hehehe. As I sat in the chair in front of her and combed her hair, twisting her body, I thought that such a morning was not so bad. I guess I was too tired to use my head. This kind of simple work seemed comfortable for now. My muscle pains were as bad as ever, but well, it was a very peaceful morning. 407-No additives. 62 At the church in the morning. ''Myuu......'' In the church common room, Bertina was crying. No, she was crying. ''......I''m sore, all over.'' Bertina, too, seemed to be suffering from sore muscles the next day, not a day too late. You''re still young, Bertina. She apologized for the way she was dressed, and sat down on a chair. She sits on the chair for a long time. Surrounding her are a group of worried-looking children. I guess none of these kids have sore muscles. ''Are you okay, Sister? ''I''m sorry to cause you concern,......, but I''m fine when I say I''m fine,.......'' She smiles at the worried Norma and the others, then bends her eyebrows into a figure eight. ''My arm hurts so bad, I can''t eat my food. ......'' That seems to be the hardest thing for Bertina. Breakfast was served quickly, warmly, and accurately by Natalia''s army of master waiters. The kids who crowded around Bertina were seated and fed. A number of kids came forward and said, ''I''ll feed the sisters,'' but Bertina would not allow it. There was no way that this mother would allow her children''s food to be put off for her. So, as a matter of course, Bertina had to narrow down who she would indulge. ''Ginette, I''m sorry, but could you please let me eat? ''I''m sorry, Sister. As much as I''d like to,......, I can''t lift my arm,.......'' ''............Myu''. Ginette had always helped Bertina in these situations, but today she too was paralyzed with muscle pain. He was barely able to sit on a chair alongside Bertina. The mother and daughter resembling each other, looking in the same direction and not moving a muscle, were like dolls. Both of them are female dolls, though. ''I can''t help it. I''ll feed them to you. ''Yashiro-san, is it? If it were true, the head waiters would be better at this kind of thing, but Bertina herself wouldn''t want to bother people from other wards, and it would look like ...... care if Natalia fed her. The apron of the caterer''s uniform reminds me of a helper. ''Are you sure you want to do this? ''You don''t have to worry about me, do you?Besides, hard work is a man''s role.'' ''Hard work, mmm.'' No, no, no, Bertina. You''re laughing, but ...... how many times do you think you''ll have to go back and forth?Between the bowl and the mouth. ''Magda, take care of Jeannette. ''I''m fine. I''ll ...... do it myself.'' ''...... ping pong''. ''Aaaaah!......That''s terrible, Magda, poking you. ......'' ''...... Magda will feed you.'' ''Oh ......, please, please.'' If your muscles are so sore that they scream at the mere touch of you, let them rest and be fed. You''ll wear out the little muscles you have. Take care of your muscles and your Cooper''s ligaments. ''Loretta take care of the kids.'' ''I''ll take care of them! ''Delia, Paula, Nephrite.'' ''Oh! ''What?'' ''Anything you want.'' ''''Loretta will probably mess up, so follow up on her.'''' ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' ''''You''re all terrible!I''m just a girl who can do her job properly! Bertina and Ginette. The two tops who are the heart and soul of the kids are sick and can''t move. If there were plenty of sisters to rely on, it would alleviate some of the anxiety. ''And Norma. ''I know, I know. You''ll be on duty with the head waiters, won''t you? ''No, I''ve got a baby to feed.'' ''No, you can''t! ''And I''m thirsty, so I''ll have a tit. ''That''s why I can''t ...... give you a titty, even if I could! I thought I was in the right place at the right time. ''Yashiro-san! Right in front of me, Bertina''s cheeks puffed up. Bertina''s cheeks puffed out right in front of her. ''Hey, hey. I''ll do my best to serve you as penance. ''Please go to ....... Please.'' I hope this makes you feel a little less guilty and reserved. When I picked up my chopsticks to start with the stewed food, it was cool and cold. ''Bertina, aren''t you cold? ''Yes. I''m fine.'' ''No, you can''t. You can''t move, you''ll get cold soon. Hey, kids. Go get him a kneeler and a stole.'''' ''''Yes, sir! It''s quite cold this morning. Even though we''re indoors, it''s chilly in the large common room. You should make sure to keep warm. Also, I heard that muscle pains heal faster if you warm up your body to promote blood circulation. ''Also, lend it to Jeannette.'' ''No, I won''t.'' ''''Come on, kids.'''' ''''Yes, sir! There''s no need to be shy at a time like this. An older kid (a man) and a well-behaved girl are running quickly together. You''re taking the initiative, I''m impressed. I took a lap blanket and a stole from them and put them on Bertina and Ginette. I put the stole on their shoulders and drape the lap blanket tightly around their waists. ''Thank you very much. It''s very warm.'' The way she leans back in her chair and drapes her knees over herself, she looks like a grandmother. ...... No, not at all. Maybe I''ll make a rocking chair next time. No, there''s no deep meaning. Bertina is young, Bertina is young, Bertina is young, Bertina is young, Bertina is young. So it''s not like, ''Hmm?Did you just say something? Don''t stare at me like that. I didn''t say anything and I don''t think anything. ''By the way, are you okay, Yashiro?Muscle pain? ''Oh. Thanks to the welcoming muscles, I can move reasonably well now. ''Pick-up muscles? I tell the puzzled Bertina not to worry about it. It''s just a bunch of nonsense with no scientific basis. ''Hmm. But when Yashiro-san spoils me, I feel like I''m getting something for nothing. ''Oh, that''s what I thought too. ''Ginette too? ''Yes. ...... hehe, I had my hair combed today.'' ''Well, that''s not fair. I struggled with it this morning.'' The mother and daughter have a conversation like that, and Bertina accuses me of ''cheating, Mr. Yashiro''. That''s why I''m giving you this meal. It''s a special treat, you know. It is. What an extravagant person you are to not realize the service you''re receiving. You need to be punished a little. ''Well, what about the rice ball? ...... It''s impossible to eat the whole thing with chopsticks, and it''s also difficult to cut it into small pieces. ''Then, you can grab it by hand.'' ''Is that okay? ''If it''s Yashiro''s hand, I don''t mind. ''So, you''ll lap up every grain of rice on my fingers? ''Yes, you can do that yourself at .......'' I couldn''t turn my face away because I couldn''t move, so I puffed up my cheeks in resentment. It''s an adorable resistance. Listen, Bertina. If someone helps you, you should be grateful. And return that gratitude whenever you can. Something of value, or information or service of equivalent value. Now, what will I get in return? ''Good morning! ''Good morning! Oh, that stupid voice with the lisp-- it was Barbara and Teresa, as expected. ''Huh, that smells good. Is there a sister ......, what are you doing, hero? Barbara walked into the common room and rolled her eyes when she saw me helping Bertina. ''Good morning, Barbara, Teresa.'' ''Good morning, Sister.'' ''Good morning, Sister! Oh, Barbara, you can say hello now? ''Actually, since I can''t move due to muscle pain, Yashiro-san is helping me eat. ''Ah, muscle pain!Tomi-chan and Ree-chan were groaning this morning. They''re not going to work in the fields today. Too bad. I guess I haven''t mastered honorifics yet. ''Miss Barbara, have you eaten? ''Hmm?Oh, no. Not yet, though. At Ginette''s question, Barbara scratched her head and made a troubled face. ''I can''t make breakfast because my mom can''t move. So I thought maybe the sisters would have something to eat. Barbara said that she had come to ask if there was any bread that she could share, like the one she had eaten at the field day. He wouldn''t even be able to cook a simple meal. However, bread like the one served at the bread-eating contest is not yet available in the world. Even if the church had such bread, it would be black bread at best. ''Oh man, ...... I should have brought home some of yesterday''s food if I had to do this. Barbara still has few options for people to turn to in times of need. He probably thought it would be relatively easy to ask for help from the church, since it was the place where Teresa was taken care of. ''Then, would you like to join us for dinner? Magda and the others have made a lot of food for us. Ginette smiled at the motionless body. Magda and the others don''t seem to have any objections, and they seem to be giving off the vibe that it would be a good idea. ''Are you sure?'' ''Yes. You can put Cheryl''s and the others'' portions in a bowl and bring them back later. It was still early in the morning. Tot and Cheryl are probably still asleep. Bertina once told me that Teresa wakes up early because she definitely wants to greet Barbara in the morning. She told me that she herself said so. It is also Teresa''s important job to wake Barbara up in time to work in the fields in the morning. ...... Don''t let her wake you up, sister. This is why Teresa is strong in the morning. ''So, do you want me to feed you, Teresa? ''Yes!Let''s eat! ''Hey, you two. We''ll take it.'' ''...... Yes.'' ''Yes! Barbara and Teresa obeyed Bertina''s point. ''We''ll take it. ''Moooo! ''No, I don''t think so. ...... Hmm, that''s difficult.'' Bertina lets out a chuckle at Barbara''s outlandish interpretation. ''Barbara. It''s ''shall we feast? I tell her that she''ll have a lot of work to do before she''ll be able to say ''accompany me''. ''Where''s the ''please''?Are you an idiot, hero? ''...... I''ll kick you out without feeding you, you monkey head.'' I don''t want to be called an idiot by you. You''re too stupid to even spell ''stupid. ''Mr. Barbara. Please rephrase what Mr. Yashiro said. ''Yes~......, let''s have a feast, Teresa.'' ''Goshoshoshonimasu! Yes, yes. I think Teresa understands the language better than I do because she can arrange it herself. I guess Teresa is smarter than me. Already at this point. ''Then please eat. We can''t move, so if you''ll excuse us we''re dressed like this. ''Does the manager have sore muscles too? ''Yes, I''m ashamed to say so. Natalia went to serve the food for Barbara and Teresa. In the meantime, Teresa had joined the circle of kids and Barbara had joined ours. ''The manager and the sisters are stuck, and the hero is helping the sisters? Hmm? What are you trying to say, this guy? ''''I thought you liked the manager because you''ve always favored him. ''''Heh! Ginette and I both let out a shout of surprise. ''''But from the looks of it, you seem to like the sisters more.'''' ''''Huh! This time, Bertina and I shouted in the same way. What''s this guy saying? ''''Aashi, I actually found out about the feeling of ''love'' yesterday ...... hehe.'''' Barbara smiled with a shy smile, even though her ears were dyed red. No, I know. Everyone here saw that moment. ''So, you like it, right?The one you''re gonna marry when you get bigger and bigger?'' Not necessarily, but in a broader sense, it''s like that. ''My mom and dad got married because their love for each other grew very, very big. Yesterday, too, when my husband said his shoulder hurt from overexertion, my mother fed him. Just like Hideo is doing right now. I felt a mysterious sweat on my back when she pointed to me and said that. Bertina also let out a strange ''chuckle'' and became restless. Her eyes flickered back and forth. ''So that''s the thing, right?The hero likes the sisters and will marry them someday, right?Aashi, I already know that kind of thing! What? I see. I see. You''re getting carried away with the knowledge of ''like''. So you''re in a state of mind where you can''t help but want to use the new word you just learned. But you know what? ...... Don''t be a pussy. ''Mr. Barbara. As I put down my chopsticks and began to think, ''Well, how am I going to cook this?'' Bertina, who should have been unable to move due to muscle pain, stood up easily. ''...... ah'' You can say whatever you want, Barbara. Oh, so you''ve already been warned without our knowledge. And yet, Barbara made the same mistake in front of Bertina. Well, you know. I guess it''s the retribution for being too happy-go-lucky in love. ''...... Please come to the confessional. We''ll talk before breakfast.'' ''No, I''m ...... sorry, I''m ...... sorry.'' ''Come on, come on.'' ''............? Barbara was rendered speechless by Bertina''s goddess-like smile. Well, I can''t help it. The smile that Bertina had on her face was not that of a goddess, but that of a goddess of destruction with an aura of evil. After the hunger and muscle pains, Bertina leaves the common room with Barbara in tow. It''s time to move, body. Professionalism, ...... or too embarrassed to flee the scene, ...... ''Well, I''m going to eat, too: ......'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ...... That stupid monkey woman. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. It''s not the PTA!It''s the TPO! ...... d*mn it. The next hour passed, and Inez and Deborah returned to their ward. It''s just another day at work. Gilberta and Natalia are meeting with their respective lords here, and are relaxing in the common room drinking tea. It''s a rare sight to see them relaxing. Magda and Loretta took Norma and the others back to the Sunken Pavilion. Since Jeannette couldn''t move yet, they took care of opening the restaurant. Since we couldn''t prepare the food today, we decided to make it an okonomiyaki stall day. The Hardware Guild and the Flower Arrangement Guild will be helping us in the morning. The river fishing guild is closed today. The rest of the guilds, except for the restaurants and some other guilds, seem to be taking it easy today. It''s the day after a full day of field day. Why doesn''t the sunny pavilion take a day off, too? ...... Many families eat out after field day, because they are tired. I don''t remember him saying that. Anyway, Ginette has no intention of taking a day off. The same was true for Cantalcica, and Paula hurriedly left after cleaning up breakfast. Nepheli, whose parents did the morning work at the poultry farm, said there was no such thing as a day off from taking care of animals. Ginette and I stayed behind at the church, leaving Magda and the others to prepare for the opening. We are resting in the common room to ease our sore muscles before the opening. He rubs his body, waiting for his muscles to recover. Rubbing rubbing rubbing ...... The sky was gradually beginning to lighten. Then it was quiet for a while. ''Oh my God, Barbara is ......''. Bertina was pouting as she chewed on a potato that had soaked up some of the flavor. It seems to be still lingering. When Bertina returns from the confessional, Natalia is feeding her breakfast. She refuses my help. Well, I understand how you feel, yes. Bertina, a devout Alvistan, would never have been asked so openly about her love or marriage. She must have felt embarrassed several times more than others. And as for Barbara... ''Guzu......,guzu............,guzu''. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''......un......mogmog......'' ''Oishii? ''............un...... gulp'' I ate my breakfast while crying, and my sister Teresa kept rubbing my back. She''s a pain in the ass, man. If she were my own sister, I would have dug a deep hole in the garden, dropped her in it, and planted a magnificent cherry tree on top of it to prevent her from crawling out. Every year when I look up at the cherry blossoms, I''ll remember, ''Oh, I had a sister, too,'' for a week or so out of the year. ''Totto-san, did you get home safely? ''Don''t worry. Tot''s a lot stronger than that idiot monkey.'' It was about twenty minutes ago that Tot came to the church, worried about Barbara who hadn''t returned. It was just as Barbara was being locked up in the confessional, and Tot, who had some idea of what was going on, said, ''Oh, I see. ...... What should I do? He was desperately trying to smile with a caring face. So I left Teresa here, who was unlikely to leave without her stupid sister, and told her to just take her food with her, and let her take her luggage and leave. Cheryl would be up by the time Tot came home. It might be difficult for Tot to reheat it. But Norma''s stew is delicious even when it''s cold. ''Gus...... oishii............ gohan,thank you,tencho...... eiyu I''m sure you''ll like it. Dirty, dirty, dirty!I''m not a sniveler! I''m not going to be able to do that.It''s on my rice ball!Oh, God! ''Either cry or eat! ''...... eat......'' ...... Don''t many people in this church put their appetites first? ''Here, snivel.'' ''......My hands are full. ......'' ''And now,......'' Barbara, the idiot who holds the onigiri in both hands. Eat them one at a time. Either no one will take them or ...... they''ll be eaten up by Bertina if we don''t keep them. What kind of survivalist church is this? So I roll up a piece of softened paper and pick Barbara''s nose. Here, ''Pfft! You know what to do. ''N ...... bubiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Even with ......, you should have a little more hesitation, girl. All power to you. ''Bertina''s sermon wasn''t meant to be angry, so don''t cry anymore. You just need to reflect on it and be careful next time.'' ''...... Yeah.'' ''Don''t turn your head. You''ll snivel again.'' ''............ Yeah'' ''Here, snivel again. ......'' Barbara looks up and wipes the tip of her damp, shiny nose with a piece of dust paper. You keep your head up now. It''s dripping. ''Eeyou...... gentle......'' ''You''ve only just realised. There aren''t many gentlemen as gentle as me.'' ''...... but, Aashi............ no matter how much you like me, I can''t marry a hero... ...'' ''Huh! ''Gobe ............ gobe naaah ......! ''What are you talking about? ''It''s because I like you, right?What are you talking about? You stupid monkey. ......! ''Yashiro-sama. Since yesterday, you''ve been rejected by Barbara-san. ''I''m not being rejected!I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Even if you don''t want to confess, at least wait until I like you before you dump me! If I get a rejection letter from an audition I didn''t apply for, I''ll be too upset to remember! Don''t talk in parallel, a**h*le monkey. As I was wondering what to do with this annoying crying monkey, a flirtatious raccoon poked its head out of the church window. ''Hey, you!It was fun last night, seriously! Percy opened the window and greeted me with a flirtatious face and a flirtatious voice. ''No, I heard you were over here when you went to the sunny pavilion, ......?What is it?What''s wrong? Percy is dismayed to find Barbara crying and chewing on a rice ball. It''s too late for you to notice. Are you narrow-minded? ''That''s yesterday''s ......, uh, .......'' ''That''s Barbara. ''Yes, Mr. Barbara.'' He called you his best friend, but you didn''t remember his name? What a jerk. Doesn''t he see people as a stepping stone to his own love life?He''s an a**h*le. You should get stabbed sometime. Percy, the enemy of women, opens the window near Barbara and calls out to her. ''Hey, Mr. Barbara. Mr. Barbara.'' ''Guzu ............?'' The world was blotted with tears, and Barbara didn''t know who was there for a moment, and only after large tears spilled out did she finally see the face of the other person. ''..................''. A faint voice escaped, his tail fluffed up, and his whole body rippled with a creeping sensation. ''Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! What was that scream like a rock festival vocalist? ''Haha. What''s the matter?Are you crying? ''No, I''m not crying ......! I''m not sure if it''s because I''m a bit of an idiot or because I''m a bit of an idiot. . I''m not sure what to do.No, no, no!This is a ...... ah, Aashi, not a foodie! What''s that excuse? What are you worried about? ''Haha. What''s that?That''s really funny. ''............'' Percy laughed at her and Barbara felt depressed. She looks like she''s been heartbroken. ''That''s good. I like girls who eat a lot of delicious food. ''What? Barbara''s face changes from bottomless to heavenly in an instant, enjoying the springtime of this world. ...... extreme, this guy''s facial muscles. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Nah ...... nothing''. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Percy gestures to his cheek, and Barbara wipes it with the back of her hand, desperately trying to hide the tear tracks. I can''t tell you why I''m crying, can I? ''Because the sisters got mad at me,'' she said. ''Oh, that''s right. Come here, come here.'' ''H......, yeah.'' Barbara obeyed Percy''s little beckoning. Slowly, slowly approach the window. And then, with a pop, Percy''s hand taps Barbara on the head. ''If it''s nothing, there''s no need to cry, right? ''What? Barbara''s tears recede completely as Percy strokes her hair. Her eyes are black and white, and her half-open mouth is leaking hot breaths of ''mohhhh~''. If you could see it, your breath would have been bright pink. ''Have you stopped crying yet? ''...... (click, click, click!)'' Barbara shook her head up and down desperately, as if she couldn''t speak. ''Well, you can laugh now, can''t you? ''...... (chuckle!)'' ''Then keep smiling. ''...... (chuckle!)'' ''I promise. ''...... (giggles!)'' ''I''ll worry about you if you cry.'' ''.................. (click!)'' I heard a strange sound. What?Barbara, did you squeeze some small animal in the back of your throat? ''Tears are a girl''s most precious jewelry, so don''t waste them, seriously.'' ''.................. Pssh~'' You''re leaking air! I think you''ve got a hole in there! ''Oh, and hey, you! I look at Barbara, who has collapsed, muttering something like, ''Okay, she''s stopped crying,'' and then Percy comes back to me. No, no, no, don''t come near me for a while. I don''t want people to think I know you. ''You asked for it, so I made the first prototype and brought it over. ''Really? ''For real. ...... But I''m not sure if it''s good enough.'' Well, it''s just a prototype. But the one that Percy brought was quite good. ''I''m impressed that you''ve already brought a prototype the day after the field day. ''That''s what you said. ''If you make it in time tomorrow, you''ll get a reward, if not, you''ll get a beating!I really tried my best to die! Hahaha. Did you really take that joke seriously? ''You didn''t look like you were joking, did you? ''I was joking. What about the reward? ''No, just that one?You''re serious about the chastisement?I''m scared, seriously! I''m kidding. I''m kidding. If you can produce what I want, I''ll reward you accordingly. At any rate, I''ll give you a special seat at the "Late Spring Bread Festival". Now, let''s make some more money. Mm-hmm. 408-No additives 63 Episode Late Blooming Spring Bread... While we were suffering from sore muscles, a shocking, history-changing event was happening simultaneously in each district of the giant city of Allbloom. Yes. The release of a new bread. People all over the city were astonished by the appearance of a soft and delicious bread that defied conventional wisdom. At the bakers'' guild workshop, customers lined up in long lines, lured by the unusual, rich aroma, without knowing what was being sold. The round bread for staple food sold like hotcakes, as the sweeter you chewed, the more sweet it became. But more than that, people were surprised by the existence of sweet bread with a wide variety of sweetness. The bread, which was unlike anything they had ever seen before, tasted like nothing they had ever tasted before, and the softness of the bread made it impossible to believe that it was bread, and it was sold out in no time. Normally, the bread is made in batches on days set by the church, but on this particular day, the bread was baked for 24 hours straight. I wonder if my message reached the church leaders properly. Strike while the iron is hot. Let all the people in the ward eat the new bread without sparing any money. If you take advantage of the initial momentum and grab their stomachs, they''ll continue to buy bread almost forever. I told Bertina to tell them that they would be buying bread more often than ever before,......, but I don''t think she got that far, anyway. But I think she understood how great this bread was. The church continued to bake the bread, and as if to celebrate the birth of the new bread, they served the new taste in a big way. Of course they took the money, though. Today, one night after such a shocking debut. A huge pile of bread is piled up in front of us. ''I''ve got some from the bakery in BU. As if to show off his power and wealth, Gerasie puffs out his chest and makes a smug face. He''s wearing an all-black hairdo today. ''You look so old. ''Didn''t you have anything else to say, you? You''re in your twenties and you smell like an old man. I don''t think dignity is proportional to old face. ''I''ve prepared a lot of stuff for you too. Ricardo, who I hadn''t called, also showed up at the 42nd district with a large amount of bread. ''What, I didn''t call you? ''You need enough to satisfy your sisters, so I''m cooperating with you! ''So you want to appeal for friendship, earn points, and stay at Estella''s house someday?That''s disgusting. ''I have no such ulterior motives!Who would want to stay at that guy''s house? What are you talking about when you tried to stay and were refused. He''s got a personality that''s very easy to understand. Thanks to that, though, it''s easy for us to take advantage of him. While I was thinking about it, Estella, who was greeting Gerasie formally, came over to me. ''Wow!Ricardo brought me some too. And so many of them. ''Oh, yeah. Well, it''s no problem for me to prepare this much, but you guys need it, don''t you? Ricardo is a bit excited by Estella''s unusually honest joy. Your nostrils are swollen. ''Feel free to take it with you, hahaha. ''Yeah. Thanks. Well, I got it, so you can go home now.'' ''I''ll stay!Until the end! ''Oh, ......, are you bored? ''I haven''t felt bored in years! No, you''re bored, no matter how you look at it. But, well... It''s a little distorted, but I think Estella and Ricardo are becoming more like childhood friends. To the point where they can easily swear at each other. It''s a little distorted, but still. But, you know, ...... if you have any problems, you can count on me. I can give you as much time as you need.'''' That''s how much he acknowledges Estella, and how much he cares for her, I guess. Hearing this, Estella looks into Ricardo''s face. ''Ricardo. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not sure if it''s a ...... thing, or if it''s a ...... thing where breath leaks out of your nose, or if it''s just a flat-out snicker? ''So, what''s with the big brother wig?'' ''You''re like a big brother to me, aren''t you? ''Hahaha, you''re so rude~'' ''You, Estella! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. That is my mission as the one who is in charge of the lives of the people of this district. I''m not going to put everyone in the 42nd district in a situation where they are worried, and even if that happens, I''m not going to be an unreliable lord who can''t do anything without relying on other districts, that''s my responsibility as a lord. From now on, trouble will continue to pour in, to the point of being unpleasant. Even so, I will not panic at every turn, and I will be a lord who firmly supports the 42nd district. With a smile that shows such a will, Estella declares firmly. At the sight of Estella, Ricardo lowered the fist he had been raising and lifted the corner of his mouth. ''Is that so? ''Yes. Besides, I''ll rely on Oji-sama and Lucia-san in case of emergency. ''Aren''t those two lords from another district? ''These two are already my relatives. ''Count me in, you know! ''Hahaha, that''s too much! ''That''s not good!You''re driving me crazy! Ricardo. Regardless of your true intentions, the fact that you''ve been tormenting him for over a decade is not something you can easily get rid of. Serve her. Pay me. And be my bread and butter. Then someday, Estella might even take a second look at you. ''So, Lucia. Do you have any bread? ''I''ve been in the Forty-second Ward. There''s no way I can prepare it. Think before you speak, anchovy.'' I know. I know you''ve been sobbing in muscle pain all day yesterday and haven''t stepped out of the house. Don''t spend two nights here so casually. If you stayed two nights, go home early in the morning to take care of your own ward. What are you doing staying till noon? ''It''s already noon.Don''t you want to go home?'' ''I''m leaving. After the bread festival.'' I''m going home after I''ve had my fun, my lord. ''I''m worried that Gilberta will end up in the street. ''If she does, I''ll take her as my wife and take care of her for life. Gilberta will be on the street when you''re broke. I can''t take care of her. ''Anyway, where did you hide Hammarotan?Isn''t Hammaro supposed to be helping out at the Sunken Pavilion from today?'' ''You know a lot, Lucia. ......'' ''''Hmph. Don''t underestimate the intelligence of a lord.'''' ''Choose where you want to exercise it. Don''t devote your intelligence to Hammaro''s work situation. As Lucia pointed out, there are no members of the Sunlit Pavilion here at the moment. Of course, Hammaro''s not here either. They''re scheduled to meet up with us later. ''Well then, let''s get started with the "Late Spring Bread Festival". At Estella''s words, Natalia and the waitresses spread out to set up the standby. The venue for this bread festival is the main square. The people near the main street have been complaining about the lack of events. This time, we rented out the main square as the venue for the Pan Festival. Unlike the field day, which took a whole day, this event would only take a few hours. Occupying the square would not cause any major problems. Bread will be distributed free of charge at stalls of different kinds. The turnover rate will be reduced if people have a hard time deciding which bread to eat. Therefore, people will be asked to line up at each stall after deciding which one they want to eat. The person in charge of the stall only has to give the bread to the customers who come to get it. It''s a simple job that even a child can do. The waiters are on edge, though, because of the chaos that is expected. The bread festival started with a brief greeting from both Geraci and Ricardo, who had donated the bread, and Estella''s final words of encouragement: "Enjoy the bread and eat to your heart''s content. As soon as the festival was declared open, a line formed in front of the stalls. The waiters shouted to keep the waves of people in line. It''s quite an atmosphere. People flock to the stalls as if it were a bargain or a grab bag for the first sale of the year. That''s how much attention the new bread is getting. ''At this rate, it will be gone in no time at all. Gerasie''s cheeks twitch as people flock to the stall. He barely manages to keep a smile on his face, but he can''t hide the fact that he''s overwhelmed. ''Instead of satisfying the sisters, even the lords might find it insufficient. Gerasie had brought a lot of bread, a lot of bread, but it was still an underestimate. That''s right. How many people do you think there are, my lord? And if you look closely, you''ll see that there are a lot of people who don''t live in District 42 in the mix. They''re probably from the 29th and 41st wards. Estella had opened the gates wide to welcome the lords to the party. ''Yum! ''Oh no!What the hell is this? ''How much? I''m going to try to change my focus. The more you chew, the more you get. ''The more you chew, the more the aroma of wheat spreads in your mouth. ......'' ''It''s like a wind blowing through a meadow. ''This melon bread is also delicious, with the flavor of the melon coming through. It''s like a wine evaluation. ...... Anyway, there''s no melon flavor in melon bread. ''It seems to be popular. Seeing the reaction of the people, Estella nodded in satisfaction. ''You''ve been hiding something this good for a long time, haven''t you? ''Hmm. I had no right to offer it to you.'' ''I''m grateful that you''ve got the ''right'' to do so. Even so, I wanted to see the bread-eating contest, to see the tits swaying in line! ''To Bertina, and Sophie, and Sister Barbara. If a sister you''re close to is in trouble, you can''t help but reach out to her, right? ''What?Do you think I gave you the recipe to help people?'' ''You''re free to think that, aren''t you? ''You''re free to think what you want, but it''s offensive, so correct me.'' ''Then I''ll correct it. Thank you for what you''ve done for me and the people of my domain. ''Don''t get cocky.'' Estella chuckles. Who broke my bones for you. In the first place you can''t jump or shake so you''re not in a bread eating contest. In other words, you are the furthest thing from bread. ''I just like things that are soft and round. ''Hmmm. Well, that''s your answer. What''s so funny? Don''t smirk at ....... ''But I guess the Church won''t complain now. The Church will no longer be forced to deal with a drop in sales in the outer districts. If it''s not selling well, you should take action yourself. Get over it with corporate efforts. They think they deserve what they get. It''s the nobility that can''t resist the Church. Especially if you''re a lord. Estella, in particular, had been told in a roundabout way that the reason bread was no longer selling in the outer districts was because the Forty-Two districts had created and spread strange foods, so this information must have made her position much easier. Even though the originator of the idea is a secret, the church members know which ward the idea came from. It will not be leaked to the outside of the Church, but it will be heard by the inside of the Church, especially by the higher-ups who are not happy about it. If you''ve sold a favor, good luck. Well, at best, it''s a small price to pay. That''s about the best the church can do. Anyway. Anyway, with such a good reputation, there won''t be any more ''no bread sales''. And Estella won''t have to deal with any complaints. ''Thank you, Yashiro. ''If you wanted to thank me, you would have said, "For what you''ve done..."'' ''Yes, of course, but...'' He comes in front of me and looks straight into my face. ''Thanks to you, one of my troublesome problems has been solved. So I wanted to say thank you, personally, to you. This is just my way of thanking you as Estella.'' If you say such a thing to me, I might be indebted to you and expect a troublesome payback later on. ...... You look so innocent. ''A troublesome problem ....... Estella. There are no breast implants in pastries. ......'' ''I knew you''d say that. I knew you would say that. With a snap, Estella''s fist hits my chest. Her wrist twists and turns as she hits me. What the hell, that tickles. ''You should practice accepting people''s gratitude with open arms. ''Shut up, ......, that tickles, stop it.'' I said, brushing Estella''s hand away. That''s right, it tickles. ...... to be looked at that straight in the eye. You should be swearing like you always do. It''s just a side effect of my ambition to get rid of one of your problems. Just a byproduct. A bonus. Don''t take it personally. ''The bread-eating contest was a lot of fun...'' ''Are you still going to say that?Why don''t you say, ''You''re welcome''?Come on, say it with your mouth.'' Estella pinched both my cheeks and pulled. Stop it, come on. Don''t make me moan my cheeks. ''''Don''t make out with me.'''' Ricardo and Gerrardy, standing side by side, said to me with a dumbfounded look. I''m not flirting with you. Estella is only flirting with me. Hmm... ''Oh, Lucia. There''s melon bread. Why don''t you go get a couple?'' ''Oh, shut up!I can''t eat two of these, you idiot! ''No, you can eat two. ''Because women are small eaters.'' Gerasie and Ricardo, not understanding the meaning of Lucia''s impatience, tilted their heads at Lucia''s overreaction. And then Ricardo says something unnecessary again. ''Oh, that again? A woman''s diet or something like that. ......'' ''Oh?'' Lucia''s glare petrified Ricardo. Scary. Lucia, you''ve mastered the petrifying stare skill. He''s like a cockatrice. ''...... cockatrice''. ''Don''t call people strange names, anchovy.'' What are you talking about? Lucia doesn''t look like she needs to go on a diet. ...... Well, you don''t get to say ''diet'' to her face, do you? You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life.I don''t know and I''m not interested. After silencing the rude man, Lucia raised her index finger and gave a speech. ''Melon bread is high in calories. You can''t eat too much of it.'' ''Huh, where did you learn the word calorie? ''Under Imelda''s tutelage. ''What happened to you, at his house? What are you studying under? In terms of style (except for her breasts), Lucia''s not bad at all. ''You''re the one whose breasts have grown since you came to the Forty-second Ward. He taught me many things about body shape management.'' ''No, Lucia-san......, I''m glad that you''re getting along with the people of my district, but it''s indeed outrageous for a lord to be mentored by the daughter of a guild......'' ''''Actually, I''ve grown by about two millimeters during the past two nights. ''What?Yashiro, really? ''Which ......?You''ve definitely grown by two millimeters! ''Imelda-sensei!I''m sorry.Where''s the teacher? ''Calm down, Ms. Creamona!Remember what you just said to Ms. Suarez.'' ''...... Or rather, it''s scary that you can visually notice a 2 mm change in your clothes, Oba. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Yashiro!The cream buns are delicious! ''Oh!Don''t eat too much, Delia.'' ''Ah! ''Yashiro-san. Today''s melonpan is also crispy and delicious.'''' ''Bertina really likes melonpan, doesn''t she? ''Because it''s crispy too.'' ''Don''t eat too much. ''Yes, sir. It''s only the fifth. I see, you haven''t even reached the first half. ...... It''s a long way to the eighth. ''Oh, Yashiro~! ''Hey, Neffery. Are you eating?'' ''Yeah. Anyway, have you seen Molly?I saw her earlier at the venue. ......'' ''Yeah, I think she''s with Percy. ''With Mr. Percy?I wonder why?'' ''He''s at work. I asked him to do something for me.'' ''Work at ......, why are you with Mr. Percy? Hey, Percy. They think you''re not working. Well, actually, if only Molly were here, I''d be fine. ''Hey, ladybug! ''Hey. Millie''s a melonpan too. ''Hmm. I just got in line with Shisuta.'' ''Shall I make you a melonpan hair ornament?A big one.'' ''No, Miri, I''m not that picky.'' Millie slaps my arm. Millie''s casual body touch! Where did she learn such a sophisticated technique?You''re not going to a party, are you? You can''t go to a party like that, Millie! ''Miss Milly, the jam buns are empty. ''Oh, sh*t. But Miri, you''re still eating melon bread, so I''ll take it. ''Then, I''ll take it first. And then Bertina walked away, clutching a cream bun and squirming anpan. How long have you been hustling? ...... I thought I was eating melon bread just now. I''m sure you''re not the only one with a fast pass. ''Fastpass?'' ''It''s like a priority ticket. Don''t worry about it. There''s no such thing as a fastpass because they don''t have one. ''Oh, Sister. You can go ahead if you want.'' ''Oh, you don''t mind, do you? ''Don''t mind me, Sister.'' ''Yes, Sister, you''ve always been a great help to me. ''Come on, after you.'' ''Two is not enough, come on. ''I''m starving, aren''t I? ''Thank you, gentlemen. Then, thank you for your kindness and may the Spirit God bless you all. Isn''t he using some kind of cheat move? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You can''t have two loaves of bread, the sisters will starve to death! It''s not two pieces of bread, though, because she''s already eaten ...... the melon bread. I''m not sure what to say. It''s humanity, isn''t it? ''Is it a human virtue,......?'' Millie is looking at Bertina with sparkling eyes, but is it really something to be respected? I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. Isn''t that sympathy? There''s not a trace of sore muscles in her face as she happily bites into the jam bun she was given. He''s back to full strength. Yashiro. Didn''t Paula and the manager come? While I was watching Bertina being fed, Norma arrived. She looked around at the crowded hall. ''I think they''re all in their stores,'' she said. ''You mean at Cantalucia and the Sunshine Pavilion?'' ''Oh, yeah. I did a little favor for them. Everyone was looking forward to the bread festival, so I thought they might be a little reluctant, but they seemed to enjoy being the ...... instigators more and agreed. Paula was especially enthusiastic. In this kind of situation, we usually prepare and act alone in the sunny pavilion. She was very happy to be able to take the lead in the surprise. ''Paula is a hidden gem,'' he said. ''And the managers? ''The secret weapon. It wasn''t just to help people that I went to the trouble of giving away the recipe for the bread. In fact, I wouldn''t help people at all! It''s all for my benefit! Well, if you can make money while you''re at it, why don''t you? As long as you don''t interfere with me, I don''t care where or who makes money. It''s easier for scammers to operate when the economy is running. ''I don''t know what you''re up to,......, but I wish you''d have asked me for help,.......'' Norma pokes me in the shoulder with a pout. No, you see. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ''...... I''m an outsider this time. ............ outsider'' Why are you sulking like that? No, I just thought it would be a little bit wrong to ask for too much help. ...... Oh, God!I''ll ask you nicely next time!Don''t swell up! I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Hello, Imelda. ''Look at this!It''s ''Melonpan and I''! Imelda raised her melonpan to the sky and posed with it.--Imelda poses. Yeah. It''s not worth looking at, so I''ll turn away. ''Hey!Please look at this! ''Don''t play around, just eat. ''I''m eating, all right. But it''s still a big crowd. ''Well, it''s free. ''Sure, it''s nice to be able to try different flavors for free. Even though they''re going to be on sale, at 50Rb each, you can''t buy that many. Norma looks a bit confused. The new bread is priced based on the traditional bread. A soft round loaf costs 30Rb, a butter roll 35Rb, and a loaf of sweet bread 50Rb. A loaf of bread is 60Rb. A half loaf is 30Rb. It''s not so expensive that you can''t afford it, but it''s not something that an average family can afford to buy and eat every day. If you want to buy a 500 yen dessert after every meal, you may hesitate a little. Or, if you were to buy a piece of sweet bread as a meal, you would also be a little hesitant. Such is the price setting. The price is higher than that of hard black bread, which was 20Rb. However, considering the fact that the former high-class white bread cost 70Rb, it may be said that the price is affordable. This is thanks to the "high quality bread" sold around the central district. The recipe is almost the same. However, the ingredients used are different. The flour used is top-notch flour reserved for the aristocracy, and the sugar used is naturally aristocratic sugar. The milk used for cream buns, strawberries for jam buns, and azuki beans for anpan are all made with high-grade ingredients reserved for the aristocracy. That''s why the price is set a little high. Listen and be amazed. The price of a high quality melonpan sold in the Central District is as much as 1000Rb! Melonpan. When did you become as good as muskmelon? I tasted it through Bertina (who sent it to the creator as a confirmation of the taste), but the taste was not that different. The only thing I can say is that the aroma of wheat is richer. However, the aristocracy finds value in the specialness and price. If it is expensive and rare, they will consider it to be a supreme delicacy. If it is expensive and rare, they believe that it is a supreme delicacy, and that it is incomparably more delicious than the "poor man''s bread" (a derogatory term among the nobles) that the poor people eat. The church has announced that similar bread is sold in the outer districts, and the royalty and nobility (laughs) know about it. ''The common people are so happy because they can enjoy happiness with such cheap products. ''They want to imitate the aristocracy with imitation goods, isn''t it cute? ''It''s unfortunate that you don''t know the real thing, isn''t it? ''No, no, they''re happy because they don''t know the real thing. ''Well. That''s true too, isn''t it? --So, it seems that they will pity us on their own and will not attack us. Rather, they seem to want to immerse themselves in ''I know the real thing,'' and the wives of aristocrats are willing to buy only expensive things. Thanks to this, the new bread is selling like hotcakes in Chuo Ward. The cost is still different, but the interest rate is higher for the "nobleman''s bread. In other words, the church will be able to make a lot of money if the nobleman''s bread sells well. Now, they won''t complain even if the sales of bread in the outer districts drop a little. ''But I''m curious. Imelda muttered as she took a bite of the melon bread she was holding up, looking at the bread stall. ''The popularity of sweet bread is tremendous. ......'' Buttered rolls are too sweet, and I''ve never had a problem with them. Butter rolls seem to be popular among adults who avoid overly sweet pastries, but the staple breads, round bread and bread, are not as popular. ''Compared to the old bread, it''s softer and has a stronger wheat aroma and sweetness, and it''s certainly tastier,......, but it''s still not as good as the sweet bread. There is no doubt that Norma''s opinion is the consensus of all the people in this hall. If only round bread had been created this time, people would have been so impressed by its softness and sweetness that they would have lined up to buy it. This time, however, there were sweet buns. The children and even the sweets-loving madams were absorbed in the sweet buns. Oh, my God, it''s my fault, it''s a big mistake,......, you think? That''s why you''ve prepared a hidden gem. The best way to eat bread that the aristocrats don''t know yet. If you give them this information as well, they won''t try to interfere with our new business. That''s why I''m going to throw in the secret recipe for making that leftover round bread and bread taste good. --Paula! ''Let me go! At my signal, Paula replied, holding up a lit torch in her hand. Paula the Inuit, holding a hot fire. Yeah, no pun intended. It''s not a pun, but that''s exactly what I''m trying to make. By the way, I taught Magda how to cook with bread, green pepper, bacon, tomato sauce and cheese, and Loretta how to cook with ham, cheese, eggs, lettuce and bread. Now, the second part of the "Late Spring Bread Festival" is about to begin. 409-64th episode without additives, one of the stronge... ''Come on, guys!Stay back, it''s dangerous! Paula walks into the stall that has been prepared for her. Paula''s father brings in a huge tray with a lot of sausages. The stall has a hot griddle where the sausages are cooked one after another. ''What the hell are you doing? Norma was also peeking at Paula''s stall as the crowd''s interest gathered. ''Oh, Norma!Just in time!Help me out! ''Huh!What are you talking about?You can help, but you don''t even know what you''re making. ......'' ''Norma will be fine!It''s harder than you think, you know. Hey, I thought I''d help! ''...... can''t help it. I''m sure you''re trying to make it look like you''re not accepting it, but your tail is wagging happily and your mouth is loose and squishy. Norma, you like to be relied on, don''t you? ''You''re too easy, Norma. I''m starting to get a little worried, even though I''m not the only one. ''Just keep an eye on her. I don''t want Norma to get any bad bugs. ''I''ll fight off any insects that come near Norma-san. ''Yeah, that would be a pity, so be moderate, okay? Annihilation would be too much of a pity. They''d want to be pampered a bit. ''Norma, cut the cabbage into small pieces and fry it. Season it with salt and pepper.'' ''How much? ''A lot! With a bang, four cabbages are piled up. Norma''s cheeks fluttered for a moment, but she seemed to have made up her mind and began chopping the cabbage with great skill. Excellent handiwork. Excellent knife work. Great arm speed, great breast swaying. ''...... wonderful.'' ''That''s not what you say when you''re staring at cleavage. Sometimes I don''t understand what Imelda is saying. I guess it''s a difference in values. ''Ah!I found you! ''I didn''t know you were here, Doctor. Estella and Lucia find the teacher and run up to him. That''s strange... Estella shouldn''t have studied under him yet. ''There are two people here who don''t want to be respected, aren''t there? ''You''re the one who sowed the seeds, breastfeeding teacher. ''It''s a misunderstanding. Lucia-san has taken it upon herself to take advantage of you.'' ''Hmph!I''ll even wag my tail for the sake of breastfeeding! Are you alright, my lord? I don''t know, where''s Gilberta?Why are you letting Lucia run wild? I don''t know, pets should be trained properly, or else they should be tied up properly. ''Hey, ladybug, what are you making? ''That''s a hot dog.'' ''Hotdogs? ''Yeah, they''re good.'' At the stall, Norma, who seemed to have been turned on, was nimbly chopping cabbage and frying it. Next to him, a short sausage is being cooked. ''Norma, I want you to cut a slit in the round pan and open it halfway like this. ''Like this, right?'' ''Yes, yes. Be careful not to cut them apart.'' ''And how many of these do I have to do? ''A lot! ''Another lot. ......'' Paula took the bread that Norma had cut into slices and spread butter in the slices. Then she spreads the seasoned cabbage on top, puts the sausage on top, and sandwiches it. Finally, the surface of the bread is lightly grilled with a torch, so as not to burn, and the bread is crispy. ''Yes!The hot dog is ready!You can eat it with tomato sauce and mustard if you like! The first hot dog is now ready. The crowd, who had been watching with bated breath to see what would be made, gulped down their saliva. It was easy to imagine what it would taste like. You can tell just by looking at it that it is absolutely delicious. ''Who wants to be the first to try it? Paula asks, but everyone is hesitant. It would attract a lot of attention. ''Well, go get Millie. ''Huh?You''re sure you''re okay with ......? ''Yes!Millie, come here. It''s absolutely delicious! ''Uh-huh! Paula beckoned to her, and Miry, a little nervous, ran up to the stall. She takes a hot dog, looks at it closely, dips it in tomato sauce and a little mustard, and bites into it. --Crack! With the sound of the sausage popping, Millie''s big eyes sparkled. ''............ oishii! ''All right, give me some! ''Give me another one! ''Hurry up! ''Come on, Paula!Give it to me, too! The crowd rushed to the stall, impressed by Millie''s untruthfulness. I gently pulled her towards me so that she wouldn''t be crushed. Millie was still a little dazed. ''Was it that good? ''It''s amazing ......, isn''t it, ladybug! You''re really excited. ''After all the sweets you''ve eaten, doesn''t this stuff taste so good? ''Mmm!I love it. She mimics my tone and smiles with a slightly embarrassed, ''I''ve done something naughty'' look of satisfaction. So don''t imitate me like I''m some kind of evil symbol. Please don''t let Millie get greedy. ''What''s this?Bekko-saaaan! Imelda barked. Apparently it was delicious. ''This, again. You''ve come up with something amazing, Yashiro.'' ''Estella, you''ve got ketchup on your mouth.'' ''I''m fine! ''No, it''s not fine.'' He takes out a handkerchief and wipes Estella''s mouth. ...... Ahhh. I''ll have to ask old lady Mum to remove the stain again. I think I''ll bill this guy. ''You, anchovy!Why were you hiding this delicious food? ''It''s no wonder we didn''t have any bread. You''ve got mustard on your nose too. ''I don''t care! ''You should care! Why are lords so disappointing? I''ll wipe off Lucia''s mustard as well as Estella''s. ''Huh?You''re ......! ''I''m sorry. Gilberta''s not here, so I''m just wiping it off for you. I didn''t mean anything by it.'' ''No other intentions,...... against the lord,...... no, against the noblewoman,......! If you say that, you''ll lose the position of Estella who didn''t show any reaction. Don''t say it. ''And ...... something smells good ......! Oh, that''s probably Estella''s smell. I wiped my face just before. ''You, you, you, you, your handkerchief ......! ''Why don''t you just use a regular handkerchief, it''s so annoying. ''You''re not going to kiss and chug in the middle of the night, are you? ''Who would do that? ''I would! ''Don''t do it! Somebody! Bring back this lord! It seems that Gilberta heard the cries of these souls, but she appeared in the hall. With Ginette. Pulling a large cart. ''Ginette. ''Ah, Mr. Yashiro. I''ve finally finished frying everything. ''Thank you for your hard work.'' ''No, sir. It was a lot of fun. I''ve asked Ginette for a lot of ''secret weapons''. I hope it''s time to show it off. ...... ''What about Magda and Loretta? ''I was so excited to go to the stall. Look, there it is.'' Ginette pointed to Loretta and Magda, who were standing by their stalls a short distance away from Paula''s stall. Magda was holding a torch, just like Paula. ''Now, now, pay attention! While Magda was getting ready, Loretta quickly opened her stall. Loretta''s didn''t need to be cooked on the spot. ''The greatest invention of the century, using the new bread!This is the sandwich! Ta-da!Loretta held up a triangular sandwich. It consists of ham and cheese, ham lettuce, egg, and potato salad. I was thinking of making a cutlet sandwich, but the fryer was occupied with something else this time, so I gave up. Well, even if the sandwiches become more popular, the katsu sandwich will not be buried and will rise to stardom at once. ''Delicious! ''Easy to eat! ''Don''t you think it''s a bit healthy? ''Oh, I like ...... this! ''Eggs, yum! The reaction of those who ate the sandwich was also positive. ''This one has honey mustard on the surface of the bread. The tangy, sweet and spicy sauce makes the lettuce and ham taste even better. The people eating the sandwiches nodded admiringly at Loretta''s explanation. That piquant stimulus stimulates the appetite, and no matter how much you eat, you never get tired of it. ''But since you can''t see how it''s made, it''s kind of plain .......'' ''It''s delicious, but it''s not spectacular. ......'' ''Hmmm ...... normal? ''Please don''t say ordinary!The sandwich is very good. Because of the lack of performance, the sandwich is indeed a bit plain. Although it''s just a matter of cutting and inserting, it can be quite difficult. That''s why I ended up cooking at the sunny pavilion. I thought there would be a lot of bread left over anyway, so I had my sister secretly bring home a certain amount. Since it was Loretta, I thought it would be okay to be modest. And what about the bread left in the hall - Magda will be using it from now on. ''......, a new product from Magda Presents. Atenshonpuri-zu''. Magda raises her hand to get attention. Are you Stu? Where did you learn to do that? ''What do you make, Magda-chan? ''That''s pizza toast. ''Pizza toast: ......'' ''Is that a pizza? I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... ''Is it a pizza? ''It''s like a pizza.'' ''I''m looking forward to it! Perhaps remembering the pizza she once ate, Bertina''s face broke into a smile. ''Are you that excited about it? ''Yes, very much. I still remember the taste of the pizza from that day. Bertina''s stomach growled as she recalled memories of the past. ......I''m sure you''ll agree. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find it on the web. The oven was not ready in time, so the ingredients had to be cooked first. The bread was cut into thick slices and lightly burned on both sides to make it crispy. It''s a great way to make sure you don''t end up in a situation where you can''t afford to go back to work. ...... Oh, I brought boiled corn. You''ve made an arrangement. Well, it''s good because it goes together. Then put a lot of melted cheese on top of it, and roast it over a torch so that the cheese melts. Yeah. I''ll make an oven for pizza toast later. Looking at it makes me want to eat it. I want to simplify the cooking so that I can eat it whenever I want. That''s where Norma comes in. ...... She seems to be busy. ...... Well, I''m sure she''ll do it if you ask her. ''...... finished. Pizza toast. The appearance of the melted cheese is impressive and makes people cheer. ''......If you want to eat first, go to ......'' ''Yes!'' Bertina raised her hand cheerfully. That much? ''...... then, Sister.'' ''Thank you very much! Bertina ran quickly over and received a pizza toast. She was about to bite into it, so I''ll warn her first. ''Bertina!The cheese is hot, so don''t burn your upper jaw here, behind your front teeth! ''It''s okay.'' Bertina said and bit into it. The cheese stretched out, and the crowd gasped. Then, after chewing, Bertina said to ...... ''It''s too good! She was impressed by the taste. As I have seen several times, the crowd rushed to the restaurant, asking for ''me too'', ''me too'' and ''me too''. This would be a big hit if you could serve it in a restaurant. If I can get it in the store, yeah. ''Yashiro. Will this pizza toast be added to the menu at the Sunken Pavilion in the future? ''There are no plans to do so at the moment.'' ''Why not?It''s so delicious. Estella asks, stretching out the cheese. ''First of all, the cost is high. If you use bread that costs 60Rb a loaf, the price goes up accordingly. A quarter of a loaf is used for pizza toast, but that''s still 15Rb. If you add cheese, sauce, and time and effort, the price goes up. If you set the price too low, it may go bankrupt when you have a large quantity. ''Also, there is the uncertainty of supply. Bread is baked in batches on days set by the Church. It''s not every day. Seeing how well the bread is selling, the Church may increase the number of days it bakes bread. But even so, it will be difficult to bring in a large number of loaves every day. There will be other people who want to buy it, and it will be difficult to put it on the menu if there is always a fight for it. Even if you stock up on too much food, it won''t last that long in this city without preservatives. ''I see. ...... It''s a pity. ''You can make it at home. If you have pizza sauce and cheese, it''ll taste just fine.'' ''I see!Then let''s sell the pizza sauce at the Sunken Pavilion!'' ''Estella-san. I''m sorry, but that''s the domain of our peddler''s guild, isn''t it? I wonder how long she''s been there, but Assunto smiles at Estella''s excitement. ''Don''t worry!The lord will give you permission.'''' ''Oh?Was our wise lord such a disappointment?'' ''What, Assunto, you didn''t know? ''I guess he didn''t want to admit it. ''You guys, don''t talk bad about him in front of him. ''Okay, Assunto!Let''s go over there and say, ''Flat-chested! Let''s go over there and say, ''You''re flat! ''Don''t swear at him even when he''s not there! ''I''ll say it inaudible. Hey, Assunto? ''No, I''ll refrain from that. More importantly--'' Assunto gets the look of a merchant. ''Are you sure you won''t be selling those pizza toasts and hot dogs? ''You can probably predict the bread supply, can''t you?'' ''Yes, ...... but, well, that''s a shame. It was my favorite flavor, pizza toast.'' Assunto looks deeply disappointed. It''s the first time he''s ever been disappointed about a meal. ............ Don''t be fooled. ''Does it look that good to you? ''No, no, no. It''s definitely delicious. ''No, it''s definitely ''tasty''.'' That''s ''tasty for profit''. ''Do you want me to give you the recipe for the pizza sauce? ''Are you sure? ''No, that''s a trick. You wanted that right, so you interrupted Estella''s conversation. ''''Hohoho. Now, what are you talking about? It''s so obvious. You rushed to interfere when Estella said ''sell pizza toast'' for you. You said that only by selling it on the market would you be able to make a real profit. ''But if Mr. Yashiro listens to my request so readily, I''m afraid there might be something behind it. ''There is. Or rather, there is a condition of exchange. Assunto was not surprised when I said that. He was well aware of such things. ''May I ask you something? ''If the pizza sauce goes on sale, the sales of bread should jump dramatically from the initial forecast. ''Yes, I suppose you''re right. ''Then we can sell our debt to the Church, right?'' ''A favor ......? I don''t know, the Church is an organization that doesn''t owe money to individuals or companies. ''Even if they don''t directly show gratitude, they will at least calculate that it''s in their best interest to keep this guy around, right? ''That, of course. Calculating is their specialty--no, their habit.'' ''Mr. Assunto. You''re speaking too soon. You too, Mr. Yashiro. Bertina scolded him quietly. ''Assunto. You should apologize to Bertina.'' ''I''m sorry, Sister. ''No, no. Just be careful, that''s all.'' ''And apologize for me, too.'' ''You can do that yourself. I can''t help it, so I just say, ''I''m sorry. ''So, what are you trying to do by ingratiating yourself with the Church? ''No, nothing. I''m not going to do anything crazy, okay? ''Ho ho ho. Mr. Yashiro likes to joke.'' ''That''s true. It''s just, you know, the 42nd district is at the very end, under a cliff, with a lot of shade, so it''s hard for the Spirit God''s and the church''s bigwigs to see us. ''In other words, you want to be spared? ''I''m sorry to hear that. There''s nothing illegal about it, it''s in accordance with the rules.It''s just very confusing. My hope is that you don''t have a problem with that ''confusing'' part. You know how powerful people are, if they don''t like something, they''ll accuse you of being difficult? I don''t want you to do that, Yashiro. ''I''ll be happy if you watch over me with kind eyes. ''Please don''t do that. I''m about to return the bread I''ve taken the trouble to put in my stomach to the earth. ''I feel like I''m going to vomit, that''s terrible!Yashiro, please stop! ''Yashiro, let''s stop. Right?Hey! Assunto''s face is getting really pale, so I''ll cut him some slack. I think he''s pretty cute. ...... ''...... yashiro. Sold out'' ''This one''s sold out too, bro! ''Hot dogs are also sold out.'' The three girls who had sold out of this hidden gem gathered around with smiles on their faces. If people know that there is such a cooking method, some of them will try it at home. That would increase the sales of bread. So, I''m going to publish the recipes for these three hidden gems. If the sales of the bread increase and the aristocrats start eating it, the church will be happy with the increase in income. So, I hope you won''t look at the 42nd district, which seems to be hiding in the depths of the earth, but I''m sure you won''t look at it at all. Yeah. Looking around, all the bread in the hall was gone. Even though we had prepared a large amount of bread, people were coming from the 42nd, 29th, and 41st wards. It was not enough. It was difficult to gather enough bread to satisfy such a large number of people. Both financially and in terms of production capacity. ''If you don''t have enough, you can buy some the next time the bread is baked. When will that be? That''s up to the church. It is unlikely, but if the church is displeased, it may take strong measures to stop the bread production. Bread in this town is not something that can be eaten casually. A melon bun is 500 yen. That''s expensive. So... That''s what I just said. ''If you don''t have enough, buy some the next time they bake bread. ''Or you can just eat something similar and delicious. On cue, Gilberta opens the lid of a large cart. Then, Ginette comes from the cart with a tray of new products from the Sunlit Pavilion, one by one, in full view. Magda and Loretta are standing behind Ginette, ready for battle. As the bread disappeared from the hall, the eyes of the many spectators who had remained in the hall, not yet ready to leave, now focused on Ginette. They turned to Ginette''s tray. There, laid out on the tray, was food that resembled bread, but with a slightly crumbly appearance. Yes. This is-- ''These are the new doughnuts on the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''What''s that doughnut ......? And Estella draws a circle in the air with her finger. That''s right. That''s the doughnut. But it''s a little different from the ones we currently have at the Sunlit Pavilion. After the birth of sweet buns and being impressed by their taste and texture, this new doughnut shines brightly. ''Estella, you have to try this. ''Wow, it''s really sticky! ''Just try it.'' ''Uh, yeah. ...... Ahhhhh ..................... ......... Yum! Estella''s shoulders shook and her body slumped. A brilliant overreaction. You could be a gourmet reporter. ''Yashiro, is this ...... anpan? ''No, it''s an an-donut! ''An doughnut? ''This is a cream doughnut, and this is a chocolate cream doughnut. ''It looks very much like a sweet bun. ''What do you mean, Estella. They''re completely different. Donuts are not baked in the oven. They''re made by frying them in oil. So they don''t fall under the category of ''bread'' as defined by the Church. Even if it looks and tastes very much like bread, it is definitely a doughnut, not a bread by any means. Therefore, it does not violate the church''s domain at all, and there is no reason to be offended! If you still complain about it, ...... Yashiro will get angry! ''Everyone, please enjoy your meal. There are two kinds, so choose the one you like. ''Yes, yes!This one is Loretta-chan''s recommended cream doughnut! ''The ...... red bean doughnuts are kind of amazing. ''I think you should try them, too. I want you to try them, too. The members of the Sunlit Pavilion, including Gilberta, handed out doughnuts to the crowd. Those who tasted the doughnuts said one after another, "Delicious! It''s delicious! One after another. The sweetness in their mouths must have been reset by having a hot dog or pizza toast after the pastries, and it must have been just right. The sweetness was too heavy. The crowd was in a lively mood, comparing several kinds of donuts. My lord was the one who looked unhappy in the midst of it all. ''You''ve taken another ...... nasty loophole .......'' Estella lets out a heavy sigh. She looks a little pale because she''s afraid that if the Church gets wind of her,......? That''s why we''re going to contribute to the church''s sales. Pizza sauce, you don''t have to monopolize the recipe, we''ll make it public, and you can sell a lot of bread with it. The peddler''s guild will be enriched and the farmer''s guild will have more work. It''s a way to make people from various fields happy. Basically, I don''t envy other people''s profits. As long as it doesn''t lead to profit or loss for us. If others are making money, they can make as much as they want. Kicking others down does not mean that our profit will increase. In the long run, keeping others out of trouble is what prevents us from making a profit. This will lead to profit. Then I''ll spare you the knowledge. So, you know. It''s not bread, it''s a donut, so it''s safe, right? ''If you have any complaints, go to .......'' ''Then why don''t you show them the cooking process? Lucia laughs off Estella''s fears. Yes, yes. I don''t use a stone oven at all. ''...... By the way, how much do you plan to sell these red bean paste donuts ............ for?'' Estella''s face is pale, as if she has a bad feeling about this. The crowd is also interested in the price of this new doughnut. Anpan and other sweet breads similar to this one were priced at 50Rb. How much is this bean jam donut really worth? ...... All right, I''ll tell you. ''9Rb''. '''''''' cheap! '''''''' ''''''''I''ll buy them every day! '''''''' I''m going to buy it every day. '''''''' I''m going to make it my staple food. '''''''' In the midst of the boisterous crowd, only Estella sighed heavily again. ''...... Absolutely, only the 42nd district does not see an increase in bread sales. ............'' Well, if there is a steady supply of similar products at about a fifth of the price. But, you know, even if it''s similar, it''s still different, and sometimes you want to eat that too. Don''t worry about it. Even if sales drop, it doesn''t mean they won''t sell at all. ''Besides, Assunto will take care of it so that the church won''t say anything. ''What?No,...... eh? ''Yes, ......, then please, Assunto.'' ''No, no, no, no!You can''t expect too much from me! ''Then I won''t give you the recipe for pizza sauce!Pfft! ''Hey, Yashiro-san!This is not the same as .......'' ''Yashiro''s notice! ''...... I understand. But in return, I will enjoy the deliciousness of the pizza sauce to the fullest! Assunto lets out a sigh of desperation. What''s so depressing about that? I''ve given you the new recipe you asked for, and even suggested a better way to eat the new bread. It''s such a great service that the Pope should be crawling on the ground thanking me. Well. That bread is the reason why our donuts sell so well. Rather than just saying, "We have this kind of thing," let us use the publicity effect of the "popular thing" and the product will sell better. This has been proven by exercise machines that use electrical signals to forcibly move the abdominal muscles. Even if you don''t know the origin of the product, it is similar to the popular product and cheaper than the popular product.That''s why they sell well. If you can take advantage of something, don''t hesitate to take advantage of it. That''s the first step in business. ...... Hmmm. This one will sell! ''Yashiro. This red bean paste doughnut is delicious, but it makes my fingers dirty. Estella, who has eaten an Andonut, looks at her sticky fingers and says. What an idiot. That''s the last ''fun'' part, so to speak. ''The powdered sugar that''s sprinkled around the andonut is Percy''s new product. So it''s sweet. Give it a lick.'' ''Lick it like ...... this?'' Estella frowned for a moment at the misbehavior, but as soon as she licked her finger, her eyes lit up. ''Oh my god! ''''What?That''s the whole point of a red bean paste doughnut. Seeing Estella, the kids imitated her and licked her fingers. ''Yummy! Yummy! The kids were so excited. The powdered sugar on their fingers feels strangely tasty, doesn''t it? Maybe it''s the sense of immorality that makes us feel like we''re doing something wrong? Like when you lick off the lid of an ice cream cup from a paper cup, or when you lick off the whipped cream from the film around a cake, you know you''re misbehaving, but you can''t help doing it. That''s the real fun of this kind of thing. ''So, that''s it for sweetness. ''What about sweet?Don''t tell me you have some kind of pizza toast in your donuts? ''It''s not pizza toast, but--'' When I denied it, Bertina looked disappointed. Don''t be so quick, Bertina. It''s not time for that look. This is one of the strongest breads I''ve ever wished to make. It''s one of the major breads that are always in the top 10 of favorite bread rankings, and there are even specialty stores that specialize in it. It''s a representative of bread, and the only bread that can be prepared and sold at the Sunken Pavilion according to the rules here at All Bloom! That''s right! This is the curry bread! Shaped like a rugby ball, the fried bread is called "bread" in name, but the cooking method is similar to that of a donut. The crunchy, chunky crust is filled with a rich, thick curry that is irresistible! ''Yashiro-san. It''s a curry doughnut.'' ''Oops, no.'' I called it curry doughnuts because I can''t make and sell ''bread'' in this town. I have to be careful. I can''t afford to get my foot in my mouth over something so trivial. ''Curry, donuts?Do they go with ......?'' ''Well, try it.'' Estella was skeptical about her first meal. That''s always the case. Anyway, I''ll give it a bite. ''But I''ve eaten a lot of bread, so I''m already full. ...... Just one bite. He bites into the curry doughnut, saying something like this. At that moment, he looked up to the sky and roared with the force of a ray of light spitting out of his mouth. ''It''s so good! Then, the words ''just one bite'' disappeared. He gobbled up the whole thing in no time at all. ''Yashiro!Here!Here! Estella''s pupils were dilated as she stared at me. ''Uh-uh-uh, you''re selling it, right?It''s going to be on the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion, right? ''Yes, it will!I''ll sell it.That''s not a good look for a girl to have! ''Yes, how much?Hey, how much is this?How much are you planning to sell it for? ''12Rb. ''That''s too expensive! ''It''s cheap! ''While the others are 9Rb! ''It''s costing me a lot of time and materials! ''The lord will make up for it! ''You''re desperate! 12Rb is cheap enough. Tacos are only 10Rb, you know.Curry doughnuts are a bit more expensive than that! If you have a problem with it, don''t eat it! If they sell too many, I won''t have enough to eat. Despite my appearance, I love curry bread. ''Huh, I can eat this for 12Rb from tomorrow... ......! ''If the Church interferes, we may have to stop selling it. ''Assunto, try to die hard! ''...... Estella-san. Why don''t you leave Yashiro-san''s side for a couple of months. ...... No, it''s nothing.'''' With such a large number of people''s stomachs gripped, we could expect more sales tomorrow. Strike while the iron is hot, you know. The people''s interest was piqued by the birth of the bread, and I snatched it away with even more interest. Hmm. This will sell!It''ll sell! ''Yashiro-san. When I turned around, I was hugged and patted on the head by a smiling Bertina with tears in her eyes. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ...... What? ''I think he was too moved to speak. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. That''s the end of the story. ...... You''re amazing, Curry Pan. Is it worth as much as a hug from a beautiful sister? Maybe if you make it even better and feed it to her, it will be even better. ...... ''Yashiro-san.'' Ginette looks into my face and smirks. ''Do you want to do penance? ''Even though I didn''t say it out loud? ''It''s written all over your face. Then I''ll wear a blindfold when I think of erotic things in the future. And so, my plan... With the birth of the an-donut and curry-donut, the curtain came down on my plan to teach the church how to make soft bread, and give birth to the bread-eating contest and curry bread, my favorite things, in this city. I hope that the curry doughnuts and the bread-eating contest will continue to take deep root in this city forever and ever. Especially, the bread-eating contest, please. 410-Additive-free Episode 65 At Sunrise-tei early in t... ''Yashiro, the prototype is ready! Hey, you''re early! Early in the morning, the day after the "Late Spring Bread Festival". Norma came running into the sunny pavilion with a big smile on her face. She had a huge smile on her face, but her hair was tousled, her eyes were dark, and her skin was dry. ...... She must have been up all night. ''Norma. I told you there''s no hurry. ''It''s not finished yet. It''s still in the meeting stage before it''s ready to go into production.If we don''t get it right here, it''ll affect the quality of the finished product. And so on. ...... In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. ''Because I felt that if I didn''t hurry, the carpenters would take my job. ......'' ''No, it''s not the carpenter''s job to work the steel plate. ......'' ''But it''s Umaro. ......'' How much of a rival do you think Umaro is? I''m not leaving everything to Oumalo, either. You''re not ...... doing it, are you? I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to make of it. ''...... Magda''s handling of sugar is now professional level. ''Brilliant! ...... Because that''s what it is, right? Yeah. I knew I couldn''t rely on you that much. So we''re not in the same boat, ever! ''Norma is the only one I can rely on for this job, so don''t be too reckless. I''m no match for you if you fall.'' ''I''m the only one you can count on? ''Of course not. I need strength, performance, and if possible, weight reduction and miniaturization. I can''t trust anyone but Norma.'' ''I see!I see, I see. I see...'' He chuckles happily, and looks at Umaro with a triumphant look on his face and snorts, ''Hmmm. Do something about it, you homophobe. ...... ''So, I hear you''ve got a prototype? ''Oh, yeah. I made it according to the shape and purpose that Yashiro mentioned. It was placed on the table with a thud, and was a steel plate in the shape of the letter ''U''. The upper part had a certain amount of space for charcoal, a lid to keep out the fire, and a chimney to let the smoke escape. The bottom was covered with hexenbiest leather and a sturdy wooden board to prevent the heat of the hot iron from being transmitted to other parts of the room. In short, it is a machine for heating an iron plate to a hot temperature in a room. It is, of course, used for cooking. The idea is that if you put a piece of bread in the open part of the "U", the surface will be browned by the heat of the griddle. If you put cheese on the bread, it would be melted by the heat. If you place the bread directly on the griddle, it will burn, so you put a wire mesh on it and heat it from above and below to toast it. When the pizza toast was unveiled, it was heated using a torch flame, but such a dangerous thing cannot be done indoors. So I thought of a relatively safe way to make pizza toast, and this U-shaped toaster was the result! No, I couldn''t use an oven, so I tried to find a substitute for a stone oven. It has some drawbacks, such as it takes a long time for the griddle to heat up, a longer time for it to cool down, it''s quite dangerous when in use, the fuel cost is high, it''s smoky, and so on, but if it can replace a stone oven, it will be worth using. After all, if it is approved, it can bake pizza and make bread. If the city''s definition of bread is "bread made from flour baked in a stone oven," then if it is baked in an iron oven instead of a stone oven, it is not bread at all. Since it is difficult to adjust the heat, it is unlikely to bake bread, but if you can maintain a constant temperature, you should be able to make pizza! At least you can make pizza toast!At least pizza toast! So, I asked Norma to do it with a light heart, but I didn''t expect her to stay up all night to finish the prototype. ''Wow, it''s really big. Ginette''s eyes sparkled when she saw the U-shaped oven Norma had brought. She looks at it like a boy staring at a toy robot. ''If this thing reaches about 200 degrees, I can quickly bake the surface of the bread to a crisp. ''You can get it to that temperature. It''ll take a while, though. If you put burning charcoal on the top of the griddle and heat the whole griddle, it will take a long time for the griddle to get hot. Besides, even the slightest touch would cause instant burns. ''I''d like to make this more practical. ''Then let me know what you think!Why don''t you try it for now?You know?You should try it! ''Norma, calm down. Norma lifts up a large piece of iron and pushes it hard. Just calm down. And get some sleep. ''Ginette, can you make room in the kitchen? ''Yes. If I put a stand by the stove, ...... will it burn if it''s made of wood?'' ''It''ll be fine!This hexenbiest''s leather is the secret!Besides, I''ve done some work on the iron here, so very little heat will be transferred to the stand. ''So, yeah, I see. ...... Haha.'' Jeannette, too, is slightly taken aback by Norma''s fever. Her smile is a little twitchy. ''Hmm?What is it?Oh, if you''re going to join steel and wood, you might want to cut the join a little more like this: ......'' ''You''re being very picky!Don''t you dare interfere with me! Umaro couldn''t help but interrupt Norma. Don''t worry, Norma. It won''t be taken away. Don''t stare at me with that scary look. Don''t say ''garu-ruu''. Don''t growl, Norma. Don''t go back to the wild. Come back. ''Come on, Manager!Let''s get to the kitchen!We''ll have a leisurely meeting with the relevant people. Don''t hesitate to tell me if there''s anything you''d like to see improved. Come on, come on, come on. ''Um, Norma-san? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... I don''t know why she''s so desperate. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ...... ''You were helping her, chopping up a mountain of cabbage.'' ''That was not Yashiro''s request, but Paula''s.'' ''What''s that? Stop ...... singling me out like that. If Paula asked you to do something that I asked you to do, it''s the same as if I had asked you to do it. ...... I mean, it''s not worth it to get a direct order from me. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''If the temperature is well controlled. ''That''ll be fun~'' By the way, Umaro has eaten pizza before, right? That was the first time he met the Yaprock family. ............ Oumalo, you''ve been with them in many places. What?Are they your friends? Are you my friend, Oumalo? ''Hey, Umaro. ''What is it? ''My right to be your friend is paid for. ''Then I''ll put up with you as an acquaintance. ......'' ''There''s no annual fee for the first year. ''Oh, that''s okay. I don''t think I can cancel it.'' I see. It''s a shame, I thought I could get some unearned income every year. ''By the way, Magda''s friend rights are also paid for--'' ''I''ll become a premium member! ...... ira. ''Premium membership costs 10,000 Rb a year--'' ''Haha!That''s a bargain! Can you afford that? Can you afford it? ''I think I''ll go for 100,000Rb. ......'' ''I''ll increase my workload! ''............ You''re not my friend.'' ''......?You''re an acquaintance, right? ''Magda, Umaro is tormenting me! ''Umaro, you.'' ''Muhaa!Angry Magda is cute too! No, this guy. He''s a really bad adult. He''s a cold person who doesn''t understand the feelings of others,....... ''...... Does Umaro hate Yashiro? ''I love him. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ''......Yashiro loves Umaro. You can tell by looking at him.'' ''It''s an honor. ''............ And Magda? ''...... Magda loves Umaro. ............'' ''I''m excited! ''............There''s a fee from here on out.'' ''Haaaaan!I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Umaro looks like he''s having fun over there. d*mn!I''m not interested in that!We''re not friends! He''s just an acquaintance!Peck!Pfft! ''...... nice, avenue parcel, subside ......'' ''You''re starting to scare me!My carpenter is going to get hurt, stop it! Oh, no. I can''t believe I just said that. ...... They say there are spirits of speech, so we should be careful~. ''Hey, hero! As I laughed, holding my mouth in an elegant manner, Barbara entered the store roughly, raising her voice in a vulgar manner. ''You are so vulgar! ''Hmm?What are you playing at?Are you kidding me?'' ''I''m not joking, Zamasu! ''No, that''s a little scary if you''re serious, Yashiro-san. ......'' Not caring that I was lifting up my triangular glasses in my mind, Barbara took the seat in front of me without permission. Why are you sitting in front of me? Why don''t you sit in an empty seat? ''What are you doing here? ''Delivery! ''Delivery? ''Oh!My father told me to take this to the hero. A linen cloth bag was placed on the table. Inside was milled corn flour. ''It''s called delivery, you know. ''It''s the same, isn''t it? ''Remember, it''s confusing. ''Hey, hey. ''I''m going to tell Bertina, aren''t I? ''Delivery!Not delivery. Delivery. When I mentioned Bertina''s name, Barbara started to listen to me. Mothers are great, aren''t they? Weller, the pampering mother, and Bertina, the strict disciplinarian. This very troubled child has come to listen to me at once. Incidentally, the peddler''s guild has given their consent through Assunto to have Yaprock, Nepheli, and Delia, with whom the Sunlit Pavilion has had exclusive contracts in the past, supply the food directly to them. Or rather, they told me not to nag them, but to call on them if I needed anything. This is a kind of give-and-take, isn''t it? ''Huh?Mr. Barbara. Have you come to have dinner? ''Oh, Loretta!Delivery.'' ''Whoa!Big brother!Barbara used the right word, didn''t she? ''Hmmm!Isn''t that great? Ha-ha-ha, Barbara? You''ve been underestimated.I''m about to get angry. ''What was Loretta doing?Delivering? ''Oh, ...... I see. I can''t resist using a word I just learned.'' Very perceptive, Loretta. That''s exactly right. ''I''m practicing a new product.'' ''A new product? ''It''s a red bean paste doughnut!The oil is dangerous so I''m only allowed to do it when the manager and my brother are around, but I''m going to practice a lot so I can do it by myself! ''...... But Magda is one step ahead of me. Standing up quickly, Magda walked into the kitchen. There is only one pan for frying, so Loretta and Magda are practicing alternately now. Now that Loretta has come out, it is Magda''s turn. Incidentally, all the doughnuts made during this practice period will be donated to the church. I''m sure those kids will be happy to eat them, even if they''re a little raw or burnt. The kids were very happy to have a sweet gift from us other than in the morning. It was a win-win situation for us, since we could practice and not waste any food. It''s a win-win situation. ''Since the red bean doughnuts came out later in the bread festival, the little kids were too full to eat the doughnuts. So, the older brother said that he felt sorry for them, so he decided to let them eat a lot of donuts for practice. ''...... I didn''t say that. It''s not that I''m not a good person, but I''m not a good person. ''.................. It''s a difference of interpretation.'' Loretta. Do you really want to make me out to be a good guy? I wouldn''t say that, it''s not in my best interest. I just thought that the more people who make donuts, the better, because donuts definitely sell. In Japan, it cost money to throw things away. In Japan, it cost a lot of money to throw things away. I''ve successfully reduced that cost, yeah. ''Yashiro. You''ve got that look on your face when you''re making excuses to yourself. He says with a bounce, and a slightly cold fingertip presses my forehead a little. When I looked up, Nephrite was right in front of me, wondering when I''d walked in. ''...... What the hell, Neffery. You''re talking like Estella.'' ''Because you''re so easy to understand, Yashiro.'' ''Ho-ho, that''s funny. Now guess what I''m thinking! Estella. She must''ve told Neffely something stupid. What a nonsense. That''s why she won''t grow up, Estella''s flat-chested! ''Well, ......, you were thinking about Estella''s breasts, weren''t you? ''That''s great, Neffery! This guy, can he read people''s minds? ......! ''Yes ......, I''m sorry to say that I''m shocked, but Yashiro, you''re really easy to understand. You can''t be that stupid. I''ve been called the great fraud of the end of the century,......, well, I was still a great fraud beyond 2001, but. ''So, Neffery. What can I do for you?'' ''Delivery. ''Delivery?I didn''t ask for ......, did I?'' I needed some eggs for doughnut practice, so I asked Hammaro to run an errand, but I didn''t ask him to deliver them to Nephrite. Hammaro just had to go and bring them back. ''I heard from Hammaro-chan that they were practicing making red bean paste doughnuts at the sunny pavilion, so I came to ''help'' him. ''So you want me to eat the ones you made for practice for free? ''Yes!Hey, I''ll give you a big serving of eggs, okay?Isn''t that right? She winked up at me with her five fingertips neatly aligned. It''s a good pose for begging and pampering, but the ...... face is chicken. To be honest, it''s really scary to have a chicken looking up at you from below. I nodded my head. ''So ......, you''re right, it''s a good idea, why don''t you eat it? ''Wow!Thanks, Yashiro!I''m sure you know what you''re talking about! This kind of behavior is called ''blackmail'' or ''extortion'', Neffery. It has nothing to do with kindness or anything like that, you know. ''Huh~......, you''re so cute, Nephrite! Hmm?What''s the matter, Barbara? Are you losing your eyesight too?Eat your blueberries. Take your vitamins. Take your vitamins. Teresa''s eyesight''s getting better, so stick with me. "Hey, hero! I don''t know what I was thinking, but after an excited pout, Barbara glanced up at me with her fingertips together, just like Nephrite. ''Do me a favor, will ya? ''Barbara. You''re totally mugging me.'' You''re really giving me a hard time, aren''t you? Don''t furrow your brow. Don''t move your chin up and down, don''t look back and forth. ''You go home and get some work done. ''Oh, no!Why is that?Your reaction is totally different from Neffery''s! ''Ah~, big brother is a little kinder to Nephrite for some reason. ''Really, Loretta? ''He''s a little partial to her. ''Eh, yeah, that''s not true~'' ''See!That flapping of the hands!That kind of thing is cute, I''m sure! ''I see!So you''re favored because you''re cute!It''s nice to be cute! ''Cute is justice! ''Moooooo!That''s not true!I''m not cute. ...... Look, look!You should say something to her, Yashiro! Even if you do, ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. As I held my temples against a mysterious headache, Loretta and Barbara began to have a whispered meeting around Nepheli. I''m sure it''s not much to talk about, but ...... ''Mr. Nepheli!You can teach us how to be cute! ''Please, Nephrite! ''E~, no, no, no!I can''t!I don''t understand. Nephrite waved his hands in front of his face. Her head is also shaking uncomfortably from side to side. ''Aaah!You''re so cute! ''Okay!I''ll copy this!I''m off! Ah, there''s a bad one approaching. ''Hero! Barbara is standing in front of me, waving her hands in front of her face and shaking her head from side to side. ''I don''t know, I don''t know! ''Oh, you''re an idiot, aren''t you? ''You''re a terrible hero! Barbara jumped into Loretta''s chest with a bang. Loretta and Nephrite are patting her on the head as she hugs Barbara, who has fled before the enemy. ...... You''re an idiot. I''m not sure what to say. ''Yashiro-san, I sprinkled powdered sugar on Loretta-san''s practice doughnuts. ...... What happened?'' Molly, who was holding the tray, gave a dumbfounded look when she saw the devastation on the floor. ''Huh?Molly-chan? ''Oh, good morning.'' ''Eh~, why why why?'' Neffery was excited to find Molly. It seems that his liking for Molly has skyrocketed since the field day. ''I want to know how the new sugar is, so I''ll help you ......''. ''The new sugar, the stuff around here?'' ''Yes. It''s called powdered sugar, and my brother made it at Yashiro''s request.'' ''Percy, you''ve worked hard. Then you should praise him. Immediately after Neffery said that, a man outside the store called out, ''Zja-ja! sounded like a grown man thudding on the ground. It sounded like he was probably making a big gut punch or something. I can easily imagine the look of happiness on his face. ...... Molly also seemed to have noticed something strange outside. ''No, no. You don''t need to praise them too much, because it''s natural for them to accept requests and deliver products. ''But, it''s a new product?That''s great.'''' ''It''s only because of Yashiro''s advice. ''Still, I respect you. ''Please don''t, you get carried away too easily. My brother''s an idiot. Molly is checking to make sure that her brother, who is probably outside the store listening in, isn''t getting too carried away. He''s having a hard time, isn''t he? ''Besides, I told you that I was going to visit the Sunlit Pavilion today, but you haven''t been there since this morning. You can forgive him if he forgot his schedule, but ...... if he was skipping work and playing around, ......... ...I have to be really angry. ...... Well, I believe somewhere in my heart that he is probably there to trade for the raw material, sugar radish... I''m not sure what to think. A black aura pours out from Molly''s back. Wow, she''s mad, she''s mad as hell. She must have sensed all of this just from the anger in her voice. ...... Behind the door, there was a ''slam, slam, slam! There was a racket on the other side of the door and then there was silence. You''ll have to be careful not to get cut off, make-danuki. ''...... haha. You can''t ............ be that stupid.'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s complicated, isn''t it, from Molly''s point of view? ''So, Yashiro-san. This red bean paste doughnut is from .......'' ''Ah, give these to Nephrite and the others for now. ''Are you sure?What about the donation to the church?'' ''I''m sure they''ll make more anyway.Hey, Loretta?'' ''Yes!I want to try one more time when I''m done with Magdacho! ''''That''s why.'''' ''Okay. Let''s all enjoy it together. ''Thank you for the food! ''Aashi too! As soon as Molly put down the tray, Nephrite and Barbara picked up the doughnuts. Barbara takes two at once. ''Delicious~!I love how moist they are. ''Yummy!Wow, this one''s a little bitter! ''Oh, that''s the worst one!Please pretend that didn''t happen. A group of girls buzzing over a donut. Umaro doesn''t come close. It''s not that there are a lot of girls and he''s feeling self-conscious ......, it''s just that he''s waiting for the next donut from Magda. ''Hey Yashiro. What''s the difference between this powdered sugar and regular sugar?'' ''It''s the size of the grains. Powdered sugar is made by finely grinding white sugar or granulated sugar in a mortar. But how coarse and how much is just right? It was up to the sensibility of the craftsman. In Japan, it would be enough to use a mixer, but we don''t have electricity here. I could have made them at the Sunlit Pavilion, but I wanted to save myself the trouble, considering the fact that I was going to sell An-Donut in a big way. So I told Percy, "Make the powdered sugar that you think is ''the one! So I asked Percy to ''make a powdered sugar that you think is ''the one! He''s a joker, but he''s uncompromising when it comes to sugar. As I imagined, he came up with a good quality powdered sugar. There was no variation in the grains, and it was smooth and fine. It''s so good! Nephrite let out a sigh of satisfaction after eating one of the an-donuts. Her beak is covered with powdered sugar. It''s quite a surreal sight. ...... ''Ah, it was good!It was a little bitter, though! ''So, that''s an exception, because that''s the worst one! Barbara''s mouth was covered with powdered sugar as she gobbled up the two. What kind of food are you eating? ''You guys have sugar on your mouths. ''What?Oh no! ''Oh?Don''t worry about it, dude!It''s food, it''s fine.'' Nephrite and Barbara reacted to my point in opposite ways. Nephrite traces his beak with his fingertip as if in a panic. Barbara, on the other hand, licked her lips with her tongue. She''s got a lot of girl power. And then Percy, who I had thought had returned to the 40th district, came. Or rather, she jumped in. He was holding a muddy sugarcane radish in his hand. ''Hello, Anchan!I just dropped by on my way to work.'' Here''s the liar. ''Oh, no!Isn''t that Mr. Nefari? What a coincidence...'' That liar is a blatant stalker. ''What''s wrong with you today, Percy?Are you working? ''Well, well, something like that?Look, sugar beet!My precious work tool! No, it''s not a work tool. It''s raw material. I mean, in your line of work, there''s no way you''d carry sugar beet all the way to District 42. There''s no point in taking it out of the factory. So where did the sugar beet come from? ...... It''s hard to imagine that you went all the way back to District Forty. ...... Is it Assunto''s sugar beet?I''m pretty sure he said he started making it months ago. ''Brother. You''ve been working, haven''t you? ''Oh, what?Molly?Why are you here at ...... Oh, right!It''s today, I''m coming to check on the powdered sugar, oops, I''m so careless, I''m really careless! ''I see. So you were careless.'' ''Yeah, yeah. I was so absorbed in my work.'' ''Hmmm... ...... So, I''ll just play ''Judgment of the Spirits'' once, okay? ''Wait, Molly!Don''t do that with my siblings!Seriously!I''m not sure what to say. It''s dangerous! You said it was ready yesterday and Molly said ''let me inspect it tomorrow'' yesterday. You can''t just forget something like that yesterday. She should''ve been turned into a frog at least once. I feel too sorry for Molly. ''............ huh. Stupid brother. The mutterings of Molly''s soul, I suppose. That''s why you''re letting him get away with it, you stupid brother. ''Molly is sweet. ''...... It''s an occupational hazard.'' ''..................?What do you mean? ''......, I''m sorry. Please don''t ask.'' Molly turns her head away and starts shaking. The tips of her ears are turning bright red. Oh, no! She says it''s sweet because I''m making sugar. Ahhh, I see! ''Molly, that''s so funny. ''I''m sorry, ......, please don''t.'' What''s funny is that Molly''s reaction is so funny and cute right now. I don''t understand Nephrite''s desire to make Molly his sister. ''So, what are you guys doing?Oh, these!An donut? Percy pointed at the sweet bean jam doughnut on the tray, as if it was a deliberate act. He probably wants to brag that he made the powdered sugar on it, or something intrusive like that. ''Actually, the sugar around here is called powdered sugar, and I made it for this, actually, between you and me, honestly! ''Yeah. I know.'' ''Yeah,......, such a sweet and delicious thing,......, it''s amazing,......, too good.'' Nephrite and Barbara have opposite reactions to Percy''s boast. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. However, Percy''s attention is completely on Nepheli, isn''t it? ''What do you mean?This sugar is my passion, my effort, my ...... love?What do you mean?It''s the crystallization of those things! Percy, who seemed embarrassed by his own words, covered his face with his hands. It''s not cute. You''re not cute, you stupid raccoon. ''Really, Percy, you''re so devoted to sugar. ''Of course, sugar and me are like one ............ heart and soul. When Percy saw Nepheli''s face, he screamed. I''m not sure what''s going on here. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Before he could finish, he fell to the floor. Hey, Loretta. Sweep it out. ''Oh, there''s sugar on it. I was just about to take it off when Mr. Percy walked in and startled me. ......Don''t look at me so much, I''m embarrassed.'' In the event that you''re looking for a great deal more information on the web, there are many databases you should think about investigating. Hey, Loretta. Bury it. ''...... d*mn it. You''re such an idiot. She agrees with her sister''s disgusted voice. And Barbara, who had grown strangely quiet, was shivering and trembling. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing in the future, I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. ......Kick ............Kick ......!...... phew''! ''Hey!Barbara!I''m fine!Hey!Barbara!'' I had the same delusion as Percy, and Barbara fell while sitting down and hit her head hard on the table. Oh, ......, that sounded awesome. Oh, Nephrite. Don''t worry about it. It''s a stupid thing to worry about. ''Hey, come on, Barbara. Stop fainting and lick it off.'' ''What, licking ......?You''re a pervert, hero! ''I don''t want to hear it from you with your weird fantasies.'' ''No, I''m not! ''The genie''s ...... ......''. ''I''m sorry!I was!I''m sorry for having weird fantasies that I can''t tell people about! ''No, Barbara-san!As a maiden, that''s an area you shouldn''t admit to! Barbara wiped the sugar around her mouth with her sleeve with a bright red face. At the same time as the powdered sugar falls to the floor, Percy comes back from the other world. I''m not sure what to say. I was so happy I almost died. Next time, take a one-way ticket instead of a round-trip ticket. ''Oh, that''s right!Mr. Nefari!Would you like to eat a donut with me?I thought I wanted to eat one too. You come back to life and immediately make a move on me, you''re so careless. Molly''s eyes are getting very cold. ''But I''ve just eaten one. ......'' Nephrite was probably planning to eat two or three of them, but it was hard for him to say, ''Okay, let''s eat! But when the opposite s*x says so, it''s hard for her to say, ''Okay, I''ll eat it! Perhaps such shame is the root of a woman''s power. However, a charlatan raccoon who does not read the atmosphere will offer you something sweet without a trace of delicacy. ''These are so good, you can have three of them! ''Yes, I can!Aashi, eat up! Barbara, who has eaten two doughnuts, grabs another doughnut in each hand and starts to eat it. By the way, at the church, Barbara was told by Percy that he liked girls who ate a lot and looked good. ''Come on, Nepheli-san! ''But if you eat too much, you''ll get fat .......'' ''Oh no!I''m sure you''ll be fine, Nepheli-san!Seriously! ''No, that''s not what I meant. ......'' Percy. That''s no good. Girls don''t like it when guys say they''re fine. A woman''s diet is a battle with herself. Even if you have enemies, they are "girls" other than yourself. It''s bad manners for a man to interfere with them. Silence is the right answer in such cases. But there are girls who don''t care about such things. ...... Barbara took Percy by the shoulders and defended him. ''That''s right, Neffery!Mr. Percy likes girls who eat a lot!It doesn''t matter if she''s fat!The fatter the better,......, right?I''m sure you''re right. I''m sure you''ll agree.Ah~...... no, fat girls are a bit ......'' I''m sure you''ll agree. Barbara''s face is changing into a dramatic one. That''s what I''m talking about. If you say ''I like girls who eat a lot'' but ''I prefer girls who are thin'', then your ideal type would be a hypogastric. Or the kind of girl who runs all the time except when she''s eating to burn calories?You''re a hamster. Even hamsters get fat. ''See!Boys really like skinny girls, don''t they? ''No, they don''t. ...... Well, maybe they do, but ......''. Percy''s comment made Neffery''s cheeks puff up. ............ cheeks!I''m not sure.I''m not sure what to do. ''But, but!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out.It''s more like an ideal style. ...... Oh, no!I don''t have any ulterior motives.I don''t mean that in a weird way. ''I don''t think I can trust what you say, Percy. ......'' ''Oh, no. ......'' Percy''s face went blank as Nepheli stared at him. Nepheli seems to be in a bad mood because he has stepped into a sensitive area. Percy. I''m not going to say anything bad. Don''t say another word. The more you try to recover, the further you''ll go into the bottomless pit. ''But!Seriously, Mr. Neffely, you''re not bad at all, or better yet, ......'' ''That''s enough, don''t worry so much about it. ''Molly''s been eating a lot of sweets for her sugar research, and she''s getting really fat lately! ...... Oh. Percy, you ...... Behind me, a small voice said, ''......? I heard a small voice behind me say. ''Molly, you''re thin. ''No, no, no, you can''t see my belly, it''s really bad. The other day she sneaked a peek at the gymnastics class in the 42nd district and said she was practicing at home. I''m desperate. ''......I also have a stomach ............'' ''Mr. Nepheli is totally fine! Oh, ...... Mr. Neffely ''is'' ............ ''............If that''s true, it''s a job my brother should be doing. ......'' Behind me, I hear a dark whisper. ''Because my brother is playing around, ...... I have no choice but to do it all by myself. ............'' ''To ............, what''s that?Molly ......?What?What?What, are you angry ......?'' ''From today, I''ll be a child of the Sunshine Pavilion.'' ''What?Wait, wait, wait, wait! ''I''ve been very good to you. I don''t even want to see your face anymore, please leave me. ''Hey, Molly! Molly turns away and heads for the kitchen. The fact that she says ''I did'' instead of ''thank you for your help'' is very real, isn''t it? Just before entering the kitchen, Molly turns around and says with a very blank expression and a very flat voice. ''Oh, that''s right. Tomorrow afternoon, we have to make a delivery to the peddler''s guild, so you''d better go home right away and move the factory. ''No, that''s Molly! ''What?What are you talking about, Mr. Factory Manager? ''Ugh, .......'' ''Well, have a nice day. The chief executive officer of the sugar factory is still Percy, just as Percy wanted, since he doesn''t do any work but still clings to it. Even though Molly is in complete control of the business. Percy ...... is the last person you want to piss off in this world, but your sister is. Ahhhh ...... ''What,what should I do ...... Anchan......?'' ''Why are you asking me? ''No, because ...... oh, that''s right!Neffery-san, say something to Molly. ......'' ''You need to learn a little more delicacy, Percy. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''ve been looking forward to the red bean doughnuts, but I don''t think I''ll be eating any more sweets after what he said. ...... Even if you''re not really fat. There are not many women who can say, ''You''re skinny,'' to ''I know, right? right? Imelda, Regina and Delia are the only ones in this town. In most cases, they deny it, saying, ''That''s not true. And with that in mind. When you feel like ''I need to lose some weight, but I don''t know if I''m ready.If you''re forced to deny over and over again that you''re not skinny, ...... you''re not going to feel good. ''How,how,how,...... how,...... how,...... ah! Percy crouched with his head in his hands. Umaro is also looking down at the stupid raccoon with a dumbfounded look on his face. He''s shaking his head with a look of ''I can''t help it''. I don''t want you to stay depressed here forever. I put my hand on Percy''s shoulder and tell him exactly what he should do. ''Go home and work. ''You can''t do that when you''re feeling like this, normally! ''This is not the time to be selfish. Show him that you''re working and that you''re sorry. And after you show your sincerity, you have to apologize sincerely. ''But ......! ''If you persist here, Molly''s favorability rating will drop rapidly. ''If you don''t deliver in time, you''ll fall to the ground. ''Oh, dear!Two grown men are bullying me! You''re older than me, but in this world...'' ''I''m sorry I''m late, but you''re coming home! While Percy was pondering, Hammaro came home with a bang. It''s getting late, isn''t it? ''What were you doing, Hammaro?Nefari got here first and left already. ''Well, I told him where the sugar beet was, went to get it, gave it to him, thanked the person who gave me the sugar beet, and helped out a bit! ''...... Percy?You''re not bothering my help, are you? ''No, no. ...... Well, the situation was what it was, or was it unavoidable?I''m not sure. This raccoon is not afraid of ...... ''Hammaro. Don''t leave your post without notifying the person in charge. ''Oh, dear, ......, you''re right to be angry, .......'' ''You should be sorry.'' ''I''m sincerely sorry. ......'' ''Okay, I forgive you! ''A home run from hell! ''Ah, it''s great that you can apologize so honestly, Hammaro! That''s what sincerity is all about, isn''t it? ''Ugghhh ......! Percy frowned as he stared at Hammaro, who raised his hands in joy. ''I ...... will go make some sugar!And I''ll come back to apologize after work!Tell him that! Percy runs out of the store screaming. I hope this makes you feel a little better about yourself. ''...... Yes, Molly.'' ''...... Yes. I heard you.'' Molly comes out of the kitchen. I knew she hadn''t retreated to the back. ''I''m sorry. It''s kind of annoying to ...... be a child of the Sunken Pavilion without permission.'' ''No?Just ask Jeannette. She''ll be very happy to welcome you.'''' ''Haha,...... I''m sure she is. But taking advantage of that kindness is a bit ......'' ''That''s okay. Just help me out a little while you''re here. See?Ginette.'' ''Yes, sir. You''re more than welcome. A smiling Ginette appeared from behind Molly and placed her hand on Molly''s shoulder. Molly looked relieved, then turned and bowed to Jeannette. ''I''ll be looking after you for a while. ''Yes, ma''am. Please make yourself at home. Really. I don''t know how I grew up to be such a good girl under that brother. ''So, that ...... Yashiro-san.'' Molly calls out my name in a reserved manner. ''That''s what my brother was saying. ......'' What Percy was saying ............ is that? ''Actually,......, it''s rather true,............''. So ...... it''s bad. ''If you can, Norma''s diet cooking and Delia''s shape-up exercises are ......'' ''I''m good. Maybe Delia will say yes.'' ''Thank you very much! Molly begged desperately, bowing to Norma, who had peeked out from behind Jeannette. She''s in dire straits. And here''s another one in dire straits: ...... ''Oh, Aashi too! Barbara slams the table and stands up, appealing in a devilish voice. ''Aashi, please clean up! ...... Barbara. Nice try. Subtle, regrettable, and very stupid, as always. 411-Additive-free Episode 66 A slightly different tast... ''Muhaa~!It''s so good! ''...... Magda has already mastered the red bean paste donut.'' ''Mogumogu............ gari! ''.................. That''s the worst one. It never happened. ''Hey,......, it''s a little bitter, but it''s still good enough.'' A scene I''ve seen somewhere is being repeated. If you''ve mastered it, don''t create a bad one. I''m still a long way from becoming a master. I mean, do the fox people get loud when they get excited?Norma, Umaro... Calm down a bit. ''So, uh, Norma-san.'' ''What is it, Molly? In front of the kitchen, Molly, who had just finished a meeting with Ginette, who had assigned her room and her work, was closing in on Norma with a biting intensity. ''Please tell me what you''re cooking!As soon as possible! ''You''re going to do it now, aren''t you?'' ''Yes, sir!The sooner, the better.'' ''But you, ......, have you eaten breakfast? Norma looked at Jeannette. Ginette nodded with a slightly annoyed smile. Molly had come here before the sun had even risen to check on the quality of the powdered sugar before opening the Sunshine Pavilion. Because of this, we ate breakfast together at the church. ''I''m so happy to have such a delicious meal in the morning,'' I thought of Molly''s smiling face as she ate another bowl of rice. It was the kind of meal that would make Jeannette very happy. ''What we had this morning was a normal, very tasty meal. That''s why I want to eat the diet food and lose weight as soon as possible! ''If you eat ......, you''ll get fat, right? ''What?It''s a diet food? Oh, ......, I see. I''m still at this level. In the forty-first district, knowledge about dieting has begun to spread somewhat through the topics of the lovely Yan Avenue, but it seems that the information has not yet spread to Molly, a citizen of the forty-second district beyond. ''Isn''t it a dish that the more you eat, the more you lose weight! ''I don''t know anything about such a horrible dish! ''I don''t know anything about it either. I don''t know the top two dishes in the 42nd district. I''m sure no one else knows. ...... There is no such dish. If there were, it would probably use some pretty dangerous ingredients or seasonings. That''s not a dish. It''s a deleterious substance. ''Diet food is food that has fewer calories than a normal meal, but still gives you a sense of satisfaction. ''Less broccoli than a normal meal: ......?'' ''Don''t do this, Molly,......, you''re not the only one I trust to be a disappointing girl, I''m not.'' There are plenty of dishes with no broccoli. You''re not going to lose weight by cutting back on broccoli. I mean, broccoli is innocent. ''It''s a dish that you eat in place of your regular food to reduce your calorie intake. ''Manager, what are those calories? ''Um, .............'' Ginette looks at me as if asking for help. I''m sure I''ve explained it to Jeannette and she understands. ...... Well, even if she understands, it''s not like she can explain it well. ''It''s about the energy in your food. ''Energy, sir? ''Yeah. It''s essential for survival, but if you consume too much of it, it will be stored in fat and become flabby. ...... Well, it''s the source of flab. ''I''m going to stop eating food! ''No, you''ll die. You need it to live. ''Why are there things in the food that cause weight gain that I wish I didn''t ...... have? ''Some animals eat a lot of food in the fall to store fat. In order to get fat. ''What? Why do they do that? ''To survive the winter. Fat is warm, so they don''t starve to death if they don''t get food for a long time. ''...... We have heating and a stockpile of food.'' That''s true. But you can''t have the best of both worlds, you know. ''Can''t we just save calories somehow? ''That''s what diet cooking is for. Everyone learns to cook on a diet in order to hold back what they want to eat and still eat something that tastes good and satisfies them. ''What do you want to eat ......? ''Red bean paste doughnuts and melon pans are very tasty, but they are high in calories. If you eat a full bowl of red bean paste doughnuts, you will definitely get fat. ''Well, ......, but Umaro-san is .......'' Molly''s gaze caught sight of Umaro devouring Magda''s doughnut. Umaro is a stocky guy, not fat by any stretch of the imagination. His face is that of a fox, so you''d think he''d be a bit of a fluffy healer, but when he''s undressed, he''s a slim macho with a rather nice body. Your arms are so tight. ''Cause they''re doing physical work every day. They''re consuming more calories than they take in. That''s why they''re so hungry and skinny every day after work.'' ''You know a lot, Norma. ''He walks by my neighborhood on his way home from the job Yashiro asked him to do. ...... Day after day ............ ......! Hey, you homophobe. No, it''s more like a rivalry. You should really get along, fox people. ''You mean ...... you''re not fat because of your job? ''Well, yes...'' ''That''s not fair, Mr. Umaro! ''Huh?I''m not sure what''s going on here.I don''t know the details because I''m not looking over there, but it''s probably unjustified anger! Umaro, who had his back turned to us, staring only at Magda, plopped down on the table with his head in his hands. He doesn''t seem to turn to this side of the table where Jeannette is. ''......I''m tired every day, but I''m gaining ...... weight. ............ It''s not fair. '' ''Um, it''s not my fault ......, is it? ''I can''t do that kind of thing! How heartless of you to comfort her with your back turned. I wish you were the enemy of women. ''Manager~!Come to the kitchen!The oil is a big problem! ''Oh, no!I''ll be right there! Loretta, who was practicing making red bean paste doughnuts, peeked out in a panic. As Jeannette heads for the kitchen, Norma, Molly and I are the only ones left near the counter. ''Molly, don''t cry. Here, look up and wipe your tears with this. ...... Yeah. You''re so easy to understand. When Jeannette''s gone, there''s no one to be embarrassed about. Molly''s still a minor, and for some reason Norma''s fine with it. If Norma is okay with it, then most women are okay with it. ...... I really don''t understand this guy''s sensibilities. ''...... I''m sorry, Mr. Umaro. I''m sorry to ...... inconvenience you by crying when you take it out on me. ......'' ''It''s okay. Girls at that age have a lot of problems and it''s hard. It''s better to let them vent in moderation than to hold them in. If it''s okay with me, I''ll always be there to take care of you. ''............ You''re so reliable. You''re so different from my brother. ''Haha. It depends on the person. Umaro smiles at Molly, who has stopped crying. Molly also regrets taking it out on him, and smiles with her red eyes that have just stopped crying. ''Umaro is strangely kind to underage girls, isn''t he? ''Please don''t use misleading expressions!I just can''t be nice to adult women. ''I think that''s a terrible thing to say. ......'' Molly is 14 this year. She''ll be an adult next year, so she won''t be able to speak properly after that. ...... I don''t understand your sensitivity. I don''t know much about dieting or proportions, but Yashiro can teach you a lot. ''Don''t be so selfish. I''m going to charge you for your information, Umaro. ''Well, if it makes Molly smile, ......''. What''s with this guy? I''m not sure how you can be so handsome. I''m not sure I''d be able to afford the money or effort for someone else. ''......Yashiro. The hallway connecting the kitchen and the kitchen door has been creaking lately. ''Yes, it is. Well, let''s have that fixed along with the roof of the courtyard. ''Haha, that''s no problem! We promised to fix the courtyard roof before the field day, didn''t we? I''m going to use it to the hilt anyway. ''Okay, Molly. I''ll ask Delia to teach you gymnastics this afternoon.'' ''Yes! ''Barbara, you''re coming too, right?'' ''............'' ''Barbara! ''Huh?Oh, oh!...... what?'' Barbara sat alone at a remote table, dumbfounded. She was so shocked that after pleading with Norma so vigorously, her soul was drained. You''re not fat,......, you''re still a little short on meat, but you should learn to cook and work together as a general education, not for dieting. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. You''re too far ahead on your own. ''I''m sure there are plenty of girls besides Barbara who want to get a general education. I''m sometimes asked if there are any such classes. ''You mean like Imelda''s manners class? ''Yes, yes. She also wants a class on how to treat her boss at work. ''How to behave?What''s that? ''You have to put up with unreasonable attitudes from time to time. There are a lot of women who have problems with erotic bosses. ''Oh, ...... that kind of thing. It seems that s*xual harassment and power harassment exist in this world as well. In fact, it''s probably worse than in Japan. ''Don''t let the women enter the workshop! and erotic bosses who say they are educating you but touch you. ''Are there any in the hardware guild? ''There was one when I was an apprentice, ...... but he suddenly disappeared one day when I gave him a little warning. ...... It''s strange. ???............Hmmm... I''m scared. I''m scared, Norma. What did you do? You''re not harassing me, are you? But a power harassment and s*xual harassment course might be a good idea. To educate the victims as well as the unconscious perpetrators. As for the instructor, well, ...... ''Hmm?A s*xual harassment course?If so, I''ll teach you how to do it with a lot of practice. ''Hmm?Power harassment training?Yeah, that''s good!I''ll be the instructor, and I''ll kick the crap out of anyone who harasses me! ............ No. I can only see a future where instructors take the lead in s*xual and power harassment. It might be a good role model, but... ...... No, it''s too bad for the victims. No, not at all. Anyway, I''ll do the diet cooking at noon. Until then, I''ll work as usual. You''ll burn off the calories from your breakfast if you keep moving. ''Yes, yes. I''ll do my best! ''Barbara, you should go help in the fields in the morning. And I''ll be back here for lunch. Yap Lock will understand if I tell him right, won''t he? ''Oh, I''ll tell him ......, but .............'' Barbara has a serious look on her face that doesn''t suit her. ''Aashi, my mom and dad accepted me, and I thought I was totally useless, but they said it was okay to be just the way I was, and that they would make me a part of their family,...... and I thought, "Oh, it''s okay to be just the way I am. ......'' The disparate hands on the ground are clasped tightly on the thighs. But ...... I realized that, in order to be chosen by the one and only, such a naive thing as "it''s fine as it is" is not good enough at all. ...... ......'' The back teeth made a crunching sound. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''Aashi, I want to be beautiful! She said a girlish line that I couldn''t have imagined from her when I first met her. ''I still don''t think they''ll choose me, but ...... Aashi, I want to work hard!I want to work as hard as I can and become as pretty and beautiful as I can. ...... I want you to see me become beautiful! No way, that Barbara, hey ...... ''If that doesn''t work, I think I can just give up. So ...... that ............, you know, I don''t want to do that,...... ...... Oh, no!I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Compromise''? ''Yes!That''s it!Aashi, I don''t want to compromise! Barbara is trying to make an effort on her own. I never thought I''d hear the words ''I have to study'' come out of Barbara''s mouth. ''Well, then, you can go to the lovely Yann Avenue when it opens. ''What''s that? ''Yashiro''s building a place in the 41st district for women to become beautiful. ''You''ve built something like that? ''He''s building it right now. ''That''s great, hero!I admire you! ''Please don''t ...... make me sick to my stomach with your respect. I mean, you were at the briefing before they built the lovely Yann Avenue. I''m sure you''ve been to the briefings before they built that lovely avenue. You were there as a test subject - or model - to show that beauty can be obtained through hard work. And I''m sure I had her play the role of a graceful tea drinker at Osina''s. ...... Either she doesn''t remember, or she''s so disinterested that it''s slipped her mind, or she''s so embarrassed that she''s covered her memory. ...... Her brain is a really inefficient structure. It''s a really inefficient structure, isn''t it? Also, I''m not the one making it. I only drew up the plan, Ricardo and Umaro made it. I''m just putting my name on it for the benefit. ''But it costs money to be beautiful. It''s not like it''s free anywhere. ''I see!Well then, I''ll help you with your farm! ''And while you''re at it, figure out how to make it more profitable. ''Do you think I can do it, ......? ''You''ll have to learn.'' ''Yes!I''ll get the sisters to teach me! ''Then you''ll do it as soon as you think about it.'' ''Yes!Thanks, Miss Norma!Thanks for cooking lunch! As if a fuse had been lit, Barbara began to move vigorously. The excitement of starting something. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''...... Love is great, isn''t it? Yeah, that''s right, Umaro. You''re one of those people who''s done some pretty outrageous things for the love of Magda, but you''re not aware of it. ''It''s too good for you, brother. ......'' Molly stares at the door with a subtle look on her face. You don''t want to believe that the person you fell in love with to the point where it changed your life is a make-believe raccoon who stalked the person you had a crush on, skipped out on work, and almost got your sister to disown you because of your irresponsible comments, and then went home in tears. That''s it!So, we''ve decided to work as usual in the morning. Norma claps her hands and says in a strangely happy voice. And then she pulls her face closer to mine with sparkling eyes. ''So, Yashiro, make me some pizza toast! ''No, I can''t.'' ''The griddle is heating up now!It''ll be ready to use soon! ''I don''t have any bread. ''We''ll just buy some. ''We ate it up yesterday, all the people. ''Isn''t that the bread of BU and the 41st district? ''Estella wouldn''t let the lords of the other districts bear the burden alone, would she?There''s a lot more to it than that. ''What are you doing, Estella? Unreasonable anger was shouted out the window. Good for you, Estella. I had to leave right after breakfast today because I heard there was still work to be done. If I hadn''t, Norma would have taken it out on me. ''Ah!That''s right.'' With a snap of her hand, Norma lifts the corners of her mouth. ''The ...... bakery owes Yashiro a debt of gratitude. ...... Just let him make it. ......'' Norma gives him an evil look. ''The baker doesn''t know that I gave him the recipe for the new bread, okay? ''Even if they didn''t, they''d know about it. If you''re a citizen of the forty-second district. ...... is a very unpleasant situation. Is everyone going to blame me for anything new?I''d like to see that assumption cleared up, because it seems to bring trouble. ''Besides, you can''t make bread without the Church''s permission, can you? ''Mmm. ............'' Norma swells. She puffed her cheeks up like a spoiled child. ''I guess so!Then let Yashiro make it for you! ''I''ll be a criminal! That''s why they made me wear the ostentatious holy vestments once already! I don''t want to have to go through that kind of heavy atmosphere again! ''''It''s so boring that we can''t make a prototype after all the work we''ve put into it! Norma''s face crumpled and her body trembled. It''s the tantrum of a spoiled child. ''That''s enough!You''re not mature enough! ''No, wait, Umaro!Let''s wait and see! Blah, blah, blah, blah! No, no, no, no, no, no! ''You''re being watched. ''I''m gonna stop.'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. The two rampaging flutters stopped dead in their tracks. Is there no mercy from God in this world? ''............ Then it''s fine. I''m going to put cheese on a donut and bake it. ......'' ''Don''t do that. It''ll never go together.'' ''.................. Mmmmm! Norma is turning into a little girl. ''Norma, you''re so cute ......''. Molly is still relatively close to Norma, which is probably why she thinks so. If we were just acquaintances, I would have thought Norma''s sulking was cute and I would have been able to dote on her with open arms. ...... But now that I''ve learned that her sulking can turn on me, I''m not so optimistic. If he does this, it will affect the rest of his work. ...... Also, if you become too much of a pain in the ass, you will lose your marriage. ............ No, it''s nothing. I can''t help it. I don''t know if it will work out. ......'' ''Are you going to make something for me? Norma''s face, Shiny*. ...... It''s really simple, or extreme. ''Ginette~'' I''m not sure. Ginette comes running from the kitchen. It seems that the oil disaster that Loretta caused has been resolved. ''You still have dough for the donuts, right? ''Yes. I''ve prepared a lot today. ''Then can you share some of it with me? ''Are you going to make doughnuts too, Yashiro-san? ''No, I think I''ll bake some pizza in the oven Norma brought.'' ''I think that would be great! ''Yes!''--and a Bertina grows between me and Ginette. ...... warp? ''It''s about time my ...... no, my children''s red bean doughnuts were ready, so I went to taste ...... them and see how they were. It''s a great way to get a feel for what''s going on in the world. You can''t hide your true feelings. ''So, you can make pizza?Without it being a crime? ''No, I can''t guarantee it will work. ......'' ''Even with a sixty percent success rate, the pizza will still be delicious! Just when you thought you couldn''t eat anymore, Bertina''s pizza fever hits. I was going to try to make it and quit if it failed, but now I have to ...... make it succeed, don''t I? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that.I''m looking forward to it too! Umaro is also happy with all his hands. With Magda''s doughnuts lined up in front of him. ''...... Umaro. It''s still there. ''What?Yeah, but we need some for the church kids, right? ''...... These were made for Oumalo.'' ''I didn''t know that!I''m impressed!I''ll take it home with me then! ''...... Freshly made is the best.'' ''No ......, but I have ten more. ''............Do you want some? ''Yes, I do!I''ll eat every last one! ''......But what about the pizza? ''Yes, I''ll have that too! ''Umaro, take it easy. Ginette, wrap him up.'' ''Yes, sir. We''ll be moving around and getting hungry when we start work anyway. I''m sure we''ll get through about ten of them by the end of the day. After Ginette goes to the kitchen, I walk over to Magda and stroke her hair. Fluffy. ''Magda. It''s not like Umaro despised your red bean donuts, right?'' ''...... No. Magda isn''t sulking.'' ''What?Magda, did you sulk at me? ''...... I''m not sulking.'' ''Aaah!I''m impressed!I''ll always put you first, Magda! ''.................. pizza, you looked happy.'' ''I''m happy about the pizza, but if you compare Yashiro-san and Magda-tan, Magda-tan wins hands down! ''Okay, Umaro, go home now. ''Oh, no!This time, Yashiro-san is upset. ''There''s no pizza for you! ''The water pulley in the flush toilet!I''ll make it lighter! Ah, the water pumping pulley... ...... ''Oh well. I''ll feed it to you.'' ''Yes! ''...... though the current pulleys are light enough?'' ''Not for Magda. It''s hard for me.'' After packing ten red bean paste doughnuts into the small lunch box that Ginette had brought, Magda was in a somewhat better mood, and since the project to improve the courtyard was going well, she could not help but start preparing to bake a pizza. I''m not sure if ...... I''m being used in a good way. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I think it is the role of Umaro and the lords to be used. ''Yashiro-san. Are you okay with this fabric?'' ''Well, it''s a little different, but ...... I think I can manage.'' The dough will be a bit sweet, with eggs and milk and a lot of sugar, but ...... Bertina said 60% success rate is fine, and Norma will be satisfied as long as it''s baked, and I don''t care what Umaro likes, Yeah, it''ll be fine. ''Do you want to make a sweet dessert pizza? ''No!Just a regular pizza! Bertina refuses to try anything new! ''But the dough is a bit sweet. ......'' ''If it goes with the tomato sauce, it''ll probably be fine. Bertina, how badly did you want to eat that pizza? Let''s make it. I went into the kitchen and everyone followed me. Loretta, who was still in the kitchen, said, ''What?What''s going on? but she had a point. It''s too small. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use it, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... The butter in the dough will make it crispy. ''I''ve never made a pizza with donut dough before,'' he said. ''It''s fun to be hands-on.'' Ginette seems to be taking it positively, but I''m more worried that I''ll fail. ''Ginette, cut the peppers as thinly as you can into small pieces. ''Yes, sir. ''Also, do you have any bacon or sausage? ''We have both, sir.'' ''Well, let''s get bacon. ''Yes, sir. ''And--'' ''Melted cheese, right? Ginette took out the necessary ingredients with a happy face. The look on her face indicates that she wants to make it too. I used to do it by myself, didn''t I? I couldn''t let Ginette use the smuggled stone oven, as I thought. ''Do you have any pizza sauce left? ''Yes. I made some this morning just to check before I gave the recipe to Mr. Assunto.'''' There''s quite a bit of pizza sauce in there. Well, this can be used for tacos, so it won''t go to waste, but ...... you''re making too much, aren''t you? ''Yashiro-san mentioned a U-shaped oven, so I thought I might need it. ''Don''t make this much before you''re sure. What if it goes to waste? ''I''ve never misjudged my estimates in the recent past. It''s true that with such a large number of products in the Sunlit Pavilion, we haven''t had a surplus of prepared ingredients, nor have we had to buy ingredients that went to waste. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ...... Does Ginette perhaps have precognitive powers? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. You''re great, Jeannette. You''re great, Jeannette,'' she said, staring at her tits. Praise. A round of applause. ''Thank you, sir. ...... Um, aren''t you looking too far down? ''No, no, it''s just right.'' ''Oh, God, Mr. Yashiro.'' Hey, hey. You just have to look at me when you talk to me. ''Norma, how''s the griddle? ''It''s pretty warm. I don''t know if it''s enough, though.'' The griddle seems to be getting plenty of heat. ''What do you want to make now? After I''d finished making the red bean doughnuts, Loretta peeked at my hand with interest. While she was strangely paying attention to me, I rolled out the dough, spread the sauce on it, and sprinkled the ingredients that Ginette had cut for me. Finally, the melted cheese is placed on top, and the rest is put into the U-shaped oven. As I watched the process, the upper and lower parts of the oven burned in the same way, but the vertical part of the U-shaped oven, the back part, started to burn before the front part. There is no griddle in the front, so the back part burns first. Turn the dough around. This is more complicated than baking in a stone oven. The toaster oven was convenient, but it doesn''t work well. ''It needs improvement. I''m a little worried about the sleep-deprived lady next to me who is so lively. ...... Get some sleep, Norma. When the cheese has melted, the dough has browned, and the bacon and peppers are nicely heated, remove the pizza from the U-shaped oven. The fragrant smell of burnt cheese tickles your nostrils. ''Bon app??tit! ''Quick!Magda, hold Bertina for me. ''...... I''ll do my best.'' With a smile on her face, she calmed Bertina down and cut the pizza into eight equal pieces. I''m cutting it with a sashimi knife. ...... ''If you''re going to start making pizzas, you''ll need a pizza cutter.'' ''What kind of thing is that?'' ''It''s a circular thing with a thin blade, you roll it around like this to cut. ''I''ll make one!As soon as you give me the blueprints! ''Oh, no. I can''t ask you to do that for a while. If I give Norma any more work, her skin will go beyond its limits. It''s a matter of concern that the beauty rate in the Forty-Two Wards will go down. Above all, Norma needs to stay beautiful or she will lose her persuasive power as a teacher of diet cooking classes. The purpose of the class is ''Eat healthy and lose weight! But if the instructor''s skin is a mess, it''s not good. I thought that this pizza should have been a failure ......, but it turned out to be a great success. ''It''s delicious! ''Yes!The dough is a little sweet, but it''s strangely matched with the ...... deliciousness.'' ''Big brother!This is crispy and delicious, isn''t it?''Crispy! ''Crispy! Yes! ''The pizza before ...... was also good, but Magda likes this too. ''Hmmm, but I think the dough is a bit sweet. Ginette was the only professional to offer a stern opinion. The fact that he doesn''t praise it outright suggests that he''s ready to add ...... pizza to the menu at the Sunshine Pavilion. ...... Really, what kind of restaurant is this? ''Do you want some Molly? ''Well, ...... and .............'' Molly hesitated, hiding her stomach with her thin arms. But she has ''I''d like to try it'' written all over her face. ''It''s okay. Even if you eat it now, I''ll ask Delia to make sure she squeezes you as hard as she can. ''Yes. Then, let''s eat! With Norma''s back to her, Molly also eats the pizza. ''......?It''s delicious!This tastes different from any bread. ''Well, yeah. The dough isn''t as sweet as it should be, and the crust is a bit chunkier.'' ''Yes, it is. That''s why it''s so supremely delicious. ...... Oh, I miss it.'' Bertina gazes enraptured at the distant past. Ah, that''s the face she''s expecting to see soon. I never said I was going to make it, okay? You''re just making assumptions, aren''t you? ''If such a dish were to be added to the menu at the Sunlit Pavilion, it would be ......''. Molly''s body shuddered. ''...... I''ll gain about 20 kilos! ''I''m going to gain 20 pounds! Don''t eat an unlimited amount of food. Ha-ha-ha. So you gained weight for more than just sugar research, huh? ''But well, this U-shaped oven is too big. If you can''t make it smaller, you won''t be able to keep it in the store. ''Yes, ......, it''s a bit too small.'' ''Carpenter, I''ll rebuild the kitchen more spacious. ''You''ll just have to downsize it! ''Then give me some ideas. ''Is that how you ask for things? The same people arguing and yapping. Get along, seriously. ''Magda~. You like pizza, don''t you? ''I like .......'' ''I''ll help you!We''ll make it smaller and more efficient as soon as we can!I''ll be ready to sleep for a few days! ''As you wish! ''No, Norma, go to sleep! ''Umaro-san and Norma-san, may the Spirit God heal and bless you both. ......'' ''What are you secretly praying for to make her work, Bertina!Let her rest!They''re going down! The pizza revival has become a reality and some people are starting to go crazy. ...... This is serious, if we don''t revive it quickly, people may die. I didn''t really need it that badly, but pizza. ...... and maybe Estella will have a headache. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. And also the fact that it''s a new product that may decrease the sales of bread. ''Excuse me, Yashiro-san. ...... Can I have another one? ''Molly. Exercise is not that versatile, you know?As I said before, remember the word ''weight''? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. 412-No additives Episode 67 Kawahara, stomach and help ''Miss Delia, please help me! ''Whoa!What the hell!Molly?Why are you here?'' As soon as she spotted Delia on the riverbank, Molly hugged her tight waist. ''......Hey, you''re so thin ......! In the hug, Molly pursed her lips. It was as if Delia''s hips were very sore. ''Hey, Yashiro?What''s the matter?'' ''Oh, no, it''s ...... something.'' ''......The Sunlit Pavilion is a magical place. ......'' With tears in her eyes, Molly clenched her fists. Today''s Sunlit Pavilion has been frying donuts all morning. There will be a donut party for the church kids and other kids in the neighborhood. ...... No, I didn''t plan this. I said, ''There''s going to be too many donuts left over from the practice, so let the kids dispose of them. I also said, ''If that doesn''t work, we can just get some kids from around here'', but that''s all. So, it was never my idea. --That''s why the kitchen was filled with a sweet aroma, and working in a place like that, I couldn''t help but think. ''The red bean paste donuts are delicious! ''Hmm?Yeah, they''re sweet and delicious!Why are you crying at ......? The sweet smell of the doughnuts made Molly look like she wanted to eat them, and Ginette, who had spotted them, asked, ''Would you like one? But Molly refrains. Molly refrained from eating them, but in the end she was so overwhelmed by the smell, the goodwill, and the desire to eat that she ate one, two, and three of them. ''It''s delicious, but it''s going to be meat! ''Hmm?A doughnut becomes meat?What are you talking about, Molly? Unfortunately, Molly''s desperate cry did not reach Delia. Delia would never have cared about calories. ''You like sweets, don''t you, Delia? ''Oh!I love them!I eat them every day! ''So how come you''re so skinny?My waist is like this! Molly clings to him again. Isn''t that a little unfair? ''Well, which one? ''Oh, dear!No, no, no, no, no, no.I heard Estella and Norma say he''s no good! ''Don''t be swayed by other people''s opinions, believe in yourself, Delia! ''I feel like I''m screwed too! ''d*mn it! Delia felt ashamed. When we first met, she was so defenseless. ......! ''The old days were so good! ''Mr. Yashiro, you''re looking like an old man. Molly looks at me with dry eyes. ''So, what is it after all? ''That is, .......'' With a troubled expression, Jeannette explains Molly''s current situation. She is now in the position of a guardian. ''''Molly, I''m a little full, so Delia-san would like to teach me how to do some moderate exercise to relieve my stomach.'''' That''s muddled. You''ve layered on ostracism after ostracism, wrapping up the original expression so that you can''t tell what it really is. ''Are you hungry? ''No, Delia. I want you to teach her some shape-up exercises.'' ''Yes!Please teach me how to get in shape like you, Delia! ''Shape-up exercises or how to become like you ......?Which one should I teach her?'' That''s right. You can''t get a body like Delia''s with shape-up exercises. It''s hard to decide whether to teach serious river fishing or easy exercises, in Delia''s case. ''...... Can''t you become like Delia with shape-up exercises? Her eyes stare at me. Oh, Molly is so smart. Stop looking at me like you''ve seen the truth about ...... diet pills. ''Well, it''s true that Delia''s style is a result of her work as a river fisherman, but Delia''s exercises are really effective for shaping up. Loretta and the others were also able to lose weight in a short period of time. Ginette was desperate to follow up. When Delia saw Ginette, she looked at her strangely. ''It''s unusual for the manager to come at this hour. The time is now around two o''clock in the afternoon. Normally, there would be a few artisans coming in for a late lunch and a few madams coming in for an early three o''clock snack, and Ginette would be preparing for the afternoon tea time. ...... ''...... It''s been mostly donuts today.'' Ginette says with a rather stiff smile. That''s right. Perhaps yesterday''s impact was too strong, but today there have been only doughnuts on sale since this morning. An donut, curry donut. All the customers came to buy cream and jam donuts. Even the carpenters, who were regular customers, bought a lot of curry doughnuts and went home. They would eat them while showing them off at the site. When the carpenters came to have breakfast, the faint smell of cheese wafting from Umaro''s mouth made them ask, ''Did you eat pizza toast? I didn''t eat pizza toast. I just ate a pizza, that''s all,'' he said with great pride. He gritted his teeth. ''Yashiro-san!Why is it that you''re the only one who''s allowed to enter the Sunken Pavilion before it opens? There was also a complaint from ...... about why he was blending into the store before it opened, as if it was natural. I don''t know. I''ve been put in the category of "related persons". I''ll charge extra next time. Oh, he''ll pay, usually. He doesn''t mind paying for Magda. I digress, but that''s how the new menu was ordered from this morning, and Jeannette was hardly in the scene. Magda and Loretta, who had practiced adjusting the temperature and frying the doughnuts in the morning, appealed to Ginette with their sparkling eyes, saying, ''''I''ve learned how to do it,'''' and they cooked the doughnuts in turn. Thanks to this, Ginette was in charge of serving customers on the floor today, which was a rare sight for the regulars. In the past, Ginette used to serve customers, but lately she''s been confined to the kitchen. It was impressive that he was favorably received by the customers, who called him ''rare'' or ''lucky''. Use, who doesn''t come here that often, came to buy lunch only today, but I''m pretty sure it was for Ginette. That swaying tits maniac. I think we should charge him a fee. Because all we sold were doughnuts, and many of them were multi-purchase takeaways, the amount of time spent in the store was extremely low today. Some wanted to show off, like the carpenters, while others wanted to save time by finishing their meals at work. It was a good thing that some of the customers, who usually gave up going to the restaurant when they didn''t have much time, showed up and said, "I can take the donuts home with me. Molly and Ginette had a lot of time on their hands even during the peak lunch hour. ''According to Ginette, the food isn''t going to be served until dinner today. ''Yes, sir. After that, there will be a few regulars eating cakes, and then the crowd will calm down a bit, and maybe some meat dishes will be served in the evening. I think you''re right, too. The people of the 42nd district, who like new things, bought curry doughnuts and the like, but since they had bread for lunch, they would want to eat a big meal for dinner. I have a feeling so. Ginette seemed to have anticipated this, and had done very little preparation in the morning. She even prepared the contents of the curry doughnuts. Her prediction came true, and things are going as she imagined. ...... Ginette, who can''t cook, looked a little lonely. So I brought her along. There are not many opportunities like this, and it might be hard to go out again once the temporary boom is over, you know. ''If you want to lose weight, you should learn how to cook from Norma. Exercise is important, but don''t eat too much. says a good-looking lady who eats as much sweet stuff as she wants. That''s not very convincing. No, she''s right, but... ''We were supposed to learn Norma''s cooking at lunch .......'' Molly says with a dark expression. Her shoulders slumped, her back curled. ''Was I supposed to, or did Norma drop him off?'' ''No!He was here before noon. ...... Just ......'' ''Just, what? ''......I ate about four red bean donuts before lunch, so I wasn''t hungry at all. ......'' When Norma opened the door of the sunny pavilion, what jumped into view was the image of Molly with a mouth full of powdered sugar, chewing on a red bean doughnut. ...... So Norma said to me, ''Go to Delia''s and get squeezed to the limit. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Diet food ......, I was looking forward to seeing what it would taste like! ''Hey, Yashiro. Is Molly as stupid as you think? ''She''s a great sister when it comes to work. Her personal life is a little disappointing, surprisingly. She''s also weak-willed. It could be a reaction to being poor and not being able to eat or it could be that she is simply too soft on herself. ...... Maybe he''s naive because he''s a sugar factory manager. ''Oh, but Yashiro. Today is the day I''m going to teach gymnastics to the people of District 41. ''Yeah, I was actually thinking of joining in on that. ......'' I was afraid that if I left Molly in the sunshine pavilion any longer, she''d grow fatter and rounder than when she came. At the very least, we''d like to send her home a little lighter than when she came. ''I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help with the river fishing. ''Oh!That would be great. Actually, I was training Omero this morning and he fell asleep. ''...... What did you make him do? ''Hmm?Cavalry training? ''For next year?It''s not too early to start! ''Because we have to win against Oumalo! ''Don''t go too far, or Oomero will die. ''Ha-ha-ha!Don''t worry, Omero is invincible.'' No, no, no. You''re his natural enemy, but you''re not very convincing. ''Omero-san has a pretty plump body even though he''s being trained by Delia-san, doesn''t he? ''Yeah, he''s got a lot of muscle, but he''s got a round body. Is he not working out hard enough? ''No, it''s probably a species difference. ...... You can never not work out enough.'' I''m around Delia and she''s the most affected. You can have too much, but never not enough. Never. ''What?Yashiro-san, is it possible that my stomach is also ...... a difference in race ......?'' ''If that makes sense to you, I don''t mind.'' ''I can''t ............. I''m sorry, I was just escaping reality. Molly is a good girl who can come back to reality properly. Well, my view of her has changed a bit over the course of the day. ''So, Delia. I''m sorry, but would you mind letting Molly help you?'' The water is still a bit cold, but exercise in the water burns more calories. It''ll be a better workout than staying in the sunken pavilion. ''Then take Omero''s place and make the three o''clock snack! ''What are you making the vice guild leader do? Huh? Is there a possibility that the reason he''s round isn''t because of his race? Is he making something sweet for Delia and tasting it?If he ate sweets for Delia, the average person would get fat. ''Excuse me ......, I''m sorry, but I''m not going to have a snack ......''. I came here to get away from sweets, but if I''m forced to make sweets here too,......, Molly, I''ll definitely eat them. Yeah. You can be sure of that. Molly is a weak-willed girl! ''Nah, what are you going to do about the sweet stuff then? ''Instead, I''ll bring you some red bean paste doughnuts from the sunshine pavilion, okay? ''Oh!An donut?That''s nice!I want to eat those again! ''So, can you help Molly with some work? ''Then take care of Omero. ''Um, is there anything I can do to help you move around? ''Hmm~......'' The river is fast this time of year. Especially in the places where these professionals work, the water is sometimes deep, making it dangerous for amateurs. That''s probably why. Delia doesn''t seem to want Molly in the river too much. ''Delia. You can do the training I''m giving the river fishermen''s guild. Can you give Molly a quick workout?'' ''Oh, I don''t mind if you want to do that, but ...... is pretty tough, okay?'' ''I''d love to!I want to re-train this weak mind of mine! Hmm. Retrain it. Train yourself back to my ideal Molly. Okay. Hey!Apprentice! At the sound of Delia''s voice, three boys came running up from the riverbank. They''re all kids with an air of innocence about them. All of them seem to be beastmen, judging from the fact that they have kemo ears and tails. At Delia''s command, they straighten their backs and gather together. ''Let Molly help you guys with your work. ''What ............ are you sure?'' ''You''re a girl and you''re ......?'' The boys looked puzzled. Are you making me do something that hard?No, I can sort of guess, seeing as how Omero was treated. ...... ''I can endure anything!I want to try it even if it''s a little hard!Please! Molly bows her head vigorously, and the boys look at each other in annoyance. Delia looks at Molly fondly, saying, ''Wow, I want one of those. ''So, ...... let''s do it together, huh? One of the boys calls out to Molly, and she replies, ''Yes! Molly replies, ''Yes! When the boys saw Molly''s happy face, they smiled, although their expressions were a little complicated. If she showed this much motivation, they would not be able to ignore her. ''So, what are you going to do? ''Preparing for the fishing. Saying this, the boy opens the lid of the basket hanging from his waist. As Molly peers into the basket with interest, the boy pulls out the contents and shows them to her. It was gnarled and squirming. ''It''s a gizzard worm. We''ll use them as food for the fish, so please catch lots of them. It was a creature that would make a girl scream, with knobby legs like a zebra moth, hair growing all over its body like a beetle, and a worm-like length with a ''nympho-ness'' to it. ''Inyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! And sure enough, Molly screamed. It''s tough when it''s right in front of your face. I''d scream too. But there were exceptions, and Jeannette looked at the wormy creature with a smile, saying, ''Oh, worms are common in watery places, aren''t they? You don''t have to call them ''sir''. ''Are you not good with insects, Molly? ''No,...... I''m used to worms from working in the fields,...... I don''t like them, but I''m still okay with them,...... ......Sure, it''s just that they''re kind of evil. ......'' ''What are you talking about, Molly? This guy is a fish magnet.'' ''I''m sorry, I''m not a fish and I don''t understand how good it is. ......'' ''Well, we''ll catch the fish ourselves, just help us. When the boy said this, Molly, who was hiding behind Jeannette''s back, nodded her head with tears in her eyes, ''Well, that''s ......''. The boy then pointed to the one-meter-high rocks scattered along the riverbank. ''There are many of them under those rocks, so please lift them up as hard as you can. ''Are you sure you''re looking at the right size? ''They''re very cautious insects. They''re tasty, so they have many enemies. ''Oh, they''re tasty, aren''t they ......? ''Oh, for fish and birds, yes. Molly''s face twitched as the boys laughed unrestrainedly. Oh, even the beastmen can be shocked. I thought Magda could lift it with one hand, but maybe Paula and Nephrite can''t. ''Molly. If you can do that, you''ll lose weight. Delia said, but that''s ridiculous. ''Okay, I''ll do it!I''ll do it! And Molly is ready to do it, but she''s an idiot. ''What should we do, Jeannette? I can''t keep up with all the disappointing girls.'' ''Well, ......, girls'' problems are very difficult. So you''re risking your life?That''s ridiculous. ''Well, I''ll wait over here, and you can go over there. One of the boys and Molly lifted a rock and the other two were going to catch the worms. ''Sister ............ haha''. And before you know it, Molly is swooning at the sound of the word ''sister''. She''s my sister. I wonder if she''s longing for it. I think she''s going to love it when she gets a junior who calls her ''senpai'' one day. I think Molly has some of the same traits as Nephrite. We might hit it off. ''Then leave it to you, sister! Molly, now fully motivated, puts her arms around the rock as if to hold it. She looks at the boy facing her across the rock and says, ''Let''s go! and they lift the rock in unison. With a thud ......, the rock slowly lifts up, and the worms that had been hiding under the rock are startled and come running out all at once. One of the worms crawled out and scuttled over Molly''s foot as she stood by the rock. ''Aaahhhhhhhh! Molly lets out an extraordinarily loud scream at the feeling of the rock caressing her skin, and throws the large rock she was holding with a bang!--She throws the rock away. ''No!Take it, take it, take it! I didn''t have time to look at Molly fussing over me, and I was desperately following the big rock thrown up into the sky with my eyes. Because this trajectory-- ''Don''t throw it this way, Molly! I cringed at the huge rock swinging at me from above. I had to run as fast as I could, but I couldn''t take a step. The gravel was catching my feet and making it difficult to run. There''s no way I can catch or repel a rock that big. So there was only one choice for me, and I turned my back to the big rock and closed my eyelids tightly. ''That''s dangerous! Just as I was about to take a direct hit, Delia caught the rock. With one hand. ''Are you okay, Mr. Manager? Holding a 1 meter by 2 meter by 50 centimeter rock in one hand, Delia looked at us. How encouraging. I didn''t know muscles could be strengthened that much. Amazing, beastmen. ''Sorry, Delia. You saved me.'' ''No problem. It happens all the time, you know. How often does this happen? ...... ''Anyway, is the manager okay?You haven''t said a word.'''' Delia said and looked at Jeannette, who was frozen in my arms. No, no, no. Let me explain first. I thought that if I was alone, I could manage to avoid it by jumping sideways, but next to me was Jeannette, who was probably one of the top three slowest people in the 42nd district, and I knew that even if I avoided it, Jeannette would certainly not be able to avoid it. I knew that Jeannette would not be able to avoid me even if I did, and I knew that there was not enough time for me to jump back with Jeannette in my arms, or that my muscle strength was a bit lacking, or that it would probably be too much trouble later if I pushed Jeannette away and sacrificed myself, or that if something happened to me because of that, Jeannette would probably be dragged down for the rest of her life. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact me at ............. I''m sure there was no ulterior motive! ''Ginette...... are you alright?'' ''Ha...... is ............ that ...... smells good,'' Oh, my God. You don''t look okay at all! ''Manager, are you blushing? Delia put her hand on Ginette''s forehead. Before you do that, shall I put down that huge rock you''re holding in one hand? It''s wobbling above my head and it''s really scary. Just as I was thinking that, the worms that had been clinging to the back of the rock fell down in a heap. --Right into Jeannette''s cleavage. ''What are you doing, you worm? Either out of habit or out of caution, the worms were pulled out from under the rocks and began to burrow into Jeannette''s cleavage, looking for a narrow opening. ''Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! The resentment increased eighteenfold. That worm deserves to die! Crush it! I''ll crush it! You sinful insect! ''Ginette!I''ll take it off you right now! ''Nyaaaaah!Yah, not you, Yashiro-san!I can do it myself! Ginette pushes my shoulders with both arms and sticks her arms out. It''s like an indoor dog that doesn''t want to be held. Why?You''re being so nice! I''m just insanely jealous! I wish I could live in that space! ''Manager, don''t move. ''Huh?'' Delia said lightly, and without any hesitation, she plunged her hand into Ginette''s cleavage. ''Hinyaaaaahhhh! After a couple of ''squirming'', she pulled her hand out and found a worm firmly in her hand. ''Hey, apprentice!Put this away, too.'' ''Wait a minute, Delia. Give it to me! ''Mr. Yashiro! No, no, no! I don''t want the bug stuck in my cleavage! I just want to make sure that the worm who committed that terrible crime is punished severely! At the very least, I have to find out if he''s a male or a female!Because that will change the punishment! ''Delia, is it a male or a female?Female? ''There''s no such thing as male or female worms. ''d*mn it, hermaphrodite! I can''t help it, this uncontrollable rage! ''Guild leader, that ......'' The boy called out to Delia in a worried voice. When I looked over to see what was going on, I saw that the three boys were surrounding the crouching Molly. ''What''s the matter, Molly? ''Oh, that ............ thing, the stripes on my back .......'' Apparently, throwing a huge rock had caused her to misalign her muscles. It''s possible. It''s when your body screams right after you''ve given a great performance like a firework display. Molly. You''re looking very funny and disappointed today. I wonder. I wonder if dieting makes you stupid. I feel like my thoughts are short-circuiting, all of them. ''What, wrong muscle? Delia gently placed the large rock in her hand where it had been, exactly as it had been. What, are you particular about something?Is there a rule against destroying the original landscape? ''Then leave it to me. I know how to fix it. Delia said, smiling and hugging Molly''s shoulder. At that moment, the blood drained from the boys'' faces. ''Oh, that ......, guild leader ......! ''How do you heal a guild leader ......! ''That lady, she''s an amateur ......! What the hell kind of amateur is she? ...... One thing is for sure, I don''t want to become a professional in that genre. Even if you don''t know the details, you definitely don''t want to be one. ''Don''t worry, don''t worry. I''m doing well with Omero.'' Ah, ......, that''s how you feel about Omero. I don''t know, maybe I should stop. Molly might die. ''Well, Delia. Molly''s a weak girl, so an Omero-type thing--'' ''Then let''s go!Hmph! ''Aaahhhhhh! There was no time to stop. Sorry, Molly. ...... Molly''s scream echoed through the riverbank for the first time that day, and the sight of the members of the river fishing guild all on their knees apologizing to me from the distance was burned into my retina. I see. No one can stop them? Maybe we should seriously hold a ......, power harassment workshop. ''What do you think, Molly?Are you cured?'' ''...... Yes.'' ''Molly, your voice isn''t working! ''My muscles don''t hurt anymore, but ............ I feel like everything hurts except my muscles. ......'' ''Hahaha, you''re overreacting, Molly.'' No, I''m definitely not overreacting. I''m not going to lose my marbles in front of Delia for the rest of my life. I promised myself that. ''Let''s see, Molly ...... is Delia''s style of shape-up training. ......'' ''I''m sorry, Yashiro-san,......, my body can''t move.'' That''s right. ''Well, there''s a shape-up class in the evening for beginners that I designed, so you and Barbara can take it. ''If it''s Yashiro''s idea, I''ll take ...... credit, I can do .......'' That''s right, that''s right. Molly''s as smart as they come. I''m sure she''s already learned. ...... that the Delia way is dangerous. ''Delia will teach you "Mr. Yashiro''s Shape-up Exercises", please.'' ''Oh, that''s so easy, even a kid can do it, I bet. Haha. Delia~? It''s difficult enough to make a normal adult short of breath and unable to stand for a while.I don''t know if you get the message? It''s dangerous~, maybe I should change instructors~? ''Yashiro-san ......, what is the exact difficulty level? ''It''s enough to make Nepheli exhausted.'' ''Well, if that''s the case,............, when I''m back in shape, I''m sure.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. I couldn''t say no, could I? ''Oh, by the way, manager. ''Yes? Ginette, still reeling from the cleavage-slipping incident, tilted her head with a slightly red face. ''Manager, have you softened up? ''What?You''re not saying that your tits are growing again? ''No, they haven''t! ''Let me have a look at them, Jeannette! ''No!No!Yashiro-san! Ginette bends over, covering her breasts with her arms. Oh, shit! I can''t analyze the size! ''Oh, no, it''s not breasts, it''s ............ belly? ''..................? Ginette''s red face turned slightly pale. ''You know, manager, ......'' Delia approached Ginette while saying this. Then, standing next to her, she suddenly pinched Ginette''s stomach. ''Have you gained some weight? ''What? Ginette''s eyes widened as she let out an inaudible scream. Then she turned her back and rubbed her belly to make sure it was puffy,......, and her chestnut hair stood on end for a moment. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you''re not the only one. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with us. ''Delia-san, ...... do you have a scale or something?'' ''Oh. If you come to my house, I''ll lend you one. Are you on your way?'' ''............ Yes. I''m sure our scales would be too ...... scary to ride alone, so ......'' ''Well, why don''t you all come over to my place? I''m happy to have my friends over to my house. Delia smiles like that and Ginette looks like a calf being sold. Oh, if I go to Delia''s house like this, things will probably get a little more complicated, a feeling of certainty spreads in the back of my mind. ''What about Molly? ''...... excuse me, I need a piggyback ......'' ''Hey, hey.'' We can''t just leave Molly here in this worm-infested place. I left the riverbank with a wounded Molly on my back. ''I''m sorry, I''m in such a bad shape. ......'' ''You promised not to tell me that, Dad. ''Well ...... I''m not sure ...... I''m sorry again and again.'' I told Molly not to worry about the little girl on my back and started walking towards Delia''s house. Staring at the contrasting faces of Delia and Ginette''s backs. 413-Its probably because of the muscles. ''I''ve gained some muscle. I''m sure you have. It''s a quiet afternoon at the Sunken Pavilion. Molly sits alone at the end of the floor, facing the wall, her eyes turned away from reality. ''Big brother, what''s wrong with Molly? ''Oh, I was wondering why Delia''s weight was heavier than expected, and I told Molly that muscle is heavier than fat, so it''s common for people to weigh more than they should, even if they''re skinny.'' ...... ''Oh, is that so? ''Oh. Right after I got on the scales on high alert.'' ''No, I mean, the muscles are heavier? ''Try it with the beef in the kitchen. If it''s the same size, lean and fat, the lean is definitely heavier.'' ''Is that so?I also gained some muscle from the field day! ''...... You''ve gained some weight, haven''t you? ''Doki!It''s not that I''ve eaten too many doughnuts, I guess. There you are again, the weak-willed girl. ''I''ve grown muscles, haven''t I? ''...... Yashiro. The manager has the same symptoms as Molly. ''Oh, Magda. Tell that to Jeannette. Half your weight is in your tits.'' ''That''s not true, sir! ''Manager, did they grow back? ''No, not my breasts!.................. Ugh.'' Ginette, who had admitted to herself that she had grown anything but her breasts when she said ''breasts'', plopped down on the table. ''I exercised so much at the field day. ......'' ''I must have taken in a few too many calories before and after that. Thinking back, the trial production of breads started before the field day started, and we had a bread-eating contest, bean jam doughnuts, curry doughnuts, and hot dog tasting. And you ate a pizza this morning. Moreover, thinking back, Jeannette has had a lot of opportunities to eat lately, such as working on a prototype of a new healthy dish related to the lovely Yann Avenue, and devising a menu for Norma''s diet together with Norma. In fact, Jeannette has always been a small eater, saying ''I don''t get hungry when I''m cooking''. The amount of food she had eaten in the past few days was more unusual for her. ''In addition, since Osina has been cooking the wonderful Yann Avenue-related dishes, Norma has been cooking the diet dishes, the baker has been making the bread, and Magda and Loretta have been practicing and making the new doughnuts, Ginette has hardly been cooking at all. It''s a lot less than it used to be. Today, she only prepared the breakfast. Yesterday, she had Norma and the others do it for her. ''Are you hungry because I didn''t cook? ''...... The manager is a bit of a strange girl.'' ''That''s not true!Magda, that''s a bit of a misnomer.'' Raising her upper body from her prostrate position, Ginette stood up from her chair and clenched her fists. ''But it''s okay. From now on, that''s right, from this moment on, if you face the dishes with all your heart and soul as before, you will be back to normal in no time! As if to bolster her enthusiasm, a customer came into the Sunlit Pavilion. ''I''m sorry, please! ''Welcome!Welcome to Hidamari-tei! ''Two curry doughnuts, please. ''...... Please wait a moment. ''Yes, thank you for waiting!They''re freshly fried and hot! ''...... Manager, checkout.'' ''............ Yes.'' As if to discourage Jeannette''s enthusiasm, the customer with the curry doughnut left with a smile on his face. ''They won''t let me cook. ''...... ugh ............'' Then Ginette plopped down again at a nearby table. ''Manager, cheer up. ''......Yes. I know, but ......'' ''......As such, as you sit in your chair and bend over, the flesh on your stomach will ...... grow in two and then three tiers.'' ''Let''s get crispy! Ginette stood up crisply. Yeah, the feeling of having a belly that''s leaning over you brings on a lot of regrets, doesn''t it? But it''s normal to have a certain amount of room, right? A belly that doesn''t become a bump when you arch your back is a little too thin. ''But that''s surprising. Delia looks at Jeannette curiously as she gobbles up the doughnut. Ah, yes. I followed you here. What, work? No idea. The guys from the river fishing guild were smiling and waving, so I guess there''s no problem. ''Today''s work is almost done! It was the master''s training time from here on out! Urgent business?Go ahead!You need a master, don''t you!Please take me to him!No, no, don''t be shy!By all means!By all means! I''m sure he''ll be fine. ...... Delia, just because they''re scared of you doesn''t mean they don''t like you, right? I''ll make sure to check with Omero next time. Yeah. So, what is Delia surprised about? ''The manager also cares about such things, right? ''That''s ......''. Her lips twitched, her gaze flickered to me for a moment, and then she immediately turned her body away. ''I do care a little bit. It''s not like I''m not interested in fashion and all that. ......'' I see. I guess Jeannette has reached the age where she cares about fashion. When I first met her, I thought she was only interested in pretending to wear pants. ''But you know, the manager is kind, the food is good, and you can do housework, right?She can do everything I can''t do, and I don''t think being a little fat is a disadvantage. And you have big tits. ''There''s a difference between housekeeping skills and looks and fashion. ......'' ''But manager, you''re cute, you have big boobs, and I think your appearance is perfect. ''No, that''s not true ......!I''m not ...... cute. ......'' ''...... The manager becomes much more beautiful when she wears makeup. ''It''s ...... too much to say that she''s beautiful. ......'' ''But she has big boobs. ''Yes, sir. They''re big. ''...... strongest'' ''Oh my god!Everyone, please don''t talk about things based on Yashiro''s standards! ''Hey, come on, Jeannette. I''ve been holding back so much this time! I thought the moment I said ''big boobs'' you''d say ''please repent! The moment I said I had big boobs, I thought I''d get a ''repent! d*mn it, I should have just joined them! ''I don''t even have big boobs, you know. ......'' Alone, in a distant seat, Molly is twilighting. ''Don''t worry, I''m bigger than Estella: '''''''' ''Everyone ...... apologize to Estella.'' Ginette said angrily, ''Meh! I was furious. ''Anyway, why don''t Molly and the manager get some exercise?'' Delia, who had just eaten a doughnut, said with an expression that said nothing at all. ''When Molly''s body is healed, we can go for a light jog. ''It''s ...... jogging, huh? Ginette''s eyes wavered anxiously. That''s right. When I saw Delia''s ''lightly'' at Loretta and the others'' diet camp, I could only feel fear. ''By the way, how far is the distance?'' ''''Hmm~...... I''m not sure about the detailed distance, but if you want to lose weight quickly, why don''t you go visit Lucia-sama?'''' ''''Thirty-five districts? Ginette and Molly''s voices came together. ''''Is that ''lightly''?'''' ''''Lightly, to the thirty-fifth district.'''' Jeannette. You know that, don''t you? What he means by ''light'' and ''gentle'' is not the distance or the difficulty, but the feeling. It''s like running a 100km marathon with a light heart. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''...... It''s a relief to see a glimpse of common sense that is not lost. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Ginette, as if she hadn''t heard them, looked pale and absent-minded. I wonder if she is thinking back to the journey to the 35th district, where we all walked for almost a day pulling a cart. Jogging it, well, that''s too much for Jeannette. ''Oh, ......''. Ginette slowly raises her hand. She raises her hand slowly, hesitantly, guiltily, halfway, stealthily. ''I think I can get back to normal with a little diet and ...... exercise, that ......''. ''Mr. Manager! Loretta grabbed Jeannette by both shoulders with a firm grip. She looks straight into Ginette''s eyes. ''It''s the manager who taught me the dangers of restrictive diets! ''No, um, ...... yes, that''s true, but ...... if you don''t misjudge the limits, there''s no problem ......''. In the event that the manager collapses due to such a diet,............, I will have to punish the manager by cutting my own body. I''m not sure what to do. This is probably referring to the diet plan that Ginette imposed on Loretta and the others, even taking a day off from the sunlit pavilion. The most painful thing for Loretta must have been the fact that Ginette made her cut herself. In response to Loretta''s determination, Jeannette clears her throat and-- ''U............ movement,......,'' she declared in tears. She declared in tears. This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up with a lot of problems. ...... at all. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''re going to need to be able to pay for it. ''...... I''m sure. I think so too. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''...... Huh. I''ll set up a curriculum for you. ''Thank you very much! --No choice. Yes, it was inevitable. Without Jeannette, the Sunlit Pavilion can''t survive. It''s a crisis of survival. ''Yashiro-san!Me too!I''d love to have my curriculum too! Molly appealed desperately. She must have felt Delia''s unorthodox nature firsthand. ''Okay, Delia. I''ll come up with a menu, can you tell her about it? ''Not my idea of training? ''What happened to Omero when he took that ''your idea of training''? ''He fell asleep. He''s too soft. ''These two are softer than Omero.'' ''Ha-ha-ha, that''s right! Do you really think that Ginette and Molly are tougher than Delia ......''s two-meter-plus raccoon human race? How low is Omero''s rating, in your opinion? ''Also, I''ll let Barbara join you, so let her exercise with the people of District 41. ''Oh!I''ll leave it to you! Delia just can''t take it easy, but she''ll do the job she''s given, right? Well, in the case of Delia, she''s able to do exercises that other women would find strenuous with ease, so that it becomes a goal for her to say, ''By the time I can do this, I''ll have a nice body like that! That''s the main thing. Rather, that''s the main thing. ''Well, what should we do until evening?Do I have anything to do? The women of the forty-first district arrive in the evening. Barbara was talking about ''at lunch time'', but they wanted to join us after they finished their work in the fields, so we''ll join them in the evening. I''ll be free until then. ...... ''Well then, Miss Delia. I have a favor to ask. Loretta claps her hands and strikes a ''please'' pose for Delia. Magda stands next to her and asks for Delia''s help. ''After this, we''re going to distribute donuts to the church and the neighborhood children. ''...... a small bread festival, not a donut festival.'' ''What, is Yashiro spoiling the kids again?'' ''No, I''m not. It''s an effective use of free labor to keep food from going to waste. ''Hmm?What are you talking about, Yashiro? ''I''m hiding my embarrassment.'' ''...... as usual.'' It''s not the same as ....... While letting out a sigh at their self-serving interpretations, my cheeks loosened slightly at their concern. If you take Jeannette to church, I''m sure the kids will flock to her and want to eat donuts with her. And Ginette can''t say no to that. Also, Bertina will notice that Ginette is a little listless and will be heartbroken. Hiding ...... is not a good sign, but now is not the right time. It''s best not to let the kids see Jeannette in this state. I took a copper coin out of my pocket and threw it towards the kitchen. ''Mr. Yashiro?What the hell are you doing ......'' ''Oh, no!The money''s gone! With all eyes on me, I continued to speak. ''Maybe'' it ''might'' have tumbled into the hearth. If that''s the case, I''ll have to turn off the furnace and look for it. Wow, I''m so thrifty I can''t waste a single Rb!I might not be able to work if I don''t find it right now. Hearing my words, Magda wagged her tail. ''...... That''s terrible. Then you might not be able to use the cooking stove for a while. ''I see. This means that the manager and my brother should stay behind and take care of the hearth! Magda''s words were echoed by Loretta. Ginette blinked her eyes and tilted her head. ''...... I''ll tell the kids that.'' ''That way, the children and the sisters won''t be worried about the manager''s absence.'' ''...... Ah.'' Whenever Ginette is not around, the kids are always asking, ''Where''s Ginette? Why isn''t she here? Whenever Jeannette is not around, the kids will scream, ''Where''s Jeannette? In such a case, if you tell them that ''Jeannette is now using the kitchen stove in the store'', they will say ''Well, what can we do? If you say, ''It''s my job,'' the kids will complain, but they won''t complain. Bertina is doing a good job of educating them in this area. Well, Bertina may think something is wrong, but it''s a problem for someone of ...... Ginette''s age. I''m sure she''ll understand. Then Magda and the others quickly get ready to leave. ''Well, I''m off then! ''...... I''ll take care of your absence. ''I''ll take good care of you! The three girls left the store with a large amount of donuts in their hands. I saw them off at the door and entered the store just as their voices were fading away. As the door slammed shut, Ginette let out a sigh of relief, ''Haha ......''. ''I''m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. She smiles weakly at me. ''Thank you very much. You too, Yashiro-san. ''Well, it''s not good to eat too much, that''s for sure. ''Yes, sir. I''ll reflect on .......'' Ginette shrugs her shoulders. Molly is also awkwardly scratching her cheek. I sit them both down in a chair and stand in front of them. ''You''ll be taking Delia''s shape-up exercises this evening. I''d like to say a few words about how you should feel. ''Ginette is right, a few days of moderation will bring Ginette back to her normal weight. It''s just a few days of overeating. But you''ve got too little muscle. Take the class with the intention of building up your basic strength.'' ''Well, ...... I want to be good enough to not get muscle cramps at next year''s field day.'' Haha, that''s asking too much, Jeannette. It''s okay to aim for it. ''Molly, go home and learn how to do the exercises so you can do them at home. Continuity is power.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll try to continue every day to train my mind to discipline myself. I''ll try to be ...... moderate as much as I can. If you''re busy, tired, or frustrated by a bad day, you''ll want to throw all your plans away. Don''t let such weaknesses get the better of you, Molly says. It may not happen overnight, but it''s worth the effort. ''So,'' Barbara says, ''I''ll let you join in to foster cooperation. In the meantime, I''m going to nail you later so you''re not late. Do the same moves as everyone else for the allotted time. If you can do that, it will be a good practice for you to look around and read the air. If you get too excited, you can ask Delia to help you out. ''As for the food, ...... well, ......''. Staring at the kitchen, I raise my eyebrows. ''Maybe we need to make some drastic changes .......'' The wrinkles between my eyebrows deepen as I face a somewhat difficult problem. What should I do now? ...... ''Oh, that''s right. Mr. Yashiro. Seeing the wrinkles between my brows, Jeannette lets out a soft voice. ''What is it?When I looked at Jeannette, her cheeks relaxed, as if she had seen that the wrinkles between my eyebrows were gone. ''I''ll have to go look for some coins. I don''t want to lose it.'' ''Oh, I''ll be fine. I threw it so that it would be on the kitchen table. Even if it was to make up a situation, throwing the money on the ground was a little uncomfortable. So, I threw the money so that it would bounce off the wall or the pillar and land on the kitchen table. ''What?Can you do that?'' ''No way. ......'' Ginette and Molly walked into the kitchen with incredulous looks on their faces. Then, almost simultaneously, they shouted, ''Ah! They shouted. ''...... It''s amazing, Yashiro-san. ''It really was on the kitchen table. ''I told you so,'' he said. The angle and strength of the throw, as well as the rotation of the object being thrown, make it possible to throw the object roughly where you want it to go. It was a skill that I needed as a matter of course in the magic I had mastered to train my fingers. ''By the way, Molly. You can pick any table you like.'' He returned the copper and asked Molly to choose a table. Then ask Ginette to choose one of the four corners or the middle one. Based on their opinions, we decided on the middle of the table by the entrance. I threw a copper coin at it. Once the coin bounced on the table, it made a hard sound and stopped in the middle of the table by the entrance. ''That''s amazing, Mr. Yashiro! ''Yashiro-san, how are you doing?Is there some kind of ...... trick?'' ''No trick. It''s just a habit. He tosses another copper coin on top of the previous one. There is a muffled copper sound, and the two copper coins overlap each other. ''It''s on top of the previous copper coin! ''''And they''re neatly stacked in two! From the third coin, the difficulty level suddenly increases, but that''s enough for now. It''s slipping, you know, when I throw the third one, the second one. You seem surprised, so I''ll leave it at that. ''It''s not impossible if you keep at it. ''I''ll do my best! ''Um, me too! The honest Molly and the simple Ginette clenched their fists together. I can feel their consciousness moving slightly towards their own stomachs. Mm-hmm. I''m glad you''re feeling motivated. ''Yashiro~are you there~? Estella walks into the empty sunlit pavilion. As soon as she enters, she looks at the two copper coins stacked on the table. ''Don''t touch them. They''re mine. ''What are you playing with?'' ''No, Estella, I''m not!Mr. Yashiro, it''s amazing! ''Yes!It was unbelievably human! ''No, I know that Yashiro is not human, but ......'' Who''s not human? Let Estella take her seat at the table and I''ll make sure to collect my precious money. Ginette goes back to the kitchen and comes back with the tea ready. ''Our tea is 1Rb. ......'' ''I''ll pay for it. ...... You''re so annoying.'' With a sullen look, Estella pushes the letter to me. ''What?'' ''It''s a love letter. ''Is it for me? ''You''ll understand when you read it. With that, I unfold the rolled-up parchment. The emblem of the Lord of the Thirty-fifth District was imprinted on it. From Lucia? I followed the contents of the letter with my eyes. Anchovy Present the donuts and Hammarotan to the Thirty-Fifth Ward. And don''t forget the curry doughnuts. Bring the specified items by this evening. I''ll give you the honor of being my servant. You may consider it an honor. P.S. Gilberta was in gym clothes all day today. You must be jealous. Ha-ha-ha! ''Don''t waste the parchment. ''Yeah. I felt exactly the same way. ''I mean, this, ......, he''s not coming at night, is he? ''Yes. I felt exactly the same way. It''s a very roundabout way of saying, ''Why don''t you bring it, anchovy! He''s probably planning to come into the 42nd district. What''s that guy got time for? ''Why don''t you just disinherit him? What''s the head of the 35th district doing? ''Unfortunately, that ''that guy'' is the head of the family. ''It''s the parents'' negligence. ''She seems to be an only daughter, so even if her father was still active, disinheriting her wouldn''t have been an option. ''You don''t even have tits...'' ''I don''t agree with that, though. Hey. I feel like I''ve been betrayed at the end. ''So, what do you think Yashiro ...... is coming for? ''Well, I guess they want me to teach them how to make red bean paste donuts.'' ''That''s right. The introduction of new breads was certainly a shock, but the an-donuts and curry donuts were even more so. ''That''s because I set it up that way. Information that is presented later is more likely to be remembered. Especially when there is something better than what was presented first. In this case, the cheapness of the food was a shock. It tastes similar. ''But you can''t give away the process, can you? ''Hmm~............'' ''Hmm~......'' ....... ''What?Are you trying to spread the doughnut process?'' ''Why the hell not?'' ''That''s right. I''m sure Yashiro wouldn''t be so careless as to surrender his profits to others. No, that''s not what I meant by ''why not''. ...... Anyway... ''By the way, why is Molly here? ''Because of all the new sugar-related products. ''Oh ...... I see.'' ''Ugh ...... Estella-san, your gaze is too honest.'' Molly''s expression clouded as Estella''s gaze went to her own stomach. ''Estella, you have a great figure, don''t you? ''Because you''re not showing, you''re retracting. ''Yashiro, shut up. ''How do you maintain your figure? ''All the nutrients go to my breasts. But even if I put all the nutrition into them, they still won''t grow! ''Yashiro, shut up. He kicked me in the knee with his heel. Aristocracy is a b*tc*! ''Because I''m often seen by people. Being aware of it all the time is a big factor in keeping my body in shape. ''Natalia has a beautiful figure because she sleeps naked. ''That has nothing to do with this! ''Then I''ll go naked too .......'' ''Wait, Molly, calm down! ''What, could it be that Estella is also naked at ......? ''Yashiro, you''re really annoying.'' The gouging of his heels increased in strength. This is the power of a nobleman, I''m afraid~. ''Haha ......, I think I''ll start a s*xual harassment course .......'' ''Is the instructor Regina? ''She''s not even allowed to take the class, she''s quarantined. I see. That''s pretty much what I''m saying. Don''t let her get involved. We lose if we let her get involved. ''Oh, but you''re right. Estella has a point.'' ''What?s*xual harassment class? ''No, no. I''m talking about being seen naked.'' ''I''m not talking about that. ''Being aware of other people''s gazes is good for your body, it makes you tense. It''s natural that the naturalness of a smile is different between a model and a normal person. They are professionals. To put it another way, it''s because they can do it that they are professionals. Muscles can be used to their full potential if you are conscious of using them. Conversely, if you don''t do it consciously, you won''t be able to perform to your full potential. ''Jeannette, Molly. Would you like to walk down the main street with your stomach out for a bit?'''' ''''Absolutely not!'''' Ginette and Molly refused, half-crying. Estella also let out a sigh of disgust. ''''I don''t want to do that either. But... ''No. I''ll make sure you guys do it--'' It doesn''t have to be right now. If you''re planning to do it just a little while from now, you''ll have to be aware of it. ''You all like fun festivals, don''t you? Seeing my big smile, the three girls in the room twitched their faces. ''...... Yashiro, what kind of evil scheme are you up to?'' ''Yashiro-san ......, for now, why don''t you reconsider?'' ''Wow, I''m a citizen of another district. ......'' ''Don''t worry. I''m not afraid to expose my belly button to everyone.'''' ''''Of course not! As I stared at Ginette and Molly, who were screaming in grief, I thought about organizing the event that I had promised to do a long time ago. 414-Additive-free Episode 69 Lets do Halloween and pl... ''So, we''re having Halloween.'' ''Halloween?'' I left Jeannette and Molly, who were sheltering at the edge of the floor, hiding their navel area, and proceeded to talk with Estella. ''I''ve heard of this ...... somewhere, it''s one of the new event ideas you mentioned before and after the banquet. ''You have a good memory. ''At meetings like that, I go back and read the Conversation Record to organize it later. ''You''re doing that? ''Of course not. You can''t keep track of everything in a memorandum. The Conversation Record, which records every single word, is useful in such cases. It''s just that it''s a pain in the ass to sort through all the extraneous stuff that''s recorded. ''Oh, ......''. Jeannette came up to me, hiding her stomach. ''Is Halloween an event where you show your belly button?I thought it was a very cute and fun event in my memory. Come to think of it, when I mentioned Halloween, Ginette was very interested in it, wasn''t she? ''Basically, it''s an event where kids dress up as demons, devils, and monsters and go around getting candy by scaring adults into giving them candy or else they''ll play tricks on them. ''Mm-hmm. Then the children have to dress up in very scary costumes, don''t they? Although she said she was scared, she probably had a very cute image in her head. Ginette''s facial muscles were in the shape of her usual fluffy smile. ''In my hometown, not only kids but also old adults were dressed up in fancy costumes and hustling in the streets. In my hometown, not only kids but also adults dressed up in fancy costumes and hustled in the streets. It was the adults who were making a big deal of it in Shibuya and other busy streets that stood out. ''It''s the s*xiness and skillful costumes that attract people''s attention. ''What do you mean by ''skillful''?'' Estella asks, slightly intrigued. ''Zombies with their arms ripped off, Dullahan in armor that looks like the real thing, beautiful girls that look like they''re almost naked. I don''t need the last one. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... d*mn. I think a demon girl in a tiger print bikini is a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be fine. Can you try saying ''it''s okay''? ''Huh?Why? ''Oh, okay, Jeannette. It''s a silly thing anyway, so just ignore it.'' I think it would look good on Ginette! Ah, it''s okay Estella. I have a wall monster I can recommend to you. Don''t worry. ''''So, I''d like to ask Yashiro who is thinking of something absolutely rude right now. The perceptive Estella gives me a sharp look. You''re so sharp. ...... If I could make an android of this guy, I''m pretty sure it would beam out of its eyes. ''Is this just a bunch of kids in costumes getting candy? ''If you say only, then yes. ......'' Estella''s expression was not very cheerful, as if she had not been able to convey the essence of Halloween verbally. If this guy doesn''t bite, we won''t be able to make it a city-wide event. I guess I''ll have to make a serious presentation. ''Ginette, bring me some paper, pens and paints. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be with you in a moment. Ginette runs to the kitchen. She probably went to her grandfather''s storeroom to get them, so it would take a while. ''Jeannette, you''re too slow. ''I''ll be back in about an hour. ''It shouldn''t take that long, indeed. Estella stretches her back and looks around the store, as if she thought the conversation would be interrupted until Ginette returned. ''There aren''t many people here today, are there? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Oh, I see. I guess people are eating outside. There''s no need to eat doughnuts in a restaurant. Some people ate them because they liked the atmosphere of the sunlit pavilion, but most of them probably took them to their homes or workplaces and ate them there. Even though it faced the main road, for those who worked beyond the main road, the restaurant was quite far away. The only person who would come such a long way would be Estella. ''Are you Umaro? ''What do you mean? Oumalo has now settled in New Town and become a neighbor, but he used to come from the 40th district every day. As for me, even the distance from the lord''s mansion to the sunlit pavilion and back is a bit troublesome. It''s quite far. The fact that he doesn''t mind this troublesome distance. ''It''s almost like Umaro. ''Can you please stop saying out loud only the results of your thinking? ''I don''t understand,'' said Estella, resting her cheek on her cheek. Her finely textured white cheeks are pushed up softly. ''It''s supposed to be ''munchy'' there. ''You''re being annoying. Even if you only say the conclusion out loud, you understand exactly what I''m talking about. ''I feel like it''s been a long time since the Sunlit Pavilion was this quiet. ''It''s because the shopkeepers are so noisy, like Loretta, the eldest daughter of the hamster people, and the ordinary girl.'' ''It''s all Loretta, isn''t it? She''s loud enough for ten people by herself. ''Sorry to keep you waiting~'' Ginette came back smiling, carrying the art supplies I had asked for. She looked so happy. ''Why do you look so happy? ''Because Yashiro-san''s face is ...... ugh.'' ''He says your face is unique.'' ''Shut up. ''Heh, no, it''s not!That''s not what I meant. ......! Ginette rushes to deny Estella''s absurd teasing, waving her hands in the air. Then, with a subdued smile, she turns her head slightly and opens her mouth as if to gently break it. ''Since Yashiro-san''s face was the same as usual,'' he said. He raises his head and smiles at you with a smile that seems to include absolute trust and vulnerability. ''I was so happy to think that something very fun is about to start again. I felt a bit of a headache from the overly vulnerable smile that a crook might lick off his tongue if he saw it. This guy is as unguarded as a zebra lounging in the middle of a herd of predators, saying, ''Everyone is so kind. What is the basis of his trust in others? Where does this trust and confidence come from? ''Now I can say, "Halloween is a festival dedicated to the god of big boobs, like a farmer praying for a good harvest! What will you do if I start drawing pictures of tits? ''Yashiro-san won''t do that. ''No, Jeannette. You can''t let your guard down until the end because that''s what Yashiro does.'''' ''What are you talking about, Estella? Wouldn''t you be more than willing to participate in a festival celebrating bountiful breasts?'' ''What kind of image do you have of me, do you?How can you allow such a disreputable festival on the main street? ''......, but what if we do it in secret in the lord''s hall? ''............'' ''Estella-san. Maybe, but now is definitely not the time to be quiet. At Molly''s point, Estella clears her throat. ''Well, we''ve gotten off topic, so let''s get back on track. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. I''m sorry, I''m leaking my desires. I like the gesture of holding a tube top bra by the sides and lifting it up with both hands when it slips off. ''But'' what?Can you please stop rambling on about irrelevant things? There was no understanding. Estella, Ginette and Molly, not to mention the dumbfounded Estella, looked at me like they didn''t understand me. These guys ....... I guess we''ll have to play in the river again during this year''s heat wave. Let''s all jump in from a high place! Then everyone will notice the quaintness of the bra-slipping gesture. Oh, but it''s the top that gets misaligned in the dive. ...... I like the gesture of fixing the bottom. ...... But the top is also good. ...... ''I have a feeling that there will be another fierce battle between the upward and downward misalignment factions. ......'' ''Why don''t you stop thinking about stupid things with a serious face and start drawing? Estella spits out annoyingly, slapping the stack of papers that Jeannette brought with her. ''Oh, ......,'' Ginette shrugs with a troubled face. ''You looked so serious until just now. According to Jeannette, her face looks different when she''s thinking about something fun, which is why she said ''Yashiro-san doesn''t do that''. I think that''s probably a misunderstanding on Ginette''s part. It would be impossible even for a great agent of the FBI or CIA to read my thoughts from my facial expressions, and there''s no way that a person like Jeannette, who has about five ''good guy filters'' on her eyes, would be able to find out. ''Well, I admit that Yashiro''s face is easy to recognize. ''I can agree with that. For some reason, even Molly agrees. Even though they''re from different territories and don''t see each other that often. You''d better not say anything rash. It''s not like my face is easy to recognize. There''s no ....... No, it''s not. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what you mean by ''bad at lying'' to the greatest fraudster of the century! It''s not even close to business obstruction. It''s on the level of defamation. ''Okay, I''m going to mix 80% truth with 20% boobs. ......'' ''Please take this seriously. ...... anymore.'' Ginette''s cheeks puffed out and she held out her brush. Whose fault is it? It''s not my fault, I promise. A mixture of dismay and anticipation is directed at you from three directions. I''m not sure how to describe it, though. If you draw a realistic illustration of the actual costume, the ginette will be scared. Even in Japan, there are very few costumes with the same level of special makeup. Most of them are cheap cosplays bought at mass merchandisers. In terms of the level of cosplay, Japan''s largest subculture festivals held in summer and winter are of a much higher level. But if you want that quality in 42 wards, you can''t go there. ...... After much consideration, I decided to use a Halloween-like illustration. I used colors and touches that pushed the Halloween-like atmosphere and fun feeling to the forefront. An orange jack-o''-lantern laughs wickedly, the silhouette of a distorted castle floats in the purple night sky, a witch flies on a broomstick under a suspicious full moon, and comical monsters and kids in funny costumes are happily clutching candy. It''s so cute! Sure enough, I caught a ginette right away. She peeked at my illustration, writhed and writhed, then peeked again, smiled, looked around the illustration, and then writhed again. You are writhing. You''re writhing, aren''t you?Is this castle going to be built by Umaro-san? ''No, this is just an image illustration. As expected, I can''t say, ''We''re going to have Halloween, so keep building the castle. Much less a Halloween-like castle that ignores various physical laws. ''Hey, Yashiro. If you tell Magda and give her the right to shop at the market with Magda, you might be able to do it. ''Relax, Estella. If it''s Umaro, he''ll do it for real, so please be careful. I can''t handle a castle being built.'' ''No, it''s fine because I''ll live there! ''You''re really into it, aren''t you? Estella''s tension is rising in a troublesome way, so I decide to calm her down. ''This is an exaggerated illustration I drew to convey a Halloween-like atmosphere. People decorate the streets, houses, and dress up in costumes to create this atmosphere. ''Well, the city is going to be dyed with this kind of atmosphere? ...... It''s wonderful!I''m sure that everyone on the main street will be doing their best to help, Yashiro-san! ''I''m sure everyone on the main street will cooperate. They''ve always been good at entertaining people, and more importantly, they''ve always complained about the lack of events. If the main streets are decorated for Halloween, the atmosphere will be much better. As in Japan, it is a spectacular sight to see the whole area at once covered with the colors of the event. Halloween, Christmas, and so on. ''Um, Mr. Manager, Mr. Yashiro. Is there such a thing as an orange pumpkin?I''ve never seen one before. ''I''ve never seen one either. ...... Do you have one, Yashiro? ''We had them in my hometown. Well, even in my hometown, it was more in foreign countries than in Japan. ''This is not an edible pumpkin, so it''s no wonder Jeannette doesn''t know about it. ''It''s not edible? ''No, it''s edible, but regular pumpkins are better. In Japan, it''s not considered edible. The seeds can be roasted and eaten, though. The only time you will see this orange pumpkin in Japan is during the Halloween season, and in the news about giant pumpkins. ''They grow so big that adults can''t hold them. Then, we can have a quiz to guess its weight and give out prizes. ''That sounds interesting!I''d like to try it too. ''I''ll have to check with Momat or Assunto first to see if they actually have any in this town. You can''t know if the peddlers guild deals in inedible vegetables until you ask them. I don''t even know if there''s an ornamental vegetable category in this town. If it''s ornamental, Millie might be more specialized. ''What if we don''t have pumpkins? ''I think anything will do. If you can carve a little ghostly face and make it into a lantern.'' ''You''re going to make it into a lantern?'' ''Oh, yeah. You carve out the inside and put candles in it. At night, the eyes and mouths will light up and the kids will have fun with the scary .......'' ''That''s very scary. Ginette smiles, showing no sign of being the least bit scared. The glowing bricks on the main street of the Forty-second arrondissement, though, would make the light from the candles less noticeable. ''Let''s turn off some of the glowing bricks. As long as it doesn''t threaten our safety! At the Festival of Light, we also blocked the light by covering them with black cloth. You can do it if you want to, but ...... Estella, don''t you think you''re getting too carried away? We''re still in the planning stages. ''What other ornaments are you going to make?If you want to make ornaments, I''ll help you this time. The ornaments I made last Christmas to decorate the fir tree. In fact, she secretly wanted to make one, and Ginette was strangely enthusiastic. ''I couldn''t help at all at Christmas because I was cooking. Then she claps her hands. ''Speaking of which, what kind of food do you eat on Halloween? I guess the standard Halloween food is ...... candy. ''Not food, but desserts and sweets made from pumpkins and apples are standard. In Japan, pumpkins are the most popular, but in Europe, apples are often the mainstay of Halloween. In Europe, apples are often the mainstay of Halloween because they are harvested around that time. ''I might make pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie, but ......''. ''It all sounds very sweet.'' Molly''s expression clouded. ''If it wasn''t for the timing, I might have been more interested. ''Then again, I may not be able to cook very well.'' ''Don''t worry, Jeannette.'' At my words, Ginette turns to me, her eyes filled with a faint glimmer of hope. ''You''ve got to walk down the boulevard with your belly button out, so you don''t have time to cook anyway.'' ''It''s not okay at all, that situation! ''''No!Ginette puffed out her cheeks. ''I''m sorry you''re upset, but this is something I''m planning for you guys. ''Jeannette and Molly are to wear the costumes I specify and participate in the Halloween parade. ''What?Well, that''s a bit ......''. ''Um, I''m also having trouble with .......'' ''''If Yashiro specifies it, won''t you be wearing a bikini or something again? ''''It''s impossible, Yashiro-san! I was blamed for Estella''s arbitrary decision. That''s terrible. ''''I''ll talk to Ukrines and get you a decent outfit. If you really want to wear a bikini, I won''t stop you. ''''I won''t wear it!I can''t wear it! Well, I''m not going to make her wear that either. Molly may be fine because she''s still underage, but ...... it''s too dangerous for Ginette to walk down the main street in such a revealing outfit. She could get kidnapped by accident. It''s no fun to be swarmed by bad bugs. I don''t want to be the only one who sees you swaying around in those light clothes! ''I''ll ask Ukrines to make sure you look pretty. ''Ugh ...... but ......''. ''My belly button is ......'' ''''Then I won''t help you lose weight.'''' ''''Sorry, I''ll do it!'''' I can feel the desperation in Jeannette and Molly''s eyes. They must be afraid of their own flabby bellies and Delia''s outburst. ''Why don''t we tighten her up enough to show her off before the day? ''No matter how tight I get, I don''t plan to show it off. ......'' Molly nodded her head in agreement with Jeannette''s words. ''But ...... someone as weak-willed as me might need to be as strict as Yashiro-san. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''Besides, I''m so modest, I''m sure no one will pay any attention to me. ''That''s true. If it''s a parade, there will probably be many other people participating, and beautiful people like Norma, Delia, and Nephrite will be the focus of attention, and I''ll be hidden behind them! ''Then, let''s do our best in secret, Molly! ''Yes, manager!Quietly! Ginette and Molly are nodding to each other as if to encourage each other, but both of their smiles are very tense. Well, that''s going to attract some attention. I mean, is Neffery a beauty in Molly''s eyes? ...... I''m sure she''ll be noticed. Estella also looked at Jeannette once with a ''I think Jeannette will get attention'' look, then turned to me. ''I''ll reject anything too disreputable, okay? ''So, this isn''t that kind of event. ...... I don''t know why you''re thinking that way. ''It''s because you said you were going to mix in 20% boobs! I''m not going to worry about that. ''If it doesn''t exceed 70%, it''s safe. ''I''d like to be out even if it''s 10 percent. Nevertheless, I''m going to work on it rather seriously this time. And I have other goals, too. So, I''ll give you a serious explanation of Halloween costumes. ''Kids dress up like this. While saying this, I draw an illustration. There''s a ghost that looks like it''s wearing a sheet, a Franken with an angular body, and a vampire in a jet-black cape and silk hat. ''Wow, they''re cute. Is this a demon?'' ''Where I come from, they call them monsters. This one is a ghost, the soul of the dead. This one is an artificial Franken. And the vampire who sips the living blood of beautiful women. Or a skeleton in black with bones painted in white. ''They''re all scary, aren''t they? He''s probably imagining the church kids in costumes. Ginette looks like she''s having fun. Ginette is positive about Halloween as long as she doesn''t have to wear it. Also, one of the most popular Halloween items is ...... ''This is the werewolf that transforms on the night of the full moon. ''Hmm?Aren''t you a werewolf?'' ''Yes, that''s right. You''re a werewolf.'' ''I''ve seen people like this in the hunting guild. Ah ...... I see. Werewolves are common in this town? ''Then how about a witch? I draw an illustration of a witch in a black robe and pointy hat. ''That''s Regina, isn''t it? ''That''s true, she looks just like Regina. ''Well, ......, is Regina-san a demon in your mind, Yashiro-san?'' ''I don''t deny Molly''s opinion, but it''s not like that. ......'' In this town, magic is used by the spirit gods, and there are no such things as witches. No, maybe they exist just because I don''t know about them, but I''m sure this isn''t the image they have. In any case, if you dress up as a witch and everyone who sees you recognizes you as ''Regina'', you are not suitable for Halloween costumes. ...... That shut-in pharmacist. You''re dragging me down. ''By the way, is there any kind of monster lore in this town? ''Monster lore? ''Like these vampires and frankens?'' Estella and Ginette both nodded their heads. ''Maybe that kind of hearsay is less common in this world where there are no movies or comics. ''My brother once told me. My brother once told me that if I didn''t behave well, the dead would come peeping through the windows in the middle of the night. I''ve heard the story of Molly. Imelda once told me a similar story. The dead will come for you. I wonder if this is a story that is passed down in the forty wards. ''......My room is on the second floor, so it''s fine......, right? ''No. My room was also on the second floor, but I heard that the dead can fly. ''Heey!I never open the window in the middle of the night! Jeannette is trembling with her head in her hands. The window in your room is covered with a wooden board, so there''s no way to peek in. ''Oh ......, I''ve heard that story too.'' With a tearful face, Jeannette opened her mouth stiffly. ''I think it was ...... the time when the night in the 42nd district was still pitch black,...... in the back alley in the evening darkness,...... the spirit of a woman glowing dimly! ''Oh, that''s Wendy. I''ve heard of such ghostly disturbances. So, there must be a certain number of people who believe in ghosts. Then there might be imaginary creatures like monsters. ''Cause monsters and hexenbiests are more of a threat. Maybe they didn''t need to create imaginary monsters. Someone with that kind of creativity. Some people who create stories may also find it easier to imagine real monsters than to create imaginary ones. This is the opinion of Estella. If there are no monsters, the repertoire of costumes will be reduced. ''Then why don''t we dress up as Hexenbiests? ''The kids have never seen a hexenbiest, so they won''t understand. ''Then Halloween might be difficult for them. ......'' Dressing up as an unfamiliar monster would probably be half the fun. ''Then why don''t you teach him, Yashiro-san? ''You mean ...... I''m going to go around talking about these guys?'' ''Yes.'' What a pain in the ass! ''By the way, what kind of people are these monsters? ''Well, the vampire is .......'' I told him the characteristics of each monster and a little story. ''From what you''ve told me, it sounds like there''s a lesson in there. Estella pointed to my illustrations and explained briefly. ''The vampires, ghosts and skeletons say, "Lock your doors at night and go to sleep early or you''ll get scared. Franken is a little different, though, as he says, ''You can''t go against God''s will. ''Well, the stories of ghosts and monsters were probably invented in large part to get kids to go to bed early. Also, if you waste your food, the monsters will attack you and say, ''What a waste! ''I hope you don''t waste food so that you don''t meet such scary monsters. ''I''d like you to tell that story to the children in the church,'' Ginette said, ''but I don''t think there will be any food left over in the church. There will never be any left over. Whether it is monsters or Japanese yokai, they are the embodiment of the fears and anxieties of people who are afraid of the dark, so they must be similar. ''When you put it that way, the dead spirits peeking out of the window are also a way to make the children go to bed earlier. ''So, there may be various kinds of ghosts in different families. Ginette seems to have defined the term "ghost" to include all the monsters. It''s a Halloween-like idea, so it''s okay. ''Didn''t Estella''s place talk about it? ''In our case, we didn''t have much of a chance to restrict our actions by using subterfuge. Because of my position as a lord, I would have refrained from saying or doing anything that could be taken as a ''lie'', even if it was something trivial. ''The ghosts are coming'' would certainly be a lie. It would be difficult to prove that he didn''t come. ''Has anyone heard of anything else like that? ''Yes! At the sudden voice, all of us turned our gaze toward the kitchen. There was Hammaro, hands raised in the air and smiling. ''Were you taking a nap upstairs, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''You, you. Were you sleeping up there?'' ''Netemaro? ''I didn''t say that! Isn''t this guy still sleepwalking? ''Hammaro-san was supposed to take a nap after noon, so I lent him my room. ''Yeah!The manager''s room smelled so good! ''Are you sure?I''ll go check it out! ''No, Yashiro-san! That''s not fair. I want to take a nap in Jeannette''s bed too! ''So, Hammaro. What stories do you know? ''Stories? ''You know some ghost stories, don''t you? ''Yes!I know! ''Then why don''t you tell me the story? ''Yes!............ Hamumaro? ''Will you tell me the story? ''I will!Take both ears off! ''...... I''ll report to Loretta later. ''Hawa ......,......,I''m going to give you a lecture,......''. I''m not sure what to do. Don''t tease me, Estella. It''ll stop the conversation. ''I''ll tell Loretta what to do, let me talk to her. ''That''s my big brother!The vine! ''A Buddha in hell, right? ''What the hell is that? ''What kind of throat? ''Yashiro, can we please move on? You always flip-flop at times like this, don''t you?Hey, Estella. You''re so aristocratic in all those ways. ''So, what did you hear about? ''Well, that children shouldn''t go to the main street without permission from an adult. There are a lot of people on the main street, and it might be dangerous for kids to go there without their parents'' permission. They might get hurt by a rampaging bull, or they might be kidnapped. ''If a child goes out to the main street alone, he will be taken away by a ...... scantily clad old man! ''That''s me!No, it''s not me either! You''re still talking about it, aren''t you? I was just asking around, ''Have you seen a girl in a skirt?'' because Magda was badly injured, turned into a beast, and ran out of the Sunken Pavilion in a skirt. I was just asking around! I didn''t kidnap her! ''Yashiro. Don''t dress up as an old man in a skirt.'' ''Who would!I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to help you out. It''s a bit complicated! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ''Anyway, it''s better to dress up in something the kids here can easily imagine, so let''s gather some information. ''That''s right. Do you want me to help you? ''Okay, thanks!Then, take care of the rest, Ginette! ''What?What? Because I don''t want to listen to scary stories from a kid!I''m the type of person who remembers things in the middle of the night! I''m the kind of person who remembers things in the middle of the night! The familiar Franken or Vampire can still be cute, but an unknown ghost I''ve never heard of is just a normal ghost story! Who''s going to bother asking around? Well, I''m glad Jeannette agreed to do this. Just in case you''re worried, why don''t you take Magda and Loretta with you? ''Yashiro.'' Estella, who had somehow gotten up from her seat and was standing behind me, placed her hand on my shoulder. ''I''ll help you too, so let''s do our best ''together''.'' When I turned around and looked up at her face, I saw that she had a black smile on her face that told me at once that she didn''t want Ginette to be the only one who had to do the hard work. Hey, Estella. That''s called blackmail, you know? ''All right, ......''. I sighed as I ripped Estella''s fingers from my shoulder, one by one. 415-Additive-free Episode 70: The Fools of this City ''First of all, let''s give people an idea of the event with these illustrations, and then we''ll collect stories about monsters in this city. The forty-second ward, where none of the major monsters I know are well known. Well, that''s not surprising. So we decided to make a masquerade based on the ghost stories that have taken root in the 42nd district, but we couldn''t be bothered to go door to door and ask people for their individual stories. So we decided to hold a competition. We announced the competition to the people in the village, and asked them to present their own known or invented ghost stories in the square. He would gather as many people as possible there, including parents and children. They will be asked to dress up as something they find interesting in the ghost story. ''It would be better if there were illustrations as well as stories. ''That''s not possible for ordinary people. I''m not that good at writing or illustrating. You must have a bit of confidence if you''re that good. ''It doesn''t have to be creative, it could be folklore, so there will be a certain amount of talk. As for the illustrations, I''ll help you if you ask me. I''ll ask you what it looks like, what the mood is, what the nature of the monster is, and I''ll draw the image I get from that for you. ''That''s quite a generous offer, isn''t it? Is there something behind it?'' ''I thought everyone in ...... the 42nd district would enjoy taking a closer look at Jeannette''s raw belly button.'' ''I heard some disturbing words, Yashiro! ''I thought the term "raw belly button" was a bit of a misnomer.'' Molly raises an eyebrow, but there are many parts with the word ''raw'' in them, such as raw legs, raw buttocks, raw breasts, and raw cleavage. Or half-raw tits! ''Anyway, let''s get everyone talking about raw legs and raw tits! ''You''ve changed your mind! Jeannette''s eyes widen, but it''s okay, it''s changed! I''m strongly suggesting that change for the better is possible! ''But... It''s not easy to make such an obvious monster like the one that Yashiro wrote, is it?There might be a story about the dead peeking through the window, as Molly said earlier, but there''s no way to dress it up, right? You can''t dress up as something you can''t see. Even if we could see them, it would be a little uncomfortable to dress up in a disguise that resembles the appearance of an individual and call it a ''ghost''. Estella complained. ''Don''t worry. In that case, you just have to embody the image. Saying this, I draw some illustrations of Japanese monsters. ''This one is called ''Buruburu'', and it''s the reason I''m afraid to go to the bathroom at night. ''I didn''t know that. I''ve never heard of him before. Ginette giggled, looking like a sister listening to a child''s fiction. She doesn''t believe it at all, but she doesn''t deny it. That''s what it looks like. ''Also, you know when you feel someone following you from behind in the middle of the night?That''s because of this ''Mr. Sticky''. ''It''s a very unique looking ghost. Estella also loosened her cheeks when she saw the comical looking monster. ''Mr. Yashiro, what kind of monster is this? Molly pointed to a specter called the White Swell. ''It''s his fault that my wok smells bad. ''So that was the Obake''s fault, too. ''I''m always annoyed by this monster. Molly and Jeannette looked at each other and giggled. Japanese yokai are really humorous and come in many varieties. I think the Japanese of old really had a lot of imagination and creativity. During the dark nights and long winters, they would give form to their vague fears and anxieties in this way, creating a sense of familiarity as well as a warning. Not knowing who you are leads to fear. That''s why he made up his "identity" in this way, isn''t it? I have this feeling. ''If Yashiro-san draws illustrations of ghosts like this, I''m sure Halloween will be filled with scary ghosts instead of cute ...... ones.'' Ginette''s eyes narrowed, looking very happy. An elegant ''mmmm'' escapes from her loosely arched lips. Her marshmallow-like cheeks are lightly colored and look slightly delicious. ''Let''s make some marshmallows. ''Another new dish?'' Ginette''s eyes sparkle at my murmur. Ginette''s face comes close to mine, filling my field of vision. She looks into my eyes excitedly. ''What kind of food is that, exactly? When asked what kind of dish it is, I try to think of the best way to answer. Well, marshmallows are ...... ''It''s a candy that looks like boobs. ''............ It''s not something we can handle at the Sunshine Pavilion.'' Jeannette''s face drifted away. The light is fading from her sparkling eyes. It''s funny. It''s a candy that girls would love! It''s a cute, SNS-worthy snack! ''Rather than sweets, let''s talk about ghosts. Jeannette has stopped talking about marshmallows. Apparently, they thought it was a 20% boob quota mixed in with Halloween. Even though it wasn''t: ...... ''When Magda and the others get back, why don''t we take a little walk around town and gather some information?'' Jeannette has a little time on her hands today. That''s why I suggested it. ''But when Miss Delia comes back, there will be a gymnastics class in the evening. That was it. For Ginette and Molly, their bellies were more important than Halloween. Rather, they were burning with a sense of mission to do something about their bellies for Halloween. ''Then let''s get some information from our immediate surroundings. She turned her gaze to Estella. ''Are there any seven wonders passed down in the lord''s manor? ''No, I don''t. There are no legends about ghosts. ''Like the portrait whose eyes move at midnight. ''What''s that, scary?I''ve never heard such a scary story! ''Musical instruments that play music by themselves in the middle of the night...'' ''Oh, come on!There''s a room near my bedroom where I keep my heirloom instruments. ''A waiter who strips naked at midnight: ......'' ''Oh, there it is.'' The fear drained from Estella''s tense expression. She looked both relieved and incredibly dismayed. ''I''d really like to investigate this in detail. ''You don''t have to. It''s the head waiter you know so well. ''''Didn''t the head waiter have a face like this ......? ''''Oh dear, oh dear! I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you have. ...... This, this guy, he''s ...... disappearing again! ''Natalia, what if Estella''s tits shrink any more? ''I''ll point and laugh at her. ''They won''t shrink, but I can''t overlook that statement, Natalia! ''Then let''s be kind and shed a few tears of grief. ''That''s just as annoying! Estella''s spirits increased when Natalia appeared. ''You two really get along, don''t you, squire? ''I thought you were coming home late, but you were selling oil at this place. ''I''m not selling oil. I just came to show you Lucia''s letter.'' ''You can''t hide the fact that you want to treat me to a red bean paste doughnut while you''re here. ''No, I didn''t mean that. ......'' Estella glanced at Jeannette as she said this. Ginette bows her head with a puzzled look. ''I''m sorry, I didn''t notice. I''ll bring it to you now. ''Oh, no, you don''t have to be so careful. ...... I''m sorry.'' You don''t look sorry at all, Estella. She gently holds out her hand to Estella, who puffs out her (flat) chest in anticipation. ''9Rb, sir.'' ''I know, I know. I''ll pay you. I do my duty, and she glares at me with a look of disgust. It''s natural to charge for food in a cafeteria, but you''re an unreasonable lord. ''Manager, I''d like to ask you one thing too. At ...... expense.'' ''Hey, Natalia!You can''t expense this! ''Oh, so it''s Estella''s pocket money!I''m sorry about that, but I''m grateful for the money. ''Don''t decide on your own!...... d*mn it. Estella seemed to have given up, and ordered red bean paste donuts for herself and Natalia. ''Would you like to join us, Molly?I''ll treat you.'' ''Well, ............ is a good place to start. ......'' ''Hey, Molly. ''Squishy, squishy, your will. The will of paper that falls when it blows. Have a will of iron. I''m sorry. I''m currently on duty, even though it looks like it, so I''ll refrain from ......! ''Molly ......, you don''t have to be so teary-eyed.'' Whether it''s because she''s lamenting her weak will, feeling guilty for refusing the lord''s invitation, or feeling sad that she has to hold back when she wants to eat, Molly''s eyes are beginning to water. Well, the last one is probably the reason. ''So, Estella-sama. What win were you talking about just now?'' ''How long have you been here! Natalia seemed to have a clear understanding of what was being said. This guy has actually been lurking for quite some time now, watching for the right moment to come out, hasn''t he? ''I know some of the tales of monsters in the lord''s mansion. ''Are you sure, Natalia?I''ve never heard of them. ''It''s not something that Estella would want to hear. ''It''s a well-known story among the waiters,'' Natalia says. Then she begins to talk quietly about the apparition. "''The nightly wear and tear on the tits''. ''That''s creative! Estella stood up and pointed at Natalia. You don''t have to point it out with such vigor. You don''t have to point it out with such vigor. ...... It''s probably a true story, you know? ''You usually grow when you''re asleep. ''Yeah . So, as a result of the struggle between normal growth and monstrosity, it remains flat. ''It''s not flat! ''Egu......'' ''Shut up!'' Estella roughly covers Natalia''s lips. Natalia, her mouth covered by her hand, raises an eyebrow in a ''oh dear'' sort of expression. ''Why do you have to look at me like I''m an incompetent child?It''s Natalia who''s talking nonsense, isn''t it? ''That''s not necessarily true, Estella. ''Yes, I do. It''s obvious to everyone. I''m going to tell her a ghost story that''s very familiar in Japan. ''In my hometown, there''s a ghost story called ''Bancho Nyuyashiki''. ''Doubt it! ''6cm......7cm......8cm......9cm......... ...I''m 1cm short~ ......'' ''That''s an A cup!It starts at 10cm! ''Shut up, you two! Molly, who was left behind, stared at our exchange with an annoyed look on her face. I wonder if she''s glancing at the kitchen because she''s waiting for Ginette, who went there to get some doughnuts, to return. ''So, I''m going to dress up in that Bancho Nyuyashiki costume ......''. ''I won''t let you! ''''You''re not going to give it up to anyone?That''s Estella-sama.'''' ''I didn''t say that!And I won''t do it even if I die, such a masquerade! ''Manager, please come back soon .......'' Molly is fidgeting. Then Ginette returns with a tray of tea and doughnuts. She puts the tray on the table and smiles at me. ''Mr. Yashiro, please repent. Apparently, he heard me. ...... It''s just me again. ''I remembered this story from the Bancho Nyuyashiki. ......'' ''You don''t have to tell me what it reminded you of, Natalia.'' I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. I mean, you''re usually sitting next to Estella nowadays, Natalia. She used to stand behind Estella. She didn''t even sit down when I offered her a chair. ''In the lord''s family, there is a strong curse that is only placed on women.'' ''What?I don''t know anything about that! ''''The curse of ''Do not grow up'' that the previous generation''s wife has been placing since right after Estella-sama was born is ......'''' ''Ah ......, I remember that painfully ......''. Estella''s face is twitching like I''ve never seen it before. She seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. ''And this curse will be passed down from generation to generation. ......'' ''I''m not going to put a curse like that on my own daughter.'' ''Well, well, well. Why are your breasts so much smaller than mine? ''............'' ''Young lady, this was said when she was four years old...'' ''......'' ''Natalia, can you send a letter to your mother requesting a visit?Carry on the tradition. ......'' ''Estella, you can''t do that!It''s a joke of Natalia''s!'' Ginette is desperately trying to prevent her best friend from falling into the darkness. Come on, Ginette! Such an abominable curse should be broken in our generation! For a bright future where the Cremona family will also have a Boin! ''Will you lift the ban on Estella''s mother''s disguise for Halloween? ''No, I won''t!That''s disrespectful!Most of all, I don''t want to see it! I think she''s the scariest monster so far. ''Oh, you''re the revolutionary child of the donut world...'' ''What?Why is Hammaro relaxing with a red bean paste doughnut? ''There are no customers, and he was taking a nap during snack time. Oh, I didn''t know that. I didn''t know that this restaurant even prepares its own snacks. It''s not like some relative''s kid came here to help. ''Hey, Hammaro.'' ''Hmm~?'' ''You''re the scariest thing I''ve ever seen. ......'' ''Hammaro?'' ''...... ''Hammaro?'' while I''m talking to you. Don''t do that.'' ''Hmm~?'' ''Well, okay. What''s the scariest thing you''ve ever seen?'' ''My sister! ''No, it''s not something close to me like that. ''Hmm~? ''I''m talking about ghosts and things like that, things that kids might be scared of. ''Sis! ''If you treat them like ghosts, you''ll get really angry later. ''Hmm? ''What''s that ''hmm? What?Are you trying to test the limits of my protectiveness? Don''t tilt your head with a curious look! I''ll take you away! ...... Oh, by the way, Lucia''s coming over at night. We have to hide her! ''Hammaro. At night, the monsters and their masters come to take you away, so lock your doors and go to bed early. ''Our guests are welcome! ''Don''t do that!You''ll be eaten! ''No, I don''t think they''ll eat you. ...... No matter how much Lucia says they won''t.'' That''s sweet, Estella! Lucia will eat you! ''I''m going to send you a demon bed-hopping lord.'' ''I''m sorry, I finally understand how scary this is. Hammaro, make sure you lock your door! ''Hammaro? ''Hey, guys. Calling the lord of another district a ghost is indeed rude. ......'' ''What are you talking about, Jeannette? It''s Lucia and Tracy, remember?It''s okay, it''s okay. ''I''m sure you''re not fine, Yashiro.'' ''It''s ...... already,'' exhaled Jeannette. As long as you don''t go beyond the limits of what they won''t be offended by, they''re more than happy to be broken up like this, you know. Well, I guess Ginette knows that, so she doesn''t really try to stop me. ''Onii-chan! ''What is it, Hammaro? ''Yo-kai Darin! ''Hammaro, that''s not a demon. It''s a monster. I tried my best to shake off the horrible images that flashed through my mind. They say this kind of talk attracts people, so I deny it firmly and shake off the unpleasant images so that they don''t come. As I was shaking my head to erase the images in my memory, the door of the sunlit pavilion opened in a hurry. Did I really summon him? When I looked back at the door, I saw Magda standing there. ''...... I''m home.'' ''Welcome home, Magda.'' ''I''m home, Mr. Manager. Big brother.'' ''Oh. Hammaro said you were the scariest Loretta he''d ever seen.'' ''Oh, dear!I didn''t expect a whistleblower! ''Hammaro, what were you talking about? ''Hammaro?............ Oh!...... What?...... Hammaro? ''What did you think of just now?Don''t act in a way your sister can''t understand! It seems that Hammaro is difficult for even the eldest daughter to understand. ''......But more importantly, Yashiro, I have a visitor. ''...... Are you the guild leader of a certain large guild? ''...... I understand.'' This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. ...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try.I''m here! ''Masha is very welcome! I''m so glad! I''m so glad! Not that way! ''Hey, Masha. Don''t let your tail fin flap. It''ll splash water.I mopped the floor. Don''t make a mess.'' ''Because I''m so happy to see you all! It was Delia who was pushing Masha''s tank. Delia was pushing Masha''s tank, looking uncomfortable as the splashing water wet the floor. I guess Delia has come to care about such things. Looks like she''s growing up. ''By the way, Yashiro-kun. Masha puts her arm over the edge of the tank and peers into my face. Her eyes arc gently as if teasing me. ''It looks like there''s another visitor~'' ''No way, this time! I''m not sure if it''s a pattern of letting your guard down once and then the real attacker appears! But then Bertina came into the store from behind Delia. ''''This time, no surprises! I couldn''t help but give thanks to the spirit gods. There are days like this, aren''t there! Have you finally noticed?I''ve been doing this for a while! I''m a guy who''s good at what he does! However, the atmosphere was not so easygoing. Bertina stepped forward with a serious look on her face and stood in front of Ginette in silence. Then she quietly raised her arm and put her hand on Ginette''s cheek. ''...... What?Um, Sister?'' ''............ Good. You don''t look so bad.'' Ginette gulps as Bertina lets out a sigh of relief. ''I''m sorry. Did I cause you any concern? By the way, Ginette had decided not to participate in the donut festival for some reason. It was a reason she made up to convince the kids, but the unnaturalness of it must have made Bertina feel uncomfortable. She even went to check on Ginette in this way. ''Um, Sister ...... actually''. Tormented by a sense of guilt, Ginette told him honestly. The reason for not attending. And apologize for worrying her. ''Please don''t worry about ...... me like that anymore. ''I''m sorry .......'' ''But I''m glad I didn''t do anything wrong. You''re always pushing yourself too hard.'' ''That''s not true ............, thank you for worrying about me.'' The mother and daughter share a quiet laugh. There was remorse and forgiveness, so there would be no rancor left. ''But Ginette has come to care about such things, hasn''t she? ''I''ve always cared about it, even before ....... I''m still a girl. ''You''ve been blessed with good friends who have brought you good changes. Don''t forget to thank them. ''Yes, sir. I''ve been blessed with wonderful people. Many. Ginette then slowly looks around at the faces of everyone in the room. She must be thinking of the faces of those who are not here. She gazes for a moment beyond the door. ''I''m getting a little curious, too. Ms. Delia''s gymnastics class. ''The sisters? Ginette rolled her eyes in surprise. Delia lifts her lips in a pout and spreads her hands towards Bertina. ''Then let''s do it together, Sister. It was Yashiro''s idea, so even the sisters can do it together. Hey, Yashiro? ''Well, yes, but ...... you can''t do it in that outfit, can you?'' Bertina is wearing a sister''s uniform today. You can''t exercise in that. ''I''m fine. I have clothes for field day. Bloomers! ''We also got long sleeves and long pants. Such merciless words were added right after I raised my arms. ...... Why? Sleeves and hems aren''t really necessary in this town, are they? ''Mr. Yashiro. Please make it an easy exercise.'' It''s not only the ease of the exercise, but also the fact that Bertina''s eyes, smiling, contained a request: ''Please don''t do anything crazy. It''s the kind of ''request'' you can never disobey. ...... I think it''s called blackmail, that kind of thing. I''ll do it too! I''ll do it! Masha and Hammaro raise their arms with the same look. I''m not sure what to make of that.I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''I''ll wait a minute, Hammaro.'' ''Hammaro? ''Do you even know what you''re doing? ''I don''t know! ''Then I''ll stop. You''re going to help me with the store.'' ''I''m good at that kind of thing! Hammaro threw up his arms in the air, but Loretta persuaded him to stay at the sunny pavilion. The gymnastics class is still in session, so it''s better that way. I don''t think Hammaro needs to lose weight. I don''t think Masha needs it either, but since she wants to join, I''ll take her. Oh, yeah. I''ll ask this guy first. ''Hey, Masha. Do you have any stories about ghosts in the sea? ''Ghosts? When I explained the story so far and about Halloween, and told him that I was gathering information about ghosts that might be suitable for costumes, Masha leaned forward with both eyes shining brightly. ''How about a mermaid! ''A mermaid wouldn''t be a bunny ......''. ''But you know, long ago, mermaids were like ghosts to humans.'' ''That''s true. I''ve heard stories that if you encounter a mermaid at sea, you''ll be sunk along with your ship. It was Bertina who affirmed Masha''s story. She said she had heard such a story a long time ago. I think it was a long time ago that mermaids and humans made peace. ...... I wonder how long ago she heard that story. It must have been a long time ago. ...... Ah, Bertina''s eyes are starting to set. I''ll stop thinking about it. ''I think I''d be happy if the kids dressed up as mermaids. ''As for me, I''d be happier if adults dressed up in costumes. ''Yashiro-san''s ...... hands are .......'' It seems that his honest feelings were reflected in his arms. Molly pointed it out to me with a bit of a scowl. I put the scallop on the pointy part. ''And maybe a sea monk or a siren?They''re both sea monsters that are feared by sailors. Masha smiled happily when I drew illustrations of the sea monk and the siren that she knew, saying, ''Wow, they''re cute! She doesn''t know whether they look alike or not. She''s never seen one before. Even in this world where beastmen are commonplace, sea monks and sirens are imaginary creatures. I heard there are dragons, though. ''Oh, and ghost ships. Skeleton captains, ghost pirates...'' ''So there are stories like that here, too. ''Yes, there are. There are a lot of stories about sightings on the sea in the mist. Haze and mirages tend to appear at sea. I felt that it is quite natural that stories of ghost ships are created in such a situation. When I illustrated them, Bertina smiled and said, ''Boys seem to like this kind of thing. ''Bertina. Is there anything in the church, about the ghosts?'' ''Yes, .......'' I put my finger to my chin and thought for a few seconds, then my expression lit up as if I''d thought of something. Then he tells me the story with a face that seems to be unable to suppress a smile. ''There is a monster that is most frightening to children. ''What kind of monster?'' I ask, and Bertina glances at Ginette, who tells me with a mischievous smile. ''It''s a ghost who draws maps on the bedding while the children are asleep. ''Map ...... with water, huh?'' ''Yes. When they wake up, the bedding is soaked, and the children are most afraid of meeting this monster. After saying all that, ''Right, Ginette? When Bertina smiled, Ginette puffed up her cheeks and said, ''...... I don''t know. Apparently, Ginette had met one before. The ghost. ''Oh, by the way, there was always water ready to boil in the church kitchen. ''I don''t know ...... anymore.'' Ginette puffed up, and Bertina chuckled. Sure, it''s a scary ghost for the kids, but it''s unlikely anyone would dress up as one. Like Ginette now, they don''t want to admit it. They won''t want to admit that they''ve met the werewolf. I''m sure they''ll avoid this masquerade. ''Mmm!Sister, Yashiro-san will tell you a story about the ''Wasteful Obake''!Please be scared. ''No, Jeannette. Maybe Bertina is one of those freaks. I''m sure we all share the idea that it''s a shame to leave food behind. As Bertina urged me to talk about the wasteful ghosts, the light outside the window grew redder and redder, and before I knew it, it was time for Delia''s exercise class. 416-Additional-free Episode 71 Order, Rules and TPO Evening. However, it is still a little early for supper. The wives are about to start preparing for dinner when their husbands come home, and the husbands are beginning to get hungry and look forward to dinner. The easy-going bachelors are probably excited about how to satisfy their hunger today, whether to go out for dinner early or to have a hearty drink later in the evening. ''Sorry it''s a little early, guys,'' Delia said. '' Delia said, and the assembled women said ''No, no, no'' and waved their heads and hands. It''s a delicate time for those of us who are working. Some of them asked their bosses for permission to leave a little early. ''It''s a preparation for spreading the word in the 41st district. Our men are also quite supportive, these days. The women who are giggling and saying ''Hey~'' are today''s students, all residents of District 41. We are planning to have them master Delia''s exercises and become instructors in the classrooms of District 41. Some of them are currently working at other jobs, but they''ll give priority to us because this is a big project led by the lord. He''s going to pay you a pretty good salary, Ricardo. He''s going to set up a beauty guild or something like that. The guild will be based on the veterans of the clothing guild, but it will also include exercise, esthetics, cosmetics, hairdressing, and liberal arts education. The cosmetics and barber stores have always existed and had guilds of appropriate size, but they have decided to break down the barriers and cooperate with each other. It''s a great way to make a profit,......, Assunto said. He was very enthusiastic in his presentation to Ricardo, wasn''t he? ''Let''s protect the existing profits while assuring further profits through the synergy of multiple guilds working together! Or something like that. It was more like a beauty association than a beauty guild. It was not a consolidation of guilds, but a cooperation with a new organization. ''I''m going to master it as soon as possible so that I can spread it to everyone! These are the women who have been unable to find regular jobs, but have been helping out their parents or working short-term jobs on a whim to make ends meet. In the 41st district, there were few jobs that satisfied women. It is said that many of them had to engage in hard labor even with physical disadvantages. It seems that these women have joined the beauty guild. It is said that this is the first mass employment of women in the 41st district. ''''With our hands, we''ll make the women of District 3 more beautiful! ''''''Oh!'''''' The women raised their fists and raised their spirits. That''s fine, but ...... It seems that Assunto has been spreading the word that the bottom three districts, from 40 to 42, have recently begun to be called the "tip three districts. We are not the bottom, we are the tip. It seems that Assunto has done the merchants of District 24 a great favor by acting as a go-between for the Koji Workshop. I heard that he also connected with the lord in relation to the banquet and became even more influential. Then, he was invited by the head of the guild that runs the area around the BU to come to our house. He asked me to come to ....... I''m not sure.You''re joking?You''re kidding, right?I don''t remember being transferred to the left. --I heard he just laughed it off and came back. Wasn''t he trying hard to improve his performance and leave the bottom three wards?I think it was only a year ago. He seems to be fighting with a superior merchant with all his might, has he given up on his career? ''I can see Assunto''s enthusiasm in your eyes. Estella replies to my dumbfounded voice with a bit of happiness. In a tone of voice that teases me. ''It seems your words have set him on fire. ''Did I say something? ''It was your words, wasn''t it?You said that ''beauty'' and ''happiness'' are the best commodities that can generate money even without the real thing. ''...... That''s what I said to you, isn''t it? How does Assunto know that?'' ''I''m the one who told him. ''Then it''s your fault, isn''t it? What are you saying? What are you talking about? If you''re the one who set it off, it''s your fault. Don''t push it on me. ''But I think ''three wards at the tip'' is a bit of an exaggeration. ''But, Estella~a??'' Masha, wearing a gym uniform (top), flips her body around in the tank. ''The three major guilds, the sea fishing, hunting, and lumberjack guilds, are definitely paying the most attention to the 42nd district, you know?I think you''re right about the tip of the iceberg~'' ''That may be ...... true, but...'' The more prominent the 42nd district is, the more trouble it will bring. I''m sure she''s happy to be called cutting-edge and to be recognized by others, but I hope she doesn''t act like an agitator like Assunto. The look on Estella''s face said it all. I don''t want to get into trouble either. ''Next time something troublesome happens, don''t drag me into it. ''What are you talking about, someone who''s always in the middle of things?I think you''re getting into more trouble than I am. ''You''re framed. Calling me a troublemaker when I''m so eager to be at peace is nothing more than a frame-up. It''s absolutely outrageous. Speaking of frame-work, Masha is wearing her gym clothes (top) as if she were caught by Bertina, but they are already so sticky because she moves around in the tank as she pleases, and they are stuck to her body so tightly that you can see the color of her skin and the lines of her body through them. She usually wears only scallops, so her skin should be less exposed than usual, but this is not so easy. It''s so nice to have wet clothes stuck to your skin! ''Wet clothes are the best, aren''t they? ''It''s a bad habit of yours to let your thoughts be pulled too far by what you see, Yashiro. Well, I guess you can''t fix it. ''Yashiro-kun, your gaze is a little bit like that of a dangerous man~'' It''s ''like'' so it''s still safe! ''Yashiro. Don''t look like a dangerous person in a crowd of women from other districts. You''ll cast a shadow on the beauty city project that you''re at the center of. I was tapped on the whiskers with a flue. When I turned around, Norma, who I had met on the way to this hall, was standing there, and she was also wearing gym clothes. Normally, she wears clothes that are tight around the chest, but ...... ''I love it when they''re covered and squashed! ''Were you listening to what people were saying? ''I''m not listening, but I''m looking at you! ''I''m sure you are! I got poked in the forehead with a cigarette. But I don''t care! ''Mr. Yashiro. ''Mr. Yashiro.'' When I turned around at the sound of the similar mother and daughter''s voices, I saw Ginette and Bertina in their gym clothes glaring at me with adorable faces. ''''Please repent.'''' ''''I''m not afraid of the confessional if it''s with gym clothes! ''''Oh my god, Yashiro-san! ''''...... Why do you love gym clothes so much, you ......'''' Estella sighs, shakes her head in exasperation, and pulls a knife on me. What''s with this girl? She''s so casually hunting for a life~. Scary! ''Excuse me, Mr. Manager. Molly, also in gym clothes, tugs at Jeannette''s sleeve. ''Mr. Yashiro is getting too excited, shouldn''t the manager take off his gym clothes? ''That''s a good idea, Molly!Now, Jeannette, get down to your underwear! ''That''s not what I meant, Molly!Oh, God! ''I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you more excited. ''It''s okay, Molly. It''s 100% Yashiro''s fault. I wonder if it''s something like this ...... It''s a good idea to look at the gym clothes indoors, not in a big place like a ground. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I''m going to pluck them out because they scare the students. Delia''s voice came flying in. ''Come on, Yashiro. If you don''t quiet down, I''m going to kick you out.'' ''No, no, Estella. It''s ''pluck out''. If you make a mistake, it could kill you.'' If Delia hits me, my bones are in trouble. But I''m sure it''ll hurt even if she picks it out, so let''s be quiet for a bit. ''Well, let''s get started. Delia says, looking around at the people in the hall. Right on time. The exercise class begins as planned. The students spread out so as not to bump into each other. Then Ginette tugged on my sleeve, saying, ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. ''I don''t think Barbara is here yet. ''Looks like it. I told you to be punctual, that monkey woman ...... ''Whoa!It hasn''t started yet, lucky you! As we were talking, Barbara opened the door and walked into the venue. This venue is a rather large multi-purpose hall built in a corner of the new town, so it shouldn''t be too far from the cornfield. ...... ''You''re late, Barbara. What have you been up to?'' ''What the hell, hero. You look scared. I was helping my father with his work.'' ''Didn''t you tell Yaplock what you were doing today?'' ''I told him. He said I could leave early, but Aashi, I wanted to help you. That in itself is not a bad thing. But ...... ''Being late for an appointment is the worst thing you can do. ''Huh!Why?Aashi, I was working! This guy is ...... I''m sure you''re not the only one who wants to be beautiful, but you didn''t get it right. I''ll have to give him a little moxa. ''Many of us here are working. We''re all here on our own time. Be on time.'' ''But Aashi is ............ mmmmm!That''s enough, you''re annoying.'' Barbara ignored me and tried to mingle with the students. You don''t even apologize. ...... ''Yap Lock is a terrible guy.'' ''What? Barbara turns around and grabs me by the chest. ''Don''t you dare speak ill of my father! Her eyes are burning with serious anger. But I don''t care. ''You knew I had plans for you, and you forced me to work for you, didn''t you?Isn''t that terrible? ''No!Aarthi said he''d help!To-chan told me to go now! Even if that''s true, your behavior will be seen that way by others. I don''t think he really understands that every time you do something rash, it''s the yap-rockers in the guardianship category who get a bad rap for not being able to discipline you. ''I don''t know what''s really going on, though. ''I''m telling you the truth!You''re so persistent! It''s not that I''m persistent, it''s that you''re shallow. Most people don''t say things this clearly. They''ll just interpret it as ''Oh, that''s just the way it is'' and never give you a chance to make an excuse. That''s why you should change your words and actions so that people won''t think that way. ...... I know it''s still difficult for him, so I''ll make it easy for him to understand. ''So you helped yourself, right? ''Yes, I did!If you understand, don''t say anything bad about my dad! ''In other words, you don''t care about Percy.'' ''Huh?How can that be?For the first time in her life, Aarthi really liked ............ her.It''s nothing!It''s just that I''m not sure I want to. You''re a little embarrassed, but... But you thought you could put off the gymnastics class you were forced to attend to become beautiful for Percy, didn''t you? Barbara was at a loss for words here. For the first time, she seemed to think she might have done something wrong, even though she had always refuted anything that was said to her by spinal reflex. ''It''s not that I''m putting off ...... work, it''s that I''m ...... working.'' ''You know, the job you were told you didn''t have to do?You prioritized something you didn''t have to do and made Delia wait for you to ask her to participate, right? ''But I made it and ......! ''The time had passed. That''s why the exercises haven''t started yet.'' ''That''s because the heroes are messing around!Let''s just get on with it!'' Right after Barbara said that, a fist fell on the back of Barbara''s head. ''What? A breath escaped from Barbara''s nose, and she turned around with tears in her eyes. There, Delia stood with her arms crossed in a terrifying manner. ''This is not the place for you. I''ll decide when to start. The gymnastics class was Delia''s responsibility. It was not the place for Barbara to say, ''Let''s get started,'' while ignoring Delia, who was in charge. ''This class is something that Yashiro asked me to do, but I''m taking it seriously as a job. Did you think I was doing it for fun?'' ''No, no, not at all .......'' ''Then what would you do if someone interfered with Yap Lock''s work? ''I''ll kick his ass! ''Then it''s okay for me to kick the crap out of you for interfering with my work?'' ''What, ......? Delia glared at her, and Barbara''s face turned pale. ...... Yeah. It''s not that I''m not a good person, but I''m not a good person.I''m sure you''re right. It''s an ironclad rule for working people to be punctual. Don''t be late even for a minute or a second. If you were a newcomer to the river fishing guild, I''d fire you. ''Well, is it really that important ...... because it''s only a minute ......''. ''If it''s just a little bit late, why are you the one deciding?'' ''...... Ahh.'' Delia''s in charge here. Whether it''s okay to be late or not, that''s for Delia to decide. It''s not something a mere participant can decide on her own. ''But the exercise hadn''t started yet. ......'' ''If you don''t agree, get out. I have nothing to teach you if you can''t listen to what I have to say. Barbara''s throat made a strange sound as she was told so firmly. She couldn''t think of anything to say in response. ''I''m in charge here. I''m in charge of this place, and I have a duty to keep order here. If one person''s selfishness is left unchecked, the order of the place will collapse in no time. ''It is also the duty of the person in charge to remove those who disturb the place. At the risk of sounding rude, Delia''s opinion is correct. It is indeed a troublesome problem to deal with troublesome people who cannot follow the rules, and it is also a troublesome problem to have troublesome people who are excluded from the rules blow the whistle on you outside, but that does not mean that you can leave them alone. The biggest problem is that other people who follow the rules are uncomfortable because of the outlaws. I''m really fed up with being in the line of fire for saying harsh things and being stuck with cramers, but it''s more fatal that some people leave without saying anything. That''s right. I''ll have to tell that to the prospective lecturers here. ''Delia''s response is correct. Well, she should be a little more careful about being a little too aggressive, because that can get you into trouble, but I''d like to support her. ''You will be dealing with many students in the future, and some of them will surely complain that you do not give them preferential treatment because they have paid for it or because they have come all this way. I tell those who are there not to be pushed around in such situations. ''The customer is not God. They''re not kings and they''re not masters. In extreme cases, you can throw them out and say, ''Don''t come back. Of course, be sure to tell them that this is an extreme argument and does not mean that the instructor should be arrogant. If they are found to be arrogant and say, ''If you don''t like my teaching, you don''t have to come,'' their license will be immediately suspended and they will have to pay a penalty for spreading bad publicity. ''Well, in the end, it all comes down to ''moderation'', but there''s no such thing as ''no matter what, you have to put up with it'' when dealing with customers. Just remember that. Acting aggressively is one way. It would be helpful if you could talk to me about it before you take that step. The would-be instructors had tense expressions on their faces, as if they were confused by the commotion, but they relaxed their tense expressions just a little when they heard what I had to say. ''I''m glad. ...... Actually, I was a little worried.'' ''Actually, I''m also ...... wondering how I would respond if someone like my boss at work came to ...... me.'' Women who are enrolled in workplaces where power harassment and s*xual harassment are commonplace seem to have worn out their feelings to deny or protest in that bad environment. ''As long as I put up with it, ......,'' she said, ''I won''t succeed in my new business if that''s the norm. ''You need to speak up when you need to speak up, and you need to give a clear warning before you do. You need to show them that if they do something like this, they are out. If you''re smoking and you''re suddenly warned, you''re going to be unhappy, but if the place has a sign saying ''no smoking'', you won''t complain. ''There are individual differences in the effects of beauty-related products. There will be many protests and selfishness from those who do not understand that. If you have trouble dealing with them, please contact me. I''ll teach you how to ''silence them peacefully''. I don''t even want to think about how my impression has spread to the 41st district, but there was a ''ha ha ......'' kind of giggle at my suggestion. It seems that ''peacefully'' is not trusted. ...... You don''t see any blood, so it''s peaceful. I''m not sure what to make of that. But!Aashi is ...... for my dad! ''Don''t put the blame on others like that. ''Let''s keep that nasty Barbara''s mouth shut, mentally. ''You wanted to be thanked for helping Yaplock with his work. Don''t demonize Yaplock by saying ''for your sake'' when ''you'' wanted to help. You don''t want to be bad-mouthed, do you?'' ''Aashi, I don''t mean to. ......'' ''It''s not for Percy that you want to be beautiful, it''s for you that you want Percy to look good. The only thing you''re saying ''for someone else'' is actually what you want to do ''for you''. ...... sounds like the self-satisfaction of a very self-centered person, but most people think that way. The reason why we are kind is because we want to be appreciated and to feel that we have done something good. If you feel a little disappointed when you are not thanked for your kindness, this tendency is very strong. Those who think that they deserve to be returned exactly what they have given are completely of this type. But that''s not something to be blamed, it''s a very normal feeling. ...... Barbara needs a bit of a severe moxa, so I''ll keep the facts to myself. ''If you really think you''re not bothering anyone by involving everyone around you in your self-gratification, go home now. ''............'' Barbara clenched her fists tightly. I hear the sound of her back teeth grinding, and tears well up in her eyes. I, Delia, Bertina. You can find a lot more information on the web at the moment. ''...... I''m sorry,'' she said. It must be hard to be hanged in front of so many people. But this was something that needed to be said right here, right now. After all, Delia is here. ''Oh!If you''ve apologized, that''s enough! A large hand grabbed Barbara''s head. And ruffled her hair. ''We all make mistakes at first, you know. But if you reflect on your mistakes and fix what''s wrong, you''ll eventually become a good person. You''re just getting started, Barbara.'' ''......?Yes, yes, yes! As expected, Delia gets angry when she''s angry and doesn''t drag it out at all afterwards. She praises you when she praises you and comforts you when she comforts you. If you have to experience a big failure at some point in your life, it''s better to fail with someone like Delia. Barbara is lucky to have been around Delia this time. When your heart is deflated after being scolded, it is comforting to touch a big receptive vessel. If we distort the interpretation of overprotection, we can say that Delia is a responsible person who is overprotective enough. ...... If only she could improve her habit of thinking of other people''s physical strength and toughness in terms of herself. ''Delia, you said your name correctly. ''I think it means you''ve accepted that it''s worth facing properly. Ginette and Estella were having such a conversation. ''Although in Delia''s case, she doesn''t think about such criteria, but mostly about whether or not she''s interested. At Estella''s words, Ginette also smiles modestly. I feel bad for laughing, but I can''t help it, so I refrain. It''s like that. ''I''m sure Barbara-san will change from now on. Bertina whispers quietly next to me. When I looked at her face, only her gaze glanced at me. ''You''re in love, you''re in love, you''ve got a family, you''re excited, you''ve found your place .......'' In this short period of time, everything Barbara had ever wanted but could not have, her environment, was now available to her. That''s why Barbara felt strongly that she didn''t want to lose it. ''It would be nice if we could choose ''compromise'' instead of ''rebellion'' as a means to protect what is important to us. ''That''s .......'' It will be difficult to change the fundamental way of thinking. But this is the Forty-second Ward. If you stay in the relaxed atmosphere that makes visitors become disappointed and clumsy one after another, he will round up a little. Right now, Barbara is holding on to everything she''s got, trying not to lose a single piece. If he would just relax a little and realize that it''s not so easy to lose something when you''re not holding on to it so desperately. ''You''d look a lot better. When I said this, Bertina''s eyes narrowed happily. ''That''s true. I hope you''ll have a nice face like Yashiro-san''s.'' ''No, I don''t think I''ll ever be this good looking.'' ''Mm-hmm. I like that kind of face of yours, Yashiro-san. I don''t know what kind of ''that kind'' Bertina is referring to, and I don''t dare ask, but those smiling eyes are a little ticklish, so don''t look too hard. If you''d like to gaze at my good looks like ''Huh~ too good~'', you can gaze as much as you like. ''Yashiro-san, you''re kind to people from other districts, aren''t you? ''That''s right, Molly, you can feel it too, can''t you? ''Well, ...... that''s true.'' ''It seems like you gave Yap Lock a stern pep talk, so it must be your nature. I can hear them chuckling. It seems that the people around me want to make me out to be some kind of saint. ...... Well, it seems that some people are planning to turn me into a ''s*x man''. It''s you, the black pharmacist. ''''Well then, it''s getting a little late, but let''s start the exercises! ''''''Yes!'''''' Delia stood in front, and the women of District 41, who were to be the instructors, straightened their postures. The trial residents from District Forty-two will be joining in at the back so as not to get in the way. ''Ms. Molly, let''s do our best. ''Yes, sir!Let''s burn off the calories for the day! ''Dinner will be ready when we''re done! ''Well, I''m going to have some food at the sunny-side up restaurant, too. ''I also want to eat rice, not bread. ''I want to eat both bread and rice. This corner of the room doesn''t seem to be on a diet. Well, most of them don''t need to. And Barbara is in the front row, trying to make up for her earlier mistake. He''s got a lot of drive, doesn''t he? He just can''t think about anything but what''s in front of him. If he can switch his mind a little more dexterously, he''ll improve somewhat. ''Today is a new exercise that Yashiro came up with. Hey, Yashiro?'' ''Oh. I''m proud of it!It''s an aerobic workout, but it''s also a good workout for the areas you want to tighten up, like your arms and stomach. Delia did it with ease, but it would be a bit of a tough workout for the average woman. You''ll work up a good sweat. ''And!And since you''re wearing only light clothing, you''ll be able to clearly see your body swaying, making this exercise visually pleasing!Come on, guys!Don''t hold back at all, give it your all, and shake it up big time! ''Delia~!As the person in charge, can you eliminate the undesirables who are disturbing the order of this place? ''All right, don''t pick them out.'' Because of Estella''s unnecessary comment, I was plucked out of the classroom with a ''pee~''. Hey, hey, hey... ...... I''ve been trying to think of a way to make this work for me. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. After that, the door of the classroom was closed tightly, and I continued to shed tears of blood as I listened to the voices and sounds leaking out. But I can tell you one thing... I''m glad you didn''t kick me out. I really am. 417-Chapter 72 Profit and Loss for Profit and Loss for... ''Yashiro-kun, put yourself in a good mood! Students came out of the tightly closed door like a door to heaven. All of them are sweating moderately and look satisfied with their refreshing fatigue. I''m sitting alone in a triangular position in a daze. Dang. I''ll walk around in a triangular position. A little bit, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit. ''Don''t make any creepy moves! Estella grabs me by the collar and half forces me to stand up. ''Hey, Estella. Have you lost weight?'' ''Don''t say that while looking at my breasts! Well, the exercises I''ve invented are really effective. ...... ''If you hadn''t been so crazy, you wouldn''t have been kicked out, so it''s your own fault. ''It''s not crazy!It''s wonderful! ''Oh, you have no remorse at all, do you ......?'' Norma let out an exasperated sigh, but because of her gym clothes and bloomers, she couldn''t think of anything else to say but thank you. ''Thank you, Norma! ''You seem to have an extraordinarily strong attachment to these clothes. ...... I guess I''ll have to wear them less often.'' Why? You''re going to take everything away from me, spirit god? I''m glad you''re doing well. I''m glad to see you''re doing relatively well. ''Yeah, ...... I wonder if that''s true?She''s sulky and troublesome, though.'''' Putting her arm on Masha''s tank, Estella raises her eyebrows. I''m not sulking. She''s just bending her belly button a little bit. ''So, where are the others? The teacher candidates of District Forty-One have already all left and are on their way back to District Forty-One, saying, ''I''ll return to District Forty-One before it gets too late. The sky is already getting dark. Night is coming soon. Despite this, the people of District 42 have yet to appear. ''Oh, ...... well, you''ll know when you look inside.'' Estella shrugged her shoulders with an annoyed look on her face. If you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a lot of the things that are available to you. ''There seems to be a murder of a good friend''s mother and daughter! For some reason, I lost my temper and ended up at a scene like ....... Is it Molly who did it? ''All mysteries solved. ''There are no mysteries. The exercise that made the women of the forty-first district sweat so much was as heavy as a triathlon for Ginette and Bertina, and they couldn''t move an inch. ''What about Molly?She''s not that physically weak, is she? ''She''s ...... a hard worker, you know.'' Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes students are told to do as much as they can, but when they try to copy the instructor''s perfect movements, they overstep their limits. The result is that you end up like Molly now, with muscles that are so tight you can''t move. ...... Molly. You''ve been pushing yourself to lose some weight, haven''t you? The same movement as Delia''s, even for a beastman like you, must be quite a strain. ''Where''s Barbara? ''Over there. Norma pointed at her, ''Hey, what''s up!I can go further!Push the limits! Norma pointed to Delia, who was fervently instructing her to ''Push the envelope! There was Barbara, who was doing one-legged squats with a loud voice. ...... What the hell are you doing? ''They''re doing extra training for the trouble they caused me. ''Oh, is that exercise?That''s not what I know at all. It''s funny, the exercises I taught you were supposed to be nice exercises that would make you look feminine, but ...... what kind of mercenary training facility is this? ''Dieting is not something you should do with a commando look on your face like that,......''. You can''t move like Delia if you can''t do that. ''Even I don''t want to do that kind of training. Estella and Norma both looked dumbfounded. But just because you don''t do it doesn''t mean you can''t do it, right?I can see from your expression that you can do it, right? You''ve got a great core, Barbara. I can never do a one-legged squat. ''But then again, you seem to have some sense. I appreciate that.'' Suddenly Estella praised me, and I tilted my head. Sensible? ''I was going to gouge or crush you if you even glanced at me. ''Don''t use those fancy words that are mainly used for eyes. It''s better to know that Estella was joking, though. ...... I''m afraid Natalia might do the same. Thank God it''s the Lord. ''There was no clutter at the door. It was quiet.'' Estella patted me on the head, saying, ''Great, great. Don''t treat me like a dog tied up in front of a convenience store waiting for its owner to go shopping. Isn''t that dog waiting to go shopping treated as property of the town?Every time I see one, I want to pet it, but it''s a stranger''s dog and I can''t do anything about it in case the owner comes back on the way. ...... What have you been doing?Are you sitting in a triangle all the time? ''No, I was just assunto. This is Newtown, so it''s relatively easy to catch a ham who''s not busy. I grabbed a little girl who hadn''t gotten a job yet, had her run over and get Assunto, and we had a meeting a while ago. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about the whole thing. I''m sure his fantasies were spreading all over the place. ''Assunto is a plump man. ''You''re too open about it. Don''t you think Assunto is just right? ''It''s outrageous that you have your own tits and you''re looking at someone else''s tits! ''I can''t decide if I should call you single-minded and wonderful, or an a**h*le for calling your wife your exclusive tits, in your opinion. Why? I don''t know, I''m not sure. You should be angry! Don''t be silly! Don''t be greedy! ''Limit one set per person! ''Every time you open your mouth, I ruin your reputation, so it''s time you shut up. What were you and Assunto talking about at ......?'' Estella''s gaze becomes that of a lord. I''m not going to hide it. ...... I have no intention of hiding anything from you. I''m not going to hide it. What are sweets to you?'' ''Huh?Hmm~ ...... I guess. Right now, it''s probably donuts, right? Well, I guess so. ''Other things like cakes, honey roasted peanuts, popcorn, ......'' ''I like taiyaki~a??'' ''I like pudding. I like Norma''s pudding, too. ...... Hot! I didn''t even say anything!I''m just thinking! You''re too honest in your gaze. I''ve been taught that honesty is a good thing. ...... I guess this is what they mean when they say that honesty is a fool''s errand. ...... Anyway. Most of the sweets in the 42nd district are the ones these guys have just mentioned. In a city where sweetness is scarce, the only things that existed were honey, brown sugar, and fruit, and where there were people who couldn''t even eat enough food that day, sweets as a luxury item never took root. That''s why the sweets first introduced by the Sunshine Pavilion have become the standard sweets of District 42. ''Halloween is an event where kids parade through the streets to get candy. If the candy is only available at the Sunshine Pavilion, it''ll be a problem, right?'' ''Hmm~......, that may be true. But you can find cakes at other stores too, right? ''If we stop at every store and eat cakes, we''ll be full after one or two, right?It''s better to have something more convenient. I''d really like to make something like a cookie, but I can''t prepare it because if I bake it in the oven with ...... flour, it will turn into ''bread''. If I had Norma''s U-shaped oven, I might be able to get away with it, but even then I''d only be able to make it in the sunlit pavilion. ''That''s why I thought I''d show you how to make doughnuts. ''What?For other restaurants?Like cakes? ''Not to other restaurants, but to the public. ''Open to the public? Estella rolls her eyes in surprise. I''m thinking of releasing the recipe to the public so that not only restaurants but also ordinary wives can make it easily. ''There are many old ladies who love children, right?It''s not often that you get a chance to make something for your kids when they are on their own. I thought this kind of event would be a good opportunity to make sweets for the neighborhood kids and make them happy.'' ''What''s the matter, Yashiro?You seem like a very nice person with your ideas!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that Yashiro is willing to do something that might cause a loss of profit, such as publishing the recipe. ............ Yashiro, get a grip!I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you smelled the recipe on Estella at the sunlit pavilion. I thought Lucia might want the recipe for the doughnuts. "But you can''t give her the recipe, can you? "Hmm~............ "Nn~......"... What''s that?Are you trying to spread the doughnut process? "Why? You know. I don''t think Yashiro would be so careless as to surrender his profits to someone else. At that time, "Why? at that time meant ''why are you looking so surprised'', but to Estella, it sounded like ''I would never do that''. For me, going public was already one of the options at that time. ''Donuts are really easy. If you''re good with oil, you won''t make many mistakes. Right, Norma? ''Well, I guess so. I saw Magda and the others making them, but I think I can make them too. Norma was setting up a U-shaped oven in the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion this morning. Next to her, Magda and Loretta were taking turns making doughnuts, so they must have caught Norma''s eye. ''But why ......?Are you sure you want to do that?'' ''Well, I''m going to respect Ginette''s opinion, at least. Because Ginette is the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. If we release the recipe for the doughnuts, which we currently have a monopoly on, sales will drop. I''ve been asked to teach you how to make the doughnuts that have been around since before ......, but releasing the recipes for the new an-donuts and curry doughnuts would cause quite a stir. I can''t go ahead with something that will lead to such an uproar and loss of profit at my own discretion. ''But, well, I''m sure you won''t say no.'' ''Well, it''s Ginette-chan, you know. She would probably say something like, ''The more stores create their own doughnuts, the more people will be happy,'' no matter what. And in the not-too-distant future, Paula''s place will probably produce sausage-wrapped doughnuts - American dogs and the like. ...... Oh, I have an irresistible urge to eat one. I think I''ll teach Paula how to make it and have her give it to me. The sausage is his treat. ''Also, I''m planning to spread some sweets that are suitable for Halloween, such as marshmallows and syrup candy, and have them made in various places. ''Are those all candy too?'' ''Oh, yeah. They look and feel pretty, and they''ll be popular with girls and kids. ''...... So, you''re not going to serve them at the sunny pavilion, but you''re going to publish the recipe? ''Oh. I''ll teach it to the people at the restaurants and have them make a lot of it. We''ll have the peddlers'' guild buy the surplus and sell it at the market before Halloween. That way, even those who can''t cook can participate in Halloween, right? There are many children who want to receive candy and many adults who want to give candy to children. If you can buy candy at the store, mothers, grandmothers, and single men who are not good cooks can participate as candy givers. ...... You may have to put up ''No Javier'' signs all over the city, though. ''Also, we''ve decided to have the houses that give us candy decorate their houses with matching Halloween plates. It would be annoying if kids came to the houses that didn''t want to participate, and we don''t want the kids to get into trouble. ''Wait, wait, wait! As I was explaining what I was talking about with Assunto, Estella stopped me by sticking out her hand. ''I know you have a lot on your mind, and I''ll tell you more later, but first, I''m so surprised and confused that I can''t get your story out of my head. ......'' He held his chest, took a deep breath, exhaled, and turned his bewildered eyes to me. ''Something about Yashiro scares me because he''s so nice. ......'' ''What do you want to happen to me? ''You''d do everything in your power to stop me if I planned to do something bad. ''It''s disgusting but relieving when you make a lot of noise with your tits and boobs.'' ''Estella ......, you''ve been completely poisoned ......, you''ll change your mind.'' ''Estella is such a disappointment in the right places~'' Norma and Masha look at each other and shrug their shoulders. I don''t think you guys, especially Norma, can speak for others. ''Because, Yashiro sacrificing his own interests to think about the children and the people of the city is as impossible as the ...... spirit gods holding a lying contest! ''''Right . It''s as unlikely as Estella wandering around the C-cup bra section.'''' ''Shut up!...... Oh, shit!I hate myself for being a little relieved at this stupid exchange! I think this girl is on her last legs. Well, it''s not my fault. I promise. ''Don''t get me wrong, Estella. It''s only in my best interest to do so.'' ''Profit ......?You expect the profit to outweigh the loss of losing the donut monopoly?'' ''Oh, no. In fact, I think it''s an essential decision for the future. If an-donuts and curry doughnuts are sold at other stores, the number of customers who come to buy them at the Sun Goddess Pavilion will decrease drastically. Even now, many customers buy them and take them home immediately because they are far from their workplaces or homes. It is easy to imagine that if they can buy it at a nearby store, they will go there. In fact, it''s the norm. But still... But still. I''d still like to publish the recipe. Because I''m sure it will benefit me more than anything else. ''Well, you know. It''s better to keep the economy going. If we only have a monopoly on fake bread, the church might be watching us more closely, and if something suspicious happens, it''s better if we all do it together so that the blame can be cleared up. It''s not that there''s nothing to be afraid of if everyone crosses the red light together, but if the whole town is selling red bean paste doughnuts, the Church will be less likely to target them and make a complaint. ''Maybe we can set up a store to make sweets. Instead of selling them as a restaurant, you could make them and sell them to the peddlers'' guild for a profit. If this were to happen, sweets would become more widespread among ordinary households. When I mentioned this, Assunto promised to cooperate fully with this project. He took care of the preparation and distribution of sweets, decorations, and Halloween plates. ''In the meantime, Estella, please prepare for the Obake story competition and coordinate with Ukrines. ''Coordinate with Ukrines?You mean ordering costumes? ''No, there''s no way I can make costumes for all the kids in town in a week or so, so it''s more like an advice course on how to make them. I''m going to ask you to make your own Halloween costumes. It would be more interesting to have more unique ghosts. ''I''ll give you some ideas, and let you make a sample of how Ukrines would make it. It''s something even an amateur could copy. ''It might be fun to make it as a family. The father might be left out of the loop, though. ''No, no, no. It''s up to the father to decorate the house. Have the whole family do it.'' ''We could also get Umaro and Becko to come and talk to him about decorating ideas and advice. ''So you''re going to have people donate their skills for free? ''Isn''t that obvious?We''re about to release a recipe for a blockbuster product, remember?Let the rest of us cut our losses.'' Estella looked strangely relieved as the damage began to spread around her. Are you so happy that others are suffering?You''re a hell of a lord. ''I''m relieved to know that you''re not planning to bear the disadvantage alone. ''Then use the lord''s pressure to silence them so that they don''t complain. ''You don''t have to do that, they''ll cooperate. They seem to love you.'' A smiling Masha leans in close to a giggling Estella. ''I wonder if Estella is included in that "everyone"?I''m not sure if she loves you, Yashiro. ''...... mine is just a general fondness for a friend.'' ''I see, I see, you have fondness for me...'' ''I''ll sink you ......? ''I''m fine. a??'' The water in the tank is poured over Masha''s face, and Estella turns away with a ''hmm''. Masha is laughing happily and giggling. ''Well, as long as I''m asking for help from various places, I''m not going to spare any help from my lord either. If there''s anything I can do, just let me know. ''Then, please give me the money! ''............, well, at least a subsidy.'' He''s willing to help, but he''s not willing to pay. This time, the peddler''s guild is sponsoring the event, so I don''t think it will be that much of a burden. ''We can get the 35th district to pay a little too. ''For Lucia-san? ''She''ll be coming over at night to ask for the doughnuts, right?Let her pick up the money in exchange for the recipe.'''' ''Haha, that''s going to test your skills as a lord, isn''t it? The masquerade parade is akin to the tentacle catsuit at the wedding parade. I''m sure Lucia will like it. Invite her on the day and she''ll pay as much as you want. ''Yashiro-sa~n~......'' I hear a dying voice from the classroom. Ginette and Bertina wobbled along, clinging to Delia. Delia is being squeezed from both sides and looks a bit annoyed. In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use it, you can call us at the web site. I''m sure you''re not going to be doing any martial arts, are you? I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. But you haven''t reached me yet. I''m still waiting. ''Jeannette. You can''t cook then. Do you want me to cook dinner for you?'' ''No, no!I''m fine. I''m sure I''ll feel better once I get into the kitchen! Ginette predicted that more and more customers would come to eat meat and rice in the evening. If he thought that they were craving for rice as a reaction to eating bean paste donuts and curry donuts, he would not be able to fool them with powdered foods such as okonomiyaki. On the other hand, I don''t think Jeannette will be able to perform as usual. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to. I''ll provide you with some supesher food if you let me have dinner with you. Supestial. That raises my expectations. It''s Masha who gave me prawns for my chili. If the ingredients are not special but special, she must be very proud of her work. ''Well then, shall I invite you to dinner? Since Jeannette is in such a state, it might be my cooking, though. Yashiro''s cooking is delicious too! As soon as I agreed, Masha climbed into the tank and began to rummage through the floor. When I peeked into the tank, I found that there was a small door on the floor of the tank, which seemed to be a storage space under the floor. Crabs stuffed full of nets came out from inside. ''Ta-da!It''s a crab! ''Wow!A snow crab! ''That''s Yashiro-kun!It''s so delicious! A huge snow crab that could easily grab the head of an adult man was stuffed into the net. This looks ...... delicious! ''Crab marinated in Masha''s broth! ''There''s no broth! The seawater was blown away. Masha''s protest is a little troublesome because it gets wet. It also smells faintly of rock. ''Can I have this? ''Yes, yes. Eat it well, and let me eat it well. ''All right, let''s have a Crab Fair today! ''Sounds good! I agree! Masha and I are getting excited. There were two shadows that came in between us. ''''Yashiro-san!What kind of dish is this going to be? The similar mother and daughter uttered the exact same words at the exact same time, with different intentions. ''How''s your muscle pain, guys? ''It''s healed! ''It''s not here yet! Hmm, too bad. That''s not what I meant. Well, I guess Bertina is closer to the right answer than Ginette. ...... Don''t cry in the morning. ''I want to cook. ''I want to eat your food. You don''t have to say it, I know exactly what you mean. ''I''ve never had it before. Is this good? ''Yes, it''s good! It goes well with alcohol. ''Oh, I didn''t know that .......'' Norma''s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked at the crab with a cautious look and seemed to be imagining what kind of drink it would go well with. Oh, he licked his lips a little. ''I''ll help you! ''Why don''t you just say you want some? ''I want to eat! ''You''re a straight shooter. Go get Natalia. I want to talk to her about Halloween. ''Can I come eat with you? ''How could Jeannette say no? And Molly''s staying over today, so make sure she eats.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m going to go easy on the .......'''' Ha-ha-ha. Molly, that''s probably not going to work. ''With so many of them, I''m sure you can use them in a variety of dishes. ''I guess so.'' Ginette looked at me with excited eyes, and I quickly listed the menu that came to mind. ''Boil it first. I''d also like to grill it over a charcoal grill and have a crab shabu. Tempura, saut??, cooked rice, crab fried rice with starchy sauce, crab cream croquettes, grilled crab shells with miso ......, or make miso soup from the shells. ''Let''s go home, Yashiro!Let''s go home, Yashiro! To our sunny pavilion! And Bertina, who doesn''t live in the sunlit pavilion, pointed sharply in the direction of the sunlit pavilion. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of a stomach bug buzzing under the autumn sky. It''s not very elegant, though. ''Do you use this shell to make soup stock? ....... I''m excited about it! There wasn''t much seafood in the forty-two districts. I''ve cooked a few things that Marcia has given me, but there''s no way that Jeannette would be able to keep quiet in the face of so many crabs. She was not intimidated by the unfamiliar ingredients, and was happily staring at the crabs. Seeing Ginette like that, I think again. I''ve got to make this Halloween a success, no matter what. For my own good, of course. 418-Additive-free Episode 73 Limited Time Crab Full Fa... ''Miso soup, yummmm......'' The sunlit pavilion at dinnertime. Ginette''s prediction was right on the money, and the carpenters of Torbeck''s after-work store came to the restaurant in high spirits, saying, ''We''ve decided to have a big meat dinner today! The carpenters of Torbek''s after-work shop came to the restaurant in high spirits, saying, ''We''ve decided to eat a lot of meat today! Until he heard Umaro''s words, ''Magda, what are you eating? Until he heard Umaro''s words. ''...... This is crab fried rice with red bean paste. ''I''ll have that! I''ll have that!What''s that, Yashiro-san?It smells so good!That thing you''re grilling on the shichirin! ''It''s just a crab. Don''t worry about it. ''I''m curious!I want to eat that! That''s how Umaro and Goozuya got hooked on the crab, and from then on, people came and went, ''What are you eating?What''s that? It looks so good! and orders for the crab flooded in. When I explained that ingredients were rarely available and that the crab feast was only for today, people who had ordered meat or salmon cancelled their orders and ordered crab. The guy who cancelled the salmon order got a lot of stares from Delia, but it was a small matter. ''Yashiro-san! The rice cooked with crab is ready~'' ''Then take out the shells and loosen the meat. ''Yes, sir. ...... It smells so good.'' Ginette put her face close to the earthenware pot and smiled ''wow ......''. ''''''''That''s it, extra! '''''''' The carpenters all sent in additional orders. ''Gaaaaaah!It''s so good! I''ll take it. It was Javier who slammed the cup on the table. Masha, the provider of the crab, wanted to have some, so Paula gave him a bit of liquor to share, and he was allowed to drink in the restaurant specially today. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Paula holds her nose as she smells the grilled shell miso. It seems that Paula, who is not familiar with it, smelled it. A frown appeared on her face. ''I don''t know if Cantaloupe''s little girl will understand. Hey, Yashiro!This grilled crab shell miso is so delicious! The miso is the best part of the crab, right? Surely, this will go well with drinks. A corner in the back of the restaurant was like a high-class snack bar. With such a beautiful hostess on his hands, who is that muscle-bearded man? ''Why don''t you let your mother look in through the window tonight? Imelda, munching on a baked crab meat, glared at her father as if she were looking at filth. However, even surrounded by such beautiful women, Javier only enjoys drinking and crabs. I''m sure he''s not that interested in adult women. ...... He''s one hell of a pervert, that guy. ''Ginette. Bring him some grilled crabs to Snack Hidamari.'' ''Mm-hmm. Before you know it, you''ll have a sister store. Ginette puts some rice cooked with crab on my table and takes the baked crabs to Snack Hidamari with her feet. ''Why don''t you join us, manager? Ginette gently refuses the drunk Javier''s invitation to join him and heads back to the kitchen. ''I''m sure he''s thinking in his heart, "Don''t talk to me so casually, go f*ck yourself, you bearded bastard. ''Hey, Yashiro!That''s just your selfish imagination!The manager would never think like that! ''Well, you don''t know that, do you, old man? ''Why not, Imelda?I''m just having a nice drink! ''I wonder if Imelda is sulking because her daddy was taken away from her...'' I don''t know.It''s a good thing you''re not a libelerator!I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say.You''re the prettiest girl in the world!My daughter! ''I told you she''s not!...... Oh my God! Imelda was restrained by Javier and forced to sit next to him. She is barking and staring at Javier, but her ears are red. Is that a sign? ''Huh~....... I feel good.'' Norma wanders over to stand next to me, her skin a little flushed with drunkenness. ''Is Yashiro working on the floor, or is he working on the grill?You don''t go to the kitchen, do you? ''I taught him how to make everything and he took all the work. ''Hmm... Looks like you''ve been piling up quite a bit, manager. Cooking cravings? ''Ah. ...... that one too.'' I''m not sure what to make of it. Crab fried rice with red bean paste is delicious. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that we''ve had a donut party this afternoon, so we''re going to have a slightly more modest dinner at the church. ...... So they are planning to eat a lot of food here. Why don''t you just go home and eat at the church? ''Yeah, yeah, yeah! ''Oh, Teresa. Have you come for Barbara?'' Teresa bursts in. The Yaplocks are all at the door. They must have come to pick up Barbara, who had come straight from the gymnastics class to the sunlit pavilion, where she was eating alongside Delia. ''Make sure you teach him the importance of reporting, and to think about the future, not just the immediate future. ''Oh no, I''m trying to teach him that. ''You''re too naive!You haven''t done it at all.'' ''No, haha, ......'' Yap Lock scratching his head. He''s never going to be able to get strict discipline in his life. ''Wuerer, weren''t you preparing food?'' ''No, sir. Teresa said she''s sure you''ll be eating outdoors.'' Oh, no. Teresa knows better than I do. What, did you decide that it would be quicker for the others to deal with Barbara than to discipline her? So, we''re going to have a meal at the Sunlit Pavilion. ...... What''s that?It smells delicious. ''Crab. Teresa, you want some crab cream croquettes? ''Yes! That''s Teresa. ''Do you want some? And she said, ''Yes. Barbara would have said, ''Yes! She would have said. ''Do you want some crab cream croquettes, Cheryl?How about fried rice for Totto? ''I''ll have some! ''Okay, I''ll have that please. Tot looks so solid! If anything, he''s more dependable than Yap Lock! ''Barbara, do you want some crab cream croquettes? ''Yes!I''ll have some! Yeah. Just as I imagined. He''s an idiot. He''s eating crab cream croquettes alongside Delia.It''s delicious! It''s so good!'' Barbara was so excited to eat it. I recommended some other crab dishes, but he kept eating only crab cream croquettes. ''It''s delicious, Miss! ''Ah!It would be even better if we had salmon cream croquettes! Salmon cream, ...... well, it would be delicious. And the one sitting across from them, silently moving her knife and fork, is Molly. ''I can''t believe I can eat such delicious food. ...... I really want to be a child of the sunny pavilion. She''s crying a little. And she''s probably forgotten she''s on a diet. ''Oh, ......, I never knew rice and miso soup could be so delicious. ''It''s so different from what we know. Yap Lock and Wuerer smiled at each other as they ate rice cooked with crab and miso soup with crab. I, too, eat the rice and miso soup that Ginette prepared for me. It''s delicious. It''s really good. If I ate it every day, it would be too heavy, but if I ate it every once in a while, it would be irresistibly delicious. ''Dad. The fried rice is so good!It''s amazing! Tot, who is always trying to be a good big brother, shines his eyes excitedly. Yap Lock and Wuerer look at each other and laugh at his childish expression. You guys look happy, your family. ''Truly, if I hadn''t met ...... the heroes here, I wouldn''t be this happy today. ......'' ''Yes, you. This is the happiness that Hero-sama gave us, isn''t it? ''Our whole lives.'' ''Yes. Let''s dedicate our lives to the heroes. ''''Let''s pray.'''' ''''Forget the prayers, just eat it, crab fried rice.'''' He wants you to eat it and share it with him, Totto. If you start a strange religion, I''ll kick you out immediately. ''Yeah, yeah. I''m glad you''re so popular, Crab. Masha comes over to my table, pushed by Norma. The Yaploks thoughtfully move their seats. I guess they''re going to settle down over there and eat together as a family. Oh, Barbara has also joined them. ''The 42nd district doesn''t get a lot of seafood, so I was a little worried that it wouldn''t be accepted, but ......, I''m relieveda??'' I''m not sure I can accept the crabmeat. Paula, who has been following Norma and the others, sits a little in front of me. ''I like it, though. The scent of the rocky shore and the complex umami taste are addictive. Norma, who has been drinking unusually well, says in a good mood. ''Wow, it''s already started. ''We''re late to the party, aren''t we? Estella and Natalia, who arrived late, shrug their shoulders when they see how busy the restaurant is. They walked straight through the restaurant and headed straight for our table. ''Can we put the tables together to make it bigger? ''You can eat over there. ''I need to talk to you. ''What the hell. Loretta~! ''Yes, sir! Loretta comes out of the kitchen and joins Natalia at two tables to create a seating area for eight people. ''I''m wondering if we can have a ghost competition and a pastry demonstration at the same time. As soon as I sit down, Estella asks me a question. It seems that she has had a lot of discussions with Natalia and the others, and now all she needs to do is to listen to our requests and put them into action. ''We want to gather as many people as possible. It would be better to do it together than to split it into two days, I guess. Time is going to be pretty tight, though. ''Assunto suggested that we post the recipes on the board. ''Well, if you change the ...... slightly between teaching it to restaurants and making it available to the public, and make it easier for the public, you may not need to go to them for guidance. In the case of doughnuts served in restaurants, it cannot be appropriate. As long as we handle products with the same name, we want them to maintain a certain level of quality. Even if only our doughnuts are good, if the average value of doughnuts goes down in the whole town, the doughnuts themselves may be perceived as insignificant. ''Also, I thought it would be easier to understand if I showed them how to make them at the competition. ''Hmm~...... what do you think, Jeannette?'' ''Yes, I think so.'' Ginette brought drinks to Estella and Natalia and asked for their opinion. ''I think once you''ve seen the actual process, it will be easier to visualize it when cooking from a recipe alone.'' ''Yes. I think it would be easier for me to understand if you showed me the process once. After Ginette, Paula, the assistant cook of Cantalcica, expressed the same opinion. ''Well, that''s about it for now, but if you really don''t understand, can I ask you a question? ''Yes, I guess so. It''s normal to give advice on cooking, right? I never give advice on recipes for the restaurant, though. Donuts would be fine. ''The sooner the event is held, the better. ...... Is tomorrow too soon indeed? ''No, I think tomorrow will be fine. Natalia reports in a quiet tone on behalf of Estella. ''I''ve advertised the event this afternoon with the waiters, so I''m sure there will be enough people there tomorrow. ''You sent out a warning before the decision was made, .......'' ''I thought it would be decided anyway. ''Hey, Estella. Your head waiter is calling the lord''s decision ''anyway''?'' ''Haha ....... Isn''t he a dependable head waiter who knows what he''s doing? With a twitching grimace that might not have been an honest compliment, Estella seemed to appreciate the consideration. ''For those who can''t make it tomorrow, we''ll have to get word from our neighbors, but I''m sure there will be a good number of lords and ladies who will be there. I''m sure there will be a lot of people who are interested. The servants who conducted the street survey seemed to have distributed a brief summary of the monster story I told them at various locations, and they were asking ''anyone who knows such a story to join the competition. ''We''ll give away gorgeous prizes to the best ones,'' he said. ''Where are those prizes going to come from? ''I think it should be the sweets you invented. Assunto agreed to pay for the ingredients with the peddlers guild. ''I haven''t even been asked to confirm my intentions, have I? ''Since we''re going to make and show the food on the same day anyway, why don''t we make it into a product? Not wasting food is your motto, isn''t it? Well, I don''t want to waste food. ''Would you like me to help you?If you promise to teach Cantar Chica first.'' ''I guess so. ......'' I don''t mind being the first to tell you. It''s only a few days'' error anyway. But it''s better to teach it all at once, so it''s not too much trouble. ''So, you want to learn it now? ''Really?...... But if I make it now, no one will eat it, right? ''I''m full of crab. ''Hmm~...... well, maybe I''ll come back tomorrow morning to learn.'' Paula crossed her arms and pondered seriously. If you want, I can teach you how to make it at the venue and we can make it together. ''Yes, Estella. Natalia.'' As we were talking, crab dishes were laid out one after another in front of us. ''Since we were talking, I brought you a recommendation. I apologize for the intrusion. ''No, it''s fine. This is what I was going to have today. ''So this is crab. That''s interesting.'' ''If you like to drink, I can get you something like Javier''s.'' ''No, sir. I have some business to attend to later today. Natalia quickly refuses Ginette''s offer. If the competition is tomorrow, she must have a lot of work to do afterwards. ''Wow, ...... this croquette is delicious ......''. ''I prefer this takikomi gohan. Seeing their reaction, Ginette smiled with satisfaction. ''Here''s one for you, Yashiro-san. What was presented to him was the first crab siumai of the day. ''Oh, that looks delicious. It''s delicious! I picked it up and took a bite, and the flavor instantly spread throughout my mouth. The juices from the crab and the juices from the meat overflowed and intertwined in a complex way, overwhelming my taste buds. I''ve had it. Complete surrender. I''m happy. ''Let''s see. ...... Wow, it''s delicious! ''Indeed, this is delicious. ''Ah, me too! ''I''ll have some too! ''d*mn!You''re making me want a drink!I''m going to drink some more. Arms reached out from all directions and plundered my crab shao mai. In no time at all, my plate was empty. Then Norma went back to the snack bar Hidamari. ''Isn''t this enough candy for Halloween? Estella muttered happily as she chewed on a crab shao mai. Idiot. I can''t accept a freak carrying around a bag full of crab shao mai. It''s not Halloween. ''............ smells good''. Natalia looks towards where Norma left off and stares at the snack Hidamari. A fragrant scent of crab miso is wafting from the other side. ''I hope you can have it later. ''Crabs are hard to come by, you know. Well, we''ll see if we can get some then.'' ''I guess so. Let''s cut our fingers at .......'' ''You really want a drink, Natalia. She must have been jealous of all the drinking going on over there. Seeing Natalia, Masha chuckled happily. She holds her mouth with both hands and shakes her shoulders. Then, with her big eyes twinkling, she raises her right arm with a ''Judaic Happinessa??''. ''Good news~a?? Actually, this crab was caught in ............ the 42nd district! Masha''s words caused Estella, Natalia, and Bertina to turn their heads. I''m a little surprised too. I''m a little surprised too. Caught in District 42?I''m not sure what to say. ...... Oh, I see. ''The waters near the planned port? ''Ding-dong, ding-dong!You''re right, Yashiro! There were so many of them! Just beyond the outer wall of District Forty-Two. Masha proved to me through actual research that there is a cavity beneath the sheer cliff that rises between us and District 30 that is large enough for a small ship to pass through, and that it leads to the ocean beyond the forest. There is a place where they are planning to break down the cliff a little, cultivate the forest outside a little, clear the land quickly, and eventually build a small harbor, and apparently snow crabs can be caught near there. I seem to remember that snow crabs live in deep, cold waters. ...... They can be caught in caves, just like crabs. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of them in the cave. That''s why I thought they were crabs. ''I put a grain of rice on a string and dangled it in front of me, and I caught it. Crabs? Apparently, snow crabs in this world live like crabs. Well, you can live any way you like. The taste is real. At Masha''s words, Natalia turned a sharp look at her. ''Then, if we complete the port--'' ''I think crabs will become relatively easy to obtain~'' ''''Estella-sama. Let''s stop with Halloween and stuff and build the port.'''' ''''That''s planned for a little later, you know! ''''Let''s put off reforming sections like the forty-first district.'''' ''Masha, I''m sorry. Can you give me another crab tomorrow?Natalia''s getting clunkier by the minute! ''Mmmm~ Estella~ Crab is ...... ''one cup''! I don''t know if I''m that particular about it. Marsha seems to have something she can''t give up. I''ve heard that in the fishing village, it''s one crab when it''s alive and one crab when it''s dead. ...... Well, it doesn''t matter either way. If one crab can change Natalia''s work efficiency, it''s a small price to pay. ''Well then, I''ll get some more crabs for you tomorrow. ......, let me stay here tonight. ''Marsha....... You, are you ready for work?Such a sudden outing is not ......'' ''You''re invited!I''ll get you the best room in the building.'' ''Wait a minute, Natalia!I''m the master of this place!And the best room in the house is my private room! Apparently, the aroma of roasted crab shells with miso is irresistible to drinkers. It was unusual for Natalia to be so obsessed with things. ''Me. I will do my best to make the event a success for tomorrow''s dinner. I will do my best to eliminate any obstacles! ''I haven''t seen Natalia this on fire in a long time. ......'' Just as Natalia''s reliable yet anxious fighting spirit flared up, Lucia burst into the sunlit pavilion, just as had been announced. ''You''re late, anchovy!How long are you going to make us wait? ''...... Ah. I''m really here, Lucia.'' ''If it''s too much like I imagined, I''ll have to back off a bit. ......'' ''You guys!Can''t you at least be a little less surprised!I''m supposed to be in District 35, but here I am in District 42 at this hour!Marvel! No, I had advance warning. That was nothing more than a pretense. ''I''m going to declare you disabled and remove you. What?What''s with you, head waiter?Gilberta!Stop him! ''Wait a minute, Natalia. I understand, I feel... I admit, it''s a little annoying. Gilberta. Don''t say it, even if you think it. Lucia will cry. I release Lucia on Estella''s orders and wait for Natalia to take her seat, then I ask her. ''What do you want? ''Hmph!You wrote it in your letter. You gave me Hammarotan and a red bean paste donut. ...... What''s that? Lucia smelled the crab in the middle of the conversation and started twitching her nose. ''It''s not a doughnut. It''s not something you should be worried about. ''It smells so good!Hey, Gilberta! ''I think it smells good, I do. It''s similar to the crabs they fry in the 35th district.'' ''Oh, crabs!I like crabs, too. Lucia and Gilberta knew about crabs because there was a port in the 35th district. They simply grilled them, so they must have eaten them before. ''Hmm. Crab is certainly delicious, but rather than such familiar food, I prefer curry doughnuts to ......'' ''Ah, Lucia-san. Welcome. Would you like some crab fried rice with red bean paste? ''What the hell is that?Ankake?Fried rice? ''You can have it if you like. Gilberta-san, how about crab cream croquettes and crab siumai? ''I think I''ll take my friend Ginette''s recommendation. Lucia and Gilberta bring out chairs and force their way into our table. It''s a good idea to have a curry doughnut after eating something called crab fried rice with red bean paste. ...... Yum! Have you received a proper education as a nobleman? ''What the hell is this!Why is there such a delicious dish in District 42 that can''t even be found in District 35, the home of seafood? ''It''s a recipe I learned from Yashiro-san. ''It''s you again, anchovy!I''m taking you home! ''What''s that messy proposal? ''The possibility that I''ve lost my mind, my true feelings, Lucia-sama. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. You''ve got a lot of it around your mouth!It''s so sticky! ''Gilberta. Wipe it off your mouth.'' ''I agree, I do. And I''ll do it immediately, wiping my own mouth.'' ''It''s not yours!Lucia''s!...... I mean, you guys eat way too much!I''m not sure what to make of that. Do you think you''re adapting to the atmosphere around you? The guests of the Sunlit Pavilion are more refined. ''''Hmm?Javier, the guild leader!What''s that? ''Oh, you''re the lord of District 35. How about a drink with me?The sake and the roasted crab shells are delicious. ''Sake, ...... hmm.'' ''I hope you''ll behave yourself, Lady Lucia. This is not a territory. ''Hmm. So be it. Well, it would be easy to recreate a dish like that in the 35th district. I get sleepy when I drink. I almost spent the night in District 42. ''I''m relieved, I''m relieved, I''m relieved. I''m relieved that Lucia has acted sensibly. ''And so, Estella. What were you talking about just now? ''We were discussing the pre-event for tomorrow''s Halloween. ''Anchovy, make arrangements for lodging! ''Go home! What event are you trying to stay at? You don''t have to participate, you go home! ''Hmm. It can''t be helped. ......'' Lucia wobbled out of her seat and gave my forehead a thumbs up. She pushed my forehead with her thumb and walked towards the snack bar Hidamari. What the heck was that extra blow ......!That hurt like hell. ''Get me a place to stay for the night, Imelda-sensei. ''Are you staying at my house again? ''Lavender for the bath, please. I had rose last time.'' ''Someone, please teach our lord the word ''refrain''! What is it? ...... The lord of the other ward, who was feared when we first met, has become just a selfish girl. You''ve fit in so well in the 42nd district. Don''t move in here.I''m serious. ''All right, Guild Chief Javier!Let''s drink today! ''Oh!You know what you''re talking about!Let''s have a toast! ''Hmm. I''ll do you the honor of pouring me a ...... toast.Burnt crabmeat, yum! I told you not to eat while I''m talking! And the tone of voice! Fix it, at least when there are other customers! ''I want to sleep in a soft bed...'' ''Are you already drunk?Isn''t it too early? ''I was already drunk, in fact, Lucia-sama was in the ............ carriage! ''It doesn''t add up, that drunkenness and this drunkenness! Yeah. I feel like Imelda should be the one to deal with the troublesome ones. There''s also Norma over there. ...... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... Wow. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. I''m sorry.When you''re lonely, drink! ''Hmm, I''ll have a drink. ...... I''m lonely. ......! ''A hot handshake and a hug...... recognizing her as a comrade, Lucia-sama asked Norma-san...... doctor, please, take care of us all tonight. You can''t veto me! When I first met Imelda, she was selfish and pushed around, but now she''s being pushed around. There''s something deeply moving about that. ...... ''I really don''t know what I''m doing here, Lucia. ''You must have been lonely. You seemed to be enjoying the field day.'' ''...... You know, it''s been less than a month, right?'' As Estella and I looked at each other''s twitching faces, Masha''s relaxed and irresponsible voice came from between us. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... Please keep it to the villa at least. On that day, there was no end to the number of customers until all the crabs were devoured, and the ban on drinking made the night several times noisier than usual. In such a noisy store, we had a meeting about tomorrow''s Obake competition and the trial production of sweets, and we prepared for the actual event. We realized that real people are much more troublesome and scary than ghosts. That was the night. 419-Additive-free Episode 74 Molly, Cassilo, and the H... ''Miss Molly . Your room is ready. I apologize for the empty room, but please make yourself at home. When the business hours of the Sunlit Pavilion were over and the cleanup was nearing completion, Ginette came back to the kitchen. She had been walking around a lot during the day and hadn''t been able to prepare the guest room. It seems that she was quite tired from weighing ...... herself. If it were a normal gynette, she wouldn''t forget this. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Manager. I know it''s sudden, but you''ve been so helpful with everything. ''No, sir. It was very helpful of you to help us close the store. Molly followed my instructions and did the closing work very quickly and efficiently. She did such a good job that I could have hired her tomorrow. She must have learned how to do her job well before she got used to it. I enjoy teaching this type of person. He''s the kind of person I''d like to train. ''Hmmm ......'' Staring at the pot boiling water for bathing, Loretta folded her arms and tilted her head. ''What are you worried about? Loretta.'' ''No, since we''re staying together, I think Molly-chan needs a suitable nickname, but I can''t think of a good one. ......'' ''Isn''t Moriricho? If it''s Loretta''s taste, it should be. ''Magdacho and Miriricho, right? ''That''s just like Miriri-itcho, so I''m trying to come up with a new idea for a suitable nickname. ......'' ''Oh, you don''t have to give it to me, okay? ''Why not?What!You don''t want to be friends with me?Am I bothering you? ''No, I''d really appreciate it if you''d visit .......'' It seems that Molly has read the air to the fullest and conceded to the extreme. She might not have thought of it just a moment ago, but now she''s thinking ''it might be a bit annoying'', the way things are going now. ''What?I''ve got an idea! ''Then let''s think of another candidate. ''Why not?Just listen to me!I''ve got a good idea! There''s nothing you can rely on more than Loretta''s inspiration. ...... ''At any rate, just say it. ''I''m Pasi Imoccho! ''Well, Loretta-san, ...... I''d like you to stop using my nickname with my brother if you can. ''What, no? ''Hey, Hammaro (sister).'' ''Muaaah!I see, so that''s how it is!I understand so much more now that you''ve pointed it out! ''I''m relieved that you understand. ...... Yashiro, it''s amazing that you could come up with an idea that hits the right spot so quickly and accurately. You''ve impressed me in a weird way. It''s easy to imagine what Loretta might be thinking, so I''m sure anyone can do this. ''Hmmm ............ mori mokkun''. ''Please don''t.'' Loretta, look next to me. He''s looking at you with a very serious face. Molly, that''s total rejection. Look, she won''t even let go of your eyes. He''s watching you to make sure you don''t give him a funny nickname, that''s... ''...... Moririn, no, Moririn! ''I''m not sure why Moririn was rejected,'' he said. ''I felt that it didn''t fully express the cuteness of Molly! ''It''s probably just my imagination, and I''m not that cute. ''That''s not true!Molly has the same cuteness as Mirilichko! ''Then, I''ll be Moriri-chou. I''m happy to wear the same one, and I like Mirily.'''' Loretta. If I were to translate what Molly just said, I''d say, ''That''s enough, don''t think about it any more. It''s like she took a compromise before giving her a strange nickname. ''Here, Loretta-san. The water is boiling, please take it with you and Molly. ''I''ll leave it to you, manager!Molly, let''s take the hot water and have a backwash! ''Eh, I can take a bath by myself at .......'' ''Don''t be shy!I''m a fellow waitress who worked with you! With Molly''s back pushed, Loretta walked triumphantly out into the courtyard. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... Take some hot water with you. ''Mmmm. Loretta, you look happy. ''Magda''s already gone to bed. She''s probably just wanting some attention. As soon as he heard that Molly was staying at the hotel, he knew that Loretta would be staying there as well. ''I forgot the hot water! Loretta came rushing back to the house and filled the tub with hot water from the big pot and went out again. She transferred the boiling water into the tub and diluted it with water to get the right temperature. ''What do you want, Yashiro-san, hot water? ''Molly''s here, so I''ll wait a bit longer before going upstairs. ''Then I''ll get ready to take a bath here. ''Don''t worry about me, why don''t you go take a bath too. You''ve worked up a sweat today, haven''t you?'' ''Yes, I did. Then I''ll eat first. ...... Yashiro-san, can you do it by yourself?'' ''Don''t worry ......, you''re worried because I always have Magda do it for me. I''ll be fine.'' ''It''s hot, please be careful. ''What am I, a child? ''Mm-hmm.'' Ginette says, ''Well, goodbye,'' and pours the boiling water into a tub and walks out into the courtyard. Shh, shh, shh, shh, ...... bang. Yeah. Let''s get Umaro to fix it. The floor and the door. And a roof over the patio. And then there''s the steep stairs, my room. All that''s left is ......, and the stairs are still to be negotiated. Now, what should I feed it? ...... At any rate, I want an environment that makes bathing easier. Even if it''s not a bath, you can get hot water by turning on the tap. ...... Umaro, do you have any ideas? I''m sure he could invent a hot water heater if he had a "Magda Iko Iko Ticket".Is that impossible?Can''t you?It''s useless. Thinking about this, I lock the door to the courtyard, which I rarely close. You see, it would be bad if someone came in while I was taking a bath by mistake. I could be seen and I could be the bad guy. In every generation, the perpetrator of erotic happenings is always the man who gets the blame without question. Defend yourself, defend yourself. Move the tables on the floor a little to make more space, and put a tub on the floor. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. It''s a bit far from the ...... well. And it''s outside. ''Now, let''s get this over with. I take off my boots, which have been squeezing my feet all day, and strip off my socks, which lack elasticity, and my bare feet feel a sense of freedom. Just then, the door to the hall I had forgotten to lock, the door to the Sunlit Pavilion, was opened. Oh, no. I forgot over there. ''What? '' screamed ...... Hammaro. ''What''s with the ''kya''? ''I felt like I had to say it! Where do you learn to do that? Oh, right. The Pharmacists Guild. That walking toxic archive. ''Deliver the lady''s nightgown! ''Did you come alone?It''s not safe here at night. These sisters are pretty sloppy with little kids. They''ll take them away. Especially today, when Lucia is at Imelda''s house. ''Hammaro. Don''t go any further than the church. You won''t be able to come back.'' ''The old man with the big toe? ''There is no such old man.'' ''...... What? Come on, Hammaro. Don''t stare at me. Don''t rub your eyes with your hands. And don''t stare at me again. I''m not like that. ''Well, I''m sleeping with you today! ''Oh, wait. Molly''s here today.'' ''Then I''ll sleep with the manager! ''Well, wait, Hammaro. Let''s sleep in my room, okay? ''Yes!I''ll occupy your bed! Don''t occupy my bed! He was surprised to find that he had grabbed Hammaro''s small head before he knew it. Hey, when did this happen? Oh, I see. If Hammaro takes over the bed, I won''t have a place to sleep, so if I''m the one who sleeps with Jeannette, everything will be all right, right? ''Bed, you can take it. ''Yay!I''m so sleepy!I''m half asleep! Hammaro runs into the kitchen with his hands raised. He shuffles down the corridor and clangs the door. ''A new kind of curse that closes the future! ''...... There''s no such curse on me. Because the lock is rarely closed, Hammaro can''t seem to recognize its existence. Oh, dear. He walks barefoot down the corridor, unlocks the door, and sends Hammaro off. Looking up from the courtyard, the second floor was already quiet. It''s unlikely that he''s already gone to bed, so he''s probably in the middle of taking a bath. She probably won''t come down again after taking a bath. It''s too cold outside for wet hair. I don''t know what Hammaro will do, and the bathroom is on the floor. ...... I stopped locking the door and went back to the floor. The hot water that I had taken the trouble to fill up was already lukewarm. I don''t have a key, and I''m tired. ...... I''ll just use the footbath. The soles of my feet are black from walking barefoot. I think I''ll just remove this dirt and call it a day. You won''t die even if you don''t take a bath for a day or two. If you can''t stand it, you can at least wipe yourself during the day. If you can''t stand it, you can at least wipe yourself during the day. I grabbed a handy chair and sat down by the tub. As I put my feet into the water, a warmth spreads through my body. Ah ...... feels good. I really want a bathtub. ...... Estella''s house has one. It''s not impossible. Well, it''s a pain in the ass to boil it. ...... As I was thinking about all of this, my consciousness was slowly fading. ''Yashiro-san....... Yashiro-san. My body was shaken, and I opened my heavy eyelids. ''Hmm............ Molly?'' ''You''ll catch a cold if you sleep here.'' When I opened my eyes, Molly was looking at me with a troubled look on her face. A chill immediately ran up my spine. ...... Ohhhh!I''m not sure what to do. The water in the tub I was soaking my feet in was completely cold. He had fallen asleep for quite a while. ''Oh, sorry. Thank God.'' He quickly took his feet out of the water and realized that he hadn''t prepared a towel. Oh ...... ''No, Ginette or Magda usually get them for me, so I didn''t. ''Oh, a towel. I''ll go get them.'' ''Sorry about that. For everything.'' ''No.'' Molly runs off to the kitchen. She comes right back and hands me a towel. Staring at me as I wipe my feet, hands folded behind my waist, Molly looks down with an apologetic expression. ''Um, ...... maybe because I was up there, Yashiro-san had to take a bath here, right? ''Hmm?'' ''I''m sorry. Yashiro-san, you''re tired, but because of me, you can''t even take a hot bath on the ...... floor. That''s why ......'' That''s why I could only give you a footbath. And the silence containing these words. Molly looked down and her lips were drawn together. ''It''s not your fault, Molly. I put on my shoes, skipping the socks, and pat the prone Molly on the head. Don''t think about everything in a bad way. Don''t take on everything that''s your fault. There''s no need to be sorry for something that''s not your fault, and there''s no point in losing your energy. ''It was too much trouble, so I just took a footbath. ''Is it called a footbath ......, is it?'' ''Oh. Haven''t you ever done that before?'' ''Well, ...... the water you wipe your body with will get dirty, and putting your clean feet in dirty water is ...... not a good idea, are you going to soak your feet first?But if you do that, the water you wipe your body with will be dirty. ......'' Oh, I see. For those who don''t have the idea of soaking in the bathtub, the tub is just a container to keep clean water in. ''You can clean your feet first and then soak them in hot water. If you want to wipe your body, you''ll have to prepare hot water separately. It''s a bit cold to wipe yourself with the cold water after relaxing in the footbath. ''What''s the point of warming up your feet? ''Simply that it feels good. Especially after a long walk or a day of standing work. If there''s a footbath at the inn where you''re traveling, your fatigue will be gone. ''Traveling? ...... I don''t know, I''ve never done that before. Ever since Molly was a little girl, the sugar factory has been struggling to make ends meet, and her siblings have been trying to make ends meet. There would have been no time for travel. On the other hand, they probably didn''t have any customers who would visit their house. Only traders from the peddlers'' guild. Since Lucia knew about it, it must not be a generally unknown knowledge. It''s just that Molly didn''t know it. Well, there''s a lot of knowledge you wouldn''t know if you didn''t need it. ''Try it sometime. It feels good. It''s so good you''ll fall asleep. Molly let out a ''chuckle'' as she said this. She finally laughed. ''Well, you can''t do that at home. I''m sure I''ll fall asleep and catch a cold. ''Why don''t you ask Percy to wake me up? ''Brother, you''re not allowed in the bathhouse while I''m bathing. I''ve already told her that any violation will result in her running away from home. Wow, ...... is that the kind of family environment you have to deal with. Well, he might want to take a bath with his sister. Like a father who dotes on his daughter. ''The footbath is only for feet, so you should do it with someone else. I''ve done it with Ginette and Lucia.'' ''With men and women, sir?...... that............ special...... no, it''s nothing.'' ''Molly, why are you looking away as fast as you can?Look at me. I didn''t mean it in an obscene way. I was with Magda, Loretta, Hammaro and Gilberta.'' Molly''s got a bit of a troubled adolescent look about her. If the footbath with Jeannette had been such a special event, I wouldn''t have let the underage Molly hear about it. ''When you go to a hot spring inn, they fill a tub with hot water and serve it to you as soon as you arrive. ''You must be tired after traveling so far. That''s a nice feeling, isn''t it? ''Is this an onsen ryokan? ''Yes. It''s a place where natural hot water heated by volcanoes boils, and they build a big bath and set up a lodge there. ''Well, I''ve heard of it. I''ve never been there, though. But it looks like it''s outside the city. I don''t know where it is, but my parents had been there on a trip before they got married. Yes, hot springs. I''d like to go there sometime then. ...... Outside the city, there''s a good chance you won''t be able to speak the language. If you''re on the outside of the city walls, you''re still within the range of the forced translation spell. ''Have you ever been there, Yashiro-san?''The Onsen Ryokan. ''Ah. Before I came to this city, in my hometown.'''' ''Oh. That''s nice. ''My hometown was a country that loved baths and good food. ''Yashiro-san, you''re from outside, aren''t you? ''Oh. Didn''t I tell you that? ''Yes, well. But I''ve heard a lot about you. I''ve heard stories about Mr. Yashiro from many places. Yeah. ...... I wish people wouldn''t talk about him so much. ''Isn''t that about 80% false rumors?The people who talk about me are always looking at things from a different angle, and they''re always adding twists and turns. ''No, sir. It''s mostly true. That ''truth'' often deviates from what I think is the truth, though. ''Oh, by the way. What''s Molly doing on the floor?Did she need something?'' ''No, um, ...... to use the bathroom.'' ''I see. I''m sorry I held you up. Go on, then.'' ''No, ............, I''m done.'' Oh. So you thought, ''Oh, he''s asleep, he''s going to catch a cold,'' and went to the bathroom first. You''re a pretty solid guy, Molly. Well, I don''t feel comfortable being escorted to the bathroom or having strangers outside the bathroom on a quiet floor in the middle of the night. A wise decision, yes. ''It''s early tomorrow, so you''d better go back and get some sleep. ''Yes, sir. ............ um...'' Molly nodded, but did not move. She turned her head a little and fidgeted. ''If you''ve woken up from your sleep, would you like to have a warm glass of milk and a chat? ''Yes. By all means.'' It''s a little hard to go back to bed when you can''t sleep, isn''t it? ...... Maybe Molly''s bed has Loretta in it. ''Loretta, which side did you sleep on?'' ''Um, ...... in the guest room.'' ''You can throw her in Magda''s bed.'' ''No, that''s as good as .......'' ''He''s not a good sleeper, is he? ''No, not at all. He''s ...... hugging me, though.'' You''re not a good sleeper. ''I heard Magda gets hugged too. Ginette said so.'' ''Loretta also said that. You all get along well, don''t you? ''They are. They sleep together all the time. ...... I think it''s okay for me to do that once in a while too! That kind of thing! ''By the way, do you have any information about Jeannette''s sleeping patterns? ''Nothing in particular ......, but Loretta says that the manager smells nice. ''Another good smell?What the hell does it smell like? I bet it smells sweet and girlish! Since it''s Ginette, it might smell more like vanilla than flowers. ''''When Loretta slept with her, she said it smelled like curry. ''That''s not exactly what I was expecting! No, it''s definitely a nice smell, but curry! That''s the smell that seeped in from the kitchen! Even after taking a bath, it didn''t come off. ...... That''s a shame, Ginette. ''So, let''s dump the water and heat up the milk. ''Oh, I''ll do that. I was about to lift the tub, when Molly quickly stepped in. ''No, it''s really not a good idea to let Molly do it. ''I''m stronger than you, Yashiro. That''s right. Molly was also a beastman. Unlike Percy, she''s got raccoon ears. Well then, I guess I''ll leave it to you to make me some hot milk as a thank you. ''Which do you prefer for hot milk, sugar or honey? ''Ugh...... business, I''d like to answer sugar, but ...... I''ve never tried honey, so I''m curious.'' Molly would definitely use sugar in her hot milk at home. You have a lot of it. Well, I guess I''ll stick with honey today. ''I''ll make it a little sweet. It''ll help you sleep.'' ''...... Won''t it make me fat?'' ''I''m fine with this much.'' ''I see!So you''re okay with that much! ''It''s got ...... calories, right?'' I''m afraid to say I''m fine, ''I''m fine with this much! I''m afraid I''ll say I''m fine, and then drink several glasses in the middle of the night. Pour the milk into a small pot and put it on the stove. I''m used to this kind of thing. I''m also good at making fires. I still sigh every time I remember how convenient the stove is. I hear the door open with a squeak. It seems that Molly has gone all the way to the courtyard with a tub to dump the water. I could have dumped the water in the sink, but since this is a kitchen, I don''t want to dump dirty water if I can help it. They must have taken that into consideration. In addition, she washed the tub lightly and put it outside. What a well-behaved sister she is. She''s going to be a good wife. ...... if it weren''t for the shackles of being a brother-in-law. ''Haha...... is delicious.'' ''I''m glad it suits your palate. ''You''re a very good cook, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''I guess it comes from my parents. The landlady''s cooking was like magic tricks and magic, and it was fun to watch. Things that might be called ''garbage'' if piled up on top of each other were transformed into a ''feast'' in no time at all. It was a kind of entertainment, I still think so. ''The manager''s cooking is really delicious and professional, but the food made by ...... Yashiro-san has a gentler taste, or ...... I don''t remember much, but it''s like my mother''s cooking. I''m not sure I remember much, but it''s like my mother''s cooking. I''m not sure if I''ve ever made anything for Molly before. ''Like this. I lifted the cup lightly, wrapping it between my hands. ''Hot milk isn''t cooking, is it? ''No, sir. It''s a fine dish. Because ...... I felt so relieved when I took a sip of this. ......'' Molly''s eyes looked a little sad as she looked into the cup. It seems that Percy doesn''t come home for work very often, and although she says she is used to being alone, she still feels lonely. She says she is used to being alone, but she still feels lonely. Especially when she stays at someone else''s house, her anxiety increases. At Molly''s age, it is not surprising that she is homesick. ''It looks like you were doing your job. ''To ......?'' ''I asked Natalia to have Estella''s waiter take a look at it, the sugar factory.'' ''You went all the way to ......?'' ''You were worried, weren''t you?'' I got the information so I could tell Molly if she looked worried. I didn''t tell her until now, because I thought it would be better not to tell her if she was truly disgusted by my brother. ''I see. ...... I''m relieved. You''re doing a good job, aren''t you? ''I heard that you are getting your ass beat by the factory lady. ''Oh, it''s probably Aunt Zessica. She''s been working for us since my father''s generation, and she''s like the leader of the employees. Molly''s expression softened as the scene at the factory flashed through her mind. She might have started working at the factory in her mind. The corners of her mouth lifted up and her body shook. She must be one of those people who can''t wait to get to work. ''Tomorrow afternoon, right, deal? ''Yes. ''Then you''ll pick me up in the evening.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sure I''ll come running.'' Molly shakes her shoulders, giggling. The anxiety of homesickness had all but disappeared from her face. ''Thank you, Yashiro-san. Molly mumbles, turning over a little to hide her face as she sips from her cup. ''I feel better now that I know what''s going on with my brother, and that I have hot milk like my mother cooked. ''That''s good. Molly glances at me, and when our eyes meet, she smiles shyly with an ''ehehe''. There was a smile on her face that was not very sweet. It''s hard for a sister to be pampered if her brother is not strong. Without her parents, she might have told herself that she shouldn''t be spoiled. She should learn how to be a little more like the ham kids. Molly can be more lenient. ''You should eat Jeannette''s cooking. As I suggested that Molly should be more open to being pampered, I heard a creak ...... in the wood. Is it ...... the house ringing? You look towards the hallway where the sound came from. There is a corridor at the back of the kitchen, and at the end of it is a door leading to the courtyard. It''s a door that''s badly fitted and makes a creaking sound. I didn''t hear that noise, so I don''t think someone came in. ...... ''Can I help you? ''Hmm?Nope. It''s nothing.'' The floor and kitchen have been remodeled, but the corridor behind it and the second floor remain untouched. I think we should ask Umaro to repair them. The building is seriously decrepit. Let''s try to keep as much of the old look as possible, and make it more convenient. For free! Ginette''s food is delicious. Ginette''s cooking is good. The renovation was in exchange for Ginette''s cooking. ''What?Is that so? Well, the food was an added bonus. ''Besides, I''m probably here because of Jeannette''s cooking. Maybe it was because Molly was remembering her family. Maybe it was the way she smiled, so happy. I remembered the master and the landlady a little too. The scenery of the house we lived in together, the landlady''s cooking, the smell of oil from the master''s factory: ...... Maybe that''s why I felt the urge to talk about the past. Maybe it''s also because I''m talking to Molly. I felt that I could talk to Molly, who was not a citizen of District 42, if I wanted to. ''The first time I ate stir-fried scraggly vegetables. It was a cheap dish of scraggly vegetables seasoned with common seasonings, but ...... it was delicious. I took a bite and it reminded me of the landlady. Thinking about it, I was crazy about it from the second bite. After the masters left and before I came to this town, I had lost all sense of taste in my mouth. Those stir-fried scraps of vegetables were truly delicious. ''If you try Ginette''s food instead of the food I brought, you''ll realize what Molly was talking about earlier about gentle food. His food is not only delicious, but it makes you feel warm and fuzzy right here in your chest.'' I''ve never had it before, but I miss it. It''s not a big dish, but it''s a feast. That''s what Ginette''s cooking is all about. ''I was thinking I brought a little too much ....... Honestly. That''s what I''ve been thinking. Every dish I''ve brought in has made a good profit. Ginette enjoys making them. However, it''s taking away from the character of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. I can''t help feeling that this is the case. ''Especially, the red bean paste donuts and curry donuts were a bad move. ''Bad move? ...... They were selling very well today, too. ''No matter how well they sold, they weren''t made by Jeannette, were they? Anyone can make a donut. Even the ones that sold today were made by Magda and Loretta. Those two are also waitresses at the Sunlit Pavilion, so it''s good to have their specialties on the menu. But it''s different if they become the mainstay. ''Sunlit Pavilion needs to have Jeannette''s cooking as its mainstay. ''...... Um, Yashiro-san. I''m not sure if this is a good idea,.......'' Molly is looking at me like she''s having a hard time saying it. I''ve told you so much. I can answer that question honestly. There''s no one else here, anyway. ''Publishing a recipe for red bean paste doughnuts is .......'' ''It''s for profit. Isn''t that what I said? ''But the profit will go down ......, right?'' ''It''s the sales that go down. It''s different from profit. ''Profit doesn''t just refer to money. ''Ginette cooks with a happy smile on her face, and people who like that kind of cooking gather here and eat happily. That''s the best interest of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. You can make money in many other ways. But you can''t get that atmosphere and air of the Sunlit Pavilion in any other way. It''s a precious thing that can only be obtained if Ginette is smiling happily and everyone eats her cooking. ''A rare thing can be valuable. Especially if it''s special to someone else. For Ginette, the sunny pavilion is a place where she remembers her grandfather, and now it is an irreplaceable place where her good friends gather. It''s not something you can get with money, and it''s not something you can give away with money. ''If you can get it back, the small amount of sales you get from the An Donut monopoly won''t matter. If you want to make more money, you just have to plan your next strategy. I don''t want Jeannette to be left in the dark because she can''t cook, like today. I''m ashamed that I didn''t realize that until this situation arose. ''Ginette is just fine when she''s a little too busy. You should cook so many dishes that other people will be amazed and as many customers as possible will say, ''This is delicious. I''m sure that will make Jeannette happy. And if it makes Jeannette happy-- ''That would be the best interest of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. Right?'' That''s why it''s okay to publish the recipe for the red bean paste doughnuts. If you publish it, you can eat it whenever you want. It''s not like I''m sealing it. Then why not? It''s enough for Ginette to make an-donuts and curry-donuts whenever she feels like making them. ''...... I think it was the honey. My mouth slipped a little too much.'' He puts the empty cup in the sink and smiles at Molly. I''m going to have to curse you for being a little too hard to resist. ''So, Molly, don''t tell anyone what you just heard, okay?See?'' If I tell her with this smile, most people will nod. With a slightly twitchy face. But Molly smiled softly. ''I also slip up because of the honey, but ......, Yashiro-san looks like someone I like. Hmm? Molly''s favorite person? ...... If you look like him, it''s not me, is it? ............ Who''s that?I''m just curious. I don''t know, I''m a little shocked that a quiet, solid girl like Molly has a guy she likes. ...... It''s not too early to tell.Are you okay?Are you sure you''re not being tricked by a bad guy? ''Molly. Tell me more about this guy. ''Oh, no!No, you can''t, you can''t! Molly turns red and waves her hands in the air. Oh ...... this is serious stuff. I''m so shocked,....... But ...... Yashiro also told me his secret. ...... If it''s a mutual secret, then ...... just a hint, then ............'' I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a good idea to have a cup of coffee with you. ''The clue is ...... sugar radishes,'' she says. Then, perhaps having reached her limit, Molly rushes off, squealing down the hallway. And then she ran out of the hallway, squealing. So ...... is it one of those guys ............? Wow, that''s surprising. I mean, Molly. You look like one of them, that''s a bad word. I''m giddy at the prospect. I can see the faces of the anteater brothers in my mind''s eye, laughing like they''re in a junior high school English textbook, and my heart sinks. ...... I wonder what the similarity is. Please tell me. I''ll do my best to fix it. ''...... I''m going to bed too. I leave the washing up for tomorrow and head out into the hallway. Molly ran out the door, which was left open. ...... Huh? I''m not sure if I''ve ever heard Molly open a door when she ran out. ............Then the rumbling in the house earlier was ......? ''............No way, man.'' I tried my best to shake off the bad premonition that flashed through my mind for a moment, and rubbed my twitching cheeks as I walked out into the courtyard. Looking up at the second floor, I saw that all the windows were closed and no light was leaking out. I turned my gaze to the largest room on the right side of the quiet second floor, as seen from the courtyard. Ginette, you''re already asleep,......, right? ''.................. Let''s go to bed. Bad things don''t happen that way. No such coincidences happen. I told myself that, and I slowly walked up the stairs. 420-Additive-free Episode 75 Early morning lively cook... Early morning. I threw Hammaro, who was curled up on my body, onto the bed and I crawled out of bed. Ugh ...... cold. I put the covers back on Hammaro, who was wriggling around on the bed, and quickly left the room. When I went out into the hallway, I yawned as loud as I could. I''m so tired. It''s so hard, so hard. Maybe it''s because of the crab fair. I couldn''t sleep at all. I''ve been thinking about ......, a matter that hasn''t even been decided yet, and I''ve been in agony. I couldn''t sleep at all, d*mn it. But let''s just say that it was because of the Crab Fair. Some of the customers were drunk and bothered. That''s the fault, that''s the fault. I told myself such an excuse and went into the kitchen with my usual face and voice, self-deprecating. ''Good morning. ''Hiya!Good morning!Yashiro hiya! Ah~u...... I knew you were listening, Jeannette. Yesterday''s conversation between me and Molly: ...... What should I do? What can I say to excuse ...... or at least excuse ...... but what would you say? I''m not going to publish my recipe for doughnuts just for you! ...... No, no, no, that''s almost an affirmation. In fact, it''s almost an affirmation. Let''s just have a casual conversation and see how Jeannette reacts. ''Oh, you washed the cup for me?Sorry about that. I drank hot milk with Molly last night. ''Oh, wow!I didn''t know it was hot milk!I didn''t know it was hot milk, haha. Ginette...... is too bad at this! And the part that makes it look like you didn''t know is not the part. Apparently, Jeannette is going to pretend that she didn''t hear the conversation yesterday. If that''s the case, there''s no need for me to ask her to talk. Ginette would be annoyed if I asked her to talk about it. ''Um, cooking is fun!I like cooking! I know. I know. I''m well aware of that. ''The more time you can spend cooking, the happier I''ll be, and I hope it will benefit the ...... Sunlit Pavilion! Ginette, shut your mouth! I''m trying to respect the fact that you want to pretend that you didn''t hear this, but if you continue to blurt out everything you say, you''re not going to get anywhere. ''Oh, but I like both red bean paste donuts and curry donuts. With the release of the recipes, the number of opportunities to make these doughnuts will probably decrease drastically in the future. It''s not that I''m happy about that," Ginette would probably say. It''s not that I don''t like red bean paste donuts. ''Oh. I''m not forbidding you to make them. You can make them whenever you feel like it, or whenever we feel like eating them. You can even send it to the food truck.'' ''Yes, sir. Whenever you want to eat it, I''ll make it. ...... Please let me know whenever you want. ...... I''ll make it, I''ll make it. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... ''Agh, that ............ and I''ll continue preparing.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I thought he was grabbing a knife ...... at the workbench, but he covered his face with his hands. ''Before that, I''m going to squat for about five minutes. I''m not going to be able to do that. I''m not sure what I''m going to do,......, in this situation. ''...... Please don''t worry about it. I don''t know. Hmm? What ............ powder is in Jeannette''s hair? The tips of Jeannette''s long hair had turned white. I pick up her hair and put some powder on my fingers. ''Oh no!What?Um, Yashiro-san ......?'' Ginette, whose hair was suddenly touched, shouted and looked up at me with her eyes full. Feeling her gaze, I sniffed the powder on my fingers. ...... ''Flour, huh? ''Huh?...... Ah! You''ll be able to comb the ends of your hair to get rid of the powder. ''This is, well, when I was hiding in the pantry, ...... ohhh, no, um, accidentally, I got flour on the ends of my hair! Ginette wants to hide where she got it. It''s not uncommon for people to go into the pantry, but if you want to hide it that well,......, then you were hiding in the pantry when I went out into the courtyard last night, right? Of course you were. There''s no way Jeannette could have climbed the stairs with such agility and without making a sound. Oh, ...... I can just see Jeannette running into the pantry in a panic. ''Well, ...... sometimes you find yourself with flour in your hair, don''t you? ''No, but . ''Yes, you do!Yes, there is. No. No, but you don''t have to be anymore. You''re the one who''s not a good liar, that''s for sure. ...... can''t even make this point. ...... What can I do? ''Good morning!Ginette, are you awake? As if to break the delicate atmosphere, Paula''s voice can be heard from the front door. She said she wanted to be the first to tell me about the doughnuts, but I didn''t expect her to actually come first thing in the morning. ''What can I help you with? ''Why don''t you help me learn how to make donuts and help me demonstrate?'' ''Yashiro-san is planning to make something else besides doughnuts, isn''t he? Ginette smiles expectantly at me. ...... Ho. Finally, the usual Ginette is back. I think it would be better if there was someone else. That''s probably it for today. I can''t be alone with you. ''Well, I''ll tell you what, donut.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll keep working on it.'' Ginette washes her hands with water from a bottle. You''ve touched your hair and everything. Leaving Ginette behind, he goes to the floor to pick up Paula. ''Donuts! ''I know, just tone it down a bit. That tone is hard to take in the morning.'' ''Why not~. Yashiro, you''re just like my father.'' ''You''re just like Loretta in the early morning. ''That''s too much!Isn''t that too much? Yeah. You''re just as bad. ''Good morning, Mr. Manager!I''ll be helping you with the preparation today! I''ll be helping you prepare a lot of food today.'' A loud, bouncy voice comes from the kitchen. You''re always so cheerful in the morning, Loretta. ''''Right?We''ve got the same kind of energy, right? ''............ Oh, I have a special kind of tension with donuts. Loretta is a natural.Don''t ...... lump us together. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more about this. I didn''t know you had that skill. You should have told me sooner. That''s so cute. ''Ah!Big brother, Paula!Good morning!I''m awake all of a sudden today!I''m up a little early today! ''Loretta, shut up. I know you''re awake when I see you, so turn down the volume. It''s hard to hear that volume in the morning. Paula said the same thing to me as soon as she saw Loretta. It''s easy to understand if you put it in your own words, the hassle of dealing with people of different tensions. Paula let out a huge sigh, walked past Loretta, and went into the kitchen. ''Ginette, good morning,'' she asks Loretta, who is about to start sweeping the floor. ''Is Molly still sleeping?'' ''I don''t know, sir.'' ''Hmm?I thought you were sleeping together.'' ''That''s the thing.'' Loretta said that they had been sleeping in bed together at first, but that Molly had gone to the bathroom in the middle of the night and hadn''t come back for a while, and when she came back, she was writhing on the bed. ''I saw her tossing and turning while saying ''nkyun kyu'', so I evacuated to Magda''s bed. ''Molly......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sure you''re embarrassed as soon as you think about it. ...... Why do I talk like that? It''s scary, isn''t it, the tension at night and the blindness of love. The feeling of being drunk on yourself. She said, "If it''s just a hint. I guess I was pretty excited, then. It''s what you call a ''gotcha'' situation, yeah. ''I think we should let Molly sleep a little longer. ''Yeah, sure. I''ll wake her up before we go to church. ''No, it''s okay! I turned around and saw Molly standing there with a slightly red face. Her hair was tousled and her eyes were red. She must have turned over a lot. ''Oh, um,......, good morning. So, um, Yashiro-san ......''. Molly looks at me as if she''s clinging to me. I know, so don''t bring it up. And in front of Loretta. It''s better for both of us that we don''t talk about last night. I make a gesture of sewing my mouth shut with a needle and thread. I don''t have a zipper, so I have to sew it on, but I think I''ve gotten the point across. Molly did the same, sewing her upper and lower lips together with a ...... U-shape festival stitch! I see. So Molly is a girl who can sew. In the meantime, Molly''s impatience disappeared from her face, as if she was relieved that her secret would not be exposed. ''Loretta. Take Molly to the well and show her where the facial cleanser is.'' ''Yes, sir!Molly, I''m going to wash my face and do my hair.'' ''Oh, yes. ''When you''re done, Loretta, sweep the floor. Molly, you can help Ginette.'' ''I''ll take care of it! ''Yes, sir. And I''ll teach Paula how to make donuts. ''So, I''ll take half the kitchen. ''Yes, sir. Good luck, both of you.'' ''Hmph!I''m going to master it by the end of the day! Even Loretta could do the frying in a day. The problem was the fermentation of the dough and the seasoning of the filling. Anko and curry can''t be mastered in such a short time. I''m planning to make simple and easy recipes available to the public, but I''m planning to have people in the restaurant industry learn more elaborate ones. Also, how to arrange them. Each restaurant has a slightly different taste. I hope we can have a friendly competition like that. I hope we can have a friendly rivalry like that. As for the bean paste and curry, I would like each of you to study and pursue your own taste. Today, we''ll make them with the flavor of the sunny-side up pavilion. Since the dough has not yet finished fermenting, I''ll teach you how to make the red bean paste and curry first. Ginette has already finished chopping the azuki beans, so this should be ready in a few minutes. I can smell the good smell of red beans. ''I''ll make the curry first. ''I can make curry and rice. ''It''s a little different from curry and rice. Curry in a donut is different from curry over rice. While explaining how and why they are different, measure out the spices. He grinds them into powder with a pestle and mortar, heats them up, and makes a roux. ''Wow, that smells good! Paula''s nose twitches. ''Come to think of it, Loretta once told me that Jeannette smells like curry. ''Huh!I don''t like that, it''s kind of embarrassing. ......'' She sniffed her elbow and looked at me with a troubled face. Maybe it was in your hair?The smell of hair lingers. ''Mmmm ......, it smells more like flour than curry. ''Oh, um, don''t sniff it, Paula-san......'' I''m not sure what to do. The wheat smell comes from hiding in the pantry after a bath. ......'' Okay, let''s not touch it. ''Mwah, it smells good!I''m going to go wipe down the table. Loretta, who had returned from the courtyard first, headed for the floor with her hair pulled back. Shortly after, Molly returns, having finished washing her face. Her hair has been neatly combed. ''Manager, Yashiro-san. Is there anything I can help you with?'' ''Well, I can prepare these vegetables. Molly, can you use a knife?'' ''I can use a knife, ......, I''ve never used a knife before. Most families in this city cook with knives. A kitchen knife is a professional tool. ''It''s easier to cut with a knife. Shall we practice a little? ''Yes, sir. Please teach me. ''My pleasure.'' Ginette and Molly stand next to each other, chatting happily. She is carefully teaching them how to hold the knife. ''Here, Yashiro!This one''s a donut!Curry, can it be like this? ''Okay. Then, let''s make the bean jam next. I''ll just make the filling and let it sit. I''ll fry the doughnuts after I get back from the donation. After boiling and steaming azuki beans for a while, pour them into a colander with boiling water. The steam that smells so good hits me in the face. It is hot, but it makes me feel happy. ''Wow, it smells so good! It''s the best part of making bean jam. The steam from cooking the rice and azuki beans is a treat to smell. Mash the azuki beans with your fingers, and if the core is gone, it''s done. Then add sugar and mix it with azuki beans to make anko. It takes a lot of time and effort to make anko, so you should ask Ginette to teach you how to do this. I was once pointed out that azuki should not dance in the water. Ginette is much better at making red bean paste than I am. She is much better. I knew I couldn''t beat him in heat and water. Unlike other beans, azuki is relatively easy to cook without soaking in water overnight. Anko for the public will be quite easy to make. The taste is much different, though. You know, you want people to say, "The professional ones are delicious! right? Anko is a taste that cannot be imitated easily. It''s very deep. Yashiro-san. With today''s azuki, you can use less sugar.'' A professional''s eye is amazing. Do you change the amount depending on the azuki beans? And you can figure it out by glancing at it in between preparations? You''re amazing, Jeannette! ''Finally, pour a little bit of the red bean paste into a small pan, mix it with the syrup, put the mixed red bean paste back into the original pan, and knead to mix it all together. ''Wow!The anko is now glossy!Looks delicious! ''Ginette, give me a taste. ''Yes. ...... Yes. It''s very good, Mr. Yashiro.'' Ginette passed. It''s just the right amount of crushed bean jam. ''Is it koshi-an if I strain it? ''No, koshi-an is made by straining it before adding sugar. It''s made differently. ''Oh, that sounds troublesome. Of course it is. In the world of Japanese sweets, it takes years to learn how to cook azuki beans. It is such a difficult and laborious process that there are stores where the owner is the only one who makes anko. It is possible to simplify the process, so you should use the level of anko that suits you best. ...... The An-Donut of the Sun-Damari-Tei will be safe for a while, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ll agree.I''ll learn how to make a good one! Making anko is not something you can do in a day. For the time being, Ginette''s dominance would not waver. ''Oh, that''s right. Molly. ''Yes, what is it? Molly, who had been chopping vegetables, stopped her work and turned to me. ''Other than doughnuts, all the sweets use a lot of sugar, so the demand might increase a bit before the event. ''That much, sir? ''I guess it depends on how excited the people in District 42 are. If they all want to try making it, I think a good amount of it will be sold. ''...... We have enough stock, but we''ll increase production. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something you like. It''s easy to do. Maybe it will spread to other districts. However, it''s not the kind of thing we''d go to the trouble of selling at the Sunken Pavilion, so if it spreads, it should. ''Gomen~nkasai~! Even though it was still early in the day, I could hear the voice of an old man in a strangely good mood. ''That''s Assunto''s voice. Loretta!Lock the door behind you.'' ''Why, sir!I''m sure he''s here to talk about today''s event. With a bang, Loretta jumps into the kitchen. Hey, don''t come back when I told you to lock the door! While this exchange was going on, Assunto came into the kitchen. ''I hear you, Yashiro-san. Assunto''s face is smiling and in a good mood even though he''s holding a grudge. I didn''t order anything, so don''t come in here without permission. ''I thought I''d ask you in advance if there''s anything you need for today''s event. I''d like to have everything ready by the time the event starts. ''I see. For now, sugar, sweet potatoes. I also need some alcohol. ''Liquor, sir? ''Yashiro, are you going to make another roast with shell miso? Paula holds her nose with both hands. ''Don''t drink it. It''s used for sweets. ''Liquor, sir?Do you think it''s safe for children to eat? Jeannette says uneasily, but there is no problem. Just mix it with sugar and substitute mirin. ''Also, if you have a thin steel plate that''s easy to work with, let me have it. ''How big is it? ''About three centimeters wide and thirty centimeters long. It can be as long as it''s easy to cut. But make it as thin as possible. It should be able to be folded and bent. Of course, it should be soft enough not to break during the processing stage. ''That''s something I''ll have to ask Norma at .......'' ''And while you''re at it, get me some ladles. Not wooden ones, but iron ones.'' ''Ladles, sir?I can''t imagine what you''re planning to do now. Assunto''s brow wrinkles as he takes notes. ''I have no idea either. I wonder if it''s sweet potato candy .......'' ''Well, let''s try making some now. I want to see the reaction. ''Oh, I''ll go wake Magda up then!I''m sure he''ll want to see it! ''Then take care of Hammaro, too. I''ll be in my room. ''I''ll take care of him! After Loretta ran out of the room, I shaved the bamboo skewer with a knife. I don''t have a mold, so I''ll just use a simple one for now. ''I want to make a mold of the thin steel plate like this. Make a triangle with the shaved bamboo skewer. Straight bamboo can only make such a simple mold. ''If I can bend the steel plate, I can make a more complicated mold, right? ''I see. Steel plates make molds, don''t they? ''If it becomes popular, you can ask Norma to make several different molds for you.'' What I''m imagining is something like a cookie mold. With them, it would be easy for any family to make pretty sweets. ''Ginette, cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces and fry them in oil. ''Yes, sir. ''And share a little sake with me. ''Is cooking liquor okay? ''That''s fine. And so, while Magda arrives, I make my preparations. Assunto seems to have been intrigued and has come into the kitchen. I made him wash his hands properly and put on a tour apron. ''Jeannette. Where did I find the baking soda?'' ''The one Regina-san made for you. I''ll bring it to you now.'' ''What ...... do you use Regina''s medicine too?Hey Yashiro, is that really candy?'''' Paula wrinkles her nose. ''It''s not medicine, baking soda is. I''ve been buying it regularly since I found it in Regina''s store. Baking soda is useful for many things. ''Yes, Yashiro-san. Baking soda.'' ''Thank you. Then put the sweet potatoes in room temperature oil and fry them.'' ''You''re putting them in from room temperature? ''That way, they won''t lose their shape. There is also the method of frying them twice to make them crispy, but it''s too much trouble, so I''ll use the easy way this time. If I had a microwave oven, it would be easier. In the meantime, Magda and Hammaro came into the kitchen. ''Wake up refreshed! ''.................. as well''. No, no, Magda. You look awfully sleepy. There''s nothing refreshing about it. ''Now that we''re all here, let''s start cooking. Feeling a little nostalgic, I put the frying pan on the fire. The things I''m going to make are all things I''ve made in elementary school. Two of them are from the cooking class. The other was a science experiment. ''First of all, I''m going to make tortoiseshell candy. ''...... Bekko candy? ''Big brother, you''re not making a good impression. I suggest you change your name.'' ''No, it''s not tortoiseshell. Tortoiseshell. It''s the shell of a tortoise, a yellowish translucent material used in ornaments and jewelry that''s expensive.'' ''...... I see, a valuable item. I''m going to rename you Becco. ''Yes, sir! ''Both of you, don''t say that. No, Jeannette. If it''s Becko, it''s safe. ''It''s easy to make, just heat the sugar water and when it turns color, put it in the mold and let it cool and harden. Pour the colored sugar water into the triangle on the bamboo skewer you just made, and make a circle by dripping the sugar water so that it touches one corner of the triangle. The circles will stick to the triangles to form a teru teru bozu. Place a black sesame seed at the position of the eye, and sink a bamboo skewer into the candy before it hardens so that you can hold it. The candy hardens in a few minutes, and a beautiful translucent tortoise-shell candy (teru teru bozu shape) is completed. ''Teruteru-san! Ginette''s eyes sparkled at the reunion after a long absence. You really like teru teru bozu, don''t you? And the snowman. ''It''s so cute! ''Can you eat this without crying? ''It''s a waste to eat .............'' At any rate, I''m relieved that he didn''t react with ''pity''. This town cares about pretty food, you know. ''...... Yashiro. I want Magda to be a tiger.'' ''I don''t have the materials to make a mold, so I can''t right now.'' ''...... Then a cat would be fine.'' ''Ask Norma.'' It''s hard to draw a cat with melted candy. Oh, maybe I could do some candy art. No one can imitate ....... I could do it with a little practice, but in this town, the only one who could do it is ...... Becco. ''Ginette, are you close imo? ''Yes,............, they''re still a little hard.'' ''Well then, the next step is to roast the carmine.'' With Ginette''s permission, I put a ladle on the fire. The hole in the kiln is too big to hold the ladle. Of course. I''ll have to order something to hold the ladle in place. ...... If I tell Norma, she''ll make a pot for carmelizing. ''Put some water and sugar in a ladle and put it on the fire. ''Is a little bit like that enough? ''Well, just watch. After a while, the sugar water will start to boil and turn slightly golden brown. At that moment, take it off the heat and quickly add baking soda. Then, mix it quickly to crush the bubbles. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, quickly pull out the mixing stick and wait for the moment! All eyes are on the ladle. The liquid in the ladle swelled up right in front of everyone''s eyes. ''Whoa, whoa!It''s swollen! ''What the hell is this? Loretta and Assunto shouted in astonishment. ''I see. It must have been inflated by the power of baking soda. Ginette understood the properties of baking soda, so this phenomenon seemed to make sense to her. Magda and Molly stared at the swollen carmine. Hammaro, ......, is leaning against the workbench, asleep. Look at that! And be impressed! To tell you the truth, I did it partly to surprise you! d*mn, I wish I could have gotten the kid''s honest "Oh, wow! I wish I could have gotten the kid''s honest reaction of ''Oh, wow! When we made it for a science experiment, the whole class went wild. ''This will be a hit with the kids!If it is popular with children, their parents will practice it. A ladle and a cauldron to hold it ...... Or, better yet, why don''t we just make a one-handed pot specifically for calumet cooking and sell it ......'' Assunto is playing the abacus around in his brain. The sound of the abacus crackling inside his brain seems to be leaking out through his eardrums. ''...... Yashiro. Can I try it, please?'' ''Yes. It''s hot, so be careful.'' He hands Magda a freshly made calumet. He plays with it a little with his fingertips and sticks his slightly pointed canine teeth into the calumet. Magda takes a bite out of it with a crunchy sound. ''...... available''. He likes it. In the extreme, it''s like a swollen sugar water, so it may be liked or disliked by different people, but it may be just right to be too sweet for kids. ''Mr. Yashiro, the sweet potatoes are fried. ''Well, I''ll make the sauce, so drain the oil. The crispy sweet potatoes are mixed with the sauce and made into university sweet potatoes. The sauce is made with sugar and mirin, but since we don''t have mirin, we substitute sake. The salt and soy sauce are up to your taste. ...... Never mind, let''s just make it the way I like it. Make the sauce in a one-handed pan, put the fried sweet potatoes into the sauce, and mix them well. Spread it out on a bat and sprinkle black sesame seeds all over it before the sauce hardens. After a while, the sauce will harden and become crispy. It''s easy and delicious. There is no such thing as a ''university'' in this world, and few people can explain why the name ''university'' is attached to the name itself, so I''m very curious how it will be translated here. ''Yashiro-san, may I have some? ''Yes. Be careful, it''s hot.'' ''Yes. Jeannette sticks a bamboo skewer into the potato and bites into it. At that moment, Jeannette''s eyes lit up. ''...... or .............'' You''ve got a new version! That''s what it feels like when you''re too surprised! ''This, is delicious, Yashiro-san! ''Right?It''s so easy.'' ''I''d like to serve this at the Sundaemari Pavilion at .............'' Ginette glanced at me. I think she knows I regret bringing in too many new dishes, and is hesitant to take in anything at all. ...... So, you ...... don''t want to hide it anymore, do you? ''You can take whatever you like. There''s nothing wrong with making it in moderation, rearranging it in your own way, and making it your own dish. ''Yes!I like this pastry! He took a second bite and narrowed his eyes. I''m sure you''ll like the spinning baked goods and the potatoes ....... You like astringent sweetness, don''t you, Ginette? ''Yashiro-san!This!This will sell!You can even make a specialty store in each district!But instead of setting up a store, why don''t we pack them in small portions and put them in the marketplace so that wives can buy them while they are shopping ......?As a snack for the kids. As a treat for yourself. ...... Well, if you can set the price range from 10Rb to 20Rb and market it as a position where people can buy it on the way home, ............ '' That''s great, Assunto. That''s exactly what a Japanese supermarket is doing. They put them in the side dish section or next to the cash register. They are usually priced around 100 to 200 yen. You got that much idea at first glance? You''re getting more powerful, aren''t you? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m sure it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ......I want to do business right now! ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... is this kind of thing normal in the 42nd district? ''No, Assunto seems to have just developed some sort of disease. Don''t think this is the norm, Molly. It''s just that there''s a little too much livestock in the Forty-second Ward. ''I''m going home to learn how to make potatoes! ''Mr. Paula, what about the doughnuts? ''I''ll remember that too!I mean, you''ve already learned it, right?Then come and teach me, Cantaloucica! ''I have a sunlit pavilion! ''Six hexenbiest sausages! ''I''ll talk to the manager about it! That''s cheap, your travel expenses. but... I expect that for a while households will be practicing red bean paste doughnuts more and eating out less. Whether they fail or succeed, they''ll be made in large quantities and we''ll have to eat what we make. So it would be a good idea to dispatch Loretta when she has time. ''Yashiro-san. Is there anything else that''s easy and convenient that could be spread to the general public? ''The only other things I can make are sweet natto and the candy apples I made at the ...... ''banquet''.'' ''That''s interesting, I''d love to hear about it! ''It takes a long time to boil red beans for sweet beans, and I''ll have to consult with Millie about candy apples. It''s hard to eat candy apples, so it would be nice if you could find some princess apples or apricots. Also, sweet potato steamed buns and ...... pumpkin steamed buns are good. However, since we can''t use the name "bread," we can use ...... "steamed cake"? I have a steamer, so I can make them. It will take some time to prepare, though. ''I don''t care about anything else!I''m sure they''ll all sell!Aha!Great event!Hooray for Halloween!The Forty-second Ward is truly a trendsetter!I''ll never leave this city! Apparently, Assunto has completely given up on going to the center. In fact, he''s on the verge of refusing to go to the center even if they try to recruit him. Is that what you want to do with your life? We decided to practice sweets after the donation and breakfast, and then helped prepare the donation. Assunto said, ''I''ll be as ready as I can be before the event starts! and ran out of the sunny pavilion in high spirits. Paula volunteered to help with the donation, asking to be taught how to make sweets. Loretta and Magda were also very happy with the new sweets. And Molly... ''If we don''t produce more sugar ......, we''ll never have enough ......! She looked a little pale. You don''t have to take on all the work yourself, you know. There are several sugar factories in the three neighboring districts. There''s one in the forty-second district. But they''re not very productive yet. And as for Jeannette, ...... ''Mr. Yashiro. Please look forward to ...... today''s breakfast! He looked smiling. What he''s going to make is a secret, but ...... he''s working hard to prepare the scrap vegetables, so it''s pretty obvious. ...... Should I point it out or just leave it alone? ... Anyway, Jeannette. It''s like you totally heard the conversation between me and Molly yesterday. And almost the whole thing. ...... haha. Premonitions always come true when you want them to come true. 421-Additive-free Episode 76 begins to get lively42 wa... ''What a jerk you are. I didn''t know you still had such a great one in your stash. Estella, who joined us at the church, has been complaining ever since she ate the potatoes. It''s all over the place. ''If you have a problem with it, don''t eat it. ''I''m complaining about your secrecy. I don''t blame you for the potatoes, mooch. This guy ...... is starting to look a bit like Bertina, isn''t he? I hope you didn''t get infected while we were eating together at church. ''You''re trying to hide your big tits, aren''t you? ''Why do I have to hide them? ''Estella-san, I don''t think that''s what you should deny. Molly pointed out and Estella threw a potato into her mouth to cover it up. Don''t put so much in your mouth. I''m not going to take it. We can eat as many as we want later. Assunto paid for all the ingredients around here anyway. The cost of the trial production at the sunlit pavilion will be reimbursed and collected later. After the donation to the church, we came back to the restaurant and had a tasting session to discuss the event to follow. Bertina wanted to come as much as she could, but I left her at the church, promising to feed her properly later. There were some things I wanted her to do. ''Sister, I''m sure she''ll be here as soon as she''s ready. Pouring fresh tea into Estella''s cup, Ginette echoes Bertina''s sentiments, ''Because I can''t wait. No, maybe Ginette herself can''t wait. The unveiling of the sweets and the ghost competition. Currently, Estella''s waitresses are going around to each house to tell people about it. They said, "You can get the recipe for the sweets from the Sunlit Pavilion for free. They''re also telling people that a new confectionary will be given as the prize for excellence in the Obake competition. Estella says she expects a lot of participants. ''Tockliner! ''Tocklin'' no! The door of the sunlit pavilion was opened and two kids wearing sheets jumped in, shouting the name of the mysterious Italian. ''''Trick or treat,'''' they said. ''''That''s it!'''' ''''Don''t be a prude.'''' I grab the kid''s head through the white sheets and shake it wildly. ''''Whoa, whoa, I''m drunk!I''m drunk! These are the kids from the church, and they''re going to be on stage as an example of how to dress up before the ghost competition. The one I''m grabbing by the head is an eight-year-old man, and the other ghost is a six-year-old girl. ''Why me? ''Because it''s easier. ''That''s terrible!It''s favoritism! ''You idiot!Discrimination! ''That''s even worse! This is the way to treat a man of this age who has nothing to offer but energy and strength. Look. A six-year-old girl is this small. She''s lifting her arms and looking at me, but it''s not intimidating at all. ''Big brother Yashiro!Are you scared?Gah~! ''I''m afraid I''m going to be kidnapped. ......'' ''Don''t worry about that, big brother. Imelda is going to be there as well.'''' ''Hey Loretta. I''m not sure what to do.You are the guild leader of a large guild. Estella''s pretty decisive too. She''s so cute with a sheet over her head that you can''t see her face. It''s dangerous to dress up as a cat girl or a wolf girl. There could be more Javiers in this town. ''It''s very cute. ''No, Ginette, you''re not!I''m scared! ''Uh-huh. Well, if you make it more ''wow'', it might be scary.'' ''Wah~! ''Giggle.'' The ghost girl raised her hands in a pouncing gesture. The sheet lifted up, revealing her tiny legs. Ginette can''t stop laughing, can she? ''Hey, guys. Can you see what''s in front of you?'' ''Yes!I''m fine! ''Is it hard to breathe? ''It''s a little hot. I''ve been running. ''Don''t run with the sheets on, it''s dangerous. ''Because, sweets! ''Didn''t Bertina tell you not to run?...... She''ll be mad at you later.'' ''Oh, ............ what, what, what am I going to do ......'' The ghost boy starts shaking. How can you scare a ghost? Is it Bertina who scares you the most? The ghosts are afraid of you because you''re a sister. I can make her go away. ''I can''t wait to see the other costumes. Ginette looks at the door expectantly. ''If they''re here, then there''s going to be a lot of little ghosts coming in. At the breakfast table, I suggested a little masquerade for the church kids. The matron''s aunts were amused and agreed to make the costumes I suggested by hand as soon as possible. The matrons were also very excited about Halloween, which I had overheard. ''We have a surplus of cloth and thread in the church right now, so it''s just perfect. Loretta had donated a large amount of cloth and thread to the church for the new children''s wardrobe and also for mending. The matron''s aunts were overjoyed and eager to make new clothes for the hamsters and kids. ''You secretly think you''re a good person. ''No, I''m not!My brothers and sisters tore the church kids'' clothes. So, in order to pay for it, I went to ...... and asked for a little bit more because I was sure they would do something like that in the future.'''' I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''Whoa!I''m embarrassed to be praised by the manager!I can''t sew by myself, so I just threw it to the matron. ...... In addition, when I told Ukrines about the situation, she gave me a big discount, so it didn''t hurt my pocket that much. So it''s not a big deal, says Loretta, but I don''t think it''s something you can do. I wonder why this guy gets embarrassed when he gets a normal compliment. He''s always asking for praise when he''s in a situation where he can''t give it. ''Hmph!''Hurunken! ''Mee-raaaa! ''Ke~ke~ke~ke~ketsu!''Ke~ke~ke~ke~ke! The little ghosts came pouring into the sunlit pavilion. But vampires don''t laugh at bloodsuckers! ''''You''re all very scary. ''''''Hahaha! We''re almost there. There were only a few ghosts that we could suggest, and it would take time to make costumes, so we couldn''t all dress up in costumes. Only the few who won the fierce rock-paper-scissors battle are wearing costumes. ''Yashiro-san''. Bertina slowly emerged from behind the kids. I knew she couldn''t wait for the sweets, so she came early. Just as I was thinking that... ''Nyaa! --Bertina opened her mouth with a cry. There were sharp fangs like a beast. ''Uh-huh. I made the fangs based on Yashiro''s idea. They look a little strange, but don''t you think they''ll turn out pretty? She must be very proud of her homemade fangs. Bertina is smiling at you. ...... is a good idea. ''Why the ''nyaa''? ''No, I thought the fangs were for cats. ''He''s a ghost, so he should sound scarier. ''Is that so?Well then, ......, meow! I was threatened. He bent the fingers of both hands open and brought them to the side of his face in a pose that a catgirl would do. ''Okay, let''s feed it! ''Yashiro-san. I think the direction of Halloween has shifted a bit. ''No problem, Jeannette, no problem. I''ll give candy to the girl in the cute costume and we''ll be friends. That''s what Halloween is all about, in a nutshell. ''Hi!University potatoes are ready! Paula comes out of the kitchen with a tray. She had practiced a little with the doughnuts and then made the potatoes. It was an easy dish for someone with Paula''s cooking skills, as long as she learned the recipe for the sauce. Ginette left it to me, too. ...... or rather, Jeannette has already started to improve the sauce. He must have had several ideas in his mind. He made a few prototypes in the church kitchen, and is still mixing sugar, sake, and soy sauce in a small dish. I''m also looking forward to seeing what kind of flavor the sweet potatoes will have. ''Yashiro-san. Trick or treat. Bertina the cat is pointing at the potatoes with a smile. Don''t point at me, point at me. Don''t prompt me. ''''Well then, it''s a performance fee for you to be on stage, and you can eat too. ''''''Yay!'''''' ''''It''s a sheet! Oh no, the ghost took the sheets. A normal six-year-old girl is eating a potato. ...... Or maybe it''s just that when the beastmen come out of the ghosts, I feel like I don''t need to wear a costume.I don''t know. Well, that''s what we think in Japan, but this is normal for these people. It''s a pity to treat them like ghosts. I''ll keep quiet. ''I like ......''. ''I want to eat it too! ''We want some too! At the door, there''s a crowd of kids from the church who lost the rock-paper-scissors battle. They seem to have followed Bertina. After this, they are going to go with us to the east field, the site of the field day. It is supposed to be an event in which the children play a leading role, so we have heard Bertina''s request for us to participate. ''Well, Mr. Yashiro. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, you can contact us at ....... Ginette is planning to give sweets to the kids somehow. But you''re not a very good planner, are you? You''re trying to say something plausible, but you''re so unsure of yourself that the end of your sentence is missing. d*mn. ''Hey, kids. Line ''em up. ''What''s that? ''Cuddle~? I''m not holding you. What are you trying to do, ''What, carry me? You''re trying to line up like that. I''m not. And Magda. Don''t join the line so casually. I''m not. ''Cause I gave these snacks to my kids as a performance fee. Wouldn''t it be unfair if they ate them without performing?'' ''No way? ''That''s cheating.'' ''I see. ......'' ''''So, if you guys are going to be on stage, you can eat too.'''' ''''''I''m up!'''''' All-out screaming by kids in the single digits is bad for the eardrums. Shut up, kids. That''s why I don''t like kids, me. You really like kids, don''t you, Yashiro? What are you talking about, Estella? I''m sure your optic nerves are worn out in proportion to your bust size. ''But, Yashiro-san. You don''t have a costume to dress up in, do you? ''There are costumes that can be made without a costume. Ginette, pass me that paint. In fact, cosmetics are gentler on the skin, but ...... the kid''s skin is invincible, so it''s a little better. The skin is plump and freshly pounded, so it doesn''t matter if it''s a little damaged. I''ll be fine for a day or so. So, I smeared paint all over my face. ''Ouch! ''That tickles! ''Scribble! ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san?What the hell are you doing at ......?'' Bertina makes a nervous noise as she watches the kids'' faces turn colorful. Ginette is also freaking out along with her. In the meantime, the first one''s face is painted. ''Hey, there''s the Three-Eyed Boy~'' ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!That''s scary! The ghost boy looked back at the kid''s face and his shoulders shook. The ghost boy''s shoulders shook. Just a little, because I drew a realistic third eye with vivid blood vessels in the eyeball. If you look at it from a distance, it will look 3D. I tried to show the technique of trick art without regret. ''You''re ...... really handy, aren''t you ......''. Estella puts the potato back on her plate and looks at the three-eyed boy. She looks into his forehead and lets out a gasp of admiration at the realism of his eyes. ''You can become a ghost just by drawing a little picture on your face like this. ''Do it for me too! ''Me too! The kids who lost the rock-paper-scissors battle crowded around. So, line ''em up. Oh, sure it''s not a hug, Magda steps away from the line. ''Ginette. When you made the tactile catsuit, do you have any leftover catsuits?'' ''Yes, I think I have it. I''ll bring it to you.'' ''Also, Magda. Get me a bow and arrow I don''t need from Use''s place. Just the broken ones.'' ''...... Magda''s arrows are in her room if you want them.'' ''Did you ever use a bow? ''...... I was inspired to start practicing at the field day.'' Where and what inspired you? I heard that you want to master the technique that Ricardo demonstrated during the ball-juggling event, where he used a single ball to knock away two balls. Medora told him that in order to do so, he needed to have the shooting skills to accurately hit a moving target. ''Magda ......, are you admiring Ricardo ......?'' ''......No matter how much Yashiro says or does, we cannot tolerate his trampling on Magda''s honor. I''m asking you to take it back. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t do what Ricardo can. ''I see. I don''t want Ricardo to look like an a**h*le.'' ''...... Yeah. Ricardo. ''That ...... is not the way to talk about the lords of other districts.'' ''Oh, I''m fine, Molly. It happens all the time.'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Molly must have the kindness of a saint to be so concerned about Ricardo. So, at the end of her intense training, she received an arrow with a tattered feather and a cracked arrow shaft. ...... What kind of intense training did you do? ''Yashiro-san. Are you okay with this?'' ''Oh, thank you. As I waited while applying ghost makeup to the kids'' faces, Ginette brought me a catsuit. ''''Wow, everyone''s got scary faces. ''''Wow~!Gah~!'''' ''''giggle. It''s going to be hard to go to the bathroom at night.'''' Ginette shakes her shoulders as she looks at the kid who painted his face purple with upturned eyes and a mouth slit up to his ears, and the kid who painted his face white with gray cheeks and purple eyes in the style of Japan''s Very Famous Demon Lord. Yeah. This demon can be used in other worlds. It''s so perfect. So, if the kid is old enough to put up with color on his face without scrubbing it off, then makeup is fine, but there''s a two-year-old kid in the church. But we have a two-year-old boy in the church. He is also at an age where if he doesn''t like something, he doesn''t like it. So I can''t let him wear makeup. He''ll get his hands all over it and then he''ll put it in his mouth. So I''ll make him a simpler costume. Break off a damaged arrow and fasten it to either side of the catsuit. Put it on the kid''s head and-- ''Look, there''s an arrow stuck in your head~'' ''Ha-ha-ha!That''s so cute! ''It looks like it''s really stuck in his head. Hmm. Oh my God, what should I do? Estella is laughing hysterically, and Ginette is holding her mouth and giggling. Seeing everyone laughing, a two-year-old kid smiles happily. ''Hey, how''s it going? The kid turns to Bertina and asks with sparkling eyes. Bertina smiled and nodded, gently patting the head where the arrow had pierced. ''Yes. It''s very scary and very pretty. ''Ehehe! She seems to like it. It''s a standard item in Japan, and it''s rather a dangerous item that keeps slipping off the whole time you''re wearing it, but it will be popular for the time being in this town where it''s perceived as a novelty. It''s especially funny when the kids are happy to wear it. ...... Well, I just hope that the old people who don''t know what''s going on don''t get so surprised that their hearts stop beating, though a little part of me thinks that. ''This way, even young children who can''t dress up can easily participate. Apparently, Bertina is under the impression that if you can''t dress up, you can''t get candy. I don''t think you need to wear a costume to go around with them, but perhaps it''s because it''s their first time participating in this event. ''Shall I ask Ukrines to mass produce this? ''Instead, why don''t you leave it to the woodworkers?We don''t have to stick with the catsuit. There are woodworkers who craft long handles, baskets, and architectural structures. If you can bend a piece of wood into a catsuit, let them do it for you. In addition to arrows, I want variations like axes and knives. ''If we''re going to use knives, maybe the Hardware Guild? ''Real ones would be dangerous. Fake ones are fine. As long as it looks like one.'' I don''t care if it''s blatantly fake. Even if the quality is like a plaything. ''Ukrines will be busy for sure, so don''t bring in too much work. ''I guess so. ''If you''re going to ask her to do something, have her make a baby hat with demon tentacles and demon horns. ''Like this,'' said Estella, drawing an illustration of the image, ''if I show this to Ukrines, she''ll definitely make it,'' she said, putting the illustration in her pocket with a certain certainty. ''In a pocket with great storage capacity! ''What do you mean! ''...... Estella. What Yashiro is trying to say is that there is more space in the chest than average ......'' ''I know what you mean, so don''t bother telling me, Magda! Magda is making a face like ''hmm''. She looks like she''s trying to tell you something. It''s adorable. It''s the kind of look that could build three houses if you showed it to Umaro. ''Now the kids who can''t stand up can participate. ''If all you have to do is put on makeup, it''s easy for children from families with no money to participate. ''I''m very happy that everyone in the church can participate together. These are the thoughts of Ginette, Molly and Bertina. They love children and are happy to be in their shoes. It''s okay to go to ....... Why are you all looking at me like that? Don''t look at me like that. ''Really, Yashiro, the child is ......''. ''That''s a misunderstanding, so don''t say anything else. I''ll keep the information confidential. I''m simply trying to make the event a success. If Halloween is a success, sweets will spread and take root in the 42nd district, and people will be able to eat them here and there without having to prepare them at the Sunshine Pavilion. Then Jeannette will be able to ...... do whatever she wants. I don''t know. And you know what? If you''re satisfied with a 9Rb red bean paste donut, you''ll lose money per customer. You eat a meal and buy an an-donut as a snack. That''s about right. ''Listen, Estella. This is a way to raise the price per customer and make a net profit .......'' ''Ah, yes, that''s right.'' She''s not listening to me at all! What a lord! How dare he not listen to the good people! I''m going to stuff her mouth full of potatoes. ...... Oh, and I''d like some marshmallows, too. I feel like squeezing them in to see how many I can fit. ''Hey, Jeannette. Do you know what gelatin is?'' ''Gelatin, sir? ''What''s that?Zera-chin? ''How dare you pop up at the wrong time, you walking toxic library! Regina appeared from behind Jeannette as if she was growing. Don''t add one more letter. One letter difference makes a big difference in impression. Well, it''s probably on purpose! ''Hammaro came to me saying, "A favor from the manager..."'' ''Did you ask him to do something? ''Yes. Food coloring. I thought if I made the potatoes colorful, it would look like a ghost candy. What a surprise. Ginette seems to understand Halloween completely now. In Japan too, there was a lot of colorful popcorn and marshmallows on sale. ''Let''s try to make colorful popcorn. ''...... That''s good. Leave it to Magda, she''s sure to succeed.'' ''Well, you and Loretta can help me with that.'' ''...... Mm.'' ''I''ll take care of it! If we add some color to the honey we put on the popcorn, it will turn blue or red. Molly rolls her eyes as she sees the members of the Sunlit Pavilion suddenly come to life. ''It''s amazing. So this is how new things are born one after another. ''They''re so unprincipled, these guys. ''Haha, you say that, Yashiro? I will. Of course I will, Estella. It''s always the people around me who get more excited than I do. I''m just giving them a chance. ''So, what kind of obscene stuff are you planning to make with your naked dick? ''Don''t use the wrong word with a confident look on your face, okay?It''s gelatin. It''s used like agar, but the ingredients are different. Ginette, have you ever heard of it?'' ''Not for me, no. Have you heard of it, Mr. Assunto? If Jeannette doesn''t know about it, there''s a chance it''s not in this city. I''ll ask Assunto about it. It''s made by boiling down the skin of a pig or cow and extracting the animal protein. ...... If you talk to the cattleman, he might be able to make it for you. Meat seems to be struggling with the meat of Hexenbiests, so if you can make some extra income, I''m sure they''d be willing to do it. ''If it''s valuable, they''ll cooperate. During the field day, there was a dispute with the hunting guild about the amount of meat to be shipped. ...... If that can be alleviated even a little, it would be good for me. Well, the squabbling there is like a tradition. I don''t think it''s going to go away even if the cowherd makes a profit. It''s even possible that they''ve reached the point where they feel uncomfortable if they don''t fight each other. ''Do you want to go with me after today''s event? ''You''re coming too? ''As for me, it would be convenient if the conflict between the cowherd and the hunting guild is eased. That''s why Estella and I decided to go see the cowherd later. Cows. ...... must be smelly. In my mind, I remembered the scene of the farm we went to on a field trip when I was in elementary school. ''A cow! I remember getting excited and then losing it. The smell of their feces is very strong. The smell of their feces is very strong. ...... Well, I''m sure it''s full of nutrition. ''Sorry, please ......''. While the floor is filled with people talking about Halloween costumes and candy, a reserved, slightly frightened voice blends in. As I looked, I saw two young sisters standing hand in hand at the entrance. They were ten and five years old,......? The younger one has straight little horns and a gentle face. They both have long ears and a black line running from their eyes to their chin. I''ve seen that face before. ............ Oh, it''s a gazelle. Thomson''s gazelle. These gazelle-like sisters and brothers looked at the kids on the floor wearing make-up and let out a squeal. They let out a squeal. ''Oh, no. That''s Thomson''s kitchen. Ginette notices the gazelle sisters and runs up to them. They seem to know each other. ''Um, Sunlit Pavilion ......, .......'' ''These are the children of the church. There''s no need to be afraid. Ginette smiled at her siblings, who were glancing at the ghosts, and brought them up to eye level. ''Which kid is this? ''They''re the kids from a restaurant called Thomson''s Kitchen, which is a member of the Food and Beverage Guild. I''ve met them a few times. There''s a restaurant on the east side of town. See? Ginette asked, and the siblings gave small nods of approval. Thomson is the name of the founder and the father of the siblings. Thomson of Thomson''s Gazelle? How easy to understand. ''So you''re Gazelle people.'' ''Yes. But Mr. Thomson is a Noonian. Only Thomson is a gnu, not a Thomson gazelle! It''s so complicated! ''Does the child of a Nootian and a Gazelle become a Gazelle? ''Let''s see... ...... The beast traits are inherited from one of the parents, so the beast traits determine what race you are. It seems that beast traits don''t mix. There is no such thing as a dog and a zebra becoming a striped dog. If I marry a beastman and his child has chemo ears, it means he is a beastman. Well, it''s normal if you think about it. It seems that there is no such thing as a half-breed, even though sisters and brothers may be of different races. ''So, what can I do for you? It''s hard to imagine two sisters of ten and five years old coming to eat at a restaurant. If they are neighbors, but if they have a restaurant on the east side, it''s quite far from the Sun Goddess Pavilion. In addition, they are new customers. If he is a customer, he would come with his parents. If he is not, then he must have some business to attend to. ''That ......! My sister clenched her fists as if she had made up her mind and turned her gaze to Jeannette. She squats down, stares at Jeannette at eye level, and tries her best to spit out the words that seem to be stuck in the back of her throat. ''Please teach me how to make donuts! ''Please!'' Following his sister, his younger brother also bowed his head. I could feel the desperation in his eyes. ''Um, ......'' Ginette turned to face me with a troubled look on her face. The recipe for the doughnuts is to be made public, and there is no problem in teaching it. Even Paula is currently practicing. However, the young siblings are so desperate that I''m a little amused. ''The recipe will be available at today''s event, and we''re planning to teach those in the restaurant industry how to make it separately. ''Really?I''m glad to hear that. My sister looked deeply relieved. ''But we''ll be using oil, so you''ll have to come with your parents. Even Magda and Loretta were in danger of splashing oil. You can''t teach kids alone. There has to be a proper guardian. More importantly, a workshop for people in the food and beverage industry requires a level of perfection that is acceptable as a "product". If it is just a kid''s helper, you are in trouble. It would be meaningless to have the owner of the restaurant, the head chef, or an equivalent person come to the workshop. However, ...... ''......Mom, I''m busy. ............'' The sisters and brothers nodded their heads and dropped their shoulders. There seemed to be some reason for this. ''Yes, of course. ......'' Ginette also seems to know the situation and shows a somber expression. And then, she shows a pretense of twisting her head to see if she can somehow help the young siblings. ''So, let''s hold a doughnut class for the two of you some other time. I''ll make them with you, so please tell your mother that. ''Yes!Thank you very much! ''Thank you! My sister''s expression, which was clearly trying to be tough, softened. When Jeannette held out her pinky finger, she happily intertwined them and cut her fingers. The Gazelle sisters bowed their heads one last time and waved their hands as they left the sunlit pavilion. Ginette, who was watching them go, waited for them to stop waving and asked them. ''What happened to that house there? ''Actually, earlier this year, .......'' He closes his mouth once, swims his gaze as if searching for words, and then opens his mouth with concern. ''Mr. Thomson had an accident. ......'' ''I see.'' I didn''t ask any more questions. His mother must be running the store now, having lost her mainstay. That''s probably not going so well. That''s why she''s trying to help the business by learning how to make red bean paste doughnuts. ...... ''But if all the other stores start making red bean donuts at the same time, you won''t be able to make as much profit as you want. ''Yes, that would be .......'' I want to help you if I can. That''s how I feel. But it''s not our job to do that. We can''t save everyone in trouble. Ginette seems to have learned that lesson, and no longer offers a helping hand to those who are in need. But her face tells me that she wants to do something about it. ''If you''re going to hold a special class, you should teach them something that will make them stand out from the rest. Ginette''s downcast look was detrimental to the profits of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''If we can successfully differentiate ourselves from others, we can continue to maintain a certain level of profit.'' ''Yes. That''s right. So, this is necessary advice for the management of YODAMARI-TEI. ''...... Thank you, Yashiro-san.'' I told you, there''s no need to thank me like that. ''Well, if I do my part, I might be able to manage this store, too. Regina, who was sitting on a nearby chair picking a college potato, looked up at me and said with a gentle smile. ''I''m going to take off my skin and give you a naked cock-like service to increase customer satisfaction--! I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. A black pharmacist who doesn''t like the sun is thrown out into the sunlight. She was squirming in the sun, but I didn''t care and closed the door. Really. I''m pretty sure he''s the biggest monster in town. 422-Episode 77 is ready. ''Everything is ready,'' Natalia said as she arrived at the sunlit pavilion, not long after the Gazelle sisters had left. ''It''s so early. I thought it would take a little longer. ''Yes, sir. I also thought it would take a little longer, but we succeeded in getting the cooperation of the hunting guild and the lumberjack guild, and things went much more smoothly than I expected.'''' ''Hmm?A hunting guild and a lumberjack guild? Hearing Natalia''s report, Estella raised her eyebrows. Natalia, on the other hand, seemed to have a glow to her skin. ''Thanks to their help in escorting us to the planned port and preparing the road to get there, we''ve been able to catch a lot of snow crabs! ''What kind of preparations are you talking about! ''What''s for dinner today? ''Can you give us a report on the Obake Competition site! ''Umaro-san will take care of it.'' ''Throw the whole thing! Yesterday, when I said to Umaro, who was eating a crab, ''I don''t mind if it''s not you, but I need some carpenters to help me set up the venue,'' he said, ''There''s no one better than me! I can''t think of anyone more qualified than me!'' He rolled up his sleeves and said, ''I''m sure you''ll have a very enthusiastic venue. I''m sure you''ll be very excited about the venue,......, but don''t slack off on your work, head waiter. You are in a position to take command and oversee. I''ve heard that Masha and Delia went to the planned port with the sea fishing guild. They''re going to participate in the event together once the fishing is over. ''Report! Three hamsters jumped into the sunny pavilion. ''The setup for the event and the cooking space are complete! ''The peddlers'' guild is on the move! ''Mr. Ukrines, you''ve been working so hard that you''ve lost two kilos in one night! ''Are you alright, Ukrines? I''m getting some very unsettling information! Well, if you''re as chubby as Ukrines, you can lose that much if you forget about dinner and immerse yourself in ......?Anyway, when the event is over, I''ll invite you to the launch and feed you crabs. ''And by the way...'' ''From the Lumberjack Guild! ''SOS! The three hamsters raise their hands in the air and say something like that. SOS? But, ''incidentally''? Is it urgent or not? ...... As I was thinking this, a slender, gaunt Imelda walked unsteadily into the sunlit pavilion. As soon as she sat down in front of Estella, she glared at Jeannette and said loudly. ''Please treat me to a delicious meal on Estella''s tab! ''Wait a minute, Imelda!Why me?'' ''Estella-san ......, shall I tell you a story about the most horrible monster in the world?I''ll tell you the story of ''Fear, Pampering and Crying'' ......'' ''Oh, yeah, I''m sorry. You can eat what you want. Imelda had taken care of the two most annoying people last night. A drunken Norma and Lucia, two huge landmines at the same time! You should at least buy them dinner. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who can''t afford to go home. ...... ''You''re in a lot of trouble, Imelda. ''I feel like I can laugh at any scary story I hear today. Imelda, who is scared of ghosts and has a fear of them, said ...... ''I knew alcohol was scary. ''I''d like to tell you the naked story of the two of you last night at the competition and ...... keep you from getting married forever. ''Imelda. I''ll give you the VIP treatment this time, don''t be so rough. What?What, Estella? ''Uh, yes!I think Imelda is the reason for Halloween, me too. I knew I should''ve left one or the other out. Even I can''t be bothered with both of them at once. ''Oh, ...... no, but ...... Masha was a pain in the ass, wasn''t she? ''So, we''ll exchange tonight--'' ''I''m sorry, Imelda!I''m really sorry. Natalia will be drinking tonight. There is no way Estella can handle this alone. ''Maybe we need to restrict the entry of people with a certain amount of power. How many times a month? ''Or maybe a limit of forty-two wards, no more than one person per day.'' Maybe Ricardo''s not coming because Lucia''s here. It''s hard enough to deal with all the lords and guild leaders at once. ''Your father looked like a ...... real person. ''It must have been pretty bad,......, yesterday.'' That Javier is now a real man. ...... Javier doesn''t seem to be changed by alcohol, and he''s a legitimate responsible person if [his favorite food] isn''t involved. If only [my favorite] wasn''t involved. ''So, where and what are those two problem girls doing now? ''They''re sleeping in the guest room of our house. I''ve told the people at home to wake them up and have them ready by the time the event starts, so they''ll show their faces soon enough. Imelda wanted to get out of that house anyway. Come on, Jeannette. Serve Imelda something delicious and sweet. Well, maybe it''s because I was so casual about it, like ''Imelda won''t mind'', but my conscience is killing me! So this is what guilt feels like~. ...... I''m sorry, Imelda. ''I''ll be responsible for stopping Javier from breathing on your behalf. ''That''s what''s going to happen once the event starts, but ...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''Are you sure you want to ...... stab him in the back? Molly''s cheeks twitch as she brings in a college potato. Molly. You should at least understand the celebrities in your ward. That old man is on his last legs. ''Big brother, curry doughnuts, we''ve got the numbers. ''...... is also ready.'' Loretta emerges from the kitchen and Magda from the garden at the same time. We''re all going to the field today, so we''ll be operating out of the Sunken Pavilion. Since Estella is here, permission to open the restaurant was quickly granted. ''Then I''ll take the day off'', she said, ''and the permission will be granted soon. Estella is the kind of person who basically wants to eat at the restaurant. Magda was setting up the okonomiyaki stall. The menu this time was curry donuts, okonomiyaki, and lots of rice balls. Since we were going to be demonstrating sweets, we thought you might want to eat something salty and spicy, so that''s what we did. We are also planning to have chan-chan-yaki at the 7th branch. Since Delia and Masha will be there, I''m thinking of grilling seafood. ''Well, let''s head out when you''re ready. ''Yes, sir. Ginette nodded enthusiastically as she stuffed a large container full of white rice. There was a smaller wooden bucket on top of the pot. I casually opened the lid to find it filled with ...... scrap vegetables. ''No,......, I was wondering if you''d like some to go with your rice balls,......, because vegetables are good for you! I ate stir-fried scraggly vegetables in the morning too. ...... ''Well,......, Molly said it was delicious,.......'' Ginette glanced at me and averted her gaze. What do you mean ''Molly'' too...... I feel like I''m being asked, ''You thought it was delicious, didn''t you? I feel like I''m being asked. I usually call Ginette''s cooking ''delicious'', but this time, just today, I found it strangely difficult to say ''delicious''. That''s why I didn''t say it. ...... Oh, so I made you feel uneasy. ''Yes, you''re right. I''m sure everyone will say it''s delicious. ...... This morning''s was delicious, too.'' ''Kyun ............! You''re asking for it, but the more you say it, the more embarrassed you get. What do you want me to do? ...... ''Let''s bring a little more! ''Enough!That''s enough for me!If it''s not enough, I''ll buy it from Assunto! You don''t need to worry about scraggly veggies in the first place, it''s easier to make a regular stir-fry, and it''s more popular! ''...... Yashiro. In moderation. ''I was a little concerned about the manager''s lack of energy, but you can''t have too much energy. ......'' ''...... Hmm. The manager is a natural who appears to be decent at first glance. It''s a shame that he looks so solid. ''I know exactly what you mean. We''ve known about Jeannette since before she was solid. It''s not just that one screw is missing, it''s that there are so many screw holes that aren''t tightened that I''m confused. It''s only recently that he''s started to get it together. But it seems that Magda and Loretta have sensed that Ginette is not well. It seems that Jeannette needs to be cooked after all. ...... Looking at her current state today, it seems that letting her cook too much is also a problem. I remember when I was praised, I became the kind of girl who cooks all the time. The tragedy of the beef cutlet and the uprising of the mabo eggplant are still fresh in my memory. ''Hey, Yashiro! Estella muttered, staring at the big rice bowl. ''Do you make onigiri on the ground? ''Yes. If you think about hygiene, it is better to make them in the sunny pavilion and only sell them on the ground. But they don''t get sick from a little bit of food, and we''re making it on the grounds. If you are aware of this situation and decide to buy it, you can be sure that you are prepared for a little bit of trouble. ...... although I will be very careful. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Onigiri stand? I''ll explain! ''It''s a revolutionary service where beautiful women line up at the counter and you can have your favorite girl make you a rice ball with your favorite ingredients with her bare hands! ''......, I thought you were focusing on events, but you come to make money where you can, don''t you? Of course! In addition to Bertina and the other major beautiful girls from the 42 districts, there are also Masha, Gilberta, and Molly in this event. You can find a lot of different types, so it''s normal to want to sell your favorite handcrafted girl at a high price. ''I''ll make Lucia make onigiri as punishment for causing trouble. ''Wouldn''t you be ...... reserved about homemade by the lord of another ward?'' ''No, I''m a B-cup before that. ......'' ''That has nothing to do with it, does it! ''No, I''m not. I''m not sure what to do with it.No, rather! I''ll take Jeannette''s rice ball. ''It''s a rice ball! Oh, no. I should have demanded it at the last minute, in a natural way, instead of stating my ambition. ''Yes, onigiri, I''m looking forward to it. ''Ginette, you''d better stay away from Yashiro today!I''ve never seen such a level of ''Face planning something bad'' in my life. ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette puffed out her cheeks. Behind her, Bertina is smiling a little happily. I''d like to try it. I don''t know if I can make a good onigiri, but...'' I was about to say, ''What, not rice balls? I tried to say that, but she stared at me. He smiled. Okay. I''ll shut up. But I''m sure the kids will be happy to eat Bertina''s homemade rice balls. I''m sure the ...... old men will flock to it. ''Okay, we''re ready. Let''s go! ''''''Oh!'''''' The Obake kids shake their fists vigorously, and the group of the sunny pavilion, which has become quite a large group, departs. As they pulled their stalls and marched happily along, they drew a lot of attention. On the main street, I was pointed at and gossiped about. People in the city, who had probably heard only rumors of Halloween, were smiling happily. They seemed to have understood that this was the atmosphere. Unintentionally, we crossed the forty-second district, advertising Halloween, and arrived at the ground where the event would take place. ''Umaro, you''ve put in a lot of effort .......'' ''I''ve experienced setting up a show like this a few times. You get used to it. On the ground, there was a magnificent set that looked like a public television recording. It was a gorgeous stage, too gorgeous to be an event just to listen to the creative ghost stories of ordinary people. ''I''ve prepared a stone tablet and a stone brush over here. A large chalkboard and a stone that could be used to write letters like chalk were set up on the stage. Apparently, I listened to him and drew an illustration of the image here, and Becko copied it on the paper and colored it. It seems that Becko is practicing to create something from an image, and is eager to test the result. It might be interesting to see how the color scheme turns out. You can make up your own ghosts with your own ideas. ''That''s the kitchen. There was no water, so I installed a modified version of the filtration system I made before. The lumberjacks, hunters, and river fishermen''s guilds brought in a lot of water. Huge bottles of water are lined up in the kitchen. They are divided into those for filtered food and drink and those for washing dishes. ''The cooking area is also easy to see, isn''t it? Although it is separate from the stage, the cooking area is also designed to be seen. The cooking area is separate from the stage, but it is designed so that the audience can see the cooking process. ''Tell them that I tried to make it easy to see and cook in the kitchen, referring to the kitchen that I built for the luxury of the 40th district. ''Because, Jeannette. ''Yes. I heard you.'' Umaro, who never takes his eyes off me. I wonder when this guy is going to grow up. ''...... Yashiro. I''ll set up the stall for the sunlit pavilion over there. ''Oh, please. The stalls of the Sunlight Pavilion will be set up alongside the cooking area. It''ll make it easier for us to come and go. Me, too, Ginette. In addition, you might not get caught if you use the ingredients provided by the peddler''s guild in the cooking area at the sunken pavilion. Yeah. Good positioning. ''Ladybug-san''. While I was checking the facilities in the kitchen, Milly came over. She was carrying a tote bag-sized basket on her shoulder. ''Are you dressed as the church children?It was so cute! Her big eyes twinkled as she spoke enthusiastically about how cute the costumes were. What is this cute creature? I want to take it home with me. ''Oh, that''s right. She holds out the basket from her shoulder to me. ''I''ve brought something that the waiter at Estella''s place asked me to bring. ...... Is this okay? The basket was filled with princess apples. You can make candy apples with this. ''Can I have a taste of one?'' ''Hmm. It''s small, but it''s sweet. Millie was right, the princess apple was small but sweet, much sweeter than a normal apple. ''They''re small, but they''re ripe. ...... You''re just like Millie! ''No, it''s not. ''Oh, I see. Millie''s not an adult yet, is she? ''No, I''m not!I mean, Millie''s not this small! Princess Millie. Oh, no!I want one! ''If there was a Miri this size, I''d catch her and bring her home.'' ''Oh, don''t bring it back to ............, there aren''t any Miri this small! Oh, so there aren''t any. Too bad. ''Since you brought so many, let''s try to make some other recipes than the ones we''re going to publish today. ''I''ll help you! ''I''m looking forward to it! Ginette and I made apple pastry together, quietly removing the similar mother-daughter, the one who specialized in eating, from the kitchen. Millie is also going to help me. Or rather, she''s interested in what kind of sweets we can make. ''Magda. Go get Assunto and get me some chocolate and cinnamon.'' ''...... congrats''. Magda runs off quietly, leaving behind a phrase rarely heard even in Japan. ...... I''m not going to say anything else. Magda is that kind of girl. I''m not sure what to do. Stick a chopstick-sized bamboo skewer into an apple, dip it in melted sugar, spin it around, coat it evenly, take it out and let it cool, and it becomes a crispy candy. This one is fine even if the apple is crunchy. In the meantime, Magda returned with Assunto. Hollow out the core of the princess apple and fill it with butter, honey and sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake the apples. It would be easier if we had an oven or a burner, but we don''t, so we roast them steadily in the kiln. As the apples become soft and pliable, they begin to emit a sweet aroma. Then, pour the melted chocolate over the apples. You can''t dip the apple in the chocolate because the body will collapse. The apples are completely coated with the chocolate. After it is coated with chocolate, make a mold from a thin steel plate that you asked Assunto to make, and make jack-o-lantern-like eyes and mouths with candy. The colored candy was poured into the molds for the eyes and mouths, formed, and pasted on the surface, and the ghost apples were ready. Three apples with faces are lined up in a row. ''This is so cute. ''It takes a lot of work, though. It''s a lot of work and a lot of dishes to wash. If you divide the work by parts, it will be easier. You could be in charge of the eyes and mouth, or the baked apple. In any case, I hope all the neighbors have fun with it. ''Halloween is much more fun with these elaborate sweets. ''Certainly, children would be delighted to see such sweets. ''But it''s a hassle to make and a hassle to eat. To be honest, it''s a little difficult to eat such ghost sweets. Because, you know, a whole apple covered with chocolate and attached to a candy cane? You can''t eat it in one bite, and even if you try to bite into it, you''ll get it dirty somehow, and if you try to cut it, you''ll have a hard time getting it out of shape. It''s a candy that prioritizes appearance. It has something in common with candy apples. ''But this looks like it will sell well! Assunto is very lively. ''So, how do you make this? ''As you can see, it''s tedious but simple, so you can spread the word. When I told him that, he was almost jumping for joy. His nose is all puffed up. I think Assunto might be having the most fun on Halloween. Even if I were to publish the recipe, I''m afraid it would be difficult to choose the right person to make the apples, since they''re a pain to make and the finished product won''t look good unless you''re handy. ''Yashiro~'' Estella comes to the kitchen with Natalia. It seems that she was having a meeting with the people who were setting up, but it seems that it''s over. ''There''s a very sweet smell ......!What is this, cute! ''Well, let''s make it the winner''s prize. ''Good idea. I''m sure everyone will want one of these. ''It tastes like a chocolate-covered baked apple, though. ''Haha. Well, I guess that''s okay, it''s normal. In the past, most of the new menu items at YODAMARI-TEI have been surprising to look at and impressive to eat, but this time, the sweets are just plain. They are not beyond your imagination. Therefore, you can make them as you like at home. ''Oh, that''s right. It''s an event, but we''re going to have a demonstration of sweets first, and then a ghost competition. ''You''re trying to motivate the participants by showing them the product first. ''Heh, you''re right. It''ll be more exciting. It''s a safe choice. They can jump in and join in with the sweets. ''Well then, Ginette, Magda, Loretta, Paula, take care of yourself. As promised, Paula and the three girls from the sunlit pavilion practice how to make doughnuts. The jam, cream, and peanut butter will be purchased from the peddler''s guild, and I will teach you how to make red bean paste doughnuts and curry doughnuts. In the meantime, Molly and I will prepare tortoiseshell candies, calumet baked goods, and college potatoes. We''re going to deep-fry the sweet potatoes to make them look like ''here''s a deep fried sweet potato''. It''s a lot of work to show it off. I''ll teach you how to make candy apples, too, it''s easy. As I was preparing, many of my acquaintances who had been scattered about began to gather. Masha, who was being pushed by Delia in a water tank cart to show off her great catch, arrived, and Javier and Use joined her. These guys must be the team that had been out since morning catching crabs for dinner. Oh, Javier''s face is so happy. Are you that excited about the crabs? ''Yashiro. Is there anything I can help you with?'' ''Well, as Magda''s assistant, I''d like you to make the devil''s popcorn.'' ''Devil''s popcorn? It''s just caramel and honey popcorn colored with food coloring. After a bit of experimenting, I found that red, blue, purple, and green were beautifully colored. It''s a good looking popcorn. Not long after, Norma, looking a little pale, and Lucia, looking quite healthy, arrive together. Gilberta is doing just fine. ''......My head hurts. ............'' Norma seems to have a hangover. ''Are you okay, Norma?Do you want me to fluff your tail?'' ''That''s only good for you. ......'' Perhaps it was the effects of the hangover, or perhaps it was the fact that he''d spent the night drinking, but Norma''s attitude towards Lucia had become quite lax. You can tell when you''ve spent the night together. Lucia has no need to be reserved. ''I get drunk easily and wake up easily, Lucia-sama. ''That''s a good thing. It''s a ...... good thing. ''I agree, me too. However, it''s not so easy for the people around me. They get drunk quickly, make a lot of noise, and are fine on their own the next day. If it were me, I''d be so annoyed I''d probably punch him. ''Anchovy. Can I help you with something? ''It would be most helpful if you returned to District 35 right now. ''It''s impossible! ''It shouldn''t be impossible! ''In fact, I don''t think it''s possible, to bring Lucia back, in front of such a joyous event. It''s only Lucia''s feelings, isn''t it? ''Oh!What''s this, an anchovy?Aren''t they cute!Do you want me to take it? ''What kind of a jerk are you? What''s mine isn''t yours. ''That''s a prize. It''s not for you. If you really want it, you''ll have to wait until Halloween or win the competition.'' ''Hmm, interesting. Then I''ll join you in that competition! This guy knows the rules, doesn''t he? ''There is a horrible demon lore in the 35th district. ...... Don''t be scared, anchovy.'' ''Don''t let the aristocrat''s lady say ''chibi''.'' ''Once upon a time, a girl from the Bug People tribe who was playing alone at dusk suddenly disappeared. ......'' ''Isn''t that you, the culprit? ''You idiot!In my case, I''ll get permission from her parents before I kidnap her! ''Don''t you dare kidnap me! ''I want to kidnap her! I want to kidnap her!'' What kind of parent would say, ''Go ahead''? The girl was kidnapped by a demon called ''Shadow''. ...... A long, eerie shadow demon appears at the feet of the little girl and drags her into its dark shadows. I see. It''s a ghost story inspired by the shadows that grow at dusk. Even small children have long shadows at dusk. Sometimes longer than their own height. So it is a cautionary tale to teach children that such a phenomenon is uncanny and that it is dangerous to play outside until the time when the shadows grow. It''s very well done, isn''t it? ''How about it, are you surprised?Give me that pretty candy.'' ''Talk on the stage. Not now.'' ''Why didn''t you tell me that first?Oh, my God!You''ve wasted my time and effort!I''m claiming compensation!Give me the Miry-tan rubbing ticket! ''Huh!I can''t, I can''t, I can''t!'' Millie grabbed me by the hem and hid behind me. I knew it was this guy who kidnapped the Bug People, didn''t I? ''Lucia-san. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Hey, Estella. Why did you leave me out? I''m the one you should be worried about. ''Hmm... Oh well. From the way you''re reacting, I''d say you''re on the right track. Speaking on stage in public is my specialty. I''ll make it a little more interesting and put the people of the 42nd district into a state of fear. ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web page. I''m not sure if ...... it''s safe.I''m not sure what to do. In contrast to my anxiousness, Estella leaked a smile as she looked away from Lucia as she moved away. ''''Hmm. I hope we get to hear a lot of fun stories like we just did.'''' ''I guess so. I hope we don''t overlap.'' ''Oh, ......, that''s hard to say.'' Even if you practice hard, you''ll be disappointed if your stories overlap. I''ll just have to ask the spirit gods to pray for me. ''Yashiro-sama, Estella-sama. It''s time to go. The announced start time was fast approaching. Before I knew it, the venue was filled with many of the local residents. There were many parents and children in attendance. If this many people can participate, I guess we can call the first event a success. As for the content of the event, ...... can be made as lively as you like. Basically, most people are very friendly. Mr. Yashiro. Donuts are ready.'' As Ginette reported, Magda and the others exchanged glances and nodded at each other. ''Alright!We''re ready to go. Estella, I''ll leave the rest to your timing. ''Alright. Natalia, inform the relevant authorities. We''ll start the event in ten minutes. ''Yes, sir. As Natalia ran, a sense of urgency filled the kitchen. It''s supposed to be a casual event, but my heart is suddenly beating faster. All right, let''s make a splash. The venue is ready, and after Estella''s opening speech, the sweets demonstration begins as planned. The recipe for the rumored red bean paste doughnuts was being taught by the head chef, Ginette, so everyone''s eyes were serious, whether they were professionals or amateurs. Then he taught how to make jam doughnuts and cream doughnuts as variations, and after telling them that it was a little more difficult, he started to demonstrate curry doughnuts. Some took notes frantically. Some were impressed by his skill. Others simply admired the dish. While all sorts of eyes were watching, the various donuts were completed. Afterwards, I explained how to make tortoiseshell candy, calumet pancakes, and college sweet potatoes, showing them to them as I had done at the Sundaemari-tei. The audience cheered when the calumet dumplings swelled up. Mm-hmm. A good response. After the college potatoes, I showed them how to make candy apples, and then unveiled today''s winning prize, the obake apple. The kids were excited and the adults let out a gasp at the shape. The cute, visually appealing snack had a good feel to it. When it was announced that this was to be presented to the winner of today''s competition, those who had planned to participate in the competition began to raise their eyebrows, and some of those who had not planned to participate began to declare their intention to participate. And this is where the demonstration of sweets ended: ...... ''Ah, gentlemen! I went up to the stage and called out to the people in the hall. ''Isn''t it a little ...... hard to be shown all these sweets and not be able to eat them? The room buzzed. Even if you publish the recipe, it is difficult to judge whether you have recreated the original taste if you cannot understand it. So here it is. ''''During the competition, we will offer these sweets at a special price. ''''''Ooooh! Mm-hmm. Sweets such as tortoise-shell candy and calumet baked goods, which are troublesome to make in the future at the Sun Goddess Pavilion, but don''t sell for a very high price, should be sold as limited items at times like this. They should be sold as limited edition products. You can only eat them now, so go ahead and splurge. I mean, the taste of these products is so ordinary that many people may buy them out of curiosity at first, but it is doubtful whether they will buy them a second time. Therefore, I''m going to make a lot of money right here and now!It''s a Sunlit Pavilion exclusive! ''As you can see, I can''t give up the first prize, the obake apple, but ......'' The number of apples is limited, so they can''t be made into a product. Too bad, d*mn it. ''Instead, we''ll be selling our special Halloween devil''s popcorn! At my signal, Magda and Delia ascend the stage, carrying crates. Then, showing the same fake fangs that Bertina is wearing, they open the lid of the crate. and open the lid of the crate. Then, from inside, popcorn of awful colors of bright red, bright blue, bright purple and bright green appears. The kids got excited and screamed at the sight of the two men with fangs and the popcorn in colors they had never seen before, and the venue became very lively. The adults also asked, "What''s that? What''s the flavor? They seemed to be interested in it. Yes, yes. It tasted ordinary, but I''m sure it would sell well at this event. Interest is an irresistible desire. Let''s take this chance and sell it off! ''Come on, gentlemen!Let''s watch the fun and exciting events that are about to begin, while eating some strange and scary treats!You kids, go to ......! ''Stay!Sweets! ''Mom, please buy some! ''Okashi! It''s nice to be honest. ''Yashiro ...... is really good at this kind of scheme, isn''t he? Estella''s eyes greeted me as I stepped off the stage. What are you talking about, Estella? It''s hard to overlook such an obvious bonus stage. Look at that long line of people. Look at the happy faces of those kids in line. And the parents who can''t resist those happy faces! ''Children really are angels, aren''t they? ''You can''t say that with your eyes the color of gold coins, that''s ......''. A child''s begging is a businessman''s friend, isn''t it? They are easily fooled by trivial things and beg for them. The combination of the festive atmosphere and the kids'' excitement will loosen the parents'' purse strings! It''s the same even in other worlds! I love kids! So, ......, huh. You can do whatever you want. I''m not doing anything illegal. I was just being a little overly aggressive. Well, I''m releasing the recipe for free. It''s not like I''m being punished for making this much money. So, the coins came flying in, and with a smile on my face, I was sure that today''s event would be a success. 423-Additional-free Episode 78 Obake Competition A.Mor... Apple pie and steamed sweet potato cake are very popular. I tried to make pumpkin pudding, but it didn''t sell as well as I expected, probably because it was not suitable for eating at the playground. I think I need a plastic container. If we could take it home, it would definitely sell more. In the event that you''ve got any questions, you''ll be able to contact us at any time. You can find a lot more information on the web at: ...... You''re abusing the prohibition of the Judgment of Spirits to the point that you''re about to be beaten into the church. I''m not sure what to do. According to Bertina, ''a lie without malice is a different kind of lie from a lie, so it can be interpreted as not being a lie at all. In short, ''words that are slightly different from the truth, uttered to entertain people, are not lies, but entertainment''. The "judgment of the spirits" is only activated when a person judges. The spirit seems to be that we should understand each other''s intentions in such matters, but if that''s the case, then please tolerate the lies I tell. I''m sure I''ll have a lot of fun with it. No? I guess. d*mn. Ginette and the others are sitting in the audience, while Bekko and I are on the stage drawing illustrations. There is a large blackboard at the center back of the stage, and I am waiting there on a chair placed behind the narrator, a little to the lower side. There is a table and a chair on the lower side of the stage, along with a variety of art supplies. ...... Hmm?Oh, right. I thought Becco was a thing. Becco is sitting there, yeah. There''s a long table right in front of you under the stage, and that''s the judges'' table. This arrangement reminds me of the masquerade awards. Just because it''s a masquerade event doesn''t mean it''s a rip-off.Because Umaro designed it, right?This is what it would look like if I were here. No, seriously. But are you okay? It''s pretty nerve-wracking standing alone on stage in front of a jury. I hope the participants can speak well. --And while I was thinking about that, a bunch of little freaks came rushing onto the stage. It was the kids from the church. Bertina, the leader of the group, walks slowly to the end of the line. As soon as they reached the center of the stage, they lined up in a horizontal line. The kids dressed up as ghosts and vampires were greeted with cries of ''cute'' from the audience. There was a momentary scream when a kid had an arrow through his head, but when it was revealed that it was a catsuit, laughter broke out. Nice touch. A sigh of relief escaped from somewhere when I saw a kid with only makeup and a head piercing infant. It seems that many of them thought it would be too hard. We''ve seen Uclines'' new costumes every time there''s been a problem. I''m sure that even the best sewing mothers would have felt overwhelmed if they were asked to make them themselves. It''s easy enough. It''s just as easy as decorating the kids. Let''s go! ''''''Torikku, oh, Torito! The kids raise their arms and threaten the audience. The threatened audience, without exception, smiled. ''''We''re going to give you sweets! ''You''re going to teach us a new recipe, aren''t you?I''m going to make it with all my might! Such conversations could be heard from somewhere. Good feeling. I guess that''s it. Estella, sitting in the middle of the judges'' table, was looking at me with a happy face. By showing examples of costumes before listening to the ghost stories, the people who make the costumes can get some idea of what to expect. The kids gathered around Bertina with a ''wow''. The kids'' work is done when they get off the stage with Bertina. However, Bertina, with the kids around her, added one last appeal. She smiled and opened her mouth. Some in the audience gasped when they saw the sharp fangs in Sister Bertina''s mouth. They seemed surprised. ''Sweets, please. No, no. I''m not asking that directly. ''You don''t want to be pranked, do you?Then you''ll give me candy, right?'' It''s a childish request with a threatening nuance. ...... Well, you can do whatever you want. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, please contact us. Bertina bowed and walked off the stage with the kids. As if to replace her, Natalia now steps up to the stage. In her hands she holds a few sheets of paper. She is going to tell the story of the monster I told her at the Sunlit Pavilion as a kind of prelude. I''ve given her a piece of paper with the story written on it, and I''ve told her that she can either just recite it or arrange it a bit. I am sure that Natalia will be able to do it well. The purpose of having a prelude is to ease the tension of the participants. Especially the top batter is very nervous. Furthermore, it is also intended to make the content of the competition closer to what we are looking for by indicating the direction of the competition. ''Now, I will tell you the story of the ghosts that the children of the church dressed up as earlier. In a clear, clear voice, Natalia began to tell the story of the ghosts. She was indeed a first-class waiter. Natalia''s storytelling was also of the highest caliber, and I was drawn into her worldview just by listening to her. The tone of her voice was clear and unhurried, and she spoke with a dignity and delicacy that seemed to bring the scene clearly to mind. The audience listened to Natalia''s narration with excited expressions. ...... But it was only at the beginning that I was excited. ''Oh no! ''Maaahhhh! ''Aaahhhh!'' ''Aaahhhh! The hall was engulfed in screams. Natalia......, you''re scaring me with all your talk! Even I''m a little freaked out knowing what you''re talking about! What''s with your acting skills? Have you ever met a vampire?It''s so realistic! The sound of the blood being sipped is so lifelike and real! It''s like a rakugo noodle! You''ve sucked blood before, right? Look, the kid''s crying! Don''t look around the hall making blood-sucking noises! I''ll be d*mned if I make eye contact! Just when I thought it was finally over, Franken''s story came next. That''s right: ...... I gave him five stories, including "The Mummy", "Ghost and Skeleton" and "The Three-Eyed Boy". ...... Where''s the voice coming from? I''m not sure if you have a 3 meter tall man living in your mouth or not. You have a thick voice! And so the terrifying Natalia Theater continued for five episodes and thirty minutes. You know, I think... Bringing Natalia in first was a mistake. I think the next guy is more nervous than the first guy. A few kids are crying, a few women are fainting with fear, a few guys are like, ''Oh, I''m fine, man. And a few men are trying hard to hide the trembling in their legs. Natalia......, you''ll always be able to get fired. The atmosphere in the hall was so frosty that I decided to at least draw a cute illustration. Combine it with the first disguise, and somehow make it more comfortable. Here''s a cute illustration of a ghost. Stop crying, kids. ''Master Yashiro. In my image, Franken is more evil and vampires are more evil. ......'' ''You''re going to ruin the event. Before I hear Natalia''s opinion, which seems to suggest that I should redraw the cute illustration in a realistic and dramatic way, I reject it. What are you going to do when the kids get seriously scared and say they don''t want to dress up? Halloween will turn into a Namahage type of event where kids cry and scream. More importantly, what will you do if today''s Obake Competition turns into a ghost story convention? Who''s going to come with me to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Even Magda won''t follow me inside! ...... will tear you to pieces without question if you tell them a toilet ghost story. The illustration I drew on the blackboard was immediately copied and colored by Bekko. The result is quite cute. When I unveiled the cute illustration, the tense atmosphere in the hall relaxed a little. The sound of relieved breathing could be heard everywhere. Then, after Natalia, who had frozen the audience in the opening act, was dragged off the stage, the competition began, and the first narrator took the stage. The first narrator took the stage. ''I''m Goozja from Torbek Engineering. I can''t speak as well as you, Natalia, but I look forward to working with you. I bowed to Estella and the others sitting at the judges'' table. This time, the judges for the ghost stories were Estella, Natalia, Ukrines, Umaro, and Imelda. Estella and Natalia will be judging the stories from the perspective of the committee members and the lords. Ukrines and Umaro will be in charge of costumes and props, which are essential to create the Halloween atmosphere, and they will choose the ones that inspire them. And Imelda, ...... you see, had a very troublesome role thrust upon her last night, so she was, well, to put it plainly, ...... entertained? She was placed on a special jury. One of the special judges pointed at Goozuya on the stage and said. ''Your face is so plain. Rejected. ''Hey!What does your face have to do with it?Please listen to me! Goozuya walks out to the front of the stage like a comedian with the number ''1'' written on his chest. Fall down! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not....... d*mn, you didn''t miss a step. ''Hey, Goozuya. Say, ''Don''t push me'' in that spot.'' ''You''re definitely going to push me, aren''t you, Yashiro? Goozuya hurriedly ran back to the center of the stage. That''s boring!Are you still a comedian? Is it only your face that''s funny? ''So, can you tell us the story of the monster you brought with you? ''Yes! At Estella''s urging, Goozuya begins to speak. ''Well, it''s something. My geezer told me that if you don''t take good care of your tools, bad things will happen to you or you will be punished. Well, she passed away many years ago. And I don''t know if it''s true or not, but she said with a rather serious face that old tools that have been used for a hundred years get souls, which is a bit scary. ...... The master of the house is also very angry about taking care of tools, so I wondered if there might be such a thing. I wondered if that was the case. ............'' And then, he stopped talking in an indecisive manner and glanced at Gusuya. What, the end? What''s with that unorganized story? Why don''t you at least put together a little more of a story? I don''t care if you embellish it a bit! ''Goozuya''. Umaro calls out the name of his subordinate on behalf of the judges. ''Don''t lick me. ''No, I''m serious, even with this! ''You''re not attractive at all!It''s not scary, it''s not cute, it''s not exciting!It''s common sense to take care of things in the first place! A complete and utter failure. Natalia''s story raised the bar even higher. But the wives in the audience seemed to be relieved. Maybe this is good for families with children. But it''s also a problem that there''s no fun at all. It won''t even lead to ideas for costumes. It''s no use. I drew some illustrations of familiar Japanese monsters and mourning gods on the blackboard. Haunted straw sandals, haunted umbrellas, haunted tea kettles, and haunted lanterns. ''Oh, my!Yashiro-chan''s illustrations are very cute. I''d like to make a costume with that ghost umbrella. As if to agree with Ukrines'' words, Estella and Imelda also said, ''That one is cute'' and ''No, that one is better'', pointing to the illustration and breaking down. Since it seems to be generally well-received, I''ll add a monster bra. ''''Yashiro, please don''t draw obscene pictures.'''' ''Idiot, Estella. This is a bra that''s been in constant use for decades.'' ''Master Yashiro. Usually, people who can keep using the same size bra for decades are ...... ha!I''m sorry, but my size hasn''t changed at all since I was a child, Estella-sama! ''What is it with you guys and your combination play, perfect without a meeting! While Estella is pouting, Bekko spreads out the colored illustration. Hey, Bekko. Don''t forget the fake-brassiere. You''ll ruin my plan to have my old boinkie dress up as a monster bra. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like, but I''m not sure what you''re looking for. ''Then, let''s rate it as Yashiro-sama''s point. ''Why?It''s my story! ''You didn''t get any points for your story alone. Umaro waved for him to leave. Goozja walks off the stage, her shoulders slumped. Jan Bold was the next to go on stage. Trubek''s construction company follows. ''I''m the kind of guy who''s all in when he falls in love. I''m the type to be devoted. What are you talking about, horse boy? Who''s interested in your love story? ''I''m so devoted that I''ll sneak in and clean a room without being asked while the landlord''s away. ''You''re scaring me, Yangboldo! ''I''m actually good at sneaking in and completely erasing all traces of my sneaking in. ''That''s why I''m scared!But that''s not the vector I''m afraid of! I''m not as bad as Percy and I''m not as lazy as Percy, so I''m even more scared. I''m really scared of just stalkers. ...... There''s no deep meaning to this, but I''m starting to want a separate key for my room. ''Yambold, declare that it was a joke and then quickly get off the stage. ''Yes, a joke. Everyone, joke .............'' Yamboldo walks off the stage as Umaro glares at him. I guess ...... he''s really joking. But I''m glad we have Umaro on the jury. I don''t know how he manages to keep all those people together. I almost respected him for a second, but then I stopped myself. ''Umaro, don''t mistake me for someone who stayed. ''What''s that?I don''t understand! You''re ten, maybe twelve years too young to expect me to respect you. Then, the participants took turns to stand on the stage and tell their ghost stories, albeit poorly. Some of them, perhaps referring to Natalia''s narration, began to make up their voices, pauses, and other tricks. Few of them succeed, though. By the end of about ten groups, Natalia''s shock had completely worn off and she was laughing at the unique ghost stories. One housewife told us the same story that Bertina had told her: ''The most frightening thing for children is the ghost who draws a wet map on the futon...'' The mothers of the children laughed out loud at this. The kids with her have a bitter look on their faces. The older they got, the more obvious it became, and I could tell that they were still being told these things no matter how old they were. Many familiar faces who love the festival were also there. Mormat walked up to the stage with his helper, a ham. He lifted the corners of his mouth and looked at me on the stage, as if he was confident. He seems to have a plan. Let''s see what you do with the ham. ''On the night of the new moon, when I went to the field, I found ...... vegetables that I didn''t plant blooming. Even though there is no moon, the white flowers are shining faintly, and if you listen carefully, you can hear a voice saying, ''Faintly ...... faintly ......''. I can''t quite make it out, but the voice is coming from inside the earth. So I thought, ''No way, but I gotta check it out--'' So Mo''amat grabs the squatting Hammock by the head and pulls him up at once. ''Like this, he grasps the base of the flower and pulls out the roots in one go--'' ''Kee-aaaah! '' the roots scream like a human face in agony! This skit uses a hamster as a mandragora. Its rating is-- ''''''Cute~! ''''No, no, no, no!You''re crazy!It''s scary! No, Mo-Mat. It''s not scary to have a ham kid do that. Rather, the reaction of the audience is more correct. So I did my best to draw a cute mandragora. It''s a Mandragora with the shape of a round radish. The quality is so cute that if the local government adopted it as a character, it would attract taxpayers from all over the country. I''d be happy to make you some merchandise. No, Yashiro!It''s more of an evil face!It''s a human face full of anguish!Just one look at ...... and you''ll faint with despair! Ignoring Mormat''s passionate words, he crouched down and pulled out the hamster playing Mandragora. ''''Kyaaaahhh! ''''''Cute~!'''''' ''''This is public opinion.'''' ''''d*mn, ...... when I was a kid, I was so scared of this thing that I used to run home from the fields after dark. ......'''' I see. So it''s a story designed to keep farm kids from playing outside forever. ''Regina. Is Mandragora real?'' ''I''m here~'' ''Oh my god!Are you serious? ''Seriously~, crocodile farmer.'' ''Are they for real?Isn''t that just a way to scare the kids? ''There are a few victims a year, you know. ''Scary!It''s really scary! When I asked Regina, who was waiting in the corner of the hall, she acknowledged the existence of Mandragora. It seems that Mandragora does exist. I wonder if it''s used as an ingredient for medicine. The competition was expected to be long and intense. That''s why I have Regina on standby. That''s why they built a covered bleachers for Regina. It''s the same as the first-aid tent at the field day. He''s more privileged than the lord, isn''t he? He''s just a recluse who hates the sun. I looked up and saw that Ginette had disappeared from the audience. ''Ginette ...... didn''t you want to hear about Mormat so badly ......'' ''No, I didn''t!Ginette''s gone to the kitchen!It''s almost lunchtime!'' Mo''amat points to the kitchen in desperation. I know. I know. I''m starving too. But you know what, mormat? ''That doesn''t prove that Jeannette doesn''t hate Mo-Matt. ''I''m going to cry!If Jeannette doesn''t like me, I''m going to cry for real! This guy is so mentally weak. When the flood caused a crop failure, he tried to use me as an excuse to make money, but Magda got mad at him and he got really nervous. I was desperate, Mo-Matt. You''re oozing with the thought that you don''t need to be popular and don''t want to be hated. ''That''s why you''re not popular, you know. ''Shut up!It''s better to be at peace than to be popular with all kinds of people like you.'' ''What''s that? ''If I were you, my stomach would die from being chased around by lords and guild leaders. My stomach has almost died many times too. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. ...... I think my eyesight is getting worse every time I look at that thing. But what''s a lord? What kind of lord do you think I''m popular with? That''s a hell of an accusation. ''Mormat. To you, does it look like Ricardo is in love with me?I think you''ve been infected with Regina''s disease.'''' ''Why the forty-first ward!I''m sure there are other wards you can think of! ''That''s right!You know your stuff, crocodile farmer!The love triangle with District 29 is really hot right now! ''''Look, Momma. You''re the one who started it, so you''re responsible for dealing with him.'' ''Wait, wait, wait!I''m not responsible for anything!I can''t, I can''t, I can''t!It''s still too hard to be alone with you!I don''t know what to say! I don''t know what to say!'' ''You''re being so harsh, you''re so harsh. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we''ll be happy to assist you. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. You don''t have to say anything, you know.Just shut up and take this little bit of weird medicine and we''ll observe you on our own. ''That''s right, good for you, Mo-Mat. ''It''s not good at all!Idiot!Don''t push!You''ll fall!You''ll fall! The crocodile, whose mouth is too big to speak, is pushed off the stage. Don''t worry. He won''t get hurt at this height. It''s about the height of a junior high school gym stage. Well, if you get pushed off the stage, you''ll feel a certain amount of fear, but ...... just take it, that''s about it. You should have said it in a way that made it clear you were joking. I''m a little pissed off, aren''t I? In the event you''re not sure what to do, you may want to check with your doctor. ''Mo-Mat ......, go apologize.'' ''Did I say something wrong?It''s not my fault, is it?'' Downstage, Estella says, leaving Mo''amat confused. With her elbow on the judges'' table, Estella asks with a smile. ''...... Can you tell me a little more about the lord who favored Yashiro? ''Huh?Oh, no, no, no, no!That wasn''t really about Estella. ......'' ''It''s not about Estella, it''s about ......? Lucia is standing behind Estella. Her eyes are ''squinted'' though. ''I''m sorry .............'' ''Don''t worry about us. Estella shrugs her shoulders and pretends to be a kind person. I''m scared, that''s the type of person I''m most afraid of. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had it. No, I didn''t mean that at all!No, I''m serious!I didn''t mean it like that, Regina! ''Haha, I don''t think you care about that. Regina is waving her hands in the air, but she''s lying. She''s the kind of person who feels lonely when people refuse to be with her. You''re the one who refuses to be with someone at all costs. ''Really, this is such a trivial thing, but ...... you two are so overprotective. I''m not doing anything. I didn''t do anything to you. I look down at Mo-Matt from above the stage and say. ''Do you understand, mormat? I''m sorry if I tell you the truth that being with Regina is annoying, tiring, and sometimes makes you want to kill her. No, I didn''t say that!You''re terrible! ''That''s right, Yashiro. No one is saying that Regina is more obscene than dangerous, or that she should have her mouth sewn shut, or that a 10-kilometer radius from the Pharmacist''s Guild should be off-limits to boys and girls, or any of the other true things. ''You''re even worse than that, Estella! ''What, are you two hiding your embarrassment~? Really, you''re so cute that I wonder if I should restrict myself in public...'' ''''Mo-Mat is too noisy. ''''Mo-Mat, your voice is too loud.'''' ''''That''s right.'''' ''''d*mn it!Every time I get involved with you guys, it''s always my loss! Mormat exits, his footsteps rattling. But halfway through, he turns around and says ''But, I''m sorry, Regina! I apologize in a loud voice. He''s honest, basically. Well, there''s a fine line between honest and stupid. Regina waved her hand in embarrassment and retreated further into the shade. As I was feeling the situation was under control, I was approached by a troublesome fire that seemed to be still smoldering. ''Anchovy. Lucia stood behind Estella, arms crossed, glaring at me on stage. ''Don''t take mere rumors for granted. ''I know.'' ''I don''t know. Don''t get your hopes up, because you''ll get us in trouble.'' ''Who would? ''Besides, it could be the 27th district. ''If I''m going to be popular with those illusion tits, I want to be! ''Yeah,......, you should reconsider,yashiro.......'' I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. What happened to you, when we didn''t know? It''s such an annoying finish, huh? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. After letting out an annoyed sigh and pointing at me, he turned his wrist 180 degrees and bent his index finger upward, snapping it in a slight upward motion and calling me. ''In return for your apology, I''ll let you buy me lunch. Quickly introduce your recommendation and offer it to me.'' ''Why don''t you just say, "Let''s have lunch together", Lucia? ''Don''t play dumb with me, anchovy!Come on, get on with it!Your stomach and back will stick together! ''...... Your chest and back are almost attached.'' ''Alright, Yashiro!I''ll even let you buy my lunch, so be grateful and give it to me! Wow, the lord is arrogant. The lord is arrogant. He''s wielding his power to do whatever he wants. My ears perked up as I heard Umaro''s words, which he must have stifled to keep anyone from hearing. ''...... No matter how you look at it, you''re popular with the lord, aren''t you? Okay, let''s use Umaro''s wallet. Yes, decided! ...... Give me the money if you don''t want Estella and Lucia to find out, Oumalo. It''s a good idea. ...... If they don''t want to be gossiped about, they should be a little more aware and self-aware. Yeah, it''s not my fault! When my innocence was confirmed in my mind, the Obake Competition was temporarily suspended and we took a lunch break. 424-Additive-free Episode 79 bustling time At noon, the people who had been snacking on sweets began to line up at the food stalls for a real meal. Magda and Loretta are making okonomiyaki at stall No. 7, and Ginette is making stir-fried scraps of vegetables and chan-chan-yaki at stall No. 2. Or rather, Ginette is working hard, moving back and forth between the stall and Umaro''s simple kitchen. The chan chan pancakes have been presented several times and have enjoyed stable popularity, but what was surprising was the high interest in the stir-fried vegetable scraps. With a little effort and ingenuity, the stems and skins, which are not tasty even if eaten by force, can be turned into a feast in no time at all. Well, that "little trick" is the fruit of professional skill. The wives were observing Ginette''s knife work with great interest. Ginette seems to be a little nervous about cooking while being watched, but she still seems to be enjoying the process. By the way, this is the first time I''ve made stir-fried scraps of vegetables available to the public. I''ve done cooking classes with my friends before. It''s not the kind of dish you show off. Because it''s a stir-fry of trash vegetables. It''s like what people call "fried rice with leftovers in the refrigerator. It''s not something to show off in front of people. But. ''Wow, ......, the stems look so beautiful. ''What, you can use it without throwing it away too? ''Huh~...... is a big deal, for someone so young.'' ''When we were young, we didn''t have much to eat, so we ate everything without sparing any effort like that. ''No, we also struggled to make ends meet until about a year ago. ''But we couldn''t make it that far, as you can see from .......'' ''Professionals are amazing, aren''t they? ''It''s just like magic, isn''t it? That''s a great response. The wives are impressed. Everyone is staring at Jeannette''s hand as if they were glued to it. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it. I know the feeling. I used to love watching the proprietress cook. The skill of a master is truly an art. It''s no exaggeration to say that Jeannette''s knife work is now a form of entertainment. ...... I like to watch it too. You can''t eat fish bones, can you? ''Why don''t you try making a broth with the head?You can also deep-fry them twice and use them as bone crackers, or dry them and grind them into a powder and mix them into sprinkles for an interesting flavor. ''You can eat them, bones? Ginette gives a polite answer to a question from an ordinary housewife. If she were in Japan, she''d be a charismatic cook on TV. And she has big tits. She also has a pretty ...... face. I''m sure you''ll like it. ''...... Hmm!It''s delicious! ''This crunchy texture is also ......! ''Hey, Peddler''s Guild!I''ll have some burdock root and lotus root! ''Thank you for everything! Assunto is running around with a glittering face. It''s a demonstration, really. You should get paid, Jeannette. --And so the wives crowded around Ginette, while the old men ...... I''m not sure what to say.It''s so cute! ''I''m going to get in line with the sisters! ''Millie-chan''s onigiri is ''hot, hot''!It''s so hot! ''Delia-san!Please give me some shake! They crowded around the rice ball stand of my design. They lined up to have their rice balls made right in front of them by the girl of their choice from among all the beautiful women. In order to save time and manpower, each person is in charge of one ingredient. Paula and Molly are in charge of the rice balls, and Nepheli and Milly are in charge of the plums. Norma makes shiso crape and Delia makes salmon. Bertina is in charge of Ginette''s special seaweed tsukudani. This is another of Ginette''s specialties, and it''s delicious! It''s so good that when I tried to name it ''Gondesuyo'', she replied with a straight face, ''It''s seaweed, isn''t it? He replied with a straight face. Even though tsukudani (food boiled down in seaweed) is not rice, it''s still called ''Gohandesuyo''. ...... The reason why Milly is saying ''hot, hot'' is because I decided that the rice I prepared in the morning was not enough, so I cooked some more. ...... It was a wise decision, Ginette, an hour ago. You''re a pro at judging how much to cook. There''s a huge line in front of every girl. ''Paula, where''s your drink? ''Only after the sun goes down. ''Duh! Paula is very popular with the drinkers. I think they have a constitution that makes them want to drink when they see Paula''s face, don''t they? Pavlov''s dog...... no, Paula is the canine. I''m not sure what to do.I''m sure you''ll have a great time. Nepheli waved at us proudly. It''s really a big success. The onigiri (rice balls) at ......, or rather the onigiri (rice balls) made by beautiful women. The old men who flock to the onigiri stand are clearly looking at the girls in line, not the ingredients. You can see some of them standing in the same line over and over again. ...... If they made a set meal with a handshake ticket, it would sell like hotcakes. ''You''re really good at this, aren''t you? ''Heh!We''ve made it many times at the sunlit pavilion.'' Delia is making a slightly large rice ball with gusto. Delia''s rice balls are powerful and popular with kids and men who work hard. Today, too, there is a line of familiar faces. Gusuya is looking at Delia with sparkling eyes. Maybe I should charge him a special fee. He''ll probably pay. ''Yes, thank you for waiting. ''Chew your food well. Paula and Nepheli put the rice balls on a platter on the counter. The finished product is placed on a plate in front of the customer, just like geta in a sushi restaurant. The customer takes it and leaves the line. The price of the onigiri is the same for all customers, so those who receive the onigiri put their coins in the wooden box next to the plate. This is a method that prioritizes turnover. I''m prepared for the math to be a little off, but ...... there are a lot of honest people in the 42nd district. If it were me, I''d pretend to get in but don''t. They all pay their money diligently. You guys are good. The regulars who help out at the sunlit pavilion are very good at handling the customers. So even if there is a line, they don''t make you wait long. But there''s one place where there''s a huge line. This is Norma''s place. It''s as crowded as when Panda first came to Japan. ''Wow, Norma''s place ......'' ''I tasted it in the morning and it was delicious, wasn''t it, shiso crape. ''No, Estella. Look at the faces of the men standing in line. Those are not the faces of people looking forward to shiso crape. ''Haha, ...... at all, the men of the forty-second ward .......'' It is very hot and uncomfortable to see the men who are completely looking for "Norma''s rice balls" waiting with their boyishly innocent eyes sparkling. I''d like to shoot water balloons at them one by one from the front. ''But the line is so long. You don''t know when you''re going to eat, do you, Gilberta? ''I recommend, Lady Lucia, that you go somewhere else. ''No, wait, Gilberta. As a lord, I think you should be the first to see the pavilion of interest. A pavilion? The World''s Fair? How did you translate that, "forced translation magic"? Well, I don''t know what you mean. But Estella, you just want to eat shiso crape. ''Then, Estella. Are you asking me to line up at the end of this line?Oh, I see. If the anchovies line up, everything will be all right. ''Nothing''s settled. ''I''d like to eat a rice ball, but it''s a pain to stand in this line. You, on the other hand, have no right of refusal. Our interests are aligned, aren''t they? ''My interest is nowhere to be seen! You don''t have the right to veto it! ''Don''t worry, Lucia-san, I''ll invoke the ...... organizer''s authority! ''Whoa, that''s too much! ''Shut up, Yashiro. It''s fine, we''re all friends. This guy usually doesn''t wield any kind of aristocratic power, but he makes full use of it in trivial matters like this. ''I really feel sorry for the people in this line. ''It''s true that such blatant over-ordering may give our Lord a bad name. In order to restrain the two lords, who are full of power, the two sensible head waiters stepped forward in front of the men in line. ''Let''s be honest here and talk with our fists. ''I like that, me too. There''s no need to complain if it''s the result of a fair fight! ''''''After you! ''''''I don''t care if there''s a line or not, come on! ''''''Is that so? ''''''If you''re so sure, you can all go to .......'''' ''''''Please, please, please! You''re desperate, forty-two ward males. ...... Talking with your fists against two head waiters is as impossible as hunting a wild bear with your bare hands. ''I''m glad I don''t have to use my power. ''I''m glad, too. I''m glad I didn''t have to resort to brute force! I was so wrong. Instead of being sensible, they were very militant, these serving masters. And so, thanks to the generosity of the people, Estella and Lucia dared to walk in unopposed. ''Your approval rating, it''s going down. ''No, no, no!We''re really hungry.But their goal is not to satisfy hunger, is it?'' ''Well, I guess that''s true, but ......''. But still, as a person who works in a restaurant, I can''t overlook the side-stepping. ...... So, ...... ''You guys are in charge of the onigiri after you eat. ''What?We''ll do it too? ''Are you trying to use me, the lord of another district, as your chum? ''Lords of other districts are the same as Ricardo and Gerasie, aren''t they? ''Don''t put them together! No, they''re supposed to be together! ''Line up if you don''t want to. ''No. I don''t take orders from you. I''ll let Norma hold it for me.Hey~, Norma-tan? ''''Aaahhhh!Don''t stick your tail on my back while you''re fluffing it!It''ll send shivers down your spine! She seems to like Norma a lot after staying with her yesterday. Will you take her as your wife, Lucia?You can feed Norma. ''I''ll make your portion first, and you can help me later like Yashiro said. Otherwise, I won''t hold it for you.'' ''Hmm. If Norma says so, then so be it. Anchovies aside, I can''t go against Norma-tan''s orders. Fluffy. ''I just told you not to fluff your tail, didn''t I? ''I can''t hear that. ''You''re disobeying me!You''re disobeying me, aren''t you, before my tongue is dry? Lucia was rubbing Norma''s tail as hard as she could. I noticed that Regina was in the mix. She always gets mixed up in interesting places. Totally ...... Okay, I''ll go join them! ''If you move from there, you will be punished by your father, Yashiro-san? ''Why is Imelda here? And there''s a certain horror, the execution of the father. Will they do what they did to Javier, or will ...... they treat him like Javier for the rest of his life? Ugh, I hate the latter. ''Since you''re here, Imelda and Regina should join in. The fans will love it.'' ''Why would I do such a thing?You''ve got to be kidding me.'' ''Well, if you don''t have any fans, I don''t see why not. ''Well, please line up!All the boys and gentlemen who want to have their rice balls nibbled by me personally! Imelda rolled up the sleeves of her dress and wrapped a bright red headband around herself. It''s easy to get on ......, but why are you bringing a field day headband? I''m not sure what to make of it. Imelda scooped up the rice from the bowl with the spoon she had pulled from Delia and placed it in her palm. ''It''s so hot! Imelda couldn''t even hold it properly, let alone dance with it. She put the rice back in the bowl and dipped her hands in the water bottle to cool them. Your behavior is ridiculous. ''Here, Regina. You should try it too.'' ''But I haven''t washed my hands since I scrubbed my butt...'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll sterilize it with boiling water. Give me your hand. ''You can''t do that!That''s really steamy, isn''t it?That''s not good! It''s because you keep saying the same thing over and over again. Don''t tell me what to do. ''I''m telling you, you can''t do it at all, can you? ''I don''t expect you to do it, so don''t get worked up. ''This is really harsh. ...... I can only see a future where the kids will become dominant. I can only see a future where my children will become dominant. I don''t plan to educate my children to become dominant. Even the way she held the rice scoop was amateurish. Scooping up rice with a rice scoop. She''s not even good at that. She''s really no good at anything but medicine. And his room looks a mess. His handling of YAKKEN is so brilliant that it''s a sight to behold. ''Oh, that''s not good. It''s so sticky, it''s become so ugly. A bulging, distorted lump of rice is exposed. There are grains of rice all over your palms and fingertips. There''s not enough water. If you wet your hands properly and grip the rice quickly, it won''t stick to your fingers. ''No one wants to eat like this, right?That''s why we pass......''. Before she can say she wants to pass, she snatches up the lump of rice in Regina''s hand. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. ''............ Yeah. It''s not salty enough. You can add more if you want. ''No, ...... yourself, what are you normally doing to ruin the taste ......''. ''Yes, you''re right. If you wet your hands thoroughly and grip the rice more quickly, you won''t get any grains of rice on them. ''No, that''s not it!You''ve eaten a lot of ............, it''s so ugly.'' Regina glared at me with a slightly puffy face. What is it?Are you embarrassed that you didn''t do well?I told you, I don''t expect you to. ''Your rice balls are rare and valuable enough. I''ll spare no effort to help you sell it. If you fail, I''ll eat it all, so keep on gripping.'' ''...... Come on, come on. It''s good that you''re not wasting rice, that''s ......''. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. The first time you met Regina, you pretended to take a suspicious potion in order to make her trust you. Don''t remember every little thing like that. ''My butt''s getting warm. You want a wash?'' ''I''ll do it myself. ''Well, but if you scrub with these rice grain-filled fingers, you''ll get rice grains on your butt. ............ What?He said he''d eat all the ones I screwed up. ...... You don''t think he''d let me put rice grains on his butt on purpose and then lick it off? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ''Don''t wash your hands after scrubbing your ass! ''Wash them! Don''t you dare go out of your way to hide your embarrassment! This is a space where food is handled! If you keep saying things like that, Estella will get angry again. ...... ''Yashiro......'' You see? I don''t know why she''s pointing the finger at me-- ''I haven''t received any report about the medicine you took at Regina''s place when we first met? Oh, it seems like it''s spreading to other places! ''There was nothing that I had to report to ......, or rather, there is no obligation to report! ''Yashiro-san. I might have to ask you a few questions too, don''t you think?'''' ''There was nothing that Bertina could be angry about! Rather, it was my good judgment at that time that saved us from causing any damage, you know? If not for me, Regina or Ginette might have been in great danger. You can get a lot of praise for me! ...... But I can''t explain in detail here because it''s Regina''s secret that I was pretending to lick her. ''Stop spreading fire, you black pharmacist! There''s some damage I''m taking for granted because of you, you know? You should be a little more grateful and considerate! ''Bertina. Can you teach Regina a lesson?'' ''Yes. If it''s okay with you. Regina, please watch me. Bertina doesn''t usually cook much, but she''s the kind of person who doesn''t spare any effort for her children. She has been making rice balls for the kids in the church ever since she heard a story about a kid who left his rice at the sunny restaurant and I made him a rice ball and he ate it all. Her hands were very familiar. ''If you wrap the rice ball lightly with 1,2,3......, you can feel the rice grains unravel in your mouth when you eat it, and it is very delicious. While saying this, he made a beautiful rice ball in no time at all. Well done. It''s different from Ginette''s, but her hands are very secure. ''Yes, Yashiro-san. Please give me a taste. ''Why me? ''Because you always let me taste it, and I''m returning the favor. If you want to return the favor, you''ll have to give me a substantial amount of money to make up for it. ...... Well, even if you gave me the same amount as Bertina, I wouldn''t be able to eat it. You can''t eat the same amount of rice balls as Bertina. I''ll be grateful. ...... I''m a little nervous about getting a freshly made rice ball handed directly to me. The fact that it doesn''t bounce around on your plate makes it feel special. ...... ''Well, itadakimasu.'' ''Bon app??tit. Like Jeannette, why does ...... want to watch me eat so closely? I''m not going to look away until you tell me what you think. ...... I''m nervous about eating while being watched. Oh, man. ''Yeah. It''s good.'' ''I''m glad. I''m relieved. When I put it in my mouth, the grains of rice unraveled, the salty taste spread to my mouth, and the umami of the tsukudani seaweed stood out even more. It''s just an ordinary rice ball, but it''s strangely delicious. Maybe it''s the special feeling of having it made by Bertina that makes me feel that way. ''Ya, Yashiro-san! ''Oh, ladybug! Molly and Milly are standing side by side, offering their own rice balls. ''Please judge! ''Can you try Mirii''s, too? ''Both of you, your rice balls are too small! Perhaps their hands were too small, but the rice balls they made were bite-sized. It''s so cute. They looked like something you''d find in a stylish girl''s lunch box. I picked up Molly''s rice ball first. As soon as she took it, the rice ball fell apart. ''Molly needs to grip it a little tighter. ''But since you said three times, ...... I can make it six times without it falling apart. ......'' ''You should go with Regina to learn from Bertina. Have her show you how Bertina does it.'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll have it mastered by the end of the day! Molly is on fire. Have you developed a restaurant worker''s spirit? ...... No way!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m sorry.I''m not sure what to do.I''m not going to be able to do that. ''Oh, you''re a ladybug?Your face is scary ......, isn''t it? ''And my childhood friend is so cute!Hey, anteater brothers! ''What?What did Neck and Tic do to you? If you''re asking me what they did, I''d say they''re overprivileged! ''I want to be Millie''s childhood friend too! ''Yeah, you can''t be ...... her childhood friend, but you can be ...... her good friend... ...right? Oh my god!Millie, you''re really cute! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. Since Millie is a good girl, I''ll stop making the anteater brothers bleed. You should be grateful to your lovely childhood friend and to me for my generosity. ''So, next time, Miri''s, right?I hope you''re right. ......'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ............ Hmm? I''m not sure what to do. ''Millie. ''Yeah, what? ''Let''s put the ingredients in.'' ''Oh, no!It wasn''t in there! It''s a perfect salted musubi. ''Well, it''s delicious. And the grip is just right.'' ''If it was ......, it would be a shame .......'' ''It tastes like millet.'' ''It''s salty, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. ...... It''s easy to understand, your libido. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to try. I''ll have one of those too! ''I''d love to have it without the garnish! ''Oh ......, I''ll put in the right ingredients ......''. ''''''''No, no garnish! '''''''' ''...... Ladybug-san............'' I''m not sure what to do. It''s okay, Millie. If you''re annoyed, you can hit her with a gouge. But I''m sure she''ll appreciate it. ''Shiomusubi is a connoisseur''s favorite. It''s fun to have them without ingredients. Millie can be in charge of the salted musubi. ''Ugh ......, I just made a mistake ......''. ''It''s from failure that popular products are born. She pats the dejected Millie on the head to comfort her. The old men''s hopes are dashed. I can''t stop now. As Millie stood at the counter with a determined look on her face, Regina presented me with a rice ball. ''That''s good. I think you did pretty well this time, don''t you? The rice ball that was presented in front of me was a little distorted, but beautifully made. It was a little small, and the ingredients were shifted from the center, so you could see them through the top of the rice ball. Is this a plum? It was a little small and the ingredients were not in the middle, so you could see them through the top of the rice ball. ''You''ve passed the test. You can serve it. ''Then you''re the first customer. Eat it.'' ''No, I ate the one that didn''t work. ......'' Before I could finish, he poked me in the forehead and forced a rice ball on me. It''s the first time in my life that I''ve made a dish for someone else. ''...... Oh, oh.'' The particular green eyes were looking at me with a color that I had never seen before. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ''Well, compared to other people''s work, it''s probably not very good. ''That''s not true. The slightly small rice ball was more than half gone in one bite. The salt was still a little lacking, but ...... ''It''s good. ''............ Sayaka.'' He said in a light tone and turned his back to me. He pretended to be unconcerned, but ...... his right hand was clenched into a fist. You''re not hiding the wrong thing, are you? I''m not sure. I''m going to take this a little seriously.'' She lifted her long green hair and tied it in a single knot, giving birth to the unusual ponytail Regina. Regina turned to the counter with determination. Her shoulders shook with a jolt. ''Ohhhh!What''s with this line? When Regina stood at the counter of the Onigiri stand, there was already a long line of people there. There was a long line of old men with weirdly glittering eyes. ''No~, that was good earlier~'' ''What, that sweet and sour feeling? ''That was so moe~! ''My first time cooking ......, I want something like that too! Here comes the unexpected birth of a Regina fan. I guess demand exists for everything. ''Wow, there are so many people here. ...... Let''s go home. ''Don''t go home!It was made well, let them eat it!We''re all counting on you! He glanced at me and lifted the corner of his mouth with a mean look. ''You''re such a cheater! You''ve even played me for a fool.'' ''There''s no one in this town who can play with you. ......'' ''No, no, it''s not bad to be praised.You see, I''m the type of person who thrives on being praised. ''Praised'', right?Flattery is a different proverb.'' You got it. Didn''t you say, ''Even a b*tc* will pole dance if you flatter her? ''A pig climbs a tree! ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, you''re so beautiful, why don''t you take off your clothes? ''The way you flatter me is unethical!Just make a rice ball! ''Hey, ......, you''re losing it.'' The line in front of Regina was getting shorter. I guess there aren''t many people who can tolerate everything Regina has to offer. ...... But Regina seemed relieved that the number had decreased. She seemed to be a little nervous. He should have more experiences like this to get used to people. ''It''s ready!Come on, Yashiro-san, taste it! Imelda''s rice ball was held out in front of her. Imelda is looking very proud of herself. It''s no wonder. Imelda''s rice ball was a beautiful equilateral triangle that looked as if it had been measured with a ruler, giving it a slightly artistic appearance. ''It''s so beautiful! ''Of course it is! ''Well, let''s see how it tastes. ............'' I giggled ............. ''...... Imelda ............ too much grip'' ''It''s to keep the shape! ''This isn''t a rice ball...... uncooked kiritanpo.'' It''s a dumpling, not a rice ball. It''s not even a respectable kiritanpo. The texture and mouthfeel are horrible! I thought she was going to go to Bertina, but now Bertina is teaching Molly and Regina and doing her own work. But Bertina is currently teaching Molly and Regina as well as doing her own work, and it would be too much for her to take care of Imelda. Therefore, I''ll leave it to another craftsman. ''You should follow Norma''s example. Norma is very good at what she does, and the result is perfect. He quickly grasps and mass-produces a large number of rice balls of the same size, shape, and saltiness. She doesn''t look like she''s working particularly hard, she looks natural, and yet her motherly nature stimulates your appetite. Like Ginette and the proprietress, just looking at her back as she stands in the kitchen makes me think ''this looks delicious''. A faint humming sound escapes from her mouth that arcs gently, and her supple fingers that gently wrap around the rice make the unique sound of a fresh yet sticky rice ball, ''nicha, micha'', and the words ''it''s ready'' are filled with the feeling of ''enjoy it''. ''Norma is the taste of mama! ''I''ve never been a mother! How did Norma learn to be so maternal? And why is it that Norma, who is so impeccable, is still ...... No, let''s not. For a moment now, Norma''s fingers have strengthened. I''m sensitive to ...... that kind of atmosphere. I''m not thinking about it,....... I''m not sure what to say, but I''ll try. I want to eat it every day! It''s the ideal taste! He praised it very much. Norma, too, seemed to be satisfied with this praise. ''Even if I praise it, nothing will come out of it. ......'' While saying that, he''s mass-producing rice balls at a very fast pace. Do you want more praise?Is your instinct craving for it? ''Ah~, I want to make onigiri tooa?? Delia-chan~, come and get me~! ''Nah, I can''t help it... ......'' Delia left her seat for a while and came back with Masha. The guys are buzzing when Masha enters. An air of anticipation envelops the area. ''Masha, what kind of ingredients do you want?Do you want salmon with me? ''I think I''ll go with crape myrtle... a?? It''s a fish from the sea...'' And so, next to Norma, who is in charge of the shiso crape, she grasps the rice ball while shaking her body, smiling, chomping, chomping, chomping, chomping. Shake it more!More! ''Yes, it''s done! Masha''s onigiri was good enough to be a product from the very first one. ''Yes~, Yashiro-kun~, taste it~'' She took a bite of the rice ball he handed her. ''Hmph!It''s delicious! The perfect amount of salt. So this is ...... the salt from the sea that has soaked into Masha''s hands! One of the reasons why the proprietress''s rice balls are the strongest in my history has to do with the pickles. The proprietress has been making homemade rice-bran paste for many years, and every day she stirs the bed with her bare hands. By doing so, her hands were imbued with the aroma and flavor of rice-bran paste. When she made rice balls, the flavor of the bran would be slightly transferred to the rice, giving it an exquisite taste. It''s delicious! It''s not a taste you can get by trying. The same phenomenon must be occurring in Masha''s palm. The natural saltiness that has soaked in over the years. There''s nothing like it. As if to prove it, the old men who ate Masha''s onigiri collapsed one after another on the spot. It''s too good! ''Ugh, ummahhaaaa~! ''Masha''s salt!It''s the best! ''Masha''s flavored rice balls!Just divine! ''A hint of scallop flavor! I want to eat it every day! ''''''I agree with you so much! And so, all the old men in line in front of Norma moved to Masha''s front. ''''Hey, you guys! ''''No~, I''m sorry, Norma-chan. A man is a creature that can''t resist scallops. ''''I''m as good as a scallop. I''m ......! ''''That''s where you shouldn''t compete, Norma! Molly wisely restrained Norma. If she didn''t, Norma might wear scallops right here and now. ............ No, it''s okay if she does, isn''t it? ''Molly. How about we just let Norma do what she wants?'' ''Yashiro-san, please don''t say things like that with a straight face. It will destroy your image.'' What kind of image does Molly have of me? Gentlemanly?Something like that? ''Not at all. Would you mind not causing a scene while we''re eating? ''Don''t you know the word "moderation", my dear? The two lords stand in front of me with dumbfounded faces. Both of them have rice grains on their cheeks. ...... Don''t be greedy, my lord. ''You''ve got grains of rice on your cheeks. ''Is that true, is that your friend Yashiro?'' I was going to say, ''It''s not you, it''s the Lord,'' when I heard Gilberta''s voice behind me. ...... There was a grain of rice on Gilberta''s cheek, too. ...... You guys. ''Gilberta, come.'' ''I obey, I obey my friend Yashiro''s words.'' I plucked a grain of rice from Gilberta''s cheek as she approached me without question, and ate it because it was a waste. I''m not sure what to say.Chuu, indirect, piggy, cheek.'' ''Calm down. You''re messing up my grammar and everything.'' There''s nothing for Gilberta to be embarrassed about because I didn''t put a grain of rice with my saliva on her cheek. I just don''t want to waste every single grain of rice in my food. And this is also a warning to the two greedy lords. ''Are you guys following me? I pointed out, and Estella and Lucia hurriedly wiped their cheeks with their hands. Not wanting to be eaten by me, they removed the rice grains themselves. You should have done that from the beginning. You''re a lord after all. When I looked at Natalia to ask for her consent, she put a grain of rice on her smooth, beautiful cheek and offered it to me. ''Ah~n! ''Wow, novel. Don''t play with your food, boy. You''d be embarrassed if I really ''ah-ed'' you. You''re sure I won''t be embarrassed?That''s sweet!I''m a man who does it when he has to!If you keep doing that, one day I''ll do it for real. Well, not this time! I''ve got kids. It''s not good for their education! Anyway, now that you''ve eaten, get to work. Come on, line up at the counter and grab a rice ball. ''Natalia and Gilberta will probably be fine, but ...... the problem is Estella and Lucia. Estella is handy, but when it comes to cooking, she''s no better than an amateur. Lucia is probably less than that. She may not even know the word "self-catering". I thought she was ......! ''What''s it like, anchovies? ''It''s good ...... and delicious! Lucia''s onigiri were just beautiful and tasted perfect. It was kind of frustrating! ''Because I''m training to be a bride ...... for Hammarotan! ''My motive is the border of impurity! Still, does that mean the technology is improving? ...... Hammaro, seriously, run away. This woman is for real! ''I want you to try it, my friend Yashiro.'' The rice balls that Gilberta made were just plain delicious. ''Is this the first time you''ve made onigiri?'' ''First time, I made it. I''m worried, is it done properly?'' ''It was fine. It was delicious.'' ''Ehehe ......'' She didn''t say ''I''m relieved'' or ''I''m glad'', she just smiled happily. Seeing Gilberta like that made me feel very relaxed. Then there was the other head waiter. Natalia is a perfect person who can also cook. She can make beautiful rice balls. She pressed the freshly made rice ball against her smooth cheek and said ''Yashiro-sama, ahhhh...'' ''I saw that just now! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ...... Yeah, I guess God didn''t want to make two things at the same time. It seems that the perfect superhuman was not perfect. And Estella, who had been grasping the rice while the head waiter was playing with it-- ''Ah~, it''s no good. It''s a little distorted compared to the others. She waggled her eyebrows at the quality of her rice ball. It''s better than Regina''s, but it''s not as good as Natalia''s or Gilberta''s. I practiced it once before at the Sunlit Pavilion ...... but I guess they haven''t made it since then. It looks like it''s getting better, though. It''s not ...... inedible, but it''s not ............ inedible either. ''If you can eat, that''s fine.'' ''As long as you find a tolerant husband. ''Our meals are basically left to the chef or the sunny-side up restaurant. She didn''t seem to be willing to put in any more effort. If he has time to improve his cooking skills, he''s going to say he wants to improve his knife skills, isn''t he? ''You only need to grip it three times. ''How can I get a beautiful shape in three times? ''I can do it. Ginette and Norma are doing it. ''Can you do it, Yashiro? ''Of course he can.'' If Estella looks at me skeptically, I can''t help but prove it. Take a good look. Watch my onigiri technique. Wash your hands, pour in the rice, wrap the ingredients around it. Once, twice, three times, you''ll have a beautiful triangular rice ball. ''How is it? He hands his masterpiece to Estella. Estella takes it, bites into it, chews it, squints her eyes, and lets out a happy squeal, ''Mmm~! She squints her eyes and lets out a happy sound. I''d rather have it made for me. I want to eat such delicious food every day. The moment Estella said that, the sound in the hall stopped. ''...... Oh, you eat Yashiro-sama''s homemade food every day? ''What? When Natalia said that, Estella looked around with a ''bang'' and her face turned red as she realized that all eyes were on her. ''No, you''re not!I''m talking about the food at the Sunlit Pavilion!Yashiro is an employee of the Sunshine Pavilion! He points at me and protests furiously. So, Estella ......, that kind of reaction is supposed to be amusing. It''s really a town where the lord and the people get along well. ...... Don''t drag me into this. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do. ''...... I''ve decided. I''ll take Jeannette as my wife.'' ''Estella, do you ...... really want to bring the big tits gene into the family? ''No!I''d like it if I could have it. ''...... Estella-sama''s daughters all have big tits.'' ''I still don''t want that gene! The curse of the Cremona family is still in effect. The curse of the Cremona family is likely to be inherited for some time to come. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. This is the encouragement of the members of the sunlit pavilion. I''m also worried about sales... I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... Anyway, let''s keep away from the self-destructive girl named Estella. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find any useful information. 425-No additives Episode 80 Obake Competition Afternoo... With our stomachs full, the afternoon session of the Obake Competition began. Currently, a woman from the Beastman tribe living in the east is speaking. ''Whenever I try to eat my favorite taiyaki, I hear a voice in the room where I''m supposed to be the only one saying, "Give me a bite. ......'' Whenever I try to eat something in my room where I live alone, I hear a voice saying ''Give me a bite'' and when I turn around, there is no one there. But when you turn around, you see that the food in front of you has decreased by one bite. There was no particular reason for this, but my eyes naturally went to Bertina. No, no, Bertina and the bite monster are not the same thing. I''m sure of it. I''m sure of it, because ...... Bertina wouldn''t be able to take more than a bite. ''But I love taiyaki, and it''s my favorite, so I took a chance and said. "No! I said. And then I heard this voice: ............ ''Well, two bites.'' The nastiness increased! The audience laughed at this unexpected development. The woman who told the story seemed a little unhappy. Apparently, she had intended to scare them. If you actually experience it, it must be incredibly scary. ...... I wonder if the story is a true story. Somehow, I feel that if Hammaro or the like snuck into my room, I would be in a similar situation. ''No, that''s not it! Especially the ending that makes you want to shout ''No, that''s not it! So, I drew an illustration that looks like Hammaro and Bertina added together and divided by two. ''Yashiro. Your model is too easy to understand. Estella pointed out, and when I turned my gaze toward Bertina, her cheeks were puffed out. She was not happy. ''That''s terrible, Yashiro-san. I''ll take a bite of your supper as punishment. Bertina says in a sultry tone. You''re not wrong at all. I''m going to redraw it a bit, since I''m afraid of copyright infringement. I''m going to make her look less like Bertina and more like a mischievous, pampered kid with mouse ears. ''Hmmm. It''s cute. He looks a little like Hammaro. Ginette, you''re right. It''s about 70% Hammaro. I tried to emphasize the mischievous rather than the gourmand. I see. Put a hamster ear on it and you can have a bite.'' Hey, didn''t that Sister look unhappy just now? If you wear this costume, you''ll look exactly like the illustration I just showed you. The illustration you rejected. In the meantime, the sun is getting darker and darker. When the sky was getting dim, it was time for him to take the stage. Lucia, the lord of the 35th district, took the stage with a full heart. Her imposing appearance was already attracting people''s attention even before she said a word. ''This is a story that has been passed down in the 35th district...'' In a calm, clear voice, he told me the story of the Shadow that I had been told. ''At a time when the sky was tinged red and the blues were slowly spreading,......, a girl was playing outside. The scene is more detailed than when it was told to me. The tone of voice that you use will also increase the tension of the listener. Lucia''s really trying to win the grand prize, isn''t she? The sun was setting, and the girl''s shadow was growing longer and longer. At that time, the ...... girl suddenly felt a gaze. There was no one around her,...... not a single noise, but someone was watching her,...... she thought. Someone swallowed a gulp of spit. The venue was so quiet that such a sound could be heard, and the crowd was so tense that not even a whisper could be heard. ''A shadow at my feet flickered ...... suspiciously. Then the girl said--'' The tension reached its peak. ''Hey, that''s weird, I feel like someone is watching me even though no one is supposed to be here...'' ''That''s weird, that''s not good, that''s scary, that''s scary...'' Hey, hey! What the hell is Junji River? Where did you learn how to talk like that?He''s not here, is he?There''s no one like him in this town, is there? What?Is that where you end up when you get down to it? It seemed that I was the only one who was upset, and the hall was filled with a tension that felt like it would crack if I touched it. There were many people who looked as if they would burst into tears if something triggered them. It''s amazing, isn''t it, the way he talks. ''From an eerily stretching shadow, a pitch-black, dark arm stretched out and grabbed the girl''s leg with a "Gah! It grabbed the girl''s leg. ''Gah! Several people screamed. They must have been startled by the sudden loud voice. Then, the shadow dragged the girl into the shadows, reminding her of ...... with few words. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact us at ....... ............'' She straightened her posture and smiled quietly. In the darkened hall, the smile was so shadowy that it was ...... unsettlingly beautiful. ...... Yes. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. ............ Lucia, what have you done to me? Lucia walked off the stage looking at me with a smug look on her face. It''s so annoying. ...... Don''t talk about scary stuff like that. I''m not sure what to make of it. In the hall, kids were clinging to their mothers when they saw the shadows starting to grow, shrinking their bodies to prevent the shadows from growing any longer, and stomping on the shadows with their feet. That''s a lot of influence. All the kids are struggling in vain. I really think the grand prize goes to Lucia. ...... While I was thinking that, an unexpected person came on stage. ''My turn, next. Gilberta had entered the competition separately from Lucia. Somehow, I hadn''t expected Gilberta to come out in front, so I was quite surprised. ''I''ve just entered, I''m going to Lucia-sama''s mansion as a servant--'' Gilberta begins to talk in a flat voice and a plain tone, although she is going around and around. Gilberta tells a story about her experience when she was a new waiter. Nowadays, Lucia no longer hides her love of insects, but before she met us, she never showed any such pretense in front of anyone other than Gilberta and a few others, even in the mansion. There are people who served and adored Lucia''s father, the former lord, and are still serving him, and it seems that Lucia cannot do as she pleases, no matter how much she wants to. Even as a young female lord, she is easily underestimated by her neighbors. She could not show any more weakness. --Such a mindset seems to have prevailed in the house at the time. Such an oppressive atmosphere was even worse when Gilberta first became a waiter, and since her predecessor was still alive, Gilberta, who was of the Gunthaiari tribe, felt quite constrained. ''Even so, it is unusual that a subspecies - the Bug People - would be called into the lord''s house. Gilberta says that the recruitment was done on Lucia''s strong recommendation and by force. The previous lords, who were concerned about discrimination against subhumans, did not oppose it. But even so, he did not welcome them. ''Tacit approval'' is the most appropriate word. Gilberta''s father was a very good soldier who guarded the city gates of the 35th district, and the lord was very pleased with him, so Gilberta was able to become a waiter. So that''s how it happened. I had thought that she had inherited the position like Natalia, but she must have been a great selection. That must have been why he had so many enemies. It is said that there were many servants who did not like Gilberta, who was the favorite of the lord''s daughter. ''In such a situation, there was one senior who was very kind to me. It is said that a Firefly woman who had worked as a waiter before Gilberta protected Gilberta from the same situation. Gilberta said in a happy voice that she had been taken care of by the Firefly woman who had worked as a waiter before her. ''I was taught, I was taught. He taught me how to be a waiter, and everything about it. It was that senior Firefly who laid the foundation for the Gilberta we know today, she said. And he must have been Gilberta''s emotional support. ''One time, I saw him slipping out in the middle of the night from the servants'' dormitory...'' It was a hot and humid night. He woke up in the middle of the night, opened the window to the uncomfortable heat, and saw his senior walking under the window. He was walking alone, tottering. Gilberta still remembers the feeling of the uncomfortable wet shirt sticking to her skin in the damp, windless air. Wondering where he was going in the middle of the night, Gilberta slipped out of the room and secretly followed him. She heard the sound of waves coming from the sea, which must have been far away from the house. With the faint smell of the tide came the roaring, frightening sound of the waves. The senior had left the dormitory grounds and was heading for the city gate. The city was pitch black and not a single noise could be heard, except for the ...... sound of the waves, which sounded like moans. ''And then it happened, the strange thing--'' The city gates, which are supposed to be completely closed at night, were open. And there was not a single gatekeeper. Gilberta wondered at the situation, but her desire to pursue her senpai overcame her and she moved her feet incessantly. She kept walking without stopping and finally came to the sea. The sea at night was pitch black, and the surging waves looked like living things," Gilberta says in an indifferent voice. The scene flashed through my mind, and the eeriness of it sent chills down my spine. ''It was going on and on, my senior, into the pitch-black sea--I thought it was dangerous, so I ran. So I ran. I ran along the beach, chasing after the senior in front of me. I tried to call out to him, but somehow my voice wouldn''t come out. So Gilberta stretched out her arm and tried to take his hand. That''s when. ''He called my name, I said. ''Gilberta! And the next thing I know, I''m being hugged from behind. Multiple arms. My vision, which until then had been blind except for my senior, suddenly opened up and the world was flooded with sound. When he turned around, he saw five of the servants of the mansion - Gilberta''s senior servants - clinging to Gilberta. In addition, about ten other servants were looking at her with concern, Gilberta said. ''I asked them, because I didn''t really understand the situation. The senior waiters said that a night shift worker had seen Gilberta leaving the dormitory alone and had followed her with her friends. They said that Gilberta did not seem to hear them when they called out to her, and that she headed for the sea without any expression on her face, overruling the gate keeper''s warning. All alone. As soon as she arrived at the beach, the waiters hugged her desperately and stopped her as she headed straight for the sea. ''...... alone?You can find a lot more information on the web. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I couldn''t find any footprints that my senpai must have made. There were only black waves lapping at the shore. There was nothing but the sea. ''I''ve been apologized to by the senior waiters...'' The senior servants said they were sorry for the pain they had caused Gilberta and apologized for their attitude. Gilberta did not suffer because of the presence of her seniors. Rather, she said that she was sorry for the trouble she had caused the senior waiters because of her inadequacies. And then... ''What ...... ''senior'' do you mean? A chilly breeze caressed my cheeks, and I shrugged my shoulders. I''m not sure what to say. ......The Firefly people. And then-- ''You''re amazing, you can even do things that ''no one taught you''. That''s why, to be honest, there''s a part of us that''s a little disappointed with .......'' That''s what he said to me. ''There was no ....... I checked, and there was no such senior anywhere. The room was silent. Gilberta ............, you''re a real guy, you know that? I don''t think it''s a real ghost,....... You can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time and are now looking for a job. ''At the time, I was curious, too, and I did some research of my own, and I found out that the ''helpers'' that the previous lords secretly hired for their ladies were the Fireflies. ''At the time, they must have been even more worried about what people would think. That''s why they were ''maids. They weren''t servants, but they were given special treatment, the Fireflies. The previous lady of the house was Lucia''s grandmother. If Lucia''s grandmother was a person who cared about the Bug People as much as Lucia did, she might have secretly hired one of the Bug People to serve her. If that was the case, it would mean that the Suarez family had been worried about the racial friction for generations. This is unusual for a noble family. Their grandparents would have been older than Sirach, and if they had been concerned about the Bug People even before the tragedy, then they were a caring family. ............ It doesn''t matter! It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get there.If he does exist, he must be very old. He''s not a ''senior'' anymore, he''s a ''master''. Wow, that''s definitely not from this world anymore. ...... Wow, ...... Yes, I can''t open the window this evening. I''ll cry if I hear a noise. Yes, confirmed. ''...... You guys, go back to the 35th district. You''re usually joking around, but you''re always talking about scary stuff like this. ...... I''m going to sleep with Magda in my arms, you bastard. I''m not sure if it''s a thing or not. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''re going to need to be able to pay for it. I''m not sure what to say. ............ ''I think, I ...... senior appeared to help ...... before me''. Gilberta chuckles. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. It''s all thanks to you. Gilberta''s eyes were very calm as she said this, and I could sense nothing but gratitude towards her. She''s taking it very positively, isn''t she? If this is how Gilberta feels, then it is probably true. ...... In the event you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please feel free to contact us. It is not uncommon for strong feelings to bring people and things together. It''s not uncommon to see the deceased in your dreams," Lucia says. Strong feelings, huh? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Yes, you may not be wrong. If it is in this town, where magic exists as a matter of course. As I was idly thinking about this, Gilberta pulled my sleeve. ''I want you to draw my friend Yashiro, my senior. ''No,......, I''ll draw it,.......'' ''The eyes are like this, a little droopy and round. Egg-shaped, face.'' I''m not sure what to make of it. Gilberta is giving us a detailed description of the killer''s face, as if the victim were describing the killer in a criminal drama. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, but it''s also a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ''Can you tell me a little more about them?How big are they ......? ''Don''t get excited, anchovy. You''re a real piece of work, you know that? I''m suddenly feeling very motivated! You''re Gilberta''s benefactor, so I''ll draw you pretty and plump. --So, I drew a portrait of him as he asked. ''I want this. The resemblance was so great that Gilberta stuck to the blackboard and couldn''t be removed. It''s stronger than a super-strong magnet. ''Is the resemblance that great, this sketch? ''I don''t know. I haven''t seen it, real or fake.'' Lucia glared at me as I drew it, seemingly a little annoyed by Gilberta''s obsession with people other than herself. It''s not my fault, no matter how you look at it. Gilberta receives the colored illustration that Bekko copied and happily wiggles her antennae. ''Thank you, titty townie. ''Ummm ......, it seems that the image outside the ward is filled with Mr. Yashiro, that my 42nd ward.'' ''Idiot, Bekko. It''s not me. The main factors that determine the image of the forty-two districts are Estella, the lord, and Ginette, the owner of the Sunshine Pavilion, who is always talked about. You could say they are the two tops. If you put Ginette and Estella side by side, the first thing everyone will see is their boobs. ''Oh, so many! And. ''If you look at Jeannette, then look at Estella, then look at Jeannette again, everyone will say ''tits''. ''Yashiro, if you don''t shut your mouth, I''m going to have to ask you to leave.'' ''Glimpse, glimpse, glimpse, "boobs" ......?It''s true, it just slipped out of my mouth. ......'' ''Okay, Natalia and Yashiro, you two can leave together! Estella takes it out on Natalia for demonstrating her theory. She''s not a fan of science. Science?Psychology?No, human mechanics? ''Since the word "boobs" is falling out of my mouth, let''s call this the "Law of the Boobs"! ''After all, the 42nd district is the city of boobs. ''Well, it was Mr. Yashiro''s image, wasn''t it? It''s really troubling, that it is, the idea of Mr. Yashiro''s boobs. I tried to prove that it wasn''t my fault, but he was convinced that it was. I''m sure he doesn''t understand learning. He''s just Becko. And that was the end of the conversation between Lucia and Gilberta. But this is not the end. At the end, I''m going to tell a story for the masquerade. It''s ......, but the air is a bit heavy. I mean, the sub warts on my arms haven''t subsided yet, so I''m going to take a break. Fear is a cumulative effect. ...... I''m not trying to scare the crowds. I''m not trying to scare the audience. I want you to listen to it as if you were saying, ''That kind of masquerade is possible! So, here is the perfect person for such a situation! ''Hammaro~! ''Hammaro? ''You, say something appropriate. ''Oh, my God!No warning, no warning! It''s okay, it''s okay. You can do it. I just want you to let me watch you do it and be soothed. Good luck with your little animal videos. You know, the ones you watch when you want to be healed. ''Well, let''s talk about how you''re actually my sister! Whoa! I told you the ending first! Nice!That''s good, Hammaro! Keep it up and make it more and more heartwarming! ''My sister stays out all the time!I wonder, does she have someone she cares about?Did you sleep in the same bed with her last night? ''It''s Magda-chou!I''m staying at the sunny pavilion! Loretta''s voice came from the audience. I will immediately correct any suspicious statements from my relatives. Otherwise, it''s deep-rooted. ...... Rumors in the 42nd district still haven''t disappeared that I''m targeting Nephrite. ''That day, too, my sister left the house to go to Magdacho''s place for a sleepover! ''It''s not Magda!I''m only going to stay at the Sunshine Pavilion, Cantalucia, or Norma''s place! Are you staying at Norma''s too, Loretta? Stay at home, eldest daughter. She''s been playing around a lot, hasn''t she? ''But my sister came home in the middle of the night! ''What?...... Did that ever happen to you? ''Knocking, knocking, knocking on the window...'' ''A window?I go in through the front door, you know.Even if I lost my keys, I wouldn''t knock on the window, I''d knock on the front door. ''It''s a wooden window, so I can''t see out, and the whole family is going ''peek-a-boo''! ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, I don''t care what you''re talking about, let''s get on with it! ''Loretta ......, shut up.'' ''Huh!The president of the jury is angry with me. ......'' Estella nailed her, and Loretta held her mouth with her hands. And for some reason, Hammaro is also holding his mouth together. ''No, you should talk, Hammaro. ''Hammaro? ''That''s you! ''...... huh?'' ''Stop, you''re turning around at this moment!There''s no one here!There''s no one here, is there?You didn''t feel a presence or anything, did you? ''Yashiro, you''re annoying too. Because Hammaro is going to do something scary! ''.................. Hammaro?'' ''No, wait a minute, Hammaro!Nobody said anything right now, did they!There''s no one else that only you can see, right! ''Estella-sama, please be quiet. ''No, but...'' ''Meh.'' Estella gets angry with Natalia for making noise. Yeah, yeah. This is a good example of how unreasonable things can come back to you. You should have a more tolerant heart, human creature. And you''re actually my sister!The end! ''Wait, Hammaro!I''m sorry for interrupting you, but I haven''t finished my story at all!Can you start with the part about the knock on the wooden window? ''Yes! Hammaro tried to end the story quickly, as if he was bored, but I urged him to continue. As expected, such an ending is unacceptable. It''s really bothering me. ''There was a knock at the door, and I asked, "Who is it? and it was my sister!''It''s me,'' she said! ''Was it really Loretta''s voice? ''There''s no way she could have misheard me! ''No, but big brother ......, I''ve never knocked on a window before, have I? ''He said, "Open, open, let me in!"'' Wait a minute, isn''t this getting slightly scary? ''At first, it was ''kong kong'', but then it became ''more and more'', and ''open'' became ''open!Let me in!Do as I say! I''m sure it''s not me! ''That''s definitely not me, is it? ''The voice also went from my sister''s voice to a low, dirty voice of an old man I don''t know! ''You should have realized at that point that it wasn''t me! ''You can do it, big sister! ''Don''t get your hopes up without any evidence! ''My big sister is a great big sister who can do anything! ''Huh!I can''t betray my brother''s innocent envy. ......!It''s me! ''It''s definitely not you, Loretta! But, brother!Can you say that?It''s not me.'''' ''It''s definitely not me, so just say it is! ''No, I can''t deny the possibility that it''s me!I''m sure there are times when my old man''s voice comes out without me even realizing it! ''That''s why I''m worried about you! You might be possessed or possessed, you know? ''''But you were giving me orders even though you''re my sister, so I ignored you! ''Whoa!I''m not sure what to say.What do you mean by ''but''? ''A stew with bamboo shoots and dried bonito flakes! ''That''s not "kuseni", it''s "tosa-ni"!It''s a delicious dish made by the manager!If you''re interested in it, please come and try it at the Sunlit Pavilion! ''My sister''s Tosa-ni! ''You''re talking out of your ass!What happened to the voices outside in the end? ''I was shouting so much that I ended up gulping...'' ''You''re surprisingly weak!I wanted you to be more invincible with some kind of power, like a grudge or a curse! ''I fell asleep before I realized...'' ''Even though the window was being slammed and you were being shouted at right outside! ''Once you get used to it, it''s a bit of an energetic lullaby! ''You have so much courage, even though I''m your sister, I''m a little surprised! ''I went to bed and woke up to find you gone! ''I gave up and went home, didn''t I? ''But there was blood all over the outside of the window! ''Please don''t throw in horrible facts in an innocent voice! ''And you''re actually my sister! ''No, you''re not!I should have been removed from the list of suspects at the first step! ''But it sounded like your sister. ''But it was your sister''s voice.'' ''And then it became the voice of an old man I don''t know, right? ''My sister can do that! ''Haaaaah!My little brother is so cute and innocent! ''You guys, shut up, all of you. I don''t know if this is a scary story, a comic story, or a family boast. But if you just imagine the facts as they happened ............, it''s just plain scary, isn''t it?It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. d*mn it, I''m really not going near the window today! I''m gonna reinforce it with boards and make sure it won''t open! Well, what do you mean?My room is on the second floor.There''s no way I''m going to let anyone knock on my window. ...... ''Excuse me, do you have a minute, Hammaro? ''Hamma...... okay! ''If you''re going to say it, you have to say it! ''Lo? ''You don''t have to add what''s missing! ''Muzukashii ...... shun.'' ''It''s not something you need to reflect on that much! ''I''m not sorry! ''This guy is ...... ah, that''s enough. More importantly, Hammaro, your room was on the second floor, right? ''Yes! ''...... How do you tap on the second floor window from outside? ''Hmm~?............ Good luck! ''Oh ......, the answer to ''how'' was mentalism ......''. So, Hammaro''s bedroom is on the second floor. Umaro. You''re giving me unnecessary information! I''m not looking at the window!I don''t listen!I''m not singing! ''All right, I''ve drawn an illustration! My whole body was creeping out, so I quickly drew an illustration. It came out very cute, yes. As Hammaro testified, it''s a three-headed character that looks just like Loretta. However, he has a thief''s beard around his mouth, and in the speech balloon, I added a line in a font that sounds like a rattling rasp. ''Hey, big brother!Please don''t do that with a face that looks like mine!You''re ruining the image of the cute Loretta! ''What?You''re saying ''Bohe~''? ''I didn''t say "Bohe~"! ''The coloring is done, that it is! ''You''re working awfully fast, that you are!Is it malice?Is this a challenge to me?I''ll accept it! Loretta ran onto the stage, "Pong, pong, pong! She ran up to the stage and closed in on Becko. The audience laughed, but even their voices were a little stiff. He must have been scared for some reason. ...... Hammaro ............ I''m disappointed! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do now, but I''ll just tell him my story and be done with it. ''Molly!Just in time for delivery! A man who had been completely forgotten in my mind. Percy came running towards me at full speed with a strange expression on his face and a big wave of his hand. ''Brother ......''. Molly stood up and stared at Percy with an anxious look on her face. That expression on her face, is she worried about looking so skinny...... ''......Sorry. I just forgot.'' Oh, it was guilt. It''s okay, it''s okay. Maybe everyone forgot. ''Molly, I worked hard!I worked the hardest I''ve ever worked! Percy comes up to me with tears in his eyes. Watching Percy, I gently lift Molly up onto the stage. ''Hey, you!What are you doing? ''No, it''s just a reunion, and it''s going to be a long one, so I thought I''d show everyone anyway. ''Don''t do anything unnecessary!It''s between brother and sister! ''Brother. Did you get the delivery in time?Are the employees okay?Did you push them too hard?'' ''!And Molly, why are you talking to me from the stage?Get down here!You''re really standing out! ''Answer the question! ''I''m fine!Aunt Zessica, you were so excited. ...... You were so hard on me. ......'' It seems that the old employee (a motherly girl) has been squeezed a lot. As I looked at him, my cheeks grew even more gaunt by a factor of four. ''I see. Good job, bro. You worked hard. Good job.'' ''Mo...... Molly! Percy''s eyes welled up with emotion as he ran up to the stage. He then tried to hug Molly with his momentum, but she flinched away from him. Molly, nice move. ''Why are you avoiding ......? ''Big brother, you haven''t taken a bath, have you?You smell so sweet.'' ''I''ve been working all this time! ''That''s great. But don''t get attached to my sweet smelling body.'' ''What do you mean, "sweet smelling"?That''s the first time I''ve heard that word. If it''s too sweet, it''ll certainly make you go ''......! I know. I know, I know. ''So, Percy...'' ''Don''t do that!At least make it (sweet)! ''Stinky, stinky, stinky...'' ''The smell is too strong!It''s been eroded by my name! ''Now that you''re on stage, tell us a story about a ghost.'' ''A story about ghosts?What''s that? ''That''s what this tournament is about. Here. Tell some impromptu story, and maybe a little bit of a slippery slope. That''s your raison d''etre. ''What''s a ghost like?I don''t know, seriously.'' ''He''s kind of scary. Do you know anything about it, bro?If you''re chosen as the best, you get a special candy. Here, work hard. No, good luck. ...... Molly, do you want some candy?I think it''s a die .......'' ''......Just say something.'' ''Molly is staring at me with a scary face! Percy, who was half crying when he saw his sister again, started crying when she stared at him. He''s so annoying. Why don''t you just say something quickly and slurp it up? ''Ah~......, so I don''t know if you''re a ghost or not, but let''s talk about last night. Percy scratches his head in annoyance, and with a resigned look on his face, he begins to talk. ''Yesterday, I was home alone. Normally Molly is there, and even if I don''t hear anything, I can feel her presence. It''s very calming, but ...... yesterday I was seriously alone ...... and it was a bit creepy. A house all by myself. It''s quiet, it''s dark, it''s your house, you see it every day, but it''s just different and it''s scary. A few people in the audience nodded at Percy''s words. They must have remembered it. The experience of a house without parents, a night without children, a strange quiet and cold atmosphere. ''No one is supposed to be there, but somehow there is someone there. ...... Someone is watching me. ......'' It''s just a little thing, but I can imagine it so real, it''s strangely scary. ''And since it was so creepy, I asked the Carey brothers to come stay with us for the night. ''What?Brother, what did you just say? Cary? ........................ Ah!The anteater brothers. That''s a complicated way of putting it. So, Molly. Your face looks like crap. Are you okay? ''...... did Mr. Neck and Mr. Chick stay over?At our house?'' ''Oh, yeah. They agreed to it. I''m really grateful. Thanks to them, I managed to sleep through the night and didn''t oversleep. Isn''t that great? ''............ I wasn''t there, you know? ''Yes, you were!But I managed to wake up!See?Isn''t that great? ''...... Why did you call me on a day when I''m not here, but not on a day when I''m here?'' ''Hmm?Oh, Cary brothers?I mean, what''s the point of inviting Molly when she''s here? ''No, no, no? ''To ......?'' ''I''m sure there''s no such thing, can you think about it, brother? ''Hey ...... Molly, your face looks terrible. What ...... are you mad about?'' ''What?I''m not mad at you.'' ''No, you''re mad as hell! ''I''m not mad. I''m not mad at you, but you should have stepped down the stairs when you got off the stage. ''What did I do?Hey, Molly! Molly seems to have lost all admiration for Percy''s efforts. Well, I understand your frustration. ...... ''Yeah, ...... Molly, ...... yeah, .......'' ''The Cary brothers are, uh, the sugar radish brothers?...... yeah............'' ''No way. ...... yeah............'' Molly. I think your secret''s out in the whole hall. I wonder how long it will be before the pissed off Molly realizes that. 426-81st episode of Obake Competition, closing The story of the participants in the ghost competition is all over. Molly''s unconscious bombing seems to have left the men in the audience with an indescribable sense of regret, sadness, and disappointment, but there''s nothing we can do about that. They say that love is blind. But I wonder... Isn''t it okay to take it out on her? Yeah. And now Percy''s here for good measure. ''Then listen to me for the last time. I''m going to make an illustration of an obake that looks like a series of eyes, as if it were an embodiment of ''ears on the wall, eyes on the shoji'', and have Becko color it. While I''m at it, I''ll entrust Becko with a rather large A2 size color illustration that I drew up yesterday. It is the illustration of the monster I am going to talk about. I plan to present it after my talk is over. I walk slowly to the center of the stage and look around at the audience. The sun is setting and the audience seats are dimly lit. It''s a nice atmosphere. He breathes in slowly and begins to speak quietly. ''There was a place where there was a very strong sister and a prodigal brother who couldn''t help himself. My words naturally drew the attention of the entire audience to Percy. ''What the hell?I''m not a prodigal!In fact, I''m very serious! I''m not going to say that I''m a prodigal, but I''m not going to say that I''m not a prodigal. ...... Well, let me set the record straight. I''m not talking about Percy. ''Look at that!That''s what you''re saying!Don''t look at me! He was the kind of guy who left his sister in charge of the factory and became infatuated with other women, angered her with a careless comment, ran away from home, and was driven back to his hometown with a cold stare that said he''d cut off his family if he didn''t meet the deadline. I''m sure you''re talking about me, aren''t you? ''By the way, my sister is said to run away from home immediately if she comes near the bathhouse while she is bathing. ''That''s me, isn''t it? ''It''s just a fiction. Even if you look like me, you''re not me. I tell her the story''s promise and begin the rest of the story. ''My sister has a man she loves...'' ''Oh, thank goodness!She''s not the same person after all. Molly doesn''t have anyone like that. Percy is relieved. But the people around you are looking at you warmly. Most of the people here know about it. They don''t know about Molly''s infatuation or who she''s dating. The only ones who don''t know are Percy and the kid who hasn''t even fallen in love yet. ''My sister couldn''t tell her brother, who was an extreme sissy, that she was in love with someone. He would have disapproved. ''Well, isn''t it obvious?A man who messes with another man''s sister must be a bad person. So I didn''t want to talk about it, and nurtured our love in secret.'' ''Wait a minute!Didn''t I just get included in a story?This is fiction, right? Shut up. Shut up and listen, you sissy brother. This is the good part. ''Their secret love affair went smoothly, and before long, they vowed to marry each other. ''Huh? The source of the strange voice was Molly. ...... What did you imagine?I''m sorry.I''m not sure. He turned his back to me and was blowing air on his cheeks with both hands. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... but the brother was very much against it.'' ''My brother''s a jerk. Molly''s mutterings are filled with murderous intent. It''s fiction, Molly. Well, the same thing would happen if you encountered such a situation in real life. ''But my sister didn''t budge, she insisted on getting married. The wedding was to be held in a white chapel on top of a mountain, which she had always dreamed of. It was her dream to have her wedding in a chapel surrounded by birds, animals, colorful flowers and colorful insects, with the sun shining through the trees. ''.................. good''. Molly nodded very emphatically. It seemed like a good idea. ''But there was a problem. Her only relative, her brother, was against the idea, and there was no priest willing to be a witness. The sister was troubled and ran to the church. A kind-hearted sister with big breasts, who heard her story, agreed to be her witness. She said, ''It''s not fancy, but let''s swear our eternal love in a small ceremony. ''A small ceremony to pledge eternal love ...... would be nice. ''Phew ......,'' Molly said, letting out a feverish sigh. The relatively unobtrusive type of girls in the audience seemed to share her sentiments. Some of them wanted to make a splash, while others wanted to make their vows modestly and peacefully. Molly was more likely to be the latter. ''Hmph!I''d never go. What do you mean, ''modestly''? It''s not the kind of place to invite people up on the mountain. Think of the trouble we''ll cause. Percy, who is now completely linked to his brother in the story, says in an extremely unhappy tone. He''s never been able to learn. ....... I told you it was fiction. ''But, of course, my brother was against it. ''I''m not going,'' he said. ''What do you mean, just the two of us in a small way? It''s not the kind of place to invite people up in the mountains. Think of the trouble we''ll be in. ''Wait!That''s what I just said, isn''t it?It''s not me, is it?It''s fiction, isn''t it? ''It''s just a coincidence. It''s a coincidence. ''What kind of coincidence is that?It''s more than a coincidence. ''Shut up, it''s fiction, fiction. ''He thought she would give up if he objected too strongly. But she was adamant. There was a forecast that it might rain on the wedding day, but that didn''t shake her resolve. ''Love is the most powerful thing, isn''t it? Molly is muttering to herself in a voice no one can hear, as if to say to herself. It seems Percy isn''t the only one who sees himself in her. ''So my brother took a hard line. On the day of the wedding, he kidnapped the groom. ''My brother sucks! ''You''re the worst, Percy! ''What a raccoon! ''Hey!It wasn''t me!I told you it was fiction! Percy is getting a lot of flak. Must be his daily routine, I guess. Yeah. Trust is important, Percy. I''m a fraud, so I''m sure of it. ''The sky was cloudy, and soon it began to rain. The groom didn''t show up for the worst weather. My sister will come home in tears, he thought. When she came back into his arms, wounded, he intended to say to her. ''I told you, didn''t I?Don''t trust other men. I''ll protect you forever. ''Well, he''s got a point, that brother of his. No, Percy. No. '' But she never came back. The rain gets heavier and heavier. It was still noon and the sky was dark. Still, she didn''t come back. Maybe she went to his house to meet the groom, or maybe she went to the church. I looked everywhere I could think of, but couldn''t find her. I was informed at the church that the sister who was supposed to witness the wedding hadn''t returned yet either--they''re still in the mountains. I heard a quiet gasp. ''The next thing I knew, my brother was heading for the mountains. He walked step by step toward the top of the mountain, his feet caught in the muddy path made muddy by the heavy rain. On the way, the path was blocked by a landslide. The rain never stopped and my brother was soaked and covered in mud. ''Haha...... haha......,'' he breathed into his shoulder. He looked up at the blocked road and wiped the sweat and rainwater dripping down his chin with his arm. As the road disappears, he shows a look of anguish, lost in thought. Then the audience leaned forward. I can feel that they are concentrating their attention on me. By interjecting such an etude effectively, the narration brings up the scene in the listeners'' minds even more. ''I thought of turning back like this. But more than that, my heart was almost crushed with anxiety. I wondered if my sister in the church on top of the ...... mountain would be safe in such a situation. A sense of tension engulfed the room. There are a variety of faces looking at me, some flabbergasted, some breathless, some anxious as if they are about to cry. Percy, linked to the older brother in the narrative, has a pained expression on his face, as if he is worried about his sister''s safety. ''Bypassing the crumbling road, my brother stepped into the mountain where the trees were thickly growing. Wading through the grass and trees, getting his feet stuck in the mud, and getting soaked from the relentless rain, ...... he found that it was now well into the night. It would normally take about two hours to reach the summit of the mountain, but because we took a detour, got lost, and took a rough route, it took us longer than necessary. It was pitch black. The rain, which had been pouring down noisily, had stopped, and the mountain was silent and still. In the midst of this, I spotted a flickering light behind the trees. A bonfire was lit in the hall, swaying in the wind. Since we were going to talk about ghosts, we had not prepared any glowing bricks. The orange light of the torch illuminated the hall. ''Finally, my brother reached the church. In the dark mountains, a pure white church stood out like a glimmering light. ''Haa...... haa...... finally arrived......''. Breathing on his shoulder, he put his hand on the door of the church. The heavy door opens with a ''......gig,............gigy......''. The girls in the audience huddle together. ''Inside the church, a sister in white vestments and a sister in a dress were standing. The air in the hall eased for a moment. ''...... Thank God. It''s a good thing you''re safe,......,'' he muttered, and then he became irked. If his sister hadn''t insisted on having the wedding in such a place in the first place, and if she hadn''t insisted on getting married despite his objections, he wouldn''t have had to worry and struggle so much. When he thought about it, he couldn''t stand it any longer and shouted. I told you so! I told you so! ''All you have to do is listen to me! And--'' So he closes his mouth for a moment. An uncomfortable silence, too long to be called a pause, prevails. The words that broke the silence were small and quick. ''But she doesn''t turn around, she doesn''t reply. And then the furious older brother, wildly. ''''Hey!Are you listening to what I''m saying? He stretches out his arm and grabs the girl by the shoulders. He makes a gesture like that. ...... But he senses an abnormality: the hand that grabbed his shoulder stops and shakes ....... Many people seem to have noticed such a small change, and anxiety immediately spread to the entire audience. ''''You know, bro,...... the groom,...... he didn''t come,...... I''ve been waiting for him for so long.... .........'' The hand on his shoulder trembled. It was my fault that the groom didn''t show up. Doesn''t your sister know that?I can''t help but think that she knows and is holding a grudge.I couldn''t help thinking that. You know,......," he said. He muttered in a single, eerie voice. Then she slowly turned around and looked at the audience as if glaring up at them from below. When he sees his sister looking back at him, he exclaims, "Whoa! The crowd''s shoulders jumped at the loud voice. The crowd''s shoulders jump at the loud voice. Half of her face was blackened with mud, and a huge rock was stuck in her stomach. When she pulled out the huge rock, her dress, which had been pure white, quickly turned crimson with the blood that had spurted out. And then, looking up at her brother with eyes as murky as the deep darkness where no light dwells, she said: ............ ''I will do as you say, ...... I''ll always be by your side. ''Heee! I heard a woman scream. I quickly looked over and saw Jeannette holding her head and covering her ears. '' My brother sat up and called out for help to the Sister standing next to him. ''Sister!My sister!Sister! Sister! ...... and the sister slowly turned around and looked into my brother''s face. I''m glad you''re here, brother. ...... I''ll never leave you, sister, or me. ......" The sister''s face was covered in blood and she had a large gash on her cheek. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not that I don''t like it, but I do. --Later, the bodies of the sister and the sisters were found in the sand. The bodies of the sister and the sister were later found in the sand. Both had been pierced through the stomach by a huge rock and died instantly. I take a slow, deep breath. Scene change. ''A few years later, my brother managed to recover and got married. It was to the woman he had always been in love with. The audience begins to feel a faint sense of desperation. ''What?You ruined your sister''s marriage, and now you''re getting married? It''s like, ''Percy, you''re the worst. ''On the wedding day, it had been raining all morning. When my brother visited the church, he gasped. The church looked just like the church on the mountain. ...... ''No, that can''t be true ......,'' he told himself, opening the church door. You can find a lot more information on this website at ....... ....... ....... .......I''m not sure what to do. . He screamed as he opened the door. The other side of the door stood a sister in a mud-covered dress and a sister in vestments stained red with blood. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. --After the last line, he pauses for a moment to catch his breath, leaving the audience in the middle of the narrative. The audience is timing their breaths according to the narrator''s breathing, so when we hold our breaths, we lose sight of the timing of our breaths. The story concludes after the narrator has sufficiently experienced the suffocating silence. ''And so, in retribution for ruining his sister''s happiness, Percy was never able to marry. ''Wait a minute! I bowed at the end and Percy stood up at almost the same time. ''You said this wasn''t my story!It''s fiction, right? ''Oh, sorry, sorry. That last sentence was a prophecy. ''Don''t call it a prophecy!I''m getting married for sure! ''......, you interfered with my marriage.'' ''I don''t think you do!And the marriage crap has nothing to do with Molly at all!It''s fictional, that''s for sure! ''Do you have a minute, Percy? Umaro looks at Percy with a difficult face. ''I apologize. ''That''s why it wasn''t me!I didn''t interfere with my sister''s marriage! ''So, when Molly gets married someday, you''ll support her, right? ''What?Of course not!I mean, Molly''s never going to get married!I can''t even find a guy I like! ''Ah, it looks like ...... Yashiro''s prediction is coming true. ''No, it won''t! The whole hall is looking at Percy accusingly. I didn''t do anything, but they hate me. And while I was thinking that, there was only one person looking at me accusingly. It''s ...... Jeannette. ''Ugh ...... that''s terrible, Mr. Yashiro. You said that Yashiro''s story was not scary, but a story for a masquerade. ......'' I''m not sure if I''ve ever heard of such a thing. I had told Jeannette that in advance. No, that''s not it. I guess I just got caught up in the festive atmosphere. ...... I just wanted to scare Percy a little. ...... ''It''s all Percy''s fault: ......'' ''I didn''t do anything, did I? Teary-eyed Percy. ''Yeah, you''re not pretty enough to cry about, and you''re not going to make me squirm. ''Molly''s in a bit of a rebellious phase right now, so don''t say anything that''ll make me look bad, seriously! ''Rebellious?Molly? I didn''t see any sign of that at all. ''Yes, she is!When I open the door to my room, she gets angry and says, ''Knock! She gets angry when I open the door to my room, she tells me not to go into the bathroom when I''m taking a bath, and she throws me out of my bedroom when I try to sleep with her. ......'' ''Percy, it''s not rebellion, it''s self-preservation instinct. You do that all the time? I''m surprised she hasn''t run away from home. You''re a good-hearted girl, Molly. Well, she''s currently a runaway. ''I was away from the factory for a while, and she got really mad at me, saying, "Work! ......''. ''That''s a perfectly valid argument. If you ask a hundred people, a hundred people will say ''you''re wrong'', that case. ''Even now, he''s gone away with his eyebrows raised like this: ......'' Percy''s shoulders slumped. When you see a weak expression like that,.................., you can''t think or feel anything. You deserve it. ''Becco~, Jeannette''s scared, show her the illustration~'' ''Wait!Don''t ignore the whole conversation with me!You can comfort him, right? ''There''s no need to comfort me, is there? ''I don''t even know which one you are! Ignoring the noisy Percy, Becko comes to the center of the stage with two illustrations. These are the illustrations I gave him earlier. ''Hmm. That''s Mr. Yashiro, that he is. This kind of idea has yet to come out of me, that it has. I need to study even more, that I do. He gazes at the illustrations with admiration, and then holds them one by one in one hand and shows them to the audience. Vividly drawn on a large sheet of A2 size paper are illustrations of a deceased bride and a deceased sister. We are proud of the beauty of the illustrations, which would attract hundreds of thousands of new registrants if they were used for social games. When the audience saw the illustrations, they exclaimed, "Wow! Well, well, well. I''m still as good as Becko in this field. Things that don''t seem to exist in this world draw out and stimulate people''s creativity. Yashiro!I want to make this outfit! Uclines was a great catch. It looks like a beautiful dress that has been torn apart, yet it''s a well-proportioned and attractive design. ''Wow, ...... is pretty cute.'' Estella also said in an impressed voice after looking at the two illustrations. The content of the story is a little strange, but the illustrations themselves do not inspire fear. Well, there are a few red blotches on the white vestments and the bride''s face is stained with mud. Even with this kind of make-up, the models look pretty enough. When I looked at Jeannette, her expression of fear had completely disappeared and a completely different expression had appeared on her face. It was, ''Huh?...... No, but I don''t think it''s ...... but ............ hmm? It was an expression of confusion. Hmmm... I think someone other than ...... Ginette would have noticed it at once. I''ve drawn it up so clearly. So the other Molly is ....... ''Big brother''. She came back to Percy with a tray, looking a little unhappy. The tray was covered with a cloth so you couldn''t see what was inside. ......, but that bulge... ''Molly!Where the hell have you been?Listen, that was your creation, okay?I had nothing to do with it!Don''t be mad, seriously! ''...... Then, what would you do if I brought a man to you who wanted to marry me? ''I''d hit him. ''............'' ''Duh, wait!No, no!No, I''d talk to him first, and then I''d hit him! ''''Haha, ...... brother, you''re totally .......'''' Molly holds out the tray with a dumbfounded look. Percy accepts the tray with a puzzled look on his face. He seems to be unable to grasp the meaning of Molly''s actions. ''Huh?What''s this? ''Well, it looks like you worked hard and met the deadline. ''Delivery date?...... Ah, ah!Sugar. Yeah, I made it. Right on time!The last minute push was really great!We all hugged each other afterwards, seriously. Seriously. Isn''t it fun, your job? ''Hmm~...... well, if Molly was here, it would have been even better.'' ''If I was here, you''d be gone.'' ''Ugh, ...... that''s where, you know, ...... sharing?Like that? ''...... brother?'' ''Oh, no!I work hard too!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this.She''s a serious person! ''That house is too big for me to live in by myself, so ...... do your best not to get kicked out. ''Yeah!I''ll leave it to you! ''Then ...... reward your brother for his hard work.'' He removes the cloth from the tray. On the tray, there were three beautiful triangular rice balls in a row. Next to them was a cup of tea with steam rising from it. ''Molly ...... this? ''I made it myself. Isn''t it good? ''Molly......'' Molly looks down, embarrassed. Percy is frozen in place, as if moved. Oh, right. So this is why Molly was practicing her ''I''ll master it today'' onigiri. What the hell. You''re Percy. The lucky guy. ''That''s awesome!That''s really great, Molly. ''It''s only a rice ball, ...... you''re overreacting.'' But Molly looks happy. ''No, I''m seriously freaked out. You take care of all the household chores, but no matter how hard you try, your cooking never gets any better. You''re perfect in everything else, but your cooking is so bad that I can''t even believe it. ''Give it back if you don''t want to eat it. ''I''ll eat it!I want to eat it!Because it looks decent! ''...... Brother?I''m leaving the house. ''Why are you doing this?I''m complimenting you! No, you''re disrespecting me big time, man. Oh, so Molly ...... can''t cook? Well, there are not many people who can do everything. Especially if you lost your mother when you were young, there''s no one to teach you how to cook. ''Yummy!What is this!It''s so good! ''You''re already ............ overreacting.'' Molly turned her face away in embarrassment as Percy fussed over the rice balls. But the face that was turned away was happy and relaxed. After all, Molly''s a bit of a bracero too, isn''t she? ''Molly, you''ve been practicing for me, huh~? huh?My sister''s the best!She''s the cutest thing in the world! ''Oh, my God!Don''t say that in front of everyone, it''s embarrassing! She wants you to say it when we''re alone. ''Oh, Percy, I hope you don''t choke and fall over. ''You''re the best, Molly!I''ll never give her to anyone else! ''.................. brother?'' Molly''s happy, embarrassed, loose face instantly changes to a crisp, cold expression of absolute zero. ...... My creative ghost story might not be fiction anymore. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Hey, Molly!I''m not sure what to say. Molly turns her back on Percy, who clings to her. Then she notices the two illustrations on the stage. She stares at them, mutters, ''......What? and rushes to the illustrations. He stares at the illustrations at close range, then turns his gaze to me with the awkward movements of an oiled-up tin doll. ''Oh, is that ...... Yashiro? She looked at the illustration alongside Molly and muttered, ''...... I knew it. ''I''m sure it''s just my imagination, but ...... this is...'' Molly and Jeannette stare at me together in front of the illustration of the deceased bride and the deceased sister. ''It kind of looks like us ......, doesn''t it ............? The desire to deny it twists the grammar, but I can''t help but think that ''don''t we look alike? But if you replace ''don''t they look alike'' with ''don''t they? does not change the reality. Because you are the models. I mean, you look exactly like them, right? The deceased sister''s breasts are like no other, they''re so big, no, they''re huge! ''''This is the costume you guys will wear for Halloween. ''''What? We both looked at the illustration again at the same time. Then, they both pressed their cheeks together again and-- ''''Oh, my stomach is ......'''' -- and muttered the same words at the same time. That''s right, isn''t it? The clothes were torn by the sand and dust, and both the deceased bride and the deceased sister had their bellies exposed,......, or rather, they were designed so that the eyes would be drawn to their bellies. ''''......That thing was serious, wasn''t it ......'''' That''s what I said. "Would you like to walk down the street with your stomach out? I wasn''t lying or drunk or anything. ''''Until the show, let''s work hard together. ''''Huh, ......! Ginette and Molly put their hands on each other''s shoulders, and both covered their stomachs with their hands at the same time. After that, the best winners were announced and given their new sweets. The winner of the grand prize was - to my great regret - Lucia. ''Let''s make it a family heirloom! ''Eat it! ''If you eat it, you''ll lose it, anchovy! ''Are you Imelda? After staring at us and bragging about it here and there, he said, ''I''ll eat it again next time, so make it again,'' in a very superior manner. Next time, I''ll take your money, okay? After the closing remarks, the party went on to a large banquet as a matter of course. Just as at the field day, liquor and meat were brought in from Cantalucia, and the Sun Goddess Pavilion joined the party by cooking Assunto''s ingredients in a simple kitchen. The revelry continued until late at night, and it was not until late in the evening that we arrived back at the Sunken Pavilion. Both Jeannette and Magda looked sleepy and were going back to their rooms as soon as we arrived at the sunny pavilion, so I managed to secure Magda and completed the last toilet of the night. The rest will be done tomorrow, after the sun comes up. ...... Please pray that the windows don''t make any strange noises and that I can sleep peacefully. ............ 427-Additive-free Episode 82 Go to the cattleherd Morning . A brisk morning. ''Hey, listen, last night Natalia was at .......'' ''I''m sorry Estella, can you please not talk about something that makes my stomach heavy in the morning? The next day, after the Obake competition was over and the big party called the launch had ended without a hitch. Today. Early morning. Estella had evacuated to the sunny pavilion before the sun had even risen. ''The pavilion smells like crabs. ......'' She complains, sobbing. Lucia, who selfishly refused to leave, stayed at Estella''s mansion in the face of Imelda''s fierce rejection. Moreover, it seems that Lucia has taken a liking to Norma, who has kidnapped her and held an "after-party in the lord''s mansion in the 42nd district" (that''s a lot of "in"!). (That''s a lot of "in"!). It''s a hell of a scene, with Natalia added to the two troublesome tangents. ...... Let''s not imagine it. It''s a fool''s errand to peek into the dark side of humanity. ''I was so frustrated that I pushed Masha to Imelda, though! It seems that the crabs played an active role in the feast that lasted until the night sky started to turn white, and the smell of crabs filled the entire building. What were the waiters doing in such a disastrous situation? With Estella and Natalia''s permission, they joined in the revelry. ''Because we''ve had a lot of events lately and everyone has been working so hard without complaining, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to give them permission for today... ......... ...Are you guys getting frustrated? Apparently it was such a big party that the Lord trembled. This morning, the first thing he said when he came to the sunlit pavilion was, ''I think I''ll work harder on the waiters. I guess the waiters were tired, too. They''ve been expected to be perfect and they''ve been taking a little too much time off, I guess. ''Maybe for Halloween, I''ll give all the waiters a day off to join the festivities. ''Was it bad enough to scare you so much?'' ''No, it wasn''t. ............ Well, if you want to say it was bad or not bad, it was too bad. ......'' The owner of the building chuckled. The owner of the building laughed bitterly. ''A quiet girl who rarely makes a sound, you know?She ran down the corridor in her underpants as fast as she could, and said, ''If you run fast enough to be noticed, you''re safe! I''m sure you''ll understand. ......'' ''Sorry, wait. I''m going to say this one more time, but can we please not talk about my stomach getting heavy in the morning? Stress. Stress that doesn''t dissipate on a daily basis has been building up. Halloween. Maybe it''s time to be different and let him off the hook. Yeah. ''I''m going to be in the sunshine pavilion on Halloween, so I don''t have a problem giving the waiters the day off. You can even stay overnight.'' ''Don''t decide what you want, man. Let me help you.'' ''I''ll help you, Ginette. You''re not gonna help me. Hahaha, was there really a need to declare that?Hmm? ''It''s not that. I''ve always let the waitresses work behind the scenes, so I wanted to let them be participants for a change. They''re part of the 42nd district, you know. I want all my people to be happy. This is a somewhat reckless, but typical arrangement for Estella, a lord who is not shy about holding on to such wishes. The next day after the vacation, they will be bombarded with the task of filling in the gaps left by the day''s work,......, but I''m sure they''ll be able to get through any busyness immediately after refreshing themselves. ''Good morning, Estella-san. ''Oh. Good morning, little Ginette. ............ and,Molly?'' ''Good morning, sir.'' Molly bows her head, hiding behind Jeannette''s back. ''What?You didn''t leave?'' ''That''s .......'' Molly clams up, and I tell her why she''s staying. ''It''s a training camp.'' ''Ugh ......'' ''Oh, ......, for those costumes?'' ''...... yes.'' In order to wear the navel-baring dress that was announced yesterday, and to become a wearable buddy, Molly will remain at the sunny pavilion for a while longer. I thought you were going to produce more ...... sugar?There''s sure to be more orders before Halloween. ''This morning, I''m having a root vegetable salad and chicken soup. ''It may not look like much, but root vegetables are hard, so you can chew them well and feel satisfied that you''ve eaten well, isn''t that what this menu is for! ''Yes!Let''s eat well and lose weight beautifully! ''Ah ......, Ginette is also desperate, isn''t she? ''Huh ......, because I didn''t ...... hear about the costume like that .......'' Like Molly, Ginette will be working on her proportions starting today. Since she had worried Bertina and the kids last time when she missed the donut party, she was going to accompany them to the church for the donation. However, he has decided on the menu from the beginning and will not eat anything else. And he is going to tell Bertina and the kids honestly the reason and get their understanding. Yeah. I think the key to success in dieting is to not hide it. The more people around you, the less temptation there will be. Most importantly, if you tell people you''re going to wear the costume, many of them will support you unconditionally. The thought of her belly sticking out from her cute outfit makes me feel uncomfortable. ''Well, shall Estella and I go to the cowherd''s place alone? ''What?I want to go with you. Ginette seemed to be on board with the idea of going to look for new ingredients, but ...... we''ll probably eat something there. ''If we are going to the east side of town, I wanted to check on Thomson''s kitchen. Those gazelle sisters. ...... If we''re going to get an edge on the donuts, we''d better get a head start on them before Halloween. So you want to go see them as soon as possible. But, Jeannette. I''m pretty sure you''re going to end up eating a doughnut. ''Um, ...... if you don''t mind, I''d love to .......'' ''I don''t mean to intrude, but ......'' ''That''s fine, Yashiro. Come with me, Ginette.'' ''...... Don''t complain if you have to snack more, okay?'' ''Yes!I''m sewing a mouth festival today! Ouch, ouch, ouch! You''re using it like a mouthpiece, but it hurts! No, I''m the one who started it. ''Are you going to be snacking more? ............ I''m helping out at the sunshine pavilion! Molly, who had been failing miserably at temptation, offered detention. It was a wise decision. ''If Ginette is going out, I''ll have to ask Magda and Loretta to stay again. ''We''re not going to have many guests today anyway. ''Is that so? ''Yes. Probably because everyone will be practicing their donuts at home.'' ''Oh, I see. That''s why I think it''s fine to close the store for today. ...... ''I''ll take care of the manager and Yashiro-san''s absence! We should keep the store open for Molly to stay. ''Speaking of which... Assuming Magda is still asleep, where''s Loretta? ''She''s not staying here today. ''She said she was afraid of the mysterious voice that Hammaro-san mentioned, and her sisters wouldn''t leave Loretta. Ginette chuckles, remembering last night''s situation. Hammaro''s story seemed to have given her sisters and brothers who lived in the same house a tremendous fright, and their little sisters clung to Loretta and wouldn''t leave her. ''I''m going to sleep with my sister today! ''I won''t sleep without you! ''I won''t sleep without you! ''Oh my God, I get it, you''ll stop crying!I''ll stay with you till morning! It seems that the eldest sister is the one the younger sisters turn to in their hour of need. One after another, the younger sisters jumped on Loretta and clung to her, and in the end, she went home with a silhouette like a Shine Muscat. I wonder if that could be told as a ghost story?As a Shine-Muscat walking down the street at night. ''By the way, Yashiro, do you know about Mr. Javier?About Mr. Javier? ''Oh, by the way, where is he buried? ''He''s not buried. He was quiet yesterday, wasn''t he? Absolutely not. He was so quiet, he had no presence at all. At the scene where the little kids were crying, he said, ''I''ll comfort them! I was expecting him to go berserk and get mowed down quickly. ...... ''The reason it was quiet was because it was after the fact, wasn''t it? ''It was alive and well. In my chest. Estella laughed, pointing at her own chest. ''He was given a portrait of his wife. It seems that Imelda had Becko paint a picture of her mother. She shows him a portrait of her mother as she used to be at home. ''Mr. Javier is always a calm gentleman in the room with the portrait of his wife,'' he said. ''He seems to have been very much in love with her.'' ''I''ve heard that from Imelda, too. The two of you were always close. So, when he left the mansion with the portrait, left the Forty District, and came to a remote place like the Forty-second District, he seemed to have lost his self-control. ''It seems that the effect was extraordinary. ''Yes. It was so quiet that I thought you weren''t there. ''You must be a sincere man, taking good care of your wife.'' Oh, Jeannette. Without a portrait of your wife, a pervert who gets off on little girls and ruffles feathers wouldn''t be very faithful. Or perhaps you invited Bekko to your parents'' house in the forty-second ward just to appease Javier. Imelda ...... is just as unselfish as you are. If any strange rumors get out,......, it won''t happen. It''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of that. Thanks to her, the event went smoothly. ''No one died or went missing? ...... That''s impressive.'' ''Oh, no, Mr. Yashiro. You can''t.'' She giggled and patted me on the shoulder. Molly stares at Jeannette, stares at my shoulder that Jeannette tapped, stares at Estella, stares at me with eyes that seem to want to say something. What is it? What are you trying to say? You don''t have to say anything, but don''t give me that look. ''I''m sorry, sir! ''Oh, speak of the devil.'' I heard Imelda''s voice, and Estella turned toward the entrance. Meanwhile, Ginette and I looked at each other. It''s not every day that Imelda comes to the Sunken Pavilion this early in the morning before making a donation to the church. If she did, it would only be when she was scared of the ghosts and ran away from her empty house. ''Estella-san: ......'' ''Hey, Imelda, what''s wrong?Your face is so pale.'' ''What''s with that mermaid?What the hell is that? ''Oh, it''s ...... Masha. Haha, isn''t it troublesome? ''It was as troublesome as the lord and the hardware duo. ...... You could be cute if you were at least shy. ......! I''m not sure what to make of that. ''If that''s the case, you''re a lascivious woman! ''Oh, it looks like she likes you a lot. What''s going on here? Is that mermaid going to molest me if she likes me? I''m not sure what to make of that. ''''She''s a hard-hearted girl. ''Please give me the same consideration! ''Haha, tell that to her. I don''t think she''ll listen. Estella looks happy. I guess she''s happy that I can sympathize with Masha''s troublesomeness. ...... It''s not easy being a girl. ''...... I hope you get the VIP treatment until Halloween is over. ''It''s been hard for me too. Yesterday, I even went to Natalia''s .......'' Afterwards, the two of them, carrying the drunken beauty on their backs, talked about the hardships they had experienced, or rather, complained to each other, creating a strange sense of solidarity. You guys are really good friends, aren''t you? I''d like to get some more sleep ...... in a safe place. ''Then you can use my room. The guest room is already being used by Molly. ''That''s not necessary. Yashiro-san''s room is vacant. ''Don''t use it even if it''s available, woman. So, you''re the type who doesn''t care about rumors, huh? ''You can use my bed, but when you wake up, help me with the sunken pavilion, okay?I''m going out for a bit today.'' ''I''ll wake you up when I get back from donating to the church. ''It can''t be helped. I''ll serve you my magnificent rice balls.'''' He finally got the hang of it in the latter half of the game. I''ll give you my brilliant onigiri. Oh, I see, you want to grip it. Or rather, you want to feed it to someone and have them say ''it''s delicious''. I see. ''Magda, Loretta, Molly and Imelda will make the day. ''That''s true. There won''t be many customers.'' ''That''s no good!Since I''m here, we should be able to attract an overflow crowd! ''No, Miss Imelda. You can''t have that many people coming when we''re alone. ''Don''t worry, Molly!I''m here! ''Let''s see, .......'' ''Molly, Imelda is probably as good as you think she is. Don''t get your hopes up, but keep a warm eye on her. Molly, who hadn''t yet been able to get through to the dense people in District 42, looked at me as if she was asking for help, but she''d just have to get used to it. Don''t worry. It''s probably harmless. Maybe. I''m not sure. ''Well, I''m going to go get some sleep. Imelda bit back a yawn as she walked into the kitchen, perhaps feeling sleepy. ''When I wake up from my sleep, I might say I''m going home,'' she said. ''Well, Yashiro-san. What should we do in that case? ''If you need a weapon, ask Assunto to--'' ''I''d prefer a more peaceful solution. ''Well, that''s the quickest way. ''Leave it to Magda. ''I see. You''re very dependable, Magda.'' That''s right. I''m the best at dealing with people like that. Just leave it to me. ''Then let''s wake Magda up and head for the church. It''s going to be a busy day. I have two daytime appointments. I''m sure I''m going to be busy, even though I''m not expecting any visitors. After all, this time it''s gelatin I''m after. Unlike agar, which is made from tongsa,......, it''s very hard to make. The tendons and skins of cows and pigs are boiled and alkalized,...... and the heat and smell are terrible,...... and it''s a bit depressing. But if you can get them to learn how to do it, they might become a little more tolerant. If we can find a new sales channel ...... With this in mind, we headed to the cowherd after we finished our church donations and preparations for the opening of the store. ''What?Do you have it? ''Yes. It''s one of our main products.'' We arrived at a large cattle ranch, where the ranch manager, Morgan Olson, told us a surprising fact. ''Glues and gelatins are common products among cattlemen,'' he said. ''Well, there''s ...... glue, so there must be gelatin, too. I remember that Umaro used glue before. ...... To put it crudely, it is only natural that gelatin exists, since it is made from the same raw materials by a similar process. It was just that Jeannette didn''t know about it. ''I''ve never seen it before. This is gelatin, isn''t it? What Morgan''s ranch produced was gelatin in plate form. Wow. It''s almost the same as what we have in Japan. ''And?Is this the ''new product'' you guys were talking about with your superior faces earlier? Morgan sniffs with a slightly mocking look. ...... d*mn. As I negotiate with Morgan, a roughneck who has never been in the hospitality business, I ask him, ''Would you like to hear about a new product that might help the cattlemen expand their sales channels? Would you like to hear about it? But they already have it: ...... I''m so embarrassed! ''I''m sorry, Mr. Yashiro. I''m sorry, Mr. Yashiro. I just didn''t know what I was doing. ''No, ...... I should have approached Assunto first, but I was too lazy.'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ......Yeah, I was just trying to look good, to be honest! The birth of gelatin has opened up a new market for cattle farmers and solved one of Estella''s problems! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. Oh, Yashiro, you''re wonderful!Oh, Yashiro!I''m going to have to mug you! I was kind of hoping for something like that!Is that bad? It''s okay, you''ve been busy with your knowledge and running around as a member of the event committee lately! You deserve a reward! Yeah, that''s right! I got carried away! I got carried away and blew myself up! You think that''s funny? If you want to laugh, laugh! If you want to laugh, go ahead. ...... But if you laugh, you''ll get hurt, right? ''Yashiro, that''s clearly taking it out on me. ......'' Maybe it''s the cowherd''s fault for withholding such information! It''s the Assunto''s fault for not asking him to talk about it! That''s right! If Assunto were to bring gelatin with a smug look on his face and say, ''Actually, there is this amazing foodstuff~ (pfft, you guys probably don''t know about it),'' you''d be like, ''Oh, gelatin?You knew about this? You knew? I could''ve had the upper hand! ''You''re being lazy, Assunto! ''Oh, don''t make a fuss in the pasture. You''ll scare the cows.'' ''I''m sorry. He has seizures like that sometimes.'' ''Have the pharmacist take a look at him. ''Ha, don''t you know?Don''t you know that mixing him up with the pharmacist is dangerous? Estella and Morgan are talking rudely. You two should stomp the shit out of a cow. ''Well, I''ll just remember that you were thinking of us. Thank you, my lord.'' ''No, no, ...... I just...'' Estella is a little embarrassed to be thanked so squarely. He likes to hear people''s high praise in secret, you know. He doesn''t know what to look like when you say it to him face to face. Is this the result of hiding his true identity for so long? ''But, well, the results were disappointing,'' he said. ''I''m sorry to have made you so happy. ''Our sales channel didn''t expand, but I think we can narrow down the sales channel of the ...... hunters, don''t you?You know? ''That''s a little .......'' If we can''t move up, we can move down. This is why we keep losing to the hunting guilds. If you want to make your beef more tender and juicy, you can do so with a little effort. There are many ways to make beef tender and juicy, you know.There are many ways to make beef tender and juicy,............, a technique often used to disguise the origin of beef. I''ll keep my mouth shut. ''However, I''m grateful to you, sunny pavilion. ''Huh?For us? ''Yes. You guys make all kinds of food, right?I guess that''s the influence. More and more people in the east are starting their own restaurants. You mean creative cuisine like yours?There''s a restaurant that makes that kind of food. In the past, most of the restaurants in the 42nd district were bars like Cantalucica, and there were only a few restaurants like the Sunshine Pavilion. In the 42nd district, where money was scarce, the culture of ordinary people taking their families out to eat was not so deeply rooted. There were some, but they were few in number. The few restaurants that did exist had an infinitesimally small variety of dishes in order to avoid wasting ingredients. Even the Sunlit Pavilion used to have a small menu. Cantaloucica had only smoked meat on the grill. In any case, the art of cooking was not very mature in this town. The 42nd district. No wonder gelatin was not widely available. I heard that in the central wards, where the royal families live, and in the wards where the rich people live, people eat for pleasure, or rather, they eat to look good, and they often use gelatin. Sugar and gelatin are ingredients that are monopolized by the rich. Gelatin is not considered a luxury food because of its raw materials, manufacturing method, and especially the stench of its production. It must seem barbaric to the aristocracy to boil bones and skins to a crisp. ''Our beef, too, used to be bought only at certain stores. Even when it was sold in stores, it was grilled on skewers and served with sake. That was the only way. The stores that sell beef basically serve steaks, he said. They cut the meat to the size requested by the customer and grill it. Bite into the meat. And then drink up. Or, cut the beef into chunks and skewer it. So you have two choices, steak or barbecue. ''What a waste. It would be so much better if it was stewed. ''It''s also good in curry, isn''t it? ''I used to like beef cutlet, but I haven''t eaten it lately because of some ...... reasons.'' I know, I know. I understand, so don''t say anything, Estella. ''What''s a beef cutlet? ''It''s a dish where beef is wrapped in a batter made of flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and fried until crispy. ''Breadcrumbs?Bread crumbs?...... How extravagant.'' ''No, ......Yashiro-san is ......''. ''Black bread, which is good for nothing but hitting people, is useless unless it''s made into breadcrumbs. Ginette buys a certain amount of black bread every month, probably because she has a strong connection with the church. You see, the bakers'' guild is an organization under the influence of the church. But there''s no black bread at the Sunshine Pavilion. They don''t get orders. It''s said that even before I came to live there, there was almost no sales, and now that there are rice, pasta, and all sorts of other delicious foods, it goes without saying. But the black bread is bought. So what to do? You have to make breadcrumbs! ''So, I''m making cutlets and fried shrimp. ''I slice it thinly and make sandwiches with it. ''That''s not a sandwich, that''s a cracker. Tacos are a better sandwich. Taco sandwiches are a regular item that we get a certain number of orders for every month. ''I didn''t know there was such a thing. ''Yes. Mr. Yashiro is teaching me a lot of things. ''Wow, you''re really something for such a young guy, bro. The old ranch foreman, with his short, gray hair neatly trimmed, stroked his bearded chin. ''Looks like I''m going to have to rethink my assessment of the dumb bastard who came to teach me gelatin. Hey!You''re a jerk, you old man! He''s got a big body for an old man. ''Anyway, I welcome the addition of new dishes. ''Because it increases the demand for beef? ''That''s part of it. That''s part of it, but ...... we''ll be eating each other, the butcher.'' Morgan says that a butcher shop is a restaurant that specializes in serving meat. How can they be eating each other? ''The ingredients are the same, right?All the restaurant does is cut it up and grill it. Because it''s such a simple process, the difference in technique is obvious in the taste. Even the size of the meat, the degree of cooking, and the way it''s cut can make a difference. ...... If you''re going to eat the same thing, why wouldn''t you go to a good restaurant? Just cook the meat. If the price is the same, the better restaurant will attract more customers. In other words, a restaurant without skill will not attract customers. Even if you have fixed customers, if you lose your skills, they will leave in a flash. ''That''s true, isn''t it? Beef tastes different depending on how it''s cut and cooked. ''Oh, you understand that, young man? ''Yes, I do. How to handle the muscle, how to remove the fat. If you want, you can even mix in how to age it. Just because you don''t know any of those things, your taste will be a notch or two lower than other restaurants. ''There''s one place that''s really bad. Leaning against the pasture fence, Morgan looks up at the high clouds. ''About twenty years ago, a sniveling little boy came to work for us as an apprentice. But he wasn''t going to be a cowherd.'' ''A restaurant? ''Yeah. He said he wanted to know everything about cattle and own a restaurant that served the best beef. I told him to apprentice himself to a restaurateur if he wanted to be a restaurateur, and I kicked him out, but he was stubborn. He persisted and persisted, and finally he got me to accept him. ''And?Did you get him to do it? ''Oh, yeah!I gave him a thorough beating. By the time ten years had passed, he was a full-fledged cattleman, no better than any other cattleman. ''If the owner is like that, I''m sure I''ll get some good meat. ''Yeah, it was delicious!I''ve decided to go to his store when I drink. That''s what I decided. ......'' Morgan''s tone of voice and gaze dropped. ''What an idiot ...... to leave such a beautiful wife and little ones in such an accident ......... ...and he died alone.'' ''Oh, that ......, Mr. Morgan.'' Jeannette asks Morgan, who is rubbing her eyes. ''That man, Mr. Thomson, is he ......? ''What, you know Beaumo, little girl? ''I''ve only met him a few times, but...'' Apparently, it was the father of the Gazelle sisters who had trained under Morgan. So Beaumont Thomson was trained here. ''It''s a waste of time for Beaumont, he was a good wife, but ...... as expected, he can''t copy the techniques that he''s been practicing for ten years. You can''t copy a skill that''s been practiced for ten years. No matter how long you''ve been together, skill is something that resides in the hands of the individual. Thomson''s kitchen lost its mainstay, its taste and its customers. ''Yesterday, I was consulted by ...... that they are planning to close the store.'' ''What? ''Well, it seems like the little guys are trying to make the restaurant work on their own. ...... That must have been hard for them. ''Is it ...... to work together as a family? ''No, it''s not, sweetheart. ...... It''s hard to see how such small children were trapped to the point that they felt they had to move on their own. Parents want to act as if nothing is wrong in front of their children. ''............'' Ginette squeezed her hands together in front of her chest. Ginette must have remembered this. Ginette must have remembered her mother''s constant smile, trying not to worry her, no matter how hard it was. Bertina is the type to be strong in such situations. ''I heard that you said that you promised to teach me how to make donuts. ...... Could it be?'' ''Yes. Your children asked me to, so ......'' ''I was grateful for that. But you can''t make donuts there. They don''t have the equipment before the know-how. If all they do is cut and cook meat, they might only have a griddle. If you want to sell enough doughnuts to support your sales, you''ll need a fryer. You will also need to invest in equipment and remodel the store. If you are attached to the store that your husband left behind, it might be difficult to do so. So, he said he would gracefully close the store and find a job that would allow the three of us in the family to live modestly. ''......, but will that make you all happy? I''m sure the families of Thomson''s Kitchen are all thinking the same thing. I''m sure they don''t want to quit the restaurant. But running a business is not that easy. If you hold on too tightly, the debts will mount and you won''t be able to survive. ''I wanted to help you, too, but ...... I''m afraid that''s all I can do. ...... Well, if it''s all right with you, I''ll hire you. The only thing is, if you do, you won''t be able to drink until you find a new restaurant. ......'' Morgan stroked his goatee indignantly. It''s always sad to lose a place you''re attached to, isn''t it? I can understand that. I can, but I can''t understand why Estella and Jeannette are staring at me like that. You know, we can''t use doughnuts to gain an advantage and keep the store alive. And you know what Morgan said?Because it''s a simple food, just cut meat and cook it, restaurants related to it are competing with each other. If you favor one restaurant over another, the other restaurants will complain. In the first place, the restaurant was built on skills that took ten years to acquire. It''s impossible for us to teach them those skills overnight. Well, there is a solution to this problem: ...... ''Morgan. How many restaurants deal mainly in steaks and skewers? ''If we''re talking about specialized, then ...... seven restaurants.'' ''There are six more besides Thomson''s Kitchen. How is the business situation there? ''One of them is very strong, and it''s the only one that''s always overflowing with customers. It''s not uncommon to not be able to get in. That one restaurant must be technically superior. If I''m going to eat the same meat, I want it to be good. That''s why people come to that restaurant. There seem to be too many of them. ''Other restaurants also have a good number of customers. If you want hard food, you go here. If you want fatty food, you go here. ''There''s a lot of variation in how people like their food cooked. ''Yeah. For me, I like to eat it half raw, with the meat still bright red, almost uncooked. The sweetness of the fat is irresistible. I like it when the meat is still red and half raw. In other words, there are many drinkers who are picky about how they cook meat. Then, if we make that restaurant, it''ll be popular. ''Morgan. You said earlier that you wanted to help Thomson''s Kitchen ......, right? ''Mr. Yashiro! ''Stop, Jeannette!Don''t come close to me with such a happy face! I stopped Ginette from jumping at me. If she jumps at me, I''ll have to make an effort. I''m only making a suggestion. ''It''s Morgan who needs to work. Not me.'' ''What do you want me to do? ''Teach her about meat. Little by little. What''s tender, what''s fatty, what''s light. How to use a knife to cut it, how to age it, how to process it, and so on. ''That''s fine, but it''s going to take ...... a while.Besides, I can teach you how to dismantle the meat, but I''m not an expert when it comes to cooking it. ''You don''t have to teach me how to cook. ''Are you sure? ''Yes. It''s the customer who cooks the meat. ''What? If there are so many customers who are picky about the degree of cooking, why don''t you let them cook the meat themselves? ''Just turn it into a barbecue restaurant. You''ll have to change the interior of the restaurant a bit, so we''ll have to consult with you. ...... If you have Theron make a shichirin, you won''t have to make such a big change. If you can get Umaro to make a chimney for the smoke and a table for the shichirin, you can get by. The chimney is Norma''s. ''Wait a minute, young man!Do you want customers to work in the kitchen?That''s too much dependence on the customers. The customers pay for their food. Why should they help ...... with the work?'' No, no, no. I''m eating while I''m cooking.'' ''In the kitchen?Why don''t you let me sit down and have a drink? ''Hmm~......'' That''s right. This town doesn''t have hot plates or simple stoves. We didn''t even have a shichirin. I guess they don''t have the idea of eating together. Oh, that''s right. When you go to the forest, you make a bonfire, right?You roast meat around the fire, right? It''s like that. ''Huh!I don''t want to eat meat from a beast in the forest, I don''t want to eat that kind of savage food like hunting! Wow, the ...... feud is deep-rooted. Let''s just give it a try. If it motivates the Thomson kitchen lady, help her. If not, you can help her get a job.'' ''...... Well, we have to ask her about her intentions. There''s no point in us making a fuss about it on our own. ''Then, provide us with a little bit of delicious meat that has been aged. ''Huh! ''Helping people, helping people. You like that, don''t you?'' ''f*ck you!I''m not .......'' ''This is the family of a man who''s been my teacher and disciple for ten years. It''s like a family now, isn''t it? ''Hmm?'' When I looked into his face, Morgan wrinkled his nose and eyebrows and clicked his tongue loudly. ''...... Chi!It''s just like the hunter said!If you get involved with you, you''re going to lose us! What were they talking about? What were you talking about? Don''t let those who are at odds with you find sympathy in strange places. ''All right. I''ll prepare the most delicious meat. I''ll prepare the most delicious meat you''ll ever eat. ''Well then, we''ll go back to the sunken pavilion and make preparations. Can you give us about five hours?I''ll go to Thomson''s kitchen and set up an appointment for you. And do some light persuasion, so they''ll listen to you. ''You''re a hard man to please, you''re ...... all right. I''ll do it. ''Also, there''s a little something I need you to prepare for me...'' When she looked up at him with her adorable begging face, Morgan shrugged, looking as pale as if she had suddenly caught the flu. He shivers and shivers. Chills, the whole shebang. d*mn. I''m gonna milk you for all you''re worth. We borrowed a few ingredients from Morgan''s ranch to prepare the meal and headed back to the sunlit pavilion. 428-If you go back to episode 83 without additives, When we got back to the sunny pavilion, we were greeted by smiling faces. ''Hey, you!Eeyusha!Tencho-sha!Ryoshusha! Teresa jumped down from her chair and ran towards us just as we entered the entrance. She kicks the floor with energy and jumps towards me. Whoa!That''s too much! I hurriedly caught her, and she clung to my body with all the strength in her short limbs. A little monkey! Yeah, a little monkey. Yoo-hoo!Come on!It''s so cool! ''Okae?...... Oh, you''re a monster.'' ''Yeah!Oke! ''It''s an otter. Say it, ghost.'' ''Oh, ...... ah, ah, ah!Oh......'' ''Say ''n~'' and then ''ba''? ''Nn~ba,nnba,nnba~......Oh,nnba,ke. Obake!'' ''Oh, good. You said it.'' ''Hee hee! I pat her on the head and she giggles happily. Her eyes are looking right at me. You''ve come to be able to see properly, haven''t you? ''Teresa. How many of these do you have? ''Well, ......, two of them are round! ''Oh, you could say "crooked" too. Just remember, in these situations, count the fingers that are extended.'' ''Three! ''Yes, you''re right. ''Heh heh~'' Teresa presses her face against mine, as if she''s happy to be praised. She''s really excited. Did something good happen? ''...... Welcome back, Yashiro, manager. ''Oh, I''m home.'' ''Thank you for staying, sir. Did you find anything unusual?'' ''...... No problem.'' ''Magda, I''m back too. ''..................Welcome.'' ''Why don''t you just say ''welcome back''? Estella becomes strangely lonely for Magda. I wonder... It''s like when a kitten only misses you. ''...... Yashiro''. I''m not sure.What''s up, Magda? ''............ Obake''. ''No, I know you can tell. I think you''re setting the bar too low for stroking.'' ''......Allways,welcome.'' ''Oh, then I''ll pet it for you.'' She''s desperate. Estella, you can''t hide your desperation by wanting to fondle her ears. Is this what a man with an ulterior motive looks like? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''............You should tell me when you''re a D-cup.'' ''......Yashiro.'' ''Why are you telling me this? It''s not like I made it up.'' Magda is responsible for what she says. Even if you''re right, it''s Jeannette''s responsibility to protect and supervise. I''m not guilty. ''Anyway, Magda. Teresa seems to be having a lot of fun, what have you been up to?'' ''...... Teresa''s been having fun since the beginning. She''s been enjoying the ghost competition.'' ''Yes!It was fun, wasn''t it? ''Does Teresa like scary stories? ''Haunted, shhhh! Teresa seems to like ghosts. Perhaps it is because she had many fantasies and imaginations while she was blind. Or maybe it was because she could enjoy various illustrations now that she is able to see. I don''t know if it''s because I''ve always had that kind of background, but I don''t think there''s a clear reason why I like something. Well, if the kids are having fun like this, Halloween is going to be a success. Then, let''s give it one more push and change the image of ghosts from ''scary'' to ''fun''. ''Estella. Dress up as ''Nurikabe'' for Teresa.'' ''I don''t know, but I''m going to refuse. ''Okay, Ginette. You''ll be the big milkman! ''Please repent. d*mn it! They''re so backwards about this event! ''Teresa, it''s time to continue. ''Aye! Teresa, who''d been holding on to me, jumped when Loretta called her. Apparently, Loretta and Teresa were doing something together until we came back. They were sitting across from each other at a table, writing something on a wooden board. When I peeked into the room to see what they were doing, I found that there were some mathematical equations written on the board. ''I''m practicing calculation with Teresa. ''Oh, calculation. On the wooden board, there are simple division numbers. ''Six divided by two equals three. Eight divided by four equals two. Nine divided by three. Loretta is holding a pen with red ink, looking a little proud of herself. The top two answers are marked with large circles. She''s grading them. ''Wow, Loretta,'' he says. ''But division is another ...... difficult thing you''re doing. ''Yes, sir. It''s on a different level from addition and subtraction. It''s a different level of difficulty. But there''s nothing you can''t do!Look!You got two questions right in a row!That''s amazing! After all, it must be fun to teach when your students are good. Loretta is overjoyed as if it were her own. ''Um, Mr. Yashiro. How am I supposed to calculate this? Ginette tilted her head as she looked into the problem book. Ginette is an accountant, but she doesn''t have the time to look at the formulas and figure out the answers. ''I''m sure Jeannette can do it. If we divide 9Rb among the three of us, how many Rb should we pay per person?'' ''That''s three Rb.'' ''That''s correct.'' ''Ah!...... Sorry, Teresa. I answered it myself.'' ''Yes!Astronomer, come on!O-rikko-sama.'' I''m sorry. I got a compliment.'' Ginette let out a happy laugh as Teresa patted her head. ''So this is a method of elimination, is it? When my grandfather taught me, he didn''t use this symbol, he used this symbol. Ginette writes ''9/3'' under ''9 divided by 3''. ''That''s correct. The idea is the same. Her grandfather had taught her division, not division. But he didn''t call multiplication multiplication. ...... Well, it''s not easy to encounter division in a cafeteria bill. He may have relearned addition, subtraction, and multiplication in accordance with the people around him. In church, they teach it as ''tashimata. ''That''s strange. It''s strange that there are different ways of writing the same calculation. ''There are lots of ways to do that. For example, ...... ''0.5'' and ''1/2'' are the same, right? ''Yeah, yeah!Are you sure about that? As I was explaining this to Jeannette, Teresa pulled my sleeve. She looks very interested. I''d be happy to tell you. ...... ''Teresa, let''s do this one first,'' he said. He points his finger at the Loretta-style problem book. It''s not a good idea to cram everything in at once. You should learn the easy ones first. ''Whoa! Teresa turned the problem book in front of Loretta toward her and added a new note: "15 ?¡¤ 3 =". She then turned it toward Loretta again. ''Hey! ''Wait!Two digits out of nowhere is terrible!I was scared of the big bossy number ''9'' just now! ''Da-yoo!I can''t do it! ''''Mmmm!If Teresa-chan expects me to do it, I can''t not do it!No matter how long it takes, I''m going to solve this difficult problem!In the name of the Sunlit Pavilion! What?You''re solving it? ''Yes, sir!I''m not good at math! But that doesn''t mean I''m going to let Teresa teach me!Such a small girl! So you weren''t just happy for me, you were happy for me. I mean, Teresa is amazing at teaching! ''No, wait, Loretta. Then why are you holding a pen with red ink on it?'' ''I was having a hard time with the big boss ''9'', so I circled the ''6'' and ''8'' that I had defeated so far to inspire myself! ''''You''re so shabby, your self-esteem! Also, ''9'' is not a big boss. Well, the number 9 in the ninety-nine is like the last dungeon. Like the bosses you''ve beaten are coming at you one after another. ''That''s quite a feat. You never cease to amaze me, Teresa. ''Yes, she does. There''s a huge difference between understanding something and teaching it to someone else, but it''s amazing. Estella said admiringly, and Ginette agreed with her. Lately, Ginette has been having more and more opportunities to teach others how to cook. She must be feeling the difficulty of teaching more and more. There are many people who can cook by themselves but cannot teach others. Or rather, most of them do. That''s how difficult it is to teach. ''Eeyusha! Teresa looks up at me with sparkling eyes as Loretta tackles the next challenge. She wants me to teach her. Or perhaps she''s upping the difficulty a bit to buy herself some time? If so, this guy''s pretty good. He might make a good instructor. ''Okay, Teresa, sit down. ''Yes! I sit down next to the table Loretta is using, take one of her wooden boards, and explain fractions to Teresa. I scrape the surface of the wooden board with a knife to erase the letters, and then write numbers in ink on the cleaned surface. I show her the numerator divided by the denominator, and that fractions can be used to visualize divisible numbers in an easy way. For some reason, Ginette and Estella were also sitting at the same table, listening to me with great interest. No, you guys know it at least vaguely. ''I usually use ''1/3'' a lot, but it makes a lot more sense when it''s explained like this. ''Yes, it does. It''s hard to understand with the expression ''0.333......'', isn''t it? Estella and Ginette were able to do the calculations normally, but they didn''t seem to care about why the answers were derived. What is ''common knowledge'' to those who know, is sometimes a ''great discovery'' to those who don''t know. Study is a great thing. ''...... Magda''s ''1/2'' is made of ''cute''. ''Then what''s the other half? ''...... "Eros"''. ''Are you okay with no hunting element? ''...... Then, add ''1/2'' for ''hunting skill'' as well. ''You''ve gone over the limit for one person. ''...... There are actually 1.5 Magda''s.'' ''Don''t stick out. ''...... Then we''ll make it a third each.'' ''Keep it that way. As you can see, once you understand it, you can use it as a joke. ''What?Three ''halves'' makes one and a half?Wait a minute, let me do the math. .................. I don''t understand the formula! --and some of them still haven''t caught up a bit. ''Speaking of which. What happened to Imelda? The sunlit pavilion was so quiet without customers that I couldn''t help but hold a normal study session, but now it''s business as usual. I hope Imelda didn''t leave when she promised to help. I''ve asked Imelda-san to be in charge of the ''troublesome''. ''......?Did something come again? The most likely candidate is Masha, who was left at Imelda''s house. Or maybe Lucia came for Hammaro. ...... ''Who''s here? ''Onesha!'' The answer to the question I asked Loretta came from Teresa . Oh, ...... Barbara, huh. I don''t know what you''ve done, but that sure sounds like a lot of trouble. ''Barbara, what did you do this time? ''Well, it''s not exactly what I did, but ...... actually.'' As Loretta was about to say something, something suddenly shoved me in the back. And then suddenly something came over my back. A scream escaped my lips at the suddenness of the event. ''Oodowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowow! As soon as I shook it off, it let out a short scream and slumped on the floor. A closer look revealed that it was Barbara. ''...... What are you doing, Barbara? I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what you mean. I''m not sure what to do. It looks like I''m going to have to give him a bit of a beating,......," she said, glaring at Barbara. ''............ ...... ......... ...! ...... ... What is this guy crying about? I''m not sure what to say. She is tightly bound by both arms, and her face is buried in my chest, rubbing against my chest at high speed. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!It hurts, but more than that, what is this situation? I''m not sure what I did. I''m not sure what to do. Imelda comes out of the kitchen with a limp face. She''s holding her shoulder with her hand and twirling her arm around. I can see that she must have been sitting on it a while ago. ''What''s going on here? ''He was scared of the ghost competition yesterday. ''What, you still think so? It''s been a whole night since the ghost competition ended. If it was last night and you were scared because you remembered it, I could understand, but even though it''s still early in the afternoon, the sun is already very high in the sky. Are you so stupid as to be afraid of ghosts this early in the morning? Or maybe you''re just too scared. Even if there were a monster, I think it would be more scared of you if it ran into you. You''re crass and violent. ''You know, Barbara, .......'' ''Don''t leave me! I tried to tell her that I wasn''t afraid of ghosts, so I pulled myself away and she hugged me even tighter. Or rather, he clung to me. ''...... heroes............ please, don''t leave Aashi...... ......Onegai......'' ''............'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Barbara''s character is collapsing in my mind. ''Huh!My brother''s a little jealous of you!I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''...... Yashiro, you''re too cholo.'' I''m sorry. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ...... Well, I''m also a very bad scammer. ...... No, you see, scammers don''t commit atrocities face to face. If they are in trouble, they will help (pretend to help). But then they will charge you an exorbitant reward, or take it without you noticing, but they will not abandon you or push you away. Scammers are all about smart living. Besides, I''m sure Yap-Lock and Wueller are feeding you well--you''re getting a little big, Barbara! You were a B at best at field day, but now you''re a C-minor. If you eat a nutritious diet for six months or so, you can aim for a D! Good luck, Barbara! and that''s what this is all about. Yeah. ''...... I can''t help it. ''...... Yashiro, the fall'' ''Big brother, I''m a little worried about you lately. You''re being a jerk, you guys. The two of you together are chorosuke. ...... Who are you talking to? If I were a character in a girl''s game, the difficulty would be as high as a hidden character that is finally unlocked after all characters are cleared. ''Hey, Barbara. ''No!I can''t stay away!I''m scared! I''m sorry, I didn''t catch your name. ...... What''s a scary thing? ...... ''Hey, sweetie, I''ve been a little scared all night. ''You haven''t slept at all, have you? ''If I sleep, the ghosts will come. It''s not coming. You''re not coming to ......, are you?What? Yeah, it''s not coming. The ghost is just a misunderstanding on the part of a sleepyhead. ''Hey, girl, in the morning, shadows, small places.'' ''You''re in the shit, you know that? ''Don''t leave me!If you leave me, you''ll get a shadow! ''Actually, big brother. ''Actually, big brother,'' said Barbara, ''the shadows are chasing me! She ran into the sunken pavilion crying.'' ''No, that''s obvious. ......'' ''...... Magda was rather moe.'' It''s good that you''re able to keep to yourself. It''s not a situation where you can be moaning, you''re involved. ''...... was too noisy, so I sacrificed ...... and entrusted ...... to the right person. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to avoid damage. It''s not fair. ''I''ve been a piggyback bunny ever since I was forced into it. ''Obake?Do you think piggyback riding brings ghosts? ''You''re the piggyback ghost! ''Aashi, you were a monster!When did you die? ''It''s a figure of speech! ''A figure of speech?What''s that?Is it like a special move? ''Not at all! What the hell. You look surprisingly fine, Barbara. ''It''s already light outside, and talking with Imelda and the others will make it less scary. Get away from them. ''No! I didn''t think there was any need for me to go to the trouble, but Barbara was stubborn. ''Please, Hero,......, ............, only Hero can protect Aashi... ...I can only rely on the heroes......mon............'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ...... Where did you learn such girlish gestures and expressions?I''m not sure. ''Hero ...... help me ...... Aashie ...... I''m scared, I don''t like it ...... ......Please,so............'' ''Oh my god!All right, get away from me! It doesn''t matter how scared you are or how weakly you cry, a young woman shouldn''t be all over a man in the morning. In the first place, you''re in love with Percy. Don''t hug other men. Come on! Estella''s looking at me all warm and fuzzy! And Ginette looks like she''s in trouble, like she wants to say something! ''Barbara. I know you''re scared, but don''t get too attached to a man you don''t like. You''ll start strange rumors.'' ''I don''t mind!Aashi, I like the hero! What about ............? No, you dumped me, didn''t you? Even though I didn''t show any favoritism, you dumped me very selfishly, right? ''I was tossed around by the waves of fate a bit, and our red thread didn''t connect, but Aashi and Hero were on the verge of marriage! ''''I didn''t go there! If you really believe that you''re one step ahead, then it''s probably just a matter of the goal being in plain view from the start, and in order to get there you had to go around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around To get there, you had to go around and around in a roundabout way. You''ve been playing with Neffery a lot, haven''t you? What''s that, ''tossed about by the waves of fate''? You used that expression like you just learned it and couldn''t resist using it. I''d say about 80% of you use it without knowing what it means. ''What would you do if you saw Percy hugging a woman who said, "I can''t marry you, but I love you. ''Die ............ or kill him? That''s scary! What is this guy? I''m not sure what to do. You can enjoy a little more refreshing, sweet and sour period! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ''That''s what''s called yakimochi. And don''t you think that Percy would feel the same way if he saw what you''re going through now? The only way to teach this guy common sense is to talk to him about everything in terms of Barbara. Oh, that''s too much trouble. ''When Percy saw ...... Aashi and Hero, he was jealous ................... Heh. Are you happy? You want to be jealous? What is it? You''ve already started to show glimpses of a demonic woman! You''re ten years too young to be playing games in love! But, ...... I see. You can''t be too attached to a hero,.......'' ''Yes, you''re right. You''re a young woman, Barbara, so you might want to cut back a bit.'' ''You should learn to reflect on your own words and actions, you know. Ginette and Estella casually widened the gap between me and Barbara. I was gently touched by Ginette and let my body fall back, and Estella naturally pulled Barbara away when she stopped moving in her thoughts. ''Yashiro-san is very kind, you know. After muttering, her big eyes glanced at me. ''I can ...... understand why you would want to spoil her. You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It''s a good thing that you are the manager of the restaurant closest to the sisters. In Alvistan''s view, it must be undesirable for a man and a woman who are not in a relationship to get close to each other. ...... I''m sure he''s not jealous. I''m sure you''re not. ''But I''m ...... scared and ...... ugh ............! ''You know, Barbara. I don''t believe in ghosts. No, they''re not. Don''t be afraid of them. ''Ohhhh ......, your brother is doing his best to put himself on the shelf. ......'' ''...... So, I won''t have to escort you to the bathroom at night anymore? ''Oh come on, Magda. ...... That''s not what I''m talking about.'' I''m afraid of the dark, whether there are ghosts or not. The scariest thing is when you think there''s something out there. ''Aren''t heroes scary too!I''m afraid of ghosts! ''Barbara, you haven''t been listening to me about vampires, have you? ''I can''t listen to them, they''re so scary! ''Well, I''ll tell you something that won''t scare you, so listen up. ''Hello, I''m Kyu-tan the vampire.'' ''Whoa!That''s kind of cute!I want to hear about it! ''...... Magda will accompany you.'' As Barbara and the rest of the audience lined up, I told them a story about a vampire that wasn''t scary, with a comical twist. The content of the story was the same, but I made the vampire make a few jokes, so that even a scared kid could listen to the story with a smile. The most important part of the story is the end. ''And so the night dawned, and the vampire that had been hit by the sun disappeared into the dust. It was a happy ending. ''Does the sun''s light make ...... disappear? ''Oh. Most of the time, ghosts don''t like sunlight. So there''s no need to be afraid of it when it''s bright. ''Then, then, what about the shadows? ''They only appear to bad kids who play alone until late at night. ''Bad boy ......? Barbara looked at Jeannette, as if she didn''t quite believe me. Ginette smiled serenely and nodded definitively. ''From what I''ve heard, the ghosts haunt bad children who don''t listen to them. I don''t hear many stories of righteous people who help others and pray to the spirit gods every day encountering ghosts. Ginette expressed the threat of ''Be good or the ghosts will come'' without telling a lie. I think Alvistan chooses words with as few lies as possible. It was very natural to exclude lies. The phrase "I have heard" is not a lie, and "I have never heard of a righteous person encountering an obake" is not a lie. In the first place, you don''t encounter an obake. ''Yeah, ...... is starting to look a little less scary. ''That''s good. Now go home.'' ''You know what, Eeyusha? I tried to push her out of the way, but Teresa grabbed my sleeve. ''Hey, Teresa, I''m off today. ''Day off? ''Whenever the tomoroko shakes, the lady says ''yuck'', and the father says it''s okay to have a parent''s day. ''In other words, you want me to go away because it''s too noisy. It''s annoying if they''re screaming every time the wind blows. I''d kick them out too. ''I''m sure Eeyousa will scoop up the lady! I said. ''Who''s "sucking up"? ......'' You''re so selfish. ''So, Barbara and Teresa, would you like to spend the day with us? Teresa''s ''squeak'' seemed to be cute, and Ginette was becoming more aggressive. She''s still at the age where a lisp is unconditionally cute. If this were done by someone of Loretta''s age, it would be annoying and annoying. ''Well, I guess Loretta can''t say that either. ''That''s not true!I can say it properly, at least ''please save me''!............ Huh?I''m just a little pulled!I''m not going to do that. Wow, you really can''t say that. ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''No, please don''t!I wasn''t aiming at you!I was just a little careless! ''...... mocking'' ''No, you''re not, Magda!That''s a misunderstanding! ''Oh, dear! And Loretta flails her arms. She''s embarrassed to be seriously wrong. ''All right, Loretta. I''ll give you a chance to redeem yourself.'' ''Whoa!You''re so sweet, big brother! ''No, Loretta ......, you can''t redeem your name. Don''t sweat the small stuff, Estella. Whether you clear your name or not, the result will be the same, in Loretta''s case. Either way, she''ll just be an interesting disappointment. ''Loretta. "Operating room. ''Shoo, shoo!Huh!Isn''t the difficulty level going up!Of course you can''t say this! Yes, I can. ''Even Magda-chou can''t say that! ''...... Operation Room'' ''Huh?I can say it!'' ''No, no, no. ......'' ''Forced Translation Magic'' prank?I thought it sounded like the difficulty level had dropped? ''Moriri-chou seems to be good at this kind of thing. He''s very good at it. ''That''s not true ........ But I think I''m rather good at fast talking. He doesn''t say things wrong or chew too much.'' ''Then, big brother, give Moriricchou a subject too! ''''I want to eat your sugar beet with you every morning.'''' ''No, I can''t say that, it''s like a marriage proposal!Aaah! ''I can''t say it, it''s the wrong direction!But it''s irresistibly cute! ''You guys are really lively, aren''t you? Estella is looking at Loretta with cold eyes. Oh, you''re looking at me coldly now? It''s Loretta''s fault that I''m in trouble. ...... ''It''s fine for Teresa to come with me, but Barbara is going to be in the way ......''. ''Why the hell not?I''m not getting in your way!'' What are you talking about? ...... You''re making a lot of noise just by being here. ''...... hero ............ I''m still a little scared of you ......''. So don''t spoil it for me. ...... ''Can you promise to be quiet and help? ''Yeah!I''ll take care of it! I bet I could turn him into a frog any time I wanted to. There aren''t many people as careless as him. If I don''t correct him at some point, Theresa will have a lot of trouble ....... ''Well, I was just in need of a beastman''s strength. ''Indeed. A lump of meat is heavy, isn''t it? It took a lot of effort just to carry this much. The lump of meat that Morgan the cowherd had given us weighed ten kilos. The three of us shared the load, but it was still quite heavy. I''m not a fan. We had to divide it into two kilos, three kilos, and five kilos. Carrying 5kg across the city is ...... hard~....... I don''t want to do that again. And we''re going to be carrying even more next time. ''Barbara, take care of the luggage. ''Oh!I''ll take care of it!'' ''Oh, you too, Tetsudou! ''Well, Teresa-san, let''s do the preparation together.'' ''Yes! We will now prepare the meat. First, we make the sauce for the barbecue and marinate the meat in it. If we marinate the meat for about three to four hours, it will have a reasonable taste. In fact, I would like to marinate the meat overnight, but that can be done later. The problem is that ...... ''More importantly, what are you going to do about the Yashiro ...... thing?I''d rather not touch it. The object that made Estella''s face ooze avoidance was contained in a separate pouch from the lump of meat. It looks ''throbbing'' and slightly grotesque. If you touch it, your hands will become sticky with fat, and at first glance, it is not a part that can be used as an ingredient. But if you''re going to do yakiniku, you can''t miss it. Yes, motsu. ''I never thought I''d eat cow''s guts. ......'' ''It''s delicious if it''s processed properly! ''That''s right. There are many people who say that the internal organs of fish are delicious, and if cooked correctly, they may be delicious. Ginette had some expectations for an ingredient she had never used before. However, she frowned when she saw the bulging internal organs. It''s also a good idea to have a friend or family member who can help you out. I''m not sure what to say.Aashi, you can probably do it! No, you''d be like, ''What the hell is this?It''s so sticky and gross! I bet you''d throw it away. It''s a lot of work, and your arms will be tired, but ...... I''ll have to do it. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... When I let out a sigh, the voice roared. ''You seem to be in trouble, anchovy! ''Magda, lock the door at once! ''...... already.'' ''What?It won''t open!Come on, anchovy!Open up! A stupid lord banging on the door. ...... Are you sure he doesn''t want to go home? ''I''ll go deal with him. ......'' ''Send him back. For the sake of the 35th district.'' ''...... if I can, you know.'' Estella slumped her shoulders and hobbled over to greet Lucia. Magda unlocks the door and opens it. ''Ta-da!Even though I wasn''t invited, Mashaa??'' Masha is in the fish tank with a big smile on her face. Estella silently closed the door. Imelda nodded silently and gave Estella a thumbs up. It seems as if a common understanding is developing between the two of them. ...... Masha, it''s going to be very messy when you drink. I can hear you screaming outside the door. Oh, God. It''s going to be another ...... intense day. 429-Additive-free Episode 84 Pre-prepared meat ''d*mn, Estella''s terrible... she closes the door...'' ''Don''t poke people''s cheeks without hesitation. Entering the sunny pavilion, Masha is poking Estella''s cheek with the water from the tank, making it ripple. It was Gilberta who was pushing Masha''s tank. It seems that when Lucia woke up and went to Imelda''s house to play, she found Masha there and was very excited, and the situation was full of trouble from early in the morning. Good for you, Imelda. I''m glad you evacuated. When you get back, why don''t you take care of the waiters at home? If you don''t want to get into a situation like Estella''s, where the alcohol gets the better of you. ''Good morning, my friend Yashiro, my friend Ginette. And the Lord of Smiles and everyone at the Sunken Pavilion. ''You''re late to the party, anchovy. You and the others, go after Demilly.'' ''No, thank you. My hair follicles are invincible. ......, I believe. Lucia is sitting in a chair with a look of naturalness on her face. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... You''re the lord of the 35th district, and you''re not supposed to come to the 42nd district unless you''re in trouble. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do.You''re the ones in charge, after all.'' ''We''re closed for fishing for a while...'' ''It''s a closed day for us too. ''No, Lucia-san, ...... that''s not true.'' What do you mean the territory is closed? It''s just that the administration is in a state of stagnation. Lords don''t have vacations. Work as hard as you can for the people. ''Everyone understands, the lords of the thirty-five districts and the waiters in the pavilion. Gilberta begins to explain on Lucia''s behalf. ''The administration is further stagnant, and Lucia-sama is itching to go out and play. ''You lousy lord! ''Excuse me, anchovy! What''s the harm in stating the truth? You''ve been vacating your district so often that it''s a blur when Gilberta came to District 42 all by herself and you were in a panic. You delinquent lord. ''I''ve devised and am practicing a method of administration that will run smoothly without me!Even if I''m gone for six months or so, the 35th district won''t be shaken! ''Then you''re no longer needed! It''s a problem to build a city that goes bankrupt just because there''s no lord, but I''m not so sure about a lord who can get by without a ...... lord. I''ll be back by the end of the day. I have a meeting scheduled with the 24th district tomorrow.'' ''With Donis?Are you buying soybeans?'' ''No, Whitehead wants to do some research to see if he can make malted rice from seaweed and seafood. ''Well, that sounds like a delicious plan. Seaweed and seafood contain a lot of umami ingredients. I''d be grateful if you could research the extraction of umami ingredients instead of being stuck with koji. ''I heard that you use seaweed as an ingredient. Masha waved her hand in the air at Lucia''s words. It seems that Masha gave her this information. Come to think of it, we used to dispose of the seaweed entangled in our nets as ''garbage''. ''Currently, the production of seasoned seaweed has begun in the 36th district. I hear it makes a great taste when wrapped around rice balls.Hmm? Why didn''t you tell me? Lucia glared at me with a resentful look as if to say, ''Why didn''t you tell me? In fact, on the contrary, why should I give you information for free? If you want the information, give me something in return. ''Right, anchovy. I''ll invite you to the 35th district next time. I''ll serve you some freshly made seaweed.Isn''t that fortuitous? ''Why do I have to taste the new product? Do it on your own. ''''I''ll soon be married to someone from the 42nd district!I want your help! ''I don''t want either of you! ''Speaking of which, where''s Hammaro?Aren''t you supposed to be helping out at the Sunlit Pavilion? ''''Today, we''re breaking up yesterday''s event site. We were allowed to use the kitchen to the fullest, so we had to lend a hand. ''Hey!You''re a man who can''t read the atmosphere! I have no intention of being of any use to you. ''So, what are you going to do now, Yashiro-kun? ''Hmm?Ah, I''m just preparing the meat. Masha points to a hunk of meat and looks excited. Masha and meat is not a combination I''ve ever seen, but will he eat it? ''Oh, by the way, your friend Yashiro said he had some tedious prep work to do. Can you help, me?'' ''It would be a big help if Gilberta could help, but ...... if I ask her to do that, Lucia will come with me. ......'' ''What do you mean, anchovies!With or without Gilberta''s loan, my participation is confirmed. You''ll be serving Ginepu''s delicious food anyway, right?I can''t leave without eating. ''It''s in the evening, you know. It takes time to prepare the food.'' ''What a mess. ......'' Lucia had plans for tomorrow and could not stay late today. She''s probably going home, complaining reluctantly. ''Are you staying over tonight too......'' ''Go home! ''He''ll come when you call him, Donis Donati?'' ''I think so, me too. I''m sure she''ll come, if she''s in the Forty-second Ward.'' ''No, I''m sure she''ll come for real if we send her through the 29th district. ...... You guys should go home. If we let them stay in District Forty-two any longer, they might seriously settle there. We have to drive them back at all costs. I''ll give you some advice on how to get rid of them. ...... You''re going to come back on Halloween, aren''t you? ''Of course not. If you want to enjoy Hammaro and Milly''s costumes without telling me, it''s an insult worthy of death. There''s no way. So, you''re still planning to come. ''Well, if the anchovy voluntarily offers to advise Nori and wants to treat me to a big party on Halloween, I''m ready to accept it. ''Why did you add entertainment? ......'' ''Don''t you want to see Gilberta in costume?'' ''...... Huh. ''Ginette, they''ll probably be here the day before, so leave the guest room open for them.'' ''Sleeping over, my friend Yashiro! ''Only Gilberta. It''s impossible to entertain a person as noble as Lucia-sama here. ''''Hmph. Did you think you said something auspicious? Lucia pokes me in the throat. Stop it, you!Your throat''s dangerous!For a second there, I seriously thought, ''Whoa! I thought I was gonna die! ''I''m a very flexible lord, despite my appearance. I don''t have any particular preference for where to stay. Apparently, he doesn''t complain that he doesn''t like it if the bed doesn''t have a canopy or the interior isn''t pretty. Why don''t you tell them? And go home saying, ''I can''t stay in a place like this! Why don''t you just go home? ''I don''t want to be extravagant. Just. As long as Hammaro can sleep with me.'' ''Excuse me, Miss Lucia. I''m thinking of issuing an ordinance restricting entry to the 42nd district, so I may not be able to invite you.'' Estella is refusing Lucia at all costs. The people of her district are in danger. Hang in there, my lord. ''No!It''s a joke. She''s lying. Your eyes were serious. ''This is Jinepu''s precious store. I can''t complain. If Jinepu allows it, I''ll gladly take care of it.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m afraid it''s a bit old-fashioned, but if you want to come, you''re more than welcome.'''' ''''Aha!So cute!I wonder if those big tits are actually the features of a beast! ''You''ll be banned, Lucia-san. ''I never thought of that!I''ll have to check this out! ''I''ll kick you out, Yashiro? ''''Already. Both of you, please repent. Ginette puffs out her cheeks in anger at me and Lucia. ''Pfft. ...... The lord of the 35th district is being treated the same as a perverted pharmacist. Imelda is smiling evilly. It''s true that the only girl that Ginette would tell to repent is Regina. You''re on par with Regina. ...... Pupu! ''You''re as good as Yashiro, Lucia.'' ''You''re talking too much, Dr. Imelda! ''If you don''t want to be Yashiro, you should restrain yourself, Lucia.'' ''It''s a matter of honor~'' ''You guys, shut up and get together.'' If we leave them alone, we''ll lose the day before we can prepare the meat. Let''s get Lucia out of the way and get on with preparing the meat. ''Well, Barbara. Give me a hand. ...... Huh?Where''s Barbara? ''...... Barbara''s over there.'' Magda pointed to where Barbara was hiding behind the counter, shivering. ''...... What the hell is he doing? ''Hey, Barbara. ''Eh, hero!He''s the one, he''s the one, he''s the one with the scary stories!Get him out of here! Oh, I see. They''re the ones who told the scariest stories of all the monsters in the competition. So Barbara has developed a weakness for them. ''Hey, monkey girl. Lucia approached Barbara, who was hiding behind the counter. ''It''s not respectful to be frightened when you see someone. I''m not saying that you should be respected as a noble, but as a human being, shouldn''t you at least behave in a way that hurts the dignity of others? ''Geez!It''s getting closer! Barbara dodged Lucia, kicked the table, and jumped in behind me. ''Hey, don''t step on the table! ''Barbara......'' ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I''m sorry!I''ll wipe it up later! At least he knows what he''s upset about. Well, maybe he''s making some progress, too. ''Lucia. Since there are people like this who are scared, go home for today. I''ll feed you the meat next time.'' It won''t be long before it comes back anyway. I urged him to go back to ....... ''Gilberta. What''s the longest you can stay?'' ''Probably fine, until the moon passes just above us. Tomorrow, it''ll be hard to get up in the morning.'' ''I see. That''s not an option, but you''ll have to live with it. Lucia''s eyes flashed with a mysterious, provocative light. ...... Ah, he''s going to stay. ''Anchovies. Today, tonight, I''ve decided to eat that very meat and go home. ''What are you deciding? Go home. It''s not good for tomorrow. ''I''m the lord. I''m not going to make a mess during the meeting. Even if I''m not in perfect health.'' ''If you''re going to be professional, make sure you''re ready for the day.'' Where are you headed, your professionalism? That''s not where you''re supposed to be. I don''t know what you''re thinking. ...... ''I''ve always known you were a man who messed with beautiful women without regard for their needs. ......'' Lucia''s hand grabs my head. And then she looks at my face from up close. ''You''ve never had a woman stick to you like this before, have you?Hmm?Don''t tell me you''re in love with her?You''re getting carried away for an anchovy, aren''t you? What is it? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. It''s not like I''m being friendly. It''s because you guys scared him that Barbara ended up like this. I''m more of a victim. ''You''re jealous, Lucia, you''re jealous. ''Noooo!That''s not true, Gilberta!Who cares about anchovies?I''m just trying to save a poor beautiful girl who is about to fall victim to the poison of anchovies. ......!I''m not sure what to do. You''re the one who''s holding my head. Then take your hands off me. She shakes off Lucia''s hand and lets out a sigh as Estella and Jeannette pull Barbara off her. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. I''m not sure what you mean by that. ...... Don''t sulk there, Lucia. It''s because of your attitude and face that strange rumors ...... ''Yashiro-san ...... is amazing.'' Molly. What is the meaning of that muttering? I''m not going to tell you. If you say it, all the blame will go to Percy. Well, I''m fine with that, but ...... I think you should keep your mouth shut for now. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''The ...... from the field day?Ah!That girl with the budding love? ''Koi no mae mume?Are you talking about Aashi? ''Mm!The moment a person falls in love is a beautiful thing. ''Yes, yes. You were so cute! ''No, it can''t be that ...... cute or ............ impossible! ''Oh my~?Isn''t his tone of voice shifting a bit? I''m sorry. ''Mukyu......'' ''Okay, let''s bring him home! ''I want you to behave yourself, Lucia-sama. It''s time to go, my hand. Lucia being pulled away from Barbara. He''s the lord of the 35th district, isn''t he? If I may say so myself, he''s treated you badly. ''Onee-sha, don''t take me! ''What a cute little thing!What kind of cute creature is this?A fairy?Are they Miry''s relatives? ''It''s Barbara''s sister. ''Okay, I''ll take a set! ''Put out your hand, I''ll! ''Wait a minute, sir!Don''t cause bloodshed in the store! Loretta''s saving Lucia''s life, Magda''s protecting Teresa from the perverts. I''d like to make some preparations for ....... ''Let''s see, I''ll sacrifice ...... Barbara to shut Lucia up, Gilberta, I need a little help.'' ''Wait a minute, hero!I''m still a little scared, so stay with me! Hey, don''t be naive. I still get goosebumps when you''re sweet on me. I''m too used to it. ''I can help you if you want.If you can do it, I''m sure I can do it too.'' ''I see. Now, please prepare the meat. As he says this, he drags out the motsu, which he stuffs into a separate bag from the meat chunks. It popped out. The milky-white and light-pink internal organs appeared. Masha squealed adorably, "Aah! Gilberta shakes her shoulders for a moment, Magda stares blankly but her ears are flattened, and Loretta frankly says, ''Wow, that''s gross! Imelda wrinkled her brow, and Barbara made an understandable noise, ''Geez! Imelda wrinkled her brow, Barbara made a clear noise, and Teresa hugged Barbara, saying, ''Are you okay, sweetheart? and Molly covered her face with her hands. Molly covered her face with her hands. They all said they didn''t like the way she looked. And Lucia, who didn''t react, said... ''...... phew''. ''You''re down! ''Surprisingly, I''m not very good at splatter stuff,'' Lucia said. It seems that even the invincible female lord with an iron mentality has her weaknesses. For the time being, I''ll let her sit at the end of the floor since the noisy ones have quieted down. In the meantime, Gilberta seemed to have gotten over the sight of the motu and was peering at it with an interested gaze. Teresa is also interested, and approaches to observe. Masha doesn''t show any avoidance, but she doesn''t want to get too close. Estella is also smiling. Loretta is saying, ''It''s gross~, wow~, it''s a mess~,'' and observing normally. Magda, on the other hand, was standing by the wall on the floor with her back to us. ''Magda. Didn''t you ever dismantle a hexenbiest before? ''...... I don''t do much dismantling. I hire the hunting guild to do it for me.'' ''I see. So you''re not good at looking at these things? ''I''m fine with looking at ....... It''s just that ...... it''s smelly and unpleasant. Just looking at it brings back that unpleasant feeling.'''' That''s not okay to look at. You don''t want to look at it because it''s not disgusting, but because it''s like looking at a food you don''t like. I see. Magda eats hexenbiests raw. He probably didn''t like the offal because it smelled too bad. At any rate, the only ones who don''t seem to be repulsed by the appearance of motsu and don''t seem to mind touching it during preparation are Jeannette and Gilberta. Hmm?Imelda? I don''t need to tell you that. She doesn''t even want to be seen. ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... are you going to eat this?'' Molly asks with a pale face. ''These are the offal ......, right? ''Yeah, from a cow. ''I thought it would taste better if we ate the ............ meat?'' ''Of course I eat meat, but...'' ''Motsu is lower in calories than meat and rich in vitamins and minerals. It also contains collagen, which is good for your beauty. But it''s also high in purine, so you have to take it in moderation. The texture is lumpy, fluffy, and thick, and the smell disappears if you prepare it correctly. It''s delicious, motsu. You can grill it or cook it in a pot. Javier will be crying with joy again if you cook it in a pot. ''It''s also rich in zinc, so Teresa should do her best to eat it. ''Mm-hmm. Eat it, Miyu.'' Teresa is positive, if a little hesitant. Barbara is once again behind the counter, face down, shivering. People who don''t cook rarely see the offal. ''So, Ginette and Gilberta. Can you help me prepare it?'' ''Yes. ''I''d like to try it, I am!I want to help, my friend Yashiro and my friend Ginette! ''Loretta, help me prepare the sauce, and Magda, help me cut the meat. ''I''m on it, sir! ''...... can cut the meat.'' So, here are the members on their way to the kitchen. ''Then, Estella and Imelda, take care of Lucia and Masha! ''I''ll help too! ''I''m coming too! I''m not drinking right now, so I''m fine! ''Oh, you like to joke around, don''t you, Masha? ''That''s right, ...... Masha is a pain in the ass when she''s excited about a night out or something, even when she''s not ......''. ''That''s a great way to put it. ''...... Masha''s cuteness can be hard to stomach.'' ''Oh, I know what you mean. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Don''t they understand each other on a very deep level?They''re already best friends. ''Oh, hey!Aashi, I''ll help you too!I want to be useful to the ...... heroes. ......'' I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. No, you don''t have to do this,....... ''So, if you get scared, let me hug you! ''I''ll take the fear away so you don''t have to hug me. ......'' I''m sure the sunlight will take away the chill that covers your skin and make you feel half as scared. In the meantime, let him guard the fire and he''ll forget about the chill. And after that, if you tell him a story about a unique ghost, he will be able to manage. ''Oh, my God, you''re so cute! ''Are you okay, Teresa? ''I''m fine! ''Well, there are knives and fire in the kitchen, so you''ll have to stay with me.'' ''Yes! Teresa held hands with Jeannette, Magda and Loretta carried the meat, I took the motsu, and we went into the kitchen. Ah, we can finally do the preparations. ''Ginette. Once the motsu is prepared, we''ll marinate some of it in the sauce. ''You''re going to marinate them? ''Yes. When you grill them, they''re delicious! ''The sauce will burn and become fragrant. The smell of it burning will stimulate my appetite.'' That''s Ginette. Can you predict it to some extent? I promise you it will be even more delicious than that. '' So, let''s prepare the motsu. Magda, cut the meat into blocks.'' ''...... at your service.'' ''Barbara, you''ll be Magda''s assistant for now. ''Oh, yeah!............, you have to stay close to me, okay?'' ''Hey, hey, .......'' It''s not that big of a kitchen anyway. You''ll be able to see them. First of all, have them cut the huge chunk of meat into blocks of different parts. Ginette and I will do the slicing later. The way you cut the meat will affect the flavor. ''Now, let''s prep the entrails. First, we need a lot of water and salt. ''Loretta, fetch me a lot of water. ''I''ll do it! Throw the motsu into a bowl and pour salt on it. The salt absorbs the slime on the surface of the motsu and the smell. The slime on the surface is fat and impurities. ...... Well, it''s dirt and grime. This makes the meat taste bad. So scrape it off thoroughly. You should rub it with a lot of salt like this. Then rinse the salt off with a lot of water. I would like to expose them to running water, but there is no running water, so I give up. If you change the water frequently, you can get by. Since motsu absorbs water, drain the water thoroughly after rinsing. It will lose its flavor. After removing the slime to some extent, wash the motsu with flour instead of salt. The process is the same. Sprinkle flour liberally on the motsu to scrub off the smell and slime. Use flour sparingly to remove the slime, then rinse with a lot of water and wipe off the water. ''Sun-sun ...... hmmm, still a bit smelly? ''It''s persistent, the smell! Her curiosity got the better of her, and Loretta watched the preparation with a frown on her face. ''Let''s boil them a bit. Then I''ll soak them in milk. Boiling them lightly removes their odor. Likewise, milk also removes the smell. This is an easy way to remove the odor of beef as well. In addition, milk makes the meat tender. It takes a lot of grip, so I only prepared a small amount. Ginette and Gilberta will help me with the rest. ''But first, Ginette. Let''s make the soy sauce sauce and salt sauce.'' ''Yes, sir. Loretta, please help me.'' ''I''ll take care of it! I''m a little tired too, so I''ll take a break and do something else. Using soy sauce as a base, add white sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil to taste. For spiciness, I use soybean paste. You can also add grated apple. Hmm!...... It''s spicy and delicious.'' Ginette passed the test. ''I want to make a sauce to eat with the grilled meat and a sauce to marinate it in. ''Then let''s make this one as a dipping sauce. If you''re going to marinate it, you might want to make it a little richer. ......'' He pulls out some seasonings. Oh, you want to add miso? You know what you''re doing. Chili peppers are good. Yeah. ''Big brother, I''m in trouble. ...... I don''t have a job! ''Give it up. Ginette has just left for another world.'' There''s no stopping Jeannette now that she''s on fire. I have no choice. I''ll just make a simple salted sauce with Loretta. ''Loretta. Bring me some chicken broth.'' ''Yes, sir!I have a delicious secret recipe from the manager! Having mastered consomm??, Ginette has been studying various soups since then. Her latest hit is a luxurious chicken soup made with whole chickens. I thought the meat might be a distraction, but it''s quite delicious,'' he said. Then, lemon and garlic. And chop up some green onions. ''I''ll do it! Loretta took out a leek and cut it into slices. ''Yes, stop! ''Oh!It''s only two slices! ''When you chop green onions, you cut them lengthwise and then chop them like this! Insert the knife into the white side of the leek and make the appropriate number of vertical slits. Then chop it horizontally and you can chop it in no time. ''Here, try it. ''But my eyes are already watering from the last two slices!I''m nearing my limit! ''It''s because you''re touching your eyes with the hand that cut the leek. ......'' This guy''s cooking skills aren''t getting any better. ''Then grate the garlic for me. ''Yes, sir! Give him a clove of garlic and have him grate it. In the meantime, sprinkle white sesame seeds on the green onions, pour in the chicken stock, season with salt, squeeze lemon as much as you can, and mix in the grated garlic. Add a little sesame oil for aroma. ''Loretta, taste this.'' ''Yes, sir!'' I take a small amount on a small plate and give it to Loretta. Then. ''What''s that smell?What''s that smell of my fingers?Wait!Does garlic smell this bad? That''s what happens when you pick at garlic. Is this the first time you''ve used garlic? ''Whoa!I can''t get rid of the smell even if I wash it! Oh, God, you''re annoying. ''Loretta. Try wiping your fingers with this.'' ''It''s a squeezed lemon. ''No, thanks. If you get the smell of garlic on your fingers, wash them with diluted vinegar or lemon to remove the smell. However, vinegar has a strong smell, so the vinegar smell may remain even after the garlic smell disappears. Therefore, lemon is recommended. Surprisingly, there is a secret technique to remove the smell by touching stainless steel. I''ve never tried it, so I don''t know how effective it is, but it is said that metal ions break down the smell of garlic. ''Whoa!The smell is gone!It doesn''t smell anymore! ''Rorenesh!Oi, oi! ''Would you like to smell it, Teresa?Here, you can smell it.'' ''Don''t sneeze! Two close minded people having a good time. No, I''m sorry. That was a little rude. To Teresa. She''s better at math than I am. ''Hmm ......, it smells good, but it tastes a little strong ......''. ''Of course it is. You''re eating it with meat. It''s not a soup, so you have to taste it with something else. Let me see. ...... Yeah. Look at that, it''s perfect. ''I tried to imitate my friend Yashiro. I want you to check it out. While I was making the sauce, Gilberta was washing the motsu. The plump little intestines are glistening with flavor. The smell is well removed. Well done. ''That''s the head waiter. You learn quickly and work carefully.'' ''I''ve been taught. I learned how to be a waiter from my senpai.'' It''s rumored that he''s been trained in the serving techniques of his seniors. It seems he''s inherited it well. Well, the fireflies weren''t the head waiter, though. ''Then, let''s try a little tasting. ''I guess so. I want to see which sauce goes best with it. I''d like to see which sauce goes best with it,'' said Ginette, smiling, as a dozen or so small plates were lined up in front of her. ...... If you sample them all, it''s not a tasting anymore. It''s a meal. ''Do you want me to get the sisters? ''No, I''m fine.'' ''...... Yeah. Yashiro''s right. Sister Bertina will come sooner or later, as long as the meat is cooked.'' ''I agree! ''You know, everyone ...... has a role to play in the church, so they don''t have much free time, right? Ignoring Ginette''s unreasonable follow-up, Magda and I sliced the meat into thin slices. We sliced the meat into bite-sized pieces so that we could shorten the cooking time, but still keep it chewy and firm. ''...... Yashiro, the shichirin is ready. ''As expected of Magda. You''re very thoughtful. ''...... Of course. I''m the assistant manager.'' ''What, when did that happen? ''......In order of career.'' I wonder if ...... I''m the newest one. Well, that''s okay. It''s not like I want to be an assistant manager or anything. ''chuckle. Then, assistant manager. Let''s bring in the meat. ''...... Mmm. Good luck with that, boys. Magda, Loretta, Ginette, and Teresa bring in the meat. I return to the floor with several kinds of sauce. ''Wow~!There''s so much meat here~a??'' ''Anchovy ......, what about the entrails?I hope you threw away the entrails properly. ''Who''s going to throw it away? It''s a waste. You don''t have to eat it if you don''t want to. I''ll eat it. While the timid Lucia and the skeptical Estella, as usual, looked at him quizzically before eating, he proceeded to prepare the barbeque. Since there is no smoke exhaust system in the sunny pavilion, we open the large windows and grill outside. It''s hard to get rid of the smell if it sticks around. ''First, let''s cook the meat as usual and check the taste of the sauce. ''Yes.'' ''Loretta. I''ll have a large bowl of white rice, please.'' ''Rice, sir? When it comes to yakiniku, it''s white rice! That''s common sense! ''This reminds me of hand-rolled sushi, doesn''t it? ''Yes, it does. The way the ingredients are lined up before cooking is similar. Estella and Ginette are sitting next to each other, messing around. ...... or rather Estella. You realize that''s the best position, right?The best food comes out next to Jeannette. Via Jeannette. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro. Isn''t the meat a little too thin?'' Masha said that the meat she had eaten before was much thicker and chewy, which made her jaw tired, and she thought that seafood was the best. He thought seafood was the best. ''It''s all right if the owner cooks it boldly on a big griddle, but this is a style where the customer cooks and eats it himself, so if it''s not this thin, he can''t wait. Grill it quickly and eat it quickly. That''s the yakiniku style. ''Why should the customers cook it themselves? ''Because I''m more particular that way. ''Obsessive, huh? Lucia raised her eyebrows quizzically, but didn''t deny it, saying, ''Let me see for now. ''Then I''ll show you an example. Not much of an example, but I took a piece of meat and placed it on the wire mesh. As I waited for a while, the red beef began to turn a delicious dark brown. The fat dripped down onto the charcoal, giving off an irresistible aroma. ''I like to cook one side thoroughly and eat it when the other side is slightly rare. Cook it until it is not overcooked, and add it to the sauce on a small plate. Then, throw it into your mouth with a round of white rice. It''s delicious! Then, immediately, eat the white rice! ''Yummmmm! This is yakiniku! Steak is good, but there''s nothing like the feeling of slurping up a bowl of white rice with yakiniku! If you don''t care about fat or lean meat, you can cook it well. This is a way of eating that allows you to cook meat to your liking without being disturbed by anyone else, and to enjoy your own meat dishes by yourself. ''Oh, that''s true. If you go to a restaurant that''s particular about the way it''s cooked, you may be judged on the degree of cooking. ......'' ''What kind of restaurant is that? ''......41'' ''And if you don''t like it...'' ''That was very unpleasant. ...... I don''t like the red juice oozing out of the meat when I press it. ''Then make it well-done.'' ''Alright, I''ll make it well-done! Estella puts a piece of belly on the wire mesh and starts to cook it firmly in the center of the shichirin. And Lucia said, ''Wait a minute, Estella,'' and developed her theory. ''Do you understand?The flavor of beef lies in the sweetness of its fat. It would be foolish to remove all the fat. Rather, it is best to sear it lightly. As he said this, he placed the belly on a wire mesh, lightly seared both sides, and transferred it to a small plate. ''What?Is that all you need?It''s almost raw! ''It''s not raw, it''s rare.'' ''Wow, ...... red~'' ''Hmph. Well, Estella may not understand yet, this adult taste is ...... delicious!What''s with the sauce?It''s too good to be true, anchovies! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. He''s still the same guy who talks while eating. ''Let''s see, one more! Without waiting for Estella''s first piece to be cooked, Lucia quickly seared the second piece and tossed it into her mouth. ''Yum!Yuck!It sure makes me want some white rice. ...... Give it to me, anchovy! ''Ask him to bring you a new one!Don''t take away my food! ''I can''t wait! And the arrogant lord snatched away the white rice. ''Hey, anchovy!How dare you put sauce on my rice!It''s dirty! ''You idiot, that''s where it tastes best! Rice with yakiniku sauce. How many more things are there in the world that can beat this?I can''t even count them! ''I dare you to make it one bounce. That''s what people do. ''Hmm, what a foolish thing to do. ...... Well, I''ll try it once. ''I''m rather straightforward, when it comes to food, Lady Lucia. I know that the food my friend Yashiro brings is delicious.'' I seared another piece of meat, dipped it in sauce, bounced it off the rice, ate the meat, and gobbled up the rice with the sauce. Is this the revolution? I heard it was quite tasty. I don''t know if it''s okay to say ....... I don''t know if it''s okay, but the noblewoman is shoveling in a lot of the rice I''m eating. It''s got grilled sauce on it. ''What happens here may not be told to anyone...'' Yeah. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. Lucia ......, thinking back on her actions. ''Ladies and gentlemen, I''ve brought you some food. ''Oh, I''m sorry, Ginepoo!Here, I''ll give it back to you, anchovy.'' ''Don''t return the sardines! This is not the sort of thing that can be peachy-tongued and gossiped about! Even middle-aged couples don''t share a meal like this! ''Mmmmm!It''s delicious!The salt sauce I made is too good! ''...... soy sauce sauce, so deep.'' Loretta and Magda are also starting to cook and eat the meat as they like. They seem to be studying different ways to cook the meat. I hope they will find their own preference. ''Okay, this is about right! Estella confidently picked up the meat, the fat was already completely gone. It was almost charcoal, wasn''t it? ''Yes!It''s delicious!It has a great texture!This sauce is delicious! The way to cook meat is not to everyone''s taste. But, Estella. Don''t cook it that much in front of people. They''ll know you''re not a gourmet. ''How about Molly and Barbara? ''Yes, they''re delicious! ''Hero!I want to feed this to my parents!And Miss! ''Maybe next time. ''Oh!I''m sure the girls will love it, Teresa! ''Good!Oishii! They''re loving it over there. ''Where''s Imelda? ''She went to find Becco.'' ''...... Is he deciding on taste?To make it or not?Not the way it looks?'' ''And Masha,'' he said, ''...... ''Yes!This salted sauce goes well with scallops! ''My own scallops are coming out! Before we knew it, seafood was lined up on the grill. Stubborn! This guy''s love for seafood is as unshakable as Delia''s salmon. ''Meat is also delicious~'' ''But seafood is better, isn''t it? ''Yes~! Well, seafood''s good too. I''ll have a scallop too. ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san! Ginette, who had been grilling the meat and tasting the sauce, tugged on my sleeve with a bright smile. ''The first wasshoi is out! ''What''s that curious new word! At any rate, he seemed to have found a satisfactory sauce. ''This one has more impact, but this one brings out the flavor of the meat more. But this one is also a little dry and has a taste that lingers. Let''s try the three recommended by Ginette in order. The sauce, which is said to have been the first one, was very tasty, as expected. However, the sauce was so good that the taste of the sauce left a strong impression on me no matter which meat I ate. ''This would be good for someone like Estella who is not interested in fatty meat, and for Lucia, it would be better to let the taste of the meat stand out. Also, for those who want to eat meat with alcohol instead of white rice, the spicy one that leaves an aftertaste will be good. ''I see, you can use different kinds of sauce depending on your taste! Perhaps satisfied, Jeannette began to cook the next piece of meat. Apparently, she was cooking a smaller piece of thin meat to check the taste of the sauce. But this time, it was a full piece. He wanted to see how the meat tasted, including its texture. ''So, what do you think, Bertina? ''As expected of Ginette!This is going to change the world! As most of us expected, Bertina had entered the circle while the meat was cooking. She was munching on the meat with a happy face. Well, well, it''s good. ''Okay, let''s try the motsu next. After eating the meat lightly, he brought out the motsu that he had finished preparing. Lucia and Estella frowned and said, ''Why don''t we just use meat? But I ignore them and put it on the wire mesh. Motsu. All right, motsu. I can''t get enough, motsu. I can''t wait to cook and eat it, motsu. In a yakiniku restaurant, the small intestine called mullet, the large intestine called shimachou, mino (first stomach), hachinos (second stomach), semmai (third stomach), giara (fourth stomach), liver and hatsu, and the diaphragm called harami are grilled in order. Immediately afterwards, there was a shock at the restaurant. It may have been at this very moment that a meat revolution took place in the 42nd district. 430-Additive-free Episode 85 A kind-hearted girl. And so it goes. At the appointed time, we came to the cowherd in the east of the city again... ''There''s a lot more people here. What''s going on? ''Well, due to various reasons, I guess. ......'' Lucia, Gilberta, Masha, and the sisters Barbara and Teresa had increased. Morgan, the ranch manager, is frowning in an obvious way. The number of people has more than doubled. That''s surprising. On top of that, you''d be surprised to see a lord of another district, his head waiter, and the head of the Sea Fishing Guild, which has influence over the whole district. If it were me, I''d turn him away, yeah. I''d turn him away, yeah. And he brought all these nice girls with him. ....... Look, my idiots are stopping to admire them. Cowherds who were working here and there on the ranch stopped with plows and carts in their hands and stared at the beautiful women. Some of them seemed to be on the verge of losing their souls. Close your mouth, mouth. You''ve opened it too wide. ''Hmm, a good woman--? You seem to have a gentleman''s heart for the opposite s*x. Learn from me, anchovy.'' ''Lucia, you look beautiful today.'' ''Huh?What''s with you all of a sudden? Don''t talk nonsense in public like this, you anchovy! What do you want me to do? ''Hey, you idiots!I''ll ban alcohol today if you don''t work!Get to work! ''''''Hey, hey! At Morgan''s urging, the cowherds who had been observing the beautiful women from afar began to rush about. The cowherds have resumed their work, but they are still reeling. They were still glancing at each other. ''d*mn, young people these days. Wow, ...... old men say the same thing no matter where they go. ''Morgan. If your generation is well-behaved and the current generation is not, it means that the generation that raised you is well-disciplined and your generation is not able to educate the younger generation properly.First of all, reflect on yourself. ''Shut up!Don''t try to reason with me, young man! He''s not listening to me. You stone head. Hey, Pepe!I''m out for a bit, but take care of the young ones! Hey! A cowherd with a slightly broad forehead and a sneer on his face straightens his posture at Morgan''s command. That guy''s name is Pepe? What a joke of a name. ...... But I remember seeing him somewhere. ............ ''That''s the guy you saw on the main street before. ''On the main street? ''Yes.'' Jeannette also seemed to remember Pepe, and more clearly than I did. ''I think you were the one who was transporting the cattle when Magda-san first came to the Sunken Pavilion. ''Aaah!You''re the cowherd who let the rampaging bull escape on the main street? It was shortly after I met Magda, and after some complications, I was asked to take care of Magda at the Sunken Pavilion, and I was on my way from the hunting guild to the Sunken Pavilion. A cow escaped and ran rampant in the main street, and Magda subdued it. That was the first time I saw the Red Moya, wasn''t it? And after that, I had a huge appetite. Thinking about it, that was probably the first time I realized the unparalleled power of the beastman race. I had met Delia before that, so I had a glimpse of her power, but Delia seemed strong to me, and she was a guild leader. I remember being surprised that a little girl like Magda could have that kind of power. ''But you remembered well, Ginette. ''I''m good at remembering people''s faces because of my profession.'' Come to think of it, Ginette remembers a lot of people she''s only met briefly. Even the Gazelle sisters were able to remember the face of another restaurant owner''s kid they met only a few times, from a restaurant guild with which they had little connection. ''That''s a skill I''ll never be able to master. ''Hmm... You''re not very good at remembering people''s names and faces, are you, Mr. Yashiro? Unless there''s money involved. I don''t want to waste my brain''s memory on information I don''t need, you know. There''s so much cleavage and sway and frills and see-through to remember. ''Wah~!Oshisan~!You''re so big! Teresa is up on the fence, looking out over the pasture. Or rather, she''s leaning forward and having a good time. I''m relieved to see her looking her age. Teresa has always been strangely quiet and too good at listening. It''s a good idea to make sure that you have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure what to make of it. Why should I be concerned about Teresa''s education? It''s the duty of your sister and parents-in-law! Get it right, Barbara! And what about Barbara? ...... I''m not sure what to say.What''s wrong with them?What the hell is wrong with these people?Their faces are so big!But more importantly, they stink! ''Looks like we''ve got a pretty honest girl here, huh?It''s okay, if you don''t like it, you can leave now, hmm? ''Well, well, well. These sisters are new to the ranch. Please be gentle with them, okay? ''The sisters are the ...... older and younger sisters, not the other way around, you know. Estella is smoothing out Barbara''s rudeness. It''s a tough time to be a lord. You''re not even officially a citizen of the 42nd district yet, you''re protecting Barbara. ''My sister is so honest and cute...'' ''E....... Don''t tell me you''re that kind of person too? Estella pulled away from Morgan with a disgusted look on her face. She picks her nose like she smells. ''No, I''m not!I mean, don''t pick your nose!I don''t smell anything! I wonder what it is. Do people of a certain age and status in this city have a tendency to have a taste for little girls? Like Javier and Donis. ''I''m more interested in mature women like the lord here. ''Hmm. A man with discernment is a man like him. Learn from him, anchovy. ''Lucia, you''re beautiful.'' ''Kyu, don''t praise me so suddenly!I''ll have your mouth pinched by a hawksbill crab! Do you want to be praised or not, which is it? ''Is that a compliment? ''Depends on how you take it, I guess. She seemed happy, Lucia-sama.'' Estella has a sour look on her face. If s*xy and s*xy are compliments, then erotic is also a compliment. They mean almost the same thing. ''Estella, hiiiiiiia??'' ''That''s a pure swear word, Masha! Yeah. So it''s the same meaning but depends on how you take it. ''I get so horny looking at you. ...... Hmm, is that a compliment? I''m not sure. Stop playing around and let''s get going. I''ve done what you asked. I''m sure he''s tired of waiting for you by now. Morgan advises us, grabbing Barbara by the scruff of the neck. He''s got Thomson''s kitchen mistress waiting in the store. ''Come on, you''re supposed to be carrying the load. Get ready to go.'' He drags Barbara away from the fence that divides the ranch, pointing at the cows and saying, ''They stink. He was a little irritated. He''s overflowing with the desire to get her out of the ranch. ''Whoa, wait a minute, old man! ''Who''s the old man!I''m only fifty-eight! In Barbara''s eyes, you''re an old man. Don''t work so hard. ''That cow!What''s wrong with you?'' Barbara points to a cow while being grabbed by the scruff of the neck. The cow was indeed a little tired, and her fur was not so good. ''He''s, ......, well, he''s a bit ill at the moment,'' he said. ''Are you feeding him nutritious food?You can''t do that, all you do is eat things that fill you up and sweets!Let him eat vegetables even if they don''t taste good. That''s what you''ve been told all your life. You say you don''t like vegetables. However, it seems that Barbara''s consciousness is slowly changing, and she is becoming more aware of nutritional balance, even if she doesn''t understand it. The incident with Teresa''s eyes must have been a big deal. I''m sure she won''t make the same mistake again. ''I''ll ask my father to bring you some corn!Your corn is good, you know. If he eats your corn, that cow will be fine in no time, I''m sure! ''Is it really that good?'' ''Ahh!It''s the best in the world!'' I don''t grow sweet corn. I don''t think it''s the best in the world for human consumption. It''s perfect for making tortillas and popcorn, though. ''Hey, cow!You want some too, right?My dad''s corn!'' Barbara waved and asked the cow, and the shaggy cow slowly walked in front of Barbara and licked her face. Its long tongue caressed Barbara''s cheek. ''Ooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Barbara lets out a strange sound as her face is licked, and the next moment she bursts into laughter. ''Hahaha!What the hell, you!Aashi is not corn!Did it smell that good?I see. You want some of my corn so bad?You''re a cow who knows what''s good for you! ''Mmm! I picked up the cow''s big head and stroked it gingerly. The cow doesn''t show any sign of displeasure and lets me stroke it as I like. ''You''re so cute with your sparkling eyes! ''Can you tell? ''Oh!What''s with you, old man? ''I''m not an old man! Morgan lunged at Barbara, who was loving the cow. Morgan''s sudden approach was more frightening than the cow''s. ''He''s a sickly cow, but he''s got a beautiful heart. You can see it in his eyes.He''s a good cow who loves a peaceful life.'' ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but I know he''s a good cow. ''Oh yeah, yeah!You get it!Hahaha! Morgan comes back to us, slapping Barbara on the back. He nodded his head in satisfaction and said with a knowing look on his face. ''She''s got a lot to offer for someone so young. ''I think you''re flip-flopping. ''I can see it in her eyes. She''s a little rough around the edges, but she''s got a good heart. What ...... is a single-celled, stupid monkey who immediately tries to solve problems with violence and doesn''t understand half of what people say? You can''t have a kind heart if all the stems, flowers and fruits that grow on it are poisonous, right? I''ve been a cowherd for over fifty years. I like women who look like cows. ''Oh, big tits. I know what you mean. ''Yashiro, you don''t understand a thing, so shut your mouth.'' Estella grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me away from Morgan. We were just about to have a heated discussion about big tits like cows. ''Oh, girl. If you want to watch, watch all you want. I''ll pull this cart for you.'' ''Hmm?Well, thank you.'' ''No need to thank me. ''But you stink, so that''s enough. I''ll go with you.'' ''...... You''ve gotten to know my cow well enough to swear like that? Nice work, girl.'' No, no, no. It''s just that nothing, nothing at all, has changed. She''s always been a stinker. "Cute. But she stinks! You''re the one who''s changed, Morgan. What''s with that ''once you admit it, you''ll defend it at all costs'' attitude? I think I could take over this ranch if I put my mind to it. I''m not gonna take it over. ''Then, Morgan, you take the cart with the food, Gilberta, you take Masha''s tank, and Estella, you take the troublesome Lucia. ''Yashiro, it''s too much for me.'' ''I beg your pardon, Estella and the anchovy!I can walk on my own.'' Gilberta''s carrying Masha, so I need a chaperone. We don''t want a kidnapped beastman child playing on the side of the road. By the way, I won''t let Barbara push the tank. Masha has given her the nod. She says that the water spills when the car starts and stops too roughly, and that she gets motion sickness because she''s not good at curves. I guess there is a technique to push that thing. ''Hero . Where''s Aashi?'' ''Hold hands with Teresa and follow me.'' ''Alright!Teresa, I''ll hold your hand. ''Hola!Hey, handsome, handsome! ''Hmm. My sister loves you so much. ...... You have a heart of gold. Enough, enough, Morgan. You''re starting to confirm everything. You''re too easy for a con artist, you know that? ''All right, Morgan. Lead the way.'' ''Yeah. Follow me, boys.'' With Morgan in the lead, we left the ranch and headed for Thomson''s kitchen. We left the road near the ranch and headed down a level street. Although it was far from the main street, it was close to the road leading from the 41st district, and there were many restaurants frequented by people from nearby farms, hunting guilds that used the gates of the 41st district, and peddling guilds that often traveled to other districts. Thomson''s Kitchen existed in such a place. It was far away from the Sunlit Pavilion, and if it wasn''t for this kind of business, he wouldn''t have gone there. ''It has a unique atmosphere, different from the main street. ''Most of the people who use this area are drinkers. You and I don''t have a stylish place like this sunlit pavilion. Morgan said and smirked. It sounded like he was trying to show that he was more comfortable here. Indeed, it has a rugged, rough-hewn, almost decadent atmosphere, like a barnyard where drinkers can casually drop in without hesitation. However, this kind of atmosphere must be irresistible to the men who have nothing to do with the glittering stores. It''s as if they prefer red lantern stalls to trendy bars. ''Even this has been cleaned up a lot. It used to be more .......'' Estella shrugged her shoulders, and Morgan looked around as if remembering those days. ''Well, yeah. After last year''s heavy rains, there was talk of remodeling the area, and there were a few people who were against it, so there was a bit of trouble. I was in the opposition too. I had a lot of face time with the lady who was acting lord, didn''t I? ''Hahaha ...... really, that was a tough time. This was before the installation of the city gates and the construction of the city roads. I heard that there was quite a bit of opposition from people who thought it was just fine to be a little dirty. ''But I like the current atmosphere better than before because it retains the good qualities of this place and is generally more compact. ''I''m relieved to hear you say that. Estella smiles, but she can''t hide the fact that she is truly exhausted. She must have been pushed really hard. If a bunch of people like Morgan came to complain, ...... it would be disheartening. ''We''re fine with the way things are! It''s easy to imagine the faces of the drinkers who are throwing out their selfish opinions. Because ''change'' is like a poison to the hard-headed people. Well, but it is. ...... I have to understand that too drastic a change is not always pleasant. ''Yashiro-san.'' Ginette walked up to me, paced me, and peered into my face from the side. ''It''s okay. Let''s talk properly and choose the future you want. Perhaps it was showing on his face, but he gave me such encouragement. ...... No, not really. I don''t really care. I don''t care if they accept or reject my proposal. It''s nothing for me to worry about. Well, if they accept my proposal, the Gazelle sisters'' store will continue, and I''m sure Morgan will be grateful for the fact that his favorite store won''t disappear, and he''ll be willing to help us out in the future. I''m talking about the benefits of using this restaurant as a test bed for challenges that can''t be taken on at Yodamari-tei, or forcing the troublesome processing of motsu on us so that we can enjoy motsu easily and affordably. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be able to find an excuse to convince yourself. ''............ I''m not looking for that.'' ''I see. Then you''re in the clear.'' I look away from the profile of Jeannette, who is smiling at me. You know what I''m talking about. ...... It''s not like I''m the only one who can afford it. I''ll take a big chunk of your margin if you prosper. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ''Then, Yashiro, you should submit your application to the lord. I hope it goes through. The lord says. ...... It''s written on his face that he won''t let you pass if the contract is unfair. It''s probably best not to expose your hand to them in case they turn on you later. Teaching you the tricks of the trade could expose my weaknesses. It''s dangerous to give Estella anything tangible like documents. There are things that will come to light if she analyzes them carefully. Estella is a difficult opponent to make. Hmm. So I''ll back off for once. If it were true, I had a secret plan to get a 9:1 split of the barbecue restaurant''s profits. Ah, what a pity. ''You''ve suddenly become very quiet, anchovy. ''It''s like a ritual before performing good deeds. It''s one of the specialties of District 42.'' Ginette blurts out a ''chuckle'' at Estella''s nonsense. You can laugh while you still can, right? The moment you offend me, the 42nd district will be economically bankrupt. By the time you realize that, it''ll be too late. You won''t even have time to shiver and sleep. So until then, you can sit back and relax in peace and tranquility. ''Estella. I''ll tell you what I''m thinking about right now. ''What is it? ''Hmm. You guys, have a nice day (......).'' ''Well, ...... you''re a very good person with a very bad face, but ...... how am I supposed to take it?'' Hmmm. Don''t you see, fool? Hmmm. ''Don''t worry about anything. I''ll take care of it. Right, Yashiro? No, no. Not at all, Jeannette. And you don''t sound like me. I''ve never made a raspy sound like that. ''Eeyusha, Hitodasuke, suyuno? ''Yes, I think so...'' ''I see. I guess heroes like that kind of thing, like you said. Teresa, I don''t. Masha, it''s not like that. Barbara, I don''t like it. Because your perceptions are all wrong. ''Ah, let''s eat some good mutton!That''s why we''ve come all this way! ''Uh-huh. That''s right. After a good deed, the food must be delicious.'' But it''s not! Jeannette, you''ve been slightly out of alignment all along! Hey, young man. Could it be that the motsu is that?Is that the offal you brought back from ......?'' ''Yeah. That''s what I prepped.'' ''Hmmm, ...... let me put it this way, isn''t that something that only the beasts of the outer forest would eat?It''s not for human consumption, is it? Morgan may have tried it before, but he showed a twitchy face that reminded me of a very bad taste. The girls in the room closed in on Morgan with a ''Gasp! The girls in the room closed in on Morgan. ''What are you talking about, old man? ''I''m an old man!Chi-you!It''s delicious! ''You''ve been raising cattle for years, but you don''t know the taste of that motsu?You''ve lost half of your ...... life.'' ''You should know, you too, the deep flavor of that motsu. ''You should know, you should try the deep flavor of that motsu once you feel cheated. I guarantee it. The encounter with a new ingredient is almost a miracle. I hope you''ll give it a try, Mr. Morgan. ''Well, I still prefer seafood, though...'' All the girls turned, except for Marcia. Even Jeannette, who was relatively positive, bowed to Motsu, saying, ''I underestimated you. Estella, a regular flip-flopper, talked about the deliciousness of motsu as if she were an old fan who had been a fan for years. Lucia is even saying that she''s going to open a farm just to eat motsu. The current ranch in the 35th district is said to be small in scale, but she wants to expand it. That''s how great the impact of the motsu was. Though they change too quickly. They tried to devour all the motsu, from the one for presentation to the one in the process of marinating. ''Rejoice, Mr. Olson.'' Estella gives Morgan a smug look with her thin chest. ''We''ve just confirmed that the cattlemen''s market will expand!A new mainstay product is born.'' Gelatin already existed, and it didn''t expand the sales channel, but motsu could be a new mainstay. But motsu could be a new mainstay. Estella seemed convinced. However, since it is restaurants that buy motsu in the end, the sales channel itself has not expanded. ...... In addition to restaurants, gelatin can also be used to make sweets, and there is a demand for it among households, so it could be used to expand sales channels. ''Mr. Yashiro. Let''s handle motsu at the sunny-side up restaurant too. Well, yes. At least other stores besides the butcher shop will be able to get their hands on it, so we can expand our sales channels. I haven''t told them about the motsu nabe yet, either. ''Offal: ...... Offal: ............'' Morgan is still skeptical, but it''s only a matter of time. While Morgan twisted his head unconvincingly, we arrived at our destination. Thomson''s Kitchen. ...... Mmm. Morgan Olson. Morbo Thomson. Olson, Thomson. ............ It''s complicated! ''Hey, Morgan.'' ''Hmm? ''Change your name.'' ''Why the hell not? ''It''s complicated.'' ''What do you mean, ''somewhat''? You''ve got a similar name in the neighborhood. You''re a nuisance. I don''t know what I was thinking when I gave it such a complicated name ...... at all. ''Let''s go in for now. I''ll carry your stuff in so you can go in first. Hey, I''ve already talked to them. I''m sure they''ll welcome you.'' Morgan says as he secures the cart. Estella leads the way, followed by me and Jeannette. A simple log cabin. That''s what Thomson''s Kitchen looks like. It''s reminiscent of rural America. It would not be out of place if a beautiful blonde in western boots were working as a waitress. ''With western boots and blondes, you''re bound to have big tits,......,'' she said. It''s a good idea to keep your mouth shut if you don''t want to be left out in the open, Yashiro. You''re treating me like a small dog waiting in front of a store for its owner while you shop?What if beautiful women flock to him saying, ''He''s so cute, I want to hold him. How are you going to deal with that? I''m all for it, though! ''That''s a big door. Estella looks up at the big iron door. It sure is big. The door is too big for the restaurant. ''That''s because we''re constantly heating up the griddle. We leave that door fully open when we''re open for business.'' I see. So the doorway is wide to let the heat and smoke inside the restaurant go out. If you look, you will see that there is a metal fitting attached to the outside wall of the store to fix the open door. It was probably connected to the door to keep it open. The fact that the door is closed now means that it is not open for business. It was past noon. Normally, it would be open at this time. ...... ''Do they open in the evening? Some bars open in the evening and stay open until dawn. I wondered if that was the case here, but Morgan shook his head silently. It''s not. So either they were waiting for us to come ...... or they didn''t open because they didn''t get any customers. ...... ''Anyway, let''s go in. Estella pulled the iron door. With a click ......, there is a scraping sound of metal and the big iron door opens. A woman was huddled in the middle of the store. ''Are you okay? Jeannette shouted, and I involuntarily ran out. I rolled my back and crouched down beside the woman on the floor, checked her for external injuries, and was about to touch her shoulder when the woman who had been crouched down spoke up. ''I''m sorry from the bottom of my heart! Huh? ............ Kneeling? Hmm, if you ask me, it doesn''t look like it, or at least it looks like it, but ...... what?Why? ''Oh, um, Mr. Thomson: ......'' ''I''m sorry!'' When Jeannette called out to him, his apology came back even louder. ''At any rate, please calm down. Look up at me. See? ''I''m sorry, .......'' The one who looked up with trepidation was a slightly gaunt, mature-looking beauty. She had vertical black lines under her eyes, and her makeup looked a bit seductive, but she had the image of a clean, timid mother. She looks like an innocent young lady who has aged, and if you were to visit her at a class, you would be told, ''I like her, she is a beautiful mother. However, she seems to be unhappy, which makes me feel uneasy when I see her. When she smiles, she looks beautiful. Her eyebrows are always furrowed. ''Huh. ......'' ''Have you calmed down? ''Yes...... I''ve calmed down, and I''m sorry! ''Aaah! On my knees with all my might after calming down . Just because you''ve calmed down once doesn''t mean you''re okay with it! Once you''ve calmed down, you''ll have to stay calm! ''Anyway, let''s get her up. ''Yes, sir. Mr. Thomson, let''s take a seat. ...... Yashiro-san.'' Ginette gives me a look because she can''t stand the sight of Mother Gazelle who won''t stop getting down on her knees. So you want me to escort her gently. I can''t help it. Come on, grab me. Give me your shoulder. ......'' ''Oh no!I can''t touch anyone but my husband!I''m getting dirty! Ohhhh ...... me, treated like a biker? ''......I''m leaving.'' ''Wait, Yashiro!You''re right, that was hurtful!I understand, but if you leave it like this, I''m sure it''ll be more trouble than it''s worth! ''It''s not me who''ll have to bear the trouble, it''s you, the lord. I have nothing to do with it.'''' ''Please, please!Please lend me your strength, this way! Estella bowed her head honestly! Well, she must have figured it out. ...... ''Oh, another annoying race''. And once you''ve dealt with them, you can''t just ignore them. That''s Estella''s character. So you decided that bowing to me was the least risky and least troublesome thing to do. You''re ...... amazing, you know that? Such a graceful way to let go of your pride. ''Huh. ....... Let him sit down. ''Yes, you''re right. I''ll take care of her in general. You know what I mean. Think of her as a female version of Umaro, and treat her as such. See?'' I see. So that''s how the girls saw Umaro''s rejection. But Umaro doesn''t say ''get dirty''. ............ ''Yashiro-san. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I was unintentionally comforted a little. It''s not often I get this down. It''s the first time I''ve felt the effects of comforting. ''Haha, I knew I did it, Leela. ''Mr. Morgan: ......'' Morgan walks in, smiling broadly. So you knew, didn''t you?You knew that if I contacted this mother gazelle, Leela, this would be the result. You son of a b*tc*!He must be rotten to the core. ''This is Leela... she''s a childhood friend of my Pepe. Pepe, the cattleman with the weirdly wide forehead who let the cow go. ''He used to run away when Pepe tried to touch him, saying, "My hair follicles will die! He used to run away when Pepe tried to touch him.'' I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say. Leela covered her face with her hands, even her ears were dyed red. ''I''m going to smash your spinal cord to pieces! ''Hahaha!You can''t do it yet. No, the content of the conversation! That''s not something we can laugh about! Is that what you do everyday?Yeah. ...... Culture shock. Morgan, unconcerned by this conversation, begins to tell the story of how the two of them got together. ''Leela almost fell off a cliff, and in the nick of time, Beaumo grabbed her arm and saved her. Oh, ......, you touched this woman? That''s very brave of you, Bomo. The first thing Leela said when she was pulled up from the cliff was, ''You can either take responsibility and marry me, or you can fall off this cliff with me and rot away! That''s what she said. The first thing you should say is ''thank you''! What kind of education did you get at home? And then, Beaumo thought. "This guy''s a jerk"? "This is the only one! '' ''What''s going on with that guy''s thought process? ''He was a single-minded person. ...... Yikes! ''Yikes! No, no, no. It''s a case of... It''s more of a case. If I''d told you this story yesterday, I''d have won the grand prize in the ghost competition. The fact that it''s an actual experience makes it even scarier. ''When a male cow licked my face, I was like, "Gah! and then ''Boki! I was like. ''Wild! ''Please don''t do that, ......, it''s embarrassing. What? The parents who made too many mistakes in education? I''m not ashamed, I''m in awe! ''I''m a kind person at heart.'' ''Don''t think you can get away with anything as long as you''re kind-hearted. We want to keep our distance from those who lack visible kindness! ''Um, Miz Thomson, ......, is that okay with you, Leela? ''Ha, yes. Um, my lord ......, I''m sorry you had to come all the way to a place like this .......'' ''That''s all right, can you please listen to me? ''But, ......, we can''t have you and the lord spending your time on people like us. ......'' Estella is the one who won''t back down even after being told that. If you want to help Estella, you should ask her for advice. It will save you a lot of trouble. ''Estella-san wants to save you and this store, and Yashiro-san and I want to save your daughter and son. Why don''t you tell us your story?'' Ginette smiled at Leela. Don''t include me in this, please. I just want a motu prep man. ''I''m sorry, ...... not ............!My kids are causing trouble ...... and that''s why we''re in the middle of nowhere .............'' ''That''s not true, sir. I''ve met Mr. Thomson several times, and as a fellow member of the food and beverage guild, I can''t leave him alone. ......'' ''You''ve ...... met my husband, have you?'' ''Yes,'' replied Ginette, grabbing her shoulder, ''Gah! Leela grabbed Ginette by the shoulders and brought her face close to Ginette''s. Her eyes were opened to the limit and her eyeballs were about to pop out. Scary, scary, scary, scary!It''s a scary profile that''s going to go down in human history! ''...... What is your relationship with your husband? ''Heh?I''ve seen him a few times at ...... the meetings of the food and drink guild. ......'' ''Did you talk to him? ''Not really. ...... Well, I don''t say much at meetings either. In the first place, the meetings of the food and beverage guild itself seems to have been few and far between before. I''ve brought in adult lunches and food courts, and recently there have been a few meetings. Ginette and Thomson had probably met on more than two hands. ''Have I ever met you before? ''Yes, yes. Twice ......, I picked up Mr. Thomson with his child at the meeting place .......'' ''Oh, so you call your husband ''Mr. Thomson'' ......'' No, it''s normal! Probably more than 90% of my acquaintances who aren''t close to me call me that! ''............'' ''............'' ''...... Did you kiss her?'' ''No, I didn''t! ''Morgan, pull it off responsibly! ''Hey, Leela!Leave it at that!We''re guests who came all this way because we care about you.'''' ''But you might have thought ............ that my husband was nice. ......'' ''Oh, um, Leela-san. I''m Alvistan, so I don''t do anything like that at all.'''' ''Oh!Is that so?Oh, no!I''m ...... embarrassed. So, your sense of ''embarrassment'' is a bit strange! The people around you will only see you as ''scary ......'', that''s it! I''m sorry. I''m a bit jealous and ...... useless. I''m not sure what to say. It''s not a little ....... I''ve witnessed real madness. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. This is the one where you really need to apologize. ''Estella. Can we go home now? ''A little more!Let''s stick it out just a little longer!For the sake of the children! ''No, but Jeannette is... ......'' ''I''m not particularly worried about it. I can understand why you''re worried, if only a little. What? You understand? ''Could it be that ...... Jeannette will become like that, too?'' ''Huh?No, no!No way!I don''t have a specific ...... person, and I''m ...... Al, Alvistan. Alvistan, you''re using it too conveniently. ...... I see, there is a concept of jealousy in gynet as well. Well, she''ll never be like Leela. You bet. Not like that. She''s special. ''He''s a sweet guy at heart. ''Enough, heart.'' You''re not convincing me, Kokoro. ''But, you know, I heard from the kids that the sunny pavilion teaches you how to make doughnuts. ...... We make doughnuts at ...... that .......'' Leela stammered apologetically. There is a large counter at the back of the store, with a long iron plate on it. There are four tables seating eight people. It seems to be a type of restaurant like Cantalcica, where people sit together and take any available seat. There is a door leading to the back of the restaurant, but the only cooking area is probably the griddle in the counter. There are water bottles and cupboards inside the counter. It''s impossible to make donuts in this kitchen. ''Hey, what''s behind that door? ''Huh?That ...... is my love nest. ...... Yikes! Say home! I''m not going to be jealous of your love life forever, you know! It''s not doughnuts we''re proposing. It''s a new way to eat meat. ''Is it ...... meat?'' Leela puts her hand to her cheek and nods her head. But then she looked up and shook her head. ''No!No, no, no!I can''t help you guys! ''But, if you don''t do something, you''ll have to close your store, you know?This store is filled with the dreams of your beloved husband.'' ''My husband''s .......'' Leela''s eyes widened at Estella''s words. However, she immediately showed a pained expression and shook her head again. ''I can''t protect this store by myself. ......'' Pan! He clapped his hands loudly. ''I can''t,'' he interrupted Leela before the negative words could spill out of his mouth. ''Try it once before you make a decision. There''s still time, isn''t there? She smiled inappropriately, and Leela nodded weakly, confused. It felt like she was being forced to nod. But it''s enough for now. It''s the first step that feels the heaviest to people. Once you''ve taken that step, the rest is easy. It''s easier than you think. ''Okay, let''s get ready then. ''Yes! Hearing Ginette''s cheerful reply, we began to get ready for each other. 431-No additives, episode 86. Thomson and Heroes. In front of the restaurant, we assemble the wood we brought from the sunlit pavilion. It was a table with a hole in the center for a shichirin, which we had prepared in advance. It took only ten minutes to assemble. The tripod. ''Yashiro-san, the charcoal is ready. ''Good. Then let''s get started. I brought the table into the store and borrowed a chair at random. There are twelve four-seater tables on tripods. Me, Ginette, Estella, Lucia, Gilberta, Masha, Barbara, Teresa, Morgan, Leela. And Leela''s two kids, that''s twelve people. ''Thank you for coming to ...... today, sir. ''Thank you, sir. I called the kids who had been told to stay upstairs and seated them. The awestruck sisters and brothers are huddled close to their mother. The Thomson''s probably get nervous when strangers sit at their table, so we leave Morgan at theirs. So, we go to ...... ''Eeyusha!Together!'' ''Ginepoo is with me! The two of them pushed me, and we ended up with me, Teresa, Barbara, and Estella, and Ginette, Lucia, Gilberta, and Masha. Well, we''re just cooking meat, so any combination is fine. ''I wish Estella, Barbara, Lucia, and Masha had been paired together. ''That''s because my stomach would get stressed out. While serving small plates quickly, Estella is poking at me without even looking at me. Isn''t it a little sloppy to be talking while you''re doing it? Maybe she just didn''t want to face you. ''Always casually by my side, the lord of smiles is my friend Yashiro''. ''No, that''s not true!It''s just a coincidence!It''s just a coincidence! Gilberta bites down hard. Every time Gilberta turned her head, he would come around to the front. Enough, put the small plates on the table. ''Yes, sir. Let''s start with the meat. Ginette brings the meat on a platter. I borrowed the kitchen and asked her to cut the meat for me. It was quite a lot of meat, but he cut it quickly and efficiently. Morgan offered to help, but I declined, saying, ''I''ve never cut it this thin before. ''It''s all over, isn''t it? Meat and small plates, homemade yakiniku sauce and cut vegetables. You have to eat the vegetables with it, it''s yakiniku! The vegetable plate was filled with onions, peppers, carrots, cabbage and corn. ''Hmm?This isn''t my dad''s corn, is it? ''That''s sweet corn. This is the corn that Umaro bought for Magda as a souvenir when he was repairing the mansion of the lord of the 30th district. At that time, sweet corn that you could bite into was rare and was said to be the food of the aristocracy, but now it has become a popular item that is grown in the 42nd district. This corn is one of the successful examples of the Hammock Farm''s improved vegetable varieties. Thanks to the advice and cooperation of Yap Rock, we were able to increase production very quickly and keep costs as low as possible. Nowadays, Assunto is selling it at a reasonable price. ''I think Tochan''s corn tastes better than yours! ''No, you just change the variety depending on how you eat it. There is no such thing as one is better than the other. It''s just that sweet corn is more suitable for barbecue than popcorn or flint corn. You just don''t grow it in your field, but it''s supervised by Yap Rock. ''Hey, young man. Are you really going to eat such a thin piece of meat?The best part of meat is when it''s crunchy enough to make your jaw feel dull. That''s why it''s all so flabby. ......'' ''Just shut up and watch. I put the ribs on the wire mesh. It''s a wire mesh that Norma made for me a while ago to fit the size of the shichirin. I''ve heard that it has a special surface treatment that prevents it from burning. ...... He''s not going to surpass Japanese science and technology with his handiwork, is he?I wonder if he''ll be able to carve 1/1000 micron grooves or something. ...... I''m sure you don''t have that kind of technology, but the surface of the wire mesh is wavy, so there''s less surface to touch, and it''s less likely to burn. However, the meat does get burned. It''s much better than nothing. ''First of all, put the meat you want to eat on the wire net like this and grill it slowly. ''Anchovies, that''s enough.'' ''It''s too early. I ignore Lucia who interrupts me from the side and cook the meat. The fat slowly rises to the surface, and the beef fat falls through the wire mesh and onto the charcoal in the shichirin. The sweet and savory smell of the fat rises up with the smoke, accompanied by a pleasant sound. Oh, that looks delicious. ''Look at that, what a waste!You just lost a drop of goodness, anchovy! Shut up, ....... I prefer to cook them moderately on both sides. ''So, turn it over and--'' ''Oh, it''s brown already! ''Shut up!You can do whatever you want with it, just cook it yourself! ''No, I''ll teach you how to cook it after you''re done. Just watch and learn.'' Okay, you''re almost raw. ...... ''And when the meat is done, dip it in the sauce of your choice, put it on a bowl of white rice, and eat it ......! Mmmmmm! ''Ah ...... ummah ...... happiness'' ''If you want to eat it with rice, we recommend this dark one, if you want to eat it with children, we recommend this sweet one, and if you like to drink, we recommend this dry one. Ginette introduces the sauce in a small bottle. This time, with Lucia present, and with the aim of getting Morgan to continue to cooperate with us, we have prepared some alcohol. It''s a dry sake that Morgan said he liked. ''Hmm. Then, on behalf of the anchovies who don''t understand the true pleasure of meat, I will give you a lecture on the proper way to cook it. With that, Lucia took a piece of beef belly from the platter, placed it on the wire mesh, quickly scalded it twice, and put it on her own small plate. Red! Raw! Are you a wild animal? ''Put a little of this in the sauce--too much is the work of a fool. Just a little is enough. The sauce is good, but the best way to enjoy the meat''s true flavor is to dip it in a little - and then throw it in your mouth. ............ munching...... ah, it''s melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Morgan gulps. It''s not just that it looked so good ......, it''s also that Lucia''s "delicious face," which she said she liked, was extraordinarily s*xy ....... I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a different kind of happy smile than Bertina''s, and it''s a bit more seductive. Incidentally, when the other lord saw Lucia eating the red, almost raw meat, his eyebrows wrinkled up and he looked at her with a look of ''Oh no! What''s that look? What''s that look? Is that a threat? ''Lucia-san''s meat is not grilled, it''s hot. I''ll show you how to cook it the right way. ''No, thank you. Estella is a strange woman who likes her meat dry.'' ''It''s not dry!By removing the excess fat, the deep flavor of the meat fibers can be ......! ''You don''t need to search that deep, there''s plenty of flavor on the surface. ''But it''s not!Why doesn''t Lucia-san understand the other side of this delicate flavor? People who talk about how well meat is cooked are always annoying. Cook it any way you like and eat it any way you like. ''Oh, um, Mr. Sunshine Pavilion. Leela calls out to Ginette with a puzzled expression. ''Which is the correct way to cook it?I''m ashamed to say that I love my master from the bottom of my heart, and I understand him far better than that sky-high man, but I don''t ...... understand his technique, and I don''t ...... know the right answer. I don''t know. Don''t make fun of me. In order to steal the technique, I was observing my husband''s work, but ...... he was working so brightly that it was difficult to stare at him properly, and the more I stared at him, the more I fell in love with his serious expression. ...I couldn''t even look at the technical side!It couldn''t be helped, because my husband was too nice! ''Oh, ......, he''s so wonderful, isn''t he? ''Yes!Do you understand?As expected of a professional who knows the real thing! What kind of professional does this guy think Jeannette is? A professional chef doesn''t have a discerning eye for men. ''So, if you can tell me the correct answer, please visit ......''. ''There is no right answer.'' Ginette stated firmly. Leela rolls her eyes, perhaps not expecting it, but Ginette is right. There is no right answer. To be precise, there are as many right answers as there are people. ''But, but, that doesn''t make the meat taste good, does it ......? ''If there is a way to cook it well, there is only one way. Ginette asserted with a smile that erased Leela''s fears. ''The only way to make it taste good is to have a good meal together. Lela''s eyes roll up in her head. The imbalance between her eyes and the seductive lines underneath makes her look irresistibly cute. She looks just like her daughter and son, who are also rolling their eyes next to her. ''Morgan''. I hand Morgan the tongs to help the confused Gazelle and her son figure out the correct answer. I used chopsticks to put the raw meat on the grill, but I think it''s safer for Morgan to use tongs. There are many people who can use chopsticks, but there are also many who cannot. In case Morgan can''t use chopsticks, it would be an unnecessary embarrassment for him. ''Try cooking it a little. I think this is the best way to cook it. Morgan looked puzzled as she picked up the tongs, but she quickly changed her mind and her expression became full of confidence. ''Hmm... I can''t help it. As a meat professional, I''ll teach you how to cook it really well. Click! With a clang of the tongs, Morgan placed a thin slice of belly meat between them. ''Although, I''ve never had meat this thin before.'' ''Oh?Are you getting scared?'' ''Don''t be silly!No matter what kind of meat it is, it will always taste better when I cook it! Morgan''s eyes lit up with a good amount of amusement. He puts his hand over the grill and checks the heat. Then he puts the meat on top and stares at its surface with a serious gaze. The meat ripples slowly, and fat floats to the surface. The shiny fat reflects the light and appears to shine. ''All right, now! As the meat is turned over, the fat that has spilled from the meshes bursts onto the charcoal. ''That''s enough! The underside of the meat is only lightly browned, and Morgan stares at it as it cooks. Then, after a breath, he throws it into his mouth. ''Whoa!That''s good!Maybe I''m a genius, huh? He seems to have enjoyed the meat he cooked himself, and is praising himself. ''But wait, ...... if it''s this good, I can roast it a little more quickly ............ okay, let''s try it again''. Perhaps sensing something within himself, Morgan picked up the next piece of meat. Then, he placed the meat in the center of the seventh ring - at that moment, flames rose from the ring. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! ''That''s what happens when you cook only fatty meat. He places a slice of carrot on top of the flames. Vegetables that don''t lose their fat are perfect for extinguishing the fire. When you go to a barbecue restaurant, they sometimes give you ice, but there is no ice in this town. ''You''re making your customers do this dangerous thing? ''But it was kind of fun, wasn''t it? ''What part? ''But, you see...'' Morgan''s expression turned grim as he pointed to our table. ''Pfft!That''s what beginners do, right? ''Hmm. Morgan, that''s the baptism of grilled meat. ''It''s the way of the road, for anyone who roasts meat. ''Aashi did it, but Loretta did it many times, didn''t she, Teresa? ''Yes!Loretta was doing it over and over again. I was doing it~! ''giggle~a?? You just made a surprised face. ...... giggle~a??'' ''Yeah, don''t laugh, little girls! Each of us had at least one barbecue fire and screamed, ''Whoa! or something like that. They were happy to see others make the same mistake. ''Probably, Morgan would point and laugh if he brought someone else into the same situation. ''I don''t think so,...... No, wait,...... I bet Pepe''s bastard would be surprised at the funny look on his face,...... ......Hmm, if I said I''d buy him a drink, I''m sure he''d follow me. ......Okay, ......Hmm.'' I''m not sure what to do. It''s a great way to enjoy a good meal. Ginette explained this to Leela. Then she hands her two tongs and a pair of chopsticks. ''You should try it, too. It will be fun. But be careful not to burn yourself,'' she added. Leela was puzzled, but handed the tongs to the kids and grabbed the chopsticks herself. ''Listen, kids. When you eat, use your own chopsticks, and when you put the meat on the net, use chopsticks or tongs without touching your mouth. There is a minimum level of etiquette in yakiniku as well. Grabbing meat with chopsticks that have been touched may be unsanitary, but it is better to avoid putting chopsticks that have touched raw meat directly into your mouth. Food poisoning is scary. I would like to make this known to all people who eat yakiniku in the future. ''If a fire breaks out,............, it''s scary,......''. Next to my sister, who is grasping the tongs and turning pale, my brother is nodding his head, also with a pale face. I''m sure that''s why you''re using tongs. It''s not dangerous when you''re that far away. ''Oh, ...... I see.'' My sister was convinced when she saw the length of the tongs. She grabbed the meat fearfully and placed it on the wire mesh. The meat started to burn as soon as it was placed. ''Here, Ox, try it. ''Uh, yeah. ......'' The younger brother, also known as Ox, fearfully imitates his older sister and places the meat on the wire mesh. ''......Ox for a gazelle tribe. ''Yes, yes, there, gently. ...... Yes, well done. ''Haha, I got it.'' Ox looks up at his sister and smiles. She pats him on the head happily. And while she''s doing that, her sister''s meat is getting burnt. ''It''s going to burn. ''Huh?Ohhhh!What should I do!Mom, my meat!My meat! ''Da, da, da, it''s okay, calm down!If you turn it over, it''ll--fire! The moment I hurriedly flipped the meat over, a fire erupted from the grill. Leela screamed, her hair standing on end. Ox hurriedly threw a handful of carrot slices and cabbage onto the net. When the fire was out, the gazelle and her son were huddled together in a tight embrace. Their eyes widened in proportion to the beating of their hearts. The next moment, a burst of laughter erupted. ''Hahahaha!That was scary! ''That was scary~! ''Yes, it was. A little bit, but it''s ...... ugh ............ kind of fun.'' Holding their hearts, caressing their cheeks bathed in the heat of the flames, playfully checking to see if their bangs were burned, the three of them laughing together. I watch the scene quietly. Morgan, sitting at the same table, stares at the father and son with a tightly drawn mouth. What''s the matter, Morgan?Are you about to cry? The beloved family of a man who loved them as if they were his own. Are you moved to tears by the sight of a family that''s been suffering and stuck for so long, laughing together like this again?Hmm? ''Leela, Cow, Ox.'' Morgan called out the names of the father and son in turn. Then he stroked his beard and moved his face closer to theirs. ''What are you going to do?My meat is buried in the vegetables! Did you just yell at me? What the hell? Why is he so mad? I''m not sure what to do. Don''t call cooking meat ''raising'' it! --I almost passed it over, but is your sister Gazelle''s name Cow? This one''s a cow too! What?Did you name her after your father''s profession?You did? It''s just too complicated! I don''t know... I think the only gnu in the family that wasn''t a Thomson gazelle was named Thomson. What is this family?It''s complicated! ''Hey, get those vegetables out of here!The meat''s not cooked! ''I''m sorry, Uncle Morgan.'' ''Don''t be childish, Mr. Olson. That''s what kids do. Don''t make a fuss about it. ''Shut up, it''s not my place to be a lord!I''m a cattleman!I don''t compromise on meat! I''m a cattleman! You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a thick slice. It''s a great way to get the most out of your time and money.Hmm? ''Cow, Ox. Come here. The table will be a bit small, but you can eat with Teresa.'' ''Yes, yes. I''ll take care of it, please, at .......'' ''Yes, sir! I vacate my seat and grab one of the chairs that Cow was sitting in. ''Ginette, roast the vegetables over there for him. ''Yes, sir. Which would you like to eat, Mr. Yashiro?'' ''I don''t need to eat them. I''ll teach these guys how to eat here.'' I''ve eaten enough at the Sunshine Pavilion. Ginette seems to be following my lead when she hears that I''m going to be teaching. Well, Ginette''s at a time when she needs to cut back on her snacking. ''''In the meantime, Leela, you should also grill some meat and experience grilled meat.'''' ''Ha, yes ...... Mr. Morgan, sorry to bother you.'' ''Oh. But this is my territory from here. Don''t go in there.'' What camp? ...... What a small-minded old man. ''Mr. Cow, Mr. Ox. Vegetables become sweeter when they''re heated, so cooking them like this makes them very tasty. Try tossing them in this sauce. Ginette dips the grilled cabbage in the sweet sauce and hands it to him. Ox raised his eyebrows for a moment. Oh, he doesn''t like vegetables, does he?He''s the type who eats only meat. Well, just eat it. Ox takes a bite out of the roasted cabbage with a shuffling sound. ''............ Oh, my God.'' ''Really, Ox?'' ''Yeah!It''s so sweet!You should try some, sis! ''I''ll die for it. My sister was a hardcore vegetable hater! ''Alright, Barbara. I''ll hold Cow down and you can force the cabbage into his mouth.'' ''Oh! ''Hold on a minute, please!I''ll eat it!I''ll eat it myself! Cow cried out, as if he had felt my seriousness. I won''t tolerate your likes and dislikes in front of me. ''Ugh ...... I''m not a worm ......''. I''ll eat vegetables even if they''re not bugs. ''Ugh~............ ah~............ m... ..................... amy...... sweet!'' Cow gobbles up the cabbage in the sauce dish with gusto. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Hey, kids!Try the corn. It''s not my dad''s, but it''s good corn. ''Yeah!Which one is ...... corn?'' Barbara laughs at Ox''s puzzled look at the pile of vegetables. ''What, you don''t know?I don''t care. I''ll cook them for you, just wait here. ''Yeah!Thanks, sis! ''Oh!So Aashi''s your sister!You can call me ''sister'' if you want.You can call me sis, too! Barbara is in a good mood after being called sister by Ox. She forces Cow to call her sister too. But Cow is a little reluctant. I can''t call her that right away, can I? ''Shrimps are delicious too~a?? Okay, Masha, I''ll cook them for you~'' I don''t know where she got her rivalry from, or if she was just being funny, but Masha pulled out a prawn from the tank and put it on the net. Wow, that''s extravagant. I guess this guy just wants to spread the word about seafood. Maybe he wants us to call him sis. While our table was cooking vegetables and Ginette''s table was cooking seafood, Leela and Morgan were cooking meat. ''This is good too!But there must be more!Let''s see if we can get it to go with the sauce this time. ......'' ''It''s pretty easy ......, but I wonder if it''s really good ...... I think it''s good ......, but... .........'' I''m endlessly comparing the flavor of the meat and the degree of cooking. If you study it like that, you''ll get more and more addicted to yakiniku. ''Hey, Sunshine Pavilion! Leela calls out to Jeannette. She straightens her back and looks serious. ''Is there a method of grilling that you recommend, Sunlit Pavilion? ''A recommendation?If you want, I can teach you. ''I''d love to! Ginette moved to place the meat on Leela and the others'' grill. ''First, cook the meat slowly on one side. It''s okay if it burns a little. Ginette places the meat in the middle of the seventh ring, which has the highest heat, and stares at it for a while. When the meat starts to warp and shrink, quickly turn it over. Then, the other side should be cooked less, just enough to remove the excess fat. Transfer the cooked meat to a small plate and present it to Leela. ''Try half of it in the thick sauce. ''Half, sir? ''That way, you can enjoy the richness of the sauce, the sweetness of the fatty meat and the aroma of the charred meat. Leela brought Ginette''s grilled meat to her mouth with a searching hand. ''Delicious ......!The way it''s cooked can make such a difference. ......'' ''It''s just an example. There is no right answer. For example, ......'' With that, I start cooking another piece of meat. Again, place the meat in the middle of the shichirin. Put a small amount of chopped green onions on it and a pinch of salt. When the meat is browned, squeeze a lemon over the top. She dexterously wrapped the meat around the green onions to prevent them from spilling and transferred them to Leela''s plate. ''Try it without anything on it this time.'' ''...... It''s so light.'' ''When you get tired of the taste of the sauce, it''s fun to change the taste like this. Ginette smilingly and confidently made her presentation. However,......, that''s the way I said I liked it during the day. Don''t use that as a recommendation. ...... It''s a little embarrassing. Ginette doesn''t make many dishes that she thinks are good. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. ...... I''m sure you''ll find something that you like. ...... I''m sure you''ll find something that you like. ...... d*mn. It''s hot, hot, hot. It''s hot by the shichirin. ''Delicious! I heard Cow cheering and looked over to see him chewing on a piece of corn with sauce all over his mouth. ''Isn''t it? ''Yes. Corn is delicious! ''Baka, cow!Don''t worry about the honorifics, Aashi. You''re my sister.'' ''Yes!Thanks, Barbara! Cow missed Barbara. Was the corn that good? ...... even though that corn had nothing to do with Barbara. It''s not fair, is it? I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or a bad thing. Politely, the shelled grilled prawns were transferred to Cow''s plate. Grilled shrimp with grilled sauce tastes so good. I wonder what that barbecue feeling is?I wonder why it tastes so good. ''Hmmm!Wow!It''s delicious! ''Isn''t it~? ''Does eating this kind of food make you like Masha-san? Cow is staring at me! The ''like'' part of ''like Masha''! The same part I stare at the most! I wonder if shrimps have breast implants? But good luck, Cow!I''m rooting for you! I''m rooting for you! ...... Genetically, it''s a bit of a long shot. ''Maybe I can be, maybe I can''t...'' ...... So, you can call me Masha, right? Oh, I want to be called that. By the way, Masha''s friends are all the same age or perverts. Delia, Estella, Lucia, the leg fetishist, and the half-fisherman. Now, where is the line between same age and perverted? It seems Masha wants to be adored by the younger generation. She said she adores Nikka, the girl who jumped in and joined the sea fishing guild. I guess she has a desire to have younger people in her life. ''If you have meat, vegetables and some kinds of seafood, you can enjoy yakiniku without getting bored. Seafood would still be expensive for now, though. But with such a menu, it should be enough for a yakiniku restaurant. You''ve been stocking alcohol for a long time, and if you can learn how to cook good white rice, you''ll be able to compete with your competitors. ''I don''t know, Leela. Estella said quietly, standing up. ''We don''t mean to impose. But you know, Cow, Ox, and maybe even yourself, don''t want to fold this ...... store, do you?That''s what it looks like to me, no? We''ve only prepared the options, but the decision lies with Leela and her family. That''s the stance Estella takes when she asks. Even if you can''t decide right now, if you know that there is this way of doing things, you will have more information to make a decision. You can look at it from various angles, think about it, and make the choice that you think is best. It''s up to you to decide. We''re just here to help you. Estella smiles at Leela and looks at Cow and Ox. Cow and Ox give their mother a clinging look. They don''t say anything. They think they shouldn''t say anything. But there''s so much they want to say. It''s obvious. He stares at her with that look. Eventually, all eyes in the room turn to Leela. With everyone staring at her, Leela turns her head. She looks down and trembles a little. ''I''m so grateful for your feelings ...... that I can''t even put them into words. ...... I''m so happy ......... ...I feel like crying,............, but I don''t think I can do it,......, you know. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this,....... Yakiniku is something that anyone can get into if they try it. Not many people would go to the trouble of calling a waiter and asking him to grill for them, so even Leela and her friends, who didn''t have the skills to be butchers, could do it. But even so, Leela''s expression was firm. ''It''s true that if the customers can cook the meat as they like, that''s really helpful. But ...... still ............''. Leela looks down and meditates. ''I don''t have the confidence ...... to be able to run a restaurant like her ...... husband. ......... ...'' Teardrops spill quietly along the dark lines under my eyes. ''If my husband is a T-bone steak that can be both fillet and loin, ...... I am an offal that can''t even be a skin for processed products or a bone for crafts... I''m like a worthless offal. I can''t ...... protect this store by myself. ...... ''You idiot! Barbara reprimands the tearful, downcast Leela. He stood up with the momentum of knocking over a chair and strolled over to her. She then grabs Leela by the chest with all her might. ''Barbara-san!Don''t be violent! ''Stay back, manager!You can''t understand these idiots unless you tell them right!It''s not like they even know they don''t understand! Barbara glared at Jeannette who tried to stop her. Jeannette looks at me with a harried face. You''re right, it might be dangerous if we don''t stop him. Barbara, you''re an idiot. You can find a lot more information on the web at the moment. ''Hey, Barbara. Just calm down.'' ''Stay back, hero!These idiots won''t understand unless you tell them right!They don''t even know they don''t understand! ......? Deja vu? I''m not sure what to make of it....... Strangely, my arms are creeping up. ''Hey, you. I met you for the first time today, and I could tell just by looking at you for a few minutes. ...... You''re an idiot, aren''t you?'' Barbara says, her brow wrinkling. At the same time, a nasty sweat falls down my back. ...... You stupid monkey woman, you''re not ............ I''m not sure what to say. You''re wrong all the way from the beginning to the end. I have a terrible sense of d??j? vu! I mean, Estella''s pulling out the Conversation Record and starting to salvage her memories from back then! Jeannette''s like, ''What?This? And Jeannette is looking at me with a look like ''Huh? ...... Yap Lock a**h*les, what and how many details are you passing on? ...... Forget it, enough is enough! And don''t spread it! Don''t pass it on! ''You don''t have enough money to eat, do you? ''No, no, fortunately, I have some money left by my husband, so I can eat. ............'' ''He knows. Make sure your son knows that. I''m eating, man! Listen to me, man! I mean, come on! This is a different situation!Then and now! ''I''ll tell you one more time, you''ve got it all wrong! Don''t just repeat what you like!Don''t treat me like a decisive word! ''You''re my father! You''re the mother! ''If you don''t have money, you''ll have to work! That''s why I''m working, Leela! And we still have money! ''If you can only afford to buy one serving of food, then take the children''s portions and fill your own stomach first! All three of us are satisfied!You''ve got to understand! ''Then work like hell to earn enough money to feed the four of us! One more person! For whom? Who''s the fourth? ''It''s what a father should do to make sure his children enjoy the luxuries they''ve been forced to endure! I''m satisfied, you kids!As far as food goes! And you, mother!You can''t do anything but memorize?You''re an idiot!Why don''t you shut up if you''re stupid? ''No? ''No! The words finally came out. ...... d*mn, Estella''s shoulders are shaking so much while looking at the Conversation Record. I hope it gets submerged in water or something and all the data gets wiped out. ''Barbara, ......, got a minute? ''Stay back, hero!These idiots won''t understand unless you tell them right!They don''t even realize that they don''t understand! ''You''re the idiot! ''Ouch, ouch, ouch!Hero, my finger, my finger won''t bend that way! There is a way for the weak to beat the masters. Grip your little finger and bend it as hard as you can. As you can see, a single pinky finger is no match for the power of my right hand. It may not work on ...... Delia or Magda, though. ''No, no, no!I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s wrong with me. ''And what did you do to Yap Lock when he pointed out your mistake? ''I tried to take his breath away and shut him up.'' ''You''re experiencing a real-life example of a bad idea!You should have realized it there! ''But Aashi, you can beat this old lady, right? ''I''m not here to twist you around and make you listen to me, you know! ''That''s right, Barbara. Yashiro appealed to people''s hearts with that line. ''That''s not what I meant, Estella, you idiot, you, Estella, idiot! Estella joined the fray, amused, ''House! and put her in a chair. It''s not that ...... ''s easy to understand because Yashiro has a limited vocabulary when he''s embarrassed! I''m a verbal fantasista. I''m a wordsmith. Barbara. I''ve got two things to say to you. ''What''s that? ''One. It''s irresponsible to impose your opinion on someone when you can''t understand their situation or feelings, so don''t do it. You''ll end up causing resentment.'''' ''Mu...... cough ni...... hmm?'' Learn the word ''responsibility'' before you say ''all-out''!Engrave it in your brain! ''Mr. Barbara. Irresponsible means a cunning person who does not take responsibility. ''Oh, I know what responsibility is!You''re the best one! ''Oh, I know responsibility! ...... In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to say. It is possible that you are translating "I have a strong sense of responsibility" into "I am very responsible. ...... Isn''t that too flexible and inconvenient for you? I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m not sure what to say. If you don''t want to be the sly sister, be careful what you say irresponsibly. ''Oh!Aashi is going to be the most responsible sister ever! ...... Yeah. Well, maybe she can''t, right?I don''t know. ''So, one more thing.'' He holds up his index finger and presses it against the bridge of Barbara''s nose. And press it against the top of Barbara''s nose. ''...... Don''t spread that stupid line any further. What? ''Ouch, ouch, ouch!The sisters and missus said no rough stuff, hero! Yeah, not very convincing! So there''s no need to listen! ''Barbara, it''s ......, isn''t it? Leela walks up to Barbara, who is rubbing her tears from my eyes. She comes right up to her and squeezes Barbara''s hand. ''I''m awake!I''ve been struck in the heart! You''ve been struck! Ouch! ''You''re my hero.'' A new hero is born! ......, shut up! What do you mean, "new"?I don''t even recognize you, I''m a hero! I''ll give you the title of hero! Congratulations, Barbara, you''re a hero from now on. That''s not Aashi''s word. That''s what the hero here said when he saved Aashi''s father. ''This one is ............, hero-sama.'' It''s growing! The number of people calling me a hero is steadily increasing!This is a serious situation! I want to file a damage claim against Yap Lock!I have to!I''m going to do it! I''ve been clinging to the idea that there''s someplace I can escape to, but ...... these words have made up my mind. I''ve been clinging to the idea that there''s some way out of this, but with your words, I''ve made up my mind.'' Straightening up, Leela looks straight ahead and declares. ''I''m going to close the store and go out to work! You''ve ended up with the exact opposite of what you thought! ''I will earn money for the happiness of my children! ''Let''s wait a minute, Leela!Calm down for a moment! Estella hurriedly stood up, grabbed Leela by the shoulders and forced her to sit down. ''Look at the children''s faces. ''The kids?'' Then, looking at the faces of the kids, ...... Ahhh. They look so disappointed. That''s right. ''What''s the matter, boys?Mom, I''m going to work a lot to earn money. Then we''ll all eat meat like this again. See? ''............'' ''............'' Sister and brother puff out their cheeks. Their cheeks are puffed out and they''re glaring at me. What ...... are you going to blame me for? I''m not sure what to say.That''s the least you can do. ...... Haha ....... ''Leela. Money is not everything in this world, you know? ''The ...... of the genie'' ......! ''Calm down, Estella-san! ''Oh, I''m sorry, Ginette!I just ...... couldn''t help but ...... my hand on my own ......''. ''It''s all about money, isn''t it! ''Please calm down, Yashiro-san!It''s okay. I think Estella-san was just a little surprised! I''m not happy that you''re a little surprised! ''Miss Leela. Money is important, yes. But ......'' Ginette looks at Cow and Ox, then around the store. ''There are more important things than money, for your children. And for you.'' In fact, Leela didn''t say she wanted to quit the store. She''s just not sure. She''s not sure she can run the same kind of business that her husband ran. Well, maybe not in the same way. ''I, too, care more about the Sunshine Pavilion and everyone who works there than anything else. Before she knew it, the employees had become one of Ginette''s most important things. The most important thing to him was the sunlit pavilion. I thought there was no room for doubt in my mind. But before I knew it... You''ve entered ......, I see. And the people who come to this store are very important to me. For me, the sunny pavilion is an irreplaceable and irreplaceable place. And then, ''right? She asks Leela. ''Isn''t that what this store is to you, Leela, and to your children? ''Yes, it is! ''I don''t want the store to disappear! Unable to help themselves, the kids raise their voices. With impatient faces, they appeal to their mothers not to give up. ''But if we don''t, you guys will be in trouble.You''ll have to struggle for a long time, and you might not be able to do what you want every day.'' ''No problem! ''It''s okay! She got up, ran out, and clung to her mother. ''I''m going to protect my father''s store with my mother forever! ''I''ll always be with my dad, mom, and sister! Together with my family. Maybe that''s what Leela was thinking. "It''s hard to keep a store going when the owner is gone. But to the kids, he wasn''t gone at all. Their father is still in this store. At the counter. In the kitchen. On the floor. Just like Ginette sometimes sits at the table and stares at the counter. I''m sure these kids have seen their father in this store before. You can''t lose him, no matter what. ''Leela''. Leela hugs the kids with tears in her eyes. Her true feelings are leaking out. You don''t need to ask me what I really want. So I''ll give you a push. I''ll give you a little push, so you decide for yourself. Because if you don''t make your own decision, you might end up stopping somewhere else. ''You were comparing yourself to your husband just now. If your husband is a T-bone steak with both fillet and loin, then you are the offal. ''...... Yes. I have no value whatsoever,.......'' ''Then''. Don! and put the ceramic urn on the table. Ginette and Estella''s faces light up. They must have seen the end coming. They have good looks. ''I''ll show you something. The infinite value of your organs.'' He gave Jeannette a look, nodded silently, and began to prepare. ''Come on, let''s have a motsu party! 432-Additive-free Episode 87 Potential of viscera ''First, try the standard motsu.'' A beautiful whitish peach-colored plump object is placed on the wire mesh. It is the small intestine. Well, I guess it''s a safe introduction for a beginner. ''Ginette, striped butterfly! ''I''m a saffron, Ginette! ''I''d like to have some humanoids. ''Aashi, mino! ''Mino! ''Then I''m Gialla! ''Well, in that order, let''s go to ......, shall we? Ginette gave a troubled smile to the orders that came in one after another. Ginette, you can say it. ''Cook it yourself''. ''Ugh, ......, that''s some serious guts.'' Morgan gives me a very disapproving look. Okay, you eat first. ''Well, Morgan. Taste it.'' ''Huh?Why me? You look like a comedian being punished. I''m sorry. You raised this cow, remember? It''s the responsibility of the producer and consumer to eat all the leftovers. ''If you don''t want it, go to ......, come on, Estella. ''Yes! Estella was looking forward to the motsu and was holding back her meat. With glittering eyes, she dipped the mullet into the sauce and ............ ate it. ''Oh ............ that''s so good! Estella cooks the meat until it''s a crispy mess, but the fatty meat from the mutton seems to be just as good. She wiggles her chin and enjoys the texture. ''Mmmm ......, the timing of swallowing is difficult. But his face looks like he''s having a great time. ''Haha...... delicious. It''s also healthy. It''s also good for your beauty. As for the healthy part, it''s hard to say because the amount of fat varies depending on the part. Especially mullet is characterized by its high fat content. ''Is it delicious ......? Leela asks timidly. ''You''ll know it when you try it. ''What ......?'' My cheeks twitch at my words, Leela. Quickly, Ginette puts some burnt mullet on Leela''s plate. ''Please try it. If you don''t like it, you can leave it out if you don''t want to. ''Ha...... ha............ then.'' The hand that holds the chopsticks is trembling. I stared at the small plate, glanced at it as if to look at me, and then stared at the mulatto again. ''I''ll have a bite. ......! You take a piece of mullion into your mouth. ''Hmm? He chews it a few times, and then, ''Kuni, Kuni, Kuni, Kuni! and repeats chewing at a great speed. It''s amazing! The more you chew, the more you chew! ''The more you chew. ''The more you chew. ''The more you chew, the sweeter it gets! ''The more you bite into it, the sweeter it gets!'' --Whoa!That''s enough to chew!Drink it, quickly! After you have chewed and enjoyed it enough, swallow it. ''Is this ...... really internal organs? ''''It''s ''motsu''. You can call it ''hormones'' if you like.'' ''...... motsu.'' ............ Leela let out a dumbfounded gasp. The kids are staring at her face as if they can''t wait to see her. ''Mother!How was it?Did it taste good?'' ''Was it good? ''Eh?Yes.'' He looks at the kids, then closes his mouth to chew carefully again, and says with conviction. ''It was delicious. It was very good. ''I want some too! ''Me too! ''Me too!'' Finally, a scared old man came forward. You''re not cool. ...... You''re a benefactor because you put yourself on the line before Leela, saying ''I''ll try it out''. This guy isn''t quite a benefactor yet, is he?He can''t hide his smallness. After eating the butterfly, Morgan''s aversion to it seemed to disappear instantly, and he began to touch other parts one after another. ''Hmm!This one''s really crunchy.'' ''That''s mino. There are a lot of people who like that crunchy texture. In fact, Barbara and Teresa seemed to like the mino. ''This one has less fat and is lighter ...... but has a deeper flavor .......'' ''That''s hatsu, heart. ''Heart!...... Can I eat that? ''No, it''s fine. It''s good, right? ''...... Yes. Very.'' Leela also tried some of the motsu. It seems that even among motsu, there are different tastes, and those with strong flavors, such as liver and hachinos, seem to be controversial. ''I''m sorry, can I have some sake? Finally, Morgan got his hands on some sake. He dipped a piece of marucho in the sweet sauce, chewed it, and poured in the dry sake. ''......!Yummy! I gulped down a teacupful of sake in one gulp. This is the sake that Estella brought, recommended by Natalia. It is a sake from the 33rd district, brewed with Ribeca''s koji. Javier said it was delicious. Beer is probably the best choice for yakiniku, but I brought this one to suit Morgan''s taste for dry sake. ...... He seemed to like it very much. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. Morgan''s breath smelled of alcohol. His eyes seem to be about 15% firmer than usual. ''How can such stinky guts turn into such delicious food?This one doesn''t stink, it smells like fatty meat. Spit it out!What''s the secret? ''If I tell you, will you control the method? ''......?'' Morgan''s face changed when I made a slightly serious sound. ''Control, huh? ''Oh. There''s a way to handle it that''s tedious, but anyone can do it. I''d like you to manage it and pass it on to the cattlemen.'' ''...... Are you sure?It doesn''t seem like there''s any benefit to you guys, does it? Well, there''s no benefit. But it''s worth it just to prevent the disadvantages that we can see. ''You said it yourself. The butcher''s shop is a competitor. It wouldn''t be good if other stores went out of business because of him. Besides, if we don''t spread the word, the distribution of mutton will remain stagnant. That doesn''t mean the cowherd''s sales channels have expanded. ''Tell the people you judge to be in need of it, and sell the pre-processed motsu to the rest. ''So you''re saying we should do the processing? ''You guys do the butchering, right?Just think of it as part of that.'' ''That''s true, but ............ hmm''. It''s a hell of a lot of luck to get the technology for free. That''s why I''m a little cautious. Especially if you''re a hard worker like Morgan. ''Then we''re getting too much of a good thing. It''s making my ass itch.'' ''Our good-natured lord is worried about the rift between the cattlemen and the hunting guild. I''m on the receiving end of it.'' ''But... ......'' ''And I''ve also been ordered by my boss to do something about this store.'' Morgan looks at Estella and Jeannette. They look troubled at my comment, though they don''t deny it, ''What can I say? Seeing these two, Morgan still growls with a difficult look on his face, ''Hmmm ......''. ''If you feel so indebted to them, you can convince them to let you poke their tits a bit. ''Are you an idiot, or what?'' ''Yashiro-san. ...... No, not again.'' You''re worried about the fact that I don''t have any advantages, so the shortcut to a solution is to provide me with an easily understood advantage! In the first place, even though I''m exaggerating, it doesn''t change the fact that I''m releasing technology for you guys, so why don''t you let me poke around a bit!It''s not like it''s going to decrease! ''Let her poke you a little, at least with her tits. ''For the first time, I have an ally! ''Don''t spread your bad company, Yashiro!Don''t take it too seriously, Mr. Olson! ''...... Already!Mr. Yashiro, do your penance. As usual, repentance seems to be coming my way. If that doesn''t work, ...... the only other obvious benefit is ............ ''Then give the sunny side up priority to the motsu. I don''t want it to become so popular that I can''t get it. ''Is that what you want?'' ''You''re okay with that, right?'' ''Yes . We haven''t decided how we''re going to handle it at the restaurant yet, so the quantity is still undecided. If we do yakiniku, we''ll not only be a drag on Thomson''s kitchen, but we''ll also be in a head-on collision with them and interfere with their business, so we''ll have to serve motsu in a way other than yakiniku. That''s right. A certain amount of maruchou will do. Oh, I want to eat nira-leba, so I''d better keep the liver too. ''Also, split the gelatin with me. ''Gelatin. Most of what we''re making now is being taken by the peddlers'' guild, so if we''re going to give it to the Sunshine Pavilion, we''ll have to increase the quantity a bit. ''It''s not ''just a little'', Morgan. ''Hmm? I tell Morgan with an innocent smile as he strokes his goatee. ''I''m going to use it for Halloween, so make sure you start producing as much as you can today. No sleep, no rest. I''m dying. ''What about ............? Because marshmallows are a staple of Halloween! And since there''s no gelatin in the forty-second district, these people will be meeting marshmallows for the first time. This will sell! ''In the meantime, if you use the gelatin right now, I''ll show you my hidden gem, what do you say? ''How much do you want to use ......? ''Hmm~............ a lota??'' Morgan looks at Estella with a distinct crease between his eyes. She looks at Estella and points at me. ''What the hell is this guy talking about? Or maybe something along the lines of, ''Do something about it, b*tc*''. Estella closes her eyelids, shrugs her shoulders, and shakes her head. ''I can''t be too hard on a handsome man,'' she said, ''I''m sure, yes, I''m sure. ''I''ll consider it depending on the taste of that hidden gem. ''Okay. So long, Jeannette.'' ''Yes. Pickled.'' Ginette lays out a number of ceramic bowls on the table, different from the one I''ve placed on the table. It''s still a bit incomplete due to lack of time, but it''s ...... good enough. ''It is made of motsu marinated in a sauce. It will be different from the motsu you just saw. Smiling happily, Ginette grilled the marinated motsu. There is a soy sauce base, a salt sauce, and a miso sauce. The fragrant smell of burnt miso stimulated my stomach, which was supposed to be at the eighth level, and made me think it was at the second level. Oh, I''m getting hungry. ''Yashiro. Estella stands up, walks up next to me and grabs my shoulder. ''You have some of this for us, right? Estella''s eyes are sparkling. But the strength in her hands is almost threatening. In the tasting at the restaurant, there was no time to marinate the motsu, so it hadn''t appeared yet. The eyes of Estella and the other girls who had transformed into motsu lovers were glittering. ''It''s there, so relax. There''s a little left over at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Good!Great!As a reward--'' ''I''ll let you poke him a little. ''I''ll pet you.'' ''Tsk! The queen of sparing. You don''t have anything to give whether you want to or not! ''Come on, please. Please eat.'' Ginette transfers the cooked motsu to small plates. First Morgan. Then Leela, Cow and Ox bring it to their mouths. '''''''' Yum! The voices came together. And then all four of them are chewing on the motsu, ''Kun Kun Kun Kun Kun. ''Mom, what should we do? It''s too good to swallow! ''Otaifui! ''Chew it. The more you chew, the better it tastes.'''' ''''Yes! The gazelle and her son chewed and chewed. --Gum! ''It''s alcohol!...... Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!............ Haha!I''m f*cked! That''s it! The mug slammed on the table. As the meat is marinated, the umami of the sauce soaks into the meat and intertwines with the fatty meat, increasing the flavor not simply by addition but by multiplication. ''I''ve marinated it for about three to four hours now, but it will be even better if I marinate it overnight. ''Let''s soak it for a year! ''It''ll go bad! You''re a cattleman, aren''t you? You know a lot about beef, don''t you? What, are you an idiot? ''Ah!It''s going to be so delicious. This is also offal, no, motsu, right? ''Oh. Aren''t you surprised? ''Ah!It''s got a great flavor for drinkers. When I heard you like to drink, I looked at Lucia. Our eyes meet. Lucia, who was chewing on the marinated motsu with Estella and the others, was staring at me. ''Anchovies. ''It''s .......'' ''Pour me a drink! ''You''re not going to stay here again, are you!Why don''t you go home today?Don''t drink and say you''re too lazy to go home! ''I can''t guarantee that! ''Then don''t drink! If I allow you to stay any longer, you''ll be living here for real! Today is the day I''ll get rid of him! Definitely! ''You can take this home with you. ''I see. I''ll take it then. I''ll give you a bottle of pickled giblets. Can I have my bowl back?It''s from the Sunken Pavilion. ''Yo, ......! Morgan stood up with a slightly red face. ''I promise. Now that you''ve given me such a good meal, I''ll bring you some of the gelatin we have in stock.'' ''Oh, wait, Morgan. There''s one more hidden gem. Motsu has a very strong appearance, so there is a possibility that people will find it repellent. Therefore, another approach is needed to spread motsu. Motsu-nabe is a menu item that can be served at the "Hidamari-tei", but there is another menu item that is not suitable for the "Hidamari-tei", but is more suitable for a restaurant that serves alcohol. Before you leave, try this one too. Ginette. ''Yes, sir. I prepared a large pot of stewed vegetables, put it in a small bowl, and garnished it with chopped green onions and shichimi. It''s a rich, thick miso flavored stew. It''s not quite cooked yet. ...... I''m not sure what to do. I''ll be back. I was introduced to a miso studio by the koji factory of Rebecca, and they had a delicious miso with a rich taste similar to hatcho miso, so I used it. The taste is a little different, but it is still delicious. If you stew it for a few days, it will become irresistible. ''Young man! Morgan grabbed me roughly by the chest as he drained the new bottle. ''I''ll bring you all the stock left on the farm!Is that good enough for you? He likes it very much. ''It''ll taste even better after three days of stewing. ''d*mn it!I''m looking forward to the next three days! ''I''m sorry, but we can''t make it at the Sunken Pavilion. The smell of miso is too strong and will interfere with the other dishes. At Hidamari-tei, you can also enjoy coffee or tea with your cake. We can''t let the smell of miso fill the air. ''You know, once you''ve made this, you can keep adding to it ...... and adding to it and adding to it and ''growing'' the broth. The longer you simmer it, the more delicious it will be. ''...... Won''t it go bad? ''If you take care of the environment, stir it every day without fail, and check the taste, it won''t go bad. There are secret dashi that have been added for decades all over Japan. ''The umami of the stewed motsu seeps into the soup stock, and the motsu is boiled again in the soup stock with the umami seeping out. ...... I wonder what kind of taste the dhoteni we will eat this time next year will have? With the dhoteni, you can maintain your superiority even if other restaurants imitate the yakiniku restaurants. The secret soup stock is not something that can be imitated. The advantage of the pioneer is maintained. And the ''Original'' sign. ''I''m sure a place with a lot of drinkers could handle this guy. ''d*mn it!That''s what I''m talking about! Letting me go, Morgan closes in on Leela. Leela, who has never touched a man other than her husband, stiffens. ''Leela!I''ll do my best to help!Please, can you leave this store? ''Yes, with ......, but .......'' ''You''re the offal, aren''t you?It''s true, Beaumo''s guy was like a T-bone steak, the flower of the cow!But, you know, offal has its own awesomeness!Now you''ve experienced it, haven''t you?Hey, why don''t you try a little harder?This store was built by him and Beaumo to protect you and your family, and now it''s up to you and your family to protect it! ''Our family will ...... protect the master''s store .......'' ''Let''s do it, mom!I''ll help you too! ''I will!Dad''s store, let''s protect it! ''You guys ...... so much ............ yeah. You''ve done so much for me. ...... You''ve said so much for me. ............ I''m worried, but... I''m sure I can''t do it as well as my husband, but I''ll try my best. ...... Thank you for your help. ''''Yes! Next to the hugging father and son, Morgan raises her fist high in the air. ''''Yes!Now we can have a good drink again! In return, you''re going to have to protect this place. Teach him your knowledge of meat. Estella. I''ll leave the contracting to you.'' ''Yes. I''ll take care of the rights for the processing of the meat and the negotiations with the peddlers'' guild.'' ''Ginette. Can you come by for a while and teach him the sauce and stew? ''Yes, sir. ''Oh, sir! Leela raised her voice. ''If you can teach me, I''ll come to you! ''I''m sorry, but I can''t make dhote-ni in the sunny pavilion. ''I''m sorry, but we can''t make dhote-ni at the restaurant. I''m afraid they''ll complain. ''However, dhote-ni, yakiniku, and motsu are not exclusive knowledge of this restaurant. If Cantartica or any other bar wants the knowledge, we''ll give it to them. Imitators will soon emerge. You and your family will discuss and decide how to survive among them. Just because you''re the "original" doesn''t mean you can go anywhere. You need to show some seriousness. ''Kids. You can''t afford to be naive. Training is hard. Especially in a restaurant, you need to get it into your head that a mistake can cost a customer his life! ''''Yes, sir! This is not a threat. Even a single liver can cause food poisoning if it is not properly managed and cooked. Well, that can be said of any foodstuff. None of these people have the eyes of a chef or a producer. You have to learn that in your body. It will take time for them to develop the eyes of Delia and Ginette, but ...... Morgan will do his best to teach them. For the sake of his students'' families. For the sake of a good drink. ''Also, we need to change the table to barbecue specifications. ......'' ''Yes, that''s right: ......'' Leela gently pats one of the tables in the store. ''I''m inclined to keep the table that my husband chose, but ...... if I don''t change, I won''t be able to protect my children or this store. ......'' ''If you don''t mind, I''ll introduce you to someone who can reuse this table and make a table for you. ''How can you reuse this table? ''Yeah. It''s big, strong, and of good quality. You can still use this one. ''I''d love to! ''Also, I need a bricklayer who can make this kind of shichirin, and someone from the hardware guild who can make wire mesh and tongs. ......'' ''''I''m sorry for everything and anything! Leela bows her head. The kids follow suit, bowing their heads. ''Ms. Leela. Mr. Cow and Mr. Ox too. Ginette stops them. She smiles just like Bertina and says quietly. ''Ms. Estella and Mr. Yashiro are acting out of the goodness of their hearts. What? No? Aside from Estella, I don''t have the slightest bit of good intentions. ''In times like this, I think it would be better to say thank you instead of apologizing, so that the other person will be happy. ''Yes, that''s ....... I really can''t do anything. ...... I have no confidence. ............ But today, the day I met you, the day you treated me so well. I''m going to change on this day. Leela''s smile, which looked thin and unhappy, turned a little more colorful. ''Thank you very much. Thank you all.'' ''Thank you very much! ''Thank you very much! The father and son bowed together. Estella, with her arms crossed, smiles broadly as if to embrace them. Ginette gazes at the father and son with a truly happy expression. Morgan is looking up at the ceiling and rubbing her eyes. ...... She''s crying. And then there are the rest of us who are gobbling up the marinated motsu. Hey, you guys. You should pay a little attention to me! ''Yes, yes, yes!Yashiro-kun! Masha raises her hand, making the water in the tank chug and ripple. ''I''ll lend you seafood at a discount, so can you advertise it widely in this store?You don''t get many chances to grill it on the grill over a shichirin, even at the Sunlit Pavilion, right?I think this way of eating is the best way to convey the taste. Well, grilled seafood is delicious. I wonder why it tastes so good when it''s just grilled. That''s what they say. What do you think? ''Oh, no!There''s nothing wrong with me!I even want to ask for it myself!If you want, you can even refrain from being a little presumptuous! That doesn''t seem to be a problem for Leela. Then have her put the seafood on the table. ''In return, ......, you can give me a freebie when I come. ''Of course!We don''t take any money from anyone here!I''m always willing to treat you! Oh! An annual free pass? That''s delicious . Even though it''s ....... You shouldn''t make such a promise before the restaurant is up and running. ''Make it a coupon or something. You can upgrade it when it gets popular.'' I''d like to support you by paying for it. The guild leader of the Sea Fishing Guild is not troubled by money. ''But, I have to give something back to ......, no, I have to give something back to .......'' ''Miss Leela.'' A step, Ginette stepped forward. ''We''re here at the behest of Mr. Cow and Mr. Ox. I thought it was a bit much, but I couldn''t pretend I didn''t see the seriousness in their eyes at the time. The young siblings didn''t know what they should do to keep the store going, but the answer they came up with was to come to the Sunlit Pavilion to learn how to make doughnuts. They are still too young to be accused of relying on others. It can''t be helped, they''re just kids. But the fact is that when they were stuck in a deadlock, the solution they chose was the bean-jam doughnuts that are just now starting to be talked about. I think you should give him credit for that. For a kid, he''s got a good sense of the times. If the recipe is published, I''m sure they will teach it to us if we ask. Then maybe we can do it too. For a kid, he''s thinking about what he can do within his means. Well. We''re not quite there yet. But still. The actions of this young sibling were enough. It was enough to sway the most good-natured man in the city. I look at Jeannette. For some reason, Jeannette looked at me at the same time. ''Mr. Cow and Mr. Ox. I''m sure your strong beliefs have reached them. To the most good-natured man in town.'' ''Right? And then a misguided question comes at me. He passes with flying colors. I dodged it like a genius matador. Don''t force your sycophantic character on me. That''s for you and Estella to do. I''m not a softie so I''m going to force these guys to work. You''ll have to take it as a price. It''s free labor. ''We''re going to have an event called Halloween in about ten days, ...... and I want you guys to open up your store for the launch. ''What?You want me?'' ''Ah. Halloween is centered on the main street, so there will probably be parties at Cantalucia and the stores on the main street, but we''ll use this as the main venue on the east side. I hear the cattlemen are cooperating fully. Hey, Morgan? What?......, you''re so selfish. Huh, fine. I''m on a boat, I''ll help you or whatever! ''Well then, all you can eat meat that day.'' ''Hey, ......!Do as you please!I''ll release all the meat I''ve got! Okay! All you can eat grilled meat! Morgan turned away, his shoulders shaking with annoyance. His stubble-covered cheeks relax slightly. ''...... Hmm. By forcing people to participate in this way, we can spread the cowherd''s meat to more people. ...... I see. That''s why hunting is so important. ...... Obayashi, huh? I''ll keep that in mind. I''ll keep that in mind.'' It seems you''ve taken the liberty of misunderstanding me. If you want to thank me, worship me, and bring me benefits and happiness like the Seven Lucky Gods, I won''t stop you, and I won''t correct your mistake. Come on, pay it forward!Come on, worship me! ''Listen, Leela. It''s hard to understand what he''s saying, but he''s encouraging us to do well and get a lot of customers because we''ll be promoting the event. ''I see. ...... That''s how he phrased it. ......'' ''He''s shy, you know. ''I think Yashiro''s virtue is that he is not condescending. ''Hero-sama is a humble person, isn''t he ......'' Wow, ...... those three over there are so misunderstood. I think I''ll have to pass on that kind of reverence. ...... Or, don''t say hero. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to handle it in another week, though.There''s so much to learn. ......'' ''I think it''s going to be tough unless you work really hard. But I''m sure you guys will be fine.'' Ginette smiled softly as she looked at the three gazelles and their children. ''If you all have a strong will to protect your precious store, you will be fine. Gazelle and her son held hands and smiled at her smile, which was like the light of the sun rescuing the lost people who were about to be swallowed by the darkness of the night. It''s really a sunny smile. I wonder... Now, let''s start with the basics. Let''s learn to cut the meat.'' ''Yes.'' Ginette and Leela walked together to the kitchen behind the counter. This is the slice of meat that Morgan gave up on. At the very least, we have to get this cleared up. We can''t have Ginette cutting it every day. ''If you pull the knife like this, you''ll get a more even cut and a better look. I show her how to do it, tell her the point, and hand her the knife. Leela grabs the knife and looks at the lump of meat. She stares intently at ...... and shouts. ''So, I can''t do it! Leela throws the knife away and holds her head. She looks terrified. Why all of a sudden, when she''s been so motivated? She rushes to the counter and questions the trembling Leela. ''You can''t do it, why? ''Because ...... this meat .................. is a male cow! ''What about ............? ''I can''t touch a man other than my husband! What, that one? ............ What? I''m not sure how you can tell the difference between a male and female in this state. I''m sure you''ve got an eye for meat. ''The s*x of the cow can be removed from the category of chastity, can''t it? ''No!Even my husband wouldn''t let me touch a female cow! What? Females taste better than cows! ''Isn''t it adultery to touch the meat of a female cow in the kitchen? ''No, it''s not adultery, is it? ''Because it is!Because ............ is more than naked, it''s naked!Not only does he not have any clothes on, he doesn''t even have any skin on!It''s ...... insolent! The insolence is in ...... your head. ''''Mr. Sunlit Pavilion!You, at such a young age, touching the raw flesh of someone who is not your fianc??, you should not do such a thing lightly! ''No, I don''t care much about ...... that kind of thing. ............'' Ginette glanced at me as she said: ''What is it? What is it?I''m not sure what you mean by that. ''Do you mind, Yashiro-san? What? How could I care? Then what is it?I ate a chicken breast and said, ''Yoo-hoo!Chicken tits! Do you think I''m going to be overjoyed?No. ...... You don''t have to worry about whether I care or not, do you? ...... Don''t worry about it. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ...... I''m not sure what to say.What''s wrong with your face? ''Hey, man. What''s wrong with your face?I''m a little tense. Ha-ha-ha. Teresa, you''re wrong. Well, maybe you''re not seeing clearly. Eat your liver, eat your liver. Take lots of vitamins. I''m not shy. I''m not! ''...... Morgan.'' ''What are you, young? ''I need a female cow ASAP.'' ''Okay. Bring me some gelatin.'' I didn''t think it was even a good idea to practice. ...... After that, I practiced cutting with the meat of a female cow, and after teaching her the basics, I decided to give her plenty of practice until tomorrow. Tomorrow, I''ll invite the Gazelle sisters to the Sunlit Pavilion to learn how to make charcoal and serve customers. In the meantime, Leela will follow Ginette to learn how to mix sauce and cook tote. It will be after that that we''ll start making dhote-ni in Thomson''s kitchen. First, we need to make sure you''re familiar with the basics of customer service at the Sunlit Pavilion. Oh, there are some people I need to talk to and ask for their cooperation. I wonder if they''ll be all right. ...... I hope they don''t get too worked up. So, even though they struck out once in the morning, Estella''s concerns about the cattle ranchers expanded, and Ginette''s concerns about Thomson''s kitchen began to take a viable path. The route may have been different, but it was as planned. And yet, somehow, only the reward is not going as planned. "Lovely! Mug! You''re always welcome here! It was at dusk on an ordinary day when I shouted such a thing out loud in my mind. 433-Additive-free Episode 88 Foxs Motivation Switch Three days have passed since I went to Thomson''s kitchen. ''Welcome, sir! ''Yes, sir! The Gazelle sisters, Cow and Ox, who were training to be waitresses at the Sunlit Pavilion, had managed to become watchable, even if their customer service was a bit dangerous. ''Oh!Trainees, you''re doing a great job. You''re getting good at it, aren''t you? ''Well, this customer is a carpenter, so ......'' ''''Treat him appropriately: ......'''' ''''Good!Self-serve water, please! ''''Hey, Mr. Yashiro!I need to talk to you about your trainees! You''re learning all these weird things so fast, it''s really annoying. But then again, I''m just an old man who can''t remember his name at first, like carpenter #6. There''s no need to lift me up. ''...... Welcome. My trainees have been rude ...... and I hope you will forgive them. ''Ma, Magda! The carpenter was bowed to by Magda, the master''s favorite. ''No, it''s not something Magda-chan should apologize for. ...... It''s only natural for trainees to make mistakes! ''...... Yeah. That''s right, the water''s over there.'' ''Self is unshakeable!Oh, no!I thought I became a solid waitress when I became a senior, but now for a moment! I''m a carpenter, I''m a carpenter, I''m a carpenter. I don''t know why Magda is smugly telling the Gazelle sisters that ''...... this is a good example''. I wonder what he has to be proud of. ''Oh, carpenter!You''re here. ''Ah, Loretta!I think Loretta is the best! ''Haha!Thank you!Oh, there''s water there. ''Loretta-chan too, huh?But I can''t hate her!It''s so frustrating! I guess there is such a thing as the Loretta class. Well, there''s also a strong layer of people who prefer ume for rice balls and ususio for potato chips. ''I''m not normal! ''I didn''t say anything...'' ''Your face told me that you are normal! What kind of face is that? You''re paranoid. ...... Well, I thought it was ''normal'', but... ''......Yashiro''. Magda walked over to me, brushing off the carpenter. ''...... How''s it going?Do you think you can fix it?'' ''Hmm~...... this might be a real disaster.'' I let out a sigh and look down at the abandoned thing in front of me. It''s very difficult to fix this,............, but more importantly, I don''t feel like fixing it. It''s not a problem,...... for me,...... for me anyway,............ for me anyway. I''m not going to do it. ''Umaro, is it still damp?I''m not sure what to do. Don''t be so quick to ask unreasonable questions. I don''t find the mission to ''cheer up Oumalo'' appealing in the first place. But if I don''t fix it soon, I won''t be able to use it after this. ...... I should fix it. ''Um, Yashiro-san......'' Molly, who is helping out at the sunny pavilion today, asks me with a worried expression. ''What''s the matter, Mr. Umaro? Molly went back to the factory yesterday to discuss how to increase production, so she doesn''t know why Umaro ended up like this. ''Look at that. He pointed to the Halloween decorations in the yard, visible from the window. It''s carved out of wood, with a cute pumpkin shape and a creepy castle. The 42nd district is now overflowing with Halloween decorations of all sizes. Walking down the street, you will see ghosts. There are large Halloween decorations in the houses that have been declared as ''Come to our yard! There were ghosts on the walls, and ghost trees towering over the passers-by. There are more and more gaudy Halloween decorations of a quality that is hard to find even in Japan. Of course, these decorations are made and installed by Torbek Construction. It''s the ...... Yamboldo group of Torbek Engineering. ''Hah!I don''t know if I''m not talented enough! ''Umaro ......, you...'' Umaro''s architecture is simple, yet functional and very lean. He is also good at making things look flashy, and his sense of how to make things look good is better than mine. And I don''t need to mention his skill in making it happen. However, Halloween demands ''comical, dangerous, scary cuteness that makes you feel uneasy when you look at it. It''s the complete opposite of the stable and secure architecture that Umaro creates. ''Yambordo is your right hand man, isn''t he?You should be proud of him since he''s in the limelight so much.'' ''Yangboldo ...... is lousy. Although Yamboldo is no match for Umaro in terms of functionality and accuracy, there is one aspect in which he is more talented than Umaro. That is design. The fact that Imelda is a favorite of his shows the high artistic quality of his work. However, there are times when design is given too much priority and the durability is catastrophic. ...... He has a tremendous ''okay'' spirit. I''m not going to ask Yamboldo to do the job without Umaro. I''d be afraid to use him without Umaro''s guarantee. Or rather, if I let Umaro make it, I can use it reliably for decades. Of course I would choose that. But this time it''s just for decoration. You don''t live there, you don''t sing and dance there. It''s just a display of unstable, unbalanced, creepy, comical, physics-defying buildings and decorations in the city. There would be no problem in letting Yamboldo do as he pleases. No matter how much Yamboldo wants to, he won''t make something so dangerous that it will fall if you just touch it. His ideas may be a little eccentric, but he is a skilled carpenter, no doubt. You won''t have any scandals caused by collapsed or damaged decorations. ...... Unless you are climbing up on a thin board. ''I even went to ...... to think of a decoration ............''. ''Show me the design, what did they say? ''It''s stupid, uninteresting, and doesn''t go beyond the bounds of common sense''!Who does he think he is? ''Oh, well, calm down. Umaro, for better or worse, is a guy who can''t get past the foundation of ''absolute safety''. He probably doesn''t want to build a castle with an inverted triangle silhouette. It''s outrageous that the main pillar is wavy. ''That thing will collapse in less than a year! ''It''s all right, as long as it lasts a week or so. Halloween decorations only add to the atmosphere at that time, and then they are torn down and thrown away. After that, they fade away. Just like a ghost. ''Yambold said it was too sensible, so I came up with this bizarre design! Looking at the blueprint, Loretta said. ''It''s kind of ordinary. ''Oh, wow!If Loretta-san calls me normal, I''m finished! ''What do you mean?You''re being rude, Mr. Umaro! Oumalo and Loretta are screaming. Oumarro''s design was a bit eccentric, but it could have been built in a fashionable part of town, and did not have explosive artistic power. Yamboldo''s works, such as the one with the ghost peeking out from the middle of the block wall, or the gate post supported by a stern-looking dwarf with one hand, are not so striking. If you ask me ''what is the meaning'', I can only say ''nothing''. However, such eerie, absurd, meaningless and insane atmosphere fits perfectly with Halloween, and is very popular in the town. On the first day, Umaro was in charge of the exterior of the house, and the next day the wall was changed to Yambold''s design. It is easy to force Magda to cheer up,......, but there is a reason why it is not possible. ''Um, Yashiro-san,......, I understand Umaro-san,......, but what about Norma-san?'' ''Why the woodworkers guild? ...... Why not do it with hardware, like knives and arrows that go through the head? ............ Why the woodworkers? Why are woodworkers'' ...... fake ............'' ''I gave the job to a woodworker because it''s something that kids wear on their heads and metalwork is dangerous. ''You wanted to make it. ......'' Oh, man. I don''t know why these people love their jobs so much. I wonder if they get a dopamine rush from being recognized for what they''ve created. How high is their need for approval? ''......Yashiro. It''s about time you did something about it. Magda pulls my sleeve. I don''t know what to do. ...... They''re already adults. You should do something about it yourself. ...... d*mn. Hey, Umaro. I''m thinking of putting up some handmade decorations at the sunny pavilion, can you make me a decorating stand?'' ''Huh, ...... a display stand? ............ That''s right, an ordinary shelf that can''t go outside the bounds of common sense, that''s only functional and has no artistic value. I''m not a ......''. ''No, you ...... don''t have to be so sneaky ......''. ''It''s good to be a carpenter!You can get a job with just a little work!I''m not a ...... hardware guy,...... anyway.'' ''............Yashiro'' ''What, Magda, what''s with your eyes?Did I make it worse?'' Oh, God! Don''t be so stern! What if a real ghost comes by? ...... I can''t help it. ''Umaro, Norma. Look at this.'' An object is placed on the table halfway between the one where Umaro is lying face down and the one where Norma is prostrate. At first glance, it''s just a collection of wood shavings. It appears to be a haphazard collection of rectangular pieces of wood, broken branches, and small rounded boards. ''...... What''s this? ''Are you trying to say that we are like this garbage? I wonder why you take it so negatively. ...... ''Well, just watch. Loretta, Molly, and Cow and Ox too. Close all the doors and shutters.'' ''What?If you do that, it''ll be pitch black. ''Sir, they''re still here. ''Are you sure? ''Are you sure? ''I don''t care. The carpenter is the only customer in the store anyway. ''Hey, Yashiro-san!You, you!I''d like you to change your perception first, as a customer! ''If it''s only carpenters, no problem. Close it, everyone! ''No problem! ''No problem! ''Oh, ...... well, it''s ...... Sunlit Pavilion, so ...... it''s okay. ''Oh, dear!This system has been passed down from generation to generation!At last, even Molly has been ......! The carpenter is holding a glass of self-serve water and is fumbling around. In the meantime, the shutters are closed and the floor of the sunlit pavilion is darkened. Perhaps it''s because Umaro''s design is so solid, but when the shutters are closed, the room is completely dark. ''Magda, get me a lantern. ''...... I''m prepared for that.'' That''s great, Magda. In the darkened restaurant, a single lantern was lit. You place the flickering light in front of the object you just saw. ''What do you think?Do you understand who this is? I ask the dimly lit interior. Everyone gazes earnestly at the object illuminated by the faint light. Trying to unravel the secret hidden there. ''No, no. I don''t know anything about this kind of thing. ......'' The carpenter, who was the first to give up, looked up from the object. At that very moment. The carpenter shouted. The carpenter screamed and fell out of his chair. Too surprised. ''What is it?What''s going on? ''And, and, and, and, and, and, beams!The wall!The wall! The carpenter pointed at the wall with a trembling hand. The gazes of those present all turned to the wall at once. There was the silhouette of a monster with its arms raised and its fanged mouth wide open, about to attack. ''Ohhhh!You startled me! ''What is this? The store was in an uproar. ''This is shadow art. Move the lantern and the ghost disappears from the wall. What appears is just a jumbled shadow. But if you shine a light from a certain spot, the ghost will reappear on the wall. ''If you shine the light from here, you''ll get a shadow like this. ''Huh~...... that''s strange~......'' ''Even though the shapes are totally different, it''s ...... strange, isn''t it? Umaro and Norma nodded their heads as they compared the shadows with the real thing. ''Magda, open the storm door.'' ''...... Magda?'' ''I asked Loretta and the others to do it earlier,'' comes the nuanced reply. ''I don''t have a choice. ''Because Loretta''s a coward.'' ''...... convinced''. ''No, no!Because!If you suddenly saw something like this, you''d normally be surprised! ''''Loretta is so normal.'''' ''''Why are you two emphasizing that part so much?Everyone is surprised! Magda opened the shutters, and the store became brighter. The Gazelle siblings crouched on the floor hugging each other, and Molly was clinging to the table leg. They were scared, I see. So here''s the thing. ''''What do you think will happen if we put this thing along the main road? ''''What? The fox-human duo raised their ears. up. ''If you set up these objects on the roofs of stores along the main street, or in the alleys where the setting sun shines, you can create a shadow. ''When the sun is high in the sky, it''s just a shadow, but when the sun goes down and it''s lit up by the setting sun, ......'' ''Countless shadows of ghosts on the main street ......! ''''I''ll need a solid support that won''t be shaken by sudden rain, wind, or human impact, and a hardware object that won''t come apart, corrode, or distort in the rain and wind. ............ Will you do it? ''''Of course! ''''Sure! I''m glad to hear you''re feeling better. ''''I''ll do this secretly.'''' ''''Yes, it is. We''ll do it in secret so no one can disturb us. ''When we''re working, Yamboldo''s going to ask for more Halloween decorations like this and that, I''m sure. ''Let him say it. Then you can surprise them in the evening. ...... Mmm! Oh, I''ve never seen those two getting along so well. ''But can you make such a complicated object? ''......Yes, Yashiro will teach you how to do that. ......I mean, can you accurately calculate the angle of the setting sun? ''U...... that, based on Yashiro''s advice, ......'' The two foxes are staring at me. Hmmm... ''Do you know, gentlemen?Do you know that things need to be paid for? ''I''ll make anything you want, I will!Whether it''s a display shelf or a hallway repair! ''Me too!Like making the pulley for the well lighter! ''I''ve already made a commitment to that. But I need your help with something else.'' ''What is it? ''Something that won''t leave me with too much time to make objects. After fixing the mood of the bent craftsmen, I asked them to remake the table in Thomson''s kitchen. ''Oh, I''ve been to Thomson''s Kitchen once. It''s a big table, right? ''Yes. Make it a four-seater. ''Can I use a wire mesh?For the seven rings? ''Yeah. And tongs.'' ''I''m sure my boys can do that. Norma seems to want to start working on the shadow art right away. She really likes new things. ''Well, I''m going to go and have a look at the table. ''Okay, Cow and Ox. Take them with you. ''Yes, sir! ''Yes! The two best friends basically work as a set. Now''s not the time to split them up and cram them with work. Keep them in the same environment, so that if one of them makes a mistake, one of them can follow up. Well, you''re half a man. Two for one. ''Umaro. Thomson, there''s a landlady and a ginette in the kitchen, you''ll have to talk to them.'' ''I see. Hey, you. I''ll follow you.'' ''What, me?I haven''t eaten yet! Umaro forces the carpenter in the store to accompany him. ...... Well, Leela and Jeannette can''t listen to him properly, can they, Umaro? You need a translator. You can give this to Ginette, then. He hands a piece of paper to the carpenter who interrupted his dinner. ''Now you can eat the prototype dote yaki and yakiniku. I''ll buy you a drink on the condition that you advertise it to the fullest and keep the shadow art you''ve just seen here secret. ''Seriously?Yashiro-san''s treat?Oh my god!Isn''t it going to rain a lot tomorrow? Idiot. Publicity, publicity. The best way to quickly spread the word about a way to eat meat that''s never existed in this town before is to get more people to experience it. If you spread the word with a smug look on your face and say, ''This is how it''s done, watch me do it,'' the population of yakiniku will increase like a rat''s nest. You''re the first. Other than those involved, you know. ''And by the way. Cow and Ox, go practice serving these guys like they''re customers. ''Yeah! ''Mmm! When you actually try it, it highlights what you can''t do well. Things you know in your head, but can''t do well. There are many unexpected stumbling blocks and other problems that can only be found through experience. They''ve got Ginette over there, so they won''t need me to go with them. ''Then take care of Umaro and the others. ''Yes, sir!Leave it to me! ''I''m on it! ''This way! Two adult men chased after the Gazelle sisters, who were running energetically ahead. I don''t know why kids are always running in a dash. It''s hard for me to keep up with them. ...... I waved them off as if I were someone else. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it.I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of material and construction costs ...... out of pocket. ''Molly. ''I''ll keep that in mind, .......'' ''You don''t have to worry about it, Molly. It''s just a remedy for a serious case of approval-seeking. It''s charity. All the money goes to the lord. You can do whatever you want, we can. ''So, Yashiro. How do you make that thing you just saw?'' ''It looks complicated, but it''s actually surprisingly simple. When the light hits it from this side, the shadow comes out like this: ......'' Shadow art is shadow art at the end of the day, so it can be made as simple as you want it to be. The fun and skill lies in how to create a gap between the appearance and the unexpectedness. I''m going to teach him the basics and leave the rest to Norma''s motivation and persistence. It doesn''t matter if the result is not so good, as long as it doesn''t give away the fact that ''Oh, there will be a shadow of a ghost in the evening. ''I''ll get Imelda involved and be very particular about the design! Well... Norma seems to be very enthusiastic about it. I''m sure he''ll make something amazing. ...... ''Yashiro!Can I borrow this object?I''m not sure how to explain it to Imelda.'' ''Yeah, I made it to explain it to you, so you can have it. ''Really?That would be great. She happily takes the object in her hands and holds it to her chest with a happy ''hmmma?a''. To the chest. In the chest! ............ Oh, I don''t do storage. I''m sure you could if you wanted to. Molly''s dry gaze is thrown at you from an angle, but you don''t have time to look at her right now. Norma moves and bounces a lot. ''Well, I''ll go get Imelda right away!She''s been bent out of shape over the city decorations without even making a food sample of the motsu. I''m sure he''ll agree to help us. I''m sure they''ll be happy to help." ...... I''ll leave the troublesome belly button bending girls to Norma. ''Oh, that''s right. Hammaro~! ''Hammaro? Hammaro, who was supposed to be taking a nap in the upstairs guest room, popped up from the kitchen. You woke up at the right time. As usual. ''Would you mind running a little errand for me? ''I''m helping out at the Sunken Pavilion today! ''Can''t you? ''I''ll do it! ''Are you going to do it? ''Norma. You''ll run out of stamina if you give Hammaro your all.'''' Hammaro is invincible in his sleep. Delia and Magda are the only ones who can go all out against Hammaro and not fall. ''Well then, Hammaro.'' ''Hammaro? ''Just go down to Hardware Street.'' ''Hammaro? ''To my men.'' ''Hammaro? ''To make wire mesh and tongs.'' ''Hammaro? ''Go tell them ...... are you listening? ''I''m only half listening! ''I''ll be listening! I see. ''Hammaro? ''It''s you! If you don''t respond, it''ll go on and on. That''s a new discovery. ....... I guess it depends on your mood anyway. ''Tell our men to take a couple of dozen wire meshes and tongs to Thomson''s kitchen. ''Yeah!I''ll tell them half the story! ''Wait!Hammaro!Make sure you tell them everything!Hammaro!Should I go to ............ to check on him? ''Don''t worry. Hammaro will do whatever it takes. If he doesn''t get the message, the hardware guys will come and ask him. I''m sure we can work something out. ''Well, I''ll be going now. Norma ran out of the sunlit pavilion with a cheerful gait. I was relieved to see the fox people, who had been so gloomy in the sunshine pavilion, go home peacefully, but I was also annoyed that this wasn''t a consultation center, and I thought about how I could have definitely stored the objects if I wanted to. ''I''m sure you could have stored it at .......'' I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m not going to worry about it. ''...... Yashiro. It froze nicely. That thing you''re talking about. ''I can''t wait to sample it!I can''t stop being excited! The two of them had been going to the backyard to check on the situation. Don''t pull up the ''refrigerator'' too much. The refrigerator of the Sunlit Pavilion is a simple metal box that is immersed in a well to cool it down. The cooling rate is increased through thin pipes, but it is far from that of home appliances. However, it can still make coffee jelly, though. What Magda and Loretta are looking forward to is the marshmallow, which will make its debut on Halloween. ''Well, let''s see how they are. ''Are you playing doctor in the middle of the day?You''re still as obscene as ever~, self. ''Don''t just appear without a sound, you obscene right. I was standing with my back to the door, and Regina, in her pitch-black witch style, was standing close behind me. I didn''t hear her open the door at all. Umaro, you''re making it too pretty, aren''t you? ''Trick or s*xual harassment~! ''You''re both playing a prank on me. The latter kind of ''prank'' is socially unacceptable. ''No, that''s not it. I was walking down the street and some old ladies were giving me a lot of sweets, saying, ''We made a prototype, give it to us. ''They must think you''re in a costume, that way. I can''t believe it! It''s like I''m the only one who can''t wait for Halloween. ''Before that, if your normal clothes are treated as a costume, it means that your very existence is treated as a ghost, so you should worry about that. ''I don''t care, I don''t care. It''s not everyday that I meet someone on the street at night and they say, ''Geez! It''s an everyday thing.'' ''I pity you, your daily life ......''. I feel like giving her sweets too. In a different way than the old ladies. ''Here. I''ve brought the food coloring you asked for. I receive several small bottles of colorful powder from Regina. Ginette had ordered them to color potatoes and tortoiseshell candy. Oh, by the way. Because medicines require specialized knowledge, they are purchased directly from the Pharmacists'' Guild, not through the Peddlers'' Guild. In the same way, we are directly exchanging goods other than medicines with Regina. ''Also, I made something like this. What she presented to me was a sheet of paper. There is some kind of chemical applied to the cardboard, and a thin sheet of paper is placed on top of it. ...... What''s this? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Hey, onomatopoeia when you roll it up, that''s not it. ''Then, poke this chemical here with your finger and say, "No"...'' ''That''s why it''s an onomatopoeia for poking! ''And then rub your fingers together and say, ''No! '' Then I rub my fingers together, ''No! Isn''t this guy''s brain really rotten? As I was thinking this, a whitish smoke rose from Regina''s fingertips as she rubbed her index finger and thumb with the chemical. ''Whoa!Really, you!I''ve missed you! It''s a ghost kemuri! I used to see these in candy shops when I was a kid. It''s just a trivial toy that emits smoke when you rub it on your finger, but for some reason, I bought it over and over again, because it had a mysterious addictive power. I used to buy them all the time, too. It brings back memories. ''This is a standard toy for children at Bao Kri Air. ...... Did you know about it? ''There''s one just like it in my hometown. ''I''m really impressed with myself. You know a lot about children''s toys and adult toys. ''I never mentioned adult toys! Stop, labeling me as an expert! ''Well, maybe you miss this too.Here, give it to me.'' ''Hmm?Ahn.'' ''Here.'' I opened my mouth, and he threw something like a ramune candy into my mouth. What is it?It doesn''t taste too bad, but ...... ''Is your tongue turning blue? I''m not sure if it''s the same thing as the ghost ice cream that turns your tongue blue, but it''s something like that. ''What, me. You don''t know about this, do you?Then close your mouth and breathe in through your nose as hard as you can. I do as I''m told and breathe in through my nose. ''Then, breathe out all the air you''ve taken in through your mouth. ''What the heck is ............? When I exhaled, a purple cloud of smoke came out of my mouth. What is this? What the hell is this? What a surprise! ''Aaahhhh!Hee~!I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand.I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ''Don''t let out a strange laugh! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. It appears to be a one-time use, smoke emitting toy. I''m sure it''s not harmful to your body,....... This is a classic Baocli Air prank where the kids surprise the adults. ''Parents would be surprised if you suddenly spit out this kind of stuff. ''Also, if you put it in your father''s drink, when he puffs, you''ll see a purple kelp. And then, when he did that, the purple kelp would come out with a ''Mukha~! And when he does, a purple kemuri will come out and say, ''Geez! That''s what happens! Regina is laughing her head off. It seems to be a common prank in Bao Kri Air. I guess it''s like the Japanese equivalent of a boo-boo cushion. It''s just that ...... it''s so frustrating. I think I''ll make a ...... boo-boo cushion. ''So, what kind of obscene food did you make this time? ''Why is it obscene only? ''Why, seeing as how the Yurelsky particles are so thin, the manager isn''t here, is he? ''What''s a Yurelsky particle? ''It''s a mist-like spray that is naturally generated when the air vibrates due to the swinging of the boobs. ''Oh, you mean that? ''Big brother, you know it!I''m sure it''s a substance that never exists in the flow of things. ''...... Sometimes Yashiro flows in that direction.'' It must be one of those things that''s capable of disabling military search radars and the like. I think I saw something with a similar name in an anime when I was a kid. ''Now I''m making marshmallows. ''Hamumaro? ''No, that''s not it!Don''t be like my brother, Regina-san! It is true that Hammaro or Lucia would react to the name ...... marshmallow. I didn''t think Regina would be the first, though. I''m sure you''ll be fine. He left Regina and the others behind and headed for the courtyard. When I pulled up the refrigerator that was submerged at the bottom of the well, the metal box gave off a cool chill. When the lid is opened, even colder air is expelled. I stare at the fluffy sphere squatting in the cornstarch. ...... Yeah. That''s about right. I pick one up and taste it before I take it with me. ............ Yeah. Normal. But the texture and feel is definitely marshmallow. At least it''s a success. I transfer the marshmallow to a small bowl in the kitchen and return to the floor. You are greeted by expectant eyes. ''Here''s the marshmallow. Would you like to try some?It''s still a prototype, so it may not be very tasty. I''m going to check the gelatin content of this one, and if it works well, I may add chocolate or fruit juice to make a guimove. But this time, I''m going to use the basic plain marshmallow. ''Big brother, I want some too! ''...... Magda is my first priority. ''Um, ............ if you can, I''ll have some too ......''. The eyes of the waitress at the sunlit pavilion shone brightly. Molly has grown accustomed to it. ''Molly, the more you eat, the more severe Delia''s training will become?'' ''I''ll endure it! You have to consume as many calories as you eat. Molly and Jeannette are on a spartan diet until Halloween. ...... Well, there''s nothing spartan about it because the diet is so loose. You can eat it then. ''Hahaha! ''...... munching'' ''Magda, you''re early! The three waitresses jump on the marshmallow. ''Whaaa!What the hell is this?It''s the first time I''ve encountered such a chewy texture!It''s not glutinous or fluffy. ...... It''s different, but it''s also the same!It''s meltingly soft, but with a firm elasticity, yet it''s not hard, yet it doesn''t lose its shape unreliably. ...... It''s truly a new texture!This is a new era of sweets! ''......The sweetness is a bit subdued ......but the taste has infinite possibilities.'' ''It''s strange. ......The things that Yashiro-san makes are all strange, like they came out of a dream. ......'' The girls are munching on the marshmallows. There are many different opinions, but in general they seem to be enjoying themselves. But ...... the word ''delicious'' doesn''t come out because the texture is too fresh and they''re concentrating on that, right?It''s not bad, is it?It''s not bad, is it? ''In that case, why don''t you ask me for one? ''There you go. I bring a small bowl to Regina, who extends her arm. Well, I don''t need to see her reaction to know that. I''m going to play with the marshmallow again and say, ''It feels like boobs! or ''Tits you can eat! or ''tits you can eat! Sooner or later, someone will definitely say that. If Regina is the first to say it, you can let it go with ''yes, yes, you''re on the same level as Regina'' after that. Her white fingertips, which rarely appear in the sunlight, pick up a marshmallow and carry it to her mouth. The mouth, which gives the impression of being small even though it talks a lot, opens and a rather large marshmallow disappears into the mouth. ''Mokumoku......'' The marshmallow is quietly chewed. ''......a,delicious............'' And Regina''s whisper escapes quietly. A thin, white finger touches Regina''s lips and gently arcs them as if to tear them apart. ''I like this ......''. These honest words came from an unguarded smile that overturned the usual image of a twisted man. It was such an innocent smile that I couldn''t help but admire it. ''Hmm?What''s ............? As I stared at her, Regina turned to me and, with a start, raised her eyebrows in a ''hush''. I''m not sure what to make of that.That''s, that''s it!Tits you can eat! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. It''s a predictable line,......, but I didn''t expect to feel this way. Regina ...... is embarrassing to watch. ''You''re embarrassed, aren''t you? ''......It seems that she was embarrassed to reveal her true feelings.'' ''Is that so? ''Regina-san, you are embarrassed to be seen with the ''girl'' inside you. ''...... Regina, it''s just right to be indecent.'' ''I see. ...... How can I say this: .................. ......'' I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say.If you said ''sort of'', what did you say?Don''t look at me like I''m sorry! Molly''s kindness, ''don''t tell everyone'' -- it must be a living hell for Regina right now. When she gets embarrassed, I want her to make a joke out of it. Regina is that type. For example, like this. ''Regina. I''m thinking of using these marshmallows to make ...... titty marshmallows! ''I knew you were thinking ......''. ''I can''t help it, it''s ...... Yashiro.'' ''Mr. Yashiro: ............'' ''Well, I guess I''ll need some light pink food coloring. ''I''ve got a new pharmacist who was shy a while ago! ''...... I can''t help it, it''s Regina.'' ''Regina-san: ............'' ''But only a small amount.'' ''Small amount............ I see, value added, huh? ''Oh, yes! ''In other words, what I''m trying to create is--'' ''''Limited quantity of boob marshmallows (D cup)! ''''How can you even have (D cup)! ''''...... These two, so it can''t be helped.'''' ''Both of you are ............'' Thus, a new confectionary was born in the 42nd district, and at the same time, a confectionary-making project for adults was secretly set in motion. ...... and so on. I''m more comfortable in this kind of atmosphere with Regina. Regina''s shyness makes me embarrassed to look at her, so once in a while is enough. 434-Theres no additional 89th episode show.with all o... I put all my skills into this. ''Yo, Umaro. Good work. Sit down for now. I''ll buy you a cup of coffee.'' ''Really?Well, to have Yashiro-san''s appreciation, it was worth the hard work of building the table~'' ''Is it already done? ''Yes. It turned out to be a good looking table, even for me. The family in Thomson''s kitchen was very happy. ''I see. Here, let me pull out a chair for you. ''I''m sorry about everything, even the cushions. Then, feel free to--'' Boo! ''Whoa!What is it?I''m not me!What''s with the ......, what''s with the weird bag? ''Huh-ha-ha-ha-ha!Oh, no, no, no, no, no! ''Was it Yashiro''s work? Startled by the loud farting sound, Umaro stood up, rolled up the cushion and grabbed up the mysterious bag under it. In the bag, I mischievously put the following words. "Surprise success! ''T?ate-? -t?ate...'' ''The surprise was a great success! ''It''s not a great success.What''s this? ''It''s a boo-boo cushion I made with all my skills! I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will work for you. ...... I wish you could use it for something more meaningful, but Yashiro''s technology is so ............ high quality that it''s useless. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. We knew the structure, but it was difficult to prevent air leaks and adjust the sound. I knew how it was supposed to work, but I had a hard time getting the air to stop leaking and the sound to be just right, but I did it! It took up most of the day, though! It''s already dusk outside. ''It''s a great piece of sewing, you know. You can''t see the stitches at all, can you?The way you sewed it without leaking air is so innovative! That''s my girl, Yashiro. Ukrines took the boo-boo cushion from Umaro and looked at it closely. She seems to have taken a strange liking to it. ''If you don''t give the ghosts sweets, they''ll play tricks on you like this. That''s interesting. If you like it so much, I can sell it to you. I don''t want to give it away for free, though. ''Can''t wait for Ginette to come home? ''What?Mr. Uclines?You can''t do that! ''Oh, dear. Don''t play tricks on me. I''ve finished the fitting of your dress and I want you to try on the sleeves. ''Oh, is that so? ...... I''m relieved.'' ''Mm-hmm. Oumalo-chan. Even if I''m your partner, you''ll turn the other way. ''Yes, it''s my nature .......'' Even an old lady gets nervous? Is this guy uncomfortable with adult women regardless of their strike zone? Well, Umaro''s strike zone is Magda. The zone is irrelevant. ''...... But if you get hit, you''ll want to try it on someone else. ...... That''s it. Umaro has a bad look on his face. This is a trend of mass production of victims. ''Since there are only women in the sunlit pavilion, the best place to target is the customers, right? ''Hey. Don''t be rude to customers in a restaurant that serves customers. ''Is that what Mr. Yashiro would say? I will. Because you don''t want it to affect your sales. ''Anyway, Goozuya will be here soon for dinner. In the evening, Delia-san will come with the manager and Molly-chan after the shape-up exercise. It''s been like that for the past three days. During the time between lunch and dinner, Ginette and Molly go to Delia''s place. And when they finish their exercises, they come back with Delia. ...... No, well. The first day, Molly was working too hard and couldn''t walk, so Delia came to carry her, and she gave her some sweets as a thank you. Yesterday, when Molly didn''t participate in the party, Delia came to the sunny pavilion after dropping off Ginette, and she was fidgeting as if she wanted sweets. Ginette gave them to her, though. I don''t know why I felt like I was feeding a wild animal. ...... Once they learn where to feed, they''ll come back every day, wild animals. We shouldn''t feed them unnecessarily. ...... ''So, how do you use this? ''You inflate it with air from here: ......'' ''Oumalo-san, my brother was inflating that just now, so if you don''t wipe it properly, it will become an indirect kiss! ''Yashiro-san...... Loretta-san, don''t you think it''s better to keep him away from that pharmacist? ''Excuse me, Mr. Umaro!I''m not going to be the ''ah'' one! Haha. You''re an idiot, Loretta. ...... It''s contagious. And it''s a droplet infection.It''s a biohazard if you''re not careful. ''...... Disinfect and you''ll be fine. I''ve got boiling water. ''Magda!Thank you for your concern. ...... Is my saliva something that needs to be sterilized with boiling water? ''......Wumalo. Ah~n.'' ''No, it''s not!It''s not the one to disinfect!And boiling water direct is a bad idea! Oh, so it''s the Umaro that needs to be disinfected. Good. From a sanitary and ethical standpoint, the boob cushion was once disinfected with boiling water. ...... Shouldn''t I have inflated it? Oh well. From now on, it''s Oumalo who does the inflating. The smell of the beast was still there, and it was painful. It''s better to smell like rubber. ''I see. When you put air into it, the leather around it is pulled, and that pressure closes the mouth. And when you apply external pressure, the air comes out of here with great force, and this long, strange mouth vibrates and makes a sound like that, is that right? Umaro looks at the puffed up boo-boo cushion and mutters in admiration. ''How can you tell, just by looking at it? ''If the structure were as simple as this, it wouldn''t be a problem. But it looks difficult to make. ......'' It was indeed difficult. But I tried! ''It''s all for the sake of getting back at Regina! ''What?You were planning to use it on Regina? That''s right! He tricked me with a stupid surprise item that emits purple smoke, so I wanted to get back at him! But then I realized that ............ I almost forgot, Regina is a girl, isn''t she? ''Yes, she is. ...... Sometimes, I almost forget. ''Farting on girls and ...... I''m going to lose my sensitivity, aren''t I? ''No, definitely not,......, to the point where no woman will approach you for a while. ''That''s not good!It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''...... I wonder why I don''t lose my likability at this point. ...... I wonder why I don''t lose my likability at this point. ......'' It''s not easy to be hated by girls! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''That''s where the carpenter comes in! ''There must have been more to it than that, right, carpenter''s turn? ''Well, Imelda might be a safe bet as a remnant of a toilet character. ......'' ''Absolutely not!She''s pretty weak mentally and she''s been withdrawn a lot! ''How do you know about that?We''re not even close. ''Information on Bekko and the fox lady! ''Oh, the one who''s good friends with Imelda. ''Yes. Imelda''s best friend. In this case, who should we pity? ...... It''s fun to be friends, isn''t it? ''That''s why you put up with me as a carpenter. ''Patience'': ...... Well, I have no objection to sacrificing my people because I want to set someone up, too! He''s a bad man. He seems to be enjoying himself. A vicious man who enjoys the tragedies of his people. A man who sold his soul to the devil. ''Umaro. Will you surprise Regina for me? ''Absolutely not! ''Because, don''t you want to see it?Wouldn''t you like to see Regina''s surprise? You''re right. ''...... Sure, I''d like to see Regina''s natural expression, but ...... the method is not good. I''m not sure what to do. ''No, no . It''s Regina, remember?She''s the kind of person who can open her mouth and say obscene things. A fart might not even be a fart! ''No, if a fart isn''t a fart, what is it? My plan to give Regina a blowjob without damaging my honor was aborted when Umaro showed his reluctance. ''No,'' he said a little forcefully. I wonder how strong it was, because when he said it, my arm was so strong that the boo-boo cushion made a light ''bang'' sound. d*mn. ''I wish I could''ve seen it, Regina. ''Ohhhh. Did you really want to humiliate me in public that badly? ''''Whoa! Umaro and I shouted. ''''Red, Regina went out twice in one day? ''''Why are you surprised, yourself? Of course you''re surprised, dude! Regina only goes out once a week or so! It''s rumored that the odds of seeing her outside are about the same as a pterodactyl! ''What are you doing here, did Jeannette ask you to do something again? ''No. I overheard a rumor that you and the carpenter are exchanging saliva.'' ''Where''s the source, that rumor? ''...... a series of them just now, at this speed, to the east side of the city?That''s ...... impossible.'' Don''t take it so seriously, Umaro. It''s more natural and more believable to think that this guy has that kind of ability. ''Well, I''m glad you came out ......, I didn''t think you were going to use me as comfort food. ''I didn''t go that far! I''m not a good listener, I''m not a good listener! ''If you humiliate me in public like that, I''ll never be able to marry you. ......'' ''You''ve got a lot of reasons why you can''t get married that are even stronger than that,......''. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what to do. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a bad experience. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not.I''m sorry. He pulled the edge of my mouth with both hands. It''s rather strong. ...... Oh, I knew the boo-boo cushion was embarrassing. My ears are a little red. I''m glad I didn''t set it off. If I hadn''t, I might have cried. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''...... extremely, rarely, girlish.'' I''m not sure if you''ve forgotten, but I''m a girl. While complaining to Loretta and Magda, Regina threw something small and grainy into my mouth. Smoke again? ''Hey, hey, what''s with the ...... voice this time? ''Squeak, squeak, squeak!What''s that voice?I''m sick to my stomach! I''ve got a strange voice, as if I''ve been breathing in helium gas. These grains aren''t solidified helium, are they?It''s not harmful, is it?Seriously! ''You really came out here to test this, didn''t you? ''Take, take, take!Stop it, you''re talking in a weird voice. ''It''s your fault, isn''t it! ''It''s your fault, isn''t it? ''Don''t do that! ''You''re making me horny! ''I didn''t say that! ''The voice in your mind. ''My heart''s voice is not that high-pitched! Oh, shit!Long effect! The helium gas will return to normal once you''ve spoken. How long is this thing going to last? ''What a bunch of nonsense. ............ Oh, it''s back. ''The effect lasts about thirty seconds or so. Depending on your constitution, it can last up to two minutes. It''s a nasty prank item. I''m very unhappy about this. ''Sell me two. ''Who are you going to use them on? Umaro moves away, his hands over his mouth. ''You''re a rude one. Do I look like I''d do something like that?'' ''You did!Boo-boo cushions! ''Wow, that''s a boo-boo cushion (a place where men''s saliva gets mixed up). ''No, it doesn''t have that kind of disturbing subtitle. What kind of social gathering? ''Oh, yes!I''ll set it up quickly and get Goozuya.'' Quickly, Oumarro sets a boo-boo cushion on a chair. Then he puts a squishy cushion on top of it. This makes the thickness of the boo-boo cushion look like the thickness of the cushion on top. ''Hmmm. Everyone seems to be having fun. Uclines is sitting alone, drinking tea in a remote seat. The shopkeeper kicked him out of the shop because he was too excited about making Halloween costumes. He was kicked out by the shopkeepers because he was overzealous in making the Halloween costumes, and he couldn''t leave until Ginette put on her fancy dress costume. You should take a rest when you can. Really, I was surprised to see that your jawline has become a little sharper. When I saw you just a few days ago, you were much plumper. ''Magda, a cake for Uclines.'' ''...... I know what to do.'' ''Oh, it''s okay, you don''t have to be so considerate.'' ''No, it''s fine. I just slid the ''I''ll buy you a cup of coffee'' I said to Umaro to Ukrines.'' ''What?Did you go to my coffee? ''Ukrines is working hard. ''I worked pretty hard too! ''Oh, well. Then I''ll take your word for it. Thank you, Yashiro-chan, Oumaro-chan.'''' ''U............. I can''t say I don''t like it when Uclines-san says so. ''Hmmm. You''re so kind.'''' Ukrines shakes her shoulders with a face that people like. I used to be much better dressed. ''Magda, give her some cake and make her fatter. ''Eat with .......'' ''Oh, I''ll rub your shoulders then, Ukrines-san! ''Oh, no. Am I going to be shipped out?'' While Magda was feeding her cake and Loretta was rubbing Ucrinez''s shoulders, the door of the Sunken Pavilion opened. ''Oh no!What''s this? It was Goozuya who walked in. He must have arrived just in time for Delia''s arrival. ...... Not today, though. He looked around the store, and when he realized that Delia was not there, he shrugged his shoulders in an obvious way. How rude of him. To such a person, ...... I gently give him a look. Umaro nodded grimly. ''You''ve come to the right place, Goozuya. I was just giving a shout-out to the hard-working people at the Sunlit Pavilion. I''m not lying. All the waitresses are congratulating Ukrines for his hard work. While I''m talking to Goozuya and turning her attention to me, Oumalo casually pulls out a chair with a boo-boo cushion. ''You''re tired, aren''t you, Goozuya?You can use this chair. ''Oh?What kind of luxurious cushion is that?Are you sure you don''t want me to sit on it? ''I''ll give it to you. You''ve been working hard today.'' ''Yah~ I''m so thrilled to be recognized by the master!Well, since you''ve been so kind, feel free to go to .......'' Bupi~! What the hell?What''s this? ''Teteret~'' ''The surprise was a great success~! ''Tooryoo! Umaro laughs in delight at the success. But how quickly he absorbs. He''s already mastered ''t?ate-? -t?ate''. ''But you''ve put so much technology into such a trivial thing as ......!You guys have a bad habit of doing that, you know!Please be aware of that!It''s a waste of technology, you know! ''I''ll tell Yashiro-san. ''It''s the same with the beams!It''s already Petite Yashiro-san! ''I''m sorry, sir. ''Yes, both of you! I gave them the helium balls I''d just bought. ''Geez!Oh no! ''Wait!What''s with the weird voice ......, me too? You''ll be talking in a weird voice for about thirty seconds. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''What is it, Magda?'' ''...... What happens if I feed it to Gustave?'' Gustave. A man of the ravenous piranha tribe of the hunting guild, with a high-pitched voice. His voice reminds me of the rats in Chiba''s Dreamland. If you feed him a helium ball that makes his voice high-pitched, ............ ''It''ll be ultrasonic. ''...... Interesting.'' It''s just a shame to spend all that money on Gustave. Okay, no. ''d*mn, ...... it''s frustrating to be left beaten ......'' Goozja says in a strange voice. ''Don''t talk in that weird voice, it''s annoying. ''Isn''t this Yashiro''s work! He complained in a strange voice. I''m uncomfortable. ''Pfft! ''...... You''re the only one who calls me cute, aren''t you, manager? ''Oh, I think it''s cute, don''t you? ''......Yashiro-san, you even ...... to Uclines-san? ''Even''?I''m not sure. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. Would you like to be dug up as a fossil by life forms 160 million years from now as a ''strange looking creature''?Hmm? ''Anyway!I want to play that prank on someone else too! ''Then to Regina. ''You can''t do that to a woman! ''You never learn, do you? You still say that? Apparently, the boo-boo cushions are targeted at men only. For some reason, Regina is keeping a close eye on me. You''re more on my side than hers. A team of troubled kids who get pissed off every now and then for going too far! ''That''s right!Mr. Yamboldo will be here later, so let''s hook him up! ''Oh, that''s a good idea!I''ll surprise that guy who''s been on a roll lately! ''Huh?Isn''t your voice back, boss? ''Why haven''t you gotten yours back yet? While Umaro''s voice had returned to normal, Goozuya''s was still high-pitched. I guess it''s true that the duration changes depending on your constitution. ''Well, that''s fine!I don''t care about that, just hurry up with the trick! ''Here, thin carpenter. Fill this with air. Here, here, at the blowhole, lick it once and then inflate it.'' ''Don''t you dare plan a saliva social! ''I''ll swell it up! Don''t go rotting in the cafeteria. It''s a big hygiene problem. I''ll sue you for obstruction of business. ''Now the ...... set is complete! ''Hmmm, now if Mr. Yamboldo comes, ......'' ''I''ll get caught and say, "No!"'' ''''Yangboldo! Mr. Yangboldo? ''''No!'''' Yangboldo was standing behind Umaro and Gusuya, smiling inappropriately. He, too, gave no sign of ...... ''That kind of mischief is not good for a lady. ''Who''s a lady? ''You may have a man''s body, but ............ you''re an old man at heart! ''Aren''t you a complete and utter old man? ''There''s nothing ladylike about you, Yang Bold! ''He who has a heart of shame, that is, a maiden. Everyone has shame. Except for a few people. ''You tried to humiliate a lady ...... and now you can''t marry her.'' ''You couldn''t go no matter how you tried, originally! ''Goozja, take responsibility. ''It''s torture, isn''t it, the rest of my life! ''Huh?I don''t know why ...... Yambold and Regina are covered. ''I have a girl''s heart, too, you know. That''s a bad alliance. But the boo-boo cushion has a low success rate. Well, it''s also very difficult to lead people to seats with cushions that are obviously suspicious. Originally, the success rate was not that high even in Japan. The target is also narrowed down. ...... This is a failure. I''m back! A disheveled voice came into the sunlit pavilion. A moist and sweaty Jeannette is smiling weakly. Looks like you''ve been worked hard today. If you can see Jeannette''s HP bar above her head, she must have a few gauges left. ''Hey, Yashiro~. I''ve brought Molly~'' ''I''m back, I''m back, ..................'' Delia walks in with a glittering face, carrying Molly, whose soul is almost gone from her mouth. I''m not sure what to make of that. You''ve done the same exercise, right? I can''t even feel the fatigue from Delia as she finishes her preparatory exercises. ''Molly, did you work too hard?'' ''Yes ...... for the marshmallows ............''. She''s a good girl who keeps her word,......, but it''s a shame she can''t resist the temptation to snack. ''Yashiro!There''s some kind of new candy, right?I''m looking forward to it! I understood why Delia''s face was glowing. She was expecting it. Well, after Molly ate it, I made a few modifications, and I have some sweet marshmallows that Delia likes. You might want to give them a try. ''Molly, can you stand up?'' ''Yes, ...... is fine and ............ doesn''t seem to have been there.'' Molly got off Delia''s back and slumped to the floor like a puppet with a broken string. ''Loretta, put Molly in one of the chairs around here. Magda, get Ginette to sit on it.'' ''Yes, sir! ''...... Manager, over here.'' ''Excuse me, Mr. Magda.'' Jeannette walked back on her feet, but her movements were awkward. I think I''m at the end of my strength too. ''Hey, Delia!Thank you for your hard work! ''Hmm! Goozuya''s high-pitched voice rose in tension at Delia''s appearance. ''What''s wrong with you?What''s wrong with your voice?'' ''No, this is a bit ............... When will the effect wear off, this? Depends on your constitution, they say. It might stay that way for a week or so, you''re on the right planet. ''Hahaha!You have a funny voice!That''s very funny. ''Huh!I''m sure you''ll have a great time.Regina-san, please sell me a dozen of these pills! No, I''ll get bored. You''ll get tired of that helium voice sooner than you think. ''Hey, Yashiro!Can I have a marshmallow?The manager said it''s okay if you want it! ''I''m curious, too.'' I made these marshmallows while Jeannette was away. Ginette seems to be expecting them. I''ve explained what they are, but I guess seeing is believing. ''Well, I''ll bring it to you, so just sit down. ''Oh! ''What?Delia-san, what''s in there? Delia tried to sit down on the cushioned seat, but Goozuya stopped her with all her might. Underneath that cushion, there''s a boo-boo cushion: ...... ''What the hell?Didn''t Yashiro tell you to sit down?'' ''No, sir, I mean, um, ...... Oh, yes!Mr. Ukrines!I''m eating cake! ''Hmm?Oh, it''s true. That looks delicious, Ukrines.'' ''Yes, it''s really delicious. ''I like ......, but I''m eating marshmallows now. Heh, that''s fine! Delia took a seat in front of Ukrines, talking to him. Goozja did a good job of guiding Delia. ''This prank on Delia-san is ...... absolutely not ......! Her eyes are serious. It''s the eyes of a man protecting the one he loves. ...... Don''t sell yourself short in such a trivial place, ''the eyes of a man who protects those he loves''. ''Mr. Ukrines, are you off work today? ''No, I''m not, Ginette. As a matter of fact, I have to do some temporary sewing. ......'' While listening to this conversation, I headed for the kitchen. Since marshmallows can be stored at room temperature, there are several kinds of marshmallows that have already been made and complemented in small bowls. At the moment, there is a special marshmallow in the refrigerator. I''m not going to show you that one right now. ............ You can enjoy them privately when you are more mature. ...... Mmm. ''Here you go. Here''s your marshmallow.'' ''Whoa!That''s a marshmallow! Delia''s eyes glittered. ...... This guy couldn''t remember "Barbara" for a long time, but he remembered "Marshmallow" at once. It''s a rather difficult name to remember. ''That''s a weird feeling. Is it because Yashiro made it?'' ''What do you mean, Delia? ''Doesn''t it mean that the boob factor of the Demon God of Boobs might have oozed out? ''Shut up, I know, I know, I''m not checking, shut up. I intimidate Regina, who often talks about unnecessary things. But Regina, who seems to be quite fond of marshmallows, doesn''t care and secretly relaxes her cheeks at the colorful marshmallows. What''s with the sneakiness, like a skeleton hiding the fact that he actually likes cute little things? Why don''t you just say that you like marshmallows? ''Oh, they feel like boobs,'' everyone will agree. ''Mmmm!It''s ...... delicious! ''It''s delicious!There''s a hint of fruit in the aroma. Delia smiled meltingly, and Jeannette watched closely as she took a bite of the marshmallow. Delia ate a marshmallow with chocolate inside, an ambitious work that required a little extra effort to keep the chocolate inside soft. Ginette ate a fruit marshmallow with citrus juice mixed inside. There are also marshmallows with jam inside. Eventually, I''ll try to make a guimove with lots of fruit juice, but for now, I''ll limit myself to marshmallows. ''Oh, um, ...... if I eat a marshmallow now, when will it be trained? ''Hmm?Well, I guess ...... tomorrow, huh?'' ''Well, I''ll have a bite! Hearing Delia''s answer, Molly reached for a marshmallow. Apparently, today was absolutely impossible. Will she be able to manage tomorrow? ''Crap ...... is delicious again!This ...... won''t help me lose weight no matter how much I exercise. ............!'' You don''t have to eat it. Don''t give in to the temptation of snacking. ''Plain is best for us. ''What?Regina-san, you should try these chocolates!It''s better than plain! ''It''s a difference of taste. ''...... pure black chocolate inside a pure white marshmallow...... I see, perfect for Loretta.'' I''m not sure what you mean by that.And you''re already reaching for the fourth one, Moriri!I''m not sure what to say. ''Because!I''ve got a lot of flavors. ''I''ll eat all kinds too! ''It''s not fair, all you do is eat Delia! Molly, it''s not cheating. You can eat them too. But you have to move for it. If you can do the same amount of exercise as Delia, you can get in shape like Delia. If you can. ''Hey, Jeannette. Can you take a break and put on your fancy dress?Oh, and Molly. ''Oh, yes. Well, I''m sorry to keep you waiting. ''The tentative sewing ............, what about the stomach? ''It''s open like this...'' ''I''m going to stop eating now! ''That''s right!Let''s go work up a sweat so we don''t get our costumes dirty, Molly! ''Yes!Go somewhere where the temptation of marshmallows can''t reach you! Ginette and Molly took off together after seeing the temporary costume. Maybe if we keep this costume on the floor, we can break Molly''s temptation to snack. ''............ Ah! Ginette and the others, you said you were going for a quick sweat? I don''t think they''re going to take a hot bath with Ukrines waiting for them, so they''ll probably just wipe themselves down with water from the well. Water from the well............The well............The well has a "refrigerator" inside. ............In the "refrigerator" is ............... ... ''Oh no!'' I was about to get up and run out when I saw Bertina''s smile between my eyes. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. ''No, I didn''t call for you, did I? ''I was invited by Ginette. ''You don''t need an invitation to come, you know. ''These are the marshmallows you''ve been waiting for. They come in a variety of flavors, so feel free to pick your own.'' I''m not in the mood for that right now. ''Well, I''ll invite you in. Bertina sits down on a nearby chair. There was a plump cushion on that chair. A boo-boo cushion was placed on the trap. ''''''--?'''''' The color drained from my face, Umaro''s and Goozuya''s. They were not blue, but earthy, or perhaps the color of ashes after being burned up. Like the moment when a running lantern starts, the world goes into slow motion. Gradually, gradually, Bertina''s hips moved closer and closer to the cushion, and she put all her weight on the plump cushion. It''s over. ...... I thought so. But ...... ''Hmm!It has a very strange and delicious texture.'' ''............What?'' ''......? ''Why ......?'' Bertina sat down on the chair as if nothing had happened and chewed the marshmallow. What? A dud? Did the air escape? No, but the cushion was inflated. ...... What? I''m sorry.What''s wrong? I''m sorry. Bertina tilted her head to the side. Something''s not really going on. ''Excuse me, Bertina. That cushion.'' ''Ah!I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have sat down, should I?'' ''No, ...... shouldn''t, I mean .......'' Bertina hurriedly got up and moved away from the chair. The cushion plumped up on the seat. That''s strange. Could it be that Bertina''s weight is so light?She''s so light that she''s defying the pressure of the air? ''How many kilos does Bertina weigh? ''What?Oh, I can''t tell you!Did I gain weight? Bertina held her cheeks with her hands and was flustered. It''s not about that. ...... No, it''s not about that, but if you''re worried about that, you should think about how much you''re eating. At least within the bounds of common sense. No, I mean. You''re supposed to be about the same weight as a person, Bertina. You''re right, she had normal weight when I held her before. But no shot. It was broken because Umaro breathed into it randomly. ......? It''s not that complicated of a mechanism. ...... I''m going to try sitting on it myself. Bubba-ohh! That was a big bang. A big fart. A loud farting sound reminiscent of the stench of a wild bird crashing in the woods. It''s not broken. There''s nothing wrong. If there''s something wrong, it''s ...... ''Is it a miracle,......? ''I''m sure it is, boss. The sisters are protected by the spirit gods, lest their dignity be damaged by malicious mischief.'' ''Sister, you''re a maiden, just like me.'' ''Don''t be like that. A miracle? With the Spirit God''s favor at her disposal, could Bertina be protected from such mischief? But if so, that explains a lot. I can''t think of any other way to put it. In the event that you''ve got a beautiful appearance and magnificent breasts,......, it''s a lie that God doesn''t give two things. It''s a great way to get a better idea of what''s going on in your life. ''......Yashiro-san''. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Ah. This is a bad idea. ''I require a detailed explanation. The quiet voice rebelled against the voice in my mind that said, ''Even if I die, I don''t want to face that way! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. When she looked up, Bertina''s face was red with shame. Her ears were red. Even the base of her neck was red. Even her hands on her shoulders were red. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to try. I''m not sure what to say. It''s a force majeure, and I didn''t plant it on Bertina. If anything, it was Goozja who planted it here. You can make all kinds of excuses. A mild reprimand will do. ...... so long as no charges are added. "Mr. Yashiro. I hear Jeannette''s voice in the kitchen. If you look over there, you''ll see that her face has turned bright red again. How can a mother and daughter both be blushing? ''What are you making in the well? The food was carefully taken out of the refrigerator and placed on a platter for all to see. There was a magnificent pair of beautiful white breasts standing out. I went to ...... to get it before noon, all the way. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your money. ... ''Oh my god!I''m sorry!Please repent! ''No, Jeannette, that''s the thing: ......'' ''Come on, let''s go to church. ............ I won''t let you sleep today.'' ''No, Bertina, this boob cushion is not my fault either ......! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. --I tried my best to repeat such arguments, but ............ the timing was not good. I was lectured until the end of the night, and I was forbidden to make boob marshmallows during business hours, and I was forbidden to make boob cushions. No, it''s okay outside business hours! 435-Additive-free Episode 90 Main Street Decoration ''You''ve brought a hell of a lot of stuff with you, haven''t you? During the day, while Umaro was inspecting the site, including adjusting the position and height of the pillars to be erected, he was unexpectedly approached by Estella. Her eyebrows were in the shape of a c, her lips were bent in the shape of a f, and her chest was flat in the shape of an I. ''...... the letter I''. ''That''s loud.'' He presses his brows together in a fluid motion. Stop, you. I''m the kind of guy whose nose gets all tingly when you point your index finger near the base of it.My nose is itching! ''What are you talking about? ''The boo-boo cushion. You''re talking about that again: ...... That''s enough. I''ve been made to confess as much as I can, and they''ve confiscated the real thing. ''The confiscated items were delivered to me. ''Oh, it''s at your place now? ''...... Natalia was so amused.'' ''Wow, .......'' ''Now it''s all the rage among the waiters. ......'' It was a heavy, heavy sigh. It seems to have become quite troublesome. ''The senior waitresses set up with the juniors, and then the juniors set up with the juniors again, and now subjugation is becoming popular. ......'' ''It''s spreading very fast. It arrived last night, didn''t it? ''The spirit of trying to hook as many people as possible before they find out the truth. ......'' No one''s going to fall for it after it''s been spoiled. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. The battle of the girls, terrifying. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please contact us at ....... ......'''' Let Natalia take the blame for causing the craze.'' The boom in the lord''s house is out of my hands. It''s not my place. I don''t want anything to do with the boo-boo cushions anymore. And I don''t want to step foot in a cave where girls fool around with each other. Girls'' high schools, girls'' dormitories, and the like are just fine as long as they are beautified from the outside by our own imaginations. ...... It is better not to know the reality. ''At best, be careful not to get caught in front of visitors. ''I''m fine. If you know the story, you can be on your guard and Natalia will be there. The head waiter is always close to his lord, protecting his life and dignity. He is very reliable and capable. But it is precisely because he is capable that ...... ''Be careful that Natalia doesn''t set you up. ''...... That''s what I''m most afraid of, isn''t it? If Natalia is going to do it, she''s going to have to be really clever about it. The most important thing to remember is that you need to make sure that you have a good idea of what you are doing. ''And so, Yashiro''. Estella turns her head slightly down and looks up at me with a slight upward glance. What the hell. Stop it suddenly. You must be a little nervous. ''Today, ......, Ricardo is coming, right? ''You have permission to use it. ''Yes! That was a very powerful gut-punch. Did he want to do it so badly? I mean, it''s been confiscated, so why not let it go? Oh, I see. I guess he wanted an accomplice. You wanted an accomplice to play your silly pranks on other lords. Natalia and the others are her subordinates, they can''t go against Estella''s decisions and she alone is responsible for them. So you dragged me into this. You''re a very clever man, ...... I don''t know. I''m sure Ricardo will be fine. ''But I''m sure he''ll be so disappointed, he''ll want to do it to someone else. ''It''s already been confiscated, so I can sell it to you. However, since it''s forbidden by the church to use it in the 42nd district, tell them not to use it outside the lord''s mansion.'''' ''I won''t let you use it in my mansion either. I''ll ban you the moment you sell it.'' You use it yourself. That''s a bad use of power. I want it in my textbook. ''I''ll use the proceeds to pay for Halloween. It''ll make for a great party.'' That''s great. By all means, send the money to the sunny side up. We''ll serve you food that looks gorgeous even though it costs so little. Oh, speaking of cost... I heard they''re having cotton candy. ''Oh, that''s cute, maybe it''s for Halloween. No, it''s not Halloween at all. I''ll at least color it and make it look like a pumpkin. We haven''t had cotton candy since the party we had for the BU guys, but Norma has been steadily improving it and has succeeded in mass producing it. If we sell it to Lucia, she might like it and buy it back. ''Oh, that''s right. I remembered it from the party. Estella must have been remembering the party too, because she seemed to remember something in a chain of events. Then, she took out a letter from her pocket. ''There was a passionate love letter from Mahr, filled with bitterness. ''Don''t bring me such an evil thing. ......'' You accept the letter with reluctance and unfold it. The letters lined up there were not the neat and tidy letters of a lord, but lovely round letters. I wonder if she even uses ...... different letters, that old lady. It''s not that she''s dexterous or elaborate, but that she''s ...... good at wearing masks. The letter said, "I heard that you are going to have some interesting event, but ...... I didn''t hear about it. I haven''t heard of it." The letter was written in a distant manner and was written in full sentences. If you read between the lines, it came down to ''invite me''. ...... You got your information through Donnis, didn''t you? I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this in the future. I''ve won the top prize in the ghost story contest. ...... I''m sure Lucia would brag about it. I was careless. I didn''t expect the information to get around so quickly. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Estella. Please hurry up and pass the bill to restrict the entry of dense members. ''If the whole BU is against it, it might be hard to resist. If Ma''ulu opposes it, his brother Gerasie and the idiot Donnis will join him, and the other BU members won''t have the guts to confront Donnis and Ma''ulu. Tracy will be more than willing to kill any chance of not seeing Estella. ...... is no good. You can''t compete with the weakest forty-two districts, which are extremely vulnerable to diplomatic pressure. ''...... There are no VIP seats this time, okay? ''I''ll make sure to let them know that. ''Tell them that if they want to enjoy the show, they should come to the preview.'' ''Right. We''re still in the preparation stage, but it''s already a fun atmosphere, and we might not be able to take our time looking around at all the decorations in the city. Estella traces her fingers over the intricate Halloween decorations in the street. That''s Becco''s work. His practice of creating imaginary creatures from his imagination seems to have paid off, and the decorations are quite interesting. ''So, what''s Yashiro doing now? ''Checking out the new decorations. ''If Yashiro is working on his own after being commissioned by the Torbeck engineering store, then ...... he''s up to something again, isn''t he? ''Why are you being so disrespectful ......? ''Well, I''m plotting. ''Right now, Umaro and Norma are looking around the boulevard. We''re going to rent the roof of a store on the main street if we have to, so we''re negotiating that as well. I want to make the shadows of the ghosts appear as evenly as possible. Umaro is looking around the site, calculating the most effective layout for this purpose. I''ll go there and instruct him on the height of the pillars and the direction of the objects based on the angle of the sun. ''Is it going to take a little longer? ''Well, yes. Another ten to twenty minutes, right? ''Well, why don''t you help me with my work until then? ''Is there any breast enhancement exercise that requires assistance? ''I said it''s my job! Oh, no, you didn''t. Estella''s attitude towards breast enhancement exercises has reached the level of a craftsman, so I misunderstood her. ''I trust you because you''re a Torbeck contractor, but I just want to check the safety of the decorations and whether there''s anything against public order and morals. ''Oh, ......, Yamboldo is in charge. I''d better take a look, I swear. He''s a guy who gets carried away when he gets carried away. There may be things that are too grotesque to be scary and cute, or too s*xy to be erotic and not suitable for children. Those things need to be removed as soon as possible, and the erotic ones need to be kept in my room. Yeah. ''Well, let''s have a look around. ''Yeah.'' I take a step forward and Estella comes up next to me. I narrow my stride slightly to match Estella''s. I make sure to walk slowly, though not as slowly as Ginette. ''Whoa!Look, Yashiro!There! Estella shouted and pointed to a wall with a comical representation of a mouse being bitten by a cheese. It was a bar with a relaxed atmosphere, a place to enjoy wine. He must have been displeased with something after the rat bit into his cheese. ''Is this another sculpture by Becco? The comical expression is very effective. ''The back wall looks like a work by Jan Bold. These bricks look real, but they are all wood. Wooden wall that looks like a brick wall. The wood is easy to drill and modify. It''s easy to drill holes and work with wood. ''Hmm?What''s this? Among the wooden brick walls that Yang Bold must have built, there was one brick with the words ''Danger, Do Not Touch'' written on it. ''Don''t tell me that if I touch this brick, the building will collapse?I have to check.'' Estella, with a stern expression on her face, touches the wooden brick marked ''Do Not Touch''. At that moment, the wooden brick spun around. The wooden brick spins around, and a vicious biting weed with fangs sprouts out from inside. ''Yikes! At the sudden attack, Estella hurriedly withdrew her hand and jumped back, slightly losing her balance and clinging to me who was right behind her. ''What, what a dangerous trap! ''Look closely, Estella. That biting grass is a fake too. If you look closely, you''ll see that it''s a well-made fake made of wood. It may have a spring or something, and after it popped out, its mouth moved twice, but now its mouth is hanging open. It''s like a surprise box. It''s like a surprise box,'' he said. ''It''s ...... a bad prank! ''It''s definitely Yamboldo''s work. The quality is so high that it''s really annoying. I really don''t know why I gave him my talent, Spirit God. All right. I''ll put it away properly because it''s dangerous.'' You''re just trying to increase the number of victims because you feel bad that you''re the only one who got caught.'' ''That''s okay. This kind of surprise should be shared by everyone. I''m sure you''re falling right into Yambold''s trap. He pushed in the biting weed, and the fake brick with the words ''Danger, Don''t Touch'' on it ''Poof! The fake brick, marked ''Danger, Do Not Touch'', snaps back into place. The fact that it was so easy to set up, I can only assume that it was made with this in mind. It''s a trick that shows how crooked he is. It''s the kind of gimmick that Umaro would never make. I''m sorry. That was just a surprise. I didn''t mean anything by it.'' ''What''s that? ''Well, it''s fine if you don''t mind .......'' If I get embarrassed or upset because you hugged me, it will be even more awkward. ...... Don''t mention it every time. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. ''...... Why is this my treat? ''It''s part of the tour. You''re paying for it.'' ''I paid for it myself. I can''t afford to waste my people''s blood money.'' ''You''re a cheapskate, my lord.'' ''He''s not cocky, he''s solid. Here, I''ll buy you a drink with my own money, what do you want to eat?'' When I think of Estella''s own money, it''s instantly harder to collect. It''s not like I want to eat anything that badly. ...... ''Hmmm!What the hell is that? My eyes are glued to a store on the main street. On the wall of the store, there were big boobs sticking out like ''Doh! I''m not sure what to do. ''Ah, ......, the store has been replaced by a pudding store. It used to be a bar that served delicious smoked fish. ''Estella!I want some pudding! ''If you want to go into that store, you''ll have to pay for it. I don''t want to drop even a single Rb on that place! ''If you touch the body of the god, it might be beneficial. ''................... Haha, no way. I thought about it. I can see the struggle in your mind. ''At any rate, let''s get rid of that decoration because it''ll have a bad influence on the children. ''Why not?I thought tits were for kids! ''It''s ruining the scenery!Significantly! ''If we make it look consistent, it won''t look out of place! ''If you make it look like a uniform, women won''t be able to walk, let alone children! Due to Estella''s strong opposition, the Shinto shrine, which had been the main attraction of the main street, had to be removed. So, why don''t you ask Ukrines to make a big spobra?I think it would be less obscene if she wore clothes. What do you think? ............ was rejected. I''m not sure.Yashiro~!Estella~! As I walked down the main street, I saw Paula waving at me. ''Paula. How are the decorations for Cantalcica coming along?'' I''m not sure what to make of it. The cantaloupe that Paula looked up at with a sigh was not yet decorated in any way. In the midst of the stores on the main street, where a variety of decorations had appeared, it was hard to shake the impression that it was somewhat plain. ''Then why don''t you leave it to Jan Bold?I''ve just had a look, and there are a lot of interesting decorations. Right, Yashiro? ''Well, I''m sure Yangboldo will do a great job. ''No, no, no, no!Cantalcica is a restaurant that''s different from those restaurants, you know?The decorations have to be the most interesting and cute, just like Cantalcica! If you''re too particular like that, you''ll end up losing control. If you leave it to the professionals, they can make something safe and good for now, but ...... people who are picky won''t be satisfied with that. ''What kind of decorations does the sunlit pavilion have? ''It''s pretty normal. ''Of course not!There''s no way it''s going to be a plain decoration with Yashiro here! ''Ginette came up with a joke idea and I rejected it out of hand. ''Oh, the hero statue museum?Ginette, were you serious about that?'''' I was serious, serious, serious. She said ''I have a story to tell you'' with a smile on her face, and I wondered what it was, but it was something like ''Let''s make a museum in the sunny pavilion with heroic statues in various costumes! I gave her four deco-pins. Four in a row, from index finger to little finger. Next to Ginette, who was crouched down, we decided to keep the decorations at the Sunlit Pavilion as normal. On the day of the event, we plan to have a parade on the main street and launch the event at a barbecue restaurant on the east side. There won''t be many people on the west side, where the sunny pavilion is located. More importantly, if we decorate the sunny pavilion, it might attract too many spectators. If that happens, Jeannette won''t be able to leave the store. This time, we decided to be on the spectator''s side. Ginette would be participating in the costume parade and we would be there to watch. When it''s over, we''re going to wander around town in our costumes. My sisters were so excited that they wanted to sell sweets while wearing costumes. so I''m planning to set up stores No. 2 and No. 7. We''ll be selling popcorn, marshmallows, calumet, cotton candy, and candy apples. That''s about all we''ll be selling. ''Well, think about decorating the cantaloupes!I''m sure it''ll be great if Yashiro can come up with some ideas! ''Don''t get your hopes up. I''m not a designer. I''m not a designer. I can''t just come up with some bizarre and funny design. ''I don''t care what it is~!If you think of something, I''ll treat you to a new product for Halloween! ''What the hell?You''re not going to make a hexenbiest sausage covered in chocolate, are you? Don''t tell me you''re trying to make it look like candy. ''No. It''s a very spicy sausage with the concept of a dead man''s groan echoing through the store. ''Is it that spicy? ''I''m sure of it! Drinkers might like it. It''s like chorizo. ''I''m a little curious. I like spicy food.'' ''Lie to me, you sweet tooth.'' ''I drink more than Yashiro, you know. The amount of alcohol you drink doesn''t determine whether you''re sweet or spicy. Besides, it''s not that I can''t drink either. I just don''t drink. ''Hey, you know what?Don''t you want to eat?So think of something!No one''s ever had it before.I''ll be the first.Right?Yashiro, please! I''m not sure what to do. I don''t care if you ask me. ...... The cute little ghost decorations are placed here and there by Becko. Yambordo has made a lot of bizarre decorations that will surprise you. You can''t make much of an impact if you try to twist things a little too much now. ............ ''Well, why don''t you make the whole store look like a hexenbiest, and make the entrance look like the mouth of a beast? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to make it work.Like ....... ''...... is so common? ''No!It''s good!That''s a great idea, Yashiro!No one else is doing that! ''That could be interesting. Going into the belly of a hexenbiest is eccentric, unusual, and kind of fun. ''Right!And you can eat hexenbiest sausages inside the belly of a hexenbiest! But it''s so spicy that everyone''s moaning and groaning, right? ''Yes, yes!And they''re all dressed as ghosts!Haha, that could be really interesting! Paula looked at the store, peeked in, and said, ''I want to put this kind of decoration here, and ...... over there. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results,'' she said, her eyes glittering with determination. ''I knew it was the right thing to ask Yashiro!Watch me, I''ll make the most amazing decorations on the main street! ''You''re going to make it yourself? ''I''ll ask Umaro! ''Not Yamboldo? ''Because I want you to do the inside too. Paula seemed to think that with Yamboldo''s design, there was a risk of the place breaking down if the drinkers got a little rowdy. Maybe not, but it''s a customer business and they want to be safe. Well, I know the feeling. ''Then you''d better make your reservations early. Umaro''s running around all over the place with Norma right now.'' ''What, is that so?I thought he was bored because Yamboldo took his job! I guess we''re all thinking alike. Or was it that obvious that Umaro was depressed? ''Oh, that''s right. If that''s the case, why don''t you lend Umaro the roof of the cantartika. It''ll make the decorations more interesting. If you make the shadow of a girl about to be eaten by a wolf appear on the storefront of the cantaloupe, it might create a story. It would be like Red Riding Hood, with the wolf saying, ''Whoa! and the girl is like, "Aaaree! or something like that. Yeah!I''ll say it. Oh, we can''t stay like this!We have to go find Mr. Umaro! ''Oh, okay. I''m going to see Umaro now, so I''ll give him your message. I''m going to see Umaro now. It''ll save Umaro a lot of trouble and make the work go more smoothly. ''Yeah, I got it!Thank you, Yashiro!Now, wait a minute! With a smile on her face and her tail wagging wildly, Paula ran into the store. She must have gone to get the new hot sausage. ''It''s going to be an interesting decoration. ''Yeah. We''re going to have an event. A lot of people should make a profit. And if they feel indebted to us and willingly provide us with free labor and materials the next time we do something, we''ll be happy. ''Yashiro has a soft spot for Paula, doesn''t he? ''Huh? Estella said absurdly. ''What, after Nephrite, you''re now Paula? ''I''ve been nice enough to you.'' ''I don''t remember any of that. You son of a b*tc*. If you were a Crane, you''d have to work for free for the rest of your life to repay me. ''''Here you go, you two! Paula confidently brings out two hexenbiest sausages. She takes both of them and gives one of them to Estella. ''Here, Estella. It''s on me.'' ''My treat? ...... I just heard you say, "Here you go, you two.Isn''t half of it for me?'' ''That''s the price you get for my idea. ''How modest of you, your kindness. This is ...... There''s no such thing as too big or too small for kindness. Even small kindnesses should be reciprocated with the utmost gratitude. ''Then, I''ll accept it gratefully. Kashikomi kashikomi~'' Estella reverently accepted the hexenbiest sausage with both hands. That''s so deliberate. ''You guys are really close, aren''t you? It seems like Yashiro is only favoring Estella. ''What?That''s not true! ''I''ve just been told that I''m too soft on Paula. ''What?No, not at all! ''No, no, no, I''m not.'' ''I don''t have anything at all! ''That makes it sound like I''m not nice to anyone. I don''t want you to think I''m a nice guy. I don''t want you to think I''m a nice guy, but considering my contribution, it wouldn''t hurt to have a boob carnival with all of you. ''Why don''t I punish you instead? Huh. A lord like you wants to take the place of a spirit god? You''re too impolite, you rude man. ''Heh heh heh, that was a nonsense. I''ve been told by someone not to do anything that would lower my value, so I can''t do anything like that, you know. This guy ...... is talking about old stuff again. ''What''s that?I don''t know about that. ''Why are you trying to figure it all out? There are plenty of things you don''t know.'' ''As a lord, I want to know everything about this city. That''s absurd. ''Heh, this is an important ............ thing that someone told me when I was at my hardest. As he was about to say it, his tail fluffed up and he looked at me, ''Ugh! A gasp escaped. ''Come on, come on!You two are going to Umaro''s place, right?We have to hurry up!Make sure you tell him what I want!Come on, get going! Paula pushed Estella and me back. I''ll see you later! and quickly went into the store. Ugh, the door is closed. He always leaves the door open. ''Looking at your Conversation Record at ......, it looks like you''ve recorded a lot of interesting things. ''Not as much as your interesting conversation record. ''I''m sorry. Sleep-talking is not recorded in the Conversation Record. ''Is that so? ''Yes. Only words that you hear with your ears when you are conscious are recorded. Otherwise, all the noise of the crowd would be recorded. ''So, swear words said inaudibly will not be recorded? ''It will be clearly recorded in your Conversation Record, though. ...... I''ll have to do a spot check next time. This is the most important personal information you have. I can''t let you see it. ''Then how are mishearing recorded? ''Mishearing, for example?'' ''For example, .......'' I looked over and saw Hammaro walking towards me, bouncing happily. ''Marshmallow. ''Hammaro? ''That''s the kind of guy.'' ''Oh, ......, I''ll have to check that out.'' Hammaro nodded his head. It''s a good opportunity, so let me investigate. ''Hey, Hammaro. Can you show me your Conversation Record? ''I probably don''t have it! ''No, it''s common!All the people in this town have them! ''I don''t know how to use it! ''Maybe Loretta didn''t tell you because she didn''t want you to know about her ugly behavior at home. ''Oh, ......, I''m sure the ham kids would show it to her without warning. They''re probably trying to prevent people from finding out about things they can''t tell anyone at home. If we teach him how to use it here, Hammaro will probably go in and out of the Conversation Record here and there. ...... Yeah. That''s dangerous. ''Yes, it is. Maybe Hammaro doesn''t have it.'' ''Maybe he does! If he doesn''t have it, it''s a possibility, not a lie. That''s not true, though. Even I, a person from another world, have it. ''Hey, what''s that?Looks delicious. Hammaro''s eyes twinkled when he saw the hexenbiest sausage I was holding. ''Hmm?Yeah, you want to try it? ''I''m afraid to take something that belongs to you! It''s so ostentatious. ''So, please, Lord Ryoshu, give me some! ''...... Let''s have a three-way meeting with the eldest daughter next time, okay?Okay? ''Oh dear ......, I have a feeling I''m going to be pissed ............, but I''m happy for you! ''I''m glad you''re happy ......'' These guys like to plan ahead. They''ll turn any appointment into something to look forward to. I envy them. I''m not trying to emulate them in the slightest. ''Well, you can have a bite. But it might be spicy.'' ''Then no thanks! ''...... You''re free, aren''t you?'' You demand food from your lord, and when it''s offered to you, you refuse. ...... Yeah, if it wasn''t for this city, you''d be in a lot of pain. You''re lucky to have a world like this. ''From Umaro? ''Yes!Let''s see, ...... ''Wow, I''m fine with that fox lady over there, but I can''t talk to Imelda-san directly! ''Yeah. That''s not the message you asked for. Oh, so Imelda is with you. You don''t need to see it to get a clear image of the scene. ''Let''s see, ...... ''The center of the main square is lonely. Do you have any good ideas? He said! ''The Grand Plaza. ''Oh, you idiot! ''You''re missing a ''hiro'', Hammaro.'' ''Missing Hammaro? ''No. I didn''t say anything bad like that.'' I really wonder what''s going on with Hammaro''s Conversation Record. If an honest person were to read it, he or she would probably lose sight of the concept of conversation and become confused. ''Anyway, you want me to come to the Great Square. ''Well, let''s go then. I''m curious to see what you guys are up to. He wants me to play a part in the plot. In a way, he''s probably a workaholic too. After parting ways with Hammaro, Estella and I walked toward the main square. Biting into a hexenbiest sausage. ''Wow, that''s hot! Estella holds her mouth and pulls the sausage away from her face. You don''t like spicy food, do you? ''Yes, it is a little spicy. It''ll be hard without a drink. I try a bite, but my tongue goes numb. If you wash it down with a carbonated beer, it should be quite stimulating. Maybe it''s not an exaggeration to say that the roars of the old men echoed throughout the restaurant. I see, you''re confident. ''I should have given it to Hammaro at .......'' ''He''ll cry, he''ll cry. It''s hard on a child. ''Okay, I''ll feed it to Umaro.'' ''I see. That''s a good idea.'' There''s a lord next to me with an evil smile on his face. Well, I don''t think he''ll eat Estella''s food. She''ll eat mine. Okay, let''s feed her. They play tricks and laugh at each other. ''You look like you''re having a lot of fun, are you on a date? ''Oh!Natalia! Natalia''s face appeared from between Estella and I, and Estella and I jumped to the left and right. ''What, where is this date?It''s an inspection!Patrol! ''Isn''t it a perfect date to eat and walk around ...... happily looking at Halloween decorations with a light meal in your hand? ''That''s why, it''s not like that. ......! ''It looks delicious. ............jii'' Natalia is staring at Estella''s hexenbiest sausage. You''re sulking, Natalia. Estella, why don''t you share a bite with her. It''ll put her in a better mood. ''All right. I''m about to eat, do you want a bite?'' ''No, it''s too much.'' ''Where did you leave your respect, boy? The head waiter calls the master''s food ''fat''. If the waiters grew up following his example, they''d make a very interesting group. ''So, Master Yashiro. I''ll be your guest. ''Isn''t mine too tight? ''In the case of Yashiro-sama, if it''s moderately tight, the feeling of being ...... defiled is immoral. ......'' ''Okay, shut up now. ''What do you mean, people like Regina? ''It''s similar, no longer.'' Let''s not lose our sense of shame, ladies and gentlemen. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do with it. Then he points to the side of the sausage. I''ve already taken a bite of the tip, so I guess he wants to take a bite of the unmouthed part. Natalia''s cheeks, which were slightly turned away from me, were slightly stained with cherry blossom. ...... If you have that kind of shame, you should be a little more careful about what you say and do. ''Good. Here. ''Now, if you''ll excuse me. I offer her the sausage, and Natalia gently grasps my hand as she holds it. Even though I offered her the sausage to hold it herself, Natalia puts her own hand on my hand and puts her face close to the sausage while letting me hold it. Then, when her lips almost touched the sausage, she peeked out her tongue and licked the side of the sausage from the base. ''Hey, hey! ''It''s delicious. Here''s the rest.'' ''You can''t eat it! The whole side of the sausage is covered in your saliva! ''But I''m sure he also has a dominant side that would be delighted to have a beautiful woman spit on him~'' said a certain pharmacist. You''re not going to hide who you are, are you?I know who you are and I don''t have that kind of s*xuality! It''s scary because this kind of malicious prank will eventually be told as if it were the truth, this town! You have to dig up and eradicate the seeds before they germinate. ''Take responsibility and eat it all. ''It can''t be helped. Let''s eat it. Natalia accepted the sausage with a look on her face that suggested she had been aiming for this all along. If that''s the case, why didn''t you just take Estella''s? ''I can''t be so shameless as to eat the same food as a gentleman in broad daylight. ''What''s so shameful about it?It''s normal, it''s normal! ''It''s the first time I''ve had a boyfriend, look at all the happy wannabes! I don''t think so. ''No, I don''t!I''m not going to say ''all the cotton poppies'' or anything like that. ''Is this the reason why you''ve been so nervous since this morning? ''No, I wasn''t nervous!I just happened to see you, so I asked you to help me with the inspection, not me. ......'' ''Then, please prove here that you''re not currently wearing victory pants!Open the pants! ''I can''t show you that! ''No, let''s have a look.'' ''Will you please shut up, Yashiro? The squire and his wife, who are always lively when they see each other, made a lot of noise in the main street, and finally they had to compete in a hot sausage eating contest, and Estella lost to Natalia by a small margin. Natalia was finally in a better mood. Are you okay with that, your relationship? After that, they met up with Umaro and the others and had a meeting about decorating for Halloween. The lord and the head waiter were very interested and decided that the shadow art would be a big surprise for the residents. 436-Additive-free Episode 91 Apple Bobbing ''Hello, ladybug. The preparations for Halloween were in full swing, and the whole forty-second ward was starting to look like a horror town. Millie brought me a lot of apples. ''I''m sorry, Milly. Assunto''s idiot said, ''Apples are in short supply because many households and restaurants want to buy them,'' you know. Are you crazy, Mr. Asuto?Because the demand for apples has increased so much.'' ''Running out of apples on Halloween, I don''t think he''s cut out to be a businessman. ''I see everyone is practicing their ghost apples. The big girls are working really hard too. ''Hahaha. You don''t have to work so hard, you can become a ghost without a costume if you stand in front of a mirror without makeup. ''No, you can''t!You can''t say that in front of your sisters because it will ............ get you in trouble, okay? A viewing type horror attraction will turn into a feeling type horror attraction. Okay, let''s not say that in front of her. ''Are there still apples in the forest? ''Hmm. There are apples on ...... that haven''t fully grown yet. We can''t get them all.'' That''s why he went to the 40th district, where the apple bombing hadn''t happened, and was allowed to pick apples in the forest under the jurisdiction of the flower guild over there. ''Neck and Chick helped me out,'' he said. ''Do they have a good relationship with the flower guild over there? ''They''re donating a portion of the profits from the sugar beets to the forest to help maintain it. ''They''re doing that? How sycophantic can they be? They''re donating their profits to a guild that has nothing to do with them. ...... Are they cursed to die if they don''t always do good? ''s ...... chuckle. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. She beckons me a little and tells me the reason behind it in my ear. ''Because it''s an important place that gave me a chance to meet Ladybug-san,'' she said. I''m going to take good care of the forest so that the ladybug will come back to see the flowers in Soleil. Come to think of it, the reason I met the anteater brothers was because I wanted to see the Soleil flowers and Millie introduced them to me. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to pay them to manage it for me. It''s not like I said, "I want to see it again. I don''t have any plans to go see it. ............ ''Neck and Chick said that since they met Ladybug, everything has changed for the better. ...... I''m so, so, so grateful. Hmm. From the outside, it looks like nothing''s changed at all. He''s still living in a ramshackle house, tinkering in the dirt from morning till night, spouting off his ridiculously cheerful junior high school English. They''ve been smiling since before they met me. If they''re happy now, it''s only because of the way they live their lives. Don''t drag me into this. You make people sound like good people. ....... ''............''. Millie, who was looking into my face, gave a small laugh. ''...... What the hell? ''Uh-huh. It''s nothing. ......Jinette''s imitation.'' Ginette also often looks into people''s faces and laughs like this. Especially when someone is trying to make me out to be a good person. ''Do I look that funny? ''Yeah. You have a very nice face.'' ''Mm-hmm. Millie voted that I''m good-looking. ''That''s not what I meant, though. ......'' A good face is a good looking face. If the majority of you agree that he is good-looking, I''ll post it on the board. "Obayashi, good looking! That''s it. Yeah, that''s right. Got a message from Neck and Chick. "Let''s eat apple pie together again. Did he really say it like that? ''Well, the way ...... I said it was, "Hey, ladybug, I''ve got something hot ...... for you today. ......I''m too embarrassed to go any further. ......'' ''It''s tough, having an embarrassing childhood friend.'' ''Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.It''s not that Neck and Tic are embarrassing people, it''s that they''re embarrassing to imitate Neck and Tic. ......'' ''I''m too embarrassed to imitate those embarrassing people. ''Oh, ...... that''s not it, ............ that''s not it, the ladybug''s being mean... ...'' Millie''s face is staining like an apple. What a cutie. I want three of them. One to display, one to keep, and one to cuddle and sleep with. I don''t want to talk about this!I''m done! Poof!--Millie makes a jerky gesture of dismissing a topic she''s not comfortable with. Okay, okay. Please add another one!Take it home! ''Are you going to turn these apples into candy apples? ''No, they''re for the game. I asked Millie to choose a slightly smaller variety for me. It''s about two times smaller than the apples we often see in Japan. They are small but sweet and less sour. It would be perfect for biting into. ''You use it for games? ''Oh, yeah. It''s called apple bobbing, where you fill a barrel with water and float these apples in it. You just grab it with your mouth without using your hands.'' ''That sounds kind of hard. ......'' It''s a little difficult. If you don''t know the trick, you can''t get it at all. But it''s a game for kids, so it''s not that difficult. ''Do you want to try it? ''Hmm. I might want to try it. Even ...... Miri can do it ......, right?'' ''Have you ever drowned in a barrel before? ''No, I haven''t!I''m not that small! ''Then you''ll be fine. I couldn''t help but laugh at her cheeks as they puffed up. I can''t help it, she''s too cute, I want to tease her. If I don''t go easy on her, I''m going to feel really bad if she doesn''t like me. ''Well, I''ll go tell Jeannette to get you a keg. ''Hmm. Okay, Miri, I''ll wait here. Millie waved me off with a small wave. I wonder if I need to add two more for sending off and picking up: ...... Thinking about this, I went into the kitchen. ''Hey, Jeannette. There''s an unused barrel somewhere. ............ Huh?It''s not there. The kitchen was empty. Magda and Loretta were away cheering on the food truck, but Ginette and Molly were supposed to be in the kitchen. That''s strange. The courtyard? After leaving the kitchen, I walked down the corridor, which was no longer creaking at all, and opened the door, which had also stopped making any noise and was now very light and smooth to open and close. ''Hey, Jeannette. Are you there? ''''Aaahhhh! As soon as I opened the door, two screams rang out. I shrugged my shoulders in surprise, but when I calmly checked the situation, I found Molly clinging to Ginette''s waist and burying her face in her tits in front of the ...... well. ''............'' ''Oh, um, ......Ya, Yashiro,-san, ......'' ''............How long have you been waiting?'' ''You''re not going to get your turn to wait! Oh no! Because this attraction looks like so much fun! ''Molly, there''s a hold-up in the back, we need to switch. ''That''s not what I meant, Yashiro-san!For now, can you please stay inside until I say it''s okay? ''I refuse! ''I can''t see my stomach! Molly looks desperate. Hmm. If you ask me, the hem of Jeannette''s dress is puffed out. It''s as if she''s wrapped the hem inside ......, or rather, she''s wrapped the hem inside. ''What are you doing? It''s not that I''m not a fan of the idea, but I''m not a fan of the idea.I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. In other words, as the Halloween season approached, the two of them were going to check each other to see if the results of their dieting were showing and how their stomachs looked. That is why she did not fold or lift up the hem, but folded it inward and rolled it up so that it would look good from the outside. If you roll it up too much, your eyes will be drawn to it and your stomach will be obscured. ...... Well, if I were you, I''d only look at her tummy, but we''re both girls, so it''s not surprising that you''d think that. And as a result of such ingenuity, when I suddenly came to the courtyard, I couldn''t quickly pull down the hem, and Molly''s face was buried in her big tits. I see, I see. ''How much is that attraction, one time? ''And, so, it''s not an attraction!d*mn it!Yashiro-san! Ginette points to the entrance to the kitchen with tears in her eyes. Well, I guess I''ll have to go back with such a nice view in my back. ...... ''Is it Molly''s turn next? ''I''ll check in with the manager''s office after ............ closing.'' I see. It seems I''ve interfered in some way. You don''t have to worry about me~. ...... All right. I''ll go back. I guess I should go back. d*mn. ''Jeannette, if you have a waist-high barrel, I''d like to borrow it. Can you bring it to me later? ''Yes, sir! As I leave, I tell Ginette what I need from her over my back. She replied just as the door was about to close, and I went back to the floor, my hair tugging at the back of my head. ''Oh, my ...... ladybug?Why are you crying? ''In the courtyard of the sunny pavilion, you can sometimes find a peach garden,......, but you can''t stay there long and you''ll never find it again,.......'' ''Well, ......, I don''t know if it''s all right, but ............, you can''t be naughty, can you? It''s not s*x! It''s romantic. Oh, yeah, ladybug. What''s your, what''s your, what''s your? As if she couldn''t see me slumping my shoulders, Milly raised her voice to change the atmosphere. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Oh, that''s a pinata ball,'' she said. But it''s not the kind you pull a string on and it breaks, it''s the kind you smash with a stick. ''Can I see it? ''Oh. It''s easy to break if you put too much pressure on it, so please be careful. ''Hmm! Millie runs up to the smoldering ball. ...... If you want to, you can get into the smoldering ball. ............? ''Wow, it''s hollow. ''Oh. You can put all kinds of things in it.'' ''Wow~...... interesting~. Strange~'' The beautiful hollow sphere seemed to be interesting, and Miry lifted it up and looked into it, looking at the sides and bottom like an urn connoisseur. ''How do you make it? The secret of the hollow lies in the boo-boo cushion. You can use the same method as the boob cushion to inflate the leather balloon of a hexenbiest, and then paste paper dipped in water-soluble glue around it. Make sure there are no gaps, but make it thin, yet firm. When the glue is dry, deflate the balloon, and the hardened paper will become a hollow sphere. The most important point is not to tear the paper when deflating the balloon. ''What''s a pi?¡Àata? ''It''s a game. ...... Well, let''s try out the pi?¡Àata along with apple bobbing.'' ''Hmm!Let''s start with apple bobbing, the game with apples, right?'' Millie looks up at me with excitement in her eyes. I think that''s a sign that I can take it home with me. ''I''ll take the product, Millie! ''Oh, no, no, no, no. ......'' No, no, no, no, no. ''Okay, Millie, can you help me get ready? ''Hmm!I''ll do it.'' I put two tables together and sit side by side with Millie. The bigger the work space, the better. I prepare colored paper and scraps of paper and paste them on the kusudama. The mummy man, the lantern ghost, the one-eyed boy with his long tongue sticking out, etc. Paste eyes and mouths on the balls and make some comical ghosts. ''Oh, he''s so cute! ''Is that Millie?That''s right! ''Oh, no, it''s not ...... the ghost, it''s ............ but, hehehe... ...I''m glad. What is it? I''ll keep saying it as long as it takes to make you happy. I''m not sure what to do. ...... oops, that makes me a lion. Gah! ''Millie. Watch out for predators.'' ''Huh?And we''re not going to meet any, are we? You idiot! All men are predators! ''If Milly wore a red cape, I''d be a wolf. ''Well, I don''t know, ......, but don''t eat ......, okay? Yeah, I know what you mean. ''Don''t push it, okay?Don''t push it. That''s the one. Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean. ''Hey, ladybug, ............!I know. Oops, I guess it showed on my face. Let''s make some serious balls. While I''m making a ghost smoldering ball, Millie is puzzling over ''hmmm ...... hmmm ......'' and designing a ghost. ''I wonder how I can make something as cute as the ladybug''s.'' ''This kind of thing is an idea. ...... I guess so. Then try to make the face you think Millie would be most scared of.'' ''Huh?I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. .................. Wait, not that one! I stood up, silently opened the window, and shouted from the bottom of my stomach. I''m not going to be able to do that. ''Oh, come on, ladybug!That was a mistake! Millie lifted up the corner of her eyes with both index fingers. In other words, a face with upturned eyes is scary. ''Then, why don''t you make a ghost like this? On a piece of paper, she drew a devilish character with slanted eyes. It also has a slit mouth and fangs. ''giggle...... cute''. I guess the reason why the finished product looks so cute is because my retinas are seared with Millie''s haunted face from earlier. I''m not sure what to say. Is that ...... on purpose?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. I''ll try to make a copy of this one. She cuts the paper with scissors, glues it with her fingers, and when it sticks out, she squeals and looks like a ...... preschooler. ''Miry, are you sure you don''t want to take a nap or something? ''Miri, I''m not a child! She puffs up her cheeks as she makes a smoldering ball. Her mouth is open in an attempt to make a scary face. to make a scary face. When I draw a smiling face, I smile too, and when I draw an angry face, I become severe too. ''Mr. Yashiro, is this barrel okay? Ginette comes to the floor with Molly, carrying a barrel. Her stomach is neatly hidden. ''Oh, Miss Milly. What are you making?'' ''Let''s see, ...... a smolder? ''Well, they''re pretty. ''These ones were all made by Ladybug-san. Do you want to join us, Jinetto-san? ''Yes. I''d like to make one. Giggling happily, Jeannette sat down next to Millie. ...... It''s funny. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to make it work. ''Yashiro-san, what should we do with this barrel? ''Well, put it in the middle. So, I''m sorry, but can you help me get some water? ''Yes, sir. ''It''s heavy, the water ......'' ''Yes, but the pulley in the well at the Sunken Pavilion is surprisingly light, isn''t it? Norma was very enthusiastic the other day. Still, water is heavy. It''s hard to carry a tub full of water back and forth. ''Hmm~......'' Molly glanced at the smoldering scene. She looks like she really wants to do it. ''Let''s make one later, Molly. ''Yes!...... Can I ask you to design one?'' ''Well, I want you to make the face you think Molly would be most scared of.'' ''What?Scariest, is it? ............'' Molly puts her fingers to her chin and thinks. And then, ''So, let''s go like this: ......'' The expression she made was expressionless. ''This is the face that scares my brother the most. ''...... Yeah. I know. When you''ve got something to hide, that''s the scariest expression you can make. ......'' But you know what, Molly? That''s not it. That''s not what I''m looking for. ...... For now, I''ll draw an illustration of a frozen, expressionless snow woman. So I fetched some water, made a kusudama, and got ready. I stuffed various things inside the ball. From prizes, to traps, to all sorts of things. ''Yashiro~. I''ve been summoned by Hammaro. ''I came along as a chaperone for my lord, who has been running around a lot lately.'' Estella and Natalia both show up. One after another, acquaintances began to gather. ''Yes, yes!All participants line up here! ''...... This is a demonstration. Therefore, the number of participants is limited. ......The first one to line up wins, or, fisticuffs. ''The sooner you get here, the better!We''re not looking for such a bloody battle! Magda and Loretta deal with the customers coming to the Sunlit Pavilion. They move the tables to the edge of the room to make the floor more spacious. We''ve set up a few easy seats, and the rest of the floor is reserved for games. ''Ginette, be prepared. It''s going to get pretty messy, isn''t it?'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll do my best to clean it up! Lately, there have been few customers because of the town''s addiction to experimenting with Halloween dishes. It''s unlikely that there will be a huge influx of people coming to eat later today. A few light snacks will be enough to keep us open. So today, everyone at the Sunlit Pavilion will be participating in the game. We all need time to play once in a while. Especially since Magda and Loretta have been filling in the gaps left by Jeannette for the past few days. Enjoy yourselves. ''Oh, yes. Becco.'' ''What is it, Mr. Yashiro? ''Would you mind stepping out into the open for a moment?'' ''Out front, that it is, I understand! Make sure Bekko is out, and close the door. Lock it. ''Well, let''s get started! ''Let me in, please!Mr. Yashiro! Boom, boom, boom!--And the door is slammed. Don''t hit the door!Don''t hit it!If you break it, you''ll pay for it! ''What brilliant harassment. ...... I''m glad I''m not the target. Umaro is doing shadow art with me right now. Besides, you fixed the hallway and the door so I could get a glimpse of Jeannette''s throbbing situation. ''It''s my punishment for not making a food sample of motsu. ''I will, that I will!Within a day or two, that I will!So please let me in!I''m lonely, that I am! ''Yashiro-san, isn''t that ...... pitiful? '''''''' Molly, are you an angel? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. Molly''s worried about Becco. It''s amazing. I didn''t know such a kind girl existed. This world''s not so bad after all. With Molly''s generous heart, we start the game, including Bekko. Anyway, Imelda, do you really want a food sample of motsu?I thought you wanted to keep something beautiful forever.Isn''t it becoming a collection of delicious food, lately? ''Oh, Yashiro. Is this the game? Javier peeked at the keg of liquor he''d brought with him, wondering where he''d gotten it from. Drinking in another district in the middle of the day, ......, the woodcutter must have a lot of free time on his hands. ''I catch apples floating in the water with my mouth instead of using my hands. What? Isn''t that easy? Anyone can do it. He laughed, as if he were making fun of me. ''Then let''s have Javier do it first. ''Then, if you succeed in one shot, I''ll give you a ticket to have dinner with Imelda. ''No, wait, wait!I can''t even have dinner with her without that ticket? ''Of course not. ''Even though we''re father and son? ''Hey, it''s easy, right?All you have to do is pull it off in one shot.'' ''...... I see. All right, watch this!And we''re having dinner with Imelda tonight! With a loud clap of his hands, Javier grabbed the rim of the keg. Countless apples are floating in the copious amount of water that covers the surface of the water. Javier stares at the floating apples and brings his face close to them. Javier''s bearded mouth touches the apples, and the apples sink into the water as if to escape. Javier dives his face into the water to chase after it. The apple escapes further. Javier chases after it. Splashing and splashing in the water. Javier is still chasing. Javier''s posture is getting a little uncomfortable. I accidentally spilled a little oil at Javier''s feet. Javier''s foot slipped as he stepped into the room. ''Gabo gabo gabo! ''I''ll hold you down for fun, and many others! ''Gabo gabo!I''m dying! Zap!Howls Javier, out of the water. The people who had been holding him down run away like spiders, and he turns a blind eye. ''The people who are turning away now are the culprits, aren''t they!I know it!Hey, don''t whistle so loud! There were some lumberjacks in the crowd, weren''t there? Yeah, yeah. Trust is very important, you know. ''Hah, hah. ...... Yashiro. Isn''t this too difficult? You''re saying the exact opposite of what you said before. ''No, it''s not!I''m not sure what to do with it. That''s because it''s a game. ''Father.'' Imelda smiles and offers a towel to Javier, who is soaking wet. ''Oh, Imelda!What a thoughtful, kind girl you are!I''m going to treat you to something you like tonight.'' ''No, not with someone who doesn''t have a ticket to dine with me. ''Imelda! Javier tries to hug his daughter with wet hair and is rejected with all his might through the towel. I don''t know if it''s okay for the guild leader of a large guild to be disgusting in a place like this. ''Alright, Torbek!You''re next! ''Why do you get to decide? ''Shut up!Let me prove in front of my daughter that I''m not the only one who can''t do it! ''I can probably do it, I''m pretty good at this kind of thing. ''Then, Umaro, if you can do it in one go, I''ll give you a ticket to have dinner with Magda. ''Oh, it''s that hard, isn''t it?You''re sure you can''t do it in one shot? I see. Then I refuse to play that game! He''s a graceful coward, this one. He avoids Magda at all costs, even if it means running away. There''s no such thing as manhood or pride. Magda or dead, that''s who he is. ''Well, I''ll give it a try for now, but ......, please change the water in this fatty.'' I''m not sure what you''re talking about, Torbek. ''It looks like there''s some kind of broth coming out of it. ......'' ''I''m kelp? Don''t worry, Umaro. Kombu has to die before it can make broth. Javier''s still alive. For now. Barely. By the skin of his teeth. Javier''s being too forceful. There''s water underneath, so if you push, you''re bound to sink. You have to be smarter, like this...'' As he approaches the apple, Umaro''s nose touches it and it sinks. After a while, it floats back to the surface. When he puts his face close to another apple, it also sinks. It floats. Umaro approaches an apple. The apple sinks. It floats. It sinks. Float. Sink. ............ float. ''Dude, that''s sloppy! ''Geez!I''m not sure what to do. Javier, impatient with the lack of progress, knocks Umaro down on his back, and Umaro sinks into the barrel. ...... floats. ''Geez!What are you doing? ''You''ll never get it with your way! ''I don''t want to be told by you! Two adults fighting. They''re old enough to be childish old men. ''...... Umaro, this''. ''Magda-tan!A towel for me? Magda, Molly and Loretta line up in front of a wet Umaro. ''...... Magda has a fresh, smelly towel,'' she said. ''I have Javier''s used towel. ''The regular towel I have.'' ''...... Which one do you prefer?'' ''Magda''s is the best, of course! A man without hesitation, Umaro. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at the following tips to help you get the most out of your wedding. ''...... I don''t know what to say. ''Well, don''t say that, Loretta. It''s Umaro, you know.'' ''It''s very convincing, that word! When Loretta sees the truth, she stands by the barrel, and I show her how it''s done. I don''t want her thinking, ''This is impossible. ''Well, just watch. That''s how you get it.'' Without hesitation, dip your face in the water and approach the apple with your mouth wide open. When the apple touches your lips, suck it in with all your might. When you bite down with your teeth on the skin of the apple, look up. With a splash of ......, he brushed back his bangs, which were sticking to his face, and struck a pose with a victory wink. You can do it like this. He picks up an apple, his trophy, and shows it to the crowd. This is the model for a successful shot. Come on, Loretta. Get a towel. ............ Loretta?A towel. ...... Hey, come on, Loretta! You''re making my eyes water! I want to wipe my face!Hey, Loretta! Yashiro-san, here you go. She takes the towel offered from beside her and wipes her hair and face, which are dripping with water. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked to the side to see Jeannette smiling at me. I knew it was you. ''Thank you, Jeannette. ''No.'' But Loretta, what was she doing idly? I had her standing near me so that I could give her a towel right away. ...... ''What?I forgot!Big brother, a towel! ''I''ve already wiped it off. Loretta was in a daze for some reason. Her ears were red. Where''s the embarrassment in that?It''s not like you''re embarrassed now. ''...... water dripping'' ''Hmm?'' ''......Yashiro has raised the bar.'' ''What are you talking about, Magda?'' ''...... The next menswear is pitiful.'' I don''t know what you''re talking about. ''Men''s. ...... All right, Percy''s next! ''Mr. Yashiro, you can''t pick someone who''s going to make your makeup fall off again. ...... But it''s going to be fun, so I''ll do Percy! ...... What? ''Hey, Yashiro.'' Nefari is looking around. It reminds me of the breeding shed in elementary school. I don''t know why chickens used to move like that. ''Percy, you''re not coming today? ''What?You''re not here? I didn''t realize it until he said it. Because he was always participating in these events even though I didn''t call him. Especially when Nephrite was there. Percy''s not here? ''...... He''s going to cancel Halloween because of the rain? ''No,......, brother, I don''t know about today''s events.'' Molly, who knows a lot about Percy, replies hesitantly. ''You''re an idiot, Molly. If Nefari is here, how can she not be informed? Percy lives in the grassy knoll in front of Nepheli''s house, you know. ''If I was stalking him, I would have noticed. ......'' ''Well, there''s a huge increase in sugar production for Halloween right now, and ...... I''ve been working at the Sunlit Pavilion for various reasons, so I can''t leave the factory, brother.'' ''Oh, you''re working, Percy! It was a shocking revelation to Neffery. ''Yes, sir. I haven''t had a chance to rest for the past few days. ''I''ve been allowed to do whatever I want, so you can do whatever you want this time. I''ll leave the factory to you.'' ...... said something like a decent big brother.'' That''s great!You''re doing great, Percy!I''m so happy for you, Molly. Molly hides her embarrassment with a subtle ''yeah, well ......'' expression as Nepheli looks as pleased as I am. She''s happy that her brother is being praised. ''I see, I see. Percy has finally come to realize that he''s a big brother. ''I''ve been acting like a big brother for a long time, but it''s only recently that I''ve started to show it in my ...... actions.'' ''Molly, you look happy. ''No, I''m not. ...... Well, the way you work is pretty cool ...... in its own way, I thought. It''s not bad. It''s cool to be a working man. ''...... Yeah, well...'' Molly looks happy. Percy is making Molly happy. ......Is it going to rain hard that day? ''I''ve been thinking about you too, Percy. I''m sure you''re right. You''ve always been a strong person, haven''t you? You''ve been protecting Molly for a long time, and you''ve been trying your best to protect the factory too. I''m sure he''ll be even better when you see more of his good qualities. Percy, you''re a cool guy, aren''t you? ''Please don''t!If you praise him too much, he''ll get carried away! ''Well, it''s only when he''s not here. ''No!I''m sure he''ll hear you. Yeah. I''m sure that idiot can hear me over a distance like this. If anything, he might be running for the 42nd district right now, abandoning his work. ''I don''t think that''s too much of a compliment. ...... Oh, you''re cool, the way you''re working, you know? ''But it''s still too much praise!I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ............ Yeah, ...... is going to do that, if he''s that stupid. But I am glad that you praised me, so I will use the Conversation Record to keep an eye on the situation and make use of it in small doses. Are you okay with that?'' ''Hmm?Well, I''m not sure, but you can do whatever you want, Molly. ''Thank you very much. But please don''t do it directly. You''ll break it.'' ''Hmm? That''s my sister. She knows exactly how to use her brother. If Neffery said ''cool'' to me directly, ...... he''d explode. ''If you show him a glimpse of you in costume at the show, that will be enough of a reward. ''Haha. My masquerade won''t be a reward. You know? ''No, Nephrite, you have a good figure and you''re beautiful. ''Eh~, that''s not true~!Molly, you''re always joking! You''re a funny one, Molly. What is it about chickens that makes them beautiful?Is it the angle of their beaks? ''Nah, nah, nah, nah, hero! ''Nah, don''t pull it, Barbara! ''If I show up in costume, will I get that ...... reward?'' ''Depends on the person.'' ''What about Aashi? ''Depends on the viewer.'' ''Pa............ ah, what about her?'' ''I don''t know.'' ''You should know! Why do I have to put so much effort into you and Percy''s stuff? ''If you do your best to dress up pretty, I''m sure they''ll be happy. ''Really, manager? ''Yes. Barbara-san is also a pretty girl.'''' ''Alright!Aashi, I''ll dress up too!Teresa, let''s dress up together! ''Yes!Ahsoka, Kasho, Soooo! I wonder if that will make Percy happy? If it''s a mummy woman wearing nothing but a bandage, she might!Even me!Even Barbara! ''Yachiro~!I got it! Cheryl is biting into an apple with a wet face. That''s apple bobbing for kids in a tub. The bottom is shallow so you won''t drown. But you''re pretty wet. ''When I opened my mouth and said, "Ahhh", a lot of water came in and went out! ''You''re dirty, man.'' ''Hey, Yashiro. How much is that mineral water?'' ''There''s no minerals in the kid''s mouth, okay?And be careful, Javier, because the Grim Reaper is right behind you.'' ''Hold on, Imelda!Let''s talk! It''s no fun to watch Javier being exterminated, so I check on the kids. ''Hey, watch your step...'' Norma is taking care of the kids. She''s a caring woman. ''It''s fun for the kids to play, but it''s not a game for us to play. ''No, it''s not. She can tell your love fortune, too.'' ''Is that so? ''Yashiro-sama, please elaborate. ''I want to hear it too! ''The extermination is over.'' Estella and the rest of the girls crowded into the room. And Imelda. Thanks for your help. ''There are several kinds of fortune telling: ...... you put an apple in a barrel with the name of the man you love written on it, if you get it the first time, you''ll be in love with him, if you get it the second time, it''ll take a little longer, if you get it the third time, your love will turn to hate, if you get it the fourth time, you''ll never be rewarded. --There''s fortune telling. I''m not sure what to say. ...... is there any practice with that? ''It''s just fortune telling. It''s not something you should take that seriously. I know you don''t like to lose, Estella, but you''ve got a few tricks up your sleeve to keep from losing. She''s the type of person who draws the fortune again and again until she gets a good luck. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. That''s right. It is possible that bad luck will be avoided. Then let''s go with the other one. ''Now, write the names of various members of the opposite s*x on apples and put them in a barrel and take one. If the name of the person you love is written on it, your love luck will increase!--Or something like that.'' I''ll do that one!There''s no penalty, is there? ''No, there isn''t, but ...... you don''t have to be so desperate .......'' ''I''m not desperate! Howls Norma with a desperate look in her eyes. ...... You''re scaring me. Fortune-telling is nothing but conjecture and comfort. Something as vague as ''love will rise'' is probably more popular. If you say ''you will get married'', it may be a lie. Even if ''-100'' becomes ''0'', it''s still a ''big rise'', isn''t it? ''Now, by opposite s*x, I mean, in our case, we''re writing men''s names. ......'' I noticed that each of the girls had an apple in their hands. Estella and Natalia, who were good with knives, seemed to be the ones to carve the names. ''Anyway, shall we include Yashiro, who happens to be in front of us right now?He caught my eye. And he''s a man. Right, Paula? ''Yes, that''s right!I think we should put him in for now.Hey, Nephrite? ''Huh?Uh-huh. That''s right. For now. You''re squealing. ...... And, Molly. ...... Don''t look at me. ''''So, is there anyone else you would like to include?'''' Natalia''s question had the girls nodding their heads, ''''''hmmm ............''''''. ''''No one? ''''Please don''t forget to include the names of the men you are interested in. Ginette says with an innocent smile. This guy seems to be looking forward to his love fortune telling. ...... ''So, Ginette, do you want to write someone? ''Heh!Oh, no,......, I''m ............ Alvistan, so...'' ......? You''ll get a reply like that, so shut up. I''ll just write down the names of the people I know and put them in there. It''s not like it''s a fortunetelling of what will happen with the person you win, it''s just that if you win the love of your life, your love luck will increase, so take it easy. That''s right. Then let''s leave the rest to Yashiro. Yes, you can use my knife. ''Big brother!I want to write! ''Then you can use my knife, Hammaro-san.'' ''The head waiter''s family''s treasured sword! ''No, it''s a sword for everyday use. It''s not a treasured sword, if it''s for everyday use. But the timing of when Hammaro asks, ''Hammaro? The timing of Hammaro''s reply to ''Hammaro?'' varies. ...... I looked into Hammaro''s hand and saw ''Hammaro? I''m sure you''ll agree. Don''t ask there! Then he threw an apple with the name of a random bastard written on it into the barrel, and the girls began their love fortune-telling. --I thought... ''Well, he''s coming over there, so stay away from him, men! ''Why are you sneaking around? ''It''s not the place for a gentleman to gawk at a maiden''s taste. ''That''s right,'' said the girls, moving toward the edge of the floor in a show of female solidarity. I wonder... ...... ''If you''re unintentionally happy when you get the name you want, your girlfriend will know. ''Is it like that? ''Well, I can usually tell without ...... being told. ......'' However, I''m still curious, so I observe the girls from afar. It seems that Norma is going to be the top batter. ...... You don''t have to be in such a hurry ............ I''m not sure what to say. Norma gracefully plunges her face into the water, as if she were a woman. He is a manly man. Then, a few seconds later, "Zabaa!--Norma looks up with a splash of water. He had a small apple firmly in his mouth. ...... Vindictive. ''Huh. ......'' The look on her face as she brushes her wet hair back and squeezes it in a s*xy way ...... is so glamorous! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. If the man whose name Norma had guessed was here, their love fortunes might rise with such a trivial opportunity! The floor is filled with such a tense atmosphere that it almost gives you the illusion of love. ''Well, ...... the name is ............''. Norma spun the apple around and checked the name written on it. The next moment, he slumped his shoulders and fell to the floor. What''s wrong? The apple tumbled out of Norma''s hand and rolled toward us. Like a kitten responding to catnip, Hammaro picks up the apple and brings it to us. Great! We couldn''t muster up the courage to go pick it up!Innocence is precious!Curiosity is amazing! ''So, Hammaro. What are you writing?'' At my question, Hammaro turns to me with his usual innocent smile and the name written on it. Then he reads the name on it. ''It says ''Norma'' on it! ............ Oh, no. No way, the person himself appears: ............ It''s not the opposite s*x, and it''s not a different person. What''s that? Are you suggesting that Norma is alone for life, spirit god?You''re so cruel to your followers. Besides, I didn''t write that name. That means ............ Hammaro, don''t mix up the girls'' names. With a heavy atmosphere, today''s apple bobbing was cancelled. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Apart from that, Estella had secretly decided to hold a "revenge love fortune-telling" event at the end of the floor, which was to be prepared only by girls and held in secret only by girls, but I pretended I hadn''t heard about it and vowed to remain silent. 437-Additive-free Episode 92 Pinata When the apple bobbing was over and we were preparing for the next game, the guy showed up. ''Yashippi, I''m here! ''I wish you had said that a couple of decades ago, you know. Mael is standing in front of the door of the sunlit pavilion, looking at you with a smile. There is no one around to accompany him. He usually has Cindy, the head waiter, with him. ...... ''Well, Cindy, finally ......''. ''Still going strong, girlfriend.'' ''Don''t say that,'' he said, pressing his forehead. ''I''m getting Cindy and Mokoka ready for their masquerade. ''Are you going to wear a costume? ......'' Think about your age, your age. Only Donnis would be happy to see something like that. ''I invited Cindy to join us today, but she said, "I prefer to be seen than to look."'' ''Wow, I don''t know, that''s the kind of information that makes your stomach grow heavy. I didn''t want to hear that. Cindy could have participated in Halloween with no makeup on. Maybe if she wore a jack-o''-lantern, she''d be a little more visible. It would hide your face. ''So, what are you doing now?I was hoping you could show me the city. ''Oh, I can show you...'' ''No, wait, Estella. It''s too early. If you''re going to go, it''s better to go later. It''s still early in the day. ''Let''s play a little game and then go see it together. I''ve got a surprise for you. You''ll want to see as many surprised faces as possible. ''Yes, I do!I want to see a lot of reactions, not just ......, but a lot of people! ''I guess so!I''m sure everyone will be surprised ......, but it''s more fun together! ''The main square is the best place to see it! ''Hey, Imelda!Don''t tell anyone yet! ''Leave it to me!I''ll shut her up! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... I guess they''re the type that can''t keep a secret. Especially Imelda. You have a plan, don''t you?Okay. Let''s play that game.I think I''ll join you in that game.'' Ma??tre smiled at her, saying that he would be delighted to be surprised. This kind of thoughtfulness is very much appreciated. It makes the surprise all the more worthwhile. That''s why I''ve decided to spend a little more time playing games in the sunny pavilion. ''Well then, let''s start the pi?¡Àata. ''What kind of game is a pi?¡Àata? Ginette had also helped me make the kusudama, so you can get the general idea, but I''ll explain it again. ''A pi?¡Àata is, in layman''s terms, the same rules as watermelon splitting. I explained it simply and clearly, and Jeannette looked at me with a puzzled look. ''...... watermelon, split? d*mn it! You don''t even split watermelons over here? I don''t know, I don''t really think of it as playing on the beach! This is no time to be splitting watermelons blindfolded. Let''s see, let''s have Hammaro do it. ''I''ve been unexpectedly selected!A Cinderella story! It''s not a Cinderella story. ''But it''s too much for me, so I refuse! ''I''ll do it quietly!We''ll show off the reliable Hewitt family at a time like this!We''re going to defeat the Trubecks! ''Are they making an enemy of us? Did you have such ambitions, Loretta? ''Well then, Hammaro. Take this ''Holy Sword s*xy Calibur''. ''Too bad, I''ve heard of Excalibur before, but me! ''Look, Estella-sama. That sword, with its S-shaped silhouette, subtly looks like a beautiful woman with big breasts. I''m sure it''s the s*xy Calibur.'' Natalia, go confiscate it. It needs to be incinerated later.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Whoa, come on! That was a rather time-consuming masterpiece! I made this masterpiece in secret while everyone else was making kusudama! ''So, Hammaro-san. Please use this ''Holy Sword, Bad Boy Exterminating Stick''. Aaah! She found my s*xy Calibur and said, ''I can''t let you use that sword on the kids! Ginette handed me a stick that she made after the fact! It''s called ''The Holy Sword'', but it''s called ''The Stick'', and it''s such a subtle weapon that it''s like a puddle of contradictions! Well, it says it''s a "holy sword", but it''s actually just a stick. It''s just a stick with a decoration on it. If you hit the kusudama with it, the paper kusudama will break, and the candy and confetti inside will fall. It''s a weapon that conquers ghosts, that''s why I call it a ''holy sword''. ''Bad boy exterminating stick!It''s so cool!I''ve always wanted something like this! Hammaro likes it very much. And his brothers are swarming around him. Like a crowd bowing down to a legendary hero who pulled out a holy sword. ''Chosen, little brother! I never thought a hero would be born from my family! ''It''s the guidance of the Spirit God! My sisters are kind of in on the ''hero birth story''. ''I can make a cooler holy sword, though! ''I''d make something more practical ......! Don''t compete with me, craftsman fox. Ginette''s just a random decoration. ''And when you''re armed, wear a blindfold. ''You mean? ''No! If you''re going to kidnap me, you''re not going to give me a weapon. If you''re going to kidnap someone, you don''t want them to have a weapon. It''s the same rule as watermelon splitting, which is why you have to blindfold them. ...... I think it would be more fun to put some kind of setting on it, these guys. ...... Okay. The ghosts will try to confuse your mind and drag you into their group. It''s called mind control. To prevent that, the person who kills the ghost must wear a blindfold. ''''But I can''t see it, can I? ''''''I can''t see?'''''' ''''Big brother, are you a beginner in blindfolding? ''''''Beginner?'''''' All the Hamm children tilted their heads. I know. I mean, what''s a beginner blindfolded? Are you guys veterans? ''''That''s why the people around you have to tell you where the ghosts are. ''More to the right,'' ''More up,'' ''There, hit it! And so on. '''''''' I see!Tea from the belly button! '''''''' ''It''s an eye opener!If you want tea with a belly button, boil it! I used a wooden frame I made for the bread-eating contest to hang a kusudama. Since it was the first time, I made one of them tall enough for Hammaro''s height. A ghost with a face like Frankenstein''s hangs there, glaring at Hammaro. ''Okay, Hammaro. Are you ready?'' ''Hammaro? ''Ready?'' ''Don''t come! ''Which one!Don''t you want me to come?Or don''t you want me to come? ''Yes! I blindfolded Hammaro and spun him around three times. ''Wow, I''m dizzy~'' Hammaro wobbled around with a stick in his hand. The sight of him creates a relaxed atmosphere. Ma-ru is staring at him, looking particularly happy. ''''Then, brothers and sisters, show Hammaro where the ghost is. ''''''Yes! ''''Then, let''s start! ''''Hammaro, let''s go straight ahead first! ''''You''re the one who''s the most excited, aren''t you? Loretta shouted loudly with a command. You''re the one who''s going to ...... ''I''ll send Loretta out as a player later, so you can give her to your little brothers and sisters. ''Are you sure?Can I do it?Then you guys will do well! ''''''You too~! ''''Where did you learn to do that kind of thing?You can''t do that! Despite the playfulness of the two sisters, the younger sisters wisely instructed Hammaro to lead the way. ''Migi~! ''That way to the left~! ''Mae~! ''Too far~! ''A little more to the right~! ''That way to the left~! They''re forgetting that they''re facing each other. What''s right to my sister is left to Hammaro. ''''''There! ''''Evil spirits, dispel! He swung down the holy sword with great force. The holy sword swung out catches the face of the ghost and pierces it. ''Wow~! ''A waterfall of sweets! ''Sweets are falling from the sky! Small pieces of wrapped candy and marshmallows rained down on the hamsters who were watching closely. ''I can''t see! ''Hammaro, you can take off the blindfold. ''Hmm~............, hmm?Hmm?It''s not falling, is it? Hammaro takes off the blindfold and looks up at the ceiling. It''s already finished falling. Just then, Jeannette sprinkles the marshmallows that have fallen to the floor all over Hammaro. ''Wow!A shooting star in the land of sweets! He catches the falling sweets and gets excited. Seeing her, Ginette is smiling happily. ''We''ll share the sweets we get with everyone! '''''''' Yes! '''''''' Loretta is acting like a big sister. Even though we''re going to share the sweets, the number of sweets is a little small for the number of hamsters. ''I''ll let you do it a few more times. ''I guess so. I''ll make sure they''re distributed properly. ''Ma''ul. Can you wait a little longer? ''Yes, of course. Everyone''s so cute! Just looking at them makes me happy.'' Mahrul sits in a special seat with a cup of tea in his hand, watching the hamsters play. Before you know it, you''re being treated well. Then why don''t you become a sponsor? ''Ma''ul. I''d like to hand out candy to as many kids as possible at the show. ......'' ''Mm-hmm. Okay, okay. I''ll help you out a little, Estella-san.'''' ''Really?That would be great, Mahr.'' After thanking Ma''ulu, ''Yashiro, you did it! I don''t need you to tell me that. You don''t need me to tell you to do that. It would be a shame to waste free entertainment. After that, we split up into two teams and competed to see who could break the kusudama before the other, and we tried various variations of setting up multiple kusudama with mixed results. I think the team competition got the best response. It would be better to let small children break the balls as usual, and let them compete in team competitions when they reach a certain age. And now for the adults. ''Okay, let''s have a race between Loretta, Becco and Mahr. ''Wait a minute, Yashiro! When I nominated Mahr, who seemed to want to participate, Estella gave me a hard time. What''s wrong with that? We had a good tempo going. ''Looking at the ...... members, an inexplicable anxiety is rising in me. ''Isn''t it just my imagination? ''No, of course not!I''m sure you''ll be fine even if something happens to you. ''Wait! ''I''m proud to say that I''ve become a useful person in the 42nd district these days, that I am! Hahaha, Becco~. You can be proud of yourself all you want, but whether the people around you recognize it is another matter. ''I''ll just give it a look for now. Umaro, will you change your mind? ''I don''t want you to include me in this group! ''Wait, Mr. Umaro!If we''re in this line, I''d like to say that line myself! ''No, no, no, I''m actually feeling the ''wind'' of the rising popularity in the 42nd district, that I am, so I think I''m the one who should decline the request, that I am. I don''t know what you''re feeling, but that kind of ''wind'' isn''t blowing. ''Well, that''s all right. Then, let''s do it with the three of us from Yogore-zu. ''''Who are the Yogore-zu? ''''No, but wait!If you interpret it as "dirty", then it''s .......'''' ''I see, that''s Mr. Loretta!You can interpret it that way, that you can. ''If that''s the case, then we won''t get to do the dirty work, will we? You''re free to think what you want. Think what you want. ''Then I''ll make it happen! ''I''ll show you my skills, that I will. ''I''m pretty good at this kind of thing, that I am. The three of them are confident even though they''ve never done it before. I''m impressed. They must know that if they pretend, it will lead to laughter later, instinctively. ''Then blindfold the three of us. ''Yes, sir! ''I understand, that I do. ''Is that okay? So, I give them their weapons, but all I have now is the ''Holy Sword, the Stick of the Bad Boy Exterminator'' made by Ginette, and a spare, undecorated stick. One is missing. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... When I looked at Estella, she nodded her head once with an amused look on her face and returned my s*xy Caliber to me. Of course, the s*xy Calibur is to be given to Umaro. There are six black balls hanging in total. Who gets which one depends on who you cheer for. I''ve told him to give instructions to whoever he wants to cheer. ''Let''s begin! I clap my hands to signal the start of the game, and the voices fly in unison. ''Loretta, Becco is on the right! ''Big brother, you''ve got the wrong target! ''Mr. Yashiro, I''m seriously scared because my vision is blocked, so please don''t make any unfunny jokes! ''...... Loretta. Bekko''s getting away. After him. ''Magda, did you hear what I said?You''re aiming at the wrong guy!You can''t get a prize by hitting Becko! ''I wish you''d stop hitting me before you give me a prize, that you do! Becko is on the defensive, holding a stick to kill bad boys. It''s really not a good idea. ...... ''...... Umaro, four steps to the top.'' ''I can''t hate Magda-tan for making demands that are beyond human comprehension! It looks like it''s going to be fun over there . ''Big brother, give me a hint too! ''Loretta, move forward like normal!And a little to the right, just like normal! ''There''s no need for ''normal'', is there?In fact, it''s the ''just a little to the right'' that seems difficult! Or something like that, it looks like just a joke, but in fact, I manipulate the movements of the three participants and lead them to the "kusudama" that I want at the same time. And then the three of them all move at the same time. Then, the three of them take their intended positions almost simultaneously. ''Loretta, you''re right in front of me! ''...... Umaro, attack now! ''Let''s see you do it once, Becko! Each of the three blindfolded men raised their weapons as the crowd cheered. Then, all at once, they swung down. ''''It''s working! That''s right! That it is! Each weapon destroys its own kusudama. At the same time, traps rain down from within the smoldering balls. ''What?What the hell is this?What''s going on? ''Kefu kefu!What the hell is that? ''Smell!There''s a smell, that there is!And it''s sticky too, that it is! The three of them take off their blindfolds at once, trying to grasp the situation that has befallen them. ''Honya!What''s this? Loretta has algae dripping from her head. This is inedible seaweed that is harvested in large quantities when seaweed is harvested. It might be edible if we could do something with it, but we can''t get our hands on it because it often has garbage attached to it and we have never seen it in Japan. I''ve been throwing them away for the sake of labor and cost, so there''s no problem using them for traps. It''s probably safe to eat. It''s not tasty, though. ''Isn''t this the stuff we have in abundance? Collecting seaweed is still an inside job for hams. I''m sure Loretta is familiar with the feel and smell. ''Yashiro-san, ......, is this flour? A white-faced Umaro asks, sobbing in the flour. Too bad. ''That''s corn flour. ''It''s used to make tortillas. ...... Are you sure you want to use that for something like this?'' Umaro glanced toward Jeannette. Of course, you shouldn''t waste food. But I think it''s okay to make good use of the food that''s no longer edible, me. This is a powder that was going to be disposed of due to a sad accident. I''m not sure if it''s ...... or if it''s moldy!Pfft!Phew!It''s in my mouth! ''It''s okay. Basically, I only choose traps that are safe to put in your mouth. ''Is that so? ...... I''m glad.'' ''This is the one that Barbara left outside without closing the mouth of the bag, so it had three bird droppings in it. ''Bebuhuh!Pfft!Pfft!Pfft!If it gets in your mouth, you''ve got a problem! ''It won''t make me sick to my stomach. It''s just too much. ''It''s the fatty part that''s fatal! That''s right. Regina checked the feces and found that there were no bacteria in it that could cause food poisoning, so it''s safe, but ...... it''s not good for my mood. So, powder is a delicate thing, and I don''t know how much of it is safe to dispose of. As long as it hasn''t been touched, I''d say it''s OK, but ...... it''s just powder and it falls easily, and when you start to wonder if it hasn''t really been touched, you can''t stop ...... or even if it hasn''t been touched. I don''t know. So, the whole bag of powder was discarded. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''It''s the stinky, sticky liquid from Regina''s place. ''I don''t know what it is at all, that I don''t know! I don''t know either. When I asked Regina, ''Is there anything that makes you feel bad when it gets on your face? This was the first thing that came up. It''s Regina''s thing, so even if it damages you mentally, it won''t harm you physically. It should be ......! ''Becko, is there anything wrong with your body? ''You''re looking into it now, that you are!Didn''t you check beforehand, that you did? ''If anything happens, you should hate Regina. ''I want to be sure that nothing is wrong, that I do! As expected of Regina, the kusaneba liquid was not easily removed from her face. I''m not sure what he''s doing,......, usually. I''m not going to think about it because it''s useless to ............ think about it. ''M~...... brother. ''You''re talking out of your ass, Loretta. He picks up the "holy sword" that Bekko, who is struggling with his sticky face, threw out and smashes the bat-shaped ball. Then sweets wrapped in colorful wrapping paper rain down from inside. ''You guys just ''happened'' to get the wrong one. ''It''s definitely not a fluke!I was guided by my brother! ''How, how, how, how do you have such, such, such, such, such, such, evidence? ''Your deliberate panic is the same as a confession! You''ve been found out. Hmph. ''Then let''s retrieve the weapon. Loretta, give me back that ordinary stick.'''' ''Mwah!If you look closely, you''ll see that only mine is a normal stick!There''s nothing special about it, it''s just a normal stick! ''...... is the most suitable choice for Loretta. It''s not like that.I wanted to have a cute holy sword too!I''ll have a prettier one for the show! Is Loretta going to play the pi?¡Àata on Halloween too? How can you not learn, after being put through all this? ''So, Umaro. Give me back my s*xy Calibur.'' ''Nuh-uh!I was made to carry such a weapon? Umaro threw away someone''s masterpiece. Take care of your stuff, man!You''ll be able to turn into a s*xy mourning god and come out as one. ............ I''m welcome....... Hmmm. ''I know the rules. Estella, can I borrow your weapon? ''Are you going to do it, Mr. Marle? ''Oh?You look like you''re having a great time. ''No, no, no!You saw the devastation, didn''t you? Estella pointed at Becco. But Mahrul seems to be unconcerned and smiles demurely. ''I''m fine. Yashippi, you''re kind to girls. You know? ''You''re not putting yourself in that category, are you, Ma''ru? Who''s the girl''s "child"? Go get a copy of the family register and write down the date of birth a hundred times. ''Yashiro!You understand ............, right? ''I got it!............ There''s more where that came from, Kusaneva.'' ''Natalia!I want you to tie this dangerous man up right now! I was planning to make some s*xy noises when I was tied up, but Natalia suggested that Mahr''s opponents be Ginette and Milly. ...... Chi. It''s hard to set a bad trap. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. I''m sure you''ll agree. I had no choice but to use only light traps of the powder type, but even those were removed by Estella. It has become an extremely entertaining game with no surprises. ...... This kind of entertainment is rather boring, isn''t it? You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a few of them. But, well, if everyone gets a hit, it''s boring as hell, so I made one jackpot in there. Secretly. Now, let''s see who''ll get it! ''Mr. Ma''ul, isn''t it too tight? ''Yes, I''m fine. But you really can''t see anything.'' The three participants are blindfolded. All three of them are looking around. ''Actually, I''m going to ask you to go around three times blindfolded. ...... This is surprisingly hard. Hey, Umaro, Loretta?'' ''Yes. I thought I could handle it three times, but I got dizzy and lost my sense of direction. ''I wobbled on my feet and was scared too. ''That''s why it''s very dangerous to let Jeannette do that. ''I don''t think so, ......, don''t you? ''Don''t be too sure of yourself, Jeannette!You might fall on the spot, or even break your leg if you''re not careful. ''What?Why did you fall like that? Why did you fall like that? I''m not that bad at sports! ''...... Manager. Don''t be too sure of yourself. ''Oh, ......, even Magda-san is .......'' It seems that my point was understood, and there was an air of ''It''s dangerous for Jeannette'' in the floor. ''So, what do you think?It''s not a handicap, but maybe Jeannette should stop spinning and try jumping ten times on the spot. ''I think I can do that. Thank you, Mr. Yashiro. Convinced that it''s less dangerous than turning, Jeannette starts jumping on the spot. Whaaaa~, it''s popping~! ''Jeannette, stop!You''re falling right into the ruse! ''What?What about ............?Oh, my God!Yashiro-san!Please repent! Ginette crouches down, holding her chest. Oh, no!You''ve been noticed. ''Yashiro ......, if you don''t stop it, I''ll use the ''bad boy slaughter stick'' to finish you off. ''It''s supposed to be a ''kill stick'', isn''t it? Don''t you dare evolve into something you''re not. So, when each of you is ready, the game begins. ''Well, I''ve tied Yashiro to the table, so you can concentrate on the game at ease. Estella said briskly. As for me, I was really tied to the table. I was just cheering Ginette on so close! So close that my face was almost buried! Natalia gave hints to Mahr, Norma to Millie, and Estella to Ginette, and the race began to see who could break the ball first. ...... Natalia is the navigator. That''s a bit much entertainment, don''t you think? ''Milly, 15 degrees to the right in front of you, 1.6 meters high, there''s a smoldering ball! ''Around here?Oh, yeah!...... Heh!Oh, my God! We were entertaining, but the two guys with the best performance easily broke the smolder. You know, Norma, I''m not a fan of losing. But I''m also impressed with Milly for making a precise correction to the 15-degree right. ''Ma''am. It''s one buttock to the left of Cindy''s.'' ''Then, it''s around here. There!Oh, I think I got it.'' What criteria? And you got it right, with that hint! Also, it''s rather large, Cindy''s butt! ''Ginette, a little more forward! ''...... and turn on the spot.'' ''Here, like this? ''No, Jeannette!That''s Magda''s voice, don''t be fooled! As expected, Ginette Estella''s team was struggling. Magda, surprisingly, likes to watch Ginette flail about. He''s having fun messing with her. It''s a strange thing that when I''m blindfolded, I''m sometimes momentarily confused about whose voice it is. I guess that''s why I''m confused. Mm-hmm. ''Jeannette, jump! ''Repent, Mr. Yashiro.'' d*mn it!You caught me. ''Jeannette, there! ''Yes! ''...... Yeah. I didn''t expect you to swing sideways. ......'' Jeannette''s swing passed just below the ball. You''re looking rather dexterous, Jeannette. ''Well, hold it above your head and swing straight down. ''Yes, sir. Like this?Oh, I hit something! ''It hasn''t cracked yet!Hit the same spot, but harder! ''Yes!Yes! Even though I told her to keep the same trajectory, Jeannette''s body axis was shaking as much as she could when she swung. The stick swung down with such force that it hit the floor, making Jeannette''s fingers numb. ''......It hurts.'' ''......Yashiro, apparently it''s too difficult for the manager.'' ''Yes, it is. It''s for ages four and up, you know. I don''t know how this girl has survived without serious injury. ''Manager, here~!It''s around here~! Loretta fussed over the ball, and Ginette tapped it fearfully, relying on the sound. The ball was made of thin paper, so fragile that even a child could cut it in half, and it took Ginette six attacks to finally destroy it. It''s not a good attack! ''Haha ...... finally broken''. Relieved, Ginette took off her blindfold. Then, she picked up the prize candy that had fallen under the ball. It was a marshmallow with a magnificent D-cup titty. ''Yashiro-san! ''I made it after hours, so it''s safe! ''Oh my god! Good for you, Jeannette. Looks like you hit the jackpot with that smolder. Congratulations. So, after the pi?¡Àata, which many of us were enjoying to the fullest even though it was a demonstration, we decided to look around at the Halloween decorations while the others were already having a strategy meeting for the actual event. Participation is free. The sunlit pavilion is temporarily closed, and a sign is posted on the door saying, "If you need anything, please come to the stall. I guess the only thing we can sell today is sweets. ''...... Loretta. Snacks only 30Rb.'' ''Whoa!That''s a problem! Magda and Loretta seem to be enjoying their excursion. ''Molly''s coming too, right? ''Oh, yes!......But, when it comes to 30Rb, ............ I''m worried.'' ''......We''re about to go on the air, are you going to snack?'' ''No, but they say it''s safe to eat up to 30Rb! There''s no such thing as safe. There''s no such thing as ''safe''. If you eat 1Rb, you''re taking in calories. ''...... cotton candy is so light, I don''t think I''d gain that much weight. ............'' Molly. Notice. You''re getting closer, step by step, to being a sorry girl. And so it goes, the boulevard. ''Oh, big brother, look!That decoration!I found it when I was helping out at Shop No. 7!It''s so cute! ''...... Yashiro. The decorations on the house over there are ...... erotic.'' ''Where are you, Magda? ''Hey, big brother!Don''t go that way without a second thought! You can''t just look at a pretty decoration and say, ''That''s so cute! Leave that to the girls. Boys are supposed to be all about eroticism!That''s what puberty is all about! ''Our puberty never ends......! ''Did you think you said something nice?It''s not cool at all, is it? Estella, you don''t know anything at all. Kan Karakon! (An empty can that was kicked) ''Oh, Loretta. You shouldn''t touch that.'' ''What is it, Estella?Whoa!There''s a brick that''s obviously suspicious!This is like telling me to touch it. Yeah! ''Gaggle gaggle! ''Ooohhh!It''s a nostalgic biting grass! ''Pfft...... kuku''. Estella, you ...... are rather mean, aren''t you? Depending on who you''re talking to. ''Ah, yes. Loretta.'' ''What is it, big brother? ''There, touch the cheese ornament that''s biting the rat. ''What''s the trick this time? ''Well, well, well. Just touch it a little bit.'' (smirk) ''I don''t want to touch you ......, but ............, if I don''t touch you here, I''ll lose my womanhood! I''ll touch you!I''ll touch you! '' (grin)'' I''m going to touch you. ............ I''m going to pinch you. ............... ............... Nothing is going to happen to me! It''s just a decoration. ???????????? Loretta was so scared that she touched it a little bit. I''m not sure what to do. ''Yashiro is really mean, isn''t he? ''Don''t have a strange sense of fellowship.'' ''I don''t think of you as a friend, not even a little. Are you trying to tell me that you are not mean? He''s got no self-analysis skills, this guy. ''We''re really good friends, aren''t we, Yashippi and Estella? ''The more people see, the more they flirt, those two.'' ''Can you please stop making strange accusations, Natalia? ''You have no ability to analyze yourself, Estella-sama. We''ve come to the same conclusion, but I can''t relate to any of it, Natalia. Don''t drag me into this. Estella is just messing around on her own. ''Master Yashiro. Would you like to have a date with me sometime?'' ''What do you mean, like a date? Natalia slinks over and points to the goblin-like face ornament with a girlish gesture. ''Look at that decoration, it''s so weird! ''You''re looking pretty weird right now, too. ''But there''s something even weirder. That''s you...'' ''Are you fighting with me? ''Isn''t that a common lovey-dovey situation on a date? You''re too ignorant, Yashiro-sama.'''' ''I see. This proves how dangerous self-study without experience can be. You should take a vacation once in a while, Natalia, and go out with someone. All you do is work, and that''s how you end up. ''Ah!Mr. Yashiro, Mr. Yashiro!Look at this!Cantaluchka''s here! Ginette, who had been looking at the decorations with a smile on her face up to this point, rolled her eyes and waved her arms in the air. A huge wolf''s face was waiting for the customers with its big mouth. ''I think I''m going to be eaten when I enter the store!It''s amazing!That''s an interesting twist. ''Umaro, you''re trying too hard.'' ''Hahaha ......, it''s been a long time since I''ve felt like I could count on you. Umaro was asked by Paula to make a Halloween decoration that would stand out on the main street - or rather, to build one. The ''waste of technology'' that Gooziya pointed out is apparent everywhere. ''How about it?Isn''t it amazing!It''s like Cantalcica is different from the others, isn''t it? ''Yes. It''s very pretty, isn''t it, Paula? ''...... This is commendable. This is indeed the kind of store where Magda once helped out for a few days. That''s right!It''s really outstanding!It''s just the kind of store I used to work at! ''You guys only worked there for a few days, right?Why are you acting like you own the place? It was an honest praise of ......, but Paula couldn''t seem to be happy about it because she looked like a concerned citizen. But her tail is wagging. ...... Roll it up, hem! I''m not sure what to say. You''re going to get eaten. I was pressed on the forehead. It''s a good idea to keep your fingers away from the base of your nose. ...... It''s really a strange atmosphere. ''Why is it always so strange what ...... Yashippi does, that the city is filled with creepy and scary deformed people, but it''s not disgusting at all, in fact it''s exciting? ''It''s not my idea of an event. I was simply introducing what we were doing in my country. Ask whoever came up with it how it came to be like this. ''Still, it''s Yashippi who made the changes to fit in with this town, right? Hmm. Well, I did arrange ...... a little. But that''s a small part of it. I guess the people in this town have a good mood. ''It''s fun enough now, but I can''t wait for the show. ''Yes, I am. I can''t imagine what the show will be like at this stage either. ''It''s useless to imagine. I''m sure it''s going to be even more ridiculous than that. I can see that coming. It will happen. I guess it''s easy to imagine. Ginette smiled softly and nodded slowly. ''It''s going to be a very fun day, isn''t it? There was no one who disagreed with her opinion. ''Yashiro-san!It''s time to go! ''Yes, it is!We''re heading for the main square! ''Well, gentlemen!Hurry up! The two artisan foxes and the blonde lady couldn''t contain their excitement and started to urge everyone on. They lead us to the big square like chasing away free-range chickens. These guys really aren''t good at surprises, are they? We were driven to the Great Square. It was the time when the lower part of the sky started to turn red. It was getting darker and darker, and the face of the guy walking next to me was getting darker. ''What?Is there a pillar like that in the main square? A huge pillar stands out in the middle of the main square. Eight pillars are crowded together to form a single thick column. On top of the pillars are ornaments full of beauty and form that can be described as artistic, and in the center of the closely circling pillars are shining bricks carved into spherical shapes. Objects surround the glowing sphere. They cast long shadows on the ground diagonally below, bathed in light from behind. ''Eh .................. Heh?............What? As the sky turns red and darkness spreads over the city, the shadows created by the objects illuminated by the glowing bricks deepen in color. Eight shadows stretch out from the pillar of light set up in the center of the main square. They take the form of eight black ghosts. ''There are ghosts on the ground! At the sound of Jeannette''s voice, the people who had been looking up at the objects all looked at their feet. ''Where the hell did it come from?What, is it the shadow of that object? ''What is this?It''s so cute! ''Hey, lady, look!A ghost! ''Aaah!It''s a shadow monster!Miss, let''s run! ''Hahaha!You''re making too much noise, Barbara. It''s just a shadow. Did Yashiro make this? ''I''m the one who drew up the plan, but it was those three who put up the fight. I point to the three of them, who are striking a strong gut pose when they see the astonished people. They are soon intoxicated with a tremendous sense of accomplishment. The object in the main square that Umaro and Norma consulted me about. The original plan was to make the shadows of the ghosts gradually stretch out into the street, using the light of the sun as it tilts in the evening. However, in that case, due to the angle of the sun, the shadow can only be cast from one direction. In this kind of square, the ghosts can only be created on one side. In addition, shadows can only be cast for a short period of time, from the time the sun sets to the time it starts to set. Then there was a high possibility that many people would not be able to see the shadow of the monster. So I came up with the idea of using glowing bricks. If you place a glowing brick behind the object, it will illuminate the object throughout the day, and as it gets darker, the shadow will be clearly reflected on the ground. The shadow of the ghost will appear on the ground not only in the evening, but also throughout the night. In bright light, the shadows of the ghosts are not visible because the light of the sun exceeds the light of the bricks. When the sun is shining, the shadows are not visible because the light from the sun exceeds the light from the bricks. However, as the day turns to evening and darkness falls over the city, the shadows cast by the glowing bricks begin to appear. It is as if the ghosts who have been waiting for the night to come peek out into the world. It was not always sunny that day, and if it clouded over in the evening, we were out of luck. I''m sure this improvement will work. The cost has gone up drastically because of the glowing bricks in all the objects, but it will be covered with the help of Mahr and the money for the boo-boo cushions that Ricardo bought. Oh no, you really blew it, Estella. I''m not sure that the boob cushions will sell for that price. ...... I''m not sure that buying them at the asking price is a good idea either. I''m not sure what to say. Paula shouted as she thought of something and ran towards the main street. ''What''s that?Hey, Paula! ''I don''t know what it is, but let''s go there, guys! Nephrite and Delia chase after Paula. Umaro, Norma and Imelda chuckle as they watch her go. As they walked out of the square and onto the main street, countless ghosts appeared on the darkened street, startling the many people walking along the street. ''What the hell is this? ''Suddenly, there''s a shadow of a ghost! ''But where did it come from, ......?'' There was a bit of a commotion. But it was obvious that it was harmless. As soon as they realized that it was a Halloween trick, smiles spread across the faces of the people on the street. ''Whoa!What is this? Paula, who had arrived at Cantalcica earlier than the others, shouted when she saw the shadow on the ground. The shadow of an anthropomorphic and comical wolf was floating in front of Cantalcica, about to attack the girl. It was designed by me, based on a scene from Little Red Riding Hood. The store in Cantartica has the face of a werewolf-like magical beast, so it is designed to be a story together with it. However, there is one direction for such a girl. ''Huh?But this girl''s shadow ............''. Loretta notices it. The girl, who is about to be eaten by a wolf, appears to be standing there ...... looking up at the wolf, with a large masakari hidden in her back hand. ''This is Magda Cho, isn''t it!The wolf, it''s a revenge attack! ''...... room to spare.'' This is a message to the Obake side, that if you underestimate humans, you will be hurt. Even if the whole town is jacked up by monsters, humans will never give in. It''s a little bit of playfulness that can be a symbol. ''I feel the power of human life. ''It''s not that big of a theme. ''Then, let''s keep it simple. It''s very cute. Ginette smiles at the girl in the shadow puppet that resembles Magda. From now until the show, there will be a lot of people walking around looking at this shadow. With a different atmosphere from the daytime, the 42nd district at night was also very lively. In the meantime, Halloween had finally arrived. 438-No additives 93rd episode Halloween Day ''Hmm ............ what? I jumped up, realizing I was lying on the floor. I must have lost consciousness. ...... How long had I been asleep? My body aches all over. When he lifted his hand to rub his eyes, he felt a slippery sensation. ''What ...... is this?'' I blinked my unfocused eyes twice or three times to wake them up. You''ll be able to see my hand in your vision, which was stained bright red. ...... blood? And beyond my hand, I see a person lying on the ground. That person is bleeding profusely from the head. ...... Lucia? ''Lu, Lucia......, hey, Lucia.'' I called out to her, but she didn''t answer. She didn''t move an inch. ''No way. ......'' I leaned forward to check Lucia''s face. Her eyelids are tightly closed. Her long eyelashes don''t waver. The bridge of her nose is perfectly straight. I smear some of Regina''s kusaneva liquid on it. ''d*mn it!What the hell is this?It''s sticky and ...... stinky! ...... This guy really doesn''t know how to be reserved. I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Yesterday evening, Lucia came to stay with Gilberta, and she was not lying or joking, but she really stayed at the Sunken Pavilion. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. What''s wrong with him? He kept asking me to redo my makeup and then rejecting it, and then rejecting my costume and then rejecting it. ''It''s your fault, you know. ''It''s clearly your fault. ''How can you talk like that when you''ve only given your people a prettier costume than the one I''ve prepared! ''I can''t find anything to blame for my actions in your statement. When Lucia arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion, she had painted her face white and wore makeup that looked like black cracks had been painted all over her face. She wore a black cloak and carried a bamboo spear. ''Your ''cracked mirror cake'' costume was pretty funny. ''That''s the costume of a demon that brings death!Who would want to dress up as a rice cake? Well, he was holding a bamboo stick. That''s a kadomatsu, right? ''So why don''t you come and see!Magda, isn''t that too cute? ''I don''t know if you''re angry or if the disease is progressing, you...'' I''m not sure if you''re angry or sick. I don''t know. I think I can handle Gilberta, but ...... Lucia is ''cute''. I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. Well, that''s not too far off the mark, is it? ''Find the cuteness lurking inside me and stretch it out! ''I can''t find it, so you''ll have to find it for me. ''Nyan!Nyan! ''Even if you say it like a threat with such a sharp gaze, ......'' You''re so shallow, your drawer. You could fill it up with two sheets of copy paper. ''......You''re still doing this?'' ''Oh, Magda, or ...... Ginette?'' ''She''s in her ...... room checking out her outfit.'' So that means the ...... donation is already done. Oh, I''ve been covered with a blanket, if you ask me. So you let me sleep. Oh, I see. I wanted to sleep in the ...... bed. I wanted to sleep in your bed. ''Oh, you''re so cute, Magda!I want to take her home with me! ''...... Magda is a magical woman. It''s impossible to keep her captive. With that, she spins around. Her short skirt flies up in the air. With bat-like wings and miniature goat horns, she''s the perfect little devil. Magda is dressed in a black and purple costume. On the tip of her tail, she wears an accessory shaped like an arrowhead to represent a devil''s tail. ''Haaaaan!Magda-tan the devil, you''re a real angel! ''No, which is it, Umaro? Isn''t there some kind of contradiction in that? Well, it doesn''t really matter. Umaro is here just fine. Lucia was asleep, on the floor. Are you sure you want to be treated like that? ''Oh, are you awake, big brother? Loretta appears out of the kitchen. She''s got bandages on her thighs, neck, and part of her face. It''s a mummy woman,......, but now I see that she has cat ears for some reason. ''What''s that? It''s the deadly cat demon! Why are you adding such selfish elements? ''It''s a walking cat! ''You may have taken it from The Walking Dead, but a walking cat is a normal cat. ''Huh?Really? It''s scary to leave cooking in the hands of people like this, who just make up their minds and add extra touches. An amateur''s idea rarely works, but they''re sure it will work, for some reason. But Loretta''s cat ears are not so bad. Loretta''s chemo ears, which have almost no animal features, are a novelty in their own right. Her thighs, which are usually bare, are also partially covered by bandages, which gives a little more of a glimpse. ''A little erotic! ''Isn''t there another word of praise? Hmm, I can''t think of any. ''I''m ready, I''m ready. I want you to see my friend Yashiro.'' ''Oh, you look good.'' ''Heh, I''m glad, I am.'' In the beginning, Gilberta was going to wear a matching Kagamimochi costume with Lucia, but it didn''t turn out too well, so I made a little costume item for her. A matching hair clip for Millie. But not in the shape of a ladybug, but in the shape of a firefly. This hairpiece reminds me of my senpai,........ I''ll cherish it forever. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m sorry.I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ''That''s the thing. ...... I''ve been too busy with the decorations to get ready.'' ''Oh well. Now, put this on, wear this around your neck, and finally, put this on. ''You''ve prepared something for me?Thank you!I''m going to go change my clothes. ''You can use my room. ''Thank you! Umaro disappears into the kitchen with his costume. ''Hey, anchovy!Why don''t you finish my costume first! ''You''re complaining too much, you can''t take shape.'' ''You''re complaining too much and it''s not taking shape.'' ''It''s not good enough,'' ''It''s not bright enough,'' ''It''s not scary enough,'' and so on. You should be grateful that you''ve stuck with me this far. ''It''s time to go out. If you can''t do as I say, you''ll have to dress up as the first cracked rice cake.'' ''I refuse to do that!That''s just not ...... the same! Hey, where did you drop your vocabulary? I know what you''re trying to say, but... ''All right. I''ll leave it to you to make it pretty.'' Lucia went through a lot of confusion, asking for scary, interesting, and cute, but in the end she left the cute part. Well, let''s make her a wizard or something. I cleaned up Lucia''s bloody face with red paint, and painted a star mark on her bright makeup. ''Now, go change into this. ''Mm. Then, look forward to the completion. Lucia hugged her costume and disappeared into the kitchen at a run. ''You look happy, Lucia, very happy. It looks like it, to me. ''If that''s the case, you should have decided on a costume earlier. ......'' ''I think Lucia was happy that her friend Yashiro was taking care of her.'' ''...... I''m exhausted, though.'' I''m not going to be able to walk around the city anymore. Ahh... I think I''ll just stay in my room all day today. ''Ah, that ...... Yashiro,......-san.'' From the entrance of the kitchen, Ginette is peeking her face just a little bit. Today, she is wearing makeup that looks a little bluish. It''s a color that reminds me of the dead. ''In case you''re wondering, I tried it on ......, but ............ you know, this outfit is still ...... that ......'' It seems that although she wore it, she didn''t want to show it ....... It''s a bad move. ''Well, let''s go see it from here! ''No!Please wait!I''m going to show you ...... at this time ......! She took a few deep breaths and straightened up. Then, Ginette slowly appeared, wearing the costume of a ghost sister. It is a costume with a lot of enthusiasm that shows how much effort Ukrines has put into it. The base of the costume is a sister, so it''s innocent, but that''s what Ukrines is all about! It''s a great three-dimensional stitching that makes the boobs stand out!You can see them prominently! And when you lower your gaze... ''You worked hard, Ginette. ''No, don''t look at me that closely! There is a beautiful, clean line of neckline. Delia, you ...... do a great job! ''What happened to Molly? ''Oh, you know,......, I''m not as good as the manager,.......'' Molly comes out from behind Jeannette, slowly and steadily. This is a deceased bride in a wedding dress that is torn in many places. It is true that she looks slender, but ...... some of her makeup is disguised. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for before you buy. ''Yeah, yeah. I''m sorry you couldn''t make it in time. ''............ too many sweets,forty two wards ......''. In order to make it look like she was injured, her stomach, which was shaded in dark red and dark beige or blackish colors, appeared to be slender due to the magic of color. But, yeah, I guess I made an effort. I think you''ve done enough. That''s enough for a growing girl. She''s not old enough to be struggling to maintain a model figure, and she''s only a little concerned because she''s surrounded by perfect buddies like Delia, Norma, and Natalia. In fact, they''re professionals. Molly is more normal. ''Good, good, good. ''Ugh ...... kindness, that hurts ......''. ''Just be careful not to eat too much, because if you don''t exercise in the future, you could lose your shape at once. But it takes a few days for the calories you take in to be stored in your fat, so even if you eat as much as you want today, it won''t stick to your stomach until a few days later--in other words, you can eat all you want today! Oh, this girl might be a bad girl. You should take this costume home and hang it in your bedroom. Remind her and train her self-control. ''Eeyusha! Just as we were about to leave, Teresa came running into the sunlit pavilion. She threw on a white sheet like a cloak and jumped on me. ''Oh, piggyback! ''This is not a hug. ''It''s not a hug. ''You don''t care either way. ......'' I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. Underneath her white cloak, she was wearing an eye-popping blue bikini. ''How did this happen? ''I''m wearing the same dress as my sister! Is Barbara dressed like this too? --I thought so, but she did. She was, for real. What do you think, hero?Isn''t she cute! ''Oh, it''s so s*xy. ''No, it''s not!She''s cute!That''s what my mom said! It''s Barbara. Ninety percent of the moms in the world call their kids ''cute''. If you act on that, you''ll be greatly embarrassed out there. I assure you. That outfit is pornographic! ''If it''s just a bikini, it''s even more erotic because the cape covers it up a bit. ''No, it''s not. It was given to me by a sheep lady who said she was a friend of my mom''s.'' It''s by Ukrines. ...... He''s quite fond of these slender types. I guess he likes to dress up Nephrite, Barbara, and other such types. And he likes to expose himself in moderation. Ukrines. ...... Great! ''What kind of monster is this? ''What is it, manager? Don''t you know?It''s called a piggyback ghost, and when you''re really tired, your shoulders get really heavy, right?That''s because there''s a piggyback obake on it! ''Seriously?A beautiful bikini woman?I''m going to do some manual labor! ''Calm down, Yashiro-san!...... already. I see, that weight on my shoulders was the weight of the bikini girls. If you think about it that way, that painful feeling doesn''t seem so bad at all. The idea makes people happy, doesn''t it? ''...... When I''m not too tired, I have a little girl on board.'' ''Really, Magda?It''s kind of a ...... treat for some people. ......'' Tell that to Javier and he''ll go out and chop down some trees. It might lead to serious deforestation. I''ll keep quiet. Molly sneaks a glance at Barbara''s belly, then slumps her shoulders. Don''t compare me to a martial artist. Those races are special. Raccoons have always had flabby bellies. Think of it as the fate of the raccoon people and give up. ''Katakuchi Iwasi! Lucia came running back to the floor, her rough footsteps echoing. ''What the hell are you thinking? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the market. Yeah, it looks surprisingly good on you. But there''s something missing. ...... That''s right! ''Lucia, don''t move!I''ll put you in twintails! ''Listen to me!What''s with the costume? ''It''s a magical girl.'' ''Aren''t you a witch?'' ''Something like that. Here, a magic wand.'' ''What kind of wizard uses a heart-shaped wand like this? Well, no, no, no. Here, twin-tails done. ''Wow, you''re pretty, Lucia.'' ''Mmm,...... if Ginepoo says so,............ but isn''t the skirt too short? ''You''re wearing pants that can be seen, right? ''There is no such thing as pants that can be seen!You''ll never see them! I''m not going to peek at you. I''m happy with just my raw legs and thighs, which are usually hidden. ...... You really have long legs, don''t you? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not going to let you touch them, even if you praise me. ''Don''t let him touch you, even a little, as a lady!Calm down, Lucia! ''...... Lucia''s a softy.'' ''She''s so happy, so happy, Lucia. She''s got a magic stick and she''s going to ram it down my throat. And then the magical girl Lucia stumbled away. I was restless and fidgety. But once you step outside, the whole town is dressed up in costumes. It''s only embarrassing at first, but you''ll get used to it. And now there are demons, mummies, undies, bikinis, and fireflies in the sunlit pavilion. ...... There are a few different ones mixed in, but don''t worry about it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. Umaro appeared slowly, wearing all black clothes, a baby-sized torso hanging around his neck, and a baby cap. ''It''s Oumalo Baby. ''No, no, you just added a tiny body. ''At night, it looks like a floating baby with a woollen face. ''...... Maybe you can''t see it. You''re an idiot. On the stage, black clothes are treated as invisible. It''s not on stage, so it''s pretty dumb, but it''s Umaro, so it''s not a problem. ''It''s cute, Mr. Oumalo. ''No, that ...... doesn''t make me happy, Mr. Manager .......'' ''...... Oumalo, waddle.'' ''Mwaaaaah!I''m not sure what to make of that. I guess the devil and the angel are a pair today, maybe. Anyway, I''m glad you''re having fun. ''So, where''s Imelda? Imelda, who had been helping Molly and Jeannette with their make-up and Lucia with her clothes, hadn''t shown up on the floor yet. ''Oh, that''s right. With a snap of his hand, Umaro brings a huge wooden frame onto the floor. The huge wooden frame was about 1.5 meters high and had intricate designs on its surface, making it look like the frame of a gorgeous painting. I set it up and placed a luxurious chair in the center of the frame. While I was looking at it, a lady appeared from the kitchen and solemnly sat down on the luxurious chair. Her legs are slightly askew and she smiles softly. She looked exactly like the portrait of Imelda''s mother that she had seen in Imelda''s house. ''It''s your mother''s masquerade. ''Are you going to carry this frame and chair with you? ''Don''t you think it looks just like her? ''Of course they look alike, they''re mother and daughter. Imelda''s usual flamboyant hair was set a little lower, and she wore make-up with a calm atmosphere. Her costume is not as flamboyant as Imelda would like, but more mature and sober, as a lady would like. It''s the kind of costume that makes you think Imelda will be a beautiful woman like this when she gets a little older. ...... Is it a masquerade? I mean, if you think about it, even if Imelda keeps getting older, she''s not going to be this beautiful and calm. Never. Imelda would be more out of touch. Environment is very important, isn''t it? ''Umaro-san, please transport the forehead and chair to ......''. ''Absolutely not! Even Umaro would not want to carry such a big, bulky, and unnecessarily heavy thing through the city. Imelda. You''ll have to put up with it on your own. In that case, it''ll just be "Imelda in a calmer outfit. I don''t think it''s a good idea to dress up as a deceased person for Halloween, but ...... Gilberta seems to be having fun, so I won''t say anything since there''s no malice intended. You can make it the 42nd district''s way of Halloween. We don''t even have the original religion of Halloween here. Anyway, Imelda''s costume will be very simple, I thought. ''Hey, Yashiro!I''ve come for a good drink! ''You''re too early, Javier. We start drinking at night.'' ''I can''t wait. Ambrose will be here in the afternoon, so please entertain him.'' ''You two old men go ahead and have a drink.'' Javier walked in with a smirk on his face. It''s a good thing I''m not a lumberjack. ...... Although the people of the 42nd district branch were working hard to prepare the wood for the decoration of the city. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s wrong with the organization if the top management is playing around. Hmm?Hey, hey, hey. Just because today is a children''s festival doesn''t mean it''s a good idea. Javier found a frame in the room and smiled. ''You don''t need to prepare a picture of my guy, I won''t let you off the hook. ''I don''t trust you at all, but ...... I didn''t prepare it.'' ''So it''s Imelda?She''s a real pain in the ass. I''ve prepared a life-size painting of her. ......'' ''I''m more troubled by the fact that you''re the one who''s going to get off on this. ''Oooooohhhh, he''s talking! The biggest scream of the day rang out. ''It''s me, Father. ''Yes, yes, Imelda? ''It''s trick-or-treating. ''I had no choice, you pranked me!I thought my heart was going to stop! A costume that seemed to scare no one gave one particular person the biggest scare of all. That''s what happens when you''re guilty. I''ll keep that in mind. I''m going to have a quick drink on the main street, so take care of Yashiro and Imelda. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. He really can''t stand to be pranked with that face. I''ve been told to hold the reins so she doesn''t get out of control, but ...... don''t expect too much from me. ''Bye, Teresa. See you later~'' ''Bye, Otan! ''Aha!You''re so cute! ''Why don''t you get going, ''you''? ''Stop calling me that! Javier ran off crying, leaving only a sense of weariness in the sunlit pavilion. ''I won''t be like that even if I get married. I felt a quiet sympathy for Umaro''s muttering. Well, there are only a limited number of people who can be like that. ''Well, we''d better get going! There was a lot of noise, but when everyone was ready, we left the sunlit pavilion. Then, as if waiting for us to come out, we encountered a group of ghosts waiting for us in front of the store. '''''''' Trick or treat! '''''''' ''Give us some candy or we''ll play a trick on you, Jeannette. Mr. Yashiro. It''s the kids from the church, led by Bertina. It seems that the matron and her friends did a good job, and there were a few ghosts in the mix that I had never seen before. I thought Bertina wasn''t wearing a costume, but she had her old fangs. She seemed to like it. ''Bertina''s disguise is very plain: ......'' ''I''m the leader of the group.'' ''But you''ll take the candy, right? ''Give it to me or I''ll play a trick on you.'' Bertina, smiling, taking in all the goodies. On days like this, it''s nice to have fun in a bikini. ...... I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. As I wondered what she was doing, the light blue cloud-like thing was suddenly pressed against my ass. ''Mr. Yashiro, you''re a pee-er. He chuckled. Apparently, that light blue cloud is a symbol for wetness. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I guess that''s what she meant. That explains why the kids are keeping their distance from Bertina. The mere touch of that thing to their asses is enough to label them as pee-ers. The kid must be desperate to protect his dignity. ''Can I borrow that stick for a second? ''Not for Mr. Yashiro, no.'' He stuck his tongue out at me. He seems to be wary of me because of the boo-boo cushion. I wanted to make her a pee-pee sister. ''Yes, Obakeminasan, here are some sweets! Ginette looked even happier than usual as she handed out the sweets to the kids. The basket in her hand is stuffed with sweets. Inside are overly vividly colored marshmallows. ''Wow!That''s amazing! Obake no Okashi! Colorful sweets attract the interest of children. It seems to be the same everywhere in the world. ''Ginette. Do these all taste different?'' ''Yes. Each one has a different flavor.'' ''How many times do I have to play a prank on you? ''Be careful not to eat too much.'' ''Yes.'' The mother is annoying her daughter. She smiles and hands her a marshmallow of a different color. She sneaks it to the kids so they don''t see it. If the kids eat too much, they won''t be able to eat. ...... Although in Bertina''s case, that''s not possible. It''s honey,'' said Bertina, happily chewing on a marshmallow as she led the kids to the main street. They gathered at the main square, showed off their costumes, and paraded through the city in a huge line. Divided into two teams, one going from west to east and the other from east to west, the march of the ghosts continues throughout the day. They start from the main street, go around the east side, take a break for lunch, and then go to the west side. The other team goes the other way. The other team goes the other way. Then they gather again at the main street and come back to the main square. By that time, the kids will have filled their bags with candy. When the march of the ghosts is over, the little children will be tired of walking and will go to sleep, and the adults will hold a midnight ghost party. It is a grand launch party supported by the donations of the lords and other volunteers. You can eat and drink as much as you want for a very low entry fee. Let''s get the economy going! ''Well, I''m going to go around with the children, so I''ll see you later. ''Yes, Sister. Have a safe trip.'' We''re walking at too different a pace from the kids. Bertina seems to be walking a shorter course to keep up with the kids. Ginette says she''s going to collect lots of candy for Bertina, who can''t visit many places. ''We''re on the route to the east, aren''t we? ''Yes, we are. We''re taking the route around the east side first. We rarely walk on the east side. It''s a residential area, so we don''t have anything to stop by. Maybe when we go to Neffery''s house. Magda often goes to the hunting guild. ''The ...... hunting guild is decorated with large decorations that resemble magical beasts. ''Is that so?'' ''......Yes. ''............They are grossly misunderstanding the purpose of Halloween.'' ''Well, it''s usse.'' ''...... Yes, because it''s ugly.'' It''s like walking into a haunted house and finding a model of a monster on the floor. Walk somewhere else today and make your face red. ''Oh no!Our guy''s a little different! You know. While we were talking, we came to the main street. We''re almost to the main square. ''Hey, guys!Nice costumes.'' I heard a voice that sounded even fresher than usual. I don''t need to look back, it''s Estella. She must be very proud of her costume today. That''s right. There''s no one who can play that demon more perfectly than you. It''s a monster just for you. You can keep that costume all to yourself. Hey, Estella. Your disguise is perfect ............, isn''t it ''Nurikabe''! ''I have nothing against that obnoxious name, but I don''t think I''ll be dressing up as it for the rest of my life. Estella is dressed up in something cute. It''s not square! It''s not a wall! It''s not a wall! It''s not flat. ...... It''s not flat, is it? ''What''s the wall? ''It''s not a cave!It''s the vampire you were talking about! ''What, what?The vampire you were talking about! ''Who the hell sucks ass?Vampires.Vampires! Estella, who said she was a vampire, wore blood-red eye makeup and had a strangely s*xy vibe. I don''t know what kind of image she had in mind, but she was wearing long boots longer than her knees, tight hot pants that emphasized her absolute region, and a tuxedo-like jacket with an extraordinarily long hem in the back that looked like an extremely modified version of a tailcoat over a short shirt that showed her navel. She wore a palm-sized silk hat on her head, and bat wings sprouting from her temples. There''s a bit of a succubus nuance mixed in there. ''How do you like it?Isn''t it quite a splendid perfection?There might be vampires like this somewhere in the world, you know? ''And you''re going to suck a beautiful woman''s ''ickity''. ''It''s ''ikichi''! It''s written in Chinese characters as ''Ikichichi''. ''Living blood''! '' ''Sucking raw milk''! ''That''s you, isn''t it? ''Oh, you don''t mind?Then let''s get started. I''ll destroy you! He pointed a messily decorated necklace at me, perhaps as part of a masquerade. It''s a symbol of the Spirit Church, like a circle attached to the back of a cross. ''You''re a demon tribe, don''t rely on the holy power of the church. ''I know someone who has a more sinister mind than the demon race. I''m just being careful. That kind of cross won''t stop an adolescent from running wild. ''If you don''t get a grip, you''re going to have a long night of penance. ''It''s ....... Every time I see that symbol, my stomach starts to churn. ''It''s your fault, Yashiro. Because you keep doing strange things. With a pop, Jeannette slaps me on the forehead. Physical punishment! ''Hmm... I''m a monster today, so I''m rough. Please be careful.'' ''Ugh ...... sad.'' ''Heh!Did it hurt, by any chance?I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to hit you so hard. ......!'' ''Ginette-chan. Don''t take what Yashiro says seriously.'''' ''...... It''s too much for the manager to be violent.'' ''That''s right. No matter how evil he is, he is definitely kind.'''' ''Oh, ...... you tricked me, didn''t you, Yashiro? ''What are you talking about?I just said, ''I''m sad that Jeannette has changed''? ''I didn''t say ''painful'' or ''hurtful''. You''re the one who took it the wrong way. ''I''m the same as always,......, okay? Basically, yes. It''s easier to deceive, easier to handle, easier to be vulnerable, and easier to love. ''But you can be a bit of a bad boy today, can''t you? ''Yes, sir. In moderation, then.'' Well, I don''t think so! ''By the way, Yashiro. Aren''t you going to wear a costume?'' ''Oh no!No, Estella-san! ''...... It''s suicide to ask that of Yashiro. ''Oh, um, ...... I''m going to go look for Millie-san for a bit! ''Huh?What''s that?What is it? Hearing Estella''s comment, everyone in the sunlit pavilion quickly moved away from me. Ginette turned her back on me and ran away. Estella was bewildered by the suddenness of the situation and followed the fleeing people with her eyes. ''Ru, Lucia-san. What is the meaning of this? ''That''s the thing, I don''t understand it either. Magda-tan has been telling me not to ask since last night. ''The same, I, Lucia-sama. I was stopped from asking about my friend Yashiro''s masquerade. ''Molly, do you know anything about it? ''Yeah,............, well,......, I think it would be quicker for you to take a look at ...... ......But be prepared for a certain amount. I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ''I haven''t heard that either. Is this how you''re dressed, Yashiro-san? ''Well...'' At first glance, you look like the usual fresh and handsome Yashiro-kun, but ...... in fact, I''m already in disguise. It''s not that I''m wearing a costume, it''s that I''ve ...... joined the ranks of the ghosts. It''s not like you''re a hero. What part of it is a masquerade?'' I''m not sure what to make of it. ''I see you as the usual Yashiro-san, too. ......? ''Do you want to know ......? ''You''re being very coy. ''We have plans for later, so explain quickly, anchovy. Overpowered by both lords, I, a petty bourgeoisie, just obeyed their orders. So take a look at ...... my disguise. ''Well, at first glance, he''s just a normal looking guy...'' What are you talking about? ''Did you break the mirror in the sunlit pavilion? ''Shut up. I''m going to explain it to you now,.........,............... ......... ha, ha ............ hahaha! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. Not to mention Estella and the others who were watching directly in front of me, even passing residents who happened to witness the scene screamed at the sight. Of course they did. A man''s head had fallen to his waist right in front of them. ....... The neck-falling magic trick has become a familiar sight in Japan. It''s a rather simple trick where a false shoulder is created underneath the clothes. It''s not that my head falls off, but that only my clothes keep their upright shape even when I squat down. However, this jacket that I made is different from the jackets that are often seen in Japan that have obvious devices. It has a natural finish, so that if you behave normally, you won''t be able to tell that it has a trick. Now, after the fall of the head, as promised ''......'', no, no, no, no. The head has come off. ......Good,....... Huh, it''s attached. I''ll make a little play like lifting my own head and attaching it to the torso to make it more realistic. The drawback is that if you are seen from the side, it will be obvious that you are squatting. Incidentally, the costume for this "neck drop magic". It is also compatible with the "Upper Body Falling Magic", which is also very popular in Japan. This is the kind of costume where the upper half of the body comes off, and you walk around holding on to the waist. You can call it "upper and lower body separation magic". The principle is the same. However, I''m probably the only person in the world who can combine both of them and make it look almost unnatural when compared to normal clothes. Hmm. I could go on tour with just one of these. ''...... and my heart hurts. ......'' ''Mmm,......, I''m shrinking.'' ''So you''re getting close to Estella?'' ''I''m not talking about my tits!I''m talking about your heart! ''...... Lucia-san, ......, shut up.'' When I say the word ''Estella'', most people can guess what I''m talking about. That''s great, Estella. Your name recognition. ''Eeyusha?Neck, heichi?I don''t want to...? ''Oh, I''m fine. I''m just a freak today.'' ''Thank you, ......, if you want to, you can do it, okay?'' You''re a big sister. Teresa''s getting to that age where she wants to be a big sister. And Teresa''s own sister is ...... upside down with the whites of her eyes, but she''s okay? I don''t know. ''Yashiro-sama''. In contrast to the upturned Barbara and the noisy lords, Natalia walks with a calm gait. ''I apologize for staring at you from the side. ''You''ve seen it. ''It was quite unique. I promised not to say that. I''ll have to show Natalia the upper body separation magic later. ''So, what''s Natalia dressed up as? She''s wearing dog ears and a thick tail. Canines...... or werewolves? No way, a wolf woman? ''This is a doppelganger costume. ''What''s with the dog ears? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one with a fetish for kemo ears. The only thing I have to say is, good job. Natalia the dog-eared one, she''s surprisingly good looking! A doppelganger is a disguise for a different person who looks exactly like Natalia. What a confusing choice: ...... But perhaps that''s the reason why Natalia has taken off her usual maid''s uniform and is now wearing pants with an air of adult charm. ''I''m wearing pants that allow me to wear a belt to hold my tail in place. ''I see. ''Also, ...... so that you don''t open up when you''re drunk.'' ''Expressions!Hey, head waiter! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to say. ''Everyone~! When I arrived at the main square, Paula and Nepheli came running at me, dressed in black. They were wearing tight-fitting shorts and tube tops. Their stomachs, thighs, and shoulders were covered with a mesh fabric. There were sleeves, but they were so see-through that it was almost as if there were no sleeves at all. It''s like a bikini and mesh tights. ''What kind of costume is this? ''It''s the Shadow, who won first prize in the ghost story competition. ''Paula said, "As the head girl of Cantalucia, I have to dress up as the number one ghost. So I had to go along with her.'' The long shadowy werewolf that Lucia spoke of, the one that kidnaps children. It''s more like ....... It''s more like a ninja than a shadow. No, she looks like a kunoichi. ''Don''t you think there will be a lot of customers if you stand in the store dressed like this? ''Even if you don''t dress like that, I''m sure you''ll have a steady stream of customers today. After all, the banquet is all-you-can-drink, all-you-can-eat. Don''t fall down, tavern workers. ''I just saw Norma and Delia over there. ''Oh, look, there they are!Hey, Norma!Delia~! They found Norma and Delia near the front of the plaza. When Paula waved her hand, Norma and Delia noticed her and rushed over to her. ''...... Norma. That outfit ......''. ''Molly asked me to do it for you. She''s a little unsure of herself, so she asked me to wear the same outfit to stand out. ......A, I said no, but?Molly insisted,......, and I felt sorry for her when she asked me so desperately, so I had no choice. Norma''s outfit was the same as Molly''s, a deceased bride. A wedding dress that showed off her belly. Unlike Molly, the part that comes out is "Dynamite! And when Norma wears it, she''s all "excellents! I wonder if Norma, who is "dynamite! It''s a pure white dress, but it''s irresistibly ...... erotic! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ............ Also, it is said that wearing a wedding dress outside of the actual event will keep you from getting married. ......... It''s a jinx in Japan, after all. I''m sure that effect won''t reach this city, which is in another world. ...... Let''s keep it quiet. I''ll take that to my grave. ''So, what is Delia''s costume?'' ''This?It''s Red Riding Hood! ''Why? It looked like that at first glance, and even though I denied it in my brain, it was still the Red Hood as I saw it. A bright red skirt that spreads softly. A pure white apron and a basket full of sweets. And her trademark red hood. It''s a red hood, for all intents and purposes. ...... Except that the contents of the basket are not for the old lady''s visit, but for her own food. ''This is Yashiro''s idea of a ghost, right? ''It''s not a werewolf. ''But it''ll trick the werewolves into eating it, right? Ah, so that''s what you interpreted when you saw the shadow art that appeared in front of Cantar Chica. You''re right, he had a huge Masakari. I guess it''s no wonder he''s perceived as a monster who tricks you with his innocent appearance and then reaps your life in one fell swoop. ...... ''How could you have prepared for this in such a short time? ''Ukrines made it for me! Get some sleep! Get some rest, Uclines! Eat a full meal today and sleep like dirt!I promise!You have my word! ''Hey, ladybug! I turned around at the sound of the bouncy, joyful voice, and saw a flower fairy. ''I, Yosei, eat! ''Calm down, Yashiro! You''re so cute! ''That''s just too cute to deny, though! Estella sympathizes, but stands in front of me. Garururu...... ''Wow, Milly, what''s with the flowers? ''What''s this a costume for? She was surrounded by everyone and was dressed as a flower fairy with fresh flowers all over her body. Her hair ornaments were blooming so profusely that they covered her small head, and even her clothes and ornaments were decorated with brightly colored flowers. ''This, you know. It''s a fairy who protects the forest, called Doriade. ''It''s pretty, Milly. ''It is. It''s like a living flower.'' ''Heh, thanks. ''Thanks, Noma-san, Derria-san. People in the Hirakata area who think of chrysanthemum dolls, change your mind. They''re different from the chrysanthemum dolls famous at theme parks in the Hirakata area. They''re much prettier. A flower angel. Flower angels. No, Hana Cupid. ''Ah!You know, when you go to the west side, the big ladies said you should stop by the flower guild. It''s not that they want to go to the haunted house ............ without makeup, but they want to serve the sweets they practiced so hard. We want you to eat the sweets you have practiced so hard. That''s why they are going to give out a lot of sweets. They say it''s a win-win situation: the kids get the sweets and the big girls get to see the happy kids eating what they''ve made. I think it''s good. As long as the people spending the money are happy with it. It seems to be going in the right direction. ''Oh, in that case, stop by my place when you go to the east side. Nepheli is showing off his house as much as Milly. I wonder if he was thinking of egg sweets. ''My chickens all have pumpkin ornaments on their torsos, they''re so cute! ''...... turban ornament? I''ve never heard that word before. ''It''s just a small pumpkin decoration, but my mom and dad got really excited and made it. ...... Well, I''ve made a lot of them myself.'' I''ve made a lot of them myself,'' said Neffery, peeking his tongue out. It seems that this family has been busy making decorations instead of sweets. ''If we''re going to ......, we should all stop by the hunting guild. Magda stepped forward and proceeded to the hunting guild. ''...... and complain to Use, "That''s not it."'' ''Hey, Yashiro. Maybe it''s just my imagination, but ...... Magda, you look like you''re having fun.'' ''Oh. I''m sure Use''s ''I did it'' feeling is going in the direction of the day after tomorrow in an interesting way. Let''s go see it. I''ll point my finger and laugh at him. ''Isn''t Estella''s place doing something? ''We''re all on vacation for the day, as previously announced. That''s why the mansion is closed. Instead, many sweets were placed in the main hall as a donation from the lord. In the main square, kids swarmed around the sweets of the lord. The sweets were tasteless and insignificant, just a set of commercial sweets. The kind of sweets you can get for money even if you don''t have the skill. But it reminded me of a local children''s festival and made me nostalgic. In my hometown, during the Jizo-bon festival, the local children''s association gave out bags of sweets. The rule was that we could eat only one piece per day, and even as kids we thought hard about what to eat first and what to leave behind. We arrived at the main square and met up with Ginette and the others who had been separated from us. Around us, there were countless ghosts. The atmosphere was eerie and comical. I guess this is Halloween in the 42nd district. ''Well then, let''s get started. The First 42nd Ward Halloween Party!Let the ghosts begin their march! As Estella announced the start of the event, the ghosts gathered in the square raised their spirits. the ghosts gathered in the square raised their spirits. And so, the first Halloween in District 42 began with a bang. 439-Additive-free Episode 94 Halloween Night ''Oh, little Ginette, little Yashiro.'' ''Oh, Grandma Mum. It suits you, your sandpiper costume.'' ''Mm-hmm. I didn''t dress up in any costume, here.'' ''Oh, Yashiro-san. We walked around the east side, had a quick lunch on the main street, and now we are walking on the west side. The sun is gradually setting, and it will soon be evening. ''Here''s a snack. I tried my best to make them.'' ''Thank you very much. ...... Hmm. It''s been a long time since I''ve had sweets from Grandma Mum. ''Yes, it has. I used to give them to Jeannette when she was still small. The sweets that Grandma Mum had made came in a small box. When I opened the lid, there were several small, hard, square sweets inside. They were light brown in color and had a slightly savory aroma. ''Okaki! ''Yes, that''s right. I cut some leftover rice cakes into small pieces and roasted them. I seasoned them with soy sauce. ''I love okaki. I''ll have some later. By the way, after we had a mochi pounding party on New Year''s, the ham kids got hooked on it and mass-produced a lot of mochi like idiots. So they dried them and made rice crackers and rice crackers for tea. I guess Grandma Mum secretly liked them. I''ll pick one. Mmm. It''s good. Maybe next time I''ll teach her to make them with different flavors. I get a craving for this kind of thing sometimes. ''chuckle. Mr. Yashiro is a glutton, isn''t he? Ginette laughed at me as I quickly picked up the okaki. ''That''s right. You just ate one.'' ''No. I''ve been taking bites of the sweets you gave me for a while now. That''s you, you know. ...... Because we have a responsibility to make sure that the sweets we spread have been passed on properly, and that they haven''t turned into something ridiculous, as the originator, that''s why we feel responsible. ''If you eat too much and get fat, let''s do exercises together. ''You won''t get fat like this. ''Is that so? ''Yeah, Molly. You can only have one kind a day.'' ''No way! When I was given sweets at the Jizo Bon festival, I thought the rule of one per day was a tyranny of adults, but I guess it was a necessary ...... consideration. ...... I''m sure Molly is not that much of a child. I''m sure she''s not that young.I''m not sure what to say. After dropping by the flower guild, I headed to the lumberjack guild and found Masha there. ''Look, look!She walks on four legs! Masha was dressed up as a wolf. She had covered the tank with fur to make it look as if it was one with her body. The water tank is made to look like the body of a wolf. ...... Then it''s a centaur (wolf version). Masha''s upper body is growing out of the wolf''s body. It has four legs and two arms. If it had six legs, it would be an insect. But Masha with dog ears is very cute. Yeah, she''s cute. ''Hey, hey, listen, listen!"Why is the wolf''s mouth so big? Why is the wolf''s mouth so big? It seems that Masha has heard the story of Red Riding Hood that I told her when I was explaining the shadow puppets in Cantartika. If ...... asks you if you''re a wolf, she already knows who you are. It''s not a good idea to have your identity exposed. ''No, it''s too much trouble. ''Oh no!I used my big mouth to eat Delia-chan~! ''I won''t let you eat her. I''ll eat you too! If Delia and Masha really fought, who would be stronger? If you think about it normally, it would be Delia, but Masha seems to have some kind of hidden power. ...... But if Delia won''t listen to me, I''ll listen to her instead. ''Why are the wolf''s tits so big? ''You''re asking the wrong question~, Yashiro-kun*'' ''''That''s because they pinch you! ''I don''t understand the purpose, that wolf. Please! Don''t be shy!Come on!Come on, come on, come on!Come on! ...... Hey~. ''Okay, Delia-chan. Give me a push. ''So that''s what it''s going to be like. ...... I''m a red-skinned girl today. ......'' ''Red Riding Hood is the most powerful person in the village, right? ''Oh, is that right?All right then. Kintaro seems to be in the mix. Even Kintaro is probably no match for the bears of District 42. ''Ladies and gentlemen, please take a look!This is the lumberjack''s Halloween decoration in full effect! '''''''' It''s huge! '''''''' In front of the lumberjack guild, there stood a ghost that seemed to have been carved out of a huge tree that looked to be several hundred years old. No, it was standing. It''s huge. ...... It''s taller than Imelda''s two-story house. ''Is it made out of a single tree? ''Yes, it is. I designed it and had Bekko cut it.'' Becko......, what are you making? How did you complete a sculpture larger than the Great Buddha of Nara in such a short time? Along with the other decorations? Oh, I see. You''re an idiot, aren''t you? Can''t you show a little more respect to him for creating something so amazing? Estella waited for Imelda''s expression of ''having Becco cut it down''. It''s true, if you''ve made something this big, you deserve a little work. At least a little. ''That''s right. Then-- I designed it and had Mr. Becko cut it down.'' ''That''s not the part where I pay my respects! I''ve just paid my respects to myself, young lady. ''You can climb up to the face of this statue. You should try it next time. ''It''s looking more and more like the Big Buddha. I think the one you can climb is in Kamakura. As I looked up at the huge statue, which could be made into a tourist attraction, I spotted a human figure around the eyes of the monster. Someone was waving at me from within the eyes of the obake, which were hollowed out like windows. ''Yashippi~!Look at this, my very own fancy dress~! I''d like to think I''m mistaken because I''m looking at it from a distance, but ...... it looks like Cindy and sounds like Cindy''s voice. ''Imelda. Is this statue an accident site? Was there a horrible incident in the past? I can see something like a ghost. ''Cindy, that''s a lovely costume. It''s fluttery and pretty.'' ''The costume is. Ginette smiles and waves back at me, as if she''s happy about something. Even Magda and Loretta are looking away with a ''wow, I can''t ......'' look on their faces. You can''t tell from a distance, can you? I don''t know, but it''s probably a ...... Tennyo no Hagoromo kind of costume, right? I''m not sure, but I think it''s a ...... Tennyo no Hagoromo kind of costume, and the part of the arm that you can see is pretty see-through, but ...... the whole body is darkly colored, right?Of course!I''m sure you''ll agree. ''...... Manager, don''t be careless.'' ''It''s more often than not a loss to deal with someone who''s overexcited!It''s better to run away here! ''What?I''m not sure what to do.What? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Just because one Ginette is possessed, that thing will follow this group without fail. This is a scene where teamwork is required. We''ll get out of here as fast as we can and make it to the church. ''The ghosts are out! In front of the church, I was hit with a wrapped candy bar by the matrons who had arrows through their heads. ...... It hurts like hell, it''s mixed up with Setsubun, and you''re probably an obake too when you have an arrow through your head. There are a lot of things I would like to say, but my attempts to do so came to nothing as the kids crowded in front of the matron, eager to get their hands on the candy. ''Oh, there''s ramune mixed in. ''Yes . We got some cornstarch from Mr. Yaprock''s place and made it with the church members. Ginette, when did this happen? They must have been working so hard, and I didn''t even know it. After being exposed to the rain of candy, we set off for the main street, chewing on the melt-in-your-mouth ramune. The shadows of the buildings and trees grew darker, and the pumpkin lanterns that dotted the street grew more and more prominent. ''It''s getting very dark, isn''t it? ''Yes, it is.'' ''...... Loretta, it''s dark underfoot, so ............ if you''re going to fall, dress funny.'' ''Don''t get your hopes up!I''m not going to fall! ''Even though you say ..................? ''I have heavy expectations! The walking cat moved to stand next to Jeannette and clung tightly to her arm. ''So, let''s hold hands so we don''t fall.'' ''Yes, sir!If you''re with the manager, you''ll be reassured. ...... Honya! ''Oh, no! The two dullards fall down in a big way . If a dullard clings to a dullard, he''ll fall. I looked carefully at the spot where Jeannette and the others had fallen, but there was nothing to trip over. ...... What did they trip over, guys? I''m sure you''ll agree. I heard a happy laugh. I looked around and saw that everyone was laughing. Ginette was also smiling shyly. On the other side of the road, I saw the Sunlit Pavilion. The store was not open, but it was brightly lit with glowing bricks. Even at night, the store was bathed in a soft light that reminded me of a warm sunny day. ''What''s the matter, Yashiro?What''s wrong with the sunlit pavilion?'' ''Hmm?No. ......'' I don''t know. ''I felt like the sunny pavilion was smiling at me. She was smiling at the growth of Ginette, whom she had known since she was a little girl. That''s what it felt like. ''The store, huh? ''No, it''s nothing. It''s just my imagination.'' Estella tilts her head and I tell her it''s nothing. It''s a Japanese feeling that things look like they''re smiling. Even dolls, pictures, and things without faces can look like that if you are familiar with them. I don''t think these people can understand such a feeling. ''It''s Halloween today. ''It''s Halloween, right?If the sunken pavilion looks like it''s smiling when you see Jeannette taking care of it, then you''re probably not looking at it wrong. Surprisingly, Estella easily affirmed this feeling. There was no laughing, no confusion, no teasing. Because in the past few days, as the preparations for Halloween progressed, such an atmosphere was spreading in the 42nd district. ''It''s Halloween. Strange things can happen. You know. ''Come on, let''s go to the main street. I''m starving.'' ''Yes, you are. I just grabbed a quick bite at lunch on the main street. A little meat in Cantalucia. I''ve been walking around the city and I''m feeling pretty hungry. I''m wondering if Gazelle and her son are doing well, so I''m going to check them out. ''''Then, when we get back to the main square, we''ll have grilled meat afterwards! ''''''Oh!'''''' We must all be hungry. That was a very good reply. The march of the ghosts would reach its goal when they returned to the main square. After a day of touring all over the 42nd district, our snack bags were full. I can''t eat this much. I''ll give it to the kids,......, I thought, but the kids in the church and the ham kids each have their own bag of candy, and it''s full. ...... So what the heck, I''ll have Donnis take it and deliver it to the kids at the 24th Ward Church. It''s a waste of money to have left over. I''m sure Donnis won''t mind if you throw it in the gate on your way home, and he won''t refuse. ''Yashiro-san? ''Hmm?'' Jeannette was peering into my face. ''What were you thinking about?'' ''...... something very erotic.'' ''I see. Then you can''t tell anyone. He chuckles as he says this. It''s like he doesn''t trust me. Don''t doubt what people say. At all. ...... No, I''m the one who''s been telling Jeannette to be suspicious of people. That''s not what this scene is about. Not at all. ............ Not at all. ''Mmm!There''s someone in there! Loretta''s voice drew everyone''s attention to the darkness of the alleyway. We are almost at the main street. A little farther and you''ll come to Hardware Street and the residential areas of the people who work there. There, in one of the alleys, stood a dark figure. A suspicious figure: ...... Magda lowers herself ...... slowly. ''Oh, wait a minute, it''s me, me, me. The person who emerged from the darkness was Regina. She was wearing a long black coat, and her hands were crossed over the front of the coat, holding it down. If she opened her arms like that, the coat would open and her ''yuck'' and ''wow'' parts would be exposed. ''You''re a pervert!Block the kids'' view! ''Adults must put the safety of children first!Hurry up!'' The two of you are very good at responding quickly and in perfect harmony. But that''s not right...'' Let''s go to the station for the details! ''''Actually,......, I tried to dress up in a costume too,......, but I was still a little embarrassed,.......'''' ''''What kind of obscene costumes are you wearing? ''''Homma, you two are perfect for each other, the titty demon god and the titty lord. It''s not that kind of ''embarrassing''. The titty lord is upset about the ''titty lord'' comment, but I don''t care about that so I''ll ignore it. ''What kind of costume are you wearing? Ginette, who treats perverts with an open mind, asks the Longcoat Foreclosure Woman. Look at that. You''re a pervert no matter how you look at it. If you look at it objectively... ''You know, sometimes I encounter a strange phenomenon where I can hear voices that sound like customers, but I can''t see them. ''Oh, really?Is that so? No, Jeannette. That''s because you''re not wearing glasses, so you can''t see the customers. And for some reason, he has a strong belief that there''s no such thing as customers, so he just doesn''t recognize them as customers. ''So, I''m going to dress up as the Invisible Man. ''Is this the Invisible Man''s disguise ......?'' I couldn''t think of an invisible person costume, so Ginette and everyone else in the room tilted their heads. I''m tilting my head too. ''Under this coat, I''m wearing black pants and a bra.bang! I thought that if I opened and closed the front of this coat quickly, a part of my body would show through and it would look like it wasn''t there. ...... Wait a minute!I''m not sure what to make of it. I took the time to ask him for details because he said he wasn''t a pervert, but ...... he''s a pervert! It''s really a shame! I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. ''Oh my god ......'' Regina was pinned down by Natalia. Estella let out a sigh as she checked the inside of her coat. ''I tried to dress up in a decent costume, but I was so embarrassed that I just did my usual obscene antics. I''m ...... relieved in a way, though.'' ''It''s important to be bold in these things. Let''s get your coat.'' ''Wha?Wait a minute, head waiter!I still have to prepare my heart and underwear! ''You''re mixing in something I don''t need! ''If you haven''t prepared your underwear yet, then let''s wait. ''Don''t be persuaded, Natalia!I don''t want it, that way!'' Estella forcibly ripped off Regina''s coat and revealed an ultra-mini yukata from underneath. It''s a pure white yukata, about ten inches above the knee. I don''t know what she was wearing, but it showed off her thighs! And a faint glimpse of cleavage! ''This is one of the pictures I drew! I can''t see well with your hands in the way. You think it''s the costume in my drawing? ''Here, that, that. When I was explaining the church children''s costumes.'' ''Ah, the one-eyed boy and those Japanese costumes...'' It seems that the image of monsters was so strong that I naturally drew Japanese costumes. I drew kara-gasa (Chinese umbrella) and monstrous warajis. I guess this is one of them. ''......We couldn''t wear this kind of clothes at the festival. ......Weird, isn''t it? ''You look very pretty, Regina.'' ''You''re always wearing the same clothes. Honestly, you look great. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. She must have been worried because she was always alone. There are many things that you can do when you''re with others, but when you''re alone, you can''t do them. Then I''ll give you an honest compliment too. ''Regina. Nice Eros! ''You''re the only one who feels that way.'' ''...... Regina, erotic.'' ''This is undeniably erotic! ''Oh no, it''s not just "just"...'' It''s a shame that all the disappointing ones are here. The verdict was three to two in favor of eroticism! This court session is now adjourned! Then, Regina-san, let''s go to the Great Square together. Okay. ''I don''t mind, but ...... I''m going to put on a jacket. ......'' ''What are you talking about? It''s much better to look good now than to look like a pervert.'' ''It''s ...... erotic, though.'' ''It is erotic.'' ''Not anymore. Both Magda and Loretta.'' ''Well, if it''s erotic, I don''t mind.'' ''Let''s leave it, Regina!There! ''If you''re so embarrassed, just take it all off. ''Yashiro-san, please repent.'' I''m trying to help people. ......! ...... No, I just wanted to take a look. Hey, hey. Repentance. Sorry. By the time I got back to the main street, the sun had already set. Kids were everywhere, proudly showing off their swollen bags of sweets, and laughter could be heard everywhere, as if to say that this event was a success. ''We walked a lot today, didn''t we? ''Yeah. The kids and the old must be exhausted. ''The young people are still in good health, but I''m hungry! ''...... It''s about time we had something delicious to eat.'' ''Mmmm, yes. So, I''ll see you all--'''' ''''......Do you work? Do you?'''' ''''Yes, no!Because we''ve decided that the Sunlit Pavilion will be closed today, except for the food stalls! When Jeannette talks about food with a happy face, it''s a sign that she wants to work. Such an ingrained idea seems to be firmly rooted in the minds of all the employees. For a moment, I thought she was going to say she wanted to open the restaurant. ''Why don''t you all go out for yakiniku? ''If that''s the case, I''m all for it! ''...... Estella''s buying today. Eat to your heart''s content, no need to hold back.'' ''Why would Magda say that, at all ......?'' Estella shrugs her shoulders, but she has a good look on her face, a mixture of exhaustion and excitement. I haven''t had enough fun yet. She looks like a little kid. ''Well then, let''s all head to Thomson''s Kitchen together! She claps her hands and raises her fists. Ginette is followed by a group of comical ghosts who welcome the party. Looking around, Lucia, Merle, and Donis were also in the crowd. Gazelle and her son, I hope you don''t collapse ...... when you''re suddenly made to serve a group of lords. ''Hey, Oba!Listen to me!I''ve got some booboo cushions for the butlers, and they''re a masterpiece--'' ''Old, old. You''re out of date, Ricardo. The booboo cushion craze has passed, in the Forty-second Ward. What are you so happy about? ...... Oh, I went to brag to Donnis. ''I mean, what''s with that costume he''s wearing? ''That?I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Hmm~...... it''s kind of ...... plain.'' I''m sure. Ricardo was wearing a dress with a torn abdomen and red paint on his belly. You should be more careful with your face and arms. There are so many things you could have done. He wants to do it all, but he''s too lazy to do the details, you know? What''s with Donnis'' ......?It looks like a normal tuxedo to me.'' ''A spirit of love that brings love with the coolness of the night breeze'' ....... ''Oh, ......, I''ll ban poems next time.'' I feel like I''m getting too drunk, and the purpose of Halloween is getting lost in the shuffle. It''s not even a ghost anymore. ''What about Mahr''s at ......? ''Zashiki Warashi''. ''Heh, I thought it was going to be a Nurarihyon costume. Dressed in a yukata, Mahrul had her hair up and was using a hair elastic with a bonfire to make a tail hair. I know. I know what you mean. Isn''t it so cute to look so young, Donis? I can''t help but feel a twinge of pain as if I were watching an old lady frolicking around in a sailor suit. ''The yukata was brought in by you and spread from Ukrines'' store. They''re still rare in other districts.'' ''So you''ve decided to wear it here and there. ''It''s a good opportunity to challenge yourself. ''If you wore a kimono appropriate for your age, you''d look more presentable. ''Then I''ll tell her that. ''Don''t. ...... I''ll have to look after it later.'' We talked about this as we made our way to Thomson''s kitchen. The ghosts scattered to the banquet hall, and the Halloween night was underway. When I passed by the Cantaloupe, it was so crowded that I couldn''t see inside. The entrance with the face of a hexenbiest and the shadow art on the storefront seemed to be well received. Paula said she was going back to Kantartika and Nephrite was going to help her. I''m not sure if you can get out of this one. Well, the barbecue won''t escape. You can always eat it from now on. ''Hey, hey, hey, you!Did you see Mr. Nefari''s costume?It''s too bright, seriously!I thought I''d be blinded by the glare, seriously! ''Really? If you had told me earlier, I would have led you to the pit. ''No drop! Percy, who had survived the massive increase in sugar production, was beaming with a smile that did not show the fatigue of the past few days. Oh, I see, you''ve been healed, I don''t care. Molly walks next to me and puts on a cool face. I guess this is a reward. ''Are you sure you want to come?You can stay in Cantalucia if you want.'' ''No, no, no. If Molly''s on this side, I''m on this side too, usually. You took Molly over Nefari. That''s unusual. ''I mean, there''s no way I could leave her looking so cute in the middle of a bunch of drunks. I''ll have to keep an eye on her.'' ''Is Nephrite okay? ''There, you see, there are friends and the Master. That store, even if you''re a helper or an apprentice, if you mess with the staff, you''re risking your life. ......'' ''Have you ever almost died from messing with a nepheline that you were helping? ''......hi,it''s a secret.'' Is it? You have an honest face, you know that? ''Oh, no!Mr. Percy!What a coincidence! ''Oh, no?Let''s see, ...... Barbara-san! ''Yes!I''m Aashi! I''m Barbara, the one who ruined the impression of strangeness by feigning strangeness. This guy has probably never heard of the term ''casualness''. ''So, what kind of costume is that? ''Oh, this?It''s a ''Mezuren'' costume. Isn''t it bad? Percy has eyes painted on his forehead and cheeks, and some eyes on his arms. Other than that, he is wearing normal clothes. No, he''s dressed up a bit. She''s dressed up a bit, with a glimpse of the disgustingness of trying to look good. I mean, Percy. It''s not "Mezuren" then, it''s "Hyakume" or "Hyakumeoni. ''What are you dressed up as, Barbara? ''Oh, a piggyback ghost. Oh, ......, I''ll piggyback you!What a joke!I''m just kidding!I''m not joking! ''Hahaha!It''s so funny! Percy laughs at Barbara''s panic. ...... Barbara is a maiden, and I''m feeling a little chilly here, aren''t I? This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family.That ...... is cute ...... ...... Oh, no, it''s nothing. ''Hmm?You''re cute, right? ''Gosh! ''No, seriously. It looks super on you. You''re so stylish, Barbara.'' ''Gurubaru-fuah! Whoa, whoa, whoa, Barbara! What''s coming out of your mouth? It''s making a terrible noise! ''Poof, Dad, Percy''s costume also looks really cool ............! ''Oh, yeah?Thank you.'' ''Thanks! I don''t know. I''ve never heard a ''smile'' like that before. If you''ve had your fill, make sure you go to heaven, Barbara. I''m not sure how you can tell a woman in a bikini that she''s got style. ...... Where did I leave my delicacy? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll do it. She has a very blank expression. But her arms naturally cover her stomach. It''s like ''good style'' has come back to haunt Molly. But, Molly. That''s taking it out on you. ''By the way, there are a lot of people wearing hexenbiest masks. ''Hmm?Yeah.'' As Molly said, there are many people on the street wearing masks that resemble hexenbiests. Some cover only the upper half of the face, some cover the whole face, and some only the mouth. ''Old men can''t be bothered with makeup. They just want to put on a mask and be done with it. They probably didn''t want to dress up too elaborately because they were going to drink later. ''I told Assunto to prepare it for me, and it was a mega-hit. ''The Peddler''s Guild must have made a lot of money in the past few days.'' ''Yeah. That''s why they''re giving it back to us. ''That''s like advertising money for a new fad, isn''t it? ''Yeah. If yakiniku and motsu spread, they''ll make another fortune. It''s Assunto''s good point that he doesn''t hesitate to invest in the future. I''m impressed by his ability to recover the money. ''Also, if you wear a mask, you won''t be caught looking at me s*xually. ''Yashiro-san''s whole body will be turned towards you, so I think he''ll be able to tell. Of course not, Molly. ......I''m sure you''re right. I''m sure you''ll be fine. It''s not your destination. I''m not sure what to make of it. Both of my arms were held by Jeannette and Estella and I was forced to turn around. Ah, a highly exposed beauty ......! After that, I passed by a number of gorgeous costumed ghosts here and there, but I couldn''t enjoy them at all because the guards on both sides were too tight. ''Welcome! ''Hello! In the Thomson kitchen, Cow and Ox were working hard, wearing hats that resembled white ghosts. The hat, which looks as if the back of the head has been bitten off by a monster, was a gift from me as an opening gift. It looks pretty good on you. Mm-hmm. ''Can you sit down? ''I''m sorry. The tables are all taken. ......'' ''It''s full! ''It''s a little high, but if you''d like to sit at the counter...'' ''If you don''t mind! ''You don''t mind, do you? ''Yes. It''s a special seat where I can cheer on Leela''s struggles. ''Don''t you usually cook meat at the counter? ''The counter is for drinking. ''That''s right! If the counter were lowered a little more, it would be possible to put in a shichirin and increase the number of seats, but Leela insisted on leaving it as it was. She wanted to keep the place where her late husband, Bomo, stood for the longest part of the day. ''But even if it''s a counter, it can''t seat this many people, can it? ''It can''t be helped. Umaro.'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll make an impromptu table as soon as possible! ''Then we''ll get some wood from Imelda''s. Help me, Norma. ''d*mn it, I can''t help it. ...... Hot sake, can I have some? ''...... Magda will join you with Ricardo.'' ''Wait a minute, tiger girl!You don''t get to decide! ''Help me, Ricardo. ''Help me, Ricardo. ''Help me, Ricardo. ''Shut up, Oba and the other two lords! ''...... We''ll also take Use, who took down the misguided decorations as soon as possible. ''Don''t you dare reveal that to me, Magda! And so the braggarts went out in droves, increasing the seating beyond the storefront and into the street. I''d set up seats around the store in anticipation of a crowd, but they''ve exceeded my expectations. ''Ka-sha!Ockkkkkkkkk! ''Wow!Teresa, you''re so cute! ''Oh, shit!Oh, no!My belly button is showing on ......!Don''t look at me! ''Oh, Ox, you''re embarrassing me! ''No, it''s not! ''No, I''m not! The kids are having fun. So, Ox has a navel fetish. Pfft, he''s so chubby. ''In another five years, I''ll show you the beauty of tits. ''Destroy your evil plans before you get banned.'' That''s right. These things should be passed down from adults to the younger generation. That''s what tradition is all about, isn''t it? ''Oh? As we walked through the crowded restaurant, Ginette suddenly stopped. She saw that there was a customer sitting at the counter. He was a stout man wearing a mask like a masquerade. ''How long has he been there, ......? ''Maybe he couldn''t see us because it was crowded.Anyway, let''s sit down too. ''''Oh!Lord of District Thirty-Five~!This way, this way!Ambrose has brought us some delicious bubbly!You''ll drink it, right?'' ''Oh, the guild leader of the Woodcutter''s Guild, and Ambrose Demilly!Well, in that case, I''ll take you up on it. Let''s go, Gilberta. ''I''ll go with you, I''ll say a quick goodbye to my friend Yashiro and my friend Ginette. Leaving the puzzled Ginette behind, the drinkers suddenly get excited. What can I say, it''s a bar game, isn''t it? I don''t think this is a conversation between a guild leader and a lord of a large guild. Anyway, if we don''t brace ourselves, we might collapse, Gazelle and son. I''ll call out to them. ''Hello, Leela. It''s quite a party. Keep up the good work. ''............'' Leela stands behind the counter. She doesn''t answer when I talk to her. She''s not dazed or exhausted, she''s just ...... staring at a point with a strangely beautiful expression. There is a masked man at the other end of the line of sight. This is the only area of the store that is strangely quiet. ''Um, may I sit next to you? ''Yes, please. When Jeannette said no, the masked man shifted slightly to make room for her. ''Thank you very much. ''I haven''t seen you around before. ''No, I haven''t. I''ve had a chance to visit you a few days ago, but you''re still new.'' ''I see. Is the meat here good? ''Yes. Ms. Leela, you''ve been working hard. I can recommend it with confidence.'' ''I see. ............ I see.'' The masked man lifted the corner of his mouth, muttered sorrowfully, and drank his drink. He seems to be very happy. ''Yeah, yeah, yeah!Gochumon! ''Hmm?Are you going to help Teresa too?'' ''O-te-chur-ee! ''I see. Okay, 500 for the ribs, 300 for the loin, 400 for the ribs, and 200 each for the mullet, minnow, and striped bass.'''' ''Yashiro, you did that on purpose, didn''t you?You don''t bully me. ''Gochumon, I''ll take care of it!500 for the roast, 300 for the loin, 400 for the ribs, 200 for the marucho, mino and shimacho! ''It''s perfect, Teresa!You''re a genius, aren''t you? Estella''s adaptability. Teresa, this guy can really turn into a genius with just one way of raising him. ''You''re a great helper. The masked man said admiringly, then turned to look at Cow and Ox. ''You guys can''t lose, either. A large hand wraps around the small heads of the Gazelle siblings. ''A......'' ''A......'' The gazelle siblings, who had been smiling earlier, let out a small murmur and then stopped moving. Their big eyes began to moisten. ''Hey. We''re still working. You can''t go on the floor until you''re on your own. If you''re going to take the floor--'''' ''''Act like a professional! ''''Oh, yeah.'''' The old man''s big hand pats the Gazelle sisters on the head again. A little rougher this time. They were jostled, their hats were messed up, and their hair was a mess. Still, the gazelle sisters couldn''t say anything, they just stared at the man. ''Landlady. ''Yes, sir! Leela''s shoulders jumped as the old man called her. ''Let me have some meat, too. I want the best meat in this restaurant, the one you recommend. ''But, I ...... just started, and I can''t ...... help but think that the best meat is ...... yours...'' ...'' ''It''s okay.'' The masked man stopped Leela''s anxious words and pointed to the seventh ring. ''Just let me have the ''current'' recommendation of this restaurant.'' ''...... Yes. Please wait a moment. With tears welling up in both eyes, Leela manages to hold them back and begins to prepare the barbeque. The charcoal is placed in the shichirin, a wire mesh is placed on top, and the meat is placed on the counter. ''You can cook it any way you like, can''t you? ''Yes, sir. ...... Um... Do you mind if I watch?I like ...... your hands and your gestures when you''re cooking the meat.'' ''Hmm ...... ah, take a good look and steal the technique.'' The masked man happily placed the thinly sliced ribs on the wire mesh. He looks at the meat carefully and turns it over at just the right moment. It''s as if he''s having a conversation with the meat, and he''s looking right at it to find the moment when it tastes best. ''Okay, that''s good. The meat is easily removed from the wire mesh, dipped in the sauce on a small plate, and disappears into the masked man''s mouth. He chewed the meat as if he were enjoying it carefully, and swallowed it with gusto. ''Un...... delicious. It''s really good. I feel safe with this.'' ''Yes .......'' ''Well, good on you, ...... Leela.'' ''Yes!'' Leela ran out and wrapped her hands around the masked man''s hands. As if they were waiting for her, Cow and Ox also jumped towards the masked man. I don''t know who the masked man is. But one thing''s for sure. There is only one man in this world that Leela can touch. ''I wonder what''s going on here. ''I don''t know, .......'' Estella is also aware of this situation and is confused. Ginette may have been the only one who was able to remain calm despite her surprise. ''Lucia, you said it yourself. ''It is not uncommon for people and things to meet through strong feelings. After Gilberta''s ghost story, Lucia said something like that. ''Perhaps the desire to meet - the concern for the family members left behind, and the desire to reassure the departed family members - caused the miracle. ''Because ......,'' Ginette muttered, smiling mysteriously like the stars lighting up the night sky. ''Because today is Halloween. It''s no wonder anything is happening. An unusual and mysterious night. Attracted by a fake ghost in costume, a real ghost peeks out. Such an improbable thing might have happened. ''Hey ...... hey!Father ......! ''Oops!Don''t say anything else.'' The masked man stopped Ox from calling out to him. He smiled and said with a mischievous look on his face, as if he were the same age as Ox. ''If they find out who you are, they won''t be able to come to this world. So don''t tell anyone who you are.'' With his face caught in a large hand, Ox fights back the tears that threaten to fall. He sobbed, held back a sob, and forced his trembling mouth into a smile. ''So, if I can keep your secret, will you come see me again? ''Yeah, I''ll definitely come. And--'' Pan! Everyone blinked in surprise as their hands clapped loudly. In that fraction of a second, the masked man had disappeared. And only his voice poured down from above the sky. "I''ll always be watching over you. Leela broke down in tears, and Cow and Ox hugged each other and cried out loudly. It was like an illusion, a strange phenomenon that lasted only a moment. But on the counter, there was a small fire pit that had been used to cook the meat. The charcoal was glowing red. ''Osha, I''m glad we met at .......'' I heard a small voice at my feet. I looked over to see the always cheerful Teresa standing there, looking down in an uncharacteristic way. She was holding the plate of meat I''d ordered. ''......Ashi,okaasha,......I don''t know you,............'' she said. He made a small ...... noise and placed the plate on the chair. It was not tall enough to be placed on the counter. Normally, I would have tried to put it down somehow. But now, he lumbers away. ''Teresa......'' Barbara let out a pained voice. ''Mom, you know. She died right after Teresa was born. ......'' Teresa trudges, trudges, trudges around the floor. Maybe she''s looking for a mother she can''t even remember. ''I''d ...... love to see you, Teresa,'' she said to ...... her mom. ''What about you, dear?'' Estella is looking at Barbara with sad eyes. Barbara''s throat fluttered for a moment, but then she gave a lame smile to hide it. ''Aashi, you see, has done a lot of bad things. ...... Mom, you won''t be coming to see me, ...... I''m sure. ............But Teresa was a good girl, though. ......'' She clutched her bangs and pressed her eyelids with the base of her thumbs. Her lips quiver, and she lets out a shaky breath. ''He''s so sweet ......, he was such a sweet mom ............, he''s so angry... I wonder if he''s angry with ............ Aashi. ......'' She won''t come to see me. The anxiety of a child left behind may be as heavy and dark as the despair of this world. ''I wish I could see him......Arshi too............Kacha......'' ''Teresa-chan!Barbara-chan!'' In the crowded floor, I heard a familiar voice. As if buried in the crowd of burly men, a slender, white Okojyo walked up to them. It was Wuerer, who had spotted Teresa and Barbara and was happily waving her arms in the air. ''Teresa, I found you. ''...... Oh, Kasha? ''Uh-huh. I recognized you right away because you were the cutest little bunny.'' ''............ Oh, Kasha! Teresa ran off. She bumped into various adults, but jumped straight into Wuerer''s chest. ''Oh my God, what''s wrong?Are you a little tired? ''Oka-sha!Oka-sha! Teresa buries her face in his chest and rubs it. Wuerer looks surprised at the unusual behavior of Teresa, who is usually a quiet and nice girl. But she takes it in stride and speaks to her in her usual calm voice. ''Teresa, you''re a hard worker, so I''m worried about you. Whenever you have a hard time or want to be pampered, just let me know, okay?I promise.'' ''Yes!Mmm. ......!I want to be with you ............, I want to be with you ......'' ''Yeah. I want to be with you all the time too. I want to be with Teresa and Barbara and Tot and Cheryl and Dad and the whole family. ''Hmm. ......'' A small hand grasps Wuerer tightly. Good for you, Teresa. I''m glad you came to get me. ''Barbara. ''......''. Look at that face, Teresa. She looks so happy. But what''s that look on your face, man? Don''t look at me like that. You gave Teresa that warmth. You may have been selfish, but now you''ve stopped her tears. So, you should smile too. ''If your real mom came out now...'' ''N......'' ''Teresa wouldn''t have been able to spoil Wuerer at all.'' ''............ ah'' After all, a real mother is something special. As for me, I love my landlady very much, but I don''t know how I would act if my real mother appeared in front of me. ...... ''I have a family that''s with me now. That''s what you''re saying, isn''t it? ''Yeah, ......, I guess.'' ''That''s right. That''s why, when you guys become more independent, and when you think you''re okay, maybe you''ll show your face. I don''t know. I just have a feeling about it. If you''re a parent who really cares about your child''s happiness. Not for the happiness of this moment, but for the future. ''It''s just like you said. ''To ......? ''Your mom is so sweet.'' ''...... Higg!''............Eeyuuu......!''......!Hero! ''Whoa, hey! Barbara jumped at me. She wraps her arms around my chest and presses her face against mine like Teresa does to Wuerl. It''s just that you ...... are in a bikini right now, okay? Think about the situation? Percy is here, too! ''Hero ............ eh ...... yyyy ...... ohhhhh! ''Don''t cry!Get away from me! ''It''s okay, I''m a piggyback freak! ''It''s a piggyback! ''Then I''m a piggybacker! Do you have the same thought process as Teresa? Do you have the same brain age? ''Hero...... hero...... eeeu......! ''Oh, ......, yes, yes.'' I''m sure he''ll never leave you until he stops crying, so I pat him on the head. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. She''s not going to help me. ''Hero ......Arshi, I''m glad to have met a hero. ............ Hero ...... ......Thanks.'' ''Hey, hey. Just stop crying.'' ''............Almost there,......'' ''...... hey hey.'' A few of them clung to her and continued to cry, leaving the others puzzled as to what had happened. It''s a good way to expose yourself,....... I''m not sure what to make of that. ''B cup, plus 2 mm''. I spent the other half of my brain thinking about how to punish the pharmacist in the mini yukata who measured the length of my nose and wrote it down in her notebook, and I spent my time in captivity in vain. You''ve got too many surprises in store for you, Halloween. It should be more normal. But if this story spreads, it will become a bigger festival next year. I have a feeling about that. 440-Additive-free Episode 95 Right now, Yodamari-tei ''''Sis, Magda-chou!We need a rescue as soon as possible! Hamko came running into Thomson''s kitchen just as the commotion was finally settling down. ''Cantartica is about to collapse! The employees are struggling with their lives! In short, it was an SOS from Paula and Nephrite, telling me to come and help them because there were too many customers and Cantalcica was not running. ''Mmmm, I guess this is where I come in! ''...... The name of the savior, it''s Magda. The two of them stood up with a look of ''it''s too late to ask'' on their faces, rather than looking uncomfortable, perhaps because it was a request from Paula, of whom they were familiar and attached to Cantalcica. ''Well, I guess I''ll go help. ''I''ll go with you then. ''I''ll wait a moment, brother, manager! ''...... You two are off today.'' ''Yes, they are!The two of you rarely take a day off, so you''d better get some rest today! ''No, if you say that, you guys are also ......'' ''Me and Magda-chou are slacking off in moderation!Right, Magda? ''......'' Loretta told me, so I had no choice. I''m sorry. ''...... no choice''. It seems that these two people are working hard, but in fact they are secretly relaxing. ...... I mean, I know. I''ve been talking to Jeannette recently about how they''ve gotten better at taking a break. You guys are just trying too hard, you know. All of you. Why don''t you take more time off? ''Aren''t you tired? ''I''m fine!I''m not tired at all, I''ve just had a good day''s play and regained my energy! ''...... Rather, I would have started helping out here if you hadn''t asked. Magda is very serious.'' ''Oh, you''re a stubborn one, Magda!I''m a serious person too! Magda and Loretta looked like they were having fun, but they already had the look of working waitresses. ''Well then, I''ll help you too, won''t I? ''Can you help me too, Norma-san? ''...... but Norma is a little drunk.'' ''No, it''s okay. It''s good to be a little drunk when you''re dealing with drunks. Norma chuckles. She''s been in a good mood all day. ''What is it?Are you going too?I think I''ll go, too. I haven''t done anything today, so my body''s going to get tired. Delia says while stretching her arm muscles. I wonder if Delia is referring to work when she says ''I haven''t done anything''. ...... These guys walk around the city all day, why are they so energetic? ''Yes, yes a?? I''m coming too! ''What can you do Masha? ''Counter work~'' ''''Oh, that''s very necessary!Since Osina-san left, that place has actually been unpopular!She said it''s not very elegant with only the master! No, no, no. It''s just that the time when Osina was there was more special. ...... Well, once you''ve had a good feeling, it''s human nature to want more of it, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ll agree.Can I help too? ''Moriri-chou, will you come too? ''Ha, yes. I think I''ve eaten a little too much ............ and I feel guilty ...... ......'' Yeah, well, ...... you''ve been walking a lot today, and you''ve been eating a lot of chopsticks. It''s a good idea to get some exercise and work, yes. Tomorrow, you''ll be back in the 40th district. ''Then I''ll go to ...... too.'' ''You should take a break once in a while, manager. ''I guess so. Just leave this to us. ''''But, I''ve been taking a lot of time off lately,.......'''' ''''''I haven''t! I''m not! Hey! ''''......The manager was also making costumes for the church, training Thomson''s kitchen, and teaching Estella''s waiters how to make sweets. Ginette, you ...... even did that? ''Yes, I did. You should get some rest, Ginette.'' Estella swayed to her feet and put her hands on Jeannette''s shoulders. You''re putting a lot of pressure on her to keep her standing, that hand. ''Yashiro. You are responsible for resting little Jeannette. ''Do you want me to sleep with you?'' ''Ginette. This is my knife. You can have it. Don''t carry anything too dangerous in Jeannette''s pockets. You''re shocked at the lack of space for it, a little shocked at the overwhelming volume of it in your hand, and then you slump your shoulders. I envy you. ''When you''re done eating, take her back to the sunlit pavilion and let her rest a bit. We''re going to take care of her afterwards.'' ''Oh ...... that''s the hardest work I''ve ever done. All the waiters at Estella''s house were on vacation today, so Estella and Natalia were coming to stay with us. Lucia, who was already a goofball, would be staying too. ...... Well, let Ginette rest. She''s got a lot of hard work to do tonight and tomorrow morning. ''I''ll go help her instead. ''...... Natalia, request backup.'' ''Estella''s arrival will create a lot of extra work for you. ''Estella, you''re not cut out for customer service. ''I don''t need you to tell me that, Delia! ''I understand. Then let''s go to the Sunken Pavilion after work for the rest of the drinks, and I''ll come support you.'''' ''Leave it to me, head waiter!I''ll thoroughly accompany you tonight for drinks! ''I beg you, drink in moderation, Miss Lucia. Oh, Ginette, she''ll collapse if we don''t let her rest. Even she''s weak at night. ''Ginette. Why don''t you go home first and take a little nap? ''Yeah, is that so? We''re all like you, you know. It''s Halloween night, they want to do something different. As long as today''s failure is not too serious, they''ll tolerate it. So, I''ll take your word for it and take a break. In exchange, you''ll probably work hard again tomorrow. It''s going to take a lot of effort to get him to rest, that''s for sure. ''All right, then, the Cantartika Rescue Team is off! ''...... Everyone, follow Magda. ''I was just in charge, why are you taking the lead, Magda? ''...... This is charisma.'' ''Hmmm. I don''t care what you say, let''s get going. ''Why are you in such a good mood, Norma? ''Ah, Norma''s been like that ever since her fortune telling came up with a good result. ''Aaah!I''ll go quickly!Come on, come on!Don''t dawdle! ''What is it, Norma? ''Come on, come on, walk, walk! The Cantarchica Rescue Team set off in a lively manner. With such a splendid group of members, they could overcome any congestion. I''m more worried about the remaining Lucia and Ricardo, Javier and Demilly, Donis and Mahr. ............ Well, let them do what they want. I''ll let my people do the talking. We can''t expect that much from Gazelle and her son. You''ll have to cut them some slack, lords and guild leaders. ''However, ......''. Ginette put down her chopsticks and looked around the restaurant. ''It''s getting kind of lonely, isn''t it? Bertina had long since left with the kids, and after the people who had surrounded us were gone, the noisy restaurant felt strangely quiet. The only noise we could hear was conversations that had nothing to do with us. ...... d*mn it. If they work together, it means that there is a possibility that all of them will come to the sunlit pavilion with the same tension. Some of them may be tired and go home, but if they find out that Estella and Lucia are staying over, some of them may take advantage of it and say, ''Well, why not? ''It''s going to be a noisy night. Get some rest while you can. I''m sure you''re going to treat us to the best you can, aren''t you? You should be wielding your skills not for Cantalucia''s guests, but for the people who gather at the Sunken Pavilion, you know. When I said this to her, the joy returned to Ginette''s face. ''Yes, sir. Then let''s get ready to welcome them. ''You''re not leaving already, .......'' And you''re going to work. Don''t you know the word ''rest'', this guy? ''Yashiro-san, is your stomach full? ''It''s only the sixth part. ''Then, I''ll make something when we get to the sunny pavilion. ''So you''re going to leave, huh? So, it looks like he doesn''t have the right to refuse. I cleaned up the dishes I had eaten and carried them across the counter. I exchanged a few words with Leela and bowed my head. Wow, I''ve already said good-bye. ''Come on, Yashiro.'' That smile. I can''t argue with that. He''s so helpless. ''You selfish girl.'' ''Yes. I''m a ghost today.'' The wraith sister with the slightly bluish makeup smiles happily. ............ I can''t resist this smile, either. ''Lucia. I''m going back first. ''What''s with the bad company? That''s all right. I''ll let you have a good drink when I get back.'' ''Gilberta, make sure you bring that drunk back with you.'' ''I think you should leave that task to me. I guess we''re safe for now with Gilberta. And... ''Javier. You''ll stay with Imelda. Demilly and Ricardo, go home. Estella''s house is closed today. Don''t come to the sunlit pavilion by any chance.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!Does that mean, ''Come and visit us''? ''Oba-kun, you''re quite lonely, aren''t you? ''I''ll consider it if you ask me honestly. Yeah, Oba? Those drunks are smirking at me. I turn my head back and look at Jeannette. Why don''t you help me out with the pranks today, wraith sister? I point to my neck and then to my shoulder. Ginette smiles a little wickedly at me, knowing my intentions. Her eyebrows arched a little apologetically. Never mind, never mind, never mind. ''I''ll give you idiots some advice in plain English. If you come to the Sunlit Pavilion, go to .......'' After saying that much, I give the signal to Jeannette so that the drunks won''t notice. At my signal, Jeannette puts her hand on my shoulder. At that moment, my head fell down with a ''thud. ''...... This is what happens, okay? ''''''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaah! At the same time, I''ll also show you the magic of separating the upper and lower body. ''''''By the way, it goes like this'''''' Lucia, who had never seen the separation of the upper and lower halves of a woman''s body before, joined in, and a great deal of screaming ensued. You''ve sobered up, haven''t you? That''s what I''m talking about. ''Well, I''m going home. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, you, Yashiro!Are you alright? ''What was that, Oba-kun? ''You''re not human, are you, Oba? ''Don''t suddenly throw in a stranger, anchovy! I leave the store with an indifferent look on my face as I hear the voices of this town''s bigwigs screaming at my back. Behind me, I heard Ginette appeasing the lords. ''Gentlemen. It''s Halloween today. '''''''' No, just because it''s Halloween!'''''''' ''Well then, good night.'' It was easy to imagine her smiling face. The prank was a success. It was a voice that gave me a glimpse of satisfaction. ''Did I scare you a little too much? ''It''s okay. They all look like they have hair on their hearts.'' ''C''mon, ......, that''s right.'' We left Thomson''s Kitchen, weaving our way through the crowd of customers that had overflowed to the outside of the restaurant. As we crossed the main street, it was quiet enough to remind us of our first night in the city. The streets were brighter than ever, though. The two of us trudged along side by side. The time passes so peacefully. There is no one passing by, and no one is talking. ''There''s no one here. ''Everyone is probably drinking or asleep. The kids'' night is over, and the old man''s night has just begun. It''s that time. ''But Mr. Yashiro is here. ''Hmm? ''I feel relieved that I''m not alone. It''s a relief to not be alone. ...... ''...... something, did you miss me?'' ''Huh?No, no!I''ve been having a lot of fun lately with you all. ......! Ginette''s eyes, which had been wide open, suddenly arched loosely as she made a panicked excuse. ''A little over a year ago,......, before Yashiro-san came to the store, there were only really quiet nights,......, so I''m glad. It''s nice to have someone you care about within reach, within sight, close enough to hear your voice. Ginette stopped and looked up. As she looks up, she sees a brightly lit sunlit pavilion floating in the darkness. ''I''m back, Sunken Pavilion. Didn''t you miss me? ''What, does he get lonely? ''Yes, I did. He says ''welcome home'' when I come back after being away for a while. Hey, sunny side up. She talks to him happily, and then runs to the front of the sunny pavilion. She puts her hand on the wall of the pavilion and looks back at you with her long hair shaking. ''I''m glad. I''m glad that you understand my feelings. ''Hmm?'' ''I''m sure that ...... will laugh at me if I tell anyone else that YODAMARI-TEI says ''welcome home''.'' Not really. Not really, I guess. At least Magda and Loretta kind of understand. This is a special place. ''Oh, by the way, you haven''t cleaned up yet. Let''s do it first. The tables on the floor are still empty because I fell asleep after being made to dress up as Lucia until morning. There might be makeup or paint on the floor. Surely, it needs to be cleaned. Ginette unlocks the door, and you follow her into the store. The sunlit pavilion was empty and quiet. Normally, it''s a little warmer than this. ...... ''It''s not every day that someone is gone for so long. Perhaps Ginette felt the same, and muttered something like that. It seems that she didn''t hear ''welcome home'' today. That sensation may be a kind of residual thought of the person who existed there, or it may just be the brain remembering the warmth and scent of the person, or the conversation they had there. I don''t know why, but the presence of the person stays there for a while afterwards. Maybe it''s because the restaurant has been closed since this morning. The reason why the sunlit pavilion feels so cold. ''I''ll make you a hot cup of coffee. ''Yes, please. Just as I was thinking about clearing the table while Ginette was making coffee, the door of the Sunken Pavilion opened. ''I''m sorry. I wonder if it''s still open. What peeked out was a man wearing a pure white mask. From the atmosphere and the skin that was visible, I could tell that he was an old man. ''I''m sorry, sir. I''m not working today. ......'' ''I wouldn''t mind a cup of coffee.'' ''Uh, ......''. Ginette glances at me. Oh, yeah, yeah. I know what you mean. When asked like this, there is no option for Jeannette to ''turn him away''. ''Isn''t that okay, a cup of coffee? ''Yes, sir. This way, please.'' ''I''m sorry.'' ''No, sir. I was just about to make some coffee.'''' Ginette leads the masked old man to the counter. ''The table hasn''t been cleared yet, do you mind if we sit here? ''Yes, that''s fine. I''m more comfortable in a seat like this.'' The chair that matches the counter has slightly longer legs. I thought it would be hard for the old man, but he looked quite good as he climbed up on the chair. ''............'' Jeannette looked at him and stopped moving. ''Come on, come on. His body is going to get cold.'' ''Oh, ...... yes. I''m home.'' Distracted by the old man, Jeannette moves her foot--and falls down spectacularly. ''Ouch! ''Hahaha!...... Oops, excuse me. Are you okay?'' ''Ha ...... yes. Ehehe ......'' Ginette smiles shyly at the old man peeking in. There was a kind of unique atmosphere between the two of them. And that laughing voice,............, oh, I see. That''s how it is. I''m going to go make some coffee. Ginette smiled and headed for the kitchen. I call out to her back. ''''Don''t forget to wash your hands. ''''Huh, I know, I know. Coincidentally, our voices overlapped. Ginette puffs out her cheeks as she stares at both me and the old man. Then she giggled and walked into the kitchen. Oh, I see. So that time when I felt like the sunlit pavilion was laughing, that faint laugh I heard was you. Welcome. Actually, I missed you just a little bit. ''Can I sit next to you? ''Yeah, sure.'' I sit down next to the old man. ''You want some? ''What''s this? ''Halloween candy. It''s called ''okaki'', made by Grandma Mum, and it''s made from mashed rice that''s been dried and then baked.'' ''Oh, ...... rice. Interesting. Let''s eat it. Picking up a soy sauce-flavored rice cake, the old man puts one in his mouth. ''Don''t break your teeth, old man. Grandpa.'' ''Hahaha!I''m not that old.'' The old man takes a bite of the okaki with a crunching sound. ''Hoho. This is delicious. ''Mum, I''ve been expanding my cooking repertoire lately. ''Huh. Why again?'' ''Well?Some eccentric old man is spoiling you, so you don''t have a choice, do you? ''Ho-ho-ho-ho!I see. No, what. No matter how old we get, we should never forget love. Hmmm. ......'' The old man bends his body with amusement. He smiles, his lines clearly showing. ''Are you in love, old man? ''Hmm?No. ......'' The old man denies it in a calm voice, not embarrassed. ''I already have a very important family, you know. ''Even if you had a family, you wouldn''t be able to fall in love. ''No, no. I''m not that good a man. ''Not at all. I''m not that good a man.'' ''The old men in this town are all unreasonable. I can''t tell you how many old men I''ve seen who''ve fallen in love while saying that. ...... ''There was an old man named Orkio. He was originally a nobleman''s son who had a wife, but for some reason they got separated. ''That''s a sad story. He said something like, ''Even though we''re apart, we''re happy. ''Is that so? ''But when I brought him to see me, he started making out with me, making out with me, making out with me, making out with me, making out with me, making out with me, making out with me, making out with me. Now they''re living together and saying, "I don''t want to leave you even for a moment! You know? ''Hahahahaha!Very funny. I''m glad you''re happy. He opens his big mouth, slaps his knee and laughs. His boisterous voice echoes. I''m sure it''s reaching the kitchen. ''Also, there''s a stubborn old man named Zelmar who shows no signs of dying, even though he should die soon. ''Hmmm. Men like that are often the most stubborn. ''He''s the old man who comes to the store and swears all the time, you know. ''I see. He seems to like you a lot. It''s you, isn''t it?You''re the one being sworn at by Zelmar. ''Oh. I guess he likes to bully the weak. You''re only targeting me.'' ''Hmmm, you don''t seem like a weak person at all. ''You know, not many people are as sensitive as I am.The last time I wore pants that weren''t made by Uclines, my buttocks turned red from chafing.'' ''I see. That''s delicate. You have a butt like a peach.'' She laughs, shaking her shoulders. It''s a laugh that makes me happy to watch. ''Oh, and Zelmar''s old man, he''s been getting s*xy lately. ''But you haven''t been able to give him the definitive word, have you? ''That''s right, that old bastard! ''Hmm, is that something you can say? ''Yes, I can. I''ve always been an honest man. I love your tits! See? ''You look like you''re having a great time. Ginette comes back with the coffee, a little hurriedly. The old man and I couldn''t help looking at her feet. ''I''m not going to fall! Puffing out her cheeks, Ginette puts the tray on the counter. She placed three cups of coffee on the tray in front of each of them. ''Do you want to sit down too? ''No. I''m the manager of this store. I''ll be in the manager''s special seat.'' ''...... I see. That makes me jealous.'' ''Heh.'' Ginette stands alone at the counter. That must have been Grandfather''s special seat. ''You can have this if you like. It''s a snack we''re making right now at the Sunken Pavilion. ''Oh. It''s shaped like a fish. ''It''s a taiyaki. It''s very similar to Imagawa-yaki. ......'' After saying that much, I brought her face close to mine and whispered in a whisper. I whispered a little faster. ''Ours is better. ''Hmm. I see. I''m looking forward to it. Even though the taiyaki is cold, it is made to taste good. Even if it''s cold, it won''t be as good as the Imagawa-yaki in the 40th district. ''Yes. It''s delicious. Isn''t it?I''m proud of it. I''m very proud of it. Ginette said happily, holding a tray. ''Very good. Very well done. ''............'' Suddenly, Ginette''s eyes begin to water. In an instant, tears appear at the corners of her eyes, and she manages to hold them back just long enough to break them. I see. That''s how you''ve always been praised. ''...... and. What were you talking about?You seemed to be having a lot of fun. ''Oh. We were just making small talk. Huh? ''Oh. Mostly talking shit about Zelmar.'' ''What? ''Haha. I''m sorry you had to find out. ''...... Yashiro-san. You can''t.'' ''Well, I''ll just badmouth Bobba and Frodo.'' ''No, not that, ......! ''The other day, I put an eggshell on Frodo''s plate and served it to him. I wanted him to say, ''Don''t put that in the garbage! I was trying to get him to say, ''Don''t put it in the garbage! ''Ah, .......'' Jeannette, who knew what had happened, forgot to pay attention and her mouth dropped open. ''And then, you know, Frodo''s eating eggshells like crazy. ''...... smoldering'' Jeannette fought to contain her laughter as she recalled the moment. ''Why is he eating it? I said, "I thought it was dessert."'' ''giggle......! ''But it''s surprisingly tasty,'' he said. Finally, he said, ''Another one! He said. ''Ha-ha-ha!Frodo always ate everything. ''And Bobba said, "Is it that good?Then give me a bite! So Bobba took a bite out of the eggshell and bit into it.It''s not an egg shell! And then we got into a fight. ''Ha-ha-ha!I can see that scene in my mind''s eye. The old man smacked his knee and laughed loudly. In front of the old man, Jeannette tries hard not to laugh. Large tears are spilling from the corners of her eyes. ''You''ll feel better if you laugh as hard as you can, Jeannette~'' ''But, but ...... phew ............ phew.'' ''So you''re saying it''s eggshells? ''Even if you say it''s eggshells, don''t think it''s eggshells! ''Pssst!I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''And then Zelmar said, "Don''t fight over eggshells!Eggs taste best when they''re inside. Hey, Mum? I like the meat of the parent bird best. ''Mumu ......!...... giggle giggle giggle!I can''t do this anymore!The look of surprise on Zelmar''s face was so ...... funny. ............ giggle! That day, Ginette was laughing all day long. She would come up to me from behind and just say the word ''parent bird'' and I would remember and laugh. The smile of a close, family-like figure. How precious that was to Jeannette. Seeing Jeannette''s happy face that day, I understood it all too well. After that, we talked endlessly about such and such things that had happened at the sunny pavilion, and about trivial things. When I revealed the many foolish pranks that Jeannette had played on me, Jeannette began to get strangely nervous, which gave me a fresh feeling. Apparently, Jeannette is also afraid of getting angry. No matter how much we talked, we never ran out of things to say. Jeannette talked a lot, too. The old man listened to her in silence. Sometimes he would laugh out loud. The next thing I knew, the coffee was completely cold. ''Oh, my stomach hurts. I feel like I''ve laughed for a year. The old man sipped his coffee, trying to hide his loose lips. He holds the other side of the cup and tilts it with a twist of his wrist, a unique way of drinking. I see. It sure looks like him. ''A year''s supply?That''s not enough at all.'' ''Hmm?'' Ginette says in a clear voice, changing her smile from one that makes the muscles in her face collapse to her usual gentle smile. ''You have to smile for five years. I think that''s about how long it''s been since Jeannette became the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Ah, ............ is delicious. It''s really good coffee. ''Thank you very much. Putting down his cup, the old man leaves his seat. Noiselessly. ''I''ll be back. He takes a step forward and looks down, holding his mask. ''You''ll have to make up for the lack of laughter. The old man looks back at you as he removes his mask. ...... But I couldn''t look at his face. He suddenly disappeared, leaving behind the scent of fragrant coffee. ''...... You were smiling. At the end.'' ''Yes, sir. That''s what it looked like to me, too. Ginette lowered her cup calmly as usual, not crying, not feeling sad. ''Didn''t you have more to say?'' ''Well, ......, but you seemed fine, so that''s good enough for me.'' I don''t know if I should say ''fine''. Well, you did look fine, but...'' ''I really wanted to apologize. I was out shopping and I didn''t realize it until late. ......'' She probably wanted to apologize, too. That I left you behind. ''But ....... It was a fun night, and I wanted to laugh. ''I guess it''s mutual.'' ''Yes, sir. I think so.'' Ginette bites into a half-eaten taiyaki left behind by the masked old man. Maybe you used to do this with your grandfather, Hanbunko. ''Thank you very much. ''Hmm?What''s that? ''The story of Zelmar and the others. I think they were happy to hear it.'' ''It was mostly bad language, but it was surprisingly well received. ...... You have a bad personality, don''t you? ''I think it''s probably about the same as Yashiro''s.'' ''Oh, so you''re a saint.'' ''Maybe so. You look happy. Is that so? Of course you are. I was happy, too. ''Mr. Yashiro. What do you want to eat?I''ll make anything you want today. You''ve always made everything for me, haven''t you? I''ll just swallow that comment and make a request for the occasion. ''Stir-fried scraggly vegetables, please. ''Yes. Ginette puts the empty dishes on a tray and turns back to the kitchen. At that moment. ''I''m here, sunny-side up! ''...... I''m back, Sunshine Pavilion! ''Hey, it''s sunny-side up!I''m home! Loretta, Magda, and the dying Estella came in. Saying ''I''m home'' to each other. ''Um, everyone, ......'' Ginette gives a dumbfounded, puzzled look. ''Oh, Mr. Manager, big brother!I''m back! ''...... Magda of all people, come in.'' ''Ginette-chan!I''m so tired! The people involved in this store are pouring into the sunlit pavilion in droves. Behind them, too, there was a crowd of people. ''Oh~ that''s the smell of the Sunken Pavilion!I feel at home here. ''There''s something so relaxing about the Sunny Pavilion. ''It''s warm even at night~'' ''I often think that I wouldn''t mind becoming a child here, you know? ''A battlefield and a space for relaxation! Delia, Norma, Masha, Imelda, and Hammaro. Behind them was a drunken Lucia, with Natalia and Gilberta supporting her from both sides. ''I''m going to be a kid here too! ''No, you''re causing me a lot of trouble, so please leave, Lucia-sama. ''I hope you''ll behave yourself, Lady Lucia. Natalia''s true feelings are spilling out, plainly. ''I''m sorry to say this, but I''m going to be the girl here. ''I don''t think that''s fair, Natalia, I do!I''d like to join you, too! Each of them set up their own table, sat down on their own, rubbed their cheeks against the wall, and began to relax in the sunlit pavilion. ''After all, the sunny pavilion is the best!Cantaloupe is all about appearance,......, yes, that''s right!That''s right!I''m not sure what to make of it. ''......The sunny pavilion envelops those who come back. ''That''s right. The other side is really fighting all the time. ''They don''t have many sweets either. ''I love the sunlit pavilion too~'' Perhaps Cantartica has been quite busy, but everyone begins to slouch as if clinging to the sunny pavilion. It was as if they wanted to be wrapped up in the sunlit pavilion. Ginette and I looked at each other. ''...... are you all ......? ''Looks like it. It seems that the Sunken Pavilion is quite assertive. It must have made its presence felt by many people. Otherwise, words like ''I''m home'' would be hard to come by. ''I thought the gaze I felt at the sunlit pavilion was my grandfather''s. ......'' ''That''s not true. I''ve felt it since your grandfather was healthy. I''ve sensed the existence of the sunken pavilion. It looks like. My grandfather was listening to the events at the sunny pavilion as if he was hearing them for the first time. He was smiling. That means he doesn''t see everything that happens here. But we feel the sunny pavilion every day. That''s just an assumption. This is only a hypothesis, but it''s possible that my grandfather''s consciousness is mixed in with the consciousness of the sunny pavilion. A part of your consciousness remains in a place that you have a strong attachment to, and you will always be watching over it. But it''s not just one person, it''s like a part of a history that has been going on for a long time. ...... I don''t know, though. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''That''s a wonderful suggestion!I''ll go make a delicious meal!Are you all hungry? '''''''' Peco and Peco! '''''''' The stomachs of those who had worked hard seemed to be empty once again. ''Please wait a little while. We''ll prepare a special treat for you! Ginette ran into the kitchen, leaving behind a bursting smile. Then I thought. He''s going to work again today, after all. 441-96th episode without additives, easier. ''Ummm......'' ''Ummm......'' It was past lunchtime in the sunlit pavilion, and Barbara and Teresa were sitting side by side, arms crossed and heads twisted. ''What''s the matter, Teresa?What''s troubling you?'' ''Hey, hero!Why are you flying Aashi?Aashi''s sitting closer to the hero than you are! Your troubles are trivial anyway. It''s a waste of time to listen to you. You''re just sitting by my side like this. ''I''ll listen to you after Teresa''s problems are solved, so go ahead and twist my head all you want. ''Twist it ...... over, what are you going to do?'' I don''t know. ''So, Teresa. What''s up?'' ''Oh, I don''t know... ............'' Theresa looks down, looks at her sister, looks at me, and opens her mouth. ''Nenkojoechu''. ''I know the word ...... seniority. ...... That''s great, Teresa.'' ''I can assure you, Barbara would never know. ''Onesha, Osaki, Dojo''. What a good girl she is. ...... I''ll spare Teresa the trouble and listen to Barbara''s problems. ''Come clean, Barbara. ''You''re different from Teresa in so many ways!Her face, her voice... Of course not! Humans have feelings, so if you want people to treat you like Teresa, be a good girl like Teresa. ''Actually, Aashi, I''m having a serious problem. ......'' Barbara props her elbows on the table and presses her fingers together. Her brow wrinkles. ''What if ....... Hero and Mr. Percy, what if they both proposed at the same time?'' ''No.'' ''Yes, solved. ''So, Teresa. What are you worried about?Talk to me. Don''t be shy.'' ''I''m not done talking about Aashi!And you''re still so nice to Teresa, hero! There''s a difference. When one of them is a mess, the other one can look four times better. That''s it, my sister who''s so helpless. The other day at Halloween, the hero was kind to me. ......'' I''m sure your ???????????? heart will beat a little. A few days after Halloween. I feel as if my chest still remembers Barbara''s body heat as she cried to me. ''I thought it would be a pity if Aashi rejected me. I''ve just forgotten all about it. The warmth that I felt has cooled down completely. Shall I dig a hole and bury you, you purpurin? ''Don''t think about stupid things, just think about the man you love. Because there''s no way in hell I''m going to fall in love with you. ''But ............ Arshi, I also like the heroes a little ......'' ............. ............ Yeah. Well, the words are the same, but the feelings they contain are different. It''s a word like that, ''like''. There''s no deeper meaning. Or rather, he''s too stupid to include any deeper meaning. ...... Don''t say what''s on your mind with a sad face. I almost had a crush on you. Huh, that was close. Just safe, just safe. ''You don''t have to make a decision right now. Think about it carefully and face yourself with honesty. ''I''m not sure about myself and ............ ...... yeah. If the heroes say so, I''ll do it. You''ve become a lot more honest. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it. ...... Or should I say, you made me do it, and I should admire you for it? ''Have you finished cleaning up the mess, Estella? Suddenly, Estella appeared behind me. But you''re still naive. I could feel her presence, but only faintly. It''ll be a while before I''ll be able to mask my presence like Natalia. Maybe it''s because you have more wind resistance than Natalia. It''s a lack of streamlining. Estella was being hounded by lords, guild leaders, and various noblemen. From the day after Halloween, Estella had been under house arrest at the mansion, with inquiries about new candy recipes and sales, letters asking for details about Halloween, ghost decorations, shadow art, and whether or not to build a bizarre store like Cantartica had done. --. ''...... The air outside is delicious, isn''t it? --It seems that she has managed to escape. She looks a little thin. ''By the way, Shrunken Girl. ''Who''s shrinking, man? I''m not shrinking. Really? How''d you manage to keep it, there, fatty? ''Did you finish your work? ''Well, I''ve just about finished. ...... I have a feeling I''ll be busy again from now on, though. It''s normal for them to listen to you for the time being and then place an order. Once you take it home, discuss it with each department, solicit their wishes, make a final decision and ...... ''It might be hell from a couple of weeks later.'' ''Haha. Not all people are that patient. There''s definitely a nobleman who''ll be making a request in a couple of days. Definitely! There will always be quick-tempered people like Ma''ru. I''m sure that''s the case. I''m glad. It''s someone else. ''I''ll call you if I need you. ''Don''t try to use me casually. ''I remember you telling me that if I had a problem with something, I should talk to you... ......'' ''When was that, when was that? You know what? Services are provided at the market price of the time and era. If the situation changes, the contents of the service also change, and discontinuation is a common occurrence. The phrase "10 gacha every day! Even after the service is terminated, no one believes in it and sticks to it, right?That''s how it is with services. Do you understand? ''What about you, Ginette? ''In the kitchen. Now that her stomach has cleared up, she''s working hard on her pastry. Ginette had refrained from eating and making sweets while she was on a diet. And Molly was right there with her. ...... Molly eats as much as she makes, you know. I''m going to go take a look at it. As if enjoying her first free time in a long time, Estella dances and disappears into the kitchen. What the heck, peeping in the middle of the day. ...... I''ll go peeking back at you tonight instead,............?It''s a good idea, isn''t it? ''The hero is good friends with the lord, right? ''Thanks to you.'' I get called out every time people like you cause trouble. Don''t you realize that you came all the way from another district to District 42 and caused trouble? It took a lot of effort on my part. Hmm?Hmm? ''Well, I guess Barbara''s troubles are solved for now, huh? ''...... Well, for the time being, yeah. I''ll try to peel myself a little more, like the hero said. ''You don''t have to strip all the way down, just face it. See? ''Oh, that''s it!I''ll try that. ''I don''t think I can do it at all, but, well, good luck. There aren''t many people who peel themselves off as a result of worrying, so don''t make that mistake. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, Teresa. It was a trivial story as expected, but it''s over for now. ''Don''t call it trivial, hero! Shut up. I''m an honest man. I left Barbara alone and listened to Teresa''s story. ''You know what, ......''. Teresa, who is obsessed with seniority, opens her mouth in a way that is hard to describe. Now, what exactly is this little girl''s problem? ''Tomyonchubo''s accounting team is in trouble, and I want to do something about it. It was a solid concern! ''Thomson Kitchen''s accounting system? ''Un......, you know, Oksyukun, Kaushasha, Reraokasha, they all have the same number of numbers, chirai.'' Teresa folds her fingers to name the people. You can''t say you don''t like arithmetic, that family...... You don''t want to do the math, so it takes longer to order? What''s the logic behind that? ''Because it''s sold in grams, isn''t it? Ginette walks out onto the floor with Estella hanging from her waist. ''Don''t hang on, Estella. Next, it''s my turn, right? ''Selling grams of meat means that you can put pre-cut meat on a plate and weigh it. ............ Oh, I see. ''I''m not very good at calculating fractions, either. In other words, you don''t want to do the math at the end, so you''re going to make it easy when you order. At Thomson''s Kitchen, they have the same pricing system as before. First you choose the type of meat, ribs or loin, and then the weight. There is a pitfall in selling by the gram. In the past, in Thomson''s kitchen, the owner would cut the meat by eye from a block of meat and then weigh it. Well, this is most likely the method. When you become a professional, you will be able to cut the meat to the weight you want. However, when you are a newcomer, there are always fractions. 102 grams, 212 grams, and so on. When you buy by weight, you pay according to the weight as long as it is approximate, but if there is a fraction, the calculation becomes tricky. If you buy 200 grams of chicken, which costs 48 yen per 100 grams, you can easily calculate 96 yen by rote. But what if it is 317 grams? What if it is 208 grams? What if you aim for 200 grams but miss and end up with 147 grams and 69 grams? The calculation becomes tedious at once. There is no calculator, of course. There are calculators like the strange abacus used by merchants, but it would be hard to learn how to use such a complicated calculator. If you were suddenly handed an abacus and asked to solve a three-digit multiplication, you''d probably be clueless. That''s why Leela and her family are making an effort to keep the weights exactly the same. It''s more like a ...... trick. It''s a tweak. ''It''s easier to calculate 100 grams than 101 grams. However, Thomson''s kitchen serves grilled meat, not steak. It is not cut on the spot. The meat is already cut and served on several plates according to weight. It would be almost impossible to adjust every gram. It''s almost impossible to adjust every gram. I''d rather not have half a slice of meat. ...... How shabby is that? It''s better if you don''t have it. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''...... are you sure? I don''t know. You should have just come out quickly, but you''re fumbling around behind the counter. It''s not a good feeling for the customers. ''Then why don''t you make use of the chart that Yashiro-san made for your sisters? Ginette''s suggestion was this. I was wondering if the price chart I once made for my sisters working at the food stall could be modified for the Thomson kitchen. But the stall at the sunlit pavilion had a small number of items and a fixed quantity of each item, right?If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be difficult to use it in Thomson''s kitchen? Estella was right. At the very least, the stores No. 2 and No. 7 of the Sunlit Pavilion only serve popcorn, tacos, and takoyaki. The quantity of each of these items is fixed. The quantity may vary a little, but it does not affect the price. It is counted as "one piece" whether the content is 90 grams or 87 grams. Therefore, it is easy to make a table that says "XX Rb for XX pieces of popcorn". However, this is not the case when the popcorn is sold by weight. ''If you try to calculate everything from 1 gram to 99 grams for each type of popcorn, you''ll end up with a pretty big table. ......'' ''But, you know, if it''s a fraction of a hundred grams, why don''t we just have one to ten?'' You can do it, so you think it''s okay, Estella. But you know, people who can''t do it can''t do it for real. It''s quite difficult to develop ideas to suit those who can''t. For example. ''I want to eat 140 grams. ''...... you say such nasty things again ......''. ''But Miss Estella. If you can''t meet the demands of your customers, you''ll gradually lose them. In proportion to the increase in the number of dishes we couldn''t serve, the number of customers decreased. ......'' In the past, there was a limit to the number of ingredients that could be obtained at the Sunlit Pavilion. Even though there was a surplus of ......, there was no variety. Fish, meat, eggs, and so on. That''s why the number of dishes they could make was limited and the number of customers dropped off. From a customer''s point of view, there is no point in going to a restaurant where you cannot eat what you want. ''If you ignore the wishes of customers who want to eat a full meal today or a moderate meal today and run your business with the attitude of "we only serve 200 grams", you will lose customers in the not-too-distant future. ......, right? ''Hmmm ............, then I guess we''ll have to cut back on the variety, won''t we? ''So you''re saying that Estella is okay with not being able to eat mulberries and zebra finches? ''That''s no good!That''s right, let''s cut the loin!We can eat them elsewhere. ''Um, Estella-san, ...... then, Thomson Kitchen''s customers are ......''. ''......Yes. I know. I was thinking to myself, ''What am I saying? In the end, the only two choices are to make a big table or to adjust the order exactly to avoid fractions, these guys are about to come to a conclusion like that. I wonder why they don''t change their thinking there. You said it yourself earlier, Estella. What was the reason for the functioning of the spreadsheets at the second and seventh stores of the Sunlit Pavilion? I''m not sure. If that''s the case, just make it work. ''Actually, I have a very simple solution for you. ''What, you don''t? ''Isn''t the solution ...... to have Leela and the others learn the calculations? ''Well, that''s ...... going to be necessary in the future, but for now, we need to take immediate measures, right?'' ''Yes. I''m in trouble. You''re not in trouble, you''re annoyed. We have to take action before we lose customers. It''s a great opportunity to advertise on Halloween, and the yakiniku and motsu are gaining popularity by word of mouth. We can''t let that fire go out now. ''So, Estella. Please give me some money! ''...... Why me? ''Then let''s have Leela pay for it. She''s probably feeling the unpopularity of the customers and is mentally trapped by impatience and anxiety, and if you make her a little anxious, she might give you as much money as you want, even if you have to mortgage the store. ''Oh, my God!Why are you so quick to pinpoint people''s weakest point? That''s because you don''t want them to say no. ''...... I''ll ask you to return the money when the profit is up. ''You''re a cheapskate, you know that? You made a lot of money on Halloween, didn''t you? ''We''re even! ''What about the orders from other districts? ''That''s ...... well, I might make a little ...... money later on.'' ''Then that''s what you''ll get. ''Then you''ll end up with a ton of money!...... already. I''d like to be able to take advantage of that. ......'' ''giggle''. Ginette laughs at Estella''s pouting face. Well, I guess Estella can''t do that. Rather than gorging herself on profits, she''ll just give as much as she can back to the people involved. You''re a poor man, no matter how far you go. ''Let''s give a reward to those who contributed to the spread of yakiniku this time. ''You''re a cattleman? ''I''ve given them the right to control and process the meat. That''s enough.'' ''So you''re Torbeck Engineering, are you?They made a lot of tables for us. ''Umaro is blessed enough. ''Yes. After all, he''s given us a lot of profit, me and Estella. I''d like him to return some of it. I''m sure no one will complain if I''m forced to work for free for the next ten years or so. ''Then, all that''s left is .......'' ''What kind of tools do you use to grill the meat? ''Oh, I get it!It''s the hardware guild! ''...... Norma, you see, it''s better for her character if she''s a little unrewarded, isn''t it? ''I''m sure he doesn''t want it, but it''s not that bad. Norma isn''t too greedy for profit. She''d be happier with praise and applause. ''Norma is great! ''Norma great! ''Norma looks great! ''Nice cleavage! ''You look like a marshmallow! ''You''re so fluffy!'' --''Like a . ''Norma seems to be into improving her shadow art right now, so it would be a pity to give her a job, right? If you give her shadow art (a hobby) and a new job (a reason to live) at the same time, she will definitely sacrifice her sleep time. Take care of your ...... skin. ''So you''re ............ Ah, Theron, aren''t you? At this point, the correct answer finally came out of Jeannette''s mouth. You''re a little shady, Theron. I made the same number of shichirin as the table that Umaro worked so hard to build. The kiln there must have been running at full speed the whole time. And yet, you didn''t remember me at all. ''Theron, you''re so plain. ......'' ''No, that''s not true ......!You see, that''s right!I''m sure you''re aware of that, but I''m not sure if you''re aware of that. ...It was difficult to notice... ......'' I''m not sure what to say. The more you say, the more you''re driving Theron away.'' ''I''m sorry ......, I''m just not sure what to say. ......'' That''s your opinion of Theron. He has a good face, a beautiful wife, a monopoly on the production of local specialties that represent the 42nd district, and it has spread to other districts, and his income is rising, and he has entered the easy mode, the winner of life. Isn''t it just fine to be forgotten or unnoticed?I''m not sure what to say. ''Yashiro is ...... a little unhappy of the same s*x with a good face, you like it, right? ''I don''t think ...... that''s true,............ but ...... ......'' ''Ginette-chan. If you''re not confident, you don''t have to defend yourself. ''Eeyore, you''re cool, huh? ''Good for you, Yashiro, you''re popular with the girls. By little girls.'' Don''t put too much emphasis on ''little girl''. I''ll infect you with Javier, you bastard. ''So, Yashiro-san! Ginette, you don''t have to be so considerate as to offer a helping hand, okay? I''m not really sad. But if I see Theron after this, I''ll harass him a bit. ''What do you want from Theron?A new anvil, perhaps?'' ''No. It''s something more mundane, a contraption to simplify complicated calculations.'' ''A more mundane object, one that has been rigged to simplify complex calculations: ......? ''What you''re going to make is something we have at the Sunken Pavilion. ''What? Jeannette scurried around. But she couldn''t seem to find anything that looked like, ''This is it! But she couldn''t find anything that looked like ''this'', so she was disappointed. Well, it''s a bit far from Theron''s main work, but it''s in the same category as the Ceramics Guild. I''m sure he can make it. Or he can introduce you to a craftsman who can. ''Hey, hero!Aashi, I got it! ''Too bad!Wrong answer! ''You haven''t said anything yet! Because you definitely don''t understand. ''Then say it. ''Corn, right?We''re making popcorn at the sunny pavilion! ''Anyway, I''m going to Estella and Theron''s after this. ''Don''t ignore me, hero!Isn''t that right?Isn''t it? It''s not like it''s different. I don''t know. ...... Does he even know what Theron is a craftsman making? Theron. You''re not well known. ''Theron-san is a bricklayer who makes glowing bricks. ''Really?That bright guy?He''s a great guy, huh?'' ''Yes. He''s a skilled craftsman. ''Ah!I get it!Then it''s glowing corn! ''...... Eh? ''You want me to make you glowing corn!Right, hero? ''Well, I''d better get going, Estella.'' ''Right.'' ''That''s why!Don''t ignore me! Barbara is sitting and stomping her feet. Teresa stretches and pats Barbara on the head. You''re lucky to have a good sister. Take good care of her. She''s the only one in the world who''ll stand up for you now. It''s not every day that even Jeannette can''t defend you. ............ No, the ''small misfortune of a good-looking person of the same s*x'' does not count as an exception, or rather, I am not jealous of good-looking people in the first place.If I were to be jealous of a handsome man, that would be me being jealous of myself, right? So, no thanks! ''I''ll be back soon, do you want to hear the answer first?'' ''No, sir. Until Yashiro-san and the others return, I''ll be asking myself, ''What is it?What will it be? I''ll be waiting excitedly.'' ''Then we should at least bring back a prototype. ''I''m looking forward to it. ''Eeyusha!Oh, I want to come! ''Does Teresa want to come too? ....... Barbara, do you work in the fields?'' ''Oh, Teresa will be fine. Aashi will be doing the grinding!'' She rolls her arms and bumps her head. Barbara, you''ve been put in charge of the grinding. I see. ''Ginette. Make sure you check the quality. ''Why the hell not!It''s okay!I''ve been taught well! You''re being rude. Just the other day, a bag of corn flour was wasted because of you. I''m upset with you for damaging my shit! ''Feces in the shit ......'' ''Let''s go, Yashiro.'' Hey!...... is a disgusting interruption. ''So, Teresa, you wanna go? ''Yes! ''Yes!To give Theron a little harassment! ''No, you''re not. I don''t know why you have such an antipathy towards the good-looking homos*xuals, .......'' I don''t have one! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to say. In Heian style, it''s quite unpleasant!I''m not sure what to do. ...... Now, I wonder what kind of harassment I''ll give Theron. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. And then, after finishing our business, we came back. Well, after much ado, we got the prototype. ''Theron, you''ve been doing a lot of work. ''Yeah, a lot of things. ...... What exactly?'' ''You''ve done a lot.'' ''Let''s see, ......, uh, Estella?'' ''I don''t know what it is, but she said something about "cutting all your activities". Hahahaha! That''s right! Theron made a lot of efforts, and there were some interesting happenings, but I''ll keep those stories to myself. This is the punishment for cutting off all your activities! I''m going to make ...... Theron into a simple character. ''Um, did Yashiro-san have something to do with Theron-san? ''No, I think he loves her.I think he''s pestering you because he loves you, on the contrary. ''Then it''s no problem. Ginette patted her chest and looked at the package we had brought back. A prototype in a small wooden box. Her eyes told us that she wanted to see the contents as soon as possible. ''Can I open it? ''Sure. Don''t break it.'' ''I''ll be careful. I carefully open the lid of the crate. The package inside was wrapped in a furoshiki. You''re impatient~. When I unwrapped the furoshiki, what emerged from inside was... ''...... a plate, sir? Yes, a plate. The Sorcerer. ''Yes, a plate. The Sorcerer. ......'' ''It''s got a little trick to it.'' Again!There it is again! What is it, Estella?Is that what you are?Are you allergic to puns?Let me hear you say it! ''I''m surprised it''s so simple, but I think it''s very effective. ''It''s so simple, yet it works so well? Still without an answer, Ginette looked at the plate in the box. ''Oh, the color on the edge of the plate is different. ''That''s the point. ''Pop! ''Pointy! ''Hey, Yashiro. Do you have a disease that will kill you if you don''t say stupid things on a regular basis? I don''t have a disease like that! ............ I mean, it''s not silly! Especially Sorcerer! ''Does this color coding mean anything to you? ''Yes, yes. This one with the blue line around the edge is the 10Rb plate. ''The 10Rb plate?'' ''Yeah. And this one with the red line is the 20Rb plate. This gorgeous dish with a yellow background and white lines is a 50Rb dish. And this green plate with bright red and white lines is the very gorgeous 100Rb plate! ''Um, ...... a fee for the use of your plate, is it?'' ''No, not really. There''s 10Rb worth of meat on this plate.'' ''Oh!I see, I get it!The idea is not to sell grams of meat, but to sell ''10Rb worth''! ''That''s right, Ginette! Ginette and Estella hugged and shared their joy at this wonderful new idea. In short, it''s a conveyor belt sushi system. If you''re having trouble with fractions, just get rid of the concept of fractions in the first place. Who cares about fractions of a gram of a sushi item on a conveyor belt? Those who are particular about it may compare it with their eyes like a plate in order to get a bigger one, but I''ve basically always ordered sushi, so I''ve never paid attention to individual differences. If someone complains, ''One of the five slices is smaller than the other customer''s meat! If someone complains to you that one of your five slices is smaller than the other customer''s, you can either ban him or tell Morgan that ''such a small thing won''t change the taste of our meat! You can threaten him. He''s a tough guy, so why not have him act as a bouncer? I''ll grab him and turn him over to Morgan. You got it, b*tc*! ''Five 10Rb plates is 50Rb. One 20Rb plate and one 50Rb plate is 70Rb. ...... It''s very easy to calculate! ''If only I could add. It would be faster to learn multiplication, but we''ll get to that later. In any case, if the number of data to refer to is reduced, it is easier to make calculation tables. For now, there are four types: 10Rb, 20Rb, 50Rb, and 100Rb. If you make a table of how many of these amount to how much, you can get the total by adding the subtotal of each dish. ''The basic amount of meat is served in 20Rb plates, 10Rb plates for a small amount, 50Rb plates for a little bit better meat, and 100Rb plates for a large amount like eating all kinds of meat, so that you can meet your needs. Just in case. The quantity can be adjusted just as in conveyor-belt sushi, and the customer can order as many plates as he or she likes. After that, you can actually try it and increase the price range that you think is necessary. ''The great thing about this is that we can offer loin, harami, and mullet all at the same price! Customers no longer have to think about how much a gram of loin costs, or how much a gram of halibut costs. It doesn''t matter where the meat is from, what kind of meat it is, or if it''s a salad or a dessert, if it''s on a 10Rb plate, it''s 10Rb. ''The amount on the plate varies, but you can make anchovies for that. At least it will be easier than making a price list for every gram. You can remember 5 slices of loin, 8 slices of mullet, and so on. And if you decide the range of the total weight as ''80 grams ?¡À 3 grams'', the amount will not be so unbalanced. Incidentally, a serving at a yakiniku restaurant in Japan is usually about 80-100 grams. The average adult male eats about 300 grams of meat in one meal, so there are three kinds of meat in one meal. If two or three people go out to eat and share a meal, they will eat about six to nine kinds of meat. If you eat that much, you will feel satisfied. In Thomson''s Kitchen, a 20Rb plate is defined as a "single serving" and a 10Rb plate is half of that amount. A 100Rb plate is about three or four servings, including slightly expensive meat. Incidentally, a 50Rb plate is considered to be a high class dish. He''s eating 50Rb plates all the time. ......''''You''re a celebrity. ......''''......''''Someday I will be too. ''In addition. If you serve the meat on these plates, you can prepare the meat in advance during peak hours.'''' ''I see!Even if you don''t know how many grams the customer will eat, you can prepare a fixed amount of meat for one plate! ''As long as I can handle it. We don''t have a refrigerator, so we can''t leave it out for long, but even so, it''ll make things a lot easier during peak times. ''What''s more, if Leela cuts the meat, even Ox can serve it. ''That''s a lot of help. ''Oh my god, you''re so hot! For some reason, Teresa is eager to help in Thomson''s kitchen. It seems that she is still not allowed to help much in the cornfield and is looking for a place where she can exercise her abilities. He''s a little kid who''s better at accounting and calculations than working in the fields. I''m afraid that his arrival in the 42nd district may have caused him to develop a tendency toward workaholism. ...... I hope that''s just my imagination. ''Anyway, this plate should solve the problem of Thomson''s kitchen. ''That''s great, Yashiro-san! ''No, not me, but Teresa. ......'' ''Yes, sir. It''s Teresa''s job to move Yashiro-san! No, well, ............ maybe you''re right, but... You don''t need to involve me in that, do you? Why are you looking so happy about it? I don''t understand Jeannette''s thought process at all. ''Well, Estella. Take care of the rest. ''If you don''t go with her, who''s going to explain? ''I''m sure you can. ''Too bad, I''m not sure I understand ......''. Bullshit! Just a moment ago, you were explaining it to Jeannette before me. Why don''t you teach the Thomson kitchen staff in the same manner? ''Eeyuja, let''s go together.I''m glad you''re all here! ''...... Yeah, right. I''m sure they''ll love it.'' Don''t look so innocent. I don''t remember telling Teresa that. I hate helping people who don''t have a dime to their name, and I hate condescending kids. ...... Well, maybe when you''re older, you''ll feel it firsthand. My aura of a dangerous adult. Until then, well. ''You''ll grow up healthy at best. ...... hahaha'' ''Hey Yashiro. Is it a boom to make good-natured remarks with a bad guy face?Here, let''s get going. ''Oh, I want to join you too!Can you wait a moment? ''Yes. Wait, wait, wait. Yashiro''s in excuse mode, so take your time.'' ''''Duh. Then I''ll take my time getting ready.'''' Turning my back on the two girls who seemed to be enjoying themselves so much, I pondered a bit about the future education policy for the kids in District 42. First of all, we should hold a class to improve their crisis management skills. We need to teach them the basics of crime prevention: "Stay away from dangerous things. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that,............. 442-Additive-free Episode 97 prettier ''Awesome! ''That''s easy! When I went to Thomson''s kitchen and showed them how to use the plates and the price chart, Cow and Ox''s eyes lit up with delight. It seemed that the fine tuning of the meat weights had become a burden to them. They were under a lot of pressure from the customers. ''I''m glad you''re happy, Teresa. ''Yes!Thanks to the heroes, the heroes, and the heroes! ''You owe me. ''I''m the one who paid for it. Besides, Jeannette is going to teach you how to serve it. Or do you want to take all the credit and monopolize the appreciation?If you want, I can tell everyone that Yashiro is a very nice person.'''' ''Don''t do that. You''re interfering with my business. If a scammer has the image of a ''nice guy'', ...... well, it''ll make his job easier. No, but it''s the 42nd district. They''re all idiots, so if you pretend to be a good person, they''ll immediately come to rely on you. Yeah, they''re annoying. I''ll ask them to stop. Speaking of which, Estella. You''ve got some money left, right? ''...... What else are you going to do? ''Make a plate with a nude of a beautiful woman on it, and serve the meat on it in a way that hides the parts that shouldn''t be seen, and you''ll have a lot of fun with each slice. ......'' ''Come on, Jeannette. Let''s get started. Oh, Teresa, don''t go near this strange man for a while. Who''s the strange man? I''m serious. ...... is definitely in demand! I think I''ll adopt it at the sunny pavilion. While I was thinking about such a big project, Ginette started talking to the Gazelle sisters. ''Now, everyone, first of all, let''s practice making the food look good. Even if the weight is the same, the appearance of six slices and five slices will be different. They have been practicing cutting the pieces to make them as uniform in size and thickness as possible, but from now on, it will be even more difficult. He has to adjust the weight so that six pieces weigh 100 grams. That''s about 16 to 17 grams per piece. ''I think this is about 16 grams, ............? Ginette cut a thin slice of meat from a hunk of meat, as an example. When he put the thin slice of meat on the scale, it weighed exactly 16 grams. ...... You''re awesome. ''First of all, you need to learn to use 16 grams, but ideally you should be able to cut other weights as well. Right, Yashiro-san?'' ''Ah. In the future, if you adjust the number of grams according to changes in the purchase price, you can protect your profit without raising the price. For example, if the price of meat rises, you can reduce the weight of each piece of meat and serve it on a plate, keeping the appearance of six slices but reducing the overall amount of meat. This is a price adjustment that will keep customers from knowing that the price has been raised. But first, you have to master 16 grams perfectly. ''A plate should have six slices if possible. ''Why is that, Yashiro? ''That way, whether there are two or three of you, you can share the same number of slices.It''s less likely to get into a fight. ''Oh, I see...'' ''Why are you eating one more piece? That''s a common quarrel. With six slices, such a trouble is unlikely to occur. What if there are four of you? You should order two plates and get twelve slices. Don''t be so miserly as to poke at one plate with four people. It''s not profitable. Drop the money, drop the money! ''''Then let''s cut the meat and practice serving it. ''''Yes! The gazelle sisters responded cheerfully. Kau walks into the counter and holds up a knife. ''''......, come on. ''''Cow''s going to cut it?Where''s Leela?'' ''Mom is .......'' ''Now, a little ......''. The Gazelle sisters slurred their words. What''s wrong with Leela? I looked around the restaurant and saw Leela sitting behind the counter, leaning against the wall. On the floor. I thought she might be sick, but her ...... eyes had gone to the couch. Her mouth is in a half smile. ...... What the hell is he doing? ''Hey, Leela. I''m going to start implementing this plate today, so you better listen to me. I mean, it''s your job to cut the meat. ''...... was ............ big,...... hands. ............ ugh ugh ugh.'' Scary scary scary! I''m laughing at something! ''Mom, she was so happy that she hasn''t washed her hands since ...... that thing.'' ''It''s .......'' ''Huh? Since ...... what, are you kidding me?I don''t know. How many days do you think it''s been? ''Only your hands ...... or you haven''t washed them ......?'' ''No, no...... that............ whole body....... If you take a bath, your hands will get wet. ......'' ''Just because ......'' ''It''s unsanitary! That''s nasty! This is so tight, the owner! ''What are you thinking, Leela?How can the owner of a restaurant that handles raw meat be so unsanitary?Are you trying to cause a mass food poisoning? ''Don''t worry!I haven''t touched the meat since that day! ''It''s not okay in another way! Then what is it? Cow''s been cutting the meat ever since Halloween? Was it Cow who was fine-tuning the calculations because he was in trouble? Was it Cow who was taking all the pressure from the customers? You, come on, get out of here! I''ll give you a good beating, you crooked bastard! ''Estella. I''m going to force you to take a bath.'' ''Yeah, right. ...... hey, I can''t overlook this.'' ''Wait, please!I still have the warmth of that man in my hands!At least ......, at least wait until the next time you can see that person! ''Next year, isn''t it? ''Are you going to not wash your body for a whole year, are you ......? ''People don''t die if they don''t wash their bodies! ''No, you won''t!But there''s a chance that a lot of customers in this store will die! ''Which is more important, the lives of the customers or the warmth of that person? ''The customer''s inoach! ''Are you a bastard! ''No, Leela,...... it''s you,...... in this case.'' With tears in her eyes, Leyla protested in a desperate manner. This guy is serious. ...... He''s really not going to wash his hands. ............ ''You don''t want the store to go under? ''My kids are excellent! ''Didn''t you promise your husband that you''d protect this store?You promised to protect this store!'' ''No, sir. He just praised me for my good work. Heh. Hey, don''t be embarrassed, scratching your dirty head with your dirty hands! That husband of yours, if you know your wife''s attributes, ''work like hell! If you know what your wife''s attributes are, say something like, "Work like hell!" and disappear! ''I can''t help it, Yashiro. ......'' ''Hmm? ''I''m sure if you hugged her, she''d jump into the bath with a "Batch! I''m sure he''ll jump into the bath.'''' ''Did you, Estella ......, only come up with such a solution to rip out my heart? I don''t want to be the one to hug a woman who hasn''t had a bath in days!She doesn''t even have much milk! However, it is also true that she is unlikely to wash her hands while they are still warm from her husband''s warmth. ...... Then it might be better to at least touch the palms of her hands. I''m not sure what to do. If you don''t voluntarily wash your entire body, I''ll shake Leela''s hand.'' ''No!I don''t want to die! ''Then go wash yourself to death! ''I don''t want that either!The warmth of this hand is so delicate that it will disappear if it touches water! ''Then shake hands with me! ''Oh no!I''ll get dirty! ''Right now, you''re dirty as hell! You stupid b*tc*. ...... If the Gazelle sisters weren''t looking, I''d kick your ass and throw you in a tub of water. ......! ''So, why don''t you shake hands with me? Ginette suggested, intending to help me. But. ''...... Are you trying to take away her warmth from me?After all, she''s the one you want! ''I''m sorry, that was an exit! Ginette apologized frankly. Then she ducked behind me. It seems she''s learned a bit. It seems she''s learned a little bit that if she gets tangled up with someone like this, she should retreat immediately. Ginette, that was a bad handshake. ''Are you more comfortable with the ''rela-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la''? ''No, Teresa. His warmth is more precious to me. Rather, the feeling of being defiled by him is a submissive one, and it feels good.'' ''Okay, let''s evacuate the kids for now. What the hell are you talking about, you stupid mother? ''I don''t know, ......, I can''t find a solution. ''If we don''t do something about the accounting system, we''ll go bankrupt before the bad publicity gets out. ''We can''t afford to have unsanitary conditions. It is said that ''three persons have wisdom,'' but no matter how many of us get together, we can''t come up with a solution to such an outlandish case. At least, I don''t know how to handle such hazardous materials. At least, I don''t know how to handle such dangerous materials. ''I think the Yashiro bomb is more effective, don''t you? ''Then I''ll become Cow and Ox''s dad. ''No, we can''t have that!You see, ...... Yashiro is an important employee of the sunny pavilion, and ...... Magda and Loretta will miss him... ...'' It''s okay. No matter what they say, I can''t handle Leela. Even if she locks on to me, I''ll die trying to escape. But she''s the kind of woman who would force a man to marry her if she grabbed his arm to help him. ...... Put a "Don''t Touch" sign all over your body. ''Is there anyone who can be a victim of that thing? ......'' ''Um, Yashiro-san, ...... sacrifice is ......''. ''How about Bekko? ''Um, ...... Estella? Becco. ...... ''Well, Becco can do his job wherever he is, and I don''t plan on having a girlfriend in the future anyway, so I don''t mind. ...... ''It''s a pity for Cow and Ox, indeed. ''That''s true,.......'' ''The ...... will of Bekko and Leela is also there. I''m sorry. Ginette cares about trivial things, doesn''t she? Isn''t that just as good as nothing? When I''m thinking about it... ''I beg your pardon~'' Becko, who I never thought I''d hear from, suddenly appeared in Thomson''s kitchen. What? Why? I don''t think you have any business here. No way. Fate?Becko, you were destined to marry this dangerous man, weren''t you? ''Hello, I knew you were here!I''ve been looking for you, that I have, Mr. Yashiro.'' ''Me? ''Hmm. There was something I wanted to discuss with you, so I came to see you even though I knew you were in the middle of an errand, that I did. Becco''s business was that a restaurant owner from another ward, who saw the quality of the cheese and pumpkins included in the Halloween decorations, had asked him if he would produce them to be displayed as a symbolic object for his restaurant. ...... There were a lot of visitors from other wards, weren''t there? ''Oh, well, what about the rights to the food samples? ''Well, it''s supposed to be ......, which is owned by Yodamari-tei, but you''re not going to claim it, are you?Neither you nor Jeannette-chan. ''I''m not. I''m leaving it up to Mr. Yashiro. ''I''m not either. ...... I mean, is it possible that the reason why the stores in the 42nd district don''t copy the food samples is because they think that Hidamari-tei has the rights?'' ''That''s right. We''ve had a few inquiries in the past about whether we need to pay a monthly fee or something. ''And what did you tell them then?'' ''''Ask Yashiro.'''' ''...... I haven''t received a single inquiry, have I? ''They don''t want to talk about money with you, I''m sure. I''m sure they don''t want to talk money accounts with you. ...... You''ve got a lot of credibility. I''ve never been ripped off by the people of the 42nd district. Yeah, of course, that''s just so I can rip them off in the future, right? So they''re feeling threatened. I guess they''ve grown up a bit, these people. ''Let them off the hook. It would be more interesting to have various kinds of samples, wouldn''t it? ''Aren''t you interested in the rights to the food samples? If we charge a fee for each sample, we''ll have to draw up a contract each time, right? It''s so annoying. Besides, Imelda already has an inexhaustible collection of them. It''s practically impossible to claim the money retroactively. ''If we don''t assert our rights, we''ll end up with a flood of imitations, don''t you think? ''That''s fine. The more second-rate products there are, the more the greatness of Becko''s work will be highlighted, right?Won''t there be people who want to become his apprentices again, Becko?'' ''No, no, no. I only need Mr. Mokoka as my apprentice, that I do. But to think that Mr. Yashiro recognizes me that much is ...... a shame, that it is. Duhhhh. Don''t let out a strange laugh. I''m not even sure if I look like that. I''ll try to do some geek tricks next time. ...... It''ll look good. ''Hmm. I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. After all, I am also from District 42, that I don''t enjoy being ahead of other districts, that I do. Becko seems to have a strong love for his district. I wonder if he has come to have a strong attachment to this city that has accepted him. ''Oh, Mr. Bekko, if you''re ......, I''d like to ask you for one thing too .......'' ''Ginette. If you''re going to order a statue of a hero, I''ll order a bust of you at the same time, okay? ''Ukiu! ''Yashiro ......, that thing you''re talking about, it''s called a "chest statue", generally speaking. It''s the same either way! Both are images of the chest and above. The only difference is whether the ''top'' is the neck or the nipple. ''Oh, by the way, Becko. ''What is it, Mr. Yashiro? ''You love children and widows, don''t you? ''The former, but the latter is an expression with a hint of malice, that it is.'' That''s right. You like ''apartment block wives'', ''late afternoon'' and ''ripe fruit'', don''t you, anyway? ''My ideal woman is Norma, that I''m not attracted to such things, that I am. ''But you don''t approach Norma, that you don''t.'' ''Mr. Norma is not someone who can be monopolized by one person. Mr. Norma is a national treasure, that he is. I see. So that''s how Norma fans think. So that''s why guys who like Norma don''t hang around her. The more they like her, the more they distance themselves from her. ...... Norma, I''m sorry to hear that. ''Those swaying breasts are a national treasure, that they are! ''A country that worships such a thing as a treasure should be destroyed. ''No, Estella. What do you think about that idea? ''Shut up, you two milk idiots. If you like it so much, why don''t you two start a religion that worships the god of big tits? ''''Nice idea! Good idea, that it is! ''''Don''t take it seriously. ''''It''s already ......, you two. It''s no good.'''' ''''The God of Big Tits, no, the God of Big Tits -- yes, that''s it! ''Great Tits God! ''Shut up. ''There it is, the Great Tits God! I''ll stab you. You dare to dare to challenge the Great Tits God who rules the heavens and is the God of Heaven! You are so rude! You will shrink in the face of the Great Tits God''s wrath! --So.., ''Bekko. Your love of big tits is a religion, so bear with me and marry a modestly-busted widow.'' ''I can''t understand, sympathize or agree with you, that I can''t! That''s enough! Forget it, you can hug Leela and slap her in the bath while she screams ''dirty! You should hug Leela and throw her in the bath while she screams ''dirty! That''ll save a lot of customers. It''s a small price to pay for your life. ''Can you go shake hands with that woman crouching over there? ''There''s a ...... Oh, Mr. Leela, that it is. No, I can''t do that, that I can''t.'' d*mn! Did he know about Leela''s abnormality too? ''I''ve heard so much about how much Mr. Beaumont loved Mr. Leela before he died, that I can feel it in my bones, so I don''t want to disturb the two of you, that I do. "Hmm? ''What is it, that I don''t understand? ''Do you know ...... Bomo? ''Mm. While I was not recognized by anyone, Mr. Beaumo encouraged me, that he did. No way, such an unexpected connection! ''I don''t know much about art, but I like your eyes that you want to make your dream come true. I''ll buy you a drink and you can eat meat.'' He was a very manly man. ''So you''ve met Leela? ''I usually met Mr. Beaumont in this store when it was open for business. ...... Mr. Leela ignored me all the time. ''You don''t know each other, do you? ''Mr. Leela is a man who doesn''t pay attention to anyone but Mr. Beaumont, that he does. d*mn you! You''re more reckless than a wild boar! Is it impossible to persuade him as an acquaintance? ...... But wait a minute. If you''re acquainted with Vomo, ...... this might be useful. ''Becco. I''ll give up my rights to the food samples so you can do whatever you want with them, but can you do me a favor in return?'' ''Of course, that I will. Even if I don''t get anything in return, I have no intention of refusing Mr. Yashiro''s request. ''So long, ......''. And with that, I''ve made a breakthrough in the Thomson Kitchen Sanitization Project. All should be well now. Eleven minutes later-- ''Aha!Lovely!It''s too good!It''s great!Oh, my God! Leela was clinging to Beaumo''s portrait. If they knew each other, Becko could paint a portrait that looked exactly like the real thing. He asked her to paint a life-size bust-up of Beaumo. It took only a minute. The other minute was mine, with a few alterations. ''Leela. Are you sure you want to be attached to a portrait of Beaumo with such a dirty body?'' ''Huh!Well, yes, you can ......, but you have to wash your hands .......'' ''Are you sure you want Beaumo to see you so dirty?'' ''Huh......!Oh, you ...... don''t look at me ......!'' I told you to wash it so that it can be seen, not hide it. ...... I can''t help it. ''Leela, look at this. I say, pointing to the ''thing'' I added later to Becko''s portrait. ''You know what Beaumo says, "Wash your hands and keep them clean."'' ''Oh, my God!It''s true!If that''s what he''s saying, I''ll go get clean right now! Leela ran upstairs in a mad dash. I''m sure she''ll spare no time to boil the water and wash herself thoroughly with water. The "thing" I added is the familiar "balloon" for those who are familiar with manga. In the speech bubble that stretches out from the mouth of Bomo, I wrote the words "Wash your hands and get clean. ...... I guess it works for us too, the speech bubble. It looked like he was talking. ''But you are brilliant, Mr. Yashiro, that you are. If you look at it from a distance, the speech bubble doesn''t stand out at all, that it does. ''Because you made it blend in well with the background. The speech bubble is written in a color and shape that makes it look like part of the background. If you don''t know it, you will probably miss it. It would be silly to have a speech bubble attached to a portrait. But not only did you move Ms. Leela, the atmosphere of the store looks much tighter in this portrait. ''Yes. It''s as if Mr. Beaumo is standing at the counter. As expected, the portrait painted by Bekko is so realistic that it seems to be alive. The portrait of the first owner watches over the store. This alone makes the store seem alive and well, as if it has come to life. ''Watch me, Dad!I''ll do my best! ''I''ll do my best too, so come see me again, Dad! It seems to be having a positive effect on the Gazelle siblings. There were many restaurants in Japan that had pictures of skilled chefs on display. It is human nature to think, ''This restaurant looks delicious'' just by looking at the face of that person. A portrait of Beaumo would have a positive effect on customers who come to eat. However, a dashing ''fluttering thing'' appeared ...... and I felt a dull pain in my temple ....... ''I''ve purified myself, you know! ''Ms. Leela!What''s wrong with your outfit? ''This is the dress my husband gave me when I married him!If my husband is watching us, I need to dress up. ...... ''Well, Leela, ...... it''s a lovely dress, but ...... do you cook in it?You''ll smell the smoke. ''Then you need to get a new dress right away! ''No, not a dress... ......'' ''I need a dress that can get dirty! ''Well, ......, what should I do, Estella? ''What should I do, ......? Some people were too affected. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I think the only way to go about this is to go for the "dress cook" route, don''t you?I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that it''s impossible to stop Leela from going out of control, I''ve learned that the hard way today. ''Estella, tell Ukrines to let her design a dress that won''t get in the way. ''Yeah~......, but well, that might be the most peaceful thing ................... You''re not going to pay me, are you? How petty of you, my lord. If you don''t want to pay that much, you can get it from Leela''s ''dress-up fund''. He''s the kind of guy who doesn''t mind improving himself for his husband, anyway. ''If you do something about the cuffs and undercarriage, it could be as functional and pretty as a frilly apron. ''Ginette, can I go with you and ask your opinion?'' ''Yes, with pleasure.'' Estella clings to Jeannette. It seems that neither Ukrines nor Estella will be standing in the kitchen. I''m sure you''ll discover a lot when you hear a professional''s opinion. ''Kakusha, Okyusukyun! Teresa calls out to the Gazelle sisters who are staring at the portrait of Beaumont. Her eyes are filled with a strong will. ''Hey, you, look at me. I''m not sure what to do. ''''............U,yeah......'''' He''s looking away! Hey, come on. I made the accounting easy for you guys. You should at least be able to use this table. ''''What if Jyube''s dish is a rice cake? ''''Hachi-ju-ru-ben! ''''What if Joo-roo-bee''s dish is a black bear? ''''Roku-di-ru-ben! ''''All right, gather around here for a minute, kids. ...... run!'''' The Gazelle sisters have misunderstood the meaning of multiplication. I mean, I don''t see them trying to understand it! You guys are going to end up like your ............ mother if you keep living your lives selfishly! Are you sure? You don''t want to be like her! You don''t want that! I don''t want that!I don''t want more like her! ''So, I''m going to teach you ............ a lot of study today until the store opens, so sit there. What''s the ............ reply? ''''Ha ............ yes ......'''' ''''Yes!Oh, you''re so cute! The only one with energy, Teresa. Yeah, yeah. Teresa is a good girl. Maybe I''ll give her some candy later. Maybe I''ll play nice. I can understand why a teacher would want to favor her. ''Yashiro. Don''t mess with my students.'' ''I''m not going to hurt these underdeveloped people.'' ''You can''t even ...... touch a well-developed girl, you know? I don''t know how a teacher feels when she huffs and puffs at her students. It''s not just the kids, it''s the PTA! I''m not sure what to say.It''s a good idea. ............ Ah, their mothers are Leela and Wuerer. ...... No way. ''Well, let''s talk. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Don''t be an idiot and teach him properly while we''re at Ukrines. Good.'' ''''Hey, hey.'''' '' ''Hey'' is one time! ''Estella-san, ...... don''t you want to say ''yes''?'' Estella left the store with Jeannette in tow, and Bekko said, ''Well, I''ll go look for someone who wants food samples in District 42, that I will! And he left cheerfully. So we were left with Leela spinning and dancing in front of the portrait, the Gazelle sisters nodding in front of the table, and Teresa, the good girl. ''''Well, let''s start studying. ''''Yes, sir.'''' ''''Yes! However, there''s no need to teach the basics. You just need to pinpoint and learn the parts that are necessary for accounting. ''''I''ll treat you to caramel popcorn and cotton candy if you can remember them properly. ''I''ll do my best! ''Masu! ''Masu! That''s how you catch a kid. ...... Teresa''s already done it, though, without even trying. ''If you add cake, I can work even harder! ''Yes! ''Masu! ''...... you guys ...... huh, okay. I''ll feed you, and you''ll work like hell. ''''Yes!'''' Yes! And so, in the short time before the store opened, brother Yashiro held a math class. ...... Meanwhile, Leela was dancing all the time. ............ It''s distracting. 443-Listen to episode 98 without additives, Mr. Yashir... "Be a good mother to your children. "You''re a shining example of hard work. "You''re the only one who can protect my store, Leela. "Customer satisfaction is important! "I''m watching you, so you don''t have to keep looking back to check on me. "Good luck with your calculations. "Whoever laughs at 1Rb will cry at 1Rb. "Be careful, careless mistakes are the source of accidents. "Beware of fire. One charcoal fire can burn down a restaurant. These are all lines scrawled on Beaumont''s portrait. Or rather, these are the lines I scribbled down after watching Leela work. Over the course of a night. The last part is like a motto, but it can''t be helped. You don''t understand business, shopkeeper! And since I kept pointing out too many things, Ginette, who came back from Ukrines, pointed them out to me. She told me to write a few gentler lines. This is what I wrote in response. "After a hard day''s work, rest well, and when we meet again, I hope you will be a beautiful Leela. Ginette says, ''Ms. Leela is a person who always follows what Mr. Beaumont tells her to do, so don''t forget to take care of yourself. He emphasized that when people express their desire to see him again, infinite power will be generated. However, this portrait quickly became full of balloons. It''s not a portrait anymore, it''s more like a single frame cartoon. ''Eeyousa''. Teresa, who has been helping out as the main accountant in Thomson''s kitchen for a long time, tugs on my sleeve in a reserved manner. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... Yeah, yeah. I''m sure you''ll be glad you did. After I wrote that, I added. "I''m looking forward to seeing you again. --I added a note. ''Thanks, Eeyusha! Teresa hugged me with all her might. Don''t worry too much about other people''s problems. You''ll get more wrinkles if you care too much. Live a life you won''t regret when you reach your twenties and thirties. "Mr. Yashiro. As I clung to Teresa and set her down on the checkout counter, Ginette called my name with a soft smile. She says my name, smiles, and that''s it. I don''t say a word. Can you please stop sending me all that stuff in your smile? This isn''t one of those "I did this to cheer up the kids" stories, you know. It''s because Teresa, who is in charge of accounting, was concerned about the lack of energy of the kids who were working hard to serve customers and clean up, and she decided that cheering up the kids would take away Teresa''s worries and make the store run more efficiently on the floor and in accounting. It''s not that I showed any concern or anything like that. ...... Hey, say something, at least!I''m not sure what to make of that. And so, I ended up spending the whole day yesterday helping out in the Thomson kitchen. Even after Jeannette went back to the sunny pavilion, I stayed on. Teresa and I helped her the whole time. Why should I have to take care of her so much? ...... At least give me some money for my part-time job. After such a night of annoyance and hardship, I slept soundly as soon as I arrived home and said, ''The day after I work hard will be a good day. In my dream, I thought, ''God is watching me, isn''t he?'' But ...... it seems that the gods of this world are really mean. ''Oh~, Oba!This way, this way! I''ve been thinking about it for a while.Give me your face! Hey, wait! I''m going to talk to Oba first. Wait here.'' ''No, Master Ricardo!This is an emergency that affects the survival of the guild!I''m sorry, but you''ll have to back off for now. ''We''re talking about a major event for the whole district!I''m sorry, but I have to ask you to back off. ''I don''t care what you say, I can''t compromise on this, Ricardo-sama! ''What the hell, Kola?Do you want to come out? ''That''s what I want!I''ll tell you what, I''m not going to go easy on you, okay? ''...... Ricardo and Usse have been fighting over Yashiro all morning. ............ Today is a bad day. ''Please, Magda. Please tell me this is a nightmare of the worst nature. ......'' ''......Yashiro. Don''t turn your back on reality. Reality, d*mn it. Huh, I can''t help it. ''Jeannette. I''m going out for a bit. ''''Wait!Don''t try to ignore us and go out! You guys are so close. You two are so close, you''re creepy. ''...... What the hell, man? Then I''ll judge who to listen to, so explain it to me in 20 words or less.'' ''We''re having a big event in the 41st district, help us out. ''You''re going to starve the hunting by favoring the cowherd. ...... These guys both use exactly 20 words. ...... if it''s in Japanese!What''s this?Is it exactly 20 characters in their native language too?No way, right?Hey, "Conversation Record"? ''What''s the big event? ''Hmph!I knew you''d be interested in this one!You see, Uzse?This is what diplomacy is all about. ''Hey!......, but you''ll have to listen to me, too! I''m sorry. I''ve got goosebumps and I''m a bit of a chicken. ''Didn''t we have an event called Halloween in the 42nd district? ''No, "Didn''t we? You participated in it! What''s with the ''I overheard about it'' nuance? You''re curious about what the 42nd district does, aren''t you?Just admit it, already. ''I''ve come up with an innovative event that goes beyond that. ''You''ll have to talk to Estella about that. ''There''s a reason I can''t talk to her. So I thought I''d get your help first. I''m sure you''ll get on board once you hear what I have to say. ...... Hmmm...'' ''...... I''ve got a bad feeling about this, but let''s just get the details. ''First of all, it''s going to be like Halloween, where everyone in the city is going to dress up in costumes and walk around the city in a parade. ''It''s impossible to surpass Halloween when you''re following it, you know. That''s called copying or second-guessing, you know? ''This is where the breakthrough comes in!You know what?I thought about it during Halloween, but walking around the city is tiring, isn''t it?Didn''t all the old people fight for the benches? ''Well, you know. I was surrounded by a bunch of overly energetic beastmen. Even Jeannette didn''t look tired, so I''m sure she''s fine. The people in this town are unusually energetic. ''I''m tired!I''m tired! ''You''re an old man now, aren''t you? ''I''m not that different from you!I''m one year older than Estella. ''Wow, you look old. ''Shut the f*ck up! ''...... Pfft.'' ''Stop laughing, you''re annoying! You''re just pissed off that I got ahead of you in the order of conversation, aren''t you, Ugly? You can''t say the same for you, you have an old face. ...... Oh, you''re purely an old man, aren''t you? I''m not sure.You''ll be walking around all day and your feet will get tired, right?In anticipation of that, we''re going to set up benches all over the city. Then everyone will sit down, right? Why does this guy want us to sit on benches so badly,.................., no way. ''On that bench,......, you should put a ...... boob cushion on it,......... ......... of the city, hmmm, everywhere, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!I''m sure you''ll agree.I''m sure you''ll enjoy it. ''Ugh, here you go. ''Listen to me, I''m talking! What the hell? What''s that? A fart festival? A fart festival? It''s like a bloodbath, but it''s incomparably more trivial. ''Fartoween! ''It''s a bunch of crap! ''Because I bought the method of making boo-boo cushions from Estella. We''ll make it a specialty of the 41st district. This is also the event to unveil it.'''' ''You''re making that thing a specialty? Are you sure you want a fart to represent the district? Are you sure you want to do that, my lord? ''Cause you''re ...... that, ...... that''s so funny, ...... that''s so funny! No, no, no. You see, I didn''t have much understanding of how girls dress up. And I''ve been flirting with girls I like, and they''re starting to hate me, right now. Wow, ...... this guy is in elementary school. It''s also an elementary school student who is classified as a demented little shit. ''...... Could it be that the reason you can''t talk to Estella is because you want to make her the prey of the boo-boo cushions on the day of the event? ''Huh, as expected of Oba. You''re a sharp ...... guy.'''' You''re a sharp guy. I''m here, I''m here! ''You love Estella, don''t you? ''Ha, ha!Idiot, I don''t like you at all! That''s the reaction of someone who likes her. ''I assure you, if you try to boob-cushion Estella, you will die ......? ''Hmph!I''m not going to be beaten by Estella. ...... Ah. Is that the head waiter?He sure looks tough. ...... Still, I don''t intend to fall behind. It''s not that I don''t like it. ''No, not socially. ''What about ......? ''Completely and totally ignored by all the girls in the 42nd and 41st wards. ''What about ............? ''Probably, I will be treated as a non-existent thing for the rest of my life. No, you will be treated as an object. ''Ha ...... ha, that''s such an exaggeration ............'' ''Estella has a very girlish innocence about her. ...... If you make her cry, you''ll be afraid of what''s to come. ............ Your title will change from ''Lord'' to ''Enemy of Women''... ......... and it can''t be wiped away forever. ''...... gulp. I''m not going to get into that kind of trouble with ...... Estella. Hey, hey, tiger girl? ''............'' ''Hey, tiger girl! ''............Can you stop talking to me?'' Ricardo''s pupils dilated as Magda shouted at him in a temperatureless voice. His body stiffened and sweat poured out of his forehead. I''m sure you''ve never experienced this before. That feeling of despair when you make a quiet girl in your class cry for no reason at all. ''We don''t usually get along that well, do we? The horror of girls colluding with each other to eliminate a single "enemy of women" at all costs. I was in elementary school once in the past,............, and my knees are shaking just remembering it. ''Ricardo ......, dying socially is hard, isn''t it? ''I''m going to ............ reconsider.'' Oh. And don''t ever come up with that nonsense again. ''You should be more concerned about the progress of "Lovely Yann Avenue". It''s going well, isn''t it?'' ''Hmm?Yeah. I think it''ll be fine.'' ''I think''? ''There are a lot of women who are strangely enthusiastic. Women know better, so I enlisted the help of Medora and Osina to select the committee. They''re taking the lead on this now. ''You''re not overseeing this? ''I''m paying for it. Besides, Medora and Osina are meddling, and your Trubek is coming up with various ideas. We''ll be fine. It''ll work out.'' ...... You bastard. How little interest do you have in women''s beauty? And all you care about is farts. ...... ''...... brat.'' ''I don''t need a younger man to tell me what to do! I''m older than you in real life! And now we''re talking about mental age! And now we''re talking about mental age! Huh, ......, what a jerk. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that Use''s story is 40% more sane than yours. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''Yashiro. What''s more important to you, us or the cowherd?'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I feel like throwing up. Are you a troublesome girlfriend? Are you the kind of girl who sneaks a peek at the Conversation Record while I''m sleeping? You''re the kind of girl who sneaks into the Conversation Record while I''m sleeping?They only use cowherd''s meat! ''It can''t be helped, can it? The owner of that restaurant has a deep connection with the cowherd, and the restaurant is fully backed by the cowherd. If that''s the case, why didn''t you just start a barbecue business at a butcher shop with deep connections to hunting? ''A butcher shop that can handle the meat of Hexenbiests would have a stable business. The reason why beef is so popular is because it is reasonably priced, so if you want to compete with Hexenbiest meat, you''ll have to lower the price. Hexenbiest meat is tasty but expensive. This is the only advantage that cattlemen have over hunters. In Japan, the top loin, which costs about 500 yen at a "reasonable" restaurant, can be eaten for about 20Rb or 200 yen. This affordability is quite favorable. You can''t imitate this price for the meat of a hexenbiest. ''Then teach me how to eat hexenbiest entrails. ''I''ve never eaten hexenbiest guts. You should study it yourselves. I can''t even imagine what the internal organs of a creature that spits fire out of its mouth would look like. You don''t even know where the poison is. You should call in some experts and start a research team. If you can make it taste good, please introduce it to us. ''I don''t even know what other ways to eat it besides barbecued meat. ......'' ''Then, how about this kind of food? Ginette came out of the kitchen just as I was waiting for her. ''If you don''t mind, would you like to try this one?I''d like to hear the opinions of those who are not involved, especially those who use their bodies. The table was set with motsu-nabe and fried leba-nira. I suggested these two dishes as easy and tasty offal dishes that would not conflict with Thomson''s kitchen. Both dishes are full of chives, so they will be good for your tired body. The motsu nabe is a thickly seasoned miso-based dish with chives, cabbage, garlic, chili peppers, and burdock root in addition to the motsu. It can be sprinkled with sansho (Japanese pepper) to taste. Allicin, an allyl sulfide contained in leek, activates the energy metabolism. It also assists in the absorption of vitamins, making it a beauty food where you can take in all the nutrients of cabbage and motsu, and fully expect the effect of making your skin plump and soft. On the other hand, stir-fried liver and leek has a tremendous amount of vitamins, not to mention the nutrients in the leek. It is said that liver has ten times as many vitamins as carrots, and is such a treasure trove of vitamins that it is even said to cause vertigo if eaten too much. It is no exaggeration to say that the combination of liver and chives is the strongest. Stir-fried liver and chives are the best combination to cure your tired body. However. However, this is not a dish to be eaten before the opening of a restaurant where donations to the church have just been completed. This is the kind of food you want for dinner. --Ginette must''ve started making it as soon as she found Use and Ricardo because I was complaining. He wanted to build it so badly. The words "test subjects" and "experimental subjects" suit them well, and I think it''s a good use of them, yeah. No, it tastes good. It''s just, now''s not the time. I don''t want it this early in the morning. ''I''d love to try it with hexenbiest motsu! ''Oh!It''s so good!I can eat as much as I want.'''' Ricardo tilts the platter and digs into the fried liver. The aristocrats of this city have no class, the way they eat. Take an overdose of liver and collapse!You''ll get dizzy!And go bald! ...... There''s a myth that eating too much liver can cause hair loss due to vitamin overdose. ...... In contrast to Ricardo, who is devouring it like an idiot, Usae looks strangely sharp and straightens his back. ''Oh, oh. Sorry, Mr. Manager. So, so, so, if anything happens, can I count on your help? This bastard has no idea what he''s doing, but he''s so cool in front of Jeannette. Shall I kick him out of ......? Not understanding such a sense of danger at all, Jeannette smiles indiscriminately at the idiot Use. ''Yes, sir. If there is anything I can do... Wait, Jeannette! Don''t take any chances! If you take my word for it, you''ll never know what demands I''ll make of you later. ...... ''--I''ll consult with Yashiro-san and consider it positively. ''Oh ...... oh''. Use was at a loss for words at the unexpected reply. ''......I''ve already told the manager from Magda. It''s a good idea to check Yashiro''s intentions before replying. ...... Magda, great! How dare you talk to that man with no sense of danger! You can find a lot more information on the web at ....... It''s also a very convenient piece of advice. ''...... The manager is steadily approaching the ideal image of ......, which is convenient for Magda. It''s always been convenient for Magda. Nothing has changed at all, Jeannette. You''re happy about that. What''s with the smug look? Don''t make that face or Jeannette will pat you on the head. ''Cute, cute, cute''. ''...... King of Cute in 42nd Ward''. ''If you''re going to be ''cute'', you should be a queen or princess.'' ''......Muh.'' ...... Huh! Before I knew it, I was naturally stroking Magda''s head! Magda Me ...... When did you raise the level of ''cute''!Fluffy. ''Hmmm. Even Yashiro-san is formless before Magda-san''s cuteness.'' Laughing, Jeannette reaches for Magda''s head. She gave up her petting space, and the two of them stroked Magda''s head together. No, it''s okay if you want to leave, but I just thought I''d end it there. ''...... Mwah! ''Hey you guys, don''t spoil Magda too much. You''re going to be in a lot of trouble when you get here. Use let out a sigh with a disgusted look on his face. I''m not spoiling you. It''s just that it''d be weird if we didn''t get it done at the right point. Half-heartedness is not good. ''...... usse''. Don''t call me that.Don''t call me that. ''...... Halloween is an event where ghosts gather, not just anything scary, so a giant hexenbiest object would be extremely misguided. I want an explanation. ''You''re annoying!You can''t go on and on about the past!It''s not cute at all!You guys are being tricked!It''s not cute at all, that little girl! The Uzes are screaming, but Magda-- But when Magda said, ''...... Only a real person can understand Magda''s cuteness.'' --He clenched his teeth and turned away. I turned my head away. You guys seem to be getting along pretty well. I''m sure you''ll like it. ...... as a toy,poo poo. ''...... Speaking of which, Mokoka has finally said that he wants to do a feature on Magda in an information paper. ''...... Magda, you''ve been steadily attacking Mokoka, ............'' How jealous were you of the Natalia fever of the past? No, you were worried about the fact that you were being compared to Paula and she was taking all the customers away from you. ...... ''...... just want a reason to convince the hard-headed upper management''. ''A good enough reason to feature Magda?'' ''...... Yes. The time for a feature on the 42nd district alone has passed. There needs to be some kind of ''pull''. For example, ............ ''A beautiful girl hunter who runs a hunting guild''. ''I won''t let you run the guild!I''m the representative of the 42nd district branch! ''...... Magda is the best when it comes to defeating Use. ''No, no, no, no!There''s a pecking order!Even if something happens to me, I know who''ll be next! ''...... if you beat them all, ............'' ''How much do you want to be in the press, you bastard? If we don''t do something, the hunting guilds in the forty-two districts are going to be destroyed. However, ''something'' is a bit of a stretch. ''''But since the previous two consultations were so crappy, I feel like doing my best to help out with Magda''s! ''''Whose advice is shitty? Yours, you crappy Brothers. ''''Oh, that''s right. Ugly, you should open up a spit-roast restaurant of Hexenbiest meat on the lovely Yan Avenue. I''m sure it''ll attract a lot of hungry girls who are on a diet. ''Are you nuts?If we do that, the hunting guild will be treated as the enemy of women. ......'' That''s right. It seems that Use isn''t as insensitive as Ricardo. ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m sure the resentment will grow whether you eat it or not. I wish I could do it. And I hope you hate me, Use. The individual Uzes. ''Because I''m a stance that supports women''s desire to be beautiful. ''...... Yashiro. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with us. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but it''s a good idea. ''Magda. That''s what I call ''ulterior motives''. Don''t go near that kind of man. ''...... be careful. ''I''m not going to touch you by mistake! Huh?So you''re going to mess with anyone who isn''t Magda, with that ulterior motive. For example, Jeannette? ''Ugh, you''re banned. ''Why the hell, man? ''No one with ulterior motives is allowed in the sunlit pavilion.'' ''...... Yashiro. That''s why. ''Hey, Magda. Why are you trying to get rid of me too?Don''t point at the exit so gently.'' ''''Kusuku. It seems that Mr. Yashiro also has an ulterior motive. Please be careful what you say and do on a daily basis. Hmmm... Ginette''s starting to get into these jokes now. It''s hard for me to say ''No'' when she says it. It''s hard to say ''No!'' when he says it. ...... Because it shakes! I''m not sure what to say. ''Yashiro-san, the exit is that way, okay? Ginette giggled and pointed to the exit. Oh, so Ginette''s on that side now, too. Whose fault is that, really? ...... It''s not my fault. Maybe. ''......m''. Magda''s tiger ears twitched just as Jeannette pointed to the exit. ''......coming''. He muttered, pushing me toward the door. Then he ducked behind me, taking Jeannette with him. Shortly thereafter. The door was thrown open with great force and Barbara jumped in like a bullet and jumped on me. ...... He''s not jumping at you like he''s Nyamage. I''m not sure what to say.If you knew I was coming, why did you push me in front of the door?Are you enjoying this situation, my little misfortune? ''Listen to me, hero!You''re terrible! ''You''re the one who keeps bringing me into this. If you want to talk about it, talk to your best friend.'' ''Best friend? You''ve got Mokoka! What?You forgot already? We had a field day just the other day! ''What''s the relationship between Hero and Aashi? ''They''re strangers. ''No, no, no!It''s not that kind of stranger! Who taught you to be a stranger? And they''re strangers. ''Aashi and Hero are, you know, like Nephrite said: ............ Oh, yeah!''More than friends, less than lovers! I''m sure they''re not! You''re learning all these strange words. Go learn the words civility and decency first! ''Hey, Hero .......'' ''Huh? ''...... Aashi,s............ pretty?'' ''What about ............?'' A faint tint to the cheeks, a downcast look upwards. ...... Where did you learn to make such a mocking expression? If you want to be cute or not cute,...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m sure the manager would agree.That''s what the manager thinks, right?'' ''Yes. ''Hey!Aashi, she''s cute!I''m not sure. ...... That''s what I''m talking about, Barbara. Yes, points deducted. I''m sorry. It''s a good thing you''ve got a little bit of meat on your body, and you''ve started to pay attention to your hair and look a little more presentable. ...... ''But, you know, the guy from Ox is ......! ''Ox is ...... you, don''t pay any attention to what the kid says. ''Because that guy!He says Teresa is prettier than Aashi! ''Isn''t that right? ''Well, well, well, Teresa is the cutest thing in the world, but ......'' Then why not? You''ve already admitted it. ''But if Teresa says she wants to be like Arshi, you''ll say, "No!You need to be a better woman! I said! ''You''re right, aren''t you? ''What?Why not, hero? Since your future goals are lower than where you are now, it''s the right thing to do to correct your thinking. ''Teresa, you know how much I admire Aashi. She''s always saying she wants to be like you!Aashi is supporting her! ''Don''t try to pluck the future of talented young people! ''That''s too much, Hero!Even Aashi has been working pretty hard lately! Regardless of your blood-curdling efforts, the Teresa of today is so high up that she can skip over the results of your efforts. Realize where you stand. ''Teresa,'' she says, ''you''re the best! '' she says to me. ''Teresa ......, you still can''t see clearly ......?'' ''I can see!I''ve been loving watching the ant colony lately!I can see the little ones clearly!Thank you so much for that, hero! Don''t rush into thanks. I''m a little surprised. I''m surprised Teresa has such a childish side. It''s kind of comforting. ''I''m looking at a matrix of ants, and I''m mumbling something about the speed at which they move and the change in weight and speed when they hold food that is many times their volume. Teresa......, don''t grow up too fast. I''m just a little nervous. On the contrary!I hope you don''t lose your childish side! ''Aashisa............, I want to be beautiful. What''s the matter, Barbara? What''s the matter, Barbara? You got a fever? ''I want to be the kind of sister that Teresa will always admire, not only for my strength but also as a woman! ''It''s okay to be enthusiastic, but don''t go off in the wrong direction, okay? ''I know. I thought to myself, ''You don''t know what you''re doing,....... ''Aashi doesn''t want to impose her way of life on Teresa. Now Teresa, you can help Thomson''s kitchen and make new ......, uh, possibilities?I''m very happy that you''ve discovered this new possibility for yourself, Aash. I''m glad that Teresa has found something that she wants to do on her own,...... because up until now, everyone has been copying her and loving being just like her,...... but I''m sad. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. She''s thinking about Teresa too, isn''t she? He doesn''t overprotect her, and he doesn''t push her away because he''s too busy with himself. He''s really trying to help both of you grow up together, you and Teresa. ''But you know, I want to be a great big sister forever, don''t you? No matter what path Teresa is on, I want to be the cool sister who can stand in front of her and show her the many possibilities. You can be anything you want to be if you work hard enough. If you are sisters at a time when you are full of such potential, that would be an ideal relationship. After that, after you have decided on your path, you can watch over her from behind. You don''t need anyone to teach you how to do that, but you can learn it yourself by watching the people around you. There are many adults around Barbara who are good role models. I guess she wants to be one of those good role models. For Teresa. ''That''s why I''m a hero. Stern, serious eyes stare at me. ''Think about how you can be a great big sister! ...... I could praise you with open arms if you could fix this kind of thing. ............ ''giggle. ''I don''t think I''ll ever understand that feeling. ......'' Ginette said something that made my depressed face even more depressed. ''Please don''t put that strange weight on my shoulders. ''Anyway, I''m on this diet thing right now, but I don''t feel like I''m getting any prettier. ''What?Isn''t it necessary for you, Barbara-san? Even though she has gained some flesh, Barbara is still very thin. He''s too skinny. There''s no way she''ll look good on a diet. ''Is that so?A woman on the main street told me that eating less will make you beautiful. ''That''s dangerous, Barbara! Boom! Loretta appeared at the door. ''Dietary restrictions, if not done correctly, will not only destroy your body, but also your beauty!I almost cried when my pimples increased due to the wrong diet for a while! ''Oh, Loretta. You''ve had an increase in pimples. ''Ugh ......, I''m crying just remembering it. I don''t want to go through that again. ......'' And Loretta gently hides her forehead. By the way, there was a time when she wore her bangs down to the point of depression. Was she hiding it? ''Miss Barbara!The road to beauty is not one day long!Improve yourself steadily, but without fail!This is the ironclad rule! ''Oh, Loretta!You''re looking very promising! ''Of course!Since that day of failure, I''ve been reborn!I''m like a beauty preacher! ''Then, clean up Aashi too! ''Leave it to me!There''s no way I''m abandoning Barbara-san of the League of Amazing Sisters!We''ll clean up together!And--'' ''And ......? ''I''m aiming to become the number one pretty girl in the 42nd district! ''Oh!Number one Pretty!I like that! I''m sure you''ll have a lot of questions about this. It''s hard to get an overall score. ''...... That''s reckless. Because there is Magda in the forty-two districts. ''Nuh-uh!Magda is certainly a powerful opponent!But I can beat him in the ...... adult charm department!'' No, no, no. Loretta, you haven''t reached the realm of adult charm yet. You''re in the squeaky-clean girl category, you''re not. The ............ department? ''Oh, .......'' ''Did you come up with anything? The only sound that escaped me was Jeannette''s face as she looked at me. ...... So why are you looking at me with such anticipation? You just said ''ah''. ''No, it''s no big deal. ''But you''ve thought of something, haven''t you?I''d like to hear it. Lately, I''ve been planning a lot of events on the spur of the moment, and each time I''ve gotten into a lot of trouble. ...... I''m hesitant to say anything without thinking. However, if this project is carried out, Magda''s hope and the revitalization of the wonderful Yann Avenue, which has an uncertain future, will progress in a good way. ............ ''Does that idea also lead to the consumption of hexenbiest meat? Oh, I''m sorry, Uso. Your hope is the only thing I can''t snatch. It''s not like you can solve all your problems every time. ''Well, since we''re going to have a nice avenue, I thought it would be fun to have a beauty contest. It''s a kind of beauty contest, but it might be interesting if we create various categories. There could be a children''s division and a silver division limited to those over fifty. There is also a muscle category for those with ripped abs. Or a category for beautiful cooks. ''That sounds interesting!Will you be competing in the ...... cooking skill category?'' ''No. It''s a combination of the way you cook and the food you make. It''s going to be like the ''I want to be your wife ranking'' that was often featured in Japanese magazines in the past. ''Big brother, that''s a good idea!I''ll definitely do it! ''If you win, do you think Teresa will respect Aashi? ''Yes, she will!The most beautiful sister is the object of every sister''s desire! ''''Alright!I''ll go!I''ll go out and win! ''...... But Magda is going to win all the categories.'' ''I won''t let you do that, Magda! ''That''s right!Let''s play, team leader! No, you''re still calling me team leader, Barbara. ...... ''Yashiro. I have one question for you. I don''t know how long she''s been there, but she''s got her arm on the door and Estella is looking at her. She smiled happily. ''The expenses for that tournament ............ are paid by the 41st district [Ricardo], right? ''Why me? ''It''s nice, isn''t it Avenue''s advertising project?Don''t worry, we''ll have a lot of participants from District 42, so I can guarantee a good turnout. ''You''re going to have all the fun you want with District Forty-one''s money, aren''t you? ''Isn''t this what you''ve been doing with the field day and Halloween? Isn''t it nice to have a big event in your own district? ''K...... well, I''ll do it for you, but ...... in return, you''ll have to help! ''Yeah. I''m not going to pay you a dime! ''What a jerk! ''We don''t have any money to spare, you know!We''re always in the balance! I wonder if one day Estella will be able to have a great time. ''So, Yashiro. Let''s have a meeting right away. I''m sure the 41st district will offer delicious meat as a prize. Estella winks at me and Use. It''s a good thing you''re a part of the event, Use. ...... ''Free of charge,'' she said, ''Hexenbiest meat. Think of it as a publicity stunt and accept it. So, I was forced to join the steering committee of a big event again. 444-99th episode without additives! In no time at all, the rumor had spread and the city was in an uproar like a beehive again. ''Imelda, I found her!Guys, there she is, Imelda! ''Thank God!Hey, we have a favor to ask you, Imelda! ''''''Please teach me how to do my makeup! ''''No, um, I''m having dinner right now. ......'''' ''''''''''''Please Shasta! '''''''''''' ''Um, ............ Yashiro-san.'' ''Don''t tell me. ......'' I never imagined that the girls'' eyes would be bleeding like this. ...... ''It can''t be helped. Please come to my home.'' '''''''''''' Aaaaah! '''''''''''' I''m not sure what to do. Imelda is leaving the sunlit pavilion with a group of girls who are hungry for beauty. In exchange, Norma came into the store wearing armor. ...... Armor! ''Take a look at this, Yashiro! ''...... What''s going on, Norma? ''This dress is...'' ''Oh, wait, ...... a dress? ''It''s a dress. No, it''s armor. It''s all metallic, isn''t it? Every time I walk, it''s making a ''squawk, squawk'' sound, isn''t it? ''It''s a shadow art dress, when the light hits me from above, the shadows of flower fairies spread all around me!Isn''t that romantic? ''Unless the fairies surrounding you are all metallic, ......'' As a result of trying to increase the number of shadow art, the skin is not exposed and even the face is covered. It looks like armor. ''I''m thinking of entering a beauty contest with this, can''t I? ''You can''t even see my face. No, you can''t.'' You can''t even see my cleavage, not even my thighs. ''You''re a thousand times more attractive dressed as usual. ''Oh, ...... that much, huh? ''Oh. Norma is most attractive when she''s bare-faced, bare-chested, and bare-chested.'' ''Well, then, I''ll join you bare-chested! ''Wait, Norma-san!If you go that far, you''re more than just a ''chick'', you''re a ''stupid girl''! Thanks to Loretta''s unnecessary advice, Norma seems to have decided to go to the tournament dressed up a bit. The bare bottom was rejected. ''Yashiro~, can I have a minute? Shortly after Norma left, Delia arrived. I wonder if she too has come to take measures for the beauty contest. ''How about some night fishing tonight?See, I promised you before, didn''t I?'' ''Aren''t you talking about the beauty contest? ''A beauty contest?Yeah, there''s been a lot of excitement among the girls lately. Delia sits in front of me with a disinterested look on her face. My gaze turns to the menu on the wall. Among them, around the desserts. ''You''re competing for beauty and cuteness, aren''t you?It doesn''t matter if I''m in it. ''I don''t think so. ''............? There''s also a muscle division. Yes, there is, the muscle division. There''s a lot of fighting girls in this town. Especially since it''s hosted by the 41st district, they seem to be putting extra effort into the muscle division. Well, if not there, then... ''Delia''s pretty, so she''ll do well, won''t she? ''Oh, dear!............ Cute, huh?I don''t know.Do you think Yashiro is cute? ''Oh.'' At first glance, Delia looks scary. It''s big, it''s sharp-eyed, and most importantly, it shows off its steel body. However, if you exchange a word or two with Delia, you''ll quickly realize that there is no malice in her. Or rather, that he''s as pure as a girl. When you look at it that way, there are many cute things Delia says and does. For example, she is always looking at the dessert, and her eyes twinkle with happiness when she is praised. ''Delia is cute and I think she can be beautiful if she dresses up. ''Are you prettier than Magda? ''Are you ...... the kind of person who always has to take on a strong opponent? Challenging Magda in the cute category is as challenging as ...... challenging the last dungeon right after the game starts. ''Yashiro, I''m sorry!I''ll see you next time for night fishing!I''m going to go to Millie''s for a bit! ''Why Miri! ''You''re supposed to talk to your best friend about these things!See ya! A best friend, huh? Delia''s really trying to compete with Magda, isn''t she, asking Millie for advice? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. I''m not sure what to say. As I was thinking that I should go close the door, Magda quickly approached and closed it. As expected, he''s watching carefully. ''What are you going to do on the day, Yashiro-san? ''Estella says it''s a compulsory participation. Maybe they''ll make me be a judge or something. ''Is that so? ''Jeannette. I''ll give you a high score if you wear a bikini. ''Don''t favor your own people. Please be fair and just.'' ''Fair enough, I''m going to give a high score to the bikini with big tits! ''No more ......, please.'' There is a cooking beauty contest, and Ginette is planning to participate. Though in Ginette''s case, she''s probably more interested in cooking in such a place than in winning. ''If I wear a naked apron, I''m sure to win--'' ''Yashiro-san. ......! I''m pissed. Well, you''re right. Naked apron is something you should do at home. Mm-hmm. ''If it''s a cooking beauty contest, the manager is definitely the winner!That''s for sure! ''No, that''s not true. I heard that Osina-san is going to participate too. Osina, huh? ...... As the manager of the organic restaurant "Sourb" in the 41st district, Osina is a beautiful witch who wears an infinite amount of s*x appeal all over her body. She''s a tough opponent. Not only is she an excellent cook, but she also has a smile that people like, which is no less than Jeannette''s, though of a different kind. It''s just a matter of taste. However, Osina has an adult charm that Ginette does not have. There is an abundance of it. It''s overflowing. Depending on the age of the judges, Ginette will have a very tough time. Osina is a tough ......, although she has C-cup tits. ...... ''Jeannette. I knew you''d wear a bikini--'' ''Please repent. Are you going to face that powerful enemy without using your most powerful weapon? It''s too dangerous! Expose more of your tits! ...... That''s more dangerous, isn''t it! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. ''It''s best for the manager! ''...... Hmm. The manager is most beautiful as usual. ''Mm-hmm. Thank you very much. I''m sure you''ll agree that this is a great idea. ...... It''s not a good idea to wear a lot of makeup and a lot of hair when you''re cooking. ............ It''s best to look like you always have. ''Ginette''. ''Yes? ''Good luck. ''Yes, sir! Well, with a smile like this, I might be able to play off Osina''s s*x appeal. ''''Magda and Loretta, be strong. Show the people of District 41 that the Sunlit Pavilion is full of beautiful girls. ''...... of course. That''s the plan all along. ''I''ll do my best too!If we had a team competition, we could definitely win the overall championship, and that''s what I regret! As the day of the Miss Contest approaches, Loretta and Magda, who have been holding a training camp at the Sunlit Pavilion, are full of energy. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. If you are a fan of ......, you can always ask, ''Isn''t this hairstyle prettier? I''m not sure what to do. or ''How do you do your makeup? It''s like a normal girls'' night out or slumber party. ''Excuse me. Is Jeannette here? ''Yes. Oh, Sister.'' Bertina came in with a basket hanging from her arm. ''The hams brought me some oranges from the orchard because they''re good for my skin. So I thought I''d share them with you. ''Well, they look like delicious oranges.'' ''Yes. Please share them with everyone participating in the contest.'' ''Thank you very much. Then, I''ll pass them on to Barbara and the others. After exchanging the oranges with a smile, Ginette proceeded to seat Bertina. ''By all means, have a cup of tea. ''Well, I''ll take your word for it. Ginette disappears with the mandarin into the kitchen. I wonder if those oranges will be turned into something. I guess not. ''By the way, isn''t Bertina going to join us? ''I''d rather not. I''m not really good at competing. ''Oh, that''s too bad. A sister would be a natural candidate to win.'''' ''...... Loretta. ''If you''re in the silver division, you have no enemies.'' ''Excuse me. ''I didn''t say that!That''s not what I meant! ''Hmm... I''m sorry. It''s a bad joke, Magda.'' ''...... remorse''. I like that. I guess Magda''s not too bad at being scolded. If I said it, I''d ............ cringe...... ''Mr. Yashiro. What were you thinking just now?'' Look at you, look at your eyes! I didn''t say anything! ''Some of the kids from the church are going to be there, aren''t they? ''Yes. In the children''s section. I''ll just be there to support them.'' ''Then you''d better watch out. ''Be careful ......?'' ''If you''re as beautiful as Bertina, you might get votes and win even if you didn''t enter, so don''t get too close to the stage.'' ''Myu......! I rolled my eyes, then gently covered my ears with my hands. ''Even if you know I''m flattering you, I get embarrassed when people say things like that to my face, so please ...... behave yourself.'' The ears that were visible between her fingers were slightly tinted red. ''I vote for the sisters! ''...... I''m sorry, but I can''t help it. Magda voted too.'' ''Oh, God!Please stop. I''m not in the contest.'' Bertina waved her hands in the air. Wow, that''s cute! That''s because she didn''t do it on purpose. Elves must have a coating that never gets dirty, either on their bodies or their minds. Ginette comes back with tea and a cup of tea. Seeing Jeannette, Bertina''s embarrassment seems to have subsided. Her appetite outweighs her embarrassment. That''s my girl, Bertina. ''I''ll be rooting for you all, so please do your best. ''Yes, sir!Thank you, Sister! ''...... I want you to watch Magda''s bravery.'' ''I''m going to go make a nice meal.'' ''Ginette, I''m rooting for you! I''m not sure if it''s because I''m a fan of your daughter that you''re so passionate about ......, but it''s the food. ''Yes, that''s right!I''m going to ask Umaro to make a big shelf for it here!And then we''ll put up all the trophies that we all brought home! ''No, you should think about it after you get them. ''Enthusiasm is important in this kind of thing!It''s embarrassing when you''ve built a shelf and you can''t get a trophy!That''s why I''m trying so hard!It''s a mental argument! So, it''s not something that can be done with mentalism, but Miss Contest is ...... ''............ wall of ...... is not enough, is it? ''How much are you going to take home, Magda? ''How many categories are you planning to take home, Magda? ''It''s important to be enthusiastic, Mr. Manager!We''re going to display the trophy here! ''What?What?......, I''ll do my best! ''...... sunshine - whew!'' ''Huh!That''s what it is, Magda-chou!Don''t suddenly do something you haven''t had a meeting about! ''Eh, uh, oh, oh!Is ...... this okay?'' ''Mmmm. I''m looking forward to it, Yashiro-san.'''' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m laughing a little at how overly enthusiastic they are. I''m sure they can handle the qualifying rounds, and I wonder if it''s favoritism on my part that makes me think that the final round will be the one to beat ....... I thought I could take it easy since I wasn''t going to participate and it wasn''t an event in the 42nd district, but ...... in the end, I spent the whole time until the day of the event feeling nervous and strange. I guess I got caught up in the atmosphere of the city, yeah. I''m sure I did. And so it came, the day of the beauty contest... ''The prestigious first Miss Phoenix Grand Prix is Mumu from District 42! The crowd cheered. A round of applause broke out. The rivals who didn''t win the grand prix didn''t shed tears of regret at ....... Congratulations,'' ''That''s great,'' ''You look so young and beautiful,'' they said to each other. Oh, yeah. ...... The phoenix is an image of the phoenix, a symbol of longevity. ...... As a result, we changed the name to a name that sounds good and retains the nuance of being in the silver category. However, the phoenix is ............ not going to come back again and again, is it? ''''Then, the second prize is 10 kilos of hexenbiest meat! ''''Well, that''s a lot. I can''t eat it all by myself. ''Hmm, hmmm, ......, then it''s no use, we''ll just go to my house .......'' ''Zelma, you have to say it louder so I can''t hear you. ''D''oh!Why are you here, you sunny-eyed crustacean? Because I''m related. ''Oh, Zelmar. Look at me, I won the Grand Prix. Hmm. What should I do? ''Oh, oh, I see. Well, that was better than .............'' ''I got a lot of meat. Would you like to eat it with me?'' ''Gosh, gosh, gosh!I''ve got a lot of meat, if you''d like to join me?'' ''Gosh, gosh, gosh! I''ll prepare some alcohol in return for the meat. ''Yeah?Then let''s invite Bobba and Frodo, and Orkio and Sirach. ''Why are you calling them?I can''t eat all of ............ alone with you, so that would be better. ......... ...hmm. I''m not going to be able to eat alone with you. Don''t back down there, you lazy bastard. Can''t you at least say ''I''ll share with them and we''ll celebrate together''? I don''t know what I''m getting old for. I''m aging needlessly. ''Hey!Mumu!You did it! ''I had faith that Mumu would win the Grand Prix...'' ''Well, I''m happy. ''''So give me some meat! ''''Sure. Let''s eat it together. ''''Yes!Zelmar, drink!'''' ''''Why me?Why don''t you guys buy me a drink, or I''ll eat for free! Lively old people. Don''t fall down in the other wards.You''ll be a nuisance. If you''re going to die, do it in your own house. ''...... randomly. ''Who wants to go potty, you little shit? ...... d*mn. You''re all ears, you old bastard of Zelmar. ''...... popping everywhere I go. ''I don''t want to get popped that many times! ...... Tsk. I''m not sure what to say. There was a woman who called out to me as I sat in the officials'' section. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. ............ What?I''m not sure what that means. I''m not sure what that means.I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ''That voice, that tone, that vulgar metaphor: ...... You''re Regina! ''Of course not. No matter how you smell it, you''re me.'' I''m not the type of creature who identifies others by smell! It was Regina. If you ask me, it''s definitely Regina. ...... ''You''ve turned into ......'' ''I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. There was a glamorous beauty there, glittering like a particle of light. A fluffy costume that seemed to play with the wind, a light hairstyle that seemed to envelop the air, and makeup as bright and innocent as a wild flower that reminded us of the coming of spring. And the gap between her and the rest of the world, which makes me want to use a lot of metaphors to describe her, makes it hard for my brain to identify the person in front of me as Regina. If the person in front of me is usually dark, then the person in front of me is definitely a light creature. ''What, you''re the one who changed from a dark knight to a paladin? Doesn''t your brother have any moon people? ''I have no idea what you''re talking about, but why don''t you at least tell me what you think of ......? ''Hmm, well, I''m surprised.'' ''What do you mean, your impression? Regina''s eyebrows arched in a dumbfounded smile. But you''d definitely be embarrassed if I told you you''re beautiful. So I''ll give you a compliment that will be just right. ''The innocent look is also erotic in its own way. ''You''re a bit of a klutz. ''Who''s that, man? ''Everywhere you go, there''s a lump. ''You''re a pervert, aren''t you? I gave you a compliment, and now you''re giving me shit! ''Can I sit next to you? ''It''s okay, it''s empty. Even though it''s an official seat, it''s not like we''re doing anything. I thought I was going to be forced to be a judge from the beginning to the end, but I was just told to sit here for now. The event was run by District 41. The stalls also belong to District 41. There''s nothing for me to do. ...... Huh? Is this maybe a quarantine to keep me away from the changing rooms? So, what did you do?The old woman''s daring swimsuit screening. ''I didn''t let you bring in anything dangerous like that. It was a wholesome contest. Except for the reluctance of the girls to show off their special skills, it was just a normal beauty contest. ''Are you aiming for it too?I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... Haha. That''s the name they decided on for the main contest. Named by Ricardo''s idiot steering committee. It''s not my fault. I heard that Estella told her that if she named the contest "Miss District 41", she wouldn''t accept any contestants from District 42, so that''s why she named it that. ...... Did you really want Estella to participate that badly, that stupid lord? You can''t be sure of that. I''m just a distraction. ''But you seem to be very enthusiastic about it. ''The people around me, you know. They''re saying we''re not going to qualify anyway, but we''re so loud. ......'' ''So you were brought in. ''We were allowed to enter if we hid our identities and wore masks. What kind of beauty contest is this? If you want to hide your face, don''t come out. ...... and that''s what he''s aiming for, isn''t it? ''Then the dog-eared clerk at Cantalucia ...... said, "You can hide your true identity, plump plump plump," ......''. ''I''m just wondering what was so plump about it.'' ''And then there''s this finish: ...... Well, it''s true that most people didn''t notice that it was me, but ......''. I didn''t notice it for a second either. ''It''s really a problem. ......'' ''But you look like you''re having fun.'' ''No, I don''t.'' He turns away, covering his mouth with his hand in a gesture like a cheek swab. You''re trying to hide the fact that you''re laughing. If you don''t give him this kind of forceful attention, he won''t come out to a place like this. The people around him must have come to understand that. ''From now on, you may be forced to participate more. Be prepared for that.'' ''What''s with all the ...... smirking? He glanced at me and then quickly looked away. As I watched the Miss Petit Angel qualifying round continue, Regina let out a whisper that I could barely hear. ''Well, it''s not that I don''t like it. I see. He''s changed too. She looks so happy. ''Well!If I make it through the qualifying round and get into the main tournament, give me a reward. ''Why would I do that?'' ''Yes, you are. If you don''t have that kind of merit, you''re going to show off your skills that you can''t show to your children at the preliminary round. ''You''ll be banned in District 41.'' ''So, don''t let that happen. I''ll give you a reward. If Regina goes out of control, the image of the entire forty-two districts may be painted in Regina''s image. ...... I don''t like that. ''Do you want your reward to be a bra that pulls you up? ''I don''t want to get one myself, you know. ''Then a see-through bra. I''d rather not get one from myself....... No, I don''t plan on showing it to myself, though! Don''t be so quick to step on a land mine yourself. It''s a good idea to be precise. ''Oh, that''s stupid. Then I''ll go to my place.'' ''Oh. As long as you don''t talk, I think you can pass the qualifying round, so try to keep your mouth shut.'' ''Okay!I''ll dance a mysterious and slightly obscene dance in silence.'' ''Too bad, Regina didn''t qualify. A beautiful woman dances a mysterious dance in silence. It''s ...... scary. ''Well, that''s it. Her green hair spread out softly, and she looked at me with a dazzling smile that was unlike Regina''s. ''If I don''t say anything, I''ve got the approval of a beautiful woman, so I''m going to do my best. Regina fluttered her hands and left. You''re really a different person. I guess makeup can change your personality a little. If I were a judge, I''d let her pass the qualifying round. ''Yashiro-san''. Bertina came to me as if she was replacing Regina. ''May I sit next to you? ''Please do.'' I didn''t get any complaints about Regina. It wouldn''t matter who sat next to me. Bertina sits down next to me and looks at the kids on the stage. There are a few familiar faces in the far corner. They are all dressed up as best they can, though there is a slight rustic look to them. ''Did the matron''s aunts make the kids'' costumes? ''Yes, they did. We asked them what they wanted and tried to ...... match them as closely as possible.'' She puts her hand on her cheek and smiles, both annoyed and amused. ''Everyone said they wanted to wear wedding dresses. I couldn''t do it, as expected. ''That would have been difficult if Ukrines hadn''t been so serious. ''All the girls are longing for a wedding dress. ''Tell them to wait until it''s time to get married.'' ''Yes, I will. I will.'' I wonder what this town will look like when the little girls in the church are old enough to get married. I wonder if Bertina will cry? I''m not sure if ...... the girls who grew up in the church are ready to get married? I''m not sure if they''re going to say ''I''m Alvistan'' like Ginette. ''Who''s going to marry first? ''I think it will be Ginette, don''t you? ''I''m talking about the .................. kids.'' ''That, I don''t know yet. ''I don''t know about Jeannette, either. She didn''t tell me she had a partner, and she''s an Arvistan. ............ Hey, I shouldn''t have asked that question. ''Maybe it''s ...... me, though.'' ''............''. He also gave such a person a teasing look, ...... ''I''m talking about the "kids", aren''t I? ''Babu babu. ...... ugh.'' ...... I''ll change your diaper, you bastard. ''Oh, look, Mr. Yashiro. It''s Teresa.'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Teresa was standing next to the woman who was hosting the event. ''Well then, Teresa-chan. Please introduce yourself.'' ''Yes!I''m a janitor! ''You do mental math?That''s great! ''Please give me a problem! ''Then, how about ''1 + 3''? ''It''s ............, isn''t it? ''Come on!That''s great, Teresa! ''Can you do something a little more difficult? ''Well, let''s try something a little harder. How about ''five plus six''? ''Five plus six: ......'' ''I''m ready!Teresa, you''re a genius! ''That''s it!More!It''s so hard!I can do it! '''''''' Cute~'''''''' The audience lowered their eyes when they saw Teresa flapping her arms, saying ''I can do it, I can do it. I don''t believe it, those eyes. It''s like, ''I see, I see, you can do something more difficult, that''s great! I can do really great stuff. ...... But if you''re Miss Petit Angel, you''ll probably appreciate this more. If you suddenly do four-digit multiplication by rote, she might be offended. I''ll keep my mouth shut. ''She''s cute. She''s an angel. Miss Petit Angel is a contest for children only. If Bertina had her way, everyone would look like an angel. ''Everyone''s an angel! ''If you don''t shut your mouth right now, I''m going to have to put you on silent mode. ...... Javier says they all look like angels. I avoided the name "Miss Juvenile", but Javier sniffed it out and came to see. I have a little admiration and sympathy for Imelda, who''s in costume and playing the chaperone before anyone else. Hold on tight, you perverts. ''And now, Cheryl!What can I do for you? ''I''m going to hit the vegetables with a blindfold! ''That''s great! Shall we blindfold her? ''Yes! As Cheryl put on the blindfold, several kinds of vegetables were brought to the stage. The hostess handed the corn to Cheryl. ''Corn! ''Seikae!And here''s the next one! and hands her a tomato. ''Corn, yikes! ''Se...... seikai?That''s it! Is that the right answer? No, it''s the right answer, but... ''Cheryl-san, you''re also very good at this, aren''t you? ''No, any kid can do that, can''t they? ''The fact that you have so much love for corn that you can call it a skill is amazing. ''If you want to praise it, you can make any kind of complication into a reason, can''t you? The audience is shouting ''cute~'', and you seem to be getting some points. It''s a contest where cute is all that matters. ''Ladybug-san''. Millie appeared in front of me, dressed in a very mature way. Her shoulders were bared, and her chest was quite ''aggressive''. Her skirt was below her knees, but there was a slit in it so that the thigh of her left leg could occasionally be seen. A wide lace weave is hidden in the thigh. It looks like a stocking that is fastened with a garter belt. She is probably showing it off, but it makes me nervous because it looks like I''m seeing something I shouldn''t. ''Miry,......, what''s wrong? ''Ehehe......''. ''The preliminaries for "Miss Petit Angel" have already started, we have to go quickly! ''Miri, I''m not a child!I''m not in the Petite Angel pageant!'' I was relieved to see the usual cuteness in her angry face. But I don''t know who did her makeup, but ...... she looks so mature. ''You''re looking very mature today. You look different.'' ''Really?I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''Is it Imelda who did this? ''Yes. I''m sorry. I''m going to bring out the adult in you. Natalia ...... wants eros from Miry ...... I don''t know. How did you get it out of her? He must have put everything he had into it. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on the web. ''What do you think, Bertina?'' ''Yes. It''s very pretty.'' ''Oh, yeah?Isn''t ...... pretty?Isn''t she s*xy?'' ''Uh, ............ Yashiro?'' I had trouble answering, so I gave Bertina a pass, but she came back with an even more difficult question. s*xy, or ...... ''Maybe you should try a s*xy exhale or something to make it more s*xy.'' ''s*xy? ............ I''m not sure what to say. ''Conversation Record''! ''Don''t read it again~! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. It''s very cute. It''s very cute. ''Huh. ...... I thought I made her look more mature. ......'' Hey, Millie. I''m not sure if it''s because I made it myself, but the ladybug makes it look so much cuter. ''Why don''t you and Magda appear in ''Miss Cute'' together? ''Miri, the outfit you''re wearing today looks like this: ...... and'' It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. In addition to the fact that it''s a mature costume, the reason why Miri doesn''t participate in the Miss Cute contest is because. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that you like. No, no, no, Miry. I think you''ll find her cute as a grandmother, too. ''ugh ...... that makes me a little happy, but ............, I want to be like Norma too! Like Norma! I don''t know if that''s a good idea. ...... I don''t want to be like Norma. ''Instead, though, Delia will be in "Miss Cute". ''Delia? He''s ...... really going to challenge Magda? ...... ''I can''t wait to see what she''s wearing. ''Really, Yashiro? I was just talking about it when I heard his voice, which startled me a bit. I turned around and saw Delia, dressed in ...... ''You''re fluttering! ''Heh, ...... what do you think? I''m not sure if it''s millimeter coordination, but Delia is wearing an outfit full of frills and lace, reminiscent of a bouquet of flowers. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. She''s tall, so the frilly, overly expansive outfit is a bit uncomfortable for her. ...... This is a great way to make sure that you don''t end up in a situation where you can''t get out of the house. Those who know Delia well will praise her as ''cute'' with open arms. But how would those who don''t know Delia feel if they saw her? ...... ''I think she''s cute. ''Really?Yay! Delia threw her arms up in the air in joy. Her clothes lift up, revealing her toned abs. Hmmm... If you''re a muscle and frill ...... fanatic, this might be your favorite combination. ''Darling! The earth shakes closer and closer. Oh no, I have to run! ''Look at me, my do-re-s! Medora appears. What do we do? Run! Run. Run away. I give up. But I''m being spun around. ''Aren''t they pretty with all the frills? ''Ugh, ...... my eyes, ...... my eyes, ......! Medora was wearing a frilly one-piece dress. She twirled around and the hem of her skirt lifted softly. Aaaaah!Her thighs flashed!Oh, my eyes! ''I''m leaving too, Miss Cute! ''Why? ''I''ve just realized how cute ............ is inside of me! ''And I''ll beat Magda! ''Where did you find the chance to win? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that. ''Oh, Medora!Delia-san! Two women from the hunting guild, wearing armbands that read ''Management Committee'', came running over. ''We''ve been looking for you. The preliminary round will start soon, so please hurry to the waiting room. ''Hmm?Is it too late? ''Isn''t it too early? Medora and Delia rolled their eyes. However, the steering committee member hurried them with an impatient look. He grabs them by the arm and pulls them along. ''What are you talking about?Next, next! As I watched the impatient steering committee members, I remembered the schedule. The next one after Miss Petit Angel was ....... ''Miss Muscle'' will start right after this! That''s right, "Miss Muscle". It''s a contest for muscle-bound beauties. ''Wait a minute!I''m going to be Miss Cute! ''I''m going to be Miss Cute too! ''Yes, sir. Both of you, your application forms were wrong, so we''ve corrected them here.'''' ''''Huh! ''''Now, please show off your proud muscles to the fullest!Come on!Come on! ''''No, no, no!It''s not a mistake, it''s for ''Miss Cute''--'''' ''''We''re looking forward to it!We''re looking forward to the direct confrontation between the strongest Medora guild leader of District 41 and the exercise expert of District 42, Delia-san! ''''Yeah, ............'''' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... I see, so you weren''t recognized as a "miscute". It''s hard to overturn someone else''s image. ...... Anyway, I wish you both good luck. ''I wonder if it''s all right,...... Delia,......'' ''Well, Delia is an adult, so I don''t think she''s going to be unfaithful and boycott ......'' And Delia, who participated - or rather was forced to participate - in the "Miss Muscle" that started after the "Miss Petit Angel", was ...... very puffy. You''re being unfaithful. I didn''t boycott it, but... ''It''s amazing,......,'' said Delia, ''she looks so small,.......'' The participants in Miss Muscle all had tremendous muscles. They are not as strong as Medora, but they have the kind of body that could hunt alongside Medora. In the midst of all these people, Delia, who wasn''t working for the company, looked about a size smaller. Her arms and legs are round, and her body looks very girlish. The women around her have well-developed muscles, and their silhouettes are more square than round. They look as if to say, ''Muscle is the best beauty! They are all wearing light clothes because their outfits show off their muscles as if to say, "Muscle is the best beauty! The only ones wearing fluttery clothes were Delia and Medora, which made them stand out even more. ''Derria, you''re cute. ''Yes, it is. In this group, you look like a girl. If it''s a contest of cuteness, Delia is the best by far. If it''s a contest of muscular beauty, it''s probably Medora. ''Maybe it''s a battle between Delia and Medora, this time. The eyes of Delia and Medora shone. ''Alright, let''s play, Delia! ''As you wish! ''Then ...... ''cute pose''!Three, yes! At Medora''s signal, Delia and Medora each strike what they consider to be a ''cute pose''. Delia posed with her fists lightly clenched against her cheeks in a pretentious pose. Omero and several other members of the Forty-Two District River Fishing Guild roll their eyes and fall over. Medora lightly bit her thumb and twisted her body into an S-shape in a s*xy pose. Regardless of the district or guild, dozens of male customers who looked directly at her collapsed with pale faces. Yeah. I guess Medora wins in killing power. ''Darling! ''''Yashiro! ''''Which one was cuter! ''''Sorry, I''m not a judge. Please ask the judges. ''''Yes, yes, yes! Before judging, let me make an appeal too...'''' The one who was raising her hand in the tank was Masha, a special participant. ...... What''s a special participation slot? I''m sure it''s hard to say no to a request from the Seafaring Guild. Masha, who was pushed to the center of the stage by a member of the steering committee, bent her soft, white arms and pushed up the flesh of her arms with her index fingers from behind. ''Chikara kobu~a??'' That''s something elementary school kids often do. Masha is the one who can do such a thing without embarrassment. And that kind of mockery is just adorable. Look. The guys in the audience are going crazy. ''Chikarakobu is ...... so cute! ''That was foul ......, how could it not be cute? ''Encore!Encore! Masha''s appeal to the audience was highly praised by the judges. The first "Ms. Muscle" was won by Masha, whose muscle was not so obvious. As long as she''s cute, right? What is "Miss Muscle" then? Next time, we might have to set up better criteria for judging. ...... With these thoughts in mind, the morning session was over. 445-Additive-free 100 episodes! ''a??a????¡§??????????????¡ì????????1????????????????o???¡ã?????3?????a??¡¥,???????o???o¨¦??????????????????????????????????¡ì??????'' 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''????????|?????¦Ì?????¡§???????????¡ä?????a?? ?????¡è??1????????¡ä??????????????|??????????? ??¡ê???a?|a?|??¡ê'' ''?????¡ê,????????¡¥????????a????????a?????¡ì??????????????????,?????¡ê??|???????????¡ì??????'' ''It''s too late! ''No, it''s not a contest. ''I want some too! ''...... Magda is already booked.'' ''d*mn ...... The result would have been different if Ginette had smiled happily and said, ''You''ve done a good job. I regret that. ''Oh, next up is Miss Stylish, where Estella and Natalia will be competing. ''Miss Stylish'' is a very difficult contest that requires the contestants to have a good sense of how to dress nicely in clothes and accessories, as well as how to create proportions, looks, facial expressions and gestures that do not lose their stylishness. It will be a high-level competition second only to the "Miss Asuwaiyan" contest. ''Oh, it''s Mr. Nepheli. ''...... Nepheli, you''ve been ''finishing'' your work in the last few days. ...... A girl''s power not to be underestimated.'' Loretta and Magda say that Nepheli has tightened up her waist and slimmed down her legs even more than in the training camp. Yashrouz Aay! .................. Huh, not at all. I''ve lost 2 mm of breast!It''s a shame. That''s not what dieting is all about!I''m sorry! ''Mr. Nephrite''s outfit is lovely. ''That was a bribe from Mr. Ukrines. ''...... He gave me a custom-made one on the condition that I would model it during the swimsuit season. Nepheli, the shrewd woman.'' Uclines'' love of Nephrite is quite strong. That means there will be a lot of new swimsuits coming out this year. I''ll look forward to it. ''Whoa!Estella, you''re really serious! ''...... all-out lord mode''. It was when Estella took the stage that Loretta and Magda started to make a fuss. ...... He''s got a more enthusiastic lady''s style than I ever had when I first met the acting lord. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. He always wears pink when he''s in a fight. He doesn''t usually show any of that girly stuff. Is he aiming for a gap? ''You look great, Estella. You look different.'' ''''When you wear a dress like that, you look very girly, and with that dress--'''' ''''''You can disguise your breastlessness'''''' ''''That''s bad, folks. Meh. The three of us, who all had the same voice, were collectively chastised. But they''re really into it. The grand prix will go to Estella. ''Waaaah! ''Whoa! Suddenly, the audience erupted. ''Big brother!There was someone who was in more serious mode than Estella! ''...... Natalia, battle mode.'' ''You look great. In contrast to Estella, Natalia wore a simple yet mature cocktail dress that showed off her body lines clearly. The audience cheered and sighed in admiration with every step she took. The soft silk dress reminded me of a breeze caressing the surface of my body and flowing easily. You have to be very confident in yourself to wear that,......, in your face and in your style. ''...... They''re trying to destroy Estella. That''s right. The only enemy is Estella, and that''s her battle suit. Natalia really loves ...... Estella, doesn''t she? He loves to mess with Estella. But what can I say ...... ''You have beautiful breasts. ''Isn''t there anything else to say, big brother? ''...... beautiful butt.'' ''It''s just like that, Magda! ''Your legs are beautiful.'' ''Even the manager! ''Oh, no!I''m not looking at you the way you are looking at Yashiro-san. Ho-ho-ho, Jeannette? What kind of eyes do you think I''m looking at you with?Hmm? Well, you''re looking at me that way, but... ''Oh, my! That''s nice! The women shouted. It''s a gorgeous cheer, different from the low growls of the old men. ''Oh, it''s Imelda, isn''t it? ''He''s in serious mode, isn''t he? ''What?Imelda, have you changed your costume? ''...... A woman who uses different dresses for watching and for being watched,Imelda. It''s the fashion leader of the former 40th district. I''m sure you''ll agree that this is a great idea. Where is your obsession? ...... You''re a young lady at heart, Imelda. ''The popularity of women is great. It''s easy to understand and admire Imelda. Young, fashionable, beautiful. I guess she''s an easy target for envy. ''I want to be like her! And. ''You can''t wear Natalia''s clothes, but don''t you feel like wearing Imelda''s dress? ''Yes, I do. I''m not sure if it would look good on me, but it''s a nice dress that I would like to try on if I had the chance. Imelda has a good point, doesn''t she? She coordinates in such a way as to make you think that it''s reachable, that it might be ''tremendously difficult but not impossible''. And she wears them perfectly. It would be a disaster if we actually tried to copy them, but the choices that give hope to the viewers are indeed impressive. The people of the 41st district would not be able to compete with this group of people. ...... Pity. With that in mind, the moment a nervous Millie stepped onto the stage, a voice shouted, "Cute! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand. Just when I was smiling at the shocked look on her face. ''Hmm? Among the participants waiting to take the stage, I found a beautiful woman who made me feel a subtle emotion, like she was familiar or not. I knew who she was, but somehow I didn''t want to admit it. ...... Or rather, I knew who she was, but somehow I didn''t want to admit it. ............ ''What''s the matter, Yashiro?'' ''No,...... that guy.'' ''Huh?...... Ah!You''re Barbara, aren''t you? ''It''s ......, isn''t it? ''What''s that guy doing dressed up? ''It''s a contest.'' ''What do you think, big brother?He''s transformed, hasn''t he, Barbacho? ''''Barbacho?'''' ...... ''Paula, Nephrite and I have thoroughly trained you in feminine gestures!Look at the way she''s standing, she''s totally a girl! It is true that the usual sluggish Barbara with bad posture is not there. There was a beautiful girl standing neatly, moving her feet quietly so as not to step on the wild flowers, with a sense of shame. ''...... costumes are provided free of charge by Ukrines (but the model is guaranteed to try on the swimsuit)''. You''re not the only one. What, are you a manufacturer or something that sponsors top athletes to promote sportswear? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not.Or rather, I couldn''t master it, so I had Imelda-san personally do my makeup for me! ''Master it, .......'' ''I was full of gestures and mental aspects! ''You''re only fixing your outer shell.'' ''Outer shell? It''s not as simple as that. It''s an outer shell. It''s a thick shell. ''But you''ve changed, haven''t you? ''...... Well, yeah.'' If I hadn''t known Barbara''s true nature, I would have praised her with open arms. If I had not known Barbara''s true nature, I would have praised her with open arms. In fact, when Barbara went on stage, the men in the audience exposed their pouty faces to her. They stretched out their noses and said, ''Oh, my God!I want to protect you! I want to protect you! I never thought that Barbara would turn into a girl who wants to protect you. ...... ''This is much more like Halloween: ......'' ''Hmm. I hope it''s not a curse. I hope that''s not a curse. The candidates are going up to the stage one by one. From here, we''ll go through the qualifying rounds to reduce the number, but the 42nd district team will probably stay strong. ''Loretta. You''ll be the next contestant, right?'' ''Yes, sir!I''m the perfect Miss Genki Girl!My rival right now is Paula. The "Miss Genki Musume" contest is mainly for employees of restaurants. They are the type of girls who are known for their beautiful smiles and cheerfulness. They look very cheerful. ''Your makeup''s a little off. Come here, I''ll fix it. ''Oh, no!My big brother will fix it for me! ''Yeah. I''ll leave it to you.'' ''This is an unexpectedly lucky turn of events!I feel like I''m having a very lucky day!Maybe I''ll win the Grand Prix! ''Ginette, do you have ink and brush? ''You''re going to write ''meat'', aren''t you? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... Chi. How intuitive. ''It''s definitely interesting, but ......''. ''I''m not looking for fun today, okay?Cuteness is what I need right now! ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Please fix him properly. ''You want me to do it, Jeannette? ''No. No. Mr. Yashiro is better at it than I am. I don''t think it''s something for a girl to say. But I''ve mastered everything related to beauty and makeup, haven''t I? Esthetics, nail care, skin care. I''ve covered makeup and even special makeup. Making Loretta look pretty is a piece of cake. ''Do you want me to fix it here? ''No!The waiting room prepared for the contestants is very well equipped. I''d really like you to fix it there! ''Is it okay for men to enter? ''No, not in the changing rooms, but in the co-ed rooms there''s no problem. It''s basically a men''s only facility, but they''ve built a separate building with co-ed changing rooms and makeup rooms in case they need a man''s help. ...... Umaro, you''re very crafty. It''s not like they were expecting me to interfere,......, right? I''ll be back in a bit. ''Yes. I''ll be supporting the two of you as well. ''Who are you cheering for? ''Everyone. We can''t all win the grand prize. I''m sure Jeannette will be happy no matter who wins the grand prize. Maybe that''s what a perfect life is all about. So I left the room for a while and went to fix Loretta''s make-up, which had fallen off due to the excessive noise. I had no idea that such a surprise would be waiting for me when I came back. ''...... Why is he here? I lined up in the rather crowded make-up room, and when I returned after finishing my make-up, I found that "Miss Stylish" was over. The winner of the Grand Prix was in the middle of the stage, showing off her beauty without reserve. ''Ms. Lucia, the winner of the Grand Prix. What would you like to say? ''I commend the judges for their keen eye. You seem to be saying that if the judges had eyes to see, it would be obvious that you would win. ...... Is that what you''re saying? ''Why is there a person from the 35th district? ''Javier told me.'' ''Information from your drinking buddies! I knew I should have banned you from the place, Javier! ''''But Estella-san was the runner-up!That''s great, Estella! Lucia is the grand prize winner and Estella is the runner-up: ...... Isn''t that the influence of power? ''Is this some kind of entertainment contest? ''I don''t think so. I don''t think so. Estella, you look very nice. ''But I have my doubts about whether those deceitful breasts will make her better than Natalia and Imelda. ''Mr. Ricardo, the chairman of the judging committee, praised you very much. ''Oh, so that''s why Estella looks so sour when she won the second prize. It seems that the power of the lord played a big role in this ''Miss Stylish''. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a little nervous about this.You look great, Loretta! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. It''s not enough to just fix her, so I made a few changes. Her hair, eye shadow, and a little blush. With a perfect balance, the makeup makes Loretta''s round eyes look more impressive. ''Your eyes look bigger than usual, don''t they? ''Yes, I do!I was surprised when I looked in the mirror too! ''...... Mmm. If only Magda had that makeup .......'' ''Magda would have won the grand prix as is, wouldn''t she? ''......Yashiro''s makeup would have gotten him into the Hall of Fame.'' ''Don''t try to get into the Hall of Fame from the first tournament. ......'' You''re not going to be in the next one, are you? You''re going to miss me then. ''Well then, I''d better get going!I''m going to bring the second trophy to the Sunlit Pavilion! Miss and runner-up are each given a commemorative plaque. That''s what we call a trophy. ...... The first thing that comes to mind when you say "trophy" in Japan is a trophy in the shape of a tower, and as expected, I could not prepare one. This is because the shape is a little too complicated to make out of the blue, and I couldn''t explain the meaning of that shape well. ''Why is it so long and narrow?Isn''t it difficult to find a place for it? They looked at me strangely. If you ask me, why are those trophies so long and narrow? I didn''t know how it came to be that way. There''s a lot of things you don''t know, isn''t there? I''ve seen trophies all the time. Well, the plaque, the cup, the statue of glory, all those things that are given to winners are all called trophies. So even a plaque is a trophy. Yeah. So, the lumberjacks provided us with high-quality cypress, and we made a commemorative plaque with a copper plate engraved with words of praise for the winner. It may be just the right size for display. ''I''m off then! I''ll see Loretta off as she runs away. It''s a contest where Natalia and Imelda don''t even get a chance to win. My standards are unreliable. After all, it''s the kind of contest where Delia and Medora lose their Miss Muscle. There are probably many factors involved in winning here. You can accuse them of being unfair, but that''s wild. This is the kind of competition we have here. If you are dissatisfied, you should create your own competition for pure beauty. But even if I were the head of the judging committee, I wouldn''t be able to decide who should get the grand prize. Well, have fun as much as you can. I''m sure Loretta looks her best when she''s having fun. ''Haa...... lost''. A heavy sigh was blown into my neck, sending shivers down my spine. ''Don''t do that to my neck, Barbara! ''Eeyuuu.............'' Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lips were drawn together. Don''t cry, ....... ''Aashi......, I worked hard.......'' ''It doesn''t matter how hard you work, you''ll get results. When it doesn''t work, it doesn''t matter how hard you try. ''That''s not true......'' It was probably the first time in her life that Barbara had given it her all. To be a sister that Teresa would be proud of. She was willing to do things she wasn''t good at, and that''s how she got an appearance that wouldn''t show at a glance. That must have been based on a great deal of effort. But that doesn''t mean that it will produce results. ''You know, Barbara. No matter how much you fail, no matter how much you feel like failing, no matter how depressed you are, no matter how painful it is, no matter how much you can''t get any results at all, you can''t give up and keep trying. I tried a little but it didn''t work out, so I gave up. So I gave up." That''s not a good way to describe your efforts. Basically, effort is not rewarded. But if you give up then, it is a wasted effort. Even if it is not wasted, it will be "unrewarded effort" or "unsuccessful effort". If you continue to make efforts without being discouraged by dozens or hundreds of failures - in other words, if you don''t stop trying until you are rewarded, you will be able to say that ''effort always pays off''. The person who said ''hard work always pays off'' is the one who was able to keep trying until it paid off. ''Good for you. You can still keep working hard. This is your chance to be a better looking sister. You can show Teresa how cool you are.'' I was a little pushy, but I gave her those encouraging words. At first, Barbara was puzzled, but then she thought about what I said, thought about it, thought about it in her own way,......, and her expression softened a little. ''I see,......, yes!Aashi, I''ll do my best!I''ll try harder and harder!And I''m going to be a big sister that Teresa will be proud of ............ one day.'' Barbara looks at me, her eyes red from crying. ''Don''t be the kind of girl that makes the people you love turn on you! ...... Why are you looking at me and saying that? Your lover is probably a stalker raccoon who is over there swooning over Neffery''s fancy clothes. ''....... Again.'' ''Hmm?'' Barbara kicked the ground with her toes, her cheeks flushed red and her mouth agape. ''When I feel like I''m failing, the heroes always cheer me up. Talking to heroes makes me want to try harder. No... Hero makes me feel that way.'' And then, a defenseless smile bloomed in front of her eyes, unimaginable from the murderous intent in her eyes when they first met-- ''Aashi, I love that about you! --He gave me a sincere and straightforward thank you. Indeed. District 42 is a scary place. They can turn a rough bandit into a defenseless girl like this. How much of a good-natured aura does it have? I wonder if we bring in a demon lord or a demon god, she''ll shrink and disappear at once. I''m scared. I''ll have to be careful not to get purified. ''Onesha! Teresa! Barbara sniffles as she picks up Teresa, who rushes over to her. You can''t let your sister see you cry, can you? ''Aashi, I didn''t win the Grand Prix. I''m sorry.'' ''Ummm!No, it''s not bad!You''re the best! Teresa clung to Barbara''s neck. ''I see. ...... hehe. If Teresa''s first, then Aashi is fine with that! ''Onesha, you''re first! ''Teresa is also Aashi''s number one! ''Yes! Yes, yes. It''s surprisingly great to be able to be ''someone''s number one'' like that, you should remember that. ''But I''m going to win the Grand Prix next year! ''Ah, you too, take it! It''s good for the sisters to work together to improve their beauty. ...... Barbara, don''t get swept away. Teresa''s growth rate is frighteningly fast. ''Hmm. It''s a blessing to have the potential to grow. If you''ve realized that, then you''ve got a lot of growing to do, those sisters.'' ''Wow, it''s Lucia-san, the perfect lord who no longer has room to grow. ''Hmph!Did you see that, anchovy!This is the proof of perfect beauty! ''......, be humble.'' Lucia presses the commemorative plaque against my forehead. It''s fogged up from the oil on my forehead.And rust a little, copper! ''Yashiro, if you want a plaque, you can have one of mine. A tired-looking ......, or rather a tired-looking Estella, offers you a commemorative plaque for your semi-miss. No, no, no. I''ll give you mine. ''Hmmm ...... thinking that the plaque was received with only one vote from Ricardo out of seven judges ............ made my stomach feel really heavy. Wow, ...... six people voted for Lucia and only Ricardo went for Estella? You''re very popular, Estella. ''Next year, we''ll need to get more involved in the management and make the screening criteria more sound. ''Yes, we do. We''ve seen bribery and collusion everywhere since the first round. ''Well, this is my first time, and I''m sure it''s partly for the purpose of promoting "Lovely Yann Avenue", so I''ll take it with a grain of salt. ......'' Perhaps it was a reaction to the fact that he was quite enthusiastic, but he seemed to be very unhappy. I''m sure he''s going to say something like, ''We''re going to hold a beauty contest in the 42nd district! I''m sure he''s going to say something like that. ''Oh, Yashiro!It''s Loretta!Let''s cheer her on. Jeannette''s voice was lively. Loretta went up to the stage, waved her hands and appealed to the people around her, and mocked loudly. A lot of laughter broke out. That''s Loretta. The gods of laughter were pouring down on her in swarms. ''Paula''s outfit is also very cute and lovely. While there were many dresses, Paula''s hot pants and navel-baring jacket caught my eye. She looked lively and a little girlish. It was a very typical Paula look. And behind Paula, there was ...... ''What?That''s Regina, isn''t it? ''Yeah, where is she? ''Behind Paula. ''Huh?............ eh? Ginette didn''t seem to know about Regina''s huge transformation, and her eyes were black and white at the sight of so much change. ''Mi,...... look different.'' ''I thought I mistook you, didn''t I? But why is she entering the Miss Genki Girls pageant again? You''re living on the opposite end of the spectrum from "Genki". If ''Genki'' is a ''Yang'' word, then Regina is definitely a ''Yin'' creature. ''...... Regina was looking for ''Miss Obscene'', so she came to the conclusion that it doesn''t matter anymore, and Paula dragged her away. ''What the hell is he doing? What''s he doing here in another district ......? There''s no way that''s true. ''Loretta''s costume was a bit plain, wasn''t it? The costumes of the three girls of the Sunlit Pavilion were all handmade by Ginette. To match their personalities, Ginette''s costumes are soft and fluffy, Magda''s are cute, and Loretta''s are lively. The colors of the outfits are navy blue and white for Ginette, red and white for Magda, and green and white for Loretta, emphasizing their individuality while creating a sense of unity among the three. The three of them looked happy as they adjusted their outfits, saying, ''We are matching. ...... though it''s not very revealing. Especially Ginette. Magda and Loretta are showing their belly buttons and thighs, while Ginette is only showing a little of her arms. She''s wearing a see-through cape over the top, so she doesn''t look very revealing. She should have used it more effectively! Give me your most powerful weapon! Give me Excalipai! ''Excalipai! ''Mr. Yashiro? ''Oh, no, it''s nothing.'' ''...... It''s not a normal thing to say when it''s ''nothing'', but it''s Yashiro, so it can''t be helped.'' ''Um, what the hell did you mean by that?'' ''...... The manager does not need to know. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it. ''You don''t have to explain every single thing, it''s such a trivial thing. Estella grabbed me by the neck and pulled me away from Jeannette. ''More importantly, Jeannette. I''m sorry, but I''m going to borrow Yashiro for a bit. ''What?Where to? ''To the changing room.'' ''The changing room ......?Are you fixing someone''s makeup?'' ''No, no. It''s not a makeover, it''s a makeover. I still look like I have no makeup on.'' ...... A nasty chill ran down my spine. ''What are you planning ............ to do, and is Ricardo in on it? ''Estella, we''ve got her too. ''Hey, what''s up, Lucia Suarez?I''m the president of the jury! Lucia has Ricardo in custody. ...... He''s a victim too. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with the idea of women''s beauty. You know, the anxiety of appearing in public in a less-than-perfect state, and the woman''s desire to perfect her beauty before a battle, without leaving any stone unturned. ''I don''t understand what you''re saying, Lucia Suarez! ''That''s why I''m offering to let you experience it. You can thank me for that. ''Ow, ow, ow!Get off me!Hey, Estella!You should say something--'' ''Ricardo. You ...... tried to boob-cushion me without fail, didn''t you? ''............ you, where did you get that?'' What? --Ricardo glares at me, but I don''t know. It was probably Magda or Loretta who told him. There were a lot of people around at that time. You''re being careless, you know. ''I understand Ricardo''s a**h*le needs to be punished. But why me?I''m the one who understands--'' ''I''m the one who understands--'' ''I''m the one who''s going to tell you what to do when you''re exposed, exposed, exposed, tits, tits. I''ll tell you what it feels like to be stared at without restraint. ''.................. No, I don''t think I''m calling out that much,'' I said. ''What did you say about Excalypie? ''...... I don''t think I can get away with that. ''Hey!I can''t be bothered!I can''t be bothered!I''ll get you out of here! ''I''m a little reluctant to do this, but I''ll help you for now, Ricardo! ''It''s best not to put up any unnecessary resistance, you two.'' Estella gave a nifty wink and a huge shadow hovered over me and Ricardo. ''''Don''t play games with us, Ricardo, Da~rin*'''' ''''Meh, Medora is not fair ......'''' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure if you think you can escape from me. No, I can escape from you, Masha. If it was just Masha, I would have run away as fast as I could. ...... ''Come on, let''s go, you two. ...... I''ll make you look so cute and fashionable. Evil. The current Estella''s smile was filled with an evilness that could not be described in any other way. ''Oh, uh, Estella-san! Yes! That''s right! It''s times like this that I feel sorry for you! There is someone who will protect you! Yes, that person''s name is Jeannette! Ginette, the personification of kindness formed by mercy, compassion, and big boobs! Come on, Jeannette! Denounce this devilish cruelty and get me out of this predicament! ''I, and probably Loretta-san, would like to help, so can you please give me some time!At least until the Miss Genki Musume contest is over! Hey, you. You''re on that side, too! ...... No, I had a feeling you were. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Oh, right, the gods here are mean! The more I ask, the more he''ll try to go against me.Hmph! ''All right, Jeannette. I''ll save the yashiro (main dish) for last. ''Wait a minute, ......, do you want hors d''oeuvres or aperitifs? ''Of course, we just need them to liven things up. ''............, what kind of horrible things do you have in mind? ''Not horrible at all. We''re just looking forward to seeing the beauty play out. The battle of Miss Maslao.'' ''What''s with the ominous one-word contradiction in the name? ''''Oh, shut up, all of you, pull up! ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' ''''Wait a minute, you guys! And so, we were captured and taken away by the glamorously dressed and powerful women. --To hell. ''Yashiro-san!I''ll be there when the contest is over, so please wait for me! Ginette and Magda waved happily. You don''t have to come! And so we came to hell, the underworld, the cesspool, the pits. ''Wait, wait!I didn''t hear anything about this! ''Me neither!Hey, what''s going on, Yashiro? Umaro and Mormat are upset. Other acquaintances from District Forty-two who had obviously been brought in as part of the story. The unfamiliar faces are probably the characters of District 41 who are being played with. Whatever the case, there were a lot of old men crammed into a small changing room, smelling of ...... sweat. Estella and Lucia stand in front of the crowd of males. ''''Now, I''m going to give you guys a beautiful makeover! ''''''No, no, no!I don''t want to! ''''Mm, then the lord''s orders. ''''''In another district? Forced execution by an arrogant lord of another district. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... I wonder why they''re so confident in their big faces. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to try. ''I''m fighting to be a man! ''This is a good opportunity. If you become a woman, you might be able to talk to women other than Magda properly, you know? ''Even so, the price is too high! ''No questions asked!Let''s start with this fox and let it bleed! ''Didn''t you just say "bloodbath"?You''ve just revealed your true intentions, haven''t you? In spite of his resistance, Umaro was surrounded by fashionable girls who made him nervous and unable to move his body, and he was quickly made into a beautiful girl. I''m not sure what to say.You''re beautiful, aren''t you?It''s a beautiful girl,....... ''You''re laughing too much! ''Hey, hey, but... Aren''t you a little beautiful, Oumalo? ''Hmm, I thought the same thing as you, Miri. You''re cute, aren''t you, Oumalo?'' ''It''s only natural for me to do this because I''m serious! ''''Oh dear, don''t look too closely into my face! ''''You''re so cute! ''''Don''t make fun of me! The shy Umaro was surprisingly popular with the girls. If you ask me, he''s nothing more than Umaro with his lips and cheeks painted red. ''So, next is Mo-Matt. ''No, wait!I''m good!'' ''Mr. Mo-Matt.'' Natalia whispers into Mormat''s ear. ''''...... Once, when you were stalking the ''young lady'' who was the acting lord, didn''t you twice step into the premises without permission?'''' ''Dokii!I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''The story of the prowler who broke into the property to spy on the sleeping face of the "Miss" while she was slumbering on a bench in the garden: ...... I haven''t told the "Miss" yet: ......'' ''Can you stop calling me "Miss"!I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Well, it''s worse to say ''I stole the young lady''s sleeping face'' than ''I stole Estella''s sleeping face''. Natalia has a way of getting right to the heart of the matter, doesn''t she? I''m not sure if it''s ...... or not. You''ve been doing that? And you didn''t find out who Estella was until she told you? You''re a fool, aren''t you? ''By the way, do you think this cherry blossom lipstick would look good on you, Mo-Mat? ''...... now, do what you want ......'' Mormat, the fall. And then the girls swarmed in, and in a matter of minutes, the "Mormat Girl" was born. ......... ''...... It''s subtle, isn''t it? ''It''s not as impressive as Umaro''s.'' I''m not sure if this is ...... the second time.You know?I''m sure you''re right. ......'' ''No, the base is not attractive enough! ''d*mn it!You can play around with it and say whatever you want! ''Hahaha!Mormat, you''re so ugly! ''It would be more refreshing if you were more like Delia! It''s another crocodile with red lips and cheeks. I can''t tell the difference between an oumalo and a mormat. I can''t think of anything other than ''wow ......'' for either one. ''Hey, hey, Yashiro!Look at this! Estella''s bouncy voice made me turn around and regret ...... turning around. ''It''s Ricardo-chan! ''Wow. ...... I shouldn''t have eaten greasy food for lunch. ......'' ''Don''t look like you''re going to throw up, Oba!You''re more visible than those guys! What''s with the confidence in your finish, you stupid lord? He''s really an easy fool to be taken in. ...... ''Hey, Estella ......, are you sure you didn''t tie me up in the officials'' section for something as trivial as this? ''Yes, I did. And also to secure the locker room. I knew it, d*mn it! I should have bribed Oumarro to build me a secret little room in the locker room where I could sit and hide gracefully! ''Hey, Umaro. ''What is it?'' ''Uh-oh!...... Don''t look at me with such an ugly face. ''I thought you turned around because I called you! d*mn, I can''t even make a joke about ''next time make a secret small room''! What is this chaotic space? There''s nothing but ugly! The concentration of ugly is so high that it drowns out the glamour of the fashionable girls! ''Oh no! Ugh! ''Wow! There was a yellow voice that didn''t belong in such an ugly space. I wondered what was going on, but then I saw a beautiful woman attracting the attention of the girls. ''Oh, ......, please don''t look at me like this, Hero. ''Is that Theron? ''Yes,......, I''m embarrassed.'' You''re so handsome! You can dress like a woman and still look good, how dare you! ''Hey, Estella, Lucia! ''...... Why are you telling me and Lucia-san? ''Because we have absolutely everything!And a lot of it! ''...... Very well, anchovy. I''m going to make you wear a miniskirt that''s just barely tight enough. When Lucia snapped her fingers, Natalia and Gilberta quickly appeared, bound my arms, and took me out of the unis*x locker room. When I was taken into the women''s changing room, I wondered what was going to happen, but Uclines, who was waiting for me, pulled down my pants and smeared my legs and arms with a cream that smelled a little pungent. Wait a minute, Ukrines. There''s no rule that says it''s okay to take down your pants because you''re an old lady, okay? Why are you taking them down as if it''s normal and looking like you''re already preoccupied with something else? What''s with the cream? ...... This is a hair remover that was developed in collaboration with Regina. It''s a new product that was first introduced today. ''Don''t try that stuff on me! ''If Yashiro-chan, who has sensitive skin, doesn''t have any skin irritation, the women of this town can use it without worry~'' ''My skin is in such a sensitive position?It''s more delicate than a girl''s! ''Please let me know if it hurts~'' ''I''m embarrassed before the pain! ''That''s because you have to be patient. ''Onii!If you were in the opposite position, you''d be in the confessional immediately! ''Uh-huh. It''s a perk. I''m not sure what to say.No, it''s fine. And then, after a few minutes of endurance while listening to the wild screams coming from the unis*x locker room next door in the distance,......, my limbs were made smooth and shiny. Wow...... skin texture that reminds me of my elementary school days...... can I cry? ''Yashiro, do you have any sore spots?'' ''If there is, it''s my heart.......'' ''Then it''s okay to commercialize it! I don''t listen to people. ...... This aunt sheep ...... has become very business-minded. ''Now, let''s finish the main dish. The door opened and Natalia and Gilberta walked in, taking me back to the unis*x changing room. There, the girls were waiting for me with Loretta, Paula and Regina after the contest, and Ginette and Magda after cheering them on. ''Come on, Yashiro. Let''s get cleaned up.'' ''Before I do, why don''t you clean up your own mind first, Estella? ''Yes, yes. I''ll consider it later, so please submit it in writing.'''' ''You have no intention of considering it! ''I think this might be the most fun I''ve had in months. ''Don''t you dare enjoy other people''s misfortune! Then, my hair was washed, styled, made up, dressed in an unbelievable mini-skirt dress, and stuffed with breast pads. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. ''...... completed, "Yashiroko-chan"''. So, as Magda had declared, an abomination was born into the world. An abominable existence. Ah, this is how black history is born. ''...... Oh, God. I''ve come this far, I''m going to open up. If you want to laugh, laugh. My red lipstick is twisted and I glare at the people who put me in this situation. ...... makes no sound. ''............''. ''............'' ''............'' Mute. No sound. Everyone is looking at me with a dumb look on their face, relieved. You know what? Say something. You''re the ones who made this happen. ''...... is cute.'' What? What''s wrong, Loretta? Is your brain starting to melt? Look at Jeannette. ''Huh. ......'' She looked away from ............ . ''Hey, Estella--'' ''Wait a minute!I''m reviewing it right now to see if it''s on or off.'' No, you''re not! There''s no room for hesitation! ''Anchovies.'' ''Yes! ''Change your eyes. It''ll make you more beautiful.'' ''Yes!That''s right, Lucia!The whole thing is done in a cute way, but Yashiro''s unconcealed bad eyesight interferes with the cuteness, and I can''t honestly think of him as cute!Yashiro, your eyes are no good! ''''Shut up!I was born with these eyes! I mean, you''ve put so much makeup on everything but your eyes! If you make my eyes different, it won''t be me anymore! ''If only your eyes were better, you''d be cute! ''I don''t want to be you, you know! ''Yashiro, let''s smile!If you smile, you can disguise your bad eyesight a bit! What are you seriously trying to make me look cute? That''s enough! --I was about to complain, when a voice came from another direction, saying, ''Enough, Estella. ''What is it, Ricardo-chan? ''Don''t call me Ricardo-chan! Ricardo stepped in between Estella and me with a stern face. He stands protecting me with his back and complains to Estella. ''Don''t try to force your taste on me. As a fellow victim of cross-dressing, she complains about the forced approach. I thought it was ......, but a stern face turned to me. ''This kind of slutty woman is also quite ...... that ......? ''Magda, blunt instrument! ''What? No, no, no!I''m going to gouge out your eyes if you don''t look at me! ...... is horrible. I''m sure that after you''ve laughed at the ugly faces of the first few people, you''ll be left with a cold feeling of ''enough is enough''. This is why people who can''t plan an event should go to ...... The more fun you have in the meeting room, the worse it will be in the field! It''s only interesting while it''s in your brain! The moment you output it, it''s not funny anymore! This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. ............ d*mn!I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do. You can already see the results: ...... I thought it would be ....... I thought it would end up with Theron, who is the only decent one, winning hands down. ''Even men can change so much with makeup and costumes! I don''t know why, but it seemed to give the women in the audience who didn''t participate in the contest a strange kind of courage, and it turned out to be a rather meaningful contest with a lot of laughter, admiration, admiration, and excitement. I hope it doesn''t become a regular ...... event. And one more thing. One more thing happened that defied my expectations: ............ I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the grand prize for Miss Maslao is Yashiroko from the 42nd district! I''m not happy at all! ''''''Tsundere, cute~! ''''I''m not dere! I hope you''re cursed, this tournament. That''s what I really thought. 446-No additives, episode 101. Its hard to make someo... ''Mofoaaaaaaaaaaa......! ''Oh, my brother is spitting out some kind of evil miasma from his mouth! ''...... This is a dark side unbecoming of a Grand Prix winner. He should be made to smile again. ''Well, um, Yashiro-san, let''s celebrate with everyone when you get home!Hey! ''Bururofuaaaaaaaaaaaaa ......! ''It''s so thick!The miasma is getting thicker! ''...... Manager, one more word! ''Oh, um, I''ve noticed how cute Yashiro-san is before! ''Ginette-chan, ...... I''m sorry, everything is so counterproductive, it''s kind of funny to watch.'' ''Estella. She''s got a little scowl on her face and she''s shaking her shoulders. The vibrations will make your breasts fall off! ''...... What''s that in your eyes?What are you thinking about, hmm? '''' ''''Probably ''that vibration will scatter the flesh of your chest'''''' '''' ''''I bet'''''' ''''I know what Yashiro is thinking, Magda, Natalia, Regina! Estella''s cries echoed in the dimming sky. It''s almost night. The kids in the church must be getting ready to go home. ''Speaking of which, what happened to Miss Genki Musume? ''Ugh, the grand prize went to an instructor from the 41st district of .............'' ''There''s a student who''s been coming to my place to learn gymnastics, and he''s the one who''s going to open a store on the lovely Yan Avenue. He''s always cheerful and has a big smile, so it makes sense. ''I have a sparkling smile too! ''Because Loretta falls while laughing, six times is too many falls. ''Really, in Loretta''s case, she''s not ''Miss Genki Musume'', she''s ''Miss Chutzpah'' or ''Miss Spinning Girl''. ''That''s terrible, Miss Paula!Just because you got a semi-miss! ''What!Paula is a semi-miss? ''Hmmm!That''s right, that''s right!Well, I''m second, but I''m still happy! Her tail is wagging. She seems to be quite happy. ''Paula was very good at appealing, wasn''t she? She knew exactly what all the judges ordered at the same time. She was right about everything. It was amazing. ''No, Mr. Neffely!What the judges gave high marks to was the tail that wagged every time you said ''correct''!That''s not fair!It''s not fair! It''s not fair for a girl who expresses her joy in a defenseless way! You can''t help it!...... It moves on its own.'' Yeah, I can see that. If a girl wags her tail happily just because you praise her a little, you''d say, ''She''s so cute! I''d be like. ''Mr. Paula is just a little bit old-fashioned. ''Your main fan base isn''t old carpenters, either! ''It''s a poo!Next time, I''ll enter a contest sponsored by Torbeck Construction! ''I''m sure they can see through your cunning, you know! Loretta tries to take the plaque, but Paula defends it, and the exchange is repeated. It''s a joke. Loretta can be so selfish in front of Paula. She''s like a sister who envies her sister''s achievements. I don''t have the energy to envy the physical strength of Loretta and her friends, who are already exhausted and running around. I''m idly looking at them, idly thinking about random things, and idly not thinking about them. ''Hey, are we still going to play "Miss Aoi-yan" after this?Let''s go home. ''Don''t worry. It shouldn''t take that long.'' ''What, the anchovy doesn''t know how to judge ''Miss Aishinyan''?You''ve been sitting in the officials'' seats all day with a pompous look on your face. I was made to sit there. And perhaps, this black-hearted lord deliberately kept it from me because he thought that I might find out something if he told me the judging method for Miss Aishwaryan in advance. ''Everyone in this hall has the right to vote for Miss Aoi-yan,'' he said. ''Voting rights ......? ''Every woman in the room today is eligible to vote.'' I see. So that''s why they showed the various divisions of the beauty pageant on stage from the preliminary round. The seven judges didn''t choose her, but I''ll vote for her. She''s the "Miss Aoi-yan. --So that''s how it''s decided. It''s fair in a way. ...... Well, since it''s held in the 41st district, it''s only natural that there are many people from the 41st district in the audience, so the women from the 41st district might have an advantage. And if that''s the way of judging, there''s no chance for me to be a judge, right?I don''t have a chance to be a judge, do I?Then why am I here at ......, then? And you didn''t tell me because you were afraid that I would find out what Estella was up to. Estella. ...... ''So, yes. I''ve got ballots for everyone.'' ''Very well prepared.'' ''If someone flies in and you find out about the ballots, you might get the idea. ''I stand corrected at ....... You''re very prepared.'' You''ve got a nasty personality. ''Are you an incarnation of the spirit god ......?'' ''What the ......?Does that mean you''re ...... like a goddess ......? ''You''re so mean. ''Maybe you should correct your ...... spirit god sense somewhere. It''s not my perception that needs to be corrected, it''s the nasty spirit god''s nature that makes me feel that way. ''I can''t change myself, so change your way of thinking, huh? ......?You''re a very selfish woman. ''Mr. Paula, do you want to let yourself in? ''No, I wouldn''t do that!I''m going to ...... put it in someone else! He was so pissed off that he tried to ...... put it in himself. I''m sure you''re a little nervous about the semi-missing part. ''...... Loretta. How do you write ''Magda''?'' I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it.In a way, I envy Magda''s toughness like that, though! ''Hey, fox blacksmith. ''Hmm?What is it, Regina? ''How many cups did I give myself? ''Why are you trying to write the number of cups on the ballot? ''What?You can''t do that! ''You should try to behave in a way that matches your current appearance! ''No, it''s this gap that makes me horny, isn''t it? ''No!I knew I shouldn''t have let him out of the ward! ''May I have a word with you, Miss Estella? ''What, Natalia? ''It''s spelled with an ''N'', an ''A'', and a ''T'': .......'' ''Why are they trying to get me to vote?Don''t you think the head waiter usually votes for the master? ''No, I thought it would be rude for someone other than the lord of the 41st district to vote for Estella-sama. The memory of the two of us is .......'''' ''In order to erase that memory, I''d like you to vote for me all the time! Oh my god,......, it''s really lively. It''s not as loud as here, but you can hear the joyful voices here and there. As if remembering the day, ''That girl was so cute'', ''What was her name again? I''ve become a fan of that girl, haven''t I?'' Looking at the audience laughing and talking, I can be sure that this event was a great success. ''Jinetto-san, who are you with? ''Well, yes. I''ll go with Yashiro-san. ''Wait, Jeannette!The target of the vote is ''the women who were in this hall today''. I''m not included. ''But I''m the grand prize winner, aren''t I? ''Too bad, it doesn''t matter if you won or not. That''s the rule.'' ''Well, I''m sorry to hear that .......'' ''Mr. Estella. Could I have another ballot, please?'' ''Hey, wait, Becco!What are you doing crumpling up the ballot paper?You can''t be ......! ''I didn''t realize you weren''t eligible for .......'' Why are you trying to vote for me? You should vote for Norma!You''re a fan, right? ''In any case, I have to go home as soon as the contest is over, that I do. ''Hey, Becko!There''s going to be a party today at the sunny pavilion.If you want, you can stay until morning. ''No, no, I''ve got something I want to do...'' ''I see, I see, you want to stay here that badly?All right, stay!Stay here until your creative juices run dry! You, what are you trying to make? No, no, no, no, no, don''t say it, don''t say it!...... If he gets wind of it and bites, we''re in trouble. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it.I''d love to have one! I figured it out! And you''ve got it! Wow, Jeannette, you''re just weirdly perceptive at times like this.I''m serious! ''Beccoo,......, I''m not going home today,.......'' ''Ya, Mr. Yashiro,......, it''s a bit harsh for a girl to make such a statement, that it is. ''I''m not a girl, me. What''s wrong with that?Do you want to be kneaded in the brain? ''I''m gonna make you say "paiyoen", okay? ''I''ve got a problem with ......, who should I put in ............''. When Ginette heard that I wasn''t eligible, she began to seriously worry. What is it that bothers you so much?I mean, there are plenty of other options out there. ''Who are you going to vote for, Yashiro-san? Zawari...... There was a kind of tension that was hard to describe, spreading throughout the area. Ginette, come on...... Don''t ask me that, it''s hard to answer. And don''t stare so hard, Everyday. It''s just a contest, it''s just a vote. My vote''s not worth much. It''s a dead vote anyway, that''s how light it is. ''It''s a secret. ''No way, darling, for me? ''Estella, is it possible to abstain from voting on this? There are a couple of people who might get into trouble with their own imaginations if you keep it a secret. ''Write it down over there and get it out quickly! If I stay here, they''ll make assumptions based on the movement of my pen. Keep your distance from them,...... and be careful not to whisper, because there are some guys with good ears,............. Now, whose name shall I write? Who''s name shall I write? ............ ............ ............ ............ Huh. What are you seriously worried about, I am. It''s just a game, just an event for today. You can write it with a light heart. Just write down the names of whoever comes to mind. Well, I''m just expressing my gratitude. I was strangely nervous when I put my ballot into the ballot box. I tried to avoid being recognized by my handwriting, and I also tried to avoid being recognized by my stroke count. ...... I''m pretty much on the defensive. You don''t have to be so careful,....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before. When I approached her... ''I counted the number of strokes by the sound of the brush, did you write ''sunlit pavilion''? --This is the kind of scary guy you can''t underestimate, this town! That''s awesome, man. I made it sound just like that, man! Good thing I did! ''It''s a ...... secret.'' ''Mmm, no, it''s not. ....... It''s because of ...... people like you. I''m sure you''re not going to be translating that meticulously, are you?I don''t need that kind of fine tuning. The spirit gods really have a nasty personality. ''Guys, it''s almost time. Hurry up and vote.'' ''Oh, wait!I''m a little torn between self-esteem and ethics right now! ''Why don''t you just write your own name, Loretta? ''I know you say so, but Paula, ......! ''It doesn''t matter if you get one more vote, in your case. ''''That''s a terrible thing to say, Paula!There''s a chance you could come in a close second! ''Come on, we''re running out of time!Write, write, write! ''Oh, dear, don''t rush me!Oh, my God!I''ll write to the manager. ''What?No, it''s too good for me!Then give it to Magda at ......! ''...... Magda wrote ''manager'' too.'' ''What? As a sign of their gratitude, both Magda and Loretta seemed to have finally written Ginette''s name on their ballots. ''After all, the manager is the one who has to be there at the Sunlit Pavilion, so a vote for him is the best! ''...... Manager is Magda''s goal. This vote is also a vote for your future self. ''No such ...... thing as me .............'' Ginette glances at me. It''s ............ what it is. ''...... and, vote, I''m off.'' ''Oh, wait, Mr. Manager!I''m coming with you. ''...... Magda too.'' Loretta and Magda follow Jeannette to the voting booth. Magda stops in front of me and glances up at me. ''......The consensus of the Sunlit Pavilion''. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not going to say anything. ...... Don''t be so judgmental. I''m sorry. In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following. ''This is an important competition hosted by Ricardo-sama. Not even a single mistake will be tolerated! '''''''' Ha! It''s still a hot and humid vertical society. But those servants are just as good as Estella''s waiters. The butler must be a good leader because he''s old enough. Even though he''s a fool at the top. Then, the ballots sorted by the sorting team are counted by the measuring team. The figures that seem to play the role of the letter "?-¡ê" are drawn one after another. ......, the vote counting process is finally over. The butler wrote down the results of the voting on a piece of paper. The butler''s eyelids widened slightly when he heard the results. It must have been someone unexpected. Then, when the sky was completely dark, the grand prix of today''s most honorable "Miss Asukemiyan" was announced. The chairman of the judging committee, Ricardo, stood in the center of the stage holding a piece of paper he had received from his butler, still dressed in women''s clothing. ...... Pupupupupu! I''m not sure what to say.It''s the middle of the sacred closing ceremony! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Why don''t you go to work tomorrow dressed like that?It suits you. It''s not pretty, though! ''This is ....... So, today, I''m going to announce the grand prix for the most shining Miss Asuwaiyan in this venue. It seemed that Ricardo was going to announce the final prize, even though he had previously left it to the women on the steering committee. Riccardo''s low voice melted and disappeared in the blowing wind. Everyone was waiting nervously for his next words. ''The winner of the prestigious Miss Aoi-yan Grand Prix is--'' Slowly, after an impatient pause, Ricardo read out the name of the Grand Prix winner. ''District Forty-two--Sister Bertina! To ......? ''Heh?'' An unreliable voice leaked out next to me. The owner of the voice was, of all people, that Sister Bertina herself. ''Huh?Oh, um, I didn''t enter anywhere, did I? ''Doesn''t matter. The condition for voting is ''women who were present in this hall today''. Many of those present chose you for the Grand Prix. This is the result of fair judging. ''No, no, but ......'' Bertina looks at me as if to ask for help. I told you at the beginning, didn''t I? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I didn''t really think that would happen, though. ''What should I do? ''Since you''ve got it, you should take it. ''But,......, you have all worked hard for this day, and I feel bad that I, who have done nothing, should accept it,.......'' ''But Sister. Many of you here have chosen me.Isn''t it also a pity to wear it on your sleeve? ''Wearing it on your sleeve, ......? Ginette pointed out, and Bertina looked annoyed. ''But ...... it''s not an award that I should be receiving. ......'' This is not embarrassment, is it? If she was just confused because she was unsure of herself, you could give her a push and say, ''Have confidence,'' but not ...... Bertina. No one cares about that, but I guess she''s obsessed with it. There is only one way to shut Bertina up. ''Ricardo. What''s the prize? ''A hundred kilograms of hexenbiest meat. ''......? Bertina''s ears perked up. If it was at the sunny pavilion, she would probably accept it as if she had just flipped her hand and said, ''Well, I''ll take it,'' but it seems that she can''t make up her mind easily in a big tournament. If that''s the case, let''s try strategy number two to make him make up his mind. ''I want to eat the Hexenbiest meat that Jeannette cooked...'' ''Huh?Oh, that''s right. I want to cook a lot of hexenbiest meat too! ''Yes, yes!I want to eat it too! ''...... Magda, I''m rather fond of Hexenbiest meat. Bertina blurted out in response to such deliberate begging. ''Giggle. That''s true. I''m sure it''s delicious, Ginette''s cooking. She shook her shoulders, laughed a little, and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. The gesture was enough to make a few men fall to the ground, as if they had forgotten how to breathe. This is a satisfying grand prix. ''Then, I''m sorry to be so presumptuous, but I''ll take the ...... with all due respect. The beautiful elf smiled with tear-stained eyes, and the audience applauded in celebration. Magda was joking about this,....... I think Bertina should be inducted into the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later. Her good looks, as if she''s been favored by the spirit gods, is now a cheat. It''s as reckless as beating Medora in an arm-wrestle. ''So, can I get a word from Miss Lovely? ''Huh?Well, yes, at .............'' Instead of going up on the stage, Bertina stood up straight and spoke to everyone present in a clear, clear voice. ''I think it''s very beautiful and wonderful that you are all working together to achieve something. Don''t be concerned about winning or losing, but praise, respect, and honor each other, and find the beauty in each of you. In this way, you may meet friends who share your aspirations. You may meet a rival who is irreplaceable. I hope that this place, this place, will be blessed with a variety of encounters and opportunities. He finished his speech without a hitch and gave the following words with a smile on his face. ''The smiles on your faces today were very beautiful. A place where beautiful smiles gather and are born. Wouldn''t it be wonderful if this street could become such a place? The audience broke into applause, and the honor of the first "Miss Asukewyan" was bestowed upon her. Next, the runner-up for "Miss Asukudaiyan" was announced, and as expected, it was Osina. Yeah. It seems that the men of District 41 like mature, patient, and kind women. The muscle-bound men who work dangerously with their bodies alone seem to have a hunger for healing and pampering. I wonder if I could make a fortune by opening an ear-piercing cafe. With that little ambition in mind, the frenzied beauty pageant came to an end. ''''''''''Tadaimae, sunny side up~! '''''''''' I''m not sure what to say. I''m tired. ...... I''m seriously tired today. Compared to the previous events, today''s was the most tiring, even though I didn''t do anything. I guess mental damage is hard to tolerate. ''Okay, everyone!What do you want to eat? ''No, get some rest, Ginette. ......'' ''Yes, sir. Yashiro-san and the others should be resting.'' No, you too ...... Yeah, that''s enough. You''re a strange creature that recovers HP by cooking, aren''t you? ''Anyway, I''m going to give Becko some dangerous food that won''t wake her up for about six months after she takes a bite. ''Please don''t do this, Mr. Yashiro!It''s too dangerous even if you''re joking, that it is! It''s not a joke, you know? If I wanted to, I could go bury it in the swamp. ''It''s okay, that it is. I would never give it away to anyone without Mr. Yashiro''s permission, that I wouldn''t. This is a complete hobby, that it is, and it can''t be sold for money, that it can''t be sold as a product. ''Oh, I see. ...... I''m sorry. Ginette nodded her head. I hope she''ll give up now. ''It''s not a product ............!Yes, Mr. Yashiro!I think this is where the Garbage Collection Guild comes in! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The most dangerous one at the moment, Jeannette, is being sent away to the kitchen. It would be best to keep him completely isolated from Becco for a while. ''But I''m glad I didn''t ask for a bigger shelf. Loretta, who had been talking about winning all the awards and displaying all the trophies, finally seems to have seen the reality. ''A shelf with two plaques is enough. ''I''m not going to display mine. One is enough for me! ''Why not? ''...... fellow''s achievement is the achievement of everyone at the sunny pavilion.'' ''There''s no such thing as ''Yashiroko-chan'' in this store! Who would display such an abominable shield! I''ll put it in the stove tomorrow. ''Yashiro. I''ll give you my plaque too if you put it in the hearth. ''No, you can keep yours on display, you quasi-''Miss Stylish'', pfft. ''Oh, thank you very much, Yashiroko-chan! ...... Konnichiwa. ''Oh, but I wanted one too. I don''t want to be extravagant about a plaque at this point. I don''t care if it''s a participation award or something else. ''It can''t be helped. We weren''t chosen, you know. ''Let''s try again next time, okay?Mr. Roreta. ''Mmm. ......'' The winners of the plaque were Estella, the runner-up Miss Stylish, Norma, the runner-up Miss Good Cook, Paula, the runner-up Miss Genki, Masha, the runner-up Miss Muscle, and Magda, the runner-up Miss Cute. And only Bertina, "Miss Lovely". Bertina went home with the kids from the church, and Barbara went home after putting Teresa to bed. Wendy who went home with Theron. These people won''t be attending the party at the sunny pavilion. The people here who didn''t get the gift are Jeannette, Loretta, Natalia, Millie, Delia, Regina, and Nephrite. Well, there''s no need to leave out Magda and the others just because they got it. ...... I''m not sure what you''re talking about.I don''t know. ''But it was still good~...... I wanted a proof that ''I was cute today''.'' ''I see. Well, I''ll give you this. It''s not insurance, but ...... In case one of us doesn''t get anything, I''ve prepared a few things that might come in handy. I took out a small souvenir from the leather bag I had hidden on the floor and handed it to him. ''Big brother ......, what''s this? ''It''s the entry prize for the Miss Contest Sunlit Pavilion Cup. It''s a commemorative pin badge the size of a 500 yen coin, with the motif of a winged sun. It expresses the warmth of the sun and the infinite possibilities of spreading wings into the future. ''It''s a small beauty contest where I''m the head of the judging committee. ''Did I get this when my brother was the head of the judging committee?Whoa!I got it!I''m so happy! He grasped the small souvenir in both hands and raised it high, exaggeratingly looking up to the sky. It''s a small prize, too small to display. ''Wait a minute, big brother!This one says ''Grand Prix'' on it! Oh. I don''t know, did they make some kind of detailed category and make everyone the grand prize? But at most, it''s just a childish award for ''hard work'' or ''beautiful handwriting'' or something like that. ''I got the grand prix from my brother!He chose me!I''m so happy! It''s ......, so don''t get too excited. It''s so modest that I''m starting to feel a little embarrassed. ''Oh, well, I thought it would be bad if I didn''t get anything from .......'' I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Miri''s, too? ''Yeah, just in case. But it''s really not a big deal. ......'' ''Yay! ''Hola! Even Delia and Milly were excited, throwing up their hands as if Loretta had been infected. Is that enough to make you banzai? ''Well, here''s a souvenir for you...'' She was about to take out a pin from her leather bag, when ''Shh! He grabbed me by the hem of my dress. Strongly. ''......'' I turned around and saw Magda staring up at me. In the opposite hand from the one grabbing my clothes, he was holding the shield of ''miscute''. ''......'' Don''t even think about throwing it away. For the sake of this trivial pin. ...... d*mn it. I''m sorry Delia and Milly, but I''m going to have to put this off for a bit. ''Magda''. ''......'' ''This is, you know, a beauty contest hosted by me, so it has nothing to do with the 41st district''s beauty contest.'' ''......'' ''So, whether or not you''ve won any awards over there doesn''t affect the judging here in any way.'' ''......'' ''How can our Magda be left out of the awards? There''s a bit of a difference in treatment between her and Loretta,......, but you can''t blame her if she looks like she''s about to cry. He kneels down and reverently attaches the pin to Magda''s cape. The hole is ...... small enough that you can cover it up later. It''s a small hole. ''Miss Billboard Girl'' Grand Prix. Congratulations.'' ''......So''. She traces her finger over the pin badge attached to herself, reads the words, and twitches her tail. ''...... Mwah.'' I''m glad you''re satisfied. ''Yashiro is too soft on Magda, isn''t he? ''chuckle. That''s what''s so great about you, isn''t it, ladybug? ''Well, I guess so. Magda placed the shield on the table and began to spin it around. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.Keep it on display, okay? I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. No, the pinnacle of the sign girl world. Well, I''m glad you''re having fun. ''Yashiro!What about me? ''Hey, Delia.'' ''Yeah, ........ I want you to wear it like Magda ......, okay?'' Delia, ...... where did you learn to use such a mocking look? I''m not sure if anyone taught you that during your preparation for the beauty pageant,......, but it''s dangerous, beauty pageant. I think I''m going to discontinue it next year. ''Then I''ll present you with the grand prize badge. ''Aha!That tickles me.'' You''re the one who asked for it. I guess I''ll have to wear it on everyone at ...... after this, huh? ''I''m gonna make a hole. ''Yes! ''Okay. ''Delia is ''Miss Reliable Sister''''. ''What?Not strong or muscular?Can you give me something like that? ''You''ve been taking good care of the kids, right?I''m counting on you, too.'' ''I see!I''ll be able to rely on you more and more! I thought Delia might like that kind of language, but I guess I didn''t miss it anyway. I''ll have to add the ''cute'' factor next time. ''Okay, Milly. ''Mmmm!...... hehehe, it''s kind of hot, isn''t it? I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll agree that Miri is ''cute'' even with her garter belt showing. ''Millie is the ''Miss Forest Fairy''. ''Haha. Hmm. ''Miri, I love the forest. ''Let''s go to the forest together again.'' ''Mmm! ...... It may have been a little too easy, but once the image was fixed, there was no way to change it. I''m relieved that you''re happy with it. ''Deriya-san, let me show you. ''Oh!Mine''s so cute! and she and Delia began to play together. Even though they are about twice as big as each other, they seem to have the same mental age. Their smiles are very similar. ''Mmmmm!Do you have one for me too? ''Oh. I don''t want to get a hole in my clothes, so can you take them off? ''All right, then. ''Norma, stop!You''ve been a little too disappointing lately. Once again, Loretta stopped me. I had no choice but to poke holes in her expensive clothes. ''Norma is ''Miss Healing''''. ''Yes, healing ......!It''s also surprisingly ...... healing when you''re with me, isn''t it? ''It''s calming to be next to Norma.'' ''So...... you''re right,............,'' he said. You probably thought you''d be called ''Miss Marshmallow'' or ''Miss Soft Tits'' anyway. I came up with this award because I thought that if I really got a hecon, I would be ....... No such flirting this time. ''You thought you''d be called "Miss Marshmallow" or "Miss Soft Tits", didn''t you? ''If you prefer that, I''ll change it. ''No!I like this one.I''ll take good care of it. I''m glad you like it. ''Paula. ''Yes, yes! Paula looked more nervous than she did at the Miss Genki Girls pageant. Just take it easy. ''It''s just that Paula''s award was a little too close to the other one. ''What?With the energetic girl?'' ''Oh. ''Miss Fluffy Tail.'' ''You''re not wearing it! Because I''m pretty sure the tail got the highest score in the judging! ''Oh, ...... Yashiro likes tails too much.'' That''s because it''s so fluffy. It''s Paula''s trademark. When it''s swinging cheerfully, I feel relieved that Paula is doing well today. ''Don''t look too closely at her unconscious movements. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your trademark. ...... As she grasped the pin, Paula''s tail began to sway, reminiscent of the Yosakoi festival in Kochi. Oh~, she''s happy, happy, happy. ''Nepheli. ''I''ve been waiting for you. I''ve been waiting for .......'' Nepheli''s tongue peeks out. ''I wanted to award you Miss 80s, but ...... you wouldn''t understand. ''Nepheli is ''Miss Fashionable Girl''. ''Awarded for being fashionable!That''s great!I''m so happy! The most fashion conscious person around me is Nephrite. Even the anklet I gave Norma as an example of a product, she got it before I knew it and wore it. ''If a man''s selfish fantasy of what he wants a girl to be like were to materialize, he would end up like Nephrite. ''Huh?Does that mean that ...... is the ideal girl? ''In general terms. She works hard, cares for her family and friends, is always there for you when you need her, yet is sensitive to fashion, pretty things, and trends, and can easily understand changes in emotions. Her gestures and anger are like those of an impish girl in the Showa era, but without malice, making her look cute. It''s a rare thing to be able to make a live-action version of an anime heroine. ...... if only her face wasn''t a chicken. I''m not sure what to say. I''ll take good care of this! Nepheli, running at full speed. But he won''t run away. I know, I want to eat. ''Next is .......'' ''That''s me! It''s just like Imelda to come in before you call her. It''s hard to tell, because Imelda will be praised in many places. ...... ''Imelda is "Miss Elegance". ''That''s a glamorous award for a wannabe.'' ''I honestly think it''s great that you''re strong enough to act tough no matter how weak you are. But don''t push yourself too hard.'' ''To ............'' Although she seems to be holding Javier down and making a lot of noise at every event, it still seems that the thought of her mother still occupies a large part of Imelda''s heart. She even dressed up as her mother for Halloween. And yet, she has the strength not to show any loneliness, which worries me sometimes. So I wanted to at least acknowledge her strength. ''............ I''ll come back later to give you my impressions. Imelda bites her back teeth and steps backward with a downcast look. No, I don''t think it''s anything to cry about. ...... ''Well, next is Regina. ''Wait a minute. I haven''t taken off all my clothes yet.'' ''Who told you to take off your clothes? ''Gaia told me to take them off.'' ''Oh, you''re so s*xy, Gaia.'' I mean, what''s Gaia? Who''s Gaia? ''Well, what about me?I hope I don''t get in. ''Unfortunately, I''m not going to tell you ........ You''ll have to check for yourself. ''What the hell?Is it really [self-imposed]?I don''t know...'' While saying this, I read the words engraved on the pin badge I was wearing. ''Let''s see, ...... "Miss Charity"?...... What?Are you sure you''re not making a mistake?Isn''t this the manager''s or sister''s pin? ''No, it''s yours. Regina, who seems far from compassionate. ''We''ve been saved by you many times. And it was almost free. There was a time when it was really free.'' ''No, that''s because ...... they don''t say, "We can''t give you medicine if you don''t have any money," when you''re sick. ''I never complained about it, and even when I was all alone, I always made medicine. To help others. ''No, come on, it''s ......''. ''I think you deserve it, don''t you?''Miss Charity.'' ''U......n............'' She squeezes the pin, shuts her mouth, and gives me a hard slap on the shoulder. ''Oh, my God!What''s wrong with you?Are you serious, you!I can''t stand you, really! Pfft!He turned away and walked to the far end of the floor. He''s not even good at embarrassment, is he? ''...... Thanks a lot. That''s all he said to me. You''re welcome. ''Masha is ''Miss Scallop''. ''Mmm!I''ll cry if you''re not joking. I''m kidding. ''Yes, please. ''Miss Blue Ocean.'' ''Wow!That''s kind of cool~'' Land-loving sea creatures. Of all the sea creatures I know, Masha is the most beautiful. I have no hesitation in awarding Masha the ''Miss Blue Ocean'' title. And isn''t it nice to have the word "ocean" in there?It''s like I''m being recognized as the ocean. ''Mmmmmmmmmm! It''s a beautiful melody with a light hum, and I''m glad I made it, even though it was just an insurance policy. ''Natalia. ''Yes. I''m willing to eat Estella-sama''s portion as well.'' ''Don''t be so selfish!You know that, don''t you, Jashiro? I know. I can''t give Natalia the title of ''Miss Petanko''. ''What do you think? ''Why are you asking me these questions? ''Just a hunch. ''I see. Then feel free to give me a possible one: ...... ''Miss Desire Outlet''?'' ''Oh, what?You want ''Miss Regina''?'' A distant comment came in. Thank you very much. ''With so many good things about you, it''s hard to imagine what other people will praise about you. He''s talking big, but he''s worried about what other people will think of him. Even if she is absolutely confident and proud of her work, she is not so confident when it comes to herself as a woman. That''s why I''m gagging when I say that I''m confident. I''m thinking ....... It''s Natalia. ...... The truth is in the bushes. ''I''m sure it''s either boobs, ass, or raw legs.'' ''Nice try. The correct answer is this.'' He hands her the pin. It was hard to make a hole in Natalia''s silk dress, as expected. ''...... "Miss Pampering"?'' ''It''s a skill Natalia has developed by leaps and bounds over the past year.'' ''So ...... is it?'' Natalia muttered coolly. But her ears are turning red at an alarming rate. She was embarrassed that he had pointed out that she was spoiling him. ''If you don''t put one on Naa-tan, I''ll yell. And I had to joke about it to make him feel better. Hmm. I''m rather fond of Natalia''s naivete. Sure. I''ll put it on. ''Then I''ll put it on. ''Don''t let me poke your tits in the middle of the night.'' ''Heh, heh.'' ''Please don''t smirk at .............'' ''I''m not, though, am I?......hmm'' ''............ God. You''re mean, you know that?'' A bright red Natalia leaves quietly, in contrast to when she came out. Her cheeks are slightly pink and her eyelids are closed in an attempt to look cool, yes, it''s quite cute. ''So, next is Estella, the Miss Petanko...'' ''I''ll cry, okay?'' ''Not an attack? ''If I really cried, I think it would be the best attack on you, don''t you think? ''I don''t know about that one.'' Just because Estella cried doesn''t mean ...... Hey, hey, hey. I''ll do it right. ''Hey. Congratulations on the Grand Prix. Since she was the lord of the 42nd district, she could have been ''Miss 42nd District'' and no one would have complained, but Estella probably wouldn''t have been happy with that. If she was evaluated as a lord, she would probably be upset. Estella would. So I decided to give her a more familiar, common, unremarkable name for the award. ''''Miss ......, the hard worker? ''As a supplementary prize, I''ll give you a ticket to the Sunlit Pavilion for a foot massage. ''Haha. I''m going to have to decline that. During her duties, Estella continues to make efforts that no one can see. She secretly bears her hardships. She doesn''t even show her pain until she''s about to collapse. That''s why I call her "Miss Hard Worker", with a message not to work too hard. ''I''m not trying too hard. ''Then you don''t want it? ''No, thanks. I''ll take it. Thanks for the .......'' Estella smiles at me with an uncharacteristically gentle smile. You have a girlish face. ''By the way, there''s also a ''Miss Petanko'' pin badge at .......'' ''I don''t want that one. She flatly refused. ''Oh, no, no, no, big brother! Loretta ran up to me and said, ''Dada dada! Loretta ran up to me and gave me the pin badge. I thought she wanted me to wear it, but ...... ''It''s mine!It''s not ''Miss Normal''! ''...... What?Did you want ''Miss Normal''?'' ''No, I didn''t!I was just happy that my brother made it seriously! No, that''s why I made it just in case you were seriously screwed up. ...... ''Then I''ll put it on you, come here. ''Yes, sir! ''Loretta. Congratulations on winning the ''Miss Mood Maker'' Grand Prix.'' ''Yes, sir!I''m going to work harder and harder to make the Sunken Pavilion a bright and fun place! Loretta''s a little teary-eyed. ...... I''m glad you''re happy. I''ll give you Bertina''s "Miss Smile", Barbara''s "Miss Straight Line", and Teresa''s "Miss Polite" at a later date. I''ve prepared "Miss Corn" for Cheryl. ...... Wendy?I''m sure you''ll be fine with "Miss Theron". ''By the way, do you want Umaro and Bekko too? ''No, thank you! ''I''ll pass, that I will. I''ll send ''Miss Forty-two Wards'' to Mormat, who has already left, to harass him later. ''Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience!Now, let''s eat! Ginette brought out a sumptuous meal and the "Miss Contest Party in the Sunlight Pavilion" began. The launch was a lot of fun, Ginette was busy moving around, Magda and Loretta were also moving around, and the night went by in a flash. Delia carried the drunken Norma out, and silence fell over the sunlit pavilion. ''Thank you for your hard work. Ginette was standing there with a tray of tea on her head, smiling. ''You''re more tired than I am, aren''t you? ''No, I''m not. I''m well enough to teach you how to make a fluffy egg omelet right now.'' ''...... I''ll see you later.'' ''Well, I''m looking forward to that day.'' Heavy, heavy! The anticipation is too heavy! ''Shall we sit down? ''Yes.'' Ginette puts a cup of tea in front of me and smiles softly as she waits for me to take my usual seat. Then she smiles softly and sits down opposite me. It''s business as usual, but today Ginette is more dressed up than usual. It''s a different look. ''It''s refreshing, this scenery. ''Huh?Oh, that''s right. Ginette looks down at her own clothes again. Even such a gesture looks gorgeous. ''I''ll have to keep these clothes until next year, won''t I? ''No, no, no. If you''re going to wear it again next year, you should buy a new one. ''But it would be a shame to wear it only once. ......'' ''Then wear it as many times as you want.'' ''Mm-hmm. It''s a bit much to stand in a store wearing such a cute dress. ''Then--'' There are plenty of options. I''ll give you one of them. Just one of the many options. ''Do you want to get dressed up and go out with me sometime? ''Yes, ......''. Dress differently, go to a different place, do something different. It may sound like a date when you say it like that, but it''s not something so awkward, it''s just proof that you can make as many opportunities as you want to wear fashionable clothes. ''............ Yes. By all means.'' I received a reply in a small voice. Now that you''ve got a reply, you''ve got to make some kind of plan, right? Now, ...... where should we go? .................. Hmm, I''m torn. ''............'' ''............'' ''............''Oh, by the way! Ginette suddenly starts talking in a high-pitched voice that sounds like it''s coming from around the whorl. Oh, hey. You should talk about something! Yeah, communication is conversation! Everyone was happy, right? The Miss Contest Sunlit Pavilion Cup.'' ''Ah~, well, it''s nice to get something for free, isn''t it? ''It''s not just that, everyone. I''m sure. Ginette clutched the steamy teacup and peered at the surface of the tea. Ginette''s smile is wavering in the teacup. ''You are really good at making people smile, aren''t you? Yashiro-san. ''I didn''t make it with that intention. It''s more like a ...... hand game. I had some time on my hands. While the girls were scrambling about clothes, makeup, and hairstyles, I had relatively little time. The girls who always came to eat cakes had also stopped coming, perhaps because they were aware of the Miss Contest. In other words, I had no time and no choice. Besides, I didn''t want anyone to feel depressed and depressed. If I had the time, materials, skills and motivation, I would have made it, of course. ''It''s just a way to pass the time. It''s just something they were overly happy about. ''Mm-hmm.'' I put down the teacup and cover my mouth with my hands. I could see the arc of his lips hidden by his fingertips. ...... What the hell are you laughing at? ''You''re not very good at lying like that, are you? I''m not lying. ''Magda and Loretta are simple. Give them a prize, and they''ll work a whole lot harder tomorrow. They''ll work 1.5 times harder.'' ''Yes, sir. Both of you have already gone to bed, saying you''ll do your best tomorrow morning.'' Magda and Loretta are probably sleeping in the same bed right now. They''re back to normal. There''s no sign of the rift they had during the dieting incident. ''Isn''t that what Delia and the others did?If you praise them enough, they''ll help you out when you need it. In other words, this is an investment. ''Mm-hmm. I see.'' And don''t give me that ''you''re not'' look. ....... I don''t know what''s so funny. ''If I were on the judging panel, I''d give Ms. Yashiro the ''Miss Compassionate'' award. I don''t want ''Miss''. Also, I don''t know anything about compassion. ''Oh, by the way... I haven''t given Ginette a pin yet, have I? ''Do you have one for me? ''How could I not have ......? ''I''m glad. I was thinking I''d be a little sad if I didn''t.'' That''s the face you make when you''re sure there''s no way. But he didn''t say, ''Don''t you have one for me? But it''s Ginette who doesn''t say, ''Don''t you have one for me? Loretta would have said ''I want it! I bet Loretta would be screaming ''I want it! ''All right, Jeannette. Could you stand up for a second?'' ''Yes, sir. We have a small award ceremony, just the two of us. ''Ginette. ''Yes. ''Actually, I was thinking of awarding you Miss Sunlit Pavilion. Magda and Loretta would have no objection to that. But for the same reason as Estella, I''m sure Ginette wouldn''t be happy about it. ''But I thought you wouldn''t want to monopolize the sunlit pavilion. ''That''s true. I think it''s a place for everyone now. After saying that, she giggled and held her mouth. ''What''s so funny? ''No, sir. I just thought, ''Yashiro-san can see everything. Hmm. ...... I know. The number one in the sunny pavilion. I''m sure Jeannette won''t be happy about that, even if it is that limited. He doesn''t want to be ranked higher or lower. He''s the kind of guy who''d be sad to see someone else lose before he''d be happy to be first. All together. Equally important. That''s what Jeannette likes. ''So, Jeannette.'' ''Yes.'' We face each other, look at each other for a moment, and after I''ve got Ginette''s smile squarely to myself, I attach a commemorative pin to her cape. A commemorative pin in the shape of a feathered sun. ''Can I see what it says, please? ''No. ......'' Ginette picks up the pin on her cape and reads the words engraved on it. I''ll give you my compliments on that as well. ''Ginette. Congratulations on winning the ''Miss Sun Smile'' Grand Prix. ''......? There was a short breathing sound. ''Ginette? I called out her name, and she turned to me-- ''Oh, oh, ......''. In an instant, her face turned bright red. ''Oh, hey. Jeannette ......?'' ''Oh, yeah, um! She flapped her hands, stroked her hair for no reason, and turned away. ''Thank you,......, sir. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. No, you don''t have to be so shy. ....... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that your smile is rather complimentary. I think I''ve said a few times that the Sunlit Pavilion needs Jeannette''s smile. There is no reason to be embarrassed by a compliment on your smile now,....... The reason why I am so embarrassed about being complimented on my smile now is because ...... it was the first time I was complimented on my smile ...... after I met Yashiro. That was right after we met. I''m sure you''re referring to the words I unintentionally said right after we met. "Piot Kaidee. ...... Well, we can''t tell the truth now, can we? He was very happy, and it seems that the words sometimes cheer him up. ...... If you find out that it means "big boobs! If you find out that it means "big boobs", ............ you may not be able to repent. If I had told the truth earlier, it would not have been so serious. ............ Yeah. Let''s take it to the grave. ''So, the ...... fact that you have evaluated my smile again ...... like this is a good thing,...... and if it''s not, that''s fine. But if you are ...... wrong, that''s fine, but if you are ...... right, what should I say .........? ...'' ''Haha ......'', inhale to push the constricted trachea open, and hold your throat to regulate your breathing. It doesn''t look like you''re succeeding ....... Slowly turn around and gently look up at me. Tears are forming in both of her eyes, reflecting the light and making it hard for her to breathe. Her wet eyelashes tremble slightly, and her moist eyes look at me. And then-- I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. --It''s not easy to answer such a question. What do you mean? Do you want me to say ''I like you''?Do you think you can say that?You can''t. If you say that to a red-faced, beady-eyed Jeannette in a quiet space alone with her in the middle of the night like this, ............ I''ll die. So you say ''no''? There''s no reason to hurt her by lying to her. So... There''s no way to tell. ...... ''......, so ......, isn''t that the Grand Prix? I''m sorry. This is the limit! I did the best I could, okay? That''s enough, already! ''So ............ is it? There was a quiet, little whisper, as if a fire had gone out, followed by a long silence. ...... Huh? I''m not sure if I''ve made the right choice. At the very moment when such anxiety was overwhelming. ''...... I did it! I heard an uncharacteristically childish murmur. I barely missed it, it was that small. ''I''ll treasure it forever! Ginette looked up quickly, still blushing, but with her usual dazzling smile. ''It doesn''t have to be forever. ''No, no. It''s a lifelong treasure. I''ll pass it on to my children.'' ''That''s too grand!It doesn''t cost that much! Only treasures with a market value of tens of millions of yen should be handed down. ......ke............? Children and grandchildren? What''s that? What? Ginette: ...... I''m not sure what to do. I was suddenly reminded of a conversation I had with Bertina. It was a trivial, unimportant conversation while watching a beauty pageant. ...... Oh no!My heart hurts. ......! I''m sorry. I''m not going to tell you that I''m struggling with a mysterious heartache in my heart, but I don''t even know that I''m smiling at you, Ginette said. ''Most of my smiles are made by Yashiro-san. Oh, I see. Please, stop chasing me. ...... ''After all, Yashiro is a genius at making people smile. I thought you said you were good at it, not that you were a genius. ''I--'' With a gentle smile, as always. You look down modestly, but your eyes look straight at me. As if it were nothing, as if it were a matter of course, pretending to be casual. I love that about you, Yashiro. He said something outrageous. No... No, no, no. No, no, no, no. ''I love it'' is a word that kids often use, and the more they grow up, the less they use it, so to speak, in a childish way - like, let''s see, trying to go beyond ''tremendously'' to ''tremendously'', ''devilishly'', ''gigantes'', ''mammoth''. In other words, it''s not the kind of word a grown man would use seriously. That''s right. There is no such thing as a literal meaning of the word ''like'', it is just a simple enlargement of the word ''like'' with a light meaning of ''favorable'', ''likable'', ''kind of nice'', ''good''. It is the same psychology as that of a niece pining for a relative, even an uncle who gives her a lot of allowance. That''s when the word ''love'' is used. Besides, you know, Barbara said it to me too, ''I love you''. But that didn''t bother you at all, did it? It''s a word that came out because he recognized that I was someone who could bring about a convenient result for him, in other words, it''s the same as saying that I''m worth using. ...... That''s what pissed me off about Barbara''s guy ...... --In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the web site, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at ....... ............ and honest feelings. ......'' Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay. You want to nail down that there''s no deeper meaning, yeah, I know. I know, I know. ...... Please don''t be embarrassed and waddle around with a red face when we''re alone. Embarrassment is contagious. ''...... tomorrow''. Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. No matter what today is, tomorrow will come. Everyday life repeats itself. Days of the norm. Time as usual. It''s those ordinary days that make events exciting. It''s good that things don''t change. It gives you a sense of security. So just do what you always do. Don''t dress up, don''t act cool, just be yourself. With the same voice as usual. ''I''ll teach you how to make a fluffy egg omelet.'' I''ll give you a little gift. ''Yes! If you do that, you''ll get the same dazzling smile as always, just like the sun. ............... 447-< ''Hi, hello.'' ''Oh, Estella.'' Evening. The chairs in the auditorium were rattling and I was repairing them when Estella arrived. I brush off my hands, which are covered with wood dust, and greet her. ''Hello. Are you eating? ''Yes. I''ll have some stir-fried scraggly vegetables, and since my pocket is warm today, I''ll have some black bread. ''Yes. I''ll prepare it now. I was about to head for the kitchen, but Estella stopped me, saying, ''Oh, wait a minute. ''Actually, I''ve been catching fish in the sea with a friend from the Sea Fishing Guild. So, here. I''ll share it with you. ''Wow!A sea fish? Inside the box Estella-san brought, there was a fish submerged in seawater. Along with the fish, there was an ice cube of seawater, which was prepared by the Sea Fishing Guild. When I dipped my finger in it, I was surprised at how cool it was. ''Amazing, isn''t it, ice? ''There''s a big ice house in the ship. They keep ice floes there. Even if they run out, they can still get as much as they want, so it''s amazing. I heard that there are always places in the wide ocean where it is cold enough to get ice. It''s amazing. I can''t imagine. ''Ginette, you''ve never seen the ocean, have you? ''Yes. Is it far from here?'' ''Um, ......, well, it''s pretty short once you get out of the city gates.'' ''Is that so?I''d like to see it sometime, the ocean.'''' ''Yes, I would. Would you mind if I joined you then? ''Of course. I''m sure you''ll have fun wherever you go with Estella-san. ''Hehehe~, thank you. I''m having fun with Ginette too. Estella smiled at me and gave me a beautiful smile. She really is too good a friend for me. I''m sorry I''m always giving you stuff. ...... That''s right. Let''s make today''s stir-fried vegetables a little bigger. And let''s use a lot of real vegetables instead of trash ones. You''ll just ruin them if you leave them around. ''I''ll go make it right away, so please wait for me. ''Yes. Then, I''ll let you use the chair I''ve been repairing. ''I hope it''s fixed properly. ......'' I can''t help it, I''m not very good at carpentry. My grandfather was so good at fixing everything that I misunderstood carpentry as something easy when I was young. I didn''t realize how difficult it was. Oh, grandfather. If you had told me first, I would have learned it properly. ...... I''ve been thinking about this in my heart, but it''s still my own negligence, and I deeply regret it. I''m going to practice now, and by the time I''m your grandfather''s age, I''ll be able to do it well. ''It''s a beautiful sea fish. Is it a ...... horse mackerel? There are not many sea fish in the 42nd district. Thanks to my grandfather, I used to see them relatively often, and when he was around, I used to eat them quite often. My grandfather would happily say, ''Tonight we have a feast,'' and he would prepare the sea fish, which was really delicious, and I would devour it. My grandfather said he preferred river fish, but I like sea fish. Especially horse mackerel is delicious. Is there any sea fish that tastes better than this? Estella once told me that the ocean is so big that it is beyond imagination. If it''s that big, maybe there is a sea fish that tastes better than horse mackerel. ''I want to see it, the sea. I can''t afford to pay the entrance fee, but it''s impossible for me. For a moment, I thought about taking this sea fish with Estella, but ...... I still think we should save it. There may be some customers who want to eat the sea fish later. If they know that we have sea fish, they may like the restaurant and come back tomorrow. However, we can only serve sea fish once, so even if you have high hopes, we can''t meet them. But I''ll save it for you. It seems that you have drained the blood and prepared the fish properly, so it should keep for a few days. I feel a little bad for Estella, but I will make a delicious stir-fry for her. I washed my hands and prepared the stir-fried vegetables with great care. In the corner of the kitchen where I was wielding the frying pan, there was a pile of vegetables that had started to deteriorate over time. As the sun went down, I sat down on the chair I had repaired today. ''...... rattling''. It''s funny. I thought I cut my legs to the right length. ...... ''But it''s better than before, isn''t it? Estella said it''s more stable than before. Yeah. Let''s consider it progress. Let''s try again tomorrow to fix a different chair. ''............ Is the store closed yet? There''s no one in the store. I thought about using lanterns, but there were no customers and I decided to save money and use candles today. This is a home-made candle that my grandfather made and saved for me. My grandfather made a lot of them because they last longer than lantern oil. It''s dimmer than lanterns, but I think it''s okay. ''...... We don''t have any visitors. I clenched my fists tightly and waited for my sinking feeling to subside. I look up, holding on. You can''t. If you look down, you''ll lose sight of tomorrow. You can''t take your eyes off the future because you don''t know what will happen. Sister taught us to look forward when times are hard. Now is surely the time. ''Let''s prep the vegetables. And while you''re at it, prep the donations for tomorrow. I muttered to myself on the empty floor, but there was no reply. I''m used to it. I''m used to it. I''m used to it. ...... I''m used to it, Grandfather. ''......No.'' His mouth twitches. A crooked smile like this might make the customers uncomfortable. You have to smile properly. ''Okay!Let''s cook. You enter the kitchen and face the pile of vegetables. These are not cheap trash vegetables, but ordinary vegetables at a fair price. But they are damaged in some parts and will become bad vegetables. However, if you remove the damaged parts, you can still enjoy eating it. ''Even though it''s ......, it''s a lot of food. It''s hard to use up such a large amount. But if we don''t use it, all these vegetables will go bad. ''Tomorrow''s donation will be a soup with lots of vegetables. Will the children be happy? They will say, ''Wow, there are so many vegetables! and ''I''m so happy to eat so many vegetables! Will they say, "It''s beautiful! Will they say, ''Wow! ''...... I can''t wait to see everyone''s faces. Every time the wind blows, the poorly built door creaks and creaks. The wooden frames of the windows rattle. Even though I''m all alone, it''s quite noisy at night in the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Is there anyone who can help me with ......? I like cooking, but I don''t think I''m cut out for running a business. In fact, there are many things I would like to do. I want to remodel the tables and chairs to make the customers feel more at home, I want to add more menu items, and I want to hire waiters so that everyone can have fun and work together. ...... But the way I do it, the money just keeps dwindling. ...... ''Your grandfather''s savings have gone down a lot. In order not to give me a hard time, my grandfather cut back and left me a lot of savings even though he was not wealthy. Now, I am using those savings to continue running the Sunken Pavilion. We have no income. We''re always in the red, and my grandfather''s savings are being depleted every month. I stop chopping carrots and turn my attention to the cupboard on the wall where the account book and other important documents are stored. He removes two drawers and finds a small hidden door with a cloth bag inside. My grandfather had always told me, ''Use this when you get married. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that your grandfather has been saving up for you. ...... I''m Alvistan. Marriage. ...... ''If it comes to it, may I use this?Grandfather.'' When I close my eyelids, I can clearly see my grandfather smiling at me. The smile that was always kind and embraced me is still looking at me now. ''I''ll never get married, I''ll always stay at the Sun Goddess Pavilion. So, ......, right?Isn''t that right, Grandfather? Clutching the cloth bag with a few silver coins in it, I thanked my grandfather and begged him with apologies. The sunny pavilion is all I have. Please let me be selfish for a little longer. I don''t know how much I can do by myself. ...... I don''t have the money to hire anyone. ...... Please leave this place to me for a little while longer, Grandfather. As I grasped the cloth bag, tears spontaneously fell. ...... What? You can''t do that. Even though the restaurant is closed, you still need to be a professional while you are in the kitchen. I wiped away my tears, slapped my cheeks, and steeled myself. I carefully put away the cloth bag in the hidden door, put the drawers back in order, and returned to preparing the vegetables. While cutting the vegetables, I practiced my smile. I wanted to be able to smile well when the customers came. So that the pain would not show on my face. I want people to think, ''Wow, that''s cute. ...... ugh. I''ve never had anyone say that to me. The only people who have said that to me are my grandfather, the sisters, and the matron. They''re all very soft on their relatives, you know. At that moment, I felt the door creak. I wondered if I closed the store properly. Well, you don''t have to worry about it, just make sure the door is locked before you go to bed. It''s already this late. Now that you''ve done the preparation with a little bit of pain, let''s do it with a happy heart. You don''t want your dish to taste sad. Oh, by the way, that horse mackerel looks delicious. Shall I eat it all by myself? ''That''s Ginette. What if the waiter is more picky than the customer? ...... ugh. I''m sorry, Grandfather. ...... ugh.'' That was when I was playing by myself. ''Is anyone there? I heard a man''s voice from the floor. It was a customer! I rushed out to the floor and met the man. The man of my dreams, the one who would change me and the Sunken Pavilion forever. The man who gave me the confidence I was losing right after we met. ''Piot Kaidee! I''m sure I''ll never forget those words. 448-< Knock, knock. After knocking, a voice comes from the other side of the door. "Enter ....... A weak voice. If I hadn''t known it was me, one of my attendants would have returned the call. ''Excuse me. I said in a clear voice and opened the door. The room, which had been cleaned to the utmost limit to prevent dust from flying around, smelled a little like disinfection. The lord''s room, where only a minimum number of people are allowed to enter. An emaciated man was lying on a large bed by the window. The current Lord of the Forty-second Ward, Ortwine Cremona. My father. ''Father. I got some fresh vegetables from the Agricultural Guild.'' I fill up a box with fresh vegetables from the Agricultural Guild and hold it up for your father to see. Lying on the bed, your father''s eyes narrowed. I wonder if ...... he knows. But that doesn''t mean you can''t stop here. ''I heard that the quality of vegetables is good this month, look at these carrots. They''re so thick and brightly colored. ''...... I see.'' The breath in my throat makes a faint sound. Your father was infected with an epidemic that hit the 42nd district a few years ago and has yet to be completely cured. His body is growing weaker and weaker by the day. I haven''t been on the stage for almost a year now. Because of ......, I have to be strong. ''I''ll give it to the chef. Please eat a lot of food and be healthy. The people are all looking forward to seeing your father in good health. He ended the conversation with a smile, taking care not to darken the tone. Even if you are a father and a son, you have a limited amount of time to see your father. It is dangerous to exhaust your energy unnecessarily. ''...... Estella''. I was about to leave the room when a weak voice called out to me. When I turned around in front of the door, the father only turned his face toward me and moved his dry, chapped lips. ''...... hardship.'' I''m not sure what to say. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m scared, I''m lonely, I''m anxious. But I''m the acting lord... ''Not at all, sir. The servants are working very hard and the people are very friendly, so there''s nothing to worry about. It''s not a lie. It''s not a lie, but it''s not the truth either. Still, I need to remove as many of your fears as possible. This town still needs you, not this half-baked little girl, but a reliable lord. ''The Forty-Two Wards that your father created and protected is a wonderful city that is second to none. I''ve had a very easy time of it. I think it was a perfect smile. I can put a perfect smile on my face no matter what I''m feeling. It''s one of the noble abilities I''ve mastered. One of the aristocratic skills I''ve mastered, though I''m not sure I''ll ever be proud of it. ...... ''...... I see.'' And with that, your father dropped his head back on the pillow. Again, a muffled sound escaped his throat, and no other sound could be heard. I bowed my head deeply and left the room quietly, careful not to stir up any dust. ''...... haha''. As I closed the door, I relaxed a little. Sighing was not a good idea. ''My Lady.'' Natalia, the head waiter, comes over to me. As the head waiter of the Cremona family, she is supposed to follow her father''s lead, but she has been taking care of me since I was a child. It is for this reason that Natalia, although she is the head waiter of the Cremona family, follows me as the acting lord rather than the lord. ''Natalia, can you give this to the head chef? He''s going to ask you to cook something for your father that will give him energy. ''Yes, sir. With a reverent bow, she takes the crate of vegetables from me and raises her eyebrows slightly. ''...... like this. You''ve pushed yourself too hard again, haven''t you? Natalia seems to see right through me. ''What your father needs is rest and nutrition. As a filial daughter, I''m willing to spend this much.'' That''s right. Most of these vegetables were purchased by me with my own money. Some of them were really given to me by the farming guild, but all of them were too thin to be seen by your father. ''Aren''t these carrots magnificent?Mormat said he was confident about this one.'' ''Also, did you approve the tax payment in kind?'' ''Well, it''s a difficult situation everywhere. The agricultural guilds wholesale vegetables to the peddlers'' guilds and are obligated to pay a set amount of money from the profits to their lords as tax. However, the peddlers'' guild only buys vegetables of good quality, and many of them are not worth more than a few pounds. Naturally, they are troubled by the tax they have to pay, and plead with us to somehow substitute something in kind for the tax. It happens all the time. This is not limited to agricultural guilds. ''Since it''s not a malicious overstep, shouldn''t we be generous and accept it? ''Too generous, I would say.'' Natalia''s tone did not change. She had been lectured a lot since she was a child, but at her age, it was still the same. ''No one will buy the skinny vegetables that the peddlers'' guild refuses to buy. In other words, they cannot be exchanged for money, right? ''But it''s okay that we can eat the vegetables. Since we don''t need to buy vegetables, we are able to reduce our expenditure. ''If we lose our income before we can control our spending, we''ll go bankrupt. I know that. I know that. But you can''t shake what you don''t have. You can''t blame the farming guild or make them take responsibility. ''Many generous people are the virtue of our Forty-Two Wards. ''The most magnanimous are the lords'' families. ...... at all. Even though they have taken in a large amount of vegetables that can''t be exchanged for money, they buy additional vegetables of good quality to make them look better when they show them to the Lord. ......'' ''Well, well, that''s good. We''re all on the edge right now. If those who can push themselves a little harder do so, there will be room somewhere. If you use that room to create room in other places, eventually the whole city will turn into a great city with room. ''It''s idealistic, though, isn''t it? ...... I know. It''s not that easy. I''m acutely aware of that. The more I''m involved in the administration as acting lord, the more I realize the tragic situation of this city and how helpless I am. I want to do something about it. But there''s nothing I can do with that thought alone. My power is too weak to change this city. I can''t create the kind of power that could turn this whole city upside down. ''Maybe you''ll just pop up from somewhere. An eccentric and charming hero who can break through this stagnation. I know I shouldn''t be talking about such wishful thinking, but I am. But it''s okay to dream about it. I''m sure it''s impossible for anyone to successfully break out of this deadlock. One day I''ll have to cut someone down. To avoid killing the whole city, I''ll cut down those who are weak and have no chance of being saved. The small are left to die so that the big can live. It''s as brutal as abandoning your own father, who can no longer stand still long enough. ...... I wonder if I could do that. If I could, ...... I''m not sure if I''ll be able to be the same person after I do that. Will I be the kind of person that my family and friends will be proud of? If I were to become a frog, would I be able to escape this heavy burden? Stay in the swamp, turn away from the world, cover your ears, and breathe low. ...... ...... No, I can''t do that. I don''t even know where the frog''s ears are. If I can''t plug my ears, I can''t pretend not to know. If you can''t turn a blind eye, go to ...... ''When the time comes, I''ll make the decision. I''ll sacrifice my life to save this city. If the only way to keep the big alive is to cut off the small, isn''t it appropriate that the first to be cut off is my tiny life? ''...... Thank you very much. I wonder what expression I had on my face just now. Natalia looked at me and stepped back with a sad expression on her face. ''I have nothing more to say to you,'' was Natalia''s attitude. I''m sorry you''re having such a hard time, my Lord. ''Well, I''ll leave you to take care of the house. ''Where are you going today? ''A little further out to sea. He pulls out a permit from his pocket and shows it to Natalia. This was a one-time permit from the Lord that allowed them to participate in fishing together aboard the Sea Fishing Guild''s boat. ''You''re going fishing, young lady? ''I''ve been invited before. I''m going to make some money to put in our coffers while I get to know my old friend. I''ve known Marsha Ashley of the Seafaring Guild since I was a child. I asked her to let me accompany the Sea Fishing Guild on their fishing trips. The deadline is from this afternoon until dawn tomorrow. Even though it''s my friend''s boat, I''m still worried about going out into the world where forced translation magic is no longer effective. The sea is said to be full of magical beasts and there are many dangers. Even so, I need money for the 42nd district right now. I''ll do anything if I can earn it. As long as the name of acting lord is not tarnished. ''My Lady, ......'' ''Natalia, please.'' I know you want to stop me. But there''s only so much I can do right now, and this is all I can think of right now. So let me at least do the best I can. ''Can you send me off with a smile?I''m sure I can do my best.'' ''...... Thank you very much.'' With a clear face, Natalia thanked him, raised her head, and smiled slightly. ''Thank you. I''ll be back. Leaving the lord''s mansion, they took a carriage to the 35th district. As she swayed in the carriage, she remembered that Ginette liked sea fish. Then I''ll bring her one as a souvenir. I''ll ask Masha to exchange all the rest for cash. The carriage soon leaves the Forty-second Ward. As I watched the 42nd district moving away, I prayed to the spirit gods like a dreaming girl. If my wish comes true, please let me meet a hero who can save us. If such a person appears, I''m willing to devote my life to him or her. As long as he can save my precious 42nd district, that is. Soon, I''ll meet a man. For better or worse, he''s eccentric, powerful enough to turn the whole of District 42 upside down. I still don''t know if my wish reached the spirit gods or not, but I felt something faintly. When I saw him, or even earlier, when I saw that handbill. I can''t really put it into words, but ...... at the risk of sounding clich??, I definitely felt a ray of hope, something like that. I''m sure I felt something like that in his face, which was drawn with a 30% more evil face. 449-Episode 251 And the usual sunny-side-tei --Close your eyelids and concentrate on your nerves. The flow of the wind, the warmth of the air, the scent of oxygen. Your consciousness melts into the world with the feeling of becoming one with everything that exists there. All five senses are unleashed. In the space between nothing and something, I grasp the world... Ta-da! ''Ginette, huh? ''Huh?How did you know that?You just closed your eyes, didn''t you? In the back of the sunlit pavilion, I was sitting in my usual seat, meditating, when Ginette approached me and shouted in astonishment. ...... Huh. It''s not a big deal. ''It''s a result of your daily practice. ''What have you been training for, at all ......?'' ''Oh, Estella.'' I didn''t hear it shake at all, so-- ''I didn''t notice. ''That must be it. I felt a faint desire to kill you in that instant.'' He glared at me with eyes like sharpened knives, and flicked them with sharpened knives. Ha-ha-ha, come on, you can''t take out the real thing. You''ll get arrested. ''What have you been up to, sir? ''No, I''ve been playing around a lot lately. I just thought I should be more careful around here. ''Playing ......?Oh, you mean like Halloween and the Miss Contest? Yes. Because the whole town has been holding a lot of events recently, I haven''t fooled anyone at all. I''m afraid this will dull my con skills. That''s why I decided to take a break and do some training. ''I''ve been slack lately, so I''ve been working on my senses. In addition, by showing a glimpse of this kind of tireless effort, ''Oh, that''s why you''re so great, Yashiro!You''re not on the same level as a pumper!How wonderful! This is a secondary effect. ''Are you doing that kind of nonsense all year round?...... is pathetic. That''s funny. At a time when she should be getting praise, she is getting a very sour look on her face. I would have thought that Estella would understand the importance of daily practice. ...... ''You know what? Practice is all about accumulation. They say that if you miss a day of practice, it takes three days to make up for it. In that respect, piano and tits are the same. ''Definitely not the same. I don''t know why I don''t get it. You''re sharpening your nerves with your daily practice. I mean, is there a piano in this city? Wouldn''t it be strange if there are pianos in this city? Well, it doesn''t matter. I''ll show you right here and now the proof that Estella never misses a day of training. Take out five cards from your pocket. All white, same shape, same size. Write the words "Curse of the Tits" on four of the cards and leave one blank. Turn them over and carefully shuffle them so that they are completely unrecognizable. The card is then spread out and presented to Estella. Naturally, the front is hidden from view. ''Come on, draw! ''Hmm! Estella pulls out the blank card without hesitation. ''Ohhhh! Magda and Loretta applauded, wondering how long they had been watching. ''This is the result of your training. ''''I''m not practicing every day for something as trivial as this, though. ''''''What, no? No! ''''Shut up, you guys!Really! This is the kind of Estella who wants to avoid this kind of randomly written ''curse of breasts'' that has no effect on her, because she''s worried about it. ''You want to rub''. I''m not going to take that kind of flack at all. Tea time is over, the guests have left, the dishes are mostly done, and it''s time to relax. I was in the same place as usual, indulging in the same silly conversation that I always repeat. In short, I was bored. ''Oh, I want to play .......'' ''Didn''t you just say that you were too relaxed to play? You idiot. I''ve had a lot of events. Field day, Halloween, beauty contest. I even reformed the church''s bread, and meddled in something called "Lovely Avenue". That was all because I was busy! Because I was super busy! Give me a break, man! Give me some time to myself! I want to cheat as much as I can! ''Estella. Do you want to pay a lot of money for a smelly vase that has nothing to offer but looks great? ''I don''t want it, it''s such a trivial thing! I see. If you wanted it, I would''ve sold it to you right here and now. ''''Um, Yashiro-san. Are you in need of money by any chance? ''No, I have money. If you''re asking me if I need it or not, I''d like it a lot, but for now, I''m not in trouble with money. ''I see. That''s a relief. Ginette patted her chest, relieved. Ginette patted her chest, taking about eight times as long as Estella. Like Estella, I can''t take the shortest route. ''I have money, but I''m not satisfied. So you''re thinking that you want to get into some kind of trouble again?'' ''Hey, stop it. If you talk about it, it will come to you.I don''t want any trouble. I''ve gotten into a lot of trouble this year. I''ve been involved in a lot of troublesome troubles this year,......, including difficulties from BU. That''s enough. I just want to get through the end of the year in peace and quiet. But, well, you''re right. ...... ''I think I should tell you this. ''What is it?'' Ginette and Estella''s expressions tightened a bit as I looked at them seriously. Magda and Loretta also stared at my face from behind Ginette and the others. ''When Jeannette pats her chest, it takes about eight times as long as Estella, doesn''t it? ''Don''t bother saying such trivial things! ''''It''s true, Estella-san and the manager''s travel distances are too different. ''''Shut up, Loretta! ''...... Estella is the shortest distance.'' ''You too, Magda! ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Please repent! I''m the only one who gets pissed off, even though everyone else is making noise. It''s always the same. Yeah, it''s really the same. Because this is-- This is the Sunken Pavilion. When you say ......, it sounds like the last scene of a movie, right? If my life were to be shown in a theater, this would be the last scene. So you don''t have to get into any more trouble, okay? I''m serious, okay? I''m not pretending, okay? You hear me, genie god? Seriously, if you give me any trouble, I''m gonna blow you away, okay? I''ll make a punching balloon with your face on it and sell it to you. ...... Oh, I bet if you had a guy from this town make one, it would be a mushroom get up and spill. ''Oh ......, I don''t trust the Spirit God.'' ''''Why are you suddenly talking about that! Ginette is startled and says something a little unclear like, ''The Spirit God is a very merciful person. There''s no way that such a benevolent person would harass me with such exquisite and troublesome harassment every time. ''No, he''s laughing at me as I run around frantically. He must be.'' ''You really shouldn''t talk to ...... the Spirit God like he''s your friend. You''re being punished. ''No, big brother could be friends with the spirit gods. ''...... Even the spirit gods are in your strike zone.'' ''Oh, um, Yashiro-san ......, you can''t do that, can you?'' I''m not. In addition, the people in this town are basically Alvistans, but there are those who attach sama to the spirit gods and those who don''t. Surprisingly, Estella does not wear a sash. ...... though she sometimes does it in front of church officials as a good girl. Oh, you know, there are times when she addresses you without any context. I guess that''s when I''m making a wish to the spirit gods. Mainly in the chest area. ''Estella doesn''t often add ''sama'' to the spirit gods, does she? ''Eh, is that so?I''ve never really thought about it. My impression is that she basically doesn''t. Estella and Magda are the ones who don''t add ''sama''. I remember Lucia also said ''spirit god''. And the ones who do are Ginette and Bertina, and Loretta ....... ''So, if you call a genie god ''sama'', you can grow up to at least a C cup. ......'' ''Of course not!I''m not interested in such nonsense, the spirit gods. ''Estella-san has suddenly started using samae! ''...... The woman who never misses the slightest possibility, Estella.'' ''Oh, shut up!I''ll always pay my respects. I''m a devout Arvistan. That''s not very pious. Estella''s faith is a blur. She''s only going to cling to it when it suits her. It''s a little like the Japanese who only go to shrines during the New Year''s visit and the exam season. Wow, I feel very close to you. ''I''m sorry, please! While I was feeling strangely close to Estella, a small voice floated into the cafeteria. A small girl peeked in through the door with a reserved look. A large ladybug hair ornament is swaying on her head. ''Hello, Miss Milly. Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion. ''Oh, ...... you''re not a guest today,...... I''m sorry, aren''t you?'' ''No. You''re always welcome here, Millie.'' ''Haha. Thank you for your time. I''m not sure what to say, but I think it''s a good idea. On her shoulder is a pochette that looks like the usual large Boston bag. It''s a pochette. That''s what Milly says. ''Hey, Miriri!Can I ask you a question?'' Loretta raises her hand and dances in front of Milly. ''What is it?Loretta-san. ''What do you call the Spirit God, Miriri? ''Huh?Let''s see, ...... God of Spirits, right? ''...... but a B cup.'' ''What?Why do you say that out loud, Magda? ''...... Yashiro''s hypothesis has been rejected.'' ''There are cases where you can''t reach a C even if you put it like that.'' ''That''s right!That''s right, isn''t it!I thought so! I''m sure you''re right! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. It''s okay, it''s okay. I''m not going to let them bother me. I don''t care about them. What do you want today?'' Did you come to see me because you wanted to see me? Oh, how cute. ...... Oh, no, apparently not. He turned to Jeannette with a happy face. ''Hmm. I''ve come to share with you today. ''You''re sharing? Ginette looked into Milly''s face with a smile and a happy look. A bunch of leaves are handed to Ginette. I''m not sure what to do. ...... That''s a lot. I''m not sure. I heard that there were a lot of people staying here last year. ''Well, they''re Hiral leaves. Are you sure you want so many?'' ''Yes. Eat them all.'' Hilar leaves. Hmm, I''ve heard that somewhere before: ...... ''It''s that time of year already, isn''t it? ''Hmm. I want to play in the river with everyone again this year. Oh!That''s right!The leaves of the hilar! It is said that the hot season will come soon after the leaves are harvested, and the heavy snow season will come right after that. Well, it''s already that season, isn''t it? ''Well, are the leaves of the hilar eaten in every ward? I wonder if each district has its own characteristics. It''s like zoni in Japan. ''No, isn''t Hilal''s leaf a culture unique to District 42? Estella replies, smiling a little bitterly. ''That''s the only way to preserve food, in the past. In the 42nd district, which is the poorest district, it''s difficult to make dried meat and other slightly rich preserved foods. ...... Or, even if such preserved foods were available, many of them couldn''t afford them. In the event that you have any questions concerning where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ...... What is that? It makes me cry. ''Let''s make lots of oshiruko again this year. ''No, Yashiro. I''m glad you showed me a glimpse of kindness, but everyone can already buy enough preserved food. District Forty-two has made great strides in the past year. There is no one who can be called poor anymore, Estella said. It is said that the lord has started to provide protection allowance to poor families who are financially strapped. They used this as a foothold to build a system to rebuild their lives. When he met Yap Rock when he was at the end of his rope, he decided that he could not leave him alone and took action. He breathed a sigh of relief that he had managed to keep up appearances, although it took a long time. The lord of this district is such a good-natured man. ''So, we might not be able to eat Hilal''s leaves anymore? Well, it''s a poor preserved food. Last year we made boiled rice and soup. From this year, every family will eat meat. And yakiniku is becoming popular. I was thinking something like this. ''Oh no!I want to eat soaked hilar! ''...... It doesn''t feel like the end of the year without it. Loretta and Magda were fiercely opposed, and Milly was nodding her head vigorously. ''Then, let''s have boiled rice and soup together again this year. Ginette said with a look of excitement on her face. ''I''m also a big fan of hilar leaves. She flicks her tongue at him. Oh, I see. So this is it. It''s like a ritual. Even in Japan, where there is no longer a need to store food during the year-end and New Year holidays, it continues to survive, as if it would be lonely without it. It is truly a poetic tradition. It''s not about rationality or right and wrong anymore. At the end of the year in the 42nd district, a leaf of hilarity is indispensable. I guess that''s how it is. ''Well, let''s stock up on a lot of ......, are they going to come back to stay? I''m sure there were some unavoidable circumstances last year, but this year, why don''t you prepare properly in advance? I can''t stand it when it becomes an annual event, that kind of foolishness. But... ''It''s fun to be with you all, so let''s make lots of preparations. Ginette was eager. Oh, I''m sure this is inevitable. ...... ''Speaking of annual events...'' Next to Magda and Loretta, who are playing nicely with Millie, Estella asks me. ''When is this year''s Festival of Light going to be held? ''The Festival of Light? ''You see, we did it last year. We used the streets to return the light to the church. It''s a festival we planned to attract people to the road in front of the Sunken Pavilion when it wasn''t called a road yet. It was a big event with a lot of stalls to show off the glowing bricks. Thanks to this event, a street was built in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''We''re not planning to hold it this year, are we? ''What?Why not? Nothing, nothing at all. ...... ''I just wanted to put a street in front of my store. There''s no reason to do it now that the road is clear. In the first place. ''It''s too late for that, isn''t it? Last year''s festival was held much earlier than that. If you want to do it, you''ll have to do more laying the groundwork in advance. ''Then why don''t you just tell me? ''You should be the one to organize it. The town''s events are under the lord''s jurisdiction, right? Even if that''s not the case, we''ve had a lot of new events this year. I can''t be bothered with events that are already over. ''If you want to make this an annual event, you should discuss with Natalia and the guild leaders which ones to keep and which ones to leave out. It''s not something you can just do on a whim, you know. ''...... field day, Halloween, Miss Contest''. ''Well, well, ...... it''s true that we''ve done a lot of things just for fun. There''s a difference between the first time and the second time onwards! The first time, even if you fail, they will tolerate you. It''s a memorial, a memory, a memory, a vasminarnier. But that''s not good enough if you want to make it an annual event. The ''why'' of the event becomes important. Just because it''s fun doesn''t mean it will last. People cannot spend money, time, and passion on something that they know will fail. ''If you want to do it, you have to start from the beginning of the year. ''I see, I was looking forward to .........'' ''We don''t know if we''ll have Halloween or field day next year, do we? ''No, let''s do it, it''s a good opportunity. ''Are you taking into account the possibility of putting pressure on the district''s finances?'' ''I''d like to do the light festival at ............. It was very beautiful, everyone seemed to enjoy it, and we made a lot of profit. It seems that the festival of lights is the first priority. ''Whatever you do, think about the scale. Otherwise, it will either expand too much and go bankrupt, or shrink too much and die out naturally, either way, it won''t last. It was the same with Jeannette''s birthday. Loretta and Magda wanted to throw a party as big as last year''s, or even bigger, but Ginette refused. I agreed with Ginette. Expanding the scale of the party every year would put pressure on the management of the Sun Goddess Pavilion, and more importantly, it would be too much work for Ginette. The people who are celebrating also have to bear a lot of heartache. The more grand the celebration, the greater the hardship. If someone says, "We''ll rent out the Tokyo Dome and celebrate with 100,000 people just for you! I''m going to rent out Tokyo Dome for 100,000 people to celebrate for you alone!" would make you feel depressed and pressured to fall asleep, right? Everything is better in moderation. So, I kept Ginette''s birthday this year to a small one. We gave her a small gift and ate Ginette''s home-cooked meal together with those close to her. The cake was the only thing I tried a little harder. I did. That''s about right. ''You''re right, it can be hard to keep Halloween going every year at the level it is this year. ......'' On Halloween, the Trubek Engineering Shop, the Hardware Guild, and the Clothing Guild--or rather, the Uclines--worked extremely hard. A number of the latest technologies were presented for the first time. We can''t keep up the Expo-like excitement every year. Downsizing is necessary to continue for a long time. ''But I want to maintain the level of last year''s Light Festival. ''Well, if each store made a profit, why don''t we ask for sponsorship? Even last year, when we didn''t know what we were doing, we were able to get some sponsorship. I''m sure we can get as much money as we want from people who know the taste of the festival. ''Oh, if we hold a festival, we''d like to have fireworks at the same time. ''What, it''s not a wedding? ''No, fireworks are not limited to weddings. In my hometown, there are many places that set off fireworks together with festivals. ''I see. ......Yeah, I''ll think about it.'' ''...... You look so happy.'' Estella is very positive. I can see that she wants to do the festival of lights no matter what. Did you enjoy eating so much? ''It was for Imelda''s entertainment, though. As if remembering those days, Estella gazes at the sky with a happy face. ''I wore a yukata, carried a gumbo, and ate strange food stuck in a stick. ...... It was fun, right, Yashiro? He smiled at me in a natural way. It was an act that emphasized the fact that this guy and I had spent the same amount of time together. At that time, Jeannette and the others were in the middle of their work. It''s like me and Estella were the only ones playing around, isn''t it uncomfortable? ''Estella-san, were you happy that you could monopolize your brother? ''No, it wasn''t exclusive!Because Imelda was there! ''...... After the festival, she was so excited to receive a coin purse from Yashiro. Magda was bragged about four times. ''That''s because, you see, at Yashiro''s request, I had to give up my own personal purse to make up for it! ......? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. You really are a careless lord, aren''t you? ''Anyway!The Festival of Light is so much fun, I''m going to make it an annual event starting next year!And I want to keep good relations with the church. Estella said in a loud voice to hide her embarrassment. That loud voice reached his ears. ''Let''s hear all about it, Estella!And the anchovy! Boom!And then, the door was thrown open and Lucia walked into the sunlit pavilion. ...... Why are you here? ''Are you going to do something fun while I''m gone that I don''t know about?I will not allow you to do such a thing! ''No, ......, it''s none of your business.'' ''What do you mean, anchovies!I''ll just gather up the inedible parts of the crab and feed them to you. Stop it! You''re making me sick! ''Um, ...... Lucia-san?'' ''What, it''s Estella? ''What can I do for you today, ......? ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Isn''t that Millie?You''re looking even prettier today!Can I rub it on you? ''Calm down, you perverted lord! ''Anchovies. Even Estella can get hurt, you know?Be careful what you say. ''You''re the one who''s a pervert! What, you''re not even aware of it? Are we finally at the point where we need to quarantine him? ''What are you doing here?It''s not the kind of distance you come to for no reason, is it? Just to be sure, the 35th district, as seen from the 42nd district, is the furthest district located on the diagonal of the outer districts. Even if you use the New Road that passes through District 29, it''s still far away because it''s on the diagonal. It''s not a distance I can come to very often. ...... ''Hmmm. There''s a lot of demand for fireworks, a new specialty of our district. The tax revenue has gone up, so we''ve upgraded the carriages!The speed of the horses is much higher than before!Isn''t it amazing! ''Spend your effort and money elsewhere! Do you really want to come to the Forty-Two districts, you! ''''Hmph, you''re a little scary guy. I''ve brought you something that is often traded in District 35 at this time of year. ''Is that the kind of food that is preserved for the heavy snowfall season? ''Yes. Well, let''s just say it''s a tradition. Gilberta, bring it here. ''Yes, I will.'' I guess he wanted to surprise us by hiding the contents of the package until the last minute. Lucia had Gilberta, who was waiting out front, bring the package to her. The square box that Gilberta brought was covered with a black cloth. You''re really rushing me to the last minute. ''I was thinking that if I could get Ginepu to cook this, it would be delicious. ''Wow, I''m glad. I wonder what kind of food it is. I''m excited. Ginette approaches Gilberta with her request. Estella also seems to be interested and takes her place next to Gilberta. Then, Magda and Loretta huddle together, and Milly also seems to be interested and places herself in the crowd. The girls crowded in front of a square box covered with a black cloth that Gilberta was holding. Then, at Lucia''s signal, the black cloth is removed. ''Now, let''s open it up! ''I''ll rip off the black cloth in a flash. At that moment, the girls in the crowd screamed and fell backwards. Gilberta was holding a glass aquarium with a huge sea eel swimming in it. The girls screamed, probably because the conger eel was rushing toward the glass of the tank. ''What, what, what ...... is this? ''Hahahaha!Estella doesn''t like spindly things, does she?'' Lucia''s reaction was as expected, and she was very pleased. ''Um, Yashiro-san.'' Perhaps a little startled, Jeannette turns back to me while holding her chest. ''What''s wrong?Do you want me to help you hold it down?'' ''No, sir!Um, Yashiro-san, do you know what that is?'' Ginette had never seen a conger eel before, and didn''t even seem to recognize it as a fish. ''Ah. It''s delicious. There are several ways to prepare it. ......'' ''I see. Would you like to tell me about it?'' ''That''s fine, but...'' ''Hey, Lucia. How do you usually eat these?'' ''I usually open it up and roast it or steam it. If you keep them in an aquarium, they''ll live through the heavy snowfall, so they make good preserved food. Is it a preserved food? Well, it''s good enough for a week or ten days. ''Then I''ll tell you the best way to eat them. We''ve just gotten a good one. ''Ginette, you want to try mirin? ''Yes!I want to use it! Just the other day, we received mirin from Ribeka, a koji maker in the 24th district. He said he had rice malt, so I taught him how to make mirin. I told him how to make mirin, because mirin can expand the range of cooking. In return for the mirin, he gave me the recipe. The more seasonings, the better. I can make teriyaki with this... I can''t stop dreaming. And mirin is useful in this dish too! I''m going to make kabayaki sea eel and sea eel rice! Such a lively but strangely relaxing daily life passed like this. 450-Episode 252 What has happened so far, whats to co... There''s an irresistible smell spreading in the sunny pavilion. ''Mwah!This is delicious! The one raising her stupid voice like Loretta and devouring the sea eel rice is Lucia, the lord of the 35th district, who was once thought to be a cool-headed lord who never gave up. Now she''s a disappointed girl who loves insects. ''I''ve never had a brown sea eel before,'' she said. I think I like the taste of this one. Gilberta''s mouth drops open as she gobbles up the sea eel. That''s right, the scent that is spreading through the sunlit pavilion right now is the scent of savory kabayaki. ''I should have cooked it in the garden. ''Because the smell would be too thick? ''No, because the smell would attract passers-by. ''You''re right, it does smell very nice. It''s fragrant, sweet and spicy, and it makes me hungry. Ginette looked satisfied with her first kabayaki. Though it seems that she enjoys cooking more than eating. ''It smells so good, Ginette. ''You''ve caught a sister with the smell. ''This one doesn''t count because she''s always biting no matter what I make. It doesn''t matter how odorless it is, as long as it''s tasty, it will come. Well, since Lucia brought in the sea eel and we don''t get it regularly, we can''t even put it on the menu, so we''ll just have a big sea eel party today. ''You should eat it, too. It''s not something you can eat very often. ''Yes, sir. I''ll eat it then. I mobilized all the fire rings to make kabayaki, and in the kitchen, I cooked rice in broth and boiled conger eel to make conger rice. The conger eel rice is garnished with chopped dried laver and broiled egg, and served in the style of hitsu-mabushi. Oh, eating conger eel makes me want to eat eel too, doesn''t it? I''ll ask Masha about it next time. ...... Is eel caught in the sea?I''m not sure if it''s in the river or in Delia''s domain. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something to suit your needs. ...... Ginette eats her kabayaki with a chuckle. It also looks delicious steamed with sake. ''Also, kabayaki is beautiful not only for its aroma but also for its shiny appearance. ''The mirin gives it that ''shine''. Soy sauce and sake can''t produce this level of ''shine''. I''m glad I got good mirin. ''Jinepu, can I have another one? ''Yes, I''m home. Lucia called, and Jeannette ran to her. If Ginette likes to watch people eat rather than eat, I guess that''s her priority. Magda and Loretta are already absorbed in eating. They''re sitting at the same table as Estella, gobbling up sea eel. ''Estella-sama. It''s good manners to use broth to make ochazuke for the third cup. I don''t know how long she''s been there, but Natalia is lecturing me with a knowing look. How can you talk so smugly about the manners of something you ate for the first time today? ''Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Lucia. ''Mmm. This kabayaki is really delicious. It tastes different from the white-baked ones from District 35.'' ''Yes. Yashiro-san taught me how to make it.'''' ''As expected of Jinepu!The fluffiness of this kabayaki meat is ...... superb! ''Yashiro''s cooking is exquisite. I have a lot to learn from you. ''Jinepu''s homemade food is delicious. I want to eat it every day!I think I''ll take her home with me! ''What?You can''t do that, Yashiro-san is a very important person for the Sun Goddess Pavilion! ''Hey, Estella. I don''t know, am I tired?The subject of the conversation seems to be getting lost. ''That''s strange. I''m also puzzled by the conversation that''s going on even though it''s not in sync. From Lucia''s point of view, the subject is fixed on Ginette because Ginette is the only one she wants to praise, and the subject is fixed on me because Ginette is Ginette and I''m the one who made the sea eel kabayaki. Both sides seem to take the other''s subject as a ''misstatement'' in the face of unshakable facts. Ginette is stubborn and inflexible, isn''t she? Oh, Lucia''s fine. She''s probably just doing it on purpose. ''You should''ve eaten Miriri too. ''It can''t be helped. This is the time of year when everyone is busy with preparations, munching. You can find a lot more information on this topic at ....... Millie left early because she still had work to do at the flower guild. It seems that she really only came to share the leaves of Hilar. Lucia was lonely, and even started to complain, but I silenced her by sticking a conger eel on her face. ''Crap!It smells fishy! She was fainting in agony, Lucia. ''Yes, Ginette . Do you want to go to Assunto''s after this?'' ''Huh?I was thinking of going tomorrow?'' ''...... Let''s go before it gets too hot.'' Last year we were forced to walk around the city in extreme heat. It''s going to be so hot tomorrow anyway. Let''s go around while we can. Let''s go around today while the weather is pleasant like this fine autumn day. ''But, since Lucia is also here, ......''. ''Nah, don''t worry about it, Ginepoo. We''ll be back as soon as we eat this. ''So much to do, today. ''Is that so? I can''t help you.'' No, no. I cooked the food you brought in without permission. You''re all over the place. I''d even take the money. ''So, Estella. When are you going to play in the river? ''Why are you trying to come! ''I mean, where did you get this information? ''Because Ma-tan said, "I''m going to participate this year..."'' Marcia''s imitation doesn''t resemble me enough to puke! ''Rejoice, anchovy. I''ll take you up on it! ''Everyone~. This year''s river trip is a sumptuous seafood barbecue on the 35th Ward''s dime. You should thank them. ''Anchovy, how dare you! ''Thank you, Miss Lucia! ''...... thanks. ''Alright, let''s get a bunch of them! The beastly duo of Loretta and Magda thanked her, and Lucia readily agreed. She''s so easy, this one. ''Tell Masha to prepare eels if there are any. ''Eels?Yeah, it''s a fake eel.'' ''You idiot! Eels are not fake! It''s the king of summer, no exaggeration! I''ll eat real hitsu-mabushi! ''Well, let me tell you something. I''ll let you know. You can arrange the date with the head waiter. ''Thank you, I''ll let Natalia know. ''We''ll arrange a date as soon as possible. It''s all going to plan. Well, if Lucia wants to come, she can come. A river trip is just a trip. The only thing we have to do is cook lunch on the riverbank. The only thing left to do is to enjoy looking at the beautiful women in their swimsuits. ''Well then, Yashiro-san. Shall we go out? ''Yes, let''s. Magda, Loretta, can you take care of the store? ''I''ll take care of it! ''...... And it''s almost time for the forces to arrive.'' Magda folded her fingers and started the countdown. ''Mr. ......, ni,ich...... zero.'' ''Konnichiwa soooo!Muhaha!It smells really good today, doesn''t it? You''re so meticulous, Umaro. You''re right on time. ''This delicious smell is the unknown food you''re eating now!I want to eat it too!What should I make?What should I make? ''Calm down, ......, it''s too hot even before the heat wave. The smell of kabayaki and conger eel rice has captured my heart, and Umaro is getting very excited. I mean, you shouldn''t be so cheap. If you take on a job just for the food, ...... I''ll be happy, heh heh. ''Umaro. Don''t let Yashiro tame you too much. You have a real job to do.'' ''That''s true, of course, ......, but working with Yashiro-san is different.'' Umaro smiles indulgently. But with his back to Estella. That''s a novel conversation style. I''m used to seeing it. ''I''m going to take more and more requests from Yashiro-san and become the best carpenter in all of Broome! ''Your goals don''t match your methods. If you''re aiming to be number one, don''t ask an amateur for his opinion. I don''t know if he''s aiming high or just trying to get lukewarm. ''...... Umaro'' ''What is it, Magda? When Magda calls out to him, Oumalo turns his head happily. Yeah, yeah. It''s the usual scene. But what happened next was a little different. Magda tilted her head at ....... He stares at Umaro. ''...... Are you tired? ''Muhaha!Magda gave me a word of encouragement? No, I don''t think he meant ''good work'', but ''are you tired? I think he meant, ''Are you tired? ''I''m a hundred times more energetic now!I think I can do a perfect job now! You don''t look tired at all. He''s the same old Umaro. Magda must have been convinced when she saw the cheerful Umaro shaking his fist. He muttered, ''...... so,'' and listened to Umaro''s order. He didn''t need to ask, though, it was sea eel rice and kabayaki. ''Well, I''m going out, so take care of the store, Magda, Loretta, and Oumalo. ''Huh!You''ve been slipped in so easily! ''I''ll leave it to you! ''...... The three of us will protect the manager and the others in their absence.'' ''Haaaaan!I''ve been included in Magda''s ''tachi''!I''ll defend the peace of the Sun Goddess Pavilion to the death! He''s a hot guy. I think I''ll ban you during the heat wave. It''s too hot. ''Anchovy! Lucia called out to us as we were leaving the restaurant. With a toothpick in her mouth. ...... Hey, there, lady. Are you sure that''s a good idea? It''s a noblewoman thing. ''You''ll have to entertain me and Ma-tan at best. It''s about to start, isn''t it?The thing. ...... d*mn. We''d better keep a good relationship with District 35 and the Sea Fishing Guild. Until the thing is completed. ''If you want to entertain, tell Estella. That''s a lord''s job, you know.'' ''Hmph, you''re the one who suggested it. I''ll give you a lot of responsibility.'' I don''t want that much responsibility. Nevertheless, one of my secret dreams will soon come true. I might as well give you a reception. The thing that''s about to start-- Until the construction of the harbor is safely finished. So, leaving it to Estella and Natalia to see Lucia off, we quickly came to the 42nd district branch of the peddlers guild. ...... Crap. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, no. I forgot something to scribble on.'' ''No, you can''t. No graffiti on the walls.'' Ginette chuckles and gives me a warning. But, you know, this big white wall is a public canvas. Let the kids have it. It''ll be an artistic exterior in no time. The wall alone could be worth hundreds of millions of yen if future artists are born out of it. An investment, an investment. I''ll tell Assunto. We told the maidservant who was cleaning the yard that we were coming, and we went to Assunto. ''So it''s worth several hundred million. ''No, I can''t touch an investment with such an uncertain future. d*mn it. So Assunto''s plan to mess up the white mansion with graffiti from the kids has failed. It was just swept away with a cool face. ''This year, too, we will have the same items as usual,'' he said. ''Yes, please. Assunto has a list of things he needs to prepare for this time of year, and based on that list, he adds things he needs, things he doesn''t need, and things he would like to see added. Thanks to the list, we can talk quickly, and it even reminds us of things that we might forget. It''s a very customer-first service. ......, you think? In fact, it is a ploy to make people buy items that are not tight, but would be useful to have, and that are aimed at the line that they might want. Most of the time, you can get by without such things that you just forget about, but when you see them like this, you want them. It''s just like when you go to a super cheap mass merchandiser and end up buying something unnecessary. Assunto, what an infuriating move. ...... ''This is good business. ''I am honored to receive the highest praise. A happy, smiling pig face. ''Oh, by the way, have pig''s feet arrived yet? ''Didn''t you talk about it last year around this time? No, I just couldn''t help looking at your face. ''Come to think of it, it was just about this time a year ago, wasn''t it? What did he remember? Assunto bent down to press his legs with a pale face. ''Well, didn''t I show my foot pressure points for the first time here last year during the heat wave? ''Now it''s become so common that there''s a rumor in town that you can''t mention the word ''foot pressure points'' in the sunny pavilion. ''What, there''s a rumor like that going around? Ginette shouted in surprise. ...... Well, with so many victims, it''s not surprising that such information would be shared. You can''t help but feel sorry for yourself. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''Tracy, you must be traumatized. ......'' I can say that I am the lord who has tasted the horror of foot pressure points the most. ''You''ve made a name for yourself, Jeannette. ''It''s not me, sir!Oh, uh, Mr. Assunto. The foot massage itself is a very good thing, so why don''t you help us improve our image?It can help you sleep better and make your skin glow! ''Then perhaps you should start by learning the word ''moderation'', Miss Jeannette. ''Huh. ......'' Ginette was speechless as she smiled back. You''re a hustler when it comes to foot massages. ''If you export it to ''Lovely Yann Avenue'' as a moderate massage, it will eventually take root. ''That''s a good idea. If you want, I can be your instructor. ''''No, I prefer ''moderate''.'''' ''''Huh,'''' Yashiro and Assunto said in unison, ''''.......'''' If Ginette is made an instructor, foot pressure points will be perceived as an object of fear. If there is a massage parlor, I want to go there too. I''ve been having a lot of stiff shoulders lately. ...... ''Oh, by the way, we can offer soybeans at a discount this year. ''Oh, so the demand has finally stabilized.'' ''Yes. I''m glad to hear that. Since the trouble with BU, beans can be grown in other districts. Soybeans and red beans, which are in high demand, are grown in District 42. In return, a certain amount of tax is paid to BU according to the harvest. Otherwise, districts with no industry will go bankrupt. Only those beans that have been checked by the BU and found to be of satisfactory quality can be approved. By doing so, the quality of the beans is protected. This prevents inferior farmers from mass-producing inferior products that would degrade the taste of miso and soy sauce. ''Didn''t I buy soybeans and red beans last year? ''They only come on the market at this time of year. It''s because the production of miso and soy sauce temporarily stops at the end of the year. Miso and soy sauce factories also take a break from work during this season. They can continue to ripen, but the preparation stops. Therefore, soybeans and azuki beans are available only during this season. It is said that this is the only time when soybeans and azuki beans are available, as a blessing for the year-end and New Year holidays. It is said that soybeans were sold very well because they are not available to the general public at other times of the year. That will last until this year, though. ''Demand will drop next year, I bet. ''I''m sure it will. But this year, it''s growing explosively. Things that have been hard to buy until now are appearing on the market at reasonable prices this year. It seems that ordinary households are jumping at the chance to buy them. If a luxury brand that you couldn''t afford before starts selling at a discount, you''ll jump at it. At first. After next year, cheap prices will be the norm, and demand will only soar until this year. ''We''ll spend another year figuring out how to sell it. You look pleased. He looks as if he''s about to show off his skills. He''s really starting to enjoy his work now. ''Mm-hmm. Mr. Assunto, you look happy.'' ''Yes. Thanks to you, this year has been really fulfilling.'' He''s smilingly sending me words like ''thanks to you''. If you think so, why don''t you give me half-price privileges for the whole year? ''In the 24th district, Mapo Tofu is a big hit. It''s a collaboration of a new specialty and a nostalgic specialty. Twenty-fourth Ward, where soybeans were grown, was also famous for its tofu. However, with the birth of miso and soy sauce, all the soybeans were diverted to those two products and tofu disappeared. However, with the rise in the production of soybeans, tofu has made a comeback, and the nostalgic taste of tofu is now booming, especially among the nostalgic elderly. Then came the new seasoning soybean paste made from koji, and the 24th district is said to be in a festive mood. I''ll have to thank Donnis, the Lord of District 24, accordingly. Thanks to me, the heir problem has been solved. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ''Oh yeah, I heard that nostalgia bars are becoming popular. ''A nostalgic bar? ''It''s a bar where you can enjoy tofu and sweet sake.'' ''What''s with that vicious mismatch of food ......'' In the first place, amazake is not sake. Don''t serve it in a bar. ''It seems to be a hot topic, especially among the elderly, as they can enjoy the nostalgic taste again. It is said to have become a dating spot for elderly couples. ''Wow, what a dangerous place. Is this a place where old people gather and make out? I''m going to have my eyes gouged out. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that," whispered Ginette in a hushed voice. It''s a great deal of fun. ''To invite Mr. Merle to join us. ''Oh, he''s going to do such a roundabout thing, that old man ......''. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us. ...... He''s also a very crooked man. I''m not sure what to make of it. He''s probably the most black-hearted of all the nobles I know. She''s usually a calm old lady, though. ''It would be fun to tell old man Zelmar, he''s always on edge. ''Mm-hmm. It''s a bit far, but it''s nice to travel once in a while. Jeannette also wished Grandma Mum well. A regular customer at the Sunlit Pavilion when Jeannette''s grandfather was still alive. Grandma Mum and old man Zelmar. Bobba and Frouft, the old man''s friends. And Orkio, a former noble of the 35th district. The marriage of Sirach, a swallowtail butterfly, and Orkio, a human aristocrat, caused many tragedies due to the prevailing customs and stereotypes of the time, but now the people around them have settled down and they live happily together in the 35th district. They occasionally come to Sundaari-tei for coffee and cake. She has not lost weight and remains a thin, fragile old woman. It''s as if the days when she was a lump of fat never existed. ...... Is that the power of love?It''s scary. ''The New Road has been built between the 29th and 42nd districts, and distribution has become more active. This year, we''ll be able to introduce a variety of rare items. In the past, most of the goods coming in from the outside went to the Central District. In the past, most of the products coming in from the outside went to the Central District, but not to the 42nd District, where they had to go around the outer districts. However, the flow of goods changed when a new road leading to the 42nd district, the farthest district, was created in the 29th district, right next to the 30th district, which boasts the highest traffic volume in All Bloom. The tax revenue of the 29th district has increased due to the toll tax, and the tax revenue of the 30th district has also increased due to the increase in the number of merchants who are trying to sell goods to the outer districts where they could not do business before. I hope that we can build a friendly relationship with them and ask them to provide us with various benefits. We should return the benefits we receive. I mean, do it! ''Next year will be different from this year again. Assunto smiles, looking to the bright future. Then he turns his expectant eyes toward you and smiles broadly. ...... Don''t expect me to do it for you. Move yourself, move yourself. ''You''re too quick. It''s a good idea. That''s right.'' You look so happy. ''Before that, we''ve got the hellish hot season and the heavy snow season. Just thinking about it makes me sick.'' ''Oh?It''s not like Mr. Yashiro to come up with such an interesting idea as a kamakura caf??. Isn''t it precisely because of such times of the year that you have a business opportunity? That''s just a coincidence. This year, many stores will try to imitate it, so the Sunken Pavilion will not be as crowded as last year. I''ll be able to relax. ''Besides, Ukrines-san was mass-producing new swimsuits. ''That''s something to look forward to, yes! ''Oh God, Yashiro-san. Please repent .......'' It''s the only thing I look forward to during the heat wave. The new swimsuit. I''m looking forward to seeing what kind of pointy things I can see this year. ''And then--'' And then--'' Assunto says to me with a smirk. ''The thing you mentioned last year, we''ve prepared it for you this year. I don''t know what you''re planning to do, but if it''s a good deal, I''d like to be a part of it. He smiled as if he could hear such a voice. I was going to ask him to share some of it with me, since Mahr had secured it for himself. ...... If you buy a lot of it from Assunto, you can use it for your business. ...... It''s hard work during the heat wave and heavy snowfall, so a few minutes after you want to take a rest, you''ll be thinking of a profitable story. This is probably due to the fact that I have been influenced by the most sycophantic corporate animal in the 42nd district. The Kamakura Cafe is expected to lose sales this year, so we''re going to make a lot of money during the heat wave. We''ll be serving cold, classic sweets. 451-Episode 253 Cold Sweets in the Heat After visiting Assunto''s house, I went to Norma''s house alone. ''No~Oh~Ma~chan*'' ''Whoa!Did the heavy snow season come before the hot season? Norma cowered her shoulders and rubbed her arms. I''m sorry. I''m such a pretty and friendly person. ''Actually, I have a job I need you to do as soon as possible. ''What is it this time?Yeah, I''ve got what you asked for. You said you wanted it done in time for the heat wave. ''Yeah, yeah. I was wondering if you could make me two more ASAP? ''What about ......? ''No, I know what you mean! If you''re asking me to make two more of something I''ve already tried and failed to make, and you''re asking me to do it ASAP, I think you''re pushing me a little too hard! But I''m sure Norma can do it! But Norma can do it! ''You''re going to play the reward, right? "Reward? What''s that? I''ll give you a hug all you want, but ....... ''I''ll give you a breast enhancement massage. I''ll give you a breast enhancement massage. ''Carefully! ''Just don''t do that obscene thing with your hands! It''s not indecent! It''s called a ''soft, enveloping angel touch''! ''I heard that ...... you had a lot of fun last year, didn''t you?You know? ''Last year, you would have joined in, right? I can still see Norma in her swimsuit. It''s good. It''s almost spilling out. ...... ''My hands are massaging you again! Oh, no, no, no. I can''t believe I''m doing this. ''......, that''s not what I meant.'' I looked away, my hands fidgeted, my tail wagged busily, and Norma glanced at me as she spoke. ''Not during the heat wave, but during the heavy snowfall,......, you know,......, right? Ah, you mean the group stay during the heavy snow. It''s not that they did it on purpose, they just came here on their own, and Jeannette just accepted all of them. ...... ''...... It''s too small. Delia and Imelda would have come even if I told them not to. What are Estella and the others going to do?I''m sure she won''t make the same mistake again. ...... It''s possible that she didn''t make a mistake, but that she did it on purpose. In any case, there''s not enough room at the sunlit pavilion. It''s not a lodging facility. It''ll be fine.I''ll sleep with Magda on my stomach! It''s like riding a train with a child on your lap. ...... It''s hard even on the bullet train. It''s hard even on the bullet train. ''Well, I''ll ask Jeannette. ''Yes, you did! ''In return, we''ll get two more of those machines from .......'' ''I think they''re ready! What? They''re already ready before we order them? ''I just wanted to have them on hand in case there were any problems. That''s good, because I have two more just like it. That''s very convenient. ''Then come to the Sunken Pavilion tomorrow morning. I''ll give you a sample.'' ''Tomorrow?You can still make time today, right? ''No, it''s cooler today. It''s only when you eat it on a hot day that it tastes good. Last year, it was extremely hot even before the sun rose, so it''s just right. ''Well, I''ll be there before the restaurant opens tomorrow. ''Oh. I''m sure Millie will be there, so let me know what you think. ''Is that so?Well, I''ll pick her up. It''s noisy before sunrise. Even in the 42nd district, a beautiful girl should be careful about going out alone before sunrise. Hmm?Norma? I''m fine. There''s only a few people in the Forty-second Ward who can beat Norma. Not with Delia and Magda and Natalia and the ...... guy. I''ll see you tomorrow. ''I''ll look forward to it. The machine was too heavy for me, so I asked Norma to bring it to me, and I went back to the sunny pavilion. Then dawn came, and the hot season arrived. ''Magda. Didn''t I tell you last year not to roll around in the hallway?'' ''...... This heat is bad. Magda is the victim. Again this year, Magda rolled down the hallway with a beautiful ''caution''. It''s like a tuna that''s just been landed. ''There''s a reward for waking up hard. ''...... coffee jelly?'' Hmm. How can that be a sweet that was unveiled less than a year ago? ''Of course, it''s our latest creation.'' ''...... Hmm. It''s worth the effort to get up. He woke up slowly and brushed off his hair, which was sticking to his face with sweat. Oh, God. I''ve got to brush my hair after ...... I''ve got to brush my hair after ...... I''ve got to brush my hair after ...... ''Yashiro-san, Magda-san. Good morning. He''s coming upstairs in this scorching heat with a smiling face, not even breaking a sweat. Was this guy already working? I really bow down to him in this heat. ''Jee~'' ''Yashiro-san! When I lowered my head, my gaze was naturally drawn to the valley. I wonder if I''m sweating? ''Norma-san and Milly-san are here to see you. ''Oh, they''re here already? It looks like they''ve been looking forward to it. A beautiful woman and a beautiful girl carrying a large luggage greeted us when we woke up from sleep. ''Yes, Yashiro. I''m going to shake things up.'' ''giggle. Ladybug and Magda-chan both have great sleeping habits, don''t they? They were still carrying their bags when they entered the cafeteria. Why don''t you just put it down? ''Where should we put it? Oh, you''re holding it for me to set up. So did Miry. ''I''m sorry, Norma. I''m sorry I made you carry such a big load and take such a long way.'' ''What are you talking about? It''s not like it weighs much.'' Of course not. There''s no way you can carry three iron lumps like that and not feel heavy. Unless you work out on a regular basis,......?That''s right! ''Norma is usually trained ...... by hanging big tits! It''s a good idea to keep your mouth shut if you don''t want to be carrying this baggage. I''ll tear my arm off if I have to carry that thing. It''s no use. I''ll shut up. ''Then put one here. I''ll put the other two in the stalls.'' ''Well, I''ll do it for you later, just show me how to use it. ''Well, wait a minute. I have to make the syrup first. Ginette. ''Yes, sir. It''s ready. Millie, can I have some fruit, please?'' ''Hmm!I''ve got lots of fruit! ''...... "I''ve got tits"'' ''I won''t tell, Magda!Please don''t make this up! ''I''m not going to tell you, Magda! Good job. Ginette is taking Milly into the kitchen. I''ve already taught her how to make it, so I''ll leave it to her. I''ll set up the machine. The most powerful, high-rate sweet you''ll ever want to eat in the heat of summer! It''s called... shaved ice! Yes, I had asked Assunto last year if he had any ice. I had asked Assunto last year if he had any ice. I didn''t expect him to remember me, and I didn''t expect him to remember me at all, but he was so careless that he prepared ice for me. He had even built an ice house in the peddlers'' guild. Although it cost a lot of money to build, he said he didn''t have to pay for it, and the price was much more reasonable than I expected. The price is rather high compared to the price in Japan, but that can''t be helped. In this world where there are no freezers, ice is precious. But we can still make a good profit! We could go the route of high-class shaved ice, but I think we should try to make it cheap enough for people to accept shaved ice. ''Mr. Yashiro. I''ve made the shaved ice syrup. An array of colorful syrups made by mixing fruit juice and pulp with the ''Mizore'' syrup prepared in advance. Strawberries, lemons, peaches, kiwis, melons, and matcha red beans. To make the colors more vivid, a little bit of food coloring is added. It is important to have a colorful appearance. ''Okay, Magda. Give me a cold one.'' ''...... Mm. I''ll do it. Magda, who had been groaning in the heat, left the floor with a lighter step. Unlike yesterday, when it was cooler, now it''s sweltering hot. The splattering of ice dust must feel nice and cool. We were asked to cut the huge ice cubes in the "ice storage" into 20cm squares. This "ice storage" and the ice saw are leased. They took quite a bit of money from me. ...... ''You can buy it back if you like. He said. I gave him some extra ice for it, though. ''One of these days, I''ll have you build me an ice storage room, just like the one in Mahr''s house. ''Then it''ll be a joint effort with the carpenters. ...... When do we start construction? No, no, no!No, no, no, I just said that! It''s not a decision! It''s still in the ''I wish I could do that'' stage! You''re biting!Norma, if you were a fish, you''d be caught right now. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it for a lot of things. So, it is possible to build one in the Sunlit Pavilion. However, it is not possible to shut out the heat completely, so it may melt a little. If the climate of the 42nd district is cool all year round, it is possible to store ice all year round. ...... No, I''m sorry if I''m making a strong argument, but it''s not a done deal, okay? If you want to spend that much money and maintenance costs on ice, it''s ''hmmm ......''. It''s probably cheaper to buy from Assunto. After calming Norma''s preoccupation, Magda returned with the ice. The ice is now in the backyard, where it is shaded all day and the temperature does not rise. Thanks for going around in circles, Magda. You can eat as much as you want. As long as it doesn''t upset your stomach. ''Good morning! ''Good morning. Loretta, whom I informed yesterday, and Bertina, whom I didn''t inform, come in with big smiles on their faces. ...... Yeah. I''m sure they will. They''re coming. ''And then there''s Estella. ......'' ''She''ll come eventually. Let''s get started first. The ice will melt.'' ''Yeah, I know!I can''t wait to see it too! ''I''m curious too. I''m going to let Estella taste the new products that are being sold. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you need to do to get it. Or rather, if you don''t tell him, he will definitely complain about it later. Let''s get started. I set the ice in the shaved ice machine and gripped the handle. I ordered the shaved ice machine that the good old Japanese kids loved. This is the orthodox type with a rotating handle on the side of the machine. The type with the handle on the top would have been fine, but between horizontal and vertical rotation, the vertical rotation is better and less tiring. ...... I''m sure I''ll be forced to do a lot of it anyway. I''m sure you''ll agree. When you turn the handle, the ice is shaved off and a fluffy snow-like lump falls into the bowl. That''s enough to make Ginette and Milly''s eyes twinkle with delight, but it''s not enough. I adjust the position of the blade while checking the roughness of the ice. After several times of adjustment, the ideal ice is formed, and then the real work begins. You are now ready to serve shaved ice to the "frappe bowls" that you mass-produced yesterday. These frappe bowls and a set of wooden spoons are sold at the stall for 5Rb. Just like the popcorn, if you have the container and the spoon, you can get 5Rb cheaper. Shaved ice is sold for 20Rb. But if you want a refill, you can buy it for 15Rb because you have a container. That''s a bargain! --This has the effect of creating the illusion of a bargain. At 150 Japanese yen, it seems a bit expensive, but you have to bear with the fact that it is a rare sweet. Ice is more expensive than in Japan. ''It''s a mountain of snow''. Ginette''s cheeks flushed as she looked at the pile of shaved ice that had formed on the frappe bowl. Millie also gazes at it with fascination. The snowflake-like appearance seemed to be a critical hit in the girls'' hearts. You can put your favorite syrup on it and eat it. The first one is ......, so let''s go with Norma for her hard work. ''What?Are you sure it''s okay if it''s me? Norma, who looked so afraid to leave out Bertina and Ginette. However, even if she feigns calmness, her tail speaks eloquently. ''Wow, it''s beautiful~, it''s cute~, I want to try it~''. I''m sure Norma, who loves pretty things, would love these sweets. ''What flavor do you want? ''Well, let''s see. ...... Well, let''s go with peach, then. ...... Oh, but wait for me!Strawberries are hard to beat! ''Why don''t we all just share? ''Yes, of course!So, who''s up for strawberries? ''Well, I''ll have a strawberry. ''...... Magda is a melon. ''Miri, let''s try lemon, shall we? ''I''d like to try kiwi. ''All kinds, please. ''Hey, there, sister. You''ll get sick to your stomach. He doesn''t mean ''all kinds'', he means all kinds of single ingredients. How many cups are you going to eat? ''Well, I''ll have the green tea azuki. ''Yes, I guess so. I''ll do that. Matcha azuki. Also known as Uji Kintoki. But I thought ''Uji'' would not be understood, so I called it matcha azuki. We don''t have Uji tea in the Forty-second Ward. ''Well then, let''s start with peaches. He poured the peach syrup from the bottle over the shaved ice. The beautifully arranged ice melted a little and absorbed the color of the syrup, turning it into a light peach color. ''Oh, you put that much?That''s a bit extravagant. ''The more syrup, the better it tastes. Less is more, but it''s a fool''s errand to be judged ''not good enough''. Let''s make a big deal out of it. When Norma receives the shaved ice, she is a little nervous and sticks the spoon into the ice. There is a crunching sound, and the ice at the top falls away. ''Oh, no!That''s a waste! ''Just eat it. It''ll melt.'' ''Yeah, well, ......''. I poke at the pile to break it up, then take a mouthful of shaved ice soaked in syrup. ''............n~!It''s so good! The sweetness pervades the entire body and makes Norma''s cheeks flush. Her tail is wagging happily. ''Well, let''s make Magda''s next. I promised to give you a reward, didn''t I?'' ''...... Hmm. Magda is the best choice for the job of cutting the ice.'' Magda can''t seem to contain her anticipation, and her tail is standing up straight. ''Um, Yashiro-san. The sisters seem to be losing patience.'' Ginette giggles and points with her hand at Bertina, who looks enviously at Norma. I saw the same look in the eyes of a kid waiting for his turn at the shaved ice shop in my neighborhood. Their eyes followed the colorful shaved ice being mass-produced one after another. ''If we give priority to Bertina, we''ll run out before we get a bite, right? ''Hmm, I guess so. ''Mmm, I can live with that, can''t I? Oh, can a sister tell a lie? You would have finished it in two seconds. ''Here, Magda. Do you want some syrup yourself? ''...... That''s an extravagant suggestion.'' I handed him the freshly made pile of ice, and Magda lavishly poured on the thick, green melon syrup. After one round, he glanced at me and said, ''Even better,'' and then he happily put on a second round with his tail up. Melon syrup is an extravagant syrup made from plenty of sweet melons from Hamuko''s farm. At the moment, the taste is similar to that of Andes melon, but I am secretly obsessed with the idea of making muskmelon or Yubari melon someday. Melons are in demand as a luxury item. When completed, it will bring you wealth, mmm-hmm. ''............ good''. Magda eats the syrupy part of the melon. He doesn''t say much, just eats the shaved ice in silence. Perhaps the coldness is comforting, but after taking a bite, he closes his eyelids and shakes his body with a ''mmm~......'' sound. He seems to be enjoying himself. ''Magda, is it good?Is it good? and Loretta circled around Magda as she ate shaved ice. Sit tight, ...... or I''ll give it to you quickly and let you calm down. ''Here, Loretta. You''ll have to dial it yourself.'' ''What?I''ll be the third!I thought I was going to have to wait until the end to get a story that said, ''Well, everyone''s gone! ''...... I''ll do it if you want.'' ''No, thank you!I did it!It''s shaved ice! Loretta grabbed a freshly made shaved ice and poured kiwi syrup on it. She writes the word ''kiwi'' on the ice. ...... What a joke. ''This is pretty, but there''s not enough syrup! He couldn''t taste it at all, so he kept pouring syrup on it. There are so many different reactions, aren''t there? ''Well, next time, Millie...'' ''Hmm. Heh heh. Watch me close, okay?'' ''Yeah. Watch out for the flying ice.'' ''Yeah, it''s okay. It''s nice and cold.'' All right, then, I''m going to pour ice on Millie until she''s soaking wet... ......? I can''t. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m sure it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... I''m sure it''s a good idea, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''That''s it. I''m not sure what to say.It''s so cold, ladybug. When I throw the spilled ice at her, Millie protests with a cute wave of her arm. Hahaha ...... is soothing. ''Yashiro-san. Don''t play pranks.'' ''Ei''. ''Aaah!...... already''. He throws ice at Jeannette, who scolds him. For sanitary reasons, we don''t use the fallen ice anymore. There''s no punishment for using it this way. It won''t fill your stomach, but it will fill your heart. ''Yashiro-san, ahhh. ''Yours doesn''t mean the same thing, Bertina. Bertina stepped forward and opened her mouth wide, as if she were next. That''s the first time I''ve ever seen such a brazen request for a bite. Since Bertina is itching to eat, I decide to cook quickly. After the third time, I''m used to it, and in no time, a mountain of ice is born in the bowl. ''...... I see. You make a mountain by rotating the hand that holds the bowl. Ginette is studying my movements. She spins her wrist as if she were watching me. ''Ginette, do you want to try it? ''Yes!But after you finish Sister''s.'' It''s faster if I do it myself. Bertina''s probably at her limit by now. ''Oh my goodness. It''s really good, isn''t it? While Bertina is making shaved ice, Milly is tucking into lemon shaved ice. That classic bright yellow lemon. It just doesn''t feel like shaved ice without it. Unlike the lemon syrup often seen in Japan, the lemon syrup here is made from real lemon juice. The amount of syrup is adjusted to be sweet enough to give a faint lemon flavor. The syrup is a little sweet, but I think it expresses the taste of lemon squash. It is a refreshing taste for adults. Well, it''s for adults, but it''s a relatively adult version of the children''s version. ''Bertina, what flavor would you like to start with? ''Well, I''ll go with peach. I thought Norma''s looked good. Ginette will eat the strawberry and I''ll eat the green tea red bean, so you can have that first impression. Maybe that''s how you feel. I''ve eaten matcha azuki before. How badly do you want to see your child happy? This mother substitute. ''......,'' Ginette said, smiling quietly. ''What is it?'' ''No . I knew you''d forgive me for eating everything. There''s nothing you can do to forgive or stop Bertina''s appetite. ''Yashiro-san loves to see you happy, doesn''t he? No, that''s not me. ............ Go ahead, say it. ''Hey, it''s Peach.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll push the pile of ice to Jeannette. Work, if you have time to waste talking. ....... It''s not often that Bertina says, ''Well, I''ll do it myself. It''s the safest and tastiest thing to throw to Jeannette. I''m sure it''s partly because of ......, but it seems to me that he''s acting out of consideration for the kids'' feelings of wanting to do their best for Bertina. The kids, including Ginette, like to be told ''thank you'' by Bertina. ''Oh, it''s so cold and delicious. Thank you, Ginette.'' ''Ehehe.'' ......? ''Thank you, Yashiro-san, too.'' ''......n''. I don''t mind. I''m fine with thanks and ...... I''d prefer to be paid in kind. I don''t know. ''Okay, Ginette. Let''s do it.'' ''Yes.'' Don''t chuckle as you answer. Don''t look me in the face and smile. I''m not embarrassed. I''m totally normal. So don''t give me that ''Yashiro-san'' look. I''ll throw ice at you. It''s pretty heavy. ''Wow, that''s true. Thanks to the precision bearings, the shaved ice machine''s handle is light. Even so, you will feel a lot of rebound in the first rotation. Once the ice starts to turn, the rest of the shaving goes smoothly. ''It''s kind of fun, isn''t it? After shaving the ice several times in practice, Ginette tried the real thing. Over there, four people with shaved ice in their hands were already starting to share. I''ll have to make some for Jeannette soon. ''Whoa, whoa!It''s difficult. It seems that it is difficult to turn the bowl, and the ice keeps spilling out. After consuming about two cups of ice, I managed to force it to form a pile and completed the first one for Ginette. ''You need more practice,'' he said. ''That''s good for a first time. Then, this is--'' ''Matcha red beans, right? She''s giving me my first cup. I see. ''Okay, syrup and azuki, please. In the meantime, I''ll make one for Jeannette.'' ''Yes, sir. Please do.'' After all, it tastes a little better when someone else makes it for you. The shaved ice turns a deep green, and azuki beans are piled up at the foot of the mountain. I''d like to have some white beans, too. It''s ready. This one''s done too. We poured red strawberry syrup on the pile of ice and exchanged shaved ice with Jeannette. ''Now, let''s eat. ''Oh.'' I show my appreciation to the creator of the shaved ice and decide to enjoy it. ''Hmm~!It''s cold, it''s sweet, and it''s as refreshing as the hottest season. I don''t know what he meant, but he liked it anyway. The green tea azuki, with its sweetness and a hint of bitterness, has a refreshing aftertaste and is truly delicious. From the looks on everyone''s faces, each flavor seemed to be a great success. ''Mr. Yashiro, would you like a bite? ''Is that a request for me to take a bite of yours? ''Uh-huh. Have I been detected? As I shared a bite with Ginette, who was adorably peeking out her tongue, I was sure that the shaved ice would be a big hit. 452-Episode 254 Another job for the snowy season ''''''Ooohhhh!'''''' ''''Ughhhh!My head ah!'''' ''''''Ouch! On the main street, a bunch of kids are eating shaved ice and writhing with the usual headache. It seems that even beastmen can''t resist the headache that comes from chomping down on shaved ice. ''Ahhh!This is cold and sweet, it''s the best, Yashiro! Delia had also heard rumors about the food stall and had come to eat. Satisfied, she twitched her tail and took a mouthful of ice with strawberry pulp on it. ''I wonder what flavor I''ll try next~'' ''Don''t eat too much at once or you''ll get sick to your stomach. ''Don''t worry!I''m invincible! ''If you get sick, you won''t be able to participate in the river play. ''U...... that, I don''t like that.......'' ''You should have at least one a day.'' ''Hmm, I see. ......Okay!Then I''ll limit it to three a day! You don''t get it, do you? Well, it won''t be a problem if you eat them after a long time. ''I''ll have another one! ''Have another one after lunch. You''ll ruin your stomach.'' ''Yes, sir. The children of the forty-second arrondissement obeyed their parents, even though they didn''t seem to like it. I explained the risk of headache and stomachache to their parents when I bought the product. We warn them to be aware of this and to give it to their children. It would be unbearable if they were told that their bodies had been damaged by eating the food from the sunny pavilion. ''Please call Becko-san! It seems that some unfortunate young lady bought all the food at once with her money. She took one bite at a time and chose the kiwi. The rest was handed over to the attendants. They seemed to be used to it, and happily ate the bites of shaved ice. ''You guys are so healthy. ''No, I''m not. We are grateful to you for being the first to offer us new sweets in this way,......, and for your short-sightedness and curiosity. You can see the malice in your carelessness, head waiter. Imelda''s head waiter is modest but rather venomous. I guess it''s hard to be Imelda''s right-hand man without that. ''I''m sure I''ll be taking care of you again this year. ''Oh, so you''re planning to stay, Imelda''s ......'' ''I''ve been excited about it for six months now. ''It''s too early to tell. ......'' You''ve had a few events in the meantime. You''ve got to be satisfied somewhere. ...... ''We waiters will be waiting in the hall, so please call us if you need anything. We will help you in any way we can. ''Then tie Imelda up so she can''t get out.'' ''I''ll help you if I can.'' Is it impossible for you to keep Imelda in the house? ...... d*mn it. It''s going to be another busy snow season. ''You guys~! ''''''Yes~!'''''' Loretta gave instructions to her sisters. At Shop No. 7, Loretta is in charge of shaved ice, and her sisters are serving customers. They set up a stall near a big tree, and take turns to stay in the shade to keep hydrated. I''ve told Magda''s second store to do the same. After all, shaved ice sells best during the hottest days of the year. ''Well, Loretta. I''m going back to the sunny pavilion~'' ''Yes, sir!I''ll make sure to sell everything I can, so keep your eyes peeled~! ''You, too, get some rest! ''''Yes, sir! ''''Shaved ice, I''ll take over! ''''No, you can''t!This is an honorable job only allowed to regular waitresses! ''''''Boo-hoo!It''s so easy! Shaved ice looks easy, but it''s surprisingly difficult. Forming a mountain requires a certain technique. Keeping the right hand and left hand moving in different directions is more difficult than you think. I don''t think my sister can handle it yet. I think she can do it with two people, though. My sisters said, "Not so good! from my sisters, but it was popular with the guys who don''t like overly sweet things. The refreshing aftertaste and the rich aroma of matcha seemed to be popular among them. However, the sweetness is still there, and even some children like to eat it. The matcha azuki is a bit more expensive, though, because of the azuki and the white bean. +5Rb. ''Yashiro. If you''re going back to the Sunken Pavilion, I''ll go with you.'' ''Aren''t you busy?'' ''Oh!I''ve already done the work for the river fishing guild.'' ''...... Are you ready for the heavy snow season?'' ''Yashiro ...... actually, I need to talk to you about something ......'' ''You''re learning the hard way, aren''t you? ''Okay, I''ll tell Jeannette. ''Really?Thank you, Yashiro! He probably hasn''t done anything to prepare for the heavy snow season. He seemed to be enjoying himself last year. He must have been thinking of going to the sunny pavilion again this year. But suddenly, she thought, ''What?I can''t just decide on my own, can I? She must have realized that and decided to ask me. Otherwise, there''s no way Delia would have said the words ''I need your help''. Rather, I would have asked her, ''When do you want me to stay? In fact, I was expecting her to ask me in the usual way. I can appreciate your attitude of asking properly. ...... I''m not giving it much credit, though. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m happy to be with you again. If you let Jeannette hear you say that, I''m sure the sleepover set will come out immediately. Oh, by the way, Masha said she was going to join the river play. ...... Masha is going to stay too. Do you have enough room? Ginette, Magda, Loretta, Delia, Imelda, Masha, Norma ...... Well, we can make it work if we share rooms. I''ll tell Estella and Natalia to stay at the mansion this year. ...... If we''re not careful, Lucia might say she''s coming too. In the worst case scenario, I''ll put her in Estella''s mansion. ''Oh, by the way, Natalia said that she might cry if she was left out. ''Why through Delia? He''s getting more and more clever in his attacks. ...... If it was Millie, I could have said, ''Well, can you tell her to go cry somewhere where she won''t be disturbed? I could have said. Then Millie would have said something kind and comforting and told her I was rejecting her. But not Delia. Delia, who has never been known for her teeth, would have directly hit the person with her stinging words. ...... You''ve read that much into her. Natalia. ''You''re a coward for using a naked Delia! ''Huh?I''m wearing clothes. Oh, don''t worry about it. It''s about the teeth. You''ve never been clothed, so I''d say you''ve been naked since birth. No, I''ll go ahead and say that. Ahhh. I''ll have to sleep on the floor of the sunny pavilion again this year. It''s hard to take a bath. ...... I took a bath in the kitchen, but it''s rather cold there. I''m sure Umaro and Bekko are going to be there anyway. ...... ''Umaro, do you think you could sleep in the snow without worrying? ''Come on, why don''t you ask them?'' I don''t have to ask. ...... I don''t know, this kind of conversation is barren when dealing with Delia. Let''s just go home and play with her, shall we? While I was disgusted by the large number of curious customers who were coming to the store, I felt slightly light-hearted, probably because the shaved ice was selling well. Well, there''s no point in resisting them, so I''ve given up early. After all, our landlord is ready to welcome them. It seems that last year''s heavy snowfall was a lot of fun. He''s planning to revive the snowman cult again. ''I''m looking forward to it, Yashiro. ''Hmm? He gave me a carefree smile, and I thought for a moment before replying. ''...... Well...'' After all, it seems I''m looking forward to it too. It''s not going to make me any money, though. But I''ll get some profit out of it. ''Haha~!There''s nothing like shaved ice after a good sweat! As I jumped into the store to avoid the hot sun, a sweaty Umaro was eating shaved ice as if he was bathing in it. At the sunny pavilion. Not at the second store with Magda, but at the Sunlit Pavilion with only Jeannette. ''What''s the matter, Umaro?Did you finally change your route to big breasts?'' ''What are you talking about?I''m all about Magda forever and ever! Perhaps they heard the rumor of shaved ice, there were relatively many customers in the store, and Jeannette was shaving shaved ice at the counter. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. ''Oh. It''s a busy place. How''s your arm?'' ''Yeah, I''m fine. I''m a little tired, as expected. ''Well, manager, I''ll take over for you!Just tell me how to do it.'' Delia ran over and took over the place with Jeannette. I''ve got a sister to help me, so we''ll have to make do with two horsepower. ''Is that the second daughter? ''Yes. Loretta brought her here in anticipation of today''s crowds. ''And the third daughter? ''''She''s taking a break right now. It''s hot today, so we''re taking frequent breaks. Well, that''s good. The second daughter is polite, quick to learn, and intelligent, but her personality is too wild and difficult to control. It is a pity that the third daughter, who is a strong person, is the only one who can fully demonstrate her potential. In terms of simple skill and growth rate, she might be a superior talent to Loretta, but her personality is much more like Hammaro''s, so it will be a long time before she can stand on her own. ''Oniichan~!Welcome home~! I''ll watch you.'' ''All right, get to work. I''ll watch you. ''Hahaha~Yes! He''s got long arms and legs and looks like he''s about to join the ranks of adults, but he''s Hammaro on the inside. ...... ''I''m a watchdog for the uninhibited second daughter! Hammaro was there too. You can''t be the watcher, you know. ''Oh, little brother~. Yaho~'' ''Otouto? No, you know what I''m talking about! Huh?Did Hammaro have amnesia?Was there an episode like that?Am I overlooking something? Delia is chipping away at the ice. The second daughter is taking the ice and shaping it into a beautiful mountain. Hammaro takes the ice from his second daughter and pours syrup on it. Yes, the three of us could take over for Ginette. ''You should take a break too. ''Yes, sir. I will.'' The usual seat was occupied, so I sat down in front of Umaro. ''You''re in my way. ''Come in, please. ''Sniff, sniff! ''What are you doing? ''You''re in my way! ''I didn''t think it was physical! No, you have to do it just in case, you know, in the spirit judgment. Ginette shakes her shoulders, giggling at the exchange between me and Umaro. Ginette is sitting next to me, diagonally across from Umaro. As usual, Umaro keeps Ginette out of his sight. ''So, why is Umaro so sweaty? ''Oh, that''s the thing.'' For some reason, Ginette answers Umaro''s question. She claps her hands and looks happy. ''They put a roof over the courtyard. ''A roof?'' ''You promised me that at the bakery, didn''t you? Oh, yes. Didn''t I ask you to put a roof on the courtyard when I sold unleavened bread to Umaro when I taught the church the recipe for soft bread? I forgot all about it. ''I''ve been busy for a while, so I apologize for the delay. I forgot all about it. ''But I''m glad you made it before the heavy snow season. Now we don''t have to shovel the snow early in the morning to get to the kitchen. Last year, even the path from the second floor to the kitchen was covered with snow, and Magda was shivering in the cold in the meantime. I wonder if that bothered Ginette, too. ''Has the whole courtyard been covered?'' ''No, just wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side down the stairs and across the building. There was also a field in the courtyard, so they didn''t want to cover everything with a roof. They covered only the area where we would walk, so that we could come and go. ''Can I go and see? ''Yes. ''I''d like you to see it! Leaving Umaro writhing in a headache after gulping down a bowl of shaved ice, Ginette and I headed for the courtyard. We greeted the three girls who were leisurely eating shaved ice in the kitchen, and went through the corridor to the courtyard. ''Oh, ......, this is amazing. A roof supported by solid pillars had been built. The roof of the courtyard, which was carefully designed so as not to disturb the sunlight, extended to the top of the stairs, which had previously been bare. With this roof, there would be no need to use an umbrella on rainy days. It was scary when the stairs were wet, wasn''t it? I was afraid of slipping. ''There are glowing bricks built in here, so it''s bright and safe even at night. It is said that there are small glowing bricks in the top and bottom of the pillars supporting the roof. As long as the sun rises, they will illuminate your feet at night. As expected of Umaro, they are very skillful! ''You made all this in half a day? ''Yes, I did. So, that ...... shaved ice is a service ......''. ''So you gave them something in return for selling bread that wasn''t for sale? ''Then you need to make something more ......''. ''Oh my god, Yashiro-san. I''m sorry to hear that.'' He chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. I know, I know. I''m surprised at how good it looks too. I''ll buy you a shaved ice. That''s what I was thinking. ''I will!Please tell me anything you want!I''ll make you a lot of ice cream! Umaro, who had recovered from his headache, caught up with us and gave us such a promise with a big smile on his face. Oh, I see. I guess it''s too late for you now. ...... ''Ginette''s sycophancy and workaholic spirit has infected ......'' ''No, sir!Umaro-san is a kind person by nature!'' Ginette is desperately trying to deny it, but this is a terminal symptom of Ginette''s disease. I''m sure there''s nothing we can do. Oumalo, I''m sorry. But Umaro was all smiles, all smiles. Yeah, I get it. You can come stay during the snow season, you know. Enjoy your time under the same roof with Magda as much as you can. It wouldn''t hurt to be rewarded for it. ''Big brother, I''ve got a great idea! After selling out the shaved ice at Shop No. 7, Loretta returns, drenched in sweat. ''You''re all sweaty, big sister! The third daughter shouted when she saw Loretta. She immediately went into the kitchen to get a towel. She is a thoughtful girl. ''You''re covered in sweat, you smell like sweat! The second daughter, on the other hand, picks her nose, points at Loretta, and laughs. She is wild. Loretta is silently chopping her second daughter in the midsection. That''s extreme, you sisters touching each other. ''You''re covered in stinky juice, my sister! ''It''s sweat!Don''t call me that! ''Hammaro? ''I didn''t say that!You didn''t say that, did you? Loretta is a little unsure of herself. Yeah. I guess you sisters and brothers are at that level, all of you. ''Yes, sister. The manager has worked hard to wash these clean towels. I know I''m going to make it dirty, but let me use it, even if I have to bother the manager again.'' ''It''s really hard to use! ''Um, it''s okay, just wipe off the sweat. You''ll catch a cold. Ginette took the towel from the third daughter''s hand and wiped Loretta''s face with it. The third daughter is a bit too reserved, or she tends to think that she might be bothered by something. I''m not saying it''s only Loretta. I''m not saying she''s as good as Loretta, but I think she should be a little more brazen. ''Hey, sis. You can''t just wipe your face! You have to wipe your body as well! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Don''t pull up your clothes like that! The second daughter tries to take care of her sister. But she''s getting angry when she tries to pull up Loretta''s clothes in a store full of customers. I can''t help it. ...... ''Loretta, you''re being selfish! ''I''m not the one who should be scolded, am I? Don''t waste my second daughter''s kindness! Oh my god. ''Then go wipe yourself and change your clothes in the back. She said she had a good idea, but I''m not going to listen to her because it''s probably just a stupid idea. ''No, no, no!Listen to me!I''ve got a really good idea! Loretta grabbed a damp towel and closed in on me. ''What is it?Are you saying that you want to auction off the towel soaked in your sweat and contribute to the profits of the Sun Goddess Pavilion? ''I''m not talking about that! ''500Rb.'' ''One thousand Rb! ''Yeah, fifteen hundred! ''Don''t compete, carpenters! ''Mwah!The terminally ill (old carpenters) look at Loretta with smiles on their faces. Hey, boss. You''re responsible for disciplining them. Oh, no. The boss has the most severe symptoms. ''So what is it? ''I thought there might not be enough room during the heavy snowfall, so I''ve been thinking of a way out of it.'' ''I see. I''ll ask around. ''You can ask Mr. Umaro to build another building! Hahahaha. It''s only about a week until the heavy snowfall season. It''s going to get hotter and hotter, and you want me to build another building without a break? Did Umaro kill your parents or something? Why are you trying to cut down the life of Umaro to the point where you can see it? ''After all, we all love the Sunlit Pavilion, so I thought it would be nice to have a room where we can stay at any time! ''The Sunken Pavilion isn''t a ryokan. ''Ah!That''s a good idea!A guest house called ''YODAMARI-TEI''!That''s going to be popular! ''Um, Ms. Loretta. I don''t have any experience in running a guest house. ......'' If we start something like that, we won''t have enough manpower no matter how many people we have. You can''t build something so ostentatious just to accommodate you. ''......We''re on the edge of time. ......'' ''Why are you trying to build it, you master? What''s wrong? Has the heat seriously damaged your brain? Or have you been around Jeannette so long that black looks like a light gray? Pull yourself together. The place you''re about to step into is a completely out-of-the-box black company. ''Why don''t you clean up your grandfather''s room so he can have a little place to sleep? ''You don''t have to go that far. Just tell them not to come if they don''t want to sleep with us. In the first place, we are not asking you to come. They are begging to stay. They are begging us to stay. There is nothing for us to concede. ''Umaro. You''re on the floor again, aren''t you? ''What?Can I come and visit you again this year? ''I can''t believe this is coming from the guy who barged in last year and almost died at the entrance. ''Hahaha ...... sorry about that...'' Although Umaro shows signs of being reserved, he will be lonely and unconsciously come to the sunny pavilion during the heavy snowfall season anyway. His withdrawal symptoms are at the level of being too late. ''Because I can''t let the sunny pavilion become an accidental property. Get indoors before you die. ''Thank you!This means we finally have to consider building an annex, right? ''I told you we don''t need an annex! Why do you want to work so badly? Why don''t you go out for a while? It''s hot as hell! Loretta''s drenched in sweat after just a few hours outside selling food. She''ll dry up sooner or later. ''But you see, big brother. I''m sure it''s pretty cramped since Paula and Nepheli are coming too. ''Why are they supposed to come too? ''I passed by Cantarchica and saw you two together, so I called out to you. ''Don''t call me! This may be your workplace, but it''s not your house! If you want to call me, call me at my house! ''...... Actually...'' In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of them. ''Last year, Magda-chou collapsed in the snow. We talked about it before. I told him that I wanted to help him in a casual way if something happened to him. He''s been doing that? If something happens to Magda out of my or Jeannette''s sight, the more people who can help her, the more secure she''ll be. So you were forming a safety net without telling Magda. He said, ''If we all have fun together, we won''t be lonely. ''And they''re coming to stay too?'' ''Yes, sir. But they said they can only stay one night on the first day because they''re planning to have a Kamakura Bar in Kantarutika this year. The first day of heavy snowfall is the coldest. The first day of the season is probably the coldest, when the temperature suddenly drops and the world is painted white, stirring up a sense of sadness. If you can get through the first day, you will feel somewhat calmer from the second day onward. ''Well, I''ll have to teach you how to make a good kamakura. ''Paula said that''s essential. Is it possible that Paula is also trying to stop being reserved with each other by indulging me? Is that too much to think about? Well, whatever it is, ...... ''It''s going to be small this year. ''It''s fun to sleep in a huddle. ''Well, I''m sure your brothers and sisters do. ......'' We''re not hamsters, you know. Ginette chuckles as I let out a sigh. ''I''m sure it''ll be another fun snow season. I suppose that smile is an excuse. It''s a way to persuade someone who is bothered by it. If we are all together, we won''t be lonely, will we? I guess it''s an excuse to make "someone" who always makes excuses to himself think, "I can''t help it". ...... I have no idea who that "someone" is, though. Hey, hey. Why don''t you just come and stay as long as you want? I have the landlord''s permission. And if you can get them to help out with something, the cost-benefit deficit will be lessened a bit. ''The sunny pavilion has become like a camp. ''Hmph. It''s fine if it''s only once in a while. ''Once in a while'' means once every few years or so. If it happens two or three times a year, it''s called ''often. ''Then, I''ll get the other building ......! ''Calm down! Umaro wants to work for some strange reason. What is it?Did you have a bad day at work? Are you feeling the urge to build a house to take your mind off things? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. ''No,......, it''s not like that,.......'' He lays his ears down and gives an uncharacteristically sanguine expression. What, is he in a slump? I thought this guy''s job was all smooth sailing. ...... ''I''ve got some free time on my hands right now, so I''m just trying to improve my level. Yeah, you''re kind of stuck. And you''re feeling the urge to do something crazy. Well, I get it. When things don''t go well for me, I sometimes just try to do a few things to get my bearings. Sometimes the error is so small that it''s hard for others to see, but that ''little bit'' makes a big difference to you, and it keeps bothering you like a small bone stuck in the back of your throat. Not many people would want to build a house in the heat of the summer when the heavy snowfall season is just around the corner, and it''s probably true that he has free hands. Then I''ll let him build something. ...... But not a separate building. If we build something like that, we''ll have people coming to stay here all the time. If Lucia or Javier get eyes on me, my peace of mind will crumble with a crash. That''s not allowed. So I''d like to see something that''s not too much trouble, but something that would be nice to have in the sunny pavilion, something that can be used effectively in the future, and something that would be inconvenient without. ............ I''m sorry. ''No, but that''s as good as it gets. ......'' ''What is it?What do you have in mind? The eyes twinkling wumalo. ...... I''m sure they''ll make it for you. ''Ginette. Excuse me.'' ''Yes?'' I beckoned to Ginette and asked her quietly. I asked her if she could make something like this for me. This is Ginette''s store and her parents'' house. To build an addition, you need permission from the landlord. And if maintaining it is a burden, it''s better not to build it. --and that''s what I was worried about. ''It would be great to have that, but isn''t ...... too much work? Ginette''s concern for Umaro was palpable. ''What about you?Doesn''t it get in the way? ''It''s not a hindrance. If you use it only when you need it, the burden will be minimal, and I''m sure there will be many people who will help you when you need it. Ginette smiled happily, thinking about the time she would use it. That''s right. If we use our guests as chins, we can enjoy using it. I''ve been wanting one of these for a long time, and I''ve often felt jealous of Estella and Imelda. Well then, maybe it''s time to make one. ''...... Magda agrees.'' ''Ooooh!How long have you been here! ''...... since the moment Yashiro''s mind thought, ''I want to meet Magda-tan''.'' I wonder when that will be? But I was thinking of waiting to hear Magda''s opinion before making a decision. I got an unexpected response. That''s two yeses. Or three. So we''re good to go then? I looked at the people here and they all nodded their heads. I don''t know why Loretta nodded. ...... You don''t live here, you know. ''Well then, Umaro. Can you do me a favor? ''Yes, sir!So what do you want me to make? Well... ''A large bath, please. A bath where you can soak your shoulders. I''ve been longing for that. The bath was to be built in the backyard, near the area where the randomly cut logs were placed. There was not enough space in the courtyard, the front yard would be a problem for the eyes of passers-by, and we were hesitant to have the bath near the entrance of the sunken pavilion. The result was the backyard. At the moment, it''s just a place where I keep an ice storage box for a while, and it''s a place I usually visit when I''m working. There used to be a smuggled stone kiln, but ...... it''s a bad memory, let''s seal it up. ''Can you make a door in the corridor leading to the courtyard, so that I can go out to the backyard? ''Yes. It''s not good to go around in circles after a bath. Have a door to the backyard installed in the middle of the corridor leading from the kitchen to the courtyard. This way, the distance between the living space and the bathroom will be closer. Well, you can''t deny the atmosphere of an old man''s house in the countryside because of the outside bath. ''Just in case, make sure you can go out from the bathroom to the backyard as well. Since we don''t know what''s going to happen, we''ll keep a flow line. But make sure the door is locked from the inside of the bathroom. This is to prevent prying eyes. Build a hut to serve as a bathhouse, and build a high wall around it. This will prevent prying eyes. ''And I''ll build a hidden passage that only I can sneak through ......''. ''Umaro. Make sure you submit all your completed plans to me. I''ll be checking them very closely.'' The red-haired demon was standing behind me. ''Estella, how long have you been there? ''Since you started playing tricks on me. d*mn it! I was having a secret meeting with Umaro alone so that no one would find out! ''How did you end up here?'' ''This is your usual special seat in the sunlit pavilion, isn''t it? I walked here just like normal.'' d*mn it! I was so engrossed in our little chat that I didn''t see my surroundings! Careless! It was past fifteen o''clock, and the number of people in the restaurant was dwindling. That''s why I didn''t notice. When the store was crowded, Estella almost bumped into someone and said, ''Oh, I''m sorry. I don''t have as much cushioning as other people, so it would hurt if I bumped into you. If a seat becomes available at ......, I tend to sit in my usual seat. It''s a good idea to take a look at your own personal life. ''Yeah, yeah. I think I can trust Umaro.'''' ''Is that so?He''s the one who''s so blatantly averting his gaze. Just for the sake of it, I''ll avert my gaze as much as I can and say something nice. ''Estella. You shouldn''t be peeking at me! ''Why don''t you look me in the eye and say something? Look at me! There''s nothing trustworthy about words uttered while looking away! ''It''s okay that Umaro''s always been sick. ''It''s favoritism!There''s even a chance that I''m a pure-hearted boy! ''Hahaha. Not at all. You just denied it outright. ''Is this the blueprint? ''It''s still tentative, though. I''m thinking of discussing it with Yashiro-san first, and then asking the manager and Magda-tan for their opinions. I want you to tell ...... and Estella-san.'''' ''Oh, it''s okay, Umaro, I can hear you fine, just keep talking. Estella and Umaro are talking without looking at each other. Are you two a mature, masked couple? ''At first I asked you what you wanted, but you said, "I''m not familiar with baths, so I''m not sure. ''That''s true. After you use it, you''ll find some inconveniences, right? They''ll let you make it and then say, ''This part isn''t very good. You''re a nasty customer. Just tell me first. Well, there are no amateurs who can do that. ''That''s why I show you a certain shape at first. ''But there''s a good chance that you''ll say, "Well, that''s it then," so I''m going to make it up as I go along. ''Then, will you take my opinion into account? ''Why are you interrupting me? ''Because I think there''s a high probability that I''ll have to use it. ''Go back to your house and get in. ''I''m planning to go in with Jeannette. ''You idiot!I''m the one who''s going in with Jeannette! ''I''m the one who''s going to do everything in my power to stop that. d*mn it! Do you have the authority to do that? I think so, d*mn it! ''Hmm?You''re making two of these?And isn''t this one ...... bigger?'' Looking at the blueprints, Estella raises an eyebrow. I say to the eyes that look at me. ''You guys want to go in there with everyone else, don''t you? The small one is for everyday use and the big one is for ''everyone''. It''s called a big bath. It''s big enough for about five or six people. That''s too good to be true!I''d love to see that happen! It must be very difficult to fill and boil water for such a large bath, but we can let those who want to join us help with that. Carrying heavy water would be a piece of cake for the beastmen, right? I''m sure they''ll be willing to chop wood. ''Do you think we can use the water from Momat''s reservoir? ''It''s fine. We just conducted a water quality survey of the canal the other day, and the water in that reservoir is so clean that it''s safe to drink. There were killifish swimming in it, though, so please be careful when you fetch water. Well, it''s pretty clean, isn''t it? Then it''s relatively easy to fetch water. If the need arises, you can use water from a well, but ...... well water is not infinite. You will have to go and fetch it. During heavy snowfalls, you can also collect snow and boil it. ''Is Estella''s bath a Goemon bath? ''It used to be, but we renovated it after your father fell ill. I was a little surprised that Goemonburo was understood. Goemonburo is a type of bath in which the bottom part of the bathtub is made of iron and wood is burned underneath to heat the water. Because the entire bathtub is not made of cast iron, which was called the Choshu-buro, there are fewer accidents involving serious burns from touching the bathtub. However, since the bottom of the bath is made of iron heated by an open flame, a wooden board is submerged and placed on the bottom. The Goemon-buro is too cramped because it cannot be made very large due to its structure. Also, it is better not to touch the bottom or the wall, so you have to shrink into the bath. I didn''t think it was very relaxing. I don''t think it''s a good place to put a sick lord. ''There are two bath tubs. One kettle boils the water. You transfer it to a large bathtub, dilute it with water and soak in it. This way, the bathtub does not get too hot, and you can stretch your legs out and rest your body in the bathtub. If the water becomes lukewarm, add boiled water. If it is too hot, add water from a bottle placed in the bathroom. There is no need to keep an eye on the firewood while bathing because the water temperature can be adjusted by the person who enters. You''ve got a pretty nice bath, don''t you? ''It''s just that we built two bathtubs in the same space, so it''s a bit cramped, isn''t it, my bath? Is it small because we crammed two tubs into a bathroom that originally had a Goemon bath? I guess that''s partly unavoidable. ''Well, this is a new building. We can make it as big as we want. ''I''ve always wanted to soak in a bath with my legs stretched out, just once. Estella was already ready to take a bath. You should renovate your own bathroom, then. ''It''s just that the Goemonburo makes the bath higher, right? Because of the nature of the Goemon bath, the position of the bath is inevitably high. This is because a space for burning wood is needed under the bath tub. And the wood is burned outside the bath. ''My ideal is a bathtub that can be accessed from the hallway, so I don''t have to go outside to heat the water. If I have to go outside to boil the water, I''m sure Jeannette will take care of it. I can''t accept a bath that would add to his trouble. On the other hand, I don''t like the idea of having to be the one who fires the bath water every time. After all, the coming heavy snow season will be so cold that I will freeze just by being outside. It''s no joke to be forced to guard the firewood for a long time. ''That''s why I''m going to make a teppo bath. ''Teppo-buro? In contrast to the Goemon-buro, in which a fire is made under the bathtub to heat the bathtub, the teppo-buro consists of an iron cylinder installed in the bathtub and a fire is made inside the cylinder. When the fire is lit inside the iron cylinder, the iron becomes hot and the water that touches the iron eventually becomes hot water. If you leave the chimney outside, you don''t have to worry about ventilation as much. In addition, there is no need to use iron for the bottom of the bath tub, so there is no need to worry about burning your buttocks. Well, to make it even safer, I''m going to make it a two-layer bath like Estella''s place. We''ll boil the water in the gun bath, fill the tub with the water, and dilute it for bathing. In this way, there is no need to go out and burn wood in the kiln, even if the water becomes lukewarm. If you make a small window and pile up firewood at the end of it, you can reheat the water as much as you like. ''Wow, I like that. ''I don''t know if it''ll work yet, though. ''No, I think it will. If we make a chimney here, and a small window here, and enclose the area like this, it will help prevent moisture. ......'' Umaro''s engine started and he started to write down his ideas on the blueprints. Estella''s face is gibberish, and even I can''t follow some of the things he says. Still, Umaro seems to be having a great time. Listening to him, I have a feeling that it''s going to be a good bath. ''Kwaaaa!Working with Mr. Yashiro is really stimulating!I forgot everything I hated! You''re a happy guy all year round, aren''t you? Is there anything you don''t like? ''So, about the bathhouse...'' Here, I''ll elaborate one more thing. ''Can''t we make it like a half open-air bath? ''Half open air? ''Yeah. Open up the forest side wall and the ceiling a little bit, so that you can look at the scenery outside while taking a bath. ''No, but if we do that, ......'' ''Think about it. When the heat wave is over, it''s time for heavy snowfall.Snow falls in the deep forest and it''s a silver world. You can look at the freezing scenery while soaking in a warm bath. Your body is burning, and all you can see is white snow. Don''t you think it''s elegant to float a tray in the bathtub and gaze at such a fantastic view while sipping a hot sake? ''That''s very nice!Yeah, I like that! Estella, who seemed to like baths, took the bait. If Norma had been here, I''m sure she would have agreed with me without a second thought. Windy. That''s the kind of thing you need in a bathhouse, I think. So, Umaro. I''d like to talk to you about something. ......'' Stealing Estella''s eyes as she contemplates the fantastic scenery of the bathhouse, she asks Umaro for another job. ''Could you add a single window to the upstairs corridor?I don''t want the landlord and the lord to find out about it. ''You''re still trying to peek in from the second floor, aren''t you? ''''All right!You just happen to be able to see them! ''Were you planning to do that, Yashiro? It''s a crime for outsiders to peek in, but it''s fine for insiders! It''s like you''re one of us! ''Umaro. Can you make the roof and walls stronger than before? ''That''s the plan all along. The carpenter and the lord try to communicate without looking at each other. ...... Tsk. But well, if you can make a bath like that, I''ll put up with a peek. If you use it for a long time and love it,......, the walls might break down when it gets old. Yes, by all means, let''s love it! And so the "Sunshine Pavilion Bathhouse Project" began, and the "Sunshine Pavilion Lust Project" came to a halt. 453-Episode 255 Sweat in the Kiln of Hell Sweaty men are crowding around the sunny pavilion. ''Wallboard, you haven''t finished the canner yet?How long is it going to take! ''It''s done now! ''Boss!The sewage work for the ham squad is finished! ''''Then tell Yangbold to start working on the canal! ''''''Yes, sir! ''''Wait, Hammy!You wait until you''re told to! ''''''Yes, sir!'''''' ''''Oh~oh~, it''s quite lively here. ''''Ah, Yashiro-san. Hello.'''' The one who came to greet me was a long, thin Goozuya. Today, for the first time in a long time, the people from the headquarters in District 40 are gathering. It''s a shame that even Yang Bold and the like are here, but it looks like a gorgeous group. ''Anyway, why don''t you make a waterway from the waterfall in New Town through the forest to here? That way, it''ll be easier to fetch water. ''Haha. Even if you build something in that forest, the animals will destroy it.'' ''Well, I''m sorry, Goozja, but we need to get rid of the beast. ......'' ''You can''t!I''m not good at that kind of thing! What the hell! I''m sure Delia can do it in half a day! Well, I don''t think they''ll give us permission for anything related to the ecosystem. ''What are you talking about, Gooziya?Just build a waterway that won''t be destroyed and all will be well. Umaro, who is sweating more than anyone else, says with glowing eyes. ...... Oh, he''s really trying to make one. ''Oh, no, Umaro. I''m just kidding. If you want to fetch water, Magda''s here, and I can help. ......'' ''It''s a pity that Magda has to fetch water all the way in the snow!Then I''ll make an ironclad waterway for you! Wow~...... looks like I''ve hit a hell of a thicket. ''Estella ......''. ''I think you misspoke. But well, if we make a canal from high up on the cliffs, alongside the forest, it won''t be in anyone''s way, will it?'' ''Wouldn''t that be a great long distance? ''You know, I''m sure the Torbek construction workers will do their best. Estella, who was too excited about the new baths at the sunny pavilion, had come to observe the construction as soon as it started. She''s a curious one, preferring to go out in the heat of the summer. ''It would be better to get permission from Delia, just in case. It''s about the river. ''What about from the lord''s point of view? ''For the sake of the bath at the sunny pavilion, I''ll put my stamp all over it. ''...... abuse of authority'' ''Heh heh. Joking aside, there are a few other places I''d like to let you use if I can get proof that the waterway can be operated without problems. In fact, there was a secret plan for a waterway to carry water from the waterfall. However, no one had ever done it before, so it was difficult to predict what problems might arise, and the plan had not progressed very far. ''So, if Yashiro will take responsibility for the operation and identify the problems, I''ll give you the first waterway! ''What are we, monitors? Test operation. It''s a necessary step. We don''t want to build too many channels and take away too much water. We''ll need to adjust the size of the canals and the amount of water flowing through them. We also need to make sure that the water does not overflow when it is not in use. It''s not like a hot spring where the water keeps flowing. I want to be able to run the water when I need it and stop it when I don''t need it. It''s hard to clean, and I can''t keep burning wood. Firewood also costs a certain amount of money. It may not be as convenient as running water. ...... ''We''ll build a channel over the river and build a tank over the river. While the water is turned off, the tank will be filled with water. Make a hole from the middle to the top of the tank, so that water above a certain level will flow down to the river. In this way, the waterway will not be overflowed and the water from the waterfall will be returned to the river. When the lid of the outlet is opened, the water in the tank will flow out and fill the bathtub with water. However, there is no way to avoid the drawback that water only trickles out after the tank is empty. This is not a water supply, but a waterway. Well, unless you change the water several times a day, you won''t have much trouble. ''Umaro~. Is it possible to set up such a big tank on the river? ''I''ve already done it with a filtration system! ''I''ve improved it even more. The water flow is much better! It''s much better! ''Yeah, I don''t know what you''re talking about, but you did good, Yambold. Perhaps you''ve improved your performance. They''re taking the technology I taught them and improving it on their own. That''s very encouraging. Improvements are out of my hands. ''After that, let the fox lady build an iron fence to protect it, and we''ll be fine. ''Wait a minute!Why are you talking so selfishly? Norma, who was also working in a sweat, came up to Umaro with a hammer in her hand. ''We''ve been forced to make a new product in a very short time because you''ve been running amok!I''m not going to let you do whatever you want with it! You''re right, it all started when Umaro agreed to make a bath. The construction of the bathrooms began with Umaro''s approval, but Norma was completely caught in the middle. However, without Norma, the gun bath would never have been completed. ''Sorry, Norma. I didn''t mean to be rash. ''Oh, no, I wasn''t talking to Yashiro. I just don''t like the way this fox carpenter is ordering me around like an idiot. I''m just saying I don''t like the way this fox carpenter is ordering things. Now everyone can feel like an aristocrat. Norma smiled and narrowed her eyes. Maybe you''ll be the first to install it in your house, Norma. ''Then make a fence without saying a word. ''You''re so annoying!I don''t need you to tell me what to do, I''m telling you! They really don''t get along, do they? But when you put them together, they become very complete. Oh, and the fox carpenter. The hole in the chimney is too small, make it bigger. ''Huh!Why can''t you make it to order?Are you still a professional? ''Don''t be silly!The dimensions you gave me are too small for the chimney to function safely! ''Considering the thickness of the steel plate, it should be just right! ''I''m sorry to hear that!We''ve developed a chimney that reduces thermal conductivity and won''t burn you if you touch it!This is the bathroom that Hammy and the manager use.It''s only right to make it too safe! Oh, they put Jeannette in the same category as Hammy. I think I''m going to get burned by touching the chimney ...... accidentally. ''Is it okay if Magda gets a chimney burn on her back? ''That''s absolutely not safe!It''s absolutely safe, isn''t it?I won''t forgive you if there''s any danger at all! ''That''s why I told you to widen the chimney hole!Get on with it! ''Yeah, I''ll do it right away!Just give me the measurements! ''The dimensions are written on this paper, so get on with it! ''Then I''ll give you the paper quickly! ''Hmm, ...... something, the homophobia here is ...... fierce.'' Estella is disgusted. This time it''s not so bad. This time it''s not so bad. ''Well, well, well, both of you. Thanks to you, we can stay warm during the heavy snow season. I''m grateful for that. Both of you. Why is Estella going to stay warm now that there''s a bath at the Sunken Pavilion? Stay in the mansion, ....... ''When it''s finished, let''s go in together. ''Oh, I can''t! ''No, I haven''t told ...... Umaro, so it''s okay. ''Of course not. I don''t know what you''re thinking. ''Erotic fox. Oh, no!Norma sticks her tongue out at Oumalo. I wonder. From the side, it''s starting to look like they''re flirting a little. ''Hmmm ......, well done.'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... ''Sweat rash is a big problem. I''ll wipe it off right away! ''Yes, you''re caught red-handed.'' Estella tightly restrains my arms. Let go of me! I''m wiping up the sweat puddle in my cleavage! ''I''m going to have to put up an iron fence at a rapid pace from here ......''. ''No, seriously, you don''t have to work that hard.You''ll collapse. You''re going to collapse.'' ''I''ll be fine. Norma says with a weak smile, slightly clammy from sweat. ''It''s the heavy snow season anyway, when all our men are in bed. There won''t be any work.'' ''Don''t assume they''ll fall asleep! It''s a pity! ''''Yashiro-tan is our savior! I think it''s fine if the old men in the back of the room go to sleep in moderation, but...'''' ''''Gonsuke!Do you have a stock of iron fences to keep out animals? ''Yes, we have some, but it''s probably not enough, you know? ''Well then, we''d better mass-produce them as soon as possible. ''No!We''ll die if we fire up the furnace on such a hot day! ''That''s fine. The workshop will be cleaner with a little less.'' ''Mmm~!Norma''s demon!Devil!You''re too slow to go to ......! ''What were you going to say about ......, now?I''m not sure. I''m going to go mass produce an iron fence! ''''''We too~'''''' The bearded and muscular maidens fled in packs under Norma''s killing intent. ''''...... I''ll bring you some shaved ice later.'''' ''You''re kind to more than just beautiful women and children, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''f*ck you, .......'' It''s not a good idea to wake up dead because of the bathrooms in the sunny pavilion. ''Well, they took care of me at the party, didn''t they? I even had them make me a cotton candy bowl. Thanks to them, the party was a great success. I was able to make a strong connection with the 24th district, and I was able to turn down the meddling from BU. They deserve a prize for their service. ''Don''t be too hard on Norma. You''ll collapse from heat stroke.'' ''I''m fine. I work out differently than those soft men.'' ''The best way to deal with heat stroke is to move them to a shady place and expose their chest to the sun so that they can breathe easily. and cool the head and armpits. ''Is that really the right treatment? Covering her chest with her arms and her armpits with her hands, Norma took three steps away from me. It''s really, really, really the right thing to do. ''Well, then, I''ll get some rest so I don''t fall down. ''Oh. Tell Jeannette I''ll have Umaro take a break in shifts.'' ''I''ll leave it to you...'' With a flutter of her hand, Norma heads for the front of the cafeteria. ''I''m going to make a hole that''s exactly the right size and make that fox lady squeal!Goozja, work hard! ''Hai~ya! It''s the middle of summer, with brilliant sunlight. The backyard was very lively today. Hardware Street was a scorching hell. ''What''s the heat? ''This is ...... terrific.'' I had just walked through a heat wave and was exasperated, ''f*ck you, how hot is it? But the ...... heat is so hot that it makes the heat wave I just experienced seem like a lovely thing. If I stay here for a long time, my body will be steamed, won''t it? ''Isn''t this heat affecting the main street as well? ''It''s only one street in, we can''t be sure it''s not ...... here.'' We haven''t even entered the workshop yet and it''s still this hot. It''s not ''hot'' anymore, it''s ''hot''. I''m being burned, my skin! ''The ice is melting. ......'' ''Then let''s hurry up and get them there. I''m sure it''s even worse for the people working in there. It was evening. I''d like to sell shaved ice all day long, but the kids are so hungry they''re willing to go hungry, so I''ve decided to keep the shaved ice sales to daytime. Magda and Loretta also received several complaints, or rather, consultations. Magda and Loretta have received several complaints, or rather, requests for advice, such as, ''My child is too noisy, can you please refrain from selling shaved ice after dinner? As you can imagine, eating a mountain of shaved ice three times a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, would make him sick to his stomach and might even catch a cold. One of the difficulties of customer business is that you have to earn a moderate level of favorability. If you are the type of business that gobbles up profits and then quickly quits, you can just get away with it no matter how many problems you cause, but if you are the type of business that sets up store and tries to get along with the neighbors, you cannot do that. Reputation can easily destroy a store. It''s not enough to just sell. Sadly. That''s why the stalls are empty in the evening. We pulled the cart to the hardware guild. ...... I can''t believe there are living things in this scorching hell. Isn''t everyone melting down? ''Let''s go to the casting workshop for now. ''Yes, we should. That''s the place to go for mass production. Pulling a stall, Estella and I stepped into the boiling hot street. Magda and Loretta were too busy helping out in the store to come with us. The carpenters who worked until they collapsed in the backyard were coming in droves. It''s going to be crowded for a while. Not only the food, but also the shaved ice was selling well. Also, iced coffee and iced tea with ice were selling like hotcakes. Maybe we should think about building an ice house. ...... ''Yashiro. I''m in trouble. The ice is already starting to melt.'' ''No way! I thought it would be hot, so I brought a very large ice cube, but the ice is losing its shape due to the unimaginable heat. I''d better hurry up. I picked up speed and headed for the workshop. ''Ugh, it''s so hot! When I entered the workshop, it was filled with a very sour smell. Sweat, sweat, sweaty ......! ''And to think that it''s the sweat of muscle-bound men,......, makes me want to kill them. ''You have to be patient,......, I''m trying my best to be patient. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ''You may not be able to stand it because you have a smell fetish, but I''m 100% sure it''s just pain, okay? ''Aren''t you having a little fun, you smell fetishist? ''Don''t even joke about it. ...... I''ll stab you.'' He glared at me with tears in his eyes. It''s a really strong smell. It''s enough to make a midsummer kendo club look cute. ''Oh, Yashiro-tan, ...... welcome to .......'' ''You look like death!Are you okay? An old man, probably named Gonzalez or Dodriguez or something like that, greeted us in a daze. He seemed to be taking a break in shifts, and there were several muscles lying around in front of the furnace room. ...... It''s not cool at all here. Do you want to rest? I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''No~n!Really?Really? The muscles that had been lying on the ground sprang up and rushed to the stall. What''s that smell? The smell of sweat is coming along with your body temperature that has been abnormally raised by the heat. Hot!Stinky!Uncomfortable! ''Hey, guys!Yashiro-tan sends his love~! ''It''s from the Sunshine Pavilion!It''s mainly from Jeannette! ''''''Oh no, that''s our Yashiro-tan! ''''I told you it was Jeannette! ''''''Yashiro. It''s not constructive to devote your efforts to useless resistance. Why don''t we just call it a gift from you? You idiot! If you''re nice to them, they''ll miss you! If you were to use a love simulation, their sensitivity would rise as soon as you bumped into them at a turn on the way to school, and the happy ending would begin!I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Estella......'' ''What is it?'' ''Would you rather be the one who scrapes the ice while the old men stare at you with expectant eyes, or the one who treats each old man individually and hands him the shaved ice? ''I''d rather be the one who quietly watches Yashiro from 40 meters away. ''Then you''ll be the syrup man.'' ''Yeah, ............, okay.'' I''m exhausted from the heat. I don''t have the energy to waste on talking. In the meantime, Estella and I are starting to sweat. This is a tough place to work. ...... can''t be helped. You guys should at least be rewarded now. ''''It''s better than melting it down, so I''ll give you a big serving. ''''''Yes!Yashiro-tan, you''re so handsome! ''''Okay, let''s line up in order of beauty. ''''I''m the first! ''''''Aaah!You''ve got to be kidding me. ''''''Aaah?Are you going to do it, Gor? ''''I''m the best, aren''t I? ''''I''m the one who''s talking! ''''Keep your jokes to your face, eh? ''''Aaah! ''...... Yashiro. Why did you even bother to drop the spark? Maidens shedding their maidens and cursing each other with the thick voices of males. It''s so powerful. Even wildebeest in the savannah wouldn''t be this intimidating to each other. ''Here you go, your first cup''s ready! ''...... Who should I give it to, really? I can''t decide who''s the best so I can''t get any orders. Estella quickly gave up and put the shaved ice on the counter with the appropriate syrup. ''Eat it before it melts~'' She threw it all away. Well, I''ll follow suit. If you make the shaved ice so fast that there is no time to fight, they will start eating it on their own. From that point on, I mindlessly churned out more and more shaved ice. I''m not sure how much time has passed since then, but my nose went on strike due to the violent smell of sweat. I could no longer detect any rich fruit aroma in any of the syrups. It''s supposed to smell so good, this syrup. Slender men emerged from the workshop and returned to their shaved ice skin. Isn''t this ice actually frozen elixir? ''Ah~, I''m coming back to life~'' ''I see. That''s too bad. ''Yashiro. You''re losing the brakes on your mental voice from fatigue. Idiot. I''m just not going to let it. ''So, are you going to make it? ''Yes. We''ll make it in time for the heavy snow season. It''ll probably be last minute, though.'' ''Well, I''m sorry.'' ''No, I''m not. Despite what you say, we''re happy to be of service to the 42nd district. If this goes well, it''ll come in handy again, right? Well, I guess so. ''Maybe your houses will be equipped with baths. ''Oh, that''s wonderful! They''re probably boiling water and wiping themselves with a tub, just like us. It must be hard to do that with such a big body. ''But my house is a row house, so it might be a little difficult. ......'' ''That''s true. You can''t put it in the dormitory. The members of the hardware guild basically live in a dormitory prepared by the guild. It was built like a row house, with thin walls and a small area. It''s as small as a one-room apartment. Norma''s house is large, but it was originally a women''s dormitory too. If you consider that four or five people live in that house, it is indeed small. You can''t put a bath there. Even if it could, it would have to be a shared ...... room. Or is that still too tight? The only space you''ll have is next to the kitchen in the dirt floor. ...... A bath next to the kitchen is also ...... hard to get into, and even as a kitchen, you''ll want to frown on the hygiene aspect. It''s a good idea to have a bath, because we sweat a lot at work. ''It''s tough when you smell like sweat every day. It''s a pollution level. ''Oh no, not again!Yashiro-tan!Don''t talk like that to a girl! ''No, I''m talking to the old man. ''This is not the smell of sweat. It''s men''s flavor. No, it''s men''s fruity. ''What''s fruity about it? There''s no such thing as sour fruit! ''When the baths are ready at the Sunlit Pavilion, let''s go get some hot water. ''Yes, let''s do that. ''Hey, stop it!We''re a diner! You''re interfering with our business! Then why don''t you just go to ............?Oh, I see. ''Estella, why don''t we build a public bathhouse? ''A public bathhouse?You mean a common bath ......? ''Yeah. I''ve never seen such a thing in this city, but if we build a public bathhouse, even people who live in small houses like tenements will be able to take a bath easily. If all the people in the city take a bath, the level of cleanliness in the city will go up by one. ''There''s a hot spring in some district, right? ''Not in Allbloom. Yashiro is probably referring to the hot springs beyond the mines. We''ve talked about it before, haven''t we? I don''t remember when, but I think we talked about it. I would like to go there, but I remember thinking that it would be inconvenient to go outside the effective range of the Conversation Record. ''We''re going to build a big bath, so that anyone can take a bath every day for a reasonable fee. ''But you can''t go in with other people .......'' ''You go to a hot spring with other people, right? ''Well, yes, but ......'' It''s okay. We can separate the baths for men and women if we have to.'' ''No, we''ll definitely separate them there, no matter what, as a matter of course. Why not? You could have chosen not to separate them! ''Well, I don''t think we can ban the kids because they''re here. ''Oh, that''s right. I''ve heard that mothers and fathers sometimes bring their young children into hot springs. I''ve never encountered it, though. ''But we''ll still have an age limit. ''That''s right, of course. ''For now, let''s just say no one over eighteen. ''Why did you make yourself just barely safe?I''m under seven! ''You''re under seven!...... By the way, what about rounding off to the nearest tenth? ''You''re not allowed! Oh, my God. ...... If that''s the case, I might as well ban it altogether. I''d kill to have a man who can go into a women''s bath that I can''t. ''But wouldn''t that be dangerous, since there''s a guild leader who''d be ''wow''ed'' by a six-year-old girl coming in? ''When that person comes in, you can ban all ages.'' Yeah, right . Let''s do that. Yeah, let''s do that. ''Also, we can tell Regina to make a medicinal bath for us. ''Yakuyu?What''s it good for? ''Well, it''s supposed to relieve fatigue and warm the body from the core. ''I like that!It''s like a simple hot spring. This guy must have been to a hot spring before. He looks like he''s having a great time. Maybe his nose is so stupid that he can''t smell sweat anymore. The human body''s defense instinct is so precious. ''Hey, you guys. I say this as a pep talk to the maidens of the Hardware Guild who have been working so hard. ''Look forward to it. I''ll give you a present of extreme happiness. ''''''Haffu~......'''''' Perhaps because they were so happy with the bath, all the maidenly males slumped to the ground with their hands on their cheeks. Well, a big bath feels good, doesn''t it? Enjoy it as much as you can. It was early in the morning of the next day that I found out that I was mistaken in thinking that ....... ''Yashiro, is it true that you''ve declared your intention to mess with my men? ''Of course it''s not true!What kind of acrobatic misunderstanding is that? Before the sun had even risen, Norma rushed into the sunlit pavilion and said something terrible. Who would dare touch that thing! ''But that''s what they said. ''But they said, "We''ll give you the greatest happiness."'' It''s a public bathhouse. ''After all, ...... Yashiro, the smell of your ...... men''s sweat made you horny. ......'' ''No, I didn''t! But you just said ''body odor lust''! ''It''s a public bathhouse! From then until the sun came up, I carefully told Norma about the bathhouse and told her to make sure she was persuaded before they came here today. I told her that any old man with strange misconceptions would not be allowed near the sunny pavilion, and nailed him to the wall. It''s been a while since I''ve said that. "Forced Translation Magic", don''t play with it. As the heat wave continues and the temperature rises day by day, the maidens of the Trubec Engineering Shop and the Hardware Guild sweatily run around in the forest and finally complete the waterway. In order to check its operation, I came to inspect the waterway in the forest together with Torbek''s store, the Hardware Guild, and the members of the River Fishing Guild. The structure was more solid than I had imagined, and would last for ten or twenty years. The flow of water was perfect, and we could use it without any inconvenience. In addition, the large tank that Yamboldo is so proud of is equipped with a filtration system that will return any fish that wander into the river without harming them. According to the members of the river fishing guild, the structure is designed to take advantage of the ecology and characteristics of fish. As a test, Omero threw three fish into the tank, and all three swam out of the water''s outlet in good health. It is safe to say that they will not be knocked to the bottom of the river when they fall. ''Looks like you''ve learned your lesson, Yamboldo. ''Omero, the blister.'' ''Huh?Ah, ah, well, I guess? Sounds like you''ve got a crush, Yangboldo. Well, it''s impossible for even a spirit god to truly understand you. ''But your enthusiasm was great. He stayed here for three days and three nights asking about the ecology of most of the fish in this river. After all, everyone you know has guts. Omero praised Yangbold, saying: ...... You''re the one who knows me, and you ain''t got no guts. You''re still too scared of the guild leader to speak up. You''d better get used to it. I thought Delia had mellowed out. Nevertheless, the tank is now complete. Delia is in a good mood now that she knows it won''t affect the river. ''But, if a Nushi-class fish in such a big river gets mixed in, where will it come out? ''If a fish of that size gets mixed in, the channel will break first. Delia, assuming a fish that is bigger than you, indicates its size with both arms. If a fish of that size were to fall from the waterfall by mistake, I''d give up and send personnel to repair it. ''Ya, Yashiro-chan. No, Yashiro-chan! I don''t understand why he rephrased it at all, but the maidens of the hardware guild (muscled and bearded) gather in front of me. ''The fence to keep out the beasts is up. ''I worked so hard, I sweated a little. ''But that doesn''t mean you can''t be a wolf, Yashiro-tan! ''What, what?This urge to bite off your throat, is it showing on your face? This feeling, it''s the will to kill. It seems that Norma''s stern orders to re-educate the males did not work. ...... I think I''ll quit the bathhouse. ''Hey, Yashiro. Do you like the smell of sweat?'' ''I don''t like it.'' ''But Estella told me that Yashiro has a smell fetish. That sniffing girl! You''re trying to use me as a scapegoat to cover up your own s*xuality! What a guy!He''s a hell of a lord. He''s a horrible lord with the makings of a demagogue. ''This year''s swimsuit will be a triangle bikini, let''s do it. It should be simple, unadorned, and emphasize the languidness! Unlike last year, when swimsuits were not popular, cute swimsuits have already become civilized! No matter what your objections are, I''m sure everyone will wear their new swimsuits when they play in the river! I remember that Ukrines asked Nephrite and Barbara to model for her new swimsuit. Uclines is a mild-mannered old lady, but she has a man in her heart. It''s a clothing store that loves "cute" and "revealing". ...... I can hardly contain my anticipation now! ''Will Delia be wearing her new swimsuit? ''A river trip?Yeah. Uclines gave me a new one for you. She said, ''It''s good publicity for you to wear it. ''Yeah, ......, as usual, your imitation is so unlike me that it makes my temples itch. You''re not capturing any of the features, but you''re exaggerating them. It''s a real mystery what you''re imitating. ''Well then, let''s see if there are any problems with the water supply. The channel that sends water to the bathroom is called the water supply. This is to distinguish it from the waterway that sends water to the fields. Hammaro came rushing in saying, ''The waterway is a disaster! so that when Hammaro comes running in, he will know which one you are talking about. Well, it''s so shabby compared to Japan''s waterways that I can''t help but think ''waterways are ......'', but I''m the only one who feels uncomfortable about that, so it''s okay. ''I''ll go back to the sunlit pavilion, open and close the door, and then come back and see if there''s anything wrong with the water supply. ''I''ll take care of it, Miss Delia! Goozja replies to Delia, even though I asked her to. This guy seems to be happy just having Delia around. He can work three times faster than usual. ''Yashiro, can I come and watch too? ''As you wish. ''Then I''ll come with you! ''No, you stay here and watch the waterworks, Goozuya.'' ''Yeah~......'' ''Delia''s expecting you. See? ''Yeah. I''m counting on you, Goozoo ...... ya?'' ''Ahh!Delia-san finally said my name?Yes!I''ll do my best!I''ll be sure to do what she asks! I thought I''d be able to convince Delia, but she''s cheap, these guys. And I probably still can''t fully remember your name. It was a question at the end. ''Well, we''ll be on our way-- Omero. ''Oh, what''s up, bro? ''I need you to wash those old hardware guys. ''''No, Omero, you''re so naughty! ''''Hey!Wait a minute, you''re defaming me! You like to wash, don''t you? Take care of it. What they call ''men''s fruity'', wash it down to the roots. ''Hey, Delia. ''Oh. I don''t know about you, but I''m counting on you, Omero. ''Aaahhh!This sucks!I''ll never be able to say no again! Omero looked up to the sky with his head in his hands. Would you rather suffer the psychological fatal wound of washing the maidens, or the physical fatal wound of breaking Delia''s orders?Now, take your pick!It''s dead or die! ''Whichever you choose, I''m dead. ...... d*mn, I wish I could have eaten oshiruko at Kamakura this year. ......'' Omero cries quietly, holding his eyes. What were you looking forward to, you big old man? I mean, you don''t even like sweets that much. You don''t even have anyone to share it with. I didn''t know the name "Kamakura-za" was so popular. d*mn it!I''m desperate!Hardware Guild!Whoever wants to get washed should come forward! ''''No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! ''''Omero is going to buy us a bowl of soup at Kamakura-za for everyone who gets washed. ''''''Yes!We''ve got the hottest sweets!Wash up, raccoons! Oh, dear, oh, dear.Don''t chug it!One at a time!One by one, ......! A hot day. There was a great splash in the river in the forest. Delia and I made our way to the sunken pavilion as a raccoon, trapped by a pack of fierce muscle maidens, washed up on the riverbed. ''Oh, look, look!There''s water!Hahaha, that''s awesome~'' Water came pouring out of the tap in the bathroom built in the backyard of the Sunken Pavilion. It was a great success. You did it! ''The fact that ...... Yashiro is more refreshing than necessary means that ...... Omero or Goozuya must have been sacrificed in the river. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''...... may he rest in peace.'' Estella made a sharp point, Loretta made a terrible accusation, and Magda prayed for Omero''s soul. Hmm. There is no such thing as my responsibility. Even if it did, it would be so small that a pretty Yashiro-chan smile would make up for it. ''Do you want to try it, Jeannette? ''Yes. Do you think I can do it? Ginette sits excitedly in front of a tool she''s never seen before. A ''tap'' that brings water to the Sunlit Pavilion. A faucet was attached to the end of it. It is a simple device that closes the faucet when it is perpendicular to the tap, and opens it when it is parallel to the tap. Since Norma''s screw had improved its performance considerably, I tried to make it, and it worked well. If I can make some gaskets, I may be able to make an iron water supply. If so, the size of the water supply can be made more compact, and durability can be increased. That''s a matter to be discussed. If you want to make gaskets, you can use rubber or resin. ...... If you ask Javier, he might be able to introduce you to such a craftsman. ''N......! Ginette twisted the cock fearfully, and water flowed out vigorously. The water stops flowing when he returns the cock. So far, there was no indication that the valve would be broken by the water pressure. For now, we can consider it a success. ''How''s it going? ''Yes, it took a little effort, but even I was able to open and close it easily. Following Ginette''s sense of accomplishment, Magda, Loretta, and Delia tried to open and close the door. We test its durability by opening and closing it roughly on purpose. If Ginette and Delia can use it without any problems, then surely anyone can use it. Just be careful not to use too much water and you should be fine. ''It''s surprisingly easy to fetch water now. ''It''s equipped with a filtration system, so it''s safe to drink. After passing through the filtration system, the water will only pass through a completely enclosed passage. Nevertheless, wells are safer for drinking. This is only for when you are thirsty after taking a bath. The river is clean, so you can drink it without any resistance. People drink it in the river. ''Now, if I can just get creative, the bathhouse will be complete. I didn''t think that the bath would actually be ready in less than a week. Moreover, it''s a functional and stylish bathhouse that Umaro and Yambordo paid a lot of attention to. If they build a public bathhouse, this will definitely be popular. Let''s bring in Becco to decorate it gorgeously. Maybe we can get Imelda to join us. She''s got excellent design skills. As I was thinking about this, Umaro, who was working harder than anyone else on the bathroom, tilted his head. ''What do you mean, "one more idea"? The bathroom of the Sunlit Pavilion is almost finished. Although the wall has been temporarily removed in order to bring the water supply into the bathroom, this wall can be re-installed immediately. So, it really only needs one more effort to be completed. Yes! ''Just make a secret hidden passage that only I can sneak through and it''s done! ''Now, all I have to do is reattach the wall and reinforce it firmly, and I''m done! ''Wait, Umaro!If we can''t make a loophole, at least make a peephole, or a small window!Yes, a small window for ventilation! ''We already have a small window for ventilation. And it''s a window with the latest technology from Torbeck Engineering, so you can see out from the inside, but you can''t see in from the outside. You idiot!That''s only visible from one side due to the angle of the diagonally mounted boards! That''s a standard technology that''s been used in Japan for a long time! What''s the latest? What''s the latest? It''s no big deal, let''s just change it to a regular lattice window! What? Hey! The normally obedient Umaro didn''t listen to me at all. He''s a ...... rebel, isn''t he? When I consulted Jeannette about what to do, she gave me the oft-heard scolding words, ''Please repent. d*mn. I think I''ll take a bite of my food before serving it to Umaro next time. 454-Episode 256 Preparation and Announcement According to Natalia''s forecast, tomorrow would be the last day of the heat wave. The first day of the heat wave was expected to be another day longer, but it seems that the temperature has risen faster than expected. In order not to repeat last year''s mistake, we had planned to go swimming tomorrow, when each of us had finished our work and there was still one day to spare before the heavy snowfall period. ...... Tomorrow is the last day, the same as last year. I guess I''ll just have to swim less this year and be careful not to fall asleep. ''So, I''m going to make a good plan. ''That''s a good thing. The time is now night. The business of the sunny pavilion is not over yet, but the number of customers has died down, and only a few people are rushing in to eat dinner. At any rate, I called up those who had announced that they would come to stay during the heavy snowfall. Here we are, myself, Ginette, Magda, and Loretta from Team Sun-dari-tei. Then there''s Estella and Natalia, Delia and Imelda, Umaro, Becco and Hammaro, last year''s sleepover group. And Norma, Paula and Nephrite, who are joining us for the first time this year. Masha is not participating today because she has to work until tomorrow. ...... Are this many people really going to stay? ''Paula and Nephrite are only staying for the first day, right? ''Yes, they are. This year, we''re going to have a ''Kamakura BAR'' in Cantalucia too! ''I have to take care of the chickens. It''s a pity. But I think I can come and help with the Kamakura. ''Hey, Neffery!Come help me with the Kamakura Bar!We''re all experienced...'' ''Yes, even if it''s .......'' ''Then I''ll give you that one-of-a-kind fur coat! ''I''m in! Nefari''s motivation visibly spiked. ''What are you talking about? ''You see, Mr. Ukrines made a very cute and fluffy coat for the heavy snow season. It''s a prototype, so there''s only one, right?'' ''Yes, yes. It won''t be officially on sale until next year''s hot season. Paula added to Neffery''s enthusiastic talk. I mean, why a fur coat in the hot season?...... Oh, I see. It is unlikely to be worn outside of the heavy snowfall season, and fur coats and other fluffy things. ''That''s why you''re the only one in town who''s wearing that fur coat this snowy season! ''I wanted one too, but Paula bought it for me by the skin of her teeth. ''I''m faster than you, you know! ''You should borrow it and wear it together. ''Of course I will. Right, Neffely? ''Yes. But ''lending'' and ''borrowing'' have completely different meanings in the world of fashion. Do you understand? No, I don''t. I just don''t care. ''If you want a fluffy one, just carry Hammaro on your back. ''It''s a natural heating device! I didn''t say anything about wanting to wear fluffy clothes, but Hammaro climbed on my back on his own and turned into a crying old man. ...... It''s heavy. No, it''s light. ''Oniichan, Oniichan! ''What?'' ''...... Hammaro?'' It''s you! If you don''t learn how to say ''Onii-chan'', we''ll be inclined to say ''Onii-chan? I''ll be tilting my head! ''Mmmm. You look warm, Yashiro-san.'' ''Fine. I''ll lend it to you when it snows.'' Ginette made a joke, so I''ll make a joke in return. By the way, it''s not warm at all. If you stay still, the ground might get warmer, but this thing doesn''t stay still at all. It''s moving all over the place. Hey, if you''re going to beat me, at least calm down! ''So, back to the point. Reflecting on the fact that last year we were in a flurry of activity due to the lack of various things, preparations are already underway. ''The bedding and firewood have already been brought in. The bedding and firewood have already been brought in, and Imelda is providing them as she did last year. ''Thank you very much! This is why I can''t refuse Imelda''s stay. Sponsors are scary when they''re angry. Even though there is a full complement of waiters in the palace. ...... Well, I''m sure the servants need some peace and quiet once in a while. You can stretch your wings as much as you like. By the way, you''ve been asking Ginette for recipes for various dishes. Oshiruko, Daikon potatoes, and so on. I guess she''s planning to have a sweet party. While Imelda''s away. ''Also, the food was provided by Mormat.'' ''Heh. Is that what they call ''providing'' where you''re from?'' Excuse me. It was in return for making better sledges and sandals than last year for the farming guild. I did scare the reluctant crocodiles into doubling their supply, but that was because of the bond that Mo''amat and I have developed over the years of spending time together. It was not robbery. ''Mo-Mat was very happy when I told him that he was invited to the mochi pounding event at the church at the end of the year. Ginette was a little nervous when I took a lot of vegetables, so I invited her to a mochi pounding contest at the church. Mo''amat, who was in love with Bertina, would have been happy just to be able to eat rice cakes while watching Bertina. ''So you like rice cakes, Mr. Mo''amat. I''ve never heard of it before. ''No, Ginette-chan, ...... that''s the thing, the way Yashiro said ............''. Estella glanced at me with reproachful eyes and let out a sigh. What is it? I just said, ''Bertina is glutinous. I just whispered in his ear, ''Bertina is mochi-petticoat. What he imagined with that onomatopoeia is none of my business. It''s all his fault. Unlike Estella, Bertina isn''t flat-chested. I''m sure she didn''t imagine anything indecent. But if she''s a ''glutinous flattie,'' ...... can''t vouch for that. ''Donations to the church are already in place. Last year, we just brought the food and let the matrons do the cooking. But this year, we''ve prepared meat marinated in sauce and fish processed to last longer. They are stored in the ice storage room, which has become empty due to the huge sales of shaved ice, so they will not get damaged. This will save you some time and effort in cooking. Besides, we can enjoy the taste of ginette even when we are snowed in. The kids and Bertina will be happy. ''We''ll bring the preserves tomorrow morning. They won''t have the energy after playing in the river.'' ''Then I''ll come and help you! ''Then I''ll help you, too. That''s reassuring. ''Well, you two. Come in your swimsuits so we can go play in the river.'' ''Yeah!All right! ''You don''t get it, do you?I can''t have you two walking around town in your bathing suits in the morning! ''I guess not. Okay!Then let''s get Ginette into a bathing suit too! ''You''re supposed to wear normal clothes!Already. Apparently, swimsuits can wait until the river. ''Oh, and the river play starts at noon. In the morning, the pavilion is open for business as usual. Since it is just before the heavy snowfall season, we are expecting some customers to come to buy lunch boxes. Also, old lady Mum will come for coffee tomorrow morning. I remember she came last year, around this time of the year. I''m sure Jeannette will be working hard to make coffee jelly early tomorrow morning. ''If you don''t have any business, you can start ahead, but the stall at the sunny pavilion won''t arrive until after noon, so be prepared for that. If you''re hungry before noon, we''re not going to stop working. I''ll have to remind Bertina of that. ''Also, this is the most important thing, so I want you all to listen to it carefully: ......'' The most important thing to keep in mind when you''re out on the river tomorrow. That is-- ''Don''t mention anything about staying overnight during the heavy snowfall in front of Lucia, okay?Don''t even hint at it.It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. This is also the order of the lord. ''If anyone tells Lucia about this, they will not only be banned from the Sunken Pavilion during the heavy snow season, but they will also be responsible for taking Lucia away, so be prepared for that! It''s impossible to keep taking care of something like that in a space closed off by snow. Your heart will wear out and wear out. ''''Um, Yashiro-san. Don''t you think that''s a little pitiful? What are you talking about, Jeannette! There''s no need to wear out your own life to serve someone else! ''Are you trying to make Lucia sleep in the mess hall? ''No, that''s not .......'' ''He has a fine mansion, and many servants to serve him. It would be more comfortable for him to stay in his own mansion. More importantly, I don''t like the situation where the lord can''t return to his house because of the heavy snowfall. During heavy snowfalls, the whole town is buried in snow, and you never know what kind of accident might happen. Wouldn''t it be a problem for the people of the city if the lord is not at the mansion?That''s when a lord should stay in the manor and be prepared for anything. Hey, Estella? ''Hmm, no comment! You can''t argue with that, but Estella turns her head away, showing that she wants to stay in the sunlit pavilion at all costs. You, too, should stay at the mansion just in case. The waiters will take care of you and make sure you''re well looked after. ''I''m sorry, Master Yashiro. All the servants at the manor have plans to spend time with their families and loved ones during the heavy snowfall. If Estella declares that she will stay at the manor now, it will cause a riot. ''Did you all send out your vacations at once this year too ......''. Don''t tell me this is going to become an annual event. ''Come on, hire a cook, your mansion. ''It doesn''t matter who you hire, you can''t surpass Jeannette''s taste, so it''s the same. I''m going to stay in the sunlit pavilion! ''Are you sure you want this guy as your lord, District 42? What a selfish lord. The people are crying. Hmmm... ''In a way, no one but Estella can be the lord of the Forty-two districts. ''I guess so. I wouldn''t like it if it wasn''t Estella. ''Hey, everyone, ......! ''It''s easy for you to take care of the troublesome procedures.'' ''...... Well, I''ll take that as a favorable opinion. In Estella''s case, she would probably ignore the incompleteness of the documents because of the person she was dealing with. ''It''s wrong here, but she doesn''t have bad intentions, so I''ll fix it''. It can also be called falsification of official documents, though. I, too, have thrown all my paperwork to Estella since we first met. Starting with the establishment of the Garbage Collection Guild, registration to the residents of the district, and so on and so forth. I guess that''s why they don''t grow up. We need to get Delia to do it and pass it on within the guild. ...... Well, we can do that in a little while. Estella is still a new lord. You''ll learn a lot about that in the future. Together with the people. ''So, that''s all I have to say on the matter. ...... You guys are too preoccupied with other things. While we were talking about the river play and the sleepover during the heavy snowfall, they kept on fidgeting. Ah, yes, yes. I know, I know. I know you''re curious. d*mn those new-fangled wards. Let''s go show it off. The sunny pavilion, the large bathhouse. ''''''Yay! There was a cheer and the tour group started walking towards the kitchen. The bathhouse was built in the backyard of the sunken pavilion, further away from the firewood storage area. This was the place where many logs had once been cut. In the past, we used to cut those logs to repair chairs or to use as firewood, but lately we have been asking Imelda to give us wood, so we don''t need the log yard anymore. Therefore, all the remaining logs were used up for the construction of the bathhouse this time. And the bathhouse was born with a bang. There is a door to the backyard, but you cannot enter from the backyard side. The door can only be unlocked from the bathing area. To enter the bathhouse, you have to go through the door to the bathhouse that has been newly built in the corridor leading to the courtyard beyond the kitchen. ''Watch your step, please. ''What?The corridor doesn''t creak anymore, does it? ''Yes. Mr. Umaro fixed it too. ''...... and the door to the courtyard. ''It doesn''t creak at all anymore!Great job, Mr. Oumarro! ''Hahaha ...... not so much.'' I''m not sure what that was ...... about, but it''s the result of a loan I got back. Maybe I did something to make Umaro happy, yes. ''Umaro-san, you''re being a little too favourable to Yashiro~'' That''s right. If that''s the case, I wish you''d fix my stairs too~'' ''No, no, no, this is a give and take. ...... Well, if you have time, I can consult with you. ''Yes! I''m sure you''ll be able to have a conversation with the girls. I didn''t see her face, though. But that''s progress. ''You''ve grown up, Umaro. ''It''s a very small step.'' Don''t say that, Estella. That one small step could cure his disease. ...... No, it won''t. No, it won''t. ''So, this is the bathroom.'' Ginette leads the way and opens the door to the hallway. Beyond the door is a short hallway with a sliding door at the end. Open the sliding door and you will find yourself in the changing room. ''Wow, pretty decorations!What''s this?'' Neffery and Paula shout when they see the curtain on the bathroom door. There are two types of noren. One is a simple curtain with a red cloth and the other with a blue cloth and the word "hot water" written on it. In fact, I wanted to use "men''s hot water" and "women''s hot water," but this is an ordinary household bath. There are no men''s or women''s baths. ''There are two doors, you know? ''Is it divided into men and women? I''m sure you thought so because I''m also in the sunny pavilion, but that''s not the case. ''This is a single-person bathroom. I could have let Umaro explain this, but since there are so many girls, Ginette, the landlord, is doing the explaining. She seemed to be enjoying herself. From the back of the room, Umaro is enjoying the reactions of the others with satisfaction. Ginette opens the door to the one-person bathroom. There is a single-person bathtub made of luxurious cypress. Even though it is a one-person bathtub, it is spacious enough for me to stretch my legs out, and if it were filled, it could hold three people. Even two men can soak in it. ''Hey, hey, Jeannette. Why are there two bathtubs for one person? ''This smaller one is for boiling water. When asked by Paula, Ginette began to explain about the gun bath. ''Wood is burned in this iron kiln to boil the water in this smaller tub. The chimney disposes of the smoke outside the room, so it is safe. The Japanese gun baths did not have a chimney for smoke discharge, but Umaro said it would be better to have one, so I installed one. Rather than making everything the same, I decided to make use of the wisdom and technology of the people here and keep it original to the 42nd district. It''s our people who will do the maintenance. ...... Oh, you mean ''the ones to do it''. And look out!This is the waterworks! Delia smugly brags about all the places she''s been involved with. Delia had been in this one-person bathtub before. When she checked the water supply. So she''s a little better at it than the rest of us. Well, I haven''t shown her the big bathroom next door yet. ''This is the new technology, isn''t it? ''I''d like to get some water out of it. ''Okay, but don''t waste it, okay? Imelda twisted the faucet when I gave her permission. The water starts flowing vigorously, and a cheer goes up. ''That''s great! ''I want one of these! It may be true for everyone, but it is not possible in places far from the river. New technology and wisdom will be needed. I''ll get to that later. Incidentally, there is an extension canal under the water supply, which can be used to draw water from the water supply into the bathtub for boiling and into the bathtub for bathing. If you do not want to fill the bathtub, you can pour the water into the washing area. It can be used for any purpose. If you have a bathtub, you may want to chill a whole watermelon in it. The faucet is turned on tightly, and Paula and Nephrite get into the bathtub with their clothes on. They look like they''re having fun. I wish they could take their clothes off. ''Put your clothes on ......''. ''Oh, no. I dropped my knife.'' Before I can say anything else, the knife falls to the ground at my feet. You''ll be questioned right away in ...... Japan for carrying this around. You dangerous man. ''There''s plenty of room for two of us. ''Magda can fit another. ''Then I''ll go in! ''No, Magda''s fine. ''Why not, Mr. Paula?I want to go in with you! ''If Loretta goes in, we''ll run out of hot water! ''There''s not even a drop of hot water in there now! Well, if I take a bath with Loretta, the water will run out at a very fast rate. ...... She''s going to go crazy. ''The bathtub has enough room so that you can stretch your legs. Nefari sits on the edge of the tub and Paula stretches out her legs. That''s a lot of room. Of course it''s big enough for me to stretch my legs out. ''Do you think I can stretch my legs? ''I think you''ll be fine. Norma and Delia are itching to get into the tub. It''s going to take a while if we''re all in here. ...... ''Hey, Jeannette. Over there.'' ''I''m afraid the water''s already hot.'' ''I see. ......'' Apparently the bathrooms are already filled with hot water. ''Well, Delia and Norma, take off your clothes and go to .......'' ''Let''s have them take a bath here. With a smile, he interrupted me. Tch~ . ''Why don''t you come in, Norma? It''s a good opportunity. ''Are you sure? ''Okay, I''ll go first! ''Hey, Delia!...... Come on, let''s take over. Paula and Nepheli get out of the tub, and Delia gets in. Her long legs are stretched out. They''re really long, aren''t they? ''Oh, I can stretch them out, my legs! She lifts her outstretched legs to show off. It''s the kind of pose a Hollywood actress would do in a bubble bath in a unit bathroom. Perhaps it was because it was a bathtub, but it looked a little s*xy in spite of Delia''s blandness. I glanced at Umaro and saw that he had his back to me. He was embarrassed. Delia left and Norma entered. Norma is shorter than Delia, so of course she can stretch her legs to get in. ...... ''Oh, ...... this is going to feel so good. It''s so fragrant you''d think there was hot water in it! I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Her breath is so s*xy! It''s so s*xy! It''s even warmer if you drink it on a tray with hot sake. ''That''s a good idea. Maybe I''ll ask for some during the heavy snow season. Norma was in a good mood, thirsty and happy. Be sure to have a chaperone with you when you do this. I''m afraid of getting hot and drunk. ''In my hometown, we call it an open-air bath, where you can soak in hot water, drink hot sake, and look out at the open landscape. The snowy scenery would be great. ''That''s nice. I''d like to experience it myself. Right?So, please fill out the petition to remove the wall in the bathhouse--'' ''You haven''t given up yet, have you, big brother? ''...... The idea has been scrapped and will no longer be reconsidered. ''Yashiro-san. I''m sorry. ''d*mn, no.'' ...... ''Oh, by the way, Imelda is very quiet.'' ''...... If you ask me. ''I have a bathroom in my house too. I''m interested in the waterworks and this gun bath, but a bathtub of this size is not much different from the one in my house. Our bathtub is more magnificent than Estella''s, you know. ''Shut up!It''s only natural that they were built after us!Besides, unlike your building, my building was not designed by Umaro. ...... Maybe I should rebuild it. Wow, the trust in Umaro. It''s a brand now. ''Well, I''d like to join you for a drink, that I would. ''Then let''s go next door...'' ''Mr. Yashiro! ''There is no demand for your pseudo-bathing scene! ''I have no intention of supplying it, but! Are you trying to ruin Norma''s s*xy pseudo-bathing scene? Don''t show me anything strange until it''s burned into my memory. What if they get mixed up? ''Are you sure Magda and the others are okay with this?They seem to like this kind of thing.'' ''...... Magda and her friends have already been through this.'' ''I even flipped over in the bath next door! The members of the Sunlit Pavilion have already enjoyed it. Well, no one has taken a bath yet. This is just a warm-up before we see the real thing, the big bath. If we can make it easier for people to take care of themselves, the baths will spread throughout the 42nd district in no time. Such thoughts crossed my mind as I looked at the excited faces of everyone. After the explanation of the new technology of the 42nd district, the gun bath and the water supply, the group enjoyed the new bathroom, stretching their legs in the tub and trying to get in together. This alone would have been satisfying enough, but ...... the real work was yet to come. ''Now, everyone, this way. Ginette led us out of the changing room first. Then, when all eyes were on her, she said something unusual. ''This one''s a little bit amazing. You can count on it. Ginette doesn''t often brag about her baths, but apparently the baths are different. Maybe she doesn''t even know it''s her own bathroom? The only thing in his mind might be ''Let''s all take a bath together during the heavy snowfall''. ...... I''m starting to think so. It''s your house, right? And then you go out to the changing room, and finally the door to the big bath is opened. ''Ho-oh-oh! ''What''s this! ''It''s huge! ''This is amazing. Paula barked, Nephrite stunned, Delia marveled, and Norma''s eyes twinkled. In Norma''s mind, she''s probably already soaking in the bathtub and pouring herself a hot drink. Her cheeks are relaxed. ''Be careful not to spill hot water on the floor, it''s a slippery slope. The floor is made of Japanese cypress. Be careful not to slip and fall. Also, if you don''t clean the floor often, it will become slippery. You have to be careful not to overload the ginette. The large bathroom is already filled with hot water. The water is colorless, clear and clean. It''s not as good as a public bath, but it''s probably as good as any dormitory bath. It is large enough for four people to stretch out their legs side by side. If you bend your legs, you can fit eight people in it. ...... How many people are you planning to fit in there? I''m sure it''s big enough for one person. This is a luxury bath that is only used when guests are staying. We usually use the one-person bath. Of course. No matter how much time you have, it''s not enough to fill and boil water in this huge bath every day. It''s also hard to clean. However, a bath for one person is luxurious enough. Ginette pokes her tongue out with a wry smile. Even the one-person bathtub is bigger than the one in Estella''s house, and almost as big as the one in Imelda''s house. It''s on the level of Estella''s and Imelda''s, in other words, the house of a nobleman. It was luxurious enough. ''Mr. Manager!Since I didn''t get in the bathtub earlier, I''ll get in here! ''Hey, Imelda!The water is already hot!You''ll get wet! Imelda rushes forward, but Loretta stops her. ''I don''t think it''ll be a problem as long as you take off your clothes. ''It''s the taking off of clothes that''s the problem. You must understand. Estella is having a difficult conversation. Let''s ignore her. ''Whoa!This is impressive, that it is. ''Yikes!Becko is peeking into the girls'' bathroom~! ''Wait!Mr. Yashiro!Please refrain from saying anything that might cause misunderstanding, that you should! It''s true. There''s a girl in the bathroom and you''re peeking in. ''I''d like to go into ...... this, you know. ''Me too! Well, I''m sure you will. I mean, that''s what you guys are here for, right? The river play and sleepover meetings are secondary. I''ve made all the preparations. And your bath sets. You can go in. Bathroom''s ready. I''m sure that''s what Ginette had in mind when she filled the bathrooms. Everyone''s face is glowing with anticipation. It will be fun to soak in the big tub, stretch out our legs, and have fun together. But it doesn''t end there, that''s the quality of the sunny pavilion. Look at this one. I take out a packet of powder from my pocket and show it to him. It''s a light yellow powder, and because the tub is so big, there''s quite a bit of it. ''Um, Yashiro-san. What is it?'' I haven''t told Jeannette and the others about this either. While bathhouses and waterways are being constructed here and there, I secretly went to Regina''s house to research and develop this. ''This is a bath salt that you put in the bathtub and enjoy. Naturally, it is made of safe, natural ingredients that are completely harmless even if discharged directly. There is no problem even if you pour it directly into the sewer. There are a variety of scents to choose from, including quince, lavender, and chamomile. ...... This scent is a good one to start with. When you put the bath salts into the bathtub, the water quickly turned yellow and a refreshing scent spread throughout the bathroom. ''Yuzu......, isn''t it? ''Oh. It''s a bath salt with the scent of yuzu.'' ''Huh~, it smells great! ''...... I could drink it all in one go.'' Don''t do it, Magda. It doesn''t have any flavor. ''So, Jeannette.'' ''Yes?'' ''After all, the landlord has the right to the first bath. ''You go in first. ''No, no!I don''t mind being last after everyone else has finished. ''What are you talking about, Mr. Manager? ''...... The manager should take the first bath with Magda. ''I want in, too, in that circle! ''But if it''s the first bath, I''ll give it to Yashiro-san at .......'' ''I want to enjoy the hot water left over from Jeannette''s use! ''Yashiro is going to use the tub over there, Jeannette.'' Estella interrupted me and did something unnecessary! Is she an enemy?Is she an enemy? In the meantime, everyone in the room was persuaded that Ginette was the best, and to her great dismay, Ginette offered an answer. ''So, then, please join us all together. This is a very Ginette-like answer, and all of us relax our faces in relief. I, too, would like to agree with Ginette''s idea. So, I''ll give her a big push. ''Alright!Then let''s all go in together! ''It''s girls only! ''Idiot, Estella!We''re here to make Jeannette''s wish come true. Let''s all work together. ''Put down that raised fist! What a surprise. Even though it was obvious, it was rejected. ''Boys are not allowed to come in here from the kitchen, you know. ''That''s all right, Miss Estella!The dressing room and the door to the hallway can only be locked from this side! ''...... We''ve taken all the necessary precautions against Umaro. Umaro is a smart boy. ''Haaaaan!Magda gave me a compliment. d*mn you, Umaro. You betrayed me for a woman. ...... ''...... I''ll be friends with Becko next time. ''Meh, no, Mr. Yashiro!I''m trying to keep Mr. Yashiro from becoming a criminal. ''What a fishing opportunity for me!I''m glad I came today, that I am! ''Becco, don''t get carried away! ''Just get out of here, will you, boys?The water''s getting cold.'' Estella and Natalia pushed us back and threw us out into the hallway. The door closes and locks tightly. With a bang. Oh no, the door''s shut tight. Oh well. ''So, shall we proceed with the plan for the public bath? ''Yes...'' ''I''ve never heard that story before, that I have!I want to hear the details, that I do! ''Why are you being so carefree? You''ve got a lot of work to do. ''Then I would have liked to have been notified in advance, that I would have!I still have some work to do...'' ''Then, no thanks. I''ll ask someone else. ''I''ll adjust, that I will!Mr. Yashiro''s project has the highest priority, that it does! ''Oh, I''m glad. There was no way Mr. Yashiro could get along with Becko, was there? ''That is not true, that it is not!I and Mr. Yashiro are good friends, that we are!Isn''t that right, that Mr. Yashiro? ''Eh?Oh, I''m sorry. I was just thinking about my boobs and didn''t listen. ''Mr. Yashiro~! We noisily returned to the floor and made plans for the public bath. Estella had given us the go-ahead, and we should get started as soon as the heavy snowfall season was over. We don''t have much time. After all, the construction of the harbor would begin at the beginning of the year. ''We don''t seem to have much time, so we''ll do as much as we can when we can. ''Yes, sir!The motto of Torbek''s construction company is to meet deadlines. ''I have a little confidence in my speed too, so please feel free to ask me anything. In spite of what I say, I might be a newcomer too. I''m pretty excited right now, despite my busy schedule. Now, what kind of bathhouse shall we build? As if we were playing a conspiracy, the three of us put our heads together and talked about this and that. We were so enthusiastic that we didn''t feel the girls'' long baths were long enough. In addition, Hammaro has been attached to my back for a long time, and is now breathing soundly in his sleep. ...... You really are a crying old man, aren''t you? I''m not sure what to say. Estella is wiping her hair on the floor with a red-hot face. I don''t know if it''s okay for a daughter of a nobleman to be exposed to men after her bath. It''s not just me, Umaro and Bekko are here too. ''All right. As for Yashiro, it''s too late for that.'' I''m not sure that''s a good idea. ...... ''What about Umaro?'' ''Umaro''s not looking at me anyway.'' ''What about Bekko?'' ''What''s your problem with Bekko looking at you?'' Wow. ...... Becko, you don''t count as a man. I mean, aren''t you excluded from the human category? Well, okay... ''Mr. Bekko. You should make a food sample of your bath! ''It''s not food first, Imelda! Imelda bends her chest arrogantly, her face flushed after her bath. ...... Was it good, the bathhouse? And then the girls come out to the floor in droves. Oh, I''ve already closed the sunlit pavilion. Since the manager and the waitress had taken a bath, I decided that it was no longer possible to serve customers. ''Mr. Yashiro. I took your hot water first. Ginette came in front of me, holding her wet hair with a towel. ''How was it, how''s the bath? ''Yes, sir. It felt really good. ''Did you all wash yourselves before taking a bath? ''Yes, we did. It''s good manners. As a native of a hot spring country, I gave them a lesson in minimum manners, but it seems that it was passed on to them. One, wash your body before getting into the bathtub. Two, don''t soak your towel in the tub. Three, bathing in your clothes is outrageous! Four, it would be nice if we could have a mixed bathing day once a month. That''s the rule I''ve set. ''Everyone obeyed the rules except for the fourth one. ''The fourth one is so important! The common people of Edo used to take mixed baths for granted! I wonder if the Tokugawa Shogun will ever appear in this city?Come back to Edo! ''Would you all like to join us? Ginette calls out to Umaro and Bekko as well. ''......, are you asking me to join these guys? ''No, but it''s getting late. ''Well, it''s certainly a ...... tempting offer, that it is, but ......''. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll be able to understand. ...... If you want to join, just say you want to join. ''During heavy snowfall, we''ll probably be on the small side. I''ll enjoy it.'' ''Then, I''ll be your companion! ''I''ll do the same! After all, even old men are interested in bathing. Especially you, Umaro. You''ve worked hard, so you should get rid of your fatigue. I''m going to check the temperature of the water. I''ve made it a little warm. It was probably Magda who made the water too warm. Children don''t like hot baths. ''Leave it very hot. ''Yes, sir. If it''s too hot, please use the water from the water bottle or the tap. The amount of water in the tap cannot be adjusted. So, when I wanted to fine-tune it, I used the water from the water bottle. There were ways to adjust it, such as opening the cock halfway, but the water bottle was more reliable. ''Well, you''d better go home early. It''s still hot, so you may not get cold, but your hair will be wet, so be careful. Also, it''s night time, so watch out for drunks. Paula and Nephrite took the main road home. It''s dangerous for a girl with wet hair to walk unprotected after a bath in a street full of drunks. ''I''ll give you a lift, won''t I? ''Then Norma will get cold feet. Above all, Norma is the one most likely to be targeted by men. Norma is also the one most likely to wander off at ....... ''Can''t help it, I''ll ......''. ''I''ll be fine.'' ''Yes, yes. You worry too much, Yashiro. Paula and Nephrite stopped me, laughing. ''No, I''d say you''re worrying too much. ...... ''Besides, most of the drunks around here know each other.'' ''Me too. I know a lot of them because I help out at Paula''s store, so, you know?I''m fine.'' ''But you know, ......''. It''s too late for that after it happens. ...... ''So, shall I take you home? ''Natalia has to send Estella! ''Then I''ll do it.'' ''Then I''ll do it.'' ''Home, just the opposite! You''ve had enough of hot water! If you even sneeze, you''ll be banned from playing in the river tomorrow! ''Whose father are you? ''Shut up.'' Estella laughs at me. You guys are too incapable of crisis management! It doesn''t matter how many beastmen there are, if a man gets serious, it''s dangerous! ''Don''t worry. If he tries anything, I''ll tell Delia and Norma. ''Then, please include me in that.'' ''Wow~ ...... I won''t be able to live with Delia, Norma and Natalia staring at me in District 42.'' I wouldn''t feel comfortable with that. ...... Oh, so it''s blackmail. Okay, okay. I''ll be right back. I write quickly with a thick brush on a large piece of paper. And I put them on the backs of Paula and Nephrite, and Norma and Delia and Imelda. Beauty after bath Entrance fee 500Rb Payment window, Obayashiro. ''Wow, ......, I''d turn away from that in a heartbeat.'' ''It looks like they''re going to collect money from the bottom of hell. The girls giggled at the words I had written. ''Hey, hey, you''re beautiful. ''So that''s what Yashiro thinks, huh~? Nepheli and Paula look at us teasingly and laugh. Ah, yes, yes. You''re beautiful, so be careful on the streets at night. ...... Would you have preferred ''beautiful chicken'', Nephrite? ''If a man comes near you, tell him, "Chaleen, Chaleen."'' ''Wow, it''s every second instead of once a visit. ......'' Estella''s cheeks twitch. Of course not. We can''t do business if 500Rb takes up the whole day. Every second. Smiles are extra. ''Well, you''re safe now, right?We''re leaving.'' ''Yashiro, take a bath in peace. ''I think I''ll go back and forth to the main street to earn some money. Mm-hmm. ''I''m going to put this paper on the river tomorrow, too. No, leave it there. It''s disposable, you know. ''...... Yashiro is very sweet.'' Shut up, Loretta. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. I''ll take a bath. I''m going to take a bath.I''ll be beautiful too! ''What''s with you and timing? I was about to hand her over to Loretta, but Hammaro woke up. Let''s give him a bath too. It''s a big place. ''Well, we''re leaving then. I''ll take the blueprints for the bathhouse.I''ll take a good look at it.'' ''Yeah, suit yourself. It''s just a prototype we threw together. It''ll be useless until we brush it up. Look at it as much as you like, and think of some requests you''d like to make. ''For now, no mixed bathing. He erased the words I wrote with an X. d*mn it! ...... Well, I knew that. Natalia stands in front of me as the girls begin to prepare to leave. She straightens her back and gives me a reverent bow. Her hair is wet and shiny, and she looks strangely s*xy. ''Don''t worry, even if you don''t bother to write it down, I, a beautiful woman, will be responsible for escorting Estella-sama to the mansion. ''Yes, without that, I could praise you with open arms. The beautiful women who had just finished bathing were leaving the Sunlit Pavilion one by one, greeting each other as they left. They gave each other their impressions of the bath, and looked satisfied. We''ve confirmed the demand for the bath, but we''ve also come up with a number of pending issues. We''ll have to consider this. The residents of the forty-two districts are all harmless and good-natured, but they are also somewhat stupid, have a weakness for beautiful women, and all love breasts. By building a public bathhouse, beautiful women after bathing will come and go outside. ''It''s a crisis of tits after bathing: ......'' ''No, in that case, Yashiro is the one who should be most warned. ......'' ''I don''t have any objections either. What are you talking about, catching a gentleman like me! I''m fine, I''m a gentleman. It''s the non-gentlemen who are the problem. ''If we build a public bathhouse, should we have vigilantes standing in the street at night? It would be a shame if crime increased. ''Or make it compulsory to wear a Medora T-shirt to ward off evil ......'' ''Yashiro-san is starting to say something scary and outrageous: ......'' ''Don''t worry, there''s no man with that much guts in the 42nd district, that there isn''t.'' ''You don''t know that, do you? ''No, no, no. There aren''t many people in this city who have the guts to go up against Mr. Yashiro, that there aren''t.'' ''...... Why do I come out, there? ''Why, again, you wonder.'' Becko rolls his eyes behind his round glasses. ''It is obvious that if anything happens to them, Mr. Yashiro will move without a second thought, that there is no one who plans to do anything wrong, that there is. When you say that, it sounds like I''m a jealous man with a beautiful woman around. That''s not true, okay? It''s just that I think that a bastard who hurts the people I''m close to will be dealt with worse than death. ''But more and more people are coming from other wards, so I think Yashiro''s concern is justified. I think the girls are too used to the peaceful 42nd district. That''s right! That''s Umaro! That''s what I wanted to say! ''I think you should talk to Estella-san about that too. ''In connection with the public baths. ''I think you''re worrying too much, that I am. ......'' ''There''s a difference between having a loved one and not having a loved one! Hmm? Hmm? What are you talking about, Hammaro? I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ...... d*mn it, I was going to grab him and give him a head start, but he got away. ''Do you want to take a bath, Hammaro? ''I want to sleep now. ''Then go to your room with Loretta and go to sleep. ''Yes! Let them have a bath tomorrow. The kids will be in bed by now. ''Oh, that''s right. Magda and Loretta, you can go to bed now too. We have an early day tomorrow.'' ''Yes, sir.'' ''...... got it.'' ''I feel like I''m really sleepy today. ''...... It''s because I''m warm.'' ''Then go back to your room, Magda. ''...... Loretta, piggyback. ''Good luck getting to your room,......, you''re already asleep! Loretta carries Magda on her back, who seems to have fallen asleep. Then Hammaro walks up to her. ''Onee-chan, give me a hug~'' ''What are you saying in this situation, Hammaro? ''Then, piggyback~'' ''You''re over capacity! ''...... Shobon. ''Oh, dear.Well, I''ll just hold on to you. ''Mmmm ...... mmmm ......'' With Magda asleep on her back and Hammaro clutched to her chest, Loretta bows to us and disappears into the kitchen. As if to replace her, Ginette returned to the floor. ''Yashiro-san, everyone. The water''s boiling. ''Thank you. Ginette, you can go ahead and rest. ''No, sir. I''ll just clean up and wait. ''Don''t get tired of waiting and take a nap, okay?If you catch a cold, I''ll cancel the sleepover during the heavy snow season without question.'''' ''That''s a big responsibility. Then, I''ll be waiting for you to prepare for tomorrow. Don''t you have the option of going to bed first, in your mind? ''Well, let''s get in quick. ''I''m invited. ''I''ll go with you, that I will! The three bastards, who were neither gorgeous nor s*xy, went into the changing room and started changing without locking the door. No one comes to peek at us, and we don''t mind being peeked at. Looking at the basket in the changing room, there were already enough towels for the three of us. Unfortunately, there were no spare underwear. I''ll have to get some next time. ''Ho-ho!We''ve got the bathhouse all to ourselves, that we do! Use those words when you''re alone, that you should. And don''t stand naked on your knees. I''ll pull the mole hairs out of your ass. ''Becco, sit here for a minute.'' ''I thought the rule was to wash before bathing. I understand, that I do. Becko sat under the tap as I told him to. Then you opened the faucet. ''It''s cold!I thought my heart was going to stop, that it was! ''Oh, that cold?Well, let''s try again during the heavy snowfall, shall we? ''That would kill you for sure, that it would!Please don''t do that, that I do! I pour hot water on the noisy Becko to shut him up. I quickly wash my body while Becko stumbles. There''s plenty of hot water, and I can use it all at once. Normally, I had to wash my body little by little so as not to spill the water in the tub. I scooped up the hot water in the tub and splashed it over my head! ''Haha~...... feels good! ''That looks good!Then me too! ''Me too! Umaro and Bekko follow my lead and cover themselves with hot water. The rest of us lathered up and washed our bodies with Regina''s improved quality soap. I don''t mind lathering up so much. After all, the amount of hot water is huge! ''I''ve never washed my body so vigorously before. ''It''s the first time I''ve bathed in a river since I was poor, that I have. ''Hey, Becko, don''t destroy the environment. ''It''s not that polluted, that it is! I jumped into the bathtub ahead of them, saying something like. ''I''m the first! ''No, no, I was just going to give up first. ''Yashiro-san is very childish in this way. You know what? It''s okay to be first. Above all-- ''Well, excuse me, neighbor, that I do. ''I''ll come in too. ''Sweet!Water guns! ''''Whoa! You can attack anyone who comes near the bathtub unprotected. It''s a bath staple, a squirt gun where you hold both hands and let the hot water fly between your thumbs. My aim is unerring, you know?Even a gunman in a western movie wouldn''t be defeated by a water pistol in the bath. ''You''re a child, that you are! ''You''re the youngest! ''Oh, that''s right, I''d forgotten all about .......'' The physical age, that is! ''''''Ah~............ very easy very easy'''''' Three men lined up, leaned their backs against the bathtub and threw out their legs. This, combined with the feeling of floating, is the best ...... This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with your family. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''What is it, Umaro? Are you going to be more of a corporate animal than you already are? It seemed like a joke to me that Umaro, who was working hard every day somewhere, was going to work even harder than now. But Umaro''s expression sank for a moment, and then he smiled. ''I have the most fun when I''m in District 42, so I want to work as hard as I can. Something almost welled up in me. But my thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the optimistic Becko. ''That''s right, that it is!During the heavy snowfall season, there will be kamakura, and when that is over, there will be a public bathhouse, and after that, we will finally build a port, that we will!I will do my best with all my heart and soul, that I will! ''Yes!With our own hands, we''ll make District Forty-Two the best city in All Bloom! ''''That''s right! The men on either side of me shake hands tightly. With the firm handshake being exchanged in front of me, I-- ''Well, then, I''ll just climb over your corpses and take your profits. I gently laid my hand on his. They shook me off shortly after. What kind of people are these? Unbelievable. Turn around and face away. I guess I''d just had a bath and loosened up. I would later regret that I should have thought more carefully about what I said. 455-Episode 257 The hottest day of the year The riverbank is full of bikini tits! ''I''m going to gouge your eyes out, anchovy! ''I''m gonna gouge your eyes out, anchovy.'' My legs, wrapped in pareo, stretch out and kick my ass. I look back and see Lucia. She''s wearing a yellow one-piece bathing suit and a green pareo. The color scheme looks like a pineapple. ''You''re not a pouty pineapple. ''All right, let''s sink her. Gilberta, help me! ''It''s hard now, I... Now it''s my turn for the masonry game.'' Gilberta was wearing a bikini in a subdued shade of brown. Despite her childish stature, Gilberta''s ''well-done'' breasts look great in a bikini. It has a lot of frills, which emphasizes her cuteness. The stones that had been piled high and swaying unsteadily collapsed. It seems that the rule is to pile up the pebbles on the riverbed and the one who collapses them loses. ''Yes, Gilberta will be punished. When her opponents, Paula and Nephrite, told her, Gilberta seemed to have made up her mind, ''I don''t have a choice. She then ran to Delia, exchanged a few words, and was thrown into the river by Delia. ...... What kind of punishment game is this? I''m not sure. ''Yeah, yeah. I saw Delia doing it to the ham kids, and I thought it would be a good punishment game. You''re doing something dangerous like that, Delia. ''I made it back, I did. I was scared, just a little, when I fell.'' ''It''s okay. Delia''s good, she''ll throw me where I won''t hit anything.'' I don''t need that kind of trust. Then you shouldn''t have done anything dangerous in the first place. ''Okay, then I''ll throw Paula and Nephrite in too! ''What? ''No, we''re not ...... doing anything... Hey, Delia!Wait, wait, wait!Wait ......! Paula and Nephrite were punished even though they had not lost the game. ''It''s because you let Delia do that. ''Do you want to play too, Yashiro? ''No, thanks. ''Don''t be shy. ''No thanks! Leave that kind of thing to the kids who have inexhaustible energy. ''Aaah!It''s the first time I''ve lost at swimming! ''ugh~a?? But Loretta was fast too~'' ''I''ll ask you one more time! Apparently, Loretta, the wild Kappa, lost the swimming race. That''s true. She''s up against Masha, a genuine marine creature. ''I don''t think you can beat her without a handicap, Loretta. ''Oh, big brother. ''Did you see that?I won~'' ''You''re not afraid of fresh water, are you? ''Yeah... I wonder what kind of structure this thing has in its body. Can it breathe through either its lungs or its gills? ''What kind of handicap can I put on it to win? ...... That''s right!Take one of its fins! ''Ouch, ouch~a?? Impossible, impossiblea??'' ''Mmmm ......'' ''Then how about you take off my bra?You''ll have to cover it with both hands, and you won''t be able to use both hands.'' ''That''s a good idea!Masha-san, I''d love to! ''Loretta, you''re being manipulated...'' I guess Loretta''s begging power didn''t work either. d*mn. ''If Yashiro-kun wins the swimming race with me, I''ll let you spend the whole day in a hand-bra...'' ''So, what are you going to make me do if I lose? ''Confiscate your sea pants~'' ''Wait, Masha-san!That''s more of a problem for us! ''Hmmm~a?? This is my usual payback~a??'' I don''t think I''ll be able to bare my butt until later this evening. ''I''m afraid I''m going to have to decline. ''I see~, sorry~'' If I were to take off my swim trunks right now, you''d be running for your life. ...... No, I''m not taking them off. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure it is. Norma and Imelda lounging on a chair bed by the river, just like last year. It''s very s*xy. ''What do you think, you two? Do you want to practice swimming this year? ''''Why, you don''t know how to swim! No, you guys didn''t go near the water at all, so I figured you couldn''t swim, right? I''ll give you a lesson with Jeannette after dinner. ''Mr. Manager, why can''t you swim with those breasts? ''It looks like it could float. That goes for you too. ''Yashiro-san. ''Ladybug...'' Bertina and Milly walked up to me in a friendly manner. This year, too, Bertina is wearing a rash guard, but ...... the hem is actually about an inch shorter than last year''s! So, the line of the rashguard is more visible than last year''s,......, and it is more aggressive! It''s a great idea, Ukrines! It''s our Ukrines! ''Ginette wanted to see you. I''m going to help you with that. Until the fire in the stall was warmed up, I went around to greet everyone. The sunny pavilion had been working until mid-morning, and we had arrived late. By the time we arrived, most of the people were already there. Percy and Mormat were there too, even though we didn''t call them. And Becco was snooping on Norma''s tits from behind a rock. ''What?Where''s Oumaro?'' ''Umaro, Guzuya called me and said he''s going back to work. Is there some kind of trouble? Goozuya would have bitten Delia''s bikini without a second thought. ''Delia. Did you talk to Goozuya about anything?'' ''Hmm?No, I didn''t. We didn''t talk about anything.'' That''s funny. Is this really an emergency? I''m curious about ....... ''What''s going on, sir?'' Bertina looks into my face and raises her eyebrows in concern. ''Oh, no. I was just wondering if something was wrong. ''Mm-hmm. You''ve really become overprotective, haven''t you, Yashiro-san? ''What kind of information is that? ''There are rumors all over town. Lies are rampant in this town. Eventually, the spirit gods will come knocking. I hope the spirit gods don''t come barging in saying. ''Yashiro-san~! Ginette called me from behind the stall. That''s right. Masha had brought us eels today, and we were going to cook them. It''s not the Ox, but it''s summer, so I thought I''d try some eel. ''If there''s a problem, I''ll talk to Estella about it. I guess we''ll just have to wait and see. ''Mm-hmm.'' Bertina laughed, and next to her, Milly laughed with a similar expression. ''Yashiro-san. It''s written on your face that you need to consult me first.'''' ''Oh, really?Doesn''t it say ''Bertina''s pure white thighs, woohoo~''? ''Mwah!You can''t joke like that anymore. Her cheeks turn red, and she tightens her thighs and hides them with her hands. Even your embarrassment is the best hidden flavor. ''Millie, you should wear a monokini next year. ''No, I can''t. ...... I''m not as stylish as you, Norma. ......'' This year Norma is wearing a bikini and Loretta is wearing a monokini, but I guess Norma''s monokini is still vividly remembered. Magda is wearing a tankini and Ginette is wearing a halter-neck bikini again this year. Both bikinis are the latest designs from Uclines and look very pretty. Ginette''s look is very embarrassing. The other girls are also wearing new swimsuits. Although there is no increase in the variety of swimsuits, each one has been designed to make the most of its characteristics and is more gorgeous than the initial designs I provided. After all, it''s better to leave such designs to women. ''Puh-ah! Estella popped out of the river with a bang. ''Yashiro~!Are we about to eat?'' ''I''m about to make it. You''ll have to wait about ten more minutes. It''s a barbecue full of seafood, so you can eat it while it''s cooking. The eel will take an hour, though, so it''ll be much later. This year Estella is wearing a simple one-piece swimsuit like a swimming suit. It has a navy blue base, white flanks, and a vivid red line between the white and navy blue, making her waist look slimmer. And the high legged swimsuit makes your legs look long. High legged swimsuit! I never thought I''d see them again in another world! High-legs and thongs are all the rage!Just like in Japan''s bubble era! And then, diving past Estella, Natalia comes zipping up out of the river. Both arms raised in the air. ''DADd*mn!Boom, boom, boom.'' ''Where did you see that? ''It''s an original gag I created while drinking at home with Norma-san. Didn''t you use that to create ''Dachuno'' before? I wonder if we have the same taste?Back in those days in Japan...! ''Now that Estella has overwhelmed you again this year, let me help you with your meal. When Natalia came out of the river, she was wearing a swimming suit with a similar design to Estella''s. It is because of the similarity in design that ...... ''The disparity is ......! ''Can you not cry on your own, Yashiro! Because this one is so plump and firm. ''Oh, it''s painful to my chest. ......'' ''Then why don''t you change your clothes!I know you''ve brought a bikini! ''I see. Natalia had changed her swimsuit at the last minute. You''re risking your life to make fun of ...... Estella. I went back to the stall with Natalia, who offered to help me. The ingredients had been prepped and were ready to be grilled. When I looked next to the ingredients, I saw a hand-rolled sushi set on the table. ...... Hand-rolled sushi with wet hands? Barbecue and hand-rolled sushi? No, I can understand how you feel, because there''s a lot of good seafood in there. ''I treated the eel as you asked. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Did I keep you waiting?'' ''No, sir. I''m sure you all wanted to show off your swimsuits to Mr. Yashiro. Oh, is that so? Then I''ll go look at it. ''But please refrain from ungentlemanly glances. She pinched my nose as she said that. I was just looking at her breasts lifted up by the halter neck. ''Well then, let''s get started. ''Yes.'' ''What would you like me to do? ''Well, just strike a s*xy pose around the corner. ''That''s not going to do you any good, big brother! ''Haha.'' ''I know it''s useless, but I started doing it! ''...... I accept your challenge.'' ''Don''t accept it, Magda!Get ready for lunch! Preparing food in a lively atmosphere. We moved our stall to the side of a huge flat rock, known as a ''table'', that the river fishing guild uses to eat at the riverbank, and proceeded to make various preparations. Ginette announced with a big smile to the people who had gathered. ''Now, let''s have lunch together! The one who replied most cheerfully was, of course, Bertina. The eel is delicious! ''Whoa!What''s this new kind of spicy? Loretta''s writhing under the pepper. You put too much. I told her just a little is enough. ''Sansho, oishii......'' Millie, who brought me the sansho, smiles. Isn''t this the way they eat? ''Hmm, well, do you put it on meat and roast it? ''Yes, I do. There are some meats that taste better with sansho because it takes away the smell. If eel becomes popular, will the demand for sansho also increase? ...... I wonder if it will grow that much? ''It''s quite a feat, even for a fake eel! ''I told you it''s not fake! Lucia still does not recognize the usefulness of eels. ''I think it''s delicious, I, Anakyu.'' ''Mmm!That''s what a conger eel is!I''m impressed that it goes well with this kind of food! When I asked Masha to order eel, Lucia got riled up and brought me conger eel. So I made a thin roll of boiled eel with cucumber and made anakyu maki. The sweet sauce was superb and it was delicious! The only thing that annoyed me was Lucia''s smug disregard for eels. ''Ah, there it is! Just as each of us was about to eat our fill of the food, we heard the voice of an unexpected person. ''What about the manager? I''m not sure what to do. '''''''' Regina? '''''''' A few of us shouted in astonishment. Well, if you saw Regina on the riverbank in the daytime on such a hot day, you''d be surprised. ''Hey, Regina!Are you all right? Nephrite and Paula ran to greet Regina as she came down to the riverbank. ''Won''t it melt? ''We''re not on ice, you know. Although she was wearing a parasol, Regina was wearing her usual black robe, which made her look uncomfortably hot. Couldn''t you have worn something a little more appropriate for the season? ''You''re always dressed like that, aren''t you? ''Isn''t it obvious? Well, in that outfit, no matter how far away I am, I can always tell it''s you just by glancing at you. ''It''s useful because I can dash to hit you when I have something to do, and dash away when I think you''re thinking of something stupid. ''Huh?I''m not sure if the only thing you need from me is a complaint.I''m not sure what to do with it. That''s why I''m running away. ''So, what''s up with you today?You wanted to see Jeannette?'' ''No. Here, take this.'' He takes out a wooden box from his bag. Checking inside, he found several colorful papers folded into small pieces. This scent is ...... ''Is it bath salts? ''Yes. I heard you said you had a new bath at the sunny pavilion.I''ve been researching to see if I can get more kinds of bath salts. I came up with a good one, so I brought it to you. The bath salts were made by me and Regina. For now, we had finished yuzu, quince, lavender, and chamomile, which was fine. Did you add more scents? ''I''m sorry to bother you in this hot weather. If you had called me, I would have come for it. ''But if you''re going to ask me to come and get it, wouldn''t it be faster to bring it to you? Well, it''s nothing but a double effort to come and ask for it. ''Besides, tomorrow is the heavy snow season. I thought I''d better do it before then. ''Thank you very much. ''Don''t worry about it. I''d be happy if you use it and let me know what you think.'' ''In that case, I used yuzu.'' ''Oh, really?So, how was it? ''It smelled really good, and it warmed me up. ''Really?If so, it seems that the heat retention effect also worked. Regina''s bath salts are not only fragrant, but also have a heat-retaining effect. Even after you get out of the bath, your body will feel warm. ''I was able to sleep well after taking that bath! ''...... I slept well.'' ''Sayaka. I think I''ll keep the ingredients like that. I think it would be fun to add more scents and colors. ''Maybe we could float flower petals or something.'' ''Oh, that''s a good idea. Rose petals and scents would be nice.'' ''Oh, maybe I can help you with that, Miri. ''Then, when the heavy snowfall is over, can we talk? ''Hmm! If you build a public bathhouse, Regina''s bath salts will be popular. If the scent changes daily, there might be fewer people trying to ''save money on baths''. Fashionable women would love a rose bath. Imelda is said to be taking rose and lavender baths with real petals, but with bath salts, you can experience aristocratic luxury at a reasonable price. If we advertise it on the Avenue, some people from other wards might come to take a bath. ''Yashiro. Your eyes are turning into gold coins. What''s ......? No, no, no. I''ve started counting the money. But I''m sure Estella is interested. Public baths are built at the initiative of the lord. It''s directly related to tax revenue. ''So, what kind of scents do you have?'' ''The demon god of boobs said that the scent of flowers and fruits would be good, so I tried to use whatever scents I could extract around here. Then he took out a colorful paper package and explained the fragrance. ''This is lemongrass, peppermint, jasmine, and vanilla. ''Haaah!The vanilla smells sweet and nice!'' ''I wish I could smell the ...... honey.'' ''Oh, yeah. I''ll try it next time.'' ''...... Magda believes that Regina is a girl who can do it.'' ''Oh no, that''s too much praise for a girl who can do naughty things.'' ''Rejina-san, that''s not a compliment! ''And I didn''t say that, did I? ''Regina has bad hearing.'' ''I did it on purpose, Delia. ''Oh, my God, Regina, .......'' Norma, Delia, Paula, and Nephrite are dumbfounded. And Bertina is smiling quietly, beckoning to them. Ooh, Regina''s whole body is starting to pretend she didn''t see that! ''And then there''s the fruit ones, sweet orange, strawberry, apple cinnamon, men''s fruity.'' ''Wait, Cora!That last one''s old man sweat, isn''t it? I''ll never forget that nightmarish incident at the hardware guild! ''Kussa!Men''s fruity, it''s disgusting! ''Throw it out!Throw it all away! ''No, you can''t dump that in the river! ''Oh, no!You brought all that crap with you! Regina laughed at us, looking at the mess we were making. This guy has changed. In the past, we never laughed at each other like this. ...... I''m not going to get sentimental about it! You''ve got to be kidding me, man! I could sprinkle it on your body and make you smell like an old man! Let''s be kindred spirits with the maidens of the Hardware Guild! ''Oh, that''s fun. Well, I''ll be back after dinner.'' ''Wait, wait, wait, come on! ''What is it?Is there a charge for this? Regina puffed up her cheeks in disapproval as she looked at the delicious looking food in front of her. ''No, no. It''s a thank you for the bath salts. Please eat as much as you like. ''Thanks a lot~. That''s the manager! Big!Oh, I made a mistake. I love it! ''The way you misspelled it makes me feel bad. ''It''s not a ...... mistake, it''s on purpose. Regina reaches for the seafood, trying to keep Bertina out of sight as she smiles and beckons with her smiling face. She catches her hand firmly. ''What is it?Let me eat my food~'' ''Oh, you can eat as much as you want. If you want, I''ll add a sweet dessert.'' ''Really?Well--'' ''It''s just, ......, Regina. Look around you.'' While holding Regina''s arm, I pointed to the people around the table. ''Do you feel any different? ''What''s wrong?...... What, have you grown up again, woodcutter girl? ''No, it hasn''t.'' ''Well then, ...... finally, come on .......'' ''Why are you looking at me with such pity in your eyes, dear? Estella with a pale face. Okay, now Estella will be on our side. ''You''re the one who''s uncomfortable, Regina. ''Ours? It''s not. You''re beginning to realize that you''re not, aren''t you? Estella and Natalia notice, and they smile. Then Norma notices, then Magda and Loretta. And Nephrite notices and gives Paula an earful. Lucia shifts her gaze from Millie to Regina, gazing from head to toe and letting out, ''...... I''m looking forward to it. You''ll be able to see the sweat on Regina''s forehead and on her wrist, which I''m holding tightly. ''I don''t like it, guys. You should keep your jokes to your face, okay? ''It''s not every day you''re as much of a joke as you are, is it? ''Who''s a joke?That''s enough. I''m going home now. ''Well, don''t say that. Since it''s a good opportunity, why don''t you have dinner with the others, Regina? ''That''s right, Regina-san. Together with you.'' Estella and Natalia stand between Regina and take her by the shoulders. With a smile. It''s a beautiful smile. ''You like matching too, don''t you? ''That''s a shame. I''m more of a one-of-a-kind kind of guy.'' ''Well, don''t be like that.'' ''No, no, no, no, it''s impossible.I know what you''re thinking, but we''re not allowed to do that, okay? ''That''s called pretending, isn''t it?That''s what Yashiro often calls it. ''No, it''s not!It''s not the same as pretending not to push. ''Well, there is a changing room over there, so let''s change before we eat. Estella and Natalia held her arms and took her to a simple changing room built on the riverbank. That''s right, of course. Since everyone is eating in their swimsuits, we should all wear matching ones. Hey, guys? You can''t do that!We didn''t bring swimsuits in the first place! ''That''s okay then. I changed my swimsuit at the last minute, so I have one left over that I haven''t worn. ''You can''t do that!The head waiter has bigger boobs than me!You''ll catch a glimpse! ''That''s okay too. Estella-sama has plenty of breast pads. ''I didn''t bring that many!I only have three more sets for emergencies.'''' ''What do you think you''re bringing in, lord? ''Come on, let''s go change...'' ''No, no, no!You can''t do that!Aaaan! Regina disappeared into the changing room with a scream. A few minutes later... A few minutes later, Regina took off her pitch-black robe and emerged wearing a bright red bikini with a dark face. ''...... I''m not getting married anymore. I''ve been doing that for a long time. The people on the riverbank rushed to catch a glimpse of Regina, a rare creature in a crimson swimsuit. ''Regina-san, look at me! ''...... Fanservice is a must.'' ''Shut up!Don''t you dare look at me! ''If you hide your face like that, you''ll look like a naughty store girl. ''I''m the only one who''s really annoying. Why don''t you go and do your penance? I''m the only one who gets the cold shoulder. Are you going to be unfair too? If anything, you''re on my side. ''Gentlemen, I''m happy to be able to play with Regina-san. ''You don''t look happy. She''s definitely amused. Regina tangled with Jeannette with tears in her eyes. The girls all looked at her with sly grins. ''But it''s amazing. Delia stares straight at Regina and mutters to herself. ''Estella''s breast pads, I can''t tell at all. ''Shut up!It''s a high quality product from a good store!Of course it is! I don''t understand what you''re upset about. I mean, when you''re my level, it''s obvious where the fake ones come from. ''I''m desperate!I''m going to eat you! Regina bends over and gobbles up the barbecue on her plate. However, it was obvious that she was doing this to cover up the fact that she was too embarrassed to look up, and the faces of the girls watching her became even more relaxed. ''The air is so bad here!Are you opening the window? ''I''m outside! You''ve been cooped up here for too long and your senses have become stupid, haven''t they? ''I don''t care who you are, let''s talk about something fun!I''m going to eat dinner without saying a word for a while! Regina''s embarrassment must have reached its limit, because her face was bright red with tears in the corners of her eyes. I want to torment her even more, but I think it''s time to stop. Ginette is giving everyone a look. It''s time to stop. ''Well, well, well, may I tell you something I''m looking forward to...'' Masha raises her hand, sitting on a rock instead of a tank. The one thing Masha is looking forward to is ...... ''Tomorrow--'' Talking about sleepovers is strictly forbidden in front of Lucia! Didn''t Masha get the message?''Estella, you''re out of your depth! ''It''ll be the end of the year after the heavy snow season starts tomorrow! ''Heh?That''s right, isn''t it? Masha''s eyes rolled back in her head as the topic of conversation was suddenly snatched away from her. It was a close ...... call. ''Are you looking forward to the end of the year, Ma-tan? ''Hmm, I mean the end of the year...'' ''Don''t bring it up again, Lucia! ''It''s not the end of the year, it''s the beginning of the year, Masha. Please, notice me! I''ll give you a wink. ''The construction of the port in District 42 will start at the beginning of the year. ''Oh, yes!That''s right. I''m really looking forward to it. The construction of the port will begin at the end of the year. After a long and tedious process of laying the groundwork for the construction of the port, it will finally be built in District 42. The lords of the 35th and 37th districts, which already have ports, have already agreed to the construction. Masha personally promised that the amount of fish landed at each port would not decrease even if the ports in the forty-two districts were opened. There would be no decrease in tax revenue. In the first place, the ports in District 42 are going to be really small, and they are meant more as a shortcut for Masha to come and visit District 42 than for the landing of fish. I emphasized this point and convinced him. Well, I''ll take the fish, too. Since the majority vote, the BU guys have been able to hold proper talks. There was some dissatisfaction from the 35th and 37th districts and the adjacent 25th and 26th districts, but with the birth of the New Road and the increase in tax revenue due to the increase in bean production, they agreed. They have learned their lesson. They have learned that it is in their interest to get along with the 42nd district. That''s why the BU was relatively easy to deal with. The most difficult was District 30. They didn''t take kindly to the birth of the New Roads, and they kept asking me in a roundabout way how I would take responsibility for the loss of tax revenue caused by the 42nd district. Or rather, they are still complaining about it. In fact, the tax revenue should have gone up due to the increase of new merchants who came to New Road. This information comes from the lords of the 29th and 23rd districts, which are adjacent to the 30th district, so it must be true. Clearly, the number of merchants is increasing. There are also more merchants in District 42 that I have never seen before. Many merchants are buying glowing bricks, and profits are falling in District 42. ...... Perhaps they don''t like it. It''s not that you''re going to lose your own profit, but you''re going to feel like you''re losing money when other people are making money, and you''re going to have a problem with that. They are the ones who say, ''I don''t like the way he stands out. I''d like to tell you to make an effort to improve yourself before you kick others down. What was out of control was the fact that the construction of the port required cutting down a little of the cliff below the 30th district. Outside the forty-second ward is a deep forest, and to the west is a cliff. It looks like there is no ocean anywhere, but in fact, there is an ocean under the cliff. Masha said that the bottom of the cliff outside the 42nd district is like a limestone cave, and the inside of the cliff is a rather large hollow. It is a little narrow for a ship to enter, but if it is widened a little, it can be navigated. The exit, however, is narrow. That is why no one has ever realized that there is an ocean there. That''s the only part that needs a lot of work. And that''s where the lord of the 30th district comes in. Are you sure that the cliffs won''t collapse?'' ''Is it true that the cutting is outside the territory?Is it true that the digging is outside the territory? The digging will take place about 200 meters away from the city gate of District 30. So, even if you''re wrong, you won''t be digging underneath the 30th district. ...... Well, in short, he''s probably trying to suck out as much profit as possible by making things difficult. He''s a real pain in the ass. As long as BU is attached to us, I don''t think he''ll do anything unusual. Well, let''s see what happens. For God''s sake, just be quiet. ''It''s weird to have a port on the opposite side of the ocean. Loretta draws a poorly drawn map on the table with a stone. ''Are you going to ...... all bloom? ''I don''t really understand how a port can be built on the 30th district side when the 35th district has the ocean and the 30th district is land. ''That''s true~a??'' And Masha takes the stone from Loretta and overwrites Loretta''s poorly drawn map. Perhaps she is used to drawing nautical charts, but her drawing is quite good. ''Loretta, do you know what a peninsula is? ''No, I don''t! ''It''s a landform that looks like it''s growing out of a continent like this, sticking out into the ocean. Allbloom is located near the base of the peninsula. The north side of the city is surrounded by the sea, and the southeast side by high mountains. The city is surrounded by the sea to the north and high mountains to the southeast. This peninsula is surrounded by a mountainous area that surrounds the 42nd district and juts out into the sea. Open your hand and look at your right hand. The empty area between the thumb and index finger is the sea. At the base of the thumb is an all-bloom. And think of all your thumbs as peninsulas formed by high mountains. That''s what it looks like. It goes from the base of the thumb to the life line and then follows the life line to the wrist. That is the path that most merchants take when they come to Allbloom. From the wrist, go toward the elbow, and you will find Bao Kri Air at the right nipple. The land of nipples, Baocli Air. No, it''s nothing. Forget it. ''So, halfway down the peninsula, there''s a big cave. If you go into it~......, you''ll find that it''s connected to the forty-two districts~a??'' ''Really, that''s amazing! ''Eh huha??'' A proud Masha. Well, it was Masha who discovered the route. ''When the port is built, I''ll come visit you more often than now~'' ''No wonder, I''ll come with you. ''Hey, someone stop Lucia. I don''t know what ''can''t be helped'' is, and I don''t want to know. ''I thought I informed you that the condition for allowing the port in District Forty-two was that the amount of landings in District Thirty-five not be reduced and that Ma-tan''s visits not be reduced! ''''Oh, that wasn''t a joke, was it? ''You idiot, Estella!That''s what I''m talking about! No, securing the district''s main source of income should be the main priority, common sense dictates. ''I''m going to visit my sister Lucia''s place as well! ''Yes, I''m looking forward to it. ''And then I''ll come visit you in the 42nd districta??'' ''Okay, I''ll make my schedule! ''I''m seeing you more often. Don''t follow me. You''re not a bad boyfriend who''s too tied down. ''Oh, by the way, anchovy.'' Lucia bites into a crispy piece of anakyu and looks at me. ''What did you hide just now?'' --d*mn! This guy''s so sharp! It''s easy to forget because of the perverted nature of the man, but he''s a very skilled lord who has walked alone and proudly in the world of lords, where women and young men are often underestimated. If you underestimate him, you will get burned. ''What are you going to do before the construction of the port starts?Hmm? Huh. ...... It''s no use. ''At the end of the year, we''re having a mochi pounding contest at the church. Let''s sacrifice this one. I don''t want to stay overnight at all! For my sake and the sake of the people of District 35! ''Mochi''?Mochi is rice cake made by grinding and drying rice cakes. Isn''t it different in the Forty-second Ward?'' Come to think of it, when I said ''cracked rice cake costume'' on Halloween, it made sense. It seems that there are already rice cakes in the 35th district. However, it seems to be more like kiritanpo than mochi as I see it. ''We pound steamed mochi rice together, make mochi, and eat it together. The rice cake is delicious when it is dipped in soybean flour. ''...... Magda also likes bean paste. ''I can''t leave out the sugar and soy sauce!I can''t get enough of its savory aroma and sweet and salty taste. ...... ''I''m also looking forward to making mochi. I''m also looking forward to making mochi.I can''t wait to see what they do. ''Sister Bertina. Is that a group to tease Estella? ''No, and I don''t need you to tell me that, Lucia-san! ''It''s a lot of fun to cook together and eat together.'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''d like to know what you think. Lucia, who saw the smile and muttered, ''Hmm ......'', lifted the corner of her mouth in a grin and glared at me. ''It''s a shame you couldn''t hide it, anchovy. ''Huh, ...... are you coming?'' ''I''m not that busy.'' I see. Good. At least you still have a sense of responsibility and common sense to fulfill your duties as a lord. So, come and do it.'' ''Don''t be silly, Kola. I don''t have time for this. ''Why don''t you all come back for a night? Everyone except anchovies are welcome.'' ''Who''d go to a place where they weren''t welcome? ''I see. ......'' He muttered, grinned, let out a deliberate sigh, and stroked Gilberta''s hair. ''Poor Gilberta,......, you''re the only one out of the loop. I''ve heard that everyone enjoys pounding rice cakes, but you will live the rest of your life without knowing what it looks like or tastes like. ......'' What is he talking about? You can''t move me with such a transparent crying trap. ...... ''...... that,yashiro-san''. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not me he wanted to move, it''s Jeannette. It''s a very nasty woman who''s accurately exploiting my weak point! ''Brother, Gilbert, I feel a little sorry for you. ''...... Magda can stay at least one night with you.'' They''ve been taken for a ride too. ...... I''m sure Ginette will be the first to forgive ...... you for taking another day off from the sunlit pavilion, d*mn it! I''m fine. I''m fine. Quietly, Gilberta opens her mouth. ''It''s fun, just listening to you. So, have fun, and tell me about your fun memories. That''s enough, I''m ......'' ''All right, all right!I know you want to go! It''s not fair to use Gilberta, Lucia! It''s not fair to use Gilberta, but Lucia! If she shows me her tentacles hanging down like that with a ''sorry ......'' look on her face and says ''I''m straining'', I can''t tell her to put up with it! ''Instead, you''ll have to prepare the materials yourself!We''re not going to pay for anything! ''Hmm. If you want mochi rice and soybeans, I''ll talk to DD in District 24. ''...... Why rice cakes and donis? ''Yashiro-sama. The rice used to make sake using the malt from District 24 is produced in District 33, so I''m guessing the mochi rice is there as well. Natalia''s information convinced me. Koji and rice must be coming and going between the 24th and 33rd wards. All right. Then maybe Donnis and the others will come to the mochi pounding contest we haven''t seen yet. ...... So Lucia won''t even have to pay for the materials, right? Oh, dear. You''re a clever girl. That''s nasty! ''You''re a nasty woman, you are! ''Not as bad as you. ''You''re no better than Regina from the land of nipples. ''Who''s from the land of nipples? What?Was I wrong? Didn''t someone say that Bao Kri Air is the land of nipples? I wonder who it was. ...... Oh, it was me. ''Well, that''s fine. You can go teach him how to make rice cakes. Estella taps me on the shoulder. ''Gilberta is happy too. Gilberta raises her hands in joy. Well, it''s better than letting a child watch you pout, I guess. ...... Gilberta is an adult, though. I''m not sure what to say.I''m sure it''s the kind of thing you''d call a Zashiki-Doh in Japan. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''We were able to cover up the story about the heavy snowfall period. Because of that, I''m going on an overnight business trip. d*mn it. ''But if you''re going, it''ll have to be after the New Year. We can''t cancel the mochi pounding contest in District 42 just because we''re going to District 35. I don''t care about the kids, but Ginette and Bertina will be sad. I''m so depressed. When they''re down, the whole west side of District 42 gets depressed. It''s a bad economy. All the money you can make is going away. ''It''s more convenient for us to start at the beginning of the year. Gilberta, arrange a date.'' ''I''ll take care of it, I will! The look on Gilberta''s face convinced me. Next year is going to be a tough one, right from the start. I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. I sighed at the people of the 42nd district who were so lenient with others, and I gorged myself on a sumptuous seafood barbecue. 456-Episode 258 Lets Swimming ''Yes, one, two, three, poof!One, two, three, poof! Soak your face in the water, walk three steps and look up. Ginette, Norma, and Imelda are practicing breath control side by side. It''s surreal. But all three of them are terrible at it. Maybe they are afraid to dip their faces in the water, or maybe they are struggling to breathe, but when they raise their faces, they turn their bodies over more than necessary, and their tits squirm every time.Very good! ''Hey guys, you''re looking good~'' ''By the looks of that loose face, we''re talking about something else. Estella, who was supposed to be a swimming demon, shows up at the beginner''s training course and starts messing with us. What the hell? You''re bored because Natalia started swimming with Masha? ''......?What''s that splash over there? ''Oh, it''s Natalia and the others. I turned around and saw a huge splash in the deep part of the river. ''Are those torpedoes exploding? ''Is it Natalia, Masha, Delia and Loretta competing now? ''I thought you couldn''t beat Masha.'' ''I heard the rule is that you can attack as long as you don''t touch the body.'' ''Ah, so they''re splashing each other with water ......''. ''Right?You can see why I retired, can''t you? ''I don''t think a normal person could stand that stuff. ''I''m glad Magda''s not in the mix. ''Magda doesn''t like to get wet that much.'' ''Huh?Is that so?'' ''Yes. Even in the bath, he gets a little down after washing his head.'''' Giggling, Ginette gave me such secret information. I''ve never bathed Magda, so I didn''t know. Come to think of it, Magda doesn''t go to wash her face even when I tell her to. I wonder if that''s because of the influence of the cat family? ''But he seems to like the big bath. ''Oh, he was soaking all the time.'' That must have been yesterday. Estella and Ginette are laughing happily. It seemed to be a very relaxing scene. ''I wish I could have seen it. ''You''re not here for comfort, you''re here for eroticism, aren''t you? Well, if I were invited, I''m sure I''d see a lot of different things. ''Magda doesn''t like to get her face wet, does she? ''I don''t like it much either. ''Actually, I''m also a bit scared of diving, unlike when I wash my face .......'' Most of the non-swimmers are afraid to immerse their face in water. The obsession of not being able to breathe makes them feel even more suffocated. So, if you are like these guys, you are afraid of the ''one, two, three, poof! of the ''Puck! of ''One, Two, Three, Pah! Once you get used to it, you won''t mind at all. ''If you empty your lungs and then open your mouth on the water, air will come in on its own, you know? ''That''s what you say, Yashiro-san, but ......'' ''It won''t come in unless you inhale! ''It''s very hard to breathe! This type of person is often unable to snorkel. They feel suffocated even when air comes in through the snorkel, and fuss when water comes into the snorkel after a short dive. Even if they can''t breathe for a while, they won''t die. ''Is it true that you can''t learn to swim unless you can dip your face in the water? ''That''s not true. There''s also the standing stroke. There are many ways to swim with your face in the water. Dog paddle is one of them. ''I don''t know, I can''t imagine myself being able to swim. This is my second swim practice in a year. It''s been so long since I''ve swam that my body has completely forgotten what happened last year. She wants to try swimming, but she is not good at it. Image. ''Well, let''s try being a parent and child of a sea turtle. ''Sea turtle parents, huh? Ginette''s eyes sparkled at the cute sounding words. Well, in short, I''m just going to carry Ginette on my back and do the breaststroke. ''I''ll put you on my back, so you can experience the perspective of someone who can swim. ''What, you can do that?Won''t I sink? ''The buoyancy of a person is quite amazing. You can carry at least one person. In Ginette''s case, she''s going to have more buoyancy than anyone else! Thanks to those two bulges! ''Here, piggyback.'' ''Eh, um, but ...... it might be heavy, you know?'' ''I''m fine in the water.'' ''But, that .........'' ''If you don''t like it, don''t say you can''t.'' ''Yes, it''s not that I don''t want to,......! You''ll find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. Well, we''re in close contact. I can see why you''re embarrassed. So I won''t force you. ''A long time ago, when I was still in my hometown, I went swimming with my friends. ''What''s a friend? ''Well, friends, I guess. I wonder. It''s kind of embarrassing to rephrase ''friends'' as ''friends''. Bad friends from elementary school. Friends weren''t exactly the most polite thing to do. We just ran, swam, and made noise. I was an idiot in elementary school. All of us. ''And my friend''s younger brother, he was too small to swim well. ''How old was he? ''We were eight, and he was four, I think. He was always following his friends, saying ''big brother, big brother. But because of the difference in physical ability, he was always left behind. ''And he looked so bored, so I swam with him on my back. He was happy.'' ''Is that so? Ginette giggled, perhaps imagining her brother''s pleased face. ''Yashiro-san, you''ve been fond of children from such a young age, haven''t you? ''Huh!That''s not what I''m talking about! That''s not the point! That''s not what I''m talking about at all! ''But you must have missed him, right, little brother? ''Shut up, Estella. Take off the breast pads.'' I splash water on Estella, who puts her elbow on my shoulder with an annoyed look. ''Yip, yip, yip,'' you say, right there. ''Then I''ll ask you to do the same. Ginette looks at me, hands folded. ''Can I have a ride, please? ''Oh, yeah. ......'' When you say that, it''s like... Yeah, it is. ''Well, I guess I''ll follow you. I don''t want you to do anything wrong.'' ''What am I supposed to do? ''To make sure you don''t touch my butt in the middle of the night. ''I see!That''s a good idea! ''No, you don''t!Not anymore. But if it was an ass, ''Yashiro-san would have touched her tits!It must be someone else! So he might not be a suspect! ''If it''s not boobs, I might not be suspected! ''No, they''ll suspect you. Even if the real killer is someone else, you''re the first one I''m going to suspect. What a horrible person! He''s like a condensed version of the world''s malice. I''m carrying Jeannette in the water under the watchful eye of Estella, who has such a crooked personality that it''s like a giant maze. She puts her hand on my shoulder and pulls me close to her in a reserved manner. ''When you start swimming, you can sit on my back. ''Yes, sir. Please let me know if you''re ...... too heavy.'' ''I''ll be fine. Jeannette is a worrier, and if she is left alone, she will continue to worry. So, I quickly start swimming. I kicked the bottom of the river and did a quick breaststroke. As I lean back, Ginette sits on my back. ...... Side sitting? You''re a girl who rides on the back of a bicycle. She is embarrassed to ride with her legs open. ''Don''t fall off, okay? ''Yes, sir. ''You''ll sink a little. ''What?Oh my God! Because Jeannette doesn''t want to be immersed in the water and is stretching her back, my body is sinking rapidly. There is a fixed percentage of the human body that can go above water. Therefore, if Jeannette doesn''t sink her body into the water more closely, I won''t be able to keep my face out. Being careful not to submerge Jeannette''s face in the water, I dive a little and increase my speed. ''Aaah! Ginette''s hands tighten as she speeds up. You''ll be nice and snug and buoyant and stable. I think I''m okay now. ''Pfft, ...... are you okay? ''Yes, I was a little scared, but...'' It looks like she was really scared, and Jeannette is clinging to me like she''s holding on to me. ''I''m sorry, but you have to hold on to me. You''ll sink if you don''t.'' ''Is that so?So, ......, excuse me.'' Ginette apologized and leaned even closer to me. My back is shaking and shaking. ''Yashiro. Fix my face or I''ll flap my legs in front of you. What a torture you come up with, you horrible lord. As expected, Estella swam alongside me with beautiful form. ''You''re a good swimmer, aren''t you? ''Well, yeah!I''m good at moving my body.'' ''I envy you. I''m not very good at exercise. ......'' ''But you''re swimming with me now, aren''t you? I''m having fun.'' ''Hmm. I''m cheating, though. But it''s fun.'' The two of them smile at each other. I''ll give you a little service then. ''Estella, let''s swim along the other shore. ''Oh, yes. There, the flowers are beautiful when you look from below. On the other side of the river is a cliff with a large tree growing on it, its branches reaching up to the river. The white, ladylike flowers were spreading their large petals, and I knew that it would be beautiful to see them up close. I thought Ginette would love it. ''It''s beautiful ......,'' she said. We passed under a branch that jutted out over the river. The sunshine that had been pouring down on me was slightly blocked out, and I was sandwiched between the white flowers swaying in the wind and the water reflecting the light, alternately passing through light and shadow. The scenery flowing slowly, enveloped by the sensation of floating, is truly magnificent. On my back, Ginette was letting out a ''wow......'' sound. Estella, swimming next to me, changed her style to backstroke and smiled when her eyes met mine. It''s so peaceful, yet unrealistic. I never thought when I first met ...... that I''d see a day like this with these guys, with this kind of view, with this kind of feeling. They swim slowly, make a big turn, and come back to the shallows where they came from. At this point, Ginette could find her feet. ''Hey, we''re here. ''Afu....... It was a lot of fun. Ginette lets out a failed sigh and steps off my back. The moment her feet hit the bottom of the river, she sinks into the river as if her knees had lost their strength. ''Jeannette! ''Pfft!'' She stood up in a panic and wiped her face with both hands. ''I drank the water, sir. When I saw her face, she looked like she was about to cry, and I couldn''t take it anymore. ''Hahahahaha! I laughed with Estella, pointing my finger at her. ''Oh my God, that''s terrible,'' she protested, looking somewhat embarrassed. ''But people who can swim are like that, aren''t they? ''Yes, they are. When you swim slowly, not competitively, you look like that. When you swim competitively, you''re more frantic. Estella splashes the water and breathes on her shoulders. Ginette laughs at her. Oh, I feel like I''m enjoying summer to the fullest. The sun will soon be setting. This year''s river trip will be over in a few hours. Tomorrow will be a tough day, so let''s call it a day at ....... But then I saw a line forming. ''I won by rock-paper-scissors, so I''ll go first. ''I guess I''ll be next. ''Wait, wait, wait!What''s the line? ''You''re going to let us who can''t swim experience it, aren''t you? Yeah, what? Do you guys want to do it too? ''Yashiro. It''s not good to show favoritism among members of the same Oba Swimming Club. ''When did this club start? I don''t have any idea who''s organizing it! ''Hey, Yashiro!Hurry up, I''m stuck in the back! Paula shouts at the back of the line. No, no, no. You can''t just line up like that. You''re just a bunch of church kids. ''Yes, this way to the end of the line. ''What''s this head waiter of yours doing? ''It''s not the first time, is it? It''s because you neglect discipline like that that your men grow up to be unrestrained! ''If you make me swim that many times, I''ll fall asleep as soon as I get home. ......'' ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette says with an angelic smile as she gently stands next to me. ''We''ve already made preparations for the heavy snowfall season, so you can sleep in, Yashiro. What does that mean, ''do it''? Is Ginette a bodhisattva or an arhat? I couldn''t argue with my boss, who forced me to do something worthwhile with a smile on his face, and I had to do it again and again with the mother and child of sea turtles. I couldn''t do it all by myself, so I had Natalia and Estella help me. Hey, Masha. Don''t you stand in line too. ''Mwah! Magda shouted in satisfaction on my back. It''s no joke to swim with everyone on your back, so I assigned the role of turtle to those who were good swimmers. Estella and Loretta were good swimmers, but they were not used to carrying others on their backs and sank quickly, so they were dismissed. ''My senses are totally different! ''I''m sure you''ll sink! She insisted that she was not a bad swimmer. Natalia was-- ''Ahhhh...'' ''Hey, Natalia!Don''t make any funny noises! ''But, Paura-san touched my ''very sensitive parts'', so ......''. ''Please don''t talk funny!You didn''t just touch my back! ''Yes, I did. So, I seem to have a weak back. ''Stop that voice! The board voted unanimously to fire Natalia. Come to think of it, she''s good at masking her presence and getting behind others, but she rarely gets touched by anyone. He had an unexpected weakness. Even if it is a weakness, you can''t exploit it blindly, though. So in the end, it was just me, Delia and Masha who could swim stably. I mean, Paula and Nephrite can swim just fine, so there''s no need for them to get on board. ''So, Derya-san, take your time, okay? ''Oh!Then let''s dive! ''You''re diving? In the event that you''re in a position to do this, you''ll be able to do so with the help of your own personal computer. ...... Delia, you''re good at diving. And they''re fast. Millie, I hope you''re not crying. ''Pfft!What do you think, Millie?Are you having fun? ''Mii ......! Oh, I was crying. ''Delia. Swim her so she doesn''t sink.'' ''Really?It would feel better if you dove.'' ''That''s a professional feeling. We''re all amateurs, so it''s okay to be loose.'' ''I see. I guess we shouldn''t think like me and Yashiro. Yeah, I get it. I''m not a professional, either. ...... ''ugh...... ladybug, thank you ...... for your ...... keho, keho.'' Millie sent me a sincere thank you. It seems she was really scared. Well, from the way it moved in the water, it looked like a shark. ''Oh, I found the right place to hold it. ''Wait a minute, Regina?Where are you holding it? ''My tits. ''I wonder if you''re Yashiro-kun? a??'' ''I''m sorry! ''You''re the one with the disrespect, bikini pharmacist. And that''s not fair, take over.'' I''m not sure what to do. Just because you''re a girl doesn''t mean you''re allowed to do whatever you want. ...... Oh, I''m sunk. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. ''......It''s a long dive. ''...... Masha is getting right to the point.'' ''Puh-ah~'' ''Geez, geez!I''m not sure what to do. ''Did you reflect on that? a??'' ''No, I''m not sure about that. ''Then I''ll dive twice as far as I already have...'' ''You''re kidding!I''m sorry!Please bear with me! How can he joke in a situation where his life is at stake? He''s not the kind of idiot who would risk his life for a joke. ''...... Masha, who dresses more shamelessly than anyone else, is actually more incapable of taking such jokes than anyone else. It''s a sign that you haven''t been poisoned by the 42nd district yet. I mean, Magda. Don''t call me a disgrace. I''ll cry. ''So, should we dive in too? ''...... If we do that, Magda will ...... sulk so much that Yashiro will have trouble.'' ''Is that a threat?'' ''......Bend over and sulk.'' ''So you''re going to pull your weight.'' ''...... that''s better.'' The hand gripping my shoulder is getting stronger. I knew she didn''t like her face getting wet. ''I''m cold and want to take a bath again today. ''It''s a small one today. I''m sure I''ll be using the big bath from tomorrow. ''Considering the preparation, cleaning and fuel costs, I can''t just use the big bathrooms. ''...... I don''t mind either way as long as I can go in with the manager. ''Would you be lonely if you were alone? ''............'' There was no reply, and after a few seconds of silence, he picked up a lock of hair near my nape. ''...... That hurts. ''...... I''m still not licensed to manage firewood.'' ''Then it''s safer with Jeannette.'' ''......Yes.'' It''s the best I can do to pretend that I''m not lonely. You''re right, even though it''s for one person, it''s a lot of space for Magda. Not only the bathtub, but also the bathroom. It''s a little lonely in there alone. I think it''s nice and relaxing. ...... I''m sure Magda doesn''t think so. ''Do you want to make a toy that floats in the bath? ''...... bath toys?'' ''Oh. Chicks, turtles, and such, where I come from, we float those dolls in the bath and take a bath with them. It''s nice and lively.'' They''re very popular with children. ''...... that''s ............''. Magda must have sensed that she was being treated like a child. I want it, but I''m hesitant to welcome it with open arms. ''......The manager will be pleased. Such is the distant urging. Well, let''s make one. I''ll have to figure out what to use instead of plastic. ''...... my parents''. Suddenly, Magda starts talking about the past. ''......When Magda didn''t want to take a bath, they made her a ''puffy monster'' out of a towel. It was round and plump, and when you squashed it, it squashed into a ball. It was ...... fun. Could it be a jellyfish made from towels, a staple of the bath? Soak the towel in the bathtub and let the air in to make it round like a balloon. If you submerge it in water, it will produce bubbles, and if you crush it with your hand, it will make a bubbling sound. There''s one here, too. It''s a tub bath, so you may not have submerged it in water. ''Maybe I can do that, too. ''Too bad I can''t get into the ...... with you.'' ''Well, I''ll teach Jeannette.'' ''...... Tell Magda. I want to entertain the manager.'' ''Well, maybe we can sneak in some practice later.'' ''...... That''s a good idea.'' I''m sure you brought a sports towel with you, so I''ll teach you in the river. That''s what I thought. ...... ''...... Oh, I knew I couldn''t.'' Magda suddenly changed her opinion. She remembered an important promise that had lain dormant in her happy memories, and impatiently asked for a halt. ''...... I promised Magda that her mommy and daddy would teach her how to make Puku Puku Hexenbiest when she became a big sister. Even though I didn''t see it, the scene came to my mind. They must have been having a conversation like this. ''Here, Magda. Let''s take a bath together with a puffy hexenbiest. ''Magda wants to be a puffy Hexenbiest too! ''I''ll teach you when you''re a little older, Magda. I guess Magda hadn''t forgotten that promise. That''s a promise I can''t break. As a mother, she would have no way to lure Magda into the bath once she mastered it. She must have planned to teach her when she became a little older and could take a bath by herself. Then, he couldn''t teach Magda, who couldn''t take a bath by herself yet. ''Then I''ll teach it to Jeannette. It''s one thing to learn by watching, it''s another to be taught. ''...... Yeah. I''ll learn from my parents.'' By the time Magda''s a little older, you''ll be back, I promise. I''ll be waiting for you, Magda. ''...... Yashiro.'' ''Hmm?'' Magda''s voice changes color slightly. ''...... Have you ever been to Bao Kri Air, Yashiro?'' Thinking about how to answer that question, he ended up giving a safe answer. ''No, I haven''t.'' It''s a spice producing region, Regina''s hometown. And Baokri Air is where Magda''s parents went on a guild business and disappeared. Magda didn''t say much, but she did say a few things that hinted at it. As he investigated without Magda''s knowledge, he got detailed information from Use. An escort to protect a dignitary. He should have been able to return immediately, but he did not. Use''s father was also with him and has disappeared as well. The only reason Use does not claim to be a representative and take the position of branch chief is because he believes that he, like Magda, will return. ''Would you like to go? The name of the place, Baokri Air, was mentioned by Magda. The name of the place must have always been in Magda''s mind, even if she never mentioned it. He had once looked up the location of Baocuriea on a map. I had the impression that it was a place where one had to cross deep forests and mountains to reach by land, and that it was a steep journey. Regina had said that it could be reached by sea, but even so, it would be a great voyage around the continent. It is not an easy distance to travel. But it was also not an impossible distance. After a long silence and much contemplation, Magda replied, ''...... No.'' ''......I''ve decided to wait here instead of going to pick you up. These words were filled with Magda''s thoughts. ''Stop picking me up,'' he said, ''I was going to pick you up. Before he met us, Magda had gone out into the forest alone even though she hadn''t been successful in hunting. Maybe that was his training to become stronger. Maybe that''s why he only hunted magical beasts that he couldn''t defeat without using the Red Moya. Considering Magda''s physical ability, she should be able to hunt any reasonable hexenbiest without the Red Fur. So, maybe that was Magda''s goal. But now Magda chose to wait. He may be frustrated, but he chose to stay here at ...... and he may be very lonely, but he chose to stay here. ''You''ve got a hell of a job,'' he said. ''......Hmm? Somehow, I wanted to tell him. ''It''s a hell of a job, Magda''s parents would have a hard time with. Otherwise, she''d be back with Magda in a heartbeat.'' I believe you, too. Your parents are still alive somewhere and they''ll come back to you. That Magda''s not the only one who believes that. So praise them when they come back. Tell him thank you for your hard work and give him your best. You''re good at that, right?You''re good at that, aren''t you? ''............'' Magda didn''t say a word, but quickly put her little head on my head. ''....... I''m good.'' The murmur, so small that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the water, still sounded powerfully convincing. ''......I''m glad I talked to Yashiro.'' He exhaled a long, ...... breath, his voice light for a Magda. ''......I almost scolded my mom and dad when they came back,'' Magda said. ''You''re late! What? I think it''s okay to say that. ''...... But, like Yashiro said, I want to praise you. If it''s been a while since we''ve seen each other, I''d rather see a smile on your face than a look of remorse.'''' ''Oh. Give him that.'' ''....... I will.'' As we passed under the branches of a large tree overhanging the river, almost at the end of the circle, I asked one more question. ''Magda. ''...... what?'' ''Is it going to be okay during the heavy snow?'' Magda was afraid of the snow. Magda shivered in the cold and cried, consumed by the painful memories of the past. Maybe it will happen again this year. Of course, I''ll try not to let that happen. ...... ''...... fine''. But Magda assures him in a confident voice. ''...... Magda has Yashiro and the manager.'' So I won''t be lonely anymore. For some reason, his words were easy to believe. Magda had grown a lot in the past year, and I felt that she would really be okay. ''...... and Loretta too, by the way''. Just before I reached the goal, I saw Loretta greeting me, and I couldn''t help but be blown away by the words that were added as if they were an afterthought. ''By the way'' suits you well, Loretta. ''Hey, myself. Can I have a word with you? While I was teaching Ginette about jellyfish in the middle of the river, Regina came by. Wearing an out-of-character crimson bikini. ''That''s not what I''m talking about. Look up! Water is splashed on my face as I stare at her cleavage. Rivers are bad. Every direction is filled with water that can be used as a weapon. However, you can''t wear a bathing suit without water. ...... I see, this is the dilemma of cleavage. ''...... philosophy,'' he said. It''s not a philosophy. ''Pseudo-boobs? I''m not here to talk about that. This is a ''jellyfish''. Magda says it''s a ''squishy beast'' though. ''Can we talk about something serious, please? ''Oh, well, I''ll leave you to it. ''Oh, no problem. Can you ask the manager? ...... You''ll probably need it.'' A slightly downcast expression appeared on Regina''s face, and her gaze went to the riverbank. If you follow her gaze, you will see Magda resting on the riverbank with Loretta. ''Are you talking about something related to Magda? ''Well, not directly, but ......''. Right now, there are only three of us in the middle of this river. Some are swimming, some are diving, some are resting, all are spending their time in their own way, but only this area is deserted. They may have been aiming for the right moment. ''I heard that the parents of the tiger''s daughter are in Bao Kri Air. Regina asks, her eyes serious and stern, not unlike her own. Is this really so serious? ''I don''t know for sure, but I heard that they went to Bao Kri Air. ''And you''re not coming back, are you? ''...... not yet, no. It doesn''t mean he''s not coming back. As long as Magda believes that, I''m going to believe it too. ''Well, ......'' Regina muttered, thinking. Ginette and I waited for the next words. The only sound that reached our ears was the chuckling of the jellyfish. ''I heard that you were heading for the Bao Kri Air in a very serious manner? ''I heard you were guarding a dignitary. So Magda''s parents, who were good hunters, went with them. ''By sea? ''That''s what they said. Magda once told me that her parents passed through the city gate of District 35. ''That was about thirty years ago, right? ''No, of course not. It was when Magda was a child, so it must have been four or five years ago. ''Sayaka......'' And then he falls silent again. What the hell are you trying to say? ...... ''Is there something wrong?It''s a dangerous journey, so you hired a good hunter to guard you, right? We hired a hunting guild to guard us when we were building the city gate. They''re good at what they do, so we can trust them. ''You''re right, I wouldn''t be surprised if we took the overland route. The forest on the way is quite dangerous, and there are casualties every year when crossing the mountains. Is it really that steep? ...... That would mean the price of spices would go up. Even so, it''s a road that can be traversed by anyone who knows how. The merchants must have formed a caravan and hired mercenaries to come to this city. ''Is it safer to go by sea? ''Yes. It''s expensive, though. About eight times more.'' Expensive? 100,000 things will turn into 800,000 if we use such an import route. That''s why the merchants come by land even if it''s dangerous. ......? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to get the most out of it....... He was traveling alone with a squire, wasn''t he? So, what is it? I''m not sure if you''ve ever had to ask a hunting guild to escort you on an itinerary where you can run it alone. Wow, that''s scary. What you don''t know is what you get. I wouldn''t mess around with such a dangerous guy now, I promise. It''s scary just to think about how ...... you could get pissed off by tricking Medora. It''s not just Medora, but even Alvaro, Gustave, and Ursse are dangerous, to the weakest of us. ''Well, nowadays, caravans also serve as carriages, so ordinary people can come and go relatively safely. ''Then that''s a relief. Ginette breathed a sigh of relief that the safety of the road had been secured, even though no one was going to Bao Kri Air. ''I''m not going, not over that dreadful road. ''The sea route, on the other hand, is a leisurely journey with no forests where demonic beasts appear and no steep valleys. And it only takes about a quarter of the days. That''s amazing. You can get there in a week instead of a month. You can get there in a day if it takes four days, in six hours if it takes a whole day. That''s eight times the fare. ''The sea route is safe, isn''t it? ''They check your identity so bad guys can''t get on. ''Then I can''t take it. ''Are you planning to do something so evil that it will be heard in Bao Kri Air?You''d better behave yourself. He chuckled, then quickly tightened his expression. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it. Regina said that up until thirty years ago, a huge sea monster had appeared in the sea route, but it had been killed by the allied forces of Baocliere and Allbloom and the elite mermaids. Since then, the sea route has been safe, and although soldiers have been stationed there in case of pirates, there have been no major accidents or incidents. A safe sea route. The hunting guild''s best hunters were sent out there. And none of them have ever returned. ''Baocuriea has been in a dispute over succession for more than ten years now. There are two princes in Baocliere, and they are divided into two factions, the First Prince and the Second Prince. The hard-line First Prince''s faction is a little stronger, and the moderate Second Prince is in a somewhat disadvantageous position. However, the balance of power is about 52:48, and it is not so strong that it can be overwhelmed immediately. On the other hand, it would be difficult to reverse the situation. Such a stalemate has continued for more than ten years. It''s a very stinking country. If you''ve asked the best of the hunting guilds to protect such a key figure in the country... ''So it''s not Hexenbiests they''re worried about, but the opposing forces. ''Probably so. If he was assassinated in another country, he could blame it on Allbloom, and if he was the first prince of ......, he could use that as an opportunity to tell Allbloom to invade. The way she said it, I knew Regina was in the Second Prince faction. Regardless of whether she belonged to the faction or not, she would be emotionally agreeable to the Second Prince. ''I''m sure the hunting guild took all possible measures to prevent that from happening. ''Magda''s parents have kept the peace in this city, haven''t they? What Ginette said was not an exaggeration. If the assassination plan had been carried out, it is highly likely that a war between the two countries would have started. The fact that this did not happen means that the assassination was prevented. ''But if so, ......'' ''But if that''s the case, you''ve been spotted. ''A distraction.'' Ginette gasped. What had happened to them after they''d completed their protection and delivered the dignitaries to safety? No matter which faction you are, nearly half the country is your enemy. It''s hard to get out of the city without incident. ''Fortunately, the king is still alive and well. As long as he''s around, the princes won''t be able to engage in any fierce battles. We''ll just have to sneak around behind his back and try to undermine him.'' Huh. It''s quite a feat to be trusted by Regina, the king. From the tone of voice, I''d say the King is the one Regina trusts the most. Maybe the king is the reason why Allbloom is still at peace. The royal family of this city is likely to take the brunt of the beastmen and the lords of the outer districts in the event of a war. ...... It''s going to happen for real. I hope you live a very long life, King Baokri Air. I don''t care if you live longer than my son. No, please do. ''Whatever you do, I hope ...... the tiger''s daughter''s parents are okay. Regina glanced at Magda. You''re dealing with something far more dangerous and terrifying than a hexenbiest. Seriously, I hope you''re okay. Or else... Otherwise I''ll have to go abroad and dismantle the royal family. ''Thanks for letting me know. ''I''ll leave it to you to decide if you want to tell the tiger girl about this. I couldn''t have made that decision myself.'' ''Oh.'' But maybe... ''We''ll talk about it when the time comes. Mr. Magda has a right to know. It might just make her worry. It might make you anxious. Still, Magda is stronger now. ...... ''If I don''t let her know, she''ll be upset later. ''That''s tough. A sulking Magda is cute, but it''s hard to get her to change her mood. Even Jeannette has a hard time with sulky Magda. You should talk to her and help her sort out her feelings. Fortunately, tomorrow is the heavy snow season. There''s plenty of time for you to stay close and talk to her. I''m sure Jeannette will spoil you ............ at best. That''s not my job. That''s not my job. That''s Jeannette''s role, yeah. ''Anchovies!I''m cold. Treat me to a bath!'' ''Hey, who''s that? Did you tell Lucia about the baths?'' ''''Hmph. It looks like the bathhouse is going to be a big hit today too.'''' ''...... I''m sure the water will get cold by the time we get back to District 35.'' ''Why don''t you dry your hair thoroughly before you leave? ''Haha ......, well, you''re on your own. Even if you catch a cold, it''s the heavy snow season anyway. It won''t matter if you stay in bed for a few days. I''ll let him do what he wants. ''Well then, I''d better get going. ''Yes, we should. The sky is starting to take on a more subdued color. It''s not red yet, but it will be soon. ''Oh, so this year''s bathing suit will be the last. ''I can''t wait to see what kind of bikini Regina will wear next year. ''Idiot! Regina dips her shoulders into the water and hides her swimsuit. Only the top of her neck is exposed, and she mutters with a slightly red face, looking resentful. ''Next year, I''ll wear one that doesn''t show my belly button. Ginette and I looked at each other and couldn''t help but laugh. Oh, I see. You''re going to participate next year, aren''t you? We got out of the river, cleaned up, and left the ''one last swim! and we returned to the sunny pavilion. 457-Episode 259 A good swimmer ''That was a good bath! Lucia, steam rising from her body, is contentedly drinking a glass of chilled milk. The milk was chilled in the ice vault. Originally, the ice storage was placed in the backyard to keep the sun away. Now that there is a bathroom there, the ice storage has been moved to the back of the stall in the front yard. I couldn''t carry it very far, but Magda and Gilberta made light work of it. It is about the size of a large safe, and will be returned to Assunto at the end of the heavy snow season. ''If you find it useful, we can get it for you at a reasonable price. If you''d like to use it, we can get it for you at a discounted price,'' he said. ...... d*mn, I think I''ll buy one. You can use it as a refrigerator, of course, to store ice. d*mn you, Assunto. So clever. ''I''ll have a bath of this size installed in my villa. In order to disrupt the majority rule in BU, I hatched a plan to build a port in District 42. Lucia, the lord of the 35th district, who had been enriched by the existence of the port, naturally objected to the plan. So he proposed to build villas in the New Town in return for the construction of a port in District 42. In the end, the majority vote in BU decided not to impose any sanctions on the 42nd district, but this did not stop the construction of the port. No, it stopped once, but Masha pushed very hard and it started again. Because of this, Lucia''s vacation home project, which was once scrapped, has also been revived. ...... This guy doesn''t seem to want to give up on it at all. ...... d*mn. I''ll definitely build it on the other side of the river from Loretta''s house. Hammaro is in danger. ''Do you need a big bathtub in your villa? ''Yes, we do. We''ll all be in it together. ...... Mwah!'' ''Then, I''ll consult with Gilberta and decide.'' ''Wait Estella!I''m the master! ''But Gilberta is the one who has common sense and decency.'' ''Ugghhh ......, isn''t that what you''ve come to say, Estella? I''m not sure what to do. The more time you spend with them, the more they''ll treat you like crap. If you don''t like it, think about what you''re saying and doing. ''Okay, here''s what I''ll do. Let''s pretend the villa never happened. ''If all you can say is nonsense, shut your mouth, anchovy! What nonsense? That''s a good idea. As long as your villa goes back to the drawing board, the peace of the Forty-two districts will be preserved. ''The villa in New Town is in return for granting the construction of the port. You may use all your money to build a luxurious and splendid villa worthy of me.'' ''How about a building that looks like a pervert from the air? ''Oh, if you can do it, you can do it!I''d rather live there! It would be hard to live in a house like that, though. ''Well, that''s ......''. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ''You''re not doing anything weird to Miry and the others, are you? This perverted lord rejected our request to go in alone because he is a nobleman and said, ''I won''t go in or leave unless I''m with Millie! You''re one of the aristocrats. If you''re a member of the nobility, don''t hesitate to expose your skin to the common people! She may be a woman biologically, but she''s an old man inside, so she should be put in the men''s bath. ''If only I could go in with him, ......! ''Hey, who would take a mixed bath with you!Shame on you, sardine! What kind of mouth is that, sardine? ''Dry your hair properly, I think. Your hair, Lady Lucia. Gilberta comes out of the kitchen with a towel. Natalia follows her, wiping Gilberta''s wet hair. The towel is wrapped around Natalia''s head like a turban. That''s what girls do after a bath. ...... Natalia, you have a s*xy nape. In order to prevent Lucia from getting out of control, I sent the two head waiters with her to the baths, but did they prevent the crime? After that, a group of girls came to the floor after taking a bath. Hey, guys... Go to Jeannette''s room instead of this one. Then dry your hair and come down when you''re ready to show it to the guys. I think they''re all so excited about the bath that they''ve completely lost their minds. ''Gah!I''m not sure what to do.It''s too hot! You know? There are even perverted raccoons like this. ''......, Percy. Was there a Percy? ''Yes, he was!I''ve been playing in the river all morning!Didn''t I have a funny incident at the barbecue when a shrimp shell popped and flew into my face? I don''t remember any of that. Was this guy there? I''m not sure if you''re still here or if you''re planning on taking a bath too. You extravagant bastard. I''m taking a bath with these guys again. I wonder when I''ll be able to relax on my own. ...... That''s two days in a row with Becko. ''By the way, anchovy. Where''s the fox master?'' Oumalo hadn''t come back after Goozja had called him. There seemed to be some kind of trouble, and he might have been busy dealing with it. I hope it''s nothing serious. ...... No, you see. If he''s in trouble, I can''t ask him to do anything. I''m worried about him. Ginette, who hasn''t bathed yet, raises her eyebrows anxiously. Because there were so many of us, we couldn''t all go together, as expected. Since they had to leave in time, they let the guests in first. Ginette and the others said they would be the last to enter. Loretta was planning to go home today, so she should have entered quickly, but she wanted to enter with Jeannette and Magda. Don''t stay here today, okay? I''m sure Hamko will be worried if her eldest daughter is not here on the first morning of the heavy snow season. ''Well, let''s go in as soon as we can. ''We''ve been waiting for you, Anchan! ''Thank you for the company again, that you are! ''Oh, wait. Anchovy. Lucia stops me when I''m about to go to the bath. She sits on a chair and lets Gilberta wipe her hair. Natalia is wiping Gilberta''s hair and they are lined up vertically. That''s an interesting picture, man. ''You''re going to send Miry-tan to her before the bath. ''Huh?I don''t mind, do you? ''What are you talking about, Millie-tan?Millie-tan after bathing is a favorite of ...... criminals! I think it''s dangerous, I too, if my friend Yashiro is not with me. I''m going to send, Lucia-sama, My Angel Milly. ''What''s My Angel, Gilberta-san? ''I mean, why are you trying to send her, you pervert? ''Of course it''s for the sake of smelling Millie''s good scent in the carriage. ''Please don''t do anything offensive to my people. You''ll start a war. Lucia is smiling arrogantly and without regard to Estella''s cold gaze. ''If it''s Milly, I''ll take her home. ''You can''t say that, Delirin. Don''t give every beastman you like a strange nickname. You can''t say that, Delirin.It doesn''t seem to matter if they''re beastmen or not. But you should at least improve your sense of style. ...... Well, I don''t have any concrete alternatives right now, but... ''That''s not true,......, is it? ''But we have to go home early to prepare for tomorrow, don''t we?You''ve been so focused on taking care of the flowers that you haven''t taken out your warm bedding or woolen pants yet, have you? ''How do you know that? ''I looked it up, I did. ''When? Don''t so easily look into the affairs of a private home. You''re a spy. ''I heard that last year you were so tired from playing in the river that you fell asleep immediately after returning home and caught a cold. ''How do you know that? ''Because I got to know the guild leader! ''Oh, ......, the guild leader, you''re so chatty. ......'' The head of the guild, whom Millie consults about everything, is a trustworthy and good-natured old lady, but like the big ladies of the flower arrangement guild, she loves to gossip. The news that Millie had caught a cold, a topic that stirred her protective desire, would have been immediately shared. And people must have sent her gifts of sympathy. ''Go home before that happens. ''Oh, it''s ...... all right. Well, I''m off, aren''t I? ''So, I''ll just--'' ''Doesn''t Delirium have a meeting tomorrow for the sleepover? ''''Eh, manager. Was there something wrong? ''Well, I was going to ask when you would be coming. I''m sure your houses need to be cleared of snow. I also wanted to know how many breakfasts you had .......'' Ginette glanced at Lucia, and they all looked at her. With a look of astonishment. ''Did you know about this, Lucia? ''Hmph. Who do you think I am? I''m not the leader of the 35th district. You should know that exposing plots is a fundamental part of being a lord. You found out. Well, I guess you can''t hide anything from the soft-hearted people of the 42nd district, really. Well, if they know, so be it. It''s a bit of a hassle, but I''ll give up. ''So, are you coming too? ''Sorry to make you lonely, but I''m a lord. I can''t be away from my house during the heavy snowfall. ''...... Ugh.'' In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with me, please do not hesitate to contact me. I''m not sure if it hurts your ears or not. ''I''ll give you a big welcome at the mochi pounding contest, so don''t cry if you''re lonely, anchovy? ''Which one is it? ''And then there''s .......'' Lucia beckoned with a wry smile. She can''t move because her hair is being wiped. I have no choice but to go to her. ''Take that for trying to hide it. ''Aah! A chop to the carotid artery. I stopped breathing, stopped for a second. ...... You son of a b*tc*. When I glared at her, the wet-haired Lucia smiled triumphantly. You look so happy, d*mn it. Get the hell out of here. ''My dry hair, Lucia-sama. Gilberta wiped off Lucia''s hair, which hadn''t been sitting still at all, with dexterity and a look of satisfaction on her face. It''s really smooth. That''s great. ''It''s dry here too, Gilberta. ''Thank you, I think. I say thank you, Natalia. Her fingering is so gentle, I''m mesmerized. I''ll learn from her. It feels so good, Natalia''s wiping. Maybe I''ll have her do it next time. ''Well, now that my hair is dry, I''d better be off. ''Miss Lucia. If you want me to take Yashiro, I''ll--'' ''Good. Enjoy your bath.'''' She stops Estella with a slight wave of her hand and turns her gaze to me. ''You have the honor of being my companion. You should be grateful, anchovy. Her eyes spoke volumes. ''I need to talk to you. Follow me.'' Estella must have realized this, because she quietly withdrew. ''Then, I will come and greet you when the heavy snowfall season is over. ''Mm. The end of the year and the beginning of the new year will be busy, but once the construction of the port begins, we will have more opportunities to meet. There''s no need to be so formal.'' ''No, sir. I just want to meet you personally as a friend. ''Mm......mm. Well, if that''s the case, do as you please. Lucia has lost it. Not for me, though. Not the perversion she usually shows, but a shy, shy, girlish dere. Not for me. You should dere for me once in a while. ''Come on, Milly. Let''s go home together!Today, we''re going to ride in a small carriage, so you can sit on my lap...'' ''What the hell are you doing riding in a luxurious six-seater carriage? ''Normally it''s an eight-seater, Lucia-sama''s carriage is. I didn''t tell any lies. But that doesn''t change the fact that you don''t need her to sit on your lap. ''Milly. Was it all right for you to bathe with me?Did they do anything weird to you?'' ''Mmmm, I''m fine. ...... giggle'' It''s a great way to get to know the people around you. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. He told me secretly. Was it cute? I''m sure he''d love it.He''d be like, ''Ooooh! I''m drinking with the beastmen! I''m sure he''d have a field day with that. ''I always take a bath alone, so I don''t get to see much of other people''s ............''. She was embarrassed by the words ''naked'' and ''nude'' and slurred her words. I wonder why that is. My cheeks are getting loose. grin. ''Don''t look so tight, anchovy. I''ll squeeze you.'' ''Don''t you dare invent a novel punishment. Surprisingly, Lucia was embarrassed both to see others naked and to be seen naked. If that''s the case, why didn''t you tell her to go in with you? ...... Well, if you go in alone, it''s no different than going in at home, and I''m sure she missed that. ''The one who was the most excited was ...... Paura-san.'' Millie pointed at Paula with a troubled face. ''What did you do, Paula? ''Yes, I did. Paula wants to touch people''s breasts immediately. ''Because it''s not every day you get a chance like this.You have to touch them! ''Yes, I know exactly how you feel! ''You see, Paula. You''re just like Yashiro. Be careful.'' ''...... Yeah. I''ll be careful.'' What''s that supposed to mean, man? Well, it''s best if Miry and the others weren''t harmed. ''Well, I''ve got the order of the lord of the other district, so I''ll send Millie off and see Lucia and the others off. ''Um, Yashiro-san. When are you coming back? ''Soon, Ginepu. There''s no need to worry. I''ll make sure they get here. ''Then you''re safe. Your body will be tired after swimming, so Lucia-san and Gilberta-san, please get some rest today. ''You too. Thank you for your help. ''I''m looking forward to the mochi pounding contest. ''Yes, sir. I''ll see you again.'' ''Yes,'' I reply, ''I will. That''s why I go out with Lucia and the others. Estella did a good job of keeping Delia and the others at bay. Well, let''s hear what they have to say. You want to take me all the way out for a little secret talk. The carriage moved along the street at a slow speed. ''That''s right. Since the party in District 24, I''ve been getting frequent letters from DD asking for nectar. ...... Hmm. I told her, "You come and drink."'' By the way, at the party in District 24, I gave him nectar as a welcome drink, didn''t I? ''I''m sure Filman will be happy to go. ''If you''re a candidate for the next lord of the 24th district, you''re a frequent visitor. He brings his girlfriend, a malted rice maker, with him.'' That bastard''s going on a date with a flower garden? He didn''t even ask me! What a jerk! ''Why don''t you just break up with BU now that your troubles are over? ''Hahaha, don''t say things you don''t mean, anchovy. I heard that you worked very hard to bring them together. That''s because it was necessary to get him to withdraw the absurd reparations imposed on him by BU. Otherwise, who would willingly get involved in other people''s love affairs? ''There''s also the matter of Sirach and Orkio. And Wentan and the others.'' ''Your jealousy of Theron is ugly, Lucia. Wendy''s not yours. Don''t come barging in here and obsessing over it. ''You''re the kind of person who can''t stop going around hooking up with every man and woman you see. ''That''s a terrible misunderstanding. ''But, Nikka-san also said that she was able to get married thanks to Ladybug-san, didn''t she? ''Nikka? Nikka is a swallowtail butterfly who used to be Sirach''s companion, and if anything, she''s not very friendly to me. I''m sure she''s in the same position as Lucia, who swears at me every time she sees me, and Sophie, the sister of the 24th Ward Church and sister of Rebekah. ...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ''Then you won''t hold a grudge against me if I divorce you. The matchmaker is like a parent! What the parents say is absolute, right? Wait, wait, wait. ''The matchmaker is like a parent. ...... Is it natural for a parent to take a bath with their daughter? ''It''s not natural, is it?I''m sure you''ll agree. So why do you have to be like a parent? There''s no benefit. ''But I''m glad you like Nectar. ''Hmm. Thanks to Millie-tan, the 35th district has become even more gorgeous. ''Miri, I didn''t do anything. It''s thanks to you, ladybug.'' ''No thanks. You''ve expanded the possibilities of flowers in the 35th district. The decorations ...... at the banquet, the flower arrangements ...... were wonderful, I heard. DD complimented you on it. ''Really?Wow, ...... that''s sweet.'' Donnis is a romantic. Maybe he''s into the whole ''me loving a flower'' thing. Oh, right. Mahr''s hobby is gardening. That''s why he''s so interested in flowers. ''And the flower guild is forming a union. It''s all thanks to Miry''s efforts. ''That''s not true ......!I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. That was the start of the project. There is a great possibility that flower arrangements will be used at weddings and celebrations in the future. When this happens, the flower arrangement guild in one district may not be able to provide enough flowers. At such times, a system of cooperation among the flower arrangement guilds of neighboring districts was born. This is undoubtedly due to the achievements of Millie Tan, who was the first to do so. You should be more proud of it. ''Oh no, Miry is ......''. Miry glanced at me with a red face. ''Because Ladybug-san helped me. ......'' ''Millie''s hard work has paid off. The anteater brothers would have been turned away.'' ''giggle...... that''s not true.'' No, no, no. If I were you, and anteater twins came in saying ''Hi! I''d close the door and lock it tight. I''d close the shutters, too. ''After the carpenters, the flower arrangers'' guild has also formed a union. The city is going to change a lot again. Lucia says with a satisfied look on her face as she leans back in her seat. The carpenters, or rather the civil engineering guild, has also formed a union. Basically, individual carpenters take care of their own work, but when there is a major construction project, such as the construction of the city gates and roads in District 42, or the construction of the site of the gluttony contest and the lovely Yann Avenue in District 41, they gather carpenters from neighboring districts. In such cases, the guilds of each district join the union and share the reputation of the carpenters in order to dispatch reliable workers. Therefore, Torbek''s construction company is often approached by other guilds from time to time. They are good at what they do. In the past, Umaro was asked to repair the mansion of the lord of the 30th district by name, probably because he was selected based on the data of the union. It seems that they sometimes hold bidding. In such a system, a carpenter who has the know-how of sewage work is selected by offering the cost and period of work. Trubec Construction Company, with its expertise in sewage construction, is the most popular carpenter in the world. I don''t think it''s a good idea to use a carpenter from such a company to build a large bathroom, but since Umaro wants to do it, it can''t be helped. There''s nothing wrong with me. Rather, I''m giving him a job.I''ll try to be as kind as I can be. ''The nectar candy was well received. I bring it as a gift to other lords when I meet with them and they are always pleased. There are so many people who want to trade with us that we are in a bit of trouble. The nectar of the garden is not to be used for commerce. He has no intention of changing this rule, and says that the nectar candy will remain as a gift only. ''I''m really grateful for the fact that we''ve been able to provide jobs for the insect people who had no jobs before. Thanks to Millie''s invention. I''d like to express my gratitude again. I just wanted to make everyone happy,...... and the reason why I thought of nectar and asked the bug people to make nectar candy was because they were all ladybugs,...... '' ''Our 35th district is run by a system where the anchovy''s achievements are naturally canceled out. ''Wow, so I''m not going to cooperate with any of them in the future...'' ''However, it has been decided that the anchovy will be obligated to cooperate with me. It was a majority vote in my district. ''You''re a petit ''BU'', aren''t you? Don''t impose your arbitrary decisions on me. Millie shook her shoulders as she watched me being forced into an absurd situation of power harassment by an arrogant lord with power. Do you enjoy my misfortune so much?Is Millie a bit of a dosser? I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself. I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself. I''m not having any fun at all because of Lucia, though. As the air in the carriage lightened from our idle talk, Lucia suddenly opened her mouth. ''Miry-tan. Lucia smiled at Millie with a kind smile that she would never give to me. She looked at Milly sitting on the other side of the room and asked in a calm voice. ''Aren''t you afraid of riding in a carriage anymore? ''Yes, ......''. Millie used to have an aversion to riding in a carriage. This was due to the atmosphere of discrimination against sub-humans that had prevailed in this city for a long time, and she had been very reserved even when we were the only passengers. I was trembling just to ride in such a luxurious six-seater carriage. Now, he looks much calmer. ''Oh, ...... it''s because everyone, even ...... Lusia, has been so kind to me... ...ah ...... thank you, right? ''Okay, I''ll take it and go! ''Gilberta! ''I know what I''m doing. I''m going to use the hand acupuncture points from my friend Yashiro. ''Ouch! It''s quite painful when you rub your thumb as hard as you can between your thumb and index finger, near the bone to bone area. It''s a pressure point for tired eyes. Do you know the acupuncture points on your hands as well as your feet?You''re a sardine! ''What''s that preserved food?I''ve never heard of it. The acupuncture points are filled with sardines. If it''s not dry, it''ll go bad soon. ''Millie is too cute!It''s only natural that you''d want to take her home with you! ''I know the feeling. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I''ve heard of it. The shy appearance is like a forest fairy living deep in the forest. If you encounter her in the forest, definitely bring her home. I''ll overhunt it. ''The Bug People of District Thirty-Five have suggested that we rethink the nature of the flower garden. Lucia says with a happy, itchy expression on her face and a loose mouth. It''s not a place of sanctuary for the insects, but a place where anyone - human, insect, beast, noble, or commoner - can come. ...... They took a big step towards me. That wedding must have had a big impact on them. And then there were the stalls at Hanazono. Until now, the garden had been mostly reserved for the insects, and humans had to be very careful when entering. The Bug People have offered to stop that. ''They are interested in interacting with humans,'' he said. Sirach, who was considered a symbol of tragedy, sincerely wanted to marry the tragic man. And she is still living very happily today. Such a situation must have changed the hearts of the Bug People. ''Some of them even want to have a wedding. The sisters of the 35th district are coming to ask Sister Bertina to teach them. Please give her my regards when you see her. These words were all directed at Milly. At the time of the wedding, he had taken Millie to the 35th district for some reason. Millie was deeply involved with Lucia and the 35th Ward at that time. She''s probably thanking me in the guise of thanking me for that time. That''s just Lucia''s way of being dishonest. Why don''t you just give that stuff to Milly and Estella? ''Will you act as a bridge between humans and insects again, Milly? Your flowers and smile have the power to make everyone around you happy. Hmm. Anything you can do, Miry. Miry seemed to have realized that Lucia''s gratitude wasn''t just for her, and she seemed to have accepted it with a lot of ease. She giggled when she saw my face. Don''t stare too long, or I''ll take you home. ''I''m going to go play with the ladybug again, aren''t I? ''Yes, I''ll be waiting. And welcome. Just Millie.'' ''Giggle.'' I looked at Lucia, who was sticking her tongue out at me. And seeing Lucia''s tongue, Millie held her mouth and started laughing. Then, the carriage slows down in a friendly atmosphere. The carriage seems to have arrived at Millie''s house. ''Then, thank you for giving me a ride. Millie gets off the carriage and bows her head. At Lucia''s insistence, Millie refrained from using honorifics, but her thank you was in honorifics. However, the smile she gave to Lucia was the same as the one she gave to Estella and us, and such a small thing must have made Lucia very happy. ''I hope you don''t catch a cold. If Millie catches a cold, I''ll have to fly from the 35th district to take care of her. ''Then, for the sake of everyone in the 35th district, stay warm and go to bed, okay? We smiled at each other and watched Millie enter the house. She looked back at me several times and gave me a small wave. ...... Well, well... I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. This is where Lucia''s main point comes in. You may have been planning to say thank you when you had the chance, but I was called away for a short time to travel the short distance from here to the sunlit pavilion. Is it advice, a complaint, or an order? ...... Let''s see what they have to say. The carriage begins to move slowly. ''Have you come to your senses yet, anchovy? That was the question that started it all. ''For what? ''My marriage to Estella. This guy, ...... again. ''Are you still talking like that? After Theron and Wendy''s wedding, this guy asked me that question. He wanted me to adopt him as my brother and become Estella''s son-in-law. That way the 42nd and 35th wards would be firmly connected. ''There''s no such thing in the slightest. ''You lazy bastard. ''I''m just not as unscrupulous as you. Besides, it''s not a problem that can be solved by me saying it one way or the other. You didn''t bring Estella here because you want to talk about this, did you? ''Why do you want to bring me and Estella together so badly? ''It''s to protect the 42nd district.'' ''''What? Protect it? By me and Estella getting married? I don''t understand. Are you talking about a declining birthrate or an heir? ''The 42nd district is making remarkable progress thanks to some idiot who is wielding his skills with great vigor.'' ''Hey, hey, you''re calling Estella, even if she is a lord, a fool. ''Hmm ......, that''s a bit silly. Shut up. It''s not like I''m developing the 42nd district. This is a byproduct. I''m just doing what''s in my best interest. Occasionally, I brush off some of the flames. ''New road, new port. Many other unusual specialties are springing up. That sewer will soon be heard of by the royals. Anyone with any brains will know exactly what it''s worth. It would be easier if they thought that it would be more beneficial to establish friendly relations with the Forty-two districts, but ...... the world does not always run in peace. ''The 42nd district is now like a big tree that produces money. I''m sure BU and the people in the outer districts see it that way. We are working with District 40 and District 41 on various projects. We are also cooperating more and more with the 35 wards. I have also made acquaintance with the lords of the 36 to 39 wards that exist in between, having proposed business to them during the wedding parade. Those districts have benefited to some extent. What do the BUs think of our involvement with District 42? I don''t know how the BU''s feel about that. I''m sure they''re hoping that the new road and the new port will bring in more tax revenue through tolls. ''The guardian of the golden tree is still a young novice, and she is a female lord. Do you know what this means? ''That you''ll be licked if you''re easily manipulated? ''Hmm. If you''re even slightly familiar with the situation in the 42nd district, you''ll understand that there''s a troublesome gatekeeper standing in your way. Is that troublesome gatekeeper, by any chance, referring to me? Well, if Estella is about to be deceived by some idiot, I''ll step in and prevent it from happening. I can''t let some idiot stir up this 42nd district. ''We don''t need to set a trap, if the lord is a woman, we can take the right approach. A female lord takes a son-in-law and leaves an heir. If Estella takes some nobleman as her son-in-law, he will become the lord. Or he may stay as her assistant and move Estella around as he sees fit. If he knows Estella''s popularity, he will have less friction with the people. Anyone who would even think of getting into Estella''s good graces would be able to think of something like that. ...... Hmm. I don''t like that. ''Even if you don''t become her son-in-law, won''t it be easier to take over Estella if you make her useless?There are no blood relatives of the lord in the 42nd district now. ''That''s true for you as well, isn''t it? ''My career is different from Estella''s.'' ''Well, Lucia can probably handle most things on her own. ''I was messed around with a lot when I was new too. A string of suitors and a relentless assassin. They''re both disgusting. I almost feel sorry for them. ''And a pack of thugs who planned to trample on my innocence and dignity as a woman and render me useless. ''--? I couldn''t help but let my emotions show on my face. I''m aware that I''ve released a small amount of deadly energy. The fact that this guy is talking to me like this now means that such a plot was prevented. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be talking about such an important matter that could be a stain on him. And he''s the head waiter to prevent such an incident from happening. Gilberta is strong. She''s got an innocent, honest heart, but her skill is top-notch. You can trust her on that. ''...... Huh. Magda and the others aren''t exaggerating.'''' ''What''s that? ''You sycophant.'' ''Just say .......'' Lucia lifts the corner of her mouth in triumph, a thin smile on her face. Hey, don''t look at me. Lucia was shaking her shoulders and giggling for a while afterwards, wondering what made her happy. The carriage shudders, and in that instant Lucia''s mood changes. ''Don''t let your guard down, even though the trusty head waiter is sticking close by. Estella has a fragile heart that makes me a little worried.'''' ''Tell that to Estella herself or Natalia. ''A good lord works for the greatest effect with the least amount of effort. ''I see, you''re incompetent, aren''t you? I''m sorry. You think you can tell me and expect me to do anything? I don''t even have the right to interfere in such matters. ''For example, I''ve had strange women on the street say, "Whoa, what''s with that dress?Dumb! Estella would lock herself up in her mansion if she was gossiped about by strange women on the main street for three days in a row. ''Stop it. She''s going to get really depressed, isn''t she? I can easily imagine. I can easily imagine Estella wrapped in a futon in her underwear and depressed because she can''t wear any clothes. ''If I were the enemy, it would be easy to destroy the 42nd district. Well, the Forty-two Wards aren''t fragile enough to be crushed by such a thing. ''If Siegenthaler is serious, he can trample Estella''s dignity with just five of the best men from the hunting guild, right? Even if it was Natalia, would it be difficult for her to protect Estella against five skilled members of the hunting guild? ''''Even if she doesn''t, she can destroy Estella just by using that head waiter as a consolation prize. ''...... What are you trying to say? I''m starting to feel sick. There''s no way Ricardo would plan something like that, and Medora wouldn''t let him help. Absolutely not. Even knowing that, this story makes me sick. ''All this will be over if you just get a grip. ''And then, won''t I be targeted by assassins? ''Hahahaha!You''re not going to be killed by an assassin, are you? No, I''m sure you''ll be killed quickly. I''m weaker than Estella, you know? ''Well, there are many people who use not only love but also various other tricks. And Wishart, the lord of the 30th district, is that kind of man. Wishart, the lord of the 30th district, who interferes in the construction of the harbor. That''s the kind of man he is. If Estella continues to ignore his demands, we don''t know what he''ll do to someone he doesn''t like, someone he thinks is lower than him. Estella has many weaknesses that a newcomer, a woman, a sweetheart, or an unsavory nobleman might exploit. She must be a nasty opponent who would exploit those weaknesses. ''The lord of the thirtieth district is a stinky man. You should be very careful. ''Hmph, is there any lord who doesn''t have a stink about him? ''There is one. He''s naive, defenseless, and so good-natured that it makes me nervous to look at him. It''s useless to be wary of him. ''Yeah, I know that guy, too. Right?The Lord of the Cliffs or something.'' ''Well, that''s strange. I thought I heard ''Lord of Smiles''. ...... Well, I''m sure it refers to the same person. They smiled at each other as the carriage rocked. In other words, this guy decided that it would be more efficient to tell me to protect Estella than to advise her to be careful. It''s said that a good lord will work for the greatest effect with the least amount of effort. ''You''ve become very kind, haven''t you? ''You say that?Your eyes look different from when we first met.'' ''Oh, so that means my deception technique has improved. I''m good at pretending to be a good guy.'' ''The only thing you''re not good at is lying to hide your embarrassment.'' That''s bullshit. There aren''t many men as good at lying as I am. ''My advice to you was only necessary for my own good. ''Oh. What benefit?'' ''That''s obvious. If some other noble were to mess with the 42nd district and even gain enough power to influence the 42nd district, I wouldn''t be able to build my villa. It is impossible for a lord of another district to build a villa in another district and enter it, based on common sense. ''I''m surprised you''re aware of this. Then why don''t you refrain from doing something insane? ''You''re a fool, you are. ...... Insanity is what makes love burn. ''I wish I was charcoal, only you. If some idiot wanted to use Estella to gain effective control of the Forty-second District, he wouldn''t have allowed Lucia''s villa. A lord of another district. And it''s Lucia Suarez who has a reputation for being sharp. She''d be too scared to let him near her. So you want me to protect Estella? No one''s going to break a bone for you. I''ll only move if it''s in my best interest. ''Well, don''t worry. Estella has a lot of friends who care about her.'' If Estella is troubled, Natalia will be able to detect it and share the information with her in no time. If someone appears, Delia, Norma and most of all Magda won''t be able to keep quiet. If he wields the power of a nobleman, he can bring Medora and Javier into the fray and strike back. No one, not even the royalty, can touch Estella in the 42nd district. The people in this town won''t let him. If he''s going to get married someday, it''s got to be to someone he''s made up his mind to stand next to. There is no other way and I won''t allow it. The lord represents the people. I''ll override his objections. ''Hmm. That''s true.'' Lucia crosses her arms and looks at me with an annoyed look, as if she wants to say something. ''You seem to have a very meddlesome person by your side. She''s staring at me so hard. She''s staring at me. Don''t look. I''ll charge you a fee. ''...... hmmm...'' ''What are you doing?I''ll break your jawbone, anchovy.'' ''Give me a fee to see my s*xy face.'' ''Just as well. It''ll make up for the mental anguish you''ve just suffered. You''ve made a fortune, anchovy. d*mn. That''s some tongue you got there. ''Oh, we''re finally here.'' It seems that the slow-moving carriage has arrived at the Sunken Pavilion. ''Boring times seem so long. Get out of the carriage, anchovy. ''Hmm. ......'' I stared back at Lucia''s provocative smile and patted Gilberta on the head. ''You''re tired today, aren''t you?Get some rest.'' ''Ohhhh!I''m delighted, I''m suddenly rewarded. ''I''ll look forward to seeing you after the New Year.'' ''I think so too, I am!I want to see you, my friend Yashiro, again soon! ''Yeah, anchovies!Don''t touch my Gilberta!You''re a disgrace! ''What, are you sulking?Do you want me to pet her? ''No, thank you!Don''t give me that indecent smile!I''ll make you eat hot stewed food without blowing, anchovy! No, it''s a fine line between torture and reward. Before Gilberta could even stand up, I was kicked off the carriage and was greeted by the people from the sunlit pavilion. ''You guys really get along well, don''t you? Estella put on a dumbfounded face. You''re annoying. I''ve been summoned all the way here because of your story, here. ''...... delay your marriage.'' ''What?I''m not sure what to say.I''m going to get married at a reasonable time. ''I don''t know about that. Life doesn''t always go as planned. ''Don''t put any weird pressure on me from behind, Norma! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m going to get a curse just looking at that evil face ....... I''ll just look away. ''Norma, just looking at her now, I think I''m going to get a curse that will delay my marriage ......''. ''Hmm~, what''s that, Loretta?Do you want to sleep in the same bed with me tomorrow?Sure~. I''ll sleep with you to my heart''s content. ''I''m sorry!Please don''t do that to me! ''Then, Loretta, will you give me that right? ''Yashiro-san.'' I extended my hand to Loretta, and she gently wrapped it in both of her hands. Then, I was forcibly pulled and turned around. Ginette''s smile was right in front of me. ''Welcome home. ''Uh, yeah. ...... I''m back. I wonder. This is the most powerful ''welcome home'' in Ginette''s history. This may be the first time I''ve ever been greeted with such a soothing welcome. ''You didn''t have to welcome me with so many people. ''I thought so, but...'' Ginette''s shoulders cowered and her mouth relaxed. Her grumpiness flies away in a flash. ''I thought I heard a horse-drawn carriage, so I went outside and saw that it was running very slowly. So, when Jeannette didn''t come back at all, people gathered to ask ''what''s going on'' and ''what''s going on''. He was running so slowly? ''So long, everyone. I''ll look forward to seeing you again. And be careful in heavy snow.'' ''Yes, sir. Take care, Lucia-san.'''' The two lords exchanged greetings and Lucia''s carriage drove off. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes on the road, but it''s not always easy. It is possible to pay a little attention to them. 458-Episode 260 tears of joy when I talk about next ye... The world was covered in silvery white after a night''s sleep. ...... It''s raining more this year. It''s the same as last year, when the cold woke me up before the sun rose. ''...... Well... Let''s make up our minds. I''d like to stay under the covers, but ...... I''m still cold after all. Last night, Jeannette brought out a thick futon for the heavy snow season, but when I went to bed, it was still very hot and sweaty from the heat wave. But when I went to bed, it was still hot and sweaty with the remnants of the heat wave. In addition, I felt tired after swimming and fell asleep. Therefore, it is impossible for me to use such a sophisticated technique as adding a futon when it gets cold. When it''s hot, you unconsciously kick off the futon, but when it''s cold, your unconscious mind doesn''t pull the futon back. It''s an inflexible thing. The comforter, barely warmed by my body heat, is no longer enough to keep out the cold. Ginette might be able to wake up when she gets cold and pull the covers back on for another sleep, but not a normal person. Magda is probably the same type as me. I left the room, carrying a thick futon for myself. A piercing chill spread through the corridor. Is this the inside of a refrigerator? ''Ugh ...... it''s cold. Magda''s approval had been obtained in advance. Or rather, it would be bad if I didn''t go and check on him when the climate changes like this. ''Let''s go in. I open the door and tell him in a quiet voice. There is no reply. It''s obvious. As I approached the bed, I found that the thick comforter had fallen under the bed. He probably kicked off the comforter that had been placed under his feet. It was too hot and in the way. And it''s cold with only a thin comforter for the hot season. ...... is the same as last year. Magda slept buried in the straw of the bed. ''It''s ...... cold. ...... cold ............ bury me.'' He said the exact same thing to me. I feel nostalgic, I really do. ''......Shoveling snow? ''No, it''s too early. Go back to sleep.'' ''...... This year is sweet.'' ''Now that we have a roof over the courtyard, there''s no need to rush in the morning. The food for the church is already there.'' Magda helped me set up the stove yesterday. ''Since you worked so hard yesterday, you can sleep in this morning. I''m just here to cover you.'' I''m just here to pull the covers over you,'' I say, pulling my covers over you and Magda''s warm ones over you. ''Isn''t it heavy? ''It''s ...... warm.'' ''I see.'' I give Magda a pat on the head and leave the room. She''s probably still trying to sleep. ''Well, I''ll call you when the stove warms up.'' ''...... Yashiro.'' Just as I was about to leave the room, Magda called me. I turned around and saw Magda looking at me with only half of her face showing through the covers. ''...... Magda, I''m fine now.'' I guess she thought I was being nice to her because of what happened last year. He came up with that excuse. ''Oh. I understand. I''ll believe you when you say you''re okay. I''m not being nice to you because I care about you. This is, well, ...... ''Magda''s pretty when she''s awake, Jeannette said. If you let her sleep twice, you get twice the fun, right?'' ''...... Hmm. That''s a good point. You have a point. ''...... If that''s the case,...... you can come back and wake me up later,......'' Magda dives under the covers, making a noise like a straw. Well, I guess I''ll just go turn on the stove. It''s too cold. I''m not wrapped up in a duvet. I leave Magda''s room and walk quickly down the hallway. Just as I reached the stairs leading down to the courtyard, the door to Ginette''s room opened. ''Good morning, sir. The breath that escaped from Ginette''s mouth instantly turned white as she greeted him. It must be very cold. It seems to sink in when I see it visually. ''It''s early again this year. ''No, you''re a late riser. I''m still in my nightgown. ''You''ll shovel the snow after dinner this year, right?You can stay in bed if you want.'' ''No, sir. It''s a good chance to see Yashiro sleepwalking. What''s with the worthless chance? ''I''m crisper than you right now, aren''t I? ''No.'' He smiles happily and stretches out his arm, gripping the front of the stole around his shoulders tightly. Ginette''s fingertips pluck at my hair as it passes by my cheek and then by my ear. ''It''s Mr. Sleeping Habit. ''...... Don''t even put ''san'' on a sleeping habit.'' ''It''s a sleeping habit, sir.'' ''That''s not what I meant. ......'' Ginette stretches out her arm and pokes the top of her head, poking down on her sleeping habit. You can''t fix that no matter how much you poke it. Yea, it''s so hot. ''I''m going to go put a fire in the wood stove, come down in a little while. ''No, I''ll come with you. ''You''re in your nightgown. ''You''re in your nightgown too, aren''t you, Yashiro? ''No, I''m in my pajamas. ''Where do you plan to go in your loungewear? Ginette giggles. I slept in my normal clothes, which were a bit softer, so that I wouldn''t have to change clothes in the morning when it was cold as hell. That''s what I call efficient. ''Actually, ......''. Ginette pulled the front of her stole together coldly, her cheeks relaxed, and she exhaled a white breath. ''When I was a little girl, I was a sleepyhead, and even shoveling snow during heavy snowfalls was done by the time I woke up.'' ''You''re a powerful grandfather, .......'' ''Yes. When I think about it now, yes. But when I was a little girl, I took it for granted, and I would walk along the snow-cleared path, sleepy-eyed and carefree, thinking, ''Wow, it''s beautiful...'' on my way to the kitchen. This is the story of Jeannette who overslept in the morning, which would be unthinkable now. It''s very cold, but strangely enough, I want to listen to it a little longer. ''Then, in the dining room, there was a wood stove burning, and it was very warm, and my grandfather said, "Good morning," and offered me warm milk. I remember that, and I''m feeling a little nostalgic right now. Your grandfather was doing for Jeannette what I''m doing for Magda. I know how you feel. ''Even before I officially became a child here, I used to come to stay during heavy snowfalls. I wanted to help out. But, ...... hmm, in the end, my grandfather does it all.'' That made Ginette happy, and she must have liked her grandfather. ''I haven''t been able to help you at all. ''No, I think you were helping. That''s what I''m doing now, too. ''Because you were here, I was able to shovel the snow in the morning to get the stove on. Otherwise, I would have slept until the afternoon on a cold, snowy day like this. ''Because of you, Grandpa, I think he even enjoyed shoveling snow. ''...... because I''m here.'' He looked surprised, squinted a little sadly, and smiled. ''Then I''m glad. I was able to help my grandfather. That must have made little Ginette more happy and proud than anything else. ''This year, for the first time in a long time, we can go to the kitchen without shoveling. It''s just like those days. Thanks to the roof that Umaro had put up, the path to the kitchen was clear. It would be possible for me to go to the kitchen in my nightgown with sleepy eyes. ''Well, go back to sleep. I''ll go fire up the wood stove.'' Then you''ll be closer to those days. It''s okay to spoil him today. That''s what I thought. ''No, no. I''m an adult now, so I''m in the position of waiting for you to warm up the room. No matter how much I tell her, she won''t back down. You''re an idiot. It''s only cold if I go now. ''If you want, Yashiro, you can go and have another sleep. ...... Oh, I see. So this is how you feel. I''m sure you''re feeling this way, even if I said it with the best intentions. I understand now. I''ll pass. I lent Magda a futon, and I don''t think I can sleep in the cold. Besides, it''s rare to see ...... Jeannette in her nightgown, so I''d like to see her a little more.'''' ''Le, rare is ...... not worth anything, right? ''Hmm?Then let''s worship it so it can be used as a foil. ''Please don''t. ...... God.'' He patted me on the arm as if he was patting me. If neither of you is willing to give up, then let''s just go downstairs and light the wood stove. I don''t care which comes first, I just want to get warm as soon as possible. ''I''ll take care of the wood stove, Ginette can you get me a hot drink? ''Yes, sir. I''ll take care of it.'' We''ll take our roles, and we''ll both go out to the stairs. ''Ooh! What? A cold wind hit my body as if I had been hit with ice. What kind of grudge do you have against the people of this city, spirit god ......, it''s too cold. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of the words ''moderate'' or ''moderate''? ''Mr. Yashiro. There''s no snow on the stairs. If you ask me, it''s a matter of ''you should at least take care of that as a matter of course'', but the fact that there is no snow on the stairs, which until a few days ago were in a state of wilderness, gave us a little impression. We walked down the stairs with no need to watch our step, no need to worry about slipping, no need to worry about stepping off. We can see the ground. There is a snow-free path along the wall of the sunlit pavilion. The roof, wow! ''Usually, it takes about an hour to finally get inside. Last year, though, it took a little less time.'' ''Is that right?Didn''t it take about five hours?'' ''It didn''t take that long. Loretta and the others also came to help. Oh, that''s right, that''s right. Hammie came, and we had the road done in no time. And I was making sandals in the meantime, right? ''It''s easy this year. ''Does that mean it''s a good thing I taught the church to make fluffy bread? ''The roof of the courtyard was made by the right I got in exchange for the fluffy buns. ''''Hmm... I suppose you could say that. Then, let''s thank Yashiro-san for teaching us how to make the bread, Oumaro-san for making the roof, and the Spirit God for bringing us together. ''You don''t want the Spirit God. ......'' The church is a ''tell us who you know! The church only took the technology as a donation from the top. That''s how they made their profits, right? Aren''t the priests and archbishops making a killing now? ''I''m sure the preserved food for this year''s heavy snow season is gorgeous. ''The priests and sisters of the church don''t have such luxury. ''I don''t know. They might be indulging in greed, getting alcohol, meat, gold, silver, treasure, and everything else behind the believers'' backs. ''Speaking of which, ......''. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. ...... No, that''s why. Why don''t you wait until we''re inside to think or remember?The wind is cold, you know? ''Mr. Umaro, will you be here today? ''I''m sure he will. Come on, let''s go in.'' ''No, but you didn''t come back yesterday after all. I was wondering if you ate your dinner properly. ......'' So you''re Umaro''s mother. She''s a grown woman too. She didn''t skip dinner just because she couldn''t eat at the sunlit pavilion. ''I''m sure she was eating preserved food. I''m sure he''s got at least a minimal reserve. It''s hard to imagine that they haven''t made any preparations, no matter how much they plan to stay at the sunny pavilion during the heavy snowfall. He is still the leader of an organization. I''m sure he has that kind of planning ability. With that in mind, I had a bad feeling, so I opened the front door of the sunny pavilion just in case before I lit the wood stove. "Magda-tan...... A man with a fox face was lying on the snow with a dying message. I saw that last year, too! I mean, Ginette''s prediction was right on the money, and while he was scrambling around in trouble, night fell and he searched the house, but he didn''t have any food stored up. That''s why I shouldn''t have unconsciously written "Magda-tan......". I dragged Umaro inside and lit the wood stove as soon as possible. Ginette, who was trying to relax and watch the wood stove heat up while drinking warm milk, said, ''I can''t dress like this in front of Mr. Oumaro,'' and quickly went back to change her clothes. Oh, no. Umaro, you should apologize to her later. I mean, ...... You can''t show Umaro your nightgown, but you can show me yours. I''m sure the line is ...... whether you''re an employee or not, I''m sure. Yeah. ''Haaaa......, I''m alive again~'' ''So you were dead until just now? ''I saw a beautiful riverbank full of Magda-tan''. Don''t add more. How surprising is the Sanzu River? It''s usually a beautiful field of flowers. ...... What?''You''re like a beautiful flower to me''?I''m jealous. ''Mr. Umaro. I''ve got a few things on hand, but you can have breakfast first.'' ''Oh, thank you, Mr. Manager.'' Umaro, who''s stuck to the wood stove, thanks me with some tears in his eyes. He keeps his face turned away. Go get scolded by Bertina. You know. ''After all, we should at least have some preserved food. ''Then, shall I teach you how to make delicious dried meat? ''Well, ......, if you could give me the finished product, that would be much appreciated. ......'' ''But it would be useful to remember it in case of emergency, wouldn''t it? ''When I can''t come to the Sunlit Pavilion anymore, that''s when I''ll die. That''s heavy, the way you lean on me. There''s a possibility that Magda might quit the Sundaari-tei, and there''s also a non-zero chance that the Sundaari-tei will go under. If you don''t die then, you''ll be turned into a frog. Well, there''s only me and Jeannette here, so I guess you''re just being careless. ''So, did you manage to get yourself into trouble? ''Huh?Ah, well, ...... it''s not easy.'' Apparently, it wasn''t solved. ''But there''s no point in panicking now, so when the heavy snow season is over, we''ll remember our original intentions and start from scratch. What is it? Did someone make a big mistake? So you''ve made your client very angry. ...... Well, it''s possible. I''m sure Gooziya overlooked it because he was too familiar with the work. It''s a pity that the master of the building was brought in for this. I wish I could have seen Magda in her bathing suit more often. ''Mm-hmm. Ginette laughed out loud as she sat at the wood stove with Umaro. ''What?Was there anything to laugh about? ''Mr. Yashiro. If you''re worried, why don''t you ask her?'' ''Hmm?'' ''I wonder what happened? ''I wonder if he''s okay? He looked like he was wondering if there was anything he could do to help. ''Is the lighting too dark?You can''t see my face clearly. Do you want me to turn on the lantern? There is now a light fixture made of glowing bricks in the room. It''s a simple structure, just a glowing brick in a lantern-like container. During the day, the bricks are hung from the eaves of the roof to absorb the sunlight, and at nightfall, they are brought inside for illumination. If the light gets in the way, he puts the whole lantern in a black case that covers it. This type of light-storing brick is more powerful than the light-collecting brick, which collects light even in dim light. There is a difference between main lighting and indirect lighting. In addition, yesterday was a very hot day, so the glowing bricks should be shining brightly, but they seem to be dim to Ginette''s eyes. ''The sun will be up soon, you won''t need a lantern. She shook her head with a happy face. Hmm. Well, during heavy snowfall, daylight hours are short, so we have to rely on lanterns for night lighting. We should save oil as much as possible. ''Well, it''s really not a big deal, so there''s nothing to bother you with. Umaro smiles with his troubled eyebrows, waves his hand and says in a cheerful voice. ''This is something that can only be reversed by showing our skills, so we''ll just face each job steadily and sincerely. It sounds simple and obvious, but it is the most difficult thing to do. Even more so if you want to sustain it. ''That''s true. I''m still making a lot of mistakes, but I try to make each dish delicious for each and every customer. That''s what I''m trying to do. That''s what I''m trying to do. In terms of technical work with customers, I and the manager are in similar industries, so I can sympathize with you. ''Yes. We''re the same, aren''t we? Umaro''s expression softened. Perhaps it was because the wood stove had raised the temperature inside the room. The tense expression he had just had looks much calmer now. Really, maybe it was just a small mistake. Well, Umaro says he''s okay, so I guess he''s okay. I''m sure he''ll say something if he needs to. There''s no need to go out of your way to stir up the internal affairs of Torbeck Engineering. Well, I won''t bother you anymore. ''chuckle''. Ginette starts laughing when I get even a little quiet. She must have misunderstood something, but it''s stupid to point it out to her every time. Go ahead and laugh at yourself, hmm. ''So, Umaro. ''What is it? ''What will you make me in return for that ''special breakfast'' that was served even before the restaurant opened? ''Oh my God, Yashiro-san.'' Ginette gave me a ''touch'' on the shoulder. I''m not sure if a pat on the shoulder is the right word. And, as usual, Umaro says, ''Is this really worth that much?I mean, I just built a big bathroom, didn''t I? He''ll probably make a comment like that. He''s a clich??. I was thinking of ......, but no reply came, no matter how long I waited. Hmm? Umaro, are you asleep? ''Well, ...... then, why don''t we remodel the second floor or something? A dazzlingly fresh smile was looking at me! No, no, no, no! No, no, no! This is a joke! Even if Jeannette''s food tastes great, it''s still only 50-60Rb if you put a price on it. You''re remodeling the upstairs for 500 to 600 yen, even DIY video streamers don''t do that nowadays. ''Don''t take my jokes seriously. I''ll back off. ''That''s right, Mr. Umaro. The patio roof and bath are enough. We''ll have to serve Mr. Oumaro for a while longer as change.'' ''Then I''ll give you the right to free unlimited water. ''That''s not a right, Mr. Umaro. In the midst of this exchange, Umaro stared at me - I know he can''t see Jeannette''s face, so I''m the only one he can see, but don''t stare so hard - and raised his eyebrows a little. . ''The reason we were able to make such great strides was because of the renovation of the sunlit pavilion, so I thought maybe we could go back to the beginning. Initial thoughts...... I wonder if I was too proud. I don''t think it''s anything to be concerned about. ...... I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out as soon as you get moving. ''Umaro. You''ve got a big job ahead of you, don''t you? ''What is it? ''A public bathhouse. Make sure it''s done perfectly before the port is built.'''' ''Oh, ...... that''s right. I''ll do my best! ''Well, I''ll start after the heavy snow season. ''But we can work on the blueprints, can''t we?There''s also Yashiro-san, ......, and Bekko!I''m sorry. ...... It looks like the fox lady is here too, so this is a camp!I''m not sure what to say. What''s that? I mean, a camp is ...... I''m not sure if you guys are staying here, but I''m at home, okay? ''Speaking of which, where are you planning to build a public bathhouse? ''I''m thinking near the city gate would be good. ''Is it near Imelda''s house? If there''s a public bath there, we can expect demand from those who have worked outside the gates. I think it would be very attractive for those who have worked in sweat and mud to be able to take a bath right beyond the gate. Besides, there is a river nearby, and fetching water is relatively easy. If we can use the water supply well, it will be a great help for our business. But Estella said she wanted to build it closer to the main road on the east side. Although it is far from the river, there are vacant lots on the east side, and the demand for alcohol by those who have finished bathing is expected. He also said that the people who use the city gate stay in the 41st district, and considering that they have to walk to the inn after bathing, it would be better to stay as close as possible. However, since there is no river on the east side, it is difficult to fetch water. He said he would like to think of some way to do that, such as somehow pulling in a water supply or building a new waterway. ...... I wonder if he will come up with a strange idea. ''In my opinion, you should build it either way,'' he said. ''We don''t have enough money and construction time. If you want to build a public bathhouse, you have to build a men''s bathhouse and a women''s bathhouse. I thought it would be better to separate the bathrooms in the same building like Japanese public baths and hot springs, but Estella, Imelda and Bertina were against it. However, Estella, Imelda, and Bertina objected to this idea. They said that it was not good for men and women with wet hair to come out of the same building after bathing, and that it was morally wrong to show their appearance after bathing to an unspecified number of people of the opposite s*x. ...... So, are the girls who were exposed after bathing in the sunlit pavilion sluts? Well, I guess the "unspecified number" is the key. When I told her that she would be seen by many people on her way home, she replied, "No, I don''t think so.When I said, "Won''t they be seen on their way home? They say it''s because they don''t know what people are doing inside. ...... There will be people inside, though. It''s not that easy to spy on people or have secret meetings. If it''s that easy to peep, ...... I''m ...... I''m ............! And so, it seems that the public baths will be built in separate buildings for men and women, some distance apart. If they are too far apart, it can be expected that there will be complaints of unfairness, so they will be built a little farther apart. Then, why don''t we just build the same building? ''I guess we can''t have both. We can''t build two sets of three buildings. ''Hmm?Two buildings, right? ''What are you talking about? There''s a men''s bath, a women''s bath, and a mixed bath. ''Two buildings. I''m looking forward to its completion. Ginette blocked me! These skills are usually learned through Estella. That flat-chested girl, she''s always doing unnecessary ...... things! ''By the way, there''s also the idea of building it in New Town. ''But in New Town, there aren''t that many people on the street, are there? Yeah. That''s why there''s a strategy to build it there so that people will gather there on purpose. Above all. ''If it''s a new and fashionable town, and there''s even a public bathhouse, the land price of New Town will go up!If it is perceived as a luxury residential area, it can be sold at ...... a high price! Land has to be sold at a high price. ''Indeed, the waterfall will make it easier to run a public bathhouse. ''Then, Loretta and the others will be happy. ''Why is that?Loretta''s house has a bath, right? ''Yes, there is. Loretta''s house was renovated during the development of New Town, and Umaro and the others built it as a luxurious three-building mansion. In the main house, there is a large bath where the younger siblings can bathe together. As expected, they cannot all bathe together, but there is enough space for the older generation to bathe the younger ones. It''s an old-fashioned one, heated in a kiln. ''But they hardly use it. ''What?Why is that? ''Their younger siblings go to the river to bathe.'' You don''t use them? What a waste! ''It''s mainly used by Loretta and her older sisters. ''I heard that the younger siblings wash their clothes in the courtyard in a big tub. Oh, I think I''ve seen a glimpse of that. ...... Oh my god. I can''t believe there are people who have baths but don''t know how to use them. ''Can''t wait for the heavy snow season to end. Umaro muttered to himself as he stared at the fire in the wood stove. It seemed like a casual remark, and I didn''t reply. It happens all the time, you know. When Umaro had finished his breakfast and the floor of the sunlit pavilion was sufficiently warm, Ginette went to wake Magda. ''...... Good morning.'' Magda was in Ginette''s arms, wrapped in a stole. You''ve been spoiled big time. I''m sure it wasn''t that unbearably cold, outside. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to wake up on a hot day when you''re too full of yourself, but when you wake up on a cold day when you''re shivering and shrinking, you look pretty cute. It arouses the desire for protection. Even a wolf in the wild would unconditionally take him under its protection. No wonder Umaro was sunk by a single blow. ''...... warm''. When I give up my place in front of the wood stove, Magda rolls over and takes a special seat by the fire. He puts his hands out in front of him, facing the stove. ''Are you okay, Yashiro-san? I''m definitely cold too, but not as cold as Magda. Besides--'' ''With Magda next to you, maybe Umaro''s problems will go away naturally. Umaro is an easy-going guy. He has a positive attitude that makes him forget about the things he doesn''t like as long as he is exposed to the things he likes. His skills are real, and he can quickly forget about minor problems. Even if you have a bad reputation, you can get rid of it if you work diligently. The things that time can solve are also the things that can only be solved by time. It''s useless to think about it. Believe in your skills and in the people who say they are good, and keep doing what you can. That''s all we can do, human beings. Ginette laughs next to me, ''chuckling ......''. I say nothing more. I don''t want to hear anything else. I''ll just give her a little poke in the side as a sign of protest. ''Hyah ......'' He lets his voice out, glares at me lightly, and then smiles funny again. It''s a lazy morning. How peaceful it is. The morning light enters the sunlit pavilion. The sun is rising. Looking out the window, the world was covered with a huge blanket of snow. The snow had stopped, but the air was filled with a white haze, whether it was the cold air from the snow, or some kind of fog or mist. Glittering grains, bathed in light, blended into the air and made the world shine. It was small enough to be called diamond dust, but it was fantastic enough to be admired from inside a warm room. ''Ginette, look outside. ''Heh?...... Wow.'' Ginette gazed at the grains of light glittering in the white haze and let out a gasp of admiration. ''It''s beautiful. ......'' Ginette sticks to the window and looks out. Her cheeks are faintly red from the cold. As I watched Ginette gazing out the window, her eyes suddenly turned to me. ''It might be even more beautiful if you went outside. ''You''re looking at it from inside a warm room, that''s why you can afford to say that. When you go outside, the only thing that comes out of your mouth is ''It''s cold! is the only thing that comes out of your mouth. You can''t say, ''It''s beautiful! Beautiful scenery can only be enjoyed in a comfortable environment where your own safety is secured. The best way to enjoy the beautiful scenery of unexplored areas and the mysteries of nature is to enjoy the fruits of the tireless efforts of a few special photographers by using a TV or a computer. Putting yourself in a harsh environment is just not possible. ...... I''m sure you''ll have a great time. Yeah, ...... you''d say that, wouldn''t you. ''It''s cold ......''. ''But it''s beautiful.'' That''s not an argument, and the ''but'' isn''t even alive. If I tell Jeannette to go to ...... alone if she wants to, she''ll probably really go alone. And you look a little sad about it. Oh, crap. I guess I hit the wrong bush again. ...... Well, I''m afraid of a whiteout. ''To the garden, man. ''To the road ahead, please.'' It''s a little farther! ''...... Let''s get our cloaks on.'' ''Yes, sir. I prepared it for you yesterday. Our cloaks are hanging on the cloak hanger in the counter. I guess we were really prepared this year. ...... d*mn. ''Magda and the others are ......''. ''...... keeping an eye on the stove.'' ''Then I''m staring at Magda''s.'' ''......, right? They don''t care about our convenience, do they? Hey, hey. We''ll go on our own. ...... We''ll be back soon. I''ll be back in a second. Let''s do it. I put on my cloak and walked out with a happy-looking Jeannette. Oh, ......!It''s cold. ...... No, it hurts. ''Are my ears shredded? ''No, it''s fine. They''re still attached.'' Ginette gently cradles my reddening ear between her hands. A woolen glove covers my ear, making it a little warmer. I remember that Ginette made me an earmuff. Unlike the earmuffs we are familiar with in Japan, this earpiece is made of woolen yarn and is shaped like a headdress. It covers the right ear, the top of the head and the left ear, and is secured by tying a string under the chin. Because the shape reminds me of Gothic Lolita fashion, I didn''t really feel like using them. ...... This may not be the time to say anything about it. I''ll make use of it this year. ''Oh, Yashiro-san. Look at this.'' Ginette beckons me with glittering eyes, as if she has discovered something. Oh, the woolen gloves are leaving my ears. ...... It''s cold. It''s cold. ''Huh~'' Ginette exhaled loudly in front of me. The breath that comes out of her mouth is white and spreads like a cloud into the cold air. In it, a glimmer of light reflects. ''My breath is shining. I wonder if the water vapor in my breath has frozen in an instant. That''s cold. Ginette, her cheeks reddened by the cold wind, exhaled her white breath happily and looked at me with a smile. What is this cute creature? Winter, is this your first time? I''ll take you home. But ...... you need a little more. Yes, there are a few items that are essential for a beautiful girl in winter. Or rather, they are items that add to the cuteness of the girl. Muffu-muffu gloves, mufflers, knit hats. And earmuffs. Earmuffs made of fluffy fur can increase the cuteness of a beautiful girl by 40% without exception. However, it is difficult to procure fur. You can''t make them by hand, as you might expect. ...... What? Come to think of it, I don''t remember hearing the word "fur" recently. ...... Oh!Uclines! I believe the latest item that Paula bought and gave to Nephrite in exchange for his help with Cantartica was a fur coat. That means that Ukrines has a fur coat. You''ll need to negotiate a little with them. Even though it''s ......, it''s not like I''m going all the way to the main street during the heavy snow season. Well, maybe next year. ''I think I''ll do some inside work this year. ''What are you going to make? Ginette, who had been enjoying the glitter in the air, became more interested in making things. This guy likes to sew and knit as well as cook. The heavy snowfall, when there are no more customers, is a precious time when he can spend his time on such things. ''Scarves, knit hats, gloves, sweaters, ......, although the heavy snow season may be over by the time you can make them. The heavy snowfall season lasts about ten days. By the time you get your full gear, the snow will have melted away. So, we were not fully prepared this year either. I was so focused on the fact that I couldn''t go outside during the heavy snowfall season, that I might have forgotten that it would be cold when it snows. I thought it would be enough to put out a wood stove and prepare a cloak. Simply put, the more warmth you have, the more warmth you have. ''What''s a ''Nittobo''? Hmm? Haven''t you heard of it? ''Well, the heavy snow season isn''t very long, so winter clothes haven''t evolved that much. Stoles for chilly days are popular, but mufflers that you wear around your neck all the time are not so popular. Basically, thermal gear is mainly for indoor use. The only winter gear for going outside is a cloak and gloves. In this city, where it is always spring, that is enough, and in severe winters such as the heavy snow season, people do not go outside for long periods of time. In other words, mufflers, knit hats, and other outdoor winter gear are not that useful. If they are not used, they will not evolve. Since there is no prospect of sales, research and development expenses cannot be spent that much. Even so, Ukrines created the fur coat because he could afford to do so. It''s not only for Ukrines himself, but also for his customers, the residents of District 42. ''It''s a warm hat knitted from woolen yarn. Would you like to try knitting it later? ''Yes!Let me know. Even if you knit it now, you won''t be able to use it until the end of the heavy snow season. Maybe next year. ...... ''Well, you can just make it for next year. The yarn won''t rot if you let it sit for a year. It won''t go to waste. Ginette gasped at the words he said with such a feeling. Then she smiled and somehow tears appeared in her eyes. ''What?Oh, hey, what''s up, Jeannette? I was confused by the suddenness of the situation, but Jeannette wiped away her tears and smiled, saying, ''No, it''s nothing. ...... It''s not nothing. What is it? ''I''m sorry, it''s just .........'' He covers his mouth with a glove, his cheeks reddened by the cold, and says something like this. ''I''m kind of happy that I was able to talk to Yashiro-san about next year''s heavy snowfall season. Ah ...... That''s right. It was about this time last year. That''s when I started to feel uncomfortable about being here. It was around this time last year that I started to feel uncomfortable about being here, hesitant to make plans for the future, confused about staying here, and started to avoid talking about the future. ''I''m no good, am I? He smiled and wiped the corners of his eyes several times. ''I decided to trust Yashiro''s words, but I still feel uneasy sometimes. ...... I''m sorry for showing you this face. I''ve decided to stay. That''s why I quit my job as an employee, which was bound to me until I paid for my escapades, and went back to work at the Sunken Pavilion. This time as an ordinary employee with no strings attached and no time limit. Ginette believes me when I say that. But I guess she still feels uneasy at a moment''s notice. Magda and the others sometimes show signs of it too. Convictions don''t go away. The anxiety I''ve caused them won''t go away with a little bit of effort. I guess I''ll just have to make up for it over time. And I''m going to take it in stride. It''s okay. But I''m not a good person, so I can''t honestly change my mind. ''I''m not going to leave here until Ginette shows me her homemade woolen pants next year during the heavy snowfall. ''I can''t let her see you like that!You''re going to have to repent.'' No. You won''t show me. So until that ambition is fulfilled... I''m gonna stay right here. 459-Episode 261 Suspicious Person Information in Snow The sun has risen and the area is becoming brighter, though covered with clouds. Last year, it was dark and snowy in the morning, but this year, the sun is shining through the clouds. This year, the morning sun was shining through the clouds. The same heavy snowfall season is so different. This year''s heavy snowfall is bright and shining, and the atmosphere is a little more joyful than last year''s gloomy and heavy image. ''When do you plan to come to church? ''I think I''ll wait until everyone is here. Donations to the church will not be made from today until the heavy snowfall period. That''s what we''ve discussed beforehand. For this reason, we brought the food that we had already prepared to the church yesterday. A lot of it. I''m sure that the matron ladies are cooking a hot meal for the kids right now. Still, Ginette is the kind of person who likes to show up at church whenever possible. Donations have been suspended as of today, but there is no rule that says you can''t go to church without donations. She''s just going with the kids to see Bertina. I''m sure they''ll bring some freshly made snacks with them. ''If someone comes while we''re away, they''ll have to wait in the snow, and we''ll have to turn off the wood stove. ''So, do we leave Umaro behind?'' ''That''s .......'' He glanced towards the sunlit pavilion and stepped into the snow, squeezing himself closer to me. ''We are planning to take Magda-san to the church as well. The kids at the church are very fond of Magda. Jeannette wanted to take him with her if she was going to go, and Magda also wanted to visit the church, even if it meant walking in the snow. So she wanted to wait a little longer. He doesn''t want to leave Umaro alone now. He''s so soft on others. ''So, after Delia and the others come, right? ''Yes. I think Masha will probably be staying at home. Masha in the tank is difficult to move in this snow. So I''m sure that Delia will also stay behind. In the first place, Masha doesn''t seem to like children very much. ''Well, let''s go inside and make a snack. ''Snack, sir? ''Oh, yeah. The kind they give out to kids. Doughnuts or popcorn or something that we can''t make in the church would make them happy, so we''d better get them ready early. When you make doughnuts, you need about thirty minutes of bench time. It takes a certain amount of time. It''s also very cold, so I want to get inside. Come on, Jeannette. Come on, Jeanette. Let''s go inside and cook in the warm kitchen. Come on, let''s go. Come on. Seriously. ''giggle......'' Ginette smiled happily in the frigid snow, as if her cold-sensing organs had been dropped into bed. My face is so tight that the muscles in my cheeks are starting to freeze, but I''m smiling naturally. ''What is it? ''You really love children, don''t you, Yashiro-san? ''Huh? Since you said you''d bring snacks ......, did I not say that? Even if I didn''t say it, you''d take it anyway, right? I can easily imagine that from what you''ve said and done so far. So it''s not my idea. ''I''m sure the kids will be happy. ''No, it''s not that I want to do it. ......'' ''It''s more profitable, isn''t it? It''s not profitable. What kind of profit will come from indulging a kid? The only thing that''s going to increase is your expenses. And don''t make it sound like you''re me by saying that.You''re missing the point. ''I''m just tracing what you might say. ''Is that so?I think Yashiro-san would have done that even if I hadn''t suggested it. ''There''s no way .......'' Who the hell would want to ............ for those cocky little bastards? ''Okay, let''s make some shaved ice! ''giggle. I''m sure the ingredients will be free.'' There''s snow all around us. But he''s got a look on his face that says he doesn''t mean it at all. ...... Huh. I''m sure you''ve been planning to do this all along, but you''re going to make it sound like I''m the one who suggested it. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. It''s a punishment, so don''t say anything. If you don''t say anything, I''ll rub your left tit as a reward. Yeah, let''s do that. ''Anyway, let''s go inside. It''s too cold.'' My spine zoned from being labeled a good guy. I''m going to fall asleep with a fever. I pushed Ginette, who was still grinning, off the street and back to the front yard of the Sunken Pavilion. He''s been smiling and laughing all morning. It''s the season of heavy snowfall, when even the grass and trees wither, and he has no sense of crisis. ''I think I''m going to like the heavy snow season. That''s what Ginette muttered in front of the door of the sunlit pavilion. Then she glances back, throws a glance at me, and smiles again. I stopped dead in my tracks and was unable to speak. We stared at each other in silence for about two seconds. Jeannette smiled even deeper, turned forward, and put her hand on the doorknob. Just then - probably because the snow on the roof had melted a little due to the wood stove - a lump of snow fell from the roof and landed on Ginette''s head. ''Honyaah! Apparently she had been careless and hadn''t put on the hood of her cloak, causing the cold snow to sneak down her neck and into her clothes. He slapped his back, which caused the snow inside his clothes to touch his back, and he screamed more. He screamed even more. ...... What do you want, man? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. He hurriedly took off his cloak and pulled the hem of his clothes to let the snow inside fall to the floor. Wow, there was a pretty big one in there, wasn''t there? ''Ginette''. ''...... hai''. ''Heavy snowfall season, like?'' ''Huh, ......! Right after I said I was going to like the snow season, this is what I got. If it had been me, I would have interpreted it as a rejection from her, given up on building a friendship with her, and declared war on her instead. But Jeannette, with tears in her eyes, defended the heavy snowfall period that had brought the unreasonable attack. ''Ugh ...... but I still like it''. Oh, I''m sure she''s the type of girl who would be fooled by a bad man. She''ll believe that the man is really a kind person. They believe that they are the only one who can understand them. ...... ''Jeannette. Don''t be fooled by bad men, okay? ''Heh?......, yes. I''ll be careful.'' Then she tilts her head. Yeah, be careful out there. ...... I''d really appreciate it if you''d be a little more careful about what you say. d*mn. ''...... Manager. Are you okay?'' ''Oh, yes. I''m fine. I''m sorry for the disturbance.'' Magda walks over to Jeannette. Her ears are erect and her back is straight. He does not seem to be shivering or afraid of the snow. ...... seems to be okay this year. I''ve been looking at Magda for a while now, and her quiet eyes have turned to me. ''...... Magda hated the cold, the dark, and the lonely. This is the first time that I''ve ever seen such a thing. ''......Every year, I dreaded the coming of this day. ...... Last year, too, I was afraid.'' Magda is left alone. The snow takes the sound out of the world and covers the landscape. For the lonely, it can even be an object of fear. ''...... but I''m fine now.'' Magda smiled, her head tilted slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. ''......When I wake up in the morning, there is someone to greet me with good morning, so I am not afraid to sleep at night. With Yashiro, the manager, and everyone else, Magda is no longer afraid. Magda, who had always had a half-lidded, expressionless face with little expression, smiled now. When she blinked, her usual expressionless face returned. Ginette and Umaro must have witnessed the change in expression. Their eyes were round with surprise. ''...... Magda has leveled up.'' He remained expressionless and made a show of making bumps. Her young, thin arms looked very dependable. ''...... is different from the Magda of last year. This year''s Magda is--'' The Magda of this year is proud and confident. ''Maegdur. ''No, I don''t need good pronunciation or anything! We''re not looking for that kind of change, are we? I mean, it''s hard to say, ''Maegdur''! Just stay with ''Magda''! ''Hah!The reborn Maegdur is a real angel! ''Don''t get on board!What if it sticks? You''re a pain in the ass, Maegdur! ''Mr. Magda. Ginette kneels on the floor and spreads her arms, leaving Umaro to fuss. ''Let''s do lots of fun things this year, too. ''...... Yeah.'' Magda kicks the floor and jumps into Jeannette''s chest. As the memories of fun increase, Magda''s fear and avoidance of the snowy season will disappear. The heavy snow season is fun. Once you have such memories, all you can think of is fun. Well, I guess I''d better get some winter clothes. As I was gazing at the two of them frolicking in the warm air of the wood stove, I heard footsteps rushing towards me, mixed with the sound of a raging cold wind. The door was thrown open with great force, and Delia, covered in snow, came rolling in with Masha in her arms. ''Yashiro, my God!I''m being chased by a strange man! At the words of the urgent expression on her face, the air that had been relaxed became tense. ''Delia, what''s wrong? Delia rushed in and sat Masha down on a chair, then breathlessly began to tell her what had just happened. ''I was walking from my house, pushing Masha''s water tank. We were walking from my house, pushing Masha''s tank, and when we got to the church, he appeared. Delia said she was pushing her tank through the snow, pushing the snow ahead of her. ...... How much power does it have? It was a heavy cart with a water tank, and it was pushing through a huge pile of snow. At first, they were walking leisurely while talking, but when they looked back, they saw a figure. It was a huge figure, a size bigger than Delia. ''Bigger than Delia, Omero? ''That''s what I thought, too, and I said, "If it''s Omero, come here in three seconds," but he never showed up. ''Then it''s not Omero. ''Then it''s not Omero.'' He would have come no matter what if Delia had told him to come, no matter if the road was covered in snow or if he had broken both his legs. However, the figure didn''t show any reaction and just stood still behind Delia and the others. ''I was looking at it for a long time, and it would suddenly come closer, and then it would go away in an instant, it was really creepy. The current snowfall is less than one meter. There is no one who can move so quickly on such a snowy road. Unless you''re flying. ''Could it be Nikka or Karl? ''It didn''t look like it was flying~'' Masha describes the situation. ''It was just standing upright, going back and forth. What the hell was that?That''s disgusting! ''Oh, but he might have danced once in a while. ''He was dancing? ''Yeah. Like this, moving my body around.'' Masha''s body ripples like a seaweed in the sea. I can''t think of anyone who would behave that strangely on a snowy road. I know quite a few weirdos, but none of them would scare others for no reason. Who the hell are you? ''So, I thought something was wrong, so I decided to leave the tank and evacuate Masha for now. If she had been alone, Delia would have gone to find out the identity of the mysterious figure. But today, Masha was with her, stuck in the snow. So she took refuge in the sunny pavilion to ensure Masha''s safety. It was a wise decision. ''It may not be of any use to you, but I''ll go with you. ''Really, Yashiro?Thanks for the help. I was actually a little creeped out and scared. Delia, who is definitely stronger than me, shows a relieved expression. It doesn''t matter how strong she is, she seems to be relieved to have me by her side. She must have been worried about being alone. She''s a girl. ''...... Magda''s coming too. ''Are you okay?'' ''...... Yashiro is a worrier.'' Because last year he collapsed before we got to the church. ...... Well, I trust Magda. ''I''ll go with you then! ''Oh, you''re all leaving? Marcia waited for Umaro to stand up. It''s true, I don''t feel safe leaving Ginette and Marsha alone. The pervert could be right around the corner. If it''s Masha he''s after, he might be hiding somewhere, waiting for Delia to leave. Worst of all, with all this snow, there was no shortage of places to hide. ''I think it might be safer if Magda stays behind. ''...... Are you worried about Umaro alone?'' ''If the attacker is a beautiful woman, Umaro will be too nervous to do anything. ''That''s not true!I''ll do what I have to do when I have to do it! However, Umaro is not good at rough stuff, so he is a little nervous. He couldn''t let Masha or Jeannette get hurt. ''We can wait for Estella and the others to come ......''. ''Then you''ll get run off by some weirdos.'' Yeah. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that the mysterious figure will disappear. Then you''ll be left with the vague fear that someone unidentified might be lurking somewhere. That''s not good for your mental health. I don''t want to spend my time in a snow-covered dining room, scared of a mysterious person who might be outside, unless it''s B-grade suspense. If that person is hiding in front of the sunlit pavilion,......, Loretta, won''t they run into each other? Ginette''s muttering sent a chill down my spine. If it was Delia or Masha, they might be waiting for her in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. If Loretta encountered him, she would not know what he would do to her,....... ''Sorry, Magda. You stay here and protect the sunlit pavilion.'' ''...... Okay.'' ''Delia, let''s go! ''Ah!'' I suppressed my impatience and headed for the door, which opened. It was Loretta and Hammaro who rolled in, covered in snow. ''Good morning, sir! ''Brothers in distress! ''...... Loretta! ''Hammaro-san! ''Hey, what''s wrong?What''s wrong with your face? ''Hammaro?'' Magda and Jeannette rushed over and brushed off the snow from the two of them. Judging by the expressions on Loretta and Hammaro''s faces, it seems that they haven''t seen the mysterious figure. ''Have you seen anything strange? ''Eh, Gozaru-san?I haven''t seen him yet today.'' ''Oh, yes. It''s not that guy, it''s a weird guy. ......'' So, in Loretta''s mind, the first choice for a weirdo is Bekko. Good for you, Bekko. You''ve got a gold medal. ......, but that''s not it. ''You didn''t do anything weird on the way here, did you?'' ''Um, ...... nothing in particular, ......, no, nothing.'' Thinking it over, remembering it well, Loretta replies. I see. It''s okay if nothing happened. ''Then the one I saw has already run away somewhere? ''That''s good, but ......'' Ginette says with an anxious look on her face. ''If he escaped, that''s kind of creepy,......, but wait. ''Loretta. Did you see any tracks in the snow? ''Oh, yes, there were. There was a huge, swollen trail leading towards the church. ''That''s where you ran from.'' ''Other than that, what else? ''Nothing much, really. The tremendous snowfall makes footprints that stand out just by passing through. It''s not so much footprints as gullies because they are waist-deep. Unless you''re flying, it''s impossible to move around without leaving a noticeable trail. ...... means... ''It ran towards the river. ......'' ''I wonder if it was Omero after all?'' There''s no reason for Omero to do that. He''s not the kind of idiot who scares Delia to make her feel better. It''s someone else. ''Imelda''s in danger. ''Huh!That''s right. If she ran that way, then it''s Imelda''s house! Ginette turns blue and starts to get nervous. ''Um, what the hell happened? ''...... Actually, it was Delia.'' Magda begins to explain the situation to Loretta, who doesn''t understand what''s going on. Meanwhile, Delia and I have a quick meeting. First, we''ll go to the church to make sure no one is suspicious and that everyone is safe. Then we''ll head to Imelda''s house. We want to look for the unbelievers, but our first priority is to confirm their safety. When Ginette heard that we were going to the church, she felt a sense of relief. However, anxiety soon reappears on her face. If the mysterious person had passed by the sunny pavilion and was heading towards the main street, would Nephrite and Paula be okay? Ah, I see. ...... Estella has Natalia with her, and Norma is probably fine on her own, but Nephrite and Paula are in danger. I''d feel a little safer if they''d at least come with me. ...... d*mn it, I''m stuck! ''Hammaro!I''ll go get Natalia! ''You''re the super-express, running pigeon! ''Wait, wait, Loretta!You''re too reckless! Hammaro is the youngest of the group. It''s too dangerous, even for a beastman. ''Don''t worry, Yashiro!As long as we catch the culprit quickly, it won''t be a problem! No, it''s not okay at all! It would be nice if we could, but it probably won''t be that easy. If the enemy is cunning, they might take advantage of our weakness and attack us. We must act with the worst-case scenario in mind. In order to prevent the worst from happening. ''d*mn ......, what''s the safest way to ......''. ''......Yashiro is a bit of a worrier.'' Idiot, Magda. It''s not worrying, it''s being cautious. It''s just that you''re too reckless in your ''we''ll figure it out! You''re too reckless. Anyway, we''re going to the west! Natalia and Norma are on the east side. We can''t say that there''s no danger, but the danger is higher with the unprotected church and Imelda. ''If you hear Paula or Nephrite, please go help them immediately. I''m sorry to have to rely on Magda, but it''s the only way I can think of. I''d prefer it if nothing happened to you. It''s better to have an insurance policy. ''Can you do that for me, Magda? ''...... in a minute.'' Magda moved to the door, her ears twitching. Then a blank, half-lidded look comes over his face. With a thumbs-up. ''...... One of my concerns has been resolved.'' Just as he said that, two girls came to the sunlit pavilion immediately after. Paula and Nephrite were out of breath. With these strange words. ''Hey, Yashiro. Mr. Mormat was dancing in the field with someone. ''Mo-Matt was dancing? ''Yes, with his hands in the air, swaying his body like this. It seems that Mo-Matt was dancing a dance similar to the dance shown in the OP of the national cartoon at 6:30 on Sunday, when the family and the cat come out of the fruit. Did he get excited because of the snow?What are you doing, that crocodile? ''Who''s the other one? ''Oh, that''s the thing, I couldn''t see his face. It was just a blur of shadows.'' ''But I''m sure he''s related to Mr. Moormat. He was in the field.'' ''Were they both dancing?'' ''No. Mr. Mormat was dancing, and the other one was at .......'' ''He was just shaking his body like this.'' Paula threw a glance at Nephrite, and he swayed his body from side to side with caution. It was a relatively quiet dance, as if she was just following the rhythm. ''How did you know it was Mr. Mormat when you couldn''t see his face?Did you have a conversation with him?'' ''Nope. I greeted him, but he ignored me and danced, so we didn''t talk. I don''t think I heard her voice because of the snow. ''Then how did you know it was Mr. Mormat? ''Because Mr. Mormat is the only person who can be frightened in the field, isn''t he? ''Besides, it wouldn''t be surprising if Mr. Moormat was dancing. Right, Paula? ''Yes. I''m sure she''d do something like that. Mormat, you''re getting a lot of looks from the girls on the street. You should think a little more about what you do every day. ''Would you do such a thing, Mr. Mo-Matt?'' Ginette was the only one who didn''t seem convinced, giving me a difficult look. ''Oh, my God, I''m done. With these words, Estella enters the sunlit pavilion. When she sees us gathered in front of the door, her eyes widen. ''What''s wrong with you, gathering here like this? ''More importantly, Estella-san, did something go wrong? ''Oh, that''s the thing, Imelda is... ......'' ''Hey Estella. Mr. Mormat, are you still dancing?'' ''Huh! ''Um, Estella-san, what about Imelda-san? ''Anyway, Yashiro, let''s go and get the pervert.'' ''What''s a pervert?Can you tell me more, Delia? ''No!You guys shut up for once! Each one of you is asking questions and talking as you please, and it''s getting out of hand. ''...... So, to sum up, you''re saying that Mo-Mat is a dancing pervert and you''re mad ......? ''Yeah, no, Magda. There''s no need to forcefully summarize that part of the story. Just as Momat was about to be accused of being an unjustified pervert, Natalia and Imelda, who was being carried by Natalia''s side, entered the room. ''Person in distress protected'' ''It''s cold. ......'' ''You''re in distress again, aren''t you? Imelda shivering. It''s not a whiteout this year. ''That''s because you''re running away from us. ''I''m not running away from you! ''You ran away, and when I called out to you, you said, ''Pew! ''I''ve already told you many times that you''ve got the wrong person, you really are a persistent person! ''What do you mean? There seems to be a disagreement between Estella and Imelda. And it seems to be extremely complicated. ''Actually, when Estella-sama and I were walking along the street, a figure appeared ahead of us. When Estella-sama called out to the figure, it ran away at a great speed, so I followed it. ''Oh, you''re with us!We also saw a figure when we entered the street, so we chased after it to see who it was, right, Paula? ''Yes, yes. We were going past the sunlit pavilion, but we were curious, so we followed the figure. As a result, they found a dancing figure in Momat''s field. And judging from the overall situation, he concluded, ''Oh, so it''s Mr. Momat. ''Hey, Estella. Isn''t that figure Mr. Mo-Matt? ''It wasn''t Mo-Matt. I could only see a silhouette of him, but he had breasts.'' Estella''s arm arcs up to her chest as she explains. She''s got some big tits. There''s no way she''s a mormat. ''I became suspicious and went in the direction the shadow had fled, and found Imelda lying in front of the Woodcutter''s Guild. ''But I didn''t go into the field,'' she said. ''You just couldn''t tell from the snow, that''s all. ''No, Miss Estella. No, Estella. I''m pretty sure you''re wrong. ''How can you be so sure of that? ''I was tired of walking within twelve steps of leaving the premises! ''Then why didn''t you just go home and stay in the museum? It seems that as soon as she went outside, she became unable to walk and almost got lost when she was huddled there. The snowfall was so heavy that ...... the young lady could not even walk. ......? No, no, no. Imelda has been training as a lumberjack, so she should be stronger than me. What she lacks is guts and patience. ''Then who was that in the field? ''So it was Mr. Mo-Mat.'' ''You know, Paula ......, if Mo-Mat had become such a ''boi'', I would have to impose a heavy tax on the farming guild, wouldn''t I? ''No, you won''t have to, will you Estella......? I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one. Even though it''s a silhouette, you can''t go wrong with Boing-chan and Mormat. What''s going on in Mormat''s field? ''Anyway, let''s go check it out. Fortunately, we''ve gathered a reassuring group. We''ll be fine even if Delia and I are out. ''Hey, what''s up, gathering at the entrance? Then Norma arrives. He''s got an umbrella and a big bag on his back. ''Hey, Norma. Have you seen anything strange outside?'' Delia asks Norma. Norma nods calmly and affirms, ''Yeah, I saw that earlier. ''See, that''s the guy, isn''t it? Poof, thrown onto the floor of the sunlit pavilion was Becco, covered in snow. ''I met him there by chance. He was walking slowly in this cold weather, so I carried him by my side. ''I envy you, Becko!How many bounces did you get on the back of your head? ''No, that''s the thing, Mr. Yashiro, you were held in a perfect position, that you couldn''t touch me. ''d*mn it, both of you. Please repent.'' ''...... in the snow.'' ''Alright, Becco. Let''s go outside.'' ''We''ll wait, that we will, Mr. Norma!That ''in the snow'' was Mr. Magda''s idea of a joke, that it was! I take a quick look around, making sure everyone is safe and sound. At least no one was harmed. ...... Thank goodness. ''Well, let''s select some members and go check the area. ''I''m going!I''m going to catch the pervert! ''...... Magda''s coming too. ''Then I''ll go with you.'' ''Well, then, ...... I think I''ll stay behind. I have to protect Ginette and the sunny pavilion. "What about me? ''Loretta, stay. If you come, Hammaro might come too.'' ''All right. ''I''m going. I want to find Mr. Mormat.'' ''No, Paula. We''re not going. Look at the others. They''re slowing us down. ''Becko and the fox carpenter will stay behind. It''s unsettling to be left behind in this weather. Even if they''re unreliable, they''re better off just being here. So it was decided that Delia, Magda, Natalia, and Norma would go on patrol. ...... I''m the only one who''s worried about my strength! Well, I''m going. ''Yashiro-san. I''ll be right back. ''Oh, and make sure you have something hot to drink. ''Yes, sir. An anxious Jeannette. ''Don''t worry. I don''t know where you are, but you can''t do anything in front of these Forty-second District Combatant All-Stars. ''I''m off then. I told the detainees, and we went out. It wasn''t snowing, but the forty-second ward was shrouded in a haze. Our vision was completely blank. In the midst of this, the morning sun shining through the clouds created beautiful streaks of glittering light. The fine grains of ice dancing in the air reflect the light, creating a faint rainbow. It was wonderfully beautiful, but the "cold" got in the way of my excitement. Thanks to the many visitors, the snow that had accumulated in front of the sunny pavilion had decreased in volume. The path has become a road after the passage of people. We took the road that had already been made and went out to the street in front of the Sunlit Pavilion. To confirm what Paula and the others had said, we headed towards Momat''s field. After a short walk towards the church, we see Momat''s field. I look around, but there is no one there. Or, if there is, I can''t see anything in this haze. Let''s get a little closer. I step out toward the field, but the snow is so thick that it''s hard to move forward. In addition, there are no footprints at all. ''Are there any suspicious footprints? If there was someone else, they would have left footprints on the snow. We should look for them first and then follow the footprints to find the culprit. As he was explaining this to Norma and Natalia, he heard Delia''s voice from a short distance away. ''There he is!That''s him, Yashiro! They all turn to look at Delia. Delia is pointing in the direction of the church. It was on the street. There, through the haze, a figure emerges clearly. A stocky body. Ears of a beast. His hands flapped about as if he were trying to say something, "Pow! and dynamite breasts that seemed to be firm. Yes, that''s... ''Delia. That''s your shadow. ''What? The one that appeared standing upright on the street behind Delia was unmistakably Delia''s shadow. ''But, but, Yashiro!Aren''t shadows supposed to form at your feet?'' ''Yes, they do. There''s nothing in the middle of a street like that that would cast a shadow. Surely there is no wall or screen in the middle of the street that would reflect a shadow. But the shadows are floating there. The shadows are reflected in... ''It''s this haze. You could call it a haze or a fog, but in a haze so dense that it fills your field of vision with white, you can see shadows. There is also a technology called ''mist screen'' that generates water vapor and projects images on it. That''s what happened this morning in this climate. ''That''s the Brocken phenomenon, isn''t it? I signaled Magda to call all the remaining people in the sunlit pavilion. We won''t be able to see this phenomenon when the sun rises, so let''s show it to them while we can. And so, for a little while until everyone was here, I watched and enjoyed this rare phenomenon. In the back of my mind-- You scared the hell out of me. -while swearing. 460-Episode 262 Broken Phenomenon Brocken phenomenon. A phenomenon rarely seen in mountainous areas or areas with a lot of fog, in which a round rainbow appears around the shadow of an object due to sunlight shining from behind. There are many stories about this phenomenon, for example, the shadow of an airplane reflected in the clouds is surrounded by a round rainbow when riding in an airplane, or the shadow of an airplane on the top of a mountain in the morning mist has a halo of rainbow on its back. There are also stories of people mistaking their own shadow for something else and causing a bit of a commotion. They are sometimes mistaken for so-called ''ghosts'' or ghosts. ''Look, Mr. Yashiro. My shadow is standing in the field. The forty-second district is filled with haze. Ginette, her back to the sun, waves her hands at her shadow in the field of Momat. The shadow follows Ginette''s example and waves back in the same pose. As the wind blows gently and the haze flows, the shadow changes its shape, wavering and waving. ''Oh, that''s it. It looked like it was dancing.'' Paula shouts in agreement. The mysterious figure standing next to Mormat, who was dancing with his hands up in the air, and swaying his body in a state of alertness, was the shadow of Paula, who had raised her hands in greeting, thinking that someone was there, and of Nephrite, who was standing next to her. They were reflected in the haze and seemed to be dancing and swaying in the wind. ''...... That means I mistook my shadow for Mr. Momat''s. ......'' ''Mr. Paula, have you gained weight again? ''No, I haven''t gained any weight!I do Delia exercises every day!'' The haze is an uncertain entity that changes shape every second. The image reflected in the haze shimmers and becomes larger or smaller according to the movement of the haze as a screen. Also, depending on the light exposure, the shadow can be much larger than the real one. So, just because you mistook her for a mormat does not mean that Paula is small and fat. I''m sure you had a preconceived notion that the one in the field was a mormat. ''So the reason why it looked like it was moving so fast was because the haze had cleared and the shadow was reflected in the haze behind it? ''I guess that''s what it means. Haze swept by the wind does not spread with the same density. There are areas of high density and areas of low density. Where it is dense, shadows appear clearly, and where it is thin, images may not be formed there. Since the light is coming from the same direction, the farther the screen is, the smaller the shadow will appear and the farther the image will actually be. This must have made the image appear to move at high speed, as if it were moving instantaneously. It is the same reason why it looked like it was approaching rapidly. ''I see. That''s why Delia, who was going from west to east, thought she was being chased, and I and Paula, who were going from east to west, thought there was someone on the other side of the road. I guess so. The morning sun shines from the east. Whether they heard my explanation or not, all the people there were trying hard to create a Brocken phenomenon by reflecting their own shadows in the haze. They didn''t seem to be succeeding, though. ''But I''ve never seen anything like this before. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve seen anything like it. I''ve seen it twice before. I''ve only seen it twice before, once when I climbed a mountain with my master and spent the night at the top, and once when I saw it from a domestic airplane on a blizzard day. ''It''s difficult to get light from behind. Normally, it''s not a phenomenon that can be seen at the bottom of a cliff like this. ''So we''re lucky to have seen it this year, aren''t we? ''......, I''m going to the church as soon as possible. ''That''s right!I want to show this to my children! ''Okay!I''ll go with you! ''I''ll go with you, since I''m not sure what to expect. Quickly, the four of them ran at great speed. You can only see them before the sun rises. You can''t see it when the haze is gone. That''s what I told them. Magda, Loretta and Delia were going to teach the kids in a hurry. And Norma, not wanting to let them get away with it, ran at the same speed. Yeah. I''m glad I called Norma this year. ''Well, shall we go too? ''I haven''t had breakfast yet...'' ''Then let''s bring the food and have it in the church. ''Are we going to donate after all? ......'' The sun was already up, so the church might have already finished their breakfast. Let''s rent the kitchen and common room and let us eat by ourselves. In return, they can help us shovel the church''s snow. Umaro or Becko. ''Well, I''ll go and get the sledge. ''Mr. Ginette!I will help you, that I will.'' ''You have to go too, don''t you? ''If you don''t mind if breakfast is late, you can wait for me at the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''I''ll go. It''s boring to stay here alone. However, I''m not very good at walking on snowy roads, so please give me a ride on your sled! ''Sure. I''m sorry if I drop you on the way. Estella smiles at me. Wow, this guy''s trying to shake us off on purpose. If you start doing that, Delia and Loretta will start copying you and your meal will get slower and slower. Do it after dinner. ...... is like a mother to me. ''Oh no. All the powerful people have gone before me.'' ''It can''t be helped. Let''s all share the load.'' Nephrite pats me on the shoulder as if to comfort me. Nephrite and Paula are beastmen, but they are not powerful. So is Becco, and Masha can''t even walk. Imelda and Jeannette aren''t fit to carry the load, and Natalia and Estella are the only ones we can rely on. ''Then Estella, take care of Masha and Imelda. ''No, wait!I want to be the food carrier! ''The Naitchipetan!Hurry up and pull the sled. ''Wow, Estella, you look like a horse in a carriage! ''There''s no horse with that name! Masha and Imelda are good friends with Estella. They are throwing snow at each other. ...... Now Estella will be willing to pull a heavy sled loaded with food. If you simply say, ''Help me pull the sled'', she will complain, ''What? But this time, he volunteered to pull the food sled. But this time he volunteered. Now, he will pull the sled with great enthusiasm. ''Excellent work, Master Yashiro. I will make use of it in the future. Natalia seems to have understood my intentions. Use it to your advantage. ''Umaro. Can you modify the sled from a luggage sled to a Masha sled? ''A water tank? ''If you put that in there, no one here will be able to tow it. Just a seat. It''s too bad we can''t let them sit on the wooden planks, so you can put a little chair on it.'' ''Wow~, Yashiro-kun, you''re so kind~'' ''By the way, do you have any requests? ''I don''t want the scales to get damaged, so I''d like a soft seat~'' ''Then, I''ll bring you a blanket. ''Is it okay if it gets wet? ''No, thank you. We''ve prepared a lot of blankets this year. Sure, we bought some at the Sunlit Pavilion, but ...... We''ll use the blankets we secretly borrowed from Imelda. Let''s do that. ''Imelda. You don''t mind if I share, do you?'' ''No, thank you.'' ''Mm-hmm. A lumberjack lady and her love, Randebu~'' ''One of you will be sledding with me. Even if you elope, you''ll have an extra person with you. ''Then, I''ll finish it in five minutes! ''Do you want me to help you? ''Yeah! Umaro scurries away. Still no luck. I haven''t talked to Paula that much. ''Well, what did she say I should do? ''He said I should work with Masha to adjust the chair. Here, I''ll help you do it.'' ''I''m sorry, you two...'' ''You look so happy...'' ''I''m so happy! Masha is chatting happily with Paula and Nephrite. Somehow, this is a fresh scene. Because of the fetters of the water tank cart, Masha has a hard time talking with people who don''t approach her from the other side. This time, because of the unique environment, we''ll be able to get closer. As Umaro announced, the improvement of the sled was finished in five minutes, and Estella began to pull the sled heaped with foodstuffs, one after the other. Natalia pulls the sled with Masha and Imelda, the "lugging duo". We are the replacements for the sledders when they get tired. Ginette is in charge of the food, so we can''t let her get tired. It took us five times longer than usual to reach the church because of the snow. ''Aaah!Look at me!My shadow is really big! ''''A huge sister with a big body and attitude! ''''''Loretta, you''re amazing! ''''''Just plain awesome! ''''''Who said ''normal'' just now?I heard you! --The front of the church was abuzz with excitement. Ahhh, I haven''t even finished shoveling yet, and I''m covered in snow. ...... ''Sister! ''Ginette . Good morning. Good morning, Yashiro-san and everyone. ''''''Good morning! Bertina welcomed us, carrying a pile of food on her sled. We explained our situation and asked if we could use the kitchen and common room. ''I''m sorry, but I''d like to have my breakfast here. ''Then let''s eat together. ''Sister, have you had breakfast yet? ''No, sir. I''ve just finished.'' ''Even though you''ve eaten? ''Yes. Let''s eat together.'' A smiling Bertina and a hungry us. It wasn''t a race, but it was Bertina who ate more. By the time breakfast was over, the sun was high in the sky and the haze had cleared. Now we would not be able to see the Brocken phenomenon anymore. ......, I thought. But then, at the last moment, an extraordinary sight appeared in front of us. ''Big brother, look!We''re floating in the sky! After we left the church, our shadows were floating in the sky. There were countless of them all over the place. ''...... What does this mean? I''m not sure what to make of that. Ginette and Paula stared up at the sky with open mouths, Loretta and Magda moved their arms and legs to find out which shadow was theirs, and Norma puffed on her cigarette as if she had reached a point of discernment. ''It''s a bit inconceivable, but if I had to give a reason, it would be ...... diffuse reflection, wouldn''t it? The sun was high in the sky, and the light reflected off the silvery snow, casting our shadows into the sky. However, since the snow was not smooth, the reflected light diffused in various directions and brought up a number of shadows. Also, the haze at our eye level has cleared up and our vision is clear, but there is still haze in the sky, and the haze has become a screen on which shadows are floating. ......? How is that even possible? If you''re in Japan, you''re likely to snicker at the idea that it''s not that convenient. ...... Since the phenomenon is actually happening right in front of your eyes, it''s possible that it''s not? But since the phenomenon is actually happening right in front of my eyes, I can''t help but think, ''Isn''t it possible? It''s not my fault if the theory is out of order, because I''m taking the opposite approach of forcing a reason to the mysterious thing happening in front of my eyes, instead of scientifically reasoning that such a phenomenon can happen. If you have a complaint, tell it to the spirit gods who did everything in their power to cause such a bizarre phenomenon. ''When I''m with my brother, I encounter all sorts of strange events. ''Don''t blame it on me. It''s the first time I''ve encountered such an insane event too. ''Ah, yes, Jeannette. What do we do now? ''After this, I''m going to take the snow off the roof and shovel the yard and the streets around the store. Then we''ll use the snow we''ve collected to make a kamakura and a snow sculpture. ...... ''You''ll help shovel the snow from the church too, right?'' ''Yes. A little, but...'' There are no men in the church. We only have matrons who are skilled in cooking and sewing. Until last year, Bertina and the kids had shoveled the snow in the minimum necessary places, but after seeing the kamakura at the sunny pavilion last year, they insisted on doing it this year. You kids. ''First of all, we have to finish shoveling the snow at the sunny pavilion, don''t we? If I deal with those kids, my energy will be depleted in no time. I don''t want to come back to the Sun Goddess Pavilion with a tired body and find a pile of snow on ....... ''Hey, big brother. My brothers have been working really hard, so you can borrow as much as you want. ''Can''t you shovel the snow at your house?It''s a big place, right?'' After all, there are three houses in the Hewitt family. Naturally, the private area of the house is correspondingly large. That''s a lot of work. ......, I thought. ''We''ve already finished shoveling our snow. I finished it before the sun came up. ''Powerful as ever, your brothers. ''We''ve got a good stock of snow for the kamakura. ''It looks like we''ll be able to make kamakura here and there this year. Even if we have a kamakura cafe this year, it won''t attract that many customers. I''m sure the main street will be lined with Kamakura, and the customers will be dispersed. ''Well, tell him I''ll teach him how to make kamakura if he comes to help shovel snow at the church. ''All right!I''m sure they''ll love it! Loretta gave Hammaro a signal, and Hammaro jumped into the snow with joy. He dug a hole in the wall of snow and pushed his way through the tunnel of snow until he was no longer visible. ...... Well, they were geniuses at digging holes, weren''t they? They''re good at shoveling snow. ''It''s funny ...... I thought I heard that the heavy snowfall period is when you can''t go out in the open because of the tremendous snowfall. ......'' ''There are a lot of beastmen in the Forty-Two Wards. It''s a bit more powerful than the other districts. That''s a very good interpretation of the Lord of Smiles. This level of heavy snowfall is a recognized disaster in Japan. On such a day, ''Kamakura~! Ha-ha-ha! On such a day, walking out in the open with your kids and posting it on the ...... social networking site is sure to cause a firestorm. Last year, Imelda was almost lost. ............ Oh, this year, too. ''I wonder how Imelda ...... will be displaced next year.'' ''I have no intention of creating such an annual event! No, you''ll probably get lost next year too. Just make it a little more interesting every year. ''Hey, Yashiro. If I help you shovel snow, will you teach anyone how to make a kamakura?'' ''What?A maiden wants to make a kamakura?'' ''Yes, that''s right. She said she only got to enjoy a few last year, and this year she wants to make a kamakura on Hardware Street. ''There''ll be lots of them on the main street anyway. ''Are you sure you don''t want them to take over the Kamakura on the main street? ''That''s not good. It''s nothing but a business obstruction. If we''re not careful, the food and drink guild could be badly damaged. If rumors spread that the restaurants in the 42nd district have snow cages with maidens in front of their stores, customers from outside will be afraid to come. At this time of the year when New Road is being built and the number of customers from outside is increasing, we can''t overlook that. ''But we don''t need that many people to shovel the snow from the church. ......'' ''Then let them do something else. ''Then, how about making the road from Hardware Street to the church passable? ''That''s a good idea. It would make it easier for them to get back and forth, and it would also make it easier for people to come to the Sunken Pavilion. Norma winked at me while saying that. Even Estella looks happy. She''s just saying, ''That''s the kind of profit you want, isn''t it? That''s all she''s saying. Huh, do what you want. ''Well, let''s have a kamakura workshop at the church. ''Yes, yes!I''ll reserve a special seat! Paula is more enthusiastic than anyone else. ''It''s easy, you know.You just roll it up and dig a hole. You''re the only one who can do that, Delia. Snowballs aren''t light enough to be managed by brute force. Normally, you can''t make a hammock big enough for a person to fit in, that way. It''s too heavy. Normally! ''So, Yashiro-san. I''ll go tell the sisters what we''ve decided. ''Right. I need to get permission to use the church yard. ''How about some hot oshiruko in return? ''Then I''m sure we can negotiate. Do you want some ...... mochi in it?'' ''Let''s do it!It''s zenzai. I''m not sure what the difference is between oshiruko and zenzai, but the one with baked rice cake in it sounds like zenzai. Let''s make that one this time. In any case, there will be a lot of people who have too much time on their hands when we do the Kamakura class. ''Don''t expect sales this year. ''Yes, sir. I want to spend this year relaxing with you.'' ''Ginette, don''t be fooled. The person who says ''don''t expect to make a profit'' has a face like he''s thinking ''how can I make a profit? Since he can''t make money from Kamakura, he might do something else. Hmm. We''ve been expecting a drop in profits since last year. But I think it''s better if we can make money in some other way. Thanks to the large group of people who shoveled the snow along the way, the street was completely walkable even on the first day of the heavy snow season. Thanks to their hard work, the road was completely walkable even on the first day of the heavy snow season. Next year, we won''t need any more preserved food, will we? During the tour, there were some snow flurries and cold winds that mercilessly took away our body heat, and there were some screams and exclamations, but all the participants happily learned how to make kamakura. All I did was to teach them the orthodox method of piling up snowballs in a pyramid shape, filling in the gaps with snow and shaping them. Since it was not possible for all the participants to make a kamakura in the church yard, we just listened to the lecture and practiced it after returning to our respective fields. Next to such a boring lecture, kids started to make rice cakes happily, and a chorus of ''petan petan'' was heard. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I thought this was a kamakura workshop to teach you guys. And then, perhaps bored, I noticed that Becco and Imelda were holding a snow sculpture workshop at the same venue. That one was popular among the girls. ''Hey everyone!Thank you for your hard work in the cold weather~!Please have some hot ozenzai! Ginette''s voice brought a cheer. Everyone was smiling happily at a time when they would normally be worrying about the long, snowy season ahead. There was even an impromptu competition to see who could grow the longest baked rice cake, and Loretta, the originator of the idea, took the first prize. The heavy snow season still continues. When the sun goes down, it can snow. We blackmailed those who were about to start drinking, and broke up the party before dark, sending each of us on our way. Dragging our exhausted bodies, we finally returned to the Sun-dari-tei at a time when the Akane sky seemed to be swallowed up by the dark blue. ''What should we do about the Kamakura in the sunny pavilion? Delia, who still seemed to have a lot of energy, said, rolling up her arms. Oh, yes. Even Delia is wearing long sleeves this time of year. In spite of the fact that Delia is wearing a slightly squishy sweatshirt, she looks more fresh and attractive even though she is less exposed. Even though it''s a loose sweatshirt, the power to push it up from inside is so strong that it already makes you ''pop! And then, ''poof! And! ''Yashiro, you''re looking good. Can you go make me some food by yourself? ''You don''t understand, Estella. I''m the kind of guy who can get lost in my own yard, you know? ''That''s not bragging. He slaps me on the ass. Just on the butt? That''s not fair.Maybe it''s my turn. I tried to reach out to him, but he just brushed me off. ....... I''ve got lactic acid buildup in my arms from the kamakura class. I''m all puffed up. ''My arms are limp. I want to take a bath and rub them.'' --And as soon as I said that, most of the girls in the room went ''bah! and covered their breasts. I said, ''My arms are limp! What? What? ''You can recover from your fatigue by rubbing your tits, right? Do they think that? Then let me verify it! ''Well, since we''re going to have kamakura here and there anyway, let''s have a snowball fight cafe. ''A snowball fight?What kind of cafe is that? ''If you can hit snowballs at the waitresses who come to take your order or bring you your food, you''ll get special service. However, you have to pay for the snowballs. One ball, yes. ......100Rb'' ''That sounds interesting!I''ll definitely try it! ''...... No one can catch Magda.'' ''I''ll bounce it all off you! ''I''m counting on you, Delia!...... But you''re right about all of that!You''re all out! I''m not sure if you''re serious or not. ''Are you serious? ''No, of course not.There''s no way our manager would approve a dangerous event where people could get hurt. ''''That''s right. I''m sure there are people who would prefer to dine in peace at the Sunlit Pavilion, so please leave the snowball fight for another time. A soft and clear rejection. In the first place, if you hit a girl with a ball that you can buy for 100Rb (1,000 yen), you''ll get a special service. ''I''d like to have a snowball fight, too! ''You''re going to be a big target, aren''t you? Masha can''t move alone. She''d probably come under heavy fire. ''I''ll be paired with Yashiro-kun~'' ''Ask someone like Delia who has a lot of strength to do that. If I go out on the snow with Masha on my back, I''ll be stuck and under fire. It''s obvious. ''Well then, manager. Is this year''s Sunlit Pavilion going to be the same as last year''s?'' Delia said unhappily, but she couldn''t keep creating new things like that. If we wanted, we could drop the kamakura this year and focus on the snow sculptures. We could decide on some themes, and if you look out from a window seat, you will see a fairy tale world made of snow. If the view is different depending on the seat, people may visit the restaurant many times during the heavy snow season. Such an idea suddenly came to my mind, but I swallowed it without saying anything about it. Because. ''Well, Yashiro-san, ...... actually, there is something I would like to ask you. This is because Jeannette was looking at me with eager eyes. It''s rare that I''ve ever heard of someone trying to claim that they want to do something. I want to ask him what he wants to do. Because of this and that I brought in on my own, the atmosphere of the restaurant must have changed a lot since Grandfather''s time. No, the manager has changed, so change itself is not a bad thing. However, even if it is to change, it should be done mainly by Jeannette. Because Ginette is the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion. Therefore, I will listen to Ginette''s opinion as much as possible. ...... I''ll gag you if you start talking about a heroic statue festival or some such nonsense. ''Can''t you just hollow out the snowman''s belly? ............ Hmm? ''Do you have something against snowmen? ''No, sir!I love it!It''s not that, it''s a kamakura! I''m sure there''s a wonderful scene unfolding in your mind. My mind is so far ahead that I don''t get the point at all. ''Is it possible to make a snowman-shaped kamakura? Ah, ......, yes. I''m starting to understand what you''re trying to say. Just put the snowman''s face on top of the kamakura? ...... No, I think Ginette might be particular about the shape of the body. I guess he wants to eat oshiruko in the snowman''s belly. ''Oumaro~'' ''Yes, sir! ''Do you think you can do it? ''As long as you don''t make your head too big, I think you''ll be fine. A kamakura is no different from a building when it is large. I wondered if it would be structurally sound to put a meaningless heavy snowball in the middle of the top of the dome-shaped structure, but if Umaro said it was okay, I guess it would be okay. ...... ''You''re going to burn the seven rings inside, aren''t you? ''Oh, the heat might build up. Groaning and twisting his head, Umaro finally answered, ''I can''t say for sure until I try it. That''s not an answer. ''The dome supports the weight of the surface, not a point like a pillar, so if you make it vertical instead of horizontal, you can get some load ......''. ''If you beat it hard enough to make it crunchy, it''ll be fine, won''t it? Umaro drew up a diagram and started to explain with detailed calculations, but Delia, who hadn''t thought about it at all, spoke only with her senses. Yeah. If we solidify it with Delia''s power, we may be able to make a sturdy kamakura that will last until next year''s heat wave, but we want peace of mind. ''If we reinforce it with steel, it''ll be a sturdy enclosure. ''Norma, that''s not the same thing. Once the framework is built, it''s a structure. The skeleton will be left in the yard after the heavy snowfall. Then the construction of the Sunken Pavilion Dormitory will become a reality!We can''t allow it! ''Well, I''m sure it''ll be fine~'' Masha, who doesn''t seem to be familiar with snow, says something that seems to have no basis in fact. ''The route to the 42nd district is a cave, but even though there''s a cliff on top, there''s no sign of it collapsing. That''s because it''s a cave. If it collapsed, the cave wouldn''t have been built in the first place. It''s not that the cave doesn''t collapse. The cave was formed because it didn''t collapse. ''Oh, no!Mr. Umaro is doing a lot of calculations! Oumaro is writing on a piece of paper on the table at a very high speed. Loretta, who peeked in, complained of a headache when she saw the difficult equations written there. Is that the kind of formula that gives you a headache just by looking at it? ''Yashiro-san, I think I can manage it! On the paper that was spread out, there was a snowman with a silly face that Ginette seemed to like, with a cavity in its abdomen and a bunch of equations written around it. This one calculates the volume, and this one calculates the load. ...... Hmm. ''I think I can manage that. ''Big brother, do you understand those calculations? Well, I''ve done a little bit of architecture. I''ve learned how much concrete you can use less, how to save rebar, and a little ...... about legal and illegal construction. ...... Well, that was a long time ago. I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea. Ginette''s eyes sparkled as she looked at the painted snowman kamakura. ''Can you make one of these? ''Oh, oh, probably, da, da, da, da ......! ''...... Magda, the assistant manager, asks. ''Umaro, can you make this? ''Of course I can!I''ll leave it to you! The assistant manager is showing his power in an unexpected way. ''Then let''s make it together! ''Oh, Paula. I''ve been wanting to make something for a while now.'' ''Because I want to make it while Yashiro is here, and I want your advice. ''Why don''t you go home and make it first? ''No, I don''t want to!I''ve decided to stay here today and I want to take a bath. Paula and Nepheli were having a good time. Making a kamakura is not that fun.It''s only tiring. ''Oh, sir! Ginette''s loud voice echoed in the sunlit pavilion, where the atmosphere was beginning to resemble a trial run. ''Well, why don''t you let me make the face? Ginette was the one who was most enthusiastic about making a snowman. During last year''s heavy snowfall, she created countless snowmen, as if she were making offerings to the dead. He seems to have an expertise in snowman modeling. A simple face with only a circle and a stick can be very cute, depending on the balance. Ginette must have her own particular balance. ''But it''s expensive, isn''t it? I look again at the Umaro blueprint. If the body part is a kamakura, it must have enough space for a person to enter, and it must be big accordingly. If you put a well-balanced face on top of it, it would reach the roof of the first floor of ....... Ginette making things on the first floor roof: ............ ''Okay, let''s build a safe scaffold! ''...... A simple scaffold won''t do. The manager is stepping off at an unimaginable angle.'' ''Make the floor area big!You need to be able to lie down on it! ''We also need a fence to prevent people from falling. ''Ladders for climbing up and down? ''You idiot, Neffery. It''s a ginette, remember?You can''t get a ladder.'' ''That''s not true, Mr. Paula!We have a ladder, too! ''But won''t you get your tits caught in the gap between the ladders? ''Oh, please repent, Yashiro-san! Since the work was to be done in the snow, it was decided to build a scaffold for absolute safety. We''ll ask Umaro and Norma to build a sturdy scaffold for us. 461-Episode 263 Next Plan ''Boiled fish~a??'' ''Oyakodon! Masha and Nephrite are shouting the name of the food. No, well, Masha is talking about herself. ''Even if you take a bath, you won''t be stewed...'' ''Mmmm~a?? It was so fun in the big bath~ I swam in it. Well, I expected that such a person would come out. The construction of the kamakura began, and those who had worked up a sweat were taking a bath in turn. Isn''t the broth soaking into the bath that Masha took? Delia and Hammaro, Umaro and Becco, Estella and Natalia. Thanks to the many people with experience in Kamakura, the work went smoothly. Nepheli and Paula were in the position of trainees, being taught and experiencing the actual work. Once you make one, you''ll learn how to make a kamakura. We started by clearing the snow from the garden, which took a lot of time. When the first snowman house was completed, the day''s work came to an end. It was cold and Ginette was busy making the snowman''s face, so we thought we''d have a simple one-pot dinner this evening, but ...... Nepheli was there. Nepheli had brought us a lot of eggs and chicken, saying that he would take care of us for the night. Most of the chicken went into a pot, but ...... it would be a shame to consume all the chicken in one dish. I made oyako-don (chicken and egg rice bowl) because I had some eggs. I told Jeannette that it was my favorite dish, but I didn''t have mirin at that time. So I substituted cooking sake and honey, but this time I used real mirin to make a basic oyakodon. Mirin is amazing. No matter how bad a cook you are, as long as you can use mirin, you can make something that tastes good. Even if you are not as good as Ginette, you can easily get a good taste. ''Oh, it''s oyakodon, isn''t it? With snow on her head and beads of sweat on her forehead, Jeannette walked into the Sunlit Pavilion. She must have completed the snowman''s face, because she looks satisfied. ''Are you satisfied with the result? ''Yes, sir. I''m a little proud of it. That''s great confidence. I''ll go check it out later. ''How about you, Mr. Yashiro?Are you satisfied with the result?'' He points to the oyakodon. I was going to eat this one. ...... ''Oh, this is the best I can do right now.Do you want some?'' ''Yes, sir. Let''s eat it. I move the still-freshly-made oyakodon to the front of Jeannette. Ginette sits across from me and brushes the snow off her shoulders. It''s not falling at all. I''ve got plenty of towels. I know we''re all going to get snowed in anyway. I take one of the towels and walk around behind Jeannette. ''Huh?I brush the snow out of her hair with my hand and wipe her hair with a towel. ''Huh. ...... Oh, thank you, thank you ......''. I put my hands on my knees and clench my fists. You can''t eat when I''m like this. Let''s just get it over with. ''Go take a bath after you''ve eaten. You''re sweating.'' ''Do you smell that? ''No, it''s visual.'' ''Aha!I wipe the sweat from Jeannette''s forehead as she turns around. Don''t worry, it doesn''t smell like sweat, and even if it did, Jeannette''s sweat would be more than welcome! ''Welcome! ''Huh!I don''t know what it is, but please don''t embarrass me. ......'' Ginette turns her back to me - in other words, she sits facing the table as usual and starts eating her oyakodon silently. She eats one or two bites of the bowl, then lifts the chicken wrapped in the thick egg with her chopsticks and observes it with interest. ''I''m impressed. The egg is perfectly half-boiled, and the texture is pleasant to the tongue. I''ve got some decent feedback other than ''yay, yay, yay''! Ginette, you can do a decent food report. ''It''s very delicious. ''Seeing how relaxed you are, you seem to be convinced that you can make it better, don''t you? ''Yes, sir. I''m sure I can beat you. You know how to make it. He must be making progress in his research. ''Sorry, Neffery. This one''s not quite up to snuff yet.'' ''No, that''s not true. ....... It''s delicious enough to be served at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''But you''re saying that Jeannette can make a better oyakodon than this, right? ''Yes. Just one more twist, and it will taste even better. You don''t know, do you?A cheeky wink, as if to say, ''You don''t know? He''s got this look on his face now? I feel like I''ve seen something good. ''Hey, hey!Can you feed me that?Or rather, can you teach me?As the daughter of a poultry farmer, I can''t allow you to not make this dish! No, it''s been on the menu for quite a while now, oyakodon. I guess they didn''t know what kind of food it was just from the name "Oyakodon". Nefari didn''t seem to know. Do you have food samples? The food samples at the Sunlit Pavilion are selected after talking with Jeannette. Basically, I choose the ones that are interesting to look at, so the rather plain rice bowls are excluded. Even if I were to make one, I was thinking of katsudon. ''It''s a problem that you don''t know what kind of food it is. ''That''s true. I''m so familiar with it that I didn''t even think about it. Sorry.'' ''No, I''m sorry. I should have at least annotated it. I should have at least annotated it with something like, ''It''s a dream competition between a chicken and its parents. Is that an easy ...... to understand?I''m afraid that might confuse things even more. ''Well, I''ll go make oyakodon after receiving this. ''Take a bath first. You''ll catch a cold.'' ''I''m fine. I''ve already wiped my hair with .......'' He plays with his hair and takes a bite of the oyakodon. ''Can you stop squirming and fidgeting? ''Are the others still out there? ''Yes. Delia and the others had started a snowball fight. Delia, Loretta, Estella, Natalia and Paula are out having a blast. Becco and Umaro have been caught by Imelda and are at a table in the back of the store making blueprints for the next kamakura. ''...... Phew, I feel refreshed.'' ''Ah, Mr. Manager, you''ve had your first. Magda and Norma come out of the kitchen after their bath. Norma has a red face and is holding a cup and a glass in her hands. She had been drinking in the bathhouse. She was drinking in the bathhouse, and Paula had thoughtfully brought her several kinds of wine. It was not a gift to Norma ......, but a drink to warm her up on a cold day. Well, I guess only Norma and Natalia would drink it. Imelda will drink it too. The people outside are still going strong after dark. Ginette is already in the mode of wanting to make oyakodon, so she won''t take a bath until she finishes it. It would be better to finish the bath before the people outside come back to cool down. ''Okay, I''ll go take a bath first. ''Then, I''ll have something ready to eat when Yashiro-san comes out of the bath. ''Yashiro, you''re going to eat something, aren''t you? ''It''s oyakodon. ''...... oyakodon. Good name. Hearing Magda''s casual murmur, I stroked her hair with a ...... hand. ''So, do you want to eat with me later? ''...... agreed. I''ll join you.'' ''I''ll make lots of food. Estella said that the heavy snowfall season was a time when children could be pampered by busy adults. Estella also used to be pampered by her father who was a lord when she was a child. Then why don''t you spoil Magda too? Even to Jeannette. ''Well, Umaro, Becco, Imelda. Let''s go to the bath. ''I''m not taking a bath! ''Well, you''re on the same team. ''No, I''m not! Imelda was drawing blueprints around the same table with Umaro and Becko. Apparently, they''re in a different category. Tsk~. ''Umaro, how did you manage to talk with Imelda at such close range? ''No, no, Mr. Yashiro. Mr. Umaro never made eye contact with Imelda, that he did not. I was just a little impressed that he was able to keep evading us without ever making eye contact, that he was. That''s a pretty stupid ability, that. In a way, Umaro is more shy than Regina. When I was about to take a bath, I suddenly saw Masha. You''ll be able to listen to the conversation going on in the sunshine pavilion, but your eyes are looking out the window a bit sadly. ''............'' Outside my window is covered in snow, and I can hear the sound of people playing happily in the snow from a distance. Playing in the snow......? I thought for a moment and headed for the bathroom. ''Is Yashiro there? He ate the ultimate oyako-don (chicken and egg rice bowl) made by Jeannette and said, ''What the hell is this?It''s a real oyakodon made with real chicken, real eggs, and real mirin. While we were playing gourmet manga, Mo-Mat shouted at us. ''You doodled on my farm again this year, didn''t you? By the way, last year you scribbled ''Mo-Mat''s Baka'' on Mo-Mat''s field, didn''t you? Because there was a blanket of fresh snow with no footprints, like a canvas. But I haven''t done that this year. ''It wasn''t me. ''Bullshit, you''re the only one who would do such a stupid thing. He laughed and slapped me on the back. He doesn''t seem to be angry at all, but seems to be making small talk with me, saying, ''You''re a real jerk. ...... ''I guess I''m not trustworthy after all. ......'' ''Huh?Huh?No, but ...... what? In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the web site, you can contact us at the web site. ''Well, Yashiro-san has been giving a lecture on kamakura at the church since this morning, and after that he''s been busy making kamakura for the sunny pavilion,......, and just now he was cooking,.......'' ''......In other words, Yashiro didn''t have time to scribble in Mo-Mat''s field. ''Yeah. ...... Is that right, Yashiro? ''You won''t believe me no matter what I say, will you? You can find a lot more than just a few of them. Ah, grief. My cousin, grief. ''The real killer is in here! Hammaro bursts through the door with a bang. Then he lowers his raised arms and points to his own face with his thumbs. ''The face of the real criminal! ''Did you do this, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''You did it! ''You''re the one who told me not to say ''you''! ''Oh, oh, well, you''re right. It''s not good for a child''s education. ...... Sorry. ''Please rephrase! ''What?It''s not good for children''s education,......, is it, Hammaro? ''Hammaro? ''Hey, is this endless? Mormat is crying out to me, but Yasharo-kun, whose heart is cold and chilly, ignores all of it. Ignore him. I''ll just ignore him. Look away, poof! ''Hey, I''m sorry for doubting you!Put me in a better mood, Yashiro~! Well, I''m the one with the problem. I''m the one who''s always doing things that make people think that. You know... You know what they say.''Bad behavior'' - that''s it. You know?You know?I''ll give you the vegetables, okay? ''I don''t want your vegetables. ...... No, I still want your vegetables. ''You want them? ''They''re delicious, your vegetables.'' ''Really?All right, take as many as you want! ''Then uproot them all. ''But be careful! This guy''s careless remarks are never going to improve. If Assunto hadn''t changed his mind, we''d have gone bankrupt ten times over, wouldn''t we? You''d better get a grip, guild leader of the farming guild. ...... and that''s not the point. ''Actually, I have a favor to ask Mo-Mat,......,'' he said. ''You''re crying like you''re doing it on purpose. ......'' ''Magdaa...... sobbing.'' ''...... Ah, good, good. Poor Yashiro. Because of some crocodile ...... glancing.'' ''All right, all right!Just tell me what you want me to do! ''...... like I''m the perpetrator. ...... hiccup hiccup hiccup hiccup'' ''...... Ah, poor Yashiro. This may cause him to become greedy in the future, and he may end up destroying a farming guild or something.'' I''m sorry!I''m sorry!It was totally my fault!I''m sorry for doubting you!If there''s anything I can do to help, let me help! ''Well, if you insist. ''......, I''ll listen to you. ''So, you guys are just perfect for each other, aren''t you? Since the crocodile got down on his knees, I''ll give him the honor of cooperating with my noble plan. ''Mo-Mat, lend me the field. ''Now?With all this snow, there''s no way you''ll be able to grow any crops, right? ''No, it''s not a field, it''s a place. The fields of Mormat are huge. It''s a flat snowfield that goes on forever. ''It''s a good match for Estella! ''You''re talking out of your ass in the middle of nowhere. Estella tosses the lump of snow she brought in from outside into my shirt. Oh no!What?That''s the worst thing you can do after a bath, it''ll stop your heart!You''ll get heat shock! And what are you up to now? Estella sits in front of me and eats my oyakodon without my permission. He''s a nobleman, right?Can you believe it? ''Let''s build a snow playground.'' ''Snow playground? The fields in Mormat are huge. We''ll build a playground where they can play to their heart''s content. ''We''ll surround it with fences and nets, build walls, mountains and holes in it, and make a snowball fight field.'' ''That sounds interesting!I''m still hiding in the walls of buildings and in the shadows of snowmen and kamakura to protect myself! ''And you used to hit the snowball in the snowman''s face and drop the charcoal in the eyes, right, Loretta? ''That''s the secret one! ''What?I''ll go check it out! Jeannette rushed out, and a moment later, a scream of ''Ho-yaaah! A few moments later, a scream was heard. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... Loretta, you''ve got it just right.I''m not sure what to make of it. ''Ugh ...... I''ve fixed it.'' ''Sorry, I''m sorry, manager! ''No, it''s fine, I fixed it. Although ......, a snowball fight in the garden of the sunny pavilion may indeed be a bit dangerous. The moment you walk out the door, you might get hit by a snowball. So I think I''ll make a place nearby where we can play as hard as we can. ''We can make a big field for team games and a small field for individual games. ''That''s a good idea!Then we can fight as hard as we can, Loretta! ''Yes, sir!Then make it, Mr. Mormat! ''No, I can''t do it!I''ll lend you the space, but you''ll have to make it yourselves! Delia got really excited and said, ''Okay, Loretta, Paula, let''s go! And so on. Loretta said, ''Yes, Miss Delia! and she''s going to run away. Paula is also eager. ...... You guys are fine. But do it tomorrow. It''s already late. You can make as much as you want tomorrow morning. ''Also, the church is close by and I want to build a sledding hill for the kids to play on. Since the culture of skiing is not widespread, it is not a ski resort but a sledding area. Bring in snow, make a slope, and slide down it. You can make a little course and compete with each other. You can make a sled for one person and a sled for two or three people, and do something like bobsledding. If it''s a sled-- ''If it''s a sled, Masha can play freely by herself.'' ''Yeah, .......'' Masha''s eyes, which had been listening to the conversation with a smiling face, turned red. Her mouth gaped open, revealing a rare expression of honesty. ''I can turn right and left as I please just by turning my body left and right. If you have someone carry you to the top of the slope, you can go down anywhere you want by yourself. Masha could not go anywhere without someone to carry her. If Masha had been a cheat at communication, she might have had no trouble. ...... ''Delia is crazy about the snowball fight. Masha should enjoy it as much as she can.'' You don''t have to stay cooped up in the sunlit pavilion, worrying about not getting in the way. ''You''ve come to District 42 for a reason. Enjoy yourself to the fullest. However, you do need someone to keep an eye on you. If the sled falls over, you won''t be able to get up by yourself. ''I''ll send one of my brothers and sisters to watch over it!Let them play in shifts and I''m sure they''ll work diligently! ''Okay, Umaro. I''m sorry, but can you send someone who looks like he''s not busy at Torbeck''s Workshop?It''s a request from my lord, and I''ll pay you.'''' ''Leave it to me!I''ll pull out all the stops and create an interesting sledding area!......,'' he told Estella. ......'' ''Don''t worry, she''ll get the message. It all happened so fast. These guys are really... ''They''re greedy for fun. ''Mr. Yashiro is greedy to see someone smile. That''s what Jeannette said to me. I looked at her, and she was looking at me with the most beautiful smile. ''I''d welcome such greed, though. It''s a smile so warm it could melt the snow. ...... What a thing to say. ''Yashiro-kun, .......'' Masha beckons me to join her in a large tub placed on top of a long pole. He turns his head and weakly waddles over to me. When I approached her honestly, Masha jumped at me with a splash of water. As soon as I caught her, she lifted her tail fin and twined it around my body. Trying not to fall off, I ended up in a princess hug. ''...... swoon''. Masha''s nose tinkles in my ear. Masha nuzzles her face into my neck and shivers slightly. A warm drop falls on my neck. ''Thanks for ....... Thanks for .......'' She says in a trembling voice and looks up quickly. That''s why I love you so much, Yashiro-kun! I was about to fall in love with him. So, ...... ''Scallop Roubaix is also good. ''Manager~san, let me repent~a??'' I return the lonely mermaid to the tub. Masha seems to be okay with a little water. She seems to be able to survive in seawater, freshwater, hot water, and snow. She''s a hardy creature. Wasn''t she one of the races that humans couldn''t beat?It makes sense if you think of them as werewolves and dragons. ''Then, I''ll make winter clothes for you. If you''re going to play outside, you''d better dress warmly. It seems to be a kindness like Ginette''s, but in fact it''s a request to ''teach me how to make a knit hat. Well, in exchange for the knitted hat, I''ll have ...... Ukrines give you the fur. ''Ha-ha-ha! The kid let out a screechy laugh and glided off. ...... You''ve gone all out again, Torbek''s contractor. A huge amusement park has been created in the vast fields of Mormat. The snowball field is an intricate field reminiscent of a Savage field. The "big run" with its piles of snow, deep holes and a height difference of 6 meters. A "long course sledding lane" where you can slide down a long, gently descending course at a reasonable speed. Then there is the "Everyone''s Square" where even kids can play sledding from a small hill without worry. The snow playground was created one after another in a much larger space than originally planned. In the blink of an eye, word spread, and it quickly became a place where kids from all over the 42nd district, their parents, and couples who flirted with each other without worrying about being seen, gathered. ...... I''m sorry. I didn''t make a pitfall that only activates when a man in a couple walks by. I''ll have to start with research, so it won''t be implemented until next year. ...... It''s a shame, really. ''I thought the heavy snowfall season was a time to stay home and spend quiet time with family. ''The main streets and roads have been cleared of snow and are very easy to walk on. A considerable amount of snow was shoveled to create a snow playground. Most of the snow was piled up on the main street and the streets, and they were used to make a pile of snow. As a result, the snow is gone from the main street and the streets, and it is possible to walk normally, though a little slippery. That''s why people come out with their kids. I guess they didn''t have the manpower to clear the snow in the past. ''I heard that in the 41st district, the hunting guild is shoveling snow in the city on behalf of the guild for training purposes. ''It seems that Medora-san has been contributing to the city for a long time. I think it''s a wonderful idea. District 41 had a policy of giving priority to hunting guilds. They probably thought that it was their duty as a hunting guild to provide benefits to the city in return for the preferential treatment they received. Medora also likes the 41st district for some reason. It was not a policy to monopolize the profits. He just couldn''t think of any other way to maintain the city. ''In other words, the lack of progress in clearing the snow in District Forty-two is the negligence of the Usses, isn''t it? ''That''s not true. ...... Magda-san doesn''t like the cold either.'' That''s true. If the hunting guild''s 42nd district branch had to do snow removal work, Magda would have been sent out. The Magda of old would have cried ...... if she had been taken out into the snow on such a cold day. When I casually looked for Magda, she was carrying Masha up the snowy mountain. He was carrying a fast, streamlined machine that looked like a luge or bobsled under his arm. I''m glad you''re having fun. ''I''m sure you''ll be fine now, Magda. I''m just casually looking at Magda, but Jeannette says something like that with a weird kind of cleverness. No one said anything about worrying about Magda. ...... d*mn. ''I hope the cold doesn''t spread over the New Year''s holidays.'' ''It''ll be fine.'' Ginette lets out a white breath, her peach-colored cheeks relaxing with a smile. ''I have a knit hat, muffler and earmuffs, so I''ll be warm even outside. The first night of the heavy snowfall season. Ginette begged me to teach her how to knit a knitted hat, which I did, and she mastered it so quickly that she finished one that day. Isn''t knitting supposed to take more time? Since I had some experience in knitting, I only had to teach her some points and the mission was over. After that, Ginette would think of any arrangement she wanted. For Ginette, who could knit woolen pants, a knitted hat was a piece of cake. Ginette was so absorbed in her knitting that she was up late, and I was knitting a scarf next to her. Warming the neck is the basic way to keep warm. The neck, waist, wrists and ankles should be tightened to prevent the wind from passing through. This alone will raise the temperature you feel. The next day, I brought a scarf and a knit hat to Ukrines, and he said, "I see!I didn''t know there was such an item!Why didn''t I think of this simple thing?Knit a hat and you''ll be warm. ...... Ah, there are still some things we overlook!There is still a lot of hidden potential in the hot and snowy season! He was very passionate about ....... Well, it can''t be helped, can it? You don''t have time to develop products for the hot and snowy season, which lasts only a week or so, in the past 42 districts. Even if there were products, you wouldn''t have had time to buy them. Incidentally, there was already a scarf. And in exchange for the information about the knit hat, I was given some fur and made ear pads on the spot. It was a fluffy earpiece in the shape of a catsuit, familiar in Japan. I had already made the catsuit and the cushion for the ears, so all I had to do was wrap the fur around the cushion. ''What''s with the cute finish? And since Ukurines'' fishing was successful, mass production was started in no time. At present, most of the kids in Snow Playland are wearing knit hats and earmuffs. The 42nd district is getting wealthy. They''ve already got a new item that came out yesterday. It''s a very good quality fur, similar to mink, but according to Magda, it''s ''...... easily hunted as much as you want'', so it''s not too expensive. I''m sure the people in this town can afford 100Rb for just one week. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that this earpiece is nice and fluffy. As I predicted, Jeannette, smiling with her fluffy earpiece, looked 40% cuter than usual. After all, it''s nice to be a girl with earpieces! ''Magda''s earmuffs are cute too, aren''t they? The beastmen don''t like to have their ears pinned down, so I''ve made it so that they can wear them softly. I couldn''t make it into a catsuit, but I put a large bag of connected fur over the ears and tied a string under the chin. It looks like a large marimo, and two of them are attached to the top of her head. It looks like a dumpling head and has a cute finish. It is said that the beastmen who saw Magda wearing the first prototype came to Ukrines'' store in droves. I guess Ukrines'' store is open all year round during heavy snowfall. I feel sorry for him. ...... Well, it''s my fault... It''s my fault. Masha is flying in the sky on a sled with a happy voice. It seems that she was skiing in the long course sled lane earlier, but now she is enjoying the big runway. Oh, Corkscrew! Is that a snowboard that Masha is riding?It''s a sled, right? What''s with all the jumping and twirling? She''s grabbing the board while jumping on the sled! I don''t think I''ve ever seen Masha so lively. She''s more lively when she''s flying than when she''s swimming in the river. ''I''m a flying fish~! But the main axis is a fish, isn''t it? Yeah, I feel relieved. ''Oh my god, Yashiro! While I was watching Masha and Magda flying in the sky, Paula came to me with anger in her shoulders. Her tail lifted up to express her anger. ''We''ve built a Kamakura BAR! I thought it was because we built a snow playground near the sunny pavilion that the customers had turned to this place. ''You had to close the store for lunch because I wanted to play! ''That''s your own fault, isn''t it? I know. Not many old men come here to drink. ''I''m losing the snowball fight to Loretta right now. ...... I''m going to get my revenge today. With arms folded and tail wagging, Paula walked into the snowy playground. She''s really enjoying the snow season. ''It''s going to be great, isn''t it? ''Umaro and his friends are overzealous. I didn''t tell them to make such a big thing. ''But it looks like everyone is having fun, so I think it''s a good thing. At first, the plan was to have only a snowball fight field surrounded by fences and nets to prevent snowballs from flying to other places, and a sledding area with a small hill and a track. But as soon as the Trubecco guys gathered, this is what happened. I wonder if they''re having withdrawal symptoms because they''re not getting any more work during the heavy snow season. ...... is a possibility. At any rate, they are regulars at the sunlit pavilion. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. Perhaps they''ve been infected by Jeannette''s corporate animal. I''m sorry. ''Well, I''d better get back. So says the businesslike Jeannette. As expected, kamakura have appeared here and there this year, but the snow playland has not slowed down the number of customers at the sunny pavilion. It''s not so bad that we have to run at full speed to keep up with the customers like last year, but it''s not so bad that we can leave the store idle. So, Ginette and I have not been able to leave the sunny pavilion. ''Ginette, don''t you want to go out and play? ''I can only watch ......, and I''m probably not very good at it.'' ''Well, I don''t think Ginette can do a snowball fight or run. ''There''s also the ''Everybody''s Square'', you know? ''It''s a little ...... to take away the children''s space.'' He''s probably embarrassed to go sledding with kids of that age and fall down. I''m sure I''ll fall. I''m sure of it! ''Besides, the sunny pavilion has a fun finish to it. As we walked along the street and saw the sunny pavilion, there were some fairy-tale snow sculptures lined up. Ginette thought up the story, I drew the illustrations, and Becco and Imelda used them as blueprints for "The Great Adventure of Snowman-kun". The snow sculpture is divided into scenes. If you follow the path, you can follow the story, and at the end of the path, there is a big snowman''s kamakura waiting for you. ...... Well, it''s a little bit out of the way and occupies the neighboring vacant lot and street. It''s a vacant lot, so it''s okay. ''It''s a good thing the neighborhood is empty. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have been able to make a snow sculpture out of our property, and we might have received some complaints if we had been making such a foolish noise day after day. We could have done it only because we are a sunny pavilion standing alone on the outskirts of the city. Anyway, I wonder why my grandfather built the store in such an empty place. Was it because the land was cheap? As I was thinking about this, I suddenly felt a sense of loneliness in Jeannette''s face. ...... Hmm? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. ''...... Sorry. Did I misspoke?'' ''No. It was .......'' I thought I had hurt Jeannette with my unintentional remark, but she denied it with a small shake of her head. Then she turned her head down, looked away, and told me something about the past. ''There used to be a lot of houses around here. There were farmers and people who worked in the forest behind here. There is an unspoiled virgin forest behind the Sunken Pavilion. The river flowing from the New Town passes through this virgin forest and curves slowly to connect to the river where Delia and her friends are. Was there someone who worked in this forest? I remember you said there was fruit to be picked. And beasts. Where did they go now? I can''t ask ....... From the look on Jeannette''s face. I''d say it''s for a sad cause. He knows, doesn''t he, what it was like when it was lively? It''s ....... ''It''s lively. ''......? I''m sure this area used to be a lot busier. There may not be as many ...... people as there used to be, but there must have been a certain number of people, and if you met them on the street, you would say hello to them, and that sort of thing must have been the norm. I guess it wasn''t as lonely as the Sunlit Pavilion when I first saw it, where the darkness closed in at night and not a sound could be heard. But you know, Jeannette. ''I''m sure things are going to change a lot around here. The Sunken Pavilion is a trendsetter. It''s a place of relaxation where the people who support the development of this city, such as the Trubec Engineering Shop, the Lumberjacks Guild, the Hunting Guild, the Farming Guild, and even the supervisor of the three neighboring districts of the Peddlers Guild, gather. If the place gets so crowded in the middle of the night that it''s like, ''Shut up! What if it gets so crowded at night that it''s like ''Shut up! I won''t make you feel lonely again. I''ll change so much I won''t have time for that. I''ll change you. ''......'' So let''s just call it even, okay? ''Then I''ll go tell him to shut up. With Yashiro-san.'' I smiled back at Jeannette as she smiled at me, saying something she couldn''t do. Instead of apologizing, I''ll make her laugh. That''s what I thought. 462-Episode 264 Taste of Care Behind the Snowman Kamakura, the Swan Kamakura and the Castle Kamakura stand tall. All of them are the work of Team Imelda. Although Umaro and Becco were exhausted. In Snowman''s Big Adventure, there is a scene where he flies on the back of a swan and is invited to the castle where the king lives. This is a kamakura based on that scene. It is more accurate to say that Imelda''s design was forcibly incorporated into the story. ''Hey, manager!I''ll have two each of oshiruko and zenzai! ''...... more salted kelp, waiting'' ''Yes~ I helped too~a??'' After all the fun, I''ll get my work done. The waitresses at the sunny pavilion are in good spirits. Estella and Natalia, and Delia and Norma are acting as watchmen at the snowy playground. It''s not safe for kids to crowd around. Zero injuries, zero trouble'' is the slogan of the lord. ''Big brother, the eating contest set is a big hit. Loretta asked, ''What''s the difference between oshiruko and zenzai? I jokingly said, ''Why don''t you compare them'', and I was right. There is a difference, but I don''t think it''s something to be compared. According to the definition of Yodamari-tei, zenzai is a thick red bean soup with little liquid and baked rice cake in it, and oshiruko is a soup with a lot of liquid. Oshiruko is drunk, while zenzai is eaten. Kombu Fiebabaa??''. At first, Magda and Delia asked me if I wanted the salted kelp as a garnish. At first, Magda and Delia asked me if I wanted the salted kelp, but I knew it would be a hit. I''m grateful for it, that salty taste is good for my overly sweet mouth. ''Ginette, when the orders settle down, you should take a break. ''Yes, sir. Then, when you''re done. Tired parents and children come to take a break after playing in the snow playground. The park is crowded in the afternoon and evening. Other than that, there are only a few people who come to warm up, and the store is running as usual, or maybe a little busier than usual. Now that the lunchtime peak has passed, the number of customers has settled down. It won''t be a problem to send Magda and Loretta out to play. ''When Ginette''s break is over, you can go and play until evening. ''Why don''t you go with your brother and the manager?It''s fun, a snowball fight!'' ''Not for me. In a place like that, where the only option is to get tired, who would go on? If I play at the same pace as the beastmen, my muscles will be sore in no time. ''It''s fun enough for me too, just listening to the lively voices. ''You two are making me feel old. Who''s an old man? I noticed it when I was in junior high school. ''Snow isn''t really that fun, is it? You know. It''s cold, it''s slippery, it''s hard to walk in, and the trains are late. ...... I didn''t get excited about snow until I was in elementary school. It''s only when it''s falling that I get a good impression of it. I was thinking that Imelda probably feels the same way ....... ''...... Imelda is currently engaged in an all-out battle of the lumberjack guild vs. the river fishing guild.'' After losing to Delia in a snowball fight and being told that ''lumberjacks are sloppy'', the guilds all started a war against the river fishing guild. Their goal is to beat Delia to a pulp before the snow melts. A team game might be a good match. Thirty lumberjacks might be able to hold Delia at bay. Other than Delia, the other members of the river fishing guild are big but not that strong. It looks like a good match,......, but Delia alone seems to be overwhelmed at the moment. ''It''s good to see you guys in good health.'' ''chuckle. You''re like a grandpa, Yashiro! ''Ginette, could you make me a nice warm cup of tea? ''Kusuku. Yes, I''m home. I''ll join Ginette for her break. In a few days, the heavy snowfall season will be over. I thought it would be similar to last year, but it''s much more aggressive than last year. The snow playground will be held again next year, because Estella was very enthusiastic about it. I heard that Mormat will get some money for providing the place. Snow Playland is free. ...... Why don''t they start charging for it next year?Then we can put a watchman on it. I think we can make a lot of money if we build one in each of the forty-two districts. At the same time, spread the culture of skiing and snowboarding. I don''t know why I just imagined it with Medora.I''ve got the chills. ...... ''Yes, Mr. Yashiro. You''re shivering ...... from the tea!Are you okay? ''Sorry. A demon god is forcibly interfering with my brain. ......'' I''m scared. I hope he''s not sending you a telekinesis or something, that guy. ''So, can I go sledding again? a??'' ''Yeah. Go ahead. ''Magda, I''m sorry, but can I ask you again? ''...... I''ll take care of it. Magda is now at the age where she wants to learn to sled with Masha. These guys are jumping up and down and creating more and more difficult moves. If you ask Umaro to build a half-pipe, they''ll keep jumping forever. ...... If kids try it, they''ll get hurt a lot. Delia, you''ve become a target for a lot of people, haven''t you? ''If we say, "10,000Rb if you can beat the Delia-Norma duo," we can get about 1,000Rb for the entry fee, right? ''That''s a plan that''s worth challenging, isn''t it!I''ll go talk to Estella-san about it right away! Loretta ran out, and Magda went out with Masha. ...... Funny. ''After Ginette''s break,'' I said. She''s in the mood to play. We''ll get the store rolling, though. ''You want to challenge Delia and Norma? That sounds like a challenge.'' Ginette mutters as she watches Magda and the others leave. Well, I don''t think such a plan that places too much burden on individuals will pass. But if it does, I''m sure we can make a lot of money. After all, only the Magda-Natalia duo can beat that duo. ''Would you like to challenge me and Yashiro-san? ''Don''t do that. It''s like throwing money down the drain. You''ll be killed instantly, I''m sure. No, never. As Ginette and I were relaxing with a cup of tea facing each other, Umaro came running in, sweat beading on his face. ''Mr. Yashiro!I''m actually wondering if we can improve the big runway and make a place where we can keep jumping! He''s trying to build a half-pipe, isn''t he? ''Did Magda say something to you? ''No, I was just thinking about how to get a better view of Magda flying in the sky, and I came up with this idea! He showed me a primitive half-pipe-like design. He showed me a primitive half-pipe-like design. ...... He has a good point of view, doesn''t he? The only problem with this is that it jumps to the other side after jumping. If you want to go back after jumping, you should make the top of the slope overhang slightly back. I''m going to draw a half-pipe for snowboarding, adding to the bowl-shaped blueprint. ''Just don''t let the kids do this, it''s dangerous. ''I''ll have my guys keep an eye on it! Oumalo runs out with a smiling face. It''s completely infected. ''Ginette''s company animals are infectious. ......,You have to wash your hands well.'' ''Oh my God, that''s terrible, Mr. Yashiro.'' Perhaps angry at being treated as a source of infection, Jeannette reached out her arm and grabbed my hand tightly. She squeezes my hand as if she''s not going to let go. It''s warm. ...... ''How can you do that when the snow will start melting in two days? ''I''m sure it''s for next year. If you make a prototype this year, you can make it from scratch next year. If you identify the problems, next year will be better. In this way, through experience, failure, and knowledge, people grow and grow. Are they looking ahead to next year? No, not next year, but ''the future''. ''What do you want to do, Mr. Yashiro? Next year.'' He grabs my hand, looks at me, and says that. Doesn''t he trust you yet? ''I don''t know about next year,'' I''d say. ...... ''I want to take it easy next year.'' I''ll tell you what I''m doing next year. I''m sure I''ll be here next year, too. Ginette giggled and shook her shoulders happily, as if that made her happy. ''Mm-hmm. That''s very difficult. Nyarou...... The reason there''s so much noise around me is probably because of Jeannette. His overabundance of corporate animal spirit is affecting everyone around him. I''d better watch out too. I can''t stand it when people instill in me the spirit of corporate animalism, the sycophantic spirit, and the servant mentality. But I wonder... I didn''t have the slightest desire to shake off this soft hand that was squeezing mine. ''Oh my, you seem to be enjoying yourself. Mahr wandered into the sunlit pavilion. When she was told that she looked happy, she looked down and saw that she was holding hands with ...... Ginette. I''m not sure.--And then, without either of them letting go of my hand, I turned my body away. ...... What am I doing? I''m not sure what you mean. It''s not what I meant, you know.I''m not sure what you mean. I''m not sure what you mean by that. This is the sister of the lord of the 29th district, and one of the most crooked people in BU, a nobleman named Mael who hides a terrible secret face. ''Don''t let the nobles come to visit other wards during the heavy snow season . Insane.'' ''Oh my. Insane is the norm in the Forty-Two Wards, isn''t it?'' That''s a terrible thing to say. I''ll tell Estella. She''s being diplomatically insulting. ''Mr. Merle, welcome. I''ll serve you some tea now.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I was on break.'' ''No.'' Ginette offers Ma''ru a seat and runs to the kitchen. Her ears are slightly tinged with red, so she must be going to the kitchen to calm down. ''I really envy you. ''Playing in the snow, huh? ''Mm-hmm. ......'' ''...... Say something! I feel like he''s staring at me, so I don''t turn my gaze towards him. If I make eye contact with him, I''ll be turned to stone or have my youth sucked out of me. ''What''s that out front? ''Is it a snow sculpture?A kamakura?Or is that a snow playground across the street?'' ''All of it. Everything I see is so new. I don''t know what to be surprised by. You can be as surprised as you want. It''s free to look. It''s free to be surprised. By the way, Snow Playland is free this year. ''Which story do you want to hear first?'' ''Let''s see. Well, let''s start with the round snow huts that were plentiful in New Town, shall we? ''That''s called a kamakura. ......'' I gave him a brief explanation of how we got here. Come to think of it, it''s come a long way. It started out as a way to keep Magda warm when she was shivering in the cold. Then there were snowball fights, snow sculptures, kamakura cafes, and ...... this year, snow playgrounds. ''The whole reason for that is Ginette.'' ''It''s not me.'' A tray is placed on the table with a crunch. How rude. It''s a little rough around the edges when you''re dealing with aristocrats. Is Assunto contagious?Make sure you wash your hands. ''But I''m relieved to see everyone at Torbek''s store is doing well. Ma''ru drank a cup of hot tea and let out a sigh of relief. A word that fell out with his exhaled breath caught his attention. ''Why do you say you''re relieved? Umaro and the others are always cheerful. They''re working like fools, building the bathhouse in the sunken pavilion, the waterworks in the forest, and the snow playground. There''s not much room for doubt about their energy. ''Didn''t they move the pavilion to accommodate the construction of the New Road before? Since the exit of the New Road was located within the grounds of Mahrul''s mansion, the grounds, including the mansion, had been shifted a little because it was not good for many people to enter and exit the nobleman''s grounds. They used a method called "hiki-ka" to move the house as it was. The house was lifted up, logs were placed underneath, and the house was slowly moved using a roller. It was such a powerful spectacle that even Gerasie, the lord, came to see it and got excited. Both Mahr and Gellarsy were so impressed with Torbek''s work that they said, ''If anything happens, we will ask Torbek''s work. ''So you wanted to ask Torbeck to move the ice house, which you had been putting off. Then the union recommended a different contractor.'' The information sounded like it had been brought to him by design. It sounded like Mahr felt it was important to keep me in the loop. The Flower Arrangement Guild has recently formed a union that spans each district, and the Carpenters and other civil engineering guilds in each district are also forming unions. With the aim of mutual support, the guilds provide assistance when there is a shortage of manpower and encourage joint work. At the time of the reform of the 41 districts, the guild dispatched many carpenters. The union introduced Ma''ru to another carpenter. ''They introduced me to a place called Norton Engineering. ''I''ve never heard of them. ''It''s a construction company in the Forty District, and they have a reputation for woodworking. A carpenter with a reputation for woodworking. ''But then, so are Umaro and the others. Ginette is right. Trubek''s store is the best at woodworking. They know the characteristics of wood and use them to their advantage. Imelda even praised them, saying, "It''s not bad! Imelda praised them greatly. Imelda''s ''so-so'' is a rave review. She couldn''t deny it, you know. ''Maybe they just want to sell other contractors to the aristocracy since only Torbek''s contractors are gaining recognition. That''s understandable. If only one construction company gains too much power and popularity, the union may find itself in trouble. Umaro may not be the only one who wields power and behaves unfairly toward other contractors and the union, but ...... other contractors may not like him because they have no assurance that he will not do so. ''If you ask me, the Torbeck contractors will start work on the port after the new year, right? ''The representative is a carpenter from the Thirty-fifth District, though. One of the conditions for building a port in District 42 was that carpenters from District 35 be used. Since they would lose some profit, they arranged for carpenters from their own district to work in other districts. The Trubec contractors were supposed to help with this. Umaro and the others said that they would learn about the construction of the port since it was their first time. They''re also going to build a lighthouse, so it''s going to be a long-term project. ''Well then, when I have some free time, I''ll ask them directly. When you go through the guild in the 29th district, they introduce you to strangers. I have a tendency to be shy, so I''m in trouble. Shyness is ...... In other words, ''I can''t trust anyone I don''t approve of'', right? This guy is a stickler. He only uses bricks from people he approves of. It''s hard to imagine that he would be willing to hire someone who was told by someone else to do something that might affect the relocation of the ice house for decades to come. ''In other words, are you saying that we should threaten Umaro?'' ''Oh, no. Oh no, Yashippi. I''m not such a scary old lady, you know.'' ''You''re a scary lady, aren''t you? ''Well, you''re very good.'' I didn''t mean it as a compliment. I''m saying you''re scary no matter how you look. I''m saying you''re scary no matter what. ...... I''m sure you''re laughing at the whole thing, you fox. ''When the ice house is safely moved, I''ll be able to relax. ''Jeannette~. This old lady is ordering me to ''quickly solve the problem''~'' ''Hmph. Ma''ru isn''t that kind of person.'''' ''That''s right. I hate you, Yashippi.'' What do you mean, ''I don''t like it''? You ordered me to arrange for the ice house to be moved as soon as Umaro and the others are free. And in return, you''ll be able to talk to people now that you''re free? I''m guessing he''s anticipating that the 30th district will try to mess with the construction of the port. No matter how powerful the thirty wards are with their large tax revenue, they can''t disregard the opinions of the fourth class nobles who are considered to be higher than them. Not to mention, it''s the current lord''s sister, Mahrul, who''s a shadowy figure. I''m sure she wouldn''t like to be stared at from behind. ''But during the meeting of the Lords at BU...'' Are you referring to the meeting of the Lords in BU, where we went in and nullified the majority vote in order to crush the people of BU who were putting unfair pressure on us? Where''s the meeting? That wasn''t so easy, was it? ''Estella said she could start construction by the end of the year,'' she said of the port. ''There was a lord who interfered ...... with the construction, or rather, made accusations. ''Mr. Wishart, is it? ''Bingo. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I wanted to start as soon as possible because of the heavy snowfall period. ...... You should be careful, Yashippi. He ...... is a crook.'' ''You don''t say.'' ''Oh. No district would want to deal with a weak girl like her, would they? You''re just averting your eyes because you don''t want to make enemies, aren''t you? I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''......, aren''t you grabbing my tail, thirty district? ''No, I don''t have it. I just caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye.'' So you can''t be sure. It''s no exaggeration to say that this is the main gate of All Bloom, the Thirtieth Ward. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. After all, if the Thirtieth Ward closes its gates, distribution will die out completely. A fourth-grade aristocrat may naturally have a voice equivalent to a third-grade aristocrat. If you''ve got a lot of money to spend, you''re going to want to make sure that you''re able to get it back. Some of the nobles may want to be treated well when they enter and exit. I''m not sure how far the roots of the 30 district lord Wishart have grown. ''It''s best if nothing happens. But if you have any problems, please write to me. I''m sure I can listen to your complaints. If she listens to complaints, she''ll probably encourage you afterwards. With a plan for coping. ''I''m afraid of what I''ll get in return. ''Oh?Do you want me to pay you in advance then? Mahrul smiles and holds out his hands in front of him. She pauses and says in a happy voice, ''Give me some. ''That fluffy earpiece, I want it. What about the nobles who don''t mind asking commoners for them? ''You still have the ones you made for the prototype, right? ''Yes, sir. I''ll bring it to you. Ginette left her seat and ran to the kitchen. ''You''re a good girl, aren''t you? Mahr murmurs, staring at Ginette''s back. ''Don''t make her cry. You know what I mean. ...... You''re annoying. I didn''t answer anything and drank my tea which was a bit cold. That night. Something rather unusual happened. ''...... Oumalo. Snow strawberries are ready. I bought these snow strawberries last year during the heat wave. It''s a rather uninteresting plant that doesn''t produce any fruits or flowers until the heavy snow season, but it produces sweet fruits every morning during the heavy snow season. The snow strawberries have been Magda''s favorite since last year''s heavy snow season, and she has been sharing them with Umaro. It was as unlikely as Delia sharing her popcorn with Omero, as unlikely as Imelda saying a word of encouragement to Bekko, as unlikely as Ginette voluntarily lunging at him with a ''Please pinch me! It''s as unlikely as Imelda giving Becco a word of encouragement, and as unlikely as Ginette voluntarily rushing in to ''pinch me! ...... No, Jeannette''s lunge might be possible!I''m hopeful for the future! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that.Did you bother? ''Because ...... Umaro is working very hard.'' ''Aaah!I''m impressed!All my hard work has paid off with that one word! She wept over a single snow strawberry and stood before Magda in a knightly salute. That''s cheap, getting your loyalty. ''You''re overreacting. I said to Jeannette. ''Ma, Magda gave you a share of the snow strawberries! ''Oh, hey, Magda, are you okay?What''s wrong with you? ''I let him play outside a little too much. He''s probably got a fever. ''You should go to bed early today. ''Maybe we should call Regina...'' ''No, you''re worrying too much, guys! What? It''s that important! Magda just shared her favorite food with you, you know? ''Estella-sama, please be careful! ''What do you mean, why are you out cold, Estella? After witnessing the shocking scene, Estella''s consciousness was cut off. ......, don''t do something stupid, wake up. ''No, because ...... I woke up early to pick one up, and I brought up Masakari, Magda?'' ''Magda''s too serious and you''re too nasty. Buy some snow strawberries, at least. They''re pretty affordable. Anyway, it''s that rare. ''...... Umaro looked a little tired. So. It''s only a grain, but I''ve been saving this grain since this morning to give to Umaro. Perhaps he had been thinking of doing so since last night. ''......In fact, I was going to give it to him earlier, but every morning I noticed that the fruit was gone. ......This morning, for the first time, I was able to hold on to a grain. It seems that he was struggling more than expected. If someone had said, ''Lucky, there''s one left! If someone had said, "Lucky, there''s one left!" and intercepted it, ...... blood might have rained down. Or Magda might have cried and bent over and dragged it out until the new year. Thank God. No nasty people here. ''I didn''t ...... know you were going to stay all day,'' he said. said Estella, clenching her fists next to me. Buy it! Next year, you''ll be able to buy it with or without my permission! I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. I''ll tell Milly when the heavy snow season is over. I''ll tell Milly when the heavy snowfall season is over, and she''ll tell Estella to sell it to me no matter what. ''So, Mr. Umaro. You''d better eat quickly.'' Ginette advises Umaro. Umaro is so moved that he lets go, but I guess he can hear. ''The snow strawberries ripen in the morning and wilt in a day. If you don''t eat them quickly, the snow strawberries will be damaged. ''Is that so? Umaro was surprised by the shocking fact, looking in the direction of the day after tomorrow. Who the hell are you talking to? ''So, I''ll take it gratefully. ............ Um, can you stop staring at me?I''m getting nervous.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. It was kind of a rare sight. ''Yes. It was like the Brocken phenomenon. That much? Magda just shared a strawberry with me. ''By the way, Umaro . Which would make you happier, eating the snow strawberries Magda gave you or letting Magda eat those snow strawberries?'' ''Huh!...... This is Magda''s favorite food. In addition, it is now my property ......, which means that if I feed it to Magda ...... and give her an ahh ......, she will be happy. ...... I feel like I''d be happier that way! I''m sorry. I know what you mean. It''s cute when a cat feeds from your hand. ''Ma, Magda-tan!If you don''t mind, here''s a snow strawberry! Magda slobbers over the snow strawberries offered to her. ''...... no.'' ''...... No. That''s for Umaro to eat.'' He wipes the drool off his face and turns his back ...... on Umaro, or Snow Strawberry. Then he looked up at me and said, ''...... Yashiro, d*mn it. That startled me. Magda admonished me for playing with Umaro. Most of the time, Magda stood by my side and played with my Oumalo. She warned me not to play with her. Magda would only show this kind of attitude in the ...... really early days, before Magda became a little devil, or when Umaro was seriously weak. ...... No way. ''Umaro, are you ...... going to die? ''No, I''m not going to die!I''m perfectly healthy!I''m so healthy that I don''t even need to rest until I build a public bathhouse and steal the port construction know-how from the carpenters in the 35th district and make it my own. ''''It''s tough, you. You''ve even been forced to relocate the ice house in Mahrul''s hall in the meantime. ''What''s that?I''ve never heard of it!When was it decided? ''It''s just Ma''ru being selfish, you can turn it down if you want. ''Who would take on your job, you old hag? ''How can you say that?In the first place, refusing Ma''ru''s job is more difficult than refusing any other lord''s job! Ah, so that''s what these guys think too. They''re scared of you, Ma''ru. You never turn down a job from your lord, do you? No matter how busy they are, Umaro and his team at Torbeck Engineering are always ready to take on any request from Estella. The wonderful Yann Avenue in the 41st district is also fully taken care of by the Trubek construction company. That one, too, will be completed soon. ''You''re going to build Lucia''s villa too, aren''t you?You flatter the powers that be.'''' ''That''s not flattery, it''s ...... usually not refused. Unless the conditions are unreasonable. The way he said it stuck with me a little. ''Have you ever said no? ''Huh? ''No, because you sounded like you''ve been forced by a lord to do something impossible and you''ve turned it down. ''Oh ...... no.'' Umaro''s face became agitated. His face is like ''Oh, no......'' and his eyes are shaking fine. This is the part you didn''t want me to touch. ''Well, there are many things. It''s called celebrity tax. You should take it in stride. He laughed and patted Umaro on the shoulder. I''ll pretend you didn''t hear that so you don''t have to talk anymore. He''s just like Estella. He wants to solve the problems that come his way by himself as much as possible. And when things get really out of hand, she''ll finally ask for help. So until then, you''re safe. I can trust this guy. Make him believe ...... that he''s not alone in his thoughts and making stupid choices. You know? ''Oh, no, it''s not that serious. Umaro says in a cheerful voice and laughs with a troubled ''haha'' face. ''Actually, I''ve been recruited. They want me to move my headquarters to the 30th district and become the lord''s personal assistant. ''To the 30th district, huh? ''Yes, sir. But, well, Wishart-sama is someone we''ve had to deal with before, when he held up the construction for a long time for his own reasons, and even though he didn''t allow us to change the delivery date, he forced us to do it. When it rained heavily last year, Umaro and his team at Torbeck Engineering were asked to repair the mansion of Wishart, the lord of the 30th district. At that time, however, Norbert, the merchant in charge, was caught on suspicion of theft and became a problem. He was said to have brought unauthorized spices from Baocliere, and fearing that the matter would become public knowledge, Wishart banned all outsiders from entering the house until the situation cooled down. The people who took advantage of this were the people from Torbeck Engineering. Well, we took advantage of the waiting period to have Umaro and his crew build filtration systems and sewage systems. That''s when we built apartment after apartment in New Town. You can''t take on other jobs when you have a lord''s job to do. You never know what kind of complications you might face and as soon as a new job starts, you might be forced to do it ''first''. That''s why Estella gave him the job. To take full advantage of the extra hands at Torbeck Engineering. If it''s a job from Estella, I won''t complain if Wishart suddenly says ''resume work'' and our work is halfway done. The reason is that the request was originally made to fill a gap. Even back then, their skills were top-notch, and they were so well known that their lords would ask for them by name. But after that, they made a name for themselves as the only construction company that possessed sewage technology. After that, they participated in every major project, and before we knew it, we had absorbed countless carpenters. The company had become quite a large organization. Was he trying to hold it together? That''s a nobleman''s idea of showing off. ''Besides, I have no intention of leaving the Forty-second District. ''You have Magda, don''t you? ''That''s one thing, but I love Yashiro-san and everyone. ...... Haha.'' If you''re embarrassed and scratching your head, you shouldn''t have said anything. What is it?Are you saying that I''m a dullard who can''t or won''t be included in "everyone"?Who''s Regina? I''m sorry. ....... I''m not sure what to say. He desperately turned his gaze, which was about to run away, to Estella and apologized with a mysterious look on his face. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. The lord of the 30th district is making a complaint about the construction of the port. They were worried that they might be part of the cause. It seems that they were worried about that. But... ''All right. I''ll keep that in mind. My lord is very lenient. ''But don''t worry. It''s my job as the Lord of the Forty-second District to fight off the lords of other districts who try to force their way in, no matter what their reasons or causes are. He smiled and thanked her, ''Thank you for talking to me. ''On the other hand, if you are harassed in any way by the nobles, please do not hesitate to consult me. You''re all important people in my family, and I''ll definitely protect you. Estella may look young, small, flat, and unreliable, but her smile has reached the level of a lord. As expected of the ''Lord of Smiles''. ''Yashiro, didn''t you just think of something rude once? You''re also a lord in sharpness. Yeah. ''Thank you, .......'' ''............ It''s the best, it''s delicious. His voice was full of tears. You''re really overreacting. 463-After cleaning up the 265th episode... The heavy snowfall season is over, and the city has returned to its original hue, leaving behind clumps of snow that were avoided on the sides of the roads. The "Yodamari-tei Kamakura - The 2 - Snowman-kun''s Great Adventure Cafe" ended successfully, recording a moderate amount of sales. ''Mr. Snowman. We''ll see you next year. Ginette smiles quietly as she bows her head to the melted remains of the snowman. I thought about making one out of wax, but it would snow like crazy next year, so whatever. There are times when we are happy to see each other again because we rarely see each other. ''Why are you all here at ......? All the members of the sleepover group, who were supposed to have gone back to their respective homes after the heavy snowfall period, were gathered at the sunlit pavilion at dusk. ''We didn''t have any leftovers. I came here to eat the manager''s food. ''I failed to return home...'' Don''t miss it. Delia was supposed to give me a ride home, but it turned out to be impossible because the cleanup of the snow playground was more difficult than she expected. The piles of snow hadn''t melted, and there was a lot of snow left in the field. As for Mo-Matt, if he didn''t get rid of it today, he would have trouble working in the field from tomorrow. ''No~, the snow pile was so crunchy, it was hard work~'' ''Estella was just having fun jumping and kicking at the crunchy pile of snow. ...... "Let''s check the defenses! You know...'' ''What?I''m not sure what you mean.Don''t do that, it''s too similar! ''Estella-sama probably felt sympathy for Katchikachi. ''Whose breasts are tickly? No one said breasts, but ...... ah, everyone''s eyes were focused on Estella''s breasts. This means that even if you didn''t say it out loud, it''s as good as saying it. ''So, you''ve just finished work and you all came to eat at the sunny restaurant. ''Well, that''s how it is. Delia and the others had been assigned by Estella to watch over the snow playground. Apparently, out of a sense of responsibility, they even helped clean up after themselves. Thank you for your hard work. ''Everyone. I''m sure you''re tired today, so I''ve prepared something to keep you energized. What came out was a pile of dumplings. ''I asked him to bring me some Chinese cabbage that had been lying under the snow. Chinese cabbage left under the snow at Hamko Farm during the heavy snow season. Chinese cabbage becomes sweeter when it is damaged by frost and trapped under the snow! They are said to be overwintering vegetables, which means they produce and store more sugar in order to avoid freezing in the snow. Plants are so tough. These Chinese cabbage dumplings are made with a lot of Chinese cabbage. There is also a nira gyoza filled with nira. Of course, with more garlic. ''I hope everyone''s mouth stinks! ''Sure, the smell is intense. ......'' ''But, much to my chagrin, it''s delicious! ''...... Magda will call herself the leek fairy tomorrow.'' Estella looks frightened. Loretta realizes how delicious it is when she eats a pinch. And how about that fairy? Magda can''t help wondering. ''Also, we have fried chicken and fried shrimp. With the help of the food provider, it was cheaply prepared. Still, it''s a greasy lineup. ''I think I''d like something a little lighter. ''All right. Mapo Tofu! ''No!Calm down, Jeannette! That kind of Chinese food doesn''t fall into the category of ''light''! The only Chinese food that''s ''light'' is apricot bean curd! ...... Is there anything else? I''m not sure.What''s the sashimi? ...... Where have you been with that fish? I''ve never seen one before, even though we''ve been staying here during the heavy snow season. ''Marsha, is this what you wanted to go to the gate for?'' ''Yes, that''s right~'' ''Yes, that''s right!'' I heard that Masha was separated during the day. I guess so. There''s nothing Masha can do to clear the snow. There''s nothing Masha can do to clear away the snow. The only thing she can do is to heal the hearts of those who are exhausted from physical labor. It''s too good for the old men of District 42. ''Who took you there? ''It''s Millie~'' Millie, you''re so strong. ''Then I should''ve invited her too. ''That''s why I called her. She said she''d show up after work.'' Is this your house? Well, Millie is always welcome here. At that time, there was a modest knock on the door of the sunlit pavilion. ''Oh?Is that Millie? Delia stood up and headed for the door. ''Well then, let''s get you in the mood for a welcome.'' ''Yes.'' At my signal, Ginette and Estella stand up. Following Natalia and Norma, we all look towards the entrance. ''Then let''s open it~'' Delia opened the door and the person on the other side was... ''It''s been a while, everyone!And anchovies! It was Lucia. ''Delia, close the door! ''What?Oh.'' ''Wait, Delilah!I''m a guest! ''You''re a customer. ''I''m sorry, but we''re a selective diner.Go home, Lucia! ''Hmmm ......, can you still say that after seeing this, anchovy! ''Oh, ...... you''re not ...... here, are you?'' What''s more, Millie is bound in Lucia''s arms. I''m not sure what to do.It''s not fair to take a child as a hostage! ''It''s not a child! No, she''s a child! She''s a child who''s allowed to say, ''I''m going to marry my father! ''Come on, invite him in, anchovy. ''......, I''m ......, what the hell am I supposed to do? ''Hey, what''s this farce? ''Why don''t you just come on in, Lucia? ''I don''t know what I''m going to do about this. Lucia''s smug expression at the triviality of the situation caused the store to buzz. ''Lucia-san. Millie-san. Welcome to the Sunlight Pavilion. You''re welcome. Ginette softly bows her head. Ah, I''ve welcomed her. He''s coming in, that one. And he''s eating brazenly. ''Lucia, what are your plans for tomorrow? ''Tomorrow, I''m going to meet the lords of the 36th and 37th districts to check the damage during the heavy snow season. ''Alright, then you can have some dumplings! And you can get the nickname ''Lord of the Mouthwash''. I had no choice but to invite Lucia in, politely welcome Milly, and say, ''I don''t care what happens tomorrow!A big dumpling party was held. Today''s dumplings are unbelievable! Ssshhhh. ''I''m glad to see you again after all these years,'' I said. Gilberta. Come here. Let''s eat dumplings together.'' ''I accept, I do. I''ll give up serving Lady Lucia.'' ''No, you don''t want me to, Gilberta! ''Isn''t it all right, Miss Estella?I''ve already thrown myself into it. ''You always do, but it''s a bit annoying when you say it again! There is no head waiter here who is obedient to his lord. Everyone is so free. ''Oh, yes. Umaro, Bekko, Norma. And Bekko.'' ''Why have I been called twice, that I have? ''The location of the public bath is by the outer gate after all, right?'' ''Yes, that''s right. The construction will start tomorrow. ''I''ve already told the men to start making the parts. We''ll have it done by the end of the year. We''ll have it done by the end of the year. ...... Unless our fox carpenter screws up.'' ''That''s what I''m talking about! I''m also a huge bathroom decorator. I''ll do my best to make a huge object to decorate the bathroom, that I will. I can''t stop being excited about it now, that I am. ''I see. And what about Becco? ''You just said that, that you did!What, are you asking for two of me, that you are? I smiled at the recoiling Bekko. You''re a funny creature, really. ''The object was designed by Imelda, right?'' ''Yes, it was. But the original idea came from the manager, didn''t it?'' ''What?Is it me? Ginette almost dropped the dumpling she was about to bring to her mouth when her name was unexpectedly mentioned. When did you come up with the original idea? ''I arranged the snowman''s great adventure that I made during the heavy snow season. ''You''re making a snowman in a public bathhouse! ''Yeah, I might have to go to ...... for that! ''Even though there''s a huge bath! It''s such a shame! Fuji or something! Well, I guess people in the 42nd district wouldn''t understand even if I showed them Mt. After all, we can''t see the mountain from this town. ''I was expecting to see more statues of great people and gods. ......'' ''What ...... are you talking about, that ...... statue of Yashiro-san taking a bath?'' ''What great man am I? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had a strange imagination. Please don''t blush next to me. ''Don''t show me anything obscene, anchovy! ''I''m not showing you anything! ''I''m at your disposal if you want me to...'' I didn''t request it! I''ll stuff six dumplings in your greedy little mouth. How about that? Inhaling and exhaling, they all stink, don''t they? Keep writhing. ''Oh yeah, speaking of baths--'' Lucia clapped her hands and said something ridiculous. ''I''m planning to take a bath today, so please take care of me, Ginepuyo. Don''t make any plans of your own. Huh. ...... Let''s build a public bathhouse soon so we can say ''go there''. Let''s do that. There''s a lively dumpling party going on. Lured by the strong smell, manual laborers are coming to the sunny pavilion in droves. I had expected that there would be few visitors today, since everyone would be busy with meetings and confirmations of the end of the heavy snowfall season, but due to the irregular work of removing the snow piles from the fields, many people had come to the vicinity of the sunny pavilion. Since it was a temporary job that offered some reward money from the lord, the farming guilds, river fishing guilds, and other people who couldn''t start working right away were all participating. So, if your pockets are warm from the extra income and you smell something nice like this, you will enter ......, right? ''Oh no, I wasn''t planning on doing business as usual today,......''. ''I''ll go cook for you. No, no, no. I was going to let Jeannette relax today. After all, I couldn''t rest during the heavy snow season. Ginette and I were stuck in the store to take Magda and Loretta to the snow playground. Well, I stayed in the sunny place because I wanted to. We all wrapped the dumplings, so we had a lot of dumplings. All we had to do was bake them. ...... Okay, let''s do this! ''Today, we''re having a dumpling buffet. ''A dumpling buffet?That sounds like a lot of fun.'' Ginette looks at me expectantly, wondering what I''m up to. It''s nothing. We''re just going to cook a lot of dumplings and let you eat as many as you want. Just for today, pay in advance, all you can eat! Oh, no. If we''d had beer, we''d have sold like hotcakes. ''I''m going to ask Mr. Paula for support! Loretta, who seemed to have correctly understood the position of the dumplings, ran out of the restaurant. If we can get Cantalcica to deliver the beer, the dumplings will sell like hotcakes! ...... Hey, I was just saying that we''re going all-you-can-eat! ''You missed a business opportunity, .......'' ''That''s fine, it''s a service to all of you who worked so hard today. I don''t benefit from their hard work. So why should I reward them for their hard work? ...... ''I''ll personally reward you later, Yashiro-san. Right? I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... What kind of personal reward? ''...... wearing a bathing suit and taking a bath together? ''No, I can''t do that. ''Then, not wearing a bathing suit, together .......'' ''That''s even more impossible! Okay. ...... ...... Is that so? Is it really impossible? ''Is it ......?'' ''It''s impossible.'' I''m sure it''s not possible, because he made sure of it. It''s a shame. ''But well, I promised Magda that I''d bathe in the shape of a river, and I''ll be following up ......''. ''You''re not bathing, you''re sleeping! Is that right? It''s funny, I''ve been a little forgetful lately. ''It''ll be fun to see what you get, huh? ''Well, ......, I''ll see you after my bath today. ''All right. I''ll wait for you while you''re taking a bath. ''After the bath, sir!......You know, if you keep talking like that, I''m going to leave you with your reward.'''' So you can''t get anything if you''re greedy. ''Well, I guess I''ll do my best to make sure I get my reward. ''Oh, if you''re in the kitchen, I''m .......'' ''No, you pay for the dumpling buffet in advance. Isn''t Ginette in charge of the cash register?'' If you pay in advance, the customers will eat and leave as they please. Normally, it would be necessary to set a time limit and check the entry and exit times, but ...... is impossible to establish such a management system for such a spur-of-the-moment project. If that''s the case, Ginette can do whatever she wants at her own discretion. In short, it''s a system that would turn your duodenum upside down, based on the trust that ''everyone is a good person, so there will be no unpaid bills or cheating. ''All right. I''ll leave the kitchen to you then. ''Do you want to go to ...... Magda too?'' ''I guess so. ...... Let the customers sit down first. The dumplings will be served at the counter, so tell them to come and get them and eat them as they please.'' ''...... Got it.'' ''Big brother!After this, we''ll be getting a lot of beer and ale from Cantalucia! ''''''Oooohhh!'''''' The old men shouted as they heard Loretta''s information coming back at high speed. Now it''s time to set the price. ...... ''''Ginette, let''s set the price at three servings per person. I''m sure they''ll go for three servings. That''s enough to pay for the customers. We use cheap Chinese cabbage from Ham''s farm, and we don''t use such a large amount of meat. The cost is very low. The price of three servings per person would be enough to make a profit. ''So, today only, we''re having a big dumpling party!......, okay?'' After announcing to the customers, he asked me to confirm, ''Right? right?'' or something like that. It''s the other way around, isn''t it? ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro, are you hungry? ''I''ve eaten enough. Estella, Lucia, and the others are still eating dumplings near the usual seats in the back. Lucia and Gilberta said they were going to take a bath. ...... Let''s get rid of the customers and get rid of them quickly. I''m not sure what to do.If you haven''t had enough to drink, go to Cantalucia! I announced, and went into the kitchen. ''''Maido!Cantalcica''s delivery! My sisters, who must have been invited to help out at Cantaluc?-a, came in, and the voltage in the restaurant shot up. Then, let''s grill it up. We spread the gyoza all over the big frying pan and started to cook them. Both the stove and the frying pan are fully utilized. ''Do you need any help, my friend Yashiro? ''Gilberta. Have you had enough to eat? ''I enjoyed it, I did. It was good, very good. I''m satisfied, I think.'' Gilberta chuckles, her mouth glistening with oil. I''m sure she''s a grown woman, but she looks so young that I want to take care of her. Or rather, if I don''t take care of her, she tends to neglect her appearance and grooming. ''Come here. You''ve got oil on your mouth.'' I break my knee and call Gilberta. I take a clean towel from the kitchen cabinet and wipe Gilberta''s mouth. ''............'' Gilberta stares at me with a puzzled look on her face, then smirks again. ''I''m tickled, I am. My friend Yashiro is always so nice to me when I come here.'' ''You''ve been working hard, so here''s your reward. ''I''ll keep working hard, even harder than I am now. It''s really tough to be the chaperone of a pervert who goes off the rails wherever ...... he goes. I would have turned in my resignation in three days. ''Okay, Gilberta. Watch the frying pan for a moment.'' ''Just watching, am I? ''I''m about to fill it with water and put the lid on, so let me know when the sizzling sound turns to dry. ''You got it, I do!But first, I''d like an apron. Hey, hey. And wash your hands, too. ''Life, restaurant, cleanliness. I learned that from my eternal rival, Magda.'' I don''t know what kind of rivalry you two have, but I''m glad you''re so close. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... I realized after tying the strings that I probably didn''t need to go this far, but I guess it''s too late now. I''m a grown man, but Gilberta is still Gilberta. When I first met her, she had a military vibe, but that has all but disappeared and now she''s like a niece who comes to visit me at home. If I had to classify her into a certain genre, I''d put her in the same category as Milly, Magda, and her sisters. Yeah. They''re all underage. Hmm?Millie? Of course they''re minors. While Gilberta takes care of the dumplings, I slice the amberjack that Masha gave me into three pieces. I make sure to remove the blood, peel off the skin, and arrange the sashimi on the thin bone, leaving the ...... head and tail. ''Okay, amberjack with tail head. It would have been easier to remove the head and pull out the guts, but I tried a little harder to leave the head on. It was just for fun. ''My friend Yashiro, that sounds strange. ''Oh, I''m coming. I put the amberjack with the head and tail on the workbench and went to check the dumplings. ...... Good job. Bring out a platter big enough to cover the big frying pan, and put it over the pan as if to cover the gyoza. Then, turn the pan upside down and the dumplings will be nicely placed on the platter,....... ''Gilberta, can you do it?'' ''I think I can, I can.'' ''Okay, take your time. All right.All right? ''Hooray!I''m going to turn it over. When I gently removed the frying pan, there was a beautiful array of dumplings. They were crispy, charred, and had magnificent wings. This looks delicious. ''Well, Gilberta. Deliver this to our starving guests.'' ''You got it, I do. I''ll show you now how to walk pretty, the secret technique I learned from my eternal rival Magda! Gilberta walks down the street with a platter in her hand, waving her butt in the air. ...... If it were Loretta, she would have warned, "Don''t be silly, take it properly! If it was Loretta, she would have warned her to stop messing around and take it properly. But Gilberta is a competent waiter. But Gilberta is a very capable head waiter. She never trips and falls, so there''s no need to worry about that. Well, whether that walk is cute or not is a matter of some debate. ''Wow, you have a tail head. Just as I was about to start cooking the next dumpling after seeing Gilberta off, Ginette came into the kitchen and found a tail head on the work table. ''You remembered, with the tail head? ''Yes. You told me about it when I was checking the sound of the Forced Translation spell. There was a time when I said ''tail-headed'' and Jeannette couldn''t understand me. However, when Ginette said ''live cooking'', it was confusing because it sounded like ''with a tail head'', which was familiar to me and had a similar meaning. Now, Jeannette understands the term "with a tail head" and its meaning, so she can understand it. ''That brings back memories. ''Well, let''s have a nibble, shall we? Ginette glanced towards the floor and laughed, holding her mouth. ''Snack quickly, sir. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you have. ...... Yum. If I had to be extravagant, I would have liked some wasabi. Horseradish itself is available in the 42nd district. But I haven''t grated it yet. I couldn''t get it in time for a quick snack. Oh, how I regret it. ''I miss it. Ginette swallows the amberjack and relaxes her cheeks. ''Have you ever eaten amberjack before?'' ''No . I''ve never had this fish before. It''s a very tasty fish. Then what do you miss about it? ''The two of us ate amberjack like this before, didn''t we? There were only two of us then. ''I''m glad we can eat together again like this. ''It''s always like this, all the time. There''s nothing special about it. Just do it when you get the chance. All the time, all the time. Okay. See you later.'' With that, he collects the chopsticks and small plates from me and quickly washes them with the ones he used. It''s evidence destruction. In addition, he quickly rearranged the two pieces of food that had been reduced with the chopsticks without me knowing. I''m impressed. ''As expected of a pro at snacking. ''Oh, I didn''t touch your food, did I? So it''s safe in this restaurant. What a generous place. ''Can I serve this tail with the head to everyone? ''Oh, no. It''s a gift from Masha anyway. Also, tell her I had a bite and it was really good.'' ''Yes, I''ll do that. I''ll tell him that''s what Mr. Yashiro said.'' Jeannette hides her snack. I''ve been found out. After Ginette left the kitchen, I continued cooking the dumplings. Gilberta hasn''t come back yet, but she must have been grabbed by the old guys. I thought to myself. Even if Gilberta doesn''t come back, we can still cook the dumplings. If we wait, the dumplings will burn. The frying pan is heavy, but it''s not impossible to hold. I''ll just do it by myself. And so, I struggled with the too-big frying pan. While I''m struggling alone, I hear someone coming into the kitchen. Oh, thank goodness. Gilberta had come back. ''Gilberta, I''m sorry. Can you help me? ''No!No thanks, anchovy! ''......, it''s you.'' Lucia, who was supposed to be eating dumplings carefree in the seating area, came into the kitchen with a leisurely gait. You''re just in the way. Isn''t that what you are anyway?You''ve never even held a knife before, have you? ''It''s dangerous around here, so don''t wander around. And don''t touch anything around here without permission. ''You''re treating me like a child, aren''t you? ''Blades, fire, dangerous. Touch it, it''s very, very dangerous. ''How dare you treat me like this, now? He left Lucia looking a little confused and dared to flip the frying pan, which was the best part of making dumplings. It''s a good idea....... Okay, it''s done well. ''Oh, ...... is that how dumplings are made? ......Which? ''Don''t touch it. ''......It''s not ''which''. If you do it, you''ll lose about ten servings in an instant. Get away from the hearth. ''Where''s Gilberta? ''She was so cute in her apron! That''s not it, that''s what I want. ''Did the old men catch you? ''No, I ordered them to leave the room for a while. Gilberta herself wanted to come back right away. Don''t blame her. ''I''m not blaming Gilberta. When you have to bake a lot of dumplings, you''re being selfish. Go back to District 35, you bastard. ''Don''t blame me either! Lucia bared her fangs with some tears in her eyes. What? I''m just kidding. Don''t cry. ''I''ll help you. ''Do you know the word ''slow''? ''That''s a word I''ve never heard. ''You''re lucky to have me. You can make it your motto from now on.'' Lucia approached the hearth, swaying the hem of her fluttering, aristocratic dress. If that thing catches fire, it''ll be a disaster. ''Wait. If you''re in here, put on an apron. This is not your house. You''ll have to follow the rules to the letter. ''Hmm. You may be an anchovy, but you can''t help it if that''s the rule set by Jinepu. I''ll obey. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what I''m talking about. It''s too much to go around. ''Don''t ask me for an excuse to live honestly. ''That would be you, anchovy. ''I''m honest. I love money and tits. I love money and boobs. I''m willing to play Judgment of the Spirits. Then I''ll be honest with you. I love the beastmen, and I''m slightly uncomfortable with you. Shall I cast Judgment of the Spirits? Hmm. ''Slightly''. You seem to be looking at me quite fondly. ''Then put on this apron and roll up the sleeves. ''How am I supposed to put it on? ''Just put it on like a normal apron and string it up with ...... Wow, you''re reacting like a monkey who''s been exposed to civilization.'' ''Who''s a monkey, I beg your pardon. ''Who''s a monkey? If you give a monkey an unknown tool, he''ll do the same thing. ''Lend it to me. I''ll put it on.'' ''Mmm, forgive me.'' Don''t you know the word ''please''? You''re acting aristocratic. I''m an ...... aristocrat. ''Here, hold your hair. It''ll catch.'' ''You''re asking me to hold my hair up in front of you? ''It''s okay. I''ll just look at the nape of your neck and think, ''Whoo-hoo! I''ll make you think.'' ''''No thanks!Don''t think about it!You bastard!'' Lucia shouted and lifted her long hair. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ...... You''re a girl, Lucia. I''m not sure what to say. I''ll be a bit more gentle. I''ll also roll up my sleeves because they''re fluttering and dangerous. ''Do you want me to bare my skin in front of you? ''If you don''t like it, take off that dress. ''Why do I have to show off my first naked apron in front of you? ''Are you planning to show it off somewhere someday! You don''t even know how to wear an apron. I turn up the fluttery sleeves and tie them with a string to prevent them from slipping down. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. It''s a little frustrating that she looks a little fragile even though she''s ...... Lucia. I''m not sure what I''m supposed to do. ''There''s nothing you can do, so just sit there and watch. ''Why did you make me wear an apron? ''It''s for hygiene! I didn''t make her wear it for you, I made her wear it for the sake of the Sunshine Pavilion! I don''t want you to get hurt or anything, so please be quiet. ''Mmm ......, I don''t like this helpless feeling. ''Then put the dumplings in the frying pan. ''I''ll leave it to you.'' A lord who is willing to do the work of a servant. Even Estella doesn''t want to do this kind of thing. ...... Oh, no, he wanted to make rice balls. I guess that''s it. I guess being around Jeannette makes you develop a disease where you can''t help but want to work. The invention of a vaccine is urgently needed. Lucia dips her fingertips in flour to keep them from sticking and begins to place the dumplings in the pan before cooking. She lays out the dumplings in a row, just as I taught her. ''By the way...'' --Here it comes. The reason why she came all the way to the kitchen alone without Gilberta was because she had something to say to me. And it was something I didn''t want anyone to hear. Now, what is it that you want to talk about? ...... ''Is Torbeck Construction Company a bunch of cowards who insidiously hunt down and ostracize their competitors? ''What about ......?'' The accusation was so outlandish that I couldn''t help but let out a squeak. I may not have been able to hide my irritation. ''...... That voice is the answer, isn''t it? She giggles and relaxes her mouth in a funny way. ''No, what. I was just thinking that Estella was right. ''What did he say to you? ''I can''t divulge the secrets that we have exchanged between the lords. What secrets? Most of it was badmouthing me. ''Well, forgive me. After all, I''ve never had a proper conversation with the Fox Master, so it was difficult for me to trust my own eyes. Umaro, you can''t even look him in the eye properly. ''I heard information about them that was so different from what I heard about their reputation in the 42nd district. I''ve come to check them out just in case. Information that deviates from their reputation in District Forty-two: ...... Does that mean they have a bad reputation? The reputation of Torbeck Construction Company in the 42nd district is very good. At any rate, all the carpenters in the forty-two districts fell under their command. In their case, it was as if they voluntarily became apprentices rather than losing the competition. And I know that the Trubek Corporation respects the indigenous carpenters and treats them with due respect. Through interaction, education, and coordination, Torbek''s store is at the top of the list of carpenters in District 42. There is no one who can complain about it. There is no room for bad publicity. ''I''ve seen at least a part of their work, so it was hard for me to believe, but I was hesitant to silence the opinions of the people of my district, even if it was ....... I went to the trouble of going to the store ...... and I got it all lined up nicely. --The dumplings are just a bonus. The dumplings are a bonus.'''' Lucia said, putting the dumplings in a neat row and making a smug face. You''re getting carried away with the freebies. ''If you''re a citizen of my district, then the carpenters of District 35 must have brought the bad reputation of Torbek''s construction company with them. ''Hmm. It''s not often that we meet in person, but since we''re members of the same civil engineering guild union, we get a fair amount of information from them. The civil engineering guild union is an organization in which the civil engineering guilds of almost all districts, with the exception of a few special cases such as carpenters in the service of the royal family, are members and engage in activities based on mutual aid. It seems to be an organization that was established on the occasion of a major project, the construction of the city wall. It was truly a national project, wasn''t it? Even so, it didn''t become a large guild that spans across the districts, because there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in each district. The level of the buildings is also very different. It would have been more convenient for them to operate individually. The carpenters who are members of such a union seem to share a certain amount of information, even though the wards are different. However, there is no way of knowing whether this information is accurate or not. ''Can you tell me more about it? ''No, it''s nothing personal. There''s a rumor going around that you''ve been causing trouble with a competitor that''s been growing in strength. ''I don''t think that no matter how much other companies grow in strength, they won''t become a threat to Torbeck Engineering. ''Hahaha!You really favor your own people too much, don''t you? You know what? Are you saying that Torbek''s construction company is not a big deal? What''s the big deal about your carpenter?Huh? ''Don''t stare at me like that. I have no intention of corrupting that cute fox master. It''s just that ...... kuku kuku ......'' Covering her mouth with a lightly clenched fist, Lucia smiled with amusement. ''I was just thinking that you have a lot of trust and are equally proud of yourself. You spoke as if you belonged to the organization. It''s just that I''ve known them for a long time and I''m familiar with their skills. I didn''t mean to get pissed off and argue. Don''t look at me with a smirk on your face. ''But it''s true that there was trouble. I don''t know what happened between us. I don''t even know who was at fault. It''s just a fact that bad rumors are starting to emerge. ''They''ve grown in power rapidly in the last year or two,'' he said. ''Their high technology may have been with them from the start. But that doesn''t change the fact that their growth has accelerated with your arrival, does it? ''Are you trying to say it''s my fault? ''Wouldn''t it be more convenient for you to say so? He muddled his words with meaning and said something out of line with a smile on his face. It''s easier for you to meddle, isn''t it? Who''s going to meddle? Who would meddle with something that doesn''t even bring in a penny? ''The carpenters of the 35th district are worried or dissatisfied, aren''t they?That they''re working with Torbek''s construction company to build the port. ''Well, to put it bluntly, yes. ''Well, that''s it in a nutshell. If we get involved, we''ll be ostracized in the union. The carpenters in our district are not as powerful as the Torbek Corporation. Even if we are ostracized by the union, we can continue our work without any problem. They have enough power, technology, and connections that it won''t matter if they leave the union. Well, if they were to do that, they would make enemies of all carpenters in the district. I see. So that''s what''s been bothering Umaro lately. ''Halloween was fun. Suddenly, Lucia says something out of context. What''s wrong with that? ......, and then you think about it and realize the truth. ''Their work is careful and quick, yet original and playful. It''s really interesting. Lucia spoke highly of the work of Torbeck''s contractors. That''s what he wanted to say. ''Don''t ruin it with your nonsense. Don''t tell me that, I have to think. ...... ''Of course not. Umaro is very easy to use.'' If Trubeck Engineering is alive and well, it''s easy for me to use it as my chin. If anyone tries to mess with Torbek''s store, whether it''s a group, an army, or a great nobleman... I''ll crush him myself. ''....... Make some good dumplings.'' Lucia looks at me, smiles to herself, gives an arbitrary order, and leaves the kitchen. You''re gonna pay me for this information with some delicious dumplings? All right. Go home with a big bowl of the best dumplings you''ll ever eat. Then Gilberta and I came back and I cooked a lot of dumplings. 464-Episode 266 Cool Mint and Hot Bath ''Mr. Yashiro, I''ll take your place. Please take a good night''s rest. I thanked Ginette for her offer, and left the kitchen. ...... It''s hot. It''s hell in the kitchen where the cooking stove is in full operation all the time. Ginette, how can you stay in a place like this? ...... When I went out to the floor, the number of customers had calmed down. Probably there won''t be any more, and when these guys are satisfied, the day will be over. That''s the feeling I get. And I guess that''s why Ginette left the floor. Well, I guess I''ll take my time. ''Yashiro. Estella spotted me and waved at me from her usual seat. Next to her, Lucia was talking to Natalia with a difficult look on her face. Millie, perhaps compelled to sit next to Lucia, listens to Lucia and Natalia with wide eyes. Magda and Loretta, having enjoyed the dumplings, returned to their normal duties. Magda and Loretta were back to their normal duties. The older sister was at the beer stall sent by Cantalcica, and she was handling the old men well. ''Where are Delia and the others?'' I ask, sitting in my usual seat next to Estella. ''They said they''re leaving for the day, they just left. Well, they''ve been working hard since this morning, clearing away the piles of snow in the fields. I guess she was tired. ''Delia said that tomorrow morning the whole guild is going to go on a massive fishing expedition in order to thin out the fish that have increased during the heavy snowfall. ''Tireless or not, ......''. ''Norma left in high spirits to prepare for the public baths that start tomorrow. ''You should be tired, at least a little! ''Umaro, Bekko and Imelda also left with glowing faces. ''Are you having too much fun? They were all looking forward to tomorrow''s work so much that they left quickly. They didn''t seem to be thinking about taking a bath or anything like that. It''s more like they''re workaholics. ''Did Umaro seem to be enjoying himself? ''Huh?Yeah. He was really excited.'' ''I see.'' I''m worried about the bad reputation of Torbeck Engineering. But unless Umaro asks me to talk about it, I can''t do anything about it. I''m sure he has his own pride and pride of place. ''You''re in some trouble, aren''t you?Leave it to me, I''ll help you,'' is not polite to them. Just go to ...... I hope you can get it over with before it''s too late. Cover your mouth with your hand and grab your jawbone tightly. If you don''t hold on tight, you''re going to let a few unnecessary words slip out. If you have a problem, talk to me. You sound like a good person. It seems he''s still reeling from the masters. The regret of not making the move he should have made. ''Yashiro. I must have looked a little difficult. Estella bends her eyebrows and gives a soft smile. As if to say, ''I''m worried about you. ''I know you''re worried, but you shouldn''t look like that. I realized that my hand was pressing my mouth with a lot of pressure. What am I doing? ''Did Estella hear that too? He turned his gaze to Lucia. Estella followed my gaze and looked at me too. ''That story...'' Lucia brought up the bad reputation of Torbek''s construction company that she heard from a carpenter in the 35th district. I''m sure the lords have been sharing information with each other before I did. ''Yes. I heard.'' As I expected, Estella nodded her head. I knew you''d heard. ''That''s great. Hmm? Wonderful? ''Because your worries, and all of our worries, will be relieved with the new technology that was born in District 42. ''What? New technology? I''ve never heard of it. Is there a revolutionary technology that can save Umaro and the others? When Estella saw my surprised face, she broke down in a happy smile. Perhaps it''s her sense of superiority that puts her ahead of me, or perhaps it''s her sense of versatility that puts her in a position to tell me about it. He was smug to the point of showing off. ''Can you tell me more about it? ''Sure, .......'' Estella leaned in close to me. When I backed away, she moved even closer to me, as if to close the distance. We''re next to each other at a table for four. We''re not even that far apart. When you''re this close to each other, ...... your noses are almost touching. ''Estella. ''...... Shh.'' You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. My finger is almost touching my lips, and Estella is right there, her beautiful red eyes staring at me. ...... ''......Yashiro''. With a small whisper, Estella''s lips come close to mine. With her left hand on my knee and her right hand on my arm, she stretched out and approached me. It''s as if she''s kissing me. And then-- ''Huh~'' She blew on my nose with all her might. ''What are you doing? ''What do you think?You don''t smell that? ''I didn''t have time to smell it! ''Why not? Because I was so nervous! I''ll never tell anyone about it! ''Okay, let''s do it again. Okay?Huh! ''No, even if you say it doesn''t smell, it''s annoying when you say ''huh~'' right under my nose. ''Oops!Hey, Yashiro, don''t talk to me!Your breath stinks! ''Don''t you dare try to cut my heart out at close range! Estella picks her nose and walks away. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can''t stand the smell.I''m jealous! We just ate a lot of garlic and leek dumplings! ''But by the way, I don''t smell. See, ''huh''?''Huh?'' Estella is relentlessly blowing her nose at me. Indeed, Estella''s mouth did not reek of garlic. On the contrary, it is rather refreshing ...... mint? ''Oh, hey, ladybug. Here you go. Millie offers me a candy in a pretty wrapping paper. ''What''s this? ''It''s a cool mint candy. Cool mint candies? Oh, you made that? ''It''s a little bit pungent, but it''s good for masking the smell in your mouth. I heard that the big ladies of the Ikebana guild invented it with a lot of hard work and perseverance in order to get rid of bad breath the day after eating yakiniku. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''So, Estella has that smug look on her face. ......'' ''Thanks to this great invention, the dignity of our lady has been preserved. I''m so proud of you.'' Lady, hey ...... ''What kind of lady is this who huffs and puffs at men? ''What?The expression is malicious! ''No, Estella-sama. ''I''m not doing that! ''No, you did, Estella.'' ''Even Lucia-san? ''Hmm,......, Estella, you were a little close, weren''t you? ''I thought Millie would be the only one who would say it wasn''t ......! Estella curls up in a chair, covering her face with her hands. Her exposed ears are bright red. They are redder than the color of her hair. That''s why you''re so careless. You should always think about how your actions will look to others. ''And it''s not tomorrow''s bad breath I''m worried about. ''H...... is it not? I don''t know if I''d be that serious about something like that. ''It''s about Umaro. ''Umaro''s .............'' Estella says with a raised eyebrow and a serious expression. ''I''m sorry to hear about ...... your illness.'' ''I know that, and I don''t want a cure! I don''t care how sick he is! I''m sure he''ll be able to live with Magda-tan disease and not being able to look girls in the face for the rest of his life. It''s not that. ...... There are other customers. Magda and Loretta are working. There''s no need for Milly to hear about this when we''re not sure. So I''ll just tell Estella in secret. ''I''m talking about the bad reputation of Torbeck Engineering. ''What, what''s that? ''You haven''t heard about it? Share the information, my lords! ''Then what were Lucia and the others talking about just now? ''It''s about the importation of cool mint candies and their production in the 35th district factory. That meeting wasn''t a bonus for Millie, it was a bonus for Natalia! Oh, you were talking about distribution. ''Lucia. Would you mind telling Estella about this?'' ''Mm. I was going to tell her at some point, but the wonderful Milly had a wonderful invention. I got carried away with it.'''' ...... eye contact earlier, I was looking at Lucia, but Estella must have been looking at Millie. I''m sure Estella was looking at Millie when she said, ''Did you hear about that? Did you hear about the new candy? d*mn, it''s hard to communicate eye to eye! ''All-you-can-eat dumplings are sold out! ''...... We''ve beaten the dumplings.'' The platter is emptied, and Loretta and Magda announce the end. The crowd applauds, and the excitement reaches a climax. They''re easy to get on. So what''s Jeannette doing now? They''ll eat the dumplings he has on hand and go home. Our work is almost done. ''Milly, can I have another of these candies? ''Hmm. I''ve got plenty.'' Millie gave me two cool mint candies and I left. While Estella is talking to Lucia, I''ll let Ginette know. We''re sold out. And while I''m at it, I''ll bring her some of these candies. I popped a cool mint candy into my mouth and rolled it around on my tongue, frowning at the nostalgic mint taste. The refreshing scent of mint went through my nose, and the garlic smell disappeared. Yes, this is good. Halitosis is a little annoying, after all. There was no sign of Jeannette in the kitchen. Where did she go? I wondered, and then Jeannette popped up from the hallway. ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. ''Preparing for a bath? ''Yes. I thought you might be using the large bath as well. I was planning to use the smaller bath today, but Lucia said she was going to take a bath, so it looks like they''re opening up the large bath. He''s a real pain in the ass. I mean, ...... ''Did you already boil the one for one person? ''The one for one person was already boiling?'' ''The one for one person was already boiling'' means that the other one was also ready. If he had prepared to use the bathhouse, that would have been enough. ''I always prepare the baths after cleaning up, so it''s always late when I go in. If you boil the water after the restaurant is closed, you will be late to take a bath. In addition, Jeannette and Magda can still take a bath together, but I have to wait until Jeannette and the others leave. Maybe I''m rushing them. But Magda is going to sleep, so I have to give her a bath first. That''s why he was preparing for the bath at this hour. ''Leave the cleanup to me, Yashiro-san, and please go in first. ''No, that''s indeed .......'' ''In return, I may have to leave the cleanup to you in the future, so please take care of it when you do. Ginette takes a bath first, and I do the closing and cleanup. There will be days like that. So we''re on duty. That''s okay then. ''Okay. But they''re here today. ......'' I''ll probably be the last one to bathe. That''s okay. I''ll take a leisurely soak after Jeannette and the others are asleep. ''Would you like to come in now? ''Now? ''Yes, sir. If it''s for one person, the water is already boiling, and I just heard that the dumplings are sold out. The work at the restaurant is almost done. The only thing left to do is clean up. Then we''d better go in quickly. From the kitchen, I glanced at the floor. Lucia is talking with Estella. It''ll take a little longer. Besides, the big bath hasn''t boiled yet. ...... ''Well, I guess I''ll go in first. ''Yes, sir. Take your time.'' Ginette beckons me towards the corridor. Beautiful big-breasted landlady ...... Mm, nice hot spring resort. ''Ginette, you can use the big bath. You should use the big bath. It''s worth the effort to heat it up. The bathhouse was in full operation during the heavy snowfall season, but it won''t be used so often in the future. It''s better to use it when you can. ''It''s nice to have the bath all to yourself. You can swim if you want.'' ''I don''t swim. ''You can''t swim.'' ''Mmm, I don''t swim. Jeannette still can''t keep her face out of the water. I don''t know how long it will be before he outgrows the cane. ''Well, I''ll go tell Lucia and the others. We don''t want to run into each other in the bathroom.'' That''s true. If Lucia bursts into the bathroom I''m in, she''ll be a liability problem. I hope it was just an accident, but if she saw the skin of a girl of her age before her wedding, she might take responsibility and get married. ...... If I had to take care of Lucia for the rest of my life, my life span would be worn down by a decade. It''s not a good idea. So...'' ''Oh, wait, Jeannette.'' He stops Ginette, who bows her head and is about to leave the kitchen, and offers her a gift from Millie. ''Here''s Millie''s new candy. If you don''t want to eat after this, you can lick it off. ''Oh, that''s Millie''s new candy. Thank you very much. Ginette accepts the candy and breaks into a happy smile. However, she held her mouth with both hands and her cheeks rapidly turned red. ''Do you want to come to ......? Yeah, well, ...... ''We''re all in this together, aren''t we? We''re all eating the same thing and smelling the same thing. You don''t have to worry about it. But with the advent of cool mint candies, many people have broken away from the monogamy. So, you can cut off the gynette, too. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out the best way to make the most of your time with us. From ''......'' Licking a cool mint candy, Jeannette bounces her shoulders. It''s very pungent. Some people might find it spicy. ''But it''s delicious. Ginette rolls the candy around on her tongue. Occasionally, the shape of the candy appears on her cheeks. ''It smells good. It''s kind of refreshing. ''Maybe it''ll help you sleep.'' ''Yes, it seems to be effective. The scent that goes through your nose is fresh and minty. It''s refreshing and invigorating. This candy could be a hit. It''s good for bad breath and to help you sleep. It will be a good friend of workers. ''...... chun-chun! Ginette, breathing heavily through her nose, sneezes. There you are. The one who sneezes when the mint stimulates the mucous membrane of her nose. ''Ugh ...... excuse me''. Ginette sniffles and quickly washes her hands covering her mouth. He''s apologizing for sneezing in the kitchen. Well, I had it under control, so I guess it''s okay. ''I guess I''d better refrain from eating in the kitchen. Sneezing in the kitchen is not a good idea. Of course, it''s for hygiene reasons. Well, as long as you keep your hands and arms free of droplets, it''s not a problem. If Ginette wants me to refrain from doing so, I will. ''Well, let''s get you a bath. ''Yes, sir. Take your time.'' Ginette bows her head and leaves the kitchen. ''Oh, manager!Do you have a minute? ''Yes, please wait a moment. I''ll be right there.'' Loretta calls Ginette. Overhearing this mundane conversation, I walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway. I guess I was in the mood to take a bath. I was not aware of the mundane conversation coming from the floor. He didn''t know that this would lead to a terrible situation later on. ...... ''Wait a minute, I''m your friend, Yashiro. At the door to the bathroom, Gilberta called out to me. I turned around and saw Gilberta with Lucia. Oh, it''s the other way around. Well, I don''t care either way. I mean, you guys are all wearing the aprons of the Sunlit Pavilion, are you sure you want to keep them?No, though it''s kind of cute that they''re matching. ''Noblewomen peeping in the open? ''Who''s going to peek in your bath? ''I''d like to negotiate, Lady Lucia, with my friend Yashiro. ''You want to take a bath together? ''Who''s going to bathe with me? Then what''s the bargain? ''I want you to give up your turn, Lucia-sama. I know, I''m selfish. But I beg you, sincerely. ''You want to go in first?That''s fine, but ...... the baths aren''t boiling yet, are they? ''I enjoyed the big bath last time. I was hoping to take the smaller one this time. ''Well, you should have told me in advance. ......'' Ginette''s so smart that she started boiling the large bath. ...... ''Besides, I have a lot of work left to do. I need to take a bath and go home as soon as possible. ''If you don''t take a bath and go home now, you''ll be able to get to the museum faster. ''I''m convinced that if I don''t take a bath, I''ll be less efficient after I leave. Don''t be so sure. ''If you''re busy, don''t bother coming. If you''re too busy, don''t come all the way here. You might start a rumor if you move around too much.'' ''That I''m in love with you?Hmm, impossible rumors are just nonsense, let them speak. No, a false rumor can be fatal to a noblewoman. ''I''m more concerned with making the district more lively than my marriage. I''ll at least get a little dirty.'' He said this while looking at me. ''You think I''m mud? ''You want sludge? ''Shut up. He chuckles and pats me on the shoulder. ''I''ll see you next year, anchovy. And with that, he quickly went into the dressing room. ...... I''ll give it to you, and then you can go in. ...... d*mn it. Does he think that showing up at the 42nd district will enrich the 35th district? Did he come all the way here just to talk about Torbek''s construction company? Or did you come here to lay the groundwork for something else? ...... I''m sure he didn''t come all this way just to have fun without a second thought. ...... I''d like to think not. ''Gilberta, take care of Lucia for me. Do you know how to take a bath? ''I heard, from my friend Ginette. I''ve already learned. Then you''re safe. Now that Lucia''s in the dressing room, let''s get the hell out of here. That could start a rumor. ''Oh no! As I greeted Gilberta, I heard Lucia''s scream from the changing room. What''s going on? ''Lucia, are you okay?I''m coming in! I said no, and opened the door to the changing room. I glanced over and saw that Lucia was still in her clothes. ...... Huh. ''What''s wrong? ''M, bug! Lucia shouts, pointing to the floor. There was a worm that looked like a giant centipede that had been made a little bit more dangerous. This is the kind of thing you sometimes see in the bedroom. Magda confirmed that it was not a hexenbiest, but it was a centipede-like worm with a vicious appearance that had never existed in Japan, and I took the liberty of calling it ''Centipede Level MAX''. I call it ''Centipede Level MAX''. ''Kah, tah, kata, kuchi, iwashi!Hurry up and do something ......! Lucia hides behind my back and squeezes my clothes. Her slender fingers are trembling and straining to the point of turning red. ''You like insects and humans, but not bugs? ''Insects and Bug People are completely different!Don''t put them together!What? She must have raised her head to glare at me, and Centipede Level MAX must have come into view. Lucia screamed and fell on her face again. She pressed her head against my back. Are you that scared? Well, I can talk to Delia in private, but if I saw a bear in the wild, I might be scared. Bears and bears are different. Bugs and insects are different. I guess that''s how it is. ''Well, I''ll go kill it. Let go of my clothes. ''No, don''t push me! ''If you don''t let go, I''ll have to take you with me to exterminate bugs. ''Wait!Don''t be hasty!No, please! Lucia''s broken. She''s really bad at this. ''Gilberta. ''I can''t, me neither, bugs.'' ''Oh, yeah. I''ll take care of it, you take care of Lucia.'' ''I can do that, I can.'' ''I can do that, I can''. ''Catfish, anchovy! ''Don''t worry, it won''t take long. ''Don''t worry, it won''t take long.'' ''What if you get hit in return? ''Who''s going to lose to a bug like that? I''m not that weak. For all intents and purposes, Centipede Level Max is a very weak insect. Although it has a gruesome appearance, it is neither poisonous nor does it bite. They only eat bacteria and microorganisms lurking in the slime and stains around the water. Nevertheless, they look disgusting, so I kill them when I find them. Just walk up to it and lift up its legs. Step on its head and you''re done. ....... I''ve seen Jeannette say, ''You''ll be exterminated if you stay here,'' and then let you go outside. ...... I can''t believe you''d even warm up to something like this. ...... You can''t go against the landlord''s wishes. I''m not going to kill it. I''m going to take out a bath cleaning cloth, wrap it in it and capture it. I''m not sure what to do with it. It would be fun to chase Lucia around with this, but ...... I''m seriously going to cry, so I''d better not. ''I''ll just throw it outside. ''Do you have any compassion for insects, you?How very picky .......'' It''s not me, it''s the landlord. Now, even if you throw it away, you can''t take it back to the floor with you. In addition to hygiene, the grotesque appearance of this thing is not appropriate for a place to eat. If a drunken customer sees it and reverses, it will be a disaster. So, I decide to go out from the bath to the backyard. ''Lock this door when I leave,'' he said. ''And dump me far away!And don''t come back! ''Hey, hey. ''Around the 41st district! ''You can''t go that far! I looked at Lucia''s tearful face one more time - I might never see her again - and I walked out of the changing room. I make sure Gilberta has locked the door and breathe. Lucia didn''t make such a cute scream. Ginette and Magda are not afraid of bugs at all. So it was kind of new. Lucia shaking on my back... ''...... d*mn. You''re a girl. I leave my cheeks relaxed and head for the next door. A blindfold fence surrounds the bathroom. Past that door is the backyard. Now that you''ve shown me the good stuff, I''m going to return this Centipede Level MAX to the outside world. When you go over the blindfolded wall, you''ll find Millie there. ''Millie. ''Oh, ladybug. ''Oh, Millie. Sorry.'' ''What?What is it? ''You can''t look in from here. ''You can''t look in here? I can''t think of any other reason why Millie would be in this empty backyard. Well, you want to hide her, don''t you, at her age? ''I''ll tell Umaro next time. ''Make sure you leave room for prying eyes.'' ''No, you can''t!If there''s room, everyone will be embarrassed, okay? Umaro''s really inflexible in this kind of thing. ''So, what are you doing? ''Hmm. I heard from Jinetto-san that the wildflowers in the forest have grown back. ''Wildflowers in the forest?'' ''Hmm. It''s a scary wild plant that reproduces so strongly that if you don''t weed it properly, it will grow so thickly that it will swallow buildings. Yeah, there are plants like that. I''m sure there was a case in some country where someone who didn''t know anything about it planted it as an ornamental and couldn''t get it back. ''Why such a wild plant? ''It must have gotten on someone''s clothes when they were building the waterworks. ''You carpenters!I''ll give you a discount for your work!It was free! ''Then you can''t bargain anymore. Millie seems to have taken this as a joke, and giggles. ''So, Millie''s going to do the weeding?'' ''Hmm. I have a drug that suppresses fertility. It''s harmless to the human body, so don''t worry, okay? ''By the way, doesn''t that inhibit the erosive power? I know one unfortunate person who has been corroded by ''Haaan! There is one unfortunate carpenter I know who is corroded by the ''Haaan! ''Hmm, sorry, it probably won''t work on you, Umaro-san. I''m glad to see that you''ve understood exactly who I''m talking about. ''How did you get out of the bath, ladybug? ''Oh, I was in there with Lucia a while ago...'' ''You were in the bath together? ''No, no, no! ''Come to think of it, did you hear the scream just now? ''I''m not the cause of that! I can''t stand it when Millie misunderstands me. I don''t care what Lucia says about me, but I don''t want her to think I''m an unholy adult. Especially to Millie. ''I got a bug. ''Bugs? ''Is Millie all right?'' ''Hmm. She''s a pro. As a member of the Flower Arrangers'' Guild, you''re bound to have to deal with bugs. Then you might be okay with Centipede Level MAX. It''s this guy. You open the rag that was wrapping Centipede Level MAX. Then, Millie''s face lit up and she looked at Centipede Level MAX. ''It''s a slimy bug!I''ve never seen one this big before. I''ve never seen one this big before. I guess the girls of the forty-second ward are good with bugs. Paula seemed to be uncomfortable with bugs during the bug riots. ''Ladybug, what''s this girl''s name? ''I don''t have one, you know! I don''t have a name for him, and I never will! ''Well, if you want one, I can give you one. ''Are you sure?Are you sure?Wow, thank you! Yeah. ...... You''re not afraid of it, you love it. ''You''re keeping it? ''Yeah?Mm-hmm. I''m taking it to the woods. It seems that centipedes, level max, are called slimy bugs in the flower guild, and are appreciated as beneficial insects. They eat fungus that parasitizes plants, and if you leave them in the fields of crops that are susceptible to fungus, their growth will improve. They also prevent white silk disease and other nasty diseases that are natural enemies of plants, and are said to be popular in the flower guild. ...... I guess the impression you get depends on where you are. ''Hmmm. Ladybug, you''re so kind. ''No, I''ll take as many bugs as you want. I was just about to throw it away.'' ''Yeah. That''s not what I meant, you know.'' I put the maximum level of Centipede into a wide mouthed bottle that I took out of my usual pochette, closed the lid tightly and Millie looked up at me. ''Most people get rid of these insects when they see them, but you let the ladybug go,'' she said. No, that''s the landlord''s intention, or rather ...... ''I think it''s Jeannette''s fault. ''giggle''. I shifted the blame and he laughed at me. If it was Becco, I would have given him a nigiri or two, but I can''t be rough with Millie. ...... I''m not going to let you get away with it. ''Next time, I''ll thank you for the slimeballs, okay? ''Okay, mint candies, please. I think they''ll help me stay awake.'' Oh, dear.Hmm, yeah. You could use them for that, too.'' Millie is pleased with her new discovery. If all people were Millie, there would be no such thing as unhappiness in the world. ''Well, I''ll bring you a lot. ''If you give me a lot, I''ll have to help you a little more. Can you teach me how to weed? ''Hmm!Let''s do it together. Milly smiles happily. What a cute little creature. I can''t believe she''s got a nasty looking wriggling bug in her bag. ''Well, first spray this medicine, and then use this rake. ......'' With Millie''s help, I helped weed the backyard for about thirty minutes. Before I knew it, the sky was completely dark. ''Here you go. Good work, ladybug. ''Oh, good work. Do you want to take a bath, Milly?'' ''Yeah. I''m leaving for the day. I want to feed the slimy bug.'' I can''t believe I''m giving up my bath for something like that. ...... ''Well, next time you come back, I''ll do you a favor and give you a back scrub.'' ''Huh?You don''t mind, do you? How humble! You don''t have to be shy. ''I''m going home then. ''I''ll walk you home. At least let me do that.'' ''Oh, thank you. Ladybug.'' I was going to go around to the front and say no to Jeannette, but she seemed to be dealing with Lucia. Estella and I couldn''t see her. ''Magda. I''ll send Millie over in a bit.'' ''...... Got it. Leave the cleanup to me.'' ''Okay, take care.'' I left a message for Magda and headed for Milly''s house. Thanks to the glowing bricks, the streets were brighter at night. But it''s still dangerous to walk alone at night. Especially for a pretty girl like Millie. ''It''s dangerous around here. ''Is that so? ''Yes, it is. There are fierce creatures like Javier and Lucia around. And they''ll go after pretty girls like my sister and Milly.'' ''d*mn it, ladybug. It''s bad for Ruthia, isn''t it? Javier was fine with being treated like a pervert. Miry''s approval has been granted. We''ll spread the word aggressively. I''m not sure what to do.You''ll be turned into a frog! ''No, I''m not. ...... Why don''t you realize that? You''re so cute! I''ll try to be subjective instead of objective. ''In my eyes, Millie looks like a cute girl. ''Huh ............ ah,...... ah,gato ...... ah...'' ......... Ukyuu.'' Millie covers her face with her hands. ''I found another one. This is a great way to get the most out of your home. ...... Even if you show it to me with such a cute smile. I''m not sure what to make of it. The centipede I caught was max level. ''If we put them in the same jar, they''ll fight, won''t they? ''I think the one I caught is a gentleman, just like me. ''Mm-hmm. So, the one that Miri caught is more like Miri? ''Oh, then I might eat him. ''Huh? I''ll eat you if you make such a cute face. ''Oh, my good friend. The two centipedes level max in the same bottle rubbed each other''s heads, huddled together, and walked around the bottle in a friendly manner, on top of each other and underneath each other. ...... This scene is not at all comforting. I''m sure a cat or dog would have made it more comfortable. ''Thank you for sending me home, ladybug. Ladybug. The walk seemed to go by very quickly when I walked with Millie, and we arrived at her house. She said she was going to do some more work and then go to bed, so it would be proper for a gentleman to leave as soon as possible. You should finish your work quickly and get some rest. We exchanged a short greeting, and I walked toward the sunlit pavilion. Looking at my hands, I see that my fingertips have turned black with dirt. I''ll take a bath when I get back. Lucia''s probably home by now. But it''s getting late, so I''ll let Jeannette and the others go first. While I was thinking about this, I came back to the sunny pavilion. The store was already closed, and there was a "Closed" sign on the door. When I entered the restaurant, I could smell the faint aroma of dumplings. I think Regina and I should try to find a space odor eliminator. A room-spraying deodorizer. I''m sure there''s demand for it. ''Ginette~. Magda~? I called out to her, but she didn''t answer. Is she asleep?Maybe she''s taking a bath. When I looked into the kitchen, the cleanup was all done. Apparently, the walk with Millie had been fun and I''d eaten up a lot of time. I hadn''t bathed or helped her. I guess I''ll have to work harder tomorrow. ''Ginette, are you in there? I went out into the hallway and knocked on the door leading to the bathroom. No answer. Well, there''s a changing room across the hall, so I guess he can''t hear me knocking on the hallway door. I turned the knob lightly and ...... the door opened. It''s unlocked. The door was unlocked. ...... That meant I wasn''t taking a bath. I opened the door gently and listened carefully. ...... I don''t hear any talking or the sound of water. I don''t think she''s taking a bath. So she''s already asleep? The lights in the sunny pavilion are made of light bricks, so there is no need to turn them off. Sometimes they come to the bathroom in the middle of the night, so they leave the lights on. Therefore, the fact that the floor is bright does not necessarily mean that you are awake. ''Oh, no problem. I suddenly remembered that one of the doors leading to the backyard was left open. I had told Gilberta to lock the bathroom door, so the door to the fence was still unlocked. My mistake. I should have asked her to lock the fence first. If they get through there, they could peek in the bath. I headed for the lock as soon as possible so I wouldn''t put it off and forget about it. I called out to her before entering the changing room, but she did not respond. ....... I felt unnecessarily nervous. Now that I knew there was no one there, I took it easy. I went out the door and locked the fence door. That''s it. Next time I''ll tell Millie to make some potpourri in the bathroom to keep the bugs away. There''s a small window that lets the bugs in. It''s warm, there''s moisture, and it''s a comfortable place for bugs. It''s also a comfortable space for humans. Return to the changing room and lock the door there. That''s it. ''Well, ......''. I call out to him, then look into the single-s*x bathroom. No one is there. When I entered, I found that the firewood had already been turned off. But the water was still warm. Yes, this is enough for a soak. Returning to the changing room, I quickly took off my clothes. Let''s wash up quickly, take a relaxing soak, and get out of here. Tomorrow is another day of work. Or rather, the construction of the public bathhouse will start tomorrow. I''d better get some rest. I go into the bathroom and pour hot water over my body. Everyone is probably asleep by now, so I try not to make any noise. Remove the mud from your hands and sweat off your body. ...... can do your hair tomorrow. You can soak your hair in the bathtub tomorrow. It''s a little warm, but that''s comforting in its own way. ''Oh, ...... that feels good. Lean your back against the tub and stretch your legs. As you soak up to your shoulders in the water, you feel as if your fatigue is melting away from your body. ''This is bad ......''. As I soaked in the water, I became aware of my fatigue. It seemed that I was tired somehow. When I closed my eyelids and exhaled, I felt incredibly satisfied. Ah, I''m slumbering. ...... Unable to resist, I let go of my consciousness just a little ...... --How much time had passed? Suddenly, I heard the sound of water, and my consciousness was pulled back to reality. ''I shouldn''t have done that, I was asleep. As I hurriedly woke up, I heard the loud sound of water. And then, as if in response... ''Huh? I hear a strange voice from next door. From the bathroom next door, separated only by a thin wall, ...... ''What,......, is that,......, Yashiro-san? There is something about the fact that Jeannette is taking a bath next to me! 465-Episode 267 Lets all make a public bath. ''Yashiro-san?Um, why? There was a splash of water. It sounded like he was in a hurry to take a dip. No, why is my line. ...... Oh, so Jeannette came into the bath while calling out to me as well. So, reassured that no one would be there since there was no answer,...... ''Sorry, I fell asleep for a minute. ''You must be tired.'' The softness returned to Jeannette''s voice. It seems she was laughing at me. ''Hot water, are you okay?Are you cold?'' She''s worried about me falling asleep in the bathroom and calls out to me. It''s just the usual Jeannette. Even though we''re in the bathroom with a wall between us, she doesn''t get angry unless she has bad intentions. Well, she''s probably embarrassed. ''Please be careful. They say you can catch a cold if you sleep in the bath. Is it just an overheard information? It''s a common saying in Japan, ''You''ll catch a cold if you sleep in the bath. In this town, bathing in a tub is the norm and there is no time to sleep. Maybe Estella told him this information. ...... I''m sure she has an episode where she fell asleep in the bathtub and caught a cold. ''It''s a little warm, but I''m fine. ''Excuse me. I put out the fire quite early in that room. The water in the large bathroom was boiled, so the fire for the single person was turned off early. It seems that it was not long after Lucia left the bath, so it must have been quite a while already. ''Ah, anyway, I''m sorry for startling you. I''ll leave first, so take your time. ''Yes, sir! As I stood up, the sound of rushing water echoed from next door. ''In the ...... changing room, there are undressed clothes ............ and also underwear .......'' ............ Hmm. Let''s imagine for a moment. I''m sure Jeannette hasn''t left her clothes lying around, and I''m sure they''re folded neatly in a basket. She takes off her usual clothes, folds them, puts them in a basket, and then takes off her underwear and puts them on top of her clothes. ............ Mmm, don''t look! ''No matter how many times I run the simulation, a few of Jeannette''s underwear will be missing.'' ''Da, you can''t!You can''t even look at ...... them. No, no, no, of course you''re going to look. I mean, it''s on display. ''Well, I''m leaving now, so if you could wait a little longer, ......'' ''No, you just came in, didn''t you? It was the sound of water that woke me up. That was the sound of hot water being poured over my body. According to the rules of the Sunlit pavilion, you have to wash your body before soaking in the bathtub. In other words, Jeannette hadn''t been in the tub long enough. ''Soak slowly and get warm. You won''t get tired, and you''ll catch a cold.'' ''But, .......'' ''I''m going to stay in there a while longer too, so take your time. Don''t worry, I''m not going to peek.'' I let my voice fly over the wall, and after a few moments of silence, I heard a small ...... sound of water. ''...... Yes. Then let''s take a dip together. Her voice was subdued and shy, but it was soft enough to make me think of Ginette''s smiling face. ''Can I get the fire going? ''Oi-daki?Oh, wood. Here you go. The water was indeed too warm for a longer soak. I want to add hot water by reheating the water. Can you do that? ''If I can''t, will you come and do it for me? ''Ukyuu!...... Well, good luck with that.'' He didn''t seem to be coming to do it. I would have liked to have seen Jeannette with a bath towel wrapped around her body. I open a small window and get firewood. Throw the firewood into the iron cylinder, start a fire, and ignite it. Now, I wonder how long it will take for the water to boil. ''I think the water will boil in about five minutes. ''With this amount? That''s a lot of water.It''s going to take about twenty to thirty minutes. ''Norma-san''s new invention, what was it again?Thermoelectric conductivity?I''ve heard that it''s an amazing thing. Norma, you just invented something amazing! Thermal conductivity?I thought you said it was a non-burning tube.Which part conducts heat well and which part doesn''t?It''s beyond my understanding. Trubec Construction Company and the Hardware Guild are overtaking us in technology. ...... Why don''t you just invent an instant water heater? I''m sure Norma would have been happy to tell Jeannette and the others how great this invention was. Unfortunately, they never got the message. But they do understand that it''s something amazing. Now that the fire in the kiln has stabilized, I soak myself shoulder-deep in the bathtub. By the way, I haven''t washed my head. Let''s take the opportunity to wash it. ''I thought Yashiro-san took a bath before Lucia-san. ''No, Lucia said, "Let me get in first," and skipped the order.'' ''Is that so? ''You almost got me into the changing room. If I hadn''t been stopped in the hallway, he would have gotten into the changing room. Unlike a maiden''s soft skin, my half-nakedness doesn''t seem to have any value. ''I told Lucia-san that Yashiro-san will be taking a bath now, so please be careful. ''You must have heard that and acted immediately. Didn''t you notice? ''Yes. I was called by Loretta, so I went out immediately after I gave the message. Is that why you didn''t know what Lucia was doing? By the way, Loretta called me when I left the kitchen. ...... So that was a flag. I guess I should have picked it up better. Or break it. ''Loretta, what did you say? ''In the middle of the dumpling party, I asked Millie to help me weed out the wildflowers that had grown in the backyard. Oh, so that''s why Millie was there at that time. I thought she could have done it the next day when it was light, but she listened to me and acted immediately. Wild grasses and the like can be scary if left unattended. ''Ms. Loretta, who had heard the story, came to tell me that there were some wildflowers growing in the front yard. What? I only weeded the backyard, remember? ''Did they grow in the front yard too?'' ''No . It was a native cherry tomato.'' ''It''s not a wild plant, is it? ''They didn''t have any fruit on them, so they must have been mistaken. I can hear Jeannette giggling. Her voice is echoing, creating an echo. I feel strange. I feel strangely s*xy. ''So it''s because of Loretta''s mistake that we''re in this situation now? ''No. It''s because of my mistake in checking. If you put it that way, it''s also because my report was incomplete. ''I asked Magda to give you a message at .......'' ''You sent Miss Milly to me, didn''t you? ...... Hmm. I was thinking, ''Yashiro, you''re bathing early! Yeah, it took quite a while to weed. The fact that I was helping with the weeding was not known to Jeannette, so she thought I was taking Millie home after her bath. ''There seems to have been a lot of misunderstandings. ''It must be a trick of the spirit gods. The spirit god likes to do this kind of thing. He must be rotten to the core. ''In Yashiro''s mind, the spirit gods are very cute, aren''t they? Ginette says with a chuckle. Adorable?That''s the wrong word. ''But I''m kind of happy about it. You hear the sound of hot water splashing. ''I didn''t think I''d be able to chat with Yashiro while soaking in the bath with him, even through the wall. Well, it''s impossible for me and Jeannette to be in the bath at the same time. There''s only one changing room. That''s not good for anything. That''s what they said when they were planning the public baths. It''s not good for men and women with wet hair to come out of the same building. Being in a bath across the wall must be pretty bad, too. ...... Oh no. I''m starting to get nervous. ''I''ll wash my head. I''m on my way. I was just on my way. ''Oh, sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you. ''No, no. I was surprised, though. The sound of Jeannette''s voice giggling echoes off the bathroom walls, making it sound strangely s*xy. The bathroom is amazing. All kinds of fantasies come up one after another. I''m going to be in trouble if I don''t douse my head in cold water to get rid of my worries. So, I open the tap and fill the tub with water from the river. Cover your head with it at once! ''Ooooh, it''s even colder than I imagined! ''Nyaaah!What''s wrong with you? ''No, I''m fine. It''s nothing. ''You didn''t sound like nothing. ......? Even though the heavy snow season is over, the river water is still cold. ''''d*mn, I shouldn''t have done what I did. ''Ginette, I''ll tell you something good. ''Yes, sir. What can I do for you?'' ''When you put river water on your head, it''s cold! ''Yeah, ...... yes, I suppose that''s true, isn''t it ......?'' Yeah. That''s how Ginette got rid of her worries. I''m sure Jeannette won''t be splashing cold water on you. It''s bad for the heart. You''d better not. ''Oh, by the way, Regina-san said you''re almost ready for shampoo. When I was wiping myself in the tub, I couldn''t use shampoo, but with this much hot water and a place where I don''t mind being soaked, I can use it all I want. You can lather and rinse all you want. That''s why I''m asking Regina to research shampoo. I gave her a recipe for a simple, primitive shampoo and left the rest to her. I hope we can make a shampoo that smells as good as the ingredients for hot springs. ''You''ve got a lot to look forward to. ''By the way, Magda and I were talking about making a bath toy when we were playing in the river. ''A toy to play with in the bath?'' ''Oh, you know, like ducklings floating in a bathtub, or sea turtles. ''That''s very cute. ''Magda said I should make it because the manager would want it.'' ''ugh. ...... I see. I''ll look forward to it. Jeannette doesn''t say, ''I know you want it. She just includes everything in her smile. ''Bathing is really fun when you take a bath with someone, isn''t it? Ginette says this wistfully. Some people prefer to take a bath alone, while others like to frolic in a place like a hot spring. It depends on the person, but I''m sure Ginette would agree. From the heart. Genuinely. ''Puku-puku hexenbiest, remember? ''Yes. I''ve been practicing while Magda-san has been giving me a hard time. ''That guy''s obsession seems to be loud. ......'' ''Hmmm. It was very spartan. After all, it''s a memorable game with Mom and Dad. No compromise at all, I guess. ''In the end, I passed the test because this is the manager''s original Pukupuku Zauberbiest. I wouldn''t deny Ginette just because her parents are the best. Magda loves to be pampered in the Ginette way. After that, they got back into the bathtub and warmed themselves up while having idle conversations. When Jeannette said she was going to go up, I waited for her to finish changing and went up too. Unfortunately, I couldn''t find my pants anywhere. I was a little nervous, though, when Jeannette was waiting for me in the hallway just outside the changing room. ''Well, I promised to reward you, Yashiro-san, but would you like a little massage afterwards? I was also thrilled by the moist smile and suggestion of a reward for my hard work in making the dumplings, and--'' ''......Yashiro and the manager returned from the bath together. ...... I''ll have to report back to everyone tomorrow. ''No, Magda!There''s a reason for this. ''Yes, that''s right!It was an accident! The fact that Magda was standing at the end of the corridor made me even more nervous. ...... I thought my heart was going to collapse. It took me a long time to appease and pacify Magda, who was bent out of shape from being left out, and I went to bed very late that night. My reward was postponed until a later date due to such circumstances. ''Is Yashiro there?The construction of the public bath finally started today. ...... What is this distance? As soon as she entered the store, Estella frowned at the delicate atmosphere inside. There were no customers at the Sunlit Pavilion before it opened, and Loretta hadn''t arrived yet, so it was just me, Magda, and Ginette. I''m at my usual seat, Ginette is by the counter, and Magda is standing at the table by the entrance. An isosceles triangle. Magda, feeling left out, bent her head, and Ginette and I made our excuses. In order to clear up the misunderstanding that I had left Magda out, I had to tell the truth as it was. In other words, I had fallen asleep and Ginette had taken a bath without noticing. It must be very embarrassing for Jeannette, but she said that it would be harder for her to be misunderstood as hating Magda, and told the truth nakedly. But that doesn''t mean you have to tell me that you were a little nervous at the sound of water when you were washing yourself. I mean, don''t do that, it''s embarrassing. As a result, Magda-- As a result, Magda said, ''...... neither the manager nor Yashiro are bad. That''s what he said to me. I was so tired that I accidentally fell asleep, and he cared for Jeannette, who had encountered me, the opposite s*x, while bathing, even if it was an accident, and said, ''...... Magda is on our side. At ......, Magda is now looking at us at the same distance, neither too close to me nor too close to Jeannette. Hence the isosceles triangle. If only Ginette and I were closer, the three of us could be closer together. ...... After a night of thinking about it, I''m so embarrassed! I''ve been in a terrible situation, haven''t I? I''m sure you''ll agree. I don''t know how my milk lust didn''t go into overdrive! "Quiet, my milk lust! I''m not sure what to make of that. ....... My heart hurts now. And I guess Jeannette feels the same way, but she hasn''t spoken to me since this morning. When I try to talk to her, she makes a short ''ah'' sound and moves away. However, in order not to let me think that he is avoiding me, he always stays where I can see him. If he were to stay in the kitchen, I would feel a little uneasy, thinking, ''Maybe he''s angry about yesterday. If he had stayed in the kitchen, I might have felt a little uneasy. It seems that Jeannette can''t tolerate me thinking so. Hence the isosceles triangle. ''Welcome to the Isosceles Triangle. ''What''s this place?I''ve never heard of it.'' Estella comes up to me with her eyes peeled. Don''t come here. Go to Ginette''s. ''You didn''t do something bad to Jeannette, did you? ''You''re always so suspicious of me.'' ''Of course not. Jeannette would never do anything insolent to you, would she? ''I''m sorry for betraying your trust!I''m sorry for being an insolent girl! It seemed that the tension from the morning had caused her to snap. The gynette broke in a strange way. ''What?What''s going on?What? Estella looked at Ginette, who was apologizing with a red face, and was flustered. She looks at me as if asking for an explanation. I''m not going to spread ...... too much. ...... ''...... Yesterday, Yashiro and the manager were ............ oops, no more of this from Magda''s mouth. ''All right, I''ll explain! With Ginette''s approval, I explain the unfortunate events of yesterday. I also asked her to help heal Ginette''s heart. After listening to the explanation, Estella let out a huge sigh. ''You''re too careless, you know. ''Why me? ......'' You''re always favoring Jeannette again. ''Why don''t you lock the door when you''re bathing? ''Oh, ......'' I''ve never locked my door while bathing, if you ask me. ''Originally, I was just going to close the door of the blindfold fence that was left open because of Lucia. ......'' Yes, I didn''t lock the door to the corridor because I just wanted to go and lock it. Besides. ''I didn''t think I''d need to because I didn''t know anyone who''d be spying on me. I don''t think Jeannette or Magda would be peeping into my bath. I''m the only one in the sunlit pavilion who really wants to peep into other people''s baths. ''Don''t neglect to lock your door, not only to be peeped at, but also because events like this can happen. ''...... hey hey''. ''What would you have done if Jeannette had been in the single-s*x bathroom you were in instead of the main bathroom? What if Jeannette had come in on this side of the wall instead of the other side? ...... ''Worship! ''I know how you feel, but I don''t! ''...... I know how you feel, I''m sorry Estella.'' ''I know how you feel, but I don''t! I''ve seen God! and start a new religion! ''I''ll be very careful in the future. ......'' Jeannette folded her hands and squeezed her eyelids shut. She''s probably repenting. ''It''s not Ginette''s fault, is it? ''Yes, it is. It''s just that Jeannette didn''t notice.'' ''The ...... manager can''t notice anything unusual.'' ''It''s not that he''s distracted, it''s that he doesn''t have the ability to sense danger in the first place. ''Come to think of it, you fall down a lot. ''...... When I fell right after I said, "I''ll be careful," I wondered if I should stick with it. ''When it was snowing heavily, you fell down while saying, "Be careful, Yashiro-san."'' ''Oh, in that case, "It''s starting to rain. Let''s run home so we don''t get wet! And then he dived into a puddle, which surprised me. ''...... The other day in the bath, I missed a bar of soap and couldn''t catch it for a long time. ''I once saw an orange that had fallen to the floor and rolled around and got away with it. ''When I was a kid, I tried to save a kitten that was about to fall into a canal, but I ended up falling in .......'' ''...... So Magda, the other day--'' ''Oh, hey, can we stop there already? Jeannette, who has been witnessed by various people at various decisive moments, interrupts him, her face turning red. I still have a lot of stories to tell you, if you want to hear about Ginette''s mistakes. ''Well, that''s why I accidentally forgot to lock the door. I''m sorry.'' ''Oh, no ......, I''m sorry for the inconvenience.'' ''Okay, so now that both of you have reflected on your actions, this conversation is over. And that''s it, right?Then, hurry up and go back to the normal sunny pavilion that I love. ''Yes, sir. Thank you for your help. Estella. Magda-san too. ''...... I''m fine.'' Talking to Estella finally brought a smile to Ginette''s face. I guess she could repent by telling someone. Someone close to her, not a relative. ''That''s why I decided to make a toy to play with in the bath. ''I don''t know what ''therefore'' means. Magda missed last night''s rather bizarre bathing experience. Magda missed out on a rather bizarre bathing experience last night, and when I asked her to join me on ...... this time, Ginette was embarrassed. It probably won''t happen a second time. I mean, it''s not a very respectable thing to do in this town. Don''t involve Magda in this. ...... If I do this with Magda, Loretta will be upset and say, ''I''m not part of this group! And if you go that far, there may be others who will follow suit and say, ''Well, me too. The members agreed to keep this matter to themselves. It''s Ginette''s honor, too. Loretta''s the only one who doesn''t know, but it''s not like she''s going to tell anyone. Let''s not worry about that. ''Good morning! Loretta comes to work with a unique greeting. She''s early today. She comes to work at different times, sometimes at the church, sometimes after the donation, but today she''s full of energy from this morning. ''Listen, big brother!Yesterday, when I was taking a bath with my sister, my little brother barged in and gave us a hard time. I scolded him, saying it''s outrageous for boys and girls to bathe in the same space, even if they are in the younger group. ''I''m sorry for being outrageous! ''What?What is it, manager?What''s wrong! ''Actually, it''s ......! Ginette couldn''t stop feeling guilty, and ended up explaining the situation to Loretta as well. Oh, I''m sure I won''t tell Bertina about this either. I bet you''ll tell her and then repent once more. No, that''s fine if it makes you feel better. ...... If it makes you feel better, that''s fine,......, but every time I do it, people look at me like, ''Wow,......,'' which is,......, well, my fault too! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. You know, manager, right? Loretta is trying her best to comfort the reddened Jeannette. Oh, I see. So it''s okay for family members to come in together. Then we who live in the sunny pavilion are like a family, so it''s OK for us to go in together! I can''t even joke about such embarrassing things like ....... Family is ......... The groundbreaking ceremony was both grand and quick. ''All right, fellas!Let''s finish it before the end of the year and have rice cakes at the church! ''''''Whoa, whoa, whoa!Sister Bertina is so glutinous! What''s with the shouting? '''' '''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''Yashiro-san, ......? Bertina, who had come to watch the groundbreaking ceremony, walked straight up to me without any hesitation. With a scary smile on her face. Why are you doubting me without a doubt? ...... Are you doubting me or not? You can''t help it. ''Mo Mat spread it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m the one who said it. I didn''t spread it. It''s been spreading on its own without my knowledge. Yeah, I''m not lying about anything. Go ahead, call "Judgment of the Spirits" or whatever you want! ''Oh, is that so? ...... Not at all, Mr. Mo-Mat. I''ll scold you later. Good for you, Mo-Mat. Bertina, the woman of my dreams, is going to give me a gentle lecture. I''ll have to take a lot of vegetables as a reward. That''s right, let''s get some yuzu and kabosu to float in the bathtub. The citrus fruits in the bath will warm you up. They also smell good. As soon as the ceremony was over, I started to move quickly. I grab a certain person who was at the ceremony and start negotiating. ''Norma. ''Ah, Yashiro. You''re meeting with the carpenters, aren''t you? ''No, they''re going to do whatever they want. There''s nothing I can do about it. The structure of the bathhouse has been decided and the blueprints are complete. All that remains is for the carpenters to do their best to build it. ''I''m sure the kids won''t get burned if they go in that way. A smiling Norma. You''re talking about how to boil water in a public bathhouse. In public bathhouses, they build a boiler room and boil all the water in all the baths at once. They build big metal kettles and build a fire to boil the water at once. From there, the water is poured into the bathtub using the water supply system. In this way, the children do not get burned by touching the cauldron, and the bathtub does not need to be prepared to boil the water as in a gun bath, so a spacious bathtub can be set up. Above all, only one person is needed to keep the kettle running. If you turn several bathtubs into a gun bath, you will have to manage the fire one by one. This is simpler and simpler in principle. The main bathtub. And a daily changing bath with a different scent each day. For the kids, a shallow, wide and slightly warm bath. Then there is a hot hell bath and a water bath. We also built a sauna where hot water is poured over burnt stones and steamed. Now, let''s see how many baths are accepted. The carpenters were interested when I told them about the significance of the sauna, so I''m sure there will be challengers. I''m sure old man Zelmar would be willing to endure the heat. I''m sure the stubborn old man will like it. So, I''m going to make something for the public baths as soon as possible. I have an appointment. ''I''d like you to share some of the tin. ''You''re going to make something, aren''t you? ''You said it before, toys to float in the bath. Tinplate is a processed product made by plating tin on the surface of steel, which is water-resistant and rust-resistant. Tinplate is water-resistant and rust-resistant, but it''s not rustproof. A thinly stretched steel plate is easy to process. In addition, tinplate can be easily colored, so you can make colorful toys with it. ''I''ve made a few wooden toys during the heavy snow season, but I think I can make something more interesting with tinplate. I hollowed out the wood and coated it with preservative to make a wooden toy that floats on water. ...... It was a little different from what I expected. It was a little bit different from what I was expecting. It was a little bit ostentatious and unrefined. ...... Also, wet wood is a bit heavy. If I had plastic or vinyl, I would have made it, but I don''t. So, it''s tinplate. I''ll try to make a goldfish and a duck for now. There are wooden ship toys made of wood, so it would be interesting to have a tin ship in contrast. Oh, speaking of ships, ...... ''The Hardware Guild knows how to make tubes, right? ''Not to brag, but we''re pretty good at it!See the tube in the gun bath?Beautiful cylinders, aren''t they? Norma, who is convinced that the gun bath will spread, has started improving the cauldron part at the hardware guild. It may take a little while for the general public to see it, but the nobles will want it. Masha, Imelda, and Lucia, for example. Javier might want it after he gets the information from Imelda. He ordered a flush toilet very early on. ''From a small bathtub in a private home to a large bathroom in a large nobleman''s home, it can be used for any size tube! ''I see. Then can you make me a copper cylinder with a diameter of five millimeters? ''Five millimeters? A long, thin copper tube with a diameter of five millimeters. Like the size of a straw. A little thin, but...'' ''Seal the seams completely so that no water or air can leak out. Oh, and make it as round as possible.'' ''Another difficult request from ......! It is easier to make a tube if it is of a certain size. A small tube requires a certain amount of skill. After all, all processing in this town is done by hand. Well, if you can''t do it, you can''t do it. I just thought that if you could make it, you could make something interesting. You don''t have to do it. If you can''t do it, don''t do it. ......'' ''I never said I couldn''t do it!Yes, you can!A copper tube five millimeters in diameter! ''I''m glad you''re so ambitious, but the public bathrooms come first, don''t they? ''Of course!It''s just a matter of getting the men to assemble it. I''ve already finished the main part, so I was just about to free up some time.'' ''That''s convenient. With Norma here, we''ll be able to make some pretty good toys. ''Why don''t you come with me and make some toys for the kids? ''You know, the ones that float in the hot tub?...... Hmm. When I saw the blueprints, I thought, ''Oh, that''s just like Yashiro. What do you mean? ''Even in the bathtub, Yashiro gives the children something to play with, doesn''t he? ''You know. The top three things kids hate are helping, studying and bathing. They don''t like to soak in a hot bath, they don''t like to wash their hair when their face gets wet, and they don''t like boring bath time. Anyway, kids hate boredom. ''Therefore, if there is a bath where such children can play enthusiastically, the adults who brought them there can take a relaxing bath,'' he said. In the bathtub, there is a rule: ''You must wash your body first before getting in. In this way, children who want to play will voluntarily wash themselves. ''If we create an environment where adults can take a bath slowly, they won''t be bothered by it, will they? ''Well, it may become troublesome to take a child who doesn''t listen to you every time you go to the bathroom. ''Moreover, the more you go, the more you''ll hear the chorus of ''I want to get out of here, I want to get home. Isn''t that tiresome? I''ve been to public baths and hot springs where kids are screaming, ''I want to get out of here! I''ve seen kids screaming in public baths and onsen many times. I''m sure their fathers want to take their time. That''s not the case in the public bathhouses in the 42nd district. ''You have to come again and again, every day, and drop your money. ...... ''Yashiro. Don''t show your evil face in broad daylight. The kids will cry when they see it. Hmph! You can cry if you want. I don''t give a d*mn about kids! I''m an adult who doesn''t overlook scandals caused by kids because they''re kids. I''m an adult who won''t overlook a child''s misconduct because it''s a child''s misconduct. Kids are selfish creatures who don''t work, don''t have any duties or responsibilities, and are just selfish because they don''t want to do this or that. On top of that, they even have the privilege of unconditional access to women''s baths! Can you forgive them? No! Definitely, no! I''m going to change the toys in the baths between the men''s and women''s baths, and make sure that men and women bathe separately. ...... The kids themselves will say, "I prefer the men''s bath! I''ll prepare some interesting toys so that the kids themselves will say, ''I prefer the men''s bath! You can grow up to an age where you can''t exercise that privilege without knowing its value! ''Yashiro, isn''t there some kind of personal grudge involved in this? I''m not going to let a man, even a zero-year-old, into a women''s bath that I can''t get into! ''...... That''s the kind of thing you''re ............... no, it''s nothing.'' I''m not going to let you get away with this,'' said Norma, letting out a puff of smoke from her flue. What''s that? I''m just following the rules. I''m just following the rules. Isn''t that great?Hmm? ''A man and a woman can''t take a bath together at the age of seven! ''It''s the seats that don''t stay the same. If you can''t have a seat, why can''t you have a bath? What kind of ethics are you talking about when you say, ''You can''t sit near me, but we can take a bath together''? What kind of ethics are you talking about? It''s because I built a public bathhouse. ...... ''What, we used to take a bath together when we were kids.You don''t have to say that now! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ''Yes, yes, I''ll make lots of cute toys to prevent that from happening. Come on, let''s go to the workshop. A gentle hand pushed me back and took me to Norma''s workshop. A high-pitched clank-clank-clank sound rang out. She cut a thin steel plate with metal shears and bent it with a hammer and punch to form a plump form. This is the same procedure as when I made Millie''s hair ornament. This time, however, the design is more elaborate than that, and requires a higher level of skill. ''Here, duck. ''Wow, they''re cute. ''It''ll be even better if you add some color later. ''Then you can use my foot-operated compressor. Apparently, there is a compressor that compresses the air in the tank and blows air out by stepping on the pump with your foot. Stepping on the pump is ...... hard work. However, if you have a compressor, you can apply the color evenly. The compressed air can be ejected through a narrow jet and sprayed like a ''puff! like a spray. ''By the way, is there any way to prevent the color from fading? ''There''s a surface treatment I use for plating. It''s a little yellowish, but it''s almost colorless. Well, let''s assume that the color will be yellow. That way, the color won''t fade the moment it''s soaked in the bath, and the bath water won''t get dirty. Then I made a toy by pounding tinplate, while I asked Norma to make a copper tube. Norma, you look like you want to make a toy so badly. He stops every now and then to look at my hand. I know you''re trying to steal my skills, but you''d better get on with your work, too. Don''t just say, ''Wow, I didn''t know you could get that kind of result if you used it that way. Don''t take notes or anything! From then until nightfall, I continued to make toys without a care in the world. I kept pounding on the iron plate, pounding, pounding, pounding. At any rate, I made all the toys I had imagined. Ducks, goldfish, turtles, boats, mermaids, and boobs. ''What are you making that''s unnecessary? ''No, it''s necessary! A pair of boobs floating in a bathtub. It''s the best! ''I''ll leave this in the men''s room. ''I''ll tell Estella about it. ''Norma, what a cruel thing to do! I worked so hard to inflate the steel plate! I made her G-cup tits! And the painting, ''Wow!I''m so proud of myself! I was so proud of my work! ''I can''t let the kids see this, can I? ''Then we''ll use it at home. ''I''ll tell the manager. ''Norma, what a cruel thing to do! (Twice.) Norma''s heart is small. She has such a big, soft heart! ''Well, it''s okay if your heart is small, as long as it''s big. ''Who''s heart is too small? ...... Everyone can stop this, can''t they? And then he picks up the finished tin tit and looks at it closely. ''It''s too ...... realistic. ''If you have a model, you can make it more realistic. ''I''m saying it''s not realistic enough! ''So you''re okay with these deformed tin tits? ''How many tin tits have you made? The deformed boobs that look like you drew a circle and popped it were also confiscated. I tried my best to make something suitable for the 42nd district, the city of boobs! ''I was going to put it in the ''Bath with Father'' and the ''Bath with Tits''! ''I won''t let you give it such a strange name! Oh, no. This was an idea that Estella had rejected in two seconds. During the meeting to decide on the name of the public bathhouse, Estella brought up the idea of ''Hero''s Bath'' and ''Princess''s Bath'', and I said, ''What, is that a pun on ''hero'' and ''bath''?I made him drop the idea by saying, ''Pfft, that''s so funny. ...... Because some people called me a hero, I felt a little like they didn''t want to name me, a little, but a little. And this is probably Estella''s clever harassment, anticipating that I would think that way. In the end, we settled on the names "men''s bath" and "women''s bath". The public bathhouse itself was given the name "West Bath", meaning that it was located on the west side. It is said that they are planning to build another public bathhouse on the east side, which will be called ''Higashi no Yu. ''So, Yashiro. What''s with the baby doll? I really wanted to make it out of vinyl chloride, but I didn''t have any, so I made it out of tinplate in the cutest way possible. The coloring of the doll has been carefully chosen to give it a lovely expression. Of course, she is bareheaded. ''This is a make-believe doll. It''s a game that the kids at church sometimes ask me to play with them. ''...... are you playing with them? ''You know, when they ask, you can''t say no to ...... them.'' Norma is playing make-believe with a group of little girls: ...... ''It''s not like there''s going to be any horrible carnage, is there? ''What do you think I am?It''s child''s play. No, because the make-believe situation Magda told me about before was rife with carnage. It was a love-hate drama interwoven with an afternoon affair. ''Little girls like to play the big sister and imitate their mothers, don''t they?So, I think she''ll be happy if you let her play with these dolls and give her a bath.'' ''Oh, I see. I''m sure the kids would love it. You could say, ''Yes, please close your eyes,'' and wash their hair. ...... You may be imagining a young girl playing make-believe in the bathroom, and Norma smiles happily. But, you were cuter than I was! What?I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun doing it!I can see it in your eyes! ''Does Norma play a lot of mothers? ''U......'' I thought she was just playing around with such roles because of her familiarity with them, but apparently not. Norma''s expression stiffened, and her lips moved awkwardly as she looked away, as if she was having a very hard time saying it. ''You know, kids like to act all grown up. That''s why they go to .......'' ''You''re playing a daughter? ''...... as a baby.'' ''Okay, Norma!Come play house with me! ''No, I''m not! ''Come on, baby, it''s boob time! ''Boob time is when the baby drinks from the mother''s tit, not when you squeeze the baby''s tit!Just stop that hand! He hit me on the back of the hand with a cigarette. What''s the matter with you~, you''re not even letting me do anything. ''Well?What are you going to use this copper pipe for? In such a short time, Norma had made a copper tube that met our request exactly. Five millimeters in diameter. No gaps, uniform thickness, first class. ''It''s perfect, Norma. You''ve done an excellent job.'' ''No, it''s not. ...... Well, that''s pretty much what I can do. It seems that Norma is happy to be praised, and the flue is spinning in her fingers. It''s spinning more than usual. That''s amazing!Isn''t it more complicated to spin than the world champion pen spinner? ''So, what are you going to make with this? Norma, in a good mood, pesters me. Oh, that smells good! It''s a nice change from the stench of the heat wave, and the flavors are fantastic! The fruit ...... is apricot! I''m not sure if there is such a thing as bath salts or soap. It''ll definitely sell! ''Let''s make bath salts with the scent of Norma! ''Did you make me make this copper pipe for that? ''Oh, no, it''s for making ships. ''A ship, right? Yes, yes. It''s no exaggeration to say that it''s one of the most popular toys for floating on water, the pompon steamship. ''I''ll make you an interesting toy. I''ll make you an interesting toy, along with Norma-scented bath salts! ''I don''t need bath salts!Or rather, I won''t let you make them! Oh, no... I could have been a millionaire... ''First of all, I want to bend this copper tube into a spiral, do you have a jig? ''I''ve got a good one for that. Give it to me. Give the copper tube to Norma and ask her to bend it into a spiral. Make a circle with the same diameter as the spring, and wind it around twice. Make another one and make a set of two. ''Now it is almost complete. ''What''s so special about this one that it''s a ship? ''It''s the engine part of a steamship. ''I don''t understand. ''The hull is already finished! I made a tin boat while I was making toys. All that''s left to do is to build this engine section and the boiler. ''If you put water in this copper tube and heat it from the outside, the water inside will boil, right? ''Well, copper has a high thermal conductivity. ''If it''s as thin as this, it will boil easily with a candle flame. The hull of the tinplate is hollow, and there is a place for a candle. It is designed so that the flame comes just below the boiler. ''Copper tubes wrapped around a hollow ship. It''s a very simple structure. Do you want to play with it on the water?'' ''No, it''s going to work. ''Are you sure? ''Let''s try it. Do you have a tub? ''I''ll give you a minute. Norma is making the preparations quickly. He seems to be interested. He''s a little fidgety. Like a child with a toy in front of him. Perhaps he has been playing the role of a child too much, and has become easily reverted to his childhood. ''First, fill the copper tube with water. Once the boat is submerged in the water in the tub. Bubbles will appear and the copper tube will be filled with water. Then, set a lit candle in the boiler section and you are done. All you have to do is wait a moment and-- Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop...... The ship began to move forward with a lilting sound. ''It''s moving, isn''t it?And there''s a pretty sound, too. Norma gazes happily at the little boat as it moves along, inch by inch, in the tub. ''How does it work? ''When you heat a copper tube, the water inside boils, right?When the water boils, it expands. When the water expands and has nowhere to go, it spurts out of the copper tube with great force. It''s the reaction that propels the ship forward. ''But what happens after the water runs out?Well, that ship is still going. ''When the water inside the copper tube spurts out, it pulls the air pressure inside the tube down, right?When the air pressure drops, the space tries to maintain zero pressure, so water is sucked in from outside. And as water is sucked in, the temperature of the heated air inside the copper tube drops rapidly, increasing the force of suction. Therefore, the copper tube is filled with water at once. ''However, there is still a candle burning outside the copper tube, and it continues to heat up, so the water inside the tube boils again, expands, and is spewed out of the tube. Then the air pressure drops, and the water is sucked into the copper tube again, heated up and spewed out again, and then sucked in again and ...... and so on and so on until the fire goes out.'' It''s not a jet. Rather than jetting in and out in small increments, a popping steamship can keep going as long as it has the energy of a candle flame. ''If the ship moves forward when the water comes out, doesn''t it move backward when the water is sucked in? ''The water that comes out of the tube is covered by the tube and there is no place for it to escape, so it shoots out with great force, but on the other hand, when the water enters the tube, it can flow in from all directions, so the energy is weak in terms of propulsion. If you concentrate energy of the same magnitude at one point, the power will increase. On the other hand, if you put it on a surface, the power is weakened. So it moves forward, but not backward. ''Wow, ...... is interesting...'' Norma''s mouth slackened in amusement as she watched the steamship circling in the tub with a popping sound. She smiled with the innocence of a child. ''...... They''ll be up all night from today until the new year. ...... Though inside his head, he is the boss of a black company. I''m sure the maidens will be forced to make rotten copper pipes. ...... Too bad. Okay, I''ll stay away from the hardware aisle for a while. Let''s do that. 466-Episode 268 "Look, this is Tolbecks technology." ''You really built that thing. ......'' I mutter, half in admiration, half in dismay. The guys from Torbeck Construction really finished the public bathhouse. One house for each gender. It''s not so small that I''m tempted to count them as "buildings". It''s a very splendid public bathhouse. With its large chimney, it really looks like a public bathhouse. It is said that a chimney of that size is necessary because the boiler uses a very strong fire to heat the water. And to keep the smoke from affecting the lumberjack guild''s branch, the nearby fields, and the nearby forests, the chimney was placed much higher than the roof of Imelda''s house. It sounds like a lot of work to clean that thing. ...... Next to me, all the members of the sunny pavilion and Bertina, who came to see the new facility in the neighborhood, are looking up at the huge chimney with similar faces and wide open mouths. ''Um, won''t the thirty or twenty-nine wards complain if it''s too high? Perhaps it''s because of the precedent set by the BU, which came back to bite us just for setting off fireworks, but Ginette shows a worried expression. But it''s okay. Even though the chimney is high, it''s not more than ten meters high. The wall that borders the 42nd district is a 30 meter high cliff. It won''t reach that level at all. It''s more like. ''How could they build such a big chimney? ''I have an acquaintance who is a skilled mason. ''Oh, he''s a pro at making flush toilets. ''Haha. He thanked me saying that he''s been very busy with all the requests for flush toilets. The indoor flush toilet was a project that not only the upper class but also every family with a little money to spare considered and implemented. The demand must have been considerable. ''That''s why they accepted the chimney at a price that was almost an investment. ''I see. You must be a dominatrix like Umaro.'' ''No, I''m not, and neither is he! I don''t understand why he would take on such a troublesome job that he''s never done before at such a low price. ''Theron did a great job on the boiler pot, so be sure to give him a pat on the back later. Estella appears out of nowhere and says something strange. ''Why would I do that?You should be the one to tell her how much I appreciate her. ''Of course you''d be happier to be recognized by a hero than me, Theron. ''Hmm. Are you still sticking to the ''hot water'' pun? ''No, I''m not!It was never my intention to do so in the first place! The people involved in the project are gathering around the "Nishi-no-yu" with a lot of noise. Onlookers who were not involved in the project were also there to see the new giant structure. That chimney is a spectacular sight. ''I''d like to write on that chimney, "Sunshine Pavilion, this way". ''I''m sure everyone would be surprised if I did. Ginette said with a laugh, as if she had imagined it. The publicity effect would be great, wouldn''t it? ''Then why don''t you put up an ad for Torbek''s construction company? Estella looks back at Umaro and says. Oh, he''s looking away from me. I get nervous when people look at me. ''Umaro''s place is well known enough without advertising. Do you want any more customers?'' ''No, no, if that''s the case, isn''t the Sunlit Pavilion the most famous? ''We don''t get any job offers from other districts. Right? ''Did you forget, Yashiro?You guys are going to the 35th district to make rice cakes at the beginning of the year. ''...... That''s not a request. It''s an aristocrat''s tyranny. Ahh... I''m going on a business trip soon. ''You''re all staying together again, aren''t you? ''I''m going to show the people of District 35 how to make real rice cakes! ''...... Magda will win fans and bring them to District 42.'' ''It''s too far, Magda!It''s too much to ask you to commute to the sunlit pavilion! ''...... even though the lord is taking the initiative to go there? ''He''s a disappointing person, so you can''t compare him to ordinary people! ''Yes, Loretta......, I understand that you''re familiar with Lucia-san, but she''s the lord of another ward, so don''t say things like that too loudly, okay?'' Estella waryly warned, but Lucia would be fine. If Loretta tells her to do something, she''ll take it in stride. Even if she doesn''t have any animal features, she seems to like the beastman race. ''...... is that an ad for Torbeck Construction Company? I''m not sure if he''s thinking about the words he should carve into it or not, but his eyes are serious. ''''Hah, Magda is a real angel! --Torbeck Engineering. ''That''s not advertising our company at all! ''Then, I''ll be presumptuous and come up with a plan too!''If this face rings a bell, it''s Torbeck''s construction store! ''Which face?You''re going to draw a face?Can you see it, at that height? Wanted criminal. ...... That''s about as far as Loretta would go. I''ll leave Magda for the punchline. ''What kind of advertising slogans do you think Ginette should use?'' ''Well, ......, "Torbeck Construction Company not only has the technology, but also designs with the user''s feelings in mind, so it is wonderfully comfortable to use for many years to come. This is probably due to your personality and dedication to your work, as well as the solid tradition and technology that has been passed down through the generations. ......'' ''The chimney will turn black! ''Are you going to write a lot of words on it, Mr. Manager? You probably won''t be able to read it. ''......''hehe, sorry. I just couldn''t sum it up in one word. ''No. I was very happy that the manager thought so much of me. I''m glad I''ve been working so diligently! Ginette polishes the kitchen of the Sunlit Pavilion every day and uses it carefully. This is probably due to his gratitude and respect for the carpenters who built the kitchen, which still remains unchanged and will remain unchanged for a long time to come. ''--and tell that to the manager. ''You really haven''t made any progress, have you? You should at least get used to Jeannette. You already know that Jeannette would never do anything to you. She''s the rare one who keeps a reasonable distance from you. You should be rehabilitating yourself. ''What do you have in mind Estella?''Flat? or something?'' ''Mr. Yashiro, that''s Estella''s advertisement. ''Okay, Umaro. Can I talk to you two for a minute? ''Ahhhh, ummmm, I can''t be alone with you! Umaro flees from Estella''s cursed evil eye. If you are stared at by it you will be cursed to be flat-chested for generations to come. Terrible! ''Magda, do you have anything for me? I saved the best for last, Estella. You took the best part. That''s the best position to be in! Estella, who gave Magda the talk, Ginette, who looked at Magda smilingly, and Umaro, who couldn''t hide his excited and expectant expression, must all be thinking. ''Oh, Magda is going to make a joke after this. Loretta, for example, said plainly, ''Come on, say something funny!I''m waiting! I''m waiting for you!'' She looked excited. Magda speaks quietly under the gaze of all these people. He points to the towering chimney, moving his fingertips as if he were writing letters on it. ''...... "Behold, this is the technology of Torbeck Engineering."'' Everyone is speechless. Inscribing such words on the chimney would be the result of letting people know the high level of technology of Torbek Engineering without question. I have never seen a building like this anywhere else. A towering chimney. The imposing exterior. Inside, the bathhouse is a functional and sophisticated design that has been calculated to the utmost limit in terms of flow and ease of use. There is not a single person in this city who can look at this and say, ''It''s not much. Everyone must admire it at first sight, saying ''Wow ......''. On the chimney, the symbol of the place, you can say, ''Behold, the technology of Torbeck Engineering. That''s the best advertisement. ''Very nice, Magda!That''s so cool! ''...... Next to that, there''s ''The sunny pavilion renovated by Torbek''s construction company is over there. ''I''m on it!I''ve ridden for free on the fame of Torbek Corporation! You lifted him up, and then you made a joke out of it at the end. Hey, Magda. How kind of you to be so nice to Umaro. Is this a reward for building such an amazing bathhouse for Umaro? I''ll bet he''s overjoyed. I''m sure he''ll get one of the biggest ''haaaan, Magda-tan''s a real angel! will come. --And when I looked into Umaro''s face... ''...... Ugh, ...... gosh! You''re crying so hard! ''Oh, come on, Umaro. I''m just kidding, okay?I''m not really going to write anything about advertising, am I?If I do, you know what?Are you okay? I don''t know what he really thought, but Umaro''s eyes turned bright red. I was a little surprised and comforted him. ''Yes,......, I know that the promotion is a joke,......, but ...... ......''. I wiped my tears roughly with my sleeve and forced a big smile on my face. ''I''m so happy that Magda told me that,...... and that she thought so! Well, it''s the kind of complaint that only comes out if you truly trust them, right? ''...... Everyone here knows the greatness of Umaro''s and Torbeck''s carpenters. ''Yes, Mr. Umaro. We are always grateful to you. ''Even in the church, Umaro-san''s hamsters have been helping us a lot by doing repairs in various places. ''Oh, yes!My house is comfortable too!You are the best, Torbek! ''Thank you ......, thank you ......, thank you all ......''. Umaro tries to hold back his tears and keep a smile on his face. It''s a big mistake and makes a funny face. But there was no one to laugh at it. This guy ...... I guess he was really trapped. He''s been on the edge of his seat ...... since he was playing in the river during the heat wave, and probably even before that. I''ve been feeling a little uncomfortable, but I didn''t ...... notice it. I''m also curious about the outside notoriety that Lucia brought to the table. ''Uma--'' ''...... Oumalo''. I was about to call out to him, but Magda stood in front of Oumalo before I could. Then, in his usual calm voice, he spoke softly. ''...... I was a little curious. But Umaro is a professional, so I just watched him. Magda had noticed something wrong with Umaro and was quietly watching him. He was watching to see how it happened so as not to make things worse. By the way, somewhere before, Magda had shown signs of concern for Umaro. So Magda was watching Umaro more closely than I was. ''...... Magda is an amateur, so he doesn''t know much about technology. However, as a customer of Umaro''s work, I can give my opinion. The kitchen, the bathroom, the toilet, and the roof of the courtyard are all made by Umaro. They are also sturdy, well sanded to prevent Magda from getting hurt, and very gentle to the touch. Now that you mention it, Magda''s living space seems to be protected by Umaro. ''...... Even if royalty, nobility, and the whole world denied Oumalo and Torbeck Engineering--'' Magda tells Umaro with certainty. ''Magda can proudly declare that Torbeck Engineering is the best in the world. Umaro will be more than happy with the accolades and fame sent to him by his superiors. ''It''s great to hear from real customers. ''...... Stick it! Covering his face with his hands, Umaro cries aloud. No one laughed, of course, and everyone agreed with Magda''s words. ''Magda, you said it well. ''...... Magda speaks for everyone. Well, what a quiet spokesman. And so we waited in that place. We waited for Umaro to stop crying. And that he''d stop crying and tell us everything. ''That''s very thoughtful, for Estella. ''It doesn''t make me happy to hear you say that with your nose in the air. Estella in her bathing suit passes in front of me. Her legs are as beautiful as ever. ''Yo, beautiful legs! ''Shut up! ''Slender all around. ''......, shut up.'' Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! A knife is no more allowed in the bathtub than a towel is for washing up. So we are now at the newly established "Nishi no Yu" in the 42nd district. Here is the bathhouse: ...... It''s huge! Ah, now I''m thinking, ''I should''ve made a hot tub too! I''m thinking!d*mn it! ''Guys, this is a special exception for a trial run and inspection. After tomorrow, you are not allowed to wear swimsuits or enter the baths with members of the opposite s*x. Estella nailed the members of the ''bathhouse test run investigation team'' present here. The people here are the ones who worked hard to build this bathhouse. That is to say, the carpenters, lumberjacks, metalworkers'' guild, river fishermen''s guild, and the like. I was shown the inside of both the men''s and women''s bathhouses before the water was poured, and the atmosphere changes when the water is poured. A warm space surrounded by steam. And the smell of hot water. And the echoing voices. Viva public bathhouse! It''s a big bathhouse! Viva the women''s bath! Yes! We''re in a "women''s bath" now! Even in our bathing suits, we''re in the company of beautiful women! ''I''m glad I''m alive! ''If you keep talking like that, I''m going to pick you up. ''I''m sorry, I''ll keep quiet! ''Yashiro apologizes honestly! ''Do you want to stay in the women''s bath so badly? ''You''re too desperate, big brother. ......'' ''...... It''s Yashiro. ''It''s a buzzing ......'' ''Ooooh, Umaro''s sinking!Pull it up, Becco!'' ''I know what I''m doing, that I do! The situation of being in the women''s bath seems to have shaken the needle of Umaro''s nervousness, and he''s so nervous that I''m worried. It''s okay. We''re all in swimsuits. No one is using the bath yet. Carpenters, maidens from the hardware guild, old men from the river fishing guild, and lumberjacks entered the men''s bath to conduct a "trial run survey". They are exercising their right of first refusal in the name of investigation. They are probably taking a big bath right now to get rid of their fatigue. Swimsuits are not allowed over there. You see, if you wear a bathing suit first, some people might feel embarrassed the next time they go in naked, right?That''s why they don''t allow swimsuits. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what I''m going to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. If you''re going to stick with me, you should stick with me. ''Actually, I should ask Yashiro and Umaro to join me in the men''s bath, but there are some circumstances. When Umaro started crying on the street in front of the bathhouse, we took him to the NTA, a place where we gather when we need to do something. However, he seemed to have accumulated a lot and did not come back to life. Just when I was thinking, "Well, I guess I can''t do it today, since I have to do a trial run of the bathhouse later ......," Estella came up with a crazy idea, "Well, let''s listen to what they have to say while taking a bath. By twisting the rules in various ways, we ended up in this situation as a special exception. That''s why there are many familiar faces participating in the test run survey team. The members of the Sunlit Pavilion, Estella and Natalia, Imelda, Delia, and Norma. And then there''s Bertina, who was very worried when she saw Umaro crying. Bathing with Bertina: ......! Lucky time, which will probably never happen in my life! I''m glad I''m alive! I''m glad to be alive! It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. ''...... I know. I''ll be a good boy. I''m not going to let a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this pass me by! I''ll live a healthy life today! And Becko and Omero are in here to help ease Umaro''s tension. Hmm?Omero? He''s taking a half bath in the tub because he''s afraid of Delia. He was washing his toys, just now. ''And ......''. Estella leaned in close, careful not to let her voice echo. ''There''s also the matter of Jeannette, you know. By my carelessness, I''m bathing with Jeannette through the wall. This seemed to embarrass her, and every once in a while the embarrassment would come back and she would writhe in agony. I wish she would just forget about it. So, if we give them this opportunity to experience "all together", the feelings of "I''m the only one" or "I''m doing something that others are not doing" will disappear. We even played in the river. It was just a change of location from the river to the bath, and the soaking from water to hot water. There is a bit of tension, but no one is that embarrassed. ...... Maybe it''s because everyone understands that being shy here will make them even more embarrassed. Occasionally, when you make eye contact with Jeannette, she turns her face away in embarrassment. I''d be grateful if that shyness would disappear after today. ''Estella-sama, I understand that you''re happy to be bathing with Yashiro-sama, but you''re getting a little too close. ''Huh?I''m not happy about it!It''s not like that!It''s just a little secret talk! ''It looked like you were flirting with me.Hey, Sister.'' ''Yes, it does. Let''s step back a little more, shall we, both of you? It seems that skin-to-skin contact in bathrooms is still a little ....... I''ve swum in the river with a few people on my back. Is skin-to-skin contact okay in the river? ''Oh, but I don''t mean to blame you. But from Estella''s point of view, I thought it would be better to be a little more considerate. ''Thank you for your consideration, Sister. I''ll be careful from now on. ''Oh, thank goodness. You won''t get angry.'' ''Hmm. As long as Mr. Yashiro doesn''t look down his nose at me, that is.'' ''Wow, you''re really going to get angry. You''re going to keep getting angry. ''How long are you going to stretch out your nose, ......? When it''s this warm, even the bridge of your nose will expand. I hope you can tolerate it. ''So, have you calmed down, Oumalo? ''Uh, yeah, well, ...... is .......'' ''I don''t know, speak up! ''Ugh, you''re annoying!Don''t look at me! ''...... Why are you even nervous about me, you ...... son of a b*tc*? No, anyone would be nervous about Norma in a black bikini. And wet and moist, warm and dusty, her pale pink bosom is so s*xy that if it were a ...... buffet, I''d eat it up. ''...... Oumalo''. ''Magda Tan......'' ''...... And Magda in a swimsuit?'' ''Seriously, angel! You''re looking good. As usual, you are. ''...... You don''t have to take it easy. But Yashiro and everyone is worried about you. ''...... Magda-tan.'' ''......I was trying to trust Umaro and leave him alone. I''m sure they all do. That''s right. I''m sure many of us noticed that Umaro didn''t feel right. They just didn''t realize that he was being pushed to this point, so they didn''t step in because they had faith that he would be okay. But I didn''t think that through. Umaro is a human being. No matter how good his skills are, he''s still just a human being who can get his heart broken and break in a heartbeat. I had done to Umaro what I have always thought to the people of this town who have excessive expectations of me. Don''t have such high expectations. He can do whatever he wants. He''s the one. I''ve been making such assumptions somewhere in my mind. ''......, but I can''t stop asking now that I''ve seen him. You can''t look at that Umaro and think, ''He''ll take care of it himself. I''m sure it''s the same for everyone. ''......Umaro is always watching over Magda, supporting her, helping her. ''Mag......da, Tan''. ''......Magda is worried about Oumalo. Let ...... Magda save Oumalo.'' There was a choppy sound of water. The area was so quiet that such a small sound could be heard clearly. Everyone gulped and stared at Umaro without speaking. ''...... guffaw''. Umaro sips his nose, then breaks his face-- ''Thank you. Actually, I''m pretty much at my limit. --He shed a large tear. His face was smiling, but the tears spilling out on their own were evidence that his heart had reached its limit. ''I know this is a shameful story, but will you listen to me? The smile on his face was so weak that none of us could reply. I felt that what we should say to Umaro now was neither ''Oh, I''ll listen'' nor ''Talk to me''. On behalf of those of us who were silent, Magda said quietly. ''...... of course''. ............ Yeah. I''m sure I can speak for everyone here. But you know what? You''ve got something more to say, words to say! ''Ha-ha. Thank you, Magda.'' Umaro, who had been looking directly at Magda''s face, seemed to have been touched by something, and some of the pain had disappeared from his smile. It seemed to have started gradually after the "banquet" held in District 42. While soaking in a large bath, Umaro began to talk in whispers. ''We had to move Ma''ru''s mansion to coincide with the birth of New Road. As a result, Mr. Ma''ul asked me to repair his water mill. He said that he had seen a rowing waterwheel in the river of District 42 and asked us to repair it. I know the story of how Umaro and his friends used a technique called ''hikiage'' to move the museum. I know the story of how Umaro and his friends used a technique called ''hiki-ka'' to move the house, but has she gone all the way to the river? Do you have free time? ''So, the repair of the waterwheel was completed without delay, and Ma''ru was very happy about it. ''Did you make something for the plus one? ''I built a small foot-operated waterwheel near the waterwheel. He said he was going to use it to pump water into the canal since the museum was far away from the river. You can use a waterwheel for that purpose, and you don''t need to pump water up the river, you can just dig a canal at that distance. He must have wanted the waterwheel for some reason. He must have been very happy with it. ''So, I was told that the storehouse of the lord of the 29th district is getting old and will be repaired soon. Ma''ru said that he would personally intercede with the lord. Mahrul has realized the usefulness of Torbek''s engineering store and has started to surround it, hasn''t he? They''re the same carpenters who built Torukeru No.1, New Road and the playground equipment. I guess they wanted to get a bigger pipe and tried to give me a job. But I waited and waited and waited, but never heard from them, so I asked them about it when I met them at the ward sports festival. I asked him what had happened to that story. When I asked, Ma''ru said. ''What?Weren''t you the ones who repaired the warehouse? And. ''We''ve already finished repairing the storehouse. If Ma''ru had said he''d talk to us, he would''ve done it. And he did it directly to Gerasie, the lord of the 29th district and his own brother. Was Gellarcy so repulsed by his sister that he deliberately hired another carpenter? No, there''s no point in doing something so tricky now. More importantly, it''s time for him to meet Mahrul and hone his skills as a lord. He said he''d do it himself. I don''t think he''s going to damage his relationship with Ma''ru with such a petty rebellion. ''But that''s just the way it is,'' he said. After that, it seems that Mahrul asked Umaro to do some work for him. But he never received a single request from Gerasie. ''Then, similar things started to happen elsewhere. A job introduced by someone who was acquainted with Umaro was finished before he knew it. This happened several times in a row. And Umaro thought. He thought, ''Some construction company is interfering in our work and taking it away from us. ''I knew immediately what it was. It sounds arrogant to say that we were supposed to do the ...... work, but it was always the same construction company that actually did the work that the people at the other end said they wanted us to do. --It was always the same contractor, Norton Construction. The work that was about to be done by Trubek''s contractor was snatched up by Norton''s contractor. ''Once or twice, I thought it might happen, but it went on like this. ...... So I went to protest to the master of Norton Engineering. I''m sure you''ve heard of Donovan Norton, a man of the Latter Day Saints. He was a stern-looking man with a strong body that made me think he was in a hunting guild, and he was much older than Umaro. I''m not going to lie, by that time we were pretty much at our limits,......, not financially, but because we were being raided and robbed of jobs by noblemen, guild leaders, and, in layman''s terms, "top customers. So, I took my people and went to talk to them. Umaro is a mild-mannered man who smiles all year round in front of us, but he is also a stern man who yelled at Gusuya for cheating when we first met. In particular, he hates crookedness. If Norton Construction Company was actually cheating and stealing the work of Torbeck Construction Company, he would not have allowed them to cheat, even in a full-scale conflict. ...... If, in fact, Norton Engineering was cheating, you know. ''It was like buying and selling, and they got so pissed off that they showed me everything, including the books and everything. They told me to look into it until I was satisfied. ...... and '' ''And you found no trace of wrongdoing in ......? ''.......'' Umaro nodded in anguish at Estella''s words. He seemed to be a little relieved to hear her say something that he would have found difficult to say. But the look of anguish on Umaro''s face was so somber that it made it hard to breathe, and I could clearly feel his regret. Umaro is not regretting that he could not expose the fraud. He''s not angry at the people who hid it so well and kept it a secret. He''s not shocked to be confronted with the fact that there really was no cheating, and that he was just outplayed. He just can''t forgive them. He can''t forgive himself for suspecting an innocent man. He can''t forgive himself for his actions, for his shallowness, for going in with the absolute certainty that it was a fraud. ''I was told when Norton Engineering''s innocence was proven ......''. ''I think you''ve gotten a little carried away lately, haven''t you? ''I couldn''t even hear a sound. I just bowed my head and ran home. ......'' Is that what happened to you? I didn''t notice him at all. The story spread quickly among the guild of carpenters, and the name of Torbek''s engineering store was heavily stained. They were said to be ''egotists who thought that it was natural for them to get the work and that it was impossible for others to take it'', and ''rogues who would come to destroy the workplaces if others got good jobs''. Umaro and the others just accepted such slander in silence. ''Then, as usual, there were no more stories about us being offered the job, and we often heard later that some other construction company had done the work. ......'' ''And it was all Norton Construction Company? ''No. ......'' Umaro is answering Estella''s question in a normal way. He''s been lying face down for a long time, so he doesn''t have to look at her. That''s how badly he''s been hurt. ''After we made a fuss, Norton Engineering lost work. ...... After that, it wasn''t a particular engineering company that took the work, but various engineering companies. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Because of you, we got a bad reputation and lost work!What are you going to do about it? That''s what they said. Umaro then handed over most of the work he had received in the 40th district to Norton Construction. He explained the situation to the client and the union, and got their approval. ...... Ah, so that''s why guys like Yambold and Goozja at headquarters were available. I thought it was a bit over the top to have all of them there. Was there a reason for that? And the heat wave. On that day when they were playing in the river, Umaro received a crazy story. No, he was slammed. ''I''ve been sued by the General Court. Business obstruction. By making it difficult for them to conduct a lavish investigation, they''ve ruined Norton Engineering''s credibility and cost them jobs. Not only that, but the extreme decrease in work must have been due to Trubek''s covert operations behind the scenes. That''s what they assumed, and they sued me. If he had taken the case, he would have been able to clear his name, but Umaro avoided the fight. He felt that he had caused trouble by his actions. He paid the settlement price so that he would not cause further damage or bring more bad publicity to Norton Engineering. In effect, a declaration of defeat. It was as if he had admitted that everything Norton Engineering had said was correct. And the bad reputation of Torbeck Engineering spread to every corner of the district at once. The only way to regain the trust of the public was to work diligently and start from scratch. Umaro thought so and told the carpenters to do the same. That''s why, from the time of the heavy snowfall until today, these guys have been insatiable for work. Not for the money, but to start over in the 42nd district, where their skills and spirit would be duly appreciated, and to gain trust once again. In fact,......, the mere mention of our name could cause trouble for Estella, the 42nd Ward and Yashiro,......, but this is the only way for me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ...... The only thing you can do is to be a carpenter, so no matter what, you have to get your credibility ............ up again so that our carpenters can eat. ...... So, ............! A man''s tears fall into the hot water. Well, that''s it. It could be a drop of water that fell from the ceiling, and I''ll pretend I didn''t see it. ''I''m sorry I couldn''t talk to you at ....... I trust you all, but I''m still a little scared. ......Because I''ve been treated so well by people who recognize my ...... skills. I''ve been treated so well by people who recognize my ...... skills. ...... But if I can''t do my job well with a bad reputation, I''m worthless to them. ......'' ''Oh, no.'' Umaro''s words stop at the sound of my voice. No, it''s gone. I really did. I''ve been careless. I should''ve asked Millie to get me some bamboo. I could''ve made a squirt gun with the bamboo. If I''d had a squirt gun, I could''ve poured hot water into her whining mouth to shut her up. Too bad. Such a pity. So I''m going to use the hand tub and pour a lot of hot water over Umaro''s head. ''Wa......?What''s that? Umaro shakes his wet face and finally looks up. ''...... ah''. I''ve been listening to you. The faces of those who listened to you, what they look like now. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. Look at them. Ginette looks like she''s about to cry, even Loretta''s eyebrows are furrowed, and Magda has a half-lidded expression on her face. Don''t take the smiles away from the staff of the sunny pavilion, you weeping fox! You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a few of them. ''...... Yashiro-san, that face''. ''......Sorry, sir.'' As I stared back silently, Umaro bowed deeply. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. ...... I don''t care what I look like. You just smile like an idiot. You''ve made such a great bath. You should be proud. There''s nothing for you to worry about. Because this whole mess that''s been bothering you... ''Umaro. It''s gaslighting.'' --It''s gaslighting...'' It''s all a ruse against Torbek''s construction company, set up by some idiot. 467-Episode 269 Gas Writing Techniques Learned from th... ''What is gas ...... writing? Umaro raises an eyebrow at the unfamiliar term. It''s not easy to explain. If you try to explain it in words, you''ll only get the impression of ''that''s absurd''. In order to explain it, you need to do something a little roundabout. ''People are weak creatures. That is why we live in groups. Our instinct to protect ourselves makes us do it. That instinct is troubling. ''Humans are under the illusion that if the people around them say something different, it''s them who are wrong. No matter how firm our confidence is, it is shaken by the objections and counter-arguments of those around us. There are differences in the extent of the shaking and the time it takes to shake, but there are very few people who are completely unshaken. The stubborn person who refuses to listen to others, on the other hand, covers his ears because he is aware that his beliefs will be shaken if he listens to others. If you are a decent person who belongs to a "society" and wants to coexist with others, you cannot completely ignore objections and counter-arguments. Even if you pretend not to hear them, they will stick in your mind like a thorn. This is because human beings are weak creatures that cannot live alone. As a species, we have this characteristic, and that is why we form groups. The instinct of such a creature rings a warning bell. It is dangerous to be isolated in a herd. So you doubt your own mind. You can''t trust yourself anymore. ''Is that like Delia when there''s not enough water? Estella is probably referring to the time when Delia was on the verge of tears, wondering if she was wrong, when the representatives of the guilds forced her to ''dam up the river to send water to the canals'' during the water shortage in District 42. ''It''s psychologically close, but it''s clearly different from that thing. When there are several people who have different opinions from yours and stand in opposition to you, your belief in justice can be shaken. This is exactly what happened to Delia, who almost thought that even her non-negotiable mission of ''protecting the river'' was her own ego. But that was friction caused by a lack of words, misunderstandings, and disagreements on both sides. Conflicts in a group, big or small, can occur anywhere and at any time. But not gaslighting. It''s not friction caused by malicious disagreement, as in Delia''s case, it''s done with clear malice. ''Gaslighting is a brutal abuse ...... or torture that tramples, demolishes and robs a person of his dignity, self-confidence, self, ideology, responsibility, value, and so on. Estella swallowed her saliva at the horrible words. It''s really something vile and horrible, gaslighting. ''What exactly is it? She wants to be sure of her position. Estella asks me with a look of fear. A concrete example. There are several types of gaslighting. They all have one thing in common, they make the target think that they are the one who is wrong. ...... ''For example, a man who is violent with his girlfriend says, "I''m violent with you because you''ve offended me. If he continues to do so, she will have the thought, ''I''m not going to make you angry. If she were to make the right decision, she should encourage her boyfriend to ''stop the violence,'' but she''s convinced that she''s wrong, so she tries to change herself. She believes her opponent''s absurd theories. When this goes too far, she falls into a state of brainwashing, thinking that ''he is really a kind person'' or ''I am the only one who can understand him''. These are also a kind of gaslighting, in which one believes that the other person''s opinion is more correct than one''s own, as a result of being exposed to negative opinions. ''How is that possible?Because you are obviously saying something wrong, aren''t you?Does that make you think you''re wrong?'' Well, normally I would think so. When we hear about gaslighting and mind control, we often say, ''It''s not true, is it? But they are not lies. But these are not lies or exaggerations, they are real things that happen. In short, human beings are more gullible than most people think. Try this: ...... ''Becco, can you help me with this rather difficult experiment? ''If it''s okay with me, I''m all yours! I stopped speaking at this point and wrinkled my brow. The change in my expression makes Bekko look slightly quizzical. ''...... No, well, if you don''t like it, you can say no.'' ''No, no. I don''t know what you''re going to do, that I don''t know what you''re going to do, but I''ll spare no effort to help you if I can, that I will. After Bekko''s words, he averted his gaze and muttered to himself as if to throw up. ''Even if you say it with such a disgusted face, ......''. I''m not trying to make you look bad. This is my true face, that it is. ''............'' Silence. ''............ Um, Mr. Yashiro? ''......Well, if I pay you, will you do it? ''No, no, no!No reward is necessary, that it is!I''d be happy to help you, that I would! ''Huh ......, then why do you look like that ......?'' I let out a big sigh, ruffled my hair, turned my face away and talked to myself, and then Bekko moved. ''Mi, everyone!I don''t know if I look that bad, that I do!Isn''t that normal?Or is it really ......? Bekko covers his face with his hands and begins to roughly pull the muscles in his cheeks. Oh, no, no, no! It''s not safe to go any further. ''That''s enough, Becko!Experiment over! ''It has not begun yet!I, truly, sincerely wish to help! ''I know!That was gaslighting! ''What about ............? I didn''t expect you to wear out your mind so plainly. ...... Pure? ...... Yeah. I''m going to have to take care of your mind for a while. ''Did you see that?Did you see how normal Becko looked? I asked those who had been watching the whole thing. But no one replied. ''No, it''s true that he has a funny face that I feel a little uncomfortable calling normal, but this funny face is normal for Becko. ''No, it''s not!That''s not why we couldn''t answer, is it? It seems that his silence was not due to the fear of being caught by the ''Spirit Judge'' by calling Bekko''s face ''normal''. ''About halfway through, I realized what Yashiro wanted to do and observed Bekko, but the ...... effect was so great that I was overwhelmed. ''I''m a little surprised about that. In fact, I was a little unsure and even asked Umaro, ''That''s not true, is it? I was expecting to be a little unsure and ask Umaro, ''That''s not true, is it? ''Probably because Bekko and I are ''good friends'', he was even more distraught. ''Yashiro. ''Good friends'' is not a word you say with a crooked frown. Whatever the truth is, it appears that Bekko has friendly feelings towards me. His impatience at the thought that such a connection or interaction might be severed is considerable. ''For example, Estella. If you were told by Jeannette, ''You stink, stay away from me,'' and you said, ''No, I don''t!I can''t smell that! Can you argue with that?'' ''No, you can''t. I''d rather go back to the museum and take a bath than have Jeannette hate me. In this way, if there is a relationship there that you don''t want to break, people will doubt themselves without hesitation. ''In the previous example, it''s easy to say, "Look disgusted," but it''s hard to say, "Don''t look disgusted. ''Don''t do it'' is something that is difficult to consciously do. Just as it''s most difficult to have a camera pointed at you and be told, ''Just be natural. ''Becko was confident that he would never look uncomfortable, but his confidence was shaken when he was repeatedly warned. It was right after he said, ''I''m going to do an experiment. If this becomes more sophisticated, ...... most people can be easily framed. ''If I were someone who really wanted to destroy Bekko, he''d be out of sight in less than a week. He can even be made into a puppet who only believes what I say and does what I say, saying, "How should I act? That''s what gaslighting is all about. All the faces of the group went pale. This gaslighting is a foothold for brainwashing and mind control. It destroys a person''s confidence and beliefs and makes them believe that they are wrong. The person will then believe the words of the person who made them aware of their mistake. ''This is the ''foundation'' of gaslighting. Estella stood up involuntarily and took a half step back. The sound of water echoed noisily, and the bath water shook. ''This is the ...... foundation?So there''s more up there?'' ''Oh. It''s the application of this thing that got Umaro killed. You guys, listen up. And keep it in your knowledge. There are so many terrible ways to attack a mind. And it''s so easy to do: ...... It can happen so easily and so close to home. ''Who do you think is more susceptible to gaslighting, Imelda or Jeannette? I ask this question. They all look at Imelda and Ginette. The two named people also look at each other. ''Um, ...... me, is it?Imelda is very firm, and I am, well, ...... just a little bit more relaxed. Wow, Jeannette. You''re giving yourself too much credit. What do you mean ''just a little bit''? The others seemed to agree with Jeannette''s self-assessment. No one said anything to the contrary, but they looked at each other and nodded. Ginette is more gullible than Imelda. It''s natural to think that, but ...... this time it''s not true. ''In my experience, it''s Imelda who''s more susceptible to gaslighting. ''Is that you?'' Imelda''s lips pursed in disapproval. ''It''s easier to break confidence if you''re confident in yourself, if you''re highly regarded by others, and if you''ve been pampered to some extent. This is the reason why celebrities and corporate bigwigs are deceived by fishy fortune tellers and religious people. ''Such people have confidence in their actions and are less likely to hesitate in making decisions. That''s why--'' ''That''s why they''re vulnerable when their confidence is undermined,......, isn''t it? ''That''s what I mean.'' Estella was listening more intently than ever. Perhaps more than anyone else, she felt the danger of gaslighting. ''Maybe Imelda''s spirit will wear out if people keep saying, "The old one was better."'' Imelda''s creations are artistic in quality and beautiful in appearance. This includes, of course, one''s work as a lumberjack, one''s own appearance, and the things one has made in the past. Those who have been praised by those around them are convinced that, because of their successes at that time, their work was good, and that their self-esteem and that of those around them were high. It is difficult for any human being to keep surpassing the past. You may be able to surpass it someday, but not every time. We are all aware of that. That is why, when you are told that ''the previous one was better'', a small self-criticism grows in your mind, comparing it with the successes of the past and saying ''sure, it is not as good as the previous one''. If this self-criticism continues, the small self-criticism will continue to accumulate and become larger and larger, and you will think, ''I can''t surpass my past works,'' ''My talent is exhausted,'' or ''I am a finished person. The reason why singers, writers and cartoonists falter after a hit is because they suffer from such ''comparison with past successes. ''The past is the past!What I''m making now is the best! If you are not a person who can say, ''The past is the past! It doesn''t matter if it''s work, fashion, or anything else. For example, what if someone tells you that last year''s hairstyle was better?''Last year''s dress was great. I''d like to see you wear it like that one more time.'' What if someone says to you, in a roundabout way, ''Your clothes are so lame these days.Would you be able to say, ''You have bad taste?I''m sure you''ll agree. It depends on the ...... person. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. That "little" will give rise to "small self-criticism. Once the self-criticism grows, it will grow at an accelerated rate. Before you even realize it. ''On the contrary, people like Jeannette, who can simply say, "Yes, I''ll do my best," when someone points it out to them, are less likely to get caught. ''I see. ...... Then you can rest assured, Ginette. ''By the way, Estella. Even such a Jeannette can be driven into a corner by gaslighting. ''Jeannette. You''ve fixed the order of the knives, haven''t you? ''Yes. I put them in a certain order every day and put them in a certain place.'' ''How would you feel if the order was changed? ''Well, ......, I''m wondering if someone has used them.'' The order in which Jeannette arranges the knives is already ingrained in her body. It''s so ingrained in his body that it''s impossible for him to accidentally put them in the wrong order. In fact, the order of the knives is so fixed in Ginette''s mind that the more unconscious she is, the more she arranges them as usual. If the order is changed, it is natural to be suspicious of others. ''But what if I told you that neither I nor Magda touched it? ''Then I must have misplaced it.'' Ginette would agree. ''I''m sure she''ll be a little more careful that day, and arrange the knives in a certain order. But the next day. But the next day, the order has changed again.'' ''That''s .......'' Jeannette raises an eyebrow. It''s an example, not a fact. But it''s still creepy enough. ''This time you ask if I or Magda touched it. But we say we don''t know. If it goes on like that for three or four days, even you start to think something is wrong. Finally, you begin to suspect that an outsider has entered the kitchen and is changing the order. But there is no way that is possible. ''............'' She must have heard my words and is imagining the situation. Jeannette makes a difficult face and covers her mouth with her hand. ''And as she does that, I say this. ''Jeannette. You''ve been acting strange lately, haven''t you? And I''ll say. And you''ll think. ''...... Maybe I''m weird.'' The bathroom is silent as if it''s been flooded. ''Finally, you become afraid to check the order of the items and start to put them in a mess, ignoring the order. Estella sees this and asks. ''Ginette, what''s wrong?The old Jeannette would never have done this. Then you would think, right?''I''ve gone crazy, haven''t I? . And Magda says, "...... Manager, you need to take a break. And Loretta said, ''We''ll protect the Sunshine Pavilion. It''s hard to breathe and you look to me for help. And I''d say to you. "Don''t worry. The three of us can make it without you. If he really said that, Ginette would have to go to ...... ''Then you''ll think like this, won''t you? ''Oh, I''m not needed at the Sunshine Pavilion.'' ''............'' Ginette''s eyes flickered, and I pinched her cheek. Don''t believe it. It''s just a parable. ''Don''t worry. You''re needed at the Sunlit Pavilion, and we''ll do everything we can to help you if you''re in trouble. That''s an absolutely impossible parable if we were all planning to kick you out of Sunlit Pavilion. I assure you, we all don''t want to see or accept a Sunlit Pavilion without you. What we like is the sunny pavilion with Jeannette. Pinch both cheeks, look him straight in the eye, and assure him. Because it is important for a mind that has been shaken by gaslighting to know that there is a clear and definite ''ally''. ''That''s right, little Ginette. ''...... Magda likes the manager more than the sunlit pavilion.'' ''I love the manager, too!I''d hate to be in the sunny pavilion without the manager! ''...... everyone''. The three of them gather around Jeannette and hug her. I''ve taken the liberty of using their names, Estella, Magda and Loretta. I felt the warmth of their skin, and a soft smile returned to Ginette''s face. ''I''m sorry I scared you.'' ''No,......, but yes. It was a scary story.'' I pat Jeannette on the head to atone for my sins. ''Um, Yashiro-san. ''Hmm? Ginette looks up at me as if she''s peeking. ''Um, thank you for the ....... You said you like the sunny pavilion. That ...... is where I am .......'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if I''ve been exposed to hot water or not, but my face is bright red and I''m looking up at her. I must have made her very uneasy. I''ll do you a big favor here. ''Of course. ''...... ehehe''. She grabbed my hand that was stroking Ginette''s head with both of hers and gently wrapped it around her. Ginette''s moist eyes turned into a smile. I''ll never forget what you just said. ...... Don''t say things like that with that face when you''re in the bathroom, even in a bathing suit, and you''re taking a mixed bath. I''m sure you''ll want to hug her. ............ If I blow a nosebleed, will I be able to cover it up by claiming I ''froze''? ''Mr. Yashiro! ''Ooh! The face of a crying Bekko interrupts Jeannette, who smiles with moist eyes. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine.I thought my eyeballs would be gouged out from the sheer drop! Please give me some kind words, that I would appreciate it! Well, I''ve cut his heart out too. ...... I can''t help it. ''Becco, don''t worry. ''Mr. Yashiro ......! ''Your face is quite funny...'' ''No, it''s not!That''s not what I was looking for.Mr. Yashiro, do you like me, that you do?Don''t you hate me?Hey, Mr. Yashiro! ''Idiot!Don''t come crying to me!You almost touched my lips!I''m scared, so calm down! ''Please tell me you like me, Mr. Yashiro! A crying, half-naked Becco clung to me, rubbing his cheek against my abdomen. ...... I couldn''t take it anymore and shouted, ''I LIKE YOU! I shouted. ...... I''ve never heard of this kind of torture. It''s too intense, really. It''s a good thing that the two people who took advantage of it seem to have gotten over the after-effects of gaslighting,............?I''m not sure if I''m the only one who lost something....... d*mn. Now, Ginette''s parable of the knife is often used in vicious religions. They keep giving you the slightest sense of discomfort, driving you to doubt and deprive you of normalcy. ''When more than one person does this, a person''s self collapses to the point that they cannot recover. They can no longer make normal judgments. There is a case in which a feared power-harassing boss of a certain company was forced to resign by his subordinates who colluded with him. What the subordinates did was very simple and easy. Every morning, they slightly changed the height of the boss''s chair. That''s it. The rest of the time, they just ignore him, don''t make eye contact with him, and don''t talk to him. Changing the height of a chair gives you a very uncomfortable feeling, the more familiar it is to your body. It is very uncomfortable. If it continues every day, the person who is hit by the chair will have a hard time. You try to find the culprit, but your subordinates collude with each other, and each of them contributes to the other''s alibi. The boss, who can''t get any evidence no matter what he does or how hard he tries, eventually begins to doubt himself, wondering, ''Am I crazy? He began to doubt himself, went to hospital, became mentally ill and eventually left the company. The boss, who was hated by everyone, disappeared. Congratulations. ''Congratulations on ......, what''s the story? ''It depends on where you stand,......, but I''d say it''s one of the most brutal ways to do it. It''s a way to not only kick them out, but to cripple them again. It''s not something I admire. ''And that''s what Umaro and the others did, multiple gaslighting. ''But, but, Mr. Yashiro. There is no evidence that Norton Engineering did any subterfuge. ......'' ''Of course you didn''t show up.'' ''Of course ......? The reason there is no evidence is because they have not done anything to undermine us. It''s only natural that you won''t find any evidence of subterfuge when you investigate those who haven''t done any subterfuge. ''I''m sorry to use this metaphor again, but let''s say that Ginette is planning to destroy Cantartica. ''That''s impossible.'' Estella immediately denies it. ''Oh, it''s impossible, so don''t take it personally. Ginette, who planned to destroy Cantalcica, went around spreading bad news about Cantalcica. He said, "The food there is not good," "The staff is bad," and "The sanitation is sloppy. Paula then takes action to find the source of the rumors. The first place to look is their competitor, the Sunlit Pavilion. And if Paula investigates, she will soon find out that Ginette has been spreading false rumors. ''And so, Ginette''s misdeeds were exposed and peace returned to Cantalcica. ''As I said, there will be punishment for those who do wrong to others. I think that''s the way it should be. We at YODAMARI-TEI will not drag anyone''s feet, but will make our own efforts to make this a restaurant that satisfies our customers. Ginette is genuinely happy that evil has been destroyed. She is of the opinion that even though her name was used, she should be punished for her incorrect actions. If I were you, I might get a little pissed off and defend you. ...... Well, that''s not important right now. But what if the mastermind is not Jeannette, but Estella, who loves the sunny pavilion? What if she hadn''t consulted Ginette and was acting on her own to destroy her favorite rival of the Sunshine Pavilion? ''Even if Paula investigates the Sunshine Pavilion, there''s no way she''ll find any evidence of subterfuge. Ginette didn''t do any subterfuge and she didn''t ask Estella to do any subterfuge. Because Ginette had nothing to do with Estella''s actions. ''...... So that''s the reason for the Norton Engineering case, is it? Umaro''s brow creases deeply. ''Well, that''s what I''m saying. ''It was a third party who attacked Torbek''s store. Therefore, there is no evidence of it. What''s more, the purpose of the third party, the mastermind behind the attack, is not to ''push Norton Engineering to the top'' but to ''pull down Trubek Engineering''. If this is the reason for "pushing Norton Engineering to the top," evidence is easy to preserve. There are some cases where the rate of increase is clearly unnatural compared to the previous year, and there are some cases where the graph shows abnormal fluctuations. However, in the case of sabotage against Torbek Corporation, such as this, it is difficult to leave evidence. All people see is that someone has profited and that they have suffered damage. That''s why Umaro saw only the fact that "Trubek Construction Company suffered damage" and, relatively speaking, the fact that "Norton Construction Company made a profit. Because I saw that, I couldn''t notice the third party who was behind the whole thing, who didn''t directly benefit from it. ''But, is there really such a third party?Someone who would go to such great lengths just to interfere with Torbeck''s business, even if it didn''t benefit him? There is. There are several reasons for this. First of all, the sales of Norton Construction Company dropped immediately after Umaro and his team contacted Norton Construction Company. This is the result of the third party, the mastermind, realizing that he had gone a little too far, and so he restrained himself. The proof that Umaro and his team''s investigation has not become a bad reputation and that the number of orders has not decreased is that construction companies other than Norton Engineering are receiving orders in the same way. It is impossible that the very same phenomenon that Norton Engineering suddenly increased its orders would begin to occur at other construction companies the moment suspicion fell on Norton Engineering. And not just one, but two or three at the same time. A job that was originally going to be done by Torbeck Engineering was suddenly done by another engineering firm for some reason. How many times can such coincidences occur at the same time? This is evidence that the same person is repeating the same trick using a different person. This happens occasionally in the music and art fields. In order to destroy the most annoying person, they bury the annoying person by lifting up an insignificant "other person". This deprives them of the opportunity to be noticed and creates an image of "mediocrity". Then, wait for the season to pass and they will disappear on their own. After that, you can leave the insignificant "other" behind. The insignificant ones will disappear with only insignificant results. The strategy of destroying rivals without exposing one''s own pawns to bad publicity is practiced in any genre. ''Also, the speed at which Torbeck''s notoriety is spreading is another reason. They''ve been waiting with baited breath. They were waiting for Trubek to run out of patience. We know from Umaro''s story that the clash between Trubeck and Norton''s construction companies took place after the ward field day. It must have been Halloween, or at the latest around the time of the beauty contest. And it was the last day of the hot season when the case was filed in the court. So Umaro chose to settle. In other words, for the first time, Torbeck Construction officially admitted their fault. If rumors were to spread explosively, it would have to be after this. If there were people who had been unhappy with Trubeck Engineering for a long time, they might have started to make a bad reputation when they searched Norton Engineering''s premises and found nothing. But it is hard to imagine that people in distant wards who have little direct contact with the company would take one side of the argument and contribute to the spread of bad news. If they support the wrong side, they will suffer a painful reprisal when the truth comes to light. I don''t want such people to be involved in the sewage industry, which is expected to expand in the future. We can''t trust them. They will not ''willingly spread bad words'' about a construction company with which they have little connection, even at the risk of being ostracized from a major project that will spread toward Chuo City in the future. At best, they would just ignore it or keep it to themselves. What''s more, this is the season of heavy snowfall. No one would want to go out and take the lead in dragging each other down. ''Nevertheless, Lucia sent me information as soon as the heavy snow season started. The carpenters of the 35th district are anxious about whether they can work with the Torbeck Engineering Firm. Who brought this information to the 35th district? In the waist-deep snow. ''I heard that Torbeck Engineering is such a nasty bunch~. That''s terrible! You''d better not work with them! ''It was Lucia who said that the carpenters from District 35 would be used to build the port in District 42. It would be like arguing against the decision of the lord of your district to cooperate with the Trubec Engineering Firm. Would you do such a big thing based on nothing more than gossip? The carpenters of District 35 have even raised their distrust to the lord. ''It''s normal to assume that the information they got came from a reliable source. So, what source could be trusted unconditionally with gossipy information about the bad reputation of a carpenter from a distant district with whom they had no particular connection? It is easy to guess from the testimony of another person. Perhaps anticipating that this would happen, he went all the way to the sunny pavilion to give us information even though it was snowing heavily. Ma''ru. ''When he asked the Trubecks to repair the ice house in his house, the union recommended Norton Contractors. ''The union recommended ......? Yes. The Civil Engineering Guild Union, of which almost all the civil engineering guilds in the district are members. One of them, a high ranking person who can talk directly to the nobles, is spreading the story. It''s so active that it''s spreading to the 35 most distant districts in the middle of the heavy snow season. ''Why, when the union has been paying us ...... dues and providing us with a lot of information? ''Maybe they have a grudge against you, or maybe they''re just looking for ...... a good time.'' People tend to make foolish choices because of resentment and umami. There are countless idiots who are driven by resentment to take revenge, and countless others who are lured by the taste of goodness to do someone''s bidding. ''Didn''t you do something to attract the attention of some stupid nobleman? ''The aristocrat''s eyes ......, no way?'' Umaro''s eyes widened. He had recently rejected an invitation from a certain lord. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. ''...... is the lord of the thirtieth district ......? ''I don''t know. I''m just suspicious, but I can''t be sure. Everything I''ve said so far is circumstantial. There''s no conclusive evidence. No physical evidence. No witnesses. According to the law, he''ll get away with it. ''But what is certain is that someone high up in the union, or someone even higher up who can control that high up, is working behind the scenes to bring down Torbeck Construction. There is someone who is extremely suspicious, but I have no proof, so I will not mention him. ''From the above, I can assure you of one thing--'' I haven''t solved anything yet, but I can tell you this. ''--Torbek''s technology and trustworthiness is second to none, and cannot be beaten, it is an overwhelming victory. ''............'' Umaro is looking at me with his mouth wide open. It would be fun to stuff marshmallows into his wide open mouth, but for now, instead of marshmallows in his mouth, I''ll just shove these words into his empty head. ''You should be proud of yourselves and do your work as you always have. If you lose orders, if you lose clients, it''s because someone clever is working behind your back. It''s not Trubec Engineering''s fault. Then there''s nothing to worry about. When I told him this, Umaro''s face crumpled up and he sipped his nose as hard as he could. ''Yes, sir!We''ll work as hard as we can tomorrow! Umaro''s spirits were restored. It must be because of me. It must be. So, what should I ask him to make for me next time... ...... 468-Episode 270 When you attack someone, ''So, big brother. What do you want to do?'' Raising her eyebrows, Loretta leans in closer to me. ''What do you mean, what? ''Of course, against the nasty union bigwigs! Loretta clenches her fists and barks, and Magda nods in agreement. Despite their cool faces, Norma and Imelda don''t seem to disagree. They fixed their curious eyes on us and didn''t look away for even a moment. ''Our precious Umaro has been treated badly!I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out. ''...... Magda will spare no effort to help. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. But... ''It would be counterproductive for you to make a move. Let''s face it. ''As I said before, everything I''ve just said is circumstantial evidence. If there is no conclusive evidence, they can get away with anything they want. Unless you have the guts to go around the carpenters'' union and apply the ''judgment of the spirits'' to every single one of them in a good position. For example-- ''You''re planning to do something bad, aren''t you? ''I don''t know. ''Judgment of the Spirits''! --If we could do that, we might be able to figure out who''s behind it. But it''s not practical. ''If the main culprit is the royal family, do you guys want to go to the royal family to cast the ''judgment of the spirits''? ''That''s not realistic, is it?'' In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s not realistic. If we start doing that, they''ll start to seriously resist. The most likely scenario is assassination. ...... We can''t put these guys in that kind of danger. ''Besides, too much prominence would jeopardize Torbeck Engineering''s standing in the union. Even now, we''re being labeled as ''the ones who make it difficult for others to do well. If we rebel against the union, we don''t know what they''ll say. ''The union of the Public Works Guild is a big organization that almost all carpenters in the district are members of. It''s true that some carpenters aren''t members, but they are in a unique position, such as working for the royal family. It is safe to say that all carpenters are members, except for those exceptional carpenters who can get by without a union. ''It is dangerous to leave the union unless you are a carpenter who can keep getting work in his own name and with his connections even without the union. If you leave the union in a bad way, they will try to crush you by forming a clique. It''s impossible to stand alone against that unless you have a lot of power. Besides, maybe that''s what the third party behind it is trying to do. Umaro''s outbursts, the problems he causes, the further he is pushed, the more he begs for help from someone smarter. It''s also possible that ...... is deliberately trying to get people to see that the unions are behind this, and to get them to turn on them. ''They may be waiting with their hands tied for a counterattack by Torbeck Engineering.They may try to expel us from the union and prevent other companies in the same industry from working with us, and then they may try to take away our strength. Expel them from the union, and repeatedly obstruct their work in every way possible, until they can no longer stand. The goal may be to make them bow to us and say, ''I''m sorry, let me join again. If that happens, they will probably say, ''Give us all the technology you have for free. They will take away all the know-how and rights to the sewage and filtration systems, and treat Torbeck Engineering as a subcontractor to the other carpenters. --Maybe that''s what they want to happen. What I just said is a possibility. You can''t necessarily say that this is the case, but if the head of the enemy is even a little bit pissed off, it''s not surprising that he''s prepared to do something like this. They all fell silent. I want to crush the bastard who tortured Umaro. I want to make him pay. I want him to apologize. And that''s, you know, understandable. But when you attack someone, you have to be prepared to get hit back. If you''re not careful, you run the risk of being hit back twice or even ten times as hard. If you forget this and are careless, thinking, ''I can win! If you''re not careful, you''ll end up on the wrong side of ....... ''So, Mr. Umaro, are you going to cry yourself to sleep? Loretta bites her teeth in frustration, tears welling up in her eyes. Magda, next to her, is also unhappy. ''Oh, um... I didn''t expect you guys to be so angry, so I''m a little surprised right now. ''You''re angry!Umaro is one of us! ''...... Umaro, and many others.'' ''Yes, and so are many others! If he''s one of us, why don''t you at least call him by his name? It''s a bit crude, the way they treat you. Well, they''re carpenters, so it''s okay. ''Hahaha ......, that''s kind of embarrassing. I''m glad to hear you say that. I''ll tell all my carpenters what Loretta-san and Magda-tan just said. I''m sure they''ll all be rewarded with just those words. There''s nothing I can do. Such an atmosphere spread. ''Sure, it''s frustrating, and to be honest, it was pretty tough, but ...... I''m going to think of this as an expensive learning experience. More importantly, now that I know I don''t have to worry about it anymore, I can start working hard again tomorrow! Umaro declares that no matter how bad the reputation of the people around them gets, they will continue to work with faith in themselves. Although they don''t agree with the union''s methods, they will still do what they can. ''Yashiro-san has a good point, so I''ll try not to make a scene. ''Hmm?What do you mean by what I''m saying? ''No, that''s why. The union is a huge organization, so you said, ''It''s dangerous to leave the union unless you''re a carpenter who can always get work in your own name and with your own connections, even without the union,'' and ''It''s impossible to stand on your own against the union unless you have a lot of power,'' didn''t you? ''Yes, you did. ''That''s why Torbeck Engineering should be quiet and listen to the union .......'' ''We don''t need to listen to them. d*mn you, Umaro. It appears he doesn''t know how to use the word ''so''. ''It''s dangerous to leave the union unless you''re a carpenter who can keep getting work in your own name and with your own connections, even without the union. If you leave the union in a bad way, they will try to crush you by forming a clique. It''s impossible to stand alone against that unless you have a lot of power. Once again, I say the same line as before. ''So''. And I''ll teach you the proper use of ''because''. ''You should leave the union. You already have the skills, knowledge, and connections to take on a bunch of union carpenters. At any rate, the lords of the 42nd district rely on Torbek''s contractors at every turn and take it for granted, and the lords of the 40th and 41st districts also put their trust in Torbek''s contractors. In addition, Mael, the heavyweight of the 29th district, is so fond of you that he has nominated you by name, and Donis, the lord of the 24th district, who is crazy about Mael, and Tracy, the lord of the 27th district, who is crazy about Estella, will use Torbeck''s contractors because they like to ''match'' with their loved ones. ''There aren''t many carpenters who are so favored by the aristocracy and are directly appointed by them, right?Is there any reason why you guys are in the union? ''It''s to fill in when there''s a manpower shortage. ......'' ''You''ve got Hamko.'' ''...... Indeed.'' I''ve absorbed all the carpenters in the 42nd district, and some carpenters in the 40th and 41st districts, and on top of that, I have an inexhaustible supply of Hamko in my family. There is no need to worry about manpower. It would be more constructive to worry about allocating work to those who are available. ''Let them know how much damage they''ll be doing if Torbeck''s out. ''Ke, but, big brother! Loretta stopped me from speaking passionately, letting the anger welling up in me from the bottom of my stomach. ''Just now, my brother said that it would be counterproductive to make a move on him. ''Oh. That''s why you have to play your cards right. ''But he said that the union might be trying to get Umaro and the others to fight back! ''They''re probably trying to. That''s why I told you guys. I''ve shown you guys how stupid and reckless and unthinking they are. I thought I''d point and laugh with you.'' ''But, something, I was listening to my brother and he said that if you attack, be careful because you''ll get hit back. ............ What, no way?'' ''Oh, yeah.'' The union guys foolishly attacked us. Well, then-- You''ll have to be prepared to fight back. ''Umaro. Let them know. Let them know who they''re messing with, you ignorant a**h*les.'' I said with a smile, and Loretta shook her head. She shivered and muttered, ''My brother was really angry. ...... If you don''t like the union, you can leave. They were all stunned by my words. I mean, what good has the union ever done us? The Engineering Guild isn''t just for carpenters. It''s not just carpenters. It''s also the guys who dig the dirt and repair the cliffs. But until they were absorbed by Torbeck Engineering, they didn''t have any skills, didn''t know how to work efficiently, and were too busy dealing with the problems at hand. When the river was about to overflow, who took action to dam it up? Delia and the rest of the river fishing guild. How were the roads in District 42?Bumpy and rough. The path leading to Yaplock''s house was a monster. Dilapidated houses were scattered here and there, and the slums were abandoned and deserted. It was the same in both District 41 and District 40. In other words, the civil engineering guild unions were not passing on their skills, and the civil engineering guilds of the other districts that were members had no intention of giving away their skills. Not once did they offer to lend us a hand if we were in trouble. They''re not going to tell you even if they could. That''s why I didn''t even know there was such a thing as a union for a while. They don''t work at all. It''s useless. It''s all ...... ''Useless'' and ''titless tube tops'' are similar, aren''t they? ''What''s the matter, Yashiro?Are you tired of looking so serious?'' No, it just occurred to me and I felt I had to say it. I''m a straightforward person. ''So, are you seriously trying to get Torbeck Engineering out of the union? ''It''s just an idea. If Umaro is fine with the current situation, there''s no need to make things worse, and if there''s a better way than my idea, you can adopt it. ''But isn''t it unnatural to suddenly declare that you are quitting the union ......? I guess Estella is of the opinion that we should avoid being perceived as picking a fight with the union. I don''t think it''s a bad idea to break up a fight. ''There are two ways. The first, which Estella seems to dislike, is to dare them to come out and say, ''We won''t go back to the union unless the person who picked a fight with us bows down. If this works well, the union will search for the culprit on its own. The hole left by Trubek''s exit will be large. I don''t think the effect will be immediate, but in a year or two, the hole will widen greatly. Only the wards of certain lords will be able to reform the city with the latest technology possessed by Torbeck Engineering. The union will be in trouble if some lord sees this and says, ''My ward has it too! At any rate, there is no Torbek construction company that possesses the technology. It is very difficult to reproduce a flush toilet just by observing the outside of it, isn''t it? Neighboring districts are introducing new technology, but your district cannot. What would the lord do then? He''ll go directly to Torbek''s engineering store. If that keeps happening, no one will ask the union for work. Well, since Umaro and the others are busy, it might be a good idea to at least advertise, ''If it''s a trivial job that anyone can do, go to the union. ''That''s why. ''...... If you get serious, the city will be overflowing with unemployed people. ......'' Estella looks pale as she soaks in the hot water. Is the water getting cold?Fill her up, hot water. ''There is a more gentle way. ''Can you tell me about that one?By all means. I''ll listen to Estella''s request as she soaks in the water. Wow, I''m so kind~. ''Umaro will go to the union''s headquarters first. I''m not sure what to do....... I already have a bad feeling about this.'' ''Don''t worry. And then he bows down to us. ''We''ve caused you a lot of trouble due to our incompetence.'' ''I see, that''s ...... well, that''s conciliatory.'' ''And then he said, "I''ll take responsibility and leave the union."'' ''That''s ...... going to make them nervous, isn''t it? ''One or the other, I guess. If they''re thinking of hurting Trubec Engineering a little to reduce their power, they might get impatient. If he''s trying to induce Trubek''s outburst and stop it, he''ll be gloating. ''What are you going to do if they stop you?Negotiate terms?'' ''No way. ''I''ll stop taking responsibility for the inconvenience caused by my incompetence.If it''s not Trubecco''s fault, then they have to take responsibility for the trouble they caused. And Umaro even bowed his head. He made the man bow. You can''t just go along with it. ''You can''t sit down for a dialogue until you''ve made your point, bowed your head, and made a sincere apology that it was all our fault, and made full compensation for the damage caused to Torbeck. The settlement money to Norton Construction Company, which was not necessary, must also be properly compensated. Also, the amount of money that Trubecq should have received. ''After they realize the size of the hole that Torbeck''s firm left, they''ll try to cajole us in any way they can. Of course, on terms that are convenient to you. The good thing about this method is that you can reject them outright. Since we have made our point at the beginning, we don''t have to sit down to talk as long as you don''t make the same point as us. ''If you say, "I forgive you," I''ll say, "It''s my responsibility. If he says, "Let''s rebuild our relationship," you say, "We haven''t settled what happened last time. If they threaten to help you, you say, ''I can''t help you until we resolve this. If he snaps at you and asks if you don''t care what happens to the union, you tell him, ''Isn''t that what the union is for? ''Big brother is poking and prodding! ''So in short, you''re saying you won''t deal with it until the mastermind comes forward and bows his head.'' ''''That''s right. It''s the other side that started the fight. There''s no reason for us to concede. You don''t have to deal with scum who act arrogantly when they have the upper hand, and then use words like ''union'' and ''mutual aid'' to force you to help them the moment you are in a tight spot. It''s like insurance. It is too late to panic after something has happened. ''I''ve been trapped and expelled from the union because I don''t like something, and the union bosses are pestering me to come back, but it''s too late now!It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web and also the internet. ''...... What''s with that joke of a mission name? ''Isn''t it full of charm that could be made into a book? ''No, ...... if it''s a book, you don''t need to read the contents to understand the story. It''s a good idea. That''s a good thing. Modern people hate waste. It''s bad enough to read a book and find that it doesn''t fit you. It is a kind design to sift the reader from the beginning, yes. ''Well, it''s up to Umaro to decide. That''s all we''re going to say about it. The rest is for you to think about and decide. ''I can understand why you''re upset with us for hurting Oumalo. But it''s not good to get excited and ignore their intentions.'' That''s why I relieved you of the risk of attacking. If something goes wrong this time, Umaro will be the one in charge. Not me, not Estella. It''s Umaro. ''You watch over Umaro. I tell those present. ''And when Umaro calls for help, do your best to help him. ''Of course, sir! ''...... Magda''s help is a hundred men.'' ''Torbeck Engineering is a client of ours. To take away their work would be like fighting with the Woodcutter''s Guild. We will not spare your help. ''Well, I''ll let you know if I need anything. I''ll even listen to you.'' ''I''ll help you too, Umaro! Umaro listened to the words of his trusty companion without turning his head away. Um, Umaro... He looked the girls straight in the face and bowed his head. ''Thank you. He bowed his head so that his face was soaked in hot water, then looked up and said. ''For now, I''m going to consult with our people. We''ll decide what to do after that. So...'' He puckers his cheeks in embarrassment, bends his eyebrows and smiles. ''If anything happens, I need your help. Umaro looked the girls straight in the face and said. Immediately afterwards, he turned his back to them and said, ''I''m still nervous! ...... You''re growing up. ''Is that what you want? Estella says, looking at me. ''That''s what I''m talking about, my lord. ''Then I''m going to assume you agree with me. Cut the crap. Umaro will make the rest of the decisions. We''ll just have to wait and see. ''Hahaha ...... is a nice city after all, isn''t the 42nd district? When I heard Umaro''s words, I let out a sigh of relief. I''m not going to let anyone notice. ''I have to thank Lucia for that, don''t I? When the conversation had died down and the heavy atmosphere had lightened, Bertina quietly mentioned the name of an unexpected person. Lucia? Where did that name come from? ''During the heat wave, you said you''d come back at the beginning of the year, but you heard a rumor about Torbeck''s construction company and came to warn me, didn''t you? ''No, he just came to see Milly, didn''t he? ''Hmm. I guess that''s one of the main reasons. But that''s not the only reason, Bertina seems to think. Human rights for perverts. That''s Bertina. She''s the epitome of a sister. ''Lucia, you also came to greet the church. She said she''s sorry if she affected the mochi pounding contest.'' Lucia said to invite us to District 35 and teach us how to make rice cakes. She thought it might have a negative impact on the mochi pounding in District 42. So she went to the church to greet the kids who were looking forward to the mochi pounding. He is very disciplined in a strange way. If that''s the case, why don''t we just cancel the mochi pounding event in the 35th district so that we don''t have to go there? ...... Now that Jeannette and the others are looking forward to it, I''m sure they''ll be annoyed if it''s suddenly cancelled. But I see. Was Lucia''s guy really that considerate? ''Lucia, every time she comes over, she says stupid things, makes a lot of noise, and causes a lot of trouble... even if she''s doing something good behind the scenes, it''s going to cancel out the excitement. ''What, why?In that line of thought, you''re supposed to be impressed by the fact that they''re usually so noisy that you don''t notice them, but they''re doing a good job behind the scenes. ''Eh, what, Estella?You can''t forgive all of Lucia''s normal behavior just because she cared for you a little bit? ''No,......, that might be a bit unreasonable. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s more like zero. ''It''s not worth it if you don''t get a big reception. I''m not sure what to do. Ginette and Bertina are listening to our conversation, chuckling. What''s so funny? ''Both Yashiro-san and Estella-san are looking forward to their business trip to the 35th district, aren''t they? Huh? Why are you doing that, Jeannette? It''s not like you''re going to be able to do anything about it.To make up for the negative plasticity. ''Estella, you''re starting to look a bit like Yashiro lately.'' ''What?You can''t joke about this, Sister!I''m seriously dented. ''What, there''s still room for a dent, you? ''...... Shut up, Yashiro.'' This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. You ...... know that there is a rule against soaking body wash towels in the bathtub, so you would think that knives would be even worse. You know what I mean. ''What did you think you''d find when you brought a knife into the bathhouse? ......'' It''s not like you''re going to be in a bathing suit, but you''re going to be bathing with you, so you need to be prepared. You''re the one who started this, mixed bathing in a bathing suit! The host started it!We''re the guests! If you''re a host, make your guests feel welcome! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. I''ve seen it, Mistress! This lord put his hand on a man''s head and dunked him in a bathtub! It''s unbelievable!You''re barbaric! You''re barbarians! ''Don''t get too excited in the bath, you two.'' ''You''re just like Loretta. ''Wait, Imelda!I''m not involved, but you''re getting hit! ''Ah, Loretta always gets into trouble in the bath. ''Delia-san was pretty good too! ''...... When Delia and Loretta are together, the hot water runs out fast.'' Ah, yes. I can imagine what that''s like. I wonder, the bathing scene of these guys is not the s*xy muffled image that adolescent boys fantasize about, it''s more like a survival scene. ''Yashiro-san, are you alright? ''Keho......, I''m not okay, go scold that guy.'' ''It''s because you say strange things, Yashiro-san.'' He poked me in the forehead. You know, Jeannette has a soft spot for ...... Estella. ''I think the lords of the districts should be nicer to me. ''Then you should treat the lords of the districts with respect first. For starters, you should show me some respect.'' ''There''s no such thing as respect when you''re in the same bathtub. ''U......, don''t say that again. I''m a little embarrassed.'' Don''t be shy, you''re the one who started it. With that look on her face, Natalia made fun of her again: ...... ''Speaking of which, Natalia''s been quiet. ''That''s true, if you ask me. Normally, the head waiter keeps to the side of the lord and is not a presence. The head waiter of this district has a strong presence, to the point of interrupting in front of the lord,......, but today he is quite quiet. I''m sure you''re not having a heart attack, are you? It''s a good idea to take a look around and see if you can spot Natalia in the hot tub. A beautiful woman in a s*xy black bikini was squatting in the shallow, warm bath, staring at the surface of the water. I approached her and asked what she was doing. ''Wah~, go away~, it''s a boat~'' ...... He was playing with a toy in the bath. ''What are you doing, man? ''Huh!Master Yashiro!I''m sorry, I was thinking of a s*xy shot when I welcomed you.'' ''Yes, I''ll just take your feelings, can you explain this situation to me? ''Oh, nothing at all. We''re opening tomorrow, so I was just making sure there was no danger to the children''s playground. Come to think of it, the purpose of this bath was also to make sure that there were no flaws in the operation of the bathhouse. At any rate, I can take a bath without any problem. There is little risk of burns. The only thing to be concerned about is that some people might get hot water poisoning. There may be a number of people who get too excited and take a long bath. Like, for example, Omero over there, who thought it was quiet all the way from the middle of the bath, but got completely overheated in the sauna and is lying on the floor stretching. Oh, Becko staggered up to me and lay down next to me. Ah, that''s the water bath. Must be cool to be so close. I''m sure they''ll be fine if we leave them alone. ''So, how about some toys? ''I''ve decided to spend all my savings and buy all kinds.'' ''No, no, no. I don''t care if you like it or not, is there a safety issue?'' She seemed to like it a lot. Come to think of it, Natalia likes pretty things, doesn''t she? ''Generally, no problems. ...... Oh, I''m sorry. I can''t believe I called you ''oomune'' in front of Estella-sama. ......'' ''Just keep going.'' Estella is making a face like that. Give her a little more attention or Natalia will sulk. She loves you, you know. ''Only this pompom steamer needs to be handled with care. I think you should only use it with children of a certain age. Pompom steamers use fire. If you touch it in the wrong place, you''ll get burned. ''Then we can rent out the pompom steamer at the counter. ''I think that''s a good idea. The other toys will be left floating in the bathtub. Their names will be engraved on them as proof that they belong to the West Bath. You can''t take them out. ''It''s cute, isn''t it, duck? ''The goldfish is also cute, like a taiyaki! ''...... Magda, I''ll wash this girl''s hair.'' While Jeannette and Loretta were interested in the tin toys, Magda took a liking to the baby doll. She is gently pouring hot water on the doll as a mother would do to a baby. Seeing this, Norma let out a gasp, ''Wow ......''. He was impressed by the fact that Magda did not pay attention to any of the other toys and took to it first. I guess he didn''t fully believe that Magda would really play with such a toy, even though he had made it. Magda is a little older than me, but I''m sure kids around Rebeka''s age would love to play with her. ''By the way, there''s a combined golem in the men''s bath. I couldn''t get the word ''robot'' across, so I called it a ''golem'', but in short, it''s a merging robot. Two robots merge and transform into one big robot. Even though it''s called ......, it can be attached and removed without any elaborate gimmicks. The robot before merging also has a distorted form that is obviously designed for merging, but I guess it''s cheap enough for kids. It''s not for display, but for play. ''Yashiro-san, Yashiro-san!Look, it''s a snowman! Ginette scoops up the snowman floating in the hot water and looks at it happily. ''And there''s another one over there, too! She points to the ceiling and looks up at the large stone statue of a snowman rising there. These stone statues, based on the motif of Becko''s The Great Adventure of the Snowman, have an overwhelming presence in the bathhouse. Dotted with angels and phantasms, they have a very fantastical finish. ...... I made them change course. The first idea was too much of a snowman. ''It''s amazing. ''Well, you''d be surprised. There are large stone statues scattered about, and the high ceilings and wide bathtub give a sense of freedom. This is a place where you can easily experience the extraordinary. ''I was lucky. Ginette smiles up at the stone statue of a snowman. ''I''m sure this is the only chance you''ll get to see Yashiro-san. I don''t think I''ll ever be in a women''s bath again. Unless this place goes out of business. ''If you''re fine with the baths at the Sunlit Pavilion, I''ll take a mixed bath any time. ''Ummm! Ginette said, bringing the snowman doll in front of her face to cover her reddened cheeks. ''Please repent. That''s what a snowman would say. Well then. After that, we tried all the baths, checked them, and finished our inspection of the bathhouse. 469-Episode 271 New Years Eve is busy and lively. On the first day of the opening of the public bathhouse, most of the people living in the 42nd district were there. I didn''t know it, but the town was abuzz with rumors right after the construction started. ''Yashiro is going to build something interesting again. ...... It wasn''t me, it was the lord and the Torbek Engineering Shop. As the opening day was at the end of the year, all the guilds seemed to have taken the day off from work, and the bathhouse was crowded with people, people, people from the morning. It was so crowded that it reminded me of a swimming pool in the middle of summer. The flowing pool and the pool with waves were always crowded with people. I never went there, but I saw it on the news here and there. But you see, no matter how many people are crowded, unlike the 42nd district, in Japan, touching the tits of a beautiful woman in a swimsuit is a crime, right? ...... Oh, it''s the same in this city. I''m sorry, I forgot about that. I''m sorry.That felt so good! A carpenter with a refreshed face comes out of a public bathhouse where there is a line. In such a crowded place, no matter how big the bathtub was, he would not have been able to stretch his legs and relax much, but the carpenter looked refreshed and in a good mood as he had never shown before. ''It''s so nice to be able to use the hot water to my heart''s content like that! For the people of this town, who usually wipe their bodies with a tub, it is a rare experience to have a head full of hot water. The old men don''t bathe in the river. At best, they are kids. There is usually someone from the river fishing guild in the river, and they can''t bathe in such a place. If you pollute the river, the scary guild leader will be angry. ''It''s a pity I couldn''t go into the sauna, but I''ll come back when the time limit is over. Today, due to the excessive number of visitors, the bathing time per person is limited to thirty minutes. I''d like you to take your time, but if you don''t, some of you won''t be able to stay in the bath for a long time, and the day will end. Once I explained the situation, the people were willing to accept it and there was no great confusion. Is that it? A good-natured lord who-- ''In exchange for setting a time limit, we''ll give you half-price bathing today. --Maybe it was because he said that. What a fool. On the first day, even if the service is inadequate, even if you can''t satisfy them at all, they won''t complain even if you charge full price. I''d rather pay twice as much and get a complaint like, ''Oh, you haven''t been to a public bath yet?There will be people who want to show off and say ''I''ve already been there! Everyone is equal. We''re all in this together. Let''s share the fun. I wonder if the lord of this place has a slogan like that. Thinking like that, I was outside the bathhouse, watching the customers come and go. Estella had asked me to watch the customers'' reactions. Well, I''ve already found out that they''re responding well, but I''d better continue my research. I''m the one who started it, so... ''Hey, Yashiro! Mormat comes running towards you, waving and smiling. I don''t know if it''s just me, but the luster on his scales is different than usual. ''It feels so good to be in a public bath!Especially the sauna!That''s a good one! Mormat, smelling a little like a man after a bath, speaks enthusiastically. ''At first, I thought, what''s the point of being in a hot room, but Omero says the world changes when you push yourself to the limit. Omero was in the sauna until he collapsed during the test run yesterday. With Becko. ''The water bath after coming out of the sauna is the best! ''All right!All right, just stay away from me!If an old man smells good, it makes me want to kill him. It''s only when it comes from a beautiful girl that you get that feeling! Apparently, saunas have been accepted in this city as well. You have to endure to the limit, endure, endure, endure, and ...... release from endurance! That''s a great feeling,......, I''ll go in when I''m a little more free. It''s a good idea to use a soap made by Regina. At first I thought, ''What kind of man would want to use a fragrant soap when he''s not a woman,'' but they were giving away one per person in the guardroom. I took the chance and tried it, and look what happened!Look at the difference in the luster of the scales!In addition, I feel like they''ve become moist and soft, right? ''It''s not like the scales can''t do their job anymore, is it? Is it okay that the scales are getting soft? Scales are natural armor, right? Well, no matter what kind of armor you wear, you''ll probably be killed instantly by Mo-Mat. ''When a new strong enemy appears, be the first to be killed. ''What are you talking about?Absolutely not! That''s the position you''re in. You''re in the position of ''mob character combatant C''. ''So, what scent did you get? ''It''s lavender! ''You''re a girl! ''That''s nice!Because it smelled so good! This time, I''m giving away free use-size soap at the reception desk of the public bathhouse. Fragrant soap is a luxury item. You don''t need it if you don''t have it. But once you use it, you''ll want to use it again, and when it''s gone, you''ll think, ''Oh, it''s gone,'' and you''ll think, ''I don''t mind spending a little more for this,'' and eventually you''ll think, ''It''s a must have, it''s not enough without it! If this becomes the case, the product will continue to be sold forever. This sample is a stepping stone to that. The scents range from flowers and fruits to honey and milk. Let''s see, what will be the most popular one? ''If you like it, I''ll tell you which scent I recommend to you. ''Oh, Yashiro''s recommendation. I''m curious. What''s the scent?'' ''''Men''s Fruity,'''' he said. ''That''s the smell of old man sweat, isn''t it?Hammaro, the man in charge, made me smell it and I fainted in agony, you know! Oh, so you already knew that. I wish I could have seen it, the fainting Mo-Matt. So it''s Hammaro sitting on the watchtower? Are you sure about that?It''s the first day. I was a little anxious and looked towards the entrance of the bathhouse and saw Ricardo waving at me with a happy glow on his face. ''Oh, there you are!Oi, Oba! ''Mo-Mat, they''re calling you. ''It''s not me!It''s obviously you, Yashiro!I said, ''Oba''! d*mn it. Why do I keep getting approached by old men like this? ...... Estella... ''There will be a lot of women taking their first bath today, so stay away from the women''s baths. I''m going to warn you so that you don''t have an accident,......, but the girls in the forty-two wards are rather open-minded and friendly,.......'' --This is because of the dry smiles and the restraining orders. I would have preferred to investigate the women''s baths too! ''I like that!Make one for me. ''Are you Lucia? ''You''re Lucia?'' She ordered me to do it with an impassive face. I think the lords of this city should respect me more. ''Before jumping on a new thing, what''s going on with ''Lovely Yann Avenue''? ''Hmm?Yeah, it''s going well. It''s been a few months already! ''Aren''t you taking too much time? ''You know. It''s a huge construction project that''s going to remake the whole street.It''s only natural that it would take a long time!How many buildings do you think you''ll have to rebuild? ''Umaro built two public bathhouses in less than a week. ''Don''t compare it to that!It''s too far outside the norm, Torbek! From Ricardo''s point of view, Umaro and the others seem to be out of the ordinary. Well, when he said with a nonchalant face, ''No, we''ve built a large bathhouse once at the sunlit pavilion, so if we have the know-how, we can shorten the construction period even if the scale is large,'' I was shocked, ''Is this guy for real? No matter how much you mobilize the entire Trubec Engineering Department,......, I think the speed was rather normal when the sunlit pavilion was renewed,......, am I forcing myself that hard?It''s not my fault, is it?I''m sure it''s Umaro''s fault. Ricardo. It''s not my fault. ''It''s not my fault, is it? ''I don''t know what you''re talking about, but when has it ever not been your fault? ''d*mn it!I was wrong to ask you!Mormat! ''Well, isn''t it Yashiro''s fault?I don''t know. What a bunch of guys! Are they unhappy men? ''What are you talking about? Just then, the man I''d heard so much about, Umaro, appeared. ''Umaro, is it me? ''What?Well, ......, maybe it is, isn''t it?I don''t know...'' You too, Oumalo! I felt so uncomfortable that I decided to continue using these guys as my chins in the future. Maru! ''Umaro, what''s the progress on ''Lovely Yann Avenue''? Ricardo, being an idiot, asked Umaro, the person in charge. ''Oh, it''s almost finished. In fact, after the rough work was done, it was handed over to the carpenters of the 41st district, so I think the lord knows more about it than I do. ''I didn''t know that you handed it over to our carpenters. ''You should be more interested! This is the first time I''ve been able to get a good idea of what''s going on. Umaro. Don''t think of things in terms of you. There are always a certain number of idiots who can''t help themselves in any world. ''The carpenters of the 41st district have recruited a large number of women and entrusted them with the design work. There are a lot of ideas that only women can come up with, such as designs from a woman''s point of view and points that would be nice to have, and the results are quite interesting. ''But, Torbek. It''d be faster if you made it yourself. You should do it.'' ''...... No, I think the current method is the best for District 41 in many ways, such as passing on skills, gaining hands-on experience, and training newcomers. ......'' ''Is that so?It would be more interesting to finish it quickly and start the next one. Just like the forty-two districts. ''Yashiro-san!He doesn''t know anything about anything! ''What, you don''t know anything about that either, Umaro? Ricardo is an idiot. Especially when it comes to things he''s not interested in. ''Then come and make yourself a bath! ''No, the construction of the port will start after the new year.'' ''Don''t worry!All you have to do is make it in your free time! ''''Yashiro-san, that''s not good!I almost touched it just now! ''You didn''t have to hold back. People who don''t know how hard it is to make things immediately say things like ''just'' and ''enough''. Then why don''t you do it yourself? ''Well, if you don''t have time, I can''t help it, but I''ll make an appointment for you. I''ll be there before you.Do you understand? ''If that''s the case, I''m sure it''ll be faster to ask the carpenters in District Forty-One. ''No, you can''t! Ricardo crossed his thick arms in vain and blew his nose like a kid. ''I want to entrust the first public bathhouse in District 41 to a reliable and skilled carpenter!I''ll have my guys build one based on that, so just come and build one. Do you understand? I don''t know who you think you are being so selfish, but I''ll tolerate you for once. The lord of the neighboring district, a stranger if you will, is praising you with open arms. For Ricardo, it''s probably just a simple idea of wanting something good, but for Umaro, his selfishness makes him happy. The timing must have been right, and it must have touched Umaro''s heart. ''............''. Umaro said shortly as if to cover his tears, and smiled happily. I can''t help it. Let''s at least build a public bathhouse. It''s the most sweaty district around here. If you give me a portion of the profits, I''ll suggest a stylish spa worthy of the lovely Yann Avenue. ''What''s with all the men and their shabby meetings? Estella shrugs her shoulders and walks over to the men''s room. That''s not fair!You forbid me to go to the women''s bath, but you come to the men''s bath! ''Okay, let''s switch places!I''ll leave it to you! ''You can''t leave it to me. Natalia is watching over there, so we have enough hands.'' ''But that doesn''t mean you should slack off. ''I''m here for the meeting. After this. After the mayhem of the opening of the bathhouse is over, we have the next event coming up. ...... You''re cramming too many events in. It''s not a problem, because Jeannette and her team are preparing for it. I''m not sure what to say.You''re going to do something again?Do you want me to join you?Hmm? Ricardo interrupts the conversation, and Estella and I look at the smiling muscle lord in silence. A sullen look on his face. ''...... I wonder why. I don''t get the same feeling of ''I can''t help it'' as I did with Lucia.'' ''Yeah. I just feel like, ''What''s he talking about? I just feel like, ''What the hell is he talking about? ''Why are you guys doing this?Me and Lucia Suarez are equal!You should treat us as equals!In fact, the longer we''ve known each other, the more privileged I should be! ''You know, Ricardo, ......, have you ever heard of the term ''likability''? ''Are you trying to say it''s low, you? ''No. It''s not even close. ''I''m taking care of you! ''What about ..................? ''Oba!You spoil him too much, and he''ll only get worse!You''d better educate him properly! ''Why is it me? ......'' Estella''s education is the job of her parents, her governess. Or Natalia''s responsibility. I''m not at fault, I have no responsibility, no obligation. I''m not Estella''s family. ''By the way, Ricardo. Are you sure you want to be here?Are you free?Why don''t you just go home? ''You, don''t be like Oba in that way! You''re an idiot, Ricardo. Your stupidity is what''s making Estella like this. ''Estella. Lovely, the avenue isn''t finished yet and he doesn''t understand the progress at all.'' ''What are you doing?If you''re not going to do it, why don''t you give up your position as lord to someone else?'''' ''You idiot!I''m busy. I don''t have time for one thing at a time. ''How dare you say that when you were so excited about Halloween and the field day, and were planning a stupid event like the Fart Festival. ''No, that''s ............! I just thought it looked like fun. --You can''t say that. Keep your mouth shut. I''m sure you can''t come up with a good excuse. ''Listen, Ricardo.Events and developments aren''t just something you do on a whim.It''s the duty of the lord to plan and manage them well at the beginning of the year. ''Oh, you''re good at throwing boomerangs, Estella. You''re stabbing yourself in the back. How can you say that when you''re always jumping at every event that pops up? Well, I''m making you jump at everything that comes along. ''Well, you should learn from my skills and hone your skills as a lord. ''Shut up, young man. Junior.'' ''I''m sorry for overtaking you~'' ''You didn''t overtake me! Ah, these guys aren''t bad friends, they just want to mount each other. They''re so close, these childhood friends. But Estella''s character is so twisted only in front of Ricardo. ...... ''Ricardo. I''m glad you''re getting special treatment. ''I can''t help but feel like I''m being looked down upon. Of course you do. Because you''re being specially looked down upon. ''Um, Estella-san, ......'' ''Hmm, what-- oh, Umaro. Sorry, I''ll turn around. So, what is it?'' ''Hey, Oba. What''s this strange scenery?'' ''Just an ordinary day in the Forty-second Ward.'' Estella and Umaro are conversing with their backs to each other. They''ve gotten used to it, haven''t they? ''I think we need a public bathhouse in the lovely Yann Avenue. ''In the lovely avenue? ''I''m sure women would love the daily changing baths, and I think a lot of people would use it if there was a place where they could sweat it out after exercising. ''I''m sure they''d love that. ''That''s why I''d like you to let us use the time between the construction of the port to build a public bathhouse. ''What, for Ricardo''s sake?Why?What a waste. ''What do you mean, ''wasteful'', Estella, you? Well, it''s definitely a waste, but ...... Umaro wants to do it, you know. ''Ricardo. Did you bribe Umaro in any way?'' ''I didn''t do anything.'' Well, if there was a bribe, it was dignity for Umaro. He was happy, wasn''t he, that they trusted him? ''Well, if Umaro can do it, why don''t you let him? ''Yeah, I''m sure Umaro wouldn''t disrespect my work. ''...... Haha. Thank you. Umaro is tickled by Estella''s complete trust in him. They both turn their heads away from each other, which makes for a strange picture of a fox cowering behind Estella. ''Well, I''ll leave you to it. As long as you make the port your top priority.'' ''You have my word on that! And so it came to pass that a public bathhouse was built on the lovely Yann Avenue. I''ll tell Regina to hurry up and get more hot spring water, soap, and shampoo. Then there are the tin toys. ''It''s just that...'' Estella muttered to herself. ''Water, what are we going to do? There are no rivers in the forty-first district. ''Well, that''s ......''. Umaro glances at Ricardo. When Ricardo notices your gaze, he proudly states. ''The hunter has the power!You can go and fetch as much as you want! ...... Oh, he doesn''t know what he''s talking about. Me, Estella, and Umaro held our temples at the exact same time and let out a sigh at the exact same time. ''Hahahaha!What the hell is this?It''s so much fun! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s following me to ....... I''m sorry. ''You''re looking good, Estella''s ''friend''. ''Don''t do that. It''ll ruin my reputation.'' ''Mmmm. That''s terrible, both of you.'' Smiling, Bertina scolded us. ''Sir, I believe justified ostracism is an individual right! ''Let''s all eat well together. Apparently, ostracism is not allowed in this church. That''s why a mochi pounding contest is being held at the church today. Everyone wanted to participate, and it ended up being just before the end of the year. It was this time of the year last year, too, and it might become an annual event--a mochi pounding contest at the end of the year. ...... and some of them will come to stay at the Sunlit Pavilion, right?I''ve given up. You can do what you want. Yashiro-san! The glutinous rice has been steamed! Currently, there are four more sets of mortar and pestle on standby, apart from the mortar that Ricardo is shaking like an idiot. There are a lot of people who want to do it, and a lot of people who want to eat it. It''s not that there are a lot of people who want to eat, it''s that there are ''a lot of sisters'' who want to eat. Even with five mortars, it''s not enough: ...... I''m not sure if five mortars will be enough, but I''m hoping to get a good turnout of experienced people to mass produce more and more rice cakes. ''Stupid Ricardo doesn''t know when to hold back. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... ''That''s fine. The children seem to be enjoying themselves. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. It''s true that the kids crowded around Ricardo, who was performing what could be called a wild pounding, and cheered his powerful and dynamic movements. ''Wow!It''s so fast! ''The sound is amazing! ''Powerful!That''s amazing! ''Ha-ha-ha-ha!Kids are so cute and honest!Hey, you guys. Don''t ever grow up to be like Oba! ''''''You''re pretty good, even for Ricardo~! ''''d*mn, it''s too late for that! Ricardo bared his fangs at me. The kids who were torn apart by Ricardo''s fangs are running away happily, ''''Hahahaha! and run away happily. As if the spider had scattered, the kids disappeared from around Ricardo. ''Hey, don''t pick on me, Ricardo. ''Shut up!It''s 80% your fault, Oba! Why is it my fault? I don''t give a d*mn who you kids admire. I may be guilty of being a little too charismatic, though, haha. ''Yes, yes. ''Hmm?Yeah, probably. The grains are gone, but just check.'' ''Let''s see, ......, yeah. It''s good. Good job.'' ''Oh ...... oh.'' Ricardo chokes up at Estella''s honest encouragement. You look like an unpopular junior high school boy talking to the girl he likes. ''Well, here''s the next one. Estella takes the rice cakes and puts the freshly steamed glutinous rice into the empty mortar. ''There are hungry children, hungry carpenters, and very hungry sisters, so please hurry up. ''Wait!You''re using me as a joke, aren''t you? ''I''m glad Ricardo''s here. You''re no match for me in strength. I can count on you. ''You, you can''t try to ride me with your barbed lines like that. ............ This is the only time! You got me! What? Seriously? Choro! ''If I take him to the brothel, he''ll go bankrupt in a night. ''No, you can''t go to a place like that, .......'' ''I''m not going.'' A chuckle escaped from the impatient Jeannette. Besides, there''s no such place, is there? I''ve never seen one. ...... Is there one? ............ Is there? I''ve never seen one. I''ve never seen anything like it. ...... He pinched me on the cheek. Like a rice cake. Like a rice cake. There''s ...... one. I''ll ask Javier about it next time. ...... No, when I imagined who was the dirtiest adult I knew, Javier came to mind, so I thought. ''...... Ricardo. Mochitsuki is entertainment. You''re right!The shouting is essential! Magda and Loretta come out of the kitchen and give Ricardo a hard time for his incessant pounding. Magda stands next to Ricardo and holds the pestle as if to show him an example. Loretta is in charge of turning over the rice cakes. ''...... Loretta, are you ready? ''Leave it to me!I''m going to show you how to make real rice cakes with a pestle and pestle. ''......Ayureedi? ''Yes, sir! ''......Standby OK? ''It''s ready!Is there anything you don''t like about it?I have no idea where you''re stumbling...'' Magda''s tail thumped happily against the sky. He''s happy to be attended to. And then he thrusts his pestle firmly at us - Estella. ''...... Magda and her friends'' rice cake pounding is dedicated to our lord. ''......?'' Estella rolls her eyes at the sudden statement. After about two seconds, her mouth relaxes into a happy grin. ''Since Ricardo is the only one who stands out, I wonder if you were thinking of me, Magda?You''re so cute. Magda is a very thoughtful girl in that way, but ...... she''s probably not. ''...... Now! ''I''m coming! ''......Huh~'' ''''Flatten, flatten! ''''Muaaah, is that what you mean? Yeah, yeah, that''s what I meant. ''''Good for you, my lord. ''You''re being annoying. It''s your fault that those two ended up like that! So don''t blame me for everything. All right, kids. Let''s line up in order and start pounding the rice cakes.'' ''You''d better listen to us!You''ll get hurt if you don''t! ''''''Yes! Norma and Delia will let the kids pound mochi with the empty mortar. Yeah, yeah. It''s so much easier when you have people you can trust. ''''Everyone seems to be having fun. ''We did that once during the heavy snow season: ......'' ''Still, it''s nice to have fun again and again. That''s about right. Even Jeannette seems to be enjoying herself. She shakes her body to the sound of the kids'' ''petan, petan''. She is shaking her body to the sound of the kids'' ''petan, petan''. ''Mochi pounding, it''s fun~! ''Then turn your gaze to the rice cake pounder! Estella forcefully holds my neck to the mortar. Stop!I have things I need to watch over! Bertina has asked me to watch over Ginette! I want to watch over her breasts, the way they sway!I want to watch over her breasts! ''Come on, we''ll get the other one! ''''''Hey, beams! ''''Before that, I''ll enjoy Magda-tan''s splendid mochi pounding for now! ''''''Boo-hoo-hoo! ''''''You''re annoying! Umaro is looking well. The carpenters seem to be having a good time, perhaps because they''ve heard about yesterday''s talk. ''Hey, boss?Isn''t your posture distorted somehow? ''Stop gaslighting!I''m not distorted!The old lady in the neighborhood says you''re always standing up straight and ''handsome''! Is that what they say about you? It''s true that Umaro''s back is straight and his posture is beautiful, but he''s not ...... being targeted by that old lady, is he?Be careful. Especially after a bath. The old ladies in this town can be aggressive at times. If she says, ''You look just like your grandfather did when he was young,'' dash away. Run to the ends of the earth. ''Carpenters, you''ve got a bright look on your faces. Ginette murmurs to herself. Well, if you ask me, the people who were building the bathrooms and public baths at the Sunken Pavilion might have looked a bit desperate. Perhaps Umaro and Yambordo were inspiring them. All that responsibility on their shoulders. Too much recklessness. ''Oh well. Shall I feed them Ginette''s special, delicious rice cakes?'' ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll do my best to make them.'' A beautiful girl''s cooking will be the best reward for them. At all costs, keep up the good work next year. ''Peentan!Phettaan! The cheerful voices of the children echoed. Ginette is making a trial product for a new product to be presented at the 35th district, and is seasoning it with gusto. Magda and Loretta are also working more earnestly than ever, as if they are practicing for their presentation at the 35th district. Estella, on the other hand, is sipping oshiruko with a carefree face. She looks the same as usual, but there is something different about her, perhaps because it is the end of the year. Somehow, everyone seems to be a little more excited than usual. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ''...... Um, he''ll be happy if you let him do it. ''So do I. I''m going to practice so that I don''t fall behind Gilberta. While Natalia participates in making rice cakes, showing a glimpse of her competitive nature, the sun is steadily setting. The sky turns red, the indigo color spreads, and night falls. As I watch these changes, I suddenly think. ''Ah, the end of another year. Bertina pats me on the head, picking up my mutterings that I don''t want anyone to hear. ''Thank you for your hard work. I hope to see you again next year.'' ''...... Well, in moderation.'' ''Yes, sir. In moderation. The mochi pounding contest was held until midnight, and all the glutinous rice was turned into mochi. The rice was dried and cut into mochi (rice cakes), made into Kagamimochi (mirror-shaped rice cakes), and some of it was used to make okaki (rice cakes). It is a strange feeling that something that did not exist is born and takes root. Somehow, I wanted to eat my parents'' zoni. I wonder if I could ask Ginette to make it for me. With such thoughts, this year has come to an end. 470-Episode 272. Those Who Gather on the Third Day At the beginning of the year, I had to go on a business trip to the 35th district. We are also busy with our regular business and the construction of the port. It''s best to get rid of the troublesome things that need to be done as soon as possible. Therefore, I told him that if he wanted to invite me, he should do so early in the New Year, and he decided to leave on the second day of the New Year. We stayed overnight in the 35th district and returned in the afternoon of the third day. ''As expected, I''m tired of seeing Umaro. ......'' ''It''s true that I''ve been staying with him a lot lately, but I don''t want him to get bored! ''Umaro''s stay with us is at Lucia''s request. You don''t have the right to veto it. ''Well, well, Mr. Yashiro. Isn''t it more fun with more people? ''That''s right, big brother. I''m having fun with Umaro-san! ''...... Magda is also fun to be with.'' ''Muhaaaa!Magda said it was fun!I''m thrilled!I''m glad I came! ''Wait, Mr. Umaro!I said the same thing!In fact, I said it first!I don''t like the way you''re saying that! ''Out of sight, out of mind! ''Shut up, Hammaro! ''Hammaro? The group pulled their stalls and made their way to the 35th district. The group consisted of me, Ginette, Magda, Loretta, Estella and Natalia, and at Lucia''s insistence, Umaro and Hammaro. As for Millie, she will be very busy in the New Year. I''ll just have to bite back tears this time. So the next time I go there, I''ll do my best to make sure she''s all right,'' or something like that, so I quickly tore up the letter and threw it away. Because of that, I haven''t checked what was written in the latter half of the letter, but I guess it''s OK. New Year''s is a busy time for us at Yodari-tei. ''Ah!A food stall! On the way, we were spotted by the people of the district we were passing through, and were surrounded by kids several times. Since the wedding parade, the kids in this neighborhood seem to have a deep-rooted perception that a food stall is a fun place to store. I guess it is similar to the unconditional excitement they feel when they see a stall at a festival. All the kids who run up to the stalls have sparkling faces. ''''We''ll open the store for thirty minutes in the square ahead, so hurry up and call your parents. ''''''Yes!'''''' The kids scattered to the side as fast as they could. They shouted, ''''Here comes the stall! while shouting. ''''It looks like we can make a fortune in the 36th district. Ginette said this with a happy, smiling face. Even though she used the word ''make a fortune'', she looked at me with a face like ''Yashiro-san is so kind to children''. I''m not doing this because I want to. When I was swarmed by kids in the 41st district, you said something like, ''Can''t we open a store for a while? That''s why we''re in this mess. Estella seemed to have anticipated that Ginette would do the same and went to the trouble of asking the lords of the districts for permission to sell in the square beforehand. You guys are all set to sell and I''m just along for the ride. ''That''s why Yashiro-san had you make so many stocks for the mochi pounding. ''Big brother, I''ve been thinking of dishes that would please the kids since the day I decided to go on a business trip. ''...... Yashiro''s concern for his children surpasses even his blood ties and the district he lives in.'' I''ve been thinking about it. Don''t make up your own stories. That''s a fabrication, that''s a fabrication. I was just thinking about how to consume the mass-produced rice cakes without wasting them, because the kids in the church would be so happy to pound them. I wasn''t even thinking about the kids in the other ward, who I''ve never seen before. ...... ...... Hey, don''t you all look at me!Don''t look at me! I''m not sure what to do. Today we''re going to reach District 35 while the sun is still up.'' ''Yes, sir. Last time, we spent a good amount of time in each district to promote the stall sales. Because of this, it was night by the time we arrived at the 35th district, but this time we plan to arrive while there is still daylight and quickly make mochi. This time, I''m planning to arrive while there''s still daylight and make mochi quickly. Saving time and energy is a must. ''Come on, come on, there are two menus, but they are both excellent mochi dishes! ''It''s chic to buy a set of .......'' ''Please try them! The three girls'' voices echoed in the square. The menu consists of two items: Abekawa Mochi (rice cakes covered with soybean flour and sweet bean paste) and Okaki (bite-sized oysters). Each set contains two different flavors of mochi and okaki. If you buy them as a set, you can enjoy four kinds. What a bargain! You''ll be able to go to any of the districts and sell your products without any confusion or trouble, thanks to Natalia''s ability to keep the crowds in line. Oh, the lords are coming to see us. The lords of the thirty-six districts aren''t exactly in favor of building a port in the forty-two districts. Some of them are worried about the loss of revenue. Perhaps it''s because of this anxiety that I''ve come to visit. ''Estella, let''s go. ''Yes. The response was good in both the 37th and 38th districts, so I''m sure the lords here will be pleased.'''' For those districts that will be affected in some way by the opening of the port in District 42, I''m going to provide them with a special new recipe. Estella made the decision on her own. I wonder if she understands how much money can be made from ...... unknown recipes. It''s a shame. ''Thank you, Yashiro. With this recipe, there will be no complaints from the outer districts. Thanks to your suggestion.'' ''Don''t force me to be a good guy. ''Yes, yes. ''A way to shut up those annoying lords who might try to mess with me'', right?Either way, I''ll be a big help.'' Idiot. I brought this up because if the completion of the harbor is delayed because of petty squabbling like the lords of the 30th district, the seafood will be lost and the goodness will be lost. I don''t give a d*mn whether you''re saved or not. ''I''ll buy you a drink when the port is completed safely. You can look forward to it. ''Okay, silk pants, please.'' ''All right. I''ll buy you a new pair and give them to you.'' ''Are you kidding me? ''That''s my line.'' I get a light blow to the side. That tickles. ''You two are as close as ever, aren''t you? I''m smiling.'' ''Oh?Are you declaring war? ''No way!That was not my intention!You understand, don''t you, Lord of Smiles? ''Then would you please change the way you call me? Among the lords in the vicinity, the ''Lord of Smiles'' has completely taken root, and ...... rumors that Estella and I are on very good terms have also taken root. There are some lords who, seeing us, said, ''Now the outer districts are safe. I did pull out his nose hairs, though. All four at once. The lord here is looking at us with a good look on his face. Let''s give him what he wants and get out of here. ''Here''s the recipe for the new seafood, and here''s the real thing. ''What?What? ''This is for your help in building the port. ''''Are you sure? The lord of the thirty-sixth district is a relatively quiet-looking man, his face oozing with the hardships of ''Oh, he must have survived being stared at by Lucia for years. However, he also has a shrewd side, and his sense of profit is quite impressive. ''Anyway, have one. ''And now, if you''ll excuse me, ............ is delicious!What the heck is this?I could taste a hint of shrimp! ''I''m sorry, I don''t have time to talk about it in detail. I''ll tell Lucia-san about it, so please arrange a time with the lords of the neighboring districts to hear the details later. The lords of the thirty-sixth district pressed in closer and closer. Since the response has been pretty much the same up to this point, Estella is quickly getting ready to flee. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that.We''ll treat you with our specialties! I''m sure you''ll agree. ...... Or perhaps that''s what happened and I''m running away. You can''t do that for many nights. You''ll be given a new product and a recipe, and then you can try out the prototype and get a lecture from Lucia. With Lucia in charge, I''m sure she''ll be able to keep the lords in the area in line. ''Mmm ......, another lesson from Ms. Suarez. Sometimes I wish I could be in the opposite position. You can''t look at me with such greedy eyes. It''s more important for District 42 to stop Lucia''s belly button from bending than it is for you to be in a good mood. It''s troublesome when Lucia gets upset. We''ll sacrifice you with a smile on our faces to avoid that. After all, I still don''t remember your names! Lucia and the neighboring lords are enough for me, these guys. ''Yashiro-san~!It''s sold out! Ginette waved her hand in front of the stall. Around her, customers are happily munching on rice cakes. After the road trip was over without any problems, we finally set foot in the 35th district. ''Welcome, my friends. A bonus anchovy.'' ''Wow, to be welcomed by Lucia-sama, Yashiro, I''m so happy...'' ''Yashiro. Between the eyes. You''ve got a lot of wrinkles between your eyes.'' Lucia also has wrinkles between her eyebrows, so it''s mutual. ''Lucia-san. Thank you for inviting me. First of all, I''d like to greet you on behalf of all of us...'' ''Good, good. You must be more tired than that.I''ve prepared a footbath for you. Everyone get some rest. ''I want you to come this way. When Gilberta called me, I went to the place where I had seen the big raft before, and steam was rising from the hot water. The only difference from the last time was that there were three men standing there, whom I had never seen before. Who are they? Their clothes and posture were too crude for the guards of Lucia''s house. In the face of these strangers, Natalia quietly stepped forward to protect Estella. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... You''re scary as hell, head waiter. ''Don''t worry about it. They are the carpenters of my district.'' ''......What?'' It was Umaro who let his voice trail off. He couldn''t imagine why the carpenters would be ...... at the lord''s mochi pounding, except that Lucia had planned it, but he was still a little surprised. ''You, I''m sorry, but the lord of another district is soaking in a footbath. Give us a moment.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry!Come on, let''s go. A short-haired man who seemed to be the leader of the group hurriedly called out to the other men and left the place. Although it was in the garden of the mansion, there was a blindfold on the wall, so he must have taken care of Estella and Jeannette. I guess the carpenters who made this screen are the ones who made it. ''I was looking at ...... Umaro.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Magda and Loretta are looking at the carpenters'' backs with a bit of fear in their eyes. It''s true, they''ve been staring only at Oumalo since we arrived. It was a hostile, hard stare. ''I''m sorry. Please forgive him, Magda-tan, my sister-in-law. The lord apologized on behalf of the carpenters for their rudeness. Lucia also wants to do something about it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s interested in your company. I''m not going to do it. I''m not going to do it, Hammaro! I''m not sure what to make of that. Gilberta and the waiters offer us each a chair. There are tubs and towels next to the chairs. ''I''d love to join you, but they''re here too, so I''ll sit this one out. The carpenters of this district would not be amused if the lord of their district was soaking in the footbath with someone who was having a little trouble. ''Is the lord on their side? If they say, ''Is the Lord on their side? So, he is going to keep himself neutral. We''ve set up the place, so you guys can handle it? That''s a lot of throwing around, isn''t it? ''Take your time. In the meantime, I''m going to take a bath with Hammaro in our house. ''Guards!Come and get the servant with a sturdy rope right now! Before I knew it, Hammaro had been kidnapped, and Loretta took him back and held him tightly in her arms. This lord, with a straight face, is committing a terrible crime,......, why can''t he be prosecuted?Are the laws in this city functioning properly? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. You will be chastised. Corporal punishment? No, it''s a love whip. When she got out of the footbath, the waiter tried to wipe her feet, but she didn''t need him to do that. In fact, I feel a little frightened, so I decline. Ginette and the others are also wiping their own feet. ...... Ah, I thought Ginette was in a hurry, but she went to wipe Magda''s feet. Magda seems to have been waiting for her. Taking care of Magda is one of Ginette''s hobbies. Natalia, who had finished wiping her own feet more quickly than Ginette, was wiping Estella''s feet. You''re the best, head waiter. ''I''m sorry, sir. Could you stop by the 27th district on your way back? ''Don''t you dare try to make a little money! You''re confiscated!At all.'''' Natalia was planning to sell the towel with which she wiped Estella''s feet to the lord of Estella Mania. Her ambition was shattered. I''m afraid that Tracy would offer her a gold coin with a straight face. And Hammaro, who was jumping into the footbath tub and splashing hot water all over the place, was secured by Loretta and had his whole body forcefully wiped. You''ve been through a lot, my eldest daughter. In the midst of all this, Umaro was quietly staring at the impulse stand alone. ''What''s the matter?Are you looking for something? ''No, I''m not! I thought it was because I was looking at the work done by the carpenters of the 35th district, but it seems it''s not. ''Look at this. Somewhat excitedly, Umaro pointed to a part of the partition. ''This can be folded compactly if you remove the bar here, I bet. ''Oh, that''s right. If you look closely, you''ll see that the stopper can also be rotated. ''This way, you can fold it up and store it when you''re not using it, and when you need to repair it, you only need to replace the broken part. He gave me such an explanation with his sparkling eyes, pinched his own chin, and muttered praise without reserve, ''You''re doing a good job. ''The idea is great, but the sanding and the processing of the corners are very careful, aren''t they? This way, you won''t injure the lord by any chance. ''If he was chasing Hammaro, he wouldn''t mind crashing into this place, would he? ''No, I''m talking about within the scope of ...... common sense usage. You''re responsible for your own troubles when you get sick. I''m sure Umaro will take that into account when designing the product. ''What''s the score from your point of view? ''I can''t give you a score. I say firmly. ''This is a technology we don''t have. I honestly respect you. I''ll learn from you. Because he''s like this, I''m sure he''ll continue to grow. ''Okay, let''s get this and go home to study it. ''No, you can''t! ''Don''t worry. They won''t find out.'' ''Of course they will, anchovy! ''Of course they will, anchovies!'' ''They''ll notice if we lose this big one! Lucia comes over, her shoulders heaving with anger. Then she puts her body between me and the wall and orders the waiters to ''hurry up and put it away''. d*mn you, you stingy bastard. And then, as the servants remove the partition... Behind them stood three carpenters from the 35th district, standing in a row. For some reason, they looked uncomfortable as they turned their heads away. ''Lucia. There''s a peeping tom in here, isn''t there? ''What?No, no!We''re not peeping...? ''Smell demon. The smell of a bath with a beautiful girl in it is strangely erotic, isn''t it? ''I''ve never even thought about it! ''''Genie''s...'''' ''Can you stop it, Yashiro?'' Estella grabbed my straightened arm. No, you know what? You must have thought about it at least! If you pass by a house and smell a bath, you''ll think, ''There''s a beautiful woman in here with all her clothes on! It''s a wonderful fantasy!You know what I mean? ''You know what I mean, Boys and Gentlemen? ''Oh, okay. Don''t worry about what he says.'' ''Ha, ha. ......'' The carpenters glanced at me as if they were looking at something unfortunate and hurriedly averted their gaze. ''Oh no, our eyes almost met,'' was the response. I''m sorry! ''Eros is a sublime thing that can be felt with all five senses. ''...... At any rate, while the girls are bathing, Yashiro should be banned from entering the kitchen and backyard.'' I''ll tell you what.I''ll let Norma and the others know when I get back. I''ll let Norma and the others know when I get back.'''' ''Oh my God, Yashiro, .......'' What''s with all the blame on me? Even though the suspicion of Eros is the carpenters of the 35th district! ''Oh, you know what? ......'' A man who seemed to represent the carpenters of the thirty-fifth district spoke up, sounding as if he had some difficulty saying-- ''...... No, it''s fine.'' He eventually stopped speaking. His eyes glanced at Umaro. ''What is it? ''Are you embarrassed by Umaro''s praise?You''re a bunch of old men. ''Huh?............!'' With a red face, the old carpenter glared at me, his footsteps rattling as he walked away. It''s not a pretty face. Umaro''s eyes widened and he pouted, then he said, ''...... haha'' and patted his cheek in embarrassment. Yeah. It''s only a matter of time before the misunderstanding is cleared up, I suppose. After the footbath tub was cleared away, we spread out our tools in the yard. Preparing for mochi pounding, of course. Apart from the food stalls, Umaro and Hammaro took turns pulling a cart full of mochi pounding equipment. A mortar and pestle. A steamer, a skewer, a mortar, a pestle, and so on. The cart was also loaded with a lot of sweet bean paste, which had been cooked at the sunny pavilion. ''The glutinous rice is ready here. Jinepu, give me instructions. ''Yes, sir. Then, Mr. Yashiro. I''ll go steam some glutinous rice. ''Oh, please.'' ''Natalia. You''ll be assisting Ginette. ''Yes, ma''am. It takes time to steam rice. Ginette will take care of the other side, and I will prepare the rice cakes and seasoning. ''Hello. I hope you are well, Yashippi. While I was checking the tools I had prepared, a tall old man with a sturdy body for his age came in, shaking the single hair on the top of his head. ''Hey, Chororin. It''s been a while.'' ''Yashiro!Sorry, Mr. Donnerty. As rude as ever.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!I''m not going to complain about Yashippi''s attitude now. Let him do what he wants.'' What a generous old man. The lords of BU are one rank above the lords of the outer districts, who are known as the fifth class of nobles. Among them, Donis Donati is a heavyweight with outstanding ability, dignity and power. He''s a pure-hearted old man who''s in love with Mahr, the tragic lord candidate of District 29. ''Has Ma''ru already invited you to his old tavern? ''What are you talking about, Yashippi?I didn''t build that place with such intentions--'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ...... Your love interest is already known to everyone. I''m not sure what to say. Yashippi likes sweet sake and tofu. How about it?I''ll invite you over if you like, but why don''t you invite your close friends to come and play with us?Invite your superiors who are usually taken care of, you know?Hmm? ''Why do I have to go all the way to District 24 to eat Ma''ru and tofu? Invite them yourself.'' ''...... You''re in trouble because you can''t do that!I''m sure you can think of some good ideas. You''re too old to be talking about something sleepy. All you have to do is write a letter saying, ''I''ve made something interesting, come and see it. If Ma''ru had been a candidate for the lord, he would have been familiar with the local specialties of each district, and he would have missed the sweet sake and tofu. I don''t know if he likes them or not. ''Oh, by the way. I heard that Ma''ru took Fluffy''s earmuffs away from me during the heavy snowfall. ''Fluffy earmuffs?I''d like to hear the details! ''On a different note, Rebecca''s Mirin is really good. ......'' ''I''ll send you as much as I can cram into a crate!Do you need some soybeans?I''ll send you a crate full of rice and beans. He shoves an envelope into my hand. When I opened it, I found free food and drink coupons to be used at a nostalgic tavern and an accommodation coupon for the high-class (laughing) inn "Moon Cradle" in the 24th district. There were six tickets each for me, Jeannette, Magda, Loretta, Estella and Mahr. Oh, no. Estella and Mahrul will each bring their own head waiter, so there won''t be enough for Magda and the others. Well, I''m not going either way. I''ll give the six to old man Zelmar. Grandma Mum, old man Zelmar, Bobba, Frodo, and Orkio and Sirach, that''s six cards. They don''t have to go together. Orkio and the others can go another day. I''m sure they''d be happy to travel together. Well, from District 35, it''s pretty close. ''...... Yashiro is invincible no matter where he goes, isn''t he? ''As for me, I''m so nervous every time that my heart can''t take it anymore, so I want you to learn your limits as soon as possible. ......'' ''......Yashiro, so it can''t be helped. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s a good idea to take what you can get and use what you can. If I can get some glutinous rice and red beans, I might as well cook some red rice. ''A winter coat made of hexenbiest fur. Put a fluffy cushion on each ear. When Donis covered both ears with his hands, he must have imagined Mael wearing fluffy ear cushions. He let out a loud snort. ''It''s still going to be chilly in the mornings and evenings for a while. You said you''d make use of it. ''As the lord of BU, I''m very interested in the construction of the port in District 42, and I''ve been wanting to visit there. From early in the morning! ''That''s right, Estella.'' ''...... I want you to be responsible for handling the day.'' Yeah, ...... why me? It''s the lord''s job to take care of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to make the most of it. Put it to good use. You. Not me, you. Mr. Yashiro. We''ve started steaming the glutinous rice.'' The glutinous rice is prepared, and Jeannette returns. ''Ah, Mr. Donis. It''s been a while.'' ''Mm. I''m glad you''re doing well. ''Thank you for the food you prepared for us. ''No, don''t worry about it. Your food is delicious. I''m expecting the same this time. ''Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you. Ginette seemed confident in her new rice cake dish. She''s itching to make it soon. Even if it''s a new dish, it''s still an arranged dish. ''Well. While we wait for the glutinous rice to be steamed, I''ll show you the ''mochi'' that is usually eaten in our 35th district. Gilberta. ''Very well, I am. I will not disappoint you, Lucia-sama. At Lucia''s signal, Gilberta and the other servants brought the pots out into the garden. Intrigued, Ginette and Magda crowded into the work area. A sturdy wooden table was set up in the garden. It''s wide enough and long enough to be stable. We can cook on this table without anxiety. When I wondered what they were going to do about the cooking stove, a shichirin came out. ''Hmmm. Wentan recommended it to me. I bought a lot of them. ''Ah, Theron is very proud of his work.'' ''Se......ron?'' ''Lucia. Wendy''s not for you.'' You''re too jealous of Theron. He''s trying to erase you completely from his memory, isn''t he? I''m not gonna do it, okay? Don''t try anything. See? ''Glutinous rice is cooked and wrapped around a bamboo stick.'' ''Mm-hmm. It is then dried, boiled or grilled and eaten.'' It was just like kiritanpo. Kiritanpo is not made of glutinous rice, though. ''If you dry it too much, it cracks like this, but this is also the real pleasure of mochi. The costume Lucia wore on Halloween was described by me as a ''cracked rice cake''. Even if there was no "mirror rice cake", the "forced translation magic" must have translated it into "rice cake". The cracked rice cakes are placed on the wire net above the shichirin and baked. Some of the rice cakes were cut with a knife into pieces about two centimeters wide and put into the pot of soup. ''Come on, let''s taste it. Lucia recommended that I eat the 35 rice cake dishes prepared by the waiters. ''Hmm, it''s delicious. ''Isn''t it? The taste was different from what I had imagined, but it was still delicious. However, the texture is more like dumpling than rice cake. ''This is a seafood soup, isn''t it? ''Yes. It is a specialty of my district. All the people in this city grow up drinking this soup. Lucia really likes the 35th district. She looks so happy when she brags about it. It''s probably comparable to Estella''s love for the 42nd district. ''Here, anchovy, baked rice cake. If you''re jealous, you''ll get cannibalized.'' ''When did I ever get jealous of anyone? He gave me a baked rice cake with a thick sauce on it. It looked like uncooked doria. So that''s how you eat it. It''s more like a preserved food than a rice cake. ''It has an interesting taste. ''But it''s not enough. ''Is that so?I like it a lot. Ginette said modestly, and Estella seemed to like it. As for me, I still have a strong impression that it''s a doria that hasn''t been cooked. ''It''s very interesting because we don''t have this kind of eating style in my district. I''ll definitely have to try it. Donis seemed to like it and asked his butler to get the recipe for him. The butler runs to Gilberta. The butler runs to Gilberta and Donis puts the empty plate on the table. At that moment, the legs of the table came off, and the pots and cakes on the table tilted. ''Donnis! Hot soup flew out from the overturned pots and pans and flew at Donnis. He hurriedly pulled Donnis by the arm to evacuate him. Just before a catastrophe could have occurred, Natalia and Magda prevented it. Natalia supported the tilted table, and Magda caught the tilted pot in the air. Magda caught the tipping pot in the air. The soup that had flown through the air was caught by the pot without spilling. ''Everyone, are you hurt? ''Yeah, I''m fine, but ...... Jeannette?'' ''Yes, I''m fine. I''m fine.'' ''I''m fine, too. I''m just a little surprised.'' ''Magda, are you hot with the pot? ''...... is fine. The handle''s not hot. We weren''t hurt. But it''s not a situation where you can just say, ''I''m glad you''re not hurt. ''Sorry, Mr. Donati, and Ms. Creamona! ''No, I''m fine!Please don''t be so formal, Miss Lucia! ''Hmm. I''m fine too. No need to worry about it.'' ''That''s not how it works. Lucia bows to Estella and Donis. Gilberta follows her master''s lead and bows to the heads of the serving staff on both sides. All the servants in Lucia''s manor followed their lord''s lead. The fault at the mansion is the lord''s fault. This is going to be a big deal. ...... ''Let''s just get this over with. Natalia, standing at the table, suggested, and Lucia instructed her waiters. Lucia has a strange expression on her face. But even more pale than that are the carpenters from the 35th district who have been invited. They probably made this table too. They made the lord bow down to them because of a flaw in it. It would not be surprising if they have an ongoing hole in their stomachs. ''I''m sorry for the ......! A man who looked like a representative of the carpenters thrust his limbs into the ground and rubbed his forehead against the earth. The other two carpenters followed suit and got down on their knees. The carpenters'' apologies were directed at Lucia. They want to let him know that Lucia is responsible for the situation, but that the fault lies not with her but with them. But now is not the time to do that. ''What are you doing? Umaro runs up to the kneeling carpenter, grabs him by the collar and forces him to stand up. ''You need to take care of it first before you apologize!Check the other parts!And we''ll make sure it doesn''t happen again! ''Yeah, ...... no, but ......''. ''Hurry up!If anyone gets hurt, we''ll never get it back! ''Yes, yes!Hey, you guys! ''''Hey!'''' ''''Hammaro. You can help too. ''''I''m on it! The waiters quickly removed the items from the table, turned the empty table upside down, and the carpenters all started checking. Natalia stays with Estella, and the butler stays with Donis. It was unlikely that any more accidents would occur, but they were on high alert to make sure that the Lord would never be in danger again. Donnis''s steward must have a terrible sense of self-loathing, since the accident happened just as he was leaving Donnis''s side. Donnis''s people, they all love Donnis. ''Mr. Donnerty. Ms. Claremona. I''d like to apologize again. ''Oh, no. ......'' ''Well, wait and see, Ms. Creamona. It''s the kindest thing to do at a time like this.'' ''You''re right. It doesn''t make me feel any better if things are left unresolved. I hope you will accept my apology properly, and if possible, let us be close friends again.'' ''Yes, sir. Of course. I have no intention of destroying my relationship with Lucia-san. I have no intention of destroying my relationship with Lucia. ''Thank you, .......'' He bowed deeply, then exchanged a glance and smiled. Lucia looks like a decent lord. She must have had the idea of apologizing when she was rude. ''Are you also not hurt? ''Yes, sir. We''re fine. ''I''m fine too.'' ''...... Magda is fine too.'' ''I see. Thanks for the pot. Thanks.'' ''...... Magda is good at that kind of thing.'' Magda was a little embarrassed when Lucia thanked her. The tip of her tail is wagging from side to side. ''...... Also, even if you get into trouble, Magda is still cute, so you can call her Magda-tan. ''I see. Thank you for that. I''ll take you up on your offer, Magda-tan. ''....... Okay. That Magda guy was happy to be called Magda-tan. I never knew. Before he came to the Sunlit Pavilion, he was ostracized by the hunting guild, and there weren''t many people who would be willing to show him this kind of affection. It means that Magda''s number of important people is steadily increasing. ''And then--'' Lucia''s face turns to mine. ''What about you? ............ Yashiro-dono.'' Oh my god! What the hell? The moment this guy called my name, I felt a shiver run down my spine! ''I think I''m going to catch a cold from the gap between this and my normal ......''. ''Sh, don''t be rude, Kata ............ Yashiro-dono.'' ''Stop it, you''re making me sick!I''m fine, just carry on as normal. ''There is such a thing as discipline.'' ''Then switch it up and go back to normal.'' He gently stroked Lucia''s cheek. ''I don''t want to see your sorrowful face anymore. Just keep smiling like you always do. Then, with gentle eyes, Lucia moved backward at a great speed and rubbed her arms on her arms with such force that she said, ''If you do that, you''ll catch fire! She howled as she rubbed her arms with such force that it seemed as if she was going to burst into flames. ''Come on, you sub warts!You''re going to freeze me to death, anchovy! ''That creepy feeling is what we''re all feeling right now. ''No, ...... I didn''t feel that much chill.'' I''ve never heard Lucia say anything about feeling chills, but Estella says something awful about me, assuming I must be feeling chills. Would you like me to do something similar to you?Hmm? ''I feel like I just caught a glimpse of the source of the rumors that have been leaking out from everywhere, Yashippi. Be a little more careful. Donnis is looking at me with a sour look on his face. It''s okay. Lucia herself said she didn''t care about the rumors about me. ''Just let her say it,'' she says. ''Gilberta, hit that man in the back of the head with rock salt! ''What kind of big salt are you going to use? Keep it to sprinkling, there. Lucia showed a backstep that was worthy of being called the queen of the lobster world. It''s a little farther away than before. ''Yashiro-san. You''re being a little too playful. ''Ah, well, ...... it''s uncomfortable to be bothered by it all the time.'' ''Hmm...... that''s true. But you shouldn''t do that to women too often.'''' Jeannette scolded gently. She seems to understand my intentions, and does not condemn me. ''You know, you might hurt her feelings if you''re not careful. ''No, it won''t. It''s Lucia, remember?No.'' ''............ already. Yashiro-san. In all likelihood, Lucia will never be serious about me. So, I don''t think she''s going to hurt you with her seductive attitude. ............ ''...... I''ll apologize later.'' ''Yes. Please do so.'' If Jeannette scolded you, you''ll have to do that. I don''t feel comfortable in the confessional. ''Yashiro-san, I found out the cause.'' ''Hmm. Then tell that to your lord. Why are you coming to me first? Tell Estella or Lucia. ''No, because ...... I can''t talk to beautiful women.'' ''Huh, ...... Lucia is only beautiful on the outside, you know?'' ''Yashiro, is that a compliment?Is that a compliment or a put-down? ''I''m dumbfounded. ''Well, how do you think he''ll take it? Estella cowers her shoulders. Well, Lucia is easily embarrassed by a little compliment. Especially her face and style. Why don''t you get a boyfriend or something? ''So, what was the cause? ''I had to reduce the wood at the base of the legs to make it foldable. It seemed to be solid at first, but it seems to have worn out from being folded so many times. To make it movable, you need to reduce the amount of wood in the joints. If you don''t want to move it, you can fix it firmly, but if you want to fold it, the joint must be fixed at a single point. If all the load is placed on it, it will wear out quickly. This is where today''s event comes in. The joint must have become unbearable due to the large number of heavy pots and seven rings on it. ''Can you fix it? ''It''s possible if you have the wood, ...... but...'' Umaro glanced at the carpenters of the 35th district. If Umaro were to do it, he would be able to repair it quickly, but this is the 35th district. They''re the ones who built this table. He may be a little hesitant to go out there. ''Good. Kitsune no Muneyoshi.'' Lucia, the queen of the lobster world, walks up to Umaro. ''What went wrong and how can we make it better, can''t you lend them your wisdom? ''No, no, no, but, um, I, um, I, um, ah, ah, ah...'' ''I trust your skills and your heart. Please, will you do me a favor? ''......'' She opened her eyes, straightened her back, and looked Lucia in the face and nodded her head clearly. ''Yes, sir!If you say so, I''ll use my knowledge and skills to repair this table to perfection!I''ll borrow your carpenters for a while. ''Hmm. Good luck.'' ''Yes, sir! The anticipation must have made him happy. Umaro looked at Lucia''s face and answered happily. Come to think of it, when he had asked to use the cave that Loretta''s younger siblings had built when they were in trouble because of the flood, he had looked at Loretta and sincerely asked her to let him use it. Umaro seems to temporarily forget his nervousness when it comes to carpentry work. Very rarely, though. ''Well then, carpenters of the 35th district. I''m sorry, but I need a little help. ''Oh, no. I''m counting on you, too. ...... No, please! ''''Please!'''' ''''Hahaha. We''re carpenters, let''s get along. Hammaro.'''' ''''Hammaro? ''''You can help too. ''Cheap, please! Four carpenters and an apprentice gather together and begin to discuss the repairs. I watch them from a distance and think to myself, ''Oh, it''s going to be okay. When my eyes met with Estella''s, she seemed to be thinking the same thing and smiled at me. Ginette next to me and Magda on the other side. They were watching the carpenters with a somewhat satisfied look. Only Loretta looked worried that Hammaro might do something to her. ''So that''s how we''ll fix it. Well, let''s add some more wood. Umaro, who had been giving the orders quickly, suddenly clutched his chest and crouched down. What''s wrong? What''s going on? This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m not sure what to say. The carpenters from other districts are all surprised. Oh, I''m sorry. He''s sick like that. And so the table was quickly repaired, making it sturdier than before and leaving behind the gimmick of folding it properly. 471-Episode 273 Turns Woe to Woeful The repair of the table was completed in a few minutes. It took a long time to check the table, but after careful checking, Umaro gave his OK. Now, the table would never be in trouble again. ''Well, I didn''t expect to reduce a nail there ......''. ''There''s a risk of injury from the nails in case of damage, so we reduce them as much as possible. ''I learned a lot from ...... about digging grooves in the wood at the joints to interlock them. ''Hahaha. This is the basics, so if I get a chance, I''ll introduce a different process. ''Are you serious?By all means! ''In the meantime, if you have any ideas on how to prevent corrosion from the sea breeze, please let me know. ''If that''s the case, leave it to me!We''re good at building in the ocean!See? ''''Hey! They''re getting along. And Umaro has a slight advantage. I wonder if this is how he absorbed the carpenters from other places. The eyes of the carpenters in the 35th district are sparkling. ''...... Umaro, the popular one. ''Right? ''...... Magda, who is very popular with Oumalo. ''Don''t try to get to the top.'' What? Is this a flag for more magda disease patients? If there are too many of them, it''ll be annoying. ''Has it been fixed already?That''s what the carpenters are for!That''s great! ''No, no. We were just taught by .......'' ''If that''s why it''s so perfect, it''s even more impressive. My brothers said that Mr. Umaro is very strict in his instructions, and if Mr. Umaro, who never compromises, gave his OK, it proves that your skills are good. ''No, not so much ......? ''''Hee, hee ...... hee.'''' ''''No need to be modest!It''s amazing!I''m sure the best people have a good foundation, so they can take it in quickly. Now we can cook with peace of mind. Thank you, everyone! ''''Oh my god, what''s with this girl?She''s so cute! The number of patients with Loretta''s disease has increased! I remember this guy was a carpenter killer. He''s not flattering, but he''s just admiring, so I guess he''s a bit of a jerk. Carpenters usually get yelled at more often than not. Especially when you''re under the thumb of a scary, uncompromising master carpenter. ''...... Loretta. Good at what she does. ''That guy''s got a natural talent for it.'' ''...... Hmm.'' As the carpenters of the 35th district stare at Loretta, Magda walks up to her, taps the mended table, and mutters. ''...... Magda is looking forward to cooking at this perfectly mended table. ''Haaaaan!I''m thrilled to have lived up to Magda''s expectations! Magda''s tail wagged in satisfaction as she received cheers that were more passionate than the cheers of the three carpenters from District 35. Don''t compete with me, you sore loser. ''Hmm. You''re all good friends now. Gentlemen.'' ''Well, once you''ve done the job, you won''t care about rumors from unknown sources. Your own eyes are the most reliable.'' ''It''s a result of Mr. Umaro''s tireless efforts and personality. ''Well, I do have skills.'' ''Giggle. Why are you laughing? I''m just stating a fact. ...... d*mn. But... ''Good for you. You got it all straightened out.'' ''Yes. I think so too.'' Umaro is smiling. I felt strangely relieved by that. ''That''s what you call a turn of events, isn''t it? Lucia gazed at the lively carpenters and muttered to herself. Lucia''s goal was to establish a good relationship between the carpenters of the 35th district and Torbek''s construction company. She had achieved her goal. In fact, the situation was not as serious as he had feared. However, without this meeting today, the construction of the port might have been greatly affected. This alone made the trip worthwhile. I like seafood. Gori is delicious, but I also want to eat yellowtail and bonito. That''s my honest feeling, having been born and raised in the island nation of Japan. I want the carpenters of the 35th district to work with all their might. ''I''ll work them as hard as I can. ''Oh. You should give them a good rubbing. ''What? ''I''m talking about the carpenter! ''...... Tsk.'' ''Yashiro-san . ...... meh.'' Jeannette pokes me in the side of the head. ''Stop, that tickles. ''Ohba-sama. Thank you so much for saving my Lord.'' Donnis''s butler bows to me. Just when I thought he was bowing to Estella, now he''s bowing to me. The butler is busy with too many lines of communication. ''It''s okay. If Donnis gets hurt and it becomes apparent that the carpenters in District 35 are in danger, the construction of the port in District 42 will be delayed. It''s best if there are no accidents. The second best is that no one gets hurt in an accident. ''Thank you for your concern. He bows his head deeply, then turns a gentle smile towards me. ''You have solved Donnis-sama''s long-standing problems, saved our district''s finances, which had been stagnant due to the rules of BU, and brightened our future by creating a new specialty. You have always been a great help in relieving Master Donnis''s worries. ''Stop it. I don''t feel good when you exaggerate.'' ''You are the second most important person in my life.'' ''Stop it. It''s disgusting! ''Yashippi, ...... love.'' ''Disgusting! ''Yashiro. In moderation.'' ''Tell that to the other side! He glared at Estella, who was saying the wrong thing, and then pushed the butler, who was giving him a strangely passionate look, back to Donis. I don''t care if I''m thirtieth in the pecking order. And don''t put me above the next heir, Filman. That''s rather scary. Mr. Manager!It looks like the glutinous rice has been steamed! ''Yes, sir. I''m coming. Loretta called me, and Ginette greeted me with a ''See you'' and ran toward the steamer. It''s time to pound the rice. ''Gilberta. I beckon Gilberta, who is standing quietly behind Lucia, to come over. Gilberta turns her head slightly down and approaches with a reserved air. ''It''s no one''s fault, so don''t worry about it anymore. Let''s have fun making rice cakes.'' ''....... I''ll take that, I will. I''ll take that as a kind gesture from my friend Yashiro. An accident due to lack of confirmation. Gilberta seems to feel a great deal of responsibility. If something happens, ask someone who can. It is one of the abilities of a person to have someone to rely on. ''Rely on ...... Yeah. I think I understand, I do. I''ll rely on you, my friend Yashiro. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m not sure what to do. It is more important to reflect on what you have done, change your mind quickly, and look forward to the future than to drag it out forever. You should be bold enough to think that you are lucky to have made a mistake in such a situation where mistakes are allowed. I''m sure Natalia would have done the same. "Miss Gilberta. The trusty head waiter''s mentor. Natalia steps forward in front of Gilberta. Estella must have instructed her to do so. She stands a little apart to watch. ''The stigma of your work must be redeemed by your work. ''To redeem, to stigmatize. ''I''ll redeem it. ''I will, I will.'' ''So, for those of you who have given me grief, you know what I have to do now? ''Yes. I do, I do. Do it, and do it quickly. ''I''ll help you. As if to say, the two head waiters walked quickly and moved to a place where all of us could easily see them. Then, they turned to face us, side by side, and suddenly-- ''Aha~n! ''Mmmm,'' she exhaled, ''I''m''. --I struck a s*xy pose. ''What are you two doing? ''We''re healing, everyone''s heart.'' ''You can''t heal me! ''Muhaa!Gilberta, you''re so cute!It''s so cute! ''Please don''t have a seizure, Lucia! ''...... I''m sorry for your eyes. ...... flicker.'' ''Don''t look through your fingers, Mr. Donati!And stop twisting around, Natalia! Estella is having a blast by herself. You''re in perfect harmony, head waiter. Am I to be commended for this? Well, it''s made the place more comfortable. ''Gentlemen!We''re about to start pounding rice cakes! Ginette waved her hand and called us over, announcing the start of the mochi pounding contest. ''Petan!Pep-tep-tep! Loretta''s cheerful shout echoed. Pettan!Pettan! ''...... Estella.'' ''Petank! ''Magda, don''t say anything you don''t have to! Magda swung the pestle down in rhythm. He and Loretta breathed perfectly, and it was probably because they were so well-matched that he felt a little bored. I can understand why you would want to say that, yes. ''Oh, you do this kind of processing? ''Interesting.'' Lucia and Donis were watching the rice cakes with rapt attention. Gilberta mimics Magda''s movements as she makes the air mochi. ''...... done''. ''Big brother, the first batch of rice cakes is complete! ''Alright, Ginette.'' ''Yes! Once the rice cake is pounded, it''s up to me and Ginette to take over. We wet our hands and quickly cut the rice into bite-sized pieces and roll them up. This is very hot. But we have to finish it while it''s hot, so we hold back. ''Isn''t it hot, anchovy? ''It''s very hot. ''But it''s okay once you get used to it. What, seriously? You''re amazing, Jeannette! I feel like crying if I don''t cool my hands with water often. Jeannette was rolling the rice cake with a smile on her face all the time. I wonder why. When Jeannette is rolling rice cakes with a smile on her face, they look so delicious. ''It looks delicious, Jeannette''s rice cake......'' Estella seems to have had the same impression. Maybe this is a kind of conditioned reflex. After the rice cakes were rolled, it was time for the long awaited seasoning and tasting. Magda and Loretta also participated in the seasoning. ''I''m all about sugar and soy sauce! ''...... Magda recommends anko. ''Kinako is also delicious. Each of the three sunny girls recommended a different flavor. Each of us dipped our chopsticks as we pleased. ''Hmm!It''s so good!Look how it''s grown! ''I know you''re having fun, so eat properly. I''ll drop it.'' Lucia stretched out the rice cake with a ''mochi-un'' motion. Gilberta is also quietly stretching the rice cake. ''Donis. In my hometown, at the beginning of every year, there are a lot of accidents where many elderly people choke on rice cakes. ...... ''Be careful''? I''m a pioneer! You can go down in the records as the first. ''Mmm. This is delicious. I can eat this as much as I want. Without choking on the rice cakes, Donis is chomping down on them. Even the carpenters are gobbling it up, as recommended by Umaro. ''If you are tired of sweet, try this grated radish. The rice cake with grated radish is also delicious. I wish they had natto (fermented soybeans) and nametake mushrooms, but I haven''t seen them in this town so far. There may be some if you look for them, though. ''Mr. Manager, big brother!We''ve sold out the first batch in no time! ''...... is completely empty. The seemingly large amount of rice cakes had been completely devoured. There are more servants in Lucia''s hall than before. They''ve come to eat. ''So, Gilberta, would you like to try pounding? ''I''d like to try, I do! It''s too dangerous to let Lucia do it right away, so I''ll teach Gilberta first. After that, you can take turns pounding a few times, just like you did when you taught the kids. If we need more, we can use carpenters to mass produce them. ''Then, I''ll make a different menu with the dried rice cakes until the next one is ready. That was actually what Ginette was looking forward to the most. She started to cook the different kinds of rice cakes with excitement. ''Ginette, what''s that? ''It''s a spring roll skin. Homemade spring roll skins are made by dissolving flour with salt and oil into a thin layer and baking it in a frying pan. Wrap the dried rice cake and bean jam in the skin and deep-fry it. After frying, sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top to make sesame rice cake sticks. They are crispy, chewy, sweet and savory. The taste is truly addictive. ''I didn''t know there was such a way to eat them. ''Freshly pounded rice is delicious, but dried rice cakes are also delicious, aren''t they? Ginette likes dried rice cakes more than you might think. She likes the crispy texture of the rice cakes when she bakes them over a charcoal grill. He also said they were cute when they swelled up on the net. ''What are you doing, anchovy? ''I''m grilling them. ''Mmm!That''s seaweed, isn''t it?That''s right, go and inspect the seaweed in my district!And give me some advice too. And when it''s done, present it to me. ''How dare you? ''I''m sorry, I''m a big man.'' Lucia puts her elbow on my shoulder and gives me a smug look. Donis and Estella are looking at me with a look of ''so that''s why I''m not ...... touching you at all''. It''s Lucia''s fault this time, right? This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. ...... d*mn it. You should have told me first if you had a shichirin. I thought for sure you didn''t have one, so I brought one. I brought four of them and they were heavy. ...... Well, it was Umaro who was pulling the cart, though. You brush soy sauce on the surface of the rice cake and turn it over. The smell of burnt soy sauce is irresistible. The smell was so fragrant that Natalia and Gilberta, who were pounding the rice cakes, pushed the mortar and pestle to the carpenters of the 35th district and came to the seventh wheel. ...... Oh. They''ve got it all under control, these guys. Look, carpenter. Go ahead and smack the rice cake before it gets too hard. ''And while you''re at it, make some gohei mochi.'' ''Yes, sir. Magda, Loretta. ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''Leave it to me! Gohei mochi is similar to rice cakes from the 35th district. The rice is mashed and squeezed, then dipped into a bamboo stick. The surface of the rice is seasoned with soy sauce or miso, and grilled on a shichirin, giving off a savory smell different from isobeyaki. ''Gilberta. The dinner party is canceled. I don''t think I can eat it.'' ''No, we want to eat dinner as usual! We''ve only eaten rice cakes all day! Let us eat meat and fish! ''Here, some seafood. ''Isn''t that seaweed? Lucia offers me a piece of grilled seaweed. Coming to a city famous for seafood and eating nothing but rice cakes makes me feel like I''m missing out. ''If you want seafood, shall I bake you some rice crackers? Ginette said happily. I know you want to bake them, but don''t put them in the category of ''seafood''. But yes, you''re right. ''I''m going to have to teach it to the neighboring wards in the 35th district. ''Hmm?What are you talking about? ''On the way here, I told the lords of the thirty-eight to thirty-six districts. Lucia should teach me the new recipe.'''' ''I didn''t hear that, anchovy! ''That''s why I''m going to teach you now. For those districts that will be affected in no small way by the opening of the port in District Forty-two, I have provided them with new recipes using seafood. The rest can be easily copied by actually watching how to make them. ''It''s a little hard to prepare, but once you have the ingredients, it''s very easy and very tasty, so please learn it. ''Mm, mm......'' Lucia couldn''t argue with Ginette''s full-throttle smile. She glared at me with a grudging look, but her eyes could not hide her interest in the new recipe. ''First, I''ll grind the rice into powder with a millstone. ''Rice, huh? ''Yes. I''ll give you the powder after it''s been ground, and you can try to make it look like that. The rice we usually eat is called "Uruchi rice" and it is ground into powder with a stone mortar. The rice ground from glutinous rice is called glutinous rice flour or gyuhi flour. This time we will use joshinbako. In this way, the ground rice powder is mixed with the dried shrimp powder. ''Cherry shrimp? ''Yes. This is a small shrimp that Marsha gave me. ''This is what it looks like before you grind it. These small shrimps are familiar in Japan, but they are not in demand in Allbloom. Well, there''s nothing to eat. They are tasty when fried, but it seems that the people here couldn''t come up with the idea of cooking them all together. Why didn''t they think of sun-drying cherry prawns when they had slime and mezashi? Well, we didn''t have seaweed either. ''Isn''t this food for big fish? ''It''s different from krill.'' Well, it looks like it. ''Here, try some. When I offered her a dried cherry shrimp, Lucia picked one up and brought it to her mouth. ''...... Hmm. It''s fragrant. ''It''s delicious, isn''t it? ''...... Well, you know?'' She ate one and said, ''What is this?It''s so good! It''s not like that. Well, that''s true. But if you knead this powder with joshin flour, roll it out, and fry it in oil, you get ...... ''It''s done. Shrimp crackers! On the way here, I gave this recipe for shrimp crackers to the lords of the 38th to 36th districts. In addition to the shrimp, the rice cracker is mixed with sesame oil, salt, and green laver. It''s very flavorful and delicious. ''Hmm!It''s crispy and delicious! ''My favorite flavor, this is mine. ''Oh, it''s also savory and light on the palate, I can eat as much as I want. It was well received. Lucia, Gilberta and Donis are all snacking on the freshly made crackers. ''I''ll let you know if I come up with another new recipe, so make sure to tell the neighboring lords to cooperate fully with the port of District 42. ''Hmph. You gave them this recipe, didn''t you?If that''s the case, I''m sure the profit-and-loss-conscious bastards won''t complain. That''s how good the shrimp crackers are. I''m sure that old men and women from every ward will gather at the nostalgic bar in Donis, and if we sell them there, they will sell well. ''Can''t you make it without seafood? ....... Palm Pippi, is there any rice cracker that we can make in our district? ''We can make kakimochi if we have rice. ''Kakimochi?Can you make it now? ''Ginette. ''Yes. Then I''ll actually make it. Ginette is good at making oysters since Grandma Mum was into them in District 42. As an application of this, she tried to make kakimochi by frying thinly sliced rice cakes in oil. Soak them in soy sauce and season them well. Add sugar to give it a sweet and sour taste, which Loretta loves. If you sprinkle some pomegranate on it, Magda will be very happy. I''ll just use salt and soy sauce. ''Hey, guys!We''ve been pounding rice cakes all day! Can''t you also be interested in this? The carpenters of the 35th district are in tears, having been left alone. I''d like to say that I''ll eat your rice cakes too ......, but I''m afraid they''ll be dried and processed into kakimochi. The lords are very interested in them. I wonder if they''ll mass produce it. Let''s go! Lucia swung the pestle down with a cheerful shout. The pestle hits the rice cake and makes a ''flopping'' sound. ''Weak! ''Shut up, anchovy!This pestle is heavy, it can''t be helped! ''You can''t make rice cakes without that weight. ''Even Estella can''t make it, can she? ''No, Miss Lucia. I''m confident in my physical strength. Estella took the pestle from Lucia and changed her partner to Natalia to pound the rice. ''Pett...... oops, sorry''. ''Shut up, Yashiro! I was trying to take care of you! Estella is an admittedly healthy child and a good athlete. She''s also reasonably strong. Estella is a healthy child and a good athlete. Not to mention Natalia. In her case, it''s harder to find something she''s not good at or something she can''t do. ''You''re good at that, aren''t you? ''Isn''t it? ''I''m not shaking at all. ''Natalia, you''re annoying. ''I''m not shaking at all. ''Yashiro is annoying. ''...... at all'' ''Magda, you''re annoying. ''The following is the same sentence! ''............'' ''Please tell me I''m annoying too! Estella''s turned her head and started bullying Loretta. Bully her. ''Hmm, you''re right, it''s hard to shake. ''That goes for you too, Lucia-san! Estella puffs out her cheeks, not her breasts, and pushes the pestle to the carpenter in the 35th district. She doesn''t want to do it anymore. How selfish of her. ''Okay, then, Ginette is next--'' ''I gave it to the mens so that I wouldn''t let Jeannette-chan do it in this fashion! To not show the disparity between you and me! Is it because you can''t admit that the reaction of the people around you is cloudy! ''...... Yashiro. The manager is not allowed to make rice cakes. ''That''s right, big brother!The manager was the only one who fell on his buttocks when the children of the church participated in the mochi pounding! ''Oh, that was just a bit of a stumble! Oh, that''s right. I think I fell backwards when I raised the pestle. ''In order for everyone to return safely, the manager is in charge of cooking! ''...... fixed'' ''Ugh...... I like to cook, but I can at least make rice cakes, but no one will let me......'' That''s it. I''ll do it with a small mortar and pestle for kids. I''ll ask Umaro to make it next time. ''So, I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you guys. The Lord of Smiles smiles and works to cover up the milk disparity. It seems he''s trying to drag an innocent carpenter into being his accomplice. Unaware of this, the carpenters picked up the pestle and took on the task of pounding rice cakes. In this way, anything that is inconvenient to those in power will be erased from the world. While I was biting back my grief, the carpenter lifted the pestle and stroked its handle. He lifted the pestle and stroked its handle. ''It''s really been carefully sanded, hasn''t it? No matter how many times I hold it, it always fits comfortably in my hand. The finish impresses me every time I hold it. It''s such a simple tool, but the attention to detail is just ...... magnificent.'' That''s what the carpenter says with the pestle in his hand. He seems to be impressed with the finish of the pestle, even though he had been swinging it up and down a while ago. I wonder if he feels the same way because he is a carpenter. ''According to what you said earlier, this pestle is also used by women and children, isn''t it? ''Yes, well. Or rather, it was invented to entertain women and children, in the 42nd district. And then he turns his gaze towards me. That''s not true. It''s not something I invented to entertain kids, okay? It was originally invented in Japan, and I had it made because I wanted to eat rice cakes. The kids in the church have unlimited physical strength, so I just let them pound rice cakes. They and you are just having fun with it. ''Thinking about the feelings of those who use ....... That''s amazing. Torbeck Engineering. It''s just a thin stick and a thick stick put together. To put it bluntly, it''s just a tool, but it''s so simple that it seems to be difficult to use, and the professionals feel that Umaro has superior technology. ''Well, we are going to learn a lot from the construction of the port. ''We''ve learned that we''re not ready yet. ''Trubec Engineering is one of the best! A carpenter from the 35th district bows to Estella. I thought I should have told Umaro himself, but Estella smiled happily and said in a booming voice. ''Right?It''s amazing, my lords. It''s an unguarded smile that almost makes you fall in love with it. It''s very Estella, and not like a lord in any way. But that''s Estella. Hee hee, so you''re happy that the people of your district are praised. I get it now. Don''t be smug. ''I hope you can teach them a lot of things they don''t know. I hope this construction will be an opportunity for both sides to build a better relationship. He said in a lordly tone-- ''I look forward to working with you. --At the last moment, he smiled a pretty smile. It''s probably something he''ll never have to deal with in his life. ''......''. A carpenter from the 35th district opened his mouth and let out a faint sound. It sounded like a step, so he probably wanted to say ''yes''. I was expecting something like that. ''''''Ka...... is so cute'''''' The three of them were all talking nonsense. ''''Ah, as expected of the Lord of Smiles. ''I can''t believe I got to see the Lord of Smiles smile in person. ''I don''t care if I die now! ''No, let''s live!The construction of the port is about to begin!I''m expecting a lot from you guys.'''' ''''''Yes!I''ll work like hell for you! What''s that, Tracy''s disease has broken out in District 35. How infectious. Wasn''t there someone in close contact with her? Well, the one who had the most close contact with it was none other than Estella. ''...... And then, Loretta''s popularity was easily snatched away. ''That''s not true!You all like me too, don''t you? ''''''Hmm?...... Hmm, well...'''' ''''It''s a blatant tone down!It''s kind of sad!''''''Muu!''''''Mmm! ''''''Ah, Loretta-chan is also cute ......'''''' It''s amazing, Loretta. In just a few hours of meeting her, she''s already secured her position as a tease. She''s a genius in a way. ''''Sometimes I''m an anchovy. While Loretta and the others are making a lot of noise, Lucia asks a question in a natural way. ''How long do I have to dry this rice cake before it can be made into kakimochi? ''Well, let''s see. I''d like to dry it for at least three or four days. ''Can''t you do it in one night? ''No, you can''t.'' ''I brought a lot of rice cakes I made at the end of the year, so don''t worry. Lucia''s eyes glittered, as if she really liked the rice cakes. ''All right, I''ll use the rice cakes at the unveiling party, then. Hmm? ''And Ginepuyo. I want to make a lot of shrimp crackers, do you have enough ingredients? ''Well, I think it would be difficult to make a large quantity ......, especially with cherry shrimp.'' ''Gilberta. Contact the sea fishing guild and find out who might have sun-dried cherry shrimp. ''Yes, I will. I''ll take action, right away. Hey, wait a minute. I had a bad feeling when I saw Gilberta running at a very high speed. Not to mention Estella, even Ginette seems to have a twitch in her cheeks. ''Just for the record, what is the ...... unveiling party?'' ''It''s obvious. It''s a party to show off the mochi pounding to the people of our district. DD has donated a lot of materials, so we can hold a grand event.'''' ''I didn''t hear that! ''I just told you.'' ''You have the right to refuse, don''t you? ''Of course, if you refuse, I won''t stop you, but ...... the children are looking forward to it. You can''t say no, can you? What the hell is wrong with this guy? I don''t care what some random kid is expecting, it''s none of my business. ''...... can''t be helped if the child is taken hostage. ''My brother''s nature has been thoroughly investigated. ''Mr. Yashiro would never do anything to make his children sad, would he? ''Not at all. Is your big brother attribute inexhaustible? ''I don''t have any of those attributes! What a surprise. Not only Lucia but also Ginette, Estella and the others are mistaken. I don''t like it. I don''t want to be woken up early in the morning, scrambling to get ready, being worked over at the unveiling, rushing back to the 42nd district before dark, and then immediately opening the store to deal with the rush of customers as soon as I get back. ''Yashiro-sama''. Natalia whispered to me as I thought about how to say no. ''There''s a rumor that there''s a legendary creature called "Lolita Big Tits" in the 35th district--'' ''You think you can catch me with something like that ......'' In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. ''............ hmm''. Lolita big tits ''gyuu''. ...... That''s not bad. ''...... would make it easier for Yashiro-sama to make excuses, wouldn''t it? ...... Natalia. You too. ''All right!I''ll do it, the unveiling! You''re all going to do it, aren''t you? Do what you want. ''But I''ll make one thing clear!I hate kids! ''Hmph. I''ll spare you the ''judgment of the spirits'' just for today, anchovy. That''s not what I meant!I''m sorry! After that, Umaro and I used all the carpenters in the 35th district as our jaws. My jaw was going to crack from overuse! So much so that my jaw is going to crack from overuse!Hmph! 472-Episode 274 Flapping at the premiere I don''t want to be woken up early in the morning, scrambling to get ready for the event, being worked over at the unveiling, rushing back to the 42nd district before nightfall, and then immediately opening the store to deal with the rush of customers. --I thought that yesterday, but I''ve already been woken up early in the morning and have been busy preparing. What a poisonous world we live in, where only bad predictions come true! Last night, I went out to eat, which I couldn''t do last time. I didn''t wear a yukata this time, but it was a bit exciting to walk around the city at night, illuminated by flames. As expected of a district governed by Lucia, who is a frequent visitor to the Forty-Two Wards, there were glowing bricks everywhere and the main streets were bright even at night. The stores that used torches seemed to have done so on purpose for the atmosphere of the stores, and many of them had installed glowing bricks. The atmosphere of this town is starting to resemble that of the 42nd district, isn''t it? I knew that I would have to start preparing early in the morning, because I would have to return to the Sunlit Pavilion tomorrow to open for business. We knew this, so we ended our night shopping and walk early, and fell asleep much earlier than the drunks did. And now. My eyelids are heavy. ''Onii-chan. My eyelids are heavy??????...... munchies.'' ''My shoulders are also heavy because you''re riding me. Don''t sleep on people''s backs, Hammaro. If you''re going to sleep, do it in bed or on Umaro''s back. Well, I don''t have either right now. ''We don''t need to move, we can do it in the garden of the lord''s mansion. ''So that''s why, anchovy. There''s no way we can let so many people into the grounds. ''Estella''s place is free to enter. ''Of course not!We usually turn away anyone who doesn''t have permission! What? I don''t remember being turned away at all! It was only the first time. ''I thought Estella and Natalia didn''t know the word security. ''Yashiro-sama is the only one with a free pass. The only one with a free pass. ''I''m a little tempted to question why Yashiro has a free pass, though. Question him. Well, I don''t think Natalia will listen to you. Even with a free pass, you can''t peek into Estella''s bath. She won''t let you. I''m sure Natalia and the other waiters will guard you. I can only wander in when I have something useful to say to Estella, or when she is troubled or in trouble and needs my help. ...... Huh?I''m not sure if I''m being used in a good way or not. ''Estella. Give me the extra money.'' ''For what?I''m the one who wants to collect the toll on my gate from you. I''d stay away if it came to that. It''s not like there''s anything going on, but a lord''s mansion is always on high alert, isn''t it? There''s no wiretap or spy camera. I don''t know what they''re watching out for. ''Are there that many underwear thieves? ''Your lack of imagination sometimes makes me dizzy. ''I suppose the most orthodox danger is poison. Natalia told me a threat I could understand. I see. You could assassinate Estella by secretly poisoning the places she might touch. ...... District 42 was so peaceful that I almost forgot about such danger. ''Estella is a sniffing girl who can''t help sniffing anything that makes her s*xually horny, so she pays extra attention to poisons. ''Would you please stop spreading disgraceful falsehoods, Natalia? It''s not impossible, is it? You''re a sniffer. As we walked along with Lucia, we came to a large square in the 35th district. At the end of the square, there was a large church standing guard over the square. I guessed that the 42nd arrondissement, with its church in a remote place far away from the main street, was unusual. I don''t think I''m thinking too much when I say that the church in District 42 stands in a position that looks out over the swampy area. There must be some meaning behind the church''s presence in that place. Oh, by the way, was the church in District 24 also built in a secluded place? I guess they have some kind of purpose or meaning in deciding where to build it. A huge stage was being built in the large plaza where the church was watching over us, which looked almost sacred depending on how you looked at it. ''Oh, Yashiro-san, everyone!It''s just been completed! On top of the stage, the energetic Umaro is waving his hands towards us. --And the corpses of unfamiliar carpenters lying at his feet. There they are. A guy who works a lot harder than I do. I mean, why is he so cheerful? ''Good. Mr. Umaro, it seems you''ve made friends with the carpenters of this town. ''What, it looks to me like a deep rift has been created that can''t be repaired! It seems to Jeannette that the men are working together and trembling with a sense of accomplishment. ...... This is definitely a pattern that when you recover your strength, you will be grabbed by the hand and said, ''You''ve got to be kidding me! I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. He said. ''Hmm. I''ll tell you. Lucia looks at the finished stage and says admiringly. ''I didn''t think you could really do it. ''Did you place the order knowing it was reckless? ...... Are you an ogre? ''No, Yashiro. You can''t speak for others either, can you? ''I trust Umaro. ''So do I. I think the fox master is a trustworthy man.'' ''...... Trust can give a very different impression depending on the person who says it, can''t it? Estella lets out a dry laugh with a subtle expression. ''I''m not threatening you or anything. Lucia''s was a threat, though. ''You can do this, can''t you?I trust you. Don''t let me down, okay?Hmm?'' Something like that. ''It''s a magnificent stage, by the way. Lucia was more than pleased with the result than she had imagined. Since I told her yesterday that I''d take care of it in the morning, she must have expected it to be more appropriate and shabby. ''...... This is what Umaro is capable of. ''Of course!You''re a can-do kind of guy, Umaro! It seems that the people in District 42 were expecting this quality. The low stage was probably designed to bring the kids up on the stage, and the audience seats were designed to give a good view of the stage no matter where you sat. Isn''t this design, including the church in the background, designed to look good? In the eyes of the audience, the stage would have a considerable impact. I approached the impeccable stage and ran my index finger along a board in one corner. ''...... Isn''t this area a bit too canny? ''You''re a demon, aren''t you?I did the best I could! A carpenter from the 35th district gets up and accuses me with tears in his eyes. I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I treated you as if you were from Trubec Engineering. They would have said, ''Onii! but they''ll make sure to upgrade next time, right? ''I''m going to do a job that won''t let them say a word. Like that. Yeah. I guess living in the 42nd district will infect you with the company animal virus. Maybe the reaction of the carpenters here is normal. ''It''s not safe for children to walk through here. Hammaro, I''ll put a canner on it. ''Hammaro? ''What''s your answer? ''Hammaro? ''That''s not a reply! ''You''re in charge! ''Good. I''m counting on you. ''High, high, high, head! ''Who are you to say that my head is too high? ''Your mouth! ''I didn''t say that!I''ve been falsely accused! While they were making a fuss about it, Umaro handed Hammaro a canner, and Hammaro applied the canner with a practiced hand. Oh, it''s good, isn''t it? If you can do this much, you''re good. ''Oh, a little kid like him can make such a beautiful canner ......! ''Torbek''s construction store ...... is horrible. The carpenters of the 35th district were surprised to see the shavings from Hammaro''s canner. The sound of them gulping down their saliva could be heard all the way up here. Hammaro, are you so good that other carpenters are surprised? Umaro. You like it a little too much, don''t you? ''Well then, let us hurry up and prepare the food. I''m sure the people of the city will be gathering soon. The sun is beginning to rise in the sky with enthusiasm. After breakfast, the unveiling of the rice cake will take place. In the meantime, the glutinous rice must be steamed and prepared. Anko and kinako (soybean flour) were made at Lucia''s house in the morning. All that remains is to perform the mochi pounding after the people have gathered and leave early before lunch. On the way back, I''ll buy some seafood and grill it on the beach over a shichirin. ...... I don''t even want to look at mochi for a while. As we were busy preparing for the event, we began to feel the warmth of the sun, and the 35th district mochi pounding ceremony began. The venue was filled with the sound of ''Peetan!Pettan! was heard in the hall. A child of the Bug People raised a large pestle and pounded rice. The adults in the hall shouted along with him. Humans, insects and beasts are all smiling without distinction. This town has changed, hasn''t it? ''Hey, girl, is this okay? ''Yes. It''s well done. ''Ehehe~'' ''What''s mine!What''s mine~!'' ''Yes . It looks very delicious.'''' ''Hahaha! The kids on either side of Jeannette were excited to receive praise for their own Abekawa Mochi. After a brief explanation of the process, we had a hands-on corner. The participants, mainly children, were given the opportunity to make rice cakes. The adults gathered around Estella and Lucia, as it might become a future industry. Everyone is asking questions and taking notes with serious faces. ''I like it. ...... I want to do it too. ......'' The human kid mutters, staring at the large mortar and pestle. The insectoid kid was able to lift the pestle even though it was bigger than his body, but it was a little too much for the human kid. However, it was a little too much for human children. They could only pound a few times with the help of adults. The human child was not allowed to push himself too hard, so he was put on hold. But this man would not let it go. ''Don''t worry!I have this for you all! Umaro arrives with a mortar and pestle that are twice as compact. Seeing the kid who couldn''t pound rice, Umaro immediately took action. He made a compact mortar and pestle in a few minutes. In the direction Umaro came from, there are three dead carpenters lying around. No, they''re alive, though. ''With this small pestle, everyone can pound mochi. ''Wow! ''My fox brother is awesome! ''Mochi pounding! ''I want to do it! ''I want to do it! ''A dream product from the master of the building! ''Hammaro can do it with the big one, right? '''''''' Hammaro?'''''''' ''It''s infecting the children of the 35th district! Hammaro was playing with the neighborhood kids, and before he knew it, he had become very popular. It''s hard to believe now that these guys were shunned by the people, isn''t it? Likewise, I hope the fact that there was widespread discrimination against beasts in this town will also become an unbelievable thing in the past. And the bad reputation of Torbek''s construction company, too. ''That carpenter is amazing. ''That carpenter built this stage, didn''t he? ''I''ve heard that the carpenters in the 42nd district are vicious and atrocious. ''What do you mean? He''s a good guy. ''Rumors, rumors. My husband heard such a rumor at the Engineering Guild.'' You can''t trust rumors. ''Hey~'' Those who had witnessed Umaro''s work seemed to have overridden that assessment. It''s obvious at a glance. His skill is unmistakable. You know a good thing when you see it. ''Come on, kids. Line up in order. I''ll do the shouting. ''''''Yay!'''''' I like you, big brother! ''''Y-ha-ha. Thank you. All right, you can line up too.'''' ''Yeah! The kids crowded around Umaro, and a girl of about twelve hugged him tightly. Umaro fought them off with a smile. Even the cutest girls don''t seem to be nervous around kids. ...... ............ Oh! I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of that. I hurriedly appraised them and found that they were ......E cup ......! I''m not sure what to do. The future Jeannette candidate is here ......! ''Alright, big brother will teach you how to make rice cakes! ''Yashiro-san. You can''t.'' I rolled up my arms and tried to rush into the circle of kids, but Ginette grabbed my clothes tightly. Oh, it''s okay. Jeannette is only teaching the kids, not participating in the cooking, so there''s no problem with touching her clothes. That''s not a problem, but ...... something is really swollen. It''s as if the rice cake is contagious. I see. Even a child''s kiss is not tolerated if it is mixed with evil feelings. ''Yes, Jeannette. ''Yes?'' The kids enjoying the seasoning at the table over here have already learned how to do it. Now all we need is a little help from Magda and Loretta and we''ll be fine. So. ''Why don''t you let me pound some rice, too, Ginette? ''Huh? Magda forbade me to pound rice with a large pestle, but I think Ginette can do it with a small children''s pestle. Worst-case scenario, even if he falls on his butt, he won''t be shaken around by the weight. ''Oh no. You don''t want to take the fun away from the kids. ......'' ''Hey, kids! Please teach this sister how to make rice cakes~'''' ''''''Okay!'''''' ''''Huh, am I going to be taught? Under Umaro''s guidance, the kids started pounding mochi. After pounding a few times, they were already very good at it. Beginners are welcome. Inexperienced people welcome. Children are the kind of creatures you want to teach. ''So, when you''re done...'' ''See you later! ''Yes. It''s your turn. Ginette at the end of the line of kids. She has two heads and four or five chests missing, but her innocent smile does not make her look out of place in a crowd of kids. She looks like an older sister who is watching over them with her eyes, or a person of the same age who is enjoying herself with the same feelings. The kids over here quickly took to her and swarmed her. Oh, the little bug people have also started to join the crowd around Jeannette. You''re very popular, Ginette. Maybe it''s because the symbol of motherhood stands out more than anyone else. Yeah. It''s a good thing. No touching, though. ''Sis, do it like this! ''You''re swinging too high! ''You''ll fall! ''Sis, you''re hurting me! ''Huh, ......, uh, gentlemen, please be a little more gentle.'' Ginette waggles her pestle, surrounded by kids. Perhaps because it is a small pestle for children, he can swing it normally without any problem. Nevertheless, the kids who "want to teach" want to teach him the "technique" based on their own experience. The kids who swung vigorously and were told by Umaro, ''It''s dangerous to swing so high'', said, ''Don''t swing so high! The girl who was pounding rice with trepidation said, ''You can be stronger than that...'' She was teaching Jeannette what she had been taught with an impish look on her face. It''s only natural that she would panic if she were told all at once what was ordered for each individual. Jeannette~. You don''t have to listen to what the kid says even half the time! You should have just said ''yes, yes, yes'' and let it go, but Jeannette is always asking ''is it this much? Is it like this? But Jeannette is very disciplined in checking. I guess that makes the kids happy. The circle around Jeannette became larger and larger. ''Hey, guys. Let''s take turns pounding rice cakes, not just me. ''I''ll teach you until you can do it properly! ''I''ll teach you! ''No, but ......'' Jeannette gives me a troubled look. No matter how light the pestle is for kids, it will tire your arm if you keep swinging it. It''s time for me to help her. ''First!Let''s see what you can do, the first annual rice cake pestle contest! I raise my hands in the air and shout, and all the kids'' eyes turn to me at once. It''s no big deal. All you have to do is line up the kids and let them take turns pounding the rice cake as hard as they can, one at a time. We should be ready to go home by now, so I think it''s time to end this. ''The ''Best Petticoat'' with the most energy will receive a wonderful prize from Estella, the ''Queen of Petticoats'', the lord of District 42! ''''Who''s the queen, here? Estella, who''s got a good ear, comes barking at me from a table full of adults far away. Well, that''s scary. I wonder if she''s an oppressive, corrupt lord. ''The judges are Lucia, the lord of this district, ''Miss Pettit'', and Gilberta, the head waiter, ''Miss Petite''. ''You''ve changed the meaning of "petty" by putting them together, anchovy! I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to. Even the loudest of the lords, the kids said, ''Miss Pettan is awesome! Queen of Pettan, you''re so cool! I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with that. I closed my mouth like that. Then, as the adults looked on, all the kids in the room, regardless of whether they were human, beast, insect or human, lined up in a row and performed their best pounding. Based on the energetic shouting, the vigor of the pestle, and the childlike cuteness of the pestle, the lords of the 42nd and 35th districts and the head of the caterers discussed the matter, and a girl from the Monterey butterfly tribe was crowned the winner. A human girl was chosen as the runner-up, and a beastman boy who cried because he failed was chosen as the special prize. The beastman boy swung the pestle too vigorously and it landed outside the mortar. The hall was filled with laughter, but he was so frustrated that he was crying. I thought this was a case that Estella would not leave alone, and sure enough, she got a special prize. What a well-balanced screening result. In other words, it shows the convenience of adults. In other words, the convenience of adults is hidden. ''We''ll win next year! or ''I''m going to buy a pestle and practice! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that we''re not going to be there even if it becomes an ...... annual event.You know that, right Lucia?I''m not coming! You can do whatever you want in the 35th district. As for the mortar and pestle, ask Torbek''s construction store to provide you with a first-class one that is easy to use and strong. Incidentally, Estella, who was worried about the prize, wanted to offer me her own knife, but I rejected her offer, saying that I would not give something dangerous to a child, and decided to deliver a mortar and pestle set later. To be honest, I thought ''Oh, I don''t want it! But they and their parents wanted it, so it''s okay. ...... I''m sure it''s going to get in the way. It''s not something you use on a regular basis. ''I''ll make three sets of mortar and pestle as soon as I get home, and come back to deliver them! Umaro said enthusiastically, so I sealed away my honest impression that ''That''s not a gift from Estella, but a gift from Torbek''s construction company. If it''s not me, I don''t care whose pocket it hurts. Thus, the mochi pounding party ended in a frenzy, and we set out on our way back to District 42. As the sun set, Ginette''s cheeks were still relaxed as we entered the 41st district. ''They were so cute, weren''t they, children? I don''t know how you can have a positive impression after being tortured like that. ...... I''m sure I would''ve gotten my hands on one. When the unveiling was over and the stage was being cleared, Oumaro did something that once again surprised the people of the 35th district. The stage, which had been tightly assembled, was quickly dismantled without the use of saws or nail cutters. This is becoming commonplace in the 42nd district, but it was a revolutionary event in other districts. At any rate, there was no noise and no garbage such as shavings or broken wood. All you have to do is pop off the clasp and fold it up. Since it is not destroyed, you can use it again next time at a reasonable price. Environmentally friendly too! Well, I''ve never seen Umaro use the same stage set over and over again. They did use the food stalls, though. ''They were making folding tables, so I thought it might be helpful to show them something like that. ...... Was I being a little overzealous? ''No, no, no. They were so happy to bring back the stage set. I''m sure they''re dismantling it now and studying it. We may be up all night tonight.'' Estella shakes her shoulder. She shakes her shoulder only. The carpenters in the 35th district are so excited that if it were the 42nd district, they''d all be up all night. But it''s a different district. I think they''ll sleep at night. I don''t think it''s spreading yet, the workaholic virus. ''It''s a natural reaction in the face of Umaro''s technology! ''...... Behold, this is the technology of Torbeck Engineering.'' Loretta and Magda were proud of Umaro''s recognition. Magda, in particular, was in a good mood all through the unveiling. Whenever the madams of the 35th district praised the comfort of the seats or the kids praised the texture of the pestle, she would twitch her tail and turn her ears towards them. I''m sure that all of the high praise for Torbek''s work that was exchanged in that hall was recorded in Magda''s Conversation Record. ''It''s all thanks to you, Yashiro-san. ''Why me? Don''t drag me into this. You should be alone with your praise. ''We didn''t know how to make a stage like that at first either. But we have been blessed with opportunities to create stages and auditoriums for various occasions, such as cooking together in the 41st district, cooking sessions in the playground, and demonstrations for gluttony contests, and we have always been on the edge of our seats with limited time. ...... I didn''t mean to push you guys so hard. I''m not trying to push you too hard, but these guys never say no! You''ll think, ''Oh, I can do that,'' you know! And then, as we were making stalls and stalls for the festival, we realized that we could assemble them quickly if we made them into assemblies, and then we started researching and improving them... and then, while we were with Yashiro, we thought of all kinds of things, I''ve been thinking about it, trying it out, and putting it into practice. ...... This is ............ not to be blamed ......, right? It''s a story of gratitude, isn''t it? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''ll agree. Is it blame? What, should I be more gentle?I could if I wanted to.I just don''t want to do it willingly. But I''m very grateful to have an environment where I can give my all in each moment. There''s no other environment where you can be so blessed as to make the people around you happy. So I''m really grateful to you and everyone! The unusual self-talk of Umaro landed on the conclusion of gratitude with a refreshing smile. ...... I''m relieved. I wasn''t blamed. ''Mm, be grateful. ''Sometimes they thought I was a demon! I''ve been told that sometimes people think I''m a demon.You need to think about what you''re saying and doing.'' ''No, that goes for you too, doesn''t it? I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s not the only thing you can do. She knows it''s hard to refuse a request from a lord, so she''s wielding her power. ''You took advantage of Umaro''s personality. He''s a terrible lord, isn''t he? ''What?I didn''t do anything like that!Hey, Umaro? ''Oh, ...... well, ...... haha...'' ''You can''t deny it! ''Estella-sama. You may not be aware of it, but Estella-sama sometimes places orders like a demon, to the point where you can''t help but think, ''Oh, I must have been infected by Yashiro-sama~''. ''Lies!Really?I''m sorry! When Natalia points this out, Estella starts to panic. What, was she unaware of this? Or is he just going to forget about it? How many jobs did you ask Umaro to do in the last year? ''Umaro. You should speak up for a change.'' ''No, no. All the requests from Estella-san are for the betterment of the Forty-two Wards, so I''m taking them with a positive attitude.'' ''Estella-san, you''re even flatter than you think you are! I said. ''I''ve never thought of saying anything like that before! ''Oh, really?Umaro, you''re too nice a guy! ''No, Yashiro. You''re the vicious one. You need to realize that. I''ve been told to be self-aware. ...... ''Maybe I''m just an honest girl who can''t tell a lie. ''I''d really like to see the spirit gods judge you for what you just said. If it were a court of law, I''d probably win, but the spirit gods are always trying to use me against me. ...... I''m sure you''re looking at life from a skewed and perceptive point of view. He''s sad. ''I wish the God of Spirits was as straightforward as the loli big tits in District 35. ''Don''t ask the God of Spirit for big tits. ''Yashiro-san, you can''t.'' ''No, you''re wrong!I''m just saying that you should learn from the honesty of those big loli tits, not that I''m looking for big tits in a spirit god or that I wish spirit gods had big tits. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand the grammar and sense of the word.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''......Yashiro, so it can''t be helped. I was going to say, "It''s not about wishing you had big tits," but then I thought, "I wish I had big tits," and this is what happened. This is unavoidable. It can''t be helped. ''Estella-san. Thank you for inviting me too this time. I''m glad I went. ''Yes. I believed that you guys would not be defeated by any rumors or bad reputation if you faced them properly. The results were good, just as we had hoped. ''Hahaha ......, I''ll keep working hard to not betray that trust! The two of them turned their backs to each other and talked. You guys look like you don''t get along very well. ''I''m suddenly burning up!I''m going to build the most magnificent port in the world! ''...... I''ll cut down all the cliffs in front of the 30th district. ''Magda, can you please stop muttering about scary things?It''s going to be a war, that''s for sure! Umaro would be back in business. He''s still discussing with the others how to deal with the union, but no matter how it turns out, I''m sure he''ll do a better job than ever and achieve more than ever. He said, ''I''m all right now,'' but the faint trace of worry in his eyes had completely disappeared. After all, it must have been good for him to cooperate with his peers, or to participate in the event and hear the feedback directly. ''Well, I''ll treat you to a delicious dinner today. ''I''m looking forward to it!I can do my best as long as there''s food at the Sunlit Pavilion. ''...... Magda will carry it for you.'' ''Muhaha!Then we can make five or six more ports! ''No, I don''t need that many. ...... Calm down, Umaro.'' Estella''s advice did not reach Umaro, who was excited by Magda''s words. It''s not like he''s been in high spirits. It''s like he''s really back. ''Umaro. ''Yes, sir! I say to Umaro, who smiles radiantly. ''You''re already at the end of your life, aren''t you? ''What do you mean?No, I have an idea, but...? They''re so excited about Magda, they think it''s normal. You''re the only carpenter who can do that. If this were Japan, you''d be a criminal, right? And so it was that we returned to the 42nd district, with a tired and sleeping Hammaro on our backs. Now, if we follow the familiar path, we''ll soon reach the opening of the Sunshine Pavilion. I''ve gotten used to working like a corporate animal, haven''t I? ...... Or have I been carrying Hammaro around all this time?Don''t stay here, seriously. 473-Episode 275 is a series of famous people. In the morning, when I woke up. ''Hey, Yashiro!You look like a sloppy sleeper. Ha-ha-ha! ''Good morning, darling. Your sleeping face was beautiful. ...... My vision was filled with Javier and Medora. What a day. ''What is this, a nightmare? I''ll sleep again and wake up to a beautiful girl with big tits. Good night. ''What are you talking about, sleepyhead?If you don''t wake up soon, the two of you will be sleeping together. I hear Estella''s voice from behind the two giant bodies. If Estella''s here, she should at least be up for you to wake up from your sleep. ''I''ve used up all my energy today. I''m going to ...... sleep.'' ''You''re early, you''re using it up. The wake-up bell just rang, remember? In other words, the sun hasn''t even risen yet. I''d like to tell you that you shouldn''t show such a shocking image that would drain the viewer''s strength and lifespan so early in the morning. Also, I would like you to stop calling the bell that rings early in the morning when the sun has not yet risen ''the waking bell''. ''I guess only Jeannette is awakened by the wake-up bell. ''That''s not true. Farming guilds, river fishing guilds, flower guilds, and peddling guilds are up early. Even Natalia is up at this hour. ''You''re not awake, are you? ''I''m up at ...... sometimes. ''I only get up early when there''s an event. Are you in elementary school? ''Don''t complain, just get up, Yashiro. Because a beautiful girl with big tits came to wake me up just like you wanted. ''Don''t split us up. I''m all about big tits and beautiful girls, that''s my ideal! ''Stop it, Javier!It''s embarrassing to be a beautiful girl in front of your darling! ''Wait a minute, Medora-san!I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure it''ll be fine. I''m sure you''re right. ''Medora and Javier''s muscles blocked me, I haven''t seen Estella''s figure once since I woke up, what, you have big tits today? It''s not possible!...... I''m sad to say it myself ......! It was too noisy, so I gave up and crawled out of bed. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing in the future. You guys are bulkier than a bed. I''ve been working out.I''m working out! Apparently, the little sarcasm had reached Javier''s ears as praise. I like you, man. You seem to be enjoying life. You don''t seem to have days when you wake up in the morning and say, ''Oh, I''m so tired ...... I don''t want to get up today. So, Estella. Did I do something to you to make you resent me? ''I didn''t come here to punish you. Yeah, ......, if it''s not punishment, why wake me up in such a stomach-churning way? ''Well, if you''re not aware of it, I''ll make a list of all your misdeeds and rudeness next time. ''What, what?A bust-up?Don''t do that, it''s a reckless challenge.'' ''Yes, add one more item to the list.'' He pinched me in the side. Hey, stop it. The tickle was worse than the pain and I almost made a weird noise. It''s a top secret that I''m weak in the side, you know? ''What''s going on today? ''What are you talking about? Today is the groundbreaking ceremony for the port. Oh, that''s right. After the mochi pounding ceremony in the 35th district, the feud between the carpenters of the 35th district and Torbeck Construction Company disappeared. It seemed that there was a feud, but in fact there was not. Well, if you actually come into contact with that carefree, carefree, carefree Umaro, there is no reason for a conflict. Surprisingly, Oumalo may be the closest to Jeannette. If he sees someone in trouble, he can''t leave them alone, and even if they do something terrible, he laughs and forgives them. Well, unlike Jeannette, I do whine a lot. And complaining. In that way, I''m different. I''ve yet to reach the level of Jeannette. ''Umaro, you''re still a long way from big tits. ''I''m not close, not even a step.'' ''No, I''m talking about Umaro. ''I''m talking about Umaro too. Oh, really? I thought it was a self-report. ''Even though it''s early in the morning, you guys are as close as ever...'' ''My darling and I are no slouches either, though. Hey~ Darling*'' ''Javier Barrier! ''Stop it!I can''t block this up! ''You guys have been getting along well since this morning, haven''t you, Mr. Javier? ''I''m not as bad as you, though! ''...... That''s right.'' Estella has become a pain in the ass and has abandoned the proper response. She does show that side of her every now and then. ''Gentlemen. Has Yashiro-san woken up yet? Ginette peeks through the door into my room. I wanted to see that smile first thing in the morning. ''Oh, Yashiro. Big tits, beautiful girl, beautiful girl with big tits.'' ''Don''t do that, Javier. I''m not a beautiful girl. ......! ''No, sir, Medora-san! He slipped past the three boisterous authority figures in the other room and made his way to Ginette. ''Are there a lot of them down there, by any chance? ''Yes. Miss Demilly, Miss Lucia and Miss Donis are here to see you.'' ''You''re early, .......'' ''They''re having a meeting. No, Estella and Lucia are just here for the food. Donnis is probably hoping to see Mahrul in his earpiece in the chilly early morning hours. I didn''t call you, not this early in the morning. ''Well, I''ll come down after I change, so send everyone away. ''Mm-hmm. You''re joking too much, Yashiro-san.'' ''I''m sorry to say that you''re looking at me with a ''you don''t think so~'' look, but can you seriously turn them away? The groundbreaking ceremony starts at sunrise, okay? It''s too early to come. School kids can''t wait for their field trip. All those school kids? ''Then I''ll help you change your clothes. ...... yucka??'' ''Do you want me to really strip naked for you ......? ''If you do, I''ll take responsibility and marry you. ''I''m the victim here! Estella''s outrageous theory makes me dizzy. Marrying Medora to take the blame? ...... How many years in prison is that? ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. There was a beautiful outfit sent by Ukrines for today''s ceremony. ''Am I going to be made to wear a tuxedo again? ''Is this the outfit from Imelda''s party?That was lovely. Oh, really? I think I''ll wear that then. If it''s popular with girls. And if I write ''Free Hug'' on it, beautiful women will line up to mug me. ''Okay, I''ll wear a tuxedo! ''Put on your Uclines costume. They want to make it the formal attire for men at these ceremonies. And I''m to be the billboard? So you''re offering me free of charge, including the cost of advertising? You''re very clever, Ukrines. I''m sure you''ll love it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I know only the top stars of female operas or male idol groups who wear such costumes. ''This kind of thing is for nobles to wear. ......'' It looks like something some duke would wear in an otherworldly fantasy anime. Lots of buttons and strings and flaps! There''s no way I''d look good in something like this. ...... I think I''d rather wear a tuxedo. ''Can I wear a tuxedo? ''No, there''ll be a lot of nobles here today. Let''s compete with them, shall we? ''I''m a commoner, aren''t I? ''Well, well. I''m also looking forward to seeing how it turns out. ''You''re just being funny, aren''t you? ''You want to see it too, don''t you, Jeannette? ''Yes. I''m sure you''ll look great in it. You''re being irresponsible. Listen, calm down and think it over, okay? While everyone else is wearing normal clothes, I''m the only one wearing a glittery prince style. I''ll float! Fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, I''m flying away! ''You don''t look good on me, but I''m floating''?I''m jealous. ''You''ve been dressing us up in bathing suits and yukatas and everything. Why don''t you put yourself in that position for a change! ''You''ve refused all kinds of unreasonable outfits without question. Like a naked apron.'' ''Of course not!There''s no way I can show my naked apron to anyone. ''This prince look is similar, isn''t it? ''No, it''s not. It will look good on you.'' Do you think I''d trust you if you said that with a half smile? ''Okay, okay, let''s do this! Estella says with the eyes of a woman who''s thinking about the wrong thing. ''I''ll let you choose between this outfit or the one Medora recommended! ''I''m more interested in the naked apron!I don''t mean to be a prude, though!Oh no! I can''t see any reason why it wouldn''t be. A man''s naked apron has no value whatsoever!There''s no demand for it anywhere! I mean, that''s a loincloth!It''s almost a loincloth! ''Estella ......, remember? ''It''s not my fault. But yes, it is...'' Estella poked me in the chest with a look of utter joy on her face. ''If it looks good on you, I''ll give you a hearty pat on the back. ''Do you have any ......? If it doesn''t look good on you, I''m sure you''ll give me a laugh. The day of the groundbreaking ceremony for the port began in a depressing mood. ''Hey, Oba!I''m here! ''You should be honored that I''m here, Oba Yashiro. I poked my head out onto the floor and saw Ricardo and Gerrardy. ''Jeannette. What''s more I haven''t heard?'' ''I see you''re all looking forward to the groundbreaking ceremony.'' Even if that''s the case, I think it''s coming too soon. ...... Besides, why are we gathering at the sunlit pavilion in the first place? ''Why don''t we just meet at Estella''s place? ''Because I can''t serve a good breakfast at my place. Either way, we were supposed to come to the Sunken Pavilion. ''Hire a chef!Don''t be stingy with your money! ''I''ll be stingy!You''re going to do a lot of crazy things in the future, aren''t you?No matter how much money you have, it won''t be enough. ......'' You''re getting a good return on your investment. At least enough to break even. ''I''m sorry, Yashippi. I''m sorry for barging in with my sisters so early in the morning. ''Did Ma''ru come too? ''Yes. I heard there was a new dish, so I was looking forward to it. ''...... Which one are you talking about? ''Is there that much? ''The ones that Ma''ru doesn''t seem to know about are ...... chive dumplings, oyako-don, isobeyaki, sesame mochi sticks, gohei-mochi, and then there''s the fluffy egg omelet rice.'' ''Well, well, well!They all look delicious. Which one is the best?'' ''All of Ginette''s dishes are delicious.'' ''Oh, no! Ginette let out a strange sound, and when she looked back at me, she smiled shyly, ''...... hehe''. No, don''t be shy with such a happy face. It''s contagious. He clears his throat and turns to Mael. I wonder what Ma''ulu came here to talk about. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s just that he''s never been a lord before. ''Obeyashiro, zenzai, zenzai!There''s something called zenzai, isn''t there?That''s what we''re serving.'' My brother is revealing his hand before I can even say anything. If you give out information about what you want so easily, he will use it as bait to negotiate with you. Look at that, Ma''ulu''s face is disgusted. He''s got a look in his eyes that says he needs a refresher course. I''m sorry. ''Hello, Oba-kun. I''m sorry to barge in on you this morning. ''Huh?Is the sun already up? ''Hahaha, I knew you would say that. Demilly no longer even smiles at the usual teasing. The head is shining again today. ''...... "Lords of Brilliance"''. ''Can you please stop?I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it.Especially when it comes from you! ''That''s nice, Oji-sama. It''s a nice name. ''You have a lovely smile that longs for a companion, Estella. You''ve never been such a bad girl. Wake up. You''ve been poisoned by Ooba. The Lords of Smiles beckoning the Lords of Brilliance to drag them to hell. It''s a picture of hell. ''Hello, Yashippi, good morning. It''s a beautiful morning, like the breath of a goddess. ''Don''t send me a poetic greeting just because Merle''s here, Donnis. I''ve never felt the breath of a goddess. ''Hey, anchovy. Where''s your costume?Why don''t you come in? Lucia poked me in the shoulder with a grin. ...... You didn''t put that there, did you? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. It''s not like dressing for a coming-of-age ceremony, it''s enough to put it on right before the show. Even the top stars of female operas don''t change their clothes until about thirty minutes before the show. ''I mean, you guys, ......, should greet Estella, not me! Why do you all keep coming straight to me? Especially Ricardo, Geraci, and Mahr. You guys haven''t greeted Estella yet. Estella''s the hostess, remember?It''s not me! ''By the way, what happened to the waiters? ''I''ll be here.'' ''I''m here, me too, in the back, my friend Yashiro''s.'' ''Oh, you scared me! Natalia and Gilberta stood tightly together behind her. ''They''re standing so tightly together, but at a perfect distance that they don''t even touch each other softly! ''You haven''t wavered since this morning, have you, Yashiro-sama? I''m relieved. I''m relieved to see that my friend Yashiro seems to be doing well. But I can''t see any other serving masters besides the two familiar ones. I can''t find Inez from Gerasie''s, Cindy from Mahr''s, or the old butler from Donis'' and Ricardo''s. ''No, I just thought it would be a nuisance if so many people showed up so early in the morning. They''ll be here before the ceremony. We have preparations to make.'' ''Then why didn''t you come at that time? Gellarcy says, ''How''s that for smart? How''s that? In fact, I''d have been happier if you hadn''t come and Inez had. I''m sure the onigiri you eat while looking at the E-cup beauty is very tasty. ''What an old man rate. ......'' Javier''s here but Imelda''s not. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... Oh, right. Imelda is also the type to cut corners when she has to. ''Then, I''ll prepare your breakfast. ''Wait, Jeannette!If you retreat to the kitchen, the boob index on the floor will drop significantly! ''Let me help you, I''m your friend, Ginette.'' ''So do I.'' ''Wait, wait, wait!If Gilberta and Natalia are gone, there will only be ripe tits left! ''What are you going to say to Medora and Mahr? I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll be able to get an average score in the 42nd tit rank! ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-sama. Even if we''re gone, Estella-sama will be there! ''Do you know the word "burned out"? ''Okay, Yashiro. Why don''t we go outside for a minute and talk in private? ''I''m sure you''re suggesting that the average value of your boobs will go up if you''re alone with them, but there''s no ...... change! I''m not a fan of this kind of thing. Before I could say ......, Estella pinched my nose, so I couldn''t say it. Stop it, you can''t train your ears and nose. Ginette is on her way to the kitchen with the head waiter. Ah, he''s really gone. The air seems to have hardened. ''Well then, let''s have a meeting while we wait for our delicious breakfast. Medora took me in her arms and moved to a table near the center of the room, and with me in her arms, she turned the tables around and attached them to each other, quickly creating a seating area for sixteen people with four tables connected. Yes, with me in her arms. ''My darling, here''s your p*n*s. ''What, why are you next to a demon ......? Medora sits me down in a chair and takes the liberty of sitting next to me. I want to be next to Jeannette and Natalia. They give me more and more of their deliciously portioned food. ''Then I''ll sit next to you on the other side. ''Ugh, I''m sandwiched between two demons. Javier sits down on the other side. What''s with the pressure? My oxygen is getting a little thin, isn''t it? What''s that?Are you sure your muscles are breathing?Muscle respiration?Even amphibians only breathe through their skin. ''Seats are free, right? If you don''t hurry, we''ll be late for the church donation. ''What, does that sister have priority over all the lords and guild leaders here? That''s amazing, Bertina. The power of the church is amazing~. ''Everyone, please feel free to sit down. I''d like to make this a useful place for those of us who know each other well, without regard to hierarchy.'' ''Yes, you''re right. It would be foolish to engage in a vain competition here. ''You''re right, DD. The Sunlit Pavilion is a place where smiles bloom. Let''s all be frank.'' ''...... Your smile is lovely.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... And Donis?I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ''Hmm. There''s nothing more trivial than putting on airs in front of anchovies. Anchovy, feel free to serve me whenever you like. ''Tell Gilberta. No, do it yourself. In your case, I can''t help but think that you should hide your true self a bit more. ''Miz Erin. Come with me. ''Well, thank you, DD. You are indeed a gentleman, no matter how old you are.'' ''Mm-hmm. As a ...... man, you deserve it.'' Donnis is pulling out a chair and escorting Mahr. The top of his bare head is boiling red. If you heat it up too much, you''ll lose a hair. ''Come in, Master. ''Oh, I''m sorry Estella. I was going to escort you.'' ''No way. Mister Oji is very important to me.'' ''Oh, he''s so cute!My daughter (kind of existence) is so cute! Come on, Estella. There are so many strong characters. Don''t ruin a relatively decent demilly. After that, Estella urged the lords to take their seats, and she sat down directly in front of me. ''Wow, we''re under siege.'' ''Don''t treat people like walls. You''d feel that way if you were surrounded by muscles, muscles, cliffs. There''s a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure. It''s really not enough to have boobs... When I was thinking that, boobs came from the other side. ''Estella-sama, good morning!I couldn''t wait to meet Estella-sama, so I came to see her even though it was this early in the morning. ...... You guys are cheating! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I thought I''d be the first to arrive, but I''ve missed the boat big time. If you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ...... The lords of this city are restless, aren''t they? ''First, we will begin the ceremony in the square in front of the city gate. Estella begins to explain to the lords in attendance. The square in front of the city gate is rather large. It''s large enough that when I played a lumberjack game with Javier, the lumberjacks from the forty and forty-two districts didn''t feel cramped. This is the main gate used by lumberjacks. It was made so that even if a large number of huge trees were brought in, there would be no traffic jam. ''The venue was built yesterday by Torbek''s construction company. I''m using ...... again. It''s about time Umaro said something like, "I''d like to be able to give you three pets! If you don''t want that right, you can give it to me. If you don''t want that right, you can give it to me. ''As long as it was made by Torbeck Engineering, there should be no problem. ''I suppose so. It''s a venue where other lords besides the ones here will be coming. We don''t want anything to go wrong. I''m sure they''ll be fine. Lucia and Mahrul say with even greater emphasis. They want to make sure that the other lords here know that Torbeck Engineering is a good organization for the construction of the port. If the lords here are unanimous in their belief that Torbek is fine, they can shut down any concerns or complaints from the lords who are not here. Needless to say, though, the people here are all familiar with the capabilities of Torbek Engineering. ''The ceremony in the square in front of the city gate will be a simple one. After that, we will leave the city gates and the Lumberjack Guild will give a demonstration there. Mr. Javier.'' ''Ah. I''ll explain it from here.'' Estella asks Javier to speak and he spreads his arms out to get everyone''s attention. ...... Don''t spread your arms next to me, it''s too small. You should have poked Medora in the side of the head. ''Medora, Javier is trying to get at your side boob. ''What do you think you''re doing in front of my darling, you animal? ''No more horrible jokes! ''Yashiro, don''t interrupt me.'' Hmm. I was disturbed by a big arm stretching out in front of me. ''Gosh. Ah~, pull yourself together. We''ve been clearing the forest outside the city gate little by little since last year. It''s pretty clear now, and the first time you see it, you''ll be surprised. I never go outside the city gate so I''ve never seen it. I''ve only heard that they''re clearing the forest. ''There''s a big tree in front of the city gate, left there on purpose. Right in front of the city gate - though it''s about 50 meters away - they left a tree there. The reason for this is to make it easier for monsters to run into the gate, and also to use it as a demonstration. ''I''m going to cut down that big tree and open the way to the port. The road between the city gate and the port is almost complete except for that one big tree. It is said that after this, bricks will be laid along with the construction of the port, but that is still a long way off. The bricks will be made of stone, which hexenbiests dislike, to keep them away. In addition, we will cover both sides of the path with walls. Of course, the walls will be made of the same stone that hexenbiests hate. It will not be roofed, so it is not absolutely safe, but Medora said that it will be quite effective. In addition, there will be hunting guilds and guard posts at the port and along the road leading to it. Aside from the guards of the forty-two districts, people from the hunting guild will be taking turns to watch over us, so we can rest assured. They may not have faces or brains, but they have good strength. In that respect, they are trustworthy. ''When the road opens, we''ll head for the planned port with those who wish to go there. ''Then I''ll explain it from here! As she said this, Medora spread out her arms to attract attention. So, arms!There''s a big one stretching out in front of me. in front of me! ''Javier, Medora''s going for your side boob. ''You''re dazzled by my pecs.'' ''Darling, you''re terrible. Of course I''d rather stroke my darling''s soft skin than touch this bearded man''s pectoral muscles!Oh no, what are you talking about, darling''s s*x! ''Whoa, that''s dangerous! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The evacuation drills I''d been forced to do since elementary school came in handy. I was able to slide down from my chair and get under the table in an instant. After all, evacuation drills can save your life if you take them seriously. ''Yashiro. Don''t interrupt me! When I crawled off the table, Estella was glaring at me with a scary look on her face. Her hair was in a mess, as if she had been hit by a gust of wind generated by Medora''s big swing. ''Ah~, dear. Let me get back to the story. Watching as I sat down, Medora resumed her story. ''The road to the port is still incomplete. Or rather, nothing is done. We''re going to take measures to keep the monsters away as soon as possible, but until that''s done, we''re going to send some of our young people to help. Medora exchanged glances with Estella, and Estella nodded her head. There must have been a contract signed between the two. ''So, well, there will probably be a few strong-looking people roaming around the 42nd district for a while, but they won''t do any harm if they don''t mess with us. Well, please get along with them. The street in front of the sunlit pavilion will be traversed by men with bad guys'' faces. ...... ''I''m afraid we''ll lose the female customers. ''Don''t worry, darling. I''m going to be there every day just in case something happens. I might come to see you from time to time. Aha! ''Oh, what a shame. It''s been decided that the male customers will also leave. ......'' It''s going to be a slow day until the construction is finished, this store. ''We''re on track to get all the hexenbiest repelling stones we need. You can rest assured. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. And then... Oh, she''s staring at me. I''ll look away. I''ve been recommended by the heads of the three major guilds of hunters, lumberjacks, and sea fishermen, as well as the lord of the 35th district, who contributes to the city with goods and profits from the port. Outside the 42nd district is the deepest part of the forest. The threat of hexenbiests is far greater than in other areas. That''s why we''re trying to take all possible precautions, even to the point of excess. I managed to get it by mobilizing all my available connections. ''Since the Hexenbiest Repellent Stone is managed by the royal family, we were saved by the cooperation of Medora, Mr. Javier and Lucia. And of course, Masha. Estella expresses her gratitude to her best friend, who is not here now. The stone that the stonemasons process to keep away hexenbiests is said to be under the control of the royal family. Otherwise, they might mass produce the Hexenbiest Repellent Stone and build a new city outside of this city. In order not to create something that could be a threat to yourself, you have to focus on such things. Also, if you let them run free, the peddlers'' guild may monopolize the wealth. Hexenbiest repelling stones are indispensable for the outer wall. If they monopolize it, it is obvious that we will have to listen to their unreasonable demands. ''I would like to express my gratitude to BU for their support of this project. I''ll say it again at the ceremony, but I''d like to thank Mr. Donati and Mr. Mahrul, the initiators, here and now. Thank you very much. You''ve been very helpful. ''Oh dear. It''s okay. A port in District Forty-two will enrich District Twenty-nine, and most importantly, it will give me more pleasure.'' ''That''s right. Now I can clearly say that it is important to work hand in hand and cooperate with each other to create benefits for both of us, instead of restraining each other because we are from different districts. No need to thank me, Ms. Clairmona. ''That''s great, DD. That''s great thinking. Let''s join hands and work together to build a better city. ''Uh-huh!Hand in hand! ''Yeah, hand in hand, yeah.'' Donnis'' desire to hold hands with Ma''ru is pushed to the forefront. I''m sure Ma''ulu is trying to do the same, but ...... Ma''ulu is not so easy to deal with, Donis. I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Even though it''s called a groundbreaking ceremony, the lord''s greetings and the introduction of guests have already been done, so we''ll just do a few ceremonial things and be done with it. Estella, Umaro and the others who were involved pushed shovels into the soil of the planned construction site, which had been lightly dug up and softened. Then they would say, ''Construction has begun. ''When it''s done, we''ll quickly retreat. Even though the hunting guild will be there, we don''t want anything to happen to them. ''Ah, in that kind of situation, there''s always at least one person who does something unnecessary and gets hurt. ''If you are aware of it, be very careful, Yashiro. ''That''s right, Ricardo.'' ''You idiot, I''m not going to get hurt. It''s likely that Erin will get excited and get hurt. ''What?Don''t be silly, Siegenthaler!I''m not a child, you know. I''m not a child,'' said Gellar Sea, baring his fangs. ''How dare you, you cotton candy lover. You''re not a child just because you like cotton candy, Obeyashiro! No, no good adult would ever choose cotton candy as their favorite food. The first person to purchase a cotton candy bowl from the Hardware Guild was Gerasie. ''Gentlemen, have you finished your conversation?May I bring you some food?'' ''Oh, that''s fine, Ginette. Don''t worry about me. Keep bringing them.'' Estella prioritized Ginette''s food over the lord and the guild leader. Is it safe to have her at the top, District 42? I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''d like to have a look at it. There are a lot of people who can be caught by Jeannette''s food and a lot of people who can be broken by banning Jeannette''s food. Ginette, you ...... are still a cheat, aren''t you? ''By the way, what''s up with that frivolous sea fisherman? Medora says, looking around at the others. ''Masha is scheduled to enter District Forty-two about two hours before the ceremony. ''Hmm. You''re taking your time. It''s a shame that the head of the Seafaring Guild, who will benefit the most, is late to the party when so many people are here. It seems that Medora doesn''t get along well with Masha. I remember he had a little fight with her before. Well, I''m sure there are a fair number of homos*xuals who don''t like Masha''s type. She doesn''t seem to particularly care about that kind of jeering from the same s*x. ''She needs someone to help her move, so she can''t be reckless with her personal feelings. I''m sure she''d like to be here sooner rather than later. ''If it was Masha, she might have wanted to stay the night. ''It''s not ''might'', Jeannette. She was very insistent. I had a hard time stopping her.'' Estella is getting frustrated. Did she really want to go ahead? ''I''m busy today too, I can''t spend all my time on Masha. ''Well, I don''t want the security to be too thin. What Estella did not say, Demilly understood and put into words. It''s not like Masha is a child, so leaving her alone isn''t going to help. As long as she has a tank of seawater, she won''t die, and she''ll be fine even if left alone for a night or two. It is said that mermaids can live for a whole day on land, and they are quite tough. But they can''t move fast on land. If they were to be attacked by thugs, it would be impossible for them to escape. ''A new port is a more revolutionary event than the birth of a new city gate. Even those who seem to agree with you, there is no way to know what they are thinking deep down. ......'' Lucia said in a quiet voice, her eyes sharpening. ''If there is someone who wants to stop the construction of the port, the first target would be Ma-tan. ''The Sea Fishing Guild has taken the lead, and we and Medora have agreed with them. You can''t help but think that if you''re going to destroy them, you''d better go fishing in the sea. ''Hmm!If it was my hunting guild or your lumberjack guild that was leading the charge, I wouldn''t be behind any opponent. ''I''m not so sure we would. Well, don''t say that, Medora. That''s probably why they kept the Sea Fishing Guild out of the Forty-Two until the last minute. ''I know. Estella''s decision was wise. Lucia''s words were echoed by Javier and Medora. With so many guests, the resources available to Masha would be less than usual. We can''t devote so much time to Masha that we neglect the others. Medora, Javier, Natalia, and Gilberta may be safe in this circle, but they all have their own priorities, and they are not Masha''s protectors. If I were a thug, I would try to create chaos in the crowd and use the opportunity to harm Masha. Knowing this, Natalia would not tolerate it. Not that I agree with Lucia''s line, but it is possible that some of these people are not happy about the construction of the port in District 42. To deny the possibility is to be a peace-loving easy-going person or a fool who can''t see what''s going on around him. Estella is probably planning to invite Masha when the preparations for the ceremony are complete and she is lighter. By that time, Magda and Delia would be fully prepared and the guards of the hunting guild would be in place. For today alone, they will devote themselves to Masha''s protection. Too tightly. They''ll be so overtly protective that the thugs will think, ''Oh, this is impossible. Obvious security can be a deterrent to some extent. Medora knows this. So why did he bother to say such an obvious thing? Because-- ''Well, if that''s the reason, I can''t help it. I guess he was trying to explain to the others here. He wanted to make sure that the people here knew the reason for the absence of the head of the Sea Fishing Guild before the nobles, who didn''t understand the situation, started making a fuss. It would have smelled like an excuse if I had explained it after the commotion had started. If the people here would take the role of explaining the reason, it could be calmed down before it reaches Masha''s ears. And one more thing. ''I''ll make sure to escort you to the ceremony where the darlings will be. Well, I''ll watch that mermaid while I''m at it. Just in case. She''s a real pain in the ass. ''It''s more than reassuring to have Medora-san watching over us. ''Well, I''m sorry if I got pissed off and twisted that little head of hers. ''Hahaha ......, no one can stop that, so please restrain yourself as much as possible. ''I can''t make any promises. I don''t get along with that woman. Medora said with a wicked smile, but it was nothing more than a declaration to protect Masha. If there were any opponents to the construction of the port, they might be reluctant or give up, thinking that they could not touch Masha whom Medora had declared to protect. It would be suicide to antagonize Medora. We''ve known each of these people individually, and we know their personalities, so we''ve established a reasonable level of trust. But there are others, like Medora and Merle, Javier and Donis, who do not. I guess these checks and balances are necessary. They are friendly to us, but not to our acquaintances. --Some of them might be. And even we don''t know them down to the bottom of their hearts. Ma''ul is a particularly unpredictable person. Ma''ul would be convinced even if you told him that all the past friendship was just an act and a ploy to turn the tables on him at the last minute. There''s no end to my suspicions. Therefore, it is best to draw a line somewhere and settle down in a relationship of ''I can trust you for now''. By putting it into words, you imply to those present, ''Are you sure about that? If there is no objection, then you can say, "Yes. If there are no objections, it means that they agree that there is no problem with that understanding this time. In other words, ''Masha will not be harmed'' - that was the common understanding of everyone present. We can''t afford to stumble before the construction of the port begins. Ginette, who had been standing at the end of the table with a worried look on her face, relaxed her expression and let out a sigh of relief, probably sensing that the atmosphere had become calmer. I''m not next door, so I couldn''t explain to you what they''re up to. Don''t worry about it. You''ll be fine. ''I''ll protect that mermaid this time. ...... But darling!Be careful with that mermaid. Medora turned her body toward me. It was scarier than any haunted house. ''That frivolous mermaid, when she sees a man, she talks to him in a sweet voice and tries to win him over. My darling is sometimes vulnerable to that kind of blatant eroticism, so I''m worried about her. ''Um, Medora. As a good friend, I can assure you that Masha would never do such a thing to a man.'' ''Hmm. She won''t even let me, a woman, poke her tits.'' ''I''d like you to shut up a bit, Miss Lucia. ''It''s true that you''ve got a smile on your face that people like, but you haven''t done anything to make them feel like there''s more to you than that. After Estella''s defense, Javier, who seems to have a lot of opportunities to meet with other guild leaders, defends Masha. Hmm?Lucia''s opinion is worthless, so ignore it. ''That''s because you''re an old man. Every time she sees you, she raises her arms like this, shakes her tits and waves her hands to show off to you!Shaking her tits like this! ''d*mn!I''m not sure if I should bite my teeth and say I''m only enjoying 40% of it, or if I should bemoan my karma and say I''m enjoying 40% of it with Medora. ''Ginette, make an appointment for the confessional. ''Yes, sir. You''ll have to repent later. ...... Oh, Yashiro. You don''t understand the pain I''m going through, Estella. You don''t understand, do you? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea.Is it a bug? It''s a bug!'' A sense of urgency and despair. The sadness of men''s nature is that their bodies move in the spur of the moment, even when they would never do so in normal times! There is romance in pants. Men are the creatures that are intensely attracted to them. This sad attraction of men to underpants is called "Romancing Saga". ''It''s a ceremony, and that mermaid will be dressed in formal wear. Then she''ll be the first to come to you and shake her tits. ''Oh, I''m looking forward to it now! ''Ginette-chan. Do you think we can borrow the confessional until the last minute for the ceremony? ''I''ll consult with the sisters.'' Stop it. If you do that, I''ll skip the ceremony and take a nap. ''I''ll keep an eye on that mermaid all day today and protect you from her poisonous fangs. ''Keep an eye on Masha all day today--'' ''Medora. ''Yes, darling. ''Masha is a dear friend of mine, too.'' ''Yes, yes, just a friend!I know, just a friend! ''So, thank you.'' ''To ......?'' Medora had declared. She would protect Masha. No one else, but Medora herself. With Medora keeping an eye on her all day, there''s no greater peace of mind. ''I''m counting on you.'' ''...... Hmm. I''m not going to let you get in the way of the business Darling is working on.'' Medora turned her head away and said this, her cheeks blushing very honestly under the guise of being disobedient. A reliable bodyguard. I''m sure he''ll be fine no matter what happens. It''s best if nothing happens. 474-Episode 276 Transformation for the Ceremony ''Whoa ......'' ''...... this is'' The sun has risen, and after finishing the donation to the church, the sunny pavilion, which for some reason had become a kind of waiting place until the ceremony, has begun to open for business--although there are not many people bold enough to eat on a floor where lords and guild leaders hang out. --It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... To be honest, I was hesitant to go out in public in such an ill-fitting outfit. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. When I left the room, I found Loretta and Magda in the hallway, and I let out the first sound. ''My brother is kind of sparkling! ''...... Light of Yashiro.'' ''Wait, Magda. What is it then?Am I usually dark?'' It''s true that I usually try to keep a low profile and stay in the shadows. It''s nonsense for an impostor to be so conspicuous. Disappear, remain inconspicuous, and no one will remember your face. That''s the basic style of a con artist. Why am I being dragged out in front of people every time I go to ......? Estella, are you trying to stop me from opening my own con in this town? ''Big brother, you really look like a prince when you wear your hair in a bun. ''Oh, you mean the one who goes around tongue kissing the sleeping princess? ''There''s no such thing as a dangerous prince! No, at least, I know two. The princes of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Both princes took advantage of the fact that the princess was asleep and did whatever they wanted to do to her without her consent. He might have rubbed her tits a little or two before kissing her. No, I''m sure she does. I''d do it! ''Squeeze them, kiss them, and then marry them, right? ''You''re messing up the order! ''The prince is powerful, so he can cover it up if it comes to that. ''Big brother, you''ll get caught for disrespecting the prince! It''s true. ''By the way, this is a story I tell to the young children in my hometown. ''What are you telling them?Is that why you''re going to grow up to be an adult like your brother? ''Oh, that''s quite a statement, isn''t it, Loretta? ''Yes, yes!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not going to spread my cheek pouches! I pulled her mouth to the side. Surprisingly, it didn''t stretch. They were about the same size as mine, or slightly softer. ...... In short, they were normal. ''Normal cheeks''. ''Don''t ask me to make your cheeks funny! While Loretta was making an amusing noise, Magda was watching me closely. ''What is it?Is my face that weird? ''...... reverse. Today''s Yashiro is very cool. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. So Magda likes men with shadows. Too bad, Umaro. He doesn''t have a shadow. He can''t. He''s always smiling like a jerk. ''...... just worried about the manager. ''Oh, the manager is ......''. Magda and Loretta look at each other. ''What''s wrong with Jeannette seeing me dressed like that? It doesn''t do anything for me. At best, she''ll say, ''You look good,'' and smile. Estella might point and laugh. I''ll try not to get too angry. ''Well, let''s go downstairs. ''Yes, sir!I''ll show everyone!I''m going to show you my brother, the light! ''...... can charge you a fee to visit. There''s no demand. With such a light heart, I went down to the courtyard and entered the kitchen through the corridor. ''Ginette, do you have a minute? ''Oh, yes! Ginette, who was preparing some kind of food, turned her face toward me with a knife in her hand. At that moment, the knife fell with a plop. ''That''s dangerous! I ran out and caught the knife as quickly as I could. You, if it had fallen, it would have been stuck in your leg, I swear! ''Jeannette, you''d better be careful or it''ll be dangerous, but ......'' ''............'' Jeannette froze. Her eyes are round and she''s looking at me without blinking. Hello? Jeannette? What''s wrong with your battery? ''What''s so funny? ''Yes, it''s lovely! He quickly shouted, ''Oh, no, that was ...... that,'' and covered his mouth with his hands. Is it nice ......? ''To be honest, I don''t think it suits you,.......'' ''That''s not true, okay?It''s really ...... nice.'' ''...... The manager''s opinion of Yashiro is four times better than others''. ''The manager is the only one who can call my slightly annoyed brother''s puffy face ''cute''! ''Oh, so you were annoyed~. Which part?Around here? ''Big brother, I can''t turn my nose, please don''t twist it!I''m sorry!I wasn''t irritated!I won''t do it again! When he releases her nose, Loretta crouches down, holding her nose. That''s a lot of words, you know. You''ve got the perfect size boobs. ''...... Yashiro always has a lot to say. What I thought to Loretta came back to me. I don''t understand. ''Oh, that''s right. Here, Jeannette, the knife. Don''t drop it again.'' ''Oh, yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you, .......'' He''s so embarrassed. I don''t know, ...... it''s complicated. ''Does Jeannette like men who look like they have a lot of money? ''No, it''s not like that. It''s just that the ...... different Yashiro is fresh and new. ...... Or rather, Yashiro looks good no matter what he wears. ...... '' I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ....... ............ Yeah. So,............ yeah. I don''t know if this is the first time Jeannette has told me I''m cool. I don''t know, they don''t say that very often, do they? I think I''ve received a few compliments that could be applied to both men and women, adults and children,......, like ''you look nice'' or ''you look good''. Why is that? I''m embarrassed ......! I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure you''ll agree. You can''t do that! Jeannette snapped at me as quickly as she could. ''The normal, usual Yashiro-san is the most calm and the best!The usual Yashiro-san is the most wonderful!'' --I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. You ...... hug me. ''............ Huh? And you''re too late to notice! ''No, that''s not ...... particularly what I meant. ...... I mean, that''s not what I meant. ...... I mean, that''s not an honest feeling. ...... No, that''s not an honest feeling. ...... No, not that. It''s hard to keep your heart pounding when you''re dressed so cool every day. ...... No, that''s not it either! A lot of things must have run amok, causing the processing to fail and freezing the thought process. You should take your time to reboot. ...... I want to go back to my room to reboot too? I like my brother best when he is normal. This kind of sparkle is worth it only once in a while!But that doesn''t mean that your normal brother isn''t worth it!Please don''t pinch my cheeks! I know what you''re saying, so don''t guard your cheeks with your hands. ''It''s the same for me. I''m not sure if I want you to wear bikinis and yukatas on a regular basis or not, though you look cute in yukatas and swimsuits and they are soothing to look at. ''...... Can you say the same thing about the manager''s swimsuit? ''............Ginette can wear a bikini every day, maybe.'' No, no, no. That''s fine if I''m the only one who sees it, but Jeannette''s standing in the store. It''s a waste of time for a bunch of old men who are regular customers. It''s best to look normal. ''But I like to wear a bikini when I sleep! ''......Yashiro, if you''re going to deny it, you should deny it thoroughly. ''Big brother, after ''bikini might be fine'', you said ''but I prefer bikinis'', and all you said was ''I prefer bikinis'', now. Well, I could tell that you denied it once in your mind. I don''t want to say ''I don''t want a bikini'' even in jest. So, I''ll just keep it in my mind. ''Bikinis are great, aren''t they? ''...... Perhaps the lines to be kept in mind are reversed in Yashiro''s mind.'' ''My brother is the type of person who hides his intentions and brings his true feelings to the fore. In short, you know. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. ...... What is that? I''m so embarrassed. I''m so full of compliments. I''m starting to want Lucia and Estella to make fun of me. It''s like salted kelp between bowls of zenzai. ''Hmm. You''ve changed. Lucia gave me a very simple comment. She gazes at me from head to toe without reserve, and gives me an honest compliment: ''Good job. ''I thought you''d laugh harder. ''If you want to make me laugh, you''ll have to come up with a more unique makeup. ''Or else, I''ll just gawk at you. ''Who cares about you? You''re a hundred years too young. ''I see, Lucia is an old man''s girl.'' ''No, that''s not what I meant! The 35th district, which benefits from the port, seems to be a lucrative district in the aristocratic circles, and Lucia, the female lord of the district, has been receiving a lot of marriage proposals. She said that the situation had calmed down recently, but I guess it hasn''t gone down to zero. For Lucia, who has been wooed by beautiful men everywhere she goes and continues to wear them on her sleeve, men who are only dressed up to look beautiful are probably insignificant. To a discerning young lady, men of this caliber are all around her. Well, thanks to you, she''ll be able to make a calm decision. ''Your new suit is clean and free of the poisonous ornaments that the aristocrats like. I like it.'' ''I''ll let Ukrines know. Lucia''s seal of approval.'' ''Oh, well, may I have one too? Mael picks at the hem of my jacket. ''You should make this part a little simpler. It''s true that the nobles like things like this spread out and fluttery, but this isn''t a nobleman''s garment and I think you should make it more suitable for the Yashippis. I agree that it''s overly ornate. With this in mind, I pick up the strings and buttons attached to the chest for decoration only and say. ''You don''t need this part either, do you? ''Yes, you do. ''That''s what gives it dignity. Lose them and you''ll look shabby.'' Hmmm, ...... doesn''t get it, does it? It''s like being dressed in a suit with a lot of shoulder pads and being told, ''That''ll make your waist look smart and nice. No, the shoulder pads are too big before smart!Or something like that. ''You look good, Oba. Ricardo comes over, lifting the corners of his mouth. ''You''d look like a nobleman if you didn''t open your mouth. ''Open your mouth and you''ll look like royalty? ''Ha-ha-ha!How can I bear to have royalty like you? ''I don''t get it~?Maybe the princess will take a fancy to you and you''ll join the royal family.'''' ''Hmph. I don''t think you''d choose such a life. It''s an option if you can live and play for the rest of your life. ''Forty-two districts suits you. It suits you to stay here and start a new business with me and Estella. ''No, I might do it with Estella, but not with you anymore.'' ''Why not?The lovely Yann Avenue is nearing completion, it''s time to start the next thing! ''Do it on your own! What''s with the waiting attitude? Why do I have to use my wits and strength for you? If you want to start something, go do it yourself. ''Aren''t you guys going to change your clothes? ''We''re supposed to rent a house near the ceremony site and change.'' ''A house near?...... Ah, the NTA.'' That''s where we gather when we do something. ''What kind of clothes? Half pants and a tank top?'' ''Why are you so revealing? Why don''t you put on a backpack and say, ''I like rice balls. ''Well, maybe you want to say that my physical beauty is comparable to formal attire--'' ''No, I don''t want to say that. I don''t want to say that. ''If you''re a man, you''ll admire it, I know it, Oba! ''d*mn, I think I''ve flipped a switch that''s giving me trouble. ......'' You muscle-bound bastard. I''m not a believer in that. Muscle in moderation is all that matters. ''Are Mahr and the others going to change their clothes at the NTA? ''Don''t be silly, Yashippi! When I called out to Ma''ul, Donnis somehow cornered me. Big, big, big! You''re unnecessarily tall and strong, so don''t walk up to me so fast. You''re more than Ricardo in terms of pressure alone. You can''t possibly change your clothes in the same place as a man! ''If there is a peeping incident, I can catch the culprit right away, right? ''There''s no way I''m going to peek at ......, I''ll get angry~'' ''Why are you whispering like that? ......'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. You''re imagining things! Your ears are turning red. ''Miz Erin and the others are planning to rent the lord''s mansion.'' Oh, I see. So you were just curious and checked beforehand. ...... Don''t check the changing place of your favorite old lady beforehand, you dangerous person. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it.It''s the opposite direction from the ceremony venue. It''s true, it''s quite a distance from Estella''s mansion to the city gate. It might be hard for an old lady''s feet. ...... Well, I''m sure this aggressive old lady has nothing to do with the deterioration of her legs and feet. ''So, it would be great if you could let me change here. ''Mmm, I was planning to rent Ginepu''s room too. Why don''t you join us, Ma''ru? ''''Well, can we go into the manager''s room?I''m so excited! The conversation was going on without him being present. Ginette said, ''What?Of course you don''t want to go! I guess that''s how it''s decided. ''Oh?Speaking of which, where''s the manager? ''...... The manager is changing now. He''s going to put Magda on when he''s done. ''Then I''ll be next!I''ll have the manager make her pretty! ''Oh my god, is that so?That''s perfect. I''ll teach you how to dress like a nobleman.'' ''Really?That would be great! ''...... Magda, get a higher grade of cuteness.'' ''Well, then, let''s see. ...... Loretta. I''m sorry, but could you go get Cindy for me?I''m sure she''s ready to go. ''I''ll take care of it!I''m going to beat you on the way back and come back as fast as I can! As quickly as she could say it, Loretta ran out of the sunlit pavilion. ''Magda-chan, can you go to the manager''s room and see if it''s okay for us to come in?If it''s not too much trouble, she''d like to help.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it. The manager should be prettier now. I''ll go talk to her.'' ''Well, shall we go, Miss Lucia? ''Mmm. Let''s go. Lucia walks off, escorting Mahr. Gilberta hurriedly followed. ''Well, then, we''d better go and get ready. Ines. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be waiting. Inez opens the door of the sunlit pavilion and comes in, probably waiting to be called. Then she stares at me. ''That''s wonderful. She gave me a short praise. She seems to have gotten to know me well at the field day. Geraci is followed by Ricardo and Donis. There were two old men standing behind the door. Their butler was waiting outside too? Why didn''t they just come in? ''What are you going to do about Javier? ''Of course, he''ll change at Imelda''s.'' ''It''s so close.'' ''Yeah. I''m going to offer Medora a room as well.'' ''Oh, that processing plant.'' ''It doesn''t have to be that big to get changed, does it? No, no, no. Medora? I wouldn''t be surprised if she got huge while she was changing. ''Darling, please look forward to my sundress, NEa??'' ''Please don''t expose yourself, please don''t expose yourself, please don''t expose yourself''. I really hope you can keep it within direct view. And so Javier and Medora left the sunlit pavilion. At ....... ''Estella. ''......What?Oh, what? You''ve been in a daze, you know. ''Don''t I look faintly good in this dress? ''No, I''m not. No, it''s not. I think it''s ...... good.'' He looked away hurriedly, glanced at me, and then looked away again. ...... Stop it. My spine is tingling. ''Estella. You can''t get caught with boobs if you stare at them instead of glancing at them.'' ''You''ll get caught!Because everyone will notice if you stare at her tits!'' And finally, he shows his usual face. It''s not that different. ''I thought you''d point at me and say, ''It doesn''t look good on me. ''Yeah, I was going to do that if it didn''t suit you. ....... ''I''m sorry, but it looks really good on you. It was a very vulnerable smile that made me involuntarily feel a little nervous. ''Really, Yashiro looks like a nobleman if he hides his personality. ''So if you don''t hide it, it will show on your face? ''See, if you open your mouth, you''ll look like a scoundrel. I''m pretty sure I''m more relaxed with that face. Estella laughs. You''re a little more honest than usual, aren''t you? ''Let''s work hard today too. She suddenly says something like that. I feel like I''m going crazy. ''Ah... In moderation.'' On the quiet floor, Estella and I look at each other. It''s not just the two of us, so it doesn''t feel strange. Natalia is there, and most importantly-- ''Estella. ''Hmm?'' ''Tracy''s wrapped around my waist, but--'' ''Haha ...... How innocent, pure and innocent to be unintentionally thrown off by the wonderful transformation of a well known friend of the opposite s*x. ...... Estella-sama... ...You''re so precious! ''''Are you aware of that? ''Oh, ...... yes. This feeling, too, is something you get used to and manage to keep your composure. Estella, with a very twitchy face, led Natalia back to the mansion. She would have to change her clothes. Naturally, Tracy went with Estella. There was a flurry of people disappearing, and I was the only one left on the floor of the Sunlit Pavilion. It feels strange to be alone in this place at this hour. Usually there are many people here and it''s much more lively. It''s like when you go to school during summer vacation and enter the classroom. ''Well, when I first came here, it was normal for there to be no people. I thought it had changed a lot. I don''t know if it was the sunny pavilion or the way I felt. If it hadn''t been before the event, I might have been able to immerse myself in nostalgia. ...... You can''t be nostalgic wearing such tight clothes. ''Yashiro, manager!I''m sorry. While I had some free time on my hands, Delia opened the door and walked into the sunlit pavilion. She glanced at us, bowed, and immediately headed for the kitchen. ''Yashiro!Manager!Aren''t you there? No, no, no. Didn''t I just make eye contact with you? ''What are you doing that''s so funny, Delia? ''Huh?...... Oh!You''re Jashiro! Who else can see you but me? ''Masha said something like, "I''m sure the lord and the guild leader are at the sunny pavilion!That''s so unfair! I thought you were some kind of lord.'' ''Yeah, before that. Can you stop doing that thing that makes me sick to my stomach? Your imitation of Delia is getting more and more unrealistic. You''re not trying to look like her, are you? Aren''t you starting to want to be funny? It''s like overstating the case and losing the original. ''Those lords have all gone to prepare for the ceremony.'' ''I see. But Yashiro, you''re amazing.'''' Delia gazes at me with a twinkle in her eye. ''You really look like a nobleman when you do that.'' ''I''m not too happy about that. ''Is that so? ''Aristocrats have a lot of twisted personalities, don''t they? ''Is that so?The nobles I know are all good people. Like Estella and Imelda''s father.'' That may be true if you limit it to the nobles that Delia knows, but nobles are often crooked. They devote themselves to vanity and bravado, jealousy of others'' success, dragging them down, and kicking them down to raise their own status. That''s what they are. ''But you''re right. You look cooler than Yashiro in everyday life. That outfit is cool too. When Delia says it, I don''t feel like there''s some strange undercurrent and I can take it in stride. This is a guy who says honestly that what he likes is good and what he likes is good. ''I wonder if I dressed like a princess, I wouldn''t look so strange standing next to Yashiro now. Hmm? I was a little surprised that Delia, who never seemed to care about inferiority, proportion, or the eyes of the people around her, would say something like that. ''Delia cares about such things too, huh? ''Isn''t it obvious?You can find a lot more information on this topic at ....... Do you feel uncomfortable that you are inferior to your partner when you stand in a line with an unproportionate figure? I thought I was the type of person who is herself and doesn''t care about what others think of her. I had said I wanted to be pretty at the beauty pageant, but ...... Delia was becoming more and more of a girl. ''So, why don''t you dress up like a princess today?You''ll be there, right, the ceremony? ''Uh, yeah. I''ll go to the ceremony, but I''m not going to dress like a ...... princess. ...... won''t suit you anyway.'' ''I don''t think so. I''m sure you can go to Uclines and get a costume now. Shall we go there?'' ''What?You''re taking Yashiro with you?Aren''t you busy? I''ve got nothing to do. If I stay here, Estella will force me to do a lot of work. Basically, Estella should be running around. You should be able to find out more about it. ......, but it''s going to be a lot of work with such a strong group of people. ''Well, you can at least go and have a look. ''I see!...... Ah, but... I''m a princess. ......'' ''I''m dressed like this. Anything''s possible.'' ''Yashiro''s looks good on you.'' ''No, ''mon'' means ......''. Why are you being so picky all of a sudden? Are you sulking that I look good in it but you don''t? You''re a girl. You have the innocence of a junior high school girl. It''s okay. I''ll make you a princess that fits Delia.'' ''Really?If ...... Yashiro says so, I''ll try on ............ it.'' ''By the way, what were you originally planning to wear? ''Hmm?Like this? Oh, normal clothes. No, well... If it''s an event that''s not directly related to you, it might be fine. ...... ''Today is an event with a lot of bigwigs from other places, so the gynets are currently starting to dress up a notch with Ma''ru''s help.'' ''Is that so!What?I was going to be the only one dressed weirdly! No, it''s not weird. ''Do I have to wear something as amazing as Masha''s? ''You''ve met Masha?'' ''Oh, yeah. She''s outside.'' ''What, in here? Watch out, watch out! You''re not prepared to defend yourself at all, and you''re letting her wait outside as usual! ''Bring her in. Masha''s in danger today.'' ''Is that so?But Masha said, ''I want to surprise people by appearing when they''re paying attention. ''I''m thirsty, your imitation ......'' I have to make sure Masha is safe. ''All right. I''ll give her a big surprise, so bring her to me.'' ''All right!But I''m sure Masha will be more surprised than you. Because Yashiro is so cool today.'' He said this with a frank smile. ''I was a little nervous too. ......'' --I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... Can you please stop dropping bombs on me when you leave? I''m not sure what to do. ''Only Yashiro''. ''Yeah~!Then I''ll wait a little longer~'' ''Yashiro wants to come in. Something tells me Masha is in danger today.'' ''Who''s the dangerous one~, that''s so rude~! I can hear them talking. No, it''s not that Masha is in danger. Anyway, I''m glad you''re okay. Since there''s some kind of dispute, I''m going to go over there. I can''t stand the thought of Masha being found out here and the sunny pavilion being attacked by a bunch of thugs. ''Masha. Everyone''s getting ready and I can''t keep my hands off them. The ceremony will start before we can wait. ''Whoa!Yashiro, you look like an aristocrat! I guess "aristocratic" is a compliment. I''ll thank you. But more importantly... It''s more than my fancy dress! Masha''s wearing a dress. A very flouncy, beautiful dress. Normally, in an aquarium, the dress would absorb water and stick to the body, or become soaked and soggy, but the dress seems to be one with the water, swaying in the water and swaying in the wind and water outside the water. It''s a very special dress that you can tell at a glance that it''s a dress made for mermaids to wear. ''Masha ...... is beautiful.'' ''What, is it?Thank you. I knew that if I complimented her, she would say, ''Yes! I was expecting her to show off her chest, but she smiled happily with a shy smile. Perhaps Masha was also nervous. ''I thought Yashiro-kun would make a disappointed face, saying "I''m less exposed. He seems to think I''m an a**h*le. ''Exposure is not everything. You''re lucky to see such a beautiful Masha. ''Really?Yeah. That''s a nice thing to say, Yashiro. It is said that girls get very nervous when they show their fashionable selves to others. Therefore, it is polite to respect the fact that they have overcome this nervousness and give an honest impression. This is especially true if it is a wonderful thing. However, if the tension continues, you will get tired both physically and mentally, so it is sometimes kind to relieve yourself appropriately. In addition, it''s good to show off your body, but it''s also good to show off your body in a way that''s almost invisible, because it tickles men''s fancy. ''You''ll get a demerit for that comment. Here''s your punishment. He pinched my nose while saying that. Like Estella and Masha, you''re not supposed to pick your nose. ''Anyway, Masha. It''s not good to be seen today. ''Yeah. Estella told me.'' She seems to understand the position she''s in. But it seems like she''s doing something reckless. ...... ''If we go to Estella''s place, I''m sure Natalia and the people from the hunting guild will guard us well. But ......'' With a chuckle, the water in the tank shakes, and Masha''s arm grabs my sleeve. Reservedly. ''I wanted you to see it before you got all guarded up by those people. To you, Yashiro. I''ve come all dressed up, you know. It''s not the usual man-eating smile, but a fragile smile that bends your eyebrows a little like you''re about to cry and somehow manages to keep a smile on your face. He is aware that he is being selfish, and he is probably feeling sorry for it. But, well, I guess so. I''ve come all the way to the 42nd district to get dressed up, which only happens once a year or so. I don''t understand why you want me to take a good look at you. So don''t look like you''re about to cry. ''Then I should thank you. Masha for giving me such a luxurious time.'' I''ll pretend that this was not selfish of Masha, but something she did for me. ''Haha . That''s why I like you, Yashiro-kuna??'' She said and jumped on me. My prince-look formal wear is getting wet!--I thought, but water doesn''t stick. ''Don''t worry. This dress is made of a material that doesn''t accept water. Masha whispers as she wraps her arms around my neck and brings her cheek to mine. So you''re not worried about being so close to me. ...... No, even if your clothes don''t get wet, whether or not you''re okay with the close contact is another matter. ...... I''m glad I dressed up for the occasion. In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. If the port is built, Masha will be able to come to District 42 more often. So, don''t be so lonely anymore. If anyone bad comes out, Yashiro-kun will protect me. Masha quickly separated her body, and as if to hide her embarrassment, she played with a brighter voice and smile than usual. There was a large hand that grabbed her by the neck tightly. The owner of that hand, which was bigger than Delia''s, was none other than the Great Demon Medora. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''ll make sure to protect you ...... from your poisonous fangs, darling. ''Haha~, if Medamama protects you, you''ll be safe~a?? Oh, that dress is lovely~'' ''Don''t you dare compliment me before my darling!You''re an insensitive woman! Yeah, they''re like oil and water, aren''t they? And also, can you stop glancing at me like you want a compliment, Medora? The tension of a girl dressed up?I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. Anyway, I thought Medora is big in many ways. ''Yashiro-san~. Oh, you''re here. Ginette peeked out from the door. She was wearing just a hint of make-up, and her hair was blowing softly in the air. ''............'' ''Oh, Masha-san and Medora-san, you both look wonderful in your dresses. Unaware of my speechlessness at her transformation, Ginette calls out to the people gathered in front of the sunlit pavilion. Passing in front of me. A dress with a wide hem sways lazily. If someone told me she was the princess of this country, I''d believe them now. ''Manager, you''re beautiful~'' ''You''re right, that''s quite a sight. ''Thank you very much. I''ve tried a little harder than I thought I would, thanks to Mahr and Lucia''s advice. He smiled, exchanged conversation, and then looked back at me. He folded his hands behind his back, looking embarrassed. ''Um, how about ......? ''............''. What do you mean? That''s obvious, isn''t it? ''...... Um, Yashiro-san?'' ''Hmm?Ah, ah. Sorry. You''re in high spirits again today, aren''t you? It''s great that you''re highlighting your boobs, that dress! I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to make of it. I wanted to muddy the waters with a joke about ......, but I couldn''t say a word about it. ''Well, it looks good on you. ...... That ...... is very beautiful. ''Yeah............, thank you very much.'' No, you see, that''s it! I''m sure you''ll agree. So, it''s important to have the decency to give honest feedback. You know what I mean.You know what I mean.You know what I mean? ''So, then, ......''. With her cheeks slightly tinted, Ginette''s occasionally mischievous eyes looked at me. ''I''m going to wear this outfit on a regular basis, too? That''s exactly what I said to Jeannette earlier, and she replied. Konnichiro ......, you little prick. You can''t do that. I love Ginette just the way she is, just the way she is, so what did you expect me to say? I''m sorry to hear that. ''Because your boobs are more pronounced in normal clothes. ''Mmm!I''m going to make an appointment for the confessional now.'' Ginette puffed out her cheeks. The look on her face finally calmed me down, and I couldn''t help but blurt out. ''It''s a joke.'' ''...... already.'' I''m sorry. I was so taken aback, I couldn''t tell you I was nervous. ''The manager is ...... still beautiful.'' Delia muttered to herself. The envy in her eyes is palpable. And a burning desire in her eyes. ''That''s not true. ...... You''re the one who''s beautiful, and you''ll be even more beautiful if you ask Mahr and the others. ''All right!I''m going to go ask them! Delia clenched her fists and stepped into the store. With a stern expression, as if she were going into battle. ''Oh, but what should I do with the dress? Delia peeked out from inside the store once she entered. First of all, she doesn''t have a dress to change into, does she? ''Don''t worry about it! ...... You know what? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure what to make of that. In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. He said he couldn''t keep his hands busy with other work until yesterday, so he had to do it today. By the way, my clothes arrived this morning, too. Don''t you think you''re cramming too much work into every single day, Ukrines? If you don''t relax, you''ll collapse. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea.The beautiful people of the Forty-two Wards must be fired up! Ukrines'' eyes are burning. Isn''t she trying to solidify her position as a base for the transmission of beauty, this old lady? Uclines hugged Delia''s shoulders as she walked into the sunlit pavilion. I''m impressed. I guess he saw through Delia''s innocent girl factor and wanted to polish it up. Delia is no match for Norma and Natalia in terms of adult s*xiness. She''s got the style, but she lacks the s*x appeal. But Delia''s charm lies in the gap between her proportions and her heart. I''m sure you''ve noticed that, Ukrines, you ............ are a complete old man inside! After seeing off Delia, we went back to the store. It''s not safe to leave Masha out in the open. Soon after, Magda and Loretta come to the floor like walking the red carpet. Wow, they look like princesses from another country. Magda looks like a princess in a fairy land. ''Well, well, which princess is this? ''Hahaha!Big brother, you''re good! ''...... It''s a shame about Loretta. Magda is right, Loretta. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ...... or rather, Loretta. I''m not sure if I''ve ever seen you look this good. ''Heh!I think it''s probably because of ...... Mahr, but ............ I''m so embarrassed! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m only showing what I can see, but it makes me look really good. ''Stick to ......, only today you can''t tease me as ''normal''. I''m not sure what to say.I did it! ''Oh, yeah. You''re just beautiful.'' ''Didn''t you just say ''normal''? No, I just felt like I had to say it!I did! Magda''s dress is not that revealing, but it is still more than enough to emphasize her girlishness. Her hair is voluminous and fluffy, making her look like a doll. The brightly colored dress looks like a cute wrapping, and shows off her cuteness without regret, making you want to take her home. I''m somewhat worried that Umaro and Javier will be reaped out of consciousness. ''...... Magda, do you look like a princess?'' Magda''s eyes, looking up at me expectantly, seem to be somewhat fragile, like a shy young lady with a deep window. ''Ah. You''re a princess no matter how you look at it.'' ''...... so.'' Satisfied with my words, Magda turned her head, raised her tail, and addressed the world. ''...... Kneel, fools.'' ''Your view of princesses, let''s revise it a bit. Who did you look at to get to that point, you? ''...... Yashiro. Magda, are you pretty?'' Magda always looks confident, but in fact she''s always insecure. I want to spoil her, but I''m afraid she''ll hate me for spoiling her too much. She always looks at me as if she''s watching me. As long as she''s in the Sunlit Pavilion, it''s impossible for anyone to dislike Magda. ''Was there ever a time when Magda wasn''t pretty? ''...... today?'' ''She was so cute I almost took her away.'' ''............ Yeah.'' He turns over and mumbles, rubbing his tail against me. ''Darling, what about me?'' ''Yes, very nice. So please don''t take me away, please. Medora is behind me, ''You''re too shy to look at me, darling, you''re too naive! You can hear her squirming, but don''t look back. ...... It''s soul-destroying. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. ......Hmm, Donis, you''ll be surprised.'' I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that, Ginette. But-- ''Not as much as me, I''m sure. ''Huh? Ginette smiles innocently, wearing a different atmosphere, modest but memorable makeup, like she''s from another world. ''Because I was surprised to see Jeannette in a dress.'' ''...... You''re exaggerating.'' The fact that she smiles at me is like a miracle. ...... You''ll have to keep your guard up during the ceremony. Don''t let the aristocrats get to you. ''Ginette, Magda and Loretta, stay close to Medora. ''Yes, sir. It''s not safe for them to wander off.'' '' said Ginette to the younger Magda and the others. You''re the most dangerous one. I''ll be sure to tell Magda and Loretta to keep an eye on Ginette, who has little sense of danger. But I''ll also remind them to be careful, because today is a big day for you guys. Really. There''s a lot of work involved in an event where lords and nobles gather, isn''t there? 475-Episode 277: The venue is floating and unsteady. ''Everyone, you''re ready. A fully armed Estella arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion. Her brightly colored, gorgeous dress sways softly in the wind like a bashful flower, making Estella look beautiful. Her signature smile, which makes her look relaxed, seems to have a magical power that draws the attention of those around her. Not only is she comparable to Ginette and Magda, whom Mahr and Lucia did their best to finish, but she even stands out from the crowd in terms of femininity. This is the aura of someone who has been through a lot. Estella is definitely improving as a lord. ''It''s magnificent. ''...... Are you talking about Pat again? No one is talking about that. Also, it''s not natural at all. You can''t be fooled by something like that until you''re at the third level of the boob test. I mean, who''s making you do that? You''re not the reason why Ukrines was so busy, are you? ''I''m just saying that it looks good on you when you dress like that.'' ''Huh?Is that so?Isn''t that normal?'' No, no, no. I''m sorry, but when I saw you, I fell in love with you for about three seconds. ''If you''re that beautiful, the lords of the other districts won''t be able to lick you. ''What?What, what, Yashiro?Did you eat something strange while I was preparing? ''Is it so strange for me to praise you? ''Because, ......, you usually tease me about my breasts and my pads. ......'' It looks like you''re pretending to ''tease'' me because you''re obsessing over my breasts more than you should. ''Well, you know. I was going to tease you, but I guess you were too perfect today. It''s just that the praise came before the joke. ''Oh, ........................, thank you... ...right? Estella''s regal demeanor is gone, and she suddenly begins to squirm, revealing the face of a girl. Keep your chest out. I''m just getting started. ''Don''t look down so much or you''ll slip. ''Shut up. ...... Oh, God. I''m sorry that I''m a little more relaxed now. He smiles, still a little stiff, and pats me on the arm. You may be trying to make a face, but it''s failing spectacularly because your mouth is loose. ''...... Already. I''ve got a big show to do. You didn''t do that on purpose, did you?'' He glared at me, accusing me of causing his face to blush. Such obvious embarrassment makes her look strangely cute in contrast to her gorgeous outfit. ''Estella, you''re kind of cute today! ''...... As expected, you''re the star of the day.'' ''Estella, you''re always cute. ''Oh, no, no, no, don''t, don''t, don''t. ...... Estella is flabbergasted by what Jeannette and the others are saying. I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to make of it. If the lord''s armor is removed this quickly, we can''t rest easy yet. You have to keep a closer eye on him. ...... I''m sure he''ll make a huge mistake and get us in trouble one day! I will! That''s because I''m in trouble! So I''ll just have to do it. Just for a little while longer. What a mess, Estella is. ''Estella-sama. It''s time to go to the wedding hall.'' Natalia appears quietly. She''s in her usual maid''s uniform. ''Doesn''t Natalia dress up? ''Servants are supposed to stay in the shadows. It is easy to forget that Natalia is the one who supports Estella, not the one who comes to the fore. In a ceremony like this, if the head waiter is dressed up and standing in line with the participants, Estella will be laughed at, ''What''s going on in the Cremona family? Estella would be laughed at. Natalia is there to make Estella shine. That is the right way to be a head waiter. ''I''ll do my best to dress up for a private party. The face that smiled as she said this did not seem to be lamenting the fact that she could not dress up for this day, nor did it seem to be sad, but rather it seemed to be happy to be in Estella''s shadow. ''If I get serious, I''ll eat Estella-sama, the main character. ''I won''t lose, but! ''''I''m sorry, but I''m the overwhelming winner when it comes to ingredients. ''Can you hurry up and prepare it? ''It''s already ready...'' ''You''re a child, aren''t you? ''Who''s got big loli tits? ''I didn''t say that! While engaging in the usual squire comedy, Estella gets into the carriage that has been prepared for her. The horses in this poor carriage must have belonged to Estella''s family. She should have enough money to buy a new carriage. But Estella won''t renew the carriage. The horses are too poor to pull the carriage if she makes it bigger. She should have bought a better ...... horse. If you ask Javier, he''ll give you a good horse at a good price. ''Come on, you should get a horse other than the Hinsounaichichi. ''That''s not the kind of name I want!This horse has been with me since I was a child. He began to explain the long and venerable name, but I wasn''t interested so I didn''t hear it. Maybe the reason Estella''s breasts don''t grow is partly due to the curse of this skinny horse? After giving me a round of complaining, Estella left for the ceremony. The carriage was moving away with the sound of unreliable hooves. Natalia would not be riding in the carriage and would be walking to the ceremony. Apparently, the horse stopped walking halfway if there were more than three passengers including the attendant. Buy a new one! No, seriously! ''Doesn''t our lord know how to be vain? ''That''s how close he is to others, I guess. Estella-san is a kind person who wants to share her happiness with others rather than monopolize it herself. ''She may be right as a person, but as a noblewoman, she''s a failure. ''I think a lord is only a lord if he is loved by his people. ''...... Well, I don''t think there''s any other lord who''s as loved by his people as he is.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m proud of my lord. Isn''t he? Don''t ask me to agree with you. They like Estella, but they don''t respect her. In terms of dignity, she''s a lousy lord. ...... Well, I guess that''s just like Estella. ''Some nobles from other places are coming today. I''ll have to be careful not to get any strange insects on Estella. ''Then, Yashiro-san, please protect her well.'' ''...... Don''t you think I''m the first of the bad bugs?'' ''Yashiro-san will not do anything that would cause Estella-san grief.'' I don''t know where this confidence comes from. ''Well, today''s tits are fake. If I''m going to poke her, I''ll aim for a real day, so she''ll be safe today. ''Oh, no. No, you can''t say that when you''re dressed so nicely.'' So I can say whatever I want when I''m in my regular clothes? ''Well, I''ll keep a careful eye on you during the ceremony.'' ''Yes, sir. Then you''ll be safe. ''But in return--'' Estella''s not the only one in danger. ''If any bad bugs come near you, call me right away. There are a lot of flowers today that bugs like. ''I''m not that ......, but yes. In case of emergency, I will run to Yashiro''s place and escape. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. ''Yes, sir! ''...... You can rest assured.'' The two princess-like girls who hadn''t yet made their debut in the social scene agreed with a confident look on their faces. ''If there''s a bad bug on your brother, we''ll go get rid of it! ''...... evil-immediately-slash'' ''No more bloodshed, okay? ''...... If Medamama thinks it''s right.'' ''............ Yeah. Magda. It would be very helpful if you could move before Medora.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''I''m as fast as you are! Medora? Hahaha. Nice joke. Loretta. You''re human. You''re not like Medora. You''re not and you''re not gonna be. ''Is Delia gonna be a while? ''Do you want me to go check on her? ''...... Wait. It looks like it''s coming down.'' Magda moved her ears to pick up the sound. Shortly after, Princess Delia appeared on the floor, wearing a large ribbon on her head. ''Kyaa~a?? Delia-chan, you''re so cute! ''What?It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Delia glances at me with a bright red face. When our eyes met, she let out an ''ahh......'' sound and froze. But this was a surprise. Perhaps it''s because of the big ribbon that draws your eyes, but unless you get close, you don''t feel Delia''s size. If anything, she looks like a petite girl. ...... Well, it''s big when you get close, though. ''You look incredibly cute today, Delia. ''Kyu ...... Kyuuto, or you?Really? ''Yeah. You''re so cute.'' ''Miss Delia!I''m sorry, but you''re just so cute today!I want to protect her! ''...... Today''s Magda is in the elegant category, so I''ll give the cute category to Delia.'' ''Really, guys?Are you kidding me? ''You''re really cute, Delia. You look like a princess.'' Delia was flabbergasted, but when Jeannette called her a princess, her face turned bright red. She then smiles happily like a little girl who has just seen her own birthday cake. ''Ehehe ...... I''m so happy, I''m so happy. I guess I grew up without experiencing this kind of thing as a child. Delia has been asked to be strong and responsible, and she has responded to that, but from now on, I want to let her do what she wants to do. There are no adults or children when it comes to experiencing various things. ''Well!I think you''ve done a great job! ''She''s really cute, Delia. Lucia and Mahrul both appear, accompanied by the head waiter. They are both dressed to the nines. Lucia, of course, looks beautiful, as does ...... Mael. If you''re not sure what to do, you can always ask for help. She wears a grace that is impossible to imitate, and transforms herself into a perfect lady. Oh, how frustrating. So I''ll say it right to your face. ''Ma''am. Don''t get too pretty. I''m a little frustrated and I''m afraid of a certain hair running amok.'' ''Well, I never thought Yashippi would say something like that to me. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... Yeah. It''s that kind of reaction that makes you feel like you''re from a generation two years ago. ''Don''t you have something to say to me, anchovy? ''A daily complaint?I''ve got plenty of that at .......'' Oh, God. That smug smile of yours is annoying. It''s like you can see right through the fact that I''m admitting it. Yeah, yeah. ''I''m not going to tell you what I think because it''s too perfect. ''That''s honest praise for you, isn''t it? It''s a wonder you''re not a nobleman. It wasn''t a line that set my teeth on edge. ''Well, I guess we''d better head for the hall. And with that, I led the gaily dressed beauties down the beautifully landscaped street towards the city gate. ''Yashippi!Let''s have a little talk! ''I can''t remember feeling any sympathy after seeing Ma''ru in her dress, so if you want to talk about it, go home and talk to Filman! When I entered the venue with Ma''ru, Donis caught me approaching at a very high speed and rubbed up against me with tears in his eyes. ''If you have time to do that, you should stay close to Ma''ru and protect him. ...... What if some bad bugs get attracted to him?'''' ''''That''s true!Any undesirables that mess with the ...... lady will be crushed by the entire district.'''' Ohhhh! I was just trying to make a light hearted remark, but he gave me a real killing spurt. Don''t worry, ...... you''re probably the only one who''s targeting that old lady. However, it is likely to be detrimental to me if someone else takes care of Mael. It would be most ideal for Ma''ru to remain in his current position, maintain his current power, and continue our current relationship. Because being taken away from Ma''ul is the same as being taken away from BU. ''Yashiro~! As I saw Donnis off, he called out to me from a distance. There were Paula, Nephrite, Milly and Norma. They were all beautifully dressed. As expected from the work of Ukrines, they were clearly different from the rest. I''m sure some bad insects will be attracted to them, but they''ll be safe with Norma. ''Jeannette. I''ll go up to the stage with Masha and the others, and you guys can stay with Norma and the others.'' ''Yes, sir. Then let''s go, Magda-san, Loretta-san.'' ''Yes, sir! ''...... store managers, Magda will protect them.'' ''You be careful, too. You don''t want to get kidnapped.'' ''............. I''ll be careful. Her face changed from a reliable expression to that of an embarrassed girl. I''m worried because they''re cute, my girls. After seeing to it that Jeannette and the others have joined us properly, we go up to the stage. ''So long, darling. I''ll take the sea fishermen with me. ''Oh, please. ''I can''t say no to your request, darling. ''See you~, Yashiro-kun! Medora pushed the water tank and headed for the guest seats. There are quite a few seats set up on the stage. The lords of the outer districts, and all the lords of BU. The heads of the hunting, lumberjack, and seafaring guilds were all lined up in a row, creating an impressive sight. Directly in front of the stage, there are seats for nobles who are not lords. The seats are clearly different from those of the general public, and the distance between the two is a reasonable distance. If nobles and ordinary people come into contact with each other, nothing but trouble will happen. It''s a kind of isolation. There are no nobles other than Estella and Imelda in the 42nd district, but there are nobles other than the lords in the districts above the 41st district. These are people who have been given titles by the royal family based on their achievements and skills, and have become nobles. For example, the one who invented a stone to ward off monsters. The nobles receive a fixed amount of money every year from the royal family according to their ''rank''. The amount is said to vary from person to person. It is said that the lowly and useless nobles are always thinking about how to make a connection with the higher nobles and get their share. The lord''s family earns a considerable amount of money by managing the territory in addition to the money distributed by the royal family. They are the envy of the other nobles. Up until now, the bottom forty-two districts had no appeal, but not anymore. The never-before-seen aristocrats in the seats of honor are proof of that. From kids to old men, there are all sorts of men in attendance. I don''t know if it''s Estella they''re after or if they''re planning to take advantage of the profits the new port will generate. ...... In the event that you have any kind of questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I walked slowly across the stage and glanced at the men in the dignitary''s seats who were giving Estella a cursory glance, and at the unfamiliar lord in the guest''s seat who was wearing a smug expression. I won''t let you touch me. I''m not cheap enough to give it away to a bunch of flunkies like you. This city. And the lord of this town. Yashiro-sama. This way. Natalia came to call me, perhaps a little too intimidated. If you look at Estella, she is looking at the whole hall with a cool face. She''s looking at me like I''m ...... her, isn''t she? What''s that? She looks like she''s trying to tell me, ''Don''t cause any trouble. Hey, hey. I know. ...... d*mn it. Lucia''s calling me out and telling me all these strange stories has made me weirdly conscious. You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it. ...... I wonder why my seat is above the stage. The least I can do is to sit close to Umaro, who is in charge of the construction, and the representatives of the 35th district carpenters. I''m glad I''m not sitting next to Estella. As I''m walking on the stage, I can hear whispering voices coming from the seats of honour and guests. What is it? Because I''m dressed like an aristocrat, they''re saying, ''Which aristocrat is that? Are they talking about me? Worry, worry. I''m not going to tell you. As I was thinking that, the hem of my dress was suddenly grabbed. In a reserved manner. Ginette sometimes grabs me like this when she stops me, so I was surprised when I turned around to see if Ginette had come up on stage. ''Oh, you know what, Yashiro ......, can I go along with you like this? Delia said in a weak voice, her face turning bright red. Delia! What, why are you here? ''No, Delia is fine in the general seating area. ''Yeah, is that so?I was pushing Masha''s tank up to the stage. ......'' Okay. I pushed Masha''s tank up to the stage with her, and then Medora carried Masha''s tank away, so Delia didn''t know what to do after that. She could have gone down to the general seating area. ...... It''s a little difficult to "think for yourself" in a place like this. Today Delia is dressed differently, in fragile young lady mode. ''Natalia. There''s still time, right? ''Yes. But please hurry. ''I''ll be right back. You say no to Natalia and turn back the way you came. She pulled Delia''s hand. ''...... What? Delia let out a weak voice and followed me. She seems to be confused by the sudden hand-holding, but I''m currently intimidating the nobles in the hall as ''Mysterious Nobleman X''. I can''t just send Delia off in the usual manner. Whether she was nervous or embarrassed, Delia''s face turned red and she turned her head down, curled her back, became small, and quietly followed me as I walked. If you do this, you will look like a real lady to those who do not know Delia. It''s as if she''s a little careless sister who got carried away by her brother''s big day and went on stage with him. When she got off the stage, Millie and Imelda were there to greet her. ''Sorry. Can you do me a favor? ''Hmm. Deri-san, come with me.'' ''Ugh......Mily......I''m so embarrassed......'' ''Nah, I''m fine. I''m fine now. I''ll be there for you, Miri.'' ''Yeah ...... thanks ......'' The big Delia is clinging to the little Miri. Today''s Delia is a real girl. ''I''ll take full responsibility for the two of you. ''Did you ever think that the day would come when you would protect Delia ......? ''Yes.'' Imelda laughed, but with a reliable smile, she said, ''Please leave it to me. ''I mean, doesn''t Imelda need to be in the noble''s seat? ''It''s too much trouble in a place full of nobles. It''s more fun to be surrounded by good friends than by needy suitors. Even if the seat is a little hard. I''ve prepared nice cushions for the dignitaries. There''s no such thing in the general seats. Wooden seats. ''You''re lucky you have a soft butt. ''Please don''t talk like you know what you''re talking about when you''ve never touched one before. ''When you''re at my level, you can tell by the sound you make when you sit down! ''I''ll report you to the manager. ''Can you please stop?I''ve got a lot of confessions to do today. ''Then I suggest you take this opportunity to learn the word ''self-restraint''. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... So, don''t do the nose thing. I''ll put it up on the bulletin board on Main Street."No noses, no noses. After watching Imelda and her friends join Ginette and her friends, Imelda said something to Ginette, and Ginette turned to her and made a gesture of obvious anger, ''pfft''. I told her not to ...... tell on me. I wonder how much repentance I''ll have to do after the ceremony. ''Hey, Oba. As I walked onto the stage and sat down in the seat I was shown, Ricardo slipped out of the guest seat and came over to me. What the hell, don''t come here. I''m not sure what you mean. ''I don''t understand what you''re saying. ''Who''s that beauty you just saw?I''ve never seen her before. What the hell is he talking about? You''ve seen her many times. ''That''s Delia.'' ''Delia ......?............ What?That bear woman? ''I guess every word you say like that is why you''re not popular. Aside from the fact that you call Delia a bear, calling her a bear is annoying. ''But that woman was so fragile, you know?The bear woman was more like this, tough, crass, and big, right?'' ''Delia is quite a maiden. Rugged is right, but crass is not. Her body was the same as always.'' ''She was smaller than you, wasn''t she, just now? Delia, how long have you been hunched over? ''But I can''t believe the woman who competed with ...... Medora for Miss Muscle turned out like that. ......'' ''I don''t think either of them meant for that to happen. Delia and Medora both thought they were entering a miscute. ''...... Women can be transformed by clothes and makeup.'' ''You, what are you talking about now? I''m sure you understand that, and that''s why you started working on the lovely Yann Avenue. ''Could it be that our women are going to transform into lovely like that? ''Only if you men change. ''Why not?It''s up to the women to decide whether they become beautiful or not.'''' ''Idiot. He doesn''t know what he''s talking about. ''Can you build up your muscles a size bigger than they are now to show off to Medora? ''Why do I have to work so hard for Medora? ''It''s the same as that. If a woman doesn''t have a man she feels like she wants to be with, she''s not going to do it. If you don''t have a man that you feel like you want to be with, you won''t be able to put your all into improving yourself. Even if you work hard to become beautiful, if all you get is men who don''t understand you and react as if you''re someone else, you''ll lose motivation. ''If the number of good men increases, the number of good women will naturally increase. ''Is it like that? ''Becoming beautiful is a magic. To use magic, you need knowledge, rituals, and magic power. Knowledge is just that, rituals are diet and beauty related techniques, and magic is the strong desire to be beautiful--the driving force. If any of them are missing, the magic will not succeed. If you think that all the women in the city will become beautiful as soon as Lovely Avenue is built, you are mistaken, okay? ''That''s how it is. ......, I''ll keep that in mind. I really hope you''ll remember me. ''...... nice, Avenue, it could be amazing.'' ''How far behind are you running, ......? Well, I guess you''ll be aware of it when you start to see the results. The Avenue has the potential to draw in customers from neighboring districts. All right!Let''s get fired up and get things going. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this site.I think he''s ....... ''Hey, Torbek. I''m going to have to ask you to do something. ''I want you to be strong, Ricardo-sama. I walked over to Umaro, who was sitting beside me, and shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder. This guy tries to act like a big brother everywhere. --As I was thinking this, the audience was buzzing. ''Hmm?What is it? Ricardo looks around at the strange situation in the hall. Several people in the dignitary''s and guest''s seats quickly looked away, and whispered voices could be heard from the general seats. You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives. I see. So the bad reputation of Torbek''s construction company is spreading far and wide. And there were some people who wondered why the master of Torbek Corporation, who was rumored to be such a bad guy, was sitting on the stage at the same level as the guests. Heh. ...... As I looked around, trying to remember the face of the lord who had looked away, my eyes met with a man. His eyes were quiet, yet somehow eerie. He had stagnant eyes that I hadn''t seen in a long time due to my long stay in District 42. A man of mature years with stiffly set black hair and a gentlemanly mustache. He wears a monocle over his left eye. My eyes met his for a moment. It was an unfamiliar face. The man looks away as if nothing is wrong, and looks around as if he is concerned about the crowded hall. ...... You''re very good at deception. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find anything you like. If I wasn''t wearing such a princely outfit, I might have moved to eliminate him outright. Well, there''s no point in arguing about ''maybe'' and ''probability'' when it might not have happened. Just one thing. He seems to have something on his mind about the Trubecco incident. I don''t know if it''s a good thought or a bad thought for us. To put it more bluntly, we don''t know if he''s friend or foe. But I''ll remember your face, monocle gentleman. ''What is it?What''s all the fuss?'' ''You octopus. ''Who''s an octopus? Ricardo raises his eyebrows. Maybe this guy is as pure as they come. When I first met him, I thought he was a clever guy with a backhanded approach, but now that I think about it, that was simply motivated by a single thought: ''I can''t lose to District 42. He doesn''t and can''t do anything clever like rearranging. If there is a problem, he will twist it by force. If you do the right thing, the wrong thing will disappear of its own accord. I guess that''s how he lives. That''s why he can contact the alleged master of Torbek''s construction company without any hesitation. It''s a clear sign of friendship. To Ricardo, Umaro was a man he could trust. ''Well done, Ricardo. I''ll give you a compliment.'' ''Huh?You call me an octopus and I call you a compliment. I don''t understand, Oba.'' ''You''re just too simple.'' ''Hmm. Playing games is for weaklings. Unless I''m wrong, I''m not going to change myself. Mediocrity, that is. It''s a nice, clean theory, but like Estella, it''s fragile and dangerous. It''s the kind of thing that gets you drunk with monocle gentlemen. ''I don''t even want to protect you, so you can take care of yourself. ''What the hell are you talking about, man? Of course not, you know that. If you were as strong as Medora, I wouldn''t have any worries. ''If there''s any trouble with the construction, send a letter to Estella. Umaro will take care of it.'' ''Hmm?What are you talking about?'' ''I''m talking about the future. With the current action, those who were planning to get rid of Torbek''s engineering store might have considered the 41st district as an enemy. They may be harassed into not accepting requests through the union. It''s still a possibility, but if that were to happen, ...... Umaro would take action. It only takes a single bad move to destroy the current situation, which is just barely held together by duty and humanity. Don''t strangle yourselves, union members. ''Mr. Ricardo. Please return to your seats for the start of the ceremony.'' Natalia comes in front of us and tells Ricardo. ''If you don''t know where you are, I can show you. ''What am I, a child? ''Aren''t your mother and father with you? ''I''m here alone!The old man and Medora were with me, though! ''I wonder if I can get your name and address? ''Stop treating me like a lost child! ''Enough of this, go back to your seat. Natalia is so far in Estella''s camp that just looking at you makes her want to torment you. You should be grateful that she didn''t just punch you out. I was really pissed off at him, you know. When Ricardo had returned to his seat and the buzz in the hall had died down, Natalia gave the signal and the groundbreaking ceremony for the port began. 476-Episode 278: A flash in the pan? After Estella''s speech, the introduction of the guests, and other programs were completed on the stage of the plaza, the audience left the stage and began to move. The city gates were opened and many people crowded into the gates. This is a sight rarely seen. With the attention of the crowd, Javier raises an oversized axe and chops down a huge tree with a trunk as thick as two Javiers. The sound of the huge tree toppling over with a thud in his stomach was a sight to behold, and the crowd naturally broke into applause. ''Thank you very much, Mr. Javier. When the facilitator announced this, Javier raised his thick arms and raised his spirits. The crowd responded to his voice, and the area in front of the forest was engulfed in a whirlpool of loud voices. The excitement builds and the voltage reaches its peak. Called by the facilitator, Estella stepped forward in front of the audience with Natalia in tow. This time, the facilitator is not Natalia. This time it is not Natalia, but another experienced waiter. Natalia is completely in Estella''s shadow, following her around. And she is mercilessly eliminating anyone who even looks at her with the slightest hint of evil in their eyes. Of course, he does not touch her. You can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time, but you can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to talk to such a scary guy on a daily basis. ...... Natalia''s seriousness is scary. ...... It''s just as well that Magda was afraid of her in the beginning. Natalia and Medora were the only ones Magda was afraid of and hid from. ''Now then, we are moving to the planned construction site of the port. However, as you can see, we have no countermeasures against hexenbiests. Although we are being cautious, we can''t guarantee absolute safety. Therefore, the groundbreaking ceremony will be held only for those who wish to participate. If you don''t want to get hurt by venturing into the deepest part of the outer forest, you should leave here. The hunting guild led by Medora will protect the participants, but it is not completely safe. If anything should happen to you, you are on your own from here on out. After explaining this in a noble, roundabout way, Estella prepared to leave. It seemed that all the lords were going to participate, but most of the nobles in the dignitaries'' seats were turning back. They tried to powder Estella, but I guess they thought the weather would be bad today. She was going to go to the deepest part of the forest where Bonacon''s vicious beasts roamed. They''ll be too busy protecting themselves to pick up girls, and they won''t have the guts to do so. Also, you can''t say, "Let''s have dinner sometime" in a place where there are hunter with strong face and strong body. If you''re not careful, you might be mistaken for a hexenbiest and hunted by an annoyed hunter. ...... No, that''s not likely. There''s also Medora. But I don''t think it''s surprising that such an accident could happen. So, let''s go. Please follow the instructions of the members of the hunting guild at all costs. This forest is really dangerous. As Estella was about to walk away, a man called out to her. ''Is it really possible to maintain a port in such a dangerous place? Estella, who was about to walk away, stops and turns her body to face the owner of the voice. ''Of course, Mr. Wishart. That man was that monocle gentleman. So this is Deyglair Wishart, Lord of the Thirtieth Ward. ''We will construct a complete management system not only during the construction period but also after the completion of the port. We have already established a cooperative system for this purpose, so there is nothing to worry about. ''Isn''t there such a thing as ''perfect'' in this world? That''s a really nasty thing to say. There''s no way to prove that it''s ''safe'' at this stage, but you''re asking me to show you the proof. I see, that''s why Lucia calls him ''crooked''. ''It is true that there may be parts that are not perfect. However, there are measures that can be taken to keep accidents to a minimum. ''With a less than perfect security system, can this port really be used safely?What do you think, gentlemen?Once the port is completed, this city gate will be used more frequently. At such a time, if a hexenbiest were to enter the city, we could suffer a great deal of damage. Wishart turned his attention from Estella to the other lords present. He was probably trying to recruit the numbers to hunt down Estella. ''It would be better if the damage was contained within the forty-two districts, but will that be enough? Surprisingly, District Forty-two has just opened a road leading to District Twenty-nine. Now that there are doubts about the security of that road, even my 30th district, even though it is on a cliff, cannot feel safe at all. No one said a word, just listened to Wishart''s words. But the atmosphere is definitely getting worse. They raise anxiety and shout about uncertain dangers. That''s what people always do when they want to get an answer that suits them. ''So, what do you think? Why don''t we suspend the construction of the harbor and resume the discussion once again, including the guarantee aspect?The sea will not run away. Besides, the 42nd district is currently undergoing many successful new projects under the leadership of a talented new lord, isn''t it?If the completion of the project is delayed a little, it won''t lead to financial ruin. If that is the case, there is no need to hurry the completion of the project, is there?What do you think, gentlemen?Don''t you think so? Wishart spread his arms and smiled with his words to the crowd - the lords watching from the sidelines. In short, if you want to start the work, give us more of your share. And if you don''t, we''ll keep interfering like this. Let''s take down ....... This time, thanks to the presence of several clear allies, Estella did not become distraught. In the past, she would have made a desperate excuse, saying, ''No, no, as I told you many times, we are trying to be as safe as possible,'' but now she is keeping her mouth shut and doing as she is told. So, yes, you just have to have a relaxed attitude like that. Mahrul, who was standing nearby, gently put his hand on Estella''s back. That must have helped Estella to decide that now was not the time to talk. In fact, she''s probably very upset. ''We talked so much and now we''re going back to square one? You know. As I stared at Estella, her eyes glanced at me. She knew I was staring at her and seemed a little upset. ...... Don''t show your agitation, sweetheart. This is the first time I''ve been able to find out what''s going on. Then she turns her gaze to Mahr. Both Lucia and Mahr nodded their heads silently, and Estella let out a sigh. Then she looks at me and says, ''Don''t overdo it! She nodded her head slowly with a look that seemed to be filled with orders. He gave me permission to speak, and I clapped my hands loudly by myself. Wishart turned his head toward me at the sudden sound. The other lords look at me as well. Yes, yes. Look at me. I''ve got something to say to you. Especially for you, Wishart. ''No, that''s really great! Shouts of praise. Then he steps into the space that had been left vacant while Wishart was speaking. He steps into the space where Wishart used to stage himself, where the attention of the crowd is focused. ''As expected of the Lord of the Thirtieth District, Lord Wishart, who has the best city gates in all of Broome. He is a man of foresight when it comes to crisis management. He slowly walks up to Wishart as he speaks. ''The more often the city gates are used, the greater the risk of hexenbiest infestation. That''s exactly right. I affirm Wishart''s statement. Totally agree. Let''s give him a big thumbs up. ''After all, the words of a lord who has guarded the city gate for a long time carry a different weight. Then, as Wishart had done, he turned his back on Wishart and turned his body toward the crowd. Then he spreads his arms as if looking up at the sky. He spreads his arms as if looking up to the sky, as if he could flap his wings to the sky. ''There is no such thing as "perfect" safety. I was shocked. To be honest, I hadn''t thought of it that way. No, you''re right. That''s not easy to say. That''s a brave thing to say. I''m sorry. I admire you. Excellent!I''m so happy for you! My praise flew across the sky and was swallowed up by the clear blue sky and disappeared. After that, a moment of silence envelops the area. ''...... What are you trying to say? The praise was so fishy that even Wishart couldn''t help but interrupt. I slowly turned around and said with a big smile on my face. ''I''m just saying it''s great, that''s all. Now, let my voice soar into the sky on the wind and reach the ears of those who listen. ''I was shocked to hear that you, who can loudly declare that the guards at the city gates of the 30th district are ''not up to snuff'', are a wonderfully impudent lord. Seeing the best smile in my history, a wild vein appeared on Wishart''s forehead. ''I never said anything of the sort! Wishart immediately came at him, but that was a bad move. Let me tell you, a man who doubles and triples his words loses his weight. It is only when a person stands tall and does not hesitate that his words carry weight. Light words that roll over and over again are not worth listening to. ''Are you going to retract your own statement?You''re the current head of the prestigious Wishart family with the largest city gate in all of Allbloom? ''I will not retract anything. In the first place, I have never said that the security of my city gate is not perfect. I will not tolerate you making trivial accusations. ''So you''re saying that the city gates of District 30 are fully guarded? ''Of course. ''But... isn''t there such a thing as ''perfect'' in this world? These are the words that just came out of your mouth just now. ''I''ve been guarding that gate for many years now!My abilities and knowledge are different from a new lord who has only been in office for a year or so. ''In other words, you can''t be trusted because you''re a newbie and a chick with no knowledge.'' ''That''s what most people would think. ''Even though the hunting guild led by Medora Rossel will be taking over the security of the port? ''............'' You shut up. Clever, indeed. ......, but stupid. ''The Woodcutter''s Guild, led by Stuart Javier, will take care of all the work to keep the monsters away, and you still don''t trust many of them? He took one look at Wishart, whose mouth was tightly shut, snickered, and then looked around at the lords present. You can find a lot of people who are in their thirties or forties. In the fifties, there are very few. Donnis is the oldest of them all. I mean-- ''From the looks of it, many of you are younger than Ms. Medora and Mr. Javier - of course, you''re one of them, Mr. Wishart - and you''re the young ones, You two heavyweights who have been in positions of responsibility longer than you, who have lived with this forest and confronted the magical beasts of this forest, and you say you can''t trust them because they''re just chicks? That''s what I mean when I say that I don''t trust the safety measures taken with the full cooperation of Medora and Javier, who know this forest and the hexenbiests in this forest better than anyone else. When I looked at them again, all the lords quickly turned their gaze away and took an attitude of indifference. Now, you''re all that''s left, Wishart. ''''You''re younger than Miss Medora and Mr. Javier, and your term of office as a lord is shorter than the terms of those two guild leaders. '' ''......Goo,you......! Wishaat''s eyes are visibly turning red. His bloodshot eyes glared at me. I brush it off with a sneer. ''With a less than perfect security system, can the city gates of District 30 really be used safely?What do you think, gentlemen?It''s a big city gate with that many people coming and going every day. If any bandits or barbarians were to enter the city, we could suffer a great deal of damage. As Wishart did so, he turned his back to Wishart and appealed to the lords around him. ''It would be better if the damage was contained within the thirty districts, but will that really be enough? As he said earlier, District 42 has just blazed a trail leading to District 29. Even if the road is well guarded, there is no way to prevent a surprise attack. After all, it seems that there is no such thing as perfect security. If that''s the case, even though it''s under the cliff, this 42nd district can''t be safe at all. Estella gives me a look that says ''enough'', but let me just say one more thing. It won''t take long. ''What do you say there? Why don''t we temporarily seal the city gates of the thirty districts and have a meeting to discuss the guarantee aspect once again?There are city gates in other districts as well. It''s not like outside merchants will be shut out. And it''s the 30th district that had the monopoly on Allbloom''s best gates for a long time. You must have a lot of power and connections as well as money.It''s unlikely that their finances would be ruined by a little blockade. If that is the case, then there is no need to keep opening the dangerous city gates, is there?What do you think, gentlemen?Don''t you think so? ''''Don''t you dare, my dear! Wishart''s eyes are bloodshot as he grabs me. --But that hand didn''t reach me. ''Isn''t that just what you said in the first place? ''So many lords are gathered here. Don''t you think it''s a bit arrogant to waste all this time on your opinion, Mr. Wishart? Donnis and Lucia intervened between me and Wishart, blocking their progress. Of course, Gilberta and Donis''s steward are following the Lord in a state of alertness. If the Lord were to be touched even by a finger, they would be ready to open fire immediately. Wyschert, who has connections with the upper echelons of society due to his superior location, not to mention his finances, must have a fair amount of power. Even though he is a noble of the same fifth class, Wishart of the Thirtieth District is distinctly different from other lords. But Lucia is a woman who isn''t afraid of such things, and even if she''s outclassed in terms of finances, Donis, who has a higher position as a fourth-grade noble, as defined by the royal family, is also not a man who would be intimidated by Wishart. The other lords of BU are also fourth class nobles, so they have a higher rank than Wishart, but they''re weak under pressure. Even the lord of the 23rd district, who seemed to be the second most powerful after Donnis, was in the position of being enriched by the tolls from the merchants coming from the 30th district. He''s not going to be able to stand up to Wishart. The two heretics. Only Lucia and Donis can do as they please. Lords of the outer districts? He''s got a look of ''I don''t care about that'' on his face. The Thirtieth Ward is too powerful. Well, it looks like Ricardo and Demilly will stay on our side. Hmm. Well... I could start a fight here and rip Wishart''s pride and face to shreds, but ...... Estella''s face is on the line as well. If word gets out that going to the ceremony in District 42 will cause trouble, it will tarnish Estella''s face. It was the money-grubbing wishy-washy Wishy was to blame, and we wanted the fact that the ceremony hosted by Estella had ended without a hitch. So, I''d like to offer you a special bleeding service (maybe even a big one!). So, I''m going to be generous and forgive you for your unseemly antics. ''Ha-ha-ha!Well, excuse me. He laughs cheerfully and smiles a carefree smile with a hint of blackness. A clown''s smile. ''I''ve put a lot of effort into the construction of the port in District 42, and I don''t want the work to be interrupted by a minor conflict. I turned into a clown, waving my arms around as if dancing, and joking as if saying. So, I was just playing a little word game with you. I hope you don''t mind if I offended you. He gives an innocent wink to Wishart. Wishaat frowned blatantly. However, she hides her emotions when she sees the two unorthodox lords standing in front of her, and the ''unreasonable lords who are unlikely to take her side'' surrounding her. ''No, me too. I apologize if my words were inadequate and made you feel uncomfortable. Oh, I didn''t say it well enough. ''I was merely concerned that the peace of this city might be threatened. If he''s right and the two guild leaders, who are familiar with this forest and magical beasts, cooperate fully, there''s no need for an amateur like me to interfere. It was your way out, Miss Creamona. No. I was speaking not for my own benefit, but for the safety of this entire city. Thank you for your advice. Estella gave the selfish Wishart a small barb, saying, ''Don''t just talk about your own interests,'' and pretended that the dispute here had never happened. I''m sure that spike was sent by Mahr. Scary. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Let''s go to the site where the port will be built. At Estella''s words, a group of people leave the city gate and walk through the forest. Wishart glared at me for a moment as I walked past him, but I''ll let him off the hook. We, the Ooba Expedition, were entering an unprecedented jungle. Rumor has it that this jungle is inhabited by a terrifying beast beyond human comprehension... Crackle! At that moment, what appeared before Captain Oba''s eyes from within the jungle? ''Darling, what are you doing? ''There it is!Hexenbiest! ''There''s no such thing as hexenbiests. I''m spreading my Heki to intimidate them. No, no, there''s a hexenbiest right in front of me that''s spreading something called Heki. ''Yashiro-kun, you''ve been quiet since you entered the forest~ Are you scared?Giggling~a??'' That''s fine with Masha. She''s got Medora guarding her all the time. A little carelessness here could be fatal. And I have people I have to protect. ''Jeannette. And you guys, are you okay? ''We''re fine, big brother!If a hexenbiest appears, I''ll carry you and run away! ''...... Magda will protect Yashiro no matter what.'' No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I''m not talking about the ''are you okay?...... Well, to be honest, I''m really counting on you. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ''Ugh ......, but I''m wearing a dress today .......'' ''I''m here too, so you''ll be fine. Well, I don''t see anything wrong with it, as long as you keep your guard up. Norma is very motivated. She doesn''t mind if the slit gets cut even deeper with a little hard fighting. You could just cut it all the way down to the neck, slit. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few. ''I can stop your father from having a seizure at any time. ''Imelda, are you talking about the ''breath''? Imelda does not answer Loretta''s question, but smiles deeper. It''s like the root of breath, you can stop it. And watch out for the plants, too. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. I''ve been parasitized by a memory-eating demon plant before when I briefly entered the forest outside. ...... Maybe I''m being hated by the demon plant. I''m sure you''re right. Your brother is easily trapped by the demon plant''s traps, so we''ll all protect him. ''Ladybug, you''re also easily preyed upon in the flower guild forest, right? ''Mm-hmm. So you''re favored by demon plants too, aren''t you, Yashiro-san? No, it''s no laughing matter, Jeannette. That man-eating plant would have completely eaten me up if it weren''t for Milly, you know? ''Anyway, it''s best to be overly cautious. Excessive or not, it''s best to have nothing. ''When we get back to the city, I''ll check the breasts of everyone who''s been parasitized by the demon plant. ''I''ll be on the lookout, guys. ''Everyone''s tits are being targeted.'' ''...... too much caution is just fine.'' ''Big brother, your libido is too honest.'' ''Oh, Yashiro. Please repent. It''s a kindness! I only had the faintest of hopes behind my kindness! ''I''m not trustworthy. ......'' ''Maybe if I repent my daily behavior, people will trust me~'' Masha shakes her shoulders as she happily chugs the water. The hunters of the hunting guild are firmly guarding the perimeter of our group. In the center are the lords. Around them are the wardens and stewards of each ward. We, the general participants, are walking a little farther back, but Medora''s presence near us is reassuring. Javier is keeping a watchful eye on the area near the lords. The other side must be reassured by Javier''s presence. I''m really glad that these two are still active. However, both guilds have no one to follow the guild leader. Even the number two is far from the top. ''Medora. Make sure you raise your successor properly.'''' ''No, no, darling!You can''t tell me in front of all these people that you want my child! ''I didn''t say that! I don''t care if it''s Gustave, Alvaro, or anyone else, just raise it! If Medora''s genes were to be passed on, that would be reassuring, but in that case, a victim would certainly be born. A victim named Medora''s son-in-law. Isn''t world peace only possible through noble sacrifice? ...... ''......Yashiro''s sacrifice will not be in vain. ''No one will be sacrificed. Don''t say a word of bad luck, Magda. All right, Medora''s looking at me, so I''ll put up a Magda barrier. Medora likes Magda, and when Magda is dressed in a cute outfit, her eyes naturally turn to you. Medora''s successor might be Magda. ...... No, I don''t want her to be that muscular, and someone else should take over. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''If it''s a hardware guild, shouldn''t it be Norma? ''No, thank you. I don''t like meetings where the bigwigs meet face to face and go over their differences. I''d rather be in the field than at the top. I understand. I''m the same way. ''No, you''re already the head of the guild, ......, remember? It''s okay, it''s okay. In Delia''s perception, the guild leader is the one who''s most active in the field. I don''t think he''s going to show up at meetings much. I wonder if Omero is doing a good job. ''On that note, the sunny pavilion is safe!We have me and Magda! Your age is almost the same as mine. ''...... When the manager gets old, Magda will take over.'' You''re only four years older than me! I think you''ll be a pretty old lady by then. ''...... And when Magda gets too old to move, Loretta will take over.'' ''Wait!I''m older than Magda! ''...... I''m fine. I''m sure Loretta is noisy even at her age. ''Oh, I can''t deny it completely, but ............ what do you mean by noisy?I''m just energetic, but I''m sure I''m not noisy! ''Loretta. It''s noisy. ''Oh, dear!You''re always getting on my nerves when I''m like this. You guys are noisy even in the woods. What if a hexenbiest comes by? ''Are you the heir ......? Ginette muttered to herself. She thinks for a moment, bends her eyebrows in annoyance, but still smiles happily. ''I can''t think about it yet, but for now I''d like to stay active until I''m my grandfather''s age. ''Then you have a long way to go, don''t you? ''Yes. I hope I can be as close to your grandfather as possible by then. Do you still think you''re half a man? Surprisingly, your grandfather might think he''s already surpassed you. ''But the one I''m most worried about is Estella, right? Nephrite said, looking at Estella''s back as she walked at the front of the group. ''I wonder what kind of person will become the lord of District 42 after Estella. That''s still in the distant future. No one knows what will happen. Even Estella herself probably doesn''t know. So let''s just say what we know for sure at this point. ''Regardless of whether the next lord is a man or a woman, I''m sure he''ll be flat-chested. ''That''s not the point, that''s what we''re focusing on! There''s no way to know who he is. ''I don''t know what''s going to happen, but--'' Ginette looks back towards the city gate, stares at the 42nd district and says. ''I hope it will continue to be a wonderful city. The forty-second district had been looked down upon as the poorest district in the country. Now, many lords have gathered there and are focusing on new projects. District Forty-two has changed. It will continue to change. I don''t know what kind of city this will be in the future. I think ...... is right. If you look around at the young generation around me now, who will be in charge of the 42nd district in the future, you can at least hope that it will become a good city in its own way. I''ll make more money if it becomes a good town too. Yeah. 477-Episode 279 Malicious Attack Thanks to the hard work of the lumberjacks who cleared away the fallen leaves, dead leaves, and weeds that had accumulated on the ground to make it at least a little bit easier to walk, a decent path has been created. The bare soil, mixed with mud, sinks a little when you step on it, providing just the right amount of cushioning. There were no tree roots sticking up, so we would not get tired even if we walked for an hour. However, the fear of not knowing where the monsters would come from would cause undue stress, which would cause a lot of damage to my stomach and hair follicles. ''We''ve already walked a long way, and we still haven''t arrived? ''You could say that, big brother.'' When Loretta poked me in the back, I turned around and saw the gate right there. ''The gate, it''s so close! I hadn''t made any progress at all. ''It''s no use. There are a lot of important people here, and we don''t want anything to happen to them. ''Our people seem to be more cautious than ever. I tell them not to be too nervous no matter who they''re dealing with, but ...... they''re still blue in the face. Medora sighs, but the BU and all the lords of the outer districts are gathered in one place. It would be absurd to tell her not to be nervous. It''s not so much that they''re nervous as they are cautious. The team ahead of us, checking for safety. The team at the head of the group, watching the front. The team that deploys to the left and right and guards around the lords. The team that goes back and forth between the first team and the leading team to exchange information. And the team that stays within the group and keeps their nerves sharp so that they can respond immediately to anything that happens. --I guess these guys are the main players. In shogi, it would be gold, flying car, and horn. We''ve been walking for 15 minutes. But we''ve probably gone about 200 meters. You''re walking like a cow. A snail''s pace. ''Could it be that there''s a dying old man among the lords who''s keeping pace with us? ......'' ''You''ll be pissed.'' Norma poked me in the temple with her flue. Who''s gonna be pissed? Donnis, the oldest? I''m not scared. ''Hey, it seems like every step we take, we''re talking about something. Marcia says, pointing to the group ahead. Indeed, countless lords are crowding around Estella, talking to her about this and that. ''Everyone seems to want to get to know the 42nd district~'' Masha, who has a good ear, tells me this information. That''s amazing. I can''t even hear her when she''s so far away. ''It seems that some people are asking Lucia how to get along with the 42nd district. Masha shakes her shoulders with a giggle. Estella and Lucia. It''s interesting to see the two lords who are close to each other being forced to deal with each other. ...... Dosu? ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. Estella and the others have turned.'' Ginette points ahead. A group of lords is angling to the west. We had kept a reasonable distance from the group of lords, knowing that nothing good would happen if we, ordinary people, approached them, but it would be better if we didn''t disappear from sight. ''So we''re going too? ''Yes.'' ''Then, all of you follow me. I''ll protect you from the monsters.'''' Many of them smiled at Medora''s reliable words. Masha, who was being pushed around the tank by Medora, looked up at Medora and smiled. Medora must have felt their gaze, but she stubbornly refused to make eye contact. It seems that Medora has a one-sided rivalry with Masha. ...... Don''t act like a kid. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. If you disappear from my sight, you''re in danger. The moment Medora bent over the big tree and was out of sight, it would be a disaster if a magical beast attacked her just as she was waiting for it. As such, many people crowded around Medora. Rather than feeling threatened, they seemed to be enjoying this extraordinary situation. They are enjoying this situation where they are stepping into a dangerous forest, and the luxury of being escorted by Medora Rossel, the best hunter in all of Broome. People are crowded together, pushing and shoving each other to the point where they don''t crowd each other. In addition to those of us who were dressed up, there were other people in the crowd. We are dressed up at Uclines'' request, so we are clearly visible even from a distance. On the contrary, if ordinary people who are not dressed up blend in with us, they will attract attention-- Oi! I was able to immediately notice the suspicious man who was intruding into the circle more than necessary. ''...... Tsk! I called out, and the man threw something wildly in his hand. In the direction of Masha. While my gaze was momentarily drawn to the vial, the man turned on his heel and ran in the direction of the city gate. ''Gatekeeper!Don''t let him through! ''Not necessary! At the same time I shouted, a gust of wind blew past me on both sides. Norma and Delia ran out at top speed-- ''Whoa! --I fell down when my foot was caught in the hem of Delia''s widening skirt. ...... Wow, she fell on her face. That looks painful. ''d*mn!It''s so hard to move! Delia usually wears shorts and tube tops. She''s not used to sleeves and hems. She''s not used to sleeves and hems, but that''s what happens when you wear a flouncy dress and try to move like you normally do. Norma, on the other hand, seems to be used to dressing up, and can move as usual no matter what she wears. Norma usually wears clothes with long hems and sleeves, like a variant of kimono. ''I''ve got her! The thugs were seized by Norma before they could reach the city gates. ''Where''s Masha? ''She''s fine~ Thank you all~'' Masha didn''t seem to be hurt. But . ''Medora ......, are you okay?'' ''Nah, it''s no big deal.'' Medora''s arm was burning. It was probably from the liquid in the vial. ''Anyway, is Magda alright? Medora looked at Magda, unconcerned about the painful wound on her arm. It seems that Magda was the one who caught the vial that was thrown at Masha. ''...... I''m fine''. Magda, holding the empty vial in her hand, turns to look at you. ''...... mouth was open, so it only got a little on my fingers.'' Jeannette''s eyes widen. The second joint of Magda''s index finger was red and sore. ''Magda, let go of that bottle right now. It might start dripping.'' He takes off his jacket, wraps the vial in it, and takes it from Magda. Since you don''t know what''s in it, it''s not safe to throw it out there. If it contains an ingredient that makes the magic plant grow rapidly, this place will become a danger zone. ''Ginette, do you have a water bottle? ''Ha, yes! ''Pour it over Magda''s burns. Slowly, and plenty.'' ''Yes, sir. If the chemical gets on the skin, the rule is to rinse it off immediately with lots of water. ''Loretta. ''Yes, sir!I''ll go get Regina-san!I''ll also mobilize all my brothers and sisters to bring a lot of clean water!Medora-san, please wait a moment! ''I''m fine, don''t panic...'' ''Even if you''re fine, if something happens to you, my brother won''t be fine!It''s a super express! Loretta is running through at a tremendous speed. First the water. Should we head for the river by the city gates? ''Imelda. Can you report to Natalia for me? ''Yes, ma''am. ''But just tell her there''s been a disturbance and don''t give her any details. Tell her I sent you and Natalia will not ask any more questions.'' ''That''s what I''ll tell her. Imelda ran on, still quite fast, so as not to lose her grace. ''Medora. This one kept her word. I told her I wanted her to protect Masha. Medora protected me with her body. ''Thank you. I owe you.'' He bows deeply. I bow to Medora''s spirit with all my respect. ''No, please don''t, darling. This is my job.'' Even so. ''I''m so glad you''re here, Medora. I looked up and saw the world slightly distorted. It''s okay. Medora won''t die from this. Killing her won''t kill her. There''s no creature in this world or any other world that can kill Medora. But when I looked up, I saw a face that looked a little troubled, and I was so relieved. I''m really glad it didn''t turn out to be a life-threatening situation. ''Da,Darin......'' Medora''s expression was dumbfounded and uncharacteristic. The sharp gaze of a hunter who is always on his toes is nowhere to be seen, and the vulnerable eyes of a kitten who has just woken up are looking at you. ''It''s okay, okay?So, no,......, don''t cry,.......'' I''m not crying. I''m just remembering some things. But ...... ''If something happens to you, you might cry, so don''t push it or hold back. I''ll ask Regina to take care of it for you. I''m going to make your arm beautiful again, without leaving a single burn mark. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the market. ''Oh, ......, I like .................. too much... ......'' The breath and voice that escaped from between the thick fingers was like a girl who was confused by her newfound love. ...... The gap was awful, wasn''t it? I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m not sure what to say. Well, for now, ...... it can''t be helped. In response to Loretta''s instructions, the younger siblings took turns bringing in large quantities of water in the manner of a bucket relay. ''Medora-san, I''m going to pour water on you. Let me know if it hurts. ''Oh, I''m sorry, Paula. ''What are you talking about? We slept in the same bed together.'' ''Ha ha. That was fun. I''ll visit you again. ''Eh ............ hmm, I''m not so sure about that ......'' Paula scoops up a tub of water from the barrel and pours it over Medora''s burns. She and Nepheli take turns pouring water on him without interruption to wash away the chemicals. ''Magda, are you in any pain?'' ''...... fine.'' ''Don''t hide it.'' ''.................. It stings a little.'' I thought it must be painful because my ears were asleep, but I must have overreacted. ''Mr. Magda. You can''t hide the fact that you''re sick. I''ll cry.'' ''I''m sorry, ....... I won''t hide it anymore.'' ''It''s better to be pampered than to hide it, Ginette.'' ''Yes. I''ll spoil her plenty.'' ''I''ll see you later at .......'' Magda''s tail softly stroked Ginette''s leg. Now that we have reported the trouble to Estella, we are heading back to the city gate to give first aid. Even though there are other hunters, it is dangerous for Medora and Magda to encounter a magical beast in such a state. We could have gone back into the city, but there were many people waiting for us on the other side of the city gate. They were waiting to greet the lords who had returned from the ceremony. There is no guarantee that any of them will be among the thugs. The thug in question was captured by Norma and taken to the prison in District 42. The interrogation will begin as soon as today''s ceremony is over. I don''t know if he''s going to tell us much, but ...... He didn''t open up until he was taken away. So we don''t know if he''s a lone gunman or if he has friends. That''s why the safest place for now is just outside the city gate. This is it. "Mr. Yashiro. Imelda, who had gone to report to Natalia, returns. Sorry for making you go back and forth so many times. ''For now, the lords will have to wait at the planned port site. I''ve told Natalia that we can''t rest until the crisis is completely over, and that the lords should stay away from the public. I have quickly finished the physical examination of those present, but I will not give the signal for them to join us yet. We''re going to make them wait until we''re done with them and they''re ready. The lords were ahead of us. The incident only happened after the lords were completely away from us. So the lords don''t know what happened here. What incidents occurred and what dangers have not been eliminated. Since they don''t know that, no one should complain about waiting. ''I can''t stay in this dangerous place forever!I''m going home! I''m going home!" No one would raise the usual victim flag in a mystery. I was also told that Medora was injured. The lords have been informed that the situation is that critical. She died as a result of the damage caused by her tantrum... I don''t think any of those lords would want to meet that end. If there was anyone who could complain about this situation, it would be the mastermind who was sure that he would not be harmed and knew in advance who, where and what would happen. ''Thank you so much, Medrama. I''ll be sure to repay you for thisa??'' ''Stop it!I''m ruminating and soaking up the gratitude from my darling right now!I''m not going to let your frivolous gratitude taint it....... Ah, darling''s gratitude ............ is precious ......''. ''Medamama, Cho~Sankyu~Pia??'' ''What''s with the annoying thanks?I don''t know what "Pia??" means!I don''t know what that means! ''It''s so cute~a?? Why don''t you try it? Because Masha gave the demon god a horrible pass... ''Darling, don''t cry! ''Gosh! --I was hit in the heart with a painful blow. d*mn ...... no Javier, no Umaro, no Bekko nearby. Where''s my barrier ......,............? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Hey, you''re here. ''I didn''t think I''d be summoned outside the city gate, though. Regina came rushing in with her usual outing kit on her shoulders and her magnificent paisla generously exposed to the sun. ''Thank you, Regina! ''Then let''s unload as soon as possible. Oh, no!Miss Paisla? ''So, did you get the ingredients? ''Well, yeah. I''m sorry it took so long. ''No, it''s better to leave it to you than to rush into a half-hearted procedure. ''...... My expectations are really heavy, aren''t they? He smiled with a toothy grin and said happily, ''You can''t fail. I don''t want you to fail, though. I gave Regina an empty bottle wrapped in my jacket, and asked her to analyze the liquid inside. If we can find out what''s in it, we can take the right measures. ''Yeah. You''ve got the first aid down pat. You''re good at that, aren''t you? ''Well, it''s the basics of what to do when you''ve got a toxic substance on you. ''I''m glad you know the basics. It would have gotten worse if I had left it untreated or if I had applied medicine. When sulfuric acid or the like is on the skin and causing inflammation, the use of strong alkaline medicines can cause a neutralizing heat that makes the burn worse. At this level of inflammation, I am completely helpless. I have no choice but to put my trust in the experts. ''Well, can you show me the affected area? ''Sure. I''d appreciate it. ''And the tiger''s daughter. ''...... Magda can wait. Get me Medamama, now.'' Magda must be in pain, no matter how big or small the wound. And yet, she couldn''t bear to see Medora so badly injured. ''Thank you, Magda. You''re a sweet girl.'' ''...... Magda is in the middle of being pampered, ...... that''s all.'' She hugged Jeannette tightly and buried her face in her large breasts. She was embarrassed. .................. I like that. ''I''m too honest in my gaze and expression, you should be careful. ''I like .......'' ''You''re being honest with your mouth too. Shut up for a minute or I''ll take you seriously.'' Regina scolded me, and I shut my mouth. I''ll leave Magda to Jeannette and do something to help. I''d like to have some knowledge for the future. ''Okay, first I''m going to pour this liquid over the affected area. It may sting a little, but it''s not bad for you, so be patient.'' ''Is that medicine? ''It''s not medicine, it''s more like a rival to .......'' It''s a rival to the deleterious substance, which means it''s a chemical that neutralizes it. ...... Are you okay? I don''t think there''s anything Regina doesn''t know about neutralizing fever. ...... ''Hey, can I take a whiff? ''Oh, my God, my?The guild leader''s? ''It''s the liquid! I''m not sure why my fetish for smell is suddenly awakened in this scene, but I am!I don''t know! ''Can''t you smell it? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I guess she knows I''m worried about her and is responding to my request. I fan my hands to send the smell to my nose. ...... odorless. So that means. ''Sodium bicarbonate? ''I''m surprised you guessed odorless, myself. I''m surprised. What Regina is holding is a sodium bicarbonate solution. When you are badly burned by sulfuric acid, wash the affected area with this sodium bicarbonate solution before neutralizing the acid with alkali. This will prevent neutralization heat from occurring during the neutralization with alkali. The concentration is 3% or 5% ......8%, right? Well, I guess Regina can handle that. ''What''s that carbonated ...... something?'' With Magda shrinking in her chest, Ginette turns an anxious face towards you. Magda will also be treated later, so she must be concerned. ''You know what I mean. I say with a smile to reassure him. ''Sodium bicarbonate is...'' ''It''s baking soda. ''I see. Then it''s harmless to the body. ''But it causes a chemical reaction with the acid on the skin, so it may sting a little. But if you believe in me, I''ll make it right. ''Yes. I trust you, Regina-san. Ginette smiled and patted Magda on the head. Regina also smiled as if relieved and turned to Medora. ''Now, let''s start the healing. With a reassuring smile that reassured everyone who saw her, especially the anxious patients who were badly injured, Regina began her treatment. She washed the wound with a sodium bicarbonate solution, rinsed it again under running water thoroughly, and then applied a sticky mustard-colored medicine to the affected area. ''That''s quite something. The pain went away like it never happened. Regina, who had begun treating Magda''s fingertips after Medora, responded with a chuckle. ''Right?In another five minutes or so, that medicine will dry up and crack, so just peel it off and you''re done. As he said this, he applied the mustard-colored medicine to Magda''s fingertips as well. ''Good work, Magda. ''...... No problem. It didn''t hurt much.'' Her ears had lain down a bit during the neutralization, but they seemed to be fine now. ''So, what was that deleterious drug after all?'' The potion that had injured Medora and Magda, and put Masha in danger. Looking at the symptoms and Regina''s treatment, I think it was some kind of concentrated sulfuric acid. ''It''s an abominable demon drug that was created in a war long ago. A long time ago. The forty-two wards are full of peace, but such a dark past certainly exists. Humans used to fight with werewolves, dragons and mermaids. ''A deleterious substance that was developed to dissolve dragon scales. It''s supposed to be banned now, but ...... sadly, there''s too much demand for powerful weapons. It doesn''t matter if it''s banned or not, if it sells, it gets made. It is because they are banned that they are traded at high prices. It''s called ...... business. Are there dangerous things like this circulating in this city? ''And what''s worse is that--'' Regina''s eyes sharpened. Her gaze was sharper than I''d ever seen it before, and I could clearly see the anger she felt towards the dangerous substance. ''It was laced with a potion that solidifies seawater. Regina said that it was a harmless potion in itself. It was developed to quickly recover oil that had leaked into the sea, and it was a convenient medicine that could solidify the seawater in the vicinity where it was sprayed and remove all the oil. When it comes into contact with seawater, the drug immediately hardens and becomes tense, engulfing nearby oil and garbage. In this way, secondary damage caused by marine accidents is minimized, they say. ''With this amount of water in a small bottle, seawater in a mermaid tank would be solidified into a solid mass. If that were the case, ......'' If that had happened, Masha would have been trapped in a tank filled with a poisonous drug that would burn her skin to the touch. ...... Even if she tried to escape, she couldn''t get out because the seawater was too solid. ...... It''s the worst weapon a mermaid can have. ''I''m glad that ...... bastard isn''t here right now. The words leaked out unknowingly, and the people present looked at me and jumped their shoulders at that moment. ''Maybe you should have done more than just hit him. You need to take the time to let them know that what they try to do to others, others may do to you. ''Don''t worry, Yashiro-kun. Look, I''m fine, and Medamama protected me!Heya??'' Masha, who had cowered in fear when she heard what was in the bottle, forced a smile on her face in an attempt to quell my anger. ...... No. I''m not trying to make Masha look like that. I''ll deal with my anger on my own. ''Masha''s F-cups are a treasure in this town. We all have to protect it.'' ''Mmm. Are they just tits?''Pfft!I don''t know anything about you.'' You try to hide the fear that''s stuck in your heart by getting angry and playing around like that. You''re really afraid, but you keep a bland face to avoid showing your weakness. I''ll never forget how I made Marcia look like this ......, okay? I''m not going to forget it. ''Can you do that? ''Of course I can. Who do you think I am?It''s me. No, it doesn''t touch my heart at all. There are two things in this world that I hate. Regina, wearing a large pointy hat like a witch, muttered in a low voice. ''My inability to help those who are suffering in front of me...'' She gulps a short breath and says in a cool voice. ''''Making a pair with the person you love is a public execution! ''You don''t care about that, do you? I mean, where did you get that from? Did you go to school or something? There''s no such thing as physical education in this world, is there? I''m not sure what to make of that. If you look at them, Masha and Ginette are both shaking their shoulders with a giggle. The tense atmosphere changed color. That''s what I''m talking about, Regina. It''s not every day you get to save someone''s heart by cutting your own. ''Your botch doesn''t save people. ''Right?People are stronger when they know that there are others below them. I don''t know if that''s true. ''Oh, it looks like it''s dry now. Medora poked the potion on her arm with her finger. The mustard-colored potion had changed to a whitish light blue. ''Well, that''s great, isn''t it? I''ll give you a big ''belly~! Do you want to rip it off? ''As hard as I can. ...... Hmph! Medora rips off the potion covering her arm with gusto. It''s like the scene in a spy movie where a guy disguised as someone else takes off his mask. That texture, that sound. ''Oh, ......! And what came out from underneath the hardened potion was beautiful skin, smooth and shiny without a single blemish. ''There''s no scar left at all! ''No, that''s too much, isn''t it? You were burned, weren''t you! Even if the scar disappears, it would take a little longer, normally! ''That burn-like scar is actually a bacteria. It''s not a burn? ''If you leave it alone, it will take root in your body and become a real burn, but if you take care of it before it takes root, it will come off cleanly. I don''t know what''s going on here! It''s a bacterium, but if it takes root in the body, it will cause burns? What''s that? What kind of principle is that? Well, there are magical plants that parasitize the human body and eat away at your memories, so maybe there are such things. ...... But whatever... ''Good for you, Medora. There''s no trace of it. Even Medora is a woman, after all. Having ugly scars on her skin must make her sad in many ways. I''m glad you''re clean. ''Yes!Now you can wear your wedding dress! I don''t know about that. Oh, excuse me, can you not look at me? It''s out of my jurisdiction. ''You''re looking good, Magda. ''...... back to normal.'' The burn marks on Magda''s fingertips had disappeared cleanly. ''Is there any more pain?'' ''...... Not at all.'' ''I see.'' ''Good. I''m really glad. ''It''s thanks to you that you prevented the bacteria from becoming active with running water. If the roots had been a little deeper, it would have left some marks.'' ''I see. I''m glad it worked. That''s a very different reason why I wanted to pour water on it. ...... After all, what was in that vial? Well, I guess you wouldn''t know even if I asked. ''Then I''ll go tell Estella-san about it. ''I''m sorry, Imelda.'' ''No, I''m not. The fact that she is Stuart Javier''s daughter makes it difficult for the lords to talk to her. If it were anyone else, they would have surrounded you and asked you to explain the situation. Surely they can''t surround Imelda and say, ''What''s going on? You can''t do that. Because there''s a scary, burly father behind her. ''Oh, yeah. Imelda. The hunter and the woodcutter stopped Imelda who was on her way to Estella. ''Can you tell Estella for me? Leave a message for me. Make sure you tell him. ''I''m going to keep him out for a while.'' I have no intention of forgiving the person who did this and the person who made me do this. 478-Let him swim 280 episodes and fish him up. Protected by Medora, they continue along the forest path and come to a bend in a large tree where the incident occurred. There was some tension in the group, and Magda and the others gathered around Masha. I took a step back and watched them closely. ...... so that if someone else shows up again, I''ll know immediately. Fortunately, that idiot seemed to be the only one who did. ''But I''m glad you noticed, darling. I guess I was too focused on the hexenbiest. I guess I was too focused on the hexenbiest.'' A suspicious person is a suspicious person. An ill-dressed man unintentionally approaching a well-dressed woman is enough to be charged, even if not for assault. Whether you are a pervert or a pick-up artist, your self-indulgent behavior without consideration for the other party is more than enough reason to be seized. ''It''s just that a fly got mixed in with the pretty flowers and caught my eye. ''Oh no, a pretty flower!It''s embarrassing! ''...... Medora. Do you know what a Rafflesia is? I wasn''t talking about you, though. Well, there are many strange and dangerous flowers in the tropics. ''I''m sorry, Masha. I''m having a bad day. Unable to protect Masha or catch the thugs, Delia sadly grabbed and clutched her dirty dress. Normally, she''s the most trusted person in the world, but today she''s not doing so well, or so she thinks. With her shoulders slumped and a tearful look on her face, she trudges alongside Masha''s tank. With Medora next to her, the slumped shoulders and nodding head of Delia look really small. From a distance, she might look about the size of Loretta. No, because Medora is so big, she might even look like Molly, the reliable sister of the sugar factory. It''s an illusion. It''s a trick art. ''No, it''s not! I''m so relieved just thinking about Delia''s presence. ''...... dress, I''ll take it off.'' I''m not going to do that because it would make Yashiro happy. No, he will be happy, but! It''s not the time to be happy when Delia is so depressed, ''My boobs are bare! It''s not the time to be happy. No, if that actually happens, I''ll be happy for sure! ''Well, there are days like that. There are days when it''s not. That''s fine.'' Medora pats the nodding Delia on the head. ...... As expected of Delia. How defensive is she that she doesn''t dislocate her neck from Medora''s surprise attack? If it had been me, my neck would have been dislocated and I''d have gone ''raw-necked and thumped''. ''I''ll protect you to the best of my ability when you''re active. We''re here for you today. We''re here today. You''re not in any trouble, so that''s good. ''...... Yeah. Thank you for protecting Masha, Medrama.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!You call me mama too?I''m so glad you have a beautiful daughter. ''............ I don''t need to be pretty anymore.'' Delia regrets that she was so excited by the dress that she could not show her full potential. But the people around her will not allow such a waste of time. ''No, you can''t!You''re so cute, Delia! ''Yes, you are. Wear prettier and prettier clothes and show them to me. I''ll never get tired of seeing my daughter in her best clothes. Masha and Medora said, comforting Delia. ''Besides, the next beauty pageant is the one where we''ll both be playing in the finals - the Miss Cute finals! No,......, I know you''re trying to cheer me up,......, but I''m not so sure about that. ''Delia, you are loved.'' Ginette whispers softly beside me. Everyone is watching over Delia, who is depressed because of her failure. ''Delia is always doing her best for someone else. It''s hard for her to make enemies. ''That''s the wrong word. Ginette shakes her shoulders, giggling. So Delia can''t make enemies. It seems that there are a few Omero-like creatures that are Delia''s natural enemies, though. Delia sticks next to Masha, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. I admire her attitude of trying to do something about her in spite of her inability. I''m sure Masha is happy with that thought alone. As I walked another fifty meters after turning the corner of the large tree, the feeling in my feet changed. The dirt that had been mixed with mud became hard bedrock. In front of me, I could see a vertical cliff. If this was the cliff I had fallen from the 30th district, then we were walking southwest after leaving the city gate. ''Yashiro-san.'' Jeannette leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear. The lords were lined up to greet us - not exactly welcoming - but they were looking at us. Perhaps they''ll try a trick. ''It''s too late,'' ''What have you been doing,'' ''It''s taking too long to catch a single thug,'' ''Are you sure you can handle such a security system? And they''ll be screaming about guarantees and rights again. It is probably possible to silence them and win them back. If you set a little trap for them, there is a good chance that they will bite. When the mastermind is out of the picture, we may be able to raise him up and kick him out so that he cannot be involved in the new project in the 42nd district. ......, but that would be a cop-out. If you don''t have any solid evidence, you can put together a list of circumstantial evidence and try to reason with them, but they won''t confess like the criminals in mystery stories. If he had asked someone close to him to act as an intermediary, he would be able to say that he was not acquainted with the thug, even though he had flirted with the Judgment of the Spirits. As long as you don''t know him directly through someone else, you can keep your cover. You can say you don''t know him. Of course, the words that are not lies cannot be judged by the Judgment of the Spirits. So, there is no point in hanging him up here. I can''t do more than raise the suspicion that it is very suspicious. Gray, almost black. If you can''t prove it''s black, you can''t even punish it. That''s exactly what the unions did to Trubek Industries. Even if it looks suspicious, they won''t let you catch the tail. They can''t hunt you down without absolute proof. Umaro and the others who had raided the enemy''s stronghold on the suspicion of Norton Engineering had certainly seen a glimpse of malice. Nevertheless, they were unable to catch the tail of it. Because they misjudged the source of the malice. Because the mastermind was a cunning bastard who was good at hiding. That''s why we let him swim for a while. Yeah, like this. ''What''s going on, my lord? As soon as I met up with the group, I broke away from the group and swiftly closed in on Estella without a second glance. On the way, my path was blocked by Natalia, who intervened in my path. She bends her left arm and grabs my left shoulder with her elbow against my right side. Natalia''s left arm alone stopped my progress completely. In addition, Natalia''s right hand is free, so if I continue to resist, I''ll be beaten to a pulp. Since we hadn''t made any arrangements, this was probably a conventional response as the lord''s bodyguard. When I glanced at her, Natalia relaxed slightly, as if she understood my intentions. The pain disappears from her shoulders, which she had expected to be crushed. --But she''s not free yet. That''s good. Just keep that ''I''m holding you'' look. You almost got yourself killed!What kind of security do you have?Even the hunting guild is not functioning! He rambled on and on, avoiding Natalia''s body and shouting at Estella. It was your fault. What are you going to do about it? And-- ''Just when I said the hunting guild would protect us and we''d be fine, there''s this mess. And then someone gets hurt. How are you going to make amends, my lord? He pointed at Estella and denounced her. He then pointed to Medora and the others, and the lords'' gazes turned to them, all of them looking at him with wide eyes. Medora and Magda''s wounds had healed, but they were still bandaged for dramatic effect. And one more. There''s Delia, her dress stained black and a scratch on her forehead. The ladylike Delia has an injury on her face. It must have looked like a shocking image to the lords. Of course, we''ve told the people on our side that we''re going to do something like this. Medora and the members of the hunting guild just looked down with an apologetic look on their faces. I''m not trying to rehash what I said earlier, but shouldn''t we stop the construction once again, strengthen the security system, and reconsider the guarantee in case of emergency? --He stopped speaking, pretending to breathe. His shoulders rise and fall, and his breathing becomes ragged. He exhales angrily, spreading his raging emotions. In this brief moment, one of the lords made a move. The corners of his mouth lifted in a grin, and he drew in a short breath. I''ve just had a flashy fight, and now I''ve been victimized and switched sides. This is a perfect opportunity. Now I can get that annoying man on my side..." Wishart makes the last movement before he speaks. His mouth opens and his diaphragm begins to cave in. Aiming at that moment, he shouts louder than necessary. ''I''m so glad no one is going to say that to me. The sudden change in the tone of his voice left everyone in the room puzzled. There was a look of confusion on their faces. And of course, Wishart. ''What? I can''t believe that you would take advantage of such a blatantly timed trouble to develop a theory that suits you...'' He looked at Wishart, whose expression had hardened with his mouth half open, and said in a mocking voice. ''It''s like you''re confessing that you''re the mastermind. It''s obvious what you''re up to, Turco. He smiles at her. In the quiet, strangely tense forest, I could hear Wishart''s teeth clacking faintly. ''I''m slightly angry, ......''. As the lord''s attention was drawn to him, his face changed from a smile to a cold blank expression. ''I will never forgive those who injured my loved ones. I''ll find him and make him pay for what he''s done. Then, he changes his mouth into a smile once more. He lifts a grin and lets out a chillingly cheerful voice. ''No matter how fast you run, no matter how cleverly you hide, never. With that, he shifts his gaze to the forest. That''s it. I don''t do anything by looking at the forest. But seeing the forest gives rise to an assumption. A trivial trap that will inadvertently cause all but the mastermind to be mistaken. The trick is good. Now we just need to lure them in. ''Delia, does the wound hurt? ''............'' Delia shakes her head, her back curled up to hide her dirty dress and her small form. Her mouth is closed and her eyes are tearful. Medora pats Delia''s head as if she is worried. Gently, as if touching a broken object. ''Take it easy,'' she says. ''...... Yeah.'' A small voice replies. At the same time, Delia gives a small nod. This time Masha can''t pet Delia''s head, so she pulls on her clothes and asks her to crouch down. When Delia crouches down next to the tank, she cradles her head in her arms and strokes her head good-naturedly. As if caring for her. The lords are watching the scene. It''s about time. So, I call out to Estella, who is strangely nervous. ''You''ll have to help me out then, Estella. ''What?...... Ah, ah. Yeah, yeah. Of course I will.'' The conversation with Estella, in her usual tone, made Natalia leave my side. Though the restraints had already been released around the time of the ''who would say...'' part. She probably thought I was doing something dangerous and stayed close to me. It''s been proven in the first time we met, that the bad guys who are about to reveal their bad deeds will take shortcuts and go for it. But not anymore. Nothing''s gonna happen here. It can''t, now that we''ve instilled so much caution. If you try anything on my watch, I''ll expose you in a heartbeat. So if anything''s gonna happen, it''s gonna happen later. Okay, so. I''m going to have to slightly lower the stakes for the hunting guild here. I''ve talked to Medora, and she''s agreed to take the blame for Magda''s injuries because of my carelessness. The hunting guilds also admitted that they were in the wrong and agreed to cooperate in this operation. ...... Above all, at the moment, ''Oh no, he said I''m important!I''m not sure what to do. It''s okay, because she''s writhing around happily, letting out mysterious sounds. The important person I mentioned is mostly Magda, right? ...... But that doesn''t mean that the thug is innocent. If it weren''t for that idiot, Delia wouldn''t have gotten hurt. She''s a girl, and she''s got such a noticeable abrasion. ...... In the midst of the anger, there is a little bit of Medora caught in the back, so don''t writhe around with a face like you have a monopoly on such a ''precious one''! Don''t hum the ladybug jingle!That''s a completely original, copyright-free wedding song written by me and sung by the Idolmeister for Theron and Wendy''s wedding!It''s an original song that bears no resemblance to any of the many other songs out there, so you don''t have to worry about copyright groups at all! And don''t sing it, it''s terrifying! Just go to ...... ''Ricardo. Take responsibility for it.'' ''What responsibility do you have for me? ''If you don''t want to take me in, marry me. ''I hate it even more!How many years in prison!'' In the midst of the crowd of lords, Ricardo, who had been sitting quietly, stepped forward. Huh, that position. So he was in the crowd of lords, standing between Estella and the other lords. Near Estella are Mahr and Lucia. Javier and Demilly. And Donis and Tracy. Estella''s clear allies were surrounding her and protecting her. And between them and the other lords stood Geraci and Ricardo as a buffer. Even though Gerasie was under Mahr''s orders, Ricardo was trying to protect Estella. ''Ricardo, you ......''. ''What the hell? ''You''re like a lazy junior high school boy who wants to talk to the girl he likes in class but can''t.'' ''Don''t send me abuse that doesn''t make any sense! No, because you''re exuding that ''I want to talk to her, but she''s surrounded by her friends, but I''m curious about her, so I''ll just keep glancing at her'' kind of unresolvedness. ''You''ve been protecting Estella, haven''t you? Keep your voice down here. We talk in private so that the other lords don''t overhear. ''...... Well... He''s growing up, but he''s still new and dangerous. ''If you act like a big brother, he''ll give you a sour look again. ''...... That face of his is really annoying. You should warn him too.'' ''Yeah~......'' ''Don''t look so sour! You make my mouth turn sour. ''Well, thanks for the help. Estella''s guard (alternate).'''' ''''Who''s the alternate!You''re more like the main force! ''Even though Estella hasn''t let down her guard against you! ''''No, she''s probably already let her guard down!I can sense that she''s letting you in. You''re wrong. You''re mistaken, you know. ''Don''t look so nervous, Obeyashiro. ''Hey, Merle''s errand boy.'' ''Who''s that?I''m the lord, I''m the main man!I''m the lord, I''m the main man! ...... Well, I''ve still got a lot to learn, so I can''t be too proud. I''m not going to be able to keep up with you, but that ''for now'' is going to last for a long time. When do you think you''ll catch up?It won''t happen in a hundred years or so, you know. ''Are you constitutionally incapable of tension, anchovy? ''Were you all right there, palm snapper? Lucia and Donis come over to me. ''I was fine, but ......''. I turn to look behind me. If you look towards Masha, you will see Medora and Magda with bandages and Delia with a gash on her forehead. Delia has been surrounded by some of the toughest men in the hunting guild. They make it look like an ironclad defense. ''Hey, Estella. Even with Medora there were still some injuries. We might want to have another talk about the security system. It''s not reasonable to throw it to the hunting guild and pretend we don''t know about it. ''That''s ...... right. I agree. Let''s discuss it as soon as possible. He pulled Estella into the circle and spoke to her in a voice that made it clear that he was not blaming her. Estella admits her mistake and listens to me. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of good lords around me. I''d like to exclude ...... Ricardo and Geraci, but that''s okay for now. I''m going to lure that man into the circle. ''Why don''t you ask Mr. Wishart for his know-how?If it''s a city gate in the 30th district, he''s probably used to dealing with people like that. ''E......'' Estella''s gaze went to Wishart, who looked surprised for a moment. ''''If that''s the case, why don''t you have the gatekeepers of the 30th district dispatched as a training period for a while?The city gates of the Forty-second District are dangerous, so of course we''ll pay you handsomely. If we give Wishart such an opportunity, he''ll not only get into the money, but also into the interests of the port. Knowing this, Estella was unable to respond easily. ''That''s an excellent idea.'' --Wishart bites back. He must know the ins and outs of the city gate. He knows how to create loopholes, how to build connections, how to bribe the gate guards, everything. They step in easily because they are confident that they can do it well. He''s confident that he can take control of the situation once he''s in it. ''I don''t mean to underestimate the power of the hunting guild, but when it comes to humans, it''s probably different from hexenbiests. If you are a soldier in our city, you can teach us many things about that.'''' ''What ......? When Wishart saw Estella''s confusion, he must have thought she was a new lord who was not used to roughing it, a spoiled female lord. With a lecherous smile on his face, Wishart said in a deliberately hushed voice. ''Unlike Hexenbiests, you can''t simply take their lives, not when you''re dealing with humans. There will be an opening, and they will take full advantage of it. He smiled contentedly at Estella, whose large eyes were shaking with confusion, and repeated his words in an attempt to incite even more fear. ''Even that Medora Rossel was injured by a single thug. It seems that Marcia Ashley was able to protect her, but the cost was too great for her to be injured that badly. Estella''s face turned pale. I just realized something that I hadn''t noticed before. I can see that surprise in your hands. That''s why Wishart is on the offensive. In order to encroach his own power into the interests of the port and the city gates of the 42nd district. ''A reasonable reward is of course necessary, but this is not an expensive purchase. The safety of the people and the city is the most precious thing of all, isn''t it, Ms. Clairmona?If so, my 30th district--'' ''Masha is ......'' I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the web, you can contact us at the web site. His cheeks twitched once, lightly. ''Did they target Masha?And Medora-san took a stand and protected her. ......'' ''Hmm ......?That''s how it would have been explained to you?'' ''No, no. I just said there was trouble.'' Wishart''s cheeks twitched. Finally, he seems to have noticed the unsettling atmosphere that surrounds him. It must have been clear to Wishart as he looked around. A disturbing gaze directed at him. No one here knows. They''re all fooled because I provoked the misunderstanding. ''I thought they were attacked by a hexenbiest ......''. I thought they were attacked by a hexenbiest,.......But he just said ......! Wishart stopped speaking. And then he turns his face towards me with a clearly disconcerted expression. ''As expected of Mr. Wishart. You have a wise eye that comes from years of experience, don''t you? He smiles deliberately and applauds deliberately. And then, so that it is clearly evident, he says with a look of emotion hidden deep in his face. ''How did you know? The thugs were after Masha alone. You''ve fallen for it, a**h*le. You can clearly see the emotion in his smile. Actually, I didn''t give Estella any details. She just told me there was a problem here. The information from Imelda to Natalia and from Natalia to Estella was passed on with the details hidden from my intentions. Then, without knowing the details, all of us who had been in trouble showed up together. Medora and Magda had bandages on their arms, Delia had mud on her dress and a scratch on her forehead. Anyone who saw them would think that something terrible had happened. If that much trouble had happened in this forest, the cause would be a hexenbiest--that''s what most people would think. Where in the world would someone be able to inflict serious injury on the strongest hunter Medora Rossel? It is more natural to think that he was trying to protect a large number of people and fell behind the hexenbiest, and in fact most of the people present believed so. Of course, I didn''t say that the killer was a human or a ''thug''. Moreover, I said that I would not forgive anyone who injured Magda or Delia, no matter how quickly they escaped or how cleverly they hid themselves. The true meaning of my words was a warning to the mastermind who was hiding in the shadows while letting the perpetrators do their evil work, but those who were there didn''t know that. Normally, to run away quickly and hide in the forest is a term that is more appropriate for hexenbiests than for humans. So it''s natural for those who were there to believe that. However, if they knew from the beginning that the killer was a human, it would not be surprising if they thought, ''Oh, he got away with it, he got away with it. Immediately after that, I looked behind me. Many people would have thought I saw the forest. I glared at the forest where the hexenbiest had fled, saying, ''I''ll never forgive you. But to the mastermind who knew from the start that the killer was human, it would have looked like I was looking back at Delia out of concern. I turned at a perfect angle to make it look that way. It looks like you fell right into this simple trap, Wishart ......, no, mastermind. A gap in perception is hard to notice between people. If the subject of the conversation is hidden, the two parties will complement each other in their own brains and think that they have understood correctly. If you hear it as a hexenbiest, it will sound like that, and if you hear it as a thug, it will sound like that. If there is no reason to deny that one''s perception is wrong, one will not doubt one''s own perception. ''Man, the most important thing is here,'' he says, pointing to his chest. If Estella does that, people will think ''heart'', and if I do that, they will think ''tits''. And no one doubts that perception. When Jeannette has her hands full of luggage, you can ask her, ''It looks heavy, do you want me to carry one of them? Ginette thinks it''s about the luggage, and I can confidently say it''s about the boobs. If I say ''my breasts are swelling'' when I have something fun planned, ...... well, enough said. In other words, people do not always doubt themselves. They don''t even think they are wrong until it is pointed out to them. That is why they are shocked when someone points it out to them. That''s why you are shocked when it is pointed out to you that the facts you believed in are far different from the world. The greater the action you took during that time, the greater the impact. The more conspicuous you are. The greater the shock. Whether that shock manifests itself in shame or hatred is up to you, though. Wishart was the only one to say that the attacker, who everyone in the room thought was a Hexenbiest, was a "maniac". Why did he make such a mistake? ...... There are a number of possibilities that may have come to the minds of those present. A possibility that Wishart could never admit to. Nevertheless, Estella, the organizer of this ceremony, could not let this go unanswered. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. It would make everyone present think that this port was dangerous. ''Mr. Wishart''. That''s why Estella calls out the man''s name in a mysterious tone. To question a possibility that she knew she could not admit to, even though she knew she could not. But once you do that, there''s no turning back. If you destroy their face, cast suspicion on them, and corner them, they will brace themselves. As soon as you step into a position where you can kill them with certainty, they will raise their fangs to turn the tide. It''s called a touch-and-go situation. Even if you push him that far, Wishart will try to talk his way out of it. He''ll get away with it, get some distance, and do everything he can to crush District 42. In order to prevent that from happening, I''ve notified Estella in advance that I''m going to keep her in the dark for a while. ''Can you please explain? Can you explain to me why only one of you knew information that we didn''t? Estella knew that Masha could be attacked. That''s why we put so much effort into guarding them. But after we said there was an emergency, it was Medora and the others who were injured when we showed up in front of them. I''m sure they didn''t think that was ''good'', but they probably figured that Masha wasn''t in any danger. But in fact, Masha was the target. Estella is puzzled by this. Surprised, bewildered, with a hint of anger. Too pure. Estella, who does not yet have the skill to "deal with" malice, has no choice but to go to the extreme in a situation like this. So I''ll move. You can shut him up at a different time. ''Don''t you understand, Estella? I''ll tell Estella with a smile so fresh, she''ll fall in love with me at first sight. ''That must be because I told you to ask Mr. Wishart to teach you. Estella puzzled. When there are a lot of unfamiliar people around, Estella has a way of shutting down the hateful words. The quiet Estella is just a pretty young lady. You can roll her around as much as you want. ''If it''s a hexenbiest that attacked us, wouldn''t it be normal to consult the lord of the 41st district instead of the 30th district?But I told you to ask the lord of the 30th district for advice, not the 41st. Why is that? ''Because the Lord of District Forty-One is Ricardo? ...... Yeah. It''s sad to say, but that pretty much explains it. But that''s not the case now. d*mn, you''re rather easy to talk to, Estella. Keep acting like a cat lady. ''That must be because the attacker is a man and not a hexenbiest. When it comes to guarding people, the 30 wards are more experienced than the 41 wards in terms of traffic. I''m sure that''s why he mentioned the name of the 30th district, isn''t it, Wishart-dono? He turns his face to Wishart. It''s not a crush. It''s not a crush, but a ''throb''. ''By the way, if there were more than one assailant, the number of injured would have been much higher. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. ''Hmm......, that''s what I mean.'' Wishy-washy muttered in a very cautious manner. Of course, no one would believe such a thing. But here we are, the lords. These are men who are not allowed to let their emotions get the better of them at times. If they act on their emotions, it could even lead to war with their own people. For the lords, it is more important to avoid causing trouble than to seek the truth. Sometimes the best thing to do is to leave things unanswered and unresolved. Now is that time. Even if we corner Wishart now, he will remain ignorant of the thugs, whom he probably does not know directly, and blame us for their rudeness and negligence. and blame us for the fault. Since there is no way for them to make any concessions, the 30 and 42 districts will remain in a standoff for many years. There''s no advantage in that. So, Wishart. Swim. Sharpen your teeth as best you can. ''You see, you''re not thinking clearly, Estella. ''...... Mmm.'' Estella raises her eyebrows as if she''s been mocked. ''Nobles should get along with other nobles.'' When I clapped Estella on the shoulder with a pop, her grumpiness rose to a higher level. You don''t like it when people draw a line between you and the nobility like that, do you? I guess she thought I was mocking her. You''re a good, honest girl. ''In that case, how about I give you some handy advice on the security system?Hmm?'' ''No, thank you. I''ll make sure everything is in order. Oh, yeah. If you don''t say firmly ''I''ll do it myself'', Wishart might take your joke seriously and say ''Shall I teach you? I''ll teach you. Estella will improve the security system in District 42 by herself. There''s no room for intrusion, Mr. Wishart. ''Take care of the security. We''re planning to make a fortune on the completion of the port.'' ''I know. We''ll make it work.'' ''Good. Then I''ll go home to my lovely Delia.'' ''Pretty Delia? Estella''s expression was both shocked and dismayed. ''Well, I''ll explain it to you when it''s all over. Wait.'' As he was about to leave Estella, Wishart stopped him. ''What is your name?'' Wishart turned his attention to me. ''I am not worthy of a name. Then.'' He says it in a sarcastic, respectful tone, and leaves with a bow. Wishart''s gaze stabs me in the back. Yeah, that''s it. You keep your eyes on me. Don''t misjudge your target, Wishart. ''Oh, I ...... am so cute and cute and cute and cute and cute and cute and cute and ......! ''What''s going on? When I left Estella and the others and returned to where Masha and the others were, Delia was crouched on the ground holding her head in an amusing way. It''s because Yashiro-kun called her ''cute Delia''a??''. Ah, so that''s why. No, but it was a necessary thing. ''Delia. ''Nyaaaa! Cats. Feline. Catnip? I''m sorry to say that I''m embarrassed, but I''m afraid I''m about to be in a situation where I can''t joke around, so I keep my voice down and give Delia an earful. ''There may be a move as early as today or tomorrow. ''......n''. The embarrassment disappears from Delia''s face, and she looks up at me with a serious expression. ''I know I''m being reckless again, but I''m counting on you. ''Yeah, I''ll leave it to you. I''ll protect everyone where I can. I''ve asked Delia, who was depressed that she couldn''t help with Masha, to do something that only she can do. I wonder if it was a coincidence that Delia became the right person for the job, or if it was a prank of fate or a result of her daily work. ''But you don''t have to be reckless. If you think you''re in danger, run away immediately.'' ''Yes. But I''ll do it.'' I''m a little worried that Delia has too much responsibility. ...... glanced at Norma, she let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders, ''I can''t help it. He said he would take care of it. You''re a good guy, Norma. If I glance at her when I''m desperate to see her tits, she''ll show them to me and say, ''I can''t help it''? ''No, you won''t! ''I didn''t say anything! ''It''s all written on your face! Seriously? I''ll try to think of some erotic illustrations or details next time. Maybe they''ll be drawn on your face, too! I''ll have Bekko copy it and send it to ...... ''Master Yashiro''. As I was seriously pondering my plan to turn my face into a light novel, Natalia appeared from behind me. I was startled. If I were alone in the woods, I would have freaked out right now. ''......, just come here like normal. ''No, I''m just trying to keep a low profile. If you ask me, from the point of view of the lords, it''s as if you''re hiding behind me. ''Estella-sama is sulking and bothering me, so I came to inquire about the truth of your earlier action. ''Couldn''t you have waited until after the ceremony, he''s ......''. ''He started to sulk when he was not informed of the details of the emergency. ''You can''t help it, you''ve got a stinky guy attached to your side. ''I know that''s the way it is, but ...... even if there was something more, ...... I''d still be tormented,'' he said. ''You''re a good impersonator, aren''t you? It was fun to see how you could make fun of me in the right way. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it for a lot of things. ''When the ceremony is over, I''ll give you the right to give Ginette a piece of her favorite cake, so tell her to be patient. ''How can you instantly come up with a bait that Estella-sama will surely take? Well, we''ve known each other for quite a while. ''Can you do that for me, Jeannette? ''Yes, sir. If it''s all right with you, I''m all yours. ''Then I''ll go with you. ''...... Magda, too.'' ''Well, I''d like to help, too! ''Yes, yes, me too! ''Oh, you know, you can''t have that many at once, you know, ......'' ''You can say, "I can''t do it!"'' ''That''s not true ......''. Don''t be so eager to play Natalia''s joke. Ginette''s in trouble. ''Then I''m going to confront her with her reward and shut her up.'' ''Oh. And while you''re at it, tell her to act like she doesn''t like me.'' ''I think that''ll work.'' Natalia says indifferently. ''You''ve been making little snide remarks for a while now. ''Oh, ......, let''s hear the details later, shall we? ''Well, Yashiro-san ......, I''m sure Estella-san is lonely by herself, right?So, you know? Even if you''re lonely, it''s no reason to talk bad about me. Yeah, it''s annoying. I think I''ll sit on the ground to calm down . ''Flat''!Oh, I made a mistake. There you go. There''s no such thing as a mistake! I said the wrong thing when I sat down and I got a lot of flak. Esthelya is hell-eared. ''...... You two seem to be getting along just fine.'' ''Yes. ''Yes. ''......I can''t help it, it''s Yashiro.'' Natalia and Norma, and Magda, skipping one of them, say terrible things. ''What?I felt like I just got blown away!You can tell by the way they look at you. Loretta interrupts my vision. Hey, don''t flail your arms. You''re a basketball defender. It''s annoying. ''Well, I''d better get back. The groundbreaking ceremony is all that''s left, so as soon as it''s over, we''ll leave.'' With a quick word, Natalia disappears and returns to Estella. That was amazing. I almost lost her for a moment even though I was following her with my eyes. The buzz in the air is slowly calming down. There are a lot of lords here, so they won''t drag this out forever. It''s not uncommon to find yourself in the line of fire if you don''t take care of someone. ''Medora, are you okay? ''Yeah, I''m fine. I''m rather used to this kind of role.'' ''Sorry about that.'' ''Don''t say a word, darling. The stain that needed to be covered was definitely on us. I''m just glad we got the chance to clean it up. The hunting guild made a mistake. I''m not sure what to do. It was an act that hurt the pride of Medora and the others, but they forgave it. ''Besides, it''s all right for me as long as those who understand understand me understand me. That''s how Umaro and the others tried to get through the hard times. Even so, the mind inevitably wears out. ''I''ll be expecting a great performance when the big catch comes. ''...... are you going to set it up?'' ''It''s a long way off. I don''t even know if I''ll go through with it.'' Launching an attack on the lord of another district could be a big deal that would involve the entire district. We should avoid ruining the lives of the people living in the thirty wards, not to mention the forty-two wards. It would be nice if we could just chop off his head, but I hear he''s good at getting around. If you want to stop a bad kid in your class, you can tell the teacher, but the teacher is on the bad kid''s side. That could happen. If you are pressured by someone who is in a higher position than you, you may have no choice but to give in. Estella can''t bear such a burden yet. ''But if they try to do something, we will crush them without mercy. Even if we are mortally wounded, we will surely choke them out. I''ll make sure to nail them down beforehand to prevent that from happening. ''But at the end of the day, all we can do is glare at them and tell them not to drag us down any further. It''s not like we can replace the head of the lord. ''Well, yeah. It''s the authority of the royal family to stop or appoint a lord. Lords come from ''houses''. Estella can take over the lordship from her father at will by the authority of the house. Of course, she''d have to go through the process of changing lords. But she still has the authority to act as the lord. If you want to deviate from the House, as in the case of the 24th district of Donis, you need to follow the proper procedures and report. It''s not parent to child, there. The next lord candidate, Filman, is the nephew of the current lord, Donis, although they are related. Deviating from the House requires permission from the royal family, even if you''re related. Of course, when a female lord takes a son-in-law, the royal family will also check. It is forbidden for an anti-royalist to take the position of a lord who is supposed to be subordinate to the royal family. Therefore, it is impossible for us to change Wishart to another lord because he is in the way, as it is far beyond our authority. Even if we could, the most we could do is to cripple the current lord and oust him. Even if we did that, it would be the son or daughter of the current lord who would become lord. I don''t think he''ll be friendly to the 42nd district that ousted his father. No matter how it turns out, relations will deteriorate. Then it''s meaningless. ''He won''t act directly. But he''ll be indirectly involved, that''s for sure. That type cares about face more than anything. You can''t let a guy like me get away with it, coming out of the woodwork every time I do something. I ruined his face twice today. Even Buddha only laughs at you three times. I can''t imagine that a man with such a small capacity would have a wider heart than that. Not a third time. That''s what you think. ''You''re going to nail me, aren''t you? ''Oh, yeah. It''s a nail fight. It''s a game of who can stick it in deeper.'' It''s like a turf war. It''s an act of intimidation that says, ''If you step beyond this point, we''ll show you no mercy. If you compare it to a violent group, if you make a move, it will lead to retaliation after retaliation, which will lead to a gang-wide war.Are you going to do it, Kola? Oh?I''m going to hit you. To prevent that from happening, they''re arguing with each other. On the contrary, they are threatening each other in order to prevent conflicts. It''s a good idea to make it easy for people to understand that ''if you mess with us, you won''t get away with it'', which can lead to self-defense. ...... Sometimes it has the opposite effect, though. ''Don''t be too reckless. Medora says with a worried look on her face. Yeah, I know. ''I''m the most important person in the world, aren''t I? ''Yes!Darling is the cutest! ''That''s not the point! You''re the most dangerous thing that''s ever happened to me, Medora! I''m not going to let you get away with it. No amount of intimidation or restraint is going to work on this guy, for some reason. 479-After the 281st episode, I''m sure there''s a lot of stuff in there, but I''ve swallowed it all up and the ceremony has resumed. I don''t know if I''ll be able to digest it, though. ''Then, Estella Creamona, Lord of the Forty-second District. Lucia Suarez, Lord of the 35th District. Mr. Omar Kawaya, representative of Kawaya Engineering. Mr. Omar Kawaya, representative of Kawaya Construction Company, and Mr. Umaro Torbek, representative of Torbek Construction Company, will perform the groundbreaking ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, please come forward. A waiter from Estella''s place calls the representatives to order. Because she is Estella''s waiter, she calls only Estella. It''s the same as the way a common employee doesn''t address the president in front of other people. I wonder if the representative of the 35th district carpenters is named Omar Kawaya. This is the guy I saw in Lucia''s mansion. ...... Both "potty" and "toilet" are toilets, aren''t they! I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure. You look like a shrimp! Maybe for Masha. There''s ...... a lobster. ''My predecessor''s name was Amor Kawaya. ''I''m in love with the toilet! What? You''re thinking of taking one letter from your father''s name? Are you a funny family? ''I''m good at it~. I''ve even had my boat repaired by him. ''So you''re a carpenter with a close connection to Masha? ''Yeah. Kawaya Corporation is in charge of the port-related business. If they''re the ones Masha trusts, well, I guess we can rest assured. A simple ceremony hall with simple chairs. The lords are seated, and we are standing behind them. It''s a ceremony that ends when the four men in front stick their shovels into the earth. There is no need to make it so lavish. If we built a grand auditorium, there''d be more work to remove before construction. This is fine. I see we''re standing at ....... ''Why are all three of you around me, ......? ''Because I don''t want anything to happen to you, darling! ''I''m in the middle of being protected by Medamama~a??'' ''I''m tired of the other side, too. Feel free to show me around here.'' Medora, Masha and Javier. The three guild leaders of the three major guilds, the hunting guild, the sea fishing guild, and the lumberjack guild, are all here. ...... The pressure is incredible. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to say. Boobs like marshmallows! Massive muscles! Polished tits! The guild leader has a different status after all. ''Don''t go back and forth between muscles and tits, Yashiro. ''Are you talking about your gaze? ''You''re moving your whole head,....... Cover up a little.'' ''Oh, so Javier is the kind of guy who gets off on showing off his tits. ''I''m not talking about your tits!I''m talking about your s*xuality! ''Quiet, father. We''re in the middle of a ceremony. Imelda tapped Javier on the shoulder with a folded fan. ''And if you''re talking about Yashiro''s s*xuality, you''re talking about her tits after all! ''You should be quiet too. In such a situation where there are many lords who don''t even know each other, a lady of her age shouldn''t be shouting ''It''s about the tits! Don''t yell ''tits! It''s not my fault if you can''t get a wife. ''Yashiro-sama. ''Oh no!...... Natalia? Natalia appeared from behind him. So give me a sign!I''m scared! ''If you don''t keep quiet, I''m going to introduce a "flat-chested month" that will force all the women in the territory to be exposed,'' Estella-sama said. ''Yeah, I''m sorry, I won''t talk anymore, stop it at all costs. The power of the lord is scary: ...... A nobleman''s anger is terrifying. It seemed that we had made a little too much noise, and the lords sitting on simple chairs in front of us were glancing back at us. As expected, the BU members who had fought me so hard were unmoved. Rather, they seemed to be taken aback. ...... Wow, Gerasie is making an American gesture like ''Oh dear''. Next time, I''ll send Umaro to look into the warehouse that I had another carpenter repair. ''Yashiro, you stand out no matter where you are. ''I know it''s because of all the muscle you''re attracting, ......, but in this case, I''m doing it on purpose. Now, how does he see it? A lot of lords have come to talk to me on their own. Me, chatting amicably with the three major guild leaders. --How do they see me?Hm? ''Well then, representatives. Please begin construction. At the waiter''s words, Estella and the four others each thrust the shovel in their hands into the soft soil. At that moment, the audience erupted in applause. This is the end of the groundbreaking ceremony. It was quite exhausting for just this one thing. If it had only been in the 42nd district, it would have gone more smoothly. If the construction of the public baths had proceeded at this pace, the completion would have been delayed for at least another six months. Just thinking about it makes me sick. ''This concludes the groundbreaking ceremony for the port. Lords, please return safely with the members of the hunting and lumberjack guilds. The ushers gave their explanations and returned the lords in order. Javier leads the way, and Medora is in charge. This should be enough to protect you against hexenbiests, but not if you are a thug mixed in with ordinary people. So you have to leave a wide gap between the lord and the ordinary people on your way home. It''s ....... ''Come on, Yashiro. Let''s go home.'' ''Why is Estella here? You should be responsible for leading the way back and greeting the returning lords at the gate. The lord who returns before you will be in a state of ''what should I do after this? right?Are you sure, then? ''Let''s have a long talk. Estella tightly crossed her arms to never let go. You''re looking at me as if I''m saying, ''I got through the big stage with a lot of nerves, so let me spoil you. ''I won''t let go until you talk to me. ''I won''t let go until you do. No matter how much you lean in, folding your arms without touching your elbows will only make it harder to walk. This is a great way to get the most out of your time and money. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. I''m not sure. I told you to pretend that we don''t get along, do you understand? ''Of course. That''s why I''m here, to denounce you. Now, come clean! ''I wonder who turned you into such a piece of shit. ......'' It wasn''t me, I swear. His clunker is congenital. He was born with it, you know. But, well, that''s why he''s so easy to deal with. I thought that if Estella had said to me, ''I''m not going to get along with you,'' while I was being friendly with other lords and guild leaders, she would have clearly expressed her dissatisfaction and stared at me with a big puffy face. This is because, from the outside, it looks like ''I want to talk to you, but I can''t because of my position'', which makes the relationship between a man and a woman seem more intimate. I''m sure they would have gone to talk to each other immediately if they hadn''t been seen. I thought that by making people think that, I could make the lords think that Estella is surrounded by troublesome and formidable guardians. ...... I didn''t expect them to be so overtly lonely. Your cheeks are all puffed up. You''re Loretta, aren''t you? But well, this is a good thing. ''............'' Wishart was looking at me as I left. The relationship between Estella, who is contacting me despite her anger, and me, who can''t seem to shake it off. I''m sure that''s how he sees me. "That man brought the new lord together with the three guild leaders and Lucia and the other troublesome lords. He probably sees Estella as having complete trust in him. As for the secrecy of the information, since I intervened, it will be seen as ''I ordered her not to disclose the information on purpose''. Until now, I''ve had the upper hand in talks in which I didn''t participate, but today that advantage has been turned upside down. I can''t interfere with the construction any more because of my interests. That''s what you''re thinking. Well, they''ll still try to interfere, but they won''t be able to use the strategy of showing the ''pressure from the higher lords'' like they have in the past. And I''ve already shown you my weaknesses, haven''t I? If you overlooked it, you''re just that bad, and if you bite the bullet, my nail will go deep into his throat. You can''t touch me. Not this city, not the lord of this city. ''............'' ...... It''s my job to scam this city and make it taste good. It''s a ''I''ll take him down, don''t touch him'' kind of thing. ...... d*mn. Enemies who say things like that are good guys after all. Not me, though. Not at all. ''Look, I don''t know what you''re thinking about by yourself, but I''m going home. ''Ginette~, take the bug off me~'' ''Yes, sir. Giggle. He pushed Estella, who was clinging to him, to Jeannette and said to himself, ''I want to destroy those I don''t like, not protect them. When we entered the city gate and returned to the 42nd district, Estella announced the closing of the ceremony, and the ceremony ended. For a while after that, Estella was protected by Lucia and Mahrul as she dealt with the questions from the lords of the other districts. A new city gate. And a new port. Many of them didn''t know it, but the New Road was open. The Forty-Twoth District will function as a new distribution channel in a big way. I''m sure the lords have many questions they would like to ask. ''If it''s all right with you, may I take a look at the New Road? ''If that''s the case, I''ll take you there. We''ll go out to what used to be the grounds of my house. Mahrul gracefully stepped in front of the old man lord who was pushing his way in front of Estella. The old man''s face twitched for a moment when he saw Ma''ru. If he is of that age, he must know about Ma''ru. He''s clearly upset. The lords of that area must have been happy when Gerasie was born. Not having to deal with Mahrul was nothing but good news. But Gerasie was so lousy that she caused trouble, and now Ma''ru is coming to the fore. The lords of the neighboring districts are saying, ''Gerasie''s an idiot!I don''t know you anymore! I don''t care anymore! ''It''s quite a sight now that the area around the gates has been decorated. ''Well, is that so? I''d love to see that. Ha, ha, ha. The old man lord''s smile twitches in a big way. Is it my imagination, or do I look like an ordinary person who has been told to ''come to the office'' by a violent gang? It seems that Ma''ru has taken to calling the entrance and exit to the New Road ''the gate''. In District 42, they call it the ''entrance'' or the ''cave''. The entrance on the 29th district side is a descending staircase like the entrance to a subway, so such a name may be more appropriate. The area around the gate has been beautifully transformed by the members of the Civil Engineering Guild of District 29 appointed by Mael. Bricks have been laid underfoot, beautiful flowers have been planted everywhere, and a small river has been created by drawing in the nearby river. It is like a beautiful park where you can take a rest. Although it is inferior to Maol''s pride and joy, it is a green park of a high grade where anyone can easily visit. I wondered if there were any skilled carpenters in the 29th district, but it seems that they specialize in plant-related work and gardening. By the way, I thought they were not "carpenters" but "members of the civil engineering guild". They were partly responsible for moving Mael''s garden. There are a lot of trees and stuff in Mael''s Garden. I''ve been there briefly, and it was spectacular to see the magnificent hedges surrounding the park. I''ve been to see it briefly, and it''s a magnificent sight, with magnificent hedges surrounding the park. ......, and the hedges were used to prevent the uninformed public from inadvertently walking towards Mahrul''s pavilion. It''s a fine art, or perhaps a cautious one. She''s a very respectable young lady. I admire her attitude of not letting anyone enter her territory, even by mistake. ''That''s right, gentlemen. Why don''t we head there on foot?The streets in the 42nd district are beautifully maintained, and it''s very pleasant to walk along them. Let''s do that. ''Yes!Let''s do that! Ma''ru suggested, and Donnis was the first one to take up the idea. You just want to walk with Ma''ru. The other lords looked uncomfortable, but they looked a bit ...... repulsed by Ma''ru and Donis. The lords had ridden to this venue in carriages. I guess they really don''t like to walk. ''On the way, I--'' Mahr looked at me as he said that. ''I want to talk to you about something, okay? She''s looking at me. That scary old lady is looking at me so hard! What? What''s she going to ask me? ''Hmm. I was just wondering the same thing. I''ve been wondering about this myself. I was hoping to get an explanation from someone who might know more about the situation. What are you two doing? That''s scary. ''Maybe it''s about that, darling. ''Ah~, that thing...'' Medora and Masha seemed to know what they were talking about. But Javier is the only one who has a face like ''I know what you''re talking about. What they don''t know but Javier does: ...... ''You mean the secret bathing place of my sisters? ''Where is it, Yashiro?Tell me! ''Oh no, my hand axe slipped! I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... How did you manage to avoid that? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Then, they came to borrow the bath almost every day. ...... Well, I don''t mind, because I don''t use it at the time. ...... I was hoping that the eldest daughter would learn the word ''refrain''. I was just hoping that your eldest daughter would learn the word ''refrain''. ''Oh, dear, I''m so sorry, Imelda!Come on, sisters!I apologize. '''''''' Thanks for everything, Imelda! '''''''' ''...... Well, use it as much as you like. ''Don''t be squeamish. You have a soft spot for kids too, Imelda. ''Well done, Imelda!I''m going to use that bathing place too. ......'' ''Oops, the Devil Axe slipped! ''What''s with the evil axe?We don''t have one of those? Javier dodges the blow of the cursed axe with inhuman movements. ...... I wish I could eat it. I''m sure you''ll agree. Masha corrects our digression. The one that Masha was pointing to was--oh, I see. That? So, we left the square in front of the city gate, walked a bit along the street, and came to the front of the public bathhouse. ''This is a public bathhouse, a large bathing facility where anyone can come. Estella is standing in front of the lords and is explaining. They all look up at the towering chimney and open their mouths. Oh, I knew I should have written, ''Behold, this is the technology of Torbeck Engineering'', ''The Sunken Pavilion, renovated by Torbeck Engineering, is over there''. ''A bath?The common people take a bath?'' ''Yes. In our district, we consider everyone to be our dearest friends and colleagues. That''s why we don''t have barriers between nobles and commoners. Estella responded with a smile to some lord who was surprised that a commoner who was not a nobleman would take a bath. ''Would you like to try it out, if you don''t mind?You can have the whole place to yourselves for today only. ''No, .......'' Some lord looked around at the people around him with a bitter look on his face. ''Exposing your skin to so many people: ......'' ''Well, I guess I''ll let you in. ''I''d be interested in that. Javier and Donis show an interest in the public baths. ''I''d like to go in there too. Do you mind, Estella? ''Of course, Mister. ''Demilly. You can get all the shampoo you need from the watchtower.'' ''You know you don''t need it, right?You know that, don''t you, Oba-kun? I thought you''d be the type to take what you can get. ''I think I''ll take it. ''DD! Too much shampoo will damage your hair follicles.Are you sure? Washing hair is a common practice among the nobility. Having a bath is a big advantage. Delia was tilting her head, ''Shampu? Delia was tilting her head. ''Oh, so I can come in too? ''No, no, no, no!Isn''t that a bad idea, Ms. Erin? ''It''s all right, Mr. Donnerty. The public bathrooms are in separate buildings for men and women. If you''re worried about people seeing your wet hair, we can put the carriage in front of the entrance. ''So,......, I see. Then, ...... um.'' What makes you think you can get in with them, you old bastard? I''ll pull out the last hair. ''But I didn''t bring a carriage. ''So, so, so, so, my old friend, I''ll lend you my carriage ............, no, I''ll lend you my carriage. He couldn''t ask her to come home with him. Is it wrong to be alone with a woman with wet hair in a locked room? ''Well, let''s take a look at the New Road and then come back here. ''This is the first time I''ve taken a bath here too. If it fails to meet your expectations, you will not be pleased, anchovy.'' ''Take your complaints to Umaro. The Trubek Corporation built it.'' When I say this, the atmosphere ripples again. I guess the people who heard and believed the bad reputation of Trubec Engineering are surprised. The skill of Umaro and the others who built such an extraordinary structure. After the tour of New Roads, we took a bath in a private bathhouse reserved for guests. ...... Why me too? Many of the lords left, saying they didn''t want to bathe with strangers, but some of the lords we knew took a bath, saying they were interested in what the 42nd district had started. In the men''s bath, there were sculptures of heroic warriors, majestic phantoms, and a snowman. They were so huge and solemn that if they were standing in an old town somewhere in Europe, tourists would come from all over the world. Oh, well. I''ve been hiding behind Umaro and the others and overlooked it. Becko''s work is out of the ordinary, isn''t it? ''You made a hell of a thing, anchovy! ''I was really surprised at how wide it was. Lucia and Mahr came up to me with happy faces. My hair is wet. Is that okay, you two? What, it''s safe because it''s a sunny day? It''s not a rule! When Donnis, Demilly and Gerrardsy hustled me into the men''s room, I found them asking, "What''s that? What''s going on here? The combined golem is awesome! I was almost hit by hot water from the wave of questions and commotion that came from the men''s baths. ...... Will this situation continue after I leave the baths? I''m not sure what to do.I''ve bought a mermaid toy. ''I bought myself a make-believe doll!It''s for future practice. Masha is having a blast with her bath toys. I can''t see ....... I can''t see the large figure frolicking next to Masha. ''Hahahaha!I bought a combined golem and a pompous steamship! ''Well, that''s a lot of money, Gerasie.'' ''Ugh, sister, ......, I paid for it out of my own pocket, of course. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. It''s in the blood, you know. ''You didn''t buy anything, did you? ''Yes. Because the toy in the bath was of good quality, but the one sold in the guardroom was the same shape, but the finish was not so good. The one floating in the bath was made by me and Norma, but the one currently on sale is made by the guys from the hardware guild. ...... Don''t try to tell them apart. If it''s the same shape, why not? I''ve got an idea of the craftsman, I''ll ask him personally later. May it be Norma, may it be Norma, may it be Norma. ''Oh no, Oba-kun and Stuart are both bad people. If there''s such a thing, why didn''t you tell me about it earlier? If there is such a thing, why didn''t you tell me about it earlier? ''Tell it to Estella, ''Oji-sama''. ''Estella doesn''t say things that make her proud. She''s a very reserved girl.'' ''Maybe you just forgot to tell her. Well, I can''t be bothered to write a letter saying I''ve built a public bathhouse. It''s been crowded ever since it was completed, and I guess he thought it would be wrong to just say ''no''. ''Well, I''ve been in there before! ''I have, too! ''It''s a shame I''m so late to the party with these two. Javier, who came in early after hearing about it from Imelda, and Ricardo, who came in on the day of the opening even though we didn''t call him, are looking very proud. Neither Javier nor Ricardo showed any hesitation in taking a bath with the general public. They''re the type, aren''t they? ''I often bathe with our young people. ''I also bathe with the hunters sometimes. Woodcutters and hunters who get muddy in the forest outside sometimes use the guild''s baths to clean themselves. It seems that the first thing apprentices are taught is how to wash and bathe. ''Well, Ricardo is with Medora and .......'' ''Of course it''s the guys! ''You don''t have to be so reserved.'' ''It''s not a reservation! Why don''t you ask your mom to give you a bath? To the drama, ...... pfft! ''Yashippiyo''. It seems that Donnis came out of his stupor when he saw Mahr with wet hair. There''s a thin layer of red around his mouth, but he''s not blowing a nose, is he? ''Haha ...... Estella-sama ...... precious ...... precious ...... tete tete. ......'' And one pervert like Tracy laying on the floor with too much nosebleed is enough for me. I didn''t want one if I wanted one. I don''t know how Estella got in the tub with that thing. And Donnis, he''s got a serious look on his face. ''That public bathhouse was built by the Torbeck Corporation, wasn''t it? ''Yeah. The interior is a different one, though.'' ''I see. ...... Good.'' Donnis nodded and walked over to Umaro. ''I want a public bathhouse in the 24th district as well.'' ''What?No, no, no, no, you can''t! ''Wait, Mister Donati!Let''s go to the twenty-ninth district first. ''No, how about the Fortieth Ward first? ''Yes, that''s right. Torbek''s headquarters is in District 40, so do the district a favor, Torbek. ''No, wait, wait!We have to start construction on the port tomorrow! '''''''' Don''t worry, you can do it. '''''''' ''I''m getting heavier expectations than I should! Umaro breaks away from the crowd of hot and oppressive men and hides behind me. I guess I can''t have three or four jobs at once. He''ll want to concentrate on the construction of the port. Besides-- ''Sorry to hear that, gentlemen! Ricardo stands in front of Donnis and the others with a smug look on his face. ''We''ve decided to start with District 41!We''ve already got Torbek''s word!Hey, Torbek.'' ''Yes, yes, but don''t you have to say that now? Yeah, yeah. Ricardo''s a bit of a dick. I can''t imagine how complicated it would be. Because he''s a little crazy. ''Why the 41st district?He''s probably not that important to District 42.'' ''What are you talking about, 24th district?The 41st district is the 42nd district''s friend!Hey, Estella! ''...... haha''. ''Look! ''Ah, I''ve seen enough to know that you''re not important, Mr. Siegenthaler.'' Estella''s smile, it was so brisk. No, I''m sure Estella is well aware of the importance of District 41. The three districts from the 40th to the 42nd are cooperating with each other and accommodating each other and it''s working well. But when Ricardo calls us ''friends''... You know? ''There''s a nice little avenue in the 41st district. Public bathrooms are a must.'' ''Oh, my, what''s this ''lovely young avenue''? ''Oh, Ms. Erin. If you''re interested, I''d like you to visit. Lovely Yann Avenue is a ''city that creates beauty'' that my 41st district has made a concerted effort to reform. When did you say you made a concerted effort? ''Huh, .................., I didn''t know there was such a thing. The scary old lady looked at me with a grudge! ''Why don''t you tell me? It''s written clearly on her face in Mincho type. Why do I have to report every little thing? ''But it was a revolutionary bath. Something called a water supply. That''s good. The water is boiled elsewhere and sent to the bathtub through the tap, so you can soak in comfort. In my house, the bath tub gets so hot that I can''t lean on it. ''That''s the same at my house, DD, only it would be difficult to install that equipment at home. Donis and Demilly liked the idea of a bathtub where they could lean back and stretch out their arms and legs. They would like to have it at home somehow, but they are resigned to the fact that they cannot install a boiler room like those in public baths. ''Then you should imitate the bath at the Sunshine Pavilion. Was it a gun bath?It''s a good one, too. ''Yashippi! ''''Ooba-kun! ''''Details! ''''Jinnet~, show the old man and the old woman the bath~'''' ''''Hai~yes.'''' ''''It''s too much trouble, so I''ll throw it to Jeannette. ...... Don''t say unnecessary things, Lucia. I''m not sure what to do. I''ll tell Umaro to put off the public baths in the 35th district until later! ''Ah, ......, I''m finally free.'' Estella comes to stand next to me with a slender expression on her face. ''With a slender chest. ''I don''t think I can go easy on you right now. I''m sorry if I hit you too hard. Don''t say horrible things with a knife. I''m sorry!I apologize. Put the knife away! I''m sorry.''BU guys, that was loud. ......'' ''Masha, Medora, Natalia, Tracy, Marle, Inez, Deborah, Nene, who was messing around with Inez and Deborah''s breasts: ......'' ''...... Ah yes. I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ''The BU''s are all thin, so they can be lumped together as BU''s, but the girls are too thick to mix. ''The public baths and gun baths are also going to work to our diplomatic advantage. ''I think I''d like a special treat.'' ''Yes, we do. We should give Umaro a reward. ''That''s me, isn''t it? ''Then I''ll pet you. Come on. Huh, ...... doesn''t make me happy at all. But Estella''s smile looks weak, as if she is very tired today. So I''ll let you off with this one. Estella''s smiling little hands made me like combing her hair, and I thought about what I was going to do next. I need to get some rest today. If it were up to me, I wouldn''t let the opposing forces have the time of day. If he''s going to do something, he''s going to do it soon. Such a prediction was not at all pleasant, but it turned out to be correct. ''Yashiro! Early next morning. Delia''s voice echoed in the sunlit pavilion. I jumped up, ran out of the room in my nightgown, and ran down the stairs. ''Yashiro-san, what is it? You pass Jeannette, who was preparing food in the kitchen, and the two of you head for the floor. When they unlocked the door to the sunlit pavilion, Delia and Norma were standing there. There are four men tied up and lying at their feet. ...... There were four of them? ''Yashiro was right,'' he said. Delia says with a smile that has regained some of its strength. I was attacked in my sleep by four roughnecks. ...... ''Are you hurt?'' I call out to Delia and Norma, who roll their eyes and begin to stare at the men lying at their feet. ''I don''t think they''ve hurt you that badly. ......'' ''No, I don''t care about these guys. Delia and Norma, are you alright?'' ''Oh, you were worried about us?'' ''Of course. Who would be worried about a total stranger like him? ''I''m fine, I''m fine!Norma was there.'' ''To be honest, I''m glad I''m not here. Norma lazily smokes a cigarette in the garden. She seems to be more sleepy than tired. ''Delia calmed the three of them down in an instant, and all I did was tie up the last one who tried to escape. I see. Delia, you killed three people in an instant. ...... You''re amazing. ''That''s great, Delia. Thanks to you, I''m saved.'' ''Did I help you? ''Yeah. Now the Forty-second District will be safe for a while.'' ''Yes!Miss Fanfare! ''It''ll clear your name. What''s that, little erotic lady? That''s a good word, ''Miss Fanaticism''. ''Miss Yashiro. What''s this? ''Oh, sorry. I''ll explain it to you. I''ll explain it to Jeannette, who''s still trying to grasp the situation. Well, I told her yesterday that if I was targeted, the sunlit pavilion might be attacked by surprise, but it seems that the enemy has turned on Delia, just as I thought. ''I''ll go wake Magda up. ''...... is already awake.'' When Magda heard that the Sunlit Pavilion might be targeted, she stayed alert all last night. I''m sure he didn''t get enough sleep. I''ll let him have a nice nap today. ''Thanks, Magda. ''...... I''m fine. It''s just that I''m starting to feel sleepy after all.'' He says, stretching his arms out towards me. Yes, yes. I''ll do whatever you want, hug or piggyback. I take Magda in my arms and turn to face Delia and Norma who are standing in front of the door. ''Come on in, you guys. Ginette, get him something warm to eat.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll also bring something sweet for Delia.'' ''Yes! ''Manager, do you want to help?I''m feeling a little inadequate. ''Then, please help me with the side dishes. ''I''ll leave it to you. Norma and Ginette walked into the kitchen with their cigarettes quickly tucked into the trough. ''Yashiro, what do we do with these guys? ''Well, .......'' ''I''ll go get Estella. ''Oh, there you are, Loretta.'' ''Of course, Delia-san!It''s impossible for me to be absent when the Sunlit Pavilion is in trouble! While saying this, Loretta somehow exchanged high fives with Delia and ran out of the sunny pavilion. ''Didn''t you say that it might not be today, Yashiro? ''Ah. I told them that too, but they said they were keeping an eye on me because they were worried. We had normal business hours, so Ginette slept normally, and Magda and Loretta took turns taking naps, just to be on the lookout for intruders. Now it was my turn to take a nap,......, but I didn''t feel like I got much sleep after all. If we can nail them with this failed raid, we can sleep with our pillows high tomorrow. A short time later, Estella and Natalia arrived at the sunlit pavilion together. By that time, Ginette and Norma''s joint breakfast had been completed. Looks delicious: ...... Magda has been asleep in my arms. ''Hmm. Shall I feed you this morning, Yashiro-san?'' Yesterday, as a reward for Estella, I gave her the right to have Ginette suck on her cock, so Estella had Ginette feed her at dinner. If she had been a different gender, she would have been out of the picture for sure. If I, whose gender is different from Jeannette''s, were to show that face, I would be sent to the confessional or jail, so I''ll respectfully decline. ''No, I won''t. The jail looks cold.'' ''Hmm... It won''t come to that.'' ''No, no, Estella will come and get you no questions asked. ''So, are these the four underlings? ''Yes. That''s all of them.'' ''You were right, weren''t you? Wishart saw me as a distraction. And he''s decided to get rid of me. But it seems Wishart saw what I said and did and decided I was a threat, so he didn''t move to assassinate me directly. If I were to be assassinated this morning, it would be Wishart who would be the one who would be suspicious, as he had lost all face at yesterday''s ceremony. Even without proof, the lords who were gathered there would think so. All of the fourth and fifth grade nobles. He also thought it would be a bad idea to simply eliminate me, as I seemed to be close to the three major guild leaders and the lords Lucia and Donis. In Wishart''s eyes, Estella would still look like an unreliable new lord, and it would be perceived that it was the Sea Fishing Guild led by Masha and the 35th District Lords who were leading the construction of this port. And the hunting guild and the lumberjack guild are backing them up. In addition, the BU''s, who are sure to profit from the completion of the New Road and the port, will also help the 42nd district. The man who connects them all is Obayashi. --And that''s what he must''ve looked like. So he must have thought. ''Don''t get rid of him, make him our pawn. Wishart will be profitable once the port is built. There''s no benefit to canceling the project. What he''s aiming for is to siphon off the profits while keeping the cancellation in sight. More likely, he wants to get in on the concession. If that''s the case, Wishart''s gonna need me. If he can keep me alive and keep my power at its current level, the port will be complete, and if he is successful, he may be able to take advantage of my large pipe for free. If you can get me to do your bidding, that is. ''So you think the target is Delia, the weak woman Obayashi cares about. ''Yes. Delia looked so pretty yesterday. ''No, ......, I don''t think so.'' No, no, no. She wore a big ribbon on her head, and when she went on stage by mistake, her face turned red and she was upset, and when she got hurt, she turned her head and was about to cry, and no matter how you look at it, Delia yesterday was a fragile, pretty young lady. ''You were so close to Medora, you looked so short.'' ''Yeah. I was surprised, too. Delia looked like a child surrounded by Medora and the hunters.'' It''s a contrast effect. If you place a gray of the same intensity in black and white, the gray in the white will appear darker and the black will appear lighter. When all the people around you are bigger than Delia, Delia looks smaller by contrast. In addition, yesterday Delia was hunched over. ''They must have thought that a weak Delia would be easy to kidnap and confine. I''m sure no one in District 42 would think of such a reckless thing. What you don''t know is what you get. If you tell Omero that there''s someone who tried to kidnap Delia, he''ll turn over and blow bubbles on behalf of the culprit. He might be so surprised that his heart would stop. ''As for me, who showed signs of concern for the weak Delia who was crying from her injuries, I would not be able to resist if Delia was used as a shield. After all, Delia is a maiden who is ashamed of flowers. You don''t want even a scratch on her, do you?She probably took advantage of that and tried to manipulate me to her advantage. ''Haha,......, using Delia as a hostage to manipulate Yashiro?...... That''s the kind of plan that makes me sick to my stomach just listening to it.'''' Estella''s stomach clenched and her cheeks twitched. ''So, what are you going to do?Put all those thugs in jail?'' ''No, we''ll give them back to them. They''re just a bunch of ruffians from one of the wards that Wishart hired yesterday. Catching them won''t do you any good except cost you food. These scum will never be rehabilitated, and I don''t think Estella will be able to punish them severely enough to make them suffer. If I''m going to restrain them half-heartedly, punish them appropriately, and release them into the wild, I''d rather adopt a more effective method of use. ''I''ll have you do Delia''s special exercises all day today and return to your employer. I''ll make sure she reports back properly. ''Wow, ......, I''m sorry for your loss. Estella looks sympathetically at the ruffians lying outside the door. Loretta is also pale. ''If they continue to disappear, people will think that Obeyashiro protected them, and the threat will not disappear. But--'' ''But they''ll be shocked if Delia, who was trying to take them hostage, comes back exhausted after being beaten back. ''When dealing with someone you don''t understand, there is hesitation in the human heart. When a strategy that was supposed to work turns out to be an unexpected failure, people are less likely to continue with the same strategy. In other words, they are less likely to go for the goal of using Obayashi to get into the port''s concessions. ''You won''t be able to move for a while. He''s a perfect hostage for the incomprehensible district that''s about to be hit back by a weak Delia.'' ''I expect...'' Natalia explains her prediction of Wishart''s actions. ''Mr. Wishart must have ordered someone in his entourage, not even his steward, to do this for him to prevent the Judgment of the Spirits. "Kidnap a woman named Delia". He may have had some information that she was a weak woman, but it was only a request through a person. They couldn''t investigate the relationship between Master Yashiro and Ms. Delia and carefully plan a strategy, so they just accepted the mission to kidnap Ms. Delia and carried it out - without knowing what kind of woman she was. That''s about it, isn''t it? I think you''re generally right. And they''re going to be confronted with an unexpected revelation later today. ''There may be more people sniffing around for a while. ''I''ll give the people a heads up. Don''t give out their personal information.'' Estella promised, and the early morning meeting was dismissed. Afterwards, I took a quick look at the harbor construction that had begun, took a nap in the early afternoon, and visited Delia in the evening. The four ruffians were lying on the ground, their faces completely white and bloodless, and at the mere whisper of the word ''Delia'', they would say, ''Hiiii!I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! She had developed Omero''s disease to the extent that she would cry and get down on her knees. If I deliver this to Wishart, he''ll think twice about it. He shouldn''t do something as dangerous as poking a wasp''s nest. 480-Episode 282. Garbage goes to the trash can. The night of the Delia ambush. I was asleep with my pillow high. Delia had told me to tell the four ruffians who had developed Omero''s disease to tell their employer, and I was sure they would get the message. I don''t know my employer''s name or identity! I don''t know the name or identity of my employer!'' He was whining something like that, but I had to ask him to find it out with his guts. I told him with a smile that if he didn''t get the message properly, I would find him and come to see him, even if I had to run to the ends of the earth, but he turned pale and said, ''What, a punk band concert? He was shaking his head like ''What, a punk band concert? Well, even if I can''t find my employer, I''m sure I''ll be able to reach my employer''s employer by crying and looking around the 30th district. If the ragdolls get to their employers, they won''t try anything until the investigation of the 42nd district is finished, and if the ragdolls don''t get to their employers, they won''t let their guard down and mess with us day after day, as if to say, ''It worked! So I made my decision and left for the dream world with a minimum of caution. But then ...... Early next morning. It came to the sunlit pavilion with a loud noise. ''Aaahhh! I was awakened by the scream of a disappointed lord who seemed to have been caught in the trap I had set for him. At the same time as the scream, there was a noisy sound of ''rumble, rumble, rumble! sounded at the same time. ''What the hell is this?Oh my god! Estella tugged wildly at the cord that was tangled around her ankle, trying to get it untangled. Each time you do, the bamboo or metal "clanging" attached to the end of the cord makes a rattling sound. I didn''t make it so that it would come undone so easily. It''s a security device that I made, "Sekyomu iru kun". I don''t want you to think it''s easy for an amateur to get out. The more you hurry, the tighter the bonds will be. With noise. Galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang. ''Shut up! You''re bothering the neighbors. There''s no one living nearby. ''Yashiro! Perhaps startled by the sudden loud noise, or perhaps impatient with the unraveling cord, Estella looked up at me with tears in her eyes. ''Just don''t move, I''ll take it off. ''If you have something like this, tell me about it! ''You told me to take precautions,'' she said. ''You''re too tight! Oh, come on, don''t wave your arms around. It''ll make a rattling noise. ''Uh, what''s going on? ''...... Shut up.'' Ginette and Magda emerge from the kitchen. Ginette was in the kitchen preparing food, and Magda was in bed, probably in a dream. ''''Huh?When did you get on the floor, Yashiro-san? Jeannette, who had been the first to enter the kitchen as usual, tilted her head. You can''t get to the floor without going through the kitchen where you are, but you look like ....... ''Oh, I understand. You came around through the bathrooms. ''That doesn''t make any sense.'' It''s true, you can come around by that route, but...'' There''s no reason to take the long way around to fool Jeannette''s eyes when there''s such a noisy happening. ''I was asleep on the floor. ''What? '' said Jeannette, looking at the blanket in the corner of the floor in surprise. ''Are you all right, sir?Did you get a good night''s sleep?'' She peeked at my face and worried about my health. ''Yes, um, Jeannette. I''m sorry, but can you help me first? ''Oh, yes, of course. Right now! Estella, who had been left alone, made a crying sound, and Ginette, who had been pointed out, hurriedly pulled to untie the cord that was tangled around Estella''s ankle, making a loud rumbling sound. It''s so loud. ''You can''t untie it by pulling on it. Magda.'' ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' I''ve explained to Magda about security. The string, which is tied in a special knot, can be easily untied by undoing the string at the base of the mechanism, not at the ankle where it is entangled. When I showed him the trick, Magda said, ''...... This is great. I''ll use it for hunting next time''. I''m not going to tell you how it works, though, to prevent abuse. ''...... What the hell? Estella kicked the cord that had come undone from her leg and clung to Jeannette''s waist. She strokes Estella''s head, but Ginette looks troubled. ''Estella, you don''t have a knife, do you? ''No, because I don''t think it''s ...... a good idea to destroy the security system of the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''Thank you, sir. But if you find yourself in danger, please don''t worry about protecting yourself. Estella is more important to me than you.'' ''I love you, Ginette! Squeeeeeeeee!Estella clings to him. Oh, you''re buried. I like it. ''Well, I got some thin wire from Norma''s place and braided it in, so I don''t think a knife will cut it. ''That''s very strict!Thanks to you, I can rest easy.Thank you! I''m glad that Jeannette and the Sunlit Pavilion are protected, but I''m disappointed that I got caught. Estella bared her fangs as she cried out with such mixed emotions. Don''t be sulky. I didn''t expect you to come this early in the morning. ''I was going to remove you after Umaro and the carpenter came for breakfast. ''Why are you trying to hook up with someone from around here ......''. Why? Huh? Because it''s funny? ''According to Natalia''s information, it seems that the ruffian has successfully joined his employer. ''Did you let her find out? ''No, I was surprised when she told me when I woke up. Natalia did it on her own. Do you have such a secret agent?...... Sounds scary. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''So they''re better than us. Then they know we''ve been probing them. I hope you got the message. ''I know exactly what you''re doing. ''Well, I guess we''re safe for a while now. Estella glares at the sekyom in you with a grudge. She wants me to take it off. Well, if the ruffian you sent in comes back as a different person, they''ll be a little more cautious,......, I guess. If we send out another warning to them, they will feel a little more secure. There''s something I''ve been wondering about but haven''t had a chance to check. Just in time, I''ll check it out. ...... It won''t hurt my feelings if I fail. ''Estella-san, you came to tell me about it. It''s so early in the morning. Thank you very much.'' ''Yes. There''s that too, but ......''. Estella glanced at my face. That''s right. Are you flirting with my sleeping habits? ''Yashiro, ...... are you okay?'' ''What?'' ''No, you see, ...... that .......'' She looked like she was having a hard time saying it, but in the end she couldn''t. Estella looked away from me and swallowed her words. ''I''m just asking if your body is hurting because Yashiro-san was sleeping in the dining room. Right? ''Huh?Ah, ah, yes. Yeah. I was wondering if you caught a cold or something. I take advantage of Jeannette''s words and give her a lame smile. Apparently I''ve been looking pretty bad all day yesterday. Enough for Estella to come running in this early morning. Maybe not all day yesterday. I''m aware of it. Ever since that idiot did something stupid with his stupid words, a heavy, throbbing feeling has been stirring like magma in the pit of my stomach. I don''t care if that idiot suffers or dies. He''s a scum bastard whose name doesn''t even appear on the list of people who wouldn''t be hurt if you smashed them. I don''t want Estella to be annoyed by him, do I? Alright, let''s get this pent-up emotion out of my system. ''Estella. I have a favor to ask you. I do my best to smile and beg Estella. ''That idiot, can I have it? Estella and Magda, who was standing next to her, looked at me and shivered. ''Um, Yashiro-san. Are you okay with ......?'' The only one who didn''t tremble when she saw my begging smile was Ginette, who looked into my face with a worried expression. Her face is serious. ''I''m fine. I''m not straining myself.'' ''So ......? Ginette looks unconvinced. ''If anything, I''m thinking of going to mellow this spiky mind of mine.'' If even Estella had noticed it, then Ginette, who had been in the same space for a long time, must have noticed it too. Probably Magda and Loretta too. I''m a little pissed off this time. It''s been a while since I''ve been this pissed off. I hadn''t been this angry with Assunto, who had tormented Ginette and the other managers, exploited Momat and the other producers, and pursued his own interests with aloofness and niceties. I was not angry with the ruffians who made Paula cry over the bug incident, nor with Ricardo who kept harassing Estella, nor with Medora who defended Ricardo and blamed Estella from a one-sided perspective. The last time I had such murky feelings was probably when I was in Japan. ''Ginette. Can you prepare a feast for me today?'' ''If I see that idiot in front of me--'' ''If you do, I''ll come back to enjoy it.'' --I might make a move I can''t undo. Then I might not have the courage to come back here. I''m taking out an insurance policy to prevent that from happening. I''m not going to take the initiative now to do something that will make them sad. I can''t irresponsibly look away and say that I''m worthless. They''ll be sad when I''m gone. I know that much already. ''I guess so. I''d like fried shrimp, curry or hamburger steak. But I can''t pass up fried chicken. Gori is going to be difficult, so ...... just go with it. When I was a kid. I had a guilty conscience that kept me from going home, and the smell of the proprietress'' delicious supper reached my nose. I was lured home by that smell, and the proprietress smiled and welcomed me home. That made me feel very relieved. I thought, ''Oh, it''s okay for me to stay here. ''Okay. I''ll prepare a delicious meal for you. Ginette smiles and agrees. There was no longer a hint of anxiety in her smile. I could have gone right away, but Estella hadn''t eaten yet, and I didn''t want to rush out to meet her. I helped Ginette prepare the food, went to the church to make a donation, prepared to open the store, pointed and laughed at the crowd of carpenters who were caught in the middle of a big "Sekyomu iru kun", and then left the sunny pavilion with Estella. Our destination was the prison at the edge of District 42. In the event that you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. ...... They''re practicing for the next ward field day, aren''t they? ''How long are you going to keep this up? ''No, I''m not. We''re making them run to build up their strength. It''s easier to see how far you''ve run when you know the distance of each lap, right? ''On the other hand, it''s easier for the person giving the orders to say, "How many laps of the track?"'' ''Well, yeah.'' Estella smiles, though still slightly stiff. ''By the way, ......, what''s that? Estella says, pointing to the rectangular object I''m holding under my arm. ''It''s a trash can. ''No, yeah. I guess that''s true, but ...... why?'' ''Because we''re going to use it. And I brought some very tasty yakitori. When you eat yakitori, there''s garbage, right? If there''s garbage, you have to take care of it. Even a kid knows that. Garbage goes in the trash. "Hey, Yashiro. I cut through the playground and approached the building. On the way Estella calls out my name. Her voice is firm, and I can hear her confusion. ''To be honest, I''m still confused about what I should do. Without looking at each other, they walk straight ahead. ''I''m not comfortable letting you see that man. ''Then take the right away from me. You can do that.'' ''But...'' Estella pauses. I stop too, but I don''t look back, waiting for Estella''s words. ''...... If you ignore the fact that I''m a lord, ............ I can''t forgive that man. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ...... but I can''t do that. Estella would never be able to punish someone for suffering. She would check with past cases and impose a punishment that is not beyond the bounds of reasonableness, as is customary. That''s all right if it''s in accordance with the law. ...... It will be decades before I can say, ''It''s over'' with this smoldering feeling in my heart. Estella is afraid of that. She fears that she will live with the hatred inside her. But if she harms her attacker with her hatred, her heart will be broken. Whatever the reason, the fact that she had hurt another person would leave an indelible scar on the heart of this overly kind girl. ''I''m sure it''s wrong to give Yashiro the right. You''re not a lord, you don''t have any special authority, to give discretion. It''s foolish to let a common man, a dangerous man with a lot of personal grudge, bring the perpetrators to justice. Foolish is not even the right word for it. ''But don''t get me wrong, ......''. Estella runs out and walks around in front of me and stares straight at me. Her red, clear eyes stare at me. ''I''m not worried about that man''s future, I''m worried about you. Like iron against iron, when you hurt someone, you hurt yourself as well. ''Maybe I''m just a coward who''s trying to use you to settle a personal grudge that I can''t clear myself. I don''t deny the nastiness in me. Well, there''s that side of you, you know, you''re human. ''That idiot will be judged properly according to the laws of the 42nd district. Before that happens, I''m just going to see him for a little while to let off some steam. If you''re scared, go wait in the waiting room upstairs and drink some herbal tea. I''m sure it won''t take long. I talk to the red eyes staring at me. You don''t have to take on everything. A dangerous man has done something to you that you don''t know about. That''s all you need to know. But Estella shook her head. ''Regardless of your actions, it''s my responsibility to take responsibility. This is the one thing I will not compromise no matter what. I won''t let you be alone anymore.'' I tried to disappear with all the bad intentions on my back, but it seems they still don''t trust me. Not to these sycophants. But you''re right. It might be a good idea to at least check. I guess I''m getting a little timid myself. ''If I killed a man in front of you, would you blame me? At such a question, Estella gave a small laugh, a soft smile that seemed out of place. ''If you were forced into a situation where you had no choice but to do so, I would blame myself for not taking action before it happened. It''s not your place to blame me.'' ''What if it was just a personal grudge, a meaningless, needless, playful slaughter? ''I''ll find out what drove you to that point. You can''t blame me until you find out what it is. ''So, it''s just a personal grudge. Or a whim.'' ''You wouldn''t do that. Estella assures him. And then she smiles even deeper and slams her fist into my chest. ''It''s the Obayashi I know that makes me believe that. That''s a lot of trust. You look as if there''s no room for doubt, even though you could be wrong. ''So what if I''m rubbing the tits of a beautiful girl passing by? ''I''d have you thrown in jail. ''You don''t trust me to do that, do you? ''The man I know, Obayashi, won''t let me trust him! What a jerk! I don''t trust him one bit! ''But ......'' Estella says with a quiet smile, after some joking around. ''If you kill someone, ...... I''ll stay by your side and wrap my hands around you. You will never have to use your hands for that again.'' Estella said in a gentle voice. ''...... with your tits?'' ''I''ll stab you? ''What, with your tits? ''Do you want to see what I''m going to stab you with?I bought a new one the other day, didn''t I? ''All right, put the knife away.'' --I was about to accidentally get hot in my chest, so I made a joke. Anyway, why did you buy such a fancy and complicated knife? Where are you going to use it? ...... It may be just a matter of time before the smile of the lord of smiles turns into something bizarre. Like settled mud dancing in the water, you can feel the heavy air rise and shimmer. As the gloomy, cold air thickens, my heart begins to heat up. While my head is extremely calm, deep inside my chest is boiling with heat to the point of explosion. I go through the double doors and step into the underground prison I know so well. There is a desk, hidden from view from the prison, where he exhales once. ''Estella stay here. ''...... Yes.'' It''s better if I''m on my own from here on out. It''s a lot easier. The more you look, the more your mind moves. The more people you look at, the less concentration you have. Feelings are dispersed. He''ll never let you go. Not your gaze, not your mind, not your emotions. I won''t let him get away from me, not even one step. He steps out, carrying a lunch box filled with grilled chicken and a rectangular trash can. The prison where Barbara was once held after she was caught raiding the cornfields of Yap Rock. Now, a man I''ve only seen once is being held there. As Estella had told me beforehand, he was tied to the wall with a belt around his waist and neck. ''Hey. You look good.'' I call out to the man tied to the wall. To the son of a b*tc* who tried to poison Masha''s tank during the groundbreaking ceremony. To the son of a b*tc* who hurt Magda and Medora. ''Hey, hey!Please, help me! As soon as he saw me, the son of a b*tc* leaned forward with a jangling sound of heavy chains. ...... I see. I''m sure that''s the limit of how far he can move. I''ve told you everything I know!I don''t even know his name, I''ve never met him, and he gave me money!That''s why I did what I did. I had no choice!I''m a victim, too. I can''t even get by without money. ...... The man''s voice was completely deafening because of the crunching chains. Well, don''t worry about it. He''s not saying much anyway. ''I didn''t know it was such a dangerous drug!I''m serious!I''ve been told that if you put it in a tank, it''ll only make you a little numb and make that mermaid cry!It''s true!It''s true! You can call the Spirit''s Judgment on me! That''s what they must have told me. Perhaps he was told, "This is a medicine that makes mermaids cry when you put it in the tank," and if he was caught, he was told to say, "That''s what he told me. Of course, I am not the kind of person who would honestly believe that just because I was told so. This guy attacked Masha because he knew it was a dangerous poison. Well, maybe he didn''t think it was that dangerous. But he was aware that it was a dangerous drug that could cause serious harm to Masha. I don''t know what level of damage you were aware of, whether it was to the extent that Masha would cry, or to the extent that she would be incapacitated, but ...... it doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter. He''s guilty as hell for trying to harm Marcia. It doesn''t matter how big or small the damage is. It doesn''t matter if he knew about it or not. This son of a b*tc* attacked Masha with the intention of harming her and injured Magda and Medora as a result. Where are the extenuating circumstances? I''ll never find it. I''m neither too busy nor too sycophantic to look for something that doesn''t exist. ''I''ll never do that again!I''ll change my mind!I''ll work diligently from now on!Oh, that''s right!Can you let me apologize to that mermaid?I want to see her and apologize in person!Tell her you''re sorry... bow your head... and let me sincerely apologize! What''s the value of bowing your head? What''s it worth to you if you bow your head and let it fall to the ground? Is Masha the only one who needs to apologize?Don''t you even feel bad for Magda and Medora who got hurt? What about Estella, who was heartbroken because Masha was targeted? What about Ginette and Loretta, who have been in a tense and anxious mood because of the incident? In the first place, who''s going to believe that you, "that mermaid", are really sorry? There''s so much I want to say. I want to tear your heart to shreds so that you''ll never open your mouth again. My fists are so hard I feel like I could shatter steel. Would it make you feel any better if you could just keep swinging this fist down carelessly until his skull caved in? ...... No, that would only leave you feeling empty. Besides, you can''t cook with bloody hands. It''s unsanitary. You don''t need to worry about Jeannette unnecessarily. ...... Hmm. I''m a little calmer now. Is he a Bodhisattva or a Buddha? If only there were people like him, maybe there would be a different future in Japan. Well... While I was lost in my thoughts, the man in jail seemed to have stopped talking. He looks up at me, not saying a word, and his lips are drawn together. What''s with the teary face? Did you think crying it out would work? Crying it out is one of the least successful tactics you can use. I don''t say anything and look down at the man who has gone quiet. He doesn''t let me out of his sight. He knows that if he misses this chance, he''ll never get away with it. It''s been almost two days since I was held here. He may have been provided with at least some food, but he was chained by the neck and waist to the wall and his range of movement was extremely limited. The range of movement was no more than one meter. You can at least stand up and do your business. That''s about it. If you''re a bad sleeper, your neck will be tight and you won''t be able to sleep. I can see the haggard look on the man''s face. But so what? but that good-natured lord won''t let that happen. I don''t think this man realizes that. He probably doesn''t realize that the lightest punishment he can get is to stay here and keep quiet. I bet he never imagined there''d be a nobleman as soft-hearted and naive as he is. If he was handed over to the nobles, it would be the end. Such impatience must be filling this man''s brain. Do I not look like a nobleman in normal clothes? That''s probably why you''re trying so hard to win me over. ''Are you hungry? I talk to the man. In a quiet voice. A flat voice with no emotion on it. ''Yeah. ...... Oh, no. ......'' The man looks puzzled at the words, which he never imagined. ''I''ve brought you something delicious. Would you like some?'' With that, I open the lid of the lunch box and show him the glistening, delicious grilled chicken. ''Would you like some? The man gulps. There is no such thing as a good meal for a criminal in jail. Just a little water and some hard black bread. That''s the best I can do. You can''t resist a meat dish that smells this good. And you haven''t eaten much, have you? ''Don''t be shy. Here.'' He takes a piece of grilled chicken from his lunch box and thrusts it into the prison. He climbs over the bars and thrusts his arm into the cell. The man opened his mouth halfway, almost lifted his arm and shook his ...... head. ''No!You''re not fooling me!That meat is poisoned, isn''t it?I''m not falling for that! He shouted with a drooling mouth, crossed his arms that were about to be lifted and turned away. Oh, I see. I pulled my arm back and took a big bite of the yakitori in my hand. I took a bite, pulled out the skewer, and put all the chicken in my mouth in one bite. The more I chewed, the more the sweet juices overflowed and the more delicious it was. ''Oh, it''s so good!What a waste. It''s a waste of a gift. If you don''t want to eat it, that''s fine. I''ll eat it all right in front of you. After devouring the second one, he picked up the third one and the man moved. ''Wait! He licked off the yakitori sauce from the edge of his mouth with his tongue and looked at the man who was staring at him. ''What is it? ''No, I think I''ll let you eat it. ...... Hehe, I''m hungry.'' The man smiles a sneer and swallows his mouthful. His eyes are now glued to the yakitori. I toss the two skewers of yakitori I''ve eaten into the trash can I brought with me. I lick the sauce off my fingers and use the key to open the cell. The bound man can''t even come near the bars. Place the trash can in front of the man and stand just out of his reach even if he reaches out with his arm. ''Eat everything you can. Throw the trash in the trash can. When you''re done eating, you must cooperate with my experiment. If you promise to do that, I''ll let you eat.'' ''What, the experiment ......? ''Nah, it''s no big deal. You''re not going to die. I don''t have any weapons, and my muscles are a little thin compared to yours.'' The man inspects my entire body without a care in the world. ''I''m going to use this trash can for my experiment. He pats the rectangular trash can and smiles reassuringly at me. ''Don''t worry. We''ll be done in no time.'' ''Oh, yeah?Well, then, ...... I promise, I promise.'' With his consent, I handed the lunch box to the man. There are only three yakitori left. Savor them at your leisure. If the experiment fails, you''ll never be able to eat them again. ''Ooh, that''s good! The man loosens his cheeks as he bites into the grilled chicken. ''I''m telling you, if you attack me with that skewer, I''ll confiscate it immediately. ''No, I won''t do that. ''No stabbing, no slamming, no tossing. Understood? ''I know, I know. I won''t do that. Not wanting to have his delicious food confiscated, the man readily agreed to what I said. So I watched him devour the yakitori. As he finished off the three pieces of yakitori, he sucked on the skewer and savored the taste of the sauce that had soaked into his mouth. ''That lunch box is not for storing garbage. Can you please put the trash in the trash can? ''Oh, I see. I''m a little sad to leave it, but I promised. Laughing, the man leans forward with three skewers. The chains clink. ''......''. He stretches out his arm and tries to put the skewers into the trash can, but he can''t quite reach them. That''s because I put the trash can in an awkward position. That''s the natural result. There''s no way I can reach it. ''Hey, man. It''s a little far. Bring it a little closer.'' The man, perhaps thinking I''m on his side, still smiles a flippant ''heh'' and says something to me. --But he doesn''t answer. He doesn''t even make eye contact. ''The chains are in the way and I can''t go any further forward. Holding the chain around his neck, the man appeals to me. But I don''t reply, nor do I look at him. ''...... d*mn. I can''t help it. I quickly issue a warning to the man who slightly lowers his arm holding the skewer. ''Don''t throw it away, okay? He straightens his arm and points his index finger at the man. ''You promised not to throw the skewer, didn''t you? That was just a moment ago. ''No stabbing, no slamming, no tossing,'' I said, to which the man replied, ''I know. I''m not going to do that. If you throw the skewer, it will be a lie. ''If you throw the skewer, I''ll cast ''Judgment of the Spirits'' on you. ''No, wait!Wait a minute!I''m not throwing it! The man stiffened as he hurriedly grabbed the skewer he was about to toss. He clutched the skewer and the fist in front of his chest and wrapped it with his other hand. Don''t let it fall out. ''Since you can''t reach it then, I''ll put it in this box over here, okay? ''I thought I told you not to put garbage in that. When I thrust my outstretched fingertip at the man, his throat tightened. The man''s throat tightens. ''Then, so long!You throw it away! ''You put your mouth on it, and I put my mouth on it? ''No, it''s not dirty, not at all!You''re the one who told me to throw it away in the first place! ''Well, I don''t mind if you throw it away. ......'' Take a deep, long breath. Breathe in quietly and thinly. Then he turns to the man with a disdainful gaze, as if God truly despises fools. ''...... Are you sure? Are you sure you want me to leave you? Think about it. You agreed to the condition of ''throwing the trash in the trash'' and ate the grilled chicken, right? If you didn''t throw it in the trash, wouldn''t that be a lie? ''Or what?Are you going to give me back my yakitori? ''No, no. ............'' The man''s back teeth begin to click together. ''Come on, ......, what are you going to do?'' ''Higgghh! Sweat broke out all over the man''s body as he glared at her with all his might. Immediately after, the man stretched out his arms like a madman and struggled to put the skewer into the trash with tears in his eyes. He struggled. He fought back. ''d*mn it!Give it to me!Deliver it, d*mn it!Come on, come on, come on!Please let it reach me! With sweat, tears, and snot running down his face, the man finally begins to cry. ''Why the hell!If you could just move me over here a little more, just a little more, ......!d*mn it!What the hell do you have against me? He shouted. The man''s shoulders bounced. Or maybe I should say his whole body slumped. The man''s breathing became strange and he started to make strange noises. Unable to breathe properly, the man turns his head toward me and says, ''Ow! He turns his head toward me, unable to breathe properly, and his throat tightens up again. ''...... What do you have against me, ......? The man''s whole body begins to tremble to an extreme degree. Oh, right. Sorry, sorry. You''re leaking so much, you''re killing me. You can''t help it. ...... ''You''re gonna get yourself killed. That''s all I can think about. You think I don''t have a grudge against you? How dare you think you''re on my side and smile at me like that? Do you have a grudge against me? Of course I do! ''You tried to harm Masha.'' ''No, no!It''s, it''s, it''s!I didn''t think it was that dangerous of a drug, so it wasn''t that kind of, you know, that kind of thing. ......'' ''So, you''re saying it''s not your fault ......? ''No, no!I''m sorry too!I''m sorry about that!I''m serious!I''d like to meet a mermaid and get down on my knees!This is for real! ''Will getting down on my knees be enough to heal your injuries? ''What ......?No, no, there''s no medicine in the tank, right?So you''re not injured, are you? This guy ...... ''Are you saying you don''t know that Magda and Medora were injured? ''Two of Masha''s protectors were injured. The woman, on her skin, got burned, remember?'' ''That''s because they''re selfish ...... hiiii!I understand!I''m sorry!I''m sorry!I''m not sure what to do. .................. ''Those guys''? ''You''re amazing .......'' The corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily. Really, I''m laughing. ''You''re a genius at getting on my nerves, aren''t you? I''m laughing so hard I''m puking. ''It was just an idea!But he offered me a lot of money!So I got blinded by ......... no, I got carried away!Because I''ve been crawling on the ground since I was born, and I''ve lived a shitty life,....... ''So, you didn''t care what happened to the guild leader, who''s a nasty guy with a lot of money, and you tried to use a drug on Masha that you ''knew'' would not be safe, right? ''Yes, that''s ............''. The man turns over, closes his mouth, and is silent. He really wants to cover his ears, close his eyelids, and pretend it never happened, but ...... he won''t let that happen. ''Because of your one-sided jealousy and short-sightedness, my loved ones were endangered and actually injured, and it broke my heart to see that. --Can you ask me that question again? Look at me one more time and say it. "What do you have against me? Say it! ''It''s not like you didn''t consider the risk of this happening, right? He drops the words into the back of the man''s head. ''Since you decided to hurt someone, you were at least prepared to be hit back, right? The man''s head droops lower and lower, as if the words being thrown at him have weight. ''...... I never thought this would happen.'' A voice like a buzzing mosquito could be heard. The emotions in the voice are regret, grief, and despair. But all of them are directed at the man himself. He doesn''t have any feelings for the people he has harmed. All that''s on his mind is himself. There is no room for sympathy for this scumbag. ''What did you think was going to happen? People who say they didn''t expect this to happen never say what they thought would happen. Now that they are trapped in an irreversible situation, they are too cold to talk about the time when things went well. There''s no way I''m going to talk about selfish, self-serving, shitty motives for satisfaction. Say it. Maybe I''ll change my mind.'' If you tell me honestly, I might change my mind. That''s true. I''m not lying. ''............'' But the man doesn''t say a word. Nice try. If I''d told him the truth, he might have changed his mind and ...... killed me right then and there. ''If that drug had been thrown into the tank, Masha would have been incapacitated and disappeared from the public eye. Since I have no choice, I''ll tell you the future when I ''get it right''. ''The Seafaring Guild is furious that their guild leader was harmed, and denounces the 42nd District Lord for failing to protect Masha. Naturally, the construction of the port will be cancelled. The relationship between the Forty-two districts and the Sea Fishing Guild would be decisively broken. ''If all goes well,'' he said, ''you''ll have a lot of money in your pocket, and you''ll be able to walk around the underworld with your own face, saying, ''I''ve done a great job. ''Hopefully'' ....... It''s disgusting. I''m not going to understand the thoughts of a man who thinks that hurting others and ruining their lives is success, and you won''t find any compassion in me to give to such a man anywhere. ''...... Hey, what''s up?Trash to trash, right? Yeah. Garbage to the trash. ''I''ll give you a future that suits you. ''...... Oh, dear, oh, dear! The man lunges forward, ripping the chain off. The collar bites into his throat, and the skin of his neck tears open, soaking in blood. He desperately stretched out his arm to put the skewer into the trash can, but it was just out of reach. ''Oh dear, oh dear! No matter how much he screamed, how much he struggled, or how violently he flailed, the skewer could not reach the trash can. Looking at the poor bastard, I straighten my arm and stick my index finger at him. Then I uttered a short line. ''''Judgment of the Spirits...'''' The light overflows, and when the glow subsides, I see a frog with tears in both eyes standing before me. 481-Episode 283 Where to go home There''s a frog in front of me. A man who until a moment ago was a man. The frog is staring blankly into the air, his mouth half open. Thanks to the shrinking of his body, the belts around his neck and waist have been removed and he is free from the chains. Despite this, the frog does not try to escape. It seems that his thoughts have not caught up with the sudden end of his life. ''Oops, bad. I shouted, and the frog shivered and looked up at me fearfully. ''I accidentally turned you into a frog on the spur of the moment. Then it looked into the face looking up at me. ''Well, you know. That''s what I mean. That''s what he said. He''s been paid off, and he''s in a jam. A fitting end for a man who tried to ruin other people''s lives for such a trivial reason. ''Well, it looks like I''ve ''done well''. As I said this, tears welled up in the frog''s large eyes and fell in a trickle. ''Why are you crying? His voice trembled with annoyance. ''That''s what you were trying to do, isn''t it? You just failed, and if you''d done it right, there would have been casualties. Did you think you''d get a lenient judgment that it was safe because it was prevented? I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s had a bad day and tried to ruin Marcia''s life, so don''t cry like a victim now. It''s not like you''re carrying all the misfortune of the world on your shoulders, crying like a little b*tc*! It''s not their fault that Masha, Magda, and Medora were harmed, though it''s your own fault that you ended up like this!They were not at fault!It''s the result of a bunch of crappy bastards with crappy minds and crappy things to do!You will never have the right to call yourself a victim in the future! Unable to find a place to hit, I turned around and kicked at the bars of the jail. There was a deafening sound. When he looked back again, the frog was crouched with its head in its hands. His whole body was shaking. Wasn''t it ...... that people who are turned into frogs are stripped of their human rights and cannot be blamed for anything they do? Even if I were to stop him from breathing right here and now, no one would be able to judge me. Slowly walk up to the frog and crouch down by its head. ''Suppose I kill you now: ......'' The frog shivers at my whisper. ''Do you think your employer would be sad if you died? The frog stops moving. He raises his head slightly and stares at the floor. ''Do you think he''ll be angry and retaliate against me for what I''ve done to his precious friends? Slowly, the frog turns to face me. ''...... is the kind of lonely life you''ve been living.'' At these words, the frog let out a single, large tear. Masha, Medora and Magda have people to grieve for them. There are people who are angry with you. There are many people who reach out to you when you''re in trouble. The value of a person''s life changes drastically depending on whether or not they have someone important in their life. Don''t live your life like this man, who finally realizes that he is all alone in this situation. ''I got carried away. ''It''s not my fault. ''I''m sorry, please help me''. Don''t become a person who can only speak such superficial words. Even Medora made mistakes. But at that time, he properly acknowledged his mistake and apologized. That''s the difference in human capacity. Magda, Masha, Estella, Ginette, and Bertina are not perfect people. We make mistakes, we cause trouble. They''ll make mistakes, they''ll get lost, and sometimes they''ll cheat. Even so, she will never do something cowardly like shifting the blame to something else because she is too busy defending herself. I will never expose myself to the kind of cowardice that blames my fall on ''bad roads''. ''Have you ever been useful to anyone else?Have you ever tried to be helpful? Don''t cry like a man who thinks he''s done well by thinking only of his own interests, setting others up, deceiving them, kicking them down, and gaining temporary benefits and a sense of superiority. You''re not even close to being a bad guy. You''re not even good enough to say, ''After all the evil I''ve done, I can''t blame myself for ending up like this. If you are a half-hearted good guy who can''t let go of common sense and can''t let go of your longing for human connection, then quit being a bad guy. ''There''s nothing uncool about bowing down to someone, or having your hard work not be appreciated, or having someone point at you and laugh at you. What''s really uncool is. ''The people who drag others down to cover up their uncoolness are the most uncool in the world. Put it in your empty head so you''ll never forget it again. With that, he holds the trash can out in front of the frog. The frog stares at the trash can with a puzzled face. He stares at it intently and then turns his head toward me. Once upon a time, not so long ago as ......, when I first came to this town. It was before I settled in the Sunlit Pavilion, and if anything, I didn''t even know the name Ginette. I''d gotten some information in Cantalucia. Right after I witnessed a collector named Goffredo turn a crying man into a frog. When he saw the man turn into a frog, he shivered and thought that tomorrow would be his last day, so he rushed to Cantalcica where Paula told him. I''ve always wanted to find out if that information was true or not. It was just that I hadn''t had the chance to do so, and I knew I had to check it out at some point. I wondered if the rumor was true or not, as it would be a very powerful trump card in times of need. At that time, the fact that you can be turned into a frog for telling a lie was so strong that the information I heard after that was less impressive. But Paula was very clear. In response to my question, ''Can a person who has been turned into a frog ever return to their original form? I said, ''To return, you need to fulfill the promise you made. So. It''s possible to become human again after becoming a frog. But I couldn''t try. Not if it was only a rumor. What if you turn into a frog and can''t turn back? When I thought about it, I couldn''t casually turn someone into a frog, nor could I turn myself into a frog as an experiment. But now... The perfect villain has appeared. A true scumbag who wouldn''t mind dying right in front of you. Whether this experiment succeeds or fails, not even a ripple will be felt in my heart. Well, if I could go back to the way I was: ...... ''I guess I''ll just have to live a little more honestly next time. Once again, I hold the trash can out in front of the frog. The frog, still staring at me, his eyes welling up with tears, gently throws the ...... skewer into the trash. At that moment, the Conversation Record starts up, and a translucent panel appears in front of me. A short sentence was displayed on it. "Can you forgive me? It''s a strange question. Not ''Do you forgive me? Not ''Do you forgive me? . It''s as if he''s testing our mettle. Can you really forgive someone who told you a lie? In response to such a question, I felt as if I could understand just a little bit what it means to tell a lie in this town. However, just because I felt like I could, did not mean that I understood. I answered the displayed question clearly. ''Oh. I forgive you. At that moment, a blinding light enveloped the world, and I involuntarily closed my eyelids. When I opened my eyes again, I saw a naked man crouched down, holding a trash can and crying. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ............Ughhhh......!'' He cries without hesitation and repeats a misplaced ''thank you''. It doesn''t make me happy to be thanked by a ragdoll. However, if he wants to give up his ragtag status, I''ll at least accept his thanks. But only after I give him back. ''At a later date, you will be punished by the lord. ''Oh ...... I''ll do anything ...... this time it''s true!I''ll be ...... reborn! ''...... do what you want''. Then you must never forget it. I''m sure you''ll agree that what you tried to do was even worse than what I just did to you. It''s no fun looking down on a naked, sobbing man. I left the cell, locked the door tightly, and left. ''Yashiro''. Estella greeted me as I reached the table, invisible from inside the cell. You idiot, this guy. What are you crying about? Estella''s tear-stained eyes narrowed gently and she extended her arm. Her supple fingertips caress my cheek and touch my ear. It''s enough to unravel something inside me like a sugar cube melting in a teacup. ...... And ....... I dropped my forehead on Estella''s shoulder. I could smell the scent of the usual Estella, unpretentious and different from when she was in her lady-like mode. She gently stroked the hair on the back of my head. Just a little ...... For just a short time, I surrendered myself to Estella''s warmth. ''Frogs are cute. ''What?'' I said this as we left the prison and walked along the deserted street, Estella put her hand on my forehead and looked into my face. ''Wow, you look funny. ''I thought you were checking my fever. I don''t want that impression. ''I''ve never seen anyone say that frogs are cute. ''Well, I guess they are to you. Being a frog is the end of life. As long as that fact exists, frogs will be nothing but an object of fear. ''Where I''m from, frogs are just everyday creatures, and some people even keep them as pets. Bell''s horned frogs and dart frogs are also popular pets. Even if you don''t, if you go to the countryside, you will find them singing in chorus around the rice paddies every summer. ...... Oh, by the way... ''Are there any frogs in this city? ''Yes, there are. Didn''t you see them earlier? ''No, not the frogs, the creatures. Beetles, lizards, crickets, you know?Just like that.'' I''ve seen beetles and lizards and crickets in this city. I''ve seen crickets and lizards and crickets in this city. I''ve seen crickets, lizards, and crickets in this city. ...... Come to think of it, why is there a difference between when a muskmite chirps and when it doesn''t, when there are no four seasons?Is it because they are in breeding season or not?...... Hmm, I don''t know. ''Aren''t there tadpoles or something in the rice paddies?'' ''Well. At least, I haven''t seen any in the forty-second district. Are there any frogs? Maybe they were exterminated because they didn''t like the frogs. If the jinx of ''If you see a frog, you''ll be turned into a frog'' spreads, they''ll be considered pests in no time. ''Cause they were harmless creatures in my hometown. Except for a few poisonous ones. They don''t destroy crops, they rarely invade houses, and I''ve never heard of them attacking people. The only damage they do is noisy at night in summer. In my hometown, frogs are black-eyed, round-eyed creatures that make you fall in love with them when you stare at them. Well, individual impressions of frogs may vary. I''m fine with amphibians and reptiles, so I don''t find them repulsive or repellent. They were also popular among women in Japan. They sold frog calendars every year. ''At that time, the frog was staring at me with a tearful face, so I must have saved him, right? If you had done the same thing to me with a raggedy face, I would have snapped your front teeth with a gouge. It''s because frogs are cute, isn''t it? That''s it. So that''s it. Hearing my precise and accurate analysis, Estella says with a smile in her voice. ''In short, you''re using the cuteness of frogs as an excuse for your good deeds, aren''t you? ''It''s not an excuse, it''s a fact-based analysis--'' ''Oh, yes, yes. Cute, cute, cute.'' He stroked the back of my head while saying that. Hey, isn''t that ''cute'' on me? Don''t be so rough with me. I can hear Demilly''s footsteps. ''But I''ve never seen that before. I''ve never seen a frog turn back into a man.'' The fingers that had been playing with my hair move away and Estella presses my chest. If I had to add a sound effect, I''d say ''clap''. She presses her chest with a clunk. ''...... what? ''Knock''. ''I''m going to poke you? Raise your hands and shake your head. ''No, no, no, no,'' he said. ''......'' said Estella in disgust. She turns her gaze toward the prison, which is now a long way away. ''I''ve heard about it, but I was skeptical. ''Me too. That''s why I did the experiment.'' Estella purses her lips. She must have been about to say something, but held it back. She turns her head to look at me, and her face looks like she''s about to cry again. ...... Don''t cry. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us. My theory is that the Judgment of the Spirits will not work on those who have become frogs. Frogs are deprived of the human rights guaranteed in this city. In other words, the things that every person in this town has will disappear. Perhaps even the Conversation Record. The Judgment of the Spirits will make a false judgment based on the Conversation Record. When I checked my Conversation Record, there were no insect or animal noises in it. There was no sound of a buzzing insect, no cow bellowing in my ear. If a stray cat pounces on you on the street and you say, ''Oh, that''s nice, isn''t it cute?'', it will be recorded in the Conversation Record as a rather annoying monologue. The voice of a non-person will not be recorded in the "Conversation Record". If this is the case, then the Judgment of Spirits, which judges lies based on the Conversation Record, cannot judge animals whose voices are not recorded in the Conversation Record. In other words, there is a high possibility that the Judgment of the Spirits will not be able to judge former humans who have turned into frogs. There is a possibility that his past statements will be left behind and he will be multiplied, though. Well, if there is a possibility that you can avoid it, it would be useful to take out an insurance policy. ''So, let me borrow your pants. ''No, thank you! ''Don''t worry. I''ll pay you back.'' ''Please don''t use such a trivial lie as insurance for your life! Why not? If I''m about to be subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits by some madman, there''s a good chance I''ll be saved if you''re the first to cast the Judgment of the Spirits on me. In addition, I''ll have the right to legally own your pants until such an event occurs. ''That''s the best of both worlds, isn''t it? ''For you, that is!...... It doesn''t matter if it''s not pants or anything else. Well, that''s true, but... ''I might throw away something I''m not interested in. ......'' ''Can you please refrain from saying things that make me wonder if I should tell you not to throw away my things or if I should tell you not to be interested in my pants? It''s like telling a fish not to swim or not to be interested in your pants. Do you want me to die? ''...... pants craving murder case'' ''Don''t die, please, for such a trivial thing. Also, if you''ve developed craving syndrome, it''s not murder, it''s death by disease. ''I''ll have silk pants on my grave ......'' ''I refuse to do that. Does this guy have no blood or tears! ''He''s got no milk or tears. ''Blood, blood!And all three of them! ''All three? ''Yes! I don''t know. Isn''t this the moment when the true value of Judgment of the Spirits will be tested? Will you do it? Will you do it? ''You seem to have a disease that only allows you to talk nonsense. ''You''re making me do it. ''What are you trying to be cool about? I''m not cool, not at all. Estella frowned with a puffy face as if she was chewing on a bitter bug. That''s an awful sour face. You''re the yakuman of the sourpuss world. ''Hamumaro? ''Oh my!What''s the matter Hammaro, what are you doing here? ''You''re the boss''s errand boy! It seems that Umaro told him to go to the 41st district. ...... Don''t let Hammaro go alone, it''s dangerous. I''m not sure what kind of errand it was. ''My lord wants me to see if he''s doing anything strange ahead of time! ''That''s a very important mission. Good work, Hammaro. Thank you so much for your hard work. Estella, who is well aware of the troublesome nature of her childhood friend''s outbursts, is working on Hammaro. She''s deeply concerned. That idiot lord would have said, ''Let''s build a public bathhouse! and start evicting people from their homes before they even have a plan. It''s dangerous if we don''t have a thorough discussion with Umaro. We''ll have to wait and see. You know what you''re doing, Umaro. ''Where''s Onii-chan?Let him go? ''Who''s that, man? ''He''s on parole. ''Congratulations on your probation! ''Don''t teach troublesome words to kids who don''t understand anything, you''ll get them in trouble. They like to use the words they learn. ...... ''3,000 points to Mai Ping. ''I don''t know where you use it, but don''t teach them unnecessary words. It''s double the rate of Don. There''s plenty of ways to use it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. I was relieved to see that she had returned to her usual mood. It was a smile that clearly showed such emotion. You''re being too cautious. Well, I''m glad you were there for me this time. ''Well then, let''s go back to the sunlit pavilion and have some dinner. ''Yeah, sure. It''s Ginette''s feast. I''m filled with anticipation. ''''Eh, which part?'''' ''''Yashiro!It''s clearly your fault that even Hammaro is being adversely affected!Do your penance!Before the feast!'''' I think the lord of this city is a racist for blaming only me and not Hammaro who climbs on my back. One day, he will be denounced. I''m sure it won''t be long. Yeah. ''They say evil will die out. ''And since the root of all evil shows no sign of dying out, those words are a bit of a stretch, aren''t they? With Estella''s cat punch on our shoulders, we walked through the main street and headed for the sunlit pavilion. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. When I opened the door of the sunny pavilion, Ginette greeted me with a sunny smile. ''I''m home, Ginette! ''Wait a minute, Estella. Did you hear that?I thought you were welcoming me back.'' ''Welcome home, Estella. ''I''m back, Jeannette! ''You weren''t called, but you''re home! ''Welcome back, Hammaro-san. ''Hamma......, yes! ''If you''re going to say it, say it right to the end, Hammaro! There was a lot of noise as soon as we entered the store. The sunlit pavilion is really bustling. Well, unfortunately, I couldn''t smell the dinner wafting from the house. It was exactly open for business, and it smelled like a diner. It was the smell of a diner, which somehow became a soothing smell. ''I''ve made a feast for you. Ginette smiles at me as she pats Estella''s clinging head. Isn''t this guy the one whose trademark is a smile, not the lord of the 42nd district? ''If Ginette becomes the lord, Estella''s ''Lord of Smiles'' will also be returned. ''I''ll give it back any time, that''s for sure. ''But I''m not going to become a lord. ''If you do, that is. If Ginette becomes a lord, I''m sure she''ll be called--'' With a trademark smile. ''Lord of the Bulge''. ''Ginette, repent!Let me do penance! ''Oh, Mr. Yashiro. Please repent.'' Oops, I accidentally did that. I was more interested in the bulge than the smile. ''...... Yashiro, as usual.'' I''m not sure. He is the usual big brother. Magda and Loretta look amused when they see me being scolded by Jeannette and forced to do penance. Is my misfortune that much fun? ''......Yashiro'' ''''Big brother.'''' ''''Welcome back, sir!'''' They take both my arms and lead me to my usual seat. What is it?Why do they look so happy? ''No matter how it ends, you seem to have sorted out your feelings, Yashiro-san. Bertina was sitting in the back seat. Smiling, she took the seat where the feast would be served. ''You have an amazing sense of smell. ''I''ve been invited, Ginette. She was so excited that Yashiro-san asked her to come. Seeing how excited Ginette was, I said, ''I have to go eat! So she came here with joy. Well, with Bertina, it''s unlikely that any food will go to waste. She''s a city-friendly eco-sister. ...... Or maybe she''s an ecological sister who eats out of control. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m relieved that Yashiro-san came back as Yashiro-san. If I had killed that man there, I probably wouldn''t have come back here. If that didn''t happen, I guess I wanted to come back to this place. Well, the food is good, there are big tits, it''s reasonably noisy and relaxing, it shakes every time you walk, and hidden big tits come around all the time. Yeah, it''s a good place, this place. ''This place is relaxing, and you can poke your tits. ''Mr. Yashiro. Do you want to repent before dinner? ''I''ll apologize to the spirit gods before I go to bed.'' ''Oh my god ......'' With a pop, Bertina''s knuckles caress my forehead. I wonder if she means to hit me. The air in my fist is so tight that I can''t feel any impact. Isn''t this the kind of thing that makes bad kids grow up? I can''t think of any daredevil ideas that would seriously offend ...... Bertina, though. What?I''m not sure how long I''ve had that thought in my head.I''m sure I''ll cry if he gets really mad at me. ...... This sense of crisis, when did it happen? It''s time to party, folks. With a cheerful voice, platters are brought in one after another. No, what''s a party? ''I''ve made everything that Yashiro-san said he wanted to eat. With a platter piled high with fried shrimp, hamburger steak, and fried chicken in her hand, Ginette peeks her tongue out in a cute way. If I had been a cat, I would have seized the tongue that stuck out with a ''meow! If I were a cat, I would have stopped her. Or should I do it even if I were not a cat?I have a feeling I should! But unfortunately, the tongue escaped back into her mouth before she could seize it. ''This one is curry~! ''...... This is fried gori, Yashiro''s famous favorite food, with Delia, the food provider~'' ''I worked hard to catch this, Yashiro! Magda with Delia, served in the French style. How did you get all the ingredients in such a short time? ''Yes. Stewed root vegetables. You like this kind of food, don''t you? Norma brings me a small bowl with a gentle manner. Even though it looks brown and unpretentious, it looks so delicious that my stomach starts to churn at first glance. ''I didn''t know Delia and Norma were here too. ''I''m here too~a??'' Masha comes out of the kitchen with Medora pushing the tank. ''Masha, Medora''s here too? ''......I''m herea??'' ''Yeah, I''m going to ...... dream about it, so be careful.'' Don''t look down at me from so high up. I''m going to wake up in the middle of the night and say, ''Whoa! I''ll jump out of bed. ''You''ve all helped me. ''Masha and Medora?'' Estella, who had been clinging to Ginette, stood up and looked at the dishes that had been brought in. ''...... I wanted Ginette-chan only.'' ''That''s terrible, Estella! I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Well, the mermaid there was joking around. ''Medamama, you''re the one who made the butt hamburger! ''That''s a heart!Don''t say anything stupid in front of my darling! I don''t care if it''s a butt or a heart, can you please stop glancing at me, Medora. Your gaze, it''s got offensive power. You''ll take as much damage as if you walked through a poison swamp. ''This is Medora-san''s hamburger steak. What Ginette showed me was a very large hamburger. It looked like it could fill a frying pan by itself. ''Did you cook this properly? ''Yes, sir. It was worth cooking. Ginette clenched her fists and smiled with a sense of accomplishment. I see. If you cooked it, it''s probably not inedible. Just don''t expect unnecessary difficulty in cooking. Look at mine too! Masha shows me the hamburger on her plate. ''The original shrimp~a??'' ''It''s not even in its original form. ......'' ''I''m sorry. It''s hard to turn it over without destroying the tentacles and legs. ......'' No, Jeannette. You have nothing to apologize for. In the first place, it''s a mistake to try to recreate such a delicate thing with a hamburger. Well, I can do it! ''Then you can eat those two, Yashiro. I''ll take care of Ginette''s cooking. ''You idiot. If I eat Medora''s hamburgers, I''ll be full. ''It''s nice to be a boy who eats a lot!Yuck! ''Oh, no. My chest is burning. I might only be able to eat a bite or two. ......'' Can you please stop attacking me before I eat? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ''...... Yashiro''. Magda slipped past the crowd and presented me with a small plate. ''...... Magda''s handiwork. I did my best to cook it myself.'' On the plate was a cat-shaped hamburger, a circle with two triangles attached to it. No, it was Magda-shaped. ''...... because Yashiro got mad at me.'' I see. So this hamburger is a thank you for that. ...... Just because I''m mad doesn''t mean there''s anything to be mad about. ''Thank you. I''ll be grateful. ''......n''. ''Savor your meal. ''I''ve got some more for you, darling. ''Oh, you still have more, Medora? I don''t even know if I can finish this big one, even though it''s impossible, even though it''s absolutely impossible. ''I''m hungry. Bertina patted herself on the stomach, and it looked reassuring. I''m glad you''re here! ''Then, for tomorrow''s smiles. Let''s all eat together. She must have sensed the unsettling atmosphere. The party began with such a greeting from Ginette. Needless to say, all of Ginette''s dishes were delicious, and the hamburger steak that Medora and Masha had kneaded was delicious in its own way, and Magda''s homemade hamburger steak tasted nostalgic. The hamburger steak made by Magda tasted nostalgic. It tasted a little like the hamburger steak I made for the landlady. It tasted like a beginner had done his best. ''Whoa!What?What day is it today? The carpenters who have finished their work roll their eyes as they enter the sunlit pavilion where the party is being held. Their nostrils flare wide. Drooling. Stomach in chorus. ''Wow, that curry you''re holding smells so good, Loretta! ''Then I''ll have curry! ''Me too! ''''Today, we can offer a special curry with fried chicken! ''''''What''s that, it looks so delicious! Apparently, Loretta came up with it during the tasting. Well, we''re still working on toppings for curry, aren''t we? We''ve only done it a little during the field day. Curry with pork cutlet is very good, isn''t it? Loretta''s playfulness led to the birth of fried curry, which became a popular menu item that day. As the day drew to a close, I quietly put away the various thoughts and emotions I felt that day. I will not forget. But I won''t be trapped either. Tomorrow, I''ll live as usual again. I swear on my heart. I think "I swear on my boobs" is more enthusiastic than "I swear on my chest", yeah. 482-Episode 284. Turn someone into a frog. After the party at the sunny pavilion, I dropped Bertina off. Even though it was getting brighter, I couldn''t let the frail sister walk alone on the street at night. ''Hmmm... That''s what Millie-san said. ''Ladybug is kind.'' ''I like to talk, girls. It must have been when I dropped Millie off before. You didn''t have to go to Bertina to tell her that, did you? ''Talking and dressing up is a woman''s prerogative. ''What about nibbling? ''It''s a family affair.'' ''......, you''re getting angry.'' ''It''s only when it goes too far. ''You should be careful not to go too far, always. ''Then, while you''re at it, tell Milly about the term ''werewolf''. The girls of the 42nd district lacked a sense of danger. I''d say don''t let them take you home. Well, even if Millie says ''it''s okay to go this far'' on the way, I''ll take her home. It''s too dangerous. She might go into the grass saying, ''Slime worm! ''Hmm ......''. She covered her mouth and laughed, throwing her sense of danger as far away as a discus. ''Yashiro-san is a safe bet. I''m going to attack you, you bastard. You''ll make it impossible to hide your big tits. Garuu. ''Well, it looks like I''ll have to go around randomly touching her breasts. For everyone''s sake!For the sake of everyone who lacks a sense of urgency! ''Then, please come to the confessional before you go. I''ll tell you a lot of stories.'' You''re supposed to be helping people. To tighten up the girls in the 42nd district who are letting their guard down. Because it''s too late after something happens! ''I''m really relieved when you look like that. Looking at my profile, Bertina laughs quietly. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. ...... I''m sure they can see right through me, though. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m sending Bertina to you today. ''...... Aren''t you going to ask her? ''Yes, sir. I don''t listen. You don''t know where I''ve been, what I''ve been doing during the day. These guys, who''ve been feeling weird about me, know I''ve been doing something today. But no one has asked me what it was. Is it because of trust, or is it a case of the untouchable? ''If Mr. Yashiro wants to talk, I''ll listen as much as I can. But I''m not going to ask you any questions. Bertina looks at me as she straightens up and stops. ''Because I trust you that much, Yashiro-san. You think I can''t do something bad? You''re buying it, Bertina. I turned a man into a frog today. I robbed him of his rights. I trampled on his dignity. I''ve killed a man today. I don''t want anyone to blame me for that. I don''t want to be blamed for it. I don''t want to indulge in the illusion that my crime is lessened. But ...... ''Hey''. I honestly don''t want to feel guilty anymore, like I''m hiding something. ''Is it wrong to turn someone into a frog? It''s an act that takes away a person''s value as a human being. An act that destroys a person''s life. An unforgivable wrong. That''s what I thought. But-- ''No.'' Bertina flatly denied it. ''When someone turns someone into a frog, there must be a reason for doing so. It''s never something frivolous, is it?I don''t think that''s a bad thing, although it''s a sad fact that there is a great deal of determination and resolve on both sides that leads to such an end. There was a reason why it happened the way it did. So turning people into frogs is not a bad thing. ...... Really? If there is a good reason, there may be room for sympathy for the perpetrator if there are compelling reasons. If there is an unavoidable and desperate reason. But that''s not all, is it? There are people like me, and the collector Goffredo, who turn people into frogs for reasons that don''t really matter, like to show your power, or to bring them to their knees, or for other selfish reasons. I''m no different. Today, I''m driven by sludge-like hatred. ...... ''There are people who turn others into frogs in an attempt to trick them. Is that even innocent?'' ''Yashiro-san.'' The frustration he felt towards himself was evident in his tone of voice. Taking advantage of the fact that Bertina accepts everything, I was taking it out on her like a sulky kid. Without scolding me, Bertina gave me a gentle smile. It''s a sin to try to trick someone, not a sin to turn someone into a frog. When he said that, I felt as if the scales had fallen from my eyes. So it is not the action that is judged, but the motive for the action. It is true that frogging someone to protect a gynet and frogging someone to make money are two very different meanings of the same action. ...... Are you sure about that? You can find a lot of people who have been in the same situation for a long time, but they are not the same people. I''m sure you''ll have a lot of trouble in the future. I''m sure he will continue to be troubled. You are a kind person. ...... But each of those troubles will help you grow, and will be converted into kindness that will help someone else, and will be returned to the world. She said this in a sister''s voice, then smiled warmly like a mother. ''Isn''t that a very nice thing? It''s going to take a long time for my troubles to be transformed into kindness, though. It''s going to take longer than a koala to digest and absorb eucalyptus non-toxically. ''And Yashiro left a proper path to redemption, didn''t he? ''Did you hear anything from Estella at ......?'' ''No.'' In the event you have any questions concerning where and how to use the web site, you can contact us at the web site. But she shook her head that she did not. ''You can tell that by looking at Yashiro-san. The ''mother of us all'', who has taken in numerous kids and raised them, sometimes harshly, but most of the time indulging them, opens her arms and says with pride. ''I love you so much, Yashiro-san. There was the smile of the Holy Mother who had saved the hearts of all the children who had come to live in the church for various reasons. Ginette, who had closed her heart tightly, must have been liberated by this smile and saved many times. It seems that this kind of love is equally given to a rebound like me. ''...... at all''. Ginette is definitely like her mother. ''You shouldn''t have said that to me so defenselessly. What if I misunderstood and attacked you?'' She opened her arms, exposing her hidden big tits. ''Let''s eat,'' I said, and if I ran out, Bertina''s reaction time wouldn''t be enough to protect her. ''It''s a mother''s duty to trust her child. ''Then, I''ll take your word for it. Let''s eat. ''It is also a mother''s duty to discipline her children''s mischief. ''Ouch, ouch, ouch! He pinched me on the back of my hand. You''re not as strong as you look, Sister. No matter what I do, she''ll wrap me up. If I make a mistake, she''ll scold me. It''s not every day you find someone so precious. Even the landlady would''ve hesitated to tell me what I''d done wrong. But Bertina is ...... ''I frogged that thug today. ''I see.'' Easily. One little nod and she''d take it. ''How did you feel?'' ''It was the worst feeling I''ve ever had.'' ''I see... I''ve never been, so it''s refreshing to hear about your experience.'' Bertina has never frogged anyone before. Well, no. ''So, what did you do after that? ''I turned her back into a human. ''That was the plan all along, wasn''t it? ...... You talk like you know what you''re talking about. ''I wanted to do an experiment. Can you really turn a person back into a frog?'' ''I see. That was a valuable experience.'' ''Don''t you despise it? ''If it was for selfish and self-righteous reasons. But I have a feeling it''s not.'' ''I don''t--'' ''I don''t care about the right answer. It''s what I think. Because it''s the only truth I have. I challenged the experiment for a very self-righteous reason. ''Well, there was one miscalculation. ''Miscalculation, sir? ''I turned the annoying a**h*le into a frog. ...... The frog had an unexpectedly cute face. I''m not sure what to say. The frog was so cute that it ...... drained the poison right out of me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have cared what happened to that bastard. ''Hmmm ......''. Bertina laughs, covering her mouth. Just when I thought he had stopped laughing, he would look at me and start laughing again. I tried to recover several times, but he still started laughing. It''s ....... You''re laughing too much. ''I''m sorry ......, but ...... it''s so funny.'' After I had laughed and caught my breath, I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes with my fingers, and Bertina told me this old story. ''Ginette used to look at frogs and say something similar to what Yashiro is saying now. He said, ''You have pretty eyes. ''Jeannette did? ''Yes. ...... Hmm. I wonder if living under the same roof makes us similar. I''ve become a Ginette-level softie? It''s a joke, but it''s not funny. I''m afraid that when Bertina says it, it might really happen. So I''ll make it a real joke. She opens her arms and grabs her breasts. ''That''s not going to happen because the most distinctive part of you doesn''t look anything like her at all. ''Hmm ......, please drop by the confessional before you leave.'' Walking down the brightly lit night street with a laughing Bertina. I felt strangely calm, as if everyday life had returned to me. As I walked Bertina to the church, I asked her about something that had been bothering me before I left. ''Have you ever hated anyone, Bertina? ''Hate, sir? ''Not to the point of holding a grudge, but to the point of saying, ''I don''t want to see his face. When you are a child, you may have such feelings. No, when you grow up a little more and become more sensitive than when you were a child, you are bound to have one or two such people. Even after you become an adult, there will be people with whom you have disagreements. There will be people you don''t like and people you don''t understand. Some of them must have been insufferable and despicable. If you''ve lived as long as Bertina has, and come into contact with as many people as she has, there''s bound to be one or two people you can''t get along with. ''I can''t think of any. ''Not even one? ''That''s right. Although I can''t say for sure about the time when I was a child, when my memory was not clear. ''No, you don''t have to go back that far...'' ''I didn''t go back that far, did I? Oh, ......, I think he hates me now, don''t you? You''ve got a lovely smile on your face, Bertina. ''I can be angry. But that doesn''t mean that you hate them. ''But you can''t like everyone, can you? ''Not trusting is not the same as disliking, is it?I''m at least as cautious as you are, you know? I don''t trust people I don''t know well, but if you''re asking me if that''s ''dislike'', ...... well, it''s not. ''Are you trying not to hate them? ''No. If you go out with someone normally, you''ll see the good things about them, right?I just think it''s more fun to like those parts. I see. This idea has been passed on to Jeannette. ''Is there anyone, Yashiro-san?There are people you don''t like. ''More than I can count. ''Hmm. Now, shall I ask you to join me in practicing hating people? I''d like to experience the feeling of dislike for a little while. You say that happily. It''s probably impossible for you to dislike someone. You''d stop at ''sad'' or ''disappointed'' at best. You don''t have to do that. Bertina bows her head and walks into the church with a cake for the kids who couldn''t attend the party. As soon as Bertina entered the church, the happy voices of the children could be heard outside. I don''t want you to get cavities from eating cake at this hour. As I turned on my heel and was about to return to the sunny pavilion, I heard the window of the common room open, and the loud voice of the kid came from there. ''''Nee-chan, thanks for the cake! ''''''Thank you! Faces, faces, faces of the kids lined up in the window of the common room. Every single one of them is looking at me, the scoundrel, with a happy smile on their face. I feel like writing the word ''vigilance'' on their decors. ''Tell that to Jeannette! ''Yes!I''ll tell her tomorrow! The oldest kid says it on behalf of the others, and the other dumb kids are waving their hands in glee. You''re looking at a man who turned a man into a frog today. You should be more afraid. And behind the happy kids, Bertina peeked out and smiled happily. She had whipped cream on her cheeks. ''There''s the culprit of the nibbling! ''Sister, that''s not fair!I said later! ''Hmmm . You''ve been found out, haven''t you?'' ''I''m going to eat cake! ''Cakey! ''Ha-ha-ha! No one would blame you for snacking. Maybe if you grow up here, you won''t have time to hate anyone. I watched as the kids who had been bitten by the cake scattered from the window, and raised one hand in greeting to Bertina, who had been looking at me all the way. I''ll tell her when I get back to the sunlit pavilion. I''ll tell her that Bertina ate the kids'' cake. Well, I guess that cake was for her. I''m sure she ate a lot of it at the ...... party. As I walked along the brightly lit street at night, I wondered if there used to be people living around here. Jeannette had mentioned this to me during the heavy snow season. There used to be people living around here, too. I should have asked her about that, too. Somehow, I felt it would be better not to ask Jeannette, or rather not to ask her. Well, most of them must have moved because they couldn''t make money anymore. Like the family of the anteater brothers who moved to the fortieth district to start farming. In the old days, there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor in the Forty-second Ward. ...... Or perhaps it was too poor. There was nothing on the west side. Delia and her friends were there because of the river, but Momat''s field was abandoned on the outer wall. I wonder if it has something to do with it. It''s close to a swampy area. It was probably not a place where people liked to live. Now there is a branch of the Lumberjack Guild, and the young lady there lives happily every day. You never know what will happen in this world. There are Ricardo and Javier who come all the way to take a bath. The west side will probably change again. More lively. Louder. ''...... I''d rather you didn''t make so much noise. Such a murmur escaped from my mouth as I arrived at the Sunlit Pavilion. The sunlit pavilion has been standing here for a long time, and it must have watched the changes in this city. The way it stood there, so solidly, was even somewhat reassuring. As I walked around to the entrance, I could hear a lively voice inside. ''Why do you take the top strawberry when you ask for a bite? ''Because they''re delicious. ''Because they''re delicious, it''s good manners to hold back! ''But I like strawberries more than Norma, I think. ''Don''t be silly!I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who loves strawberries. ...... I''ll tell you how much I love strawberries for three days and three nights. Probably, this is the most noisy time in the history of the Sunlit Pavilion. ''What are you making a fuss about? ''Oh, Yashiro-san. I open the door and go inside, and Jeannette comes running towards me. ''I could hear you outside. ''Listen to me, Yashiro!Delia''s in trouble! ''What the hell?You said you''d give me a bite! ''Strawberries are not included in a bite! ''Oh, God. Ginette, get Norma a new cake. It''s on me.'' ''Then I''ll treat myself. ''The manager and Yashiro are being too lenient with Norma, aren''t they? ''It''s your mismanagement!I''d rather complain that they''re spoiling you too much! Delia and Norma often argue with each other, but they are actually very close. They often show a high level of cooperation, such as "A-Un Breathing" (Norma matching Delia) and "Eye Contact" (Norma understanding what Delia is trying to say). ''...... ginette. You can also add pudding a la mode to Norma.'' I''m sorry I put you through so much trouble. I''m really sorry. ''Yashiro, I want some pudding too.'' ''You just have to get fat.'' ''Hmm?I''m not getting fat. ''Only when you''re young, that''s when you can talk like that! ''Oh, you change when you''re Norma''s age. ''I''m not that different from you .............'' I don''t know how old ''not that different'' really applies. But I''m pretty sure I''m older than Delia. ...... Okay, I''ll ask Delia how old she is next time. ''Delia. Don''t tell Yashiro your age.'' ''What, why not? ''I''ll give you my pudding a la mode if you promise.'' ''I promise! d*mn. We''ve been beaten to the punch. ......! And the demon god is looking at us. He''s looking at me so hard. ''Well, you two can eat as much as you want today. I cover it up with a casual smile. Though Norma''s gaze doesn''t leave me at all. Keep smiling, keep smiling. You can fake it with a smile. Delia and Norma were invited to the restaurant free of charge by the manager as a ''special service'' because they had helped him fight off the thugs and deal with the situation afterwards. Even when it''s not a special service, don''t these guys eat for free? No, it''s fine. ''You''ve got a much clearer face. Estella walks up to me with a plate of strawberry shortcake in her hand. ...... Go ahead and leave it, you nasty bastard. I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ''...... There were some left, so I thought you didn''t want them.'' ''I was just going to the bathroom! ''............nyahaa??'' ''Only Umaro-san and Javier-san can fool you with that smile, you know! I see . ...... Ah, Magda''s giving her strawberries to Loretta. I''m sorry. You just wanted a little attention, didn''t you? ''And you''re pretending to want me to take your strawberries? ''No, I''m not!I''ll never give them to you! Estella hid the cake behind her body and threatened me. This is the lord of this ward. ...... ''What did you talk to the sisters about? ''We didn''t talk much about boobs. ''That''s not the topic I''m asking about.'' She stabs the strawberry on the cake with her fork and points at me with it. ''Eat it, strawberry. ''Well, it''s not much to talk about. Thank you for that little speech. ...... Oh, yeah. ''I wasn''t talking to Bertina, but I had a question for you. ''What is it?'' Estella might know more about it. She might know a lot about what it was like before the west side was deserted. I glanced over to see that Ginette was about to go into the kitchen to get a new cake. Nearby, Delia and Norma were still frolicking, but that wouldn''t be a problem as long as Ginette didn''t hear them. ''There used to be a lot of houses around here, didn''t there?How--'' Why did they disappear? I was about to ask that, but my mouth was blocked by Estella''s protruding strawberry. ''...... That''s not what we''re talking about here. Estella''s eyes were shimmering with sadness as she looked at me. ''Ah!I love you, Yashiro. Getting strawberries from Estella...'' ''You guys, if you take your eyes off ...... for a moment, the rumors will get out of control. Suddenly, Estella shoved a strawberry into my mouth. You can''t help but think that you''ve been ''ooh-ing'' at her. ''Nah, I just wanted to shut Yashiro up. ''Big brother, did you play with Estella''s tits again? ''...... Loretta. Who said anything about tits? ''Hahahaha!Estella-san has a knife in her hand and she looks like Yamamba! She grabbed the knife and chased after Loretta. Estella chased after Loretta. She glanced at me, her eyes telling me to keep quiet. You can''t let them hear you talk about it. ...... What the hell is going on around here? ''Here you go, folks. Pudding a la mode! ''Oooohhhh!Yay! ''Wow, that''s some nice decorations you got there. When Ginette reappeared, the hall''s attention was focused on her. Delia is hovering around Ginette, and Norma is admiring her work. You''re right, it''s much more sophisticated than what I taught you. I''m not sure how much a professional can change the way fruit is cut. ''...... saw the manager''s true intentions. ''Estella-san, look at this!Look, look, there''s enough delicious-looking pudding a la mode for everyone! ''Oh?That''s good, they have enough for Norma too.'''' ''Hmph. The manager is a nice and thoughtful woman. ''Well, then, I guess we don''t have a deal. ''One moment, please!I''ll treat you to a crepe tomorrow.'' ''I promise!I''ll never tell my age! Delia''s on a roll. She''s cheap. Magda liked the crepe so much when I told her that there was another way to eat it, and it quickly became one of her favorite sweets. However, the clean and sturdy paper is slightly expensive, so it has not reached the eating style familiar in Harajuku. Even though the shape is similar. They are still served on a plate and eaten with a knife and fork. ...... If they could be made to be eaten on the go, I''m sure they would sell like hotcakes at the No. 2 and No. 7 Yodamari-tei stores. If it''s crepe batter, Ginette can make a lot of it very quickly. I taught her how to make mille crepes a long time ago, so she''s already mastered it. ''Ah ............ yummmm! Delia took a seat and chewed on the pudding. Her expression is melting, as if she is expressing the softness of the pudding. ''You know, the pudding that the manager makes seems to be extra soft and sweet. ''I don''t think so, sir. Yashiro''s pudding is also delicious. At the moment, the only people who can make pudding are me, Jeannette, and Chef Pompeo, the owner of Forty District Luxury. Magda and Loretta can also "help". I''ve tried to make a prototype before and it failed, so I think I''m almost there. ''...... Yashiro likes boobs, so he wants his pudding to be soft. That''s a given, of course. If you don''t care about the soft and fluffy texture, what kind of man are you? ''...... In the case of the manager, the soft ingredients are leaking out.'' ''What, really? ''Estella-san is biting too much, it''s a bit of a turn off! ''No, not at all. Ginette puffs up her cheeks and pats Magda''s head with a ''puff''. What''s that, a reward? Is that supposed to be a punishment? I''m just doing penance? Isn''t that a little harsh?I''d like that too. Look at that! Magda''s ears are shaking with joy! ''I wonder if I''ll ever learn to make pudding. ''Shall I teach you how to make hard-baked rice crackers? ''I''m talking about pudding, am I? No, I heard it depends on your boobs and how soft the pudding is. If that''s the case, I thought it''d be better for Estella to have something unique. It''s caring, caring. ''Ginette, eat with me.'' ''Yes, I will. I''ve made one for myself as well.'''' Ginette pokes her tongue out. ''From 5000Rb. ''Seven thousand rb! ''Don''t compete with me, Estella. Estella''s bid came in right at the start. But I understand, Estella. That was about as destructive as it gets, wasn''t it! ''I''m afraid it''s not for sale. Ginette puffed up her cheeks and poked me in the side. See, she''s only angry with me again. Even though Estella was the one who bid on it. ''...... Manager. I''ve closed the store.'' ''Thank you, Ms. Magda. Magda-san, come eat with us here.'' ''......Yes.'' Magda ran quickly and clung to Jeannette''s waist. She was sitting on a chair watching the pudding, but before she knew it, ...... Magda is greedy to be praised by Ginette. He and Estella took a seat next to Ginette. I took a random seat in an empty one. Next to Loretta and Norma. Across from Jeannette. ''When did you give the signal to close? ''Uh-huh. It''s a secret signal between me and Magda. ''I know it too!I learned from Magda that when the manager does this, it''s a signal to close the store. Loretta fluttered the "L" made with her thumb and forefinger as if twisting her wrist. ''The secret''s out, isn''t it? ''Huh!Was that a bad idea?But, but, but, everyone here is a friend and a good person, so I thought it was okay to ......! ''...... Loretta''s pants today are moss green.'' ''Why are you telling me this, Magda? ''...... Everyone here is your friend, and you''re a good person, so I thought it was okay.'' ''Mwah!If you say so, there is no way to argue! Ginette giggled as she looked at Loretta, who was holding her head. It seems you didn''t have to keep it a secret. It''s not like it''s a sign of inconvenience if they find out. ''Then let''s keep it a secret from everyone here. I have a feeling that by tomorrow, all the kids in the church will be doing the same thing, I think. ''Oh, by the way, on the way to drop Bertina off, I asked her if there was anyone she didn''t like. ''You mean the sisters?I don''t think so.'' ''Oh, I can''t think of any.'' ''Hmm. Sister is a person who falls in love easily. Ginette seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. I''d like to see Bertina''s frown for once, though. ''When the rebellious children tell the sisters that they hate them, they get very depressed. It''s sad, sad, sad. ...... It must be heartbreaking to see that. I''m going to go say I''m sorry right away. This must have happened many times. Maybe Jeannette has been there, too. ''That''s why the children of the church grow up never saying "I hate you" to anyone. They know how sad it makes the person who says it feel. ''Some model students, right?'' ''I''ve never been told that, have I? That''s because they''re gynets. ''Let''s send in Use or Assunto. ''I recommend ...... Becco.'' ''Oh, no, Magda, you can''t. Gosaru-san is popular with children because of his funny face.'' ''No, gentlemen. You can''t say that. He got angry when I listed the people who might not like him. ''The children of the church are all good kids. I love them too.'' Where did you get the ''too'' from? ....... ''Well, if you ask me, none of them swear or talk behind my back. ''Everyone is learning from the sisters. She laughs, as if to say, ''Of course I am. The fact that she can boast about her mother without embarrassment must be due to the good relationship they have built. I hope the oldest mischievous boy doesn''t turn out to be a serious motherf*cker. ''It''s a really nice city. Forty-two wards.'' Ginette''s eyes, smiling quietly, seemed to be staring somewhere far away, not here, and for a moment she looked like a different person. A Ginette I didn''t know. That''s what I felt. ''We have to be good role models, don''t we? But soon the familiar Ginette came back. She smiles at me. ''Yes, you do. The smile makes me feel like I''m about to give a hand to the kids, which is not like me. ''I''ll leave health and physical education to you. ''It''s imperative that we correct this bad example first. ''I''m sure you''re right. ''Hey, Yashiro, don''t do that in front of the kids. ''My brother will have to spend more time in the confessional. ''I can''t help it, it''s ...... Yashiro.'' The people around us all looked at us in disgust, and we received the familiar words from the front. ''Oh, God. Please repent. This is the Sunken Pavilion of today. The current 42nd district. I don''t know the history that existed here before that. The day I found out came sooner than I expected. 483-Episode 285 Past of Ward 42 It was the afternoon of the next day when Estella called me. The lunch hour was over and there was no time to spare before tea time. I said I was going to take a look at the construction and left the sunny pavilion. There were many stern, muscular men coming and going along the wide, neatly laid out streets. A lumberjack and a hunter. They were dispatched from the guilds guarding the 42nd district. ''Whoa, the Strategist of District Forty-two! A stocky man with white hair walks towards the city gate. Although he looks like he''s strolling along, his body looks smooth and slender, and you can tell that his muscles are tightened to the limit. That boy waving at you with a carefree smile is the young hope of the hunting guild. That''s Alvaro. ''Who''s a warlord? ''I''ve been beaten to a pulp by your strategies. ''I haven''t had an adversary with you since the gluttony contest. ......'' ''No, no, no. Actually, I''ve been challenging you personally. Why are you doing this to yourself? And when did I win again?I don''t know. ...... I don''t know. ''Cause I was totally upset at the ward field day. I spent my entire month''s allowance on my mom''s yellow team, and now they''re all broke because of you. ''It''s not my fault. ......'' You can bet all you want, but I can''t stand it when you blame me for your losses. I only contributed to my army''s victory. ''Don''t hold a grudge over something like that, okay? ''Hahaha, no, no, that''s not true. I like your ideas a lot because they''re funny. Alvaro squared his shoulders in a friendly manner. He''s a very brazen guy with a childish look on his face. Whether you think he''s friendly or impudent depends on who you are. ''The military strategist is going to the gate now, isn''t he? ''Yes, but not the warlord. ''Then, do you want your mother''s darling? ''Please don''t, please don''t.'' ''Ohhhh!The warlord bowed deeply! Please don''t raise any more strange flags. I can hear Medora''s footsteps in my dreams. ...... Scary, huh? ''Well, what does Magda call the warlord? ''Hmm?It''s usually ''Yashiro''. ''I see. I think I''ll do the same. ...... hmm? What''s this feeling. You don''t seem to like it. ......? ''Eh, what?Do you like Magda?'' ''Of course I do!He''s younger than me, but he''s got guts!That guts!And his ability to defeat me!She''s the best of the best in every way!I believe Magda can surpass even Mom!...... Well, everyone laughs when I say that, but... They don''t understand. It looks like he''s buying a lot of Magda. ''When he came to the headquarters, he found me and said, "Hey, loser. I thought I''d kill him. Alvaro laughs unrestrainedly. What, do you like it?Do you hate it? I mean, what are you doing at Magda......? I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It''s a really late lunch break. I''m sure Magda can handle you at this hour. ...... ''Are you going to eat a big meal? ''I don''t have that much money. So I''m going to eat fast! You''re a schoolboy, aren''t you? You''ve got sparkling eyes. But Magda isn''t that fast of a eater. Eating too fast doesn''t seem to be good for you. ...... ''Do you like sweets? ''No, I don''t like sweets. ''I see. I thought the cakes at the Sunlit Pavilion would be good for a quick meal, but if you don''t like sweets, you''ll be at a disadvantage. ...... Oh, that''s right. I''m sure you''ll be happy with the results. ''Hard-boiled eggs, huh? ''Yeah. They''re about this big, with a slippery surface. But well, one is not enough, so how about three cakes for Magda and six boiled eggs for you?Maybe they''ll be about the same size. It''s like a different kind of martial arts!I''ll take that match! Alvaro clenched his fists and smiled. ''Then, the loser pays the price, give my regards to Magda. ''Yes!I''ll come back later to tell you the result of the game! ''No, that''s okay. I''ll ask Magda later.'' ''Alright, let''s beat Magda! Alvaro raises his fist in the air and heads for the Sunken Pavilion. But as soon as you raise your hand to defeat Magda, the game is already decided. Your enemy is me, the one who decided the game. At best, you can stuff your throat with boiled eggs and bark, ''I can''t eat that fast! You can stuff your throat with boiled eggs and howl, ''I can''t eat that fast! After seeing off Alvaro''s back, I headed for the plaza in front of the city gate. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''You are a ......''. When I explained to her what had happened, Estella held her forehead and sighed. ''Delia is at the Sunshine Pavilion today, right? ''Ah. The water temperature hasn''t risen yet, so she''ll be fishing sparingly. ''Then Delia might be there. ''Oh, six cakes'' worth of profit. Good. There''s no way Delia and Magda could lose. Well, even if one of them loses, Jeannette will pay for it at the Sunshine Pavilion. No, they won''t, though. There is no food more unsuitable for fast eating than boiled eggs. If it''s two boiled eggs and 500ml of carbonated drink, I''ll choose the carbonated drink. ''Well, let''s change places. ''Before Alvaro comes to complain, huh? Yeah, yeah. He''ll definitely come for the monk, you know. ''Your popularity knows no bounds. I envy you. ''Shut up. Don''t look at me with that not-at-all-envious grin. I wondered if there was any way I could get him to stop smirking, when he suddenly came over. ''Ah!The Lord of Smiles! ''...... ugh''. Omar, a carpenter from the 35th district, ran up to Estella, calling her with a happy voice. ''Are you inspecting?Thank you for your hard work! ''Ah, yes. It looks like the construction is going well. ''Because it''s the 42nd district!When I think that I''m surrounded by the air of the city where the Lord of Smiles lives, ...... I can''t sleep at night! ''''Go to sleep!I''m afraid of an accident! ''...... kind, smiling lord.'' ''Also, stop being a smiling lord! He''s grown quite attached to you, Estella. I''m glad to see that the construction of the port is progressing. ''''Well then, my break is over, so if you''ll excuse me!The port, I''ll make sure it''s a good one, so please keep your eyes peeled! ''Oh, yes. Please do.'' ''Aaah!The Lord of Smiles'' smile is here! He bent his upper body in a gutsy pose and howled high into the sky. Here, a pervert was born. ''Alright!I''m going to work hard this afternoon too! Omar walked out of the gate with a shout. ''Your popularity knows no bounds. I''m so jealous~'' ''Shut up, .......'' The boomerang you threw at me sticks back at you. It''s time for Estella to understand exactly where she stands. You''re an illiterate master who is liked by illiterates. ''Well, it would certainly be better to move the place. There were quite a few people in the square, including carpenters, hunters, and even some of the lords who had come to check on the progress of the construction during their lunch break. Estella looks around at them and says. This is probably not the best place to have a private conversation. Well, it was a good reason to leave the sunny pavilion, though, ''to see the city gate''. ''Let''s find someplace where we can be alone. ''Then there''s a public bathhouse near here...'' ''I''ll stab you.'' However, it is better to refrain from going into the NTA (a place to gather in case something happens) alone with Estella in such a crowded place ...... when the lords of other districts are paying attention. You can''t be sure that they won''t take advantage of you. ''Then I''ll go with you. A familiar voice called out from behind us as we talked in secret. ''Demilio-sama! ''You can''t talk in secret in a place like this, can you? It''s true, if they sneak up behind you, they can eavesdrop all they want. ''As a head waiter, you can''t argue with them, but as a lord of another district, I won''t start any rumors. He pointed in the direction of the NTA. When Imelda asked me to go to the party for the completion of the Woodcutter''s Guild, Demilly, the surprise guest, was waiting for me at the NTA. He knew the secrecy of that room well. He knew that a man and a woman - and a man in the position of lord - could not dare to enter that secret room. Even if Natalia was with them, Estella could have her wait in another room if she so chose. I''m not good at denying meetings. ''Then you''ll come with me.'' ''I suppose so. Oji-sama, I''m sorry to bother you, but ......'' ''Nah. I said so myself. Besides--'' Demilly puts his arm around my shoulders, brings his face close to mine, and clears his throat low in my ear. ''There''s been a bit of a rumor going around lately, you know?Let''s be careful, okay, Oba? ''...... It''s not just my fault, is it? You should blame Estella for her carelessness too. ...... d*mn it. With a worried old man in tow, we moved to the NTA. ''Oh, it''s brighter than I thought. ''Don''t say that while looking at someone''s scalp, Oba-kun. The room was brighter than I expected. Thanks to Demilly. ....... It''s my punishment for making a strange accusation. It''s a simple one-story house that was built in a hurry, but there''s no way to overhear private conversations. As long as you don''t shout too loudly, your conversation won''t be leaked outside. ''This kind of interesting building is also like the 42nd district, isn''t it? Demilly smiled and tapped on the wall inside the room. She looks like she wants it, but her response is, ''No, you can''t build this. A secret base like this is only fun if there are people who gather there. Demilly would use his own mansion for secret meetings with well-wishers. It''s useless. ''Useless'' and ''titless tube tops'' are similar--'' ''I''ve heard that crap before.'' I see. So it''s a known fact. I see. ''But you''re being very careful, aren''t you? He said in a light tone and turned his gaze to Estella. ''Is it really that serious? ''...... Yeah. Well, yeah.'' When I look at her seriously, Estella smiles weakly as if she is troubled. ''Actually, I got a letter from Estella yesterday. I''m going to talk to Oba-kun about it. Well, I thought it might be difficult for Estella to talk about it alone, so I went out of my way to help her. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. It sounds like a pretty heavy story. The reason why there are no people living around the sunlit pavilion on the west side of the 42nd district. There''s a reason hidden in there that Estella is worried about. It was an event that even reached the ears of the distant lord of District 40 and was recognized as "an issue". What was going on? ''Is it something to do with the swamps and slums? If so, it would explain why Estella interrupted me when Loretta was there. Loretta would be upset if her people moved away because they couldn''t live near a slum. At least she would be depressed. ''No, it''s not ...... related, but I don''t think it''s what you think it is.'' Estella looks away, as if she''s having a hard time saying it, but then she takes a deep breath and looks at me as if she''s made up her mind. Then, in a clear, quiet voice, she says. ''A few years ago, there was a terrible disease that spread all around this area. A disease ......, an epidemic. ''First, a member of the river fishing guild came down with it and suffered from severe asthma symptoms. Next, those of the agricultural guild who grew fruit in the woods across the river, and those who made forestry their living, fell ill with the same symptoms one after another. The disease spread quickly. The disease spread to the family members who were taking care of them, then to the neighbors, and then to the whole area to the west. ''...... Many people died. At that time, we couldn''t even buy medicine and there were only a limited number of people who could receive ...... treatment. ............ Estella bites her lip. It seemed to me that she was trying to hold back the tears. ''So the Lord of the time - my father - started to investigate the cause. Since the first patient was a man who worked in the river or the woods beyond, he thought the cause must be in that vicinity. ...... did not find the cause in the end. However, I was able to formulate a general theory. In other words-- ''The pathogen must have come from the swamp,'' the team concluded at the time. ''We called it ''the great disease of the swamps''. --We called it the ''Great Sickness of the Swamp'', and some of the unthinking said it was due to the wrath of the spirit gods. But that is a falsehood with no roots. There is no need to listen to them. Demilly stroked Estella''s hair. So this is what Estella was having trouble saying. In other words, people from other districts who were not affected by the epidemic were saying that the reason the epidemic spread in District 42 was because of what District 42 did to the spirit gods. It''s because they were hated by the spirit gods that they suffered such a fate. ...... I see. I''m sure that''s one of the reasons why people despise the 42nd district so much. The people who were abandoned by the spirit gods - the people who were touched by the spirit gods'' anger. That''s what the people of District Forty-two are. ''That year, there were a lot of days with high temperatures even though it wasn''t the hottest season, and the general view is that the temperature probably caused pathogens to appear in the swampy areas. If you don''t think about it calmly, tomorrow will be your own fault. We do not know when extreme weather events will occur. In order to take countermeasures, a careful investigation was conducted. So it''s probably the right thing to do. You don''t have to give a second thought to that nonsense. If you''re going to the trouble of saying so, then I''m guessing there''s a lot of that kind of backbiting going on over a wide area. No, it is possible that it is a common practice among the aristocrats. However, if you talk about it openly, people might say, "You have the same disease? So, we just don''t say it out in the open. It may be a virus that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, like malaria, which is a disease ...... spread by abnormal weather. It will be difficult to find out the cause even if we investigate. If you don''t know that mosquitoes carry the virus, you wouldn''t believe that you got it from a mosquito bite. ''In the end, there was only one way to stop the spread of the epidemic. ''Quarantine and containment, huh? ''...... Yeah. People with the disease were gathered in one place, and neighboring houses were closed to the public. I think the camp was just around here, right?'' The west side of the outer wall. A place people rarely go. They quarantined many people there and waited for the disease to end. It must have been painful for you not to be able to save the ...... people. ''Oh, ...... that''s why, Bertina.'' ''Yes, that''s true. I think she was distraught when the children collapsed one by one during the floods. When the church''s well was contaminated and the kids all collapsed, Bertina was uncharacteristically distraught and exhausted. If an epidemic broke out in the same place in the past and many people died, it''s no wonder she was so distraught. ''Even after the disease was over, no one came to the west side for a while. Vegetables could not be sold. River fish didn''t sell either. I guess that''s why the prices kept dropping. I guess the prices of vegetables and fish were too low when I came here. I took advantage of the situation and bought them at even lower prices. ...... Yeah, I''ll give them back. I''ll give it back to you. I''ll give it a big promotion at the Sundaari-tei. It''s tasty and nutritious, I thought, and suddenly I thought. ''Could it be that Jeannette''s grandfather is suffering from that epidemic? ''No. Jeannette''s grandfather died a while before that.'' ''...... I see.'' Somehow, I''m relieved. He died in the end, but the fury of the natural world that we can''t resist leaves a lingering mark on our hearts. ''After that, the number of people who wanted to live in the west decreased drastically. Only the river fishing guild, the farming guild, the church, and the sunny pavilion remained. So, because of the danger of collapse and the deterioration of public safety, the abandoned buildings were all demolished at once. So, it became the lonely west side we see today. ''What did Jeannette do at that time? ''She was at the Sunken Pavilion. ''Huh? Estella giggles at my surprise. ''Yeah, you''d be surprised,'' she said. ''I used to go to the camp every day to deliver food to the quarantined people. ''What a fearless .......'' ''I probably should have stopped too, Jeannette, but I was so unstable right after I lost my grandfather. ...... I felt like I''d disappear if I didn''t have something to live for. ......'' The reason for living keeps people alive. Did you prioritize giving Jeannette the will to live, even though you knew it was dangerous? ''Besides, the disease did not infect the child. ''What ......?Is that right? ''Yeah. All of them were adults in their prime of life. Only people in their twenties to fifties were affected. The people who died were all of that generation. I see. ...... That''s why the kids in the church and Bertina are safe. ............ No, Bertina is older than fifty years old... I''m not talking about that. I''ll leave it at that. ''So, the reason I avoided this topic last time was--'' The words that followed caught me off guard in a way, but also gave me a strange sense of satisfaction. ''It''s because Delia''s parents died of the disease. That''s the reason why the young Delia is the head of the guild, and why she is so particular about her duties, I thought. For a while now, I have been feeling uncomfortable about ....... Actually, I have been feeling uncomfortable for a long time. For a while, I was convinced that it was because the city was poor. But I knew there was a reason for it. ''So maybe Miry''s parents were there too? ''Yes, they are. Delia and Milly live alone. Neither of their parents are here. I thought it was an accident or an illness, but I didn''t think it was an epidemic. ''And so is Paula''s mother. ''Paula''s?'' Paula''s house is on the main street. It''s not on the west side of the street, so why ...... ''Paula''s mother is a devout Alvistan who used to come to church for services. ''So, ......'' It''s not surprising that Paula would think that it was ''because'' she went to church. But when I look at Paula now, I don''t see any of those feelings. ''It seems that Paula was a mother''s child. Whenever she has time, she goes to church to help out, just like her mother used to do. I heard Jeannette say something like that. She said that she met Paula at the church and that they cleaned the church together. Oh, so that''s why Paula comes by the Sunken Pavilion from time to time. Sometimes I wondered ''why at this time? But that was on her way back from church, wasn''t it? ''Zelmar, who used to make furniture from wood cut from the forest, is also a former resident of the West. Umaro used to say in his sleep that Zelmar was a respectable craftsman, but if he was working with wood, it makes sense that Umaro would be interested in him. Ah, so that''s why Zelmar had a hard time showing up at the Sunken Pavilion. Because he ran away. He left behind the sunlit pavilion and Ginette, who had just lost her grandfather. ...... I don''t think you need to worry about that. I don''t think that Ginette cares about such things. What''s more, Zelmal was at the age when he was infected with the epidemic. On the other hand, Grandma Mum is amazing. I''m amazed she didn''t run away. Maybe she thought she couldn''t leave Jeannette alone? That''s why Jeannette is so attached to Grandma Mum. ...... Grandma Mum needs to be treated well. She needs to indulge herself, rejuvenate herself, and stay with Jeannette as long as possible. ''And now, Oba-kun. Demilly says in a quiet voice. With a delicate care, like speaking without extinguishing a candle, softly. ''It was that epidemic that caused Estella''s father, Ortwine Creamona, to fall ill. In a tone of voice that took the utmost care not to hurt Estella next to him. ''...... My father was taking part in a survey of the swamps. They''re trying to find the disease that''s afflicting the people and establish a plan to deal with it. He took the lead. Then he was struck by an epidemic: ...... ''So, from the administration?'' ''Yes. ....... I spent much of my savings on medical treatment and medication, and managed to survive. But, ...... in the end, I could not return to the stage.'' Estella''s voice wavered in tears. Maybe the reason he stayed on as acting lord was because he wanted his father to return as lord. Of course, there was also the fact that he lacked self-confidence, but it was probably because he wanted it more than anyone else. That''s what I feel. ''My father didn''t want me to spend money on therapy. If he had that kind of money, he would have used it to subsidize the families of the victims. ...... But, you know, the people said, ''The lord should be treated. It seems that the Cremona family was a lord who was loved by his people for generations. ''If only I had met Yashiro earlier, I might have made a full recovery in no time with my magical powers. ''You idiot. I''m not a wizard. There are definitely more things I can''t do. I can do almost nothing. The only thing I can do is pull the wool over other people''s eyes. With the epidemic raging and the loss of so many workers, the 42nd district is even more impoverished. The deteriorating image of river fish and vegetables grown on farms in the west will also add to the problem. I wonder how they managed to hold on to them by the scruff of the neck. ''Estella''. I don''t care what anyone else says, I can proudly give you these words. ''You''ve done well. You''re amazing.'' ''Yashi......! Estella''s face twisted lopsidedly and beautiful drops splattered on it. She climbs over the table and jumps on me from the seat across from me, and I stand up to catch her. You can''t let yourself fall backwards when someone jumps on you while you''re sitting down. I ...... can''t do anything about it. ............!There are so many things I have to abandon ............ me ...... me! ''Idiot. You''re the reason I''ve made it this far.'' The first time I saw the 42nd district, it was miserable. But in a little over a year, this city has changed a lot. It will continue to change. ''Because of you, District Forty-two is still alive. Laugh more and stretch your chest out, Lord of Smiles. ''Oh, ...... Gu............ Lords of Smiles, you ...... say! ............Oh! She punched me in the chest while crying, then looked up at me and smiled. It was a big mistake, but I thought it was a nice smile, vulnerable and pure. ''Well, I guess it''s not too much to ask you to show off your chest. ''Shut up. Doh! ......! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... My collarbone ...... ''You guys are way too close ...... to each other.'' I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited about this. ''It''s good that you trust each other, but not too much. I''ll pretend I didn''t see it this time. He stroked Estella''s hair with his hand and said, ''A lady should behave like a lady,'' as if he were a blood relative. Estella also apologizes as if she were his daughter, ''Yes ...... I''m sorry, Mister. It''s so ladylike. ''Estella is a spoiled brat, she''ll get attached to someone easily. Can you watch out for her?'' ''No, I''m not trying to spoil you, I''m just...'' He turned away, his neck bright red. ''You should hook up with the head waiter''s girlfriend. Natalia, right? You should go easy on her.'' ''...... No, I''m not going to spoil Natalia. ............'' You don''t want to show weakness, not to her. As much as possible. You never know where he''s going to say something. Natalia will expose you when the damage is most likely to be done. ''Then you should go with the manager of the sunlit pavilion. Her receptiveness is wonderful, even from my point of view. ''I can indulge myself in Ginette-chan. Hehehe ......, it feels good to squeeze her. ''Yes, yes, yes. I''m a little disappointed that I won''t be able to experience that, but I can rest assured that Estella has a wonderful friend. ''d*mn, why is it that when Demilly says it, I don''t feel like a prick? ''It''s a shame you can''t experience that, duh,'' she should have said. ''It feels good when I squeeze you~,'' or something like that. ''After all, the manager of the sunny pavilion is such a big man that even Oba-kun can catch and wrap him. There aren''t many people who can do that. When did I ever get pampered and wrapped up by Jeannette? ...... You talk like you''ve seen me. ''Estella. Demilly''s talking about Jeannette''s tits.'' ''I''m not!Where did you get that from, Oba-kun? I''m not sure what you''re talking about. You''ve added a lot of ornaments that I haven''t mentioned. ''Well, that''s true. Estella and I are both spoiled by Jeannette. I''ll admit that point. After admitting that--'' ''Estella. Let''s go bury ourselves together now, together now.'' ''Do you want me to go and beat you up?'' I''m not getting any sympathy. What a guy. Anyway, now I understand why Jeannette looked so lonely during the heavy snowfall. This is not a topic to be broached carelessly. I''m glad to know. I don''t want to hurt anyone by talking about it without knowing. ''I should have told Yashiro sooner. I''m sorry.'' ''No, you''ve had a hard time saying some things too, haven''t you? About your father, about the people you couldn''t protect. He''s not very good at dismissing those things as ''in the past'' and moving on. He drags things on and on and on and on. I guess he couldn''t find the right moment to talk about it. I''m sure Jeannette is still dragging her feet. Even if you try to think that it can''t be helped, the scenery that has changed will always be there. ''Well, you know...'' You can''t pretend that the tragedy didn''t happen. You can''t just forget about it either. So, at least... ''The west side is going to get more and more crowded from now on, so make sure you write it down as a record. In the distant future, you will be able to learn that such things happened. I''ll make the future as fun as the painful past. ''Thank you, Demilly, for being here. I''ll also thank the good-natured lord. ''Hmm... It''s a valuable experience to see you expressing your gratitude so honestly. ''I''m grateful for the light in the room. ''You should be honest and say thank you!Hey! I''m grateful. As proof of this, I''m tempted to mobilize the lumberjack guild and make plans to make the west side of the city more lively. When the port is completed, I''ll invite the port workers to live on the west side, so that the area around the sunny pavilion will be more lively. I''ll build a snow playground, an orchard that sells pear picking by managing the fruits that grow naturally in the forest, and other fun things to attract people, create jobs, and attract permanent residents. Well, I don''t know how many years it will take. ''Well, what''s this? The next day. I called Grandma Mum and the other old men. I asked them to send a letter to Orkio and Sirach who lived in the 35th district. I asked them to write to Orkio and Sirach, who lived in the 35th district. And. Even though he was a nobleman, Orkio was now an old man and had nothing special to do. He and Sirach rode in a carriage to the Sunken Pavilion. There, I presented the old men with an envelope. It''s a very good one I got from a certain source. ''Please open it. Ginette looked at Mum and the others happily. Last night. I talked to Ginette, and she agreed to give it to the old men as a gift. Well, I was told that I should invite the manager and others, so I thought that Ginette would have the right to do so. I thought Ginette would have agreed to the transfer without hesitation. No way, ''That''s a great idea!That''s Mr. Yashiro!'' I didn''t think she would be overjoyed. It seems that Jeannette had always wanted to repay Old Mum and the others for their kindness. Aside from Grandma Mum, I don''t think it would be a waste of time to repay Zelmar and the old man. ''Well, accommodation tickets?It''s ...... ''Cradle of the Moon''. It''s a set of accommodation vouchers for the high-class inn (laughs) ''Moon Cradle'' that Donnis gave me when I went to the 35th district to make rice cakes, and free food and drink vouchers for a kaiseki bar where you can enjoy sweet sake and tofu. ''Wow, it''s a high-class inn in the 24th district, isn''t it? ''Well, does Orkio know about it? ''Well, yes. We''re neighbors. I''ve never stayed there, though. Orkio was originally a nobleman from the 35th district. He seemed to know about the high-class lodgings in the neighboring 24th district. ''It''s amazing, the Cradle of the Moon. It''s a four-story building, after all. ''Well, four floors?It looks very big. ''It''s very big. I''ve only ever walked past it myself. Sirach puts a small hand to his mouth and smiles. I''m afraid you look like an old lady when you do that. When I first met her, she was an obese woman who couldn''t even stand up by herself, and she would always say ''another one''. Orkio, a human nobleman, and Sirach, a swallowtail butterfly. Their marriage had been passed down as a tragedy for a long time due to the aristocrat''s vain pretensions and pride, but during the preparation stage of Wendy''s wedding, we all worked together to transform the tragedy into a romantic love story, and the couple is now living happily together in the 35th district. Orkio, who ran away from the nobleman''s house, drifted to the 42nd district, met Ginette''s grandfather who was the manager of the Sunshine Pavilion, and drowned his loneliness of being single in the 42nd district. That''s when I got to know the Jijii5, right? The "Jijii5" are the four old men, Zelmar, Orkio, Bobba, and Frouft, and Old Mum, who are all regular customers at the Sunshine Pavilion. When I called them Jijii Baba 5, Jeannette complained, ''Old Mum is not an old lady,'' so I changed the name to Jijii 5. I guess Zelma and the others are just old men. Is that right, Ginette? ''Hey, hey, hey, sunny side up.'' The one staring at me with more wrinkles etched into his wrinkled face is Zelmar, the old man with a crush on Grandma Mum. Did this guy originally live in this neighborhood? ...... ''What kind of a windup is that? I can''t believe you sent me this.'' ''Nah, it''s just a souvenir from the dead. ''Hmm, is that it? ''That''s all. If you get a souvenir of the underworld, you should leave for the underworld. ''Who''s going to leave?I''ll live longer than you! That''s being too greedy, old man. ''Hee-hee-hee!I''ve been told, Zelmar...'' ''Onya is so cheerful when she comes here. You''re like a grandfather coming to see his son.'' ''Oh, come on, Frodo. You mean ''grandchild'', don''t you? ''I''m not married, and I don''t have a son or a grandson! I lifted the cup roughly and gulped down the hot coffee. Wow, as expected of an old man. I gulped down the hot coffee. His heat-sensing organs must be dying out. ''Well, there are six tickets, but there is no need for all of us to go together. You can go when you want. Especially since Orkio and Sirach live in different districts, it will be hard to coordinate. Even though they live in different districts, it is easy to coordinate the timing. However, aside from Orkio, Sirach doesn''t know the four of us very well. If the six of us travel together, we will inevitably feel alienated. Orkio and Sirach should go alone. ''But, are you sure you want to take it?Don''t you think Jeannette and the others want to go too? ''No, no. I''m more than happy to be able to return the favor in this way. It''s a gift, so I can''t say too much about it. ''That''s not true. I''m very happy. I''ll be grateful to use it then. That''s fine, Zelmar.'' ''...... Why are you telling me this? ''You''re too navel-gazing to thank me honestly, aren''t you? ''Hee-hee-hee!That''s right, Zelmar.'' ''Onya is the most crooked person in this town! ''You''re a jerk!............ Oh, that''s right. Thanks, I''ll use it. Grandson of Sunshine. ''Yes. Tell me about your souvenirs when you get back.'' ''...... Look forward to it.'' Jeannette has no ill feelings towards Zelmar. She doesn''t think that he abandoned her and ran away, not even a little. Well, Jeannette is a girl just like her mother, raised by a Sister who has never hated anyone. ''Oh, by the way, Zelmar. That ticket, it''s all private.'' ''Bhoy!Whoa, whoa, whoa!I know what I''m talking about, you idiot! ''Don''t get your hopes up. ''I told you, I don''t! By all means, I must ask Bobba and Frodo to accompany me. The old man might get excited on the road and do something like that. ''Bobba, Frodo. ...... I''m looking forward to hearing about Zelmar''s funny mistakes. ''I''ll leave it to you. ''I''ll bring back some interesting stories...'' ''Shut up, you guys! Three noisy old men. Old lady Mum smiled and never participated in any conversation that might work against her. This old lady is also quite sagacious, relatively speaking. ''Don''t you want to join us, Orkio-san? ''Hmm?Ah, ......, it''s fun to be with them.'' ''Then, Orkio-san--'' ''But, Shirapin. For me, time alone with you is also important. I wouldn''t trade it for anything else. ''Orkio-san, ......! ''Shirapin! ''Bobba! ''Frodo! ''Can''t you two get mixed up? Bobba''s high-pitched laugh rang out. It''s lively when they''re all together. Ginette is also smiling happily all the time. ''For Orkio-san and the others, it''s a short distance away. ''No, no. I''m happy. The Cradle of the Moon was an object of admiration for our generation. It may seem a little old-fashioned to the young people of today, though. Is that how it is? Well, maybe so. It was old-fashioned. ''I''m looking forward to tofu and sweet sake. ''But please be careful not to eat too much, Sirach. ''Yes, I will. You won''t have to take care of Jeannette again, will you? When I was on a diet, Jeannette stayed over and cooked meals for Siraha. Ginette and Siraha share a smile, remembering that time. ''Hey, Sirach. Old Mum talks to Sirach. ''I''d like to have a long talk with you sometime. If it''s not too much trouble. ''You''re not bothering me. I''d love to talk to you, too. I''d love to hear about the time you were away, Orkio-san.'' ''Yes, I''d be happy to. ''Oh, come on. Don''t say anything too strange, okay? ''Oh, Orkio?Are you aware that you can say such strange things? ''No. ...... Hmm. I''m no match for you, Mumu. Orkio holds his forehead and smiles softly. I can feel the nobleman''s dignity in every gesture. I want to hire him as a manners instructor when he''s not busy. ''Yashiro-san''. Ginette leaned in close and murmured softly in his ear. ''I''m glad. I''m glad you''re all happy. You''re the one who wanted to make everyone happy. ''Why don''t you give them some shrimp crackers to try?I''m sure the old men would love them.'' ''I guess so. Then I''ll go prepare them right away. With that, Ginette ran to the kitchen. By the time she comes out, she''ll be holding a tray with crispy shrimp crackers and a cup of hot tea. And now... After confirming that Jeannette had entered the kitchen, I whispered to Grandma Mum. ''Actually, ...... I heard about a serious illness. As I said this, Grandma Mum''s and Zelmar''s expressions tensed slightly. ''Thank you. Thank you for being there for her. ''............ There was nothing I could do. I was too scared for my own safety. I was an uninfected child, and all I could do was stay by Jeannette''s side. ...... ''Still, I think it was reassuring for Jeannette to know that Grandma Mum was there for her. ''I hope so, .......'' Of course it is. You know how much he loves Grandma Mum. She''s number three after Bertina and Grandpa, I bet. ''...... I, on the other hand...'' Zelmar''s eyes were downcast, as if he felt guilty for running away. ''It''s okay, Zelmar. You don''t have to look like that. You''re going to die soon, and I''m sure you''ll soon be forgotten. ''I''m not going to die, you little shit! ''Then keep coming to him while you''re alive. He seems to like watching you frown a lot too. ''....... I don''t need you to tell me that. I couldn''t help but laugh when I saw that frown on his face. This old man is not going to die for a while. 484-Episode 286 When I made up my decision, A few days have passed since the construction of the harbor started. We talked about some dark things, but the gloomy atmosphere didn''t last long, and we were back to our busy but noisy daily lives. ''Well, the 42nd district is fun. It was late afternoon, and Javier was exposing his uncomfortable face in the sunlit pavilion. ''Work. ''I''m in the Forty-second Ward to work, I am! Javier, who is supposed to cooperate with the construction of the port, has been staying at Imelda''s lately. ''I get to see my darling daughter every day, there''s a public bath, and I get to say ''welcome home'' and ''thank you'' every day to my sister who''s helping me!Mmmm ...... already!I''m going to be a child of the forty-two wards! ''Then I''ll give you my last will and testament. ''Imelda? The Devil Axe looms behind me. Javier screams at the blade suddenly pointed at his neck. ''You''re exaggerating, it''s only a blade. ''No, I''ll die!Even I''ll die if I get my neck chopped off! ''No way. That''s not possible. I''m just trying to--'' I''ll die! Javier confiscated the Devil Axe and sat Imelda down next to him. Why don''t you eat at home? Imelda''s chef had once come to Ginette to learn how to cook. Because Imelda wouldn''t eat at home. The chef was a little down in the dumps. Well, maybe it''s worth it, but lately Imelda''s visits to the Sunken Pavilion have been decreasing. You''re working hard, aren''t you, chef? ''Eat at home. It tastes better now, doesn''t it? ''It''s true that Imelda''s food is delicious. ''Of course it is. She''s our head chef.'' ''But I had some business with you today.'' Javier points at me. With a serious expression. ''There are some strange faces lurking by the gate, so be careful. Especially you, Yashiro.'' Javier says there are a few men who look like ruffians hanging around near the gate. They don''t do anything in particular, but just having them around is creepy enough. Are they monitoring us, or are they planning to do something when the time comes? ''I''m going to go to District Forty-One and ask Medora for reinforcements. I''ll have my young men and some of the hunting guild patrol the area. It''ll be enough of a deterrent just to give them a glare. I''ve always imagined that when the construction work starts in earnest, the number of dangerous people will increase. The only time we can be safe and secure and be in a flower garden is when the impact is limited to the forty-two wards. As it spreads outward, such interference will naturally occur. ...... It''s a pain in the ass. There are always going to be those trash who are only concerned with their own interests and pulling down the others. You know, the kind of scum who only care about gaining face and harassing others for the sake of living. ''Then tell Estella that. ''Of course, I''ve already gotten my lord''s approval. I went to talk to him first thing in the morning.'''' As is to be expected, Javier''s actions are lean. But that''s not what I''m trying to tell you. ''Tell him to be prepared for some trouble from Wishart in the near future. ''What do you mean by that?'' Estella peeked out from behind Javier. ...... Are you growing out of Javier''s back? ''Javier. You''ve got a flat-chested girl on your shoulder.'' ''Excuse me. I just walked in the door like a normal person.'' Apparently, I just couldn''t see Javier because his huge body was sitting across from me, blocking my entire view. Bulky, you old man. ''Anyway, did you get any information? Estella says as she sits down next to me. Javier and Imelda are sitting across from me, so there''s only room next to me. It''s rare that Estella sits next to me when I''m sitting at the back of the room. She usually sits across from me. ''I don''t have any information, but the wave attack is effective in exhausting the opponent. ''Wave attack?'' It''s a common practice of the villains to launch a coordinated offensive while maintaining the pretense that there is no relationship between the two sides. The aristocracy and the general public each raise their voices in protest for ''legitimate reasons''. The noblemen and the common people will each raise their voices in protest for the ''right reasons'', so that they can be accused loudly of being unjust, uncaring and wrong. They pick up only a few of the protesters and accuse us of unsupportive and selfish behavior. We are lucky if the irrelevant audience is fooled by this and sympathizes with us. Even if they don''t, they will try to build a situation in which they can take advantage of you by leaving behind the fact that you ''protested'' and piling it up. ''Even if I say this much, he won''t even listen to me. ''You see the ''ordinary citizens'' hanging around at the gate? ''Normal'' ......? Estella arches her eyebrows as if to argue, but the fact is that there are some stinky people walking around who look like ruffians. There is no way to prove that they are not ''ordinary citizens''. Even if they are there under someone''s orders, you can''t expose their lies unless you use the Judgment of Spirits. If the lord were to cast the Judgment of the Spirits at random just because someone was loitering near the gate, the bad reputation would spread. Unless they have done something to deserve it, there is no other way but to treat them as ''ordinary citizens''. ''Then, some lord comes to protest through the nobleman''s route. I don''t care if it''s at the level of a quarrel. This means that the construction of the port is ''a project that both the citizens and the nobles are worried about''. ............ I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Oh, right. I''m sure the thirtieth ward will use it against us. ''Eh......, what?You look really uncomfortable, what did you come up with? Estella asks me with a look of disgust on her face. You want to know? Really? Then let''s get in a bad mood together. ''The construction of the harbor is being carried out amidst the fears of the residents. There are reports that some worried nobles have complained, but the Lord of the Forty-second Ward refuses to listen to them, and anxiety continues to spread among the residents. I wonder if the day will ever come when the 42nd district lord''s eyes will turn from short-term profits to the safety of the residents...'''' ''What''s with that unpleasant editorial that seems to twist my gut? ''If such an article were to appear in an information paper, the young people of BU might mistakenly believe that the construction of the port is a project being carried out by a money-grubbing lord at the expense of the safety of the people. ''Haaaaaaah! Estella''s face was stern and indignant, more powerful than a kabuki play''s grand gesture. ''If you publish such an untrue article, I''ll protest immediately. ''But you''re not lying when you say "residents", are you?I didn''t say I was a resident. You''re a resident if you live somewhere, even if it''s not in District 42. It''s a tasty expression that can be used twice or thrice at the same time, because anyone can call themselves a ''resident,'' and it gives the illusion of a close relationship, and it can even show that you are in a weak position. If it is used abusively, it will become fishy, but if it is used at the right moment, it is very effective. Once, in a country, there was a war between drug traffickers, and one of the members was shot dead. At that time, the newspaper blamed only one of the drug organizations with the following headline. "Drug Gang Member Shoots and Kills Foreign Student". It is impossible for a person who only reads the newspaper to understand that the "foreign student" is a member of a drug trafficking organization and has a lot of power. It is the first step of information manipulation to deceive people into thinking that you are in a weak position and that you are a good person. ''Javier. Have you ever been asked to make a donation to an information paper?'' ''Hmm?Yeah, a long time ago. But I wasn''t interested in the fashions of the young people of BU, so I said no.'' ''I''m a donor. I''m sending you the latest issue.'' ''If they''re talking to Javier, they''re probably talking to Wishart. ''If Wishart is donating a lot of money to the paper, they might try to use .......'' Estella''s expression sinks at the thought. ''...... I didn''t want to hear that. ''If I hadn''t listened to you, I would have been behind the curve, you know?You should take action immediately. Imelda, one of the donors, is nailing Estella to the wall. If it comes to it, Imelda will protest with us. Protests from donors might be a little easier to reach. ''......Does Wishart still think he can profit from sabotaging the construction, ......? ''No, I''m not so sure about that one. It was Javier who objected to Estella''s muttering. As the head of the Woodcutter''s Guild, Javier had met Wishart many times before, and his ever-present broad smile had faded to a frown as he whispered. ''He''s even more viciously corrupt. He probably doesn''t care about profit - well, I can''t imagine he''d give up completely - but he''s probably ignoring it right now. ''Then he''s harassing Yashiro-san, isn''t he? Estella and the others look at me. ''He tried to give her a bad time and failed, so now he will try to harass her in different ways. The reason is simple and clear: they don''t like you. ''That''s what nobility is all about,'' says Imelda with a cool face. As the daughter of an upwardly mobile aristocrat, her expression clearly showed that she had been harassed in various ways by the aristocrats. She''s had a hard time too, hasn''t she? In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. ''Heh, ...... insidious.'' ''You''re just too straight. You''re just too straightforward in your character and your breasts. ''That''s a lot of words, Imelda.'' ''And your tits! ''Hey, Imelda. I saw a girl shouting ''tits too! What am I supposed to say when I see a girl screaming ''Tits too! Give it up, Javier. It''s too late for your daughter. But you''re right. ...... ''We''ll have to do something about that. I let out a sigh of gloom. ''Oh, ...... that was .......'' Shortly after Estella''s expression clouded over with the insidiousness of the nobles, a wounded man was carried into the sunlit pavilion. ''Hey, what''s up, Goozuya? He''s a carpenter at Torbeck Construction, a long, thin man with a history with the Sunlit Pavilion. Well, I don''t want to say anything about it now because the past evasions have already been settled. In the first place, I met Umaro because of his attempt to overturn the evasion. You never know where fate will take you. So, this tall guy, Goozuya, is holding his shoulder. If you look, you''ll see that he''s bleeding slightly. ''What''s wrong?Did you get hit by a hexenbiest or something? ''Oh, Yashiro-san!It''s not like that! Goozuya is getting very excited. The other carpenter, who had carried Goozuya up here on his shoulders, said, ''Well, well. ''What''s going on? The other carpenter, who was relatively calm, told me that some men were laughing at Gusuya as he was returning to his post after his break. ''What''s with the skinny guy? How can he do his job like that? They said, ''It''s tough being a Torbek with all that baggage...'' ''Nah, he''ll probably get eaten by a hexenbiest and die sooner or later. Goozha was pissed off, but he had four opponents. All of them were bigger than Goozuya and worse than him, so Goozuya tried to leave without saying anything. But the men said, ''What are you looking at? and attacked Gusuya. ''Thanks to the hunting guild rushing in, it didn''t turn out to be a big deal, but Goozuya-san fell when he was running away. ......'' So, he came to the sunny pavilion to be treated. ''How ...... terrible of them to injure a carpenter''s arm.'' Estella clenched her fists in anger. ''Goozja. Do you remember the men''s faces?'' ''Well, sort of. I think I know them when I see them.'' ''Then if you see them again, report them to the guards at once. I''ll never forgive those who hurt you.'' ''No, that''s ......''. Gooziya was slurring her words. If you ask me why... ''They emphasized the fact that they fell down and hurt themselves. ...... It''s true that they were injured because they fell, and I think that even the Judgment of the Spirits can''t judge them. ......'' ''I don''t care. I''m not going to let them do whatever they want in my city. Even if it means making enemies with other lords. Such determination was in Estella''s eyes. ''Yashiro-san. Here''s the medicine chest. Ginette brings me the medicine chest. ''Are you in pain, Miss Gooziya? ''No, no. It''s really just a self-inflicted fall. ......'' ''Don''t push yourself too hard, okay?I think it''s fine for adult men to want to be pampered by someone at times.'''' ''Haha. Thank you, manager.'''' Gooziya bowed to Ginette''s smiling face. He takes out antiseptic solution and gauze and begins to treat Goozuya''s wound. She doesn''t seem to be badly injured, but sprains and bruises get worse after a while. We can''t be too careful. ''Has that ever happened to you before? ''No,......, well, I thought there were some stinky people lurking around. But they just kept looking at me, so I didn''t pay any attention to them. ......'' I asked as I patched him up, and Gooziya snorted, his brow wrinkling. He must be frustrated that he could do nothing but run away, even if it meant avoiding trouble. He''s a man. ''They wanted to get to you when the master and Mr. Yamboldo were away. The other carpenter, who had brought in Goozja and who was relatively calm, snorted angrily. The other carpenter, who had been relatively calm when he brought in the goozja, snorted. ''They don''t do anything when the master carpenters are around,'' he said. ''Are they messing with you when they''re not? ''Well, ...... they''ll giggle, point at you and tell you things in confidence.'' ...... It''s also something else. ''That''s another form of gaslighting.'' It''s a kind of gaslighting that makes you think you''re doing something that people will laugh at. It''s a kind of gaslighting. ...... They''ve just confessed that they have the same roots as the masterminds behind the attack on Torbeck Engineering. ''Don''t worry about it. Tell your fellow carpenters that they are scum who can do no better. If someone laughs at you, think ''Oh, there''s an idiot who can only do what he''s told,'' and laugh in your heart. If you can ignore them, it''s best to ignore them. ''And then, Goozuya. ''...... yes?'' Let me tell you something, Goozuya, the expression on your face still doesn''t feel right. ''It''s a big deal, you know. You know how right you were to do what you did. ''You persevered well. You''re cool, man.'' ''What?No, but I just ran away and--'' ''''It''s pretty hard to not deal with someone, isn''t it?I''m saying you put up with it well.'' ''Patience is ......'' ''It''s true that violence is one of the quickest ways to release stress when you''re angry. It''s a fool''s errand that makes everything worse except for the ''feeling better'' part. Estella must know that. When you have to bow down even if it''s not your fault. There are times when you have to pull back your fist in response to unreasonableness. You know how stressful that can be. ''If you had hit me, I would have been attacked extensively for being violent at Torbeck Engineering. Worst case scenario, you would have been expelled from the union, suspended, told to replace the head of the building manager, etc.'' ''That ......?Because the other side started a fight--! ''It''s like the gaslighting at Torbek''s store. They were trying to get us to explode. You can twist the truth any way you want. It''s rather easy not to lie. It''s easy to hide the truth in this city. And there''s plenty of scum in this city who use it for evil. ''You shut it down. You, okay, you, of all people, prevented the attack on Torbeck Engineering. You should be more proud of yourself. ''Yes, sir. I also think you made a great decision, Goozuya.'''' ''I agree with you. You have a good eye, Gooziya. ''Everyone......-san............ ugh!I''m really ...... very frustrated ............ but if you guys say so... I''m proud of you!I''m proud of you! That''s what makes a man.That''s what makes you a man, young man of Torbek! Bang, bang!And Javier knocks Goozja on her back. ''Aaaaah! Goozuya''s scream roars, and I sigh. Don''t add more places to heal. ''...... Goozuya. Magda will testify to Umaro that Goozuya was not wrong. ''Really, Magda-tan?Yay!If I get Magda''s testimony, I''ll never get angry!In fact, I might even get promoted! What kind of promotion system do you have at your place? What kind of promotion system do you have?Thanks to Goozuya, I got Magda to talk to me!You''re promoted! What?That corrupt organization needs to go down. Anyway, tell the woodcutter, the hunter, and the guards about this and have them reinforce security. ...... d*mn you. You''re making me go to a lot of trouble. Hey, mastermind. If you catch that tail, you''ll pay for everything you''ve done so far, okay? Be prepared for that. But the next day. Something happened that doubled our stress. "Brawl in broad daylight! An unbelievable incident occurred in District 42, where a new port is currently under construction. A brawl broke out in broad daylight between the carpenters of Torbeck Engineering, who are engaged in the construction of the port, and the residents who question the safety of the port. The incident, which escalated into bloodshed, shocked many of the residents and dealt a serious blow to the trust of the lord, who was committed to safety. Those who witnessed the incident said, "I felt very scared," "I''ve never had an incident like this before," and "I feel like the security around the city gate has been deteriorating lately," and they could not hide their anxiety. The day after Gusuya was injured. The day after Guzuya was injured, the latest issue of the "Information Paper" that Imelda had brought with her contained such an article. ''You were right, Yashiro. You''re right, Yashiro. They''re changing your point of view.'' Estella grits her teeth. It''s true that there was a brawl and bloodshed. But the article is misleading you into thinking that ''the carpenters of Torbek''s construction company caused the violence. ''It''s absolutely appalling. As for the eyewitness testimony, it''s a concern about the recent increase in the number of men who seem to be ruffians, but it''s being manipulated to give the impression that public safety has deteriorated because of Torbek''s construction. Imelda, who seemed to be very upset by this article, frowned, her beautiful face deeply wrinkled. It was rare for her to express her displeasure so clearly. ''I''ll protest right away. ''Wait.'' I calm Estella down as she stands up. ''If we go in head on, they''ll just say, "We didn''t mean to."'' ''But such a blatant--! ''The reporter was inexperienced, so it was difficult to convey our true intentions in the text. If you get a reply saying ''I''ll be careful from now on'', how are you going to attack next? ''I''ll go to ...... or demand a rewrite. ''To the same reporter?I''m sure they''ll write something like, ''We''re revising this because we received a protest from a very upset lord,'' and give the impression that you''re trying to hide the facts. ''Then go to the headquarters that publishes the ''Information Paper'' and--'' ''Please wait. Tapping Estella on the shoulder with a fan, Imelda took up the information paper. ''Look here''. At the bottom of the article. An official of the Public Works Guild Union told this reporter that ''there have been a lot of bad rumors about Torbeck Engineering recently,'' and that ''if the problems continue, we will have to consider disciplinary action. ''The matter is not confined to the ''Information Paper''. ''...... another union''. Estella clenched her fist and slammed it into her palm. It must be quite frustrating to be dragged down so many times in a row. If it weren''t for the interference from other parties, the construction would be going much more smoothly. ...... has just begun, but if the obstructions continue, the construction period will get longer and longer. The longer the construction period, the more money you will have to spend. The more time you spend, the more money you''ll spend. Yashiro-san! Goozuya comes rushing into the sunlit pavilion. His face is pale and he looks like he''s about to cry. ''The master of the building has been summoned by the union and has gone to the headquarters! ''Umaro? ''Yes!He asked for a detailed explanation about yesterday''s incident. ...... He sent a carriage to pick me up before the sun had even risen. ......'' When Umaro didn''t show up at the time the construction was to begin, I went to his house and found a note. ''And now, Yamboldo-san has left to go to the headquarters,......, and he said that it would be better to let Yashiro-san know about it,......, so! ''''Just calm down. Ginette, get Goozuya some water.'' ''Yes, sir. Gooziya''s knees trembled and she slumped to the floor, wondering what kind of reckless, all-out sprint she had done. Magda pats her on the back. ''I told you about yesterday, didn''t I? ''Yes ...... Magda-tan, you came with me.'' ''I explained the ...... details.'' He knows what happened. But he doesn''t know about this ''information paper''. Before giving us enough information, they called in the person in charge who was not involved in the incident and questioned him from the top with unclear criteria for judgment, hoping to exhaust him. Umaro, who was not at the scene of the incident, may not know the details and may not be able to answer many of the questions. If they can get him to bow down, even if it is just for the time being, they will win. They will be able to say that they have admitted their fault and drive you away. You can twist the facts and make a big deal out of it. When Umaro came back and saw the "Information Paper" and was angry, he apologized first, and any protest he made later would be less effective. You can''t just say, ''You just admitted you were wrong. ''...... It''s a pain in the ass to have people messing with you from all over the place like this. Estella grits her teeth. It''s ...... all over the place. It''s true that we seem to be being attacked from many directions at the same time. But ...... the roots are all connected to Wishart. Harassment of the Trubek contractors who refused to work exclusively with him. Harassment of the 42nd district for refusing to participate in the profits. And sabotaging the construction of the port I''ve made such a big deal of protecting. All in the service of Wishart''s will. I''m not an upright man of the law. Circumstantial evidence is all I need. If I''m wrong and there''s someone else behind this, then I''ll say ''sorry''. ''Whatever the case may be, the fact that the union sabotaged the construction of the port will not disappear no matter how we try to explain it. This time, the union has clearly dragged the 42nd district down. Even though we had given them a very lenient judgment to leave it to Umaro, they stirred up the fires themselves. ''We''ll have to persuade Umaro when he comes back. ''Not consult, huh? Even though she asked in a questioning manner, Estella herself seemed to have made up her mind. ''I''m going to ask Torbeck Engineering to leave the union. There''s no harm in that. ''I agree with you. The Lord of the Forty-second District can make up for any losses caused by this. ''You don''t have to go that far, we''ll appeal to the master!Let''s not put up with this anymore!Even Mr. Yangbold was at his limit!So were the other carpenters! ''......'' Magda said, ''I''m all yours. It was a bad idea to act so quickly. The only reason we''ve been able to maintain our status up to this point is because of the great concessions we''ve made. We misunderstood the value of the special benefits we had been given and took them for granted. He''s a poor organizer. Even if he wasn''t at the top, it only proves that the leaders were too incompetent to stop his misdeeds. ''I''ll write a letter to Mr. Lucia. Probably, if Torbek''s contractor left the union, the carpenters of District 35 would be affected. There is a very high possibility that the union will interfere and say, ''We won''t rent out union members to the 42nd district. The people at Kawaya Corporation do not have that much power. I''m sorry to involve them in our affairs. I can''t take responsibility. So we have no choice but to ask them to back off this time. The construction of the harbor will be done by Torbeck Engineering alone. Lucia may complain, but I''m sure she''ll lower her fist if it means protecting the people of her district. ''Estella-san. I''m going to go to Lucia''s.'' Loretta raises her eyebrows and advises Estella. ''In this kind of thing, speed is of the essence. We should contact them right away and coordinate immediately. Right, big brother?'' ''Hmm?Well, that''s true, but ......'' Loretta seems to be a little too forward. I''m sure. ''Umaro is ...... indebted to Torbeck Engineering for accepting my younger siblings, for trusting me, for giving me a job, for opening up ...... possibilities!I will not tolerate anyone who bows to the Torbeck Corporation. I''m not going to allow anyone to bow to the Trubecks. The reason why Ham and the others were able to gain the trust of the people was because they were allowed to work at the Torbeck Engineering Shop, which is considered to be a first-class store. It was because of that that we became the Hammocks we are today. Wherever I go, people trust me and entrust me with their work. Loretta has always cherished that debt. No matter how close we become, I will never forget the favor I received. I won''t lose it. I don''t despise it. That''s who she is. All right. I''ll write you a letter right here. Can you get it to me super-express?'' ''Yes, sir! Estella knows that too, so she leaves it to Loretta. Lucia also seems to like Loretta and will be able to share information with her without losing time. ''Um, Loretta-san. Aren''t your younger brothers faster than you, Loretta? ''It''s too dangerous to send my brothers to Lucia''s place, so I''ll go! Yes. It seems his trust in Lucia is still a little low. And I''m sure her fears will come true. Wise decision, Loretta. ''Good. I''ve simplified it a lot, but I''m sure Lucia will understand. Loretta, take care of her. ''Yes, sir!Bye, Manager. I have to leave work for a while.'' ''Yes, sir. Loretta-san, I hope you have a safe trip home. ''Haha, that''s what Magda always does for me. ......'' Loretta smiles happily at Ginette''s prayer. ''I''m a hundred times more energetic!I''ll be there and back in a flash! Putting Estella''s letter in her heart, Loretta opens the door. ''When Mr. Umaro comes back, tell him I''m on his side. With that, Loretta runs out. The dust rises and the footsteps move away at a great speed. ''Yes, sir. I''ll be sure to tell her. Ginette muttered to herself as she saw Loretta off. Just before noon, Umaro came back. ''Mr. Yashiro. I need to talk to you. His serious expression showed no signs of impatience, anxiety, anger or hatred. All that could be seen was the gracefulness of a man who was looking ahead to the future. I guess he has made up his mind. ''Torbeck Construction Company has decided to leave the union. '''''''' You''ve done it! '''''''' ''What?...... What?'' I, Estella, Magda, and Goozja voiced our admiration at Umaro''s declaration. ''I mean, why are you talking like such a big shot? ''It hurts, it hurts, sir!Isn''t that a groove, a groove? ''No matter what, hierarchy is absolute! Goozuya was punished for being overzealous, and we kept our heads in the sand. ''Ugh, ...... you all are so heartless, aren''t you? ......'' We left the bitter Goozuya alone and listened to Umaro''s story. ''How did it go? ''Not much, I guess. He came to a conclusion: ''We''re not going to listen to you, we''re not going to overturn your decision, and if you don''t listen to us, we''ll suspend you and replace your head at the top. ''That means, "I can''t respond flexibly because I have orders from above."'' ''Oh, ......, that''s how it was, if you ask me. If the union is really concerned about Trubek''s behavior and wants to reform the structure at its own discretion, it should have listened to Umaro, and it probably would have. If he can''t do that, it''s like saying that he can''t go against what the "top" tells him to do. There is only one answer, and it cannot be changed. ''So, what''s going on? ''I took a cue from what Yashiro-san said before. ''''Useless and titless tube tops are similar''''? ''That''s not it! ''...... "What color are your nipples?"'' ''Yeah, Magda. When did I say that? I''ve heard that line before in Blood. So, that''s it. It''s true that I had a problem with Norton Engineering, so I admitted my fault and bowed to them. ''I''ll take responsibility and leave the union,'' I said. Then it''s going to be a poking and prodding festival from now on. ''So, what did they say? ''He said, "Do what you want."'' ''I see. ......'' The union didn''t seem to be holding Trubeck Engineering back. ''They said they''d take away all the jobs the union introduced them to. ''Did you guys do any work from the union?'' ''Hmm~...... well, we''ve been offered a few jobs, such as making carriages for nobles and repairing the lord''s mansion. But to be honest, they are not jobs assigned by the union. The union was just a contact point. And you''re patronizingly claiming that we introduced them to you. You were just passing through. It''s like a hallway is a suite. Even if it is true that ''you can''t get to the suite without the hallway'', the hallway itself has no value equal to the suite. In fact, if a fox who is a tiger grows up, it will undermine even the dignity of the tiger. "10,000 yen toll for the corridor to the suite room. If you set up such a system, even the value of the suite will fall to the ground. It''s unfair, impatient, and unpleasant. ''Then I guess we''ll have to cut ties with the nobleman who hired Torbeck Engineering through the union. ''That''s right. If you contact us individually, we''ll consider it. ''But since the union will be spreading the bad news about Torbeck Engineering here and there, it might be harder for the nobles to contact them. ''Then that''s fine. We''ll work with people who need us. ''Yeah. I''m still going to need you guys to work for me, so be prepared for that. ''Haha. That''s the best compliment I can give you. And Estella and Umaro talking back to back. Don''t get used to that strange sight, boys. ''Also, we were told not to use the knowledge and skills we got from the union. ''What kind of knowledge and skills did you get from the union? ''Well, ......, I''m not quite sure about that. ...... Did something happen? ''Maintenance of the canner blade''. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... How long have you been there? I''m sure he came back with Umaro, so he''s been there all along, right?Come on in, come on in, come on in, come on in. ''Isn''t that already common knowledge among carpenters? Guzuya bared his gums in anger. As soon as the top two came back, his face regained its composure, this guy. ''If you want to use it, you have to pay a certain amount of money every year,'' he said. ''Are you really going to accept that condition, boss? ''............'' Umaro lightly turned his head and silently lifted the corner of his mouth to ....... ''I told him off! ''There it is!The first poke! ''I''m going to keep poking ...... me, I''m looking forward to it. The carpenters get excited. So, so... So you''ve been poking and prodding. That''s good. ''Then I told them to pay us for the skills and knowledge we taught them. We''ve provided information on a technology that has never existed before, explicitly in the name of Torbek Engineering. We have all the documents. If the other side is going to go ahead with such arrogance in a state of uncertainty, we''ve got the evidence and said we''re going to charge more than that! ''You''re so cool, boss! ''I''ll marry you. ''No thanks, Yamboldo!...... Don''t look at me! The union official was very disappointed, but he didn''t want to lose the technology that Torbek had brought to the union, so the royalty was never discussed. ''That''s sweet. Why don''t you just tell him that you''ll take the royalty for that? ''I thought Yashiro would have said that if he were here, but it was still too high a hurdle for me. If you are taken to the opponent''s home without any preparation and told to do this and that from the top in a high-handed manner, everyone will be deflated. Well, the fact that he was able to stand his ground is a good thing. ''I''m sure you''ll be harassed in the future, aren''t you? ''No problem. We''re here for you.'' ''That''s right, boss!No matter what they say, we''re a Torbeck construction company with technical skills!Let''s show off our power and blow away the harassment! ''You''ve become more reliable, Goozuya. ''Yes!Besides, we have Yashiro-san and Estella-san! ''...... you''ve suddenly become unreliable.'' ...... Well, Estella will help you if you tell her. I''m not so sure about that. ''Now, Loretta is going to Lucia''s. She has Estella''s letter.'' ''Oh, that''s good to hear. I''m sure she''s going to cause trouble for Kawaya Corporation, so I thought I''d better go say hello to her. Estella-san, please let me know when you hear back. ''Yes. I''ll make arrangements for that, and I''ll tell her to meet you. Once you''ve made up your mind, you can act fast. That may be the strength of the 42nd district. Goozuya raises her fist and shouts at the top of her voice. ''Despite appearances, the three of them are all black inside!There''s nothing to be afraid of now!Hey, boss! ''...... No, I don''t think Yashiro-san and Estella-san are that black-hearted. ''I don''t think they''re that black either. ''What, why is that? I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ''I fell and hit my head this morning, so ......'' ''What is it?Why don''t you two look at me? Umaro and Yamboldo slink away from the noisy Gusuya. All three of them have their backs to us. Goozuya, who is clinging to Oumalo and the others as they turn their backs and move away, has not noticed. The face of the lord standing next to me, like a young man. ''''Goozuya.'''' ''''Yes?What''s ......?There are two demons! ''''Who''s belly is black, can you tell me a little bit about it?Can you do that for me?Can you?Let me see your face! ''''Horrible lines, horribly perfect humming! The kind-hearted Estella and I, who wanted to help the troubled carpenters, kept our mouths shut even tighter, the source of any mischief that might interfere with our help. Don''t forget to be grateful. Man is doomed if he lacks humanity. 485-Hand in hand with the 287th episode. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. ......'' Goozja is sitting in a triangle at the end of the floor of the sunlit pavilion, crying . ''It''s because Estella bullied me. ''Sixty percent of it is your fault.'' ''...... Forty percent of it was the lord of the smile I admitted.'' ''Don''t be too mean to her. It was originally Goozja''s fault. You deserve it. ''In the first place, it''s because you have a black tummy that people are prejudiced against me. ''You are, aren''t you?Show me your belly. I bet you can see through the blackness on the inside.'' ''Unfortunately, my belly is as white as fresh snow. I''m a lady and I''m very careful about my tan. ''Oh, which one? ''I''m not going to show you.'' I reached out my arm and he grabbed my wrist tightly. What''s with the belly? You''ve seen me in my bathing suit. ''The Conversation Record is defective, isn''t it? Why can''t you keep a record of the scenery you see? ......'' ''You''d only use it for obscene purposes, you know. It''s a good thing you don''t have that feature. I think it would be a dream come true to be able to record and store your lucky streaks semi-permanently. ''If there was such a function, it would be nice to see the smiling faces of people you can no longer see. Ginette said, looking a little sad. ''But I miss them so much, it''s probably not a good idea. If you have photos or videos, you can see her as she used to be. But I can''t see her. You can''t talk to them. That may increase the loneliness. Maybe, when she was all alone, Jeannette read back her conversations with her grandfather in the Conversation Record. ''If it was Jeannette, wouldn''t the ground be recorded a lot?She falls down a lot.'' ''Mmm. That''s not true.'' She puffs up her cheeks and smiles. I wondered if my loneliness had dissipated a little. ''But if I had been able to record the scenes of the past, ......'' Ginette clasps her hands together and looks at me. Her eyes sometimes seem to gaze into a past a little more distant than the present. ''I could have shown you a scene from when this neighborhood was busy. It''s a shame. It must have been a very pleasant memory for Jeannette. There were a lot of familiar faces on the street, and a lot of houses around the sunny pavilion. ...... ''No, you don''t have to show it to me. If there were even a single photo, I would have asked to see it, but saying that I wanted to see something that wasn''t there would only remind me of my loneliness. ''It''s still lively enough around here, you know. Every day, someone comes and goes, and they make a big deal out of it. It''s only here, you know. This is the only dining hall where lords from other districts gather after bathing and make a lot of noise. ''Hmm... That''s right.'''' The warmth returned to Jeannette''s smile. You can''t change the past, but you can freely change the future. Let them enjoy it to the fullest. Besides, this place is going to get crowded soon anyway. If Umaro and his friends build a house here, there will be many people who want to live here. Then it''ll be noisy all day, every day. We have to keep the land prices up so that no strange people will settle here. ...... Oh, no. In this town, the more money you have, the weirder you are. If we get a bunch of guys like Lucia, Javier, and Merle, we''re screwed. Maybe we should have a referral system. It would be safer if only those who passed the screening of the Sunken Pavilion were allowed to live there. ''Jeannette. I''ll buy up all the land around here in advance. I don''t want any strange people to move in. ''Hmph. Wouldn''t it be fun to have interesting people move in? ''What if it''s a pervert like Donis or Lucia! ''Yashiro . Don''t be rude to the lords of other districts.'''' ''Petty. ''Don''t rant at the lords of your own ward either! Estella jumps over the table and chokes me. See? We don''t want these dangerous people moving in, do we? That''s why we have to buy up all the land around here. ''And if you really want to live in this area, sell it to him at about four times the price. You can also include a fee for future inconvenience. ...... Hmmm, outrageous profit is a good word, isn''t it? You can''t have such an idea and still claim that you don''t have a black belly. You idiot. It''s normal to sell valuable land at a high price. ''Why don''t you build a mansion and become the owner? Then you can make a fortune in rental income.'' If you''re the owner, you can reject people you don''t like and kick them out later. Above all, I have an acquaintance who can build me an apartment for free. ''Wait, wait, wait!This ''mansion'' is a housing complex like a dormitory in a new town, right?It''s hard to do that for free!I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. ''Umaro. You might want to see Yashiro a little less often.'' ''That''s right!I''d rather be dyed Yashiro''s colors than not be able to see Magda! ''Stop it, Umaro. ...... Regina is coming. Careful what you say, idiot. What if she moves in? Regina would have no qualms about holed up in someone else''s house. It''ll be hard to get rid of her if she takes up residence in the sunny pavilion. ''If Regina-san becomes a neighbor, I''ll be glad to see her more often now. ''Don''t do it. Every time you hang up your underwear, a piece or two will go missing.'' ''Isn''t the danger the same now as it was then? ''...... The gynets have gotten so clever lately. ......'' I find myself drying out. Why? I can''t believe I can''t read what Jeannette''s doing. ...... ''...... When the manager hangs up the underwear, Magda takes Yashiro outside.'' ''What?I''m not sure if I''ve ever done that before. ''...... I''ve also asked Norma and Delia to help.'' You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. Because Norma shows me gears and stuff, and we talk endlessly about what we''re going to use them for. ''You don''t have to be so cautious about stealing. ''Yashiro-san can''t do that because he has a ...... record.'' That''s not true. I just picked up the last one that was on the ground. The peach farmer told me that I could take the fallen peaches. Of course the pants farmer would say you can take the fallen pants. ''Bring in a chair bed and just look at them gracefully,'' he said. ''I can''t even look at it, God! Beautiful scenery is something you want to keep in your mind. Especially in this world where there are no pictures. ''Not only do you have a black belly, you have a peach-colored head. ''So your ass is blue? ''I''m sorry! ''I''ll give it right back to you. A new lord with a blue ass seems to be what the other districts think of you. Let me see it. I''ll make sure you''re not really blue. ''...... Use is black-hearted. Really.'' Magda chuckles. I don''t think Use is black-hearted, I think he''s just stupid. ...... ''...... Use often wanders around the dismantling yard with his upper body naked. That''s why he''s burnt. It must take a lot of strength to carry and dismantle such a heavy monster. They must sweat so much that they want to take off their clothes. It''s not a very interesting scene, as I imagine it. ''......Yashiro would look tougher if he were a little bit burned. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. My abs were exposed, and at the same time, Ginette and Estella let out a short scream. ''What are you doing, Magda? ''No, no, no, you can''t do that! They turned their faces away, covering their eyes with their hands and looking at me through their fingers. Oh, I see. That''s how they know you''re glancing at them. ...... No, I don''t mind if they see my abs. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ''...... Indeed. Estella''s childhood friend. ''My childhood friends are Ginette and Masha, so I won''t say anything like that. No matter how hard you try to look away, Ricardo is your childhood friend, Estella. Give it up. ''Oh, um, Yashiro, Yashiro-san, let''s put those clothes back on, okay? ''Hmm?Oh, my bad.'' Unlike Estella, who immediately regained her composure when the topic of Ricardo came up, Ginette kept fidgeting. It''s a pox on the eyes. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''...... Ginette''s s*x''. ''Huh?I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to. ............ I''m sorry. I''m sure you''re aware that I was watching you. Ginette sagged. At the same time, Estella patted him on the head. ''Don''t tease me. Magda, you should behave like a lady. ''...... Okay, I''ll take care of it. I''ll take care of it. Do as the Lord of the Glimpses says.'' ''Alright, let''s make her repent for her rebellious attitude! And as Estella rolled up her sleeves, she heard the sound of a carriage outside. Soon after, Loretta came back to the Sunken Pavilion. ''I''m back!I''ve delivered a letter to you! Loretta went to deliver a letter to Lucia. Apparently, she''s received a reply - from her. ''You''re in my way, anchovy. Lucia rode into the Forty-second Ward. ''Lucia, welcome. ''Hmm. You''re in my way, Ginette.'' Ginette offers Lucia a seat. ''Come in, Gilberta. I''ll get you some tea now.'' ''Thank you, my friend, Ginette. ''Magda, Loretta. I need your help. I''ll put the table together. ''...... I''ll take care of it.'' ''I''ll help you. As we started to move the table, Estella pointed outside. ''Sorry. I''ll go get Natalia. If Lucia is here, I need to fill out some paperwork on the construction.'' ''Then I''ll go, I''ll go.'' ''Gilberta needs to stay with Lucia. The forty-second district is a different district. ''Thank you, for your thoughtfulness, Lord of Smiles. ''If you''re ......, I''d appreciate it if you''d stop calling me the Lord of Smiles.'' Estella lets out a dry laugh. Estella is about to go out, but Loretta stops her. ''Wait, Estella. If it''s Natalia, I''ll go get her. ''No, but Loretta just came back, didn''t she? Wasn''t it a long way to the 35th district? ''I''m fine!I''m still in good health. I want to be useful in some way. That kind of feeling shows on her face. ''Then, can you help me?Thank you. ''No, no. I''ll be going then. Estella seems to have understood Loretta''s feelings. When you''re in a hurry to do something, it''s easier to keep moving. I guess Loretta is feeling that way right now. While Estella was talking with Loretta, Magda and Gilberta set up the table. I helped a little too. ''Oumalo. You sit down too. It''s probably about the union.'' ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll come in.'' ''Gilberta. Go and get Omar.'' ''Yes, I will.'' Omar is a carpenter from the 35th district, but lately he has been staying in the 42nd district to work on the port. He is renting a whole empty apartment in New Town to Kawaya Corporation. ''Are you going to New Town now? ''No,'' I say, ''I''m not. ''Yes, I am, in the carriage outside. ''In the carriage outside? Why is Omar, who is staying in the 42nd district, in the carriage that Lucia came in? ''''He came to report the incident with the ruffians yesterday. Then I heard from Estella that Torbek was in trouble. That''s why I came with Kawaya. I heard that the thirty-fifth district was a flop in the thirty-fifth district . ''Why didn''t you come in with me? ''I let him ride with me in my carriage and he got so nervous that his eyes rolled. I let him sleep in the carriage.'' ''...... How small is your guts? Come to think of it, the people of the 35th district were all afraid of Lucia, and were strict with the rules and slightly inflexible. Some of them were frank with Lucia while they were in the garden, but once they stepped out of the garden, they were as stern as soldiers. ''They''re really scared of you, aren''t they? ''No. It''s just mental stress from being nervous. ''You never know what they''ll do to you if you''re rude. ...... Oh, I''m scared. ''I don''t need you to tell me what to do when all I do is be rude!There aren''t many lords who are as forgiving as I am! It''s a secret of his that he''s very distant from his people. In that respect, he may be admiring Estella. I''m sorry for the ...... disgrace. Do you feel like throwing up? You want to go to the bathroom?You like it, don''t you, the bathroom? ''I''m late. Before the wobbly Omar could take a seat, Natalia arrived at the sunlit pavilion. She was being carried by Loretta. ''Um, I''d like you to get off soon! ''Oh no, Pia??'' ''''You''ve learned that that irritating thing doesn''t work, haven''t you?Even Masha, the creator of this, said in a whisper, ''Oh, this is no good! That''s why she''s using it, Natalia. I thought we got here early, but what are you guys doing at ......? ''Natalia. From behind you''re wearing a very obscene outfit that shows off your buttocks, you know. ''Then let''s get off. It would be a shame to give it away for free. She gets off quickly, brushes off the hem of her skirt, and immediately takes on the air of a waiter. Why is it that our public and private lives are such polar opposites? ...... ''Oh?Are you okay? Natalia calls out to Omar as she spots him walking unsteadily in front of her. ''You''re ...... Toilet Habakkari from District 35, right? ''Nice try, but no! It means almost the same thing! But that''s not what a name means. ''Will you sit down for now, Mr. Kawaya? ''Oh, no!I''m afraid to use such an honorific title for the Lord of Smiles. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if I''m more nervous than I am about Lucia, this guy. You can find a lot more information on the web at: ...... ''Name the lord of smiles!It''s precious!It''s too precious to die! ''Yes, I''m sorry. Can you please shut up for a second? I was wrong. Omar''s not nervous. He was having an outbreak. ''Estella ......, don''t make more patients.'' ''It''s not my fault, is it ......?'' ''It must be Estella Syndrome, since the case looks just like Tracy''s.'' ''Anyway, can you go on as usual? ''Yes, my lord!My lord! No, your lord is the scary-looking Lucia next to you, isn''t it? ''Estella, don''t steal from .......'' ''I''m not stealing! The exodus of my people will affect my income. ''Since it can''t be helped, I''ll trade you for Hammarotan--'' ''''Come on, let''s get on with it! Loretta interrupted Lucia''s speech. Hey, good job, eldest sister. You''re a good sister who protects her brother. Seeing Loretta''s anger, Lucia smiles at her with a smile like, ''Well, well, ......''. You''re terminal. Such a terminally ill patient tightens her expression. ''First, I want to thank you for letting me know. ''No, I decided it was necessary. I apologize for the brevity of the letter.'' ''Don''t worry about it. It''s between you and me.'' The two exchange a lordship smile. Behind it, a slightly softer expression hid itself. ''Just when I thought we were going to have to take action against the ragtag bunch, here it is: ...... You acted faster than I thought you would.'' The reason for Wishart''s haste to act is somewhat obvious. ''The further the construction of the port goes, the more difficult it will be to get on board later. He probably wanted to stop the construction at an early stage. ''If you help remove obstacles in the form of counseling and assistance, you can connect with them in no small way. ......'' ''You show me the blatant harassment, and I''ll fix it myself. Then, he holds out his hand and threatens to do the same thing again if you don''t take his hand. That''s what''s called a ''bully fee. ''But don''t you think it was hasty?If you act too blatantly, the blame will fall on you. ''Don''t you think you can just ignore Estella no matter what she says to the 42nd district? ''Do you understand that my 35th district, the BU, and the three major guilds are colluding with each other? ''Because the damage is still only in the forty-two districts. There is no lord who would risk the people of his district to jump into the middle of a dispute. If there is one, if there is one, he''s a disqualified lord. Estella would probably jump into the middle of a dispute before being asked if Lucia or Demilly were being tormented by someone, but there are only a few such lords, or perhaps only one. ''Besides, there is no evidence of Wishart''s involvement at the moment. We''re pretty sure he''s black, but we don''t have enough physical evidence to bring him down. In addition, only the 42nd district is affected. It''s too weak to drag in the other wards. ''Then, they must be planning to get public opinion on their side to block the action of the Forty-two District Lords. ''Public opinion?How can anyone support a man who manipulates ruffians to cause trouble? ''But that''s not the case. He hands Lucia the latest information paper. She skimmed it over and Lucia had a blue streak on her forehead. Lucia silently passes the information paper to Omar. Omar also skimmed over it and muttered, ''...... awful''. ''...... union.'' Lucia growls lowly with her eyes downcast. ''I''m sorry to do this to you, but I think the union will probably pressure you not to cooperate with District 42. It''s a pity, because we were expecting to learn a lot from Kawaya Corporation, but this time we''ll try to handle it ourselves. I''m sorry to have wasted Lucia''s concern. Lucia had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure that Torbek, Kawaya, and the carpenters of both construction companies could work well together. It was all for nothing. ''Nah, it''s more like just right. Lucia smiles wickedly, and Estella lets out a slightly reluctant ''...... yeah''. In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. Lucia said in a low, faintly smiling voice, and looked up with eyes like sharpened knives. ''Tell him, Omar. ''Yes, sir.'' Putting the information paper on the table, Omar says proudly. ''''We''re leaving the union too! ''''Huh? Estella and Umaro shouted in unison. ''''Or rather, we''ve already left. I slapped the letter of insulation on them before they could even contact us.'''' I''m afraid of those glowing eyes, Lucia. It seems that Estella wasn''t the only sweetheart lord. ''No,......, Lucia-san,...... what? ''Well, calm down, Estella.'' Lucia sat Estella down as she stood up involuntarily. Umaro is stunned. As for me, I thought that might be an option. ''Why ...... no, more importantly, are you okay? Even though Kawaya Corporation does not have the same track record as Torbeck Corporation,......, Estella couldn''t say, and slurred her words. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. I''m not sure what you''re talking about.Huh? ''Yes, sir. We''re second to none in port repairs and ship carpentry, and we won''t lose those jobs in the future. We can get along just fine without a union. A withered old man smiles briskly. The lines of his face are clearly visible, and his tanned face curls up. His white teeth stand out. ''Well, to be honest, I can''t do much with just that. ......'' ''I''ll make it up to you. I''ll try to find you a job if I can. The lord will bear the disadvantage of leaving the union. Lucia said the same thing as in District 42. ''Normally, it''s not a good thing for a lord to be beholden to any one guild. ''It''s fine. There are some lords who hang out in a particular dining hall. ''......, is that me?'' That''s right. There''s no other lord who''s as patronizing as you. ''Hmm ...... haha. You''re right, I should follow my predecessors'' example. ''Please don''t do that, Lucia-san.'' Estella complained to Lucia and glared at me. ''Oh, my God! Umaro stood up with a clatter. All eyes were on him, and with a slightly nervous look on his face, he made a proposal. ''If you don''t mind, why don''t we form a partnership with ...... Torbeck Engineering? ''A partnership with ......? ''Yes! Umaro looked at Lucia and nodded. He looks at the beautiful woman''s face and talks to her. It''s Umaro in serious mode . ''Can you tell me more about it?'' ''Yes, sir!Well, I mean, it''s not an absorption or merger, it''s a contract that says we can work together. Umaro continued to express his thoughts. The forty-second and thirty-fifth wards are the most distant wards on the diagonal of Allbloom. It''s not so easy to come and go. It''s impossible to go to work there. So we send a few carpenters from Torbek and Kawaya to each other''s wards. They work together there. They will pass on their skills, build a cooperative system, and coordinate their income. To be honest, this is a complete relief to Kawaya Corporation. There will be more work coming to Torbek Construction Company in the future. Most recently, the neighboring lords wanted to build a public bathhouse. I''ve told them to wait until the construction of the port is finished, but I don''t know how long they''ll be able to hold out. We''re short on manpower and foremen. Only the foreman can''t be filled by hams. That''s why we''re sending in replacements. Different sites, different supervisors. I think it will be a good stimulus. Some of the indigenous carpenters absorbed by the Torbek Corporation are not suitable for the kind of work that the Torbek Corporation mainly does. These people may be able to exert themselves in the 35th district. On the other hand, there are some jobs that Umaro is not good at. Relocating the flowerbeds at Mael''s house is not a job for Umaro. But from now on, such jobs will come our way. Now that we are out of the union, we have to take care of all the carpentry work that happens in the 42nd district. ''I think it would be good if we could become a community that can do everything by making the best use of each other''s strengths and weaknesses. It would be a great help to Umaro if Kawaya Corporation could take on the work that Torbek Corporation alone could not handle, and it would increase efficiency. ''In addition, it would be great if you could teach us port-related skills. Finally, by showing your own merits, you pose as if it is a win-win situation. Not as a relief from above, but as a mutual aid on an equal footing. ''I see. Kitsune no Muneyoshi is proposing to create a new union? ''No, it''s not that big of a deal, but ...... well, it''s close enough.'' You can call it the Carpenters'' Union of the Forty-second and Thirty-fifth Wards, or whatever you want to call it. If the Trubecks create a new community, there will be a lot of people who want to join it. ''Do we need to report the creation of a union? ''Like a new guild? In this city, you need permission from the lord to form a guild. And that permission has to be reported to the church. To prevent similar guilds from spreading out and eating each other''s food. To prevent meaningless conflicts. --If you want to make a big deal of it, you have to report to the Church. If you want to operate on a large scale, you have to give the church some money. Business is developed by making people compete with each other. A monopoly will lead to corruption from the top. ''Unions are formed by a group of volunteers. You don''t need permission from the church or the lord. As long as the guilds agree with each other, there is no problem. It''s ......, isn''t it?'' ''Hmm. That''s what I''m aware of as well.'' Estella was a little unsure, and asked Lucia to confirm. By the way, when Millie created the Flower Arrangement Guild, there was no mention of the church. It seems that Estella and Lucia were told about it at least. ''So, it''s not much of a union,......, but what do you think? Umaro asks in a reserved tone. The reason for his reticence is that no matter how he tries to put it, this is a gift from Torbeck Engineering. To the Kawaya Corporation, he says, ''It''s going to be tough, isn''t it?It is nothing more than a state of offering a hand to Kawaya Corporation, saying, ''We will help you. There are many people who feel humiliated or insulted by this. And there are many carpenters who work only with their own hands, who are of this type. If Estella were to say to Donis, ''I''ll help you because I''m more profitable than you are,'' Donis would probably say, ''No thanks. ...... No, he might be attracted by Mahr and settle in District 42. If you''re in a situation where you''re in a relationship of equal power as a lord, but you''re a lord of the 24th district, which is considered higher than the 42nd district, you can''t just say, "Well, I''ll take your word for it. Until now. Until the day of the mochi pounding event in District 35, Kawaya''s view of Torbek''s construction company had been cold. Although he had recently come to prominence, he was once just a carpenter in District 40. In Kawaya''s eyes, Torbek''s construction company was a carpenter based in the three poorest districts, lower in rank than the 35th district where he was based. He would have looked down on them and not even given them a second thought. But now his position is completely reversed, and he is being offered a hand out of pity. Whether or not you can take the hand ...... honestly, we can not read it. It''s a pain in the ass, but that''s what being in charge is all about. But the representative of Kawaya Corporation was different. ''Of course, I''d be delighted!I look forward to working with you, Mr. Torbek! We can recognize what is good and call what is great. And you can take advantage of that without hesitation. The subordinates of such people are blessed. They won''t be disadvantaged because of their pride and can benefit from their boss''s responsibility. ''Hahaha. That tickles. ''Oumalo is fine, Mr. Kawaya. ''Please don''t do that. You can call me Omar.'' ''Well, again, nice to meet you, Omar.'' ''Oh. Nice to meet you, Oumalo.'' The men shake hands tightly. ''Good for you, Mr. Oumarro.'' Ginette, who had been watching, murmured in a quiet voice. She looks like she''s going to go make a celebratory meal right now. ''......?What is it?'' Perhaps because I was staring at her, Ginette said with an air of embarrassment and impatience. ''No, I was just thinking that you might be cooking something to celebrate...'' ''That''s right. Let''s have a celebration. We''re celebrating the formation of Umaro-san''s union. ''No, wait, Mr. Manager!That''s not the name of it!It''s not a union to begin with!It''s just a mutual aid relationship--'' ''Then how about the Umaro-san Alliance? ''It''s not about that, Loretta-san!I don''t want such a big name, and I don''t want you to use my name for something like that! ''...... Congratulations, the Great Umaro Society. ''Kuh-uh ......!It''s hard to go against Magda''s idea. ......! Although, ''The Great Oumalo Society'' is a tough one, isn''t it? ''Why don''t we just call it "Umaro and his merry band"? Estella giggled and made fun of Umaro''s misfortune. The lord is bullying me. A bully. ''But Miss Estella. But Estella-san... That''s no different from the current Torbeck Engineering store.'' ''Wait, Loretta-chan!Who''s the funny fellow? It''s you. It''s you, Goozja. You''re the only ones who are funny. ''Then let''s do this. ''Oumalo and the funny Oumalo.'' ''I''m all alone now, aren''t I? ''No, there''s more than one Oumalo.'' ''I don''t get it! Oumalo howled, Estella and Ginette laughed, and I exchanged glances with Lucia. ''Are you satisfied? I asked her with my eyes, and she flashed her tongue at me. d*mn, she''s not pretty. You were hoping that Umaro would give Kawaya Construction a sweet treatment. I guess that''s why you brought Omar. Just as I thought. But even though we can see this coming, we''re still worried. So it''s a relief when it actually happens. I thought that Lucia''s annoyingly cheerful smile must be an expression of such a sense of security. ''By the way, big brother. When we had finished talking, Loretta raised her eyebrows and pestered me. ''Why aren''t you doing anything about the mean lords? Mean lords are ...... ''Do you have something against Estella?'' ''I''m not Estella-san!It''s not ...... you, Estella-san!I like Estella-san, you know!'' ''Oh, yes. It''s okay, relax.'' ''I like you too, sister-in-law! ''Lucia, please hold off for a while! Your brother''s life depends on it. ''''That''s not it, I''m the lord of the thirty districts! ''What do you mean you''re not going to do anything? ''''Because they''ve been harassing us so much, haven''t they?If we don''t do something, the harassment won''t end, right?'''' For better or worse, Loretta is straightforward. ''I like that kind of straightforwardness in you, Loretta. ''--said Estella-sama, who has the straightest bosom of anyone. ''Shut up, Natalia. '' It''s probably because you have nothing better to do. Natalia started to get involved with Estella. Maybe I should have called her just in time. ''But you know what, Loretta. There are some people you can''t pick a fight with just because you don''t like them. ''But they''re the ones who are picking a fight with you, aren''t they? ''You have no proof of that. ''A lot of people have seen the ragheads! ''Hmm~......, how should I explain it?'' Estella twisted her head in annoyance, ''Yashiro, do you have anything? Estella throws her head at me. I''m not sure if there''s anything to say. ...... ''Well, let''s see what you can do. I get Natalia, who seems to be good at this sort of thing, involved and give Loretta a skit to help her understand. I have a quick meeting with Natalia. Gilberta is also listening to the conversation with interest. Estella and Lucia are also listening with amusement. Oh, and while you''re at it, add Ginette and Magda to the mix. And after the meeting, the skit with Loretta as the main character begins. ''Some years in the future. You''re going to get a full license from Ginette and open your own restaurant.'' ''What?I can have my own store? ''Yes. Loretta-san. It''s a spin-off from the Sundari-tei. ''That''s great!I''ll do my best! ''...... I''m sorry, I''m ahead of Magda.'' ''You''re ahead of Magda?That''s great!I''m suddenly very motivated! And while Loretta was getting excited, Natalia came to the imaginary Loretta Pavilion. ''Oh, so this is the rumored ''Loretta Pavilion''. Well, let''s go in right away. Gee~. Shh, shh, shh. ''Why does it sound like such an old Western-style building right after it opens? Short comedy. From the moment you enter to the moment you leave. ''What do you recommend here? ''I recommend the fried curry! ''Then, I''ll have the plain pasta, please. ''What do you recommend?Also, you should put something on the pasta! ''Then, I''ll have what you recommend. Natalia sits down. Loretta wasn''t sure if she should actually serve it or not, but she said, ''Just pretend,'' and pretended to serve the curry. Then Natalia pretended to eat it. --Then Natalia pretends to eat it. ''Oh, no, it''s not good. ''What?No, it''s not!I''m sure it''s delicious! ''You can''t eat it. I''m done.'' ''No way!You have to eat everything! ''I''ll leave you the money. Oh, no need for change. Goodbye. With that, Natalia leaves the table. Just as Natalia leaves, Magda and Gilberta arrive. However, they stop before entering the Loretta Pavilion. ''...... doesn''t look good''. ''I''m disappointed,'' I said. I had high expectations. ''...... should be a different restaurant.'' ''I agree, I''m with my eternal rival Magda. ''Wait a minute, sir!It''s delicious!You''re a licensed chef! But the customers never returned. ''And what if they do this to you every day? ''You''d be angry! ''But, Loretta. Think about it calmly.'' Estella said in a calm voice, as if to calm Loretta down, who had tears in her eyes. ''Natalia has paid for the food she ordered. The ''bad'' food is her personal opinion. Didn''t you also say that the tea from Luxury was not good? ''So, that''s ......''. Luxury is a first-rate coffee shop in the 40th district that caters to the aristocracy, and although they now serve the cakes I taught them, they used to serve cakes that were as stale as brown sugar bread and tea that had nothing but astringency. Not only me, but also Loretta, Magda, and even Jeannette denied the taste. Ginette didn''t even take a second sip, did she? ''But, but!You''re interfering with our business by telling our customers ...... that it doesn''t taste good! ''You didn''t say that directly, did you?You just happened to hear Natalia''s personal opinion, didn''t you? ''That''s .......'' ''Or can you provide evidence that Natalia maliciously disparaged your store? ''I''ve seen it with my own eyes! ''...... Magda saw with her own eyes that Loretta was saying bad things about Yashiro.'' I''m not sure what to say.When?You''re lying, big brother!I''ve never said anything bad about my brother! ''...... Magda has certainly seen and heard. You may cast the Judgment of the Spirits.'' ''Magda, ......'' ''I''ll tell you more,'' panicked Loretta. ''What Magda just said is that her testimony is not admissible as evidence.'' If Loretta''s ''I saw it with my own eyes'' is evidence, then Magda''s opinion is also evidence. ''But I never said anything bad about my brother. ......'' ''Don''t look at me like that, Pi. ''Oh, dear!It''s kind of annoying, that pretense. ''That''s it, that''s it. You''re calling me names. I''m not referring to malice. Anyone can say something bad about you just for fun. The way Magda did it was to make it seem like she was ''bad-mouthing'' you. ''And there was a guy who used such a method, wasn''t there? ''Oh, ......, in the thirtieth ward?'' ''That''s Loretta, who''s been tossed around even in the improvised skits now. ''There are a lot of witnesses over here! and rushed into the 30th district, only to be ignored. Instead, she''d use that as leverage to fight back. ''I need solid proof. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you can do it. ''Ugh ......, it''s a bit difficult for me. ''That''s why I think I like Loretta''s straightforwardness. I don''t want to have such a twisted view of things either, really. ''But I can''t protect my people if I don''t. You may feel frustrated, but don''t blame Estella, sister-in-law. ''I don''t ...... mean to blame you. It''s just that you''ve always been there to help those in need. He put an end to hard times. That''s why he said ...... about Umaro and the others.'''' I''ve seen Umaro suffer. But ...... ''Loretta, to continue where we left off. Let''s say you have the evidence to prove that Natalia''s actions were an obstruction of business. You make Natalia pay for her damages and she signs a contract not to come near the store again. The case is closed, and you are happy. That''s the end of the incident at Loretta''s. ''You were so happy that you decided to go and report it to Ginette. I won," she said proudly. I won. ...... But there was no sunlit pavilion there. ''What, what, why? ''Because I''m Estella-sama''s subordinate.'' Natalia stood in front of Loretta with an evil look on her face. Behind her stands Estella, also with an evil face. ''I would not be happy if I did not retaliate against you for mocking me. But I can''t go near the Loretta Pavilion. Then I''ll change my target. ''Since Natalia is like family to me, I''ve revoked the business license of the Sunken Pavilion by the authority of the lord. I also canceled the resident registration. Because I''m the lord, I only needed a pen. ''You can''t go to ...... like that! ''Oh, by the way. I''ll join you.'' Lucia stood in front of Loretta with an even more vicious look on her face. ''Estella is in league with me. Estella''s enemies are my enemies. I''ve told her that the Sunlit Pavilion is an undesirable restaurant that defies the Lords of the 42nd and 35th districts. ''''How d you do that?If you do that, the manager will be ......'' ''He won''t be able to do business anywhere else because of you fighting off Natalia. ''--Huh? Tears welled up in Loretta''s eyes, and Ginette hugged her head tightly. ''It''s okay. It''s just an act. Right?Loretta-san. ''...... flat. The sunken pavilion will not disappear. ''............Yes,right. ......Yes, I understand.'' The three of them huddled together in a tight mass. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ''Yes,......, I was scared.'' ''But you know, Loretta. That''s what aristocracy is all about.'' ''The bad thing is that they value face more than anything else. They are the kind of people who would do something like what you just did just because it made them angry. It''s very persuasive when a nobleman himself says so. You can''t do anything about it. ...... I know it''s frustrating. If I wanted to crush Wishart and be done with it, I would have done the same. But if you can''t cut off all the roots that lead to Wishart, retribution will surely come. I don''t know where that will lead. ''That man is particularly troublesome. Lucia exhaled a long breath and said with a look of disgust on her face. ''There''s a rumor that he''s backed by a third-grade nobleman. A nobleman even higher than the BU is backing Wishart? Lucia gives him such unheard of information, and urges him to sit down, ''Well, sit down. ''It may be a little long. Ginepu, make sure you have a good supper.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you. Lucia then gave me the information she had. 486-Episode 288 The Noble ''You''re saying that Wishart is connected to the third class nobility ......?'' Estella asks with a grim expression. Lucia smiles lightly, as if to relieve her tension. ''It''s a rumor. ''A rumor, sir? ''Hmm. But there''s no smoke without fire. I''m sure there is some connection. The connection I''m talking about here does not mean that they are ''close'' like Estella and Lucia. Backing. In other words, he has a scary old man behind him who says, ''If you mess with Wishart, I won''t shut up. ''Third grade means--'' The nobles in this city are assigned a grade. The first district, called the central district, is where the royal family lives, and the second to fourth districts surrounding it are the first grade. After that, the numbers increase to the second and third grades toward the outside. BU is the fourth grade, and the lords of the outer districts, such as Estella and Lucia, are the fifth grade nobles. ''So they''re of a higher rank than the BU. That means... ''So they''re my equals. ''Wait a minute, Yashiro. When did you rise above the BU?'' Hmm?When did you become a BU? The fourth class of nobles are Donnis, Gellarcy and Tracy, right? I''m higher than you. ''In any case, "grade" is just something the higher-ups put on their own, right?In terms of the preciousness of my soul, I''m definitely better than the BU guys. ''Then I''d be a lot higher than you. I''m more noble born than you.'' ''Sweet!No, you''re too thin! ''What are you talking about? There''s only one place in Estella where you can say ''thin''. I''m talking about the container for the soul. But that''s beside the point. ''I''m just wondering what a third class nobleman is worth. The BU''s are supposed to be higher than the nobles of the outer districts, but Donnis, Gerasie, Tracy, and the other not-so-good lords don''t have much power, wisdom, courage, or determination. The best they can do is to insist, ''I''m high ranking! ''The fourth class aristocrats were all helpless people who were desperately trying to protect themselves by forming groups. ''Hecklers? ....... How many times do you think that community has made us cry? ...... To be honest, I couldn''t have imagined a long time ago that we would be able to interact with each other as easily as we do now. What the hell, Estella. You''re scared of a BU? "BU"? The representative is excited about ''wow, wagashi, yum! ''If it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t have been able to get them to open their pockets. Lucia says with a face that doesn''t seem to be praising me at all. ''The weak are the most stubborn. And you did it so easily .......'' It wasn''t easy, though. I''ve had to run around a lot to keep those troublesome people quiet. ''Isn''t it your obsession with breasts that makes you do that? ''Well, it''s true that I''d rather have the outside of my breasts exposed than the inside of my breasts. ''Don''t be too forceful or you''ll get stabbed. Lucia says with a happy smile on her face. Hmm. There are more old men than lords, aren''t there? I don''t even want to see an old man''s chest. ''But, anchovy. ...... No, the frightening thing is that you might be able to take on even a third class nobleman. ......'' In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a number of things you can do. ''I''ll tell you in advance, so make sure you get it into your evil head. ''Umaro, can I borrow your head for a moment? ''Your head!I''m telling you to carve it into that head that looks the worst of them all! The super-genius Yashiro''s head isn''t bad, and I almost accidentally carved it into the nearest bad head, hmm. ''Don''t touch anything above the third grade. Serious eyes piercing me. Serious tone. Lucia''s that cautious? She was all ''fine, I''ll show you something'' when she was dealing with the BU. You may not fully understand the origins of this city, so you may not be aware of it, but nobles of the third rank and above are special. Lucia''s eyes are not smiling at all. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen such a serious face. It''s close to the eyes she had when she was checking me out for trying to discriminate against subhumans in the 35th district. It''s as if she''s threatening me that she''ll get rid of you if I make a move. Actually, he''s probably threatening me. ''So much? ''So much.'' ''It''s easy to replace lords in the outer districts and around the BU. There are plenty of replacements. If there''s a problem, we can cut them loose. That''s about it, Lucia says. ''But the third class nobles and above are the ones who can''t be replaced. ''Are they irreplaceable nobles? ''That''s what I mean.'' I picked up Lucia''s self-deprecating words and threw them back at her without a single wry smile. This is the kind of expression that this guy sometimes shows, the kind that says, ''That''s the way it is. ''You know that the first class nobleman is royalty, don''t you? ''Oh, yes. ......'' I can''t help but feel a momentary panic in my brain when I hear Lucia''s honorific. I can''t help but think that such an arrogant woman would use words like ''be'' that don''t even suit her as a matter of course. ''The royals are the ones who won this land from other races, protected it, and built the city. Their status will never be shaken and they will reign supreme over us forever.'' That''s what this city knows. No one is going to kick out the royalty and try to take their place. ...... Well, I guess the truth is that they can''t. And the second class nobles are the families of the warriors who stood on the front lines with the royalty during the war and won the war. ''That also sounds like a strong connection to the ...... royal family.'' ''These are the people who laid the foundation of this country. The royal family will not be antagonized by them, ...... ostensibly. The royals are not monolithic. Some of them may not like the second class nobles who have a big say in the royalty. They just don''t do anything to aggravate the relationship outwardly. ''That''s the people who hold important positions in this city, isn''t it? ''Yes. If you piss off one of them, you could have the whole district torn down. ''That''s a lot of power to wield. It must be a very comfortable grip. ''Hmm ...... Estella. Don''t let this man get inside the BU, okay?I''m not kidding, we could lose the outer districts.'' ''Yashiro. ...... really, be careful. He nailed me hard. I''m not sure if it''s the kind of thing you''d want to get upset about with a little joke like that. I''m sure you''ll feel at home inside. ''And what about the third grade?I thought there were a lot of big merchants and wealthy people there? ''Hmm. There''s the guild leader of the peddlers'' guild and the creator of the bricks to avoid monsters. There''s also a royal dressmaker, a jeweler, and a guild leader of a court cuisine guild that serves the finest cuisine. ...... What the hell is a court cuisine guild? You''re too choosy about your clientele. The third class of nobles are those who are judged to be indispensable to the city. Financially, technologically, and for many other reasons.'' In other words, they don''t have the power to directly control us, but they are in a position where they can threaten to tell their superiors. ''Hmm......, why do you have such a twisted idea......, well, that''s about it. You''re right. That''s what aristocrats do. It''s a bad feeling. It''s a problem, really. So how do you handle Wishart with such a troublesome nobleman backing you? ...... It''s not a good idea to challenge the royalty and the architects of the nation. If we try to get rid of those who are in our way, we will end up being erased. However, we can''t just cry ourselves to sleep and pretend we didn''t see anything. ...... Ahhhh... ...... d*mn. ''Well, brother. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure what to say. For example, let''s say there''s a restaurant called ''Very Delicious Goozuya Takoyaki''. ''Wow, that sounds fishy. ''That''s terrible, Loretta-chan!Even I do it when I have to! Somehow, Goozuya, who had become strangely motivated, stepped forward. So let''s just use her as a character. ''Loretta hears a rumor and comes to buy it. ''Goozuya-san, please give me some takoyaki. ''Yes, they''re delicious! ''But there''s not a single octopus in it. ''What do you mean, Mr. Goozuya? ''What, what? I''ll say Goozuya''s lines for him. You just lip-synch to my lines. ''Don''t make any funny accusations. You probably ate the food that was in there. ''That''s not true, sir!I''m sure it wasn''t in there!'' ''Do you have any proof?There''s a weird wrinkle on the hem of your skirt from sitting so messily! ''Wow!It''s true!There''s a weird crease on my skirt! Loretta noticed the wrinkles on her skirt and looked at Jeannette with tears in her eyes. Can''t you fix it yourself? You should at least learn to iron, it''s a good opportunity. ''So, Loretta gets the better of her, but she can''t let it go, so she goes to the authorities to tell them. ''Oh, I see!I''m going to get a big man to scold me! ''That''s why I asked Umaro for help, Loretta. ''I see, this is what you mean by ''having a backing''. I can be a little stronger.'''' Hey, hey, if you''re arrogant, you''re just as bad as Wishart. It''s cute, though. Loretta''s trying to get on Wishart''s good side, so I''ll make her change her mind. The goal is to have her experience the hassle of having a backer who''s annoying. ''By the way, when Gusuya saw that Umaro was coming out, he called in a helper beforehand. That''s Magda.'' ''...... Do you have any complaints about our Goozuya?'' ''Not at all!It''s nothing!Magda is justice! ''Muhaaaa!That''s not fair! Umaro was easily defeated. ''If this happens, I''ll call someone with more power. ''...... Loretta, wait. Magda waits for Loretta''s enthusiasm. ''...... If you make any more trouble, we''ll get serious. ''Serious, is it? ...... Gulp. ''...... I''ll bring in Estella, Natalia, Medrama, Delia, and Yashiro.'' I''m not sure what to do.You can''t win like that no matter how you try! ''...... This is the backing.'' Well, it''s not every day you get such an extreme case. ...... ''Goozuya has a backer who will help him out in times of need, so he''s doing his crazy business with impunity. Those around him pretend not to see Gooziya''s greedy business because they are afraid that his backers will come out. Try to stay out of it. ''Mmmmm!Mr. Goozuya, you''re disgusting! ''It''s a skit!It''s only a fiction! Goozuya denies it, but I won''t let him. ''That lousy Gooziya resents Loretta for complaining and starts harassing her incessantly. She sprinkles water on the bedclothes, knocks on the door when she goes to the bathroom, and sings and dances outside the window at night! ''Are you rotten to the core, Goozuya? ''Why did you chase me, Yashiro? ''''In addition, you secretly put strange wrinkles on my skirt! ''Were these wrinkles the work of Goozuya-san? ''No, it''s not!How much do you believe in Yashiro-san''s words? ''But when I fight off Goozuya to stop that harassment, I come out and start harassing him even more seriously than Goozuya. ''Big brother''s serious harassment will break my heart!I definitely can''t stand it! Loretta slumps down helplessly and the skit ends. Estella saw this and said. ''Yeah, ......, well, it''s a pretty extreme adaptation, but that''s how it is now, Loretta. ...... No, it''s not like that, is it? I''m sorry. I''m not so sure about that either, because I got sidetracked having fun in the middle. I''m sure it''s quite fun. ''Haha, well, it''s ...... lively, isn''t it? Lucia asked Omar to agree with her, but Omar only laughed dryly. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... Well, one of these days you''re going to get together with the Trubecks and have a ''ha ha'' moment, aren''t you? Behold!This is the infectious power of the forty-two districts! ''In short...'' Lucia sums up the messy conversation with one word. ''If we''re going to destroy Wishart, we need to be prepared to make a difference. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. ...... at all. That''s why you shouldn''t let fools have power. ''Estella-san, do you think it''s better to stay out of the way? ''Yes. That''s right. District Forty-two is moving in a good direction. I honestly don''t want to get in the way of that. ''Is that so? ......'' It seems that straightforward Loretta cannot tolerate a world where evil people are in control. ''Even Loretta didn''t go to the guilds to say, "Don''t discriminate against my brothers and sisters! You didn''t go to the guilds and say, ''Don''t discriminate against my siblings! ''It''s ...... also ............ ah, yes, ...... I see.'' It''s not brute force that corrects unreasonableness. Even though I know that, I''m still bothered by it. ''But if you harm my precious people, then I will not be silent. I can''t say it''s all-out war, but I''ll at least say a few words to the monk. ''...... Yes. You''re right, Estella, it would be more like Estella if you were as lenient as that. ''I''m not being lenient.I''m going to give you a hard time, like this, hard! You don''t have any power at all, Estella. ''If that happens, I''ll send my big brother.'' ''No, Yashiro will certainly take care of the situation, so don''t send him casually. ''...... but I think Yashiro can fight off even a third class nobleman.'' ''I''m scared because I think he can. I don''t want to be repelled, Magda. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll do fine. Or rather, she is patting her head in the confusion. Isn''t this what you call molestation? If so, I''d like to pinch her tits to calm her down, too. The third class aristocrats are essential to this city in some field or another. ''...... can''t be replaced?'' ''Yes. As Lucia-san said earlier, if this city runs out of the stones that are necessary for avoiding magical beasts, this city will not be able to survive, right?If that happens, the royal family will come out. If that happens, even Yashiro will be helpless. No, he should just give the king a good beating and make him listen to him. ''Wow, your brother looks like he''s about to give the king a good beating and make him listen. ''...... dangerous, that''s definitely dangerous''. You guys are getting too good at reading my expressions. Hold back a little. ''Anyway, it''s going to take a little more time to shut Wishart up. We''re not even close to being ready for what''s coming. ''We''re still in the process of discussing how to deal with the union. Torbeck Construction Company left, followed by Kawaya Construction Company. The union will be very determined to harass us. ''But we won''t leave the ruffians who messed with Gooziya alone. We''ll take immediate action. And the intelligence papers, too. ''So you''re just going to take out the ones you can get your hands on? ''Hmmm, ......, or should I say ......, Yashiro? From Loretta''s point of view, she''d rather just smack him upside the head and be done with it. ...... ''Magda. When you''re hunting a giant hexenbiest, where do you go first?'' ''...... Depends on how big it is.'' ''20 meter class.'' ''......Then ............, I''d aim for the legs first to block its movement.'' ''That''s the idea. If you crush its head or heart, it''ll be easy. --But it''s hard to get to that ''easy'' part. The big ones are dangerous unless you crush their legs to block their movement. If you make a mistake, you will be crushed by them. ''Crush the head only after you have crushed the limbs and made it immobile. ''I see. ...... It''s difficult, isn''t it? Loretta is very angry about this incident. She seems to have an extraordinary attachment to Torbeck''s construction company, which has been a great help to her younger siblings and provided them with a comfortable place to live. Maybe that''s why he''s so popular with carpenters. Maybe that''s why he''s so popular with carpenters. ''Hey, Loretta. I''m not going to tell you to give up or even forgive him because he can''t do anything about it. Just don''t be hasty. I don''t want you to look like you got someone else into trouble because of you.'' Those people are good at irritating others. There''s no need to fall for their stupid tricks. ''Estella and Lucia will take care of it. Don''t think about it too much. Just smile and go about your day as usual Loretta. It''s a waste of time to waste most of your day thinking about someone who pisses you off, right? ''...... Yes. That''s what I''ve been thinking. This guy should be spending his days peacefully in the sunny pavilion with Jeannette and Magda. If you need information on how to destroy them, I''ll gather it for you. ...... I''m not going to let them get away with it, either. ''So, Natalia, Gilberta. I want you to redraft the contract with Umaro and the others for the port construction. Omar is okay with that, right?'' ''What?Yes, of course. It''s more beneficial for us to work for Torbek''s construction company than to stay with the union. ''Hahaha, ......, mutual aid, right?There are benefits for us too, so it''s mutual. Umaro is humble. I guess he feels he got us into this mess. I''m sure he''ll do everything in his power to follow up. How much more are you going to take? ''You sycophant. ''I''m not as good as you, Yashiro-san. I''m not as good as you. I''ll get started on the paperwork. This way, everyone. ''I want you all to gather around, so we can finalize the terms.'' They set up a table a short distance away from us, and the two head waiters gather the relevant people. The contract that should have been signed in an enclosed space, such as the office of the lord''s mansion, is being signed in a corner of the public dining room. Are you guys okay with that? ''Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. When I''m done, Ginette comes out of the kitchen with the food. ''Masha-san gave us a lot of seafood, so I made a bouillabaisse. A lot of seafood floating in a tomato-based soup. It looked quite luxurious, and the faint scent of olives and garlic whetted my appetite. But then again, ...... ''You gave me a hell of a lot. ''It''s a thank you for protecting me. He smiled, put the food on the table, leaned in closer, and told me softly in my ear. ''Yashiro-san asked me to feed him a delicious meal. And so he put his best effort into making this bouillabaisse. The bouillabaisse looks so delicious and smells so delicious that I''m sure it will be delicious. ''When the port is built, we can make more fish dishes. He said happily, looked around quickly, and then asked me again. ''Even a horse mackerel with its head on the tail can be snacked on. He chuckles. Although I think he should have eaten it normally, he seems to be enjoying this secret activity. He must have enjoyed snacking on amberjack at the end of the heavy snow season. It''s written on your face. ''Then I''ll teach you how to eat octopus. ''What''s octopus fish?Is it cooking? ''It''s not much of a dish, but it''s raw octopus cut into chunks, seasoned with soup stock, soy sauce and mirin, and accented with spicy horseradish and fingernails. It is quite tasty. It''s good for drinking and eating. And now I bring my mouth to Jeannette''s ear and whisper like a devil tempting her. ''Best of all, they won''t know you''ve been snacking on them. She turns to me, her eyes wide with surprise, and a few moments later she starts laughing. ''Oh my God, I''m not such a picky eater. No, no, you''re a glutton when you expect to snack. More importantly, your mother is like that. It''s definitely inherited. They have a bond that''s stronger than blood, and these mothers and daughters certainly do. ''hmmm....... But I like sea fish, so I think I''m going to be a bit of a foodie. I like sea fish. I think I''ve heard you say that. ''Did your grandfather give it to you? ''Yes. He said the same thing every time. ...... I''m sure your grandfather liked sea fish, too. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Food with happy memories tastes even better. The sea fish, which was a special meal with her grandfather, will continue to be a treat for Jeannette. It''s like apple pie to me. ''Well, I guess I''ll be eating more sea fish in the future. I hear the familiar sound of a cart outside, and I say in a much louder voice. ''It''ll be cheaper if we get it directly from Masha instead of going through the peddlers'' guild. ''I heard you, Mr. Yashiro. Assunto walks into the store, laughing, ''Hmmm. ''Well, I knew Assunto was here, so I said. ''I can spare you some of the trouble, but you''ll have to go through the peddlers'' guild when the port is ready. ''Eh~, there''s no benefit to us.'' ''It makes me, your best friend, happy to make money. ''That''s not a benefit for me. I mean, what''s a best friend? Why are you calling yourself that? I was asked in class, ''Do any of you have a best friend? Do you want to experience the shocking sadness of being asked in class if you have a best friend, and you raise your hand, but the person you think is your best friend doesn''t? ''This is unusual, at this hour. It was mid-afternoon. Assunto usually shows up at the Sunken Pavilion before it opens. It''s early in the morning. ''You only sell the food, but you never come to eat it. ''No,......, I''m not selling you anything, I''m just delivering your order. ...... Well, I''m recommending some great products to you while I''m at it. I''m just paying for it. I''m uncomfortable. ''I have a wife, so I basically eat at home. ''My wife is my staple food''?Are you an obscene person, in the middle of the day? ''I didn''t say that, did I? Jeannette turned a faint shade of red and slunk away from Assunto. ''Yes, yes. Get away from him. Keep your distance from this money-losing pig. ''So, what are you here to sell me today? The ice house again? I''m considering that one right now. ...... I can''t help but think I want one. Oh, that''s too bad. ''No, I''m here to bring you a gift. ''Divorce papers?Wait here, I''ll get Estella now.'' ''No, and who''s going to be happy about that? I''m kind of happy about it, aren''t I? Because the fact that Assunto has a wife in the first place annoys me to no end. ''Did you call for me? ''It''s nothing, Miss Estella. Please, continue with your story.'' ''Don''t worry about it. We have little more to discuss. Trubek''s offer is all we can hope for. I''m sorry it''s so convenient for you. After Estella, even Lucia left the discussion and came over to us. The two head waiters and the two master carpenters are putting together the paperwork, rattling on and on. ''Are you getting a divorce? ''No, I''m not. I''ve sworn to be with my wife for the rest of my life.'' ''All right, Estella. Let''s get a gigolo to divorce Assunto''s wife and turn Assunto into a pig in the Judgment of the Spirits!'' ''Why are you so ambitious before ......, ''Judgment of the Spirits'' won''t make you a pig, you''re already a pig! ''...... Assunto. In the store, be quiet. ''It''s your shopkeeper, the one who''s making me raise my voice, ......''. Assunto lets out a sigh when he sees Magda saying the right thing. You''re not being told what to do by a little girl, you''re being disgusting. ''...... If you get divorced, you can have Umaro build you a single person''s house.'' I''m not getting a divorce, and why are you assuming I''ll be kicked out of my house?That''s my house, and if I''m going to leave, it''s going to be my wife.'' ''Mr. Assunto, are you trying to kick your wife out of the house?That''s terrible!I''m going to tell her off! ''I won''t kick her out!I''m going to stay with her forever! Assunto desperately tried to stop Loretta from running away. If he starts running, the whole forty-two districts will know about it in an hour. ''...... Stop it, Assunto. Don''t be so rough with Loretta''s clothes. ...... Ahh! ''What disturbing lines are you trying to leave in the Conversation Record, Magda?You know what, Enna?It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. That''s the excuse I''m giving to my wife, who isn''t here (not sure if she exists). What''s that? Does your wife check the Conversation Record? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. Wow. ...... ''You''re not trustworthy, are you? ''You are more than 80% of the reason why my wife wants to see the Conversation Record, Yashiro. Apparently, Assunto''s wife likes to read the conversations between Assunto and me. ''Everything seems to be fun ...... and that''s a problem,'' Assunto said, letting out a sigh. He can''t get enough of his wife, can he? She''s always been on his ass. All the time under her ass. ''You can touch my wife''s ass all you want, you obscene bastard. ''What are you talking about?Stop it, my wife will tell the maids who read this! It seems that Assunto is being used as a plaything at home as well. ''...... As expected of Assunto. ''He understands his position very well. ''I''d very much like to decline that position. ......'' Assunto is disgusted by Magda and Loretta''s words. ''Well, give it up. It''s better for you to be everyone''s plaything. You''re already known for your black heart. ''Goozja. That''s what black-hearted means.'' ''Do you still care, Yashiro-san? ...... Just forget about it.'' I''ll be sure to tell Goozuya, who was sitting quietly in the corner. And I''ll never forget it. ''So, what''s this gift you brought me? When Estella saw that we were done playing, she turned to Assunto. As if he''d been waiting for it, Assunto puffed confidently and spoke in a hushed voice. ''I''ve washed the back of Deyglea Wishart. Apparently, a gift is information. ''I was just about to say that Lady Lucia - no, it would be more pleasing to call you Miss Lucia - Miss Lucia is here, and would you mind listening to me for a moment?Well, let''s have a meal together. At Assunto''s words, Lucia and Estella exchanged glances and returned to our table. As the number of people has increased, we''ll add another table to make it bigger. Ginette hurriedly put the bouillabaisse on a plate and served it to each of us. Goozja and Yamboldo are seated a little further away, ready to watch us. Well, they will interrupt us if they feel like it. Natalia and Gilberta are still working on the paperwork and listening to what we have to say. That''s very clever. Umaro and Omar remain at Natalia''s table. Me, Estella, Lucia, Magda, Loretta, and Ginette, who had finished serving the food, sat around the same table. Then Assunto sits down. A freshly prepared bouillabaisse is placed in front of Assunto. ''Assunto. He puts his palm out in front of Assunto, who was looking at the bouillabaisse and saying, ''This is also magnificent. ''80Rb''. ''No, well, ...... I think 80Rb is cheap for such a dish, but ......''. Why did you assume it was free? ''In the flow of things''? That''s sweet! 80Rb is 800 Japanese Yen. That''s cheap, isn''t it? ''Don''t worry, Mr. Assunto. This is a bribe dish. There''s a lot of people here who aren''t even waiters. This place has a wide range of bribes. ''Oh, let''s do this. Please monitor the prototype.'' I pointed out, and Jeannette said that with a glazed look in her eyes. Your excuses are getting better, aren''t they? Where do you learn to say things like that? ''Uh-huh. I''m learning from you, Mr. Yashiro. Don''t study quibbles. ''I''m always watching you.'' With a defenseless face, well, ...... ''That''s odd. I''ve been watching you a lot, too.'' ''You''re looking at the wrong girl, Yashiro.'' He pinched my nose and lifted my face. What, did Estella teach you that nose technique? I don''t think you need to absorb anything like that. ''Hmm... You''ve shown me something rare. It''s a sight that can''t be seen anywhere else, only at the Sunlit Pavilion. Assunto smiled at me, a slightly uncomfortable smile on his face. Don''t look at me like I''m smiling. ''Is your cleavage that unusual?Oh, did I mention that your wife is flat?But don''t stare at me too much, Assunto. ''Wait!Don''t try to leave any strange words in the Conversation Record!I''m not looking at it, Energie!No, really! Apparently, Assunto''s wife is prone to sulking. Such a desperate follow-up. ''I feel like I found an interesting toy. ''......After all, a single word can be fatal when you''re around Yashiro-san. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. ...... I''ll be more careful in the future.Hmm? ''You''re a person who loves to drop things. ''It''s Yashiro, isn''t it? ''It''s Yashiro, isn''t it? ''...... for sure. ''It''s your brother.'' ''You''re a lousy man, anchovy.'' They''re all over me. What a bunch. I''m going to make a fashion trend that''ll make you pee your pants, d*mn it! ''As expected of Mr. Ginette. This is very tasty.'' ''Thank you very much. Assunto takes a bite of the bouillabaisse and makes a face. You''re talking about ''delicious'' in terms of profit, right? ''I''m sure the demand for seafood will increase once the port is completed. I''m looking forward to it. ......? ''So, sir.'' Assunto puts down his spoon and inhales gently. ''We need to eliminate - or at least dam up - any obstacles that might be in the way. Assunto smiles wickedly. ''I''ve been doing some research on ragging. ''I''ve been doing some research on the ragtag crew that messed with Goozja and started the whole mess. Assunto had gotten that information as a matter of course. In fact, he must have known most of what was going on in the 42nd district and the neighboring districts. Gathering information is the basis of business. ''I''ve talked to an acquaintance who knows a lot about that kind of thing. ''Ah, come to think of it, Assunto knows a lot about rumors and information, various things.'' ''No, it''s just ...... a matter of business, you know, ...... a lot of things.'' In the past, there were some ruffians who interfered with the business of the second and seventh stores of the sunlit pavilion, which started mobile sales. ''Um, Loretta-san. I received a large amount of very delicious sweet corn, if you would like to have some?I''d love to give some to your younger siblings. ''What?But can I?You need a lot of it.'' ''Yes, no problem. You all seem to be working very hard every day, so as a sign of friendship, please do! ''Thank you, Mr. Assunto!My siblings will be very happy.'' Yes, yes. I think it''s important to put it in a tangible form. Thanks and apologies. ''So, back to the topic at hand...'' Sweating profusely, Assunto returns to the subject. Estella glares at him with a wry smile. It''s ....... Don''t look at me. I just remembered something and got annoyed. ''I''ve made a description based on the sightings, are you sure this is the man you''re looking for, Goozja?'' ''Ah!That''s him!That''s the one! Assunto took out a piece of paper from his pocket and drew a sketch of a man with a bad physiognomy who smelled like a trinket. ...... Something about it reminds me of my own physiognomy, and it makes me feel bad. ''So, this guy. It seems he''s one of the group that''s based around the 22nd district. ''Twenty-two wards? District 22 is on the other side of District 29. It''s one of the wards through which a large street running from Ward 30 to Chuo Ward runs. Thirty is a rather wide ward, bordering both 23 and 29, and after crossing the BU, it leads to 11 and 22. Inside the BU, the twelve wards from the 11th to the 22nd are arranged in a circle, and the beginning and the end of the circle are the main streets extending from the 30th ward to the central ward. In other words-- ''If there''s a secret loophole leading from the 30th district, he''s a scoundrel who''s based in one of the districts where he can fatten his pockets by passing through the BU tariff. Passing through the BU is taxing. However, if the 30 wards collude with the 11 or 22 wards that exist across the BU, they can create a secret passage that the BU cannot see and evade taxes as much as they want. ''If we dig a passageway underground, we can evade taxes and the money that comes out of it will flow into our pockets. If there''s a loophole like the more secretive New Road that was created between the 42nd and 29th districts, there''s no limit to the amount of dirty money that can be generated. ''As expected of Mr. Yashiro. You know exactly what the bad guys do.'' ''It''s basic. ''I don''t like to admit such basics.'' Estella gives him a disapproving look. The bad guys are all thinking the same thing. Their M.O. will naturally be similar. ''There have always been rumors that they are connected to the third class of nobles, but it is very likely that they are connected to either the 11th or 22nd district of .......'' ''Or both of them, Miss Lucia.'' ''Hmm ......, yes.'' Both Lucia and Assunto seemed to have some idea of what the bad guys might be thinking, and they were in general agreement. ''I wanted to probe a little deeper, but no, as expected, the lord of the thirtieth district seemed to be on guard, and it didn''t go well. Wishart was said to be cautious. It is said that he has an ironclad guard against prying eyes from the outside. ''So I thought I''d try a different approach to making a prediction. Assunto smiles a wicked smile. He seems to be holding some information. ''The nobleman who was inducing the bad publicity and pressure regarding Torbeck Engineering is coming to mind. The Civil Engineering Guild is an organization controlled by a dozen or so nobles, and the noble who came to mind is one of them. It seems that he is not the head of the organization, but if he pretends not to see the brutality of the nobleman, it is as if the head of the organization approved it. There is no reason for Umaro and the others to forgive the union now, even if it is said that a few people in the organization did it on their own. High or low in the pecking order is not important now. What matters is-- ''That nobleman is a nobleman of the 29th district. An aristocrat living in the 29th district. If he''s involved in this simultaneous harassment, in other words, if he''s cooperating with Wishart... ''He''s connected to Wishart...'' ''The 22nd district, you mean. ''I guess so. Lucia picks up the end of my words, and Assunto affirms it. We''ve come up with a solution that makes sense to us, but Jeannette and the others don''t seem to understand why, and they look puzzled. No wonder, I''ll tell them. And then... ''I think the people around there are black-hearted...'' As if she didn''t hear me, Goozja was being punished severely by Lucia and Assunto for the same old gaffe. Learn your lesson, idiot. 487-Episode 289 Things Move Underwater ''Um, bro. I''m having a hard time following the story. ...... Are the 22 districts the bad guys?'' ''Bad guys, that''s a very short classification. ''It''s highly likely. Or rather, it seems to fit if that''s the case. ''Mmmm ...... I don''t understand.'' Loretta, who is very upset about this whole thing, is trying her best to keep up with us, but she still doesn''t seem to understand what we''re talking about. ''First of all, you need to sort out the geography again. ''Well, the thirtieth district borders the twenty-third and twenty-ninth districts. ''Right. So, what''s beyond that? ''The eleventh and twenty-second wards. ''There''s a city gate in District 30, so merchants coming from outside will either take the route of District 30, 29, and 22, or the route of District 30, 23, and 11 to get to Central District. You understand this, right?'' ''Yes, sir. In both the 23rd and 29th districts, there are some facilities that are not overtly like customs posts, where tolls are collected. For a peddler, it must be quite unpleasant to be charged an entrance tax when entering the city gate and a toll tax when passing through the BU. ''What would Loretta do if she didn''t want to pay the tax twice? ''I''ll sell all my goods in the 30th district! Oh, an honor student! I see, in his mind, there is no option to cheat. ''Loretta is a good girl, isn''t she? ''Mm. That''s my sister-in-law.'''' Estella and Lucia smiled, and Assunto let out a chuckle. ''Huh?What''s the difference?Did I make a mistake? ''No, no. You''re right. You''re the only one who''s right. The people on this side of the line must be rotten to the core. I''m a cheater, so that''s what I want, but I''m not so sure that the lords and merchants guilds who claim to be clean and pure are like that, hey? It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web. ''Isn''t that a bad idea! ''But it''s more profitable. ''But it''s more profitable.'' And there are 50,000 people in this world who would jump at that kind of money-making scheme. ''Let''s say I''m charged 1,000Rb in toll tax. If you give 500Rb to a powerful person and say, ''Please help me avoid the toll tax somehow,'' and evade the tax, you can save 500Rb. It''s a win-win situation for both the merchant and the authority. ''The ''bu'' is losing money, isn''t it! ''Yes. But I guess you don''t care about that, since it''s in another district. Actually, it''s none of our business if the lords of unrelated districts go bankrupt. I''m sure you''ll do just fine on your own. ''And the easiest way to evade taxes is to create a secret passage that no one can find. ''Ms. Loretta. Who and who did Mr. Yashiro ask for permission to build the New Road?'' To Assunto''s question, Loretta thought for a moment and gave her answer. ''Miss Estella and Miss Mahr. ''Yes, sir. If you talk to the authorities who control the entrance and exit, the passage will be open. In other words, the 30th district can evade taxes as much as they want by colluding with the nobles of the 11th and 22nd districts. ''That''s where the help comes in. As if he''s getting excited, Assunto starts to explain on my behalf. ''For example, Miss Loretta. Would you cooperate with a plan that would be detrimental to the Sunken Pavilion?'' ''Absolutely not!I''d rather destroy such a plan! ''That''s right. Then, what if your rival restaurant will be disadvantaged? ''Even so, I will not cooperate. ''''How about if the site where the rival store was destroyed is given to Loretta-san?You can have your own store, right?'''' Ah, Assunto. You can''t do that. ''I''m not happy about that at all!The Sun Goddess Pavilion branch store is not built on someone''s sorrow!A place where someone''s happiness and warm smiles can gather, that''s what YODAMARI-TEI is! ''...... That''s right, isn''t it? What? You can''t use it as a metaphor, because Loretta is that kind of person. ''...... Loretta, well said. Magda thinks the same. ''Hmmm. We''re all in this together.'' ''Right?'' Ginette looked over at me. No, I can enjoy my own happiness over someone else''s corpse, though. ...... Well, the sunny pavilion might not grow in such rotten soil. ''You''ve failed. Yashiro-san, please correct your course.'' ...... d*mn. ''If you''re in the 42nd district, you might think that way, but if you go outside, you''ll find a lot of people who aren''t like that. There are a lot of people out there who don''t. People like the one who wrote this information paper. There are a disgusting number of people who can kick others down for their own gain. ''Defrauding others is always accompanied by the danger that the blade will turn against you. Who would do such a dangerous thing without any reward?There''s something good about it, and there are idiots who take advantage of it. ''Is that the 22nd district? ''No, it''s the 29th district. ''Huh, ......, there are so many of them, I''m confused.'' I slowly tell Loretta, who is holding her head. ''It''s either District 22 or District 11 that will directly benefit from being connected to District 30. If you want to determine which one is the underdog, just check the one that indirectly benefits. ''So that''s the 29th district, huh? ''If the aristocrats of the 29th district are using the union to harass the 42nd district, then it''s in line with Wishart''s intentions. It''s not often that there are coincidental coincidences of malice. There is usually something intentional behind it. Several people are acting for some purpose. It''s natural to think so. ''Then, what are the indirect benefits that the nobles of the 29th district can gain from ......? ''Well ......, if they evade taxes, the "BU" doesn''t get any money. ............ Huh?It''s not a loss?I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on.I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you out. I see. Is that how you think? You''re right up to the point that it will go under if it loses money. ''It''s not the 29th district that will be disadvantaged by the decrease in tolls, but the lord of the 29th district. ''Huh?What''s the difference?The lords of the twenty-nine districts run the twenty-nine districts, right?'''' ''''Ah. If that can''t be done, the district will fail and the lord will be stripped of his authority.'''' Loretta was mistaken about two things. She is mistaken that the lord of the 29th district and the nobles of the 29th district are in the same position. She may think that both sides are cooperating with each other for the betterment of the 29th district, but only the 42nd district is full of such sycophants. In other places, they would be pulling each other''s legs. Another misconception is that the aristocrats in the 29th district are cooperating in tax evasion. Only two districts are involved in tax evasion, the entrance and the exit of the secret route. The aristocrats of the 29th district are only cooperating in order to enjoy the ''benefits resulting from their tax evasion. ''If the district goes bankrupt and the lord is fired, the position of lord of the 29th district will be vacant, right?Then someone else will have to become the lord. In that case, if there''s a noble in the district who''s on good terms with the neighboring districts, don''t you think he''ll be recommended? ''E......'' Loretta''s face turned pale. She doesn''t want to believe such a fact, she doesn''t want to admit that such a person exists. That''s right. I understand how you feel. But, you know, there are. That kind of scum is disgusting. ''...... Is that nobleman in the 29th district deliberately trying to get rid of the Lord of the 29th district, ...... Ma''ru? There are a lot of noblemen who would like to take over the role of the lord of the 29th district, House Erin, if it goes bankrupt. There are those who will do anything to make that happen. ''That''s why the secret route is most likely to be between the 30th and 22nd districts. If the toll tax is reduced, the damage to the 29th district will be great. If the BU had not taken the form of a community and compensated each other, it might have been destroyed earlier. That community also changed its shape slightly after the clash with District 42. It may have been seen as an opportunity to make a move. ''There is a collaborator who would benefit from the collapse of the 29th district, and he is currently harassing the 42nd district with gusto,'' said ...... the black-hearted lord of the 35th district and the pig of the peddlers guild. That''s it. I''m not sure what to say.I don''t want to be told by you alone, anchovy! ''You''re absolutely right. I''ll pass over the objections of the black-hearted. ''Well, it''s not confirmed yet, it''s just that the probability is high. I''d say 90% at most.'' ''Isn''t it already almost certain? Because otherwise, I don''t see any reason why the nobles of the 29th district would be so eager to attack the Torbeck Engineering Shop, the main earner. It''s Wishart''s way of venting his anger. You''ve taken such good care of him just because he refused to be your exclusive. I can''t help but think there''s some kind of payback. ''...... Something scares me. The nobleman''s thoughts. Loretta hugged her own body and shivered. Estella, who looks as pale as Loretta, talks to her. ''Yes, the nobles are afraid. That''s why, Loretta--'' She puts her hand on Loretta''s shoulder and slowly tells her. ''The lord of the 29th district is Gerasie Erin. It''s not Mahr, so don''t make the mistake of going somewhere else. Oh, that''s what''s bothering you, isn''t it? If you say something like that elsewhere, you''ll be in trouble later. If a rumor spreads that Mahr is aiming for the title of lord because of the 42nd district, ...... the rest will be scary. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you''ll be able to find out more about it here. She nodded her head. The information that Assunto brought to the table revealed a fishy district. The third class of nobles behind Wishart is the 22nd district. ...... There''s no information whatsoever. ''What kind of district is the 22nd district? ''It''s a wonderful district. Assunto says with a nice smile. That means it''s probably a nasty district full of rich people. I''ve only glanced around, but my impression is that it''s strangely neat and tidy, with a lot of high-class people coming and going. Yeah, I know what you mean. The reason for Assunto''s expression. The people who live there, they look down on you, right? All right, can you stop that creepy smile? You didn''t have such a black face in the 24th district. That''s quite something, Ward 22. Is that it? It''s like a celebrity madam who lives in a high class residential area whose every word and action annoys you. I feel like punching her, so I''m going to avoid contact with the residents for a while. ''What kind of a man is the Lord of District 22? ''He''s a well-behaved, gentle man who''s loved by his people. ''I see. That''s the impression I have of him as well. Lucia confirms Assunto''s words. If you look at Estella, you can see that she doesn''t know him very well, and she only replies, ''I have that impression too,'' without confidence. ''How can such a person be involved in evil? Ginette tilted her head in wonder. Because in the world you see, there are no evil people who look like good people. In the world you see, there are no evil people who look like good people. ''The more evil you are, the better you pretend to be a good person. ''It''s more convincing when you say it, isn''t it? Right?So, from now on, don''t force your good guy character on me. ''I''m just saying what I see, I''m not forcing it on you. You''ve got a nice smile and a hateful attitude. I''ll rub it in! You can''t ...... do that, so I''m going to poke you! ''Well, he''s a very reputable lord. ...... ostensibly.'' Behind Assunto''s words are hidden the words, ''A nobleman of that level cannot be a good person. That''s probably true, and the reputable lord is probably no exception. To be honest, Estella would not be able to be a lord outside of District 42. She would be crushed and dragged down immediately. On the contrary, it''s probably good that she''s looked down upon. If there were any other nobles in this district, they would have lost the title of lord long ago. ''''I wanted to look into the internal situation of the Lord of the 22nd District, but it wasn''t so easy after all. You''ve attacked in such a short period of time. Don''t make too many bold moves and get erased, okay? If someone strange comes to replace you, we''ll have to go up against the Peddler''s Guild again. I don''t want that kind of trouble. ''But well, I''m sure District 22 won''t directly interfere with the construction of the port. ''I think so too. Even in the letter, they took the stance of ''wishing for the development of District Forty-two''. I think they think that whatever District Forty-two is doing won''t affect them. Regarding the construction of the port, I sent letters to the nobles of each district after I reported to the royal family. Most of them said, ''Oh, yeah. Do what you want. Do what you want. The only ones who took a bite were the outer districts, who were impatient because their power relations were about to be overturned, and the BU and the lords who knew each other up to the 35th district, who thought, ''Let''s get involved in what the 42nd district is doing. ''But it''s conceivable that they''ll step in if the thirtieth district, with which they share a common interest, is about to be destroyed. It is said that if you poke at the thirty districts too loudly, scary third-grade nobles will jump out from the bushes. Do it stealthily. And don''t let them know it. With overwhelming force. ''What do you think our victory condition is? I ask Estella. The most moderate of them all. A sweetheart of a lord who won''t punish her opponents no matter how much resentment they may harbor. If we want to settle this matter so as not to provoke the higher nobles, it would be most expedient to go along with Estella''s plan. ''That''s right. It would be better if we could eliminate the pressure currently being applied and nail them to the wall so that they will never interfere with the 42nd district again. Return the current negative to zero and build a relationship with them so that they will not mess with you in the future. Do not attack the other party and do not give disadvantage to the other party. It''s a lenient decision: ''If you put your fist in the air, we''ll let bygones be bygones. ''Well, that''s probably the safest thing to do. ''A tethered mad dog won''t bite you unless you stick your hand in it. Both Lucia and Assunto showed a certain understanding of Estella''s opinion. ''If you go at them with a stomach bug that won''t go away, you may end up in an irreversible situation. A mad dog on a leash. That''s a good analogy. In the first place, Estella''s goal in BU was to get rid of unfair pressure. She didn''t have the slightest intention of beating them up so that they would never be able to turn on her again. That''s what Estella is. As a lord, that''s right. ......, but I''m not a lord. ''Anyway, I need some information. Let''s all get along, work together, and get over this hardship! I don''t remember joining any of those meetings. I''m going to take my own personal steps to get my stomach pumping. As to who the tethered rabid dog is... well, I guess we''ll find out. I don''t sense any disquiet in Estella''s words. Ginette is relieved. Magda and Loretta look a little unhappy. But even they don''t want to see Wishart''s blood on their hands. But these two don''t think so. At most, ''Apologize to Umaro!Sincerely, sincerely! That''s about the extent of it. That''s the least I can do to show them. As a "lordly closing performance. Stories are supposed to end with closure, but the end of a villain''s story is always tragic. What happened to the demon who was killed by Momotaro and lost his treasure? They may have been rebelled against by their fellow demons, saying, ''This boss is unreliable,'' or they may have been exterminated by local samurai who heard Momotaro''s success. Whatever the case may be, those who have done evil deserve an appropriate end. ...... Well, I can''t speak for others, ''I''m going to try to get some information on Wishart. ''That''s going to take a lot of work. Lucia says with a disgusted look. ''Because his family is special. ''Special? ''Hmm. You''ve heard of it, Estella?You must have heard of the unusual customs of the Wishart family. ''Um, ...... unusual customs, huh? ''Hmm. No matter if it is a direct line or a side line, all the boys born are tested without exception, and only those who pass the test are kept close to the family. ''Oh, I''ve heard that before. I heard that if you are not accepted by the head of the family, you will be sent to serve other nobles. Are you keeping your unsuitable relatives away from your family? When there was trouble during the renovation of the mansion, Umaro and the others were forbidden to approach the mansion, so it seems that there are secrets that they don''t want the outside world to know. ''Because of this custom, the Wishart family has also made a name for themselves as a family that produces excellent stewards. They''re noblemen who were originally raised as a family of lords. I''m sure they''re well educated, and if they''re going to be butlers, no wonder they''re so good. ''In fact, it seems that only a few people who have been approved by the lord can approach that mansion. I''m sure I''ll be turned away. Thorough information control. It''s not so much that Dayglaire Wishart personally, but rather the Wishart family is cautious. ''If boys can be tested, why can''t girls be tested? ''Girls are sent out without question. As the wives of powerful nobles. Is that how you make your connections with the various nobles? What a nobleman, just like a nobleman. ''There was also a young lady who came to the 35th district to learn how to behave. It seems that a young lady of the Wishart family was once entrusted to a nobleman living in District 35 as an apprentice. The purpose was to make her learn how to behave and behave like a noble, and to marry her off as a noble''s wife. ''The pretense of apprenticeship was just a pretext, but the real intention was probably that the family who entrusted her to them wanted her to be their daughter. If you keep her at home, you will have more opportunities to interact with her. He would be lucky if he could meet her in the process. ''Although the Wishart family''s intentions were crushed when the nobleman was disinherited for some reason. ......? The aristocrats of the 35th district who had their families destroyed are ............ ''Could that be Orkio''s house? ''The house is nothing, the one who was acting as the teacher of that daughter is that Orkio.'' Ohhhh! There was someone related to the Wishart family in a place I didn''t expect! ''The information you just gave me was the most surprising. Seeing my reaction, Lucia giggled happily. She happily ...... ''You rushed over in your carriage to tell me this information?'' ''Hmph. Your stupid face is not worth that much. It''s just a sideshow, that stupid face.'' You look like you''re having a good time for that. ''Orkio-san is that Orkio-san ......, right? Ginette also seemed surprised by the sudden appearance of the name of an acquaintance. Sometimes I get nervous when someone''s name comes up, even if it has nothing to do with me. Perhaps trying to calm her down, Jeannette is holding her large, majestic breasts in her hands. It''s spilling all over the place. It''s like trying to cover the Alps with a hand towel. It''s a reckless act. ''Mr. Orkio, you''ve done such a thing, haven''t you? ''Orkio''s house was not that big, but it was a famous house in the 35th district.'' Lucia poked at the mussels in the bouillabaisse with a spoon, perhaps remembering the 35th district. The mussels flip around in the soup. ''In Orkio''s house, he was in charge of the beastman tribe living in the 35th district - those who were called subhumans or subspecies at the time. They would gather up subhumans who had no jobs, and in exchange for becoming their underwriters, they would take a cut of their earnings. It is said that they were doing something like a staffing agency. ...... is more like human trafficking. The dispatched subhumans were assigned to hard physical labor and dangerous jobs such as gatekeeping. I imagine that they were also engaged in rough work that would be done by ruffians. That''s what the aristocracy needs. The working environment was probably not so good. We need people who are willing to do the dirty work. No one wants to do the dirty work. However, if you keep too much distance from them, it is difficult to rely on them in times of need. The best thing to do is to take the position that you are not directly involved with them, but to have a secret, powerful, and quick pipe of influence. The most effective way to do this would be to marry off a daughter who has left home. Gilberta''s father was said to have been a gatekeeper, and Orkio''s family might have been in charge of such things. It goes without saying that the power of the beastmen and insects is unparalleled. However, the nobles at that time probably couldn''t protect, ask, or rely on those they despised as "subhumans". That''s why they needed a middleman. In reality, the beastmen were protecting the city, but Orkio''s family stood in between them, so that the nobles could say that they were protecting the city. The nobles use the beastmen to protect the city. The nobles can use the nobles as a filter and pretend that the beastmen do not exist. ...... It''s a sickening story. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m surprised or because I''m surprised that you''ve been doing this for so long. Whether from surprise or from the content of the story, Ginette looked a little uneasy. So, I''ll give you my own interpretation. ''You might have been lucky. ''Lucky, sir? ''Because it''s Orkio. Well, it was probably Orkio''s family who was in charge, but... ''Orkio wouldn''t have done anything to make the beastmen and insects sad. After all, he''s the one who loved Sirach, the swallowtail butterfly. Judging by the distrust of humans that Wendy''s mother, Nikka, Carl and the others had, I''d guess that the dispatch business wasn''t treating them very well. ...... There''s no need for Jeannette to worry about that. You can live in the world as you see it. If Orkio had been the head of the family, he would have definitely worked to improve the treatment. He would have teamed up with the female lord who was against discrimination against subhumans. ''That''s true. I''m sure Orkio-san would have ...... done that.'' ''Well, it looks like he was kicked out of his home while he was young, so I don''t even know if he was engaged in that work.'' ''That''s right, even if .......'' Ginette''s mouth quirked up in a smile. ''I''m sure that''s what you think, isn''t it, Orkio-san? I can trust you. I think that should be the answer now. If the time a person has lived forms the personality he or she has now, then Orkio is definitely a good person who has lived the right time. That''s probably why he clashed with his family. ''Maybe I should talk to Orkio next time. I''ll ask him about his student. The daughter of the Wishart family. It''s worth trying to make contact if possible. If the family has a custom that girls are sent out without question, you may not be able to get any detailed information. Or, if it''s a woman with strong Wishart blood, it might be dangerous to even try to contact her. You can ask Orkio about that and make your decision. ''Are you traveling right now? I gave her a ticket to stay at the Cradle of the Moon, which Donnis had given me before. I heard that Grandma Mum and the others are on a trip to the 24th district right now, and Orkio might be there too. It''s possible that he''s deliberately shifting the date to avoid Zelmar and other annoying old men. ...... No, Orkio is not the type to do that. Unless Siraha says ''absolutely not! Unless Sirach says ''Absolutely not! It seems that he likes the old men of the forty-second district as much as the others, though Siraha is the best. ''Hmm ......'' The conversation came to an end, and Estella let out a long breath. ''So much information has come at once, my head is stiff. ''Do you want me to rub it? ''No, thank you. ''Why not? I''ll rub your head too. ''I can''t ask you to rub my head if you say ''also''. What''s with all the human kindness? ''...... to summarize the information that has just come in.'' Magda, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, said in a quiet voice ''......Wishart is going to blow us off when the time is right, is that correct? ''Did you hear me correctly, Magda?Before you take any action, please consult with me, okay? OK. I could tell that Magda was annoyed with Wishart. I can see that Magda is annoyed with Wishart. And Loretta nodded vigorously. ''Well,'' coughs Assunto, holding up his index finger, and begins to speak in an audible voice. ''There is a very high possibility that the lord of the 30th district is connected to the lord of the 22nd district, and the nobles in the 29th district are cooperating with him. The goal of the nobles in the 29th district is the position of the lord--maybe. The lords of the 30th district are tightly guarded and it''s difficult to get information from them, but we have unexpectedly come into contact with someone who is close to us, so let''s try to contact them later to see if we can get any information. ''I see. So, are we going to take out the nobles of the 29th district first? ''Okay, Loretta, let''s calm down for a moment. Estella admonishes Loretta who is breathing hard. If Estella loses her temper and says, ''I won''t show any mercy to you anymore! If Estella loses her temper, there might be an uprising in the 42nd district. ''I understand how you feel, but can you act calmly for a while longer?It''s okay. I''ll make sure they pay for it in the end. ''...... Estella''s punishment is very sweet. ''Next to the manager, Estella is the sweetest. ''But I think that''s one of Estella''s good points. I love the gentle Estella-san. ''Ah, Jeannette!You''re a real angel!It''s so soothing! Estella is getting Oumalo disease. The target is different, so it''s a variant of Oumalo disease, isn''t it? ''Estella-sama. There''s something I need you to confirm for me. Natalia walks up to Estella with a document in her hand. She turns the document in her hand to Estella, points to the relevant part and explains. ''In the future, if the union gets carried away, we''ll crush them without question.'' Is there a problem with the fact that it''s the allied forces of the 42nd and 35th districts that will make the decision? ''It''s only a problem, that sentence!Delete it! ''Okay, sir. I''ll add ''something'' to the end of the sentence. ''Make sure you delete it! Apparently, Estella was the only one who wanted to keep things civil. Lucia is also shaking her shoulders in amusement. Well, as a matter of fact, with so many nobles involved in a case like this, ''I don''t care!I''m fine! It''s not practical to go on a rampage when there are so many aristocrats involved, but that''s what everyone is thinking emotionally. ''......I don''t want to be on Wishart''s side either,......but I have a duty to protect my people, to protect everyone.... ... so I had no choice but to go with the ............ idea, which I didn''t like. Estella is getting teary-eyed, probably because she can''t get too much support. Oh, no. Ginette got up and went to comfort her. I love it. I''d like to put my face between those bulges and ''squish! I''d like to squish my face between those bulges, and I''d like to be squeezed. ''...... I could see that Estella was struggling too. ''I''m sorry for Estella''s tears, but I''m keeping quiet this time. ''I''m not going to do anything in particular, although I''m also going to take care of any sparks that may fall. The reason for Magda and Loretta''s anger is mostly due to their harassment of the Torbeck Corporation. Since Umaro, the representative of them, has said so, they will put their fists down for now. Well, you can go on a rampage if you want to do something. But until that time, we should keep quiet so that the other side won''t notice us. Just as we were about to come to an agreement like that, he came. With a very nice... With an aggressive smile. ''Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I have informed you that I am discontinuing my support for the paper! There he is at ....... There''s another angry lord here. As soon as she walked into the sunlit pavilion, Imelda puffed out her chest with arrogance and slammed the contract down on the table. It was like a procedure for terminating a donation. ''We don''t need an information paper that only publishes untrue information,'' she said. Apparently, Imelda had gone to the headquarters where the paper was published. ''Where is it, the headquarters? ''In the 23rd district. ''Then it''s possible that the nobles of the 23rd district are also cooperating--'' ''It seems the reporter who wrote that article was from District 29. I see. So the people at HQ are just a bunch of incompetents who didn''t do their homework. The end of a company that doesn''t have proper compliance is tragic. The key to longevity is to do whatever needs to be done, no matter what it is. ''Get out of my way!Is my knight here? Bataan!The rabbit girl opened the door with a loud bang, and both her long ears popped. The rabbit girl, Rebeka, comes in with her attendant, Bertha. ''Oh, my knight!Did you see this terrible article? ''I couldn''t stop my whole body from shaking with rage. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of this, but I''m sure you have. I''m not sure if ...... Bertha''s tremor is caused by aging?No? When we pressed him on the fact that this was not the case, he gave us the bitter excuse that the reporter must have been inexperienced. The response of the Information Agency Headquarters was almost as expected. I don''t know if they are protecting the reporter, trying to evade responsibility, or if the entire headquarters is in on it and is just playing dumb, but no matter how they approach it, they won''t be able to get anything else out of him. The only excuses you''ll hear from a major company after a scandal is ''lack of supervision'' or ''personal mistake''. ''I was so angry that I announced on the spot that I would stop the donation! Libeka too? Didn''t the koji factory of Rebecca donate a large amount of money? It must have been quite a blow to have them cut off. They might be holding a board meeting in a panic right now. As I was saying something, the sound of rough hooves approached with the sound of rattling wheels. ...... Yeah, I have a bad feeling about this. I''ll get out of your way. Oh, yasippi. There you are.'' ''Donnis, ...... no way.'' I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. He then pulls out a crumpled up piece of information paper from his pocket. I''m sure he rolled it up the moment he finished reading it. ''Is your goal to interfere with the construction of the port I''m helping you with?'' I blackmailed him. I knew you''d be at headquarters. I don''t know... Donnis also donated to the paper. I''m not sure if it''s because I''m a BU lord or not,......, or if it''s because Mokoka, who works as a waiter at Mael''s place, is providing illustrations, and Mael''s connection has led her to donate,....... ''Donnis was donating too, wasn''t he? ''Well, as lord of the BU.'' Oh, thank God. It was for a decent cause. ''Also, I just increased my donation when I heard that someone I care about is being taken care of.'' Oh, that''s too bad. That was the bad reason too. ''But this is the end of the donation. I told the editor-in-chief, who was trying to pretend he didn''t know anything about it, to ''go and see the truth with his own eyes. Spreading unaccountable rumors is an act of disobedience to the will of God the Spirit. Zupii! He seems to be very upset. I''m sure his anger won''t subside for a while. ...... ''Oh, you''re so good, DD.'' Mael appeared with gentle steps and smiled like a weak woman. ''That''s very righteous of you to say. ''''Ma, Ma''ru...... Miz Erlin!'''' Ma''ru''s praise made my single hair waggle happily. I''m back in a good mood! You''re showing strange emotion!I''ll pull out that single hair! ''You''re so ridiculous, I''m dumbfounded. No, not the reporter who writes this article, not the person in charge who hires this article. He''s not as loud as Rebekah or Donnis, but he''s got more rage than anyone else. You''re really angry, Ma''ul. And then, as if following Mahrul, Mokoka, who is emitting an even angrier aura, comes into the sunlit pavilion. ''I''ve decided to ask our mokoka to refrain from contributing for the time being. ''I don''t need to be told that by the chief!This is the most ridiculous thing I''ve ever heard, Konkonchiki!I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it.If you put an illustration in a place that makes people uncomfortable, you have no leg to stand on when you''re facing your master! ''Face your superiors, but don''t sleep with your feet in the air, Mokoka. Mokoka didn''t seem to understand the proverb at all. But I kind of understand what you mean, and I think it''s okay to sleep with your feet facing Becko. ''Master is crying behind the grass! ''I see, Becko''s dead.'' ''No, he''s not dead!Mokouka-san, you have to use the right words. Ginette corrected Mokoka''s mistake with a wince. I think it''s fine to leave it as it is. I mean, you should fix your language before you start using words. You''re still talking in that awkward way. ''When the port is completed, the tax revenue of the 29 wards bordering the 42 wards on New Road will increase. If you want to interfere with that, as a member of the lord''s family, I can''t keep quiet.'''' If he had said that, the headquarters of the information paper would have had no words to reply. If there was an attack on another district''s lord within BU, the 23rd district, where the headquarters was located, would be forced to respond. In the worst case, the 23rd district might order the headquarters of the Information Paper to evacuate. BU is a community. No ward will accept an existence that causes discord within it. So, should we move our headquarters to a district outside of BU? The moment you do, you''ll be taxed to bring it to BU and forced to pay higher prices. It''s the best-selling information paper in BU, where many young people are easily influenced. It hurts to have angered Mahr, Donnis, and the chief executive of the Koji factory, which accounts for a large percentage of the BU''s income. I''m sure the Information Paper Headquarters will be forced to take some action. If the third grade aristocrats come out of the woodwork here, ...... If the third-grade nobles were to step up here, they could force the BU and the lords of the outer districts to form an alliance. The damage will spread beyond the Forty-two districts. If we can make them think ''tomorrow is my turn'', they''ll say ''Oh, you''re the only one who won''t cooperate. Are you okay with that? The bigger the problem, the more you can push them. The bigger the problem, the more the third class nobles will be stuck. You can lure them into the same situation as us. ...... Well, they won''t come out of the woodwork because they know it will happen. In the eyes of the third class aristocracy, biased reporting in the information papers is just another form of harassment. It is easiest and least damaging to tell them to ''change to a different way. Wishart is not going to go against that and continue his biased reporting, is he? This will put the problem of the information paper to rest. Headquarters has taken a hit and its credibility has been damaged. Well, it may not go bankrupt, but it will be difficult to manage for a while. If the fact of fabrication spreads, it will cause readers to leave the paper. The influence of the information paper will diminish rapidly. Well, I guess that''s a fair point. There may be many people involved in the paper who have nothing to do with this case, and if they are ignored and allowed to go bankrupt, a chain of misfortune may occur. Well, let them write a big apology in the paper and that''ll be enough. --I thought... ''Anyway, I''ve inquired about the details of the reporter who wrote that article, and I''ll bring him to you as soon as I catch him. Let''s have him tell us in his own words what kind of intentions led him to make such a bias. Of course, if you lie, you will be judged by the rules of this city. The old lady smiling elegantly is very scary. ...... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Be careful not to make a mistake. I''m not sure what to say, but the people around me are more angry than I am, so I''m losing track of when to be angry. ...... 488-Episode 290 Statement of the Information Paper Pub... After what happened, they acted quickly. ''We are truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the article in this paper. The organization that publishes the information paper is called the ''Information Paper Publishing Society'', which is exactly what it sounds like, and it seems to have taken the form of a company rather than a guild. It is run by donations from influential people and sales of information papers. It''s more like a charity organization than a stock company, and donations seem to be the backbone of the organization. They don''t do any charity work, though. Well, disseminating the latest information quickly is a charitable activity. ......? Anyway, donations from influential people are essential to maintain the organization. It would be impossible to maintain the current size of the organization only by selling information papers. So, it should be taboo and suicidal ...... to offend all the influential people who are donating large sums of money at once, as in this case. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. He flashed the friction between the 29th and 23rd wards. The 23 wards would try their best to avoid a clash between the 29 wards and the 23 wards. At any rate, the 29th arrondissement is connected to the 42nd arrondissement, where a port is about to be built, by New Road. It is obvious that profits will explode in a few months. There is nothing good in getting on the wrong side of that. Especially, Iver Hagen, the lord of the 23rd district, is of a generation that knows the horror of Mael. If the 23rd district is trying to protect itself, it will choose to kick the headquarters of the Information Paper Publishing Society out of the 23rd district. The Publishing Society would like to prevent that from happening at all costs. They seemed to have responded to Ma''ru''s call in a straightforward manner. So, a few days after Ma''ul and the others'' protest. The chairman of the board of directors of the publishing company, the editor-in-chief of the information paper, and the reporter who wrote that article had all come to the sunny pavilion. No, so why the sunny pavilion? ''Why don''t you go to Ma''ru''s place for this kind of hot stuff? ''Oh?We had an agreement. You promised you''d bring me back as soon as you found the reporter.'' He did say that, though. The chairman and the editor-in-chief are two pompous guys following you around. ''I''m not the only one who was upset by that article this time. I think you''d better give a proper explanation to all of us. ''Yes, sir. Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Erling. The editor-in-chief is wiping his sweat off with a hand towel and bowing his head. The sunlit pavilion is still open, but it''s past its breakfast peak and has a little more time before its lunch peak. So there is no problem in renting out the place. But you''d better be smart and order something, you rich people. How about some kaiseki at the Sunken Pavilion? Oh, that''s right. This restaurant is a personal favorite of mine. This time, they only offered the place to me because I was selfish, so please don''t be unjustly angry with them, okay? ''Yes, of course. Thank you very much for lending us your space. The editor-in-chief bows to Jeannette. The editor-in-chief looks like a grasshopper. It''s not that he''s a coward, but his whole body exudes a sense of unreliability and weakness, as if he wanted to apologize for everything. However, all of his apologies seem to be light. It''s as if they feel they should just apologize for everything, and whatever they say is just ''yes, I''m sorry''. Two tables are placed together, and the chairman, the editor-in-chief, and the reporter are sitting with their backs to the entrance. Ma-ru made them sit like that. They are sitting down. It''s a clear indication of the difference in their positions. In front of the publishers sit Mahr and Donis, and next to Donis sit Rebeka, Lucia and Estella. Bertha and the head waiter are standing behind their respective masters. Imelda sits with an air of arrogance next to Mahrul. And whoever called her, Masha and Medora are sitting side by side behind Imelda. Javier said, "With such a formidable group of men, there is no need for me, a gentleman. I''ll keep a tighter watch around the city gates,'' he said, and was absent. I heard that in Javier''s family, the word "gentleman" is read as "bearded man. ...... Who is a gentleman? Only the editor-in-chief is shrinking under the glare of these horrible people. Yes, only the editor-in-chief. ''Well, but you know what? The fat chairman opened his mouth with an arrogant attitude and a surplus of flesh. ''Our information paper deals with a wide variety of information, so you should know that it is impossible for ...... all the articles to meet the will of all the readers,'' he said. ...... Why did you have to laugh in the middle? It''s a great idea. It''s like saying, "I don''t want any more donations," when you''re trying to pick a fight in this situation. I''m sure you''re right. ''Yes, you''re right. There will be articles that are inconvenient for someone. I understand that and I''m very aware of that. ''Then you don''t have to make such a big deal out of this...'' ''It''s just that... It''s only acceptable if it''s true. Only a fool would do nothing when misinformation is spread with malicious intent. ...... Or do we look like fools to you?'' Marle''s smile deepened. ''...... Scary. ''Even if you call it malice, ......'' Even with Ma''ul''s blatant hostility, the Chairman''s demeanor remains unchanged as he arrogantly and somewhat smugly turns his head toward the reporter. ''Did you have bad intentions?'' ''No, sir. I just wrote an article about the information I got without lying. In the Judgment of the Spirits, you cannot judge emotions that are not recorded in the Conversation Record. Just as you can''t prove that you don''t like someone you like by saying ''I don''t like you'', the Judgment of Spirits can''t judge the emotional part that says ''I didn''t mean any harm''. Knowing this, you can tell lies so brazenly. That''s quite a testament. He seems to have a multi-layered skin. The reporter was a young woman. Her lips were pouting, her cheeks were puffed out, and she had that pouty look on her face from the moment she walked in. ''You''re telling the truth, aren''t you? Donnis glares at the reporter. But the reporter glared back at Donnis with a scowl. ''If you don''t believe me, why don''t you call the judgment of the spirits? Well, if that doesn''t turn me into a frog, I''ll write about all of this. No lies, no details. Even if he is not lying, he is probably planning to exaggerate and change his point of view drastically. He is going to write that he himself asked for the ''judgment of the spirits'', but when he was asked, he wrote that ''the lord applied the ''judgment of the spirits'' to me without question. ''The impression I get from this article seems to be different from the facts known to all of us here, how are you going to explain that? ''Well?Well, everyone has their own interpretation. I just wrote it the way I thought it was. I''m not sure if that was taken differently. But there is no such thing as a person who can understand 100% of what you want to say, right?100%, right?Is it possible?Not even 1% of what you want to say can be conveyed perfectly.How about it? ''Now I''m asking you a question. This is not the place for you to ask questions. ''Oh, is that so?Then I didn''t understand what you were saying. It''s difficult to communicate, isn''t it? The reporter laughed as if to poke fun at him. He seems to be insisting that it was just ''not conveyed'' to him. ''But, well, if I caused you trouble, I apologize. That''s not an apology. ''If I caused you trouble'' means that you think you didn''t cause any trouble, so any apology will mean ''but I didn''t cause any trouble, so no thanks. ''Apologies are meaningless. Nothing good will come from you bowing. Meaningless things have no value. It''s annoying that you think you''ve done something worthless. Ma''ru brushed aside the sophistry of the female reporter. Yeah, Ma''ul doesn''t like this type, does he? ''Then I''ll write a corrected article. That''s fine, isn''t it?'' That''s the natural course of action, not something you can say ''that''s fine''. It is also a common practice of liars to pretend that they have conceded by doing the least they can. ''So, can you explain what you were trying to tell me here?If your interpretation is wrong, it doesn''t matter how many corrections you write, does it? ''Oh, I can''t do that. I''m in the business of writing, and I don''t want people to judge me by my writing. What I want to say is that you should read the text and feel what I want to say. ''That sentence gave you a misunderstanding, didn''t it? ''That''s the thing, I''m not a perfect person either, so it happens. It happens to you too, doesn''t it? Ma''ru closed his mouth. The reporter saw that and thought he''d ''broken the argument''. He lifted the corner of his mouth. You''re an idiot. ...... This series of events made Ma''ru make up his mind. ''I understand. The smirk on Ma''ru''s face spoke volumes. ''I don''t approve of the existence of the current intelligence paper and this reporter. You can''t expect a quiet resolution anymore. ''Yashippi. Do you have anything to say?'' Mahr was talking to me. Estella and Lucia had warned me before the meeting to stay out of it until a peaceful resolution was reached. Ma''am. You''ve made a decision without consulting the lords. I look at Estella, Rebekah, Donis and the others. They all had the same look in their eyes. ''Enough'' eyes. ''So, can I have one?'' And with that, I began to talk with a big smile on my face. A little while later... Before the publishers arrived, I had talked with the lords of the districts, guild leaders, and Rebekah and the others who had gathered at the sunny pavilion, and I had heard something like this. ''Even though the Information Paper is largely funded by donations, it won''t go bankrupt immediately even if the donations run out. In addition, the fact that some of the donors have withdrawn from the business does not scare them away. ...... Well, they may be in a bit of a hurry, but that doesn''t mean they''ll just accept our demands. Donnis said. The other lords of BU and many other noblemen in BU donate to the newsletter publishing society. Being able to get the newsletter before it is released to the public is a big status in BU. After all, you can be at the forefront of the latest trends. For the aristocrats, who are all about vanity and face, there is nothing more attractive than this. By being one step ahead of others in adopting the latest trends, they can enjoy the illusion that they are the trendsetters. The aristocrats who can''t stand to be behind others are probably competing with each other to donate money in order to get the information paper as soon as possible. ''Even if the koji factory is a large contributor, it''s probably only 5% to 8% of the total. Even 5% of the total is amazing. If there is a monthly donation of 100 million yen, that means Rebecca alone is donating 5 million yen. I don''t know how many other donors there are, but while others are saying "50,000 yen, 100,000 yen, yeah, 150,000 yen!I don''t know how many other donors there are, but it''s quite a feat to be able to just pop in 5 million yen and say, ''Here you go, usual guy! But it''s replaceable. Even if the koji factory goes, it doesn''t mean we can''t make up for it elsewhere. And perhaps they are getting something in return for their blatant actions. The 30 districts, which boast the largest tax revenue in all of Bloom, and the third class aristocrats who are backed by them, gave them a very tasty ''bait'', which is why they were able to hook up with the information paper publishing society. Frankly speaking, it would be difficult to use the termination of donations as a weapon to strike a blow against them. On the contrary, if they were to react badly, they might publish an article titled "Powerful people who interfere with articles through pressure". At this point, we can say that they are clearly hostile to each other. And if you look at the people in the information paper publishing society, you will see that they are all hostile, ''What?Did I do something wrong? I did something wrong? Even the editor-in-chief, who was bowing down to them, was saying ''I''m sorry'' on his face and in his words, but inside he was hiding his feelings that ''if I apologize like this, you won''t complain, right? But in the back of his mind, his feelings are hidden. There are times when he says ''Oh, no, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry'' as if interrupting me. There are several types of insincere apologies, but the orthodox pattern is as follows. First, you affirm the other person by saying, ''You are right. Then, you admit part of your fault, saying, ''I have caused you trouble because of my mistake. In the same vein, he claims that there was an unfortunate misunderstanding, saying, ''I really had this intention, but I''m sorry it turned out this way. He apologizes for the "unwanted result" and does not admit his own fundamental fault. He avoids saying anything about it. The restaurant where the food poisoning occurred said, ''We have been taking all possible measures to control hygiene, but for some reason, our checks were not sufficient this time. They never admit that their hygiene management was sloppy, saying, ''We apologize to those who were inconvenienced. They only apologize for the mistake, saying that it was an accidental mistake that happened by bad luck. It is the same excuse as ''I got carried away'' in a theft case. It''s an off-the-cuff, superficial, glib, and light-hearted statement. I''m not always like this. I''m really more serious. It just so happens that this time, and this time only, for some reason, things turned out a little bad. I''m really surprised, too. Well, such bad coincidences can happen, it''s scary, let''s be careful, each other. That''s the way it is. I don''t think there is anyone who can take this as a sign of remorse. Still, from our side, the first thing we did was to wait and see how the other side would react. ...... Wow, the expression is scary. If the reporter was inexperienced and made a mistake with no malicious intent, there was an opinion that a correction and an apology would be acceptable. Mainly from the naive Estella and the cautious Mahr, who kept any trivial possibility as a consideration. But the result was black. From the top to the bottom of the board, it was all black. So it was unanimously decided to tear it down. Oh, what a pity. Well, it''s a shame. So, I turn to the issuing committee from behind the dodgy authority figures in line and say. ''If you accept my proposal, I can pretend this never happened and encourage the people here to resume their donations - or rather, I can punch them in the face and make them pay, how about that? Hearing my words, the editor-in-chief turned his attention to the chairman. The Chairman looked at me with a quizzical furrowed brow and cocked his chin toward the Editor-in-Chief. ''I think your proposal is very appealing, but it depends on the content. ''Don''t worry. It''s not like you''re asking me to pay 100 million Rb as alimony, or to make me chairman, or anything crazy like that. ''It''s impossible. It''s impossible,.......'' ''So, it''s not such a ridiculous thing.'' The editor-in-chief held his heart tightly with a pale face, as if he had been so surprised that he had developed an arrhythmia. Don''t die from being too surprised, okay?I can''t let the Sunlit Pavilion become an accident site. ''And now, may I hear what you have to say? ''Yeah, before that, I''d like to make sure...'' First of all, I''m going to make sure that the proposal is not rejected. Make sure it''s something that can''t be rejected. If they refuse, they will be forced to choose a complete breakdown. ''Are all the articles that appear in the intelligence papers left to the reporters and not checked? ''No, no, no. The person in charge of each section - we call them ''desks'' - checks the articles. ''If there are any flaws, do you make them rewrite it, or sometimes even destroy it? ''Yes, that''s right. There are many different kinds of reporters. We can''t publish articles by inexperienced people.'' ''Just because the desk is checking, doesn''t that mean you''re not checking? ''Of course I do check. It''s my job to do the final check and approve it. It is said that in an information newspaper, the reporter writes the article, the desk writes it, the desk writes it, and the editor-in-chief approves it before it goes out to the world. ''So you''re saying that both the desk and you, the editor-in-chief, checked the article and determined that there was no problem? ''No, well, we try to take all possible measures every time, but we can''t completely prevent things like this from happening, so I''m truly sorry about this--'' ''No need to apologize. I''m tired of hearing it. Your apologies have no substance. ''In other words, although there is a check system in place, it is possible for an unintentional ''immature article that may cause misunderstanding'' to be published, isn''t it? ''Well, as she said, perfection is a difficult thing to achieve, even if you aim for it. ''So you''re saying that a third-rate reporter who is immature, doesn''t know how to use words, and doesn''t have enough education can write an article that''s no better than garbage? ''Hey, who''s a third-rate--? The reporter was about to stand up, spitting, but was prevented by the editor-in-chief''s arm. The reporter glared at the editor-in-chief, but the editor-in-chief only shook his head in silence. ''Tsk!............ is~!'''' He clicks his tongue and sighs, ''I''m so pissed off! The reporter sat back down with a sigh. Oh, you kicked the table, didn''t you? ''Hey, don''t kick the table. ''What?I just hit it.'' ''Well, if it''s just a hit, there''s no need to apologize. ''It was an accident, right?It happens all the time!Do I have to apologize every time?'' ''I guess so. It happens all the time, there''s no need to apologize.'' He smiled and turned to Medora. ''Medora. You''ve been sitting here for a long time, aren''t you tired?Why don''t you do some gymnastics?Even if you hit the nearest object with such force that it makes a loud noise, it''s a common occurrence and there''s no need to apologize. ''I see. Well, thank you for your help. I can''t help it...'' Do ......! Medora''s fist thrusts vibrated the air and made a horrible sound. ''I guess I prefer to move my body rather than use my head. The reporter opened his mouth impatiently after being slapped on the back by the editor-in-chief as Medora stood up unsteadily. ''All right, I apologize!You want me to apologize, right?I''m so sorry!Are you satisfied now? ''No apology, I see. Let''s start the exercises. The apology-style swearing that wasn''t an apology didn''t seem to reach Medora''s ears. But if I physically erase it, the sunny pavilion will become an accidental property. Let Medora sit down for a moment. Dodo. Dodo. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it. ''Eh...... ah,...... well,......, yes,.......'' Medora''s intimidation may have taken a toll on his heart, but the editor-in-chief looked like he was dying. ''So, here''s my suggestion--'' If you accept this, I''ll let this whole thing slide. ''I want you to publish my article in the paper for ten weeks without a single word of correction. What do you think?Hmm?Mr. Chairman of the Publishing Society? Hearing my proposal, the chief editor''s forehead broke out in a waterfall of sweat. I can''t accept it, but I''m afraid that if I reject it, something nasty might happen again. Oh my God, what should I do?--I can hear the voice in my mind. ''I can''t talk to you. The chairman speaks up on behalf of the editor-in-chief who can''t answer. ''It''s not a game. You can''t publish an article written by an amateur. Think before you speak. I''m not a nobleman. He knows that, which is why he says it with such a strong tone. I''m not a nobleman. ...... How can you not see who has the most say in this situation? From the articles I''ve read, they''re far from journalism. All they do is ''create the next trend''. The articles are not about ''what''s popular'' but about ''making what''s popular''. It is no longer an informative paper that sends out information on trends, but rather an incitement paper that guides the public so that the profits will go to someone who is a close friend of theirs. Well, I don''t know what kind of philosophy it was originally born with. So, let''s shut it down. That''s what Mael says. Since it''s not a guild, the church and royalty won''t come out for it. Who would be bothered by its disappearance? The BU kids who can''t make any decisions for themselves? I don''t know. You need to learn to make your own decisions. ...... Well, I''ll be sure to follow up on that. See you soon. And now. It''s okay, Mr. Chairman. You look at the chairman with a cute smile. Hey, Estella. Don''t say ''wow ......''. Even if you''re not looking at me, I can still hear your voice. ''Even articles written by ignorant fourth-rate reporters who don''t know a single word of apology will be published in the information papers,'' the editor-in-chief admits, ''and no one will notice if there are articles written by amateurs. ''No, of course not!The weight of the text is different between professionals and amateurs, and the value is different. This is why amateurs are ......''. ''Oh?So did you publish an article that misleads many people with its weighty text?If that''s the case, don''t you think it should be given the weight it deserves? What I was about to say, Ma''ru snatched from my side. You''re annoyed, aren''t you?You couldn''t stand it? I thought you''d be a little more calm, but isn''t your anger boiling point too low? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this.If you talk about weight and value, isn''t there a responsibility that comes along with that? ''No, this reporter is still inexperienced and--'' ''What''s the crucial difference between this reporter and an amateur?What evidence do you have that your inexperienced reporter can write a heavy and valuable article that is very different from an amateur?Have you been studying under a master?If so, he''s not much of a master, is he? It''s not normal to send an inexperienced apprentice out to work. If you''re a carpenter, all the work of an inexperienced newcomer should be checked by a supervisor and delivered on the supervisor''s responsibility. Where is your inexperienced reporter''s mentor now?I''m not a teacher, I''m a supervisor. ''I don''t have a mentor. Can you please stop making assumptions about me? He must have lost his temper after being called immature and inexperienced. The reporter took advantage of Ma-ru''s obvious provocation. Yeah. You''re a fifth-rate guy after all. So you''re self-taught?If that''s the case, I can''t accept the logic that an article by an amateur can''t be published in an information paper that carries an article by a girl who''s not even third-rate.'' ''You have a good point!But please wait a moment! Pushing aside the chairman and the reporter, who were only protesting, the editor-in-chief, who seemed to want to settle the situation, intervened. But I know how this guy works. He affirms the other side, admits some faults, and dodges the main point. ''If you think of it in that way, there may indeed be no problem in publishing his article as an amateur, as you say. But we take pride in our work. We have our own rules that we cannot compromise. We ask for your understanding on this point. It is not possible for us to publish an article if anyone and everyone contributes to it. ''It''s not everyone. I''m asking you to publish the article of that special man, Oba Yashiro. Whoa! I''m being lifted up at a huge angle, now! ''He''s the one who brought together half of the outer districts, created the opportunity to eliminate the discrimination against sub-humans that had lingered in the 35 districts, broke the stagnation of the BU, and formed an economic cooperation partnership with the outer districts. If you''ve ever seen his papers, you know that his writing is beyond the realm of an amateur. If necessary, I, Ma''ul Ehlin, can vouch for his writing. ''I''ll vouch for him, too. The man is special.'' Even Donnis! And then the guild leaders, lords, and rebekahs stood up. Are you trying to show that you agree with me? Don''t do that without asking me! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ...... No, you''re not a novice. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m sure you''ll understand. So, I''m asking you to bend them. Sit down those in power who are standing up and exerting silent pressure. Let me do the talking. Your way is the same as Wishart''s, using power as leverage. You don''t want a conflict of power, do you? If you guys collude and things get out of hand, they''ll cry to Wishart.And they''ll drag out the third degree nobles. Let''s finish this before that happens. ''I can''t accept an article from an inexperienced sixth-rate reporter, so if you''re willing to apologize, I''m asking you to lend me the space. ''Apologies, of course, for any inconvenience caused, uh, of course, yes, I will apologize, but that''s not the same as ......''. I''m not going to write anything weird about it. What these guys are worried about is having their accusations written about them in a highly influential paper. So I''ll reassure them. ''What, I just want to experience being a reporter. I swear to the spirit gods I won''t write any bullshit articles with no facts. I''ll write about what I see and hear, as I see and hear it, without any falsehoods. That''s not a problem, is it? ''............'' The editor-in-chief fell silent and turned his gaze to the chairman as if asking for help. ''......What kind of article are you going to write?'' The Chairman has cooled down a bit and is beginning to consider whether or not to accept our request. He was afraid that all the powers that be in the room would stand up. ''Well, take a lesson from that seventh-rate reporter over there--'' ''Well, what''s with you from now on!There''s no such thing as a sixth- or seventh-rate reporter! ''The current reporter of the information paper, repeated threats to the newcomer. Every time there is something you don''t like, you raise your voice and continue to abuse the new reporter.'' How about that? ''Huh! ''Isn''t that a fact? I''ve seen it happen with my own eyes. Donnis said, and the reporter glared at him and clicked her tongue. Then she quickly published the following article. ''''Is the Information Paper''s Publishing Group Declaring War on the Lords of the 24th District?An active reporter of the Information newspaper stared at Donis Donati, the lord of the 24th district, and clicked his tongue in front of him, an unbelievable act of disrespect. The chairman of the publishing society and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, who were present at the scene, maintained their affirmative stance without making any complaint about the brutality of the reporter. If relations between the two sides worsen in the future, it will be difficult to completely deny the possibility that friction will arise between the 23 and 24 wards where the information paper''s publishing group has its headquarters and that relations will collapse. The editor-in-chief stood up, but couldn''t say anything. He lifted his arms to a halfway position, looked around cautiously, scratched his head, and said something absurd: ''Let''s calm down, for now. ''I''m calm. I''m just trying to report the truth that I saw with my own eyes, without any falsehoods, just like those tenth-rate reporters. That''s what you''re doing, isn''t it? ''That''s not worth talking about. Exhaling an annoyed sigh, the chairman stood up, shaking his big belly. ''An article by someone who maliciously undermines our paper and our association is not worth a second thought. ''I have no malice. If you think I''m lying, play ''Judgment of the Spirits'' on me. ''............'' The Chairman glares at me. ''But well, there are times when our intentions are not conveyed even if we speak in good faith. If there was a problem with the way I said it, I apologize. He wrinkles his nose, which is almost buried in his cheekbones, and starts to shake. So I kicked away the jug of water that I had secretly left on the table, a personal item that I had never used at the Sunlit Pavilion. I had secretly prepared this jug just in case something like this happened. You see, there''s no way I''m going to kick a jug that belongs to Sunlit Pavilion. I bought a cheap one for this purpose, and secretly put it on the table this time. Hmm?You''re asking me if I expected this to happen? I did, but what? Then, I accidentally slipped and kicked up my ''personal jug filled with water'', which flew right in front of the chairman''s eyes and splashed him in the face with water. ''Oh, my foot got hit. But it happens all the time, so it can''t be helped, right?Huh?Did you get splashed?Why didn''t you avoid it when it was flying at you? You shake your shoulders and say with a laugh. ''Why aren''t you dodging? ''You''re bumping into jugs, covering yourself with water, you''re so dull, aren''t you - ''each other''? When I pointed at him with a smile, I heard a ''snap! sound from the chairman''s forehead. Are you okay?You must have cut a blood vessel. Don''t die in here, okay?I don''t want to turn this place into an accident site. ''I see there was no need for an apology. That was all the Chairman said, and he walked out of the sunlit pavilion. The editor-in-chief followed after him with a slight bow. Then, a female reporter from ......, who I don''t know what style she is, glared at me and said in a dusky voice. I''m going to write all about it. With that, the reporter left the store. ''I don''t want you to do that, you know. I heard a calm old man''s voice coming from the front of the sunlit pavilion. When I went to take a peek, I found a nice middle-aged man with a mustache, Ibert, the lord of the 23rd district, and Gerasie, the lord of the 29th district, who had a bad look in his eyes and wore his hair in an all-back style, standing there with D and E, the head waiters of each district. Oh, D and E are the initials of Deborah and Ines. It''s not the size of their tits. ............ d*mn, Ines is spelled "INES"? Yeah, that''s right!It''s the size of your tits!Sorry? ''I thought we had a contract when we set up our headquarters in my district? Ebert glared at the chairman and said in a calm tone. That''s the third in command of the BU. It''s quite powerful. He''s second only to Mahr and Donnis,......, though Mahr is not a lord. It''ll make you look less impressive. You''re a stage set. Just stay where you are. ''Do not do anything to harm our district. We''ve tolerated a little trouble because we''re an information paper, but we can''t overlook something that could split the BU.'' Donnis is standing in front of Ebert. He jumped over the chairman and glared at Ebert. ''Now, I don''t want to be perceived as the 23rd district objecting to the construction of the port in the 42nd district in this situation. Why don''t you do me a favor and listen to their opinions?'''' Ibert said, turning his chin toward me. ''That man is a nasty piece of work who once drove the BU to the brink of division and collapse. I don''t want to fall into a crisis like that again. Will you please think about it? ''That''s .......'' The chairman of the information paper publishing society glanced at me. ''''A shocking secret meeting!We have received information that the Chairman of the Information Paper Publishing Society and Iber Hagen, the Lord of District 23, have been secretly meeting in District 42, far away from District 23. It is still unknown what they talked about, but the fact that they had to go all the way to another district, even the farthest district, the 42nd district, does not dispel the suspicious atmosphere behind the conversation. When I told him about the article with exaggerated gestures, the chairman raised his voice with thick veins appearing on his forehead covered with thick flesh. ''This is no joke!I can''t accept a proposal from a man like that!Don''t be stupid! A few moments later, the chairman remembered who he had been talking to. He turned his head slowly forward, his face instantly turning pale. ''Huh......, you can''t be that stupid......'' Ibert, smiling only with his mouth, turned his sharp gaze on the Chairman as if he could shoot a man. ''Don''t worry. You''ve made a contribution so far. I''m not going to ask you to move out suddenly. You can make your preparations and move in. In the meantime, we''ll allow you to keep your headquarters at that location. They probably don''t think that they can continue to operate in the same manner as they did in the past by picking a fight face to face with the lord of the 23rd district where the headquarters is located. The Chairman''s statement was a complete gaffe, and the nobility is a disgusting race that will hold on to a single gaffe and exercise their power. ''However, from today onward, you are prohibited from publishing any information paper in the 23rd district. If you violate this rule, you will be punished accordingly. That''s all. After saying all he had to say, Ebert turned on his heel. I did not ask for his help this time. But I did give him the information that we would be here on this day to do something like this. I left it up to the 23rd district to decide how to proceed, but they''ve done what''s best for us. Well, it was Ma''ru who set up the situation. He''s the one who suggested we gather at the Sunlit Pavilion, and the one who gathered all these people together. And he used me to make it happen just like he wanted. She''s really an inedible old lady. Are you sure?I''ll write up that the BUs are colluding to destroy the paper! ''Collusion?What the hell are you talking about? The distant Ebert turned around again and said in a cold voice. ''You, the representative of the information paper publishing society, have directly picked a fight with me, the lord. If you degrade my lord with an article that has no basis in fact, I won''t be able to just shut down the headquarters. It''s not just the more benign methods like appealing to the General Court that Ebert is suggesting. It''s been a while since I''ve seen Deborah''s icy stare. ''No matter how much you cover up the facts, the truth is recorded in my Conversation Records. Bring me all the powerful people you can pull out. Let me read the conversation out loud in front of them. It''s easy to see who''s at fault. If you have the guts, then do as you please. ''...... Guh''. No amount of crying to Wishart or dragging out a third class nobleman can overturn the statement, ''Don''t be stupid. If you admonish him for such a thing, he will be lambasted by other nobles and even ordinary citizens. In particular, he will be bombarded with the words ''take it easy on the fool'' all the time. ''But you don''t get upset about that, do you? And so on. If no one says anything, I''ll take the initiative in spreading the word about the bullying of the aristocracy. I''m sure there are a lot of people who are pent up, so I''m sure it will spread quickly. ''Be careful of your tone when you talk to the nobles. ''Sorry, Yashiro. Don''t say anything that makes me want to retort because it will ruin the serious atmosphere. What is it, Estella? I''m only talking to nobles who are lower than me. ''Until things are settled, you must give up your activities in the BU. Donnis said with a blank expression, showing no emotion. After the majority rule incident, the current BU has become more united and is operating in a good mood. It would be a disadvantage for the lords of BU to be kicked out of it. ''You can set up a new base in the 30th district or even the 22nd district - I don''t know if you can stay there with a big face as you are not a nobleman. Isn''t the Chairman a nobleman? He seems to have a lot of relationships with noblemen, but he himself is not a nobleman? What would you think if such an upstart rich man came from another district with a big organization like the Information Paper Publishing Society? The local aristocracy would not be pleased. The feudal lords might be happy because of the increased tax revenue. But it wouldn''t be fun for the nobles who couldn''t benefit from it. Aside from the 42nd district, which is the farthest, we have never heard the word "information paper" used in the outer districts. In other words, the information paper had not spread to the outer districts. Probably, the nobles of the 36th and 37th districts, which were in the middle of the distribution route of the information paper, did not take kindly to it. These are the aristocrats who remain in the districts where they manage to get by by processing seafood. Their financial situation is negligible. They definitely have less money than this chairman of the board. They''re shabby. They''re completely outmatched. I''m sure there are many such nobles. Commoners who come from other places and live more luxuriously than they do. It''s hard to believe that the native nobles would welcome them. Wherever they go, there will be friction. Shall we stop publishing the paper until then? I''m sure they''d like to write a lot of bad things about us right now and launch an onslaught, but wait until the ground is solid in the new place, getting in with the small aristocrats there and building connections from scratch?Can you do that? If you get a piece of land somewhere in the middle of the thirtieth district and continue your activities quietly, it might be possible. That''s if this chairman who has an inflated ego and fat all over his body can accept the environment. Well, you can''t, can you? Now, that''s where you come in, my sweet lord. ''Um, if you don''t mind...'' Estella raises a small hand and interrupts the circle of men staring at each other with a sour air. ''Would you like to rent a building in New Town? The building is a splendid building where famous aristocrats such as Lucia and Javier stayed, but there are currently no tenants, and it is becoming like a hotel for aristocrats. It seems that the name "condominium" has not yet been fully penetrated, and it is recognized as "a luxurious type of housing complex. Some of them, when I say "mansion," they say, "Oh, of the New Town? and some of them think it is a hotel for the aristocracy (temporary). If more and more condominiums are built, the recognition will increase. After all, this is a city where a four-story hotel is considered high-class (laugh). It will be possible to build a four-story building soon if Umaro gets serious. ...... He said a lot of things about the strength of wooden buildings, but I''m sure he''ll come up with a building method that can withstand five or six stories. It''s a special building, so the rent will be reasonably high. If you want to rent it out, you''ll have to rent out the whole apartment building. To avoid trouble with the residents. You see, the information papers are the enemy of the 42nd district now. ''If you''re okay with that. ''...... Let''s consider it.'' To avoid further conflict, or perhaps because he was in a hurry to have nowhere to go, the chairman used respectful words to Estella, barked lightly, and left. Of course, he''s going to go through New Road. It will be difficult to pass through there if you are hostile to the 29th district. ''...... What do you think?'' ''I''ll rent it. It''s the only thing they can do.'' That''s what Estella asks me and I tell her. The Information Society is too big. It''s unlikely they''ll find a replacement that quickly. Well, even if they find another place and move there, we just have to change one of our strategies. It''s not a big deal. But they''ll probably come to District 42. And if they do-- ''The paper''s about to go out of print. I was so excited when the article about the sunlit pavilion appeared in ....... It''s sad. But we won''t tolerate it anymore. ''Well, let''s go, too. As the issuing party disappeared, I told the people present. ''Wait, Obayashi. What are you doing? Gerasie and Ebert, who hadn''t been told the details, come up to me. You didn''t come back, Ibert. Well, you''ll see. Come on, it''s simple. ''I was so pissed off by the falsehoods, I thought I''d make them true. After all, the media is supposed to tell the truth, right? 489-Episode 291 Fruit from Lies After the discussion with the people from the information paper publishing group had broken down, I looked around at the people in power gathered in front of the sunny pavilion and asked. ''Who wants to go see it? ''I''m going. Of course. ''I''m going too. Security is the domain of the hunting guild. ''I might want to go too! Masha smilingly raises her hand in the tank. ...... you know what I mean? ''Masha. I don''t think you should be looking at this. ''Thank you, Yashiro! I''ll warn you that it''s not something that someone who is not used to rough stuff would want to watch. But Masha shook her head with eyes that showed her firm intentions. ''I''ve been nearly crippled, you know?I want to see it through, and I think I should. The completion of the port is one of my dreams as well. You don''t have to take on such a dirty job. ...... Yeah. We''re going to do the dirty work now. We decided that when we turned the ruffians into frogs. We''re going to crush this enemy once and for all. We don''t want similar idiots popping up like bamboo shoots in the rain. Even if it means a bloody mess. But that''s my decision, and I''m not thinking of dragging everyone involved into it. In fact, I''d rather they stay out of it. ''Magda, please stay at the Sunshine Pavilion and protect Ginette and Loretta. ''What?I want to go! ''Loretta-san. Loretta, who was very angry about this incident, wanted to join, but Ginette stopped her. ''If we go, we''ll be interfering with Mr. Yashiro. He is a kind man. ''............ Yes, I understand.'' Well, it''s true that we would be lost in the presence of Jeannette and the others. ...... ''Thank you, Jeannette.'' ''No.'' I''ll tell you this much. ''But I don''t think you''re in the way. If you want to see it, I''ll show it to you. Even if it results in you despising me to the core.'' That''s the kind of lousy thing I''m going to do. I don''t think I can be in a position where I won''t be hated. ''I, ......, no, we don''t despise Mr. Yashiro no matter what he does. We know that you want to help the city. ...... But I''m afraid I''m going to get scared and stop, so I''ll just wait here. He gently grasped my hand, and with his back to the sunlit pavilion, a smile like the sun bloomed. ''So, please come back to us. Come back to us. To this sunny pavilion. I felt a sense of relief at those words. ''Oh, I''ll be back...'' I took Jeannette''s hand and gently put it down. ''I''ll be back with all the big men who are hungry after a hard day''s work. They''re selfish, so I''ll have to serve them a very tasty meal to convince them. If that''s the case, there''s no place else to bring them but the Sunlit Pavilion. ''I''m sorry, Jeannette. ...... is the only way I can help you.'' ''No, no. If you all decide that this is the best thing for this town, then I will support you in that. ...... Please be safe, everyone. ''Thank you. I''ll see you later. And so, the selections lined up. ''Donnis, take care of Merle.'' ''Mm. Be careful, Yashippi.'' ''I''m not going to screw up a mission that I''ve brought up myself. Leaving the old man and the feeble women behind, we headed for the square in front of the city gate. If Deborah joins us, she''ll be an asset, but Ibert, who hasn''t been asked to help this time, is going to be on standby. Deborah, of course, is also on standby. Deborah will be on standby, of course, because she''s not the kind of person who would just jump into the fray without knowing what''s going on. Oh, Gellarcy''s going. He''s an unthinking idiot. So, the selected team is as follows. Me, Estella, Natalia, Lucia, Gilberta, Medora, Masha, and Gerasie and Inez who have been following along. There''s also Watusi. At first glance, Imelda looks like a weak young lady who is not interested in anything but fashion, but her eyes are filled with flames of anger. I''m going to make sure that Magda and Loretta get their due. ''But don''t you get your hands dirty. Javier cries. ''Hmm ......, how much do you spoil people, Yashiro?But it''s a lady''s duty to be pampered by men. I''ll keep that in mind. Imelda holds her hand axe and smiles innocently. The gap is frightening. ''Oh?Here it comes. Hey, Yashiro~! When we got to the side of the church, Delia and Norma were waiting for us. ''Did you finish your difficult talk? ''We''ve had a quick look around, but there''s a lot of bad people hanging around today. They seemed to be happy. They''re kind of excited. ''I was just thinking that I don''t want any more riffraff making a big deal out of me. ''I heard the kids were scared, too, and I thought, "Screw ''em! I thought, ''Screw that! The damage caused by the ruffians roaming around the square in front of the city gate was growing day by day. The ragtag group was probably gathering under orders from somewhere, but there was no way that they would just meekly obey orders. If they could do that, they wouldn''t be ragtag in the first place. When they gather in numbers and find that the people around them are not resisting, they start to run amok. And we''ve reached our limit. It was about time. I added Delia and Norma to my team and continued on. ''Oh, I left Barbara behind. ''That''s fine. His priority is rehabilitation.'' Barbara''s an ex-gangster. He''s working diligently in Yap Lock''s fields. He''s starting to study and his language is getting better. I can''t have him getting into trouble in the middle of all that. He should be thinking about his sister and his new family. I walked a little further and was stopped in front of the road leading to the river. I was going to pretend I didn''t see him when I saw his face. ''Hey, wait, Oba!Don''t ignore me! ''Estella, your childhood friend is calling you.'' ''That''s strange, I heard ''Oba'' in my ear. In your best friend''s voice. You must have some freshly landed mozuku stuck in your ear. My best friend''s voice?What kind of voice is that? ''What are you doing, Ricardo? ''We''re the Third Ward Alliance. If we''re in trouble, we''re in trouble. ''I didn''t call you, .......'' Ricardo was ready to join in. He''s got Alvaro, Gustave and the others behind him. ''I''ll join you, soldier!I''ll join you, soldier, but I don''t think boiled eggs are fair! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... I''m not sure what to make of that.His eyes are bloodshot. I''m not going to forgive you for trying to harm the beautiful Masha. ...... I''m not going to forgive you for trying to harm the beautiful Masha. ...... Gustave is madly in love with Masha. If Masha is attacked by thugs, he will be so angry that he will make everyone involved bleed. This guy seems to be the most likely to go out of control. ...... ''I''ll make you crawl on the ground crying, apologizing and begging for your life. ............ Haha! Hey, stop it! That high-pitched voice and that laugh is not good for you, you know! You can''t be so merciless with your opponents. Mr. Gustave. Don''t be too reckless~'' ''Huh!You''re worried about Masha-san?What luck!Of course, Masha-san!I can easily kill them all! ''In moderation, right? ''Yes, sir!Half killed! I think I''ll leave the control of that thing to Masha. ...... ''......, why are you here, Demily? ''Haha. Well, just in case.'' Demilly, an old man who is not really suited for rough work, was there with Ricardo. ''You''re not going to join us, are you? ''No way. I''m such a non-violent person that I hesitate to kill even a big insect. I don''t want to get into any trouble. ''Then you should go to the Sunshine Pavilion. It''s dangerous.'' ''But you know what Ricardo said, don''t you?We, the three poorest districts, are an alliance. We''re no longer the poorest, though.'' ...... He''s still a very loyal old man. Leave the dangerous stuff to the young guys and just pay the bills in the back. ''Estella, take care of Demilly.'' ''Yeah. I''ll protect her. I''ll make sure that Estella protects Demilly, and keep her away from the scene. The Lord of Smiles is not suited for this crime scene. The air seemed to vibrate with the enthusiasm of those gathered at ....... That''s a lot of spirit. The goal is the square in front of the city gate. And what we''re going to do there is to turn a hoax into fact. In other words, we''re going to cause bloodshed in the square in broad daylight. And we''ll do it from the 42nd district''s side, just as that reporter tried to lead us there! ''''Let''s go! ''''''Oooohhhh! Now, when the hoax becomes a fact, what will you write? Are you going to write, "This time it''s really a violent incident"?You can''t write that, can you? You can''t write that, can you? It would negate the previous article, right? It''s a biased article that you could write because you thought you couldn''t do anything about it anyway. I''ll make you pay for what you''ve done. I''ll make sure you pay for what you''ve done. ''Hevuuuuunn! The ragdoll rolled on the ground, letting out a voice that sounded like it was going to blow up to heaven. As soon as they arrived at the plaza, Alvaro and Gustave ran toward the ragtag group of people who were hanging around there. Alvaro, who was quicker than the others, had gotten the first move. One step behind, Gustave stood in front of the four ruffians and flashed his sharp fangs. ''Those of you who can prove here and now that you have made no contracts whatsoever, swear to it. If you can''t, we''ll consider you to be obstructing our business and eliminate you--and we''ll consider you to be no more than a piece of trash who tried to harm Masha-san, and we''ll fry you and throw you into the sea! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. I''m a faithful follower of yours. I am your faithful follower. You''re the guru of the Masha Sect. If you''re a spirit god and Masha, Masha''s share is higher. ''What the hell is that?We''re just ordinary people who''ve come to observe the construction of the port, you know! ''Yes, yes, yes!Why do we have to be beaten up? ''Because you look scary.'' Yeah. It''s true that I judge whether someone is a scumbag or not by their appearance, but you''re being harsh, Imelda. ''What, you''re going to hit me because I''m afraid of your face? ''Oh?Isn''t it normal to hit someone because they have an ugly face? It''s not normal. Which world line is that common sense? ''I''ll tell them that District 42 and the hunting guild are trying to unfairly exclude strangers!I''ll sell the information to the press and tell everyone in this district! ''''Oh my~?Don''t forget about the Sea Fishing Guild! ''We also have a lumberjack guild, and you''re blind too?There''s nothing we can do to help you. ''Ah!Don''t let the woman come out of the woodwork! The ragdolls that shouted at Masha and Imelda sank to the ground, rubbing their cones with a tremendous rotation. ''Your outburst against Masha deserves to die. ''You got some nerve yelling at my daughter, don''t you, young man?Hmm?'' Gustave and Javier beat the crap out of each other at the same time. I wonder if ...... is dead, that scoundrel? ''Come on, you guys. If you don''t want to die, answer my question honestly! Medora barked in the middle of the square. The sensible wards in the square are sheltered by the macho men of the Lumberjacks'' Guild and the River Fishermen''s Guild, and take refuge in a corner of the square. Those of you who are not immune to violence are asked to leave the square immediately. The ragtag group that has been loitering around the square has been cut off by the hunting guild and the guards. The ragtag group is trapped. In front of them is Medora. They are surrounded by beasts of prey who are viciously strong on their own. The key to a long life is to answer honestly. ''I won''t even ask if there was any money exchanged or if you were dazzled by any other rewards. It''s a simple question, everyone answer yes or no!Are you here because someone told you to or not?Now answer! A gust of wind blew through like an air cannon. A few ragheads fell on their buttocks, agitated by the wind. Every ragdoll was stunned. A ragdoll is a ragdoll because he can''t get along with others. It''s hard to believe that such individualistic ragpickers - there are less than thirty of them in the square now - are working in groups for a single purpose. These people are individualists. Each of them is acting in his own interest. The current situation is the result of them acting together under separate contracts. The fact that there are a bunch of ragtag people together is proof that someone is giving orders behind the scenes. ''Anyone who says yes may leave. Medora points to the exit from the square behind her, which is blocked by several hunting guilds. ''...... Oh, well, I''ll take it then.'' A long-haired, smirking ragdoll steps forward with a flirty smile on his face. He seemed to think that he could get away with saying ''yes''. So, before he can open his mouth, I straighten my arm and point at him. ''But if you tell a lie, I''ll frog you immediately. I said in a temperatureless voice, and the flippant smile disappeared from the long-haired man''s face. ''Nah, it''s fine. ...... The swamp is close from here. I''m sure you''ll be able to move to your new home in no time.'' The long-haired man''s throat twitched and the edges of his mouth quivered. His voice leaks out, but not into words. ''''...... ah............ ah,ah.......'''' ''''Judgment of the Spirits.'''' ''Aaaaahhhh! He pointed his finger and chanted, and the man''s whole body was enveloped in a pale light. Of course, since he didn''t say anything, he wouldn''t turn into a frog. Not that it would-- ''Aaah!Aaaaah!Hiiiiiiiii! The man went half-crazy, scratching his head and running screaming. Tears sprinkled from his wide eyes, and he staggered because of his violent shaking of his head, his legs tangled and he fell down heavily. He was so distraught that he wondered if it was possible for a human being to be so distraught. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I must have flown a bit. He smiles coldly and walks over to the man lying on the ground. As I moved, I saw the ragtag group of people around me stiffen in unison. Ignoring the outside world, I still hold my head in my hands and let out a ragged breath, ''Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! I stand beside the man who is still holding his head and letting out a ragged breath. ''I''ll do it right this time, so answer me. ''Hi'' or ''yes'', it''s easy, right? When I call out to him, he looks up, glares at me, and then rises to his feet, slashing at me with a knife. ''Darling! Medora reacts, but a little too late, and I feel a pain in my left arm. ''Boom! And with a dull thud, the long-haired man''s head plunges to the ground. It wasn''t Medora who did it. ''You should know that hurting the people of my district is an act for which you should be sentenced to death without trial. --It was Natalia. ''It''s coming out, the blood, my friend Yashiro. You need medical attention right away. Yeah, I''m fine. Not now. Not good!Do it now. He grabbed my left arm and I couldn''t move a muscle. Gilberta is looking up at me with a face like she''s about to cry. It''s only a light cut, though. About 10 cm? It hurts, but it''s no big deal. And I''ve already bled when I accidentally cut my finger while cooking. It happens all the time. More or less blood, that''s the difference. ''Thank you. But it''ll heal if you keep spitting on it. ''I ask you, is that true, what you said? ''Yeah. It''s not a serious injury. ''Then believe me, my friend Yashiro, I do.'' And with that, Gilberta relaxed her arm. Now, I''m going to take my arm out - but I can''t. It''s still tightly gripped. ''I will, take care of the wound, I will. No sooner said than Gilberta licked the wound on her arm. A small, faintly warm, soft tongue flicked back and forth across my arm. ...... Um, Gilberta? ''This will heal, the wound. ''Oh, oh ............''. What an innocent smile! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. It''s hard to say. ''I''m the head waiter. Lend me that man''s knife. I''ll go and choke out that undesirable man right now.'' ''Hey, stop that Lord of the 35th district! If he gets out of control, I''m dead, no pun intended! ''Calm down, Lucia. If you lick the affected area, which is still slightly wet with saliva, you can do an indirect kiss. ''Oh, that''s a good idea!So let''s go to ............ and see who can lick the anchovy''s arm! I was thrown a rock as if to take it out on me. Gilberta caught it, though. Well, playing with these guys is making the atmosphere a little more pleasant, so... we''d better get started. We''re not interested in the truth. We don''t care what you think you''re doing here. In case you''re really just here for the sights, I don''t care. "This place is crawling with scum. That alone is a distraction. It''s a disadvantage. So we get rid of every last one of them. Make it impossible for them to stay here. This long-haired man is just the thing to make an example of. ''Natalia, sit him down and hold him down. She instructed Natalia to raise the long-haired man who was pinned to the ground. She then moves behind him, gets down on her knees, and puts her arms around him from behind. It''s like a hug - though I wouldn''t hug him even if he were dead. With a wave of his arm, a knife comes out of his cuff. It''s a hidden knife I haven''t had in a while. I put it to the neck of the long-haired man. ''What?Wait, wait, wait!Hold on! The man jerked and writhed as the knife was applied, but Natalia held him in place. The man is unable to stand up or move his arms and legs, but he is trying hard to prolong his life with the only mouth he can move. In other words, he is begging for his life. ''I''m sorry!I''ll tell you everything!I''ll be honest!The money!They gave me money and told me to come here!But I don''t know who it is!I swear!The only people who would go out with a ragtag bunch like us are the ones whose identities should not be known!That''s why we don''t pry into our client''s affairs!I swear!I''ll tell you everything!Please!Please help me! He asks a quiet question to the screaming man. ''So the answer to Medora''s question is ''yes'', right? ''Ah ...... ah, yes. The answer is ''yes''. ......'' Immediately after hearing the answer, I pulled the knife I was holding against the man''s neck as far as I could. There was a dull swooshing sound, and bright red liquid spurted into the air. Seeing the bright red liquid spurting out, the long-haired man became speechless with his eyes all round, and fell down with the whites of his eyes. ''Oh my god!Did you f*ck me? The ragtag group began to make noise, ran away, attacked the nearby hunters and woodcutter, and a huge brawl began. Now we can eliminate them all with impunity. With this in mind, I concealed the toy knife in my sleeve. A toy knife with a gimmick that causes a stinging pain when you slide it over your skin, and immediately afterwards, bright red water spurts out from the handle of the knife. People are a little bit unfortunate creatures that can''t even sense what''s going on with their own bodies when they''re convinced of it. People are so gullible. All of the ragtag group were taken down by the hunters in one fell swoop. I don''t know who did this, but some of the ragheads were bleeding profusely from their noses, and some of them had their lips cut and bled. There was also a guy who had a cut lip and was bleeding. That hurts...'' ''No, what you did was far more shocking, wasn''t it? I''ve explained it to her beforehand, but Estella''s face is blue. Why?It''s not surprising that the magic is broken, is it? ''...... How did you make that in such a short time? ''I had a hard time, you know?It''s hard to get a good red. Also, this slight stickiness? ''You don''t have to show it to me. ...... It looks like real blood, and it makes my spine tingle. You''re the one who''s always holding the knife out. If you stick your knife in me, you''ll see real blood, not the fake I''ve prepared, okay?Pull yourself together if your spine''s itching. ''Just when I thought you''d been holed up in your room for five minutes, you''re making something like this? Early in the morning, I received a forewarning from Mahr, informing me that I was to meet with the members of the information paper publishing group at the Sunlit Pavilion. So, since it was obvious that the meeting would end up breaking up anyway, I presented Estella with an ingenious plan to take advantage of the situation and get rid of the troublesome ragtag group. This was the "truth from a lie" strategy. The information paper said that the 42nd district and the carpenters had masterminded a brawl and bloodshed, so we actually did it. Now, do you think they will publish the exact same article in the information paper? "Another brawl! but that''s when the lie of that pouty-faced woman reporter that ''what was intended was not conveyed'' will come to light. If you can prove that you can write what you intended as you intended, you will know that the biased article was intentionally biased. Well, you don''t have to blame me for being so impatient anymore. ''You kids didn''t see that, did you? ''Of course they didn''t. We evacuated them as our first priority. ''I''m sure they''ve taken refuge in our home and are probably eating our chef''s signature baked goods right now. The children and women took the initiative to leave the square. However, due to the increase in the number of people stumbling around, there were not that many people. In spite of the evacuation order, a few people stayed here to watch the storm. The only ones who stayed of their own volition were those who were irritated by the rumblings, those who were worried about what would happen to the 42nd district, and the reporter who wanted to write an article about this incident. Well, I guess that reporter doesn''t know that the headquarters he is supposed to go back to has been banned. ''So, what do you do with the ragtag bunch you caught? ''Fine him and let him go. Confiscate all the advances they''ve received. This left them with no profit, just a painful loss of time and effort. I''m sure they won''t do the same for the construction of this port. They were beaten up pretty badly. The hunters, lumberjacks, and guards must have been frustrated at being told to ''stay out of trouble'' and ''stay out of our way''. They were happily hunting the ragpickers. ''If we let him go and let the public know that the 42nd district is in trouble, there will be fewer people who will accept our foolish requests. ''If the amount of money goes up, there will be more people who will bite. ''Then we can eliminate them again. Eventually, the mastermind will run out of money. I don''t plan on sticking around that long. ''Oh, but make sure you keep that long hair. There''s a good use for her. After all, it''s the most striking and irreversible incident of the whole affair. If there were reporters there, they''d be happy to write about it. ''Forty-two wards cut off the head of a visitor. ''And then, when I came to see it again, there were vendors in the square. You''d be surprised! ''I wonder if ...... he''ll change his mind that much about being a vendor? ''Do you want me to make him do it? I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. That type of person is rather easy to brainwash - or re-educate. If you tell him what''s wrong, he''ll become diligent as if he were reborn. ''Now the scoundrels can''t get near here for a while...'' I look around at the hunters who have finished their work. ''Now that the stressed out hunters, who are more terrifying than the ruffians, have had a chance to vent, security will return to the area. He didn''t want to be in a square overrun with frustrated hunters and woodcutter. I felt like I''d be taken into a gang office if I even bumped shoulders with them. ''Then, Estella. Contact them and get them to publish the next information paper as soon as possible.'' ''Yes. I''ll guide them well. A murder by decapitation in broad daylight is shocking. They''ll want to get the story out as soon as possible. ''Then you can give them the information that Obayashi is the killer. Maybe even some description of the poor victim.'' ''I''ll use Mokoka for that. Illustrations.'' ''Then let Becko draw them. It''ll have a bigger impact.'' ''Okay. As we were discussing this, Ricardo came in with a shiny face after a rough day. Don''t look so shiny after a rough day, you barbarian lord. ''Why do you guys have the shoulders of those guys from the information paper?I heard you gave them a place.'' ''Yes. We need it. ''You don''t need the paper, do you? Just shut it down.'' ''No, Ricardo. Ricardo''s an idiot. He''s hasty, he''s thoughtless, he''s hasty, he''s short-sighted, he''s single-celled, and he''s so stupid it makes me wonder if his brain is necrotic. ''You''re out of line, Kola!How dare you come up with bad words like that? Of course, if you''ve seen the real thing, you''ve got plenty of words to say. ''We need them to write information papers. ''Are you trying to make money off of them? ''C''mon! ''No!I''m trying to tell you that you''re being naive and you need to get your act together. ''Well, I''ll take your money. I''ll rent you the best building in New Town. The rent is high. Hee hee~, it''s good extra income. Estella seems to be quite happy with the rent money. You''re really trying to rip me off. ''But I''m not going to make them a fortune. Yeah. We''re going to choke the press. ''That''s why I want you to make an information paper in the forty-two wards no matter what. ''...... Oh, I see. So that''s what you''re saying. ''Hmm, no.'' ''You didn''t say anything! ''It''s different anyway. ''Well, at least listen! It seems that the idiot Ricardo has come up with something in his own idiotic way, for an idiot. ''I''m sure they''ll write about this. People died. But the truth is, they didn''t. So you''re going to confront them with that and call it a false alarm?Are you going to file a claim?If you''re going to bankrupt them, you''re going to have to take a lot of money, aren''t you? ''Ricardo.'' ''''Hmm?'''' ''You really are an idiot, aren''t you? ''Shut up! The line may or may not have been a close one. But the conclusion is completely different. ''When a false report is published, the 42nd district is not in a position to claim compensation. ''No, because if you''re accused of a murder you didn''t commit, you can get compensation, can''t you? ''It''s not such a small amount of money that we''re going to take from them. The paper is funded by donations from influential people and subscriptions from readers. The aristocrats pay a lot of money to look good, and the readers pay to know what''s popular. This is only possible if the information it contains is ''correct''. ''A newspaper full of misinformation will be discredited, and untrustworthy information about "cutting-edge trends" will not be worth one Rb. In other words, what we''re taking away from them is. We''re going to take away their very existence. But sadly, even if we take it away, we won''t get a dime in our pockets. Oh, what a bummer! 490-Episode 292 Best Day After the commotion in the plaza was over, I returned to the sunny pavilion and honestly told them about the wound I had sustained, and asked Jeannette to tend to the wound. Ginette was on the verge of tears, but I managed to calm her down. It was Magda who was more troubled. She almost ran out to attack the ragtag group. Natalia and Norma stopped him, though. Also, the Hewitt network was moving all at once, I wonder what they''re planning to watch for. ''When I find a ragtag group, I''ll draw a picture of them and share the information immediately!Also, I''ll tell Becko-san to make a lifelike sketch of the person! Or something like that. Are you going to make a list of all the people who came to the 42nd district? ...... I was surprised to find out that some of my sisters are really good at illustration. Are you guys developing your talents in that direction as well? Another thing that was annoying was... ''Mewee!If I had been there, my knight wouldn''t have been subjected to this kind of outrage!I''ll never, ever, ever donate to the Information! It was Rebekah and Bertha. Bertha remained silent, but her gaze was as piercing as that of a mass murderer. This old woman is dangerous if we let her loose in the wild. ''Don''t worry. The bleeding has stopped and I''ve taken good care of her. Don''t worry, I''ll go to Regina''s afterwards and have her disinfect it. They would be relieved if they received professional treatment instead of the simple first aid at the sunny pavilion. However, if you wear a bandage, many people will make a fuss until it is removed. ...... Well, then, let''s use this wound against them. And this is an injury I got on purpose for a certain mission. --Let''s just say that. So don''t blame Natalia, Gilberta and the others. They were doing a good job. My injuries were the result of my carelessness. I was a little too aggressive, I guess. I guess I was a little overzealous. ...... Anyone would be desperate enough to face the Judgment of the Spirits. ''Natalia, thank you for what you did earlier. Thanks to you, my injuries are only this bad.'' ''...... No. I was one step too late, and I''m very sorry.'' ''You don''t have to do that. Gilberta, thank you for treating me. ''I''ll lick your friend Yashiro anytime, anywhere.'' ''Hmm, wait a minute!What''s that disturbing statement?Hey, Gilbet-chan! Yeah. Yeah. That''s a disturbing statement. But I didn''t mean to offend you. You know?Don''t stare at me like that, ....... I don''t know why Gilberta''s comment is getting me so many cold stares from all sides. I''m going to cry. ''Let''s mend your clothes. Ginette said, picking up the sleeve of her dress that had been torn by the knife. Her face still shows a shade of worry. ''Can you do that? I can''t do it as well as Jeannette.'' ''That''s not true, ......, Yashiro is very good at sewing.'' Well, I mastered it by stealing the techniques of famous designers. I can sew clothes, bags and shoes, but-- ''Leave it to me. I''ll make it look good.'' ''Oh, please. Having Ginette do it might make me want to take better care of these clothes.'' ''Then, I''ll do my best. I would feel bad for Ginette if I damaged the clothes she fixed for me. I don''t care if I ruin the clothes I mended myself. ''Oh, but please don''t put a patch on it. ''Wappen? When I was a kid, if I made a hole in the sleeve of my pants or clothes, the landlady would put a patch on it to hide the hole. When I was a naughty kid, every time I tore my clothes outside, the number of cute patches increased. I was a naughty kid, and every time I tore my clothes outside, I got more and more cute patches, and eventually they became so cute that I was like, ''Are you a girl? ''There was this thing called ....... That was a tough one. ''Mm-hmm. That''s good to know. I''ll try it next time. ''Don''t do that with my clothes, okay?'' ''No?I think a horse would look good on you, don''t you? What kind of image? When I looked at Jeannette, she was muttering ''wapen, wapen'' repeatedly and smiling. What? ''Don''t you know what a patch is? ''Yes. But they''re cute, aren''t they? I see, you don''t have a patch. I thought they had patches because embroidery is common. These guys embroider directly on their clothes, so maybe they didn''t need it. ''I''ve found another thing that might sell .......'' ''Please let me know sometime.'' ''It''s almost the same as embroidery. The only difference is that there is a thick felt-like cloth underneath the cloth, and the embroidery part is independent so that it can be sewn onto any place later. You don''t have to have embroidery, right? You can use felt glued together to make a pattern, or you can hammer a thin copper plate to make a shape. But if you want to make a ginette, embroidery is the way to go. You can make any pattern you like. ''Then, would you like to make a patch for the Sunlit Pavilion next time? ''Yes!By all means.'' ''...... Magda will help too.'' ''I''ll do it too! ''Can you guys do embroidery? ''......We can do it.'' ''As long as you don''t care about the quality, you''ll be fine! That''s what people call ''can''t do''. Well, now''s your chance. Ask Ginette to teach you. ''Then maybe if we make a patch with each guild''s crest, we can expect new demand. It would give a sense of unity when worn on the guild''s formal wear.'' ''If I tell you that, Ukrines-san, you''ll collapse from lack of sleep! ''...... Ukrines is a bit of a worrisome workaholic.'' I don''t think the employees of the Sunlit Pavilion can speak for others. ''My knight, that patch, will you make one for us too? ''Make your own. Bertha, you''re good at that kind of thing, aren''t you? ''Of course I am!I''ve been training to be a bride for over ten years!I''ve been training as a bride for ten years. ...... You can come and get me anytime. ...... Poof! ''Will Norma be like that in the future? ''No, she won''t!I''m going to get rid of her as soon as possible. Norma is repulsed by Delia''s unintentional comment. Be careful, Norma. Bertha''s coming after you. ''Norma, you should just give up on being taken and get a son-in-law. ''I want to be taken!I have a dream that I want to be taken away! I have a dream to be taken away! Norma, there is such a thing as equal marriage. Well, if it''s a dream, I''m not going to pursue it too deeply. ''Well done.'' Estella pats me on the shoulder. ''You''ve managed to disguise your concern for your injury with a pleasant atmosphere. Shut up. If that''s what you think, don''t come here and tell me. ''Now, get yourself patched up and healed. ''Yeah, that''s the thing. I''ve decided to make use of this wound. We''ll have to notify the people here and the people in District 42 in advance. I can''t stand it when people make a big deal out of it. Don''t worry, the people of District Forty-two like to play games, and they''ll enjoy it. ''I''m going to Regina''s to have this wound doctored into something painful. ''Manipulate?What do you mean? ''I''m going to put on some special make-up and make it look so bad that just looking at it will make you go, ''Ouch, that hurts! It''s just special makeup. But it''s special makeup, so it doesn''t hurt at all. This is a technique that I used briefly at Halloween, but if you use the tools at Regina''s place, you can create realistic scars. Using my golden fingertips, that is. ''Why would you want to do that? ''To make it easy to tell which one of us is the victim. The papers will write that I''m the perpetrator. But I''m the victim. And the long-haired man who was supposedly murdered is doing fine, selling in the square. If only those who believe the papers would see this: ...... ''The information paper''s misinformation will become known at once. This is why it''s useful to have a scar that''s so obvious that it''s overkill. ...... Also, if you put on that kind of crazy special makeup, no one will care about your actual scars. The scars on my arms are fake. If you let people know that, they''ll just ignore the actual scars. I don''t want people to keep worrying about this little scar any longer. ''So don''t worry too much about the painful appearance. ''Ugh ......, it''s hard to look painful.'' ''Just think of it like Halloween.'' ''If it''s a fun atmosphere like that, I''m all for it, but ...... it''s probably not.'' Well, it''s not. ''Well, it''s just for a while, bear with me. Natalia, can you get the word out to the people in District 42? ''Leave it to me. I''ll do my best to clean up your mess. No sooner had she said this than Natalia walked out of the Sunken Pavilion. There''s nothing wrong with that. ...... ''So Estella, take care of the big guys around here. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. ''Yashiro, would you like me to follow you? ''If we go with a large group, Regina will stay indoors and won''t come out. I''ll be fine on my own.'' With that, I wave to the people who are seeing me off and start walking. The wound on his left arm had grown dull and aching as time passed. ''Regina, are you there? ''No, I don''t want that thing. You call yourself ''that thing'' ...... ''Well, I guess I''ll just take it and go.'' ''Oh ......?...... What are you trying to do, stop a maiden''s heart and rub it down?I''m not sure what to do. If your heart stops beating, I''ll give you a proper heart massage after I''ve rubbed it. ''I''m a little injured. I need you to take care of me.'' I know my way around Regina''s. Still no sun, and the air is still damp. But the smell of medicine calms me a little. ''I like this place. This store. ''Right?There''s a lot of undressed panties scattered around at the end of that aisle. Isn''t it great? ''Don''t take them off, panties.'' You wouldn''t even notice if one of them was missing, would you? Shall we give it a try? ''Oh, no thanks. Forgot something--'' ''Did you leave something in my living space that''s never been up there?You''re very clever, you know that? Just sit down and drink this tea.'' I was forced to sit on a chair. The tea served to me was the usual smoky tea with a hint of spice. ''Yes, it''s good. ''That''s good. Regina smiled and brought a chair over to me. She sat down facing me, and before I could say anything, she grabbed my left hand and lifted it. ''How do you know what''s wrong with you? ''Yes, your sleeve is cut and you''ve been covering your left arm for a while now. He took a closer look. ''You look like a doctor. ''Right?But I''m a pharmacist.'' ''A porn pharmacist.'' ''No, how do you know that?The pants I''m wearing right now are going on six years today, and they''ve become very see-through.'' ''Throw them away, indeed.'' You''re not safe if you wear pants, you know? ''......?'' Regina wrinkled her brow as she moved her hands while saying something silly. ''It looks like you''ve done something quite unsuitable. Regina washed, disinfected, and applied medicine to the wound. She''s so good at what she does. ''Well, let''s bandage it up. ''Oh, I''m going to do special makeup, so leave it on. ''Special makeup? I explain to Regina, who looks like she''s about to say something ...... incomprehensible, what''s going on. I explained what had happened recently, the process of today''s elimination of the ragtag group, and what I was going to do. ''This doesn''t suit me at all. I''m more suited to use my head and trap my opponent than to hit each other. ''I think so myself. But I shook my fist. Or rather, ............ ''Hey, do you think it''s okay for me to stay here? Regina left Bao Kri Air and came to All Bloom. Probably the closest thing to me in terms of circumstances. I feel like I can talk to her and tell her how I feel. ''Every time I do something, there''s a complaint from somewhere, and the scale of the complaint gets bigger and bigger with each passing day. This time, it was more than I could handle with my mouth. ......'' Threaten, humiliate, and break their hearts, and then reach out to them with something that will benefit both sides. This is the way we have suppressed the opposing forces. There are advantages for both sides, and we have managed to suppress antipathy, resentment, and grumbling. When life becomes affluent, people forget their grievances. Even if it is only temporary, in that moment we can cooperate with each other with a simple heart. Once such a relationship is established, even if there is some unfairness afterwards, they will tolerate it because ''it''s what he does. If you do this, you will be able to swallow your dissatisfaction on the basis of trust, because the benefits will come to you as well. But there are some people for whom such an approach does not work. Wishart''s just such a man. He doesn''t care about profit as long as he can destroy us. We destroy the people who destroy our face. That''s the kind of scum he cares about. If we just talk and fight quietly, we''ll be eaten alive. Still, it bothers me. ''If I move, there are people who will follow me. If I get hurt, there are people who will get angry. ...... My presence might bring them into a whirlpool of violence. ......'' ''You''re an idiot, you are.'' The bandage hit my forehead. ''The only time you can get away with ''everyone gets along'' is when both sides think that way. You can''t be non-violent in a relationship where one side thinks they''ve violated the other. Regina, with a sharp look she rarely showed, began to talk about her hometown, saying, ''It''s true that there are many people who think peace is best. Baokuria is a country that grew so big by colonizing neighboring small countries and controlling their slaves. Baocrya is a large country with advanced technology in medicine and spices. Its predecessor was a small country. ''We invaded a neighboring country that was skilled in pharmacology and overran its people, taking away their technology and knowledge. Then, they used their knowledge of pharmacy to mass produce poisons and explosives, and attacked neighboring countries one after another, and became the great nation that we know today. Regina, who was born in Bao Kri Air, grew up without knowing this fact. She never doubted that the country she was born in was a great country with great technology. From a young age, she studied pharmacy in a wonderful environment. One day, however, he had an opportunity to go out of the country, and on that trip, he learned the truth. ''What I saw were people who were forced to live in a place where no human being could ever live. Regina was a pharmacist who was well known in Baocliere for her brains and skills. She must have been a person close to the center of the country. That''s why she was informed of such a fact. He was told to be a man of Baocliere. ''They told me that trampling on slaves, gaining power with stolen technology, gaining more power than anyone else, colonizing all countries, and living in luxury with the money they stole until they die... that''s the kind of future they''re aiming for. A giant nation that has the power to invade its neighbors. If we stay close to such a country and say, ''Let''s all get along'', we''ll be preyed upon. ''Fortunately, the current king is in a position to correct that bad habit. It seems that until the last generation and the generation before that and the generation before that, all the kings were pro-aggression, but the current king is different. He gave aid to neighboring countries so that they could live properly. ......'' But there are those who oppose this. The one who showed Regina the slaves must be one of them. Did he want to get Regina, who is skilled, to join his side and say, ''The current king''s idea is wrong! The current king is wrong! ''There''s nothing I could do. So, I tried my best to do research that would at least benefit the current king--Oh, I''m getting off track. I''m not sure what to say. It''s rare for him to talk about his past. It''s just that ...... yeah, I know what you mean. I''ve known the difficulty and helplessness of opposing something too big to resist. In such a situation, in the end, all you can do is to do the best you can right now. Even the current king has not been able to overturn the conventions and bad habits of the past. What can we, ordinary people, do on our own? But that doesn''t mean we don''t have to do anything. I''m sure Regina had a lot on her mind. ''I know I don''t like to hurt others. Who said that? I''m not such a nice person. ''But there''s a time when you have to weigh the two. Your loved ones, your enemies. If you have to hurt one, which one will you hurt? Or, to put it another way, which one should you protect? You don''t have to think about that. But human beings hesitate when the time comes. We ignore the balance and think, ''I''ll protect neither of them from getting hurt. This can lead to tragedy. ''A long time ago, a knight of a country hostile to Baocliere fled to a village with a mortal wound. The old couple of the village, which was a colony of Baocliere, took pity on the knight and took good care of him. The knight was unable to stand, but thanks to the devoted care of the old couple, he miraculously recovered and was able to move around. What did the knight do then? He slaughters the old couple. And then he slaughtered the inhabitants of the village.'' There are a lot of people for whom kindness doesn''t pay off. To that knight, everyone in that village was a hateful enemy. It may have been humiliating to even be nursed. ''But I don''t know whether I can blame the old couple or not. If the old couple had not helped the knight, the villagers would not have died. Was the old couple''s kindness an act of self-satisfied annoyance? That''s a difficult question. Ginette would have helped the knight no matter what anyone said. I might do the same. But the result was cruel and ....... I don''t know what the right thing to do is either. ''If you think you can''t forgive yourself, come to me. I''ll make you feel like you''re no better than the trash coward who could only leave the weak to die. Ah ...... I knew he''d always regret it. Ever since he was in Baocli Air, even after he left Baocli Air. It is impossible for one person to save all people. ...... I could say that to others. You''re really clumsy, aren''t you? Me too, him too. Regina, thank you for listening to me complain. Thanks to you, I''ve been able to clear my mind. ''Well... Well, there''s no end to your troubles. Have a great time, young man.'' Regina laughed and patted me on the shoulder. I take her arm and forcefully pull her to me. ''...... Huh? I hug her too thin body as she jumps into my chest. In return for lightening my heart, I''m going to lighten some of the heavy stuff in your heart as well. ''I''m grateful that you''re here. I have a lot of plans to rely on you in the future, if not the past. You''ll continue to help more people than those you couldn''t help. I know you will. ''............'' ''Don''t worry too much. You''ll go bald.'' ...... ''Pfft!'' Regina''s hand, which had been squeezing my back, patted me on the back. ''You''re such a dick! She giggles and pulls away from me, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with a gentle smile. ''Thanks a lot. My heart feels a little lighter now.'' ''Really?Make sure you measure your boobs properly.'' ''I guess so. I''ll measure them after I leave.'' ''You don''t have to be so reserved. ''You don''t have to be so reserved. We joked with each other with our usual faces, and I got up to get the tools I needed for special makeup. I don''t think I can stay here. Regina''s going to need some time. ''Well, I''ll take the tools then. ''I''ll go see the finished product tomorrow. You owe me breakfast.'' After exchanging such greetings, I left Regina''s house. In front of the house, Estella was standing there with a lonely look on her face. ''I knew you were worried about me using the Judgment of the Spirits. I''m really sick of you being so perceptive. ''You clumsy bastard. ''I guess it''s mutual. As the sun was setting, Estella and I decided to walk down the street while talking. Since the day I used the "Judgment of the Spirits" on the ragtag group that attacked Masha in the prison of the 42nd district, I have had one concern. ''I felt that if I used it once, the second trigger would be lighter. The thought that ''if I use this, it''s over'' had become a brake. But once the brake was removed, it would be less effective the second time around. The trigger, which she had been unable to pull due to nervousness, anxiety, and guilt, felt unnecessarily light. I turn to Estella, who is walking next to me in silence. ''At that time, during the altercation in the plaza in front of the city gate, I used the "Judgment of the Spirits" on the ragdolls. I was sure that he would not turn into a frog at that time, and I thought that if I used the Judgment of the Spirits at that moment, I could disturb the spirit of that ragdoll. And in fact, the ragdoll had a mental breakdown and turned on me. Normally, he couldn''t have touched me. During the altercation with Goozuya, Gorotsuki emphasized the point that Goozuya had injured himself. In other words, it should not have been allowed for the ragdolls to hurt the people of District Forty-two. It was obvious that if the people of District 42 were injured, the lord and the guilds cooperating with him would move to eliminate the ragtag group all together in the name of defeating them. With the Information Publishing Society backing them, the Forty-Two Wards probably thought they couldn''t take any hard measures, and giving them an excuse to do so was a bad move. If there was someone giving orders to the stupid ragtag group, he would have told them to stay out of it at all costs. The "Judgment of the Spirits" had the effect of breaking the spirit of the ragtag group and causing them to panic to the point of forgetting even that. You must have been surprised that I attacked you, but the influence of the Judgment of the Spirits must have been enormous. I cast Judgment of the Spirits on the ragtag group without hesitation. That must have given them a great deal of fear. That blow was effective. Considering its efficiency, it was the best spectacle I''ve ever seen. As entertainment it was a great success, ha ha ha ...... But "Judgment of the Spirits" is not a spectacle. ''Perhaps I would have thought of a different approach before that. I think I would have thought of a different approach, one that would have produced a similar effect, even if it was a little more complicated. I would have used a different method, one that would have chilled them to the core, made them tremble to their very core, and made them hug each other and shout, ''Let me go! I would have taken such a method, I think. But I chose the "Judgment of the Spirits". As a result, the long-haired ragdoll took direct action, not just a lukewarm plea for his life, but a ''f*ck before you get f*cked'' action. Without hesitation, I chose to do something that would cause my defensive instincts to overreact. I should have known the dangers of this after the incident with Use. When Use was unsuccessfully arguing with me over the Bonacon that Magda had hunted, I accused him of lying and cornered him. I didn''t say it directly, but I flashed the shadow of the Judgment of the Spirits. That was enough to push Use to the limit, and he turned on me. Wasn''t it Estella who saved me from the blade back then? I''ve been saved by her quite a bit. The Judgment of the Spirits is an equal weapon. On Earth, it''s a handgun. If someone points a gun at you, you''ll fight back, no matter the odds or the impossibility. Especially if it''s someone who''s chasing you all over the place and trying to choke you out for sure. I flashed it this time. Even if it''s just a fight between two cute kids, the moment you flick a weapon at them, they''re not going to take it seriously. It could turn into a criminal case, or a disturbance involving parents and teachers, and as soon as the weapon is flashed, the fight is out of the realm of ''kids having fun''. Even if it''s just once. The fact that he brings out a weapon makes him a mutant. You can''t go back to being kids. It''s not your friends who harbor such dangerous people, it''s your ragtag crew. ''Someday I''ll--'' I''ve used such a weapon in battle. I may become someone who doesn''t feel the itch to use the Judgment of Spirits. Yeah. The first time I saw a person turn into a frog in this town--just like Goffredo, who was happily using the Judgment of Spirits at that time. ''If that happens, maybe I''ll shave my head and do a Goffredo impersonation. Estella blurted out, self-deprecatingly. ''Hahaha, you''d better not do that. Shaving your hair doesn''t give you any power. At best, you''ll look like a little boy who''s been naughty too long and needs to be reminded. ''Shut up. Is there such a thing as punitive shaving in this city? Is it because the people of District Forty-two are all good-natured and good-hearted? ''''You really have a strange personality, don''t you? Estella exhaled in disgust and raised her eyebrows. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ...... I''m not going to stay in the 42nd district too long. Yeah. ...... That''s right. I guess I didn''t have anything important in my life at that time. ''''You''re the one who cast the ''Spirit Judgment'' on me first, though. ''Isn''t it obvious?If a man with a dirty face like this was going to stay near Jeannette, wouldn''t it be natural for you to want to get rid of him even if you had to turn him into a frog? ...... You''ve been rude to me since we first met, you know. ''Disrespectful?Me? ''Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten!You''ve treated me like a man, and you''ve ...... touched my ............ nipples! Yeah, that''s right. ''At that time, I felt a faint bulge and thought you were a woman. ''...... You''re so rude.'' ''Yes, it is. You''re the Queen of Flatness, and it''s ...... insulting that you''re bulging, however slightly! ''Because I''m not proud of being flat!...... is not flat!'' ''When you get used to it, you don''t care about the error. ''It''s not an error!You have to be aware of the difference in height! ''Then let''s take a closer look. ''I''ll stab it. Oh. Come to think of it, there''s someone more dangerous than me here who routinely flicks a weapon around. ''Yashiro''. That dangerous person calls my name. He smiles and points at me. And-- "Judgment of the Spirits. ''Whoa! I don''t know what he was thinking, but he suddenly cast ''Judgment of the Spirits'' on me! My whole body is enveloped in a pale light. What are you thinking? What, you''re that angry? It''s a regular thing for you to tweak my tits! I''m not sure if you''re mad because it''s a regular thing or if you''re mad because it''s a regular thing. I started to panic, but in a corner of my mind, I was thinking calmly, ''Well, I didn''t tell a lie, so I can''t be a frog. And as expected, or perhaps as a matter of course, there was no change in my appearance after the light disappeared. ''...... What a dangerous person you are. I''m really nervous. Do you want to touch it? ''The Judgment of the Spirits doesn''t work unless you specify a lie. ''What about ......? ''Perhaps you''re lying to me in a way that I''m not aware of -- well, in your case, ''there''s something that''s made me misunderstand'' would be more appropriate.'' --Anyway, I''m sure there''s something that would make me call it a lie. Is there ......? I think this guy is afraid of making enemies, so I think he''s lying to Estella as little as possible. ''But you know, I can''t just turn all the time I''ve spent with you upside down and scoop up every little lie and joke and turn you into a frog. Suppose I lied to Estella that I would give her 100Rb. After that, I said ''I''ll buy you dinner'' and I bought her dinner. At that point, even if the Judgment of the Spirits is applied, as long as Estella doesn''t specify - recognize - my lie that I didn''t give her 100Rb, I''m fine. --It seems that I won''t become a frog unless Estella knows that I didn''t give her 100Rb. ''Then, what happens if I''m lied to right now in front of you and you vaguely use ''Judgment of the Spirits'' without specifying it? ''Well?I don''t know, I''ve never done such a dangerous experiment, and it''s not in the literature. Apparently, there weren''t many scholars who would experiment with the Judgment of Spirits. Maybe it''s too risky a study to spend your life on. I''m curious about the designation interpretation, but I probably don''t need to do anything that definitive. When I frogged the gobbler, I wasn''t thinking of something slippery like ''it''s a lie that I didn''t throw away the chicken skewer''. Perhaps the contrast is in the events that the consciousness perceives as ''about this''. ''As long as you keep that look on your face, you''ll be fine. Estella looks into my face, which has become a little thoughtful, and smiles. ''It''s not like the eyes of a wayward person like Goffredo. I''m still a good judge of character. That''s an entirely unreliable self-assessment, isn''t it? ''Your eyes aren''t stagnant yet. Even if the triggers are as loose as you say, you''re still Obayashi. At least, that''s what I can tell you. He''s already gone off the rails once, but ...... he doesn''t know it. ''Well, he''s got one of the worst eyes in all of Broome. Estella winked at him and made a face at him. Her smile wavers slightly and she slams her fist into my chest. ''...... If you''re about to go off the rails, I''ll stop you. I slam my fist into his chest again. ''You can trust me! Seeing Estella''s smiling face, I became irresistibly angry and hugged her without question. ''Honyaaaah!What is it?What are you doing? I put Estella''s ear to my heart and held her tightly. ''This is the heartbeat of one who has been subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits. Listen carefully and reflect.'' ''Uhhhh, yeah, yeah, yeah!I heard it!I''ve already heard it! Estella flails her arms about. She mutters in a whisper that is drowned out by the noise of the screaming. ''Thank you. I feel a little better.'' Even though she had said it so that they would not hear, Estella''s arms, which were flailing about, suddenly stopped. I don''t know what she was thinking, but she gently put her arm around my back and patted me twice. That''s it, Estella didn''t say anything. But I knew exactly what she meant. She''s going to stop me with her little hands. Then I''d better not make it too dirty. When I returned to the sunny pavilion, I was greeted by Ginette. ''Welcome back, Yashiro-san. She greeted me with her usual smile and voice, just as she always does. The usual Jeannette peeked at me. And then-- ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''Ohhhh! She suddenly cast ''Judgment of the Spirits'' on me. D??j? vu! I''ve just experienced something like this! What''s the matter?What''s going on? I freaked out in a big way. If it''s Estella, I can sort of understand her intentions, but if it''s Jeannette, I can''t read her. What''s that? Is she angry because I hugged Regina, Estella and her in succession? Ginette is surprisingly passionate! It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... My heart hurts. I''m sure you''ll be fine, Yashiro. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment. What''s okay with that? ''Actually, ...... I asked the sisters. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m sorry for being so selfish, Ginette said, bowing her head, but I think she did so mostly because Bertina decided it was better to tell her. As for me, it''s not something I''m bothered by being asked. So I made her raise her head, saying no apology was necessary. Somewhat relieved, Jeannette continued. ''And then, I was told this story. It was a fact that Jeannette did not know. ''Sometimes, some children would use the Judgment of the Spirits out of curiosity. They hear about it, get curious about it, and use it out of curiosity. That is somewhat understandable. But ...... is too dangerous a power to use out of curiosity, isn''t it, the Judgment of Spirits? But most of the children get scared and cry when they use it, because they know that the Judgment of the Spirits has really been activated. They get so scared that they can''t help themselves. Even if your opponent does not turn into a frog, the fact that you used it remains. It is often said that after firing a gun for the first time, the feeling of it remains in your hand forever. In the Edo period, it would be like ''the feeling of cutting someone for the first time. I''m sure it''s fear. ''That''s why the sisters said that in such a case, you should apply the "Judgment of the Spirits" like this. It''s okay. Don''t be afraid. Fear comes from the unknown. We are afraid because we don''t know. Once you experience it for yourself, you won''t be afraid of the Judgment of the Spirits. ............ No, I was scared as hell! ''Is that a chastisement? I''m sure you''ve seen it. It doesn''t seem to be for abusive purposes. ''It was scary,'' she said, ''but you can''t do that again. If you do that, they will never think of using the Judgment of the Spirits as a prank again. That seemed ...... very risky to me. ''Weren''t you scared?Didn''t you ever feel scared that if I turned into a frog because of the Judgment of the Spirits that you cast on me? ''If that happens, I''ll stay with you for the rest of my life. For life.'' These words made my heart flutter with dread. ''...... The manager had promised Magda that he would not turn Yashiro into a frog. Magda and Loretta came and stood next to Ginette. ''...... If Yashiro turned into a frog, Magda would have turned the manager into a frog.'' ''No, that''s scary! ''I was ready to see it through too.'' ''No, don''t do that! No, no, no, don''t do that! ''......, but I was sure it wouldn''t come to that.'' ''Even if you were sure, ......'' ''I knew my brother would be fine.'' Where does your trust come from, then? ''The sisters told me. The Judgment of the Spirits will not turn anyone into a frog as long as they are treated with love. Even if you love someone, if you find a lie in the Conversation Record, you will be turned into a frog. ............ No, I guess not. In the event that you are not aware of the lie and use the Judgment of the Spirits, you will not turn into a frog. The words that appeared in the prison in the 42nd district when he turned that ragdoll from a frog back into a man... "Can you forgive him? --If we include that in our discussion... It''s also possible that the "Judgment of the Spirits" may not be a condemnation of all lies,......? It''s also possible that you''ll be able to turn your opponent into a frog only if you''re prepared to do so with hatred and clear hostility. It''s just a guess,....... I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you. If they were kids, they''d probably tell each other silly lies. If you joke about it and use the Judgment of the Spirits, ...... you will be traumatized for life. Such an accident could easily happen. In this world. It is said that the condition for triggering the genie''s curse is not the reason or process of the genie''s judgment, but whether or not there was a lie in what was said. That''s what I''ve been taught. I talked about this with Jeannette once. That was when I first came to this town. So even an idle lie between kids should trigger the Judgment of the Spirits. But if that''s not what happened... ''Still, I''ve never heard of such a tragedy happening in the church in the past. --Does the Spirit God control the power of the Judgment of Spirits? In some cases, there may be restrictions on the use of magic, taking into account the maturity and heart of the user and the position and circumstances of the user. In layman''s terms, isn''t there some sort of ''let''s tolerate it because it''s a child''s thing'' at work here? "Can you forgive them? These words flicker in the corner of my mind. Maybe the strong feeling of ''unforgiveness'' is essential to trigger the ''judgment of the spirits''. ...... No, I didn''t feel that strongly about the lie that he didn''t throw away the skewer of grilled chicken. Well, I was pretty pissed off at that idiot. ...... Does it affect your trust in the other person? I''m telling a clear lie to Jeannette. I''ve been telling her a big lie that "Piot Kaidee" means "nice smile". But now I''m not a frog because of the "Judgment of the Spirits" cast on Ginette. The Judgment of the Spirits is not a blanket judgment of all the lies of the past. That''s settled. If I were to tell her the true meaning of "Piot Kaidee" now, and an angry Jeannette were to cast "Judgment of the Spirits" on me again, I might turn into a frog. Well, I''m sure Ginette wouldn''t be so angry that she''d ask me to repent and cast Judgment of the Spirits on me. ...... I mean, I can''t tell you the real meaning of "Piot Kaidee" now. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and what you can do to help. ''...... I''ll be nice to Jeannette.'' ''Huh?Well,......, thank you?'' In response to the sudden words, Ginette said, ''Oh, I didn''t cast the Judgment of the Spirits in anger, did I? And then she starts to say something misguided. That''s not it. This is just, well, a tingle of guilt. ''Anyway, children who use the Judgment of Spirits for the first time are often so anxious that they can''t sleep, but by showing them how to use it like this, he taught them that strong power is not an object of fear, depending on the mind of the user. It''s usually Bertina''s job to do that. Well, that''s too much for the matrons. Well, I guess Bertina uses "Judgment of the Spirits" too. I think the way she uses it is very Bertina-like. ...... You''ve never used it to turn someone into a frog, have you? She once said she had no experience with it, so I guess she''s never frogged anyone. But you do use it to keep the kids from turning someone into a frog, "Judgment of the Spirits". It''s a good example of how the nature of a power can change drastically depending on who uses it. Too much power can be poison or medicine depending on the user. Bertina used that same power to reassure a child who was frightened at the sight of great power. ''After doing so, the sisters would give the child a hug. Like this...'' Ginette wrapped her arms around me. Ginette''s body is too small to be wrapped around me, but I feel emotionally wrapped around her. My mind becomes calm and warm, and I don''t even have time to think about the boobs that are pressing against me.It''s so much better!Thank you so much! No, I can''t! It''s impossible to be calm about ''...... warm''! What a destructive elasticity! ''My heart is shattered! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here. ''......, but he doesn''t look anything like the manager. It''s just different. Too different. ''Oh my god, big brother! ''......, Yashiro.'' Loretta and Magda are huddled close to me. I was being hugged by Jeannette, and she hugged me back. ''You don''t have to worry about this alone, because everyone is here. ''...... Yashiro should be more lenient.'' Loretta and Magda said, and Ginette chuckled. And . ''Don''t worry. No matter what happens to you, you''ll always be Yashiro. He smiled at me. No matter what they say, I''m sure the brakes inside me are already broken. The next time I come across a situation like this one, I will use the Judgment of the Spirits as a weapon. But... ''If I can get such a reward, I might as well use the Judgment of Spirits all the time. ''You can''t do that. If you''re such a bad boy, you''ll be denied a snack. I can''t let them be sad as they offer such a cute punishment. I''m sure ............ I''ll be fine. I''ve calmed down thanks to you. I regretfully remove my body from Jeannette''s chest. It''s a shame, really. I''d stay another three nights if I had to. ''Do you have one too, Ginette?I''ve used the Judgment of Spirits and it scared the hell out of me.'' Ginette, like Bertina, is the type who is unlikely to use the Judgment of Spirits. You''ll be able to see that she is quite calm, so she is probably more or less familiar with the Judgment of Spirits. I thought that he might have been scared the first time, but now he is not. ''Actually, I just used ...... for the first time. "Judgment of the Spirits". It seems that this was the first time he used the Judgment of the Spirits. So you used that first time for me. If you look closely, you can see that the smile on his face is a bit nervous. ''Well, I guess I''ll have to do the same for Jeannette. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''......''. I''m not sure I''d be able to cast a "Judgment of the Spirits" on her, so I hug her tightly, wrapping my head around her. She is silent for a moment, and then she says ''It''s so relaxing. --She murmured. ''So does Magda at .......'' ''Me too! After me, Magda and Loretta hugged Jeannette. Or rather, they hug her. It''s hard to tell which one of them is spoiling her. Even so, Ginette is smiling happily, and I realize that this is how the people of this town will face the "Judgment of the Spirits". I feel like I''ve been pampered a lot today. All in all, today was probably the best day of my life. 491-Episode 293 Worst Day Last night, I was told that ''the blood is still slightly oozing, so let''s keep the bandage on until the blood stops completely'', and I couldn''t do the special makeup. Although I said so myself, Jeannette looked pained every time she saw the bandage on my arm. I wanted to cover it up quickly because ....... So, early in the morning, I created a "scar" in order to quickly apply special makeup. I pasted this "scar" on my left arm and made the boundary between the scar and the skin invisible. The way the skin is cut, the redness of the wound, and the painfulness of the wound are all very realistic and brilliant. That''s me. Whether it''s Hollywood or NASA, there is no other special make-up artist with the skills that I have. It looks like a fresh scar even though it is on a desk. For a moment, you think, ''What, this desk is real? for a moment. Just as I was thinking about putting it on my arm, there was a knock at the door of my room. I opened it and found Jeannette standing there. ''Well, I saw the light from the window, and I was wondering if you were awake already. Her gaze then drifted to the wound on her left arm. You don''t have to worry so much. Well, Jeannette was always on the lookout for Magda when she was injured. I guess it''s in his nature. ''Do you need help? ''No, I''m fine. ''If you want to wash your underwear, I''ll keep an eye on it for you. ''Mr. Yashiro is the one being watched. Puffing out her cheeks, Jeannette quickly smiled. ''Didn''t the pain wake you up?Cuts tend to hurt more after a while.'' Well, sure, the stinging pain increased with time, but I''m fine now. No, it hurts.It hurts, but not enough to make me cry. And the peak has already passed. All I have to do now is to be a little annoyed at the ''it hurts so badly ......'' until it heals. ''Oh, is that the wound?I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Ginette found the ''wound'' on the desk and stood on her tiptoes to look into it. No, if you want to see it, why don''t you go in? Oh, right. Jeannette doesn''t go into my room without permission, does she? You don''t have to worry about it. ''You want to come in? ''Are you sure?'' ''Sure. I don''t have anything to be seen.'' There aren''t any books for gentlemen in this town. ''Well... I''m sorry to bother you. Ginette enters the room with a slightly nervous look on her face. It''s just like any other room. Especially since I don''t have much in my room. No, Magda''s room doesn''t have much luggage either. There''s almost nothing in the room. ...... Not much stuff in this house. Well, Magda seems to be slowly adding to her possessions. You''ll be able to find a lot of things that you can use to make your life easier. She''s slowly becoming more girly. I wonder if she''ll start telling me not to come into her room. I''m looking forward to it, but I''m also sad. ''............'' Something occurred to me, and I checked with Jeannette, who was looking at the ''scar'' and saying, ''Wow, that looks painful ......''. ''Hey, Jeannette. Didn''t Magda ever tell you ...... not to wash your clothes with Yashiro''s?'' ''Huh?'' No, you know, girls at that age are supposed to do that, right? ''I haven''t heard anything about it, sir. ''Doesn''t Jeannette hate it?Like washing men''s clothes? ''I''m rather fond of doing laundry. When you hang up the clean laundry with a ''poof! I can feel a little sense of accomplishment when I hang up the clean laundry. At any rate, I''m glad to hear that you don''t feel repelled. But you''re completely taking advantage of my favor. Ginette said she''d do it for me, so I left the laundry to her. I suppose I should return the favor. ''Why don''t I do your laundry for you? ''No, ......, you can''t.'' He puffed up his cheeks and pushed me on the nose. ''You can''t even show me the after wash, you can''t show me the before wash .......'' Apparently, she thought I was asking her to wash Jeannette''s pants. No, no, no, I meant that I''ll wash my own. ...... ''Mr. Yashiro has helped me in many ways, and I like housework. So, please leave it to me as before. With a smile like that, I have no room to argue. ''Well then, I apologize for the trouble, but I look forward to working with you. ''Yes, sir. I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you, but I look forward to working with you. We both bow to each other and laugh. What a farce. But, hey, I''ll wash Jeannette''s pants when I get a chance. I''ll do that. Just out of kindness. NO evil, YES kindness. ''Um, are you gonna stick this on my arm?'' -- and as I''m thinking about pants with 100% evil feelings, Jeannette points to the wound on the desk and asks. ''Yeah, if you stick it on like this and then blend it with the color of your skin, it''ll look real, right? ''Ahh ......''. When I actually put it on my arm, Ginette raised her eyebrows and let out a squeak. ''Um, can you please put that on in front of everyone?I''m sure you''ll be surprised when you suddenly see the ...... scar. As for me, I''d like to put it up quickly to hide the real scar. ...... ''You don''t want to scare Magda. Magda is not afraid of getting hurt herself, but she doesn''t like it when someone close to her gets hurt. Well, maybe it''s the same for everyone, but it''s more pronounced for Magda. Even when he''s dealing with the kids in the church, he seems to be casually following them so that they don''t get hurt. ''Alright. Well, before you donate.'' ''No, I think the ...... children will be surprised to see these scars, so ...... if you can, we can do it in the church.'' You''re going to put it up in front of a bunch of kids? ...... Keep an eye on it so it doesn''t get in the way. ''Ugh ...... that looks painful''. Ginette touches her finger to the ''wound'' fearfully. No, this won''t hurt even if you touch it roughly. It''s a fake. I think only Jeannette would be so scared of a fake if she knew it was a fake. ...... If that makes Jeannette feel better, so be it. It''s not like we can''t do it because we''re the Church. ''Okay. I''ll see you after dinner. ''Yes, sir. ...... I don''t need your help today, okay?'' ''No, this is a fake, okay?I''m not that badly injured. ''But you are injured...'' ''There''s no pain at all now. ...... ''Completely'' is a lie, though. ''I''ll prepare something good for your digestion today. ''That has nothing to do with it! If you hurt your arm, it has nothing to do with your digestive system! I''m not sick, I''m not sick! I guess Jeannette is a bit of a natural. Oh, correction. She''s quite natural. ''...... Good morning.'' Magda woke up and came into my room, probably because of the noise. ''Good morning, Magda. ''Sorry. Was it too loud?'' ''...... I''m fine. I was going to come and help you if Yashiro woke up in pain.'' Magda is usually a sleepyhead, but in an emergency, she goes into hunting mode. Even during the night, he keeps his nerves sharp and wakes up at the slightest noise even when he is napping. But his body is still a child, and the time when he does not need to sleep is short. I''ll have to set aside some time for a nap today, too. I look forward to being woken up by Jeannette every morning, but I can''t believe she wakes up on her own. After your nap, you should be pampered and woken up as much as possible. ''......Yashiro''. Magda says, looking at the ''wound'' she ripped from her arm and placed on the desk because Jeannette was scared. ''...... desk is badly injured.'' ''Are you still sleepwalking?'' In what world is a desk cut and bleeding? I''m afraid, such a cursed desk. Please don''t do this. You won''t be able to sleep alone tonight. ''Put this on your arm like this. ''...... pee''. Magda gave a short squeal and clung to Jeannette''s waist as she stuck the Wound on her arm. Then he looked up at Jeannette and said appealingly. ''...... Manager. Give Yashiro something to digest. So, you''re not sick, and this "wound" is fake,....... In the event that you''ve got a lot of time, you''ll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to make the most of your time. In fact, all the residents of the 42nd district are full of worriers and naturals. ...... What''s wrong, Oba?Who the hell are you ......?I''m not sure, but yesterday''s wound got worse! When I finished my donation and returned to the sunny pavilion, Ricardo came over and started making a big fuss by himself. Estella, Natalia, and even Loretta, who had joined him at the church, watched Ricardo''s festivities with a sullen look on their faces. ''Natalia. Didn''t I explain it to you?'' ''I don''t want to talk to you and have you think I know you. Oh, well, that''s just the way it is. I''m sure ...... that Ricardo was here when I told him I was going to do the special makeup. Oh, right. It''s a shame that this guy can''t relate what he hears verbally to what he actually sees in his brain. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s wrong with me.I''m not sure what to do. It seems that the brain gets a bug when the visual information is too intense. No, it''s always a bug in his brain. ''I''m fine!I''ll take care of this wound right away with our medicine! What did he think? He hugged me as hard as he could. ''You''ll be fine!Don''t worry! Ouch, that hurt! ''Estella. Do something, we''ve known each other since childhood, right? ''I''m sorry. I''m just feeling like I don''t want to get involved.'' What the hell is he? I can''t rely on him! ''Calm down, Ricardo, and get away from me, you creep.'' I can''t help but feel uncomfortable as I feel the muscles jostle. I can''t feel anything but annoyance. ''I told you I''d do special makeup. ''Special ...... so it''s fake?'' ''I told you so.'' ''It''s ......, isn''t it? He exhaled ...... heavily and lowered his shoulders sluggishly. ''If that''s the extent of the injury, it''s not surprising that there would be some aftereffects on the left arm,......, and I was in a hurry.'' If a hunter is injured like this, does it make him pessimistic about the future of his life, or does it make him weak? Ricardo''s reaction was too serious. ''Well, it''s true that I was injured. He said this with a full-blooded brotherly tone, approached me uneasily, and clasped his shoulders. ''Take it easy. If anything happens, tell me right away. Okay?'' ''Good for you! He put his arm around my shoulders and I shook him off with a ''Boom! I shook him off. ''Estella, sterilize!I''ve been infected with the ''ani-germs'' from my brother! ''Who''s ''ani-germs''? ''Oh, that''s unpleasant, isn''t it? ''You''re not showing any understanding either, Estella! In fact, you should be the one to understand. You should understand our side''s disapproval. ''Whoa!What''s with this thick atmosphere? Umaro came to the sunlit pavilion while Ricardo was acting like a caring older brother saying ''I''m glad, I''m relieved''. You''re late. If you had been here earlier, you would have definitely prevented Ricardo''s attack with the Oumalo Barrier. ''Don''t force me to play the dirty role. ......'' ''I''m not even in charge of this...'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ''You''re a surprisingly great person to have exhausted Yashiro-san to such an extent, aren''t you? That''s the lord of the 41st district.'''' ''Eh, what?Do you admire me?Do you want me to give it to you? ''No, I don''t want it. ''I''m fine as long as Yashiro-san is here.I''m making progress! ''Estella!Sterilization! ''Sorry, Yashiro. I''m sorry, Yashiro. The medicine that works on that thing, that thing itself can''t produce. ''Hey, that thing is useless! ''What the hell are you doing, calling people ''so-and-so'' in front of me? I feel like I''m going to burst if I say your name. ''I''ve come to see your wound as promised~'' Regina came out of the house early in the morning. If she hadn''t come at such a time, I would have welcomed her a little more. ''But first, I''d like to observe the Han love triangle for a while longer. ''That horrible relationship doesn''t exist, so either shut up or leave now. I''ll burn either your filthy notepad or your body. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ...... ''Oh, you''re a pharmacist. The bath salts you made are wonderful. I''d like to sell them at the lovely Yan Avenue, so please set up a mass production system.'' ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m not supposed to talk to men I don''t know.'' ''We''re acquaintances now, aren''t we?I''ve been in the 42nd district a lot! ''Really, why do you come here so often? You''re not busy, neighboring lord.'' ''You should at least call me by my name, Estella! ''I''ve been taught by my father not to talk to strange men. ''You''re my childhood friend! ''I''ll take the matter back to the office and consider it, and I''ll reply in writing later. ''I don''t need to consider it, it''s true! Ricardo is hustling with a beautiful woman between him. However, it is Ricardo''s quality that he doesn''t seem to be popular no matter how you look at it. ''Huh~...... is this special makeup? Oh, I got away from Ricardo as soon as I could. It''s uncomfortable to be near him because you''ll be exposed to all the ani germs. ''It''s really well done. It''s like a real scar.'' ''If you peel back a bit of the skin here: ......'' ''Whoa!The blood is so vividly colored. ...... Really, why are you going all out on this?Can''t you be a little more random? It''s normal to go all out. Lies are the end of the world when they''re discovered to be lies. You''re hurting me. It makes my nipples itch.'' ''Don''t make my nipples itch in weird places. Back muscles or buttocks, if you want to make them itch. ''Oh, yeah, Regina.'' This time, unusually, really unusually, Ricardo didn''t just show up unannounced. ''I''m going to be making bath salts, shampoo and soap for the lovely Yann Avenue, can you give me the recipe? ''Recipes?'' ''Because numbers are numbers. I can''t have you make them all. Of course, the recipes will be bought by our lord - or rather, the reliable lord next door. ''That''s right!The senior lord, Lord Siegenthaler, will buy it for you. Right, Lord Siegenthaler? ''You''re being very deliberate, aren''t you?...... Well, those bath salts are good stuff. I can at least pay for the recipe.'''' ''So, would you be willing to sell me the rights to manufacture and sell it in the forty, forty-one, and forty-two districts for Ricardo''s money? ''Hey, you''ve gotten tougher, Lord of Smiles. In the future, baths will become more common in public baths and other private homes, so bath salts will become more popular. If that''s the case, I''d like to have a factory in District 42 as well. It would be a hassle to go all the way to District 41 to buy the products, and I can''t leave it all to Regina. There are many situations where Regina is needed for her main work. It''s best to leave the chores to others. ''You''re talking about recipes, but you only have my notes. ''Your note-taking is good enough. Regina is a very meticulous person, and she has a lot of detailed notes on the amounts and preparation methods. Once, when we were having curry, she showed me her notes, which were so detailed that a knowledgeable person could reproduce them. Well, it would be necessary to translate them so that a layman could understand them, but I''m willing to do that. Regina is a bit too much of a genius to be able to break it down so that ordinary people can understand it. She can''t explain the ingredients of the medicine she uses well, and is avoided by the general public. He is not good at things that could be easily solved from the perspective of ordinary people. He must have been born a genius. He must have been born a genius and cannot understand the thoughts of ordinary people. ...... but that''s only when it comes to pharmacy. For everything else, he is a clodhanger, no better than an ordinary person. I can understand both the thoughts of geniuses and those of ordinary people, and I can bridge the gap between the two. I''ll take the money, though. ''Okay, Ricardo. I''ll take my cut, right?'' ''You don''t get to decide!That''s what I''m talking about, isn''t it? It''s okay. I''ll make sure you get your money''s worth. ...... Don''t think you can get away with it, okay? I''ll be back. Just hurry up and finish the lovely Yann Avenue. And get a couple of lightly experienced places like that branch in Newtown.'' ''The unit you''re asking for is ''buildings'', of course! No, you see, the more of those things the better. ''Don''t worry, Umaro. Lord Siegenthaler will pay for those chapters, which will also help promote the lovely Yann Avenue, in the name of advertising! I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk........ Give me as much as you can, Torbek. You can''t say no to Estella when she asks you to do something, can you? You''re like a bad man who pays off a cabaret girl with everything he''s got. What should I do? I''ll put a bottle of Dom Peri pink in the sunny pavilion for Ricardo. Maybe I''ll make him do a champagne tower every month. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to tell me what you''re up to. This time, Ricardo is happily revealing his scheming face because we called him. It seems that he is happy to be involved in a new plan. Well then, let''s get the lords of the forty-first district involved and start our schemes. ''Hey, Obayashi. There''s a movement in the issuing committee ......, what''s wrong with you, what''s with your scar? As I was discussing this with Ricardo, Gerasie, who I hadn''t called, came to the sunlit pavilion with Inez in tow. ''Don''t tell me there was another dispute after that!Why didn''t you call me?Inez, prepare for retaliation!The matter is no longer confined to the Forty-Two districts! ''First of all, let''s calm down, Master Gerassi. ''Oh, how tragic. ...... Keep your wits about you, Obayashi!This enemy may be troublesome, but I''ll be on your side! This time the enemy will be troublesome, but I''ll be on your side!'' Gerasie spat hotly, walked over to the seat next to me and hugged my head. ''Chikan! ''Wow, ...... hugs between bastards are unsightly.'' ''You''re one of us, Ricardo. I''m sure you and Mr. Erin are kindred spirits, so you should get along. If you can, skip the 42nd district.'' Estella''s demeanor toward Ricardo returned to normal as soon as the money talk was over. You''re a second-rate cabaret girl. You''d better be careful not to get stabbed by a customer you''ve gotten too excited about. ''Mr. Gellarcy. Natalia must have told you yesterday. That scar on Master Kometsky is a fake. It''s a fake.'' ''You think it''s a fake? Gerasie says, lifting my left arm roughly. Ouch! It hurts! There''s a real wound under the fake one!I''m not going to tell you because you''ll worry the Ginettes! ''It''s just like the real thing: ......'' Gerasie frowned as she pushed the wound open with her finger and said, ''Wow, ......''. He''s really got the thought process of a four year old. Whenever he sees something he likes, he plays with it until he''s satisfied. ''Inez. In another ten years or so, he might start stealing your underwear, so be careful.'' ''Who would do such a shameful thing? ''I''ll be careful. ''Don''t take it too seriously, Inez! No, no, no. There are times when a guy who''s a little crazy is even interested in his girlfriends'' underwear. I had a classmate in junior high school. He stole my sister''s pants, got caught, and was beaten up by my parents and my sister. He was just 14 years old. ''Gellarcy''s mind will reach peak puberty in ten years. ''I''ve been through that, puberty! ''What?You''re not stealing my sister''s pants? ''Who''s going to steal that old lady''s pants? ''Oh, my God, Gerasie. You''re talking too loud. Suddenly, he hears Ma''ru''s voice, and Gerasie''s face turns black. No, blue is not the right color. Earthy?No, no, no, it''s a black as rotting leaves. ''You have to respect your family, too. If you are aware that you misspoke, apologize and correct it before it is pointed out to you.'' Mahr smiles at Gerasie. Oh. That smile is the kind that takes your soul out if you look directly at it. If you were in a Japanese company, you''d probably be called a power-hungry boss. ...... I''m glad I''m not his subordinate. You''re right, I did misspoke. My deepest apologies, sister. Yes. It''s good to admit a mistake. Then correct it.'' ''Yes. I''m also interested in your pants and would like to borrow them if I have the chance...'' ''That''s not it, the part to correct is. Also, you are forbidden to approach my residence for the time being.'' I''m correcting the "old lady," you idiot. ...... So why is Ma''ru looking at me like I''m in trouble? It''s not my fault, okay? ...... Did I make you bloom?I don''t think so. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Well, this is special makeup, isn''t it?That looks painful. Ma''ru said as he pressed the real wound underneath the ''wound''. He put the blame for the humiliation on me. I had nothing to do with it! What a nasty old woman! ''Have you seen Inez? ''Yes. I did. Yesterday, Mr. Gerrardsy drew a scar on my cheek with ink, saying that ''making a fake scar must be like this'', but it was so misguided that I wanted to laugh through my nose, but I''m trying my best to hold back. ''You were thinking about that, Ines! ''You can laugh, Inez. ''Now, if you''ll excuse me. ...... Huh, that''s not the same thing at all. ...... Sh*t.'' ''You, Inez!What''s with the way you''re talking to the Lord? ''I''ve received permission from Mahr-sama. ''Kuh ...... Obeyashiro!Inez has gone crazy since she met you, take responsibility! ''You''ll have to re-educate her yourself ......''. I''m sure Natalia has had a negative influence on her. The look on her face when she mocks the Lord is just like her. ''So, Yashippi. What are you going to do now?'' Marle smiles at me as she takes a seat in front of me, looking curious. I''ve already given you a rough idea, haven''t I? We''re going to put the paper out of business. ''Yes, yes. There''s been a movement in the paper''s publishing group. Apparently, the plan to move the headquarters to the 30th or 22nd district has been abandoned. It''s to be expected, but it seems that there was a lot of opposition from the native nobles.'''' It''s a neighboring district. They must have been happily gathering information. ''Sister!That''s the information I brought to tell Obayashi! ''Oh, Gerasie. Freshness and speed are important when it comes to information.If you miss the right time to release it, it''s no good. I''m not sure what to do. You can''t beat Marle no matter what you do, Gerasie. You need to start over from the basics, you know. ''Lord Siegenthaler and Torbeck''s contractor are here, so this is a nice Yann Avenue related story, isn''t it? Marle guessed at the face. You''re pretty good at this. ''Lovely Yan Avenue, it''s still incomplete, but it''s going to be interesting. It''s just a little too far away. ''Did you go and see it?'' ''Yes. I was surprised at how gorgeous it looked. It''s not that she''s quick on the uptake, it''s just that she''s so quick on her feet. What''s that?Do you still want to be beautiful at your age? ''Cindy wants to go to the salon, she''s so annoying. ''Tell her it''s not worth the effort.'' No, Ma''ru''s old lady, the head waiter Cindy, might go to the 41st district during her work. ...... Aggressive squire. Natalia, be ready. ''Already.'' Estella and Natalia''s eyes sparkled. I''m bringing the Council to District 42. Or should I say evacuate them or trap them? The twinkle in Estella''s eyes is either the joy of trapping someone she hates or the anticipation of a huge rental income - a rental income. She''s always been poor, you know. ''And while you''re at it, tell him to send the Kawaya Corporation staff over here too. I''ll have them build all sorts of things in New Town.'' ''What about the port? ''I''ll leave that to Omar and Umaro, and get their second in charge here. I''m sorry to say that the number two guy at Kawaya Construction, who will be working with Yangbold, is .......'' ''He doesn''t pull his weight even when he''s dealing with complete strangers. ......'' Well, I''m still worried, but I''m sure he''ll do his job well. He has a lot of pride as a carpenter. ''Oh, that''s right, Umaro. Lucia said, ''We don''t want to stay in the apartment used by the issuing party, so we need to build a new apartment ASAP. She said it should be a four-story building if possible. ''You can''t build something like the Cradle of the Moon in a hurry, as expected! ''Are Umaro''s acquaintances all reckless people? ''I''m sure they''ve all developed a habit of thinking in terms of Yashiro''s standards. ......'' I''m being blamed for this too. I didn''t do anything. I feel awful... ''Well, Umaro. I''d like to have a branch of Lovely Avenue for a hands-on class in three days. ''That''s it!You''re having a bad influence on people! ''Magda--'' ''...... Umaro, good luck.'' ''I''ll do it! ''...... Your attitude is also a problem, I think. So, in the sunny pavilion, where the density of swarthy men is increasing, the operation to abolish the information paper has begun to move. ''Oh, Oba-kun!Are you okay? ''Yeah, fine!Don''t move!I''ll take you to the doctor! I''ll take you to the doctor!'' Demilly, who came in late, touched me anxiously all over my body, and Javier, looking distressed, took me in his arms. Put me down. I can''t stand the sight of his thick chest plate! ''It''s a fake, this ''scar''! ''What?I''m not sure what to do....... It''s real no matter how you look at it.'' ''Would you like to show me yours, Stuart? ''Here, look at this, Ambrose.'' ''No, put me down first! I''m not ''here'' in a princess''s arms! What am I, a kitten? ''Mmm. Mr. Yashiro, you''re being taken good care of. ''I feel like I''m being toyed with, I''m ......''. Ginette is going around to each table full of bigwigs and serving tea. Make sure you charge them. They''ve taken over the sunlit pavilion. They''ve made it difficult for ordinary customers to enter. I''ll charge them separately for the private party. Individually. ''Oh, hello~. It''s a busy day again. Oh, I''m having the grilled salmon set meal. ''Ore, carbonara, no nara''. ''No, Mr. Yambordo, what''s that all about? ''Looking at all these big men, the carpenters are coming in as usual. ''...... These people are familiar faces from the Sunlit Pavilion. There''s no need to be nervous or reserved. ''Wait a minute, Magda. Let''s change that. After Goozja and Yangbold, the carpenters came in for dinner. They seemed to have been discussing for quite a while, and before they knew it, it was lunchtime. ''Whoa!It''s the Lord of Smiles!Lucky! ''Ouch!He looked at me!The glare!That smile, a million volts! ''Estella, this is a restaurant. ......'' ''It''s not my fault, is it? ''But first, can you stop treating our carpenters like they''re unsanitary? Omar is complaining to me. He should have told Estella, but he told me. The carpenters at Torbeck and Kawaya have become friends, trusting each other and working together as if they''ve been eating out of the same pot for years. ''You can get along with anyone easily, are you kids? ''Well, let''s get three more branches in New Town. '''''''' Wait a minute!I''m not sure what you''re talking about. '''''''' The carpenters at Kawaya Construction Company were surprised to hear the news, but not Torbeck Construction Company. Most of them have a resigned look on their faces, like ''Oh, ...... it''s like that again. You''re the best, Torbeck! ''How''s the progress of the port construction today? Umaro, who has been attending our meeting since this morning, is talking to Yangboldo and the others. ''Hi-mi-chua??'' ''Goozuya, I''ll explain.'' ''No problem, sir.'' ''Hey, hey, hey. Number two is being completely ignored, is that normal?'' Omar is showing his confused face, ...... get used to it. That''s Torbeck''s number two. ''How''s the rumble? ''I''m totally fine. Even if something strange comes along, Gustave is patrolling the area with a very scary face, so I don''t think he can do anything. Gustave is very eager to help Masha. So we''re good for a while. ''Goozja. You, can you work with Omar to organize the construction of the port?'''' ''Eh!Why is it me!What about you and Yangbold-san? ''Since we have to hurry up to complete the lovely Yann Avenue, Yangbold will be in charge of the other side. ''Oh, we''re the most popular with the girls, aren''t we ......? ''I''m confident in my girl power. You do? Well, your design is very popular with girls. ''I''m promoting the redevelopment of New Town. ''Oh, does that mean you have to do it?Even if it''s later: ......'' ''Lucia-sama is asking for a ''Cradle of the Moon'' class apartment!Who else is going to do it but me? ''Oh, ...... Lucia-sama, if you don''t dilute it with Yashiro-san, it will be too strong on its own. ......'' I''m not sure what you''re doing when I''m not around, Lucia. I''m not sure what you''re talking about. Lucia Ol??. ...... Who''s the milk. ''We can do the four-story building later. In the meantime, I''ll take three branches.'' ''Yashiro-san, you say ''fine'' so casually, but you''re a demon, aren''t you? I''m not going to worry about it because it''s just Goozuya. If Umaro says he can do it, he can do it. If you still have any objections, please contact ...... ''Hey, Goozuya. What''s wrong with your voice? ''Geez!Gaslighting!Yashiro-san''s gaslighting is so gruesome, please give me a break! What''s so gruesome about it? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. ...... I haven''t seen Bekko around lately. ...... He''s doing well, right? What?I''m getting a little nervous. ...... I''m sorry to bother you, that I am. I''ve got a portrait that I''ve been asked to do, and I''ve come to ask you to check it out, that I have. ''What''s up, Becko!How are you? ''Have I done something, that I have not?I''m fine, that I am, but I don''t understand why you''re angry with me, that I don''t understand! He seemed to be in great spirits. He didn''t seem to mind if I tried gaslighting him once or twice more. ''Well, you really look like him. That''s amazing technology.'' Mahrul said admiringly, looking at Becko''s sketch. He had asked Becko to draw a portrait of the long-haired ragdoll who had (supposedly) been decapitated. ...... Huh?Mahr, when did you see that guy''s face? He''s in jail now, right?Did you go to see him?How greedy are you for information? ''Then I''ll give this to Mokoka and have him provide it to the intelligence community. ''Yes. Please do.'' The sketch of the (supposedly long-haired, raggedy) victim will be successfully passed on to the journal''s publisher. A sketch of the victim would make the scene look even more horrific. ''Oh no!Oh no! While I was watching the exchange between Mael and the others, Bekko came up to me. It''s so hot. ''What''s wrong, Mr. Yashiro?You''re hurt bad, that you are!I''ll take you to Regina, that I will! ''Calm down!Don''t try to carry me! Oh, God!I''m having a lot of contact with old men today! It''s driving me crazy! ''Good day, gentlemen!I''m Yashiro-kun''s buddy and the owner-chef of Luxury, the most fashionable buffet in the 40th district, no, All Bloom. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. ...... I didn''t call you. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. Don''t come here. I''m not in the mood for that right now. I''m not going to tell you. Hmm?Hmmm!What''s the matter, best friend?Your arm is the life of a chef!How could you hurt your arm?Oh my, dear friend. ......'' He hugged me, crying, and I shook off my frustration. ''Pompeo. I''ll teach you some new sweets, so open a branch in the 42nd district for a week from now. Don''t worry. The lords of both districts are here, so permission will be granted soon. Don''t think you''ll be able to go back to District Forty until I say it''s okay. ......? ''I don''t know what it is, but I''m the only one who can take the place of your arm, right?All right, I''ll help you, My Brother! d*mn, you''re so positive it''s annoying! ''Oba, you''re such a ...... charmer, aren''t you? Demilly nodded his head in an enlightened manner, but I decided to ignore him. I''m not happy with the way the old guys are treating me! Yesterday was a different story: ...... If I were to sum up this day, I would say it was a lousy day. ...... d*mn. 492-Episode 294 The March of Believers The news spread to the world in an instant. "Nightmare Brawl in District 42! This is the news of an unbelievable tragedy that occurred in the 42nd district, where the construction of the harbor is underway. The residents who had come to observe the construction work in broad daylight were attacked and eventually killed in a horrific incident. Many witnesses saw people''s heads slit open, and the scene of fresh blood spattering was so horrific that it made them want to cover their eyes, the article said. The article said that the blood spatter was so horrific that it was almost as if it were a photograph. Those who lived in BU were astonished by the sensational article, and at the same time, their fear of the 42nd district increased. Particularly, those living in the 29th district, who were connected to it by a newly created passage called New Road, spent their days in fear, unable to sleep at night. In this way, the faces of the criminals who had caused that horrific incident were burned firmly into their eyes. If you ever see him in the city, be prepared to run away immediately. Don''t let your loved ones get close to him. The sketch of the suspect, Obayashi, also appeared in the newspaper with photographic clarity. The BU people were horrified by this unbelievable event. At the same time, they waited for more information about the incident. What had happened to the murderer? What happened to the construction of the harbor? Are the BU''s safe in their own districts? Would the lord of our district have allied himself with such a dangerous 42nd district? Fear makes people''s desire to know grow. In order to escape the fear of not knowing. But then one problem arises. The information paper that reported the horrific incident contained another piece of information that could not be overlooked. "Information Paper Publishing Group Announces Headquarters Relocation The contents of the article can be found at ....... Well, it''s a long and roundabout way of putting it, but in short, the lords of BU colluded to kick out the Information Paper Publishing Group, so they decided to move their headquarters to District 42. I didn''t even want to go to the 42nd district, but the lord of the 42nd district himself, who caused the friction, insisted on it, so I had no choice but to rent the place. Because of this, an exorbitant tax was imposed on the information paper when it was brought to BU, but it was all the fault of the vicious lord of BU and the 42nd district that caused it, so the information paper publishing society is not responsible at all. It is inevitable that the price of the information paper will rise, so all complaints should be directed to the owner of BU and the 42nd district. --That''s what it said. No matter where I looked, I could not find any mention of the fact that the chairman himself had spoken out against the lord of the 23rd district and had been kicked out. Well, I knew it would be something like this anyway, but the article was just as I had expected. The lords of BU were very angry, and they voted by majority to impose a heavy tax on this malicious paper, which was implemented immediately. A tax of 45Rb would be imposed on each piece of information paper brought into BU. The price of the information paper, which was originally 5Rb, is now sold at 50Rb, which is exactly the amount of the tax. Converted into Japanese yen, what was 50 yen became 500 yen. ...... Too expensive!I would never buy it. It''s just a piece of paper.I don''t care if it''s a magazine. Moreover, information papers are published irregularly. They don''t come out once a month or once a week. If, as in the case of this issue, there is value in the follow-up report, it may be published daily. In other words, the publishing society is reporting the details of this case in daily issues. Only the first issue, in which the above article appeared, was sold at 5Rb as before, but from the next issue, in which the follow-up article appeared, it will be sold at 50Rb with tax added. Yeah, I know, I know. I guess they''re planning to sell the reopened first issue, which contains very interesting information, at a discount, and make people buy the next issue, which will be more expensive. It is a common practice to make people buy the first issue at a discount and then raise the price. I wonder if they''re going to add the entire tax to the price. Don''t you think you should pay a little of the tax yourself? Oh, I see. To them, readers are just people to whom they are selling their paper. You want it anyway, right?Then pay up. That''s it. However, even though the bean-counting rules that bound BU have been abolished and the economy has started to turn, the benefits have not yet spread to the general public. There is still no one in BU who can say ''I guess I have no choice'' when 50 yen becomes 500 yen. The content is the same, but the price has increased tenfold, and it is published every day. There are many who cannot afford it even if they wanted to, and many who hesitate to buy it, well, almost all of them. It is said to be delivered free of charge to the aristocrats who invest in it, so it is the ordinary citizens who do not have as much money as the aristocrats who are forced to pay ten times as much. What a luxury item that only the aristocrats can get. Still, I''d like to know more about the horrible incident. It''s a matter of life and death. Not to mention my own, my family''s, my lover''s, my friend''s. The BU people have three choices left. Pay ten times the price and subscribe to the paper, even if it means cutting back on your life. They pay each other to read the paper in circulation. If you want to read the paper at the conventional price, you need to gather ten people. However, if you do so, there will be a dispute about the order of reading. There will be a fight between the first and the tenth. After all, you want to get the latest trends before anyone else. You want to know what you want to know, but you can''t get it yet, and the person who reads it first will say, ''What?No way!Seriously? Seriously?" You would feel like killing them. And the people who get the information before others get an itch to spoil ....... If you tell someone who hasn''t read the book yet that ''this is what happened'', they''ll say ''give me my money back, you bastard! If you tell someone who hasn''t read the book that ''this is actually what happened'', a big fight will break out. Therefore, the above two options are not very realistic. Well, some people may choose the above two options and get into trouble or have a hard time making a living. After all, it is published every day. 5,000 yen for 10 days, 10,000 yen for 20 days, and 15,000 yen for 30 days. Hmmm... ...... I wouldn''t want to throw that kind of money down the drain. So let me suggest a third option, the most economical and peaceful. What are the options? Go to the 42nd precinct to buy. The tax on entering a BU is on the goods for sale. It is not imposed on personal property. So, if you come to District 42, buy it, and bring it back yourself, you can get the information paper at a fixed price. That''s why BU has published the first issue of "Traveling Together on the Road!Let''s go to the 42nd district to buy information papers. If we go together, we won''t be afraid at all! ???Let''s go to 42 wards to buy information papers! The organizers are Mokoka, an active "BU" girl, and Sister Sophie of the 24th Ward Church. Nene Granata, the head waiter at Tracy McCurry''s mansion. And then there''s Filman Donati, the next candidate for Lord of the 24th District. Their identities are largely unknown to the public. They don''t know that Sophie is the sister of Rebeka, who was the first to end her donation to the paper, that Mokoka is a waiter in Mahrul''s household, that Filman is the heir to Donis, or that Nene is the head waiter to Tracy. The people in the same ward would know, but if you crossed the ward a bit, their faces would not be known. Filman hasn''t been introduced to the world yet, and Nene''s position as head waiter makes her a rather plain girl, so she doesn''t really stand out. Even Sophie, with her prominent bunny ears, is not known to be related to the Koji factory. In the first place, the world doesn''t know that the head of the Koji factory is a little girl like her. Therefore, we arranged our staffs well and asked them to spread the information that ''if we all go to the 42nd district, we can buy the information paper at a fixed price''. Although the group was a little unreliable, it seemed that Mael had planned carefully, and the results were good. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... That old lady has the makings of a con artist. He understands people''s psychology very well. If it were me, I would have prepared a detailed script to get these unreliable people to work for me, but Mael took advantage of their unreliability. But Ma''ul took advantage of their unreliability and said, ''There''s no way that such unreliable people who can''t tell a lie and don''t seem to have the intelligence to deceive people, who are more like losers, would trap us. Oh, I see. They want to go and buy the information paper themselves, but they''re afraid, so they''re trying to gather friends. I''ll lend you a hand. Besides, I''ve always wanted an information paper myself, so this must be a win-win situation. Three days after the meeting with the information paper publishing group at the sunny pavilion, the information paper containing the rumored article on the slaughter was published, and today, five days after that, a large number of BU children led by Mokoka came to New Town along the New Road. There were dozens of people of all ages, men and women, from all seven BU districts. The group looked like a school trip and landed in the 42nd district, their eyes wide open at the sight. ''Come on, come on, the latest sweets that are being talked about now!It''s so fashionable to eat and walk around!It''s a sweet, sweet crepe that will make you feel the taste of love if you eat it with your lover! In the New Town, people dressed up in glittering costumes were coming and going, smiles on their faces everywhere as they ate the eye-pleasing sweets. There, a branch of a famous patisserie (but a coffee shop), which has even the aristocracy of BU as its customers, was selling the most gorgeous sweets I have ever seen in a luxurious atmosphere as its name suggests. The people who flocked there were fashionable girls who had been polished up at the sister store of Sutekiyan Avenue, a base for the transmission of beauty. The glamour never stops! Makeup, nails, hair arrangements. Makeup, nails, hair arrangements. You can''t help but notice the high class beauties. The clothes they wear are new but not too pedantic, unique, gorgeous without being too flamboyant, and s*xy without being too obscene. The total coordination is so complete that even the most jaded countryman can clearly see the sophistication and stylishness of it. Presented by, Obayashiro & Imelda featuring Ukrines. Oh, and Mahr and Lucia are also involved, as supervisors. They say that Imelda is still lacking a bit of fashion and dignity from a nobleman''s point of view. Well, Imelda''s taste is such that she modifies a yukata into an ultra-mini. I guess she has a more radical sensibility than traditional beauty. ''...... What is this place? The average girl from BU mutters. She''s transfixed by the glamorous scene before her, full of urban charm. Well, then, let''s give them a bigger surprise, shall we? And let''s let them enjoy it. You won''t find it in the news papers, but in the real cutting-edge fashion. First, a beautiful cityscape that jumps out at you! Originally, there were almost no houses in the former slum, and the streets are neat and clean, thanks to the comprehensive design by Umaro from the beginning of the development of the new town. Beautiful brick buildings facing a large street. Gorgeous plantings. No matter where you take a cut, the entire city looks like a painting. The city has been brushed up with an extra touch to make it look even better. Just one beautiful woman standing on such a street corner is enough to make you say. ''Good day, everyone. ''Hey!Miss Imelda. You look beautiful again today! ''Your clothes are lovely! ''Even your hair! ''Even your makeup! ''Mmm. You''ll be even more beautiful. Yes, if you come to this city. ''''Yikes! They were the genuine girls of the Forty Wards who had admired Imelda since she was in the Forty Wards. Imelda was the charisma of beauty in the Forty-second Ward. Even after moving to the Forty-second Ward, the girls would occasionally see Imelda''s fashion and stop by Ukrines'' clothing store to buy matching outfits. The fans in this city don''t mind moving from one ward to another. ...... I''m sure you''ll agree that it''s a great idea to have a good time. ''Hmm ......, the breeze is so comfortable. Norma is enjoying a cup of tea with her hair playing in the breeze on the hastily created luxury open terrace. Across the way, Natalia is sitting in a stylish one-piece dress, having thrown off her usual maid''s uniform. Here, she is elegantly eating a cake. Oh, and if you look closely, you can see Osina sitting on the other side, quietly reading a book by herself. What a beautiful sight! It''s the kind of stylish spot that a girl can''t help but admire! ''Sir. It''s our new strawberry parfait.'' ''Araara~, thank you~'' A strawberry parfait beautifully arranged in a huge glass was brought before Osina. The parfait was served in an extravagant and beautiful glass. While many families cannot afford to buy even window glass, there are not many restaurants that use such elaborate glasses. This is quite luxurious. Most of the vessels used in ordinary homes and bars are made of wood or ceramic. But this is a luxury restaurant with a large number of aristocratic patrons. I forced him to buy it. ''A fine glass is essential for parfait. Pompeo, the owner, chef and manager of the restaurant, was reluctant to buy expensive glassware, but as soon as he saw the finished product, he was convinced, ''It has to be fine glasses! He was convinced. It''s no wonder. The thin, tall, and slender silhouette is beautiful on its own, but the contrast of white and red is even more striking. The white of the whipped cream and the red of the strawberries. If the glass had been made of porcelain or wood instead of glass, the appeal would have been reduced by half. It is precisely because it is made of transparent glass that its presence is heightened and its extravagant sense of luxury is fully demonstrated. It will be a little while before we serve this at the Sunlit Pavilion. I can add it to the menu as soon as I take back some of the glasses Pompeo made me buy. ''Hmmm!It looks pretty, but it tastes so good too! I ate the parfait with the long, thin spoon Norma had hurriedly made for me. The tour group was glued to the parfait with their eyes glued to the beautiful, calm woman with a happy expression on her face. Beautiful women happily eating gorgeous sweets that they had never seen before in a very elegant cafe. It must have seemed to the group as an extraordinary experience that could be called a different space. Surprisingly, there are few open terraces in this city. There are only a few open terraces in this city, such as the one at the Sundari-tei when they open all the windows, and the one at Thomson''s Kitchen when they set up tables in the garden, but the yakiniku at Thomson''s Kitchen doesn''t have an "open terrace" atmosphere. There may be such a place if you go to the upper part of the city, but in this neighborhood, the view outside is so limited that it''s not worth going out to drink tea. However, it''s a different story in this well-developed new town. You can enjoy a cup of tea while looking at the beautiful scenery, or you can become a part of the beautiful scenery yourself while enjoying a cup of tea. It''s a very stylish place to spend time. ''Anyway, let''s go buy an information paper. ''Yes, of course. ''That was the purpose, wasn''t it? Right, everyone? ''That''s right.'' ''Yes, that''s right. When Sophie urged them to move, the BU children, who are easily pulled by others, took advantage of this and began to move from the front of the cafe. They''ve got penguin-like habits, these guys. However, there was a trendy boutique where Sophie was headed. It was a clothing store that was temporarily owned by the women of the District 41 Clothing Guild, who had trained under Ukrines in order to distribute cool fashions on the lovely Yann Avenue. The plan is to practice here and eventually open a store in the lovely Yann Avenue. This store is supposed to be kept in the 42nd district as a branch ......, but it will probably be a retail store that buys and sells Ukrines'' clothes. The influence of Ukrines is too strong in the Forty-two districts. I''d like to see him train many disciples and subdivide the fashion. ''Look, look~. I just bought a new one! ''I tried to make it a little more mature. Two beautiful girls come out of such a stylish boutique wearing brand new clothes. Paula is wearing a light, fluffy dress, and Nepheli is wearing pants that show off the lines of her long, slender legs. Both of them seem to be particular about their shoes and accessories as well as their clothes. That coordination seems to be Lucia''s favorite. I''m sure she has a say in it. I can imagine Ukrines happily taking notes in her storybook. ''Hey, ......, don''t you think Aarthi''s outfit is weird? ''Not at all, Barbara. She''s very pretty.'' ''But, ...... Aarushi, these things are .......'' ''What are you talking about!The possibilities for fashion are endless. It''s a waste of time if you don''t challenge yourself and become a better version of yourself. Nephrite is making a Showa-era gesture of encouragement to Barbara. It''s strange that she looks so good in that way. Barbara was dressed in a very girly fashion, which was certainly far from Barbara''s image, but it was a ''proper'' finish. ''Onesha!We''re matching! ''Wow!Teresa, you''re too cute! I thought it was a very cute outfit, but it seemed that Teresa and I were wearing matching outfits. Needless to say, Teresa looks very good in it. ''Matching fashion is cute, isn''t it? ''So, do you guys want to wear matching outfits? ''No, no. We''ll do our own fashion.'' ''It''s because Barbara and Teresa are close sisters that they look good together. I have my own style, and Nephrite has his own style.'' ''Yes, yes. Isn''t it boring to be the same as someone else?Take your time to find a style that suits you. Because I''m me, and I don''t want someone else to define who I am. I don''t want anyone to define who I am.This is who I am! You can''t compare yourself with anyone else. ''Ah!Aashi, I know that one!It''s called Iron Maiden, isn''t it!'' ''Yeah, I won''t say it.'' ''It''s an identity, Barbara. Seeing the girls squealing and having fun showing off their fashions, the group glanced back at their own clothes. As if mass-produced, they all wore the same mood, the same color, and the same type of clothes. They must have read about it in an information paper. They must have read about it in the newspapers, saying, ''This kind of fashion is fashionable now. The BU kids probably don''t show their clothes to each other. Wearing that fashion is right, anything else is wrong. That''s the way they think. Whether the fashion suits you or not, you can''t go against the ''others''. ''Oh, Wendy. You look great today.'' ''Thank you, Theron. You look great too.'' ''How lucky I am. I''m so lucky to have met you, the only woman in the whole world.'' ''I''m also lucky to have met you, the only man out of thousands and thousands of people. ''Wendy! ''Theron! ''Blast it! ''...... Yashiro. Not yet. Stay hidden. He yanked me by the neck as hard as he could. and dragged me into the grass. Thanks to that, I don''t think the group saw me. I was the one who started it. ...... Huh, that was bad. It''s all Theron''s fault. ...... ''It''s kind of ...... One of the girls in the group opened her mouth heavily. ''...... Looks like fun, doesn''t it? There was no reply to her murmur. But all those present must have been thinking the same thing. Their eyes told the story. ''...... Beautiful day. And the breeze is nice.'' Magda, the woman who had dragged me into the grass earlier, walked down the street, her feet softly dancing. Then, two anteater-faced brothers appear in front of me, each holding out a bouquet of flowers of the same color. ''Hi, Magda! ''Nice flowers, please accept. ''...... well, nice''. ''Off course!These bouquets are all the rage right now! ''Bicose!I saw it in the paper. Yes. The newspaper even carried a stupid article on how to seduce a woman. The anteater brothers are holding a bouquet of flowers that was introduced in the article. ''''Because ...... is in fashion, Magda? ''''Yes, we can!'''' But Magda''s expression was dull. No, there''s very little change, but it''s a dull look, you know. And then, a serious patient with a fox face appears. ''Magda-tan!I picked out this bouquet for you, Magda! ''...... For Magda? ''I thought about what kind of flowers would suit Magda and chose them! ''...... Well, I''m glad. This is a bouquet of flowers just for Magda, just for Magda. The feeling is priceless. ''I''m honored that you''re pleased. ''Oh, no!How shallow of us! ''The Shallow Brothers DA-ZE! ...... Yeah, well. The picture is a bit of a mess, but the point is, ''Isn''t it tasteless to just do what someone tells you to do? That''s what I''m saying. This appeal seems to have stuck with the BU kids: ...... Well, it''s about time. So let''s turn it upside down. The stubborn values that have taken root in their hearts. ''All right, all right. ...... Huh, the load feels even heavier without the use of my left arm. A handsome man sashayed in with his god-like acting skills. His name is Obayashi. ''...... Yashiro. It''s not even a big play. Take a lesson from Magda. ''If I learn from you, all my lines will be read by sticks. Where do you find your confidence, Magda? You''re the one who should learn from my theatricality. As we were whispering to each other, there was a ''Whoosh! from the group of "BU" kids. ''Do, do ............''. A girl pointed at me and made a pale face. ''...... doyou! Oh, no! You''re so upset that you''re groaning out loud! I''m not sure what kind of emotion you''re talking about. ''That man ......! ''Yes, that''s right,......, that''s right! ''............ yeaaaaah! There was a scream that seemed to tear the silk, and the area was in an uproar. We too turned our heads in the direction of the scream. While showing off the wound on our left arm, which we had cleverly kept in their blind spot. ''Wait!...... He''s hurt. It was Sophie who calmed them down as they began to fuss. Then Filman-- ''That''s strange. According to the intelligence reports, he unilaterally attacked and slaughtered the unresisting residents. ......'' ''Would someone who attacked an unarmed resident really have been injured like that? Filman is followed by Nene, who raises the question. The right-minded BU kids don''t answer, they just stare at my wounds. And they are probably asking themselves the same question in their heads. What is the truth? The information in the papers that seemed so absolutely true. But now it has begun to faintly falter. That faintly frayed trust is in danger of being caught, torn, and broken by a chance event. For example, if an irreversible fact that determines your distrust suddenly appears in front of you-- ''Yashiro-san!I got some extra whipped cream from the manager~! The man who comes running towards you with his long hair fluttering as he says this is the victim of the incident that made the pages of the information paper, the long-haired gorozzler who the paper clearly announced as having been ''slaughtered''. Incidentally, his name is Gorotz. It''s a joke, but it''s true. When I heard his name, I yelled at him, ''Don''t use a fake name! When I heard his name, I shouted at him, ''No, no, no, no!That''s my real name!I was an orphan, but I had a plate engraved with my name around my neck, and this name is the only proof that I was connected to my parents!Please believe me, Yashiro-sama! --He was desperately pleading with tears in his eyes. ...... Hmm?I''m sorry. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand that.I was in the middle of one. Well, Golotz himself was just wandering around the 42nd district for money, right? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following address: ....... I''m thinking that I can forgive him with this light punishment. 24/7 without pay. It''s a good word to use from the perspective of a manager. Anyway, I talked with him alone for a while, and made him change his mind from the bottom of his heart, and made him a salesman like this. I didn''t do anything too serious. I just used a little gaslighting to make him believe that Obayashi is the only one on your side in the world. It''s just a small trick that even a third-rate con artist would do. It is not worth talking about now. Aside from that, I taught Gorotz that it is more profitable to work diligently. There may be times when you are troubled or frustrated by hierarchical relationships or by your weaknesses. However, you will gain more than that. Are there any things in your life that you consider important? Have you ever had a moment when you were glad to be alive? When I asked that, Gorotz was at a loss for words. No, I don''t. There''s no such thing as a moment when you''re truly happy. That''s the way he''s been living his life, you know. That''s why I, well, ''I'', brought Gorotz out into the light. Obeyashiro, who I feared to be a demon or a devil, was really an angel. I was worshipped. Now, Gorotz is a good boy who listens to me no matter how unreasonable I am. He is now a good boy who listens to me no matter how unreasonable. ...... This spell will be lifted soon, though. It''s too much trouble when you''re dependent on them. You''re right. I''ll send him to the cornfields of Yap Rock, which is also a rag and bone rehabilitation center. Yeah, that''s good, let''s do that. We could have whoever''s available at Kawaya Engineering build a simple shack and have them sleep in it. Wow, good idea! So, Gorotz, a temporary worker, is working hard with sweat shining on his forehead. Seeing him, the BU kids all open their mouths wide. He''s alive!With a face like that. ''Oh, ......... Do I have the wrong person ......?'' ''No, that face, don''t you think it''s him no matter how you look at it? ''So, maybe the information paper published the wrong person''s face? ''What?So the intelligence paper lied to us!'' ''No, no, no!I didn''t say that!It''s just ...... that ............ there was a little mistake, like ......?'' Calling someone a ''liar'' in this city is a dangerous statement that can affect their life. BU kids don''t want to take on such a heavy responsibility. But if it''s not a lie, what is it? There is one possible explanation. The information in the paper was wrong. In other words, misinformation. The paper, which is supposed to carry only the truth, carried false information. Right now, the paper has lost its authority. Everyone in this room must have thought. ''Not all information papers are correct. And then this thought came to mind. Why bother paying for information that may or may not be true? There is a possibility that the information you paid for may be completely wrong. You have to be the first to get the paper, get the information, and share it with others. That was the status of the "BU" kids. But that information might be a lie. A slaughter that took place in broad daylight. Such a sensational event may not be true. In fact, the man who was described as the perpetrator has a severe injury on his left arm that makes you want to turn away, and the man with long hair who was described as the victim is still alive. The man with long hair, who was described as the victim, is still alive. He is even having a friendly conversation with the man who is said to be the assailant. If that article is true, it is an impossible scene. In other words-- The paper published a hoax. They''re saying they''ll sell it for ten times the price in the future. They''ve come a long way to the 42nd district to buy such a thing. Fighting the fear that there might be a murderer. But what do you think when you actually get here? The 42nd district is calm, but also enjoys a fashionable way of life that we never knew existed. They are proud of their own personal style, not the trend that someone else told them to wear. What are the emotions that are flying through their hearts right now? ...... I''m not sure.It seems like there are a lot of nice customers here. When I smiled and spoke to them, the BU girls all stiffened their shoulders. ''Haha. Sorry, scary to have such a scar, isn''t it? ''Sorry, guys!This scar is my fault!Mr. Yashiro is a very nice person, so you don''t need to be afraid. When I say this with a harmless smile on my face, Gorotz quickly follows up. Gorotz is a good boy who is well disciplined. However, we will not be held responsible for any lies, exaggerations, or misleading phrases that he may use to get someone to frog him. ...... I guess I really am a saint in the eyes of the brainwashed Gorots. ............ I really hope you take me back, Yap Lock. The BU girl asks fearfully. I don''t want to admit that I''m good friends with this long-haired nee-chan, even if it kills me, so I let Gorotz affirm it. ''Yes!I admire you! ...... Yeah. Yap Lock, come quick. But Gorotz''s statement was like a glass ball dropped on the ground. But it''s a waste of time. ''But what a waste! I said to the buzzing ''BU'' kids. ''Why are you all wearing the same clothes and the same hairstyle?You''d look better in brighter clothes, and he''d look better with his hair done up. The BU kids looked at each other as I told them what their strengths were and what they needed to work on. Are you sure? They look at each other and ask, ''Really? This buzz is 20% anxiety. The remaining 80% is probably anticipation. The slightly cheerful tone of his voice is evidence of this. You want to change, don''t you? You''ve seen it here. People who aren''t in the papers but who you''ve recognized as ''Oh, she''s nice. You thought, ''I wish I could be like that...'' even though the information paper didn''t say so. ''I wish I could be like that. ''If you have time, why don''t you drop by?You''ll have some interesting experiences. Especially--'' He smiles, strokes the hair of one of the girls beside him, and says with a determined look on his face. ''A girl can become beautiful with just a small chance. Oh, I''m sorry. I went a little overboard. Magda~, come here! I think one of the girls lost her mind. That''s right, the BU girls who follow right along aren''t immune to ways to pick up girls that aren''t in the newsletters. They can''t prepare themselves for anything without advance notice, can they? Sorry, sorry. That was too much stimulation. Oh, it''s okay, it''s okay. I''m determined not to commit marriage fraud. It''s not like I was hitting on you. So, Magda. Please don''t whisper in my ear that I should be more careful with ....... No offense. Seriously. ''Well, what do you think?Why don''t you make yourself beautiful and enjoy the latest sweets from the 42nd district?'' I made it up. I wanted to prove I wasn''t a bad guy. The girls who wanted to be beautiful and the boys who wanted to have the destructive power to break the girls, including the broken-hearted girls, accepted my words without hesitation. They accepted what I said and went on to experience the 42nd district. Yes, group, let''s go! I''ll give you an experience you''ll never forget! A few hours later. ''Oh, everyone looks different. The women, who had been wearing the same fashions, hairstyles, and make-up, had been remodeled into outfits that enhanced their individuality. The men, while still looking like they were being forced to wear the same clothes, were looking smart and neat. Oh, the guy who changed his hairstyle was very bold. You can''t go back to BU and start over, you know. Well, maybe it''ll keep the spell from breaking. There''s a chance that as soon as they go back to BU, they''ll stop dressing up and go back to their stamp fashion. Well, that''s just the way it is, but you could have typed the ...... wedge. If you dress up, you can change yourself. It makes you different, special. The experience of success will stay with them, and they will feel uncomfortable with the copy-and-paste trend. They wonder if this is really the kind of fashion they want to achieve. ''Look, men. The girls in your town are so cute. Did you know that? ''Oh ...... no ...... ehehe''. What are they embarrassed about? The men squirm in embarrassment in front of the beautifully transformed girls. Yeah, get it straight, mens. Which is more attractive, the girls who have always looked the same no matter which way you look at them, or the gorgeous girls in front of you now who are all the same? Even if you don''t say it out loud, your face clearly shows it. ''Oh no, those girls are so ugly! He said. ''You''re ...... beautiful. One of the boys plucked up his courage and let out a little praise. The girls immediately burst with joy, jumping up and down, holding hands with those nearby. They were jumping up and down with their hands in the air. Seeing the excited girls, the boys again showed their dumbfounded expressions. I hope more and more people realize that the copy and paste of "fashionable girls" in the information papers is a lie. I hope so. Okay, let''s make a deeper impression. ''Well then, since we''ve transformed ourselves into fashionable girls, why don''t we go to a fashionable cafe and enjoy some fashionable sweets? ''Eh, but ...... we are not .......'' It''s just a little push to be taller. Take off your clothes and you''ll be back to your normal self. It''s just a special outfit for now. The BU kids are still in that trial period. They''re just peeking through the eaves, but they don''t seem to have the courage yet to take the plunge. If that''s the case, I''ll just pull them in. ''But, we all dressed up and became so beautiful, didn''t we? Emphasize the word ''everyone'' and everyone will look around at their surroundings. What you see are acquaintances who look so much better than they did when they first came here. Everyone is dressed up. I can''t be the only one who''s negative about fashion, not if I''m a BU kid. ''Doesn''t everyone want to spend a fashionable time in a fashionable cafe?Right, guys? ''''Yes! ''''If that''s what everyone is thinking, then ...... actually, me too!'''' --You''ve succeeded in getting everyone''s approval by exploiting their psychology. The sense of synchronicity is so troubling. Well, you can''t change human nature overnight. Of course, it is impossible for all of them to enter the same store, so they will be divided into several stores. I''m sure they''ll take care of the rest. We''ve asked for help from Luxury and other restaurants in the 42nd district. There are all kinds of cakes in this place right now. How about ''Tarte Tatin'' from Cantalucia? ''The pudding a la mode at the sunny pavilion is a must-try in your life! ''...... Men should invite that girl they''re interested in and eat crepes with her. ''Come on, ladies. You''ll be able to enjoy our new luxury sweets, Strawberry Parfait! Some of them are pushy, while others take it easy like the Graduates. The cakes that I sent out and evolved at each store tempted the "BU" kids with "This is it! I''m going to tempt you. ''Uh, let''s see, ......, which one do you want to eat? Oh, no! I''m not giving you a majority vote! ''You can eat any of them. There are so many kinds. Just eat what you think is right. And if you tell each other what you think, you can imagine what different cakes taste like, and it''s twice or three times as much fun. ''Twice as much, three times as much, sir? ''Well, just take it easy and do whatever you want. With my back to them, the BU kids walked, albeit with trepidation, towards the store that had piqued their interest. There''s no need to be alarmed. They would normally shop and eat whatever they wanted. It''s just that I''m in a place that''s a little different, that I''ve never seen before. No need to be nervous. Just eat what you feel like eating. BU kids want to fit in because they''re afraid of being isolated. The desire not to be the only one to fail has become stronger than ever. But don''t worry. Everything here is real. There is no such thing as a ''failure! You''ll never get a ''failure! ''Oh no!I''m late! There''s no more seats available.'' The man who had invited her, who may have been a childhood friend or acquaintance, and who was shyly inviting her to join him, showed his impatience when he saw the terrace seats filled with people. The girl who was invited also looks sad that there is no seat for her. ''You''re thinking, ''Everyone''s sitting and I can''t sit ......'', aren''t you? So you don''t need to think about that. ''Oh, you''re lucky. He patted the anxious couple on the shoulder and pointed to the Sunlit Pavilion branch office where Loretta was waiting. ''That store has the latest sweets from the 42nd district. You can eat these sweets anywhere you like while strolling around the city. I''m sure this will be popular in the other districts too!Taste it with your eyes and tongue and see if it''s true or not. With that, he invited them to the Sunlit Pavilion Branch Office. ''Welcome, sir!You can choose any toppings you like!No matter which you choose, you''ll never be disappointed with these exquisite new sweets!Look at the illustration here and choose what toppings you want. ''Um, what is the name of this sweet? ''It''s called a crepe!It''s a name you''ll never forget after today! Loretta quickly changed her face from that of a vendor to that of a chef. After receiving intense training from Ginette, Loretta has finally mastered the crepe, and her face is full of confidence. When it comes to crepes, she is ahead of Magda. This was the birth of Loretta''s specialty. After much discussion and advice from Loretta, the freshly minted couple each has a brightly colored crepe in their hands. Thanks to Javier''s help in talking to the paper mill, the paper used to wrap the crepes is now available at a reasonable price. The paper is neither too damp nor too stiff and bulky. A wrapper of perfect thickness and softness. With the birth of this, the crepe can reach its full potential. ''Now, go for a walk in the city while eating it!I''m sure you''ll find that everything you see will shine! Loretta waved cheerfully to the new couple. The couple waved to Loretta and left the store together, biting into their crepes. ''...... blast it.'' ''Big brother, you''ve held up well in front of the customers, but you shouldn''t try to blow up all the couples! You''re flirting with me!You''re making out with me! ''''Um, excuse me!What those people were carrying earlier was .......'' ''Welcome, sir!I''m sure it''s this crepe, a special sweet that''s ahead of its time!Come on, come inside and have a look!The toppings can be as varied as you like, you can have it all! The number of customers lured by Loretta, who had a good palate, increased one after another. Those who couldn''t sit on the open terrace came pouring in. ''Loretta!I''m sorry, but could you share some fruit with me?Oh no, my fruit parfait is so popular!I''ve run out of ingredients in no time. I''m afraid of my own talent. So, fruit parfait''! ''No, you can''t!I''m about to run out of material too!Tell Mr. Assunto to bring it to me! ''I''m in a hurry, Harry, please! ''I can''t help it!You guys!You two, go run an errand. ''''Hee-hee!I''m off! Ham kids were pouring out from the back of the Sunlit pavilion branch office one after another. Their younger brothers and sisters ran out to the front. The BU kids were stunned by the sudden march, but then... ''Crap!What''s with those kids?They''re so cute! ''Hey~'' When one of them started laughing, everyone else started laughing along with him. Just looking at a hamster has a healing effect. ''It really is a fun place, isn''t it, District 42? You must have thought it was a terrible place before you came. In just a few hours, your impression has changed 180 degrees. And the fact that his impression of the 42nd district had changed from ''worst'' to ''best'' meant that his impression of something that had originally been in the ''best'' position had also changed 180 degrees. ''...... Loretta. I bought the latest issue of the newsletter. I''ll put it on the wall so you can look at it later. Magda arrives at the perfect time, puts up the latest issue of the newsletter on the wall, and leaves. On the wall are all the six copies of the newsletter that the newsletter publishing group has published since coming to District 42, arranged in the order of publication. Apparently, they have a lot of things to write, so they''ve been publishing daily these days. No, there were days when they were published twice a day. I bought all of them and put them all up. Oh, you don''t have to pay for them.You can look around all you want. You''ve probably spent all your money on crepes and cakes and don''t have any money left to buy information papers. The BU kids, who seem to have remembered their original purpose with Magda''s appearance, gather around the posted information paper. The whole record of the vicious and inhumane threat. The reporter of the information paper who came to talk nakedly confesses the time of the fear which was driven to the situation that it might be assaulted. "Murderer''s sophistry. It''s the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. The Forty-Two Wards That Lost Their Freedom. "Forty-two Wards Losing Their Freedom... Will the residents under the control of speech have no choice but to hide their breath and do the bidding of their lords? A number of such ostentatious headlines lined the news paper. The hate against the 42nd district is swelling with each edition. The personal attacks on me are particularly vicious. "You''re a murderer, you''re so high and mighty! You''re a murderer! Then, the BU kids gathered by the wall each read those articles silently, and ...... ''''''Huh? They all shouted in a crazy voice. The contents of the information paper deviated greatly from the facts they were seeing now. Here. The paper''s credibility has been destroyed. 493-295. Reincarnation, people. A bleak atmosphere enveloped the walls of the Sunlit Pavilion Branch Office. People who heard the commotion came into the shop, asking, ''What''s going on? They read the information paper on the wall silently and shouted, ''What? as they read the information paper on the wall. Some of them ran out to call their acquaintances. Some of them ran out to call their acquaintances. After a while, many people came to the sub-branch of the Sunlit Pavilion and saw the information paper on the wall. A heavy silence enveloped the area. ''Eh, wait a minute ......, what''s this? Such a small whisper created a ripple in the heavy air, and that small ripple grew into a murmur like a spreading wave. ''What''s written here is the story of the forty-two districts ......, right? ''Is it ...... bleak?'' ''What, what? For them, the word "bleak" seems far removed from the 42nd district, as they were just a few moments ago, excited by an event they had never experienced and relaxing at a fashionable cafe. ''I mean, isn''t this some kind of attempt to discredit ......? A girl dressed up with a deep wrinkle between her eyebrows. The crepe in her hand is crinkled. Have you ever felt that? The chill that comes over you when you look at someone from a third person''s point of view who shouts at the top of their lungs that their argument is the right one, wielding a misplaced sense of justice? Those who are delusional about their own righteousness turn against those who do not agree with them. Therefore, their arguments become more intense and sometimes extreme. a??a?? is evil! Get rid of it! It shouldn''t exist! Can''t you even understand that? You idiots should just shut up and listen to what I say! If I say it''s evil, it''s evil!I don''t accept any objections!Exclusion!Eliminate!Eliminate!Anyone who doesn''t agree with me is an enemy! When ordinary people see those who are intoxicated with their own righteousness and make noise with ......, they think. No, you''re the bad guys. Right now, the Information Paper is being looked at like that by the BU kids here. Why did I change my opinion so easily about the information paper that I used to believe in? Of course, it is because I trust what I have actually seen and experienced myself more than rumors from third parties that say ''it seems to be true'' or ''it is actually true''. ''Wow~, this convenience store''s pudding is so delicious~'' ''Oh, I heard that that convenience store''s pudding is so bad, you''d better not eat it. I don''t know what other word to use to describe this situation other than ''annoyed''. ''You''ve actually eaten it now and said it''s delicious, right? Oh, so you have a stupid tongue. But that''s exactly what the intelligence papers are doing. But there''s one thing they don''t realize. It''s-- "Readers aren''t stupid. They believe that if they publish something in the press, readers will believe it unconditionally and side with them. They think that acting against the information paper is the same as acting against the majority, and that it is even a sin in BU. In fact, that is probably how it has been up to now. As you can see from the bean issue, which everyone thought was ''wrong'' but did not even try to reform, the act of ''dissenting'' in BU was almost suicidal. However, people have feelings. Even if we all dress the same, follow the same trends, and say we like the same things, our minds and emotions are never exactly the same. It''s impossible. They''re human beings. No matter how much they have been taught not to deviate from their surroundings, when they encounter something unpleasant, they will feel offended and angry. Complaints accumulate, and resentment builds up. In fact, resentment must be accumulated by these people who have been suppressed and controlled. ''Why are these lies written? Someone muttered, making me nervous. I don''t know if I should admit it. But you have to admit it, don''t you? But if we admit it, what will we have believed so far? ...... The hesitation that was glimpsed in such hesitation was pushed aside and swept away by the accumulated resentment. ''Isn''t that a lie ......?What is written here ...... is a lie, isn''t it?'' ''It''s a lie!It''s bullshit! ''It''s impossible! ''What''s wrong with this town? ''I mean, a slaughterer in broad daylight is ......'' Someone starts to say this, and the eyes of the people in the room focus on me. ''Oh, no,......, my wounds are starting to ache,.......'' The perfect timing to show off the wound on my arm. I''m whimpering. I''m crying. ''I don''t look like that at all! ''I mean, this guy was really nice to me!He even told me about a stylish store! The one who was speaking so passionately was that girl who had lost her back because I had exerted a little too much effort in the hope that it would give them a chance to transform. When I gave her the doki-doki, she became very supportive. ''...... Big brother, if you don''t stop, you''ll get stabbed. ''...... Girls from other districts are not immune to Yashiro, so they are dangerous.'' Wait, wait, wait. It''s not like you''ve committed marriage fraud or seduced someone into giving you money or goods. Don''t look at me with that ''ahh ......'' look. I''ll follow up with ...... later. ''Hey, guys! Gorotz steps forward in front of the buzzing BU kids. He gathers their attention and begins to speak with sparkling eyes. ''I was actually a ragdoll until a few days ago. The BU kids gasp at such a confession. No wonder. After he stopped being a ragdoll, Gorotz looks refreshed and fresh, as if his rough face of a few days ago had been a lie. The wrinkles that seemed to have been caused by her habitual frowning have disappeared, and her greasy hair has become smooth and her cuticles have been restored. Her sharp eyes, which used to look like they would snap if you held a piece of paper close to them, have become round and soft, as if a baby would smile back at you. She is no longer the same person. I even made her hold back when she said, ''I want to cut my hair,'' saying, ''It''s too far from the portrait! I even made her hold back. His face has changed so much that even his face is almost gone. Such a golotz appeals to the "BU" child. ''As a ragdoll, I used to harass the 42nd district for money. There are people who would benefit from that. The story seemed hard to believe, and the faces of the BU kids clouded. ''When I was a rag tag kid, I thought that as long as I could get money, that was all that mattered. I didn''t care if I caused trouble for someone else or took money from someone else, as long as it benefited me. --But there was someone who woke me up. That''s Yashiro! ...... oops. I should''ve just given him a bland script. You''re giving him too much credit. We''re not proselytizing for the cult of Yashiro. Just go with it, that''s all. ''It was Yashiro who taught me how important it is to live life on your own terms!I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or a bad thing. It''s being converted into a beautiful story! I didn''t say anything rude like that. Oh, is that it?I don''t know, maybe it''s because I interjected Bertina''s sermon in between to prevent her heart from being damaged too much! I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that will help you.Hey, you? I''m glad I quit ragging, I really think so now! Tears well up in Gorotz''s eyes. They didn''t flow out, but I could clearly see the thin film that wavered. Golotz''s tearful words touched the children of BU. Some of the girls cried in tears. Some of the boys muttered, ''I''ll just be myself and go to ......''. Then, after gaining sympathy, Gorotz says. ......, or rather, I''m making you say it, but anyway, it''s important, so listen up, gentlemen. ''There are people who don''t like it. I''m not going to say who. If you name names, there will be friction. So, I''m not going to say who, but ...... well, you know what I mean. ''That''s why you''re writing this ...... article? ''Yeah, that''s ......''. A chill runs through the air. An article is being put up in front of us right now that shames innocent people into criminals for the sake of profit. There is an organization that is trying to deceive the ignorant and make them complicit in its schemes. Aren''t we being manipulated by these unknown people for their own convenience? ...... The BU kids looked at the information paper with a pale face, perhaps thinking about such things. Humans are creatures who love conspiracy theories. Or perhaps I should say that it is because we hate them that we are curious about them. It is a kind of defense instinct. In order not to be swallowed up by the great evil, we are overly cautious about suspicious and dangerous things. We, as ordinary people who have no way to protect ourselves, are too helpless in front of a powerful organization that must be hiding a number of cunning and vicious means that we cannot even imagine. That''s why I don''t believe. Don''t be fooled. I will not give up my doubts. And so we assume that behind the huge organization there must be a greater evil than we can imagine. That''s how conspiracy theories begin. But sadly. We, the ignorant people, are unable to see through the conspiracy behind the conspiracy theories. Bad guy: ''He''s a bad guy. Ordinary people: ''Really?I''ll be careful!'' --And so on. Human beings are pure creatures, no matter how far they go. So I''ll tell those pure ''BU'' kids. ''Oh, by the way, the bad reputation of this store and Trubek Construction Company, who built this street, also came out of nowhere at the same time. ....... Poor Torbek''s store was forced to leave the Public Works Guild union. ...... Maybe the 42nd district also ......... ...yo yo yo ......'' It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ''Oh, by the way, I heard from my master that Trubek is spreading bad news about competing carpenters, so be careful. Looks like there was a carpenter among the BU kids. It seems that there was a carpenter among the BU kids. ''By the way, young man. What kind of bad reputation did this Trubecco spread? ''Huh?...... No, ......, come on?All I heard was bad news about Torbek. ''So this is what you''re saying?''That guy was talking bad about you. I don''t know what kind of bad things he was saying about you, but he was saying bad things about you,'' and you believed him? ''Yeah, no. ......'' The BU carpenter was speechless and silent. Then one more push. ''...... Magda, you''re up. ''......By the way, it''s also written in the information paper.'' Magda pointed to the first piece of information the paper had planted in the 42nd district, the one that had angered Mahr and the powers that be. It was an article about a brawl that broke out in broad daylight and resulted in bloodshed. In the latter half of the article, there is a description of an official of the Civil Engineering Guild Union saying that ''there have been a lot of bad rumors about Torbek Engineering recently. When two suspicious organizations overlap, conspiracy theories are born. ''Could it be that the Civil Engineering Guild Union is working together with the Information Paper Publishing Association to destroy the 42nd District......? Someone''s words sent shockwaves through the room. If that is the case, it makes sense. If it makes sense, the delusion will expand endlessly. Conspiracy theories are the ones that grow to the point of being impossible, and deduction is the one that leads to a single truth. Conspiracy theories and truth are very similar. Surprisingly, they follow the same route. However, even what the public calls ''conspiracy theories'' are just ''hoaxes'' by those in power who can no longer cover up the truth and have no excuse. In the case of this case, it is the same. In this case, this is not a conspiracy theory or anything, but a pure fact. ...... So far, so good. So that''s it. And here''s where the conspiracy theories start to get impossibly bloated. If you plant a seed of conspiracy theory, it will naturally germinate and bloom. ''If the aristocracy and the powerful are helping the intelligence papers and the civil engineering guild associations, or giving them something in return, does that mean that ...... they are in bed together? It''s a question~. I''m not lying! I''m just asking. I''m just asking. It''s up to you, up to you to reach that result. ''The nobles are giving money to attack the Forty-two districts? ''But, why? ''See, isn''t that it?The port. ''Oh, right!They want to take over the new port! ''Come to think of it, aren''t there a lot of articles about port construction lately? ''Ah!I was thinking that too!I was wondering why there are so many articles about the port in the BU''s information paper. ''So that''s what I thought. ......'' ''What do you mean? ''So, some nobleman who wants a port is ......'' ''It''s not necessarily a nobleman, is it?If it''s a powerful person, it''s a guild. ......'' The BU kids secretly share their theories with their neighbors and close friends. What is exchanged here is only personal opinions, and is not intended to maliciously discredit anyone in particular. As such, it does not fall under the category of defamation. Now, let me give you another dose of slow-acting poison. ''If you''re in league with a newspaper, don''t you think you''d be wearing the latest fashions in the newspaper? Yes, a question! I''m just asking! I''m not making any judgments! What do you think, Spirit God? Your magic''s a little thin. Isn''t it a good match for Estella''s bosom? Why don''t you play a game to see who''s looser? ''Hey, hey, there''s a nobleman in the 29th district, ......'' ''Ah~, there''s someone, isn''t there? It''s always a person who decides on the latest fashion before the information paper is published! ''There are aristocrats like that in the 23rd district, too. ''In the 26th district...'' ''No, no, there''s someone even better in the 27th district. Such information is exchanged. Now, the BU kids here will never refer to the fashions in the information papers again. If they try to wear the latest fashions, they''ll be told, ''You''re in the wrong business! and above all, fashion is for ''boosting'' the mind. Who would want to refer to something that is so stingy? And if more and more people are not influenced by fashion, there will be a revolution in BU, which has always been about following the right. Those who aren''t here may be dressed in the latest fashions, but the number of those who don''t follow the trends will gradually increase. And when each person enjoys unique and original fashion, even the uninteresting people with the "follow-the-right" syndrome will change their minds and say, "...... Well, maybe I''ll try it myself. If that happens, no one will buy the information papers that push "trendy fashions" that no one cares about. And the price has gone up tenfold. And more! If the ordinary citizens of BU stop being interested in the fashions in the newspapers, the aristocrats who wanted to be the first to adopt and show off the latest fashions will also change. Of course they will. Because the "fashions" in the information papers that they have taken the trouble to obtain first by making large donations are not in fashion at all. Moreover, if you go out in the open wearing the latest fashion, people will whisper to you, "Isn''t she in love with you? I can''t stand it! This is unbearable, isn''t it? The aristocracy, a mass of vain people, can''t stand it. The situation where the fashions you''ve been showing off with a smug look on your face because you think they''re in fashion aren''t even being looked at, and no one is following suit. Let''s see. How long will these aristocrats continue to donate large sums of money to the paper? The circulation will drop, donations will be cut off... I wonder how long you guys can survive? Now that the information papers are gone, one thing that worries me is the "loss of information papers". The loss of something that has been a part of our lives for so long is quite stressful. Some of you may have made it a part of your morning routine. Some of you may have been studying by copying illustrations. There may be families where it is indispensable for family reunion. If this were to disappear completely, the stress of ''not being able to do it'' would be felt at a moment''s notice. That stress, even if it is just a matter of taking it out on others, may be directed at those who created the cause of the loss. So, I offer you an alternative. Come on, Loretta!Give me the thing! ''Come on, everyone!Throw away that paper with its dubious authenticity. and pay attention to this! What Loretta is holding up high is an information magazine made by the great people of the Forty-two Wards With neighborhood! Not an information paper, but an information magazine! The first issue is an opulent 16 pages! It''s a must-have for women who want to be fashionable and for men who want to improve themselves!What a great idea!The first issue is only 5Rb and comes with coupons that can be used at various stores and classes! This is the first issue of the very affordable information magazine "Re:Born"! Re:Born is a magazine that features fashionable lunch menus and delicious drinks. Re:Born" features fashionable lunch menus, delicious drinks, and details on the soon-to-be-launched beauty town "Sutekiyan Avenue". The vouchers are generous, offering discounts of up to 200Rb! That''s 2,000 yen off in Japanese yen!Isn''t that amazing! What''s more, this coupon and discount is paid for by the store! 2,000 yen off at their own expense!Who do you think dared to do such a thing? It''s Ginette. I said I''d be happy to give you 10Rb, but ''this is a new project that Mr. Yashiro and Ms. Estella are working on. I''d like to help in any way I can! He said. ...... Well, you can say that it is a good decision for the system of this coupon, but it could have been ......100Rb. This coupon is designed to be used only for specific menu items. It''s different from a golden ticket that can be used for anything. It does not mean that you can eat whatever you want for 2,000 yen at YODAMARI-TEI. We selected the "YODAMARITEI Kaiseki - Saiori", which is rarely ordered at YODAMARITEI because of its high price. The regular price is 250Rb. But if you use the coupon, you can have it for only 50Rb. That''s for two daily set meals!......Ugh, my stomach ......! You can''t even recoup the cost of the ingredients, let alone the cost of the gynet technology and labor!...... Ugh, my small intestine is ......! In the event that you have any questions regarding where by and how to use the site, please do not hesitate to contact us. So, you won''t go bankrupt with coupon discounts. Ginette is an exception to this rule, but there are some advantages for the restaurants that are forced to offer discounts. They have prepared a tasty bait. That''s why there were many stores that took the bait. Ginette is an exception! First of all, stores that have coupons will have an article introducing them. The article includes a map to the restaurant, reviews of recommended dishes, messages from the staff, and other information in an easy-to-understand manner with illustrations by Becco. It''s like a guide map sold in Japan, making you think, ''Oh, let''s go there. If the coupon is not used, it will not hurt your pocket and you will be able to advertise for free. Even if the coupon is used, it is only a small discount. If the coupon is used, it is only a small discount. If you use a coupon, it means that you will use the store. You are more likely to go to a restaurant you have already been to. This is a big advantage. However, even if the regulars come to the store with coupons in their hands, there is nothing to be gained. So, why don''t you read the situation?You know that, don''t you, regulars! ...... I think I''ll ban the regulars from using coupons at the Sunlit Pavilion. In the case of restaurants, the sunlit pavilion is joined by Cantaluchica, Graduates, Luxury and Osina''s Sourb. There is also a beauty school that has a branch in 42nd Ward New Town, although the main store has not opened yet. You can try the service once at a discounted price, and if you like it, you can keep coming back. Incidentally, coupons are designed to prevent fakes. On the coupon, there is a frame with an intricate pattern. At first glance, the frame that surrounds the coupon looks like an illustration of a flower, but when it is placed on the backing paper distributed to each store, the flower-like frame and the frame on the store''s backing paper fit together perfectly, and the word "HONMONO" appears on all four sides. In this way, the word "HONMONO" appears on all four sides. If you only have the coupon, it doesn''t look like letters. Even if you make a fake that looks exactly like the original, it is unlikely to match exactly. The magazine is made of woodblock prints that Becko made by grinding wood. The pigments are the joint work of Becko and Regina, and the colors are excellent. It is now mass-produced by Bekko and his helper Hamuko. You see, Becko was looking bored after building the bathhouse. I said, ''Do you want a daily? I said, ''I think I''m going to die, that I am! He said something I didn''t understand. If you feel like dying but you''re not dead, isn''t it good?Hey, isn''t that good? ''This is interesting!What''s this? ''Eh, hey, hey!Don''t you want to go to this store? ''This shape-up exercise, can I lose weight by doing it? ''More importantly, look!It says it offers coordination suggestions to match your body shape! The "BU" kids who bought the magazine "Re:Born" were fascinated by its contents. The fashion course proposed by Ukrines seems to be popular. There are various fashion suggestions for different body types, ages, and trends, such as ''a loose A-line dress is good for chubby people who want to hide their bellies'', ''avoid white because it is a bloating color'', and even ''there are ways to increase your s*xiness by daring to hide it''. Of course, there is also an extensive men''s section. I could have made a whole book with just the articles on Ukrines, but this time I''m just giving a quick introduction. In the next and subsequent issues, I plan to make the articles more in-depth. At the end of this issue, you can find the names and advertisements of the people who helped us to publish Re:Born. Mirin, a new product of the Koji Factory, is a magical seasoning that expands the range of cuisine. Recommended sightseeing spots in the 24th district. Enjoy a moment of relaxation surrounded by flowers and plants at the park in front of the gate in the 29th district. You can find your own nectar in the flower garden of District 35. The Seafaring Guild''s recommendation, how to make the best seafood dishes! and more. Javier''s friend, who made the paper for the crepe, also made the paper for the magazine. It is expensive, but there are many sponsors here who have money to waste. They agreed to do it because it saved them the money they had been giving to the newsletter. Moreover, this one comes with publicity for my district and my company. The benefits are different, aren''t they? ''Hmm~!I wonder why. This magazine is so exciting to read! ''I know!It makes me think a lot! That''s because what''s in the magazine is the ''answer''. This is because we are accustomed to information papers that contain the ''answers'' that the information paper publishers wanted to spread, such as ''this is the fashion,'' ''this is the way to do it,'' ''this is the manner, this is the right answer. The readers understood that ''that''s the way it is'' without any room for thought, and immediately put it into practice. That''s why there was a mass production of ''young people who don''t think about anything'', like the interview with the waitress at Mahr''s place. But "Re:Born" is different! What you find here is just information. It is up to the individual to decide what to do with the information after receiving it. You can use it or ignore it. There are no "answers" in this Re:Born. The correct answer is determined by you, the reader. The information is just a tool to add color to your life. ''Here are just the simple facts''. Where is the restaurant, what kind of food do they serve, and how does it taste? Those are the only facts written here. You are free to believe it or not, to use it or not, to go and check it out, or to ignore it if you are not interested. Freedom may be unkind in a sense. But it can also be interesting because of that. ''I hope you find it. I hope you find your own favorites, not the ones that someone else tells you to find. When I said this, the BU kids'' eyes twinkled and they looked down at the information magazine Re:Born again. Incidentally, the name of the magazine, as you may have guessed, was given to the BU kids who were just running on the railroad tracks without question, with the message, ''Be reborn! This is the message behind the name. In addition, the name was also given with the meaning of a hot and bitter slogan that the completion of the port would bring new industry to the 42nd district, and that no matter how hard things get, the people of the 42nd district would not be discouraged and would come back to life again and again. ''We did it, big brother!It''s selling very well, Ribon! ''Reborn''?That ''stretching rod'' is pretty important, so be aware of it! It has nothing to do with a girl''s magazine with lots of appendices, and I didn''t think ''wow, they look alike'' when we decided on the name! Whatever the case may be, Re:Born will overturn the common sense of BU and, as the name suggests, will rebirth it. By the way, the first issue is 5Rb, but we''ll charge 20Rb from the next issue. Isn''t that obvious? I mean, if you consider the coupon discount, it''s still a good deal! In fact, why is it that you can get a 200Rb discount on the Yangdari-tei Kaiseki ~Saiori~ at ............ and the colon, appendix and duodenum at ......! From the next issue, I''ll decide the discounted items and the discounted amount. I''m sure you will. Three days passed. The change came quickly. ''Excuse me, can I use the ...... voucher? ''Yes, of course. Come on in the back. Ginette welcomed the woman who was peeking into the restaurant with a big smile on her face. ''Welcome to the Sunlit Pavilion. She then extends a generous welcome. Can I really use the 200Rb discount coupon that came with the 5Rb magazine? It seems that some readers were worried about that. Well, I don''t know. It is a common sense that there is always another side to a good story. If you were lured by this story and went to the store, you might be forced to buy something more than 200Rb. ...... Such anxiety must have arisen. Recently, all the new customers who visit the sunny pavilion have come into the store with the attitude that they can run away at any moment. No matter how much you guys try to escape, you can''t escape Magda and Loretta,......, though. I''m not trying to rip you off, but when the time comes, you know? ''If Yashiro had greeted me, I would have run away. ''Shut up, you''re the first coupon user.'' Estella savored her oyakodon. On the day of the issue of "Re:Born", this guy came to eat at the Sun-damari-tei Kaiseki - Sai-ri first thing. With a coupon ticket, of course! A lord shouldn''t use discount coupons!That''s why you''ll always be a bit of an imbecile! By the way, Imelda also came to eat. In her case, she had a very strong feeling of ''I want to use the coupon''. She was like a child who is happy to receive an unknown toy. Anyway, "Re:Born"--Yes, it''s too much trouble!--More and more BU kids are coming to the 42nd district after watching "Re:Born". The number of newcomers to YODAMARI-TEI has increased considerably, partly because of the coupon coupons. I don''t know if there will be a second time, but ...... well, since many of them were interested in cakes and food samples, I''m sure they''ll come back at least once or twice more. If they do, they will become familiar with the taste and atmosphere of the restaurant, and it will become a restaurant that they will go to once in a while, even if it is a little far away. As long as you don''t meet any lords, guild leaders, or people with too much flavor when you come here, that is. There''s a good chance that there are a lot of powerful people in this restaurant. I think I''ll put up a bill to ward off evil. ''Aaah! Suddenly, Estella raised her voice in a crazy way. When I looked around to see what was going on, I found that she had dropped a piece of chicken from her oyakodon. If the chicken is not big enough, it can slip and fall down. Especially if you are eating chicken in a way like Estella, who carries it one by one in her mouth. That''s why I told you to scramble it up with rice and eggs. I told him to scramble it with the rice and eggs, but he dropped it because he was saying, ''Look, if you hold it up to the light like this, the eggs will sparkle and look beautiful. ''Oh, ...... my chicken, ............ my chicken, ......''. Estella crawls on all fours with her limbs on the floor, peering at the fallen chicken. I''m not sure what to say.You''re not crying, are you? ''I was saving ...... for fun, but ......! ''No, there''s only chicken and eggs, so there''s nothing to save! ''The egg was just perfect!It was absolutely delicious. ......'' ''Give up now.'' ''......The floor of the Sunlit Pavilion is cleaned by Ginette-chan every day, so ......maybe! ''Don''t do it!Here, take a seat and wipe your hands! ''Yashiro!If you give up, the game ends there! ''The chicken in Oyakodon ends when it falls on the floor! I put Estella, who was making a lot of noise, in her seat. You, at this time of year when the number of guests from other places is increasing, don''t cry over a piece of chicken from the lord! Look at that!You''re being watched so much! ''That person is ...... the lord of smiles, right? ''What, the lord of this ward? Ahh, my face is exposed. ''Let''s see, is he the one who''s shutting down the speech of the residents and promoting hardline reforms for his own benefit............?'' ''No, you don''t.'' ''He''s the one who cries over chicken, remember? Estella. Probably pretty disgraceful, but he''s making a good impression. ''You''re kind of ...... cute.'' ''Yeah, I want her for a sister.'' ''What should I do, should I go give her some kaiseki meat? ''Oh, then let''s share a dish with everyone? ''Sansei~e! ''No, wait!Your feelings are enough to make me happy!Please eat your food and go home! As expected, they were afraid to accept charity from the young people of other districts because of their sympathy. He seems to have some pride as a lord at the very least. ''...... Estella. I cleaned up the chicken. Magda quickly cleans the floor that Estella made dirty. It''s not acceptable to leave food on the floor forever. Good job, Magda. As she looks at Magda, she holds out a small plate that she had hidden behind her back to Estella. On the small plate was a croquette. ''...... This is from Magda. Eat this and cheer up.'' ''Well, Magda, ......!What a good girl you are! ''...... As you pointed out, Magda is a good girl.'' Yeah, you''re not too modest about that. That''s Magda. ''Aww!What is this?When did you make this? What Magda brought was the pumpkin croquette she made last night. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing, but I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you. ...... ...... was too much for him, so I gave him some advice. I''ve been making falafel for a while now, so why don''t you try making it with pumpkin? For now, I''m only helping Ginette, but I''m sure I''ll master it someday. In no small part, Magda''s heartstrings have been tugged by the fact that she''s involved in a new product that Loretta didn''t even know existed, and she''s been in a great mood all morning. ''...... A service from Magda to everyone who cared about the important lord of the 42nd district. ''Oh, you don''t mind, do you? ''...... If you have room in your stomach, please.'' ''Thank you.'' Magda leaves the table, and the BU kids immediately resume their chatter. ''This is a nice place, isn''t it? ''Yeah, yeah. The waitress is cute and nice. ''I''ll introduce you to my friends. They should definitely go there! ''If you bring the coupon, you can save a lot of money! Of course you should! If you pay 5Rb, you can get 200Rb off! Ugh ...... but new customers ......! Is this a welcome deal or not ......? ''Wow, I''m so happy! ''Yashiro. You probably haven''t noticed, but your face is twitching. Every time a coupon is used, we lose money on it. But Ginette is happy, so it''s okay. ...... For the past few days, Jeannette has been holed up in the kitchen again. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Thanks to this, Jeannette is in a good mood all the time. I wonder, what is it? Is it a feeling like wanting to fight a strong guy?It''s like he''s having a lot of fun cutting up the messy decorations. ...... I don''t understand. ''Hey, you guys. What district are you from? Estella poked at her oyakodon and approached the BU kids like a pick-up artist. Are you sure, my lord?What you''re eating, you''re the only one eating cheap food. Don''t you care?No. ''I''m from the 26th district. You''ve come a long way, haven''t you? The 26th district is adjacent to the 36th district, so it''s almost on the diagonal from the 42nd district. It''s ......, but it doesn''t feel too far away because the lord of the 35th district, which should be the furthest, comes here frequently. ...... ''So the Reborn has spread to the 26th district as well? ''Yes. Tracy McCurry has been selling it. ''Don''t go out of your own ward, Tracey! Tracy is supposed to be the lord of the twenty-seventh ward. ...... Why is she peddling in the twenty-sixth ward? I''ve heard that the Sunlight Pavilion is a store that Tracy McCurry is very familiar with. I worked there part-time. ''And that the Forty-second Ward is overflowing with love.'' You''re the one overflowing with love and letting it drip out. Just to one person. ''I like your hat. Did you get it yourself?'' Estella changed the subject with a very refreshing smile. Oh, I see. You don''t want to hear about your stalker''s active life. It''s scary. I heard that Tracy was very disappointed that she couldn''t attend the meeting with the information paper publishing group. I heard that she was insisting on disguising herself to participate in the tour to District 42 that Nene joined. I can see him going out of control as soon as he finds Estella. I''m sure that''s why he''s currently doing everything he can to spread the word about Reborn. ''Why don''t you take her to a public bath as a reward? ''I wonder if that ribbon is your favorite color? He seemed determined not to bite on the subject of Tracy. ''Yes. I made it after watching ''Reborn''. I made it after watching Reborn. ...... I decorated it with my favorite colors. ''It looks good on you.'' ''...... hehe. Thank you very much. Lately, BU kids have been wearing things that are not ''trendy''. At the moment, they are still based on the latest trends, with a little originality thrown in, but in the 29th and 24th wards near the 42nd ward, the latest trends have completely faded away. There are a few people here and there who have swung off in strange directions and are wearing eccentric outfits, but that''s just the way it is for those who have just woken up to fashion. You can polish it up from now on. Since Ukrines was so enthusiastic about it, I''m sure there will be a lot of information on how to dress even an amateur. This will change "BU". It will change BU into a unique and interesting city, just as Mahr had hoped for a long time ago. ...... d*mn, that old lady always gets everything she wants, doesn''t she? I''ll make her donate more money for the next "Reborn". Let''s do that. ''Oh, by the way, it''s about time they came. ''Oh, it''s about that time. Estella, who had been picking up the BU kids, peeked out lightly. Today was a consolation party for Sophie and the others who had led the BU kids so well on the last tour to the 42nd district (I''ve long forgotten the official name). The sales of "Reborn" are going well, so we''ll be celebrating that as well. So, I guess a lot of lumberjacks and lords will come to my house that I didn''t call for. ...... And then he came. As soon as he opened the door and jumped in, he ran straight to Estella, jumped on her, hugged her, and started rubbing his face on her lower abdomen. ''Estella-sama!I thought it would make sense if I didn''t thank you in person, so I came to you before anyone else!This time, I''ll be the very first to arrive! Miss Tracy!There are people from other wards here, so behave yourself! ''I can''t!I refuse!I refuse to allow it! ''Don''t make me look like a lord in a strange place! The BU kid who used to respect Tracy McCurry-sama stiffened at the sight of the seriously ill patient''s dementia. Oh, you didn''t know? ...... This is who he really is. ''Master Tracy!I''ve already told you to refrain from acting alone! Even though Nene jumped in a little late and scolded her, Tracy didn''t stop. I''m sure she''ll be stuck with Estella for the rest of the day. In the meantime, guests from all over the world and those who had followed us on their own gathered for a consolation and celebration party. As a matter of fact, I let the BU kids who happened to be there join the party. This is also known as a "road trip". And so the good times passed, and the new magazine "Reborn" was welcomed with open arms. Gradually, gradually, the paper was stripped of its authority. 494-Episode 296 Todays Visitors Are Mud and Clouds ''Hey, what''s going on? One afternoon, a woman with a familiar face walked into the sunlit pavilion, emitting an annoying and strange voice. Upon closer inspection, she turned out to be a third-rate female reporter from an information newspaper publishing group. ''Are you trying to sabotage the paper by publishing something like this? The one who was slammed onto the table was the well-known ''Reborn''. ''Oh, you bought it? Thank you~'' ''No, I didn''t buy it! ''Then did you steal it?Loretta, the vigilante--'' ''I borrowed it from the editor who bought it! ''Well, tell your editor I said, "Thank you."'' ''You''ve got to be kidding me! The third-rate reporter banged on the table in anger. ''...... Ah, Magda suddenly feels like doing gymnastics.'' As he says this, Magda throws a kick that snaps the nose of the third-rate reporter. The wind created by the swung out leg made the forelock of the third-rate reporter sway. ''...... still hasn''t reached the level of medrama. You need to be diligent. No, by all means, don''t reach that level. ''......Are you the type of person who doesn''t need to apologize for hitting something hard? ''Ugh ......ggh ............, I''m sorry.'' A third-rate reporter who hasn''t learned anything at all says something like an apology with a face like he''s bitten down on a bitter bug. There is no sign of remorse. ''Mr. Reporter, since you brought the coupon ticket, would you like to order the ''Yodamari-tei Kaiseki ~Saiari~''? ''Who would order that? ''Then you''re not a customer. You''re interfering with our business, so please leave right now. Before I kick you out. The power of Loretta''s smiling face was amazing! Are you really that mad at me?You''re not the type, are you?It''s like when you can''t do what you want and you go ''Mew! I''m sure you''re the kind of person who can''t do what you want and flail your arms around like a dork, right Loretta? I''m not sure what to say.I''m not sure what to make of it.Do you want me to ban them? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''d like to make it clear that I''m the eldest daughter with many younger siblings. ''A town where lies and deceit are commonplace is not good for education. I don''t want my brothers and sisters to see you screaming and threatening them every time you don''t like something. It''s a good idea to keep it in a corner of your memory as a hope from a reader. He said all of this with a smile, and without lifting a finger, he quickly withdrew his body. Then, the anger in her body instantly dissipates, and she spreads her arms with her usual bright Loretta smile. ''However, we at the Sunshine Pavilion do not reject customers who come to us, so if you want to enjoy delicious food and a relaxing time, please come anytime. All of our employees will welcome you warmly. Personally, I hate it, but that''s not the consensus of the Sun Goddess Pavilion. Loretta has made enough concessions. If it were Paula or Delia, she would have said, ''You''re not a customer!Get out of here!Don''t come back! If it had been Paula or Delia, I would have thrown salt at them. I wonder if the manager''s intentions have a strong influence on the situation. ''I may be meddling, but why don''t you have a piece of cake or something? ''Who--'' ''Like Loretta said.You''re welcome to visit ......, but that doesn''t apply to outsiders who aren''t customers and are just making noise in the store. ''............. All right, all right. Let me see your menu. The third-rate reporter gave me a long, hard stare, then sat down in a nearby seat. The menu is hanging on the wall, look at it as you like. ''...... There are so many. I wonder which ...... one I should get.'' He''s complaining, but he''s taking his time. If it were me, I wouldn''t want to indulge in something from a place I don''t like, so I''d just order whatever''s on top or just say ''coffee''. I don''t want to lose any money. That''s the kind of personality these people have, you know. ''What do you recommend? ''Youdari-tei Kaiseki - Saiari. ''That''s the expensive one, isn''t it? ''Well, yeah. But if you order it from ......, you''ll cost the restaurant 200Rb. That coupon discount is at the restaurant''s own expense. The manager is over-serviced and is running a deficit,....... The third-rate reporter looked pleased and smiled wickedly, saying, ''Well, I''ll take that. You jumped at the chance to harass me,......, you idiot. The cheapest cake at the Sunlit Pavilion is 10Rb. We also have cheap cakes that even kids can eat. If you had chosen that, you would have only had to pay 10Rb, but you had to pay 40Rb more because you had the evil intention of harassing us. The quality of the food served is definitely better at the Kaiseki restaurant, but the food you eat with this kind of ''I''ll order it to harass you'' feeling will not be good. If you''re paying for something you can''t enjoy, you might as well pay less. That''s how people like you lose money without being satisfied, you know. ''Ginette. One kaiseki.'' ''Yes!Please wait a moment. I hear a happy voice from the kitchen. Your 50Rb has put my manager in a good mood, thanks. ''So, what''s that useful information magazine you''re using now? ''What, who''s using it? ''Don''t you use it?It''s 250Rb if you don''t use it. ''I''ll use .............'' ''It''s a good magazine, isn''t it? I smiled at him, and the third-rate reporter shut up. Now that you''ve proved the usefulness of the magazine yourself, all you can do is clench your teeth and glare back at him, saying, ''Geez, ....... ''What the hell is this? In the event you''re not sure what to do, there are a few things you can do. ''Hee! The third-rate reporter let out a short scream and fell backwards. The chair made a loud noise and the third-rate reporter fell down. ''What are you doing?Are you trying to blackmail me? The fallen reporter stares up at Magda, who is holding a knife with bloodshot eyes. But Magda kept a cool face - or rather, her expression didn''t change at all - as she snatched the crushed "Reborn" from the third-rate reporter''s hand. Or do you not want to use the coupon?In that case, the price is 250Rb--'' I said I''ll use it!If you''re going to cut it off, do it quickly! Oh, no. I don''t know if you''re going to get killed for talking like that. I''ve recently learned that Magda''s fan base is growing within the hunting guild. It seems that Medora has taken a liking to Magda. I''ll have to remind the ...... hunters. If you mess with Magda, you''ll get Medora''s punishment. Magda uses a knife to cleanly cut a coupon. Not even a millimeter of the coupon extends beyond the cut line. It seems that Magda is secretly training to shift from the power type to the skill type. Her goal is to become the strongest beastman with Delia''s power and Norma''s skill. In fact, she may or may not secretly have a rivalry with Natalia. A lot of people aren''t very good at cutting this out. That''s why the coupon has the word ''real'' on all sides. If at least two of them match, you can be sure that it is genuine. The coupon that Magda cut fit the frame of the base perfectly. I applaud him gently. Oh, his tail stood up. He was happy. ''I mean, you know...'' He sat back in his chair, flicked the cover of Reborn with his finger, and exhaled deliberately. ''How did you get this article through?I''m surprised you don''t have a desk or something. He picks up a copy of "Reborn" with his finger and shakes it as if he were making fun of it. ''It''s like the writing is amateurish, like, ''What''s this guy''s style? Yeah. Yeah. He''s really upset about being called a third-rate. It seems to have stung him so much that he wanted to say it back to someone. ''So you''re just writing facts and not seeing the scene?So what? I can''t help but think, ''So what? The third-rate reporter''s tongue began to roll, and his voice became loud, as if he was getting excited. Just then, a glass of water was placed in front of the third-rate reporter. water was placed in front of the third-rate reporter. By Loretta, who was quietly furious. ''You are indeed a professional reporter, with a well-turned tongue. Why don''t you just write about it instead of wasting words here? Loretta smiled and said, ''No, I''m not smiling, Loretta!Veins!Because the veins are floating!You''re making a face that no girl should make! ''But if someone like you is a professional, then we don''t need any professionals in the 42nd district. While holding the cup on the table, Loretta spat out the words while staring at the table without looking at the third-rate reporter. ''In District 42, my younger siblings go to various places to help out. So we may go to places where there are professionals like you. But as the eldest daughter, I can''t let that happen. My younger siblings are naughty and troublesome to the point of being out of control, but at heart they are beautiful, upright, and all good children. If we let them help out in a place where there are professionals like you, their hearts will be tainted. It''s a big deal. I''m going to cry. I can''t and won''t allow it. "What are you doing to my siblings? I''d yell at her. Because I don''t want my younger siblings to become like you! At this point, Loretta looks at the third-rate reporter''s face. The moment their eyes met, the third-rate reporter''s shoulders jumped and his body fled backwards with the chair. ''I read all your articles. It was not good. All you did was look for the flaws in every good thing and make them look bad. I want those children to grow up to find many good things in others. I don''t want them to become boring people who look for fault in people who are kind to them!That''s why I''m going to say it clearly. Staring at the third-rate, Loretta took off her apron. ''I''m not a shopkeeper at the Sunshine Pavilion, but as Loretta, the eldest daughter who protects those children, I''m warning you. If you come near my brothers and sisters, I''ll show you no mercy.'' The hand that held the glass was straining. If that third-rate guy is fooling around, I might just splash him with that water. ''...... to ............,yo.'' With trembling lips, the third-rate let out a sound. He can''t seem to argue. ''Loretta.'' I touch Loretta''s hand, which is gripped tightly. It jolts, and her fingers slide away from the cup. ''I''m working. Put your apron on.'' ''But ......''. While you''re wearing the apron, you''re taking on the responsibility of being a waitress at the Sunlit Pavilion. That''s what all our employees do. But don''t worry. What you just said was the consensus of the restaurant. You''re not the only one. ''If you''re a bad influence on the ham kids--'' I''ll smile and give the third-rate some advice. ''The whole forty-two wards will be out to crush you. Their resilience is now an indispensable part of District Forty-two. The third-rate reporter kept his head down and didn''t say a word until I smiled at him and Loretta put her apron back on properly. ''...... You''re obstructing business. After a few moments of silence, the third-rate reporter mumbled in a sore loser''s voice. ''You are?If you know what you''re doing, go home. ''No, I''m not!I''m saying that this magazine is interfering with the business of an information paper! After only a few moments of dejection, the troublesome sense of mission in the third-rate man began to flare up again. ''Inviting an information paper to the forty-second district, and then publishing such a claptrap in the forty-second district, this is a complete obstruction of business, right?You know what I''m talking about! I don''t get it at all, do you? In the first place, you invited me to the 42nd ward. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it. ''Wait!That''s not what I meant! No, that''s probably what you mean. Just call him. ''I didn''t want to come, but you guys asked me to, so I did. All right? You can leave anytime you want. As long as you have somewhere to go. ''Anyway, I''m asking you to stop issuing this. Well, it''s obvious, right?I can''t accept this. I don''t know what''s right and who''s not, but it''s not up to you to decide. ''Besides, aren''t you in cahoots with BU? There''s no such thing as collusion, the BU is cooperating with us to destroy you. There''s no way they''re going to tax you. Anyway, that''s all you need to know. No more copies. OK? ''No, I don''t have the authority. I don''t care if you tell me. Tell it to the person in charge. I''m sure he''ll dismiss you out of hand with an argument like this. ''Besides, I don''t think I''m interfering with the paper, am I? The main information in Reborn is about the outer districts, and the first issue is almost entirely about the 42 districts. It didn''t contain any information on BU, which was the main subject of the information paper. Exceptionally, there were advertisements for the Kojimachi factory and the 24th and 29th wards, but that was because they were the sponsors, not because they were being specially promoted. In addition, there are advertisements for "This is what''s in fashion now! or "How to win an interview! and "Manners you should remember" are not included. To add to that, it does not cover current news either. In a sense, newspapers and fashion magazines are two different things. You can''t say, "I bought a fashion magazine, so I don''t need a newspaper. The intended audience is completely different. I tried to explain these things to them in a detailed and easy-to-understand manner, but the third-rate reporter, who was either dumb or deaf, did not understand at all. ''As a matter of fact, the sales of the information paper have dropped right after this was published!How are you going to explain that?You can''t make excuses, it''s a fact! ''There''s no excuse, there''s no causal relationship between the drop in sales of the information paper and the publication of Reborn. ''Huh?Are you stupid?I''m telling you, it''s because of this that sales dropped! ''You have no proof that it''s because of ''Reborn''. ''Dah~ka~raaaa~!As soon as this was published, sales dropped!Do you hear what I''m saying?Are you empty-headed or something? Because of the publication of "Reborn", the sales of the information paper dropped. Because he assumes that, no matter what he says, the conversation goes back to the beginning. We''re going in circles. The person with whom you are having trouble talking is usually the one who is "assuming the conclusion". Because they do not bend their own opinion as absolute, they think they have defeated the argument with a mysterious theory, "But that''s what actually happened! They think they have defeated the argument with their mysterious theory. Another characteristic of such people is that they have a strange self-confidence because they have an unshakable correct answer only in their own mind. This type of person is very troublesome. The only way to deal with them is to make them aware of their own faults and force them to shut up. ''At the same time as the publication of Reborn, there were two changes in the information papers, weren''t there? ''Huh?Can you not digress? ''Don''t change the subject'' is a phrase often uttered by those who keep changing the subject. Since many people tell you ''don''t digress'', you tend to use it as a counterattack against them. You tend to use it as a counterattack against others because the content of your counterattack tends to be things that you did not like being said to you. We ignore such worthless things. ''First of all, the fee has increased due to the relocation of the headquarters and the tax. It''s an exorbitant price, ten times the original price.'' ''It''s not outrageous!It''s the fault of the BU lords for taxing us! ''Because it was taxed'' is not an argument for ''it''s not exorbitant''. An exorbitant price is an exorbitant price, no matter what the reason. In the first place, you wrote in your information paper that ''we are going to be taxed exorbitantly''. The price is exorbitant because you added it to the price. ''It''s natural that some readers will stop buying if the price goes up. ''But--! ''Secondly. Since you keep trying to interrupt me with contentless arguments, I''ll interrupt you and give you the following reasons. ''The content of the paper has been changed significantly. Yes. The contents of the articles written in the information papers have changed drastically. There is a limit to the number of articles that can be published in an information paper, which is written on a single sheet of paper like a kawara-ban. Until now, many of the articles had been about trends in BU, or about etiquette, and had a strong emphasis on entertainment. However, since the article on the brawl in the square in front of the city gate of District 42, the majority of the articles have been critical of District 42 and the lords of BU. The articles that denounced District Forty-two and the lords of BU as victims and the perpetrators as perpetrators were full of extreme expressions, and the intention to incite the readers could be seen through them. To be honest, I did not enjoy reading them at all. Who is going to pay a lot of money to read someone else''s bad words? ''In other words, the reason why informative newspapers don''t sell anymore is because they''ve become boring. ''Bullshit! A third-rate reporter stood up and glared at me with bloodshot eyes. ''It''s because you guys interfered!It''s your fault! So I''m going to tell you the plain and simple truth. ''No, no. It''s because a third-rate reporter, who until now hasn''t been allowed to write a good article, is taking up most of the page. This third-rate reporter had hardly written any articles in the information papers before the article on the riots. However, since that article, he has been assigned to write articles that fill up most of the information papers. I heard that the animosity of the reporters who had cooperated with him in making the paper is quite strong--according to my research. I''ve found out a lot. For example, about you. ''If you want your sales back, why don''t you write a confessional?''A third-rate reporter with connections to the aristocracy of the union''s board of directors, who kicked out Trubec Engineering from the Public Works Guild Union for personal gain, took full advantage of the power of his backers to vandalize the paper as he pleased, resulting in a sharp drop in sales. ''You, kill me, ......! The third-rate reporter tried to grab me, but Magda and Loretta blocked his way and stopped him. Magda is emitting a dense, almost visible deadly energy. If exposed to this, an ordinary person would be too weak to move. And Loretta is staring at you with a scary face. ''...... Please leave us alone.'' ''Yes, sir. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who can''t wait to get started. ''............ Tsk! The third-rate reporter clucked his tongue and turned on his heel. Then, just before the exit, he turned around and spat out a line he had heard before. ''I''m going to write down everything that happened! Do what you want. ''I hope there''s someone who''ll read it. ''-ssh! The third-rate reporter''s body trembled as if the blood flowed back from his toes, he bit his lip so hard that it bled, and his footsteps rushed out. He must have learned that it was dangerous to take it out on things in this store. ''Sorry to keep you waiting ....... Huh?Where''s the customer? Ginette came out of the kitchen and rolled her eyes, holding a piece of Sundaemaritei Kaiseki in her hand. ''Oh, he had something to do, so he left. ''Oh, I see. That''s ...... too bad. I was able to cut the decorations beautifully.'' ''Oh, Mr. Manager. I''ll eat that. I''ll buy it without the coupon! ''...... No, this is Magda, the pumpkin croquette fairy. ''When did they start calling you that, Magda? ''...... this morning, "Hah!I''m a pumpkin croquette fairy! And... ''Magdacho''s alias, it almost always originates from that person! I''m not sure what to make of that. Oh, man. What used to be such a bleak space has quickly returned to its original warm and sunny atmosphere. I''m impressed with our girls. ''Well then, why don''t the three of us start testing Ginette now? ''Hey!You''re testing me? ''If I give you advance notice, you might make it with more enthusiasm than usual. I''ll make an unannounced examination of your usual quality. ''Ugh, ......, I''m so nervous.'' What a surprise. I know that Ginette always puts her heart and soul into each and every product she makes. This is just an excuse. ''So, Magda, the chairman of the judging committee, and Loretta, the chairman of the fair judging committee, please make sure that the judging is fair and free of favoritism and injustice. ''...... Leave it to me.'' ''Manager, be prepared!I''m going to judge you very, very strictly! ''Yes, sir!I''ll be looking forward to it. We set the table, and the three of us, Magda and Loretta, sit down side by side. Ginette sits down on the other side of us, and the judging for the Yodamari-tei Kaiseki ~Saiori~ begins. ''First, let''s look at the appearance. ''...... beautiful.'' ''It''s a work of art. First of all, the way you used the knife to cut this cucumber is--'' ''...... Loretta, it''s long. ''It''s so beautiful! All the judges gave the appearance a passing grade. ''But the problem is the taste.'' ''...... Of course. Taste is everything in cooking. ''I won''t overlook even the slightest irregularity in the taste, so be prepared, manager! ''Yes, sir!Please, sir! Then, the three of us each picked up our favorite side dish with our chopsticks and brought it to our mouths. ''''''Umaa......'''''' Well, I knew that. ''''Ginette, you''re getting good at this.'''' ''''......Hats off to the manager who seemed to have already reached the peak of his skill, further improving it.'''' ''The manager''s cooking skills are unbelievable. I want a refill.'' ''...... Wait. Magda has already reserved the meatballs.'' ''Oh, I see!Then what about the shrimp? ''...... Too bad. They''re sold out too.'' ''Then what can I eat? ''......The bamboo leaves used in this partition are at your disposal. ''That''s something you can''t eat even if you try! ''Have you ever tried to eat it once? ......'' Don''t eat any more grass or anything, you. Eat something good. You''ve got the money. ''giggle......'' Ginette laughs at Magda and the others'' exchange. ''Shall I go make you a refill? ''...... but...'' ''You''re right, that''s ......'' Magda and Loretta look at me from both sides. Why are they asking me? Ginette is the one in charge here. Even Ginette''s looking at me at ....... Oh, God. ''So, shall we have the sunny-side up kaiseki for today''s meal? ''It''s a gorgeous meal! ''......, it''s too much money to be bothered with.'' ''Ufufu. Isn''t it nice . That''s right!Then why don''t you all make it together?I''m making it by myself for now, but eventually I''d like to have Magda and Loretta help me too. ''I''ll do .......'' ''I want to do it too! ''Then, let''s go. Ginette stood up and Magda and Loretta quickly jumped on Ginette. They were happy to be invited. The only thing is, you don''t get many orders for the Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Saiari. ...... You''re not going to give out coupons more often, are you? Remember, you''re in the red.You''re in the red, remember? ''Come on, Yashiro. Let''s cook together. The three girls in the sunshine look at me with happy faces. ...... d*mn it. I can''t help it. I''m not sure if I''d tolerate a little deficit if I could see a smile like that. ''Jeannette''. A few hours after we turned the third-rate away. Tea time was over and it was time to get ready for dinner, when old lady Mum came to the sunny pavilion. ''You know, Orkio and Sirach are here. Orkio and Sirach walked in from behind Grandma Mum, side by side. ''Hello, little Jin-net. ''Jinnet, it''s been a long time. ''Mr. Orkio, Ms. Sirach. How was your trip to District 24? I''m not sure if it''s the luxury of Grandma Mum and the others staying for three nights and four days, or the hell of ''what are we doing in District 24 for so long? It was quite a while ago when they came back from a trip that was either a luxury trip of three nights and four days or a hell trip of ''what are we going to do in the 24th district for so long? Zelmar and the others had come to the Sunken Pavilion several times to talk about souvenirs, but Orkio lived in District 35 and they hadn''t seen each other since the trip. Therefore, Jeannette seemed to be happy to see him. ''Thanks to you, I had a lot of fun. You know, you all came to the flower garden in District 35, too. ''The nectar in the garden was very delicious. ''Hmmm, Zelmar''s excitement was so ...... oops, I almost went off topic. In the event that you''ve got any questions regarding where by and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. ''More importantly, I saw the information paper. The information paper must have been passed around to Orkio, who lived in the 35th district. Even in the outer districts, where there was no circulation to begin with, the information paper began to circulate. It seems that sales have fallen so low that they can''t keep up. ''I thought 50Rb was too much for some of them, but I bought them all. ''Why is the tax added to the perimeter zone? ......'' I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s that kind of cynicism that causes customers to leave. ''As someone who knows the 42nd district well, I don''t trust the contents of the article. However, the fact that they wrote such a malicious article makes me worried that some evil force is targeting the 42nd district. ''Well. Is that why you came all the way here to check on me?Even Sirach-san. Thank you for traveling so far.'' ''Not at all, little Ginette. The forty-second ward is a special ward for me too. I''ve been indebted to you, Jeannette and Yashiro. ''I''m not indebted to you. I''m indebted to you too, Sirach-san.'' ''Oh, my God. Ginette is a really nice girl. You look just like me when I was young. You don''t say that often, Sirach. Well, when I was a ham before, I was about to be ''judged by the spirits'', but now I can tolerate a little. A little, huh? ''When the 42nd and 35th wards, the two wards that I took care of, were attacked by the BU, I couldn''t do anything about it. ......'' No, they just didn''t give you the information. Didn''t Lucia think that she didn''t need to ask for help from her people? At that time, the 42nd district was more excited about defeating the BU. ''Well, with Yashiro-kun around, I probably don''t need to do anything. The old man in the romance gray winked at me. I catch it and throw it at Sirach. ''Haha ...... exciting ......a??'', Siraha says, slumping over and sagging against Jeannette. I''m glad I let you lose weight. If she had been in her old shape, Jeannette would have been crushed. But I''m just fine. ''Orkio. I''ve been meaning to ask you something. ''For me? ''Anyway, gentlemen. Please sit down. Would you like some coffee?Would you like some tea, Sirach?'' ''No. I''ll have coffee too. Orkio taught me how to drink it, and I''ve been drinking it lately.'' ''Hahaha. It''s still not as good as the taste of the Sunken Pavilion, though. ''Then, please enjoy it and see how the taste of Sunlit Pavilion differs from Orkio-san''s.'' Jeannette was not modest about the taste of her coffee. That coffee was handed down from my grandfather. There is nothing to deny. ''Haha......'' Orkio let out a sigh as he took his place at the table. ''Ah... Excuse me. I''m sorry, I just can''t help but wonder how this happened. Orkio smiled weakly. Orkio says that he can''t forgive the fact that the 42nd district, which has been suffering from floods and poverty, has finally recovered and is just about to begin, when he was interrupted by a nobleman. As expected of a former aristocrat. He knew immediately that this kind of behavior was the work of a nobleman. ''I guess they''re trying to exhaust the Forty-two Wards so they can get in, but ...... that''s too shallow. Forty-two wards are valuable because they are calm and full of kindness,......, but if a nobleman sticks his hand in from the side and stirs up a mess,......... ...Why can''t they understand that? That can only be because they are noblemen. Orkio himself is probably aware of this, but he doesn''t want to admit it. Nobles are only interested in their own interests. The convenience and feelings of the ordinary people living there are not worth considering, to them. If it''s good for them, they take it. If it''s in their way, they get rid of it. The aristocracy is self-centered in every way. There are a few exceptions, though. Yashiro-kun. You did a lot of work in District 35, didn''t you?That''s why the 35th district is changing in a good way. Huh? I don''t remember that at all. ''The Bug People, who were scared of humans, have shown their willingness. They''ve come to rely on me. I''m sure it''s because of Shirapin''s humanity. ''No... That''s not true, Orkio. It''s us insect people who are relieved to be welcomed so warmly by the humans. After all, many of them were afraid to go outside the garden. Thanks to the appearance of a kind human like Orkio, who acted as a buffer, the possibilities for all the Bug People have expanded. ''To sum it up, are you saying that it''s depressing to have an old man and an old woman flirting? ''Not at all, Yashiro-chan.'' Grandma Mum rebukes me with an unbreakable smile. Don''t pat me on the back and say ''doo-doo''. I''m a raging bull. Burururu...... ''For some reason, I''ve decided to start a business just like my family used to do. ''Oh, you''re a pimp for the beastmen. ''Yes. ...... Haha, Yashiro-kun knew about it, didn''t you? ''Well, I overheard about it recently. In the past, his family''s pimping business may not have been the most admirable, but Orkio has never shown any signs of hiding his past. Regardless of the past, he faces it without hiding it. I think this is the gracefulness of Orkio. Because of this past, the work Orkio will do from now on will be beneficial to both humans and beastmen. ''I was talking to Jeannette. We''re lucky to be in Orkio''s house. There''s at least one person who''s willing to take the side of the beastmen.'' ''Yashiro-kun ....... I''m glad to hear you say so. ''Orkio is really the only one who has been on our side. Always and forever and ever. Siraha, who has known Orkio since she was a child, has eyes filled with absolute trust. It''s easy to imagine what kind of relationship they had. ''Since the time we met, Orkio has always been kind to me. ...... And now that I''m old enough to be outside--'' ''Yes, stop talking about it! I''m sorry. He''s trying to talk about that episode whenever he can! Anyway, Orkio, you should have trained him better!I almost reversed the last three days'' meals! ''Shirapin......, you remember me? ''Of course I do. Because that time, I was outside--'' ''Shut up, you bastard! I''ll have you banned, you old couple! ''Thank you for waiting. Ginette comes back with enough coffee for everyone. ''You look like you''re having a great time. What were you talking about? ''Don''t rehash it either! Oh no, no, no. There are too many landmines here. And you''ve been acting like you don''t care about this topic all this time, old lady Mum? She''s a clever old woman, isn''t she? ''Well, it''s delicious. It has a very nice aroma. And the bitterness is gentle and easy to drink.'' ''Thank you, Sirach. Siraha''s cheeks relax as she drinks Ginette''s coffee from the Sunlit Pavilion. If you like coffee, the coffee here will sting. The bitterness and acidity are exquisite. ''In the next issue of Reborn, do you want me to add a coupon for coffee? ''Wow. That''s a good idea. People don''t drink coffee very often, and I''d be happy if more people would take this opportunity to drink it. So, if that means no more loss-making discounts at Yodamari-tei Kaiseki ~Sairi~, I''ll be happy too! Coffee is priced at 10Rb, so it might as well be a free ticket. Some people may not like it, and a free ticket is perfect for a ''trial run''. Even if you don''t like it, you won''t feel like you''ve lost money. Even if you don''t like it, you won''t feel like you''ve lost money. Oh, yeah. In the next issue, I''d like to send out a ''Kupon ticket'' too.In the next issue, I''d like to issue a coupon. Old lady Mum is still not good with horizontal letters. I''m sure it''s just a matter of ''forced translation magic'', but it sounds like ''hiragana English''. ''But Grandma Mum''s store has always been reasonably priced, so how can she offer any more discounts? ''One free stain removal coupon. There are more and more fashionable people these days, aren''t there?I''ve been thinking more and more that a proper stain remover would have cleaned them up better. In the forty-second ward, which was originally a poor ward, the custom of asking a professional to do the laundry has not taken root. The only way to remove stains is to scrub hard at home. Perhaps because of this, there is a strong perception that stains cannot be removed. If you get a stain, you give up. That is the common sense in this town. No one throws away a stain just because it has become a stain, but most people cover it up with a cloth or something. ''I''ve always wished you''d let me do it. So, let me do it for free once, and if you like it, let me know next time. What do you think? ''Isn''t that a lot of work?It''s free. ......'' ''It''s fine. I love doing laundry.'' ''Well, if there''s anything I can do to help, just let me know. ''Thank you, Ginette. Coincidentally, Grandma Mum seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. It''s free, so you don''t have to worry about failing. Anyway, try it once, and if you like it, say hello. She''s a clever old lady after all. She''s a survivor of the 42nd district. ''What''s this ''Reborn'' you''re talking about? ''Oh, wait a minute. I''ll get it for you. Ginette said and went to get the Reborn, which was permanently installed in the Sunlit Pavilion. As in the past, Jeannette bought a large number of "Reborn" with the article on the Sunlit Pavilion. He never changes, does he? ''Here it is. It has a lot of very interesting articles in it. ''Wow, that''s interesting. Would you sell some of them to me? ''You can have it. I have a lot.'' ''No, no, no. The sales of this will also help the 42nd district, right?I''d love to buy some. ''Let''s see, ......, that would be .......'' Ginette glanced at me. When it comes to selling, it''s not something that the Sunlit Pavilion can do on its own. ''Then let''s say we exchange a copy of ''Reborn'' at the branch office for this one. ''That''s right. Then, this is the ''Reborn'' at the branch office. On the occasion of the first "Let''s go buy an information paper with all the BU kids" tour, I sold "Reborn" at the Sundaemari-tei branch office in the name of persuading the BU kids. Of course, that was an official sale with the permission of the lord. At present, it is sold only at the stores in New Town and the Lord''s mansion, but it is time to change the way it is sold. Customers from outside are flooding into the streets of New Town. As the number of issues increases, there will be customers who say, ''Oh, I don''t have that! I don''t have it! If you ask them to buy it in New Town every time, you will miss a business opportunity. It would be better to make it possible for customers to buy them at any store if they apply for it. To make sure that no one will be so naive as to read the product and not buy it themselves, make it compulsory for all stores that carry Reborn to purchase at least a portion of it. The sales format is similar to that of Regina''s potion, with the amount sold going to the lord. If you sell 10 books, you pay 50Rb (10 x 5). Of that amount, the store gets 10%. If you sell 50Rb, you get 5Rb back. So, the more books you sell, the more profit you make. However, if you are a pushy salesman, the store will lose credibility. It would be better to leave them casually and let people buy them. This sales method was realized because Assunto of the peddlers'' guild gave the OK, and it is a method that cannot be imitated by information papers. The peddlers'' guild has different managers in different places. The upper wards are full of people who, like Assunto before them, have ambitions to get into the upper wards whenever they can. ''I love the Forty-second Ward!I''ll never leave! I''ll never leave!'' There''s no one else like Assunto. I don''t think they''ll allow you to take on a new sales format or a revolutionary challenge. If you fail, you''ll lose your reputation. Oh, no, no, no. The only thing they care about is pulling each other down. ''So, some of them will be 5Rb. ''Oh, so it''s cheap. ''Only for the first time. Next time, we''ll raise the price to 20Rb. ''Haha . You''re so confident that you''ll be able to hold on to your fans with this one book. I''m counting on you. Orkio didn''t call the first issue discount system ''cosy! Orkio didn''t say ''cosy! Rather, he seemed to be impressed with it. ''Wow, that''s interesting. Look at this, Shirapin. It''s a fashion for adults in their fifties. ''Well, that''s nice. It''s calm, yet elegant. ......'' ''That''s what Ms. Ukrines suggested. ''Oh, the one who made the tactile catsuit?She''s a lovely woman after all. There''s a half-naked yamayuga man in your ward who''s afraid of that wonderful woman like the devil. I''m not saying who, but it''s Wendy''s dad. ''Would you sell this to me, too? ''Sirach, would you? ''Because I''d like to use this coupon, too. The coupon is valid for one person per coupon. ...... Don''t be so cynical!A single coupon is good for up to four people, which is an outrage only possible in Japan with its established distribution system. Don''t take that benefit for granted! If four people were to use a single copy of the Sun-Damari-Tei Kaiseki at the rate of four people, I might have gone to ...... to destroy the printing office. ''That''s right . Next time, please let us donate as well.'' ''Yes, that would be great.'' ''Then you''d better think of something to advertise in the back. ''Publicity? ...... Do you have anything you''d like to post, Shirapin? ''Maybe a love letter from Orkio at ......? Stop it. A certain number of people in the whole district will reverse the process. ''If you write about how you two met and what you''re up to now, it might encourage people who are currently struggling with a different kind of love. That''s what old lady Mum says. There might be a couple like that somewhere, too. ''That''s true. If you can help someone with that.'' ''Well, that''s nice. That''s great, Mum.'' ''Mm-hmm. It''s just an idea.'' ''I''m happy to be friends with you.'' ''Me too. I have to learn from your elegance.'' ''No, I''ve had enough. ''No, you haven''t.'' The old lady ...... and the old girls smiled at each other. I guess this kind of feeling never changes no matter how old you get. It''s just like when Paula and Nephrite are talking about fashion. I wonder if it would be popular if Reborn advertised for correspondents. ''So, Yashiro-kun...'' Orkio''s voice changes tone. ''About this case...'' He looks at me with a kind of certainty in his eyes. As if he wants me to give him an answer. All right. I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you what we think the enemy is now. ''Probably, as you can imagine, ......, sent by Wishart.'' ''--I guess.'' The sigh that Orkio let out was filled with frustration and a bit of sadness. 495-Episode 297 Officials ''If you have a moment, could you tell me about Dayglaire Wishart? Orkio had probably come here with that in mind. He had seen the intelligence papers, deduced from their modus operandi and nature, and concluded that Wishart might be involved. And if that was the case, he must have come here for the 42nd district, hoping that his knowledge would be of some use. ''Orkio loves me and the Forty-Two Wards, doesn''t he? ''Haha. I won''t deny it. You didn''t deny it, you old man. No, well, even though he belongs to the old man''s five, Orkio is a little less old. He''s probably the youngest of them all, and above all, he''s very elegant, so he doesn''t have that "old man" feeling at all. Zelmar, Bobba, and Frodo do not hesitate to call me ''old man!No, old man! But Orkio is still faintly in the old man''s category. ''You look younger when you''re not surrounded by Zelmar and the others. ''Hahahaha!Is that so?Yeah, I guess so. I''m good at adapting to the atmosphere around me. Orkio was an oddity among the nobles. Perhaps he had learned how to assimilate into his surroundings so as not to cause any disturbance. Even so, the fact that he pushed through with the marriage to Sirach of the swallowtail butterfly tribe was enough to make him a heretic. Even more so in their time. ''So, that was about Deiglea Wishart, right? Setting down his empty coffee cup, Orkio exhaled quietly. Ginette left her seat, saying, ''I''ll get you a refill,'' and I followed her gaze to the back of the room, where she smiled at me with a gentle smile that seemed to be contagious. ''I''m sorry, but I don''t actually know that much about you. I do know you, though. I''m sure it''s not much different from what Lucia and Mr. Donati know. At any rate, he''s very cautious. ''He is''? ''What?...... Wow, that''s amazing. No, I''d say you''re the man, Yashiro.'' Orkio rolled his eyes and smiled happily. He nodded his head and smiled softly, as a grandfather would to his grandson. ''It''s really reassuring to have someone like you in my life. Before I can say anything else, Ginette comes back with another cup of coffee. I stare at the coffee being poured from the pot into the cup - or rather, I stare at Ginette pouring the coffee, and then she gives me a meaningful smile. I''m glad I didn''t ask him what he was talking about. ''You''re right, Yashiro. I should have said it was the entire Wishart clan that was being cautious. The family that holds the doorway to Allbloom has been doing nefarious things for generations. There must be a lot of things they can''t let us find out. ''It''s a mix of dishonest and modern. ''What''s that? ''It''s just a metaphor. ''Interesting. Is that on the menu at the Sundaari-tei? By the way, we haven''t made modern-yaki yet. ''No, not yet, but ......'' ''I, I want to learn! ''...... Magda already has a reservation.'' ''Oh, I''ll learn it too! ''It''s not the kind of thing you can get excited about. It''s just okonomiyaki with yakisoba. If you make it right, it will taste good, but if you cut corners, it will become stingy and overly bulky. If you want to teach, you have to teach properly. ''I''ll teach you after we talk. ''Hmm, let me get back to it. Orkio''s expression tightens as he sips his freshly brewed coffee. ''As far as I know, the Wishart family is very cautious, obsessed with money, cunning and fierce, a tricky family. Since the words cunning and fierce are used, they must have done some bloody things. For example, what they were going to do to Masha. ''They''re good with money. ''It''s funny how powerful people can be so easily manipulated. ''Haha ......, talking to you makes my heart skip a beat more than once. The words you use to describe the aristocracy are revealed to me. When you describe a nobleman as ''good with money'', you don''t think of him as ''a good shopper''. I''m not that stupid or naive. But there is one thing I learned from that testimony. There are two types of headman positions that cozy up to the evil daimyo. One is the one who has the power on his side by giving money, and the other is the one who has made money by having the power on his side. In the former, when the money runs out, the powerful leave. The latter have a strong backing because the powers that be let them make money. But if they make a mistake, they may be cut off. The latter are often the sons or blood relatives of powerful people, so they are not likely to lose their jobs. But Wishart is the former. He is the type of man who used the large sums of money he earned in one way or another as bait to gain the backing of powerful people. In that light, maybe he''s not wrong about being a good shopper. ''I''ve heard that the Wishart clan always has a blade that can reach the throat of the powerful. Of course, the blade is a metaphor. And a lethal weakness to match. Backstory. A catalog of misdeeds. If you die, you die. If they lose, their backers will go with them... and that''s how they''ve been gaining solid backing. I don''t want to know, but I''m sure they are holding evidence of something very bad for both sides. It is unlikely that the powers that be will quietly back down with a one-sided weakness in their hands. Perhaps it is a double-edged sword with blame on both sides. The fact that it can''t be used casually makes its existence all the greater. It''s a bit like Judgment of the Spirits. Triggers are heavy. So there''s a certain amount of security. But if it''s triggered, it''s over. And if you keep giving them money and handouts-- well, ''it''s best to keep Wishart alive'', that''s the idea. ''If I were in the same position, I''d do something similar, but in the current situation where I''m not in the same position, he''s just a jerk. ''Haha. I''m not so sure about that. You don''t think Wishart is a jerk? I was thinking that, but it seems that the denial was based on the previous statement. ''I think Yashiro would have taken a different approach even if he was in the same position as them. ''More vicious and cunning means?'' ''Hmmm. Yes, in a more dexterous and smart way, without making enemies? For some reason, Orkio seems to think I''m a good guy. Perhaps it''s because he gets most of his information about me from Jeannette. Any information that passes through the sycophantic filter is converted into a good story. ''It''s more profitable for Yashiro-kun if the entire city is enriched than if the lord alone is lining his pockets. What do you know so well? And don''t chuckle next to me, Ginette. You''re the one who planted this crappy knowledge. You sound just like him. ''But the Wishart family is different. They rule others by force. They have no mercy for those who defy them. The ...... dark side, if you will.I''m not sure what to make of that. The reason I kept my voice down was to be cautious. I don''t think there''s any such thing as a listening device, but you can''t be sure that Wishart''s assassins aren''t disguised as ordinary people. ''''It seems that the dark side has penetrated the 42nd district quite a bit. ''What?Are you alright? ''Somehow, for the time being. The attackers on Masha, Delia, and the occupiers of the plaza in front of the city gate have been seized and eliminated. So far, only Goozja and I are injured. But they were all amateurs. If a Natalia-level assassin gets into the mix, it''ll be a different story. We''re just gonna have to wait and see, aren''t we, Wishart? I thought they''d become more cautious after the failed attack on Delia, but they brought in a bunch of riffraff and took over the square. I think that was probably a diversion to see who would move when such a trouble occurred. That''s why I made a conspicuous move. If you''re gonna go for it, go for me, Wishart. Except-- But be prepared for the fact that if you fail to kill me, that''s the end of your life. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. And-- ''A bone for a bone! ''What''s the matter with you all of a sudden, Yashiro? ''...... I''m fine. Just the usual seizures. ''Is it always like this!Are you okay with that? ''Oh, Orkio-san, since you moved, you haven''t gotten used to your brother yet.'' ''No, I''m not sure I''m used to you, girls! While Orkio is screaming, Sirach is staring at my arm. The middle of the long sleeves is neatly mended, that part. ''Hey, Yashiro. What''s wrong with that? ''Hmm?Ah, I had Jeannette mend it for me. It''s good, right? ''That''s not what I meant. I tried to cover it up, but Sirach''s eyes were so serious that I couldn''t. ''Let me see. ''Oh, no, wait. But first, let''s talk--'' Before I could finish, Siraha rolled up my sleeve. ''What? ''Yashiro-kun!You''re badly hurt! ''No, no, no, no!This is a fake!It''s a fake! All the employees of the Sunlit Pavilion come together to calm down the fussing Sirach and Orkio. When I was thinking about ......, Loretta muttered the exact same thing I was thinking. I''m not sure what to make of that. ''Because ...... Yashiro said, "A boin for a boin."'' It''s not my fault. I let him touch the fake scar, and he was worried, ''Oh, is this really a fake? But I managed to calm her down. Even though he was a little young, he was still an old man. You have to be careful, because if the load on your heart becomes too great, you might pass away. ''I see. To let people know about the bias of the information papers, huh? How can you come up with so many ideas and execute them so easily, Yashiro-kun? You can''t do that with most of the things you come up with,'' Orkio said, laughing weakly. I''m sure you''ve thought of many ways to reform your family in the past, but you''ve been unable to implement them. The result of that was the family''s outburst that hurt Sirach. ''Anyway, he''s a fake, so don''t worry about him. He said, and quickly covered up the scar. There''s no need to put on special makeup anymore, but he said, ''You know, if the scars suddenly disappear, it''ll make people think, ''What, you''re lying? So we''re going to make it smaller and smaller and make people think, ''Amazing recovery power! I explained to the people around me that I was going to make them think, ''What a lie! I can''t take this thing off because my real scar is not healing well. On the back of the scar, there is a clean gauze, and I secretly treat the scar myself every morning. It''s only a matter of time before it heals. It doesn''t even hurt anymore. I''m lucky I didn''t get any germs from the cheap Gorotz knife that spilled on the blade. Tetanus, you''ve got to be kidding me. This is just a stunt. Despite what he''d told her, Sirach''s eyes remained sharply fixed on Ginette''s mended sleeve. ''Even if the wound is fake, it was the knife that cut through the sleeve, wasn''t it?Then you''re really wounded, Yashiro. Sharp. He might be the type who gets angry when someone he knows gets hurt. That kind of person is sensitive to wounds and pain that someone else is hiding. ''Well, a little bit. ''Yes, just a little .......'' A heavy sigh is poured into the cup. With both hands wrapped around the coffee cup, Siraha turned her head and pursed her lips tightly. ''I''m so happy right now. After a long pause, Siraha murmurs. Her voice is bright, but her face remains downcast. ''Yashiro and Ginette came all the way to the 35th district, and they worked very hard for the Bug People, and the town has changed a lot. For the better, of course. They were very kind to me, too, even though I was a stranger who they had never met before. ...... Yes, Yashiro and Jeannette were very kind to me from the first time I met them, and I always thought that they were good kids. Her bright voice began to tremble slightly. ''Orkio and I came to live together, and all the closed-off members of the swallowtail butterfly tribe found jobs they wanted to do and came to live for themselves, and the other insect tribe was the same. It may have been a small chance for a couple of lovers to get married. But Yashiro did his best to protect that small happiness. I was as happy about it as if it were my own. A drop falls into the coffee. Oruchio reaches out his arm to stroke Sirach''s downcast hair. But before his fingertips can touch her hair, Sirach lets out a few words. ''I still can''t forgive ...... me.'' I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. ''I will never forgive the person who made me do this. Siraha was calm and did not deny the entrenched good intentions imposed on her by those around her, and continued to put the feelings of those around her ahead of her own, even when they hurt her. Sirach, who has the tolerance of a bodhisattva, is seething with anger. It is not against the perpetrators, but against the mastermind behind it. I''m not sure what to make of that. ....... Is that right? No, but he could be. ...... That''s right. That''s what Lucia said. The Wishart girl was staying at Orkio''s house as an apprentice. The apprentice was just a pretext, but in reality, she wanted to marry Orkio to her daughter and have a strong connection with Orkio''s family. But Orkio married Sirach. Orkio was a nobleman too. He must have understood the intentions of the Wishart family, and his family members must have told him to do so, either directly or indirectly. At any rate, he must have been under a lot of pressure, since this was his chance to make a connection with a lord, albeit in another district. Nevertheless, Orkio chose Sirach. He overcame the opposition of his family and left his family home. It was also a way to destroy the intentions of the Wishart family. And as you can see from the current turmoil, the Wishart family, not just Deiglea Wishart... The Wishart family, not just Deiglea Wishart, would never allow their intentions to be thwarted. ''You''re not the one who burned down Orkio''s house...'' ''No, that''s not true, Mr. Yashiro. It was definitely a member of my clan who carried out that foolish act. Orkio, as a disgrace to his family, speaks the truth as it is. However, next to Orkio, there is a disgruntled Sirach who wants to say something. I guess facts are facts. Orkio is right. The perpetrator is probably one of Orkio''s relatives. But... ''There''s someone who inspired him, right? ''............'' Orkio remained silent on the question. I don''t know if Orkio''s reluctance to blame others for his family''s shame was out of kindness or pride as a former nobleman. But Siraha, who was watching next to him, clearly had a different feeling. Orkio is a victim and a relative of the perpetrator. Family disturbances occur in every noble family to a greater or lesser extent. But it''s a different story when it''s caused by outside interference. Perhaps Sirach had been holding back for too long. That the mastermind who had instigated it was still living happily. Maybe she hates the root of all evil, the one who inflicted indelible scars on her, hunted down her beloved, and tore them apart. A woman who endures. Such a modest woman''s inner passions are surely far greater than those of those who act and live as they wish. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Orkio. I''m a bad wife. ......'' He turns to Orkio and bows deeply. Then, a lifted, somber face turns to me. ''Yashiro-chan. It was Orkio''s uncle who set our house on fire. He said that if the heir to the family dies, his own son, who is a branch of the family, can become the next leader of the party--a pathetic man who was inspired to help make that happen. It must be quite humiliating to have your family''s shame told to others like this. I would have beaten my wife to make her stop. A nobleman, one who values honor above all else. But Orkio stroked Sirach''s hair with a gentle hand. ''You are a fool, aren''t you? The whole family will be dragged into this, and the family will be destroyed. ...... It''s so stupid. Orkio apologized to Sirach in a whispered voice, ''I''m sorry for making you say this. Silaha shook her head and turned her head to hold back her tears. ''Yashiro-kun. Wishaat has a good nose. You could say that he is skilled at sniffing out smells that are close to his own--'' It''s similar to my ability to sniff out bad guys. The bad guys have a dank smell that suits the bad guys. ''The people they have on their side are all alike. It''s hard for them to betray us, or perhaps it''s more accurate to say that if they betray us, they will be eliminated immediately. ...... Anyway, it''s very difficult to infiltrate the inside. It''s very difficult to infiltrate. A blade to the throat of the opponent. The death-or-death approach attracts kindred spirits and creates ties that go beyond business. Even outside the clan, those close to Wishart are bound by a bond that is stronger than loyalty. ''And they''re good at finding people who are ''taken in'' by their tricks. Those who are spotted will become the pawns who work hard for the Wishart family. Like the one who burned down Orcio''s house. ''A place that was safe can suddenly become dangerous one day. It''s possible that the person you trusted more than anyone else is actually a pawn of those who were sent to watch over you - I really didn''t have a restful day until I arrived in District 42. Knowing the strong ties between the pawns surrounding the Wishart family, Orkio must have tried to probe the Wishart family in the past. He may have been betrayed by someone he thought he could trust. In the 35th district, he was forced to leave Sirach, tried to find out the truth from the Wishart family, was rebuffed, and escaped to the 42nd district. I wonder what kind of life Orkio has led. ''That''s why I''ve never gone to see her before. By ''she'', I assume you mean the one we''re looking for. ''Lupinus Wishart. That''s the name of the woman I''ve been taking care of as an apprentice. A woman of the Wishart family. Orkio gave me some information about her. ''She''s been abandoned by the Wishart family, so I don''t think she''ll get into trouble, but please be careful with her. Orkio said this with serious eyes and took a sip of his coffee. Grandma Mumm sits silently. Ginette, too, looks anxious, but says nothing, waiting for Orkio''s words. Magda and Loretta listen to the conversation, noticing that there are no customers in the restaurant. Sirach is looking down with his hands on his knees. But the hand on her knee is probably Orkio''s hand on top of it. I''m not going to peek under the table to check, but... ''She - Lupinus - came to our house when she was nine years old. Nine years old: ...... ''That''s Orkio''s strike zone.'' ''Gosh!'' Perhaps the coffee he had just drunk had returned, but Orkio''s bronchial tubes were screaming, ''Not again! Orkio sobbed as if his bronchial tubes were about to scream, ''Stop it! ''Why, why are you such a ...... wretch! ''No, because. You met nine-year-old Siraha and fell in love with her at first sight, didn''t you? ''No, that''s true, but ......'' ''That''s right. And you, Orkio, you were so pure-hearted when you took me outside--'' ''Sirach, shall I close my mouth a little?'' Orkio lifted his hand and put a lot of pressure on it. Oh, I knew he was holding my hand. ''You know, Yashiro-kun. I was 14 years old when I met Shirapin. I''m not so sure about that age difference either! ''Moreover, at that age, you should be outside .......'' ''You''ll have to wait until you''re a little older for that episode!I mean, can we stop talking about this?There are many young women here! After all, it seems that this is not an episode that should be told to young women. In contrast to Ginette''s stained cheeks, Magda and Loretta looked at Orkio with curious eyes. Oh, old lady Mum is also looking at Orkio with her ears turned towards him, though she has a calm face. No matter how old you are, you still love other people''s love. ''Gosh, gosh!Anyway, without having any such feelings, I met Lupinus and we treated each other as teacher and student. I was twenty-one years old at the time. Orkio glanced at Sirach and made an excuse for his behavior. That''s why you look suspicious. It''s better to keep a straight face in these things. They say it''s easier to be seen than seen! ''I knew what the Wishart family was up to from the start. Or rather, my father told me so. My father had told me to make Lupinus like me, to train him to be a good friend to our family. ...... You''re not a dog or a cat. I''m sorry, that was rude. Orcio''s relatives were relatives and they wanted to take advantage of the power of the Wishart family to expand their influence. And the Wishart family was trying to get the subhumans, the insects that Orkio and the others were organizing, to do the behind-the-scenes work that they couldn''t do in the open. They''re both scum, really. They seem to be a good match. ''Of course, I didn''t mean it. Shirapin was already there by then.'' The old man and the woman looked at each other and smiled. Hmm?I''m just a jibber-jabber, you walking heartburn machine. ''The sixteen-year-old Shirapin was trying to grow a little taller and become a woman who looked like a big sister, and she was wearing makeup that she had just learned and was ...... cute.'' ''Oh no, Orkio, ...... I''m so embarrassed, Sirach''s heart will melt. ''Our love is--'' ''Melty love.'' ''Magda, beat it out of me.'' You guys don''t need to write letters to get poems out. That''s one indiscriminate weapon. ''And?What kind of girl was this Lupinus?'' ''Lupinus was a very intelligent man. I asked Orkio, and Sirach answered. From the way she spoke, she seemed to know a lot about him. ''But even more than that, she was active, bold, aggressive, strong, bold, wild, powerful, sometimes violent, reckless, crude, intuitive, an unruly wench, talkative, and unconventional in her vigor. I''m not sure what you mean by that. How did you manage to come back from ''violent'' to ''quiet''? How much rampage did you go through, that lady? ''''Haha. It''s true that I didn''t feel like a young lady who came to learn how to behave. I got the impression that she was more than that. Wasn''t she a wild child, really? ''If I were to compare Lupinus to an animal, it would be a wolf. He was full of vitality that could survive in any environment, wilderness or jungle, even if he was left alone. ''She''s not a lady, is she? ''No, no, I''m sure of the bloodline. After all, Lupinus is the older sister of Deiglea Wishart. The current lord''s own sister? That''s a legitimate lineage! It''s a direct line. What?A mutation? ''It''s just that she had a brilliant mind. He could memorize everything I taught him at once, and in less than three years, he could solve difficult problems that I, as a teacher, couldn''t solve. Did you have a gift? ...... gifted, an untouchable jerk. Wow, you''re the worst kind. ''And yet, she was also a brilliant woman who didn''t look down on me, who was willing to learn and absorb every little thing. ''Hmm... Lupinus-sama must have liked Orkio-sama.'''' ''Eh, that''s not true, is it? ''...... Orkio, you''re so slow.'' ''No, but he''s never said anything like that to me, and I''ve been chatting with Sirapin. Orcio told Lupinus that he had made up his mind about someone right after Lupinus came to his house. Lupinus, a smart man, knew his role and came to Orkio. However, when he learned that Orkio''s heart was elsewhere, he simply abandoned his role. She said, ''I was tired of working as a pawn of Wishart when I was not recognized as one of Wishart''s.'' I''m afraid to say that this was said when she was ten years old. I wonder if the Wishart family would have prospered if Lupinus had been their lord instead of Deiglea. Although that kind of prosperity would not be what House Wishart wanted. Orkio says that Lupinus has a sincere nature that does not take kindly to wrongdoing. ''Lady Lupinus was instrumental in our marriage. If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have been able to marry Orkio. One of the common tricks of the nobles is to get their hands behind their backs and crush them with pressure. Lupinus is said to have prevented this from happening. At that time, when Lucia''s grandfather was the lord of the house, the lady of the house was so devoted to the Insect People that she had a Firefly helper by her side, and she got Lucia''s grandmother to arrange an unprecedented marriage between the eldest son of a nobleman and a subhuman. Lupinus was really a dynamic woman. And if it is true that she had been in love with Orkio since she was a little girl--what a strong woman she is. To wish for the happiness of the man she loves, and to support his marriage to someone other than herself with all her might: ...... ''I''ve been told. I''ll never forgive you if you don''t make Dr. Orkio happy.'''' However, Orkio was disinherited immediately after their marriage. ''He probably planned to change the next head of the family while Lupinus was still in the family and somehow maintain the connection with the Wishart family. ''But Lupinus-sama was very upset about Orkio-sama''s disinheritance...'' ''I learned everything about being a nobleman from Orkio-sensei. If that teacher is to cease to be a nobleman, then I will follow his example and cease to be a nobleman! That''s what she said and slapped a letter of insulation on the Wishart family. What a powerful young lady. She was born a noblewoman and lived a life of food, clothing, and shelter, but this city at that time was not rich or kind enough for her to be thrown out into the world on her own. ...... Ah, this young lady is so strong that she can survive alone in the wilderness. I''m sure the city wasn''t rich or gentle enough for you to be able to survive on your own in the wilderness, right? ''It was at the end of her fourteenth year that Lupinus slapped an insulation letter on her, and it was at the end of her fifteenth year that our house was set on fire. Orkio''s relatives may have thought that Lupinus would become more quiet once Orkio was gone. But not the Wishart family. They may have tried to persuade Orkio''s relatives, but deep down, their intention was to say, "You interfered with our plans. I can see through their intentions. The Wishart family was not that obsessed with the rag peddling business. In fact, they''re still manipulating the ragtag guilds. For them, it would have been easier if they had been connected to Orkio''s family. It seems that the Wishart women are treated very rudely. But he couldn''t forgive the fact that they had interfered with his plans. So he set them on fire. I see. Shiraha. I think I understand what you''re saying. It''s still unforgivable. When I think of that scum looking down on me from the cliff, I can''t even contain my anger... I think I''m going to start head-banging all over the place. It may be that the day is coming when the name of Degrea Wishart will disappear from the ''I''ll crush you at all costs list''. ''So, how is that Lupinus-san doing now? Ginette asks with a slightly anxious expression. She seems to be worried about the future of the woman who defied the Wishart family head-on. With the Wishart''s, it wouldn''t surprise me if they were harassing her relentlessly, or even imprisoning her. But surprisingly, Orkio''s answer was peaceful. ''She''s living as a commoner now, for lack of a better word. Hey, Shirapin. ''Yes. Lupinus-sama got married in District 35 and is now living with her family. Orkio had been away from the 35th district for a long time. He must have heard about Lupinus from Sirach. ''Did Sirach know what happened to Lupinus? ''Yes. She was very kind to us, but after the fire, we were too busy with ourselves to thank her or return the favor. ......'' Even after the fire, Orkio and Sirach were struggling against the friction of their surroundings. Even so, they could no longer stand alone and were forced to live apart from each other. I wonder if that was enough to make Wishart feel better. At present, there is no sign of Wishart around Orkio. Since Orkio had said earlier that he hadn''t really had a restful day until he arrived in the 42nd district, he must not have thought that Orkio had died in the fire. I wonder if Wishart thought that he had won when he saw Orkio, who was no longer a nobleman, separated from his beloved, and had no choice but to flee to the poorest district, District 42. ...... The Wishart family seems to be rather quiet, though. Well, you can''t spend all your time on one person. Maybe they''ve got other things on their mind. At any rate, it seems that Orkio is not currently being targeted by the Wishart family. They have Sirach now. That''s why Orkio avoided any confrontation with the Wishart family. Just as he tried to swallow the fire as a shame to his family. Perhaps he had swallowed his own humiliation long ago in order not to involve the friends he had met after coming to District 42. Separated from his beloved, he bore his resentment and anger towards those who had taken everything from him, alone and patiently. ............ ''Ginette, please treat Orkio to a crepe! ''Oh, no. I''m fine, Yashiro!I''ve had some tough times, but I''m happy now. He stopped Jeannette from standing up, and then looked at me and Jeannette with a gentle smile on his face. ''Thanks to you guys, right? He then takes Sirach by the shoulders and pulls him close. She rests her head on Orkio''s shoulder, and her cheeks lightly stain. ''Blast it. ''Are you emotionally unstable, big brother! ''...... Yashiro is an honest boy.'' No, slightly.I''m just a little irritated. ''Big brother, are you going to see that person? At Loretta''s question, everyone''s eyes turned to me. As for me, I was hoping Orkio would introduce me to him and let me meet him. ...... I think I''m probably being watched too much right now. You see, I went on a rampage at the town gate square and showed them that "I''m the center! right? I''m sure Wishart is watching my every move. If I were in Wishart''s position and had similar power, he''d definitely be looking for me. If I were to visit my sister, who''s a direct descendent of the Wishart family and who''s the one who slapped the insulation letter on the Wishart family, ...... I''m sure I''d get involved. d*mn. I should have waited until later to go on a rampage. ''Well, you may not get any useful information from meeting Lupinus, though. After all, she''s a girl who left home decades ago. It''s true that we may not know anything about the Wishart family today. ...... ''Oh, by the way, the Wishart women are thrown out of the house without question, aren''t they? ''Well, yes. Perhaps you''ve never been in the center of the main building?'' Lucia had told me that in Wishart''s house, there were several separate family units, and only those chosen by the head of the family were allowed to enter the main building. Only a small part of the main building is open to guests. So it''s unlikely that she knows anything about hidden passageways in the main building, hiding places for dangerous items, or anything fishy like that. Maybe there''s not much point in meeting. No, I''d like to meet him. I think it''s foolish to assume that there''s no point before meeting. However, I don''t want Lupinus and his family to suffer for my reasons. It would be nice if there was some kind of situation where we could pass each other casually or get some information from each other in passing, but ...... it''s impossible for us who don''t even know each other at the distance of forty-two and thirty-five districts. If we involve Orkio, ...... we might cause unnecessary worry to Jeannette. Perhaps if Orkio or someone from Sirach tries to contact Lupinus, Wishart will come to crush them. This is the situation. They''ll be especially vigilant about their Achilles heel. That''s what I would do. ...... Hmm. You can''t do that. ...... No, but there is a way. ............ I''m not sure if you''re looking for me, Yashiro, but I''m sure you''re looking for me. Assunto came to the sunny pavilion with a smiling face. I braced myself for the fact that I could hear them talking, but Assunto seemed to have guessed what they were talking about from the faces in the room. But still, that face: ...... ''You look just like a pig. ''We''re a pig people, aren''t we!What, what, now?Did you forget? It''s retaliation for being a little startled, don''t worry about it. ''This is Mr. or Mrs. Please forgive me for interrupting your conversation. ''Please don''t. We''re not nobles. We''d appreciate it if you''d act normal. ''Long time no see, Mr. Assunto. Thank you for the wedding.'' ''No, not at all. It was a great help to us to have you recommend our products to the Bug People of District 35. At the wedding parade, the humans wore tactile catsuits and the Bug People wore yukata and other similar outfits to bring them closer to each other. Was Sirach standing between them? ''Mr. Assunto, would you like something to drink? ''Yes, please, sir. ''Then, Ginette, give Assunto a cup of the Sunlit Pavilion Kaiseki - Saiari. ''At least a drink, please! That''s right. Lately, we''ve only been selling the kaiseki at a discounted price. Let us sell it at the regular price for a change. ''Which do you prefer, coffee or fruit juice? ''Then, fruit juice.'' ''You''re a child! ''That''s fine!...... Coffee is bitter.'' Oh my God! Are you serious? You can''t drink coffee?I''m about to start a trend. Ginette went to the kitchen and Assunto sat down next to Orkio. And he smiles at me from across the table with such force that I can see into his face. ''Would you like to go on a sales promotion tour for Re:Born? ''A promotional tour? ''Yes. Re:Born has gained a certain amount of support in the 42nd district, the 29th district and the neighboring BU districts that are easily accessible to the 42nd district, but its power hasn''t reached the distant districts on the periphery. That''s probably true. At present, coupons can be used in almost all forty-two districts. Not many people are willing to go to distant districts for a few dozen Rb. ''If the usefulness of "Re:Born" becomes known, the number of sponsors will increase, and stores in each ward will all issue coupons. This will increase the number of customers who want to visit other districts, and the number of horse-drawn carriages will naturally increase as the traffic between other districts becomes more active. It is very desirable for us, the peddlers'' guild, to have the economy circulate in this way, so we will cooperate fully with you. ''In other words, you want me to take the Reborn and sell it around the outer districts? ''In addition to that, it would be nice if we could have a simple hands-on class that we can do while we are on the move. For example, Mum''s stain removal or massage ...... is difficult because it requires a bed, but something good for beauty or health--'' ''How about a foot massage! Ginette returned with the juice and appealed to Assunto with a twinkle in her big eyes. ''......Eh, yeah, well, that''s one thing ......? ''If it''s a foot massage, you can do it with just one chair, and it doesn''t take up much space, effort or time!I think it will be suitable for you! ''Yes, you''re right. ......'' Assunto is glancing at me. But, you know, you''re the one who said ''massage'', right?You take the blame. ''But, I''m not sure if I can find a good instructor. ......'' ''If so, I can help you! Oh, no. That''s the worst ending I could have come up with. What are you gonna do, man? ''I''ll think about that later! Oh, he broke off the conversation forcefully. ''I think it will be easier to take such a big action since people will think that we are doing our best to defeat our hated enemy, the intelligence paper. I see. So it''s a distraction, pretending that it''s a counterattack against the Information Paper - and by extension, Wishart - that has been attacking us. ''And when we went to the 35th district...'' ''and secretly meet with Lupinus for a massage or something. ''Yes, I think you can at least ask her about it. Of course, Yashiro does not know her true identity at all. That sounds like an interesting proposal. It will take some time and effort to prepare and produce, but ...... ''It would be a good blow to the paper, so let''s give it a try. ''Then, I''ll make all the arrangements myself. Oh, can I borrow a few carpenters?'' ''Tell that to Estella. ''Then, I''ll tell her. Assunto ran out of the sunlit pavilion happily. That look of joy... I''m sure he was happy to have escaped Ginette''s persuasion. d*mn. How am I supposed to calm down a ginette who got carried away by a footstool? I wonder if sacrificing Assunto will appease the Footstool God. ...... 496-Episode 298 Promoting, overthrowing and advertisin... In order to promote the sales of "Re:Born", to defeat the information paper, and also to advertise the upcoming opening of the lovely Yann Avenue, a large caravan of forty people was formed. Four huge three-horse carriages were used to transport the caravan, which crossed the outer perimeter in an ostentatious manner. A cooking team to introduce new sweets and other delicacies. The Beauty Parade introduces makeup, fashion and other fashionable items. The health team offers massages and exercises. The Life Team provides useful information on daily life such as stain removal and furniture repair. These four groups will make a two-day, one-night tour to the 35 wards. It takes time to prepare for such a large scale event, and the receiving side also needs to be prepared. There are many decisions to be made, such as rehearsals for the presenters and filling in the gaps caused by the loss of staff. In the first place, even the basics have not been decided, such as the selection of the person who will organize the caravan and the establishment of rules for the participants. It''s going to be a long time before we leave. It could be a month or two at the earliest. ...... I was thinking, ''Why are we leaving in two days? It was only yesterday that Assunto came up with the idea, so we''ll actually be leaving in three days, or even two and a half days. ''Quick decisions are my strong point,'' he said. ''Isn''t that called recklessness with no planning? ''Don''t worry.Natalia''s given us the go-ahead. ''You''re too dependent on her, my lord. ''That''s what my chief of staff said. ''A lord is only as good as the people he has at his disposal. I don''t remember the exact nuance. Who''s your chief of staff? I don''t remember being in such a position, and I don''t remember being paid for it. I don''t remember being paid. I hope you''re not periodically rereading the Conversation Record. ''If you don''t do something like this quickly, you never know where you''ll be interrupted again. ''From where?From over there, right? I point to the west side of the forty-second district, the thirtieth district on the cliff, and say. ''You don''t know what route they''ll take if they start from there, do you?Yesterday, I received a letter from the Civil Engineering Guild Union. ''From the guild? Estella pulls out a letter from her floppy, floppy chest. It''s flimsy for an officer of the union to send to a lord. ''It''s flimsy. ''It''s the letter, isn''t it? Oh, I''m sorry. I''ve got so many similar onomatopoeias in my head right now that the one that would be most appropriate for this occasion just came out of my mouth. ''It was very simple. ''From now on, do not work for Torbek''s contractors. If you do, we won''t lend you a single Civil Engineering Guild member who belongs to the union.'' ''We don''t need strangers.'' ''Yeah. That''s why I sent the letter back as soon as I could. ''Don''t worry, we don''t need anyone from the union. The letter was even more flimsy than the other one. ''So you can tell who it''s from just by looking at it? ''I''m going to legally destroy any organization that is so rude as to recognize me by the thinness of my letter! Oh no, I''m going to be crushed then. ''But still, there''s a huge crowd here. ''After all, everyone''s looking forward to it. We''re all looking forward to seeing this town change. I named the magazine ''Re:Born'', but it seems that the people here are more like being awakened than reborn. There have been times when Assunto has jumped around externally, but it was unthinkable in the Forty-Two Wards a while ago that a group of really ordinary people other than those related to the Sunlight Pavilion and the Lords would go out to other wards to promote a new culture. These are the same people who were crying over Assunto and lamenting about ''rice is too expensive to buy ......''. ''Yashiro~!Estella! Ginette finds us and comes running. Yeah, correction. She walks over with a face like she''s running. Her shoulders are shaking more than usual. We''re at the town gate square. Javier has agreed to lend us twelve of his best horses, which are currently being cared for in the stable of Imelda''s house. We have brought in dozens of carpenters from the Torbek and Kawaya construction companies to build a huge three-horse carriage to accommodate the horses, and work is proceeding at a rapid pace. The rough design was done by Umaro, and from that point on, while building, we listened to the requests of each team member, such as ''I want something like this'' or ''I want it to be more like this'', and made improvements as needed. ...... is a very difficult way of making things for the creator. It is very difficult to make. It''s much easier to make if you decide ''this! It''s too much trouble to ask for changes after the work has started. In fact, every time the carpenters at Kawaya Corporation received an order, they would say, "You can''t say that now! or ''You just said you don''t want that! or ''You just said you didn''t want that! On the other hand, Torbeck Construction Company is always saying, ''Oh, it''s better to have this, isn''t it?We thought so, so we made it.''''What?You want this part to be removable?Then I''ll improve it in five minutes,'' he said, and proceeded with his work quickly. I guess it''s the difference in experience. ''''The carpenters at Trubec Construction are getting tougher because they''ve been recklessly pushed around by someone else. And Estella is saying to me what I just wanted to say to Estella. No, no, it''s you! And while I''m doing that, Jeannette is coming closer and closer. You''re slow, you know. ''Huh, huh, sorry for the wait. Nice bounce. ''Mmm, repent.'' I didn''t say a word! ''Yashiro, your gaze. And your cheeks are melting.'' Really? Well, it can''t be helped. I was all over the place. I had a prime seat right in front of you. ''How about you, is everything okay? ''Yes, sir. Thanks to Mr. Zelmar''s hard work, I''m sure we''ll be able to perform well on the road. The carpenters are busy working on the harbor. However, they''re short on manpower because the arrogant lord brought in a big project with his own ideas. That''s why even the old furniture maker who retired earlier has been dragged out. The old members of the woodworkers'' guild are gathered around Zelmar, working together. They love him to pieces. ''Just because I want to show old Mum a good time, I''ll go to ...... and chant "cold water for old people" in her ear a hundred times. ''Uh-huh. You''ll get scolded.'' Huh? I''m returning the favor? ''What did you get Zelmar to make for you?Is it a cooktop or something?'' ''No, a chair.'' ''...... chair?'' I have a bad feeling about this. Estella seems to have sensed it too, and her cheeks are slightly drawn together. ''Yes. It''s a deep seat and the handrails are solid, so even if you get a little rough, you won''t fall or tumble, Mr. Zelmar has given his seal of approval. ''Why are you in the health team? You''re in the cooking team! ''This time, we asked Loretta-san, who has mastered crepes, to be the representative of the cooking team''s sunlit pavilion. Due to the limited space in the caravan, not everything can be made. Therefore, we are planning to introduce the hottest crepe from Hidamari-tei as our product. In addition to the thinness of the dough, the appearance of the crepe is also important, such as the arrangement of the cream and the cutting of the fruit. ''Ginette has to cut the fruit, right? ''Yes. I''ll take care of that and prepare a lot of fruit. No! He''s going to do foot acupuncture with the health team no matter what! At last, something that takes precedence over cooking has appeared! ''Magda is going to be a model in the beauty squad, so let''s all do our best. ''Estella, I''m sorry if this turns into a sectional war. ''No, it''s okay. ...... I think ............ I want to.'' Estella has also witnessed Ginette''s outbursts many times. It''s hard to say ''enough! I don''t know. Please don''t let anyone die. At any rate, I felt that my massage space, which I had reserved for the health team ahead of time, would unintentionally become an important position to keep an eye on Ginette. The preparations for the caravan proceeded with such turbulence. ''Hey!Don''t just sit around and work, you sunny-eyed bastard! Zelmar arrives, his wrinkled face glistening. He''s got sweat on his forehead, looking satisfied. Oh, he''s carrying a chair. He''s here to show off what he''s made. ''Estella, let''s go check on the cooks. ''Why don''t you wait, kid! ''It''s ....... You want praise that badly? ''Don''t be stupid!I just want to show you that this is what a real chair looks like! With a thump, Zelmar places the chair in front of me and proudly displays his chest. It''s a big, stable, gorgeous chair. It''s made of woven rattan and looks comfortable. This chair would not look out of place in a high-class inn of long standing. Yes, it would look good in the salon of Estella''s house. ''But it''s too big. Space is limited in a caravan. Please make it foldable.'' ''Don''t be absurd!You can''t get this stability in a folding chair! ''I see, you can''t...'' Well, it can''t be helped with Zelmar, can it? ''Nuh-uh, ......, got it!Let''s do this!Let''s see what you can do, kid! ''Yes, but it would be a shame to let such a fine chair go to waste. ......'' ''Zelmar, sell it! ''M......, tell the guild leader.'' ''Yes!Book it! The old man looks a little happy that his lord wants him. Are you one of those approval-seekers? ''Oh, well. That''s a nice chair.'' Hearing our commotion, Grandma Mum suddenly appears. She''s going to join the living team and demonstrate stain removal in various places. You may wonder if it is safe to take her around, but she is very enthusiastic about it. I wonder if she has gained confidence in long-distance travel after her trip. Grandma Mum traced her fingers over the rattan chair made by Zelmar and checked its texture. ''That''s Zelmar. Even though you''re retired, you''re still very skilled. ''...... Hmm. I can''t afford to lose to the young guys yet. No more, just lose and go back to the ground. Don''t stay here forever. ''I was just thinking that I wanted a comfortable chair like this. ''............, Mum, if you say so, I ...... will withdraw.'' Estella gives up her chair in a desperate attempt to keep it. Well, against Zelmar, Grandma Mum is an invincible joker. No matter what you do, there''s no way you can win. But... ''Sorry, Mum. This one''s already been reserved by my lord.'' ''Well, is that so?Well, then, I guess I have no choice. Even if it''s a verbal promise, he won''t go back on it. He''s a craftsman, or rather, he''s a stubborn old man. ''Then let''s give up. ''There''s nothing to give up. I can make a chair like this ...... every day if you like.'' ''I don''t need a chair every day.'' Jijii. Crushed!Pfft! "I''ll make you a chair every day. No, you''re bothering me! How many chairs are you going to have in that house? How many chairs are you going to have in that house? Can I have chairs in my house?What?You''re so annoying! ''Hmmm. Mr. Zelmar, you''ve become a little more aggressive. ''I crushed it, though. ''Did you make any progress during your trip?'' ''What, Zelmar, did you peek into Grandma Mum''s bath? ''Who the hell would peek? Oh, no, you didn''t. I thought that''s what you meant by progress. ''...... already, Yashiro-san. You can''t do that. It''s a delicate matter. ''Hey, hey. An old man and an old woman have a delicate love affair. ...... I''m an old man who''s about to be delirious. ''Hmm, hmm!You''re wearing out my life span with you!I''ll go make a foldable chair! I''m going to make a foldable chair!'' Leaving the wicker chair behind, Zelmar heads off towards the caravan. ...... I can''t help it. ''Umaro. Can you give him some advice? ''Leave it to me. I can learn a lot from watching you work, so I''ll be watching you closely. ''Also, tell him to make the seat and backrest out of strong linen. I''m sure Ukrines will be able to provide you with some good cloth.'' ''I see. Then the seat will be soft and won''t get in the way of folding. I''ve often seen these chairs in Japan, but never in this city. I don''t think there are any movie directors here. See, that chair is a favorite of movie directors, right? ''...... Yashiro-chan.'' ''Yes, I''m sorry. I''m sorry.'' After seeing Zelmar off, Old Mum scolded me quietly. It was just a joke. ''You''re very delicate, lady. ''But you look so happy, Zelmar. You really look like you''re young again.'' Pointing at me, Zelmar says something to the old man of the Woodworkers'' Guild. I''m guessing it''s mostly bad-mouthing me. Umaro joins him and tells him the idea of the folding chair with gestures. The old woodworkers clap their hands in surprise and delight, and give us a thumbs-up. Just make it. ''Zelmar, after your grandfather passed away, I lost my energy, or rather, ...... I couldn''t get anything done for a long time. Not long after that, I retired from work. The death of their best friend left a huge hole in the hearts of Zelma and the others. ''Me, too. ....... It''s no good. Even though Jeannette was working so hard. ''Oh no,....... I think it was because of Grandma Mum and the others that I was able to get through that time. ''Yes....... I''m glad to hear you say that. Ginette''s grandfather had died, followed by a major outbreak of swamp sickness. That period must have been the worst time for the Forty-Two Wards, as well as for Zelmar and Old Mum and the others. ''I wonder if it''s ...... because Jeannette-chan and Yashiro-chan are doing their best.'' Grandma Mum took Jeannette''s hand and wrapped it around her. ''Forty-two districts have come to life, and many things that I''ve never seen before have come into being, and I, too, want to do and create something again. He talks, and scratches his cheek as if embarrassed. ''No, no. A grandmother like me is so excited at her age.'' ''That''s not true. My grandfather used to say that people who can find fun at any age are successful in life. ''Hmm... He was right. Maybe that''s why he was always smiling so happily.'' ''Yes. He was laughing every day. A life of looking for someone''s faults and mounting them, of throwing tantrums when things don''t go your way, of wishing for the failures and misfortunes of others is a life of great failure. If you can say that life is fun even if you don''t have money or friends, then you are probably a winner. Not for someone else''s approval, but so that you can be proud of yourself. By the way, it makes me happier when others approve of me, but that''s just a byproduct of a life I love. If you have it, you are happy. People who can think like that will be able to live with laughter until the end of their lives. Maybe that''s why people make efforts to become such a person. ''Hmmm... ......'' Suddenly, Old Mum starts laughing. What, did she suddenly start to lose her mind?Do you remember if you''ve eaten? ''In the moon cradle, there was a very nice chair. It was a nice, comfortable chair. And yet, ...... hmm, Zelmar...'' But Zelmar said, ''''If it''s a chair like this, the chair in the sunny pavilion is more comfortable. He said. That chair was made by Yashiro, right?If you ask me, when Zelmar is sitting on the chair, he keeps touching the railing and the joint of the backrest with his fingers. Maybe he was inspired by Yashiro and wanted to make furniture. Well, I can make almost any kind of furniture, whether it''s German, Roman, Swedish, or pure Japanese. Forgery of antique high class furniture sells like hotcakes--well, that''s not important. ''What''s the matter with you, Zermatt? If I admired him, I''d at least sign his autograph. ''Hmm... He probably wants to compete with Yashiro-chan. Maybe he''ll get back on the field. ''Wow~ I feel sorry for the youngsters. Don''t let the old man get away with it. Give way to the younger generation. ''Yashiro-chan, Jeannette-chan.'' Grandma Mum smiled and looked up at the sky faintly. ''I''m enjoying every day now. I feel like I''m a success in life, just like she said. I wonder. Those words sounded like a statement of sorts. Maybe Grandma Mum was in love with Jeannette''s grandfather. So, since she had become an adult like her grandfather said, she wanted to end her life here and start a new one. ''Yes. Grandma Mum is very nice.'' ''Mm-hmm. Thank you, little Ginette. I''ll go with you then. ''Yes, ma''am. Please come to the Sunken Pavilion later for tea. ''Yes, I''ll see you later. They bade each other goodbye and waved goodbye. Seeing old lady Mum like that, I think. Too late to start a new life, isn''t it? Well, if she''s happy, that''s the best thing. ''Hey~! Darling, have some of Osina''s new food! When I took Estella and Ginette to check out the cooking team, I was approached by Osina. At the moment, the cooks who are not accustomed to mobile sales are practicing cooking in a simple kitchen. Cooking in a limited space, with inadequate heat and water, was forcing the cooks, who had been doing their best in a familiar environment, to struggle more than they had imagined. If you are at home, you can make a meal quickly, but when you go camping, it is very difficult. Something like that. ''Chilled jellied colorful vegetables~a??'' ''Wow, it looks so cool and pretty.'' ''Desho desho~a??'' The colorful vegetables wrapped in a clear, slightly yellowish jellied sauce with a hint of yuzu scent is a dish that is brilliant to the eyes. The glass also enhances the appearance of this dish. It''s going to be a trend to serve dishes in glasses in the future. ''Hmm!It''s delicious. I think I like this kind of food. ''Yes. It''s light and refreshing, and you can enjoy the sweetness of the vegetables. Estella and Ginette, who had tasted it, chattered to each other. Because they could imagine the taste from the aroma and the appearance, it didn''t make Ginette squeal with excitement, but it was still good enough. ''There are so many different kinds of vegetables, I can eat it all the way through without getting bored. Because you can imagine the taste from the appearance, you can enjoy wondering what to eat next. This is interesting. ''Haha~a?? I''m more confident now that everyone has given me their seal of approval...'' If the crepes at the Sundaily Pavilion are for enjoying cream and fruit, the dishes at Osina are for enjoying citrus jellies and vegetables. They are similar but very different. And yet, both are gorgeous and fashionable. It''s a kind of ''glamour'' or ''aggravation''. ''Hey Yashiro. Is it really okay for me to go on as usual? While I was enjoying Osina''s new work, Paula came to me with a worried look on her face. Cantalcica is supposed to bring the standard fruity sausages and cold beer. The beer was brought in chilled with Assunto''s secret ice. ''You know, I''m getting worried because everyone around me is doing new things. ......'' ''New things are new and fun, but it''s powerful to have a standard among them. ''Is that what you think ......? Paula looked unconvinced. Paula likes new things, too. But... ''If you don''t know Cantalcica, you''ll be surprised by this sausage with a hint of fruit. Fruity sausages themselves are a rarity in this city. Not a few, Javier and Lucia said they had never seen it before, so it must not exist in the outer districts. ''That and a cold beer is a classic combination, right?Let''s give the newcomers a good beating, the power of a classic. ''I see. ......, yeah. That''s right. All right!...... Well, the fruity sausage was made last year. It''s not a new product, but it''s not as old as the traditional taste. Still, it is one of the mainstay products in Cantaluc?-a. You should be proud of it. ''Well, I''d better get back. ''Yes, sir.'' With Ginette in tow, we headed back to our booth. Soon, a large man appeared in front of us. ''Hey, Yashiro?And the manager. Javier, who had been wandering around the area, spotted me and Jeannette in the health unit and came up to us. ''What are you doing?If you don''t take care of others, we won''t be able to get ready in time. Javier said, pointing towards the cooking team. ''No, Ginette and I are this way this time. ''What?Aside from Yashiro, it''s shocking that the manager isn''t cooking. ''Huh, ......, does that mean they think I''m someone who can''t do anything but cook? ''No, no, no, no!No, no, no!I know from people that the manager has great housekeeping skills, but I thought you loved cooking more than anything. Javier makes his best excuse to a dejected Jeannette. To the casual observer, it looks as if the forest bear is bullying the young lady. ''It''s true that I like to cook, but I''m here to help you this time. ''Oh, you''re helping Yashiro.'' ''No. I''m more of a support for Ginette, or rather, a watcher.'''' ''Huh ......, I don''t need a watch .......'' Once again, Jeannette is depressed. I see, I see. Ginette, you''re not ...... aware enough. If you are allowed to go unchecked, you are in danger of destroying one or two neighboring districts. ''It looks kind of interesting, doesn''t it? What are you doing?'' ''Foot acupuncture. ''Foot acupressure?I''ve never heard of it.'' ''Well, didn''t Imelda tell you anything about it? ''Oh, no. Does Imelda know about it? I''m not sure if he''s been traumatized by the fact that he didn''t tell his father about his footballs,....... It''s a taboo word in the 42nd district, especially in the vicinity of the sunlit pavilion. I''ve been thinking about Imelda. While I was thinking about Imelda, she came over with a graceful gait. ''By the way, Yashiro-san.'' Turning her parasol around, Imelda calls out to me. If I approach and lend an ear, she will whisper in my ear as if she is concerned about Javier. ''I kept it from your father, just in case. ''I see. Then today is that day. You son of a b*tc*. What a tasteless thing to say! That''s right. It''s no fun if rumors get ahead of you and you get unnecessary knowledge. That''s Imelda. She understands entertainment very well. ''Well, Javier. Would you like to experience it for yourself? ''Oh, you''re sure? ''Yeah, I''m almost done with the preparations. I''m going to give you a nice, slow, moist massage. ...... Yeechhhhhh.'' ''Wait a minute, Yashiro! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, you can call us at our own web site. ''I can''t be massaged by a guy with such an evil face!Oh yeah, that''s right, manager!You can do it too, right, that foot pressure point? ''Yes, sir. It''s just for fun. ''Then you do it. Listen, Yashiro, don''t touch it!I''ll have the manager do the foot massage! Hearing Javier''s declaration, the whole area went ''buzz! The whole place went buzzing. Zawa......Zawa...... ZAWA......ZAWA...... Zawa......Zawa...... zawa...... zawa...... ''So, Javier. This way please. Estella, I''m sorry, but may I borrow Mr. Zermal''s wicker chair?'' ''Yes, of course.'' ''Mr. Manager, please give it your best shot.'' ''Yes, sir. I''ll do my best to make Javier-san''s fatigue disappear. ''Well, I''m looking forward to it. --Yashiro, stay where you are!Imelda, keep a close eye on him. ''Yes, sir.'' Javier points at me and warns me, then heads to the wicker chair with Ginette. I, Estella, and Imelda saw him off with smiles. ''Yashiro. ''What is it? ''You''re really good at leading people to their doom, aren''t you? ''I really admire you. ''What''s with the bad manners? Ginette wants to do the foot acupuncture. Javier wants to get his feet jarred. Isn''t that a wonderful outcome where no one is unhappy? And right after Estella and Imelda both let out a wicked grin-- ''Oooohhhh! Javier''s scream echoed through the square. The preparations proceeded one way or another, and on the evening of the day before our departure, we were finally ready to leave tomorrow. ''I guess we can make it. You guys are good!Ha-ha-ha! Javier, who had recovered from the shock of the cramped feet, was in a good mood and tapping an old man he had never seen before on the shoulder. Who''s that?Are you a carpenter from Kawaya Corporation? ''Hmm?These guys?They''re carpenters from the Forty District.'''' ''No, no, no, no!You shouldn''t help them! Estella sent back a letter from the Civil Engineering Guild asking for a fight, ''Fine, a**h*le! I''m sure you''ll understand. The carpenters of the forty wards are union members. ''Don''t worry, Oba-kun. Demilly, the Goddess of Mercy, smiled and said something outrageous. ''They''re also carpenters who left the union. ''Hey, Estella? ''I didn''t say anything. The old man offered. He said, ''I''ll help you. Huh. ...... He''s doing the impossible with ease. That''s the Goddess. Even though it''s almost dusk, I feel like I''m getting a halo. ''Demilly seems to have a halo. ''That''s not a halo, it''s me glowing!Who''s the relative of the glowing brick, anyway? No, I didn''t mean it like that, but ......, the self-deprecation has gone too far, this guy. ''No, what. I''m not going to say that I don''t like it, but I do like it. I heard that a union official - a nobleman from the 29th district who took the lead in removing the Torbeck Engineering Shop - came to Demilly and threatened him not to send any carpenters to the 42nd district. ''If you don''t listen to us, we won''t let you use the union carpenters. ''They think I''m some kind of laird who''s a pawn in Stuart''s game. Demilly is tolerant of most things. He doesn''t voice any particular objections, he doesn''t put pressure on others, and he doesn''t work behind the scenes with a hint of ambition. In the eyes of some people, he is seen as a coward, a cowardly, opportunistic, and a decorative lord. But in fact, it is Javier, the steel-muscled monster, who holds the real power. What''s that? That''s a horrible misunderstanding. Is there really someone who says that?Are your eyes glazed over, or are your eyelids sewn shut? The Ambrose Demilly I know is a man of foresight and caution who avoids disadvantage rather than taking advantage. And yet, he''s not afraid of disadvantage, which is one of the things I have to admit about Demilly. No matter the disadvantages that may befall him, he reaches out to the backward and the weak, stands behind them, and voluntarily intervenes in disputes. At first glance, it may seem that he is always getting the short end of the stick, but Demilly''s actions have always prevented the worst damage to the forty districts. In order to protect the people of his district, Demilly alone has suffered a disadvantage. However, as long as the people of the district live in safety and peace, the disadvantage Demilly has suffered will soon be forgotten. From my point of view, Demilly is a man with a terrible sense of balance. Perhaps it''s people like Demily that Mahrul has the most difficulty with. He has no greed and is hard to control. But he''s cautious and has no qualms. He is also a man of character and well-liked by his people. If you attack him, you''ll instantly be seen as the bad guy. The more you attack, the more you lose. It''s hard to mess with someone who makes you think that. Demily is a lord who can hold his own with Donnis. Despite the differences in strength and softness, I see them as equal in power. That''s why you shouldn''t make him angry. ''He''s a troublesome lord who has been attentive in all directions even at the expense of all of his hair. ''Maybe I should be angry~, is it time?'' I praised you! The union has strangled itself even more by offending such a demilly. The carpenters of the 40th district also quit the union -- perhaps Demilly would compensate them for all the damages, wow, that''s scary -- and on top of that, they displeased Demilly''s good friend Javier. ''If the lumberjacks say they won''t sell the wood, the carpenters won''t be able to work.'' ''Ha-ha-ha!I can''t go that far - the royals would destroy us - but I did tell them that I don''t feel good about it, and I''m sure we''ll have to spend some time in suspense. . Ha-ha-ha! I believe that although Javier appears to be protecting Demilly, in reality Javier is coddling Demilly. There''s no lord who can support the Lumberjack Guild as perfectly as Demilly. ''Oh, yeah. The forty-first district is out too, the union.'''' ''Huh?That''s not what I heard, me!Did you really leave? ''Of course they did. The lovely Yann Avenue is a joint work of Torbek''s construction company and our carpenters. It''s not my place to be told not to help or borrow from a union official who suddenly showed up. ''Haha, ...... make up for it, will you? ''Oh. I''m going to get you a job with Trubek. It looks like we''re about to have a real Torvec union. ''Well then, shall we discuss civil engineering matters after the caravan is over, Oji-sama? ''Yes, we should. I''m sure we can work something out if the three districts work together. ''Right!That''s what my calculations show. ''Yeah, Ricardo''s annoying. ''Why the hell not? Because you don''t do the math, you know that, Ricardo. I ask Javier as the three lords begin their meeting for the meeting. ''Hey, what''s ungraded? ''Hmm?Oh, the one Ambrose mentioned.'' Demilly just said, ''A nobleman with no grade is so high and mighty. But the aristocrat who was harassing Torbeck Engineering, the officer of the union, is the one living in the 29th district. ''Then isn''t he a fourth-grade noble? ''Only lords and their bloodline families can be graded. Oh, is that so? ''Then what about Javier? ''An ungraded nobleman. Haha, if I get cocky with Ambrose, he''ll say, ''No grade is too high''. Javier laughs, his face crumpled in amusement. It''s a joke I can tell because I know it''s not true. But then again, only lords and lordsesses get the grade. That''s true. Otherwise, nobles who aren''t lords would be higher than lords. I''ve never really thought about it, but I guess that''s how it is. ''But many of the ungraded people look down on the lords of the outer districts. ''You think you have the ''potential'' to go higher? ''Yes, yes. Something like that. The noblemen without rank are probably trying to raise the rank of their family by connecting themselves with noblemen of higher rank. That''s why, if a prince sees you as a relative of the future empress, you''ll be upgraded to the first grade. ......? I''m sure you''re aware that the first class is the royal bloodline, right? Well, even if it''s not the first grade, it''s still a very high position. ''What would Imelda do if the prince took a fancy to her? It occurred to me to ask her such a question. Javier looks around, ''Don''t tell anyone,'' he says, and then he asks me. ''I''ll tell them to mind their own business. ''Haha! I couldn''t help but laugh. That''s my girl, Imelda. You''re more noble than a prince. ''Ha-ha-ha!Well, I''m not interested in status or money. If Imelda decides that she wants to be with someone, whether it be a nobleman or a commoner, a beastman or a scoundrel, she will not oppose it. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. ''I know you''re a tremendous tit lover,'' he said. ...... There are not many things more unpleasant than an old man''s wink. It''s a long way off.It''s still a long way off. Until then, I''ll dote on him as much as I can and make him say, ''There''s no better man than your father! I don''t know about that. I heard Imelda got a new hand axe the other day. For Javier. Be careful. ''Well, I''m going to talk to Medora about the guard tomorrow. ''Oh. When you''re done, come see me at the Sunshine Pavilion. Masha''s coming today, so we''ll have crabs.'' ''Whoo-hoo!I''m coming!I''ll be there for sure, so prepare a good drink and wait for me!'' I had no idea at the time that this would be the last conversation I would have with Javier. ''I''m not going to die!I''m definitely coming! A large man who doesn''t look like he''s going to die even if I kill him walks towards the city gate half crying. A lord, three guild leaders. Before I knew it, the number of people I knew had increased. If you add in the lighter members, you''ve got a lot of acquaintances. Producers and sole proprietors of the forty-two districts. Most of the people in the restaurant industry have become acquaintances. I was planning to consolidate the ground in secret and disappear as soon as I could. I look up at the sky, which is becoming darker and darker, and think to myself. ''I''ve come a long way before I realized it. ......'' I haven''t moved from the 42nd district, though. 497-Episode 299 The Great Caravan Squadron is coming!m... a?a Caravan''s going, caravan''s going, caravan''s going a?a a?a Rocking on a carriage, lil'' lil'' lil'' a?a It''s a dream come true to be singing along. ''Hey, hurry up with the setup!We only have three hours! ''Hey, cooking team!Go another 20 meters!The beauty squad hasn''t fully entered the square! ''Emergency!Does anyone know any charcoal? ''Hey!They''re not letting the customers in yet!Please wait a little longer!Come on, the children are in danger, organize the area properly, committee members! It was a chaotic situation. Because of the large number of people, we could only schedule two days and one night for the caravan. Or rather, we didn''t intend to make it last longer than that. ...... I don''t know how long I can take care of such a large group of people. Anyway, we don''t have much time. I don''t have time to go around to each district and go to the 35th district. I skipped the 41st district because I was the organizer. On the first day, we left early in the morning and held the mobile experience event in the morning at a place between the 40th and 39th wards, and in the afternoon near the border between the 38th and 37th wards. The next day, we plan to hold an almost full-day event in Ward 35, inviting Ward 36. Even though it will be a full day, we are trying to make it possible to return to each ward in the evening. ...... I''d like to go home in the evening, but every time I''ve gone home, I''ve always ended up arriving back late in the evening, after being procrastinated for a bit longer. This time, I''m going to finish up quickly and go home! There are a lot of important people here, and we don''t want to get in trouble for the next day''s work! Hahahaha!This messy ...... is starting to get interesting! ''Just go help me get ready, Ricardo.'' ''I told him I''d help, but he said, "I''m fine for now."'' ''You''re in my way,'' he said. This time, Ricardo is one of the organizers. As you can imagine, he has received a notice of disability, but he still seems to be having fun the whole time. I guess he''s just enjoying the festivities, though. If he can''t help us, at least don''t get in the way of our efforts. ''Estella~, let me deal with this lord for a moment...'' ''Sorry, I''m busy right now, so put him on a leash somewhere. ''Sure~ka~y...'' ''Don''t you get it, Oba!I''ll help you!You want me to help you? ''You don''t have to help me, just get out of my way! You gotta understand, you''re a liability! I''m currently setting up a foot acupressure corner. In other words, I''m in the health squad where there are a lot of District 41 owners who are planning to open a store on Suteki-yan Avenue. I guess that''s why Ricardo is messing with me. Go to the beauty squad. There''s a lot of people from District 41 there too, right? I see. You''re not interested in beauty, are you? Mr. Yashiro. I got some water from the footbath.'' ''Oh, Jeannette!Just what I needed. Why don''t you give Ricardo a footbath to get his fingers used to it?'' ''What?Is that okay?The rest of you are still busy getting ready. ......'' Most of them weren''t used to this kind of setup, so it seemed to be taking quite a bit of time. They have to take out the goods from the caravan''s huge storage wagons, arrange the desks, chairs, pots, cosmetics, and various other goods in the allotted places, and then arrange the layout in such a way as to attract the attention of the visitors. It sounds easy, but it is quite difficult when you actually try it. We were able to set up our own booth rather quickly because we were used to it, but we didn''t have time to go and help others. But we didn''t have time to help others. If we do that, it is obvious that they will say, ''Look at us too! I''ve already explained how to make a booth and some tips and tricks that you should keep in mind. Most of the participants this time are those who will have their own stores in the future at Suteki-yan Avenue. We would like you to think about this and be creative. You may look at the booths of others and use them as a reference for the future. Sometimes the trigger for development is regret. If you have a lot of regrets such as ''I should have done more'' or ''I should have done that better'', you can keep improving your booth. ''Don''t worry. They''re all going to be professionals. Isn''t it the role of our predecessors to believe in them and watch over them? ''That''s right. Then, I''ll just answer when they ask for advice without meddling.'' ''Well, if it''s too much for you, you can give him a word or two of advice. ''Yes, sir. So, I''m going to give Ricardo a leg crush to shut him up. ''Oh, but ......''. Ginette''s expression suddenly clouded with anxiety. ''Won''t the ...... customers run away if I do it?'' ''What, you''re going to go that hard? Ricardo, you might fall off your feet. ''Hey Yashiro''. Estella, who I thought had run away quickly, came back. ''If we''re going to do this, why don''t we wait for the doors to open and do a demonstration? It''s true that many people will be wondering ''what the heck is that? I''m sure many of you would be like, ''What''s that? Then, it''s a good idea to actually show them and say ''this is what it is''. ...... but that doesn''t mean you can''t use the full power of Jeannette to avoid Ricardo. ...... It''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out how to use it. ''Okay, then Estella, help me out. ''I''m sorry, I just remembered something urgent...'' ''Don''t worry. I''ll take care of you.'' ''...... really? ''Ginette''s got her hands full with Ricardo. ''...... finish while my hands are occupied?'' You don''t trust Ginette at all when it comes to foot pressure, do you? ''Since this is a good time, I thought I''d have both lords of the host district do it together. ''...... How about showing both the pleasant positive role and the funny reaction section at the same time to attract customers? ''In such cases, Yashiro will prioritize customer service over tinkering with me. ...... Okay, I''m in! I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. ......It looks like he doesn''t trust me much either. I''m not sure what to do. I really wanted to get Ricardo away from me right now, but ...... ''So, can I go check out Grandma Mum''s booth?If there''s anything I can do to help, I''d like to help.'' ''Oh. Well, the old lady''s a tightwad, so I''m sure she''ll be fine. ''Well, I''ll go make some small talk. Ginette smiles and runs off with a ''tote~''. That''s amazing, Jeannette. I can feel it shaking even from my back. ''What is it, Oba?What are you trying to get me to do?I''ll help you out, just tell me the details. ...... I can''t wait for the doors to open. I don''t know why, but he seems to like me a lot lately. I''m not sure why, but he''s been very fond of me lately. Even if I lead him to Estella, he comes right back to me. Maybe I''ll make a charm to ward off evil. I boil water for the footbath, and ignoring Ricardo, I come back to report with a smug look on my face, ''The setup is perfect! I told Loretta, who came to report to me with a smug look on her face, to do her best, and gave Magda, who had been dressed up pretty at the beauty parade booth, a pep talk saying she was the prettiest girl in the universe, and finally the morning session of the hands-on event began. ''Here we go!Yashiro, are you ready for this? ''Ah, Javier, good afternoon. I''m fully prepared, so if you have time, please come and experience the foot acupressure. ''Ugh!...... eagle,I have some urgent business ......''. Javier has escaped. Oh, great. If you''re in an RPG, you''ll definitely be able to get around him. If it had been an RPG, he would have definitely gotten around it. As soon as the doors opened, two groups of visitors poured in. Even with the advance notice, I didn''t expect this many people to show up. First of all, there was a line for the cooking group, and girls interested in fashion flocked to the beauty group. The Health Team got off to a subdued start, while an elderly couple leisurely looked at the Life Team''s exhibits. Well, I think the Health Team will come into its own in the latter half of the day, after most of the people have seen the Cooking and Beauty Teams. But, well, we only have three hours, and I want to get rid of Ricardo as soon as possible, so... ''Okay, Ginette, let''s do this. ''Yes, sir. ''Good luck, my lords.'' ''Foot massage. That''s what it is, isn''t it?Big guy making a lot of noise, right?'' Oh, so you''ve been informed. Huh?Has he ever seen a foot acupuncture point before? There''s no way to remember ......, the shadows are so thick they''re depressing, but my hippocampus refuses to remember. I''m sure Ricardo will be very upset. ''Don''t underestimate me, Estella. I''m not like those gutless people.'' ''Well, if you make a big deal out of it, you''ll have to do one thing for me. ''All right. In return, if I don''t make a sound, you''ll have to be prepared for that, right?'' ''Yeah, yeah. It''s okay. I''ll do whatever you say.'' Don''t casually promise such dangerous things between lords. You guys are so close. That''s a conversation you can''t have if you don''t trust each other. ...... Well, Estella is completely risk-free, so I guess that''s why she can say that. ''Well then, let''s start with a bit of customer service. ''Yes.'' Ricardo sat down in front of the smiling Ginette and seemed to be in a comfortable mood, but-- ''Aaahhhh! A few minutes later, a horrific scream echoed throughout the area. ''Come on, come on, come on!If you''re not in a hurry, come by! A few minutes before Ricardo cried out, I drew the attention of the people gathered like that. ''I''m sleeping a lot, but I can''t wake up in the morning. No matter how much I sleep, I still feel tired. I''ve been losing my appetite lately. ......My skin is rough. ......Oh no, I have pimples. ......If you''re suffering from these symptoms!I''m not sure what to do.In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. Foot pressure points are basically effective for visceral fatigue. If you can''t get rid of tiredness even after sleeping, or if you have skin problems, it''s often a problem with your digestive system. These problems can be expected to be treated by foot pressure points. In addition, I call up big men who are confident in their endurance. ''This is a ''painful'' massage to alleviate problems in the body. Try it for yourself. Those who were interested in what I had to say began to gather around. There are women who are worried about their skin, and those who are proud of their physical strength, and say, ''I''m as strong as anyone. I explain to them what foot pressure points are and what they do. Of course, they say, ''Does it work just by pressing the sole of the foot? No, no, no, you can''t faint in agony just by pressing the sole of your foot,'' comes the response. ''Of course, I can adjust the force, so I can give a very gentle massage to your beautiful ladies. I''m a little shy about touching your feet, though. When I gave her lip service in a fresh and handsome way, she would say, ''Oh no! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. ...... No, you''re a little too old to be called yellow, aren''t you? In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to use it for a lot of things. ''Wait, Oba!I''m not going to cry over something like this, and my muscles aren''t the only thing I can boast about! ''That''s right. You''re also proud of your good money, aren''t you? ''You''re so annoying!Don''t try to collect me every time! No, there aren''t many ATMs that are this easy, Also, I don''t want to pay for anything, basically. ''Hey, hey, are you saying that your little girl is going to press the soles of her feet and make a big man faint? ''Yes. ...... I''ll try to be as gentle as possible, so please try it out. ''Hahahaha!Did you hear that, man!I''m not sure what to do. I''m sure that Jeannette, who has no animal features, looks like a weak girl in everyone''s eyes. That''s right. She''s a weak girl. In fact, if she were to arm wrestle, she would lose every single match. She might be able to beat a three-year-old, but a four-year-old would be doubtful, and a five-year-old would probably defeat her. ''By the way, I''d like to know how powerful Jeannette is. ...... Hey, big guy over there, can you help me?'' ''Hmm?Me?'' He selects a large man from the crowd and calls him over. ...... It''s huge!It''s bigger than Omero!He''s probably not three meters tall, but if he raises his arms, he''ll be well over that. He''s got muscles so tight, it''s like he''s got old tires wrapped around his body. ''All right, then, Jeannette. Hit this old man as hard as you can.'' ''Yeah, yeah!I can''t do that, sir! Ginette refuses, waving her arms in the air, but the old man smiles broadly and slaps her in the stomach with a ''bash! The old man laughed and slapped himself on the stomach. ''No need to hold back!Give it your all, girl. ''So, sir, ......''. ''Well, well, Jeannette. It''s a festival, right? ''Even Estella-san is ...... ugh, so, ......'' At Estella''s suggestion, Jeannette clenched her fist fearfully. Then, with a big swing, she .................. popped it. ''I''m sorry!I''m sorry!I hope that didn''t hurt! ''Oh, ...... that''s so cute ......! Ginette. A punch like that wouldn''t hurt me either, I promise. Even a cat punch would have a little more impact. ''Okay, girl!Hit him!Hit me with it! ''What?Huh? ''Come on, come on! ''Yeah, ...... yeah, yeah! Ginette punched him in the stomach with a series of punches. Isn''t he punching you or stroking you, huh? Oh, why are his hands and feet lifting at the same time? Ginette''s lack of motor skills is becoming apparent to the crowd. And then, a peaceful atmosphere enveloped the area. ''Hey, little girl!I''m next! ''Oh, me too, me too! I''m sorry, but this is not a service store. Okay, Jeannette, that''s enough. ''Oh, um, if you get any bruises or pain, please come to the Sunken Pavilion. We have medicines, and of course we will treat you for free. I''m really sorry! ''What''s with this girl?She''s so nice! ''''Yes, I want her as my daughter! Good for you, grandpa. Everyone''s jealous of your position. ''''No, she''s more pure than my daughter who''s nine. ''Maybe she''s not as strong as my daughter who''s four. You can hear such conversations leaking out from among the old men. You''re getting a little too delicate, old men. Your muscles are melting, aren''t they? Even Jeannette, who only has this level of strength, faints in agony when an unhealthy person presses the acupuncture points on her feet. ''''''No, no, no, no, that''s not possible! The air in the room warmed up nicely, so I sat Ricardo down on a chair. First of all, I have to win the hearts of the audience with my funny reaction. ''Oh. Despite its appearance, it''s quite comfortable, isn''t it? Mentor, you should make arrangements to buy a set of these chairs. ''Yes.'' The old butler by Ricardo''s side obeys Ricardo''s order and leaves the place. All right, chance. ''Well, Ricardo. Let''s start with the footbath. ''Yeah, I know. That feels good too, doesn''t it?'' I know you heard about the footbath at Lucia''s place somewhere and you''ve been begging Umaro to try it someday. It''s an afterthought, you know. ''Ohhhhh ...... this is so nice''. I dripped Regina''s special aromatic oil into the footbath and quickly wiped my feet, though a little briefly. The footbath is essential for preparation before the foot massage. See, when you let other people touch your feet, you have to worry about a lot of things, right?Both the person touching them and the person being touched. So, it''s essential to cleanse your feet with a footbath once. ''So, Ricardo-san, please sit down deeply so you don''t fall off the chair. ''Hmm. Not necessary, but okay. Ricardo sits deep in his chair, and I secure him with a belt so that he doesn''t fall out of the chair. I told Zelmar to install a sturdy seatbelt. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web at .......sigh sigh sigh ...... I''m not sure what to say. ''Aaaaahhhh! The venue froze for a moment. But there was one person who didn''t care about that. ''Ah, Mr. Ricardo, your stomach is weak. It hurts here, doesn''t it? ''Ouch, ouch, ouch!Oh, no!Hey, wait! ''By the way, Ricardo-san drinks alcohol, doesn''t he?Then, here is your liver. ''Hmmm, nuh-uh, heh-uh! ''And this is the colon. ''Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!You, hey, manager!You''re doing a lot, aren''t you? ''No, it''s just light.That''s about all I can do. ''------------------ What? Just now, a scream that could not be captured by human hearing was emitted from Ricardo''s mouth. It seemed to be a scream beyond human comprehension. ''But if you relax the acupuncture points on your feet, you will wake up refreshed the next morning and the swelling will disappear. I''m looking forward to tomorrow. Yes, I am. If it has a tomorrow. The gap between Ricardo''s fainting in agony and Ginette''s cheerful smile, which was completely unconcerned by Ricardo''s fainting, left everyone in the audience in silence. Yeah, yeah. It''s scary, isn''t it, a beautiful girl coming to kill you with a smile. That''s the same girl who was making this whole area so warm just now. Oh, did you know?She''s restricted from entering the twenty-seventh district when she''s in footstool mode. This time, I invited Tracy, but as soon as she found out that there was a foot massage corner, she declined to participate, saying, "I''m sorry, but I have urgent business ...... on that day. Well, you''ve been traumatized, Tracey. The person who caused that trauma is currently trying to kill Ricardo with a smiling face. ''No,......, that''s as good as it gets, huh? ''Oh ...... oh, right? ''My lord, aren''t you overreacting a bit? The men who are proud of their power say this when they see Ricardo slumped in his chair with tears in both eyes. To turn away from reality. To regain what they believe is common sense. Ricardo, on the other hand, doesn''t seem to have the energy to argue. ''But, you know, we''ve been working out. ''Right!There''s a difference between a professional and a lord, after all. ''Oh, yes, yes. We''ll be fine. By saying so, the men managed to regain their confidence. They don''t even know that their words will activate the demon gods. ...... ''That''s right. It''s really a very pleasant massage, so please try it. ''''''............'''''' No one came forward . ''''Poka poka poka~! The men who had been so aggressive when I was in the middle of the massage... ''''Then, let''s ask the old man from earlier to help us again. ''What?Oh, me? ''You''ve experienced Jeannette''s power, right?That''s his full power, the footstools don''t have that kind of full power, you know?'' ''That''s right. Compared to what I just hit you with, there''s no ...... pain at all, is there? Ginette, who was not used to hitting people, was still concerned. Only a dying manboob would be bruised by something like that. It''s a blow that even a very frail mumbo jumbo can bounce back from in its prime. What''s more, you didn''t say to Ricardo, who was speechless with pain, ''Are you okay? Is he okay? Oh, yeah. A massage is a reward. In your mind. In my mind, it''s a punishment. So, I''m going to ask the man who just had a good time to become the next victim ...... or customer. ''Well then, I''ll go lightly at first. ''Oh, yeah. Take care of him. ''Yes. ''I said lightly at first! After the foot massage, the old man said, ''It was more shocking than when my daughter became rebellious. Now, afterwards, he said, ''I did it too, so you should do it too!You''re afraid, you gutless people! The subject, an old man, blasted the old men in the hall and mass-produced victims one after another. At the end, he said, "I''m the one who can endure this! If I can endure this, I''ll be the number one! It became a kind of weird challenge attraction. If there was a challenge to eat an unbelievable size of food, these guys would be addicted to it. Well. There was a certain amount of excitement, but if we don''t do anything about it, the "foot massage" will be treated as a punishment game. As for me, I''d like to see a regular foot massage place on Asuya-yan Avenue, so I''ll do some proper PR to make sure the place doesn''t go bankrupt as soon as it opens. That''s it!Let''s put aside the interesting events over there for a moment. I''m going to gather ladies with skin and digestive problems and give them a ''pleasant'' foot massage experience, while the men over there get excited. However, this was right after I had seen the big men fainting in agony one after another. Everyone is scared and hesitant. So I''ll ask Estella to help. ''This is the lord of the 42nd district, who is affectionately known as the ''gentle lord''. ''You''re the only one who speaks ill of me like that! ''Oh, the Lord of Smiles, right? ''...... I''m not authorized to do that either.'' The Lord of Smiles is exposing his face as if he has bitten down on a bitter bug. What are you going to do when people start calling you ''Lord of the Bitterness''? I can''t sleep at night wondering how I''m going to make fun of it! ''By the way, Estella. By the way, Estella, do you have any problems or worries right now? ''Hmm~......, nothing in particular.'' At that moment, ''What? Estella said, ''I''m quite sensitive to that kind of atmosphere, so be careful! Estella bared her fangs at the crowd. Because there is clearly something to worry about. ...... Oh, so you''ve reopened your eyes. ''So there''s nothing wrong with you other than your reopened ''development''? ''I haven''t reopened or given up on my development either!I just can''t do anything about it with foot pressure!That''s why I ruled it out! ''Surely, foot pressure points can''t solve your problems. ............ Please forgive me for being so ungrateful... ...! I''m not sure what to do. In addition, even if there is such a thing as a ''breast-raising jar'', ...... pressing it will kill Estella! ''I don''t think it''ll work that well, though!I''ve got some growing to do! ''That''s a convenient word, ''some''! ''You''re so annoying! The crowd laughed at the unique Estella. Okay, okay. The fear of the old man''s fainting has faded. ''Well then, Estella. Soak in the footbath.'' ''...... No apologies, always, always.'' Estella grumbles as she takes off her boots. The crowd buzzed as Estella''s tiny feet were exposed. Apparently, seeing a lord expose his bare feet is very stimulating for the average person. Well, thanks to that, the hurdle seems to be lowered because ''the lord did it too''. You see, now that the lord''s noble feet have been exposed, don''t be shy and experience it, you guys. ''Huh, ...... smells good. What''s that smell? ''Geranium, I think.'' ''Wow, I''ve never heard that name before. Is it a flower?'' ''Oh, yeah. They have red flowers like your eyes. There are pink ones and green ones, too,'' I thought, and Estella got quiet. When I looked at her face, it was slightly geranium colored. ''...... You don''t have to tell me the color of your eyes, do you? ''You don''t have to be embarrassed about that, do you? ''It''s also a herb used to stop diarrhea. So soak it up. You often pick up food.'' ''No, I don''t! You almost picked up the chicken from the oyakodon! You almost picked up the chicken from the oyakodon!'' I''ll just joke around and blow away the strange atmosphere. Estella is a ...... complete mess. I wipe Estella''s feet gently with a towel and put one knee across from her on the folding chair. Place Estella''s foot on your upraised knee and get ready for the foot pressure points. Powder shaking~. ''Hey, Yashiro, ...... that ............, be gentle, okay? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m not going to do it this time because I''m trying to show that it feels good. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not going to do it this time just to show off how good it feels! ''...... Let''s go.'' ''U,......, come on.'' d*mn you Estella!Oh, my God! I hold back my emotions of wanting to make her cry, and begin to massage her with an eye on ''painful''. I''ll be back.I''m sure you''ll have a lot of fun. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You don''t usually have that kind of s*x appeal. I''m not sure what to do. ''Oh, ......''. ''Oh, what? ''You''ve been drinking more, haven''t you? ''What?......, why?'' ''I''ve got a weakness in my gut. Here. ''Ahhhh!It hurts!It ...... hurts ...... there!'' Still, the pain shouldn''t be unbearable. I know my limits. If I can loosen up the muscles in the sole of my foot like this,...... ''How''s that?Doesn''t that make you feel better? ''Yeah............,yeah...... feels...... good''. That''s why! I also chose a safe pressure point that Estella would be comfortable with and pressed it. It''s too hard for me to go any further. ''Ah~......, I feel lighter somehow.'' ''Don''t stand up so quickly. You''ll get dizzy from the increased blood circulation. Sit there and drink plenty of water.'' ''Yeah ......, herbal tea. Smells good~'' This time, there''s a rest area where you can sit after the massage. You can drink all the herbal tea you want. ''Thank you for your hard work. Natalia greeted Estella with a pot of herbal tea. ''Oh, Natalia. Can I have some herbal tea? ''Very well, Lady Cijotela.'' ''Who''s the lascivious one? ''I''ve heard that there''s a ''Lord of Obscenity'' who''s been leaking obscene breath in the square all morning. ''I''m not leaking any obscene breath! No, you didn''t. What you just said was indecent enough. ''Well,......, that was an extreme example, so feel free to experience it,......, I guess.'' I''m not sure what to do. ...... Estella. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. ''Ma''ulu! ''I''m here! Wow, I wish you had said that to an immature girl in her early twenties who only knows the sweet side of love. When someone as world-weary as you says it, I feel nothing but fear. ''I thought you were not going to join the caravan this time because you have something to do. ''Yes. That''s why I said no, so that I could go around as a guest, you know?As a visitor, you won''t be able to take your time to look around, right? What kind of guy is this? It''s like a part-timer at the most famous chicken chain in Japan who takes time off on Christmas to come to the store with his girlfriend, it''s killing me. ''You!How busy do you think I am? I said. ''Actually, I''ve been interested in this for a while. Can you do me a favor?'' ''Then I''ll service you with my dirty hands. ''Mm-hmm. You always have to be a gentleman to a lady. Yes, to a lady. I want to be indecent to the lady. ...... No, I want to be indecent to the lady. ......? So, Mael helped Natalia to soak in the footbath and came in front of me. You can see that she walks around a lot. You can tell she''s been walking around a lot. ''You''re too much of a gambler. ''Oh, you know that much about me?I''m so embarrassed.'' Ma-ru presses his cheek while saying that. If I''d had a meridian cave, I would''ve poked it and given her a ''hite-buk! I would''ve poked her and made her do it. ''Then tell me if it hurts. ''Yes. Oh, I''m thrilled.'' He pushes on Ma''ru''s leg, who looks happy. ''Ah ............ ah, I see, this is how it feels ...... yeah, it feels good. Yashippi, you''re good.'' If I were Donis, this whole area would be a bloodbath. With Donnis'' nosebleeds, of course. After a while of massaging the soles of his feet, I began to get a feel for Ma''ru''s condition. He hasn''t been sleeping lately, has he? His intestines are stiffening and his digestive system is weakening. ''The busier you are, the more sleep you need, the weaker your performance will be. ''Oh. Is that pure advice?Or do you just know that stuff too? ''Your body is honest and probably weaker than you think. Even if you think you''ve got it in you, your body will suddenly run out of juice. ''Health and beauty come from eating right and sleeping right. You can be more kind to yourself. ''...... I agree. There are a few more people you can pamper. A gentle voice said, and a laugh escaped, ''ugh. ''I''m glad I came here today to hear you say that, Yashippi. After that, Ma-ru didn''t say a word and enjoyed the foot massage to the fullest. As a lady, she didn''t pant or squirm, and the way she was massaged was beautiful and graceful. One or two women who watched her began to challenge the foot massage, and as a result, many people were able to experience it. Some of them commented that they felt a pleasant sense of weakness and that they were going to be addicted. If they open a store on the lovely Yan Avenue, you can go there. Incidentally, at Ginette''s, the corpses of large men were piled up in a heap without my knowledge. ...... This one didn''t get any customers, did it? ''''I''m going to train and ...... definitely endure my master''s foot pressure! ''''''Oh!'''''' There was a layer of heat and pain. I mean, Ginette, when did you become a master? Before we left, we had each experienced our own "unit". In the name of sales practice, each squad pretended that the other squad members were customers and tried to serve them. Grandma Mum''s demonstration of stain removal was an amazing feat of skill, even though it was all done by hand. It was amazing how she could remove so many stains without steam or chemical detergent. I can only say that this is a skill that he has acquired over the years. Zelmal also accompanied me to repair the furniture and tools that were damaged during transportation and sales. I''ve decided to demonstrate the repair of broken tools anyway. The skills of the craftsmen are fun to watch. Then, there is the beauty squad. The make-up artists, who received strict instructions from Ukrines, Imelda and Mahrul, gave us a glimpse of their strictness that made us feel cold despite their gorgeous appearance. The ''cuteness'' of girls is the fruit of the blood and sweat of these people. ''Ma''ul-sama. Would you like to try this makeup? ''Yes, I think it looks good on you - on that person.'' ''Yes, it does. But every woman is different, and no two women are the same. If you can''t recognize the make-up, hairstyle, and fashion that makes the person shine the brightest on the spot and provide it instantly, you won''t succeed in the caravan! ''Well, you''re taking a little too long. Then, let''s try transforming this person, whose age and atmosphere are completely different, next. ''Yes, yes! Not only Ma''ru, but also Imelda and Ukrines, they can''t even get a passing grade. I felt sorry for them. But maybe it was worth it, because the members of the beauty squad got a huge upgrade. It''s hard to believe that they were on the same level as the girls who came into the sunny side of the pavilion with ridiculously heavy make-up on when they named the lovely Yan Avenue. One of the members of that heavy makeup team was also a member of the beauty team and was beaten up very badly. Nowadays, she is said to be a master of natural make-up that looks like she is not wearing any make-up but makes a perfect impression. ...... Although you seem to be too scared to use such a name in front of Imelda and her friends. In private. In secret. That''s fine. You know? ''...... Magda is cute no matter what she wears, so it''s not too difficult. ''That''s not true, Magda.'' ''Yes, it is. It''s the people who look good in anything that test the skill of the makeup artist. It''s a good idea to use your own sense of style, personality, and talent to create a one-of-a-kind, number one ''cute'' look. I wonder if the three of them have a similar sense of beauty. In the cooking team, Paula, Osina and Pompeo were showing off their skills. In the team of the sunny pavilion, the Hewitt Sisters led by Loretta were very active. Oh, the sunny pavilion has finally been taken over by the hamsters. ''......Oh, there''s dust in the booth. ......Phew.'' ''Magda-chou, stop acting like a little mother-in-law!There''s a place for you, Magda-chou!If you are not modeling, please come back to help! ''...... If that''s the case. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Magda has become a member of the beauty squad on the enthusiastic recommendation of Ukrines and Imelda, but I guess the sunny pavilion is the best. The manager of the store said, "We only serve crepes in the caravan, so let''s leave this to Loretta. --I mean, Magda has often been the acting manager, but it''s not often that Loretta is the representative. If there''s an opportunity to be around her and still be in charge of the store, a manager would want to give her the experience, right? Truly, the time will come when they leave the nest. I can''t imagine it at all. And then there''s our health team. Come on, it''s a nice foot massage!Everyone, please drop by! There was a big space around the smiling Ginette. ...... Well, Ginette''s foot pressure points are already famous in the 42nd district. Just the other day, the news circulated that ''Javier, the general of the Lumberjack Guild, was defeated! just the other day. ''Hey, everyone!The foot massage feels good! In the end, there were no customers at the practice, so I volunteered to be the subject. --And since we had such a practice, we knew what each booth was like. It''s impossible to have your own booth and look around other booths. After all, there are many booths. The space is huge. There are a lot of people, including spectators. It''s hard just to go from one booth to another. While I was thinking about this, the second daughter of the Hewitt siblings came to our booth, cutting through the crowd of people. ''Manager~san, we need help! ''What''s wrong, sir?Are you having trouble sleeping because of indigestion? ''No, Jeannette. The second girl didn''t come here for a foot massage. She''s here to help out at the Sunken Pavilion.'' ''Is that so? ''Yes. We were running out of fruit, and the peddler''s guild went to buy more, but the square was so crowded that the carts couldn''t get through, and they arrived so late that my sister and the third girl couldn''t do it alone! Loretta, the second and third girls are the only ones who can cut the fruit neatly. The rest can sell and work the cash register, but that''s just my sisters. ''Then go to Ginette. If you go, you can finish the work for thirty people in a minute.'' ''You''re right, it''s not that fast. ......'' No, no, Ginette could do it. It''s likely that her knife skills have been upgraded by the mass production of Yodamari-tei Kaiseki ~Saiori~. ''''But, are you okay with me leaving? ''''You''ll be fine!Just train harder and let me have my revenge eventually, that''s all! Yeah. You''re no match for me at your current level. But I''m sure there''ll be people in this town for a while who''ll say, ''Did you take that man''s foot acupuncture? What, you didn''t get it?That''s a loss!Once you''ve tasted it, you''ll feel like you''ve been pounced on by a kitten. I''m sure there will be a lot of gossip about it. It could be a funny story, or it could be a saga of ''I got it! or it may be told as a saga. In any case, this will give the image that ''the home of foot acupuncture is the sunken pavilion''. ...... What do you think of that? Someday. Whenever the ruffians and the bad cops are enjoying the spring of this world with their evil deeds to the fullest, out of nowhere, the ''Footstool Chair'' appears. Ginette: I''ll push it. Ginette: ''I''ll push it for you! Bad cops & ragtag~s''''''''Please pardon my palms~! --I don''t know...maybe there''s a future where I''ll just grovel. Hahaha. ''Ah~, but I''m really feeling a bit fuzzy. I don''t feel bad about it. There are only a few chairs, so a few people are sitting on the ground. They don''t seem to mind, but something needs to be done for the afternoon session. The man sitting on the ground is shaking his head from side to side and stretching his neck muscles. As the blood flow increases, the blood pressure temporarily drops. The sudden drop in blood pressure causes anemia-like symptoms and dizziness. Dizziness and a drop in blood pressure can cause a slight dullness in the body. There''s no cure for this except to take a break. It''s okay. It''s not a bad thing. You''ll recover after a little rest. But until then, you''re bored, right? Then-- How about this magazine to enjoy during your break? The price has gone up a bit to 20Rb, but the content has been increased so much that you won''t feel it''s a loss. This is the "Reborn vol2". The price is 20Rb, but the coupon attached to the magazine totals 1000Rb. It''s a steal, and it''s full of interesting articles. How can you not buy it?'' If you show them the contents of the magazine, both men and women will be interested in the richness of its contents. ''What is ...... ''10 stylish ways to ask a noble woman out on a date''? This is an article by Stylish Xenobios. It''s an article by Stylish Xenobios, which at first glance makes you think, ''Oh, that might be stylish! The article describes romantic and elegant staging and date plans reminiscent of Japan''s bubble era. In other words, it''s like a how-to book for becoming a popular guy. Rugged and hard-headed men are attracted to these articles. They don''t seem to have much experience with women. Learn it, learn it. Just, sadly, ...... Xenobios, you haven''t been able to ask Imelda out in that stylish way once. It''s like asking her a hundred times and being rejected a hundred times. Well, what you don''t say is what you get, and what you don''t know is what you get. The articles that stuck with the girls were the second fashion proposal by Ukrines and the article on "Flower Arrangement to Create a Small Garden in Your Room," which summarized what Millie had told us. The article describes how to enjoy houseplants and miscellaneous plants in a room, which were common in Japan, how to take care of them easily, and how to make potpourri that can be used even after the plants have wilted. I''ll try to make succulents popular one of these days. I''ll buy it. 20Rb is cheap.'' ''Me too! ''Me too! ''I''m buying for my family, too!With this coupon, I''m going to eat the rumored ''Yakiniku''.'' And just like that, "Reborn Vol. 2: The Second Issue but Suddenly Extra Special" sold like hotcakes. 498-Episode 300 The Great Caravan Team is coming!After... During the morning session of the caravan''s business trip, Estella exposed her lasciviousness to the public, and Natalia asked me not to use Estella. As expected, it was judged that it would not be good for Estella, who was gaining fame as the "Lord of Smiles", to let out s*xy exhales such as ''ahan'' and ''ufun'' in front of so many people. Natalia was worried about Estella''s future and the future of the Cremona family. ''I''m at a disadvantage because I don''t have any breasts,'' she said. ''Whose tits are a handicap? ''The girl without tits. ''Alright, let''s fight!Today is the day I''m going to beat the crap out of you for not treating your master like a master! And so on and so forth, they were jostling with each other. So, I asked another beautiful woman to give a demonstration in the afternoon session. ''...... Something about the way you look at me stings me strangely. When Norma''s slender, beautiful legs were lifted out of the tub of hot water, the eyes of the males in the room focused on one point. The whole place was being gazed at with a level of intensity that you could clearly feel. ''It''s ...... a helpless creature, isn''t it, men? It''s not that they''re embarrassed, or that they''re trying to make a cheap show of it, it''s just that they''re very seductive about it. Wow, you''re an expert at dealing with men. You''ve never even had a boyfriend. ''Yashiro, ......, if you hurt me, you''ll get a spanking. I don''t know. That sounds like a lot of fun. ...... Well, this is a team that appeals to ''comfortable foot pressure points''. The funny reaction section is being handled by Gustave, who was sent to escort the caravan in place of Ricardo, who retired in tears. ''Eatery!Please stop it! His high-pitched voice was an octave higher today. A thin piece of glass could be broken by the ultrasonic waves. ''Hyahhaaaaaa!It''s like a newborn Pteranodon! Sounds like a newborn pteranodon, that one. But, sadly, the old men''s eyes are glued to Norma, who is sitting on a chair showing off her exquisite S-shaped line. ''Okay, Norma. Let''s go light.'' I confirm and start the foot massage gently. I lightly loosen the stiffness and-- ''Oh, ............. That feels good.'' To help you sleep better, I''m going to press on some bowel-related points. It''s ...... a little ............ painful, isn''t it? ......! In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at our own web site. I''m sure you''ll agree with me. The hearts of all the mens present here and now have become one. I don''t know what the words mean, but it was a moment that made me want to scream. --After something like that, I was summoned by Estella and Natalia. ''You''re disturbing public morals. I was scolded. I''m just doing my job. The eyes that stare at me when I''m being scolded are forty percent sympathetic, as if to say, ''Well, it can''t be helped. ''Don''t worry, we''re still on your side! We''re on your side! After the foot massage, the women who had received my massage didn''t say anything like ''I can''t stand that obscene thing! They didn''t say anything like that. There was one woman who couldn''t hold back and blushed a little. I''m sure that the people here know that I have no ill intentions. So, even though I''m being scolded, I''m not being condemned, I''m being told I need to do something about it, or so it would seem. ''''Well, I can understand why you can''t help but shout out when you''re given a foot massage. ''''''That''s right!'''''' ''''No, you guys were just screaming, not screaming, so it''s a different genre. ......'''' The men who showed their full agreement to Estella''s words were the ones who had experienced the most intense pain in their lives at the hands of Jeannette. It was quite surreal to see the muscular macho men with teardrops in the corners of their eyes. ''There are a lot of women who suffer from cold and constipation, and I''d really like them to have a foot massage, but I think they''d be embarrassed to have their s*xy breath heard in front of so many people. ''No, I''m having a lot of fun. ''''It''s guys like you that make me embarrassed, girls! ''''''We''re totally welcome too! ''''Sorry, most of the people from the other wards are probably meeting for the first time today, but-- Shut up, you lump of eros! ''''''Yee-hah~y!'''''' The voltage of the males is at its highest after being cursed by Estella. It''s worse than ...... the 42nd district, these old men are sick. ''''Master Yashiro, Master Estella. May I make a suggestion?'' Natalia quietly stepped forward in front of the crowd. The beautiful woman in the maid''s outfit in front of her drew the attention of both men and women. ''Ah ...... haha~'' Natalia makes an "S" shape and lets out a lusty breath as she monopolizes the attention. A few men took direct hits and fell to the ground. ''Why don''t we build a simple hut so that we can''t be seen from the outside? ''Then I''ll lock you in first, in that simple hut! He''s definitely the most harmful of the bunch. Without Regina, this guy''s out of control. ''With Umaro-san here, wouldn''t it be easier for women to experience this if we had the demonstration out front and the guests in the private room? ''That''s right. I want to spread the foot massage more and I want as many people as possible to experience it. ''Well, it''s true that if you''re with your children or your husband, it''s difficult to make a lusty voice. When I joked about it, some of the wives nodded and said, ''Yes, yes! Some of the wives nodded their heads in agreement. Those wives must have been the ones who wanted to try it but were too embarrassed to do it this time. ''Well, let''s have a hut built tomorrow and do it in there. ''That would be better. ''Then, everyone who wanted to try it this time but refrained, please use the coupon to experience it. If you buy this Reborn, you will get a coupon for one free foot massage as well as a coupon for various discounts. Estella holds the Reborn in her hand and smiles as if she''s shopping on TV. ''You''re a good salesman. ''That''s why I''ve come all this way. Hearing our conversation, the people present laughed. And then, those who showed interest bought the "Reborn". Oh, wow!It''s selling like hotcakes! It''s selling like hotcakes. A small woman with a furry mouth said this to me as I processed the line to buy the Reborn. ''Thanks to you. I replied, and without saying a word, the small woman bowed her head and walked away from me. ''Can I have three copies?I''m going to give them to the guys at work. ''Oh, are you from the thirty-eighth district? ''I''m from the thirty-ninth district. I came to see you this morning.'' ''I see. Have a good time. ''Yeah! --As I was having this conversation, I kept seeing the small woman in the corner of my eye. I knew she was here. That little woman is not a customer. A customer doesn''t care about ''sales''. At most, they would say, "It''s very popular. There is a very high possibility that the people who think about profit when they see a product selling well are those in the same industry, and among them, those who are in an adversarial or rival relationship. This is evidence that they are constantly comparing themselves with their competitors. And that look in their eyes when I say ''thanks''. That wasn''t a friendly look no matter how you look at it. That woman. Either she''s a member of the press, or she''s an agent sent by ...... Wishart. Either way, they''ll get our information. Make sure you tell them, ''The lord accidentally let out a s*xy breath and we had to build a hut in the 35th district''. I hadn''t calculated that Estella was s*xy, but I had originally planned to use Norma for the demonstration here. I''ve explained that to Norma as well. That''s why I asked her to be more s*xy than necessary this time. All the way from the footbath. And so, after being warned by the lord and Natalia, he was obliged to build a simple hut by order from above. That''s how it happened. Now we can make a blindfold. A blindfold that would allow him to talk to Lupinus in private, in full view of Wishart''s agents. By the time I reached the 35th district, the sky was completely dark. ''Thank you for your long journey!I''ve prepared a footbath for you. Please take your time and soak away your fatigue. It seems that the carpenters of the thirty-five districts had worked together to build a huge footbath. It''s divided into several sections to withstand the weight of the water, but I''m sure we can all enjoy the footbath if it''s big enough. ''Welcome. Welcome, all but the anchovies! ''Oh, sorry, I splashed the water. ''Oh!You!You''ve soaked my rather expensive dress for welcoming you! That''s because you came all the way to my door and excluded me. Do you really want me to care that much about you? This time, we can''t be in the lord''s mansion, and we''ve been lent a square near a section of the city where there are many accommodations. The caravan wagons will be left here for the night. A member of the hunting guild will be keeping watch over it. ''Hmm. I was sure Miz Rossel would come.'''' ''Medora will be guarding the port.'' ''You can''t refuse Yashiro''s request, can you?'' Estella interrupted me from the side. Medora was going to accompany the caravan this time, but I was a little too scared to stay out with ...... Medora, so I tied her up in the 42nd district. You can''t be sure that Wishart won''t come to rob or destroy the port while Estella and I are away. We don''t know what he''ll do to destroy our reputation. This is a very dangerous request, Medora, but you''re the only one I can trust with the 42nd district without us! --Please. And then, Medora-san, crying, said yes with two words: ...... Yashiro, it is a sin to make a woman cry.I''m sure you''ll appreciate it. ''The forty two districts and the port construction are under your jurisdiction. You can work on them all you want. I was just protecting my own safety. I have no right to complain or be complained about. Instead of Medora, the caravan was accompanied by Alvaro and Gustave. They may not be able to do anything conspicuous in the city, but I''m afraid of ...... assassination. You''ll have to keep a close eye on them. ''The lord and the guild leader''s family will be staying in my mansion, and the others will be staying in the lodgings I have prepared for them. I have told each innkeeper to give their all and treat you with sincerity. Please take your time and relax after your long journey. ''Thank you, Miss Lucia. I thank you on behalf of everyone.'' ''Good. I did what I had to do. ''Thank you, direct pass! ''Muhaa!Hammarotan''s proposal came! ''No, it''s not, Lucia-san! ''Hey, are you sure?The carpenters at your place are looking at you with disbelief. When Hammaro thanked her, Lucia was in a lascivious state. I bet you don''t usually see her like that in the 35th district, and the carpenters who made the footbath are aghast. You may not know it, but that''s Lucia''s true nature. Maybe she is trying to bridge the gap between her and the people by exposing her true self. ...... But even so, you''re skipping too far from the beginning. You''ll have to build a high wall before you can close the gap. ''I''ve heard a lot of people say that about her relationship with her people. ''How can you be so friendly? You know.'' ''So when I told her that it was the result of playing with her tits, Estella-sama scolded me a lot. I''m fed up with the unreasonable Lord. ''I''m fed up with you, Natalia! Well, that''s true. Recently, even the aunts and little girls in the neighborhood have been saying things like, ''Good job with the exercises today,'' and ''I hope you grow up. But strangely enough, I haven''t heard of any boys playing with her. ...... Oh, I see. That''s because Natalia is standing there staring at you. If a man does that, Natalia will give him a hard time. --Except me. What''s with this special treatment? Can I just be happy about it? ''Hey, Oba. Something smells good. What''s that smell?'' I don''t know why Ricardo, who''s standing next to me, is talking to me in a casual way, as if we''re acquaintances. Can you please stop?He''ll think I know him. ''It''s geraniums. ''Never heard of it. But it smells nice.'' ''It''s not just the scent. Geranium is often used in skin care for its sebum-regulating properties. It''s also used as an antibacterial and hemostatic agent. The scent has a relaxing effect, so you might want to make a potpourri of it and put it under your pillow to get a good night''s sleep. ...... Unfortunately, it does not have any breast-enhancing properties. ''You don''t need that information, do you! Ricardo and Estella from the opposite side of the room complained. ...... Why am I sandwiched between lords? You know a lot about flowers, don''t you? Is there a woman in love with the Flower Arrangement Guild? ''I''ve got three questions for you, why are you so crass?Why are you so crass?And why are you standing next to me? There''s a lot of people from District Forty-one here this time, so go over there! It''ll be a good opportunity to hear about the situation of the lovely Yann Avenue, the feeling of this event, the challenges, the discoveries, and so on! ''Hmm, anchovy. You''re always surrounded by lords, aren''t you?Are you trying to make a name for yourself in the world of power? ''They just come to me on their own. They are surrounded by lords on both sides and in front of them, including Lucia who is talking in her sleep. Behind her are Natalia and Gilberta. I can''t breathe!The pressure''s too much, you guys. ''Are you sure Natalia doesn''t want to take a footbath? ''Thank you for your concern. But we can''t let our guard down now. Well, there have been some suspicious characters. ''What is it?Are you unhappy that you don''t have a woman on either side of you, anchovy?I won''t lend you Gilberta. ''I didn''t say that. ''It''s written all over your face. ''Oh, really?Estella, is it written on my face, ''Ricardo, you''re too hot, why don''t you go over there a bit more? ''Yes, it''s written on your face. ''You''re changing the subject, aren''t you?I''m just joking. Even though it was a joke, Ricardo kept a little distance. Lucia intervened in the gap. It''s too small! ''What do you think?Aren''t you happy?'' ''Well, if this were a mixed bath instead of a footbath, I''d dance for joy.'' ''In the nude?That would be unseemly. Laughing happily, Lucia had Gilberta take off her shoes for her. Are you really going to go in there? ...... The carpenters in the 35th district are rushing around.Are you sure? ''...... So, how did it go?'' Lucia says in a small but very sharp voice as she takes off her shoes. Oh, I see. So that''s what you wanted. ''You were at ....... There was at least one person from the paper. ''So there must be one or two more of Wishart''s henchmen in there. I''ll bet. ''Have you taken any action? ''Well, yes. ''Well, good. After getting all the information, Lucia soaked her feet in the hot water as if nothing had happened. ''Ahh, it''s so relaxing! ''Is that an old man?Your voice is fat! ''''Ah, the carpenter from the 35th district is blinking his white eyes. ''Yes, yes. Ginepuyo. ''Yes! Ginette is soaking in a footbath with Magda and Loretta in a different tub than us. The three of them must be pampering each other after being away from each other all day. The hamsters who were helping out at the booth in the sunny pavilion are also there. ''Sirach said he''d love to invite the people from the Sunken Pavilion tonight. ''Is that true? I''m glad. Then, I''d like to invite you all. ''Hmm. I''m sure Sirach will be pleased to hear that. --But not you, anchovy! ''Why not? Lucia turns around and looks at me like a young man. ''How can I release a beast like you in a place where so many girls stay!You will be held in strict custody at my residence!You and Hammarotan! ''Gilberter!Can you keep this beast under tight restraint? ''Yes, I will. That''s the order. You''re the one in danger. --I''ll give you a reason not to stay at Sirach''s Keep. Orkio is in Sirach''s lodge. If I stay there, Wishart will know that I might have heard some information. I need to pretend that my meeting with Lupinus tomorrow is a coincidence. It''s better to kill anything that might give him the wrong idea. ''I, well, I can''t help it, I''ll stay at your place, but I''ll leave Hammaro with Sirach. ''Why not!I want to sleep with him in my arms and cuddle him and cuddle him! ''That''s why! The pervert revealed himself, and the carpenter from the 35th district blew bubbles and collapsed, when Hammaro swam over with a carefree sound of waves. ''Hammaro? ''Why are you soaking your whole body in the footbath? ''It''s so warm! ''You''ll step on it if you float around like that~'' ''Ouch! When I lifted my foot and tried to step on it slowly, Hammaro swam away smoothly. Estella is also amused and pretends to step on Hammaro. Or rather, everyone in the tub lifts their legs to step on Hammaro. But Hammaro dexterously slips between their legs and runs away. That''s Loretta''s brother. He swims so well that it''s almost sickening. ''Aaah!Hammaro!If I catch that thing, can I take it home with me? ''There''s no such rule, and you''re the one who''s going to get caught! Lucia, who was chasing Hammaro right and left in the footbath tub with the hem of her dress soaking wet, was grabbed by Gilberta by the neck and forced to leave. The carpenters of the 35th district had stopped moving at all. Maybe today is Lucia''s other birthday. Good for you, perverted lord. I don''t know if it''ll make you friendly with the people. Now, the work is done. All that''s left to do is finish it... and I was going to go to sleep. ''Wake up, anchovy. ''I wish you''d at least asked me if I was awake. Lucia broke into my bedroom. Even if it''s only a group of people you know, don''t sneak into a man''s room in the middle of the night when Javier and Ricardo are staying there. You''re in a position where you have to be more sensitive about such things than others. ''That''s quite a bold night crawl. ''Hmm. Don''t talk about it until you''re asleep. ''Well, good night. ''Don''t go to sleep! ''Which way? I''m sleepy, I''m sleepy. We''ve been walking and working all day. Well, if you''ve come all the way to see me in the middle of the night, it probably means you have something to tell me. ''Did you get any information about Wishart''s case? ''No, not particularly. ''Then what are you doing here? ''I couldn''t sleep, so I thought I''d talk about love. ''School trip? I don''t know how school trip was translated, but Lucia laughed and walked over to the bed. Unfortunately, there was not the slightest hint of a peachy atmosphere in the air. ''I heard that foot pressure points are very comfortable. ''Oh. You can have Ginette do it tomorrow.'' ''I hear Javier cried. d*mn it! Who the hell leaked that information? You could have seen Lucia cry out! ''I hear you''re good, anchovy. ''I can hurt you. Shall I make you cry?'' ''Then the waiter and the guards will come running here. You''ll be unwillingly welcomed as the lord of the 35th district.'''' If that''s what you think, I''d tell you to refrain from acting carelessly. I want to tell him. ''I''ll give you such an opportunity to work for me as a token of my gratitude. ''Can''t you honestly say, ''I''m interested, please do it''? You can''t just say, ''I''m interested, please do it''? ...... d*mn it. I''m sure you''ll be able to''t leave until you''ve had your foot massage, so I''m going to crawl out of bed. ...... d*mn. I''m not even going to show any sign of wincing when I see her in her nightgown. I guess he''s been trained not to show such an opening because of his position. Lucia sits on a chair and puts her legs out towards you. They''re ...... very thin and very long. Her skin is white and her legs are beautiful. I wonder if I would be imprisoned if I licked it from my ankles to my calves. I''m not sure if I''m going to be imprisoned if I lick it from ankle to calf....... would be a capital offense. I crouched down on one knee in front of Lucia for a foot massage. ''Hmmm. It''s not bad to be served by you like this.'' ''Keep talking.'' I place Lucia''s lifted leg on my thigh and turn her ankle to stretch her muscles. ''Oh,......,'' said Lucia, letting out an admiring sound. It feels good just to stretch your muscles like this, doesn''t it? ''The foot acupuncture points are used to relieve stiffness in the bad parts of the body, but ...... unfortunately, there are no acupuncture points for the ''guts''. ''You don''t need it. It''s not that bad. ''You need to look at yourself a little more. ''I''m proud to say that I''m highly regarded by third parties. You''re a man of few words. But even so, he seems to be very caring and his stomach and intestines were stiff. He''s under a lot of stress, isn''t he? When I rubbed this spot... I''m sure you can hear Lucia''s screams, but I don''t want to be picked up by the ...... guards. I''m tired today and want to sleep in my bed until morning. ''Well, let''s get started. ''Mm.'' It''s a little annoying, but I''m going to give you a nice, serious foot massage. ''Oh, ............, ......, that''s pretty .......'' Lucia, who seemed to be trying to make some kind of relaxed comment, gradually said less and less, saying only ''yes'' and ''hmm'' for a while, until finally there was only the sound of her breathing. It seemed to feel quite good. It seems that he is very tired. His back and shoulders were stiff. More than anything, his internal organs are being tortured by stress. This guy''s been giving me a lot of trouble, too. ...... It''s a great way to get a good night''s sleep. Slowly, slowly, generously-- ''Ah, there ............ is ............... ...mmm! At that moment, Lucia''s legs pulled away. I''m not sure what to do. When I looked up, Lucia was holding her mouth with both hands, and her neck and above had turned bright red. ''That''s enough!That''s ...... enough.'' She stood up briskly, brushed off her skirt, and walked quickly to the window to look at the dark sky. Lucia''s face is reflected in the window glass, illuminated by the light in the room. Lucia''s eyes, reflected in the glass, glanced at me. ''...... erotic anchovy''. I thought you told me to do it. ''I''ll leave a few of my waiters with you. Make sure they''re trained in the art of foot pressure.'' ''Go to the lovely Avenue. ''The masseuse there is your apprentice, isn''t she?Then it''s more efficient to learn from a skilled one.'' ''It''s more work for me. ''If you don''t teach me, I''ll break into your room. ''That''s not a threatening phrase for a lady to use. Dangerous men are welcome here. Anyway, the foot massage felt good. She wants to savor it more. Maybe we should let Jeannette be the instructor. It''ll limit the victims to Lucia. Yeah, let''s do that. ''Huh. ....... By the way.'' In the same breath, Lucia''s mood changed again. She completely ignores her cheeks, which are still slightly hot, and tightens her expression. ''You seem to be all set, but can you lure her out successfully? Natalia had passed on the information to Gilberta, and Lucia must have been informed of the plan as well. In order to meet Lupinus naturally, it was decided that I should be kept away from Orkio and that the footstools should be used inside the hut, according to ''instructions from someone other than me''. ''No matter how ready you are, if Lupinus isn''t interested in the foot jar, he won''t show up in front of you, right? ''I''m fine with that. I have a friend who can bring him to you properly.'''' ''Really?That hasn''t reached my ears. You''re sure about that, aren''t you? ''Yes. Lupinus''s husband was just the man for the job. I looked him up, and to my surprise, he was a person closely related to the 42nd district. So, I''m sending the perfect envoy. I''m sure he''ll bring you out properly tomorrow. ''I see. Good. Lucia''s a worrier, too. Is that why you came all the way out here in the middle of the night? ''I''ll be lucky if I get any information from the meeting. If you don''t, I''ll think of something else to do. I''m going to be light-hearted, so don''t worry about it. ''Hmm, I''m not worried. The usual bullish expression turns to face me and smiles a soft, uncharacteristic smile. I''m sure you''ll do fine anyway. ...... Although I''m unwilling to be burdened with the strange expectations of a lord from another district. ''You''ll have to get them to play along. If you want, you can even seduce them, aren''t you good at that? ''Who''s ....... I don''t touch people''s stuff. A married woman is unethical,......, and her husband, if my information is correct, is a very dangerous man. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''ll be washed. ''I''ve met her a few times and she''s a pleasant person, like a piece of bamboo. ''I''ve got similar information. But it seems that the informant didn''t know Lupinus'' identity at all. ''What?Okkasan is a nobleman? He was surprised. ''It would be ideal for us if Lupinus could replace Deiglea as the lord of the 30th district, but ...... she''s no good. It''s not the right time to be a lord. ''Do you have a problem with her behavior? ''No. She''s too much of a family man. She may have been influenced by Orkio''s disinheritance, but she has a disgust ...... for the act of abandoning her family, almost to the point of hatred. Perhaps because of this, my love for my family is somewhat heavy. My daughter must be having a hard time. Lucia smiles wryly. A mother with heavy affection. ...... That sounds like a lot of work. ''Therefore, Lupinus is not suited to be a lord. He''ll probably put his family before his people. That''s not going to keep the city running. Qualities can be quite important, you know. ''In that sense, perhaps Orkio is more suited to be a lord.'' ''Orkio? ''Hmm. He knows how to kill himself, and he is good at bargaining. Above all, he has one thing that he cannot shake. People like that show their strength when the time comes. Well, he''s too old to become a lord now. It''s a shame, Lucia said. Orkio is highly respected by the nobility. Maybe that''s why the Wishart family chose him to be their daughter''s teacher. However, Orkio''s refusal to surrender what he could not surrender caused friction with his family. Even if he is suited to be a lord, the sentence "more than Lupinus" is probably attached to his head. In that light, Estella is doing well. ''It''s tough being a lord, isn''t it? ''Oh. Do you want me to take your place? ''No thanks. Who would want to get into that kind of trouble? ''You''re the most suitable lord I know, though. ''By the authority of the lord, I''m going to push forward with the policy of barefoot? ''Hahahaha!Too bad you''ll be beheaded in three days. A fitting end for you. Not only will you be fired, you''ll be fired? A lord is a terrible thing. I''ll never be one. ''Well, do your best. ''Oh. You too.'' Lucia, who had just gotten up and was heading for the door, looked back at me. ''''You too''''?What do you want me to do? Lucia doesn''t understand, so I tell her in the mask of a kind person. Pointing to the other side of the door. ''The scary head waiter is going to give you a lesson. ''I want you to observe moderation, Lucia-sama.'' Gilberta was standing on the other side of the door. She was holding a rough rope to bind Lucia firmly. ''Wait, Gilberta!This is not right!You''ve got it all wrong, Gilberta! In the middle of the night, Lucia''s voice echoed through the building as a lullaby, and I slept soundly until morning. The event site was crowded with many people, including the residents of the neighboring districts. From the early morning preparation stage, there was already a huge crowd. From what I heard, even those who had seen the event yesterday had come a long way to take part in it again. If anything, the people from the forty to thirty-five districts were already here. ...... Oh, correction. People from the 34th, 33rd and 24th wards are also here. The reason why Tracy hasn''t come to see Estella even though she''s this close is probably because of Jeannette''s foot pressure booth. ''''Master~!Please give me a rematch! ''''Ah, everyone. How''s it going?Did you have a good sleep last night? ''''''Yes!It was the most comfortable awakening I''ve had in over ten years! ''''That''s good to hear. '''' ''''Yesterday, the big men who were fainting from the foot pressure points are crowding around with a hot heat. Ginette seemed satisfied, ''After all, foot massages are good for your health,'' but no, it''s called a ''rematch,'' isn''t it? A healthy massage is not a ''war''. I don''t know, maybe I''m only hearing what''s convenient for me? Hey, hey, Miss Jeannette? I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I thought I didn''t need a demonstrator this time... I''m not sure what to say. Alvaro is getting very motivated. Well, I''m sure he''ll be screaming in a few minutes. Oh, well. There''s no need to make him wait so long. There seems to be a lot of dominant customers waiting for their turn this time, and a lot of spectators. Let''s get this over with. ''Jeannette. It''s still a little early, but there are a lot of customers today and I want to leave in the evening. Get on with it and bury Alvaro.'' ''Bury him? Giggling. No, no, Mr. Ginette. You''re the only one who thinks it''s a joke. I''m being a bit respectful myself. ''Well, Mr. Alvaro. This way, please.'' ''Oh, by the way, I thought we were going to be indoors from today. I''ll be waiting for you guys!I''ll be back with a win! Why are you lying to me like that? ...... Medora, if you don''t teach him well, you''ll lose a talented young man. ''Aaaaaaahhhh! A scream that sounds like it''s the first time I''ve heard it, with a bunch of muddy dots added to the ''ni'', is coming from the private room. It was such a scream that even if I had stepped on a cat, I would not have screamed like that. ''............ I''m just getting carried away,...... I''m going to do more training,......''. Alvaro came out of the private room with his nose turned into a cat and his ears flattened. He''s hugging his knees by the door, curled up and crying. What''s with your dented face? Did you do it on purpose? Look at you, you''re stabbing the girls as if you were aiming for them! They''re saying, ''Oh no, she''s cute! That''s not fair, you! You''ve always had a boy''s face that would tickle a shota''s fancy, but when you cry, you turn into an animal!It''s not fair, like using a gun in a kendo match! I''m not sure what to make of that. Oh, you''ve got a very reliable bodyguard now, Ginette. Feed it to me. She''ll be a loyal knight. And according to Magda, Alvaro''s not the romantic type, so he''s just a kid who''s into fighting and hunting. All right, you''re clear to escort Jeannette. I was a little worried about her being in a private room this time. Keep her safe. And if you try anything, ...... I''ll send Medora and Magda after you, okay? ''Um, Alvaro-san, are you alright?I was surprised when you ran out.'' ''Yeah, I''m fine!I was just surprised that it hurt as much as my mom''s knuckles. Oh, ...... that much? Then, Ginette, you can kill a hexenbiest with a footstool. You''re overreacting. You''re exaggerating. But it''s because you''re unhealthy that it hurts. First, let''s improve your diet. ''Yes!I will! ''Please come to eat at the Sunken Pavilion once in a while. ''''I''ll come! ''''Wait, wait, wait, white tiger!Trying to monopolize Master''s smile is an unforgivable act! The dominant men in the line crowded around Alvaro and protested. ''''When did you get so many fans, Ginette? ''Mm-hmm. I''m glad to hear that you like the foot massage, Yashiro. No, no, no. ...... Your eyes are amazing. Are you wearing a frosted glass or something?And yet the world seems to be shining brightly. Let''s see, ...... I''ll have Magda and Loretta keep a close eye on you after tomorrow. Oh, ...... we''ll have more customers tomorrow. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. As expected, the most popular items were sweets, fashion and makeup. In the midst of all this, a group of people came running towards us in a straight line through the crowds. ''Oh, hey!Yashiro~! Shaking her long purple hair that reflected the light, Delia came running towards us. Behind her, a large man, even bigger than Delia, is following her. I''m not sure what to make of that. The bear people......, or is it the fox people? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. ''Let me introduce you. This is my Anchan! ''Ah, nice to meet you. So you''re Yashiro. Thank you for taking care of Delia.'' The big man with white ears has white eyebrows and a goatee the same color as his ears, and he looks chiseled and strong. His strong face was distorted with anxiety and he smiled kindly at us. It''s like a naughty guy who''s feared in class but has a weakness for his sister. Delia calls them ''Anchan'', but they are not really brother and sister. Delia is his only daughter. ''I''m Taita Warsaw. I''m not Delia''s brother--'' ''I''m listening. You''re Delia''s father''s apprentice?'' ''Yes, I am. He''s taken care of me to death. "indebted" is not enough. Every cell in my body is carrying his will.'' You''re so crazy about him. ''That''s why I regret it. Why is the master languishing in the lowest district like that, at such a young age? Bang!And then he slams his fist into his palm and makes a horrible sound. ...... Yeah, I''m sure he meant no offense. I''m sure you don''t mean any harm,......, but the bottom line is. ''Yashiro. You''re not my apprentice. He''s my number one disciple!He''s stronger than me!Hey, Anchan! ''Ooh!I''m still no match for Delia!'' ''Well, let''s see what you got! ''Yeah!Come on! ''''If you''re going to do it, do it somewhere else! ''''If Delia x2''s power gets out of control, this whole area will be cleared! The words I used to try to stop them were neatly interspersed with the voice of a woman different from me. The voice was that of a beautiful woman with bright purple hair, similar to Delia''s. She was a beautiful woman with a certain amount of age, but the accumulation of time had deepened her beauty, as if she was maturing rather than aging. She had a powerful gaze full of wildness and a mysterious charm that combined with a grace that overwhelmed me just by standing there. This is--Lupinus. ''You. Delia.'' In contrast to the voice that was raised earlier, Lupinus called out their names in a quiet voice, but one that was clearly transmitted to the eardrums. ''Hnnn! Gosh!Gah!And then he hit them both in the brain with a single fist. ''How many times do I have to tell you to think about what''s going on around you?You need to learn! The shout was so powerful that it forced even those around me who were not involved to ''watch out''. I couldn''t help but give a ''Pish! I''m sure you''re trying to make up for the height difference, but ...... you flew so fast, that lady! This was my first encounter with Lupinus Orso - my maiden name, Lupinus Wishart. 499-Episode 301 Lupinas thoughts ''I''m sorry, darling.'' ''I''m sorry, Occitan.'' Taita and Delia are forced to sit on the ground. Lupinus looks down at them with his arms crossed. I don''t know. ...... It''s a different kind of ...... than Bertina''s, but it''s a directly scary Occasion. It''s like the mother of your friend who scolds you with all her might, even if it''s someone else''s child. But I didn''t know Delia had a weakness. I wonder why she didn''t come to see me earlier. There were a couple of scenes where she was like, ''Someone stop Delia''s rampage! Didn''t she? You''re not late, are you? What? I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. If possible, I wanted it before I went to negotiate with the garbage collection guild. ''Sorry, bro. ''No, sir, not at all!You''re welcome to it! ''Hahaha!What are you getting hard for?A man getting hard is [self-imposed].'' ''That''s an underhanded joke! What? Did Regina just pass by? I''m not sure if I''ve got the Regina virus on my clothes or not. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. ''Oh, no. I''m so sorry!I''m sorry, brother! You''ll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes. ...... Is this guy really a former nobleman? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what''s going on in your life. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find the right one for you.It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. I''m sure you''ll agree. Where did you learn that word, Delia? You don''t use those kinds of words very often, do you? Huh?Did you get into a fight with Jeannette?Are you okay?Are you guys getting along? ''No matter how much it hurts, it hurts more than the master''s fist, Delia. Even your fist didn''t reach the master.'' I''m telling you the truth!Hey, Yashiro~. Please tell him too!There''s no mercy or compassion for the manager''s footstools. No, wait, wait! Delia, huh?You don''t like Jeannette? She''s a rather nice girl, isn''t she?Be good to her, okay? ''Oh, my God, you sound so sweet. I''ve never seen Delia like this before.'' ''Yeah, you''re right. You really are like a brother and sister.'' ''Hehe~, Anchan is special~'' Delia seems to be very attached to Taita. She''s number two after her father, the best. He may be the only man Delia recognizes right now. From the looks of it, she doesn''t seem to have any feelings for him, but she seems to be a braconic sister. She seems happy to be with him. If Taita came to the 42nd district, Omero and his friends would be saved a little more. ...... Taita is said to be the head of the river fishing guild in the 35th district, so that''s impossible. Too bad, Omero. Give it up. ''Hmph. That''s not what I meant. Lupinus'' thin fingers gently touched my chin as he smiled deeper at Delia''s sweet smile-- Gui! And with a tremendous force, she forced me to turn my face. My neck! My neck just jerked! ! The tip of my chin was bound with thin fingers, and I was pinned right in front of Lupinus'' face. I''m not sure what to say.Hey, Yashiro-kun? I don''t know, my spine is ...... cold. ''What kind of relationship do you have with him?What kind of relationship do you plan to have with her?I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that.I''d like to talk to you at ...... length, okay? Obayashi White has escaped! But they''ve gone around him! Obeyashiro has escaped! But they''ve gone around him! Obvious White''s getting away! But they''ve gone around him! Obeyashira''s getting away! But they''ve gone around him! Obeyashira''s getting away! But he''s been cut off! Are you the boss? Is this a boss fight? You can''t escape! Maybe it''s a losing event? You''re playing a game and you''re thinking, ''Oh, I can''t win. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. But that''s not it, is it? There''s still a way for me to survive, isn''t there? I''m also interested in foot pressure points. ...... Will you be in charge of this? ''......yades......'' ''What?What? ''Yes, I''d be happy to. ''Well, I''m glad. After all, it''s better for young boys to be honest. He''s so cute. Hey, who''s that?Who introduced this guy to me? Lucia?Was it Lucia who started it? Stop it, Orkio, if you knew he was this dangerous! Ginette, I need your help! When I looked towards Jeannette, I heard Taita''s scream from inside the private room: ''This is impossible! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with your family and friends. ...... Don''t take it easy on yourself when you''re locked on to me, husband!I''m not sure what to do.I''m not sure what to do. And Jeannette!I''m in need of your warm and fuzzy aura to nullify all ill will!Come out, please! Let''s go, shall we? ''............ Delia'' ''Oh!Take care of Okkasan for me, Yashiro! ...... No. Eye to eye communication with that girl is a dream come true. I think eye contact with Delia is more difficult than teaching Bonacon to go through a fire ring. In the end, I was dragged into the private room by Lupinus. ''Well, and ......''. A private room for foot massages that Umaro had made for me this morning. Great care has been taken to soundproof the room so that the woman''s annoying breath cannot be heard. Naturally, you can''t see into the room from the outside. The room is dimly illuminated by the pale light of lanterns, and scented candles made by Becco and Regina are drifting with the scent of lavender. It''s a good idea to be alone with a beautiful woman like Lupinus in a closed room like this, it should be a somewhat nerve-wracking situation, but ...... right now I''m too nervous in a different way to do that. ...... will be eaten. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not going to take it and eat it.'' He sits deep in a folding chair and crosses his long legs. ''I wonder if this cabin is suitable for private conversation? Lupinus'' gaze changed. He hadn''t told Delia the details. It wasn''t so much that he was afraid of leaking information, but that he feared he might not be able to lure Lupinus with Delia''s directness. So I asked Orkio to write a letter. A man named Obayashi wants to see you. With details of this muddled operation. Apparently, he''s come here with a clear understanding. ''Ah. No matter how many naughty things I say in this room, I can''t make you repent! ''Are you always doing that?You''re a dumb man. ......'' Lupinus sighs, resting his elbows on the railing. ''Well, then, let''s get down to business--'' Lupinus takes a quiet breath, stares up at me, and asks me a question that gets to the heart of the matter. ''How far did you and Delia go? ''That''s not the main question! Oh, no!I don''t know if you got my message! ''You know, I''ve been taking good care of that girl that my husband cares for as if she were my real sister. She may be a little misunderstood, but she''s a good, upright girl!So you see, if you make her cry, I''ll make [self-imposed restrictions] on [self-imposed restrictions] and make it impossible for you to [self-imposed restrictions], okay? ''Age restrictions for the non-erotic! That''s scary! Don''t do that kind of thing in a closed room!I''m seriously going to cry! ''There''s nothing going on with Delia. She''s a trusted friend. ''Friends ......, right? Her eyes stare at me warily. ''It''s not just that, judging by the way she''s behaving,......, but it''s okay. I believe you. You''re sure she didn''t do anything wrong? ''Oh.'' ''Judgment of the Spirits''. ''You don''t believe me, do you, you bastard? Help me! I didn''t show any hesitation, you old woman! A beautiful woman?That''s bullshit!An old lady is enough, this guy! ''Hmm, well, I didn''t think this would do anything for a man that Delia approved of. ''...... What were you going to do if it did?'' ''What?It''s always worse if you''ve done something wrong, isn''t it? Don''t show a glimpse of aristocracy in this ...... place. ''But well, you seem to be a trustworthy man. Now I''m convinced of it too. ''Thanks for that, .......'' I''ve raised my guard to maximum. ''I''m sorry. I have too many things that are important to me right now. My family, the river fishermen, they''re all idiots, but they''re all important. As Lucia had said, Lupinus seemed to be a compassionate man. ''If you still trust me after all I''ve done, I''ll tell you what you want. In other words, after paying such a high price, I''m finally in a place where I can be listened to. That''s how difficult Wishart is to deal with. He must be persistent, pestering, and a jerk. ''Then let''s hear all about it. I''ll give you a foot massage.'' Sister of Deiglea Wishart. This is how the meeting with Lupinus Orso began. The soles of Lupinus''s feet were thick, a sure sign of the rigors of daily standing work. When I slowly rubbed the area where the stiffness had accumulated, Lupinus let out a pleasant breath and showed an enraptured expression. She looked really tired. I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s overreacting. If the voice from the other side leaks out all the time, they will think that we have the same structure. I don''t think you will think that we are the only one who has been designed to be soundproof. At most, they will think that the quietness is due to the fact that the female customers are holding back their breath because they are embarrassed. ''Even so, "This is uncomfortable! is a bit much, isn''t it? ''Then, I''ll push you at max level? I said to Lupinus, who was laughing uncontrollably, ''Huh?You look like you''re going easy on me. He looked at me challengingly. I''ve gone easy on you. I already know where you feel the most pain. ''Well then, why don''t you give it your all for once? ''Then, be my guest. --Hey. ''Then ah! ''That was close! A kick came flying at me! I''m sure you''re here to finish me off, aren''t you? ''You''ve got to be kidding!I thought you were going to take it! ''That''s why I''m telling you, I''m not kidding or exaggerating, the full force hurts! ''Then be nice to me from now on!I don''t like roughness. ''What the hell are you talking about? ''How many times have I seen your violent side in the last few minutes? ''...... So, who is this girl next to you, happily making big men faint in agony?You look like a harmless human being, but you''re such a douche. ''You''re probably the first person to ever describe Jeannette that way. Well, I suppose it doesn''t help when your first contact is with a footstool. ''He''s the manager of the Sunlit Pavilion.'' ''Well... So you''re the daughter of Dr. Orkio''s benefactor? ''You know him, don''t you? ''Yes, I do. Delia gave me a letter that included her recent status. It was nice to receive a letter from you after several decades. I''d only heard rumors that you were doing well .......'''' Orcio apparently did not contact Lupinus while he was living apart from Sirach. Perhaps he was afraid that his involvement with the Wishart family would bring trouble to Sirach. ''It was written there. ''There it was written about a diner called the Sunken Pavilion that soothed her despair. About the previous generation''s wonderful manager and the current generation''s very pretty manager. Lupinus smiles and turns his gaze to the next private room. I''m not sure what to say. At the same time, a large man''s scream echoed out. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing. ''...... Dr. Orkio, are you blind to people? ''I don''t think so. Ginette would be just like the letter if it weren''t for her footstool. I don''t know what the letter says, but I''m sure everyone''s opinion of Jeannette is pretty much the same. And there is no doubt that Ginette, who has no other side to her, is generally as she is described. If it weren''t for the cramped feet. ''You''re everything your letter said you were. ''I wonder what slander was written in it.'' ''Hmmm. It seems that Dr. Orkio''s eye for people is still alive and well. That was an accurate assessment.'' I don''t know what you saw in me that made you think that, but I don''t like the way you look at me. Don''t look at me like you''re looking at a relative''s child. You may be quite a bit older than me, but don''t underestimate me when I''m looked at with a certain amount of eroticism!Do you want me to flick your bare feet? ''So, what do you want to ask me? ''On the contrary, what do you think you can tell us that will benefit us? Lupinus rolled his eyes and blew out a ''puff'' when I answered his question with a question. ''Really, you''re right. So what did it say? ...... I''ll ask Orkio about it next time. They all talk about me as if they know everything about me. ''Right. I''m afraid we can''t talk about anything directly useful.'' ''To avoid antagonizing the Wishart family, huh? ''No, I mean, I don''t know anything about it. I''ve only been in the drawing room of the family.'' ''Because you''re a woman, is that it? ''Yes, I am. ...... It''s a joke. I wanted to be in the main library. I like to read, I do. I heard that Daguerre was never even interested in picture books. ''You''re an idiot, aren''t you? ''He was never interested in anything that didn''t interest him. ...... But his obsession with things he is interested in is frightening. As one such episode, Lupinus told me the following story. Even after he was sent as an apprentice, Lupinus had a place in the Wishart household. Even though she could not enter the back of the main building, Lupinus'' room was maintained, as it should be since she was the eldest daughter of his wife, and the personal attendant who guarded Lupinus'' room continued to stay in the house. ''That girl must have hated it. Lupinus murmured sadly. ''When she was born, I had already been sent as an apprentice. To him, I must have been like a stranger he''d never met before. A place for such a stranger exists in the house where I live. And the treatment of Lupinus, the first child of his wife, must have been reasonably good. ''At the beginning of my fourteenth year, I returned to the mansion. Before I came of age, we discussed the possibility of marriage. In other words, to see if I could entangle Orkio. Well, the result was that it was impossible. It''s the aristocracy that doesn''t end with ''Well, it can''t be helped then. ''That''s when I met my brother for the first time. He was five years old, innocent and cute, and he took a liking to me. I thought he was very cute. The way this town thinks, we all age together at the end of the year. Five years old is still a very young age. ''They stick to each other tightly, and at night, they spoil me by saying, "I''m going to sleep with my sister. ......"'' If you ask me, I''d say it''s a smiling story, but Lupinus'' expression is hard. Even the slightest hint of fear could be felt. ''...... poison?'' ''Yes. The servant who had secretly harbored a grudge against me was caught as the culprit and banished. Banishment is not enough. But that doesn''t matter now. Lupinus'' expression turns pathetic. ''This servant was the one I trusted most to look after my private chambers while I was away. I''m not talking about the guy who betrayed you and poisoned you. This is ...... ''I couldn''t believe it. I didn''t think that a ...... five year old would be able to see our weaknesses so accurately and attack us. The servant must have been a truly trusted and capable servant. In a family that disdained women and kicked them out of the house, he was still a capable servant who kept his master Lupinus in his place. That was a hindrance to Deiglea. Women were not allowed to hold important positions. Even the Wishart family, with their family traditions, are sensitive to profit. If they found Lupinus useful, they might put him in a position of some importance, if not lord. That''s probably what Deiglea couldn''t tolerate. ''?o??-3????-?????????|??a???????????¡¥????????a???. ?o??-3????-???????¨¨¡§???¡ì?oo???¨¦?£¤????????¡¥????????a???. ?????????a??a??¨¨?a?????¡ì¨¨?a???????-??????-¨¦?????¨¨???????????????????a?o??-3?????a???????????¡¥????????a???. ¨¨a¡ã??????????????????,?????¡è??¡ã?????¡é????????¦Ì??¡¥?????1???????????¡§????????????'' ??¡ä?????????¨¨¡§?????????¡¥??????¨¨???????£¤???????????????a??a????¡§?????????????? . 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''?¡ì????,?1????????????¡¥??|??¡ê??¡¤??¡ê????????????¨¨a??????|??????????????¡§??a???????????????. ?? ????????¡¤?????a??¡ê???. ??????,?2??£¤??????????. ??¡ì???,?????????¨¦??¨¦??????? ??¡ê???'' ???????????1????????2????????a??3??¡ì¨¨¡§????. ''??|??¡ê??¡¤??¡ê?????????????¡À??????????????????¡¥,???????????¡ì???¨¨???????a¨¨??. ?????|??????¨¦?o?????????????????a?oo¨¦????¡¥,??¡ä??¡ê??|¨¦?a¨¦-???a??????'' ''??1¨¦????¡¥,¨¦??????????|?????¡ì?????????????????a'' ''????????-. ?????¡§??????????¦Ì????????¡ä ??¡ä????????????????? ??¡§?¡ä????????????|????????¡§?????|???,???????????o??¡¤??????????????|??¡ê??¡¤??¡ê????????????. ¨¦????????? ????,????????????,?????????????????a???'' ????????¡ã????????o??¡¤???,?-??????????. ????????a¨¨?????¨¨?????????????|??¡ê??¡¤??¡ê??????????????¡¥??????????????¡§?????????. ??¡ã?????a?????¡§????¡ì?????????¡ã,???????????????????????3???????????????????????a. ''?? ??????,???????????a????????-. ????????¡¥???????????a?????????. ¨¨|a?????¡ì????????a?????a??¡ê????¡ì??????¡¥??-'' ''??????,???¨¨???????a??¡ê??????. ???????????¡§??a'' ?¡è????¨¨¡§??????¡§,???????????1??¡¥¨¦?????,¨¦???????a??3??¡ì??o???¨¨|????. ''a?|a?|??¡ã?????????'' ??|??¡ê??¡¤??¡ê????????????. ??¡§??????¨¨3a????? ??????. ????????¡è??¡¥????? ???????????a???. ??¡¥¨¨????¡ì????????¡ã,????????|???????????1????????|??¡¥?¡ã???a????? ??????. ?? ???a??a?? ''???¨¨|????????????¡ã??a'' ????????????????????|???¨¨¦Ì¡¤????????|????????a???,?¡¥???|??¡¥?????a????????¡ã????????a?????a???. ??o????????¡è??¡ã?????¡é????????|??????¨¦?¡§???????¡ã?????? ?????????????? . ?????o????????£¤?¡è?????????¡¥,?¦Ì??¡ì???¡¤??1?? ??¡ê????????????????????a,??o??¡¥. ''?????¡§???????¡ã????¨¨?¡À???¨¨??????????|????????¡ê??|???????????????'' ¨¨?3??¡è???????¦Ì??????¡ê????????¡ì,?o¡ì?????a??????¨¨??????????????¨¨????-???????????|???????????¦Ì?????????¨¨???????a???????¡ã???-???. ''?????????,?¡ã?????????????a?|a?|,??????????????-???. ???????? ??????????????|???????????a???,??a????? ??¡ê??|?-??????|????????????'' ?????3????????????¨¦3¡ä????????????????o?¨¨?3?????a?¡ê¡ã??¡ì???????????1??¡¥¨¨¡§????. ''???,??¡ì???. ¨¨???????|????????????. ???,?¦Ì??¡ì???¡§????????????????????-??????????????????¨¨¡§???¡ê??|???????????????,?¡ì??????1??a?????¦Ì??¡è??o??¡¥??????????????a?????????'' ¨¦?????,??¡é?????????. ???????????1??a?????¦Ì??¡è??o??a???,??????¨¨|?????????????¨¦??????????????????? ???. ??a?????a???,¨¨?3?????¦Ì??¡è??o?????¡ì????????¡ê????????¡ê???????????-. a?|a?|?? ??¡§????????????,????????¡ê??¡§??????????????a???. ''?????????,¨¨?£¤?????????????????¡§????????a?????¡¥'' ''????????¡è?????a??¡ê??|????????¡§??-??????¨¨|?????????1??????????? ?????????'' ''?????¡ê??¡¥??¡ê??¡¥??¡ê????????????????????-. ?????¡¥??¡¥,¨¦?¡é???????????¡§¨¨¡§?????????-,???'' ¨¦????|?????????????????1???????¡ì???????????????¡è??¡ì??????????¦Ì??????1?????????,???????????1???¨¨?????????????????¨¦??????????|??????. ?????????,????????a. ????????¦Ì??????????????????. ''I like you, I think you''ll be able to tolerate my rudeness. ''Calling me names, calling me names?'' ''Yes, yes.'' ''What happens if I don''t tolerate it? ''I''ll wash it. ''Is that the common language of all river fishing guilds in all districts! Maybe the forced translation magic is just a joke. Oh, I have a feeling about that. ...... d*mn, that''s why they''re spirit gods. It''s not just funny, though. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it, but I''m going to try. ''You''re a beastman, right?I like that way of thinking. Especially since my husband is one, I was a little impressed when Lucia told me about it. In District 35, they were called ''subhumans'', right? ''Didn''t you have any resistance to marrying a beastman tribe? Lupinus is an ex-aristocrat, though he left on his own. Nobles basically look down on beastmen and subhumans. ''Not at all. The reply he gave was in a very calm voice, and I could feel the deep affection in it. ''Because it was meant to be. Lupinus then began to tell the story of how he and Taita had gotten to know each other. ''I ran away from home with nowhere to go, and I was wandering the streets, wondering what to do, when I saw a boy drowning in the river. ''So that was Taita? ''Yes. He was only six years old, and it was the first time he came to the river after his stepfather''s work. It wasn''t the first time he''d been taken to the river to play, but the first time he''d been taken to where the river fishing guild worked. While she was out of sight for just a moment, Taita was swept away by the river and quickly separated from her parents. ''I happened to be on the bridge, and I thought it was dangerous, so I jumped in. ''You''re a lot more dangerous than I am. ......'' If you were a young lady just after you ran out of the house, you were probably wearing a dress,......, and if you weren''t careful, you could have caused secondary damage. ''I''m fine. I''m a good swimmer, and I took off my dress before I jumped in. ''What''s a daughter of a lord''s family doing in the traffic of the world? ......'' ''It was right after I broke it off. I was thinking more along the lines of, ''Now I won''t be held back anymore. You''re such a tomboy. So, Lupinus jumped into the river and rescued Taita from drowning. Naturally, Taita''s father thanked Lupinus profusely. One look at her dress and you can understand what kind of person she is. Such an aristocratic young lady had saved her son by exposing her underwear in the street. The father''s gratitude must have been inexpressible. ''I was just glad that my child''s life was saved, that''s all. But your father-in-law took it so seriously, saying it was his responsibility if he couldn''t marry her. Of course he did. ''I didn''t want to marry him in the first place. I''d just lost my heart to Dr. Orkio.'' ''You''ve known that for ...... quite a while, haven''t you? ''......I knew you knew.'' ''...... Well, from Siraha.'' Lupinus'' thoughts are surely known only to a few. The fact that I''m part of it is a bit questionable. ''But marriage is still a decisive thing. Oh, but I gave you my heartfelt blessing, then and now. Orkio is special to Lupinus. That''s not going to change. But a special person doesn''t have to be alone. Lupinus had already met his destiny then. ''Then, the boy who was crying in my arms said, "Then I''ll take you as my wife. Recalling those days, Lupinus chuckled. He must have been quite cute. The sound of Lupinus'' laughter was as gorgeous as a flower in bloom. In the event that you''ve got any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... He wrote me a letter every day while I was training in the 42nd district. ...... Then, when I came back as a full-fledged man, I got married. Lupinus'' face was boiling red as he smiled and looked at me. It seems he was quite happy. It says so on her face. ''You''ve won a very young man. ''Well, you know, they say that you should look for a wife who is one year older even if you have to wear gold sandals. ''...... One year older? You were fifteen when you ran away from the Wishart family, right? You were six when you met Taita, right? ''...... One year older? ''She''s a little younger than me, but she''s dependable and taller than me. ''A little younger? ''Well, at my age, a year or two is a margin of error, a margin of error.'' ''A year and two years? ''...... Don''t talk about it any more or I''ll cave your ankles in.'' Scary! I''m not going to let a crater form on my ankle, so I''ll shut up. ''Actually, I wanted to have a child right away, but my father-in-law collapsed, and when my man took over as guild leader, there was a bit of internal strife, so the child was not born until much later. ''How old is he now? ''She''ll be nine this year. She''s beautiful, just like me.'' ''Hmm. Then you''d better watch out for pedophile aristocrats between the ages of fifteen and twenty. There are a lot of dangerous people I know who are in that age range. ''When my child was born, everything was new to me, and I was really overwhelmed at that time. It was only recently that I settled down. ''Well, I guess that''s how it is. Everyone is inexperienced at first. I think parents grow up together with their children and gradually become parents. I''ve never been a parent, and I''m still a kid, mentally. ''But that''s why I''ve been neglecting her. ......'' ''You mean Delia?'' ''Yeah, yeah. I really wanted to take better care of her. I just couldn''t be there for her when she was going through the hardest time.'' The tone of her voice sank, and Lupinus spat out the words in a pained tone, as if she was doing penance. ''Didn''t something like that happen in District Forty-two?Even the master, at such a young age, ......''. By ''something like that'', I assume you mean a serious illness in the swamp. Delia''s father died of the epidemic at that time. ''I was worried ...... about Delia, but I was scared ....... I had a husband and a young child to care for,...... and I was afraid for my life. She wanted to be there for her daughter as a mother until she grew up. ...... Delia lost her father, and that made her even more ......''. It was a true penance. Lupinus must have felt guilty about it for a long time and suffered from it. It is only natural that he should put himself and his family first. But it''s not that easy. It''s hard to forgive yourself. But ...... I see. I guess Delia had a partner, too. I think it was this couple that supported Delia until she was on her own, maybe even after. It was often mentioned that her father''s apprentice was running a river fishing guild in the 35th district. Paula had her father, and Milly had the guild leader of the flower guild by her side. But I thought Delia didn''t have any adults she could rely on. Thank God. Delia had someone who cared about her too. ''It may be wrong for me to say this, but--'' I push Lupinus back and drop a word on the back of his head. ''--Thank you. The reason why Delia is living so happily now is because of you. I''ve been saved by Delia many times. If it weren''t for Lupinus and the others watching over Delia, she might not have grown up to be the person she is now. She was so straightforward and kind to everyone. So I just wanted to say thank you. I felt like I was indirectly helping her. ''...... I may be out of line, too, but...'' I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. It felt as if it were coming from a mother. In the end, there was no useful information about the Wishart family. All I knew was that Wishart had been a scumbag since he was a kid. But that doesn''t mean it can''t be a countermeasure to the harassment currently being inflicted on Wishart. But it does mean that we can keep our faces connected. There may be a time in the future when I will ask for your help. Well, this time, it''s good to know that Delia has a family that cares about her. ''Oh, by the way, your husband, what race is he? ''Red panda people. Again, a fine line. It''s not a bear, it''s not a raccoon. I''m not sure if they''re strong enough. Well, she claims to be stronger than Delia, so I''m sure she is. ''Does she have any animal traits? ''No, she doesn''t have any. My family is also a person with few animal traits. ''Come to think of it, it''s just her ears. ''Actually, I have hair on my ass too. It''s really nice and fluffy. I''m more than happy to rub my cheeks on my husband''s ass.'' ''Hey, lady. Where did you throw away your lady''s manners? ''It was washed away when I jumped into the river. Lupinus breaks down, revealing the face of the ''Okkasan of the River Fishing Guild''. To be able to use it in such a way may be the result of her education as a young lady. She must have been a really skillful girl. ''It would have been nice if my daughter had some animal features, too. ......'' The words that escaped her were filled with sorrow. ''I don''t think so, but I''m worried that my parents might try to use my daughter,......,'' he said. I''m sure the Wishart family won''t recognize her as one of their own if she has the animal traits. Lupinus is right, the family restricts access to the main building just because she is a woman, so I don''t think they would be interested in the child of a daughter who has left home,......, but it is frustrating to say for sure that they are not. If they feel it is necessary for them, they do not mind ignoring our arguments and forcibly grabbing it. That is why Lupinus has not been able to completely dispel his fears. ''Probably not'' and ''absolutely safe'' are as different as the distance between the moon and the sun. ''Why don''t you raise her to be a crass girl who can''t be a lady at all? ''Don''t be silly. You can''t do that to a pretty girl. She spoke indignantly in an Occitan tone, and then in a lady''s tone, thinking of her child. ''I want to give her infinite possibilities. If she wants to take over the river fishing guild, I''ll support her, and if she wants to be with the man she loves, I''ll catch her whether she says so or not--'' I''ll wait. Respect the other guy''s freedom too. What do you mean, capture him? Hunting?What, you''re hunting? ''And--'' The words that followed were, as expected, a bit of a surprise to me. ''If that girl wants to become a lord, I''ll make her wish come true even if I have to make enemies with her family. Take over the Wishart family. No, I don''t think she''s thinking that far ahead. There is another way for Lupinus'' daughter to become a lord besides taking over House Wishart, and that is to marry the lord''s son. She would marry the son of the lord, and after the son became lord, he would transfer all his power to her. In the case of District 42, it is like Estella handing over the title of lord to her future husband. Though I''m sure the other families wouldn''t be too happy about her handing over the title to someone other than her own blood. Besides, if Lupinus'' daughter makes such a move, the Wishart family won''t keep quiet. To them, ''family'' is nothing but a hindrance. ''Are you saying you want to be a lord? ''No. If you say something like that, it''s just a parent''s foolish statement that I''m on my daughter''s side. Forget it. She''s not that extreme.'' ''You''re lucky you don''t look like your mother.'' ''Oh, you look just like her.You look like me and you''re a beautiful girl.'' Such a line is frustratingly convincing. Lupinus may be old, but she''s still beautiful. If you look like her, you''re definitely a beautiful girl. But I don''t have much hope for the breast gene. Even if Lupinus'' daughter becomes a lord, it will only lower the average breast size of the lords. Okay, I''ll go with the other side. ''So, the daughter is ......, um, may I ask her name?'' ''Campanula. She has a beautiful voice, like the sound of a bell. I''m very proud of her.'' ''Well, I''d love to meet her.'' ''Yes, I would. If you get the chance. Daughter of Lupinus, and a commoner of Wishart blood. Campanula. Nine years old. You can be anything you want to be, you''re full of hope. She''s not someone I want to get into this mess with. I''ll hold off on seeing her until this case is settled. ''So, what''s wrong with Campanula?'' ''Hmm?Oh, no, I was just wondering if she wanted to be something.'' ''Yes, she is. My daughter''s a genius. She''s got her eyes set on her future. Lupinus revealed his Ebisu face in full parental stupidity. You can tell from her expression that she''s not saying she wants to be a lord. She is probably talking about a pretty dream that her parents would want her to have. A cake shop or a flower shop. Or maybe she wants to have the same job as her parents. ''To be my father''s wife? ''If you start talking like that, I''ll kick you out of the house. ''You''ve got serious eyes! What, you''re a foolish parent, aren''t you? Even your daughter is your rival? I don''t know what to do. And what do you want to be?Pretty, pretty, pretty, your darling daughter. ''The cloud eater. ''What about ......?'' ''Clouds look so good, she wants to try them.'' ''At ......?'' ''I wish I could make a career out of it. Isn''t that cute? ''No, I''m really worried about you! You''re so far out of line that it''s scary to even ask if you''re okay! I''ll give you a pass on the ''I want to try eating clouds'' part. But you want to make a business out of it?Where''s the money going to come from? ''According to Campanula''s plan, he''s going to take requests from the farming guilds and river fishing guilds that want sunny weather during the heavy rains.'' ''That''s a pretty decent plan! If that''s possible, I''m sure there''ll be plenty of places willing to take requests. If that''s possible! ''It''s just that they wanted to do a market survey, but they''re worried that there are no clouds for sale anywhere and they don''t know the market price.'' ''Could it be that you''re a real genius, your daughter! Did you do market research? I can''t decide if she''s smart, innocent, stupid, or a pervert, that episode! ''Also, what if I get full before I finish my work? It''s hard to tell. It''s difficult to understand the sensibilities of children these days! ''No matter what Campanula''s goal is, I will support her. That''s why I''m currently researching seasonings. ''You''re misunderstanding what you should be doing! It''s not ''What''s the best thing to put on the clouds? That''s not it! First of all, tell them that it''s inedible! ''By the way, last year you said you wanted to become a doctor of cat language. ''Did you find a cute stray cat in the neighborhood? ''Yes, I did. So, I took data on the pitch and vocalization of the cat''s voice, the movement of its eyes, the degree of pupil opening, and the degree of muscle contraction, and made a prediction based on statistics about which purr expressed what emotion. ''You''re a genius, your daughter!It''s kind of scary for the younger generation nowadays! There''s a little girl in the 42nd district who''s a math genius with a lisp and innocence! ''It makes me happy to hear you praise my daughter so much. I''d love to meet her.'' ''Well, when this mess is over...'' I certainly don''t want to put their families in danger. When I said that, Lupinus rolled his eyes and then relaxed his cheeks. ''Thank you. But I''m starting to worry.'' Lupinus stretches out his arm and begins to stroke my hair. ''I can''t believe that such a kind person has been spotted by the Wishart family. ......'' Lupinus describes me as gentle. Then he tells me with a sharp look. ''You can''t defeat them unless you''re willing to take their lives in a pinch. Pretending to be weak, he attacks me from behind. That''s the way they like it," Lupinus said. I guess he thought I was too much for such cowardly people. ...... Well, don''t worry. I know what cowards do, and I know what cowards do. ''I''ll take that as advice. ''You''d better. The less you worry about, the better. It seems that Lupinus is even worried about me after just a dozen minutes of conversation. It seems that what Lucia said about her being deeply affectionate is true. ''Well then, let''s get out of here. I don''t want to monopolize you forever. ''I don''t want to start any rumors. ''Haha. I''m famous for my excessive love for my husband, so that''s not going to happen. Lupinus chuckled. However, there was only one person who came to check on Lupinus, worried about him. That person opened the door in a reserved manner and spoke to her in a voice that sounded like a bell ringing. ''Mother. Isn''t the massage finished yet? A young girl with pale purple hair peeked out from behind the door. It was Campanula, the only daughter of Lupinus.